what ha â—e I more When all the other contentments a man hath yea all the Promises and God himself also proveth but of little value to him in respect of some particular he is deprived of by some cross Dispensation it is a token it had too much of his heart Try this by two things 1. When any beloved thing is threatned to be removed it then appeareth how it is affected and stuck unto 2. What is made use of to make up that see a notable difference betwixt David and his men or most of them 1 Sam. 30.6 when he wanted as much as they they know no way to make it up therefore they think of stoning him but he incourageth himself in the Lord â—is God they had no more left at all it ' like he hath his God abiding in whom he may yet be comforted The second way whereby men commit Idolatry with Cr â—atures is in their love which is due to God with all the heart but men ordinarily give away their hearts to Cr â—atures in b â—ing addicted to them in their desires seeking exc â—ssively after them in their d â—ating on them or sorrowing immoderately for want of them Hence the covetous man who loveth the world â— John 2.15 is called an Idolater Col. 3. â— Ephes. 5.5 Thus it discovered it self in Achab who so loved N â—both's Vineyard that he could not rest without it So Demas idolized the world when for love of it he forsook his service with the Apostle though it had been but for a time 2 Tim. 4.10 Mens love to Creatures is excessive 1. When their contentment so dependeth upon them as they fret when they cannot come at the enjoyment of them as we may see in Achab when he cannot g â—t Naboth's Vineyard and in Rachel for want of Children 2. When it stands in competition with God and duty to him is shufled out from respect and love to the world or any thing in it as we see in Demas 2 Tim. 4.10 3. Though duty be not altogether thrust out yet when love to these things marr â—th u â— in that zealous way of performing duty to God as it did in Eli 1 Sam. 2.2 â— who is said to honour and love his Children above God v. 29. not that he forbore them altogether but because his sharpness was not such as it should have been and as it is like it would have been had not they been his own Sons whom he too much loved whereas to the contrary it is spoken to Abraham's commendation that he loved God because he withheld not his only Son when God called for him 3 The third is wh â—n confidence and trust is placed in any thing beside God to wit excessively as before we said of love Thus when a mans protection is placed in men though Princes Ps â—l â—46 3 or in Multitudes or in Horses and Armies it is idolizing â—f them Thus rich men may make as it is Job 31.24 gold their confidence and fine gold their h â—pe that is when men account themselves secure not because God hath a Providence but because they have such means as Asa trusted to the Physitians and not to God namely in that particular the cure of his disease or as the rich man Luke 12.19 who founded his taking rest to his Soul on his full Barns and so some trust their standing to such a Great Man who is their Friend And this is known 1. By the means to which men betake them in a strait as when they stand not to make use of sinful means 2. By what noise they make when they are disappointed 3. It is known by this when their leaning on such a Creature marreth their resting on God and on his Providence Hence it is hard for men to be rich and not to place their confidence in riches and so Christ speaketh of the difficulty of rich mens being saved 4. Then men trust in their riches when the having of them maketh them to think themselves the more secure and maketh them proud and jolly as if they added some worth to those who profess them which could not be if they were not something too much thought of 4 The fourth way how Creatures are idolized by men is in their fear when men or events are feared more than God and fear maketh men sin or at least keepst them back from duty in less or more like those Professors who for fear of the Jews John 12.42 did not confess Christ. Thus men may idolize their very Enemie â— whom they hate when they fear more him that can kill the body than him that can destroy both soul and body Thus great men and powerful in the world are often idolized and good and well-qualified men may be made Idols also when men become so addicted and d â—voted to them as to call them Rabbi and to be as it were sworn to their words and Opinions as the â—â—ct â—ries in Corinth were and such at all times for the most part are to their L â—aders when it is not the matter or reason that swayeth but the person that teacheth such Doctrine or holdeth such an Opinion 5 The fifth way of committing this Idolatry is by service when a man is brought under the power of any thing so whatever a man s â—rveth this way is an Idol every predominant every person or humour that a man setteth himself thus to please is an â—dol in this respect it is said men cannot serve two Masters God and Mammon and if we yet serve men we are not the servants of Christ Gal. 1.10 This may be known 1. By what men are most excessively taken up with and most careful to fulfil and accomplish 2. By looking to what it is for which they will take most pains that they may attain it 3. By what getteth most of their time and labour 4. By what overswayeth and overcometh or overaweth them most so that they cannot resist it though it thrust by duties to God and when they are never so taken up with Gods service but it indisposeth them when ever they come to immediate worship it is an evident token that such a thing is the mans Idol These be the most ordinary ways how men fall in this sin of Idolatry it were hard to speak of all the several Idols which may be loved feared rested on too much and so put in God's room I shall instance in a few The first is the World this is the great Clay-Idol that both covetous and voluptuous men hunt after crying Who will sh â—w us any good Psal. 4.6 By this thousands are kept in bondage and turned head-long An ex â—â—ssive desire to have the World's Goods and to have by these a name in the Earth is many a mans Idol A second is the Belly Philip. 3.19 a shameful God yet worshipped by the most part of men who travel for no more but for a portion in this life to fill the Belly Psal. 17.14 to win their
are exceed â—ng large tvvo things by it are especially called for 1. Love 2. Honour and vvhatever is opposite to and inconsistent vvith these i â— a breach of this Command vvherein vve are to observe 1. The object of our love and respect it is all men 1 Pet. 2.17 Honour all men love the Brotherhood our Neighbour here in the largest sense comprehending all men 2. Consider that the act of love and honour that is required is most intense vve must love our Neighbour as our self and this reacheth f â—r 3. Consider that it taketh in all that is our Neighbours his name fame credit and estate c. but especially love to his salvation because in this mostly doth his concernment lye 4. It taketh in all midses or means that are for his true honouring or the vindicating of his name vvhen he is defamed hence Psalm 15. it is the property of an accurate vvalker not to take up an evil report against his Neighbour even vvhen it i â— brought to him and laid before him 5. Yet there is a difference to be observed in the putting forth of our love and test â—fying of our respect for vve should love him as our selves but in giving respect and honour vve are to prefer others to our selves to love our Neighbours as our selves importeth the kind and reality of our love we are to love him no less truly then our selves for we also come in here as the objects of our own love but we are some way to honour him beyond our selves If it be asked How can that be 1. That one should love all men Should we love them all alike and equally And 2. ought we to prefer every man to our selves To the former we say 1. This Command requireth as to the object that we love all men excluding none from our love good or bad while they are within the roll of men capable to be prayed for friend or enemy for we should love them that hate us and bless them that curse us 2. As to the main things desired or the subject matter of our wishes for them our love should be alike toward all our love being a willing of good to others we should desire the greatest good to all men that is peace with God Christ Heaven Sanctification Repentance c. that lead to it there is here no inequality nor two Heavens a gre â—ter and a lesser to be the subject matter of our wishes and desires 3. If we consider our love as to the act of loving in the kind of it it is equal we being called to love sincerely cordially and with the whole heart perfectly every man If ye ask then Wherein is there any difference allowed Answ. If we consider 1. The effects of this Love they may and ought to be more manifested towards one then another we are to pray more for one then another to communicate and to distribute more to one then to another according to the opportunities we have and according to the particular relations and callings that God putteth us in for beside our general relation to all men we have particular relations to some beyond others hence may a man do more for his Children and these of his own house then for others so may we pray for some men more and oftner as their necessity is concerned and as they may be more useful 2. In respect of frequencie our Love may and ought to vent it