Truth Held Forth and Maintained, Part 1 · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV. Concerning the free Love of God, in and by the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
THe Love of God, by the gift of his Spirit of Light, Life and Grace, is free for all men by Jeſus Chriſt; for God ſo loved the World that he ſent his only beloved Son, the Lord Jeſus, to ſuffer Death for all men, that aboſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting Life, John 3.15, 16. Then they that believe in Chriſt, are them that abide in the love of God, which leads to keep all his Commandments, which he hath, by the Son of his Love, the Lord of Life, commanded all men to keep; for the great Love of God was manifeſt, that Jeſus, who was made a little lower then the Angels, for the ſuffering of Death, crowned with Glory and Honour, that by the Grace of God ſhould taſte Death for every man, Heb. 2.9. by which every man that heareth his Word, and believeth on God, hath Life, and ſhall not come into Condemnation, but is paſſed from Death unto Life, John. 5.24. For the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead ſhall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and they that hear ſhall live, Verſ 25. which is according to the Apoſtles ſaying, that when he was dead in T…eſpaſſes and Sins againſt God, the Voice of the Son of God appeared unto him, who became willing to give up in true love to ſerve the Lord with uprightneſs in heart and mind, by which thorough the Love o… God in Chriſt, he came, through Faith and Obedience, to receive that Crown of Righteouſneſs, which was not only in ſtore for him, but for all them, that love the appearance of the Lord J…ſus in their own hearts, 2 Tim. 4.8. which is that true be…eving on Chriſt, by which the faithfull receive Life everlaſting, John 6.7 for he that loveth any thing more th…n the appearance of Gods Gift of divine Light of Life by J…ins Chriſt, he is not in the true Love of God to receive Chriſt; for he that will not come into obedience to the gift of Gods Spirit in his own heart, he is free (through Diſobedience from the Love of God by Jeſus Chriſt; for it is the Willing and Obedient, that are made partakers of Gods heavenly Riches, by the Son of his Love, and Lord of Life, whoſe Life remains hid to them that are not willing, in true love, to forſake the love of all Viſibles, and viſible Delights for his ſake, but they who in obedience to him, are willing to forſake the love of Houſes or Brethren, or Siſters, or Fathers, or Mothers, or Wife, or Children, or Lands, for the Name of Christ, they ſhall receive an hundred fold, and ſhall inher… everlaſting Life, Mat. 19.29. Luke. 8.29, 30. So that Life and Salvation is of no other way, then by that love which is free for God, to ſerve him in what he hath commanded by the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who requires no leſs love from his People, then to ſerve him in true love of Uprightneſs in heart, and mind; for he that was to come, is come to redeem his People from ſpiritual Bondage, and they are to ſerve no other lovers, but the Truth of God made manifeſt, by the Son of Gods love, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe Commands they are to keep all the dayes of their appointed time, and not to love any thing more then to ſerve the Lord with a perfect heart and willing mind, out of which ſtate the Soul is free from that benefit which the faithfull receive through the love of God by Jeſus Chriſt; for no man can remain in love to ſerve two Maſters, he will either hate the one, & love the other, or deſpiſe the one, and hold with the other; for no man can ſerve God and mammon, Mat. 6.2. Luke 16.13. but many are they that profeſs love to God in words, but their love is far from him in works, for he that ſaith his love is to God, and doth not keep the Commandments of God, the ſame is a Lyer; and the love of God abideth not in him for whoſoever keepeth his word, in him is the Love of God perfected, and he is known by his walking, even as he walked, Joh. 2.1, …, 3, 4, 5, 6. for Chriſt is the Righteouſneſs of Gods Love to his People, and every one that doth Righteouſneſs, is born of him, 1 Ioh. 2.2…. then People who are in a profeſſion of Gods Truth, and of loving one another, and their Neighbours as themſelves, which except ſuch Profeſſors are come to witneſs the ſaving Love of God, and of his redeeming Power, through Faith and Obedience, to the gift of his divine Light, and quickening Word of his Spirit, their Profeſſion is for