his tongue nor doth evil to his neighbour nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour Which is the tenth Commandment What is required in the tenth Commandment n Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have o Rom. 12.15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep 1 Cor. 13.4 Charity suffereth long and is kind charity envieth not charity vaunteth not it self is not passed up 5. Doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil 6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth What is forbidden in the tenth Commandment p 1 Cor. 10.10 Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer q Gal. 5.5 Let us not be desirous of vain-glory provoking one another envying one another r Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry Is any man able perfectly to keep the Commandments of God s Eccles. 7.20 For there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not t Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth u Jam. 3.8 The tongue can no man tame it is an unruly evil full of deadly poyson w Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all Are all the transgressions of the Law equally hainous x Joh. 19.11 He that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin What doth every sin deserve y Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Mat. 25.41 Then shall he say unto them on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels What doth God require of us that we may escape the wrath and curse due unto us for sin z Act. 20.21 Testifying both to the Iews and also to the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ. a Prov. 2.1 My Son if thou wilt receive my words and hide my Commandment with thee 2. So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding 3. Yea if thou cryest after knowlèdg and liftest up thy voice for understanding 4. If thou seekest for her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God What is faith in Iesus Christ b Heb. 10.39 We are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. c Joh. 1.12 As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name d Phil. 3.9 And be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by saith e Isa. 33.22 The Lord is our Iudg the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us What is repentance unto life f Act. 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted â—epentance unto life g Act. 2.37 When they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do h Joel 2.13 Rent your hearts and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil i Jer. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God 19. Surely after I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth k Psal. 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of Redemption l Act. 2.41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer How is the Word made effectual to salvation m Psal. 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the 〈◊〉 the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple n 1 Thes. 1.6 And ye become followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost o Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth How is the Word to be read and heard that it may become effectual to salvation p Prov. 8.34 Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting daily at the posts of my doors q 1 Pet. 2.1 Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby r Psal. 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may see wonderful things out of thy Law s Heb. 4.2 The word preached did not profit them being not mixed with faith in them that heard it t 2 Thes. 2.10 They received not the love of the truth that they might be saved u Psal. 119.11 Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee w Jam. 1.25 But whoso looketh into the perfect Law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed How do the Sacraments become effectual means of salvation x 1 Cor. 3.7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase y 1 Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto euen Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ. What is a Sacrament z Gen. 17.10 This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee Every man-child among you shall be circumcised a Rom. 4.11 And he received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the Faith which he had yet being uncircumcised What are the Sacraments of the new Testament b Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved c 1 Cor. 11.23 For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you that the Lord Iesus in the same night in the which he was betrayed took bread c. What is Baptism d Mat. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost e Rom. 6.3 Know ye not
having broken became liable unto death or to the curse of the Law This Covenant which God entered into with the first Adam was in Paradise a Covenant or Law of Works Do this and live But that Covenant which God hath establisht in Christ the second Adam with all Believers since the Fall whether in the Old or New Testament 't is a Covenant of Grace and the grand Condition of this Covenant on mans part or the qualification whereby he is fitted and capacitated to receive the benefit of this Covenant 't is the righteousness of Faith for it runs thus Believe and live not that the Covenant of Grace whether in the Old or New Testament does not require new obedience but that it does not require this in order to justification for this new obedience or this obedience of Faith it is rather the fruit or effect than the instrumental cause means or condition of justification But more distinctly amongst those many differences which are wont to be assigned by Divines betwixt the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace we may take notice of these 1. The Covenant of Works was made with man before the Fall before he had sinned against God the Covenant of Grace afterward 2. The Covenant of Works did not promise pardon upon repentance the Covenant of Grace does because Christ the Mediator of this Covenant has purchased