ould persuade you
of this we had gained a great point which few do seriously consider, and
so do not abhor themselves.

The commandments mentioned in the text are these two, to believe in
Christ, and to love our brother. It is no wonder they are recommended with
so much seriousness and earnestness; for they are both the most
comprehensive, and the most pleasing commandments. They are most
comprehensive; for it appears that all the commands spoken of in the
preceding verse, are summed up in this one precept, "And this is his
commandment," &c. And that they are most pleasant in God's sight is
evident, for the true Christian being described from this, that he does
these things that are pleasing in God's sight,--that he is one that studies
to conform himself to his good pleasure, this is subjoined, as the two
most pleasing exercises of Christianity, "This is his commandment," that
is, his pleasing commandment, that ye should believe in Christ, and love
one another.

This command of believing in Jesus is comprehensive, because it takes in
all precepts, and that under a threefold consideration. It takes them all
in as broken and transgressed by men, as fulfilled by Christ, and also
takes them all in as a rule of righteousness, according to which the
believer ought henceforth to walk.

The command of believing in Christ doth first of all import this--that a
sinner should examine himself according to the law of God,--that he should
lay his whole life and course his heart and ways, down before the perfect
and holy commandments,--that he may stop his own mouth with shame and
silence, and find himself guilty before God. Many use to speak of
humiliation preparatory to believing, and the work of the law preparatory
to the gospel. But truly I conceive it would be more fitly expressed, if
it were holden out thus, that it is one of the essential ingredients in
the bosom of believing, and one of the first articles of the gospel law,
to charge all sinners to acknowledge their sin and misery, to discern
their own abounding iniquity, and danger of perishing by it, how guilty
they are before God, and how subject to his judgment, that so finding
themselves undone, they may have recourse to a Saviour.

Truly the Spirit's work is to convince of sin, and then of righteousness,
and when we are commanded to believe, the first part of our believing is
crediting and subscribing to the law, to the justice and righteousness of
God against us, and