CHAPTER X.

ON BROTHERLY LOVE.

Ir is a beautiful remark of Mr. BEVERLEY, "That if a well-instructed physiologist were to lose his way in the pathless tracts of the earth, he would nevertheless be able to divine the country through which he was wandering, by attentively considering the productions of the soil, and the appearance of animal life surrounding him." The flowers that grew in his path, or the living creatures that crossed it, would announce to him in what zone or empire he was bending his course. "So it is in the land of Emmanuel, the delightful fruit found there and no where else, is LOVE, Christian love, love in Christ, the divine AGAPE of the word of God, the fruit of the Spirit, the evidence of the twice-born and redeemed people." Yes, it is indeed true, that love, in the Christian sense of the term, is found no where else beyond the kingdom of the Redeemer, for it grows in no soil but that of Christianity; so that when it is found, we may assuredly pronounce that we have reached holy land: but is this plant which is indigenous to the church of Christ found even there in profusion, in all its bloom, and beauty? Ah, no! but stinted in its growth, dismantled of its beauty, and of diminished fragrance. I join with the above mentioned writer, in acknowledging and lamenting, that there is far too little of this heavenly disposition among the members of Christ's church upon earth, but I am persuaded that there is more of it than Mr. B. is disposed to admit. Let us suppose," he

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remarks, "that by some unwonted tribulation you are bowed down with a weight of sorrow, and the cup of tears were given you to drink in great measure-would you think of turning to that religious society of which you are a member for counsel and sympathy? Do you feel so bound to your nominal brethren, and are you so confident of the strength of their Christian love, that you have no doubt of their affectionate commiseration and tender support? And do you believe they are so anxious to fulfil the law of Christ according to the epitome of that law,"-Gal. vi. 2; "that you feel confident they will gladly bear your burden? Let every one answer this question according to his experience, his knowledge, and his serious belief." And if they were so to answer the question, myriads and myriads by tears of gratitude and smiles of joy, would testify to the kindness of their brethren in Christ, during the dark and dreary season of their sore affliction. But a few hours before this page was written, I saw the gloom of the poor man's sick chamber lighted up, and the burden of his suffering alleviated with the sunshine of his countenance, as he threw over the scene of his sorrow, his willing, grateful, and emphatic testimony to the love and sympathy of his fellow members. "And am I," he exclaimed, as the tear sparkled in his eye, "under the protection of the church?" feeling surprised, not at the unfrequency, but at the greatness of this precious privilege. And it is, blessed be the God of love, who has breathed his own nature into the hearts of his own people, no uncommon reward of a pastor's labour, as he holds his official walks among the people of his charge, often to listen to the report they make of each other's love in the spirit.. O what blessed scenes have I witnessed of brotherly kindness within the wide circle of my own church, and rejoiced over them with thankfulness, as sweet and sacred proofs that I had not preached in vain

the doctrine of redeeming love, nor inculcated in vain the necessary fruit of it, the love of the brethren.

Still, however, I sorrowfully confess, that among professors of every denomination, and my own among the rest, there is far, very far, too little of this God-like temper. We are all verily guilty concerning our brother. We had all need to go again to the cross of our dying Lord, to learn how he has loved us and how we ought to love one another. The measure of tender affection with which Christians should regard each other, is so great, that what they have done in this way, seems as nothing.

See what is said, and how much, concerning this disposition in the word of God. Scarcely any duty is enjoined with such great frequency, or in so great a variety of forms. It is the peculiar law of Christ's kingdom, "This is my commandment that ye love one another, as I have loved you."John, xv. 12. It is the identifying mark of Christ's disciples, the sign of their caste, the necessary and certain token of their discipleship. "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."-John, xiii. 35. It is the fruit and evidence of our regeneration.-1 Peter, i. 22, 23. "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.”—1 John, iii. 14. It is the mark of spiritual prosperity in a church.-Eph. i. 15. It is the ground of apostolic eulogium in individual character. "I thank God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus and all the saints."-Phil. v. It is the subject of frequent and emphatic apostolic admonition. "Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ."-Gal. vi. 2. Nearly the whole of the three epistles of John were written to enforce this duty. It is dignified with the appellation of the NEW COMMANDMENT. New in its kind, its model, its strength, its motives; "as I have loved you." Moses

enjoined us to love our neighbour as ourselves; Christ has commanded us to love our neighbour in one respect, more than ourselves, for we are, if need be, "to lay down our lives for our brethren.”—1 John, iii. 16. This love is made the test of character at the jndgment day; the want of it, the ground of condemnation to the wicked, and the possession of it, the ground of justification and approbation to the righteous. "Inasmuch as ye did it, or did it not, to one of the least of these, my brethren, ye did it, or did it not, to me.”—Matt. xxv. Let any man read and study all these passages, and mark the vast importance which is attached to brotherly love, and then let him look round upon the church of Christ, and say if it is not yet lamentably deficient in this duty.

We should attentively consider the grounds on which this love is to be exercised. It is love to the brethren, as such; love to them for God's sake and Christ's sake-love to them as the objects of the Father's eternal. infinite and unchangeable affection; the purchase of the Son's agonies and blood; the workmanship of the Spirit's grace. How dear the saints are to the heart of Christ and of God, none can know but the infinite mind of God. This is the ground of genuine love to Christians; this is the agape of the New Testament, not an affection based on sectarian distinction, or party names; for a Jew, a Mahomedan, a Pagan may have this. If we can love only Christians of our own denomination or party; if our love be founded on the Book of Common Prayer; or on John Wesley's works; or on the Assembly's Catechism, or on adult baptism; it is not the love of the brethren, but the love of party; and much of this love of party there is where there is not one particle of love to Christ's followers : the ground of Christian love is this, "ye are Christ's ;" any thing substituted for this or added to it, turns our affection into quite another thing. If this single idea be not of itself enough to engage our heart to any one, then we have not

the love of the brethren. If his relation to Christ as one of his redeemed people, one of the members of his body, and one who bears his image, be not sufficient to attract our regards, except he be one of our own church or denomination; or if though we admit that he is all this, we feel an instant damp upon our affection, and an alienation of heart, when we are told that he is a Dissenter or a Churchman, a Calvinist or a Methodist, we are either altogether wanting or very weak in brotherly love. We may not love, indeed cannot, it would not be right, to love true Christians because they differ from us, but we ought to love them in spite of their differences.

The moral likeness of Christ is that one object the contemplation of which excites this holy emotion. Wherever we discover the image of Jesus, or see a course of action, which evinces the possession of his spirit, there will all the sympathies be awakened, the sensibilities be set in motion, and the feelings cluster which may be the elements of brotherly love. Let me see an individual of any colour, or clime, or sect, who calls himself a Christian, and who in his conduct is manifestly governed by a love to Jesus, who is cultivating the heavenly dispositions, and holy habits of the Gospel, who has embarked his heart in the high interests in which God is engaged, and if I have any brotherly love in me, I see a man who has higher claims on my regard and my sympathy than the mere natural relations of life can command; "loving him that begat, I love him that is begotten of him." Bound to the throne of God by those moral excellences which brighten his character and make him an object of delightful complacency, I am also bound in affection to every son and daughter of Adam, who beholding the glory of God as it shines in the face of Jesus Christ, has been changed into the same image. And as he is the centre of attraction to them all, and they all alike love to sit at his feet, and im