AN
EXPOSITION
OF THE
TEN COMMANDMENTS:
BY THE RT. REV. EZEKIEL HOPKINS,
SUCCESSIVELY BISHOP OF RAPHOE AND DERRY,
WHO DIED IN
A. D. 1690.
REVISED AND SLIGHTLY ABBIDGED.
Digitally prepared by: Ted Hildebrandt
Gordon College, 255 Grapevine Rd., Wenham,
MA 01984
report any errors to:
thildebrandt@gordon.edu
June 2004
PUBLISHED BY THE
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY,
150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW-YORK.
In the present edition this work has been
revised, with changes in
obsolete or
defective forms of expression, and the omission of some pas-
sages having
a more immediate reference to the Government or Church
of
NOTICE OF BISHOP HOPKINS.
Ezekiel Hopkins was born at Sanford,
a laborious
minister. He was educated at
was some
time chaplain of
went to
stow till
the act of uniformity. After this he was
preacher at
St. Edmunds,
Lombard-street, and subsequently was chosen
minister of
St. Mary Arches, in
mired. From
phoe,
ric, which
he occupied about ten years, when he was transfer-
red to the
bishopric of
years, till
the papists got the sword into their hands, when he
fled for his
life to
Aldermanbury,
in
months only
after his establishment there.
As a preacher, Bishop Hopkins was
esteemed one of the first
of the age
in which he lived, being much admired and followed
after in all
the places where he preached.
As a writer, he was eminent above
most authors for the com-
bination of
clear statements of doctrinal and practical truth,
with an
eloquent application of it to the heart and conscience.
Scarcely any
other writer has, within an equal compass, so ably
discussed,
and applied with such energy the whole range of
christian
truth. His works are published in four
volumes, edited
by the late
Rev. Josiah Pratt, of London, who in his dedication
of the
volumes to William Wilberforce, Esq. says, "That
4 NOTICE OF BISIIOP
author is of
special value whose works supply, within a mod-
rate
compass, the most complete refutation of whatever can be
urged
against true religion, by exhibiting her in her most beauti-
ful
proportions. Such an author is Bishop
Hopkins." His works,
embrace the
following subjects: Vanity of the World,
Exposi-
tions of the
Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments, Dis-
courses on
the Law, Discourses concerning Sin, The Doctrine
of the Two
Covenants, Doctrine of the Two Sacraments, The
All-Sufficiency
of Christ to save Sinners, Excellency of Heaven-
ly
Treasures, Practical Christianity, Assurance of Heaven and
Salvation a
principal motive to serve God with fear, On Glori-
fying God in
his Attributes, Almost Christian, Conscience, Great
Duty of
Mortification, Death Disarmed, Miscellaneous Sermons.
As a divine, Bishop Hopkins was one
of the sound theologians
to which the
Reformation gave birth, and he unequivocally and
openly held
and inculcated the pure doctrines of the Reformers,
opposed as
they are to the pride and passions of unsanctified
men. On the difficult questions concerning the
grace of God and
the
obligation of man, he adopted those views which most natu-
rally
reconcile with one another the declarations and exhortations
of
Scripture. Few writers have entered so
unequivocally into
the extent
of man's responsibility, and at the same time so strong-
ly insisted
on the sovereignty, and so graphically described the 1
operations
of the grace of God.
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Introduction . . . . . . . . 7
The time of the delivery of the Ten
Commandments . 9
The Reason . . . . . . . . 10
The Manner . . . . . . . . 11
Are they abrogated? . . . . . . 19
General Rules for rightly understanding
them . . 29
Their order. . . . . . . . . 48
Preface to
the Commandments . . . . .
50
FIRST
TABLE.
The First
Commandment 58
Requires the love, fear, and praise of God 61
Forbids Atheism-proofs of the being of God
68
Ignorance of the true God
92
Profaning his name, attributes, time,
ordinances 101
Idolatry 120
The Second
Commandment 126
The Prohibition, As to the worship of God,
exter-
nal and internal 127
As to the sins here
forbidden-Superstition 139
The threatening, Visiting the iniq1rities
of the fa-
thers upon the children 148
The Third
Commandment 165
Profaning the name of God--Oaths 166
The folly of this sin--Directions 186
The Fourth
Commandment 192
Primitive Institution of the Sabbath 195
Its morality and perpetual obligation 196
Change to the first day of the week 201
The manner in which it is to be observed 204
6 CONTENTS.
SECOND TABLE
PAGE
Introduction to the Second Table 225
The Fifth
Commandment 228
Duties of parents and children 233
Magistrates and those subject to them 251
Husbands and wives 261
Masters and servants 279
Ministers and their people 301
Superiors and inferiors, or those who
differ in
the
gifts of God's grace, or his common
bounty 316
The promise, That thy days may be long 328
The Sixth
Commandment 332
The sin of murder 333
Causes and occasions leading to it 345
Rules for restraining and governing anger 352
The Seventh
Commandment 359
The sin forbidden 359
Its heinousness 365
Cautions and directions 370
The Eighth
Commandment 373
Of theft in general 376
Many kinds of theft 379
The duties here required 389
The Ninth
Commandment 395
The value of a good name 397
The sin of lying 399
Aggravations of this sin 406
The sin of slander-rules and directions 409
The Tenth
Commandment 430
The sin of concupiscence 431
The whole practically applied 437
EXPOSITION
OF
THE COMMANDMENTS.
~-~~-~~~~~
THE INTRODUCTION.
Two things in general are required to
perfect a chris-
tian; the
one a clear and distinct knowledge of his duty,
the other, a
conscientious practice of it, correspondent to
his
knowledge; and both are equally necessary.
For, as we
can have no
solid or well-grounded hope of eternal salva-
tion,
without obedience; so we can have no sure established
rule for our
obedience, without knowledge. Therefore,
our
work and
office is, not only to exhort, but to instruct;
not only to
excite the affections, but to inform the judg-
ment: we must as well illuminate as warm.
Knowledge, indeed, may be found without
practice;
and our age
abounds with speculative christians, whose
religion is
but like the rickets, that makes them grow
large in the
head, but narrow in the breast; whose
brains are
replenished with notions, but their hearts strait-
ened towards
God, and their lives black arid deformed.
I
confess,
indeed, their knowledge may be beneficial to
others; yet,
where it is thus overborne by unruly lusts,
and
contradicted by a licentious conversation, to them-
selves it is
most fatal: like a light shut up in a lantern,
which may
serve to guide others, but only soots, and at
last burns
that which contained it.
But, although knowledge may be without
practice, yet
8 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
the practice
of godliness cannot be without knowledge.
For, if we
know not the limits of sin and duty, what is re-
quired and
what is forbidden, it cannot be supposed but
that, in
this corrupted state of our natures, we shall una-
voidably run
into many heinous miscarriages.
Therefore, that we might be informed what
we ought
to do and
what to avoid, it hath pleased God, the great
Governor and
righteous Judge or all, to prescribe laws
for the
regulating of our actions; and, that we might not
be ignorant
what they are, he hath openly promulgated
them in his
word. For when. we had miserably defaced
the law of
nature originally written in our hearts, so that
many of its
commands were no longer legible, it seemed
good to his
infinite wisdom and mercy to transcribe and
copy out
that law in the sacred tables of the Scriptures;
and to
superadd many positive precepts and injunctions
not before
imposed. Hence the Bible is the
statute-book
of God's
kingdom, wherein is comprised the whole body
of the
heavenly law, the perfect rules of a holy life, and
the sure
promises of a glorious one.
And the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, is
a
summary, or
brief epitome of the law, written by the
immediate
finger of God, and contracted into an abridg-
ment not
only to ease our memories but to gain our
veneration;
for sententious commands best befit ma-
jesty. And, indeed, if we consider the paucity of
the ex-
pressions,
and yet the copiousness arid variety of the mat-
ter
contained in them, we must needs acknowledge not
only their
authority to be divine, but likewise the skill
and art in
reducing the whole duty of man to so, brief a
compendium. The words are but few, called therefore
the Words of
the Covenant, or the Ten
Words: Ex
THE INTRODUCTION. 9
34:28; but
the sense and matter contained in them is
vast and
infinite: the rest of Scripture is but a commen-
tary upon
them, either exhorting us to obedience by ar-
guments, or
alluring us to it by promises; warning us
against
transgression by threatenings, or exciting us to the
one, and
restraining us from the other, by examples re-
corded in
the historical part of it.
But before I speak of the Commandments
themselves,
it will be
necessary to premise something concerning, 1.
the time,
2. the reason, and 3. the manner of their deli-
very; 4. how
far the laws given by Moses are abrogated,.
5. some
rules for rightly understanding the Ten Com-
mandments;
and 6. a few words respecting their order
I.
The TIME. According to the best
chronology it
Was about
2,460 years after the creation, 220 after
descent into
parture out
of
Christ
almost 1,500 years, and therefore above 3,000 be-
fore our
days. God now first selected to himself
a national
church; and
therefore it seemed expedient to his wisdom
to prescribe
them laws and rules, how to order both their
demeanor and
his worship. Before this the law of
nature
was the
rule; but because it was blotted and razed by
the first
transgression, it was supplied in many particulars
by
traditions delivered down from one to another.
And
those of the
patriarchs who, according to the precepts
of this law,
endeavored to please God, were accepted
of him, and
frequently obtained especial revelations, either
by dreams or
visions, or heavenly voices, concerning those
things
wherein they were more particularly to obey his
1*
10 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
will. Then, too, God made no distinction of people
or
nations;
but, as it is since the wall of partition is broken
down, and
the Jewish economy abrogated by the death of
Christ, so
was it before, that, in every nation, he that
feared God
and wrought righteousness was accepted of
him. Acts, 10:35.
II.
The REASON. This was because the
world was now
so totally
degenerated into vile superstitions and idola-
tries, that
the knowledge and fear of the true God was
scarcely to
be found but only in the family and posterity
of Abraham;
and even among them we have reason to
suspect a
great decay and corruption, especially in their
long abode
among the idolatrous Egyptians; yea, the
Scripture
expressly charges them with it, Josh. 24 : 14;
Ezek. 20 :
7, 8; and probably they took the pattern of
their golden
calf from the Egyptian Apis. God, there-
fore, justly
rejects all the rest of the world; but, being
mindful of
his promise to their father, the father of the
faithful, be appropriates this people to himself
as his pe-
culiar
inheritance. And because it was
manifest by ex-
perience
that neither the law of nature nor oral tradition
was
sufficient to preserve alive the knowledge and wor-
ship of the
true God, but the whole earth was become
wicked and
idolatrous; therefore that this people whom
God had now
taken to himself might have all possible ad-
vantages to
continue in his fear and service, and that they
might not
degenerate as the rest of the world had done,
he himself
proclaims to them that law by which be would
govern them,
writes it on tables of stone, commits these
into the
hands of Moses, whom he had constituted his
lieutenant,
and commands them to be laid up in the ark
THE INTRODUCTION. 11
as
a perpetual monument of his authority and their duty.
How
wretchedly depraved are our natures, when even
that
which is the very light and law of them is 80 oblite-
rated
and defaced that God would rather entrust its pre-
servation
to stones than to us, and thought it more secure
when
engraven on senseless tables, than when written on
our
hearts!
III.
The MANNER in which this law was delivered is de-
scribed
to have been very terrible and astonishing.
God de-
signed
it so, on purpose to possess the people with the
greater
reverence of it, and to awaken in their souls a due
respect
to those old despised dictates of their nature, wheu
they
should see the same laws revived and invigorated with
so
much circumstance and terror; for, indeed, the Deca-
logue
is not so much the enacting of any new law, as a revi-
ving
of the old by a more solemn proclamation.
And mark
the
circumstances of majesty and solemnity in the action:
1. The people were commanded to prepare
themselves
two days together, by a
typical cleansing of themselves
from all external and
bodily pollutions before they were to
stand in the presence of
God. So we find it enjoined:
they
were to be sanctified, and to wash their clothes, and
be ready against the
third day, when the Lord would come
down in the sight of all
the people, upon
Exod.
19 : 10, 11. This teaches us,--
That we ought to be seriously prepared
when we come
to
wait before God in his ordinances, and to receive a law
at
his mouth.
The dispensation of the Gospel is not
indeed such a
ministry
of terror as that of the Law was. God doth not
now
speak to us immediately by his own voice--which
12
THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS.
they
that heard it were not able to endure:
he doth not
pronounce
his law in thunder, nor wrap it up in flame and
smoke;
but he speaks to us in a still voice, by men like
earthen
vessels of the same mould and frailty with our-
selves. He treats with us by his messengers and
ambas-
sadors;
whose errand, though it be delivered with less
terror,
yet ought not to be received with less reverence:
for
it is God himself who speaks to us in them and by
them;
and every word of truth which they deliver in his
name
and by his authority, ought to be received with as
much
prostrate veneration and affection as though God
did
himself speak it immediately from heaven.
Think, then, how solicitous the Israelites
were in fitting
Themselves
for that great and dreadful day of hearing the
Law;
a day more great and dreadful than ever any shall
Be
except that of judging men according to the law.
Think
how their hearts throbbed and thrilled when they
Heard
the clang of the heavenly trumpets blended with
Loud
and terrible thunder, both giving a signal of the near
approach
of God. Think, if you can, what thoughts
they
had,
when they saw the mountain burning with fire and
enveloped
with clouds and smoke, out of which on every
side
shot fearful lightnings. Think how they
trembled
when
they saw the mountain tremble and totter under the
weight
and greatness of God descending upon it.
And
bring
with you the same affections—if not so terrified, yet
as
much overawed—whensoever you come to wait upon
his
holy ordinances; for it is the same God that speaks to
you;
and he speaks the same things as then he did:
not
indeed
with such amazing circumstances, yet with the
very
same authority and majesty.
THE INTRODUCTION. 13
Were God now to come down among you in his
tem-
the
majesty, or should a thick cloud fill this place and
lightnings
flash out of it; should you hear the thunder of
his
voice, I am the Lord: thou shalt have no
other gods
before me; certainly such a
dreadful glory would make
your
hearts tremble within you and the very earth trem-
ble
under you! And could you then give way
to sloth
and
drowsiness? Could your hearts run
gadding after
vanities
and trifles.? Or could any earthly
object divert
your
thoughts and affections from so tel'1ible a glory?
Believe
it then; God is as really present here as when he
thus
manifested himself to the Israelites; and present
upon
the very same occasion too. He is now
delivering
his
law to us; pronouncing his high and
sovereign com~
mands:
and if he so far consults our weakness as not to
do
it in such an astonishing manner; yet far be that disin-
genuousness
from us, that we should be either the less
careful
to prepare for or the less reverent in attending on
the
declarations of his high will and pleasure, though he
makes
them known to us by men of the same temper
with
ourselves.
And if the Israelites were to sanctify and
prepare them-
selves
to appear before God at
more
ought we to sanctify ourselves that we may be meet
to
appear before God in heaven! That glory
which God
manifested
when he delivered the law is not comparable
to
the infinite glory which he always reveals to the saints
in
heaven: and yet if the people of the .Jews were not
allowed
to ,see God, though veiled with a cloud and thick
darkness,
without being first carefully prepared for such a
glorious
discovery; how much more carefully ought we to
prepare
ourselves, to wash our filthy garments, and to
14
THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS.
cleanse
our souls from all defilements both of flesh and
spirit,
that we may be prepared to stand before God, and
see
him there where he darts forth the full rays of his
brightness,
and causeth his glory for ever to appear with-
out
any check or restraint, without any cloud or veil.
2. The mount on which God appeared was to be
fenced
and railed in! This was with a strict prohibition that
none
should presume to pass the bounds there set; nor
approach
to touch the holy mount, under the penalty of
death. So we have it Exod. 19: 12, which intimates
the
due
distance we ought to keep from God; and teaches us
to
observe all that reverence and respect which belong to
him
as being infinitely our superior.
Certainly the very
places
where God manifests himself, at least while he
doth
so, are venerable and awful: therefore, when God
revealed
himself to Jacob in a dream, and gave him the
representation
of a ladder reaching from earth to heaven-
angels
on every round of it, and God on the top--we find
with.
what awe he reflects upon it, in his waking thoughts:
"Surely
the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not, And
he
was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this
is
none other but the house of God, and this is the gate
of
heaven." Gen. 28 : 16, 17.
This setting bounds and limits to the
mount, signified
also,
as in a type, the strictness and exactness of the law
of
God. His law is our boundary, a boundary
set on
purpose
to keep us from rushing in upon his neck, and
upon
the thick bosses of his buckler: and that soul that
shall
presume so to break these bounds and commit a
trespass
on the Almighty, shall surely die the death; even
that
eternal death which he hath threatened against all
violaters
of his law.
The Introduction 15
3. God appeared to pronounce his law in
thunders, and
lightnings, and
earthquakes, and fire, and darkness: these
were
the introduction to it; and so dreadful were they
that
they caused not only the people to remove and stand
afar
off: as not able to endure such terrible majesty, Exod.
20:
18, but even affrighted Moses himself, who was to be
Internuncius Dei, "the messenger
and herald of God."
This
we find intimated, Exod. 19: 19, "When the voice
of
the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and loud-
er,
Moses spake." What he said is not
mentioned; but
probably
he then spake those words recorded by the
Apostle,
"So terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I
exceedingly
fear and quake." Heb. 12 : 21.
This dreadful appearance of God in the
delivering of
the
law served to affect them with a reverent esteem of
those
commands which he should impose upon them; for,
certainly,
unless they were most grossly stupid, they must
think
those things to be of vast concern which were at-
tended
with such a train of amazing circumstances; and
it
is natural for men to be awed by pomp and solemnity,
the
majesty of the commander adding a kind of authority
to
the command.
Again, it served to put them in mind, as
it should us
also,
that if God were so terrible only in delivering the
law,
how much more terrible he will be when he shall
come
to judge us for transgressing the
law.
Indeed the whole apparatus of this day
seems to be
typical
of the Last Day: only (as is true of all types) it
shall
be far outdone by its antitype. Here
were voices,
and
fire, and smoke, and the noise of a trumpet; and
these
struck terror into the hearts of the people, who
came
only to receive the law: but: oh, think what con-
16
THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS.
sternation
will seize the hearts of sinners, when "the
Lord
shall descend from heaven," at the last day, "with
a
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump
of God," as the apostle describes it, 1 Thess.
4
: 16; when, not a mountain only, but the whole world
shall
be burning; heaven and earth all on a light flame
about
them; when they shall hear the terrible voice of
the
Majesty on high calling to them, "Awake, ye dead,
and
come to judgment:" when the earth shall be univer-
sally
shaken, and the dead shaken out of their graves:
when
whole crowds of naked nations shall throng and
cluster
about the Great Tribunal, not to receive a law but
a
sentence, a sentence that shall determine their final and
eternal
estate! Certainly if the giving of the
law were so
full
of terror, much more terrible shall be our being
judged
according to that law.
4.
When God himself had, with his dread voice, spoken
to
them these ten words, their affright and astonishment
was
so great that they entreated Moses to be
a mediator,
or interpreter between
God and them:
they said to Moses,
"Speak
thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God
speak
with us, lest we die." Exod. 20: 19.
This may intimate how the law, as
dispensed to us only
from
God, is in itself the ministration of death and con-
demnation;
but, as delivered by a Mediator, our Lord
Jesus
Christ, of whom Moses here was a type, it may be
the
means of our obtaining eternal life, not for,
but through
our
obedience to it.
Therefore the law is said to be
"ordained by angels,
in
the hand of a mediator;" Gal. 3: 19; that is, it was
solemnly
dispensed by the ministry of angels, and then
delivered
into the hand of Moses, to be by him com-
THE INTRODUCTION. 17
municated
to the people; which intimates how the se-
verity
and terrors of the law were intended to drive us to
Christ,
as here they drove the Israelites to Moses, the
type
of Christ; from whose mouth the law spake not so
dreadfully
as it did from God's.
5.
Upon this intercession and request of the people,
Moses is called up into
the mount, and the law deposited
in his hands, engraven in two tables
of stone, by the
finger
and impression of God himself: the most sacred
relic
the world ever enjoyed; but at length lost, together
with
the ark that contained it, in the frequent removes
and
captivities of that people.
This, too, may intimate how our hearts are
naturally so
hard
and stony, that it is only the finger of God that can
make
any impression of his laws upon them.
The ark
was
a famous type of Christ: and the keeping of the
tables
of the law in the ark, what doth it mean, but to
prefigure
to us how the law was to be kept and observed
in
him who fulfilled all righteousness? And
when God
again
writes his laws on our hearts, we also keep them in
Christ
our ark, whose complete obedience supplies all
our
imperfections and defects.
6.
Whereas this law of the Ten Commandments was
twice written by God
himself;
once before and again after
the
tables were in a holy zeal broken by Moses: this also
may
intimate the twice writing of the law on the hearts
of
men; first, by the creating finger of God) when he
made
us perfectly like himself; and then again, by his
regenerating
power, when he creates us anew in Christ
Jesus,
giving us a new impression, and as it were setting
us
forth in a new edition, but yet containing the same for
substance
as when we came forth at first out of the crea-
18 The Introduction
ting
hand of God: for regeneration and the new birth is
but
a restoring us to the image of God, which we defaced
by
our fall in Adam; and, as it were, a new stamping
those
characters of himself in righteousness and know-
ledge,
which were obliterated.
7.
When Moses came down from the mount after his
long
converse with God, his face shone with
such a divine
and heavenly lustre that
the Israelites were dazzled with the
brightness, and could
not steadfastly look upon him: there-
fore
he was forced to put a veil over his face, to allay and
temper
those beams which the reflection of God's face and
presence
had cast upon him; but this veil he laid aside
when
he turned into the tabernacle to speak with God.
Exod.
34 : 29, &c.
The significancy of this the Apostle
expressly gives us,
2
Cor. 3 : 13-15, that there was a veil on the heart of the
Jews,
so that they could not see to the end of the law,
which
is Christ Jesus, who was the end of the ceremonial
law,
in that he put an end to it in its abrogation; and
who
is the end of the moral law, because in him it attains
its
end, which is by convincing us of our own weakness
and
inability to perform it, to lead us to Christ, by whose
righteousness
alone, and not by the works of the law, we
are
to expect justification before God. Yet
there was so
thick
a veil cast over the law, that the Jews could not
look
through it upon the glory that shone in Christ, of
whom
Moses was still the type: but, when they shall
turn
to the Lord this veil shall be taken away; and then
shall
they discern the significancy of all those ritual ob-
servances,
and perceive spiritual things after a more sub-
lime
and spiritual manner.
Thus I have shown the time, the reason and
the man-
THE INTRODUCTION. 19
ner
of the delivery of this epitome of the law in the Ten
Commandments;
wherein are delineated and shadowed
out
many excellent gospel truths.
IV.
And now if any one ask,
"What need all this long
discourse
about the law? Is it not fully ABROGATED
by the
coming
of Christ? Shall we be again brought
under that
heavy
yoke of bondage, which neither we nor our fathers
were
able to bear? Doth not the Scripture
frequently tes-
tify
that we are not now under the law, but under grace?
that
Christ was made under the law, to free those who
were
under the law? and, therefore, to terrify and over-
awe
men's consciences by the authority of the law; what
is
it but to make the Gospel a legal dispensation, unworthy
of
that christian liberty into which our Savior hath vindi-
cated
us, who has by his obedience fulfilled the law, and
by
his death abolished it?"
To this I answer: Far be it from every christian to in-
dulge
himself in any licentiousness, from such a corrupt
and
rotten notion of the law's abrogation; for, so far is it
from
being abolished by the coming of Christ, that he
himself
expressly tells us, he came not to
destroy the law,
but to fulfil it, Mat. 5 : 17; that
is, either to perform or
else
to perfect and fill up the law; and, v. 18, he avers that
"till heaven and earth; pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in
no wise pass from the
law till all be fulfilled," that is, till
the
consummation and fulfilling of all things; and then
the
law which was our rule on earth shall become our na-
ture
in heaven.
When therefore
of
the abrogation and disannulling of the law, we must
carefully
discern and' distinguish both what is taught us
20 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
respecting
the law, and what is taught us
respecting the
abrogation of the Jaw, or any part
of it.
The
law, which God delivered by Moses, was of three
kinds: Ceremonial, Judicial, and Moral.
The Ceremonial
Law was wholly taken up in enjoining
those
observances of sacrifices and offerings, and various
methods
of purification and cleansing, which were typical
of
Christ, and that sacrifice of his, which alone was able
to
take away sin.
The Judicial
Law consisted of those constitutions which
God
prescribed the Jews for their civil government, and
was
the standing law of their nation. For
their state was
a
theocracy; and, as in other commonwealths the chief
magistrates
give laws to the people, so in this, the laws
for
their religion and for their civil government were both
immediately
from God. By this law were to be tried
and
determined
all actions and suits between party and party:
as
in all other nations, there are particular laws and sta-
tutes
for the decision of controversies that may arise
among
them.
But the Moral Law is a body of precepts, which carry
a
universal and natural equity in them; being so con-
formable
to the light of reason and the dictates of every
man's
conscience, that as soon as ever they are declared
and
understood, they must needs be subscribed to as just
and
right.
These are the three sorts of laws which
commonly go
under
,the name of the Law of Moses: all of which had re-
spect,
either to those things which prefigured the Messias
to
come, or to those which concerned their political, and
civil
government as a distinct nation from others, or to
such
natural virtues and duties of piety towards, God and
THE INTRODUCTION. 21
righteousness
towards men, as were common to them
with
all the rest of mankind.
And now as to the abrogation or continued
obligation
of
these several laws, I desire you heedfully to attend to
the
following propositions.
1.
The CEREMONIAL LAW is, as to the
Jews, properly ab-
rogated, and its
obligation and authority utterly taken
away and repealed; for so the apostle is
to be under-
stood,
when, in his epistles; he so often speaks of the ab-
rogation
and disannulling of the law: he speaks, I say,
of
the ceremonial law and Aaronical observances; which,
indeed,
were so fulfilled by Christ as to be abolished.
For
this
law was given to be only an adumbration or faint repre-
sentation
of Christ. As in the night, while the
sun is in
the
other hemisphere, yet we see its light in the planets
and
moons which shine with a borrowed and derived
brightness;
but when the sun is risen and displays its
beams
abroad, it drowns and extinguishes all those petty
lights;
so, while Christ the Sun of Righteousness was yet
in
the other hemisphere of time, before he was risen with
healing
under his wings, the Jews saw some glimmering
of
his light in their ceremonies and observances; but,
now
that the day of the Gospel is fully sprung, and that
light
which before was but blooming is fully spread, those
dimmer
lights are quite drowned and extinguished in his
clear
rays, and an utter end is put to all those rites and cere-
monies
which both intimated, and in a kind supplied the ab-
sence
of the substance. So that, to maintain
now a necessity
of
legal sacrifices, and purifyings, and sprinklings, is no less
than
to evacuate the death of Christ; and to deny the shed-
.ding
of that blood that alone can purify us from all pollutions:
which
is but to catch at the shadow and lose the substance.
22
THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS.
And
as to us, who are the posterity and descendants
of the Gentiles, it is more proper to
affirm that the cere-
monial
law was never in force, than that it is truly ab-
rogated;
for the ceremonial law was national to the
Jews,
and, in a sort, peculiar to them only; neither did
God
intend that the observance of it should be imposed
upon
any other people, as a thing necessary for their
future
happiness, even though they should be proselyted.
And this appeal's, both because God
expressly com-
mands
all those who were to be subject to the ceremo-
nial
law, that they should appear at
in
the year, before the Lord, Exod. 34 : 23, 24, which
would
have been impossible for those in countries far
remote
from
and
oblations, in which consisted the chiefest part of the
ceremonial
worship, were to be offered up only at Je-
usalem;
which would have been alike impossible, if this
command
of sacrificing had been intended by God to be
obligatory
on all the world. Therefore, doubtless,
that
command,
even whilst it was in force, obliged none but
the
Jewish nation.
We find also that, even before Christ's
coming, the
Jews
themselves did not impose the observance of the
ceremonial
law alike upon all proselytes; but their pro-
selytes
were of two sorts. Some, indeed, as the Prose-
lyti Legis, became perfect Jews in
religion, lived among
them,
and engaged themselves to the full observance of the
whole
law; yet some, called Proselyti Portae,
were only
so
far converted as to acknowledge and worship the only
true
God, but obliged not themselves to the performance
of
what the Levitical law required. These
the Jews ad-
mitted
into participation of the same common hope and
THE INTRODUCTION 23
salvation
with themselves, when they professed their faith
in
God the Creator, and their obedience to the law of na-
ture,
together with the seven traditional precepts of Noah.*
For the farther clearing of this matter,
moreover, we
must
know, that, in the very beginning of the church,
there
arose great dissension between the believing Jews
and
the believing Gentiles, concerning the necessity of
observmg
the Levitical law. For we find, Acts, 15
: 5,
that
certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed,
affirmed
that it was needful to circumcise the Gentiles,
and
to command them to keep the law of Moses: which
yet
was greater rigor than was formerly used to the pro-
selyte
party.
To determine this question, the apostles
and elders
Meeting
in a council at
the
believing Jews might still, without offence, observe
the
rites and ceremonies of the law: though the necessity;
of
them were now abrogated, the use of them might, for
a
season, be lawfully continued: “dead”
they were
but,
hitherto, not “deadly:” they were
expired; yet
some
time was thought expedient for their decent burial.
Hence
we find
his
epistles opposes the observance of the ceremonial law,
yet
submits to the use of those rites, Acts, 21 : 26, and
16
: 3, by which he evidently declares that those believers
who
were of that nation, though they were freed from the
* These precepts were: 1. The
administration of justice upon
offenders. 2.
Renoucing of idolatry. 3.
Worshipping the true
God,
and keeping the Sabbath. 4. Abstaining
from murder. 5.
From
fornication. 6. From robbery. 7.
From eating of blood,
or
any member f a beast taken from it alive.
24 THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS
necessity,
yet they might lawfully, as yet, observe the
Aaronical
constitutions; ,especially, when, to avoid giving
offence,
it might be expedient so to do. So
tender a thing
is
the peace of the church!
But then, concerning the Gentiles;
although, before
the
coming of Christ, they might become perfect prose-
lytes
to the whole law of Moses, and receive the seal of
circumcision,
as many of them did: yet, after the evan-
gelical
doctrine was consummate, and the Apostles sent
into
all the world to preach it to every creature, they, by
the
Holy Ghost, determine, in that first council of the
church,
that the Gentiles should by no means be bur-
dened
with, any of those impositions, that they should
not
subject themselves to the dogmatizing commands of
false
teachers, who required them to be circumcised and
to
keep the ceremonial law; but that they be required
only
to abstain "from meat offered to idols, and from
blood,
and from things strangled, and from fornication,"
that
is, as judicious Mr. Hooker very probably interprets
it,
from incestuous marriages within prohibited degrees.
And
all those commands, laid upon them by the apostles,
are
the very precepts of Noah. But
circumcision and
other
observances of the ceremonial law they were not
obliged
to: yea, they were obliged not to observe them,
as
being subversions of their souls. Acts,
15: 24. And
therefore
we find that the same holy apostle, who him-
self
circumcised Timothy because he was the son of a
Jewess,
when he writes to the Gentiles, tells them ex-
pressly,
that if they be circumcised Christ shall profit
them
nothing. Gal. 5 : 2.
Thus we see how far and in what sense the
ceremo-
nial
law is abrogated.
THE INTRODUCTION. 25
2.
As to the JUDICIAL LAW, and those precepts which
were
given to the Jews for the government of their ci-
vil
state, that law is not at all abrogated.
Not to us, for it was never intended to
oblige us. Nei-
ther,
indeed, is it at all necessary that the laws of every
nation
should be conformed to the laws which the Jews
lived
under; for, doubtless, each state has its liberty to
frame
such constitutions as may best serve to obtain the
ends
of government.
Neither is the judicial law abrogated to
the Jews: for
Though
now in their scattered state, the laws cease to be
Of
force, because the Jews cease to be a body politic; yet,
Were
their dispersion again collected into one republic,
Most
probably the same national laws would bind them
Now,
as did in former times, when they were a happy and
Flourishing
kingdom.
3.
Concerning the MORAL LAW, of which I am now to
treat
more especially, that is partly abrogated and partly
not: abrogated, as to some of its circumstances;
but not
as
to any thing of its substance, authority and obligation.
(1)
The Moral Law is abrogated to believers, as it was
a
Covenant of Works.
For God, in man’s first creation, wrote
this law in his
heart
and added this sanction to it, If thou doest this, thou
shalt
live; if not, thou shalt die the death.
Now, all man-
kind
sinning in Adam, and thereby contracting an utter
impotency
of obeying that law, that we might not all pe-
rish
according to the rigorous sentence of it, God was
graciously
pleased to enter into another covenant with us;
promising
a Savior to repair our lost condition, and eter-
nal
life upon the easier terms of faith and evangelical obe-
dience. Indeed, all those, who either never heard of
Jesus
Commandments.
26 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Christ, or
who reject him, are still under the law as a
covenant,
and therefore their estate is most wretched and
deplorable;
for, being transgressors of the law, there re-
maineth
nothing for them but a certain fearful looking-
for of wrath
and fiery indignation to devour them as the
adversaries
of God. But those who are true believers
are
under a
better covenant, even the Covenant of Grace;
wherein God
hath promised to them eternal life, upon
condition of
their faith; and they may, with full assurance
of hope, to
their unspeakable joy and comfort, expect the
performance
of it. Therefore,
(2.)
To believers the Moral Law is also abrogated as
to its
condemning power.
Though it sentenceth every sinner to
death, and curseth
every one who
continueth not in all things written therein
to do them;
yet, through the intervention of Christ's sa-
tisfaction
and obedience, the sins of a believer are gra-
ciously,
pardoned, and the curse abolished, it being dis-
charged
wholly upon Christ, and received all into his
body on the
cross. Gal. 3 : 13. "Christ hath
redeemed
us from the
curse of the law, being made a curse for us;"
so that we
may therefore triumphantly exult with the
apostle,
Rom. 8 : 1, "There is now no condemnation to
them that
are in Christ Jesus."
In these two respects believers are indeed
freed from
the moral
law; as it hath the obligation of a covenant, and
as it hath a
power of condemnation.
(3.) But, as it hath a power of
obliging the conscience
as a
standing rule for our obedience, it remains still in its
full vigor
and authority.
It still directs us what we ought to do;
binds the con-
science to
the performance of it; brings guilt upon the
THE INTRODUCTION. 27
soul if we
transgress it; and reduces us to the necessity
either of
bitter repentance, or of eternal condemnation.
for; in this
sense, heaven and earth shall sooner pass away
than one jot
or tittle shall pass from the law.
Therefore Antinomianism is to be
abominated, which
derogates
from the value and validity of the law, and con-
tends that
it is to all purposes extinct to believers, even
as to its
preceptive and regulating power; and that no
other
obligation to duty lies upon them who are in Christ
Jesus, but
only from the law of gratitude: that God re-
quires not
obedience from them upon so low and sordid
an account
as the fear of his wrath and dread severity;
but all is
to flow only from the principle of love and the
sweet temper
of grateful and ingenuous spirit.
This is a most pestilent doctrine which
plucks down
the fence of
the law, and opens a gap for all manner of
licentiousness
and libertinism to rush in upon the chris-
tian world;
for seeing that the Moral Law is no other
than the Law
of Nature written upon man's heart at the
first, some
positives only being superadded; upon the
same account
as we are men, upon the same we owe obe-
dience to
the dictates of it.
And indeed, we may find every part of this
law en-
forced in
the Gospel; charged upon us with the same
threatenings,
and recommended to us by the same pro-
mises; and
all interpreted to us by our Savior himself, to
the greatest
advantage of strictness and severity. We
find the
same rules for our actions, the same duties re
quired, the
same sins forbidden in the Gospel as in
the law.
Only, in the Gospel we have these
mitigations, which
were not in
the Covenant of Works:
28 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
That God accepts of our obedience, if it
be sincere, in
earnest
desires and endeavors. Although we
cannot at-
tain that
perfect exactness and spotless purity which the
law
requires, yet we are accepted through Christ, accord-
ing to what
we have, and not according to what we have
not, if so
be we indulge not ourselves in a wilful sloth
and contempt
of the law.
That the Gospel admits of repentance after
our falls,
and restores
us again to the favor of God, upon our true
humiliation:
while the law, as a Covenant of Works, left
no room for
repentance, but required perfect obedience
without the
least failure; and, in case of non-performance,
nothing ,vas
to be expected but the execution of that
death which
it threatened.
Yet, withal, a higher degree of obedience
is now re-
quired from
us under the dispensation of the Gospel than
was expected
under the more obscure and shadowy ex-
hibitions of
gospel-grace by legal types and figures.
We
confess that
the Israelites, before the coming of Christ,
were no more
under a Covenant of Works than we are
now; but yet
the Covenant of Grace was more darkly ad-
ministered
to them: and therefore, we having now re-
ceived both
a clearer light to discover what is our duty,
and a more
plentiful effusion of the Holy Ghost to enable
us to
perform it, and better promises, more express and
significant
testimonies of God's acceptance, and more full
assurance of
our own reward, it lies upon us, and we are
under
obligation, having all these helps and advanta-
ges above
them, to endeavor that our holiness and obedi-
ence should
be much superior to theirs; and that we should
serve God
with more readiness and alacrity, since now by
Jesus Christ
our yoke is made easy and our burden light
THE INTRODUCTION. 29
So that you see we are far from being
released from
our
obligation to obedience; but rather, that obligation is
made the
stricter by Christ's coming into the world:
and
every
transgression against the Moral Law is enhanced to
an excess of
sin and guilt, not only by the authority of
God's
injunction, which still continues inviolable; but
likewise
from the sanction of our Mediator and Redeemer
who hath
invigorated the precepts of the law by his ex-
press
command, and promised us the assistance of his
Spirit to
observe and perform them.
V.
But before I come particularly to treat of the words
of the
Decalogue, I think it requisite to propound some
GENERAL
RULES FOR THE RIGHT UNDERSTANDING
AND
EX-POUNDING OF THE COMMANDMENTS, which
will be of
great use to us for our right apprehending the full
latitude and
extent of them.
The Psalmist tells us, the commandments of
God are
exceeding
broad, Psalm 119:96. And so indeed they
are
in the
comprehensiveness of their injunctions, extend-
ing their
authority over all the actions of our lives; but
they are
also exceeding strait, as to any toleration or in-
dulgence
given to the unruly lusts and appetites of men.
Now that we may conceive somewhat of this
breadth and
reach of the
law of God, observe these following rules:
1. All
those precepts which are dispersed in the holy
Scriptures,
and which concern the regulating of our lives
and actions,
although not found expressly mentioned in the
Decalogue,
may yet very aptly be reduced under one of
these ten
commands.
There is no duty required nor sin
forbidden by God
but it falls
under one, at least, of these Ten Words, and
30 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
sometimes
under more than one; and therefore, to the
right and
genuine interpretation of this law we must
take in
whatsoever the prophets, apostles, or our Lord
himself hath
taught, as comments and expositions upon
it; for the
Decalogue is a compendium of all they have
taught
concerning moral worship and justice.
Yea, our Savior epitomizes this very
epitome itself,
and reduces
these ten words to two: love to God, which
comprehendeth
all the duties of the first table; and love to
our neighbor, which comprehendeth all the duties of
the
second
table: and he tells us, that "upon these two hang
all the law
and the prophets," Mat. 22 : 37-40.
And cer-
tainly, a
due love of God and of our neighbor will make
us careful
to perform-all the duties of religion to the one,
and of
justice to the other; and keep us from attempting
any
violation to his honor, or violence to their right: there-
fore the
Apostle tells us that "love is the fulfilling of the
law,"
Rom. 13 : 10; and, 1 Tim. 1: 5, that "the end of
the
commandment is charity," or love: the end, that is
the
completion or the consummation of the commandment,
is love,
both to God and to one another. But con-
cerning this
I shall have occasion to speak ,more largely
hereafter.
2.
Since most of the commandments are delivered in
negative or
prohibiting terms, and only the fourth and
fifth in
affirmative or enjoining, we may observe this
rule: that the
affirmative commands include the prohibition
of the
contrary sin; and the negative commands include
the
injunction of the contrary duty.
That the contrary to what is forbidden
must be com-
manded, and
the contrary to what is commanded be for-
bidden, is
manifest. As, for instance, God in the
third
THE INTRODUCTION. 31
commandment
forbids the taking of his name in vain:
therefore,
by consequence, the hallowing and sanctifying
his name is
therein commanded. The fourth requires
the
sanctifying
of the Sabbath-day: therefore it surely follows
that the
profanation of it is thereby forbidden.
The fifth
commands us
to honor our parents: therefore it forbids us
to be
disobedient or injurious to them. And so
of the rest.
3. Observe, also, that every negative command
binds
always and
to every moment of time, but the affirmative
precepts,
though, they bind always, yet they do not bind to
every
moment; that is, as to the habit of obedience, they
do; but not
as to the acts.
To make this plain by instance.
The first commandment, "Thou shalt
have no other
gods before
me," bindeth always, and to every moment
of time; so
that he is guilty of idolatry whosoever shall
at any time
set up any other god to worship besides the
Lord
Jehovah. But the affirmative precept
which is in-
cluded in
this negative, namely to worship to love to in-
voke, to
depend on God, though it obligeth us always
(for we must
never act contrary hereunto,) and likewise
obligeth us
to every moment of time in respect to the
habits of
divine love, and faith, and worship; yet
it doth not
oblige us to,
every moment in respect of the acts of these
habits; for
it is impossible to be always actually praying,
praising and
worshipping God, neither is it required, for
this would
make one duty shock and interfere with another.
So, likewise, the fourth commandment,
which is affir-
mative,
"Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-
day," obligeth always; and whosoever at any time
pro-
fanes the
Sabbath, is guilty of the violation of this law
but it doth
not, it cannot oblige to every moment of time
32 THE TEN COMMENDMENTS
since this
day only makes its weekly returns, and every
parcel of
time is not a Sabbath-day.
So, likewise, the fifth commandment is
positive, "Honor
thy father
and thy mother," and binds always; so that we sin
if at any
time we are refractory and disobedient unto their
lawful
commands: but it doth not oblige to the acts of honor
and
reverence in every moment of time, for that is impos-
sible; or
were it not, it would be but mimical and ridiculous.
But now the
negative precepts oblige us to every mo-
ment of
time; and whosoever ceaseth the observance of
them for
anyone moment, is thereby involved in sin, and
becomes
guilty, and a transgressor before God: such are,
"Thou
shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain: Thou
shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou
shalt not
commit adultery," &c. Now there
is no mo-
ment of time
whatsoever that can render the non-obser-
vance of
these commands allowable, nor are there any
circumstances
that can excuse it from guilt. Whosoever
profanes the
name of God by rash swearing or trivial or
impertinent
uttering of it, whosoever sheds innocent
blood,
whosoever purloins from another what is rightly
his,
whosoever is guilty of any uncleanness; let it be at
what time,
in what place, after what manner soever, let
it be done
passionately or deliberately, whether he be
tempted to
it or not; yet he is a transgressor of, the
law, and
liable to that curse and death which God hath
threatened
to inflict upon every soul of man, that doeth
evil. Whereas, in the affirmative precepts, there
are
some times
and seasons to which we are not bound, so as
actually to
perform the duties enjoined us. This I
sup~
pose is
clear, and without exception.
4. Observe this rule also: that the
same precept which
THE INTRODUCTION 33
forbids the
external and outward acts of sin, forbids like-
wise the
inward desires and motions of sin in the heart:
and the same
precept which requires the external acts of
duty,
requires likewise those holy affections of the soul that
are suitable
thereunto.
As, for instance the same command that
requires me
to worship
God, exacts from me not only the outward
service of
the lip or of the knee, but much more the in-
ward
reverence and affection of my soul: that
I should
prostrate,
not my body only, but my very heart at his feet;
fearing him
as the great God, and loving him, as the
greatest
good, with all the tenderness and dearness of
a ravished
should cleaving to him and clasping about him as
my only joy
and happiness. Therefore, those are
highly
guilty of
the violation of this command who worship God
only with
their bodies, when their hearts are far estranged
from
him; offering up only the shell and husk
of a duty,
when the
pith and substance which should fill it is given
either to
the world or to their lusts: such as these are
guilty of
idolatry even in serving and worshipping the
true God;
for they set up their idols in their hearts
when they
come to inquire of him, as the prophet com-
plains,
Ezek. 14:7. So, likewise, that positive
command,
"Honor
thy thy father and thy mother, not only requires
from us the
external acts of obedience to all the lawful
commands of
our parents and magistrates, and those
whom God
hath set in authority over us; but requires:
farther, an
inward love, veneration and esteem for them
in our
hearts. For, though men can take no
farther cog-
nizance of
us than by our overt-acts; and if ,those be re-
gular, they
are likewise satisfactory to all human laws:
yet this is
not sufficient satisfaction to the law of God;
34 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
for God is
the discerner and judge of the heart and soul;
and his law
hath this special prerogative above all others,
that it can
with authority prescribe to our very thoughts,
desires and
affections.
And then, as for negative commands,
they forbid not
only the
external acts of evil but the inward motions of
lust, sinful
desires, and evil concupiscence. Thus we
find
it at large,
Mat. 5, where our Savior makes it a great
part of his
object in his sermon on the mount, to clear
and
vindicate the moral law from the corrupt glosses and
interpretations
of the Scribes and Pharisees; and to
show that
the authority of the law reached to prohibit,
not only
sinful actions, as that corrupt generation thought,
but sinful
affections too: v. 21, "Ye have heard that it
was said by
them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and
whosoever
shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment."
Here they
stopped in the very bark and rind of the com-
mand, and
thought it no offence, though they suffered
their hearts
to burn with wrath, and malice, and revenge,
so long as
they pent it up there, and did not suffer, it
to break
forth into bloody murder. But what saith
our
Savior, v.
22? "But I say unto you, that
whosoever
angry with
his brother without a cause, shall be in danger
of the
judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother,
Raca, shall
be in danger of the council; but whosoever
shall say,
Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." You
see here,
that not only the horrid sin of murder is forbid-
den by the
law, but all the, incentives to it and degrees
of it; as
anger conceived inwardly in the heart, or ex-
pressed
outwardly in words.
I cannot pass this place without giving
you some light
for the
right understanding of it.
THE INTRODUCTION. 35
Here are three degrees of sin short of
murder; yet
all
forbidden by the same precept which forbids that
Causeless
anger against thy
brother; calling him Raca;
the other in
guilt. Raca signifies a simple witless
fellow,
commonly
used to upbraid such as were weak and igno-
rant. Thou fool, signifies one that is not
only ignorant,
but wicked
and ungodly, as the Scripture frequently useth
the word in
the sense, which is a far greater reproach
than merely
to call him weak or silly. Now,
according
to these
three degrees of sins our Savior proportions
three
degrees of punishment to be inflicted on those that
are guilty
of them, each severer than the other. Causeless
anger shall bring them in danger of the
judgment; Raca,
in danger of
the council; and Thou Fool, in danger of hell
fire: that is, they shall make them liable to the
punish-
ments
inflicted by these.
But, to understand the full scope and
meaning of our
Savior in
these allusions, we must have recourse to the
history of
the Jewish commonwealth; and there we find
that they
had two courts of judicature, the lesser and the
greater
sanhedrin.
The lesser consisted of twenty-three
persons; and was
erected, not
only in
city among
the Jews where there were six score house-
holders. These had authority to inflict capital
punish-
ments on
malefactors; but yet, as the highest crimes fell
not under
their cognizance, so neither were the severest
punishments
under their award. And this consistory
our
Savior calls
here the Judgment; and tells us, that who-
soever is
angry with his brother without a cause, shall be
liable to a
punishment correspondent to that which this
36 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
sanhedrin
was empowered to inflict; still applying tem-
porals to
spirituals, that is, he shall be liable to eternal
death,
though not so severely executed as it would be for
crimes of a
more heinous nature.
Their greater sanhedrin was their supreme
court of
judicature,
and consisted of seventy elders, besides their
chief
speaker or moderator. You will find
their first in-
stitution to
have been by divine authority, Num. 11:16.
They sat
only in
and
determining, from which there lay no appeal.
They
were to
judge of, all harder matters which could not be
determined
by other courts: as causes concerning a
whole tribe
or the whole nation; causes of war and
peace;
causes concerning the high-priest, and the mission
and
authority of prophets that spake unto them in the
name of the
Lord: and this may be the occasion of that
speech of
our Savior, "It cannot be that a prophet perish
out of
alone was
this sanhedrin constituted which was to judge
of the
prophets whether they were true or false.
This
sanhedrin
our Savior here calls the Council. And
they
had power,
not only of life and death, as the other had;
but likewise
of inflicting death in a more severe and
tormenting
manner than the other: and therefore our
Savior:
saith, Whosoever shall call his brother Raca, a
vain witless
fellow, shall be in danger of the council.
Wherein he
still brings the degrees of punishment
among"the
Jews to allude to the punishment of sins in
hell: and so
the meaning is, that as he who shall cause-
lessly be
angry with his brother exposeth himself to the
danger of
eternal death; so he that shall suffer his anger
to break
forth into any, reproachful or reviling language,
THE INTRODUCTION.
37
although his
taunts be not very bitter nor biting, only to
call him a
weak silly person, yet hereby he incurs the
danger of a
severer sentence, and execution of it upon
him for
ever.
But the severest sentence which this
sanhedrin could
pronounce
against the greatest malefactors was that they
should be
burnt alive with fire. This execution
was
always
performed in the
fires made,
both in idolatrous times for the sacrificing of
their
children to Moloch, and in their purer times for con-
suming the
filth of their city, and that which was as bad,
their
malefactors; it is not unfreqent in the Scripture to
denote hell
by this Tophet, this
for its
continual fires, was a lively type and representation
of it: yea, the very scripture name for hell,
Gehenna,
seems to be
derived from the
as burning
of malefactors in Gehenna, or the valley of
Hinnom, was
among the Jews one of their highest and
severest
punishments, and never inflicted but where the
crime was
very gross and flagitious; so, saith our Savior,
he that
saith to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger
of Gehenna,
of hell-fire; that is, of a severer punishment
in the true
hell than those who were either causelessly
angry or
expressed their anger in more tolerable re-
proaches;
although even they also shall, without repent-
ance, be
eternally punished.
So that the sense of our Savior in all
this allusion
seems to be
this: that whereas the Scribes and Pharisees
had
restrained that command, Thou shalt not kill, only to
actual
murder, as if nothing else were forbidden besides
open
violence and blood; our Savior, contrariwise, teach-
38 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
eth, that
not only that furious and barbarous sin of mur-
der, but
also rash and causeless anger, though it only boil
in the
heart, much more if it cast forth its foam at the
mouth in
reviling speeches, falls under that prohibition,
"Thou
shalt not kill." All these degrees
deserve to be
punished
with eternal death; but, as among the Jews,
some were
punished with lighter, others with more griev-
ous
penalties, so shall it be at the Great Judgment:
anger in our
hearts shall be condemned with eternal pun-
ishment;
but, if it break forth into reviling expressions
the
condemnation shall be more intolerable, and by so
much more,
by how much the reproaches are more bitter ;
and
sarcastical.
This, in brier, I take to be the true
meaning of this
difficult
speech of our Savior: the whole scope whereof
shows, that
not only the gross acts of sin, but also the
inward
dispositions and corrupt affections unto sin, and
every degree
and tendency towards it, axe forbidden and
threatened
by the holy law of God.
So, likewise, verse 27 of this 5th
chapter: "Ye have
heard that
it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not
commit
adultery; but I say unto you, that whosoever
looketh on a
woman to lust after her, hath committed
adultery
with her already in his heart."
Here our Savior
brings
inward concupiscence to the bar; and makes the
heart and
eye plead guilty, although shame or fear might
restrain
grosser acts.
Thus it appears that the same precept
which forbids
the outward
acts of sin, forbids likewise the inward de-
sires and
motions of sin in the heart.
And,
indeed, there is a great deal of reason for it.
For
God, who is
our lawgiver, is a spirit. He seeth and
con-
THE INTRODUCTION. 39
verseth with
our spirits. There is not the least
thought
that flits
in thy soul, not the least shadow of an imagina-
tion cast
upon thy fancy, not the stillest breathing of a
desire in
thy heart but God is privy to it: he sees to
the very
bottom of that deep spring and source of
thoughts
that is, in thy heart: he beholds them in their
causes and
occasions; and knows our thoughts, as the
Psalmist
speaks, afar off: he beholds our souls more
clearly and
distinctly than we can behold one another's
faces; and
therefore it is but fit and rational that his laws
should reach
as far as his knowledge; and that he should
prescribe
rules to that, the irregularity of which he can
observe and
punish.
Hence it is that the apostle, considering
what an energy
the law has
upon that part of man which seems most free
and
uncontrolled, his mind and spirit, calls it a spiritual
law: "We know," saith he, "that the
law is spiritual,"
Rom. 7:14;
and that, because the searching and con-
vincing
power of it enters into our spirits, cites our
thoughts,
accuses our desires, condemns our affections:
which no
other law in the world besides this can do.
For how
justly ridiculous would men be, who should
command us
not to think dishonorably of them, not to
desire any
thing to their detriment and prejudice; and
should
threaten us with punishment in case of disobe-
dience: but
the law of, God comes into our consciences
with
authority; and, in the name of the great God, re-
quires his
peace to be kept among our tumultuous and
seditious
affections, beats down their carnal weapons,
and gives
conscience a power either to suppress all re-
bellious
insurrections against the majesty of heaven, or
else to
indite, accuse, and torment men for them.
And
40 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
therefore
"the Word of God is" by the apostle said
to be
"quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-
edged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul
and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner
of the
thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb. 4:12.
It is therefore a fourth rule for the
right understanding
of the
extent and latitude of the commands, that the
same precept
which forbids the outward acts of sin, for-
bids also
the inward desires and motions of sin in the
heart.
5. Another general rule is this: that the
command not
only forbids
the sin that is expressly mentioned, but all
occasions and
inducements leading to that sin.
And therefore we may observe that there
are many
sins that
are not expressly forbidden in anyone com-
mandment,
but yet are reductively forbidden in every
one towards
the violation of which they may prove occa-
sions. And as some one sin may be an occasion to all
others, so
it may be well said to be forbidden in every
precept of
the Decalogue.
I shall instance only two of this kind:
and they are-
familiarity
with evil persons, or keeping evil company;
and the sin
of drunkenness.
As for evil company, it is evident
that though it be not
expressly
forbidden in anyone commandment, yet, as it
is a strong
temptation and inducement to the violation of
all of them,
so it is a sin against them all. There
are no
such sure
factors for the devil as wicked company, who
will strive
to rub their vices upon as many as they can
infect. And therefore, thou, who delightest in the
com-
pany either
of atheists, or idolaters, or swearers, or sab-
bath-breakers,
or disobedient rebels, or murderers, or
THE INTRODUCTION. 41
whoremongers,
or thieves, or perjured persons., or cove-
tous
muck-worms, thou art guilty of the breach of each of
these
commandments; for thou runnest thyself into the
very snare
of the devil, and takest the same course to
make thyself
so which made them such. And therefore
we are all
forbidden to keep company with such profane
and
profligate wretches by the very same commandment
which
forbids their impieties, whatsoever they be.
And as for drunkenness, whereas in
the apostle's days,
even among
the heathen themselves, shame so far pre-
vai1ed upon
vice and debauchery, that it left sobriety the
day, and
took only the night to itself, 1 Thess. 5:7;
yet now
among us christians wickedness is grown so pro-
fligate that
we meet the drunkard reeling and staggering
even at
noon-day, ready to discharge his vomit in our
faces or our
bosoms.
Possibly, some who are besotted with this
loathsome
vice may
think it no great wickedness, because it is not
expressly
forbidden in the summary of the law; and so
they cry
Peace, peace, to themselves, although they go
on to add
drunkenness to thirst.
But of this sin I say that it is not
against anyone par-
ticular
commandment of the law, but against all; for since
the moral
law is the law and rule of right reason, the
whole of it
must needs be broken when reason itself is
perverted by
riot and intemperance, the man turned out
of doors and
the beast taken in. So that indeed,
drunk-
enness is
not so much anyone sin, as it is all.
The drunk-
ard hath put
off the man and hath put on the swine; and
into such
swine it is that the devil enters, as surely as
ever he
entered into the herd of the Gadarenes, and
drives them
furiously down the precipices of all manner
42 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
of sins and
vices, till at length he plungeth and drowneth
them in the
lake of fire and brimstone.
Therefore, whatsoever is commanded, or
whatsoever is
forbidden,
drunkenness is forbidden, as being the greatest
advantage
the devil hath to prompt men to those abomina-
tions, that,
were they in their right senses, they would ab-
hor and
detest. Is he, think you, fit to worship
God, and
to take him
for his own God, who is not himself his own
ma? Is not he guilty of idolatry who makes
Bacchus his
deity,
giving him the libations of his vomits, and falling
prostrate
before him? Can he forbear taking the
name of
God in vain
who hath taken the creatures of God to his
bane? whose tongue is set afloat with his excessive
cups,
and whose mouth
the devil taps to let his blasphemies,
and oaths,
and curses, and fearful execrations run out the
more
fluently? Can he keep holy the
Sabbath-day whose
last night's
drunkenness and excess rocks him asleep
either in
his own house or in the house of God? Is
he fit
to honor his
parents who dishonoreth his own body?
Can
he abstain
from murder who first takes the ready way to
destroy his
own body and damn his own soul; and then,
through the
rage of wine, is ready upon every slight pro-
vocation to
mingle his vomit with the blood of others?
Can he keep
himself from uncleanness whose riotous ta-
ble doth but
prepare him for a polluted bed? Shall
not
he assever
that which is false whose reason is so blinded
by the fumes
of his intemperance that he knows no longer
the
difference between truth and falsehood?
And, finally,
what bounds
can be set to his concupiscence, who by thus
blinding the
eyes of his reason hath only left him fancy,
alnd
appetite, both which the devil rules and governs?
Thus you see there are some sins which
though not ex-
THE INTRODUCTtON. 43
pressly
forbidden in the Decalogue, yet are virtually and
reductively
forbidden, as being the fomenters and occa-
sions of
others; and among these, drunkenness especially,
which
strikes at every law that God hath enjoined us, the
guilt
whereof is universal as well as the sin epidemical.
6.
Another rule for the understanding of the Decalogue
is, that the
commands of the first table are not to he kept
for the sake
of the second; but the commands of the second
are to be
kept for the sake of the first.
The first table commands those duties
which imme-
diately
respect the service and worship of God; the se-
cond, those
which respect our demeanor towards men.
Now the
worship and service of God is not to be per-
formed out
of respect to men; but our duty towards
men is to be
observed out of respect to God. For he
that
worships God
that he might thereby recommend himself
to men, is
but a hypocrite and formalist; and he that per-
forms his duty
towards men without respecting God in it,
is but a
mere civil moralist. The first table
commands us
not to
worship idols, not to swear, not to profane the
Sabbath. The laws of the magistrate command the very
same; and
those who are guilty of the breach of them are
liable to
human punishments. But if we abstain
from
these sins
solely because they will expose us to shame or
suffering
among men; if we worship God merely that
men may
respect and venerate us, all the pomp and os-
tentation of
our religion is but hypocrisy, and as such
shall have
its reward; for God requireth to be served not
for man's
sake, but for his own.
The second table prescribes the right
ordering of our
conversation
towards men; that we should be dutiful and
to obedient
to our superiors, loving and kind to our equals,
44 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
charitable
and beneficial to our inferiors, and just and
righteous
towards all. These duties are not to be
done
only for
man's sake, but for God's; and those who per-
form them
without respecting him in them, lose both
their
acceptance and reward. And therefore our
Savior
condemns
that love and beneficence which proceeds
merely upon
human and prudential accounts. Matt.
5 : 46. "If ye love them which love you, what
reward
have
ye? do not even the publicans the
same?" And Luke,
6 : 33,
34, "If ye do good to them which do
good to you,
what thank
have ye? for sinners also do even the
same.
And if ye
lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what
thank have
ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to
receive
as much
again."
We ought not therefore to serve God for
man's sake;
but we ought
to love man for God's sake, and to perform
the duties
of the second table out of conscience and re-
spect to
God. We ought to do this in obedience to
his
authority;
for what we do for men is an acceptable
work and
service when we do it out of a sincere principle
of obeying
the will and command of God. We ought to
do it in
conformity to his example; and this our Sa-
vior urgeth,
Matt. 5 : 45, "That ye maybe the
children
of your
Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun;
to rise on
the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on
the just and
on the unjust." We ought to do it,
in view
of a
comfortable hope and expectation of his eternal
reward. Luke, 6: 35.
"Love your enemies, and do
good, and
your reward shall be great." And
this is the
way to exalt
morality to be truly divine; and to make
whatsoever
we do towards men, to be an acceptable ser-
vice to
God. By this means we interest him in
all the
THE INTRODUCTION. 45
acts of our
charity, justice and temperance; and we may
be assured
that what we thus do for his sake, shall in the
end be
graciously rewarded by his bounty.
7. Another rule is, that the commands
of the first table,
so far for
forth they are purely moral, supersede our obe-
dience to
the commands of the second table, when they are
not both
consistent.
As for instance: we are in the second table required
to obey our
parents, and to maintain and preserve our
own lives;
yet, if we are brought into such circumstances
as that we
must necessarily disobey either God or them--
either
prostitutes our souls to guilt, or our lives to execu-
tion--in
such a case our Savior hath instructed us, Luke,
14 : 26,
"If any man come to me, and hat not his father,
and mother,
and wife, and children, yea, and his own
life also,
he cannot be my disciple." Indeed,
a positive
hatred of
these is unnatural and impious; but the hatred
which our
Savior here intends is comparative; that is, a
loving them
less than Christ, less than religion and piety.
And if the
commands of the one or the concerns of the
other are at
any time to be violated or neglected, it must
only be when
we are sure that they are incompatible
with a good
conscience and true godliness.
8.
Again, whereas, in the first table, there is one com-
mand partly
moral and natural, partly positive and insti-
tuted, and
that is our observation of the Sabbath, we
may observe
that our obligation to the duties of the second
table often
supersedes our obedience to that command of the
first
table.
It frequently happens that works of
necessity and
mercy will
not permit us to be employed in works of
piety, nor
to sanctify the Sabbath after such a manner as
46 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
else we
ought; for the Lord requireth mercy rather than
sacrifice. Hosea, 6 : 6.
And this our Savior allegeth, Matt.
9 : 13. In which sense it holds true, that "The
Sabbath was
made for
man, and not man for the Sabbath."
Mark, 2 : 27.
Whatsoever therefore
is a work of necessity, or a work
of charity
and mercy, and that not only towards man, but
even towards
brute beasts themselves, may lawfully be
done on the
Sabbath-day, without bringing upon us the
guilt of
profanation; for that which is purely moral in
the second
table doth in a sort derogate from what is but
positive and
instituted in the first.
9. Another rule is, whatsoever is
forbidden in any
command,
both all the signs and symptoms of it, and
likewise all
the effects and consequents of it, are forbidden
in the same.
Thus, under the prohibition of idolatry,
falls the pro-
hibition of
feasting in the idol-temples, and eating meats
sacrificed
to them, as being too evident a sign of our
communion
with them.
So, in the commands in which pride is
forbidden,
(which are
chiefly the first and second, for a proud man
sets up
himself for his god, is his own idol, and is his
own
idolater,) in the same are forbidden all the signs and
effects of
pride; as a lofty look and a mincing gait, an
affected
behavior and vain fantastic apparel, against
which the
prophet largely declaims, Isa. 3 : 16-26; be-
cause,
although pride doth not formally consist in these
things, yet
they are signs and effects of pride, and con-
trary to
that modesty and decency which God requires.
10.
The last rule is this: The
connection between the
commands is
so close and intimate, and they are so linked
together,
that whosoever breaketh one of them is guilty
of all.
THE INTRODUCTION. 47
Now that bond which runs through them and
knits
them thus
together, is the authority and sovereignty of
God
enjoining their observance: so that whosoever fails
in his due
obedience to anyone, doth virtual1y and inter-
pretatively
transgress them all.
Thus we find it expressly affirmed, James,
2: 10,
"Whosoever
shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in
one point,
he is guilty of all." Not as though
the vio-
lation of
one precept were actually the violation of an-
other; for
many may steal, and yet not actually murder;
many again
may murder, and yet not actually commit
adultery:
but this place of the apostle must be under-
stood of
violating that authority which passeth through
them all,
and by which all the commandments have their
sanction. For since the authority of the great God is
one and the
same in all these laws, he that shall so far
disrespect
this authority as wilfully to break one of them,
evidently
declares that he owns it not in any. And
al-
though other
considerations may restrain such a one
from those
crimes which are forbidden by some com-
mandments,
yet his observance of them is no part of
obedience,
nor can it be interpreted to be performed out
of
conscience and respect towards God; for were it so,
the same
authority which withheld him from murder, or
theft, or
adultery, would likewise restrain him from lying,
or taking
the name of God in vain; and he that is guilty
of these
offences, is likewise guilty of all, because the
same
authority is stamped upon them all alike, and is
alike
violated in the transgression of each.
And this
very reason
the apostle subjoins to his assertion, verse 11,
"He
that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do
not
kill. Now, if thou commit no adultery,
yet if thou
48 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
kill, thou
art become a transgressor of the law: yea,
of the whole
law, as breaking that fence which God had
set about
his law, even his sovereign and absolute au-
thority.
These are the rules which may direct your
under-
standings to
a right knowledge of the latitude and com-
prehensiveness
of the law. The application of them to
particular
cases I must leave to the judgment of christian
prudence,
except as various illustrative examples may be
given in the
ensuing treatise.
VI. Before entering upon the consideration
of the com-
mandments in
particular, it only remains to speak briefly
--and that
chiefly because others have spoken so much--
concerning
the ORDER of these commands.