self more frequently towards some then others and so it differeth from that general Love we owe to all 3. In respect of sympathy we are to be more touched with the hurt and hazard of some and more sensibly desirous of their good then of that of others and so our love ought to affect us more and stir more sensibly in reference to some then others as in the case of a woman toward her Child and of one dear friend to another such was the sympathy between Jonathan and David who though they loved many others yet was there a more peculiar sympathy betwixt themselves as to all things that concerned them good and evil this may arise from natural relations particular obligations mutual familiarity and other special grounds 4. According to the diversity of concurrent circumstances we may sometimes wi â—â— temporal good to one and sometimes temporal rods to another providing alwayes it be out of a true desire of and respect to their spiritual good 5. In respect of compla â—encie and delight accompanying the act of loving there may be a difference for there may be much more delight and satisfaction in loving one then another as there appeareth more of holiness in one then another so godly men love even natural men if of good parts civil and friendly more then others that a â—e destitute of such qualifications but if men be also gracious they not only love them the more but also acquiesce the more and have the greater complacencie in them on that account If it be asked from whence these differences as to the effects of our love do slow Answ. They may arise 1. From natural relations 2. From the d â—fference that is among men in their carri â—ges humours and such like as they are less or more ingaging 3 From ex â—ernal circumstances of acquaintance familiarity or particular ingagements 4. From favours so men may love their benefactors more in the forementioned sense then others 5. From civil relations and interests 6. They may arise from a religious and christian interest and relation so we are to love the godly not only more then other men in the world but also we are to love them 1. on another account than we love others to wit because they are such because they are true members of the same body are loved of God and have his image shining in them 2. With more delight and acquis â—ing complacencie as David doth Psal. 16.3 3 There should be another way of venting our love to them then to others both in spiritual and temporal things thus loving the Brotherhood is distinguished 1 Pet. 2.17 from loving or honouring all men so also the houshold of faith Gal. 6.10 is especially to be consid â—red in our love If it be asked then How differeth love to the godly from common love Answ. That there is a difference is clear from the forec â—ted Scriptures Psal. 16.3 1 Pet. 2.17 and from 2 Pet. 1.7 where brotherly kindness is distinguished from charity In a word then it differeth 1. In it's acquiescing complacencie though there may be some sort of complacencie comparatively in others yet simply and properly it is to be exercised toward the godly 2. It is on another account as is said to wit as they are loved of God love to them runneth in another channel and hath another spring and rise Matth. 10. ult 3. It should be in a more high and intense degree as to its exercise because God is more concerned in them and though good should
proved Sinful and against the 10 Command 454 The sin of these first motions held out in many particulars 456 457 How the inordinacy of these motions discovers it self 459 How the sin of these is not sufficiently noticed 460 That men in the state of nature cannot take up the sin of these 462 How Concupiscence in a believer differs from what it is in other men 463 Confidence it in what sense it may be put in the creatur â— without sin 40 Covetousness what it is 412 How a man may endeavour to increase his estate without the guilt of it 413 Some discoveries of Covetousness 425 That in the Apostles times it brought men under Church-censure 426 What coveting is forbidden in the 10 Command 448 The prohibition of covetousness unreasonably divided by Papists into two Commands 449 Covenant every sin against God as our God in Covenant is against the 1 Command as well as sin against God as God 48 49 D DAncing the sin of it 31 375 Dayes None can institute ordinary or fixed dayes for worship throughout the whole beside the Sabbath 297 Giving or receiving gifts on New-years day a sinfull superstitious custome 73 Despair how a breach of the first Commandment 47 48 Devill his injections when our sin when not 451 Dreams see Sleep Drunkeness the sin of it Shewed in divers respects 377 Rules for preventing in sobriety in drinking whereby one may also know when in any measure guilty 382 383 How unbecoming all and whom more especially 385 Whether on may drink excessively to provoke vomiting for health sake 386 Whether drunkeness lessen the guilt of sinnes committed in the time of it 387 Of Tipling and four-hour-singing 388 Of drinking at making of Bargaines 389 Of drinking healths 390 Of drinking at the birth of Children and when visiting women in Child â—bed 392 Of drinking at Light-wakes or dergies 393 Of the multitude of Taverns and Ale houses 194 Duells the unlawfulness of them 343 344 Duties we owe to God by the first Command summed up 28 29 These required in the 2 Command summed up 69 These required in the 3 Command summed 12 â— A summary of the Sabath duties 289 290 Why our duty to Man is as particularly required in the d â—â—alogue as our duty to God 309 F FAmily-worship wherein it consists 208 That the Scripture holds this forth is prov'd at length â—09 â—14 215 216 c. Sev â—â— r â—â—sons proving the necessity of it â—90 2 â—1 That this is required in the 4 Commandment proved various wayes 210 211 212 213 That this duty is four wayes described in Scripture 232 233 The right use and also the abuse of keeping Chaplaines 234 The great advantages of consientious going about family-duties 235 236 Fasting in what sense a part of Gods worship 108 Severall grounds of fasting 109 Twelve ordinary sinnes that goes before fasting 110 Twenty ordinary Sinnes in fasting enumerated 110 111 Thirteen Instances of ordinary failings after fasting 112 Father how to be understood in the first command 313 What Love the Father owes to the Son and what the Son to the Father 333 Whether the Father or the Magistrate should be obeyed when commanding Contrary things ibid. For â—ication the severall sorts of it with its aggravations 356 Frugality what it is Eight Characters of it 424 G GAin when lawful and honest 417 Severall wayes of dishonest gain ennumerated 402 Gods Who make unto themselves other Gods beside the Bond 41 Gluttony how against the 7 command 337 Divers considerations tending to discover when we sin in eating 338 to 382 Divers necessary Rules for regulating our eating and drinking 382 H HAtred of God how a breach of the first command 48 How every sin is interpreted hatred and every sinner a hater of God 118 How corrupting of Gods worship is reckoned hatred of God in a special manner 119 Hair how sinfully abused 364 Honour what mentioned in the 5 Command imports 315 Why Honouring our neighbour is commanded before other duties of the second table 321 Wherein honouring our neighbour consists and what it imports 322 How honour differeth from love ibid. Whether outward expressions of honour be alwayes necessary ibid. What is contrary to this honour we owe to our neighbour 324 325 Whether wicked men may be honoured 326 Whether rich men should be honoured ibid. The place Jam. 2.1 2 explained 327 How the honour we ow to a good man differs from that we ow to others alike in outward respects ibid. Whether we may seek our own honour and how 328 How we should prefer another to our selves 329 Humility required by the 5 Command a threefold Consideration of it How the Pagan moralists were strangers to it The advantages of it In what things its most necessary The opposites of it 334 to 340 I IDleness the sinfulness of it 295 297 Idolatry 7 distinctions of it â—31 Five wayes of more subtil hear â—-idolatry 32 How to discover each of these 33 The ordinary objects of this great idolatry Instanced in 11 particulars 35 36 What be the most subtile Idolls shewed in six particulars 37 A Twofold Idolatry especially forbidden to the Isralites and condemned in them 53 The Idolatry forbidden in the 2 command in six particulars 67 68 Jealousie what it importeth and how attributed to God 113 114 Ignorance of the Law The sad effects of it 2 How a breach of the first Command 43 Several distinctions of it explained 44 45 How it excuseth and how not 45 46 Images of any of the â— Persons in the blessed Trinity proved to be unlawfull 55 Objections answered 56 The Command forbiding Images proved to be distinct from the first 54 What Images may be lawfully made ibid When are Images of creatures abused 57 Images of Heathen Gods as Mars Cupid c. prohibited 58 Impatience how it appears how a breach of the first Command 49 Imprecations whether lawful or not 130 Incest when committed where-in the unnaturalness of it stands 356 K KNowledge of God required in the first Command 28 See ignorance L LAw the excellency and usefulness of it 1 2 How the moral Law obligeth us now 3 4 The distinction of the decalogue as a Law and as a Covenant cleared 6 How the Law was given to Adam in Innocency how to Israel and how to Believers now 15 The extent of the Law shewed in seven respects 14 15 Several wayes of abusing the Law 17 Some directions for right using of it 18 Light-wakes and deriges the sinfulness of them 73 Lots or Lotting defined 147 How the use of them concerns the 3 Command ibid. Several divisions of Lots and which of them are lawful which not 168 169 What is necessary to lawful Lotting 169 170 Cautions for preventing abuse of them ibid. Luxory lots proved unlawful 171 172 173 Some objections answered ibid. Love to God why called the first and great commandment 309 What love may be allowed to the Creature without breach of the 1 Command 40