pardon for all penitent sinners who have but a hand of Faith to receive it 3. The Covenant of Works was without a Mediator for till man had sinned he needed none to mediate peace betwixt God and him but the Covenant of Grace is established in the hands of a Mediator sc. Christ Jesus perfect God and perfect man that he might make a reconciliation betwixt God and Man 4. In the Covenant of Nature or Works Adam was only the Son of God by Creation but in the Covenant of Grace those who were children of wrath do through Faith become the Children of God by Grace and Adoption 5. The Covenant of Works had for its Seals of confirmation or for the Sacraments of it the Tree of life so called because it did sacramentally confirm the promise of life upon condition of perfect obedience and the Tree of knowledg of good and evil which was so called from the event because man having sinned in eating the forbidden fruit he presently came to know by a sad experiment what an infinite good he had lost in losing Gods favour and what misery and mischief he had brought upon himself But now the Seals or Sacraments of the Covenant of Grace were under the Old Testament Circumcision and the Paschal Lamb and now under the New Testament Baptism and the Lords Supper 6. In the Covenant of Works there was no place at all for Gods further exercising of his patience grace and mercy but in the Covenant of Grace his mercy most is signally display'd yea and that which is a mystery as well as a miracle of Divine Wisdom here we may see mercy and justice kiss each other in the satisfaction that Christ has made And as the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Works do differ in the foregoing particulars so doth the Covenant of Grace under the Old Testament differ from the Covenant of Grace under the New Testament though these are not two but one Covenant in substance in clearness for till the Law or from Adam to Moses the Promise of Grace was more obscure under Moses more clear from Moses to the Prophets yet more clear from them to Iohn the Baptist yet more clear and from him to Christ yet more clear and under the preaching of Christ whilst he was fulfilling the Promises yet abundantly more clear than under Iohn but most clear of all when Christ had finished the work of Redemption by price and was ascended into Heaven and had sent down his Spirit upon his Apostles in that plentiful effusion of the Spirit at the time of Pentecost Act. 2. A. 13. Our first Parents being left to the freedom of their own will fell from the state wherein they were created by sinning against God To. 2. Hom. xiij Par. 2. When our great Grandfather Adam had broken Gods Commandment in eating the Apple forbidden him in Paradise at the motion and suggestion of his wife he purchased thereby not only to himself but also to his posterity for ever the just wrath and indignation of God who according to his former Sentence pronounced at the giving of the Commandment condemned both him and all his to everlasting death both of body and soul. Expl. 13. Here for explanation sake we may observe 1. That our first Parents were created with freedom of will i. e. if they would have continued in their obedience they might for they had a power to obey God perfectly and if they would sin they might God left them and that very justly to themselves he being not bound to hinder them though he could from sinning against him 2. That by their sinning against God they lost this freedom and with it all that happiness which did belong to a state of innocence and integrity for by their fall they were so bruised in all their powers and faculties that they became unable to serve God and so bemired with the guilt and pollution of sin that they were altogether unfit to enjoy God A. 14. Sin is any want of conformity unto or transgression of the Law of God Expl. 14. This description of sin doth agree to sins of all sorts original or actual and these whether in thought word or deed whether of omission or commission of ignorance or of knowledg of infirmity or presumption and to sins of all degrees and sizes whether great or small for in all sin whatsoever whether it be of men or Devils there is a want of conformity to the Law of God and a violation of his just will as well as a repugnancy to the holiness of his nature Neither is it improper to place the nature of sin in a privation or want of conformity for it is that which doth deprive and rob the rational creature of the rectitude or moral perfection of his own nature which doth consist in his being like to God and in being conformable to his will A. 15. The sin whereby our first Parents fell from the estate wherein they were created was their eating the forbidden fruit Homil. xij This first man Adam who having but one Commandment at Gods hand namely that he should not eat of the fruit of knowledg of good and evil did notwithstanding most unmindfully or rather most wilfully break it in forgetting the strait charge of his Maker and giving ear to the crafty suggestion of that wicked Serpent the Devil Expl. 15. In this A. there are two things remarkable 1. That our Parents by sinning lost that state of perfection which they had in Paradise and Christ only excepted whatever some Quakers dream there was never any
