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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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an instrument of tenne strings to play upon; hee reduced them to two, which the Hebrewes call calolim gadolim, 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, as the soule is one; but they are one unitate subordinationis, as the husband and the wife are one.
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 du∣ties 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.
So the duties of the second table alwayes have re∣spect 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 practi∣sed 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.
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 Comman∣dements, the authority of the Lawgiver is contemned, whose authority should move us to keepe his Com∣mandements. 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.] for although all sinnes turne men from God, and make them guilty of eternall death: yet all sinnes turne not men from God alike, nei∣ther 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 instru∣ment, 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; 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, 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 soul∣diers who make warre, although they serve in the whole campe, yet they are bound especially to serve under some standard, 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, 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 be∣twixt 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 Com∣mandement. 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 fornica∣tion and profanenesse, as Esau was a fornicator and pro∣fane person, Heb. 12.16. and there are some sins which are not to be referred as a breach of any one Commande∣ment, but are a breach of all the Commandements; as, drunkenesse; it is a sinne which breaketh all the Com∣mandements, because it depriveth man of reason, which is the chiefest faculty in the soule, and in which obedi∣ence 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 Commande∣ments. 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: 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 teru∣mothechem 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 prae∣cepti est praeceptum, vel praeceptum trahit praeceptum, that is, hee that studieth to keepe one of the Commande∣ments, the Lord giveth him grace and inableth him to walke in the rest. And they say, Merces peccati pecca∣tum 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. 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, they are like in qua∣lity 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, for spirituall duties are more excellent then corporall du∣ties, 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 Ahi∣melech 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 ob∣serve 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.] 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.
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.
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe. Christ shew∣eth 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 neigh∣bour, 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 any man whosoever if hee be our flesh, Esay 41. or our blood, Act. 17. When Moses saw two Israelites strive together, 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, this is a principle ingraft in nature, Natura primo quaerit conservationem speciei sua, as if a dogge bee hounded at a heard of swine, they will runne all together to defend them∣selves; 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 in∣stinct 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, 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 concupiscentiae is this, when wee love our neighbour for our owne profit and commodity onely, as Laban loved Ia∣cob, onely for his owne commoditie; the second is the love of friendship when wee love our neighbour chiefly for his owne good. Spirituall and superna∣turall 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: a man is bound as farre as hee can to imitate God: but in God idem est amans & ama∣tum, 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 in∣cluded 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, diligere se ut princi∣palem finem, that is not right love: thirdly, diligere se in ordine ad Deum, that is to love himselfe truly.
A good man can onely love himselfe; for this is onely 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; hee laboureth onely for things which hurt a man more then they doe him good; that which his reason biddeth him doe, his sensuall ap∣petite 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 volup∣tuous 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 foolish∣nesse 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 loue which God placed in man from the beginning, it is now turned into that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 when a man pleaseth and flattereth him∣selfe, 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: the second is mensura reduplicatio∣nis: 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, they began with time and shall end with time.
Secondly, there is mensura reduplicationis, the mea∣sure 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, mensura excellentiae the measure of excellency is that which excelleth all other measures in excel∣lencie, and the nearer that any thing draweth to it, the more excellent it is: as gold is the measure of excellen∣cie amongst the mettals, and silver draweth nearest to gold in excellency. So justice is the measure of excel∣ency 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 neigh∣bour by himselfe? he is not mensura excellentiae, for that belongeth onely to God, he is not mensura reduplicatio∣nis, 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 Phari∣sees 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, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 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.
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 wish∣ed onely 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 profita∣ble for thy selfe.
There are two motives which make us to love our neighbour, the first is grounded in nature, and the se∣cond 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, 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, because she saw him draw nearest to the Lord in grace; therefore he saith, I was the onely 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 Di∣sciple; because he had moe eminent graces than the rest. Where there is an equality in the flesh, where thou se∣est most grace, 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 resem∣ble him, 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 He∣rodian was his kinsman, this moved him to love him.
