(8.) This stifles Love to God, takes away that which is the Foundation and Ground of a special transcendent Love to him. That which is the rise of our Love to God, is his Love to us, 1 Joh. 4. 19. it is this that kindles our Affection to him, and raises Love into a Flame: But he that believes and considers, that God had no more thoughts of Love for him from Eternity, than he had for those who are under his everlasting Hatred; and that Christ had no more Love for him in the work of Redemption; did Obey, Suffer, Satisfy, Purchase no more •or him, than he did for those who were in Hell, when he Suffered; and that the Spirit of Grace does no more for him, in order to his Salvation, than he does for the Vessels of Wrath, fitted for Destruction; will scarce find any thing in the Love of God (on this Consideration) to engage his Soul to a special Love for God: He will be in danger to Love God with no more than a common Love, such as a carnal Man may have; who believes that the Lord loves him no more, than he loves those who are to be tormented for ever with the Devil and his Angels. He will •ind a Motive from hence, to hug and love ⟨p. 66⟩himself rather than God: For, when that which they call Love in God, seems but an indifferent respect, not intending more good to one than another, but as themselves determine it; he had got no special benefit, no particular advantage by that Love, if he had not been better to himself: The Lord, as they represent him, (whatever is pretended concerning the greatness and universality of his Love to Mankind) seems indifferent as to Love or Hatred, as to the Happiness or Misery of Man. The Lord left it indifferent, in his eternal Purpose, whether any should be Saved or no; and Christ, in the Work of Redemption, left it indifferent whether any should be actually Redeemed or no; and the Spirit, in Calling Sinners, leaves it indifferent whether any be effectually Called or no: There was no Affection in all this, but what might have ended in Love or Hatred, i. e. in the Damning of all, as soon as the Saving of any. That which determines this indifference, and makes it prove Love, is the Sinner himself, the good use of his Free-will: Had it not been for this, for any Love that God had for him, for any expression of it from Father, Son, or Spirit, he had ⟨p. 67⟩been one of the Children of Wrath, in the same Condemnation with others.
(8.) This stifles Love to God, takes away that which is the Foundation and Ground of a special transcendent Love to him. That which is the rise of our Love to God, is his Love to us, 1 Joh. 4. 19. it is this that kindles our Affection to him, and raises Love into a Flame: But he that believes and considers, that God had no more thoughts of Love for him from Eternity, than he had for those who are under his everlasting Hatred; and that Christ had no more Love for him in the work of Redemption; did Obey, Suffer, Satisfie, Purchase no more •or him, than he did for those who were in Hell, when he Suffered; and that the Spirit of Grace does no more for him, in order to his Salvation, than he does for the Vessels of Wrath, sitted for Destruction; will scarce find any thing in the Love of God (on this Consideration) to engage his Soul to a special Love for God: He will be in danger to Love God with no more than a common Love, such as a carnal Man may have; who believes that the Lord loves him no more, than he loves those who are to be tormented for ever with the Devil and his Angels. He will •ind a Motive from hence, to hug and love ⟨p. 66⟩himself rather than God: For, when that which they call Love in God, seems but an indifferent respect, not intending more good to one than another, but as themselves determine it; he had got no special benefit, no particular advantage by that Love, if he had not been better to himself: The Lord, as they represent him, (whatever is pretended concerning the greatness and universality of his Love to Mankind) seems indifferent as to Love or Hatred, as to the Happiness or Misery of Man. The Lord left it indifferent, in his eternal Purpose, whether any should be Saved or no; and Christ, in the Work of Redemption, left it indifferent whether any should be actually Redeemed or no; and the Spirit, in Calling Sinners, leaves it indifferent whether any be effectually Called or no: There was no Affection in all this, but what might have ended in Love or Hatred, i. e. in the Damning of all, as soon as the Saving of any. That which determines this indifference, and makes it prove Love, is the Sinner himself, the good use of his Free-will: Had it not been for this, for any Love that God had for him, for any expression of it from Father, Son, or Spirit, he had ⟨p. 67⟩been one of the Children of Wrath, in the same Condemnation with others.