The Love of God in the Gift of His Son
God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
When we wish to express strong feelings, or excite particular attention, we are apt to go for words to the extremities of time, space, and being. Thus, when the Apostle John would communicate to us the thought under which his own mind laboured, namely, the incalculable number of the remarkable things Christ said and did, he expressed it by saying, that if they were written every one, he supposed the world itself could 7iot contain the books that should be written. In the Book of the Acts, Moses is described to have been in his childhood beautiful to God, as it is in the original; the meaning of which is, as it is rendered, exceedingly beautiful, “Whenever
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men are in transports of passion, they go, for terms of endearment or expressions of anger, beyond the little sphere in which their thoughts circulate when their tempers are quiet: a man furious with anger is never easy, nor seems to have expressed the feelings of his heart, till he has brought on something about God, his soul, and the word wl/ich is used to denote its everlasting misery: flinging about firebrands and death, he seems, during the existence of the paroxysm, to be endued with supernatural strength: he is like those furious spirits, of whom it is feigned, that they plucked up mountains by the roots, and hurled them at one another. It appears, then, that strong feelings and vivid conceptions, are generally efforts to reach beyond created being and finite duration. It is natural therefore, conversely, that the same emotions should in their turn be excited by the mention of all the great things that belong to religion.
We make these observations, that our minds may be duly prepared for the consideration of this text; which, besides the important matter contained in it, is remarkable for bringing into notice such persons and things only, as are in their nature at the very summit of being and of thought. The persons introduced are God, and Chriot, and the whole world, and none else — i’HE I.OVr OF COD IX THE GIFT OF HIS SON”. 29
the subjects treated about, are endless happiness and misery, and nothing less.
I. The first word that meets us, as we approach the text, is GO D!
The name of God is heard by different men differently.
The Heathen hears it, without any emotion at all. He has been accustomed to attach the idea to some inferior being, who surpasses him in power, not in purity — to one who can sport, and play, and sin. He has been used to listen to songs, in which the praises of his God and all manner of obscenity are mixed lip together — at least, transitions are made from one to another so readily, that the poor idolater cannot suppose that they are very unsuitable to each other. Of such a being s future judgment for sin he cannot be afraid; nor feel more at hearing his name, than at hearing of any other unimportant thing.
IVot so the man brought up in a Christian Land. He may be a profane man; and may call upon the Almighty as often as he is surprised, without thinking of God at all: he may hear others do the same with equal indifference: but, at the serious mention of the Sacred Name, some awful thoughts will come over his mind: and he will think of a mighty Being, who created him and can destroy him: his thoughts, though indistinct, as they ever must be in all, will correspond to the accounts which the Scriptures give of his Majesty, as being the first and the last — the only self-existent Creator and Governor of all — dwelling in inaccessible light, yet present every where, and knowing every thing. Conceptions of a being of this kind, allow nothing light and trifling to be connected with them. Moreover, the most thoughtless among us cannot help believing God to be a holy being: they know, also, that there is a judgment to come, and conscience tells them they are not prepared for it: hence, the mention of his name makes them uneasy, and they will compose their minds and give attention when something is said about God, but they are prepared to hear something which is sure to be disagreeable. Disagreeable or not, it cannot be unimportant.
II. The sentence, therefore, having begun with the name of God, let us go on to see what else may be said in it. God so loved. Love! Does God Zore/ — can God love? This soft affection is found among creatures; and in exact proportion to its extent and power, do peace and harmony prevail: when we love, and are loved, we are ourselves happy and make others so. But
.-^-^.y^^i can it be said of God, that He loves? — of hiiir,. whom you represent as a jealous God — a great and dreadful God, who cast down the angels, and reserves them in everlasting chains unto the judgment of the great day, and will turn the nations into hell if they forget him? Yes though he has done these things, and must do them again, yet he loves. You will wonder how such opposite attributes, as love and unbending justice, can consist together; or else will begin to suspect that the love of God, of which we are speaking, is only the love which he feels for those who are worthy of it.
III. Let us advance a step farther in the text, and see: — God so loved the world — the wo? Id of which St. John saith, that it lieth in wickedness.
No sign of worthiness appears here — We were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and -pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another (Tit. iii. 3.); that is, detestable ourseives, and detesting one another: nothing amiable appears yet. But, perhaps, they still retained some respect for God, though they were so full of hatred to one another: but the Lord looked down from heaven, and behold, there ivasnone doing good, no not one (Ps. xiv. 2, Z) — every imagination of the thoughts of the heart was only evil continually (Gen. vi. 5). It was not the mere infinnity of nature that led men into such an extent of depravity, but radical enmity in the heart. The heart, in its natural state, is not merely an enemy to religion, but enmity itself against God, being made up of malice and ill-will, and spiteful opposition to God for imposing the restraints of his laws upon us and preparing a place of punishment: we accounted him unjust and tyrannical: we would rather he were less holy, and still more that he did not exist at all. Now God, we are sure, must have been privy to these thoughts: had we attempted it, we could not have concealed them: his eye is fixed on the heart: he knows, and ever has known, all that is passing there; is fully acquainted with the malignity of every thought. But perhaps God thinks more lightly of these things than we w ould have it understood that he does; and if he had punished them, the punishment would not have been very terrible: but you will notice one expression of our text, that they should not perish. The idea of perishing leaves no room for that of recovery. Absolute ruin, then, would have been the consequence, if justice had taken its course.
