554 An Expofi S r L. The debt of love : for when the Apofle faith, [ Owe nothing unto any but love,] it firongly implies that love is a debt, yet fuch a debt it is, as in fundry things differs from civili debts, which are due but to fotne perfons ; whereas love is to be exercifed towards all, friends, enemies, Infidels, and Chri- fiians.Secondly, other debts being paid, our fubftance is diminifhed, but love by paying it to others, increafes in our felves, reddèndo mulaiplicatur, as one faith. Thirdly, other debts may be paid while we live, but this of love cannot be fatisfied in this life ; it is due in hea- ven, both so God, to Angels, and to Saints, r Cor. 13. r3. Fourthly, debts of money are to be paid at certaine times and places , but the debt of love is due alwayes and every where. Fiftly, other debts may be difpenfed withal!, and forgiven : but the debt of love not fo. Men cannot, and God will not difcharge us the praaife of our love, though he will forgive the imper- feaions of our love. Laffly, other debts being once paid, are no more debts : but love, although it be paid, is í1i11 due,it is alwayes in paying and ever owing, becaufe the grounds thereof be perpetual]. Fir ft, the precept of God, Lave thy neighbour as thy f el fe , Matti). z z. Secondly, our common nature, eve- ry man being anothers Beth, Efay 58. I. Prov. r r. 17. Thirdly, the image of God imprinted in our nature. Laftly, common profeflìbn, having all one Sa- viour by grace (to wit) Chriff, as we have all one father by nature (to wit) Adam. Now fithence charity is a debt, and fuch a debt as we are all bound to pay, it ftands every man upon that bath any confcience of this debt, to looke unto all the particulars thereof, which being fundry and many, fome thins being due to the foule of our brother,as to comfort, exhort, rebuke, &c. Other things due to his body,as to cover his nakedneffe, feed his hunger, &c. allo we being debters to the dig- nity, life,chaftity, fubflance, and name of our neighbour, in none of thefe to impair him, but in all to increafe and tion upon Chap.13, preferve them what we can. This muff move usboth to pray for greater rota - fure of grace, to be able to performe this better hereafter,.and inliantly to beg pardon of God through Chrili for our failing heretofore; for the debt of charity being negleaed, doth increafe the debt of finne: and look how much we come Ihort of paying the debt of love, fo much we multiply the debt of finne; and therefore nand in aced both of faith to bel eeve the forgivenefs of that which is pact, and repentance to amend our lives for the time to come, to walke henceforth in charity, doing all things in love. T r M. Come now to the reafon of the Apo- file, why we (bould love one another, and tell us what is meant by the [Law,] and by the fulfillingof it? S r L. Among fundry acceptions of the word [Law] as firft for the bookcs of Mofes; Secondly, for the whole doarine of the word; Thirdly, for the morall precepts given in Mount Sinai, &c. Here it is put for the fecond Table, becaufe he difcòurfeth of the duties to our neighbour, the love whereof being coupled with the love of God (as an. effe&with the caufe) therefore it may well comprehend the whole morals Law. By fulfilling is meant here not the exa &keeping in every point with - out any fwarving, but the careful' en- deavour to doe one Commandement as well as another, without baulking any of them. The drift of the Apoffle here being this, to teach that the Law is ge- nerally kept by the exercife of love, which is therefore laici to be the fulfil- ling of the Law: Firft, becaufe it is the end of the Commandements, r Tim. a. g. Secondly, for that it is the motive to flirre up to every duty both to-God and man. Thirdly, becaufe it is the fum of the Law, Matth. 22. 37, 38,39. Finally, becaufe it is the perfe&ion of the Law, and were it perfe& in us, would make us perfe& keepers of the Law. T r M. What is the Dollrilae we are to learn from hence ? S t L.This ought very much to kindle our love, feting it is fuck a helpe to the fulfilling I How love is the filling of the Law, and why.
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