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.

CHAP. XII.

Sect. 1.

THE third thing I am to treat of, is, Love to our Enemies. Here in the first place, Let us consider, what this Love is, and where∣in it consisteth.

1. It is not a Love in word and in tongue, but an affectionate Love, a Loving in heart and in deed. Rom. 12.10. be kindly affectioned one to another: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, be naturally affectionate, as the Dams among Creatures, are naturally af∣fectionate to their young ones. Gods com∣mand [Love thine enemies] reacheth the heart, and enjoyns thee to affect them, as well as the tongue, to speak loving words unto them.

2 It is a Love, that sets us upon the exer∣cise of all duties of Love toward them.

1. To love them with a Love of benevo∣lence, to bless th••m that curse you, to wish them good when they wish you evil, to speak well of them, when they speak all manner of evil of you, this is to love our enemies.

2. To be willing to pardon their private in∣juries done unto us.

So the Parable of the two debtors teacheth us, Mat. 18.25. The King pardoned one which owed him ten thousand talents: and he was to pardon his fellow that owed him an hundred pence; which thing because he would not do, his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the Tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. Prov. 19.11. The discretion of a man defers his anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. Men think it but baseness and cowardliness to put up wrongs; but God saith, it is his wisdom, his glory, his discretion. Sup∣pose thine enemies have done thee great wrongs, and many injuries; the more is thy love manifested.

3. Heartily to rejoyce in the gifts and parts of our enemies, and in whatsoever is is excellent in them, and to be glad of their prosperity, and to lament when it is o∣therwise with them. Thus David made La∣mentation for Saul, 2 Sam. 1. v. 19. The beauty

of Israel is slain upon thy high places. v. 24 25. Ye daughters of Israel weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with other delights, who put on orna∣ments of gold upon your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battel!

4. To love them with a Love of beneficence: To do them all the good we can; to do all the good we can to their bodies, to do them good speedily and without delay, and constantly without any willing neglect, when it lieth in our power. Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you. Mat. 5.44. If thine enemy hun∣ger, feed him; if he thirst give him drink; for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Rom. 12.20. either coals of conversion, or co••ls of confusion.

5 To love them with a religious Love, Love your enemies, pray for them which despitefully use you, Luk. 6.28. Pray for their health when they are sick; pray for their lives when they are in the gates of death; pray for their deli∣verance, when they are compassed about with dangers, or oppressed with troubles: pray for their Conversion, Pardon and Salvation. Sup∣pose wicked men vex thy Soul as the Sodomites did Lot for righteousness sake, and hate thee for thy Love, yet pray for them. So David did, Ps••l 109.4.5. For my Love they are my adversa∣ries, but I give my self unto prayer. Suppose they persecute thee even to the death, yet thou art

to pity them, and pray for them. Thus our Saviour prayed for his enemies, Father forgive them, they know not what they do. St. Stephen al∣so prayed heartily for all his Persecutors. Lord, lay not this Sin to their charge. He prayed hear∣tily for them, when they were stoning him to death. When Davids enemies were plotting his death, he prayed for their good, he hum∣bled his Soul with fasting, and cloathed him∣self with Sackcloth Psal. 35.13. So St. Paul, 1 Cor. 4.12. Being reviled, we bless, &c. being de∣famed we entreat. The hellish rage of enemies must move you to shew your heavenly love to them. This is the Love we must shew to our enemies, and this Love exceeds that of Publi∣cans, and that for these reasons.

1. Because their Love is extended no farther than to their brethren their benefactors; where they find Love, there they return Love; they return good to none but to such from whom they receive good; where no Love is shewn, there they will shew no Love; they will return evil for evil; What others measure to them, they will measure the same to them again.

2. Because their Love at best, is but verbal and complemental, consisting rather in wishing than in supplying. They have words at will, Oyl and Butter enough in their mouth to sup∣ply all, but they keep all to themselves, they have little to spare to their Neighbour, what∣ever

his need be. They give as good words as need to be, Depart in peace, be warmed, and filled. but give him not those things that are need∣ful. Jam. 2.16.

3. Because the Love of Publicans lasteth no longer than their friends Love lasteth; they of∣ten change in their affections. How often is the Love of carnal men turned into Hatred, and their friend-ship into enmity? the Love of Publicans is but Love of retaliation; but this Love is a constant Love. Let their enemies smile or frown, they love them. Let their e∣nemies do good to them or do evil, still they love them, and do good unto them; let their enemies bless or curse them, yet they love them; yea when their enemies are in their height of malice, they love them and pray for them. Many waters of their enemies unkind∣ness, and the raging floods of their enemies malice, shall neither quench it nor drown it. They may cool it, but cannot quench it: they may for a while keep down the Flames, but cannot put out the coal of Love within them.

SECT. II. Now I will shew, bow no Publicans or wicked men can love their enemies.

1. THey may speak fair to their enemies, but this is not Love: their words are smoother than oyl, yet then their hearts are full of gall and bitterness, and of mischievous devices. Joab spake friendly to Abner, while his heart was full of murderous intents.

2. They may salute their enemies, yet then, as Judas, they may seek an occasion to betray them, as he did, by a kiss and an embrace: and while they flatter them, they spread a net for their feet, making them a sure prey: and if their feet be entangled, they are fast enough for run∣ning away.

Yet no wicked man can, or doth Love his enemies, so as to wish well to them as often as they have opportunity: they cannot, they will not pray for them, but when occasion is given, they will curse such as bless them, and will deal despitefully with them. The reasons are these.

