(i.) There is a love of appreciation. When we set a high value upon God as
(i.) A fullness (Col. 1:19). He has a fullness of grace to cleanse us, and of glory to crown us; a fullness not only of sufficiency, but of redundancy. He is a sea of goodness without bottom and banks.
(ii.) A freeness. God has an innate propensity to dispense mercy and grace; He drops as the honeycomb. "Whoever will, let him take of the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17). God does not require that we should bring money with us, only appetite.
(iii.) A propriety, or property. We must know that this fullness in God is ours. "This God is our God" (Psalm 48:14). Here is the ground of love - His Deity, and the interest we have in Him.
3. The kinds of love - which I shall branch into these three:
(i.) There is a love of appreciation. When we set a high value upon God as being the most sublime and infinite good, we so value God, as that if we have Him, we do not care though we lack all things else. The stars vanish when the sun appears. All creatures vanish in our thoughts when the Sun of righteousness shines in His full splendour.
(ii ) A love of satisfaction and delight - as a man takes delight in a friend whom he loves. The soul that loves God rejoices in Him as in his treasure, and rests in Him as in his centre. The heart is so set upon God that it desires no more. "Shew us the Father, and it is enough" (John 14:8).
(iii.) A love of benevolence - which is a wishing well to the cause of God. He who is endeared in affection to his friend, wishes all happiness to him. This is to love God when we are well-wishers. We desire that His interest may prevail. Our vote and prayer is that His name may be had in honour; that His gospel. which is the rod of His strength, may, like Aaron's rod, blossom and bring forth fruit.
4. The properties of love.
(i.) Our love to God must be entire, and that, in regard of the subject, it must be with the whole heart. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart" (Mark 12:30). In the old law, a high priest was not to marry with a widow, nor with a harlot - not with a widow, because he had not her first love; nor with a harlot, because he had not all her love. God will have the whole heart. "Their