the Spiritual Holy Just and good Law the Royal Law binding uâ—to the Obedience of God our King the Law which Jesus Christ came not to destroy but to fulfil whereof he is the end for Righteousness to every on that believeth which doth as a School moster lead to Him by discovering the holy nature will of God and mens duty to walk conformly to it by convincing of the most sinful pollution of our nature heart and life of universal disconformity to it and innumerable transgressions of it of the obligation to the wrath and curse of God because of the same of uâ—â—er inability to keep it and to help our selves out of this sinful and wrathful estate by humbling under the conviction and sense of both by putting on to the Renunciation of self-righteousness or righteousness according to this Law And finally by convincing of the absolute and indiâ—â—â—nsable necessity of an other righteousness and so of this imputed righteousnesâ— the law that is so very necessary to all men in common and to every Regenerate and unrâ—generate man in particular from which â—re one jote or title can pass unfulfilled Heaven and Earth must pass and which the Prince of Pastors infinitely skilful to pitch pertiâ—â—nt subjects of Preaching amongst many others made choice of to be a main subject of that solemn Sermon of his on the Mount wherein he did not as many would â—ave expectâ—d soar alost in abstruse contemplations but graciously stooped and condescended to our câ—â—â—â—ity for catching of us by a plain familiar and practical exposition of the Commands as indeed Religion lyeth not in high flown notions and curious speculations nor in great swellings of words but in the single and sedulous practise of these things that are generally looked on 〈◊〉 low and common as the great art of Preaching lyeth in the powerful pressing thereof infinâ—â—ting of how much moment the right uuderstanding of them is and how much Religion lyâ—â—â— in the serious study of suitable obedience thereto not in order to justification but for glorifying God who justifieth freely by his grate through the Redemption that is in Jesus without which Obedience or holiness no man shall see the Lord. And if the Treatise bear but any tolereable proportion to such a Text and Theam it cannot but have its own excellency and that thou maâ—st be induced to think it doth I shall need only to tell thee that it is though alass posthumous and for any thing I know never by him intended for the Press otherwise it had been much more full for â—e is much shorter on the commands of the second Table then on these of the first touching only on some chief heads not judging it fit belike at that time and in that exercise to wit Sabbath-day-morning Lectures before Sermon to dwell long on that subject which a particular prosecution would have necessitated him to especially since he was at that same time to the same auditory Preaching Sabbath afternoons on the third chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians a subject much of the same nature but what he saith is material and excellent great Mr. Durhams who had some excellency peculiar to himself in what he spoke or writ as appeareth by his singular and some way Sâ—raphick comment on the Revelation wherein with Aquiline-sharp-sightedness from the top of the high mountain of fellowship with God he hath deeply pryed into and struck up a great light in several mysterious things much hid even from many wise and sagacious men before And by his most sweet and savoury yet most solid exposition of the Song of Solomon smelling strong of morâ— than ordinary acquaintance with and experience of thâ—se several influxes of the love of Jesus Christ upon the Soul and effluxes of its love the fruit and effect of His towards Him wherewith that delightful discourse is richly as it were imbroydered The greatest realities though indeed sublime spiritualities most plainly asserted by God and most powerfully experienced by the Godly whose Souls are more livelily affected with them than their very external senses are by the rarest and most remarkable objects and no wonder since every thing the more spiritual it is hath in it tâ—â— greater reality and worketh the more strongly and efficaciously however of late by an unparalieledly-bold black mouthed blasphemous Scribler nefariously neck named Fine Romances oâ— the secret Amouts betwixt the Lord Christ and the believing Soul told by the Non-conformists-preachers What are these and the like Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for his love is better than Wine Thy name is as an Oyntment poured forth therefore the Virgins love thee We will remember thy love more than Wine the upright love thee Behold thou art fair my beloved yea pleasant also our bed is green A bundle of myrrh is my beloved unto me he shall lye all night betwixt my breasts I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste He brought me to the Banqueting-house and his Banner â—ver me was love Stay me with Flagons comfort me with Apples for I am sick of love His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth imbrace me My beloved is mine and I am his I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me I found him whom my Soul loved I held him and would not let him go Set me as a seal upon thy heart and as a seal on thine arm Love is strong as death many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it I charge you O Daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my beloved that ye tell him I am sick of love Come my beloved let us go up early to the Vine-yards let 〈◊〉 see if the Vines flourish there will I give the my loves make hast my beloved be thou like to a Râ—e or to a young Heart on the Mountains of Spices How fair and how pleasant art thâ—â— O love for delights O my Dove let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely thou hast ravished my â—eart my Sister my Spouse with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck turn away thine eyes from me for they have over come me He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love If ye keep my Commandements ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandements and abide in his love The love of Christ constraineth us we love him because he first loved 〈◊〉 the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us whom â—aving not seen ye love whom though now ye see him
