it The next word is the day of the Sabbath By Sabbath here is meaned rest as it is exponed by the Apostle Hebr. 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 onely 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 〈◊〉 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 onely 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 â—oly 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 â— 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 â—heir hours longer or shorter as the day was long or short but they kept up the â—umber of their hours alway the other is a natural day which is a seventh part â—f the week and containeth twenty four hours taking in so much time as interâ—eneth betwixt the Suns beginning to ascend after midnight the nocturnal Solâ—ice till it pass the Meridional altitude which is the Suns Vertical point for that â—ay till it come to that same very point of Midnight again which is the Suns natuâ—al course every twenty four hours comprehending both the artificial day which 〈◊〉 from midnight to midday and the artificial night also which is from midday to â—idnight 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 Walking 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 of mercy and necessity which Christ allowed on the Sabbath which was made for man and not man for the Sabbath 3. Yet care would be had lest under pretext of these we exceed and apply too much of what is the Lords unnecessarily for our selves and on our lusts and if we will wake for ordinary business and keep up on such and such a Dyet other Dayes yea if we might do it or others no more strong then we do it the pretence of infirmity will not excuse us especially seeing hardly it can be often instanced that timeousness at Gods Work in that day or earnestness and continuance in it hath proved hurtful which we may account as a part of Gods blessing on the seventh day that less meat and sleep may be as refreshful as more at another time thus much for the quamdiu or the Continuance of the day Secondly it may be enquired how often by vertue of this command that day doth recur if it be one of seven or if it be the very seventh And so if this day be to be taken definitely for the very seventh day after the Creation or indefinitely for one day of seven as the Lord should otherwayes determine or had elsewhere determined a stricting then to a day but not any particular day by vertue of this command but to such a day as was formerly described or prescribed from the beginning during the Jewish State and to such another day as God should after Christs coming reveal unto them and pitch upon for his service for taking it for granted that a Seventh day as moral is commanded it followeth to be inquired whether it be the Seventh in number that is one of seven or the seventh in order that is the Seventh day For answering this we would permit 1 That there is a great difference betwixt these two the one to wit that there be a Seventh doth concern the matter and substance of piety the other to wit which of these Seven it be is more circumstantial and is alike if it be appointed by God and have the blessing 2. That it is usual for God in his commands concerning worship not at first to express a particular definitely but to deliver it in the bosome of a general indefinitely mediately and by clear consequence as it were several Species under one Genus As for instance 1 when Deut 12. 5. he commandeth his people to offer their Sacrifices in the place which he should choose here there is a stinting or astricting of them to the place which God should reveal unto them this before the
former Hebr. 2. 5. and the redeeming of the one is looked upon as the making of the other therefore from that day forth the day of rest is to be such as may relate to both now the day being changed to the first it remembreth us of Gods rest at the Creation by distinguishing six dayes from the seventh and it remembreth us of the new Creation by putting Christs Resurrection in the room of the former Arg. 2. If the new World be a work as much for the glory of God and as comfortable to men when it s begun and closed or finished by the work of Redemption as the making of the old World was then the day of rest of the new World is to be made to relate to that much more if the Redemption of the World be more for the glory of God and for the comfort of men then by the ground on which the seventh day was at first instituted it s also again to be changed to wit the memory of Gods great work but both the former are true Ergo or thus if the ground that made the seventh to be chosen for the Sabbath in the old World be changed in the new and thaâ— ground agree better to another then to it then it is to be changed But the ground whereupon the old seventh day was preferred is now changed there are grounds to prefer another day to it for the same ends therefore it is meet the day be changed also Or thus f the perfecting of the work of Redemption and the rest of the Mediator after it be as much to be remembred as the work of Creation and Gods resting after it then the day is to be changed but so it is Ergo. Arg. 3. If by Christ in the new World all the Levitical services be changed and the Ceremonial Worship of that day then it is meet that the day also should be changed 1. For shewing the expiration of that Worship and Law it being hard to keep that day and to distinguish it from the Jewish former Worship 2. To keep Christians more Judaizing and to abstract them even from former services of the Sabbath now abolished just as now no particular family hath the Priesthood as Levi had it before nor no particular Nation hath the Church confined in it as that of the Jews had though these were not typical properly yea it would be such a day as would point out the evanishing of former Ceremonies which the inbringing of the first day abundantly doth Arg. 4. If the Worship and Ordinances of the new Gospel-world be eminently to hold their Institution of Christ the Mediator and to be made some way relative to his Redemption past then it is meet for that end that the Sabbath-day be changed so as it may be dependant on him as all other worship is that is moral-positive or positive-moral and that cannot be done well if the former day be kept unchanged at least not so well as when it is changed but the former is true all Gospel-worship holdeth of him Sacraments Prayer Praise Ministry c. now Sacraments as they seal are not ceremonial for the Tree of Life was instituted to be a seal of the Covenant of works in the state of Innocency before the fall while there were no typical Institutions of a Saviour to come and so Sacraments as they are Seals may be continued as perpetual pieces of worship without hazard of typifying a Saviour to come therefore he instituted new ones and that with relation to his work of Redemption considered as past Hence also his Prayer or Pattern is called the Lords Prayer and his Sacrament of the Supper is called the Lords Supper because instituted by him and relating to him in this sence it is peculiarly said Hebr. 2. 5. That God put in subjection to him the World to come different from what was before and he is put as the Son in the New Testament in the place of Moses who was the Law-giver and faithful Servant in the Old Heb. 3. upon this ground we think that day is called Hebr. 1. 10. the Lords day to bring it in a dependance on Jesus Christ and to make it respect what is past of the work of Redemption Arg. 5. If the day of solemn publick worship be a piece of Gods worship capable of bearing a relation to Christ to come and falling out under the Mediators Kingdom properly then when he cometh in the new World it is meet it should be changed 1. To shew he is come 2. To shew he is absolute over the house and worship of God 3. Some way to preach his Grace and Redemption in the very change of it But it is a piece of Worship and Tribute of our time as is said before and a piece of worship capable of his Institution and Remembrance therefore called the Lords day which could not be were not a day of worship capable of that and it falleth under the power of Christ who Matth. 12. Even as the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath and why is that power pleaded in that particular of the day so often if it were not to shew that there is reason by his coming to look on the Sabbath as under him even as all other worship was which stood by Gods positive Command even as this did Arg. 6. If by this Command the day of rest from Gods most solemn work be to be our day of rest then after Christs coming not so before not the seventh but the first day is to be observed but by the command the former is true Again if that day be to be kept in reference to any solemn work of God which was the first day after his perfecting it then the First day is to be kept but by the command the former is true because our resting day is to be kept in reference to the work of Redemption and therefore must be on the First day which was the day after its closing and perfecting as to Christs suffering and labour though not as to its application even as the seventh was of Gods resting from the work of Creation though not from his works of Providence Arg. 7. If the seventh day which the Jews kept had any peculiar tye or motive unto them which by Christ is now taken away then it was meet that at Christs coming that day should be changed We would understand here that there might be somewhat peculiar or typical in their seventh day and yet nothing so in the fourth Command which commandeth one of seven but not the seventh And though we could not particularly pitch upon what is typical or peculiar in it yet may we conceive that something there is as in Tythes Offerings c. though the particular thing which is typified be hardly instructed As 1. If its beginning was on the evening to them as some think the reason of it was peculiar to wit their coming out of Egypt at evening Exod. 12. And in so far
People of God is the serious Desire of Noble Madam Your Ladyships much Obliged and Devoted Servant for Christs sake TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THE subject matter of this Treatise must without all controversie be passing excellent it being not only a portion of Divinely-inspired Scripture but such portion of it as is the Moral Law the most straight infallible perfect an perpetually binding rule of life and manners that short summary and abrid gment of all called for duties and forbidden sins whatever Sâ—â—inions with whom Anabaptists and Arminian-Remonstrants on the matter joyn hands on a woeful design to transform the Gospel into a new Law or Covenant of Works that thereby in place of the righteousness of Faith and righteousness of Works may be established by their alledged Supplements and Amendments of and Addiâ—aments to it to be made in the New Testament and Papists by their vainly boasted-of Works of Super-eâ—ogation and Counsels of Perfection whereby they would have the Law out done by doing more than it requireth audaciously averr to the contrary even these Ten-words afterward contracted by the Lord Christ into two Words or Commandments immediatly pronounced by God himself and twice written with his own finger 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 spokesman 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 have 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 declension of this Generation from the ancient lovely and laudable simplicity that many men forgetting that God at first appointed words to be the external signs of the internal conceptions of their minds and foolishly fancing that because they love and admire to hear themselves talk others do or are obliged to do so affect to multiply words if not without knowledge yet without necessity and with vast disproportion to the matter And whereas a few of their words rightly disposed might sufficiently 