Whether we ought to Love all men alike 317 In what respects may we make a difference ibid. What are the grounds of a lawfull difference in our Love 318 How love to the Godly differeth from common love to others 319 How we may love wicked men ibid. What self-Love is lawful what not 320 â—ust how early it entred into the world 350 Several degrees of unnatural Lusts 353 See Concupiscence Lye what it is and when is one guilty of it 437 Four sorts of Lyes 438 How many wayes we wrong our neighbour by Lying 439 440 441 Of Lying in Court of Justice how the Judge how the Advocate may be guilty as well as a false witness 444 445 Life the taking away of our own cleared to be forbidden in the 6 Command 342 How many ways one may be guilty of this ibid. How we may sin against the bodily Life of others 343 How against the Life of their souls 344 345 How against their Life of contentment 346 M MArriage how many wayes men sin in Contracting of it 356 How one may sinne against the 7 command even in a Married state 356 357 How on may sin in dissolving of Marriage 358 Mother why mentioned in the first Command 313 Moral all the precepts in the decalogue not moral in the same sense 7 See Sabbath Murther several distinctions of it 347 How its committed in the heart how in words gestures deeds 348 349 How Magistrates may be guilty of it 349 Self-Murder how forbidden 342 See Life N NAme what is meant by the Name of God 121 What it is to take this Name in vain 122 What is necessary to the reverent mentioning of the Name of God 123 Why the taking of this Name in vain is so peremptorily prohibited 124 Eight ordinary wayes of taking the Lords Name in vain 161 How the Name of God is taken in vain in ordinances and duties 162 How to prevent this sin in duties 163 164 How we know when guilty of it 165 166 Why the taking of Gods Name in vaine is so threatened and punished even beyond other sinnes 180 181 How it comes that this sin is so ordinary 182 183 Directions for the prevention of it 184 Neighbour to be honoured and loved 313 How we should love and honour our neighbour 316 See honour and love O OAth five things to be considered in it 126 How one Oath differs from an asseveration 127 That its unlawfull to swear by Angels Saints or other Creatures proved ibid. The difference between promissory and asse â—tory Oaths and between promissory Oaths and Vows shewed 131 A threefold matter of an Oath and a threefold occasion of Swearing 131 132 Of expresse or tacite conditions in all promissory Oaths 133 Whether indefinite Oaths such as these imposed in Colledges in Corporations or such as Souldiers take to their officers be Lawfull ibid. What does not lose the Obligation of promissory Oaths thirteen particulars instanced 136 137 What Oaths are null and of no force 138 Four cases wherein the obligation of a lawfull Oath ceaseth 139 Why wicked men keep their sinful Oaths much more strictly then they doe lawful oaths 140 What an Oath super addeth to a promise ibid. Obedience The difference between obedience to the morall law as it respects the Covenant of grace and as it respects the covenant of works 4 5 See Duties Command Law Omens and observations when sinfull and superstitious 175 176 How superstitious Observations may be made of a Word of Scripture 177 Oppression shewed to be a sort of rapine and against the 8 command 400 Obtestations when lawfull and binding and how we may also sin in them 141 142 P PErjury several sorts of it and several wayes how one may become prejured 134 Whether one that necessitates another to swear when he has a suspicion that that other will for swear himself become Acessory to his perjury 135 See Oath Poligamy how a breach of the seventh Command 255 Poverty how men sinfully bring it upon themselves and so violate the 8 Command 411 Punishment of the iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children threatned in the 2 Command proved to mean spiritual and eternal punishment especially 114 115 Three considerations for clearing how the Lord does thus punish Children for the Parents sin 117 Five ends for which the Lord threatness the Posterity of wickked men 117 118 How children become guilty of the Parents sin and what special need some have to repent of the sins of their ancestors 120 Praising of God required in the â— Command 82 Our ordinary failings before the going about this duty ibid. Many failings in the performances of this duty enumerated 82 83 Our failings after praising 84 Prayer required by the 2 Commandment 79 Many sins before Prayer instanced ibid. Many ordinary sins in Prayer 79 80 Many sins while joyning with others in Prayer enumerated 81 Many ordinary sins after Prayer instanced in 81 82 Preface I am the Lord thy God a preface to all the Commandments but more especially to the first command 25 Pride in what things it appear 339 See Humility Promises why annexed to some Commandments rather then to others 27 Why the first Command is called the first Command with Promise 312 What Comfort the Promise made in the 2 Command to the thousand generations c. affords to believing Parents and their children 119 What is the meaning of the Promise annexed to the 5 Commandment and how to be understood 330 What Advantage a Believer under the New Testament has by such temporal Promises 331 See Vowes R RApine what it is 397 Religion how concerned in the duties we ow to others 310 Riches ten prejudices that come by them 416 Right whether a wicked men has it to any thing here 330 S SAbbath the observation of it a moral duty 188 Three considerations for clearing the morality of it 189 The morality of it proved from the Scriptures way of speaking of it in general 190 The Prophesies Ezekiel 43 44 45 46 ch Considered 192 194 Math 24 20 considered 194 2 Proved that all the 10 Commandments are moral and consequently this 195 This cleared from Mat. 5.19 Jam. 2 10. 796 3 Several peculiar remarks upon the 4 Command confirming the morality of it 119 120 4 Four Arguments drawn from Scripture to prove this 201 202 203 Four Nota â—â—e Witnesses to this truth 203 204 Objections answered 205 206 207 Remembring of the Sabbath imports four things 237 238 How to reckon when the Sabbath begins and ends 239 What proportion of it should be bestowed on spiritual duties 239 240 Severall Considerations tending to clear that the 4 command intended not the Seventh but a Seventh day primarily 241 242 Six Arguments for Evincing this 243 to 248 Some objections answered 249 Several Considerations for clearing when the Sabbath begins 249 250 Divers arguments to prove that the Sabbath begins in the morning and continues till next morning 251 to 255 1 That the Sabbath may be
Covenant of Works t â— them and therefore it is that the Lord rejects as we may see Isaiah 1.13 66. 2. 3. Jer. 7.22 their Sacrifices and Services as not commanded b â—cause rested on by them to the â—r â—judice of Grace and contrary to the strain and scope of this Law complexly considered 4 Distinguish betwixt the Moral and Ceremonial and Judicial Law the first concerns manners and the right ordering of a Godly Conversation and because these things are of perpetual equity and r â—ctitude the obligation of this Law as to that is perpetual and therefore in the expounding of it these two terms Moral and of Perpetual Auth â—rity are all one and to be taken so 2. The Judicial Law is for r â—gulating outward Society and for Government and doth generally excepting what was peculiar to the people of Israel agree with the Moral Law this as given to them is not perpetual their policy being at an end 3. The Ceremonial Law is in Ceremonies Types and Shadows pointing at a Saviour to come this is also abrogate the substance being come but there is this difference that the Judicial Law is but M â—rt â—a dead and may where 't is thought fit with the foregoing caution be used under the New Testament but the Ceremonial Law is Mortifera deadly and cannot without falling from grace Gal. 5.2 4. be revived 5 When we speak of things Moral we are to distinguish between things Naturally Moral that is such as love to God and our Neighbour and such like which have an innate rectitude and holiness in them which cannot be separate from them and things positively Moral that have their obligation by a special positive superadded Sanction so that their rectitude flows not from the nature of the things themselves as in the former As for instance in the fourth Commandment it is naturally Moral that God should be worshipped Nature teacheth it but that he is to be worshipped on such a day particularly that comes to pass by vertue of his positive Command the first cannot be altered the second by the Lord may but till he alter it the Authority lies still on all and it is equally sin to sin against any of them though without the positive Sanction there is no obligation naturally requiring obedience in some of them 6 The sixth distinction is of the Moral Law in two Tables first and second the first contains ou â— immediate worship service and obedience to God himself and is comprehended in the first four Commandments th â— s â—cond contains our mediate obedience to God in all the duties we owe to other â— in the last six they were at first so divided by the Lord hims â—lf for there are Ten in all Deut. 4.13 From this distinction take notice 1. That all the Commandm â—nts of the second Table are of like Authority with the first God sp â—ke all these words yea as it appears from Act. 7.28 it was our Lord Jesus 2. The sins immediat â—ly aga â—nst the first Table are gre â—ter th â—n those against the second for this cause Matth. 