A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

Here begins the second part of this Epistle, to wit, the Proposition; which containeth the substance & matter thereof: and it hath two parts; a commendation of this church, and a rebuke thereof. The commendation in the 19 verse; the rebuke or dispraise in the 20 verse and those that follow, almost to the end of the chapter. The commendation is twofold: general in these words, I know thy works. ⟨p. 134⟩This hath been handled before, vers. 2. The particular commendation standeth in five notable works: to wit, Love, Service, Faith, Patience, and, Increase in godliness.

Here begins the second part of this Epistle, to wit, the Proposition; which containeth the substance & matter thereof: and it hath two parts; a commendation of this church, and a rebuke thereof. The commendation in the 19 verse; the rebuke or dispraise in the 20 verse and those that follow, almost to the end of the chapter. The commendation is twofold: generall in these words, I know thy workes. ⟨p. 134⟩This hath beene handled before, vers. 2. The particular commendation standeth in fiue notable workes: to wit, Loue, Seruice, Faith, Patience, and, Encrease in godlinesse.

For the first, by Love we must understand Love to men: for afterward they are commended for duties to God in faith and patience: but love and service are duties of man to man. Touching Love, note three points: What this love is; What is the property of this love; and how it is to be practised. First, Love to man is a gift of the spirit of God, whereby a man is well affected to his neighbour for Gods sake. That love is a gift of the Spirit, is plain, Galat. 5. verse 22. where it is reckoned among the gifts of the spirit. Next I add, That hereby a man is well affected to his neighbour. To be well affected to another, is to rejoice at his good, and to desire and seek the same; and withal to be grieved at his misery, and to •eare the bowels of compassion towards him, being ready to relieve and help him to our uttermost. By Neighbour, we must not understand only those that are near unto us in habitation, but even all those that are of the same nature with us, even any of mankind. He is thy neighbour that is a man as thou art, and so bearing the image of God as thou doest be he friend or foe, near or stranger unto thee; and to him must thou be well affected. Lastly, I say, For Gods sake: for God is first and principally to be loved for himself, and man in God and for God, because he is the creature of God, and beareth his image. The love we bear to man, is a fruit of our love unto God: for this commandment we have of him, That he that loveth God, should love his brother also,