wyues children seruauntes priuately at home Deu. 6. 7. Psal 1. 1. 119. 55. The Sacramentes also hath he giuen not to be neglected as most excellent pledges of his sure fauour and mercie in Christ Rom. 4. 11. and 6. 3. 4. Ephe. 5. 26. 1. Cor. 11 23. The order of his Church set downe in his worde Heb. 3. 2. 1. Chron. 28 12 19. 2. Chron. 29. 25. and 1. Chro. 15. 13. 1. Co. 9. 8 For ruling of his Church by his worde Rulers who haue the care of soules committed to them Heb. 13. 17. Iames 5. 14. Actes 14. 23. And some of them to labor also in the worde one by teaching an other by exhorting some to attende vnto maners watchinge ouer the people to admonishe them to comfort them to praye with them when they bee in distresse c. and to ioyne with the others in the rest of the gouerning of the Church 1. Tim. 5. 17. 1. Cor. 12. 28. Rom. 12. 8. Ephe. 4. 11 1. Thes 5. 12. 13. 14. Iames 5. 41. 1. Tim. 4. 14. Act. 15. 6. 21. 18. Mat. 18. 17. Also for the better relieuing of the poore distributers of the Church reliefe Act. 6. 2. Rō 12. 8. 1. Tim. 3. 7. c. All which wee muste knowe delight in it procure and euerie one according to his calling sett forwarde as Psal 27. 4. 42. 23. 1. Chron. 13. 1. 29 6 7 8 9. c. 2. Chron. 15. 3. 12. 13. 29. 30 Hag. 1. 4. 14. In all these thinges commaunded forbidden we may easily feele seuerall sinnes and corruptions by due examination of our selues seuerallie in euerie one but Christe hath by his death satisfied for our sinnes Rom. 4 25. and hath bene zealous in the obedience of the partes of this lawe that in him we may haue perfect obediēce yet so as by his death we more and more dye vnto these sinnes and by his resurrection be made liuely to serue the Lord sincerely according to his will Ioh. 2. 14. 15. Mark 7. 34. Math. 26. 38. 27. 30. 2. Cor. 6. 14. to the second verse of cap. 7 Hitherto of the commaundement it selfe Now foloweth the reason which is drawn from a double propertie of the Lorde his Ielousie in wrath and his mercie For I the Lord thy God i Euen then being ioyned vnto thee by my mercifull couenaunt as a husband to his wife Chap. 19. 6. A strong God The first title is added to note his great power to doe what hee will so that being preswaded in the firste propertie of his readinesse to punishe and in the second of his readines to reward And first in this of his power we neede not to doubt at all such vse we should make of his Titles Psal 2. 12. 115. 3. 10. Iealous This is a kinde of speach taken from married folkes Hos 2. 2. Ezech 16. who cannot abide their wiues shoulde giue either in affectiō or in gesture countenaunce or any manner of behauiour to others that which appertaineth to them onely and by this wee gather the greatnesse of the sinnes eyther of grosse Idolatrie or any countenaunce vnto it This Ielousie he setteth further forth by the fruite that the Lord punisheth seuerely this sin Visitinge iniquitie i punishing this sinne or the transgressiō of this law in dissoluing this holy bande for so the generall worde Iniquitie and euill is taken somtimes for some speciall great sinne as Deut. 17. 2. Psal 78. 39. And here it appeareth that it must be so taken because it is not a reason of the whole lawe but of this cōmandement only This is further declared by the persons on whom it falleth The thrd and fourth generation which is both because by the fathers sinne disanulling the couenaunt by Idolatrie the child falleth out of the same continuing in that fall is punished iustly for his owne sinne and his fathers both Mat. 23. 25. And therefore that which is added declareth those which are punished Those that hate me That is those that securely cōmit spiritual whoredom against this cōmandement and so this is nothing contray to that Ezech. 18. Exercising benignitie This is the seconde propertie wherein the Lorde declareth his reward towardes the keeper of this Law that is free liberalitie or bountie for so the word signifieth in receiuing them into a couenant of lyfe and blessednesse yea that eternall Act. 2. 37. Out of this wee learne that as a childe to his father when wee shall do all that is commaunded wee are but vnprofitable seruants and haue done but our dutie as if our father leaue vs no patrimonie are wee lesse bound to do our duetie so if the Lord had not bound himselfe by his couenant which came from his free and vndeserued goodnes could we haue claymed any thing by fulfilling because wee did but our dutie for the mercie of creating vs in great dignitie according to his owne likenes in holines and righteousnes But now hauing so many times offended since the knoweledge of his grace and lying in his wrath both by natural corruption and continuall seruing of sinne from the same dailie how is it not mercie onely without all deseruing when he giueth vs by imputation the righteousnes of his Son and so eternal life and thē transforming vs vnto his likenes againe when we are first set freely in possession of eternall ioy Luke 7. 