Body of Divinity

I. Of the growth of our Graces.

As we ought to examine ourselves of the truth of our graces when we go to the Lord's Supper, so likewise of their growth and strength: true grace will grow.

The Lord's Supper is a sealing and strengthening Ordinance, therefore presupposeth life, we should then know the degree and strength of our graces.

Grace is a supernatural and peculiar quality wrought in the people of God by his Spirit, whereby they are enabled to please God in all things.

• 1. A quality in us, sometimes it signifieth grace in God, Being justified freely by his grace.
• 2. Supernatural, enableth us to do things above nature.
• 3. Peculiar, to distinguish it from common graces in reprobates which are supernatural, as the grace of God working miracles.
• 4. Wrought in us by the Spirit, it is not in us by nature or education, it is the grace of God, he is the God of all grace.
• 5. To please God in all things, we must have respect to all his Commandments.

The Scripture speaks much of abounding and growing in grace, Psal. 92. 12. 1 Cor. 15. 58.

The word abounding is taken from rivers, the other from all sorts of vitals or plants. The Apostle calls upon the Corinthians to be strong, and upon Timothy to be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus, and upon the Ephesians, to be strong in Christ, and in the power of his might. Paul prays for the Ephesians, that according to the riches of his grace the Lord would strengthen them by his Spirit with all might in the inward man. Bodily strength is a natural gift common to man with beast, yet many brag of it, spiritual strength is far more excellent. See Heb. 10. 29. Ephes. 4. 15.

There is always a furthermore in Christianity, 1 Thess. 4. 1. Ubi incipis nolle fieri melior, ibi etiam de sinis esse bonus. Bern. Epist. 91.

Reasons why Christians should strive to grow in grace.

First, God commands it, Phil. 1. 12. Ephes. 3. 19. Colos. 2. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Heb. 6. 1.

Secondly, God commends it, O woman great is thy faith. Stephen was full of the holy Ghost, Acts 9. 36.

Thirdly, The Saints of God have practiced it, 1. Prayed for the increase of grace, Phil. 3. 11. 2. Laboured for the increase of it.

Fourthly, From the similitudes to which a child of God is compared in Scripture, to trees, Psal. 1. 2. & 91. 12. Isa. 61. 3. Hos. 14. 5. Plants grow till they die, whence they are called vegetables.

Fifthly, From the nature of grace, where there is truth of grace it will grow, Matth. 13. 8. because it puts a man into Christ, whosoever is in him must needs be fruitful, John 15. 5. if the body of Christ did not grow as well as the head it would be a monstrous body, Col. 2. 19. Ephes. 2. 10.

Sixthly, According to the measure of your grace shall be the degree of your glory, 2 Pet. 1. 10. He that soweth liberally shall reap liberally.

Motives to get strength and grow in grace:

• 1. We need more strength, Revel. 3. 9. Grace is the elevation of the soul.
• 2. It is more honorable to have a great measure of grace, Revel. 2. 19. Christ checks his Disciples for their little faith.
• 3. If we grow not in grace we decrease, Heb. 6. 1. compared with v. 4. All Christians (saith Jerome ) are like the Angels in Jacob's ladder, they all ascended or descended, Qui dixit sufficit deficit. 1 John 3. 3.
• 4. Fruitful Christians are in a happy condition, Heb. 6. 7. God is much honored by them, John 15. 5, 8. Phil. 1. 11. he will delight to dwell with them, at the day of judgment they shall receive public approbation and remuneration, Matth. 25. 23.

Marks of the growth of grace:

• 1. It is a proportionable growth, a growth in all the parts, our faith is suitable to our knowledge, our love to our faith, and practice to both.
• 2. Constant, at least in our desires and endeavors.
• 3. It will grow against all hindrances.

The infallible Signs of growth in grace, are these

• 1. When we grow more spiritual:
  • 1. In our aims, when we have pure intentions in every action.
  • 2. In our duties, when the mind is more enlightened to mind spiritual duties, and to resist spiritual temptations, when we oppose thoughts and lusts, not only morally but spiritually evil, and when we relish the more spiritual part of the Word, 1 Cor. 10. 6.
  • 3. In our motives, when we resist sin, not because it will damn us, but because it is against God's law, purity, and defiles us.
• 2. When we grow more solid and judicious, 1 Cor. 13. 11. Phil. 1. 9. Growth is not to be measured by the intenseness and vigor of the affections, that is more in young Christians.
• 3. When we grow more humble, by long experience reflexive light is increased, one is more able to look into conscience, and see his own defects, Prov. 30. 2.

The lowest degree of growth in grace may be discerned by two Marks:

• 1. By longing for food, 1 Pet. 2. 2.
• 2. By being humbled for want of growth, Mark 9. 24. It is a good degree of our growth in grace to see how much we want.

There is difference between growth in gifts and graces, 1 Cor. 1. 5, 7. Many in these days grow in gifts: gifts are for others, and but for this life: growth in gifts often puffeth up, but growth in grace humbleth.

A Christian may grow either quoad amplitudinem scientiae, or efficaciam scientiae, the enlargement of his knowledge may be both in respect of the matter, he may know more things then he did, as also in the manner, more clearly, evidently and firmly then he did, or else in the efficacy of his knowledge, he knoweth them more practically.

2. Means of our spiritual Growth:

1. General, the Word, 1 Pet. 2. 2. it is compared to rain, Deut. 32. 2. and such things as will further growth, Isa. 55. 5, 11. milk; Children never grow so much in so short a time, as when they are sed with milk, sincere milk, not mixed with error, 2 Cor. 2. ult.

2. Particular Helps:

• 1. We should labor to live under the means of growth and prize them, Zech. 4. 12. the Sacrament is a strengthening Ordinance.
• 2. We should overcome our lusts, I am. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 2, 3. The good ground hears the Word with a good and honest heart.
• 3. We should be daily questioning ourselves how we do grow, 1 Cor. 12. ult. Heb. 6. 1.
• 4. Be often in the use and exercise of that grace wherein we desire to grow, 1 Tim. 4. 14, 15. the right hand and foot are stronger, because they are more used, improve thy knowledge by teaching others, and zeal when the name of God is dishonored, and faith by depending on God in all occurrences, by applying the promises, exercise repentance, 2 Cor. 7. 7. humility, God gives grace to the humble, self-denial, love, that sets obedience on work, 2 Cor. 5.
• 5. Constant prayer for God's blessing on the Word, and all other means, Jude v. 20. The Disciples said, Lord, increase our faith, Luk. 17. 5. Praying Christians will certainly be growing Christians.

Strength of grace is discovered by two things:

• 1. When duties are easy, Rom. 15. 20.
• 2. When crosses are light, Bonds and afflictions abide me where ever I come, saith Paul, yet none of these move me.

Strength is an ability of working powerfully, we must have it from Christ, Isa. 45. 24. Col. 1. ult.

All graces show their virtue and efficacy two ways:

• 1. When they strongly and lively produce their own acts, as a strong assent, and most firm and fixed acknowledgement of any truth shows a strong faith.
• 2. By a laborious and earnest resisting their contrary, as a strong casting away, and loathing, and abhorring doubting conceits, shows faith also to be strong.

Christ by his Spirit,

• 1. Increaseth graces in us, faith, love, humility, self denial.
• 2. Acts the graces received, Cant. 4. 16. Rom. 7. 18.
• 3. Brings to our minds the truths of God and former works of God, Heb. 12. 5.
• 4. Renews our comforts, and freshly imprints the love of God upon the soul, Rom. 5. 5. 1 John 2 6. Obedience flows from love, so he strengthens us.

We should labor to grow,

First, In knowledge, Hos. 6. 3. Grace increaseth by the knowledge of God, Isa. 11. 18. 2 Pet. 1. 2. & 2 Pet. 3. 10. our fairest portion in heaven is the satisfaction of our understanding in the knowledge of God, Psal. 17. 15 Knowledge is the great promise of the New Covenant, Ier. 31. 34. We should grow in the knowledge of the truths of Christian Religion, of God, Christ, the Sacraments, Justification, Sanctification, and labor to get a powerful, practical, experimental knowledge of these truths, know the power of Christ's death and resurrection, Phil. 3. 10. Knowledge is the first and chief part of God's Image, Col. 3. 10. See Chap. 1. 10. Growth in knowledge is rather to be reckoned by the degrees of knowledge then by the objects and matters known, Prov. 4. 18. I know God and Christ more practically, savingly, the Covenant more distinctly, Heb. 6. 14. We must not from an expectation of new light be hindered from being established in the present principles.

Secondly, In faith, Matth. 9. 24. Luk. 17. 5. Rom. 1. 17. because faith of all graces is most defective (things in Religion are so rare and excellent) and most assaulted by Satan, and growth in all other graces depends on the increase of faith. See Luke 17. 5. We should labor to grow in the assurance of faith, Heb. 6. 14. in the exercise of it, Heb, 10. 38. Gal. 2 20.

• 1. The people of God here must live a life of holiness, as our faith is so is our conversation
• 2. Must bear Christ's Cross, as our faith is so will our carriage be under the Cross, John 11. 14.
• 3. They should be full of peace and joy, this will be according to our faith.

Lastly, We should search and find out what our wants are that we would fain have supplied there, what we stand in need of, we partake of the body and blood of Christ for the supply and augmentation of those graces we stand in need of, Luke 18. 40. The Sacrament is a Grace-increasing Ordinance, consider what graces therefore are most defective in you, and come to Christ for a supply of them.

II. Directions for our carriage in the Duty.

By faith we come to see that the Sacraments are the Lord's Ordinances, and that those things which he promiseth in the Covenant of Grace, and sealeth in the Sacrament, are far better then all profits and pleasures in this world. By it we come to be stirred up to desire and long after these benefits, and so to covet them, that nothing in this world will satisfy us without them.

We should exercise faith at the Lord's Table, view the arguments the Ordinance itself affords.

• 1. Here is Christ crucified before thine eyes, and he clearly offers it to thy soul in particular, he applies it to thee, This is my body which was broken for thee, and my blood which was shed for thee. Run over the sad story of Christ's agony, and say, This was done by my Lord for my poor soul.
• 2. The Lord calls thee hither on purpose, because thou art weak. He will cherish weak beginnings, Mat. 12. 20.

For our affections we must behave ourselves with joy, comfort and reverence. See 2 Chron. 30. 21. & Mat. 26. 30.

Thy heart should be cheerful in God and thankful, praise him. Thankfulness and joy are the effects of faith; the Ordinances are often compared to feasts and banquets, because of the spiritual delight and rejoicing which the soul ought to take in them. Hence the very Sacrament is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , because of the giving thanks unto God for his mercies. The outward duty is comfortable, Circumcision was a bloody rite, yet this is nothing to the inward sweetness, John 4. 32. In one of the Evangelists it is said, Christ blest the bread, in another it is said, Christ gave thanks, Christ when he instituted this Sacrament gave thanks to God the Father that he was pleased to send him into the world to die for poor souls.

Fear is proper to the duty of the Supper, because of those excellent mysteries. Chrysostom calls this Table, Horribilis mystica mensa, Psal. 68. 35. mixed affections do best in a mixed state in the whole worship of God, Psal. 2. 11. Hos. 3. 7.

For our thoughts:

We must meditate,

• 1. On the outward signs, and what they signify.
• 2. On the dainties prepared.
• 3. The love of him that prepared them.
• 4. On our communion with Christ, his Graces and faithful people.

The effect of these affections and thoughts will be stirring up the heart to thanksgiving.

When we taste the wine we should consider its properties, Psal. 104. 15. Judge. 9. 13. so there is satisfaction to God and comfort to the creature in the blood of Christ, wine engenders new spirits, warms and refines them, the blood of Christ infuseth a new vigor into the soul.

Our Communion with Christ in the Supper is not only with his gifts and graces, but with his Person, whole Christ. There are two Elements to signify this, Bread his Body, and Wine his Blood. Our Communion is with his whole Person, with Christ invested with all kind of Offices to do us good, and furnished with rich graces and comforts, 1 John 5. 16. We partake of his wisdom as a Prophet, righteousness as a Priest, grace and glory as a King.

What must be done after the Sacrament?

We must endeavor to find an increase of faith, love, and all saving graces in us, abounding more and more in well-doing.

We should speak of the sweetness of Christ to others, Psal. 34. 8.

Some Disciples have gone from this Supper triumphing, and trampling upon Satan as Lions breathing fire (saith Chrysostom ) terrible to the Devils themselves.

If we find not the fruit of this Ordinance presently, either it may come from want of preparation, or from trusting in our own preparation, 2 Chron. 26. 15, 16. or want of thankfulness for our preparation, 1 Chron. 29. 14. or from want of stirring up the graces we have received in that duty, Isa. 57. 8. 2 Tim. 1. 6. Or, Because we were not humbled for former neglects, Psal. 32. 4, 5.

God may deny us the present sense of our benefit:

• 1. To train us up to live by faith, 2 Cor. 5. 7.
• 2. To try our graces.
• 3. That we may more diligently search into our own souls, Psal. 77. 6.

How oft ought the Sacrament to be received?

Amongst the Papists the people communicate only once a year, viz. at Easter, which superstitious custom many of our ignorant people follow.

Calvin 4. Institut. 43. & 46. roundly professeth, that it behooveth that the Eucharist be celebrated at least once a week.

The Christians in some parts of the Primitive Church took the Sacrament every day, because they did look to die every day. Now in many places it is administered every month.

Of the Gesture at the Sacrament.

Some have written Books for kneeling at the Sacrament, others against it.

Calvin ^c speaking of the reverence of kneeling, saith it is lawful if it be directed not to the sign▪ but to Christ himself in heaven, which was the resolute profession of our English Church in the use of this gesture.

Some much urge our Savior Christ's example, and a Table-gesture for sitting.

Christ's example hath not the force of a Commandment: For

• 1. It is not certainly expressed what gesture he used in the act of receiving.
• 2. It hath not the force of a Commandment in any other part of his service, as preaching, praying, therefore neither in this.
• 3. It hath not the force of a Commandment in other circumstances of this action, therefore neither in this.
• 4. It is apparent that the gesture was taken up occasionally, therefore the example of Christ therein doth not tie us.

We receive not the Sacrament with our meals, as Christ and the Apostles at first did, therefore we are not tied to the gesture of meals.

It was the manner of those times and long before at meals to lie on their beds, leaning on their elbows, and supporting themselves with pillows, so the Evangelists words signify.

CHAP. XI. Of Extraordinary Religious Duties, Fasting, Feasting and Vows. I. Of Fasting.

SInce God in the Old Testament by Moses commanded the Jews a solemn and anniversary Fast in the tenth day of the seventh month, Numb. 24. 7. Lev. 16. 31. & 22. 27, 29. since there are examples of many pious persons fasting in the Scripture, and since in the New Testament there is a frequent commendation of fasting, Matth. 9. 14. & 6. 16. & 17. 21. 1 Cor. 7. 5. & 2 Cor. 6. 5. Act. 9. 9. & 13. 2. & 14. 23. it is plain that the Doctrine of Fasting doth belong to Religion and Piety, and the worship of God.

In itself it is not any worship of God, but only as it tends to some holy end, to pray the better, to humble our souls the better, for though it pleaseth God, yet everything that pleaseth him is not presently worship.

The phrase which S ^t Luke useth, chap. 2. 37. doth no more urge us to make Fasting worship, then S ^t Paul's phrase Act. 20. 19. doth make temptations a special kind of worship. Fasting may be called worship by a trope, as being a special adjunct of some extraordinary worship. Doctor Ames against D. Burgess. part 1. pag. 145.

Bellarmine lib. 2. cap. 1. defines fasting to be Cibi abstinentiam secundum Ecclesiae regulam assumptam, making no mention of the end of Fasting, though it be especially to be judged of by the end, and it is mere hypocrisy if it be only undertaken to satisfy the commandment of the Church, as it is usual among the Papists, who think they have fasted well when they have abstained from meat or flesh on such days as it is forbidden without any consideration of a just end.

There are several sorts of Fasts, Natural, Civil and Metaphorical. But a holy or religious Fast is a voluntary abstinence from all our lawful refreshments to some religious end.

M. Fenner and M. Ball thus define it.

A holy Fast is a religious abstinence from all the labors of our calling, and comforts of this life, so far as comliness and necessity will permit, that we may be more seriously humbled before God, and more fervent in prayer, 1 Cor. 7. 5. Joel 2. 14, 15, 16. Dan. 9. 1, 2, 3. & 10. 1, 2, 3. Ezra 8. 21.

It hath the name of Fasting from one most sensible part, viz. the abstinence from food denominating the whole exercise.