not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable full of glory That ye may with all Saints be able to comprehend what is the breadth and length depth heighth and to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge Are these I say Romances are thâ—se fancies factions and forgâ—ries are these fables cunningly devised and told by the Non conformists-Preachers Did the Apostle thunder the great Anathema Maâ—anâ—â—hâ— against men for their not hâ—â—ing a meer Romantick end fancied love to the Lord Jesus the execution of which dreadful doom will â—e a solid proof of its reality and a sad reproof for denying it to be so Dare the most proud petulant perverse and prodigiously profane prater pretending but to the name of a Christian say it If these most real love Communications and intercourses betwixt the Lord Christ and the believing Soul be but Romances then the whole Bible whereof these make so considerable and so comfortable a part may be reckoned a Romance which be like this Romantick Divine will not so much demurr making small account therefore and audaciously alleadging the English Bible to be a Book in some places erroneous in â—ome scarce sense and of dangerous consequences loath would he be to deal so by Grand Cyrus Cleopatra and his other darling Romanceâ— if there be no real but Romantick and fained love betwixt Christ and the Christian then no real Christianity no real Christ whom this new Doctor dreadfully deâ—aseth under the poorly palliated pretext of exalting him affirming that his unparalleled civility and the obliginness of his deportment seems to be almost as high an evidence of the Truth and Divinity of his Doctrine as his unparalleled miracles were otherwise he would be a base and proâ—â—igâ—t Impostor what would this young Divine for old Divines and even great Calvin bâ— name amongst the rest he despiseth as a company of â—â—lly Systematicks have said and thought of the Divinity of the person end Doctrine of blessed Jesus if when on earth he had more frequently as he might and probably would have done under the same circumstances spoke and deals so roughly and roundly as he did when he called Herod a Fox and scourged the buyers and sellers out of the Temple and had seemed to be as uncivil and of as little obliging a Deportment as his harbinger John Baptist he would be like have doubted of his Divinity and deemed him but â— baâ—e Impostore if not peremptorily pronounced that he had a Divel No real Redemption no real Redeemer no real misery no real mercy no real Heaven no real Hell but ah the real acting of its story will easily and quickly refute this Romantick conception of it And in fine no real God All is but one intire fine Romance fable and figment The Lord against whom this mouth is opened thus wickedly wide and is by an other Rabshâ—keh railed on at such a rate of rage rebuke the Spirit which prompteth to the venting this damnable and Diabolick nay Hyper diabolick Doctrine for Devils believe that there is one God and tremble and that Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 the Son of God whom even in his state of humiliation they acknowledged to be so and from the dread of him deprecated his tormenting them before the time but this Desperado would on the matter drive us into a disbelief of both yet droll us out of all dread being tormented on that or any other account either before the time or aâ— it because of which its Teacher of late better taught if 〈◊〉 would humble himself to receive Instruction by Famous Doctor Owen by Acute Master Marvel and by the Grave author of The Fulfilling of the Scriptures in his Second Part deeply deserves not only to be cast out of the Protestant Churches but to be hissed and chased out of the Christian World And as appears finally by that Divinely Politick and Profoundly Wise Treatise of Scandal in General and of Scandalous Divisions in Particular which both Preachers and Professors of the Gospel should read and read again in these sad Times wherein Alass there is so much Offence given and so great a readiness to take Offence Of none of which Treatises nor of any other so brief a Treatise on the Commands this piece will I humbly suppose be found to fall much if any thing at all short wherein the Light of the Glory of the Lord in the Face of Jesus Christ that shined in upon the heart of his Servant hath so brightly and radiantly darted forth it s Beams that he hath clearly shewed us the 7. Abominations of our Hearts and by digging hath discovered Great Abominations and Greater and yet Greater than these He that searcheth Jerusslem with Candles hath by putting the Candle of the True Meaning of the Law of the Lord into his Hand made him go down and search into the very Inward Parâ—s of the Belly and Bâ—wels of the Corruption of our Nature and to Ransack the most Retired Corners of the Closse Cabinet of the Deep Deceitfulness and Desperate Wickedness that is lodged and locked up in our Hearts He hath given to him as it were the end of the Clew of Search whereby he hath â—ollowed and sound us out in those many Turnings and Traversings Windings and Wandrings of the Labyrinth of this great Mystery of Iniquity that worketh in us He hath therein also marvellously helped him with Exquisite Skill as it were Anatomically to diffect even to some of the very smallest Câ—pillar Veins a great part of the Vast Body of the many various Duties succinctly summed up in these Ten Words of this Holy Law A