god of the land that is th â— true God though they corrupted themselves with serving their Idols also and thus the Samaritans continued worshipping they knew not what though they pretended to worship the true God John 4.22 The Fourth instance is that corrupt practice used sometimes in Judah of setting up high places and groves when yet they did not th â—reby intend to serve Idols but the true God and yet they are reproved for this as a gross Corrupting of the worship of God And it would seem clear sometimes in Judah and often in Israel even when they are charged with idolatry that yet the knowledge of the true God was not obliterate among them nor they so bruitish in their worship as other Nations about them we take it then for a clear truth that they often did worship the true God by images when they did not worship the images directly The Second thing may be easily cleared and made out to wit that all worshipping of God by images though the worship be pretended to be given to the true God and not to the image but to the thing signified or represented by the image is yet unlawful and idolatry forbidden by this commandment what ever sort of worship it be if it be religious as hath been said and this we shall make out by these Arguments The first is from the general scope of this Command which is to forbid not only the over-turning of Gods Services but also all Will-worship though mixed in with the Service as it seemeth that was which is mentioned Col. 2.18 of worshipping Angels which yet was so subtile that they pretended they were far from taking from God any thing that was his due that this is the scope of this Command is clear from Deut. 12.8 where the Lord forbiddeth men in his Worship To do what seemeth good to every one in his own Eyes But so it is that the worshiping of God before Images c. is Will-worship c. till it be shewen that it is prescribed by God Secondly That way of Worshiping God is clearly condemned by the more particular scope of this Command which is first to discharge all gross thoughts of God or his Service which scope As it sayeth God cannot dwell in Temples So neither can He be worshiped by mens hands that is by Images made with mens hands as these in Athens did Act. 17.24 25. For they ignorantly worshiped the true God 2. To shew that he should not be served as Idolaters served their Gods by Images Deut. 4 12.30 31 32. This binds us to the Word for all institute worship but especially restraineth us from Idolaters their way of worship as well as from their Idols Thou shalt not do so to the Lord thy God Note that So set down v. 4 relateth to Groves Images High places c. mentioned v. 3 which place doth not only discharge such Service to be given to Idols but the giving of any such Service to God himself who will have no such Service And if it be clear that worshipping him by Groves and High places be condemned why not worshiping him by Images also for the prohibition So looketh to all Thirdly This Command hath a general prohibition in it that leaveth no Image out whether of God Saint or any other thing for any Religious use under whatsoever shape For 1. It dischargeth the making of any Image of any thing for any Religious use 2. It dischargeth all Worship to be given them whether outward by Bowing or inward by Servico or whatsoever followeth on these and therefore no distinction used by Idolaters can salve the matter or avoid the strength of this Command especially considering that it directeth men in the manner how they should serve the true God and doth not simply prescribe who is to be acknowledged as true God which is done by the first Command Fourthly If by this Command Heathenish Idolatry or the Serving God by Images be condemned then the serving of God by Images also amongst Christians is here condemned But the Heathens serving God by Images is here condemned Ergo c. If it be answered that Heathens did represent by their Images that which was not God and that this was their fault I Answer 1. It is not like that all did so nor that any at first did so but some had a notion of the invisible God-head as Rom. 1.28 though they changed it into an Image like to a corruptible Creature 2. Yet here the Argument holdeth If Heathens who worshiped suppose Jupiter Vulcan c. and their Images of Gold Silver c. were holden for Idolaters not only as worshiping Jupiter and Vulcan and these Idols which were so represented but also as worshipping Gold and Silver and such Images and things as they made use of to represent them then also Christians must be said not only to worship what is represented by those Images but the Images themselves and so to be guilty of Idolatry on that account the Reason will hold alike in both and if their Exception that they worshipped not the Images but what they represented did not exempt them from being found guilty of worshipping such Images in particular neither will Christians upon that Plea be found exeemed from this guilt for a quatenus ad omno valet consequentia 5th Argument If that Idolatry committed by the Israelites in the Wilderness Exod. 32. and that which was set up in Israel by Jeroboam and that of Manlisses 2 Chron. 33. be to be condemned as Idolatry then that which is practised amongst the Papists in worshipping of their Images and God by them is to be condemned as Idolatry But the former is condemned in Scripture as gross Idolatry because it falleth off and declineth from the way of worship the Lord hath prescribed and turned Gods People like to Idolaters in their way therefore also the latter is to be condemned as Idolatry There is no exception which the Papists give in here against this Argument but the like might have been given by the Israelites For 1. If they say They worshiped not the true God before these Images that is answered already 2. If they say it was condemned because they represented him by such Images that is not enough For 1. The Command forbiddeth all Images of any thing 2. The opposition mentioned Deut. 4. Thou sawest no likeness or Image but heard'st a Voyce hath no middle but argueth against all alike Hence these Images Psal. 115. that had Noses and Mouths but smelled not and spoke not were condemned as well as those complained of Rom. 1. 3. If they say It was not lawful then but is lawful now this were to say that the Gospel admitteth of more Carnal Ordinances than the Law whereas its Service is more spiritual without all doubt From all which we may clearly conclude that in such Service there is a two-fold Idolatry committed 1. In that because of some holiness and venerability that is supposed to be in
gross violations of this Command and study to be more affected even when narratively ye are telling somthing wherein his Name is mentioned than otherwise 4. Tremble at this sin and sutably resent it when ye hear it in others be affected with it and labour to make them so that ye may thus train your selves to an abominating of that evil 5. Let it never pass in your selves especially without some special grave animadversion Look back on all your life and see if ye can remember when and where ye were gro â—â—y guilty reflect on your worship and observe omissions and defects at left in respect of what ye might have been at and learn to loath your selves for these and to be in bitterness for them especially if the escapes have been more late and recent let them not sleep with you lest ye be hardned and the Sentence stand in force unrepealed against you what will ye sleep and this Word stand in the Bible on record as a Registred Decree against you 6. Seek for much of the Spirit for none can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 7. Frequently and seriously put up that Petition to the Lord Hallowed be thy Name Matth. 6.9 The other word of Use is for what is past I am sure if we could speak of it and hear it rightly there is here that which might make us all to tremble and evidence convincingly to us our hazard and the necessity of Repentance and flying to Christ Tell me Hearers believe ye this Truth that there is such hazard from this guilt tell me if ye remember what we spoke in the opening of it is there any of you that lyeth not under the stroak of it If so what will ye do flye ye must to Christ or lye still and can there be any secure lying still for but one hour under God's Curse drawn out O ye Atheists that never trembled at the Name of the Lord and that can take a mouthful of it in your common discourse and ye who make it your by-word and mock or jest ye whom no Oaths can bind and all ye Hypocrits who turn the pretended honouring of the Name of the Lord and the sanctifying of him in his Ordinances into a real prophaning of it let me give you these two charges under certification of a third 1. I charge you to Repent of this sin to flye to Christ for obtaining pardon haste haste haste the Curse is at the door when the Sentence is past already O sleep not till this be removed 2. I charge you to abstain from it in your several Relations all ye Parents Masters Magistrates Church-Officers School-masters and Teachers I charge you to endeavour to prevent this sin in your selves and others It is sad that the Children of many are brought up in it the most part live in it our Streets are more full of it than the Streets of Heathens Advert to this charge every soul Or 3. I charge you to appear before this great and dreadful God who will not accompt any such guiltless and to Answer to Him for it The Fourth Commandment Exod. 20. v. 8 9 10 11. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it Holy Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy Work but the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any Work Thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant nor thy Cattel nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates for in Six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the Seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath and Hallowed it THe Lord in his infinite Wisdom and Goodness hath so far consulted mans Infirmity as to sum up his Duty in these Ten Commands called Ten Words that thereby his darkness and dulness by sin might be helped by an easie abbreviation The first Command therefore containeth mans duty to God in immediate Worship requiring that the only true God should be worship'd The 2d stinteth and limiteth men to that worship alone which he perseribeth The 3d. Commandeth Reverencing of him in all his Ordinances and a reverent manner of going about them This Fourth pointeth out the Time which most solemnly the Lord will have set a-part for his Worship that so He who is both Lord of us and of our time may shew what share he has reserved as a Tribute due to himself who hath liberally vouchsafed on us the rest which time is not to be understood exclusively as if he would have only that spent in worship there being no exclusive determination of exercise of worship or duration of them in Scripture that is to say that they shall be so long and so often and no longer nor oftner but that he will precisely have this time as an acknowledgment from us even as when he gave Adam the use of all the Trees in the Garden he reserved one so when he giveth Six days to us he keepeth a Seventh for himself This Command is placed in a manner betwixt the two Tables because it is a transition as it were from the one to the other and containeth in it duties of immediate Service to God and of Charity towards men and so in some sort serveth to reconcile if we may speak so the two Tables and to knit them together that so their harmony may be the more clearly seen It is also more largely and fully set down for plurality and variety of expressions and words than any other in either of the Tables yet hath it notwithstanding been in all times in a special manner assaulted and set upon and endeavours used to overturn it Satan ayming somtimes to darken the meaning of it somtimes to loose from the strict tye of observing it and that not only by old Sabbatarians Anti-sabbatarians and corrupt School-men but even by those whom God hath made Orthodox in the main And especially by a Generation in these days who having a hatred at all Ordinances and at all the Commands of the Decalogue yet do especially vent it against this Command because in it is contained a main foundation of Godliness As it is wonderfully great presumption for men to assault and set upon God's Authority even where he hath strengthned himself as it were most by more full explication and more large and particular pressing of duty and forbidding of the contrary sin as he hath done in this Command more than in any of all the rest So it will be necessary before we can speak to the practical part of piety comprehended in it concerning the sanctification of the Christian Sabbath or Lord's day either in the negative or positive part of it to speak doctrinally for clearing of the precept to these three 1. Whether this Command be moral and do oblige us in its Letter as other Commands do 2. What is the particular morality of it and the literal meaning of the words 3. How our
in secret still agree to persons in all places and Families alike but this draweth a line as it were betwixt Families and so â—ivides one Family from another yet maketh the Duty more obliging to these within such a Mans Gates or Doors than others without Doors therefore it must be joynt-worship for a-part or as concerning secret worship all are every where alike obliged 4. If by this Command something more in the worship of this day be required of a person that is a Member of a Family in reference to that Family than there is required of one who is not a Member of such a Family or is required of that person in reference to an another Family whereof he is not a Member then it requireth a distinct Family-worship for no other thing can be understood but a joynt going about the sanctifying of that day in a stricter and nearer way of Communion amongst the Members of that Family than with persons and Families in and to whom they are not so interested and related 5. If secret and publick worship were only required in this Command then should we equally and alike sanctifie the Lords day with other Families and persons not of that Family whereof we are Members for in these we joyn alike for them and with them but there is some peculiar thing required here which will not agree to be performed by all alike therefore it is Family-worship that must be here required 6. This Command requireth of Masters suppose them to be Ministers or â— Magistrates another way of Sanctifying the Sabbath and Worshipping of God in and with their Families than it doth in Reference to other Families the Command being so particular to him and to all that are within his Gates or Doors and Members of his Family speaketh this clearly But except it be joynt going about of Duties with them there can be no other thing understood to be required for 1. One may exhort another 2. All come in publick together 3. By the Masters example after the publick they all withdraw or should at least to secret exercises 4. Magistrates and Ministers may Command other Families to Sanctifie that day What is peculiar then as to their own Families but to joyn with them in Duties of Worship 7. If there were not Domestick-worship required on this day then except it were in publick Members of a Family could not converse together for they cannot converse together in doing their own works or in speaking their own words their fellowship therefore must be in exercises of worship and so that must needs be required in this Command 8. Some other thing is required by this Command of a Member of a Family which seeketh God than of a person in an Heathenish Family or some other thing is required from so many persons joyned together as Members in one Family than from such persons suppose them to be scattered from one another amongst â—eathenish Families certainly where Husband Wife Children and servants are Christians and Professors of the same true Religion there is some other thing required of them than where only the Husband the Wife the child or the servant is so but if they were scattered and became parts or Members of diverse Families among Heathens they would be obliged to seek God a-part therefore no less but much more is joynt-seeking of God required of them when they are united together as Members of one Family 9. This Command when it mentioneth all within his Gates or Doors requireth some other thing of a Master when at home with his Family than when he is withdrawn from them But a Master at a distance may Command all in his Family to worship God and pray to God for them and so may they all if they were scattered worship God secretly therefore when they are together there is some other thing required of them by this Command which is no doubt To worship God together 10. The Duties that are to be performed on this day will require this such as Instructing one another Exhorting Admonishing Comforting strengthning one another and talking to or conferring with one another of the word D â—ut 6. v. 7.8 Which cannot be denyed to be Duties called for on this day and yet they cannot be done but by joynt concurring together in that work and therefore it concludeth strongly that family-Family-worship at least on the Lords day is commanded here and if Families be called to worship God joyntly on the Lords day by the worship competent for that day then by proportion are they also called to worship him joyntly on other dayes by the worship suitable to them there being the like ground for all 11. And lastly that which is required of Families is such a worship as ought to be performed by them supposing there were no publick worship nor yet any other Family worshipping him in the World So Joshua resolveth Chap. 24.15 I a â—d my House will serve the Lord and Sanctifie His Sabbath that being a special piece of His service what-ever ye will do but if there were no worshipping of God in all the World but in one Family then ought that worship to be joynt according to that same word of Joshua's I and my House otherwise we behooved to say that there might be a plurality of worshippers of God in the World and yet without any joyning together in worship which were in it self absurd and contrary to Joshua's Religious Resolution It being thus made out by this Command that there is such a worship as Family-worship and that it is Commanded we shall consider in the next place how the Scriptures do otherwayes hold it out 1. Then consider that where the Scriptures speak of eminently Godly-men they speak of them as making conscience of this and take notice of their honouring of God in their Families as a special part of their eminency So Abraham Gen. 18. v. 19. Joshua 24.15 Job in the first Chapter of his Book and David Psal. 101. are noted It must then be a commanded and commendable Duty which is so particularly remarked in them 2. Ye will find it almost in all parts of Scripture as Gen. 18. Exod. 12. Deut. 6. Joshua 24. Job 1. Psal. 101. and Psal. 30. At the Dedication of Davids House which was not sure without some peculiar worship and craving of Gods blessing even as in other cases those who had builded Houses were to Dedicate them or to Consecrate them and wherefore because they were hoven in a manner and as it were offered to the Lord for seeking and worshipping Him in them So Altars Numb 7.84 were said to be Dedicated when they were set a-part for God's service and Consecrated for that use So Nehemiah 12.27 the Walls were Dedicated and the Levi â—es brought out for that end which Dedication no doubt had a Religious use Will any think that they began with Prayer or Praise as David did and left off such Exercises afterward see also 2 Sam. 6.20 where mention is
and perpetually-binding rule of life and manners that short summary and abridgment of all calle â—-for duties and forbidden sins whatever Socinians with whom Anabaptists and Arminian-Remonstrants on the matter joyn hands on a wo â—ful design to transform the Gospel into a new Law or Covenant of Works that thereby in place of the righteousness of Faith a righteousness of Works may be established by their alledged Supplements and Amendments of and Additaments to it to be made in the New Testament and Papists by their v â—inly boasted-of Works of Super-erogation and Counsels of Perfection whereby they would have the Law out-done by doing more than it requireth audaciou â—ly averr to the contrary even these ten-Ten-words afterward contracted by the Lord Christ into two Words or Commandments immediatly pronounced by God himself and twice written with his own singer on Tables of stone comprising a great many various matters and purposes so that it may without any the least hesitation or Hyperbole be asserted There was never so much matter and marrow with so much admirably-holy cunning compended couched and conveyed in so few words by the most Laconick concise sententious and singularly significant spok â—sman in the World And no wonder since it is He that gave men tongues and taught them to speak that speaketh here who hath infinitly beyond the most expert of them being all but Battologists and Bablers beside Him the art of speaking much marvellously much in few words and would even in this â—ave us according to our measure humbly to imitate him And no doubt it is one of the many moe and more grosse evidences of the d â—cl â—nsion of this Generation from the ancient lovely and laudable simplicity that many men forgetting that God â—â— first appointed words to be the external signs of the â—â—â—â—rnal â—concep â—â—â—â—s of their minds and foolishly fancing that because they love and admire to hear themselves talk others do or are ob â—â—ged to do so affect to multiply words if not without knowl â—dg yet without necessity and with vast disproportion to the matter And whereas a few of their words rightly disposed might sufficien â—ly serve to bring us to the very outmost border and boundary of their conceptions and also to make suitable impressions of them all the end of words yet ere we can come that length we must needs wear away our time and weary our s â—lves in wandring through the wast Wilderness of the unn â—c â—ssary and superfluous remainder of them And this doth usher in or rather is ushered in by an other piece of neighbour vanity whereby men wearing of wonted and long-worn words though sufficiently significant grow fond upon novel new-coyn'd and never before heard of ones stretching their wit if superfluity of words though both new and neat be worthy to be placed amongst the productions of wit for thereby we are made never a whit the wiser nor more knowing and putting their invention on the Tenters to find out no new matter but new words whereby often old plain and obvious matters are intricated and obscured at least to more ordinary Readers and Hearers a notable perversion of the end of words for which the institut â—r of them will call to an account neither are they satisfied with such curiosity in coarser and more comm â—n matters but this Alien and Forraign yea even Romantick and wanton stile of language is introduced into and male-partly obtruded upon Theologicks and most sublimely spiritual purposes whether discou â—sed by vive voyce or committed to writing which ought I grant to be spoke as becometh the Oracles of God with a grave appositness of phrase keeping some proportion with the Majesty of the matter that they may not be exposed to contempt by any unbecoming incongruity or baseness by which it cometh to pass to the inspeakable prejudice and obstruction of Edification that many in their niceness nauseating the form of simple and sound words are ready to hiss and how â— off the Theater of the Church the most precious and profitable points of Truth though abundantly beautiful Majestick and powerful in their own native spiritual simplicity as un â—it to act their part and as being but dull and blunt things if not altogether unworthy to be owned and received as truths if they appear not whether in the Pulpit or Press cloathed with this strange and g â—udic attire with this Comaedians Coat dressed up with the Feathers of Arrogant humane Eloque â—ce and be-aa â—b â—d with this Rethorick and affectedly-belaboured Elegancy of speech which our truly manly and magnanimous Christian Author did undervalew And no great wonder since even the Heathen moral Philosopher Seneca did look at it as scarce worthy of a man for writing to his Lucillius he willeth him in stead of being busied about words to cause himself have a feeling of the substance thereof in his heart and to think those whom he seeth to have an affected and laboured kind of speech to have their spirits occupied about vain things comparing such to diverse young me â— w â—ll trimmed and frizled who seem as they were newly com â—â—â—â—t of a box from which kind of men nothing firm nor generous is to be expected And further affirmeth that a vertu â—â—â— man speaketh more remisly â—ut more securely and whatever he sa â—t â— hath more con â—idence in it th â—n curiosity that speech being the Image of the mind if a man disguise and polish it too curiously it is a token that the speaker is an Hypocrit and little worth And that it is no manly Ornament to speak affectedly nay this hath of late with other extravagancies risen to such a prodigious hight amongst the wisdom of words or word-wisdom Monopolizing men of this age that if the great Apostle Paul who spoke wisdom though not of this sort nor of this world amongst them that were perfect and did upon design not from any defect decline all wisdom of words all in â—icing words of mens wisdom and excellency of speech that the cross of Christ might not be made of none effect and that the faith of his hearers might not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God and who loved to spea â— in the Demonstration of the Spirit and of power wherein the Kingdom of God consisteth and not in words if that great Apostle were now Preaching he would probably be looked at by such wordy and wise heads as but a we â—k man and of rude and contemp â—ible speech as he was by the big-talking Doctors of the Church of Corinth â— if not a mere Babler as he was by the Philosophers and Orators at Athens The subject matter I say of this Treatise must needs be â—ost excellent being the Spiritual Holy Just and good Law the Royal Law binding us to the Obedience of God our King the Law which Jesus Christ came not to destroy but to ful â—il whereof he is the end for Righteousness to every
