A Body of Practical Divinity
EXOD. XX. 9, 10.
Six Days shalt thou labor and do all thy Work, but the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt do no manner of Work, &c.
Six Days shalt thou labor —God would not have any live out of a Calling; Religion seals no Warrant for Idleness. 'It is as well a Duty to labor Six Days, as to keep Holy Rest on the Seventh Day; Six Days shalt thou labor. 2 Thess. 3.11. We hear there are some among you walking Disorderly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , working not at all. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus, that with Quietness they work and eat their own Bread. A Christian must not only mind Heaven, but his Calling. While the Pilot hath his Eye to the Star, he hath his Hand to the Stern. Without labor the Pillars of a Common-wealth will dissolve, and the Earth will be like the Sluggards Field, over-run with Briars, Prov. 24.31. Adam in Innocency, though he was the Monarch of the World, yet God would not have him idle, but he must dress and till the Ground, Gen. 2.15. Piety doth not exclude Industry. Six Days shalt thou labor. Standing Water putrifies. The Inanimate Creatures are in Motion: The Sun goes its Circuit, the Fountain runs, the Fire sparkles: And Animate Creatures; Solomon sends us to the Ant and Pismire to learn Labor, Prov. 6.6. Chap. 30.35. The Be is the Emblem of Industry; some of the Bees trim the Honey, others work the Wax, others frame the Comb, others lie Sentinel at the Door of the Hive to keep out the Drone. And shall not Man much more inure himself to labor? That Law in Paradise was never yet repealed, In the Sweat of thy Brows shalt thou eat Bread, Gen. 3.19. Such Professors are to to be disliked, who talk of living by Faith, but live out of a Calling. They are like the Lilies which toil not, neither do they spin, Mat. 6.28. 'It is a Speech of Holy and Learned Mr. Perkins, Let a Man be endued with excellent Gifts, and hear the Word with Reverence, and receive the Sacrament, yet if he practice not the Duties of his Calling, all is but Hypocrisy. What is an idle Person good for? What benefit is there of a Ship that lies always on the shore? Or of Armor that hangs up and rusts? To live out of a Calling, exposeth a Person to Temptation. Melanchthon calls Idleness Balneum Diaboli, the Devil's Bath, because he bathes himself with delight in an idle Soul. We do not use to sow Seed in ground when it lies fallow; but Satan sows most of his Seed of Temptation in such Persons as lie fallow, and are out of a Calling. Idleness is the Nurse of Vice. Seneca an Heathen could say, Nullus mihi per Otium Dies exit: No Day passeth me without some labor. An idle Person stands for a Cypher in the World, and God writes down no Cyphers in the Book of Life. We read in Scripture of eating the Bread of Idleness, Prov. 31.27. and drinking the Wine of Violence, Prov. 4.17. It is as well a sin to eat the Bread of Idleness, as to drink the Wine of Violence. An idle Person can give no account of his Time. Time is a Talent to trade with, both in our Particular and General Calling. The slothful Person hides his Talent in the Earth, he doth no good, his Time is not lived but lost. An idle Person lives unprofitably, he cumbers the ground : God calls the slothful Servant wicked, Mat. 25.26. Thou wicked and slothful Servant. Draco, whose Laws were written in Blood, deprived them of their Life, who would not work for their Living. In Hetruria they caused such Persons to be banished. Idle Persons live in the Breach of this Commandment, Six Days shalt thou labor : Let them take heed they be not banished Heaven. A Man may as well go to Hell for not working in his Calling, as for not Believing. So I pass to the next.
But The Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt do no manner of work.
Having spoken already of the Reasons of sanctifying the Sabbath, I come now to that Question:
Quest. In what manner we are to sanctify the Sabbath?
Resp. 1. Negatively, we must do no Work in it; that is expressed in the Commandment, In it thou shalt do no manner of Work. God hath enclosed this Day for himself, therefore we are not to lay it common by doing any Civil Work. As Abraham when he went to sacrifice, left his Servant and the Ass at the bottom of the Hill, Gen. 22.5. So when we are to Worship God this Day, we must leave all worldly business behind, leave the Ass at the Bottom of the Hill. And as Joseph when he would speak with his Brethren, thrust out the Egyptians ; so when we would converse with God this Day, we must thrust out all earthly Employments. The Lord's Day is a Day of Holy Rest, all secular Works must be forborne and suspended, it is a profaning the Day. N • hem. 13.15. In these days saw I in Judah some treading Wine-presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in Sheaves, as also Wine-Grapes and Figs, and all manner of Burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day, and I testified against them. Thou I contended with the Nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath-Day. It is Sacrilege to rob that Time for Civil Work, which God hath Dedicated and set apart for his Worship. He that converts any time of the Sabbath to worldly business, is a worse Thief than he who robs on the Highway; for such a Thief does but rob Man, but this Thief robs God, he robs him of his Day. The Lord forbad Manna to be gathered on the Sabbath, Exod. 16. One would think that might have been dispensed with; for Manna was the Staff of their Life ; and the time when Manna fell was early, between Five and Six in the morning; so that they might have gathered it betimes, and all the rest of the Sabbath they might have employed in God's Worship: And besides, they needed not to have taken any great Journey for Manna, for it was but stepping out of their Doors, and it fell about their Tents; yet they might not gather Manna on the Sabbath; and but for purposing to gather it, God was very angry, Exod. 16.27, 28. There went out some of the People on the Seventh Day to gather, and they found none, and the Lord said, How long refuse ye to keep my Commandments and my Laws? Surely the anointing Christ when he was dead was a commendable Work; but Mary Magdalene, and Mary the Mother of James, though' they had prepared sweet Oyntments to anoint the dead Body of Christ, yet they came not to the Sepulcher to embalm him till the Sabbath was past, Luke 23.56. They rested on the Sabbath-day, according to the Commandment. The Hand cannot be busied on the Lord's Day, but the Heart will be defiled. The very Heathens by the Light of Nature would not do any Secular Work, in that time which they had set apart for the Worship of their False God's. Clem. Alexandrinus reports of one of the Emperors of Rome, that on the Day of set Worship for his God's, he did forbear Warlike Affairs, and did spend that time in his Devotion. To do servile Work on the Sabbath, shows an irreligious Heart, and highly affronts God. To work servile Work this Day, is to follow the Devils Plough; it is to debase the Soul. God hath made this Day on purpose to raise the Heart up to Heaven, to converse with God, to do Angels Work; and to be employed in earthly Work, is to degrade the Soul of it's Honor. God will not have his Day intrenched upon, or defiled in the least thing. The Man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath, God would have him stoned, Numb. 15. One would think that a small thing, to pick a few sticks to make a Fire; but God would not have his Day violated in the smallest matters. Nay, that Work which had a reference to a religious Use, might not be done on the Sabbath, as the hewing of stones for the building of the Sanctuary: Bezaleel, who was to cut the stones, and carve the Timber out for the Sanctuary, yet he must forbear it on the Sabbath, Exod. 31.15. A Temple is the place of God's Worship, but it were a sin to build a Temple upon the Lord's Day. This is keeping the Sabbath-day holy Negatively, in doing no servile Work. Yet Caution : Not but that Works of Necessity and Charity may be done on this day. God in these cases will have Mercy and not Sacrifice.
1. 'It is lawful to take the necessary Recruits of Nature: Food is to the Body as Oil to the Lamp.
2. 'It is lawful to do Works of Mercy, as helping our Neighbor when either Life or Estate are in Danger. Herein the Jews were too nice and precise, they would not suffer Works of Charity to be done on the Sabbath. If a Man were sick, they thought on this day they might not use means for his Recovery. Christ chargeth them with this, that they were angry that he had wrought a Cure on the Sabbath, John 7.23. If an House were on Fire, the Jews thought they might not bring Water to quench it. If a Vessel did run, they thought that on this day they might not stop it. These were righteous overmuch. Here was seeming Zeal, but it wanted Discretion to guide it. But unless in these two Cases of Necessity and Charity, all secular Work is to be suspended and laid aside on the Lord's Day: In it thou shalt do no manner of work ; which justly doth arraign and condemn many among us, who do too much foul their Fingers with Work on this Day. Some in dressing great Feasts, others in opening their Shop-doors and selling Meat on the Sabbath, which I have seen. The Mariner will not set to Sea but on the Sabbath, and so runs full Sail into the Breach of this Commandment. Others work on this Day, though privately. They put up their Shop-windows, but follow their Trade within doors: But though they think to hide their sin under a Canopy, God sees it. Psal. 139.7. Whither shall I go from thy Presence? ver. 12. The Darkness hideth not from thee. These Persons do profane this Day, and God will have an Action of Trespass against them.
2. Positively. We keep the Sabbath-day holy by Consecrating and Dedicating this Day to the Service of the High God. 'It is good to rest on the Sabbath-day from the works of our Calling: But if we rest from Labor, and do no more, the Ox and the Ass keep the Sabbath as well as we, for they rest from Labor. We must dedicate the Day to God, we must not only keep a Sabbath, but sanctify a Sabbath. This Sabbath-sanctification consists in two things.
- I. The solemn Preparation for it.
- II. The sacred Observation of it.
1. The solemn Preparation for it. If a Prince were to come to your House, what Preparation would you make for his Entertainment? Sweep the House, wash the Floor, adorn the Room with the richest Tapestry and Hangings, that there might be something suitable to the state and dignity of so great a Person. On the blessed Sabbath God intends to have sweet Communion with you; he seems to say to you as Christ to Zacchaeus, Luke 19.5. Make hast and come down, for this day I must dine with you. Now what Preparation should you make for the entertaining this King of Glory! Now this Preparation for the Sabbath is, First, When the Evening of the Sabbath approacheth, sound a Retreat, call your Minds off from the World, and summon your Thoughts together to think of the great Work of the Day opproaching. Secondly, Purge out all unclean Affections, which may indispose you for the Work of the Sabbath. Evening-Preparation will be like the tuning of the Instrument, it will fit the Heart the better for the Duties of the Sabbath ensuing.
2. The sacred Observation of it, touching which these things are to be practiced.
(1.) Rejoice at the approach of this Day, as being a Day wherein we have a Prize for our Souls, and enjoy much of God's Presence, John. 8.56. Abraham saw my day and rejoiced. So when we see the Light of a Sabbath shine we should rejoice. Isa. 58.13. Thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight : This is the Queen of Days, which God hath Crowned with a Blessing. As there was one Day in the Week on which God did rain Manna twice as much as upon any other Day, so God rains down the Manna of Heavenly Blessings twice as much on the Sabbath, as on any other. This is the Day wherein Christ carries the Soul into the House of Wine, and displays the Banners of Love over it. Now the Dew of the Spirit falls on the Soul, whereby it is revived and comforted. How many may write the Lord's day the day of their New Birth! This day of Rest is a Pledge and Earnest of that Eternal Rest in Heaven; and shall not we rejoice at the approach of it? That day on which the Sun of Righteousness shines, should be a day of Gladness.
(2.) Get up betimes on the Sabbath-morning. Christ rose early on this day before the Sun was up, John 20.1. Did Christ rise early to save us, and shall not we rise early to worship and glorify him? Psal. 63.1. Early will I seek thee. Can we be up betimes on other days? The Husbandman is early at his Plough, the Traveler riseth early to go his Journey, and shall not we, when we are on this day travelling to Heaven? Certainly did we love God as we should, we would rise on this day betimes, that we may meet with him whom our Soul loveth. Such as sit up late at work on the Night before, will be so buried in sleep, that they will hardly be up betimes on a Sabbath-morning.
(3.) Having dressed our Bodies, we must dress our Souls for the hearing of the Word. As the People of Israel were to wash themselves before the Law was delivered to them, Exod. 19.10. so we must wash and cleanse our Souls, and that is by Reading, Meditation and Prayer.
I. By Reading the Word. The Word is a great means to sanctify the Heart, and bring it into a Sabbath-frame, John 17.17. Sanctify them through thy truth, &c. And read the Word not carelessly, but with seriousness and affection; it is the Oracle of Heaven, the Well of Salvation, the Book of Life. David for the preciousness of God's Word esteemed it above Gold, and for the sweetness above Honey, Psal. 19.10. By reading the Word aright, our Hearts when they are dull are quickened, when they are hard are mollified, when cold and frozen are enflam'd, and we can say as the Disciples, Did not our Hearts burn within us? Some step out of their Bed to hearing. The Reason why many get no more good on a Sabbath by the Word Preached, is because they did not break Fast with God in the Morning by the Reading of his Word.
II. Meditation. Get upon the Mount of Meditation, and so converse with God. Meditation is the Soul's retiring of its self, that by a serious and solemn thinking upon God the Heart may be raised up to Divine Affections.
Meditation is a Work fit for the Morning of a Sabbath. Meditate on Four things.
(1.) On the Works of Creation. That is expressed here in the Commandment, The Lord made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, &c. The Creation is a Looking-glass, in which we see the Wisdom and Power of God gloriously represented. God produced this fair Structure of the World without any pre-existent Matter, and with a Word. Psal. 33.6. By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made. The Disciples wondered that Christ could with a Word calm the Sea, Matth. 8.26. but it was far more with a Word to make the Sea. Let us on a Sabbath meditate on the Infiniteness of our Creator, look up to the Firmament, there we may see God's Glory blazing in the Sun, twinkling in the Stars ; look into the Sea, there we may see God's Wonders in the Deep, Psal. 107.24. Look into the Earth, there we may behold the Nature of Minerals, the Power of the Load-stone, the Virtue of Herbs, and Beauty of Flowers: By meditating on these Works of Creation so curiously embroidered, we come to admire God, and praise him, Psal. 104.24. O Lord, how manifold are thy Works! in Wisdom hast thou made them all. By meditating on the Works of Creation we come to confide in God. He who can Create, can Provide ; he that could make us when we were nothing, he can raise us when we are low. Psal. 124.8. Our Help stands in the Name of the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth.
(2.) Meditate on God's Holiness. Psal. 111.9. Holy and reverend is his Name. Hab. 1.13. Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity. God is Essentially, Originally and Efficiently Holy: All the Holiness in Men and Angels is but a Crystal Stream that runs from this Glorious Ocean. God loves Holiness because it is his own Image. A King cannot but love to see his own Effigies stamped on Coyn. God counts Holiness his Glory, and the most sparkling Jewel of his Crown. Exod. 15.11. Glorious in Holiness. Here is a Meditation fit for our first entrance into a Sabbath, God's Holiness: The Contemplation of this would work in us such a Frame of Heart as is suitable to an Holy God: It would make us then Reverence his Name, Hallow his Day: While we are musing of the Holiness of God's Nature, we begin to be transformed into his Likeness.
(3.) Meditate on Christ's Love in redeeming us, Rev. 1.5. Redemption exceeds Creation; the one is a Monument of God's Power, the other of his Love. Here is fit Work for a Sabbath. O the infinite stupendous Love of Christ in raising poor lapsed Creatures from a state of Guilt and Damnation!
1. That Christ who was God should die; That this Glorious Sun of Righteousness should be in an Eclipse, we can never enough admire this Love; no, not in Heaven.
2. That Christ should die for Sinners. Not sinful Angels, but sinful Mankind. That such Clods of Earth and Sin should be made bright Stars of Glory. O the amazing Love of Christ! This was Illustre amoris Christi mnemosynum.
3. That Christ should not only die for Sinners, but die as a Sinner. 2 Cor. 5.21. He was made sin for us. He who was among the Glorious Persons of the Trinity, was numbered among Transgressors, Isa. 53.12. Not that he had Sin, but he was like a Sinner, having our Sins imputed to him. Sin did not live in him, but it was laid upon him. Here was an Hyperbole of Love, enough to strike us into Astonishment.
4. That Christ should redeem us, when he could not look to gain anything, or be at all advantaged by us. Men will not lay out their Money upon a Purchase, unless it will turn to their Profit. But what Benefit could Christ expect in purchasing and redeeming us? We were in such a Condition, that we could neither deserve nor recompense Christ's Love.
First, We could not deserve it, for we were in our Blood, Ezek. 16.6. We had no Spiritual Beauty to tempt Christ. Nay, we were not only in our Blood, but we were up in Arms, Rom. 5.8. When we were Enemies, Christ died for us : When he was shedding his Blood, we were spitting our Poison.
Secondly, As we could not deserve, so neither could we recompense Christ's Love. For,
1. After he had died for us, we could not so much as love him, till he made us love him.
2. We could give Christ nothing in lieu of his Love. Rom. 11.35. Who hath first given to him? We were fallen to Poverty ; if we have any Beauty, it is from Christ. Ezek. 16.14. Thou wert comely through my comeliness which I put upon thee. If we bring forth any good Fruit, it is not of our own Growth, it comes from Christ the True Vine, Hos. 14.8. From me is thy Fruit found. So that it was nothing but pure Love for Christ to lay out his Blood to redeem such as he could not expect to be really bettered by.
5. That Christ should die so willingly, John 10.17. I lay down my Life. The Jews could not have taken it away, if he had not laid it down; he could have called to his Father for a Legion of Angels to be his Life-guard; but what needed that, when his Godhead could have defended him from all Assaults? But he laid down his Life : The Jews did not so much thirst for Christ's Death, as he thirsted for our Redemption; Luke 12.50. I have a Baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished. Christ called his Sufferings a Baptism: He was to be baptized and sprinkled with his own Blood, and Christ thought the time long before he suffered. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , How am I straitened till it be accomplished. Therefore to show Christ's willingness to die, his Sufferings is called an Offering, Heb. 10.10. By the offering of the Body of Jesus: His Death was a Free-will Offering.
6. That Christ should not grutch or think much of all his Sufferings, his being scourged and crucified, (we grutch him a light Service) but that he should be well contented with what he hath done; and if it were to do again, he would do it. Isa. 53.11. He shall see of the Travel of his Soul, and be satisfied. As the Mother, though she hath had hard Labor, yet when she sees a Child brought forth, she doth not repent of her Pangs, but is well contented. So Christ, though he had Hard Travel upon the Cross, which put him into an Agony, yet he doth not think much, he is not troubled, but thinks his Sweat and Blood well bestowed, because he sees the Man-child of Redemption brought forth into the World. He shall see of the Travel of his Soul and shall be satisfied.
7. That Christ should make Redemption effectual to some, and not to others. Here is the Quintessence of Love. Tho there is a Sufficiency in Christ's Merit to save all, yet only some partake of its saving Virtue ; all do not believe. John 6.64. There are some of you that believe not. Christ doth not pray for all. John 17.9. Some refuse Christ, Psal. 118.22. This is the Stone which the Builders refused. Others deride him, Luke 16.14. Others throw off his Yoak. Luke 19.14. We will not have this Man reign over us. So that all have not the benefit of Salvation by him. Herein appears the distinguishing Love of Christ, that the Virtue of his Death should reach some and not others. 1 Cor. 1.26. Not many wise Men after the Flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. That Christ should pass by many of Birth and Parts, and that the Lot of Free-Grace should fall upon thee; that he should sprinkle his Blood upon thee: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Depth of the Love of Christ.