The number of them is no way questioned;
for God
himself hath
determined them to be ten, Exod. 34 : 28 ;
but the
method and disposition of them is much contro-
verted, and
I think with more heat and contention than
the cause
deserves; for if all that God hath spoken be
entirely
delivered to us, what great concern is it whether
this or that
command be reckoned the second, third, or
fourth? This certainly tends but little to piety; and
we
had need
rather to employ our care how to keep them,
than how to
reckon them.
Therefore, waiving all other differences,
(as that of He-
sychius,
making the first command to be this, "I am the
Lord thy
God," which we, with good reason, affirm to
be only a
part of the preface; --and the leaving out of the
fourth,
concerning the sanctification of the Sabbath;--
and the
placing of "Thou shalt not
kill" after "Thou,
THE INTRODUCTION. 49
shalt not
commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal," whereas
we,
according to the Hebrew verity, place it before;) all
that I shall
remark is, the difference between the Papists
and us in
the enumeration of the Ten Commandments,
They generally hold that there are but three
commands
in the first
table, and therefore make seven in the second:
and so, to
complete this number, they join the first and
second into one, and divide the tenth
into two.
Concerning this division or union we
would not be
much
contentious with them, were there not a sacrile-
gious and
idolatrous design couched under it, as mani-
festly there
is: for finding the second commandment to
strike so
directly at their image worship, they think it
expedient to
deny it to be any distinct precept of itself;
and reckon
it but only an appendix or exposition of the
former,
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me;"
that so they
might with the better color omit it; as ge-
nerally they
have done in all their books of devotion and
of
instruction for the people. So that of
those few among
them that
can rehearse the Decalogue, you shall find none
that will
repeat, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any
graven
image: thou shalt not bow down thyself unto
them, nor
serve them;" they not knowing that any such
thing is
forbidden them by God. And yet, that
they may
make up the
full number of the commandments, they di-
vide the
tenth into two: one, forbidding the coveting of
our
neighbor's wife; and the other, the coveting of any
the other of
his possessions.
The only authority they produce from
antiquity for
this order
of the Decalogue, is that of St. Austin: and it
is true, he
doth in many places of his works so conjoin
and divide
them; yet not from any design of promoting
Commandments. 3
50 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
idolatry, or
keeping the people in ignorance, that the
worshipping
of images was forbidden. But in this
par-
ticular he
went contrary to the current of all former an-
tiquity;
yea, contrary to the very order of the Scripture:
for whereas
they say that the ninth commandment is,
Thou shalt
not covet thy neighbor's wife; and the tenth,
Thou shalt
not covet thy neighbor's house, nor his servant,
&c. if we consult Exod. 20:17, we shall find that
the
command runs
thus: Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbor's
house, thou
shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, &c. from
which it
certainly follows that they cannot make two
precepts,
but appertain to one. --But enough of this:
which I had
not mentioned, had it not been conceived
out of such
an impious design.
We now proceed to the commandments
themselves, in
which we
have the preface and the precepts.
PREFACE TO THE COMMANDMENTS.
I AM THE
LORD THY GOD, WHICH HAVE BROUGHT
THEE OUT OF
THE
OF B0NDAGE.
This preface carries an equal respect and
reverence to
all the
commandments; and contains a strong argument
to enforce
obedience to them. As kings and princes
usually
prefix their names and titles to the laws and
edicts they
set forth, to gain the more attention and the
PREFACE TO THE COMMANDMENTS. 51
greater
veneration to what they publish; so here the
great God,
the King of kings, being about to proclaim a
law to his
people
the deeper reverence
of his authority, and make them the
more afraid
to transgress, displays and blazons his name
and his
style before them--I am the Lord thy God, which
have brought
thee out Of the
the house Of
bondage--that they
might learn to fear his
glorious and
fearful name,
THE LORD THY GOD. So we
find it,
Deut. 28:58.
And here, as all the arguments which are
most pre-
valent and
cogent are adapted to work upon one of these
two passions
by which we are swayed in all the actions
of our
lives, either our fear or our love, so God accommo-
dates
himself to our temper and proclaims, first, his au-
thority, to beget fear: "I am the Lord thy God;" and
then, secondly,
his benefits and mercies, to engage love:
"The
Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the land
of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage." And
both these
he
proclaims, that, having so strong an obligation on our
very natures
as the motives of love and fear, he might
the more
readily work us to obedience. For what
mo-
tives can be
urged more enforcing than these, which are
drawn both
from power and goodness; the one obliging
r us to
subjection, the other to gratitude?
1. He
is the Lord God, the great creator, the only pro-
prietor, the
absolute governor and disposer of all things;
therefore on
this account we owe an awful observance to
all his laws
and injunctions. It is but fit and just that we
should be
subject to him that created us, and who hath
infinite
power, for our contumacies and rebellions, eter-
nally to
destroy us.
52 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
He is the Lord God, the great and glorious
One, whose
kingdom is
from everlasting to everlasting, and whose do-
minion hath
no bounds, either of time or place.
"Be-
hold,"
saith the prophet, "the nations are as a drop of a
bucket, and
are counted but as the small dust of the ba-
lance:
behold) he taketh up the isles as a very little
thing. All nations before him are as nothing; and
they
are counted
to him less than nothing and vanity."
Isa.
40:15,
17. His voice shakes the heavens, and
removes
the earth
out of its place. His way is in the
whirlwind.
Storms and
tempests are his harbingers; and the clouds
are the dust
of his feet. The mountains quake at his
presence; at
his displeasure the hills melt away; the
world and
all the inhabitants of it are dissolved.
His
fury is
poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown
down by
him. His hand spans the heavens, and he
holds
all the
waters of the sea in the hollow of it.
Heaven is,
the throne
of his glory, and the earth his footstool: his
pavilion
round about him, dark waters and thick clouds.
of the
sky. Ten thousand times ten thousand
glorious
spirits
stand alway ministering before him: they
fly on
his errands,
and are ready to execute his sovereign will
and pleasure. "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, glorious
in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders?" and,
therefore,
who would not fear thee, O King of nations
and tremble
and be astonished, when once thou art
angry?
Wilt thou then, O vile and wretched sinner,
despise
the
authority and majesty of the great God, before who
all the
powers of heaven and earth lie prostrate?
Darest,
thou
infringe his laws and, violate his commands, who is
so great and
terrible a God that he can destroy thee by
PREFACE TO THE COMMANDMENTS 53
the very
breath of his nostrils? "By the
breath of his
nostrils are
they consumed." Job, 4:9. Yea, he can
look thee to
death. "They perish at the rebuke
of thy
a
countenance." Psalm 80:16. Art thou able to contend
with this
God? Art thou a fit match for the
Almighty?
Can thy
heart endure; or thy hands be strong in the day
when the
Lord shall deal with thee, and come to recom-
pense
vengeance upon thee for all thy transgressions?
Who among
you can dwell with the devouring fire?
who
among you
can dwell with everlasting burnings?
Certainly, did we but frequently thus
overawe our
hearts with
the serious consideration of the dread majesty
and supreme
authority of the great God, we should not
dare so
presumptuously to provoke him as we do.
Fear
is a most
excellent preservative from sin, and a strong
fence that
God hath set about his law to keep us from
breaking
those bounds which he hath prescribed us.
Therefore
the wise man gives us this advice, Eccl. 12:13,
"Fear
God and keep his commandments;" and the
Psalmist,
Ps. 4:4, "Stand in awe and sin not."
2.
As the authority of God is set forth to move us to
obedience by
working on our fear, so his benefits and
mercies are,
declared to win us to it from a principle of
love and
gratitude: "The Lord thy God, who hath
brought thee
out of the
of
bondage." And indeed this, though a
soft, is yet a
most
powerful and effectual argument.
Hath God surrounded thee with blessings,
and loaded
thee every
day with his benefits? Hast thou
received thy
life, thy
being from him; and so many comforts in which
thou takest
delight, and he allows thee so to do?
Hast
thou been
delivered by his watchful providence from
54 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
many deaths
and dangers; restored from sickness, or
preserved in
health? Doth he feed thee at his table,
and
clothe thee
out of his wardrobe? Nay, what is
infinitely
more, hath
he given thee his only Son, and his Son given
thee his
life and most precious blood? Hath he
sent thee
his Gospel;
and in it the exceeding great and precious
promises of
eternal glory, a glory which hope durst not
be bold
enough to expect, nor is imagination large enough
to
conceive? Hath he sent thee his Spirit
to seal and ra-
tify all
these promises to thee? Hath he crowned
thy
head with
many rich blessings here, and will he crown it
with joy and
blessedness hereafter? And canst thou, O
soul, be so
unkind and disingenuous as to deny any thing
to that God
who hath denied nothing to thee? Canst
thou
refuse him
the only thing he requires of thee, the only
testimony
which thou canst give that thou hast any sense
of his
favor? and especially considering he
requires it
only that he
may reward it with farther blessings?
Canst thou wrong that God who hath been so
kind and
gracious
unto thee, and is continually doing thee good?
Canst thou
despise his precepts, who hath regarded thy
prayers? Wilt not thou hear him speaking unto thee,
who hath
often heard thee when thou hast cried unto,
him, and
hath helped and saved thee? Certainly,
the
ingenuousness
of human nature forbids it: the love of
God
constraineth otherwise; especially since he hath
required
obedience from us as the evidence and ex-
pression of
our love to him: John, 14:21, "He that
hath my
commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that
loveth me;
and in 2 John, 5:6, "This is love, that we
walk after
his commandments," And that, which
is a most
cogent
motive, thine own interest and eternal concern-
PREFACE TO THE COMMANDMENTS. 55
ments engage
thee to it; for, "what doth the Lord thy
God require
of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God--and
to love
him--and to keep his commandments--which I
command thee
this day for thy good?" Deut. 10:12, 13.
God might have required from us the very same
obedi-
ence which
now he doth, without promising us any re-
ward for it;
for we owe him all that we can possibly do,
as he is the
author of our beings, and every power and
faculty of
our souls ought to be employed for him who
gave them
unto us. But when the great God hath
been
so far
pleased to condescend from his prerogative as to
command us
nothing but what hath already brought us
very great
advantages, and will for the future bring us
far greater,
when his hands shall be as full of blessings as
his mouth is
of commands; when he enjoins us a work
that in
itself is wages, and yet promiseth us wages for
doing that
work; when the mercies he hath already given
us do oblige
us, and the mercies he hath promised yet to
give do
allure us, certainly we must needs be the most
disingenuous
of all creatures, and the greatest enemies to
our own
happiness, if these considerations do not win us
to yield him
that obedience which redounds not at all to
his profit
and advantage, but to our own.
Thus you see how God hath enforced the
observance
of his law
upon us, both by his authority and by his
mercy: the
one to work upon our fear, the other upon
our love;
and both to engage us to obedience.
Here it is observable, that, in the
rehearsal of those
mercies which
should oblige to duty, mention is made
only of
those which seem to concern the Israelites, and
no other
people: I am the Lord thy God, which
brought
56 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
thee out of
the
From which
some would infer that the Decalogue only
respects
them; and that the commands then given do not
at all
appertain to us any more than the benefits com-
memorated.
But the answer is easy. For this mercy here mention-
ed, of
deliverance from
is to be
understood as well typically as literally. If we
understand
it literally, it indeed refers only to the people
of
hand and a
stretched-out arm, and by such a series of
miracles that
they were almost as ordinary as the common
effects of
his providence. But if we understand it
typi-
cally and
mystically, it is true that God hath brought
us also out
of
and
therefore the enforcement of the commandments on
this account
belongs to us christians as much as it did
belong to
the church of the Jews; for, if we run up the
allegory to
the spiritual sense of it, we shall find a won-
derful
agreement betwixt them and a near representation
of our state
in the state of the Israelites. Let it
suffice to
compare them
together only in a few remarkable in-
stances.
Thus as they were kept in bondage under
the rigorous
tyranny of
Pharaoh, who sought both by policy and power
to destroy
them; so were we kept in bondage under the
tyranny of
the devil, of whom Pharaoh was a black type
and
shadow. And as God delivered them from
his hand
by a
temporal salvation, so hath he delivered us from the
power of the
devil by a spiritual salvation; redeeming
us from the
slavish bondage of sin through the blood of
his Son, by
whom all our spiritual enemies are destroyed;
PREFACE TO THE COMMANDMENTS. 57
and
conducting us through the wilderness of this world
unto the
promised
milk and honey,
the seat of rest and eternal joy and
felicity,
even heaven itself: and, therefore, if the consi-
deration of
a temporal deliverance were so powerful a
motive to
engage the Israelites unto obedience, how much
more
effectually should we be obliged unto it whose de-
liverance is
far greater "than theirs was; for God "hath
delivered us
from the power of darkness, and hath trans-
lated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son," Col. 1:13;
he hath
"delivered us from the wrath to come," 1 Thes.
1:l0; he
"hath abolished death, and hath brought life
and
immortality to light through the Gospel," 2 Tim.
1:10. And therefore as our deliverance is
spiritual, so
ought our
obedience to be; that being delivered from the
justice of
God, the condemning power of the law, the
reigning
power of sin, the sting of an accusing con-
science, the
rage and malice of the devil, and the intoler-
able
torments of hell, we might, with all love and thank-
fulness,
cheerfully serve that God whose mercy hath been
extended
towards us in those things which aloe of highest
and most
precious concernment.
Thus you see the reason of this preface,
"I am the
Lord thy
God, which brought thee out of the land of
us
Christians as well as
to the Jews; containing a decla-
ration of
God's authority to enforce and of his mercy to
oblige us to
the obedience of those laws which he delivers.
But I come now to the precepts
themselves.
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.
Thou, shalt have no other gods before me.
This first and chiefest of the ten
commands is nega-
tive; and as
all negatives depend upon and must be mea-
sured by the
truth of their contrary affirmative, I shall
first
consider what duties are here required, and then
what sins
are here forbidden.
This command has respect to worship,
and REQUIRES
four things:
1.
That we must have a God; which, of course, is
against
atheism.
2.
That we must have the Lord Jehovah for our God;
which is
against idolatry.
3.
That we must have the only true God, the Lord Jehovah
alone, for
our God; and this
is against polytheism, or the
worshipping
of many gods. It is opposed also to
Samari-
tanism, or
the worshipping of false gods together with the
true, like
those Samaritans spoken of, 2 Kings, 17:33,
who feared
the Lord and yet served their own gods;
making a
strange medley in religion, and blending those
things
together that were utterly irreconcilable:
as if
they
intended not only to be partakers themselves with
devils, but
to make God so too; which is the greatest
gratification
that can be given to that proud and wicked
spirit whose
ambition it is to emulate and rival God in
worship: for
so the apostle tells us, that those "things
which the
Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and
not to
God," 1 Cor. 10:20. Thus to join
any other thing
with God as
the object of our worship, is infinitely to
debase and
disparage him; since it intimates that some.
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 59
thing
besides God is excellent and perfect as himself.
Therefore,
in Zeph. 1:5, God severely threatens to cut
off and to
destroy those "that worship and that swear
by the Lord,
and that swear by Malcham."
4.
It requires that all our services and acts of worship
to the true
and only God be performed with sincerity and
true
devotion. This is implied in that expression before
me or in my sight.
And this is opposed both to profaneness on
the one
hand and
hypocrisy on the other. For, since the
most se-
cret and
retired apartments of the heart are all naked and
bare in the
sight of God, and our very spirits are as it
were
dissected and thus exposed to his view; it follows
that to have
no other god before him, denotes that our
serving and
worshipping him ought to be sincere and
affectionate.
It is not enough to have no other god before
men; not
to fall down
prostrate before any visible idol set up in a
temple; but
the law is spiritual, and searcheth the very
thoughts and
inward parts of the soul; and if there be
any idol set
up in the heart, although it be in the darkest
corner of
it; any secret lust or hidden sin, which is the
soul's idol,
and keeps it from being chaste and true to
its God; any
crooked ends and sinister respects in the
worship of
God; this is to have another god in the
sight of
Jehovah, and before him.
Indeed, we are very apt to rest contented
if we can
but approve
ourselves before men, and carry a fair show
of religion
and godliness. But consider how weak and
foolish this
is: for, first, we deceive them with our ap-
pearances;
and then we deceive ourselves with their
opinions of
us. It is not only before men, whose
sight is
60 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
terminated
in the bark and outside of things, that we
offer up our
services; but before that God who is the
searcher of
the heart and the trier of the reins, who
looks quite
through us, and judgeth not according to
outward
appearance, but judgeth righteous judgment.
For us to
regard men, and seek to commend ourselves
to them in
the service of God, is as great a folly and
irreverence
as it would be for one who is to treat with
a mighty
prince, to regard and reverence only the images
in the
tapestry and hangings. Alas! men are but
as so
many blind
images in respect to God; they cannot see
the heart
nor the affections; and those outward acts of
worship
which they do see and commend without the
heart, are
despised by God. He requireth truth in
the
inward
parts; and is not delighted with the ostentation
of
performance, but with the sincerity of intention; for
every one is
delighted with that which doth most of all
declare some
singular excellency that is in himself; but
it is God's
excellency and prerogative to contemp1ate
the heart,
to weigh and consider the spirits of men;
and
therefore he is chiefly delighted in the unfeigned
desires and
breathings of the heart after him, because
by these we
own him to be an all-knowing God. But
when we
perform duties of religion only to be seen and
applauded of
men, we make God only our pretence, but
men our
idols; and set up as many gods before him as
we have
spectators and observers.
Thus we see what positive duties are
required of us in
this
precept: that we should worship a God,
and him the
true God,
and the true God only, and that in truth and
sincerity,
as doing all our services before him.
So this
first
command respects worship.
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 61
It would be too long, and indeed almost
endless, to in-
sist
particularly on ALL THE DUTIES included in the true
and sincere
worship of the true and only God. I
shall
therefore
speak only of the three principal, and these
are, the
love of God, the fear of God, and the invocation
and praise
of God. In these three especially doth
con-
sist the
having the Lord for our God.
I.
This command requires of us the most supreme and
endeared
love of God.
Yea, indeed, the love of God is not only
the sum of
this
command, but of all the commands of the first table;
and
therefore, as I have already said, when our Savior
would give
an abridgment of the law, he comprises all
the ten
under two great commands, Matt. 22:37-39,
"Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is
the
first and
great commandment. And the second is
like
unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
From
whence the
apostle deduces that great conclusion,
13:10, that
love is the fulfilling of the law. It is
so, if
not
formally, yet virtually and effectively; for it will
powerfully
and sweetly sway us to yield a ready submis-
sion and obedience
to what is required of us; and that
not only as
it is the dictate of divine and sovereign au-
thority, but
from the free spontaneous tendency of the
soul itself
which, when it is once touched with this ce-
estial and
serene flame, must rebel against its own in-
clinations
as well as against God's commands if it be not
earned out
towards that object in which alone it can find
full
acquiescence and satisfaction.
This love of God hath in it three acts or
degrees; de-
sire, joy,
and zeal.
62 TEN COMMANDMENTS.
1. An earnest and panting desire after God.
"As the hart
panteth
after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after
thee, O
God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the
living
God:"
oh, "when shall I come and appear before God?"
Psalm 42: 1,
2. As the poor imbossed. deer that is
closely
pursued faints and melts with the heat of the
chase, and
hasteth to the known river where it was wont
to quench
its thirst, to find both safety and refreshment
there, so
doth the holy, amorous soul reach and breathe
after
God. He thirsteth after the
water-brooks, the
streams of
his ordinances, wherein God doth pour out his
grace and
his Spirit to refresh the longing desires of his
holy
impatience; but, not being satisfied with this, he
still makes
up to the fountain, and never rests contented
till he hath
engulfed and plunged himself into God, and
is swallowed
up in beatitude.
2.
From the fruition of the beloved object springeth joy;
for joy is
nothing else but the rest and acquiescence of
desire;
therefore, according to the measures of God's
communicating
himself to our souls, such proportionably
will be the
increase of our joy. Something we enjoy
of
God in this
life, whilst we are absent from him in the
body. He is pleased to give us transient glances of
him-
self when he
fills his ordinances and our duties with his
Spirit; and
yet these reserved communications are so
ravishing
that the soul is often forced by the agony
sweetness to
cry out with holy Simeon, "Now, Lord, let
thy servant
depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy
salvation." How overflowing then will our joy be
we come to
heaven, where our fruition of God shall be
entire and
eternal! where we shall see him as he
is,
and know him
as we are known by him! where the un-
FIRST COMMANDMENT 63
veiled
glories of the Deity shall beat full upon us, and we
for ever sun
ourselves in the smiles of God!
Certainly
the joy of
such a state would be more than we could en-
dure, but
only that God who fills us will then likewise
enlarge and
support us.
3.
If our fruition of God be hindered and obstructed,
our love to
him will then express itself in a holy zeal.
Zeal is the indignation of the soul, and a
revenge that
it takes
upon whatsoever is an impediment to the obtain-
ing of its
desires. The earnest desire of a true
saint is
the
enjoyment of God and the glory of God; of both
which, sin
is the only hinderance. Therefore a soul
that is
passionate for God, hath not so great an in-
dignation
against any thing as against sin. Can he
en-
dure to see
that God, whom he loves dearer than his life,
daily
provoked and injured? to hear his name
blas-
phemed? to see his ordinances despised, his worship
ne-
glected, his
servants abused, and the most sacred truths
of religion
denied, and its sacred mysteries derided?
He
is the most
meek and patient man on earth in his own
concerns;
unwilling to observe the wrongs that are done
him, and
much more to revenge them: but when God is
injured, the
dear object of his love and joy, he can no
longer
refrain: whatsoever may befall him, he rises up
to vindicate
his honor, and thrusts himself between, to
receive
those strokes that were aimed at God; and what
he cannot
prevent or reform, that he bitterly bewails.
This is the true zeal; and he that saith
he loves God, and
yet is not
thus zealous for him, is a liar.
Try, therefore, your love to God by these
three things.
Are your
desires fervent and affectionate after him?
Do
you find a
holy impatience in your spirit till you enjoy
64 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
him? Will nothing else satisfy you but God? Can you
say that
there is none in heaven nor in earth that you
desire in
comparison with him; and if the whole world
were thrown
into your bosom for your portion, you would
pluck it
thence and cast it at your feet, resolving that you
will not be
put off with such trifles? Do you find a
joy
springing
and diffusing itself through your hearts when
you are
engaged in communion with him? a sweet and
potent
delight, to which all the pleasures of sin are but
flat and
insipid? Are you jealous for the Lord of
hosts?
Are your
anger and grief never so much kindled for any
wrongs that
are done unto yourself, as they are for the
provocations
that are daily committed against the great
Majesty of
heaven? Canst thou mourn and weep for
these in
secret; and if thou hast power and authority to do
it, punish
and avenge them openly? Then thou mayest
for
thy comfort
conclude that certainly God hath kindled this
heavenly
flame of love in thy breast; a flame that aspires
heaven-ward,
and will at last carry up thy soul with it,
and lodge it
there, where the desire of love shall be satis-
fied, the
joy of love perfected, and the zeal of love eter-
nally
rewarded.
So much for the love of God, the first
principal duty
required in
this first command.
II.
This command requires also the fear of God.
For certainly we cannot have the Lord for
our God
unless we
supremely fear and reverence him. Yea,
as
the love, so
the fear of God is made the sum of all the
commandments,
and indeed the substance of all religion
for,
although it be but one particular branch and member
of that
worship and service which we owe to God, yet
it is such a
remarkable one, and hath such a mighty in-
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 65
influence
upon and the rest, that oftentimes in Scripture it
is put for
the whole; and generally, the character of a
true
worshipper and obedient servant of God is given by
this
periphrasis, that he is a man fearing God.
Now the fear of God is either servile
or filial; and
both are a
strong bond to duty and obedience.
Those who are actuated only by a slavish
fear, will
beware how
they stir up the dread wrath and severe jus-
tice of God
against themselves by any wilful neglects or
known
transgressions.
And how much more those who are actuated
by a
principle of
filial and reverential fear of God; who fear
as much to
offend as to suffer for it; and to whom mercy
and goodness
prove as powerful motives of fear, as wrath
and
fury! Yea, there is no attribute nor
perfection in
God but is
very justly the object of our fear, for where
this grace
is true and genuine, it works in us rather a se-
date awe and
respect of God, a profound reverence of,
the soul,
than any turbulent and tempestuous passions of
affright and
horror. And certainly if we acknowledge
that there
is a God, it is but reason that we should thus
fear him
according to his essential greatness and glory;
for take
away the fear of a Deity and a supreme power
which is
able to reward and punish the actions of men,
and you open
a floodgate for all villany and wickedness
to rush out
and overflow the whole world. And where
this
restraint of fear is taken off from the spirits of men,
all laws
given to curb their licentiousness are of no more
force than
fetters of air to chain up madmen; and there-
fore very
fitly doth God enjoin the fear of himself in this
first
command, as that which will season and dispose the
heart to
obey him in all the rest.
66 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
III.
Another principal part of worship required in this
first
command is the invocation of the name of God in our
prayers and
praises.
The two former, love and fear, respect the
inward
worship of
God in our hearts; but this appertains to
his outward
worship, for by it we give express testi-
monies that
we both love and fear him. It has
respect
to our
prayers and praises, and they are the tribute
and homage
of religion. By the one we acknowledge
our
dependence upon him; by the other we own all
our blessing
and comforts to be from him; and to one
of these two
all external worship may be referred.
Cer-
tainly such
as neither pray to God nor praise him, can-
not be said
to have a God; for they acknowledge none,
but are gods
to themselves. For wherefore do we
affirm
that there
is a God, if we make no addresses to him?
If we have
recourse only to our own power or policy to
accomplish
our designs, and when they succeed ascribe
the success
of them only to our own wisdom and con-
duct, we
make these our idols and give them the honor
which is due
to God only. Therefore the prophet
speaks
of those who
"sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense
unto their
drag; because by them their portion is fat;
and their
meat plenteous." Hab. 1:16.
Now as the love and fear of God are often
used in
Scripture
for his whole worship and service, so likewise
is this
invocation and praise of his name. So we
find it,
Gen. 4:26,
"then began men to call upon the name of
the
Lord:" that is, (as many learned expositors under
stand it,
although some take it another way,) then began
men solemnly
and publicly to worship God in their as-
semblies;
and Jerem. 10:25, "Pour out thy fury upon,
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 67
the heathen
that know thee not, and upon the families
that call
not on thy name:" that is, those who do not
worship nor
serve thee. And the like we may observe
in very many
other places.
One thing more only I shall remark here;
namely,
that as this
first command requires, in the general, that
the true God should be truly worshipped, so the three
next following
commands prescribe the means and
branches of
his worship, and the way and manner how
he would
have it performed. The second
commandment
requires us
to worship God, who is a spirit, without any
visible
image or representation of the Deity; for as it
is
impossible that there should be any true resemblance
made of a
spirit, so it is most impious to give any part
of divine
honor and .reverence unto dumb idols: which,
as to their
materials, are but the creatures of God: as
they are
statues, but the creatures of art; and as they
are images,
but the creatures of fancy and superstition.
The third
commandment requires that we should never
mention the
name of the great God slightly and imper-
tinently,
but whensoever we have occasion to utter it
we should do
it with all prostrate veneration and serious
affection. The fourth prescribes the time which God
hath set
apart and sanctified for his solemn worship.
So
you see each
command of the first table is concerned in
giving rules
for divine worship; but the first, which en-
joins it in
the general, is the ground and foundation of
the other
three.
Thus much shall suffice concerning the
duties required
in this
first command, THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS
BEFORE ME.
68 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Next let us see what is FORBIDDEN in this
command.
As it
requires, so it forbids four things.
Thus it for-
bids
atheism, or the belief and acknowledgment of no
God;
ignorance of the true God; profaneness, or the
neglect of
the worship and service of God; and idolatry,
or the
setting up and worshipping of false gods.
I.
ATHEISM, or the acknowledging of no god, is for-
bidden and
condemned by this command.
And well may this be reckoned the first
sin forbidden;
for
certainly religion and worship will be found to be
one of the
most foppish vanities ever imposed on the
credulous
world: if either there be .no God to whom we
might direct
our devotions; or only a god of Epicurus'
and
Lucretius' stamp, that sits unconcerned in heaven
and loathes
the fatigue of business, taking no thought nor
care of
human affairs. For if there be no god,
or only
such a one,
what difference is there whether we pray or
blaspheme? whether we lead holy and pious lives, or
let loose
the reins to all manner of lewdness and riot,
and wallow
in all the impure delights that vice and sen-
suality can
recommend to our corrupted appetites?
for
if there be
no God, there can be no future cognizance
taken, of
either, no rewards nor punishments propor-
tioned to
either. Therefore it will be necessary
here
to show the
folly and unreasonableness of atheism, and
to convince
men that there is a God, without which all
religion and
worship are but folly and madness.
Some perhaps may judge it altogether
needless to in-
sist upon
such a subject as this among those who all ac-
knowledge
and worship the only true God, and Jesus
Christ whom
he hath sent. I heartily wish it were
both
unnecessary
and impertinent; but truly, if we consider
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 69
that usually
the practices of men are guided and influ-
enced by
their principles, we shall find reason enough to
suspect that
there are some notions of speculative athe-
ism that lie
at the bottom of all that practical atheism
which we may
observe so generally to prevail in the
world; for
any considerate person would think it impos-
sible that
men should so daringly rush into all those pro-
digious
crimes and villanies that every where rage and
reign, were
it not that they entertain loose and wavering
apprehensions
of the existence of a Deity, and encou-
rage
themselves in their vices by some unformed and
vague
thoughts that perchance all those truths which re-
ligion
teaches concerning God and a future state are
only politic
devices and fictions.
Nay, indeed, our age has too many who, not
only with
the fool say
in their hearts, but in desperate impudence
even avow in
express words, yea, dispute an argue it,
that
"there is no God."
I shall therefore confirm this great and
primary truth,
upon which
depend all our religion and all our hopes, by
some
convincing and demonstrative arguments which I
intend to
make ,as plain and obvious as the matter will
permit.
1.
The universal consent of all nations strongly proves
the being of
a Deity.
For that which-all agree in, must needs be
accounted
a dictate of
nature; and what is such must needs be ac-
knowledged
to be a maxim of truth.
Next to the report of our senses we may
credit the
reports that
nature and all mankind give concerning the
truth and
existence of things. Now if we should
impan-
nel all the
nations of the world upon this trial, not only
70 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
the more
civilized, where custom or the authority of laws
might be
suspected to introduce this belief, but those
that are the
most rude and savage, they would all with
one consent
return this verdict, that there is a God.
Nay, although one part of mankind hath so
strangely
dissented
from another about all other things, as concern-
ing their
laws, government and customs, yea, and manner
of worship,
yet those that differ in all things else, seem
only to
agree in these two; human nature and the belief
of a
Deity. Never was there any nation so
wild and bar-
barous that
acknowledged no God,* but their great fault
and folly
was that they acknowledged too many. And
it
is strange
to think that the whole race of mankind in so
many
generations as have successively followed one an-
other since
the beginning of the world, (yea, and if there
were no God,
from all eternity,) should not have grown
wise enough
to free themselves from so troublesome an
opinion as
that of the existence of a God: an opinion
that crosses
their worldly interests, contradicts their sen-
sual
desires, damps their joys, torments their natural con-
sciences,
and .which those who are wicked would give
whatsoever
is dearest to them to have utterly rooted out
of their
minds: it is strange, I say, that they
should not
all this
while be able to deliver themselves from the ty-
ranny and
fetters of this fancy, were it only imposed
upon them by
false reports and surmises.
How could the world be so easily drawn
into such se-
veral shapes
and forms of religion, which among the hea-
then are
almost infinite, and among others too various
*Nulla gens
est, neque tam immansueta nec tam fera, quae, etimsi
ignoret vel
eam habere Deum deceat, tamen habendum sciat.
Cicero
FIRST CQMMANDMENT. 71
and
different, were there not a natural inclination in the
souls of men
to embrace some religion or other, and an
indelible
character of a Deity imprinted on their minds?
Insomuch,
that in the times of darkness, when the truth
was not
clearly revealed to the world, because they
knew neither
the true object nor the right way of wor-
ship, this
restless notion of a Deity put them upon invent-
ing divers
vile, uncouth and ridiculous superstitions.
But
yet this is
so far from invalidating, that it strongly confirms
to us their
belief of a Deity; in that they submitted them-
selves to
observances, not only unreasonable; but many
times
barbarous, and inhuman, if they thought them ac-
ceptable to
,the gods whom they worshipped. Yea,
rather than
they would be without a Deity, they would
dig them
gods out of their gardens; or consecrate dogs
and
serpents, and any vermin that first met them in the
morning, and
had the good luck thereby to creep into honor.
What then! is it likely that the world
received this
notion first
by tradition; whereas, before, men generally
believed
there was no God? this cannot be; for would
they in
reason quit their former persuasion to receive this
new false
one, especially when it is the only thing that
fills them
with fears and torments, and a thousand affrights
and
horrors? Yea, those who would fain wear
off this
notion of a
God, and persuade themselves to be atheists
if they
could, what violence I have they offered to them-
selves to do
it! And when they thought they had pre-
vailed, yet
this impression hath still returned when they
have been
startled with thunder, or earthquakes, or sick-
ness, and
the dreadful apprehensions of approaching death.
Possibly, some few may have been found in
the world,
who have
dissented from the rest of mankind in this belief
72 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
of a Deity;
yet their dissent is not sufficient ground for
us to
conclude, that therefore it is not a dictate of nature.
For how many
are there that violate the laws of nature,
and do those
things which the innate light and reason of a
man abhor
and abominate! Yet none will from thence
in-
fer that
there are no such things as natural laws; so
neither,
though some might have utterly razed out of
their minds
the notion and belief of a God, will it thence
follow that
this belief of a Supreme Being is not an im-
pression of
nature.
But suppose the number of atheists had
been never so
great, is it
not far more probable that it should rather be
a dictate of
nature that there is a God, than that there is
not; since
the disbelief of his being would open a wide
gap to all
manner of licentiousness, yea, and to the bold
commission
even of those sins which are against nature
itself? Shall men be thought to speak the sense of
nature,
whose opinion so directly tends to bring in sins
contrary to
the light and laws of nature? For, take
away
the belief
of a Deity, and it is as much to be doubted
whether the
refined discourses of reason, and the con-
sideration
of decency, and the intrinsical rewards of vir-
tue, will be
of force sufficient to restrain men from the
most
enormous and unnatural vices. That,
therefore,
must needs
be a dictate of nature, which is almost the
only thing
which gives authority to the law of nature; and
such is the
belief of a God.
2.
Another convincing demonstration of the existence
of a Deity,
is taken from the serious consideration and re-
view of the
frame and order of the universe; in which there
are as many
wonders as there are creatures.
Certainly he must needs be very blind and
stupid that
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 73
reads not
God in every creature. Cast but your
eyes up-
wards and
contemplate the vast expanse of the heavens,
which are
the canopy of the world, the roof of this great
house, the
universe, the lid or cover put over all the works
of
nature. Behold how gloriously this
canopy is studded!
How many
glittering lights are hung up in this roof to
illuminate
our inferior world, and to discover to our
eyes all
visible objects, and to our mind the invisible
God! Who hath gilded the rays of the sun, or
silvered
the face of
the moon? Who hath marshalled the huge
host of
heaven; and set the stars in such array, that not
one of them
hath broken its rank nor strayed out of its
course and
order? Whose hand is it that turns the
great
wheels of
heaven; and makes them spin out days, and
months, and
years, and time, and life to us? Who
hath
ordered the
vicissitudes of day and night, summer and
winter, that
these run not into one another and blend
themselves
and the whole world in confusion; but with
a perpetual
variety, observe their just seasons and inter-
changes? Do not all these wonderful works proclaim
aloud,
that
certainly there is a great and glorious God who sits
enthroned on
high; and who hath thus paved the bottom
of heaven
with stars, and adorned the inner parts of it with
glories yet
to us unknown? Upon this very reflection
the
psalmist
tells us, "The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the
firmament showeth his handy-work."
Psalm 19:1.
But not to carry the atheist up to
heaven, let us de-
scend lower,
through the vast ocean of liquid air, and there
observe how
the grosser vapors are bound together in
clouds,
which when the drought and thirst of the earth
call for
refreshment, dissolve themselves into small
drops, and
are as it were sifted into rain. How
come
Commandments. 4
74 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
it to pass,
and whose wisdom and providence hath so
ordered it,
that there should not fall whole clouds and
cataracts,
but drops and showers? that they should
not
tumble upon
us, but distil? an effect so wonderful
that
there is
scarce any other work of nature that the Scripture
more
frequently ascribes to God, as a demonstration of his
power and
government, than that he sendeth rain upon
the
earth. Yea, and these clouds, how often
are they
charged with
thunder and lightnings; as though it were
so ordered
of purpose, that if their contexture cannot con-
vince, yet
their terror might affright the atheist!
Who can
give any
satisfactory account how that artillery came there
planted? or how those terrors of mankind are there ge-
nerated? Let the atheist tell me how it comes to pass
that such
contraries meet together in one; and that the
same cloud
should be both a fountain of water and yet
a furnace of
fire, a wonder the prophet ascribeth parti-
cularly to
God's almighty providence, Jer. 10:13, "He
maketh
lightnings with rain;" and accounteth it such
a remarkable
instance of the divine operation that he
repeateth it
again, chap. 51:16.
If we descend into the lowest story of
this great
building,
the earth, what a shop of wonders shall we find
there! That the whole mass and globe of it should
hang
pendulous in
the air, without any thing to support it; and
whereas
small bodies of little weight fall through the air,
yet that
this great and ponderous body should be fixed
for ever in
its place, having no foundation, no support but
that air
which every mote and fly doth easily cut through
that this
round ball of earth should be inhabited on every
part; that
the feet of other men should be opposite to
ours, and
yet they walk as erect and be as much upon the
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 75
face of the
earth as we are; that the middle point of the
earth should
be the lowest part of it and of the universe,
and
whatsoever is beyond that be upwards: these and many
others are
such unaccountable mysteries to our compre-
hension, and
yet are found so infallibly certain by expe-
rience and
manifold proofs, that he must be an atheist out
of mere
spite, who shall seriously consider them and not
be induced
by that consideration to adore the infinite
power and
wisdom of their Author.
It would be too long to instance in the
various sorts of
creatures
that we behold, how artificially they are framed,
what an
excellent configuration there may be observed in
their
several parts, what subserviency of one to another,
and how all
are suited to the offices of nature; what secret
channels and
conveyances for life and spirits, what springs
of various
motions are included even in the small body of a
fly or of a
mite. Certainly there is not the least
thing that
an atheist
can cast his eye upon but it confutes him; but
especially,
if he shall seriously consider the wonderful
structure of
a human body, the excellent contrivance and
use of all
the parts, he cannot but, after he hath admired
the artifice
of the work, admire also the infinite wisdom
of the
Maker, and cry out with holy David, "I am fear-
fully and
wonderfully made-and curiously wrought in
the lowest
parts of the earth." Psalm 139:14, 15.
Yea,
not only a
David, but Galen, a heathen, one who it is
thought was
not over-credulous in matters of religion;
yet when he
had minutely inspected the many wonders
and miracles
that are contained in the frame of our body,
he could not
forbear composing a hymn to the praise of
our all-wise
Creator.
And therefore, as lord Bacon observes,
(Essay of Athe-
76 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
ism,) God
never wrought a miracle to convince an atheist,
because his
ordinary works may convince him; and un-
less men
will be wilfully and stubbornly blind, they must
needs
subscribe to that of
hath
"not left himself without witness, in that he doeth
good, and
giveth us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons,
filling our
hearts with food and gladness;" and, Rom. 1:
20,
"The invisible things of God are clearly seen from the
creation of
the world, being understood by the things that
are made,
even his eternal power and godhead: so that
they are
without excuse." When we see
footsteps evident-
ly imprinted
on the earth, shall we not easily collect that
certainly
some one hath passed that way? When we
see
a stately
fabric built according to all the rules of art, and
adorned with
all the riches and beauty that magnificence
can expend
upon it, must we not presently conclude that
certainly
there was some skilful architect that built it?
Truly every
creature is quoddam vestigium Dei, some
sign or
evidence of Deity: we may observe his foot-
steps in it;
and see how his attributes, his wisdom, his
goodness
and: his power have passed along that way.
And the
whole world is a stately fabric; a house that
God hath
erected for himself: the magnificence and splen-
dor of it
are suitable to the state of the great King: it is
his palace,
built for the house of his kingdom and the
honor of his
majesty: and we may easily conclude that so
excellent a
structure must have an excellent architect,
and that the
builder and maker of it is God.
Now that which makes some proud spirits
backward.
to
acknowledge God in the works of nature is, that they
think they
can, by their reason alone, give a plausible ac-
count of
those effects and phenomena which we see in
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 77
the world,
by deducing them from second and natural
causes. And therefore many of those who are of an
inqui-
sitive and
searching genius, when they find such effects
depend upon
and flow from such and such natural causes,
applaud
themselves in the discovery; and look no further
nor higher,
but neglect the first and chief cause of all,
even God.
Hence some have thought that reason and
philosophy
are great
enemies to religion, and patrons of atheism; but,
in truth, it
is far otherwise; and the atheist hath not a
more smart
and keen adversary, since he will not submit
his cause to
be tried by Scripture, than true reason and
profound
philosophy.
But if any, who seem to be knowing and
learned men,
are less
inclined to the belief of a Deity, it is not their
learning but
their ignorance that makes them so. The
same
lord Bacon
has well observed, that a little philosophy in-
clines a
man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy
brings it
about again to religion. And I dare
challenge
the most
learned men in the world to give a satisfac-
tory account
of the most common appearances in nature
without
resolving them at last into the will and dis-
posal of the
God of Nature. If I should ask them what
makes the
grass green, or a stone to fall downwards, or
the fire to
aspire upwards, or the sun to enlighten and
warm the
world? What answer can they give, but
that it
is the
property of their natures; or what is altogether as
insignificant
and unintelligible? But, if I should
question
farther, how
came their natures to be distinguished with
such
properties? they must either here be
silent, or con-
fess a First
Cause, which endowed their natures with
such
properties and actions; for, although a
man may, for
78 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
some few
successions of causes and effects, find one to
depend upon
another, yet they must all, at last, be re-
solved into
and terminate in God.
3.
Unless the being of a God be presupposed, no tole-
rable
account can be given of the being of any thing.
We see innumerable beings in the world,
different
from each
other both in kind and particulars. Now
what
rational
account can the atheist give how these things
came to have
a being? There are but two ways imagin-
able: either
that the world was formed by chance; or
else, that
it had its being from all eternity. And
ac-
cordingly,
as if it were still fatal for them to encounter
the same
inconsistencies for which they disavow religion,
atheists are
divided into two sects.
(1.)
One is the Epicurean atheist, who affirms that the
world indeed
had once a beginning, but it was merely by
chance: for,
there having been from all eternity infinite
particles of
matter moving to and fro in an infinite space;
these at
last, meeting casually, linked one in another, and
so, by mere
chance, formed this world which we now see.
A fancy so
grossly ridiculous, that, were it not now again
taken up by
some who pretend to be great lights in rea-
son and
philosophy, I would not condescend so much as
to mention it.
But, as Cicero saith, both judiciously and
ingeniously,
as soon
shall they persuade me that an innumerable com-
pany of
loose and disordered letters, being often shaken
together and
afterwards thrown out upon the ground,
should fall
into such exquisite, order as to frame a most
ingenious
and heroic poem; as that atoms, straying to and
fro at
random, should ever casually meet together to
make a world
consisting of heaven, and of air, and sea,
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 79
and earth,
and so many sorts and species of living crea-
tures, in
the frame and structure of which we see such
wonderful
and inimitable skill.
Had Archimedes' or Posidonius' sphere, in
which were
imitated all
the motions and changes of the sun, moon
and planets,
been presented to the most ignorant or illite-
rate nations
under heaven, they could not be so grossly
stupid as to
think such a piece a work of mere chance,
and not of
accurate art and study. And shall any
doubt,
when he
sees, in the great machine of the world, the same
and many
other phenomena exhibited in a more perfect
manner than
they can be represented in any such type,
whether it
be a work of uncertain chance, or the product
of a most
perfect mind and comprehensive understanding?
For,
certainly, if a strong and mastering reason be re-
quired only
to imitate the works of nature; much more,
then, to
produce them. Cic. de Nat. Deor. lib.
ii. 37, 34.
And why had not those atoms, that could
thus fortui-
tously frame
a world, why had they not built houses too,
and cities,
and woven us garments; that so, by very good
chance, we
might have found these necessaries ready pro-
vided to our
hands, and been saved the trouble and labor
of making
them? Did ever any atoms fall into such
exact
order, and
knit so artificially together, as to frame a clock,
or a watch,
or any other piece of ingenious mechanism?
And will the
atheist then be so silly as to believe that
these little
dusts of being should, by mere hazard, meet
and join
together to frame the whole world; and bestow
such various
forms and motions upon creatures as we
daily see
and admire? Look but upon the most
contemp-
tible worm
that crawls, we shall find it a far more excel-
lent piece
of mechanism, a far more curious engine, than
80 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
any that
ever the art or wit of man could frame.
And
shall chance
make these, yea, creatures of a more wonder-
ful
contexture, which yet could never make a watch, or a
clock, or
any of those engines which we have contrived
for the use
and service of life?
And what will they say to the accurate
operations of
sense and
reason? Is it possible that one small
dust
should see
or feel another? and, if not one, then
not ten
thousand put
together. Shall their configuration give
them
this
faculty, which their being and substance doth not?
Which I
shall then believe, when I shall be convinced
that a
statue, carved the most exquisitely that art can per-
form, can
any more see, or taste, or feel, than it could
whilst it
was rude and unformed wood.
But, suppose that sense could be caused
by mere mat-
ter put in
motion; yet, what shall we say to the refined
speculations
and profound discourses of reason? Is it
likely, or
indeed possible, that little corpuscles should re-
flect and
argue? that atoms should make syllogisms,
or
draw up
parties between pro and con? Or will the
atheist
grant that
there is no other difference between himself
and a mere
senseless block but only configuration of
parts? and that when he disputes most subtilely for
his
cause, all
his reasons and arguments are but a little dust
that flies
up and down in his brains? That the
agitation
of material
particles; should produce any sprightly acts .of
wit and
discourse, is so monstrously abhorrent to tree rea-
son, that I
doubt I shall never be persuaded to believe it, un-
til some
cunning man convince me that the highway too is
in a deep
speculation, and teeming with some notable dis-
course,
whensoever the dust is stirred and flies about in it.
And yet,
forsooth, men must now-a-days be atheists
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 81
that they
may be rational; and think it a high demonstra-
tion of
their parts and ingenuity to doubt of a Deity, and
call all
religion into question. Whereas, were
there any
thing in the
belief of a God and the most mysterious points
of our
religion half so absurd and ridiculous as there is in
atheism, I
should most readily explode it and count it al-
together
unworthy to be entertained by any man that is
ingenuous
and rational.
(2.)
Hence the other sect of atheists alluded to, the
Aristotelian,
being pressed with the huge and mon-
strous
absurdities of this way of giving an account of
the
appearances of nature, hold that the world is from
eternity,
and never had any beginning at all. But,
It is altogether unreasonable to deny a
God, and yet
grant that
very thing for which alone they deny him.
The
only reason
that tempts atheists to deny a Deity, is be-
cause they
cannot conceive a Being infinite and eternal.
But when
they yield the world to be so, what do they
else but run
into the same inconveniency which they
would avoid;
and, that they may not grant one eternal
being, grant
innumerable? So fatal it is for error to
be
inconsistent
with itself and to confound its own principles.
If the world be eternal, there must of
necessity have
been passed an
infinite succession of ages. Now,
our un-
derstanding
is as much non-plussed to conceive this, as it
is to
conceive an Infinite Being that should create the
world; for,
if the world had no beginning, then an infinite
number of
days and years, yea, of millions of years and
generations
of men are already actually passed and gone.
And if they
are passed, then they are come to an end; and
so we shall
have both a number that is actually infinite, and
likewise
something infinite and eternal that is come to an
4*
82 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
end: a very proper consequence for one that avoids
the
belief of a
Deity because he would be rational and cannot
conceive a
being that is infinite!
If there have already been infinite successions
of gene-
rations in
the world, certainly those which are yet to
come will
make them more; and so we shall find a num-
ber greater
than that which is allowed to be actually infi-
nite. Or if, to avoid this contradiction, the
atheist should
affirm that
the generations to Abraham and the genera-
tions to
David were both equal because both infinite, he
will thereby
fall into two other gross contradictions: the
one, that a
number added to a number should make no
addition;
the other, that since the generations to Abraham
were but a
part of the generations to David, the part
should be
equal to the whole.
There is no one moment in succession which
was not
once present, and consequently, imagine a duration as
long as you
please, yet in it of necessity there must be
some one
moment which, when it was present, all the rest
were future;
and if all the rest were future, this moment
was then the
beginning. So that it is impossible
there
should be a
successive duration without a beginning, and
therefore
impossible it should be from eternity.
In all the revolutions of generation and
corruption that
can be
imagined, yet the life of animals must necessarily
be before
their death: for none can die till he hath lived;
and none can
live but he must pass some time before he
dies. There was therefore a time before any animal
died:
consequently
their corruption and death were not from
eternity:
neither before their death had they lived an in-
finite time,
but only some few days or years; and there-
fore their
generation and life were not from eternity.
FIRST COMMANDMENT 83
These things I do but cursorily mention,
to give you a
taste of the
folly and unreasonableness of atheism; nor
perhaps,
would it be proper to insist on them at large:
but by these
few arguments you may see how unreason
able it is
for an atheist to boggle at the belief of a Deity;
whereas, let
him lay down whatsoever principles he will,
he shall
find his reason more puzzled and entangled by
these
absurdities that will necessarily follow upon them,
than he
shall by any difficulties that are consequent upon
the belief
of a God: which belief unless we entertain, we
can give no
tolerable account at all of the various beings
that are in
the world, for neither are they eternal, neither
have they
happened by chance, as I have demonstrated.
It is therefore absolutely necessary that
there be some
First Cause
of all things which we behold, which is not
itself
caused, nor produced by any other: for if every
thing were
caused by some pre-existent being, then there
never was a
being before which there was not another;
and so this
gross absurdity will follow, That before there
was a being,
there was a being: a fit consequence for
atheists,
who pretend only to rational speculations, to
swallow! Therefore we must necessarily rest in some
First Cause,
from which all other things have their origin,
and which is
itself caused by none: and that is the great
God, whom we
adore; the great Creator and Governor
both of
heaven and earth, and of all things visible and
invisible.
And here I would add the argument of
Bradwardine,
which
perhaps it would shrewdly puzzle the metaphysics
of an
atheist to answer, namely: It is
possible that there
should be
such a being as should exist necessarily; since
it is no
more a contradiction to exist necessarily than to
84 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
exist
contingently, and a far higher and more absolute
perfection. But if it be possible that there might be
such
a being,
then it is certain that there is; because necessity
of existence
is included in the very essential conception
of it, or
else this contradiction would follow, that it is
possible for
that not to be, which yet is necessary to be.
This being,
therefore, must needs be eternal, indepen-
dent, and
self-sufficient; and that is the God whom we
adore. De Causa Dei.
4.
But, to leave these more abstruse and scholastic no-
tions. If there be no God, then neither have there
been
any miracles
performed in the world, nor any prophecies
or
predictions of future events.
(1.)
There can be no miracles performed without a di-
vine and
infinite power.
For, certainly, if there be no being above
nature, there
can be no
effects either above or contrary to the course of
nature; for
nature, when it is left to itself, cannot act
contrary to
its own laws.
Now that there have been miraculous works
performed
the atheist
cannot deny, unless he will deny the truth of
all records,
and think it reasonable to make all faith and
credit among
mankind a sacrifice to his opiniativeness.
All heathen
authors, as well as the Scriptures, give abun-
dant
testimony to this; and although they deny the doc-
trine of the
Scripture, yet there is no reason why they
should
disbelieve it, when it only re1ates matter of fact. In
this behalf
we desire they would give it as much credit as
they give to
the histories of Livy or Tacitus, or any other
author of
approved honesty. And certainly it is
but rea-
sonable to
credit the consonant depositions of several
plain who
all profess themse1ves to have been eye-
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 85
witnesses of
those things which they write. Yea, the
Jews and
heathens who lived in those very times, and
were most
inveterate and cankered enemies against the
name of
Christ, would have given whatsoever was dear-
est to them
in the world, could they have proved any for-
gery in
those miracles, or deceit in the relaters of them:
but the
evidence was so clear that they were forced to
confess,
even in spite of their own malice, that such
strange
works were done and really effected; and yet
their spleen
against the truth was such that they imputed
them only to
the power of magic and the operation of evil
spirits. But will our atheist do so too? If so, he must
needs
acknowledge a God; by acknowledging a devil; if
not, he hath
as little reason to believe any thing in the
world which
he himself hath not seen, as to believe the
truth of
those reports which we have received from un-
doubted
hands, delivered to us by the unquestionable tes-
timony of
those who have known and seen what they
have
reported.
Therefore, if ever there have been any
such extraordi-
nary effects
as restoring sight to the blind, and feet to the
lame, and
life itself to the dead, and that by no other ap-
plication
than only a word's speaking, there must certain-
ly be a
God. For these things are not within the
power
of second
causes, being so contrary to the course of nature,
and
therefore must be ascribed to a Supreme Deity, an in-
finite
power, who is the author and great controller of
nature.
(2.)
As there could have been no miracles performed,
so neither
could there be any prophecies or predictions
made of
contingent events, unless we acknowledge a God
who, in his
infinite wisdom and counsel, foresees whatso-
86 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
ever shall
come to pass, and "revealeth his secret unto
his servants
the prophets." Amos 3:7.
We have many prophecies recorded which
have alrea-
dy had their
undoubted fulfilment. Not to instance
all, I
shall only
mention two. The one is the prophecy of
our
Lord Jesus
Christ concerning the final destruction of Je-
rusalem,
Matt. 24:2, which received its full accomplish-
ment about
forty years after they had crucified the Lord
of life and
glory. And the other, the prediction
concerning
Cyrus, that
he should rebuild Jerusalem, after it had been
destroyed by
the Babylonians, Isa. 44:28; and, to make
this
prophecy the more remarkable, it is said, chap-
45:4, that,
for Israel's sake God had called him by his
name. This was a famous and very particular
prophecy
of a person
named near two hundred years before he was
born; and
those things distinctly foretold of him which
he should
afterwards perform. The like we have, 1
Kings, 13:2,
where the prophet declaims against the
idolatrous
altar and worship of Bethel, and foretells that.
Josiah
should destroy it-calling him by his very name,
three
hundred and forty years before he was born: "O
altar,
altar! thus saith the Lord, Behold, a child shall be
born unto
the house of David, Josiah by name; and up-
on thee
shall he offer the priests of the high places that
burn incense
upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt
upon
thee;" which we read was exactly fulfilled by
the same
Josiah, 2 Kings, 23:20, for "he
slew all
the priests
of the high places which were there upon
the altars,
and burnt men's bones upon them."
Now let
any atheist
give a rational account how these future con-
tingencies
could be thus certainly and circumstantially
foreknown
and predicted, were there not "a God in hea-
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 87
ven that
revealeth secrets." Dan.2:28. They
could not
certainly
see such free and contingent events in the stars,
especially
so long before they were to be produced; or,
if they
might yet certainly they could not read names
there, nor
spell the constellations into words and sylla-
bles. There is, therefore, a God who giveth
knowledge,
and
declareth things to come, according as it pleaseth
him to
illuminate the minds of his servants the prophets,
to whom and
by whom he spake.
5.
The fifth and last demonstration of the being of a
God is this,
There is a conscience in man; therefore there
is a God in
heaven.
Conscience could have no power at all
unless it were
given it
from above. How comes it to pass that
wicked
wretches are
still haunted with pale fears and ghastly hor-
rors; that
they are sometimes a terror to themselves and
to all that
are about them? They would, if possible,
abandon
themselves and run away from their own being,
but only
that they have a witness and a judge within
them of all
their crimes and impieties, and feel such secret
stings and
unseen whips lashing their souls, that the tor-
tures they
endure and inflict on themselves make them
sometimes
weary of their lives, and put them upon the
desperate
course of choking both themselves and their
consciences
too with a halter. Whence, I say, should
this
proceed, were there not a God, a just and holy Deity
whom
conscience revere? These torments and
regrets
do not
always proceed from fear of shame or punishment
from
men. No; but conscience hath a power to
put
them upon
the rack for their most secret sins, which no
eye ever
saw, no heart ever knew but their own.
Yea,
and it
forceth them sometimes themselves to confess and
88 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
divulge
their own infamy, and voluntarily to deliver up
themselves
to human justice. And whence is this,
but
only from
that secret influence of a Supreme Being, that
hath an awe
and authority over conscience, and makes it
review the
sins of a man's life with horror, because it
knows that
the just and holy God will at last review them
with
vengeance.
So we find that those who in their
prosperity have
lived most
regardless of a Deity, yet when their con-
science hath
been awakened by dangers, or sickness, or
any surprising
event, the apprehensions of a God have
then
strongly returned upon them, and filled them with
amazement
and confusion. Thus Suetonius, the
historian,
reports of
the mad, wicked emperor, Caligula, who made
an open mock
and scorn of religion, that when it thun-
dered he
would creep under his bed to hide himself from
the
vengeance of that Jupiter whom at other times he
would not
spare to deride and threaten. And
therefore,
certainly,
if there be any such thing as natural conscience
in all men,
it will necessarily follow that there must be a
God; for,
were there no God there would be no con-
Thus I have
given you these several rational demon-
strations
that there is such a supreme and infinite being
as a
Deity. Many others might be added; but
these I
account
sufficient to convince any atheist, who will indeed
be swayed by
that reason which he so much deifies and
adores, that
there is another God besides and above reason.
Well, then,
what remains but that, as we have evinced
the folly
and unreasonableness of speculative atheism, so
we condemn
the impiety of practical atheism--the pro-
faneness and
irreligion of those, that, as the apostle speaks,
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 89
live
"without God in the world;" that live as though
there were
no God, nor devil, nor heaven, nor hell, nor
future
state, nor any distribution of rewards in it.
Indeed, every wicked man is, in this
sense, an atheist;
and such the
apostle hath condemned, Tit. 1:16.
"They
profess that
they know God, but in works they deny him,
being abominable,
and disobedient, and unto every good
work
reprobate." Did they really and
cordially believe
that there
is a just and holy God that takes notice of all
their
actions; a great and terrible Majesty who will call
them to a
strict account for all their cogitations, all their
discourses,
and all their works; an almighty God, who
hath
prepared wrath and vengeance to inflict on all those
who despise
his authority and transgress his law; would
they dare to
profane his glorious and reverend name by
impertinently
using it in their trivial talk? would
they
dare to rend
and tear it by their oaths and blasphemies,
and hellish
execrations and curses? Did they believe
that
he hath
prepared "Tophet of old," that
"the pile thereof
is fire and
much wood," and that all the wicked of the
world shall
be cast into it, and there be made an ever-
lasting
burnt-sacrifice to, the incensed wrath of the great
God; did men
believe the horrors and torments, the
woes and
anguish of the damned in hell, which are as far
from being
utterable as they are from being tolerable;
did they but
as certainly believe these things, as it is cer-
tain that,
if they believe them not, they shall eternally
feel them,
would they dare still venture on to treasure up
to
themselves wrath against the day of wrath?
Would
swearing,
and lying, and stealing, and drunkenness, and
uncleanness
so generally reign among us as they do?
Indeed, we persuade ourselves that we do
believe
90 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
these
things: we profess that there is a God, and that
God
infinitely holy and infinitely just; and that he will
recompense
tribulation, anguish, and wrath upon every
soul of man
that doeth evil. But, alas, this is only
a ver-
bal belief,
contradicted and borne down by a practical
atheism! The little influence that the belief of a
holy and
just God
hath upon us, to regulate our actions and to
cause us to
walk in a holy awe and dread of his Divine
Majesty,
clearly evinceth that we may possibly fancy
these
things, but do not believe them; for, if thou didst
seriously
and heartily believe that there is a great and a
jealous God,
who hath said "Vengeance is mine, I will
repay,"
what is there in the world that could persuade
thee to
offend him?
Possibly, though thou believest that there
is a God, yet
thou art not
fully persuaded that he is so holy or so just
as his word
declares him to be: not so holy in
hating thy
sins, nor so
just in punishing them.
But if thou reliest on this confidence,
yet know that
this is only
to hope in his mercy in spite of his truth. He
hath sworn
that he will take vengeance on all impenitent
wretches,
and "wound the hairy scalp of such a one as
goeth on
still in his trespasses." Ps.
68:21. And God
will be the
to his threatenings as well as to his promises,
although
thou, and ten thousand others like thyself, eter-
nally
perish.
Nay, if thou believest there is a God,
and yet thinkest
that this
God will spare thee, though thou go on in the
presumption
of thy heart to add iniquity unto sin, thou
art far worse
than an atheist, for it is better to have no
opinion of
God at all, than to have such an opinion as is
unworthy of
him; for the one is but infidelity, the other
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 91
is
contumely. Even Plutarch, a heathen,
could say
that it were
far less injurious to him if any should deny
that there
is such a man in the world as Plutarch, than if
he should
grant that such a one indeed there is, but that
he is
faithless, inconstant, cruel, or revengeful.
So it is
not so
heinous an affront against the Divine Majesty to
deny that
there is any such Supreme Being, as to ac-
knowledge
that there is indeed a God, but that this God
is not
either infinitely holy in hating thy sins, or infinitely
true to his
threatenings, or infinitely just in punishing
men's impenitency
and disobedience. This is a degree of
impiety
worse than atheism; and yet of this are all un-
godly
sinners guilty.
Know then, O sinner, and tremble, that
there is a God
who sees and
observes all thy actions; who writes them
down in the
book of his remembrance, and will call thee
to a strict
account for them. God will then judge
thee
out of thine
own most thou wicked servant. Thou be-
lievest that
there is a God; why dost thou not then fear
and serve
him? Thou believest that there is a heaven
and a hell,
and an eternity to come; why then dost thou
not live
answerably to this belief? Either blot
it out of
your creed,
and avow that you do not believe in God the
Father
Almighty, or else live as those should do who
own so great
and terrible, so pure and holy a God.
For a
speculative
atheist to be profane and wicked is but conso-
nant to his
principles; for wherefore should not he gra-
tify all his
lusts and sensual desires, whose only hope is
in this
life, and who doth not look upon himself as ac-
countable
for any thing hereafter? But for thee,
who ac-
knowledgest
a Deity, to live as without God in the world,
to break his
laws, to slight his promises, to despise his
92 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
threatenings,
is the greatest and most desperate madness:
thou showest
thyself hereby to be worse not only than an
atheist, but
worse than a devil; for the very devils be-
lieve and
tremble; and yet thou, who professest thyself
to believe,
dost not tremble.
If therefore we would not be inexcusable,
since we
know God let
us glorify him as God, yielding all holy
obedience to
his laws, and humble submission to his will;
conforming
ourselves to his purity, depending upon his
power and
providencer and trusting in his infinite mercy
and
goodness, till we, at last, arrive unto that state of
perfect
bliss and felicity where we shall fully know the
ineffable
mystery of the Deity, see him that is now invi-
sible, and
live there as much by sense and sight as here
we do by
faith and expectation.
Thus much for the first sin forbidden in
this first com-
mandment,
which is atheism.
II. The second sin forbidden is, IGNORANCE
OF THE
TRUE GOD.
For this precept, which requires us to
have the Lord
Jehovah for
our God, as well includes the having of him
in our
understandings, by knowing him aright, as in our
wills and
affections, by loving, fearing, and worshipping
him. The right worship of God must, of necessity,
pre-
suppose the
knowledge of the object to which we direct
that
worship; or, otherwise, we do but erect an altar to
the Unknown
God, and all our adoration is but supersti-
tion; yea,
and we ourselves are but idolaters, although
we worship
the true Deity; for all that service which is
not directed
to the Supreme Essence, whom we conceive
to be the
infinitely and eternally holy, just, merciful and
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 93
glorious
beyond what we can conceive, is not tendered to
the true
God, but to an idol of our own making, shaped
out in the
ignorance and blindness of our minds.
And
therefore
our Savior Christ lays this as a black brand
upon the
Samaritan worship, John, 4:22, "Ye wor-
ship ye know
not what;" and that because with other
gods they
worshipped the true God under a confused
notion of
"the God of the land," without any distinct
knowledge of
his nature, will, and attributes. 2
Kings,
17:26.
It hath been a proverbial speech, that
ignorance is the
mother of
devotion; but certainly such a blind mother
must needs
bring forth a blind and deformed daughter, a
devotion
more rightly called superstition than devotion,
devotion
shaped only by the fancy, and imposed by ir-
rational
fear or humor.
Now because the being and existence of a
Deity is a
notion so
common and natural to mankind, as I have
already
demonstrated--and we are strongly inclined to
the worship
of a God--it will be necessary rightly to
know that
God, to whom this homage of our souls and
all our
affection and veneration is due; for, while we re-
main
ignorant of this, it is impossible but that we should
be idolaters,
giving that which is due to God alone to
some vain
created fiction of our own deluded under-
standings.
Idolatry, therefore, is a sin more common
among us
than we
imagine; for as many ignorant persons as there
are, so many
idolaters there are, who, though they fall
not down
before stocks and stones, yet form in their
minds
uncouth ideas and strange images of God, that no
more
represent his infinite perfections and excellen-
94 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
cies than
those dumb idols that the heathens worship.
In prosecution of this general view I
shall lay down
these
following propositions:
1.
It is very hard and difficult to have right and genuine
conceptions
of the Divine Majesty, when we address our-
selves to
him to worship him.
I think I may here appeal to the
experience
of
christians, whether the most difficult part of their
duties be
not rightly to apprehend the object of them.
