The First,

1. In Order.

2. In Dignity.

3. In Performance, 1 Cor. xiii. 1. The Greatest,

1. That which all the reft tend to.

2. which they all proceed from.

3. In which they all end, I Cor. xiii. 3,13, 2. This will make all other Duties eafy. 3. All Things work for good to them that love GOD, Rom. viii. 28.

4. It is the Enployment of Angels.

5. The beft Sign of GOD's Love to us, Again confider GOD's Love to us.

1. He made us.

2. Preferves us,

3. Protects us from Evil.

4. Directs and profpers us, fer. x. 23.
5. Redeem'd us.

6. Sends us His Spirit, 1 Cor. iii. 16.

7. Hath prepar'd Heaven for us, S. Joh. xiv.2. 8. His Defigns are only for our Good. 9. Confider GOD's Loveliness in Himself, in all His glorious Perfections..

S. MATT,

S. MAT T. xxii. 39.

And the Second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself. Levit. xix. 18.

I.

WH

HY is it call'd the Second Command? I. Because it belongs to the Second Table, Exod. xxxiv. 1.

2. Flows from the First, 1 S. Joh. iv. 21. 3. It may be referr'd to the First, S. Joh. xiv. 15:

II. Why is it faid to be like the First? 1. It is like in Authority. GOD commands. Both.

2. It is like in Comprehenfiveness; this alfo comprizing all the Second Table, Rom. xiii. 9. 3. Alike in Acceptance, S. Matt. XXV. 40. 4. In Performance, S. Joh. xiv. 15, 23. 5: In Rewards and Punishments.

III. Who is our Neighbour? S. Luk. x. 29.
All Men whatfoever, ibid. v. 36, 37.
1. Tho' never fo diftant in Place.

2. Contemptible in Perfon, S. Matt. XXV. 40. 3. Different in Opinion, S. Luk. x. 33, 36, 37. 1. Because All are made by the fame Hand, Act. xvii. 28.

2.

Partakers of the fame Nature. 3. Capable of the fame Happiness, 1 Tim.

ii. 4

IV. How

IV. How should we love them as ourselves? 1. By not doing that to them, which we would not have done to ourselves; as,

1. Not to judge or think Evil of others, S. Matt. vii. 1. For thereby,

1. We rob them of their Right to our good Opinion of them.

2. This will breed a Contempt of them, Rom. xiv. 10.

3. It is ufurping the Prerogative of GOD, Rom. xiv. 4.

2. Not to speak Evil of another, Tit. iii.
1, 2. S. Fam. iv. 11. Exod. XX. 16.

3. Not to defraud another, 1 Thess. iv. 6.
4. Not to covet another Man's Goods, Exod.
XX. 17.
This Sin,

1. Makes a Man an Idolater, Coloff. iii. 5.
Ephef. v. 5.

2. Subjects him to all Sin, 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. 3. And to Evil or Miferies likewise, 1 Tim. vi. 10.

5. Not to rejoyce in other Mens Miferies, Prov. xxiv. 17. Job xxxi. 29. Pfal. xxxv. 13, 14, 15. Prov. xvii. 5.

2. That we endeavour other Mens Good, as well as our own..

1. By praying for all, 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. yea, for our very Enemies, S. Matt. v. 44. and fo forgiving their Wrongs.

1.This is requir'd toward the Remission of our own Sins, S. Matt. vi. 12,

14, 15.

2. Hereby we testify true Obedience.

2. By honouring all, 1 S. Pet. ii. 17.
1. Because all Men were made in the
Image of GOD, Gen. i. 26, Job xxxi.

2.

3.

13, 14, 15.

No Perfon, but in fome things, may be
better than ourselves, Phil. ii. 3.
No Perfon but, for ought we know,
is a Child of GOD, and fhall come
to Heaven.

3. By putting the best Conftruction upon all
Mens Words and Actions, 1 Cor. xiii.
5. much more upon their Thoughts.
4. Rendring to all their Due, Rom. xiii. 7.
5. Relieving other Mens Neceffities; for,
1. Hereby we imitate GOD, S. Luk.
vi. 36.

2. Love to GOD cannot confift with-
out this Love to Others, 1 S. Job.
iii. 17. S. Fam. i. 27.

3. What we give to the Poor, is lent to GOD, and fo is our own, Prov.

xix. 17.

6. Doing to others, as we would have others do to us, S. Matt. vii. 12. [Vid. Expofition on S. Matt. vii. 12. p. 90.]

3. All this is to be done out of fincere Love to our Neighbour, not to ourselves.

USES.

Confider, if we do not love our Neighbour; 1. We do not love GOD, I S. Joh. iv. 20. 2. Nor Chrift, S. Joh. xiv. 15.

3. Nor ourselves.

4. We tranfgrefs all the Commands of the Se cond Table.

5. Muft answer for it at the Day of Judgment, S. Matt. XXV. 41, 42.5

There

Therefore, let our Love be like that of Christ's.

1. Sincere and cordial, Rom. xii. 9.

I

2. Active and effectual, 1 S. Joh. iii. 16, 18. 3. Impartial and universal, S. Matt. v. 46. Rom. xii. 20, 21. remembring, this is not only Chrift's Command, but it is the Character whereby Himfelf diftinguisheth His Disciples from other Men, S. Job. xiii. 34, 35.

S. MATT.