6. 7. 8. Rom. 6. 15. to the 20. Tit. 2. 12. 13. 14. This is enlarged by the persons to whome this is graunted To thousand generations which sheweth that the Lorde in respect of vs setteth his mercie aboue his iustice But hee setteth them forth by their fruites that be pertakers of it That loue him and keepe his commandements By loue hee noteth that this should bee the fountaine from which the outwarde obedience of this commandement should spring so that if that we loue not delight not in the partes of his worship because in trueth we loue him and his glory These thinges are abhominable Iohn 14. 23. His commandements Here as iniquitie was put for the spiritual whordome against this cōmaundement so commaundementes are put for the seueral parts of obedience in this precept as the circumstance of the place doth shew by which wee see all good intentes are shut out As they haue bene seuerely punished of the Lord. Deut. 4. 15. Esay 30. 21. 1. Chron. 15. 13. 2. Chron. 13. 10. 11. Hetherto of that commandement which hath prescribed vs the seueral partes or outward means which we must loue desire c. in his worship which we giue him 3. Commaund In this commandement as afore we must consider first the percept then the reason The precept is Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine Take that is make any vse for the word signifieth to take up or lift vp on our shoulders The name of God is his memorial amongst men which being in his titles most properly is
29. 5. Forbidden hypocrisie vaine glorie c. Mat. 6. 5. 1. Cor. 13. 3. Phi. 1. 16. and 2. 3. Sobrietie in affection is to holde them in so that they passe not measure 2. Tim. 1. 6. 1. Tit. 8. Thus much of feeling The second thing in practise is the outward work when from the inward feeling the members of the body execute Rom. 6. 12. 13. Rom. 12. 1. The want of this forbidden Iam. 1. 26. 27. To all this is commaunded Perseuerance Eph. 6. 10. Watchfulnes Eph. 6. 10. Perseuerance is alwayes to continue and goe forwarde in dooing good and fleeing euill Ezech. 18. 25. 1. Colos 10. To this is contrarie a stay or going backwarde Gal. 5 Watchfulnesse is a continuall care with ourselues that wee be readily prepared as we ought to practise good and resist euill which is set foorth Ephe. 6. 10. 18. 1. Cor. 16. 13. 1. Thes 5. 6. Marke 13. 35. In this is forbidden no continuance no care too little to slake c. Gen. 3. Eue. Dauid 2. Sam. 11. 1. 2. 3. 1. Thes 5. 3. 6. The remedie of our sinnes in these is Christ his death with his knowledge Luk. 2. 52. With his feeling Iohn 4. 34. With his zeale Iohn 2. 17. His continuance in obedience throughout his life Iohn 17. 4. His watchfulnes Mat. 4. 4. 10. as well to take away the guiltinesse and punishment of the sinne and to impute freely the obedience and blessing as to giue power to kill the sinne and quicken vs to obedience 1. Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 6. 2. 3. 4. 5. c. Thus much of that whiche is generallie forbidden and commaunded in the body of the Lawe Nowe followeth what is generally in the diuision generall of the lawe The whole Lawe is diuided by the Lord him selfe into two tables The first doeth contayne those dueties which we owe to him directly in his seruice Deut. 4. 13. and Exod. 34. 1. 2. The second which we owe vnto our brethren Mat. 22. 36. Rom. 13. 8. 9. In this diuision wee are charged twoo thinges First that to perfect obedience of the Lawe we should bring these two sortes of dueties sounde and whole as those whiche then onely are pleasing vnto God when they are found togither Mich. 6. 7. 8. 1. Ioh. 5. 2. and 4. 20. 21. Here then is forbidden the seuering of them as some will so delight in exercise of religion as they will neglect other dueties towardes men as Maisters Fathers Magistrates c. And some seeke so to please these in seuerall dueties as they neglect too much the other as reading of the Lawe of God hearing the word preached and calling it to minde beeinge hearde c. Both which are condemned as vngodly and vniust Rom. 24. 26. Tit. 1. 4. The forgiuenesse of this sin is had in Christ who was condemned as a blasphemer this righteousnes is imputed to vs from him Iohn 17. 1. 34. 5. 6. c. Heb. 5. 7. 8. And with this grace the other to be godly and iust is alwayes giuen Tit. 2. 13. aud 12. 13. Hence we are taught that feeling some readines vnto godlinesse we should turne our selues also to endeuour to worke iustice and contrarie the seconde thing commaunded in this diuision is we should preferre loue delight c. The dueties we owe to God before those we owe to men Mat. 22. 36. 1. Sam. 13. 11. 12. The remedie in Christ accused as a blasphemer yet sought the glorie of his Father not his Iohn 2. 