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. XXI.

LEt me now exhort all Christians to love one another. 1 Joh. 4.7. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. Every one that loveth the Children of God unfeign∣edly, is born of God, and is acquainted with him, and knoweth him, as the Child knoweth his Father.

Were I to speak in an assembly of Ministers, I might in a special manner direct my speech to them, that they should labour to abound in Brotherly Love, as towards others of the god∣ly; so especially towards each others as Fel∣low-labourers, called to the same work, and employed to build up the same spiritual house of God, that they should be of one mind, and speak the same things, the same Truth, not en∣vying, nor despising each other, but rejoycing in each others Gifts and Graces, and in those fruit of each others labours; not like those who grudg to hear of others labours, while themselves are lazy, and looking on them with an evil eye, refusing to be their fellow-labou∣rers, and maligning them, because they will not be their fellow-loyterers. What Brotherly love and amity was there among the Apostles

of Christ? St. Peter calleth Paul his beloved Brother. So when Paul and Barnabas returned from the preaching of the Gospel to divers Nations, we read with what love they were en∣tertained by the rest of the Apostles at Jerusa∣lem, Act. 15.4. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the Church, and of the Apostles and Elders. And the A∣postles and Elders in their Epistle sent to the Churches, speak thus. Act. 15. v. 25.26. It seem∣ed good unto us being assembled together, to send cho∣sen men unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Saul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Where they both profess their entire love unto them, and also in Brotherly love give them special Commenda∣tion. So afterwards, when St. Paul returned from another long voyage, we see what de∣monstration of Brotherly love there was be∣tween him and St. James, Act. 21.18.19.20. Paul went in with us unto James, and all the El∣ders were present: and when he had saluted them, be declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Th••u seest Brother, h••w ma∣ny Thousands of Jews there are which believe, &c. So when Paul and Barnabas had made known to the other Apostles the Doctrine which they had taught, Paul saith, When Jam••s and Cephas, and

John (three eminent Apostles) who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave to me, and Barnabas, the right hand of fellow-ship. Gal. 2.9. The reason is plain; for as they excelled in admirable gifts, for the ser∣vice of the Church, so they abounded in saving-graces, and especially in that grace of Christi∣an and Brotherly love, which purged their hearts from envy and carnal emulation of the gifts or success of each other, and so they kept the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Moreover, they knew well, that they were as a City set on an Hill, and that the eye of the world was fixed upon them, and therefore they were careful to walk in Love, as towards all sorts, so especially towards each other, that they might not give occasion to the enemies to blaspheme, that they might not offend the Church of God, nor blemish his Glory. They knew well, that this was needful for the fur∣therance of the Gospel, of that great work of the Apostleship, to which the Lord had called them, that they should with one mind, and one Spirit, joyn together in the work of the Lord.

This may discover to us the intolerable pride of the Pope, who instead of embracing the godly Ministers of Christ with Brotherly Love (as St. Peter doth embrace Paul, as his Brother and equal) doth first lift up himself above them; and in a cruel manner tyrannize over them.

St. Peter did not lift up over the head of Paul the scepter of Dominion and Papal Supremacy, nor offer him his foot to kiss, as the Pope, his pretended Successor; but in all Brotherly Love, and in the spirit of meekness giveth him the right hand of fellowship, as to his equal in place and dignity. Therefore when the Pope bring∣eth not only Ministers of the Gospel, but also the Kings and Emperors of the world into sub∣jection, and challengeth an uncontroled autho∣rity over them, we may justly say, From the beginning it was not so; no, nor for many ages after: the Church of God, a long time acknow∣ledging no one supream Head, but Christ, as is manifest by many things which were written many hundred years before Luther was born. Therefore all proud papal Spirits, who are more like the Pope in a proud contempt of their Brethren, than they are to Peter in Meekness and Brotherly Love: they cease to derive their Pedigree from the Apostles, until they do more truly express their Graces, and follow their Example.