8. That Christ should love us with such an entire transcendent Love. The Apostle calls it a Love which passeth knowledge, Eph. 3.19. That he should love us more than the Angels: He loves them as his Friends, Believers as his Spouse. He loves them with such a kind of Love as God the Father bears to him, John 15.9. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. O what an Hyperbole of Love doth Christ show in redeeming us!
9. That Christ's Love in our Redemption should be everlasting, John 13.1. Having loved his own, he loved them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to the end. As Christ's Love is matchless, so endless: The Flower of Christ's Love is sweet, and that which makes it sweeter, it never dies. Christ's Love is Eterniz'd, Ier. 31.3. He will never divorce his Elect Spouse: The Failings of his People cannot quite take off his Love: They may eclipse his Love, not wholly remove it; their Failings may make Christ angry with them, but not hate them. Every Failing doth not break the Marriage-knot. Christ's Love is not like the Saints Love; sometimes they have strong Affections towards Christ, at other times the hot Fit is off, and they can find little or no Love stirring in them. But it is not so with Christ's Love to the Saints, it is a Love of Eternity. When the Sun-shine of Christ's Electing Love hath once risen upon the Soul, it never sets finally. Death may take away our Life from us, but not Christ's Love. Behold here a rare Subject on a Sabbath-morning to meditate upon. The Meditation of Christ's wonderful Love in Redeeming us, would work in us a Sabbath-Frame of Heart.
First, It would melt us into Tears for our Spiritual Vnkindnesses. That we should sin against so sweet a Savior, that we should be no more affected with his Love, but requite Evil for Good. Like the Athenians, who notwithstanding all the good Service Aristides had done them, banished him out of their City. That we should grieve Christ with our Pride, rash Anger, our Unfruitfulness, Animosities, strange Factions: Have we none to abuse but our Friend? Have we nothing to kick against but the Bowels of a Savior? Did not Christ suffer enough upon the Cross, but must we needs make him suffer more? Do we give him more Gall and Vinegar to drink? O, if anything can dissolve the Heart in Sorrow, and broach the Eyes with Tears, 'tis dis-ingenuity and unkindness offered to Christ. When Peter thought of Christ's Love to him, how he had made him an Apostle, and revealed his Bosom-Secrets to him, and taken him to the Mount of Transfiguration, and that he should deny Christ, it broke his Heart with Sorrow, he went out and wept bitterly, Mat. 26.75. What a blessed thing is it to have the Eyes dropping Tears on a Sabbath! And nothing would sooner fetch Tears, than to meditate of Christ's Love to us, and our unkind Requitals.
Secondly, The Meditating on a Lord's Day Morning of Christ's Love, would kindle Love in our Hearts to Christ. How can we look on Christ bleeding and dying for us, and our Hearts not be warmed with Love to him? Love is the Soul of Religion, the purest Affection; it is not Rivers of Oil, but Sparks of Love, that Christ values. And sure, as David said, While I was musing, the Fire burned, Psal. 39.3. So while we are musing of Christ's Love in redeeming us, the Fire of our Love would burn towards Christ; and then is a Christian in a Blessed Sabbath-Frame, when he is like a Seraphim burning in Love to Christ.
(4.) On a Sabbath-morning meditate on the Glory of Heaven. Heaven is the Extract and Quintessence of Happiness. It is called a Kingdom, Mat. 25.34. A Kingdom for it's Riches and Magnificence: It is set out by Precious Stones, Gates of Pearl, Rev. 21. There is all that is truly Glorious, transparent Light, perfect Love, unstained Honor, unmixed Joy; and that which crowns the Joy of the Celestial Paradise, is Eternity. Suppose Earthly Kingdoms were more glorious than they are, their Foundations of Gold, their Walls of Pearl, their Windows of Sapphire, yet they are corruptible : But the Kingdom of Heaven is Eternal, those Rivers of Pleasure run for evermore, Psalm 16.11. And that wherein the Essence of Glory consists, and makes Heaven to be Heaven, is the immediate Sight and Fruition of the Blessed God. Psal. 17.15. When I awake I shall he satisfied with thy likeness. O think of this Jerusalem above! This is proper for a Sabbath.
1. The meditation of Heaven would raise our Hearts above the World. O how would these things disappear and shrink into nothing, if our Minds were mounted above the Visible Orbs, and we had a Prospect of Glory!
2. How would the Meditation of Heaven make us Heavenly in our Sabbath-Exercises▪ It would quicken Affection, it would add Wings to Devotion, it would make us to be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, Rev. 1.10. How vigorously doth he serve God, who hath a Crown of Glory always in his Eye!
III. We dress our Souls on a Sabbath-Morning, by Prayer. Mat. 6.6. When thou Prayest, enter into thy Closet, &c. Prayer sanctifies a Sabbath.
(1.) The things we should pray for on the Morning of a Sabbath.
1. Beg a Blessing upon the Word which is to be Preached, that it may be a Savour of Life to us, that by it our Minds may be more Illuminated, our Corruptions more weakened, our Stock of Grace more increased. Pray that God's special Presence may be with us, that our Hearts may burn within us while God speaks. Pray that we may receive the Word into meek humble Hearts, James 1.22. That we may submit to it, and bring forth the Fruits of it. Nor should we only Pray for ourselves, but for others.
First, For him who dispenseth the Word; that his Tongue may be touched with a Coal from God's Altar ; That God would warm his Heart, who is to help to warm others. Your Prayers may be a means to quicken the Minister. Some complain, they find not that Benefit by the Word Preached. Perhaps they did not Pray for their Minister as they should. Prayer is like the whetting and sharpening of an Instrument, which makes it cut the better.
Secondly, Pray with and for your Family: Yea, Pray for all the Congregations that meet this Day in the Fear of the Lord, that the Dew of the Spirit may fall with the Manna of the Word, that some Souls may be converted, and others strengthened, and that Gospel-Ordinances may be continued, and have no Restraint put upon them. These are the things we should pray for. The Tree of Mercy will not drop its Fruit, unless it be shaken by the Hand of Prayer.
(2.) The Manner of our Prayer. It is not enough to say a Prayer, to pray in a dull cold manner, which teacheth God to deny; but we must Pray with Reverence, Humility, Hope in God's Mercy, Fervency, Luke 22.44. Christ Pray'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , more earnestly. And that we may pray with more Fervency, we must Pray with a Sense of our Wants. He who is pinched with Want, will be earnest in craving an Alms. He Prays most Fervently, who Prays most Feelingly. This is to sanctify the Morning of a Sabbath, and it is a good Preparatory for the Word Preached. When the Ground is broken up by the Plough, now it is fit to receive the Seed. When the Heart hath been broken by Prayer, now it is fit to receive the Seed of the Word Preached. Thus you see how to dress your Souls on a Sabbath-morning. There are other Duties remaining.
EXOD. XX.10.
IV. Having thus dressed your Souls in a Morning, for the further Sanctification of the Sabbath, address yourselves to the Hearing of the Word Preached.
(1.) And when you are set down in your Seat,
1. Lift up your Eyes to Heaven for a Blessing upon the Word to be dispensed. For, you must know the Word Preach'd doth not work as Physic, by its own inherent Virtue, but by a Virtue from Heaven, and the Co-operation of the Holy Ghost. Therefore put up a short Ejaculatory Prayer for a Blessing upon the Word, that it may be made effectual to you.
(2.) The Word being begun to be Preach'd, set yourselves in a right manner:
1. With Reverence and Holy Attention. Acts 16.14. A certain Woman named Lydia attended unto the things that were spoken of Paul. Constantine the Emperor was noted for his Reverend Attention to the Word. Luke 19.48. Christ taught daily in the Temple: And all the People were attentive to hear him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the Greek, They hung upon his Lip. Could we tell Men of a Rich Purchase, they would diligently attend: And shall they not much more, when the Gospel of Grace is Preaching to them? Now that we may sanctify and hallow the Sabbath by attentive Hearing, take heed of two things:
- I. Distraction in Hearing.
- II. Drowsiness in Hearing.
I. Distraction. 1 Cor. 7.35. That ye may attend upon the Lord without Distraction. It is said of St. Bernard, That when he came to the Church-Door, he would say, Stay here all my Earthly Thoughtt. So should we say to ourselves, when we are at the Door of God's House, Stay here all my worldly Cares, and wandering Cogitations, I am now going to hearken what the Lord will say to me. Distraction hinders Devotion. Distraction in Hearing is, when the Mind is tossed with vain Thoughts, and diverted from the Business in hand. 'It is hard to make the Quicksilver Heart fix. St. Jerome complained of himself, Some times (saith he) when I am about God's Service, per Porticus deambulo, I am walking in the Galleries, and sometimes casting up Accounts. So oft in hearing of the Word the Thoughts dance up and down; and when our Eye is upon the Minister, our Mind is upon other things. Distracted Hearing is far from sanctifying the Sabbath. It must needs be very heinous to give way to vain Thoughts at this time, because when we are hearing the Word, we are now in God's Special Presence. To do any Treasonable Action in the King's Presence, is high Impudence. Ier. 23.11. Yea, in my House have I found their Wickedness. So may the Lord say, In my House, while they are hearing of my Word, I have found Wickedness; they have wanton Eyes, and their Soul is set on Vanity. This inhanceth and aggravates the sin.
Qu. Whence do these roving distracted Thoughts in hearing come?
Answ. 1. Partly from Satan. The Devil is no Recusant, he will be sure to be present in our Assemblies : If he cannot hinder us from hearing, he will hinder us in hearing. Job 1.6. When the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan came also among them. The Devil sets vain Objects before the Fancy to cause a Diversion. Satan's great Design is to render the Word we hear fruitless: As when one is writing, another joggs him that he cannot write even: So when we are hearing, the Devil will be jogging us with a Temptation, that we should not attend to the Word Preached. Zach. 3.1. He showed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his Right Hand to resist him.
2. These wandering Thoughts in Hearing come partly from ourselves. We must not lay all the blame upon Satan.
(1.) They come from the Eye. A wandering Eye causeth wandering Thoughts. A Thief may be let into the House at a Window: So vain Thoughts are let in at the Eye. So that as we are bid to keep our Feet when we enter into the House of God, Eccles. 5.1. so we had need make a Covenant with our Eyes when we are in the House of God, Job 31.1. that we be not distracted by beholding other Objects.
2. Wandering Thoughts in hearing arise out of the Heart. These Sparks come out of our own Furnace. Vain Thoughts are the Mud which the Heart (as a troubled Sea) casts up. Mark 7.21. For from within, out of the Heart of men, proceed evil Thoughts. It is the Foulness of the Stomach sends up Fumes into the Head; and the Corruption of the Heart sends up Evil Thoughts into the Mind.
3. Distracted Thoughts in hearing proceed from an Evil Custom. We inure ourselves to vain Thoughts at other times, therefore we cannot forbear them on a Sabbath. Custom is a Second Nature. Ier. 13.23. Can the Ethiopian change his Skin, or the Leopard his Spots, then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil? He that is used to bad Company, knows not how to leave it. Such as have vain Thoughts keeping them Company all the Week, they know not how to get rid of them on the Sabbath. Let me show you how evil these vain distracting Thoughts in hearing are.
First, To have the Heart distracted in Hearing, is a Disrespect to God's Omnisciency. God is an all-seeing Spirit, and Thoughts speak louder in his Ears than Words do in ours. Amos 4.13. He declareth unto Man what is his Thought. Therefore to make no Conscience of Wandering Thoughts in Hearing, is the affronting of God's Omnisciency, as if he knew not our Heart, or did not hear the Language of our Thoughts.
Secondly, To give way to wandering Thoughts in Hearing, is Hypocrisy. We pretend to hear what God saith, and our Mind is quite upon another thing. We present God with our Bodies, but do not give him our Hearts, Hos. 7.11. This Hypocrisy God complains of, Isa. 29.13. This People draw near me with their Mouth, and with their Lips do honor me, but have removed their Heart far from me. This is to prevaricate, and deal falsely with God.
Thirdly, Vain Thoughts in Hearing discover much want of Love to God. Did we love God, we should listen to his Words as Oracles, and bind them upon the Table of our Heart, Prov. 3.3. When a Friend whom we love speaks to us, and gives us Advice, we mind it with Seriousness, and suck in every Word. The giving our Thoughts leave to ramble in Holy Duties, shows the Defect of our Love to God.
Fourthly, Vain impertinent Thoughts in Hearing defile an Ordinance: They are as dead Flies in the Box of Ointment. When a String in the L • te is out of Tune, it spoils the Music. Distraction of Thoughts puts our Mind out of Tune, and makes our Services sound harsh and unpleasant. Wandering Thoughts poison a Duty, and turn it into sin. Psal. 109.7. Let his Prayer become sin. What can be worse, than to have a Man's Praying and Hearing of the Word become sin? Were it not sad when the Meat we eat should increase bad Humours? So when the Hearing of the Word, which is the Food of the Soul, should be turned into Sin?
Fifthly, Vain Thoughts in Hearing anger God. If the King were speaking to one of his Subjects, and he should not give heed to what the King saith, but be thinking on another business, or playing with a Feather, would not this provoke the King? So when we are in God's Presence, and God is speaking to us in his Word, and we mind not much what he saith, but our Hearts go after Covetousness, Ezek. 33.31. will not this anger God to be thus slighted? God hath pronounced a Curse upon such; Mal. 1.14. Cursed be the Deceiver which hath in his Flock a Male, and Sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing. To have strong lively Affections to the World, here is a Male in the Flock; but to hear the Word with Distraction, to give God Duties fly-blown with Vain Thoughts, this is to offer to the Lord a corrupt thing ; this brings a Curse, Cursed be the Deceiver.
Sixthly, Vain Thoughts in Hearing (when allowed and not resisted ) make way for hardening the Heart. A Stone in the Heart, is worse than in the Kidneys. Distracted Thoughts in hearing do not Better the Heart, but Harden it. Vain Thoughts take away the holy Awe of God which should be upon the Heart, they make Conscience less Tender, and hinder the Efficacy the Word should have upon the Heart.
Seventhly, Vain distracting Thoughts rob us of the Comfort of an Ordinance. A gracious Soul oft meets with God in the Sanctuary, and can say as Cant. 3.4. I found him whom my Soul loveth. He is like Jonathan, who having tasted the Honey on the Rod, his Eyes were enlightened. But Vain Thoughts hinder the Comfort of an Ordinance, as a black Cloud hides the warm comfortable Beams of the Sun from us. Will God speak Peace to us when our Minds are wandering, and our Thoughts are travelling to the Ends of the Earth, Prov. 17.24? If ever you would hear the Word with Attention, do as Abraham, he drove away the Fowls from the Sacrifice, Gen. 15.11. So when we find these Excursions and sinful Wanderings in hearing, labor to drive away the Fowls; get rid of these vain Thoughts; they are Vagrants, and we must not give them Entertainment.
Qu. But how shall we get help against these Vagabond Thoughts?
Resp. 1. Pray and watch against them.
2. Let the Sence of God's Omniscient Eye over-awe our Hearts. The Servant will not sport in his Masters Presence.
3. Labor for an Holy Frame of Heart. Were the Heart more Spiritual, the Mind would be less Feathery.
4. Bring more Love to the Word. That which we love we fix our Minds upon. He that loves his Pleasures and Recreations, his Mind is fixed on them, and he can follow them without Distraction. Were our Love more set upon the Word Preached, our Minds would be more fixed upon it. And surely, there is enough to make us love the Word Preached, for it is the Word of Life —the Inlet to Knowledge, the Antidote against Sin, the Quickner of Holy Affections: It is the True Manna, which hath all sorts of sweet Tasts in it. It is the Pool of Bethesda, in which the Rivers of Life spring forth to heal the broken in Heart. It is a Soveveraign Elixir or Cordial to revive the sorrowful Spirit. Get Love to the Word Preached, and you will not be so distracted in hearing. What the Heart delights in, the Thoughts dwell upon.
II. If you would sanctify the Sabbath by deligent attentive hearing, take heed of Drowsiness in Hearing. Drowsiness shows much Irreverence. How lively are many when they are about the World, but in the Worship of God how drowsy, as if the Devil had given them some Opium to make them sleep! A Drowsie Temper is ( now ) very absurd and sinful. Are not you in Prayer asking Pardon of sin? Will the Prisoner fall asleep when he is begging his Pardon? In the Preaching of the Word is not the Bread of Life breaking to you, and will a Man fall asleep at his Food? Which is worse, to stay from a Sermon, or sleep at a Sermon? While you sleep, perhaps that Truth was delivered, which might have converted your Souls. Besides, sleeping is very offensive in these Holy Assemblies: It is not only a grieving the Spirit of God, but a making the Hearts of the Righteous sad, Ezek. 13.22. It troubles them to see any show such a Contempt of God and his Worship; to see Men busy in the Shop, but drowsy in the Temple. Therefore as Christ said, Mat. 26.40. Could ye not watch one Hour? So can ye not wake one Hour? I deny not but a Child of God may sometimes through Weakness and Indisposition of Body drop asleep at a Sermon, but it is not voluntary or ordinary. The Sun may be in an Eclipse, but not often. If sleeping be customary, and allowed, it is a very bad sign, and is a profaning of the Ordinance. A good Remedy against Drowsiness is to use a Spare Diet upon this Day. Such as indulge their Appetite too much on a Sabbath, are fitter to sleep on a Couch than pray in the Temple. Now, that you may throw off Distracting Thoughts and Drowsiness on the Lord's Day, and may hear the Word with reverend Attention, consider,
1. It is God that speaks to us in his Word; therefore the Preaching of the Word is called the Breath of his Lips, Isa. 11.4. And Christ is said now to speak to us from Heaven, Heb. 12.25. as a King speaks in his Ambassador. Ministers are but as the Pipes and Organs, it is the Spirit of the Living God breathes in them: When we come to the Word, we should think thus with ourselves, God speaks in this Preacher. The Thessalonians heard the Word Paul Preached, as if God himself had spoken to them, 1 Thess. 2.13. When ye received the Word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the Word of Men, but (as it is in truth) the Word of God. When Samuel knew it was the Lord that spake to him, he lent his Ear, 1 Sam. 3.10. If we do not regard God when he speaks to us, he will not regard us when we pray to him.
