Page:Christ the saviour of the world (2).pdf/2



OHN, the beloved diſciple, in his epiſtles, is ſtill breathing love; love is the ſtring he delights particularly to harp upon: So he is either magnifying God's love to us, or preſſing our love to God, and to one another. And his darling ſubject, love, is narrow one, but moſt comprehenſive; it comprehends both the goſpel and the law, both faith and works. The love of God to man is the great doctrine of the goſpel, the object of faith; men's love to God, and to one another is the great doctrine of the law of the ten commandments, and the object of holy practice. And there is a near relation between the two; God's love is the fountain, our love the ſtream; the former the original holy fire, the latter the flame kindled by. Accordingly, in the text, there is a diſplay of the love of God, for moving us to love one another; the which diſplay of divine love is the ſubſtance of the goſpel.

Here then we have the goſpel, which the apoſtles were in one voice to preach unto the world; We have ſeen, and do teſtify, that the Father ſent the Son to be