# “The Father’s love” by John Owen

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2010/03/08/the-fathers-love-by-john-owen/
- Published: 2010-03-08T13:10:13-06:00
- Author: tollelege

“Assure yourself, there is nothing more acceptable unto the Father than for us to
keep up our hearts unto Him as the eternal fountain of all that rich grace which
flows out to sinners in the blood of Jesus.

This will be exceeding effectual to endear your soul unto God, to cause you to delight
in Him, and to make your abode with Him.

Many saints have no greater burden in their lives than that their hearts do not 
come clearly and fully up, constantly to delight and rejoice in God—that there is
still an unwillingness of spirit unto close walking with Him. What is at the bottom
of this distemper?

Is it not their unskillfulness in or neglect of this duty, even of holding communion
with the Father in love? So much as we see of the love of God, so much shall we 
delight in him, and no more. Every other discovery of God, without this, will but
make the soul fly from Him.

But if the heart be once much taken up with this the eminency of the Father’s love,
it cannot choose but be overpowered, conquered, and endeared unto Him. This, if 
anything, will work upon us to make our abode with Him.

If the love of a father will not make a child delight in him, what will? Exercise
your thoughts upon this very thing, the eternal, free, and fruitful love of the 
Father, and see if your hearts be not wrought upon to delight in Him.

I dare boldly say: believers will find it as thriving a course as ever they pitched
on in their lives. Sit down a little at the fountain, and you will quickly have 
a further discovery of the sweetness of the streams.

You who have run from Him, will not be able, after a while, to keep at a distance
for a moment.”

–John Owen, _[Communion with the Triune God](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1581348312?tag=toletaupanre-20)_,
Eds. Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1657/2007), 127-128.

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