Our fancy is
bold and busy, and still ready to make too
much use of
its pencil, and to delineate a God in some
shape or
other, before whom we present our services: so
that when we
should be wholly intent upon our adoration
we must
necessarily be engaged in reformation, to pull
down and
break in pieces those false images that we had
set up; and
yet as soon as we have done this our imagi-
nation falls
to work again, makes new pictures of a God,
and sets
them full before our eyes as so many idols for us
to
worship. And though both reason and
religion endea-
vor to
correct these bold attempts of fancy, yet it is a
mighty
distraction in our duty to be then disputing the
object when
we should be adoring it.
I shall instance this in one duty only,
and that is prayer.
How few are
there that do not fashion God in some
bodily shape
when they come to pray to him! We are
too apt to
figure out his limbs, and to conceive him a man
like
ourselves. All the proportions that
fancy hath to draw
are
corporeal; and whensoever we frame a notion of
angels, or
God, or any spiritual substance, we do it by
sensible
resemblances. But this is infinitely
derogatory
to God, who
is a spirit, and therefore cannot be repre-
sented in
any form without a vast incongruity; and he
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 95
the Father
of Spirits, infinitely
more spiritual than spirits
themselves,
in comparison with whom angels and the souls
of men are
but drossy and feculent beings, and therefore
cannot be
worshipped under any form without idolatry;
for that is
not God which we can shape and mould in
our
imaginations.
We read how jealous God is lest any
resemblance
should be
made of him. "Take ye therefore
good heed
unto
yourselves (for ye saw no manner of similitude on
the day that
the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the
midst of the
fire,) lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make
you a graven
image, the similitude of any figure."
Deut.
4:15,
16. And certainly if the erecting of a
visible image
of God be
gross idolatry, it is no less than a mental and
spiritual
idolatry to frame an invisible image of God in
our fancy
and conceptions.
Therefore, although the Scripture
frequently ascribes
to God the
members and lineaments of a man, as eyes,
mouth, ears,
hands, feet, &c. yet we must not be so stu-
pidly
ignorant as to believe that these are properly apper-
taining to
the divine essence, (which was the old exploded
heresy of
the Anthropomorphitae;) but these descriptions
are given us
only in condescension to our weaknesses and
infirmities,
and though they are spoken after the manner
of men, yet
they must be understood after such a manner
as becomes
the majesty of the divine nature. And by
such
expressions the Scripture only means, that all those
powers and
faculties which are in us are likewise to be
found,
although in an infinite and transcendent eminency,
in the being
of God. He hears and sees, and is able
to
effect
whatsoever he pleaseth, and that without any con-
figuration
of parts or organs, which are utterly repugnant
96 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
to the
simplicity and spirituality of his essence.
And
therefore to
shape and fashion out such a God in our
thoughts
when we pray unto him, is but to make and
worship an
idol; and unless faith and religion demolish
such images
which we set up in our fancy, the worship
which we
direct to them is hardly to be esteemed the
worship of
the true God, but rather worshipping the
work of our
own making and a creature of our own
imagination.
And yet, unless we do represent God to
ourselves when
we worship
him, it is very hard, if not altogether impossi-
ble to keep
up the intentness of our spirit and to hinder
our mind
from straying. Therefore,
2.
The right way to attain to a true notion and a sound
understanding
of the Divine Nature, is by a serious consi-
deration of
his attributes, for these are his very nature;
and when we
know them we know as much of God as
can be known
by us in this our weak and imperfect
state.
These attributes of the Divine Nature are
manifold;
and commonly
are distinguished into negative, relative,
and
positive. I shall enumerate only the
chief of them,
simplicity,
eternity, unchangeableness, immensity, domi-
nion,
all-sufficiency, holiness, truth, omnipotence, omnis-
cience,
justice, and mercy. Of these the
principal, and
those which
most respect us, are mercy and justice: all
the others
are declared in order to illustrate these.
For
the glory of
these hath God created the world and all
things in
it, especially those two capital kinds of creatures,
angels and
men. For these hath he permitted sin,
which
is so odious
and detestable to his infinite purity.
For
these hath
he sent his Son Into the world to the of leath
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 97
for every
man. For these hath he proclaimed his
law and
declared his
Gospel; the threatenings of the one and the
promises of
the other. For these hath he appointed a
day
and will
erect a tribunal of judgment, that he may make
the glory of
his mercy and of his justice conspicuous:
his justice,
in the eternal damnation of impenitent wretch-
es, who are
vessels of wrath fitted by their own sins for
destruction;
his mercy, in the salvation of penitent and
believing
souls, who are vessels of mercy fitted by his
grace for
eternal glory. All his other attributes,
I say,
serve to
illustrate these two; and as we conjoin them
either to
mercy or justice, so they are most enforcing
motives,
either of hope or fear. It is a mighty
support to
our hope,
when we reflect upon the mercy of God, ac-
companied
with the attributes of eternity, immutability,
truth, and
omnipotence; and again it will affect us with
a profound
fear and dread of this great and glorious God,
to consider
that the same attributes attend on his justice;
so that both
are almighty, the one to save, the other to
destroy.
If then we would conceive aright of God
when we
come to
worship him, let us not frame any idea of him in
our
imaginations, for all such representations are false and
foolish; but
let us labor to possess our hearts with all
awful esteem
of his attributes; and when we have, with
all possible
reverence, collected our thoughts and fixed
them upon
the contemplation of Infinite Justice, Infinite
Mercy,
Infinite Truth, Infinite Power, and the rest, let
us then fall
prostrate and adore, for this is our God.
So the
apostle tells us, 1 John, 4:8, God is Love: not
only loving,
but love itself in the abstract. And, 1
John,
1:5, God is
Light.
Commandments.
98 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
3.
All the knowledge we have or can have of God
here, is
collected from what he hath been pleased to dis-
cover of
himself, either in his works or in his word. We
have but two
books to instruct us; the book of the crea-
tion and the
book of the Scriptures.
From the works of creation and providence
we may
come to know
much of God; even his eternal being and
godhead: and
the lectures which are read out of this
book are so
convincing and demonstrative of many of the
glorious
attributes of God, that the apostle tells us the
very heathen
themselves were left without excuse because
they did not
worship him as God, when by the things
which they
saw they knew him to be God. Rom. 1:21.
But to us
God hath vouchsafed more clear and lively
discoveries
of himself; declaring to us those attributes
by his word,
the knowledge of which we could never
have
attained by his works alone. Therefore
the Scrip-
tures are
called the lively oracles of God, Acts 7:38;
and they are
the glass wherein, with open face, we be-
hold the
glory of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3:18.
4. When we have improved and strengthened
our un- derstandings in the highest degree, it will still be utterly
impossiblefor
us to know God as he is in himself. He dwell-
eth in that
light to which no mortal eye can approach.
He
hides and
veils himself with light and glory. It
is his sole
privilege
and prerogative, as to love, so to know himself
for nothing
better can be loved, nothing greater can be
know. God is incomprehensible to all his creatures,
but
is
comprehended by himself; and that ever-blessed Es-
sence, which
is infinite to all others, is yet finite to its own
view and
measure.
All the discoveries we receive of God are
not so much
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 99
to satisfy
an inquisitive curiosity as to excite pious affec-
tions and
devotion; for reason, which is the eye of the in-
tellectual
soul, glimmers and is dazzled when it attempts
to look
steadfastly on him who is "the Father of Lights;"
and its
weakness is such, that that light which makes it see
doth also
strike it blind. Yea, our faith, which
is a strong-
er eye than
that of reason, and given us that we might see
him who is
invisible," yet here in this life it hath so
much dust
and ashes in it that it discerns but imperfectly,
and receives
the discoveries of a Deity refracted through
the glass of
the Scriptures, so allayed and attempered,
that though
they are not most expressive of his glory, yet
they are
fittest for our capacity.
The full manifestation of his brightness
is reserved for
heaven. This beatifical vision is the happiness and
per-
fection of
saints and angels on whom the Godhead dis-
plays itself
in its clearest rays. There we shall see
him
as he is,
and know him as we are known by him.
Here
we could not
subsist, if God should let down upon us
the full
beams of his excessive light and glory.
Hence we read in Scripture what dreadful
apprehen-
sions the
best of God's saints have had, after some extra-
ordinary
discoveries that God had made of himself to
them. Thus Isaiah cries out, chap. 6:5, "Wo is
me! for
I am undone;
because I am a man of unclean lips--for
mine eyes
have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."
And
when our
Savior Christ put forth his divine power only
in the
working of a miracle, the glory of it was so terrible
and
insupportable, even to holy Peter, that he cries out,
"Depart
from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord."
Luke 5:8.
Though God be the very life of our souls,
and the ma-
100 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
nifestations
of his love and favor better than life itself, yet
such is our
limited state here in this world, that we can-
not see God
and live. Frail nature is too weak to
con-
tain its own
happiness, until heaven and eternal glory
enlarge it;
and then it shall see those inconceivable mys-
teries of
the Trinity in Unity, the hypostatical union of
the human
nature with the divine: then it shall view and
surround the
incomprehensible God, and be able to bear
the
unchecked rays of the Deity beating full upon it. In
the mean
time we must humbly content ourselves with
those
imperfect discoveries that God is pleased to allow
us; still
breathing after that state where we shall enjoy
perfect
vision; and, in it, an entire satisfaction and hap-
piness.
Let us then most earnestly covet the
knowledge of
God, and
endeavor to make ourselves here, as like to
what we hope
to be hereafter, as the frailty of human
condition
will permit. This is the chief glory of a man;
one of the
highest ornaments and perfections of a rational
soul; that
which doth, in some sort, repair the decays of
a fallen
state, and renew those primitive characters which
ignorance
and error have obliterated in our souls.
And,
indeed,
without the knowledge of God, we can never be
brought to
love him, to trust and confide in him, nor to
serve him as
we ought. And, though there may be a
great deal
of zeal in ignorant persons, yet zeal without,
knowledge is
but a religious frenzy; it is religion fright-
ed out of
its wits. A man that knows not the
bounds of
sin and
duty, is a fit subject for the devil to work upon,
who will be
sure so to manage him, that he shall do a
great deal
of mischief very honestly and with very good
intentions.
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 101
III. A third heinous violation of this first command is
by PROFANENESS.
Profaneness may be taken either in a more large and
general, or in a more proper and restrained sense.
If we take it properly, it signifies only the neglect or
despising of spiritual things; for, in a strict acceptation,
he is a profane person who either slights the duties of
God's service, or the privileges of God' s servants.
But, in the larger and more common sense of the word,
every ungodly sinner who gives up himself to work wick-
edness, and lives in a course of infamous and flagitious
crimes, is a profane person. Indeed, he is profane in the
highest degree, who not only neglects the more spiritual
duties of religion, but the natural duties of moral honesty,
temperance and sobriety; for, as there are but two
things which practically make an excellent and accom-
plished christian, namely, religion and virtue, the one di-
recting our worship towards God, the other our conver-
sation towards men; so, on the contrary, the despising
of religion and the neglect of virtue make up that con-
summate and accomplished profaneness which we see so
common and prevalent in the world.
But, concerning the wickednesses which usually meet
together, and are concerned in this sort of profane per-
sons, I shall not now speak, reserving them to be treated
in their proper place, when I come to insist on those
commands which each of their sins transgresseth.
At present, I shall notice that only which is properly
called profaneness, and speak of it as a distinct sin, dis-
tinctly prohibited in this precept. And here I shall first
give you some account of the name, and then of the
thing.
102 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
The word profane is supposed to have its etymology
from procul a fano, which signifies "far from the temple."*
Now because their temples were the usual places
wherein they solemnly worshipped, therefore the word
profane is transferred to denote those who neglect and
put far from them the worship of God. And so, accord-
ing to this sense of the word, many others, besides lewd
and debauched wretches, will be found to be profane.
For, not only those who let loose the reins to all manner
of villanies, but even those whose morality is unblame-
able, and perhaps exemplary; who lead a sober and ra-
tional life, and scorn a vicious action as a baseness below
the nature and unworthy the spirit of a man; yet such
grave, prudent, and honest persons do, too many of
them, especially in these our days, deserve the censure
and black brand of being profane. And therefore, that
we may the better judge who are the profane, and on
whom that imputation justly lies, let us consider what
the sin of profaneness is, and what are the true and pro-
per characters of a profane person.
1. What profaneness is.
In general, profaneness is the slighting and neglecting
of things holy and sacred, undervaluing and condemning
those things that are spiritual and excellent. And who-
soever is guilty of this; let his outward demeanor in the
world be as fair and plausible as morality or hypocrisy
can adorn it, yet he is a profane person; and heinously,
violates this first command, which enjoins us to worship,
reverence, and honor the most high God, whom we pro-
fess to own. Now spiritual an sacred things are,
(1.) God himself; in his nature and essence, whom we
*So Macrob. Saturnal. lib. iii. cap. 3.
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 103
profane whensoever we entertain any blasphemous or
unworthy thoughts of him derogatory to his infinite per-
fections.
(2.) God, in his name, which we profane when, in
our trivial and impertinent discourses, we rashly bolt out
that great and terrible name at which all the powers of
heaven and hell tremble. And how much more do we
profane it by oaths and execrations, which are now
grown the familiar dialect of so many, and are looked on
only as a grace and ornament of speaking! Scarce can
we hear any discourse from them but these flowers are
below sprinkled among it; and the name of God must be
such brought in, either as an expletive or an oath. And what
doth sadly forebode the growing profaneness of the next
age, how many children are taught, or suffered, to call.
upon God in their play, before they are taught to call
upon him in their prayers!
(3.) God, in his attributes, which we profane when
our affections or actions are opposite or unsuitable to
them. We profane his holiness by our impurity; his
omnipotence by our despondency; his omniscience by
our hypocrisy; his mercy by our despair; his justice by
our presumption; his wisdom by our sinful policy; his
truth, by our security notwithstanding his threatenings,
and our slothfulness notwithstanding his promises. And
in this sense, every sin that we commit is a kind of pro-
faneness, as it manifests a contempt of the infinite per-
fections and excellencies of the Deity; for there is no
man whose heart is possessed with a reverential and due
esteem of the great God, that can be induced by any
temptations to sin against him and provoke him. Every
sin is a slighting of God, either a slighting of his justice,
104 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
or mercy, or holiness, or power, or all of them; for
what doest thou else when thou sinnest, but prefer some
base pleasure or some sordid advantage before the great
God of heaven? The devil represents the delights of
sin or the profits of the world to thee, to entice thee;
but thy conscience represents to thee the everlasting
wrath of the great God if thou contest, his justice
ready to sentence thee to everlasting torments, and his
power armed to inflict them: now if thou yieldest, what
dost thou but vilify and depise the Almighty God; as if
his dread power and severe justice were not so consider-
able as to outweigh either the impure pleasures of a vile
lust, or the sordid gain and advantage of a little transi-
tory pelf?
Nay, couldst thou by one act of sin make all the trea-
sures and delights of the whole world tributary to thee;
should the devil take thee when he tempts, as he took
Christ, and show thee all the kingdoms of the world, and
the glory of them, and promise to instate it all upon thee
--yet, to prefer the whole world before the authority of
God, who hath strictly forbidden thee to think any thing
in it worth the venturing upon his displeasure and the
hazarding his wrath and vengeance, is a most notorious
slighting and contemning the great God, and argues a
profane spirit: how much more then, when we sin against
God for nothing, and defy his wrath and justice without
being provoked to it by any temptation! We find how
heinously God takes it, and speaks of it as a mighty affront
and indignity, that our Lord Christ should be so under-
valued as to be sold for thirty pieces of silver; for it
argued not only treason but contempt. Zech. 11:13.
"A goodly price that I was prized at of them." And yet,
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 105
truly, Judas was a very thrifty sinner in comparison
with many among us, who not only betray Christ to the
mocks and injuries of others, but crucify him daily, and
put him to an open shame for far less.
Yea, there are many that would not suffer so much as
a hair of their heads to be twitched off for that for which
they will not stick to lie, and swear, and blaspheme.
What should tempt the impious buffoon to deride reli-
gion, travest the Holy Scriptures, and turn whatsoever
is sacred and venerable into burlesque and drollery, but
only that he may gain a little grinning and sneering ap-
plause to his wit from a company of mad fools like him-
serf? or what should tempt the cheap swearer to open
his black throat as wide as hell, and to belch out his blas-
phemies against heaven and the God of heaven, but only
that he fancies that a well-mouthed oath will make his
speech the more stately and genteel? And are these mat-
ters of such consequence as to be called or accounted
temptations? Certainly there can be nothing else in these
sins besides a mere mad humor of sinning; which de-
clares a most wretched contempt of God when we do
that for nothing which his soul hates and his law forbids,
and a most profane spirit in making that common and
trivial which is infinitely holy and sacred.
Thus you see how God is, profaned in his nature, in his
name, and in his attributes. He is profaned also,
(4.) In the time he hath set apart and consecrated for
his own worship and service. This we profane when we
employ any part of it in the unnecessary affairs of this
life, but much more in the service of sin. This is a sacri-
legious robbing God of what is dedicated entirely to him
and that either by his immediate appointment, as the
106 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Sabbath, or by the appointment of those whom God hath
set over us, and intrusted not only to preserve our rights
and property, but also his worship inviolate, as special
days of joy or mourning, thanksgiving or humiliation.
(3.) In the ordinances of Jesus Christ. These we pro-
fane when we either neglect them, or are remiss and
careless in our attendance on them. But of this I shall
speak more anon.
Thus I have shown you what profaneness is. It is a
slighting and despising of spiritual and sacred things:
such as are holy originally, as God, his name and attri-
butes; and such as are holy by Institution, as his Sabbaths
and ordinances. But we were to consider,
2. What are the true and proper characteristics (of a
profane person; and this, that we may the better look
into our own hearts and lives, and both observe and cor-
rect that profaneness which resides there.
(1.) He then is a profane person who thinks and speaks
slightly of religion.
Religion is the highest perfection of human nature. By
it man differs more from brute beasts than he doth by
his reason. For brute creatures have some notable re-
semblance and hints of reason; but none at all of reli-
gion: they glorify God as all the works of the creation
do, by showing forth in their frame and production his
infinite attributes, but they cannot adore nor worship
him. This is a pre-eminence peculiar to the most perfect
pieces of the creation, men and angels. For as it is a
perfection of the Deity to be the object of worship, to
whom all adoration both in heaven and earth ought to be
directed, so it is the perfection of rational creatures to
ascribe honor, and glory, and praise, and worship to Him
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 107
who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever
and ever. And therefore they who despise religion, de-
spise that which is their own chiefest excellency, and
profane that which is the very crown of their nature
and being.
But alas, have we not many such profane persons
among us, who deride piety and make a scoff of reli-
gion; who look upon it only as a politic invention to
keep the rude and ignorant vulgar ill awe?
Yea, and those who take up their religion, not by
choice, but merely by chance; either as a patrimony left
them by their fathers, or as a received custom of the
country wherein they were born: never troubling them-
selves to examine the reasonableness and certainty of it.
These likewise are profane-spirited men, who do not
believe religion to be a matter of such concern as to
require their exactest study and industry in searching
into its grounds and principles, but think that any may
suffice, whatsoever it be.
Again, those who secretly despise the holiness and
strictness of others, and think they are too precise and
make needless ado to get to heaven. But indeed they
are not too precise; but these are too profane who thus
contemn religion as unnecessary and superfluous.
(2.) He is a profane person who neglects the public
worship and service of God when he hath opportunity and
ability to frequent it.
And alas, how many such there are who yet think it
foul scorn to have this black name fixed upon them;
yea, and are the readiest in the world to brand others
with it that are not of their way and sentiments! But
let them be who they will that despise and forsake the
108 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
solemn assemblies, they do thus despise and forsake God.
Now these are of two sorts: some absent themselves
out of a wretched sloth and contempt of the word and
ordinances of Jesus Christ; others out of a pretended
dissatisfaction and scruple of conscience. Both are pro-
fane; but the one strangely mingles profaneness and hy-
pocrisy, and the other is profane out of ignorance or
atheism.
Some are negligently profane. These absent them-
selves from the ordinances of Jesus Christ and the so-
lemn worship of God through mere sloth and reckless
contempt. And how many there are of this sort, the
thinness of many congregations doth too evidently de-
clare. If we should search for them, should we not find
them sleeping in bed, or idly lolling about the house, or
walking or riding abroad for pleasure? spending their
time in vain chat, eating and drinking, and sacrificing to
their god, their belly, while they should be worshipping
the great God of heaven. Possibly, a fair day, or want
of other diversion, may sometimes bring them to church,
yet this is so seldom that we may well suspect they
come, not indeed for custom's sake, but rather out of no-
velty than devotion. But if it prove a wet or lowering
day, these tender people, whom neither rain nor cold can
prejudice at a fair or market, dare not stir out of their
doors, nor step over their own threshold to go into God's.
house, lest they should hazard their health instead of
gaining their salvation. What shall I say to such brutes
and heathens, who not only deny the power, but the very
form of godliness? Some of them may perhaps read
what I here present, and may my word, nay, not mine,
but the word of the living God strike them! God will
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 109
pour out his wrath "upon the heathen, and upon the
families that call not on his name."
But some again are humorsomely profane; and these
are they who withdraw themselves from the public wor-
ship of God merely upon pretended scruple and dissa-
tisfaction as to the mode of worship practiced by those
with whom they might most naturally be expected to
worship. Concerning such, I think it is no uncharitable-
ness to say, that where scruple at the administration of
ordinances is only pretended to color contempt of the
ordinances, there religion is only made a mask and vizor
for hypocrisy. And I would beseech them to account of
all who preach the truth in Christ, that they are minis-
ters of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God,
although all do not observe the same form of worship;
and if they cannot deny that they are such with whom
they might be expected to worship, will they deny them
audience when they come as ambassadors from the great
King of heaven, to deliver his message to them in his
name? Do not all who truly preach Christ, preach the
same truths, and exhort to the practice of the same ho-
liness? Do they not administer the same ordinances,
wherein are represented to all believing partakers the
benefits of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ?
(3.) He is also a profane person who neglects the per-
formance of religious duties in private.
Every house ought to be a temple dedicated to God,
and every master a priest, who should offer unto God
the daily sacrifices of prayer and praise. But, alas, how
many profane persons have we, and how many profane
families, who scarce ever make mention of God but in an
oath, nor ever call upon his name but when they impre-
110 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
cute some curse upon others! How many who wholly
neglect the duty of player, and think they sufficiently
discharge their trust if they provide for the temporal sub-
sistence of their families, though they utterly neglect the
care of their souls and their spiritual concerns! Such pro-
fane families as these God ranks with infidels and hea-
thens, and devotes them to the same common destruction.
Jer. 10:25.
Nor ought our family duties to be more seldom per-
formed by us than morning and evening. In the morning,
prayer is the key that opens to us the treasury of God's
mercies and blessings; in the evening, it is the key that
shuts us up under his protection and safeguard. God is
the great Lord of the whole family both in heaven and
earth: other masters are but, under him, intrusted to see
that those who belong to their charge perform their du-
ties both to him and themselves. One of the greatest ser-
vices we can do for God, is to pray unto him and praise
him. And how unjust and tyrannical is it for a master of
a family to exact service to himself, when he takes no
care to do service to his great Lord and Master, to whom
it is infinitely more due!
Neither is there any excuse that can prevail to take off
your obligation from this duty.
Not that thou art ignorant, and knowest not how to
pray; for many are the helps that God hath afforded
thee. Do but bring breath and holy affections; others
have already brought to thy hands words and expressions
proper enough for the concerns of most families. And
besides, use and common practice will facilitate this duty;
and by an incessant conscientious performance of it, thou
wilt, through the promised assistance of the Holy Ghost
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 111
be soon able to suit thy affections with pertinent expres-
sions and to present both in a becoming manner unto the
throne of grace.
Not the multiplicity and encumbrance of thine affairs.
For the more and the weightier they are, the more need
hast thou to ask counsel and direction of God, and to
beg his blessing upon thee in them, without which thou
wilt but labor in the fire and weary thyself for very vanity.
Not thy bashfulness and modesty. For will it not be a
far greater shame to thee, that those whom thou govern-
est and perhaps overawest even by thy rash and unreason-
able passions, should be able to overawe thee from so ex-
cellent and necessary a duty? Be ashamed to sin before
them; be ashamed to talk loosely, to profane the name of
God, to be intemperate or unjust before them, to defile
thy mouth and their ears with unclean and scurrilous dis-
course; be ashamed to neglect thy duty; but be not
ashamed to pray, for our Savior hath told us, Mark, 8:
38, that "whosoever shall be ashamed of him in this
adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the
Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of
his Father, with the holy angels."
And therefore, since there is no just reason why thou
shouldst refrain prayer from the Almighty, whosoever thou
art that doest so, be thy conversation in all other respects
never so blameless (which yet it is not very probable that
it should be when thou beggest not grace from God to di-
lect it,) thou art a profane person; and declarest thyself
to be so, by the neglect of the most holy and spiritual of all
those duties wherein we are to draw nigh unto God.
(4.) He is a profane person that performs holy duties
slightly and superficially.
112 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
All our duties ought to be warmed with zeal, winged
with affection, and shot up to heaven from the whole bent
of the soul. Our whole hearts must go into them, and the
strength and vigor of our spirits must diffuse themselves
into every part of them to animate and quicken them.
Hence the apostle commands us, Rom. 12: 11, to be
"fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." Sacrifices, which
under the Jewish economy were the greatest part of
God's solemn worship, were commanded to be offered up
with fire; and no other fire could sanctify them but that
miraculously sent down from heaven, or from the pre-
sence of God in the sanctuary, which was ever after kept
burning for that very use. Lev. 9:24; 6:9. So, truly, all
our christian sacrifices both of praise and of prayer must
be offered up to God with fire; and that fire which alone
can sanctify them, must be darted down from heaven: the
celestial flame of zeal and love which comes down from
heaven and hath a natural tendency to ascend thither
again, and to carry up our hearts and souls upon its wings
with it.
But indeed too often our duties are--
Offered up with strange unhallowed fire. They are fired
by some unruly passion of hatred, or self-love, or pride and
vain-glory. Like those choleric disciples that presently
would command fire to come down from heaven to con-
sume those who had affronted them by refusing to give
them entertainment, only that God by such a severe mi-
racle might vindicate their reputation and revenge the
contumely that was done them. But this is a fire kindled
from beneath, and therefore our Savior himself sharply
checks their furious zeal, "Ye know not what manner of
spirit ye are of." Luke 9:55. And certainly, whenso-
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 113
ever we pray thus in the bitterness of our spirits, devot-
ing our enemies to destruction, and that because they are
ours rather than God's; when we pour out a great deal of
gall mingled with our petitions; such a prayer cannot be
from the dove-like spirit of God, which is meek and gentle,
and makes those so who are led and inspired by him. Every
party and persuasion of men is very ready boldly to pre-
scribe unto God those ways and methods by which he
ought to be glorified; and if any shall but question their
principles or oppose their rash and unwarrantable pro-
ceedings, their touchy zeal is straight kindled, and nothing
less than solemn prayers must be made to devote such a
one to ruin and destruction, as an enemy to God and to
religion. Here is fire indeed! but it is wild-fire kindled
from beneath; the fuel of it is faction, popularity, pride,
contention, and vain-glory; and it sends forth a great
deal of smoke from corrupt and inordinate passions.
Again, if there be none of the former incentives to heat
them, then our duties are commonly very cold and
heartless.
Our prayers are dull and yawning, and drop over our
lips without any spirit or life in them: how often do we
beg God to hear us when we scarce hear ourselves! and
to grant us an answer when we scarce know what it is
that we have asked! We make our requests so coldly and
indifferently, as if we only begged a denial.
So likewise in our hearing of the word, we bring with
us very slight and profane spirits to those holy and lively
oracles. What else mean the vagrancy and wanderings of
our thoughts; our lazy and unbeseeming postures, which
would be counted rude and unmannerly to be used in the
presence of some of those that are with us in our wor-
114 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
ship, were they any where else but in the church? What
means our weariness; our watching every sand that
runs; our despising the simplicity of the Gospel; our
prizing the sound of words more than the weight of
things; but especially our indulged sloth and drowsiness?
a sin that I have observed is too common. What, cannot
you watch with God one hour? Do we speak poppy and
opium to you? Or do you expect that God will now re-
veal himself to you in dreams? Have ye not houses, have
ye not beds to sleep in; or do you despise the church of
Christ? Certainly God requires our most wakeful and vi-
gilant attention when he delivers to us the most important
things of his law and of our salvation. These, and many
other things, which to particularize would perhaps be to
descend below the majesty of this work, do too evidently
declare that the precious truths of the Gospel are grown
vile among us; that we have taken a surfeit of this hea-
venly manna, this bread of life, and now begin to loathe it.
Beware lest this surfeit bring after it a famine.
It plainly argues much profaneness in our spirits when
we bring only our outward man, our dull and heavy car-
casses to attend upon God, while our hearts and minds are
straying and wandering from him. This is a sign that we
despise God, and account any thing good enough, the
lame and the blind, to be offered to him. Against such
God hath thundered out a most dreadful curse, Mal.
1:14, "Cursed be the deceiver, who hath in his flock a
male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt
thing; for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts,
and my name is dreadful." Thou, who sufferest thy
thoughts, or thine eyes which are the index of them, to
rove in prayer, or to be sealed up with sleep in hearing,
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 115
thou despisest the great God before whom thou appear-
est, and thinkest it enough if thou affordest him thy bodily
presence, although thy heart be with the eyes of the fool
in the ends of the earth; for such a service is but mock-
ery, and it is less reproachful to tender God no service
than to perform it slightly and ceremoniously: the one is
disobedience, but the other is contempt.
(5.) He is a profane person that performs holy duties
for worldly ends and advantage.
For what greater contempt of God can there be than
to make his service truckle under the base and low de-
signs of this present life? This is to make religion tribu-
tary to interest, and God himself a homage to mammon.
And this all hypocrites are guilty of: though they mask
their designs with specious pretences, and draw the veil
of religion over their sordid and wicked contrivances;
yet they cry out, with Jehu, "Come, see my zeal for
the Lord," when he drove on so furiously only for the
kingdom.
Indeed, a hypocrite, though he be not commonly so
esteemed, is the most profane wretch that lives. The
gross, profligate sinner offers not half so much indignity
to religion as he doth. For,
The hypocrite calls in God to be an accomplice and par-
taker with him in his crimes; and so makes God to be the
patron of sin, who will be the judge and condemner of
sinners.
All his injustice, rapine and rebellion are colored over
with the fair pretence of the glory of God, the interest
of the kingdom of Christ, the advancement of the power
of godliness, reformation of idolatry and superstition, &c.
and there is no act of fraud or violence, faction or sedi-
116 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
tion but he thinks it justified and hallowed by these glo-
rious names: which is nothing else but to rob men and
I make God the receiver, who is the detester, and will be
the punisher of such crimes. Now the open and flagi-
tious wretch, although he hates God as much as the hypo-
crite, yet he doth not so much deride him: his wicked-
nesses are plain and avowed, and every one may see
from whence they proceed and whither they tend; that
they come from hell, and directly tend thither: religion
is not at all concerned to color but only to condemn
them. And judge ye which doth most despise God and
godliness; he who professeth it not at all, or he who pro-
fesseth it only that he may abuse and abase it, and make
it subservient to vile and sordid ends infinitely unwor-
thy of it.
Again, the wound religion receives from hypocrites is far
more dangerous find incurable than that .inflicted on it by
the open and scandalous sinner.
For religion is never brought into question by the enor-
mous vices of an infamous person; all see and all abhor
his sin. But when a man shall have his mouth full of
piety and his hands full of wickedness, when he shall
speak scripture and live devilism, profess strictly and
walk loosely, this lays a grievous stumbling-block in the
way of others; and tempts them to think that all religion
is but mockery, and that the professors of it are but hypo-
crites; and so imbitters their hearts against it as a so-
lemn cheat put upon the credulous world. Certainly such
men are the causes of all that contempt which is cast
upon the ways and ordinances of God; and their secret
profaneness hath given occasion to the gross and open
profaneness that now abounds in the world, and the
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 117
hypocrisy of former years hath too fatally introduced the
atheism of these.
Nay, a hypocrite must needs be an atheist; and in his
heart deny many of God's glorious attributes, but espe-
cially his omniscience; and say within himself, as those,
Psalm 73:11, "How doth God know, and is there
knowledge in the Most High?" For did they but believe
that God looks through all their disguises; and that his
eye, which is light unto itself, pierceth into their very
souls: did they but seriously consider that all things are
naked and open before him; that he knows our thoughts
afar off, and is privy to our closest designs, they would
not certainly be either so daringly wicked or so childishly
foolish as to plot upon God, and seek to deceive and
delude Omniscience.
This profaneness of the hypocrite, in seeking temporal
things by spiritual pretences, is much more abominable
than the profaneness of others who seek them by unjust
and unlawful means; for the one only makes impiety, but
the other piety itself an instrument of his vile and sordid
profit, than which there cannot be a greater scorn and
contempt put upon religion.
(6.) He is a profane person who makes what God hath
sanctified common and unhallowed.
And have we not many such profane persons among
us? Many that abuse the holy and reverend name of
God, which ought to be had in the highest esteem and
veneration, about light and frivolous matters? who only
make mention of him in their idle chat, but are mute and
dumb when any thing should be spoken to his praise?
Many that profane his Sabbaths; and although God hath
liberally allowed them six days for the affairs of earth,
118 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
yet will not spare the seventh for the affairs of heaven,
but impiously invade what he hath set apart and conse-
crated for himself and his own immediate worship and
service? Many that never speak scripture but when
they abuse it; making the Bible their jest-book, and
prostituting those phrases and expressions which God
hath sanctified to convey unto us the knowledge of him-
self and eternal life, to the laughter and mirth of their
loose companions? So that those very words which the
Holy Ghost inspired into the penmen of the Sacred
Scriptures for the edification of the church, the devil
inspires into these wretches for their own damnation and
the damnation of those that have pleasure in such horrid
profaneness.
(7.) He is a profane person who despiseth spiritual pri-
vileges and enjoyments.
Upon this very account the Scripture sets that black
and indelible brand upon Esau: "Lest there be any
profane person among you, as Esau, who for one morsel
of meat sold his birthright." Heb. 12:16. And why is
Esau stigmatized as profane for selling his birthright, but
because in those first ages of the world the first-born or
eldest of the family was a priest, and that sacred function
by right of primogeniture belonged unto him? and there-
fore we read that the tribe of Levi were taken by God to
be his priests and ministers, in exchange for the first-
born. Now, to slight and undervalue an office so holy
and sacred, a privilege so eminent, a dignity so sublime
and spiritual--to part with it only for the satisfying of
his hunger--was a sign of a profane spirit; in preferring
the god, his belly, before the God of heaven; and. for
ever renouncing his right of sacrificing to the true God,
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 119
on1y that he might sacrifice one pleasant morsel to his
impatient appetite.
And certainly, if it were so profane in Esau to slight
and contemn the priesthood in himself, they are also pro-
fane who vilify it in others, and make those the objects
of their lowest scorn and contempt whose office it is to
stand and minister before God and Christ. Certainly, if a
dishonor done to an ambassador reflects upon the prince that
sent him, will not Christ account it as an affront and injury
done to him, when you affront and injure those his messen-
gers and ambassadors whom he hath sent to treat with you
in his name, and about the concerns of his kingdom?
But, not to speak more of this, lest we should be thought
to plead for ourselves; are not those profane who despise
and contemn the high privileges and dignity of the chil-
dren of God? who despise those whom God so highly
honors as to adopt them into his own family, to admit
them into near communion and endearment with himself,
to make them his own sons, and give them the privilege
of heirs of eternal g1ory? Doubtless, he who despiseth
him that is begotten, despiseth him likewise that beget-
teth; and the common disrespect which is shown to the
servants and children of God, argues a secret contempt
of him who is their Master and their Father.
Now lay these things to your own hearts, and bring
them home to your own consciences, and see whether you
are in none of these particulars guilty of profaneness. Do
none of you think slightly of religion; accounting it either
a politic design or a needless preciseness? Are none of
you negligent in the public worship and service of God,
nor yet in private and family duties; or, if you perform
them, is it not very carelessly and formally; or, if you
120 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
seem zealous in them, is not your zeal excited by some
temporal advantages, and low, base, worldly ends and de-
signs? Do you not make that common and unhallowed
which God hath made holy; either by abusing his name,
polluting his Sabbaths, or vilifying his word in your ordi-
nary raillery? And lastly, do none of you despise spiritual
privi1eges and enjoyments, and those likewise who are in
vested with them? If so, how fair and specious soever
your lives and actions may be, although you may think
the rude debauched sinner at a vast distance from your-
selves, and account him the only profane person; yet, cer-
tainly, this black style belongs as properly to you; and
you are profane violators of this first command, which
requires you to take the Lord for your God, and accord-
ingly to honor and reverence him and whatsoever apper-
tains to him.
IV. The fourth and last breach of this command is by
IDOLATRY: Thou shalt have no other gods before me;
which they are guilty of who set up any other god be-
sides the Lord Jehovah.
Idolatry, according to its etymology and use, signifies a
serving of images or idols. Now, an idol, though it pro-
perly signifies an artificial effigy or resemblance made to
represent any thing or person; yet, in divinity, it signifies
any thing besides the true God, unto which we ascribe
divine honor and worship.
And, as an idol is twofold; one internal, in the fiction
and imagination of the mind; another, external and visible,
either the work of men's hands, as statues and images, or
else the work of God's hands, as the sun, moon, and stars,
or any other creature: so there is a twofold idolatry; the
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 121
one internal, when in our minds and affections we honor
and venerate that as God which indeed is not so, but is
either a creature of the true God, or a fiction of a deluded
fancy; the other external, which we are then guilty of,
when we express the inward veneration of our souls by
outward acts of adoration. As, for instance, whosoever
shall believe the consecrated bread in the sacrament to be
transubstantiated and changed into the true and proper
body of Jesus Christ, and, upon this belief, shall in his
mind revere and honor it as his God, as the papists do, he
is guilty of internal idolatry: but if, to this internal vene-
ration he add any external rites of worship, as prostra-
tion, invocation, &c. he is then likewise guilty of exter-
nal idolatry.
It is the former of these two kinds of idolatry which is
here prohibited in this first commandment, Thou shalt
have no other gods before me: that is, thou shalt not give
to any thing, either in heaven or earth, that inward
heart-worship of affiance, love, fear, veneration, and de-
pendance, which is due only to the true God, the Lord
Jehovah.
The imperate acts, or outward expressions of this in-
ward worship, are that which we call external idolatry,
which is specially forbidden in the second commandment.
of which I shall treat in its place and order.
Now concerning this internal idolatry, observe these
following propositions:
1. Whosoever acknowledgeth, and in his heart worship-
peth another God, different from that God who hath re-
vealed himself to us in his holy Scriptures, is guilty of
this internal idolatry, and the breach of this first com-
mandment.
Commandments.
122 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
And therefore, not only are those idolaters who wor-
ship the devil; or those that have recourse to diabo-
lical arts and charms; or those who worship men, whose
vices were their apotheosis, and their crimes their con-
secration; as Bacchus, and Venus, and others of the
heathenish gods; or those who worshipped men famous
for their virtues, as the heathens did their heroes, and
the papists do their saints; or those, who worship any
of the creatures of God, as the host of heaven, fire as the
Persians, or water as the Egyptians, or the creatures of
art, as statues and images, as if possessed and animated
by their deities; in which respect Trismegistus called im-
ages the bodies of the gods;* (and with the same madness
are the papists possessed, who are persuaded that God,
and Christ, and the saints dwell in certain images made
to represent them, and by those images give answers to
their votaries, and perform many wonderful and miracu-
lous works; whereas, if there be any spirit that possess-
eth them, as perhaps there may, we have reason to be-
lieve that, since their worship of them is the very same
with the heathens, those spirits are likewise the same,
viz. not God, nor saints, but devils and damned spirits;)
I say, not only these are idolaters and transgressors
of this first command, but those also who compound a
God partly out of the figment of their own erroneous
minds, and partly out of his own infinite attributes: and
thus are all Arians, Socinians and Antitrinitarians guilty
of idolatry; for they acknowledge one infinite and eter-
nal Being, but, denying the persons of the Son and the
Holy Ghost, they worship an idol, and not the true God,
*Aug. de Civ. Dei. 1. viii. c. 23.
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 123
for the only true God is the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost.
2. Whosoever acknowledgeth, and in his heart wor-
shippeth more gods than the only Lord Jehovah, is guilty
of idolatry, and the violation of this first commandment.
Thus was the idolatry of those nations which the king
of Assyria planted in Israel, after he had carried away
the ten tribes into captivity; for it is said "that they
feared the Lord, and served their own gods." 2 Kings,
17:33. And upon this account also are all Arians and
Socinians, who deny the natural divinity of Jesus Christ,
justly charged with idolatry; for since they say that
Christ is God, and worship him as God, and yet deny that
he is of the same nature and substance with the Lord
Jehovah, they must of necessity make more gods than
one, and those of a diverse essence and being; and there-
fore they are not only guilty of blasphemy, but idolatry:
of blasphemy, in robbing Christ of his eternal Sonship
and the Divine nature; of idolatry, in attributing divine
honor and worship unto him whom they believe to be
but a creature, and not God by nature.
3. Whosoever doth ascribe or render to any creature
that which is proper and due only unto God, is an idolater,
and guilty of the transgression of this first commandment.
Now this attributing of the divine properties to crea-
tures is either explicit or implied; explicit, when we
avow the attributes of the divine nature to be in those
things which are not capable of them, as those who hold
the body of Christ to be omnipresent; implied, when we
render unto any creature that inward worship, esteem
and affection-which is due only to the infinite perfections
of the Deity.
124 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
And although our reformed religion be very well
purged from the former idolatry, yet certainly the pro-
fessors of it are not well purged from this latter idolatry;
for, even among Protestants themselves, we shall find
very many that are in this sense idolaters. For,
(1.) Whosoever chiefly and supremely loves any crea
ture, is an idolater; because our chiefest love is due only
to God.
Hence the covetous person is expressly called an idola-
ter; and covetousness, idolatry. Col. 3: 5. "Mortify your"
earthly" members; uncleanness, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is idolatry." Likewise the sensual
epicure is an idolater; his belly, saith the apostle, is his
god. Phil. 3 : 19. The proud person is an idolater; for
he loves himself supremely, sets up himself for his
own idol, and falls prostrate before that image which he
hath portrayed of his own perfections, in his own fancy
and imagination. And generally all who love and ad-
mire any thing above God, or esteem any thing so dear
that they would not willingly part with it for his sake,
have set up another god before him, to which they give
that service and respect which is due only to the great
God of heaven.
(2.) Whosoever puts his trust and confidence in any creature
more than in God, is guilty of this inward heart-idolatry.
As when we depend on interest, or power, or policy
for our safeguard and success, more than on that God
who is able both with and without created helps and
means to relieve us. And that we do so, appears when
we are secure and confident in the enjoyment of such
created comforts and supports, but altogether diffident
and dejected when we are deprived of them; for since
FIRST COMMANDMENT. 125
God is always the same, we should likewise have the
same courage and spirit, did we place our whole trust
in him.
(3.) He is an idolater, and a very gross one, who sets
up any creature in his heart, whether saint or angel, to
pray to it, and to betake himself to it as a refuge in his
straits and necessities.
For invocation properly belongs to God alone, as an
act of worship which he hath challenged to himself, and
the highest glory that we can give to his Divine Majesty.
And therefore he hath commanded us, Psalm 50:15,
"Call upon me," not upon any saint or angel, "in the
time of trouble, and I will deliver thee." And therefore
papists are most gross and stupid idolaters, who direct
their petitions, not to God, but to saints and angels:
which is nothing else but to advance them into his throne,
and to ascribe to them his infinite perfections; for prayer
and adoration suppose the object of it to be omnipresent
and omnipotent; omnipresent to hear, and omnipotent to
save, or else they are in vain.
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.
"Thou shalt not make unto thee any grave image, or any
likeness of any thing which is in heaven, above, or that
is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the
earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor
serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children
unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate
me: and showing mercy unto thousands of them that
love me, and keep my commandments."
IDOLATRY is twofold, either spiritual and internal, re-
siding in the affections and disposition of the soul; or
more gross and external, consisting in a visible adoration
of any thing besides God. The former is forbidden in the
First Commandment, as we have already seen; and the
latter is particularly forbidden in this Second Command-
ment, to which our attention will now be directed.
In this Commandment we have two parts: the Pre-
cept itself, and the Sanction of the precept, each of which
is twofold.
The precept runs negatively in two several prohibi-
tions, both tending to the same end and effect; the one
forbidding images to be made, "Thou shalt not make to
thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing;" the
other forbidding them to be worshipped, "Thou shalt not
bow down thyself before them, nor serve them."
The sanction contains a severe commination or threat-
ening against those that shall presume to violate this
command: "I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, vi-
siting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 127
the third and fourth generation;" and also for the encou-
ragement of obedience, a gracious promise, of "showing
mercy unto thousands that love God and keep his com-
mandments."
I shall begin with the COMMAND, or PROHIBITION. And
this, as I said, is twofold: Thou shalt not make images:
Thou shalt not worship them. Not that the carver's or
printer's art, but only the people's idolatry--not that the
ingenuity in making, but the stupidity in worshipping
those dumb representations--is here forbidden. The
brazen serpent in the wilderness, the cherubim, and
other resemblances in the temple, are a sufficient proof
and evidence of this.
This prohibition, therefore, must be interpreted ac-
cording to the subject matter here spoken of, and that
being only divine worship, it is plain that it is not unlaw-
ful to represent to the eye any visible thing by an arti-
ficial image of it, but only when God saith, Thou shalt
not make, and Thou shalt not worship, the meaning is,
Thou shalt not make any thing with an intention of wor-
ship; and, Thou shalt not worship any thing which thou
or others have made. But, concerning the prohibition of
this command, I shall speak more hereafter.
For the more full and clear understanding of this pre-
cept, I must desire you to recall to mind one of those sev-
eral general rules mentioned in the Introduction as help-
ful to instruct you in the due extent and latitude of the
Commandments, namely, that the negative commands all
include the injunction of the contrary positive duties: as,
when God forbids the taking of his name in vain, by
consequence he commands the hallowing and sanctifying
128 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
of his name; where he forbids murder, he commands all
lawful care and endeavor to preserve our own and the
life of others; where, in the First Precept, he forbids the
owning and cleaving to any other god besides himself,
he enjoins us to acknowledge him as our God, to love,
fear, and hope in him only. So, here in this Second
Command, where he forbids the worshipping of images,
by consequence he requires us to worship him according
to the rules he hath prescribed us. Therefore, as under
the First Command is comprehended whatsoever apper-
tains to the internal worship of God; so, under this
Second is comprehended whatsoever appertains to the
external and visible worship of God.
Here I shall first speak of the external and visible
worship of God; and then of those sins which are con-
trary to it, and condemned in this Commandment.
I. Concerning the WORSHIP OF GOD I shall lay down
the six following propositions:
1. The true and spiritual worship of God IN GENERAL,
is an action of a pious soul, wrought and excited in us by
the Holy Ghost" whereby, with godly love and fear, we
serve God acceptably, according to his will revealed in his
Word; by faith embracing his promises, and in obedience
performing his commands; to his glory, the edification of
others, and our own eternal salvation.
This is the true spiritual worship of the true God,
who is a spirit: and it comprehends in it, both the in-
ward worship of our hearts and souls, and likewise the
outward worship of holy and religious performances; of
which I am now particularly to treat.
2. Therefore, this EXTERNAL worship of God is a sacred
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 129
action of a pious soul, wrought arid excited by the Holy
Ghost; whereby, with, all reverence, we serve God both, in
words and deeds, according to his revealed will, in partaking
of his sacraments, attending on his ordinances, and perform-
ing those holy duties which he hath required from us; to his
glory, the edification of others, and our own eternal salvation.
This worship of God, although external, is nevertheless
spiritual; for it proceeds from the Spirit of God exciting
our spirits to the performance of it; and is directed by a
spiritual rule, unto a spiritual end, the glory of God and
our own salvation.
3. The parts of this external worship are divers and
manifold; whereof the most principal and essential are the
celebration of the sacraments, solemn prayer, and solemn
praise and thanksgiving.
But, besides these, there are many other things which be-
long to the service of God; yea, as many as there are
duties of religion and piety: such as a free, open, and un-
daunted profession of the truth; a religious vowing unto
God things that are lawful, and in our own power; an
invoking of the testimony of God to the truth of what we
assert, or to the faithful discharge of what we promise,
when we are duly called to do it by lawful authority; a
diligent reading of the word of God, and a constant and
reverent attendance on it when it is read and preached;
and divers other duties, too numerous to be here particu-
larly enumerated: some of which belong to the proper
worship of God, immediately as parts of it; others, medi-
ately, as means and helps to it.
4. Although God doth especially delight in the acts of
our internal worship, and principally regards the esteem
and veneration that we have for his great and glorious
130 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
majesty in our hearts; yet this alone sufficeth not, without
the performance of those parts of external worship and vis-
ible acts of piety and religion, which may to the glory of
God express the devout dispositions of our souls.
The inward acts of piety are those of faith in believ-
ing; of hope, in expecting our reward; of charity, in
loving both God and our neighbor; of fear, in reverenc-
ing him; of patience, in a contented bearing whatsoever
burdens it shall please the all-wise Providence of God
to lay upon us; and of a cheerful willingness to perform
all the duties of obedience which he enjoins us. These
belong to the internal worship and service of God; and
are especially pleasing and acceptable to him. And, in-
deed, without these, all outward acts of worship are both
dead and unsavory: for, as the spirit of a man is his
life, so the internal and spiritual piety of the heart, our
love, fear, and reverence of God, is the life of all our
duties, without which they are but as a dead carcass; so
far from being a sweet-smelling savor, that they are noi-
some and offensive to that God to whom we offer them.
Of this internal worship I have already spoken; and
what we are now to consider, is the external worship of
God; which also he hath absolutely required as we have
ability and opportunity: for though there need be no overt
actions to make the sincerity of our affections and inten-
tions known to God; yet it is necessary, for his glory
and a good example to others, to declare that to the
world, by visible signs and expressions, which was be-
fore known to him in the secret purposes and thoughts
of our hearts. And here I would remark,
(1.) God hath no less strictly enjoined external worship,
than internal.
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 131
What can be more external than the ceremonial part
of the evangelical law, the participation of Baptism and
the Lord's Supper? Both of which are yet most express-
ly commanded. Matt. 28:19. "Go, teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost." Acts, 2:38. "Repent, and be
baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ."
And for the communion of the body and blood of Christ,
see Luke, 22:19. "Do this in remembrance of me:"
which command they violate, and refuse to give the most
evident sign that they are christians, who either totally
neglect, or else very seldom attend this most holy and
spiritual ordinance.
(2.) God doth, severely both threaten and punish such as
give external worship unto any other but himself.
How often are the Israelites reproved for bowing the
knee to Baal, for baking cakes to the Queen of Heaven!
Yea, and very usually idolatry is set forth in Scripture
by some of those visible actions by which some of these
false worshippers used to express their devotion towards
their false deities, as bowing the body to them. Josh.
23:16. "Served other gods, and bowed yourselves to
them." Judges, 2:12, 17, &c. Kissing the hand unto
them, in token of reverence. Job 31:26, 27. "If I
beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in
brightness; and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my
mouth hath kissed my hand, this also were an iniquity to
be punished by the judge; for I should have denied the
God that is above." So, likewise, bowing the knee to any
idol, and kissing it. Hos. 13:2. "Let the men that sacri-
fice, kiss the calves." And so, when Elijah complained of
the total defection of the Israelites from the service of the
132 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
true God unto idolatry, God, to comfort and encourage
him, tells him that he ,vas not alone, but that there
were "seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that had
not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which had not
kissed him." 1 Kings, 19:18. And therefore, certainly,
since he makes so punctual a computation of those who had
not alienated their bodily worship to the service of an idol,
he doth respect and accept those who in faith and sin-
cerity tender it to himself.
(3.) God hath created the whole man, both soul and
body, for himself; and he sustains both in their being,
therefore he expects homage and service from both:
from the soul, as the chief seat of worship; from the
body, as the best testimony of it.
(4.) Not only our souls, but our bodies too are redeemed
by Christ, therefore, both should be employed in his
worship and service.
The whole man is bought with a price; the whole is
justified; the whole is sanctified. Yea, our very bodies
are said to be the temples of the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor.
6:19. And where should God be worshipped, or that
worship appear, if not in his temple? And, therefore; on
account of the purchase which Christ hath made of us
to himself, the apostle draws this inference in the fore-
mentioned place: "Ye are not your own; for ye are
bought with a price: wherefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spilit, which are God's."
(5.) The body as well as the soul is likewise to partake
of the blessings of obedience; and therefore it is but rea-
sonable it should partake of the service of obedience.
Many blessings are promised to our outward man, here
in this life; and hereafter it is to be made a glorious and
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 133
incorruptible body, like unto the glorious body of our
Lord Jesus Christ: it is to be clothed with light and
crowned with rays; never more to suffer injuries without
or diseases within; and therefore certainly duty belongs
to it, since so many great and unspeakable privileges be-
long to it.
Thus you see how reasonably God requires from us
the service not only of the inward but of the outward
man; and therefore we are not to slight that outward
reverence which is necessary to testify a due sense of his
glorious presence when we come before him: neither
must, we rob him of any part, either of his service or of
his servant, but sacrifice ourselves entirely to him; our
bodies on the altar of our souls, hearts and affections;
and both soul and body on that altar which alone can
make both acceptable, even the Lord Jesus Christ. So
much for this fourth proposition.
5. All that outward reverence which, we show towards
God in his worship and service, must be measured and esti-
mated according to the customs and usage of places and
countries; so that what they use as a sign and expression
of honor to their superiors, they ought much more to use
in the presence of the great God, the King of kings and
Lord of lords. And, therefore, uncovering of the head,
bowing of the body, an humble attitude and settled com-
posure of the whole man, which among us are but fitting
signs of respect and reverence when we appear in the
presence of those who are much our superiors, ought
likewise to be used by us in the presence of God, who is
infinitely such: not indeed that they are essential parts
of worship, but signs and testimonies of it.
6. We ought not to worship God with any other external
134 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
worship than what he himself hath commanded and ap-
pointed us in his holy word.
The Scripture hath set us our bounds for worship, to
which we must not add, and from which we ought not
diminish; for whosoever doth either the one or the other,
must needs accuse the rule, either of defect in things ne-
cessary, or of superfluity in things unnecessary; which is
a high affront to the wisdom of God, who, as he is the
object, so he is the prescriber of all that worship which
he will accept and reward.
I well know that this rule hath given (I cannot say
cause, but) occasion to many hot disputes about ecclesias-
tical rites and constitutions: some condemning whatso-
ever is prescribed or used in the service of God besides
things expressly commanded in Scripture, as encroach-
ments on the authority of God and additions to his wor-
ship, which he requires to be performed according to the
pattern in the mount and the model he hath delineated
for it; others again, maintaining the privilege and autho-
rity of the church, in ordaining some things for the more
decent and reverent performing of the service of God,
which are not particularly required in the holy Scriptures.
I shall not plunge myself into this controversy: only
give me leave to say, and sadly to lament, that the seam-
less coat of Christ is rent in pieces among them, whilst
some think it more decent to sew on loops and fringes to
it, and others will have none. And truly I think our dif-
ferences are of no greater importance in themselves,
though too woful in their consequences. I shall clearly
express my sense of this matter in a few words, without
any reflection or bitterness, and so leave it to the judg-
ment and discretion of all.
SECOND COMMANDMENT 135
Things which belong to the worship of God may be
considered either as parts of that worship, or only as
circumstances and modifications of it.
Therefore whatsoever is imposed on us as a substantial
part of the worship of God, if it be not expressly requir-
ed of us in the Holy Scriptures, is to be not only refus-
ed but abominated; for this is a plain addition to what
God hath commanded; and by it we lay an imputation
upon him as though he wanted wisdom to ordain what is
necessary for his own service.
Then, and then on1y, is any constitution of man im-
posed for a part of divine worship, when obedience to it
is urged upon us not only from the authority enjoining it,
but also from the necessity of the thing considered simply
and nakedly in its own nature. For as it is with God's
laws, some things are commanded because they are good,
and some things are good on1y because they are com-
manded; so it is with laws and impositions of men about
matters of religion and worship. Some things men com-
mand because they are in themselves necessary antece-
dently to their command, as enjoined before by God;
and therefore this is no ordinance or doctrine of man; but
of God, to which the magistrate, who is the guardian of
both tables, doth well to add the sanction of secular re-
wards and punishments: other things are necessary on1y
because they are commanded by the authority of those
to whom we owe conscientious obedience in things lawful
and indifferent. But we utterly deny that the imposition
of any such things makes them any parts of worship, of
which they are only circumstances; or that these obser-
vances are necessary to us, or acceptable to God antece-
dently to the command of authority; or that the worship
136 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
of God would be imperfect, defective, unacceptable and in-
valid to the ends for which it is appointed, were not these
observances commanded and performed.
Thus you see we put a vast difference between that
which is a part of worship and that which is but a circum-
stance of worship: if any thing be commanded us by
men as a part of worship which is not commanded us by
God, we ought not to submit to it. And certainly, did
we but rightly weigh what is required as a part of wor-
ship, and what only as a circumstance of worship, a
great deal of heat, and contention, and uncharitable
prejudice would be removed and prevented. It is true,
our Savior, Matt. 15:9, condemns the Scribes and Pha-
risees, that taught for doctrines the commandments of men:
that is, they taught those things which were but the tra-
ditions and ordinances of their elders, to be in themselves
absolutely necessary to the serving and worshipping of
God. But, certainly, this reproof falls not upon those who,
though they do enjoin what they judge fit for order, yet
do not teach them for doctrines, and are so far from
thinking their commandments an essential part of wor-
ship, that they would abhor and anathematize all those
that do so. Necessary they are to be submitted to and
practised, because enjoined by that authority to which
God hath committed the care of the first table as well as
the second; but not necessary in themselves as any part
of the worship and service of God, without which, al-
though they were not imposed by men, it would be unac-
ceptable to him.
And, now that I have delivered my judgment without
bitterness, give me leave to make some few lamentations
in the grief and bitterness of my soul. Is it not to be
SECOND COMMANDMENT 137
bitterly lamented, that in a reformed and orthodox
church there should be such schisms, rents and divisions:
altar against altar, pulpit against pulpit, and one congre-
gation against another? And what is all this contention and
separation for? Oh, they will tell you it is for the purity
of religion; for the trt1e and sincere worship of God; that
they may serve him purely without human additions or
inventions. Thus goes the cry, and well-meaning souls
take it up and join with it, never examining the grounds
of it; but conclude that those must be in the right who "
complain of corruptions and pretend to a happy and glo-
rious reformation. Alas, my brethren, was there ever
any schism in the world that did not plead the same?
Do not others separate from their communion upon the
same pretences on which they now separate from ours?
And may not the same argument serve to crumble them
into infinite fractions and subdivisions; till, at last, we
come to have almost as many churches as men, and
scarce a man constant and coherent to himself?
Is it then that we differ about mere accidents and
circumstances? I confess we do; but assert, withal,
that these things are not a just cause of separation and
division.
If we look back upon the primitive times, we shall find
that almost every church had its different rites and obser-
vances; and, yet, under that diversity they maintained
unity and communion. Yea, and at this day the reform-
ed churches observe different customs one from another,
and yet they inviolably hold communion together. The
Gallican, Belgic, Helvetian and German churches reject
us not, nor we them; although we differ in rites and dis-
cipline, and in those things which are left to the pru-
138 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
dence of every church to constitute as they shall judge
most necessary for order and edification.
Now, certainly, if these different rites and observances
be no ground for one national church to separate from the
communion of another, they can be no ground for private
persons to separate from the communion of the church to
which they belong. Nay, although they might with rea-
son dislike many usages either as frivolous or incongru-
ous, yet it becomes the temper and modesty of a pious
christian, in things merely circumstantial, to submit his
practice to the judgment of those with whom and under
whose watch he lives; and not to separate from the com-
munion of the church, to forsake its assemblies, to dis-
own its administration, only because he thinks some
things might be more conveniently ordered, according to
the model of his own or other men's apprehensions;
which, in the folly and sad consequences of it, would be
to act like him who took up a beetle and struck with all
his force to kill a fly that he saw on his friend's forehead.
What else were this but to rend the body of Christ by
an angry contending about the fashion of its garments;
and to tear away its limbs by a violent striving to strip
off those clothes which they think indecent?
For my part, I freely profess that were my lot cast
among any of the reformed churches beyond the seas, I
would presently join in their communion, and not at all
scruple to conform myself to their received customs;
although, perhaps, in my own private persuasions I may
judge some of them to be less serious and less reverent
than those of the church to which I belong. I have ever
venerated the advice of St. Ambrose to St. Austin: "If
thou wilt neither give offence nor take offence, conform
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 139
thyself to all the lawful customs of the churches where
thou comest." Aug. ad Jan. Ep. 118.
But I will not farther enlarge on this subject: only I pray
that our wanton dissensions about these less important
matters may not provoke God to deprive us of the sub-
stance and essentials of our religion; and reduce us to a
condition wherein we should be heartily glad could we
enjoy the liberty of the Gospel and the ordinances of our
Lord Jesus Christ under any form of administration. It
were just with God to extinguish the light of his Gospel,
when we use it not to work by, but all our study and
strife is how to snuff it. Thus much in general, touching
the external worship of God required in this commandment.
II. As to the SINS FORBIDDEN by it, they are two: con-
tempt of the worship of God, and superstition in per-
forming it.
Of the former I have already spoken largely in giving
the characters of a profane person. I shall therefore
here speak only of superstition.
Concerning the etymology of the word, both Tully and
Lactantius are agreed that it is derived from superstites,
"survivors:" but about the reason of the notion they
much differ. Tully saith, "They were called supersti-
tious who immoderately prayed and sacrificed that their
children might survive them." But Lactantius, not con-
tent with this reason, gives another: "They were called
superstitious, not who desired that their children might
survive them, for all desire this, but they who celebrated
the surviving memory of the dead, or who surviving their
parents, worshipped their images as their household gods."
Cicero de Nat: Deor. lib. ii; Lactan. Instit. lib. iv, c. 28.
140 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
But, whatever be the etymology of the word, we may
take this short description of it: that it is a needless and
erroneous fear in matters of religion. And this is two-
fold, either negative or positive.
Negative superstition is, when men fearfully abstain
from and abhor those things as wicked and abominable
which God hath not forbidden, and which therefore are
in themselves lawful and harmless. And they who are
bigoted with this superstition, will be sure to cry out
against all who observe such things as they condemn, as
miserably seduced and superstitious souls. Like Diogenes,
who is said to have trampled on Plato's pride with far
greater pride, so these exclaim against superstition with
far greater superstition. For superstition is not either the
observing or not observing of such things; but the doing
of either with an erroneous fear, lest God should be dis-
pleased and provoked if we did otherwise. He is, there-
fore, negatively superstitious who makes the not doing of
that which is lawful and harmless, a matter of conscience
and of religion.
Positive superstition is when men do fearfully observe
and perform those things which either are forbidden or
at least no where commanded by God. Or, if you will,
it is a restless fear of the mind, putting men upon acts
of religion which are not due or not convenient.
This positive superstition shows itself two ways: some-
times in giving divine honors to that which is not God;
and sometimes in performing needless and superfluous
services to the true God. Both are the effects of super-
stition, though commonly known by their proper names
the one being idolatry and the other will-worship,--
and both are forbidden in this commandment.
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 141
1. Idolatry is a species of superstition.
So we find it expressly, Acts 17:16, compared with
verse 22. In verse 16, it is said that Paul's "spirit was
stirred in him when he saw the city [Athens] wholly given
to idolatry." And in verse 22 it is said that Paul reprov-
ed them as being too superstitious. Therefore, though all
superstition be not idolatry, yet all idolatry is superstition;
yea, and the blackest kind of it.
Now idolatry is nothing else 'but the giving of religious
worship to an idol. And an idol is not only an artificial
image or representation of any thing, whether real or fic-
titious, set up to be worshipped; but any creature of
God, whether angels or men, sun or moon, or stars, &c.
to which we give any religious honor and service, becomes
to us an idol. The worshipping of any creature, whether
in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water
under the earth, is idolatry; which is particularly and
by name forbidden in this commandment.
And indeed this is a sin so absurd and stupid, that it is
a wonder it should ever be so bewitching as to inveigle
the far greater part of the world. The prophet Isaiah
very frequently derides the folly and madness of idolaters:
especially chap. 44: 16, 17. "He burneth part" of his
wooden god "in the fire; he roasteth" his meat with it,
"and is satisfied: he warmeth himself; and the residue
thereof he maketh a god: he falleth down unto it, and
worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver
me, for thou art my god." A most gross and bestial stu-
pidity! as if there were more divinity in one end of a
stick than the other. And yet a sin most strangely be-
witching; after which all the heathen world ran a whor-
ing; and from which all the remonstrances and threat-
142 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
nings which God makes to his own people of Israel
could not restrain them. Yea, and so strangely besotting
is it: that a very great part, even of those who profess the
name and doctrine of Jesus Christ, are most foully guilty
of it: I mean the papists; who, to hide their shame
in this particular from the notice of the people, have
covered it with a greater; and thought fit rather to ex-
punge this second commandment than to leave their
image-worship to be censured and condemned by it.
For, in all their catechisms and books of devotion which
they have published for the use of the vulgar, they have
sacrilegiously omitted this second commandment; as
fearing that the evidence of it would convict and con-
demn them of idolatry in the consciences of the most ig-
norant and illiterate that should but hear it rehearsed.
Let us now proceed to consider who may be justly
condemned of idolatry, in the violation of this precept.
(1.) He is an idolater that prays to any saint or angel;
for in doing this he ascribes that to the creature which is
an honor due only to God the Creator. Our faith and
our invocation ought to be terminated in the same object.
