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

Reas. 2. From the delight God takes in the sincerity of his service; 1 Cor. 16.14. Let all things be done in love, what is done in love is an hearty sincere service; and if love be wanting, a man either performs no service, or else it's not done in truth, God that is a God of truth is most impatient of such overly, and ha•ting performances, Psal. 51.12. God requires truth in the inward parts, whether in duties of service to himself, or man, 1 Pet. 1.21.

Reas. 2. From the delight God takes in the sincerity of his service; 1 Cor. 16.14. Let all things be done in love, what is done in love is an hearty sincere service; and if love be wanting, a man either performes no service, or else it's not done in truth, God that is a God of truth is most impatient of such overly, and ha•ting performances, Psal. 51.12. God requires truth in the inward parts, whether in dutyes of service to himselfe, or man, 1 Pet. 1.21.

Reas. 3. From the care God takes of the preservation of love unfeigned to himself; why, that it may be preserved spotless, God will still keep in us a diligent care of love to our brethren; for next after hypocrisy, nothing more odious to God then Apostasy, and more dangerous to us, as being the way to the sin against the holy ghost: Now so long as a man walks in love, and keeps a constant fellowship with the Saints, so long we keep a constant fellowship with God himself; but let a man fail in his love to his brethren, he falls off from God, and so runs into grievous Apostasy against God to the spiting of the holy ghost; therefore as you would put honour on God, and maintain his Spirit in you, so take heed you neglect not brotherly love; if we neglect this, we are in rhe way to total Apostasy.

Reas. 3. From the care God takes of the preservation of love unfeigned to himselfe; why, that it may be preserved spotlesse, God will still keep in us a diligent care of love to our brethren; for next after hypocrisie, nothing more odious to God then Apostacy, and more dangerous to us, as being the way to the sin against the holy ghost: Now so long as a man walks in love, and keeps a constant fellowship with the Saints, so long we keep a constant fellowship with God himselfe; but let a man faile in his love to his brethren, he falls off from God, and so runs into grievous Apostacy against God to the spighting of the holy ghost; therefore as you would put honour on God, and maintain his Spirit in you, so take heed you neglect not brotherly love; if we neglect this, we are in rhe way to total Apostacy.

Reas. 4. From the delight God takes that all his servants should wear his livery, and be known to be his Disciples: now if God had only left us to faith in Christ, to calling on his Name, all this might have been and yet we never been known what we were; but because God would have it known that there is a generation of men calling upon his name, and serving him in truth, he would never have them come abroad without this cognizance to their brethren, and by this mark all men should know ye are my Disciples, if you love one another, Joh. 13.35. therefore if a man throws away brotherly love, he throws away the profession of Christianity, he is no Christian, therefore offer not to say, thou lovest God, or love thy brother also.

Reas. 4. From the delight God takes that all his servants should wear his livery, and be known to be his Disciples: now if God had only left us to faith in Christ, to calling on his Name, all this might have been and yet we never been known what we were; but because God would have it known thar there is a generation of men calling upon his name, and serving him in truth, he would never have them come abroad without this cognizance to their brethren, and by this mark all men should know ye are my Disciples, if you love one another, Joh. 13.35. therefore if a man throws away brotherly love, he throws away the profession of Christianity, he is no Christian, therefore offer not to say, thou lovest God, or love thy brother also.

Object. I, but my Brother is changed.

Answ. It may be so, but yet Gods commandment is not changed, indeed we are to carry the expressions of our love according to divers occasions; it's one thing to comfort, another thing to reprove, yet both acts of love; besides, there is no Commandment of God, but the transgression of it brings a curse with it, Deut. 27. ult. If therefore I love not my brother I fall under a curse, and so under separation from Gods presence, for that is properly a curse, and so then we cannot so wrong our Brother, as we wrong God and our own souls, as soon as Cain hated his Brother and slew him, he went out from the presence ⟨p. 343⟩of God, and dwelt in the Land of Nod, a land of agitation; wandering prayers, and wandering performances does an hateful soul put up: When David had once wronged Uriah, what poor work made he? He then makes nothing of the destruction of a worthy subject, that had before time been scrupulous of cutting an enemies skirt; whereas è contra, no man that expresseth hearty love to his brother, prays for them, doth them good, but he shall find as he closeth with his brother, God will close with him; as he lifts up a cheerful countenance upon his Brother, so will God on him, so that he shall plainly find, that in keeping this great Commandment is great reward.

