6. God in the Covenant of grace gives thee his Son.1 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Nay more, as God hath given thee his Son, so he hath given thee ⟨p. 108⟩himself. O my Soul, wouldest thou not think it a marvellous love, if God should say to thee, Come Soul, I Will give thee all the World for thy Portion; or that I may give thee a testimony that I love thee, I will make another world for thy sake, and I will make thee Emperor of that world also. Surely thou wouldst say, God loves me dearly; ay but in that God hath given thee his Son, and given thee himself, this is a greater degree of Love. Christians! stand amazed; Oh what love is this to the Children of men! Oh that we should live to have our ears filled with this sound from Heaven! I will be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee, I am the Lord thy God; I will be their God, and they shall be my People. O my Soul, where hast thou been? rouse up, and recollect, and set before thee all these passages of Gods Love in Christ; are not these strong atractives to gain thy love; what wilt thou do? canst thou choose to love the Lord thy God? shall not all this love of God in Christ to thee constrain thy love? It is the expression of the Apostle, The Love of God constrains us: 2God in Christ is the very Element of Love, and whither should Love go but to the Element? Air goes to Air, and Earth to Earth, and all the Rivers to the Sea:3 every Element will to its proper place: Now God is Love, and whither should thy Love be carried, but to this Ocean, or Sea of Love? Come my Beloved (said the Spouse to Christ) let us get up early to the vineyards, 4let us see if the Vines flourish, whether the tender grapes appear; there will I give thee my Loves: The flourishing of the Vine, and the appearing of the tender grapes are the fruits of the graces of God in the Assemblies of his Saints; now wheresoever things appear, whether in Assemblies, or in secret Ordinances, then and there (saith the Bride) will I give thee my Loves; when thou comest to the Word, Prayer, Meditation, be sure of this, to give Christ thy Love: What? doth Christ manifest his presence there? is there any abounding of his graces there? O let thy Love abound: by how much more thou feelest Gods Love towards thee, by so much more do thou love thy God again:
6. God in the Covenant of grace gives thee his Son.1 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Nay more, as God hath given thee his Son, so he hath given thee ⟨p. 108⟩himself. O my Soul, wouldest thou not think it a marvellous love, if God should say to thee, Come Soul, I Will give thee all the World for thy Portion; or that I may give thee a testimony that I love thee, I will make another world for thy sake, and I will make thee Emperour of that world also. Surely thou wouldst say, God loves me dearly; ay but in that God hath given thee his Son, and given thee himself, this is a greater degree of Love. Christi•ns! stand amazed; Oh what love is this to the Children of men! Oh that we should live to have our ears filled with this sound from Heaven! I will be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee, I am the Lord thy God; I will be their God, and they shall be my People. O my Soul, where hast thou been? rouze up, and recollect, and set before thee all these passages of Gods Love in Christ; are not these strong atractives to gain thy love; what wilt thou do? canst thou chuse to love the Lord thy God? shall not all this love of God in Christ to thee constrain thy love? It is the expression of the Apostle, The Love of God constrains us: 2God in Christ is the very Element of Love, and whither should Love go but to the Element? Air goes to Air, and Earth to Earth, and all the Rivers to the Sea:3 every Element will to its proper place: Now God is Love, and whither should thy Love be carried, but to this Ocean, or Sea of Love? Come my Beloved (said the Spouse to Christ) let us get up early to the vineyards, 4let us see if the Vines flourish, whether the tender grapes appear; there will I give thee my Loves: The flourishing of the Vine, and the appearing of the tender grapes are the fruits of the graces of God in the Assemblies of his Saints; now wheresoever things appear, whether in Assemblies, or in secret Ordinances, then and there (saith the Bride) will I give thee my Loves; when thou comest to the Word, Prayer, Meditation, be sure of this, to give Christ thy Love: What? doth Christ manifest his presence there? is there any abounding of his graces there? O let thy Love abound: by how much more thou feelest Gods Love towards thee, by so much more do thou love thy God again:
- 1John. 13.6.
- 21 Cor. 5.14.
- 31 John. 4.16.
- 4Cant 2.12.
