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

Doct. 3. True and sincere profession of christian Religion, doth as duly yield obedience to one commandment as to another.

Doct. 3. True and sincere profession of christian Religion, doth as duely yeeld obedience to one commandement as to another.

Reas. 1. From the same Law-giver that gives all the Commandments, Jam. 2.10, 11. he that breaks one, breaks all; if in obedience to Gods Law thou love him, the• in obedience to the same Law thou wilt love thy brother also.

Reas. 1. From the same Law-giver that gives all the Commandements, Jam. 2.10, 11. he that breaks one, breaks all; if in obedience to Gods Law thou love him, the• in obedience to the same Law thou wilt love thy brother also.

2 From the n•• ••finity betwixt the Commandments, they are like to the links in a chain, break one, you break all: If a man love not his brother, how can he love God, or worship him, or keep his Sabbaths? He that hath not respect to all Gods Commandments, hath respect to none.

2 From the n•• ••finity betwixt the Commandements, they are like to the links in a chain, breake one, you breake all: If a man love not his brother, how can he love God, or worship him, or keep his Sabbaths? He that hath not respect to all Gods Commandements, hath respect to none.

Use 1 Gives us a free trial of our sincerity or hypocrisy, If God give thee an heart to have respect to every Commandment, and therefore to make conscience of them all; why, then thy profession is true and sincere, though thou canst not say that thou keepest one of them aright, yet if thou be conscionable unto them all, and it grieves thee, that thou canst not perform that indeed which in heart thou respectest, thy heart is sound; contrary, if we shake off the bonds of these Commandments, or break but one willingly, we have no truth in us: Jehu had no respect to walk in all the Commandments of God, and therefore was an hypocrite, if a man take not heed to all the Commandments; he takes heed to none at all: When the two Harlots came before Solomon, his judgment was that the child should be divided betwixt them, the Harlot was willing, but the true Mother would by no means endure it: so if thou give God undivided obedience, thy heart is sound, but if you divide with God, and some part you will give to God, and some part keep for your lusts; why, you have the heart of an Harlot, and all your works are dead works.

Ʋse 1 Gives us a free tryall of our sincerity or hypocrisie, If God give thee an heart to have respect to every Commandement, and therefore to make conscience of them all; why, then thy profession is true and sincere, though thou canst not say that thou keepest one of them aright, yet if thou be conscionable unto them all, and it grieves thee, that thou canst not perform that indeed which in heart thou respectest, thy heart is sound; contrary, if we shake off the bonds of these Commandements, or breake but one willingly, we have no truth in us: Jehu had no respect to walke in all the Commandements of God, and therefore was an hypocrite, if a man take not heed to all the Commandements; he takes heed to none at all: When the two Harlots came before Sol•mon, his judgment was that the childe should be divided betwixt them, the Harlot was willing, but the true Mother would by no means endure it: so if thou give God undivided obedience, thy heart is sound, but if you divide with God, and some part you will give to God, and some part keep for your lusts; why, you have the heart of an Harlot, and all your works are dead works.

Object. Do we not all sin in many things, Jam. 3.2.

Object. Doe we not all sin in many things, Jam. 3.2.

Answ. Yes, we all fail in performing, but we may have respect to all Gods Commandments, and it grieves us that we have failed in those we do respect, and we are sorry for it; if we be thus affected, our hearts are right before God.

Answ. Yes, we all faile in performing, but we may have respect to all Gods Commandements, and it grieves us that we have failed in those we doe respect, and we are sorry for it; if we be thus affected, our hearts are right before God.

Use 2. Of consolation to all such as find this frame of heart, to yield universal obedience to God, God himself testifies your profession is sincere, and so you shall find you shall never be confounded, when you have respect to all Gods Commandments.

Ʋse 2. Of consolation to all such as find this frame of heart, to yeeld universall obedience to God, God himselfe testifies your profession is sincere, and so you shall find you shall never be confounded, when you have respect to all Gods Commandements.

Use 3. Of exhortation to all that would have a testimony of the sincerity of their profession; Why, make we conscience of every Commandment of God, and so we may have a sure ground of our sincerity.

