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. III.

THe reason why we are to bear one ano∣thers burdens is, because in so doing we shall fulfil the Law of Christ: it is the Law of Christ, it is the command of Christ, that we should bear one anothers burdens, that Law which compels you to o••her duties, constrains you to this duty also.

Quest. But where do we find that Christ gave this Law? or what is that Law of Christ?

Resp. I answer, that Law which commands us to love one another, which our Saviour fre∣quently calleth his Commandment, here he calleth his Law and Command.

Quest. But what is that Law of loving one another, to bearing one anothers burdens?

Resp. 1. Yes, because in commanding us to love one another, he commandeth us to do a∣ny office of Love and Humanity one to another, whereof this of bearing one anothers burdens, is none of the least duties of Christian mutual Love.

2. Because our Love of one to another must conform to Christs Love, which he shewed unto us. Now herein Christ did commend his Love unto us, in that he was pleased to bear ••ur bur∣dens: the burden of our sins, and of his Fathers Wrath was laid upon his Shoulders. Had not

the Lord Jesus bore our burdens for us, we had been for ever crushed, and sunk down under them. Shall Christ bear our Burdens, and shall not we bear one anothers burdens, and shew our selves therein to be followers of Christ?

3. Because this duty is one of the highest de∣grees of our obedience unto Christ: observe the words so fulfil the law of Christ: it is not a perfect, but solidum complementum, a solid, or substantial fulfilling of the Law of Christ. It is not said of o∣ther sincere performances, that we fulfil the Law of Christ; it is not said of thy praying, thy hearing, &c. that thou dost fulfil the Law of Christ, but of this duty of Love: Love is the fulfilling of the Law: Bearing of one anothers burdens (which is an eminent act of Love) is the fulfilling the Law of Christ. Without this, all other offices of Love, are but slight, superficial acts of obe∣dience: he that doth not do this, nihil habet, (saith Calvin) he hath nothing of a man, no∣thing of a Christian, nothing of a disciple of Christ, nothing of Christian Love in him.

There is a Sect, not long since risen among us, calling themselves High-attainers, boasting that they have attained to perfection of Holiness, and therefore need not the help of ordinances. But these deluded wretches do come as short of perfection, as the Earth doth of Heaven: but now those who do Christianly bear one ano∣th••rs burdens, are High-attainers indeed, for they fulfil the Law of Christ.

I know there may be strong Love in mens hearts toward some persons, without any par∣taking of the Love of God, and the spirit of Regeneration; and this Love may have some∣thing commendable in it; but it is nothing in respect of Gods gracious acceptation: such men do rather Love in obedience to the Law of na∣ture; than in obedience to the Law, or Gospel of Christ; therefore their Love loseth accep∣tance with the Lord. I say, they love in obe∣dience to the Law of Nature; for men have some parts of the Law of Na∣ture remain written in their hearts,* 1.1 since the Fall of Adam, as the Apostle sheweth even con∣cerning the Gentiles, or Hea∣thens themselves. Rom. 2.14.15 which Law I take to be more than the light of Nature, for otherwise (methinketh) it should rather be called the Doctrine, or the instructions of Na∣ture than a Law; for a Law carrieth Authority with it, and a binding power; but a light, or a doctrine doth but only shew and teach. But that which was written by Nature in the hearts of the Gentiles, the Apostle saith, was written as a Law, and so it carried a kind of Authority over their Hearts and Consciences; not only shewing them what should be done, but also enclining and bowing their spirits unto ••t. So at this day, this law of Nature may en∣cline

the hearts of many (as a law) to love their Neighbors; and they do it in obedience to this law of Nature, that is, they yield to this natu∣ral enclination of their hearts, and according to it do love some persons, whom their natures do encline them to love, until this Law be countermanded by a stronger law, the law of Sin and Corruption, enclining the heart to cast off love, and to entertain bitterness of spirit, or the like, and until it be over-born by outward occasions, which tend to quench Love. For this law of Nature is weak, and soon loseth its au∣thority and command; I mean, so far as it hath any thing good in it, so far as it is a broken piece (as it were) of the Image of God. But if we take the law of Nature for Nature corrup∣ted, which is the law of Sin: that is very strong, and hath a great command over the heart, and is hardly resisted. Now then they that have any commendable love in them to∣wards others in their natural estate, they do but herein follow the inclination of their hearts, which is the same that I said before, that they do it in obedience to the law of Nature, not in obedience to the law of Christ. B••t a Christian, that will approve his heart to God must love others in the name of Christ, and in obedience to his Gospel, which cannot be, unless we par∣take of the love of God in Christ, and have embraced Christ in the Gospel. Now I co••∣ceive

there may be more heat sometimes in that natural love than in this Spiritual and Christian love, and especially in that sinful love which is between divers persons, which deceiveth many, and maketh them apt to bless themselves, as if they were truly possessed of the spirit of Love, because they find some strength of natural affe∣ction in themselves. But a little of that heat which cometh from the Sun-beams, is of more vertue and excellency than a great deal of Kit∣chen-fire. A little of the heavenly affection of Love (which is a proper heat of the spirit of Christ, and floweth from the love of God ap∣prehended by saith) is more worth than a great deal of natural affection.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How men love in obedience to the Law of na∣ture.