We must abstain,

• 1. From bodily labors and worldly business. For the time of the Fast hath the nature of a Sabbath. It is called by the Prophet Joel, a solemnity or day of prohibition Joel 1. 4. & 2. 15. wherein men are forbidden to do any work, as the Lord expoundeth that word, Lev. 23. 36. Deut. 16. 8.
• 2. Food, there must be a total abstinence from meat and drink, so far as our health will permit, 2 Sam. 3. 35. Ezra 9. 6. Esth. 4. 16. Ion. 3. 7. Act. 9. 9.
• 3. From sleep in part. David lay upon the ground all night, 2 Sam. 12. 26. See Esth. 4. 3. Joel 1. 13.
• 4. From costly attire, Exod. 33. 5, 6. heretofore they wore sackcloth and lay in ashes, and used all those actions which might humble them in God's presence.
• 5. Carnal delights, Joel 2. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 5.
• 6. The end must be religious, to be better fitted for prayer and seeking of God.

The ends of a Fast are two, humiliation and reconciliation, as appeareth, Levite. 23. 26. to 33. The things in which the Fast must be spent are exercises fitting these ends.

The means, 1. of Humiliation, are Natural or Spiritual.

The Natural are forbearance of food both meat and drink, so far as it may stand with our ability, and not hinder ut from praying and good meditations, as also of work and labor, wherefore it is called sanctifying a Fast, Levite. 23. 28. Joel 1. 14. and all natural delights otherwise lawful, Joel 2. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 5. and lastly of costly attire, Jonah 3. 8. To appear in a mean habit is a natural help of abasing ourselves, but in private Fasting we are bid to anoint ourselves, Matth. 6. that we may not appear to fast.

The Spiritual helps are chiefly four:

• 1. Examining our hearts and lives that we may find out our manifold sins, Lam. 3. 40.
• 2. The aggravation of our sins by considering their heinousness in regard of the ill effects, and the like.
• 3. Confessing them, and judging ourselves for them.
• 4. Praying for the Spirit to humble us, bemoaning our own hardness.

These are Means for humiliation.

The Means secondly of Reconciliation are two,

First, To plant in ourselves a firm purpose of leaving sin, Isa. 1. 16, 18. by considering the necessity, profit and difficulty of leaving sin; and God's promises to help us, and by fervent prayers to him to incline our hearts to his testimonies, and to strengthen us that sin may not overcome us.

Secondly, To settle our hearts in a steadfast confidence of his mercy in Christ, pardoning and accepting us. This may be wrought by considering the multitude of God's mercies, the infiniteness of Christ's merits, the largeness of God's promises, and the examples of those whom he hath pardoned, and then by crying earnestly to him to strengthen our faith, and seal up our adoption to us by his Spirit.

The usual time of a Fast is a natural day from Even to Even, or from Supper to Supper, Judge. 20. 26. 2 Sam. 1. 12. & 3. 35. Josh 7. 6.

We read of a three days Fast in Nineveh, • onah 3. 7. and in Esther and her Maids, and in Paul, Acts 9. 9. and of seven days Fast, 1 Sam. 12. 16, 17, 18. and of Daniel's Fast (abstaining from all pleasant bread and drink, and giving himself to prayer and humiliation) for three whole weeks, Daniel 10. 1, 2. And we read of Fasting alone till Even, Judges 20. 23, 26. & 21. 2. 2 Samuel 1. 12. & 3. 36.

Such a Fast may either be kept of many together, a whole Congregation publicly, or by a few, that is a Family or two privately, or else by one alone secretly, as we may perceive in the former examples. In private and solitary Fasting we should carry the matter so, that it may be private, and we may not appear to Fast. Some think it not therefore convenient for so many to meet in a private Fast, as may make the face of a Congregation, and that go beyond the number of a usual family or two, for this (say they) is to turn a private duty into a public.

The times for Fasting are

First, When God's judgments are ready to fall upon us, either personal or public judgments, then there is reason for a private or public Fast, so Ezra 's Fast was because of the great desolations upon the Church, and Esther's because of the bloody Proclamation to kill all the Jews.

Secondly, When we desire to obtain any public or particular good, so Act. 13. when they desired public good on the Ministry, they fasted and prayed. So Hannah for her particular, she fasted and prayed for a child. When we undertake any great and dangerous business for which we need God's help. See Matth. 4. 2. & 17. 21. Act. 13. 24. & 14. 23.

Thirdly, When we are pressed with some special sin, 1 Corinth. 9. 27. 2 Cor. 12. 8.

A man is not bound to an acknowledgement of all his particular sins, when he comes solemnly to humble himself before God. He hath not such clear light to discern sin, not so faithful a memory to retain it, nor is not so watchful to consider his ways, Psal. 19. 12. & 40. 12. Eccles. 1. 15. A general repentance sufficeth, because he that truly repents of all known sins repents of all sins. After some scandalous falls we must be more particular, Psal. 51. David chiefly spends his sorrow on that great sin. In deep distress we must search diligently to find out the sin that provokes God, Psal. 32.

We should rise early on a Fast, 2 Sam. 12. 16. Joel 1. 13. It is probable that for this cause some lay on the ground, others in sackcloth in the night of their Fasts, not only to express, but further their humiliation by keeping them from sleeping overmuch or oversweetly.

Preaching was used by God's people at their solemn Fasts, to quicken them to prayer, Nehem. 9. 3. compared with 8. 8. Ier, 36. 5, 6.

It is not unlawful to fast privately on the Lord's-day, the service of the ordinary Sabbath is not contrary but helpful to the exercise of mourning and godly sorrow; and when we conceive greatest sorrow for sin, it is not unlawful to rejoice in our redemption by Jesus Christ: Christ forbad it not on that day, it not convenient for a public Fast since it should be consecrated unto God only for that purpose.

We should remember the poor on that day, Isa. 58. 17. Quod ventri subtrahitur illud pauperi detur.

The Popish Fast is a mock Fast, worse then the Pharisaical, which yet is condemned by Christ.

First, Fasting is made in the Church of Rome a worship of God, and a work of righteousness. Junius had much a do to keep a poor woman from despair, because she did eat flesh on some Fast-day, it lay upon her as if she had committed some grievous and unpardonable sin.

Secondly, It is religiously tied to fixed and certain times and days, whereas true Fasting is pro temporibus & causis. Tertul. de jejun.

Thirdly, They think to perform it by forbearing only flesh, when wine and other delicates are not forbidden, which Jerome justly calleth a superstitious Fast.

The forty days Fast, which Moses, Elias and our Savior Christ did fast, were miraculous, and therefore not to be imitated. Neither did they fast forty days every year, but once only in all their life.

Augustine doth sometimes write of the forty days Fast, that it hath a Divine Authority, but meaneth not an authority of precept, but of example, as Elias, Moses and Christ.

We observe Fasting-days, as we call them, by abstinence from flesh (indeed not Fasting-days but Fish-days, as the Law doth rather call them) not with any opinion either for the day, or for the abstinence of any holiness therein, or Religion toward God, but only by way of obedience to politick Laws and duty to our Prince, the Law itself professing itself to be politically intended. Abbot against Bishop.

Instead of Mondays and Thursdays used in the Synagogue, the Church appointed Wednesdays and Fridays for that purpose, holding in them a convenient distance from the Lord's-day as these other did from the Sabbath. M. Thornd. Service of God at Religious Assem. c. 8.

The Papists allow a Break-fast, and they are allowed to eat all variety of roots, fruits, fishes, and whatsoever-junkets which have not any affinity with flesh. They are licensed to drink wine without exception, so that they eat and drink without intemperate excess. Yet Bellarmine (l. 2. de bonis operibus c. 5.) saith, Vinum cal • faciendo corpus incitat in libidinem, Prov. 20. 1. Wine is luxurious, and in that respect it was called by the very Heathen 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the milk of Venus.

A child partaking once of their delicate fast, not many days after longing for the former kind of dainties, cried to his mother, saying, Good Mother when shall we fast again? B. Mort. Appeal l. 2. c. 24. See D. Fulk on Rhem. Test. Col. 2. 23.

Bellarmine reports a story which makes much against him, of Spiridion a godly man, who had a guest come to him on a Fasting-day, and he set flesh before him having nothing else, I will not eat, saith the guest, because I am a Christian; Nay therefore (said he) eat, and make no difference, because thou art a Christian.

CHAP. XII. II. Holy Feasting or Religious Thanksgiving.

AN holy Feast is an extraordinary Thanksgiving for some notable deliverance out of some desperate danger, testified with feasting before God, with joy and gladness, sending Presents to our friends, and Portions to the needy.

Or thus:

It is the bestowing of an artificial day in the exercise of rejoicing, for the testifying and increasing of thankfulness for some special benefit.

There were three Feasts every year, and at least two of them to continue seven days apiece; but only one time of Fasting, and that but for one day. God would have us to abound more in joy then sorrow, therefore he saith, Rejoice always, Phil. 4, 4. but not so of mourning. This our Savior may seem to mean in Luke, when he saith, No man when he hath drunk old wine presently drinks new, for the old is better. Fasting is new wine, not so good, nor comfortable, nor wholesome, as old. Godly joy is good of itself, and the end whereat godly sorrow aimeth; godly sorrow is good alone by accident, as it prepares the way and fits the soul for godly joy. Godly sorrow is the medicine of a Christian soul, godly joy the food, and food is better then physic.

A day of Fasting and Prayer is a sweet day: A Thanksgiving day sweeter: For in a day of Fasting and Prayer we deal with the anger, wrath and displeasure of God. In a day of Thanksgiving with the love and mercy of God. In a day of Fasting and Prayer we exercise grief: but in a day of Thanksgiving we exercise love and joy. In a day of Fasting and Prayer our eye is upon our sins, in a day of Thanksgiving upon our graces, to be thankful for them. M. Bridge on 1 Thess. 5. 18.

Not only public Feasts of the Church, but private feasts of some Family were in use in the Church of Israel, and are very lawful, 1 Sam. 20. 29.

The Exercises which must help our Thanksgiving on such days, are partly Natural, partly Spiritual.

The Natural are,

• 1. To eat the fat and drink the sweet, that is, to fare of the best, and that liberally, as Nehem. 8. 10. at which time the rest should be sent to the poor.
• 2. To have helps to mirth and cheerfulness.

The Spiritual, are singing of Psalms, meditating and talking of God's benefits, and prayers to God, consisting most of praises, and the like.

As no abuse of Idolaters can make it unlawful to fast, even in those times when they did fast superstitiously: So neither can any abuse of Idolaters make it unlawful to use such Feasts; only provided that we take heed of surfeiting, drunkenness and superstition.

CHAP. XIII. III. Of a Religious Vow.

THe word Vow is used ambiguously, sometimes for the Matter vowed; and sometimes formally, for the Promise itself; and sometimes again for Prayers which did accompany their Vow.

A Vow made to God is either General, and common to all, as that in Baptism; or Special and Singular, proper to this or that man; by which he alone is bound which hath made the Vow.

The Matter of a Vow, or the thing vowed, ought not to be evil and unlawful; but either good, just, and holy, or at least indifferent, which is not repugnant to the Law of God, in our power.

The Papists hold that nothing can be matter of a Vow, which was due before the Vow was made; but that is false. Genesis 28. 20. Jacob was bound to have God for his God before; our Baptism is a Vow, though the Matter contained in it be a Duty before. Some say, such things as come sub praecepto, are not to be vowed: but such only as are left to our choice, to do or not to do them, as we will. Gregory Nazianzen made a vow unto God, That he would never swear all his life long; which Vow he kept all his days, as writeth Gregory Presbyter in his life. Augustine in Psalm 75. saith we may vow moral eternal Duties.

Vowing is an extraordinary part of God's Worship, whereby a man doth firmly and solemnly bind his conscience unto God, to the performing or not performing of something otherwise indifferent, for his help and furtherance in Godliness.

It is a promise made unto God of things lawful, by such as have power so to do, and thereby to testify their affection and duty towards him. Master Down of Vows.

A binding of ones self to God by a solemn Promise, or rather Oath, to do or not to do something lawful, possible, and useful for our increase in godliness.

To vow, swear, and to covenant, say some, are in Scripture equivalent, importing the same thing, Numb. 30. 2. 1 Sam. 22. 16, 17.

It is called a Covenant, 2 King. 23. 2. an Oath, Numb. 30. 2. though there be some difference between a Vow and an Oath, an Oath is properly by God to men, for it is to end a controversy among men: but a Vow is a promise immediately to God.

A Vow is more then a single purpose: For in it there is, 1. A purpose to do a thing. 2. A binding ourselves to do that we purpose, and to the Lord, Deut. 23. 21.

It is a part of God's Worship, because it immediately and directly tends to express our homage unto God, even as the Word and Sacraments, as being a means effectual to further, help, strengthen, confirm, and increase our inward conformity with his will, specially in the matter of thankfulness, and Nature itself dictates it for that purpose; for Heathen men would use this as a means of showing their thankfulness and confidence in their God.

Some make it not a part of God's Worship, but a help to the parts of God's Worship; but these things may be called helps and furtherances to Worship, which tend to the same end that worship doth, but indirectly, as the circumstances of the action adjoined and annexed to them, but a Vow tends in the same manner; that is, directly; and to the same end; that is, the increase of virtue in our hearts, that the Word and Sacraments do; only it is an extraordinary part of God's Worship, as Fasting, Feasting.

2. It is a firm binding of the conscience unto God, Numb. 30. 3, It is a swearing by God unto God, and so contains implicitly a prayer unto God, to punish us severely and sharply if we fail to perform it, Deut. 23. 23. There are affirmative and negative Vows. Abraham lifted up his hand unto God, that is, vowed and sware unto him by himself, That he would not take so much as a shoe-latchet of the Sodomites goods; and Jacob vowed to offer the tenth at Bethel, and there solemnly and publicly to serve God. But evermore the thing must be in itself indifferent; therefore the Lord commanded that none should by vow dedicate the firstborn, because it was God's before.

The end of a vow must be furtherance in godliness. It must be made to the Lord, he is the Object of it, Judge. 11. 30, 31. Abraham lifted up his hand to him, David vowed and performed to him, Deut. 23. 21. Psal. 50. 14.

Where the Scripture speaks of Vows it mentions Him.

Reasons,

• 1. It is an act of Religious Worship; therefore God only must be the immediate Object.
• 2. There is no example in Scripture of any that vowed to Saints.

Bellarmine therefore might well say, there is no doubt but the Heretics (by which he means Protestants) do judge us Idolatrous, because we make solemn Vows to the Saints; and indeed, acknowledging Vows to be religious Worship, they are much troubled to free their actions from Idolatry. At last they pitch on this, That since Saints are gods by participation, and have his image, therefore we may vow to them: But then we might vow to Magistrates, for they are gods so; and then we might also sacrifice to the Saints, which yet they allow not.

A Vow hath these special Uses:

• 1. To be a confirmation of our faith and confidence in God in the time of need, chiefly in afflictions and temptations.
• 2. To restrain corruption of nature, by avoiding things lawful, if enticements to sin.
• 3. To provoke ourselves to the performance of such Duties as we find ourselves naturally slack unto.

Rules to be observed in making a Vow:

• 1. For the Matter of the Vow, That we vow nothing but things lawful in themselves, and to us in respect of our condition.
• 2. A thing of some weight and moment, either in itself or at least to the party vowing; therefore the Lord forbade the price of a dog, because it is a vile and base creature; it had also a mystery, for he was a type of a backslider, from which God will accept of nothing.
• 3. It must be a thing possible, and in our power to do or not to do.

The manner of vowing:

• 1. It must be done with understanding and advisedly, which was Jephtha 's failing:
• 2. With Humiliation, th • t we have so often dealt perfidiously with God; and with joy also, that God will take us to him again, though we have denied him, Neh. 9. 10. 2 Chron. 29. 36.
• 3. With full purpose of heart to perform, Psal. 76. 11. The very end of Vows and Promises, is to bind our unstable hearts, and to knit our souls more closely to God.
• 4. • n Faith, being reconciled with God. The Vows of Poverty and Continency in the Popish Church are to be condemned, because they are not done in faith, but to the overthrow of it, for hereby they think they do a more meritorious act, and that by these Vows as they please God the more, so God is more obliged to bestow Heaven upon them.
• 5. We must not be over often in vowing, it is an extraordinary Duty.
• 6. We must not make perpetual Vows; therefore in the Vow of the Nazariteship God would not have them make a perpetual Vow, but rather for a time. Certain Ceremonies were appointed to be accomplisht by those that were ordinary at the end of their Vow, by which he doth not only presuppose, but enjoin a set time. We read of no perpetual Nazarites, but extraordinary two, Sampson and Samuel.

Popish Votaries in all respects abuse this Sacred Ordinance; they vow to Saints, vow things unlawful and trivial, to go in gray, things not in the compass of men's power, to be perpetually continent, hope to merit by vowing, and imagine a perfection to themselves from it. They make children to vow which cannot deliberate, and bind them to keep it whether their parents will or no.

It is a question between us and the Papists, An dentur consilia Evangelica à praeceptis distincta? Whether there be Evangelical Counsels, or Counsels of perfection distinct from Precepts?

The Papists say, That in God's Word there are Commands which belong to all, and Counsels which do teach some excellent heroical actions, which if a man do not he sins not, but yet if he do he shall have a greater reward in Heaven.

