The occasion of Christ's pressing this command upon them at this time was this; when the Pharisees heard how he had baffled the Sadducees, and stopped their mouths, with so proper and fit an answer, that they had no more to say, they consult how they may show their acumen and sharpness of wit, to diminish Christ's credit concerning his Doctrine, and Skill in Scripture; and therefore they choose out one of their most accomplished Interpreters of the Law, captiously to propose an excellent question. They call him Master, whose Disciples they will not be: they enquire after the Great Commandment, ⟨p. 2⟩who will not duly observe the least: they thought Christ could not return such an answer, but that they might very plausibly except against it.* If Christ should have named any one command to be the greatest, their exception was ready, why not another as great as that? but Christ's wisdom shames their subtlety; Christ doth not call any command Great, with the lessening of the rest; but he repeats the sum of the whole Law, and distinguisheth it into two Great Commands, according to the subordination of their Objects. Thou shalt love, &c. Though the excellency of the subject calls for the enlargement of your hearts, yet the copiousness of it requires the contracting of my discourse. To save time therefore, let me open my Text, and Case both together. The Case is this.
The occasion of Christ's pressing this command upon them at this time was this; when the Pharisees heard how he had baffled the Sadduces, and stopped their mouths, with so proper and fit an answer, that they had no more to say, they consult how they may shew their acumen and sharpness of wit, to diminish Christ's credit concerning his Doctrine, and Skill in Scripture; and therefore they chuse out one of their most accomplish'd Interpreters of the Law, captiously to propose an excellent question. They call him Master, whose Disciples they will not be: they enquire after the Great Commandment, ⟨p. 2⟩who will not duely observe the least: they thought Christ could not return such an answer, but that they might very plausibly except against it.* If Christ should have named any one command to be the greatest, their exception was ready, why not another as great as that? but Christ's wisdom shames their subtilty; Christ doth not call any command Great, with the lessening of the rest; but he repeats the summe of the whole Law, and distinguisheth it into two Great Commands, according to the subordination of their Objects. Thou shalt love, &c. Though the excellency of the subject calls for the enlargement of your hearts, yet the copiousness of it requires the contracting of my discourse. To save time therefore, let me open my Text, and Case both together. The Case is this.
- *Cartw. Harm. Auth. imperfect. op.