Thus we need not go beyond our text, to find proofs of our being unworthy of God’s love. When he undertook to introduce a new i riE LOVE OF GOD IX THE Gll-T OF HIS SOX. 83
dispensation whereby men might be saved, he found them perishing. But, in the government of a good and righteous God, no creature could have perished without deserving it. If men deserved to perish, they could not be M orthy of his love.
Possibly this thought may occur to some — that men till so high a place in the universe, that the preservation of them might be an object of importance; that perhaps God might take measures for preventing their excision, in order to preserve the integrity of his universal empire.
But, alas! the earth, with its grandeur, is but a speck before God. Could then the destruction of it, Avitli all its inhabitants, diminish ought of God’s glory? — would there not remain multitudes enough of holy creatures, yea of millions of worlds, to glorify him? Or if we were to suppose the whole universe, with all its wonders, to be blotted out and brought to nothing, would not He remain the same Great God, infinitely happy in Himself alone? — could he not, if he pleased, call forth another world with the same ease as when he spake this into being? But, in truth, so far is the salvation of men from being necessary to God’s glory, that he would have been glorified by our
D destruction: as our earth sunk in ruins, the inhabitants of heaven might praise God, in the same strains as those in which they will praise him at the fall of his other enemies; for thus they will sing in heaven, at the final execution of judgment — We give thee ihcmks, O Lord God AhmgJity, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned (Rev. xi. 17) — and again they glorify him for the ruin of his enemies — Great and marvellous are thy works. Lord God Almighty; just and true are thyivays, thou King of saints (Rev. xv. 3). TIris might the song of triumph be sung at the destruction of the race of men. They might have sung as we perished. Just and true are thy ways I
If then God was under no obligation to do any thing for us, but, on the contrary, might have justly left us to perish; if he might in righteous judgment have sent indignation and wrath, trihidation and anguish, on every soul of man (Rom. ii. 8, 9) because they were enemies and rebels — there is no way of accountini for his being willing to save us, but by saying, that he chose that it should be so. It was mere sovereign grace, that moved him to have compassion on us. He might hale left it undone with perfect justice, propriety, and honour to himself — that he has done it at all, in any manner, is an interposition nnexpected and extraordinary.
IV. If it is an act of mercy that God should suspend our punishment, what shall we say then, when God hath so loved the world as to
GIVE HIS ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON y
He loved us; but could not resign his rights, or put up with a partial fulfilment of his will! A Person must be found capable of bearing the sins of men: and where was such an one, but in the bosom of God himself? If God will save sinners, he must give none other than His Own Son! His love to the world may be great, but will it draw from him a gift like this?
Take now thy son, said God to Abraham, thine only son, whom thou lovest, and offer him up there: this was the severity of the trial, that Abraham w as to give up his only-beloved child. We pretend not to define accurately the relation which subsists between the Father and the Son: so far we may be certain from these names, that Christ is at least as dear to his Father, as a child to an earthly parent. If this be the case, can the Father give him? Is there any example of such generosity on earth, that we may be encouraged to hope? Was ever a person known to give his fortune to another
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who had no claim upon him; or to give the life of one of his own chilfh’en, for the sake of a friend? much less would he do it for the sake of a person indifferent to him — still less for one V, ho had used him ill — still less if he was still raging with enmity — least of all would he give an only child, for such a person, in such circumstances. To do any, the least of all these things, w ould argue a most unaccountable regard, when so many obstacles cannot prevent its exercise.
But what! can the fellow of Jehovah (Zech. xiii. 7) be given to man? Shall He, who is God, equal ‘sith the Father, God over all blessed for ever — shall the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and is to come; shall he leave his glory, and sojourn with mortals? Must the Ancient of Days put on a mortal tabernacle? What fellowship hath light with darkness? what agreement between dust and glory? Will the Father consent that one of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity be thus debased? “No!” he might say, “if this be the only condition, let them perish!”
But God so loved the tvorld, that he gave his only-begotten Son. Herein is love, not that ive loved God, hit that he loved us, and sent his Son to he the propitiation for ovr sins, ( 1 John iv. 10).
Herein is love, as if there were love in nothing else. May we not say, that to give us a being among rational creatures — therein is love; to have our life carried on so many years as a taper in the hands of providence — therein is love; to have food, and raiment, and kind friends — therein is love; to give us heaven — ’ therein is love? No! herein is love, that God gave his Son. He gave him unasked for: man would never have conceived such a request; or, if he had, he would not have dared to urge it. God foresaw how His Son would be treated; yet he gave him, notwithstanding, to shame and to spitting, to pain and to sorrow, to a suflering life and disgraceful death; for so God loved the world — SUCH anxiety, such desire, and concern was there in the heart of God, for the salvation of sinners!