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 selves in wandring through the wast Wilderness of the unnecessary and superfluous remainder of them And this doth usher in or rather is ushered in by other piece of neighbour-vanity whereby men wearing of wonted and long worn words though sufficiently significant grow fond upon â—ovel new coyn'd and never before heard of ones stretching their wit if supperfluity of words though both nâ—w 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 nâ—w words whereby often old plain and obvious matters are intricated and obâ—cured at least to more ordinary Readers and Hearers a notable perversion of the end of words for which the instituter of them will call to an account neither are they satisfied with such curi sity in coaâ—ser and more commâ—n matters but this Alien and Foâ—raign yea even Romantick and wanton stilâ— of language is introduced into and malepartly obtruded upon Theologickâ— and most sublimely spiritual purposes whether discoursed 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 contâ—mpt 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 nâ—useating form of simple and sound words are ready to â—iss and hoâ—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 â—s unfit 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 gaudiâ— attire with this Comedians Coat dressed up with the Feathers of Arrogant humane Eloquence and be daubed with this Rethorick and affectedly belaboured Elegancy of speech which our truly manly and magnanimous Christian-Author did undervalue And no great wonder since even the Heathen moral Philosopher Senecâ— did look at it as scarce worthy of a man for writing to his Lucilâ—us 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 mâ—n well trimmed and frizliâ— who seem as they were newly come out of a box from which kind of men nothing firm nor generous is to be expected And further affirmeth that a vertuous man speaketh more remisâ—y but more securely and whatever he saith â—ath more confidence in it than 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 sâ—rt nor of this world amongst them that were perfect and did upon design not from any defect decline all wisdom of words all inticing words of mens wisdom and excellency of speech that the cross of Christ might not be made of none â—ffâ—ct 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 speak in the Demonstration of the Spirit and of power wherein the Kingdom of God consistâ—th and not in wordâ—â— if that great Apostle were now Preaching he would probably be looked at by such words and wiâ—e heads as but a weak man and of rude and contemptible speech as he was by the big talking Doctors of the Church of Corinth if not amere Bableâ— as he was by the Philosophers and Orators at Athens The subject matter I say of this Treatise must needs be most excellent being
once â—mislead by Stage-Plays though Civil or Religious being seldom speedily reclaimed from them This was also Examplified in that late English Gentle-Woman of good-rank Who spending much of her precious Time in Attendance on Stage-Plays and falling at last into a Dangerous Sickness whereof she dyed Anno 1631. Friends in her Extremity sent for a Minister to prepare her for Death who beginning to Instruct and Exhort her to repent and call on God for Mercy she made him no Reply at all but cryed out Hieronimo Hieronimo O let me see Hieronimo Acted And so calling for a Play instead of calling on God for Mercy closed her Dying Eyes and had a Fearful End answerable to her Miserable Life And in these several Persons who were distracted with the Visible Apparition of the Devil on the Stage at the Bell-Savage-Play-House in Queen Elizabeth's Dayes while they were there beholding the History of Faustus prophanly Acted To which might be added many other Lamentable Examples and Warnings of such who by little and little have made Defection from the Faith being allured hereto by the Dangerous custome of beholding such Plays wherein Tertullian saith They Communicate with the Devil Will any Man or Woman dare to appear before the Dreadful Tribunal of God to maintain and make out the warrantableness of allowing more time to these and such other Practises several of which are excellently discoursed by the Author in the following Tractat and most of them with their Respective Authorities by Master Prin in his Histrio Mastix then to reading of this and other such Treatises If any will they must answer it I mind not through Grace to take part with them in so bold and desperate an Adventure Now Christian Reader without further Prefacing to bring thee in upon the Treasure of the Treatise it self If thou wilt read it seriously consider it suitably I think I may humbly in the Name of the Lord bid thee a Defyance to come away from it without a Bosom-full of Convictions of much guilt and without crying out with the Lepper under the Law Unclean Unclean With Job Behold I am vile With David looking stedsastly on the Glasse of this Law brightly shined on by Gods Light and reflecting a most clear Discovery of Innumerable Transgressions of it as so many Atoms in a clear Sun shine Who can understand his Errours Cleanse thou me from secret faults With the Prophet Isaiah We are all as â—ne Unclean thing as uncleanness it self in the Abstrast most Unclean and all our Righteousnesses are as Filthy Raggs With the Apostle James In many things we offend all And finally with the Apostle Paul We know that the Law is Spiritual but I am Carnal and sold under Sin O Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death That thou mayest also with the same Apostle be in case to say and sing to the Commendation of his Grace I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord is the Cordial desire of Thy Servant in the Gospel for Christs sake POSTSCRIPT Christian and Candid Reader THou seest that in this Epistle which for the most part of it was written above two years ago I have spoken a word of Stage-playes prophane Interludes Comedies c. at that time and several years before much in use amongst us whereto I would now add a few words more and deduce a little their infamous idolatrous devilish and damnable Pedigree and Original and give thee a brief account of the judgement of the ancient Christian Church about them that the Actors in them with the Patrons and haunters of them may with the greater dissatisfaction reflect on there own by-past unsuitable and disconform practise and that all others may for ever hereafter learn to fear and to do no more so unchristianly To which I am the rather induced that the worthy Author of this Treatise hath onely in passing made mention of them as a breach of the seventh Command they being then utterly in desuetude with us and it having not so much as once entered into his thoughts that after so bright and glorious a Sun-shine of Gospel-light the Generation would ever let be so quickly have so far degenerated as to suffer themselves to be tempted to have any fellowship with such unfruitful works of darkness I say then that Stage-playes in their several sorts were prohibited reprobated and condemned and the Actors in them appointed to be excommunicated by the Canons of several more particular and of some general Councels which Canons I forbear for brevities sake to set down at length as namely by the fifth Canon of the first Councel at Arles in France Anno 314. in the time of Constantine the Great by the twentieth Canon of the second Councel held there Anno 326. or more probable 389. as Fr. Longus a Coriolano reckoneth in his sum of all the Councels by the fifty seventh sixty second and sixty seventh Canons of the Eliberine Councel in Spain Anno 305. by the eleventh and thirty fifth Canons of the third to wit from Constantines time as Spondanus reckoneth Councel of Carthage Anno 397. the very same with the thirteenth and thirty fifth Canons of the Councel of Hippo in Africk held Anno 393. as Longus a Coriolano sheweth who sets down the sum of the Canons framed at Hippo at the close of the Canons made in this third Councel of Carthage by the twelfth Canon of the African Councel held Anno 408. where Augustine was present the Canons of both which Councels suppose persons to have been excommunicated on this account and provide for their reconciliation to the Church in case of repentance and turning from these practises to the Lord and by the fifty first and sixty second Canons of the sixth general Councel called by some the fifth held at Constantinople Anno 680. the Canons whereof were renewed in that Councel held at Constantinople Anno 692. which is called Quimsextum these two Canons are very express and peremptory in this thing And can any Christians warrantably and without sin recreate themselves with beholding such playes the Actors wherein deserve to be excommunicated what is there no better no more innocent and inoffensive way or is this the onely or the best way to recreate men to refine sharpen and polish their wits to perswade and prevail with them to hate and flee vice and to love and follow vertue to acquaint them from History with to impress on them the remembrance and to excite them to the imitation of the noble and truely imitable actions of illustrious Heroes and other great men to breed them to a suitable confidence to make them eloquent and fine spokesmen and to help them to a becoming gest in all actions places and societies the grave Seers and great Lights of the Church did never see any such thing in them but on the contrary have with common suffrage judged them to be the most effectual and compendious way to make men soft
Acceptation For as other endeavours also are required in all them on whom it is incumbent to take care in their respective stations for the improvement of Holiness in the Church and the obstruction of the progreâ—s of Sinâ— what in them lyeth so for the reasons before-mentioned that in this particular way is peculiarly seasonable and useful And I am perswaded that every pious humble and unprejudiced Reader will judge that much benefit may be obtained by his performance Some may easily see how short that measure of Duties which they have prescribed unto themselves doth come of what is indispencibly required of them and others may take a plain prospect of that whole Scheme of Obedience in principles matter manner and end which they sincerely endeavour to come up unto And sundry things there are which appear to me with a notable degree of Excellency in the whole discourse 1. Plainness and perspicuity in teaching seems to have been designed by the Authour throughout the whole book Hereby it is accommodated unto the meanest Capacities which is the greatest excellency of Discourses of this nature as unto outward Forme and Order For whereas its only end is to direct the Practise of all sorts of Christians all Ornaments of Speech every thing that diverts from plainness sobriety and gravity is impertinent thereunto Wherefore as the things themselves treated of are such as the most wise knowing and learned among Believers ought to be exercised in continually So the way and manner of their Delivery or Declaration is accommodated unto the understanding and Capacity of the meanest of them that are so that benefit may redound unto all 2. In particular instances and cases relating to daily practise are so distinctly proposed stated and determined as that the whole is a compleat Christian directory in our walking before God in all duties of obedience let the pious Reader single out any one duty or head of duties to make his tryall upon and if I greatly mistake not he will discerne with what wisdome and from what deep experience his plain directions are managed and do proceed As to give a particular instance let him consider what he discovereth concerning publick Prayer and the Miscarriages therein which men are lyable unto pages 52. 