Exposition of the Moral Law, Book 2 · Commandment 5 · Exercitation 1
EXERCITAT. I. How the ſecond table is like unto the firſt.
Mat. 22.39. The ſecond is like unto the firſt, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe.
THe Lord hath reduced all his Commandements to ten, as to foreign, an inſtrument of tenne ſtrings to play upon; hee reduced them to two, which the Hebrewes call calolim gadolim, foreign Vniverſalia magna.univerſalia magna, and the two poles upon which the Commandements are turned; and at laſt hee reduced them to one, Rom. 13.10.
The firſt and the ſecond table are ſaid to be one, they are not one ſimplicitate indiviſibili, Vnum Simplicitate indiviſibili. Vnitate ſubordinationis.as the ſoule is one; but they are one unitate ſubordinationis, as the husband and the wife are one.
Duties of the firſt table helpe the performance of the duties of the ſecond.The ſecond is like unto the firſt. The duties of the firſt table helpe the performance of the duties of the ſecond; and therefore yee ſhall ſee that the feare of God, a duty of the firſt table, is added many times with the duties of the ſecond table, for By the feare of the Lord men depart from evill, Prov. 16.6. And Nehemiah blaming cruelty in the Iewes towards their brethren, ſaid, Ought ye not to walke in the feare of our God. Neh. 5.9.
The duties of the ſecond table have reſpect to the duties of the firſt.So the duties of the ſecond table alwayes have reſpect to the duties of the firſt. 1. Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore yee eate or drinke, or whatſoever ye doe, doe all to the glory of God. Therefore the Divines ſay, that the Commandements of the ſecond table muſt be practiſed in and with the Commandements of the firſt table, and the Hebrewes expreſſe this after their manner, Qui amatur infra, amatur ſupra; and ſo hee that loveth his neighbour below will love God above.
He who breaketh one Commandement brea… eth them all.Secondly, the firſt and ſecond are like, becauſe he that breaketh one breaketh all. Iam. 2.10. For there is ſuch an harmony amongſt the Commandements, that one is not broken without the breach of another; for Hee who ſaith, do not commit adultery, ſaid alſo do not kill. Iam. 2.11. And by the tranſgreſſion of any of theſe Commandements, the authority of the Lawgiver is contemned, whoſe authority ſhould move us to keepe his Commandements. In every ſinne there is averſio à Deo, quod eſt formale in omni peccato; it is the turning from God, which is the formall part of all ſinne; and every ſinne faileth againſt charity which is the ſumme of the law; therefore hee who breaketh one, breaketh all.
Ob. Then it may be ſaid that all ſinnes are equall, as the Stoicks held.
This followeth not, Anſw. All ſins turne men from God, yet not all alike.for although all ſinnes turne men from God, and make them guilty of eternall death: yet all ſinnes turne not men from God alike, neither make they men guilty alike of eternall damnation.