22.38 the first is called the First and Great Commandment Ther â—fore 3. In Morals if th â—y be things of the same nature the duti â—s of the second Table cede and give place to the duties of the first Table when th â—y cannot stand together as in the case of love to God and the exercise of love to our Father and Neighbour Luke 14.26 Matth. 10.37 wh â—n obedience to God and obedience to our Superiours cannot consis â— we are to obey God rather than man Act 4.19 and we are to love the Lord and hate Father and Moth â—r Luke 14. â—6 4. Y â—t take notice that Ceremonials or positives of the first Table for a time cede and give place to Morals in the second as fo â—â—elieving or pr â—s â—rving our Neighbours life in hazard we may trav â—l on the Sabbath day according to that Scriptur â— I will h â—ve M â—rcy and not Sacrifice â— and the Sabbath was made fo â— man and not man for the Sabbath c. 7 The seventh distinction which is ordinary is of the Commandments into affirmative and negative as ye see all the Commandments in the first T â—ble are negatively set down â—orbidding sin directly Th â—â— shalt not have an other gods c only the fourth is both negative and â—ffirmative â—orbidding sin and commanding duty directly as also the fi â—th only which is the first of the s â—cond T â—ble is affi â—mative all the r â—st are negative This disti â—ction is not so to be understood as if nothing were commanded or injoyned in negative Pr â—c â—pts or as i â— nothing were fo â—bidden in affirmative Pr â—c â—pts â—or whatever be expr â—ss â—d as forbidden the co â—â—â—ary is always in ply â—d as command â—d and whatsoever is expr â—sly commanded the contr â—ry is always imp â—yed as forbidden b â—t the disti â—ction is taken from the manner of setting them down conc â—rning which take th â—s â— Rules or G â—neral Obs â—rvations for your better understanding many wher â—o â— are in the larger Cat â—chisme 1 Howev â—r the Commandments be expressed affirmatively or negatively every one of them hath two parts one affirmative implyed in negative Precepts requiring the duties that are contr â—ry to the si â—s forbidden another negative implyed in the affirmative Precepts forbidding the sins that are contrary to the duties commanded as for example the third Comm â—ndme â—t Thou shalt n â—t take the Name of the Lord thy God in v â—in it implies a Command reverently to use his Name So to remember to keep Holy the Sabbath d â—y implies a Prohibition of prophaning it in which sense all the Commandments may in some respect be called negative and so a part of the fourth Commandment is neg â—tively expressed Th â—u shalt do no work or affirmative in which respect Christ c â—mprehendeth all the neg â—tiv â—s under these two great affirmative Commandments of love to God and our Neighbour for every Commandment doth both â—njoyn and forbid the like may be said of promises and threatnings there b â—ing in every promise a threatning and in ev â—ry threatning a promise conditionally implyed And this may be a reason why some Commandments are negatively expressed some positively to shew us that both are comprehended 2 Though the positive Commandmen â— or the positive p â—rt of the Commandment be of alike force and Authority with the negative as to the obligation it layeth on us to duty yet it doth not tye us to all occasions and times as negatives do Hence is that common Maxim that affirmative Commands tye and oblige semper ever that is they never want their Authority and we are never absolved from their obedience but they do not oblige and tye ad semper that is in all differences of time we are not tyed to
the exercise of the duties enjoyned negatives again oblige both semper ad semper th â—t is always and in all differences of time For instance in the third Commandment the affirmative part is to use the Lords Name and Ordinances holily and reverently in prayer r â—ading and hearing c. So in the fourth Commandment we are r â—quired to sanctifie the Sabbath by waiting on Ordinances c. This makes these still duties so as to pray hear c. are still d â—ties but we are not to be and should not be always exercised in these duties for we must abound in other duti â—s also of necessity and mercy we must eat and sleep c. and when we sleep we can neither act love nor fear Again the negative part is not to prophane the Lords Name in his Ordinances this may not be done at any time The reason of th â— difference is this bec â—use in affi â—mative â— we are not always tyed to the a â—â—s of Duties and Graces but to the Disposition and H â—bit Habits are a Spiritual Quality a Vis or Pow â—r fitting and enabling for bringing forth these acts and for the bringing them forth in the due time and season when they shall be called for but in sinful things we are prohibited not only the habits but the acts also the one is always and ever a sin but the other is not always called for as duty If any desire Rules to know when a duty is called for as for instance when we are to pray hear c. it is hardly possible to be particular in this yet we may try it by these Generals 1 Any affirmative Precept binds to present practice when the duty r â—quired tends to God â— glory unto which every thing should be done as 1 Cor. â—0 31 and when the omission of the duty may disho â—our hir â— 2 When it tends to others edification and omitting will some way stumbl â— and offend 3 When some speci â—l Providences meet and concur to give opportunity for such a duty as for instance the giving of Alms when we h â—ve it and some indigent person offers whose necessity calls for it Gal. â— 10 So when secrecy for prayer is offered and no other more â—ecessary duty at that time is called for which we are to watch unto C â—l â— 2 or when we meet with some special occasion or Dispensation pointing out to us this or that as a duty called for such a Providence invites us to the practice of that duty for though Providences will not make these things to become duties which are not duties yet they will serve to time and circumstantiate duties that lye on us by vertue of affirmative Prec â—pts 4 Some special occasions and times are set down in the Word as for praying Morning and Evening for hearing the Word on Sabbath days and in these and other the like duties the examples of the Saints so recorded for imitation in Scripture would be obs â—rved as a Copy and Patern 5 When they have not such inconveniences with them as cross â—nd hinder other Moral duties of Edification love c. for if th â—y do that they must yield and give place to these but if no other duty be called for then they ought to be done for we should be in some duty And though such duties be in themselves Moral suppose praying hearing and such others which might be instanced yet the timing of them or going about them at such a time and in such a manner is not Moral simply but as these are by circumstances called for 6 When without sin such a duty cannot be omitted and although there be not â—â—y inward exercise of mind or frame of spirit suitable thereto yet the Conscience calls for it or there is some one special occasion or other that puts us to it 3 Observe that this Rule o â— Negatives tying ad s â—mper or obliging in all circumstances of time is not to be understood but where the matter is Moral therefore we would distinguish again betwixt negative Morals and negative Positives for Positives whether negative or affirmative give still place to Morals As for instance that part of the fourth Commandment is negative In it that is on the seventh day thou shalt do no manner of work yet sometimes when necessity calls for it some manner of works is lawful on that day because it is only a negative Positive and not a negative Moral And so David's eating of Shew-bread was against a negative Command though not against a negative Moral but a negative Positive 4 Take this Rule that in all Commands joyntly and severally we would have special respect unto the scope God aims at by them all in general or by such a Command in particular now the general scope is 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Pet. 1.15 â—6 perfect and absolute holiness even as he is holy and therefore whatever he requires he requires that it be absolutely perfect in its kind as that our love to him be with the whole heart c. and so our love to others be as to our selves our Chastity and Purity all must be absolute see 1 Tim. 1.5 This Rule will teach us what we are to aim and level at And whatever Exposition of the Commandments comes not up to this scope is no doubt defective and by this Rule only can we be helped to the right meaning of every Commandment for each of them his its peculiar scope both as to the duties it requires and sins it condemns And by this Rule it is that our Lord Christ whose Exposition with that of the Prophets is best draws in the least and smallest branches of â—lthiness to the seventh Commandment which dischargeth all things contrary to perfect and compleat Purity 5 The fifth Rule is that the Law is spiritual Rom. 7.14 and that not only outward obedience to such duties or outward abstinence from such sinful acts is called for but the Law having a spiritual meaning calls for spiritual service and that in these three 1. As it requires spiritual duties such as Faith Fear Love to God and to others right habits as well as right affections and outward actions and therefore Paul to prove the spirituality of the Law instanceth in the habit of Lust Rom 7. as a thing thereby discharged 2. The Law is spiritual in that the obligation thereof reaches to the Spirit and very inwards of the Heart affections and thoughts as well as to the outward man the love it requires is love with all the Soul Heart and Mind Hence there is Heart-Idolatry Murder and Adultery as well as outward therein condemned 3. It is spiritual in respect of the manner it requires as to all outward duties that they be done to a spiritual end from a spiritual principle and in a spiritual way opposite to the carnal way to which the unrenewed heart of man is inclined in which sense we are commanded to walk in the
