A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…

If any man say in heart, tongue or practice that he loves God, and yet hates his brother, such a man is a liar, that is, he expresseth not the truth, 1 Joh. 3.9. to 11. this is part of the message of God, that we love one another: now the profession of a Christian, is a profession of his subjection to the Gospel of Christ; Now the Gospel holds out five principal Ordinances.

If any man say in heart, tongue or practice that he loves God, and yet hates his brother, such a man is a lyar, that is, he expresseth not the truth, 1 Joh. 3.9. to 11. this is part of the message of God, that we love one another: now the profession of a Christian, is a profession of his subjection to the Gospel of Christ; Now the Gospel holds out five principal Ordinances.

1 Prayer. 2 The Apostles Doctrines. 3 Sacraments. 4 Mutual Communion. 5 Discipline.

Now if a man profess subjection to the Gospel, he professeth subjection to these five Ordinances. The Apostle delights in this word profession, Heb. 3.1. and commends it in Timothy, that he had made a good profession before many witnesses, 1 Tim. 6.12. Now do but consider, what every one of these Ordinances express about brotherly love.

Now if a man professe subjection to the Gospel, he professeth subjection to these five Ordinances. The Apostle delights in this word profession, Heb. 3.1. and commends it in Timothy, that he had made a good profession before many witnesses, 1 Tim. 6.12. Now doe but consider, what every one of these Ordinances expresse about brotherly love.

2 In the same prayer we desire God to forgive us, no further then we have hearts to forgive our brethren; if therefore we will not forgive our Brethren; we are no true professors.

2 In the hearing of the word, we are to come like New born Babes, desiring the sincere milk of the word, and that is, when we come free from all malice and emulation, as babes be, 2 Pet. 2.1, 2. Therefore if a man come to the word with an heart full of envy and emulation, he professeth himself a Christian, but he deceives himself.

2 In the hearing of the word, we are to come like New born Babes, desiring the sincere milk of the word, and that is, when we come free from all malice and emulation, as babes be, 2 Pet. 2.1, 2. Therefore if a man come to the word with an heart full of envy and emulation, he professeth himself a Christian, but he deceives himselfe.

2 It overthrows the Gospel, because this is one of the great Commandments of the Gospel, that we love one another, Mat. 22.36. to 40. if a man therefore profess himself a hearer of the law, and so of the Gospel, (for he that renounceth the law, renounceth the Gospel; for the Gospel establisheth obedience to the Law, Rom. 3. ult. Besides, it is the Commandment of the Gospel, for the whole Gospel is compact of two, Faith, and love, 2 Tim. 1.13. Joh. 13.34.) and do not yield obedience to this particular Commandment of the Gospel, he is a liar.

2 It overthrows the Gospel, because this is one of the great Commandements of the Gospel, that we love one another, Mat. 22.36. to 40. if a man therefore professe himself a hearer of the law, and so of the Gospel, (for he that renounceth the law, renounceth the Gospel; for the Gospel establisheth obedience to the Law, Rom. 3. ult. Besides, it is the Commandement of the Gospel, for the whole Gospel is compact of two, Faith, and love, 2 Tim. 1.13. Joh. 13.34.) and doe not yeeld obedience to this particular Commandement of the Gospel, he is a lyar.

3 The Sacraments are seals of our love, in Baptism, We are baptised into one body, 1 Cor. 12 13. and in the Lords Supper, We are all partakers of one bread, and one spirit, 1 Cor. 10.17. If therefore there be a different spirit in us, we are not of the same spirit, work not by the same Spirit. In a natural body, if a member be cut off in a combat, in our hot blood we miss it not, nor feel the pain, but in cold blood we find the miss of it, and seek out for help; so in hot contentions betwixt Christians they fall off from one another, they discern no change for the present; but when they begin to look back at former passages, and see what wounds they have made, both jointly begin to be sensible of pains, and cannot rest till they have taken some course to set the members in joint again.

3 The Sacraments are seals of our love, in Baptisme, We are baptised into one body, 1 Cor. 12 13. and in the Lords Supper, We are all partakers of one bread, and one spirit, 1 Cor. 10.17. If therefore there be a different spirit in us, we are not of the same spirit, work not by the same Spirit. In a naturall body, if a member be cut off in a combate, in our hot blood we misse it not, nor feel the pain, but in cold blood we find the misse of it, and seek out for help; so in hot contentions betwixt Christians they fall off from one another, they discern no change for the present; but when they begin to look back at former passages, and see what wounds they have made, both joyntly begin to be sensible of pains, and cannot rest till they have taken some course to set the members in joynt again.