2. Consider how serious and weighty the matters delivered to us are. As Moses said, Deut. 30.19. I call Heaven and Earth • o record this day, that I have set before you Life and Death. Can Men be regardless of the Word, or drowsy when the weighty matters of Eternity are set before them? We Preach of Faith, and Holiness of Life, and the Day of Judgment, and the Eternal Recompences; here is Life and Death set before you; and doth not all this call for serious Attention? If a Letter were read to one of special business, wherein his Life and Estate were concerned, would not he be very serious in listening to that Letter? In the Preaching of the Word, your Salvation is concerned, and if ever you will attend, it should be now, Deut. 32.47. It is not a vain thing for you, because it is your Life.
3. To give way to Vain Thoughts and Drowsiness in hearing, doth much gratify Satan. He knows, that not to mind a Duty, is all one as not to do a Duty. Quicquid cor non facit, non sit ; in Religion, What the Heart doth not do, is not done. Therefore Christ saith of some, Hearing they hear not, Mat. 13.13. How could that be? Because though' the Word sounded in their Ear, yet they minded not what was said to them; their Thoughts were upon other things; therefore it was all one as if they did not • ear. Hearing they hear not. And doth not this please Satan, to see Men come to the Word, and as good stay away? They are haunted with vain Thoughts, they are taken off the Duty while they are in it; their Body is in the Assembly, their Heart in their Shop; Hearing they hear not.
4. It may be the last Sabbath that ever we shall keep. We may go from the place of Hearing to the place of Judging, and shall not we give Reverend Attention to the Word? Did we think thus when we come into God's House, Perhaps this will be the last time that ever God will counsel us about our Souls; before another Sermon Death's Alarum will sound in our Ears: With what Attention and Devotion should we come hither, and our Affections would be all on Fire in hearing!
5. You must give an Account for every Sermon you hear, Luke 16.2. Redde rationem: Give an account of thy Stewardship. So will God say, Give an Account of thy Hearing. Hast thou been affected with the Word? Hast thou profited by it? And how can we give an Account, if we have been distracted in hearing, and have not taken notice what hath been said to us? The Judge to whom we must give an Account is God. Were one to give an Account to Man, he might falsify his Accounts, but we must give an Account to God. Nec donis corrumpitur, nec blanditiis fallitur. He is so Just a God, that he cannot be bribed; and so Wise, that he cannot be deceived. Therefore being to give an Account to such an impartial Judge, how should we observe every Word Preached, remembering the Account! Let all this make us shake off Distraction and Drowsiness in Hearing, and have our Ears chained to the Word.
EXOD. XX. 8.
Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy, &c.
II. If you would hear the Word aright, lay aside those things which may render the Word Preached ineffectual. As,
1. Curiosity. Some come to the Word Preached, not so much to get Grace, as to enrich themselves with Notions. Itching Ears, 2 Tim. 4.3. Austin confesseth that before his Conversion, he went to hear St. Ambrose rather for his Eloquence, than the Spirituality of the matter. Ezek. 33.32. Thou art unto them as a very lovely Song of one that hath a pleasant Voice, and can play well on an Instrument. Many come to the Word only to feast their Ears; they like the Melody of the Voice, the Mellifluous Sweetness of the Expression, the Newness of the Notion, Acts 17.21. This is to love the Garnishing of the Dish more than the Food. This is to desire to be pleased, rather than edifyed. Like a Woman that paints her Face, but neglects her Health. So they paint and adorn themselves with curious Speculations, but neglect their Souls Health. This hearing doth neither sanctify the Heart nor the Sabbath.
2. Lay aside Prejudice.
(1.) Prejudice against the Truths Preached. The Sadducees were prejudiced against the Doctrine of the Resurrection, Luke 20.27.
(2.) Prejudice against the Person preaching, 1 King. 22.8. There is one Micaiah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him. This hinders the Virtue of the Word. If a Patient hath an ill Opinion of his Physician, he will not take any of his Receipts though never so good. Prejudice in the Mind is like an Obstruction in the Stomach, which hinders the Nutritive Virtue of the Meat. Prejudice poisons the Word, and makes it to lose its Efficacy.
3. Lay aside Covetousness. Covetousness is in not only getting the World unjustly, but loving it inordinately. This is a Great Hindrance to the Word Preached. The Seed which fell among Thorns was choked, Mat. 13.22. An Emblem of the Word being Preached to a Covetous Hearer. The Covetous Man is thinking of the World when he is hearing; his Heart is in his Shop. Ezek. 33.31. They sit before thee as my People, and they hear thy Words, but their Heart goeth after their Covetousness. A Covetous Hearer derides the Word, Luke 16.14. The Pharisees who were covetous heard all, and they derided him.
4. Lay aside Partiality. Partiality in hearing is, when we like to hear some Truths Preached, but not all. We love to hear of Heaven, but not of Self-denial; of reigning with Christ, but not of suffering; of the more Facil Duties of Religion, but not them which are more knotty and difficult, as Mortification, laying the Ax to the Root, and hewing down their Beloved Sin, Isa. 30.10. Proyhesie smooth things, such as may not grate upon our Conscience. Many like to hear of the Love of Christ, but not of loving their Enemies: They like the Comforts of the Word, not the Reproofs. Herod heard John the Baptist gladly; he liked many Truths, but not when he spake against his Incest. Lay aside Partiality.
5. Lay aside Censoriousness. Some instead of judging themselves for Sin, sit as Judges upon the Preacher : Either his Sermon had too much Gall in it, or it was too long: These will sooner censure a Sermon than practice it. God will judge the Judger. Mat. 7.1.
6. Lay aside Disobedience, Rom. 10.21. All the day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient People. 'It is spoken of the Jews, God stretched out his Hands in the Preaching of the Word, but they rejected Christ. Let there be none among you that willfully refuse the Counsels of the Word: 'It is sad to have an Adders Ear, an Adamant Heart. Zac. 7.11, 12. If when God speaks to us in his Word we are deaf, when we speak to him in Prayer he will be dumb.
III. If you would hear the Word aright, have God Ends in hearing. Come to the Word to be made better. Some have no other end in hearing, but because it is in Fashion, or to gain Repute, or stop the Mouth of Consbience. But come to the Word to be made more Holy. There's a great deal of difference between one that goes to a Garden for Flowers to wear in her Bosom, and another that goes for Flowers to make Syrups and Medicines of. We should go to the Word for a Medicine to cure us; as Naaman the Syrian went to Jordan to be healed of his Leprosy. 1 Pet. 2.2. Desire the sincere Milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. Come to the Word to be changed into the Similitude of it. As the Seal leaves its Print upon the Wax, so labor that the Word Preached may leave the Print of its own Holiness upon your Heart. Labor that the Word may have such a Virtue upon you as the Water of Jealousy, to kill and make fruitful, Numb. 5.27. That it may kill your Sins, and make your Souls fruitful in Grace.
IV. If you would hear the Word aright, come to it with Delight. The Word Preached is a Feast of fat things. With what Delight do Men come to a Feast? The Word Preached anoynts the blind Eye, mollifies the Rocky Heart; it beats off our Fetters, and turns us from the Power of Satan to God, Acts 26.18. The Word is the Seed of Regeneration, I am. 1.18. the Engine of Salvation. Hear the Word with Delight and Complacency. Ier. 15.16. Thy Words were found and I did eat them, they were the joy and rejoicing of my Heart. Psal. 119.103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than Honey unto my mouth. Yea, love that Word which comes most home to the Conscience. Bless God when your Corruptions have been met with; when the Sword of the Spirit hath divided between you and your Sins. Who cares for that Physic which will not work?
V. If you would hear the Word aright, mix it with Faith. Believe the Verity of the Word Preached, that it is that Word by which you must be judged; and not only give Credence to the Word Preached, but learn to apply it to your own Souls. Faith concocts the Word, and turns it into Spiritual Nourishment. Many hear the Word, but it may be said of them as Psal. 106.24. They believed not his Word. As Melanchthon once said to some of the Italians, Ye Italians Worship God in the Bread, when ye do not believe him to be in Heaven So many hear God's Word, but do not believe that God is; they question the Truth of his Oracles. If we do not mix Faith with the Word, it is like leaving out the Chief Ingredient in a Medicine, which makes it ineffectual. Unbelief hardens Men's Hearts against the Word. Acts 19.9. Divers were hardened and believed not. Men hear many Truths delivered concerning the Preciousness of Christ, the Beauty of Holiness, the Felicity of a Glorified Estate; but if through Unbelief and Atheism they question these Truths, we may as well speak to the Stones and Pillars of the Church as to them. That Word which is not Believed can never be Practised. Vbi male creditor, ibi nec been vivitur. Unbelief makes the Word Preached of no effect. Heb. 9.2. The Word preached did not profit, not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it. The Word to an Unbeliever is like Dioscordium put into a Dead Man's Mouth, which loseth all its Virtue. If there be any Unbelievers in our Congregations, what shall Ministers say to God at the last Day? Lord, we have preached to the People thou sentest us to; we showed them our Commission, we declared unto them the whole Counsel of God, but they believed never a Word we spake: We told them what would be the Fruit of Sin, but they would drink their Sugared Draught, though there was Death in the Cup: Lord, we are free from their Blood. God forbid that ever Ministers should make this Report to God of their People: But this they must be forced to do, if People live and die in Unbelief. Would you sanctify a Sabbath in hearing the Word aright? Hear the Word with Faith. The Apostle puts these two together, Belief and Salvation. Heb. 10.39. We are of them that believe to the Saving of the Soul.
VI. If you would hear the Word aright, hear it with meek Spirits, I am. 1.21. Receive the Word in mansuetudine, with meekness. Meekness is a submissive Frame of Heart to the Word. Contrary to this Meekness is Fierceness of Spirit, when Men rise up in a Rage against the Word. As if the Patient should be angry with the Physician when he gives him a Receipt to purge out his bad Humours. Acts 7.54. When they heard this they were cut to the Heart, and gnashed on Stephen with their Teeth. 2 Chron. 16.10. Asa was wroth with the Seer, and put him in a Prison-House. Pride and Guilt make Men • ret at the Word. What made Asa storm so but Pride? He was a King, and thought he was too good to be told of his Sin. What made Cain so angry, when God said to him, Where is Abel thy Brother? Saith he, Am I my Brothers Keeper? What made him so touchy, but Guilt? He had embrued his Hands in his Brothers Blood. If you would hear the Word aright, lay down your Passions, Receive the Word with Meekness ; get humble Hearts to submit to the Truths delivered. God takes the meek Person to be his Scholar. Psal. 25.9. The Meek will he teach his way. Meekness makes the Word Preached to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an engrafted Word, I am. 1.21. A good Cion grafted into a Bad Stock, changeth the Nature of it, and makes it bear sweet and generous Fruit. So when the Word Preached is grafted into Man's Heart, it sanctifies them, and makes them bring forth the sweet Fruits of Righteousness. By Meekness it becomes an engrafted Word.
VII. If you would hear the Word aright, be not only attentive, but retentive : Lay the Word up in your Memories and Hearts, Luke 8.15. The Seed on the good Ground are they, who having heard the Word keep it. The Greek Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to keep, signifies to hold the Word fast that it doth not run from us. If the Seed be not kept in the Ground, but is presently washed away, it is sown to little purpose: So if the Word Preached be not kept in your Memories and Hearts, it is Preached in vain. Many People have Memories like leaking Vessels, the Word goes out as fast as it comes in. How can it profit? If a Treasure be put in a Chest, and the Chest be not locked, it may easily be taken out. A bad Memory is like a Chest without a Lock, the Devil can easily take out all the Treasure. Luke 8.12. Then comes the Devil and takes away the Word out of their Hearts. Labor to keep in Memory the Truths you hear. The things we esteem we are not so apt to forget. Will a Bride forget her Jewels? Ier. 2.32. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments? Did we prize the Word more, we should not so soon forget it. If the Meat doth not stay in the Stomach, but comes up as fast as we eat it, it cannot nourish: So if the Word stays not in the Memory, but is presently gone, it can do the Soul but little good.
VIII. If you would hear aright, practice what you hear; Practice is the Life of all. Rev. 22.14. Blessed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life. Bare Hearing will be no Plea at the Day of Judgment. Lord, I have heard so many Sermons. But God will say, What Fruits of Obedience have ye brought forth? The Word we Preach is not only to inform you, but to reform you; not only to mend your Sight, but to mend your Pace in the way to Heaven. A good Hearer is like the Helitropium, &c. it opens and shuts with the Sun, to God, against Sin. Now that you may sanctify a Sabbath by Hearing:
1. If you do not hear the Word aright, you lose all your Labor. How many a weary Step have you taken? Your Body hath been crowded, your Spirit faint; if you are not bettered by hearing, if you are as proud, as vain, as earthly as ever, all your hearing is lost. You would be loath to Trade in vain; and why not as well to hear Sermons in vain? Job 9.29. Why then labor I in vain? Put this Question to thy own Soul, Why labor I in vain? Why do I take all this Pains to hear, yet have not the Grace to practice? I am as bad as ever, why then labor I in vain?
2. If you hear the Word, and are not bettered by it, you are like the Salamander in the Fire, not hotter; your hearing will increase your Condemnation. Luke 12.47. That Servant which knew his Lord's Will and did it not, shall be beaten with many Stripe • . We pity such as know not where to hear; it will be worse with such as care not how they hear. To graceless disobedient Hearers every Sermon will be a Faggot to heat Hell. It's sad to go loaden to Hell with Ordinances. O beg the Spirit to make the Word Preached effectual. Ministers can but speak to the Ear, the Spirit speaks to the Heart. Acts 10.44. While Peter spake, the Holy Ghost sell upon all them that heard the Word.
V. Having heard the Word in an Holy and Spiritual manner, for the further Sanctification of the Sabbath, confer of the Word. We are forbid on this Day to speak our own Words, Isa. 58.14. but we must speak of God's Word. Speak of the Sermon as you sit together; This is one part of sanctifying the Sabbath. Good Discourse brings holy Truths into our Memories, and fastens them upon our Hearts. Mal. 3.17. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another. There is a great Power and Efficacy in good Discourse. Job 6.25. How forcible are right words! By holy Conference on a Sabbath, one Christian helps to warm another when he is frozen, to strengthen another when he is weak. Latimer confessed he was much furthered in Religion, by having Conference with Mr. Bilny the Martyr. Psal. 119.172. My Tongue shall speak of thy Word. One reason why Preaching the Word on a Sabbath doth no more good, is, because there is so little good Conference. Few speak of the Word they have heard, as if Sermons were such Secrets, that they must not be spoken of again: Or, as if it were a shame to speak of that which will save us.
VI. Shut up the Sabbath-Evening with Repetition, Singing of Psalms and Prayer : Beg that God would bless the Word you have heard; but I hope your Practice herein will prevent my farther speaking. Could we but▪ thus spend a Sabbath, we might be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, Rev. 1.10. our Souls might be nourished and comforted: And this Sabbath which we now keep, would be an earnest of that everlasting Sabbath which we shall Celebrate in Heaven.
EXOD. XX. 8.
Remember to keep the Sabbath-day Holy.
Use I. See here a Christians Duty, To keep the Sabbath-Day Holy.
1. The whole Sabbath is to be Dedicated to God. It is not said, Keep a part of the Sabbath holy, but the whole day must be religiously observed. If God hath given us Six Days, and taken but One to himself, shall we grudge him any part of that Day? It were Sacrilege. The Jews kept a whole Day to the Lord, and we are not to abridge or curtail the Sabbath, (saith St. Austin ) more than the Jews did. The very Heathens by the Light of Nature did set apart a whole Day in the Honor of their False God's: And Scaevola their High Priest did affirm, That the willful Transgression of that Day could have no Expiation or Pardon. Whoever do rob any part of the Sabbath for servile Work or Recreation, Scaevola the High Priest of the Heathenish God's shall rise up in Judgment against such Christians and condemn them. And they who say, that to keep a whole Sabbath is too Iudaical, let them show where God hath made any Abatement of the Time of Worship, where he hath said, You shall keep but a Part of the Sabbath. And if they cannot show that, it argues much Boldness to go to rob God of his Due. That a whole Day be designed and set apart for God's special Worship, is a perpetual Statute while the Church remains upon the Earth, saith Pet. Martyr. Of this Opinion also were Theodoret, Austin, Iraeneus, and the Chief of the Fathers.
2. As the whole Sabbath is to be Dedicated to God, so it must be kept Holy. You see the manner of sanctifying the Lord's Day, by Reading, Meditation, Prayer, hearing of the Word, and by Singing of Psalms, to make Melody to the Lord. Now, besides what I have said for the keeping this Day holy, let me make a short Comment or Paraphrase on that Scripture, Isa. 58.13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable, and shalt honor him, not doing thy own ways, nor finding thy own pleasure, nor speaking thy own words. Here is a Description of the right sanctifying a Sabbath.
(1.) If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath. ] That may be understood either Literally or Principally.
First, Literally. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, that is, If thou withdrawest thy Foot from taking long Walks or Journeys on the Sabbath-day. So the Jewish Doctors expound it. Or,
Secondly. Spiritually. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, that is, If thou turn away thy Affections (the Feet of thy Soul) from inclining to any worldly Business.
(2.) From doing thy Pleasure on my holy Day. ] That is, Thou must not do that which may please the Carnal Part, as Sports and Pastimes. This is to do the Devil's Work on God's Day.
(3.) And call the Sabbath a Delight.] Call it a Delight, that is, esteem it so. Tho the Sabbath be not a Day for Carnal Pleasure, yet holy Pleasure is not forbidden. The Soul must take pleasure in the Duties of a Sabbath. The Saints of old counted the Sabbath a Delight. The Jews called the Sabbath, Dies Lucis, A Day of Light. The Lord's Day, on which the Sun of Righteousness shines, is both a Day of Light and Delight. This is the Day of sweet Intercourse between God and the Soul. On this Day a Christian makes his Sallies out to Heaven, his Soul is lifted above the Earth; and can this be without Delight? The higher the Bird flies, the sweeter it sings. On a Sabbath the Soul acts its Love to God; and where the Love is, there is the Delight. On this Day a Believers Heart is melted, q. d. quickened, enlarged in Holy Duties; and how can all this be, and not a secret Delight go along with it? On a Sabbath a gracious Soul can say as Cant. 2.3. I sat under his shadow with great delight, and his Fruit was sweet to my taste. How can a Spiritual Heart choose but call the Sabbath a Delight? Is it not delightful to a Queen to be putting on her Wedding Robes in which she shall meet the King her Bridegroom? When we are about Sabbath-Exercises, we are dressing ourselves, and putting on our Wedding-Robes in which we are to meet our Heavenly Bridegroom the Lord Jesus? And is not this delightful? On the Sabbath God makes a Feast of fat things, he Feasts the Ear with his Word, and the Heart with his Grace. Well then may we call the Sabbath a Delight; and to find this holy Delight, is to be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day.
