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. XXVIII.

NOw (to conduct) let me exhort every Christian to maintain a watchful eye o∣ver their Love, that it wax not cold in these evil-times. Our Saviour long since prophesi∣ed of the latter times, that because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold, Mat. 24.12. That there should be a flood of iniquity, and a frost of love. The times wherein we live, tell us, that iniquity doth abound, I had al∣most said, it cannot abound more; now then let brotherly love continaee, Heb. 13.1. This Love (like that Fire under the Law) came down from Heaven, therefore preserve it; we had need be very careful, for sinful times are coo∣ling times: Sin is as apt to quench Love, as Water to quench the Fire. These objects of Love are continually the same: When Love goes away, the power, the zeal, the practice of religion goes away. It is an argument your Love is truly divine, if you keep it flaming in the worst of times. It you suffer your Love to God and his people to decay, you will lose all the good that ever you have done. If your Love decay, all the people of God with whom you have taken sweet counsel together, prayed together, fasted together, all these shall rise up

in judgment against you. Oh think what man∣ner of damnation yours will be; ye shall feel the most dreadful effects of Gods eternal hatred, who have suffered your Love to Gods ways and people to dye within you. Oh if your Love de∣cay, it is not easily recovered again; and to recover your first Love, you must repent, and do your first works, it will cost you much la∣bour, much sighing, much sorrow of heart before you can recover your former degrees of Love. Take heed of a slavish fear of wicked men; St. Paul opposeth the spirit of fear to the spirit of Love, 2 Tim. 1.17. Be not too fa∣miliar with those that are unsetled in the truth. Many had loved more, had they disputed less. Set your hearts on the things of the world; Demas forsook the fellowship of the Saints, be∣cause he embraced this present world.