Transumpt and Double whereof was â—s Vâ—vely Written and deeply ingraven upon the fleshly tables of the Author's heart and one the whole of his Visible Deportment as readily hath been on many of the Sinful Sons of Adam Not to detain thee long Let me for provoking and perswading to consider what the Blest Author being now dead yet speaketh in this Choyse Treatise and more especially to the Inhabitants of Glasgow now the Second time only say that amongst many other distempers of this declined and degenered Generation there is a great itching aster some new and more notional and a loathing of old and more solid and substantial things in Religion whereof this is a Demonstration that though there â—e very few subjects more necessary and useful than what is treated of here yet there is almost none more generally slighted as being a very common and ordinary subject and but the Ten Commands fitter to be read and gote by râ—â—t by Children or at best to be studied by rude and ignorant beginners by Apprentices and Christians of the lowest form in Chrisâ— School then by Professors of greater knowledge and longer standing who suppose themselves and are it may be supposed by others to have passed their Apprentiship to be grown Deacons in the Trade of Religioâ— and to have commenced masters of Art therein who someway disdain and account
about the duties of the Law with subordination to Christ and his Grace I answer they differ in these four things which shew that these duties are not onely to be done but to be done in a way consistent with and flowing from Grace which also follows from this that in the Preface to the Commandments he stileth and holdeth himself forth as Redeemer to be the object of our duty and the motive of it 1. They differ I say first in the End or account upon which they are performed we are not to perform duties that life pardon or enjoying of God may be meritoriously obtained by them but to testifie our respect to him who hath provided these freely for us that we should not rest in duties which are engraven on these Covenant-Blessings 2. They differ in the Principile by which we act them 't is not in our own strength as the works of the first Covenant were to be performed but in the strength of Grace and by vertue of the promises of Sanctification comprehended in the second Covenant 2 Cor. 7. 1. 3. They differ as to the manner of their acceptation duties by the first Covenant are to abide their tryal upon the account of their own worth and the inherent perfection that is in them and accordingly will be accepted or rejected as they are conform or disconform to the perfect Rule of Gods Law but by the second Covenant the acceptation of our performances prayers praises are founded on Christs Righteousness and Gods mercy in him in whom only are they sweet-smelling Sacrifices and accepted as our persons are for he hath made us to be accepted as to both only in the beloved Ephes 1. 4. 4. They differ in respect of the motive from which they proceed or the great motive of our obedience in the Covenant of Grace is not fear of threatnings and wrath in case of disobedience which by the Covenant of Works is the main thing sways men to duties noâ— is it a purchase of Heaven to themselves by their holiness which also by that Covenant is a predominant motive of mens obedience but it is love and gratitude and that not simply to God as Creator but as Redeemer as the Text here sheweth I brought thee out of the House of Bondage it is that we may set forth the praises of him who called us and that we may glorifie him that has bought us where Duties have these qualifications they are consistent with Grace and subservient to it but when those are wanting or excluded Christ is wronged and men turn legal and in so far fall from and overturn Grace These Conclusions as necessary Caveats being laid down we shall propose these distinctions for clearing of them 1. We would distinguish betwixt a Law and a Covenant or betwixt this Law considered as a Law and as a Covenant a Law doth necessarily imply no more then 1. To direct 2 To command inforcing that obedience by Authority a Covenant doth further necessarily imply promises made upon some condition or threatnings added if such a condition be not performed now this Law may be considered without the consideration of a Covenant for it was free to God to have added or not to have added promises and the threatnings upon supposition the Law had been kept might never have taken effect but the first two are essential to the Law the last two to Believers are made void throngh Christ in which sense it is said that by him we are freed from the Law as a Covenant so that Believers life depends not on the promises annexed to the Law nor are they in danger by the threatning adjoyned to it Hence we are to advert when the Covenant of Works is spoken of that by it is not meaned this Law simply but the Law propounded as the condition of obtaining life by the obedience of it in which respect it was only so formally given to Adam This then is the first destinction betwixt the Law and the Covenant of Works 2. Distinguish betwixt these Ten Commandments simply and strictly taken in the matter of them and more complexly in their full Administration with Preface Promises Sacrifices c in the first sense they are a Law having the matter but not the form of the Covenant of Works so Moses by it is said to describe such righteousness as the Covenant of Works doth require yet he doth not propond it as the righteousness they were to relye on but his scope is to put them to a Mediators by revealing sin through the Law Rom. 10. 3. In the second sense it is a Covenant of Grace that same in substance with the Covenant made with Abraham and with the Covenant made with Believers now but differing in its Administration 3. Distinguish betwixt Gods intention in giving and the Believers in Israel their making use of this Law and the carnal multitude among that people their way of receiving it and corrupt abusing it contray to the Lords mind In the first sense it was a Covenant of Grace in the second it turned to be a Covenant of Works to them and therefore it is that the Lord rejects as we may see Jsaiah 1. 