(4.) The Holy of the Lord, honorable. ] In the Hebrew it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Glorious. To call the Sabbath Honorable, is not to be understood so much of an outward Honor given to it by wearing richer Apparel, or having better Diet on this Day, as the Jewish Doctors corruptly gloss. This is the chief Honor some give to this Day. But thou shalt call the Sabbath Honorable, that is meant, of the Honor of the Heart that we give to this Day, reverencing it, and esteeming it the Queen of Days. We are to count the Sabbath Honorable, because God hath honored it. All the Persons in the Trinity have honored it, God the Father blessed it, God the Son rose upon it, God the Holy Ghost descended on this Day, Acts 2.1. And indeed this Day is to be honored of all good Christians, and had in high Veneration. It is a Day of Renown: On this Day a Golden Scepter of Mercy is held forth. The Christian Sabbath is the very Crepusculum and Dawning of the Heavenly Sabbath. It is honorable, because this Day God comes down to us, and visits us. To have the King of Heaven present in a special manner in our Assemblies, makes the Sabbath-day honorable. Besides, the Work that is done on this Day makes it honorable. The Six Days are filled up with-servile Work, which makes them lose much of their Glory, but on this Day Sacred Work is done. The Soul is employed wholly about the Worship of God; it is Praying, Hearing, Meditating; it is doing Angels Work, Praising and Blessing of God. Again, The Day is Honorable by virtue of a Divine Institution. Silver is of itself valuable; but when the Royal Stamp is put upon it, it is honorable. So God hath put a Sacred Stamp upon this Day, the stamp of Divine Authority, and the stamp of Divine Benediction. This makes it honorable. This is a sanctifying the Sabbath, to call it a Delight, and Honorable.
(5.) Not doing thy own ways. ] That is, Thou shalt not defile the Day by doing any Servile Work.
(6.) Nor Finding thy own pleasure. ] That is, not gratifying the Fleshly Part by Walks, Visits or Pastimes.
(7.) Nor Speaking thy own Words. ] That is, Words Heterogeneous and unsuitable for a Sabbath, vain impertinent Words, Discourses of Worldly Affairs. Here is the sanctifying of a Sabbath described.
Use II. If the Sabbath-day be to be kept holy, it reproves them, who instead of sanctifying the Sabbath, profane it. They take that Time which should be Dedicated wholly to God, and spend it in the Service of the Devil and their Lusts. The Lord hath enclosed this Day for his own Worship, and they lay God's Day common: God hath set an Hedge about this Commandment, Remember, and they break this Hedge. But he who breaks an Hedge, a Serpent shall bite him, Eccles. 10.8. The Sabbath-day in England lies bleeding: And Oh! that our Parliament would pour in some Balm into the Wounds which the Sabbath hath received. How is this Day profaned, by sitting idle at home, by selling Meat, by vain Discourse, by sinful Visits, by walking in the Fields, by using Sports. The People of Israel might not gather Manna on the Sabbath, and may we use Sports and Dancings on this Day? Truly it should be matter of Grief to us to see so much Sabbath-profanation. When one of Darius 's Eunuchs saw Alexander setting his Feet on a rich Table of Darius 's, he fell a weeping. Alexander asked him why he wept? He said, It was to see the Table which his Master so highly esteemed, to be now made a Footstool. So we may weep to see the Sabbath-day, which God so highly esteems, and hath so honored and blessed, to be made a Footstool, and to be trampled upon by the Feet of Sinners. To profane the Sabbath is a Sin of an High Nature ; it is a willful Contempt of God: It is not only a Casting God's Law behind our back, but a trampling it underfoot. God saith, Keep the Sabbath holy, but Men will pollute it: This is to despise God, to hang out the Flag of Defiance, to throw down the Gantlet, and challenge God himself. Now how can God endure to be thus saucily confronted by proud Dust? God will not suffer this high Impudence to go unpunished. This will draw God's Curses upon the Sabbath-breaker, and God's Curse blasts where it comes. No sooner did Christ curse the Fig-tree, but it withered. Tho the Law of the Land lets Sabbath-breakers alone; to rob a Man of his Purse shall be punished with Death, but to rob God of his Day shall not be punished with Death. But God will take the matter into his own hand; he will see after the punishing of Sabbath-violation: And how doth he punish it?
1. With Spiritual Plagues. He gives up Sabbath-profaners to hardness of Heart, and a seared Conscience. Spiritual Judgments are sorest. Psal. 81.12. So I gave them up to their own Hearts Lusts. A Sear in the Conscience is a Brand-mark of Reprobation.
2. God punisheth this Sin of Sabbath-breaking, by giving them up to commit other Sins. God to revenge the breaking of his Sabbath, suffers Men to break open Houses, and so come to be punished by the Magistrate. How many such Confessions have we heard from Thieves going to be executed! They never regarded the Sabbath, and so God suffered them to commit those heinous Sins, for which now they are to die.
3. God punisheth Sabbath-breaking by sudden visible Judgments on Men for this Sin. God punisheth them in their Estates, and in their Persons. One carrying Corn into his Barn on the Lord's Day, both House and Corn consumed with Fire from Heaven. In Wiltshire there was a Dancing Match appointed upon the Lord's Day, and one of the Company as he was dancing fell down dead suddenly, and so was made a Spectacle of God's Justice. The Theatre of God's Iudgments relates of one, who used every Lord's Day to hunt in Sermon-time, and he had a Child by his Wife with an Head like a Dog, and it cried like an Hound. His Sin was monstrous, and it was punished with a monstrous Birth. The Lord threatened the Jews, That if they would not hallow the Sabbath-day, he would kindle a Fire in their Gates, Jer. 17.27. The dreadful Fire which brake out in London began on the Sabbath-day; as if God would tell us from Heaven, he was then punishing us for our Sabbath-profanation. Nor doth God punish it only in this Life with Death, but with Damnation. Such as break God's Sabbath, let them see if they can break those Chains of Darkness in which they and the Devils shall be held.
Use III. It exhorts us to Sabbath-holiness.
I. Make Conscience of keeping this Day Holy. The other Commandments have only an Affirmative in them, or a Negative: This Fourth Commandment hath both an Affirmative in it, and a Negative: Thou shalt keep the Sabbath-day holy: And, Thou shalt not do any manner of Work in it : To show how carefully God would have us observe this Day. Nor only must you keep this Day your Selves, but have a care that all under your Charge keep it. Thou, and thy Son, and thy Daughter, and thy Man-Servant, and thy Maid-Servant. That is, Thou who art a Superior, a Parent or a Master, thou must have a Care that not only thyself sanctify the Day, but those who are under thy Trust and Tuition. To blame are those Masters of Families, who are careful that their Servants serve them, but have no care that they serve God. They care not though their Servants should serve the Devil, so long as their Bodies do them Service. That which St. Paul saith to Timothy, 1 Tim. 6.20. Serva Depositum, Keep that which is committed to thy Trust, is of a large Extension. Not only have a Care of thy own Soul, but have a Care of the Souls thou art entrusted with. See that they who are under thy Charge sanctify the Sabbath. God's Law provided, That if a Man met an Ox or an Ass going astray, he should bring him back again: Much more when thou seest the Soul of thy Child or Servant going astray from God, and breaking his Sabbath, thou shouldest bring him back again to a Religious Observation of this Day. Now that I may press you to Sabbath-Sanctification, consider,
(1.) God hath promised great Blessings to the strict Observers of this Day. If this Day be a Delight, Isa. 58.14. Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord. Delighting in God is both a Duty, and a Reward. In this Text it is a Reward, Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord : As if God had said, If thou keep the Sabbath Conscientiously, I will give thee that which shall fill thee with Delight. If thou keepest the Sabbath willingly, I will make thee keep it joyfully: I will give thee those Enlargements in Duty, and that inward Comfort as shall abundantly satisfy thee; thy Soul shall overflow with such a stream of Joy, that thou shalt say, Lord, in keeping thy Sabbath there is great Reward. And, I will cause thee to ride upon the High Places of the Earth: That is, I will advance thee to Honor, ascendere faciam ; so Munster interprets it. Some by the High Places of the Earth understand Judea : So Grotius. I will bring thee into the Land of Judea, which is higher situated than the other Countries adjacent. And I will feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob. That is, I will feed thee with all the delicious things of Canaan, and afterwards I will translate thee to Heaven, whereof Canaan was but a Type—And another Promise, Isa. 56.2. Blessed is the Man that doth this, that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it. Blessed is the Man ; in the Hebrew it is, [in the Plural, Ashre,] Blessedness. To him that keeps the Sabbath holy, here is Blessedness upon Blessedness belongs to him: he shall be blessed with the Vpper and Nether Springs ; he shall be blessed in his Name, Estate, Soul, Progeny. Who would not keep the Sabbath from polluting it, that shall have so many Blessings entailed upon him and his Posterity after him?
(2.) A Conscientious keeping the Sabbath seasons the Heart for God's Service all the Week after. Christian, the more holy thou art on a Sabbath, the more holy thou wilt be on the Week following.
EXOD. XX. 12.
Honor thy Father and thy Mother, that thy Days may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Having done with the First Table, I am next to speak of the Duties of the Second Table. The Commandments may be likened to Jacob 's Ladder: The First Table, as the Top of the Ladder, reacheth to Heaven, it respects God. The Second Table, as the Foot of the Ladder, rests on the Earth; it respects Superiors and Inferiors. By the First Table we walk Religiously towards God, by the Second we walk Righteously towards Man. He cannot be good in the First Table, that is bad in the Second. Honor thy Father and thy Mother.
In this, 1. A Command, Honor thy Father and thy Mother.
2. A Reason annexed to it; That thy Days may be long in the Land.
(1.) The Command, Honor thy Father.
Quest. Who is meant here by Father?
Ans. Father (Verbum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) is taken several ways; the Political, Ancient, Spiritual, Oeconomical, Natural.
First, The Political Father, the Magistrate. He is the Father of his Country, he is to be an Encourager of Virtue, a Punisher of Vice, a Father to the Widow and Orphan. Such a Father was Job, Chap. 29.16. I was a Father to the Poor, and the Cause which I knew not I searched out. And as Magistrates are Fathers, so especially the King, who is the Head of Magistrates, is a Political Father. He is placed as the Sun among the lesser Stars. The Scripture calls Kings Fathers. Isa. 49.23. Kings shall be thy Nursing Fathers : They are to nurse up their Subjects in Piety, by their good Edicts and Examples; and to nurse them up in Peace and Plenty. Such nourishing Fathers were David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Constantine, Theodosius. It is happy for a People who have such nursing Fathers, whose Breasts milk Comfort to their Children. These Fathers are to be Honor'd. For,
(1.) Their Place deserves Honor. God hath set these Political Fathers to preserve Order and Harmony in a Nation, and to prevent those State-Convulsions which otherwise might ensue. Judge. 17.6. When there was no King in Israel, every man did that which was right in his own Eyes. A Wonder. Prov. 30.27.
(2.) God hath promoted Kings, that they may promote Justice. As they have a Sword in their Hand to signify their Power, so a Scepter, an Emblem of Justice. It is said of Marcus Aurelius Emperor, That he allotted one Hour of the Day to hear the Complaints of such as were oppressed. Kings place Judges, as Cherubims about the Throne, for distribution of Justice. These Political Fathers are to be honored, Honor the King, 1 Pet. 2.17. And this Honor is to be shown by a Civil Respect to their Persons, and a cheerful Submission to their Laws, so far as they agree and run parallel with God's Law. Kings are to be Pray'd for, which is a part of that Honor we give them. 1 Tim. 2.1. I exhort that Supplications, Prayers, Intercessions be made for Kings, that we may lead a quiet, peaceable Life under them in all Godliness and Honesty. We are to pray for Kings, that God would honor them to be Blessings, that under them we may enjoy the Gospel of Peace, and the Peace of the Gospel. How happy was the Reign of Numa Pompilius, when the Swords were beaten into Plough-shares, and the Bees made their Hives of the Soldiers Helmets!
Secondly, There is the grave, ancient Father, who is Venerable for old Age; whose Grey Hairs are resembled to the White Flowers of the Almond-tree, Eccles. 12.5. These are Fathers for Seniority, on whose wrinkled Brows, and in the Furrows of whose Cheeks is pictured the Map of Old Age. These Fathers are to be honored. Levite. 19.32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary Head, and honor the Face of the Old Man. Especially those are to honored who are Fathers, not only for their Seniority, but their Piety, whose Souls are flourishing when their Bodies are a decaying. 'It is a blessed sight to see the Spring of Grace in the Autumn of Old Age: To see Men stooping towards the Grave, yet going up the Hill of God. To see them lose their Colour, yet keep their Savour. Such whose silver Hairs are crowned with Righteousness, are worthy of double Honor: They are to be honored, not only as Pieces of Antiquity, but as Patterns of Virtue. If you see an Old Man fearing God, whose Grace shines brightest when the Sun of his Life is setting, O honor him as a Father by reverencing and imitating him.
Thirdly, There are Spiritual Fathers, as Pastors and Ministers. These are the Instruments of the New-Birth, 1 Cor. 4.15. Tho you have Ten Thousand Instructors, yet have ye not many Fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. The Spiritual Fathers are to be honored,
1. In respect of their Office. Whatever their Persons are, their Office is honorable. They are the Messengers of the Lord of Hosts, Mal. 2.7. They represent no less than God himself, 2 Cor. 5.20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ. Jesus Christ was of this Calling; he had his Mission and Sanction from Heaven, John. 8.18. And this Crowns the Ministerial Calling with Honor.
2. Ministers, these Spiritual Fathers are to be honored for their Work sake ; they come like the Dove with an Olive-branch in their Mouth; they preach glad Tidings of Peace. Their Work is to save Souls. Other Callings have only to do with Men's Bodies or Estates, but the Ministers Calling is employed about the Souls of Men. Their Work is to redee • Spiritual Captives, and turn Men from the Power of Satan to God, Acts 26.18. Their Work is to enlighten them who sit in the Region of Darkness, and make them shine as Stars in the Kingdom of Heaven. These Spiritual Fathers are to be honored for their Work sake, and this Honor is to be shown three ways.
1. By giving them Respect, 1 Thess. 5.12. Know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and esteem them very highly in love for their work sake. I confess the scandalous Lives of some Ministers hath been a great Reproach, and hath made the Offering of the Lord to be abhorred in some places of the Land. The Leper in the Law was to have his Lip covered. Such as are Angels by Office, but Lepers in their Lives, ought to have their Lips covered, and to be silenced. But though some deserve no Honor, yet such as are faithful, and make it their Work to bring Souls to Christ, are to be reverenced as Spiritual Fathers. Obadiah honored the Prophet Elijah, 1 King. 18.17. Why did God reckon the Tribe of Levi for the First-born? Numb. 3.12. Why did he appoint that the Prince should ask Counsel of God by the Priest? Numb. 27.21. Why did the Lord show by that Miracle of Aaron 's Rod flourishing, that he had chosen the Tribe of Levi to Minister before him? Numb. 17. Why doth Christ call his Apostles the Lights of the World ? Why doth he say to all his Ministers, Lo, I am with you to the end of the World ? But because he would have these Spiritual Fathers reverenced? In ancient times the Egyptians chose their Kings out of their Priests. They are far from showing this Respect and Honor to their Spiritual Fathers, who have slight Thoughts of such as have the Charge of the Sanctuary, and do minister before the Lord — Know them, saith the Apostle, which labor among you —Many can be content to know their Ministers in their Infirmities, and are glad when they have anything against them; but not to know them in the Apostles Sence, so as to give them double Honor. Surely, were it not for the Ministry, you would not be a Vineyard, but a Desert. Were it not for the Ministry, you would be destitute of the two Seals of the Covenant, Baptism and the Lord's Supper; you would be Infidels; For Faith comes by hearing; and how shall they hear without a Preacher? Rom. 10.14.
2. Honor the Ministers, these Spiritual Fathers, by becoming Advocates for them, and wiping off those Slanders and Calumnies which are unjustly cast upon them, 1 Tim. 5.19. Constantine was a great Honourer of the Ministry, he vindicated them, he would not read the envious Accusations brought in against them, but did burn them. Do the Ministers open their Mouths to God for you in Prayer, and will not you open your Mouths in their Behalf? Surely, if they labor to preserve you from Hell, you should preserve them from Slander. If they labor to save your Souls, you ought to save their Credit.
3. Honor them, by conforming to their Doctrine. This is the greatest Honor you can put upon your Spiritual Fathers, by believing and obeying their Doctrine. He is an Honourer of the Ministry, who is not only an Hearer, but a Follower of the Word. As Disobedience reproacheth the Ministry, so Obedience honoreth it. The Apostle calls his Thessalonians, his Crown, 1 Thess. 2.19. What is our Crown of rejoicing, are not ye? A thriving People are a Ministers Crown. When there is a Metamorphosis, a Change wrought; People came to the Word proud, but they go away humble; they came Earthly, but go away Heavenly: They came as Naaman to Jordan, Lepers, but they go away healed. This is an Honor to the Ministry. 2 Cor. 3.1. Need we as some others, Epistles of Commendation? Tho other Ministers might need Letters of Commendation, yet Paul needed none: For when Men should hear of the Obedience of these Corinthians, which was wrought in them by Paul 's Preaching; this was a sufficient Certificate for him, that God had blessed his Labors. The Corinthians were a sufficient Honor to him, they were his Letters Testimonial. You cannot honor your Spiritual Fathers more, than by thriving under their Ministry, and living those Sermons which they preach.
Fourthly, There is the Oeconomical Father ; that is, the Master. He is Pater Familias, the Father of the Family. Therefore Naaman 's Servants called their Master Father, 2 Kings 5.13. And the Centurion calls his Servant Son , Matth. 8.6. The Servant is to honor his Master as the Father of the Family. Tho the Master be not so exactly qualified as he should, yet the Servant must not neglect his Duty, but show some kind of Honor to him.
(1.) In obeying his Master in licitis & honestis, in things that are lawful and honest. 1 Pet. 2.18. Servants be subject to your Masters; not only to the Good and Gentle, but also to the Froward. God hath nowhere given you a Charter of Exemption to free you from your Duty. You cannot disobey your Earthly Master, but you disobey your Master in Heaven. Think not that Birth, or High Parts, no nor yet your Grace, will exempt you from Obedience to your Master. To obey him, is an Ordinance of God; and the Apostle saith, Whosoever resisteth the Ordinance, shall receive to themselves Damnation, Rom. 13.2.
(2.) The Servants honoring of his Master (his Oeconomical Father) is seen in being diligent in his Service. Apelles painted a Servant with his Hands full of Tools, an Emblem of Diligence. The loitering Servant is a kind of Thief, though he doth not steal from his Master Goods, yet he steals that Time which he should have employed in his Masters Service. The slothful Servant is called a Wicked Servant, Matth. 25.26.
