3. The necessary fruit of this love of God, is the love of our neighbour, of every soul which God hath made; not excepting our enemies, not excepting those who are now _despitefully using and ♦persecuting us_: a love, whereby we love every man _as ourselves_, as we love our own souls. Nay, our Lord has expressed it still more strongly, teaching us to _love one another even as he hath loved us_. Accordingly the commandment written in the hearts of all those that love God, is no other than this, _As I have loved you, so love ye one another_. Now [27]_herein perceive we the love of_ God, _in that he laid down his life for us. We ought_ then, as the apostle justly infers, _to lay down our lives for our brethren_. If we feel ourselves ready to do this, then do we truly love our neighbour. Then [28]_we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we_ thus _love our brethren_. [29]_Hereby know we_ that we are born of God, that we _dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his_ loving _Spirit_. For [30]_love is of_ God, _and every one that_ thus _loveth, is born of_ God _and knoweth_ God.
5. But some may possibly ask, Does not the apostle say, [31]_This is the love of_ God, _that we keep his commandments_? Yea; and this is the love of our neighbour also, in the same sense as it is the love of God. But what would you infer from hence? That the keeping the outward commandments is all that is implied in loving God with all your heart, with all your mind, and soul, and strength, and in loving your neighbour as yourself? That the love of God is not an affection of the soul, but merely an _outward service_? And that the love of our neighbour is not a disposition of heart, but barely a course of _outward works_! To mention so wild an interpretation of the apostle’s words, is sufficiently to confute it. The plain indisputable meaning of that text is, _This is the_ sign or proof of the _love of_ God, of our keeping the first and great commandment, to keep all the rest of his commandments. For true love, if it be once shed abroad in our heart, will constrain us so to do: since whosoever loves God with all his heart, cannot but serve him with all his strength.
5. A second fruit then of the love of God, (so far as it can be distinguished from it) is universal obedience to him we love, and conformity to his will: obedience to all the commands of God, internal and external: obedience of the heart and of the life, in every temper, and in all manner of conversation. And one of the tempers most obviously implied herein is, the being _zealous of good works_; the hungring and thirsting to do good, in every possible kind, unto all men; the rejoicing to _spend and be spent for them_, for every child of man, not looking for any recompence in this world, but only in the resurrection of the just.
IV. 1. Thus have I plainly laid down those marks of the new-birth, which I find laid down in scripture. Thus doth God himself answer that weighty question, What it is to be born of God? Such, if the appeal be made to the oracles of God, is _every one that is born of the Spirit_. This it is, in the judgment of the Spirit of God, to be a son or a child of God. It is, so to believe in God thro’ _Christ_, as _not to commit sin_, and to enjoy at all times and in all places, that _peace of_ God _which passeth all understanding_. It is, so to _hope_ in God ♦through the Son of his love, as to have not only the _testimony of a good conscience_, but also the Spirit of God _bearing witness with your spirits, that ye are the children of_ God; whence cannot but spring, the _rejoicing in him through whom ye have received the atonement_. It is so to _love_ God, who hath thus loved you, as you never did love any creature: so that ye are constrained to love all men as yourselves; with a love not only ever burning in your hearts, but flaming out in all your actions and conversations, and making your whole life one _labour of love_, one continued obedience to those commands, _Be ye merciful, as_ God _is merciful; Be ye holy, as I the_ Lord _am holy; Be ye perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect_.