1. Because this Love is a fruit of the Spirit, and proceedeth from grace. And it is as possi∣ble

for Thorns to bring forth grapes, as for a wicked man to bring forth such fruits of the Spirit. This Love that I speak of, groweth no where out of Paradise, but in a gracious heart: there is no such flower to be found in Natures Garden. Though men naturally love their kinred, and their friends, yet they cannot love their enemies. Naturally men hate their enemies; Nature judgeth it seemly and ju•••• to to be revenged on enemies; to give the same measure that their enimies measure to them. Every natural man is of the Pharisee's judg∣ment, That we are bound to love them that love us, and hate our enemies. Hence it is, that men bring Arguments to justifie them∣selves in their malitious actings against their enemies, and satisfie themselves with their own fallacious argumentations.

That wicked men cannot love their enemies, will appear, if we consider what their hearts are filled with. Rom. 1.29. The Apostle saith, they are filled with all unrighteousness, wicked∣ness, malitiousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity. Did not God set a dam, and keep within the banks, those seas of malice in mens hearts, the whole world would soon be drowned in the flood of maliciousness. Now before it is possible for a wicked man to love his enemies, his heart must be emptied of that en∣vy, hatred and malice: the Spirit of regene∣ration

must in a wonderful manner dry up this Sea of wickedness, and they must be brought to cast out Envy, Hatred and Malice out of their Hearts, as they would Toads out of their Bosoms.

3. Because they must first deny themselves, and become patient and meek in Spirit, and be content to suffer injuries, affronts, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 much evil-dealings, before they can bring their hear•• to love them that acted all enm•••••• agai•••••• them. Oh What Grace is required to bri•••• the hearts of men to be meek, when provoked and to be content to suffer much evil.

SECT. III.

Quest. HOw must our Love be extended to the enemies of God, of his Church, his, Truth, his Saints? For even to these we must manifest some Love, in praying for them.

Resp. In answer hereunto, I desire you to consider these things:

1. Pray that God would put hooks into the Nostrils of these Leviathans, that they might not always make havock of the Church of God; that God would frustrate the malitious designs of mighty Nim••ods, and bring their enterprizes

to nought. Thus David prayed, that God would turn the Wisdom of Achitophel into foolish∣ness.

2. Pray that God would open their eyes, that they may see their own madness in kick∣ing against the pricks, and that all their plots, counsels, malice against the Church will un∣doubtedly turn to their own destruction with∣••ut re••••••••ance. How did St. Stephen's prayer ••••ke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 St. Paul, who was one of his per∣••••••utors from a Blasphemer and a Persecutor, ••od made him a great Instrument of his Glo∣ry, and a choice vessel of his mercy. But yet when wicked men openly and wilfully mani∣fest their hatred and malice against God, we must be friends to none that are enemies to God. Thus David saith unto God, Do not I hate them that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred, I count them mine enemies. Psal. 139 27.22. I hate none but Gods enemies, those I count mine enemies. I am not troubled at him that wrongeth my person or good name, but at him that blasphemeth my God, and per∣secuteth his Truth, and his Saints for the name of Christ; these do I count my enemies. I have have hated the congregation of evil doers, and will not sit with wicked, Psal. 26.5. He would not so much as sit with them, because he hated them. As friendship with the world is enmi∣ty

with God, so to contract friendship with the wicked, is to joyn with Gods enemies, and to cause him to turn enemy to him that so doth. See what a sharp check was given to Jehoshaphar for joyning in friendship with two wicked Kings, as Ahab and Jehoram, 2 Chron. 12.2. Shouldst thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord. David did set light by the hatred of the world, but yet strived stoutly for the maintenance of Gods Glory, insomuch that he would undertake open war against all the Enemies of God. Hence sprang all those fear∣ful curses and imprecations that David in many Psalms doth wish against the wicked for their enmity against God, and hatred of him. Read Psal. 109. and see how David there doth curse Judas, and all the enemies of the Gospel.

These imprecations against Gods enemies are uttered sometimes.

1. Per modum pronuntiationis, non per modum optionis, by way of prediction, what will be∣fall them. As for instance; Let them O Lord be confounded, and put to shame. This is not so much to wish their confusion, as a predi∣ction that they shall be confounded, and put to shame.

Sometimes when the destruction of the e∣nemies of God is wished or desired, desiderium optantis ad justitiam punientis, non ad poenam re∣fertur:

the wish is directed to Gods Glory, not so much desiring the misery and punishment of the wicked enemies. So Psal. 58.10.11. The Righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance, be shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked; so that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the Righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth. Gods Glory manifested in the de∣struction of the wicked, is matter of rejoy∣cing to the Saints, not simply their destru∣ction.

3. It is ad remotionem culpae, non ad destructio∣nem peccantis, that Sin might be removed, not that the Sinner should be destroyed.

Quest. But how are godly men said to hate, and how may they hate wicked men?

Resp. 1. We must hate their sins, not their persons, all their sins as well as one sin, and in all wicked men as well as in one wicked man.

2. We must hate them as they are Gods ene∣mies; not as they are our own particular ene∣mies. David did humble himself for his own enemies; but as for the enemies of God and his Church, them he hated with a perfect hatred.

3. Our hatred must be with hope and desire of their conversion, and not with despair. And in this there is more Love shewn than hatred; we must hate them as Gods enemies, yet not plot their evil in any thing, but pray for their good,

and do them all the good we can, as occasion serveth; Grace only can do this. Here see the excellency of Grace, it makes a man truly to hate sin in all, and yet to love all likewise.