Philadelphia, Treatise · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
LEt me now exhort all Chriſtians to love one another. 1 Joh. 4.7. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. Every one that loveth the Children of God unfeignedly, is born of God, and is acquainted with him, and knoweth him, as the Child knoweth his Father.
Were I to ſpeak in an aſſembly of Miniſters, I might in a ſpecial manner direct my ſpeech to them, that they ſhould labour to abound in Brotherly Love, as towards others of the godly; ſo eſpecially towards each others as Fellow-labourers, called to the ſame work, and employed to build up the ſame ſpiritual houſe of God, that they ſhould be of one mind, and ſpeak the ſame things, the ſame Truth, not envying, nor deſpiſing each other, but rejoycing in each others Gifts and Graces, and in thoſe fruit of each others labours; not like thoſe who grudg to hear of others labours, while themſelves are lazy, and looking on them with an evil eye, refuſing to be their fellow-labourers, and maligning them, becauſe they will not be their fellow-loyterers. What Brotherly love and amity was there among the Apoſtles of Chriſt? St. Peter calleth Paul his beloved Brother. So when Paul and Barnabas returned from the preaching of the Goſpel to divers Nations, we read with what love they were entertained by the reſt of the Apoſtles at Jeruſalem, Act. 15.4. And when they were come to Jeruſalem, they were received of the Church, and of the Apoſtles and Elders. And the Apoſtles and Elders in their Epiſtle ſent to the Churches, ſpeak thus. Act. 15. v. 25.26. It ſeemed good unto us being aſſembled together, to ſend choſen men unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Saul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Where they both profeſs their entire love unto them, and alſo in Brotherly love give them ſpecial Commendation. So afterwards, when St. Paul returned from another long voyage, we ſee what demonſtration of Brotherly love there was between him and St. James, Act. 21.18.19.20. Paul went in with us unto James, and all the Elders were preſent: and when he had ſaluted them, be declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his miniſtry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and ſaid unto him, Th…u ſeeſt Brother, h…w many Thouſands of Jews there are which believe, &c. So when Paul and Barnabas had made known to the other Apoſtles the Doctrine which they had taught, Paul ſaith, When Jam…s and Cephas, and John (three eminent Apoſtles) who ſeemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave to me, and Barnabas, the right hand of fellow-ſhip. Gal. 2.9. The reaſon is plain; for as they excelled in admirable gifts, for the ſervice of the Church, ſo they abounded in ſaving-graces, and eſpecially in that grace of Chriſtian and Brotherly love, which purged their hearts from envy and carnal emulation of the gifts or ſucceſs of each other, and ſo they kept the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Moreover, they knew well, that they were as a City ſet on an Hill, and that the eye of the world was fixed upon them, and therefore they were careful to walk in Love, as towards all ſorts, ſo eſpecially towards each other, that they might not give occaſion to the enemies to blaſpheme, that they might not offend the Church of God, nor blemiſh his Glory. They knew well, that this was needful for the furtherance of the Goſpel, of that great work of the Apoſtleſhip, to which the Lord had called them, that they ſhould with one mind, and one Spirit, joyn together in the work of the Lord.
This may diſcover to us the intolerable pride of the Pope, who inſtead of embracing the godly Miniſters of Chriſt with Brotherly Love (as St. Peter doth embrace Paul, as his Brother and equal) doth firſt lift up himſelf above them; and in a cruel manner tyrannize over them. St. Peter did not lift up over the head of Paul the ſcepter of Dominion and Papal Supremacy, nor offer him his foot to kiſs, as the Pope, his pretended Succeſſor; but in all Brotherly Love, and in the ſpirit of meekneſs giveth him the right hand of fellowſhip, as to his equal in place and dignity. Therefore when the Pope bringeth not only Miniſters of the Goſpel, but alſo the Kings and Emperors of the world into ſubjection, and challengeth an uncontroled authority over them, we may juſtly ſay, From the beginning it was not ſo; no, nor for many ages after: the Church of God, a long time acknowledging no one ſupream Head, but Chriſt, as is manifeſt by many things which were written many hundred years before Luther was born. Therefore all proud papal Spirits, who are more like the Pope in a proud contempt of their Brethren, than they are to Peter in Meekneſs and Brotherly Love: they ceaſe to derive their Pedigree from the Apoſtles, until they do more truly expreſs their Graces, and follow their Example.