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

2 You may know such a mans love to be perfect that keeps his Commandments, because whatsoever weak beginnings of love you find in such as keep Gods Commandments, that mans love grows perfecter every day, such a man still grows in fruitfulness, he grows ready to every good work, Joh. 15.2. so that the love of God is perfected in him by obedience; As a fruitful Tree, the more it sticks his root downward into the ground, the faster it grows, so a Christian, the more he sticks his root on Christ, the faster it grows. And so the Husbandman will have more care of a fruitful Tree to prune it, he hath no such care of a sower barren Tree, but if a Tree be fruitful, he cuts off all superfluous Boughs that hinder the increase of such a Tree, so a man that is fruitful in Gods Commandments, he doth not only stick his root, his faith and hope deeper in Christ, but the Lord himself is willing to cut down all those noisome Lusts that suck away the sap of grace; if God see a man set himself fully to follow God, and keep his Commandments, the Lord will cut off all cumberances, all corruptions, all things that hinder the growth of grace.

2 You may know such a mans love to be perfect that keeps his Commandments, because whatsoever weak beginnings of love you finde in such as keep Gods Commandments, that mans love grows perfecter every day, such a man still grows in fruitfulnesse, he grows ready to every good work, Joh. 15.2. so that the love of God is perfected in him by obedience; As a fruitfull Tree, the more it sticks his root downward into the ground, the faster it grows, so a Christian, the more he sticks his root on Christ, the faster it grows. And so the Husbandman will have more care of a fruitful Tree to prune it, he hath no such care of a sower barren Tree, but if a Tree be fruitful, he cuts off all superfluous Boughs that hinder the increase of such a Tree, so a man that is fruitful in Gods Commandments, he doth not only stick his root, his faith and hope deeper in Christ, but the Lord himself is willing to cut down all those noysome Lusts that suck away the sap of grace; if God see a man set himself fully to follow God, and keep his Commandments, the Lord will cut off all cumberances, all corruptions, all things that hinder the growth of grace.

Use 1. For trial of our love to God, whether it be perfect or no, whether sincere or counterfeit; how dost thou find thy heart affected to Gods Commandments? Dost thou look at them as thy way? it grieves thee to be out, ⟨p. 69⟩dost thou look at them as thy treasure, as most profitable to thee? Dost thou look at them as thy ornaments, as most honourable to thee? Dost thou look at them as the apple of thine eye, as thy life, most near, and dear, and precious to thee? If thou dost, thou hast that love in thee that is perfect without guile, perfect in every part of love, and in regard of readiness and constancy; but if a man looks at Gods Commandments as a by-path, as if he were out of the way; if he looks at them as unprofitable, and dishonourable, if he can break them without any scruple, if he would rather part with them all than his life, verily the love of God is not perfect in such.

Ʋse 1. For trial of our love to God, whether it be perfect or no, whether sincere or counterfeit; how dost thou finde thy heart affected to Gods Commandments? Dost thou look at them as thy way? it grieves thee to be out, ⟨p. 69⟩dost thou look at them as thy treasure, as most profitable to theee? Dost thou look at them as thy ornaments, as most honourable to thee? Dost thou look at them as the apple of thine eye, as thy life, most near, and dear, and precious to thee? If thou dost, thou hast that love in thee that is perfect without guile, perfect in every part of love, and in regard of readinesse and constancie; but if a man looks at Gods Commandments as a by-path, as if he were out of the way; if he looks at them as unprofitable, and dishonourable, if he can break them without any scruple, if he would rather part with them all than his life, verily the love of God is not perfect in such.

Use 2. For direction to all such as desire perfection of love to Christ; do any desire to love the Lord Jesus in perfection, not only of truth, but parts, and degrees, if he could? Why this is the way, keep his Commandments, take heed of breaking any one of them. What is the reason we deceive our selves in our love to Christ? We think it is love to Christ, if we keep a solemn Feast to him at this time of the year in memory of his Nativity, but is there no better Argument, nor furtherance of thy love to Christ than this? Take heed of it, if Christ hath commanded us to deck our bodies and houses, if Christ hath commanded us to feast and be liberal, you will find that a great help to further your love to Christ, and an evidence thereof; but if you go on in any course without a Commandment, if you keep such Feasts, which end in all excess and riot, and gaming and playing, they begin it may be, pretty well, but we fall from Religion to civility, from civility to intemperance, and wantonness, &c. and what is the reason? Because we have the custom of our Fathers for it, not the Commandment of Christ; the Apostle doth not say, he that keeps customs his love is perfect, but he that keeps Christs Commandments, therefore if you would get your love to Christ perfected, it must not be by keeping of old customs, but by keeping his Commandments: what is the reason why the most are so ready to keep such Feasts, is it because it is Christs Commandment? if it were, the more you would find your love perfected, you would be more forward to good, your spirits grow from one grace to another, but because men look at customs, they begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh. Take a Christian at the beginning of the Sabbath, he finds his heart unlifty to holy Duty, but before it be ended, he is so enlarged, that he is sorry it is done? Why, because he obeys a command, but if we do any thing out of custom, it grows from better to worse, so that Christ hath not more dishonour the rest of the twelve Months than he hath these twelve days; but would you have your love perfected, then frame your lives and courses according to Gods Commandments, and then the more you practise the more you may, you shall find your grace growing, and your love perfected to every good work;

