The Inseparable Communion of a Believer with God, Sermons · Sermon 2
ROM. 8.38.
For I am Perſwaded, &c.
IN the firſt Point I opened the doctrine of Believers Communion with God. The ſecond is the bond of this Communion, The Love of God.
Doct. The Love of God is a ſweet, a ſacred bond of inſeparable Communion between God and believers. Though the love of God in Scripture ſomtimes ſignifies our love to God, yet here it muſt needs ſignifie Gods love to us, for not our love to God, but his love to us is the only foundation on which a believer can build ſuch high reſolution, ſtrong confidence, glorious joy, triumphing faith, as is in the text. There is a threefold love of God to us.
Firſt, a general love, a love of benevolence, or good will, common to all his creatures, as they are the works of his hand, ſo his mercy and love are over all his works; the inviſible things of his Wiſdom and Power are ſeen in every creature, Rom. 1.20. And what of God is in any creature is lovely, and he loves every thing himſelf hath made.
Secondly, a particular love, a love of beneficence or bounty: Thus he loves man above all his other creatures before his fall, Pro. 8.31. After his fall, Pſal. 8.45. Heb. 2.16. Tit. 3.4.
Thirdly, a more ſpecial and peculiar love, a love of Communion and Complacency; it is of ſuch out of mankind, whom God hath loved in Chriſt, with an everlaſting love: theſe are believers according to Election.
Man is Partaker with other creatures of all that love of God that communicates to them, yet hath a ſpecial love of God that communicates to him, and no other creature hath part with him: Believers partake of all that love of God that communicates it ſelf to all other creatures, and to all other men: yet hath a ſpecial love of God, in which no other creature, and no other men, partake with him. Thus a believer is Heir of all that love that ever iſſued forth from God, of this love of God the Text ſpeaks.
Firſt, it is the bond of our Communion, as being that which draws us into this Communion.
There is in every man by nature an unwillingneſs to come to God, a drawing off from God, and Communion with him. Partly, from ſin and corruption which is in man, which is a privation of our ſuitableneſs and likeneſs, and conformity to God, and is a poſitive contrariety and oppoſition to God, both which are flatly repugnant to Communion; and partly alſo from the apprehenſion of the wrath and diſpleaſure of God, and our obnoxiouſneſs to his Iuſtice whom moſt unjuſtly and injuriouſly we have offended, hence no man will come into Communion with God except drawn, Iohn 6.44.
But what then, doth God compell men againſt their wills? no, this would deſtroy that natural principle of liberty God hath implanted in that faculty, therfore in infinit wiſdom he hath ordered to bring them in, by a way of voluntarineſs and free obedience, and the meanes by which the power of his grace ſhall produce effectually thoſe effects in the hearts of men, to which they ſhall freely and willingly conſent to, is a way of love; Hoſ. 11: 4. Love is the cord that drawes men, that drawes man into communion with God Ier: 34.3. When God by his Spirit manifeſts his love to the ſoul, whom no other meanes could perſwade much leſs compel, the ſoul is conquered by the ſecret, ineffable potency and Tweetneſs of the operation of love, love drawes and the ſoule comes, yea, runs into his armes, yea, into that boſom where love opens, Cant. 1.1.4.
Secondly, it is the bond of our communion with God, becauſe it binds God faſt to us, and us faſt to God.
Firſt, it binds God faſt to us, in this ſacred communion.
Firſt, this it doth by bringing us into an everlaſting Covenant with God, Ezek. 16 8. 1 Sam. 18.3. No after-ſins, …ack-ſlidings; no temptations, perſecu…ions of the world, nor chaſtiſe rents of God can break Covenant, becauſe foun…ed on love.
Our Communion with God is found…d on the Covenant, the Covenant foun…ed on love, hence we call it a Covenant …f grace or love. It is expreſt to be a Covenant of Conjugal love, Hoſ. 2.18, 19, 20. when God threatens to viſit the ſins of his people, &c. yet my loving kindneſs, &c. nor breaks my Covenant, &c. Iſa. 89 31.34.
Secondly, this is that doth diſpenſe all the bleſſings of the Covenant to believers in this Communion.
This love of God is that which firſt gives forth Jeſus Chriſt to them, 1 Jo. 4.10. And with Chriſt all other graces, and Priviledges of grace that concur to ſalvation, Tit 3.4, 7.
This love makes the firſt great change and alteration in mens eſtates and conditions, v. 3. this love of God goes on to manifeſt it ſelf to ſuch in Chriſt, in the Renovation of the Spirit, in Juſtification, in making us heirs of glory and eternal life. So love the Fountain of all grace, Eph. 2 4, 5, 6. ſee 2 Theſ. 2.16, 17. the love whence flows all conſolation, as from the original, is there expreſly affirmed of God the Father.
Secondly, it is the bond of this Communion, as it binds us faſt to God; this it doth,
Firſt, by engaging us to believe in his Son Jeſus Chriſt, John 3.16. God o loved, &c. the love of God here is made matter of greateſt encouragement to finners, to believe againſt all doubts of ſtrongeſt engagement, to believe againſt all Pleas, Pretences on the contrary
God ſo loved, &c. So; How? ſo as we cannot tell, ſo as the tongue of men and Angels cannot expreſs; ſo infinitely, ſo ardently, ſo in comprehenſibly, as exceeds our thoughts as far as heaven is above the earth.