53. or apply himself unto what he supposes himself more immediately concerned in unaffected plainness perspicuous brevity with solidity of judgment will every where represent themselves unto him 3. Adde hereunto that constant respect which is had in the whole discourse unto the heart and inward principles of Obedience with the contrary actings of the flesh and temptations of all sorts And thence it is that these Discourses though delivered with all plainness of speech will not be well understood by any but those who in some measure have their senses exercised to discern both good and â—vill In the whole a full testimony is given not onely against the profligate lives of many called Christians but that barren careless profession also which too many satisfie themselves withall who pretend more unto the truth and power of Religion And as these who are sincere in their obedience may in the examination of themselves by the rules here laid down discern the decays which possibly they have fallen under in this hour of temptation which is come on the face of the earth to try them that dwell therein so also may they be directed in their Christian course unto the glory of God and the Comfort of their own Souls Which that all may be is the hearty desire of Christian Reader Thy servant in the Work of the LORD IOHN OWEN TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THE excellent and usefull labors of this worthy Author have long since obtained the best Epistle of commendation even that which the great Apostle Paul accounted so compleat a Testimony as made all other commendatory Epistles in his esteem to appear superfluous that I mean mentioned by him 2 Corinth 3. where he tells the believing orinthians that they were his Epistle meaning that their Conversion and graces wrought in them by his ministry gave a sufficient witness to the worth and dignity thereof This Epistle of commendation I say God hath so eminently bestowed upon the ministerial endeavours of this holy man Mr. Durham both in Press and Pulpit that the prefixing my Epistle of commendation to this excellent Exposition of the Decalogue was judged by my self to be but an attempt to make the Sun appear more resplendent by the faint and feeble light of a Candle But since some are pleased to put an undeserved value upon my approbation of this worthy undertaking I could not but upon this occasion signifie that in my apprehension the ensuing Treatise its design and tendency so advanceth holiness of heart and life and withal is compiled with that strength and clearness of judgment and holy warmth of affection as that by Gods blessing it may preserve and reduce many in this sinful age from those impieties that so abound therein and may prove an excellent antidote against them as by the good providence of God it is brought forth in a time wherein't is coetameous with them In the hopefull expectation whereof I commit thee and this worthy work to the blessing of God in whom I am thy faithful Friend to serve thy Soul WIL JENKYN London Novemb. 1675. AN EXPOSITION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Delivered in several LECTURES EXOD. 20. 1. 2. And God speake 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 shal be to give you an account of the Motives which have engaged us in this Work The first is the Excellency of this Scripture it being by the Lord himself intended as a comprehensive sum of his peoples duty and commanded 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 immediatly formed by himself he pronunced them first to his people and afterward twice by his Finger that is immediatly by himself without making use of any Pen-man as in other 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 Deut. 10. v. 2. 5. and to be learned Deut. 5. 1. as also to be written on the Posts of their Doors and diligently pressed on their Children Deut. 67. 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
about the duties of the Law with subordination to Christ and his Grace I answer they differ in these four things which shew that these duties are not onely to be done but to be done in a way consistent with and flowing from Grace which also follows from this that in the Preface to the Commandments he stileth and holdeth himself forth as Redeemer to be the object of our duty and the motive of it 1. They differ I say first in the End or account upon which they are performed we are not to perform duties that life pardon or enjoying of God may be meritoriously obtained by them but to testifie our respect to him who hath provided these freely for us that we should not rest in duties which are engraven on these Covenant-Blessings 2. They differ in the Principile by which we act them 't is not in our own strength as the works of the first Covenant were to be performed but in the strength of Grace and by vertue of the promises of Sanctification comprehended in the second Covenant 2 Cor. 7. 1. 3. They differ as to the manner of their acceptation duties by the first Covenant are to abide their tryal upon the account of their own worth and the inherent perfection that is in them and accordingly will be accepted or rejected as they are conform or disconform to the perfect Rule of Gods Law but by the second Covenant the acceptation of our performances prayers praises are founded on Christs Righteousness and Gods mercy in him in whom only are they sweet-smelling Sacrifices and accepted as our persons are for he hath made us to be accepted as to both only in the beloved Ephes 1. 4. 4. They differ in respect of the motive from which they proceed or the great motive of our obedience in the Covenant of Grace is not fear of threatnings and wrath in case of disobedience which by the Covenant of Works is the main thing sways men to duties noâ— is it a purchase of Heaven to themselves by their holiness which also by that Covenant is a predominant motive of mens obedience but it is love and gratitude and that not simply to God as Creator but as Redeemer as the Text here sheweth I brought thee out of the House of Bondage it is that we may set forth the praises of him who called us and that we may glorifie him that has bought us where Duties have these qualifications they are consistent with Grace and subservient to it but when those are wanting or excluded Christ is wronged and men turn legal and in so far fall from and overturn Grace These Conclusions as necessary Caveats being laid down we shall propose these distinctions for clearing of them 1. We would distinguish betwixt a Law and a Covenant or betwixt this Law considered as a Law and as a Covenant a Law doth necessarily imply no more then 1. To direct 2 To command inforcing that obedience by Authority a Covenant doth further necessarily imply promises made upon some condition or threatnings added if such a condition be not performed now this Law may be considered without the consideration of a Covenant for it was free to God to have added or not to have added promises and the threatnings upon supposition the Law had been kept might never have taken effect but the first two are essential to the Law the last two to Believers are made void throngh Christ in which sense it is said that by him we are freed from the Law as a Covenant so that Believers life depends not on the promises annexed to the Law nor are they in danger by the threatning adjoyned to it Hence we are to advert when the Covenant of Works is spoken of that by it is not meaned this Law simply but the Law propounded as the condition of obtaining life by the obedience of it in which respect it was only so formally given to Adam This then is the first destinction betwixt the Law and the Covenant of Works 2. Distinguish betwixt these Ten Commandments simply and strictly taken in the matter of them and more complexly in their full Administration with Preface Promises Sacrifices c in the first sense they are a Law having the matter but not the form of the Covenant of Works so Moses by it is said to describe such righteousness as the Covenant of Works doth require yet he doth not propond it as the righteousness they were to relye on but his scope is to put them to a Mediators by revealing sin through the Law Rom. 10. 3. In the second sense it is a Covenant of Grace that same in substance with the Covenant made with Abraham and with the Covenant made with Believers now but differing in its Administration 3. Distinguish betwixt Gods intention in giving and the Believers in Israel their making use of this Law and the carnal multitude among that people their way of receiving it and corrupt abusing it contray to the Lords mind In the first sense it was a Covenant of Grace in the second it turned to be a Covenant of Works to them and therefore it is that the Lord rejects as we may see Jsaiah 1. 13. 66. 2. 3. Jer. 7. 22. their Sacrifices and Services as not commanded because rested on by them to the prejudice 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 rectitude the obligation of this Law as to that is perpetual and therefore in the exponding of it these two terms Moral and of Perpetual Authority are all one and to be taken so 2. The Judical Law is for regulating outward Society 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 Mortua dead and may where 't is thought fit with the fore-going 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 sothat 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 woshipped Nature teacheth it but that he is to be worshipped
not sincere but in shew only 3. When they are defective as to the measure of Knowledge Faith c. which we should be at 4. When they degenarate as when knowledge turneth into Curiosity and Faith into Presumption and Hope into vain Confidence Fear into Unbelief and Anxiety by which we may see how often this Commandment is broken 1. That we may the better understand the breaches of this Commandment we would first take a view of Gods Excellency and Attributes and see how we sin against all these for we should walk worthy of God Col. 1. 10 And here ye may observe that his infinite Wisdom is wronged by not submitting to him or not taking direction from him his Power by not imploying him his Grace by not trusting him or abusing it to wantonness his Omniscience by wishing he saw not not some things hiding them from men and not fearing him counterfeiting in his service c. so is his Justice wronged by expecting mercy without making use of a Sacrifice not fearing his threatnings not scaring at sin but hazarding on his wrath and the like may be instanced in all the rest of his Attributes which are all sinned against either by ignorance or by omission of something they call for or by the Commission of something unbecoming them 2. Consider God in his relations to us how often is he sinned against as a Father how is his kindness abused and he not reverenced as Creator of whom we have our Being yea he is kicked against and we live not to him from whom and by whom we live he is a Husband and yet we go a whoring from him and prove unfaithful in all our tyes to him he is a Redeemer of his People and a Master and Lord of all but what fear love subjection getteth he from us notwithstanding of all these Relations 3. Consider Gods works for us about us and to us of Creation Providence and Redemption besides his particular Dispensations both of Mercies and Judgments all which call for something suitable from us and yet every one of them is more ways then one slighted by attributing whether good or evil to Chance Luck or Fortune by unthankfulness to him and abuse of what he giveth and by not studying these works so as to admire and love him who is the Worker 4. Consider our obligation to God in all the parts of our Covenant with him sealed by Baptism and the Lords Supper Sure we should study to be like all these Covenant-relations and to answer these Obligations but alace how shamefully unanswerable are we to them all 5. Consider his Will revealed in his Word and see how far short we are in performing it Lastly consider what care there is of using the means that may bring us near to and abstaining from those things that draw us away from God such as sinful Confederacies evil Company light and unsound Books travelling needlesly to strange places c. all which and whatever else taketh the heart off God are breaches of this Commandment Next we shall insist more particularly upon some manifest breaches opposite to the great and principal scope of this Commandment 1. The first is Ignorance which is a direct breach for the Commandment requireth us to know him 1 Cor. 2. 