Although he that breaketh one breaketh all, yet there is a nearer breach betwixt ſome commandements then betwixt others. Gregory illuſtrateth the matter by a fit compariſon; as thoſe who tune the ſtrings of an inſtrument, doe it ſo cunningly, that when they touch one ſtring, yet they touch not the ſtring that is neareſt to it, but that which is upon the ſame concord and note;Simile. and although they touch not the reſt of the ſtrings, yet they all tremble, but that which is upon the ſame note giveth the ſound: ſo wee commit no ſinne but we breake all the Commandements, and make them all to tremble,Greater affinity betwixt ſome Commandement than others. as it were: but yet there is a nearer breach betwixt ſome of the Commandements then others, to wit, thoſe who ſtand upon the ſame note. And as in the campe the ſouldiers who make warre, although they ſerve in the whole campe, yet they are bound eſpecially to ſerve under ſome ſtandard,Simile. and there are ſpeciall bonds betwixt them and their owne company: So although there be an affinity amonſt all ſinnes, yet there is a greater affinitie betwixt ſome ſinnes then others,Greater affinity betwixt ſome ſinnes then others. as thoſe which ſerve (as it were) under one ſtandard. Example, Prov. 30. Give me not poverty, leſt I ſteale and take the name of God in vaine; there is a greater affinity betwixt the eighth Commandement, and the third, then betwixt the eighth and the fourth; for men when they ſteale, care little to take the name of God in vaine to hide their theft. So, Give mee not too much leſt I be full and deny thee, and ſay, who is the Lord? Satiety of plenty, and worldly meanes, and contempt of God, goe uſually together, the breach of the eighth and the firſt Commandement. So gluttony and idolatry, Deut 13.20. So fornication and adultery, as wee ſee in the Iſraelites, committing fornication with the daughters of Moab, they fell to worſhip Idols alſo. Num. 25.1. So fornication and profaneneſſe,Some ſinne are a breach of all the Commandements and cannot be referred to one. as Eſau was a fornicator and profane perſon, Heb. 12.16. and there are ſome ſins which are not to be referred as a breach of any one Commandement, but are a breach of all the Commandements; as, drunkeneſſe; it is a ſinne which breaketh all the Commandements, becauſe it depriveth man of reaſon, which is the chiefeſt faculty in the ſoule, and in which obedience to God is wrought firſt, and the performance of all duties to our neighbours. If then there were not a great affinity amongſt the Commandements, one ſinne could not breake all the Commandements.
Seing hee who breaketh one breaketh all, then let us remember that ſaying of David, Pſalm. 119.6. I ſhall not be aſhamed when I have reſpect to all thy Commandements. So verſ. 128. Therefore I eſteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right, that is, hee approveth all the Commandements of the Lord in all things:The Hebrewes when they will have all things obſerved, repeate the word Col to ſignifie that nothing is to be omitted. foreign Et praecipuum omnium primitiarum ex omnibus, & omnis oblationis omnium ex omnibus oblationibus veſtris Sacerdotum eſt. not as ſome men doe, who like of one Commandement and reject another. And the Hebrewes double the word Col when they will have all things obſerved, as Ezek. 44.30. Vereſhith col biccure col vecol terumath col miccol terumothechem lecohanim ijhjeh, that is, And the firſt of all the firſt fruits of all things, and every oblation of all of every ſort ſhall be the Prieſts. And the Iewes ſay, Merces praecepti eſt praeceptum, vel praeceptum trahit praeceptum, that is, hee that ſtudieth to keepe one of the Commandements, the Lord giveth him grace and inableth him to walke in the reſt. And they ſay, Merces peccati peccatum eſt, & delictum trahit delictum.
Our obedience ſhould be copulative, therefore the Commandements are ſet downe with a copulative conjunction, Thou ſhalt not commit adultery, and thou ſhalt not ſteale &c.Why the Commandements in the Hebrewe are otherwayes diſtinguiſhed then any other part of the Scripture. And as they are diſtinguiſhed by a full point; ſo they are lightly diſtinguiſhed by a comma; which kinde of diſtinction, is not found elſewhere in the old teſtament, and they are thus diſtinguiſhed to ſhew their coherence and connexion.
The ſecond is like unto the firſt,The ſecond table of the law is like the firſt in quality. they are like in quality but not in equality, and wee muſt alwaies remember to make an equall compariſon in degrees when wee compare them, the greateſt of the firſt, with the greateſt of the ſecond; then the breaches of the firſt will be greater then the breaches of the ſecond: but if we make not an equall compariſon, then the breaches of ſome of the ſecond table is greater then ſome of the firſt: as the Lord ſaith, I will have mercy and not ſacrifice, Matt. 9.13. God doth not preferre here the duties of the ſecond table to the morall worſhip of the firſt table ſimply,Comparing the greateſt with the greateſt, and the leaſt with the leaſt, the duties of the firſt table are to be preferred to the ſecond. for ſpirituall duties are more excellent then corporall duties, as the ſpirit is more excellent then the body; if a man be like to ſterve for hunger, then it is better to feed him then to teach him, but ſimply it is better to teach him than to feed him: if we compare the leſſer duties of the firſt table with the greater of the ſecond table, then we muſt preferre the ſecond to the firſt; therefore Ahimelech the Prieſt gave David the ſhew bread, and the ſword of Goliah in his neceſſity, becauſe hee judged it better to arme the Magiſtrate in his neceſſity then to obſerve the ceremony.