V. The further we advance in the text, the more conspicuously will this truth appear. God gave his Son, that whosoever believeth in him
SHOULD NOT PERISH.
The plan of salvation by Jesus Christ, is altogether peculiar: in it men are considered as all alike perishing — as well the virtuous as the profligate; because they have both broken that Law which allows of no violation, and provides no remedy. But, the Son of God having ap-
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peared on the theatre of the world and suffei*ed the penalty due to us, God sends forth thife message into the world, and at this moment is dehvering it to you, that he is willing to grant pardon and bliss to the sinner, who comes to him through Christ. Whosoever will venture to rest the whole weight of his concerns for eternity on this rock, shall find that it will not fail him: whosoever, pursued by avenging justice, will flee to this city, shall be safe — yea, if he be a murderer, he shall be safe: whosoever believeth — it matters not what he has been, only let him be convinced that he deserves punishment, and plead the death of Christ — the sentence of death shall be reversed, and a free pardon granted — he shall not perish, as he otherwise would have done — he shall not perish, though Satan would persuade him that he will — he shall not perish, though his remaining sinfulness threatens him every moment. He is kept by the potver of God through faith (1 Pet. i.,5), and therefore he shall 7iot perish.
The common objection of cavillers, here ob trudes itself —” Is not this the dangerous doctrine of salvation by faith only? ‘Would to God that they who thus idlj’ speak would conceiA’e rightly of their guilt, corruption, and danger! If they saw themselves on the brink of EVERLASTiKG PEUDitioK, whefe they all are
THE LOVE 0¥ CDD IX THE G I ET OE If IS :iO.V. 39*
by nature they would no longer think of their Avoi’ks as meriting favour or purchasing- an interest in Christ, but would cry, Save, Lord, or I perish! they would then see that if pardon be not by faith only, they are lost. They suppose we lay stress on faith, in contradistinction to other good works; whereas it is only an act of the mind, whereby it gives up all hopes founded on itself, and reposes on the mercy of God in Christ. May the sinner after this live as he will, or does he wish such a thing? Perish the thought! There is such a w ord as Gratitude in his vocabulary. Knowing why Christ came, it is his business to become more holy from day to day; and for this purpose the Spirit of God is given him.
But we are unwilling to pass the time in answering objections. It is a disgrace to human nature, that any should be found quarrelhng with that way of salvation, which lias originated solely in the transcending mercy of God. Yet so it is: how many in the world never understand or believe that it is the savor of death unto death to them (2 Cor. ii. 16). Many others there are, who have indeed no objections to make, but lo e sin too well to forsake it for Christ. Oh, think a moment of your abominable selfishness and base ingratitude! If God spared not his own Son but gave him up for you, why should you refuse to resign any thing: at the call of God?
Let those who believe in Christ remember that they are warranted to expect every real blessing; such as assurance of pardon, heavenly mindedness, every thing consolatory, sanctifying, and adorning: for he that sjmred not his own Son, hut delivered him up for us all, hoiu shall he not with him also freely give us all things! (Rom. viii. 32). All is your’s, for ye are Christ’s. If God has parted so freely with that, which is so far dearer to him than any thing else, how shall he deny you any thing afterward? if he has so freely given you the greater mercies, how can you suppose he Mould deny you the less? And if he has given you this gift w hen you were alienated from him, it is not to be imagined that he w ill deny you any inferior mercy w hen you are in a state of amity with him. If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life (Rom. V. 10).
Oh what numerous, connected, well-secured, precious, and everlasting blessings and joys have we in our Lord Jesus Christ! Let us recur, with gratitude ever new, to the glorious theme; and take a view of it in its lengths, and breadths, and depths, and heights — let us pro-THE LOVE OF GOD IN THE GIFT OF HIS S0. 41
claim to all around, the glad, the glorious, the joy-inspiring neus of a Saviour born — let us blow the great trumpet, and make it known among the nations that the year of Jubilee is come. Come, ye sinners, draw near to the fountain of living waters: drink, drink deep of the sacred stream, drink in eternal life. When millions of years shall have passed av» ay, your joys will be but beginning; and when millions more shall have passed away, they shall be no nearer ending.
Let us, then, join the choir of angels, and adore, with songs of highest praise, the love and mercy of our God. Let there be a new song in our mouths and in our hearts, even praises to our God. Let our meditation of him be sweet; and let our souls, which he hath redeemed, rejoice in God our only Lord.
While also we are rejoicing in the bounty of God, let us delight to imitate it. God gave his Son to them who had no claim: hesitate not to give to those whose helpless penury is a claim upon you. Give liberally, give cheerfully: so all the Christmas Song will belong to you — you will have a right to sing, not only Glory to God in the highest, but Peace on earth, a?id Good-tvill touard men!