Rom. 10:14. "How shall they call on him in whom they
have not believed?" Therefore, if we cannot, without blas-
phemy, say that we believe in such a saint or angel; nei-
ther can we, without idolatry, pray to that saint or angel.
(2.) But the most execrable idolatry is that of entering
into league and correspondence with the devil; to consult
and invoke him; and by any wicked arts implore or make
use of his help and assistance. Of this are those guilty in
the highest degree who enter into any express compact
with the devil; which is always ratified with some ho-
mage of worship given to him. And in a secondary and
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 143
lower degree are those guilty of it who apply themselves
to seek help from such forlorn wretches as use tradition-
ary charms and incantations, or any vain observances to
free them from pains and diseases, or other troubles that
molest them. For all those things which have not a na-
tural efficiency to produce that effect for which they are
used, may very reasonably be suspected to have been
agreed on formerly between the devil and some of his
especial servants, and that all the virtue they retain is
only from that compact; which as it was explicit in those
that made it, so it is implicit in those that use them; for
they still act in the power of that first stipulation and
agreement.
(3.) Whosoever bows down his body in religious adora-
tion of any image, or other creature, is guilty of idolatry;
and doth most expressly transgress the very letter of this
command, "Thou shalt not bow down before them, nor
worship them."
And here is but a vain refuge, to which the Papists be-
take themselves when they excuse themselves from being
guilty of idolatry, because, although they worship images,
yet they worship the true God by them. For, in fact, they
worship the images of very many creatures, both men and
angels; nor is their evasion concerning latreidouleia, and
uperdouleia, any other than a vain and frivolous distinction.
And whereas they pretend to worship the true God
by an image, we reply, that it is most impious to at-
tempt to represent God by any visible resemblance; and
therefore much more to worship him, could he be so repre-
sented. For God, who is infinite, cannot be circumscribed
by lines and lineaments; and, being invisible, cannot be
resembled. Hence he again and again inculcates it up-
144 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
on the Israelites, that when he delivered the law to
them, he appeared not in any shape, that they might not
audaciously attempt to delineate him, and so be enticed
to idolatry. "Ye heard the voice of words, but saw no
similitude; only ye heard a voice." Deut. 4:12. "Take
ye therefore good heed unto yourselves, (for ye saw no
manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto
you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire,) lest ye cor-
rupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the si-
militude of any figure." v. 15. When therefore the
Papists plead that they worship the only true God by
images, this is no better than to excuse one horrid sin
by the commission of another.
To worship the true and only God by an image, is gross
idolatry. This the Papists deny, and place idolatry in
the worshipping of images set up to represent false and
fictitious gods; or else in worshipping them with a be-
lief that they themselves are gods.
But if this be so, then upon the same account the Israel-
ites were not idolaters in worshipping the golden calf.
They were not so brutish as to believe that calf itself to
be their God. Nay, it is most evident that they intended to
worship the true God under that representation. See
Exod. 32:4. "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought
thee up out of the land of Egypt." They could not be so
stupid as to think that that very calf which they them-
selves had made, had delivered them from Egypt; but
they pretended to worship the true God who had given
them that great deliverance, under this hieroglyphic sign
and resemblance: which appears, verse 5. "Aaron made
proclamation, and said, To-morrow is a feast TO THE
LORD:" in the original it is Jehovah, the proper and in-
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 145
communicable name of the true God. And yet, that
this worship of theirs, although thus professedly directed
to the true God, was horrid idolatry, the Scripture
abundantly testifies. "Oh, this people have sinned a great
sin." verse 31. "Neither be ye idolaters, as were some
of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and
drink, and rose up to play." 1 Cor. 10:7. "They made
a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol."
Acts 7:41.
And how was it with Micah and his mother? They
were certainly guilty of idolatry in making and worship-
ping their images; and, yet, that their images were made
to be symbolical representations of the true God, and
erected to this very purpose that he might be wor-
shipped by them, appears clearly from the history,
Judges, 17:3. "I had wholly dedicated," saith she, "the
silver unto the Lord, (Jehovah, Heb.) for my son to
make a graven image and a molten image." Which
when he had done, he hired a Levite to be his priest.
And, in confidence of the reward of so much piety, he
concludes, v. 13, that certainly now the Lord Jehovah
would bless him, and do him good. Nothing can be
clearer than that all this worship was professedly offer-
ed by him to the true and only God; yet, being per-
formed by images, it was no better than rank idolatry.
And further, If the Papists, in worshipping the true
God by images, be not; idolaters; then neither was Jero-
boam, who made Israel to sin, an idolater, in setting up his
calves at Dan and Bethel. For whoever rationally consid-
ers the occasion and political grounds of this innovation
must conclude that Jeroboam intended not to' introduce
a new God, which would have made the people to fall
Commandments. 7
146 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
faster from him than tyranny and oppression did from
Rehoboam; but only to set up some visible signs and re-
presentations of the true God; and to persuade the peo-
ple that they need not go to Jerusalem to seek his pre-
sence and to offer their gifts and sacrifices, for the same
God was as much present with them in those figures as
he was at the temple of Jerusalem between the cheru-
bims.* And therefore we find that the idolatry of Jero-
boam is distinguished from the idolatry of those who
worshipped Baal and other false gods: see 1 Kings, 16:
31, where God speaks concerning Ahab, '" as if it had
been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam,
the son of Nebat, he went and served Baal, and worship-
ped him."
Nay, once more, although some among the heathen
might be so grossly stupid as to suppose the images
themselves to be gods, and so to worship them; yet their
wise and learned philosophers were far enough from
such a senseless error: yea, they were forced to use as
many distinctions and subtle evasions concerning their
worshipping of images as now the papists do; and truly
most of those the papists use are the very same, and seen1
but borrowed out of the schools of the heathen.
But especially do the philosophers insist on this: that
they venerated not their statues, as they were made of
such or such materials, but only as they were the houses
and bodies of God, where his presence resided, and by
which his power was manifested: that they worshipped
not the visible sign, but the invisible Deity by it.**
* Joseph. Antiq. Jud. lib. 8. c. 3.
** Non hoc visibile colo; sed numen, quod in illis invisibiliter habitat.
Et qui videbantur sibi purgatioris esse religionis, dicebant: Nec si-
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 147
And what do papists say more than this, viz. that they
worship the images of God, not as if they were themselves
God, but only as they are the visible signs and symbols of
the divine presence: and so all their worship is directed
unto God through them.
In respect to idolatry, therefore, I profess I can find no
difference at all between heathens and papists: for, as the
more learned papists do profess that they worship the
true God by the image, so likewise did the more learned
heathens.* And, for the ignorant and vulgar papists, I am
very apt to suspect that they do, as the ignorant heathen,
terminate and limit their worship in the very images be-
fore which they fall prostrate; esteeming them to have
divine power and virtue of their own: for they are most
grossly blinded and infatuated in this their image-worship;
and may as well take a stone or a block to be a God as
the great dragon to be a saint, as the poor woman did,
who offered one candle to St. Michael and another to his
dragon, that is, the devil. And therefore, certainly, if the
heathen world were ever guilty of idolatry, so is now the
Popish Church; then worship, and all the reasons of it,
being so exactly parallel.--Thus much concerning the
first branch of superstition, which is idolatry.
2. The second is will-worship, of which I shall
mulachrum, nec daemonium colo; sed, per effigiem corporalem, ejus rei
signum intueor quam colere debeo. Amob. lib. vi.
* Dio Chrysostom. Orat. 12 de Prima Dei Notitia.--tej gar eimh panth vnpi tauta h[gei to< qeo<j alla qewn anaqhmata kai agalmata.
Celsus: Orig, Cont. Cels. lib. vii. Where he likewise proves that it is
lawful to make images of God, because, according to the doctrine of chris-
tians themselves, God made man according to his own image: the very
argument urged by the Papists, and made use of by the Second Council of
Nice.
**Estienne Apol. pour Herodote.
148 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
but very little, having already anticipated myself
Will-worship is nothing else but the inventing and as-
cribing any other worship to God besides what he hath
been pleased to command and institute.
God will not be worshipped according to our fancies,
but according to his own appointment; for as we must
have no other God besides the true, so that God must
have no other service performed to him besides what him-
self hath required and prescribed: for this were to impute
folly and weakness to him, as if, indeed, he would have
servants, but knew not what service to enjoin them. Thus
we have finished the prohibition, "THOU SHALT NOT MAKE
UNTO THEE ANY GRAVEN IMAGE," &c.
Let us now consider the sanction of this precept; con-
sisting, first, of a severe and fearful threatening against
all those who should presume to violate it: For I the Lord
thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth gene-
ration of them that hate me; and, next, of a gracious pro-
mise of mercy to the careful and conscientious observers
of this precept: showing mercy unto thousands of them
that love me, and keep my commandments.
In the threatening we have these several particulars:
Who it is that denounces it: "I, the Lord thy God."
What it is that he denounces and threatens: "To visit
the iniquity of the fathers upon the children." The per-
sons against whom this threatening is directed: "Those
that hate him;" and the duration and continuance of that
vengeance which he will take upon them: It shall be to
"the third and fourth generation." His wrath shall ex-
tend to their children, and their children's children.
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 149
I. Let us consider WHO IT IS that denounceth this
threatening: "I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God:"
so most read the words as our English translation renders
them. But others no less rightly read them thus: For I,
the Lord thy God, am strong and jealous; for the WOTq
El, which is here used, signifies the mighty God.
And according to this acceptation, the words contain in
them a description of God.
1. By his relation to us: The Lord thy God; a God
who hath separated thee from all people of the earth, to
be his peculiar treasure; who hath brought thee near unto
himself, even into the bond of the covenant; who hath
betrothed thee in righteousness, and is not only thy maker,
but thy Husband, as the prophet speaks. Isaiah, 54 : 5.
This God it is who commands thee faithfully to per-
form the marriage-vow that is between thee and him,
and not to go a whoring after the vanities of the gentiles,
nor to expose thy shame and nakedness before any false
or idol-god; for idolatry is spiritual adultery, and is most
frequently set forth under that name and notion in the
holy Scriptures.
2. Thy God is described by the mightiness of his power.
He is El kana, a strong and jealous God; able to revenge
any dishonor that is done him by thy unchaste lewdness.
3. He is described by that violent passion which hl
men is called jealousy: I, the Lord thy God, am strong
and jealous.
Jealousy is an affection or passion of the mind, by
which we are stirred up and provoked against whatsoever
hinders the enjoyment of that which we love and desire.
The cause and origin of it is love; the effect of it is
revenge.
150 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Now God, to deter the Israelites from idolatry, sets
forth himself as a strong and jealous God, that they might
be assured not to escape punishment; for he is strong,
and therefore can inflict it; and he is jealous, and there-
fore will inflict it if they shall dare to abuse and injure
that love which he hath placed upon them
This jealousy is not to be ascribed to God, as if there
were properly any such weak and disturbing passion in
him; but only by way of accommodation and similitude,
speaking after the manner of men. So is it to be under-
stood, when God is said to be angry, to be grieved, to re-
pent, &c. that is, his actions towards us are like the actions
of one that is angry, or grieved, or repents: although the
infinite serenity of the Divine essence is not liable to be
discomposed or ruffled by the tempests of any such like
passions as are incident to us mutable creatures.
Now the reason why God calls himself here a jealous
God you will find in these following characteristics of
jealousy:
(1.) Jealousy is distrustful and suspicious. It dates not
rely upon the truth and fidelity of the person of whom
we are jealous, but is full of misgiving doubts and fears.
And so God (although, in propriety of speech, he can
doubt nothing, nor fear any thing, yet) is pleased to ex-
press his jealousy by such language as intimates distrust
and diffidence. And therefore, when the Israelites made
that solemn promise to the Lord, Deut. 5:27, "All that
the Lord our God shall speak unto us, we will hear it
and do it," God returns answer as one that doubted the
real performance of so fair a promise, ver. 28, 29, "I
have heard the voice of the words of this people--they
have well said all that they have spoken. O that there
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 151
were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and
keep all my commandments always, that it might be well
with them and with their children for ever!"
(2.) Jealousy is searching and inquisitive. It is hard
to escape the discovery of a jealous eye; which is still
prying and seeking after that which it would be loth
to find. So the eye of the all-seeing and all-knowing God
is continually upon us: he critically observes every look
and every kind of glance that we cast upon ourselves:
not the least motion of our hearts, not the least twinkling
of our thoughts can escape his notice and censure. And,
of all sins, there is none that God doth more jealously ob-
serve than that of idolatry; for this is the violation of that
marriage-faith which we have plighted to him. There-
fore we find that the idolatrous Israelites, as though they
were conscious of the great abuse they offered to their
Maker, their Husband, (as the prophet styles God, Isa.
54:5,) sought out dark and obscure groves to act their
wickedness in; that, although they were not chaste, yet
they might seem to be cautious. But in vain is it to
draw the curtains of a thin shade about them: a few leaves
could not cover their shame nor their nakedness from
Him who is all eye every where, and whose eye is every
where light to itself: "God is light, and in him is no
darkness at all." 1 John, 1 : 5. It is not possible to con-
ceal from him the prostitution of an unchaste and impu-
dent idolatry. And therefore saith the Psalmist, "If we
have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched forth
our hands to a false god; shall not God search this out?
for he knoweth the secrets of the heart." Psalm 44:20, 21.
(3.) Jealousy, as it is searching and inquisitive, so it is
angry and revengeful. Solomon calls it "the rage of a
152 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
man," Prov.6:34, "therefore he will not spare in the
day of vengeance." And, Cant. 8:6, "Jealousy is cruel as
the grave; the coals thereof are as coals of fire, which
have a most vehement flame." For as love is the most soft
and tender affection of human nature, so jealousy, which
is the sowering of love and turning it into vinegar, is the
most wild and furious.
God is pleased to style himself a jealous God to ex-
press the heat of his wrath and indignation against sin-
ners. So Deut. 29 : 20, "The Lord will not spare him,
but the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke
against that man, and all the curses that are written in
this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out
his name from under heaven." See what dreadful effects
this smoking jealousy hath when it breaks forth into a
flame, Zeph. 1:18. "Neither their silver nor their gold
shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's
wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire
of his jealousy, for he shall make even a speedy riddance
of all them that dwell in the land."
And of the signal revenge this devouring jealousy of the
Almighty God hath taken upon sinners the whole world
is full of sad instances. This fire bath kindled the eternal
and unquenchable flames of hell. When the proud and
rebellious angels aspired to be gods, God turned their
into devils, and these devils into hell; for his jealousy
could not endure to have rivals in his glory. All the ruins
and calamities that have ever happened to persons or
nations are but the effects of God's jealousy against sin.
And of all other sins his jealousy takes most remarkable
vengeance against idolatry, for this is spiritual whoredom,
a provocation which the jealous God can least endure.
SECOND COMMANDMENT 153
See Deut. 32: 16, 17, 19, "They provoked him to jea-
lousy with strange gods. They sacrificed unto devils, not
to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that
came newly up. And when the Lord saw it he abhorred
them, because of the provoking of his sons and of his
daughters." And verse 21, "They have moved me to
jealousy with that which is not God: they have provoked
me to anger with their vanities. A fire is kindled in mine
anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall con-
sume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foun-
dations of the mountains." And so in the following vers-
es God exaggerates those sore and heavy judgments
which he would bring upon them in the fury of his jea-
lousy, because of this heinous sin of idolatry. Thus we
have seen in what respects God is said to be a jealous God.
What remains now but that expostulation of the apos-
tle, 1 Cor. 10:22, "Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy
Are we stronger than he?" We, who are but as dust be-
fore the whirlwind, and as dry stubble before the con-
suming fire, shall we dare by our sins to affront and chal-
lenge that God who hath said, "Vengeance is mine, and
I will repay" it? And yet such is the madness of every
desperate sinner, that he rushes upon God's neck and
upon the thick bosses of his buckler; and daily provokes
him who is infinitely able to destroy both body and soul
in hell-fire. Indeed jealousy of itself, without power to
wreak vengeance, is but a weak and contemptible pas-
sion; but when it is armed with Almighty strength it is
justly terrible. Now the Lord thy God is (Hebrew) a strong
and jealous God. Every sin thou committest is a horrid
wrong done unto him;" and a violation of that faith which
thou owest him. He hath wooed thy affections, sought
154 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
thy consent, and yet thou perfidiously followest other
lovers, and givest thy heart unto the world and the devil,
which are God's greatest co-rivals. The highest indignity
that can be done against love is to contemn and slight it,
and to embrace those who are far more base and sordid:
how notoriously then dost thou affront God, when thou
despisest his love and thy own faith, to cast thyself into
the embraces of every vile lust which now pollutes thy
soul and will hereafter damn it! O foolish and unkind
that thou art, to neglect the love of the great King of
heaven and earth, and to make choice of the devil, who is
but the slave of God, and solicits thee only to make thee
his slave! Yet might it avail somewhat if thou couldst
defend thyself, and maintain thy choice against the jea-
lousy and wrath of the great God whom thou thus des-
pisest and provokest: but assure thyself his wrath and
his jealousy will smoke against thee; yea, kindle upon
thee, till it hath burned thee down to the lowest hell: and
that day is coming wherein he will expose thy nakedness
and thy shame before men and angels, and upbraid thee
with the folly as well as wickedness of thy choice; and
then condemn thee to be an eternal companion with those
devils whom thou hast preferred before himself. Believe
it, it is a sad and fearful thing to fall into the hands of the
living God; for he is "a jealous God," and "a consuming
fire," as Moses speaks, Dent. 4:24.
II. The next particular is, WHAT JUDGMENT THIS
STRONG AND JEALOUS GOD THREATENS TO INFLICT: and that is to "visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children."
Visiting is a figurative expression: in the general, God
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 155
is said to visit, when, after a long space of time, in which
he seemed to have forgotten or taken no notice of men,
he declares by his providence that he hath still observed
their ways and doings.
And this word visiting may be taken either in a good
or in an evil part. In a good part, when God bestows
great mercies and salvation upon his people, he is said to
visit them: and thus it is frequently used in the Scrip-
ture. Exod. 3:16; Luke, 1:68, 28, &c. In an evil part,
God is said to visit, when he rewards those sins at which
he seemed to connive with deserved punishments. So
Psalm 89:32, "I will visit their transgression with the
rod, and their iniquity with stripes." And Jer. 5:9,
"Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and
shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?"
And in this sense is the word to be taken here: Visit-
ing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children; that is,
punishing the fathers' iniquity in their child1'en and pos-
terity. And thus we have it interpreted, Jer. 32:18.
"Thou recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the
bosom of their children after them."
Now here arise two important inquiries to be resolved:
whether it be just with God, and consistent with the di-
vine veracity, to punish the sins of the fathers upon the
children; and whether God doth always observe this me-
thod of revenging the fathers' crimes upon their poste-
rity and offspring.
As to the former inquiry there seems to be some
difficulty in reconciling Scripture to itself in this par-
ticular, and in reconciling such a proceeding to justice
and equity.
For sometimes the Scriptures do expressly mention the
156 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
punishment of parents' sins to be inflicted on their chil-
dren. Exod. 34:7; Jer. 32:18, &c. And when God
commands Saul utterly to destroy Amalek, he gives this
reason of his injunction, 1 Sam. 15:2, "I remember
that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him
in the way when he came up from Egypt." And yet
almost four hundred years were passed between the
journey of the Israelites from Egypt and the issuing of
this command: so that none of those Amalekites who op-
posed them in their way could then have been alive to
bear the punishment of that offence. Yea, and our Savior
threatens the Jews of his time, Mat. 23:35, "That upon
them should come all the righteous blood shed upon the
earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of
Zacharias son of Barachias, whom they slew between the
temple and the altar." That is, the sins of the progeni-
tors, from the beginning of the world unto that very age
when they murdered Zachary, the father of John the
Baptist, in the court of the temple, shall be punished in
this generation. Vide Baron. Annal. An. 1, Sect. 52, &c.
And yet again we read as expressly, Ezek. 18:20,
"The soul that sinneth it shall die. The son shall not
bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father
bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the
righteous shall be upon him, and the iniquity of the wick-
ed shall be upon him." And again, Jer. 31:29, 30, "In
those days they shall say no more, the fathers have eaten
a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge.
But everyone shall die for his own iniquity." And in-
deed this seems most agreeable to the rules of justice,
that the innocent should not be punished for the sins of
the nocent and guilty.
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 157
To solve this difficulty therefore, and reconcile this
seeming contradiction, I shall premise some distinctions;
and then draw from them some conclusions satisfactory
to the question propounded.
Punishments are either temporal--such as befall in this
present life; or else eternal--such as are reserved to be
inflicted on all impenitent and disobedient sinners in the
world to come.
Again, children may be considered either as imitating
the crimes and transgressions of their parents, or as re-
penting of them, and reforming from them, and so not
walking in their fathers' steps, but in the ways of God's
commandments.
1. Certain it is, God never visits the iniquity of the
fatkers upon repenting and reforming children with eter-
nal punishment. And in this sense it is everlastingly
true, that "the son shall not bear the iniquity of his
father;" but "the soul that sinneth, it shall die;" and
"every man shall bear his own burthen."
But some may say, "Are we not made liable even to
eternal death by the sin of another? Hath not the sin of
our first father brought condemnation upon all his pos-
terity? And therefore how is it true that the son shall
not, in this respect, bear the iniquity of his father?"
To this I answer. It is not his sin, considered per-
sonally as his, that hath made us obnoxious unto eternal
death; but it was our sin as well as his; for in him we
all sinned and fell. Adam was our federal head and com-
mon representative, and his sin was legally ours; even as
his obedience would have been, had he persevered in it.
But now the case of Adam is singular and much different'
ttom that of intermediate parents. They, indeed, are our
158 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
natural heads; but not our federal heads, as Adam was.
Their actions are only their own, and not ours, and have
no influence at all upon the determining of our eternal
state and condition; and therefore we shall not be ac-
countable to God at the last day for what they have done,
but only for what we ourselves have done in the body,
whether it be good or evil. Yet,
2. If the children imitate the wickedness and crimes of
their fathers, it is but just and righteous with God to punish
them with eternal death and damnation for them. It is but
fit that they should inherit their fathers' damnation, who
inherit their fathers' transgressions. But in this case it
must be observed that God punisheth them, not because
they are their fathers' sins, but because they are their own.
3. God may, and often doth, visit the iniquity of the fa-
thers upon the children with temporal punishments, whether
the children imitate the offences of the fathers or reform
from them.
And these temporal punishments are many times very
sore and heavy: languishing diseases; racking and tor-
menting pains; loss of estate, sometimes ravished from
them by violence, sometimes melting away insensibly.
The father, possibly by his unjust oppression and extor-
tion, entails a cure upon his estate; which, like a canker,
eats it out and consumes it in his son's days; so that no-
thing is left in his hands but shame and poverty; al-
though, perhaps, he might never know the sins for which
God blasts him. Yea, we find that God doth inflict tem-
poral death on the child for the offence of the parent:
thus, 2 Samuel 12:14, in Nathan's message to David,
"Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion
to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also
that is born unto thee shall surely die."
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 159
Thus God doth very frequently inflict temporal punish-
ments upon the children for the fathers' transgressions.
Nor is it at all hard to reconcile this with the measures
of justice and equity, because of the near relation which
they bear to their parents: for certainly it is just with
God to punish a sinner in all that is related to him. Chil-
dren are part of their parents; yea, their parents live and
survive in them; and therefore certainly God, in punish-
ing them, may justly strike what part of them he pleaseth.
And this even Plutarch, a heathen, could observe: speak-
ing how God often inflicted grievous judgments on the
posterity of lewd and wicked men, he tells us: "It is
nothing strange and absurd for those who are theirs to
suffer what belongs to them." De Sero Punitis.
But then another question is, Whether God doth al-
ways observe this method of revenging the offences of fa-
thers upon their children in temporal punishments.
To which I answer, no, he doth not. Neither doth this
threatening in the commandment oblige him to do it,
but only shows what their sins deserve, and what he
might justly do if he pleased to use his power and pre-
rogative. Hence we read of the children of wicked pa-
rents who yet were both pious and prosperous: such
were Hezekiah and Josiah, the one the son of Ahaz, the
other of Amon. But most commonly we may observe
in the course of Divine providence, that the posterity
of wicked parents payoff their fathers' scores to divine
justice in the temporal evils and calamities that are
brought upon them. Yet, if they themselves be pious
and holy, this may be for their comfort, that whatever
afflictions they lie under shall be "for their benefit and ad-
vantage; and they are not punishments to them, but only
160 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
fatherly corrections and chastisements: for the very things
which they suffer may be intended by God as a punish-
ment to their ancestors, but a fatherly correction to them-
selves; and what to the one is threatened as a curse, to
tile other may prove a blessing and an advantage, as it
gives them occasion of exercising more grace, and so of
receiving the greater glory.
Suffer me to close up this with one or two practical me-
ditations.
1. If it be the usual method of Divine Providence to
visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, see then
what great reason parents have to beware that they do not
lay up a stock of plagues and curses for their posterity;
nor clog the estate which they leave them, with so many
debts to be paid to the justice of God as will certainly undo
them.
Thou who, by fraud and cozenage, heapest together
ill-gotten wealth, thinkest perhaps of leaving so many hun-
dreds or thousands to thy children; but considerest not
withal how many curses thou puttest into the bag, curses
that, in time, will rot and eat out the very bottom of it.
Thou who, by this or by any other way of wickedness,
either swearing, or drunkenness, or uncleanness, provokest
the holy and the jealous God, doth it nothing grieve thee
to think that thy sins shall be punished upon thy poor
children's back? Possibly thou art so fondly tender of
them that thou art loth to chastise them when they really
deserve it for their own faults; yet art thou so cruel to
them as to abandon them over to the justice of God, to
be severely scourged for faults which are not their own,
but thine. Whose heart would not yearn, and whose
bowels would not be turned within him, to go into a hos-
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 161
pital and there view over all those scenes of human
misery and wretchedness which are presented to us; the
blind, the lame, the deaf, the dumb, the maimed, the dis-
tracted, the ulcerated and loathsome leper, and those se-
veral maps of man's woes and torments that are there ex-
hibited? Think then with thyself, "This is the inheri-
tance, this is the portion bequeathed them by their ac-
cursed parents:" and as thou wouldst have thine own
children to be made the same sad spectacles of Divine
wrath and vengeance, so go and sin them into the same
condition. Certainly wolves and tigers are more merci-
ful to their offspring than wretched man! It is thou thy-
self, O cruel man! who hast crippled, and maimed, and
tormented, and beggared and undone thine own children:
and perhaps every sin thou committest either murders
or tortures a poor helpless infant, one whose greatest
misery it is that ever he was born of thee. I beseech
you, christians, think seriously of this thing; and as ever
you would wish well to those dear pledges which are as
your own bowels, so beware however you provoke the
holy and jealous God by any known and wilful sin;
who will be sure to repay it home, either in your own
persons by his immediate judgments on yourselves, or
that which will go as near the heart of every tender and
compassionate parent, by his sore judgments on thy poor
children and posterity.
2. See here what great reason thou hast to render thanks
and praise to God that thou art born of godly and pious
parents; such as treasure not up wrath for thee, but prayers.
Possibly they were but poor and low in the world; but
yet they have bequeathed thee a rich patrimony; and
made God executor, who will faithfully discharge his
162 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
trust if thou discharge thy duty, and give thee a blessing
possibly in this life, but certainly in the life to come. Let
others boast their blood and their parentage, and reckon
up a long row of monuments and ancestors: if they have
been wicked, lewd and ungodly, but thine virtuous and
the sincere servants of God, they possibly may be the last
of their family, and thou the first of thine: howsoever
know that it is far more noble to be born of those that
have been born of God, than to be the grandchildren of
the devil. Thou hast better blood running in thy veins,
even the blood of them whom Christ hath judged worthy
to be redeemed and washed with his own blood, whose
names are written in heaven in the Lamb's book of life:
a greater honor and dignity than if they were written in
the worm-eaten pages of idle heraldry. And if thou fol-
lowest their good examples, thy relations and portion too
are greater and richer, for thou hast God for thy father,
Christ for thy brother, and the whole heaven of stars for
thine inheritance. Thus much for the second particular,
what is threatened in the commandment: viz. "visiting
the iniquity of the fathers upon the children." I shall be
more brief in the two remaining.
III. Let us consider THE PERSONS against whom this
threatening is denounced. "Visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children of those that hate me." And
who those are is explained in the antithesis subjoined:
"Keeping mercy for thousands of those that love me
and keep my commandments."
If then those that keep God's commandments are
lovers of God; (which our Savior expressly affirms, John
14:21, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth
SECOND COMMANDMENT. 163
them, he it is that loveth me;") by direct consequence it
follows, that those who transgress the commandments of
God are haters of God. And what worse can be said of
the very devil himself? Let them pretend never so fair,
and speak words full of respect and reverence, yet bring
them to this trial, do they observe and keep the com-
mandments of God? If not, they are haters of God
and goodness.
And indeed it is impossible that those who are dis-
obedient and rebellious should love God. For can they
love him who hath required from them what they do so
extremely loath? Can they love him whom they must
needs apprehend to be armed with wrath and vengeance
to punish and torment them everlastingly for their sins?
Can they love him who, if they have any conscience in
them, they must needs know, hates them with a perfect
hatred, and will be avenged on them in their eternal ruin
and destruction? Certainly, if we love God because he
first loved us, these cannot but hate him to whom their
own consciences must needs attest that God hates both I
them and their ways.
IV. Consider the duration and continuance of that ven-
geance which God will take upon those who thus hate him.
On their own persons he will revenge himself eternally,
and be ever satisfying his wronged justice in their insuf-
ferable torments; but on their posterity he will be aveng-
ed unto the third and fourth generation.
And yet, even in this very threatening, there is mercy.
contained. Mercy it is that such a wicked and accursed
race are not cut off, and cast out of his sight and grace
for ever; and that, where once the wrath of God hath
164 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
seized on any family, it cloth not burn down and consume
the whole before it; but he graciously stops its course,
and gives not way to all his fury. And, in this, mercy
glorifies itself against judgment; in that he showeth mer-
cy unto thousands, but visiteth iniquity only unto the third
and fourth generation.
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT.
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that tak-
eth his name in vain."
It is well known that all the precepts of the law re-
spect either those duties which we owe immediately to
God, or those which we owe immediately to man. The
former constitute the First, the latter the Second Table.
The commands of f he First Table are prescribed to
regulate our worship of God; which is either internal
and more spiritual, or external and more visible.
The internal worship of God" with the humblest vene-
ration of our souls and most sincere affections of our
hearts, is required in the First Commandment; as I have
already shown.
The external, which we also entered upon in the Second,
we are to consider still further here in the Third. And
it consists of three parts: Prostration of the body;
profession of the mouth; and the observance of prefixed
time. Each of these hath a particular command to en-
join them. The first is required in the Second Command-
ment, of which I have spoken. The second, profession
of the mouth, comes next to be considered. And to guide
and regulate this, we have our rule prescribed in this
third precept of this table: Thou shalt not take the name
of the Lord thy God in vain, &c.
166 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
words "we have both a prohibition, "Thou
shalt not take," &c. and a commination or threatening,
"For the I.lord will not hold him guiltless," &c.
In the prohibition two things are to be inquired into:
What is meant by the name of God, and what it is to take
God's name in vain. Let us first inquire,
What is meant by the NAME of God. This hath sun-
dry acceptations in the Scripture.
Sometimes it is taken for the nature and being of the
Deity itself. Nor is it an unusual figure to put name for
the thing or person that is expressed by it. As, Rev. 3:
4, "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, that have not
defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in
white:" that is, thou hast a few persons in Sardis. So,
likewise, we may observe it to be frequently used when
the Scripture speaks of God and Christ. Psalm 20:1,
"The name of the God of Jacob defend thee:" that is,
let the God of Jacob himself, who is the only true and
almighty potentate, be thy shield and thy defence. Psalm
135:3, "Sing praises unto his name:" that is, offer
your returns of thanks and praises unto that God from
whom you have received your mercies and salvation. So,
Psalm 115:1, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but
unto thy name give glory:" that is, let the glory which
is due unto thee be entirely ascribed unto thyself. And
so concerning Christ, Luke 4:47, "Repentance and
remission of sins are to be preached to all nations in his
name: that is; through him; and John 1:12, "He gave
power to become the sons of God, to as many as believed
in his name:" that is, to as many as believed in him. And
thus it is used in innumerable places.
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 167
Again: Sometimes the name of God is taken for the
whole system of divine and heavenly doctrine revealed to
us in the Scriptures.
Thus the Psalmist, "I will declare thy name unto my
brethren," Psalm 22:22, which the Apostle cites as
spoken in the person of Christ, Heb. 2:12; and the
meaning is, that Christ should declare and make known
to the world a true spiritual doctrine and way of worship,
and teach them a religion which should both perfect their
reason and save their souls. And, as a testimony of the
accomplishment of this prophecy, our Savior himself tells
us, John 17:6, "I have manifested thy name unto the
men which thou gavest me." And ver. 26, "I have de-
clared unto them thy name, and will declare it:" that is,
I have instructed them in the true religion and right wor-
ship of the great God. And so it is taken likewise, Micah,
4:5, "All people will walk everyone in the name of his
god; and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
for ever and ever:" that is, we will walk in that way of
worship and religion "which is appointed and approved
by the Lord our God.
And once more: The name of God is taken for that
whereby God is called, and by which his nature and per-
fections are made known to men.
For names are imposed to this very intent, that they
might declare what the thing is to which the name be-
longs. Thus, when God had created Adam and made him
the lord of this visible world, he caused the beasts of the
field and the fowls of the air to pass before him, both to
do homage to their new sovereign and likewise to receive
names from, him; which, according to the perfection of
168 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
this knowledge, did then aptly serve to express their seve-
ral natures, and were not only names but definitions too.
And so, when we read of the names of God in Scripture,
they all signify some expressions of his infinite essence,
in which he is pleased to spell out himself unto us, some-
times by one perfection and sometimes by another.
Now these names of God are either his titles or his
attributes, concerning which I have formerly treated at
large in expounding the first petition of the Lord's prayer,
Hallowed be thy name; and therefore I shall here only
mention them, and so proceed.
1. His titles are his name.
And these are some of them absolute: as those glorious
titles of JAH, JEHOVAH, GOD, I AM. I AM hath sent thee,
saith God to Moses. And these are names altogether in-
comprehensible and stupendous.
Others are relative, and have respect to us. So his
name of Creator denotes his infinite power in giving be
ing to all things. Lord and King signify his dominion
and authority in disposing and governing all that he hath
made. Father signifies his care and goodness in provid-
ing for us his offspring: Redeemer, his mercy in delivering
us from temporal evils and calamities, but especially from
eternal death and destruction.
These, and other such-like titles, God assumes to him-
Belt: to express in some measure, as we are able to bear,
what he is in himself.
2. His attributes also are his name.
Some of these are incommunicable; as his eternity, im-
mensity, immutability, simplicity, &c. which are so pro-
per to the divine nature that they belong to no created
being.
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 169
Others are communicable: as his mercy, goodness, ho-
liness and truth. These are communicable, because some
rays of them may be found in created beings: but yet, in
the infinite degree and excellency which they have in God,
they are incommunicable, "and proper only to the Deity.
Therefore, though angels or men may be said to be holy,
or just, or good, yet none of them are so originally: none
are so, infinitely and unchangeably; none are so, simply
and in the abstract, but only God himself.
These then are the NAMES OF GOD. And here in the
text, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God
in vain, we must understand it concerning the name of
God in this last acceptation; that is, for any name of his
whereby he is pleased to reveal himself unto us, whether
it appertain to his titles or to his attributes: neither of
these must be taken in vain.
But we must now consider what it is to TAKE THE
NAME OF GOD IN VAIN. And, first, to take the name of God
is no other than briefly to make use of it either as the ob-
ject of our thoughts or the subject of our, discourse. And
so we find this phrase used, Psa1m 16:4, "I will not
take up their names into my lips." And Psalm 50:16
"What hast thou to do--that thou shouldst take my co-
venant in thy mouth?" that is, that thou shouldst speak,
or make mention of it. So that, to take God's name, is to
speak or mention it.
And now, as to taking God's name in vain, we do so
when we use it without prop6unding to ourselves a due
end; or without; due consideration and reverence; or in
an undue and unlawful action.
170 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
I. WHEN WE USE IT WITHOUT PROPOUNDING TO
SELVES A DUE END.
The end characterizes the action: if the end be vain,
the action must be so too. There are but two ends that
can justify and warrant the use of any of God's names--
either his titles or his attributes--and they are, the glo-
ry of God, and the edification of ourselves and others.
Whatsoever is besides these is light and frivolous, and
can be no good ground to us to make any mention of his
great and terrible name, which is so full of glory and ma-
jesty, that it should never be uttered but where the sub-
ject of our discourse is serious and weighty.
I will not now speak of those who vend the holy and
reverend name of God with oaths and blasphemies; a sin
by so much the more heinous and abominable, by how
much less temptation there is to it, either of pleasure or
profit. This is an iniquity to be punished by the judge.
And, would to God laws were put in severe execution to
cramp the black tongues of all such profane wretches,
whose number so abounds and swarms that we can no
where walk the streets without being assaulted with
whole volleys of oaths and curses.
But for others who are of more blameless conversation,
may it not be observed how their discourse and familiar
tattle are filled up with the name of God and Lord? I
beseech you, consider what end do you propound to your
selves in thus using the great and terrible name of God?
Are all your discourses so serious as to bear the bur-
den of that great name? Are they all immediately direct-
ed to the advancement of his glory? Or do they all pro-
mote the benefit and welfare of those who hear them?
If so, then indeed the name of God can never be more
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 171
seasonably used. But if you make the name of the highest
Lord serve only to express some small wonderment, or
that of the great God only an expletive to fill up a gap in
your speeches, certainly these are such low and mean
ends that God will not hold thee guiltless. He accounts
himself contemned when you mention his name to such
idle purposes, and will revenge the dishonor that you do
him by it.
II. The name of God is taken in vain, WHEN WE USE
IT WITHOUT DUE CONSIDERATION AND REVERENCE.
Whensoever we make mention of him we ought serious-
ly to ponder his infinite greatness and glory, and to bow
our hearts in the deepest prostration before that name to
which all the powers in heaven and earth bow down with
most humble veneration.
But is it possible for those who speak of God promis-
cuously and at random, is it possible that they should
utter his name with reverence, when all the rest of the
discourse is nothing but froth and levity? Nay,if they be
reproved for it, will they not allege for their excuse that
which is their very sin, that they did not consider it? And
what! will you dare to bolt out the great name of the
great God without considering it? Is that a name to be
sported with and to be tossed to and fro upon every light
and vain tongue? The tongue of man is called his glory,
Psalm 57:8, "Awake up, my glory." And shall the
glory of man be the dishonor of God? Shall that, which
was created to be a principal instrument of magnifying
and exalting God's name, run it over without affection or
reverence?
Those things which we most of all contemn and de-
172 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
spise we use as by-words, and lay no great stress nor
sense upon them. And truly when we speak of God,
without considering how great, how glorious and excel-
lent a being he is--how holy, just and powerful--we do
but make him a by-word; which is the highest contempt
and indignity that can be cast upon him.
And therefore the best means that can be used to secure
us from the wicked habit many have of taking God's name
in vain, is seriously to consider whose name it is, even the
name of the great God, who is present with thee, and
hears thee pronounce it; that God, to whom the greatest
and most glorious things compared, are base and vile no-
things; that God, who is jealous of his honor and will
dreadfully revenge himself upon the contemners of it.
And if thou hast but wrought these considerations into
thy heart, and habituated them to thy thoughts, thou wilt
for ever be afraid to speak of his majesty vainly and ir-
reverently.
III. The name of God is taken in vain, WHEN WE
USE IT TO AN UNDUE AND UNLAWFUL END; especially
when it is brought to confirm a falsehood, either in perju-
ry or heresy; which is a most horrid impiety.
Therefore it is observed that the same word which is ~
here rendered vain, signifies also false or deceitful. So
that this precept, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord
thy God in vain, may be rendered also, Thou shalt not.
take the name of the Lord thy God in falsehood. Not that
this is the only unlawful way of using it, but that this is
the chief and most notorious abusing of it. And indeed
what greater sin can there be than to bring God to be a
witness to our lie? to make him, who is truth itself,
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 173
attest that which is falsehood and deceit? Therefore Agur
prays against pinching poverty as well as superfluous
riches: "Lest," saith he, "I be poor, and steal, and take
the name of my God in vain." Prov. 30:9. That is, lest
poverty compel me to steal, and fear of shame or punish.
ment tempt me to swear by the name of the great God
that I have not done it. This indeed is to take God's
name in vain in the worst and highest sense.
Suffer me now to close this part of our subject with
some practical application to your consciences.
1. Let your minds be convinced of the greatness and
heinousness of this sin, and be deeply humbled that you
have been guilty of it.
I well know that the commonness not only of God's
mercies towards us, but of our sins against him, takes off
much from our observation, and abates them both in our
estimate. And because this is so common a sin, our ears
are so beaten to it that we too little regard it. Possibly,
should we hear a devil incarnate belch out some direful
oath, we should start and tremble at it; but when we
hear the name of the great God, and our only Lord, slip
along in some trifling and impertinent discourse, this per-
haps we take no notice of, and the commonness of the
sin hath almost stifled all reproofs.
I beseech you, therefore, to consider,
1. That we are not to weigh sins by the opinion of men,
hut by the censure and sentence of God.
He hath no more allowed you to take his name in vain,
than he hath to blaspheme it. The irreverent using of it is
as expressly forbidden, as the abjuring and cursing of it.
And when the law of God hath not given us liberty, it is
174 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
most intolerable presumption that we should dare to take
liberties ourselves.
2. Consider, also, thou that sportest away the name of
God in thy ordinary prattle, what wilt thou have to rely
upon in thy greatest distresses?
The Wise Man tells us, "The name of the Lord is a
strong tower; the righteous runneth unto it, ,and is saved."
Prov. 18:10. But, alas, what comfort canst thou find in
the name of God in thy greatest necessities, since it is
the same name that thou hast used and worn out before
in the meanest and most trivial concerns? Thou hast
already talked away the strength and virtue of it, and
wilt hardly find more support from it in thy tribulation
than thou gavest reverence to it in thy conversation. Let us
then be more cautious than to spend so excellent a re-
medy against all fears, and sorrows, and afflictions, vainly
and unprofitably. "Thy name," saith the spouse, "is as
ointment poured forth." Cant. 1:3. But certainly, if, up-
on every slight occasion, we break the box and expose
the name of God to common air, it will in time lose its
fragrance and virtue; and when we have most need of it,
we shall find no refreshment, no comfort in it.
3. This common and irreverent using of the name of
God will insensibly overspread us with a spirit of profane-
ness. We shall by degrees arrive to a plain contempt of
God, when we thus hourly and unnecessarily take his
name into our mouths.
For what else is this, but to make ourselves rude and
familiar with that infinite Majesty, towards whom the
profoundest testimonies of respect and reverence must
fall infinitely short of expressing our due distance? But
by using his name vulgarly and promiscuously, what
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 175
do we else but make it our sport, and blow it up and
down with every idle breath, as children do bubbles in
the air?
4. Again: canst thou, in duty, easily compose thyself to
reverence the holy and dreadful name of God, when thou
hast thus accustomed thyself to name him without any
veneration or respect in thy common discourse?
Certainly it is the hardest thing imaginable to make
the heart fall down prostrate before that God whom thou
invokest in prayer, when once thou art used to invoke
him slightly in thy ordinary converse.
Let me therefore beseech you, reader, as you regard
his glory, of which he is jealous, that whensoever you
speak of God, or but mention his name, you will do it with
a holy awe and dread of his Divine Majesty; that you will
seriously consider that that name, to which every knee
bows, both of things in heaven, and things on earth, and
things under the earth, whether they be angels or devils,
requires from you more respect and honor than to be
idly blurted out with every rash and foolish expression.
And you who are masters of families and have children
and servants committed to your care, beware that, if they
are addicted to it, you stop this growing sin in them be-
times. It is the sin and shame of parents that they suf-
fer little ones to lisp the name of God irreverently, and
to learn the first syllables and rudiments of oaths and
curses before they can well speak: whereby they lay a
deep foundation for their future impiety, and thereby
bring the guilt of the next generation upon us, who, by
indulging them in these young sins, do but introduce
those habits of wickedness in them which perhaps can
never afterwards be rooted out.
176 THE T'EN COMMANDMENTS.
IV. But there is also another kind of taking the name
of God in vain, and that is in our DUTIES and HOLY PER-
FORMANCES.
One way this is done, is when in our prayers we ask
those things of God which are unlawful or unwarrantable.
As when we pray on the behalf of our lusts, to obtain
provision to fulfil them: "Ye ask amiss, that ye may
consume it upon your lusts." James 4:3. When we
pray out of envy, malice and revenge, that God would
make himself a party in our unreasonable and angry
quarrels; such prayers as these are vain; for what we
thus desire either shall not be granted unto us, or, if it
be, shall be granted unto us in wrath.
Another way is, when we perform holy duties slightly
and without affection: whenever we do this we then like-
wise take the name of God in vain. Therefore, all hypo-
critical services, all heartless repetitions are vain, and
God's name is not sanctified but abused in them. For,
whatever we do in such a manner as we may be certain
God will not accept it, is done in vain. God will accept
of no performance which is not accompanied with the
heart, and filled with most devout affections; and there-
fore they are performed in vain, and to no other effect
but to increase our guilt and our condemnation. Such in
vocations are but scoffings of God; and all the motions
of our lips, without the correspondent motion of our
hearts, is no better than making mouths at God.
V. Beware also especially of another kind of profaning
the name of God and taking it in vain, which is of a far
higher and more heinous nature; and that is, by UNLAW-
FUL OATIIS AND EXECRATIONS.
THIRD COMMANDMENT 177
An oath, in the general, is a confirmation of our speech
es, by calling in God to witness and attest the truth of
them; called therefore by Tully, a religious affirmation
De Offic. 1. iii. It is of two kinds, assertory and pro-
missory: the former, when we assert that such a thing
either hath been or is, the latter, when we engage that
for the future it shall be, and be performed by us, which
oath we do sufficiently and with a good conscience keep,
if we use our utmost endeavors to accomplish what we
have thus sworn, although the effect may be impeded by
many invincible obstacles intervening.
Now because an unjustifiable scrupulousness hath seized
on-some persons, who think that every oath is unlawful,
and the taking of ,the holy and reverent name of God in
vain, and so a violation of this commandment; I shall
therefore briefly allude to that much controverted ques-
tion, Whether at any time or in any circumstances it he
lawful for a christian to assume the name of God in an
oath; and then I shall proceed to show what oaths art.
unlawful and execrable sins.
For the first, I assert,
1. That an oath is so far from being always sinful, that
it is sometimes a duty, yea, an act of religion and part of
the service and worship of God; and, therefore, not only
lawful but necessary.
This we find, Deut. 6:13, "Thou shalt fear the Lord
thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name."
Yea, the psalmist mentions it as a matter of exultation,
as if some notable service were done by it unto God:
"Everyone that sweareth by him shall glory." Psalm
63:11. And if we consult the approved examples of holy
men in Scripture, we shall frequently find them either ex
178 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
acting oaths from others, or else themselves invoking the
testimony of the most high God to confirm the truth of
what they speak. The places are too numerous to be
cited, and too well known to need it.
But because the great objection against these is, that
they are only authorities produced out of the Old Testa-
ment, and we are now obliged by the precepts of a su-
perior Lawgiver, the Lord Jesus Christ; therefore I say
in answer, that the objection argues too great a vilifying
and contempt of those sacred oracles which were given
to the church by the hand of Moses; and that things of a
moral nature, as an oath is, cannot in one age of the
world be a duty, and in another a sin, when it is attended
with the same circumstances.
And yet further, for their satisfaction, let us see what
is spoken concerning oaths in the New Testament, or in
the Old relating to it. In the Old we have a prophecy of
what should be hereafter in the times of the Gospel: Isa.
45:23, "I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out
of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That
unto me every knee shall bow, and' every tongue shall
swear." And again, Jer. 12:16, "And it shall come to
pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people,
to swear by my name--then shall they be built in the midst
of my people." But yet, if neither of these will suffice,
let us see some more immediate confirmation of this out
of the New Testament itself. We find St. Paul himself
more that once attet1ting the truth of those grave and
weighty matters which he delivers in his Epistles, by
calling God to witness, which is the very form and na-
ture of an oath: so 2 Cor. 1:23, "I call God for a re-
cord upon my soul, that, to spare you I came not as yet
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 179
unto Corinth;" and so again, Phil. 1:8, "God is my
record, how greatly I long after you all;" and what other
than a kind of oath is that vehement asseveration of the
same Apostle, 1 Cor. 15:31, "I protest by your re-
joicing, which I have in Christ Jesus, I die daily." And
again, Rom. 9:1, "I say the truth in Christ, I lie not.'"
And if you would yet have an example somewhat more
perfect, we may see it in the practice of a holy angel:
Rev. 10: 5, 6, "The angel stood upon the sea and upon
the earth, and lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by
Him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven-
and the earth, and the things in them-that there should
be time no longer." So that you do abundantly see, by
all these instances, that it is not simply and universally
unlawful to assume the holy name of God in an oath,
and to call him in to be a witness to the truth of what
we affirm.
The grand objection that lies against this, is taken
from two places of Scripture. One is, Matt. 5:34-37,
"But I say unto you, swear not at all: neither by hea-
ven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is
his footstool: neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of
the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head,
because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
But let your communication be, yea, yea; and nay, nay:
for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil." Can
any thing be more express against all manner of oaths
than this; where we have a cautious enumeration of
many of them which were most vulgar and common
The other place is James 5:12. "But above all
things, my brethren, swear not; neither by heaven, neither
by the earth, neither by any other oath; but let your yea
180 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
be yea, and your nay nay, lest ye fall into condemna-
tion." Can any thing be more express, or more com-
manding than this, "above all things, my brethren?"
and, "lest you fall into condemnation?"
But, for answer to this, we must know that our
and his Apostle do not here simply and absolutely con-
demn all oaths, but only that common and profuse swear-
ing which the scribes and pharisees taught corruptly to
be no sin. For in this point of oaths they had divulged
among the people three, false traditions.
One was, that it was lawful for them to swear common-
ly, and without restraint, by any creature. Another was,
that there was no binding oath wherein the name of God
was not expressly used; and therefore, though they
should swear by creatures, yet they were not perjured,
although they should not perform what they thus uttered,
except some few cases, wherein interest made them con-
scientious. This we have, Matt. 23:16, 18, "Wo unto
you, ye blind guides! which say, whosoever shall swear
by the temple, it is nothing. And whosoever shall: swear
by the altar, it is nothing." That is, they taught that such
an oath was not obligatory, because it ,vas only by crea-
tures. And yet, even here, they excepted such oaths as
were conceived and uttered by the gold of the temple, or
the gifts on the altar, out of a politic covetousness, that
by so great a reverence shown to the gifts that were of-
fered the people might be induced to offer more freely,
and by that means their share of them might be the larger.
A third false doctrine that they taught was, that common
swearing was no sin, although it were by the great God,
if what they sware were true. And by this they gave
scope and liberty to confirm all that they said with an
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 181
nath, if they only took care to utter nothing that was false.
Against these three corrupt traditions are our Savior's
and the apostle's words directed.
(1.) For it is perjury to violate an oath conceived by
creatures, and that because of the near relation that all
creatures have to God, the great Creator. This reason our
Savior mentions in the fore-named place: "Swear not--
by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for
it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of
the great King." And, more expressly, Matt. 23:21, 22,
"He that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne
of God, and by him that sitteth thereon," even as he who
"shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that
dwelleth therein." And so, by the same proportion of rea-
son, whoever shall swear by any creature doth also vir-
tually swear by the Almighty Creator of it; and therefore
it is as much perjury to falsify an oath made by any crea-
ture as if it were made by the great God himself; because
creatures are all of and from God. And,
(2.) Although it be perjury to falsify an oath taken by
any creature, yet it is a sin likewise, and utterly unlaw-
ful, to make any such oath, insomuch as it is an idola-
trous ascribing of religious worship unto the creature
which is due to God only. And in this sense, especially,
I understand these words of our Savior, Swear not at all;
that is, not by any creature. And this, the following enu-
meration of heaven, and earth, and Jerusalem, and their
head, which were the usual forms of their oaths, and by
which our Savior forbids them to swear, doth clearly
prove to be his true meaning.
(3.) These places teach that it is a sin to swear at any
time, or by any thing, although the great God himself, un-
182 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
necessarily and arbitrarily: therefore swear not at all
unless some just reason and cogent necessity constrain
you to call in so great a testimony to confirm the truth
of what you speak; for common and daily swearing is a
high contempt and irreverence shown to the majesty of
that God whom we bring in to attest to every trifle and
frivolous thing we utter.
And this I take to be the true sense and meaning of
these places of Scripture; and that they do not simply
and absolutely condemn all manner of oaths, but the cor-
rupt doctrine of the scribes and pharisees, and the cor-
rupt practice of their disciples, who thought it no sin to
swear familiarly if they did not swear falsely. So that the
meaning of Swear not at all, is, swear not unnecessarily
and voluntarily.
2. To make an oath lawful it must have these three
qualifications mentioned by the prophet, Jer. 4:2. "Thou
shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and
in righteousness."
A warrantable oath must be accompanied with truth.
For it is taken in the name of the God of truth. Isaiah,
69: 15. He that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the
God of truth. Therefore it behoves him to consider whe-
ther what he deposeth be truth or not. Yea, moreover,
we must be fully certain that the thing is as we attest it ;
for a man may be guilty of perjury in swearing that which
is true, if he either believe it otherwise, or be doubtful of it.
Hence he that is called to give his oath must look to these
two things: that his words agree with his mind, and that
the thing agrees with his words. He who fails in the second
is a false swearer: he who fails in the first is a forswear-
er; and in both is a perjured person.
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 183
A lawful oath must be taken in judgment; discreetly
and deliberately; advising and pondering with ourselves
before we swear. And here we must consider both the
matter, whether that be right and good; and the ends,
whether they are duly propounded by us. Now there are
but two ends that can warrant an oath: one is the benefit
of ourselves or others, the other is the glory of God. And
whosoever shall swear without a due consideration of
these ends, and a holy and sincere desire to accomplish
them by his oath, he swears rashly and unwarrantably:
A lawful oath must be taken in righteousness and justice.
Hence it is very wicked to bind ourselves by an oath or
vow to do things that are either impossible or sinful.
1. The matter of a just oath ought to be possible. Thus
we see how cautious Abraham's servant was when his
master made him swear to take a wife for his son Isaac
of his kindred, Gen. 24:5. Peradventure the woman will
not be willing to follow me unto this land. And so should
we, in all our promissory oaths, caution and limit them
with those reasonable exceptions, of as far as we know,
and can lawfully endeavor.
2. The matter of a just oath must be not only possi-
ble but lawful and honest too. For if it be unlawful we
are necessarily ensnared in sin: for either we must violate
God's command or our own oath. Thus it was a most
wicked oath in the Jews who combined together against
Paul, and bound themselves under a curse that they
would neither eat nor drink till they had killed him. And
so every oath which engageth men to sedition, disturb-
ance of government, and rebellion, is in itself an unlaw-
ful oath, and obligeth them to nothing but to repent of it
and renounce it.
184 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
According to these three qualifications therefore must
every oath be regulated, else it is not a lawful oath, but a
horrid contempt of God and taking of his name in vain.
But, to speak no more concerning lawful oaths, let
us now consider those which are but too common among
us: I mean unlawful and sinful oaths.
Two things make an oath unlawful: falsehood and
rashness.
1. When it is falsehood.
This, indeed, is a most desperate sin, to vouch a lie
upon God's credit, and to father a falsehood upon him
who is the God of truth, yea, truth itself. This manifests
the highest contempt of God, when we call him to witness
that which the devil prompted us to speak. Should not
we ourselves take it for a high affront and indignity, to
be made vouchers of other men's lies to put off their
falsehoods? How much more, then, is it a most hellish
wickedness committed against the great God, to assert a
known lie and then call in God to attest it for a truth!
which is no other but to father a brat of the devil, who is
a liar and the father of lies, upon God, who hates liars,
and hath appointed severe torments for them. See how
dreadfully God is incensed by this sin, Jer. 7:9, 15, 16,
where he speaks of it as almost an unpardonable offence:
"Will ye steal, and murder--and swear falsely? There-
fore I will cast you out of my sight, as I cast out your
brethren. Pray not thou for this people; neither lift up a
cry nor prayer for them; neither make intercession to me,
for I will not hear thee." And so, Zech. 5:4, speaking
of the curse that should go forth over the face of the whole
earth: "I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of Hosts, and
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 185
it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house
of him that sweareth falsely by my name; and it shall re-
main in the midst of his house, and it shall consume it,
with the timber thereof, and with the stones thereof."
2. As false swearing is a notorious profaning of the
name of God, so likewise is rash swearing in our com-
mon and ordinary discourse.
This is a sin that greatly abounds and prevails, and
often we may see the very soot of hell hang about men's
lips. Nay, this is the sin not only of more lewd and pro-
fligate wretches, who mouth their oaths with sound and
cadence; but of those, too, who would be thought to be
of better character. And indeed all oaths which are con-
ceived by any other thing besides the great God, how
modest soever they may be in their sound, yet are more
I impious in effect than those louder ones which immedi-
ately call God himself to witness; and therefore the pro-
phet speaks of it as a most heinous and almost unpardon-
able sin, Jer. 5:7, "How shall I pardon thee for this?
Thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that
are no gods." For since an oath is sacred, and a part
of divine worship, those that swear by any created thing,
as their faith, and truth, and conscience, are guilty not only
of vain swearing, but of idolatry too.
But some will say, What so great evil can there he in
an oath so long as it is truth which they assert by it? This
I know is the common reply and excuse of those who are
guilty of this sin and reproved for it. To this I answer,
1. Although what they speak may be true, yet it is a
most provoking sin so far to debase the holy and reverend
name of God as to bring it to attest every trivial and im-
186 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
pertinent thing they utter; and if they swear by any crea-
ture, it is by so much the worse. No oath is in itself sim-
ply good and voluntarily to be used, but only as medi-
cines are, in case of necessity. But to use oaths ordinari-
ly and indifferently without being constrained by any co-
gent necessity, or called to it by any lawful authority, is
such a sin as wears off all reverence and dread of the
great God; and we have very great cause to suspect that
where his name is so much upon the tongue there his fear
is but little in the heart.
2. Though thou swearest what is true, yet customary
swearing to truths will insensibly bring thee to swear
falsehoods. For when once thou art habituated to it, an
oath will be more ready to thee than a truth; and so when
thou rashly boltest out somewhat that is either doubtful
or false, thou wilt seal it up and confirm it with an oath
before thou hast had time to consider what thou hast said
or what thou art swearing; for those who accustom them-
selves to this vice lose the observation of it in the fre-
quency; and if you reprove them for swearing, they will
be ready to swear again that they did not swear. And
therefore it is well observed by Augustine, "We ought to
forbear swearing that which is truth, for by the custom
of swearing men oftentimes fall into perjury, and are al-
ways in danger of it."
But now further to dehort you from this sin of common
swearing, consider,
1. It is a sin which hath very little or no temptation to
commit it.
The two great baits by which the devil alures men to
wickedness, are profit and pleasure.
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 187
But this common rash swearing is the most unprofitable,
barren sin in the world. What fruits brings it forth, but
only the abhorrence and detestation of all serious per-
sons, and the tremendous judgment of God? The swear-
er gains nothing by it at present, but only the reputation
of being a devil incarnate; and, for the future, his gains
shall be only the torments of those devils and damned
spirits whose language he hath learned and speaks. He
that sows the wind of an oath, shall reap the whirlwind
of God's fury.
Again: what pleasure is there in it? Which of his
senses doth it please and gratify? "Were I an epicure,"
saith one, "I would hate swearing." Were men resolved
to give themselves up to all manner of sensual delights,
yet there is so little that can be strained from this com-
mon sin, that certainly unless they intend to do the devil
a pleasure rather than themselves, they would never set
their black mouths against heaven, nor blaspheme the
great God who sits enthroned there.
Ask them why they indulge themselves in such a pro-
voking sin: some cannot forbear out of mere custom; and
others are pleased with the lofty sound and genteel phrase
of an oath, and count it a special grace and ornament
of speaking. And, what! Are these temptations? Are
these such strong and mighty provocations that you can-
not forbear? Shall the holy name of the great God be
torn in pieces by you, only to patch and fill up the rents
of your idle talk? If this be the motive and inducement
that makes you commit so great a sin, as commonly there
is no other, know that you perish as fools perish, and
sell your souls to damnation and eternal perdition for
very nothing.
188 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Others, perhaps, will plead for their excuse, that they
never use to swear but when they are vexed and put into
a passion. But what a madness is this, when men anger
thee, to strike at God, and to provoke him far more than
others can provoke thee! If thou art never so highly in-
censed, why shouldst thou throw thy poisonous foam in
God's face? Hast thou no other way of venting thy pas-
sion, but to fly in God's face and to revenge thyself on
him when men have injured thee? Certainly thy passion
can be no more a temptation to do this, than it would be
to stab thy father because thine enemy hath struck thee.
2. It is a most foolish sin, because it contradicts the
very end for which they commit it.
The common swearer perhaps thinks that he shall be
much the sooner believed for his oaths; whereas, with all
serious and judicious persons, there is nothing that doth
more lighten the credit of his speeches than his rash
binding and confirming the truth of them by swearing.
For what reason have I to think that man speaks truth
who doth so far suspect himself as to think what he re-
lates is not credible unless he swear to it; and certain-
ly, he that owes God no more respect than to violate the
sanctity and reverence of his name upon every trifling
occasion, cannot easily be thought to owe the truth so
much respect as not to violate it; especially considering
that there are far stronger temptations unto lying than
unto swearing.
3. Consider that the devil is the author and father, not
of lying only, but of swearing also. "Let your yea be yea,
and your nay, nay," saith our Savior; "for whatsoever
is more than these, cometh of evil," Mat. 5:37, ek tou
ponerou esti, that is, cometh of the evil one, who is still
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 189
prompting the swearer and putting oaths upon the tip of
his tongue.
And now to conclude this subject, I shall give you some
rules and directions, by the observance of which you may
avoid this too common sin.
1. Beware of the first rudiments and beginnings of oaths.
And such are a company of idle words frequently used
in the mouths of many, which formerly were bloody oaths,
but are now worn to rags and disguised into imperfect
sounds and nonsense. Few that speak them know what
they mean; but if they did, certainly they would tremble
at such execrable words that hide and dissemble the
most horrid oaths that can be uttered: some of them
being blasphemous, as those that are conceived by the
limbs of God; and others being idolatrous, as those which
are conceived by creatures; as in that ordinary by-word
of "Marry," which is no less than swearing by the Virgin
Mary. And it is a notable artifice of the devil to bring
such foolish and masked words into common use, that
both they may swear that use them, although they know
it not, and that, by using themselves to unknown oaths,
they may be brought in time to take up those that are
known.
So also all vehement asseverations have in them some
what of the nature and are dangerous beginnings of
oaths; and those who accustom themselves to them will
in time think them not forcible enough to confirm their
speeches, and so be brought to attest them by oaths.
Make nothing, therefore, the pawn and pledge of a truth,
but speak it out simply and nakedly as it is in itself; and
this will sooner conciliate belief than the most strong
190 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
and binding asseverations that thou canst invent. This
sin of swearing is strangely growing and thriving; for, by
a customary using of asseverations, we shall insensibly
upon every occasion be tripping upon an oath; and a
custom of swearing will at length bring in perjury; and
a custom of perjury, blasphemy; and make them deny
that God by whom they have so often forsworn them-
selves, and yet gone unpunished. Beware, therefore, that
you allow not yourselves any form of asseveration;
but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay: proceed no
further, for Christ hath allowed you no more.
2. Subdue, as much as you can, all inordinate passion
and anger.
For anger is, usually, the cause and provocation of
oaths and blasphemies. Anger is a fire in the heart; and
swearing is the smoke of this fire, that breaks forth at the
mouth; and those who are violently hurried with this
passion usually find nothing so ready at hand as an oath;
which, if they cannot be revenged on him whom they con-
ceit to have done them the injury, they fling against hea-
ven itself, and thereby seem to take an impious revenge
upon the Almighty God.
3. Labor to possess thy heart, and overawe it with the
most serious considerations and apprehensions of the great-
ness and majesty of God.
This will be a good preservative, to keep thee from
abusing and profaning his name in common and rash
swearing. Is he the great and terrible God of heaven
and earth? and shall I put such indignity upon him as
to call him from his throne to witness every vanity and
trifle that I utter? Would I serve any mortal man so,
whom I respect? or would not he account it an affront
THIRD COMMANDMENT. 191
and injury done him? How mu.ch more, then, will the
great God be provoked, who is so great and glorious
that it tires the conceptions of angels to apprehend his
majesty! How much more will he be provoked to have his
name; which he hath commanded to be sacred and re-
verend, daily rubbed and worn out between those lips
that talk so many light, foolish .and impertinent vanities!
There are several other violations of this Third Com-
mandment: as blasphemy, rash vows, unnecessary lots,
&c. which being chiefly to be condemned upon the
same account as swearing and a vain irreverent invoking
the name of God, I shall not here treat of particularly, but
leave the sin and guilt of them to be estimated in connec-
tion with a due consideration of the several circumstances
that attend them. Indeed the great positive duty required
in this command, is, the reverencing and sanctifying the
name of God whensoever we make mention of hi~, or
of any thing that relates unto him. But because I have
in a former treatise spoken concerning that subject, I
shall therefore wave it at present, and here close the ex-
position of this Third Commandment.
*On the Second Petition of the Lord's Prayer
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.
"Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. 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
not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter,
nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy
stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the
Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in.
them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord
blessed the Sabbath-day, and hallowed it."
We are now arrived to the Fourth and last Command-
ment of the First Table, and with the exposition of this
I shall finish the consideration of those duties which im-
mediately concern the worship and service of God.