They call them one while Evangelical Counsels, because they are not commanded in the Law of Moses, but only commended in the Gospel of Christ; another while Counsels of Perfection, because they place a most perfect state and degree of Christian life in the observation of them; Superogatory works are good works done over and above enjoined duty.

They mention three principal and substantial Counsels, Continence or single life, voluntary Poverty, and blind Obedience. Now they say, God doth not command these things at all, but he counsels them as the best. Hence those only that do thus are called religious men, spiritual men, and perfect men; and those that do these things, they say do better and more things then God doth command. This Doctrine is suitable to flesh and blood, which would have God to be a debtor to it.

A thing may be indifferent as a Counsel in the general nature of it, yet in particular to this or that man, it is a precept: as Marriage is not a command to all, yet in particular to him that thinks the not marrying is a greater advancement to God's glory, and he hath the gift to do it, then it is a command to him, so Paul though he took nothing for the preaching of the Gospel as yet he might have done, yet because of that particular case he was in he was bound to do it.

2. When God hath appointed one end, he hath left divers ways or instrumenss to attain that end, it is left then to a man's choice to take which he will, only he is bound to strive to attain the end.

3. In good actions there is the inward work of the heart, and the outward circumstances, which being singular are not commanded, we cannot do more then the Word of God requireth for the inward, and for the outward the number i • not determined, as to pray three or four times, to give so much or so much.

These Vows are not lawful, because they are not in our power, and because they are repugnant to Christian Liberty and the common vocation of all Christians. Continence is not in our power, but is a singular gift of God: To submit ones self to any mortal man by a certain blind obedience, as the Monks do, is repugnant to Christian liberty. To live by begging and the labors of others, doing nothing, is repugnant to the common vocation of men, to whom this ought to be a certain rule, He that doth not labor, let him not eat. Therefore it is not lawful to vow such things!

2. They are not profitable, much less necessary (as they are used by the Papists) but pernicious to the Christian Church. From the Vow of Continence arose abominable filthiness of all kinds in the Monks Cloisters. From the Vow of feigned Poverty arose so many kinds of unprofitable drones, which devour the honey of the sedulous Bees. From the Vow of blind and absolute Obedience, flow such execrable insolencies against the lives of Princes, and such horrible treasons as have frequently been perpetrated by the Jesuits.

CHAP. I. Some things of the Commandments in general.

THe Law was delivered with thunder and lightening, Exod. 19. 18. Heb. 12. 18, 19, 20, 21. so that the mountain quaked, and Moses also trembled, to show that those which break it should be terribly punished, whether it was delivered by God immediately or by the Ministry of Angels. Vide Grotium in Exod. 20. See also L' Estrange of the Sabbath, pag. 35, &c.

The Latin word for Law is Lex, so called, either à Legendo, because the Laws were wont publicly to be read, or à Ligando, because the Law binds all those to obedience to whom it is delivered, or à deligendo, because it makes a choice of things to be done and omitted, to be sought and avoided.

The Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Torah comes from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Iarah, which signifieth First to teach, the Law is a Doctrine. Secondly, Iaculari, to cast a Dart, to signify, that the Law ought to be as a mark to all, to which we should aim in all our actions.

The Law in the largest signification is nothing but the rule of man's obedience.

A Law is a certain rule of life prescribed by a supreme Governor to those which are under him for the well-ordering of their actions to their own, and the public welfare.

By reason of the efficient or the Author some Laws are called Divine, some Human; Divine, those which were established by God; Human, those which were established by men.

Secondly, By reason of the matter, Divine Laws are divided into Moral, Ceremonial and Judicial, Deut. 4. 13, 14.

M ^r Hudson in his Divine Right of Government, l. 1. c. 2. (if he were the Author thereof) saith, the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws of Moses are but Commentaries on that part of the first and second Table of the ten Commandments, which relates to outward actions, setting down more ample and particular rules of instruction, whereby to order and regulate the outward actions of public Societies in matters concerning worship and policy, according as the Moral Law had done in brief and general terms, for regulating the external actions of every private man in particular in relation to the same end.

The Law of God is that rule of life which he hath enjoined to man his reasonable creature for the ordering of his actions to his own and the common good, and the glory of the maker of all.

It is called the Moral Law, because it setteth down all duties for manners of mankind.

The ten Commandments are a perfect platform of obedience summarily delivering in ten words, the whole substance of all that duty to which the sons of men stand bound in conscience before God, if they be out of Christ, to do it without fail or else to be damned; if in Christ, to strive with all their main to perform it perfectly.

The Law is the whole will of God, and the whole duty of man. It was written by God upon Tables of stone, to show the perpetuity and stability of it, hereby also was signified, the hardness of the Jews heart which could not easily receive that impression of the Law. It was after delivered to Moses to be kept in the Ark of testimony, as a figure of Christ's accomplishing them for us.

The sum of the Moral Law is extant in the Decalogue , as the tenth humber is most perfect and capacious, so also the moral Law comprehended in ten words by the most wise God is most perfect. Some say, they were so many according to the number of our fingers the most familiar instrument of numbering, Peter Martyr well resembled the Decalogue to the ten Predicaments, because as there is nothing hath a being in nature, but what may be reduced to one of those ten; so neither is there any Christian Duty, but what is comprehended in one of these.

There is a twofold division of the Decalogue laid down in Scripture. First, Into two Tables. Secondly, Into ten words or precepts, Deut. 4. 13. Matth. 22. 37.

First, The Decalogue is divided into two Tables, Exod. 32. 12. & 34. 1, 4. Deut. 5. 22. & 10. 14. Eph. 6. 1, 2. The first Table declareth our duty to God immediately, the second declareth our duty to our neighbor for God's sake. The first Table prescribes offices of piety toward God, the second offices of charity toward our neighbor. Christ himself teacheth this, Matth. 22. 37, 38, 39, 40. Holiness and righteousness are often joined together, Luke 1. 73, 74. Eph. 4. 24. In the former Table are the four first Commandments, in the later the six last.

It is confessed by all that there are ten Commandments, and they divided into Tables . But it is a Question between us and the Papists, How many Precepts are to be assigned to each Table? We assign four Precepts to the first Table, six to the second, they three to the first Table and seven to the second. Vide Aquin. 1 • , 2 • Quaest. 100. Art. 4. See B. And. large exposit. of the Command.

The Lutherans follow them, they join together the Precept of not having other gods with that of not making graven Images, & they divide the last Commandment into two, so that one forbids the lusting after another man's wife, the other lusting after other things. Of this opinion was Austin, whom many others followed, but especially the Papists, almost all, and those which some call Lutherans. Vide Maresii College. Theol. Both thought that conjunction to be fit, that they might excuse their sacrilege by which they are wont to raze out of their books that Commandment of not making nor worshipping religious Images, that so also the number of the ten Precepts may be manifest, even that Appendix, as they call it, being also taken away. Others would have four Commandments in the first Table, six in the second, therefore they say those two Commandments are different, that of not having other gods, and this of not making graven Images, and that the forbidding of the lusting after both wife and house is but one Commandment, which opinion our Churches commonly embrace and confirm by reasons drawn out of Scripture, and by the authority of many of the Ancients. The first Reason is taken out of the collation of those places of Exod. 20. 17. & Deut. 5. 21. where the Commandment of not lusting is repeated; for when it is so uttered in the first place, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors house, thou sh • lt not covet thy neighbors wife, nor his man-servant. In the second the words are so inverted that the wife is put in the first place to whom the house, field, servant are added, by which translation of the words about coveting another's wife and house, they rightly infer the precepts were not distinct. The second reason is derived from that, that these things are different, who is to be worshipped, and how he is to be worship • d, therefore there is a double precept, one concerning the • rue object of worship, the other concerning the manner and reason how he ought or ought not to be worshipped, therefore distinct kinds of Idolatry are forbidden, one more gross by which we err in the object, when the true God either is not worshipped, or not alone worshipped; the other, when he is not worshipped in Spirit and truth, or in that manner which he hath prescribed in his Law, which make distinct prohibitions. S ^t Jerome and generally all the Ancients, as well Jews as Christians before Augustine were of that opinion. Vide Musc. loss. commun in prael. 1. Zanch. Decalog. l. 1. c. 11. Thes. 4. Those which think otherwise here urge the word which is repeated, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife; whence they infer that they are two distinct Precepts. But the Law concerning concupiscence is one, which forbids thoughts and desires contrary to sound contentment: for the object of this Commandment is one, and the clause is general in these words, Nor anything that is his. If for the variety of things falling under desire we shall make divers precepts, two will not suffice: The Apostle Rom. 7. 7. citing the last Commandment, calls it the Commandment not Commandments. Augustine Quaest 71. in Exod. fancied a mystery, that the number of three Commandments touching Godmight betoken the Trinity.

There is a great Question about the Moral Law, which was first written in man's heart in the time of his Creation, the Law that was proclaimed by God's own mouth upon Mount Sinai, which we call the ten Commandments, whether it be in force in the Christian Church?

First, Take the true state of the Question betwixt us and the Antinomians that deny the Law to be in force, in these distinctions:

• 1. You must distinguish betwixt the Law given to Adam in Paradise, as a Covenant of life and death, and as it is given in the hand of a Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 2. You must distinguish betwixt the things that are contained in the Law, and the binding power of the Law.
• 3. You must distinguish betwixt the principal Law-giver, and the ministerial Law-giver.
• 4. You must distinguish betwixt the Law given by God, even by the hand of Moses in the true intent and meaning of it, and between the interpretation that the Jewish Doctors could make of it.
• 5. You must distinguish betwixt the Law itself, and the sanction of it.

The only Question is about the binding power of the Law, that is, Whether the things contained in the ten Commandments are by the Lord (the great Lawgiver) commanded now to Christians?

The Antinomians hold the contrary, quid nobis cum Mose? the only rule (say they) they are under, is the free Spirit of God, inclining them by a holy renewed nature to do that which is good in his sight, they are acted by a Law of love, and they do the things of the Law, but not because commanded in the Law, they urge Rom. 6. 14. 1 Tim. 1. 9. But on the other side, the Orthodox Divines say, That it is true, our light is only from Christ, and the Spirit of God dwelling in us is the fountain of all the good we do; but yet, say they, the Lord hath commanded his holy Law to be our Rule, which we must look to, which if we transgress we sin, and are to account every transgression of it a sin, and so are to be humbled for it, and to walk as those which have offended a gracious God.

Reasons to prove the moral Law still in force to believers:

First, Some places of Scripture prove it, as Mal. 4. 12. Eccles. 13. 4. Matth. 5. 17. Think not (saith Christ) that I am come to destroy the Law, I am not come to destroy but to fulfill it. So Matth. 22. 37. Rom. 3. 31. Rom. 7. 22. Rom. 13. 9. I am. 2. 8, 10, 11. Ephes. 6. 2. Revel. 22. 14. which Scriptures make it clear that believers are under the moral Law.

Secondly, If believers be not under the Law, then they do not sin if they do contrary to the Law, or neglect the things commanded in the Law, For where there is no Law there is no transgression.

Thirdly, Because the Lord when he doth promise in the Old Testament the new Covenant, he doth in that Covenant promise to write his Law in their hearts, there should be such a suitableness between their spirits and the Law of God that they should carry the counterpane of it in their hearts.

It is a presumptuous speech to say, Be in Christ and sin if thou canst, for David's murder after he was in Christ was a sin, 2 Sam. 12. 13. In many things we offend all, Jam. 3. 2. 1 Joh. 1. 8.

Some object and say that this is an argument we are freed from it, Because their heart is so willing to conform to God's will, that they shall need no other rule to walk by but their own Spirit.

Answ. If there be that conformity in them, yet the readiness of the child to obey his Fathers will doth not take off the command of the Father.

Fourthly, The moral Law is in effect nothing but the Law of nature, we owe it to God as our Creator.

Believers are freed from the Law:

• 1. As a Covenant of life, Do this and live, they have no need to look for life that way, they have it at a better hand and a cheaper rate, for eternal life to them is the gift of God, and the purchase of Jesus Christ.
• 2. From the rigor of the Law.
• 3. The irritation and coaction of it.
• 4. From the condemning power, and the curses of it.

The Law is:

• 1. A glass to reveal and make known unto us the holiness of God, and the will of God; and secondly, to make ourselves known to ourselves, by the Law comes the knowledge of sin, Rom. 3. 20.
• 2. It is a Foil to set off Christ, it drives them out of their own righteousness, and makes them highly prize Christ and the benefits by him, Rom. 7. 24, 25.
• 3. It is a perfect Rule of all our obedience.
• 4. The meditation of the terrors of the Law, and the threatenings and curses which the Lord hath denounced against them that break it are one of the sanctified means of grace for the subduing and beating down of corruption, Luk. 12. 5. 1 Cor. 9. 29.

The Antinomians cry Away with the Law, and what hath the Law to do with a Christian? and they say, that such a one who preacheth things out of the moral Law is a legal Preacher; they say, the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, and the free Spirit is our rule.

None ought to be legal Preachers, that is, to preach salvation by keeping of the Law, only the Papists are such. See Rom. 6. 14. Col. 2. 24. But the Law must be preached as a rule of obedience, and as a means to discover sin and convince men of their misery out of Christ, Gal. 3. 23.

The Law habet rationem speculi, fraeni, regulae. The moral Law is a glass to reveal sin, and the danger of it, a glass to discover it, and a Judge to condemn it.

• 1. A Glass to reveal sin.
• 2. A Bridle to restrain it.
• 3. A Rule both within and without.

First, A Glass to reveal sin. It discovers

• 1. Original sin, I had not known lust but by the Law.
  • 1. It sets before us the Primitive righteousness wherein we were created▪
  • 2. That there is something in us perfectly contrary to all this, Colos. 1. 21. Acts 13. 10.
  • 3. It discovers to us the dominion that this sin hath over us, Rom. 6. 12, 14. & 7. begin.
  • 4. Shows a man the filthiness of this sin, 2 Corinth. 7. 1. James 1. 21. Titus 1. 15.
  • 5. Shows that this sin hath seminally all sins in it, I am. 1. 14. 1 John 2. 15.
  • 6. It discovers the deceitfulness of this sin, Ier. 17. 19. I am. 3. 15. Act. 13. 10. Jude v. 11.
  • 7. Shows a man the demerit and miserable effect of this sin, Rom. 8. 12.
• 2. Actual sin, it shows
  • 1. Every sin dishonors God, his glory is denied, debased.
  • 2. The perfection of the Rule, Rom. 7. 12.
  • 3. The harmony of the rule, I am. 2. 10.
  • 4. Its spirituality, it discovers the thoughts and intents of the heart.
  • 5. The infection of sin to a man's self if it be inward, to others if outward, it is called rottenness, plague, leprosy.
  • 6. That one act of sin will destroy the whole world, as in the Angels, Adam, all sin is virtually in every sin.

It is also a Judge condemning sin, John 5. 41. Ezek. 22. 2. it passeth sentence on men's estates and actions, 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. Heb. 4. 12, 13. & 10. 27▪ mortifies their corruptions. Tit. 2, 13. 2 Cor. 7. 1. The Spirit mortifies sin not only by infusing a new principle of grace, but by restraining the old principle of sin, Rom. 6. 12. Psal. 19. 13.

Secondly, The Law Habet rationem fraeni, hath the nature of a bridle to check and restrain sin.

• 1. By setting before men its perfection, Psal. 19. 7, 13. I am. 1. 25.
• 2. By exalting in a man's heart its authority, I am. 2. 8.
• 3. By showing the danger of the curses in it, Job 31. 23.
• 4. By setting before men its preciousness, Psal. 119. 103, 104.
• 5. By showing us that God observes what respect we bear to his Law, Isa. 66. 2, 3.

Thirdly, The Law is arule to direct in the way of duty.

It is, 1. A rule within, ordering a man's inward disposition. The Spirit of God in the work of Regeneration stamps the Law of God in the heart, and makes use of it to change the inward disposition, Rom. 7. 9. Psal. 19. 7. See Ier. 31. 32. Act. 17. 38. Grace is given by the Gospel, but it makes use of the Law, Fides impetrat quod lex imperat. Aug.

2. It is a rule without to guide a man's way, a rule of all Gospel-obedience,

• 1. Because the Gospel sends us to it for a rule, Luke 16. 29. James 1. 25. and 2. 8.
• 2. Christ hath left us an example of all obedience, Matth. 11. 29. John 13. 15.
• 3. So far as the best men come short of the Law they sin, 1 John. 4. 3.
• 4. It hath all the properties of a rule, it is, 1. Recta. Psal. 19. 7. 2▪ Promulgata, published, Hos. 8. 12. 3. Adaequata, Psal. 119. 9. shall be our Judge hereafter, Rom. 2. 14, 15.

God requires not only abstinence from evil, but the doing of the contrary good, Isa. 1. 16, 17. Psal. 34. 14. Rom. 12. 9.

Reasons.

