words only with Capitals except such words as are alway so to begin and I did intend to do so But after the Epistle was composed by the Printer I was disposed to begin many Substantial words also with Capitals which are not Emphatical These are in the first 6 sheets containing Instruction and Correction and the An to Ob against Correction especially in the first 3 sheets to the end of Instruction by Doct. These words are begun with Capitals that Men Women and Children may take the more notice of such words and things which are to them of so great concern And whether you call it a Benefit or a Burden it is only for the first Edition for in the next Deo juvante I shall take them out reduce it to the order of the Epistle and so make it more Euphonical and Gratefull for the Readers pleasure A SECOND DIALOGUE OF THE DECALOGUE OR A DISCOURSE Concerning the Ten COMMANDMENTS The Second Part. I have written to him the Great things of my Law but they were counted as a Strange thing Hos 8.12 The Princes digged the well the Nobles of the People digged it by the direction of their Law-giver Nu. 21.18 The Lord is our Law-giver Isa 33.22 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul Ps 19.7 The Isles shall wait for his Law Isa 42.4 He will magnifie the Law and make it Honourable Isa 42.21 We have heard out of the Law that Christ abideth for Ever Joh. 12.34 Do we then make void the Law through Faith GOD forbid yea we establish the Law Rom. 3.31 LONDON Printed by J. A. for the Author 1681. The General Contents of the Second Dialogue TWelve Notes on the Ten Commandments Ten Ob against the Second Note Answ Of Thunder breaking new making the Tables The Law a rule of Life for all men How we are under the Law as the Jews were in Seven Particulars How we are Not under the Law as the Jews were in Seven Particulars An account of the C L. An account of the Judicial Law How the M L is abolished and how not How the C L is abolished and how not How the Judicial Law is abolished how not The whole duty of man in Ten Words Antinomian aversenesse to the Law Five Reasons of slighting the Law Of preaching the Doct of the gospel only Four Reasons of such preaching Sad effects of not preaching the Law Pride of some Preachers their Wives Children Pride or sin in such prodigiously perilous Six sorts of Simple Hearers Many in Profession like to be lost at London Conclusion by way of Exhortation Note these few abbreviations M L Moral Law C L Ceremonial Law C W Covenant of works C G Covenant of grace A SECOND DIALOGUE OF THE DECALOGUE Fath. GOd Save you Sir Since our Late Conference I have desired some Discourse from you of the Decalogue for I am much perswaded there is more in it than many Imagine When you delivered me the Sixt Document viz To acquaint my Children with the Decalogue I desired to hear that Lesson Enlarged yet was loth to interrupt you but now I come on purpose to desire you to give me some account of the Ten Commandments Min. Sir you are Welcome to me upon this account for I had also a mind to enlarge that Sixt Lesson upon the Law but was loth to be too tedious and am glad of an opportunity to do it now By the Title pages of old Books which lay open in Moor Fields I perceive there are some Tracts on the Ten Commandments by way of Exposition and so I shall not go that way to work but shall give you 12 Usefull Notes upon the whole to shew you in part what is contained in them Between which Notes you may put in and after them all adde what Question you please First 1 Note The M L on Adam's Heart The Moral Law Decalogue or Ten Commandments was engraven on Adam's heart as a Primitive Perfect Law of Nature Adam being created in God's Image which consisteth in Holinesse and Righteousnesse had the Law written in his Heart the Sum of which is Holinesse and Righteousnesse And Adam being capable of it God entred into a C W with him which contained 1 A peremptory precept Do this 2 A conditional promise If thou Do thou shalt Live 3 A conditional threat If thou Do not thou shalt Die. To keep this C W for Life no man was ever able except 1 Adam who brake it and ruined All mankind and 2 Jesus the Second Adam who by his obedience to it hath recovered all the Elect. But though no man can keep it yet Every unbeleever is under it and to Them it is a ministry of Condemnation †2 Cor. 3.9 ¶ By the way N B. A new State After the Fall there was a New Church State set up Ceremonial Sacrifices for God's service Instituted And man accepted with God upon a New account viz on Christ's account who Substituted himself in mans stead to Die for him by vertue of which Death beleeving man hath Life and Favour with God And that for 2000 years and more from the Fall to the delivery of the Law on Mount Sinai the Substance of their Religion was the Same as after the Publick promulgation of the Law 1 Instances of the use of Ceremonial Sacrifice we have in Abel * Gen. 4.4 Noah †Ch. 8.20 Abram * Ch. 15.9 and Job also †Job 1.5 who was before the Law on Sinai as is easily