Ʋse 3. Of exhortation to all that would have a testimony of the sincerity of their profession; Why, make we conscience of every Commandement of God, and so we may have a sure ground of our sincerity.

1 JOHN 4.21. And this Commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God, love his brother also,

1 JOHN 4.21. And this Commandement have we from him, that he who loveth God, love his brother also,

WE come now to observe one point out of the words themselves.

WE come now to observe one poynt out of the words themselves.

Doct. 1. The same commandment that requires love to God, requires love to our brethren also.

Doct. 1. The same commandement that requires love to God, requires love to our brethren also.

God requires no man to love him, but he requires him also to love his brethren; it's one of the great Commandments of the Law, neglect love to your brethren, and you neglect love to God likewi•• and this direction Christ himself gives, Matth. 5.23, 24. Which imply•• a• God would not accept a service to himself without reconcilement to […] Brother, so God will not accept any Office of love to himself, if we come not in love to our brethren. God loveth a cheerful giver, that doth it in hearty love and affection, God would stay for his service, and he would have us stay, till we be at peace with our brother, not but that our love to God ought to be greater, and in case of competition, God will be loved even with the hatred of our brother, but when there may be a subordination of their loves, he requires the one as well as the other, 1 Tim. 2.8. Let us lift up pure hands, without wrath and doubting, and he means wrath to our Brethren; as when a man comes with doubtings he is not accepted, Jam. 1, 7. so neither is he accepted when he comes in ••ath; nay, if he comes in wrath, he either wants faith, or his faith is full of doubtings, or else it's a false faith, The wrath of man accomplisheth not the righteousness of God, Jam. 1.20. a man can do no righteous service to God, if he come in wrath.

God requires no man to love him, but he requires him also to love his brethren; it's one of the great Commandements of the Law, neglect love to your brethren, and you neglect love to God likewi•• and this direction Christ himselfe gives, Matth. 5.23, 24. Which imply•• a• God would not accept a service to himselfe without reconcilement to 〈…〉 Brother, so God will not accept any Office of love to himselfe, if we come not in love to our brethren. God loveth a cheerful giver, that doth it in hearty love and affection, God would stay for his service, and he would have us stay, till we be at peace with our brother, not but that our love to God ought to be greater, and in case of competition, God will be loved even with the hatred of our brother, but when there may be a suburdination of their loves, he requires the one as well as the other,

Reas. 1. From the near relation that lies between God and our brethren, God looks at his people, as his children, as his Spouse, as his Members, and therefore oft times, he will longer bear with injuries done to himself, then to his members; Pharaoh was an heathen Prince, but yet God past by that, he doth not charge him for his horrible idolatry and filthy abominations, God winked at these things, but when Gods people came amongst them, and were evil entreated by them, then Moses his message is, Exod. 4.22, 23. Israel is my Son, even my first born, and if thou refuse to let him go, I will slay thy son, even thy first born; this was that which made God fall so heavily upon him, for opposing of his people: so though Babylon abounded with many Idolatries, yet God makes little mention of it, but he punisheth them, for the insolency against his people, Psal. 137.8.9. Zach. 1.15. I am very sore displeased with the Heathens that are at ease, for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. They are his members like us, and therefore the injury done to them, redounds to God himself, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? and they are such members as art as dear to him as the apple of his eye, Zach. 2.8. Now he will endure touching any where else rather then on the apple of his eye. God knows that mens goodness extends not to him, so neither doth their hatred; if we be wicked and injurious; what harm can we do to him? Why, God will bear much longer Idolatry, swearing, and other gross sins, then injuries put upon his people: how long did God endure the heathen Monarchs, till they fell sore upon the Church? the Roman state flourished exceedingly above seven hundred years; though their Capital was filled with all manner of Gods, but the times of this ignorance God regarded not, but followed them with great Victories and designs, and there were many worthy men among them for valour and prudence; but when the Emperors grew hot against the Christians, and persecuted them, God would endure them no longer, but tumbled their Monarchy into the dust: Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets ⟨p. 342⟩no harm. Some man will endure much more injury against himself, then against his children; so while the world trespasseth against God himself, by Idolatry, Superstition, or profaneness, he sits silent as if he regarded them not: