to be indications of love to Christ: and many, on the con- trary, might have been discouraged, under the idea that they never had experienced what was necessary to their salvation. But the evidence of an obedient life is such as no man can have who does not love the Lordb, and as every man will have who does love the Lord0: so that it is less likely to be mistaken than any other, and carries stronger conviction with it: it enables us to determine with certainty, who does love him, and who does not'1. St. John, who was, beyond all others, the loving, and beloved Disciple, not only establishes this as the most unequivocal test of our lovee, but without hesitation pronounces him a " liar," who pretends to have any knowledge of the Saviour, without justifying his pretensions by this mark'. We may therefore assume this as an infallible distinction be- tween those who are sincere followers of Christ, and those who are only hypocrites and dissemblers with God.]
In proportion as this evidence is wanting, doubts must be entertained of our love to Christ —
[We speak not now of a course of open sin, which would at once brand us as enemies of Christ : nor, on the other hand, do we speak of those infirmities which are found in the best of men : we refer rather to those habitual deviations from duty which afford us just reason to doubt of our state. We know that, amongst men, there is always a desire to please those whom we love. The " loving one another in word and in tongue is contrasted with the loving in deed and in truth8." And supposing the fact to be true, that was an unanswerable question which Delilah put to Sampson ; " How canst thou say ' I love thee,' when thy heart is not with meh ?" If then our heart be not with Christ, if we seek not after him in earnest prayer, if we feel no desire to do his will, if we live in a way which is displeasing to him, if we indulge dispositions and habits which are directly opposite to those which he himself cultivated, how can we imagine that we love him ? Such a life is rather characteristic of his enemies than of his friends : and, while we live in such a state, we have far greater reason to suspect our love to him, than to indulge any confidence respecting it.]
We wonder not that " Peter was grieved " at being a third time questioned about the sincerity of Ins love : for we cannot but feel,
h John xiv. 21. c John xiv. 23. (1 John xiv. 21. with 2 Cor. viii. 8.
'■ 1 John v. 3. and 2 John, ver. (>. ' 1 John ii. 3, -1.
8 1 John iii. IS. h Judg. \vi. 15.