dispenseth not at all here because these are in our power and when we fail it is not out of ordinary infirmity Beside what is said there are yet two ways of taking or using the Name of God which are sib or of kin to Oaths The 1. is that of Appealing to God to judg as David did that God might judge betwixt him and persecuting Saul 1 Sam. 24.12 The 2d is that of attesting God thus The Lord knoweth God is my Witness my Witness is in Heaven c. as Job doth cap. 16.19 and Paul Rom. 1.9 These are lawful when called unto and rightly gone about but when abused in rash precipitant passionate appeals or in unjust matter as Sarahs was Gen. 16. and in rash unnecessary attestations or in triffling matter they are more than an ordinary taking of God's Name in vain and therefore should never lightly be interposed and made use of The great breach of this Command is Blasphemy though Perjury be most direct That we may see how this sin is fallen into we shall 1. Define it 2. Divide or distinguish it which we shall find to be exceeding broad Blasphemy then against God as the word beareth is a wronging of God's holy Majesty by some reproachful speeches or expressions uttered to His disgrace we say Uttered because that which is in the heart is most-part Atheism and Infidelity and so belongeth to the first Command Of this there are three sorts or there are three ways whereby men fall into it 1. When any thing unbecoming God is in word attributed to Him as that he is not just holy merciful c. such as that complaint Ezek. 18.25 The ways of the Lord are not equal 2. When what is due to him is denyed him as when he is said not to be Eternal Omniscient Almighty c. as he was by proud Pharoah and railing Rabshaketh in his master's Name who most insolently talked at that high rate of Blasphemy Who is the Lord that I should obey his Voyce c Who is the Lord that is able to deliver you out of my hand Exod. 5. Isa. 36.18.20 3. When what is due to God is attributed to a Creature or arrogated by a Creature thus the Jews charged Christ as guilty of Blasphemy Luk. 7.49 Joh. 10.33 supposing him to be a Creature because he forgave sins and called himself God of this sort of Blasphemy as to some degree of it is the commending or crying up our own or others parts pains wit c. for attaining effecting and bringing to pass of somewhat to the prejudice of divine providence so those of Zidon did to Herod Act. 12.22 And thus often men make Mediators and Saviours as it were of themselves and of other men 2. This Blasphemy may either be immediately and directly against God himself or any of the persons of the blessed God-head or mediately and indirectly against him when it is against his Ordinances of the Word Prayer Sacraments c. by vilifying them in expressions or against his people or the work of his spirit in them he is indirectly Blasphemed in them when they or it are mocked as when Paul's much learning in the Gospel is called madness or when real and serious Religion Repentance or Holiness are called Conceitedness Pride Preciseness Fancy c. 3. Blasphemy may be considered either as it is deliberate and purposed as in the Pharisees or 2. As it is out of infirmity rashness and unwatchfulness over-expressions or 3. Out of ignorance as Paul was a Blasphemer before his Conversion 1 Tim. 1.15 4. It may be considered 1. As against the Father 2. As against the Son 3. As against the Holy Ghost all are spoken of Matth. 12. and Mark 3. 1. Bla â—phemy against the Father is that which striketh either against the God-head simply or any of the Attributes which are due to God and so it s against all the persons in common or against the Trinity of persons when it is denyed and so that relation of â—ather in the God-head is Blasphemed 2. Blasphemy against the Son is when either his God-head in the Eternity of it is denyed as it was by the Photinians and Aria â—s or when the distinction of his Natures in their respective true properties retained by each nature is denyed or when he is denyed in his Offices as if he did not satisfie divine Ju â—â—ice for the sinnes of the Elect as a Priest which is done by the Soct â—â—a â—s or as if he had not a Kingdom or Authority or when other Mediators or other satisfactions to Justice are set up and put in his room or when another Head and Husband to the Church Prince or Pope or another Word than what is written are made and obtruded upon her and the like whereof there are many in Popery in which respect Antichrist is said to have many names of Blasphemy Rev. 13. 3. Blasphemy against the Spirit may be considered either as it is against the third Person of the God-head and so it is against the Trinity and was that errour peculiar to Macedonius or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or pugnantes contra Spiritum that is fighters against the Spirit or it may be considered as it looketh especially to the operation or work of that Spirit in a mans self and so it is that peculiar Blasphemy spoken of Math. 12.32 Which when all other Blasphemies are declared to be pardonable is said never to be pardoned This is the highest degree of Blasphemy which may be so 1. In that it is not at any time fallen into by a Believer or an Elect. 2. That it is not often fallen into even by others that are Reprobates 3. That it is hardly known to the person himself that is guilty of it but much less to others 4. That it is never rep â—n â—ed of and we think doth never affect because it is never pardoned all other sinnes are pardonable and many are actually pardoned 1. This sin then is not every sin though all sins g â—ieve the Spirit Ephes. 