I. The nature of this love.
Love is used for any form of complacency or delight in an object. Its nature, therefore, depends upon the nature of this object. Men love not only persons but things, and not only things but ideal and abstract conceptions. Properly, however, it expresses an affection of which only a person can be the object.
It includes 1. Desire of union and fellowship. 2. Complacency. 3. Benevolence. This is true of all the forms of love directed towards persons. It presupposes therefore, 1. Community or similarity of nature. 2. Excellence, or what is regarded as such in its object. 3. The possibility of service in some form.
God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and immutable in his being, wisdom power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. Hence a proper object of love. 1. Because he is a person. He is a Spirit, a being with whom intercourse, fellowship, communion is possible. We can say to him, My Father! and he can say to us My Child! It is impossible to love a law, such as the law of gravitation or of attraction. He is the Father of our spirits. He loves us. 2. His excellence is infinite, in his power, wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. These are objects of complacency. They excite,
(a.) Admiration, reverence, adoration.
(b.) Approbation. They command the fullest consent of the reason and conscience.
(c.) Confidence. Men trust in the Lord because he is thus holy, just and good.
- Because as a Spirit he is a proper object of benevolence, i.e., of a desire to please, which it expresses (a.) In submission to his instructions, i.e., in docility. (b.) In submission to his dispensations, i.e., in resignation. (c.) In submission to his law, i.e., in obedience. Such is the nature of his love.
II. The evidences of the love of God. They are twofold. 1. Our own consciousness.
- Its effects. (a.) Acquiescence in his truth. (b.) In what he does. (c.) Devotion to the service. (d.) Zeal for his glory.
Men are apt to distress themselves and puzzle others by a too strict analysis of their feelings. They endeavor to determine whether their love is disinterested. They do not act thus in other cases. No son asks these questions of his heart in reference to his parents, nor any parent in reference to his child. For metaphysical theology is apt to produce metaphysical religion. It is enough that we fear, delight in, desire to obey and to honor God.
III. The excellence of this love.
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It is excellent because it includes all other excellence. The love of God comprehends in it the love of all that is good and the hatred of all that is evil.
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It of necessity leads to all that is good or right—to obedience towards God—to the faithful discharge of all our duties towards our fellow-men—to all right efforts to promote God’s glory and the good of his creatures.
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Because it exalts our nature by bringing us into communion with the infinite God. It raises us up to our original status in the order of created beings.
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Because it renders us supremely blessed. It fills all our capacity of enjoyments. Men embark their all on the objects of their affections. If they love the world, they can secure only the happiness which the world gives. If they love God, they have all the happiness which that love can give. “Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.” This, therefore, is the great command.
IV. The means of promoting this love.
It cannot be forced. It cannot be procured by any effort of the will. It is the gift of God’s Spirit. We must do as we would to cultivate love to a parent.
- We must abstain from offending him. 2. Endeavor in all things to do his will. 3. Cultivate fellowship with him by meditation, reading, prayer, public and private worship, and by all other means.
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