tion is plain from the word of truth; the gospel is the wisdom of God in a mystery. And by his omnipotent power God performs what felf-moving love fecretly purposed in himself.

This love of God to his elect cannot be traced by us from its firft rife. We can only go by the light of fcripture, and affirm what God's witneffes have done before; viz. that God loved his elect with an everlasting love. But the idea of eternity will drown every thought that a mortal is capable of in launching forth into that unfathomable abyss. We may trace his word and works, and conclude as Job did-Lo thefe are fome of his ways; but how little of him is understood!

In these profound depths of everlasting love we can find no bottom; like the dove, we must settle on the ark of the covenant, and then we fhall be able to look about us.

First, then, God's love to his people is unutterable; we cannot exprefs it, but can only furnish imperfect hints of its parts, as the fcriptures do. For inftance-God fo loved the world, that he gave bis only beggotten Son, &c. John iii. 16. And again-Bebold what manner of love the Father bath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the fons of God. And it doth not yet appear what we shall be. 1 John iii. 1.

The love of God to his elect is not only unutterable, but it is likewife inconceivable; and therefore called, in the last clause of my text, a love that paffeth knowledge. It is a love that has been en

joyed

joyed by thousands, but cannot be fully defcribed by any.

This unutterable and inconceivable love is entirely fovereign. It lay entirely in the abfolute and uncontroulable will and mind of God, whether he would create creatures out of the earth or not; and whether he would raife them to heaven (out of fin, when fallen) as the objects of his eternal love, or not.

It is fovereign, becaufe fallen angels are excluded. And many of the human race are alfo excluded; as it is written-Was not Ejau Jacob's brother? yet I loved facob, and I hated Efau. But when did this love and hatred take place—after Esau had fold his birth-right? No,' fays God-For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpofe of God according to election might ftand, not of works but of him that calleth, it was faid unto her, The elder fhall ferve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Efau have I hated. Rom. ix. 11-13.

God's elect are faid to be loved with an everlafting love. And there is a people that are to be called The border of wickedness, and the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever. Mal. i. 4. As this love of God is fovereign, so it appears to be entirely free in its fountain; as it is written, But God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet finners Chrift died for us. Rom. v. 8. If God commended his love towards us while we were yet finners, and reconciled us

to

to himself when we were enemies and without ftrength, his love must be free and unmerited, unless we can fuppofe that fin, enmity, and finful infirmities, are meritorious in the fight of God.

As this love of God appears free in its fountain, fo alfo it appears to be free in its adminiftration. It cannot be purchased by human merit (falfely fo called). If a man would give all the fubftance of bis boufe for love, it would be utterly contemned. Song viii. 7. Simon Magus bid high for the Spirit of love; but the bidder and the price were both to perish together, for thinking that the gift of God was to be bought with money. So we conclude that Simon Magus, who wanted to buy, and the Pope of Rome, who offers to fell, the gifts of God, are both in the gall of bitterness, and in the bonds of iniquity. If that man is condemned who offers to buy the gifts of God, and if all the fubftance that a man offers for this love is to be utterly contemned, this love must be free; free in its fountain, and free alfo in its administrations.

This will appear ftill plainer if we confider the many work-mongers that have laboured in vain to obtain it. Some have ftrived for it; but none are crowned except they ftrive lawfully. 2 Tim. ii. 5. And none can ftrive lawfully till that love that fulfils the law be in their hearts. Some have run for it; but the race is not to the fwift. Eccl. ix. II. 'No,' fays the Saviour, Many that are Others have

firft fhall be last, Matt. xix. 30.

fought

fought for it in heavy perfecutions; but the battle is not to the strong. Eccl. ix. 11. The victory of faith is no where promised to the ftrength of 'free-will or the power of the human arm. No-Let the weak fay, I am strong. Joel iii. 10. Herod did many things, but never got the gifts of God for his labour. The Pharifees fafted often; they made many prayers, and long ones too, and honoured God with their lips, and yet were rewarded with the greater damnation for their pains. Matt. xxiii. 14. The young man in the gofpel told the Saviour that he had kept the law from his youth up, and was fent away with the forrow of the world (that worketh death) in his heart. Efau wept for it; but got it not, though he fought it carefully with tears. Thus it appears then not to be of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, nor of him that fighteth, nor of him that worketh, nor of him that ftriveth, nor of him that weepeth, nor of him that buys, nor of him that fells-but of God that sheweth mercy. I will heal their backflidings, I will love them freely. Hofea xiv. 4. This will appear still plainer if we confider what those had to recommend them who obtained it.

Let us fee what God's elect have done to merit this love of God. Pray what merit was there in Mary Magdalen? How had fhe improved her fuppofed talent, will, power, or light within, or stock in hand, or by whatever other name you are pleafed to call this phantom? The fcriptures fay

fhe

the was poffeffed with feven devils; but her being a habitation for devils could not recommend her to the love and favour of God; nor could that poffibly merit it at his hands. And, as for her body, that was a hacknied vehicle for every son of Belial who chose to hire it. Yet this woman received the gift of gospel repentance, the forgiveness of all her fins; and fhe loved much, because she was much beloved; as it is written-We love him becaufe be first loved us. Simon the Pharifee difdained this humble fuppliant, and cenfured the Saviour as not being of God, because he fuppofed him ignorant of Mary's character; however, the Lord ftopt his mouth by bringing him in debtor fifty pence, without a farthing to pay his debts with. But Mary received her full discharge firft, though he owed five hundred. Thus the harlot got the start of the Pharifee; as it is written-Publicans and harlots enter the kingdom of God before the Pharifees.

If we turn to Nicodemus, he is the most likely of any to merit it at the hands of Chrift; for he took his part among the council, and complimented the Lord when he came to vifit him. But the Lord doth not commend him for thefe things; and we know he had no other merit to plead, unlefs we allow that the fear of men, and ignorance of real religion, can be accounted meritorious.

First, there is no merit in the carnal fear of man; for the fear of man bringeth a fnare. And, as to ignorance, it is never supposed to merit any B thing