2. It must be a sincere love, Eph. 6.24. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus [Greek or Hebrew] in sincerity. Sincere, quasi sine cera; it alludes to Honey that is pure, and hath no Wax in it: Our love to God is sincere, when it is pure, and without self-respects: This the School-men call, Amor amicitiae, a love of friendship. We must love Christ propter Christum (as Austin saith) for himself: as we love sweet Wine for its taste. Gods Beauty and Love must be the two Load-stones to draw our love to him. Alexander had two friends, Ephestion and Craterus; Ephestion saith he, loves me because I am Alexander: Craterus loves me because I am King Alexander: The one loved his person, the other loved his benefits. Many love God because he gives them Corn and Wine, and not for his intrinsical excellencies. Lycurgus would have Virgins to be married without dowry, because their Husbands should marry them purely for love. We must love God more for what he is, than for what he bestows. True love is not mercenary: You need not hire a Mother to love her child: A soul deeply in love with God needs not be hired by rewards; he cannot but love him for that oriency of beauty that sparkles forth in him.
2. It must be a sincere love, Eph. 6.24. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Iesus 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 in sincerity. Sincere, quasi sine cera; it alludes to Honey that is pure, and hath no Wax in it: Our love to God is sincere, when it is pure, and without self-respects: This the School-men call, Amor amicitiae, a love of friendship. We must love Christ propter Christum (as Austin saith) for himself: as we love sweet Wine for its taste. Gods Beauty and Love must be the two Load-stones to draw our love to him. Alexander had two freinds, Ephestion and Craterus; Ephestion saith he, loves me because I am Alexander: Craterus loves me because I am King Alexander: The one loved his person, the other loved his benefits. Many love God because he gives them Corn and Wine, and not for his intrinsecal excellencies. Lycurgus would have Virgins to be married without dowry, because their Husbands should marry them purely for love. We must love God more for what he is, than for what he bestows. True love is not mercenary: You need not hire a Mother to love her child: A soul deeply in love with God needs not be hired by rewards; he cannot but love him for that oriency of beauty that sparkles forth in him.