proved THEN the master of a family was King to rule Prophet to teach Priest to offer sacrifices cut in pieces for the Sins of his family * Gen. 15.10 so Now should masters Rule Teach and offer the Sacrifices of a broken cut Exo. 29.17 contrite Heart in prayer for the Sins of their families †Psal 51.17 2 And the M L of Nature did in part remain in the heart of man after the Fall and God made a Farther manifestation of it to man else the world was in a wofull wild posture for One 2000 years at least A sottish conceit To think the world was without Law till they had it from Sinai is a ridiculous conceit if So for what was the world Drowned and Sodom Burned for where no Law is there is no Transgression †Rom. 4.15 If no Law in the world no Sin in the world but untill the law Sin was in the world * Ch. 5.13 q d untill the law the Law was in the world for Sin is not imputed when there is no Law i e such Acts are not counted Sin if no Law to forbid them I doubt Religious Persons knew the law Then better than they do Now since the promulgation both of Law and Gospel too Second 2 Note The M L given to a people in a C G. The Law delivered on Mount Sinai with an audible voice as a Sermon from God himself was given to a
oblivion They bring their opinions to the Word not to be discovered but covered and maintained and Role them through the Bible to see what Mosse they can gather to cloath them with Scripture with Scripture they will Not compare but run away with a Piece of a Scripture as the Devil did †Ps 91.11 Mat. 4.6 If these persons were Indians they were objects of pity but if they will shut their eyes in a land of light let them go into the land of darknesse as persons to whom is referved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever * Jud. 13. ¶ 4 Because of their Impurity and wickednesse 4 R. This cursed Doctrine of disowning the Law comes from a corrupt Heart and by such it shall be drunk Up and swallowed Down with delight Such are glad of a gospel that gives them liberty from Piety to live in Iniquity They love to hear a smooth Sermon to day to see a Play to morrow to go to a Dancing-school the next day Chrysostom's saying of Dancing though Chrysostome sayes Where dancing is the Devil is And to go Gaudy in their Garments for the sake of a little cursed credit among the carnal and this at Such a time when God is calling so loud for Sackcloth and Ashes And to neglect their childrens Souls when Papists are coming to cut their Throats and send them to Hell to howl there against their Parents for their Lawlesse life To say the law is no rule of life is for the Devil to speak with a Tongue of flesh enough to horrifie a mans heart to hear it Such in effect say Idolatry swearing Sabbath-breaking killing stealing whoring are no sin No wonder if such fall foul and become vessels for the Devil to empty his Excrements into until they are full and flow over A Story too true I knew a person Anno 1666 then a Preacher who in opposition to the use of the law in preaching said I hate the law of God as Poyson after which this preacher turned adulterer even when he had an amiable wife of his own What wonder it may be the man did it to bear his testimony against the law of God which he used to complain of as the cause of the corruptions of his heart God will one day roar like a Lion against these Rebels and rend the caul of their heart †Ho 11.10 Chap. 13.8 when he assaults ehm q d Was I 40 dayes and 40 nights preparing a Law for you to loath slight snuffe at and spit out your venome against Let such expect the Antitype of the 40 dayes deluge for their portion to last as long as everlasting N B They that forsake God's Law forsake God himself Rehoboam forsook the law of the Lord * 2 Chro. 12.1 what then Thus saith the Lord Ye have forsaken Me †Ver. 5. To the same purpose is this saying Ye are gone from mine Ordinances return unto Me * Mal. 3.7 q d In going from mine Ordinances ye are gone from Me. Some wicked men own God in Words and deny him in Works †Tit. 1.16 Antinomians deny God in Words and overpasse the deeds of the wicked * Jer. 5.28 Religion I value it not with the dust of my Shoes which I shake off as a witnesse against them It is worse to make the Law void than to make Heaven and Earth void †Luk. 16.17 and he that had rather overturn heaven and earth than his own rotten opinion I fear will never find a place in Heaven nor on Earth long but in Hell ere long ¶ 5 Because of the Judgments of God which Antinomians are under 5 R. and they are two-fold 1 The judgment of Delusion for their transgression They have chosen their own wayes and their soul delighteth in their abominations I also will choose their Delusions * Isa 66.3 4. They received not the love of of the truth that they might be Saved and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they all might be Damned †2 Thess 2.10 11 12. If once persons are made drunk with the wine of the wrath of God in the cup of an imaginary gospel of liberty then the Law is