Whether did Christ love them best who were nea∣rest 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, he loved them onely 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 kins∣men? 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 onely 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; 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, 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 sa∣tisfie for his fathers debt, but ordinarily we are to pro∣vide for our children rather then for our parents, but in great necessitie we are more bound to our parents.
Brethren & sisters are to love others better then stran∣gers; 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.
So brothers are to love brethren most, they are be∣gotten of the same parents, they are bred up together in the same house, and they resemble others more then si∣sters 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 a∣nother, when one legge stumbleth the other helpeth it, A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is borne for ad∣versity. 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. Cant. 8.1. but the greatest love amongst bre∣thren 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, 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; 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 co∣venant, 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, those are said to bee borne abroad, who are borne of one mother, but not begot∣ten of one father. The childrē who are mothers childrē raised not up seed to their eldest brother, because familia matris non vocatur familia. Those who are begotten of one father the Greeks call them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, those who are borne of one mother they called them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 uterini.
But those who are fathers children and mothers chil∣dren, 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 rai∣ment, 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, in the familie a man is bound to leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife, and he is bound to loue 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; 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 un∣der 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 a∣nother 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.] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not a note of equalitie here, but of similitude, as Christ loved us freely, so should we love our neigh∣bours; 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 un∣dergoe the wrath of God for another: wherefore 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here is onely a note of similitude, and Christ saith, a new commandement I give you, that yee may love one ano∣ther. Ioh. 13.33. It is called a new commandement, be∣cause 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 non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Vniversalia magna.
Duties of the first table helpe the performance of the duties of the se∣cond.
The duties of the se∣cond table have respect to the duties of the first.
He who breaketh one Commandement brea••∣eth them all.
All sins turne men from God, yet not all alike.
Simile.
Greater affinity be∣twixt some Comman∣dement than others.
Simile.
Greater affinity be∣twixt some sinnes then others.
Some sinne are a breach of all the Commande∣ments and cannot be referred to one.
The Hebrewes when they will have all things observed, repeate the word Col to signifie that nothing is to be omitted. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Et praecipuum omnium primitiarum ex omni∣bus, & omnis oblationis omnium ex omnibus ob∣lationibus vestris Sacer∣dotum est.
Why the Commande∣ments in the Hebrewe are otherwayes distin∣guished then any other part of the Scripture.
The second table of the law is like the first in quality.
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.
Why Eleazer refused to eate swines flesh.
Whether perjury or murther be a greater sinne.
Who are our neigh∣bours.
The Pharisees tooke this word neighbour for their friends.
Neighbour sometimes is taken for our dearest friend, and sometime for our adversary.
A man should love his enemies.
Nature seeketh the pre∣servation of it selfe.
Spirituall love what.
The measure of our love to our neighbour.
A man loveth himselfe three wayes.
A good man onely loveth himselfe.
A wicked man cannot love himselfe and why.
A wicked man hateth his owne life, therefore cannot love his brother.
The measure of equa∣lity what.
The measure of redupli∣cation what.
The measure of excel∣lencie what.
The love of a mans selfe is the measure of equa∣lity to the love of his neighbour.
When a man is to wish more riches to himselfe than to his neighbour. Quest.
Two motives which make us to love our neighbour.
Where there is most grace, there we should love most.
How Salomon is said to be his mothers onely sonne.
Simile.
How wee should love them that are alike in grace.
Whether Christ loved them best who were his kinsmen.
Why the lot fell upon Matthias, and not upon Ioseph Christs kinsman.
Wee must love our neighbours by degrees.
Whether a man is bound to releive his fa∣ther or his sonne first.
The order of loving amongst brethren and sisters.
Brothers are to love other best.
The love of brethren turneth oftentimes to hatred.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & crumpit miseratio∣nis suas.
Who are said to bee borne at home, and who abroad.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 frater, semen & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
A man is bound to love his wife better then fa∣ther or children.
There is but one mea∣sure of our love to our neighbour under the law and under the gospell.
As is not a note of equa∣litie here.
Novum sumitur pro ex∣cellenti sapissime.
Conclusion.