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. VII.

II SEeing this Commandment of Love was from the beginning, it should teach us, That no injuries which men have done, or can do against us, should make us think our selves discharged from the duty of Love towards them. This Law of Love, pleadeth prescrip∣tion against all such wrongs and injuries what∣soever. It was before them, and it is to take take place before them, and against them all. The Law of Love which is so ancient, even from the beginning, should cause us to walk in Love, and to do the offices of Love, above all those new injuries which men have done us, or may do us. These should not prevail so to draw us to Malice and Hatred, or to extinguish Love in us, as that should to beget and encrease Love.

The Apostle disputing about the Law and the Gospel in the Epistle to the Galathians, saith, That the Law, as it was published by Moses, being four hundred years after the Pro∣mise

of the Gospel given to Abraham, could not disanul that Promise, and make it of none effect: much less can any injuries disanul this law of Love, which is many thousand years more ancient than any injury which we have received: therefore still this ancient Law stand∣eth in force, and bindeth us to love even those who do most of all wrong and provoke us. Is it not then a most unchristian thing, when men cannot lay down old enmities, nor purge out old grudges, nor forgive old injuries? Are any so old as this most ancient law of Love, which is from the beginning? There is a wicked he∣reditary enmity between some Families and Kinreds, which descendeth from father to son, &c. and they will not give it over, because it is so ancient: What if it were Five hundred years old? yet this law of Love, which is a∣bove Five thousand years old, since the delivery of it to Mankind, should prevail so far with us, as to make us forget them, and to walk in Love.

III. The Antiquity of this law of Love, should cause us to consider of that great Day of the Lord, which shall be in the end of Time, even at the end of the world; when all the breaches of this law (not being blotted out by repentance) that have been from the begin∣ning, are now, and shall be to the end of the world, shall be punished with everlasting ven∣geance.

Oh the innumerable Transgressions against this law in all ages, which then shall be called to account, and brought to the Barr of the highest Tribunal, even before the judg∣ment Seat of Christ! Oh the horrible murthers, massacres, cruelties, oppressions, extortions, thefts, rapes, persecutions, tyrannies of Princes and States, malitious plots and practises, con∣tentious courses, wrongs, injuries; and (among the rest) those bloody Wars, and destroying of Nations with fire and sword; which, if they be not lawfully undertaken, and lawfully man∣naged, are to be accounted among the most no∣torious breaches of this royal and most ancient Law: and beside these, all fraudulent and un∣just dealings; together with other things of like nature.

What mighty numbers of notorious Offen∣ders, shall then be arraigned and endited for the breach of this ancient Law, which was from the beginning? What numberless Catalogues, and huge Bills of Offences against this Law, shall then be brought to Tryal? The thought of this, might make mens hearts to shake, and their knees to smite together, as Belshazzar's did: If we consider, That as he saw an hand miraculously writing his Doom upon the wall; so the hand of God hath written, and doth write all these Offences in the Tables of men's Consciences, where they shall stand recorded

until the last day; unless in those, who have washed out this Hand-writing, by the Blood of Christ sprinkled by Faith, joyned with un∣feigned Repentance, and Reformation of Heart and Life.

How should we bewail the fearful Trans∣gressions against this most ancient and sacred Law, committed now among our selves, to whom the Gospel of Love and Peace is preach∣ed; in which Gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, hath especially, as in his last Testament bequeathed Peace, and com∣mended Love unto us; I say in this Testa∣ment sealed with his own most precious blood, which he shed in Love towards us, to make Peace between God and us, That so we might be at peace among our selves.