4.27 Nor 2. is it any sin of Infirmity or of Ignorance even such as Paul's was Nor 3. Is it any sin even though against knowledg committed against the second table of the Law such as David fell into and may be pardoned Nor 4. Is it every sin that is against Christ and clear light for Peter denyed him but it was of infirmity Math. 26.70 But this sin is 1. in the main of the Gospel â— and as to its saving work 2. It is not only against light but against the Spirit 's present testifying of it or bearing witness to it and after fore-going convictions yielded unto in some measure and sticking or lying on as weighty and making the Conscience to challenge as may be gathered from Heb. 6. 3. It is not in one particular sin or act but in a total and resolute opposing of the Truth whereof men are convinced seeking to bear it down in others and to extirpate it
carve out unto you A second reason to clear this to be the meaning may be taken from the perfection of the Law which lieth in this that it condemneth all sin and commandeth all d â—â—ies now it is a sin not only to worship false Gods but to worship the true God in a false way and it is a duty also to worship him rightly according as he hath appointed in his Word now these sins must be forbidden in this second Commandment or they are forbidden in none at all and these duties must be commanded in this Commandment or they are commanded in none Next that we may clear that it is sinful to worship God otherwise than he hath commanded it would be observed there was a twofold Idolatry found in Israel and condemned in the Scripture the first was when Groves and Images were planted and made to Idols and so the people of Israel did often to the Heathen Gods the second was when they had Groves and worshipped in high places but not to Idols but to the Lord their God as 2 Chron. 33.17 so in that place before cited Deut. 12.2 3 4. c. you will find two things forbidden 1. Making of Images to the false Gods which the Canoanites worshipped 2. Making use of their manner of worship and turning it unto the true God both are forbidden the first by the first Commandment the last by the second compare ver 8. which holdeth forth this scope Ye shall not do every man what seemeth right in his own eyes with what followeth and With ver 30. 31 See th â—u enquire not how these Nations worshipped their gods to wit by Images c. as â—f ye would do so to the Lord no bat ver 32. Whatsoever thing I command you observe to do it tho â— shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it which cleareth the scope of this Command as being purposely there opened up Ye shall not do so to the Lord your God wherein more is comprehended than is expressed namely not onely ye shall not serve the Lord as they do their gods but also ye shall serve him as he himself prescribeth Hence will it clearly appear that this command is to be reckoned a distinct command from the former because 1. It containeth distinct matter forbiddeth sins of another kind and commandeth duties of another kind 2. Because they are certainly ten in number and there cannot be such a reckoning made up if these first two be one it being clear as after will appear that the last is only one and cannot be divided into two 3. Beside it is the the common reckoning of the ancient Jewes as may be seen from Josephus lib. 3.9 Ainsworth and others This then being laid down as a truth we shall 1. shortly put by some Questions concerning Images for clearing the words 2. Come particularly to shew what is required and what is forbidden in this Commandment and how we break it in our ordinary practice T â—en 3. Open the Reasons that are annexed Concerning Images two things are to be enquired 1. If no Image be lawful and if any be lawful what these be 2. If any use especially religious of Images be lawful and if adoration of any kind be to be given to them We say for Answer 1 That making of Pictures of Creatures which are visible or may be comprehended or historical phansies to speak so such as the senses and elements use to be holden forth by which are rather Hieroglyphicks th â—n real Pictures these I s â—y are not simply unlawful but are so when they are abused so Solomon made images of Lions for his use and thus the gift of engraving and painting as well as others which God hath given to men may he made use of when as hath been said it is not abused As 1. When such Pictures are obscene and filthy and against Christian modesty to behold such break this Commandment but more especially the seventh because as filthy communication doth polute the ears so do they the eyes 2. When men become prodigal in their bestowing either too much time or too much expence on them 3. When they dote too much on them by curiosity and many other wayes they may be abused but especially in the fourth place if they be abused to any religious use then they become unlawful as afterward shall be cleared 2. Though making of Images simply be not unlawful and discharged by this Commandment yet thereby every representation of God who is the Object to be worshi â—ped and every Image religiously made use of in worship is condemned though civil and political Images and Statues which are used as ornaments or badges of honour or remembrancers of some fact c. be not