Thirdly, Let me consider it as laid down as a sure note and evidence of our passing from death to life; and there we shall consider — (1.) Why so much is ascribed to love of the brethren ; (2.) What sort of evidence this is.
1. Why is so much ascribed to the love of the brethren, that the decision of our spiritual estate is often put upon this issue, whether we love the brethren, yea or no ? Ans. For several reasons.
[1.] Because it is the immediate effect of the new nature : 1 John iv. 7, ' Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God ; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God ; ' and 1 John v. 1, ' Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God; and every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him.' Love to God and his people is the proper effect of the spiritual life ; that same new nature which inclineth us to love God inclineth us to love the brethren.
[2.] This suiteth most with the great love which God discovereth in the gospel. The gospel is wholly employed in setting forth the love of God ; we see his power more eminently in the creation of the world : Rom. i. 20, ' For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.' His wisdom in the law : Deut. iv. 6, 'Keep them, for this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations.' And his love in the gospel : Eom. v. 8, ' Herein God commended his love.' He doth indeed discover all in all, but eminently one in each. Now the new creature, being of a gospel production, hath the print and stamp thereof left upon it, for the thing sealed must be according to the seal : love is his very nature.
[3.] Because God would not leave the trial of our condition upon an imaginary case, and remote from daily experience. We pretend to love God, and to have a zeal for God, and would venture all our interests for God, because in the bountiful part God hath no need of us, and we are not likely to be put upon the expressing of love to him
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ia that kind. In the dutiful part of obedience we are daily put upon a trial. Now in the bountiful part God hath made our brethi-en his proxies, and devolveth that love and gratitude due to himself upon his servants. Hence is that reasoning, 1 John iv. 20, ' He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen ? ' Men's pretences of love to God are more in imagina- tion than in real proof and performance ; here we have occasion often given us to express and testify our love by real effects ; we see our brethren daily, we know their necessities, have opportunities of sensible demonstrations of our love. Now these kind acts of love to our brethren, as they do most verify and justify our love, so they are most apparent and visible to our own feeling and experience.
[4.] Because naturally a man delights in that company which is most like himself, otherwise he is more straitened and restrained, cannot so freely let out his soul ; therefore if the constitution of a man's heart be altered, he will show it in his complacency and dis- placency. As in things so in persons ; there is a kind of grief and trouble at the non-conversion of the wicked : Ps. xv. 4, ' In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth those that fear the Lord.' He hath a dislike of wickedness, let it be in whomsoever it will, but payeth a hearty honour, affection, and respect to every good and godly man ; his joy and delight is to the saints, and to the excellent of the eartli, Ps. xvi. 3. ' Lot's righteous soul was vexed by seeing and hearing the unlawful deeds of the Sodomites,' 2 Peter ii. 8. A good man is never so well as in the company of those that fear God ; and so ill at ease as when conversing with the wicked ; therefore it is a sensible evidence.
[5.] In obedience to God, as this is his great and new command- ment : 1 John iii. 23, ' Love one another, as he gave us commandment.' God's love is a love of bounty, ours a love of duty.
[6.] Christ delights to draw his people into a societ}'', therefore he requireth love, and maketh love the great evidence : Col. iii. 14, ' And above all things put on charity, which is the bond of perfection ; ' an affection whereby we desire communion one with another, and com- munication of good one to another : Acts ii. 42, ' And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship;' and ver. 45, ' They parted with their possessions to every man as he had need.' There- fore this is the evidence of Christ's disciples.