l. 21. unlawfull for lawfull p. 393. l. 32. evils for ends p. 437. l. 21. Falsly or safely p. 455. l. 22. proving for roving AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Delivered in several LECTURES EXOD. 20.1 2. And God spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage BEing through Gods strength resolved to Essay the opening of the Ten Commandments all that we shall say by way of Preface shall be to give you an account or the Motives which have ingaged us in this Work T â—e first is the Excellency of this Scripture it being by the Lord himself intended as a comprehensive sum of his peoples duty and commended to us from this that though all the Scripture be his Word yet this in a singular manner is so for he spake all these words himself and by a Voice immediately formed by himself he pronounced them first to his people and afterward twice by his Finger that i â— immediately by himself without making use of any P â—n man as in â—ther Scriptures he wrote them for his peoples behoof upon two Tables of Stone which were afterwards commanded in a singular manner to be kept in the Ark D â—ut o. v. 2 5. and to be l â—arn â—d Deut. 5.1 as also to be written on the Posts of their Doors and diligently pressed on their Children Deut. â— 7 8 9 10. In opening of which Commandments not only the Prophets and Apostles but our blessed Lord in that Sermon of his upon the Mount Matth. 5.6 7. doth much insist The second is the usefulness of this Scripture and of the knowledge of it to all that would know what is pleasing to God that they may be fitted for duty to him and may know what is displ â—asing to him that they may know sin and how to eschew it and may be stirred up to r â—pentance when they have fallen into it this being the Laws property that ther â—by is the knowledge of sin Rom. 7.7 and so likewise the knowledge of duty therefore it is summed in so few words that it may be the more easily brought into and retained in the memories and hearts of his people For which cause also of old and late has it always been recommended both in the Word Deut. 5.1 and in all Cat â—chisms to b â— learned as a Rule of mens walking and yet so comprehensive is it that without pains and diligence to come to the understanding thereof men c â—nnot but come short of the great scope ther â—of The thir â— is the great ignorance that is amongst not a few of the meaning of this useful and excellent Scripture and especially in this secure time many not knowing they break the Commandments when they break them at least in many material things and this draweth with it these sad effects 1. That there are few convictions of sin 2. Little repentance for sin 3. Much security presumption confidence in self-righteousness and the like upon which the ignorance of this Scripture hath great influence even as amongst the Jews the ignorance of its Spirituality made many neglect the chief part of holiness and proudly settle on self righteousness and slight Christ the Mediator as we may see in Paul's example Rom. 7.9 and this was one reason why our Lord expounded it that by it sinners might see more the necessity of a Mediator who is the end of the Law for righteousness to all that believe Rom. 10.4 And as these effects are palpable at this time so we conceive it useful to follow the same remedy this evil being not only amongst the prophane but amongst the â—ost formal and civil who stumble at this stone yea many believers are often so much taken with cases and light in Doctrinal truths that they heed not sufficiently the meaning of the Law whereby their convictions of sin tenderness in practice â—onstant exercise of repentance and daily fresh applications to the Blood of Sprinkling are much impeded And although it may seem not so to suit the nature of this exercise for it would be noticed that the Author delivered this Doctrine of the Law in several Lectures on the Sabbath-morning before Sermon in which time he formerly used to read and expound a Chapter of the holy Scriptures or a considerable portion thereof which Lectures are not now distinguished because of the close connection of the purposes yet considering the foresaid reasons and the nature of this excellent Scripture which cannot hastily be passed through it having much in few words and therefore requiring some convenient time for explication and considering the weight of it and its usefulness for all sorts of hearers we are confident it will agree well with the end of this Exercise which is the end of opening all Scripture to wit peoples instruction and edification to insist a little thereon Our purpose is not to aim at any great accuracy nor to multiply questions and digressions nor to insist in application and use but plainly and shortly as we are able to give you the m â—aning of the Law of God 1. By holding forth the N â—tive Duties â—equired in every Commandment 2. The sins which properly oppose and contradict each Commandment that by these we may have some direction and help in duty and some spur to repentance at least a furtherance in the work of Conviction that so by it we may be led to Christ Jesus who is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believes Rom. 10.4 which is the principal intent of this Law as it was given to Israel To make way for the Exposition we shall 1. Lay down some Conclusions which arise from the Preface 2. Give you some ordinary distinctions 3. Clear and confirm some Rules or Observations useful for understanding of the whole Law The first Conclusion that we take for granted is that this Law as 't is Moral doth tye even Christians and Believers now as well as of old which appears from this that he who is God the Law-giver here Act. 7.38 is the Ang â—l Christ and 't is his Word as is clear v. 30 31. as also the matter of it b â—ing connatural to Adam it did bind before the Law was given and that obligatory force cannot be separated from its nature though the exercise of Right Reason in Nature be much obliterate since the Fall therefore Christ was so far from destroying this Law in its Authority and P â—ul so far from making it void by the D â—ctrine of Faith that our Lord tells he came to fulfil it M â—tth 5.17 and Paul shews that his preaching of Faith was to est â—blish it Rom. 3.31 which truth b â—ing confirmed by them both in their Practice and Doctrine sheweth that the breach of the holy Law of God is n â—l â—ss sinful to us now than it was to them before us The second Conclusion is that though this
Covenant of Works t â— them and therefore it is that the Lord rejects as we may see Isaiah 1.13 66. 2. 3. Jer. 7.22 their Sacrifices and Services as not commanded b â—cause rested on by them to the â—r â—judice of Grace and contrary to the strain and scope of this Law complexly considered 4 Distinguish betwixt the Moral and Ceremonial and Judicial Law the first concerns manners and the right ordering of a Godly Conversation and because these things are of perpetual equity and r â—ctitude the obligation of this Law as to that is perpetual and therefore in the expounding of it these two terms Moral and of Perpetual Auth â—rity are all one and to be taken so 2. The Judicial Law is for r â—gulating outward Society and for Government and doth generally excepting what was peculiar to the people of Israel agree with the Moral Law this as given to them is not perpetual their policy being at an end 3. The Ceremonial Law is in Ceremonies Types and Shadows pointing at a Saviour to come this is also abrogate the substance being come but there is this difference that the Judicial Law is but M â—rt â—a dead and may where 't is thought fit with the foregoing caution be used under the New Testament but the Ceremonial Law is Mortifera deadly and cannot without falling from grace Gal. 5.2 4. be revived 5 When we speak of things Moral we are to distinguish between things Naturally Moral that is such as love to God and our Neighbour and such like which have an innate rectitude and holiness in them which cannot be separate from them and things positively Moral that have their obligation by a special positive superadded Sanction so that their rectitude flows not from the nature of the things themselves as in the former As for instance in the fourth Commandment it is naturally Moral that God should be worshipped Nature teacheth it but that he is to be worshipped on such a day particularly that comes to pass by vertue of his positive Command the first cannot be altered the second by the Lord may but till he alter it the Authority lies still on all and it is equally sin to sin against any of them though without the positive Sanction there is no obligation naturally requiring obedience in some of them 6 The sixth distinction is of the Moral Law in two Tables first and second the first contains ou â— immediate worship service and obedience to God himself and is comprehended in the first four Commandments th â— s â—cond contains our mediate obedience to God in all the duties we owe to other â— in the last six they were at first so divided by the Lord hims â—lf for there are Ten in all Deut. 4.13 From this distinction take notice 1. That all the Commandm â—nts of the second Table are of like Authority with the first God sp â—ke all these words yea as it appears from Act. 7.28 it was our Lord Jesus 2. The sins immediat â—ly aga â—nst the first Table are gre â—ter th â—n those against the second for this cause Matth. 22.38 the first is called the First and Great Commandment Ther â—fore 3. In Morals if th â—y be things of the same nature the duti â—s of the second Table cede and give place to the duties of the first Table when th â—y cannot stand together as in the case of love to God and the exercise of love to our Father and Neighbour Luke 14.26 Matth. 10.37 wh â—n obedience to God and obedience to our Superiours cannot consis â— we are to obey God rather than man Act 4.19 and we are to love the Lord and hate Father and Moth â—r Luke 14. â—6 4. Y â—t take notice that Ceremonials or positives of the first Table for a time cede and give place to Morals in the second as fo â—â—elieving or pr â—s â—rving our Neighbours life in hazard we may trav â—l on the Sabbath day according to that Scriptur â— I will h â—ve M â—rcy and not Sacrifice â— and the Sabbath was made fo â— man and not man for the Sabbath c. 7 The seventh distinction which is ordinary is of the Commandments into affirmative and negative as ye see all the Commandments in the first T â—ble are negatively set down â—orbidding sin directly Th â—â— shalt not have an other gods c only the fourth is both negative and â—ffirmative â—orbidding sin and commanding duty directly as also the fi â—th only which is the first of the s â—cond T â—ble is affi â—mative all the r â—st are negative This disti â—ction is not so to be understood as if nothing were commanded or injoyned in negative Pr â—c â—pts or as i â— nothing were fo â—bidden in affirmative Pr â—c â—pts â—or whatever be expr â—ss â—d as forbidden the co â—â—â—ary is always in ply â—d as command â—d and whatsoever is expr â—sly commanded the contr â—ry is always imp â—yed as forbidden b â—t the disti â—ction is taken from the manner of setting them down conc â—rning which take th â—s â— Rules or G â—neral Obs â—rvations for your better understanding many wher â—o â— are in the larger Cat â—chisme 1 Howev â—r the Commandments be expressed affirmatively or negatively every one of them hath two parts one affirmative implyed in negative Precepts requiring the duties that are contr â—ry to the si â—s forbidden another negative implyed in the affirmative Precepts forbidding the sins that are contrary to the duties commanded as for example the third Comm â—ndme â—t Thou shalt n â—t take the Name of the Lord thy God in v â—in it implies a Command reverently to use his Name So to remember to keep Holy the Sabbath d â—y implies a Prohibition of prophaning it in which sense all the Commandments may in some respect be called negative and so a part of the fourth Commandment is neg â—tively expressed Th â—u shalt do no work or affirmative in which respect Christ c â—mprehendeth all the neg â—tiv â—s under these two great affirmative Commandments of love to God and our Neighbour for every Commandment doth both â—njoyn and forbid the like may be said of promises and threatnings there b â—ing in every promise a threatning and in ev â—ry threatning a promise conditionally implyed And this may be a reason why some Commandments are negatively expressed some positively to shew us that both are comprehended 2 Though the positive Commandmen â— or the positive p â—rt of the Commandment be of alike force and Authority with the negative as to the obligation it layeth on us to duty yet it doth not tye us to all occasions and times as negatives do Hence is that common Maxim that affirmative Commands tye and oblige semper ever that is they never want their Authority and we are never absolved from their obedience but they do not oblige and tye ad semper that is in all differences of time we are not tyed to
hear in their sleep yet they are bound not to Murder nor commit Adultery c. in their sleep and the more renewed and holy Christians are in their ordinary walk so are they in their dreams and even in this sanctified persons differ from unrenewed ones 6 The sixth Argument is this we suppose these grounds that prove involuntary lust in the first motions thereof and before they can come to consent to be sin will infer these motions in sleeping men of which we speak to be sinful also For 1. Though these motions of lust be involuntary and weaken not the deliberate use of Reason more than the other And 2. Though they be in the Regenerate wr â—stled against and not approved more than the other yet because these are not according to reason though not brought forth by it and not answerable to that simple purity and Angelick holiness which should be in man and it is hard to imagine the most passing motions of lust running never so swiftly through us not to leave behind them some dreg of defilement by reason of our corruption that sideth still in less or more with temptation which cannot be said of sins objected by the Tempter to our Lord and such lusts or motions of lust have still by the Orthodox according to Paul's Doctrine Rom. 7. been thought sinful upon the foresaid reasons and we see not but these same reasons will hold here Lastly we add that generally the Consciences of the Godly look on this kind of practices although committed in sleep with horrour and no reasoning or disputing will truly quiet them till they be humbled before â—od under them and yet they use not to be so troubled in other things that are meerly Ceremonial How doth Augustine complain of this yea confess and lament it Conf â—ss lib. 1 â— cap. 30. though elsewhere he accounts it no sin yet he crys out of it and that he thought it a mercy that he had not done what in sl â—ep he consented to act reperimus nos non fecisse d â—leamus t â—men quoquo m â—do in nobis factum fuisse It grieves him that it should be any way done in him and he agreeth it thus that he had not always rejected these as sometimes he had done And do not the Godly sometimes in their sl â—ep make opposition to th â—se motions and how often do they in prayer wrestle against this evil and that as I conceive from another apprehension of it than simply because of any punishment or a â—â—liction that is in it for many things more af â—licting do not so affect them and yet even these know the reasons that are made use of against the sinfulness of it which maketh me think there is something directly against Conscience and Purity in these sinful actions or motions To conclude sure we are this Opinion is not unsuitable to the end of the Law and that absolute Purity and Angeli â—al Holiness God calleth for in it namely that not only when we are awake we are to be still with him but that our sleep should not break our Communion with him And certainly it is most safe for man to humble himself under the s â—ns â— of his sinf â—l nature and the sad necessity of sinning both waking and sleeping he hath brought on himself that th â—r â—by he may the better press on himself the necessity of a Mediator for Righ â—eousness which are the great ends and uses of the Law We come now more particularly to the words which the Lord himself spoke concerning the number of these Commandments and general scope of them as hath been said there is no question but there be four things we would sp â—ak a little to for further clearing of the Text b â—fore we come to speak particularly to the first Commandment The first is whether these words I am the Lord thy God c. be a part of the first Commandment or a Preface to all the T â—n Ans. We think it is a ground laid down for pressing and drawing sorth our obedience to all the Commandments yet it hath relation more especially to the first Commandment as the negative expression there cleareth which is Thou shalt have no other gods before me that is no other than Me what Me even Me the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt So then there is a special relation betwixt this Commandment and the Preface as including the positive part of this negative Commandment and it doth especially clear these three things 1 What is the right object of worship it is Jehova Elohim the Lord that sheweth the Unity of the Divine Essence for so Jehovah being a word in the singular number is ordinarily look't on as pointing out this then Elohim which is a word in the plural number speaketh the plurality of Persons in the God-head so that the Lord commanding and requiring obedience here is one God and three Persons 2 It cleareth what is the right Channel in which our service should run it is in the Channel of the Covenant our obedience is to be directed not to God abstractly considered but to God as our God I am the Lord thy God saith he and thy God by Covenant so the expression is Deut 28.58 That thou mayst fear this glori â—us and fearful Name THE LORD THY GOD. This maketh our service and worship sweet and kindly and without this relation there can be no acceptable service performed by sinful man to God and that relation that by the Covenant of Works once stood betwixt them being broken it saith it must be made up again which only can be done in Christ and it saith also that this relation to God in him and obedience to the Law can consist well together 3 It cleareth what is the right and great motive of obedience to wit the benefit of Redemption love and thankfulness upon that account constraining to the performing of these duties that are commanded that they may be done willingly and in a chearful manner Secondly It may be asked why the second Commandment and the fourth Commandment have reasons pressing obedience annexed to them which none of the other hath at least expresly set down by the Lord Ans. This may be a reason because all the other Commandments are by the Law of Nature determined in mens Consciences and the sins against them are by Natures Light seen to be evil but the substance of these two to wit what way he will be worshipped in externals and on what day as the solemn time of worship being determined by Gods positive Law they are not so impressed on mens Consciences as the duties required in the other Commandments are therefore the Lord addeth reasons to â—ach of these to perswade to the obedience of them as to the second I am a jealou â— God and therefore will not admit of any the least appearance of declining from me even in externals and to the fourth keep the
those who receive the Word in vain and for all his invitations r â—st not on him th â—se make God a Lyar and d â—spise him and his offers being unwilling that he should reign over them Here cometh in also anxiety in respect of his Providence and distrust or diffidence in respect of his Promises which is a sin qu â—stioning the fulfilling of Promises from the apprehension of some weakn â—ss in the Promiser or in means used by him to bring about the accomplishment Temerity or tempting of God is against Confidence also this is an essaying or attempting somewhat without God's Warrant without which none can lawfully undertake any thing that of Diffidence wrongeth God's Faithfulness this of Temerity wrongeth his Wisdom in not making use of the means prescribed by him as if we would attain the end another way of our own opposite to Faith also and the profession of it are dissembling of the truth fainting in the profession thereof especially in the case of Confession by which we dishonour God and by our fearful pufillanimous and cowardly carriage some way t â—mpteth others to think that we do not indeed believe these things on which we seem by our faint deportment to lay little or no weight 3 We may instance the breach of this Commandment in what is opposite to Hope nam â—ly Desperation and Presumption or vain Confidence and because every Grace has many opposite Vices ye may see it is the easier to fail in obedience to this C â—mmandment Desperation wrongeth many Graces it is twofold either total from want of Faith or partial from weakness of Faith There is also a D â—speration and Diffidence that is good Eccles. 2.20 which is when we despair in our selves or from any thing in our selves or in the world to attain happiness or what is promised that holy Self-despair is good but that is not it which is meaned here for it is not absolute despairing but such as hath still a reservation with it If he help me not which implieth hope Presumption runneth on the other extreme looking for what is promised without taking God's way to attain it and it differeth from native and true Confidence which with peace and boldness resteth on his Word and in his way expecteth the thing promised the fault of Presumption is not that it accounteth God's mercy too great or expecteth too much from him but that it accounteth him to have no Justice nor hath it respect to his Holiness and Greatness even as Desperation faileth not in attributing to him too much Justice but in making it inconsistent with his Mercy and Promises and extending sin wants and unworthiness beyond his mercy and help as Judas and Cain did 4. For finding out of the breaches of this Commandment ye may consider the opposites to love with the whole heart such as luke-warmness Rev. 3.15 coldness of love Mat. 24. â—2 self-love excessive love to Creatures hatred of God not as he is good but as he is averse from sinful men prohibiting what they love and punishing them for committing sin for it is impossible for men to serve two Masters as Sin and God but the one must be loved and the other hated And is there any thing more ordinary than love to sin which is evil and hatred of God which is the great Good which appeareth in little zeal for him and little reverencing of him 5 Consider what is opposite to Fear and Reverence and there you will find much carnal security and vain confidence in it obstinacy stout-heartedness little trembling at his Word not being affected with his Judgments rashness and irreverence in his Service whereas there is a general fear in all our walk called for Prov. 23.17 We ought to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long and there is a peculiar fear called for in the Ordinances of his Worship Eccles. 12.23 Mal. 1.6 which was commended in Levi Mal. 2.5 On the other hand opposite to this is that carnal fear and anxiety which is commonly called servile and slavish fear and the fear of man which bringeth a snare Prov. 29.25 6 Look after the breaches of this Commandment by considering what is contrary to the obedience we owe to him as God and our God Now internal and external obedience may both be comprehended in this every man ought wholly to give away himself and the use of all his faculties and members for the Glory of God and to him only and to none other And this requireth a practise that is compleat both as to the inward bent of the will and heart and also as to all the external parts th â—reof which being seriously pondored O! how often will we find this Commandment broken as the particular comparing of our life with the Word and the explication of the rest of the Commandments may easily clear and discover 7 The sin of impatience which is opposite to that patience and submission we owe to God in his ways and Dispensations is one of the special br â—aches of this Commandment it is very broad and doth many ways discover it self As 1. In fretting at Events which befall us 2. In not submitting chearfully to God's way with us but repining against it 3. In wishing things had fallen out otherwise than God hath disposed 4. In limiting God and prescribing to him thinking that things might have been better otherwise 5. In not behaving himself thankfully for what he doth even when his Dispensations are cross and afflicting 8 This Commandment is broken by the many sins which are opposite to that Adoration and high esteem that we should have of God in our hearts he ought to have the Throne and be set far up in our minds and affections but oh how many are there that will not have one serious thought of him in many days and are far from being taken up with him or wondering at him and his way with sinners c. Lastly When Invocation and Prayer is slighted this Commandment is broken when he is not by calling upon him acknowledged in every thing and particularly when internal prayer in frequent ejaculations to God as Nehemiah 2.4 is neglected Now if all these were extended to our selves and these we have interest in and that in thoughts words and deeds according to all the former general rules what guilt would be found to lye upon every one of us in reference to his Attributes Relations to us and Works for us and as these hold him forth to be worshipped as such so when that is slighted or neglected it cannot but infer great guilt especially when his due is not given by such as we are to such as he is it maketh us exceedingly guilty and though the same thing be often mentioned yet it is under a divers consideration for as one thing may break more Commandments than one so may one thing divers ways break one and the same Commandment as it â—pposeth or marreth dive â—s Graces and Duties The