8 9. and if he be not known there is no other duty can be rightly performed the knowledge of God being the ground of all duties For clearing of it consider that some things concerning God are kept up from us other things are revealed to us these things which are kept up from us we cannot know And 1. They are either such as we cannot see now because they are incomprehensible in themselves as Gods infinite Nature and Attributes which as they are in themselves cannot be comprehensibly conceived no not in Heaven but while we are upon earth we see but darkly as through a glass and our knowledge of him is rather Faith then sight or they are such things which are conceiveable but God has not thought good to reveal them unto men as when he will end the World when he will take every man from this life who are particularly Elected c. to be ignorant of these is no sin it is a duty not to seek to know them yea curiosity in these is sinful Ignorance here is called rather a Nescience then Ignorance which implieth a privation of knowledge which men ought to have or 2. These things concerning God are such as not onely in themselves may be known but such as we ought to know because they are revealed to us ignorance of these is sinful As 1. Being a disconformity to that knowledge and holiness after which God created us 2. A fruit of original sin 3. A cause of many sins 4. A disconformity to the Law which requireth us so to know and acknowledge God as he has revealed himself to us and that in his Essence in the Trinity of Persons in his Attributes Covenants works of Creation and Redemption and in his Relations to us and that we should so know him that we may thereby know our selves also And this is that great duty called for in this Commandment that we may know him and his will Again this ignorance as to these things we ought to know may be looked on as threefold according to the diversity of its causes 1. There is a natural ignorance that is the fruit of our natural corruption and blindness which hath seized on mens memories and judgements and as they think incapacitateth them to learn and indeed doth so as to the spiritual and saving up-taking of the matters of God till the eyes of the mind be opened by the power of Grace 2. There is a willful ignorance when men have parts means and occasions whereby they may attain knowledge and yet they will not know but slight and despise the means which draweth often a judicial blindness along with it 3. There is a lazy ignorance whereby some do not wilfully reject the means of knowledge yet are so negligent that they do not actually stir themselves for attaining of knowledge Now though there be a difference among these yet the least of them is sinfull and will not wholly excuse it being a fruit of original sin at the best entertained by our own neglect of such means as might have more removed it And thus a dull wit or weak memory can no more simply excuse then other gross discomformities to the Law in our natures appearing in some more then others which follow upon original sin In sum men may be three wayes guilty of the breach of this Law in respect of ignorance 1. As to the object matter whereof they are ignorant which may be less or more according as less or more of that is known which we should know concerning God and which he hath revealed and this is especially to be understood of the substantial things more necessary to be known there being a great difference betwixt these and other
Hearing in that which we pray for 20. Being more desirous of Liberty in publick then in private 21. Fretting when we are put or kept under Bonds 22. Growing vain and light when it goeth well with us and turning carnal and unwatchful when we get liberty 23. Impertinent use-making of Scripture-words either ignorantly or vainly 24. A secret expectation of something for our Prayer and so resting upon the work done as if there were merit in it 25. Using expressions not easily understood 26. Using undecent gestures and scurrile expressions 27. Not observing Gods dispensation to us nor his dealing with our souls in the time of Prayer that we may conform our suits accordingly as we find many of the Saints have done who end in Songs after they had begun sadly 28. Not praying with fervency for Christs Kingdom and for Jews and Gentils 29. Exercising gifts rather then grace when we pray These are Sins upon the Speakers part Next ye should consider the sins of them that joyn And beside what is general and common in the duty of praying we fail often in joyning And 1. In this that many think When another prayeth they need not pray but let the Speaker be doing alone 2. When we observe not what is spoken that we may go alongst in what he prayeth for and be upon our watch that we may joyn and that we may do it in judgement 3. The mind waving or wavering and we hearing but not praying 4. Censuring the words or gestures of the Speaker 5. Fixing our eyes or minds on some other things and giving way to other thoughts that may divert from joyning 6. Sleeping in time of Prayer 7. Confusedness in that exercise and not distinctly joyning with what agreeth to our selves and our own case nor with what agreeth to others joyning with it for them 8. More cold and indifferent in what concerneth others then in what concerneth our selves 9. More careless of being heard and answered when we speak not as if we were less concerned thinking it enough to be present although in our heart we joyn not and not being affected with the prayer of another nor acting Faith in it we soon weary when others pray 10. Not being edified by the praying of another nor taking up our sins in his Confessions nor our duty in his Petitions 11. Much Hypocrisie in such duties while we seem to be joyning but are doing nothing 12. Not endeavouring to have affections suitable to what is spoken stirred up in us 13. Not praying that the Speaker may be suitably guided and helped in bringing forth Petitions that may answer our wants 14. More indifferent that another who speaketh as mouth for the rest want liberty then when we are put to speak our selves although it be Gods Ordinance 15. Not rightly touched with any expression we cannot joyn with but rather stumbling at it 16. Our being ignorant of the meaning of many expressions through our own fault so that we cannot joyn in them 17. Muttering words of our own and not joyning with what is said 18. Indistinctness in consenting or saying Amen at the close Thirdly After Prayer both Speaker and Joyners fail 1. That they watch not over their hearts but soon return to other things as if then they might take liberty 2. Not waiting for an answer nor observing whether Prayers be answered or not 3. Not being thankful for Answers when they come Nor 4. Intreating and pressing for an answer if it be delayed 5. Not reflecting on our failings whether in speaking or joyning 6. Not remembring what we have uttered in Prayer but presently returning to a carriage that is very unlike those things we have been speaking before Him 7. Not keeping up a frame for new opportunities of Prayer 8. Not pressing after a constant walk with God betwixt occasions of Prayer 9. Resting on Prayer after we have done and thinking something of it if we seem to have been helped to Pray 10. Carnally heartless and displeased if it hath been otherwise 11. Not being humbled for the sinfulness and defects of 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 alace 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 Secondly 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 Psalm 108. 1. 3. In our not aiming 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 suitably Thirdly 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 suitable impression of Gods greatness and goodness upon our hearts when we praise 5. Not aiming 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 then being suitably 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 Heb. 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
the pardoning of the Penitent so that as he will pardon none but repenting Believers so he will work repentance in none but in those who yield through Grace to his Spirits Work 3. That God in Justice hath sentenced that sin with impenitency and unpardonableness making that one sin thus Capital and unpardonable thereby to scare the more from thwarting with his Spirit he has denyed ever to give them that are guilty of it Repentance and hath said that he will plague them with spiritual impenitency unto the end Fifthly Blasphemy may be considered as it is 1. Doctrinal or maintained by some men in their Tenents such were those of the old Hereticks such are those of the Pelagians Papists and Arminians as to the nature of Providence and the work of Grace upon hearts or 2. As it is in expressions indeliberately brought forth or 3. In Oaths as when men swear by the Wounds Blood Soul c. of our blessed Lord which as they are horrible to hear so is it reproachful to his Majesty that these should be so abused or 4. In Deeds Writing Painting Acting Representing any thing Derogatory to him which are also charged with Blasphemy in abusing Gods Name to such ends 5. It may be in a high Degree when men act such a Blasphemy or consequently when they punish it not when we do not rent our Cloaths as it were at the hearing and seeing such things in Testimony of our sorrow and Detestation which was the sin of the Princes Jerem. 36. verse 24 25. Who though they were some-what displeased yet they had not zeal vigorous against that wicked Deed of the King When we have not suitable hatred against such such blasphemous Doctrines Rev. 1. 23. much more if we Extenuatâ— them Defend them or Plead for them or 6. It may be either as we are guilty of it by our own Deeds or when we make our selves guilty of the blasphemy of others as having sinfully occasioned it to them tempted them to it and laid such and such a stumbling before them as is said of David 2 Sam. 12. 14. and of the Jews Rom 2. 24. That they caused others to blaspheme the Name of God because of them thus Christians especially those who have a profession beyond ordinary and particularly Wives and Servants by their miscarriages become guilty of the blasphemy of others against Godliness and such and such Duties of Religion because they give occasion to it though that make it not a whit the less fault to them that blaspheme see that casten up to his people Ezek. 36. 20. â—1 O how tender should Professors be in this matter lest ungodly men get occasion to speak ill who lye aâ— the wait to catch all advantages to fortifie themselves in their natural prejudice aâ— godliness and draw their conclusions from miscarriages not so much against the particular persons miscarrying as against the way of God and the whole generation of the godly There are these things especially that make others blaspheme 1. Some gross out breaking as David Adultery 2. Pride Passion and Contention amongst godly men when they walk as men 1 Cor. 3. and 4. and Contentiously 1 Corinth 6. 3 Covetonsness and earthly-mindedness 4. Manifest unsingleness and self designs driven under a Cloak of Religion which maketh them call all that are Religious Cheats 5. Sinful shunning and shifting off Suffering 6. Undutifulness of Inferiors in the several duties of their Relations to Superiours as of Wives to Husbands of Servants to Masters of Subjects to Magistrates 1 Pet. 2. 15. Tit. 2. 4. 5. 10. 7. Following of errours by Professors 1 Pet. 2. 2. 6. Blasphemy may be considered either as it is here in the way by men living or as it is by them in the place of Torment who keeping still no doubt their former wicked Nature and Corruption and not considering God as he is in himself but as they feel him in the severity of his Justice punishing them cannot have good thoughts of him but will fret at his power and Justice which they cannot get free of though it is like after their sentence is past this is to be considered as a part of their cursed Estate and doth increase meritoriously their Judgment as Blasphemy in the way did These wayes of breaking this command spoken unto are more gross and extraordinary we should now speak a word to such as are more common in our practise and these are of two sorts The first is more gross 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 terms 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. When 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. When it is used lightly in way of asseveration and indirect swearing God a bit God have me if it be so c. 8. When 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 second way which is less gross 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. When the Lord is not sanctified in them nor