• 1. In regard of God,
  • 1. He hates evil and delights in good.
  • 2. The divine mercies are privative and positive, Psal. 84. 11.
• 2. In regard of the principles of spiritual life, we must have communion with Christ both in his death and resurrection, Rom. 6. 11.

The Law as a Covenant of works is in all these respects a servant to the Gospel and Gospel-ends.

I. As a Glass and a Judge:

• 1. By exalting free grace, Paul and Luther being cast down with their sins exalted free grace, 1 Tim. 1. 13, 14.
• 2. By exalting the blood of Christ, the more one apprehends his sin, the more orient will the blood of Christ be to the soul, Philip. 3. 8, 9. Rom. 7. 24, 25.
• 3. By qualifying the soul and preparing it for Christ, Luke 3. 5. Matth. 11. 28.
• 4. By making a man pliable to God ever after the discovery of our sin and misery by the Law, and of free grace, works a child-like obedience, Isa. 11. 6.
• 5. By making a man fear sin ever after he hath been under the hammering of the Law, Psal. 85. 8. Hos. 3. 5.
• 6. By making one set a high price on the Spirit of Adoption, Res delicata Spiritus Christi. Tert.

II. As a bridle, the Law is the Gospels servant in restraining sin, the Gospel can use the Law above its nature, and contrary to the use that sin makes of it. The Law cannot give grace to assist in duty, and to restrain in sin.

Restraining grace serves the ends of the Gospel:

• 1. In respect of wicked men, though the Law restraining kills not sin in the ungodly, yet the very restraint of the action is a great mercy.
  • 1. It makes a man less wicked.
  • 2. Keeps men from corrupting others.
  • 3. Lessens their torments, the common graces of the Gospel making use of the restraints of the Law, keep some wicked men from those gross enormities that others run into.
• 2. In respect of the godly▪
  • 1. Preserves them from sin before their conversion.
  • 2. It restrains their lusts, Act. 23. 1. and after their conversion keeps them from sin, Psal. 19. 13. by the restraints of the Law and the Gospel.

I shall in the next place lay down certain general rules, which may direct us in the right interpretation of the ten Commandments.

1. Because the Law doth comprehend all our duties to be performed both to God and man, Luk. 10. 26. therefore the interpretation of it must be sought and fetched out of the Sermons of the Prophets and Apostles, and the Doctrine of our Savior.

2. Whereas some Laws are laid down in the form of a command, and most of them ( viz. eight) in the form of a prohibition, we must conceive that under every command there is implied a prohibition of whatsoever is contrary to what is commanded, and in every prohibition a command of all duties opposite to that which is forbidden. For example; in the second Commandment, which under the name of Images forbids the inventing or using of any form of worship of man's devising, there is withal commanded the worship of God according to his own will in the use of the Ordinances prescribed, and warranted by his Word, as prayer and hearing of the Word, receiving the Sacraments. And in the third Commandment, under the prohibition of taking God's name in vain, is commanded the taking up of it with all holy reverence and fear. Thou shalt have no other gods▪ that is, thou shalt have me for thy God. Keep holy the Sabbath, that is, do not break it.

3. Every Commandment of God is spiritual , and doth bind the inward man as well as the outward, Humana lex ligat manum & linguam, divina vero ligat animam. Original sin is condemned in the whole Law, but it seemeth to be directly condemned in the first and last Commandment; for these two concern properly the heart of man, the first respecting it so far as it concerneth God, the last so far as it concerns man, whether himself or others.

4. In respect of the authority that commands, all the precepts are equal, James 2. 11.

In respect of the objects of the duties commanded, the Commandments of the first Table are of greatest importance, Matth. 22. 38. if equal proportion be observed and comparison made, because the services therein required are more immediately directed unto God, and consequently he is more immediately concerned in them then in the duties of the second Table, 1 Sam. 2. 25. Isa. 7. 13.

The negative Commandments bind us more strongly then the affirmative, for they oblige us always and to all times; the affirmative although they bind us always, yet they bind us not to all times. A man is not bound always to worship God, but he is bound never to exhibit divine worship to a creature. He is not bound at all times and in all places to profess his faith, but he is always bound not to deny his faith and religion either by word or deed. A man is no • bound always to speak the truth, but he is bound never to lie, seign or play the hypocrite. All the Commandments are delivered negatively save the fourth and the fifth.

5. The Lord that gave us his Law made none for himself, and being the Law-giver, he is above his own Law, and may dispense with it upon his own will and pleasure; as he did to Abraham, commanding him to offer up his only Son in Sacrifice, which being commanded was to him just and honest by special prerogative, which in another had been dishonest and unjust.

6. The meaning of every precept must be taken from the main scope and end for which it was given, and all those things to be included without which the precept cannot be performed, therefore one and the same work may be referred to divers precepts, as it pertaineth to divers ends.

7. Under one vice expressly forbidden all of the same kind, and that necessarily depend thereon, as also the least cause, occasion or incitement thereunto, are likewise forbidden, Mat. 5. 21, 22, 27, 28, 29. 1 Thess. 5. 22.

Under one duty expressed all of like nature are comprehended, as all means, effects, and whatsoever is necessarily required for the performance of that duty. The cause is commanded or forbidden in the effect, and the effect in the cause.

8. Where the more honorable person is expressed as the man, let the woman understand that the precept concerns her, where the duty of one man standing in relation to another is taught, there are taught the duties of all that stand in like relation one to another, as when the duty of one Inferior toward his Superior is taught, there is taught the general duty which all Superiors owe to those that be under them, which Inferiors owe to those that are over them, and which Equals owe one to another.

9. The Law forbids the doing of evil in our own persons, and the helping or furtherance of others in evil, though but by silence, connivence, or slight reproof, and it commands not only that we observe it ourselves, but that we preserve it, and what lieth in us, cause others to keep it. Thou, thy Son and thy Daughter, must go over all the rest of the Commandments as well as the fourth.

10. The Law is set forth as a rule of life to them that be in Covenant with God in Jesus Christ: God in Christ is the object of Christian religion, and of that obedience which is prescribed in that Covenant.

That immediate worship and service which we owe to God, and must perform according to his prescription, which is usually called Piety or Godliness, is taught in the Commandments of the first Table. Our Savior reduceth the sum of these Commandments to this one Head, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, strength and thought, that is, whatsoever is within thee, or without thee, even to the loss of thy life, goods and good name, all must yield to the Lord's calling, whensoever he will make trial of thy love towards him. This particular duty may well comprehend all the rest: for, as is our love, so is our faith and obedience. God is loved above all things when in all that he promiseth he is believed, and in all that he commandeth he is obeyed.

The general sins against the Commandments of the first Table, are

• 1. Impiety, which is a neglect or contempt of God's true worship and service inward and outward, Isa. 43. 22, 23.
• 2. Idolatry, which is the worship of false gods, or of the true God after a devised manner of our own, Amos 5. 26.

That duty which we owe unto men by the Lord's Commandment and for his glory, which is usually called honesty or righteousness is taught in the Commandments of the second Table. Our Savior bringeth them to one head, Thou shalt love thy Neighbor as thyself; that is, without fainting, coldness, delay, or feigning from the heart, fervently, when and so long as occasion is given. By Neighbor is meant not only our Friend or Kinsman, but whosoever, and of what Country soever that wanteth our help, especially he that is of the household of faith.

The general sins against the Commandments of the second Table, are

• 1. Inhumanity and injustice, when we disregard our neighbor, or deal injuriously with him.
• 2. Partiality in affection, when we love our friends but hate our enemies; favor some for carnal respects, contemn others that are to be respected.

Six Commandments are set down in many words, and four nakedly in hare words, as the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth, because men will easily be brought to yield to them.

The Scripture shows to man two ways of attaining happiness, one by his own works called the Law, the other by faith in Christ called the Gospel. The Law driveth us to Christ, and faith doth establish the Law, Rom 3. 31.

The Sum of the Law is abridged in the ten Commandments which God delivered on Mount Sinai, and after wrote in two Tables.

This declareth our whole Duty,

• 1. To God immediately, which is in the first Table,
  • 1. Principal, to make him our God, Command. 1.
  • 2. Less principal, in regard of
    • 1. Sorts of worship to be performed unto him, which are two
      • 1. Solemn, Command 2.
      • 2. Common, Command. 3.
    • 2. The giving of a set time to him, Comman. 4.
• 2. To God mediately and immediately to man for God's sake in the second Table, here his duty is showed.
  • 1. Severally to
    • 1. Some kind of persons specially, Command 5.
    • 2. To all generally, in regard of
      • 1. Their Persons, for
        • 1. Life, Command 6.
        • 2. Chastity, Command. 7.
      • 2. The things of their Persons, both
        • Goods, Command. 8.
        • Good Name, Command. 9.
  • 2. Jointly to all these in regard of the first motions of the mind and will, in Command. 10.

CHAP. II. Of the first Commandment.

SOme Divines judge, that those words, I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, do contain the affirmative part of the first precept, and the latter, Thou shalt have no other God's before my face, the negative. For these two sentences are elsewhere often joined together as they be here; and our Savior citing the first Commandment, rehearseth it thus, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Besides (say they) if the words be not conceived as a form of commandment, yet it must necessarily be understood to command the Worship of the true God, and it so pertains to the understanding of the Precept, that it cannot be separated from it.

Other Divines hold the first words to be a Preface to all the Commandments, Buxtorf de Decalogo saith these words contain an Enunciative not an Imperative speech, therefore they are not a Precept, but rather a general Preface to the whole Decalogue, in which reasons are brought why we are bound to obey him that commands. Wherefore (saith he) they may be added to the first Precept, yet so as they are not to be excluded from the other Precepts, but by an Ellipsis to be understood in everyone of them. Other Divines say these words are a persuasion to the keeping of the first Commandment, and that threefold, the first taken from the Name and Sovereignty of God, He is Jehovah, an eternal being in and of himself, who giveth being and continuance to all things, and mightily performeth whatsoever he hath promised. The second, From the right of Federation and Covenant, thy God, He is in special manner the God of his Church, which he hath chosen to be his peculiar Treasure in regard of the Covenant of Grace made with them, Isa. 43. 10. 11. Ier. 12. 31, 33. Isa. 43. 13. The third from a notable particular benefit lately conferred; which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, which he mentions (saith Zanchi • ) 1. For the freshness of the mercy. 2. For the greatness of it. 3. Because that Egyptian bondage was a type and figure of our spiritual bondage.

This that is here spoken (saith Grotius on the Decalogue) is not the Law, but the Preface of the Law. Seneca approves not of a Law with a Preface, because it should command, not persuade; the Philosophers ( Plato, Philo, ) thought otherwise. Media via optima est (saith Grotius) ut breve sit quod praemittitur, auctoritatem non disputationem praeferens.

The two first grounds of obedience are common to us with them, God is now as much the Lord as ever, and hath pleased to accept us into the same (or a better) Covenant with himself then once he admitted them; and for the last, although in the thing itself it touch us not, yet in the spiritual meaning of it it concerns us as well as them. Magna beneficia auctoritatem conciliare debent praecipienti, Grotius in c. 20. Exod. See Deut. 6. 20, 24.

There shall not be to thee other gods, or strange gods before my face. 1. The person spoken to, Thou. Every particular person for himself, be he of what state or condition soever.

The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 acher signifieth another God, rather then a strange God, or the God of a strange people, which are thought and called gods, when they are not. In truth there is but one true God; but in the opinion of men that err and be deceived, there be many gods. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Psal. 81. 9, 10. Exod. 34. 14. 1 Cor. 10. 20. Deut. 32. 17. Lev. 17. 7. Men may in conceit and imagination account something a god which is not, and carry themselves in such sort toward that which is not God, as if it were so.

To have another God, is to have anything in opinion or affection for God that is not God, and to worship it as God, either alone or with the true God. For this is a work of the mind, to have or esteem any for God, sensus est: non modo non pro vero Deo substituendos alios, sed nec assumendos ad eum alios, quod multi faciebant, ut 2 Reg. 17. 33. Grotius.

Before my face ] It is as much as against, before, or besides me, coram me, id est, praeter me, Grotius; as Moses saith after, with me. The LXX render it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 praeter me; Cyprian, absque me. See Deut. 4. 35. It implieth all time and place: As, before the Sun, Psal. 72. 17, is so long as the Sun endureth: so here, before me, is so long as I am, forever and ever. So that first the Lord signifieth, that he would have no companion to be thrust upon him, or to be placed in his sight, who should be worshipped with him, Deut. 6. 4. Again, that in thought or secret affection we must not admit any strange God, Psal. 44. 20, 21. Lastly, a thing is said to be done in the sight of God, which is done openly with contempt of God, and so here it seems to import the indignity of the thing, and the peril adjoined. We cannot have another God, but we provoke the true God to his face; as if a woman should join herself to another man in love, her husband looking on, which should be most impudent and dangerous.

Our principal duty to God is enjoined in the first Commandment, in which all the rest of the Commandments are virtually contained, in so much that no man can transgress any one of them, but withal he transgresseth that, neither can any of them be broken, if that be observed.

The meaning then of this Commandment is:

That whereas other people and Nations frame and take to themselves innumerable ^a gods, as the Ammonites chose Molek, or Melcom, to be their god; the Zidonians, Ashteroth; the Philistines, Dagon; the Moabites, Chemosh; the Syrians, Rimmon; the Assyrians, Nisroch; the Ekronites, Baalzebub; the Babylonians, Bell; the Persians, the Fire; the barbarous Masagete, the Sun; the Egyptians, almost all kind of Beasts and Birds; the Grecians, dead men; the Romans, whom it pleased the Senate to consecrate of ancient times, and of late whom it pleased the the Pope to canonize. Wherefore though other Nations had other * gods, the true Israelites chosen out of the world to be the Lord's people, should acknowledge no Idol of any Nation to be their God, nor frame to themselves any Idol of their own devising, or any other thing to be their helper and redeemer, their stay and buckler, which they profess to be no God; but that they cleave to the Lord their God, who is the only Lord that hath created all things, and adopted them to be his Sons, Deut. 6. 4. Our carriage to Godward is in one word expressed, when we are commanded to give ourselves unto God, Rom. 6. 13. & 12. 1. It standeth in a total and perfect subjecting of our whole souls and bodies to him.

The general duty of this Commandment is, That in mind, will, affections, and the effects of all or any of them, we take the true God in Christ to be our God▪ Sovereign, Helper, Portion, and Redeemer, Almighty, most Wife, Righteous, Just, True, Holy, Good, Gracious, Merciful, Long-suffering, and Patient. For God must be known, acknowledged and worshipped, according as he hath revealed himself in the Covenant of Grace, but he is our God in Jesus Christ. Also the formal consideration of the Object, to wit, Why such acts of Worship are and ought to be performed unto God; are the Wisdom, Goodness, Justice, Grace, Mercy and Power of God, specially in the face of Jesus Christ, and acts performed of him by them, and according to them.

The Promise implied in this Precept is, That God will be our God, King, Protector and Father; That he will use his Power, Wisdom, Goodness, and Mercy, for the effecting of our salvation, the supply of our wants, the pardon of our sins, the defeating of our enemies, the perfecting of his graces in us, and the full accomplishment of happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven.

One Reverend Divine (now with God) saith, The duties required more particularly, may be referred to two heads: Some respect the Essence and Nature of God, some the Authority and Dominion of God, even as Subjects owe some things to their Prince in regard of his Person, some things in regard of his Power of Government; so do we the Creatures to our King and Creator.

The former may fitly be termed duties of dependence, because they do naturally flow from that total dependence upon God the first being, which must needs be found in all secondary beings, and because they be certain necessary acknowledgements of our such dependence. The latter may be termed Duties of Conformity, because in and by them we do conform ourselves unto the Will and Authority of God, and by both become perfectly subject unto him. Duties of dependence in general, are those by which we exercise all the powers of our souls upon God, principally and above all other things, (so far as his excellent Nature is fit to be their object) for seeing He is the most excellent of all things, and doth please to make known unto us his excellencies, we should labor to be wholly united to him that is so excellent. Duties of Conformity in general, are all those by which we order the powers of our souls toward other things, according to his good will and pleasure made manifest unto us. Our duty concerning God, is to know him and his will, to believe in him according to his Promises, to remember him always, and to esteem him above all things, to trust wholly upon him, to love, desire, fear, and delight in him above all other things, and with all our hearts. Our duty in respect of good things Spiritual and Temporal, is to exercise our wills, affections, thoughts, speeches, much more on Spiritual good things then Temporal, and to keep them very moderate towards earthly benefits. Our duty concerning sin, is to hate it, fly from it, grieve for it, be ashamed of it, and angry with it more then any natural evil thing.

The particular duties here required are:

1. Perfect knowledge of God in Christ, which is a conceiving and apprehending of him to be such a one as he hath revealed himself in his Word and Works, specially in the Covenant of Grace, and that for measure and degree fully. We cannot comprehend God as he is in himself, but as he hath manifested himself we ought to know him, for knowledge is the guide of the affections, the beginning of grace, the ground of Worship. When we know God as he hath manifested himself, then do we come to believe, desire, fear and love him, and trust in him, as he requireth. We cannot have God our God till we come to know him in Christ, therefore it is promised to all the godly in the new Covenant, they shall all know me.