these Rules â— we would be found defective and faulty and what matter of humiliation and repentance we may have for what is past and what challenges we may have hereafter from this Law with what need of continual applications to the Blood of Sprinkling and of Washings in that open Fountain to the House of David and Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness and what need of endeavours to have our steps ordered more exactly according to it Before we close the Preface I shall first add two distinctions more then two more Rules 3. Give you some Scriptures for your memories cause 4. Give some directions or helps to those who make conscience to study this Law 5. Answer and clear a special case 1 Then ye would distinguish betwixt this Law as given to Adam and as given to Israel for as given to him it was a Covenant of Works but as given to them it 's a Covenant of Grace and so from us now it calls for Gospel-duties as Faith in Christ 1 Tim. 1.5 Repentance Hope in God c. and although it call for legal duties yet in a Gospel-manner therefore we are in the first Commandment commanded to have God for our God which cannot be by sinners obeyed but in Christ Jesus the Covenant of Works being broken and the tye of Friendship thereby between God and Man made void so that now men as to that Covenant are without God in the world and without Christ and the Promises Ephes. 2.12 13. And so our having God for our God which is pointed at in the Preface to the Commandments and Christ for our Saviour and closing with his Righteousness and the Promises of the Covenant which are all Yea and Amen in him must go together 2 Distinguish betwixt the divers Administrations of the Covenant of Grace and of the Law in respect of Positives falling under the second Commandment for that Commandment tyed the Israelites before Christ to Circumcision Sacrifices the seventh day of the Week and other Ceremonies agreeable to the Administration of the Law and Covenant of Grace then but now it forbiddeth them to us and requireth other duties for the Priesthood being changed there is of necessity a change also of the Laws belonging thereto yet that Commandment as a part of the Moral Law doth perpetually oblige and tye to worship God and none other and that according to the manner which he prescribes Next unto the Rules already laid down for the better understanding of the Commandments we add two more The first is that the Commandments are so to be expounded as that none of them may contradict another that is there is nothing commanded in one that is forbidden in another or contrary one duty doth not justle with nor thrust out another but they differ only and then two duties coming together in that case one of them ceaseth to be a duty for that time as is said in that distinction of affirmative and negative Commands The second Rule is that all these Commandments bind and call for obedience from men according to their places and other qualifications and circumstances The fifth Commandment calleth for one thing from a Magistrate another from a Subject a Magistrate is to edifie one way a Minister another a private Christian another a Servant is one way to reprove his Fellow-servant a Master another way The Law requires more from a man of parts power and riches than from another as to exercise and improvement of these gifts The Law being just has in it a proportionableness to places parts c. and sets bounds to stations but alters them not nor confounds them 3 For the help of your memories and that ye may have these Rules more obvious ye may draw them all under these five Scriptures The first Scripture is Psal. 119. v. 96. Thy Commandment is exceeding broad which though it be more extensive in its meaning yet it doth certainly include this Law which in an especial way is the Commandment and in the sense and comprehensive meaning thereof is exceeding broad for it takes in the fulness and extent of the whole Law in its obligation as to all things persons and duties of all sorts The second Scripture is Rom. 7.14 which speaks to the Spirituality of the Law in the obedience which it calleth for the Law is Spiritual The third Scripture is Rom. 7.12 which speaks the perfection of its nature the Law is Just therefore fretting against what it commandeth or wishing it were otherwise is a breach thereof It is holy therefore to be disconformable unto it is to be unholy it 's good and therefore it ought to be loved and delighted in The fourth Scripture is 1 Tim. 1.5 and it speaketh the great end of the Law The end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned which threefold End speaketh out the absolute purity and holiness called for in our love to God and others so as to have a good conscience in this before God all which must slow from unfeigned Faith without presumption resting on Jesus Christ who is in this sense the end of the Law The fifth Scripture is 1 Tim. 1.8 The Law is good if a man use it lawfully and this guards against abusing of the Law and putteth us to the lawful use of it There are extreams in abusing the Law as 1. When it is used to seek Righteousness by it Again 2. When the Authority of it is pretended for something it Warrants not such as the Traditions of the Fathers Mat. 15. seeking of Salvation by the observation of Circumcision c. 3. When its Authority in practise is denied 4. When it is turned from practise to vain speculations and questions 5. When it is so used as it deters and scares from Christ 6. When it is so made use of as it oppresses and discourages a Believer for whose sake 1 T â—â— 1.19 it was never made or appointed as to its threatnings and condemning Power And lastly in a word when it is not used to the ends and in the manner expressed in the former Scriptures Fourthly Because the study of this Law is so singularly useful we not only press and commend it but add further some few directions whereby we may be helped rightly to use it and to guard against the abuse of it in our hearing and reading of it 1 The first direction is ye would look on it as God's Word and take it as if ye heard himself from Sinai pronounce it that so ye may tremble and be more affected with holy fear when ever ye read hear it or meditate upon it for so was the people affected when it was first promulgate 2 Be much in prayer for grace to take up its meaning David Psal. 119.18 c. prayed often for this and thought it not unbecoming a King yea a believing King and a Prophet to study this Law and pray much for opened eyes to understand the
improving of this Tye not onely for obliging us to these but for strengthening us in Him to attain them and to comfort our selves in all Difficulties from this ground These things are much a-missing Alas they are much a-missing For we lamentably neglect to draw all our Strength and Furniture under all tentations and for all Duties from Christ by vertue of this Baptismal Obligation and Tye We resort but seldome to this Magazine and Store House this precious Priviledge is Alas but very little manured and improved by us We come next to speak of the sins we are usually guilty of in reference to the Lords Supper and they be of several sorts 1. Some are Doctrinal when the Institution is corrupted as in Popery These we will not now meddle with 2. Others are practical and they are either in Ministers and Elders who admit and debar or in such as are admitted or debarred And First we are to consider that men may sin against this Ordinance by not Communicating As 1. When they contemn and wilfully neglect it 2. When they are not frequent in it but carelessly slight it when conveniently it may be had 3. By not foreseeing and ordering our Affairs so as we may not be hindred when an occasion of that Ordinance offereth it self near to us 4. By incapacitating our selves to be admitted through ignorance or scandal and by negligence to remove these 5. By sretting at our being debarred or at these who has a hand in it 6. Not repenting of the causes which procureth our being declared 7. Not seeking to be humbled under such a weighty censure