Seeing the Lord will have mercy and not ſacrifice, Queſt. what was the reaſon that Eleazer choſe rather to dye, then eate ſwines fleſh, 2. Maccab. 6.19.
If he had eaten ſwines fleſh at that time, Anſw. Why Eleazer refuſed to eate ſwines fleſh.it had beene to him the renouncing of the whole morall law; and therefore he choſe rather to die.
Whether is it a greater ſinne to be perjured, Queſt. or to kill a man; the one is a breach of the firſt, and the other of the ſecond table.
Whether perjury or murther be a greater ſinne.If wee make an equall compariſon, then perjury will be found a greater ſinne then murther; but if a man through feare perjure himſelfe, and with a high hand kill his neighbour, then murther is a greater ſinne then perjury; but comparing the greateſt with the greateſt, and the leaſt with the leaſt, then perjury is a greater ſin then murther.
Ob. To ſweare the truth is not ſo good an act as to ſave a mans life; therefore it might ſeeme that perjury is not ſo great a ſinne as murther is.
Anſw. To ſweare the truth for the glory of God, is an act of religion; but to ſave a mans life, is but an act of charitie: ſo making an equall compariſon, the breach of the Commandements in the firſt table ſhall bee found alwayes greater then the breach of the ſecond.
Who are our neighbours.Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. Chriſt ſheweth who are our neighbours, Luc. 10. Hee is the beſt neighbour who loveth beſt: ſome contract this word neighbour very neare, for vicinus, or their doore neighbour,The Phariſees tooke this word neighbour for their friends. proximus mihi ratione loci, & proximus meus ratione affectionis; others take neighbour only for their friends, and wellwillers, and hence the Phariſees gathered, that they might hate their enemies: but the Apoſtle Rom. 13.3. extendeth it to all men calling our neighbour foreign any man whoſoever if hee be our fleſh, Eſay 41. or our blood, Act. 17. When Moſes ſaw two Iſraelites ſtrive together,Neighbour ſometimes is taken for our deareſt friend, and ſometime for our adverſary. hee ſaid, ye are brethren why ſhould ye ſtrive, Evod. 2.13. So Let every man borrow of his neighbour, Exod. 11.2. The Egyptians were neither neighbours nor friends to the Iſraelites in their judgement.
Thy neighbour, ſometimes it ſignifieth a ſpeciall friend, as Deut. 13.6. Thy neighbour which is as thine owne ſoule. So Iob. 2.11. but ſometimes it is taken for an adverſary: as Prov. Hee that is firſt in his owne cauſe ſeemeth juſt, but his neighbour commeth and ſearcheth him. Prov. 18.17.
A man is bound to love his enemy,A man ſhould love his enemies. this is a principle ingraft in nature, Natura primo quaerit conſervationem ſpeciei ſua, as if a dogge bee hounded at a heard of ſwine,Nature ſeeketh the preſervation of it ſelfe. they will runne all together to defend themſelves; ſo if two men were going to fight together, a lion in the mean time commeth to devour one of them, both of them ſet themſelves againſt the lion; the firſt inſtinct here is to ſeeke the preſervation of their kinde, and the ſecond is to ſeeke the preſervation of themſelves.
There are two ſorts of love,Amor Naturalis. Supernaturalis. the firſt is naturall and humane, the ſecond is divine and ſupernaturall.
