|
From the contemplation of what has been said, we see
plainly that God is to be loved, and that He has a
just claim upon our love. But the infidel does not
acknowledge the Son of God, and so he can know
neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit; for he that
honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father
which sent Him, nor the Spirit whom He hath sent
(John 5.23). He knows less of God than we; no wonder
that he loves God less. This much he understands at
least--that he owes all he is to his Creator.
But how will it be with me? For I know that my
God is not merely the bounteous Bestower of my life,
the generous Provider for all my needs, the pitiful
Consoler of all my sorrows, the wise Guide of my
course: but that He is far more than all that. He
saves me with an abundant deliverance: He is my
eternal Preserver, the portion of my inheritance, my
glory. Even so it is written, 'With Him is plenteous
redemption' (Ps. 130.7); and again, 'He entered in
once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us' (Heb. 9.12). Of His salvation it
is written, 'He forsaketh not His that be godly; but
they are preserved for ever' (Ps. 37.28); and of His
bounty, 'Good measure, pressed down and shaken
together, and running over, shall men give into your
bosom' (Luke 6.38); and in another place, 'Eye hath
not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into
the heart of man, those things which God hath
prepared for them that love Him' (I Cor. 2.9).
He will glorify us, even as the apostle beareth
witness, saying, 'We look for the Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it
may be fashioned like unto His glorious body' (Phil.
3.20f); and again, 'I reckon that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with
the glory which shall be revealed in us' (Rom.
8.18); and once more, 'Our light affliction, which
is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look
not at the things which are seen, but at the things
which are not seen (II Cor. 4.17f).
'What shall I render unto the Lord for all His
benefits towards me?' (Ps. 116.12). Reason and
natural justice alike move me to give up myself
wholly to loving Him to whom I owe all that I have
and am. But faith shows me that I should love Him
far more than I love myself, as I come to realize
that He hath given me not my own life only, but even
Himself. Yet, before the time of full revelation had
come, before the Word was made flesh, died on the
Cross, came forth from the grave, and returned to
His Father; before God had shown us how much He
loved us by all this plenitude of grace, the
commandment had been uttered, 'Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy
soul and with all thy might' (Deut. 6.5), that is,
with all thy being, all thy knowledge, all thy
powers.
And it was not unjust for God to claim this from
His own work and gifts. Why should not the creature
love his Creator, who gave him the power to love?
Why should he not love Him with all his being, since
it is by His gift alone that he can do anything that
is good? It was God's creative grace that out of
nothingness raised us to the dignity of manhood; and
from this appears our duty to love Him, and the
justice of His claim to that love.
But how infinitely is the benefit increased when
we bethink ourselves of His fulfillment of the
promise, 'thou, Lord, shalt save both man and beast:
how excellent is Thy mercy, O Lord! ' (Ps. 36.6f).
For we, who 'turned our glory into the similitude of
a calf that eateth hay' (Ps. 106.20), by our evil
deeds debased ourselves so that we might be compared
unto the beasts that perish. I owe all that I am to
Him who made me: but how can I pay my debt to Him
who redeemed me, and in such wondrous wise?
Creation was not so vast a work as redemption;
for it is written of man and of all things that were
made, 'He spake the word, and they were made' (Ps.
148.5). But to redeem that creation which sprang
into being at His word, how much He spake, what
wonders He wrought, what hardships He endured, what
shames He suffered! Therefore what reward shall I
give unto the Lord for all the benefits which He
hath done unto me?
In the first creation He gave me myself; but in
His new creation He gave me Himself, and by that
gift restored to me the self that I had lost.
Created first and then restored, I owe Him myself
twice over in return for myself. But what have I to
offer Him for the gift of Himself? Could I multiply
myself a thousand-fold and then give Him all, what
would that be in comparison with God? |