and to get the right use of it for the time to come 8. Suspecting that it proceedeth from carnal ends 9. Reporting amiss of those who do it 10. Not praying for them that partake in this Ordinance where-ever we hear of it in any place 11. Looking rather to the unfitness of some that are admitted and the neglect of duty in Office-bearers in debarring than our own 12. Not sympathizing with them and yet on that ground absenting our selves to wit for the faults of others And here by the way we beseech you take these few words of Exhortation 1. Look on debarring of ignorant and scandalous persons from the Lord's Table as Christ's Ordinance 2. Consider wherefore your selves are debarred and as you may be assured it is from no particular prejudice or disrespect so ye would repent be humbled for that which procureth it 3 Be making up what is wanting for the time to-come your failing in any of these is a fault and let none think themselves the less bound to the study of holiness because they are kept from partaking of it But the sin of some is they shift it because they will not stir themselves up to a sutable frame for it and yet they are not sutably affected with the want of it Next there are faults in them that are admitted to Communicate and these both in Hypocrits and true Believers respectively and that 1. Before 2. In the time and 3. After receiving the Lords Supper And first Before receiving there are many failings As 1. Ignorance of the end and nature of this Ordinance 2. Not studying to know it Nor 3. To have the heart rightly affected with it 4. Not endeavouring to keep up a high esteem and holy reverence of the wonderful Love of God in giving of his Son and the Son 's condesending Love in coming to dye for Sinners 5. Not seeking to have the Covenant clearly closed with by Faith before it be sealed by the Sacrament 6. Not endeavouring to have all by gone quarrels removed and our Peace established 7. Not searching our way that we may be well acquainted with our condition so as we may have the distinct knowledg of it when we come 8. Not carefully endeavouring a sutable frame of heart by Prayer Meditation and Reading 9. Not praying for a blessing either for him that administreth or for those who are to joyn with us to prevent their sin 10. Not minding their instruction who are under our charge 11. Not presently renewing if before closed with and consented to our Covenant before our partaking 12. Not sequestring our hearts from other things for that end 13. Not fearing to miss the thing offered and to contract guilt instead of getting any good 14. Not searching after the sins of former Communions and other sins and repenting of them 15. What we ayme at in these not ayming at them in Christs strength 16. Not ayming and endeavouring constantly to walk with God and keep communion with him in all duties that we may have the more access to communion with him in this Ordinance 17. Not laying aside of rooted prejudices and secret malice Nor 18. Admonishing such whom we know to lye under any offence of that kind that they may repent and reform 19. Unstayedness in our ayming at communion with God in it or coming to it more selsily than out of due regard to the glory of God 2dly In our going about this Ordinance there are many faults that usually concurr As 1. Our giving too little respect or too much to it as is said before of the Sacraments in general 2. Our not exercising Faith in the present time according to the Covenant and Christs Institution 3. Want of Love to constrain us and want of that Hunger and Thirst that should be after Christ. 4. Want of that discerning of the Lord's Body which should be so as 1. To put a difference betwixt Bread and Wine in the Sacrament and common Bread and Wine in respect of the end 2 To put a difference betwixt this Ordinance and Christ himself who is signified and exhibited by it 3. To lay in some respect a further weight on this than on the Word only though it be some way of that same nature 4. To put a difference betwixt this Sacrament and other Sacraments and so discerning it it is to conceive of it rightly 1. In respect of its use and end according to its Institution 2. In respect of our manner of use-making of it not only by our senses or bodily Organs but by Faith and the faculties of the soul looking upon and receiving Christs Body in that Ordinance and feeding on it there as in the Word and more clearly and sensibly for the Sacraments do not give us any new thing which the Word did not o â—fer and give before but they give the same thing more clearly and sensibly 3. In respect of the blessing not only waiting for a common blessing for sustaining the Body by that Bread and Wine but for a spiritual blessing to be conferred by the spirit to the behoof of the soul 4. It s so to discern it as to improve it for obtaining real communion betwixt Christ and us by a spiritual feeding-upon as his own Body so that when there is any short-coming in these in so far the Lord's Body is not discerned 5. We sin in going about this
God with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy mind and thy Neighbour as thy self the two leggs that Piety in practise walketh upon the one comprehendeth our duty to God which runneth through all the Ten Commands but doth more eminently exert it self in the first Four whereof we have spoken The other containeth our duty to our Neighbour which is set down more particularly in the last Six Commands whereof we are now to speak and however many do ignorantly and wickedly look on duty to man as somewhat extrinsick to Religion and duty to God yet both have the same authority both are put in one sum of the Law both are written on Tables of Stone with the Lords own finger and put within the Ark And therefore we ought with a proportionable care to inquire what God requireth of us as duty to himself And we should make no less conscience of obedience to the one then to the other Before we come particularly to the fifth Command we shall speak a little to these two 1. Why love to God is called the first and great command and love to our Neighbour the second and only like to the first Matth. 22.38 2. why hath the Lord carved out mens duty to others as vvell as to himself For the former of these consider in the first place that the commands of the second Table are equal to the commands of the first in respect of the authority that injoyneth them he that saith Thou shalt have no other Gods before me saith also Thou shalt not kill c. Jam. 2.11 In vvhich respect it is said Matth. 22.39 the second is like unto this 2. If vve compare the tvvo Tables together as to the matter contained in them and the immediate object of each duty commanded the duties of the first Table are greater and the duties of the second Table lesser the one relating more immediately the other more mediately to Rel â—gion in vvhich respect they express peculiarly our love to God vvhich is called the first and great command for the first four commands require that vvhich in its ovvn nature is vvorship and â—s in an immediate vvay to be given to God but the duties required in the other six are not properly formally and immediately called for as parts of vvorship to God though as they are acknovvledgments of him they may be consequentially thereto referred As to the 2. Why the Lord hath in so short a sum particularly set down our duty to others as well as to himself and shewed how every one should carry towards another We would speak to it the rather that there are six commands in the second Table and but â—our in the first Table and the â—ords commending the duties of the se â—ond Table hath said the second is like unto the first because he would have it in our car â—ful observance going along with the first And the Apostles as well as the Lord in pressing holiness do ordinarily instance in the duties of the second Table as Luke 10.26 What is written in the Law how readest thou M â—th 5.27 thou shalt not commit Adultery c. Rom. 13.8 9 10. Jam. 2.8.11 c. And the reasons of it may be these 1. To teach his people that it is his will that they should be holy in all manner of conversation therefore there is no piece of duty called for but it is comprehended in a command even the least thing eating drinking and whatsoever they do 1 Cor. 10.31 1 Pet 1.15 16. he would have them careful to be holy not only in the Church but also in the Market in the shop at home abroad not only in prayer but at the plough c. 2. To hold out the great extent of holiness or what holiness he requireth in his people It was a great mistake in the Pharisees that they placed the main part of Religion in the performance of external duties of the first Table whereas the Lord layeth both Tables together to tell that they must march up together in our practise and that it will not be Holiness in it's self and in Gods account to perform the one without the other 3. Because the Lord would have his Law a perfect Rule that the man of God might be perfect throughly furnished to every good word and work 2 Tim. 3.17 therefore is the second Table given that vve may know how to vvalk towards others as vvell as towards God that Masters may know their duty Servants theirs c. and that none are left to an arbitrariness therein but that all are tyed to a Rule 4. Because men are ready to slight holiness in reference to the second Table hence there vvill be some kind of awe of God on men in reference to the duties of the first Table