QUEST. CXXII. What is the sum of the six Commandments, which contain our duty to man?
ANSW. The sum of the six Commandments, which contain our duty to man, is to love our neighbour as ourselves, and to do to others what we would have them do to us.
As the first table of the ten Commandments respects our duty to God, the other contains our duty to our neighbor; which is comprized in the general idea of love. This is therefore styled the sum of the following six Commandments; and it is included in our Saviour’s words; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, Matt. xxii. 39. and elsewhere, Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, chap. vii. 12. Here it may be observed,
I. That we are commanded to love our neighbour as ourselves. This implies in it,
1. A caution against a selfish temper; as though we were born only for, or were obliged to do good to none but ourselves. This is what the apostle reproves, when he says, Men shall be lovers of their ownselves, 2 Tim. iii. 2. that is, they shall study and consult the happiness, ease, and comfort of none but themselves.
2. It farther implies in it, our using endeavours to promote the good of all, whom we converse with; and thereby rendering ourselves a blessing to mankind. It does not, indeed, exclude self-love, which it supposes to be a duty; but obliges us to love others as well as ourselves, in things that relate to their spiritual and temporal good. This leads us to enquire,
(1.) Whether we ought to love others better than ourselves; or what the apostle intends, when he says, Let each esteem other better than themselves? Phil. ii. 3.
Answ. [1.] It cannot be hereby intended, that they, who have attained a great measure of the knowledge of the truths of God, should reckon themselves as ignorant of, or unstable in, the doctrines of the gospel, as those who never made them the subject of their study and enquiry; nor, that they, who have had large experience of the grace of God, should conclude that they have no more experience thereof than those who are unregenerate, and have not taken one step heavenward. But,
[2.] The meaning is, that the greatest saint should not think himself better than the least, any otherwise than as he has received more from the discriminating grace of God; as the apostle says, Who maketh thee to differ from another; and what hast thou, that thou didst not receive? 1 Cor. iv. 7. And, indeed, such an one may see more sin in himself than he can see in any other; and therefore, may have reason to reckon himself, as the apostle speaks, the chief of sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15.
[3.] The best saints would have been as bad as the vilest of men, had they been left to themselves; and it may be, some of them who have had less grace, have had fewer talents, and opportunities of grace, than they have had; which they have improved better, in proportion to what they have received, than they have, the many advantages which God has been pleased to bestow on them.
(1.) Our next enquiry may be, whether our love to our neighbour should extend so far, as that we should be willing, were it needful, to lay down our lives for them; as it is said, in 1 John iii. 16. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren; and in Rom. v. 7. Peradventure, for a good man some would even dare to die.
Answ. [1.] By laying down our lives in these scriptures, is principally intended hazarding our lives, or exposing ourselves to the utmost danger, even of death itself, for others. But,
[2.] We are not to do this rashly, and at all times; but when God, who is the sovereign Lord of our lives, calls us to it. And,
[3.] This ought not to be for every one, but for the brethren, especially for those who are more eminently useful in the church of God than ourselves or others. Accordingly the apostle says, for a good man; that is, one who is a common good, or a blessing to many others, one would even dare to die.
[4.] This must be, at such times, when in exposing ourselves for the sake of others, we give our testimony to the gospel; and, in defending them, plead the injured cause of Christ and religion.
II. This loving our neighbour as ourselves is farther illustrated in this answer, by doing to others what we would have them to do us. This is one of the most undeniable, and self-evident truths contained in the law of nature. So that whatever disputable matters there may be, as to what respects other duties, this is allowed of by all mankind. Many, indeed, do not conform their practice to this rule; which gives occasion to the injuries done between man and man. However the vilest of men, when they deliberate on their own actions, cannot but blame themselves for acting contrary thereunto. Thus Saul did, when he said unto David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good; whereas I have rewarded thee evil, 1 Sam. xxiv. 17. Therefore we conclude, that it is one of the first principles of the law of nature; and may well be called, as it is in this answer, the sum of the Commandments of the second table, or that, to which they are all reduced. There are two things, which we shall lay down, relating to this golden rule, of doing to others as we would that they should do to us.
1. It is miserably neglected by a great part of the world; as,
(1.) By them who turn away their hearts from the afflicted; so as not to pity, help, or endeavour to comfort them in their distress. The Psalmist was of another mind, when he says, As for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother. I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother, Psal. xxxv. 13,-15.
(2.) They who deny to others those natural, civil, or religious liberties, which, by God’s appointment, they have a right to, or envy them the possession thereof, may be said to neglect this golden rule.
2. We are farther to enquire, how this rule, of doing to others what we would have them do to us, may be of use, in order to our right observing the Commandments of the second table?
Answ. The fifth Commandment, which requires the performance of all relative duties, would be better observed, did superiors put themselves in the place of inferiors, and consider what they would then expect from them; and the same they ought to do to them. Again, the sixth, seventh, and eight Commandments, that respect the life, honour, or wealth of others; if these are dear to us, ought we not to consider, that they are so to others; and if we would not be deprived of them ourselves, how unreasonable is it for us to do any thing that may tend to deprive others of them? Again, if, according to the ninth Commandment, our good name be so valuable, that we ought to maintain it, should not this rule be observed by defamers, slanderers, and backbiters, who do that to others which they would not have done to themselves? And the tenth Commandment, which forbids our uneasiness at, or being discontented with, the good of others, or endeavouring to supplant, or divest them of the possession of what God has given them in this world. This cannot be done by any one who duly considers, how unwilling they would be to have what they possess taken away, to satisfy the covetousness, or lust, of others.