taking Gods Name in vain do but seldom get Repentance 5. That wheâ— 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-reflexions upon it 6. That it will very readily have much influence in mâ—â—ring a mans peace and obstructing the intimation of Gods 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 biasphemed and was therefore put Psalm 51. to cry and cry again for the joy of Gods salvation for removing amongst other reasons of that scandal And withal it bringeth on temporal Judgements as it did on David 2 Sam. 12. 7. That when it is pardoned it will in the sad remembrance of it make theâ— 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 lyable 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 baffling and affronting him who has made himself known by his Name 2. It is the fruit sign or symptome yea and cause of the most gross Atheism in the heart and enmity against God for it is his Enemies property to take his Name in vain Psalm 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 other wayes 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 blaspheme as Davids sin did and as those false Prophets and Seducers with their followers are said to do 2 Petr. 2. verse 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 custome 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 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 judgements and that there is ordinarily no profit noâ— 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 wonderfull 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 Isai 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
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 then 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. verse 8. 9. 10 11. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy Six dayes 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 not 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 dayes 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 day and Hallowed it THe Lord in his infinite Wisdome 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 onely true God should be worship'd The second stinteth and limiteth men to that worship alone which he pâ—rscribeth The third 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 apart 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 onely that spent in worship there being no exclusive determination of the frequency of the exercises 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 acknowledgement 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 dayes 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 then 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 aiming sometimes to darken the meaning of it sometimes to loose from the strict tye of observing it and that not onely 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 dayes 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 Gods 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 then 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 Lords 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 Lords 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 then 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 apart and sanctifying of a portion of time as it is limited in the fourth Command for Gods 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 then 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 oâ— 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 then 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 woâ—ship 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 degrees 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 naturally 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
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 saith 1 Thâ—s 2. 16. Wrath had come to the uttermost and who were not infirm but malitious 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 thereabout 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 onely 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 waves 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. 16. 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 Testâ—ment 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 would look first to that place Matth. 5. 17. Where our Lord in a special manner intendeth to vindicate the Moral Law of this fourth and to presâ— holiness in Moral Duties upon his Hearers even in another sort then the Phariseeâ— did Think not saith He That I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I 〈◊〉 not come to destroy but to fulfill Verily be 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 â— transgressor of that and especially of this Command in it for that Sermon 〈◊〉 Nattâ—ew cometh in in order after his being challenged for breach of Sabbath John 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 Pharisees did 2. It was the Moral Law especially which the Pharisees 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 Pharisees 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 preoccupie and rectifie amongst his Hearers requireth this for many of them fancied 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 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 Commandments even of the least of them and so of this 4. Also that he came not to destroy it which yet the Lord never did of Ceremonials but rather fore-told the Abolition of them as he did of the seeking and worshipping of God in the Temple at Jerusalem c. Yea when he cleareth the Doctrine of the Sabbath from the Pharisees corrupting Traditions he doth never weaken its former Obligation nor insinuate its weakness but sheweth the true meaning thereof which from the beginning made it not only consistent with the works of piety and mercy but exceedingly helpful to both A second place Confirming the whole Decalogue or rather asserting its Authority is in the Epistle of James Jam. 2. 10. He that offendeth in one is guilty of all Why Because he is the same God and Law-giver and no Servant nor Angel who spake them all one as well as another of them And it being clear there that he speaketh of the Decalogue called the Royal Law there being no Law instanced in nor any other that can be of a like authority in these Laws instanced but onely it nor that could be pleaded for by James on such grounds in such a time and it being also clear That he giveth to all those Laws which the Lord spake at that time alike Authority otherwise his reasoning would not be good if any one Law or Command could be instanced to him of the Ten which the Lord spake and was abrogated and not binding it necessarily followeth that this fourth Command being one of the Ten must be of equal Authority with the rest It may be noted also That James here doth not as neither doth our Lord nor any of his Apostles when they cite the Law give New Authority to the Laws he citeth but supposeth them to have it already and maketh use of them as Confirmations of the thing he pressed which could not be if their Authority depended on or slowed from the present Citation of them Thirdly we reason further thus Either there is some Moral duty contained in this Command and laid on by it which is not in any of the former or there is but some Ceremonial thing in it reducible to one of them For the Perfection of this Law requireth that all things needful to the Worship of God should be summed in it and the scope thereof which is briefly to compend all requireth there should be nothing in it that 's needless superfluous or that might have beeâ— left out Now if the
the family which Persons in secret perform and so Family-worship will be a worshipping of God beside what is in publick and secret in a Domestick and family-relation jointly Thirdly That this Command requireth such a family-worship distinct from publick and secret and something to be performed in worshipping of God amongst persons of related which is not required of others may thus be made out 1. The thing called for in this Command is certainly worship yea immediate worship it being a Command of the first Table and such a thing as the sanctifying of the Sabbath 2. This Command taketh in all Domestick Relations Parents Children Sonâ— and Daughters Masters and Servants Men or VVomen yea and Strangers that may be for the time or on that day sojourning there these are all constituent Members of a Family 3. The thing required of them is not simply rest from labour for 1. That is commanded for the Beasts lest men should be hindered from or interrupted in their holy rest by their waiting on them and none will say we hope that there is no more required as to Children or Servants then as to the Beasts 2. Under the Negative Thou shalt do no work is included the Affirmative Thou shalt sanctifie that day to the Lord. 3. The same Duty is required of all alike in some respect thou Father and thou Son thou Master and thou Servant and if worship be called for from the Father and Master for the sanctifying of that day so it must be also from the Child and Servant 4. The manner of performing this Worship of sanctifying the Lords day in Holy duties is required not only to be in publick nor only in secret but by the Members of each Family joyntly and apart from other Families For 1. It cannot be understood to require worship only in publick together because 1. there may be in some cases no access to publick worship and yet the Command of sanctifying the Lords day lyeth still on and no doubt by Families 2. Waiting on publick worship is but one piece of sanctifying the Lords day and that but in apart of it therefore there must be some other thing included here 2. It cannot be understood of the Master of the Family his putting the Members of the Family separatly to seek and worship God and of his own going about Holy duties himself apart For 1. Though that be worship yet is it not worship from persons in such a Relation or Family worship more then if they were not in such a Relation or of such a Family and though it might be said that such and such persons sanctified the Sebbath yet could it not be said that the Family as such did it even as Families or persons seeking God in secret could not be exonered thereby as to their being in the Congregation nor their serving of God be so accepted as Congre gational service if they met not together when they might Just so it is here yea as it lyeth by this Command on a Congregation and a Minister to sanctifie the Lords day and to come together for that end so doth it lye on the Family and Master