so that they dare not altogether neglect prayer hearing the word c. and yet they will make little or no conscience of loving their neighbour or of shewing mercy as we see in the Pharisees 5. Because it is no less necessary for Christians living together as to their Being and vvell-being and mutual thriving that they do duty one of them to another with respect to the command then that they all do their duty to him how else can folks live well together in a Family or other Societies if each therein do not duty to another the neglect of this makes them as a house divided against it self which cannot stand 6. That the Lord may have the more clear and convincing ground of challenge against such as slight these commands and live in envy malice oppression c. for none can say he knew not these to be sins Mic. 67. The Lord hath shewed thee O man what is good that thou do Justice and love Mercy c. and he beginneth at the Duties of the second Table the more to stop their mouths If they should say they knew not tha â— they should be holy or how to be holy in these he had it to say that he had told them For these and such like reasons the Lord hath been so part â—cular in and hath added his Authority unto the commands of the second Table as well as to these of the first that we may lay the greater weight on them From the Connection of the two Tables we may observe these three general â— first That there is no part of a mans convers â—tion in reference to his walk with others as well as God whatever be his Calling or Station but he ought to be Religious and holy in it God hath directed men how to carry in all things 2. That it is a necessary part of Religion in respect of the command of God injoyning it and in order to our thriving in holiness to be conscientious in duties to others as well as in immediate duties to God who in his Law requireth both 3. That where kindly and true Obedience is given to the first Table Obedience will be given to the second also
be done to all yet especially to this houshold of Faith And the manifestation of our love even towards the godly may be less or more according as less or more of God appeareth in them or in their way If it be further asked How we can love wicked men and if their being such should not marr our love to them Answ. We speak not here of such as are debarred from the prayers of the people of God and who are known to have sinned the sin which is against the Holy Ghost nor do we speak indefinitely of final enemies these according to all being excluded from our love But we say that other particular wicked men as to their persons whatever hatred we may bear to their evil deeds are to be loved in the forementioned sense yet their wickedness may 1. marr complacencie in them that they cannot nor ought not to be delighted in nor with pleasure conversed with 2. It may marr the effects of love in the evidences and manifestations of them for that Christians may yea and sometimes should keep up all or most testimonies of it from some is clear from the Apostles direction enjoyning the noticing of some that they may be ashamed 2 Thess. 3.14 3. It may marr love in ordering its exercises yea and occasion the seemingly contrary effects as their wishing for and doing of some things temporally adverse and cross to them for their greater shame and humiliation as is evident in the Psalmists prayer Psalm 83.16 Fill their faces with shame that they may seek thy name O Lord so some out of love are to be corrected yea punished temporally yet with a desire of and respect to their eternal welfare If it be yet asked If and how one is to love himself Answ. Self-love is so connatural to us that in effect it is the mediate result of our sense of life and consequently the very relish and endearment of all enjoyments the spring of self-preservation and the best measure pointed out by our Lord himself of the love and duty that we owe to others which as it is the mean whereby we taste and see that God is good and how great his goodness is to us so it ought principally to referr it self and all its pleasing objects to him as the fountain of all who is indeed Love but yet it is that wherein ordinarily men do much exceed as especially these following wayes 1. They exceed in it when themselves are proposed as the end of their own actions as it is 2 Tim. 3.2 when their own things sway more with them and are sought more by them then 1. the things of God to which the first place is alwayes due and 2. then publick things and the things of others even in the cases wherein these do require the preference 2. When it is terminated on the wrong object as when they run out in the immoderate pursuit of bodily and temporal things caring more if not only for the body neglecting the better part 3. When it is laid out for the pleasing of corrupt self and the making of provision for the Flesh to fulfil its Lusts Rom. 13.14 Self-love under these considerations is corrupt and â—o be guarded against Answ. 2. Self-love or love to our self is allowable when qualified with the following properties 1. When it is subservient and subordinate to higher ends and can hazard it self and deny it self for Gods honour for a publick good yea and in some cases out of respect to the good of others also so a righteous man should and when at himself will do much though with his own hazard for a Christian friend for the safety or edification of the Godly or in defence of the interest of Christ. 2. When it is drawn out after spiritual things and it 's on these mostly that pains are taken as how to grow in grace to have a good conscience to have the soul saved sin mortified c. 3. When outward things are desired for the former ends as when we pray Give us this day our daily bread that we may promove these ends being willing to want them when they may not stand with these ends desiring life means c. in so far only as they may be useful for the attainment of them As the first self-love marreth duties to God and thwarteth with them so the second advanceth them and sweyeth strongly yet sweetly to them Again This Command is the first in order of the second Table and is peculiarly backed with a promise to shew the concernment of the duty called for the scope of it being to regulate that respect which each one oweth to another that they may give each other due honour as the first effect of love and the great band of all the other commands and enjoyned duties of the second Table God being pleased to provide for that respect and honour that is due from one man to another as well as for the security of their persons and estates yea in some respect he preferreth this Command to wit that one hurt not another in their honour and estimation to these other relating to their persons and estates and therefore he requireth honour in the first place and afterward injoyneth the duties of not killing not stealing c. And although every man doth love respect and estimation among others yet there is nothing wherein more liberally and even prodigally men incroach upon one another then by the neglect and denyal of this duty and by the contrary sin though it be most directly opposite to love and that general equity commanded whereby we should Do to others as we would have them to do to us Therefore we conceive the Lord hath preferred this to the other five Commands and hath so backed it with a promise and also set it down positively Honour thy Father c. for this end that we may know it is not enough not to despise them if they be not also positively honoured by us even as it is not enough not to prophane the Lords day by common and unnecessary works if we do not positively sanctifie it And it is not for nought that this duty is so much pressed being a main bond of Christian and Civil Fellowship keeping folks within the just bounds and limits which God hath set unto them If it be asked What this duty of honouring our Neighbour doth include Answ It doth include these five things 1. Respect to our Neighbours person 2. to his place 3. to his qu â—lifications either as he is furnished with natural or moral abilities or as he is gracious 4. to his accidental furniture in externals as riches credit with others c. so David honoured Nabal 5. in respect of mens actions as they deserve or as they have done or atchieved any thing whereby good cometh or may come to the Church or Common-wealth Honour includeth the giving respect to our Neighbour in all these If it be asked If and how honour differeth from love Answ. It
bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and confirmed all by his own most perfect example And lastly the study of that divine goodness which embraceth both good and evil just and unjust to aspire to that height of all felicity and glory in being perfect as our Father vvhich is in heaven is perfect But to proceed 2. There is a spiritual eternal life of the soul thus sin deadneth and killeth men and in this respect all vvho are unfaithful to others in the matter of their souls or vvho cause them to sin or sinfully give them occasion of sin become guilty of soul-murther so Ezek. 3.18 and 33.6 his blood will I require at thy hands saith the Lord to the Prophet Men become guilty of this not only 1. By commanding as Saul did Doeg to kill the Lords Priests and David did Joab to cause Vriah to be slain 2. By counselling and advising as Jonadab did Amnon in reference to his sister Thamar 3. By alluring and downright tempting as Tamar did Juda 4. By consenting to the sin of others or any vvise assisting countenancing or incouraging them in it as Saul vvas consenting to the death of Stephen and vvas standing by keeping the cloaths of them that stoned him and as men may be in reference to false Teachers 2 Epist. of John 10 11. 5. By giving high Provocations to others and thereby stirring them up to sin such as are reproaches opprobrious speeches chartallings and challenges to fight c. but also 6. By evil example as David vvas accessary to the sin of the Adversaries blasphemous reproaching by vvhat he did and the Apostle often insinuateth Christians may be thus guilty by their insutable deportment in the several relations they sustain and stand under this may also be by doing vvhat hath the appearance of evil yea even by doing of things in themselves lawful but inexpedient because unseasonable and vvith offence Thus one Christian may be accessory to anothers stumbling and may sinfully hazard the destroying of these for vvhom Christ dyed as the Apostle discourseth concerning offences even in things not sinful in themselves 7. By not warning faithfully before sin be committed as is clear Ezek. 3.18 8. By not reproving after the sin is committed but suffering it to lye on our brother Lev 19.6 9. By not suiting and proportioning the reproof to the greatness of the sin but making it too soft and gentle not shewing just indignation against it which vvas Eli his guilt who though he did not altogether neglect or omit to reprove the prophanity and gross vvickedness 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 vvith 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 vvhich they are not at 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 vvith 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 ki â—ing when vve 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 Josephs 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 Joabs of Abner and Amasa or mediate as Sauls was of the Lords Priests Davids of Vriah 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 and contrary to his intention and without any previous neglect or oversight-in him proveth the hurt and death of another 2. Culpable because 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 Axe 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 happened to wound or kill any person he were not innocent but if without any inadvertencie he either knew not that it vvere loose or that any vvere about him if then it should fall off and kill his Neighbour in this case he is guiltless So vvhen the Lord commanded those vvho built houses to build battlements about the roofs of them if any person fell vvhere the battlements vvere
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
may be gu â—lty of it as Rivet upon this Command acknowledgeth or half an hour is free of it Is ever the mind quiet and doth it not often yield consent to these motions and how few good purposes are often follovved forth Alass but seldome 12. The extent of it is great one may sin this vvay in reference to all the Commands yea to as many objects as his Neighbour or himself hath things of vvhich they have the possession yea to Imaginations about things that have no being nor it may be possibility of being but are meer Chimera's 13. The occasions of it and snares to it are rife and frequent nothing vve see but readily it doth as fire inflame this Lust so that vve have need continually as it vvere to cast vvater on it yea vvhat thing is there that is in it self lovely and desirable vve hear or read of that vve are not ready inordinately to be stirred tovvards the desiring of it 14. Its pretexts and cloaks to hide it self are many and sometimes specious so that men are seldom challenged for it if it come not to the length of being consented to or at least of a delectation Hovv often are there vvishes in our mouths and oftner in our hearts that break this Commandement vvhich vve observe not especially if they be for knovvledge or some good thing in another or some good thing done by another vvhich commendeth him for then O if we had it or O if we had done it 〈◊〉 often the language of the heart and so there is a secret discontent against our Neighbour which often runneth to envy or at least to a discontent that it is not so vvith us and that vve are behind in that but especially in spiritual things vve take liberty for these discontented vvishes also grudgings that another is free and vve are crossed come in under the sin here forbidden as also that vvhich is spoken of Eccles. 12.12 of much reading and making many books vvhen one is desirous inordinately either to have or to make many books to vent his knovvledge by especially vvhen it levelleth at vvhat others have done This inordinacie that is in the motions of the heart appeareth much 1. In the beginnings and stirrings of passions and discontent vvhich often never come abroad but yet are deep breaches of this Command either as marring that loving and kindly frame vvhich vve ought to carry tovvards others or as inconsistent vvith that invvard serenity and tranquility that vve should conserve in our selves that dumpishness vvhich is ordinarily to be seen in passionate and discontented persons often proceeding from or tending to one of these tvvo passion or discontent 2. It appeareth in bargains as vvhen vve hear of a good bargain or good marriage vvhich another hath gotten or some good event or issue he hath had in such or such an undertaking there is a secret grudge that vve have not got it or that vve have not had such success 3. That thoughtiness and anxious carefulness vvhich often is in bargains making hovv they may be sure and most for our advantage is vve conceive especially pointed at here there is a sutable carefulness vvhich simply and in it self is consistent vvith lavvful diligence but this anxiety sinfully accompanieth it through our inordinacie in it 4. It shevveth it self in those many ruings and repentings vvhich often are after things are done and vvishings they had not been done vvhich are not simply sinful vvhen there is reason for them but as they are carking and inordinate as for most part they are in us We ought to grieve vvith after-grief and sorrovvful sharp reflection for the sin of vvhat vve do in all these abovesaid and others such like but it 's repining against God and his infinitely vvise government to grudge at dispensations events and consequents vvhich are meer providences 5. This inordinacie of heart-motions doth much appear in the vexing after-thoughts of and reflections upon any thing vve have done not so much because of its sinfulness as because of its bringing shame upon us or because of its unsutableness to vvhat our humour aimed at and upon this account vve are discontented and have an inordinate and unsatisfied desire of having it othervvayes done and so discontent is the proof and evidence of this Lust discovering it vvhere it is for because our desire though possibly it be confused and for any good as it is Psal. 4.6 is not fulfilled therefore is heaviness and discontent vvhereas if it vvere satisfied there vvould be quietness So then we conceive this Command as to its positive part doth 1. Require love to our Neighbour and complacency in his prosperous condition and all such motions as are inconsistent with it are here forbidden though they never come to act and being such as we would not have any others entertaining towards us 2. Contentment so that discontent discouragement fainting heaviness anxiety disquietness and not resting satisfied with our own lot which is forbidden Heb. 13.5 are condemned here 3. A holy frame of heart a delight in the Law of God and conformity to it Rom. 7.22 Hence these motions are counted opposite to it which were in Paul although he wrestled against them as was said and are the Imaginations of mens hearts but the serenity and tranquil composure of the heart having every thing subject and subordinate to the Law of God is called for here 4. It requireth compleat conformity to the Law of God and exact and perfect love to and delight in him Thus this Command is broken when there is any stirring of heart inconsistent with perfect love to him and his Law But obedience is given to it when we put off the old man and put on the new man created after God c. Col. 3.9 10. and attain unto a stayed composed established and sixed heart so much commended in Scripture For the difference of this Command from the former Commands is not in the object but in the act lust for determinate lust for instance looketh to the seventh Command but here a sort of vaging unsetledness in the thought that cannot be called adultery as not partaking of that name yet really is Lust is forbidden and so also vain wanderings upon Ideas and notions come in here under the name of Lust and are sinful being inconsistent with a composed frame of heart To close up all let us consider a little these words Rom. 7.7 I had not known lust except the law had said thou shalt not covet I shall only premit this one word that it is something peculiar to this Command that men in nature come not the length of taking it up Paul before conversion knew that the consented-to desire of an unlawful thing was sin but he knew not this narrow bounding of men to be intended in this Command In the words then you may take up these three 1. That there is a great sinfulness and inordinacie in folks hearts even in the least things which oft-times