the Sacraments do not become effectual c. as 1 not from any virtue in themselves for as the word is a dead letter of it self so the Sacraments are dead signs for can it be imagin'd in reason that the soul which must live for ever can be feasted fed and nourished to eternal life by a morsel of bread and a sup of wine perishing elements or that the spiritual defilement of the soul can be wash'd off by a few drops of water sprinkled upon the face 2 Not from any virtue in the Minister as neither 1 his piety because this can be no meritorious or procuring cause of a blessing in the Minister 2 nor his good intention for then the blessing would not only depend upon the power but also upon the will of man but the efficacy of Sacraments depends 2 dly affirmatively 1 st Upon Christs blessing grounded on his own institution and appointment for he will not be wanting to his own Ordinances 2 dly Upon the working of the Spirit or his application of them to the soul in a spiritual manner and thereby bringing to the mind of the receiver 1 the Author of Sacraments Christ 2 the impulsive cause his love 3 by representing and sealing the righteousness of Christ to the soul 4 by objective excitation of suitable affections as love gratitude 3 dly Their efficacy doth depend on the receivers faith not as a meritorious cause but as a necessary condition without which Christ will not bless them A. 92. A Sacrament is an holy Ordinance instituted of Christ wherein by sensible signs Christ and the benefits of the new Covenant are represented sealed and applied to believers Expl. 92. In the general all sound Divines do agree that a Sacrament hath these two parts 1 an outward sign such as are the objects of sense and especially of seeing for though bread and wine be objected or presented to the taste as well as to the eye and water to the touch yet the representation or the resemblance of Christs body broken and his blood shed is in seeing the bread broken and the wine poured out and the spiritual washing of the soul represented to the eye of faith by that washing of the filth of the flesh which is visibly done before the eye of the body 2 Invisible grace for the internal application of Christs benefits to the soul being of a spiritual nature cannot be seen by the eye of the body yet more particularly in this A. we have the nature and quality of a Sacrament 't is a holy Ordinance 1 it has holiness to the Lord stampt upon it and so is spiritual in its nature 2 It is instituted by Christ the holy one it is not his Holiness at Rome or rather that man of sin that can institute a Sacrament though he hath taken the boldness to add five Sacraments to those two which Christ hath appointed The holiest man upon earth cannot appoint a Sacrament it is priviledg enough in man to celebrate it when it is instituted by God 3 It is a means for the promoting of sanctification and holiness for it is an obligation upon a Christian to holiness and though it be not a means to work conversion ordinarily at least yet it doth excite quicken and confirm grace 4 It is the seal of a holy Covenant wherein as by a Deed of free-gift all the benefits of Christs Redemption are made over and applyed to believers and wherein all the promises are Yea and Amen through Christ unto such 5 It is an Ordinance that in a most eminent manner is accompanied with the assistance influence and comforts of the Holy Ghost because at such a time the Spirit in a most remarkable manner is concerned to execute his office as the Spirit of Adoption witnessing together with the spirits of believing Receivers that they are the children of God And doth not all this holiness wherewith this Sacrament is attended require on the Communicants part a holy and solemn preparation A. 93. The Sacraments of the new Testament are Baptism and the Lords Supper Artic. XXV There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel i. e. Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Confirmation Pennance Orders Matrimony and extream Unction are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel To. 2. Hom. IX Sacraments instituted by our Saviour Christ to be received and continued of every true Christian in due time and order for such purpose as He willed them to be received as visible signs expresly commanded in the New Testament whereunto is annexed the promise of free forgiveness of our sins and of our holiness and joining in Christ there be but two namely Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. Expl. 93. There are but these two not only as generally necessary but as only necessary to salvation for who was fitter to judg of the necessity or to appoint the number of Sacraments then he alone who had the sole power to appoint any Sacrament at all now 1 in the New Testament we find only these two of Christs appointment 2 These two are sufficient to the end to which they are appointed sc. to seal the Covenant of Grace 3 Though there were more extraordinary yet there were but two ordinary Sacraments under the Old Testament sc. Circumcision and the Passover 4 Only these two forementioned do correspond to these two of the Old Testament and so do not Pennance Matrimony Orders c. 5 Only these two are directed as to the manner of participation in the New Testament 6 Christs Ministers have only these two and no more in their Commission to administer and to celebrate as Sacraments sc. Baptism and the Lords Supper A. 94. Baptism is a Sacrament wherein the washing with water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost doth signifie and seal our ingrafting into Christ and partaking of the benefits of the Covenant of Grace and our engagement to be the Lords Artic. XXVII It is a sign of regeneration or new birth whereby as by an instrument they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church the promises of forgiveness of sin of our adoption to be the Sons of God by the Holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed Expl. 94. In this A. we have 1 the general notion of Baptism It is a Sacrament i. e. a seal of the righteousness of faith and so is every other Sacrament which is a seal of the Covenant of Grace whether under the legal or evangelical dispensation 2 We have here the description of Baptism and therein the difference of Baptism from the Lord's Supper 1 In the outward signs or elements in that water in this Bread and Wine and God having been so particular and distinct in appointing these we should be as strict and careful in the use of them not adding to them the corrupt inventions of men as the Papists do add