spewed out and cast behind the back like a mad man Simile who cares not if he straw the street with Pearls 2 The judgment of Prophanation Sometimes God punisheth Sin with Sin i e one sin with another for sin he gives up to sin for the practice and Pleasure of sin God gives up to the Power of sin this is the way to prepare for the greatest plague in Hell Better be under all Job's boils and Pharoh's plagues and all the Tyrants in Turkey An unparallel'd plague than under this judgment of the Powr of sin though it be to the sinner a Pleasure ¶ To these judgments of Delusion and Prophanation is linked the judgment of eternal Destruction Man chooses his abomination God chooses his Delusion and God will choose his Destruction Let no man think to choose his work and his wages his sin and his sorrow if man will choose his Sin God will choose his Sword and sharpen it for the Slaughter to cut in pieces the Sinner * Ezek. 21.10 Fath. It 's a sad case to be in I told Mr A a piece of my mind one day and he was angry and said I had learned by Lesson of my Legal Preachers Min. Angry Silly folly what kind of angry folly is this for a man to shew me a piece of Pitch and be angry because I say it 's Black Legal Preacher They that call a Minister Legal Preacher because he uses the Law lawfully know neither Law nor Gospel and had need begin at great A. If a man be Practical he will seem to be Legal though he be indeed Evangelical Holy E Hunt That holy man at Hitchin E Hunt when I first knew him and observed how much he delighted in Gods law and did in heart and life adhere to holinesse I feared he did rest in his own righteousnesse But when he came to declare his Conversion and his Opinion in point of Justification he made it appear that he trusted in Christ only for That and that he was in Practice an excellent Person The Lord make Me and Mine and You and Yours like him And let Mr A say what he will I say a mans spirit thoughts words works are No more to be approved than they are Legal Legality a glory a mans legality is his glory which is to the Antinomian a Mystery Fath. Mr. A saith he hath fulfilled the law in Christ hath Justification and Sanctification alike in Christ and needs none in himself in heart or life which he saith is to Me a Mystery Min. A mystery of iniquity of which let me make a discovery Righteousnesse for Justification is resident in Christ Righteousnesse for Sanctification is resident in the Christian Mr A saith they are both
a father may be a Motive to duty The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A father comes of the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he willed desired of the fathers affection to his children which doth Naturally descend to them with desire after their welfare If not Thus a man deserves not the Name of a father They who have been instruments to bring children into a State of Condemnation and care not to bring them into a State of Salvation are these Parents shall Paul travail in birth till Christ be formed in Christians * Gal. 4.19 and be so concerned as to wish himself accursed from Christ for his Kindred †Rom. 9.3 shall Ministers do their utmost to Save children shall the Devil do his utmost to Damn them and shall their own father that Begat them and their mother that Bare them carry it as if they care not whether they are brought forth for a Saviour or a Murderer and are these Parents Monstrum Horrendum NB. Neglect of duty to a Child to humour an angry Wife had like to cost Moses his Life for the Lord sought to Kill him * Exo. 4.24 Let carelesse parents have a Care God do not kill them Quite And let Parents hear themselves spoken to in these Texts Keep this man if by any means he be missing then thy Life shall be for his Life †I K. 20.39 If he Die in his iniquity his Blood will I require at thy hand * Ezek. 3.18 They that are under Such words abroad without Shelter and do not hear it Thunder are very Dull of hearing Second The childs tears at it's Birth Coroll 2. Childs Tears may he a Motive for parents to Pity and Duty These tears seem to Presage its Sorrow The poor child seems to cry to see into what a Stormy Sea it is Lanched in danger to be Swallowed up Soul and Body at once Or to see upon what a Shore of trouble it's Landed to wander in a wildernesse of Wo among wild beasts of Prey Yea so Cruel are the Devils Creatures that poor children are in danger of their Death before their Birth Cruel cruelty The cruel Claws of these wild Beasts sometimes tare the Young out of the Womb before they are Born * Am. 1.13 and the Old out of the Tomb after they are Buried †Ch. 2.1 Third Coroll 3. Childs Dead state The dead condemned State children are Born in and are in till Born again It is a Dead Life between the first and second Birth One passing by the house of a Sinful Sluggard said Here lies not lives Such a One. A natural life is a kind of a Lifelesse Worthlesse life The old youngman A strange Epitaph An old man converted a little before his Death would have this Epitaph on his Tomb Here lies a very Old Man of 3 years old Barlaam being asked how old he was said 45. Said the other Thou seemest to be 70. Yea said Barlaam if you reckon ever since I was Born but I do not Count the time I spent in Sin Lay this Dead Life to Heart Suppose you had a child condemned to Die yet so as there remains a possibility to procure a Pardon The execution hour is concealed in the Kings own breast It may be the child hath Ten Dayes to live it may be not Two Hours How would you bestir you in Such Case how restlesse Night and Day till your poor childs Pardon is procured except Jehoram-like you were bereav'd of Bowels †2 Chron. 