4 For private Communion, it calls for love; this profession David made, and so doth every true Christian, I am a companion to all them that fear thee, Psal. 119.63. He doth not say only, he is a well willer or favourer to such, (which yet is a great matter in our days) but he was a companion to them, he had sweet and comfortable familiarity with them; if therefore we be so far from making them our companions, that we can hardly be brought to be favourers of them, we renounce subjection to the Ordinances of the Gospel.

4 For private Communion, it calls for love; this profession David made, and so doth every true Christian, I am a companion to all them that fear thee, Psal. 119.63. He doth not say only, he is a well willer or favourer to such, (which yet is a great matter in our dayes) but he was a companion to them, he had sweet and comfortable familiarity with them; if therefore we be so far from making them our companions, that we can hardly be brought to be favourers of them, we renounce subjection to the Ordinances of the Gospel.

5 For discipline; this is one of the main ends of discipline, to see that no offence be given from one to another, Matth. 8.15. to 20. if therefore a man offend his Brother, and be not willing to be reconciled, in this case a man renounceth subjection to a main Ordinance of the Gospel.

Use 1. To teach Christian men, if you would be honest true hearted men, let there be no christian brother in the world, but thou canst say, that thou lovest him; if there be any one that thou neglectest, and canst not have fellowship with; why there is no soundness in thee; better it is thou shouldst love an hundred hypocrites, then hate one christian brother; he that professeth himself a christian, and professeth subjection to the Gospel, and yet wants love to his brethren, he renounceth subjection to every Ordinance of the Gospel, and therefore his profession is but hypocrisy, and he himself is a liar: è contra, if God give thee an heart unfeignedly loving every brother, if you make ⟨p. 339⟩them your companions, and the men of your delight; why then, If he that saith he loves God, and hates his brother is a liar, then on the other side, he that doubts whether he loves God, and yet unfeignedly loves his brother, he deceives himself; if thou canst say, thou lovest thy brother, the text will tell thee thou lovest God: if thou canst but find in thy heart true love to thy brethren, though thy profession may be but weak and poor, yet it is sound and sincere; so much love, so much sincerity; so much want of love, so much hypocrisy.

Ʋse 1. To teach Christian men, if you would be honest true hearted men, let there be no christian brother in the world, but thou canst say, that thou lovest him; if there be any one that thou neglectest, and canst not have fellowship with; why there is no soundnesse in thee; better it is thou shouldst love an hundred hypocrites, then hate one christian brother; he that professeth himself a christian, and professeth subjection to the Gospel, and yet wants love to his brethren, he renounceth subjection to every Ocdinance of the Gospel, and therefore his profession is but hypocrisie, and he himselfe is a lyar: è contra, if God give thee an heart unfeignedly loving every brother, if you make ⟨p. 339⟩them your companions, and the men of your delight; why then, If he that saith he loves God, and hates his brother is a lyar, then on the other side, he that doubts whether he loves God, and yet unfeignedly loves his brother, he deceives himself; if thou canst say, thou lovest thy brother, the text will tell thee thou lovest God: if thou canst but find in thy heart true love to thy brethren, though thy profession may be but weake and poor, yet it is sound and sincere; so much love, so much sincerity; so much want of love, so much hypocrisie.

Doct. 2. The sight of our brother is a stronger inducement to the love of him then any that hates his brother, can have to the love of God.

Doct. 2. The sight of our brother is a stronger inducement to the love of him then any that hates his •rother, can have to the love of God.

For some might say, What though I love not my brother? he is full of weaknesses and failings, yet I can love God, for […] more cause, the Apostle tells you the sight of your brother is a greater oc•••s•on to love him, then any that hates his brother, can have to love God […] a true indeed, he that loves his Brother, hath more cause to love God then his Brother, but he that hates his brother, shall find less cause to love God then his brethren.

For some might say, What though I love not my brother? he is full of weaknesses and failings, yet I can love God, for 〈…〉 more cause, the Apostle tells you the sight of your brother is a greater oc•••s•on to love him, then any that hates his brother, can have to love God 〈…〉 a true indeed, he that loves his Brother, hath more cause to love God then his Brother, but he that hates his brother, shall find lesse cause to love God then his brethren.

By sight is meant not only viewing the face, but to have familiarity and fellowship with him, to have daily intercourse and commerce with him, now this much furthers love.

By sight is meant not only viewing the face, but to have familiarity and fellowship with him, to have dayly intercourse and commerce with him, now this much furthers love.

Reas. 1. From the strength that is in daily commerce together to procure love.

Reas. 1. From the strength that is in dayly commerce together to procure love.

Our brother doth many things in our sight; which might justly win our love, we see many good parts in them, many good offices which they do to us, and we to them, which much increases our love, the more we see our brothers, and communicate good one to another, the more we love them.

Our brother doth many things in our sight; which might justly winn our love, we see many good parts in them, many good offices which they doe to us, and we to them, which much increases our love, the more we see our brothers, and communicate good one to another, the more we love them.