Here we are dealing with love: "The especial principle of obedience unto the person of Christ." (p.139) Jesus does not accept any obedience to him which does not come from love for him (John 14:15). Every believer is to love Christ, but the scriptures and experience show us that some fake to love Jesus:
1. A false pretence of love destroys the one who has it and often makes them scornful towards others. The first great act of hypocrisy was Judas in the garden, who kissed the one he was betraying.
2. "So there is, or may be, a false love unto him also. The persons in whom it is may in some measure be sincere, and yet their love unto Christ may not be pure, nor sincere...some decieve themselves in this matter" (p. 141) Some examples a) when people do not really believe in Christ, else how can they love him? b) when love arises for a false notion man has created about Christ. c) love may grow ("as to causes, motives, measures, and ends") which is not regulated by the Scriptures. d) there is a false love for Christ which fixes itself on objects - the Catholics do err here. e) flase loves which spring from uninformed minds. There are 3 evidences to defeat these uninformed pretences i) To presume you could love Jesus more than the apostles did in God's word is the height of presumption. ii) To love in a way not governed by Scripture is also the height of folly. iii) We are to love God with all of our minds, these men do not do this.
"Wherefore we plead for no other love unto the person of Christ but what the Scripture warrants as unto its nature." (p. 143) We will lok at love for Christ in two ways:
1. that Jesus is the object of divine love - this is seen a) in that the Son is the object of the love of the Father. All love seen in creation was given to point to this great love. And Jesus was the object of this great love in his incarnation also. This means nothing makes us more like God than our love for Jesus Christ. This also means that those who do not love Jesus do not have the image of God on them. b) The angels above love Christ proceeding from their sight of him. Some things here: i) men below and angels above have be reunited since the fall under Christ (Eph 1:10) in love, and so is the relationship of angels to Christ. ii) all the worship angels ascribe to Christ is animated by their love for him. Such love does not come from their greatness (for many great andgels fall) but from A) that they are disposed and able to cleave to God in love. B) that they have a reflex sense which noticing the glory and majesty of God, does turn to praise and love him. iii) The church is the other part of creation which is to love Christ. The church in the Old Testament could do it (read the Psalms!) Now he is revealed in the New Testament we are blessed to "render [Jesus] the direct object of our love." (p. 148) On John 21:15-17 and the reinstatement of Peter after his denials: "Without this love unto [Jesus], he requires none to feed his sheep, nor will accept of what they pretend to do therein." (p. 149)
BREAK!!! Owen now just deserves to speak for himself: "'He,' saith [Jesus], 'that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and mainfest myself unto him,' John 14:21; and verse 23, 'My father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." What heart can conceive, what tongue can express, the glory of these promises, or the least part of the grace that is contained in them? Who can conceive aright of the divine condescension, love, and grace that are expressed in them? How little a portion it is that we know of God in these things! But if we value them not, if we labour not for an experience of them according to our measure, we have neither lot nor portion in the gospel. the presence and abode of God with us as a Father, manifesting himself to be such unto us, in the infalliable pledges and assurances of our adoption - the presence of Christ with us, revealing himself unto us, with all those ineffable mercies wherewith these things are accompanied - are all contained in them. And these promises are peculairly given unto them that love the person of Christ, and in the exercise of love towards him." (p. 149) !!!!
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