Love is the chiefe lesson Christ gave to his Disciples, when he went out of the world, John 13.35, 36. 2 Tim. 1.13. a man may assoon lose his in∣heritance in the Lord Jesus, as lose his love to his brethren, if God set love in my soule, and man unset it, I shall destroy the work of God in my soule.
Ʋse 1. Take heed of wrath; if love be of God, whence then is hatred? that is from the enemy of God, Eph. 4.26, 27. if we keep leaven long, it will sowre, so this anger will degenerate into hatred.
Obj. You will say, You will not hate your brother, but yet you will have no∣thing to doe with him.
Answ. When a man affects not Communion with his brother, nor commu∣nication of good to him, such a man doth hate his brother.
2. If we would have any comfort in our hearts, we must have a care, that nothing that befalls betwixt us and our brethren should take away our love from them; if we suffer a fire of wrath to kindle in us, we doe as much as in us lies to destroy our own souls, Cant. 7.7, 8. Much water cannot quench love, therefore love is an heavenly fire, hatred a fire from hell. Majus lumen extinguet minus.