This naturall love againe is twofold, the firſt is amor concupiſcentiae and the ſecond is amor amicita, ſenſuall love, and love of friendſhip:Amor Concupiſcentia. Amicitia. amor concupiſcentiae is this, when wee love our neighbour for our owne profit and commodity onelyonly, as Laban loved Iacob, onelyonly for his owne commoditie; the ſecond is the love of friendſhip when wee love our neighbour chiefly for his owne good.Spirituall love what. Spirituall and ſupernaturall love is this, when wee love our neighbour for Gods cauſe; for although the object of our love be our neighbour, yet the reaſon why wee love him is God.
As thy ſelfe, the meaſure of this love is, to love our neighbour as our ſelfe:The meaſure of our love to our neighbour. a man is bound as farre as hee can to imitate God: but in God idem eſt amans & amatum, and hee loveth himſelfe moſt; therefore a man is bound chiefly to love himſelfe, quiſque ſibi proximus eſt, & in amore ſimilitudo eminenter includitur, every man is neareſt to himſelfe, and in love the ſimilitude is included after the moſt eminent forme and excellent manner.
A man muſt know firſt to love himſelfe; diligere ſe ut ſe, that is not good love: ſecondly,A man loveth himſelfe three wayes. diligere ſe ut principalem finem, that is not right love: thirdly, diligere ſe in ordine ad Deum, that is to love himſelfe truly.
A good man onelyonly loveth himſelfe.A good man can onelyonly love himſelfe; for this is onelyonly true love which reſpecteth the moſt excellent part, the minde, and he ſtudieth moſt to beautifie it with graces, and to make the ſenſuall appetite ſubject to reaſon; it is hee that agreeth beſt with himſelfe; it is he who hath greateſt joy within himſelfe; & nunquam minus eſt ſolus quam cum ſolus: the wicked man againe cannot love himſelf, becauſe he ſtudieth not for the right gifts of the minde to beautifie the ſoule;A wicked man cannot love himſelfe and why. hee laboureth onelyonly for things which hurt a man more then they doe him good; that which his reaſon biddeth him doe, his ſenſuall appetite draweth him from it, and when hee is merry in his ſenſuall appetite, then his reaſonable faculty is ſad, Prov. 14.13. Even in laughter the heart is ſorrowfull, and the end of that mirth is heavineſſe. Therefore he deſireth not to be alone, but ſeeketh for the company of voluptuous libertines to ſpend the time with them, and as he who hath a ſcold for his wife at home, is glad to ſeeke abroad for company to make him merry: ſo the wicked man finding no peace of conſcience at home within himſelfe, but great jarres, is glad to ſeeke abroad for mirth to drive away his melancholious fits; Seneca ſaid well, Omnis ſtultitia laborat fastidio ſui, all ſort of fooliſhneſſe is weariſomneſſe to it ſelfe. The ſenſuall man loveth not his owne life and health, but rather hateth it by his intemperate diet, haſtning his owne death; this is corrupt ſelfe-love, and not that true louelove which God placed in man from the beginning,A wicked man hateth his owne life, therefore cannot love his brother. it is now turned into that foreign when a man pleaſeth and flattereth himſelfe, and this tendeth to his deſtruction.
The rule to love others, muſt be to love our ſelves: The Schoolemen make three ſorts of meaſures, the firſt is menſura excellentiae: Menſura Excellentiae. Reduplicationis. Aequalitatis.the ſecond is menſura reduplicationis: and the third is menſura aequalitatis.
Menſura equalitatis, the meaſure of equality is that meaſure whē the meaſure & the thing meaſured are juſt equall, as time and things below here,The meaſure of equality what. they began with time and ſhall end with time.
Secondly, there is menſura reduplicationis, The meaſure of reduplication what.the meaſure of reduplication, as when wee lay a yard to a web of cloath, we meaſure the cloath by often applying the ſelfe ſame yard.