We have already observed, as a great deal of wisdom
and excellency in the matter of each command, so a great
deal of heavenly art in the method and digestion of them.
And, upon serious reflection on both, we may very well
conclude that they are as well the contrivance of the di-
vine understanding as the engraving of his finger.
The first requires that which is first and principally to
be regarded, the inward veneration of the true God, in
the dearest love and highest esteem and choicest affec-
tions of a pious soul.
The second enjoins the external expression of this re-
verence, in the prostration of the body and other acts of
visible worship. For although God chiefly regards the
heart and the frame and disposition of the inward man,
yet he neglects not to observe the due composure of the
body as a testimony of the soul's sincerity.
And as this requires us to honor the majesty of God in
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 193
our gestures, so the third requires us to glorify the holy
and reverend name of God in all our speeches and dis-
if courses: never to make mention of it but with that pre-
possession of holy awe and dread that might compose us
into all possible gravity and seriousness.
And because every thing is beautiful in its season,
therefore we have subjoined to all these a particular com-
mand concerning the time wherein God prescribes all
these to be more especially tendered unto him. And this
is the precept which we have now under consideration:
REMEMBER THE SABBATH-DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY.
In these words we have a command, and the enforce-
ment of it.
The command is, to sanctify the Sabbath. And here
this is justly observable: that, whereas all the Test are
simply either positive or negative, this is both. Remember
to keep it holy: and, in it thou shalt not do any work. As I
if God took an especial care to fence us in on all sides
to the observance of this precept.
The enforcement also is more particular, and with great-
Er care and instance than we find in any other command.
For God hath here condescended to use three cogent ar-
ments to press the observance of this law upon us.
The first is taken from his own example, whom cer-
tainly it is our glory as well as our duty to imitate: in all
things in which he hath propounded himself to be our
pattern: The Lord rested the seventh day, and therefore
rest ye also.
The second, from that bountiful and liberal portion Of
time that he hath allowed us for the affairs and business
of this present life: Six days shalt thou labor, and do all I
thy work; and therefore it is but fit and equitable that
Commandments. 9
194 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
the seventh should be given to God, who hath so freely
given the rest to thee.
The third, from the dedication of this day to his own
immediate worship and service: The Lord blessed the
Sabbath-day, and hallowed it. So that it is no less a sin
than sacrilege, and stealing of that which is holy, to purloin
any part of that time which God hath thus consecrated to
himself, and to employ it about either sinful or secular
actions.
I shall begin with the COMMAND, REMEMBER THE SAB-
BATH-DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY.
The word Sabbath signifies rest and cessation from la-
bor, and is applied to several things.
Thus it signifies the temporal Sabbath, or the recur-
ring seventh day or year, which we are now treating of.
And because this ,vas the principal day of the week,
therefore we find that the whole week is denominated
from it a Sabbath. Luke 10:12; Mat. 28:1.
It signifies also a spiritual rest, a rest from the slavery
and drudgery of sin, and those sordid labors which the
devil, our grievous taskmaster, exacts of us. And of this
spiritual Sabbath the temporal one is a sign and type. So
Exod. 31:13, "My Sabbaths ye shall keep; for it is a
sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am
the Lord that doth sanctify you."
Again: it is used likewise to signify the eternal rest of
the blessed in heaven, where they rest from all their la-
born and from all their sorrows, in the full fruition of the
ever-blessed God and of all blessedness in him. So the
apostle, Heb. 4:9, "There remaineth a rest unto
people of God." The word is sabbatismoj, there remain-
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 195
eth a Sabbath, or the celebration of a Sabbath, unto the
people of God.
It is only of the first of these, the temporal Sabbath,
that I am now speaking.
And here neither shall I speak of the Sabbath of years,
when the land was every seventh year to rest from the
labor of tillage and husbandry, as we find, Lev. 25:4,
"The seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the
land;" nor yet of the greater Sabbath of the jubilee, ob-
served every fiftieth year, at the period of even sabbati-
cal years, wherein all possessions and inheritances which
had been sold or mortgaged were again to return to the
first owners, which Sabbath you have described, Lev.
25:8, &c. But I shall only treat of the Sabbath of days,
which this commandment cloth principally respect.
And the general heads upon which I shall proceed are
these four: its primitive institution; its morality and per-
petual obligation; its change from the last to the first day
of the week; and the manner how God hath required it
to be sanctified by us.
I. Its primitive institution.
When the Sabbath was instituted there is some differ-
ence between learned men.
Some date it late, and refer its beginning to the promul-
gation of the law, or at farthest to the sending of manna
to the Israelites. And they ground their assertion on this:
that before that time we read not in all the history of the
patriarchs and first ages of the world of any Sabbath that
was observed and sanctified by the holy fathers who then
lived, which doubtless they would not have neglected had
any such command been given them.
196 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Others, who I believe concur with the truth, date its
original as high as the creation of the world; grounding
their opinion upon that unanswerable testimony, Gen.
2:2, 3, "On the seventh day God ended his work,
which he had made; and God blessed the seventh day,
and sanctified it." Now, that there cannot in these words
be understood any prolepsis, or anticipation, declaring
that as done then which was done many ages after, ap-
pears plainly, because God is said to sanctify the Sabbath
then, when he rested: but he rested precisely on the sev-
enth day after the creation; therefore that very seventh
day did God sanctify, and made it the beginning of all
ensuing Sabbaths. So that you seethe Sabbath is but one
day younger than man; ordained for him in the state of
his uprightness and innocence, that his faculties being
then holy and excellent, he might employ them, especially
on that day, in the singular and most spiritual worship of
God his Creator. And although we find no more mention
of the Sabbath until Moses had conducted the children of
Israel into the wilderness, which was about two thousand
four hundred and fifty years after the creation; yet it is
not to be supposed that among the people of God, who
were very careful, as in observing the law of God them-
selves, so in delivering it likewise to their posterity, that
the observance of this law or of this day utterly failed;
but it was doubtless continued among those that feared
God, till it was again invigorated with new authority by
the promulgation of it from Mount Sinai--Thus much for
the institution.
II. The MORALITY of the Sabbath. Concerning this
There is a greater controversy, and of far greater moment.
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 197
Some loose spirits contend that it is wholly ceremonial,
and so was utterly abolished at the coming of Christ; and
therefore they will not be under the restriction of their
liberty in observing any days or times. Others again make
it wholly moral; and affirm that the observance of the
very seventh day from the creation is a law of nature and
of perpetual obligation; and therefore think themselves
bound to keep the Jewish Sabbath.
That I may clearly state this obscure and difficult
question, I shall only premise, that those things are said
to be moral and of the law of nature which are in them-
selves rational and fit to be done, although there were no
express command to enjoin them. So that where there is
a great equity in the thing itself, enough to sway a ra-
tional and honest man to the doing of it, that is to be ac-
counted moral and authorized by the law of nature. That
is of positive right which is observed only because it is
commanded, and hath no intrinsical goodness or reason in
itself to commend it to our practice, but obligeth only
upon the injunction and authority of another. As for in-
stance: it is naturally good to obey our parents, to ab-
stain from murder, theft, adultery, &c. to do to others as
we would be content to be dealt with; these things we
are obliged to by the very light of reason and the princi-
ples of nature, although there had been no written law of
God to impose them. But then there were other things to
which God obliged some of his people, that had nothing
to commend them besides the authority of his command;
and such were the various ceremonies under the law;
yea, and in innocence itself, the prohibition given to Ad-
am not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil. The former sort are moral and natural commands;
198 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
the latter positive and instituted. The former are com-
manded: because good; the latter are good, because com
manded.
1. Certain it is that a convenient portion, of our time is
due to the service and worship of God by natural and moral
right. For certainly it is but fit and just that he should
have a large share of our life and time, who hath given us
life and time here upon earth, and hath created us to this
very end, that we might serve and glorify him. Yea, had
it been propounded to ourselves how much we would
have allowed for God, could we, without shame and blush-
ing, have set apart less time for his service from whom
we have all, than himself hath done? This I think is by
all agreed to.
2. The law of nature doth not dictate to us any par-
ticular stated days to be set apart for the worship of God,
one more than another: indeed there is no evident na-
tural reason why this day more than that; why every
seventh day rather than every sixth, or fifth, or fourth;
for an days being in their own nature alike, reason can
find no advantage to prefer one day before another. But
that which is obligatory by the law of nature, ought to
be plain and evident to all men, or else evidently de-
ducible from some natural principles. Now, if we lay
aside the positive command of God, there is no one day
in itself better than another; and therefore there is a me-
mento prefixed to the command, Remember that thou keep
holy the Sabbath-day, which is not added to any other
precept; intimating to us that the observance of a special
day is not a dictate of nature, but only an imposition of
God, which he requires us to remember and bear in mind.
3. That. the seventh day should be especially consecrated
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 199
to the service and worship of God is from his positive will
and command, and therefore is as binding and forcible as
if it were a law of nature engraven on our hearts; un-
less the same authority alter it that did first enjoin it.
For this being a positive law, is therefore good and neces-
sary, because commanded. And if it had not been re-
vealed to us, we should never have been obliged to this
observance, nor made obnoxious to punishment for fail-
ing in it. Yet again,
4. This declaration, if the will of God concerning the
sanctification of the Sabbath is attended with a moral rea-
son; and therefore is not merely and barely positive, as
ceremonial laws are. The reason is, that God rested on
the seventh day; and therefore we ought so to do.
Now, although this reason carries not such a natural evi-
dence in it as to have obliged us unless it had been re-
vealed; yet, being revealed, we may discern a certain
aptitude and fitness in it to oblige us to the observance of
the seventh day rather than any other; since piety and
religion require that we should imitate God in those
things wherein he would have us imitate him. So that I
account this command to be moral-positive: moral, in
that it requires a due portion of our time to be dedicated
to the service and worship of God: positive, in that it pre-
scribes the seventh day for that especial service which
the light and law of nature did not prefix; and mixed
of both, in that it gives a reason of this prescription, which
hath somewhat of natural equity in it, but yet such as
could not have been discovered without special and divine
revelation.
Now, because the observance of a Sabbath hath thus
much of morality and of the law of nature in it, it is
200 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
most certain that we are I bound to keep a Sabbath as much
as the Jews were: although not to the circumstance of the
duty. For,
(1.) This command was obligatory, even, in paradise it-
self, in the state of innocency; and therefore contains
nothing in it unworthy the state of a christian. It is no
ceremonial command, nor to be reckoned amongst those
things which were typical, and prefigured Christ to come
in the flesh, and therefore, neither was it abolished at his
coming; but still there lies a strict and indispensable obli-
gation upon us to observe a Sabbath holy unto the Lord.
(2.) The reasons of this command are aU moral and
perpetual; and therefore such is the obligation of it to us
christians. The equity is the same to us that it was to
them; namely, that we should allow one day in seven to
the worship of that God who so liberally allows us six for
our ordinary affairs: the ease and refreshment of our bo-
dies from the labors of our callings is as necesary as then
it was; and we are stir as much obliged with thankful-
ness to remember and meditate upon the great mercy of
our creation as they were. And, therefore, if these were
sufficient reasons why the Jews should observe a particu-
lar Sabbath, they are still as forcible and cogent with us.
Again,
(3.) Our Savior, foretelling the destruction of Jerusa-
lem, bids his disciples "pray that their flight might not
be in the winter, nor on the Sabbath-day." Mat. 24:20
And yet the destruction of that city happened about forty
years after the death of Christ; and therefore, certainly
those who were his discip1es lay under an obligation of
observing a Sabbath-day; because our Savior intimates
that it would prove a heavy addition to their affliction if
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 201
they should be forced to take their flight on the Sabbath,
when they ought and desired to be employed in the spirit-
ual exercise of devotion and holy duties proper to that day.
But although the sanctifying of a Sabbath be thus obli-
gatory to christians, yet it is not the same Sabbath-day
to the observance of which the Jews and the people of
God, before Christ's coming into the world were bound.
But it is, with good ground and upon good authority,
changed from the last to the first day of the week; from
Saturday to Sunday; called now the Lord's day, because
it "was that day of the week on which our Lord and
Savior rose from the dead: in memory of which, and in a
thankful acknowledgment of the great mercy of our re-
demption fully completed by his resurrection, the Sab-
bath has been translated to this day; and is now rightly
celebrated .on this day by all the churches of Christ
throughout the world.
III. This CHANGE of the Sabbath is the third head
which I promised to speak of.
As the first institution of the Sabbath ,vas by divine
authority; so likewise is the change of it. For as God
rested from his labor on the last day of the week; so
Christ rested from all his labor, sorrows and afflictions on
this day, in which he fully completed the work of our re-
demption, and manifested it to be perfected by his resur-
rection from the dead. Therefore, as the Jewish Sabbath
was sanctified because of the finishing of the work of cre-
ation; so was the christian Sabbath, because of the finish-
ing of the work of redemption which is of far greater im-
portance, and therefore deserves more to be celebrated
than the other. Christ sanctified this day by his resurrec-
202 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
tion; and the Apostles confirmed the observance of it,
both by their writings and uniform practice; and it hath
such an inviolable stamp qf divinity upon it, that now it is
no more alterable to the end of the world.
Nor is it needful that an express command of Christ
should be brought for this change out of the New Testa-
ment. It is sufficient, if, by necessary consequence, it may
be deduced from Scripture. And yet,
1. We have express places of the Scripture thus far,
that the first day of the week is mentioned as the stated ;
time for christians to meet together, to preach, to hear, to
break bread in the Lord's supper, and to perform other
duties of religion. So, Acts 20:7; "Upon the first
day of the week, when the disciples came together to
break bread, Paul preached unto them:" which plain-
ly declares that the solemn meetings and assemblies
of christians were then on this day; the Jewish Sab-
bath beginning to wear out, and the christian Sab-
bath, or the Lord's day, coming into its place and
stead.
Again: The public collections for the poorer saints
were ordained by the apostle to be made on this day.
"Now concerning the collection for the saints--upon the
first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in
store, as God hath prospered him." 1 Cor. 16:1, 2. And
this very rule and custom the apostle says he had before
established in the church of the Galatians. And why
should this day be chosen for their collections, but only
because the assemblies of christians were held on this
day; and so gave a better conveniency to gather their
charity than at any other time?
Again:
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 203
Spirit on the Lord's day; Rev. 1:10; which is no other but
this our christian Sabbath that hath received this title and
denomination from our Lord Christ. For what some say,
that St. John by the Lord's day means no more than the
day of the Lord's appearing to him and revealing those
many mysterious visions, is vain and scarce agreeable to
the sense and gravity of Scripture expression. It sig-
nifies, therefore, this day; wherein the apostle being, in all
likelihood, taken up with spiritual meditations, God was
pleased to gratify him with the revelation of those great:
things which were afterwards to take their effect and ac-
complishment.
Put the force of these Scriptures together, and they
will certainly amount to the full proof of the institution of
this first day Sabbath. It is called the Lord's day: it was
appointed and used for the assemblies of the saints; for
the preaching and healing of the word, and the adminis-
tration of the Lord's supper; for the collection of alms
for the relief of the poor; and this not in one church only,
but in other churches of the saints; and that likewise not
at some solemn times only, but weekly. Put these to-
gether, and what more plain and evident proof can a thing
of this nature admit of?
2. A second argument to prove this change is, the con-
stant and uninterrupted practice of the church in all ages,
from the time of man's redemption by the death and resur-
rection of Christ to this very present day.
Christ himself began the sanctification of it by his
resurrection; on the same day he appeared to his dis-
ciples; and he himself informs them of his resurrection,
John 20:19.
I have already spoken of the practice of the Apostles;
204 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
and for the Practice of the primitive church immediately
after the Apostles, all ecclesiastical histories with one con.
sent testify that the solemn assemblies of christians were
held on this day: which unvaried custom and observance
of the church of Christ ought to be of great weight with
all solid and serious christians. And if we add to this
likewise the unanimous consent of the most holy and spi-
ritual men, who are generally found to be the most strict
observers of the Lord's day; and lastly, the great bless-
ing that God hath poured out upon his people in the plen-
tiful effusion of his grace and Spirit on them in his holy
ordinances celebrated on this day; it will be past all
question that "this is the day that the Lord hath made"
for himself, and therefore "let us be glad and rejoice
therein."
We have thus considered the institution, morality and
change of the Sabbath.
IV. It remains now only to consider THE SANCTIFICA-
TION OF THE SABBATH.
In treating this. I shall observe the same method as
above, and satisfy myself in laying down positively what
Scripture and reason dictate, without engaging in those
tedious disputes about it which might make this dis-
course both unpleasing and unprofitable.
This commandment speaks of a twofold sanctification
of this day; the one, which it hath already received from
God; the other, which It ought to receive from man;
and the former is given as a reason of and motive for the
latter.
1. God hath sanctified the Sabbath-day.
So we have it, verse 11, "The Lord blessed the seventh
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 205
day and hallowed it, where these two words blessed and
hallowed are only exegetical one of the other, and carry
in them the same sense common to both.
Now God blessed and hallowed the Sabbath-day, not
by infusing any inherent quality of holiness into it; for
neither days, nor places, nor any inanimate things are
subjects capable of real holiness; but, by separating that
day from others, bestowing a higher dignity and privilege
upon it, as the day whereon both himself chose to rest
from the works of creation, land the day whereon he re-
quires that we also should rest from the works of our or-
dinary vocations.
For, to hallow and sanctify, is to set any thing apart
from profane and common to sacred and spiritual uses.
God therefore sanctified the Sabbath, when he selected it
out of the course of other days, and set it apart from the
common employments and services of. life; ordaining
that the spiritual concernments of his glory and our sal-
vation should be therein especially transacted. And this
is the blessing which God hath conferred upon this day;
for what -other benefit is a day capable of, but only that
when the other six days, like the unregarded vulgar of
the year, were to be employed in the low and sordid
drudgery of earthly affairs; this seventh day God hath
raised from the dunghill and set upon the throne, ap-
pointing it, according to Ignatius' phrase, ten basilida, ten
upaton ton emeron, "The prince and sovereign of days:"
exempting it from all servile works; and designing it for
such spiritual and celestial employments, that were it ob.
served according to God's command, eternity itself would
not have much advantage above it, but only that it is
longer. So that in the ring and circle of the week the
206 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Sabbath is the jewel, the most excellent and precious of
days.
Again: God hath blessed and sanctified it, not only in
this relative but also in an effective sense, as he hath ap-
pointed it to be the day whereon he doth especially bless and
sanctify us. Yea, and possibly he makes the means of
our sanctification to be more effectual on this day than
when they are dispensed on any other common days.
God doth then especially give out plentiful effusions of
his Spirit, fills his ordinances with his grace and presence;
and we may with a more confident faith expect a great-
er portion of spiritual blessings from him when both the
ordinances and the day too are his, than when, though
the ordinances be his, yet the day is ours. In this sense
God may be said to bless and sanctify the Sabbath-day,
because he blesseth and sanctifieth us on that day. As the
Psalmist most elegantly and in a high strain of poetry
saith that God "crowneth the year with his goodness,"
Psalm 65:11; not that the plenty and fruitfulness of the
year is any blessing unto it; but it is a blessing unto men,
whose hearts God then filleth with food and gladness. In
both these senses God may be said to bless and sanctify
the Sabbath.
2. As God sanctified the Sabbath, so man is command-
ed to sanctify it also; verse 8, "Remember the Sabbath-
day to keep it holy." We sanctify and hallow a day when
we observe it holy to the Lord; sequestering ourselves
from common affairs to those spiritual exercises which he
hath required us to be conversant about on that day. God
sanctifies it by consecration, we sanctify it by devotion. He
hath set it apart for his worship, and on it we ought to
set ourselves apart for his worship, and to be taken up
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 207
only with those things which he hath either allowed or
prescribed us. And therefore God doth lay an especial
claim to this day. For although he be the Supreme Lord
of all, and doth dispense and as it were draw out the
thread of time, and days, and years for us, out of the infi-
nite bottom of his eternity, yet he doth not so particu-
larly challenge any part ,of it to himself as he doth this
seventh day. Whence it is said, verse 10, The seventh day
is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. The six foregoing
days of the week are thine, and thou mayest dispose of
them in the honest works of thy calling, as prudence and
convenience shall direct; but this day God challengeth to
himself, as his peculiar portion of our time, because he
hath ordained it for his worship and service, and there-
fore it is called his. And when we devote ourselves to his
service and worship, meditating on his excellency, magni-
fying and praising his mercy, and invoking his holy name,
we then hallow this day, and give unto God that which
is God's.
Thus you see what it is to sanctify the Sabbath; both
as God hath done it by dedication, and as man ought to
do it by observance.
But the great question is IN WHAT MANNER the Sab-
bath ought to be sanctified and kept holy: whether we
are bound to the same strict and rigorous observance of
our christian Sabbath as the Jews were of theirs under
the economy of Moses.
And on this I observe in general, that as our Sabbath
is not the very same with theirs, but only the same ana-
logically, bearing a fit proportion to it; so likewise our
sanctification of the Lord's day, (for thus I would rather
208 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
call it than the Sabbath) is not, in all particulars, the same
that was required from the Jews, but bears a proportion
to it in those things which are not ceremonial nor burden-
some to our christian liberty.
But more particularly: the sanctifying of this day con-
sists partly in abstaining I from those things whereby it
would be profaned; and I partly in the performance of
those things which are required of us, and tend to pro-
mote the sanctity and holiness of it. And,
1. Here I shall 1ay down this: that, in order to our due
sanctifying of the Sabbath, we ought to abstain from the com-
mon and servile works of our ordinary callings and vocations.
So we have it expressly, verse 10, In it thou shalt not
do any work. And this God prohibits, not that rest and
cessation is in itself acceptable to him, or any part of his
worship and service, but i only because earthly employ-
ments are an impediment land distraction to that heavenly
frame of spirit which we ought to maintain in all the
parts and duties of this day. The works of our callings
arc not evil in themselves, but lawful and good; and such
wherein on other days we serve God, and whereon we
may expect a blessing from him; but yet our mind is so
narrow and stinted, that we cannot at once attend them
and the service of God with the zeal and fervor that he
requires; and therefore, that we may be wholly employ-
ed in his work, he hath taken us off from our own.
This prohibition of working on the Sabbath is strongly
enforced by the concession of six days for our ordinary
labor: a concession, I call it, considering the indulgence
granted to us. But yet it is not merely a concession, but
a command too: Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy
work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord. That
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 209
exceptive particle but, intimates that none of that work
which is lawful to be done on ordinary days ought to be
performed by us on the Sabbath.
I know it is a question whether these words "Six days
shalt thou labor," be a precept or a permission only. To
me they seem preceptive, requiring us diligently to attend
that vocation and state of life in which the Divine provi-
dence hath set us, and to perform the offices of it with
care and conscience; for it is said thou shalt labor, not
only thou mayest labor. And those who contend that the
words merely signify a permission of the daily works of
our callings, open too wide a gap for sloth and idleness to
creep in, without violating any commandment, or being
censured and condemned as sin.
But I shall not trouble you with the disputes about this.
Only let me notice the weakness and inconsequence of
one inference commonly drawn from it: that if it be a
divine precept that we ought six days to labor, then we
cannot by any constitution whatsoever be taken off from
the lawful works of our callings, nor be obliged religious-
ly to observe any other days besides the Sabbath; for
God's laws do not contradict themselves, and whereinso-
ever human laws contradict the divine, they are of no force
nor validity.
But this argument fails in its deduction. For the com-
mand, "Six days shalt thou labor," is not to be under-
stood absolutely and unlimitedly, but with a just restraint
and exception: that is, Thou shalt labor six days ordina-
rily, less any of them be set apart, either by thine
own private devotion or by public authority, for the im-
mediate worship and service of God.
And that this is of necessity to be so understood, ap-
210 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
pears, if we consider how many days in the week God
himself dedicated in those feasts which he commanded the
Jews strictly to observe, notwithstanding that they were
enjoined six days' labor. Besides every new moon, there
was the passover, in remembrance of their deliverance
from the bondage of Egypt, and a type of Christ, who,
as a lamb without spot, was offered up to God for us.
Then the pentecost or the: feast of weeks, fifty days after
the passover; a memorial that the law was given to them
from Mount Sinai fifty days after their departure out of
Egypt; typifying likewise 'the sending of the Holy Ghost
to inspire the apostles with heavenly truth, and to enable ,
them to preach the Gospel, which is the law of Jesus ,
Christ, which was accordingly fulfilled fifty days after
Christ our great Passover was sacrificed for us. Then,
thirdly, the feast of atonement or expiation, which was
celebrated on the tenth day of the seventh month, where-
on the high-priest was solemnly to confess unto, God both
his own sins and the sins of the people, and to make
atonement for them; typifying thereby the full expiation
and atonement of our sins made by our High-priest Jesus
Christ. And lastly, there was ordained likewise the feast
of tabernacles, on the fifteenth day of the same month;
and this was to last not oply one day, but a whole week
together, and was instituted to be a memorial to them of
their journey through the wilderness, wherein for forty
years they lived in tents and tabernacles. All these feasts
we find appointed by God himself, and imposed upon the
Israelites. Lev. 23.
And not only did they account themselves obliged to
keep these days holy which were enjoined by the divine
command, but those also which were appointed by human
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 211
authority. Such were the feast of purim, to be kept two
days successively, in remembrance of their deliverance
from the malicious and bloody designs of Haman, Esther,
9:21; and the feast of the dedication of the temple, first ob-
served at the rebuilding of their temple after their return
from the Babylonish captivity, as you may read, Ezra,
6:16; and from that time perpetuated unto the days of
our Savior Christ; who, though it were but of human and
ecclesiastical institution, yet was pleased to honor that so-
lemnity with his presence. John, 10:22. Besides, we
frequently read of fasts, both personal and national, ap-
pointed upon some emergent occasions, to appease and
divert the wrath of God; as the fast of the fifth and the
seventh month for seventy years together. Zech. 7:5.
And the like to these, without doubt, either our own pri-
vate devotion or the public authority of the nation may,
in the like circumstances impose on us without violating
this command of six days' labor.
But although this six days' labor was not so strictly re-
quired as not sometimes to admit the intervention of a
holy rest, yet the seventh day's rest was so exactly to be
observed as not to admit any bodily labor or secular em-
ployment. God would not have this holy rest disturbed
by the tumultuous affairs and business of life; and we find
this command strictly enforced by the double sanction
both of a promise and threatening, Jer. 17, from verse 24
to the end: "If ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the
Lord, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city
on the Sabbath-day, but hallow the Sabbath-day, to do no
work therein; then shall there enter into the gates of this
city, kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David--
and this city shall remain: for ever. But if you will not
212 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath-day--then will I
kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the
palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched." Yea,
God was so accurate about this, that he descends to a par-
ticular prohibition of several sorts of work which he
would not have to be done on the Sabbath-day. On that
day the Israelites were not to gather manna, Exod. 16:
26; nor to gather in their harvest, Exod. 34:21; nor to
buy or sell, Neh. 10:31; nor to tread the wine-press.
Neh. 13:15; nor so much as to gather sticks, Numb.
15:32; nor to go from their places of abode to provide
themselves food, Exod. 16:29; yea, so strictly were they
tied to the observance of this Sabbath, that they might
not so much as kindle a fire, Exod. 35:3, "Ye shall kin-
dle no fire throughout your habitations on the Sabbath-
day." Unto all these prohibitions from God the Jews
added many superstitious and ridiculous ones of their
own, not grave enough to be here mentioned; whereby
they made that burden which we before heavy, to be al-
together insupportable by their foolish and vain traditions.
Now the great question is, How far these prohibitions
concern us, and whether we are obliged to the punctual
servance of them, as the Jews were.
To this I answer in the negative, that we are not, for
we are bound to nothing by the law of Moses, but only
what was of moral and natural light in that law. As for
other ordinances which were positive, we are set free from
them by that liberty which Jesus Christ hath purchased
for and conferred upon his church. We do not celebrate
the Lord's day, itself upon any obligation laid upon us by
the letter of this fourth commandment, (for that expressly
enjoins the seventh day from the creation, whereas ours is
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 213
the eighth,) but only from the analogy and proportion of
moral reason, which requires that a due and convenient
portion of our time should be separated to the service and
worship of God. But for the fixing of the very day, why
it should be this rather than any other, we acknowledge
it to proceed from the consecration of it by our Savior's
resurrection, the institution of the apostles, and the con-
sequent practice of the universal church of Christ in all
ages, as I have already declared. And therefore should
we as scrupulously and nicely observe it in all circum-
stances as the Jews did their Sabbath, possibly it would
not be a sanctification of the Sabbath, but a fond and
groundless superstition.
The Lord's day is therefore to be observed only in
things that are in themselves moral and rational. Nor will
this give any scope to the libertinism of those who would
willingly indulge themselves either in worldly affairs or
loose recreations on this day. For it is moral and rational
that the whole, of that day which is set apart for the wor-
ship of God should be employed in his worship. This
likewise is moral and of spiritual obligation, that we do
not our own pleasure nor speak our own words on his holy
day, as the prophet expresseth it, Isaiah, 58:13.
This obligeth us christians 38 well as the Jews. For if
a day be dedicated to God, certainly every part and par-
cel of it belongs to him, and we ought to rest from all our
worldly employments that might steal away our thoughts
and affections from God or indispose us to his spiritual
worship and service.
But yet this extends not to those small punctilios of
gathering sticks, kindling a fire and preparing food for our-
selves, for these things doubtless may be done without being
214 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
any moral impediments to our piety and devotion on this
day. Yea, they may be moral helps and furtherances to it.
For notwithstanding this rest and cessation from labor
which is required on the Lord's day, yet three sorts of
works may and ought to be performed on that day, how
great soever our bodily labor may be in doing them. And
these are works of piety, works of necessity, and works
of charity.
(1.) Works of piety are to be performed on the Lord's
day; yea, on this day especially, as being the proper
work of the day.
And such are not only those which consist in the inter-
nal operations of the soul, as heavenly meditations and
spiritual affections; but such also as consist in the ex-
ternal actions of the body, as oral prayer, reading the
Scriptures, and preaching the word. Yea, on this day
are ministers chiefly employed in their bodily labor and
spending of their spirits: yet it is far from being a profa-
nation of the Lord's day; for holy works are most proper
for holy days. And not only are such works to be per-
formed on the Lord's day, but they were enjoined also
on the Jewish Sabbath. Therefore saith our Savior,
Mat. 12:5, "Have ye not read in the law, how that on
tile Sabbath-days the priests in the temple profane the
Sabbath, and yet are blameless?" This word, therefore, of
profaning the Sabbath, is not to be understood as if they
did what was unlawful to be done on that day; but
only of the hard labor they had in killing and flaying, and
dividing and boiling and burning the sacrifices in the
temple; which, had they not been instituted parts of God's
worship, had been profanations of the Sabbath; but,
being commanded by God, were so far from being profa-
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 215
nations, that they were a sanctification of that day, and
therefore the priests were blameless. On this account
likewise were Sabbath days' journeys permitted to the
Jews: which though they were not actions of piety in
themselves, yet were they actions tending towards piety,
that those who were remote from the places of worse
might assemble themselves together to hear the Scrip-
tures read and expounded to them. This appears, 2
Kings 4:23, where the husband of the Shunamitish wo-
man expostulates with her: "Wherefore wilt thou go to
the prophet to-day? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath."
Whence it may be clearly collected, that they were per-
mitted to travel a certain space to attend upon the wor-
ship and service of God. This Sabbath-day's journey
some limit to a mile; others to two, the distance of the
utmost part of the camp of Israel from the tabernacle of
the congregation. But With very good reason it may be
thought that the Sabbath-day's journey was any distance
from the place of their abode to the next synagogue;
which commonly not being above a mile or two, that dis-
tance was called a Sabbath-day's journey.
So that it appears that works of piety, or works imme-
diately tending to piety, may lawfully be performed with-
the strictest observance of the Lord's day.
(2.) Not only works of piety, but works of necessity and
of great convenience may also be done on the Lord's day.
And they are such without which we cannot subsist, or
not well subsist; therefore we may quench a raging fire,
prevent any great and notable damage that would happen
either to our persons or estates, fight for our own de-
fence or the defence of our country, without being guilty
of the violation of this day: concerning the last of which
216 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
history informs us that the Jews were so scrupulous
to suffer themselves to be assaulted and slam by their
enemies, rather than they would on this day lift up a wea-
pon to repel them, till Matthias persuaded them out of
this superstition. 1 Maccabees 2:40. And not only
those works which are of absolute necessity, but those
likewise which are of great conveniency may lawfully be
done on the Lord's day, such as kindling a fire, prepar-
ing food, and many other particulars too numerous to
be mentioned. We find our Savior defending his disciples
against the exceptions of the pharisees for plucking the
ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands, and eating
them on the Sabbath-day. Mat. 12:1, &c. Only let us
take this caution, that we neglect not the doing of those
things till the Lord's day, which might well be done before,
and then plead necessity or convenience for it; for if the
necessity or convenience were such as might have been
foreseen, our christian prudence and piety ought to have
provided for it before this holy day; so that we might
wholly attend on the immediate service of God in it with
as few avocations and impediments as are possible.
(3.) Another sort of works that may and ought to be
done on the Lord's day, are the works of charity and
mercy.
For indeed this day is instituted for a memorial of
God's great mercy towards us; therefore in it we are
obliged to show charity and mercy: charity towards men,
and mercy to the very beasts themselves. Hence, although
the observance of the Sabbath was so strictly enjoined the
Jews, yet ,vas it to give place to the works of mercy
whensoever a poor beast did but stand in need of it. So
Mat. 12:11, "What man shall there be among you, that
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 217
shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sab-
bath-day, will not lay hold on it and lift it out? And so
again, Luke, 13:15, "Doth not each one of you on the
Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall and lead
him away to watering?" Yea, and this the very heathens
observed on their festivals; when other works were for-
bidden, yet works of mercy were expressly allowed, and
by name the helping of an ox out of' a pit.* Works of
mercy therefore are to be dope even to beasts themselves,
whatsoever labor may be required to do them; and how
much more then works of charity to men like ourselves!
which charity is to be shown either to their souls or their
bodies; for both many times are extremely miserable
To their souls, in instructing, advising, exhorting, reprov-
ing, comforting and counselling, and praying for them;
and if in any thing they have offended us, freely forgiving
them: this indeed is a work of charity proper for the
Lord's day, a work highly acceptable to God, and the
best way that can be to sanctify it. Neither are we to
forbear any work of charity to their bodies and outward
man; hence our Savior severely rebukes the superstitious
hypocrisy of the pharisees, who murmured against him as
a Sabbath-breaker because he had healed some of their
infirmities on the Sabbath-day. Luke 13:14-16. "The
ruler of the synagogue said unto the people with in-
dignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sab-
bath-day, there are six days in which men ought to work
in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the
Sabbath-day." See how our Lord takes him up. "Thou
hypocrite! doth not each one of you, on the Sabbath,
*Macrob. Saturn. lib. 1. cap. 16.
218 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
loose his ox? &c. And ought not this woman, who is a
daughter of Abraham, to be loosed from this bond on the
Sabbath-day?" And so again, Mat. 12:10, Christ healeth
a man that had a withered hand, and justifieth this work
of charity to this man by their works of mercy to their
beasts; and asserts, verse 12, "It is lawful to do well on
the Sabbath-days." Yea, he appeals to their very con-
sciences in this, whether a benefit done to a poor helpless
creature could be counted a breach and violation of the
Sabbath, Mark 3:4, "Is it lawful to do good on the
Sabbath-days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?"
Certainly it is a right Sabbath-day's work to do good;
and to put ourselves to any work and labor that may tend
to the saving of life or easing of pain, or healing the
diseases and sickness of our brother. And our Savior
hath told us, Mark 2:27, "That the Sabbath was made
for man, and not man for the Sabbath." The strict and
punctual observance of the Sabbath is to give place
whensoever the exigence or good of our neighbor doth
require it; for God prefers mercy before sacrifice.
Thus you see what rest is required from us on the
Lord's day, and what works may be done on it without
any violation of the law or profanation of the day. And
this is the first thing in order to our sanctifying the Sab-
oath, to rest from the common and servile works of our
ordinary callings and vocations. But,
2. Another thing in which the sanctification of the Sab-
bath doth especially consist, is a diligent and conscientious
attendance upon all the ordinances of God and the duties of
his worship appointed to be performed on this day, and that
whether in public, or in private, or in secret.
(1.) Consider what duties you are to be engaged in in the
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 219
public and solemn worship of God on this day; for in them
a great and principal part of the sanctification of it doth
consist.
This I mention, in the first place, as of prime import-
ance. For certainly as long as, through the mercy of God,
we have the public and free dispensation of the Gospel,
we ought not to slight or turn our backs upon this visible
communion of the church; but to honor and own the
freedom of the Gospel by our constant attendance on the
dispensation of it; lest, despising the mercy of God in
giving them to us so publicly, we provoke him, at length;
most justly to necessitate us to those retirements which
now so very many, out of sloth or faction, do so much af-
fect. I pray God that this prove not the sad and direful
consequence of the contempt that is cast upon public
worship by some persons, whose only study and business
it is to divide Christ, and make rents and schisms in his
body the church.
The public duties which are necessary to the right sanc-
tifying of the Lord's day are these:
Affectionate prayer, in joining with the minister, who is
our mouth to God as well as God's mouth to us.
For as he is intrusted to deliver his sovereign will and
commands, so likewise is he to present our requests to
the throne of his grace. We ought heedfully to attend to
every petition, to dart it up to heaven with our most
earnest desires, and to close and seal it up with our
affectionate Amen, so be it. For though it be the minister
alone that speaks, yet it is not the minister alone that
prays, but the whole congregation by him, and with him;
and whatsoever petition is not accompanied with thy most
sincere and cordial affections, it is as much mocking of
220 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
God as if thine own mouth had uttered it without the
concurrence of thy heart, which is most gross hypocrisy.
Consider what promises are made to particular christians
when they pray singly and by themselves: "Whatsoever
ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will grant it
you." John 15:16, and 16:23. What great preva-
lency then must the united prayers of the saints have,
when they join interests, and put all the favor that each
of them hath at the throne of grace into one common
stock! When we come to public prayer, we are not to
come as auditors but as actors: we have our part in it,
and every petition that is spread before God ought to be
breathed from our very hearts and souls; which if we
affectionately perform, we may have good assurance that
what is ratified by so many votes and suffrages here on
earth shall likewise be confirmed in heaven. For our
Savior hath told us, Matt. 18:19, that "if two shall agree
together on earth as touching any thing that they shall
ask, it shall be done for them by his Father which is in
heaven."
Our reverent and attentive hearing of the word of God,
either read or preached, is another public duty necessary
to the sanctification of the Sabbath.
This was observed also in the times of the law, before
Christ's coming into the world, Acts 15:21, "Moses
of old time hath in every city them that preach him, be-
ing read in the synagogues every Sabbath-day." Their
synagogues were built for this very purpose; and as
their temple was the great place of their legal and cere-
monial worship, so these were for their moral and natu-
ral worship. In the temple they chiefly sacrificed; and
in their synagogues they prayed, read, and heard. And
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 221
every town, and almost every village, had one erected in
it, as now our churches are, where the people on the
Sabbath day assembled together, and had some portion of
the law read and expounded to them. Much more ought
we to give our attendance on this holy ordinance, now in
the times of the Gospel, since a greater measure of
spiritual knowledge is required from us, and the myste-
ries of salvation are more clearly declared to us. And
shall not that tongue wither and that mouth be silenc-
ed which shall dare to utter any thing in contempt
and vilifying of this holy ordinance! For such excellent
things are spoken of the preaching of the Gospel, as "the
power of God," 1 Cor. 1:18; the salvation of those who
believe, v. 21; the sweet savor of the knowledge of God, 2
Cor. 2:14; that certainly whosoever disparageth it, rejects
against himself the counsel of God, and neglects the only
appointed means for the begetting of faith, and so for
the obtaining of eternal salvation; for "faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom.
10:17.
Another public duty pertaining to the sanctifying of
the Lord's day, is singing of psalms.
For this day being a festival unto God, a day of spiritual
joy and gladness, how can we better testify our joy than
by our melody? "Is any man merry?" saith St. James,
chap. 5:13, "let him sing psalms." And therefore, let
men object to this as they please, yet certainly it is a
most heavenly and spiritual duty. The holy angels and
the spirits of just men in heaven are said to sing eternal
hallelujahs unto the great King; and if our Sabbath be
typical of heaven, and the work of the Sabbath represents
to us the everlasting work of these blessed spirits, how
222 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
can it be better done than when we are singing forth the
praises of Him that sits upon the throne, and of the Lamb
our Redeemer? This is to join with the heavenly choir
in their heavenly work; and to observe a Sabbath here,
as like that eternal Sabbath there, as the imperfection
of earth can resemble the glory and imperfection of
heaven.
Another public duty belonging to the sanctifying of the
Lord's day, is the administration of the sacraments, espe-
cially that of the Lord's supper.
And therefore it is mentioned, Acts 20:7, "Upon
the first day of the week, when the disciples came togeth-
er to break bread," that is, to partake of the holy com-
munion of the body and blood of Christ, "Paul preached
unto them:" which intimates that the primary intent
of their assemblies was to receive the Lord's supper;
and that upon occasion of this the Apostle instructed
them by preaching. It is most evident by all the records
of the church, that it was the apostolic and primitive
custom to partake of this most holy ordinance every
Lord's day, and that their meetings were chiefly design-
ed for this; to which were annexed prayer and preach.
ing. I am afraid, sirs, that one of the great sins of our
age is not only the neglect and, contempt of this ordinance
by some, but the seldom celebrating it by all. The apos-
tle, where he speaks of this holy institution, intimates
that it should be frequently dispensed and participated, 1
Cor. 11:26, "As often as ye eat this bread, and drink
this cup." Let us consider, then, what dishonor they re-
flect on Christ, who, although this ordinance be too seldom
administered, yet either totally withdraw themselves from
it, or very rarely partake of it. I shall no longer insist
FOURTH COMMANDMENT. 223
on this, but leave it to God and your own consciences.
Thus much concerning the sanctification of the Lord's
day in the public duties of his worship and service.
But what! hast thou no Sabbath-work to do after thou
returnest from the congregation and public assemblies?
Yes, certainly, the day is not done when the public as-
sembly disperses: the whole of it is holy to the Lord.
Therefore,
When you return every one to your families, there are
private and family duties to be performed.
Walks and visits are not to be the evening-work of the
Sabbath; but holy and spiritual conferences are then
proper, either to bring to your remembrance the truths
you before have heard, or to engage your own hearts, or
the hearts of others, to admire and magnify God for all
his great wonders of providence and redemption. Indeed,
if a walk be thus improved, it may be a walk to heaven.
So we find the two disciples, who on this day were walk-
ing to Emmaus, how they entertained themselves and
shortened their way with spiritual and holy discourse.
Luke 24:13, 15. But they who have families to look
after, will be best employed in setting that those who are
under their charge spend the vacant time of the Sabbath
in holy exercises; either reading the Scripture, or giving
an account of what truths they have been taught, or join-
ing with them in praise and prayer to God; or, indeed,
in all of these, in their several courses and order, till
night calls for repose, and delivers them over, with a
sweet seasoning and blessing, to the labor and employ-
ments of the ensuing day and week. And,
If there be any spare time from these public and pri-
vate duties, then sanctify it by entering into thy closet,
224 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
and there unbosom thy soul before God in secret prayer,
spread thy requests before him, lay open thy wants and
desires. And though, perhaps, thou art not gifted to word
a prayer, yet sigh and groan out a prayer; for thy God
hears thee, and he understands the language of sighs, and
knows the meaning of his Spirit in the inarticulate groans
of his children. Here likewise in secret meditate on
what thou hast heard; admire the glory of God in his
works, the goodness of God in his providences, the in-
finite mercy of God in his promises. Certainly, medita-
tion is one great duty of a Sabbath, without which, to
hear the word of God only, is but to swallow our meat
without chewing it. It is meditation that makes it fit
for nourishment; this sucks the juice and sweetness out
of it, incorporates it into us, and turns it into life and
substance.
Thus if we endeavor to sanctify the Lord's day, the
Lord will sanctify his day and his ordinances to us, and
by them convey so much joy and comfort into our souls
that they shall be a temporary heaven unto us, and fit us
for that .eternal Sabbath, where we shall continually give
praise and glory unto Him that sitteth upon the throne,
and to the Lamb for ever and ever.
INTRODUCTION
TO
THE SECOND TABLE.
The whole sum of practical religion consists either in
those duties which immediately concern the worship and
service of God, or those which immediately concern our
converse with and demeanor towards men. Both are com-
pendiously prescribed in the Decalogue: the former in the
first, the latter in the second table of the law.
I have already finished the exposition of the four pre-
cepts of the first table, and have discoursed both concern-
ing the internal and also the external worship of God.
It remains now to consider the duties and precepts of
the Second Table; all which concern man as their primary
and immediate object.
But here, by the way, let us observe the distance that
God puts between himself and us. We are, as it were,
set at another table from him, as being infinitely inferior to
his great and glorious majesty.
First, he prescribes what concerns himself; and then
what concerns us: which, teacheth us,
1. That in all our actions, whether civil or osacred, God
ought principally to be regarded--his glory ought to be our
226 INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND TABLE.
highest aim and end. This we are to seek in the first
place; and, for the sake and interest of this, we are to pro-
mote as far as possible the good and benefit of men. This,
therefore, condemns those who disturb and pervert the or-
der of the law; and instead of serving men out of respect
to God, serve God merely out of respect to men.
2. This teacheth us to observe our due distance from God.
He challengeth all possible reverence from us, insomuch
that he will not permit so great a disparagement to his
honor as to have his concerns intermingled and blended
with ours, no, not in the same table. And this checks the
rashness of those who dare to rush, in upon God with
that insolence which is too common among some brain-
sick people, who think that communion with God consists
in a familiar rudeness, and that they never draw near
enough to him unless they run upon his very neck. But
this only by the way.
In this Second Table are contained six precepts, all en-
joining our duty towards man; who may be considered
either as our superior, our equal, or our inferior. Our du-
ty towards our superiors and inferiors is prescribed in the
first of these six, and our duty towards our equals in the
other five, all which respect our neighbor, either in his
person or in the exterior gifts of wealth and credit.
His person is to be considered, either naturally or mys-
tically. Naturally, as he is in himself and his own person
and so the sixth commandment provides for his, secu-
rity, Thou shalt not kill. Mystically, as he is in the state
INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND TABLE. 227
of marriage, which of two makes one flesh; and so care is
taken for him in the seventh commandment, Thou shalt
not commit adultery.
If we consider him in respect to his external gifts of
wealth and good name, we shall find that the first is fenced
about and secured by the eighth commandment, Thou
shall not steal. And his credit and good name is secured
by the ninth, Thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbor.
And, because the violation of these laws by outward
and flagitious acts proceeds from the latent wickedness
and concupiscence of the heart, therefore God, who is a
Spirit, and whose law and authority can reach even to the.
soul and spirit, hath not only prohibited the gross perpe-
tration of these crimes, but hath strictly forbidden the in-
ward and secret intention of them, charging us not to har-
bor so much as a thought or desire towards them; and
this we have in the tenth commandment, Thou shalt
In the due performance of all these consists the ob-
servance of that second great command, Mat. 22:39,
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.
"Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be
long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth
thee."
This command respects the mutual duties of superiors
and inferiors: and here we have a precept and a promise.
The precept is, Honor thy father and thy mother; the
promise, That thy days may be long in the land which the
Lord thy God giveth thee.
Here we may, as formerly we have done, observe a
ray of the infinite wisdom of God in the order and method
of this commandment. For after he had prescribed laws
for his own honor, his next care is for the honor of our pa-
rents; because they are, next under God, the authors and
original of our life and being.
God, indeed, is properly and primarily our Father; and
of him is the whole family in heaven and earth named,
that is, of him they are and subsist: "In him we" all
"live, and move, and have our being." Earthly parents
do but convey to us that being which God had beforehand
laid up in store for us.
Hence, when our Savior bids us "call no man father
upon the earth; for one is our Father, which is in heaven,"
Mat. 23:9, this must not be understood as though we
ought not to give the name and title of father to those
who are our earthly parents, the "fathers of our flesh,"
as the apostle styles them, Heb. 12:9; but only that their
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 229
paternity is not so original nor so absolute as God's, who
is "the Father of our spirits:" who not only forms the
mass of our bodies by his secret and wonderful power
and skill, but creates our souls, and by his breath kin-
dles in us such sparks of ethereal fire as shall never be
quenched nor extinct to all eternity. And therefore, though
we owe to the fathers of our flesh honor and reverence, as
they are the instruments of our being; yet we owe much
more, even unlimited and boundless respect and obedience
to God, who is the prime cause and author of them.
But this word father hath also another sense in our
Savior's speech. For the Jews were wont to call their
doctors and instructors by the name of fathers; and gave,
up themselves, without hesitation or contradiction, to be-
lieve and follow their dictates.
When our Savior bids us call no man father on earth,
his meaning is, that we must not so bind ourselves either
to the commands or doctrines of any man, as to prejudice
the authority which God, the great and universal Pa-
rent of all things, challengeth over us; but our obedi-
ence to their injunctions, and our belief of their instruc-
tions, ought to be cautioned with a subordination to the
commands and notices of the Divine will: yet we may call
and honor others as fathers, by yielding them a secondary
respect, subservient to the honor and glory of God.
This command of honoring our parents is very large
and comprehensive, and is not to be limited only to the
grammatical signification of the word, but extends itself
to all that are out superiors. And that appears, because
honor belongs principally only to God; but, secondarily,
and by way of derivation, to those also whom God, the
great King, hath dignified, and made as it were nobles in
230 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
his kingdom. For as the king is the fountain of honor
within his dominions; so God, who is the universal mo-
narch of all the world, is the true fountain of honor among
mankind, ennobling some above others by titles and pre-
eminence which he bestows upon them; and all such su-
periors whom he hath, been pleased thus to raise, are to be
honored by us as our fathers.
Hence our governors and magistrates are our fathers,
and are so to be accounted and reverenced by us. Indeed,
they are patres patriae, "the fathers of their country;" for
all government being at the first domestic and paternal,
the father or chief of the family having power of life and
death over his children, necessity at last taught them to
devolve both the care and the authority of this charge on
some selected persons, to whom they committed the go-
vernment both of themselves and theirs: so that magis-
trates succeeding in the place and office of parents, are
now the public fathers, having the same power de-
volved on them which formerly resided in the fathers of
families. Hence we read that common and successive
name of the kings of the; Philistines, Abimelech; which
signifies, the king, my father.
The master of a private family is likewise a father;
and that not only with respect to his children, but to his
very servants. Hence we find Naaman is called father by
his servants: "My father, if the prophet had bid thee do
some great thing." 2 Kings 5:13.
A teacher in any art, science or invention, is also
called a father. Thus, Gen. 4:20, 21, Jabal is said to be
the father of such as dwell in tents;" and Jubal to be
the father of all such as handle the harp and organ."
So likewise a superior in wisdom and counsel is called
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 231
a father. So Joseph in his speech, Gen. 45:8 says,
"God hath made me a father to Pharaoh."
Ministers of the Gospel have likewise the honorable
title of fathers conferred upon them. And that both be-
cause indeed they are superior to the people in things ap-
pertaining to God, having the dispensation of the grace of
the Gospel committed to them; and because, through the
concurrence of the Spirit's operation with their ministry,
they beget souls unto Jesus Christ. Thus Paul tells the
church, 1 Cor. 4:15, that he was their father, having
"begotten them through the Gospel." And therefore we
have great reason to magnify our office, in the execution
and performance of which we ought to demean ourselves
as fathers, with all gravity and authority; and to let those
know, whose affronts and scorn tend to the vilifying both
of our persons and functions, that they despise not us only,
but Jesus Christ who hath sent us, and the eternal Father
who hath sent him. So he himself hath told us, Luke,
10:16, "He that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he
that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me."
Superiors in any gift of Divine Providence, whether of
riches, or of age, or of knowledge, and the like, are to be
reverenced and honored by us as fathers. So, 1 Tim.
5:1, 2, "The elders entreat as fathers, and the elder
women as mothers.
Thus you see how large and copious this word father
is, taking in many other relations and states of men be-
sides those to whom it is now commonly applied.
Here then, in opening to you the sum of this com-
mandment, I shall endeavor to show what are the mutual
and reciprocal duties of these several relations which I
have now stated.
232 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
1. Of natural parents and their children;
2. Of magistrates supreme and subordinate, and those
subject to them;
3. Of husband and wife, for there likewise is a supe-
riority resident in the one and obedience due from the
other;
4. Of masters and servants;
5. Of ministers, and the people committed to their
charge; and,
6. The duties of those who have a superiority, either in
the gifts of God's grace or of his bounty, towards those
that are inferior to them, and theirs reciprocally towards
those that excel.
All these are here included, and honor is required to be
given them accordingly by virtue of this command.
I know that, as there is nothing wherein the truth and
power of godliness, and the very life of religion is more
concerned than a conscientious performance of relative
duties; so there is nothing that grates more upon the
spirits of men than to be put in mind of and reproved
about these duties which are of such common and daily
occurrence in the whole course of our 1ives. Yet, I be-
seech you, lay your prejudices and affections under the
authority of God's word, and be persuaded to believe
these things to be exceeding weighty and momentous,
how plain soever they may be, which not only the light
and law of nature dictates to us, but the Spirit of God
hath been pleased frequently to recommend in the Holy
Scriptures, yea, more frequently and more expressly -
than any other duties whatsoever.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 233
I begin with the mutual duties of PARENTS and
CHILDREN.
And here I shall speak first of the honor due to parents
It from their children; and then of what parents are obliged
to do for their children.
I. For the former of these the command saith, Honor
thy father and thy mother. And this honor to parents con-
sists in these four things, reverence, obedience, retribution
and imitation.
1. Children are to reverence their parents.
Reverence is nothing but a Jove connected with awe;
a fearfulness to offend, out of the respect we bear them.
It is not such a fear as terrifies and drives us from the
presence and company of those whom we dread, for that
is slavish and tormenting; but a genuine, sweet and
obliging fear; a fearful esteem and veneration; a fear
that will engage us to attend on them, to observe and
imitate them, and to abstain from doing any thing that
might grieve or trouble them.
This reverence which we owe our parents is wont
to express itself outwardly by two things, speech and
gestures.
Our speech must be full of respect and honor to our
parents; giving them the highest titles that their quality
and condition will admit. Our language should likewise be
humble and submissive. Talkativeness is an argument of
disrespect; and by the answers of the lips the heart is
tried and sounded. Therefore we find how mildly and re-
verently Jonathan speaks to his father Saul: although he
were then pleading for his David, and managing the con-
cern of his friend's life, which was far dearer to him than
234 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
his own; yet see with what modesty he urgeth it, 1 Sam.
19:4, 5, "Let not the king sin against his servant, against
David; for he did put his life in his hand, and slew the
Philistine." And God blessed a speech so well tempered,
and so full of soft and melting oratory, with success.
Yea, we find an instance of a disobedient son in the para-
ble of our Savior, Mat. 21, who, though he obeyed not
the commands of his father, yet thought it too shameful a
crime not to give him good words and reverend titles:
verse 30, "I go, sir." And certainly it is but fit and meet
that we should give them the best and the most obliging
language who have taught us to speak, and please them
with our words who have instructed us how to form them.
Yea, that rude and boisterous language which many of
the sons of Belial use towards their parents, is so odious
and detestable to God that he hath in his law threaten-
ed to punish it with the same punishment as blasphemy
against himself, Exod. 21:17, "He that curseth his fa-
ther or his mother shall surely be put to death" and,
Prov. 20:20, "He that curseth his father or his mother,
his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness."
We must likewise show our parents reverence in our
gestures, and deport ourselves with all lowliness and mo-
desty before them, in bowing the body and showing all
other external signs of respect. So we find, Gen. 48:12,
that Joseph, as highly exalted as he was in the court of
Pharaoh, when he brought out his sons to receive the
b1essing of Jacob his father, "he bowed himself with his
face to the earth." And on the contrary, that an ill-con-
ditioned look towards a parent is severely threatened:
Prov. 30:17, "The eye that mocketh at his father, and
despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the val-
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 235
ley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it."
2. But as we must honor our parents with reverence, so
we must especially with obedience, without which all ex-
ternal reverence is but mete formality, if not mere mock-
ery. See that large charter which God has given to pa-
rents, Col. 3:20, "Children, obey your parents in all
things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord."
Our obedience to them may be considered either as
active or passive; and we are obliged by God's command
to yield them both: active obedience, in whatsoever is not
contrary to the will and law of God; passive, in whatso-
ever they impose upon us that is so.
Hence we are to obey our parents in whatsoever ho-
nest calling and employment they will set us. David,
though destined to a kingdom, is yet by his father Jesse
appointed to keep the sheep. 1 Sam. 16:11. We ought
not, till at last we are emancipated and set free by their
consent, to enter into wedlock without their knowledge or
against their consent; for we find that godly fathers have
still taken the care of the disposal of their children in this
affair, and the apostle, 1 Cor. 7:36, 37, declares that it
is in the parents' power either to marry their children or
to keep them in a single estate; but yet, no question, so
as that children have still a negative vote, and ought not
to be forced against their own will and consent. Yea,
so far doth the authority of a parent extend, that it reach-
eth also to the very garb and apparel of their children,
who ought to conform themselves therein according to
their allowance and direction. Gen. 37:3.
But if parents shall abuse their authority, by command-
ing what is sinful, and what God hath contravened by his
law and command; yet children are not hereby disobliged
236 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
or freed from obedience, but on1y directed to choose the
passive part of it, and to bear their wrath and choler, yea,
and their punishments too, with all patience and submis-
sion. For, as the apostle speaks, Heb. 12:10, they often-
times chasten us after their own pleasure; and yet we
are to give them reverence. We ought to bear with their
infirmities, whether they be natural or vicious, and en.
deavor to hide and cover them from others; and there-
fore we read what a curse was laid upon Ham for dis-
closing the nakedness of his father, Gen. 9:25; and in-
deed it is a cursed thing to expose the nakedness and
weakness of our parents to the scorn and derision of others.
3. As we must honor our parents by reverence and
obedience, so we must likewise by remuneration and retri-
bution, requiting the benefits we have received upon them,
so far as we are able and they need. This the apostle ex-
pressly enjoins, 1 Tim. 5:4, "If any widow have chil-
dren or nephews, let them learn first to show piety at
home and to requite their parents:" that is, when they
are fallen to poverty or decay, or otherwise require as-
sistance from us, we are obliged liberally, according to our
proportion, to afford it. And he affirms that this is good
and acceptable before God.
And therefore we find our Savior sharply reprehend-
ing that unnatural doctrine among the Scribes and Phari-
sees which taught that children were freed from obliga-
tion to relieve their parents: "Ye say, whosoever shall
say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever
thou mayest be profited by me, and honor not his father
or his mother, he shall be free." Mat. 15:5, 6. This
place, as it is obscure and intricate, admits of divers ex-
positions.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 237
Some say it was the doctrine of the scribes and phari-
sees, that although a man did not honor nor support his
parents, yet he should be guiltless if he should tell them
that he had offered in the temple a gift for his and then
good, and that therefore thy could require no more re-
lief frm him.
Others, that it was a solemn oath among the Jews, to
swear by the gift or offering which was brought into the
temple, and presented there as a sacrifice before God:
which oath was obligatory in the highest degree, whatso-
ever the matter of it might be. Mat. 23:18. And the
scribes taught, that if a man had Sworn thus to his parents,
"By the gift thou shalt have no profit by me," then he was
for ever disobliged or freed from relieving them, were their
necessities never so great and urgent. And according to
this exposition the words should be thus translated: "But
ye say, whosoever saith to his father or mother, by the gift
if thou have any profit by me, (where must be understood
some curse or imprecation upon themselves, which they
did usually express, as, let me die, or the like) then he shall
be free from the obligation of honoring, (that is, of reliev-
ing and maintaining) his father or mother."
Whichsoever interpretation be most consonant to the
corrupt doctrine of the scribes, and the corrupt practice
of the Jews, (as I suppose the latter is) our Savior con-
demns it for a most vile hypocrisy; making the command-
ments of God of none effect, through their traditions.
Certainly it is one of the most unnatural sins in the
world, for children, who have ability and opportunity to
relieve their necessitous parents, to suffer them to want a
livelihood and comfortable subsistence who are the cause
and authors of life and being unto their children.
238 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
4. But we must honor bur parents by hearkening to
their good instructions and imitating their godly practices.
So, Prov. 6:20, "My son, keep thy father's command-
ment; and forsake not the law of thy mother." For al-
though good instruction I be, for the matter of it, always to
be embraced from whomsoever it shall proceed, yet when
it shall come from a parent it obligeth us not only because
it is good, but because it is authoritative. Neither are we
only to hearken to their counsel, but also to imitate the.
holy example of our parents; and therefore it is com-
mended in Solomon, that he walked in the steps of his
father David.
Suffer me only, in a word, to set home this upon the con-
sciences of stubborn and disobedient children. Consider
what your demeanor hath been toward your parents, to
whom you owe yourse1ves, your lives, your education:
benefits that can never be repaid them, although you
should undergo all the hardships imaginable to make an
acknowledgment of them. Can you imagine the cares,
the parching thoughts, the perplexing fears which your
tender parents are continually distracted with for your
good? And will you so requite their love as to despise
their persons, of whom you yourselves are a part, and
make their very bowels rebel against them? Certainly,
were there any ingenuousness of nature, ,or were not the
principles of reason and equity quite spent and extin-
guished in you, the love and solicitude they have express-
ed for you would again return unto them, if not in equal
measures, yet in the most ample and acceptable that is pos-
sible for you to render. And if there be any of you who,
by your stubbornness and disobedience, have brought
the grey hairs of your parents with sorrow to the
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 239
grave, consider seriously that an unnatural sin you have
been guilty of: and because you cannot now beg pardon
of them, beg pardon of God, the great and universal Father
of all; beg that he would not revenge your disobedience
to your parents, by the disobedience of your children to-
wards you.--Thus you have seen what duties children
owe to their parents.
II. Let us now see what are the reciprocal DUTIES OF
PARENTS TOWARDS THEIR CHILDREN; for in all unequal re-
lations the superiority rests only in one part, yet the duty
is divided between both.
The duty, therefore, of parents respects either the tem-
poral or spiritual good of their children, for both are
given them in charge.
1. As for their temporal good, two duties are incum-
bent on them, protection and provision. And both of these
are taught by the 1aw of nature. Do we not see, even
in brute creatures themselves, that a strong parental affec-
tion makes them dare unequal dangers, and expose their
own lives to the greatest hazard, only to defend their
young? We see with what indefatigable industry they
either lead them to or bring in to them their food and
nourishment, till they have taught them the art and me-
thod of providing for themselves, and living at their own
finding. And if the instinct and impulse of nature be so
powerful in irrational creatures, how much more should it
prevail in us in whom reason should perfect nature; and
we be the more careful, inasmuch as the charge com-
mitted to us is more noble: it is not a sparrow or &.
chicken that we are to look after, but a man, a king of the
universe, designed for great employments and to great
ends, an heir of the world; and, if we fail not in edu-
240 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
cating him, one who may be an heir of eternal glory!
Parents owe their children protection. This their weak-
ness and helplessness often call for. How many diseases
and dangers is their feeble infancy exposed to! and in
their growing childhood, want of care and experience
runs them daily into more. Now parents are to be their
guards, and by their skill and strength fence off those
Wrongs and injuries that threaten them; and in so doing
they perform not only a parental but an angelical work.
"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones;
for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always
behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." Mat. 18:
10. And if God, the great. Father of the whole family both
in heaven and earth, hath out of his infinite tenderness and
compassion appointed his holy angels to be the guardians
of children-if it be so that they who attend the throne of
his glorious Majesty should likewise attend the cradles,
and beds, and wandering steps of little ones--it is not on-
ly inhuman for parents to neglect the care of their chil-
dren, but devilish to do them hurt, or destroy them them-
selves: the too common practice of many wretches, who,
to hide and cover their shame, either abandon or murder
the fruit of their bowels.
But as parents owe their children protection from inci-
dent evils, so likewise they owe them provision of neces-
saries and conveniences, according to the rank and degree
in which the Divine providence hath set them. This the
Scripture often inculcates. Mat. 7:9, 10, "What man
is there among you, whom, if his son ask bread, will he
give him a stone? or, if he ask a fish, will he give him a
scorpion?" intimating that we are bound to give our
children what is fit for the sustenance of that life which
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 241
they have received from us. And, indeed, they are our
flesh and our bone; they are ourselves multiplied. Now
nature teaches us to cherish and nourish our own flesh, as
the apostle speaketh, Ep. 5:29. Nay, the apostle hath
laid this charge exceeding high, 1 Tim. 5:8, "If any
man provide not for his own, especially for those of his
own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an
infidel:" and that because even infidels and heathens are
taught by the light and law of nature to make provision
for their own. And this provision is not only for the pre-
sent, but our care is to extend farther, and according to
our ability, bating the expenses of decency and charity,
we are to take care for their future subsistence; and if
we cannot leave them a patrimony, we are to leave them
a trade and calling, whereby, through the blessing of God,
they may procure their own livelihood. So the apostle, 2
Cor. 12:14, "The children ought not to lay up for the
parents, but the parents for the children." And if we
must place them out to a vocation, we must endeavor with
all our prudence to fit it i to their genius and inclina-
tion; for otherwise it will not be a vocation, but a vexa-
tion to them all their days: still remembering that if we
piously design any to the work of the Lord, it should be
those whom God hath endowed with the greatest gifts for
so high a ministration. For it is a sin very like to that of
Jeroboam who made Israel to sin, to consecrate priests
unto the Lord of the refuse and vilest of the people, and
to think those fit enough for the temple, who, through the
deformity of their body or the defects of their minds, are
not fit for a shop or for any other employment. So much
for those duties of parents which concern the temporal
good of their children.
