2. That by our loving of God we must understand, that Cordial respect which we have for him, where by we have chosen him for our portion, and are entirely devoted to his fear. Love in us, is an Affection leading us in pursuit after Union to the object of it, in order to our having intimate Communion with it: for love is a Closing Affection, and carrieth us forth after that which we love. That which attracts our love to it, is the Goodness which we apprehend to be in the object of it, which renders it a thing lovely; the discovery of which goodness made to the Understanding, moves on the Judgment, and by that on the Heart, and draws it out after it. Now the expression of this love is in a suitable respect that we show to the object of it, and is accordingly diversified, as there is a different reference or relation that we bear to it: the love therefore of Parents to their Children, and of Children to their Parents doth not show it self after the same manner. There are therefore these two things wherein our real love to God appears, ⟨p. 10⟩Viz. In our renouncing of all other things for him, choosing him alone for our portion, and accordingly depending upon him for all; when we can say as the Church, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion saith my Soul, therefore I will hope in him: And as the Psalmist, Psal. 62.5. My Soul wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him And in our submitting our selves with greatest willingness and delight to his Service: Christ therefore directs to this as the Evidence of our love Joh 14 15. If ye love me keep my Commandments. Love is therefore used in the Scriptures to express all that Obedience which we pay to God, in studying and practising universal conformity to his revealed will. This is rooted in our hearts by the delight we have in his precepts; when we can say with him, Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man. And it is exerted in our life, when we devote our whole man to New Obedience; When we love the Lord our God with all our heart, and all our soul, and all our mind, Matth. 22.37.
2. That by our loving of God we must understand, that Cordial respect which we have for him, where by we have chosen him for our portion, and are entirely devoted to his fear. Love in us, is an Affection leading us in pursuit after Union to the object of it, in order to our having intimate Communion with it: for love is a Closing Affection, and carrieth us forth after that which we love. That which attracts our love to it, is the Goodness which we apprehend to be in the object of it, which renders it a thing lovely; the discovery of which goodness made to the Understanding, moves on the Judgment, and by that on the Heart, and draws it out after it. Now the expression of this love is in a suitable respect that we shew to the object of it, and is accordingly diversifyed, as there is a different reference or relation that we bear to it: the love therefore of Parents to their Children, and of Children to their Parents doth not shew it self after the same manner. There are therefore these two things wherein our real love to God appears, ⟨p. 10⟩Viz. In our renouncing of all other things for him, chusing him alone for our portion, and accordingly depending upon him for all; when we can say as the Church, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion saith my Soul, therefore I will hope in him: And as the Psalmist, Psal. 62.5. My Soul wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him And in our submitting our selves with greatest willingness and delight to his Service: Christ therefore directs to this as the Evidence of our love Joh 14 15. If ye love me keep my Commandments. Love is therefore used in the Scriptures to express all that Obedience which we pay to God, in studying and practising universal conformity to his revealed will. This is rooted in our hearts by the delight we have in his precepts; when we can say with him, Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man. And it is exerted in our life, when we devote our whole man to New Obedience; When we love the Lord our God with all our heart, and all our soul, and all our mind, Matth. 22.37.
