Matthew Poole and continuators on James 2:8

8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture , Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self, ye do well .

Or, perfect, the Word signifies to accomplish perfectly, but no more is meant by it than sincerity in observing the Duties of the Law in an indifferent respect to one as well as another, which he seems to oppose to their partiality in the Law, by respecting some, and neglecting others.

Either the Law of God the great King, or Christ the King of Saints, or rather the Royal Law is the King's Law, i. e. the great Law which is the same to all, Rich and Poor, the common Rule by which all are to act, as, the King's way, Numb. 21.22. i. e. the great plain Way in which all are to travel. Here may likewise be a tacit reflexion on the servile disposition of these accepters of Mens persons, evil becoming them that pretended to be governed by the Royal Law, which was to be observed with a more free and King-like spirit.

See Matth. 22.39. Gal. 5.14.

Ye are not to be blamed but commended; the Apostle seems here to answer an objection they might make in their own defence; that in the respect they gave to Rich Men, they did but act according to the Law which commands us to love our Neighbour as our selves; to this he replies partly in this Verse by way of concession, or on supposition; that if the respect they gave to Rich Men were indeed in obedience to the Law of Charity, which commands us to love our Neighbour as our selves, then they did well, and he found no fault with them, but the contrary he shews in the next Verse.

Marginal references: Levit. 19.18. [illegible: 1 letter]om. 13.9.