Section 3
Third. A godly man is fired with love to God, Psalm 116:1. Faith and love are the two poles on which all religion turns. A true saint is carried in that chariot, the midst whereof is paved with love, Canticles 3:10. As faith does quicken, so love does sweeten every duty: The sun mellows the fruit, so love mellows the services of religion, and makes them come off with a better relish: A godly man is sick of love, John 21:16. Lord, thou knowest I love thee. Though dear Savior I did deny thee, yet it was for want of strength, not for want of love: God is the fountain and quintessence of goodness, his beauty and sweetness lay constraints of love upon a gracious heart: God is the saint's portion, Psalm 119:57. And what more loved than a portion? I would hate my own soul (says Austin) if I found it not loving. A godly man loves God, therefore delights to be in his presence; he loves God, therefore takes comfort in nothing without him, Canticles 3:3. Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? —Lilia nigra videntur, Pallentesque rosae, nec dulce rubens hyacinthus, Nullos nec myrtus, nec laurus spirat odores.
The pious soul loves God, therefore thirsts after him; the more he has of God, the more still he desires; a sip of the wine of the Spirit, provokes the appetite after more: The soul loves God, therefore rejoices to think of his appearing, 2 Timothy 4:8. He loves him, therefore longs to be with him: Christ was in Paul's heart, and Paul would be in Christ's bosom, Philippians 1:23. When the soul is once like God, it would fain be with God: A gracious heart cries out, O that I had wings, that I might fly away, and be with my love Christ. The bird desires to be out of the cage, though it be hung with pearl.
Such is the love a gracious soul bears to God, that many waters cannot quench it; he loves a frowning God. Though I am out of sight, and clean forgot, Let me not love thee, if I love thee not.
A godly man loves God, though he be reduced to straits: A mother and her child of nine years old, being ready to perish with hunger, the child looking upon its mother said, Mother, do you think God will starve us? No child, said the mother, he will not: The child replied, But if he does, we must love him, and serve him.
Use. Let us try our godliness by this touchstone; do we love God? Is he our treasure and center? Can we with David call God our Joy, yea our exceeding Joy? Psalm 43:4. Do we delight in drawing near to him, and come before him with singing? Psalm 100:2. Do we love him for his Beauty more than his Jewels? Do we love him, when he seems not to love us?
If this be a sign of a godly man, how few will be found in the number? Where is the man whose heart is dilated in love to God? Many court him, but few love him: People are for the most part eaten up with self-love; they love their ease, their worldly profit, their lusts, but they have not a drop of love to God: Did they love God, would they be so willing to be rid of him? Job 21:14. They say to the Almighty depart from us. Did they love God, would they tear his name by their oaths? Does he love his father who shoots him to the heart? Though they worship God, they do not love him; they are like the soldiers that bowed the knee to Christ, and mocked him, Matthew 27:29. He whose heart is a grave, in which the love of God is buried, deserves to have that curse written upon his tombstone, 1 Corinthians 16:22. Let him be Anathema Maranatha. A soul void of divine love, is a temper that best suits with damned spirits. But I shall waive this, and pass to the next.
3. A godly man is set on fire with love for God. Psalm 116:1. Faith and love are the two poles on which all of religion turns. A true saint rides in that chariot whose interior is paved with love, as Song of Solomon 3:10 describes. Just as faith gives life to every duty, love sweetens every duty. The sun ripens fruit, and love in the same way ripens the acts of worship, giving them a richer and better quality. A godly man is lovesick for God. John 21:16: Lord, You know that I love You. Though I denied You, dear Savior, it was from weakness, not from lack of love. God is the fountain and essence of all goodness, and His beauty and sweetness draw out love from every gracious heart. God is the saint's portion, as Psalm 119:57 says. And what is more cherished than one's inheritance? I would hate my own soul, said Augustine, if I found that it did not love. A godly man loves God, and therefore delights to be in His presence; he loves God, and therefore finds comfort in nothing apart from Him. Song of Solomon 3:3: Have you seen him whom my soul loves? Without God, even lilies appear black, roses grow pale, the hyacinth loses its sweetness, and neither myrtle nor laurel breathes any fragrance.
The devoted soul loves God and therefore thirsts for Him — the more of God he has, the more he desires. One sip of the wine of the Spirit stirs the appetite for more. The soul loves God, and therefore rejoices at the thought of His appearing, as 2 Timothy 4:8 says. He loves God and longs to be with Him — Christ was in Paul's heart, and Paul longed to be in Christ's presence, as Philippians 1:23 shows. When the soul becomes like God, it longs to be with God. A grace-filled heart cries out: Oh, that I had wings, that I might fly away and be with my beloved Christ! The bird longs to leave the cage, even if it is hung with pearls.
Such is the love a grace-filled soul bears for God that many waters cannot put it out — he loves God even when God seems to frown. Though I am out of sight, and quite forgotten, let me not love You if I love You not.
A godly man loves God even when pressed by hardship. A mother and her nine-year-old child were near starvation when the child looked up at her and said: Mother, do you think God will starve us? No child, said the mother, He will not. The child replied: But if He does, we must love Him and serve Him.
Application: Let us test our godliness by this touchstone — do we love God? Is He our treasure and center? Can we, with David, call God our joy — yes, our exceeding joy, as Psalm 43:4 says? Do we delight in drawing near to Him and coming before Him with singing, as Psalm 100:2 says? Do we love Him for His beauty more than for His gifts? Do we love Him even when He seems not to love us?
If love for God is a mark of the godly man, how few will qualify! Where is the man whose heart overflows with love for God? Many seek His benefits, but few love Him. Most people are consumed with self-love — they love their comfort, their earthly profit, their desires, but they have not a drop of love for God. If they loved God, would they be so eager to be rid of Him? Job 21:14: They say to the Almighty, depart from us. If they loved God, would they tear His name apart with their oaths? Does someone love his father when he shoots him through the heart? Though such people worship God, they do not love Him — they are like the soldiers who knelt before Christ and mocked Him, as Matthew 27:29 says. The person whose heart is a grave in which love for God is buried deserves to have written on his tombstone what 1 Corinthians 16:22 declares: Let him be accursed. A soul empty of divine love is in a condition that suits the damned. But I will leave this and move to the next point.