Condemnation, becauſe it remains dead, as to the Love of God by Jeſus Chriſt, in which ſtate it is not he that ſaith Lord, Lord, that ſhall enter, but he that doth the will of God, in love of obedience to what he hath required, which is to ſerve him and keep his Commandments; for in that day many ſhall ſay, they have done wonderfull Works in his Name, but having not done the will of God, in perfect Love of Obedience, to keep his Commandments, they ſhall not be found worthy to enter the Lords Reſt, Mat. 7. to 23. Luke 13.27. So that Gods Love is not for the reſt of mans Soul which remains only in the outward Profeſſion of his Truth, unto ſuch the Lord will ſay, Depart from me, ye that work Iniquity, I know you not; ſo that the Love of God, by Jeſus Chriſt, doth not reach to ſave the ſoul of any man, only and barely by an outward Profeſſion of his Truth, but if any man love him, and keep his Word, the ſame is accepted of God, Iohn 14. for the Promiſe of Gods Love is only to them that fear him, and work Righteouſneſs, they ſhall receive Life everlaſting; for where the heart is, there the Treaſure is alſo, if in the Love of Viſibles, then free from the love of God; for all that is of the World, the Luſt of the Fleſh, and the Luſt of the Eye, and the Pride of Life, all which is not of God, but altogeather of the World and the World paſſeth away, and the Luſt thereof, but he that doth the will of God abideth forever, 1 Iohn 16.17. then as the World and Vanities thereof ſhall periſh, the Souls of them whoſe minds remain in the things of this World, they ſhall periſh alſo; therefore let none be deceived, for God is not mocked, for whatſoever a man ſoweth, that alſo ſhall he reap; for he that ſoweth to the fleſh ſhall of the fleſh reap Corruption, but be that ſoweth to the Spirit, ſhall of the Spirit reap Life everlaſting, Gal. 6.7.8. which is ſufficient encouragement for all to be faithfull in love to God, by which they will come more and more, to witneſs of his divine Love to the ſpiritual ſtrength of their inward man, through which every true Believer in him, comes to witneſs their holy Life in all manner of good Converſation, in which ſtate the love of God, in and through the Lord of Life, leadeth in true love, to do good unto all men, eſpecially to them of the Houſhold of Faith, Gal. 6.…. 10. who arê bound in true love to God, that they do not dare to love that which God ha…t…, neither to hate that which God loves, neither indeed can they, becauſe the Love of God is to his own begetting, and they that are begot of him, through Faith and Obedience in Chriſt, they can neither love nor hate, but as …od loveth or hateth, that which is for him, or againſt him, ſo that the Life of every true believer in Chriſt, is of the nature of Chriſt, and is led by his ſpirit to love that which Chriſt loveth, and to hate that which he hateth, in which Life of true love to God, by his good Spirit of Grace, are the faithful led to perform his will, in all things of Love and Charity, to the honour of his Name, and the everlaſting well-beeing of their own Immortal Souls; ſo that good Works are in a band of true Love and Charity, which man in his own Will and Time cannot perform, according to what the Lord requires; for the Lords Thoughts, are not as mans Thoughts, neither is the Lords Time, as mans time, whoſe Love is as unſtable as the Mind, which m…ves here and there, having no conſtant abiding place, even ſo is the Love and charity of unſtable men, which for want of true Love to God, and obedience to his command, they have no a biding in his Truth, but love and hate, even as the natural will ſtands affected one towards the other, in which ſtate they run on in many words about Love and Charity, even as they do in all other things of the like nature, not knowing a bridle to the Tongue in true love to God and knowledge of his Wayes, which lead the faithful in love to render unto every Man his due, in which work they do juſtly, love mercy, and hate all iniquity; in which life of true Obedience, there is no room to love that which the Lord hates, nor to hate that which the Lord loves, but to render, in true, love to every man, according to the mind of God in Chriſt, who doth not allow his Children, to give their holy things to Dogs, nor to caſt their Pearls before Swine, but to live in the true love of God, which is above the Wiſdom of the Serpent, whoſe Wiſdom in unregenerated man, is far from the innocent Dove-like nature, in which li…e the faithful continue, and remain in the Power of an endleſs Life, in which