SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE XIII.

MATTHEW, CHAP. XXII.-VERSE 40.

MEANING of the text is, that the whole reason of religion lies in these two general commandments, or that in them all its particular duties and precepts are founded. Two heads of this discourse as follows: I. the true meaning and import of these commandments shown: II. some useful remarks made on the

whole.

In St. Mark's gospel the same thing is said in different words: there is none other commandment greater than these : Mark. xii. 31. As beyond them there is nothing greater, by these two principles all the duties of religion must be governed. The reason of this is plain: for the relation between God and man being once known, the first conclusion is, that we ought to love the Lord our God with all our heart, &c.; and until this general principle be established, the particular duties owing to God cannot fall under our consideration. The same reason holds respecting the second general head: for the relation of man to man, and the common relation of all to one great master, being supposed, the result is, that we ought to love our neighbor as ourselves, that is, to do all we can to promote the happiness of each other.

These general principles being established, the particular duties flow from them naturally, and form a complete system of religion. The duties of religion are all relative, and there is no relative duty that love does not readily transform itself into, according to the circumstances of the person concerned :

thus, love to a superior becomes honor and respect; to an equal, friendship and benevolence; to an inferior, courtesy and condescension; to the miserable, pity and compassion. In negative duties this principle is no less effectual than in positive. Love will not permit us to injure or offend our brother, to neglect our betters, or despise our inferiors, &c. for love worketh no ill to his neighbor. This deduction of particular duties from the general principle is made by St. Paul, Rom. xiii. 8., &c. This notion of love, as being the fulness of the law, &c., explains a passage in St. James, chap. ii. 10. Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and offend in one point, he is guilty of all. The common interpretation of this passage shown to be erroneous. It has another appearance when fairly examined. In order to do this, we must look back to that which gave occasion to it, and follow the Apostle's argument step by step. The whole depends on the notion, which is common to the writers of the New Testament, that love is the fulfilling of the law. St. James considers the whole duty of man as contained in one law, viz., thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself; and then he argues rightly, that he who offends in one point is guilty of the whole law for whether it be theft, or murder, or adultery, that you commit, it matters not; for any of these crimes is inconsistent with the law, which contains, and is, the whole, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: this farther shown from the 8th verse, where this law is called the Royal Law, because it is the first supreme law from which all others proceed, &c. This different version of the 11th verse of St. James given in the margin of the Bible. Being thus understood, there is no occasion for any nice distinctions to show how a man, by offending against one law, may become guilty of all; for this is no longer found to be a part of the Apostle's doctrine; which is, that he who sins in any particular instance against his brother, will be found to be a transgressor against this great vital principle of religion, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

The other general head referred to in the text considered; viz., the love of God: this called the first and great commandment: from this head is to be deduced all the service, worship, and honor which we owe and pay to our Creator. All the duties of religion are relative; which is true here; for the duties we owe to God spring from the relation between God and us also love naturally transforms itself into all relative duties according to circumstances: thus, if we love God, and consider him as Lord and Governor of the world, our love will soon become obedience; if we consider him wise, good, and gracious, it will become honor and adoration; and so on.

In the second place, some reflexions made which seem to arise naturally from the subject.

:

First; these two principles, from which all religion flows, must be consistent with one another, otherwise they could not both be principles of the same religion: the love of God therefore can in no case oblige us to act contrary to the love of our neighbor. One thing in our Saviour's argument, which may perhaps mislead some men, and therefore should be considered of the love of God, it is said that it is the first and great commandment; the love of our neighbor is styled the second, like unto it: whence it might be inferred that the first is a law of superior obligation to the second, and may in some instances control and overrule it: it is shown however that this is not the case; and that our Saviour's saying that the love of God is the first commandment, is no reason for thinking that it is or can be inconsistent with the second: on the contrary, the love of our neighbor being deducible from the love of God, must ever agree with it: faults of ancient writers on morality shown, in that they have not gone higher for principles to build their precepts on, than to the common desires of nature and the several relations of man to man.

Secondly; our Saviour having declared that on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets, nothing is

or ought to be esteemed religion, that is not reducible to one or other of these principles. What then, it may be said, become of the institutions of religion, which cannot properly. be referred to either? are they then no part of religion? It is answered to this, that there is a manifest difference between religion and the means of religion: whatever is part of religion, and yet not so on account of moral reason, can only be esteemed as means, ordained not for their own sake, but for the sake of that religion which is founded on moral reason. This distinction might teach men where to point their best endeavors, and where to place their hopes for if our zeal be spent only on the means, and goes no farther, we are yet in our sins.

Hence also it is shown that there can be no competition or disagreement between the duties called moral and those called positive.

DISCOURSE XIII.

MATTHEW, CHAP. XXII.-VERSE 40.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

THE two commandments here referred to are set down in the verses immediately preceding the words of the text. At verse 37, we read, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind: This is the first and great commandment:' verse 38. At verse 39 follows, And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' Then come the words of the text, ́ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets :' the meaning of which saying is plainly this, that the whole reason of religion lies in these two general commandments; that in these all particular duties and precepts are founded; that nothing can be of any obligation in religion, but as it relates either to the love we owe to God, or the love we owe to our neighbor. In speaking of these words, 1 shall,

First, Show you the true meaning and import of them; and, Secondly, Make some useful remarks on the whole.

In St. Mark's gospel the same thing is said in different words, though to the same effect. The words parallel to the text are these: There is none other commandment greater than these,' Mark xii. 31: that is, there is nothing in religion of a higher obligation than these two precepts; all the duties of religion must be governed by these two principles: beyond them there is nothing greater, nothing to limit or restrain them; but by them must every thing else be limited and restrained. The reason of this is plain: for the relation between God and man being once known, the first conclusion is, That we ought to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls,