Mark xii. 31. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighhour as thyself. There is none other command- ment greater than these.
A QUESTION had been put to our Lord, What was the first and great commandment ? To this he had answered, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God." But, lest the Scribe should overlook his duties to- wards his neighbour, and plead perhaps the answer of Jesus as sanctioning such conduct, our Lord re- minded him that there was another commandment, similar to that which he had already mentioned ; namely, " Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
In discoursing upon this commandment, we shall shew, I. What is the meaning of it —
Self-love is generally represented as a base affec- tion of the mind ; and doubtless it is so, as it exists in fallen man ; because it is always inordinate, and excessive : but, as it existed in the heart of Adam in Paradise, it was a good disposition, and absolutely necessary for his well-being. It has even now its legitimate exercise ; and when directed to its proper objects, and confined within its just bounds, it deserves our approbation, and affords a correct standard for our love towards others.
Agreeably to this idea, we should shew an affec- tionate regard to our neighbour,
1. In relation to his temporal welfare —
[If we were labouring under any bodily disease, or misfor- tune of any kind, we should wish our neighbour to sympathize with us, and if possible to relieve us. Such regard then should we shew to his person, participating his joys and sorrows, and, like the good Samaritan, exerting ourselves to the utmost for
his gooda
Towards his property also we should maintain the same dis- interested regard. We would not that another person should
a Luke x. 30—35.