17. 18. This mercie maketh vs come to this duetie Actes 4. 18. 19. Here we must often marke howe by stealth we shall be drawne to the ouer louing fearing c. of men in time resist it Hitherto what is commanded and forbidden generallie in the Lawe Nowe followeth the particulars in the first table In the firste Table are commaunded duties vnto the Lorde which we owe euery day that are to his person directly Com. 1. or to his worship the partes 2. coÌ„ the true maner of vsing theÌ„ 3. or one in seauen In the first commaundement Exod. 20. 2. 3. verse we must consider first the reason then the precept I am the Lorde thy God I take this to be a reason of the next verse Fâ—r if it were a precept it should redounde seeing the coÌ„trarie being forbidden in that which followeth this is coÌ„maunded thereby also 2. It is not like the other 3. hauing reasons annexed this the first and the chiefest should wante 3. A generall authorizing of the lawe went before Wee maye note the reasons are added to shewe vs our sinne the better when we shall see we haue broken not a bare precept but a precept perswaded by such vnanswerable reasons Also that when we rise by Christ we might not onely be taught what to doo but bee allured to it Thy Lord. This worde Iehoua noteth out his being eternall infinite beginning and ending of all thinges Exod. 3. 14. Reuel 1. 8. By this it appeareth this Lawe appertayneth to all because he is the Lorde of all Thy God that is one who doeth vouchsafe thee a peculiar fauour when in thy creatioÌ„ he indued thee with corporall and spirituall benefites and doeth enritch thee vnto eternall life Psal 144. 15. Heb. 8. 10. Ezec. 36. 26. 32. Luke 37. 38. Heb. 11. 16. By this appeareth that neither we nor the Iewes had promises of this lyfe onely lastly that the true fountaine of subiection vnto God is this assurance He is our God Iosua 24. 16. Rom. 12. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Which broght By this we are taught the better to nourishe the former roote of obedience to call often to remembrance the particular benefites of God By this appeareth that the Lawe was giuen to the Iewes vs not onelie to bring vs vnto Christe but also to allure instruct vs to obedience when Christ is receyued Thus much of the reason Nowe followeth the commaundement Thou shalt haue no straunge or other Gods before me To haue an other God is to sett vp an other whom we will acknowledge to be of power of goodnes iustice of some excellent nature and therefore feare loue reuerence hang on him in all estates Deut. 26. 17. 18. As they looke for him to bee their God as aboue so that where this is wanting eyther on the part of God or the people they are called without God Ephe. 2. 12. Not his people Ose 1. 9. This the Lord forbiddeth to be attributed vnto any but his owne Maiestie because he onely is the Lord our God and by this forbiddinge commaundeth the contrary that he onely should be acknowledged God hee alone so loued feared reuerenced c. In this commaundement therefore we are firste commaunded the true knowledge of one true God then the confidence and loue feare c. whiche is to bee giuen to his person The true knowledge of the true God is to knowe his nature spirituall infinite pure constant most simple c. his properties
which he hath commaunded And first of the partes of it in the seconde then of the true vse in the thirde The seconde commaundement In the second commandement we haue first to cōsider the precept then the reason The Precept hath two partes the first in the fourth verse Exo. 20. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen thing or Image or likenesse of any thing in heauen aboue c. In which part by a vsuall maner of the law a part being put for the whole as in the 6. 7 8. commandements that one of the fowlest looke to note the filthines of the rest we are forbiddē generally to acknowledge loue delight in desire make or vse beinge made any inuention of men eyther to present God or to declare howe hee is affected towardes vs or to do any maner of worship vnto him by is called the whoring after our own heart Ier. 13. 10. 16. 13. 18. 12 19. 5. Col. 2. 22. 23. Esa 29. 13. Mat. 15. 8. Now by the cōtrarie is commanded to acknowledge loue desire delight in and outwardly practise all those partes of his worship which he in his worde hath commanded Deu. 12. 32. Ioh. 4. 22. 2. King 17. 26. In the second in like maner is forbidden by one sorte to acknowledge loue c. any other vse of any rite or outward meanes vsed in the worship or seruice of god thē he hath ordained Ioh. 4. 22. 2. kin 18. 