of the breach thereof and therefore ye should consider that it is broken 1. In Doctrine or doctrinally 2. In practice 3. In both when the Doctrines vented and published against truth have external practices following on them as that doctrine of Image-worship hath which we have spoken to already and is the gross breach of this Command and the Lord instanceth it as being the greatest because where this is all sorts of Idolatry are for it supposeth Idolatry against the first Command and that some esteem and weight is laid upon that Creature we worship beyond what is its due as if there were in it some divinity or ability to help whereby it is thought worthy of such honour whereupon followeth that external worship which is given to it upon that account and so because Saints are thought able to hear and help men pray to them and because the Cross is thought holy men worship it c. and as this Idolatry is manifold among the Papists so it is palpable when Prayer is made to Saints Reliques Bread the Cross Images c. Now that we may further explain this consider that this Command is three ways broken doctrinally all which have a great influence upon mens breaking of it in their practice or the Service and Worship of God is three ways wronged by the doctrines of men 1. When some thing is added to his Service which he hath not commanded and this is superstition and will-worship largely so taken Of this kind are 1. The 5 Popish Sacraments added to those two the Lord appointed 2. Other and more Mediators than the One Mediator Christ. 3. More meritorious causes of Pardon and Justification than the blood and merits of Christ. 4. More Officers in his house than he hath appointed such as Bishops Cardinals c. 5. More Ceremonies in worship as Salt Spittle and Cream added in Baptism to VVater and Kneeling c. to the Lords Supper 6. More Holy-days then God hath instituted 7. Other things to be acknowledged for the Word of God than the Scripture as Traditions Apocrypha c. and many such things whereof for the most part Popery is made up 2ly It is broken when his Ordinances are diminished and any thing which he hath commanded is taken away from them as is clear from Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought there from and thus they break this Command by taking away the Cup from Laicks as they call them in the Lords Supper and the use of the Bible from the People in their own Language also it is broken by taking away Baptism from Infants and Discipline or Excommunication from the Church and by taking away the Sabbath day and publick singing of Psalms or such like not to speak of that Blasphemous and some-way Pagan-Her â—sie of Qunquerisme over-turning most if not all the Ordinances of God destructive to all true Religion and Christianity and introducing at least having a native tendency to introduce old Paganism and Barbarity 3dly This Command is broken by corrupting of Gods worship as when the Word is mis-interpreted and mis-applyed Prayers are used in a strange Tongue the Word is mixed with Errours and the Church both left without Discipline and abused in civil things which tendeth to the corrupting of Gods Service unqualified-men put into the Ministry and kept in i â— when Sacraments are rested on and worshipped even as the Brazen Serpent was abused and the Temple though appointed by God at first for good ends was afterward rested on and Idolized Again this Command is practically broken four ways First by gross prophanity and neglect of the practice of known duties of worship this way are guilty all prophane Contemners of Sacraments Word Discipline c. All Neglecters of them when they may have them and all these that set not themselves to go rightly about them in secret in Families or in Publick and wh â—re many opportunities of Gospel Ordinances are this sin is the more frequent and so all Atheists that contemne Religion and these that would only serve God with a good heart and intention as they pretend without any outward worship are condemned here and also those who for fear or advantage give not testimony to the Truth and Ordinances of Christ when such a testimony is called for 2. Men sin against this Command when they practise will-worship and superstition in servin â— God by duties he never required â—â— whether â— It be Will-worship in respect of the Service it self as when that is gone about as duty which is not in it s â—lf lawful as when such and such Pilgrimages and Penances are appointed by men to be done as Service to God Or 2. When worship or Service under the Gospel is astricted to such a place as if it were Holier to pray in one place than in another and that therefore God did hear Prayer there more willingly and easily than in another place Or 3. In respect of bodily posture as if there were more Religion in one posture than in another as in receiving the Lords-Supper Kneeling or Praying in such and such a posture except in so far as it is decent and otherwise rightly regulate by â—ules of Prudence and Natures light 4. When it is without a Divine Warrant tyed to such a time only as Christmass commonly called Yool Easter Pasche c. which is an Observing of times that God hath not appointed 5. When it is tyed to such an occasion or accident as to Pray when the Clock striketh or when on â— Neeseth which Plinius marked of Tiberius who was no Religious man yet could not abide one who lifted not his Hat when he Neesed and said not God bless and he observeth it among these things he can give no reason for the Prayer is good but the timing of it so and astricting it to that thing is superstitious so your lightwakes and Diriges as ye call them are upon this account to be condemned either as superstitious or as prophane or at the best as the reliques and causes or occasions of both For 1. Once in times of Popish darkness they were so used or rather abused 2. Why are your Visits stinted to such a time more than another It profiteth not the defunct and it hurteth the person you come unto a multitude not being â—it for comforting or instructing and yet it cannot be called a meer civil visit being trusted with such an occasion but certainly it suteth not nor is it a Christian carriage toward the Dead and after the Burial of the Dead to spend time together in such a way as is commonly used Beside it is superstitious when a thing without reason is astricted to such a time or occasion as giving and receiving of gifts on New-years-day too too common amongst Christians though a Heathenish custome which day as Gratian observes was dedicated to their Devil-god Janus He asserts likewise that such Christians as in his
our Prayers 12. Not having recourse by Faith to the Blood of sprinkling for pardon of these sinful defects We are to consider how men break this Command in Praise and Thanksgiving And here there is failing in general 1. In the utter neglect of this necessary duty alasse what of that duty do we in secret and yet it is singularly for Gods honour and as clear a duty as Prayer 2. In mocking praise often by prophaning Psalms for our carnal mirth 3. In neglecting and slighting of it though not altogether yet by unfrequent going about it 4. In accounting it to be almost no duty at all and in being but little challenged for slighting of it or for irreverent using of it 2dly We sin before we go about this duty 1. In not preparing for it 2. In not praying for the Spirit to fit and enable us to Praise 1 Cor. 14.15 and for a fixed heart for that work Psal. 108.1 3. In our not ayming at a spiritual disposition for such a spiritual duty 4. In our not endeavouring for a right impression of the Majesty of God And 5. For clearness of our interest in him And 6. For an impression of the excellency of his way and meaning of his word all which are exceeding necessary unto the right performance of this duty and without them we cannot Praise sutably 3dly We are guilty of many faults in the time of praising 1. Doing it without respect to Gods glory and for the fashion only 2. Hypocrisie not praising him with the whole heart performing it only with the lips when the heart is away 3. Ignorance when we want understanding of the words we express 4. No sutable impression of Gods greatness and goodness upon our hearts when we praise 5. Not ayming at Communion with God in this duty as desiring minding and hoping to praise him for ever 6. Not being taken up with Spiritual and Heavenly delight in him and in the work of his praise 7. Lightness laughing or mainly affecting of and carnally doting upon some tone or voyce more than being sutably affected with the matter and making melody in the heart to the Lord. 8. Forgetting what we do sing and not knowing or considering what it is we sing the heart not being present nor fixed 9. Not being constrained by love to praise but some custome or natural Conscience constraining us to it 10. Not offering up our praises in and through Christ Jesus H â—b 13. v. 15. 11. Soon satisfied in our praising as if we were little troubled to be fitted for it and because little of our selves lyeth in it we are the less careful how we discharge it but stint and limit our selves to some certain customary matter which puts us to few prayers before and makes but few challenges after 12. Not intermixing ejaculatory prayers in our praisings 13. Much Hypocrisie when we sing the cases of others or their thoughts and estimation of God and study not to be something-like their frame and exercise 14. Not framing our affections in praising to the subject of our praise whether it be some sad case or some chearful condition or some Historical or Prophetical subject and when imprecations are a part of the Song we soon fall off or praise one and the same way in all 15. Not serious in blessing God for former mercies to his Servants if it be not so well with us in the mean time nor chearfully acknowledging his former deliverances of his Church and people in which we have not personally shared 16. Not being affected with his keeping of us free of many sad cases we sing and others have been in nor blessing him for delivering them 17. Not letting the Word of the Lord which we sing sink down in us for engaging our hearts to and chearing our spirits in good 18. Not assenting to and giving him glory in the acknowledgment of the justness of his severest threatnings and the most fearful Scripture-Imprecations 19. Not rightly observing those things that are the subject-matter of Scripture Songs so as to put a difference between some things we are to tremble and scare at such as the falls of the Saints and other things which we are to imitate and follow for our edification 20. Gadding in idle looks so that some scarce look on their books although they can read that they may the better have the sense of what they sing 21. Not putting a difference betwixt praying a Petition that is in a Psalm and singing of it which should have a sweetness with it that may incourage us to pray for and expect what others before us have obtained 22. Wanting such considerations about the matter sung when it suits not our present case as may sutably affect us and fit us to glorifie God in that duty as when we sing of the eminent holiness of some of the Saints we are to bless him that ever any was so holy whatever be our sinfulness and that we have hope of pardon though under many failings and much unlikeliness to that case we sing 23. Not singing with the voyce at all although the tongue be given us as our Glory that we may therewith thus glorifie God 4thly After we have been about this duty of praise we sin 1. By falling immediatly into a carnal frame 2. Not looking back or examining when we have done how we carryed it in praising God 3. Few challenges for our many failings in praise 4. Little Repentance for those failings 5. Not keeping the heart right for a new opportunity of praise 6. Not keeping a record of his mercies in our memories and upon our hearts to engage us to praise him 7. Not walking in the exercise of love which would sweetly constrain us to this duty and make us delight in it These are but a few of the many Iniquities that are to be found in our holy things Exod. 28.38 It s good we have a High Priest to bear them O what if all our sins were reckoned how hainous would they be what a summ will they come to if our performances of holy duties have so many sins in them and when the sins of a Sabbath are counted how many will they be hundreds of divers sorts in praying hearing and praising and multiply these to every loose thought and every declining or wavering of the heart how many times may they be multiplyed ah how many unholy words do we let slip and then consider all the Sabbaths and Sermons Prayers and Praises we have had how many hundred thousands will they amount to It is sad that men should lye under all these with few or no challenges or without minding repentance or thinking of the necessity of employing the High Priest for doing them away therefore we should accept these challenges give Him employment who only can bear the Iniquity of our holy things If this bring not down self Righteousn â—ss and convince you of the necessity of a Mediatour w â—at will do it We shall proceed
in the next pl â—ce to consider the sins that wait on receiving the Sacraments which as they were a special part of the Worship of God under the Old Testament so they are yet under the New and our sins in reference to them strike against this Command as it prescribeth and carveth out our external Worship and so much the rather should we consider this because there cannot be a more express Covenanting with God in giving and receiving proposing terms and accepting of them for closing the Covenant than is in the Sacraments Before we enter to speak of the faults we are here guilty of we may in general propose some things concerning the Sacraments As 1. For what ends God hath appointed them that so we may know what is to be expected in them 2. How they effectuate the ends that we may know how we should go about them and we shall speak to these two joyntly because we cannot speak to the one but we must speak to the other But before we speak to these some things are to be p â—aemitted As 1. That God hath thought good always to add Sacraments to his Covenants thus the Covenant of Works had its Sacraments Adam had the Tree of Life for a Sacrament to confirm him in the Faith of that Covenant so the Covenant of Grace in all its administrations had its Sacraments also for confirmation thereof as before Christs incarnation it had Circumcision the Passover and divers Sacrifices eff â—ctual for that end and the Fathers before Abraham had their Sacrifices for Sacraments and since his Incarnation it hath Baptism and the Lords Supper for as the Lord has for mans sake condescended to deal with him after the manner of men by Covenants and mutual Engagements so he keepeth the manner of men in Swearing Sealing and confirming these Covenants for their greater consolation who are within t â—e same H â—b 6.18 2dly Although the nature of the Covenant alter the Sacrament in respect of our use-making of it yet as all Covenants have some essentials in which they agree to wit a Promise and a Restipulation so all Sacraments have something common to wit that they Signifie Seal and Strengthen the Covenanters in assurance of enjoying what is promised according to the terms of the Covenant to which they are as Seals appended the Tree of Life confirmed the promise of Life to Adam upon condition of perfect Obedience Circumcision confirmed it to Abraham upon condition of Faith Rom. 4.11 3dly The Sacraments of the Covenant of Grace before and after Christ differ in circumstantials as the Covenant it self under the Old and New Testament doth but in essentials they agree for they seal one and the same thing and after one and the same manner 4thly There are some chief things common to all Sacraments of the Covenant under one administration As for example Baptisme and the Lords Supper they agree both in this that they seal the Covenant and represent Christ and his benefits c. yet in either of them there are some peculiar promises and benefits especially looked unto and also they have their peculiar manner of sealing these things which are common to both Believers are also confirmed in the same things by the Word but the Sacraments confirm them in another way more clearly and sensibly and proportionally to our weakness and necessity 5thly No Sacrament is of and from it self valid but its validity and efficacy is from the Covenant and Promise whereof it is a Sacrament and so it is a seal to none but to such as are in the Covenant and keep the condition of it to them it sealeth the benefits promised though absolutely and simply it seal the truth of the conditional promises and so it may be said conditionally to seal to all the Members of the Church the truth of what is promised upon such a condition as for example The Tree of Life sealed this Truth that who stood in perfect Obedience should have Life but it did not seal to Adam that he should have Life except upon condition of his perfect Obedience the like may be said of Circumcision Baptism c. 6thly Hence every Sacrament doth suppose a Covenant and the Receivers entry into the Covenant to which the Sacrament that he receiveth relateth so that we come not to the Sacrament properly to enter into Covenant with God but first the Covenant is entered and then the Seal is added as Gen. 17. First God entered into Covenant with Abraham and then the Seal of Circumcision is added as a confirmation thereof 7thly No Sacrament giveth any new right which the Receiver had not before only it confirmeth the right he had before he hath access to the Sacraments upon the account of his external right 8thly Sacraments confirm still something that is future and to come they being instituted for the confirmation of our Faith and Hope in those things of which we are most apt to doubt as the Passover strengthened the Israelites again â—t the fear of being destroyed the Tree of Life confirmed what was promised to Adam and not performed and so all Sacraments help us to believe the making good of some promise not performed for they serve as the Oath and Seal and indeed when we Preach the Gospel we offer a Sealed Covenant and a Sworn Covenant These things being premised we come to speak to the things proposed and we say The Sacraments of the New Testament of which only we speak purposely have in God's appointment and our use these three ends especially The 1. is to represent clearly the nature of the Covenant and the things promised therein as the washing away of sin Christ himself his death and benefits and the way how we come to the application of all these to wit by Faith freely putting on Jesus Christ for taking away guilt and strengthening us to an holy walk in all these the Sacraments that is the signs and word of Institution added do fully and clearly 1. To the Ears 2. To the Eyes 3. To our other senses of feeling c. not only hold forth what is offered but our way of closing with and accepting of that Offer as if God who by Preaching letteth us hear him speak inviting us to be reconciled to him were in the Sacraments letting us see him tryst and close that bargain with us by his Ambassadors in which respect the Sacrament may be called the Symbol and Token of the Covenant as it is Gen. 17. and this way the Sacraments have a teaching use to bring to our remembrance Christ his sufferings and benefits as well as our estate what it was without him and before our closing with him all this by the word and elements with the actions concurring is represented to us as if it were acted before our eyes for making the way of the Gospel the more clear to our judgments and memories who either senselesly take it up or sluggishly forget these spiritual things the Lord who
improving of this Tye not onely for obliging us to these but for strengthening us in Him to attain them and to comfort our selves in all Difficulties from this ground These things are much a-missing Alas they are much a-missing For we lamentably neglect to draw all our Strength and Furniture under all tentations and for all Duties from Christ by vertue of this Baptismal Obligation and Tye We resort but seldome to this Magazine and Store House this precious Priviledge is Alas but very little manured and improved by us We come next to speak of the sins we are usually guilty of in reference to the Lords Supper and they be of several sorts 1. Some are Doctrinal when the Institution is corrupted as in Popery These we will not now meddle with 2. Others are practical and they are either in Ministers and Elders who admit and debar or in such as are admitted or debarred And First we are to consider that men may sin against this Ordinance by not Communicating As 1. When they contemn and wilfully neglect it 2. When they are not frequent in it but carelessly slight it when conveniently it may be had 3. By not foreseeing and ordering our Affairs so as we may not be hindred when an occasion of that Ordinance offereth it self near to us 4. By incapacitating our selves to be admitted through ignorance or scandal and by negligence to remove these 5. By sretting at our being debarred or at these who has a hand in it 6. Not repenting of the causes which procureth our being declared 7. Not seeking to be humbled under such a weighty censure and to get the right use of it for the time to come 8. Suspecting that it proceedeth from carnal ends 9. Reporting amiss of those who do it 10. Not praying for them that partake in this Ordinance where-ever we hear of it in any place 11. Looking rather to the unfitness of some that are admitted and the neglect of duty in Office-bearers in debarring than our own 12. Not sympathizing with them and yet on that ground absenting our selves to wit for the faults of others And here by the way we beseech you take these few words of Exhortation 1. Look on debarring of ignorant and scandalous persons from the Lord's Table as Christ's Ordinance 2. Consider wherefore your selves are debarred and as you may be assured it is from no particular prejudice or disrespect so ye would repent be humbled for that which procureth it 3 Be making up what is wanting for the time to-come your failing in any of these is a fault and let none think themselves the less bound to the study of holiness because they are kept from partaking of it But the sin of some is they shift it because they will not stir themselves up to a sutable frame for it and yet they are not sutably affected with the want of it Next there are faults in them that are admitted to Communicate and these both in Hypocrits and true Believers respectively and that 1. Before 2. In the time and 3. After receiving the Lords Supper And first Before receiving there are many failings As 1. Ignorance of the end and nature of this Ordinance 2. Not studying to know it Nor 3. To have the heart rightly affected with it 4. Not endeavouring to keep up a high esteem and holy reverence of the wonderful Love of God in giving of his Son and the Son 's condesending Love in coming to dye for Sinners 5. Not seeking to have the Covenant clearly closed with by Faith before it be sealed by the Sacrament 6. Not endeavouring to have all by gone quarrels removed and our Peace established 7. Not searching our way that we may be well acquainted with our condition so as we may have the distinct knowledg of it when we come 8. Not carefully endeavouring a sutable frame of heart by Prayer Meditation and Reading 9. Not praying for a blessing either for him that administreth or for those who are to joyn with us to prevent their sin 10. Not minding their instruction who are under our charge 11. Not presently renewing if before closed with and consented to our Covenant before our partaking 12. Not sequestring our hearts from other things for that end 13. Not fearing to miss the thing offered and to contract guilt instead of getting any good 14. Not searching after the sins of former Communions and other sins and repenting of them 15. What we ayme at in these not ayming at them in Christs strength 16. Not ayming and endeavouring constantly to walk with God and keep communion with him in all duties that we may have the more access to communion with him in this Ordinance 17. Not laying aside of rooted prejudices and secret malice Nor 18. Admonishing such whom we know to lye under any offence of that kind that they may repent and reform 19. Unstayedness in our ayming at communion with God in it or coming to it more selsily than out of due regard to the glory of God 2dly In our going about this Ordinance there are many faults that usually concurr As 1. Our giving too little respect or too much to it as is said before of the Sacraments in general 2. Our not exercising Faith in the present time according to the Covenant and Christs Institution 3. Want of Love to constrain us and want of that Hunger and Thirst that should be after Christ. 4. Want of that discerning of the Lord's Body which should be so as 1. To put a difference betwixt Bread and Wine in the Sacrament and common Bread and Wine in respect of the end 2 To put a difference betwixt this Ordinance and Christ himself who is signified and exhibited by it 3. To lay in some respect a further weight on this than on the Word only though it be some way of that same nature 4. To put a difference betwixt this Sacrament and other Sacraments and so discerning it it is to conceive of it rightly 1. In respect of its use and end according to its Institution 2. In respect of our manner of use-making of it not only by our senses or bodily Organs but by Faith and the faculties of the soul looking upon and receiving Christs Body in that Ordinance and feeding on it there as in the Word and more clearly and sensibly for the Sacraments do not give us any new thing which the Word did not o â—fer and give before but they give the same thing more clearly and sensibly 3. In respect of the blessing not only waiting for a common blessing for sustaining the Body by that Bread and Wine but for a spiritual blessing to be conferred by the spirit to the behoof of the soul 4. It s so to discern it as to improve it for obtaining real communion betwixt Christ and us by a spiritual feeding-upon as his own Body so that when there is any short-coming in these in so far the Lord's Body is not discerned 5. We sin in going about this
is here in the Word and Sacraments they are abused in their use when misapplyed yet still the Institution being kept they are the Ordinances of God Thus was the Temple said to be prophaned when it was made more common in it's use than was allowed yet was it still the Temple of the Lord And so admission of scandalous persons may thus be called a polluting of the Sacraments but not essentially in themselves 2d Consider Pollution with reference to persons who are admitted and so the Sacraments may be polluted 1. By grosly scandalous persons 2. By Hypocrites 3. By Believers not exercising their Graces the Sacrament is polluted by and to all these because as to the Pure all things Lawful are pure so to the Vnclean and Vnbelieving nothing â—â— Pure their Mind and Conscience being D â—filed Thus their Praying Sacrificing Hearing Plowing c. all is unclean and by proportion to Believers though in a good and clean state yet in an evil and unholy frame The Sacrament may be said in some sense to be unclean and polluted by them to themselves 3d. As to the Office-Bearers who are the admitters the Sacrament cannot be prophaned Essentially the Institution being kept pure yet may they sin and be guilty of prophaning it by opening the Door wider than Christ has allowed and not keeping the right bounds And Ministers may so sin in promiscuous applying of the Promises and Consolations of the Covenant as well as in applying it's Seals and both these are sins to them yet these cases would be excepted 1. When such a scandal is not made known to them Scandalous persons may be admitted because they are not bound to look on them as such till discovered 2. When such scandals cannot be made out judicially though possibly they be true in themselves they may though against the inclination and affection of the admitters be admitted yet not against their Conscience because that being a high censure in Christs house his Servants are not to walk arbitrarily for that would bring confusion with it but by Rules given them whereof this is one not to rec â—ive an accusation but un â—er two or three Witnesses 3. When by some circumstances it proveth not edifying but â—ather hurtful to the Church or the Persons concerned As 1. When the scandal is in such a matter as is not expresly determined in the Word but is by consequence to be deduced from it as suppose it be meant such a point of truth as â—as Divines that are godly dissentient in it or in such a practise suppose perjury as is evil indeed in it self but by deduction and consequence which is not so clear to be applyed or it is in such things as affect not a natural Conscience as Fornication Drunkenness and Adultery c. do or in such things as contradict not expresly any Truth And 2. When the scandal of these sins is by universality become little among men or there is not easie access in an edifying way to decide in them or censure them there is still a right and a wrong in these which a Minister in Doctrine may reprove y â—t he may forbear a judicial sentence in such cases as it seemeth Paul did with the Corinthians amongst whom there were several sorts of Offenders 1. Incestuous Fornicators or such as sinned against Nature's light these 1 Cor. 5.3 4 â— 5. c. he commandeth to be excluded or excommunicated 2. Such as by corrupt Doctrine made Schisms and mis-ledd the People in factions to the prejudice of the Apostle's Authority and Doctrine chap. 3. v. 3. c. Deceitful Workers 2 Cor. â—1 13 these for a time 2 Cor 10 6. he spareth for the Peoples sake 2 Cor. 12.19 3. Some weakly and carnally mis ledd into factions 1 Cor. 13. 1 2 3 4. these he end â—avoureth to recover 4. Some guilty of faults about the Sacrament in their wrong manner of going about it 1 Cor. 11. These he reproveth and laboureth to amend yet alloweth them to go on and celebrate the Sacrament but doth not debar for the time either factious Ministers or people from it as he had done the other neither is it likely that the Communion was omitted or they debarred for he doth not reprove for not debarring them as he doth For wronging the Institution the reason is because that which warranteth debarring and censures of all sorts is edification and when that end cannot be gained to a people or person such censures may be omitted and except some bounds were to be fixed here the difficulty in abounding differences would prove inextricable And therefore when a sin is become Epidemical and very Universal On the one hand the more tender and conscienciously-scrupulous would be instructed to much sobriety and earnestly dealt with not to indulge themselves a liberty to rent the Church or to divide from it when such persons are admitted being otherwise capable of the priviledge because exclusion in this case by a sentence from the Sacrament would probably miss its end which is Edification and would weaken the Authority of the Ordinance of discipline if not hazard the liberty of the Gospel On the other hand Ministers would by all means take head and be obtested in the name of the Lord that they which is readily incident in an hour of tentation run not on the Extream of shifting their duty insulting as it were over tender Consciences and strengthening the hands of the Wicked by compliance with or accession to these sins but would under the pain of making themselves horridly guilty manage obvious ways deal fairly and faithfully in making use of the Key of Doctrine when the use of the other will not in all appearance be so much for edification that by publick doctrinal separating the Precious from the Vile and by straight down-right private dealing they may in the sight of God commend themselves to every mans Conscience 4. Let us consider if this Ordinance be polluted to the joynt-Receivers suppose that some are sinfully admitted by the Office-bearers of the Church And we say that it i â— not a pollution or sin to them to partake with such for the Sacrament may be blessed to them notwithstanding as Christ's Ordinance even as when the Word is unwarrantably applyed in promises and admonitions so that Pearls are cast before Swine yet supposing some tender souls to be present they may meddle warrantably with that abused Word as God's Word and it may prove useful to them For confirming this Truth we offer these Reasons The first is The Word and Sacraments are of one Nature and are polluted or made use of one and the same way only the difference is in this That the one usually is doctrinally wronged the other disciplinarily 2. Because-that unwarrantable admission of others is not the Communicator's but the Minister's sin therefore it cannot wrong them more than want of preparation in others who come 3. Any others sin cannot loosen me from my Obligation to a