Thirdly,The meaſure of excellencie what. menſura excellentiae the meaſure of excellency is that which excelleth all other meaſures in excellencie, and the nearer that any thing draweth to it, the more excellent it is: as gold is the meaſure of excellencie amongſt the mettals, and ſilver draweth neareſt to gold in excellency. So juſtice is the meaſure of excelency to all vertues; and in this ſenſe, God is the meaſure of excellency to all things. Now what ſort of meaſure is man to his neighbour, when he meaſureth his neighbour by himſelfe? he is not menſura excellentiae, for that belongeth onelyonly to God,The love of a mans ſelfe is the meaſure of equality to the love of his neighbour. he is not menſura reduplicationis, but he is properly menſura aequalitatis. Thoſe who falſifie their meaſures are abominable before the Lord, when they have a ſhort meaſure and a long: the Phariſees meaſure and yard reached no farther but to their well-willers and kinſmen, the Politicians reacheth only to his countrey; but a Chriſtian mans meaſure reacheth to any man, foreign. Rom. 13.3.
Whether is a man bound more to wiſh riches to himſelfe, or to his neighbour? Queſt.
If thou be rich, and thy neighbour poore, Anſw. then thou art more bound to wiſh riches to thy friend then to thy ſelfe.When a man is to wiſh more riches to himſelfe than to his neighbour. Quest.
What if thou and thy neighbour bee of equall eſtate and condition, what art thou to doe then?
If it be bonum honeſtum, Anſw. then thou art bound rather to wiſh it to thy ſelfe than to thy neighbour; but if it bee profit or pleaſure, then thou art more bound to wiſh it to thy neighbour, providing that honeſty may ariſe to thee by wiſhing that to him; wee have an example of this in Abraham and the king of Sodom. Gen. 14. When Abraham left the goods to the king of Sodome, and wiſhed onelyonly the lives of men; it could not be objected to Abraham that hee was ſeeking any thing for his owne profit; this tended to his credit.
Queſt. But what if no honeſtie redound to thee by that action?
Anſw. Then thou art ſimply to chooſe that which is profitable for thy ſelfe.
Two motives which make us to love our neighbour.There are two motives which make us to love our neighbour, the firſt is grounded in nature, and the ſecond in grace; But how much more unto thee, both in the fleſh and in the Lord. Philem. 16. and the nearer that they draw to thoſe two fountaines,Where there is moſt grace, there we ſhould love moſt. the more we are to love them. Example, Bethſhebe Salomons mother had foure ſonnes. 1. Chron. 3. yet ſhee loved Salomon more then all the reſt,How Salomon is ſaid to be his mothers onelyonly ſonne. becauſe ſhe ſaw him draw neareſt to the Lord in grace; therefore he ſaith, I was the onelyonly ſonne of my mother, that is, I was her beſt beloved ſonne. Prov. 4.3.
Example 2. Chriſt had moe couſen-germans then Iohn; as Ioſeph, Iames, yet Iohn was his beſt beloved Diſciple; becauſe he had moe eminent graces than the reſt. Where there is an equality in the fleſh, where thou ſeeſt moſt grace,Simile. love them beſt. A center out of which iſſue many lines, the farther that they are extended from the center, they are the more diſunited amongſt themſelves; and the nearer that they approach to the center, the more they are united amongſt themſelves: So the nearer that our friends draw to God, and reſemble him,How wee ſhould love them that are alike in grace. the more we ſhould love them; and the farther that they are removed from God, the leſſe wee ſhould love them: but when men are alike in grace, we ſhould love them beſt who are neareſt to us in nature. Rom. 15.11. Salute Herodian my kinſman: There were many as neere in grace to Paul as Herodian was, yet becauſe Herodian was his kinſman, this moved him to love him.
Whether did Chriſt love them beſt who were neareſt to him in the fleſh and in the Lord? Queſt.