13. 66. 2. 3. Jer. 7. 22. their Sacrifices and Services as not commanded because rested on by them to the prejudice of Grace and contrary to the strain and scope of this Law complexly considered 4. Distinguish betwixt the Moral and Ceremonial and Judicial Law the first concerns manners and the right ordering of a Godly Conversation and because these things are of perpetual equity and rectitude the obligation of this Law as to that is perpetual and therefore in the exponding of it these two terms Moral and of Perpetual Authority are all one and to be taken so 2. The Judical Law is for regulating outward Society for Government and doth generally excepting what was peculiar to the people of Israel agree with the Moral Law this as given to them is not perpetual their policy being at an end 3 The Ceremonial Law is in Ceremonies Types and Shadows pointing at a Saviour to come this is also abrogate the substance being come but there is this difference that the Judicial Law is but Mortua dead and may where 't is thought fit with the fore-going caution be used under the New Testament but the Ceremonial Law is Mortifera deadly and cannot without falling from grace Gal. 5. 2 4. be revived 5. When we speak of things Moral we are to distinguish between things Naturally Moral that is such as love to God and our Neighbour and such-like which have an innate rectitude and holiness in them which cannot be separate from them and things positively Moral that have their obligation by a special positive superadded Sanction sothat their rectitude flows not from the nature of the things themselves as in the former As for instance in the fourth Commandment it is naturally Moral that God should be woshipped Nature teacheth it but that he is to be worshipped
Col. 4. 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 practise 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 Precepts 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 observed as a Copy and patern 5. When they have not such inconveniences with them as cross and hinder other Moral duties of Edification love c. for if they 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 dnties 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 any inward exercise of mind or frame of spirit sutable thereto yet the Conscience calls for it or there is some on special occasion or other that puts us to it 3. Observe that this Rule of Negatives tying ad semper 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 one the seventh day â—â—ou 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. 16 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 has 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 filthiness 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 â—â— others right habits as well as right affections and outward actions and therefoâ—â— Paul to prove the spirituality of the Law instanceth in the habit of Lust Rom. 7. â—â— a thing thereby discharged 2. The Law is spiritual in that the obligation thereof reaches to the Spirite and very inwards of the Heart affections and thoughts as welâ— 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 spirital 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 spirit Gal. 5. 16. and so praying and praising which this Law calls for is praying and praising in the spirit 1 Corinth 14 vers 14 15 16. 6. A sixth Rule is that beside the duty expressed there is more implyed in the affirmative Commands and beside the sin pitched on there is more forbidden in the negative Precepts even all duties and sins of these kinds in whatsoever degree As for example in the affirmative Commands 1. Where the duty is commanded all the means that may further it are commanded likewise Hence under care to preserve our Brother Levit. 19. 17. 18. it is commanded that we should reprove him c. 2. Where any thing is commanded as a duty all duties of that kind are commanded as keeping holy the Lords Day is commanded in the fourth Commandment there hearing praying watchfulness all the Week over and all things belonging unto the Worship of God that day such as Tythes that is maintenance for a Ministry calling of fit Ministers bulding Churches c. are required though they be not all duties of that day 3. Where a duty is required the owning and suitable avowing of the duty is required also and so believing in God and the profession of Faith are required in the same Commandment Rom. 10. 10. 4. Where the duty of one Relation is repuired as of Childrens subjection there is required the duty of the other Relation as of Parents yea and also of all under that name Again in negative Precept observe 1. Where great sins are forbidden all the lesser of that sort are forbidden also as under Adultery Murder and Idolatry all light obscene Whorish words wanton looks unchaste thoughts revenge rash anger wordly affections c. are forbidden and they are comprehended and prohibited under the grossest terms to make them the more detestable odious and dreadfull 2. All means that may prevent these sins are commanded and all snares or occasions or incitements to them are prohibited 3. Where any sin is forbidden there the least scandal about it or the least appearance of the guilt of committing it is forbidden also for God will have his people holy and shining in holiness unspotted and without scandal and abstaining not only from all evil but from all appearance of it 1 Thess 5. 22. 4. We are not only forbidden the committing of such
