Brotherly Love.

that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ , and love one another , as He gave us commandment" ( 1 John iii ., 23 ) . " Beloved , let us love one another : for love is of God ; and every one that loveth is born of Godand knowetk God . He

, that loveth not , knoweth not God ; for God Is love" ( 1 John iv ., 7 , 8 ) . "Beloved , if God so loved us , we ought also to love one another . 'No man hath seen

God at any time . If we love one another , God dwelleth in us , aiid his love is perfected in us " ( 1 John iv ., 11 , 12 ) . / bid again , as if in conclusion of this subject , and to bring it to a conclusion with emphasis , " If a man say , I love God , and hateth his brother , he is a liar , for he that loveth not his brother whom he

hath seen , how can he love God whom he hath not seen' ? And this commandment we have from Him , That he who loveth God , love his brother also" ( 1 John iv ., 20 , 21 ) . ¦ We do not enter into what may be called' the theology of this subjectinto

, the consideration of the reasons assigned by-the Apostle for brotherly love , or its relations to faith . Such questions are foreign to our purpose . All we aim at is to show how important a place is assigned to brotherly love in the New

Testament Scriptures , and in the system of Christianity therein taught . Nor is there anything peculiar in the teaching of the Apostle John upon this point , great as is the prominence which he gives to it . The very same doctrine is set forth , the very same duty is

inculcated in the Epistles of the other Apostles , as we have 'seen that it was taught by our Lord Himself , in whose life and death it received the grandest exemplification , and the only perfect exemplification which it ever received in the world ,. " Let brotherly love continue" it is said

, in the Epistle to the Hebrews ( Heb . i ., 13 ) , of which the author was probably the Apostle Paul , although it is not for us to discuss or pronounce upon a question disputed amongst Biblical critics . However , the epistles universally acknowledged to

be- those of the Apostle Paul abound in passages of similar import with this brief text . Who can fail to call to mind that most beautiful and affecting passage , which forms the thirteenth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians , beginning

" Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels , and have not charity , I am become as sounding brass , or a tinkling cymbal" ( 1 Corinthians xiii ., 1 )? The word charity used here in our English translation of the Bibleis in the original

, the same word which is -elsewhere generally translated love , and it is evident that its meaning is precisely the same as that of the word love in the passages of Scripture already quoted , so that the paraphrase in use hi many churches is perfectly accurate

in its employment of the word love : ¦—" Though perfect eloquence adom'd My sweet persuading tongue , Though I could speak in higher strains , Than ever angel sung . Though prophecy my soul inspired , And made all mysteries plain : Yet , were I void of Christian love , These gifts were all in vain . "

Again , who can forget the admirable exposition in the immediately preceding chapter of the mutual relations of the members of the Church , as members of the same body : — " That the members should have the same care one

for another ; and whether one member suffer all suffer with it ; or one member be honoured , all the members rejoice with it" ( 1 Corinthians xii ., 25 , 26 )? . And what can be more plain or pertinent to our present subject than the exhortations in the concluding part of the Epistlff

to the Romans , following and founded upon the doctrinal statements and : arguments which occupy the greater portion , of the Epistle ? "Let love be without dis-. simulation" ( Romans xii ., 9 ) . " Be kindlyaffectionate one -to another with brotherly

love , in honour preferring one another . " Distributing to the " necessity of the saints ; given to hosp i ^' tality" ( Romans xii ., 10-13 ) . This may ' well he regarded as a fuller exposition of " the law as laid down by the Apostle John

in the words already quoted , " Let us not - love in word , neither in tongue , but in ' deed and in truth" ( 1 John iii ., IS ) . — - Again we read— " Owe no man anything ,. but to love one another ; for he that loveth . another hath fulfilled the law . Eor "

this , Thou shalt not commit adultery , Thou shalt not kill , Thou shalt not steal , Thou shalt not bear false witness , Thou shalt not covet , and if there . be any other commandment ; it is briefly com ^ : prehended in this saying , namely , Thou