his Name 2. His Word or Gospel called his Name Act. 9.15 3. His Ordinances Sacraments Math. 28.19 Discipline and Censures which are the exercise of his Authority Math. 18.20 1 Cor. 5.4 4. Prayer is a piece of his Name He is a God that heareth Prayer Psal. 63.2 5. His Works Rom. 1.20 21. 6. All his Worship Deut. 12.5 Exod. 20.24 6. Lots Act. 1.26 By these God maketh himself when he thinketh sit known in his Will as he doth by his Word 7 Profession of subjection to him so they that profess this are said to bear his Name and it should be reverently used as all actions which make himself or his Will and Decree which is himself known as Lots do Pov. 16.33 By all these God is to be known and something of him may be seen and we take under Name here all these to be comprehended The first because the scope is to Hallow himself in Obedience to all that he Commandeth as appeareth Levit. 22.31 32. and the first Petition in the Lord's Prayer Hallowed be thy Name being compared with the other two that follow cleareth it The second is properly and primarily in the very letter here understood The third cometh in by native consequence for attaining the scope of the Command so that there is neither word nor work of God but all relateth to this The Second thing to be cleared is What is meant by taking his Name in vain To take his Name as it 's Psal. 50.16 and 16.4 is to mention any of those things before spoken of which are so many pieces of his Name or any way to meddle with them in thought word or deed as by writing or otherwise In vain doth not only comprehend 1. False Swearing or Blaspheming Charming and what is wrong as to the matter Nor 2. Only propane abusing of the Lords Name when the matter is right by rashness precipitancy frequency in Swearing Nor 3. Doth it only mean unnecessary Swearing when it may be forborn But 4. In vain is also when it 's not mentioned or made use of to good purpose that is â—o God's honour the edification of others and of our selves so when ever God's name is any way medled with without fruit it s in vain The scope of this Command then we take to be To press the manifesting of reverence to God 1. In a high esteem of his holy Majesty 2 In a reverent use of all his Ordinances in the right way appointed by him 3. In a good Conversation adorning this doctrine of the Gospel and keeping his blessed Name that is named over us from being evil spoken of or conâ—emned by others because of us Rom. 2.24 4. And more especially that God may be honoured in a right reverend and edifying using of his N â—me in thinking speaking praying reading writing swearing vowing c. and abstaining from all irreverence in these unbecoming the greatness of God and using each of them reverently when called to go about them If it be asked what the mentioning of God's Name reverently is â— take these rules to clear it 1. It is necessary that the matter be lawful in which his Name is mentioned by this all Heretiques Charmers Cursers Forswearers and Blasphemers are grosly guilty of sinning against this Command 2. It is required that the matter be not only lawful but important and of some weight hence Lotting for a thing of nought or Swearing in a thing of no importance are an abusing of the Name of God and a tempting of him 3. It is required that the matter be necessary also for if a thing may be decided other-ways it ought to be neither by Lotting nor Swearing hence in the Hebrew to Swear is still used in the passive voyce to shew that men ought not to Swear but when they can do no otherwise and when a lawful call presseth to it 4. It would 〈◊〉 the manner grave deliberat understood done in judgment Jer. 4.3 with fear and reverence 5. A good end is to be proposed namely one of these three God's Honour the good of others or our own necessary vindication in something that so it be not taken to no purpose There is this difference betwixt this Command and others in other Commands God expresseth the highest degree of every kind of sin to scare men from the breaches of these Commands here he mentioneth not Forswearing or Blasphemy but taking the â—ord's Name in vain which is the lowest degree of that kind that by this God may teach us what reverence we owe to Him and of what large extent the Command is and how careful he would have us to be lest we should come upon the borders of any thing that seemeth to be a breach of it If it be asked Why the Lord is so peremptory in urging this Command and in pressing the thing here commanded in the very leightest Answ. 1. That he may in this set out his own Greatness and work a fear and reverence of him in the hearts of his people therefore will he have them reverently using that which concerneth him that the due distance betwixt God that is in Heaven and Creatures that are on Earth may be imprinted on us and entertained by us Eccles. 5.1 2 3. Lev. 22.31 32. Psal. 89.9 2. Because his Name whereby he holdeth forth somthing of himself or that infinit excellent Being called God is great dreadful and glorious and is so to be had in reverence Psal. 111. that more than ordinary watchfulness should be used in testifying our respect to it 3. Because this is the way to curb Atheism and Prophanity which the Devil driveth on by these steps first to think little of God and then by little and little to inure men to prohanity and habituate them to baffle and affront the Name of God Hence it is that he takes possession mainly of young ones this way and hardly ye will see any that irreverently medleth with the Name of God but they are gross or fall at length to be gross in other things 4. God's Name is precious and given to his people for a great refuge Prov. 18.10 therefore will he not have that which is their singular mercy to be abused 5. God is a Friend in Covenant yet so as that relation may not in the least wear out his honour and our due distance with him Deut. 28.58 It s the great and dreadful Name the Lord our God 6. Because this honoureth God and adorneth the profession of the Gospel before others whereas Irreverence therein dishonoureth God before them For more particular considering the matter and breaches of this Command we shall draw it to these heads and 1. We shall speak to what concerneth Swearing Vowing or publick Cov â—nanting with God 2. To what concerne â—h Blasphemy 3. Concerning the taking of the Name of the Lord in vain in worship private or publick particularly how it is taken in vain by Hypocrisie 4. Of taking it in vain out of worship rashly and unnecessarily
dispenseth not at all here because these are in our power and when we fail it is not out of ordinary infirmity Beside what is said there are yet two ways of taking or using the Name of God which are sib or of kin to Oaths The 1. is that of Appealing to God to judg as David did that God might judge betwixt him and persecuting Saul 1 Sam. 24.12 The 2d is that of attesting God thus The Lord knoweth God is my Witness my Witness is in Heaven c. as Job doth cap. 16.19 and Paul Rom. 1.9 These are lawful when called unto and rightly gone about but when abused in rash precipitant passionate appeals or in unjust matter as Sarahs was Gen. 16. and in rash unnecessary attestations or in triffling matter they are more than an ordinary taking of God's Name in vain and therefore should never lightly be interposed and made use of The great breach of this Command is Blasphemy though Perjury be most direct That we may see how this sin is fallen into we shall 1. Define it 2. Divide or distinguish it which we shall find to be exceeding broad Blasphemy then against God as the word beareth is a wronging of God's holy Majesty by some reproachful speeches or expressions uttered to His disgrace we say Uttered because that which is in the heart is most-part Atheism and Infidelity and so belongeth to the first Command Of this there are three sorts or there are three ways whereby men fall into it 1. When any thing unbecoming God is in word attributed to Him as that he is not just holy merciful c. such as that complaint Ezek. 18.25 The ways of the Lord are not equal 2. When what is due to him is denyed him as when he is said not to be Eternal Omniscient Almighty c. as he was by proud Pharoah and railing Rabshaketh in his master's Name who most insolently talked at that high rate of Blasphemy Who is the Lord that I should obey his Voyce c Who is the Lord that is able to deliver you out of my hand Exod. 5. Isa. 36.18.20 3. When what is due to God is attributed to a Creature or arrogated by a Creature thus the Jews charged Christ as guilty of Blasphemy Luk. 7.49 Joh. 10.33 supposing him to be a Creature because he forgave sins and called himself God of this sort of Blasphemy as to some degree of it is the commending or crying up our own or others parts pains wit c. for attaining effecting and bringing to pass of somewhat to the prejudice of divine providence so those of Zidon did to Herod Act. 12.22 And thus often men make Mediators and Saviours as it were of themselves and of other men 2. This Blasphemy may either be immediately and directly against God himself or any of the persons of the blessed God-head or mediately and indirectly against him when it is against his Ordinances of the Word Prayer Sacraments c. by vilifying them in expressions or against his people or the work of his spirit in them he is indirectly Blasphemed in them when they or it are mocked as when Paul's much learning in the Gospel is called madness or when real and serious Religion Repentance or Holiness are called Conceitedness Pride Preciseness Fancy c. 3. Blasphemy may be considered either as it is deliberate and purposed as in the Pharisees or 2. As it is out of infirmity rashness and unwatchfulness over-expressions or 3. Out of ignorance as Paul was a Blasphemer before his Conversion 1 Tim. 1.15 4. It may be considered 1. As against the Father 2. As against the Son 3. As against the Holy Ghost all are spoken of Matth. 12. and Mark 3. 1. Bla â—phemy against the Father is that which striketh either against the God-head simply or any of the Attributes which are due to God and so it s against all the persons in common or against the Trinity of persons when it is denyed and so that relation of â—ather in the God-head is Blasphemed 2. Blasphemy against the Son is when either his God-head in the Eternity of it is denyed as it was by the Photinians and Aria â—s or when the distinction of his Natures in their respective true properties retained by each nature is denyed or when he is denyed in his Offices as if he did not satisfie divine Ju â—â—ice for the sinnes of the Elect as a Priest which is done by the Soct â—â—a â—s or as if he had not a Kingdom or Authority or when other Mediators or other satisfactions to Justice are set up and put in his room or when another Head and Husband to the Church Prince or Pope or another Word than what is written are made and obtruded upon her and the like whereof there are many in Popery in which respect Antichrist is said to have many names of Blasphemy Rev. 13. 3. Blasphemy against the Spirit may be considered either as it is against the third Person of the God-head and so it is against the Trinity and was that errour peculiar to Macedonius or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pugnantes contra Spiritum that is fighters against the Spirit or it may be considered as it looketh especially to the operation or work of that Spirit in a mans self and so it is that peculiar Blasphemy spoken of Math. 12.32 Which when all other Blasphemies are declared to be pardonable is said never to be pardoned This is the highest degree of Blasphemy which may be so 1. In that it is not at any time fallen into by a Believer or an Elect. 2. That it is not often fallen into even by others that are Reprobates 3. That it is hardly known to the person himself that is guilty of it but much less to others 4. That it is never rep â—n â—ed of and we think doth never affect because it is never pardoned all other sinnes are pardonable and many are actually pardoned 1. This sin then is not every sin though all sins g â—ieve the Spirit Ephes. 4.27 Nor 2. is it any sin of Infirmity or of Ignorance even such as Paul's was Nor 3. Is it any sin even though against knowledg committed against the second table of the Law such as David fell into and may be pardoned Nor 4. Is it every sin that is against Christ and clear light for Peter denyed him but it was of infirmity Math. 26.70 But this sin is 1. in the main of the Gospel â— and as to its saving work 2. It is not only against light but against the Spirit 's present testifying of it or bearing witness to it and after fore-going convictions yielded unto in some measure and sticking or lying on as weighty and making the Conscience to challenge as may be gathered from Heb. 6. 3. It is not in one particular sin or act but in a total and resolute opposing of the Truth whereof men are convinced seeking to bear it down in others and to extirpate it
Blasphemy in the way did These wayes of breaking this command spoken unto are more grosse and extraordinary we should now speak a word to such as are more common in our practice and these are of two sorts The 1. is more grosse when the name of God or any thing bearing the Name of God as his Ordinances Word Sacraments Prayer c. are prophaned out of Duty This is done 1. When these are mocked or scorned which is a high Degree of prophaning his Name 2. When the Scripture-phrases expressions or tearms are baffled to speak so to our sinful scoffing Jeibing and Geiring of others though we do not directly mock or geir at the Scripture it self 3. When in ordinary discourse and unnecessarily Gods Name is used though we intend not swearing neither think that we do swear 4. When ordinarily upon such and such occasions the Lords Name is used in irreverent and unwarrantable exclamations as O Lord O God what is this or that c I hope in God or trust in God to see such a thing c. And possibly sometimes in passion 5. When it is used in way of by-word or of certain irreverent prayers when a person is troubled and grieved and would express that passion at some thing that falleth out not desired God help me God save me what is that what mean ye God forgive me God bless me for Gods blessing do such a thing If God will in Gods strength and I trust in God c. I shall do such and such a thing for Gods sake do this or that c. 6. VVhen it is used in meer complements God keep you God be with you God bless you c. which with many are too ordinary Complements 7. VVhen it is used lightly in way of asseveration and indirect swearing God a bit God have me if it be so c. 8. VVhen it is used in a senseless and superstitious custome upon such and such particular occasions as when men say O God be blessed and God bless at sternutation or neesing which Plinius reporteth to have been used by Heathens and particularly by Tiberius who was none of the most Religious men God be here God be in this house when one entereth into a house or when the Clock striketh The 2. way which is less grosse but more ordinary whereby we fail in reference to this Command is in lawful and necessary duties of worship by sinful and unprofitable discharging of these whereby the Name of God is often taken in vain and his holiness which he loveth prophaned this fault and failing is two wayes fallen into 1. In respect of the manner of going about such ordinances or duties of worship 1. VVhen the Lord is not sanctified in them nor the rule and manner prescribed by Him kept this way sinned Nadab and Abihu Lev. 10. by their offering of strange fire The Lord complaineth of Israel as guilty of this Esay 29.13 compared with Matth. 15.8 9. VVhile they drew near with their lips and their hearts were far away they worshipt me in vain saith the Lord teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men 2. VVhen men use not such ordinances and perform not such duties profitably when prayer reading of the Scripture Sacrament Sermons c. want their native fruit then his Name is taken in vain and in that respect his ordinances frustrated and made as if they had not been used or performed so â— Cor. 6.1 To receive the Grace of God in vain is to miss or let go the benefit of it and to frustrate and disappoint our selves of the native end and use of it This is the first way in respect of which our duties are in vain as to God so as he will not regard them The second way is as to our selves and here again we may consider the taking of the Lords Name in vain in ordinances and duties two wayes either 1. Simply where there is no honesty at all in them nor fruit from them but meer Hypocrisie or at least Hypocrisie in such particular Acts. or 2. when it is Comparative that is though there may be some reality and fruit yet considering what it should be yea considering what means the person hath there is a great defect as to that which should and might have been thus were the Hebrews challenged Heb. 5.12 not that they were altogether fruitless but that they were not so fruitful as under and by such means they might have been and that therefore they had in a great part used them and received them in vain this may and often doth befall even those who have some measure of sincerity yet fall far short of what they might have attained of the knowledge of God and of other blessed fruits by the right improvement of the means they had VVe may add a third way how his Name is taken in vain and that in respect of it self or of the ordinance or duty what indeed it is and in respect of what it appeareth to be when the shew is much more than the substance and when the sincerity reality and inward Reverence and esteem of our heart in nameing God keepeth no just proportion with the words of our mouth and our large external profession thus did the Pharises and thus do all Hypocrits take and bear Gods name in vain not being at all answerable to what they seem to be this may be also in others comparatively in respect 1. of the Law 2. in respect of the means we have 3. in respect of our profession That our Conviction may be the clearer let us see what belongeth to the right going about of duty or to the suitable mentioning of the Lords Name the want whereof or any part thereof maketh us more or less guilty of taking it in vain 1. Then there is a necessity that we propose a good and right end and aim singly at it for if all things should be done to Gods glory this of the Naming of the Lord should be in a special manner so this is a mans call to Pray Preach Hear c. to wit the concernment of Gods Name that is 1. That God may be honoured 2. That we our selves or others may be edified 3. That a command may be obeyed in the Conscience of Duty Those then who adventure to profess or name God or to go about any ordinance seeking themselves and not the Lord as is supposed men may do 2 Cor. 4.5 2. out of envy as they did of whom Paul speaketh Phil. 1.15 16. 3. To be honoured of men as the Pharisees designed by their lo â—g prayers 4. For the fashion or out of meer custome 5. For making peace with God by mentioning his name so often in Ordinances mis-regarding and taking no notice of the Mediator in the mean time these I say and such like will meet with that sad word In vain do ye worship me 2. There is a necessity of a good principle in naming the Lord to speak so both of a Moral
there tormented for ever and ever 3. Eminently it implyeth a very high degree of punishment that the degree shall be eminent and that in respect of other sins this sin shall have a peculiar weight added unto its Curse an â— be ranked amongst those sins which shall be in the Justice of God most severely punished a particular instance and proof whereof is in Hypocrites whose Judgment shall be in Hell amongst the sorest the Hypocrites portion of Wrath will be a large portion The Peremptoriness is implyed in these words The Lord will not hold him guiltless the Lord will not c. which implyeth 1. That Sinners shall be reckoned with and Judged for sin in which reckoning this sin shall be especially taken notice of 2. That all Sinners shall be summoned to appear before the Judgment-Seat and Tribunal of God and have their particular Libel and Accusations of their particular sins wherein this sin shall be particularly taken notice of as a main Article 3. That there shall be a Sentence and Doom passed upon the Guilty and that whosover shall be found guilty of this sin shall find Divine Justice severely passing Sentence upon them 4. That there shall be a holy rigid execution of that Sentence without mercy by a high degree of wrath upon all who shall be so Sentenced If any ask How this Threatning is to be understood for Answ. We should distinguish betwixt such who repenting for it do by Faith in Christ make peace with God and others who continue in it without repentance and so say 1. That it is not to be understood as if the breach of this Command were declared to be simply unpardonable to any who shall be guilty of it for that is neither consistent with the grounds of the Gospel nor with experience whereby it is found that grace often extendeth it self to the pardoning even of such 2. But that it is in it self a sin most hateful to God and a sin that bringeth great Wrath on all that are guilty of it and shall be found to be so before his Judgment Seat 3. It sayeth that all who are guilty of it while their peace is not made with God through Jesus Christ yea in some respect there-after should look on themselves as thus highly guilty and that all who are not pardoned should account themselves to be lyable to this stroke of wrath and to be under this Sentence of the Law that standeth particularly pronounced against them 4. It sayeth that men do by this sin exceedingly hazard their eternal Salvation and that their Repentance is rare and so likewise their Pardon it being found in experience that men habituated to this sin of taking God's Name in vain do but seldom get Repentance 5. That when Repentance cometh and is given such as are guilty of it will be in an especial manner challenged for it and found to be in a high degree bitter unto them in all their after-reflections upon it 6. That it will very readily have much influence in marring a mans peace and obstructing the intimation of God's favour and the joy of his Salvation even when it is pardoned as we see in David who made the Name of God to be Blasphemed and was therefore put Psal. 51. to cry and cry again for the joy of God's Salvation for removing amongst other reasons of that scandal And withal it bringeth on temporal Judgments as it did on David 2 Sam. 12.7 That when it is pardoned it will in the said remembrance of it make them loath themselves and walk humbly softly and in the bitterness of their souls and withal to think much of and to magnifie and wonder at grace that did ever pardon such Sinners as it did Paul who loatheth himself and highly exalteth Grace on this account that it pardoned him who was a Blasphemer As for such who never betake themselves for pardon nor obtain mercy it has these effects 1. It maketh their Conscience lyable to the sore and grievous challenge of this sin and to the plain and sharp threatning that is pronounced against it which being despised and God himself much wronged thereby cannot but bite nay gnaw the Conscience so much the more 2. Justice hath a clear ground to proceed upon against them not only as Sinners in general but as guilty of this sin in particular and so because of it in a special manner liable to wrath 3. An eminent degree of wrath in Hell for as there are different degrees of torment in Hell so this sin no doubt will make those who are guilty of it share of that torment in a high degree 4. That it further hardeneth and incapacitateth for pardon though not simply the persons that are guilty of it If it be asked Why this sin is so threatned and punished even beyond other sins Answ. Because it is accompanied with the most hainous aggravations and so draweth on the greatest guilt As 1. It is a sin immediately against God himself and is not as sins of the second Table nay not as other particular sins of the first Table whereby men divert from God to Idolatry giving to Idols what is His due or turn their back on him or slight his commanded worship as in the first second and fourth Commands but this doth immediately and directly and by commission terminate on God himself most daringly and presumptuously as it were baff â—ng and affronting him who has made himself known by his Name 2. It is the fault sign or symptome yea and cause of the most gross Atheism in the heart and enmity against God for it is his Enemie's property to take his Name in vain Psal. 139.20 It cannot be in the heighth but where Atheism is and the awe of God is not and where there is much of it there is proportionably much Atheism it speaketh forth plainly that there is no right knowledge or faith of his Greatness Holiness Power Justice c. which would make men fear him and stand in awe of him hence ordinarily those who are gross in this are otherways gross in many other things for it fitteth and disposeth for Atheism and it inureth and habituateth a man to contemn and despise God whereas on the contrary if a man make Conscience of any thing it will be of this 3. It is that which dishonoureth God most amongst others and giveth them occasion to Blaspheam as David's sin did and as those false Prophets and Seducers with their followers are said to do 2 Pet. 2. v. 1 2. and where this prevaileth all Religion is accounted among such but as a fancy and nothing and therefore he will punish it severely 4. It is often and most ordinarily the guilt of such as acknowledge God in profession but in works deny him and do not worship him as God It is against light and convictions yea and professions of an interest in God therefore there is an emphasis here The Name of the Lord thy God 5. It is not so of Infirmity