21.19 and had not the least Pity left in you This is your childrens Case if unconverted As after the Sentence a malefactor is a Dead man so before the Second birth a child is a Dead child i e Sentenced and Condemned to be Hanged and Burned and Racked in Hell And peradventure you are driving on designs to procure Portions and not Pardons OH Miserable man to morrow may be thy Son or thy Daughters Damning day And if Once the secret set time be Out the poor child is Haled away into Endlesse Wo. Fourth Your condemned child Coroll 4. Supposed sad sense is also to be supposed under a Sad Sense of it's condemned condition Suppose you should Act as if as Insensible of it as a parent is of a childs Soul condemned state And at your Return in the evening after all the trifling Turns you take in a day your poor child should Quaere with a Sad Countenance Father where have you Been to day Here and There about This and That OH Father what have you not been with the King to day and do not know but I may be Hanged to morrow And as you sit Idleing Sleeping or Smoking in the house GOOD Lord father will you sit Thus and let me be Hanged What a Cutting consideration is This OH how Common is it for children to be in a Soul-condemned condition and will parents who professe to believe it Pipe and Pot and Prate away their time while their children stand on the brink of Everlasting Burnings will they take their Recreation while their children are under Condemnation near that execution and End to perish for Ever the Plague of Pharoh is upon such parents hearts WHAT Faith have such in Gods word what Life is in their faith the faith of DEVILS exceeds a Dead faith * Jam. 2.19 Fath. It is very Sad to consider a child in such Case Min. Very SAD in so saying you say Nothing It 's most Deplorable and Lamentable enough to make a mercifull man wish his head Waters and his eyes a fountain of Tears to weep Day and Night for children so Dismally miserable †Jer. 9.1 And its matter of mourning to think how Few Tears fall into Gods Bottle upon this account Fift Coroll 5. The inhumanity and cruelty of such carelesse parents Cruelty They are said to be more Savage than Sea-Monsters for even They draw out the breast and give such to their Young * Lam. 4.3 but these Men-Monsters are like the Ostriches in the wildernesse with a 7-fold Similitude 1 The Ostrich is between an unclean hatefull Bird and a Beast hath part of Both Ostrich defined but No part of Man as the Meraid hath A sad Character for a father 2 Faith outwardly with feathers †Job 39.13 So is a foul Pharisaical father 3 She is Proud What time she lifteth up her self on High she Scorneth the Horse and his Rider * Ver. 18. 4 She is Foolish because God hath deprived her of wisdom †Ver. 17. In danger she hides her Head and then thinks No body sees Her because She sees no body Man thinks he is Safe because he sees not God Man Cannot see he Will not see and then sayes God Shall not see * Psal 94.7 5 She is forgetfull of the great concern She leaveth her egges in the earth and forgetteth that the foot may Crush them or that the wild
beast may Break them †Job 39.14 15. 6 She is without natural affection She is hardened against her young ones as though they were not hers * Ver. 16. 7 She is of strange strong Digestion eats Old Iron So such Savage men can Swallow such sayings of God as would Tare the very Heart-strings of a tender Heart in sunder These are 7 Sad Cursed Characters of carelesse parents King Herods cruelty to the children in Bethlehem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the males †Mat. 2.16 Augustus Caesar's saying founded this phrase Better be Herods Swine than his Son for some say his Own was slain in that Storm The cruelty of our Ostrich-like fathers may found this phrase Better be such a mans Swine than his Son who cares no more for this sons Soul than if he was a Swine Crates wish Crates wished himself on the top of the highest Mountain in All the World to cry out against Parents who are carelesse of their childrens Souls The beasts of the field that manifest love to their Young and mourn if they are Lost may rise up in judgment and Condemn these men Sixt. Coroll 6. Prodigious effect of neglect The monstrous prodigious fruit and effect of Parental neglect and Omission of Education viz The universal vanity of Youth and base brutishnesse