If ye fulfil the royal law
Which is the law of love to men, without distinction of rich and
poor, high and low, bond and free; and is so called, because it
is the law of the King of kings; hence the Syriac version renders
it, "the law of God", it is the law of Christ, who is King of
saints; and because it is a principal law, the chief of laws; as
love to God is the sum of the first and great commandment in the
law, and may be called the king of laws; so love to the neighbour
is the second and next unto it, and may very well bear the name
of the queen of laws, and so has royalty in it; and indeed this
last is said to be the fulfilling of the law, ( Romans
13:8-10 ) ( Galatians
5:14 ) and it is also submitted to, and obeyed by such who
are made kings and priests to God; and that in a royal manner,
with a princely spirit, willingly, and with all readiness: the
same word, in the Hebrew language, (Mybydn) , signifies "princes", and to be willing. The
Jews frequently ascribe royalty to the law, and often speak of
(hrwt rtk) , "the crown of
the law" F23; and they suppose the Israelites
had crowns upon their heads, when the law was given them on Mount
Sinai, in which were engraven the name of God, and which they
were stripped of when they made the golden calf F24: now
this royal law is fulfilled, when it is regarded without respect
of persons,
according to the Scripture,
in ( Leviticus
19:18 )
thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself;
and which is to be understood of every nation, without
distinction of Jews and Gentiles, and of persons of every state
and condition, rich and poor, without any difference: and when
this law is so observed, it is commendable:
ye do well:
that which is right, and which is a man's duty to do; this, when
done from right principles, and to a right end, is a good work,
and is doing a good work well.