2. Acknowledgement, which is an effectual and affectionate persuasion of the heart, not only that God is, but that he is the only Lord, Eternal and Almighty, most Wise, most Holy, most Righteous, most Gracious and Merciful, most Faithful and True; the Creator, Governor, and Preserver of all things, the Supreme Sovereign Judge of all the world, and peculiarly the God and Savior of his people that he hath chosen unto himself, and with whom he hath entered Covenant of his free mercy in Jesus Christ.

3. Estimation, which is a most high prizing of God according to his Worth and Dignity, as the chief Good, and our only all-sufficient portion: The estimation we have of anything must be correspondent to the goodness of it. But God is good above measure, and our estimation of him should know no measure.

4. Faith, which is a lively motion of the heart, whereby the soul doth invincibly cleave and stick unto God in Christ, and unto the word of his Covenant, as containing the chief good of man. To believe is not barely to assent to the thing which is propounded, to be believed for the authority of the speakers, who cannot lie, as the assenter is persuaded: but to adhere to the Word of Truth as certain, good, and sweet, both simply and in comparison. Two things are required in Faith: Something true and good to be believed; and a firm certain assent and adherence to it. Thus we are commanded to believe in God through Jesus Christ; neither doth Faith respect the Promises, Narrations and Prophecies of the Word only, but the Commandments and Threatenings also, Psal. 119. 66. 2 Chron. 34. 19, 21, 27. John. 3. 5. By Faith we possess the Lord as our own, and hold fast unto him in whom all help and comfort is to be found.

5. Confidence, or Affiance, whereby we trust, lean, rely, or stay upon the Grace of God in Christ Jesus, with assured security in the way of his Commandments for pardon of sin, deliverance from all evil, and the supply of all good Temporal and Spiritual, according to his faithful and never-failing promise. This is ever joined with the true knowledge of God, and in nature is of great affinity, or rather all one with justifying Faith. Who so reposeth all his confidence in God, he taketh him in so doing for his God. We are to trust in God for the giving and maintaining of all our good both temporal and eternal, leaning on him for all defense and deliverance from evils spiritual, yea and corporal; casting all our care on him, having no confidence in the flesh; no duty is more frequently pressed in Scripture, then this of confidence in God.

Hope in God is an inseparable companion of Trust, which is an assured quiet expectation of what good promised is not yet accomplished, grounded upon the free and undeserved kindness and grace of the Lord in Christ Jesus, Psal. 119. 166. Heb. 11. 1. Lam. 3. 24. Rom. 15. 4. Hope is commanded in many passages of Scripture, commended by many promises, Psal. 27. 14. & 31. 14. & 34. 8. Lam. 3. 26. Psal. 37. 7. & 131. 3. & 130. 5. Mic. 7. 7. Isa. 8. 17. Psal. 119. 43. Isa. 30. 18. Psal. 146. 5. & 40. 4. & 84. 12. Isa. 6. 8. Psal. 147. 11. Psal. 33. 18, 19. Psal. 31. 24. & 33. 20. Psal. 35. 21. & 37. 9. 34. Psal. 9. 18. Isa. 49. 23. & 40. 31.

6. Love of God in Christ, which is a spiritual motion in the reasonable part, presupposing Knowledge and Affiance, whereby the soul goeth forth to embrace and possess God as the chief Good, and with most pure, earnest, and constant affection to maintain communion with him. Love is an affection of union, it knits to the thing beloved, and would not want the possession of it. Love (we see) makes man and woman one, and so doth couple us to God. The body is carried by weight into his proper place, so is the soul by love, which is the weight of the soul, unto its proper object. Many promises are made to them that love the Lord, Psal. 91. 14. & 145. 20. Psal, 63. 8. 1 John 4. 7. John 16. 27. 1 John 4. 16. John 14. 23. & 16. 27. Rom. 8. 28. Psal. 145. 20. Deut. 30. 19, 20. 1 Corin. 2. 9. 2 Tim. 4. 8. James 1. 12. & 2. 5. God is the proper Object of Love, He is the chief good, absolute, all-sufficient, the rest and stay of the mind, beyond which nothing can be desired, in whom incredible joy and comfort is to be found and possessed for evermore. God by Covenant is our God, our Father, our Husband; He hath loved us, and we ought to love him again. His love to us is free and of mere grace; our love to him is debt, many wa • es due from us, and deserved by him. Adam was to love God his Creator and happiness: but Christians must love God as he is become their God in Christ, in whom they are knit unto him. The object of Charity is God in Christ, God is to be loved in Christ, in whom he is well pleased, and greatly delighted in us. Love of God must be most fervent, and abundant more for degree and measure then to ourselves or all creatures; yea it must be with the whole power of our souls, it is the sum of the Law, Matth. 10▪ 37. Luke 14. 26.

7. Fear, which is a retiring or flying back from a thing, if good, because it is too high and excellent, above the reach and without the extent of our power and condition; if evil, because it is hard to be escaped. The fear of God is an affection of heart, arising from the apprehension of God's infinite Majesty and absolute Sovereignty, both by Creation and Covenant, whereby we are drawn to behave ourselves more reverently, dutifully, uprightly, respectively, before him, then before the greatest Monarch in the world, and stand prepared to walk before him in holy manner, shunning his displeasure, and avoiding whatsoever might procure it. God is to be feared in respect of his incomprehensible greatness, absolute Sovereignty as Lord and Father; and exact righteousness, whereby he judgeth every man without respect of persons; great Power and tender Mercies, whereby he is ready to pardon them that humble themselves, and entreat his favor. God is absolutely called Fear, Isa, 8. 12, 13. as unto whom all fear and dread is due. Thus Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac, Gen. 32. 42, 53.

Reverence differs from simple fear, which respecteth a thing as evil, and so we are not bound to have it working, but when we have occasion to conceive of God as angry, and doth look to things as excellent, and therefore must move so often as we have occasion to conceive of his Excellency, Heb. 12. 28.

8. Humility, when rightly discerning the infinite distance and difference that is betwixt God and us, acknowledging his unspeakable Excellency, and our most vile baseness in comparison of him; his riches of Grace, and our poverty; his Power, and our weakness; his free undeserved Mercy, and our misery; we submit ourselves to the good pleasure of his will, wholly depend upon his Grace, and ascribe every blessing we receive to his mere favor, every good thing in us, or that is done by us, to his free goodness.

9. Patience, which is a full purpose of heart, arising from the acknowledgement of God's Wisdom, Majesty, Power, Goodness, Providence and Mercy, with all quietness, and without any pining, reluctance or fainting, revolting or tempting of God, though the senses and appetite cannot but feel a repugnancy, to sustain any evil that He will inflict upon us.

10. Joy, whereby the soul doth receive comfort and content in a good thing, and is moved to embrace and possess the same. And because God is the chief good, therefore ought the soul to be moved with more vehement and fervent motions of gladness, for his Love, Favor, Good Will, and excellent Glory, then for any or all other things whatsoever. What we make our chiefest Joy, that is our God: for the heart resteth principally in that with which it is most delighted, Job 31. 25. It appears evidently by God's Word, that as a Father would have his children to live cheerfully, so would God, and therefore doth he so much call upon them to rejoice, Psal. 60. 19. & 68. 3. Psal. 33. 1. & 149. 1, 2.

11. Zeal, or fervor of will, whereby the soul is moved and carried towards God with the strongest, hottest, and most fiery inclinations, willing his Grace, Favor and Glory, infinitely above all things, because it is the highest of all things that are to be loved, willed, desired, or cared for; and detesting, loathing, abhorring, whatsoever tendeth to his dishonor. Examples of thi • zeal we have in Moses, Phineas, Lot, Elias, David, John the Baptist, and Christ himself. In Jeremiah, Paul, Peter, and many others.

12. An earnest and constant desire of God's presence in Heaven, Cant. 8 14. Phil. 1. 23. Rev. 22. 20. Each thing by nature doth covet perfection in its kind; and what nature hath taught everything in its proper kind, that Grace hath taught Christians in the best kind, viz. to desire perfect communion with God, in whose presence is fullness of joy for evermore, It cannot be that God should be known to be good, clearly, distinctly, certainly, and not be desired. And if we know God to be the chiefest of all good things, we cannot but set our affections upon him, and covet above all things in the world to dwell in his presence.

Hitherto of those particular duties whereby we take God to be our God in mind, will and affections: now let us hear what be the effects of these.

• 1. Meditation, which is a staying of the mind in the serious thought and consideration of God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Mercy, Love and Wisdom, shining in the Word and Works of God, specially in Jesus Christ the brightness of his glory, with an holy delight and admiration at that most perfect and Divine Excellency which casteth forth the comfortable beams thereof, upon the soul of him that so thinketh upon them. Each particular duty before mentioned calleth for meditation, knowledge is not gotten without meditation, meditation kindleth love, and love carrieth the thoughts after it. Reverence is not raised without meditation, and being raised keepeth the heart within compass, that it doth not straggle up and down. The glory of God as it shineth in Jesus Christ is most amiable and delightsome, that if once it be truly discerned, we shall take great pleasure to behold and view it. What actual sight is to the eye, that thought is to the mind: Glorious pleasant objects draw the eye after them, and what is apprehended to be Divine, Excellent, Pleasant, Beautiful and Comfortable, that will take up the mind. If all thoughts affect and profit according to the nature of the object about which they are exercised, then seeing God is the best, most excellent, most glorious object, the mind that is most serious in the meditation of his Grace, Power and Love in Jesus Christ, is best refreshed and most perfected. We should think upon God in most serious manner, constantly upon all occasions and opportunities with livelihood and power, being most affected and taken up with the thought of God in Jesus Christ.
• 2. Perpetual and continual remembrance of God, whereby we call back to mind what we know and have learned of God, his Power, Mercy, Love, Longsuffering, and represent him as present to the soul. The Name of the Lord is most sweet, the remembrance of his Holiness, the prop of confidence, the solace of the heart in time of distress. See 1 Sam. 30. 6.
• 3. Reverent and faithful Invocation, wherein we request of God in the Name of Christ all good things whereof we stand in need, and that both in prosperity, and adversity, 1 Thess. 5. 17. Ephes. 6. 16. James 5. 16. Psal. 50. 15. & 38. 10 Matth. 7. 7.
• 4. Thanksgiving or celebration of God's Name, whereby we magnify his Power, Goodness, Wisdom, Grace and Mercy, freely acknowledging every good and perfect gift to come from above. God is the highest Majesty, who oweth nothing to any man, from whom we receive body, soul, life, and whatsoever we enjoy, unto whom we are unable to requite the least kindness vouchsafed. Our tongues should be more plentifully busied in speaking of God's Excellencies to his honor, then of any or of all other things. Mans speech should more readily, constantly, largely be set on work in talking of God to his glory, then of the whole world besides,
• 5. Holy and religious swearing, which is a calling of God to witness that we speak as our mind conceiveth.
• 6. Religious and Divine Adoration, Psal. 95. 6. The Greek word notes as much as to fall upon the knees, or to worship by falling down at the knees of another, Matth. 2. 11. Adoration is implied in this. One Evangelist saith, that the Leper worshipped Christ; another reciting the same History, That he kneeled down unto him; and a third, That he fell upon his face. In Hebrew there be divers words to express it, which signify to bow the whole body, to kiss the mouth, to bend the knee, to fall prostrate on the face. But in all three Languages it noteth an outward reverence, shadowing the internal affection of the heart, Adoration implieth in it three Acts: First, An apprehension of the excellency of that which is adored. Secondly, An Act of the Will, desiring to do something to testify our acknowledgement of this greatness, and our subjection and inferiority. Thirdly, An outward expressing of the same.
• 7. Seeking the Lord and his favor, specially if we have turned away from him. To seek the Lord, is to bend all our senses and strength to know God aright, have communion with him, enjoy his favor, and worship him purely according to his Ordinance, 2 Chron. 31. 21. Job 8. 5. Ezra. 6. 21.
• 8. Offering and making Vows unto the Lord alone, Isa. 19. 21. Psal. 116. 14. & 76. 11. Gen. 28. 20. Deut. 23. 21,
• 9. Profession of God's Name, Deut. 26. 17. Isa. 44. 5. & 43. 7. Psal. 22. 23. & 119. 46.
• 10. Free and voluntary submission of mind and conscience to the Lord alone, as the only Law▪giver, King and Savior of his people.

This Commandment is broken two ways:

• 1. By failing to give God that honor which is due unto him, and that either for substance or degree, matter or measure, in whole or in part.
• 2. By giving his Divine Honor unto any other in whole or part, absolutely or in degree, in profession or truth.

The special sins condemned are:

• 1. Atheism, when the heart denieth God in his Deity or Divine Attributes, as Wisdom, Justice, Mercy, Omnipresence. And this is secret or open: Open, when a man maintaineth that conceit expressly in his mind: Secret and in the bud, when he is over-ruled with this vice, though he form not such a proposition in his mind. Atheism is an high transgression of this Commandment, for he that denieth the Godhead, cannot glorify God in spirit and truth. Besides, every Atheist maketh himself God, in that he thinketh he is of and by himself, and not of and for the Lord that made Heaven and Earth.
• 2. Ignorance of God in Christ, under which dullness to conceive of him, and carelessness to seek after the knowledge of him, are comprehended. Ignorance of God, so far as He hath obscured himself from us, is no sin, Prov. 30. 1, 2. Rom. 11. 34. Ignorance of the secrets of God is a holy ignorance, Deut. 29. 29. We must know all that we need, and all that we may, but must not presume above that which is meet to understand. That ignorance of God, so far as he hath most clearly and carefully revealed himself in his Works and Word, is that which is here condemned. This ignorance is privative or corruptive: both sinful in nature, though not equal in guilt or danger. Privative ignorance is the simple want of that knowledge of God and Christ that should be had: Corruptive is joined with a perverse disposition, whereby the mind is not only blinded, but become grossly careless of the knowledge of God and godliness, if not perverted with false and sinful opinions.
• 3. Curiosity, when men busy themselves in prying into the secrets of God's nature and works, or turn their search after him into mere disputes and idle speculations. This perverse desire of knowing the truth is a disease that hath endangered many. Our first Parents were bewitched with a desire of more knowledge then the Lord knew to be good for them, and so attempting to do what was forbidden, they fell from that good estate in which they were created. The Lord hath fully manifested himself in the face of Jesus Christ, so far as it is needful or profitable for us to know him: and it is our duty to contain ourselves within the bounds and limits prescribed of the Lord.
• 4. Error or heresy concerning God and Christ, as when we conceive amiss of the Properties of God, his Covenant, the unity of Essence and Trinity of Persons; the Person and Office of Christ. Heresy is Idolatry, for it transformeth the Majesty of God, the Person or Office of Christ: Every lie of God is a kind of Idolatry, but heresy ascribeth unto God devised Properties, turneth his glorious Essence into a lie.
• 5. Want of acknowledgement, when God is known in a sort, but not with affection and effect, as he ought to be, and that either for substance or degree. The sons of Eli were sons of Belial, they knew not the Lord; we cannot think them to be utterly destitute of all knowledge of God: but they did not acknowledge his power, love and Sovereignty as they professed. It is noted as the sin of Israel, that they understood not the wonders of the Lord, that is, they did not wisely consider or acknowledge them.
• 6. Disesteem or contempt of God in Christ, when his favor is not esteemed or not according to the worth and excellency. Contempt of God is discovered by contempt of his Word, Luk. 16. 16. & 10. 16. Job 21. 14. & 22. 17. Psal. 50. 17. Prov. 1. 25. If we regard not instruction, cast behind our backs, despise his threatenings, neglect his promises.
• 7. Incredulity, when the heart is dis-joined from God by unbelief▪ Of this there be divers degrees. The first is, doubting through weakness, a disease which the weak Christian laments and would fain have amended in himself. The second, when explicitly and in act those things be not firmly, distinctly manifested. The third is flat infidelity with misbelief, when the corrupt mind of man denying to yield assent to the truth of God, doth foster false or presumptuous conceits of God's Majesty contrary to that he hath revealed.
• 8. Distrust, wavering or shaking out of fear of not obtaining what the Lord hath promised, whether it concern this life or the life to come, and that either for want of the things themselves, or of the causes which we judge necessary for the obtaining of what is promised.
• 9. Desperation of God's Power, Mercy or both.
• 10. Presumption and carnal security, when men rashly hope that they shall obtain their desire of God, but not according to his promise.
• 11. Defect or want of love, whether in respect of quantity, quality, act or continuance, 1 Cor. 16. 22.
• 12. Want of fear or reverence, when men live without reverence, care or fear of God and his judgments against sin, whether for substance or degree.
• 13. Pride, being a lifting up of ourselves above and against God, overvaluing ourselves, and undervaluing him, 1 Timothy. 3. 2. Psalm 101. 5. Isaiah 16. 6.
• 14. Impatience, when we will not rest in the will of God nor expect his aid, and the accomplishment of his promises, but mislike the Lord's doings, grudge under his crosses, blame his government, and faint under the burden.
• 15. Carnal Joy, when men take more pleasure in sin, wealth, friends, lands, wife, children, wit, and such like, then in the favor of God, or at least joy so in these things, as that their joy is in whole or part with-drawn from God.
• 16. Lukewarmness, when men receive and profess the truth, but want the heat of love and zeal, Revel. 3. 15.
• 17. Sensuality, when men eagerly pursue their contentment in earthly things, but regard not the love or favor of God, or at least are willing to be strangers from him forever, so they may enjoy the desires of their souls here below.
• 18. Looseness, when the mind is carried from God, and doth range abroad in idle thoughts, or abundantly pursue, and follow thoughts of earthly and transitory things.
• 19. Forgetfulness, when men put God out of mind and carelessly cast away all remembrance of him, when it should do us good, or we should give him glory.
• 20. Neglect of prayer, he robs God of his glory that runs not unto him in all necessities by hearty supplication.
• 21. Invocation of false gods, Wood, Stone, or Saints departed. Herein the Papists teach the breach of this Commandment, in that they persuade and commend the Invocation of Saints departed, as Intercessors to God by their prayers and merits. And not only so, but they pray to them that are no Saints, but rather hypocrites, to them that never were, and to the cross, saying to the dumb stock, Arise, it shall teach me.
• 22. Dulness or hardness of heart, when the soul is so stupid and senseless, fast locked up, that the mercies of God, and his sweet promises do little or nothing effect. It is a spiritual sottishness or distemper, that neither the word nor works of God c • n kindly work upon us.
• 23. Unthankfulness, when men devour the blessings of God, and return no praise unto him for them.
• 24. Idolatrous swearing by Idols or false gods, by the Saints departed or any mere creature.
• 25. Divine Adoration of that which is no god. The Papists adore, 1. The Pope, to whom they attribute divine honor. 2. Images, with the same adoration with the samplar, appointing only a respective difference, viz. that the principal is worshipped simply and for itself; but the Image in regard of the similitude and reference to the principal. 3. The Bread and Cup of the Eucharist. 4. The Saints departed.
• 26. Neglect to seek God, or return unto him when we have gone astray, or be warned by his Prophets or corrections. And enquiring after or seeking unto strange gods.