As man, Anſw. he loved them beſt who were neareſt to him in the fleſh, and in the Lord; but as mediator,Whether Chriſt loved them beſt who were his kinſmen. he loved them onelyonly beſt who were neareſt to him in the Lord: when they told him that his brethren and kinſmen ſtood without; he ſaid, Who are my brethren and my kinſmen? Thoſe who doe the will of my father which is in heaven, the ſame is my brother, and ſiſter, and mother. Mat. 12.50. he reſpected onelyonly thoſe who drew neareſt to him in the Lord. When Iudas place was void, two ſtood for it, Matthias and Ioſeph. Act. 1.23. Ioſeph was our Lords kinſman, and was ſurnamed the juſt; Why the lot fell upon Matthias, and not upon Ioſeph Chriſts kinſman.yet the lot fell upon Matthias, to teach us, that Chriſt in his ſpirituall kingdome hath not this reſpect to fleſh and bloud; hence we may ſee the follie of thoſe who thinke that Chriſt is commanded by his mother now: but theſe obligations ceaſe in the life to come.
Wee are bound by degrees to love our neighbours,Wee muſt love our neighbours by degrees. the parents are more bound to love their children, then the children their parents. 2. Cor. 12.14. For children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children: and we ſay, that one father will provide better for nine children, than nine children will provide for one father.
What if a mans father and his ſonne be caſt in priſon for debt, which of the debts is he bound to pay firſt? Quest.
He is bound no doubt to pay the old debt firſt, Anſw. to ſatisfie for his fathers debt,Whether a man is bound to releive his father or his ſonne firſt. but ordinarily we are to provide for our children rather then for our parents, but in great neceſſitie we are more bound to our parents.
The order of loving amongſt brethren and ſiſters.Brethren & ſiſters are to love others better then ſtrangers; the brothers to love the ſiſters, Should he deale with our ſiſter as with an harlot. Gen. 34.31. Siſters are to love their ſiſters more then their brethren, becauſe of the near ſimilitude: therefore Exod. 26.17. when the curtaines are joyned together, for their ſimilitude they are ſaid to be ioyned quaelibet ad ſororem ſuam, every one to her ſiſter.
Brothers are to love other beſt.So brothers are to love brethren moſt, they are begotten of the ſame parents, they are bred up together in the ſame houſe, and they reſemble others more then ſiſters doe; and therefore they are to love others better: frater is called fere alter, almoſt another, and one eye is not ſo like another, as on brother ſhould be like another: God hath made many things two in the body, as two eares, two feet, two hands: one eye picketh not out another, when one legge ſtumbleth the other helpeth it, A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is borne for adverſity. Prov. 17.17. Wherefore he that caſteth away his brother and maketh choice of another, is like unto him who cutting away his naturall legge taketh to him a legge of wood; the firſt ſtile which the primitive Church tooke, they were called brethren. Heb. 13.1. 1. Cor. 7.12. and Chriſt calleth himſelfe the brother of his ſpouſe. The love of brethren turneth oftentimes to hatred.Cant. 8.1. but the greateſt love amongſt brethren turneth often times to hatred. Prov. 18.19. A brother offended is harder to winne then a ſtrong citie, and their contentions are like the barres of a caſtle. The firſt blood that ever watered the ground was the bloud of Abel, ſhed by his brother Cain. Gen. 4. There is a curſe pronounced againſt Edom: Amos. 1.11. Becauſe hee did purſue his bretheren with the ſword, and caſt off all pittie: in the Hebrew it is,foreign & crumpit miſerationis ſuas. becauſe he did corrupt his compaſſions. The Prophet Obadiah deſcribeth unnaturall friends: Verſ. 7. Firſt, thoſe that were viri foederis, that ſeemed to be in league with Edom, ſhould deceive him; viri pacis, that is, who made a ſhew to live peaceably with him;Viri Faderis. Pacis. Panis. Vteri. thirdly, viri panis, that is, thoſe who eate familiarly with him, yet they ſhall thruſt the Edomites out of their land; if it was unnaturall for thoſe who were but viri foederis, pacis & panis, how much more for thoſe who are viri faderis, panis, pacis, ſanguinis & uteri, men that are in covenant, men that are at peace, men who live and breake bread together, men who are one bloud, yea that are bred in one wombe, what great ſinne it is for them to hate one another.
