less world, in order to be instrumental in turning some of them from the evil of their ways ; and " to lay down, if need be, even our own lives for the brethren." This was the way in which St. Paul manifested his love'; and in which we also, after the example of our Lord, are called to manifest oursV]
This being the way in which our love may resemble his, we shall shew you,
III. The obligation we are under to follow that pat- tern— Our blessed Lord has enjoined a conformity to him in these respects,
1. As an act of obedience to him —
[He does not recommend such love as decorous and bene- ficial, but commands it as a duty which he will on no account dispense with. He stamps his own authority upon it ; inti- mating thereby, that he will make it a subject of particular inquiry in the day of judgment. Indeed the decision at the last day is represented as turning principally upon this point ; they who for his sake have abounded in offices of love being made exclusively the objects of his favour, while they who have neglected them are marked as objects of his indignation and abhorrence. If therefore we have any regard to his authority, or any dread of his everlasting displeasure, we must see the importance of following the example of his love.]
2. As an evidence of our love to him —
[Having in another place enforced this duty in terms similar to the text, he adds, that the exercise of brotherly love is the distinctive badge of our profession, the habit whereby all his followers must be known1." To the same effect his loving and beloved Disciple also speaks, declaring that our profession of love to God is mere hypocrisy without this™; and that without this we can have no assurance, no evidence, that we have passed from death unto life". Shall we then at once write 'Hypocrite'1 upon our foreheads? Shall we be contented to be ranked with " murderers, who certainly have not eternal life abiding in them0?" If not, we must see the necessity of imitating Christ, who " has left us an example that we should follow his steps."]
Infer —
1. How little of true religion is there in the world!
1 Phil. ii. 17, 18. k 1 John iii. 1G. » John xiii. 34, 35,
m 1 John iv. 20. n 1 John iii. 14, 17, 19. ° 1 John iii. 15.