condemned 1. Because such Images cannot but beget carnal thoughts of God as Acts 6.19 contrary to this Commandment 2. Because God discovered hi â—self Deut. 4.15 16. c by no likeness but only by his Word that they might have no ground of likening him to any thing 3. Because it is impossible to get a bodily likeness to set him out by who is a Spirit and an infinite Spirit so then every such image must be deroga â—ory to God as turning the Glory of the invisible God to the Shape of some visible and corruptible Creature which is condemned Rom. 1.22 23. for every Image supposeth some likeness Now there can be no conceivable or imaginable likeness betwixt God and any thing that we can i â—vent therfore it is said by the Lord Isaiah 40.8 To whom will ye liken God or what likeness will ye compare unto him where it seemeth it was no Idol but God they aimed to represent by their Images which was the fault condemned ver 25. As also when we cannot conceive of God and of the Mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation as we ought what presumption must it be to paint them Therefore upon these Grounds 1. We simply condemn any delineating of God or the Godhead or Trinity such as some have upon their buildings or books like a Sun shining with beam â— and the Lords Name Jeh â—va in it or any other way this 〈◊〉 most abominable to s â—e and a hainous wronging of Gods Majesty 2. All representing of the Persons as distinct as to set out the Father personally considered by the Image of an old man as if he were a creature the Son under the Image of a Lamb or young man the Holy Ghost under the Image of a Dove all which wrongeth the Godhead exceedingly and although the Son was and is Man having taken on him that nature and united it to his Godhead yet he is not a meer man therefore that image which only holdeth forth one nature and looketh like any man in the World cannot be the representation of that Person which is God and man And if it be s â—id mans soul cannot be painted but his body may and yet that picture representeth a man I answer it doth
so because he has but one Nature and what representeth that repr â—senteth the person but it is not so with Christ his Godhead is not a distinct part of the humane Nature as the soul of man is which is necessarily supposed in every living man but a distinct nature only united with the manhood in that one person Christ who has no fellow therefore what representeth him must not represent a man only but must represent Christ Immanuel God man otherwise it is not his Image beside there is no warrant for representing him in his Manhood nor any colourable possib â—lity of it but as men fancy and shall that be called Christs portraiture would that be called any other mans portraiture which were drawn at mens pleasure without regard to the patern again there is no use of it for either that Image behoved to have but common estimation with other Images and that would wrong Christ or a peculiar respect and reverence and so it sinneth against this Commandment that forbiddeth all religious reverence to Images but he being God and so the object of Worship we must either divide his Natures or say that Image or picture representeth not Christ. Again as to w â—at may be objected from the Lords appearing sometimes in the l â—ke â—ess of a man or the Spirits descending as a Dove or as cloven tongues of fire It is answered 1. There is a great difference betwixt a sign of the Spirits presence and a representation of the Spirit 2. Betwixt what representeth the Spirit as he is one of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity and what resembleth some gift of his The similitude of a Dove descending upon Christ was to shew his taking up his residence in him and furnishing him with gifts and graces and perticularly holy simplicity and meekness without measure and so his appearing in cloven tongues was to shew his communicating the Gift of tongues to the Apostles 3. Neither is there any warrant for drawing him in these shapes more than to look on every living Dove as representing him and the like may be said of Gods appea â—ing sometimes in humane likeness it was but that men might have some visible help to discern something of Gods presence but not to give any representation of him and these bodies were but for a time assumed as a praeludie and forerunning evidence of the Sons being to become man From this ground also it would seem that p â—inting of Angels might be condemned as a thing impossible they being Spi â—â—ts which no corporeal thing can represent beside that the representing of them has some hazard with it and for those cherubims that were made by Gods direction under the Old Testament they were rather some Emblem of the nature and service of Angels as being full of zeal and alwaies as it were upon wing ready to obey Gods will than any likeness of themselves and it s hardly possible to fancy representations of Spirits good or evil but thereby men will wrong themselves in the right description of them though we grant Angels being but finite Spirits there is another kind of danger and impossibility of representing God who is an infinite Spirit also some say that these Cherubims mentioned did not represent the nature of Angels but Angels appearing under such a visible shape and we find Ezek. 1. There are divers shapes by which they are pointed out but it is as to their fitness and readyness for service and not as