Ten. Com.
242 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
2. But then they are obliged to others of a higher and
nobler nature, which concern their spiritual good and
have an influence on their eternal happiness.
(1.) A great duty which parents owe their children is
to instruct and admonish them, to educate them in the fear
and knowledge of God. This the apostle expressly enjoins,
Eph. 6:4, Ye fathers, bring up your children "in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord." And so, Deut.
4:9, Forget not "the things which thine eyes have
seen--but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons." We
find that God gives an honorable testimony concerning
Abraham, and confides in him upon this account, Gen.
18:19, "I know Abraham, that he will command his
children and his household after him, and they shall keep
the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." And
Solomon extols his father David for his care in instructing
him, Prov. 4:3, 4, "I was my father's son--and he
taught me also, and said unto me, let thy heart retain my
words; keep my commandments and live."
This instruction must not be nice and critical, but fami-
liar and obvious; teaching them such fundamental truths
and principles of christian doctrine as are of absolute ne-
cessity to be known, and in such a manner as may be
most suitable to their capacity and discretion.
And if parents would be but careful and conscientious
in the performance of this duty, instilling into their minds,
before they are filled with vanity, the knowledge of
and of Christ, and of religion; and forming their wills;
whilst they are flexible, to the love of piety and virtue,
the next generation would not generally see so much de-
bauchery in youth, nor so much obduracy in old age, as
now every where too apparent. By this means the minis-
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 243
ter's work would be half done to his hands. It would be
needful only to feed his flock with strong meat, and to
press them only to a vigorous and cheerful performance
it, of those duties of holiness to which their pious education
made them before inclined.
One method of this instruction is to read to them or
cause them to read the Holy Scriptures, and point out
to them those things therein which are most agreeable to
their age and apprehension. Thus Timothy is said from a
child to have known the Holy Scriptures. 2 Tim. 3:15.
And doubtless he was trained up in that knowledge by
the care of his mother and grandmother, whom the apos-
tle honorably commends, chap. 1:5.
Another way is to catechise and instruct them in the
grounds and principal doctrines of religion. Indeed a con-
tinued discourse is not so informing, nor doth it fasten and
rivet instruction into young minds so well as where it is
diversified by questions and answers. This makes them
masters of their own ideas, and able to wield and manage
them afterwards to their better advantage. And truly this
I take to be the very reason why so many sit grossly igno-
rant under many years' preaching of the word to them,
scarce able to give any tolerable account of the very first
principles of the oracles of God, because they were never
educated in this way of catechising: they were never tried
nor searched, nor the strength of their memories and ca-
pacities exercised by questions. For running and conti-
nued discourses are like the falling of rain upon a smooth
rock, where it trickles off as it descends; but questions
and examinations are like digging it, and making it fit
to retain what is poured upon it.
But whatsoever method you may judge most profitable,
244 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
yet certainly instruction in their tender years is absolutely
necessary to season them betimes with the knowledge of
the grounds of religion and a love and veneration of piety,
which will afterwards have a mighty influence to keep
them from being led away either with the errors or un-
godly practices of unprincipled men. "Train up a child
in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not
depart from it." Prov. 22:6. For when the reluctance of
corrupted nature is thus early mastered, and virtue habi-
tuated in them, as there must be strong conviction and
almighty grace to break off the long-accustomed habits of
sin, so there must be very powerful and prevalent temp-
tations that shall induce such a one, whose knowledge of
God and love of virtue have grown up with him from his
childhood, to turn a recreant to his former profession and
practice, and to forget that before which he can hardly re-
member any thing; or if, through the violence of tempta-
tion, he should be hurried into any extravagance and ex-
cess, his conscience hath a greater advantage to reduce
him again than it hath upon others who are trained up ig-
norantly and barbarously. It will still pursue him and dis-
turb him in his sins, and his early notions of piety and re-
ligion will imbitter the sweets which he fancied and others
perhaps find in them; and his conscience will never leave
crying, and clamoring, and threatening, till it bring him
back, with tears in his eyes, and sorrow in his heart, and
shame in his "face, to his former regular and unblameable
conversation.
3. Another duty parents owe their children, is to give
them good examples, to set before them the copies and pat-
tern of those virtues which they teach.
And this indeed is the most lively and the most effec-
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 245
tual way to profit them. Thou who before thy child blas-
phemest the name of God by swearing or cursing, thou
who abusest thyself and others by riot and intemperance,
dost thou expect that ever he should reverence that holy
and dreadful name which thou profanest; or love that so
briety and temperance which thou possibly mayest com-
mend to him in words, but dost much more forbid him by
thy deeds? For it is the glory and boast of children to be
and to do like their parents. And although there be few
so forlornly wicked and utterly abandoned to vice but that
they would have their children love and practise virtue,
and may perhaps sometimes exhort them thereunto; yet,
alas, what effect can empty words have when they are con-
tradicted and overborne by deeds? When the corrupt
nature thou hast given them shall be improved by the ill
examples thou daily givest them, what avail all thy exhor-
tations and admonitions, unless it be to upbraid and re-
proach thyself, and increase both thine own condemnation
and theirs too?
Even the heathen satirist (Juvenal) could say, "We
ought to reverence and stand in awe of children;" that
they see nothing vicious or dishonest in us, not so much
for the shame of it as the example. For there is no pest
so contagious as vice, the least converse will serve to rub
it upon others, especially parents' vices upon their chil-
dren, who, if they think it not obedience and a part of duty
to imitate them, yet cannot but conclude themselves se-
cure both from reproofs and corrections.
The practice of superiors hath certainly a mighty influ-
ence in forming the manners of those who are subject to
them; for let them prescribe what rules and enact what
laws they please, let their authority be as great as can be,
246 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
yet their example will be far greater than their authority;
and inferiors will be encouraged by it boldly to transgress
when shame and consciousness of sin shall tie up the hands
of those who should punish them. But now, when a godly
parent shall not only, with the most tender and aftection-
ate words that love can dictate, instruct his children in the
ways of holiness, but walk before them in those ways; not
only by admonitions show it to be most rational, but by
constant practice show it to be most pleasant and delight-
ful; certainly that nature must needs be most deplorably
vicious which can in this case be refractory, and will not
go whither both wind and tide lead him; whereas others
possibly, who have only the breath of good instructions,
are carried away headlong and drowned in perdition by
the stronger current of evil examples.
4. If neither instructions nor good examples will pre-
vail, then correction and discipline is necessary, and be-
comes a duty, though perhaps it may be as grievous to
the parent to inflict it as it is to the child to suffer it.
I know there may be and often is excess in discipline,
when choler and passion prescribe the measures of pun-
ishment. This is fierce and inhuman tyranny, and argues
such parents to be devoid of natural affection. And this
immoderate, ungoverned correction, is so far from profit-
ing children, that it oftentimes exasperates them, and
makes them the more stubborn and untractable; or else
it only dispirits and stupifies them. And therefore the
apostle hath twice cautioned parents against this provok-
ing way of discipline. Eph. 6:4. "Ye fathers, provoke
not your children to wrath." And again, Col. 3:21.
"Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they
be discouraged."
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 247
Yet notwithstanding, where age and decency will allow
it and prudence doth require it, it is sometimes necessary
to use the severity of discipline.
And let not a foolish fondness here interpose, for cer-
tainly God loves his children with a much more parental
affection than you can love yours; and yet he tells us,
Rev. 3:19, "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten."
And the apostle tells us, Heb. 12:6, "Whom the Lord
loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he
receiveth." If there be not a due exercise of discipline
and correction, nothing else can be expected but that our
children will wax wanton with us, and next rebellious
against us.
This severity must be used betimes, before age and
spirit have hardened them against the fear or smart of
correction. The wise man hath told us, Prov. 13:24,
"He that spareth his rod hateth his son, but he that loveth
him chasteneth him betimes."
By faithful correction and discipline the parent may
deliver the child from greater sufferings and mischiefs that
else will follow. Better the rod than the tree. Thou
mayst, for aught thou knowest, redeem his life by it; de-
liver him from the hand of justice and the eternal wrath
of God; and mayst save his soul from everlasting smart
and torment. So, Prov. 23:13, 14, "Withhold not cor-
rection from the child, for if thou beatest him with the
rod he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod,
and shalt deliver his soul from hell."
By this course too thou shalt bring thyself much com-
fort; most likely in his reformation; or if not in that,
yet at least in the consciousness of having performed thy
duty and done all that lay in thy power for his good. But
248 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
what support and comfort can that parent have, who,
when his children grow lewd and debauched, shall sadly
reflect upon it that it was only his fondness and foolish
pity which ruined them? Take this for certain, that as
many deserved stripes as you spare from the child, you
do but lay upon your own backs; and those whom you
have refused to chastise, God will make severe scourges
to affiict and chastise you.
5. There is another and a very principal duty which
respects both the temporal and spiritual good of children,
fervent and earnest prayer to God for them; without
which all the rest will be ineffectual.
Whenever therefore thou comest to the throne of
grace, bring these thy dear pledges on thy heart with
thee. Earnestly implore of God that he would own them
and provide for them as his own children; that he would
adopt them into the family of heaven, make them heirs of
glory and co-heirs with Jesus Christ; that he would give
them a convenient portion of good things for this life, that
they may serve him with the more cheerfulness and ala-
crity, and a large portion of spiritual blessings in heavenly
things in Christ Jesus, and at length bring them to the
heavenly inheritance. And know assuredly that the prayers
of parents axe very effectual, and have a kind of authority
in them to imperate and obtain what they sue for.
This is the benediction or blessing which holy fathers
in Scripture have bestowed on their children, and we find
that their blessing was their destiny. Thus Jacob blessed
his sons the patriarchs, and as it were divided among them
the treasures of God's blessings; and God, the great Fa-
ther, would not have the blessings of a father pronounced
in vain, but ratified and fulfilled them in the success.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 249
and as parents blessings have great influence on their
children, so likewise ha e their curses; therefore they
should beware what the wish or pray against them. A
rash and passionate curse is oftentimes direfully fulfilled,
not only to the ruin of the children, but to the sorrow and
repentance of the parents too late. We know how deep
the curse of Noah stuck in Ham and all his posterity.
For the words of a father are weighty and authoritative,
even with God himself; land he will not lightly suffer
them to fall to the ground when they are spoken either
for or against those over whom he himself hath given
them power and authority.
I shall close this topic with one word to those who are
parents. Consider what a great charge God hath intrust-
ed you with. In your hands are deposited the hope and
p blessing, or else the curse and plague of the next age.
Your families are the nurseries both of church and state,
and according to the care of them now, such will their
fruits be hereafter. Consider, I beseech you, how you
have managed this great trust. Are your children like
olive-branches round about your table, each promising to
bring forth good fruit in due season? Have you taken
care, by your good instructions and good examples, to
form the Lord Jesus in them? Have you taken care, by
correction and discipline, to, cut off all excrescences and
superfluities of naughtiness from them? Or do they re-
main still sons of Belial; wild, rude, unnurtured, and dis-
obedient? Certainly God will require an account of them
at your hands; for they are his, and only left in your
keeping and to your education. But alas, the lewd prac-
tices and the too ripe sins of youth do clearly convict
parents rather of having encouraged wickedness in them
11*
250 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
than curbed it. And the wit and forwardness of their
wickedness, beyond their years, make it evident that they
have but borrowed it from your examples. Beware lest
God punish you in them, and punish them for what they
have learnt of you, and you in hell for not better instruct-
ing and admonishing them.
And if any of you have reason sadly to complain of the
stubbornness and disobedience of your children, I be-
seech you seriously to reflect upon the cause of it, and
consider whether it may not be justly imputed to thy want
of care in their education, or to the bad examples thou
hast given them; or possibly, by their rebellion and undu-
tifulness towards thee, God justly punisheth thy rebellion
and undutifulness towards thy father. I remember a story
of a graceless and desperate young wretch, who, being
thwarted by his aged father in some of his pranks, invaded
his grey hairs, and dragged him by them along the
ground, to the very threshold of his door. His poor old
father suffered it silently till then; but then, looking piti-
fully upon him, he said, "Son, forbear now, and let me
go; for I remember I dragged my father to this very
place, and there left him: he acknowledged the righteous
judgment of God in so just a requital. But whatsoever
thy conscience shall suggest to thee to have been a provo-
cation unto God thus to punish thee, (and certainly it is
one of the greatest punishments that can befall a man in
this world,) humbly crave pardon of him who is thy Fa-
ther, and beg him that he would be pleased to turn the
hearts of the children unto their fathers, and the hearts of
all unto himself
Thus we have considered the duties of parents towards
their children, and the duties of children reciprocally
towards their parents.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 251
But I come now, secondly, to another class of fathers to
whom we owe honor and reverence by the obligation of
this command. And these are Patres Patriae, "the fathers
of their country," the MAGISTRATES and GOVERNORS
that God hath set over us.
They are his deputies ;and vicegerents upon earth,
and the authority with which they stand invested is ori-
ginally in and derivatively from the supreme King of
kings, and Lord of all lords. Their kingdoms are but the
several provinces of his universal empire. He hath given
them their patent to be his lieutenants and viceroys; for
by him "kings reign and princes decree justice," Prov. 8:
15, not by his permission only, but by his ordinance and
appointment. And whereas a great and conspicuous part of
the image of God consists in his sovereignty and domin-
ion, he hath so expressly stamped this image of his upon
them, that for their likeness to him in it he gives them
the same glorious name by which himself is known, Ps.
82:6, "I have said, ye are gods;" and Exod. 22:28,
"Thou shalt not revile the gods nor curse the ruler of
thy people." And our Savior tens us, John, 10:35,
that they are called gods, because the word of God came
unto them: the word of God, that is the appointment
and commission which they have received from God.
It is observable that as other inferior creatures revere
the very countenance of a man and those few strictures
of the defaced image of God which are still remaining
there, and, although they far exceed in strength, yet
they dare not, unless enraged, make use of it against their
natural though weaker lords, so also God hath spread
such an awe upon the face of authority, that a look or a
word from lawful magistrates shall more daunt and terri-
252 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
fy than the arn1ed force of an enemy. There is some
secret character that God hath imprinted on them which
makes them venerable; and although their subjects as
far exceed them in strength as they do in number, yet
strength alone was never made to command, but rather
to obey and execute; and power ought to be the servant
of authority.
Nor hath God ordained magistracy only out of respect
to some few whom he hath ennobled, that they might en-
joy a privilege and prerogative above the common and
vulgar sort of men; but the hath ordained it for the general
good of mankind. Yea, and I have often and seriously
thought that, next to the invaluable gift of Jesus Christ,
the best and the greatest good that God ever gave to the
world was this appointment of magistracy; for were it
not for this, the whole world would be turned into a wil-
derness, and men into savage beasts, preying one upon
another. Did not the fear of man restrain them when
they have cast off the fear of God, did they not dread the
infliction of temporal punishments when they slight the
threatenings of eternal, we might be as safe among lions
and tigers as among men, and find better refuge and
better society in solitudes than in cities: within would
be fears, without vio1ence, and every where tumult,
uproar, and destruction; our dwellings, our persons,
our possessions, all exposed to the fury of bloody and
merciless invaders; and, as the prophet speaks, Hosea,
4:2, "By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing,
and committing adultery," they would break out until.
blood touched blood; and there would be no more peace
nor agreement on earth than there is in hell. But the
all-wise God, who hath subdued the beasts of the earth
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 253
to man, hath likewise subdued man (who else would be-
come more wild and brutish than they) unto man. So
that those who stand not in any awe of the God of hea-
ven, yet are awed by the gods of the earth; and those
whom the thoughts of hell and eternal wrath cannot scare
from wickedness, yet many times are driven from it by
the thoughts of a prison or a gibbet.
Magistracy, then, being an institution of such great
eminency and absolute necessity, let us see what are the
duties of those who are invested with it, towards those
under their authority; and then the duties of those for
whose good they rule, reciprocally towards them.
I. Of THE DUTIES OF MAGISTRATES I shall speak but
briefly, since we are chiefly concerned in the knowledge
and practice of duties towards magistrates.
1. One duty of magistrates is to appoint men of approved
ability and integrity to be in authority under them. For,
since those high in authority cannot, be omnipresent or
omniscient, it is therefore necessary that they should
hear with other men's ears, and see with other men's
eyes, and act with other men's hands; and therefore
they ought to make choice of such as are men of known
fidelity and wisdom to commit so great a charge unto:
for, be the fountain never so clear, yet the streams must
needs be polluted if they run through filthy channels.
Those high in authority therefore should do according
to the counsel of Jethro, Exod. 18:21, "Provide out
of all the people, able men, such as fear God, men of
truth, hating covetousness; and place such as these over
them." Where this course is not taken, but those are
intrusted with command and authority who either ne-
glect the government of the people or oppress them in
254 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
it, what doth the prince but give away the half or more
of his kingdom? for what is not ruled is lost. Neither
should these subordinate magistrates be too numerous;
for the very multitude of them may possibly be more
burdensome to the people than helpful to the ruler.
2. Magistrates ought to distribute justice impartially, to
maintain the cause of tit e poor oppressed, and to restrain the
insolence of their proud oppressors. This is a truly royal
and princely ,virtue, which will prove not only an orna-
ment to the crown but a safety to the throne. "For the
throne is established by righteousness," saith the wise
man, Prov. 16:12.
3. Princes and magistrates ought to be most exemplary
for virtue and piety. The eyes of all the people are upon
them, and their actions have as great an influence on
their subjects as their laws. "A good prince," said Pa-
terculus, "teacheth his subjects to live well, by living
well himself; and although he be greatest in command,
is yet still greater in example." Therefore he is doubly
bound to virtuous actions, both by his conscience and by
his condition: the one as he respects his own personal
good, the other as he regards the good of his people, who
commonly take their measure from their superiors, and
think imitation of their practices to be a more acceptable
service than obedience to their laws.
But I cannot insist on every particular duty of magis-
trates, neither perhaps would it be here very proper.
In a word, therefore, they ought to fear God above all,
to seek his honor and glory who hath raised them to ho-
nor; to be prudent in their designs, courageous in their
performances, faithful in their promises, wise in their coun-
sels, observant of their own laws, careful of the people's
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 255
welfare, merciful to the oppressed; favorable to the good,
terrible to the evil, and just towards all. Let them re-
member these two things: that they are gods, and there-
fore should rule and govern as they judge God himself
would do were he visible here upon earth; and that they
are men, and therefore must give an account unto the
great God of all that trust which he hath reposed in them.
And certainly if they be careful to perform every part of
their duty, though we may look only at the splendor and
glory of their state, yet the cares and troubles that attend
it will be found so great and weighty that we shall find
all reason in the world to make the burden of their
crowns lighter by our ready and cheerful obedience. It
was well observed by Lord Verulam, that princes are
like the heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times;
and which have much veneration, but no rest. Essay of
Empire.
It is the duty of all magistrates, of whatever grade, to
see that the laws be executed according to their full in-
tent, without respect of persons; neither fearing to pun-
ish the rich, nor sparing to punish the poor; making no
difference between one person and another where the
cause makes none. For whoever are thus partial want the
courage and firmness that ought to be in a magistrate,
and should make him as inflexible as the rule of justice
itself; neither being frightened by the power or threats
of those who are great, nor me1ted or softened with the
cries of the mean; for the Scripture hath expressly forbid.
den them, Exod. 23:3, to "countenance a poor man in
his cause;" and pity may sometimes as much bribe and
corrupt judgment, as rewards. They ought to divest them-
selves of all passions, private interests and affections; to
256 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
be impartial in the execution of justice upon the mighti-
est offender as well as the, meanest; upon their dearest
friends and relations as well as upon strangers or ene-
mies. This will give strength and authority to the laws;
which else are but cobwebs made to catch the smaller
flies, while the great and strong ones break easily through.
This is the way to conciliate reverence and veneration to
the laws and government; and by this course "judgment
shall run down our streets as water, and righteousness as
a mighty stream."
In brief, because I would not too long insist upon this
subject, though it be large and various, let magistrates, of
what rank soever they be, seriously consider the weighty
charge given them by God himself, 2 Sam. 23:3, "The
God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, he
that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of
God."
II. Let us consider the DUTIES WE OWE towards magis-
trates and rulers. These are in general three: honor obe-
dience, and prayer to God for them.
1. We must honor and reverence them. This is the
apostle's command, 1 Pet. 2:17, "Fear God: Honor
the king." We must give to them a threefold honor; in
our thoughts, in our words, and with our substance.
We must honor and reverence them in our thoughts,
looking upon them as the lively and visible images of God
upon earth. Indeed the Divine perfections are the highest
object of our reverence; and therefore as you would es-
teem and honor any for their wisdom or for their holiness,
because these are some lineaments and draughts of the
image of God; so you ought to reverence those to whom
the Almighty God hath communicated authority; for this
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 257
also is the image of God in them. Yea, and though it
should so happen that the bear no other resemblance to
God, neither in his wisdom, nor justice, nor holiness, but
are wicked, cruel, tyrannical and unwise; yet that pow-
er and authority alone, with which they stand invested,
challengeth our respect and reverence: for in this at least
they are like unto God; and whosoever slighteth and de-
spiseth them, slighteth and despiseth one of God's glorious
attributes shining forth in them: we ought not to harbor any
undervaluing or ill thoughts of them. But where a people
are so happy as to be governed by those magistrates who
have a whole constellation of Divine attributes shining in
them; magistrates that are just and merciful, wise and
holy; they ought to give them the greatest reverence that
can belong to creatures, and to esteem and respect them
next to God himself; and although all these should be
wanting, yet that power and authority which God hath de-
legated to them is truly reverend and awful; and the wise
man hath commanded us not to curse the king, not in our
tltought. Eccl. 10:2.
(2.) We ought to honor and reverence them in our
words, speaking what good of them we know, and pru-
dently concealing their vices or their infirmities. For to
what else can it tend when we blaze abroad the faults of
our rulers, but only to loosen the affections of the people
from them? And how much more horrid a wickedness is
it then falsely to calumniate them, and by little arts, and
suspicious intimations, and half-sentences, to insinuate
politic jealousies into the minds of the people, and to pos-
sess them with nothing but fears and sad apprehensions
of what miseries and sufferings are coming upon them
through the mal-administration of affairs, and either the
258 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
design or neglect of their rulers! all which tends to no-
thing but to make the people either disdain or hate them.
I beseech you, beware that you do not, by misinterpreta-
tions, traduce the actions of your lawful rulers, nor heark-
en to those who do; whose words and whose breath serve
only to blow up the coals of civil dissension, which, if
mercy prevent not, will break forth again into a raging and
devouring war. Beware that you suffer none of those leech-
es to fasten upon you whose very mouths will draw blood.
We have seen the sad experience of it already; and may
justly fear, when we see, them use the same methods, that
they intend the same effects. The apostle gives such a
black brand, 2 Pet. 2:10, "Presumptuous are they,
self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities."
(3.) We ought to honor them with our substance when
the necessity of their affairs and public concerns calls for
supply. And indeed this is but a debt we owe them; for
we have somewhat of theirs in our hands, and it is no
unjust demand for them to require their own. Tributes
and public payments are theirs when made so by law;
for the rest is ours no otherwise than by the same law;
and therefore to withhold what is thus legally bestowed
on them is no other than theft and an unjust detaining of
what is none of our own. Hence our Savior commands
us to "render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's."
Mat. 22:21. And the apostle, Rom. 13:7, "Render to
all their dues: tribute, to whom tribute is due; custom,
to whom custom; fear, to whom fear; honor, to whom
honor." And although possibly sometimes the burden may
fall heavy, yet we ought freely and cheerfully to con-
tribute; partly considering that such is the privilege of
our nation that nothing is imposed upon us by violence,
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 259
but it is given by ourselves and is our own act; and partly
that whatsoever we possess we owe the enjoyment of it
to the blessing of government.
2. Another general duty we owe to magistrates is obe-
dience. And for this we have as express and frequent
commands as for any duty that belongs to christian con-
versation. Rom. 13:1, "Let every soul be subject unto
the higher powers. For there is no power but of God;
the powers that be are ordained of God." 1 Pet. 2:13-
15, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for
the Lord's sake; whether it be to the king as supreme,
or unto governors as sent by him, for so is the will of
God." Neither is there any cause whatsoever that can su-
persede our obedience; for if their commands be lawful,
we are to obey them by performing what they require; if
they be never so wicked and unlawful, we are to obey
them by suffering what they threaten. But I shall not now
further prosecute this topic.
3. Another great duty towards our rulers is fervent and
earnest prayer for them. So the apostle, 1 Tim. 2:1, "I
exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men;
for kings and all that are in authority; that we may lead
a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."
The charge laid on those in authority is greater, and the
burdens pressing them are heavier than what lie on other
men, and therefore they should be eased and helped by
our prayers. The account they must render at the last
day is greater; their temptations are more; and there-
fore they more need our prayers than other men. Let us
therefore heartily perform this duty of praying for those
whom God has placed over us; a duty not more benefi-
260 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
cial to them than to ourselves and the whole nation; for,
if we can prevail for a blessing upon our rulers, we our-
selves shall certainly share in it.
Having spoken of the mutual duties of parents and
children, of magistrates and subjects, I shall now, thirdly,
proceed to consider the I duties of HUSBAND AND WIFE;
for in this relation also, though it come nearer to an equa-
lity than the former, there is a superiority on the man's
part, and subjection due to him from the woman.
And here whilst I am treating of this subject I beseech
you give not way to any levity of mind or vanity of
thoughts. Think it not a light, jocular thing, as too often
the marriage-relation and the offices that appertain to it
are accounted; for it is matter of duty that I am now
propounding to you; and matter of duty is no less than
matter of life and death eternal. And therefore I charge
you that you attend to it; not to get advantages of sport
and merriment one with another, and to object them to each
other in a ludicrous and jesting way, as is every where
too common a custom; but attend to it as a matter of as
great seriousness and weight as any that belongs to the
right ordering of your christian conversation: a matter
that presseth your consciences to the due observance and
practice of it; and if despised or neglected, will press
your souls under guilt and sink them under wrath. And
certainly they who are so vain as to think the duties of
this relation to be of no great concern, must needs like-
wise be so impious as to impute trifling to the Holy Spirit
of God, who hath so frequently and with so much earnest-
ness and instance recommended them to us. There is
scarce anyone epistle wherein the apostles do not par-
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 261
ticularly insist on these things; and certainly what was
worthy their care to write and teach, is worthy our card
to learn and practise.
The duties therefore of married persons are either spe-
cial or common; the special are those which are the duties
only of one party to the other, either of the husband to the
wife or of the wife to the husband; the common are those
which belong to both, and are by both to be mutually per-
formed.
1. I shall first consider the duties of A HUSBAND TO-
WARDS HIS WIFE. And they are,
1. Conjugal love. Indeed love is a beautiful ornament
to all relations, but of this it is the foundation and first
principle. It is love which ought at first to tie the mar-
riage-knot; and it is love alone that can afterwards make
it easy. No other respect whatsoever can keep it from
wringing and galling us. And although want of love can-
not dissolve the bond, yet it doth the joy and comfort of a
married state. Now, of all the objects that are allowed us
to love here on earth, a wife is the chiefest; yea, to be
loved above parents, children, and friends, and the dear-
est of all other relations, Gen. 2:24, "Therefore shall
a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave
unto his wife." And if you would know the full measure
of this love, the apostle hath prescribed it, Eph. 5:28,
"So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies;"
and verse 33, "Let everyone of you in particular so
love his wife even as himself:" you must be as careful
and tender of their good as of your own, and resent any
injury done to them as much as if it were done to your-
selves. And indeed there is great reason for it; for mar-
262 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
riage makes of two, one mystical person; it doth but com-
pensate our damage and restore the rib to our side again.
And therefore by marriage two are said to be made one
flesh, Mark, 10:8, "They twain shall be one flesh; so
then they are no more twain, but one flesh." And there-
fore all violence and outrage against a wife, into which
the rude and boisterous fury of some brutish men doth
too often break, is as unnatural as if you should see a
man beat, and wound, and gash himself. And certainly
they are mad and distracted passions which take revenge
on themselves. "No man ever yet hated his own flesh,
(that is, no man acting rationally and as becomes a man,)
but loveth and cherisheth it." Eph. 5:29. So that we are
to love our wives with the same tenderness and natural-
ness of affection as our own beings, and they should be as
dear to us as ourselves. And if you would have this high
affection mounted a degree higher, see verse 25, "Hus-
bands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the
church, and gave himself for it." If a natural affection will
not suffice, behold here a supernatural one, and the great-
est instance of love that ever was expressed or conceived
brought to be the rule and pattern of ours. Christ loved
the church, his spouse, although there were many spots,
blemishes and imperfections in her; he loved her so as to
leave his Father and cleave to his wife; he loved her bet-
ter than himself and his own life, and shed his most pre-
cious blood for her; and rather than the wrath of God
should fall upon his beloved spouse, he thrusts himself
between and receives those heavy blows on his own per-
son. So ought men also to love their wives; so infinitely,
if it were possible; but, because it is not so, sincerely.
Therefore,
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 263
(1.) They must love them, though they often betray
many weaknesses and imperfections: these they ought
meekly to bear with, though they must not countenance
nor encourage them. Love will cover a multitude of
faults; and so long as they are but faults and not crimes,
we ought no more to divorce our affections than our per-
sons from them. There is indeed a touchy love, which
will cause great wrath for very small offences; but usually
such kind of love turns into bitterness and exasperation;
therefore offences of this nature should prudently be
passed by only with a glancing reproof, or with a silence
that shall be more instructive than noise and clamor.
Here the apostle exhorts husbands, Col. 3:19, "Hus-
bands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them."
(2.) We should so love them as not to upbraid them with
the necessities or incumbrances of a married life, but be
content to abridge ourselves of our former freedom, and
to forego our former privileges, either of plenty or plea.
sure, which we enjoyed in a single condition, without re-
proaching them with it. Many fools there are who fancy
nothing but joys and delights in a married life; but when
they enter into it, and find many unexpected troubles,
and that they cannot live either at so much ease or with
so much splendor as before, think to right themselves by
perpetual brawls with their wives; imputing the cause to
them, and charging on them all the burdens and inconve-
niences under which they both labor and of which com.
monly the woman hath the greater share. Now this is not
to love as Christ loved the church; who, for her sake,
stripped himself of his glory, and vo1untarily humbled
himself, first to the dust, and then to death, the cruel and
cursed death of the cross.
264 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
(3.) We ought so to love them as to interpose and step in
between them and danger, and rather suffer it to fall on our-
selves than on them; for so Christ loved the church, and
gave himself for it; redeeming it from the wrath of God
by his own undergoing it, and delivering it from death by
suffering death for it.
(4.) We ought so to love them as to endeavor to promote
the spiritual good of their souls; and by good counsels
and instructions insinuate into them the love of piety and
holiness; that so, as Christ sanctifieth the church his
spouse, we may also sanctify ours, and present them unto
God without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.
Thus much of the first duty, which is love; on which
I have insisted the longer, because it comprehends all
other duties in it; for where there is this sincere and
conjugal affection, although it may have different methods
of expressing itself, according to the different tempers of
men, yet it will certainly in this, as in all other cases,
command the whole train and retinue of other affections
to wait upon it, and see that nothing be wanting to the
good of the object on which it is fixed. I shall therefore
be the briefer in the rest.
2. Another duty of the husband is provident care for his
wife. He ought, saith the apostle, "to nourish and cherish
her, as Christ doth the church." He must therefore impart
to her, according to his rank and ability, whatsoever may
be for her necessity or comfort; and not waste that in
riot and excess among his lewd and wicked companions,
companions that the devil hath given him, which ought to
be for the support of her whom God hath given him for
his companion, and who in the meanwhile hath nothing
to feed on but her sorrows, nothing to drink but her tears
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 265
See how deeply the apostle hath stigmatized such wretch-
es, 1 Tim. 5:8, "If any man provide not for his own,
and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied
the faith, and is worse than an infidel."
3. Another duty husbands owe their wives is protection
from danger when they are in jeopardy.
See how it was with David. When the Amalekites had
burnt Ziklag, and with the rest of the prey had taken
David's wives, he pursues them with no more than six
hundred men, though they were a great host, and rescues
his wives from their captivity. 1 Sam. 30:18. And in-
deed the weakness and feebleness of that sex, being more
helpless in dangers than ours, and less able to relieve
themselves, calls for this ready aid and succor from us;
and he who is so churlish as not to afford it, is so unnatu-
ral also as to suffer a part of himself to perish. A wife is
compared in Scripture to a fruitful vine: now a vine is
a weak tender plant and requires support, and the husband
should be as the house-side for her stay and support. So
the woman was at first made of a rib taken from under the
man's arm; the office of the arm is to repel and keep off
injuries; which signifies to us that the husband ought
to defend his wife from all wrongs and injuries to which
she may be exposed.
4. Another duty is instruction and direction,
Therefore the husband is called her head, the seat and
fountain of knowledge and wisdom, Eph. 5:23, "The
husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the
head of the church." And therefore as all direction and
consolation is derived from Christ, so should the husband
likewise communicate knowledge, and comfort, and
guidance to the wife; hence he is called her guide,
Commandments. 12
266 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Prov. 2: 17. And St. Peter requires of husbands that they
should dwell with their wives according to knowledge, and
be able to advise and inform them in all emergent cased,
especially concerning God and their souls. Whence St.
Paul enjoins wives, 1 Cor. 14:35, that "if they will
learn any thing, they ask their husbands at home;" and
therefore much more is it required of the husband that he
should have laid up a good stock of knowledge, and be
able to teach them; lest such as creep into houses, and
lead captive silly women, ensnare their wives. For such
is the subtlety of deceivers, following therein the method
of the Old Serpent, that they first begin with the woman,
and then make use of her to seduce the man; for heresy,
as all other sins, does first inveigle the affections, and then
by them corrupts the reason. And therefore the husband
should be well grounded and principled with knowledge,
that he may keep his wife from being led away by the
crafty subtlety of those who lie in wait to deceive; and
who by good words and fair speeches, affected phrases
and jingling expressions that have nothing in them but
sound and error, pervert the hearts of the simple. But if,
as it sometimes happens, God hath endowed the wife
with a greater measure of prudence and solid and sub-
stantial knowledge than the husband, it is then his part to
hearken to her advice, and to yield, not indeed to the au-
thority of the counsellor as she is bound to do, but to the
authority of the counsel; and this she ought to tender him
with all respect and submission, not having power to en-
oin what she knows to be best and fittest, but only with
modesty propounding it, and with meekness persuading
him to embrace it.
5. Another duty of the husband is tenderness and mild-
FIFTH COMMANDMEN1 267
ness towards his wife; not causelessly grieving her either
by speeches or actions.
That is a wretched family where those who are joined
in the same yoke spurn and kick at one another. If the
wife be careful in performing her duty, there belongs to
her a kind and loving acceptation of it, and praise and
commendation for it; or if she sometimes should fail, she
ought not to be rebuked with bitterness, but with meek-
ness, and in such a way that the reproof shall show more
of sorrow than of anger. But perpetual brawlings and
contentions, besides that they wholly embitter this state of
life and eat out all the comfort of it, instead of preventing
offences for the future, do usually provoke and exasperate
to more, and are perhaps a greater fault in the husband
than that which he exclaims at in his wife. Besides, it will
certainly indispose them both to the performance of those
duties which belong to them in their general and particu-
lar callings. It will hinder their prayers; for how can
they lift up their hands without wrath, as the apostle com-
mands, 1 Tim. 2:8, when they burn in choler one against
the other? How can they pray to God for blessings upon
each other, when they have been cursing and reviling each
other? And as for the duties of their particular callings,
do we not see that in those families where this baneful
contention reigns they are commonly neglected, and all
runs to wreck and ruin out of a kind of revenge that one
party thinks to take upon the other: the husband out of
discontent will not provide nor the wife manage, and so
nothing is cared for but only how they may quarrel and
rail at each other a misery that many families fall in-
to through the indiscreet heats and fierceness of the
husband upon every trivial offence of the wife, though
268 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
perhaps it was sometimes unthought of and sometimes
unavoidable.
Another duty of the husband is to give due respect
and honor to his wife.
Give "honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel,"
1 Pet. 3:7; for, being weak, she ought to be used with
more respect and gentleness. Think honorably of her as
the person whom God saw best and fittest for you in all
the world; and be not tempted, so much as in a thought,
to believe that any other could have been either so proper
or so beneficial to you. Speak honorably of her, not di-
vulging any of her failings and imperfections to her dis-
credit, but giving her the due praise of those virtues and
graces that are in her; for be that disgraceth his wife dis-
parageth himself, and everyone will censure him as guil-
ty of folly either in choosing or in governing her. Treat
her honorably; neither making thyself a servant to her
humor, for that will dishonor thee, nor making her a slave
to thine, for that is to dishonor her; but use her as thy
bosom-friend, thy endeared companion, and, in every
thing but authority, equal to thyself.
7. The last duty of a husband is the prudent maintain-
ing and managing of his authority.
His authority over his wife is God's, who hath intrusted
him with it; and our Savior illustrates his own authority
over the church by the authority of a husband over his
wife. Eph. 5. And therefore it is not basely to be be-
trayed, nor to be maintained with rigor and a tyrannical
violence. But the right and most effectual way of keep-
ing up this authority is by prudence and gravity, by sober-
ness and piety, and a staid, exemplary, and strict life.
This will cause a reverent esteem and veneration in the
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 269
wife and in the whole family; whereas a humorsome light-
ness at one time, and as humorsome severity at another,
will but expose us to contempt for the one and hatred
for the other. It is a hard matter for him to be reverenced
by others, who doth not first reverence himself; fur he
that will prostitute himself by foolish and ridiculous hu-
mors, or by vile and wicked actions, either injustice, or in-
temperance, or lying, &c. it is impossible but that be must
fall under the scorn of his nearest relations. So Nabal's
churlishness and drunkenness made even wise Abigail to
call him fool: "Nabal is his name, and folly is with him."
But where there is an excellent mixture of prudence and
piety together, the one to be a guide and the other to be
an example, these will make a man truly reverend, and
induce the wife and the whole family to esteem and to
imitate him. Thus much for the duties of the husband to-
wards the wife.
II. Let us next consider the DUTIES OF THE WIFE TO-
WARDS THE HUSBAND. These are,
1. Subjection and obedience. And this is required from
them as absolutely and peremptorily as unto Christ him-
self, Eph. 5:22, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your
own husbands, as unto the Lord." And again, ver. 24,
"Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let
the wives be to their own husbands in every thing."
And not only doth the apostle give authority and com-
mand for it, but be enforceth it by sundry reasons.
(1.) The woman was made out of the man, and there-
fore ought to be subject unto him. 1 Cor. 11:3, 8, "The
head of the woman is the man. For the man is not of the
woman, but the woman of the man." She is bone of his
270 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
bone and flesh of his flesh, and therefore ought to pay him
the homage of obedience and subjection for those materi-
als of her being which she first received of him.
(2.) Because the woman was made for the man, and
therefore ought to be subject to him. So, in the next
verse, "Neither was the man created for the woman, but
the woman for the man." She owes her being to the
man's necessities and convenience; and the great end of
her creation, next to the glory of God, was that she might
be helpful and profitable to man. Gen. 2:18, "It is not
good that man should be alone: I will make him a help
meet for him:" therefore, having received their being for
the sake of man, they ought to be subject unto him.
(3.) Another reason the apostle gives, is the priority of
the man's creation, 1 Tim. 2:12, 13, "I suffer not a
woman to usurp authority over the man. For Adam was
first formed, then Eve:" therefore, in the same rank of
creatures, it is but fit that he should be first in dignity
who was first in nature. And,
(4.) Because by the occasion of the woman sin entered into
the world. So verse 14, "Adam was not deceived; but the
woman, being deceived, was in the transgression:" there-
fore it is but fit and just that she who made all mankind
disobedient against, God, should herself be made subject
and obedient to man. And this sentence we find inflicted
upon her as a punishment for her transgression, Gen. 3:
16, "Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule
over thee." Not as though there would have been no sub-
jection due from her to man if sin-had not entered into the
world by her means, for the reasons before alleged do mani-
festly prove the contrary; but that now her subjection is a
curse: and whereas before it would have been easy and
FIFTH COMMANDMENT 271
pleasing to her, now it is become burdensome and griev-
ous: man being by sin made more humorsome and harder
to be pleased, and she being made less able and willing to
bear it, God justly and righteously punishing her by impos-
ing on her a work which she herself hath made irksome and
difficult. And let me add to these reasons of the apostle,
(5.) That the man's titles imply superiority and authori-
ty over the wife. Such as lord, 1 Pet. 3:6, "Sarah
obeyed Abraham, calling him lord." He is likewise called
the head and guide of his wife. 1 Cor. 11:3; Prov. 2:17.
(6.) The husband represents Christ, the wife the church,
and that in this very particular of superiority and subjec-
tion; therefore, ''as the church is subject unto Christ, so
let the wife be to her own husband."
And here I shall consider what the apostle tells us, 1
Cor. 11:10, that the woman was to have power over her
head because of the angels which place, especially the
latter clause of it, is diversely interpreted. But I think
all agree in this, that this power which women were to
have over their heads, was a veil or covering, which at
other times, but most especially in the congregation, they
ought to wear on their heads; and which, in the primitive
times, covered not only their heads but all their face, as
a guard to their modesty and a screen to keep off loose
and wanton eyes. And this veil is called power, to signify
that they were under the power and authority of their
husbands. But the men were uncovered in their assem-
blies, as the apostle tells us, ver. 4, to signify that they had
nothing over them, but were superior to all visible crea-
tures, and subject only to God. This power, or veil, wo-
men were to wear because of the angels; not (as Tertulli-
an did grossly conceive from that mistaken text, Gen. 6: 2,)
272 THE TEN CO MMANDMENTS.
to hide their beauty from the sight and inspection of an-
gels (for what veil could do that, or how can angels be
affected with corporeal beauty?) but either by angels are
meant the ministers of the church, before whom they are
to show modesty and bashfulness, or else perhaps the ce-
lestial angels, who are always present and attending in
the assemblies and congregations of the faithful; and
therefore women should not do any thing unbecoming and
unseemly before them; or lastly, because the angels them-
selves do reverence Christ who is their head, and in to-
ken of their subjection to him are said to veil and cover
their faces, Isa. 6:2; and therefore women also, in token
of their subjection to their husbands, who are their heads
as Christ is of the church, should likewise cover their
heads and faces with a veil. So we find, Gen. 24:65, that
when Rebekah saw Isaac coming towards her "she took
a veil and covered herself:" as a sign of her subjection
to him.
And this subjection is recommended to them by the ex-
ample of holy women, to whose practice they ought to
conform their own. So, 1 Pet. 3:5, "Holy women who
trusted in God, being in subjection unto their own hus-
bands." And St. Paul gives it in charge to Titus, to ex-
hort wives that they" be discreet, chaste, keepers at home,
good, obedient to their own husbands." Tit. 2:5. And
himself exhorts them to the same duty, Col. 3:18,
"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as
it is fit in the Lord."
These commands are so many and so express, that
there is scarce any other duty which the Scripture doth
urge with so much instance and earnestness, with such
pressing reasons and enforcing motives, as this of the
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 273
wives' obedience. The duty is frequently expressed,
submit yourselves; and the manner of performing it, be
subject, as to the Lord: submit, in the Lord, a phrase
which carries in it three things: a motive, a direction, and
a limitation.
The motive to obedience is, doing it to the Lord. And
though, through the froward and peevish humors of the
husband, they may have no other encouragement to ob-
serve and obey him; yet to the conscientious wife this
will be encouragement enough, that the Lord will accept
and reward her obedience: her heavenly husband, Jesus
Christ, win account it as a service done to him. For mar-
riage being a type of our mystical union to Christ, he es-
pecially is concerned that the duties of that relation be
performed so as to bear some proportion to that spiritual
mystery.
The direction how to perform it is, that it be done as to
the Lord. She must obey her husband, not only with a
design of pleasing him, but the Lord Christ. For were
it not that God commands it from them as part of their
duty and obedience to him, it might sometimes seem very,
fit that humorsome and self-willed men should be crossed;
and that those who have no other reason but their will,
should fail of that observance and~ obsequiousness which
they tyrannically expect. But then consider, it is not the
husband only that commands, but the Lord; and the wife
must eye his sovereign authority through the authority of
her husband; and then it will appear that though there
be no necessity in what is required, yet there is a necessi-
ty she should perform what is required.
But the words import likewise a limitation of her obe-
dience. The wife must submit and obey, but in the Lord,
12*
274 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
and as to the Lord: that is, only in lawful things, where-
in, by her obedience to her husband, she n1ay not offend
against God.
Excepting this, in all other cases the wife is absolutely
bound to obey the will and commands of her husband to
the utmost of her power. It is true, he abuseth his authori-
ty if he command things unnecessary and unfit; but yet,
neither her unwillingness to perform them, nor her judg-
ing them inconvenient to be done, can excuse her or ex-
empt her from the obligation that lies upon her of a ready
obedience: nothing can do this but the unlawfulness or
impossibility of what is enjoined. In all other things, al-
though they be never so contrary to her humor and incli-
nation, she is bound by the law of God and nature to
obey, and to submit, if not her judgment, yet at least her
practice to the will of her husband, whether she think it
fit or unfit to be done, so long as it is not unlawful: unless
she can meekly persuade her husband to revoke his com-
mand, she is obliged to perform it. Otherwise, when the
apostle commands wives to be subject to their husbands
in every thing, it would signify no more than in every
thing which they think fit; and this, certainly, is no greater
a subjection than every husband would readily yield to his
wife, and falls much short of the apostle's intent, who
requires this subjection of the wife to the husband in every
thing, as the church is subject unto Christ, which certain-
ly is not in everything she thinks fit, neither ought she to
take upon her to judge or reject his laws, but to fulfil them
2. Another duty of the wife towards her husband is
respect and reverence. Eph. 5 : 33, Let "the wife see that
she reverence her husband." Reverence consists in two
things, esteem and fear.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 275
(1.) She ought to cherish a high esteem of him, if not
for his gifts and graces, yet at least for that relation in
which he stands to her as her lord and her head, supe-
rior to her by God's appointment and ordinance. Yea;
she must look upon him as that person whom God, but of
all the numerous millions of mankind, hath particularly
chosen and selected for her, and one whom he saw fittest
and best to be her head and guide.
(2.) Another part of reverence is fear; not a servile, slav-
ish fear, for that is inconsistent with love; but a respect-
ful and loving fear, which will show itself in two things:
In her care to please him; endeavoring to conform her
actions to his inclinations, so far forth as they aloe not repug-
nant to the supreme duty which she owes to God. 1 Cor.
7:34, "She that is married careth for the things of this
world, how she may please her husband" and therefore
she will endeavor to comport herself in her speeches
and in her gestures and in her whole demeanor, so as
may render ,her most grateful and most amiable to him.
In her joy in pleasing him and grief in offending him.
Indeed, a good wife should be like a mirror. A mirror,
you know, hath no image of its own, but receives its stamp
and image from the face that looks into it i so should a
good wife endeavor to frame her outward deportment and
her inward affections according to her husband to rejoice
when he rejoiceth, to be sad when he mourns, and to
grieve when he is offended. This is that reverence which
wives owe to their husbands; thinking highly and honor-
ably of them for their place sake, and endeavoring to
avoid and shun whatever may offend them; and therefore,
those who are cross and vexatious, and either by clamors
and contentious speeches, or by thwarting and peevish ac-
276 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
tions grieve and sadden the hearts of their husbands, let
them know that they highly provoke the Lord, who hath
commanded reverence and respect to be paid to the hus-
band as his type, and, as part of that reverence and respect
which is due to himself.
3. Another duty of a wife is helpfulness to her husband.
She ought, indeed, to be a help to him in every thing.
To his soul, in furthering his graces and wisely and op-
portunely admonishing him to his duty at least by a holy
and blameless conversation, so commending the Gospel
of Christ to her husband that at length he may begin to
esteem and reverence that piety which hath so adorned
and qualified his wife; and" what knowest thou, O wife,
whether," by such an exemplary life as this, thou mayest
"save thy husband?" as the apostle speaks, 1 Cor. 7:16.
To his body; by cherishing and being tender of it. To
his good name; by endeavoring to augment and preserve
it; reporting well of him, and silencing and convincing
any scandalous rum ours that may be spread abroad con-
cerning him. To his estate: if she cannot bring in and
get any thing to increase the stock, yet she ought prudent-
ly and frugally to manage what her husband intrusts her
withal, and not to waste it vainly and profusely; for let
her know that whatsoever is so spent or wasted is but
stolen; and if she shall alienate any thing from her hus-
band contrary to his consent, either expressly declared
or else upon good grounds supposed to be tacitly granted
and allowed, it is no better than theft; and therefore
when we read that Abigail, without the consent of her
husband, took a considerable present to bestow upon Da-
via to divert his ireful intentions, it may very well be sup-
posed that if Nabal had known as well as she the danger
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 277
wherein he stood, he would have been as forward to en-
courage her to do it as she was ready and willing; and
therefore, here were good grounds to suppose a tacit and
implicit consent unto the action. The husband is the true
and only proprietor of all, and though the wife hath a
right to all, yet it is only a right of use and not of do-
minion: she ought not to dispose of his estate, or any
part of it, contrary to his mind and consent. Her proper
office is providently and faithfully to manage the affairs
of the family that are committed to her oversight and care;
and therefore, in the description of a good wife given us
at large, Prov. 31, from verse 10 to the end, we find the
whole of it taken up in showing her industry and care in
ordering the affairs of the family.
4. Another duty of the wife is modesty; and that both
in apparel and behavior.
(1.) In apparel; that it be according to her place and
rank, not affecting gaudiness or strange fashions, nor yet
affecting, on the contrary, a singularity of obsoleteness
and outworn antiquity; for pride may be equally shown
either way. The best temper is for them not to wear gar-
ments to be taken notice of. The apostle gives them this
rule, 1 Pet. 3:3, 4, Let not the woman's "adorning be
that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing
of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hid-
den man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible,
even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is
in the sight of God of great price." And so St. Paul,
1 Tim. 2:9, 10, I will that women adorn themselves with
modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not
with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array,
but (which becometh women professing godliness) with
278 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
good works." This indeed is the best ornament, that
which makes them lovely in the sight of God, and that too
which makes them esteemed by all sober and serious per-
sons. Indeed, I do not think that costly array is in either
of these places absolutely forbidden; doubtless gold and
jewels may lawfully be worn if we keep ourselves within
our rank and quality, and fashion ourselves to those who
are most sober in that rank, rather than to those who are
most light and vain. But the prohibition is to be inter-
preted either by the degree, that is, be not excessive nor
vain in your apparel, which happens when the habit ex-
ceeds either the quality or the ability of those that wear
it; or else it is to be interpreted by a comparison: let not
the adorning be the outward adorning of wearing of gold
or of putting on of apparel; that is, study not so much how
to set off yourselves in your garments, as how to adorn
yourselves with a meek and quiet spirit, with sobriety,
modesty and good works, which is the richest and most
beautiful robe you can wear.
(2.) As she must be modest in her apparel, so she must
be in her behavior and deportment. Her countenance,
gestures and speeches must be all fitted to show the in-
ward calmness and serenity of her mind; and, therefore,
imperious, clamorous and turbulent women are a torment
and vexation to themselves, and more to their husbands,
"The contentions of a wife," saith the wise man, "are a
continual dropping." Prov. 19:13. And it is such a
dropping as will at last eat and fret through his very
heart, though it were made of stone.
III. There are likewise common duties to be performed
by both THE HUSBAND AND WIFE MUTUALLY.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 279
I shall only name them briefly. Such are fervent prayers
to God, both severally and together, that he would be
pleased to pour down his blessings and his graces on
them, and give them wisdom to demean themselves
towards each other aright; conjugal love; communion of
themselves, of their estates, of their habitations; a mu-
tual bearing of one another's weaknesses, with prudent
and pious endeavors to heal and remove them; the nur-
ture and education of children; the government of their
family committed to their charge, for whom they are to
provide not only what is requisite for their temporal
good, but much more for their spiritual, inasmuch as their
souls are much more worth than their bodies; and there-
fore they ought to observe constant family duties, and
make choice of honest and religious domestics, and so far
as in them lies keep out the infection of evil company
from entering within their doors as carefully as they
would the plague. And whilst they thus live and thus
love, they have good reason to believe that, as they are
joined in a near relation each to other, so they are both
joined in a near relation to the Lord Jesus, who is the
husband of his church and all the faithful in it; and when
death shall dissolve their marriage-union and separate
them one from the other, it is only to bring them to live
for ever with that husband from whom they can never be
separated nor divorced.--Thus much for the duties of
husbands and wives.
Let us now, in the fourth place, proceed. to consider
the duties of another family relation, and that is between
MASTERS and their SERVANTS.
For these also are comprehended under this command-
280 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
ment, Honor thy father and thy mother, since there is a
confessed superiority of the one over the other; and on
that account servants have honored their masters with
the style and compellation of father. Thus, 2 Kings 5:13,
when those prudent servants sought to mitigate the rage
of proud Naaman, who thought his greatness too much
slighted by the prophet, in that he would only cure and not
compliment him, they reverently call him father; his ser-
vants came near and spake unto him, and said, My
father, &c.
And here not to discourse of dominion and servitude,
whether the original and foundation of either be in nature
and institution, nor of the difference of servants by war,
purchase or compact; I shall only speak of what is more
immediately pertinent to my subject, and what may be
more instructive and profitable to you, viz. the mutual and
reciprocal duties of masters and servants.
The duties that equally concern them both consist, in
general, either in the right choosing or in the right using
of one another.
I. I shall begin with THE SERVANT'S DUTY, and that,
1. As to the choice of his master. He ought, where his
choice is left him free, to choose a faithful master, such a
one as fears God and will be willing to promote the spi-
ritual good and salvation of his soul; with such certainly
he shall best serve, who do themselves serve God; where
he shall have nothing but reasonable and lawful com-
mands to obey and pious examples to imitate. Many poor
ignorant souls have had cause for ever to bless God that
his providence hath cast them into such families, where
they have received the first knowledge and the first savor
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 281
of godliness. But if the servant be beforehand knowing
and religious, what comfort can it be to him to live where
there is a constant neglect of holy duties; nothing but
excess and riot, and profaneness, and abusing of the name
of God, and scoffing at his service and servants? Cer-
tainly necessity should hardly induce him, much less
choice lead him to be a servant in a family where the
devil is the master of it. The Psalmist sorely complains
that he was forced to take up his abode among wicked
and ungodly men, Psalm 120:5, "Wo is me that I so-
journ in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!"
And as it cannot, but be exceedingly burdensome and
tedious to thee, and cut thy soul to the very quick, to be
at the command of those who rebel against thy God, to
hear his holy name blasphemed, his ways and worship
and people derided, which are dearer to thee than thy
very life, so is it very dangerous and full of hazard. It is
hard to keep zeal and the sparks of grace and divine love
alive when thou hast the greatest helps to it that can be
administered; how wilt thou then preserve them alive
when thou hast so many quench-coals about thee; when
the floods of ungodliness shall compass thee about and
surround thee? Either thou must dissemble thy piety,
and that is the ready way to lose it, (for grace is like fire,
stifle and keep it close and it will certainly die,) or else
thou must put thyself upon the sore temptation of being
mocked and scorned for it. Thou knowest not how far thou
mayest forsake God and thy first ways for compliance
sake. It is the hardest thing in the world to be religious
alone, and to keep up zeal and affection for God when
all that we converse with are wicked and ungodly. Vice
is the most contagious plague, and it will be a very
282 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
great wonder if those with whom thou familiarly con-
versest, with whom thou eatest and drinkest and sleepest,
do not at last infect thee. We see holy Joseph, by living
long in the Egyptian court, had learned some of the
court fashions, and could readily swear "by the life of
Pharaoh."
Venture not thyself therefore into those families where
the governors are either corrupt and erroneous in their
principles, or lewd and dissolute in their conversation; for
it will be hard for thee to swim against the stream both
of example and authority; or if thou shouldst be able to
bear up against both, it will cost thee more pains and
struggling to do it than all the temporal advantages thou
canst there reap will be worth to thee.
2. After thou hast made thy choice and art entertained,
consider how thou oughtest to demean thyself towards thy
employer.
And here if by what shall be said thy duty seem very
hard to thee, yet it is no harder than it hath pleased God
to make it; yea, and possibly not so hard as thy master's,
for he is bound to give an account for thee to God, but
so art not thou for him. Thy miscarriages shall be severe-
ly revenged on him if they have been through his default
of needful instruction, or of care and discipline; but so
shall not his upon thee. And therefore in this respect all
inferiors have a mighty advantage to sweeten the lowness
of their condition, that they shall not be punished for the
sins of their superiors, but superiors may be for the sins of
their inferiors, yea, and sometimes for their due obedi-
ence too, when they command them things though not
unlawful yet unfit; for that may be a sin in a superior to
command, which is a duty for an inferior to obey when
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 283
commanded; and certainly in the end his task will be
found easiest who is to obey, rather than his who com-
mands. Here I remark,
(1.) The chief and comprenensive duty of a servant is
obedience to the commands of his master. For this is abso-
lutely enjoined them, Col. 3:22, "Servants, obey in all
things your masters according to the flesh." And again,
Eph. 6:5, "Servants, be obedient to them that are your
masters according to the flesh." In all things that are not
dishonest and contrary to the laws of God there obedi-
ence is required; yea, although in many things their com-
mands should be impertinent or too imperious and tyran-
nical, yet servants in such cases are no more exempted
from obedience than their masters shall be from punish-
ment; for the unreasonableness of their commands they
shall give an account to God their master; and thou, for
withholding thy obedience, both to them and him.
(2.) Another duty is, a patient suffering of reproofs and
corrections. Yea, and so patient are servants to be as not
so much as to answer again, Tit. 2:9, "Exhort ser-
vants--to please their masters well in all things, not
answering again." So strictly hath religion tied them up
to obedience that they ought not to reply against a re-
buke, nor to derogate so much from the authority of their
masters as to murmur at it; and therefore to use violence
against them is so high a degree of disobedience that it
approacheth near to sacrilege.
Yea, and this quiet and silent submission is required
also, not only where the servant hath given just cause for
reproof and correction,. but although he suffer from the
groundless rage and passion of his master. See 1 Pet.
2:18-20, "Servants, be subject to your own mas-
284 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
ters, with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but
also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for
conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrong-
fully. For what glory is it if, when ye be buffeted for
your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do
well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable
with God." See here how urgently the apostle enjoins on
them this duty. And indeed a duty so hard, so contrary
to flesh and blood, had need to be pressed home upon
your consciences. You ought to be patient, not only
when you are justly reproved and corrected for your
faults; but if the distempered rage of a master should
break forth without any reason, or contrary to all reason;
if he should reprove and buffet you, not for your faults
but for your duty, you ought to take it patiently and not
to strike again, no not so much as to answer again: that is,
not to answer with taunts and invectives, but calmly and
at fit and convenient seasons to present to him the justice
of your actions and the reasons that moved you to them.
I must confess that of -all things which belong to the
duty of servants this is the most difficult; and there is
nothing that can sweeten and facilitate it but only con-
science of their duty and the acceptance and reward
which they shall find with God for it; and therefore they
bad need to pray for a great measure of self-denial and
mortification of those passions which will be apt to strug-
gle in them on this occasion, and by an eye of faith look
up to God to support them, esteeming it a chastisement
inflicted on them by their heavenly Master; and that, he
be their spirits never so high, will enable them to undergo
it without any more murmuring than they would use
against God himself, when he immediately afflicts them.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 285
(3.) Another duty of servants is a reverential fear of
their masters. "A son honoreth his father, and a servant
his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honor?
and if I be a master, where is my fear?" Mal. 1:6. And
the apostle hath commanded servants to "be obedient to
their masters, with fear and trembling." Eph. 6:5. And
again, 1 Pet. 2:18, "Servants, be subject to your masters
with all fear." This fear is to be expressed by them in
their speeches and actions.
In their speeches, by forbearing any clamors or irrever-
ent muttering in their presence. Their words must be
few and humble, giving them all those respectful titles
that belong justly to their place and quality. Yea, and
they must not only speak fair to them whilst they are pre-
sent, but speak well of them when absent; begetting in
others as good an opinion of them as they may; conceal-
ing their infirmities, and what they cannot speak truly of
them to their credit, therein to be silent.
Likewise in their actions they ought to testify their re-
verence, conducting themselves with all the expressions
of modesty and respect before them, and readily doing
not only what their masters shall expressly command,
but what they judge will be pleasing and acceptable
to them; and therefore we have that expression, Psalm
123:2, "The eyes of servants look unto the hand of
their masters, and the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of
her mistress," intimating to us that good servants will
not only readily obey when they have a verbal and oral
command, but will be ready to take the least sign, the
least beck from their masters, and strive not only to ful-
fil but even to prevent their commands by the readiness
and respect of their obedience.
286 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
(4.) Another duty of a servant is dihgence in his mas-
ters affairs. He ought to set his mind to them, and em-
ploy his time in them. For he is not faithful who is ne-
gligent; and he steals from his master who doth not use
his strength and spend his time in his service. Every
slothful servant is a thief; and so much advantage as he
hinders his master of by his negligence and idleness, of
so much he doth but rob him. And therefore in the Pa-
rable of the Talents, when the master takes an account
of every man's improvements, he calls that servant who
had not used his talent nor been industrious in his service,
not only slothful, but wicked, "Thou wicked and slothful
servant." Mat. 25:26.
(5.) Another duty is fidelity and trust in what is com-
mitted to their charge; not defrauding their masters, nor
purloining from them the least value, but serving them
with all faithfulness and integrity. So, Tit. 2:9, 10,
"Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own mas-
ters-not purloining, but showing all good fidelity." And
unto this appertains carefulness in preserving their mas-
ter's estate; not wasting or consuming it either by riotous
living or negligence. Doubtless many men have sunk and
decayed under the unfaithfulness or carelessness of their
servants, either stealing from them or prodigally wasting
what was theirs. Let such know that every farthing stands
upon account in God's debt-book: unless they make
amends to their masters, if ever Providence shall enable
them to do it, they must make a punctual payment to di-
vine justice, which is infinitely the more dreadful creditor.
(6.) As trust in affairs, so likewise truth in speech is
another duty of a servant. They ought to approve them.
selves such that their masters may repose themselves on
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 287
their word. And as servants are the hands and the eyes
of their masters, so they ought to make no other report
to them than what is as certain as though they had touch-
ed it and seen it themselves. We read of Gehazi, that
when he was returned from taking a bribe of Naaman, he
stood very demurely before his master with a lie ready
prepared in his mouth. "Whence comest thou, Gehazi?"
"Thy servant," saith he, "went no whither." But this lie
cost him a leprosy that stuck incurably to him and to
all his posterity. I am loth to be uncharitable, but I much
fear that if the same judgment were inflicted on every
servant that comes to his master with a lying excuse, many
families would be infected, and very few in this relation
escape that loathsome contagion. Certainly it is only a
cowardly, base, slavish fear that induceth one to this vile
sin of lying. And, what! wilt thou be more afraid to offend
thy master by confessing a fault, than to offend thy God
by committing another to conceal it? What else is this
but to heap up sin upon sin, and to make a single trans-
gression become two thereby? A sin the most odious
to God, who is truth itself; and usually most detestable
to men, and with difficulty pardonable by them; for it im-
putes folly and ignorance to thorn, as being so weak that
they cannot find out the matter. And therefore the Psalm-
ist saith, "He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight."
Psalm 101:7.
(7.) Another duty of servants, and it is the last I shall
mention, is to serve their masters with good will, and in
singleness of their hearts; not grudgingly, as of constraint,
for that is slavish, but readily and cheerfully, as unto the
Lord; "not as men-pleasers," only, "with eye-service,
being no longer diligent than their master's eye is upon
288 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
them, but careless and negligent as soon as his back is
turned; "but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of
God from the heart;" as the apostle commands and di-
rects them, Eph. 6:5-7.
Now to perform service to their masters as unto God
and Christ, imports these two things:
A serious consideration that God is concerned in every
thing they do, as the object of it. So, Col. 3:23,
"Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord." And
therefore servants are commanded to have respect, not so
much unto men as unto God. This is the way to ennoble
thy service, be it never so mean; it is God whom thou
servest in them, that God whom the greatest princes and
potentates of the earth ought to serve. And be the em-
ployment what it will, yet the greatness and glory of that
Master to whom thou doest it put an honor and dignity
upon it.
To do service as unto the Lord, implies thy doing it
on this very account, because God hath commanded it.
Be the action what it will, yet if you can truly say that
you do it not only because your master hath commanded
it, but because God, his Master and yours, hath laid the
authority of his command and injunction on you to obey
him, this commends the service to God, and makes it an
action done truly unto him.
And this may be a great encouragement to servants,
(for indeed their condition generally wants encourage-
ment) that though their employment may be the drudge-
ries of this life, and those possibly not very well accepted
by their harsh and froward masters; yet, be their work
never so painful and laborious, whilst they perform it out
of conscience to God's command, it is accounted as done
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 289
to him, and not to them; they are his servants more than
theirs, and he will kindly accept and bountifully reward
them.
II. Let us now proceed to those DUTIES WHICH MAS-
TERS OWE RECIPROCALLY TO THEIR SERVANTS. And those consist, as before I noted, either in the right choosing
or in the right using of them.
(1.) The master's first duty is a prudent care and cir-
cumspection in the choice of his servants. This is a mat-
ter of great moment, and that whereon the happiness
and comfort, or else the misery and trouble of a family do
very much depend.
Two qualifications in a servant ought chiefly to be re-
garded in the making choice of him. The one is ability
to fill his place and manage those affairs which you com-
mit to his care and trust. The other is conscientiousness
and piety in doing faithful service not to thee only, but to
God, the common Master of you both.
