loud Exclamations against it; which I am afraid, many People take occafion to do, who have yet no great Averfion or Diflike to it; but thereby I understand fuch a low Value and Efteem for it, as difpofeth us to a Readiness of leaving it, with all its Enjoyments, whenfoever God shall pleafe to Call us, and a Defire to forfake all, to be united to him. Every Man can beft tell how his Mind and Inclinations ftand Affected, whether to God or the World; for the Love of both cannot dwell together in eodem Tertio, in one and the fame Man: this St. John declares, 1 Epift. Ch. 2. v. 15. If any Man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in him: Therefore, fays he again, Love not the World, nor the Things that are in the World. This Chriftian Contempt of it, is very well expreffed, in the Advice given by St. Paul to the Corinthians, 1 Epift. Ch. 7. ver. 30, 31. where he Exhorts them in thefe Words; They that Weep (to be) as they Weep not; and they that Rejoice, as though they Rejoiced not; and they that Buy, as though they Poffed not; and they that Ufe this World,

as not abufing it: For, fays he, the Fafbion of this World paffeth away. Thus he would have them, without Carefulness, the best Sign of their Contempt of this World: and it was this Indifferency; this low Efteem of it, which made that Apostle defire to be Diffolved, and to be with Chrift: and no wonder that he did fo, having before been caught up into the Third Heaven, into Paradife, and heard Words unfpeakable, which he could not utter, 2 Cor. 12. This Contempt therefore, of the World, is one Sign of our Love of God.

Secondly, another Sign and Effect of it, is, Our Obedience to his Laws. St. John, of all the Difciples of our Lord, hath given us the largest Defcription of this Paffion; and tells us particularly of this Divine Love; This is the Love of God, That ye keep his Commandments, 1 Epift. Ch. 5. v. 3. and, indeed, without doing thus, the Profeffion of our Love is Deceit and Hypocrifie. Love, is a Paffion of a very pregnant Nature, and very apt to difcover it felf in vifible Actions: fuch will our Love of God be alfo, if it be fincere and hearty. The Tree

is not better known by its Fruit, than the Love of God is by our Obedience: and as Faith without Works is dead, as St. James tells us, Chap. 2. 26. fo is this Duty without the Effects of it. It is vain, therefore, to think to love God, and live in the neglect of what he Commands us; or to Love him, and yet Love what he Hates, and hath forbidden.

Again, Thirdly, Another Sign and Effect of it, is, A zealous Care and Concern to promote God's Glory in the World, by Taking all fair Occafions and Opportunities, to ingage others in a Course of Piety and Ver tue. He that hath a true Love and Veneration for his God, will be Active for Religion, to advance the Reputation of it in the World; and will be Affected with an Holy Indignation, when he fees it fuffer by the Impiety and Profaneness of Atheists and wicked Men. It was Piety and Love to God, that disturbed Righ teous Lot, when he faw the filthy Converfation of the wicked: For that Righteous Man, fays the Apostle, in Seeing and hearing, vexed his Righteous Soul, from Day to Day, with their unlawful

lawful Deeds, 2 Pet. 2. 7, 8. It was the Love of God, and the Honour of Religion, which made Elijah Zealous for the Lord of Hofts, until he had even deftroyed the Worshipers of Baal: and it was this, that stirred up St. Paul's Spirit within him at Athens, when he saw the City wholly given to Idolatry. It was Žeal and Love towards God, that made the Holy Jefus whip the Mony-Changers out of the Temple, and teftifie his Concern for their Profanation of it. If then fuch a Concern for God's Glory, be a Sign of the true Love that Men have towards him; What fhall we fay of that Coldness and Indifferency, which too too many fhew in the Business of Religion? Nay, What fhall we think of thofe, that can hear Religion fcoff'd at, and the facred Scriptures Burlesqu'd, and the Tremendous Name of God profan ed by unlawful Oaths; without the leaft Emotion, Abhorrence, and Check? Surely Surely we cannot fay, That they Love the Lord their God, with all their Heart and with all their Soul.

Fourth

Fourthly, Another Sign of this Love of God, is a Defire of frequent Communion with him, in the Offices of Religion; to retire from all worldly Affairs into our own felves, and to entertain Devout and Holy Meditations, between God and our own Souls; to make our Supplications to him, and to lay open our Wants before him; to Praife him for the Mercies we enjoy, and to request thofe Things that we ftand in need of; a Defire of these Things, and an Afpiration after them, are the fure Effects of that Love that we owe to him.

Fifthly and Laftly, Another Sign of our Love of God is, The Love that we have to one another, and to all Men; whereby we are moved, to do all fuch Kind and Charitable Offices to them, as they may ftand in need of, and require at our Hands, fo far as Reason, and Juftice, and Religion do oblige us. This will be a Proof of our Love of God; and without it, this laft is but Pretence and Hypocrifie Thus St. John affirms, 1 Epift. Ch. 4. 20. If a Man fay I love God, and hateth his Brother,

he