[3.] As occasion serveth, we must really promote their good to the uttermost of our power ; for it is a cold love that will not be at any pains and charges, or hazard any interests, for the sake of those whom we love ; that contenteth itself with wishes, yea, though they be formed into prayers. No ; we must not say only, Be warmed, be clothed, but really do them good, and seek their welfare as we would our own. In short, we must sympathise with them in every condition : Kom. xii. 15, ' Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep ; ' 1 Cor. xii. 20, we should have the same care one for another. Want of feeling is a self-excommunication, a casting ourselves out of the body. Nay, there must be not only sympathy and compassion, but real succour : Gal. vi. 10, ' Do good to all, but especially to the house- hold of faith ; ' Rom. xii. 13, ' Distributing to the necessity of the saints, given to hospitality ; ' Heb. vi. 10, ' God is not unrighteous, to foiget your work and labour of love, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.' We must do them all possible service, as the exigencies of their circumstances and occasions do require, assisting them with our favour, countenance, labour, estates ; yea, and, as we shall see afterwards, by hazarding and laying down life itself.
[4.] By conversing with them, and delighting in their fellowship, for our mutual comfort and edification. Love is a uniting thing ; it draweth to communion ; as the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, 1 Sam. xviii. 15 ; and the apostle biddeth christians to be knit together in love, Col. ii. 2. Brotherly love is such an affection as knits the hearts of the professors of the same faith to one another, as if they had but one heart and one soul in common amongst them : Acts iv. 32, ' And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul.' And therefore it is called the bond of perfection, Col. iii. 14. The saints are bound together in a holy society, and preserved by it ; and without it, as a besom unbound, they fall all to pieces.
[5.] In passing by failings and infirmities : 1 Peter iv. 8, ' And above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover a multitude of sins.' Love will prevent and pass by many mutual wrongs, which otherwise would disturb the comfortable society
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of the Lord's people ; therefore brotherly love is not come to its due height, growth, and fervency when it is easily interrupted by every offence. We cannot expect to converse with any in tliis life but some failings and wrongs it is like will be often reiterated, both against God and one another ; therefore, unless we have learned to pardon failings, we have not learned the true art of loving one another ; we must pardon the person for the wrong done to us, and we must intercede with God for the pardon of the wrong done to him. Love must cover these, not upbraiding the party with them, and concealing it from the wicked as much as may be, lest religion be disgraced.
[6.] The impartiality of this love ; we must love those without exception who are godly, whether rich or poor, prosperous or afflicted.
(1.) Whether rich or poor ; for we must not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons, James ii. 1. No ; if it be sincere, it must be love to all the saints, Eph. i. 15, to the meanest as well as the greatest, otherwise we despise the church of God, 1 Cor. xi. 20. Meanness doth not take away christian relations. There are many differences in worldly respects between one of God's children and another, and in spiritual gifts some are weak and some are strong ; yet we must love all, for all are brethren ; all are children of one Father, all owned by Christ ; co-heirs not only with the richest and strongest christians, but with Christ himself ; therefore we should love them without respect of persons, yea, love them when no respect of our own doth invite us thereunto ; for love is not to be measured by our profit, but by a desire to profit others.
(2.) We should love them in adversity as well as in prosperity. Some seem to love good people when the times favour them, and they suffer no loss by owning them. No ; you must own them in their troubles also and persecutions : Heb. x. 33, ' Partly whilst ye were made a gazing-stock, both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly whilst ye became companions of them who were so used.' Some suffered as the parties persecuted, others as their companions, who were not at first in the original process. So Moses left all the pleasures of the court, and his friendships there, to join with God's despised people : Heb. xi. 25, ' Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.' Alas ! there are many painted butterflies and summer-friends to the gospel, who are gone when the sunshine of prosperity is gone. Brethren then do almost forget that they are brethren, if not altogether, and stand aloof, and are loath to own the afflicted.