Ch. 3. Brotherly Love I: J Note I. By [the Brethren] here is meant IChri- 3lians are fads) : Not only thofe of TomeParty in Opinionwhich we like, nor only thofe that are friendly to us, nor yet all Man, or all calla Chriflians alike ; though all Men mutt be loved as Men. It is to love God in man, and man for his fake, fo far as God's Amiablenefs fhineth in them, 'fpecially to love God's Holinefs in lily Perfous. 2. It is not all Loveto godly Chrîftians as fuch, that will prove us tranllated from Dcarh toLife, but to /ova them, and God in them, better than the Plcafures and Wealth of the World. The cheap love of fah as with Men well, but will be at no great coif or danger forany, becaufe they love theirMoney better, is the Hypocrite'sLove. 15. Whofoever hateth his brother, is a murderer : and ye know that no murderer bath eternal life abiding in him, 15. Note, I. How dreadful a Sentence this is againft malignant or faEtioas haters of Bre- thren. 2. But theSelf-deceit of murderousHypocrites is, by taking Brethren for no Brethren ; but as the Papifis firftcall themHereticks, Schifinaticks, Fasaticks, Puritans, Rebels againft the Pope or Church ; th.t they may jufttle their hating, murdering, imprifoning, Glencing, and ruining them. As theScribes were loth toknow who was their Neighbour,fo are their loth toknow who is a Brother : but God will know hisChil- dren, rho' Men call them by reproachful Names. Alas, forthe murderous Generation, that preach, write, and {hive to defiroy theUpright, and fay, theykill'd them or ruin'd them in Love, (that is, they hated them in Love.) Woe to them when God fhall judge them. 3. Everydegree ofdtnjuft butt or hatred is a breach ofthe Sixth Commandment: but the meaning is not every degree, or miftaking wrong, is as bad as aClual Murder, or as lure a liign ' of Death.. Alas ! how few elle would iiye ? 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, becaufe he laid down his life for us, and we ought to laydown our lives for the brethren. r6 AsGod loath manifel}ed his Love to us, by laying- down for us the Life of our Redee- mer, fo if we Be God's Children, we mint learn of him (as to love our Enemies, fo) if God lhould call us to it, as needful ro better ends than our Lives, to lay down our Lives for Chriftlan Brethren. 17. But whofo hath this worlds good, and feeth his brother haveneed, and fhutteth up his bowels of compaf ohn. recommended. Ch,3 fion from him, how dweIleth the love of God in him ? 19. And if Love mule make us die for o- thers, furely thofe have no true Love to God and to the Brethren, as God requireth, who cannot lay down part of their Abundance (per. haps Superfluity) for them, but while they are well able, yet cannot find in their hearts to re. lieve them, but but up the bowels of their Companion from them. Note. O the dreadful account that many of the Rich malt give, that feaft all theYear, while their poorNeighbours lounger ! andfpend forty times more in (needlefs) houfe-keepiing,as they call their Luxury, than on the Poor. 1 8. My little children; let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, and in truth. as. Let not }our Love behypocritical,which will bring forth no better fruit than good Hips and fair Words, but fhew the truth of it by your colt and real helps. 19. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and fllall affure out hearts before him. 19. It is by fuch efficacy and real fruit that wemuleknow that we are true ChrifBaas, and not Hypocrites, and muit have affurance that our hearts are true to God. zo. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have ive.confidence towards God. zo, 2r. For ifourConfciences tell us, that our Love is barren and 'uidefs, and fo con- demn us of Hypocrife,,God is greater,and more acquainted with our Hypoirifie than our COD. fciences : but if our Cdnfcience truly witnefs the fincerity of our Love by the fruits of it; ¡loan this All'urance ofour Sincerity givrais as boldnefs towards God.. 22. And whatf©ever we ask, we receive of him, becaufe we keep his, commandments, and do 7hofe things that are pleating in his fight. 22. And if we do God's Will fiticerely, in obeying his Commands, and the things th C pleafe him, hewill (tear our Prayers, and grant our jute Delores, and give us that which is good for us : whereas if we loveIniquity, and live therein, God will not hear ourPrayers. Note. They Mat deny doat holy funcereObe diente is any condition ofGod's hearing our Prayers (becaufeFaith hath the Promife) cone tradilh the fcope of Scripture. 23, And
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