Ʋse 2. For direction to all such as desire perfection of love to Christ; do any desire to love the Lord Jesus in perfection, not only of truth, but parts, and degrees, if he could? Why this is the way, keep his Commandments, take heed of breaking any one of them. What is the reason we deceive our selves in our love to Christ? We think it is love to Christ, if we keep a solemn Feast to him at this time of the year in memory of his Nativity, but is there no better Argument, nor furtherance of thy love to Christ than this? Take heed of it, if Christ hath commanded us to deck our bodies and houses, if Christ hath commanded us to feast and be liberal, you will finde that a great help to further your love to Christ, and an evidence thereof; but if you go on in any course without a Commandment, if you keep such Feasts, which end in all excesse and ryot, and gaming and playing, they begin it may be, pretty well, but we fall from Religion to civility, from civility to intemperance, and wantonnesse, &c. and what is the reason? Because we have the custom of our Fathers for it, not the Commandment of Christ; the Apostle doth not say, he that keeps customs his love is perfect, but he that keeps Christs Commandments, therefore if you would get your love to Christ perfected, it must not be by keeping of old customs, but by keeping his Commandments: what is the reason why the most are so ready to keep such Feasts, is it because it is Christs Commandment? if it were, the more you would find your love perfected, you would be more forward to good, your spirits grow from one grace to another, but because men look at customs, they begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh. Take a Christian at the beginning of the Sabbath, he findes his heart unlifty to holy Dutie, but before it be ended, he is so enlarged, that he is sorry it is done? Why, because he obeys a command, but if we do any thing out of custom, it grows from better to worse, so that Christ hath not more dishonour the rest of the twelve Months than he hath these twelve days; but would you have your love perfected, then frame your lives and courses according to Gods Commandments, and then the more you practise the more you may, you shall finde your grace growing, and your love perfected to every good work;

Use 3 Of Consolation to all such as apply themselves to be doing of Gods Commandments; doth a man find himself ordering his ways according to a Commandment? if you find it delightful to you, that you would still walk in it, you look at it as your way, your treasure, your ornament, &c. why this is your comfort, the love of God is perfect in you, and will grow more perfect, so perfect that God covers all your infirmities, so perfect, that it grows up high to perfection, even to all the parts thereof, so perfect, that God sees you willing and ready to be doing his will; so perfect, that you resolve to hold on and be constant, and if God see you thus moulded to a Commandment, and not to customs; God will uphold you, and help you, and strengthen you, till he make you perfect, which is no small comfort to a soul.

Ʋse 3 Of Consolation to all such as apply themselves to be doing of Gods Commandments; doth a man find himself ordering his ways according to a Commandment? if you finde it delightful to you, that you would still walk in it, you look at it as your way, your treasure, your ornament, &c. why this is your comfort, the love of God is perfect in you, and will grow more perfect, so perfect that God covers all your infirmities, so perfect, that it grows up high to perfection, even to all the parts thereof, so perfect, that God sees you willing and ready to be doing his will; so perfect, that you resolve to hold on and be constant, and if God see you thus moulded to a Commandment, and not to customs; God will uphold you, and help you, and strengthen you, till he make you perfect, which is no small comfort to a soul.

1 JOH. 2.5, 6. Hereby we know that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him, ought even so to walk as he hath walked.

IN Verse 5. you have an obedient Christian set out.

1 By his practice, he keeps Christs Commandments.

2 By his privilege, which is double.

2 By his priviledge, which is double.

1 His love is perfected.

2 He knows that he is in Christ.

3 Verse 6. here is a duty enjoined to all men that would profess Fellowship with Christ, namely, imitation of Christ; they ought to walk, as he hath walked.

3 Verse 6. here is a duty enjoyned to all men that would professe Fellowship with Christ, namely, imitation of Christ; they ought to walk, as he hath walked.

From the former part of the 5 Verse, we have observed,

Doct. The observation of Christs Commandments, is the perfection of our love to Christ.

Those next words show the right honouring of Christ and your selves together; so as we may honour God, and he honour us; that is by Knowledge of our Fellowship with Christ, and by our duty so to walk, as he hath walked.

Those next words shew the right honouring of Christ and your selves together; so as we may honour God, and he honour us; that is by Knowledge of our Fellowship with Christ, and by our duty so to walk, as hee hath walked.

Hereby we know that we are in him.