'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — October 4

Love is the most comfortable attribute in God, and the best name by which we know him (1 John 4:16). Love acts with a priority to all other attributes. Wisdom plans the happiness for man, and power and providence bring it to pass, but love has the first hand in the work. It was love that first summoned the great counsel held by all three persons in Elohim before man or angels existed. Love marked the Son as the foundation of the whole structure of man's salvation and blessedness. Love sent Christ into the world, put him to death, and made him an offering for sin. All the attributes of God act in the strength of love, and all the providences of God flow from the motions of love. Electing love is the proper source of all our other mercies (Eph. 1). He has chosen us before the foundation of the world, bestowed grace freely upon us, and has given us redemption through his blood. Paul lays all these blessings at the feet of electing love (verse 11). Love is the only attribute that God has acted out to the utmost. We have never seen the utmost of his power, but we have seen the utmost of his love. He has tabernacled divinity in flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). He has made his soul an offering for sin, and laid upon him the iniquity of us all (Isa. 53:10-11). He has made us the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor. 5:21); he has made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 2:6), and written our names in heaven. How can divine love put forth any greater effort of love than this? It is infinite love and it gives the soul an interest in an infinite good. It entitles it to an infinite blessedness, and fills the soul with infinite satisfaction. Is not having an interest in this electing love the highest cause for rejoicing? Love gives us a 'name in heaven', which causes eternal rejoicing.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Matthew Mead, A Name in Heaven, pp. 23-26
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