love Thus when a mans protection is placed in men though Princes Psalm 146. 3. or in Multitudes or in Horses and Armies it is idolizing of them Thus rich men may make as it is Joh 31 24. gold their confidence and fine gold their hope that is when men account themselves secure not because God hath a Providence but because they have such means as Aâ—a trusted to the Physicians 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 possess 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 then God and fear maketh men sin or at least keepeth them back from duty in less or more like those Professors who for fear of the Jews Ioh. 12. 42. did not confess Christ Thus men may idolize their very Enemies whom they hate when they fear more him that can kill the body then him that can destâ—oy 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 devoted to them as to call them Rabbi and to be as it were sworn to their words and Opinions as the Sectaries in Corinth were and such at all times for the most part are to their Leaders 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 serveth this way is an Idol every predominant every person or humour that a man setteth himself thus to please is an Idol in this respect it is said men cannot serve two Masters God and Maâ—mon 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 fullfil 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 ne ver 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 â—dol These be the most ordinary wayes 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 Gods 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 shew us any good Psalm 4. 6. By this thousands are kept in bondage and turned head long An excessive 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 Psalm 17. 14. to win their living and provide for their Families To this sort also belongeth Gluttons Drunkards Palate-pleasers who are lookâ— upon as the dainty men in the World abounding alace in our dayes being according to Satans Maxime ready to give skin for skin and all they have for their life and aiming at no more Job 2. 4. Thus Satan thought to have found out Job when his riches were quite gone thus he tempted the Lord Christ to provide Bread in an anxious way and thus fear of want captivateth many 3. The third great Idol which is comprehensive some way of all is a mans life his Honour Credit Reputation good Name and Applause in the World his own Will Opinion Tenets Judgements whereof men are most tenacious and will not quite sometimes as the Proverb is an inch of their will for a span of their thrift Thus men are said to live to themselves 2 Cor. 5. 15. in opposition to living unto God when self-respect swayeth them to be lovers of themselves â— Tim. 3. vers 2. 4. and lovers of their pleasures more then God and self-wiâ—â—ed Tit. 1. â—â— Pet. 2. 10. Ah who are free of this The fourth is Men of Parts c. who have done or may do some considerable good or evil to one or have something in them eminent beyond others These oft-times in regard of the fear love or trust men place in them are made great Idols The fifth is Lawful Contentments as Houses Wives Children unto which men are often too much addicted and with which they are often too much taken up even sometimes with that which is in it self very little and so they prove their Idols A sixth is Self-righteousness mens prayers their repentance blameless walking c. these may get and often get more of their confidence and weight of their Eternal Peace then they should So the Jews laid the great stress and weight of their Salvation upon this Idol Rom. 10. 3. The seventh may be outward Ordinances in purity external forms and profession of Religion when men rest upon these and press not after the Power as the Jews who cryed up the Temple of the Lord the Covenant betwixt him and them and their external relation to him Jer. 7. 4. c. The eighth is any gift of God which he hath bestowed on men such as Beauty Strength Wit Learning when men who have them lay too much weight on them or think too much of them yea Grace it self the sense of Gods love and inward peace may be put in Christs room and more sought for sometimes then Christ himself Now when these are rested on delighted in and he slighted or when they are missed and he not delighted in then they are Idols Ninthly Ease quietness and a mans own
contentment is oft-times a great Idol and it is so when a man is so addicted to his ease as he cannot abide to be troubled Thus was it with that man Luke 12. 19. Soul take thee rest His Ease was his Idol and he rested on it and made it the end of all his buildings and laying up of goods but his riches were his Idol as he grounded his expectation of rest upon that which he possessed So many idle men who frame their life so as they may not be troubled though they be no wayes profitable but spend what they have making this the drift of all they do that they may have an easie life when this overswayeth them as their last end though otherwise if they were not wedded to their case might be more profitable and often with abstaining from and neglecting of many necessary duties that they may eschew trouble it is a prevailing Idol A tenth is wandering fancies and Chimera's the mind pleasing it self with them and delighting to entertain them and pursuing them from a design to find satisfaction in them even in such things as never had nor it may be can have a being except in their own imagination and fancy such are called by Solomon Eccles 6. 