gage or pledg of thy salvation Rising with him by our faith we shall have our bodies likewise raised again from death to have them glorified in immortality and joined to his glorious body having in the mean while his holy Spirit in our hearts as a seal and pledg of our everlasting inheritance Expl. 38. At the resurrection of a Believer 1. There is a re-union of a soul which is free from corruption or sin to a glorified body that is incorruptible 2. These two parts being thus re-united in the very same individual person to whom they did belong before death will be actually capable at the resurrection of all that eternal bliss which Christ hath purchased and prepared for them 3. Then Christ will openly acknowledg own and approve every true Christian to be a part of his body mystical and that before his Father and all the holy Angels 4. The Believer then shall receive his general discharge and acquitment in a most solemn publick and triumphant manner from all manner of guilt whatsoever so as that none shall be able to lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect For though a Believer does receive his private discharge from all his sins at his death and as it were under the privy Seal yet his discharge is ratified confirmed and as it were enter'd into the publick Records at the day of Judgment CHAP. II. Of things to be done in the Ten Commandments with a short Explanation of 46 A. from 38 to 85. A. 39. THE duty which God requireth of man is obedience to his revealed Will. To. 1. Hom. V. The good works God hath commanded his people to walk in are such as he hath commanded in the holy Scripture and not such works as men have studied out of their own brain of a blind zeal and devotion without the word of God And by mistaking the nature of good works man hath most highly displeased God and hath gone from his Will and Commandments To. 2. Hom. X. p. 3. Mark diligently what his Will is you should do and with all your endeavour apply your selves to follow the same Expl. 39. By obedience to the revealed Will of God we are in the general to understand the conformity of our wills affections words and actions to the preceptive or commanding Will of God for all this is comprehended in that one Scripture Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man It is the will of Gods command which doth declare and require what is our duty but as for the secret will of Gods eternal purpose though it be a rule to himself whereby he acts yet it neither is nor can be the rule of our actions because not known to us nor indeed curiously to be enquired after nor is it barely the revelation of Gods will that makes it our duty to observe it but the revelation of it to this very end and purpose that man do willingly conform to it A. 40. The Rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience was the Moral Law To. 2. Hom. X. Let us esteem the holy Table of Gods Word appointed by him to instruct us in all necessary works so that we may be perfect before him in the whole course of our life To. 1. Hom. 1. p. 3. Such hath been the corrupt inclination of man ever superstitiously given to make new honouring of God of his own head and then to have more affection and devotion to keep that than to search out Gods holy Commandments and to keep them Which we should know to separate or sever Gods Commandments from the commandments of men In keeping the Commandments of God standeth the pure principal right honour of God and which wrought in faith God hath ordained to be the right trade and pathway to heaven Expl. 40. When it is here said that the Moral Law was at first i. e. in a state of innocency revealed to man i. e. to our first Parents in Paradise we are not to understand that this revelation was visible to the eye as afterwards the writing of it was in two Tables of Stone nor to be heard by the ear as when it was first given by God in Mount Sinai But it was at first revealed inwardly i. e. it was imprinted in the hearts and minds of our first Parents except that positive prohibition of eating the forbidden fruit yet being in a great part blotted out was afterwards written in two Tables of Stone A. 41. The Moral Law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments Ham. V. Christ rehearsing the Commandments declared that the Laws of God be the very way that doth lead to everlasting life and not the Traditions and Laws of men So that the works of the Moral Commandments of God be the very true works of Faith which lead to the blessed life to come To. 2. Hom. II. Containing the immutable Law and Ordinances of God in no age or time to be altered nor of any persons of any Nation of any age to be disobey'd Expl. 41. By a Law in the general we are to understand the Will of the Lawgiver requiring duty But here by the Moral Law we are to understand 1. More generally the revealed Will of God of what man is to believe and do in order to salvation 2. More particularly the Decalogue which is the sum of all Moral Laws which are scattered up and down in the Scripture And this Decalogue or Ten Words or Ten Commandments may be called Moral 1. Because of the universality of it for the Decalogue doth oblige all mankind it being that very Law for substance which was written in very legible Characters in the heart of Adam and is not quite blotted out of the minds of the veryest Gentiles in the world 2. It doth oblige at all times 3. The whole man for it requires as well the internal obedience of the soul and all its powers and faculties as outward obedience of the body A. 42. The sum of the Ten Commandments is to love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soul with all our strength and with all our mind and our neighbour as our selves Hom. 5. p. 3. Mark diligently what Gods will is that you should do and with all your endeavour apply your selves to follow the same 〈◊〉 You must have assured faith in God and give your selves wholly unto him love him in prosperity and adversity and dread to offend him ever more Then for his sake love all men Cast in your mind how you may do good unto all men to your power and hurt no man Expl. 42. The sum of these Ten Commandments or Ten Words we may take in one Word and 't is Love for Love is the fulfilling of the Law and this Love is threefold 1. To God and this must be in the highest degree or more than we are to love either our selves or neighbours yea this later love in