as other sins which pleasure or profit may push men on to there is ordinarily here none of these but either simple Atheisme or prophane custom that maketh it so much the worse that it is customary The second reason why the Lord thus threatneth and punisheth that sin is that he may thereby vindicate his own holiness and imprint the awe and terribleness of this great and dreadful Name the Lord our God upon the hearts of all it being one of the greatest benefits bestowed or which can be bestowed upon men to wit the manifestation of the Name of God when it cometh to be abused being the abuse of the best thing and so the greatest abuse it is the more severely avenged and thus one way or other the Lord will have his Holiness and Greatness known amongst all his Creatures and therefore whosoever shall think little of his Blessed and Holy Name here and thereupon upon baffle and prophane it God shall make them think more of it hereafter when he riseth up to take Vengeance 3. He so threatneth and punisheth it because men take a liberty and latitude in it in formal Praying rash Swearing Jestings Writings Tenents Disputes Plays by Lots c. and therefore he putteth the greater stamp of his Indignation on it either to restrain them from that liberty or to make them smart for it and men also but very seldom severely punish it therefore He himself will If any should ask the cause why men do ordinarily take so little notice of this Command and so generally sin against it I-confess it may be at the first wondered at considering that it has such peremptory threatnings and is very often followed even here in this world and in the sight of men with shame and visible judgments and that there is ordinarily no profit nor credit nor any such satisfaction to carnal lusts or pleasures to tempt and push on to it as are to other sins and that yet notwithstanding all this men should so frequently sin this way must be also as wonderful as it is abominable But we may conceive it to proceed from these Causes 1. Much Atheism and the little heart-esteem that there is of God and of his Majesty the little Faith that there is of his dreadful Justice and severe and peremptory execution of his threatnings little of these within maketh men careless to be watchful and what wonder if this break forth when in his heart the man sayeth There is no God then this followeth as is clear Isa. 37. in Sennacherib who when once he saith Who is the Lord then he treadeth on his Name 2. There is a natural pride and stout-heartedness in men against God flowing from the former whereby they set their mouth against God and think it is a piece of bravery not to stand in awe of him and as Goliah did to defie the living God and to contemn and trample upon all Religion and Holiness which appears sooner and more clearly in nothing than in stout words against the Lord Mal. 3.13 and in prophaning of his Name hence it is to be observed that where this sin raigneth there is either a height of desperate security and stupid senselesness or a devillish gallantry in contemning God and all Religion all Prayer and other spiritual exercises as not becoming pretty men or men of spirits as if forsooth topping with God and bidding a defiance to the Almighty were true knowledge and the grand proof of a brave and gallant spirit and of a pretty man O! what a dreadful length is this that men are come to say in effect Who is the Lord that I should reverence his Name 3. The Devil knowing well both these taketh occasion to stir men up to it and what by offering occasions of irritation to vent their passion and what by habituating them to it from custome and the example of others whereby keeping them off some other sins which others may be guilty of he is in God's righteous Judgment permitted to harden them in this 4. There may be also something in the nature of this sin because it doth not ordinarily wrong others externally or because it may be in a truth or in profession of duty or in worship or because it may be fallen into inadvertantly without fore-thought or deliberation therefore the Devil hath the greater advantage to drive men on to it if not by Swearing falsly yet prophanely and rashly if not by God yet by some Creature or if not so yet by formal and fruitless discharging of duties or by some other way and because ordinarily there is no such evil that sticketh thereby to others as to make them resent it nor no ill meant to themselves as they in their proud self-love do conceit therefore they are the less affraid of it before and the less challenged for it afterward Let us make some use of all this in a few words 1. Then see and gravely consider what sin this is what wrath it deserveth how far and how wide in its guilt it extendeth it self and what severe reckoning will be for it O then what is your hazard and what will be your sentence when this Judgment shall be set when the Judge cometh to pronounce it tell me who of you will be able to purge your selves of this guilt This Sentence may and will one day make many of you to tremble when the Lord will say Man thou tookest my Name in vain in such a Company at such a Play and Sport in such a Contest in such an Oath yea in such a Prayer c. Here is your Sentence I will not hold you guiltless but guilty for this cause This this is the truth of God if we believe his Word yea whether we believe it or not Let me therefore speak two words further to all of you Old and Young Godly and Prophane Rich and Poor c O take more notice of this sin and be more watchful against it think more of it and look more to every way it may be fallen into and by all mens study to prevent it fear to name the great and dreadful Name of our Lord the God irreverently tremble when ye hear it named and when ye read hear pray or do any duty as ye would eschew this Curse and Threatning and be found guiltless in the day of the Lord eschew this sin of taking his Name in vain For helps to this let me commend unto you 1. A serious endeavour to walk under the impression of God's Greatness and to have your heart filled with his awe if his fear be in the heart there will be â—â—pressions of reverence to his Name in the mouth 2. Believe and be perswaded of the reality of this truth concerning the terribleness of the reckoning for this sin and the fearful Judgment that will certainly follow it 3. Use and mention his Name reverently in Prayer Hearing Conference c. For habituating our selves to formality in such duties maketh way ordinarily for more
be no material or Typical Temple because of the Moral things there being expressed and Prophesied of under the names of the Old-Levitical-Services yet could not a Warrant be inferr'd from them for these and that Jure Divino if the things were not Morally to bind which were so signified Hence I argue if the Sanctifying of a Sabbath as a piece of worship to God be Prophesied of to belong to the New-Testament then are we bound to the Sanctification of a Sabbath as a necessary Duty but the continuance of Sanctifying a Sabbath unto God is specially Prophesied of and foretold as a piece of worship under the New-Testament Ergo c. The third place is Matth. 24. v. 20. Pray that your flight be not in the Winter neither on the Sabbath-day where the Lord insinuateth that as Travelling is troublesome to the Body in Winter so would it be to the minds of the Godly for he is now speaking to his Disciples alone to Travel on that Day specially and solemnly set apart for God's worship now if there were no Sabbath to continue after Christs Ascension or if it were not to be Sanctified there would be no occasion of this grief and trouble that they behoved to Travel on the Sabbath and durst not tarry till that Day were by-past and so no cause to put up this Prayer which yet by our Lords Exhortation seemeth to infer that the Sabbath was to be as certain in its time as the Winter And doubtless this cannot be meaned of the Jewish-Sabbath For 1 ◠That was to be abolished shortly 2. Travelling on the Jewish-Sabbath was to be no cause of Grief unto them if indeed all dayes were alike neither would it be scrupled in such a case by the Apostles to whom he now speaketh 3. Besides if no Sabbath were to be it had been better and clearer to say Stand not and griev not to Travel any day but his words imply the just contrary that there was to be a solemn Sabbath 4. He mentioneth the Sabbath-day only and not the other Festivals of the Jews which were to be kept holy also and by this he distinguisheth the ordinary Sabbath from those other dayes and opposeth it to many as being now the only Holy day on which they should eschew if possible to Travel and would therefore pray to have it prevented for in the New-Testament the Sabbath spoken of as the solemn time for worship is ever meaned of the Weekly Sabbath and other Holy dayes are called the first or last day of the Feast and therefore if the Lords meaning were that they should pray that their flight might not be on any of the Jewish Holy dayes to mention the Weekly Sabbath only would not be sufficient for that end To say that it was for fear of scandal that they should pray not to be put to flye will not remove the former reasons besides at that time the Apostles and other Christians had given up with the Jews and stood not on scandal in such things in reference to them on whom as the Apostle faith 1 Thes. 2.16 Wrath had come to the uttermost and who were not infirm but malicious and so in respect of offence to be dealt with as the Lord did with the Pharisees and therefore all things being considered it appeareth from our Lords words that a Sabbath among Christians was to be Sanctified 40. years or there-about after his death which proveth that the Scripture mentioneth a Sabbath to be Sanctified under the New-Testament We come unto the second way of making out the Morality of this Command to wit by shewing how the Scripture speaketh of the whole Decalogue and thus we reason 1. If all the Commandments of the Decalogue be Moral then must this be so also for it is one of them and if it were not Moral and binding there would not now be Ten words as they are called by the Lord Deut. 10.4 but Nine only which at first blush will and cannot but seem strange and absurd to those who have from Gods word drunk-in that number But all these are Moral and binding as is granted by all except the Papists who deny the second and therefore score it out of their Catechisms And that they must be all alike Moral and binding may be made out these two wayes 1. All of them in the Old-Testament had alike Authority Priviledges and Prerogatives which neither the Judicial nor Ceremonial Law had as 1. To be distinctly pronounced by God himself without adding more Deut 5.22 2. To be written by His own finger in Tables of Stone Exod. 29.18 3. To be laid up and kept in the Ark Exod. 25.1 ◠And if these and other Prerogatives did put a difference and shew a difference to be put betwixt the other Nine Commands and all Judicial or Ceremonial Laws Why not betwixt them and this also 2. In the New-Testament they are all alike confirmed when the Law in general is spoken of none of them is excepted and therefore this Command is necessarily included For which we should look first to that place Matth. 5.17 Where our Lord in a special manner intendeth to vindicate the Moral Law and to press holiness in Moral Duties upon His Hearers even in another sort than the Pharisies did Think no ◠saith He That I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill Verily he that breaketh one of the least of these Commands and teacheth Men so shall be called least in the Kingdom of God c Where by Law must necessarily be understood the Moral law for he was thought to be a Transgressor of that and especially of this Command in it for that Sermon in Mathew cometh in in order after His being challenged for breach of Sabbath Joh. 5.10 c. And His scope is to wipe off that Imputation and how by shewing that He still presseth the Moral law even beyond what the Pharisies did 2. It was the Moral law especially which the Pharisie s corrupted and whereof he undertaketh the Vindication and it is Holiness in Obedience to that which he presseth as necessary beyond what the Scribes and Pharisies did and indeed it was in that law they failed mainly and not in the Ceremonial law 3. The offence and mistake that Christ is to praeoccupie and rectifie amongst His Hearers requireth this for many of them sancied that by the Messiah there should be a Relaxation from the Duties of Holiness called for in the Moral law and therefore saith He think not so now a Relaxation from some other laws might have been thought of warrantably 4. It is such a law whereof to teach the Abrogation at any time is sinful and pernicious therefore it is certainly the Moral law Secondly We reason thus when He speaketh of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by way of eminency meaning no doubt the Decalogue He speaketh alike of all its Commandements even of the least of them and so
and pressed The 1. is Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it or keep it holy For the opening up and winning at the clear meaning whereof we would consider three words The first is what it is to remember or as it is infinitively set down remembring to remember this is prefixed and would look rather like the inferring of something commanded already then the new instituting of a command and so indeed it seemeth to suppose a day formerly institute and set apart for God as was hinted before which by this Command his people are put to mind It doth beside import these four with a respect as it were to four times 1. A constant and continued Duty at all times and in all dayes that is that we would remember that God has set apart a seventh day for himself and therefore every day we would remember to cast our Affairs so as they may not be impediments to us in the sanctifying of that day and we would endeavour alwaies to keep our hearts in such a frame a â— we may not be discomposed when that day shall come and this affirmative part of this command bindeth semper or alway and its negative ad semper on other dayes as well as on the Sabbath 2. It importeth a timely preparing for the Sabbath when it is a coming or when it draweth near this remembring it calleth for something to be done in reference to it before it come a man by this is obliged to endeavour to have a frame of heart that he may be ready to meet the Sabbath and enter kindly to the Duties of it when it â—hall come otherwayes if it come on him while he is in his common or course frame and not fitted for it it will say he has not been remembring it before it came 3. Remembring importeth an intenseness and seriousness in going about the Duties of the day when it cometh and that it should be with all carefulness sanctified and that men should be mindful of the duties called for lest their hearts div â—rt from them or slacken bensil and grow formal in them whereby mens inclination to forget this duty or to be superficial in it is much hinted at this word we take to be moral being a mean â—or furthering the great Duty aimed at of sanctifying the Lords day or Sabbath coming 4. Remembring may import this that the Sabbath even when it is past should not be soon forgotten but that we should look on the Sabbath past to remember it lest by loosing the fruits of it vvhen it is by we make our selves guilty of prophaning it The next word is the day of the Sabbath By Sabbath here is meaned rest as it is exponed by the Apostle Heb 4. and that not every Rest but a Holy Rest from our own Works that there may be access to positive Sanctifying of that day for the Sanctifying of that day is the end and this is but a mean and necessary supposed help without which the day cannot be sanctifyed in Holy Duties holy Duties and our own Works being for the time inconsistent besides that Rest on this day is not only called for as ceasing from our ordinary affairs in the time of Worship is called for on any other day but more especially and solemnly in respect of the day it self for at other times our duties require a time for them and therefore that time cannot be employed in another ordinary Work and in Worship also but here the Lord requireth time and rest to be sanctified and therefore we are to perform holy Duties in that time because it is to be sanctified other times and rests are drawn after worship this time and rest draweth Worship necessarily after it hence it was that only the Jews feasts were called Sabbaths I mean religious Sabbaths not civil or politick as their years were because they included a rest upon Destination to an holy Use. That which is mainly questionable here is concerning the day expressed in this Command concerning which may be asked 1. What sort of day or the quamdiu 2. How often or the quoties 3. What day of the seven or the quando 4. When we are to reckon its beginning For Answer to the first we say There are two sorts of dayes mentioned in the Scripture one is Artificial of twelve hours so the Jews divided their day making their hours longer or shorter as the day was long or short but they kept up the number of their hours alway the other is a natural day which is a seventh part of the Week and containeth twenty four hours taking in so much time as interveneth betwixt the Suns begining to ascend after midnight the nocturnal Solstice till it pass the Meridional altitude which is the Suns Vertical point for that day till it come to that same very point of Midnight again which is the Suns natural course every twenty four hours comprehending both the artificial day which is from midnight to midday and the artificial night also which is from midday to midnight again The day mentioned here is the natural day because it 's a seventh day proportionable to each of the six dayes given unto us and they with the seventh making up the Week it must contain as many hours as any of the rest doth but the six dayes wherein God made Heaven and Earth c. are natural days therefore the seventh to wit the day of rest must be so also Let us only for further clearing and for directing our own Practise speak here a word or two more 1. We say it is a whole natural day that is as it 's usually employed by us on any of the six Dayes for our own Works that as we spend so much time in our ordinary Callings on other dayes so would we employ so much in Gods Worship secret private and publick on that day what proportion of time we use to give or may and should give ordinarily to our Callings on other dayes we would give as much to God and his Worship to our Souls and our spiritual state on the Lords day or Sabbath Therefore 2. there is not to be understood here a rigid pressing of all these hours to be spent in Duties of immediate Worship but our Working and Waking time having a respect to our infirmities and also to our Duties lest under pretext of infirmity we incroach upon Gods day and give him less then we give to our selves or should and may give him And so in Scripture they accompted what is betwixt rising and going to bed as still the Work of one day or one dayes Work for as God in conceding six dayes to us hath yet so done it as there may be a Reserve of particular times for Worship called for from us to him every day for keeping up our Communion with him so on the seventh day doth the Lord allow so much conveniency of sleep and other refreshing as may be subservient for the main end of the day these being Works
Six dayes even the last Six of the week Ergo they do not determine the Seventh day primarily the connexion of the major seemeth to be very clear For first these must stand and fall together if the concession to call it so concern us in the Six working dayes so must the reservation of a Seventh 2. As the concession concerneth us in the Six working dayes so must the prohibition of work on a Seventh of rest for the one determineth the other if the concession be for Six in number so must the prohibition be for a Seventh in number but if the concession be of Six in order then it is the Seventh that is to be reserved and if the Seventh be related to in the prohibition of work then the concession must look to the first Six dayes which it doth not as we have shewed And therefore 3. seeing the Six dayes concession looketh to Six in number so many thou mayest or shalt work together and no more the prohibition must also respect the number to wit a Seventh and not the Seventh day the minor will be clear to the Judicious considerer by a particular application of the reasons of the fourth command Further if the concession respect not the number but the order as it must if the prohibition of work on the Seventh respect the order and not the number then 1. what warrant have we for our Six work dayes if it be not here where is it for sure we cannot take Gods time without his order and warrant 2. and more especially then could not we by vertue of this command plead allowance for working Six dayes different from the first Six if so we would not be astricted by the command to sanctifie one seeing the one inferreth and determineth the other and they must go together which were absurd Yet again it may be made out that the reasons press a Seventh and not the Seventh by considering the words and force of the consequence in both The first reason is Six dayes shalt thou labour but the Seventh is the Lords 1. It sayeth not take the first Six but of Seven take Six to labour and give the Lord the Seventh for he has reserved it to himself 2. The same equity is in the inference for a Seventh that is for the Seventh if not more he has given thee Six therefore give thou him a Seventh will conclude more formally then give him the Seventh a Seventh is the seventh part of time as well as the Seventh which is the equity the command goeth on 3. Had the command intended to inferr the Seventh primarily it would have been more clearly expressed thus he hath given thee the first six therefore give thou him the Seventh The second reason from Gods example inferreth the same he wrought Six and rested the Seventh do thou so likewise and so these that work Six and rest a Seventh as we now do follow Gods example as well as they that wrought Six and rested the Seventh did Arg. 5. If the positive part of the command must be expounded by the negative contra then it concerneth one of Seven and not the Seventh But the first is true 1. The positive part commandeth a day without respect to its order therefore the negative doth so 2. The negative is to be resolved thus ye shall not work above Six not thus ye shall not work above the first Six as the event cleareth 3. If it be not the first Six but Six that is in the concession then it is not the Seventh but a Seventh that is in the inhibition but the first is clear Ergo c. Arg. 6. If this command for the substance of it concern us as being moral and bind us to the First day and the sanctifying of it equally as it obliged the Jews to the Seventh then it 's one day of Seven and not the Seventh which is intended primarily by it But it bindeth us to the First Ergo That it 's moral and bindeth us now is cleared Thus 1. it either bindeth to this day or to nothing therefore it primarily granteth Six and not the â—irst Six for labour and by clear consequence intendeth primarily a Seventh and not the Seventh for a day of rest 2. If it be a sin against th â—s command to break the Lords day or Christian Sabbath and prophane it then it obligeth us to it and that directly â—or indirectly and by consequence the breach of the Sabbath is a sin ag â—inst any or all of the three former commands 3. If the prophaning of the Sabbath be forbidden on this ground because it is the Lords as it is in this command then prophaning of the Lords day is equally forbidden in it because it 's the Lords and is now appropriated to him according to his own will 4. The Testimony of mens Consciences and the constant challenges of all when tender as being guilty of breaking this command whenever they prophane the Lords day do convincingly hold forth that this command concerneth us and are as so many witnesses of it and consequently prove that it is not the Seventh day but a Seventh day whether instituted or to be instituted by God which is the substance of it and primarily commanded in it for it 's never counted a breach of this command to neglect to sanctifie the Seventh day neither do the Consciences of well-informed Christi â—ns challenge for that though they do most bitterly for the other as is said In sum suppose now the first day being instituted that the command were to sanctifie the Sabbath we would understand it of the First day because it 's already instituted and the s â—me reasons will inforce it even so the Seventh day came in then because it was formerly instituted beside the Sabbatisme signifieth not this or that day but what day soever shall be by God solemnly set or is set apart for holy rest and the comm â—nd will run for our observing the Lords day supposing its institution a â— well as it did for that although it more directly tye them yet it doth so but as a reason even as the preface prefixed to all the commands and the promise affixed to the fifth concern them literally yet are binding in so far as they are moral as appeareth by the Apostles applying the last Ephes. 6.2 without relation to that particular Land or People but as applicable and common to any Land or People making conscience of obedience to Gods commands But here it may be objected 1. The Jews kept the Seventh day Answ. 1. Not by vertue of this command but by its prior institution even as they were obliged to S â—crifices and Circumcision by the second command though they were not particularly named in it 2. So we are obliged to the keeping of the First day of the week by this fourth Commandement yet it followeth not therefore this is expresly commanded in it there being indeed no particular day primarily at least instituted in it 2.