(3.) The Servant is to Honor his Master, who is his Family-Father, by being Faithful. Matth. 24.45. Who then is a faithful and wise Servant. Faithfulness is the chief thing in a Servant. This Faithfulness in a Servant is seen in Six things.
First, In Tenaciousness, in concealing the Secrets your Master hath entrusted you with: If those Secrets are not Sins, you ought to promise Privacy. What is whispered in your Ear, you are not to publish on the House-top. Such Servants are Spies. Who would keep a Glass tkat is cracked? Who would keep a Servant that hath a Crack in his Brain, and cannot keep a Secret?
Secondly, Faithfulness in a Servant is seen in designing the Masters Advantage. A Faithful Servant esteems his Masters Good as his own. Such a good Servant had Abraham. When his Master sent him to transact business for him, he was as careful about it, as if it had been his own. Gen. 24.12. O Lord God of my Master Abraham, I pray thee send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my Master Abraham. Doubtless Abraham 's Servant was as glad he had got a Wife for his Masters Son, as if he had got a Wife for himself.
Thirdly, Faithfulness in a Servant is seen in standing up for the Honor of his Master. When he hears him spoken against, he must vindicate him. As the Master is careful of the Servant's Body, so the Servant should be careful of the Master's Name. When the Master is unjustly reproached, the Servant cannot be excused if he be possessed with a dumb Devil.
Fourthly, Faithfulness is, when a Servant is true to his Word. He dares not tell a Lie, but will speak the Truth, though it be against himself. A Lie doubles the sin. Psal. 101.7. He that telleth Lies, shall not tarry in my sight. A Liar is of near a-kin to the Devil, John. 8.44. And who would let any of the Devil's Kindred live with him? The Lie that Gehazi told his Master Elisha, entailed a Leprosy on Gehazi and his Seed forever, 2 Kings 5.22. A Faithful Servant, his Tongue is the true Index of his Heart.
Fifthly, Faithfulness is, when a Servant is against Impropriation. He dares not convert his Masters Goods to his own Use. Tit. 2.10. Not purloining. Ne aliquid haereat in digitis. What a Servant filcheth from his Master, is damnable Gain. The Servant who enricheth himself by stealing from his Master, stuffs his Pillow with Thorns, and his Head will lie very uneasy when he comes to die.
Sixthly, Faithfulness is in preserving the Masters Person, if unjustly in Danger. Banister who betrayed his Master the Duke of Buckingham in King Richard the Third's Reign, it is remarkable how the Judgments of God befell that Traiterous Servant: His eldest Son ran mad, his Daughter of a singular Beauty was suddenly struck with Leprosy, his younger Son was drowned, and he himself arraigned, and had been executed, had he not been saved by his Clergy. That Servant who is not true to his Master, will never be true to God or his own Soul.
(4.) The Servant is to honor his Master, by serving him as with Love, (for Willingness is more than the Work) so with Silence: That is, without repining, and without replying. Titus 2.9. Exhort Servants to be obedient to their Masters, not answering again. Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Not giving cross Answers. Some Servants are quick of Speech, though slow at Work ; and instead of being sorry for a Fault, they provoke by unbeseeming Language. Were the Heart more humble, the Tongue would be more silent. They are the Apostles Words, not answering again. And to those Servants who do thus honor their Masters, or Family-Fathers, by Submission, Diligence, Faithfulness, Love, and humble Silence, for their encouragement let them take that, Col. 3.24. Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the Flesh, not with eye-service, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the Reward of the Inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ. In serving your Masters ye serve Christ, and he will not let you lose your Labor, ye shall receive the Reward of the Inheritance. From serving on Earth, you shall be taken up to Reign in Heaven, and shall sit with Christ upon his Throne, Rev. 3.21.
EXOD. XX. 12.
Honor thy Father and thy Mother, &c.
If we are not just we cannot be holy. Having shown you how Servants are to honor their Masters, the Fathers of Families, I shall next show how Masters are to carry it towards their Servants, that they may gain Honor from them.
1. In General. Masters must remember that they have a Master in Heaven, who will call them to Account. Eph. 6.9. Knowing, that your Master is also in Heaven.
2. More Particularly.
(1.) Masters must have a care to provide for their Servants: As they cut them out Work, so they must give them their Meat in due season, Luke 17.7. And the Food should be wholesome and sufficing. It is an unworthy thing in some Governors of Families, to lay out so much upon their own Backs, as to pinch their Servants Bellies.
(2.) Masters should encourage their Servants in their Work, by commending them when they do well: Tho a Master is to tell a Servant of his Faults, yet he is not always to beat upon one string, but sometimes take notice of that which is praise-worthy. This makes a Servant more cheerful in his Work, and gains the Master Love from his Servant.
(3.) Masters must not over-burden their Servants, but proportion their Work to their Strength. If you lay too much load on a Servant, he will faint under it. Christianity teacheth Compassion.
(4.) Masters must endeavor the Spiritual Good of their Servants; they must be Seraphims to kindle their Love to Religion: They must be Monitors to put them in mind of their Souls: They must bring them to the Pool of the Sanctuary, waiting till the Angel stir the Waters, John 5.4. They must seek God for them, that their Servants may be his Servants: They must allow them Time convenient for secret Devotion. Some Masters are cruel to the Souls of their Servants; they look that they do the Work about the House, but abridge them of Time they should employ in working out Salvation.
(5.) Masters should use mild gentle Behaviour towards Servants, Eph. 6.9 Forbearing Threatning. Lev. 25.43. Thou shalt not rule over him with rigor, but fear thy God. It requires Wisdom in a Master to know how to keep up his Authority, yet lay down his Austerity. We have a good Copy to write after. Our Master in Heaven is slow to Anger, and of great Mercy, Psal. 145.8. Some Masters are so harsh and implacable, that they are enough to spoil a good Servant.
(6.) Be very exact and punctual in the Compacts and Agreements you make with your Servants: Do not prevaricate; keep not back any of their Wages, nor deal deceitfully with them, as Laban did with Jacob, changing his Wages, Gen. 31.7. Falseness in Promise is as as bad as False Weights.
(7.) Be careful of your Servants, not only in Health but in Sickness. They have got their Sickness in your Service; use what means you can for their Recovery. Be not like the Amalekite, who forsook his Servant when he was sick, 1 Sam. 30.13. but be as the good Centurion, who kept his sick Servant, and sought to Christ for a Cure, Mat. 8.6. If you have a Beast that falls sick, you will not turn it off, but have it looked to, and pay for its Cure. Will you be kinder to your Horses than your Servants? Thus should Masters (the Fathers of the Family) carry themselves prudently and piously, that they may gain Honor from their Servants, and may give up their Accounts to God with Joy.
Fifthly, The Natural Father. The Father of the Flesh, Heb. 12.9. Honor thy Natural Father. This is so necessary a Duty, that Philo the Jew placed the Fifth Commandment in the First Table, as though' we had not performed our whole Duty to God, till we had paid this Debt of Honor to our Natural Parents. Children are the Vineyard of the Parents planting, and Honor done to the Parent, is some of the Fruit of the Vineyard.
Quest. Wherein are Children to show their Honor to their Parents?
Resp. I. In a Reverential Esteem of their Persons. They must 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Give them a Civil Veneration. Therefore when the Apostle speaks of Fathers of our Bodies, he speaks also of giving them Reverence, Heb. 12.9. This Veneration or Reverence must be shown,
1. Inwardly, by Fear mixed with Love. Lev. 19.3. Ye shall fear every Man his Mother and his Father. In the Commandment the Father is named First, here the Mother is named First. (1.) Partly, to put the Honor upon her the Mother, because by reason of many Weaknesses incident to her Sex, she is apt to be more slighted by Children. And (2.) Partly, because the Mother endures more for the Child; therefore here God gives the Mother the Priority, names her first, Ye shall fear everyone his Mother and his Father.
2. Reverence must be shown to Parents Outwardly, viz. In Word and Gesture.
(1.) In Word ; and that either in speaking to Parents, or speaking of them.
First, Reverence in speaking to Parents. Children must speak to Parents respectively, and in decent Language. 1 Kings 2.20. Ask on my Mother, said King Solomon, to his Mother Bathsheba.
Secondly, Reverence in speaking of Parents. Children must speak of their Parents honourably; they ought to speak well of them if they deserve well. Prov. 31.28. Her Children rise up and call her Blessed. And in case a Parent betrays Weakness and Indiscretion, the Child should make the best of it, and by his wise Apologies for his Father, cover his Fathers Nakedness.
(2.) In Gesture. Children are to show their Reverence to their Parents by Submissive Behaviour, by uncovering the Head, bending the Knee. Joseph, though he were a Great Prince, and his Father grown poor, yet he bowed to him, and behaved himself as humbly as if his Father had been the Prince, and he the poor Man, Gen. 48.46. And King Solomon, when his Mother came to him, rose off his Throne, and bowed himself to her, 1 Kings 2.19. Among the Lacedemonians, if a Child had carried himself arrogantly and saucily to his Father, it was lawful for the Father to appoint whom he would to be his Heir. O how many Children are far from this giving Reverence to their Parents! They despise their Parents; they carry themselves with that Pride and Malapertness towards them, that they are a shame to Religion, and bring their Parents Grey Hairs with Sorrow to the Grave. Deut. 27.16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his Father or Mother. If all that set light by their Parents are Cursed, how many Children in our Age are under a Curse! If such as are disrespectful to their Parents live to have Children, they will be Thorns in their sides, and God will make them read their Sin in their Punishment.
II. The Second way of showing Honor to Parents, is in careful Obedience. Col. 3.20. Children obey your Parents in all things. Our Lord Christ herein set a Pattern to Children. Luke 2.51. He was subject to his Parents. He to whom Angels were subject, yet was subject to his Parents. This Obedience to Parents is shown three ways.
(1.) In hearkening to their Counsel. Prov. 1.8. Hear the Instruction of thy Father, and forsake not the Law of thy Mother. Parents are as it were in the room of God ; if they would teach you the Fear of the Lord, you must listen to their Words as Oracles, and not be as the deaf Adder to stop your Ears. Eli 's Sons hearkened not to the Voice of their Father, 1 Sam. 2.25. but they were called Sons of Belial, ver. 12.—And Children must hearken to the Counsel of their Parents, as in Spiritual Matters, so in other Affairs which relate to this Life, as in the Choice of a Calling, and in case of entering into Marriage. Jacob would not dispose of himself in Marriage, (though he were Forty Years old) without the Advice and Consent of his Parents, Gen. 28.1, 2. Children are as it were the Parents proper Goods and Possession, and it is high Injustice in a Child to give away herself without the Parents leave. If Parents should indeed counsel a Child to match with one that is Irreligious or Popish, I think the case is plain; and many of the Learned are of Opinion, that here the Child may have a Negative Voice, and is not obliged to be ruled by the Parent. Children are to marry in the Lord, 1 Cor. 7.39. Therefore not with Persons Irreligious, for that is not to marry in the Lord.
(2.) Obedience to Parents is shown in subscribing to their Commands. A Child should be the Parents Echo : When the Father speaks, the Child should Echo back Obedience. The Rechabites were forbidden by their Father to drink Wine, and they did obey him, and were commended for it, Ier. 35.6. And Children must obey their Parents 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in all things, Col. 3.20. Things that are more against the Grain, and which they have some Reluctancy to, yet they must obey their Parents. Esau would obey his Father, when he commanded him to fetch him Venison, because it is probable he took pleasure in hunting; but refused to obey him in a matter of greater Concernment, namely, in the Choice of a Wife. But though Children must obey their Parents in all things, yet restringitur ad licita & honesta, it is with this Limitation, Things just and honest. Obey in the Lord, Ephes. 6.1. That is, so far as the Commands of Parents agree with, and are consonant to God's Commands. If they command against God, here they lose their Right of being obeyed, and in this Case we must unchild ourselves.
(3.) Honor is to be shown to Parents in relieving their Wants. Joseph cherished his Father in his Old Age, Gen. 47.12. It is but the paying a just Debt. Parents have brought up Children when they were young, and Children ought to nourish their Parents when they are old. The young Storks by the Instinct of Nature bring Meat to the Old Storks, when by reason of Age there are not able to fly, Pliny. Lex Pelargica —The Memory of Aeneas was honored, for carrying his Aged Father out of Troy when it was on Fire. I have read of a Daughter, whose Father being condemned to be starved to Death, she did in Prison give him Suck with her own Breasts, which being known to the Governors, procured his Freedom out of Prison. To blame are such, shall I say Children or Monsters, who are ashamed of their Parents when they are old, and fallen to decay. When Parents Tears and lean Cheeks may plead Pity, yet Children have no Compassion: When they ask for Bread they give them a Stone. When Houses are shut up, we say the Plague is there. When Children's Hearts are shut up against their Parents, the Plague is in those Hearts. Our blessed Savior took great Care for his Mother: When he was on the Cross, he charged his Disciple John to take her home to him as his Mother, and see that she wanted nothing, John 19.26, 27. The Reasons why Children should honor their Parents, are:
1. It is a Solemn Command of God, Honor thy Father, &c. As God's Word is the Rule, so his Will must be the Reason of our Obedience.
2. They deserve Honor, in respect of that great Love and Affection which they bear to their Children, and that Love is evidenced both by their Care and Cost. (1.) Their Care in bringing up their Children. A Sign their Hearts are full of Love, because their Heads are so full of Care. Parents oft take more Care for their Children than for themselves. They take Care of them when they are tender, least like Wall-Fruit they should be nip'd in the Bud. And as Children grow older, so the Care of Parents grows greater. They are afraid of their Children's falling when young, and of worse Faults when they are older. (2.) Their Love is evidenced by their Cost. 1 Cor. 12.14. They lay up, and lay out for their Children. They are not like the Raven or Ostrich, Job. 39.14. which are cruel to their Young. Parents sometimes do impoverlsh themselves to enrich their Children. All this calls for Honor from the Children. Children can never parallel or equal Parents Love. Parents are the Instruments of Life to their Children, Children cannot be so to their Parents.
3. To honor Parents is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , well-pleasing to the Lord, Col. 3.20. As it is joyful to the Parents, so it is pleasing to the Lord. Children, is it not your Desire to please God? In honoring and obeying your Parents, you please God as well as when you Repent and Believe. And that you may see how well it pleaseth God, he bestows a Reward upon it, That thy Days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Jacob would not let the Angel go till he had blessed him; nor God would not part with this Commandment till he had blessed it. Here is the Blessing, That thy Days may be long in the Land, &c. St. Paul calls this the First Commandment with Promise, Eph. 6.2. The Second Commandment hath a General Promise of Mercy. But this is the First Commandment that hath a Particular Promise made to it, That thy Days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Long Life is mentioned as a Blessing, Psal. 128.6. Thou shalt see thy Children's Children. It was a great Favor of God to Moses, that though' he was an Hundred and Twenty Years old he needed no Spectacles, his Eye was not dim, nor his Natural Strength abated, Deut. 34.7. God threatened it as a Curse to Eli, That there should not be an Old Man in his Family, 1 Sam. 2.31. Since the Flood Life is much abbreviated and cut short: Some the Womb is their Tomb; others exchange their Cradle for their Grave; others die in the Flower of their Age; Death serves it's Warrant every Day upon one or other. Now when Death lies in Ambush continually for us, if God satisfy us with Long Life: Psal. 91.16. With long Life will I satisfy him: This is to be esteemed a Blessing. It is a Blessing that God gives a long time to repent, and a long time to do Service, and a long time to enjoy the Comfort of Relations; and who is this Blessing of Long Life entailed upon, but Obedient Children? Honor thy Father, that thy Days may be long. Nothing sooner shortens Life than Disobedience to Parents. Absalom was a disobedient Son, who sought to deprive his Father of his Life and Crown, and he did not live out half his Days. The Mule he rode upon, as being weary of such a Burden, left him hanging in the Oak betwixt Heaven and Earth, as not fit to tread upon the one, or enter into the other. Obedience to Parents spins out thy Life, — That thy Days may be long. Nor doth Obedience to Parents only lengthen Life, but sweeten it: Therefore it follows, That thy Days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. To live long, and not have a Foot of Land, is a Misery; but Obedience to Parents settles Land of Inheritance upon the Child. Hast thou but one Blessing, O my Father? said Esau. Behold, God hath more Blessings for an Obedient Child than one; not only shall he have a Long Life, but a Fruitful Land : And not only shall he have Land, but Land given in Love. The Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt have thy Land not only with God's Leave, but with his Love. All which are cogent Arguments to make Children Honor and Obey their Parents.
EXOD. XX. 12.
Honor thy Father—
Use I. If we are to Honor our Fathers on Earth, then much more our Father in Heaven. Mal. 1.6. If then I am a Father, where is my Honor? A Father is but the Instrument of conveying Life, but God is the Original Cause of our Being. Psal. 100.3. For it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves. Honor and Adoration is a Pearl belongs only to the Crown of Heaven. And,
1. We show Honor to our Heavenly Father by obeying him. Thus Christ honored his Father. John 6.38. I came down from Heaven, not to do my own Will, but the Will of him that sent me. This he calls honoring of God. John 8.29. I do always those things which please him. Ver. 49. I honor my Father. The Wise Men did not only bow the Knee to Christ, but presented him with Gold and Myrrh, Mat. 2.8. So we must not only bow the Knee, give God Adoration, but bring Presents, give him Golden Obedience.
2. We show Honor to our Heavenly Father, by appearing as Advocates in his Cause, and standing up for his Truth in an Adulterous Generation. That Son honors his Father, who stands up in his Defense, and vindicates him when he is calumniated and reproached. Do they honor God who are ashamed of him? John 12.42. Many believed on him, but durst not confess him. They are Bastard Sons, who are ashamed to own their Heavenly Father. Such as are born of God, are steeled with Courage for his Truth: They are like the Rock which no Waves can break; like the Adamant, which no Sword can cut. Basil was a Champion for Truth in the Time of the Emperor Valens ; and Athanasius, when the World was Arian, appeared for God.
3. We show Honor to our Heavenly Father, by ascribing the Honor of all we do to him. 1 Cor. 15.10. I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the Grace of God which was in me. If a Christian hath any Assistance in Duty, any strength against Corruption, he rears up a Pillar, and writes upon it, Hitherto the Lord hath helped me. As Joab when he had fought against Rabbah, and had like to have taken it, sent for King David, that he might carry away the Honor of the Victory, 2 Sam. 12.27. So when a Child of God hath any Conquest over Satan, he gives all the Honor to God. Hypocrites (whose Lamp is fed with the Oil of Vain-Glory) while they do any eminent Service for God, seek themselves; and so their very serving of him is a dshonouring him.
