A25478:57
A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…
A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically resolved by sundry ministers
London: printed for Thomas Cockerill, 1676
Sermon 1: Quest. How may we attain to love God with all our Hearts, Souls, and Minds? Serm. I.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
6. This is the first and great command in respect of its capacity, 1because it contains all commands, no man can love his Neighbour, unless he love God, and no man can love God, but he must observe all his Commandments. Origen makes enquiry, how the Commands about legal purification may be reduced to the love of God? every command of God hath its peculiar obligation, but this Law of love hath a super-engagement over them all. e. g. Men may accept and commend several duties to them, that have not one drop of love in them, e. g. If I give bread to one that is ready to famish, or Physic to one that is dangerously sick; these things do good according to their own Natures, and not according to the good will of the giver: Alas! Man needs relief, and catcheth at it, and never examines the heart, or and, whence it comes; but now God is infinitely above needing any thing from us, it is his gracious condescension to receive any thing from us, and therefore God never accepts of any thing we do, but what is done out of love to him.
6. This is the first and great command in respect of its capacity, 1because it contains all commands, no man can love his Neighbour, unless he love God, and no man can love God, but he must observe all his Commandments. Origen makes enquiry, how the Commands about legal purification may be reduced to the love of God? every command of God hath its peculiar obligation, but this Law of love hath a super-ingagement over them all. e. g. Men may accept and commend several duties to them, that have not one drop of love in them, e. g. If I give bread to one that is ready to famish, or Physick to one that is dangerously sick; these things do good according to their own Natures, and not according to the good will of the giver: Alas! Man needs relief, and catcheth at it, and never examines the heart, or and, whence it comes; but now God is infinitely above needing any thing from us, it is his gracious condescention to receive any thing from us, and therefore God never accepts of any thing we do, but what is done out of love to him.
- 16 Ratione capacita••.