2. Love, as to the manner of their obedience gives them delight and joy: Joh. 14. 15. If ye love me (says Christ keep my Commandments: Love is the bottom of all their duties: hence our Saviour resolves all obedience into the love of God, and our Neighbour: and Paul upon the same ground tells us, that Love is the fulfilling of the Law: 1 Cor. 13. 10. where love is in any duty it is complete in Christ. How often doth David even with admiration express this principle of his walking with God: Oh (saith he) how I love thy Commandments. This gives Saints delight, that the Commandments of Christ are not grievous to them: Jacobs hard service was not grievous to him, because of his love to Rachel: No duty of a Saint is grievous to him, because of his love to Christ: They do from hence all things with delight and Complacency: Hence do they long for advantages of walking with God, pant after more ability, and this is a great share of their Son-like freedom in obedience. It gives them joy in it: 1 John 4. 18. there is no fear in Love, but perfect love casteth out fear: when their soul is acted to obedience by love; it expels that fear which is the issue of bondage upon the Spirit. Now when there is a concurrence of these two, Life, and Love, there is freedom, liberty, largeness of heart, exceedingly distanced from that straight, and bondaged frame, which many walk in all their days, that know not the Adoption of Sons.
2. Love, as to the manner of their obedience gives them delight and joy: Ioh. 14. 15. If yee love me (saies Christ keep my Commandements: Love is the bottome of all their dutys: hence our Saviour resolves all obedience into the love of God, and our Neighbour: and Paul upon the same ground tells us, that Love is the fullfilling of the Law: 1 Cor. 13. 10. where love is in any duty it is compleate in Christ. How often doth David even with admiration expresse this principle of his walking with God: Oh (saith he) how I love thy Commandements. This gives Saints delight, that the Commandements of Christ are not grievous to them: Jacobs hard service was not grievous to him, because of his love to Rachel: No duty of a Saint is grievous to him, because of his love to Christ: They doe from hence all things with delight and Complacency: Hence doe they long for advantages of walking with God, pant after more ability, and this is a great share of their Son-like freedome in obedience. It gives them joy in it: 1 John 4. 18. there is no feare in Love, but perfect love casteth out feare: when their soule is acted to obedience by love; it expells that feare which is the issue of bondage upon the Spirit. Now when there is a concurrence of these two, Life, and Love, there is freedome, liberty, largenesse of heart, exceedingly distanced from that straight, and bondaged frame, which many walk in all their days, that know not the Adoption of Sons.