4. By the contrarie cōmanded to acknowledge loue c. only the proper vse of euery rite outward meanes which the Lorde hath ordayned so to receyue the Sacraments as pledges of our coniunction with Christ the remission of sinnes in him c. not to make them a sacrifice for the quick dead not to bow down worship thē so to receiue the Ministers as the messengers of God to recōcile vs by the gospel to forgiue vs our sinns by the word to command vs our dutie c. But yet as instruments 2. Cor. 5. 18. Matth. 18. 18. And therefore may not worship thē sacrifice to them c. Acts. 10. 16. 14. 13. And this is the true sense of the commaundement Nowe let vs see what particulars are forbidden and what commaunded First wee see forbiddē in the first part the making of Images to liken God or to worship him whether grauen or painted Rō 4. 12. Ezec. 8. 10. Ioh. 5. 21. No Image of God must bee made because he is a spirit nor of Christ because pictures images are teachers of lies neither those nor any other such shold be suffered in the Church or at home because wee are instructed sufficiently in the Gospell Exod. 33. 24. Rom. 1. 23. Ier. 10 8. Aba 2. 18. 19. Gal. 3. 4. 1. Cor. 4. 6. 2. Ti. 3. 17. Forbidden in the 2. parte to worship Images to set them vp to gilde them or anie maner of way to serue them Mat. 4. 10. Apo. 19. 20. Also here is forbidden all additions of Sacramentes as the papistes made matrimonie and so gaue it a signe of the wedding Ring all additions vnto them 1. Cor. 11. 13. All additiō of ministeries in the seruice of the Lorde as the papistes added priestes to sacrifice exorcists to coniure c Luke 20. 6. Iohn 1. 21. 22. 23. Also mens traditions ceremonies brought into the church not being to edifying not for comlines not for order c. 1. Cor. 14. 10. Mat. 15. 8. Secondly in this commaundement other sortes of particulars are forbidden as al meanes occasions or appertenances of Idolatrie whereby some shewe or remembrance or reuerence is kept Psal 16. 4. As all mariages coniunctions or neare familiaritie with Idolaters 2. Cor. 6. 14. Deut. 17. 3. 4. 2. Chro. 19. 1. 2. Gen. 24. 3. 28. 1. 34. 14. Likewise all reliques of Idolatrie which we must pollute and marre not dooing any seruice or honor no not giuing thē any estimation 2. Cor. 6. 17. Esai 30. 22. 2. Chron. 29. 5. Hitherto of certaine particulars forbidden Nowe followe some commaunded as the outwarde meanes which the Lorde hath commaunded in his worde They are of two sortes eyther such as the Lorde commandeth vs to giue him for his honor or those whiche he giueth vs to vse in his seruice Esai 45. 23. Of the firste sorte are ordinarie which are seueral actions of our body christiāly according to the custome of the church cōmanded in the worde of God and orderly and reuerently ordered in his seruice Speciall the fruite of the lippes in Prayer and Thanksgiuing Heb. 13. 15. Dan. 6. 11. Psal 55. 18. Extraordinary fasting Of the actions of the bodie orderly and reuerently vsed are bowing of our bodies Esa 45. 23. Reuerent attention declared sometimes by rising vp Ge. 49. 33. 1 Chro. 28. 2. Num. 23. 22. 2. Kin. 23. 2. 2. Chron. 34 31. Neh. 8. 6. Also lifting vp of the hands eyes c. Psa 123. 1. 141. 2. For euen as a husband looketh that he alone shold haue not only the heart but also the reuerent louing behauior of the body 1. Pet. 3. 6. Ge. 26. 8. So the Lord requireth these both as testimonies of our sinceritie as also helpes of our infirmitie when wee may cōuenientlie vse them and forbiddeth to doe in like maner to any besides him The great carelesnesse and negligence in these and the fruite of the lippes in prayer and prayse of the Lord is condemned by the example of Salomon 1. King 8. 22. Dan. 6. 11. And of Christ Mark 7. 34. Matth. 26. 36. To these sometimes also to helpe when our prayers and confessions and hearings c. must bee more earnest and liuely because our great sinnes necessities c. Then is fastinge added which is a professiō of our repentāce by abstinence instituted of the Lorde for better humbling of our selues in prayer for some especiall grace as is set foorth in the booke intituled The description of the exercise of fastinge 2. Sam. 12. 16. 17. Esd 10. 6. Leui. 23. 23. Iudg. 20. 26. Leuit. 23. 14. 27. Ioel. 2. 15. Luk. 5. 33. Acts. 13. 2. 3. Math. 9. 15. Ioel. 2. 12. 17. 1. Sam. 7. 6. And thus much of those which the Lorde in mercie and wisedome receyueth of vs. Nowe followeth those meanes whiche hee hath giuen vs and they are either attributed vnto the Lord him selfe directly as his titles to be vsed either simply Rō 95 1. Tim. 1. 17. in an oth deu 6. 13. Ier. 12.26 Esa 18. 18. Or his workes or giuen of him by mā his ministrie his word Sacraments order of the Church His workes are giuen not to worshippe them which is forbidden Deu. 4. 12. But to see and beholde and praise in them his wisdome goodnes power c. Psal 67. 13. and 104. 1. 107. 42. Psal 64. 10. 11. His word he hath giuen that we should read and meditate in the same day and night to confer of it with our