of it 2. By this Command there is more required then secret or solitary sanctifying of the Sabbath even a peculiar sanctification of it within one Family distinct from another I say 1. more then solitary worship because the Lords saying thou without repeating Son Daughter c. had been sufficient to have laid it on all separately for themselves the enumeration therefore of the whole Members of a Family must import some other thing for the former is implyed in all Commands as Thou shalt not kill that is as far as in thee lyeth thou nor thy Son c. There must I say be something more understood by the peculiar enumeration pressed in this fourth Command I say 2. Even a peculiar worship because it 's something laid on by this Command which is holden within Gates or doors and neither goeth to the Congregation nor to the persons of other Families at least ordinarily but reacheth the Members of such a Family who are within such a Mans Gates or Doors therefore it must be a distinct Family-worship mainly performed by that Family together 3. The thing required here is not only worship simply but worship as from a member of such a Family therefore it is not solitary worship for seeking of God and moral duties in secret still agree to persons in all places and Families alike but this draweth a line as it were betwixt Families and so divides one Family from another yet maketh the duty more obliging to these within such a Mans Gates or Doors then others without Doors therefore it must be joynt-worship for apart 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 then there is required of one who is not a member of such a Family or is required of that person in reference to 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 then with persons and Families in and to whom they are not so interested and related 5. If secret and publick worship were onely 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 Magistrates another way of sanctifying the Sabbath and worshipping of God in and with their Families then 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
to their need 3. to what may conveniently attain the end Yet it is needful here to add some qualifications or caveats lest folk indulge themselves too much and exceed under the pretext of the former liberty which the Lord hath condescended to leave men at 1. That men would see that the necessity be real that real sickness keepeth at home that real hazard maketh them flie or maketh them bide at home that it be such a necessity as they caâ—not contrive a way conveniently to evite when it cometh or could not foresee before it came 2. Men would see that that necessity be not brought on by themselves If the thing might have been done at another time that necessity will not excuse though if the sin be taken with and repented of and Christ fled unto for the pardon of it we may go about the doing that lawfully which sinfully we have necessitated our selves unto as suppose one had got warning to flie the day before to bring such a Physician or to provide such drugs c. if he did it not then he sinneth yet when necessity cometh he may still do it but not with a good Conscience till he first acknowledge the former fault of his neglect 3. It would be adverted if that thing may be done as well another time or may not without prejudice that is considerable be delayed till the next day Thus taking or giving of Physick on the Lords day making ordinary civil visits beginning voyages c. will not sustain and bear weight before God when folk do them that day to have their own work day free and so put by the proper duties of the Lords day for some things that may be done the day or dayes following Thus rest is commanded Exod 34. 21 even in sowing rime and Harvest because the necessity is not clear but dependeth on ordinary providence and folks are to expect occasion and opportunities for them afterward 4. Men would take heed that they have not a tickling complacency that such necessities fall on the Sabbath and be not glad to have diversions from the proper duties of the day They would go about such works with a sort of sadness though yet with clearness and peace of Conscience as to their lawfulness Therefore Christ saith to his Disciples Matth. 24. 20. pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day because it would be heavy to Gods people to flie on that day though it was lawfull 5. We would see that it marr not a spiritual frame and that in doing these we turn not to mind the World as on other dayes There would be still a respect to the day in our frame which is called for in the word remember and even when our hand is otherwayes imployed the heart should not be taken up with these things but so far as is necessary to the acting of them 6. It would be adverted to that they be done without inregularity and so as not to give offence by them hence it was that Christ ever gave the reasons of what he did on the Sabbath lest others not knowing our necessity judge us guilty of Sabbath-breaking or be involved without necessity to do the like 7. Folks would have great respect to the end in these works and to the motive which swayeth and putteth them on If it be outward gain or fear of some temporal loss as if for gaining money a Physician should go rather on the Sabbath then on another day to save the life of a man that turneth then to be a servile work and one of his ordinary Week day calling to speak so So if a Minister should preach with respect to gain or applause on the Sabbath or if any man should make a visit for a meer civil end as we visit on other dayes without a suitable respect to spiritual edification or furtherance of Piety it will marr all and will be found a breach of the Sabbath 8. We would beware of spending too much time in these things but would endeavour timely and quickly to expede and dispatch them and rightly to tryst them Dressing of meat and trimming adorning and busking of folks bodies will not be found a well spent part of the Sabbath when it shutteth out other duties and getteth too much time as it doth with many By all which we may see what need there is to watch over our selves in these things lest our liberty be turned into licentiousness and lest we grow either idle or carnal on that day Let us then consider how far this rest extendeth and under it we take in 1. The rest of the whole man outward and inward in deeds words and thoughts so is it Isai 58. 13. we should not speak our own words nor by proportion think our own thoughts nor find our own pleasures 2. It goeth through the whole day for though every minute of the day cannot be applyed to positive duties yet in no minute of it is it lawful to do another work inconsistent with the qualifications and scope aforesaid that is the negative part in it thou shalt do no work which bindeth ad semper 3. It is to be extended not onely to a mans own person but to all under him children servants c he must be answerable for it that they rest and must give them no occasion of work 4. It s to be extended even to the least work of any sort if unnecessary as gathering sticks speaking our own word c. these are all breaches of the Sabbath 5. This rest extendeth to all actions or sorts of actions or cases which are not comprehended under the former exceptions which are permitted or are consistent with the sanctifying of the Sabbath As 1. All works which tend to our external profit pleasure satisfaction c. all works of our callings which make for the increase of outward gain and profit such whereby we ordinarily sustain our lives These Hebr. 4. 15. are called our own works and here it s such works as ordinarily are wrought in the rest of the six dayes So it is doing thy own pleasure as well as works Isai 58. 2. Such works as tend to others external gain or profit as the great motive of them as Servants may be working for their Masters profit and yet prophane the day 3. Such as are not necessary on that day as ploughing sowing reaping or gathering in and that even in Seed-time and Harvest and so fishing going of mills c. when these are not done for the very preserving of life because they are not necessary out of that case neither is there any thing here of an extraordinary dispensation that maketh them necessary the weather depending on an ordinaryprovidence or ordinarily depending on providence which is to be reverenced Hence though the weather and season be rainy yet it is not lawful to cut down or gather in Corn on the Sabbath their hazard in this ease being common and from an ordinary immediate providence yet suppose that
be spiritually edifying and sutable watch over your eyes that carnal or wordly looks steal you not away nor distemper your hearts but especially over your hearts that they we are not out of a spiritual frame 8. When ye come to the place of publick worship if it be a while a beginning be still watchful and the nearer ye come to it the more watchful for temptations will be very ready to divert or discompose there would be a frequent intermixture of ejaculatory prayers in reference to every thing equisite for attaining and intertaining this composedness 9. When publick worship beginneth study to be as Cornelious was Acts 10 present to joyn in prayer and praise to hear what God will say to receive it to lay it up in your hearts to be sutably affected with it and to resolve through grace to practise it for blessed are they only who hear the word and do it and this would be with delight aming aright at the end of the Ordinances whatever they be whereof we spoke somewhat on the second Comandment 10. When the publick worship is as to it's first diet closed let not your minds turn carnal but depart reverently from it chearing your selves in God fixing the convictions exhortations directions instructions c. in your mind as ye have met with them and be ruminating rather on these then beginning to gaze oâ— discourse with others on subjects that are not spiritual and to edification 11. As soon as ye can win go in secret and seek to have these things fastned and riveted betwixt God and you and let that be your first work and let the little time that interveneth betwixt the diets of publick worship till you return be spent sutably to the day and the end of the duties thereof 12. When all the publick worship is ended then ye would do according to the preceding tenth Direction ye would withal retire a while in secret and reflect on your carriage in publick and also see what good may be gotten of the day and if there be any misses neglects or failings observed as if there be a diligent search there will no doubt be then be humbled seek pardon through Christ and resolve through grace to help these afterward consider what was said and like the noble Bereans Acts 17. put it to the tryal for your confirmation by your considering and examining the Scriptures cited or spoken of and endeavour yet more to have your hearts affected in secret with them 13. Then call your Families and come together after secret seeking of God and 1. be inquiring of one another what is remembred that all being put together ye may be helpful by your memories one to another 2. ye would do this not as if it were enough to tell over the words but that the Doctrines and their Uses may be fixed and ye affected with them Therefore 3. ye would do this with other duties of reading singing and spiritual conference as the occasion of it shal offer with prayer to God before and after being thus exercised â—ill ye go again in secret to close the day as ye began 14 Duties of Charity would be done contributions made liberally according to our ability and relief sent to others as we know their need which also would be inquired after 15. Indeavoure to have the heart in a right frame to close the day with reflecting on our carriage throughout it fearing to lye down with guilt unpardoned and without some special fruit of the duties of the day hast not to go to rest sooner that night then on other nights on design that you may be sooner at work the nixt day which smelleth strong of wearying of the Sabbath and of longing to have it at an end of which the Lord complained of old Amos 8. 5. study to lye down with thoughts as you arose leaving your selves in his arms with respect to the eternal Sabbath that is coming 3. When the Sabbath is past and the next day cometh cast not by all thoughts of it instantly but begin your work as having just now ended the Sabbath fearing to let the relish of it wear away and indeavouring in your carriage through the Week to retain the stamp and impression of it especially beware to go to your Callings with a Sabbath dayes guiltiness on you O indeavour by all means to have that removed hand 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 Lord day to keep it holy dieting your souls as it were all along the Week for a course of communion with God in the duties of the next Sabbath It will be now easie to know when this command is transgressed which was the sixth way proposed of considering the sanctification of the Sabbath to wit 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 unsuitable 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 it's reasons how it'sexplicated 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 immediatly 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