Gods love with a So, ſwallows up all our ſins, doubts, fears, difficulties, wants, weakneſſes unworthineſſes or whatever ſtands in the way of believing.
Secondly, by enabling us to believe, 1 John 4.10. We have known ſuch whom no means, no Pr…miſ…s, no Perſuaſions could prevail with to believe, if God make known but a ſecret hint of his love, forthwith it believes againſt all unbelief, believes in hope, againſt hope, and gives glory to God.
Faith is called the Gift of God, Eph. 2.8. and every gift ſprings from love; Chriſt is the Gift of God, love and faith is the gift of Gods love; the love of God brings Chriſt and faith together, and unites both together.
Thirdly, by begeting in our hearts a love to God in ſome manner of Analogie like that of his to us.
Love begets love, as fire begets fire, and in this flame the ſoul, like Manoahs Angel, aſcends up to God in heaven; it is a common proverb, that love alwayes deſcends, ſeldome aſcends; It is not ſo between God and beleivers, 1 Jo. 4: 19. and that love which aſcends from us to God, what is it but that which firſt deſcended from God to us.
A woman that hath no love, no affection for ſuch a perſon, nor any thoughts of him, it may be never ſaw him, yet when ſuch a perſon comes to make known his true love and affection to her, it preſently begets love in her boſom ſo— Thus the Apoſtle doth deſcribe it, Eph 1.4. ſee how it begins in the love of God to us, and ends in our love to him; this is that the eternal love of God aimed at, and works up every believer to; God loves that he may be loved.
Where God loves, he takes up his reſt in that ſoul, Zeph. 3.17. where the ſoul lov…s God, it takes up its reſt in God, Pſal. 116.7. and values the love of God above richeſt enjoyments, Pſal. 63.3. Now it cannot live, but in the love of God, Pſal. 30.5.
Fourthly, by actuating the whole foul in a way of ſervice and ſincere obedience to God. What the Apoſtle ſaith of the love of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5.10. the ſame is true of the love of God, it conſtrains, it beſiegeth, it hemms us in, it takes full poſſeſſion of the ſoul, brings it under the regency of divine love, is wholly at the Command of love, 1 John 5.3. This is the love of God.— Herein is Gods love manifeſted to be ſpecial love to us, and herein is our love manifeſted to be ſincere love to him: This is the ſpirit in the wheels that moves all the faculties and affections of the ſoul to God in a way of duty and obedience.
In this way God manifeſts his Communion of love with us, Jo. 14.23. and we manifeſt our Communion of love with God, 1 John 1.7. To walk in the light, is to walk in a way of holineſs and holy obedience to God, and whereas many failings and fallings ſhort will be found in the beſt obedience, yet there is a remedy provided, the blood of Chriſt.
1. Uſe. This point leads us to the uppermoſt ſpring, the higheſt original of grace and glory to believers, and that is the love of God▪ not the love of Chriſt as Mediator, but the love of God, whence Chriſt and all ſpiritual bleſſings with him originally flow to us.
In vain ſhall we ſeek for any other motive to God in his diſpenſations of grace to us, beſides his love, Deut. 5.7, 8. God hath predeſtinated you to the adoption, called, juſtified, ſanctified you, and will glorifie you, only becauſe it pleaſed the Lord to love you.
2. Uſe. Is love the bond of our Communion with God.
Firſt, then it is a very near, cloſe, intimate Communion. Love is a tranſanimation, one ſoul in another, 1 Sam. 18.1. or with another; it is a believer engraven in Gods heart, appled in Gods eye, carried up and down in Gods armes, like a beloved diſciple, lying in Gods Boſom, the Place, the Seat, the Center of love.
Secondly, it is of love therefore a choice Communion; Love ſingles out its object; it looks upon many, chuſeth few, the children of his love are a choſen generation, 1 Pet. 2.9
God ſingles ſome out of all the world, to have Communion with, and they ſingle God out of all the world to have Communion with him, Pſal. 73.25.
Thirdly, it is of love, therefore a ſtrong Communion; Love is ſtrong as death, invincible by any oppoſition, conquering every thing that is againſt it.
The Love of God pardons all ſin, ſwallows up all diſtances; The love of God in communion with the ſoul, ſweetens every bitter thing, heals all lapſes, repairs all breaches, ends all controverſies between God and the ſoul, Hoſ. 145, 5.
Fourthly, it is an everlaſting communion, becauſe it is of love, the love of God in the heart of a believer never faileth, 1 Cor. 13.8. much leſs can the love of God fail in his own heart; the love of God is one of the longeſt and moſt laſting things in God, Pſal. 36.10. Continue—in the Hebrew, Draw out at length… as is the love ſo is the Communion.
3. Uſe. Is love the bond of our Communion with God; take that exhortation, Jude 21. Keep your ſelves in the love of God, keep up your faith in Gods love, keep the apprehenſions and manifeſtations of Gods love warm in your hearts.
This will keep you in ſweet Communion with God, which is the life of ou… faith, the ſoul of our Chriſtianity, th… joy of our ſalvation, all joy and peace i… believing. This is ſtrong conſolation Peace that paſſeth underſtanding. Thi… is our ſtability in grace, our ſecurity for glory, 1 Iohn. 4.16. we have known and believed,— God is love.