Answ. It may be so, but yet Gods commandement is not changed, indeed we are to carry the expressions of our love according to divers occasions; it's one thing to comfort, another thing to reprove, yet both acts of love; besides, there is no Commandement of God, but the transgression of it brings a curse with it, Deut. 27. ult. If therefore I love not my brother I fall under a curse, and so under seperation from Gods presence, for that is properly a curse, and so then we cannot so wrong our Brother, as we wrong God and our own souls, as soon as Cain hated his Brother and slew him, he went out from the presence ⟨p. 343⟩of God, and dwelt in the Land of Nod, a land of agitation; wandring prayers, and wandring performances does an hatefull soul put up: When David had once wronged Ʋriah, what poor work made he? He then makes nothing of the destruction of a worthy subject, that had before time been scrupulous of cutting an enemies skirt; whereas è contra, no man that expresseth hearty love to his brother, prayes for them, doth them good, but he shall find as he closeth with his brother, God will close with him; as he lifts up a cheerful countenance upon his Brother, so will God on him, so that he shall plainly find, that in keeping this great Commandement is great reward.

Use 2. To teach us to love God so much the more, that hath such care that no man withdraw his love from us, but he will be as ready to sit loose from them▪ as they sit loose from thee; why, what marvellous love is this, that God should take it so ill, that any should offer injury to thee; so that he will not endure, that the greatest Monarch should evil entreat thee? how should this shame us, that we should sit so loose from God, and slight him, and wrong him, that is so careful that none should wrong us?

Ʋse 2. To teach us to love God so much the more, that hath such care that no man withdraw his love from us, but he will be as ready to sit loos from them▪ as they sit loose from thee; why, what marvellous love is this, that God should take it so ill, that any should offer injury to thee; so that he will not endure, that the greatest Monarch should evill intreat thee? how should this shame us, that we should sit so loose from God, and slight him, and wrong him, that is so carefull that none should wrong us?

1 JOHN Chap. V. Vers. 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him.

These words contain a third argument to confirm a truth delivered Chap. 4. vers. 20. which was, That the profession of the love of God, without the love of our Brethren, is but hypocrisy. In this verse the argument is drawn from the nearness of our Brother to that God whom we profess to love. He is as near as the begotten is to him that begat him; and the argument stands thus, if our Brother be begotten of God, then we cannot love him that begat, but we must love him also that is begotten; but our brother is born of God, which he proves by his faith, Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.

THese words contain a third argument to confirm a truth delivered Chap. 4. vers. 20. which was, That the profession of the love of God, without the love of our Brethren, is but hypocrisie. In this verse the argument is drawn from the nearnesse of our Brother to that God whom we profess to love. He is as near as the begotten is to him that begat him; and the argument stands thus, if our Brother be begotten of God, then we cannot love him that begat, but we must love him also that is begotten; but our brother is born of God, which he proves by his faith, Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.

In this verse observe these two parts, 1 The safe and comfortable estate of every believer. He is born of God 2 The necessity that lies upon such as love God. To love the Brethren also

Here therefore is a double universal proposition. 2 Concerning Faith. 2 Concerning Love.

Here therefore is a double universall proposition. 2 Concerning Faith. 2 Concerning Love.

The former universal proposition is, That whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.

The former universall proposition is, That whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.

Doct. 1. Faith in Christ Jesus is a certain and universal work of Regeneration.

Doct. 1. Faith in Christ Jesus is a certain and universall worke of Regeneration.

Quest. What is it to believe on Christ? Do not the Devils believe and tremble?

Quest. What is it to believe on Christ? Do not the Devills believe and tremble?

1 To believe that Jesus is Christ, is to be persuade that God hath anointed him to be King, Priest and Prophet of his Church; as a Priest to sacrifice himself for us; as a Prophet to direct us, and reveal his will to us; as a King to govern and to rule us.

1 To believe that Jesus is Christ, is to be perswade that God hath anoynted him to be King, Priest and Prophet of his Church; as a Priest to sacrifice himself for us; as a Prophet to direct us, and reveale his will to us; as a King to govern and to rule us.

2 Believing is not only an act of the understanding, for the Devils believe that Christ is the Messiah, that is, that he is Priest, King, and Prophet of his Church, therefore in this believing there is more then a mere persuasion, namely,

2 Believing is not only an act of the understanding, for the Devills believe that Christ is the Messias, that is, that he is Priest, King, and Prophet of his Church, therefore in this believing there is more then a meer perswasion, namely,