as well as to be an incouragement to them that do well and men are according to their places and parts to be forth-coming for God and the good of others And yet this cannot be called a constraining or forcing of Consciences for a Magistrate or Master thus to restrain these who are under them it 's but the using of that power which God hath committed to them to make men to do their duty and to abstain from dishonouring God and the punishing of them if they do other wayes in which respect he beareth not the Sword in vain The 2. and main reason followeth v. 11. wherein this command is three ways pressed also 1. By Gods example who during the space of six days wrought though he might as easily have made all in one day and rested the Seventh and not before the Seventh on which he wrought none even so it becometh men to do seeing he intended this for their imitation and for that end doth propose it here Gods rest on the Seventh is not absolute and in every respect for John 5. 17. he worketh hitherto that is in the works of Providence sustaining preserving and governing the Creatures made by him and their Actions but all things needful for the perfecting of the world were then made and finished Whence by the way we may gather that not only all Creatures were made Angels even these that since turned Devils c. but that they were made within the Six days of Creation when Heaven Earth Sea and all that was in them was made Therefore all our works that are necessary to be done in the six working days would be done and ended that we may rest on the Sabbath as he did The 2. way is by his blessing of it God blessed the Sabbath day which is to be understood not simply in respect of the day which is not properly capable of blessing but in respect of the true observers of it he blesseth it to them and he blesseth them in it which may be in these three 1. That the rest of that day shal not prejudge them in their weeks work but that their labour shal be therefore blessed so that they shal miss nothing by observing that day as the Lord blessed the Seventh year whereon they rested and yet notwithstanding they were as when they laboured Lev. 25. 20. 21. 22. and it 's like that if we will compare such as make Conscience to sanctifie the Sabbath with others who think and seem to gain by breaking of it this will be found at the years end to be verified 2. That the Lord hath set a part that day for a Spiritual blessing and the Communication of it to his people so the Bread and Wine are blessed in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be a mean of conveying Spiritual blessings to the worthy receivers Isa 56. and Psal 92. 3. That God will abundantly manifest his gracious presence and multiply his spiritual blessings that day upon it's due observers more then on other days wherein he is also sought as there is this day a double worship both in respect of the Duty and of the day whereon it 's done so there shall be a double blessing beyond what is on other days in which respect even prayers in and towards the Temple while it stood by divine appointment as a separate place from others had a blessing beyond prayers in other places and thus Christ blessed the loaves and the few small fishes John 6. when he made them by multiplication on the matter to feed far beyond their ordinary proportionableness so service on this day groweth in it's blessing hence we may see an usual connexion betwixt Universal thriving in Religion Grace and Piety and suitable obedience to this command in the tender sanctification of the Sabbath and withall a reason why so few make progress in godliness even little keeping holy the Sabbath as they ought The 3. way is by his hallowing it wherefore be hallowed it or sanctified it that is per â—odum â—â—stinandi or by way of appointing of it for holy uses and separating it from other days as is said The inference wherefore as to the hallowing pointeth at the reason or end wherefore God did it to wit that there might thereby be an excitement left to men to imitate God and that men might not only have Gods command but his example also to bind this duty on him If it be asked here why God will have a day set apart for holy Exercises beside other days It may be answered 1. It 's meet that God be acknowledged Lord of our time by this Tribut being reserved to himself 2. Because men having but a finite understanding beside the now corruption of it connot be intensely taken up with spiritual and heavenly things and with temporal and earthly things both at once or at the same instant for even Adam in innocency could not do that therefore the Lord hath graciously set apart a day for mans help in that 3. It 's to teach man that his chief end is to converse with God and to live with him and that he ought to cary in his own affairs along the week and order things so as the Sabbath may be duly sanctified when it shal come in that sweet soul reposing converse with him 4. To shew man wherein his happiness consisteth it 's even in this to walk and converse with God and to be in his worship this is his rest 5. To shew the excellency of Religion and of the Works of Piety or of Gods Worship above mens Employments in earthly and wordly things It was a Sabbath to Adam in innocency to be abstracted from his labour for the worship of God the one is mens toyl the other is mens spiritual rest and ease far contrary to that which men in the world ordinarily think and judge We see now how great and grievous a sin it is to break this command and with what care this day should be hallowed For 1. It 's a Command of the first Table and so the breach of it is in some respect more then murther Adultery Stealing c it 's included in the first and great Commandement 2. Amongst all the commands of the first Table yea all the commands this religious observance of the Sabbath is most forcibly pressed with more reasons and with more full and particular explication Because 1. All the commands hang some way on this and obedience is ordinarily given to them with the same readiness as this day is employed in Gods Service 2. It keepeth life as it were in all the rest and when men are cold in this so are they in all the rest 3. This tryeth men in theirlove to God best If indeed his company and service be more delighted in thenthe World And is a notable indication of the frame of the soul it maketh proof both of their state and frame as men are usually and habitually on the Sabbath so in effect are they
neglect or omit to reprove the prophanity and gross wickedness of his Sons yet did not reprove at that rate of holy severity called for and answerable to their atrocious and villanous wickedness he frowned not on them and dealt not roughly with them as he should have done as is clear by comparing 1 Sam. 2. 22. 23. 24. 25. with 1 Sam. 3. 13. 10. By rash putting men in Offices for which they are not all or not competently qualified and so cannot but in all probability sin much in them especially in the Office of the Ministry 1 Tim. 5. 22 11. By not endeavouring by all suitable and lawful means within the compass of our power and calling to prevent the sin of others and to restrain them from it as Eli is on this account challenged by the Lord 1 Sam. 3. 13. 12. By broaching venting teaching and spreading heresies and false doctrine thus Antichrist is notoriously and primely guilty of this sin of soul-murther as all false teachers and seducers are less or more according to the nature of the doctrine taught by them and their industry in propagating the same and likewise all that tolerate and do not restrain them whose Office obligeth them to it according to their power All these and other ways may men be accessory to other mens sins and so make themselves guilty of this great and cruel sin of Soul-murther This sort of murther aboundeth and is very rife and yet is in an especial manner forbidden by this command and the prevention of it accordingly called for it being a greater evidence of love to our neighbour to be careful of his soul then of his body the one being more pretious then the other and however false Prophets teachers and seducers seem ordinarily to be most tender of mens persons and most desirous to please them yet are they in this sort horridly guilty of their murther 3. There is a life of contentment consisting in the tranquillity of the mind and the calm frame of a quiet spirit with comfort joy and chearfulness to this purpose saith Paul 1. Thess 3. 8. I live if ye stand fast in the Lord and it is said of Jacob Gen. 45. 27. when he heard that Joseph lived his spirit revived as if it had been dead before because of his great heaviness arising from the supposed death of his Son thus we become guilty of this Sin of killing when we obstruct or interrupt the spiritual comfort and joy or the inward contentment of our neighbour by fear heaviness disquietness discouragement c. whereby his life is made bitter and his tranquillity impaired and so his hurt procured or furthered As Josephs brethren did not only become guilty of his blood but of weighting their Father and deadning as it were his spirit which afterwards at the news of Josepths being alive revived so people may be guilty against their Ministers when they make them do their work not with joy but grief as it is Heb. 13. 