9. The wanderings of the desire opposed to the sight of the eyes which others delight in as when men spend their wits and inventions on penning Romances Love-passions Stage-playes Comedies Masks Balls c. or which is more subtil yet much practised when the minds of men frame imaginary and fictitious revenge delight eminency c. to themselves The means and second causes Physitians Armies Ministers Stars and Natural Causes by which God useth to work by some called Nature are oft-times so trusted and leaned to as they are made mens Idols nay by many in these dayes Judiciary Astrology Palmestry c. are much studied and doted on and the Scriptures antiquated and laid aside in a great measure Next if it be asked what Idols are most subtil Answ 1. An Idol is then most subtil when it lurketh in the heart and scateth it self principally in mens mind aim and inward contentment and they inwardly ascribe too much to such a thing and yet it may be in their external practise there is not much to discover this 2. Then are Idols most subtil when they lye in such things to which somewhat of fear love delight c. is allowable as in lawful things which may in some measure be lawfully loved feared and sought for 3. When they are in negatives as in Omissions Ease c. then they are more subtil then when they lye in something men positively seek after or in the Commission of something forbidden 4. When they pass under a lawful name as when Pride goeth under the name of Honesty Anxiety under the name of Lawful Care c. then they are hardly discovered 5. When sticking to one Idol the man rejecteth all others as he conceiveth out of respect to God as may be instanced in the cases of a Monastick liâ—e regular obedience some singular opinion so much stuck to and laid weight on by many 6. When it is in means that have been used or are allowed by God for attaining such an end as it is hard to keep bounds in this case so it is hard to discover the Idolatry of the heart in it In all which it is to be advertised that Idolatry in these things consisteth mostly in the inordinateness of the heart and affections to them and that it lyeth not so much in our actions about them as in the manner of our acting and the circumstances accompanying us and our actions anxiety estimation excessive care love c. For clearing the difference betwixt this idolatrous love fear service and true love fear c. take these Rules 1. When our love to Creatures drowneth our love to God and maketh us to cast off duties we owe to him as in Demas 2. When in part it marreth us in the performance of duties to God as in Eli. 3. When it so taketh us up in our practise throughout the day that we give not necessary time to the Worship of God in praying reading hearing c. 4. When it indisposeth for these so that when we are praying or hearing the heart is carried away after Creatures and the mind is taken up with some other thing then God as Ezekiel 33. 31. 5. When they too much and very unnecessarily haunt the heart in meditation or when we lye down or rise and at such times when our thinking on such imployments contributeth not to the furtherance of them it sheweth that they have too much of the heart when they possess it alwayes and when it is seldom taken up actually with better things but these steal in easily and at all times It may appear now 1. How common this sin of Idolatry is 2. How great guilt and hazard men are lying under thereby because 1. Few are convinced of it 2. Many years Idolatry lyeth together upon the Consciences of many 3. There is little repentance for it though many ways one may insensibly slide into it It is not so very useful or needful here particularly to enquire what Idol is predominant and hath chief room if these three things be granted 1. That there may be and are many Idols often at once as Legions distracting the man and swarming in his heart 2. That successively they may be changed according to mens tentations and conditions 3. That men should study the mortification of all and the giving God his due so as none be spared for if any one be spared none at all are mortified slain It would become Believers and it would be their advantage to think much upon such Scriptures as these Isaiah 30. 22. And ye shall be my People and I will he your God Luke 14. 8. VVhen thou art bidden of any man to a wedding sit not down in the highest room l st a more honourable man then thou be bidden of him 1 Corinth 10. from vers 5. to vers 15. And that they would study conformity to them and learn to abhor Idols yea all Creatures in so far as they become Idols to them We are now further to prosecute the Branches of this Commandment which is a Key to all the rest and because Gods Soveraignity is holden forth here there is no sin that may not be reduced to it as being a disobedience to this Soveraign God We shall first permit some general wayes whereby it is broken then insist in some particulars More generally it is broken three wayes as hath been said already 1. By derogating from God that which is his due so all contempt of him disobedience to him wronging his infinite Attributes as if he were not Omnipotent Omniscient Infinite c. denying of his Providence in less or more are breaches of this Commandment Thus he is wronged when he getteth not everyway that which is his due 2. By attributing to God what
also according to right reason so that the exercise of both being to be ordered according to this rule of reason as the call occasion object and particular circumstances shall require It is evident that there is no inconsistencie betwixt the two but that they may very well be in one and the same person and at one and the same time 3. From this we may see That Humility differeth from as is somewhat else then fainting and despondencie of spirit or pensive pusillanimity in not daring to foâ—low a call in reference to some seemingly difficult action now humility being the vertue acting according to reason this is the excess without and against reason and therefore as humility and zeal are commended so this want of valiantness for truth when called for or baseness of spirit is complained of as a sin Jer. 9. 3. and Moses Exod. 4. 10 14 and Jeremiah chap. 1. 