4. We show Honor to our Heavenly Father by Celebrating his Praise. Psal. 71.8. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, and with thy honor all the Day. Rev. 5.13. Blessing, Honor, Glory and Power be unto him that sits upon the Throne. Blessing God is honoring of God. It lifts him up in the Eyes of others; it spreads his Fame and Renown in the World. In this manner the Angels, the Quiristers of Heaven, are now honoring God, they Trumpet forth his Praise. In Prayer we act like Saints, in Praise like Angels.
5. We show Honor to our Heavenly Father by suffering Dishonor, yea, Death for his sake. St. Paul did bear in his Body the Marks of the Lord Jesus, Gal. 6.17. As they were Marks of Honor to him, so Trophies of Honor to the Gospel. The Honor which comes to God, is not by bringing that Outward Pomp and Glory to him as we do to Kings, but it comes in another way, by the Sufferings of his People. They let the World see what a good God they serve, and how they love him, and will fight under his Banner to the Death. Thus you see how you are to Honor your Heavenly Father. God is worthy of Honor. Psal. 104.1. Thou art Cloathed with Honor and Majesty. What are all his Attributes, but Glorious Beams shining from this Sun. He deserves more Honor than Men or Angels can give him. 2 Sam. 22. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised. God is worthy of Honor. Often times we confer Honor upon them that do not deserve it. Many Noble Persons we give Titles of Honor to, who are sordid and vicious; they do no deserve Honor, but God is worthy of Honor. Neh. 9.5. Blessed be thy Glorious Name, which is exalted above all Blessings and Praise. He is above all the Acclamations and Triumphs of the Arch-angels. O then let every true Child of God honor his Heavenly Father! Tho the wicked dishonor him by their Flagitious Lives, yet let not his own Children dishonor him. Sins in you are worse than in others: A Fault in a Stranger is not so much taken notice of as a Fault in a Child. A Spot in a black Cloth is not so much observed, but a Spot in Scarlet every ones Eye is upon it. A Sin in the Wicked is not so much wondered at, it is a Spot in black: But a Sin in a Child of God, here is a Spot in Scarlet; this is more visible, and brings an Odium and Dishonor upon the Gospel. The Sins of God's own Children go nearer to his Heart. Deut. 32.19. When the Lord sa • it, h • abhorred them, because of the provoking of his Sons and Daughters. O forbear doing anything may reflect Dishonor upon God. Will you disgrace your Heavenly Father? Let not God complain of the Provocations of his Sons and Daughters; let him not cry out as Isa. 1.2. I have brought up Children, and they have rebelled against me. So much for the First: If our Earthly Father be to be honored, then much more our Heavenly.
Use II. Exhort. First Branch. Doth God Command, Honor thy Father and thy Mother? Then let it exhort Children to put this great Duty in Practice, be living Commentaries upon this Commandment. Honor and Reverence your Parents; not only obey their Commands, but submit to their Rebukes. You cannot honor your Father in Heaven, unless you honor your Earthly Parents. To deny Obedience to Parents entails God's Judgments upon Children. Prov. 30.17. The Eye that mocketh at his Father, and despiseth to obey his Mother, the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out , and the young Eagle shall eat it. Eli 's Two Disobedient Sons were slain, 1 Sam. 4.11. God made a Law that the Rebellious Son should be stoned ; the same Death the Blasphemer had, Lev. 24.14. Deut. 21.18. If a Man have a stubborn and rebellious Son, which will not obey the voice of his Father or the voice of his Mother, then shall his Father and his Mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the Elders of the City, and all the Men of his City shall stone him with Stones that he die. A Father once complaining, Never had Father a worse Son than I have. Yes, saith the Son, my Grandfather had : A Prodigy of Impudence that can hardly be paralleled. Manlius, when he was grown old and poor, and had a Son very rich, the old Father desired some Food of him, but the Son denied him Relief; yea, disclaimed him from being his Father, and sent him away with reproachful Language. The poor old Father let Tears fall, (as Witnesses of his Grief.) But God to revenge this Disobedience, struck this unnatural Son with Madness, of which he could never be cured. Disobedient Children stand in the place where all God's Arrows fly.
Second Branch. Let Parents so carry it, as they may gain Honor from their Children.
Quest. How may Parents so carry it towards their Children, that their Children may willingly pay the Debt of Honor and Reverence to their Parents?
Resp. 1. If you would have your Children honor you,
1. Be careful to bring them up in the Fear and Nurture of the Lord, Ephes. 6.4. Bring them up in the Admonition of the Lord. You conveyed the Plague of Sin to them, Ergo, Endeavor to get them healed and sanctified. Austin saith, his Mother Monica travelled more for his Spiritual Birth, than his Natural. Timothy 's Mother instructed him from a Child, 2 Tim. 3.15. She did not only give him her Breastmilk, but the sincere Milk of the Word. Season your Children with good Principles betimes, that they may with Obadiah, fear the Lord from their Youth, 1 King. 18.12. When Parents instruct not their Children, they seldom prove Blessings. God oft punisheth the carelessness of Parents with Undutifulness in their Children. It is not enough that in Baptism your Child is Dedicated to God, but it must be Educated for God. Children are young Plants which you must be continually watering with good Instruction. Prov. 22.6. Train up a Child in the way he should go, and he will not depart from it when he is old. The more your Children fear God, the more they will honor you.
2. If you would have your Children honor you, keep up your Parental Authority over your Children; be kind, but do not cocker them: If you let them get too much Head, they will Contemn you instead of Honouring you. The Rod of Discipline must not be withheld. Prov. 23.14. Thou shalt beat him with the Rod, and deliver his Soul from Hell. A Child indulged and humor'd in Wickedness, will be a Thorn in the Parents Eye. David cockered Adonijah, 1 Kings 1.6. His Father had not displeased him at any time, in saying, Why hast thou done so? And he afterward was a Grief of Heart to his Father, and was false to the Crown, ver. 7▪ 9. Keep up your Authority, and you keep up your Honor.
3. Provide for your Children what is fitting both in their Minority, and when they come to Maturity. 2 Cor. 12.14. The Children ought not to lay up for the Parents, but the Parents for the Children. They are your own Flesh ; and as the Apostle saith, No Man yet ever hated his own Flesh, Eph. 5.29. The Parents Bountifulness will cause Dutifulness in the Child. If you pour Water into a Pump, the Pump will send Water out again freely. So if Parents pour in something of their Estate to their Children, Children (if ingenuous) will pour out Obedience again to their Parents.
4. When your Children are grown up, put them to some Lawful Calling, wherein they may serve their Generation. And it is good to consult the Natural Genius and Inclination of a Child. Forced Callings do as ill sometimes as Forced Matches. To let a Child be out of a Calling, is to expose it to Temptation. Melanchthon. Otium Balneum Diaboli. A Child out of a Calling is like Fallow Ground, and what can you expect should grow up but Weeds of Disobedience.
5. Carry it Lovingly to your Children. In all your Counsels and Commands, let them read Love. Love will command Honor: And how can the Parent but love the Child who is his living Picture, nay, part of himself. The Child is the Father in the Second Edition.
6. Carry it prudently towards your Children. A great Point of Prudence is, when a Parent doth not provoke his Children to Wrath. Col. 3.21. Fathers provoke not your Children to Anger, lest they be discouraged.
Quest. How many ways may a Parent provoke his Children to Wrath?
Resp. 1. By giving them Opprobrious Tearms. 1 Sam. 20.30. Thou Son of the perverse rebellious Woman, said Saul to his Son Jonathan. Some Parents use Imprecations and Curses to their Children. This is to provoke them to Wrath. Would you have God bless your Children, and do you curse?
(2.) Parents provoke Children to Wrath, when they strike their Children without a Cause ; or when the Correction exceeds the Fault. This is rather to be a Tyrant than a Father. Saul cast a Javelin at his Son to smite him, 1 Sam. 20.33. and his Son was provoked to Anger. Ver. 34. So Jonathan arose from the Table in fierce Anger. In Filium pater obtinet non tyrannicum imperium sed Basilicum. Davenant.
(3.) When Parents deny their Children Conveniences ; they will not let them have that which may cherish or cover Nature. Some have thus provoked their Children; they have stinted them, and kept them so short, that they have forced their Children upon indirect Courses, and made them put forth their Hands to Iniquity.
(4.) When Parents carry it unequally towards their Children, showing more kindness to one than another; this sometimes breeds bad Blood. Tho a Parent hath a greater Love to one Child, yet Discretion should guide Affection, that he should not show more Love to one than to another. Jacob showed more love to Joseph than all his Children, and what did it procure but Envy of his Brethren? Gen. 37.3. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his Children, and when his Brethren saw that, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.
(5.) When a Parent doth anything which is sordid and unworthy, that which casts Disgrace upon himself, and his Family; as to cosen, or take a false Oath; this is to provoke the Child to Wrath. As the Child should honor his Father, so the Father should not dishonor the Child.
(6.) When Parents lay such Commands upon their Children, as their Children cannot perform without wronging their Conscience. Saul commanded his Son Jonathan to bring David to him. 1 Sam. 20.3. Fetch him to me, for he shall surely die. Jonathan could not do this with a good Conscience, but was provoked to Anger. Ver. 34. Jonathan rose from the Table in fierce Anger. Now the Reason why Parents should show their Prudence in not provoking their Children to Wrath, is set down, Col. 3.21. Lest they be discouraged. This Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Discouraged, implies three things. 1. Grief. The Parents provoking the Child, the Child so takes it to Heart, that it causeth immature Death. 2. Despondency. The Parents Austerity dispirits the Child, and makes it unfit for Service: Like Members of the Body stupifyed, which are unfit for Work. 3. Contuma • y and Refractoriness. The Child being provoked by the cruel and unnatural carriage of the Parent, grows desperate, and oft studies to irritate and vex his Parent: Which though it be evil in the Child, yet the Parent is accessory to it, as being the occasion of it.
(7.) If you would have Honor from your Children, pray much for them : Not only lay up a Portion for them, but lay up a Stock of Prayer for them. Monica prayed much for her Son Austin ; and it was said, It was impossible a Son of so many Prayers and Tears should perish. Pray that your Children may be preserved from the Contagion of the Times: Pray that as your Children bear your Image in their Faces, they may bear God's Image in their Hearts. Pray they may be Instruments and Vessels of Glory. This may be one Fruit of Prayer, that the Child shall honor a Praying Parent.
(8.) Encourage that which you see good and commendable in your Children▪ Virtus laudata crescit. Commending that which is good in your Children, makes them more in love with Virtuous Actions; and is like watering of Plants, which makes them grow more. Some Parents discourage the good they see in their Children, and so nip Virtue in the Bud, and help to damn their Children's Souls. They have their Children's Curses.
(9.) If you would have Honor from your Children, set them a good Example: It makes Children despise their Parents, when the Parents live in a contradiction to their own Precepts: When they bid their Children be sober, yet they themselves will be drunk: They bid their Children fear God, yet are themselves loose in their Lives. Oh! If you would have your Children honor you, teach them by an Holy Example. A Father is a Looking-glass which the Child oft dresseth himself by; let the Glass be Clear and not Spotted. Parents should observe a Good Decorum in their whole Carriage, lest they give occasion to their Children to say to them as Plato 's Servant,
Quest. Which is the Sixth Commandment?
Resp. EXOD. XX. 13.
Thou shalt not Kill.
In this Commandment, (1.) Is a Sin forbidden, viz. Murder. Thou shalt not kill. (2.) A Duty implied, To preserve our own Life, and the Life of others.
1. The Sin forbidden, Murder. Thou shalt not kill. Where two things are to be understood. (1.) The not injuring another. (2.) Our selves.
I. In this, Thou shalt not kill, is meant the not Injuring another. 1. We must not injure him in his Name. 2. In his Body. 3. In his Soul.
(1.) We must not injure another in his Name. A good Name is a precious Balsom; it is a great Cruelty to murder a Man in his Name. We injure others in their Name. When we calumniate and slander them. 'Twas David 's Complaint, Psal. 35.11. They laid to my Charge things which I knew not. The Primitive Christians were traduced for Incest and killing their Children, as Tertul. Dicimur infanticidii, incestus rei. This is to behead others in their good Name; this is an irreparable Injury: No Physician can heal the Wounds of the Tongue.
(2.) We must not injure another in his Body. The Life is the most precious thing, and God hath set this Commandment as a Fence about it to preserve it, Thou shalt not kill. God made a Statute which was never to this Day repealed. Gen. 9.6. Who so sheddeth Man's Blood, by Man shall his Blood be shed. In the Old Law had a Man killed another unawares, he might take Sanctuary; but if he had killed him willingly, though he did fly to the Sanctuary, the Holiness of the Place was not to defend him. Exod. 21.14. If a Man come presumptuously upon his Neighbor to slay him with Guile, thou shalt take him from my Altar that he may die. Now in this Commandment, Thou shalt do no Murder, all those Sins are forbidden which lead to it, and are the occasions of it. As,
1. Vnadvised Anger. Anger boils up the Blood in the Veins, and oft produceth Murder. Gen. 49.6. In their Anger they slew a Man.
2. Envy. Satan envy'd our first Parents the Robe of Innocence, and the Glory of Paradise, therefore never left till he had procured their Death. Joseph 's Brethren envied him, because his Father loved him, and gave him a Coat of divers Colours, therefore take Counsel to slay him, Gen. 37.20. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Envy and Murder are near a-kin, therefore the Apostle puts them together. Gal. 5.21. Envyings, Murders. Envy is a Sin breaks both the Tables at once. It begins in Discontent against God, and ends in Injury against Man, as we see in Cain, Gen. 4.6, 8. Envious Cain, first discontented with God, there he broke the First Table; and then he fell out with his Brother and slew him, there he broke the Second Table. Anger is sometimes soon over, like Fire kindled in Straw, which is quickly out; but Envy is a radicated thing, and will not quench its Thirst without Blood. Prov. 27.4. Who is able to stand before Envy?
3. Hatred. The Pharisees hated Christ because he excelled them in Gifts, and had more Honor among the People than they, therefore they never left till they had nailed him to the Cross, and taken away his Life. Hatred is a Vermin lives upon Blood. Ezek. 35.5. Because thou hast had a perpetual Hatred, and hast shed the Blood of the Children of Israel. Haman hated Mordecai because he did not bow to him, and he presently sought Revenge. He got a Bloody Warrant sealed for the Destruction of the whole Race and Seed of the Jews, Esther 3.9. Hatred is ever cruel. All these Sins are forbidden in this Commandment which lead the Van, and are oft the occasions of this Sin of Murder.
Quest. How many ways is Murder committed?
Resp. We may be said to Murder another, Twelve ways.
(1.) With the Hand. As Joab kill 〈◊〉 Abner and Amasa, 2 Sam. 20.10. He smote him in the Fifth Rib, and shed out his Bowels.
(2.) Murder is committed with the Mind. Malice is Mental Murder, 1 John 3.15. Whoso hateth his Brother is a Murderer. To malign another, and wish Evil against him in the Heart, is a murdering him.
(3.) Murder is committed with the Tongue. By speaking to the Prejudice of another, and causing him to be put to Death. Thus the Jews killed the Lord of Life, when they inveighed against him, and accused him falsely to Pilate, John 18.30.
(4.) Murder is committed with the Pen. So David killed Uriah, in writing to Joab to set Uriah in the Fore-front of the Battle, 2 Sam. 11.15. Tho the Ammonites Sword cut off Uriah, yet David 's Pen was the Cause of his Death. Therefore the Lord tells David by the Prophet Nathan, 2 Sam. 12.9. Thou hast killed Uriah.
(5.) Murder is committed by Plotting another's Death. Thus Jezebel, though she did not lay Hands herself upon Naboth, yet because she contrived his Death, and caused Two false Witnesses to swear against him, and bring him within the Compass of Treason, she was a Murderer, 1 Kings 21.10.
(6.) Murder is committed by instilling Poison into Potions. Thus the Wife of Commodus the Emperor killed her Husband, by poisoning the Wine which he drank. So many kill the Children they go with, by taking such Medicines or strong Purges as prove the Death of the Child.
(7.) By Witchcraft and Sorcery, a thing forbidden under the Law, Deut. 18.10. There shall not be found among you an Enchanter or a Witch, or a Consulter with Familiar Spirits.
(8.) By having an Intention to kill another; as Herod would, under a Pretence of Worshipping Christ, have killed him. Mat. 2..8, 13. So Saul, when he made David go as Captain against the Philistines, designing thereby that the Philistines should have killed him. 1 Sam. 18.17. Saul said, Let not my Hand be upon him, but let the Hand of the Philistines be upon him. Here was intentional Murder, and it was in God's Account as bad as actual.
(9.) By consenting to another's Death. So Saul to the Death of Stephen. Acts 22.20. I also was standing by and consenting to his Death. He that gives Consent is accessory to the Murder.
(10.) By not hindering the Death of another when in our Power. Pilate knew Christ was innocent, I find no Fault in him ; but he did not hinder his Death; therefore he was guilty. It was not washing his Hands in Water could wash away the Guilt of Christ's Blood.
(11.) By Vnmercifulness. 1. By taking away that which is necessary for the Sustentation of Life: As, to take away those Tools or Utensils whereby a Man gets his Living. Deut. 24.6. No man shall take away the nether or the upper Milstone to pledge, for he takes a man's Life. 2. By not helping him when he is ready to perish. You may be the Death of another as well by not relieving him, as by offering him Violence. Si non paveris, occidisti. Ambrose. If thou dost not feed him that is starving, thou killest him. And then how many are guilty of the Breach of this Commandment?
(12.) By not Executing the Law upon Capital Offenders. A Felon having committed Six Murders, the Judge may be said to be guilty of Five of them, because he did not execute the Felon for his first Offence. The next thing I shall speak to, is to show the Aggravations of this Sin of Murder. As,
1. To shed the Blood of another Causless ; as to kill another in an Humour or Frolick. A Be will not sting unless provoked. But many when they are not provoked will take away the Life of another. This makes the Sin of Blood more bloody. The less Provocation to a Sin, the greater the Sin.
2. To shed the Blood of another contrary to Promise. Thus after the Princes of Israel had sworn to the Gibeonites that they should live, Josh. 9.15. Saul slew them, 2 Sam. 21.1. Here were two Sins twisted together, Breach of Oath and Murder.
3. To take away the Life of any Public Person inhanceth the Murder, and makes it greater. As 1. To Kill a Judge upon the Bench, because he represents the King's Person. 2. To murder a Person, whose Office is Sacred, and comes on the King of Heaven's Ambassage: The murdering of him may be the murdering of many. Herod added this Sin above all, that he shut up John the Baptist in Prison, Luke 3.20. Then much more to behead John in Prison. 3. To stain ones Hands with Royal Blood. David 's Heart smote him, because he did but cut off the Lap of King Saul 's Garment, 1 Sam. 24.5. How would David 's Heart have smote him, if he had cut off Saul's Head?