hallowed or sanctified it that is by separation destination and appointment for holy uses and as a part of worship so he sanctified the Temple Altar c. not by infusing any holiness in them but by appointing them for holy uses Thus only God can sanctifie a day or any other thing so as to make it a part of worship and no man or power on earth what somever can do that 2 In the precept it self we are commanded to sanctifie it that is by the application of it unto the uses wherefore he hath set it apart thus we sanctifie what he hath sanctified when we use it and imploy it according to his appointment And so we are to consider the sanctifying of this day in these duties called for from us on it This sanctification is two wayes set down 1. In its cessation and rest separating it from other uses and so keeping it from the common uses to which other dayes may and use to be applied 2. In its special application to and imployment in holy uses For clearness we shall consider this sanctification 1. In respect of its rest what we are to abstain from 2. Comparatively with that strictness cal â—ed for from the Jevvs 3. Eminently vvhat is required more as to holiness this day then on other daies vvherein also the Lords people should be holy and vvherein this go â—â—â— beyond these 4. Positively â—n vvhat duties it should be taken up 5. Complexly in respect of vvhat is called for to the right sanctifying of that day before it come on in the time of it and after it is past and that in publick and private and by all relations Master Servant c. and throughout the vvhole man thoughts vvords and deeds and throughout the vvhole day 6. Oppositively or negatively vvhat are the breaches of this command and the aggravations of these sins vvhich break it First then vve consider it in its rest vvhich is required and because there are extreams some giving it too little as the Jevvs did before the captivity some too much even to being superstitious as the Jevvs after the Captivity and the Scribes and Pharisees particularly in Christs time did stretching this rest too farr We must therefore consider it more narrovvly and particularly for quieting of our Consciences for the Jews are by the Prophets Ezek. 20. Jer. 17. and by Christ Matth. 12. reproved for both extremes respectively We do then in this matter assert first That there is a rest required here which is extensive to a mans words thoughts and actions whereby many things lawful on other dayes become unlawful on this day Yet 2. we assert That by this rest all sort of actions are not condemned but only such as are inconsistent with the end and scope of this command as by other Scriptures and the practice of Christ and the Saints is clear we conceive therefore these to be permitted 1. All duties of Piety as was sacrificing under the Old Testament or preaching hearing or going about the Sacraments under the New Testament In which sense Matth. 12. our Lord saith the Priests prophaned the Sabbath and were blameless not that formally they prophaned the Sabbath or did indeed break that command but materially they wrought in killing beasts c. which had been unlawful had it not been in the exercises of piety 2. All things that have a tendencie as necessary helps and means to the performance of the former works of piety are lawful as going to the Congregation to hear the Law calling the Assembly for worship by Trumpets or Bells or by a Voice Journeying going or riding to Church c. because the duties of the Sabbath cannot well be done without some of these nor at all without others of them If it should be asked here What that which is called a Sabbaths day Journey Acts 1.12 was among the Jews and whence it came and what way may it be stinted or limited among Christians Answ. It was to them 2000 Cubits which according to the different measuring of that distance of ground consisting of these 2000 Cubits by a lesser or longer Cubi â— is reckoned to be more or less by learned Men but all agree saies Goodwin in his Moses and Aaron in this that these 2000 Cubits was a Sabbath daies Journey It arose to be reckoned so from these grounds 1. From their expounding Exod. 16.29 Let none go out of his place thus Let none go without the bounds of the City which with its Suburbs was 2000 Cubits or a mile about 2. That the Tabernacle of the Congregation was so far from the Tents of these who pitched about it in the Wilderness Numb 2. as they supposed and that the Priests kept that distance from the people in entering with the Ark into Jordan Jos. 3.4 whence they gathered that a man might still go to the Ark or place of worship as it was then in these cases at a distance from them and no further on the Sabbath day But we say whatever superstitiously or on custome they took up for that is but their Tradition we cannot stint a Sabbath daies journey to so many miles fewer or more but it must be as the man is in providence cast to reside further from or nearer to the place where the Ordinances are dispensed for one may go many miles and not prophane the Sabbath if he cannot have the publick Ordinances nearer whereas another may break the Sabbath by going but to his Neighbours door yea by walking in his own house or to his door if either it be done idly or with respect to another civil or worldly end which agreeth not to that day it is not here remoteness or nearness but what sweyeth us and what is our end that we are to try by 3. All works of mercy are lawful on that day as laying beside us something to the poor 1 Cor. 16.1 sending or dealing something to those who are in want Isa. 58.7 visiting others to comfort strengthen or otherwaies to edifie them christianly though idle and carnal visits albeit alass â— too rise are not permitted 4. Good Works as Christ saith Matth. 12.12 it 's lawful to do good or well on the Sabbath such are giving of Physick when it is necessary bringing of Physiti â—ns saving a mans life and taking p â—ins for it c. Luke 13. these good Works may be classed either with Works of mercy before or with Works of necessity that follow both being good Works as they are Works of mercy or of necessity 5. Works of necessity such as feeding Beasts leading them to the water pulling them out of Ditches when they are fallen into them on that day and much more preparing honestly sober allowance for the susteining of the body as the Disciples pluck't the ears of Corn Matth. 12. and the Jews Exod. 16.23 dressed the Manna on the Sabbath though they were not to gather it yet on the Sixth day to bake and seethe a part and to keep a part
to your Callings vvith a Sabbath dayes gu â—ltiness on you O indeavour by all means to have that removed and all the Week through have one eye to the Sabbath past and another to the Sabbath coming having still that sounding in your ears remember the Sabbath or the Lords day to keep it holy dieting your souls as it vvere all along the Week for a course of communion vvith God in the duties of the next Sabbath It vvill be novv easie to knovv vvhen this command is transgressed vvhich vvas the sixth vvay proposed of considering the sanctification of the Sabbath to vvit oppositively or negatively which is done 1. by committing any thing contrary to the rest or sanctification of it 2. by omitting any of the things which are required for the right sanctifying of it 3. by an unsutable frame of heart as to the due manner of performing any of these duties required We will find the weight of this command yet more fully by considering its reasons how it 's explicated and pressed This is done 1. by laying down the equity and extent of it v. 9.10 2. by pressing it from God's example As to the first v. 9. Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy work These words may be looked on 1. As an obliging concession which is indeed very liberal as if the Lord had said all dayes are mine yet I have given thee Six to do all thy work and labour that thou hast to do therefore give me the Seventh It is but a small retribution for Six to return a Seventh 2. As a restriction thou shalt do whatever work thou hast to do within the Six dayes but none of it on the Seventh 3. As a command whereby God distributeth our time and commandeth Six for our work and the Seventh for his And thus these words forbid idleness and command lawful diligence in these Six dayes which we conceive here to be implyed 1. Because God is not carving out what time we may be idle in but what time we should imploy in our own lawful works as well as in his for it cannot be thought that he giveth us Six to be idle on It must therefore be to work on seeing as our life should be taken up in doing either what more immediately concerneth our selves or what more immediately concerneth God so the scope of this command being to proportion our time betwixt these two what is allowed for either of them must imply an improving of it for that very end 2. The opposition also will confirm this These Six dayes are to be applyed to our work as the Seventh is to be applyed to Gods which is more then a permission and if the negative part be imperative in it thou shalt not work then the positive Six dayes shalt thou work may well be understood so also 3. Gods example will press it for we are to follow it not only in resting on the Seventh but also in working in the Six dayes as he did 4. Working these Six dayes cometh in as a mean to further and fit for the sanctification of the Seventh for so a man putteth by his business and has the more freedom for the rest on the Seventh whereas idleness often sinfully necessitateth to the breach of it and to a desire that it may be gone Amos 8.5 And thus idleness is reproved here and diligence commanded under one consideration to wit as the remove of the former and practise of the later do capacitate us to give God his due on his own day when it cometh Even as they are also included in the eighth Command Thou shalt not steal for as idleness becometh a snare and temptation to a man to steal and hindreth him from works of Charity and sutable diligence in the works of his lawful Calling readily preventeth the one and capacitateth for the other So is it here for it 's not unusual that the same sin and duty may be forbidden and commanded in diverse commands upon diverse considerations And this agreeth well both with the words and scope of this command And 5. according to the holy and wise oeconomy of Gods goodness our labour may be commanded to make his rest to be to us the more relishing and refreshing The tenth Verse containeth three things for explication 1. The Lords claim of the Seventh day as having reserved that to himself it 's his it 's to him and by him and for him separated from other dayes 2. A consequent flowing from this Therefore that day is not to be imployed to any of our own works no not the least No manner of work no word no thought nor deed of any such sort under whatsoever pretext beside the excepted cases 3. It 's extension as to all relations so to all ranks Parent and Child Master and Servant c. yea It 's thou for thy self and for all thou hast the oversight and charge of Sons Servants Strangers yea and Beasts not that they are capable of sanctifying a day more then the Beasts in Nineveh were of religious fasting Jonah 3. yet this sheweth what ought to be the Masters care it being for his use that Beasts are put to work God injoyneth all â—ayes of abstaining from every thing that is a mans own work on the Sabbath and will have him solemn in it In a word All within thy gates looketh not only to Masters and all in their families or within their doors but to Magistrates and Governours and all within their Jurisdiction Gates being the place of Judgment and used in Scripture to shew the extent as well as seat of power that they should see to their sanctifying of this day and the failing of any under them is their sin when they endeavour not to prevent and amend it And thus Nehemiah understood this command Neh. 13. when he put forth his power not only in contending with the native Nobles but even against Strangers for restraining them from violating this day Hence we gather 1 That idleness is a sin and that they will hardly give God his due on the Seventh day who are not diligent in the duties of some lawful calling and station for Gods honour and others good through the Six dayes of the Week and indeed this is often seen that such are lazie and careless and idle on that day passing it over even as they do other dayes without any difference at all except it be that they come to Church 2. We gather that humane whether Ecclesiastick or Civil appointment of ordinary fixed days for worship throughout the whole day beside the Sabbath will not agree with this command allowing men six for labour It 's true God might Soveraignly limit men but where he hath given liberty if it were but by concession who can restrain Concerning dayes therefore we lay down these four 1. That there can be no solemn setting apart of any day to any creature thus Saints dayes are unlawful for the Sabbath or day of rest is to the Lord and
Gospel neither vvas it as vve conceive ordinary to stone the presumptuous prophaneners of the Sabbath even amongst the Jews yet vvill this be no good reasoning men do not now execute punishments upon Transgressours of the first Table as on Transgressours of the second therefore Transgressions of the second Table are greater sins then Transgressions of the commands of the first for so vve vvould be in hazard to postpone all the Lavvs or Commands of the first Table to these of the second but vve are to consider that temporal punishments are heightened or lessened according as the peace and order of civil Societies may be more or less therein concerned so that it is not by these measures that we are to make the estimate of the greatness or smalness of sins in the sight of God and in order to his righteous and absolute judgments and therefore it 's enough that vve enquire vvhat God hath done and vvill do and vvhat sinners may expect from him hovvever men may over-look and pass them by yet before God they are often taken notice of and plagued even in this life and vvill be for ever â—ereafter if they repent not We may novv therefore in the close exhort beseech obtest and charge you all as in the sight of God vvho is a severe avenger of them that ye vvould be avvare of the sins vvhereby this command is transgressed Particularly guard against 1. Not preparing for it or not remembring of it many prophane the Sabbath ' ere they come to publick yea before it come in some respect 2. Carnal thoughts and a common frame of heart yea even to speak so a particular frame that looketh both to our ovvn condition or case As not stirring it self to be over and above that to be affected vvith God and his glorious vvorks of Creation and Redemption to give him praise for his marvellous goodness on that day there is alass generally little delight and praise in his vvorship even on his ovvn holy day 3. General unedifying discourses of the news of the time of health and other things not necessary to that day 4. Little profiting under the Gospel and not growing in knowledge and practise many a Sabbath is thus prophaned few getting or seeking the blessing of it or on it 5. Going to the fields and visiting of Neighbours to put off a piece of time that so much time may be saved on other dayes of the Week wherein many men think they have more to do and not seeking to edifie or to be edified when they visit Certainly by this going abroad and running up and down the streets unnecessarily ye indispose your selves ye offend others and tempt them to follow you ye slight either duties in your families or in secret or it may be both in a great measure I suppose that if ye made conscience of these there would not be so much time to go abroad Take some other day for recreating your selves â—f ye say ye have then somewh â—t else to do And have ye nothing to do this day Or will ye t â—ke more boldly from Gods day then from your own Is Sacriledge less then taking what is your own What if all did so gad abroad And it m â—y be they have no less reason What a Sabbath day would we have There is a remarkable word Exod. 16.29 that on the Sabbath none might go out of his place which though it be not to be understood as restraining exercises of piety or works of necessity and mercy as we shewed before yet it would seem to be the meaning of the words that on that which we call taking the air and on visiting there was a restraint thereby intended 6. Mens sitting upon choice in the Church at such a distance that they can scarcely hear and that they may the more securely confer together on common purposes so that they do not so much as aim to profit of whom we may appositely say as Christ said of the Priests that they prophaned the Sabbath and are blameless That they some way keep it and are guilty many also sleep vary and wander in their thoughts and are as stones and statutes in the Church 7. Little ones and boyes going and running up and down playing and making a noise and servants gadding all which will be charged on Magistrates Ministers Elders Masters and Parents who are not conscionably aiming and endeavouring in the diligent use of all sutable means to amend and prevent such abuses and to punish continuance in them â—specially look to it when few plead or appear against such sins 8. Much idle loitering over of the Sabbath doing nothing and much sleeping it over Idleness is a sin any day much more on this day 9. Little care of sanctifying the Sabbath when men are from home or when they are not in their own Congregations when they are not in their own Houses or have not any to take the oversight of them There is much liberty taken this way and there are many complaints of it What my Brethren Doth not the Sabbath require as strict sanctification abroad as at home If any should ask remedies of all these and such like evils I know none better then these that are in the Command it self The first is remember what 1. Remember by-gone failings and repent of them 2. Remember coming to Judgment that ye may be found of it in peace as to this or any other guilt and endeavour to prevent it 3. Remember to be all the Week over in your worship and walk minding it A second is be well imployed throughout the Week and be not given to idleness or laziness in your particular Callings nor in spiritual Exercises there will be no sanctifying of this day without that be not therefore slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 3. See that nothing unbecoming the rest of the day be admitted no manner not only of deeds but of words or thoughts 4. Let every one take inspection of others and seriously mind it in your several places as ye are called 5. Follow Gods example in other things as it 's proposed to you for your Imitation and ye will do it the better in this 6. Aim at the blessing as well as at the duty hang on himself for life and strength to discharge the duty and for the blessing since he is the Author and Bestower of both and do the duty delightsomly and with joy through the faith of his blessing and acknowledge his unspeakable goodness in priviledging you with his day and the worship thereof still waiting on him and trusting in him for whatever good may come to you in it THE FIFTH COMMAND Exodus 20.12 Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee OUR Lord Jesus Christ Matth. 22.37 summeth up the whole Law in these two words which he calleth the two great Commandements Thou shalt love the Lord thy
where Conscience putteth to pray and keep the Sabbath it will also put to do duty to our Neighbour he purposely putteth these together in the Gospel when the Pharisees would separ â—te them and what God h â—th conjoyned let no man put asunder It may be here inquired what it is to be religious in these common duties we owe to others Answ. Though we cannot instance in any thing wherein Religion hath not it's place yet we shall pitch on a â—ew things that it more especially implyeth And 1. It is necessary that the matter of the duty be commanded and 2. That respect be had to the command in the doing of it a man must not only provide for his Family but he must do it religiously a Master must not use his Servants as he pleaseth the Servant must not abuse the Masters simplicity but obey in â—ear and trembling c. Ephes. 6.5 Col. 3.22 in which places the Apostle presseth Servants to look to these things while many of them had Heathen Masters and what is spoken to them may be applyed to all in all Callings and Stations and serve to direct how to be religious in common duties And 1. As to the end it is required that they serve not men only but the Lord and so eye his glory the adorning of the Gospel the edification of others there being nothing we do wherein we ought not to have an higher end then our selves or men 2. That they have a religious Motive in their Service implyed in these words not with eye Service as men pleasers but as doing Service to the Lord in obedience to him and not to men not so much because their Masters command as because God commandeth not for the fashion nor meerly for profit but because commanded of God 3. That for the manner it be in singleness of heart chearfully and readily 4. That respect be had to the promise as well as to the command for their through bearing in their Service and for their Encouragement in the Faith of their being accepted through Christ as it is Ephes. 6.8 Coll. 3.24 else it were a sad thing for a Christian servant to be in hard Service and have no more to expect but a bitt of meat and a penny-hire from men but Christian servants may eye the heavenly reward in sweeping the house as well as in the religious duties of Gods immediate worship For helps to understand the commands of the second Table we may consider these four Scriptures which will hold out so many rules for that end The 1. and principal one is Mat. 22.39 Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self which sheweth that there should be a warmness of affection in us to our neighbour opposite to hatred Levit. 19.17 18. revenge malice inward grudging and no doubt this warmness of love making a man measure his duty to others by the love he hath to himself will notably help to understand and observe all the duties of the second Table The 2. i â— Mat 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them which is a rule of general equity and is opposite to partiality and self-love which undermineth all the duties of the second Table and this is of a general and universal extent to all persons and things such as buying and selling to duties betwixt man and wife neighbour and neighbour Master and Servant c. The 3. is Philip. 2.4 Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others a notable effect of love not only to wish well to our neighbours but to seek and procure their good and it is opposite to selfishness and regardlesness of the good of others if we be well our selves The 4. is Rom. 12.10 Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another be kindly to and manifest your esteem of your Neighbour not in a complementing way but really and heartily which by James is called the fulfilling of the Law and by the Apostle John the old and new commandement wherein there is more Religion then many are aware of more then in knowledg speculations and empty notions but oh How short are we in these more common duties that lye as it were among our feet We come now to the Fifth command which is the first of the second Table and it containeth 1. a precept 2. a Promise and so it is called by the Apostle Ephes. 6.2 the first Command with promise which must be upon one of these grounds either i. because it is the first command that hath a particular promise that promise in the Second command being general and applicable as it is actually applyed there to all the commands or 2 because this is the first command of the second Table and often in the new Testament the commands are reckoned and instanced by that Table especially when duties betwixt man and man are pressed And if it be said that it is the only command of the second Table that hath a promise it is answered it is the only command that hath an express promise Beside it is not absurd to read it thus it is the first command i.e. of the second Table and to press it the more the promise added to it is mentioned so that to urge obedience to it the more strongly it is not only the first Command saith the Apostle of the second Table but it hath a promise also added to it And this certainly is the Apostles scope to press its observation In the precept we are 1. To consider the Object Father and Mother 2. The Duty honour 1. Again concerning the first it is to be considered that this Command in its scope respecteth the duty that we owe to all Relations whether they be above us inferiour to us or equal with us This is clear from Christs summing all the second Table and consequently this command with the rest in that comprehensive general Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self and therefore our Neighbour in general must be the object of this Command as well as of the rest and so it taketh in all the duties of honour that every one oweth to another whatever be their place there is a duty of honour and respect called for from every one to every one And so Eph. 5.22 it is pressed upon Wives toward their Husbands and 1 Pet. 3.7 upon Husbands towards their Wives which must be comprehended here Thus Father and Mother are here to be largely and synecdo â—h â—cally understood one sort of Relations being in a figurative manner put for all the rest 2. Under them are comprehended all Superiours for place in Church or Common-wealth who in Scripture get the Title of Fathers as Magistrates Supreme and Subaltern Ministers and all Church-Officers Teachers Overseers and all in the place of Fathers 1 Cor. 4.15 yea they who are to be esteemed as such for gifts of Learning Wisdom Grace and