And indeed this latter is of more importance and of
greater concern to thee than the former. For when thou
entertainest a godly person, though possibly not so suffi-
cient for thy employment as some others, it will be a com- mendation of thy charity: that thou maintainest one of
God's servants in thy family. But when thou entertainest
a lewd profane wretch only because he is able to despatch
his work, thou maintainest one of the devil's slaves, and
takest into thy house a sworn servant to the deadliest
enemy thou hast, which is justly reproachable both with
folly and impiety.
Yet how little is this usually regarded! I know it is
the custom of too many, that if they can light on those
13
290 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
whom they think proper for their affairs, they never in-
quire what their principles or what their practices be as
to religion, whether popish or factious, whether for the
mass or the meeting; but choose them as they would
beasts of burden, the most strong and able, and account
it the only property of good servants to be able to per-
form their office and willing to drudge as much as they
would have them.
But let them know that they make a very unwise and a
very sinful choice. For such servants will assuredly make
much more work than they despatch, and leave more filth
in the house than they cleanse out. Though they be never
so able and fit for their employments, yet think not such
a one fit for thee who refuseth to serve that God whom
thou thyself art bound to serve, and believe it to be a de-
sign of the devil to help thee to one who shall do thy work
but undo thy family. One vile and wicked servant is
enough to corrupt a whole household; for assure your-
selves they come there to do the devil more service than
you, and their examples and presumptions will seduce
and draw others into the same excess with themselves.
For to this I impute the rise and growth of that general
profaneness that is too reigning in most families, espe-
cially in those whose quality or estates require a nume-
rous attendance. They are commonly too careless what
ruffian and debauched servants they entertain; and their
children, which else might be the ornament and glory of
the nation, conversing with these, learn from them those
first rudiments of vice which afterward their condition
and wealth enable them to perfect into consummate vil-
lany. Here they learned the first taste of excess and in-
temperance; here they were taught the first syllables of
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 291
oaths, and instructed how to lisp out curses and obscenity,
and according to their proficiency were applauded by
these impious wretches for their genteel docility and apt-
ness. Such servants as these should be rooted out; not
only are they the pests of particular families, but their in-
fluence reaches farther, even to corrupt those who may
hereafter have an influence on the state and common-
wealth; for they serve only to give youth the first relishes
of sloth, and pleasure, and vice, which, by woful im-
provements, grow at last to be inveterate habits, and
make them only a shame to their families and a curse to
the state.
So it is proportionably in all humbler families: where
the servants are wicked, the children ordinarily will be
more ruled by their examples and flatteries than by their
parents' authority and commands.
And therefore it highly concerns you to make a pru-
dent choice at first, or, if therein you have been mistaken,
as soon as you can to rid your houses of those vermin and
caterpillars, which else will destroy the verdant and bud-
ding hopes of your children; and to bring in those who
are sober, stayed and godly, who will make it their great
care first to serve God and then you. Take the resolution
of the royal psalmist for your pattern and direction,
"Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they
may dwell with me; he that walketh in a perfect way, he
shall serve me. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell
within my house; he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my
sight." Psalm 101:6, 7. Certainly those will be the lest
servants to us who are faithful servants to God; or if they
should be less fit for thy occasions, yet they will suffi-
ciently earn their wages, though they only pray for thee.
292 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
It is said of Joseph, (Gen. 39:5, when he was brought
into Potiphar's house to be his servant, "that the Lord
blessed the Egyptian s house for Joseph's sake; and the
blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had, in the
house and in the field." Godly servants bring a bless-
ing along with them to the families where they reside:
having such a servant thou hast a friend in court, one that
can do thee kind offices in heaven through his interest at
the throne of grace. And therefore, as it is thy duty, so it
is thy wisdom and thy concern to make choice of such;
these best know their duty; these will make most con-
science of performing it; in their integrity and faithful-
ness thy heart may repose, and they will entitle thee and
thy family to those blessings which attend them.
2. Another general duty of masters in relation to ser-
vants is, rightly to use them when they are chosen. And
this consists likewise in two things, government and pro-
vision.
(1.) This government ought to be prudent and discreet,
such as may maintain authority, and yet not be soured
into tyranny. Therefore it should be a master's care to
demean himself gravely before his servants; his very
countenance and deportment should be enough to beget
reverence in them. For when the master is vain and light,
the servants will grow first familiar and then contemp-
tuous.
Government consists in two things, command and cor-
rection. But that which doth most of all tend to make
both effectual, is good example.
A master ought wisely to command and enjoin his ser-
vants what they should do. And herein is required much
skill and prudence. For though servants ought not to in.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 293
quire into the reasons of all that their masters bid them
do, yet doubtless it is a very difficult matter for them to
bring themselves to do that which is apparently vain and
ridiculous; and by imposing such things upon them the
master will much hazard the loss or diminution of his au-
thority: therefore in laying his commands upon them he
ought to have regard both to the manner and matter of
them.
As to the manner, he ought not to command with rigor,
with ill language and revilings, as is the custom of too
many, who when they enjoin their servants any thing pre-
face their commands with a reproach, which tends to no-
thing but to discourage them, to make them hate the em-
ployment and him that setteth them about it; and by this
means we make our servants to become our enemies.
The apostle therefore hath given this caution, Eph. 6:9;
"Ye masters, do the same things to your servants, for-
bearing threatening." Nor yet should they prostitute
their authority by any submiss entreaties, for it is an evil
which the earth itself cannot bear, when a servant reigneth
and bears sway over his master, as the wise man observes,
Prov. 30:22; but there should be such an equal mixture
of mildness with gravity, and love with authority, that the
servant should not only be compelled but inclined by it
unto obedience. Indeed there is required much evenness
of temper in him that would make a good master; not to
be hurried with violent and causeless passions, nor to be
swayed by irrational humors; for nothing doth more de-
tract from authority than humorsomeness, because ser-
vants not having any standing measure of what will please
such a master, will at last grow careless of it, and despise
the commands of him who is as much a servant as they
294 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
are servants, yea, a very s1ave to his passions and humors,
than which there cannot be a baser and a viler s1avery;
and therefore those who are servants to fickle and capri-
cious masters, though they may seem very obsequious to
them, yet cannot but secret1y despise them; for power
may indeed make their commands to be obeyed, but it is
reason only and gravity that can make them venerable
and reverend.
As to matter also, a master ought to command nothing
but what is lawful to be performed. For both he and his
servant have a supreme Lord and Master in the highest
heaven, whom they both ought to fear and obey. And to
every master let me say, thy servant's service is no far-
ther due to thee than as it is consistent with the service
of God; and when thou commandest any thing contrary
thereunto, thou art not a master but a tempter. It is true,
he is bound in conscience to obey thee, yet it is only in
those things wherein the law of God hath left his con-
science free; and therefore where the great and universal
Lord hath laid a prohibition on him, his obedience is su-
perseded, and thy commands do only bind thyself to guilt,
not him to observance. He is bound to work for thee, but
not to lie, nor to steal, nor to cheat for thee; and if thou
art so wicked as to enjoin him any such thing, it is no un-
civil answer to say to thee, as the apostle did, Acts, 5:29,
"We ought to obey God rather than men." And further,
A master's commands must be not only lawful but possi-
ble. To command things impossible is the height of folly.
And therefore when Abraham commanded his servant to
procure a wife for his son, the servant prudently answers,
What if she will not come? upon which supposition his
master acquits him from the oath of God that was betwixt
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 295
them. "If the woman will not be willing to follow thee.
then thou shalt be clear from this oath." Gen. 24:8. To
command things impossible to be effected will but detract
from the master's authority and lessen his esteem, and
cause the servant to think his own discretion to be a bet-
ter guide for his actions than his master's: yea, although
the thing be not simply impossible in itself, but only to
the servant, considering either his inability or employ.
ments; or if it be hugely inconvenient, or prejudicial, or
unseasonable, the master ought not in conscience or pru-
dence to exact it. For as to command things unlawful is
impiety, and things impossible, folly; so to require things
unreasonable and prejudicial is mere tyranny; and as such
it is recorded of Pharaoh and his task-masters, who, to
weary and wear out the Israelites, exacted the whole tale
of bricks, but would not allow straw to make them.
Moreover, a master's commands ought not to be vain
and impertinent, but he should have some swaying reason,
though perhaps not always fit to be communicated to the
servant, why he commands such things from him, a rea-
son sufficient to satisfy his own judgment and his own
conscience.
Again, it is the master's duty to correct those servants
that are stubborn and disobedient. The wise man tells us,
"There is a servant who will not be corrected by words,
for although he understand he will not answer." Prov.
29:19. Yet here prudence must be the measure of what
discipline is fit for them, according to their age, disposi-
tion and the nature of their offence. A reproof will work
more effectually with some than stripes, and those who
have ingenuous spirits will either be discouraged or exas-
perated by a too-rigorous usage. And God hath expressly
296 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
interposed his will in this particular. "Thou shalt not
rule over him with rigor, but shalt fear thy God." Lev.
25:43.
Indeed no correction is to be inflicted on them out of
passion and revenge; but either for reformation and
amendment, that they may be the more wary for the fu-
ture; or for example's sake, to terrify others from the
same or the like offences. Even a heathen could say,
"No wise man doth punish because the offence is already
committed," for then it comes unseasonably and too late,
"but that it may not be committed again." Plato apud
Lactant. de Ira Dei. c. 18.
But still be sure that the corrections be not immo-
derate and too severe: neither exceeding the proportion
of the fault, 'for that is cruelty; nor unbeseeming thee to
inflict, or the age and character of thy servant to suffer,
for that will be reproachful to both. Generally reproof is
the best discipline.
Now, to move you to mercy and lenity towards them.
consider,
That you yourselves have a Master, the great and glorious
God. This the apostle urges, Eph. 6:9, "Masters--for-
bear threatening, knowing that your Master also is in
heaven." Think with yourselves how often you provoke
him, and yet he bears with you although you are infinite-
ly more inferior to him than any servant can be to you:
this will calm your passions and cause you, if not alto-
gether to wave, yet at least to allay and mitigate the
rigor and severity of your chastisements.
Consider that they are equal with you in respect to God.
It is true, they are your servants; but both you and they
are fellow-servants to the great Lord and Master. And
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 297
if thou in a rage shouldst take thy fellow-servant by the
throat and imperiously abuse him, fear lest thy Lord may
require it and vindicate his I wrongs in the punishment of
thy tyranny. "There is no respect of persons with him;
but he that hath done wrong, shall receive for the wrong
that he hath done." And what art thou, O vile worm,
that thou shouldst-domineer over thy fellow, who is
moulded of as good earth and hath as precious and im-
mortal a soul in him as thyself? For,
Consider that thou art equal likewise in nature: Divine
providence only hath made the difference. Whence then
such a supercilious disdain of servants, "as if," says Ma-
crobius, "they did not consist of the same materials nor
draw the same breath with thyself?" "They are ser-
vants, but yet they are men; they are servants, yea,
rather, they are thy fellow-servants." And it is in the
power of the same providence who hath subjected them
to thee, to change the scene, to exalt them and bring thee
into bondage. Why then shouldst thou despise them
whereas thou knowest not how soon thou mayest be
brought under a more miserable servitude. They are
servants out of necessity; when, perhaps, their masters
are voluntary slaves. Some are slaves to their lusts,
others to covetousness, others to ambition, and all to
hope, all to fear. And there is no servitude so justly con-
temptible as that which is voluntary and wilful.
Consider again, that he who is a servant to men may be
the Lord's freeman; whereas he that is free among men
may be a slave to his lusts, and by them to the devil;
and therefore we ought neither to think despicably of
servants nor to use them severely, but to treat them with
love, as our fellow-creatures, our fellow-servants, yea, and
13*
298 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
fellow-heirs of the same inheritance of life and glory.--
Thus much concerning the master's duty in government.
(2.) The other particular, under the general duty of mas-
ters in relation to servants, is provision; and this ought
to be both for their temporal and spiritual good, for the
welfare both of their bodies and of their souls.
As for temporal provision, the master is bound to
supply his servants with things necessary for them, ac-
cording to the tenor of the agreement and compact made
between him and them: "Masters, give unto your ser-
vants that which is just and equal." Col. 4:1. He ought
to provide for them food and raiment; or else, in lieu of
any of these, faithfully to pay them their agreed wages.
"The wages of him that is hired shall not abide all night
with thee until the morning." Lev. 19:13. And again,
"Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor
and needy-at his day thou shalt give him his hire:
neither shall the sun go down upon it, 1est he cry against
thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee." Deut. 24:
14, 15. This oppression of servants, in withholding from
them the covenanted reward of their 1abor, is a crying and
provoking sin. So the apostle: "The hire of the labor-
ers which have reaped down the fields, (so likewise of
those who have done any other work and service for you,)
which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries
of them that have reaped are entered into the ears of
the Lord of sabbaoth." James, 5:4.
And as the master is to make temporal provision for
their bodies, so much more is he to provide for their
spiritual welfare and the good of their souls, inasmuch
as their souls are incomparably to be preferred before
their bodies.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 299
Every master is to be both a priest and a prophet with-
in his own family as well as a king. He is to instruct them
in the will and laws of God; to inform their ignorance,
resolve their doubts, excite and quicken them to the ser-
vice of God; to rectify their errors and mistakes, to pray
with them and for them, to direct them in the way that
leads to heaven and happiness; and, above all, to walk
before them in it by his holy and pious example.
But how few masters are there who conscientiously
perform this duty! Do not the most think it enough if
they provide necessaries and conveniences for the body,
the dull, outward and earthly part of man? and, indeed,
it were enough, if they had only beasts to look after.
But remember, thy servants and those who belong to
thy charge have precious and immortal souls, capable of
eternal glory and happiness, but liable to eternal misery
and torments; and God hath intrusted thee with these
souls of theirs, and will require them at thy hands. What
a heavy and tremendous doom will pass upon thee when
God shall demand at thy hands the souls of thy servants,
or of thy children, which have perished through thy de-
fault! Will it be enough then to plead, "Lord, I fed
and clothed them, and was careful of their health and
welfare?" Yea, indeed, if their bodies only were com-
mitted to thy care, this were enough; but see, there they
stand condemned and ready for eternal flames for the
ignorance which thou oughtest to have informed, for the
profaneness which thou oughtest to have chastised and
hindered, for those neglects of holy duties in which thou
oughtest to have gone before them; and therefore, though
they shall die and perish in their sins, yet their blood will
God require at thy hands, whose carelessness or evil ex-
300 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
ample hath hardened them in wickedness
on securely to destruction.
Let me therefore warn you who are masters and heads
of families, that as you regard the welfare of the souls of
those under your charge, yea, of your own souls, which
are deeply engaged and concerned in theirs, you will use
all diligence and industry in promoting their spiritual
good, that you may at the last day present them with joy
before the tribunal of God: "Lo, here I am, and the
children and servants that thou hast given me." That
you may with joy and triumph present them before the
throne of justice then, be frequent in presenting them be-
fore the throne of grace now. Let not a day pass with-
out its stated hours of prayer in your family. Instruct
those that are ignorant; reduce those that are erroneous;
admonish and rebuke with all authority those that are
faulty; discard those that are contumacious and incorri-
gible; let not a scoffing Ishmael, a scorner and derider
of piety and holiness remain within your doors; and es-
pecially be careful that both you and your family do
strictly observe and sanctify the Lord's day, for therein
consists a great part of the life and strength of religion,
and this day usually gives a seasoning to all the days of
the week. Prepare your 'families by private duties for
public; let none of them stay at home from the ordinances
but upon great and urgent necessity; suffer them not to
wander, some to one pastor and some to another, but where
the ordinances of God are duly dispensed; and whither
thou thyself art called, thither do thou lead thine, that as
they receive their bodily food in thy house, so they may
receive their spiritual food in the house of God; take
an account of their profiting by what they hear; be as;
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 301
careful to see thy family well employed in the service of
God upon the Lord's day, as to see them employed in thine
own service and affairs the other days of the week; and
therefore be not long not unnecessarily from them; for God
hath made thee his overseer, and if his work go not for-
ward in private family! duties, especially on the Lord's
day, thou canst never expect a blessing upon what they
do for thee.-- Thus much concerning the mutual duties of
masters and servants.
The fifth class of relative duties that I shall treat of, is
that of PASTORS AND THEIR FLOCKS, MINISTERS AND
THEIR PEOPLE. For between them also is such a rela-
tion of superiority and inferiority as brings them under
the direction of this commandment.
We do not arrogate too much to ourselves nor take too
much upon us when we affirm that we are superior to
the people, and have an authority over them in things
spiritual and appertaining unto God. And although,
through the vices and defects of some who are dignified
with this high honor, and partly through the meanness
of their outward state and condition, not only their per-
sons but their office be sunk into scorn and contempt;
yet I cannot but, with the apostle, magnify mine office,
which is truly excellent and venerable; and it is the
great sin of the people td despise this calling, although
the follies and indiscretions of ministers themselves may
not only occasion but invite them to do it.
Here I shall plainly set down the reciprocal duties
which they ought mutually to perform to each other.
I. The DUTIES OF MINISTERS either respect their call
302 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
to that office, or their management and discharge of it.
1. The great duty that respects their call, is to look to
it that they be rightly called; that they do not rashly
thrust themselves into so sacred a function unless they
be duly set apart thereto.
For, as the priests under the law were "taken from
among men, and ordained for men in things pertaining to
God, to offer gifts and sacrifices," as the apostle speaks,
Heb. 5:1, so likewise the ministers of the Gospel are to
be duly sanctified and set apart for this high employment,
to stand before the Lord, and to minister in things that
appertain to his worship; and it is an intolerable pre-
sumption for any to intrude themselves into this lot with-
out being selected thereunto or duly authorized by that
order which God himself hath appointed and left unto his
church. "For no man taketh this honor unto himself but
he that is called of God," as the apostle subjoins, verse 4.
And therefore God complains of those prophets whom he
had "not sent," and "yet they ran;" and to whom he had
"not spoken," and " yet they prophesied." Jer. 23:21
Audacious-undertaking men it seems they were: like some
of late days, who thought their forwardness alone a suf-
ficient consecration, and the seal of whose commission
bears only the stamp of their own impudence.
Now to the due constitution of a minister there is re-
quisite a twofold call.
(1.) He must have an inward call which consists both
in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and also in the inclination
of his will to use them for God's glory in this holy minis-
tration.
He must be endowed with a competent knowledge of the
truths of the Gospel; without which the great end of the
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 303
ministry cannot be attained, which is to teach and instruct
the people. It is indeed the duty of the ministry to strive
after eminency in this knowledge; for they are the lights
of the world, and should be able to diffuse abroad their
beams, that they may enlighten those that are ignorant
and sit in darkness. But yet there is no stated measure not
standard for their knowledge; for we find that our Lord
Jesus Christ, the great minister and teacher of the world,
sent forth his disciples to preach when yet they were very
ignorant of many important truths of the Gospel. Emi-
nent knowledge is therefore necessary for their duty,
but competent knowledge is necessary for their office.
Sanctifying grace and a holy life and conversation are
also indispensable in the ministry. They may indeed sus-
tain the office without this; for we find a Judas sent forth
with the same authority and commission as the rest of
the disciples. Yea, and the apostles who had Christ him-
self for their master and instructor, yet are by him sent to
attend on the ministry of the scribes and pharisees; who,
though they were very wicked and ungodly hypocrites,
yet because they sat in Moses' seat, that is, because they
had a rightful authority to teach the people, therefore he
commands his own scholars to hear and obey them:
"Whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and
do." Mat. 23:2, 3. God may feed his people as he did
Elijah by a raven, and make a cold breath kindle the
sparks of grace in the hearts of others and blow it up in-
to a flame. But yet it is profitable to the people to sit
under a minister who shall go before them in example as
well as in doctrine; who not only prescribes them rules of
holiness, but is himself an example of those rules. Such
a one, who speaks from the heart, is likely to speak to the
304 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
heart; and having himself experienced the ways of
holiness, can more savorily recommend them to the accep-
tance of his flock. And certainly he will be more likely
to speed in his errand, when he shall persuade them to
nothing but what he hath found the goodness and sweet-
ness of in himself. All others are but like those Mercurial
statues which in old times were set up in cross ways wit
their hands extended to point out the right road to pas-
ssengers, but themselves never walked in them. These in-
deed may be serviceable. But a minister should not only
be a director, but a leader; he should not only point out
the way, but walk before his flock in it. And it is com-
monly observed that it is the labors of such that God
most usually owns and crowns with success.
(2.) As he must have an inward call in the gifts of the
Spirit of God, so likewise he must have an outward call
by a solemn separation to this work, through impo-
sition of hands. This gives him the ministerial power,
and invests him with authority to dispense the ordinances
of Jesus Christ as an officer and minister of the Gospel.
And this authority St. Paul cans a gift, "Neglect not the
gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy,
with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." 1
Tim. 4:14. This gift here spoken of I take to be the
ministerial office conferred upon him by ordination, ac-
cording to those predictions and prophecies which were I
before given of him by some divinely inspired men, who ,
foretold that he was by God designed for the work of
the ministry, and should glorify God by a careful dis-
charge of it; of which we read chap. 1, verse 18.
2. When we are assured that our call is right and ac-
cording to the will of God, there are then many other
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 305
duties incumbent on us in the due exercise of our-calling.
(1.) We ought to be good examples to the flock. This
St. Paul most expressly enjoins Timothy, "Be thou an
charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." 1 Tim. 4:12.
Indeed it is very sad to consider how the unsuitable
conversation of ministers doth quite enervate all the force
and strength of their doctrine and exhortations. For, let
them speak with the tongues of angels and preach as
holily and powerfully as if the Holy Ghost did immediate-
ly inspire them, yet, if their lives be loose and their con-
versation contradictory to their doctrine, the people will
be ready to conclude that so much strictness is not
necessary, that they only urge it as a matter of high and
nice perfection in religion, land that certainly they know
a nearer way to heaven than through so many severities
which they press upon the people; and therefore they
will take the same course and run the same venture that
their ministers do.
And how is it likely that such a ministry should be
effectual to bring others to holiness, when the minister
himself declares to all the world, by his actions, that he
looks upon it as unnecessary? What hold can his admo-
nitions and reproofs take upon the consciences of men?
certainly his own guilt must rise up in his throat and
choke his reproofs. For consciousness of the same mis-
carriages will retort, whatever we can say against others,
more strongly upon ourselves, and suggest to us that it
is but base hypocrisy to blame that which we ourselves
practise. With what face canst thou press others to re-
pent and reform? what arguments canst thou use to pre-
vail with them, who, by continuing in the same sin, dost
thyself judge those arguments to be of no force?
306 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Indeed, it were a temper to be wished and prayed for,
that we could only respect how righteous the reproof is,
and not how righteous the person who gives it, and be
content to have our motes plucked out though it be by
such as have beams in their own eyes; that we could
learn that hard lesson which our Savior gives his disciples,
to do as they say, but not to do after their works; for, in-
deed, there is no more reason to reject sound admoni-
tion because it comes from an unsound heart, than there
is to stop our ears against good counsel because it is de-
livered perhaps by one who has an offensive breath. But
yet so it usually fares, that when ministers of defiled and
loose lives shall yet preach up holiness and strictness to
their people and, as they ought, reprove them sharply for
their sins, they will be apt to think, "What! is he in
earnest? and doth he not see that he himself is as bad or
worse? With what face can he thunder out wo, and wrath,
and hell against my sins, which yet are no more mine
than his own? Doth he think to fright me with denouncing
threats and curses, when he himself, who stands as fair a
mark for them as I, slights and contemns them? Or doth
he envy me my sins and would engross them all to him-
self?" And thus, with such carnal reasonings, drawn from
the evil examples and wicked lives of ministers, they sit
hardened under their preaching, and account all they say
but as a lesson they must repeat and a tale they must tell
to get their living by. Certainly, such shall perish in
their iniquities, but the blood of their souls God will re-
quire at your hands.
But when a minister walks conscientious1y and exem-
plarily before his flock, his doctrine gains a mighty advan-
tage to work upon them by his life. This is building up
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 307
the church of Christ with both hands; showing them both
the equity and the easiness of that holiness which he
persuades them to by his own practice. When he
reproves, his reproofs break in upon the consciences of
his hearers with conviction and authority, and if they do
not reform, yet at lest they daunt and terrify them, and
make them self-accused and self-condemned. "Here is
one that reproves me for sin, who believes it to be as
evil as he represents it by his own eschewing it. Here is
one that denounces wrath if I repent not, who doubtless
believes it to be as terrible as he declares it by his own
carefulness to escape it." Certainly, preaching never
comes with such power and energy into the conscience
as when the minister preacheth as well by his works as
by his word, and, to induce the people to it, is first
obedient himself to the truths which he teacheth them.
Men are easier led by examples than by precepts, for,
though precepts are the more exact, yet examples are the
more easy way of teaching, and he is a perfect workman
who joineth both together, neither teaching what he will
not do, nor doing what he dares not teach: and there-
fore it is observed of our Lord Jesus Christ, the great
teacher of his church, that he began both to do and teach.
Acts, 1:1.
Now ministers must be exemplary both in themselves
and in their families.
In themselves they "must be blameless, as the stewards
of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to
wine, no strikers, not given to filthy lucre: lovers of
hospitality, lovers of good men, sober, just, holy, tem-
perate," as the Apostle sums up their duties, Tit. 1:7,
8. These are the things which will give them a good
308 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
report among those which are without, and will recom-
mend the doctrines and truths which they teach, to the
acceptation and love of their very enemies and the ene-
mies of their holy profession.
They must likewise be exemplary in their families; a
minister must rule "well his own house, having his
children in subjection with all gravity." 1 Tim. 3:4.
And because there are so many who are ready mali-
ciously to asperse us, we must, by a serious and circum-
spect conversation, cut off all occasion from slanderous
tongues, that they who watch for our halting may be
ashamed when they can find nothing to reproach us with
save in the matter of our God.
But if any such there be, who speak like angels but
live like devils; who, when they are in the pulpit, it is
pity they should ever come out, and when they are out,
it is a great pity they should ever come into it again;
who are heavenly lights in it, but hellish fire-brands out
of it; would to God they would consider how they de-
stroy the very end of their calling, and, instead of con
verting souls, do but harden them in their sins; making
men abhor the offerings and ordinances of the Lord;
putting arguments in their mouths to justify their con-
tinuance in their wickedness, or else prejudices in their
hearts; causing them to depart and separate from holy
institutions, because dispensed by profane and scandalous
ministers. Let them pretend never so highly to uniform-
ity and obedience; yet, certainly, these are the men who
have made all our separatists that now sadly rend our
church in pieces; for when the sheep see a wolf set over
them instead of a shepherd, no wonder if they run from
him and scatter into other pastures. It is in vain for them
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 309
to tell people that they ought to be obedient to the laws
of the church, when those that tell them so are not obe-
dient to the laws of God their Father.
And oh, that they would but consider not only the
damage which they do to the church, of which too many of
them seem zealous propugners, but the heavy wo and
wrath which they bring upon their own souls. Every ser-
mon they study they do but draw up a bill of indictment
against themselves, and every time they preach they do
but pronounce the sentence of their own damnation. Wo
unto such pastors, when they whom Christ hath set over
his sheep shall themselves be found at the last day stand.
ing among the goats!
(2.) Another great duty of ministers is a diligent and
conscientious employment of their gifts and talents.
They must be both able and willing to teach. They
themselves must be well grounded in the knowledge and
doctrine of Christ: "the priest's lips" should preserve
" knowledge, and men should seek the law at his mouth;
for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts." Mal. 2:7.
And therefore the apostle rejects a novice, a raw, ig-
nor ant and unexperienced person; for "if the blind
lead the blind, both will" be in danger of falling together
"into the ditch." And God himself tells such ignorant
and foolish teachers, "Because thou hast rejected know-
ledge, I also will reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest
to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I
will also forget thy children." Hosea, 4:6.
And as they must be able to teach, so they must be
diligent in teaching. A "necessity is laid upon them,
and wo unto them if they preach not the Gospel," as the
apostle speaks, 1 Cor. 9:16. They ought to be instant
310 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
in season and out of season, 2 Tim. 4:2, "Preach the
word; be instant in season and out of season: reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." Not
as if ministers must be continually in the exercise of
preaching, but they ought to preach in season, that is, in
the ordinary and stated times for it, and out of season,
that is, on extraordinary occasions, when the necessity or
usefulness of the church shall require it.
Their doctrine also ought to be sound such as cannot
be condemned: "Speak thou the things which become
sound doctrine." Tit. 2:1. It must have its authority
either from the express words of Scripture, or the
analogy of faith rationally deduced from Scripture; for
he that preacheth false doctrine inconsistent with these,
doth but mingle poison with his people's meat.
It must likewise be profitable, not setting before them
alien and unintelligible notions, or such thin airy specu-
lations as can scarce consist with sense, much less with
divinity, for this is to give them wind instead of food.
"Charge them before the Lord, that they strive not about
words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers."
2 Tim. 2:14. And, Tit. 3:8, "These things I will that
thou affirm constantly; that they which have believed in
God might be careful to maintain good works. These
things are good and profitable unto men."
Their preaching, moreover, must be plain and suited to
the capacity of their hearers, as much as can be without
disgusting any; for he that shall only disgorge and tum-
ble out a heap of bombastic theatrical words, at which
the people only stare, and gape, and wonder, preacheth
to them in an unknown tongue, although he speak Eng-
lish: and this is but to give them stones instead of bread.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 311
Again, their preaching must be grave and solid, not
slovenly and too much neglected, for that will but be-
get a nauseating in the hearers; nor yet too nicely and
sprucely drest, for that will be apt to divert the atten-
tion from the matter to the phrase. Their sermons ought
to have a comely and matron-like, not a gayish and mere-
tricious attire. The truths they preach must be delivered
in such words as may adorn but not hide nor bury" them,
such as may rather recommend the doctrine to the con-
sciences, than the art and rhetoric of the preacher to the
errors and fancies of the hearers,.
And, finally, they ought to preach powerfully and with,
authority: "These things command and teach." 1 Tim.
4:11. We come to the people in the name of God, and
are his ambassadors, and therefore ought to deliver his
message boldly, being sent to the people by the King of
kings and Lord of lords; and those who mince his er-
rand, as if they were afraid to speak that which God hath
given them in commission, shall at their return unto him re-
ceive the reward of treacherous and unfaithful messengers.
There are very many other duties which cannot with-
out too much length be particularly insisted on. As hos-
pitality, according to the measure of their estates. They
must be "given to hospitality." 1 Tim. 3:2. They must
be " lovers of hospita1ity;" Tit. 1:8. And therefore they
ought to be liberally and plentifully endowed, that they
may make their table a snare in a good sense, and may get
some to follow and observe them though it be but for the
loaves; and here it will be a good point of their wisdom
if they can handsomely make use of such opportunities
(as we find our Savior did after he had miraculously fed
the multitude) to break unto them the bread of life,
312 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
and with their bodily nourishment to feed their souls.
Then gravity, in their discourse and in all their con-
verse. A minister should neither speak nor do any thing
that is unseemly. Intemperate mirth, clamorous talk,
scurrilous jestings, but especially the least syllable of an
oath, although it be never so much varied and disguised,
in a minister's mouth, as it is wicked, so it is utterly
misbecoming the dignity of his profession, and renders
him mean and contemptible.
Again, a pious and assiduous care in visiting the sick,
who may receive good advice and counsel then, although
perhaps they have all their lifetime before despised and
refused it. You may possibly do more good by the sick- :
bed than in the pulpit, for death is a terrible and thun-
dering preacher; and he must be a most forlorn and ob.
durate wretch who will not listen to your admonitions
when the hopes of a long life, which made him formerly
reject them, have forsaken him.
And once more, diligence in catechising and instructing
the younger in the principles of faith and religion. Root
them well at first, and they will continue stable ever after.
This will save yourselves and your successors much la-
bor; for if once you can insinuate into their minds piety
and verity, they will grow up to farther degrees of per-
fection in the ordinary course of your ministry, and be
your comfort and rejoicing here, and your crown and
glory hereafter.
There are many other duties necessary to the right
discharge of the ministerial function, but those already
mentioned may suffice. And all others may be reduced
to some of these.
I shall therefore conclude this part of the subject with
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 313
my earnest request that you would ever seriously medi-
tate upon that charge which God gives the prophet, and
in him ministers: "Son of man, I have made thee a
watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the
word at my mouth and give them warning from me.
When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die; and
thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the
wicked of his evil way, to save his life; the same wicked
man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require
at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn
not from his wickedness, he shall die in his iniquity, but
thou hast delivered thy soul." Ezek. 3:17-19.
II. Having considered the duties of ministers to their
people, we come now to the PEOPLE'S DUTY TOWARDS
THEIR MINISTER, which is especially twofold, that of obe-
dience and honor.
1. Obedience, in being persuaded by his good advice
and admonitions.
We have this most expressly commanded, Heb. 13:17,
"Obey them that have the rule over you;" that is, not
only civil magistrates and your rulers in state affairs, but
ministers also; for so it is added, "for they watch for
your souls as they that must give an account; that they
may do it with joy, and not with grief." And they are
called "the elders that rule well." 1 Tim. 5:17.
I know that this obedience to ministers is a duty so
utterly forgotten in the practice of most men, that I doubt
if there may not be some prejudice in them against these
places of Scripture by which it is so plainly enjoined.
Alas, that ever Christ and his apostle should invest us
with such authority, which when we assume we are look.
Ten. Com. 14
314 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
ed upon by the people as almost as ridiculous for it as if
we had only a reed in our hands and a crown of shame
rather than of dignity put upon our heads, and are ac-
counted of rather as insolent usurpers upon their liberty
than as officers empowered by God himself! Sirs, we
take to ourselves no power over you but what God hath
by his patent and charter given us; and when we pro-
pound to you the will of God revealed in his word, or in
cases not so clearly determined therein do give our judg-
ment as those who have found mercy to be accounted
faithful, we do and may challenge your obedience to it in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For we find that in
those particular cases wherein the apostle had no express
revelation from Christ, yet he prescribes to the Corin-
thians what he judges fit for them to do, and by that di-
rection obliged their practice; not indeed simply and ab-
solutely, yet so that, in such circumstances as the apostle
supposeth, they had sinned if they had done otherwise
than he directed them. We desire not to lord it over
God's inheritance by any burdensome imposition of
things, either unlawful or in themselves unfit. But when
we require from you those things which God himself hath
commanded, or if not expressly commanded, yet which
are, in the judgment of those to whom you owe obedi-
ence, thought convenient and lawful to be done, I know
not how you can excuse yourselves from disobedience
against God if in these cases you be not obedient unto
us. And if you call this usurpation, and a taking too much
upon us, you do but speak the language of Korah and his
accomplices, Num. 16:3, and shake not so much ours as
God's title and authority over you, who hath given us this
power and commission.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 315
2. Another duty of the people is to honor their minis-
ters as their spiritual fathers.
Yea, the apostle speaks of a double honor due to them,
1 Tim. 5:17, "Let the elders that rule well be account-
ed worthy of double honor." All must have that honor
given them which is due to their function; but those who
rule the flock well, kalwj, that is, not barely commenda-
bly but excellently, must have this honor doubled to
them; and those who not only thus rule but excel others
in teaching them likewise, must have this double honor
doubled upon them, especially they that labor in the word
and doctrine.
We owe them the honor of reverence. We ought to
honor and esteem them fot their office and their work's
sake. So, expressly, 1 Thess. 5:12, 13, "We beseech
you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and
esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake."
And again, Phil. 2:29, "Receive him therefore in the
Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation."
And certainly they who cast any contempt on ministers,
either by injurious actions or reviling speeches, do not
so much despise them as Christ who sent them. "He
that despiseth you, despiseth me," saith our Savior, Luke,
10:16. And God will not leave this sin unpunished,
yea, he speaks of it as an almost unpardonable crime:
"They mocked the messengers of God, and despised his
words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of God
was against his people, and there was no remedy."
2 Chron. 36: 16.
Again, we owe them the honor of maintenance. So, Gal.
6:6, "Let him that is taught ,in the word, communicate
unto him that teacheth in all good things." And there is
316 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
good reason for it; for "if we have sown unto you spiri-
tual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your car-
nal things?" saith the apostle, 1 Cor. 9:11. What you
give them is not a matter of bounty and mere voluntary
benevolence; and the minister who so accounts or re-
ceives it, undervalues his authority and wrongs his right;
but it is your duty and his due. He must have a compe-
tent and liberal maintenance, not stinted to bare neces-
sity; but it should be liberal, such as may enable him to
relieve the necessities of others, to provide comfortably for
his own family, and to use hospitality in his house. This
is his due, and he owes! you no more thanks for tendering
it than you do him for receiving it. Not here to dispute
the divine right of the tenth part, (which yet was not all
that was due to the ministers under the law, for they had
a considerable accession by offerings and sacrifices,) I
think it certain that the encouragement of ministers un-
der the Gospel should equal if not exceed theirs, inasmuch
as our labor is far greater and our ministry more excel-
lent than theirs. But they who think it fit to keep minis-
ters poor and dependent, may well be suspected to do it
in favor of their own vices; for how shall he dare to re-
prove them, who is afraid of losing part of his stipend?
But whilst the gentleman in black must sit below the
salt, and after dinner converse with the better sort of
serving men, there is no danger that he should be so au-
dacious as to find fault; or if he should, be so great heed
will be taken to what so despicable a thing as he can say.
It remains only to notice, in the sixth place, the mutual
duties between SUPERIORS AND INFERIORS, or those who
differ in the gifts of Divine bounty.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 317
These may be considered either as the gifts of special
grace or of common providence. Of which briefly.
I. THE GIFTS OF SPECIAL GRACE. God endows some
with an excellent measure of sanctifying grace" and is
pleased to show the world, by a few rare and choice in-
stances, how wonderfully he can sublime our corrupted
nature, and how near he can exalt human frailty to an
angelical perfection. This indeed is the most excellent
of all his gifts, and that which we ought most earnestly
to covet and desire; for although other gifts, as know-
ledge, wisdom, power, &c. do in some imperfect manner
assimilate us to God, yet sanctification and holiness far
transcend all these, both because it stamps on us the re-
semblance of the Divine nature in that attribute which is
its greatest glory, (whence God assumes it to himself that
he is glorious in holiness,) and likewise because God
hath highly honored it, and given it the dignity and pre-
rogative to be the only means of bringing us to the com-
plete and eternal fruition of our felicity.
1. Those whom God hath thus blessed with an emi-
nent degree of this his best gift ought,
(1.) To beware that they do not secretly despise their
weaker bretkren in their hearts, nor with a censorious aus-
terity reject those whom God hath received.
It is often seen that fellow-servants are more inex-
orable towards each other than their common Lord and
Master; and that those errors and infirmities which are
rather the slips of thoughtlessness than the products of a
resolved will, can hardly obtain pardon among men,
though God hath forgiven and forgotten them. This
ariseth from a spiritual pride, which makes us envious
318 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
towards those who excel us, and scornful towards those
who fall short; for when men grow conceited of their
own excellencies and attainments they will be ready to
condemn other men's duties as formal hypocrisy, and their
sins as total apostasy; they will mistake the smoking
flax for a reeking dunghill, and be forward imperiously
to cast them out of God's family though themselves were
but lately received into it out of mere charity.
Certainly this is a spirit, (though it too much prevails in
this broken and shattered age, wherein everyone thinks
so much the better of himself by how much the worse he
thinks of others,) yet this I say is a spirit utterly misbe-
coming the sweetness and mildness of the Gospel, which
teacheth us to be meek and gentle, forbearing one an-
other and forgiving one another. It would better become
thee, O christian, not to observe other men's falls, but to
look to thine own standing: "Thou standest by faith, be
not high-minded, but fear." Rom. 11:20. It is the worst
way that so excellent a thing as divine grace can be per-
verted, when it makes thee proud and censorious.
For my part I should much more confide in the secu-
rity of an humble soul that creeps along to heaven, though
with a slow yet an even pace, than in the ecstatic zeal and
fervor of those who perhaps far outstrip others, but also
contemn them. For the one is still pressing forward, and
regards with admiration those who excel; but the other
is often looking back with disdain upon those who are
slower than himself; and whilst he minds not so much
his way as the advances he hath made, offers many ad-
vantages to the devil to trip him up and give him many a
sore and shameful fall.
And therefore, O christian, the more eminent thy
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 319
graces are, the more need hast thou to pray and strive for
humility. he tallest cedars had need have the deepest
roots, otherwise the storms and winds will easily over-
turn them: so truly the higher any grow, the more they
spread and flourish like the cedars of God, beautiful in
their leaves and plentiful in their sap, the more need
have they to be deeply rooted in humility; or else, be-
lieve it, the wind and tempest of temptations, to which
they stand more exposed than others, will not only sorely
shake them but utterly overturn them, when those whom
they shall despise as mean shrubs shall stand secure, and
with a tender pity weep over their fall.
(2.) Another duty of such as are eminent in grace is,
to improve the grace they have to the benefit and advan-
tage of others.
God hath given thee a large portion, that thou shouldst
be helpful to thy brethren. The stock of grace which he
hath offered thee, is not only that thou thyself shouldst
live well upon it, but it was intended for the relief and
comfort of the whole family.
Hath God endowed thee with a clear and distinct
knowledge of the mysteries of the Gospel? Know that this
lamp was lighted up in thee that thou shouldst give light
unto others, that thou shouldst diffuse and scatter abroad
its rays round about thee; to inform the ignorant, guide
the doubting, confirm the wavering, resolve the scrupu-
lous, reduce the erroneous and convince the malicious
opposers of the truth. This is not the minister's duty
only, though more eminently and especially his; but it
is the duty of every private christian whom God hath
blessed with a large measure of true knowledge more
than others, still keeping within due bounds and limits.
320 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Or, hath the Holy Spirit kindled in thy breast a flame
of Divine affection? And is it not to this end, that thou
shouldst breathe warmth into the languishing desires of
others, and by holy conference and spiritual discourse,
illustrating the beauty of holiness, the excellency of true
piety in itself and the rewards which it brings after it, ap-
ply thy heavenly fire unto their chill and freezing hearts
until thou hast enkindled them too and set them on a
flame, that so both together might burn with vigorous
love towards God and his Christ?
Or, hath ,God exercised thee with grievous trials and
violent temptations? Wherefore is it, but that thou
shouldst the better know how to succor those that are
tempted, and by thine own experiences counsel and
comfort those who are ready to sink under their load,
which not only the weight but the unusualness makes the
more intolerable? For the greatest accent and emphasis
that such do usually put upon their miseries is, that never
any before were so severely afflicted, never any before
were so violently assaulted. Let them know that no temp-
tation hath befallen them but what is common unto men,
and that thou thyself hast come triumphantly from under the
like. Expound to them the depths and methods of Satan,
unravel his wiles and subtleties, stretch out the entangled
folds of that old and crooked serpent; for therefore hath
God comforted you in all your tribulations, that you
might be able to comfort them who are troubled, with
the same comforts by which yourselves have been com-
forted of God; as the apostle speaks, 2 Cor. 1:4:
Or, if thou art not so fit either for instruction or coun-
sel, yet at least let thy graces be beneficial to others, by
a holy and exemplary conversation. If thy graces cannot
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 321
shine through thy gifts, yet at least let them shine through
thy life, that others seeing thy good works, may give
glory to thy heavenly Father. And therefore never com-
plain that thou canst not honor God in so noble a way as
others, that thou canst not speak nor plead for him as j
others do. If thou livest to him thou pleadest for him;
for certainly a holy life is a much better commendation
of holiness than all the elaborate encomiums of art and
rhetoric.--These are the duties of those that excel in
grace.
2. As for others whose graces are less, one duty of
theirs is,
Highly to love and esteem those whose graces are more
eminent and conspicuous. God is the comprehensive and
ultimate object of our love and veneration, and therefore
the nearer any creature approacheth to the similitude of
God, the more ought we to esteem and prize it. Now
God is not more strikingly represented in any thing than
in the holiness of his saints. This is the most perfect
portraiture and image of him who hath styled himself
"the holy One of Israel." They are begotten of God,
made partakers of the Divine nature, and conformed to
his image; therefore, as we would adore this glorious at-
tribute of God in its infinite original, so we ought to
esteem and venerate it in those happy souls to whom
God hath communicated some rays of it. "Every one
that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begot-
ten of him," saith the Apostle, 1 John, 5:1, because of
the likeness he bears to his heavenly Father; and the
more express this resemblance is, the more intense and
the more endearing should our affections be. We ought to
associate with them; to make them our bosom-friends,
322 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
our confidants, and our companions; our delight should
be in the saints, and in the excellent ones of the earth, as
David professeth his to have been, Psalm 16:3.
Another duty of the less eminent in grace towards
those who are the more eminent, is imitation of their holy
examples; following them wherein they follow the Lord
Christ.
If thou seest others far outstrip thee, mend thy pace,
endeavor to overtake them, tread in the same steps, and
do thy very utmost to keep even with them: envy not
their graces, but be sure to emulate them.
Indeed, some there aloe who, that they might not seem
to be behind the best, prove hinderances and pull-backs to
them, lest the forwardness: of their zeal and piety should
be a reproach to their own sloth: like truants at school,
who, lest their fellows should get too much before them,
do what they can to entice them from their books. But
this is a most wicked envy, and the root of it is pride and
laziness.
But a holy emulation never repines at hinders
the proficiency of others: it rather would by all means
promote it, but it will put us upon endeavors to be as for-
ward as any. It will not be a curb to them, but a spur
to us. And such an emulation as this every true chris-
tian should highly cherish. For the shame of being out-
stript is as great an incentive as any that can be given to
virtue. Christians are like a company of men running in
a race: every one should strive and strain every nerve
and sinew to be first at the goal--the first that should lay
hold on the prize and reward.
And here be sure you set your pattern right. Take
not the most noisy and airy christians, who glory in talk
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 323
and censures. Take not one who hath an affectation of
being religious after a new mode and fashion. Take
not one who seeks to raise a fame for piety only by de-
crying or condemning this or that form of profession, and
who, if there were no differences among us, would lose
very much of his reputation for sanctity; for these are
only torrents that run with a violent stream, but they are
shallow, and we know not how soon they may grow dry
and deceive the hopes of those who come to refresh
themselves at them. But propound those to yourselves
for examples who are of fixed principles and sober
practice; who are grave and solid; who, in all the duties
that belong to a christian conversation, labor to do them
substantially rather than ostentatiously; who live withir
God and themselves; who have deep thoughts and solid
expressions of duty; and whose actions are suitable and
correspondent to both. Such a one is the Christian in-
deed; and such, for some such there are, I recommend
to you for your imitation. And yet there is no man that
walks so uprightly but that sometimes he steps awry.
And therefore be not led by a blind and implicit adhe-
rence to any man, but continually eye the rule; and
wherein soever any forsake that, be they apostles, yea,
or if it were possible, even angels themselves, therein
forsake them.--Thus much for the mutual duties of su-
periors and inferiors in respect of grace.
II. Let us next consider them in respect to the gifts of
God's COMMON BOUNTY, which he promiscuously distri-
butes both to the good and to the bad. I shall but briefly
mention them.
God's gifts of providence may respect either our per-
324 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
sons or else our outward estate. Those which respect the
person, are either gifts of the mind or of the body.
(1.) Those who excel in gifts of the mind, in know-
ledge, and wisdom, and parts, a profound judgment, or a
winning elocution, ought to improve these to the good and
advantage of others: not as Ahithophel did his politic
counsel, or Tertullus his flattering oratory, to oppress
right and equity; but to guide and advise, for the benefit
of mankind and the glory of God.
For these gifts, though they are not sanctifying, yet may
be very serviceable to the church. Hiram, though a stran-
ger to the commonwealth of Israel, yet provided many ex-
cellent materials for the building of the temple. So God
doth many times embellish those who are strangers to
him with many admirable ornaments of understanding
and learning, and makes use of the materials, which they
have prepared and laid in, for the edification of his church.
And as Noah employed many to build his ark, who were
themselves overwhelmed in the deluge; so God many
times employs such as these to build his ark, the church,
who yet may at last be swept away with the deluge of his
wrath, and drowned in perdition.
These, though they should possess such gifts without
any sanctifying and saving grace, yet are very useful men,
and our duty is to esteem and reverence them, to love
their excellencies and to encourage their labors, to praise
God for them, and pray for an increase of their gifts.
How much more then, when their natural and acquired
endowments are conjoined with sanctifying grace, and the
love of the truth as much possesses their hearts as the
knowledge of it does their heads! It is a sordid baseness.
to detract from any man's worth or extenuate his abilities
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 325
by some slanderous buts and exceptions. This is the dis-
ingenuous practice of many, who think all that added to
their own praise which they thus nibble away from
another man's.
(2.) Another superiority which God grants some over
others, is that of old age, which is of itself reverend and
entitled to respect; and we ought to give that due re-
spect to it which both nature and the law of God requires:
"Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the
face of the old man, and fear thy God." Lev. 19:32.
God hath put a signal honor upon it by styling himself
the Ancient of days, Dan. 7:9; and he threatens it as a
great judgment upon a people, Isa. 3:5, that the children
shall behave themselves proudly against the ancients. We
read how severely a scorn cast upon an aged prophet was
revenged on those children which mocked his baldness. A
reverend awe before the aged is not only a point of man-
ners, but part of a moral and express duty; and therefore
it is said of Elihu, Job, 32:4, that he "waited till Job
had spoken, because they were elder than he;" and verse
6, he saith, "I am young, and ye aloe very old; where-
fore I was afraid, and durst not show you mine opinion."
And if such respect and reverence be due to them from
others, they ought chiefly to reverence themselves, and
by grave, and prudent, and holy actions, to put a crown
of glory on their own gray head. They ought not to be
vain and light in their converse, nor children of a hundred
years old, nor by the folly and wickedness of their lives
expose themselves to that contempt which will certainly
be cast on them where age is not accompanied with
gravity and prudence. And therefore we find, Prov.
16:31, "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be
326 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
found in the way of righteousness:" otherwise, instead of
being a glory, it is but a double shame and reproach.
(3.) There is another sort of the gifts of common pro-
vidence wherein some excel others, and that is riches and
honor. Those who are distinguished by these the Scrip-
ture calls fathers. Nabal, though he were a fool and a churl,
yet David in his message to him doth implicitly call him
father, 1 Sam. 25:8, "Give, I pray thee, whatsoever com-
eth to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David."
Their duty is to be humble towards their inferiors,
knowing that it is only external goods, and those the
least considerable of all the stores of God's blessings, that
make them to differ from others, and to communicate to
the relief of others' necessities, that they may be rich in
good works, and make themselves friends of the mammon
of unrighteousness, that when they fail they may be re-
ceived into everlasting habitations; for he that is rich only
in hoarding and keeping up his store, is no better to be
accounted of than the base earth which locks up more
treasures in its bowels than they can in their chests.
And the duty of their inferiors is to pay them all due
respect according to what God hath bestowed upon them;
if to acknowledge the riches of God in making them rich,
and to endeavor to promote, so far as in them lies, the
spiritual good of their souls, that they may not be rich
here and undone eternally. For a rich man may be more
universally instrumental either of good or evil than others
can, and therefore to win such a one to the faith, or to
preserve him stable in it, is a most charitable work, not
only to his soul in particular, but to the church of Christ,
the affairs of which may be much advanced by such a
man's wealth and interest.
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 327
Thus I have at last gone through the mutual duties of
many relations involved here in this fifth commandment;
some natural, some civil, some ecclesiastical, and some
economical: I know not with what acceptation or success.
Possibly some may think these things too mean and
trivial to be so long insisted on. But let me tell such, that
relative duties, as they are the most difficult of all to per-
form, so they are the best trials of true christianity and
the power of godliness. He that endeavors not to walk
closely with God in these, let his 'notions and profession
be never so lofty and sublime, it will be no uncharitable-
ness at all to judge that all his pomp is but a mere form
of godliness and a hypocritical ostentation.
Let me exhort you, therefore, in the fear of God, that
ye be much in pondering these things. There needs no
great labor to understand them, nor to find out mysteries
and concealed depths in them. It is true, they are plain,
but they are of daily use, and it is but reasonable that we
should not be long understanding what we are continual-
ly to practise.
Let me subjoin but one general rule and I have done.
It is this: in all these mutual duties it is no excuse for the
one party to fail of the most conscientious and careful per-
formance of what belongs to him because the other doth so.
For certainly another man's sin cannot excuse mine; and
God hath bound us in duty not only one to another, but
all of us to himself Therefore though others may break
their obligations and covenants with us, yet that doth not
take off our, obligation to them. Should the father be care-
less of and cruel to his child, yet this doth not at all ex-
empt the child from paying duty and obedience to his
father. Should a master be tyrannical over his servant
328 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
yet the servant's duty remains still stated and unaltered,
to reverence, fear and obey his master. Should a minister
be careless of the flock committed to his charge, yet his
people are still bound to give him respect and honor in
regard to his office. Should a magistrate tyrannize over
his subjects, yet still they are to own him and obey his
commands in all lawful things. For mal-administration
of any office or any authority by superiors cannot counte-
nance and excuse want of duty in inferiors. Still we are
as carefully to perform what God hath required as if our
superiors were the best parents or magistrates or masters
in the world; and if there be any wrong done, or defect
on their part, we must leave it to Him to reward our con-
scientious obedience, and to punish their wilful offences.
And so likewise it is incumbent on superiors to perform
their duties faithfully and conscientiously toward,their in-
feriors, be they never so perverse, ungrateful or rebellious,
for their faults cannot excuse our neglects.
Having spoken thus much of the precept in this large
and comprehensive command, Honor thy father and thy
mother, I come now to the PROMISE added as a motive
and encouragement to obedience, that thy days may be
long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. This
promise God's faithfulness stands engaged to fulfil to all
that are dutiful and obedient.
And here we may observe, that whereas the free and
genuine administration of the Gospel promises eternal life
and the joys and glories of heaven to believers, the old
law runs generally upon earthly and temporal blessings;
and among them insists frequently upon length of days
and a happy and prosperous life, as the chiefest blessing
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 329
and highest expectation of human nature; yet this must
not be understood as if the promises of the law were only
for these beggarly and earthy concerns, but because this
procedure was more suitab.1 to the whole system of that
early instruction wherein God thought fit to discipline
them by types, and to lead them to the sun by shadows.
Therefore, as he allayed his own spiritual worship with
the mixture of very many external rites and pompous ob-
servances, so he propounded to them likewise their eter-
nal rewards by temporal and earthly promises; and, by
both, attempered their religion to their state of infancy,
bringing it down, as much as possible, to the verdict of
sense; reserving the manly and heroic duties of believing
his word without a pawn to the more grown ages of the
church.
But however, though these promises made to the Jews
were thus typical, yet these figures were not altogether
so figurative as not to be properly understood and fulfilled.
Though heaven were typified by Canaan, yet God's vera-
city would have suffered if he had brought them to hea-
ven, the true land of promise, and not given them their
inheritance in the earthly Canaan. So likewise, that God
might be true to his promise, it is not enough that he re-
wards the obedient with eternal life; but his faithfulness
stands obliged to prolong their temporal life to such a du-
ration as may be fit at least to make a type of the ever-
lasting rest.
Neither doth the more spiritual dispensation of the Gos-
pel look upon this blessing of long life as a thing below
its cognizance, but propounds it as a promise of moment,
though it be now divested of its typical use and stands
for no more than itself signifies. And therefore we find
330 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
that the apostle puts a value upon this fifth commandment
on this very reason, that it is "the first with promise."
Eph. 6:2, 3. And St. Peter at large transcribes that pas-
sage of Psalm 34, "What man is he that desireth" to
live, "and loveth many days? Let him depart from evil,
and do good." And St. Paul tells us that "godliness is
profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that
now is, and of that which is to come." And what is there
that can concern this life more than life itself? God's
faithfulness is, therefore, obliged by promise to lengthen
out a holy and obedient life.
Nor will it be very hard to vindicate his faithfulness
in the performance of this promise. God does indeed suf-
fer many to grow old in their sins, whose youth began
their course of wickedness with rebellion against their pa-
rents, and who continue, to their decrepid days, their im-
pieties and rebellions against God; and early towardliness
and piety I know are often looked upon as mortal symp-
toms-God seems to shorten their days to whom he here
promiseth a long life-but since this present life is no-
thing else but a tendency and preparative to eternity,
neither it nor any thing in it can be called good but only
as it relates to our eternal state. And therefore all pro-
mises of earthly blessings must necessarily imply this con-
dition, that they shall be literally fulfilled to us if they
may promote our eternal happiness: otherwise they would
not be promises, but threatenings, and that which we ap-
prehend to be a blessing would indeed prove no other to'
us than a snare and curse. We may boldly challenge long
life when all the circumstances of it will tend to our ever-
lasting welfare. But God, who knows how frail and yield-
ing the best of us are, and in the series of his divine pro-
FIFTH COMMANDMENT. 331
vidence sees to what prevailing temptations we shall be
exposed, oftentimes in mercy abridges this promise, and
takes us from the world, lest I the world should take us
from him; and deals with us as princes deal with duellists,
they make them prisoners that they may preserve them:
so God, that he might preserve his people from their
great enemy, commits them to the safe custody of the
grave. And if this be to be unfaithful, certainly his faith.
fulness would be nothing else but an art to circumvent
and undo us, should he, only to keep that inviolate, per-
form those promises which would be to our hurt and detri-
ment. Nor, indeed, can any man, whom God hath blessed
with a right judgment and due esteem of things, be will-
ing to compound for the continuance of this present life
at the hazard or diminution of his future happiness.
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.
Thou shalt not kill.
The Commandments of the Second Table all immedi-
ately respect our duty to our fellow-men, whom we may
consider either as under some peculiar differences, or in
their common nature.
We have already spoken of the duties that belong to
them under the first acceptation, as they are differenced
into superiors and inferiors. There are other duties
which appertain universally to all, under what difference
soever they may be considered, whether they be supe-
riors or inferiors, or equals among themselves; and these
are contained in the five following precepts, all which
concern our neighbor either in his person or in his exte-
rior gifts of wealth or good name.
His person is to be considered either naturally or mys-
tically. Naturally, as he is this individual man; and so
the sixth commandment provides for his security, Thou
shalt not kill. Mystically, as he is in the state of mar-
riage, which of two makes up one mystical person; and
so care is taken for him in the seventh, Thou shalt not
commit adultery.
If we-consider him in his external gifts, his estate and
substance is safeguarded by the eighth commandment,
Thou shalt not steal. His reputation and good name by
the ninth, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbor.
And as a strong fence set about him, and also about the
SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 333
other laws, that neither of them be violated, God hath not
only prohibited the outward acts of gross and flagitious
crimes, but the inward lurking motions to evil in our
thoughts and affections; and this in the tenth command-
ment, Thou shalt not covet.
I shall begin with the first of these, which takes care
for the security and indemnity of our persons, THOU
SHALT NOT KILL.
I. This command forbids, first, that barbarous and in-
human sin of MURDER, that first-born of the devil, who was
a murderer from the beginning; the first branded crime
that we read of, wherein natural corruption contracted
by the fall vented its rancor and virulence; the sin of
Cain, that great instance of perdition, "who slew his
brother" Abel, "because his brother's works were Eigh-
teous and his own evil."
Neither doth this precept confine itself only to forbid
the actual sin of murder, but all degrees and all causes
of it; as hatred and rash anger, revenge, and slanders,
and false accusations, and whatsoever may prejudice the
safety of our neighbor, or tempt us to see him perish
when it is in our power to rescue and relieve him.
Some have extended the sense of this prohibition, Thou
shalt not kill, even to brute creatures, holding it unlawful
to slay any of them for the use and service of our life.
Possibly indeed unmercifulness even towards them, and
a cruel tormenting of them, not to satisfy our occasions
dnd necessities, but our unreasonable passions, may be re-
ducible as a sin against this commandment, for all acts of
cruelty are so; but simply to kill them for our necessity
cannot. God, the universal Lord both of them and us,
334 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
hath granted us this prerogative in our charter, to have
the power of life and death over them. "Every moving
thing that liveth shall be meat for you." Gen. 9:3. And
doubtless we may put them to any kind of death that the
necessity either of our food or physic will require. This
killing, therefore, forbidden in the text, refers only to men
like ourselves; and therefore it is very properly rendered
by others, Thou shalt do no murder.
2. Yet, neither is every killing of a man murder; for
there are several cases wherein although one kill another
yet he is no murderer; as,
(1.) In the execution of justice.
Magistrates and such as have lawful power and autho-
rity may and ought to put capital offenders to death; and
if they do not, God will charge it on them as their sin. It
is an ancient law upon record, Gen. 9:6, "Whoso
sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed;"
as if there were no other way for expiation, no other me-
thod to wash away the stain and guilt of blood, but only
by his who unjustly spilt it. And again, Deut. 19:21,
"Thine eye shall not pity, but life shall go for life." And
indeed if we rightly consider it, this is not to butcher up
mankind, but to preserve them. God hath commanded
magistrates to kill, that he might prevent murder; for our
nature is so extremely corrupt that there is no other ef-
fectual way to hinder us from killing but by enjoining the
magistrates to do it. And therefore as physicians, in cases
of violent and immoderate bleeding, do often open a vein
in another part of the body as the best method to stop it
by revulsion; so, when the body politic bleeds by private
rage and revenge gushing out into murders, the way to
stop this blood is to shed blood.
SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 335
Neither doth our Savior's command not to resist evil,
Mat. 5:39, gainsay this legal and punitive way of blood-
shedding. For those words do only forbid private re-
venge, not public. We must not be judges in our own
causes, nor, when we apprehend ourselves wronged, carve
out to ourselves what measures of revenge our wrath and
fury shall dictate. We, who have no authority nor com-
mission, ought not to take life for life, nor eye for eye,
nor tooth for tooth, much less life for an injurious word
or an idle quarrel. We must not repay with the least
revenge those who have done us the greatest wrongs,
in which sense we must not resist evil; but, if we have
many thing suffered wrong, we ought to ring all our
causes and complaints to the magistrate; for into his
hands hath God put the sword of justice. Rom. 13:4.
Revenge is so sacred a thing that none ought to inter-
meddle with it but those whom God hath appointed; for
he hath solemnly ascribed it to himself, Heb. 10:30,
"Vengeance belongeth unto me: I will recompense, saith
the Lord." And he hath constituted the magistrate as his
deputy in this work and office, and therefore he only
ought to revenge by punishment proportionable to the
nature of the crimes committed.
So that, to speak properly, it is only God, and not man,
that sheds the blood of wicked persons. The magistrate
receives his commission from God, and doth it as his mi-
nister and servant; yea, and in doing it, is so far from do-
ing a cruel and unjust act, an act that will either pollute
his hands or stain his conscience, that it makes him the
more holy and pure. And therefore when Moses called
the Levites to slay those idolaters that had worshipped
the golden calf, he speaks of it as a holy function:" Con-
336 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
secrate yourselves to-day to the Lord; even every man
upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow
upon you a blessing this day." Exod. 32:29.
(2.) There may be bloodshed in a just and lawful war,
without the charge or crime of murder. "
Indeed we are commanded to follow peace with all
men, and as much as lies in us, and if possible, to have
peace with all men. Rom. 12:18. But sometimes, through
the ambition and turbulent spirits of others, through their
politic designs of picking unjust quarre1s, it may be no i
longer possible to maintain peace; and in this case, where
we have right and equity on our side, it is lawful to wage
war. I speak not now of private differences between per-
son and person; but of public, between nation and na-
tion: in which case the supreme magistrate hath the power
of making war and proclaiming peace.
There are some who decry this assertion, and think it
contrary to the temper of a christian, who is a son of
peace, to be a man of war. I confess there is nothing that
can justify war against another nation, but either
Necessary defence against an unjust invasion. Or,
Recovery of what is unjustly taken away; as David pur-
sued the Amalekites, who had carried his wives away
captives. Or,
The punishing of some great injury and wrong; as
David likewise warred, against the Ammonites for the
contumelious usage of his ambassadors.
But, where the cause is just, the manner in which we
"prosecute it warrantable, the authority which engageth us
in it being rightly constituted over us, I see nothing but
that it is very fit when it is very necessary to take up
arms, and in a public war to right ourselves upon inju-
SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 337
rious enemies. For as there may be many wrongs done
by one party against another, who must be judged by the
law common to them both; so there may be many wrongs
done by one nation against another, which if they will
not consent to redress, there being no common magis-
trate nor common law over them both, (except the law
and right of nations, of which the more powerful usually
make little account,) in this case, certainly, the injured
may very justly have recourse to war; for, what law is to
persons of the same nation, that war is to persons of a
different nation.
We read that among those many penitents that came
to John the Baptist for instruction, when soldiers also
came he did not bid them lay down their arms or their
commission. He preached not to them, fight no more,
kill no man; but gave them directions how they should
demean themselves in their calling: which he would not
have done if he had thought their calling itself unlawful.
He bids them "Do no violence, accuse no man fa1sely,
but be content with your wages." Luke, 3:14.
Neither did our Savior when he so highly commended
the centurion for his faith, rebuke him for his profession,
but extolled him for taking the ground and argument of
his faith from his military calling, Luke, 7:8, "I am a
man under authority, having under me soldiers; and I
say unto one, go, and he goeth; and to another, come,
and he cometh; and to my servant, do this, and he doeth
it." This very calling of his he urgeth Christ with, and
makes it an argument to strengthen his faith, that cer-
tainly Christ was able to cure his sick servant, because
if he who was but a captain had such authority over his
soldiers as to command them to come and to go at his
Ten Com. 15
338 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
word, how much more absolute power had Jesus, as Lord
both of life and death, over all bodily diseases, to com.
mand them to come and go at his pleasure! This
I take to be the force and reason of his words, upon
which Christ gives him this large testimonial and enco-
mium, verse 9, "When Jesus heard these things, he mar-
velled at him, and turned him about and said unto the
people, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel"
But enough of this.
(3.) A man may shed blood in the necessary defence of
his person without being guilty of murder, when he is
suddenly assaulted by those who attempt to take away his
life and he hath no other means left him to secure it. In
this case, there being no possibility of having recourse to
a magistrate for protection, every man is a magistrate to
himself.
