The inseparable communion of a believer with God in his love being the substance of several sermons preached on Rom. VIII 38, 39 / by ... Mr. Thomas Mallery ...

ROM. 8.38.

For I am Perswaded, &c.

IN the first Point I opened the do∣ctrine 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 sa∣cred

bond of inseparable Communion be∣tween God and believers. Though the love of God in Scripture somtimes sig∣nifies 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 confi∣dence, 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 bene∣volence, 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 Com∣placency; 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 communi∣cates to them, yet hath a special love of God that communicates to him, and no other creature hath part with him: Be∣lievers 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 Communi∣on, 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 con∣formity to God, and is a positive contra∣riety 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 ob∣noxiousness to his Iustice whom most un∣justly and injuriously we have offended, hence no man will come into Communi∣on with God except drawn, Iohn 6.44.

But what then, doth God compell men against their wills? no, this would de∣stroy that natural principle of liberty God hath implanted in that faculty, therfore in infinit wisdom he hath order∣ed to bring them in, by a way of volun∣tariness 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 com∣munion

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 commu∣nion 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 believ∣ers 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 Justi∣fication, 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 consola∣tion, as from the original, is there ex∣presly affirmed of God the Father.

Secondly, it is the bond of this Com∣munion, 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 a∣gainst all Pleas, Pretences on the con∣trary

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 u∣nites 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 bo∣som so— Thus the Apostle doth de∣scribe 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 obedi∣ence 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 un∣der 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 Com∣munion 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 ma∣ny 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 up∣permost 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 adop∣tion, 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 Com∣munion with God.

First, then it is a very near, close, in∣timate Communion. Love is a transa∣nimation, 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 cho∣sen 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, con∣quering 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 commu∣nion, because it is of love, the love of God in the heart of a believer never fail∣eth, 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. Con∣tinue—in the Hebrew, Draw out at length•• as is the love so is the Communion.

3. Use. Is love the bond of our Com∣munion with God; take that exhorta∣tion, Jude 21. Keep your selves in the love of God, keep up your faith in Gods love, keep the apprehensions and manifestati∣ons of Gods love warm in your hearts.

This will keep you in sweet Commu∣nion 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.