Philadelphia, or, a treatise of brotherly-love Shewing, that we must love all men: love the wicked in general: love our enemies: that the godly must especially love another: and the reasons of each particular love. The manner of our mutual love; the dignity, necessity, excellenc, and usefulness of brotherly-love. That the want of love, where love is due, is hatred, shewed in divers particulars. The greatness of the sin of malice and hatred; with the reasons why wicked men hate the saints: together with cautions against those sins that break the bond of love. Many weighty questions discussed, and divers cases cleared. By William Gearing, minister of the word.

Sect. II.

Quest. 1. BUt why is it no where expresly commanded to love our selves? we are commanded to love one another: Thou art commanded to love thy Neighbour, but not expresly, to love thy self.

Resp. 1. Because it is superfluous to exhort men to love themselves? men are naturally too prone to self-love: their self-love, like Pha∣raoh's lean kine swalloweth up love to the Saints, and love to others: every man is apt to look to his own things; the most part, and the Strength of mens affections cleave to them∣••elves: how many churlish Nabals be there in the world, that in their hearts answer Christ in his Saints, as he did David, when he came to him for relief; Shall I take my bread, and my wine, and my flesh, which I have provided for my shearers, and give to men that I know not? Self-love makes us haters of one another, envious to one a∣nother; self-love shuts up our Bowels of Compassion from others.

Because we have a command to love our selves, in that the Lord commandeth us, to love

our Neighbour as our selves: love to our selves, is included in this love to others. Our love to our selves, must be the rule and measure of our love to others. In loving others, we love our selves; he that loveth the Saints most, loveth himself best.

Quest. 2. Why is it not said here, That we should be beloved of one another, as well as that we should love one another?

Resp. 1. To love another is thine own grace; that another loveth thee, it is not thine, but his grace.

2. Thou maist the better assure thy self that thou art godly, by thy love to the Saints, and not by their love to thee. That I love a child of God, I may be certain of it; but that I am beloved of others is uncertain. Judas was a Disciple in shew, but a Devil in heart. Again, others may love thee, and may think well, and hope well of thee; yet if thou dost not love them; if thou lovest not the Saints that love thee; thou maist perish for all their love to thee.

3. Because thou shalt be beloved of o∣thers, if thou lovest them: Nothing will draw out love sooner than love it self.