A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

3. None have a greater charge, Christ calleth it his New ¹Commandment, John. 13. 34. A new Commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another: How new, since 'twas as old as the Moral Law, or Law of Nature? I answer, 'tis called n•w, because excellent, as a new Song, &c. or rather because solemnly and specially renewed by him, and commended to their care, as new things and new Laws are, much esteemed and prized, or enforced by a new reason and example his own death. So 1 John 3. 23. [Greek or Hebrew], This is the Commandment, that we should believe in him whom he hath sent, and love one another as he gave Commandment: 'Tis made equal with Faith, all the Scriptures aim at Faith and Love, 'twas Christs dying charge, the great charge which he left at his death, John 15. 17. These things I command you that ye love one another: Speeches of dying men are received with most veneration and reverence, especially the charge of dying friends, the Brethren of Joseph fearing lest he should remember the injuries formerly done to him, they use this ⟨p. 132⟩place, Thy father did command us before he died, saying, &c. Gen. 50. 16. Let us fulfil the will of the dead: When Christ took leave of his Disciples, he left this as his last charge, think of it when thou art bent to quarrel, or to neglect others: Shall I slight his last Commandment, his dying charge? 'Tis made the Character of Christs Disciples, Hereby shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another; 'tis as much as your Discipleship, &c. It serveth to press you to² this amity and love; why should those that are to meet in the same heaven, be of such an estranged heart to each other? certainly it cometh from evil. In two cases Gods people can agree well enough, in glory and in misery, in a Prison, as Ridley and Hooper did, and in heaven as all do, in heaven where there is no sin, and in a Prison where lusts lye low, and are under restraint: Oh then labour for love and meekness, to which end take a few directions. 1. Honour the least of Christs where ever you find it, if any should despise others for their meanness, it would be more proper to God to do so, than for any other, because they are most distant from his perfection, but he will not despise smoking Flax,