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. XXIII.

LEt us then labour to put in practice that exhortation of the Apostle, 1 Joh. 3.18. My little Children let us not love in word and tongue; but in deed and in truth. Where the Apostle doth not condemn profession and expression of Love in words, and with the Tongue, for he himself used it, I think no man more: yea he useth it in that place, expr••ssing tender∣ness of heart, and fatherly affection in this ve∣ry exhortation; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, My little children, &c. So he expresseth much Love in words in this E∣pistle. But he condemneth that shew of Love; which is meer words, and a bare profession of Love. A Tree is not to be liked the worse, be∣cause it beareth a fair Leaf together with good fruits, but rather the better; for it is both an

ornament to the Tree, and maketh the fruit the more savoury, and of a better relish. But this maketh the Tree ready for the Ax and for the Fire, when it beareth Leaves and no Fruit, or little Fruit: so a Christian is not to be liked the worse for cloathing his fruits and works of Love, with expressions, professions, and words of Love, but the better rather: for they are both an ornament to him in his Christian course, and (besides) they give grace and relish to those works and fruits. Yea, Christian speeches in many cases are themselves very good and wholesom fruits, good arguments of Sanctifi∣cation, and very profitable to the hearers, mini∣string grace unto them, and winning them so some liking of the ways of God: yea, good words of admonition, consolation, are as neces∣sary alms, as any other, for many; though not so acceptable to the most.

But as a Tree that beareth store of good fruit, though it have but a ragged Leaf, is much bet∣ter than another that is rough, and full of green and fair Leaves, with none, or little fruit; so a Christian full of good works, though not fair∣ly-spoken, is far to be preferred above one who hath a fair tongue and a close hand.

The thing then which the Apostle exhorteth unto, is, That we should not rest in a Love that sheweth it self only in words and tongue, but that which is in deed and in truth.