Piety Acts 7.2 or for their worldly means and outward estate as Joseph was Gen. 45.8 or for their age and the reverence due to them on that account 2 Kings 2.12 in a word any sort of em â—nencie putteth one in that roll of Fathers largely taken though they be not properly such 3. We are called in the first place to look to the duties of this relation as it is domestick such as of a Master over the Servant of a Husband over the Wife c. and then cometh the carriage of one toward another in general and though most properly the duties of Parents mediate or immediate over their Children or Nephews be here pointed at which is most literal yet the former also is included all particulars of that kind being by a figure comprehended under one If it be asked here Why the mo â—her is added Answ. 1. Because although the mother be not so qual â—fied for the rule and government of the Children yet she is no less intituled to their acknowledgment and this parental honour by the labour toil and tenderness of their birth and education and in this as well as in the disposition of the members of the body mentioned 1 Cor. 12. v. 22 23 and 24. the excellent attemperation of Gods wisdom is very conspicuous by ballancing the greater authority of the Father with the greater pains and care of the Mother that the Childrens duty of love honour and gratitude may return to both with a suitable equality 2. She is added to shew that it is not only the most eminent Superiour or Neighbour to whom honour is due but even these who have more weakness and especially the Mother Hence it is that alwayes almost in the Proverbs where duty to the Father is pressed the Mother is also named with him to shew that Children should not think that less respect is due to the Mother than to the Father yea sometimes the Mother is prefixed to the Father as Lev. 19.3 Ye shall fear every man his Mother and his Father which is done to meet with the humour of many who are ready to lessen their duty to their Mother and therefore we are called to it even in her old age Prov. 23.22 and to guard against despising of her then which is too readily and frequently incident Thus doth the Lord provide in his word against our corruption which is ready to take advantage of debording and outbreaking at the weakest part If it be further asked Why all Superiours yea all Neighbours are spoken of as Fathers and Mothers Answ. These reasons are obvious from the scope It is 1. to shew that the duties of this Command are mutual amongst all relations it giveth Superiours their due yet so as that it teacheth them also how to carry toward their Inferiours that is to be Fathers to them and that the relation necessarily implyeth a mutual tye therefore this Command doth not only direct inferiours in their duty towards Superiours but also Superiours in their duty to their Inferiours 2. They get this name to make their subjection to each other and their mutual relations and duties the more sweet and kindly when the subjection is to be given as by a Son to a Father and when it is exacted and expected as by a Father from a Son which consideration should be a kindly motive to all mutual duties and also an inducement to hide infirmities and to construct tenderly of failings And thus the denomination of the natural relation seems to be borrowed to establish and strengthen the positive Relation which of its self is not so binding of the Conscience by Nature's light So much for the Object of this Duty The Duty itself here called for is honour which is also largely to be understood both as it taketh in the inward esteem of others in our heart and also the evidencing of this in outward expressions in our conversation For by this Command it appeareth that there is 1. Some eminencie in every man 2. That every one should observe that and honour it in another What is it then to honour them It is not to complement them and only seemingly to reverence them but it consisteth especially in these 1. In observing and acknowledging what is eminent in any for nature grace station or other accidental things and if there appear no more in a man yet as he beareth any thing of Gods Im â—ge or is a Christian and Member of Christs Church he is thus to be honoured 2. There ought to be an esteem of him and we should really have an honourable account of him and that in some respect beyond our selves in some one thing or other 3. It lyeth much in love and kindly or affectionate reverence as is hinted Rom. 12.10 4. It taketh in obedience according to our stations flowing from a disposition of heart to obey Heb. 13.17 5. It reacheth both to the thought of the heart and to our secret carriage there should not be in our secret chamber any despising or wishing ill to him Eccles. 10.20 6. It comprehendeth a holy fear and awe that should be joyned with it Lev. 19.3 Honour being thus fixed in the heart it is to be expressed 1. In words by respective and reverent speaking and giving answers or making suits Sarah called her Husband Lord 1. Pet. 3.6 2. It is expressed in gestures by bowing rising up keeping silence sometimes before others Job 29. not answering again Tit. 2.9 saluting c. Col. 4.15 3 In deeds by obedience and testifying respect that way which is generally called gratitude therefore obedience to Parents Eph. 6.1 is dravvn from this Command vvhich presseth obedience upon men according to their relations 4. In our means communicating thereof vvhen it is called for so tribute to vvhom tribute is due Rom 13.7 and double honour to the Elders that rule vvell 1 Tim. 5.17 according to the acceptation of honour used in that precept Honour the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3.9 5. In our Prayers for them 2. Tim. 2.1 6. In covering their infirmities Gen. 9.21 22. As the breaches of this Command may be easily gathered hence as being opposite to these so this rule is alvvayes to be carried along in practice that this honour and obedience must be still in the Lord that is there must be a reserving to the Lord his due for God is the supreme F â—ther and all our re â—pect to under-fathers of the flesh is to be subordin â—te to the Father of Spirits Heb. 12 9. so as he may have the first place for vvhose cause vve give reverence to them and so that vvord is still true Acts 4.19 It is better to obey God then man m â—n is only to be obeyed in the Lord Ephes 6 1. And thus refusing to comply vvith unjust comman â—s i â— not d â—â—obedience to Parents but high obedience to God the re â—usal being conveyed respectfully and after the due m â—nner Again the branches of this Command
well as good report 4. It is to be sought in things relating to Godliness not in riches or honor or eloquence or great learning but honesty faithfulness holiness thus Paul disclaimeth seeking the applause of being a learned or eloquent or wise man he disdained these seeking it only in the faithful single and zealous discharge of his Ministry among the Corinthians 5. This Testimony or Respect is to be sought after even with a piece of holy ambition in the Consciences of others but not so much in the outward evidences and testifications of it To be commended and approved in the consciences of these we live among is desirable and that which also Paul himself aimed at 6. This respect would be a step for an higher end that so all our respect may be improved and made use of for the honour of God 5 Quest. If it be asked how and in what manner are we to pursue or seek our own honour Answ. See what the Scripture saith 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour And first the honouring of God is praise-worthy and honourable in it self Gold hath not more its lustre a Rubie or Diamond its beauty nor the sun its light and glory then godliness and vertue whereby God is honoured are radiant to their own praise 2. If after by reason of human infirmity and other disadvantages this radiancy be obscured or through mens ignorance folly or malignity this worthiness not observed or not esteemed the Lord undertakes for the former and vindicates from the latter telling us plainly them that honour me I will honour and hence it is that we so often find in Scripture honour attributed to those things that are so low and mean in the eyes of men as 1. To taking with Instruction Prov. 3.16 2. To yielding to Correction even when unjust 1 Pet. 2.20 3. To Submission to parents as in this command 4. To humility and to passing of wrongs and ceasing from strife Prov. 20.3 In a word therefore the high-path way to honour is by humility the fear of the Lord obedience submission and selfdenyedness Whereby the Lord as it were to make honour the more honourable will have it rather to be his pure gift then either our study or purchase Qu. 6. If it be asked how one can fulfill that part of the command enjoyning us to prefer another to our selves Answ. 1 This is not to be universally and simply understood as if we were called in every thing to do so and to every person for we may know that some are more ignorant and more prophane than we are in many practises guilty of things we may be free of and so we are not obliged to judge contrary to truth Yet 2. in some one respect or other we may prefer them as 1. In that they may have something beyond us they are possibly more humble more single zealous diligent c. though inferiour to us in other things 2. They may have much good we know not 3. We certainly know or at least may know more evil in our selves than in them and therefore are to prefer them to our selves 4. We know more aggravations of our own evils then of theirs and therefore simply we may without hypocrisie prefer men generally to our selves though we in particulars could not do so nor give unto every one in every thing the precedency We come now to speak a little of the promise which is added to stir up to the more serious Observation of this command and as for the nature of it it is a temporal one peculiarly applyed to Israel here yet generally agreeing to all and so applyed as to the substance of it by the Apostle Ephes. 6.2.3 where he putteth earth for land whereby he insinuateth that it is to be understood of any land wherein God shall please to cast a mans Lot to reside or inhabit as well as of Judea so then If it be asked whether or not this promise is to be simply understood and the accomplishment of it without any restriction expected or looked for Answ. Although this promise seems to have a peculiar respect unto that Dispensation wherein not only the Saints everlasting rest was prefigured by that temporal rest in the land of Canaan but also the more obscure manifestations of the life and immortality brought to light by the Gospel supplyed as it were by more full and assuring promises of earthly blessings yet seeing the Apostle as we have touched doth in the pressing of this command also accommodate to us it 's promise we think it holds out that such who through Grace are enabled to give obedience to the command may by vertue of the promise annexed expect from God even outward things in so far as the having of them shall be for their good and spiritual advantage And 2. They may with confidence promise themselves that whatever they have in the world or how many or few days soever they may have in it yet all shall be with Gods blessing and peace And 3. That their death shall never be untimely And 4 What seeming defect soever may be in the performance as to length of days here shall be abundantly made up by eternity hereafter in Heaven what then vvill or can be the prejudice of few days on Earth From the annexing of this promise to the command these two thing clearly follow 1. That there are temporal promises made to Godliness 2. That a Godly man hath that right which none other hath to inherit the earth If it be asked here Whether or not a wicked man hath a right to any thing in the world Answ. 1. There is a threefold right the first is a creature-right whereby any of Gods creatures have a right to any thing in his creation that is useful for them when it is simply necessary and not occupied by another under the like need and after the similitude of this right Crowes and so of other living creatures may take their meat on the field of any man thus a man starving may for himself or his brother if in the like condition when the proper owner of any Corn cannot be gotten put to his hand and take of them for preventing of death by hunger and so likewayes it may be in other things all things being made for the use of man at the first and committed to him and the orderly dividing of mens lots and portions having been but the better to further that end and not to marr it is not to take place when it thwarteth with it thus the Disciples did pluck and eat the ears of Corn when they were an hungred though the corn was not their own God also who hath the absolute dominion hath so given to man a property that he hath reserved a right to himself to make use of it when need requireth for the good of other creatures thus he provideth for Crows Ravens c. out of one mans stock or other 2. There is a positive or
of the Commands yet in a special manner are they related and as it were tyed to this As 1. Idleness such as you see 2 Sam. 11.2 c. occasioned Davids fall and is by Ezekiel c. 16.49 charged on Sodom as predisposing for and going along with their uncleanness Idleness being in it self mater omnium vitiorum and noverca omnium virtutum the mother of all vices and the stepmother of all vertues This breedeth unstayed looks and giveth occasion to and entertaineth carnal Imaginations and it occasioneth much gadding when folks either have no lawful calling or are not diligent and serious in the employments and duties of it 1 Tim. 5.13 2. Lightness and unstableness charged on Reuben when he defiled his Fathers bed Gen. 19.4 and by the Apostle keeping at home is Tit. 2.5 joyned with chastity modesty and shamefastness there is a g â—dding and a so called furthiness especially in women more especially young women which is exceeding offensive and yet exceeding rife it may be it were more sitly called impudence or imprudent boldness which maketh them run to all spectacles and shews to speak in all discourses which guilt crosses the character that one gives of a modest Virgin that She loves rather to loose her self in a modest silence then to be found in a bold discourse and to hazard upon all companies exceceding unsutable to that modesty and shamefastness which is particularly called for in that Sex Take in here also the manner of going minsing or tripping nicely and making a tinkling with their feet spoken of Isaiah 3.16 and touched at a little before 3. Wantonness and too much carnal mirth and laughter which is both the evidence and great somenter of loosness in the heart and so foolish je â—sting which is not convenient Eph. 5.3 is conjoyned with this sin and none ought to think that there is a lawful freedom in such jollity as chambering and wantonness Rom. 13.13 Now this taketh in much and is of a large extent 4. Vndecent conversing going abroad in company with rash and offensive freedom when as entering the house yea coming near the very doors of an whores house is forbidden Prov. 5.8 the ill and prejudice whereof may be seen in Dinahs going abroad belike without an errand Gen. 34.1 2 c. Potiphers wife did cast her self in Josephs company thus though he gave her no entertainment but in the fear of the Lord sled from her 5. Add dancing a thing condemned by the people of God as no honest recreation at least when in companies that are mixed and as we call it promiscous dancing such as useth to be at marriages and the like occasions both of old as may be seen in the Canons of several Councels as also of late by our own and other reformed Churches I shall say these things in short of it First that ye will not find it mentioned in Scripture in the person of any of the godly it becoming an Herodias's daughter better then professors of Religion 2. That it will be readily found to indispose for the exercise of godliness and so to be inconsistent or at best hardly consistent with either a pious and lively or a sober frame of spirit 3. That it marreth not only the gravity of persons for the time putting them in a sort of regular distraction but lesseneth the esteem of such persons this insobriety being like a dead fly that maketh the box of oyntment if any be to stink 4. That in Scripture examples we find this sort of dancing only among prophane and loose people and recorded also as a piece of their stain or blot rendring them some way infamous and oftentimes it hath also snares waiting upon it as in the Israelites amongst themselves Exod. 32. and in the daughters of Moab with the people of Israel and in that of Herodias's daughter Some also suppose those whom Dinah went forth to see Gen. 34. were thus imployed at some feast or such other solemnity where she was insnared and de â—â—owred 5. Yea it is often if not ever the fruit of some former loosness and carnalness being the effect that excessive wantonne â—â— usually breaketh out in and can Gods people warrantably have fellowship with these works of darkness or can they if guilty themselves reprove it in others Cicero calleth it Postremum viticrum quia act a sequuntur the last of vices because usually it followeth former loose carriages 6. There is no lawful mean of recreation which is useful for the health of the body but is and may and should be sanctified by the Word and Prayer yet I suppose neither useth this to be so neither would any think it very sutable or well consistent with a praying frame and can that which standeth not with the serious exercise of repentance and a praying disposition or that which none would think a fit posture to meet death or the Lords appearing with be in reason thought consistent with a Christian walk which should alwayes be with the loyns girded and the lamps burning It is somewhat like this or less then this which the Lord condemneth Isa. 3.16 walking and mincing or tripping and making a tinkling with their feet what is that but disdaining the grave way of walking to affect an art in it as many do now in our dayes and shall this be displeasing to the Lord and not the other seeing he loveth and is best pleased with the native way of carrying the body Junius and Rivet from him calleth this mincing or tripping a walking or standing on the Earth in an artificial way Besides these things that are more general in folks carriage there is somewhat further in our cloathing and diet which is to be spoken to here seeing in these we ought to be christian sober grave c. and in nothing do our lightness vanity as we ordinarily use to call people vain from their apparel pride wantonness and rioting appear more then in vain garbs Hence the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 2.9 joyneth modest apparel with shamefastness and sobriety or chastity as also doth the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 3.2 3. and in Jezebel and others decking and dressing to seek love is ever accounted an high degree of loosness It is a wonder that men should take pleasure to deboard in their cloathing which is the badge of their persidiousness and was at first appointed to cover their shame and nakedness It is observed that the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beged doth signifie both persidiousness and cloathing and c â—meth from that word which signifieth to break covenant the Lord thereby intending by the very consideration of our cloaths to humble us and keep us in mind of our first breach of covenant wi â—h him and yet such is our wickedness that we will glory in that which is indeed our shame as if it were a special ornament and whereas at first cloathing was appointed for covering nakedness for preventing of incitements to lust and for decencie now
their dancing ◠vvere not promiscuous men vvith vvomen but men or vvomen apart Beside if the seeing of vain objects provoke to lust the circumstances and incitements of dancing must do it much more and vvhat men commonly say Take away the promiscuousness of dancing and it self will fall It doth confirm this that dancing is not pleaded for or delighted in as it is a recreative motion but as promiscuous vvith vvomen vvhich beside the great provocation to lust spoken of occasioneth that both much time and expense is bestovved on learning this vvhich is attended vvith no profit What vve have said of these evils may also take in excess in sleeping laziness c. to be seen in David 2 Sam. 11.2 and also vain curiosity as vvell as lasciviousness in singing and playing too much vvhereof savours of wantonness and riotousness as these vvords Rom. 13.13 are in their signification extended by some Novv all these excesses spoken of being opposite to sobriety and modesty shamefastness and gravity must come in under wantonness and vvhat follovveth doth come in under intemperance The Scripture insisteth much in condemning the sin of intemperance vvhich vve conceive doth mainly consist in gluttony and drunkenness and seeing these sins must belong to some one Command although virtually and indirectly they break all vve take them especially to be condemned here in this Command vvhere temperance is commanded and therefore vve shall find them in Scripture mentioned vvith a special respect to the sin of uncleanness expresly forbidden here Fulness of bread and gluttony is observed to have been Sodoms sin and the rise and source of their filthiness Ezek. 16.49 Drunkenness is marked especially as leading to this Prov. 23.31 33. Therefore vve choose to speak a word to these tvvo evils here vvhich are in themselves so abominable and yet alas so frequent amongst those vvho are called Christians It is true there is both in eating and drinking respect to be had 1. To nature vvhich in some requireth more in some less 2. To mens stations vvhere as to the kind or quality as vve said of cloaths there is more allovved to one then another 3. To some occasions vvherein more freedom and hilarity is permitted then at other times vvhen more abstinency and a restraint upon these even in themselves lavvful pleasures is extraordinarily called for so that vve cannot bound all persons and at all times vvith the same peremptory rules There is also respect to be had to Christian liberty vvhere by Gods goodness men have allovvance to make use of thèse things not only for necessity but for refreshing also and the vertue of temperance and sobriety as all other vertues doth not consist in an indivisible point so that a man is to eat and drink so much and neither less nor more without any latitude the Lord hath not so streightned the consciences of his people but hath left bounds in sobriety that we may come and go upon providing these bounds be not exceeded Neither is every satisfaction or delight in meat or drink to be condemned seeing it is natural but such as degenerateth and becometh carnal We would therefore inquire into the sinfulness thereof and because there is a great affinity betwixt these two evils of Gluttony and Drunkenness we may speak of them together for brevities sake We suppose then 1. That both gluttony and drunkenness are sinful and that both in the use of meat and drink men may several wayes fail the many prohibitions and commands that are in the Word for ordering us in the use of meat and drink 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God Rom. 13.14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof And Rom. 14.20 For meat destroy not the work of God all things indeed are pure but is evil for that man who eateth with offence Prov. 23.20 21. Be not amongst wine-bibbers amongst riotous eaters of flesh For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags The many reproofs that there are for exceeding in both Ezek 16.49 Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom Pride fulness of bread and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy Luke 16.19 There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day with several other places And the many sad Judgments which have been inflicted as well as threatned for them Deut. 21.20 And they shall say unto the Elders of his City This our Son is stubborn and rebellious he will not obey our voice he is a glutton and a drunkard Prov. 23.21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags with the desperate effects following on them as Prov. 23. v. 29 32. Who hath woe who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath babbling who hath wounds without cause who hath redness of eyes A ◠the last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder c. will put it out of question that they are not only sinful but so in an high degree Yea if we consider the ends for which God hath given us the use of these creatures which excess inverteth and marreth to wit his honour and the good of our selves and others the rules he hath given to regulate us in the use of them the holy frame he calleth for from us at all times the difference that should be betwixt his people and the men of the world if the use of these things we vvill find this excess in the use on these enjoyments to be sinful and no less contrary to the holy nature and law of God and to that holiness and sobriety that should be in a Christian then fornication and other uncleannesses are therefore there is no sin hath more woes pronounced by the Holy Ghost against it then drunkenness a woe being ever almost joyned with it nor more shame attending it so that of old drunkards drank in the night 1 Thess. 5. as being ashamed of it though now alas many are drunk in the day and some in the morning and even such as are addicted to it are with great difficulty recovered Prov. 23. ult 2. We suppose also that these sins may be and sometimes are separated and divided for one may be guilty of excess in meat or of gluttony who may be free of drunkenness and contrarily It is the saying of a holy man Aug lib. 10. confess cap. 17. Drunkenness O Lord is far from me but gluttony hath often prevailed over me And therefore we are not here to account our selves free when both these ills cannot be charged on us it is often incident to men who think themselves sober to be much more watchful against drunkenness then gluttony yea
or by our seeking vvhat is not ours 2. by bearing through a business to the prejudice of another upon a title of Lavv beyond Equity the first is condemned 1 Cor. 6.1 c. the second in Job 31.21 If I have lift up my hand against the fatherless saith Job when I saw my help in the gate see also to this purpose Prov. 3.29 30. 12. There is a breach of it by wronging our neighbour under trust which is a high degree of theft As 1. by g â—ving advice to his prejudice when he supponeth to and confideth in our counsel 2. When Advocates are not faithful 3. When Partners in trade and bargainings are not faithful one to another 4. When Servants Factors Treasurers c. are not faithful who as Joseph have all committed to them and like the unjust Steward can count up or down fifty for eighty and eighty for fifty 5. Especially here fail Tutors of Orphans and Fatherless Children who having these committed to their trust make it their work to prey upon their estates if they can but do it handsomly and without observation this is theft robbery oppression and deceitful dealing in the highest degree 13. There is a breach of it by bribery when Judges suffer themselves to receive gifts presents buds or bribes whether to the perverting of Judgment or for doing right in Judgment which they are obliged to do without these Whoever suffer themselves to be bribed for Judging right may easily be tempted by a bribe to do wrong in Judgment all such forget that the Judgment is the Lords Deut. 1.17 that they ought not to judge for men but for the Lord 2 Chron. 19.6 that they ought in a special manner to be fearers of God men of truth and haters of covetousness Exod. 18.21 that they should not respect persons in Judgment but hear the small as well as the great Deut. 1.17 that they should not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty but judge righteous Judgment Lev. 19.15 that they ought not to wrest Judgment nor to take a gift which blindeth the eyes even of the wise and perverteth the words of the righteous Deut. 16 19. Exod. 23.8 and that fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery Job 15.34 the Lord doth highly resent and will most severely punish the breach of this Command in such because they do more immediately represent himself as being placed in Judgment to supply his room 14. There is a breach of it when there is inequality betwixt our advantage and that which is expended by us for others or when for what is not useful and needful their money bestowed on us is exhausted or when we occasion them to spend money needlesly upon any thing that is not useful but rather hurtful as in excessive drinking feasting cloathing that is full of vanity or in vain fashions of cloathing playing at unlawful games as cards and dice or excessively at lawful games or in dancing and fidling and such like which are amongst the lavish and profuse wayes of living and whoever are accessory to make others follow these or for these do procure money from others become thieves And thus all idle Vagabonds Playsairs Sporters Minstrellers Stage-players and such like livers on other folks charges are guilty of the breach of this Command 15. There is a wronging of our Neighbours estate by negligence sloath c. when that is not done which we ought to do for their good this is done especially by Tutors by Servants and others who stand in such relations to any as that by vertue thereof they are obliged to have a care of what they are interested in 16. We wrong others by ingaging them to be sureties for us when we see not a way how to relieve them The ingagers themselves also become guilty of the breach of this Command except in such cases wherein equity and charity requireth their ingaging and this way many are stollen from their estates 17. It is committed in retaining what is our neighbours As 1. when the payment of money or things borrowed is delayed beyond the time appointed Pr. 3.28.2 When things borrowed are hurt or wronged the Lord giveth Laws for this Ex. 22.14 3. When pledges are lost by negligence or interverted to our own use 4. When our Neighbours beast is straying and when seen by us and not kept for him as we would he should do to us see Deut. 22.2 Lev. 6.4 5. When something is lost and we keep it as if finding gave us a right to it it should be for the right owner and if he cannot be found publick signification should be made of it as the Law requireth 18. This Command obligeth us to restore 1. What we have unjustly taken from or gained of others any way as Zacheus did Luke 19.8 It is recorded of Selymus the Turkish Emperour a most bloody man that when he was a dying one of his Bassaas desiring him to build an Hospital for relief of the poor with the wealth taken from the Persian Merchants he replyed thus Wouldest thou Pyr â—hus that I should bestow other mens goods wrongfully taken from them on works of Charity and Devotion for mine own vain glory and praise assuredly I will never do it nay rather see they be bestowed on the right owners again Which was done forthwith accordingly to the great shame of many Christians who mind nothing less then the restitution of ill gotten goods whether by themselves or by their Ancestours but cull out some small fragments of a world of such ill-gotten goods to bestow on some charitable or pious work as they call it Zacheus his penitent Proclamation here consisted of two branches to wit restitution and destribution 2. It obligeth even Children that have somewhat transmitted to them from their Parents which they have unjustly conqueished to restore it otherwayes they make themselves guilty And in all these we would distinguish the Court of the Lord or of Conscience from mens Civil Courts and thus it will not warrant the Heir before God though before men it may to retain that which he possesseth that the Father left him a right to what he unjustly purchased It may be it is the doing of this which maketh great estates melt away in the Childrens hands because it thus descended the Lord hereby would have men know that they are not richest who have most left them but who have it well conquieshed with Gods blessing 19. Consider it as it doth not properly take from our neighbours yet vvrongeth them and deteriorateth their estate so men may wrong the house they dwell in the horse they ride on or any thing which is set or given in loan to them thus they may wrong the instruments that others win their living with so also we wrong others when their time is taken up either by waiting idly on us or by unnecessary imployments put upon them visits and such like or when weakness of body is occasioned to