4. To shed the Blood of a near Relation aggravates the Murder, and dies it of a deeper Crimson. For a Son to kill his Father is horrid. Parricides are Monsters in Nature. Qui occidit patrem plurima committit peccata in uno. Cicero. He who takes away his Fathers Life, committeth many Sins in one. He is not only guilty of Murder, but of Disobedience, Ingratitude, Ostracism, and Diabolical Cruelty. Exod. 21.15. He who striketh his Father or Mother, shall be surely put to Death. Then how many Deaths is he worthy of, that destroys his Father or Mother. Such a Monster was Nero, who caused his Mother Agrippina to be slain.
5. To shed the Blood of any Righteous Person aggravates the Sin. First, Hereby Justice is perverted. Such a Person being innocent, is unworthy of Death. Secondly, A Saint being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Public Blessing; he lies in the Breach to turn away Wrath: So that to destroy him, is to go to pull down the Pillars of a Nation. Thirdly, He is precious to God, Isa. 15.43, 44. He is a Member of Christ's Body; therefore what Injury is offered to him, is done to God himself, Acts 9.4.
Caution I. Tho this Commandment forbids Private Persons, Thou shalt not kill, to shed the Blood of another, (unless in their own Defense,) yet such as are in Office must punish Public Offenders ; yea, with Death, else they sin. To kill an Offender is not Murder but Justice. A Private Person sins if he draws the Sword, a Public Person sins if he put up the Sword. A Magistrate ought not to let the Sword of Justice rust in the Scabbard. As the Magistrate should not let the Sword be too sharp by Severity, so neither should the Edge of it be blunted by too much Lenity.
Caution II. Neither doth this Commandment, Thou shalt not kill, prohibit a Just War. When Men's Sins grow ripe, and long Plenty hath bred Surfeit. Then God saith, Sword, go through the Land, Ezek. 14.17. God did abet the War between the Tribes of Israel and Benjamin. When the Iniquity of the Amorites was full, then God sent Israel to commence a War against them, Judge. 11.21.
Use I. Lamentation, That this Land is so defiled with Blood: Numb. 35.33. How common is this Sin in this Hectoring Age! England 's Sins are written in Letters of Blood. Some make no more of killing Men, than Sheep. Ier. 2.34. In thy Skirts is found the Blood of the poor Innocents. Junius reads it in Alis ; and so in Hebrew, In Thy Wings is found the Blood of Innocents. It alludes to the Birds of Prey, which stain their Wings with the Blood of other Birds. May not the Lord justly take up a Controversy with the Inhabitants of the Land, because Blood toucheth Blood, Hos. 4.2. There is a Concatenation, a Plurality of Murders. And that which may increase our Lamentation, is, that not only Man 's Blood is shed among us, but Christ's Blood. Such as are profane flagitious Sinners are said to Crucify the Son of God afresh, Heb. 6.6. (1.) They Swear by his Blood, and so do as it were make his Wounds bleed afresh. (2.) Crucify Christ in his Members. Why persecutest thou me? The Foot being trodden on, the Head cried out. (3.) If it lay in their Power, were Christ alive on Earth, they would nail him again to the Cross. Thus Men Crucify Christ afresh. And if Man's Blood doth so cry, how loud will Christ's Blood cry against Sinners?
Use II. Beware of having your Hands imbrued in the Blood of others.
Obj. But such a one hath wronged me by Defamation, or other ways; and if I spill his Blood, I do but revenge my own Quarrel.
Resp. If he hath done you wrong, the Law is open ; but take heed of shedding Blood. What, because he hath wronged you, will you therefore wrong God? Is it not a Wrong to God, to take his Work out of his Hand? He hath said, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, Rom. 12.19. But you will take upon you to revenge yourself: You will be both Plantiff, and Judge, and Executioner yourself. This is an high Wrong done to God, and he will not hold you guiltless. Now to deter all from having their Hands defiled with Blood, consider what a Sin Murder is.
1. A God-affronting Sin. It is a Breach of Commandment, trampling upon God's Royal Edict: It is a Wrong offered to God's Image. Gen. 9.6. In the Image of God made he Man. It is a tearing God's Picture, and breaking in Pieces the King of Heavens Broad-Seal. Man is the Temple of God. 1 Cor. 6.19. Know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost? So that the Man-slayer destroys God's Temple: And will God endure to be thus confronted by proud Dust?
2. It is a crying Sin. Clamitat in Coelum vox Sanguinis —There are three Sins in Scripture said to cry. (1.) Oppression, Psal. 12.5. (2.) Sodomy, Gen. 18.21. (3.) Blood-shed. This comes so loud, that it drowns all the other Cries. Gen. 4.10. The Voice of thy Brothers Blood cries unto me from the Ground. Abel 's Blood had as many Tongues as Drops to cry aloud for Vengeance. This Sin of Blood lay heavy on David 's Conscience. Tho he had sinned by Adultery, yet that he cried out of most was, this Crimson Sin of Blood. Psal. 51.14. Deliver me from Blood-guiltiness, O God. Tho the Lord visits for every Sin, yet he will in a special manner make Inquisition for Blood, Psal. 9.12. If a Beast did kill a Man, the Beast was to be ston'd, and his Flesh must not be eaten, Exod. 21.8. If God would have a Beast stoned that killed a Man, who had not the Use of Reason to restrain him, then much more will he be incensed against those, who go both against Reason and Conscience in spoiling the Life of a Man.
3. Murder is a Diabolical Sin : It makes a Man Primogenitum Diaboli, The Devil's First-born: He was a Murderer from the beginning, John 8.44. By saying to our First Parents, Ye shall not die, he brought in Death to the World.
4. It is a Cursed Sin. If there be a Curse for him that smites his Neighbor secretly, Deut. 27.4. then he is double cursed that kills him. The first Man that was born was a Murderer. Gen. 4.11. And now art thou cursed from the Earth. He was an excommunicate Person, banished from the place of God's Public Worship. God set a Mark upon bloody Cain, Gen. 24▪ 15. Some think it was Horror of Mind, which (above all Sins) doth accompany the Sin of Blood. Others think this Mark was a continual Shaking and trembling in his Flesh, which was a Mark of Infamy God set upon him. He carried a Curse along with him.
5. It is a Wrath-procuring Sin, 2 Kings 24.4.
(1.) It procures Temporal Judgments. Phocas, to get the Empire, put to Death all the Sons of Maurice the Emperor, and then slew him. But this Phocas was pursued by his Son-in-law Priscus, who cut off his Ears and Feet, and then killed him. Charles the 9 th, who caused the Massacre of so many Christians at Paris, Blood issued out at several parts of his Body, of which he died. Albonia killed a Man, and then made a Cup of his Skull to drink in: afterwards his own Wife caused him to be murdered in his Bed. Vengeance as a Blood-hound pursues the Murderer. Bloody Men shall not live out half their Days, Psal. 55.23.
(2.) It brings Eternal Judgments. It binds Men over to Hell. The Papists make nothing of Massacres; theirs is a Bloody Religion : They dispense with Men for Murder, so it be to propagate the Catholic Cause. If a Cardinal put his Red Hat upon the Head of a Murderer going to Execution, he is saved from Death. But let all impenitent Murderers read their Doom, Rev. 21.8. Murderers shall have their part in the Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone : This is the Second Death. We read of Fire mingled with Blood, Rev. 8.7. Such as have their Hands full of Blood, must undergo the Wrath of God. Here is Fire mingled with Blood, and this Fire is inextinguishable, Mark 9.44. Time will not finish it, Tears will not quench it.
EXOD. XX. 12.
Thou shalt not Kill.
(3.) We must not injure another's Soul. This is the greatest Murder of all, because there is more of God's Image in the Soul than in the Body. Ths Soul, though it cannot be annihilated, is said to be murdered, because it misseth of Happiness, and is forever in Torment. Now how many are Soul-murderers?
1. Such as corrupt others by bad Example. Vivitur Exemplis—The World is led by Example ; especially the Examples of Great ones are very pernicious. —Magnates, Magnetes —We are apt to do as we see others before us, especially above us. Such as are placed in High Power are like the Pillar of Cloud, when that went Israel went. When Great Ones move in their Sphere, others will follow them, though it be to Hell. Evil Magistrates, like the Tail of the Dragon, draw the third part of the Stars after them.
2. Such as entice others to Sin. The Harlot by curling her Hair, rolling her Eyes, laying open her Breasts, doth what in her lies, to be both a Tempter and a Murderer. Such an one was Messalina, Wife to Claudius the Emperor. Prov. 7.7, 10. I discerned a young Man, and there met him a Woman with the Attire of an Harlot, so she caught him and kissed him. Better are the Reproofs of a Friend, than the Kisses of an Harlot.
3. Ministers are Murderers, who either starve, or poison, or infect Souls.
(1.) That starve Souls. 1 Pet. 5.2. Feed the Flock of God which is among you. These Feed themselves, and starve the Flock: Either through Non-residing they do not Preach, or through Insufficiency they cannot. There are many in the Ministry (a shame to speak it) so ignorant, that they had need to be taught the First Principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 5.12. Was not he fit to be a Preacher in Israel, (think ye) who being asked something concerning the Decalogue, answered, He never saw any such Book?
(2.) That Poison Souls. Such are Heterodox Ministers, who poison People with Error. The Basilisk poisons Herbs and Flowers by breathing on them. The Breath of Heretical Ministers, like the Basilisks Breath, poisons Souls. The Socinian, that would rob Christ of his Godhead; the Arminian, that by advancing the Power of the Will, would take off the Crown from the Head of Free-Grace; the Antinomian, who denies the Use of the Moral Law to a Believer, as if it were antiquated and out of date▪ these Poison Men's Souls. Error is as damnable as Vice. 1 Pet. 2.1. There shall he false Teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable Hereresies, denying the Lord, that bought them.
(3.) That Infect Souls, viz. By their Scandalous Lives. Exod. 19.22. Let the Priests which come near to the Lord sanctify themselves. Ministers who by their Places are nearer to God, should be holier than others. The Elements, the higher they are, the purer. The Air is purer than the Water; the Fire is purer than the Air. The higher Men are by Office, the holier they should be. John the Baptist was a shining Lamp. But there are many who infect their People with their Bad Life: They preach one thing, and live another.
4. Such as destroy others by getting them into bad Company, and so making them Proselytes to the Devil. Vitia in proximum quem{que} transiliunt. Sen. A Man cannot live in the Ethiopian Climate, but he will be discoloured with the Sun; nor he cannot be in bad Company, but he will partake of their Evil. One Drunkard makes another; as the Prophet speaks in another Sence, Ier. 35.5. I set before them pots full of Wine and Cups, and said unto them, Drink ye Wine. So the Wicked set Pots of Wine before others, and make them drink till Reason be stupefied, and Lust enflamed. These are guilty of the Breach of this Commandment, they are Murderers of Souls. How sad will it be with these, who have not only their own Sins, but the Blood of others to answer for. So much for the First thing forbidden in the Commandment, the Injuring of others.
II. The Second thing forbidden in it is, the injuring ones self. Thou shalt not kill : Thou shalt do no hurt to thyself.
(1.) Thou shalt not hurt thy own Body. One may be guilty of Self-murder, either 1. Indirectly and Occasionally. 2. Directly and Absolutely.
1. Indirectly and Occasionally. As,
First, When a Man thrusts himself into Danger which he might prevent. As if a Company of Archers were shooting, and one should go and stand in the place where the Arrows fly, if the Arrow did kill him, he is accessory to his own Death. In the Law God would have the Leper shut up to keep others from being infected, Lev. 13.4. Now if any would be so presumptuous as to go in to the Leper and get the Plague of Leprosy, he might thank himself, he occasioned his own Death.
Secondly, A Person may be in some Sence guilty of his own Death, by neglecting the Use of Means: if sick, and use no Physic. If hehath received a Wound, and will not apply Balsom, he hastens his own Death. God appointed Hezekiah to lay a Lump of Figs to the Boil, Isa. 38.21. If he had not used the Lump of Figs, he had been the cause of his own Death.
Thirdly, By Immoderate Grief, 2 Cor. 7.10. The Sorrow of the World worketh Death. When God takes away a dear Relation, and one is swallowed up with Sorrow. How many weep themselves into their Graves! Queen Mary grieved so excessively for the loss of Calais, that it broke her Heart.
Fourthly, By Intemperance, Excess in Diet. Surfeiting shortens Life. Plures periere crapula quam gladio : Many dig their Grave with their Teeth. Too much Oil chokes the Lamp: The Cup kills more than the Canon. Excessive drinking causeth untimely Death.
2. One may be guilty of Self-murder Directly and Absolutely.
(1.) By Envy. Envy is Tristitia de bonis alienis, a secret repining at the Welfare of another.
(2.) By laying Violent Hands upon himself, and thus he is Felo de se ; as Saul fell upon his own Sword and killed himself. Because I see so many in the Bills of Mortality who make away themselves, let me a little expatiate. It is the most unnatural and barbarous kind of Murder for a Man to butcher himself, and imbrue his Hands in his own Blood. A Man's self is most near to him, therefore this Sin of Self-murder breaks both the Law of God and the Bonds of Nature. The Lord hath placed the Soul in the Body as in a Prison; now it is a great Sin to break Prison, till God by Death open the Door. Self-murders are worse than the Brute-Creatures, they will tear and gore one another, but no Beast will go to destroy its self. Self-murder is occasioned usually from Discontent. Discontent is joined with a sullen Melancholy. The Bird that beats herself in the Cage, and is ready to kill herself, is the true Emblem of a discontented Spirit. And this Discontent ariseth,
1. From Pride. A Man that is swelled with an High Opinion of himself, thinks he deserves better than others; and if any Cross befall him, he is discontented, and now in a sudden Passion will make away himself. Achitophel had high Thoughts of himself, his Words were esteemed Oracles; and to have his Wise Counsel rejected, he was not able to bear it. 2 Sam. 17.23. He put his House in order, and hanged himself.
2. Discontent is occasioned from Poverty. Poverty is a sore Temptation: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Menand. Prov. 30.29. Give me not Poverty. Many by their Sin have brought themselves to Poverty; and when a great Estate is boiled away to nothing, then they are discontented, and think better to die quickly, than languish in Misery. Hereupon the Devil helps them to dispatch themselves.
3. Discontent is occasioned from Covetousness. Avarice is a dry Drunkenness, an Horseleech that is never satisfied. The Covetous Man is like Behemoth, Job 40.23. Behold he drinketh up a River, and yet his Thirst is not allayed. The covetous Miser hoards up Corn; and if he hears the Price of Corn begins to fall, then he is troubled, and there's no Cure for his Discontent but an Halter.
4. From Horror of Mind. A Man hath sin'd a great Sin, he hath swallowed down some Pills of Temptation the Devil hath given him; and these Pills begin to work in his Conscience, and the Horror is so great, that he chooseth Strangling. Judas having betrayed Innocent Blood, he was in that Agony, that he hanged himself to quiet his Conscience. As if one should, to avoid the stinging of a Gnat, endure the biting of a Serpent. This Self-murder, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is an High Breach of this Commandment, it is an execrable Sin. I can see no ground of hope for such as make away themselves; for they die in the very Act of Sin, and cannot have time to repent.
(2.) Here is forbidden hurting ones own Soul. Thou shalt not Kill. Many who are free from other Murder, yet are guilty here; they go about to murder their own Souls; they are willfully set to damn themselves, and throw themselves into Hell.
Quest. Who are they that go about desperately to murder their own Souls?
Resp. 1. Such willfully go about to murder their Souls, who have no Sence of God, or the other World. They are past feeling, Eph. 4.19. Tell them of God's Holiness and Justice, they are not at all affected. Zech. 7.12. They made their Hearts like an Adamant. The Adamant, saith Pliny, is insuperable, the Hammer cannot conquer it: Sinners have Adamantine Hearts. The Altar of Stone, when the Prophet spake to it, rent asunder, 1 Kings 13.2. But Sinners Hearts are so hardened in Sin, that nothing will work upon them, neither Ordinances nor Judgments; they do not believe a Deity, they laugh at Hell: These go about to murder their Souls, they are throwing themselves as fast as they can into Hell.
2. Such as are set willfully to murder their Souls, are they who are resolved upon their Lusts, let what will come of it; the Soul may cry out, I am killing, I am murdering. Eph. 4.19. They have given themselves over to work all Uncleanness with Greediness. Let Ministers speak to them about their Sins, let Conscience speak, let Affliction speak, yet they will have their Lusts, though they go to Hell for them. Are not these resolved to murder their Souls? As Agrippina, Mother to Nero, said, Occidat modo imperet, Let my Son kill me, so he may Reign. So many say in their Hearts, Let our Sins damn us, so they may but please us. Herod will have his incestuous Lust, though it cost him his Soul. Men will for a drop of Pleasure drink a Sea of Wrath. Are not these about to massacre and damn their own Souls?
3. They murder their Souls, who avoid all means of saving their Souls. They will go to Plays, to drunken Meetings, but will not set their Foot within God's House, or come near the Sound of the Gospel Trumpet. As if one that is Diseased should shun the Bath, for fear of being healed. These do willfully damn their Souls, and are as great Murderers of themselves, as he, who having means of Cure offered him, chooseth Death rather than Physic.
4. They do voluntarily murder their Souls, who suck in false Prejudices against Religion; as if Religion were too strict and severe; they that espouse Holiness must live a melancholy Life, like Hermits and Anchorites, and drown all their Joy in Tears. This is a Slander which the Devil hath cast upon Religion: For there's no true Joy but in believing, Rom. 15.13. No Honey so sweet as that which drops from a Promise. Some Men have foolishly taken up a Prejudice against Religion; they are resolved rather never to go to Heaven, than go thither through the Strait Gate. I may say of Prejudice as Paul to Elimas, Acts 13.10. O Prejudice, thou Child of the Devil, thou Enemy of all Righteousness, how many Souls hast thou damned!
5. They are willfully set to murder their own Souls, who will neither be good to themselves, nor suffer others to be so. Matth. 23.13. Ye neither go into the Kingdom of Heaven yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering, to go in. Such are those that persecute others for their Religion. Drunken Meetings shall escape Punishment: But if Men meet to serve God, then let all Severity be used. These are resolved to Shipwrack others, though they themselves are cast away in the Storm. Oh! Take heed of this, of murdering your own Souls: No Creature but Man doth willingly kill its self. So I have done with the First, the Sin Forbidden in this Commandment, Thou shalt not kill.
EXOD. XX. 13.
Thou shalt not Kill.
II. The Second Duty implied, is, That we should do all the Good we can to ourselves and others.
1. In reference to Others. We should endeavor to preserve the Lives and Souls of others. 2. In reference to ourselves. To preserve our own Life and Soul.