CHAP. III. The second Commandment.

MOses himself explains this precept, Deut. 4. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. This Commandment hath two parts, a Prohibition and a Confirmation. The Prohibition hath two parts, forbidding two things. The first is propounded, Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven Image, nor the likeness of anything.

Where is,

• 1. The person prohibited, Thou ] any man whatsoever.
• 2. The thing forbidden, Making a graven Image ] that is, an Image artificially carved with any tool. An Image is the picture or representation of some other thing artificially made of any matter in any form. Likeness of anything ] is more general, for though every Image be a likeness, yet not contrarily, and the Lord doth deliver this Commandment so generally to prevent all mistaking. No Image or picture nor any manner of likeness must be made. Whether it be an Idol or Image, if it be a likeness, it is forbidden here.
• 3. Here is the end, For thyself, or to thyself, that is, to the use of any man, it must be understood of religious use for the service of a God, either true or imaginary, or to thyself ] that is, of thine own head .

Thus this part is propounded, it is enlarged by a distribution of things whereof Images or likenesses are to be made.

Of things in Heaven above ] meaning the highest heavens, called the heaven of the blessed, and so the Images of God the Father, or God the Son, or God the holy Ghost, and of our Lord Jesus God and man are excluded, as also of holy Angels and Saints, for all these are in heaven.

2. The heavens of the Stars, and so the Image of the Sun, Moon, Planets, or any Constellation or Star is condemned. Vide Voss. de Orig. & Progress. Idol. l. 2. c. 4.

3. The inferior heavens called the Air or place where the Fowls of the heaven fly, so as pictures of feathered Fowls are condemned.

Again he saith, Of things on Earth ] here are all men and four-footed beasts living and walking, and all kind of creeping things together, with Herbs, Plants, Trees, and so all Images of them are blamed.

3. The Waters under the Earth are named, and thereby are signified all manner of Fishes. The waters are said to be under the earth, because God made the earth hollow, that there the waters might be contained, Psal. 104. 6.

And God particularly nameth all these places, besides which there is no other place, that we might fully conceive, that his meaning is to forbid all manner of Images of all things whatsoever, whether of God, of creatures, of what sort and kind soever. The Gentiles abused the Images of most of all these, Rom. 1. 23.

This is the first part of the Prohibition, the second is, Thou shalt not bow down nor serve them, that is, to any such Image. Quibus verbis omnem omnino cultum, quocunque modo Idolis tribuatur, prohibit. Scultet.

To bow down notes the outward gesture of the body used of men to show reverence, and is used to denote all manner of reverent behaviours, which either nature hath ordained, or custom of Countries authorized to express respect and regard of things, as worthy of honor and account. Vox Hebraea gestum honoris indicem significat. Grot. in Exod. 20.

To do service noteth all manner of actions to be accompanied with such reverent gestures, the former is a circumstance of service, the later the substance of it. So no manner of account is to be shown to pictures, neither by any outward gesture of body, nor by any kind of service at all. Zanchi de Decalogoc. 14. doth otherwise distinguish between these two words.

Hitherto the Prohibition, the confirmation is taken from the Lord's interest, I am the Lord thy God.

2. From one Attribute of his jealousy. See Exod. 34. 14. Jealousy is that property of a husband or wife whereby they cannot endure that the yoke-fellow should give either their affections or body to others beside themselves, Consortis impatiens, ut mariti, Grotius. It noteth the holiness of God's nature that cannot away to have that service which is due to him communicated to Images, or to any other thing with or besides himself, it is love joined with anger, since God cannot away with this, we should not practice it.

3. There is an argument from God's effects of visiting the sins of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation, of them that hate him. Visiting is twofold, 1. In love and favor, Luke 1. 58. 2. In displeasure to punish, as here. Punishing is the laying of misery upon any one that hath done a fault, proportionable unto his fault. The object of this punishment are the children of them that hate God even to the third and fourth generation, as in the Babylonish transportation.

For a man may live to see his posterity to the fourth generation, Job 42. 16. and so see himself punished in them.

So Aquinas 1a, 2ae Quaest. 87. Artic. 8. Kellet. Miscel. lib. 1. cap. 7. and others. Some say the wrath of God descends from fathers to children only in case the children imitate, and write after their fathers copy; supposing these words [ In them that hate me ] to relate to the children. But this is expressly against the words of the text, and the examples of the thing: God afflicts good children of evil parents for their fathers sins, and the words are plain and determinate: God visits the sins of the fathers, in tertiam & quartam generationem eorum qui oderunt me, of them, of those fathers that hate me. Doctor Taylor on Exod. 20. 5. par. 1.

The cause moving to punish is the sins of the Fathers. Now God punisheth the sins of the Fathers on the children, by giving up the children to follow or exceed their Parents in sinning, that so he may bring upon them a more full vengeance, to show his detestation of his Fathers sins. Seeing no man would have his posterity to be plagued, himself must not sin in breaking the former prohibition.

They hate the Lord which do not worship him as he hath commanded them, but after their own fantasies, and after the traditions of men.

God in no other Commandment but the second threatens to punish the sins of Fathers upon the children, because superstitious worshippers of all men are strengthened by the tradition of their Fathers, O our Fathers did thus and thus, Shall we be wiser then our forefathers? M. Burrh. on Hos.

A second effect of God is showing mercy, that is, doing good and helping out of evil, and the object of this to thousands; the promise is opposed to the commination, but is of larger extent. Rabbi Solomon hence observes that the goodness of God doth as much exceed his severity, as fifty exceed one, viz. because his severity is restrained to four generations, but his goodness is extended to thousands, two thousands at the least. Non mille, sed multa millia: ita ostenditur, quanto largior sit Deus in benefaciendo, quam in puniendo. Grot. in Exod. 20.

Of them that love him and keep his Commandments ] Not that pretend to love him indeed and show their love by obedience to his revealed will.

There is a great difference between keeping God's Commandments and fulfilling his Commandment. Keeping noteth a truth, fulfilling a perfection: This Christ only had; but the truth every Christian must have.

The scope, end and sum of this Commandment is to order us in the solemn worship of God, called Heb. 9. 1. Ordinances of divine service, and usually termed religious exercises. For the constituting of a solemn worship of God three things are required:

• 1. That it be done with immediate reference to God, and that himself or something in his stead be made the object thereof, and so therein we draw near to him, and he to us.
• 2. That it tend in the doers intention directly and of itself to the honoring of God and pleasing him, and getting of grace from him, by exercising of some or all the virtues required in the first Commandment.
• 3. That there be a separating of ourselves from all other businesses to be wholly and altogether employed about such acts in which the difference between common and solemn worship doth seem to stand.

Worship consists in three things:

• 1. There must be a right knowledge and high apprehension of God, the person to be worshipped.
• 2. A reflection of this knowledge.
• 3. An abasement of the creature under the reflection of this knowledge, Revel. 5. Christ is represented as sitting on a Throne. The people of God are there brought in as compassing him about, they have high apprehensions of the person of Christ, his glory and holiness. 2. They reflect these excellencies. 3. They abase themselves, fall on their faces, verse. ult.

Every religious exercise or ordinance of divine service hath usually divers particular acts, that be as parts of the whole, and in the orderly uniting of which the whole is accomplished. And whatsoever is done in any such exercise of religion, for the end and purpose of pleasing God, and getting grace from him with respect of conscience to him (as esteeming that he must and will have it so, or else the service shall not be well-pleasing and acceptable to him) this is a part of worship, or of divine Service. For example, a man brought an Ox or a Ram, a Lamb or such like thing, and presented it to the Priest, he did offer it unto God, and that directly with intention of exercising obedience and faith to God. Likewise this Offering was to be made by a certain person in a certain place, at a certain time, with certain Garments and Rites: So all those observations became parts of this worship; for in these also the intention of the doer was directly carried to God, hoping and purposing by them to please God and exercise faith and obedience, and other graces, as well and as much as by the very offering itself, and accounting the service not to be acceptable to God without them.

The things commanded here are of two sorts:

• 1. For the performance of divine service.
• 2. For the preservation and continuance thereof.

For the right performance of divine worship, some things are to be looked unto for the substance and circumstances of it.

For the substance of worship also, some things are required for the

• Matter of it.
• Manner of it.

For the Matter, some things are required, for

• 1. The Object of the service.
• 2. The Subject of it, that is, the kinds and parts of it.

For the Object, two things are required,

• 1. That it be to the true God alone.
• 2. For the parts that they be such as are prescribe and appointed by the true God.

For the Object, it must be only the true God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the maker of Heaven and Earth, the Son of God our blessed Savior and Mediator, the blessed Spirit our sanctifier, which God hath manifested himself to us in the Scriptures, to him and him only must we tender our worship, which is so essential to worship, that it cannot be true unless it be appropriated unto him, according to the words of the Law repeated by our Savior, saying, Thou shalt bown down to the Lord thy God, and him (alone) that exclusive and confining particle our Savior addeth by way of interpretation, Shalt thou serve or worship, for so that word which in the original is, Thou shalt serve, Christ rendereth, Thou shalt worship. And great cause that he alone should be worshipped who alone is worthy of worship. Seeing this worship is a solemn acknowledgement of his Deity we testify that we esteem him the only true God upon whom we depend, and to whom we give ourselves as servants.

Secondly, This true God must be the object of our worship purely, and by a clear work of the understanding conceived of in his Attributes and Properties, not represented to the eye, or any way pictured forth or imagined under any visible or sensible form or representation, because there is no possibility of resembling him to the life by any similitude that any man or creature can invent or frame, yea all resemblances fall so far short of his perfection that it will prove an imbasing of our conceits concerning him to attempt any such resemblance, and therefore Deut. 4. 2. is express, telling Israel, that they heard a voice alone in the time that God came amongst them to deliver the Law, and saw no manner of Image or likeness, and therefore they ought not to corrupt themselves by making any Image or Representation. God is not a body but a Spirit and Essence, a Spirit whose being is every way above all that all creatures can attain and reach to proportionably to the excellency thereof by the most deep contemplation of their mind. And therefore also the Prophets do cry out against the picturing of God or worshipping him under any such form or picture, saying, Whereunto will ye liken me? What similitude will ye make of me? Isa. 48. 18.

The way to cure this evil:

• 1. Purge your hearts more and more from carnal affections, Psalm. 17. 15. Matth. 5. 8.
• 2. Beg the assistance of the holy Ghost to raise your apprehensions of the Divine▪ Essence, 2 Cor. 3. 14, 15, 16. The Spirit gives us light, and makes it powerful to change the heart.
• 3. Be much in the study of the Scriptures, they are the image of Christ, and he is the image of God, 2 Cor. 3. 18. & 4. 4.
• 4. Be obedient to divine institutions; God knows what worship is best for himself, Col. 2. 23 Obedience to God's will keeps up the repute of his Essence. See 2 Sam. 6. 6. Nihil adeo offendit hominum mentes ac simplicitas Divinorum operum. Tertul.
• 5. Consider your experiences of grace, Exod. 15. 11. Mic. 7. 17. Luk. 1. 46.
• 6. Often view God in his stupendous works, Psal. 104▪ observe the bounding of the Sea, the hanging of the earth upon nothing, Job 26. 7. the beauty and motion of the heavens, the order of all the creatures, Hosea 2. latter end. See Psal. 40. 18.
• 7. When you make use of sensitive things to increase your knowledge of God, you must proceed by way of negation and argument, and not by representation. See Isa. 45. 15.
• 8. Labor to get a more perfect and clear notion of God, follow on to know the Lord, Hos. 6. 3. Heaven consists much in the vision of God.

For the parts of worship, it is required that they be all prescribed unto us by the written word of God, that he may not have cause to except against us, saying, Who required these things at your hands? For seeing we do them to him, we must from him know whether they will be acceptable unto him, yea or no. His own will is the right rule of his own worship, what is not conformable to the rule cannot be true worship. Wherefore the Lord chargeth Israel that they should not add anything to the thing by him prescribed, but keep themselves strictly to his appointment, doing alone that very thing which he required without swerving to the right hand or to the left, Deut. 4. 2. Josh. 1. 7. Prov. 30. 2.

If God had left us without a pattern in the ways of his worship we should have wandered in uncertainties; the Heathens by the light of nature knew that there was a God, and that he was to be worshipped, yet they did but grope after him because they wanted a rule of worship.

Human inventions in matters of worship have been brought in

• 1. By Satan, he knows
  • 1. That they take away the glory of worship, that only is excellent which it plenum sui.
  • 2. That they take away the Majesty and Authority of it; God shows no such Majesty anywhere as in his Ordinances but in heaven, Revel. 4. 2.
  • 3. That they take away the power of Ordinances, Matth. 15. 6. all the power of Ordinances consists in God's presence in them.
  • 4. That it hinders their acceptation, Revel. 9. 20.
• 2. By the Minister
  • 1. A spirit of uncleanness works in the Prophets, Zech. 13. 2.
  • 2. A great deal of pride, Col. 2. 18.
  • 3. A vehement desire of drawing proselytes after them, Gal. 6. 13.
  • 4. Horrible hypocrisy, Matth. 23. 13, 14.
  • 5. Worldly wisdom and fleshly ends, 2 King. 16. 11.
  • 6. A constant ignorance and idleness in them, While they slept the envious man sowed tares.
  • 7. Cowardice, Gal. 6. 12.
• 3. By the people, 2 Thess. 2. 10, 11. Hos. 5. 11. Amos 4. 5.

Three things about the worship of God are to be considered:

• 1. The kinds of it, that is (as was before said) certain orders of actions to be performed.
• 2. The parts of it, that is, each action of each kind, so receiving the Lord's Supper is a kind of worship, the action of giving, taking, eating, drinking, with the things hereby represented, are parts.
• 3. There are certain circumstances and solemnities for the manner of celebrating those parts and kinds: Now the two former must be expressly commanded. The later must not be forbidden nor condemned, only a thing of solemnity is changed into a part when a religious necessity is imposed upon it, and a spiritual efficacy conceived to be annexed unto it, as appears in the Priests garments in the Law. Thus for example: Prayer is a kind of God's worship, the confession of sins, Petition and Thanksgiving for benefits be parts of this kind of worship, and so are the person to whom, and the person in whose name necessary things for the matter of the worship. But now, whether I pray in such or such a place, whether with eyes lift up or cast down, whether kneeling or standing, whether with mine head covered or uncovered, these are certain points of solemnity▪ as it were adjuncts of the exercise. And here it is sufficient, that I use no such circumstance as is condemned, nor neglect any that is commanded, but if I do esteem it a matter of religious necessity to Godward, to pray in such a place rather then such, and conceive that my prayers shall be more effectual for my good there rather then elsewhere, not having any such warrant from God, I do now turn the circumstance into a part of worship, and seeing it is not from God, of false worship.

