A. 4. The fourth visible sign is sympa- thy ; friends that love do grieve for the e- v\\s which befall each other. Homer de- scribing Agamemnon's grief when he was forced to sacnfice his daughter, bnngs in all his friends weeping with him, and ac- companying him to the sacrifice in mourn- ing ; lovers grieve together ; if we have true loA'e in our heart to God, we cannot but grieve for those things which grieve him, — we shall lay to heart his dishonours, — the luxuiy, drunkenness, contempt of God and religion, Ps. cxix. 136., " Rivers of waters run down mine eyes," &c. Some speak of the sins of others, and niiike a laughing at them : sure they have no love to God, who can laugh at that which grieves his Spirit. Doth he love his father, who can laugh to heai* him reproached ?
A. 5. The fifth visible sign : he who loves God, labours to render him lovelv to o- thers ; he not only admires God, but speaks in his praises, that he may allure and <baw others to be in love with God. She that is in love will commend her lover: the love- sick spouse extols Christ, she makes a pane- gj'rical oration of his worth, that she might persuade others to be in love with him, Cant. V. 11. His head is as the most fine gold. True love to God cannot be silent ; it will be eloquent in setting forth God's renown ; no better sign of loving God, than by making liim appear lovely, and so di'aw- ing proselytes to him.
A. G. The sixth visible sign : lie who loves God, weejis bitterly for his absence. Maiy comes weeping, " They have taken awav the Lord," Jt>hn xx. 2. One cries, my health is gone ; another, my estate i*
OF LOVE.
217
gone ; but he who is a lover of God, cries out, iny God is gone, I cannot enjoy him whom I love ! What can all worldly com- forts do, when once (iod is absent ? It is like a funeral-banquet, where there is much meat but no cheer. Job xxx. 28., " I went mourninir without the sun." If Rachel mourned so for the loss of her children, what vail or pencil can shadow out the sor- row of that Christian who hath lost God's sweet presence ? such a soul pours forth floods of tears, and while it is lamenting^, seems to s.ay thus to God, ' Lord, thou art in heaven, hearing the melodious songs and triumphs of angels, but I sit here in the valley of tears, weeping because thou art gone. O when wilt thou come to me, and revive me with the light of thy counte- nance !' Or, ' Lord, if thou wilt not come to me, let me come to thee, where I shall have a perpetual smile of thy face in hea- ven, and shall never more complain, " My heloved hath withdrawn himself." '
A. 7. The seventh visible sign : he who loves God, is willing to do and suffer for him. He subscribes to God's commands ; he submits to his will. l.<f^. He subscribes to God's commands : if God bids him mor- tify sin, — love his enemies, — be crucified to the world, — he obeys. It is a vain thing for a man to say he loves God, and sliglits his commands. 2r////, He submits to (iod's will ; if God will have him suffer f(»r him, he doth not dispute, but obey, 1 Cor. xiii. 7., Love " endureth all tilings." Love made Christ suffer f<»r us, and love will make us suffer for him. It is true every Christian is not a martyr, but he hath a spiri; of martyrdom in him ; he hath a dis- position of mind to suffer, if God call him to it, 2 Tim. iv. o., " I am now ready to be offered up :" not only the sufferings were ready for Paul, but he was ready for the sufferings. Origen choosed rather to live despised in Alexandria, than with Plotinus to deny the faith, and be great in the prince's favour. Rev. xii. II. Many say they love God, but will not suffer the loss of any thing for him. If Christ should have said to us, ' I love you well, you are dear to me, but I cannot suffer for you, I cannot lay down my life for you,' we sliould have ques- tioned his love verv much : and ^n^^v not
the Lord question ours, wlicn we pretend love to him, but will endure nothing for his sake ?
Use ]st. What shall we say to them \vho have not a draclun of love in their hearts to (rod? They luive their life from him, yet do not love him. God spreads their ta- ble every day, yet they do not love him ; sinners dread God as a judge, but do not love him as a father. All the strength in the angels cannot make the heart love (iod ; judgments will not do it; only omnipotent grace can make a stony heart melt in love. How sad is it to be void of love to (iod ! When the body is cold, and hath no heat in it, it is a sign of death ; he is spiritually dead who hath no heat of love in his heart to God. Shall such live with God, that doth not love him? Will God lay an ene- my in his bosom ? Such as will not be drawn with cords of love, shall be bound in chains of darkness.