17. Again Murther as it respecteth the bodily life of our Neighbour is either immediate as Cains was of Abel Joahs of Abner and Amasa or mediate as Sauls was of the Lords Priests Davids of Uriah and Achabs of Naboth Again killing may be considered either as purposed such as Cain's was of Abel and Joab's of Abner and Amasa or not purposed which again is twofold 1. Innocent which is even by the Law of God every way so and is indeed no breach of this Command as when a man following his duty doth that which beside contrary to his intention without any previous neglect or oversight in him proveth the hurt death of another 2. Culpable bcause although it do proceed beyond the purpose of the person yet it is occasioned and caused by a culpable negligence As suppose one were hewing with an Ax which he either knew or might have known to be loose and the head not well fastened to the helve did not advertise those about him of it if by flying off it happend to wound or kill any person he were not innocent but if without any inadvertencie he either knew not that it were loose or that any were about him if then it should fall off and kill his Neighbour in this case he is guiltless So when the Lord commanded those who built houses to build battlements about the roofs of them if any person fell where the battlements were the Master was free if the battlements were not he was guilty Murther is also either to be considered as committed after provocation or without all provocation which is a great aggravation of the sin though the provocation maketh it not cease to be a sin Further it may be considered as it is the murther of evil and wicked men or of good and religious men and that on the account of their Religion which is a most horrid aggravation of the murther Lastly this murther is either ordinary as of meer equals or inferiours or extraordinarly aggredged by the quality of the person murthered whether he be a supperiour as a Magistrate a Parent or whether he be of a near Relation as a Brother or Kinsman c. We come a little more particularly to consider the extent nature of the sin forbidden here which is not certainly to be understood of taking the life by publick Justice or in a lawful or just War or in necessary and pure self-defence that we may the better understand the contrary duty commanded It implyeth then a hurting which we may consider 1. as in the heart 2. as in the mouth or words 3. as in gestures 4. as in deeds for we take it for granted that it reacheth further then the gross outward act as by Christs exposition of it in Matth. 5. is incontrovertibly clear The heart is the fountain spring and treasure of all evil in it breedeth all evil and from it proceedeth this murther Matth. 15. 19. he that in heart hateth his brother is a murtherer 1 John 3 15. In a word whatever is opposite to love in the heart is a breach of this Command As 1. hatred which is malitious and simply wisheth ill to our Neighbour and only because we love him not with out any other reason as one wickedly said No amo te Zabidi nec possum dicere quart Hoc tantum possum dicere non amo te So Cain hated his Brother without cause 2. Anger that supponeth a pretended wrong and is desirous of revenge because of ingratitude pretended in justice c. 3. Envy whereby we are grieved with the good of another supposing though groundlesly that it obstructeth ours and therefore we seek to overturn it Anger is cruel and wrath outragious but who can stand before Envy saith Solomon There is often secret hatred on this ground more irreconcileable then where many and grave reasons can be given 4. Rage which presseth reveng beyond what is condign though it follow it lawfully as to outward means 5. Sâ—vitia or
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 Levite 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 wisdome 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 Corinth 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 thrifty 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 Joh. 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 Psalm 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 onely 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 truely 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 forâ— poli and so there is no question but it secludeth from the Kingdom of Heaven the covetâ—us and others are 1. Corinth 6. 10. particularly debarred yea it is a sin which the Lord abhorreth Psal 10. 3. 2. Consider it in fore ecclesiasticâ— 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 Col. 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 soirdid 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 miserable 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 unmercifully treating others when they are not able to stand out against him as Laban did in changing Jacob's wages ten times Gen. 31. 41. and many such characters are there whereby the covetous may be tryed and discovered as especially when they come to justifie and defend and continue in these forementioned unseemly wayes of getting gain and much more when unlawful shifts are used to gain by It is like that in such cases covetous persons have been ecclesiastically reprehended or at least there hath been a brotherly withdrawing from them to put a note on them as was put on drunkards extortioners c. as also 2 Thess 3. 14. the Apostle commandeth these persons who were guilty of the opposit sin of Idleness to be marked with a note of shame And although it be hard to make out covetousness in particulars where there is no sin in the matter yet generally where there is a person that excessively is so there will be both a common account of him to be such in his dealing by those who can discern and many complaints of all almost against him and a hard disesteem of him From the grounds that have been touched on it is somewhat evident that such who generally are called â—eer hard rigid men though they bâ— not properly unhonest are guilty of this sin of covetousness and consequently of the breach of this Command But however when covetousness cometh to be scandalous so as it may be made out it falleth within the compass of the object of Church-discipline and certainly seeing covetousness even when there is no direct theft or oppression is often so scandalous and offensive It would seem
or tacite conditions in all promissory Oaths 84 Wâ— ther indefinite Oaths such as these imposed in Colledges in Corporations or such as Souldiers take to their Officers be lawful 85 What does not lose the Obligation of promissory Oaths 13. particulars instanced 87. 88 What Oaths are null and of no force 88 Four cases vvherein the Obligation of a lawfull Oath ceaseth 89 Why vvicked men keep their sinful Oaths much more strictly then they do lawful Oaths ibid. What an Oath super addeth to a promise ibid. Obedience The difference between obedience to the moral Law as it respects the Covenant of grace and as it respects the Covenant of vvorks 3 See Duties Command Law Omens and observations vvhen sinful and superstitious 112 How superstitious Observations may be made of a Word of Scripture 113 Oppression shewed to be a sort of rapine and against the 8. command 230 Obtestations vvhen lawful and binding and how vve may also sin in them 90 91 P. PErjury several sorts of it and several vvayes how one may become perjured 85 Whether one that necessitates another to swear vvhen he has a suspicion that other vvill forswear himself become Acessory to his perjury 86 See Oath Poligamy how a breach of the seventh Command 201 Poverty how men sinfully bring it upon themselves and so violate the eighth Command 247 Punishment of the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children threatned in the second Command proved to mean spiritual and eternal punishment especially 73 74 Three considerations for clearing how the Lord does thâ—s punish Children for the Parents sin 75. Five ends for which the Lord threatens the Posterity of vvicked men ibid. How children become guilty of the Parents sin and vvhat special need some have to repent of the sins of their ancestors 76 Praising of God required in the 2. Command 53 Our ordinary failings before the going about this duty ibid. Many failings in the performances of this duty enumerated 53 54 Our failings after praising 54 Prayer required by the second Commandment 50 Many sins before Prayer instanced 51 Many ordinary sins in Prayer ibid. Many sins while joyning with others in Prayer enumerated 52 Many ordinary sins after Prayer instanced in 52 Preface I am the Lord thy God a preface to all the Commandments but more especially to the first command 16 Pride in what things it appear 107 â—08 See Humility Promises vvhy annexed to some Commandments rather then to others 17 Why the fifth Command is called the first Command with Promise 191 What comfort the Promise made in the second Command to the thousand generations c. affords to believing Parents and their children 76 What is the meaning of the Promise annexed to the 5 Commandment and how to be understood 202 What Advantage a Believer under the New Testament â—as by such temporal Promises 203 See Vows R. RApine what it is 239 Religion how concerned in the duties we oâ— to others 190 Riches ten prejudices that come by them 25â— Right vvhether a vvicked men has it to any thing here 202 203 S. SAbbath the observation of it a moral duty 119 120 Three considerations for clearing the morality of it 120 The morality of it proved from the Scriptures way of speaking of it in general 121 The Prophesies Ezekiel 43. 44 45 46. chap. Considered 122 123 Matth. 24. 20. considered 123 2. Proved that all the 10. Commandments are moral and consequently this 124 This cleared from Matth. 5. 19. Jam. 2. 10. 124 125 3. Several peculiar remarks upon the fourth Commandment confirming the morality of it 127 128 4. Four Arguments drawn from Scripture to prove this 128 129 Four notable Witnesses to this truth 129 130 Objections answered 130 131 Remembring of the Sabbath imports four things 144 145 How to reckon when the Sabbath begins and ends 145 146 What proportion of it should be bestowed on spiritual duties 146 Several Considerations tending to clear that the fourth Commandment intended not the seventh but a seventh day primarily 147 148 Six Arguments for Evincing this 148 to 151 Some objections answered 152 Several Considerations for clearing when the Sabbath begins 152 153 Divers arguments to prove that the Sabbath begins in the morning and continues till next morning 152. to 155. 1. That the Sabbath may be changed from the seventh day to the first proved not deregatory from the 4 Commandment 155 156 2. That it was convenient that the day should be changed proved â—56 3. That the change should be to the first day of the work proved most convenient 159 4. That the seventh-day Sabbath was actually changed to the first day proved 160 to 166 5. That this change is not by Humane but Divine Institution proved 166. to 168 6. That this change was made by Christ from the very day of his Resurrection proved to be probable 168 How the Lord did sanctifie the Sabbath and we â—ought to sanctifie it 169 What works are lawful â—n the Lords day 169 170 Eighth Caveats for preventing the Abuse of what liberty God allows on that day 171 172 What is meant by a Sabbath days journey 170 What resting on the Sabbath imports and from what we must rest 173 174 That we are equally oblidged to the sanctification of the Sabbath as they were of old 174. 175 An Objection answered 175 Wherein the peculiar holiness required on the Lords day consists 176 177 What preparation is necessary for the Sabbath 178 Particular directions for sanctifying the Lords day from morning to evening 178 179 What 's to he done vvhen the Sabbath is over 180 How the Lord Blesses the Sabbath 183 184 Why he has yet apart a day to himself 184 How Magistrates are by the letter of the fourth Commandment oblidged to take care that the Sabbath 〈…〉 all that are under them 182 183 Six aggravations of the sin of Sabbath breaking 185 In what sense Sabbath breaking iâ— a greater sin then the breath of any command in the second table 186 Several vvayes vvhereby â—â—e Sabbath is prophaned 186 187 Some directions for preventing this sin 187 Sacraments the right administration of them required in the second Command 55 Eighth observations concerning the Sacraments in general 55 56 Five ends and uses of the Sacraments 56 57 58 How the Sacraments seal the proposition of a practical Syllogisme how the assumption and how the conclusion 57 How we sin by saying too much weight on the Sacraments 〈◊〉 several failings instanced in 59 How vve sin undervaluing of them seventeen vvayes ennumerated 60 61 How vve sin in not receiving the Lords-Supper 62 Many ordinary sailings before the participation of this ordinance ennumerated 63 Many sins on the receiving of the Lords-Supper instanced 64 Many sins after partaking of this ordinance instanced 65 Whether the admission of scandalous persons does pollute the ordinance 65 to 69 Sins forbidden in the first Command 19. 25 26 How vve may find out the sins against the first Command 27 Sins forbidden