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

Use 3 To teach us that the love of our brethren, is not a conceit of perfection, or supererogation, but its a duty of necessity straightly lying upon all men, that if they love God they must love their brethren also, never say you have a God in heaven whom you love, if you neglect love to your Brethren; we think we may love our brother as long as he loves us, but if he comes betwixt us and our profit, we fall off from him; Why, if you love them that love you, what singular thing do you? Matth. 5.45. Turks and Pagans will do so much; but you must know you are bound to love your brethren by virtue of a Commandment; if thou thinkest thou art bound to love God by virtue of his Commandment by virtue of the same Commandment thou art bound to love thy brother also.

Ʋse 3 To teach us that the love of our brethren, is not a conceit of perfection, or supererogation, but its a duty of necessity straightly lying upon all men, that if they love God they must love their brethren also, never say you have a God in heaven whom you love, if you neglect love to your Brethren; we think we may love our brother as long as he loves us, but if he comes betwixt us and our profit, we fall off from him; Why, if you love them that love you, what singular thing doe you? Matth. 5.45. Turks and Pagans will doe so much; but you must know you are bound to love your brethren by vertue of a Commandement; if thou thinkest thou art bound to love God by vertue of his Commandement by vertue of the same Commandement thou art bound to 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.

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,

1 A particular application to mine own heart, that he is a Priest, King and Prophet to me. And

2 Where this faith is, it works such a frame of heart in me, that I trust on him alone for my salvation, and out of him I look for none? in his blood I look to be pardoned; in his Prophetical office, I look to be guided; and I look to him as a King to subdue my rebellious heart; this kind of Faith is a certain mark of Regeneration,

2 Where this faith is, it works such a frame of heart in me, that I trust on him alone for my salvation, and out of him I look for none? in his bloud I look to be pardoned; in his Propheticall office, I look to be guided; and I look to him as a King to subdue my rebellious heart; this kind of Faith is a certain mark of Regeneration,

1 From the removal of all other causes, for a man to look up to him, as the Christ, the anointed of God, this is above the reach of flesh and blood, ⟨p. 345⟩and this kind of faith makes a man blessed, Mat. 16.16, 17. The hand of faith is a work of Gods Spirit; for take the state of nature, it reaches no further then this, Flesh and blood looks to satisfy by the works of the Law; and this was the stumbling block of the Jews, they sought righteousness by the Law, Rom. 9.3. this is natural ever since Adam, for his principle being given to Adam, Do this and live, this still cleaves to us by nature, and this is the Religion of all the Nations, to look to be saved by the works either of the natural or moral Law.

1 From the removal of all other causes, for a man to looke up to him, as the Christ, the anoynted of God, this is above the reach of flesh and bloud, ⟨p. 345⟩and this kinde of faith makes a man blessed, Mat. 16.16, 17. The hand of faith is a work of Gods Spirit; for take the state of nature, it reaches no further then this, Flesh and bloud looks to satisfie by the works of the Law; and this was the stumbling block of the Jewes, they sought righteousnesse by the Law, Rom. 9.3. this is naturall ever since Adam, for his principle being given to Adam, Doe this and live, this still cleaves to us by nature, and this is the Religion of all the Nations, to look to be saved by the works either of the naturall or morall Law.