deliberation determined as 2 Cor. 9.7 as every man purposeth in his heart c. If a man will put it to a conscientious deliberation he doth well and it will not want fruits I think many could not judge their way to be conscientiously charitable and communicative if they would thus simply and unbyassedly put it to the tryal 3. Folks would judge it by an equality as it is 2 Cor. 8.13 14. for one man cannot fully supply all Now it is somewhat proportionable if a man considering the state of poor ones and other occasions can discern so much to be useful and needful to them and that his part of that would come to this much and accordingly to give even as all gave their proportion of tythes under the Law whatever others did only this sayeth that men would even go beyond their power sometimes when others fail 4. Folks would set aside the half of their needless superfluity that they may be able to give out of their abundance that is when mens families are competently provided of meat cloathing and estate if there be still more let there be as much laid aside to this use For 1. this cannot burthen them 2. Less cannot be admitted of before God then to bestow as much on the necessities of others as on our own superfluities and 3. this would amount to much if so much were bestowed on Charity as we bestow on the superfluities of meat wine building of houses houshold plenishing vain apparel laces and other dressings of that sort 5. The Lord in the Law stinted the people to a tenth or thereby for Numb 18.21 there was one tenth to the Levites alone who were to give the tenth of that to the Priests this might be eaten any where Again Deut. 14.22 and Deut. 26. there was a second tenth to be eaten for two years before the Lord by the man and his houshold as well as by the Levit fatherless and widow c. but every third year was for them only Now not to be peremptory by this proportion it would seem that the Lord calleth for a considerable part near or about the tenth of our free rent or gain which he would have us to employ thus and this would be found no great burthen and it might be waited with Gods blessing upon what remaineth It is then you see no little part of wisdom to walk rightly in the things of the world yet as holiness is no friend to covetousness so neither is it to prodigality there is a midst betwixt these two which is called frugality this is well consistent with piety for it neither carkingly gathereth nor carelesly neglecteth nor prodigally wasteth or casteth away but is a sparing and spending a gaining and giving out according to right reason But for the further explication of it I shall put you in mind of these following Scriptures which have so many properties qualifications evidences or commendations of frugality 1. It provideth for things honest before God and men 2 Cor. 8.21 Rom. 12.17 2. It maketh a man look well to his herds and flocks and in a gainful sinless calling is diligent Prov. 27.23 and not sloathful in business Rom. 12.11 3. It is not vain and lordly so a frugal woman is described Prov. 31.10 c. by being honest in her carriage honest in her family providing for her husband children and servants cloaths fare c. yet not vain she maketh her own cloath and her family is provided for in an honest thirsty way without great cost 4. It is provident though not covetous like the Ant laying up in Summer Prov. 6.6 And the vertuous woman seeth and considereth a field and purchaseth it Prov. 31.16 5. It is taken up about things necessary not superfluous John 13.29 the Disciples thought Judas had been sent out to buy what was necessary not what was superfluous 6. It putteth nothing to unthrifty uses nor suffereth any thing needlesly to perish according to that word of our Lords John 6.12 Take up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost 7. It moderateth its gifts that they be neither of covetousness nor prodigality but as it is Psal. 112. The good man guideth his affairs with discretion 8. The frugal man his conquest is in that which hurteth not others and rather by his own industry then others simplicity It lyeth rather in his diligence and dexterity then in his slight and cunning in duty to satisfie conscience and not in sin to raise a challenge It is in a word a following of riches with Gods blessing seeking them both together it being the blessing of the Lord which only maketh rich Prov. 10.21 and he addeth no sorrow therewith all other riches without this have sorrows multiplyed on them 1 Tim. 6.10 the good man and truly frugal seeketh first the kingdom of Heaven Matth. 6.33 and the one thing necessary and alloweth not himself to be cumbered about many things as Martha was Luke 10.41 he chooseth the right time and season and is not inordinately bent upon gathering he knoweth there is a time to scatter as well as to gather as it is Eccles. 3.6 He knoweth when to be liberal and carrieth Charity along with him and wrongeth it not Before we pass this Command we may consider the punishment of the breach of it and that in a threefold consideration 1. Before God or in foro poli and so there is no question but it secludeth from the kingdom of Heaven the covetous and others are 1 Cor. 6.10 particularly debarred yea it is a sin which the Lord abhorreth Psal. 10.3 2. Consider it in foro â—cclesiastico as to Church-discipline and it seemeth by sundry places of Scripture that the covetous have been thus taken notice of as 1 Cor. 5.10 11 c. where the covetous are reckoned as contradistinct from extortioners in which place we conceive that the Apostle doth mean a man that in the main of his way hunteth after the world although he be not chargeable with direct theft or oppression this he calleth Phil. 3.19 minding of earthly things and Coll. 3.1 2. setting the affections on those things which are on the earth which certainly may be much discovered by the strain of a mans carriage his devotedness and addictedness to the world the little time he doth bestow upon Gods service his little usefulness to others as Nabal was to David his fordid niggardliness that he can neither give to others nor use himself what he possesseth as it is Eccles. 6. 1. his being defective in other duties from that ground his being in his way of living miserably much within his estate and station his taking advantage of every thing that may bring him gain as of a trick of Law and such like even when it is rigid as to anothers hurt or like the man that is cruel against others taking them by the throat saying Pay me all that thou owest distraining and distressing for little things when he himself is not straitned
increase by the Law we may and sometimes should be below or within it but never above or without it Yea 2. the rules of charity and equity are not to be broken as they are when other the poor are not lent unto for the supply of their necessity or only on the same tearms with the rich this is against the Law Ex. 22. Deut. 15. and what the Lord saith Luke 6.34 35. commanding to lend without expectation of any thing when the borrowers case calleth for it 3. No increase would be exacted from these that neither gain by increasing or retaining their own portion but when what is gained is imployed for their necessary sustentation or when without their desire and not by negligence they are put to straits or cannot command their ovvn or their ovvn is but little and vvill not bear their giving of increase and sustain themselves too in this case it is their life and bread nothing is to be exacted as it is Deut. 23. 4. Folks vvould not so empty their hands by lending to rich folks all if they may spare any as to be incapacitated to lend freely to the poor for so men may frustrate the great end of this Command and fail against the rules of Charity 5. There is unlavvful Vsury and to be guarded against vvhen men consider not vvhat use the borrovver maketh of money hovv he debaucheth and spendeth it if so be their increase be sure or consider not if by emergent providences the borrovver vvithout his ovvn fault lost much for equity saith that consideration ought to be here and vve should not be svvayed only by our ovvn gain 6. Folks vvould not make a trade of this ordinarily vvhich is but for necessity either to inrich themselves or to keep themselves idle and to prejudge lavvful Callings It vvould be either vvhen anothers necessity calleth for it or our inability othervvayes to trade vvarranteth it as if it be by vveakness or under-age and the like as is that of Orphans Widovvs Ministers and others vvho by their stations are kept up from other tradings and yet allovved to provide for their families vvho may othervvayes do may not cannot so plead for exception 7. Folks vvould be svvayed to lend or not lend not according to their ovvn security only but also according to the borrovvers necessity and their ovvn duty as the Lords vvord Luke 6.35 plainly hold forth THE NINTH COMMAND Exodus 20.16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour THE Lord having in the foregoing Commands directed us how to walk with others in reference to their honour life chastity and estate Now because men and human Societies are greatly concerned in the observing of truth and ingenuity he cometh in this Command to direct us how to be tender of this that by us our neighbour be not wronged in that respect but that on the contrary all means may be used to preserve truth for his good to prevent what may load his name and to remove what lyeth on it The scope of it is the preservation of verity and ingenuity amongst men Coloss. 3.9 lye not one to another Ephes. 4.25 Speak every man the truth c. and v. 15. Speak the truth in love because if otherwayes spoken it is contrary to the scope of this Command which is the preservation of our neighbours name from a principle of love The sin forbidden here is expressed by false witness bearing which is especially before Judges because that is the most palpable gross way of venting an untruth under which as in other Commands all the lesser are forbidden Although there be many sorts of sins in words whereby we wrong others yet we think they are not all to be reduced to this Command for injurious and angry words belong to the sixth Command and filthy words to the seventh but we take in here such words as are contrary to truth and fall especially under lying or wronging of our neighbours name Now truth being an equality or conformity of mens words to the thing they speak as it is indeed and in it self And lying being opposit thereto we may consider it two wayes 1. In reference to a mans mind that is that he speak as he thinketh in his heart as it is Psal. 15.2 this is the first rule whereby lying is discerned if our speech be not answerable to the inward conception which it pretendeth to express and this is that which they call formale mendacium or a formal lye which is an expressing of a thing otherwayes then we think it to be with a purpose to deceive Then 2. there must be a conformity in this conception to the thing it self and so men must be careful to have their thoughts of things sutable to the things themselves that they may the more falsly express them and thus when there is a disconformity between mens words and the thing they seem to express it is that which they call materiale mendacium or a material lye and a breach of this Command that requireth truth in mens words both as to matter and manner That we may sum up this Command which is broad into some few particulars we may consider it first as it is broken 1. in the heart 2. in the gesture 3. in right 4. in word First in heart a man may fail 1. By suspecting others injustly this is called evil surmizing 1 Tim. 6.4 or as it is in the original evil suspition which is when men are suspected of some evil without ground as Potiphar suspected Joseph or it is jealousie when this suspition is mixed with fear of prejudice to some interest we love so Herod was jealous when Christ was born and the neighbouring Kings when Jerusalem was a building There is I grant a right suspition such as Solomon had of Adonijah and wherein Gedaliah failed in not crediting Johannans information anent Ismaels conspiracy against his life 2. By rash judging and unjust concluding concerning a mans state as Jobs friends did or his actions as Eli did of Hannah saying that she was drunk because of the moving of her lips or his end as the Corinthians did of Paul when he took wages they said it was covetousness and when he took not they said it was want of love see Rom. 14.4 and 2 Cor. 12.4 c. 3. By hasty judging too soon passing sentence in our mind from some seeming evidence of that which is only in the heart and not in the outward practice this is but to judge before the time and hastily Matth. 7.1 4. There is light judging laying the weight of conclusions upon arguments or midses that will not bear it as Jobs friends did and as the Barbarians suspected Paul when they saw the Viper on his hand to be a murtherer Acts 25.4 Thus the King Ahasuerus trusted Hamans calumny of the Jews too soon 5. The breach of this Command in the heart may be when suspicion of our neighbours failing is kept up and means not used to be
with the lot that God hath carved out â—o you without the least inordinate motion or inclination to the contrary which may either be inconsistent with love to him or with contentment and a right composure of spirit in your selves From this we may see that this Command is unreasonably and unjustly divided by Papists into two Commands the one relating to the Neighbours house th â— other to his wife and what followeth For 1. this concupiscence or lust looketh not only to the Seventh and Eighth but to the Fifth and Sixth and Ninth Commands there being an inordinate affection towards thy Neighbours life and honour or estimation also and it is instanced in these two because they are more discernible and common This then sheweth that God t â—keth in this inordinateness of the heart under one Command in reference to whatsomever object it be otherwayes we behoved to say that either the Commands are defective or that there is no such inordinateness to other objects of other Commands which is absurd or by the same reason we must multiply commands for them also which yet the adversaries themselves do not 2. The Apostle Rom. 7.7 comprehendeth all inordinateness of heart towards whatsomever object it be in that Command Thou shalt not lust which is as Thou shalt not desire his wife so nothing else what is thy Neighbours 3. The inverting the order which is here in Deut. 5.21 where the wife is put first not the house sheweth that the Command is one otherwayes what is Ninth in the one would be Tenth in the other and contrarily and so the order of these ten words as they are called by the Lord would be confounded But the great thing we are mainly to inquire into is the meaning of this Command in which Papists being loath to acknowledge corrupt natures case to be so desperate as it is and designing to maintain perfection of inherent righteousness and justification by works do make this sin of Lust forbidden in this Command a very general thing and all of us ordinarily are apt to think light of this sin We would therefore say 1. That we are to distinguish Concupiscence and consider it as it is 1. Spiritual in a renewed man for there are motions and stirrings called Lustings of the Spirit against the Flesh Gal. 5.17 2. As it is partly natural to man to have such stirrings in him as flow from the natural faculty and power of desiring so Christ as man desired meat and drink and this being natural was certainly in Adam before the fall and as the will and understanding a â—e not evil in themselves so is not this It is neither of these that this Command speaketh of 3. There is a sinful Concupiscence called evil Concupiscence Coloss. 3.5 and the lusting of the Flesh against the Spirit it is this that is here spoken of the inordinateness of that Lust or concupiscibleness or concupiscible power turning aside out of its natural line to that which is evil It is this which God forbiddeth in this Command and setteth bounds to the desiring or concupiscible faculty 2. We say there is a twofold consideration of this sinful Concupiscence 1. As it is in the sensual part only and the inferiour faculties of the soul as to meat drink uncleanness c. Or 2. we may consider it as it reacheth further and riseth higher having its seat in the heart and will and running through the whole affections yea even the whole man who in this respect is called Flesh in the Scripture Gal. 5.17 and there is Heresie and other evils attributed unto it v. 19 20 21. which will not agree to the former so Rom. 7.23 24 it is called the Law of the Members and the body of death and hath a wisdom Rom. 8.7 that is enmity against God corrupting all and inclining and byassing wrong in every thing so that a man because of it hath not the right use of any faculty within him This Concupiscence which is seated not only in the sensible but in the rational part of the soul is that which is intended here which is the fountain and head-spring of all other evils for from the heart proceed evil thoughts c. Matth. 15.19 it is the evil treasure of the heart Matth. 22.25 3. We may consider this Lust 1. As it is habitual and is even in young ones and in men when they are sleeping whereby there is not only an indisposition to good but an inclination to evil it lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 and is enmity to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 and lusteth to envy James 4.5 and conceiveth sin James 1.15 this is the sad fruit and consequent in all men by nature of Adams first sin and hath a disconformity to the Law of God and so is called the Flesh Rom. 7.5 and the law of sin and death â— Rom. 8.2 in the first respect this sin is a body and a person as it were an old man Rom. 6.6 and in the other it hath members in particular to which it giveth Laws requiring obedience 2. We may consider i â— as acting and stirring in its several degrees And 1. we may say it stirreth habitually like the raging sea Isa. 57. penult and as grace tendeth to good or as fire is of an heating nature so is this Lust still working as an habitual distortion crook or bending upon somewhat that should be straight or as a defect in a legg which possibly kytheth not but when one walketh yet there is still a defect or rather it is a venom which is still poysonous thus Rom. 7.5 it is called the motions of sin in the Flesh. 2. The more actual stirrings of it are to be considered either in their first risings when they are either not adverted into and without direct excitation or actual and formal approbation or as they are checked and rejected as Paul did his Rom. 7.15 and 2 Cor. 12.3 or as they are delighted in though there be not a formal consent yet such a thing in the very mind is someway complyed with as desirable and pursued after this is called morosa delectatio or as they are resolved on to be acted and when men seek means and wayes how to get the sin committed after that inwardly approving complacency and liking of the thing hath prevailed to engage the mind to conquish for instance such an estate unjustly or to compass and accomplish the act of filthiness with such a woman 3. It may be considered in general either as the thoughts are upon riches or covetousness or filthiness without respect to any particular thing or person or as they go out upon them in particulars 4. We say we would put a difference betwixt tentations objectively injected by the Devil as he did on our Lord Jesus Matth. 4.1 and Lusts rising from an internal principle which are most common see James 1.14 The first is not our sin of it self except it be 1. entertained some way or 2. not rejected
Lord's day standeth in reference to this Command and whether thereby the same sanctification be required as to it though its institution arise from another ground than is required to the Seventh-day-Sabbath Somewhat of all these must needs be spoken unto and we begin to speak first of its morality before we speak of its meaning because all dependeth on this both in respect of exposition and practise for if it be not moral and perpetually binding it 's not necessary either to explicate it or to study and press the practise of it but if it be found to be moral then no doubt it concerneth us and requireth the same moral sanctification of a day now as it did before Our Assertion then in reference to this is that The duty of setting a-part and sanctifying of a portion of time as it is limitted in the fourth Command for God's Service as it recurreth is moral and the obligation thereunto perpetual even as in the duties of the other Commands the obligation to this being no more dissolved than to those though there may be difference in the degree of the obligation which they lay on in respect of the matter contained in them my meaning in a word is that a day or one of seven is as necessary to be kept holy unto God now upon supposition of his determining the particular day as it is necessary to hold and keep up the worship prescribed by God neither without sin can another day be put in the room of it more than other worship can be substituted in the place of divinely prescribed worship for the time is set and fixt by the Fourth Command pointing at a solemne and chief time as the worship it self is by the second For clearing of this consider 1. That we mean not here moral-natural as if without any positive Law such a thing had been binding no but moral-positive that is laid on by a Command which is standing unrepealed and so bindeth by vertue of the authority of the Law-giver as several other commands and precepts do as namely those concerning Sacraments belonging to the second Command and those concerning one Wife and forbidden desires of Marriage belonging to the Seventh which being so often broken by many Saints and dispensed with in some cases cannot be thought to be morally-natural since the Lord dispenseth not so in these nor can it be thought in reason that his Servants would have been ignorant of such a natural thing It is then moral-positive that we mean to wit that which is binding by a positive Law 2. Consider in this question that there is a great difference betwixt these two to say the Seventh-day-Sabbath which the Jews kept is moral and to say the Fourth Command is moral the one may be and is abolished because another is brought in its roome The other to wit the Command may stand and doth stand because it tyeth morally to a Seventh day but suc â— a Seventh day as the Lord should successively discover to be chosen by him and though the Seventh be changed yet one of seven is still reserved 3. There is need to distinguish betwixt the moral substance of a Command and some ceremonial appendices belonging to it So the Fourth Command might then possibly have had something ceremonial in that Seventh day or in the manner used of sanctifying that Seventh day which now is gone as double Sacrifices c. or in its reasons whereby it is pressed as there is somthing peculiar to that People in the Preface to all the Commands as there was in the Sacraments of the old Law belonging to the second Command yet both a Sabbath day and Sacraments may be and are very necessary and moral in the Church it is not then every thing hinging on this Command as proper to that administration and so but accidental to the sanctifying of a Sabbath that we plead for but this is it we plead for that the Command is as to its main scope matter and substance moral-positive and that it standeth as still binding and obliging unto us and cannot without sin be neglected or omitted it might be enough here to say that if this Command were never repealed in the substance of it nor did ever exspire by any other thing succeeding in its place then it must needs be still binding for certainly it was once as obligatory-proclaimed by the Law-giver himself and was never since in its substance repealed nor is it exspired or found hurtful in its nature but is as necessary now as then it is true the Seventh day Sabbath is repealed by instituting and substituting the First day Sabbath or Lord's day in its place but that doth rather qualifie the Command than repeal it for 1. It saith that a day is moral and necessary 2 It saith a day of seven is moral and necessary which is all we say and why necessary as agreeable to this Command no doubt whence we may Argue if the substance of this Command be kept even when the particular day is changed then is the Command moral which this very change confirmeth but the former is true as is clear in experience therefore it followeth that the Law stands unrepealed for it 's palpable that the day as to its number or frequency and duration with the manner of sanctifying of it belongs to the substance of the Commandement but what day as to its order first second or seventh doth not because the first cometh in immediately upon Religion God's Honour and the good of Souls which the other doth not This Argument will stand good against all who acknowledge this Law to have been once given by God till they can evidence a repeal To speak somewhat more particularly to this the way we shall make out the morality of it is by considering 1. How the Scripture speaketh of it in general 2. How it speaketh of the Decalogue 3. How it speaketh of this Command in particular 4. By adducing some Scriptural Arguments for it As for the 1. To wit the Scriptures speaking of it in general we say If the Scripture speak as frequently in clearing the Fourth Command or the Sabbath which is the morality of it and press it as seriously and that in reference to all times of the Church as it doth any other moral duty then for substance this Command is moral and perpetually binding for that seemeth to be the Character whereby most safely to conclude concerning a Command to consider how the Scripture speaketh of it but the Scripture doth as often mention and is as much and as serious in pressing of that Command and that in reference to all states of the Church as of any other Ergo c. We shall make out this by shewing 1. its frequency in mentioning of it 2. It s seriousness in pressing it 3. It s asserting of it as belonging to all times and states of the Church 1. Look through all the Scriptures and ye will find the sanctifying of a Sabbath mentioned as