The several kinds and parts of God's worship, are either Ordinary or Extraordinary.

I. Ordinary,

1. Public. 2. Private. 3. Indifferent.

First, Public, such as ought to be usually and only performed in public Assemblies of whole Congregations in one known appointed place, as being open and public professions of our allegiance to God. Such are two alone.

• 1. Preaching of the Word, which hath two main parts:
  • 1. The Explication and Declaration of any part of holy Writ, or any point of Doctrine contained in holy Writ.
  • 2. The Application of that part of holy Writ or point of Doctrine so contained in Scripture to teach, admonish, exhort, correct, comfort, for which things it is most fit and convenient.
• The second public worship is administration of the Sacraments, that is, of the seals of the new Covenant of Grace, which are two alone,
  • 1. The seal of ingra • fing into Christ's body, called Baptism, where the parts are▪ outward, washing with water, inward, bestowing the blood of Christ to wash and purge the soul.
  • 2. The seal of our nourishment in Christ, whereof the parts are, outward, on the Ministers part taking, blessing, breaking, distributing bread and wine: on the receivers, taking, eating and drinking bread and wine: inward, certain works of God in giving his Son, and of the receiver in receiving him. This is public worship.

Secondly, Private, two

• 1. Meditation by ones self alone of the Word of God, or the parts of it in any particular matter; the parts of which are, consideration of the truth thereof, and application of the same to ones self.
• 2. Conference with a few others, which is a mutual propounding of men's judgments of any part of Scripture or point of Religion for their mutual edifying, as Paul went up to confer with Peter and with the chief Apostles.

Thirdly, Indifferent, which may be done both publicly and privately, yea which must be done both in private by each person and family, and also may be done, and most of them must be done by the whole Assemblies of men professing true religion. These are ordinary which must be of constant and continual practice day by day as occasion serveth, which are four,

• 1. Reading the Scriptures and good Books, or hearing them read, which is an intentive observing of the things contained in the Word, or such godly Books as tend to make the points of doctrine in the Scripture contained, more plain and useful unto us.
• 2. Catechizing, which is a particular teaching the principles of Religion by Question and Answer, necessarily required of all Householders and Ministers to the young or ignorant people of the Parish. For the Householders it is apparent in that Commandment, that they should whet these things upon their children; for Ministers, Let him that is catechized in the Word make him that catechizeth him partakers of all good things: Where catechizing is made a part of the ministerial function of a Pastor in regard of which maintenance is due unto him.
• 3. Prayer, Pray continually, saith the Apostle; for private prayer, Enter into thy closet and pray, saith our Savior Christ; and Mine house shall be called a house of prayer, saith the Lord himself for public worship.
• 4. Singing of Psalms, whether Scriptures, or other conformable unto Scripture made by godly men, ones self or others, it is not material, as some think, for so saith David, Sing unto the Lord a new song; and so saith the Apostle, Edify yourselves with Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs; the word translated Hymns signifieth such a Song as is uttered with voice alone, but Spiritual Songs and Psalms are such as are sung to the tune of any well tuned Instrument of music, but must be so performed as may be for edification.

And these are ordinary services.

The extraordinary services are such as are to be performed upon particular and special occasions, either public or private, such are

• 1. Fasting, which is the setting of an artificial day at least apart to the work of humiliation and reconciliation.
• 2. Feasting, which is the setting of so much time apart to the work of rejoicing.
• 3. Vowing, which is a tying of ones soul by God's name unto God's self to do, or not to do a thing lawful for his furtherance in godliness.

These be all the kinds of worship which God in his Word requireth, and the performance of them each in their place and order is required at the hands of all God's people by virtue of this Commandment, so that each man and woman stands bound in conscience constantly to perform the public and private, as God gives ability, and the extraordinary upon such extraordinary occasions as fall out to require the performance of them.

And so much for the Matter of true Worship. The Manner followeth; which is as carefully to be looked unto as the Matter; neither shall any service we perform be acceptable unto God, further then the manner of performing the • an •• is agreeable to his will. Know, four things are required to the right performing of God's Services in this kind: 1. Sincerity. 2. Diligence. 3. Faith. 4. Reverence. And when we do worship truly, diligently, faithfully, reverently, then we also worship him acceptably and fruitfully.

For sincere worshipping of God we may learn it by the Apostles denying it of some that preached Christ of contention: what we do for a right end, attain •• g of grace, and for the right motives, God's Commandment and Honor, that is done truly; for truth in this case is the agreement betwixt the shows we make and meaning we have.

To the sincere performing of the acts of Worship, three things are requisite:

• 1. That we do it upon a right motive, which must be God's Commandment, because he requireth us so to serve him, not pray to be seen of men.
• 2. For a right end, which must be the showing of our obedience to God, and winning of grace from him according to his promise.
• 3. With the joining together of the inward and outward man, the Soul and Body.

The Scripture requireth this in prayer by special name, saying, that God is near to all those that call upon him in truth; that is, with a true intention to please him, and a true desire to get grace from him. The thing which ought to make a Preacher preach, is, that he may be God's Instrument in converting and edifying souls, seeing God hath appointed to do this work by the Ministry of men. The thing which should make the people come to Church, is, that by hearing their souls may live, seeing God hath appointed preaching to save men.

When we do in our souls aim at the right end of the several kinds of Worship we perform, seeking to approve ourselves to God so in them, that by them we may profit according to his institution, this is Truth.

The second thing is Diligence, which will follow upon Truth, and is joined with it, for always they go together as the contrary vices, and therefore in the Hebrew one word signifies both negligently and guilefully, in that speech, Cursed be he that doth God's work negligently.

He that would serve God acceptably, must serve him heedfully, Eccles. 5. 1, 2. Mark▪ 4. 23, 24. Heb. 2. 1, 2.

Reasons.

• 1. Because of God's peculiar presence in his Ordinances, Ezek ult. ult. Revel. 21. 3. he is there present, 1. In Majesty, Exod. 40. 34. 2 Chron 5. 14. Isa. 6. 7. the Ordinances of the Gospel are compared to a wedding Feast, Matth. 22. where the King comes in, therefore we are said to come to a throne of grace. 2, In holiness, Isa. 6. 3. Psal. 48. 1. Ezek 45. latter end, Rev. 4. 8. 3. As a Judge, Ezek. 22. 2. Rom. 2. 14. Job 9. 15, 4. In jealousy, as in the second Commandment, which is quick-sighted, Josh. 24. 19.
• 2. Look to the rule of all your converses with God, Rom. 12. 1. word-service it may be rendered, as 1 Pet. 2. 2. It is 1. A straight rule, Psal. 19. 7. one may quickly go awry. 2. A spiritual rule, Rom. 7. 12. 3. An harmonious rule, I am. 2. 10.
• 3. Consider the evil frame of your spirits that are to walk with God in this rule, 1. There is much enmity in them to every duty. 2. Much inadvertency in the things of God. 3. Looseness and vanity in the thoughts, Ier. 4. 14.
• 4. God is more honored or dishonored in your religious duties, then in all the actions of your lives, there they actively, intentionally, and solely intend his glory, therefore more of their spirits should be laid out in these duties then in all their other actions, Psal. 103. 5.
• 5. The Devil is there present, Matth. 13. 19. 1. As an accuser, as of Job. 2. As an Opposer, Zach. 1. 2. 3. As an Executioner, Isa. 29. 13, 14.

This diligence is a setting ones self to procure to ones self the benefit of the exercise, an endeavor and striving in good earnest to have the graces wrought in us which these exercises are to work.

This Diligence consists in three things:

• 1. A taking pains to fit and prepare ourselves for these Exercises before hand.
• 2. A due carriage of ourselves in them.
• 3. A due use-making afterwards.

For the first, we must all know that there is a very great natural unfitness in our hearts to perform any religious work, any good work at all; that which is of itself unfit to effect anything, must be fitted for the work before it be employed in the same. The heart of the best man is very apt to be out of tune as it were for Prayer, Meditation, hearing; when it is exercised about worldly matters, it is made very unapt to matters of godliness, because it cannot converse in the world in that holy and discreet manner it ought, wherefore it must be new tuned, and that is to be the first pains of a good man, without which his following labor is lost.

This preparation is double:

• 1. Common to all Exercises of Religion.
• 2. Proper to some special Exercises.

The common Preparation stands in four things:

• 1. In knowledge of the Exercise to be performed, both that it is by God required, and what good he intends by, and how he would have u • perform it. For it is impossible that any man should well worship God in anything, who hath not received convenient information of the nature and use of that thing. No man can pray except he know what it is, to whom to be made, in whose Name, and what good he shall attain by it: Nor read, nor hear, unless he know the needfulness and nature of these Ordinances. For it is the Word of God by which all things are sanctified, in that our minds are thence instructed of the lawfulness and manner of performing them. This is the foundation which must be first laid to all that follows, to be made acquainted what the exercise is, what good it will bring, how necessarily required, that so a man may do what he does out of this knowledge, and not serve God he knows not with what.
• 2. A man before he comes into God's presence about such works must repent of his sins, yea renew his repentance, bethinking himself of the several things which he latest committed, to work a fresh measure of grief in his soul, with a full determination of heart to strive more against them; for God cannot endure to be served with a foul hand. The sprinkling water must be sprinkled upon us, and we must purge ourselves from all uncleanness if we draw near to him. So in the old Law they were to wash their clothes after some pollution, and when God came to them to put off their shoes. And that is it which David saith, I will wash mine hands in innocence and compass thine Altar. A man must bring an undefiled spirit; if he will pray, he must work his heart to sorrow, and resolution to amend his late sins, for he cannot be welcome into God's presence, that is not cleansed from his wickedness, or hateth to be reformed, we must be pure if we will come into God's presence.
• 3. Prayer to God for his blessing must be prefixed to all religious services, for our better enabling thereto, for of ourselves we can do nothing, all our sufficiency comes from him who hath promised to hear us when we pray, and to grant our petitions▪ so that without seeking a blessing we cannot expect to find it; and therefore the Apostlē saith that all things are sanctified unto us by prayer, even exercises of Religion, the Word, the Sacraments, and the like, yea and Prayer too, by praying God first for his Spirit of Prayer. Therefore he that will serve God aright, must first crave his help and grace to serve him.
• The fourth and last part of common preparation is by a preconsideration of the exceeding greatness of the Lord before whom we come, and of our vileness, baseness, unworthiness to come before him, that so we may be rightly affected with the regard of him, Levite. 26. 2. So Cornelius saith, that he and the rest were all there before God to hear what Peter should say unto them, they had considered with themselves that God came to speak unto them, and that they came to hear him; for in what service we do not make account that we have to deal with the Lord our God and Maker, and do not put ourselves in mind what a one he is, we shall not carry ourselves aright towards him. Abraham said he was dust and ashes when he prayed to God, therefore the Lord hath set down a Preface before the Lord's Prayer, acquainting us what a one God is, because by the thinking of him, and striving to bring our hearts to conceive of him as such a one, we should be better fitted to make the requests and supplications following, the heart then must put itself in mind what it goes about, and to whom it tenders a service. I come before the Lord Almighty that hath my soul in his hand, to hear him speak to me, or to speak to him. I draw near to the King of Heaven and Earth, I present myself before his face, let me frame myself so as befits his holy and all-searching eyes. And this is the common preparation for our religious duties. Now special preparation for special services follows to be spoken of; that is, to the Word, to Prayer, to the Sacraments, and to a Vow.

For the Word. The heart is to be framed to a resolution of obeying it in all things, this is the honest and good heart whereof our Savior makes mention in describing the good ground, concerning this it is that our Lord saith again, If you will do my will, you shall know it. This will give a man a good memory and a good judgment, and the Lord to recompense this obedient resolution will become as he hath promised, a Teacher to the humble; so shall he be taught of God that comes with a firm purpose to be guided by God, and that in all things. Before you come to Church you should spend some time with your hearts, to incline them and bow them to the testimonies of God, and to say unto yourselves, I am going to hear what the Lord will say unto me, seeing he is my Maker I will not harden my heart against him, but I will be ready to know what he teacheth, and not gainsay anything that shall to my conscience appear truth, and I will undoubtedly yield to that I know in practice, for it is the word of him that is Lord of the spirits of all flesh; then will the Word be powerful to make us able, when we resolve before whatever it be to be willing.

2. Before Prayer a threefold consideration is necessary, of our special wants, and sins, and benefits, that we may accordingly mention them in our Prayers, The Lord hath promised he will grant us whatsoever we shall ask, we must bethink ourselves therefore what be those things that for our present estate we do stand in need of. What sins had need to be pardoned and healed, what benefits continued, or new given, and what we have already to give thanks for, that we may with more earnestness pray when we know for what we will pray. In the next place we must consider of God's gracious promises that he hath made unto us to help, and of his exceeding mercy, goodness, and power, by which we are sure he is able and willing to help, even of those Excellencies of God which the title, Our Father which art in Heaven doth offer unto our consideration, but principally God's promise to hear and accept is to fill our minds when we come before him as suppliants.

Thirdly, For the Sacraments, the special preparation is,

• 1. By examining and judging ourselves, as the Apostle speaks, that is, a more narrow and diligent search for our estate, and for our particular offenses if we have forgotten any, if through carelessness or guile we have let pass the sight and acknowledgment of any, that now the old leaven may be cast out. So saith the Apostle, Examine yourselves, and again, If we would judge ourselves God would not judge us.
• 2. We must labor to get a good appetite to this spiritual food, to stir up in ourselves an earnest hungering and thirsting after Christ and his benefits there. God calls all that thirst to come and eat. As a good stomach is a necessary preparation to our natural meals, so to these spiritual meals is a good desire and longing for the grace there offered, remission of sins past, and power to live more blamelessly and holily hereafter. Then when a man hath by special examination and judging himself found out his faults and humbled himself for them, and also hath brought his heart to long for Christ Jesus to be his Savior, and to save him from the punishment and power of them by his body and blood, he is now fit to come to the Lord's Table.
• 3 He must meditate on Christ's sufferings.

Lastly, For a vow, because this is a very solemn bond betwixt God and us (I speak it not of imposed vows, but assumed) wherein we enter, it behooves us very carefully to weigh the nature of the thing, and our sufficiency for the same, that we may not be rash with our lips to speak before our Maker, which is principally spoken of vowing by Solomon; for better not vow then not perform, for want of which care many men have so entangled themselves, as their vows have been occasion of exceeding much misery unto them, as we have one fearful example for all in Jephtha who though he did not so bad as is vulgarly thought (for can any man imagine that the newly reformed Church of Israel at that time after so special a blessing could have endured to see God's holy Altar by any of his Priests polluted with so fearful an abomination, and so expressly forbidden) yet he procured himself and his daughter great reproach in that he was fain to consecrate his only daughter to God as a perpetual Nazaritess. Whence followed at least in the opinion of those times a necessity of remaining a Virgin and child less, so that his example must warn us before vowing to consider distinctly and seriously what we vow.

Thus we have shown you what diligence is required before the worship. In the worship is required as great diligence, Rom. 12. 11.

First, With our understanding and thoughts to make them attentive, that we may heed what we do, and apply our thoughts and conceits alone that way, that so there may be an agreement betwixt body and mind. Thus in praying we must mark what it is that we ask, confess or give thanks for, so that we understand ourselves, and be able to approve that we have asked nothing but what we might. In hearing we must listen and attend that we may carry away the Word, and let it not leak, we must bind our minds to give heedful attention, according to that, Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith. Hear, O Israel, saith Moses often. Hear, O children, saith David. So in the Sacraments we must mark each action, and busy our minds in observing the thing signified as well at our eyes in the thing that is outward. When we see the bread, consider of Christ's presence and power to nourish; when we see the wine, of his presence and power to comfort; so in the other actions, when we see the breaking of the bread think of his death; when we see the giving, consider of God's offering him, and so in every action we must serve the Lord with our whole heart, whereof one part is this, observing, attending, marking the action.

Secondly, We must bring our affections to be so moved as the nature of the exercises requireth, which is that which is commended in the good Josiah, his heart melted in hearing threatenings, and the Thessalonians received the Gospel with joy▪ in prayer we must be fervent, and in the Sacrament we must bring our hearts to a feeling sorrow for Christ's death and our sins, and to a joyful remembrance of the great work of our redemption; so it must be a sweet mixture of joy and sorrow, so must we worship God with our whole heart, for then we worship him with our whole heart when our mind and affections are taken up with the matter of his worship, as hath been said, so in prayer, David cried unto God, was earnest about his requests. This earnestness of affection is a very necessary thing to make the worship of God we perform acceptable, and this is diligence in the worship. There must also be diligence after the worship in a care to make good use of it, and to observe our growth by it, and to perceive what proceedings we make in godliness by all the services we perform, seeing all that we do tends to this end, the Sacrament, Word, Prayer should nourish grace, all to confirm and strengthen the grace of the inward man.

All duties to God must be done with all the faculties of the inward man.