to their nature 3. We say that no Image whatsoever made use of for religious ends and without the bounds of civil and politick uses is allowable but is by this commandment condemned as unsuitable to the Lords nature and revealed will so by this Images otherwise lawful when abused to Idolatry become unlawful and are not to be suffered but orderly to be removed we call that more than a civil or a common use when religious worship or reverence is purposely intended to them or there is by some one occasion or other danger least they may be so abused and of this sort viz. dangerous ones are 1. Images in places of Worship but it is not Idolatry to have dead mens Images on their Tombs or Monuments in Churches 2. Images of such Angels Saints c. which has been abused to Idolatry by being worshipped or most readily may be so abused 3. Images erected for helping our Prayers to be accepted and which h â—v â— altars lights or temples appointed for them which will be clearer when we come to speak of religious worship and B â—wing thus peregrinations and vows to Images touching of them with some apprehension of fruit and advantage thereby especially when healing is expected from them and so are they abused also though help be expected not from the Image but from him whom it is said to represent and thus also when any Image once lawful cometh to be abused it ought to be removed as the brazen Serpent was by Hezek â—â—b and under this Prohibition come in the â—mages of false gods as Cupid Venus Apollo Jupiter c. which were once abused besides some of these Idols being nothing the pourtraying of them maketh them appear something and if it was the Lords way to command the breaking and destroying of all Idols and Images of False gods can it be suitable to retain them in memory that a generation following might have that occasion and help to Idolatry viz. the Images of old Idols from Christians and if it was Davids and the Saints way Psal. 16.4 not so much as to mention their names but with detestation ought Gods people for sport or delight to look on these Images zeal for God would abhor these curiosities and what edification can be in them We are now to clear the second question If any worship may be given and what worship is due to Images of any sort and if it be not a breach of this command to give any religious worship to any of them that we may answer 1. Consider there was a twofold worshipping of Images even amongst Heathens The first was more gross when the worship was given to the Image as being some godhead of it self thus some think the Images of Baal Ashteroth c. and particular Images that have special names were worshipped thus are men said properly to worship the works of their hands this is against the first commandment 2. There was a worshipping of Images as representing God and so the worship was gone about as a part of service done to the true God such was in conformity to the Heathens practice the worship given to the Calf Exod. 32. ver 1. to 7. and such were the Groves and Sacrificings in the high places 2 Chron. 32.17 More particularly there is an immediate worshipping of Images as Idols when they in themselves or for themselves are worshipped and secondly there is a mediate worshipping of Images for that which they represent when men worship something in them or signified
5. How it is taken in vain in our conversation as others are occasioned or caused to Blaspheme God's Name by our carriage 6. Concerning Lots c. These we shall consider especially with respect to our practise In speaking of what concerneth Oaths we would 1. speak of an Oath 2. Of the Obligation of it for this Command both requireth Oaths and the keeping of them and it may be broken in reference to both We would in the entry distinguish betwixt these four 1. Oaths 2. Asseverations 3. Simple affirmations or Assertions 4. Imprecations or Curses 1. Oaths are such as directly invocate God by such like expressions as Be or By as By my holiness I have sworne Psal. 89. I swear by the Lord. 2. Asseverations called vehement Assertions are expressed thus As the Lord liveth As that Light shineth in Conscience Faith c. 3. Simple assertions are such as in truth truly indeed which but speak the thing simply and affirm that to be true or false that is asserted and so belongeth to the 9th Command only as such 4. Imprecations are either directed to ones self conditionally as if such a thing be truth then let me perish Shame befall me if I do not this or this or towards others especially in these Shame befall thee the Devil take thee a Vengeance on th â—e and other expressions abominable to mention Again in Oaths which are for confirmation let us distinguish betwixt assertory Oaths that do but confirm such a thing to be truth and promissory Oaths that ingage the person Swearing to the performance of such a thing for the time to come either absolutely or with qualifications For clearing the matter take this proposition that Oaths in both these cases being well qualified is a lawful piece of God's worship and may and should be made use of by his People this is a clear truth from these Scriptures Deut. 10.20 Deut. 6.13 Jer. 4.2 As for Anabaptists who deny the lawfulness of Oaths under the New Testament we are not now to meddle with them because there be few in these days that are in such an Errour We shall consider 1. What qualifications are requisite to right Swearing Then 2. Clear some practical