The Indianapolis journal., 1885-03-09
DIVINE AND HUMAN LOVE.
Sermon by Dr.. Bowman, of DePanw Uni
versity, at Roberts Park Church.
The Difference Between Love Of God and
Love of Each 0ther-Christ's Sacri-
fees for Man.

Rev. DR.. Bowman, dean of the divinity school
of DePauw University. preached both yesterday
morning and evening at Roberts Park Church,
taking for his morning text the first verse of the
thirteenth Of JOHN: Now before the feast of
the passover when Jesus knew that his hour
was come that he should depart out of this
world unto the Father, having loved His own
which were in the world, He loved them unto
the end"
The subject of the sermon was the nature,
character and purpose of the divine love for man,
as manifested through Christ.
We get no conception of the divine love save
through revelation and the channels of human
affection. Our conception of God and His at
tributes is gotten by the study OF hu.
man nature But we do not make OF
God divine man; we recognize
in him no limitations as in man. He is infinite,
and has the human attributes in infinite perfec-
tion. We can draw nigh to God only by the kin
ship and likeness that exists in God and man.
TO illustrate Gods love to US we must study
love as exhibited in ourselves. TO love each
other there must be fitness and sympathy of each
to each. There is no real society between man
and the lower animals, for there is no,true adap-
taton. There is nothing in common between the
tramp and the king. the statesman and the IDIOT
or the savage and the philosopher; their aims
qualities, methods and purposes are diverse,
and there can be no human love and friendship
where there is nothing in common. This
kinshp did not exist between man and
God before the incarnation OF God in the
world; we were far from God, were estranged
Christ came to make affinity between God and
man. What could God have seen in man. stripped
Of His image and lost in wickedness, that lie
could have given His only begotten Son that
men might have everlasting life! VIC get some
faint idea of the feeling of God for man in that
of the mother, who cares with all the power OF
mother love for a sick or deformed child, even
more than for the strong or beautiful.
The speaker here portrayed at length and
with great power and earnestness, the sublime
image of Christ, the Son of Mary, and Son OF
God standing between the Old Testament and
the New, the hope of the world. He came to
man because man would not come to Him: He
gave himself because there was nothing better to
give--robbed heaven of its highest treasure,
came to His own and they received Him not
came out of the depth of mercy and of love, and
such as did receive Him became also sons OF
God. There is no parallel in human love, no
comparison.
We notice, secondly, that we love each other
for return; receive some service; each gets
something that ministers to his own selfshness.
Not so with the divine love. We love Him be-
cause He first loved us.
Christ could hope from nothing for man. He
found in man no good qualities, no character
istics to be admired, not even the moral capabil
ity to come to Christ. And yet He came, en-
QureU the cross ana QeSplSeU LIle SIldlno IOr HIS
love of man What could Christ have had in
men? Wages? Mere commerce! So much suffering
on His part to be traded for much happiness!
No. The Divine nature is not susceptible OF re-
ward Christ was one with God. Man has not
in his keeping the happiness Of God think
we may see and feel something of the spirit
which led Christ, when lost soul comes to the
altar of repentance. When the last day comes
and the hosts of the redeemed are marshale6,
it will appear why Christ for the Joy that was
of befa
the shame, and took upon him the burdens Of a
world. Such was the love of our Savior
AgaiE, human love may be set In words, may
be measured and compared; it is limited and its
motive may be understood. The old myth of
Damon and Pythias was rected in illustration of
the possibilities of human love- But these
were only friends. Greater love than this
hath no man, than that he layeth down his life
for his friends; but God, while we were yet sin
ners sent his only begotten Son, who. knowing
that the Father had given all things into His
hands, and that He was come from God and
went to God, that we might not perish but might
have everlasting life.
There is no comparison for such love as
ChristS for man:
-"Extending through all and yet in all the same,
Great in the earth as in the ethereal frame;
Warns in the sun, refreshes III the breeze,
CLOVIS in the stars and blossoms in the trees,
Lives through all life extends through all extent
Spreads undivided, operates unspent."
The scriptures fail to express and if they did
we could not understand it. The avenues of
knowledge. eye, ear, all sense fails; there
is no standard God so loved the
world--the whole force of the passage lies in the
word so" The disciples themselves could not
understand it, behold what manner of love that
we should be called the sons of God.
The speaker in an eloquent passage here re-
cited his feeling when standing on High Rock by
the City of Lynn, with the wealth of Massa-
chusetts about him, the commerce of the ocean
on side, and the wealth of the continent on
81 o+111 hot; oil SC, ,,,;r A,,I
yet are told eye hath not seen, heard,
or the heart of man conceived what God hath
revealed unto us through HIS spirit of His love,
and is able to do above all that we can hope or
think.
Again, .human love is subject to variability.
1t is misunderstood, as Job by his friends or as
we lack the means to aid and help those we love,
or we lack the strength and power
Not SO with Christ; there is no lack of love or
of means and of power to express Jesus mas
not lost control in this universe. He never
makes a mistake; never overestimates. He
| breaks down the prison doors. He aids his peo-
| pie now as of old; as with Daniel and the lions
den the children in the fiery furnace, Paul and
Slas delivered from prison by earthquake.
What then shall separate US from the love of
Christ! Not sorrow, or suffering, or tribuation
not height or depth, things present or absent,
principalties or powers shall separate US from
all the love that is in Christ. Such love we
should never betray, and yet there are traitors
| to it. The name of Judas is synonymous with
| villainy. Better that his lips had been
petrifed than that ne had ever denied
the sacred name. He went to his place. But
Judas knew less of Christ thfn we do. He knew
not His death for man, we know all, and if we
betray Him. ours is the greater sin. We trust
not In ourselves and not in nature; we trust in
God. What have we of God when the Bible is
closed and we trust in nature! He who refuses
the God of the Scriptures will have trouble
enough with nature. He will learn that our God
is consuming fire.
But the text has another limitation. He loves
His own. Are ali men equal before Him? Can
men go on in their own way through
life and at the last deceive God
with crocodile tears, and even reel
off into heaven in inebrietyl We commend the
legislators who build prisons and establish pun
ishment for crime They reflect the justice of
God who also will not spare Think then, on
Christ, the mediator and reconciler How much