2. With the intention of all the faculties.

The demeanour of the body lies in this, that it is a fit instrument to serve the soul. The Turks worship Mahomet more reverently then Christians the true God, a vain carriage of the body is an evident argument of a vain mind.

2. The soul should be active, the whole inward man, the understanding should be ready to apprehend truth, the will to choose it, the memory to retain it, the conscience to submit unto it, Isa. 58. 5. 1 Cor. 14. 15.

Reasons why the inward man must be active in worship:

• 1. God will be worshipped according to his nature, John 4. 24.
• 2. The soul is the man, the main of sin lies in the soul, Mic. 6. 7.
• 3. The soul only is the seat of grace, Ephes. 3. 17.
• 4. The end of all Christian duty is communion with God, he can have no communion with the body.
• 5. In this doth the glory of all a Christians duties consist, Mark 13. 33. Revel. 5. 8.
• 6. This only makes the duty fruitful, the fruit of the duty lies in the activity of it.

After the duties done there should be

• 1. An impression of God's holiness upon us, Exod. 34. 29. Acts 4. 13. a savor of the duties we have done.
• 2. When we have found out God in a duty, we should engage our hearts to that duty ever after, Psal. 116. 2. and it should encourage us in all the services God requires, Gen. 29. 1.
• 3. We should be very thankful to God for every good motion, thought, new discovery, 1 Chron. 29. 13.

The special duties after the Word, Prayer, and a Vow, are these.

After the Word to call ourselves to account what we remember, and so to search if it be true, and ponder upon it ourselves with a chewing of the cud, and the life of hearing depends on it. This is digesting the Word, this is causing it to take root, this is engraffing it in the heart, and if we have convenient means of company we ought to confer of it, and advise together about it, that one may help another, so did the Bereans searching the Scriptures after Paul's speaking the Gospel to them. The next for prayer is as David saith, to wait on God, to look for and continue though we be deferred, to look for what we have begged, and to observe how it is granted, that accordingly we may be thankful or humbled, and increase our earnestness. When a man prefers a Petition to the King he gives his attendance to see what success, so must we to God. Our eyes must behold him as the eyes of the handmaids the Mistress, so that we may be able to see, whether he be angry against our prayers, or condescend to them, and if he do seem angry, yet we may not faint but follow him still: if we have prayed against a temptation, we must look for power against it; and if we feel power, rejoice in God that gave it, if not pray again, and still wait renewing our supplication: so if we have desired any grace or benefit either temporal or spiritual according to God's Word, we must not make haste or be heedless, but even wait and attend his leisure, as one that is infinitely better and wiser then ourselves.

Next for vows, the uses must be, a special care of our vow to fulfill it, for the word is express, Thou shalt pay thy vows, and thou shalt not go back if the vow be of things lawful, else we must not stand to it, but with great repentance for the vow perform God's Commandment rather then our vow.

Thus you have heard of truth and diligence: there are required two things more, Faith, which is a believing of God's truth showed in the exercise we perform according to the nature of it, Heb. 11. 4. In praying we must believe that God can and will grant our requests, asking with boldness and assurance, When you pray believe, saith our Savior. When we read the Word and hear it we must believe that each thing is true, and shall accordingly be performed, both predictions, promises, threats, in the like manner we must believe that God will bless those his Ordinances to our spiritual good, and in general we must assure ourselves that God will accept us in his Ordinances, and bless them to us for our good. Truth aims at the right end, diligence labors so to do them that we may not miss that end, Faith assures us that our diligence shall be prosperous, and so these three things hang together, and fitly, one for the help of another. If the Word be not mixed with Faith, if Prayer, Sacraments, every worship be not so mixed, then it will not be profitable unto us, for the wavering minded shall receive no good.

The last point is reverence, Levite. 26. 2. & 10. 3. which will follow doubtless upon the former, indeed this should have been named first. We must worship the Lord with reverence, saith David in Psal. 2. and he calls even upon Kings and Princes to have this affection, saying, Serve the Lord with fear. A true apprehension of God's greatness and our own baseness will work fear.

This Reverence is double:

First, Inward of the heart which is a framing ourselves to a special apprehension of God's goodness and greatness over us, Hos. 3. 5. Deut. 7. 21. Isa. 40. 17. a mixed working of love and fear, love to God and desire to please him, fear lest we should displease. For so reverence seems to be a compound affection of these three. We are still in God's presence, and therefore should walk in fear of him continually, but we come near unto him even before him, if we address ourselves to religious services, Psal. 100. 2. wherefore there ought to be a fresh renewing and augmenting of our reverence in such cases.

Secondly, The body must also be reverent before God, and therefore come and worship before the Lord, and bow down and kneel; all worship is termed bowing. In all services the outward man must be composed in a more stayed, quiet and still manner then in any other exercise, if we kneel it must be reverent, if we stand that must be reverent, if we sit that must be reverent, and what usual outward testifications of submission we would practice before our betters in worldly respects, we must much more practice before God when we draw near to worship him. Thus much for the performing of true worship for matter in regard of object, parts, for manner also in practicing diligence, sincerity, faith and reverence.

Concerning performance of God's solemn worship we have spoken. Now God would that his worship should also be preserved and upheld for continuance of time generation after generation, and that in purity and credit. To this purpose two things are necessary, Church-maintenance and Church government. For without these two things, allowance of means for their livelihood that attend any work, and a due observation of good order by them that are employed any way in that work, no work or service can have an honorable and respective continuance in the world.

For the first, viz. maintenance, the Apostle saith, Let him that is taught make him that teacheth him partaker of all his goods; and it is God's will that those should live of the Gospel which preach the Gospel. The Ministers maintenance should be competent, honorable, certain.

For the second, Discipline or Government it concerns 1. The Ministers. 2. The People.

For the Ministers, the Government is to provide fit men for fit offices. 2. To censure those which be disordered in the Ministry. 3. To depose those which be of scandalous life and erroneous doctrine.

For the People, the Discipline is either private or public. The private consists in 1. Admonition. 2. Complaint. 3. Withdrawing themselves. 4. Acknowledging their offenses. Public, it is 1. Admonition. 2. Excommunication. 3. Receiving in again the penitent.

So much for those duties which are commanded in this second Commandment. Now we will speak of the things forbidden therein, which are of two sorts, Sins of Omission and sins of Commission.

The sins of Omission are in regard of the performance of God's worship, and in regard of preserving and continuing it, for performing either in regard of the matter o • manner, and for both either total or partial. The total omission for matter is when we do even altogether neglect the services commanded of God in his Word, or at least the most of them, and that with a kind of contemning them as fruitless and unnecessary, as when men absent themselves from the Congregation, and care not at all, or not usually to come to the hearing of the Word or receiving of the Sacraments, or when they never read, pray, meditate or use any good conference, thinking these things needless, which is the sin of profaneness condemned by the Apostle, when he saith, Heb. 12. 6. Let there be no profane person amongst you as Esau. Partial omission for the matter, is when one doth these sometimes and sometimes omits them, by starts and sits performing God's worship, and then leaving them again, either all of them or some of them, which is a degree and disposition toward profaneness, as those who would fast for a day, and then after cared no more for God's service. Total omission for the manner is, when men do wholly neglect that sincerity, faith, reverence and diligence which is required, making no preparation at all, giving no attention, nor caring at all to have their affections moved, nor at all observing the fruit and benefit they reap by God's Ordinances, so that they perform the thing itself, they little or nothing regard in what fashion, and so become hypocritical or formal servants of God, either wholly moved by custom and example; or at least by a kind of superstitious inclination, and so either aiming at credit, and pleasing of men only, or else misaiming at better things, hoping by the thing done in some form though without all power and zeal to please God, this formal, hypocritical and irreverent worship is to be taxed, when men do the things but alone in outward fashion and carelessly, and for custom and man's sake, not aiming at the true end • which God hath appointed. These are omissions for the performance of God's worship, there is a fault also in omitting the preservation thereof.

First, By niggardice in not cheerfully allowing of things necessary to uphold the worship of God and his Ministers, tendering such allowance pinchingly and grudgingly if at all.

Secondly, By carelessness in Church-Discipline, when there is not due care for the choosing of good Ministers, or rejecting of evil, viz. when offenders are winked at, not admonished, not excommunicated; or in private, when men do not admonish, complain of, or withdraw themselves from scandalous offenders. In a word, when many of these things are either in whole or in part omitted that are appointed, then is this Commandment broken. So that according to the number of duties commanded, so must the breaches of this Commandment be numbered in case any of them be wholly or in part neglected.

Now I come to show the sins of Commission, that is, the doing of things contrary to the duties commanded, even things that are forbidden.

Sins of Commission are here of two sorts, 1. Direct. 2. Indirect. The former being simply and of themselves sins, the other sins by a consequent, and in some respect annexed to them.

Direct breaches of this Commandment are in regard of performing these Ordinances, and in regard of preserving and continuing them.

For performance here are two things forbidden. The tendering of a false worship, or abasing of the true. False worship is a worship not enjoined by God, for the measure of God's worship is the manifestation of his will, wherefore what agrees not with that as being inconformable to the right rule of worship, is worship alone in show and appearance, that is feigned and counterfeit, like bad coin not true and right.

Now worship is false in regard of the Object and Parts of it. For the Object it is false▪

First, When the true God himself is intended to be worshipped but under some visible or sensible representation, when I say God set forth by any Picture or Image is worshipped, or when any such Image is used as a means to derive and convey honor unto him by. This was the sin of the Israelites in the wilderness , for they purposed in their intention to serve that God which brought them out of Egypt, but for the better helping of them in this worship, and to stir up their devotion, they would set up the image of an Ox (a most beneficial creature, whose labor did yield them through God's blessing the best means of maintenance and living) somewhat to represent God unto them, and to bring his benefits unto their minds. So Aaron professeth, when he saith, To morrow shall be an holy day to the Lord. This was likewise the sin of Micah the Ephraimite, he made a Teraphim, and had an house of Images. Teraphim was the Image of a man, • e made this to worship God in and by, for he saith, Now I know Jehovah will bless me, it must needs be that he purposed to worship that God, of whom he did expect a blessing for his worship, and his mother had vowed the silver to Jehovah to make a graven and molten Image, wherefore this Image vowed to Jehovah must needs be intended to serve Jehovah by. This was the sin of Jeroboam, who said of the Calves, These are thy gods that did bring thee out of the Land ; as if he had proclaimed that he intended to do service to the God of their Fathers, but he thought it convenient to have him represented to them by these figures, and under these Images to have service tendered unto him. And therefore David chargeth the Israelites to have changed their glory, meaning God (who was indeed their glory) into a similitude of a Calf, that is, to have set up an image of a Calf to represent him by; and Paul saith the same of the wiser Heathen, that they did worship God but not as God, but changed the glory of that incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man, that is, they went about to set out and represent to themselves the glorious maker of all things by sueh base and inglorious pictures, as if there could be any proportion betwixt God and a dead Image, the workmanship of man's hands, which is indeed a great embasing of their apprehension of his Majesty, causing them at last to think as meanly of God as of a thing that could be so set forth, yea this is the sin the Prophet so finds fault with in God's Name, saying, What similitude will you set up to me? and whereunto will you liken me? And this is the sin of the Popish Church which they continually commit and maintain, and by which they have so corrupted themselves that they even cease to be the true Church of God, and are turned into a company of spiritual adulterers, for that Church with the wine of her fornications hath made almost all Nations drunken, to whom hath she not conveyed the infection of this foul Idolatry? God must be worshipped under the picture of an aged man, the holy Ghost under the similitude of a Dove, the Son of God under the similitude of a man hanging on the Cross, all foul Idolatries, for seeing that Christ is God as well as man, he is no more to have an Image set up to him then the Father or holy Ghost, seeing the Divinity is not representable, and the humanity without the Deity is not Christ, so that it is nothing but a strong fancy makes men take any picture for Christ's picture; for seeing his natural physiognomy is wholly concealed in Scripture, and no approved story hath acquainted us with it, and seeing his Deity is wholly irrepresentable, why should any picture drawn by man be called a picture of Christ rather then of the thief that hanged by him? It must needs be a very dead devotion that a dead picture can provoke.

This is the first falsehood of worship for the Object, when the true God is intended as the Object, but under some picture or representation, for God represented by an Image is now become an Idol, seeing the true God hath disavowed all such representing. This is the first kind of Idolatry.

Another is, When a creature hath these kinds of worship performed to him (or any like them) which God hath appointed to himself, and so becomes the object of worship: so Paul to the Galatians defines Idolatry to be a serving of the creature, or of those things which by nature are not God's. He useth the word serving which utterly overturns that fond distinction of worship and service mentioned by Papists to shift off the blame of this sin; to serve that which by nature is not God, is flat Idolatry. Now there are divers creatures which have been and are worshipped with the worship due to God or something like it, and coined in imitation of it.

First, Angels, which thing began in the time of the Apostles and is by Paul writing to the Colossians condemned as a base will-worship.

Secondly, Saints departed, which grew into the Church long after by degrees, and was rife since four hundred years after Christ amongst many (though not allowed by the authority of the Church-Governors, as after it was) by building Churches, dedicating Altars and days, and offering Incense and the like to these, all which are still in use and practice among the Popish Churches, yea are by them maintained as very devout and profitable exercises, for what more common then Invocation of Saints with them, pretending that they may so honor them as God's friends? whereas God's worship is to be given alone to God, if Christ might be heard above the Pope.

Thirdly, The Sun, Moon and Stars have been worshipped by Heathen men, under a conceit that there were certain spirits rulers of the world under God assistant to them, whereas they are created by God for the use of mankind, and do move by their own natural inclination as other things, not by any such external mover.

Fourthly, The pictures of God, Christ, Saints (so supposed to be I mean) have been and are still worshipped, which is the very particular made choice of in this Commandment, to include all other spiritual uncleanness, as the sin of adultery in the seventh to include all other bodily filthiness; for indeed this is the very grostest of all to worship a dead stock, whatsoever shifts men have, as if they did purpose not to worship the thing for its own sake, but for the thing represented by it. Such things Jews and Gentiles did allege for their excuse, but God rejects their counsels, and saith, in spite of all their denials, that their Idols were gold, meaning and nothing else but gold, and that they worshipped the work of their own fingers, he counted alone the wood or stone served, what ever they dreamed of a further Deity represented. And this Idolatry also the Church of Rome maintaineth, and hath by her tyranny thrust upon all these quarters of the world at such times as she had somewhat established her usurped Supremacy.

Lastly, The Devil personally hath been and is worshipped by services invented by himself of Witches and Sorcerers, to whom he did appear in bodily shapes, which is of all Idolatries the most searfull and heinous, because here God's professed enemy is openly set in his place and room.

And thus much for the falseness of worship in regard of the object; now it may be also for the kinds and parts, that is, when any action or actions are performed to the pleasing of God and working of spiritual grace in ourselves, that God hath not assigned in his word for that end, which is to worship God after the commandments of men, which the Apostle forbids, Tit. 1. saying, That men must not give heed to the commandments of men which do subvert the truth. The same thing is by him condemned under the name of will-worship , for what I do out of a religious conscience to God, with an intention I mean to please and honor him thereby, and hoping to win grace to my soul, by that I in my mind intend to worship him, and if there be no other warrant for this but my own will, this is now to serve God after the precepts of men which he cannot endure. And with such will-worship the Church of Rome abounds, they have their vows of canonical Obedience, Chastity, Poverty, and a number more; it is our great happiness that we are delivered from the bondage and slavery of them.

Thus you see the false worship forbidden; now follows the second branch of things forbidden in regard of the performance of God's solemn worship, which is the abuse of the true worship, and that worship of God is abused both in the matter and manner of it.

First, For the matter, by taking away any of those parts from any kind of worship which God hath commanded to be performed; as for example, the Church of Rome hath taken away the Cup from the Sacrament, and so maimed the Seal of God's Covenant, yea they have taken away the reading of the Scripture in private altogether, and will not suffer men to exercise themselves therein; and they have taken away the whole power of the Scripture, in subjecting it to the Church, and not the Church to it, and in causing it to be read in an unknown tongue.

Secondly, by adding any part of worship unto those which God hath appointed; as for example, to the Sacrament of Baptism they add oil and Spittle, and the sign of the Cross , I say, added these things, because they have not appointed them as matters of mere Solemnity or Order, but as matters of Religion, profitable to the Soul and needful in conscience to God.

So much for the abuse of God's worship in the matter thereof: it is abused for the manner,

First, When it is performed hypocritically, merely out of fashion, and out of a desire of winning credit and good estimation from men; yea, or out of a conceit of meriting and deserving at God's hand, for this last conceit is as false an end of worship as the former, and the aiming at it no less hypocritical, because I neither intend to show subjection unto God, nor to gain grace, but in the one to win credit, in the other to bind God to men, and make him as it were in my debt. So the Pharisees were hypocritical both ways, for they did all their things to be seen of men, and yet withal they hoped to get salvation as by desert for the work sake done, as it appeareth in the proud Pharisees prayer: and