And sixthly, Doth the love of God to his people begin 1so soon? I loved Israel when he was a child, Oh! let not thy love then to him be deferred too long; Gods love begins betimes to his people, let not his people; love be deferred too long. God is before hand with you in love, and when ever we begin to love him it is upon this ground, Because ⟨p. 10⟩he loved us first. You who are young youths, do you love 2God betimes, for if you be such as ever shall be saved, God did not only love you when you were a child, but he loved you before you were born, before the foundations of the world was laid; Oh! it is pity that the first springing of your love should not be bestowed upon God: Certainly old love is the best love, as old love in God is sweet, so old love in the Saints; it's a sweet thing to think that God loved me from a child; but then, if I can say this too, I 3loved God from a child, this will make it sweeter: put but these two together, Oh! when these two can be added, what is wa[…]g to the comfort of ones life? God loves that love that is from a child, Jer. 2. 2. I remember 4the kindness of thy youth, saith God. For young people to love God, Oh! God loves that, God loves the love of young ones, the love of children; how sweet will old age be to thee if thou canst say thus, Lord, through thy mercy I have loved thee from a child, and that's an evidence that 5thou diddest love me when I was a child? How many are there now that are old whom God loved when they were young, that would give ten thousand worlds if they had them that they had known and loved God sooner than they have done? Though it's true, I lived in wickedness almost all my days, and yet at length God manifested himself to me, and by that I know God hath loved me from eternity, but, Oh! that I had loved God from a child; I say, those whose eyes God enlightens, and hearts God converts to himself, would give ten thousand thousand worlds that they could but say this, Oh that I had but loved God from a child! You who are children and young ones, do you begin betimes to love God, that if you live to be old you may say, that God loved you from a child. It was an excellent speech of Austin when God pleased to work upon his heart, Lord, I loved thee too late: And so it will be with any that do begin to love God, 6they will say that they loved God too late;
And sixtly, Doth the love of God to his people begin 1so soon? I loved Israel when he was a child, Oh! let not thy love then to him be deferred too long; Gods love begins betimes to his people, let not his people; love be deferred too long. God is before hand with you in love, and when ever we begin to love him it is upon this ground, Because ⟨p. 10⟩he loved us first. You who are yong youths, do you love 2God betimes, for if you be such as ever shall be saved, God did not only love you when you were a child, but he loved you before you were born, before the foundations of the world was laid; Oh! it is pity that the first springing of your love should not be bestowed upon God: Certainly old love is the best love, as old love in God is sweet, so old love in the Saints; it's a sweet thing to think that God loved me from a child; but then, if I can say this too, I 3loved God from a child, this will make it sweeter: put but these two together, Oh! when these two can be added, what is wa〈…〉g to the comfort of ones life? God loves that love that is from a child, Jer. 2. 2. I remember 4the kindness of thy youth, saith God. For yong people to love God, Oh! God loves that, God loves the love of yong ones, the love of children; how sweet will old age be to thee if thou canst say thus, Lord, through thy mercy I have loved thee from a child, and that's an evidence that 5thou didest love me when I was a child? How many are there now that are old whom God loved when they were yong, that would give ten thousand worlds if they had them that they had known and loved God sooner than they have done? Though it's true, I lived in wickedness almost all my daies, and yet at length God manifested himself to me, and by that I know God hath loved me from eternity, but, Oh! that I had loved God from a child; I say, those whose eyes God enlightens, and hearts God converts to himself, would give ten thousand thousand worlds that they could but say this, Oh that I had but loved God from a child! You who are children and yong ones, do you begin betimes to love God, that if you live to be old you may say, that God loved you from a child. It was an excellent speech of Austin when God pleased to work upon his heart, Lord, I loved thee too late: And so it will be with any that do begin to love God,
- 1Obs. 6.
- 2Youth.
- 3What will complete the comfort of our lives.What will compleat the comfort of our lives.
- 4Jer. 2. 2.
- 5How we may know whether God loved us when children.
- 6Nimis serò te amami. Aug.