[1.] In reference to Others.
(1.) To preserve the Life of others. Comfort them in their Sorrows, relieve them in their Wants: Be as the good Samaritan, pour Wine and Oil into their Wounds. Job 29.16. I was a Father to the poor. —13. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me. This is a great means of preserving the Life of another, by relieving him when he is ready to perish. Pompey, when there was a great Dearth in Rome, provided Corn for their Relief; and when the Mariners were backward to sail thither in a Tempest, saith he, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,
First, Works of Charity evidence Grace.
1. Faith. I am. 2.18. I mill show thee my Faith by my Works. Works are Faith's Letters of Credence to show. We judge of the Health of the Body by the Pulse, where the Blood stirs and operates. Christian, judge of the Health of thy Faith by the Pulse of Charity: The Word of God is the Rule of Faith, and good Works are the Witnesses of Faith.
2. Love. Love loves Mercy: It is a Noble bountiful Grace. Mary loved Christ, and how liberal was her Love! She bestows on Christ her Tears, Kisses, costly Oyntments. Love is like a full Vessel, will have Vent; it vents itself in Acts of Liberality.
Secondly, To communicate to the Necessities of others, is not Arbitrary, (it's not left to our Choice whether we will or no) but it is a Duty incumbent. 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are Rich in this World, that they do good, —that they be rich in good Works. This is not only a Counsel, but a Charge. If God should lay a Charge upon the Inanimate Creatures, they would obey. If he should charge the Rocks, they would send forth Water: If he should charge the Clouds, they would melt into Showers: If he should charge the Stones, they would become Bread. And shall we be harder than the Stones, not to obey God, when he chargeth us to be rich in Good Works?
Thirdly, God supplies our Wants, and shall not we supply the Wants of others? We could not live without Mercy. God makes every Creature helpful to us. The Sun doth enrich us with it's Golden Beams: The Earth yields us its Encrease, Veins of Gold, Crops of Corn, store of Flowers. God opens the Treasury of his Mercy, he feeds us every Day out of the Alms-basket of his Providence. Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing, Psal. 145.16. Now, doth God supply our Wants, and shall not we minister to the Wants of others? Shall we be only as a Spunge to suck in Mercy, and not as a Breast to milk it out to others?
Fourthly, Herein we resemble God, to be doing Good to others. 'It is our Excellency to be like God. Godliness is God-likeness. And wherein are we more like him than in Acts of Bounty and Munificence? Psal. 119.68. Thou art good, and dost good. Thou art good, there is God's Essential Goodness; and dost good, there is his Communicative Goodness. The more helpful we are to others, the more like we are to God. We cannot be like God in Omnisciency, or in working Miracles, but we may be like him in doing Works of Mercy.
Fifthly, God remembers all our Deeds of Charity, and takes them kindly at our Hands. Heb. 6.10. God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of Love which ye have shown towards his Name, in that ye have ministered to the Saints. The Chief Butler may forget Joseph 's Kindness, but the Lord will not forget any kindness we show to his People. Mat. 25.35. I was an hungered and ye gave me Meat, Thirsty and ye gave me Drink. Christ takes the kindness done to his Saints as done to himself. God that hath a Bottle for your Tears, hath a Book to write down your Alms. Mal. 3.16. A Book of Remembrance was written before him. Tamerlane had a Register to write down all the Names, and good Service of his Soldiers: So God hath a Book of Remembrance to write down all your Charitable Works, and at the Day of Judgment there shall be an open and honorable mention made of them in the Presence of the Angels.
Sixthly, Hard-heartedness to them in Misery reproacheth the Gospel. When Men's Hearts are like pieces of Rocks, or as the Scales of the Leviathan, shut up as with a close Seal, Job 41.15. You may as well extract Oil out of a Flint, as the Golden Oil of Charity out of their Hearts. These Vnchristian themselves. Unmercifulness is the Sin of the Heathen, Rom. 1.31. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , without Mercy. It eclipseth the Glory of the Gospel. Doth the Gospel teach Uncharitableness? Doth it not bid us draw out our Soul to the Hungry, Isa. 58.10. Tit. 3.8. These things I will that you affirm, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good Works. While you relieve not such as are in Want, you walk Antipodes to the Gospel; you cause it to be evil spoken of, and lay it open to the Las • and Censure of others.
Seventhly, There is nothing lost by relieving the Necessitous. The Shunamite Woman was kind to the Prophet, she welcomed him to her House, and she received Kindness from him another way. He restored her Dead Child to Life. 2 Kings 4.35. Such as are helpful to others, shall find Mercy to help in time of need. Such as pour out the Golden Oil of Compassion to others, God will pour out the Golden Oil of Salvation to them. For a Cup of cold Water they shall have Rivers of Pleasure. Nay, God will make it up some way or other in this Life. Prov. 11.25. The Liberal Soul shall be made fa • : As the Loaves in breaking multiplied, or as the Widows Oil increased by pouring out, 1 Kings 17.16. An Estate may be imparted, yet not impaired.
Eighthly, To do good to others in Necessity, keeps up the Credit of Religion. Works of Mercy adorn the Gospel as the Fruit Adorns the Tree. When our Light so shines that others see our Good Works, this glorifies God, Crowns Religion, silenceth the Lips of Gain-sayers. Basil saith, Nothing rendered the True Religion more famous in the Primitive Times, and made more Proselytes to it, than the Bounty and Charity of the Christians.
Ninthly and Lastly, The Evil that doth accrue by not preserving the Lives of others, and helping them in their Necessities. God sends oft a secret Moth into their Estate. Prov. 11.24. There is that with-holdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to Poverty. Prov. 21.13. Whoso stoppeth his Ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Jam. 2.13. He shall have Judgment without Mercy, that showed no Mercy. Dives denied Lazarus a Crumb of Bread, and Dives was denied a Drop of Water. Mat. 25.41. Depart from me ye cursed, for I was an hungered and ye gave me no meat. Christ saith not, Ye took away my Meat: But, Ye gave me no Meat; ye did not feed my Members, therefore depart from me. By all this, be ready to distribute to the Necessities of others. This is included in the Commandment, Thou shalt not kill. Not only, Thou shalt not destroy his Life, but thou shalt preserve it by giving to his Necessities.
(2.) It is implied, that we should endeavor to preserve the Souls of others ; counsel them about their Souls, set Life and Death before them, help them to Heaven. In the Law, if one met his Neighbors Ox or Ass going astray, he must bring him back, Exod. 33.4. Much more if we see our Neighbors Soul going astray, we should use all means to bring him back to God by Repentance.
[2.] In reference to ourselves. The Commandment, Thou shalt not kill, requires that we should preserve our own Life and Soul. 'It is engraven upon every Creature, that we should preserve our own Natural Life. We must be so far from Self-murder, that we must do all we can to preserve our Natural Life. We must use all means of Diet, Exercise, and lawful Recreation, which is like Oil to preserve the Lamp of Life from going out. Some have been under Temptation ; Satan hath suggested, they are such Sinners as do not deserve a bit of Bread, and so they have been ready to starve themselves. This is contrary to this Sixth Commandment, Thou shalt do no Murder ; it is implied, we are to use all means for the preserving our own Life, 1 Tim. 5.23. Drink no longer Water, but use a little Wine for thy Stomach's sake. Timothy was not by drinking too much Water to over-cool his Stomach, and weaken Nature; but he must use means for Self-preservation, Drink a little Wine, &c.
Secondly, This Commandment requires, that we should endeavor (as to preserve our own Life, so especially) to preserve our own Souls.
1. The Soul is Excellent in its Nature. It is a Spiritual Being, 'tis a kind of Angelical thing: The Mind sparkles with Knowledge, the Will is crowned with Liberty, and all the Affections are as Stars shining in their Orb. The Soul being Spiritual, (1.) Is of quick Operation. How quick is the Motion of a Spark! How swift is the Wing of a Cherubim! So quick and agil is the Motion of the Soul! What is quicker than a Thought? How many Miles can the Soul travel in an Instant! (2.) The Soul being Spiritual, moves upward, it contemplates God and Glory. Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? The Motion of the Soul is upward; only Sin hath put a wrong Bias upon the Soul, and made it move too much down-ward. (3.) The Soul being Spiritual, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it hath a self-moving Power, it can subsist and move when the Body is dead, as the Mariner can subsist when the Ship is broken. (4.) The Soul being Spiritual, is Immortal. Scaliger. Aeternitatis Gemma, a Bud of Eternity.
2. As the Soul is excellent in its Nature, so in its Capacities : It is capable of Grace, it is fit to be an Associate and Companion of Angels. It is capable of Communion with God, of being Christ's Spouse, 2 Cor. 11.2. That I might espouse you Virgin-Souls to Christ. It is capable of being Crown'd with Glory forever. O then, carrying such precious Souls about you, created with the Breath of God, redeemed with the Blood of God, what Endeavors should you use for the Saving of these Souls! Let not the Devil have your Souls. Heliogabalus fed his Lions with Pheasant. The Devil is called a Roaring Lion, feed him not with your Souls. Besides, the Excellency of the Soul, which may make you labor to get it saved, consider, how sad it will be not to have the Soul saved. It is such a Loss, as there is none like it: Because in losing the Soul, you lose a great many things with it. A Merchant in losing his Ship, loseth many things with it: He loseth Money, Jewels, Spices. So he that loseth his Soul, loseth Christ, the company of Angels, Heaven: It is an infinite Loss, and it is an irreparable Loss; it can never be made up again. Two Eyes, but one Soul. Chrys. O what Care should be taken about the Immortal Soul. I would request but this of you, that you would but take as much Care for the saving your Souls, as you do for the getting an Estate : Nay, I will say this, Do but take as much Care for the saving your Souls, as the Devil doth for destroying them. O how industrious is Satan to damn Souls! How doth he play the Serpent in his subtle laying of Snares to catch Souls! How doth he shoot Fiery Darts! The Devil is never idle: The Devil is a busy Bishop in his Diocese, he walks up and down seeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5.8. Now is not this a Reasonable Request, to take but as much Care for the saving of your Souls, as the Devil doth for the destroying them?
Quest. How shall we do to get our Souls saved?
Resp. By having them sanctified. Only the pure in Heart shall see God. Get your Souls in-laid and enamel'd with Holiness. 1 Pet. 1.16. It is not enough that we cease to do Evil, (which is all the Evidence some have to show,) this is to lose Heaven by short shooting; but we must be inwardly sanctified : Not only the unclean Spirit must go out, but we must be filled with the Holy Ghost, Eph. 5.18. This Holiness must needs be, if you consider God is to dwell with you here, and you are to dwell with him hereafter.
First, God is to dwell with you here. God takes up the Soul for his own Lodgings. Eph. 3.17. That Christ may dwell in your Heart. Therefore the Soul must be Consecrated. A King's Palace must be kept clean, especially his Presence-Chamber. The Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6.19. then the Soul is the Sanctum Sanctorum, how Holy ought that to be?
Secondly, You are to dwell with God. Heaven is an Holy Place. 1 Pet. 1.4. An Inheritance undefiled. And how can you dwell with God till you are sanctified? We do not put Wine into a musty Vessel: God will not put the New Wine of Glory into a sinful Heart. O then, as you love your Souls, and would have them saved Eternally, endeavor after Holiness; by this means you will have an Idoneity and Fitness for the Kingdom of Heaven, and your Souls will be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus.
EXOD. XX. 14.
Thou shalt not commit Adultery.
God is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a pure holy Spirit, and hath an infinite Antipathy against all Uncleanness. In this Commandment he hath entered his Caution against it. Non maechaberis, Thou shalt not commit Adultery. The Sum of this Commandment, is, The Preservation of Corporal Purity. We must take heed of running on the Rock of Uncleanness, and so making Shipwrack of our Chastity. In this Commandment there is something tacitly implied, and something tacitly forbidden.
1. Something tacitly Implyed, (viz.) That the Ordinance of Marriage should be observed.
2. Something expressly Forbidden, (viz.) The infecting ourselves with Bodily Pollution, Thou shalt not commit Adultery.
(1.) Something Implyed, That the Ordinance of Marriage should be observed. 1 Cor. 7.2. Let every Man have his own Wife, and every Woman have her own Husband. Marriage is honorable, and the Bed undefiled, Heb. 13.4. God did institute Marriage in Paradise; he brought the Woman to the Man, Gen. 2.22. He did as it were give them in Marriage. And Jesus Christ did honor Marriage with his Presence, John 2.2. The first Miracle he wrought was at a Marriage, when he turned the Water into Wine. Marriage is a Type and Resemblance of the Mystical Union between Christ and his Church, Eph. 5.32. Concerning Marriage,
[1.] There are General Duties. 1. The General Duty of the Husband is to Rule. Eph. 5.23. The Husband is the Head of the Wife. The Head is the Seat of Rule and Government: but he must rule with Discretion. He is Head, therefore must not rule without Reason. 2. The General Duty on the Wife's part, is, Submission. Eph. 5.22. Wives submit yourselves unto your own Husbands as unto the Lord. It is observable the Holy Ghost passeth by Sarah 's Failings; he doth not mention her Unbelief; but he takes notice of that which was good in her, her Reverence and Obedience to her Husband. 1 Pet. 3.6. Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord.
[2.] Special Duties belonging to Marriage, are Love and Fidelity. 1. Love. Eph. 5.25. Love is the Marriage of the Affections. There is as it were but one Heart in two Bodies: Love lines the Yoak, and makes it easy: Love perfumes the Marriage-Relation, without which it is not Conjugium, but Conjurgium ; it is like two Poysons in one Stomach, one is ever sick of the other. 2. Fidelity. In Marriage there is a mutual Promise of living together Faithfully according to God's Holy Ordinance. Among the Romans, on the Day of Marriage the Woman presented to her Husband Fire and Water : Fire refines Metal, Water cleanseth: Hereby signifying, that she would live with her Husband in Chastity and Sincerity. This is the First thing in the Commandment implied, that the Ordinance of Marriage should be purely observed.
(2.) The thing Forbidden in the Commandment, i. e. Infecting ourselves with Bodily Pollution and Uncleanness, Thou shalt not commit Adultery. The Fountain of this Sin is Lust. Since the Fall, Holy Love is degenerated into Lust. Lust is the Fever of the Soul. There is a twofold Adultery. 1. Mental. Matth. 5.28. Whosoever looketh on a Woman to lust after her, hath committed Adultery already with her in his Heart. As a Man may die of an inward Bleeding, so he may be damned for the inward boilings of Lust, if they be not mortify'd. 2. Corporal Adultery ; when Sin hath conceived and brought forth in the Act. This is expressly forbidden, under a Sub poena, Thou shalt not commit Adultery. This Commandment is set as an Hedge to keep out Uncleanness, and they that break this Hedge, a Serpent shall bite them. Job calls Adultery an heinous Crime, Job 31.11. Every Failing is not a Crime, and every Crime is not an heinous Crime, but Adultery is Flagitium, an Heinous Crime. The Lord calls it Villany. Jer. 29.23. They have committed Villany in Israel, and have committed Adultery with their Neighbors Wives.
Quest. Wherein appears the Heinousness of this Sin of Adultery?
Resp. 1. In that Adultery is the Brea • h of the Marriage-Oath. When Persons come together in a Matrimonial way, they bind themselves by Covenant each to other, in the Presence of God, to be true and faithful in the Conjugal Relation. Unchastity is a falsifying this Solemn Oath. And herein Adultery is worse than Fornication, because 'tis a Breach of the Conjugal Bond.
2. The Heinousness of Adultery lies in this, that it is such an high Dishonor done to God. God saith, Thou shalt not commit Adultery. The Adulterer sets his Will above God's Law, tramples upon God's Command, affronts him to his Face; as if a Subject should tear his Princes Proclamation. The Adulterer is highly injurious to all the Persons in the Trinity. (1.) To God the Father. Sinner, God hath given thee thy Life, and thou dost waste the Lamp of thy Life, the Flower of thy Age in Lewdness. He hath bestowed on thee many Mercies, Health and Estate, and thou spendest all on Harlots. Did God give thee Wages to serve the Devil? (2.) Injurious to God the Son, two ways. First, As he hath purchased thee with his Blood. 1 Cor. 6.20. Ye are bought with a price. Now, he who is bought, is not his own ; it is a Sin for him to go to another without consent from Christ, who hath bought him with a price. Secondly, By virtue of Baptism thou art a Christian, and professest that Christ is thy Head, and thou art a Member of Christ; therefore what an Injury is it to Christ, to take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot! 1 Cor. 6.15. (3.) It is injurious to God the Holy Ghost, for the Body is his Temple. 1 Cor. 6.19. Know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you? And what a Sin is it to defile his Temple.
3. The Heinousness of Adultery lies in this, That it is committed with mature Deliberation. First, There is the contriving the Sin in the Mind, then Consent in the Will, and then the Sin is put forth into Act. To sin against the Light of Nature, and to sin deliberately, is like the Die to the Wooll, it gives Sin a Tincture, and dies it of a Crimson Colour.
4. That which makes Adultery so Heinous is, that it is a Sin after Remedy. God hath provided a Remedy to prevent this Sin. 1 Cor. 7.2. To avoid Fornication let every Man have his own Wife. Therefore, after this Remedy prescribed, to be guilty of Fornication or Adultery, is inexcusable; it is like a rich Thief, that steals when he hath no need. This doth enhance and accent the Sin, and make it heinous.
Use I. It condemns the Church of Rome, who allow the Sin of Fornication and Adultery. They suffer not their Priests to marry, but they may have their Curtizans. The worst kind of Uncleanness, Incest with the nearest of Kin, is dispensed with for Money. It was once said of Rome, —Vrbs est jam tota Lupanar,—"Rome was become a Common Stews. And no wonder, when the Pope could, for a Sum of Money, give them a License and Patent to commit Uncleanness; and if the Patent were not enough, he would give them a Pardon. Many of the Papists judge Fornication Venial. God condemns the very Lusting, Mat. 5.28. If God condemns the Thought, how dare they allow the Fact of Fornication? You see what a Cage of Unclean Birds the Church of Rome is. They call themselves the Holy Catholic Church. But how can they be Holy, who are so steep'd and parboil'd in Fornication, Incest, Sodomy, and all manner of Uncleanness.
Use II. It is matter of Lamentation to see this Commandment so slighted and violated among us. Adultery is the reigning Sin of the Times. Hos. 7.4. They are all Adulterers, as an Oven heated by the Baker. The time of King Henry the 8 th was called the Golden Age, but this may be called the Vnclean Age, wherein Whore-hunting is common. Ezek. 24.13. In your Filthiness is Lewdness. Luther tells of one who said,
Use III. It exhorts us to keep ourselves from this Sin of Adultery.