of Boys Their epidemical disobedience to GOD by Cursing Swearing Lying Stealing prophaning the Sabbath the Day designed by them for Satans Service Their disrespect to Superiours Their disobedience to Parents And to Mr Mrs and Dame of which there is such an universal Out-cry in the Kingdom as of some pestilent Plague and Judgment ALL layes Principally at Parents doors For if they would exercise that Authority over them which God hath Given them and perform their Part according to Gods Precept it would work a great Cure among the contagious Scabs Wounds Bruises Sores which have over spread the Body of Great Britain from the Sole of the Foot to the Head * Isa 1.6 But this neglect of parental duty is like the Setting open of Sluces and Flood-gates to overflow the Land with a flood of Filthinesse and Prophanenesse And to make children Famous for nothing but Wickednesse To be children of Belial †1 Kin. 21.13 Cursed children * 2 Pet. 2.14 children of Perdition †Joh. 17.12 children of the DEVIL * Act. 13.10 and children of Hell as the Scripture calls them †Mat. 23.15 And parents do not only Lay the reins in their necks to let them run Headlong to Hell but also do Lead them on to that Lake by learning them to Sin by their example viz To Swear Lie Curse Scoffe at the godly It 's probable the parents taught the children to Mock which Bares tare for mocking as an Embleme of the Torment of Hell for mockers N B. Wicked parents will teach their children to do good men Hurt rather than to do themselves Good Herodias would teach her Dancing-daughter to ask Herod for John Baptists Head rather than for Half the Kingdom * Mar. 6.23 24. N B. For parents to bring Forth in sin and to bring Up in sin is a Sure way to bring Down into sorrow both themselves and their children together for Ever and Ever Seventh Coroll 7. Deaths small distance Consider what a Small distance Death may be from or how near to your childrens Heart or your Own By reason of the uncertainty and shortnesse of Life and certainty and sometime suddennesse of Death a Man or Child may be within a Step of death and not have a Thought of death Or else think it as far Off as the East is from the West 1 God may smite with a Secret Sudden Stroke 2 One may die a Natural and Sudden death of which no Reason can be Rendered 3 One may die Casually and Suddenly in Any place in the land of the Living e g. If one be at Sea or on the Thames in a Boat there is but a Board between him and Death Life within and Death without and but a Thin Board between If at Land but a Shoe-Sole between the Bottom of the Foot and the Top of the Grave If in any Street or Lane in London a Tile or Brick may Fall and Kill If in the Field or Countrey in a journey a Thief may murder If in a Wood the same Death or a wild Beast may Devour That which hath Life may take away Life That which is Dead may be a mans Death The fall of Earth or Stone or Timber or a mans fall into Water or off his Horse or House a Hundred ways to fall Out of the world What is your Life it is even a Vapour that appeareth for a Little time and then vanisheth away †Jam. 4.14 What is Man * Psal 8.4 q d A little bit of breathing Clay a little bit of creeping Clay a little bit of living Clay a little bit of dying Clay And yet what a Do will a Proud Painting Jezebel make with a bit of Dirt which the Dogs are about to eat up for an Excrement †2 Kin. 9.30 36. O Earth earth earth hear the word of the Lord * Jer. 22.29 What is that DVST thou art and unto Dust shalt thou return †Gen. 3.19 Brave Madam Silk-worm O thou Clod of clay Mayest be to Morrow for the Worms a Prey Eight Coroll 8. Dolorous Death Your childs condemned State spoken of in the third Corollary peradventure is by this time forgot Suppose by your neglect your child Dies in this condemned condition And in Dying to sting your Conscience hath its eyes Opened to see the mouth of the bottomlesse pit stand Open to swallow it Down into the Dungeon of Hell At which sight it Shrikes out O Father Mother did you Know me to be in this condition and not Tell me of it and labour to get me Out of it did you Know me to be born in Sin to live Cursed unconverted and Condemned and not Acquaint me with it did you professe to beleeve the Necessity of a new Birth a new Heart a new Life and let me Live and Die without it was you Willing I should go to Hell that you would not Tell me of it except in such a Sleighty way as begot disbeliefe of the Truth of it and of the Verity of my misery Cursed be the Day that Ever such a father Begat me and that Ever such a mother Bare me And then dies Roaring as if already in Hell Can you give no guesse at This what This will be to you when it 's your Case none need to Tell you what it is Then you may weep with Rachel who refused to be comforted for her children because they Were not * Jer. 31.15 And with Isaiah who said Look away from me I will weep Bitterly labour Not to comfort me †Isa 22.4 Solon's Sorrow And with Solon to whom said one Why do you weep it will