William Perkins
14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, which is this, thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe.
Fulfilled] comprised. Rom. 13. 9. One word] One precept: for the H. G. calles precepts, words. It may be demanded, how the whole law should be fulfilled in the loue of our neighbour? Ans. The loue of God, and the loue of our neighbour are ioyned together, as the cause and the effect: and the loue of God is practised in the loue of our neigbour. For God that is inuisible, will be loued in the person of our neighbour whome we see, and with whome we conuerse: And the first commandement of the law, must be included in all the commandements following: and thus the loue of God is presupposed in euery commandement of the second table: he therefore that loues his neigbour, loues God also.
Thou shalt loue] vnderstand both the affection, and the duties of loue. Thy neighbour] any one that is neare vnto vs in respect of mans nature. Isai. 58. 7. though he be our enemy, yet if by any occasion he be offered vnto vs of God, he is our neighbour.
As thy selfe] these wordes signifie not the measure of our loue: as though we should loue our selues in the first place, and thē our neighbour in the second place, for there are some cases in which we are to loue our neighbour more thē our selues. As for example, we are more to loue the soule of our brother, then our temporall life, and a good subiect is more to loue the life of his prince then his owne life: here then the H. G. signifies, what must be the manner of our loue; the word (as) signifies not quantitie, but qualitie: and that we are as truly and earnestly with loue to imbrace our neighbour, as our selues.
The scope. The words cōtaine a reason of the second Rule, which may be framed thus: to serue our neighbour in duties of loue, is the keeping of the whole law: therefore this seruice must carefully be performed.
The vse. Here we see that the end of a mans life is to serue God in seruing of man, for this is the summe of the whole law. Seruants are commanded in seruing their masters, to serue god, and to do whatsoeuer they doe, as vnto God. Col. 3. 23. And so euery man in his place, in dealing with men must so deale as if he were to deale with God himselfe. Therefore most men prophane their liues, when they make the scope and drift therof, to be the getting of riches, and honours. And though they haue great charges, that is no excuse, for the principal end of our liuing here is to performe seruice to men, and in this seruice to do homage to God, for which homage God will giue the honour and riches, which he sees to be conuenient for vs.
Secondly, here we may obserue what is true religion and godlines, namely, to loue and serue God in seruing of man. He that saith he loues God, and yet hates his brother, is a lier. 1. Ioh. 4. 20. And here it followes that to liue out of all societie of men, though it be in praier and fasting, (after Monkish fashion) is no state of perfection, but mere superstition: for that is true and perfect loue of God, that is shewed in duties of loue, and in the edification of our neighbour. Againe, the hypocrisie of sundrie Protestants is here discouered. If they come to the Church, and heare sermons, & frequent the Lords table, they thinke they may do afterward what they will; and many such are frequenters of tauernes, and alchouses, and are giuen to riot, and licenciousnes. But it is not inough for thee to be holy in the Church: thou maiest be a Saint in the Church, and a Deuill at home. True religion is that which shewes it selfe in thy priuate house, priuate dealings, and in the course of thine owne life: such as thou art in thy particular calling, such art thou indeed and truth, what showes soeuer thou makest before men.