questions 3. Shew wherein this Command is violate in respect of Swearing In an Oath consider 1. It s matter 2. It s form 3. It s rise or mens Call to it 4. The expressions its conceived in 5. Our manner of going about it 6. Our keeping of it which followeth after to be spoken to distinctly First for the matter of an Oath Assertory Oaths must be of things that are 1. True 2. Weighty 3. They must be such to our knowledge Again Promissory Oaths must be in things just and lawful possible profitable and in our power and which to our knowledge are such 2. The forme must be By the true God it being a peculiar part of his worship for we can swear by none whom we cannot invocate therefore Idols Creatures Graces c. are excluded here for none of these are God 3. It s rise must be Edification that is God's glory our own vindication or our Neighbours good or the call of a Magistrate putting us to it and it should be used for deciding of Controversies when no other mean of clearing or deciding such a thing is remaining hence we say juratus fuit he was Sworn passively and the Hebrews have no active word for expressing it to let us see men ought not to swear but to be sworne or by necessity pressed to it 4. As to the expressions in which it is conceived or the thing sworne it s required not only that it be truth to and in the mans meaning that sweareth but that the expressions be plain and intelligible to his meaning and understanding to whom the Oath is given otherwise it deludeth but doth not clear Hence these two rules are to be observed 1. That the meaning be so clear as may be and is most ordinarily and obviou â—â—y gathered from such words and expressions as are used 2. That the expressions be according as they are supposed to be understood by others especially him that exacteth the Oath for if he mean one thing and we another God's Name is prophaned and the end of an Oath frustrate much more equivocations in expressions and mental reservations are to be condemned here the first whereof taketh in Ambiguity in words the second a different sense in our thoughts from what seemeth to be meaned in our words 5. As to the right manner of Swearing these things ought to be noticed 1. That it be in judgment that we understand the thing we Swear and the nature of our Oath and him we swear by Jer. 4.2 2. Fear and Reverence in going about it as being in an especial way in God's own sight thus to fear an Oath is a good property and the heart would be filled with the apprehension of a present God 3. Singleness in the end that it be not to deceive any but to express the truth truly and faithfully called Righteousness Jer. 4.2 And for the most part these properties or qualifications may agree to Oaths Asseverations and Imprecations For the further clearing of this matter we would speak to some questions And the 1. Question is How then differ Oat â—s from Asseverations Answ. They should both be in Truth Judgment with fear and when called unto but in this they differ that in Oaths we are only to make mention of the true God and swear by him but Asseverations may be thus expressed As thy Soul liveth 2 King 2. v. 2.4 6. and yet we do not swear by the Soul of any A 2d Question is What may we judge of such Oathes as are By Angels Saints Mary Paul By other Creatures as Heaven Light the World by Soul Conscience c. Or by Graces as by Faith Answ. We need not use much Curiosity in Distinctions For we conceive them all to be simply unlawful 1. Because none of these are God and swearing is a Peculiar piece of his Worship Deut. 6.13 And swearing by any thing what ever it be which is not God is condemned Jer. 5.7 They have sworn by those who are not Gods 2. Because we cannot invocate any of these and therefore cannot swear by them seeing an Oath carryeth along with it an Invocation of him we swear by 3. Because they want these Properties due to such to whom this Worship belongeth As 1. Omniscience to try whether we mean as we have sworn or not 2. Omnipotency And 3. Justice to avenge if it be not so as we have sworn 4. Soveraignty to call the Swearers to a Reckoning 4. Because it would derogate from the Scope of this Command which giveth this to God alone as his due and implyeth that he alone hath all these Properties in him 5. Because such Oathes are expresly Prohibited by Christ Matth. 3.34 Swear not all neither by Heaven nor Earth For they stand in an Inferiour
If vvhat vve have said be truth viz. That eating and drinking should be in season for strength as it is Eccles. 10.16 17. and for the honour of God vve are persvvaded that it contradicteth all these evils as unbecoming Christians And therefore if the truth of God or your ovvn credit and esteem have place vvith you let these things be forborn and abandoned are vve laying heavy burthens on you Doth not this vvay proposed by us look both more christian and more civil-like and if in such outvvard things that are hurtful to your selves and none can say but the reforming of them is some way in your power If in such things I say we prevail not with you wherein shall we prevail Are there any who come to deaths dore but these things are loathsome to them and their conscience cryeth out on them and therefore seeing we say nothing but vvhat your conscience vvill confirm let us prevail vvith you so far as to procure a reformation of these evils that are so hurtful to your selves and dishonourable to God 7. There is one thing more vvhereof