6. are reproved for some degree of it for in every difficult good which men would aim at and the most desirable good things amongst men are often most difficult there are two things considerable 1. There is a bonâ—m or a good thing which is desirable as for example to do some exploit to undergo some change c. now men being bent to be ambitious covetons rash c. to attain such a good humility moderating their desires and designs according to their capacity and abilities and bridling that excess upon the one hand is of great advantage There is again in the second place in attaining such things a difficulty by which we are in hazard to be scared from and fainted in following of duty and zeal and magnanimity guard against this sustaining the man and keeping him from falling into discouragement or pusillanimous pensiveness which is the defect upon the other hand 4. This humility as a grace differeth from civility and outward yielding to another because 1. It proceedeth from a principle of conscience and upon a conscientious account viz. the inward sense and feeling of the defect of grace in our selves and the impression of our Neighbours worth 2. It is single without any approved design of pleasing men or any other consideration but purely upon the forementioned account This is the grace of humility with which the best Moralists among the Heathen were nothing acquainted they had indeed their moral vertues as remaining sparks of natures light and dark resemblances of some Gospel graces which nevetheless wanting the principle of Faith without which it is impossible to please God and not being directed to the right end the glory of God could not be acceptable to him But besides this imperfection and defectiveness in their wisdom and way the Gospel having a far more high and noble design then they could propose hath also graces that are wholly peculiar to it The work and end of moral Philosophy could be no other then to moderate passions and regulate manners in such a conformity to reason as might give unto a man void of all sense of his distance and alienation from God an in ward lying tranquility and outward transient peace whereas the project and scope of the Gospel is quite another thing vez to reconcile and savel ost sinners through faith in Christ and in him to make them partakers of holiness here and glory and happiness hereafter Hence it is that as the Gospel doth by renewing and sanctifying wholly change the old appearances of vertues into solid graces flowing from Christ the fountain and referred to God as their true end so doth it also require and bestow its proper graces such as Repentance Faith Humility and many other unto which these Moralists were altogether strangers And as to this humility it is certain that the Gospel by discovering unto us the lost and wretched condition whereinto sin had ruined us and the free and wonderful love whereby we are delivered out of it doth agreeably to this command teach us a lowliness and self-denyal so unlike to any thing in the doctrine of these old Moralists that it is not more proper to the spirit of the Gospel then it 's contrary pride may be called their Characteristick in as much as it is evident that these self improvers of self became also self magnifiers to that pitch of arrogancie that Lucretius and Seneca in the name of their most famous Sects indeavoured by argument to extoll thier vertuous man even above their Gods and the best of them would have accounted Christian humility an unworthy and base abjection of spirit but neither are these the only men tainted with this evil the sin of pride is so plainly the ruin of all that are without God and the neck break of all that seek after righteousness otherwayes then by Faith that we may well affirm Humility to be Faiths inseparable companion Nowonder then that there is no grace more commended to Christians and more necessary which might appear by considering 1. The commands whereby it is pressed in Scripture 2. The weightiness of the expressions in which it is holden forth 1. Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time Rom. 12. 3. For I sayâ— through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith Philip. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better then themselves James 4. 6 10. But he giveth more grace wherefore he saith God resisteth the proud but giveth grace unto the humble Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shal lift you up 3. The many commendations of it it maketh us 1 like Christ Matth. 11. 29. John 13. from v. 4. to 18. and is particularly taught by him 2. It is an ornament which we ought to be cloathed with 1. Pet. 5. 5. 3. It fitteth for sutable discharge of duties Micah 6. 8 4. It procureth the increase of Grace 1 Pet. 5. 5. 5. It is more then to command a City for it maketh a man master of himself Prov. 16. 17. 18. 19. 6. It hath many promises of exalâ—ation throughout the Scripture and of riches honour and long life Prov. 22 4 Psal 112. 3. Lastly it preventeth many evils and vices that are incident even to Christians and leadeth to the contrary vertues 1 Humility moderateth a mans design in pressing for honour so it preventeth Ambition 2. His pursuing inordinately after riches and so it suppresseth Covetousness 3. Inordinate seeking after knowledge and so it guardeth against Curiosity 4. It moderateth in reference to a mans esteem of himself and so it shooteth ouâ— Self-confidence And then if ye consider it with reference to a man of eminent parts or station it preventeth 1. Disdain in him of others inferiour to him 2. It preventeth despising of others counsel
