The sending of Christ into the world, was out of free love, for his love mo∣ved him to send Christ, Rom. 5.8. John 3.16. Christ saith God so loved the world that he gave hu only begotten Son into the world, &c.
Reas. He dyed for us to make an atonement for us, Christ did not come un∣sent, he was sent before he went, Heb. 5.45.
Quest. How can this be, seeing the death and blood of Christ is the Originall of our reconciliation? Rom. 5.10. Rom, 3.24, 25.
Answ. 1. Christ by his blood wrought reconciliation, because God loved us before, yet we loved not him before, for there must be a mutuall fellowship in reconciling us to God, 2 Cor. 5.16. not so much in reconciling himselfe to the world, in the 20. verse, he saith we pray you in Christs stead, which shewes you that Christs blood did not so much reconcile God to us, as us unto God, that we seeing the blood of Christ shed for us, we might be stirred up to love God, who out of the abundance of his compassion takes a course, that we may be brought unto him.
2 Because though he did bear love to us before, yet his love was secret, and he did not breake forth into a manifestation of his love to us, untill he sent his Son into the world: though God did love us with an everlasting love, Jer. 31.3. yet God did not manifest it to our conscience, neither could it stand with his Justice so to doe, untill he had given his Son the Lord Jesus Christ to dye for us.
Quest. What kind of love was it, that God bare to the world in that he sent his Son, Tit. 3.5. was it his love towards mankinde, by which he did love the whole world, or a peculiar love which he bare to the people of the Election of grace? Joh. 3.16. The Arminians say, that he bare a love to the World, and this love was ge∣nerall to all, before the sending of Christ, and therefore all may be saved.
The truth is, that God bare a love to the world, a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 reaching to all, but he bare an antient love to his owne people, had he onely bore a generall love (as they say) all men might have perished, for if God sent his Son, that whosoever believed, should be saved, was it in the will to believe or not? yes say they, he gave them means, but they might will or not; if this was a generall love, then there was a greater love, then the sending of Christ, which is contrary to Scripture, Greater love then this hath no man.
Ʋse 1. Let us magnifie the love of God to us in Christ, we esteeme much of ancient love, it (like wine) is the best, God loved us, before he did send Christ, before the foundation of the world was laid Jer. 31.3. This love was without reason on our parts, for we were enemies to him.
2 This exhorts us to accept this love, shall God send his Embassadors, 2 Cor. 5.20. and shall we still stand out with God?
3 If God so loved the world, we ought to love one another.