Matthew Poole and continuators on John 15:12

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you .

This is that which our Lord called the new commandment, Chap. 13.34. (see the notes there.) He had before pressed the keeping of his words, continuing, and abiding in his wo[illegible: 1 letter]ds, keeping his commandments, &c. Here he tells them what was his commandment: not his onely commandment, but that which he laid a very great st[illegible: 1 letter]ess upon; a commandment most necessary to be pressed, because so necessary to keep up and uphold his Church in the World; (love being the very ligament of that Society) and because there was a greater failure in obedience to this, than in some others, as may be learned from our Saviours correction of the Pharisees interpretation of that Law, Matth. 5. This he presseth to an higher degree, as he had loved them; not that it is possible that our love to our Brethren, can rise up in any proportion to that love wherewith Christ hath loved us; but to mind us to eye him, to press forward toward this mark. As here again doth not signifie equality, but a comparison; as truly and sincerely as I have loved you, and pressing after the highest degree of love.

Marginal references: 1 Thes. 4.9. 1 Pet. 4 8. 1 John 3.23. and 4.21.