A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 5. Of the Grounds of Love, and of Brotherly love.

THe grounds of Brotherly-love are such as the grounds of love in general are: but in a farre more excellent kinde, which may be exemplified in six heads:

• 1. Participation of the same Image. On this ground the sin of murder is aggravated,* 1.1 because In the image of God made he man, Gen. 9. 6. Hence we may infer, that nothing against love must be done to another: but all duties of love must be performed to him, because we are all after the image of God.
• 2. Communion in the same nature, which is flesh. Thereupon saith the holy Ghost, Hide not thy self from thine own flesh, Isa. 58. 7.
• 3. Subjection to the same infirmities. For all things come alike to all, Eccl. 9. 2. This puts on love to bear others infirmities, because they themselves are subject to the like. It is said of the Highpriest under the Law, That he can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity, Heb. 5. 2.
• 4. The mutual need that one hath of anothers help. This also puts on love to help such as need help, that in case of need help by others may be afforded unto them In this respect saith the Apostle, At this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, and their abundance also may be a supply for your want, 2 Cor. 8. 14.
• 5. Gods example. For Christ exhorteth us to perform duties of love, That we may be the children of our Father which is in heaven, Mat. 5. 45.
• 6. Gods expresse precept, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self, Levit.* 1.2 19. 18.

These also are the very grounds of brotherly-love: But in a far more excellent and transcendent manner: For

• 1. That Image of God, which natural men bear is exceedingly defaced and im∣paired. It is a very obscure and almost worn-out stamp of that glorious Image in which at first God made man. I may resemble it to a Glow-worm, or to certain Fish-bones, which in the dark make a bright lustre, but give no true light, whereby we may discern one thing from another. So by that remainder of Gods Image which is in natural men, none could ever discern how to do any thing acceptably to God, or availably to his own salvation. But in Christ, by the Gospel, that glo∣rious Image is renewed in Saints, (who are the brethren he means) and they are not only exhorted to put on that new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth (Eph. 4. 24.) but are also said to be changed into the same Image from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 1. 18.
• ...

• 2. That nature whereof Professours are made partakers, is not only an humane nature, but the a 1.3 Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 2. 4. For we are born again, and that of God, John 1. 13. As natural men are all one flesh, so Saints are all one Spirit, Ephes. 44. As they are of the flesh, so these are of the Spirit, John 3. 6. Wherefore as the Divine Nature is more excellent then the humane: and the Spirit then the flesh, so this ground of brotherly-love, is more excellent then the former ground of love.
• 3. Professors of the Gospel are subject also to many infirmities and temptations. Satan most fiercely assaults them, Luke 22. 31. For they are all Kings, Rev. 1. 6. The devil therefore useth the policy of the King of Syria, 1 King. 22. 31. They are also subject to many infirmities. In these respects there is great need of much brotherly∣love to bear with one another, Gal. 6. 2.
• 4. These also stand in much need of mutuall help for their spirituall good. This is evident by the manifold exhortations tending to that purpose, as Heb. 3. 13. & 10. 24. 1 Thes. 4. 12. & 5. 11. Brotherly-love is needfull in this respect also.
• 5. Gods patern is in this kinde more excellently set forth. For in relation to Saints, he is said to love them and hate others, Mal. 1. 2. Saints are a peculiar trea∣sure to him above all people, Exod. 19. 5. Deut. 10. 15. This example of God is much pressed upon this point of brotherly-love, 1 Iohn 4. 9, 10, 11. And for brotherly∣love Christs example in giving himself for his Church is also pressed, Ephes. 5. 25. Iohn 13. 34.
• 6. The Commandment for brotherly-love is as expresse as for love, Iohn 15. 12. Yea it is called a new Commandment, John 13. 34. Indeed the Apostle where he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it a new Commandment, saith withall, that it is an old Commandment, 1 Joh. 2. 1. In the substance of it, it is the old Commandment: but in many circumstances, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 one.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Grounds of Love.
• * 1.2

  Grounds of brotherly-love more eminent then of love.
• a 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.