I shall speak but a vvord I suppose the excessive number of Tavern-keepers Vintners and Hostlers cannot but be a breach of this Command and an occasion if not a cause of intemperancy in drink for such a number cannot be supposed to be necessary for mans lavvful use it must therefore be to provoke to the abuse of the creatures and this imployment is novv become so common that he vvho is desperate of any other vvay of living vvill betake himself to this shift and readily such fall under that vvoe pronounced Hab. 2. against those vvho hold drink to others Take heed to this ye vvho take this Calling on you it is lavvful in it self I grant but often it is made unlavvful and such as are in it become often partakers of many sins committed in their houses vvhich for their ovvn particular advantage they overlook and particularly of the sin of uncleanness and whoredom debauched drunkards being ordinarily vile and lascivious persons you ought therefore to discountenance night-drinkers especially by refusing to give them vvhat they call for as you vvould not make your selves partakers of their sins From vvhat hath been said it doth appear hovv base and unbeseeming Christians these spoken of drinkings and tippling â— are vvhich are of that nature that vve can neither in faith pray for nor promise our selves a blessing upon them from God they being neither in season nor for a right end And no doubt when the Lord cometh such as have been given to these sins vvill vvish they had been othervvayes exercised Thus much for this Seventh Command THE EIGHTH COMMAND Exodus 20.15 Thou shalt not Steal WE come now to consider this Eighth Command Thou shalt not steal In the former the Lord restrained the lust of the flesh and mens abusing of their bodies In this he regulateth them in the use of their riches and estates and setteth bounds to the lust of the eye and the covetousness of the heart The scope of the Command in general is to regulate us in reference to the outward estate of our selves and others that we fail not either in wronging or in inordinate and excessive profiting them or our selves And miscarriages of this nature are comprehended under this of stealing to make them the more odious From the general scope of the Command we may see 1. That the Lord alloweth property amongst his people otherwayes there could be no stealing 2. That men have not liberty to manage these things of the world according to their meer pleasure and arbitrement but there are rules set to them by which they are to be governed in reference to them and there is religion in buying and selling and such like as well as there is in praying and hearing the word though the things be of a different nature For opening the Command Consider 1. the sin forbidden stealing with the positive duty comprehended under it 2. Consider its extent as to the kinds of theft 3. Consider how theft may be said to be committed 4. You may consider more particularly some particular sins prohibited and duties commanded and Questions that may be moved concerning them as about Charity or giving Alms Vsury making of bargains or contracts pursuing of riches c. The sum of this Command we may gather from Ephes. 4.28 Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth 1 Thess. 4.6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and testified Lev. 19.11 13 35 36. Ye shall not steal neither deal falsly neither lie one to another Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour neither rob him the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night untill the morning Ye shall do no unrighteousness in Judgment in mete-yard in weight or in measure just ballances just weights a just ephah and a just hin shall ye have I am the Lord your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt Theft is most strictly defined to be the taking away of that which is anothers he not knowing it and that to his hurt but more generally we take it to be any inordinateness in reference to riches either by wronging our neighbour or profiting our selves and that whether it be in the attaining retaining or using of them this though in few words yet comprehendeth much 1. Then we call that inordinateness when men mistaking the right end for which and the golden mediocrity according to which riches are to be employed they do fail either in the excess by transgressing the just bounds or in the defect or making use of wrong midesses for attaining the end Hence the love of money or of riches being the root of all evil becometh Idolatry when riches are made the ultimate end and pursued and made use of only to satisfie the lust of the eye or when this love of money is made subservient to some other lust as to the pride of life thus the love of money is inordinate as to its end when it is for an end without and beyond that which is convenient for us 2. We may be inordinate by our being too vehement in our desires after riches so that we will be rich as it is 1 Tim 6.9 we resolve it and must be so by any means as it were which is most dangerous and by being desirous of too much keeping no proportionable measure but being sometimes in the excess spending our time in seeking more then is convenient sometimes in the defect trifling away much time in the lazy careless and negligent pursuit of what is convenient 3. There may be inordinateness in the midesses made use of for attaining or retaining riches either by an unlawful way of conquest