In the familie againe, wee are to love thoſe who are borne at home more then thoſe who are borne abroad. Levit. 18.9. thoſe are ſaid to bee borne at home, who are begotten of one father,Who are ſaid to bee borne at home, and who abroad. thoſe are ſaid to bee borne abroad, who are borne of one mother, but not begotten of one father. The childrē who are mothers childrē raiſed not up ſeed to their eldeſt brother, becauſe familia matris non vocatur familia. foreign from foreign frater, ſemen & foreign.Thoſe who are begotten of one father the Greeks call them foreign, thoſe who are borne of one mother they called them foreign uterini.
But thoſe who are fathers children and mothers children, wee are to love them beſt. Gen. 45.22. Fathers children and mothers children are to love others moſt; Ioſeph gaue to all of his brethren each man changes of raiment, but to Benjamin he gaue five changes of raiment: why did hee give five changes of raiment to Benjamin? becauſe he was his brother both by father and mother, and the holy ghoſt exaggerateth the wrong done to ſuch a brother. Pſal. 50.20. Thou ſitteſt and ſpeakeſt againſt thy brother, thou ſlandereſt thine owne mothers ſon.
Laſtly,A man is bound to love his wife better then father or children. in the familie a man is bound to leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife, and he is bound to louelove her better then ten ſonnes, and ſo ſhould the wife love the husband. 1. Sam. 1.9.
As thy ſelfe. Some hold that this is not the meaſure of love under the goſpell, to love our neighbour as our ſelves;There is but one meaſure of our love to our neighbour under the law and under the goſpell. but wee ſhould love him under the goſpell as Chriſt loved us: but this cannot ſtand that there ſhould bee one meaſure of love under the law, and another under the goſpell; for the goſpell aboliſheth not the law, and there is one rule for all.
If this ſhould bee the rule, to love our neighbour as our ſelfe under the goſpell, then ſome ſhould have done workes of ſupererogation, as Paul who loved the Iewes better then himſelfe.
He did nothing here but that which the law required of him, therefore he could not ſupererogate, for neither the law nor the goſpell requireth of any man to love another mans ſalvation better then his owne.
Ob. But wee ought to lay downe our lives for the brethren. 1. Ioh. 3.16. And the good ſheepherd giveth his life for his ſheep. Iohn 10.
Anſw. That is but his temporarie life, but not his ſpirituall life.
Ob. But it may be ſaid, that wee ſhould love one another as Chriſt loved us. Ioh. 13.34.
Anſw. foreign is not a note of equalitie here, but of ſimilitude, as Chriſt loved us freely, ſo ſhould we love our neighbours; as Chriſt loved us to the end, ſo ſhould we love our neighbour conſtantly; as Chriſt gave his life for us, ſo a man is bound in ſome caſes to give his life for ſome perſons; and Chriſt ſuffered the paines of hell for us, but no man is bound to give his ſoule for another, to undergoe the wrath of God for another: wherefore foreign here is onelyonly a note of ſimilitude,As is not a note of equalitie here. and Chriſt ſaith, a new commandement I give you, that yee may love one another. Ioh. 13.33. It is called a new commandement, becauſe it is more fully expreſſed, to love our neighbour as Chriſt loved us: then to love our neighbour as our ſelfe, is not a new commandement in ſubſtance, but new in forme; and new is put here for more excellent, Novum ſumitur pro excellenti ſapiſsime.as Mat. 9.17. new wine: So Revelat. 5.9. A new ſong, that is, excellent wine, an excellent ſong.
The concluſion of this is,Concluſion. wee are not bound neither affectu nor effectu, to love all our neighbours alike.