they are redeemed from the pollutions of the World, which the unfaithful remain in; for as they are of the World, the world loves its own, but the Righteous, whom God hath choſen out of the World, ſuch the world hates, John 15.9. Then they which remain in the love of the world, they cannot receive the love of God, becauſe they continue in Diſobedience againſt the known will and mind of their maker, therefore they have no true love to God, nor his People, John 15.18. but this the righteous know, that all things of this world ſhall periſh, even ſo ſhall the love of them which are of this world periſh alſo, but unto them which are of the world to come, the love of, God is there received, which ſhall endure forever; but the love of this World remains in the works of Darkneſs, in which the minds of them that are the Children of this World, are roving out of one periſhing thing into another of the like nature, being unſtable in all their wayes, as to the Lord; but the love of God which paſſeth knowledge, is ſtable in the hearts of all that are faithful, whoſe Works are without Diſſimulation, a…horing all that is evil, cleaving only to that which is good, and leads to be kindly affectionated in Brotherly Love, and in the holy fear of God, honouring, and prefering one another in the work of his own calling, who hath called his People out of all ſloathfulneſs, into f…rventneſs of Spirit, ſeeking the Lord, and rejo…cing in Hope, patient in Tribulation, and inſtant in prayer, in which ſtate love worketh no ill to his Nighbour, but is the fulfilling of the righteous Law, Rom. 12 9 to v. 13. and 13.10. So the works of the Righteous, manifeſt them to be Chriſts Diſciples, Joh. 13.35 for they have not received the Spirit of Fear, but of Power and Love, and good Works 2 Tim. 1.7. Heb 10.2, 4. which they that witneſs not theſe things, they remain in Darkneſs, as to the things of God, from which the Righteous cannot be ſeperated, neither by tryal in Affliction, Tribulation, Diſtreſs, nor Perſecution, neither Famine, Nakedneſs, Peril, nor. Sword, for as it is written, the Righteous are all the day long killed for his ſake, and accounted as ſheep for the Slaughter, Rom. 8.35, 36. which is the ſtate of Gods Heritage, who are juſtified by Faith, and have peace with God in Jeſus Chriſt, by whom alſo, they have acceſs by Faith, into his Grace, wherein they ſtand, and rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God; and not only ſo, but they glory in Tribulation, alſo knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience, and Patience, Experience, and Experience, Hope, and hope maketh not aſhamed becauſe the love of God, is ſhed abroad in their Hearts, by the holy Ghoſt, which is given unto them, Rom. 5.2, 3, 4, 5. ſo that hight nor depth, nor any other Creature ſhall be able to ſeperate from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom. 8. for their Souls are redeemed, and become the firſt fruits of his Spirit, in Truth and Righteouſneſs, and Holineſs, Love, Joy, Peace, Long-ſufferîng, Gentleneſs, Goodneſs, Faith, Meekneſs, Temperance, againſt ſuch there is no Law, Gal. ….22, 23. And this is the Love of God in Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge, that they may be filled with all the fulneſs of God, Epheſ. 3.19. in which ſtate the Work of the Lord is done in them that are brought home to him, through perfect Obedience to his holy Will, in all things which of them he hath required, by the gift of his Spirit of Grace, in and through the Lord Jeſus Chriſt …y whom the Righteous are ſaved, for they are grounded in the Love of God, which is without blame, forbearing in love, ſpeaking in love, walking in love, dwelling in love, having no fear in love, being knit together in Faith and love, which is in Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Iohn 4.12. Epheſ. 1.4. Theſ. 3.17. and 4.2.15. and 5.2.16. Col. 2.2.2 Tim. 1.13. and many more Inſtances which the holy …criptures afford to the ſame effect that the free love of God by Jeſus Chriſt, hath appeared unto all men, but all men have not received the free tenders of his love, through faith and obedience to his holy Will, ſo that by Diſobedience to the free gift of Gods Grace, hardneſs of heart and unbelief hath got the Victory in all that periſh, and God is clear of the Blood of all men that periſh, becauſe his free love hath been tendered, through the Death and Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, who delights not in the death of them that periſh, but had rather all might turn and live.