849 DIVINE LOVE IS THE COMMANDIfiG i'A53ION. hours, if God himself has the highest room in thy affections. Let me enquire again, how stand my desires toward the sanc- tuary, toward the places and seasons of divine worship ? " Am Iglad when they say unto me, come, let us go up to the house of God ? Ps. cxxii. 1. Are the courtsof Zion my delight, because the blessed Godmanifests his power and glory here ? Do I love the saints of God ? Is the companyof lively christians refresh- ing and entertaining to me, above all the idle discourse of the world, or the vain merriments or niore polite amusements of the age ? Do I look upon the children of God with apeculiar respect, With an eye of distinguishing love, and that for this reason, be- cause theystand related to God, and bear his image ? DoI feel a sympathy with them in their sorrows ? Do I pity and relieve from toy very heart the poor in this world, who are the sons and daughters of the most high God ? And is Jesus the 'supreme Son of God the highest in myesteem, and the dearest to my heart ? " Ask yet again, O my soul ; is every thing little and con- temptible in thy eyes, in comparison of the things of God ? can any thing fill up the roomand place of God ? Or canst.thou say all things are emptiness and vanity where God is not ? When St. Austin, who was exceeding fond of the writings of Cicero, the Roman orator, came to taste the pleasures of religion, by the knowledge of Christ, the writings even of Cicero lost their relish with him, because he found notChrist there. How stands it now with thee, in respect of some of thy dearest delights of nature ? Are they all placed, as they ought to be, in thy esteem, infinitely below God ? Are thy best earthly joys empty and unsatisfying without God? Canst thou say, in the language of the apostle, and assume his triumph, Yea, do&btless, and I count all,things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, by whom we are brought nearto God the Father ? Phi]. iii. 8. "Enquire yet again, does thy love to God awaken and em- ' ploy thy zeal and holy activity for his honour ? Art thou solicitous to keep all his commandments, and hereby manifest thy love ? There is no evidence of the love of God can be sufficient or sin- cere, if this be wanting. Dost thouseek to grow more and more like to God ? Dost thou breathe earnestlyafter greater confor- mity to-Jesus, the first and the brightest image of the Father ? Is it a pain to thee to find thyself so unlike him, whom thou lovest supremely ? Love will create likeness. " Let us examine thee now, my.heart, how stand thy uneasy and painful affections? Hast thou a rooted hatred Of every sin ? Hast thou an inwardaversion to every thing that displeases God ? Dost thou look back on thy own former transgressions, with holy shame and sincere sorrow? Art thou covered with an in-
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