neglect or omit to reprove the prophanity and gross wickedness of his Sons yet did not reprove at that rate of holy severity called for and answerable to their atrocious and villanous wickedness he frowned not on them and dealt not roughly with them as he should have done as is clear by comparing 1 Sam. 2. 22. 23. 24. 25. with 1 Sam. 3. 13. 10. By rash putting men in Offices for which they are not all or not competently qualified and so cannot but in all probability sin much in them especially in the Office of the Ministry 1 Tim. 5. 22 11. By not endeavouring by all suitable and lawful means within the compass of our power and calling to prevent the sin of others and to restrain them from it as Eli is on this account challenged by the Lord 1 Sam. 3. 13. 12. By broaching venting teaching and spreading heresies and false doctrine thus Antichrist is notoriously and primely guilty of this sin of soul-murther as all false teachers and seducers are less or more according to the nature of the doctrine taught by them and their industry in propagating the same and likewise all that tolerate and do not restrain them whose Office obligeth them to it according to their power All these and other ways may men be accessory to other mens sins and so make themselves guilty of this great and cruel sin of Soul-murther This sort of murther aboundeth and is very rife and yet is in an especial manner forbidden by this command and the prevention of it accordingly called for it being a greater evidence of love to our neighbour to be careful of his soul then of his body the one being more pretious then the other and however false Prophets teachers and seducers seem ordinarily to be most tender of mens persons and most desirous to please them yet are they in this sort horridly guilty of their murther 3. There is a life of contentment consisting in the tranquillity of the mind and the calm frame of a quiet spirit with comfort joy and chearfulness to this purpose saith Paul 1. Thess 3. 8. I live if ye stand fast in the Lord and it is said of Jacob Gen. 45. 27. when he heard that Joseph lived his spirit revived as if it had been dead before because of his great heaviness arising from the supposed death of his Son thus we become guilty of this Sin of killing when we obstruct or interrupt the spiritual comfort and joy or the inward contentment of our neighbour by fear heaviness disquietness discouragement c. whereby his life is made bitter and his tranquillity impaired and so his hurt procured or furthered As Josephs brethren did not only become guilty of his blood but of weighting their Father and deadning as it were his spirit which afterwards at the news of Josepths being alive revived so people may be guilty against their Ministers when they make them do their work not with joy but grief as it is Heb. 13. 17. Again Murther as it respecteth the bodily life of our Neighbour is either immediate as Cains was of Abel Joahs of Abner and Amasa or mediate as Sauls was of the Lords Priests Davids of Uriah and Achabs of Naboth Again killing may be considered either as purposed such as Cain's was of Abel and Joab's of Abner and Amasa or not purposed which again is twofold 1. Innocent which is even by the Law of God every way so and is indeed no breach of this Command as when a man following his duty doth that which beside contrary to his intention without any previous neglect or oversight in him proveth the hurt death of another 2. Culpable bcause although it do proceed beyond the purpose of the person yet it is occasioned and caused by a culpable negligence As suppose one were hewing with an Ax which he either knew or might have known to be loose and the head not well fastened to the helve did not advertise those about him of it if by flying off it happend to wound or kill any person he were not innocent but if without any inadvertencie he either knew not that it were loose or that any were about him if then it should fall off and kill his Neighbour in this case he is guiltless So when the Lord commanded those who built houses to build battlements about the roofs of them if any person fell where the battlements were the Master was free if the battlements were not he was guilty Murther is also either to be considered as committed after provocation or without all provocation which is a great aggravation of the sin though the provocation maketh it not cease to be a sin Further it may be considered as it is the murther of evil and wicked men or of good and religious men and that on the account of their Religion which is a most horrid aggravation of the murther Lastly this murther is either ordinary as of meer equals or inferiours or extraordinarly aggredged by the quality of the person murthered whether he be a supperiour as a Magistrate a Parent or whether he be of a near Relation as a Brother or Kinsman c. We come a little more particularly to consider the extent nature of the sin forbidden here which is not certainly to be understood of taking the life by publick Justice or in a lawful or just War or in necessary and pure self-defence that we may the better understand the contrary duty commanded It implyeth then a hurting which we may consider 1. as in the heart 2. as in the mouth or words 3. as in gestures 4. as in deeds for we take it for granted that it reacheth further then the gross outward act as by Christs exposition of it in Matth. 5. is incontrovertibly clear The heart is the fountain spring and treasure of all evil in it breedeth all evil and from it proceedeth this murther Matth. 15. 19. he that in heart hateth his brother is a murtherer 1 John 3 15. In a word whatever is opposite to love in the heart is a breach of this Command As 1. hatred which is malitious and simply wisheth ill to our Neighbour and only because we love him not with out any other reason as one wickedly said No amo te Zabidi nec possum dicere quart Hoc tantum possum dicere non amo te So Cain hated his Brother without cause 2. Anger that supponeth a pretended wrong and is desirous of revenge because of ingratitude pretended in justice c. 3. Envy whereby we are grieved with the good of another supposing though groundlesly that it obstructeth ours and therefore we seek to overturn it Anger is cruel and wrath outragious but who can stand before Envy saith Solomon There is often secret hatred on this ground more irreconcileable then where many and grave reasons can be given 4. Rage which presseth reveng beyond what is condign though it follow it lawfully as to outward means 5. Sâ—vitia or