But here, because all cases of blood are tender, let me
caution you that it is not enough that the danger be im-
pending, but it must be instant and present; such wherein
a man's life is in all probability lost if he doth not stand
upon his defence. For in dangers that are only threat-
ened and approaching, we ought to trust Providence,
and to use our best diligence to work our escape from
them. But if the assault be sudden and no way of es.
cape visible, we may lawfully take away the life of him
who unjustly seeks to take ours; for this is not a design
to kill him, but to preserve ourselves.
Yea, we find, Exod. 22:2, that God allows the killing
of a thief, if he break into a man's house by night, but not
so if he attempt it by day. And possibly the reason of
this law might be because, when any cometh upon another
in the night, it might be presumed that he takes the ad-
SIXTH COMMANDMENT 339
vantage of the darkness not only to steal his goods but to
harm his person; and therefore God allows it as lawful
to kill such a one as a part of necessary defence: from
which I think we may safely conclude that it is lawful
also to kill those who attempt upon our goods, when we
have reason to fear they may likewise design upon our
persons.
(4.) There is yet one case more, and that is acciden-
tal bloodshedding, which is not chargeable with murder
when blood is shed without any intention or purpose of
doing it.
Such a case we find mentioned in Scripture, as when
in hewing of wood from a tree the axe should slip and
kill a man's neighbor. Deut. 19:5. And therefore for
such innocent manslayers God himself appointed cities
of refuge, that they might fly to them and be safe from the
avenger of blood.
But here we must look to it that we be employed
about lawful things; otherwise, if we be doing that which
is unjustifiable, which accidentally proves to be the death
of another, this cannot be excused from murder: and I
am sure God exacts the same punishment for it. There-
fore it is said, Exod. 21:22, that if men strive among
themselves and hurt a woman that she die, though it was
not intended by them, yet life shall go for life: because
their strife and contention between themselves is an un-
lawful action.
There ought also to be a due care taken to avoid any
mischief that may happen upon doing a lawful action, by
giving notice to those who come in the way of danger,
and forbearing to do it whilst they are there.
But in all cases where the death of another is intended
340 THE TEN COMMADMENTS.
let it be upon never so violent and sudden a passion,
although there were no prepensed and rancoring malice
borne towards him before, and howsoever our laws may be
too favorable to it and call it manslaughter, yet doubtless
it is in conscience and in the sight of God wilful murder.
For the manslayer, whom the Scripture mentions distinct
from the murderer, is only he who slays his neighbor ac-
cidentally; not designing nor intending him any harm.
This is the only manslaughter which our law is pleased
to call chance-medley; and whatsoever is not this is mur-
der, and ought as such to be punished.
2. Murder may be either of a man's self or of another.
Both of them are most black and heinous crimes.
(1.) As for self-murder, many of the ancient heathens
thought this the most heroic and gallant way of dying, and
would have recourse to it on very slight occasions, ac-
counting it a universal remedy that nature had put into
their hands to rid themselves of any trouble which they
were loth to bear.
Yet some even among the heathen have very sharply
as well as justly taxed this wicked custom, among whom
that saying of Aristotle in his Ethics is very considerable:
"For a man to die only that he may avoid poverty or
crosses, is not gallantry, but mere cowardice, and declares
that he wants courage to encounter them." In this par-
ticular this heathen had a better illumination than the
author of the book of Maccabees, who very unworthily
commends one Razis, a Jew, for choosing rather to destroy
himself than yield to his enemy--a passage in this book,
besides divers others, which evidently proves those books
not to belong to the canon of Scripture, but to deserve to
be called as they are, Apocryphal.
SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 341
And truly self-murder, next to the unpardonable sin
against the Holy Ghost, is, I think, the most dangerous
and most desperate that can be committed; and as it
leaves so little room for repentance, it leaves but very
little for hope and charity. Those wretched creatures
whom God hath so far abandoned as to permit them to
fall into this horrid crime, had they but the least care of
their eternal salvation, would certainly tremble when they
are offering violence to themselves, considering that they
must instantly appear before God, and lift up those hands
at his great tribunal which they but a minute before im-
brued in their own blood. It is a sin which, when the
devil tempts men to, he cannot make use of his most pre-
vailing wile and stratagem, for when he tempts to other
sins he still drills on the sinner with hopes of living to re-
pent and reform, and promises him mercy and forgive-
ness; but this of self-murder precludes all such hopes
and expectations, for they die in their sins, yea, their
death is their sin: and what a forlorn estate are they in
who resolve that their last act shall be a damnable sin!
These are self-murderers to purpose, and destroy not
only their bodies but their souls too.
Consider again that it is a sin committed against the
very standard and rule of our love to others; for God
hath commanded us to love others as ourselves, and there-
fore as we may not murder another, so much less may we
murder ourselves. And those who are hurried to this im-
pious act, as they do actually destroy themselves? so they
do virtually and interpretatively murder and destroy the
whole world; and are as guilty before God as if, toge-
ther with themselves, they had murdered their parents,
their children, their nearest relations, and all mankind be-
342 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
sides; and that, because they destroy that fundamenta1
law which should regulate their love to their neighbors,
and which is the stated rule according to which they
should endeavor after their welfare and preservation.
Therefore if ever the devil work upon thy melancholy
and discontented pride to tempt thee to this damnable and
almost unpardonable sin, be sure to collect all thy strength
unto thee, and with infinite abhorrence of it command
him to depart. Let not any shame, or poverty, or hor-
rors of conscience fasten this hellish temptation upon
thee, for know assuredly that if thou hearlienest unto
them and puttest them in execution, there is no probabi-
lity but that thou must pass from temporal sufferings to
eternal torments; which, be thy condition in this life
never so deplorable and wretched, thou hast no reason
to hasten, but wilt in hell think that they came too soon
upon thee.
2. The murdering of another is a most heinous and
black sin, a sin that God doth usually by some wonderful
method of his providence detect and bring to punishment;
and which dogs the consciences of those who are guilty
of it with horrid affrights and terrors, and hath some-
times extorted from them a confession of it when there
hath been no other proof nor evidence.
The two greatest; sinners that the Scripture hath set
the blackest brand upon were both murderers, Cain and
Judas: the one the murderer of his brother, the other
first of his Lord and Master, and then of himself.
And God so infinitely hates and detests murder, that
although the altar were a refuge for other offenders, yet
he would not have a murderer sheltered there, but he
was to be dragged from that inviolable sanctuary to ex-
SIXTH COMMAND MENT. 343
ecution, according to that law, Exod. 21:14, "If a man
come presumptuously upon his neighbor and slay him
with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he
may die. And accordingly we read, 1 Kings, 2:30, 31,
that when Joab had fled and taken hold on the horns of
the altar, so that the messengers who were sent to put
him to death durst not violate that holy place by shed-
ding his blood, Solomon gives command to have him slain
even there, as if the blood of a wilful murderer were a
very acceptable sacrifice offered up unto God.
And indeed, in the first prohibition of murder that we
have, God subjoins a very weighty reason why it should
be so odious to him, Gen. 9:6, "Whoso sheddeth man's
blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image
of God made he man." So that homicidium est Deicidium,
"to slaughter a man, it is to stab God in effigy;" for
though the image of God's holiness and purity be totally
defaced in us since the fall, yet still every man, even the
most wicked and impious that lives, bears some marks of
the image of God in his intellect, the freedom of his will,
and his dominion over the creatures; and God will have
every part of his image so revered by us; that he who as-
saults man is esteemed by him as one who attempts to
assassinate God himself.
Murder is a crying sin. Blood is loud and clamorous.
The first that ever was shed was heard as far as from
earth to heaven: "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth
unto me from the ground." Gen. 4:10. And God will
certainly hear its cry and avenge it.
(3.) But not only he whose hands are imbrued in the
blood of others, but those also who are accessory are guil-
ty of murder. As,
344 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Those who command or counsel it to be done. Thus David
became guilty of the murder of innocent Uriah; and God,
in drawing up his charge, accuseth him with it, 2 Sam.
12:9, "Thou hast slain him with the sword of the chil- .
dren of Ammon."
Again, those who consent to murder are guilty of it.
Thus Pilate, for yielding to the clamorous outcries of the
Jews, "Crucify him, crucify him," though he washed his
hands and disavowed the fact, yet was as much guilty as
those who nailed him to the cross.
He also who concealeth a murder is guilty of it. And
therefore we read, Deut. 21:6, 7, that in case a man
were found slain and the murderer unknown, the elders
of that city were to assemble and wash their hands and
protest that they had not shed this blood, neither had their
eyes seen it; intimating that if they had seen and con-
cealed it, they had thereby become guilty of the murder.
Those also who are in authority and do not punish a
murder when committed and known, are themselves guilty
of it. Thus when, by the wicked artifice of Jezebel, Na-
both was condemned to die, although Ahab knew nothing
of the contrivance till after the execution; yet, because he
did not vindicate that innocent blood when he came to the
knowledge of it, the prophet chargeth it upon him, 1 Kings,
21:19, "Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?"
The guilt lay upon him, and the punishment due to it
overtook him, although we do not read that he was any -
otherwise guilty of it than in not punishing those who had
committed it.
And those magistrates who, upon any pretext whatever,
suffer a murderer to escape unpunished, are said to pol-
lute the land with blood, Num. 35:31-33, "Ye shall
SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 345
take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer; but he
shall be surely put to death. So shall ye not pollute the
land wherein ye are; for blood it defileth the land: and
the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed
therein, but by the blood of him that shed it."
II. But in this commandment not, only the perpetration
of murder, and the actual embruing our hands in the
blood of our brother is prohibited; but likewise all CAUSES
and OCCASIONS leading to it. As,
First, Envy, which is the rust of a cankered soul, a
foul, meagre vice, that turns the happiness and welfare
of others into our misery and torment. Thus Cain first
enviously repined at the success and acceptance of his
brother's sacrifice, and this quickly prompted him to
murder.
Secondly. Unjust and immoderate anger, which, if it be
suffered to lie festering in the heart, will turn into the
venom of a perfect hatred. This is not only a cause but
a degree of murder, and as such it is accounted by our
Savior, who is the best expositor of-the law, Mat. 5:21,
22, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not kill--But I say unto you, That whosoever
is angry with his brother without a cause, is in danger of
the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother,
Raca, shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever
shall say, Thou Fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire."
Which passage I have already explained. But,
1. Anger is not, as envy, simply and in itself unlaw-
ful; for,
(1.) There may be a virtuous anger as well as vicious.
an anger that merits praise and commendation; and is so
15*
346 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
far from being a sin, that it is a noble and generous grace.
To be moved with indignation for the cause of God when
his glory is eclipsed, his name dishonored, his ordinances
profaned, his sanctuary polluted, his people vilified, this
is a holy anger, and may well lose the common and vulgar
appellation of anger, and pass under the name of zeal.
Such was our Savior's against those that defiled the temple,
when with a miraculous authority he whipped them out
and vindicated the house of God unto the worship of God,
from the usurpation of the god of this world, mammon.
And therefore we find that passage, Psalm 69:9, applied
to this action of Christ: "The zeal of thine house hath
eaten me up." So likewise when, by their hypocritical si-
lence, they seemed to discountenance and disallow the
curing of a man on the Sabbath day, it is said "He look-
ed round about upon them with anger, being grieved for
the hardness of their hearts." Mark, 3:5.
(2.) There is also an innocent and allowable anger,
when we have just provocation to it; for religion doth not
utterly root out and destroy the natural passions, but only
moderate and regulate them. We may be angry, but
we must not sin in our anger, Eph. 4:26, "Be angry,"
but "sin not." And,
(3.) There is a vicious and sinful anger, which is a rash
and foolish passion, a short phrenzy, that puts a man for
the present quite beside himself, and so agitates the spi-
rits that the blood boils about the heart and sends up
such sooty fumes as darken the understanding and de-
prive him of the use and benefit of his reason.
The two ingredients that make up anger are grief for
some injury conceived to be done unto us, and desire of
revenge, to discharge our gall and choler upon those that
SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 347
have wronged us, as if we gave ourselves ease by laying
a load upon others.
2. Two things especially make anger to be evil and sin-
ful. When it is without cause, and when it is without
bounds.
(1.) Causeless anger is a kind of murder, when men
will fret and rage, although there be no provocation at all
given them. Some men's gall overflows so much that
upon every trivial occasion, or perhaps when there is
none but only their own umbrage and suspicion, they fly
out into intemperate speeches and revengeful acts, and
are presently all in a flame and combustion when there is
nothing to irritate them ,but their own choleric fancies:
like clouds that break out in thunder and lightning when
all the fire and sulphur is bred only in their own bowels.
See this testy spirit in Jonah, who, though he were a
holy, yet it seems by his history he was a very passionate
man. First he is angry that God would spare Nineveh
after he had prophesied ruin and destruction to it: he
grows into a pet even with the mercy of God, as if he
circumvented him and designed to make him accounted
a false prophet: "It displeased Jonah exceedingly, and
he was very angry." chap. 4:1. Jonah is angry because
God is appeased: he thinks the Almighty too easy, and
can hardly forgive that mercy which so readily forgave
the Ninevites. And again, when God had caused a worm
to destroy the gourd which he had prepared to shade
this hot and angry head, Jonah falls into another fit of
hitter passion for the loss of so poor a thing as his gourd;
and when God meekly expostulates the cause with him,
"Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?" his pas-
sion so far transports him that he dares to return this mal-
348 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
apert answer even to the great God, Yea, "I do well to
be angry," to the very death. See here how his gull over-
flows and taints both his reason and his religion: he
hurls his fury about against God and men. And as he sits
in his booth, looking and praying daily that fire and brim-
stone might come down from heaven to consume that
great city, when he saw ,his expectation frustrated and
the date of his prophecy expired without the accomplish-
ment of it, he quarrels with God, storms against every
thing, is weary of his life, and it would seem could
almost have fired the city himself rather than it should
have escaped.
(2.) As causeless anger, so immoderate anger is a great
sin and a committing of murder in our hearts.
Anger may be immoderate either in degree or in con-
tinuance.
It is immoderate in degree, when it is vehement and
excessive, transporting us beyond our due bounds and
temper.
I know no law that forbids a christian to resent an in-
jury. Our Savior Christ himself, when he was buffeted
was sensible of and reproves that insolence, John, 18:
23, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but,
if well, why smitest thou me?" Christianity doth not
make men stocks, but keeps them from being furies; it
cloth not root up, but only prune our anger and cut off all
superfluities of naughtiness from it. It may, when just
cause is given, warm but not fire our Spirits; but when it
breaks forth into reviling speeches, or into revengeful
actions, be sure it hath catched fire then, and is enkindled
of hell.
And yet the just anger of superiors as magistrates, or
SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 349
masters, or parents, may lawfully break forth upon infe-
riors in inflicting due punishments. Nor will this fall
under the guilt of a sinful revenge, but a just reward,
whilst they are careful that the punishment exceed not the
fault and crime committed.
But for those who have no authority over others to
seek revenge upon them, either by railing or defaming
speeches, or by the paying injury for injury, is a trans-
gression of this commandment, the effect of immoderate
anger and a kind of murder in them.
Anger may also be immoderate in continuance. For
age will sour it into hatred, and turn what was wine into
vinegar. Therefore the apostle counsels us, "Be angry,
and sin not." But how may that be done? "Let not the
sun," saith he, "go down upon your wrath." Eph. 4:26.
And indeed he that goes to bed and sleeps with anger
boiling in his breast, will find the scum of malice upon it
the next morning.
This is a passion which, if it be long cherished, will drive
away the Spirit. For how canst thou think that the dove-
like Spirit of God will reside where the heart remains full
of gall; or that the celestial flame of divine love should
burn bright and clear where there are so many thick
fumes and vapors continually rising up to damp and choke
it? How darest thou betake thyself to rest without first
invoking the great God and locking up thyself by prayer
into his custody and safe tuition? And how darest thou
pray whilst wrath burns and rankles in thy breast? Canst
thou in faith pray for forgiveness, who dost not thyself
forgive? Our Savior hath expressly told us, that if we
"forgive not men their trespasses, neither will our Father
which is in heaven forgive us our trespasses;" and there-
350 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
fore as long as anger and desire of wreaking our revenge
upon those that have wronged us are entertained by us,
so long we invalidate our own prayers by not performing
that condition, without which God will never hear nor
accept them. And therefore be sure you be no longer
angry than you may lawfully abstain from prayer. For
we are commanded to "lift up holy hands without wrath."
1 Tim. 2:8. Certainly dissension and animosity with
men is no fit temper to prepare us to hold commu-
nion with God. And therefore though thy gift be ready
to be laid upon the altar, remember thyself, look inward
and see whether all be quiet and calm there, if there be
no grudge, no anger against thy brother. If thou findest
any, either go first and actually reconcile thyself unto him,
or if opportunity will not suffice for that, purge out the
leaven of wrath and malice, and reconcile thyself unto him
in thine own heart; for under the law no offering of the
Lord was to be mingled with leaven, and now under the
Gospel God will accept of no oblations that are offered up
unto him with the ferment of wrath and passion. Although
it may surprise us, yet let it not possess us. See what
the wise man counsels us, Eccles. 7:9, "Be not hasty in
thy spirit to be angry:" or if through haste and thought-
lessness it may seize upon you, yet let it not dwell there;
for he adds, "anger dwelleth in the bosom of fools." And
certainly the calm and peaceable Spirit of God will not
dwell in that house where there are perpetual tumults
and discords, and where our unruly passions make such
a noise and uproar that his secret whispers and sugges-
tions cannot be heard.
Thus you see what kind of anger is sinful--that which
is causeless, and that which is immoderate, either in de-
SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 351
gree or in duration. And likewise what anger is lawful--
that which is zealous for God's glory, and that which is
rightly tempered for our own and our neighbor's good.
3. Let us consider whence sinful and unwarrantable
anger usually proceeds. You shall find this bitter fruit to
have likewise its root of bitterness. The causes of it are
commonly these:
(1.) Pride, and an ovel-weening conceit of ourselves.
Pride is the fruitful mother of many vices; but it nurs-
eth none with more care and tenderness than this of an-
ger; and therefore the wise man tells us, Prov. 13:10,
that only from "pride cometh contention;" and indeed,
as the philosopher observes, anger usually ariseth from an
opinion that we are despised and contemned. Now the
proud man thinks every one contemns him that cloth not
value him as highly as he values himself-that is, beyond
all reason; and if he cannot meet with such fools, he
grows angry and discontented with all the world. Arist.
Rhet. 50, 2, c. 2. Pluto de Ira Cohib. cap. 12.
Proud flesh about a sore is always tender and cannot
bear the least touch; and so proud persons, if they be never
so little touched, presently grow enraged and think they,
have a great injury done them if others do not as much
admire and respect them as, they do themselves.
Whoever is much a self-lover cannot fail of frequent
occasions to make him angry. Now the proud man is the
greatest self-lover in the world; and the misery is that he
usually loves himself without a rival; and if all do not
yield to him, to say what he shall dictate, and to think
what he shall determine, and to do what he shall prescribe,
he takes it for a high affront; and as he hath given himself
an authority over others, he looks that they should submit
352 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
to it and acknowledge it. And others, perhaps having no
less pride, or possibly more reason, refusing to gratify his
vain and arrogant humor, quarrels and dissensions arise,
and endless jars and discords.
(2.) Another cause of this passion is the weakness and
feebleness of nature. And therefore it is truly observed by
Plutarch, that those who are of the most Infirm natures
and weakest constitutions are most harassed with it; as
children more than men; old age more than the staid
part of life; and sick persons more than those that are in
health. For anger is a great weakness" and therefore
lodgeth most in the weakest; ants and pismires, and such
little creatures, are most busy with their stings; whereas
strong and generous creatures must be much provoked
before they will be injurious.
There are many other causes of the violent stirring of
this exorbitant passion: as over-much love of vain trifles,
which if they come to any mischance, as usually they do,
we are apt to be disturbed at it; easiness to believe at the
first recommendation, and engaging our affections in
things before we have had trial and experience of them,
which afterwards proving quite contrary to our expecta-
tions, the disappointment will excite our choler, &c. But
I shall not insist on these.
III. Let us therefore proceed to lay down some RULES
FOR THE RESTRAINING AND MODERATING OF ANGER; and that in others and in ourselves.
1. In others. It is a hellish sport for us to irritate and
stir up anger in others, only for us to laugh at or to make
our advantage by it: scarce, a less sin than to make others
drunk that we may abuse them, for prevailing passion is
SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 353
for the time a kind of drunkenness, and both are a degree
of frenzy and madness. Thou oughtest not, therefore, un-
necessarily to exasperate thy brother, whom thou knowest
prone to this great weakness; otherwise be assured that
all his intemperate speeches and rash actions shall be im-
puted to thee, and are thy sins as well as his; and what-
ever revilings he dischargeth against thee shall at last also
be charged upon thee, and what a foolish thing it is for
thee to bear the sting of them here and the punishment of
them hereafter! The wise man hath told us, Prov. 14:9,
that they are "fools" who "make a mock at sin." And if
thou, for thy recreation, provokest any to an indecent and
unbecoming passion, know that such laughter is deadly to
thyself, and thou art like those poisoned persons who
laugh themselves to death.
To prevent and suppress anger in thyself, (for there it
doth most hurt, since another man's anger is none of my
guilt, if I have neither been faulty in stirring it up nor
too easy to catch the flame from him,) take these following
rules and directions.
(1.) Labor and pray for a meek and humble spirit.
Think lowly of thyself, and then certainly thou wilt not
be angry if others conspire with thee in thinking and
speaking of thee as thou dost of thyself. Most common-
ly anger, as I have said, proceeds from an opinion of being
despised: now do thou first of all despise thyself, and
then all reproaches and injuries will signify no more to
thee than that other men approve thy judgment, and that
certainly can be no cause of anger. Thou wilt not be
angry for want of a ceremony or demonstration of respect
which others impose or exact, nor wilt thou quarrel with
any for not relying on thy judgment or contradicting thy
354 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
sentiments, when thou shalt reflect upon thine own igno-
rance and frequent mistakes. They are the high hills
whose heads are wrapped about with clouds and tem-
pests, when the humble valleys are calm and serene;
so humble souls that lie low in their own esteem remain
undisturbed, when lofty persons are still molested with
the tempests of their own passions.
(2.) Consider how often thou givest God occasion to be
angry with thee, which if he should take, thou wert for
ever undone. He bears many affronts and indignities at
thy hands. And who art thou? a poor vile Worm. And
who is he? even the great Almighty God, the universal
King of heaven and earth, that he should put up with
such wrongs at thy hands" And shall God daily take in-
juries from such a wretched nothing as thou art, God who
is thy Lord and Master; and wilt not thou bear them pa-
tiently from thy fellow-servant, "who it may be is in every
respect equal to thee, but only inferior to thee in this,
that he provokes thee unjustly? Certainly, were we as
tender towards our brethren as we all desire God should
be towards us, could we forbear others as we ourselves
would be forborne, there would never be any quarrel
commenced, or if it were, it would be soon compound-
ed. What saith the Psalmist? "He will not always
chide; neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath
not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us ac-
cording to our iniquities." Psalm 103:10. Let this
great example be ours, not to be soon moved to anger,
and quickly to free ourselves from it. Indeed many there
arc that are slow to anger, and in that they imitate God;
but then they are tenacious and retentive of wrath, and
hardly placable again: their anger is like an impression
SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 355
upon some hard metal, very difficultly made, and as difficult
to be effaced. Let such consider what would become of
them if God should be as slow to be reconciled to them
I as they are to their brethren. Nay, he is infinitely more
wronged by you than you can be by them; and yet he so
far condescends as first to seek reconciliation. And,
although he be infinitely able by the least expression of
his wrath and power for ever to destroy you; yet "here-
in God commendeth his love unto you, that when ye were
enemies, ye were reconciled unto him by the death of his
Son." Certainly whoever doth but seriously reflect upon
the infinite patience and forbearance of God, if he hath
any sweetness diffused into his soul by that consideration,
if he hath any conscience of imitating his heavenly Father
in that which is his most adorable attribute, if he hath any
care to ascertain unto himself the pardon and remission
of his own offences, he will therein find a powerful influ-
ence to sway him to the like acts of mercy and forgiveness.
(3.) Beware of prejudice against thy brother. For pre-
judice is a very ill interpreter of actions, and will be sure
to expound them in the worst sense. Be not easy to be-
lieve that those who offend thee do it with design, or that
they despise and undervalue thee. Rather think it any
thing else than contempt of thee. Believe that his offen-
ces proceed rather from his folly and indiscretion, or that
he is forced and necessitated to do it, that others have put
him upon it. If they be thy friends that wrong thee, sup-
pose it to be only a fault of their too great familiarity and
misgoverned intimacy. If they be such as are subject
to thee, believe that since they know thou hast power to
chastise them, they would not do it purposely to provoke
thee. If they be vile and sordid persons, trouble not thy-
356 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
self with their affronts, for thy reputation is above them
Thus, I say, incline to believe it any thing rather than a
designed abuse. For though a strict jealousy over our
reputation and aptness to think ourselves wronged seem
to proceed from generousness and a sense of honor, yet
indeed they proceed only from baseness and weakness of
mind. Whoever accounts himself despised by another, is
in a sense less than he, and confesseth himself his inferior.
He is the noble and heroic-spirited person who is un-
shaken with the petty affronts and injuries of others, and
hath so much stable confidence in the integrity of his
actions that he cannot believe any can traduce him or
them: whereas to be angry at them doth but in a sort
justify slanders, and will beget a belief that that is not
altogether groundless whereat he shows himself so much
concerned. It is an old maxim of prudence, "If you be
angry at railings, you seem to acknowledge them; if you
contemn them, they vanish."
(4.) Be not familiar with any angry person. For as one
fire will kindle another, so it is likely that his choler will kin-
dle thine, till both flame into an inordinate and extrava-
gant passion. See the direction expressly given us, Prov.
22:24, 25, "Make no friendship until an angry man;
and with a furious man thou shalt not go, lest thou learn
his ways, and get a snare to thy soul." Indeed there is
no such fuel to wrath as "wrath, and it is a very hard mat-
ter to refrain from being angry with him who will cause-
lessly be angry with us. And as thou must shun the com-
pany and acquaintance of choleric persons, so 1ikewise of
scoffers; for a scoff and a jeer is many times more pro-
voking than a blow, and nothing will sooner kindle, the
coals of contention than a biting taunt: therefore Solo-
SIXTH COMMANDMENT. 357
mon adviseth us, Prov. 22:10; "Cast out the scorner,
and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall
cease."
(5.) It is very good counsel, if thou feelest any motions
of this unruly passion begin to stir in thy heart, that thou
arrest it for some time before thou either speak or act. Let
this mud have some time to settle again, that reason may
in the meanwhile recover her throne and direct thee how
to govern thyself like a wise man and a christian. Speak
not whilst thou art in the impetuous hurries of thy pas-
sion; for it ,vas well said by Plutarch, that "it is good
in a fever, but much better in anger, to have a tongue kept
clean and smooth." Pluto de Ira Cohib. Put an interval
of time between thy anger and thy action; for those who
"act in the violence and paroxysms of their anger, do either
they know not what, or else what they may have reason to
repent of; and therefore Solomon tells us that "the dis-
cretion of a man deferreth his anger," Prov. 19:11; and
"the beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water."
Prov. 17:14. At first when a man cutteth the bank of a
river, the passage is but little and the stream may be easily
stopped, but by continual running it will wear away the
earth and widen the gap, and whole floods and currents
will pour out where but some few drops were intended.
(6.) Contemplate the ugliness and deformity of this sin
in others; how it makes men brutish in their souls and
deformed likewise in their countenances. It inflames the
face, fires the eyes, and makes a man look like a fury,
deafens the ears, froths the mouth, makes the heart beat
and pant, the tongue stammer, the voice harsh and rough,
the speech precipitate and oftentimes ridiculous: briefly, it
puts the whole man into a preternatural fever, and trans-
358 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
forms the body into a monster and, the man into a devil.
And what! shall I give way to passion, so uncomely a
passion that will make me scorned when I would seem
most terrible? Certainly, were there no other thing
whereof to accuse this immoderate anger, it were enough
to render it odious; but when it not only destroys what I
was, but seeks the ruin and destruction of others, it con-
cerns me to stop it in its first rise and ebullitions, lest the
boilings of my blood proceed so far as to attempt the
shedding of the blood of others.
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.
Thou shalt not commit Adultery.
In considering the former commandment we have seen
what care God takes for the security and indemnity of
every man's person. This command extendeth farther, and
provideth for his security as he is considered mystically
in marriage-union, which of twain maketh one flesh. The
one defends him from the violence of bloody rage and
revenge, the other from the violations of impure lusts.
I judge it not convenient to be too circumstantia1 in
showing you what is prohibited under this precept. I
know that some, especially the popish casuists in their
treatises of moral divinity, such as Sanches, Diana, &c.
have spoken of these things so minutely, and with such a
filthy accurateness, that they violate the very eyes and
fancies of their readers; rather teach vice than condemn
it; and instruct the ignorant to sin skilfully rather than
convince the guilty to bring them to repentance. Some
wickednesses there are which it is far better not to re-
prove than to name; it is more expedient to leave those
who are guilty of them to be lashed by their natural light
and conscience, than, by agitating such crimes, teach others
not so much to abhor as to practise them. And let this be
my apology if I pass over this subject with more than my
accustomed brevity.
1. I shall speak of the sin which is here
expressly forbidden, and this is.
360 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
1. The detestable and loathsome sin of adultery. This
sin, properly taken, is a sin committed between two per-
sons, the one or both of them married to another. In any
view it is a most heinous sin, but on the married person's
side most inexcusable and intolerable. In Gen. 39:9, it is
called a "great wickedness against God," even on the un-
married man's part. And in Lev. 20:10, and Deut. 22:22,
the temporal punishment assigned to it is no less than
death, the same punishment that belonged to murder.
And if human laws were as severe in the punishment
of the sin as divine, the fear of it might possibly be of
greater influence to deter men from such filthiness than
either shame or the denunciation of eternal punishment.
Yea, we read in history, Speed's Chron. p. 289, that our
progenitors, the English Saxons, even while they remain-
ed pagans and idolaters, so hated this sin; that they made 1.
it, yea, and simple fornication also, punishable with death,
which they severely inflicted on those that were found
guilty; and this custom continued among them after they
were converted to Christianity, until the year of Christ
750, when the antichristian see of Rome, the mother of
whoredoms, abrogated this law as too rigorous for chris-
tians. Job calleth it "a heinous crime; yea, an iniquity
to be punished by the judges; a fire that consumeth to
destruction." Job, 31:11, 12.
But though they who are guilty of this sin may escape
the judgment of men, either through the secrecy of their
wickedness or the too gentle censures of the law, yet
they shall not escape the righteous judgment of God, nor
those everlasting punishments that he hath prepared for
them in hell, Heb. 13:4, "Whoremongers and adulter-
ers God will judge."
SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 361
Two things in this sin of adultery make it so exceed-
ing heinous, namely, the licentiousness and incontinency of
it, in letting loose the reins to a brutish concupiscence,
and in yielding up the body to pollution and the soul to
damnation; and the injustice of it, it being a deceit of
the highest and most injurious nature that can be.
Consider,
(1.) It is the violation of a most solemn vow and
covenant; and so adds perjury to unfaithfulness; alien-
ating that person to another, who, by the most sacred
and the strictest obligations, is bound only to that
partner and yoke-fellow to whom God and their own
consent, and the legal rights of the church and state
have addicted them.
(2.) It is also the source and cause of a spurious and sup-
posititious birth; bringing in a strange blood into the inhe-
ritance of lawful children, whereby this unfaithfulness be-
comes theft as well as perjury.
But though this sin of adultery be alone mentioned in
the command, yet, according to the rules laid down in the
beginning of this work, all other kinds of uncleanness are
also forbidden under the name of this one gross crime.
For the law of God is perfect; and as all manner OT
chastity, both in our thoughts, speeches and actions, is
there enjoined us, so likewise whatever is in the least
contrary and prejudicial to a spotless chastity and an in-
violate modesty, is hereby forbidden and therefore,
2. This commandment forbids the uncleanness of for-
nication, a sin which properly is the sin committed be-
wixt two single persons, and which, though it hath not
some aggravations that belong to the other, yet is an
abominable sin in the sight of God.
362 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
I know how it is extenuated by the impure Romanists,*
as a small stain that may easily be washed off by the
sprinkling of a little holy water. But it is no wonder if
they who have drank deep of the cup of fornications of
the great whore, and are guilty of spiritual fornication,
build speak lightly of corporal fornication also.
But let us hear how God, who is infinite purity, hath
sentenced this sin, when he threatens that he himself will
judge whoremongers; and tells us, 1 Cor. 6:9, 10, that
"neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, shall
inherit the kingdom of God." No, the New Jerusalem
which is above, is a holy city, and no unclean thing shall
ever enter into it. "Without are dogs, and sorcerers,
and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters." Rev.
22:15. And it were well with them if all their punish-
ment were only to be left without; but there is a lake of
fire prepared for them, into which they shall be cast and
plunged-the fire of hell, to punish the flames of lust. Rev.
21:8, "The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abomina-
ble, and murderers, and whoremongers (you see how, in
both places, they are joined with the vilest and most
infamous sinners,)--shall have their portion in the lake
which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the se-
cond death." The apostle reckons this as one of the works
of the flesh, Gal. 5:19, "The works of the flesh are ma-
nifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness," &c. and he exhorts us to a careful mor-
tification of it, Col. 3:5, "Mortify, therefore, your mem-
bers, which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection," &c.
*Mazarin, in Psal. li. Durand, Sent. 1. iv. dist. 33. 92. Emman-
Sa. Art. 20. Tit. Episcopus.
SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 363
3. Here likewise are forbidden all incestuous mixtures,
or uncleanness between those who are related to each
other within the degrees of kindred specified, Lev. 18,
from the 6th to the 18th verse; whether the kindred be
by affinity or consanguinity, that is, whether by former
marriage or by blood and descent. And the nearer any
persons are so related to us the greater is the abomination
if we approach unto them, whether it be with pretence of
marriage, which in this case is null and void, or without
any such pretence.
4. Here is likewise forbidden polygamy, or a taking a
wife to her sister i that is, to another. Lev. 18:18. God
indeed seemed to connive at this in the holy men of old,
yet it never was otherwise than a sin from the foundation
of the world. And therefore the prophet Malachi refers
us to the Primitive institution of marriage, to show the
obliquity of this practice, Mal. 2:15, "Did not he make
one?" that is, Did not he create one woman for one man?
"Yet had he the residue of the Spirit," that is, the same Spi-
rit and power, whereby he created all things in the world,
resided still in God, and therefore he could easily have
formed more women as well as one had he not purposed
to oblige them one to the other solely, and to teach them,
by their being paired at first, not to seek a multiplication
of wives afterwards. Therefore polygamy was unlawful
in the beginning, even then when the necessity of in-
creasing the world might seem to plead for it; and how
much more unlawful now when that necessity is ceased!
Besides this, the apostle hath commanded, 1 Cor. 7:2,
"Let every man have his own wife, and every woman
her own husband."
5. Moreover, here are forbidden all those monsters of
364 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
unnatural lust, and those prodigies of villany and filthi-
ness which are not fit to be named among men, but are
punished upon beasts themselves, as you may read, Lev.
20:15, 16, and Lev. 18:22, 23.
6. All those things that may be incentives to lust, and
which add fuel to this fire, are likewise forbidden in this
command; as all impurities of the eyes, of contact, of lewd
and obscene speech; all immodest spectacles, wanton ac-
tions, uncivil and garish attire; or whatever else may kin-
dle, either in ourselves or others, any unchaste affections;
for all these things do but lay in provision for the flesh,
to fulfil it in the lusts thereof.
7. Because this law is spiritual, therefore it not only
forbids the gross outward acts of filthiness, but the inward i
uncleanness of the heart; all lustful contemplations and ,
ideas, and evil concupiscences.
For it is not enough to refrain unchaste desires from
breaking forth into act, but we must also refrain our
hearts from entertaining any such desires. These flames
pent up in the heart will soot and consume it; and though
its ruin be more invisible, yet it will be sad and fatal. As
there is a heart-murder, so there is a heart-adultery; and
he that commits speculative unclean1less and prostitutes
his thoughts and imaginations to the impure embraces
of filthy lust, is, according to our Savior's interpretation,
guilty of the transgression of this command; so, Mat. 5:
27, 28, "Ye have heard that it was said to them of old
time, thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto
you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after
her, hath committed adultery with her already in his
heart." Thus you see what is prohibited.
SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 365
II. I shall next speak of the exceeding HEINOUSNESS
of this sin, and why it is so justly odious to God, and
ought to be to us.
1. It is a sin which murders two souls at once, and there-
fore the most uncharitable sin in the world.
Other sinners can perish singly. The swearer damns
none by his oaths but himself, and although he curse
others to the pit of hell, yet he shall descend thither alone
The drunkard with his intemperance drowns but his own
soul in perdition. The bloody murderer may say with
Lamech, Gen. 4:23, "I have slain a man to my wound-
ling, and a young man to my own hurt." And indeed all
other sinners, though their wickedness prompt them to
draw in associates and partakers with them, yet the na-
ture of their sin doth not require a partnership in their
gui1t, but they may be solitarily wicked and perish alone:
only this sin of adultery necessarily requires partnership,
and involves another in the same condemnation. And is
it nothing to thee that another's damnation shall be set
upon thy score, and the blood of their souls charged upon
thine for ever? Think with yourselves what horrid greet-
ings these unclean wretches will give each other in hell,
when they who have here wallowed together in beastly
sensuality shall there wallow together in unquenchable
flames, and with ineffable anguish exclaim against and
curse both themselves and one another--the one for
enticing, the other for consenting, and both for fulfilling
their impure desires.
Or, suppose that God should vouchsafe thee repent-
ance unto life; yet, art thou sure that his justice and
severity will not harden the other in this sin to which
thou hast been the author and persuader? How know
366 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
est thou but they may persist, and perish in their wick-
edness? Divine vengeance may snatch them away with-
out affording them space or grace to repent. And is it
nothing to thee that thou hast damned a soul as well as
defiled a body, and, for the satisfying of thy brutish
lust, hast brought upon them everlasting woes and tor-
ments? If God hath granted thee mercy, how anxiously
solicitous oughtest thou to be to deliver those out of the
snares of the devil whom thou hast entangled therein,
and by all holy counsels and remonstrances recover them
to God by repentance! Or, if a speedy execution of
Divine justice should cut them off before, what a sad
consideration will it be to thee that thou hast eternally
ruined a poor soul! This, if thou hast any sense of sin,
or of the wrath of the great God due unto it, will make
thee go mourning all thy days, and bring down thy gray
hairs with sorrow to the grave.
2. It is the most degrading of all sins.
It debaseth a man from the excellency of his nature,
and resembles him to the condition of brute beasts. The
perfection of a man is, to govern himself according to
law and reason; to bound and circumscribe his actions
by the rules of what is fit and honest: whereas beasts
show the inferiority of their natures by the scope and
range of their unguided appetites. Hence the prophet
compares adulterers to "fed horses-every one neighing
after his neighbor's wife." Jer. 5:8. And God joins
such impure persons with the vilest and most detestable
of brute beasts, Deut. 23:18, "Thou shalt not bring
the hire of a whore, nor the price of a dog into the
house of the Lord thy God for any vow; for even both
these are an abomination to the Lord thy God."
SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 367
3. It is a sin which most of all obscures and extin-
guishes the light of a man's natural reason and under.
standing.
Nothing so much darkens the understanding as the
fumes of lust, Hos. 4:11, "Whoredom, and wine, and
new wine take away the heart." And to this the apos-
tle gives testimony, Eph. 4:18, 19, "Having the un-
derstanding darkened, being alienated from the life of
God through the ignorance that is in them because of the
blindness of their heart; who being past feeling, have
given themselves over to work all uncleanness with
greediness." So far doth this beastly sin besot the
mind and befool men, that, according to the chaste and
modest phrase of Scripture language, it is frequently
called committing of folly; as if there were no folly like
to this, and it alone deserved to carry away the name and
title from all other sins: and indeed it is a most notori-
ous and egregious folly, for a short pang and epilepsy of
sensual delight to betray the soul to a gloomy dulness,
bitter remembrance, guilt, and eternal shame and death.
4. It is a sin justly the most infamous and scandalous
amongst men.
A sin that brands them With the greatest shame and
reproach, a reproach that can never be wiped away.
And certainly if such a one cloth ever seriously con-
sider his own sin, he cannot but be ashamed of himself;
for although there be a shame consequent upon the act
of every sin, yet the credit and reputation of a man
is never so deeply blemished nor so foully stained by
any sin as that of adultery, Prov. 6:32, 33, "Whoso
committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understand-
ing: he that doeth it, destroyeth his own soul. A
368 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
wound and dishonor shall he. get and his reproach shall
not be wiped away. Yea, the dishonor of adulterous
parents is so foul, that, like a black blot, it diffuseth and
spreadeth itself even upon their children. Deut. 23:2.
A bastard was not to enter into the congregation of the
Lord unto the tenth generation.
5. Consider that this sin of uncleanness is a kind of
sacrilege, a converting of that which is sacred and dedi-
cated, unto a profane use.
What saith the apostle, 1 Cor. 6:19? "Know ye
not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?"
And if it were a sacrilegious impiety to turn the temple
of God, which consisted only of vile materials, wood and
stone, to vile and inferior uses; if our Savior's zeal
burned within him when he saw the sanctuary turned
into a market, and the house of God made a den of
thieves; how much more heinous wickedness is it to
convert the living temples of the ever-living God, even
our bodies, which were redeemed and consecrated to
God by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, unto impure
and unclean uses, and to turn his sanctuary into a
stew! "The body is not for fornication; but for the
Lord. And your bodies are the members of Christ."
Will ye "then take the members of Christ and make
them the members of a harlot? God forbid." And the
apostle thinks this sacrilegiousness of uncleanness so
high an aggravation of the sinfulness of it, that he insists
on it again, 1 Cor. 3:16, 17, "Know ye not that ye
are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwell-
eth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, which
temple are ye."
SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 369
6. Consider if all these things will not prevail, the
dreadful punishment that God threatens to inflict upon
all who are guilty of this sin.
Yea, he speaks of it as a sin that he can hardly be
persuaded to pardon; a sin that puzzles infinite mercy
to forgive, Jer. 5:7-9, "How shall I pardon thee
for this? When I had filled thy children to the fun,
they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves
by troops in the harlots' houses. They were as fed
horses in the morning: everyone neighing after his
neighbor's wife. Shall I not visit for these things? saith
the Lord, and shall not my soul be avenged on such a
nation as this?" And, indeed, God doth often in this
life visit this sin: sometimes by filling their loins with
strange and loathsome diseases, Prov. 6:26; some-
times by reducing them to extreme beggary; for this
sin, as Job speaks, is "a fire that consumeth to de-
struction, and would root out all his increase." Yea,
this very sin is so great a punishment for itself, that the
Wise man tells us, Prov. 22:14, that those whom God
hates shall fall into it. Yea, and to express the exceed-
ing sinfulness of this sin of uncleanness, the apostle
tells us that God made it the punishment of several
other sins as black and horrid as can be well conceived.
When he had spoken, Rom. 1:23, of the gross idolatry
of the heathen in worshipping images and falling down
before stocks and stones, he subjoins, verse 24, that for
this cause "God also gave them up to uncleanness:" as
if uncleanness were bad enough to punish idolatry, and
those were sufficiently plagued for their spiritual un-
cleanness who were abandoned over unto corporal pol-
lutions. But, though this sin may sometimes escape
370 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
infamy through concealment, and other temporal judg-
ments of God through his patience and forbearance, yet it
will certainly find them out at the last; and then those
who have burned together in lust, shall burn together in
unquenchable flames. "They shall have their portion in
the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone."--These
are the demonstrations of the heinousness of this sin.
III. Let me now give you some CAUTIONARY RULES
AND DIRECTIONS, by observing which you may be pre-
served from the commission of this sin. And,
1. Be sure that you keep a narrow watch over your
senses. For these are the sluices which, instead of letting
in pleasant streams to refresh, do commonly let in nothing
but mud to pollute the soul. There is no actual filthi-
ness in the heart of any but came in by these inlets.
Through these the devil casts in abundance of filth--he
stirs up indwelling lust, and by the sinful objects which
the senses convey to the soul, he dungs that ground which
of itself was too fruitful before. Thus the devil makes
use of an adulterous eye to range abroad and fetch in
provision for uncleanness, and by it, as by a burning-glass,
he sets the heart on fire, and then blows up the flames
through the ears by hearing lascivious discourses. There-
fore make a covenant with thine eyes, and carefully divert
them from all loose glances and all alluring and enticing
objects; stop thine ears against all filthy communication;
and if any begin such obscene talk as is the common
raillery of our days and almost of every company, blush
not thou to reprove them, but by thy reproofs make them
blush at their own shame and wickedness.
2. Addict thyself to sobriety and temperance, and by
SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 371
these beat down thy body and keep it in subiection to
thy reason and religion. Certainly the excesses of those
who indulge themselves in gluttony or drunkenness will
froth and foam over into lust. And therefore it is said
Jer. 5:7, that when the Israelites were "fed to the full,
they then committed adultery."
3. Continually exercise thyself in some honest and law.
ful employment. Lust grows active when we grow idle.
Therefore as fulness of bread, so likewise idleness is reck
oned as one of the sins of impure Sodom Ezek. 16:49.
David, when he walks idly upon the roof of his house,
lies open to the snares and is inveigled by the beauty of
Bathsheba: had he then been at his harp and his psalms,
he might have driven the evil spirit from himself, as for-
merly he did from his master Saul. Running streams
preserve themselves clear and pure, whereas standing
pools soon corrupt and breed noisome and venomous
creatures. While our mind is employed there will be no
time left for lust to dally with our fancy nor to dandle an
unclean affection in our thoughts, and therefore it 'may be
remarked as a considerable circumstance in Joseph's re-
jecting the enticements of his lewd mistress that the text
saith, "He went into the house to dispatch his business,"
Gen. 39:11, noting to us that the honest care of our
affairs is an excellent preservative to keep us from this
sin of wantonness and uncleanness.
4. But, above all, be earnest and frequent in prayer,
and if thou sometimes joinest fasting with thy prayers,
they will be shot up to heaven with a fuller strength.
For this sin of uncleanness is one of those devils that
"goes not out but by fasting and prayer." God is a God
of purity. Instantly beg of him, that he would send
372 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
down his pure and chaste Spirit into thy heart to cleanse
thy thoughts and thy affections from all unclean desires.
Beg that the Holy Ghost would but once touch thy heart
with the dear sense of his eternal love, that he would dif-
fuse such a celestial flame through thy soul as may ravish it
with a heavenly zeal and ardor, and make it scorn to stoop
to the ignoble love of poor inferior objects. Represent to
him that thy body is his temple, and thy heart his altar in
it, and desire of him that no strange unhallowed fire may
flame on his altar.
Whilst thou diligently arid conscientiously makest use
of these means, thou mayest comfortably expect to be,
kept pure and immaculate--innocent in thy soul and clean
in thy body; and as thou hast kept thyself undefiled here,
so hereafter to be found worthy to walk with the Lamb
in white.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.
Thou shalt not Steal.
The foregoing commandment, as you have seen, re-
quires chastity in our persons. This requires honesty and
uprightness in our dealings; a virtue immediately found-
ed upon that first practical principle of all human con-
verse, which our Savior lays down, Mat. 7:12, "What-
soever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even
so to them;" and which he recommends to us as the brief
sum and epitome of all the Scriptures; "for this is the
law and the prophets."
The principle of this command carries such innate
light and clear evidence in itself, that the very heathens
do frequently inculcate it in their writings as the primary
dictate of that morality which they taught. It is a maxim
which we all assent to, not by any elaborate instructions,
or dint of arguments, or any long train of consequences;
but because it strongly masters our understandings by its
native evidence, and springs up in us an unpremeditated
resolve of reason. Both God and nature have set it up as
a standard in our consciences; and usually there needs
no other judge of our actions towards others, than our own
conscience comparing them with what, in the like cases,
we would think just and fit to be done towards ourselves.
It may be we are all partial to ourselves in our present
concerns; and whilst we look only that way, we may
374 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
possibly seek all advantages to promote them, though to
another's detriment; but both reason and religion teach
us to put ourselves in their stead, and then to manage
all our transactions with them as we ourselves would
judge just and reasonable, were their condition ours.
Therefore when thou dealest with another thou shouldst
first be both parties to thyself. As for instance, a servant
should sit down and consider with himself what respect
he would require were he in the same circumstances with
his master, and had servants under him. Children should
consider what duty and obedience they would expect
were they parents of children; subjects, what honor and
submission they might reasonably demand were they ma-
gistrates; and so in any other relation. And when they
have thus seriously pondered it in their own thoughts, let
them then perform the same duties to others in their real
condition which they judged to belong to them in their per-
sonated condition; for it is a never-failing rule for the direc-
tion of our practice, that what thou judgest due to thyself;
wert thou in another man's condition, is certainly as due to
him in his own, and if thou actest not accordingly, thou
betrayest a great deal of selfishness and sinful partiality.
This is a rule applicable to all affairs; and there is
scarce anyone occurrence of a man's life but he may re-
gulate himself in it according to this direction. And in-
deed there is scarce need of any other. Whatsoever thou
hast to transact with thy brother, though perhaps thou
mayest spy advantages upon him, and such as, if thou
shouldst take, possibly he might never know or never be
able to redress; yet then take thy conscience aside and
seriously ask whether thou- couldst be content and think
it honest and just to be so dealt with thyself; if not,
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 375
whatsoever the temptation be, or how much soever thou
mightest gain by hearkening unto it, reject it with scorn,
as that which would induce thee to violate the first prin-
ciple of common honesty among men, and contradicts all
the laws both of nature and Scripture.
Were this rule but more generally observed among
men the world would not have such cause to cry out of
rapine, extortion, oppression, fraud and injustice, as now
it hath. The rich would not grind the faces of the poor,
nor the poor causelessly clamor against the rich; supe-
riors would not tyrannize over inferiors, nor inferiors
murmur or rebel against superiors; but an equal peace
and uniform justice would overspread the face of the
whole earth, and righteousness would "run down our
streets as a mighty stream."
Let me therefore once again recommend it to you (for
indeed I cannot press it too often) that you would fre-
quently set this golden rule before your eyes, to do no-
thing to any other person, which, were you in his capa-
city, you would think unjust to be done unto yourselves;
and whatsoever you would expect from others as your
due were you in their place and they in yours, to perform
the very same to them; for otherwise you cannot but con-
demn yourselves in your actions whilst you do that which
upon this supposition you cannot but be convinced is un-
just, and withhold that which you know to be due, and
which yourselves would "expect should be yielded to you
by others. This is a dictate of nature and right reason,
this is the sum of the law and the prophets; and all those
various precepts which are given us in the Scriptures for
the conduct of our lives are but as so many lines that
meet all in this centre; and if we apply it to each particu-
376 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
lar command of the second table, we shall find them all
fit founded upon this, and to be interpreted by it. We are
required to honor superiors; to abstain from murder,
from adultery, from theft, from false accusations, from co-
veting what rightfully belongs to another; and all this ac-
cording to the same measures by which we would have
others perform these very duties to us. So that self,
which is now the great tempter to wrong and injure
others, were it governed according to this universal
maxim, would be the greatest patron and defender of
other men's rights and dues.
I have the longer insisted on this principle, both be-
cause it is of such general influence to the right ordering
of our conversation, and also because the most visible
and apparent violation of this natural law is by the sin of
theft forbidden in this commandment.
I. THEFT, IN GENERAL, is an unjust taking or keeping
to ourselves what is lawfully another man's. He is a thief
who withholds what ought to be in his neighbor's posses-
sion, as well as he who takes from him what he hath for-
merly possessed.
All theft presupposes a right and propriety; for where
nothing of right appertains to me, nothing can be unjust-
ly taken or detained from me.
1. Certain it is, that God is the great Lord and pro-
prietor both of heaven and earth, and of all things in them:
Ps. 24:1, "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness
thereof;" and 50:10, "Every beast of the forest is ;
mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." By him and
of him are all things; and for his will and pleasure they
are, and were created.
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 377
2. This great and absolute Lord hath granted to man a
large charter of the world. When he had taken an exact
inventory of those goods with which he had furnished
this great house, the universe, (he "saw every thing that
he had made, and behold, it was very good," Gen.
1:31;) then he set man to live in it as his tenant, and
freely gave him the use of and dominion over all the
works of his hands, Gen. 1:28, "Replenish the earth
and subdue it, and have dominion over all the fish of
the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every liv-
ing thing that moveth upon the earth." So the Psalmist
Ps. 115:16, "The heaven, even the heavens are the.
Lord's; but the earth hath he given to the children of
men." A large and regal gift, whereby he hath made
over all sublunary things to man; reserving to himself
the sovereignty and supreme lordship of all, and requir-
ing only from man the homage and payment of obe-
dience. Yet,
3. This large charter and donation gave no particular
propriety to any: neither, if man had continued in his
happy and innocent estate, would there have been any
need of mine or thine, or any partition of these earthly
possessions; but common blessings had been enjoyed in
common, and all things which covetousness and corrup-
tion now ravine after, would have been as promiscuous-
ly enjoyed and used as the common light and air, and
each particular man's share in those blessings would have
been sufficient and satisfactory. But,
4. Sin entering into the world, men' s desires grew im-
moderate after these earthly enjoyments, and their attempts
to attain them injurious to others; so that it becarne ne-
cessary to prescribe bounds and limits to them, and to
378 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
divide among them what before lay in common among
all; that each man knowing his assigned portion, might
rest satisfied with it, and be restrained from the unjust
invasion and usurpation of another's right. And,
5. This could no otherwise be effected but by human
laws, by mutual compact and agreement, declaring what
should be accounted as every man's right and property. So
that it is law which is the great determiner of property;
and there is nothing mine or thine, farther than this as-
signs it to us. Indeed equity must sometimes interpose
to moderate the letter of the law; for, in some cases,
should we rigorously prosecute our right, and insist upon
every punctilio that we may call our due, this, although
it would not be unjust, yet it would be justice turned in-
to gall and wormwood; it would be a breach and viola-
tion of the law of Christ and of charity, which requires
us rather to part with our own in small matters, than to
be vexatious or contentious in recovering or defending it.
Thus you see how all right and property first came into
the world: a general right, by the donation of God; a
particular right by the sanction of laws, alloting to each
man his portion, which to invade or usurp from him, is
injustice or theft.
Whence it follows that where there is no society in oc-
cupation of any part of the earth, the right accrues to the
first possessor; and where things are found which apper-
tain to none, they fall to the first seizer; for there can be
no theft committed where there is no precedent title. If
any therefore should providentially be cast into some de-
sert and uninhabited part of the world, the general char-
ter that God hath given to mankind of possessing the
earth, empowers them to seize on it as theirs; and they
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 379
I may lawfully make use of the blessings of it in common,
I till, by mutual consent, they shall divide to each other
their part and portion; but after such a partition is made,
to use the same liberty is no longer lawful, but theft and
robbery.
Thus you see what theft is, and that this law of God
prohibiting us to steal what is another's, doth presuppose
a law of man, which maketh proper and causeth things
to become either ours or another's.
But there are MANY KINDS OF THEFT.
1. The first kind of theft is the taking away of what
rightfully belongs to another, whether God or man.
(1.) Of this sort the highest and chief is that committed
against God by sacrilege, which is an alienating from God
whatever he hath appropriated to himself, or whatever is
on good grounds dedicated to the encouragement and
maintenance of his honor and service.
Indeed the alienating of what hath been given to super-
stitious or idolatrous uses cannot be justly included in
the sin of sacrilege; for it was not so much given to God
as to ignorance and superstition; therefore our ancestors
have done well and piously in dissolving those nests and
cages of unclean birds that were so numerous and bur-
thensome in these kingdoms; but withal, in my judgment,
they wou1d have done much better if they had converted
their revenues to some public use, either for the benefit
of the church or the commonwealth, rather than to their,
own private and particular gain.
But where any thing is indeed consecrated to God
set apart for the maintenance and encouragement of his
worship and service, it is no less than sacrilege and rob-
bing of God to alienate any part of this to any secular use,
380 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
or to detain it from that use to which it was separated.
Of this God himself grievously complains, Mal. 3:8, 9,
"Will, a man rob God?" as if it were a sin so heinous as
that it is hardly to be supposed any man would be guilty
of it. What! not allow that God his share among them
who had liberally afforded them all things to enjoy! "Yet
ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we rob-
bed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a
curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation."
Certainly those things which are appointed for the wor-
ship and service of God, whether they be so originally by
divine right or not, yet cannot be alienated nor detained
without involving the persons or the nation that doeth thus
in a most direful curse; for this is no other than a robbing
God of his right.
(2.) Theft is committed against men by an unjust seiz-
ing or detaining what of right belongs to them. And this
may be done either by fraud or force: therefore our
Savior in reciting the commandments mentions them both
Mark, 10:19, "Do not steal: defraud not."
This is a sin, moreover, that God hath threatened with
many severe curses and punishments.
The temporal punishment which the Scripture awards
to it is a fourfold and sometimes a fivefold restitution, as
you may see, Exod. 22:1; therefore Zaccheus, when he
was converted, offers a fourfold restitution to those whom
he had wronged, "Luke, 19:8, "If I have taken any
thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him
fourfold."
And yet, besides this restitution, it seems that some-
times the offenders were to be put to death, especially if
the circumstances of their theft added cruelty and op-
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 381
pression to it. This appears in the parable of Nathan.
2 Sam. 12. When he had most artificially aggravated
the crime of the rich man in taking away the poor man's
lamb, he so raised David's compassion and indignation
that he pronounced this sentence, verse 5, 6, "The man
that hath done this thing shall surely die; and he shall
restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and
because he had no pity." So you see that, even under
the law of Moses, it was not unlawful in some cases to
punish a thief with death, though the usual and pre-
scribed punishment was restitution.
God also leaves a curse upon what is gotten by theft and
deceit. A curse that will blast and consume all such wick-
ed increase. They put it into a bag with holes, and, by
some unperceivable providence, it strangely wastes and
slips away between their fingers. But, usually, luxury
and intemperance devour what is got by theft and
rapine--God, by his righteous judgment, making one
sin the vengeance of another. Some secret withering
curse seizeth upon it, and what is thus wickedly add-
ed to our former possessions, will rub its rust and
canker upon them all; and, if restitution be not duly
made, will insensibly prey upon them and consume
them; therefore, saith the wise man, Proverbs, 21:7,
"The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them;" and
Jer. 17:11, "As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and
hatcheth them not, so he that getteth riches, and not
by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and
at his end shall be a fool." Many times God raiseth
up those against them who deal with them as they
have dealt with others; and when these spunges are
full of what they have unjustly sucked up, they shall be
382 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
squeezed, and made to refund their ill-gotten treasure.
Thus God threatens the Chaldeans, Hab. 2:8, "Be-
cause thou hast spoiled many nations all the remnant
of the people shall spoil thee." Such unjust gettings
tend only to poverty; and in this sense it is no solecism
to say they have but gained a loss, and treasured for
themselves and their posterity want and beggary.
Therefore, as you desire to thrive in the world, and
to have your earthly comforts, multiplied, so be sure
that no gain of robbery, or oppression, or fraud and
deceit, be found in your hands; for this will devour
even what you have gotten lawfully.
Again, not only is theft against men threatened with
severe curses and punishments, but anxieties and per-
plexities of mind always accompany ill-gotten wealth.
This is a sin so much against the very light of nature,
that conscience, if it be not utterly stupified and sense-
less, will be still molesting and haunting men with
troublesome thoughts and reflections; besides, the fear
of detection, and the shame and punishment which will
follow upon it, must needs be a continual disturbance
to them. Whereas, what is gotten with a good con-
science, and in an honest and lawful calling, wheth-
er it be more or less, brings this contentment with it,
that a man may quietly sit down and rejoice in that
portion which the providence and bounty of his gracious
God and heavenly Father have here afforded him. He
drinks no widow's tears nor orphan's blood. He eats
not the flesh of the poor, nor breaks the bones of the
needy. His conscience gnaws not upon him whilst he
is feeding on what his honest labor and industry have
prepared for him; and although it be but a bit of bread
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 383
and a cup of water that he can procure, yet is he enter-
tained at a continual feast. His fare may be but mean,
yet his cheer, his joy and comfort is great, and the
coarsest morsel he eats is far more savory to him than
all the heightened delicacies of rich oppressors, whose
consciences mingle gall and wormwood with their most
pleasant bits, and gnaw and grind them as they grind the
faces of the poor and needy. Therefore, saith the wise
man, Prov. 16:8, "Better is a little with righteousness,
than great revenues without light." And the Psalmist,
Ps. 37:16, "A little that a righteous man hath is better
than the riches of many wicked."
Further, this sin of robbery and deceit provokes God
to cut men off by some untimely stroke and immature
judgment-and that, either by the hand of human justice
with shame and reproach, or of divine justice with wrath
and vengeance. For so we find it threatened, Ps. 55:
23, "Thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit
of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live
out half their days:" that is, they shall not lengthen out
their days to that period which the course and strength
of nature might seem to promise them; but the hand of
God shall cut them off in' the vigor and midst of their
flourishing years. But, however it may fare with them
in this life, however they may escape the reproach of
men and the sword of justice, yet.
They who commit this sin shall certainly be eternally
cursed and eternally miserable. Their ill-gotten goods
shall not be able to redeem their souls, nor bribe the jus-
tice of God, nor give them the least solace and comfort.
And what wretched fools are they who must eternally
perish for gaining things that perish here, and bring
384 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
everlasting torments upon themselves for that which be-
fore brought them vexations and disquietude! 1 Cor.
6:10, "Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards nor
revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of
God." Where then shall their portion be but in that lake
which burneth with fire and brimstone unquenchable?
Where the Lord will spoil their very souls, as, the wise
man's expression is, Prov. 22:23, "Rob not the poor;
for the Lord will plead their cause, and will spoil the
soul of those that spoiled them." Thus you see in what
various ways God hath threatened that he will punish
this sin.
But before I can proceed farther, here are two questions
to be answered.
Question 1. Whether in no case it be lawful to steal.
What if the necessity be so urgent that I must certainly
perish or else relieve myself by this means?
I say we ought not to do it in any case, for theft is in
itself a sin, and there can be no necessity to sin; for every
man is bound rather to choose the greatest evil of suffer-
ings than to commit the least evil of sin.
Indeed such necessity doth somewhat mitigate the hei-
nousness of the offence; but that is not at all considerable
in the direction of our practice, since it continues a sin
still, and deserves eternal damnation. The wise man tells
us, Prov. 6:30, 31, "Men do not despise a thief if he
steal to satisfy his soul "when he is hungry;" but this
must be understood only comparatively, viz. that the re-
proach and infamy which attend such a one are not so
great as that of an adulterer, as it appears verse 32, as if
he should say, "To be an adulterer is a far fouler re-
proach than to be a needy thief." Yet he adds, "If he be
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 385
found he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the
substance of his house:" that is, though his necessity and
hunger may take off somewhat from the shame, yet it
shall not from the punishment of his offence, but he shall
restore that which he hath stolen sevenfold. Not that the
restitution should be seven times as much as the theft,
for the utmost that the la~ requires was but a fivefold res-
titution, Exod. 22:1; but as the word sevenfold is most
frequently used in Scripture to signify that which is com-
plete and perfect, so is it, here, "he shall restore seven-
fold," that is, he shall make a full and satisfactory res-
titution.
Since therefore the punishment of theft shall not be re-
laxed upon the plea of indigence and necessity, it is ap-
parent that necessity cannot justify any from the guilt
of theft.
Hence, let your wants be what they will or can be,
you ought not to supply them by any such wicked and
unlawful courses, whatever Aquinas says to the contrary,
22 de q. 66, art. 7. If God hath given thee strength and
ability, thou oughtest to labor and to use thine honest in-
dustry to procure necessaries; if not, thou oughtest to im-
plore the charity and benevolence of others whose hearts
God may open to thy relief. Or if thou shouldst meet
with such cruel Diveses who will contribute nothing to
thy support, thou oughtest rather, with godly Lazarus, to
die in thine integrity than to steal any thing from them,
which, although it be their superfluity, yet it is not thy
right without their donation.
Question 2. What shall we judge of the Israelites
spoiling the Egyptians of their jewels, of which we read,
Exod. 12:35, 36?
Ten Com. 17
386 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
I answer: In this action there was no theft committed. For,
(1.) The supreme dominion of all things is the Lord's,
and he may justly transfer the right and property where
he pleaseth. Therefore the Israelites being commanded
by the Lord to take these things of the Egyptians, took
only what was rightfully their own, being made so by him
who hath the sovereign power of all things both in heaven
and earth.
(2.) These things which they thus took might be well
considered in lieu of their wages, which were not given.
them for their long service in Egypt. Therefore it was
but righteous in God to consign over these riches of the ;
Egyptians to the Israelites as a reward for their tedious
servitude. Those who, by the command of the supreme
Lord of all, take that which is but a due reward for their
labor, cannot certainly be condemned as guilty of theft.
And this, it seems, was their plea, when in the time of
Alexander the Great, so many ages after the thing was
done, the Egyptians sued the Jews by a juridical pro-
cess, to recover what was taken from them. But,
(3.) This example is extraordinary and special, and
not to be pleaded nor introduced into practice. For
certain it is that they had a most express command from
God to spoil the Egyptians. But whosoever shall pre-
tend any such warrant now, by revelation or the impulse
of his private spirit, may well be censured for enthu-
siasm and condemned for robbery. Thus I have done
with the first and greatest kind of theft: taking away
what rightfully belongs to another, whether God or man.
2. Another kind of theft is, oppression and unreason-
able exaction.
And this especially is the sin of superiors toward
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 387
their inferiors: taking advantage, either upon their weak-
ness or their necessity, to impose most unequal condi-
tion upon them, and such as they cannot bear without
their detriment or ruin; contrary to that law which God
gave unto his people, Lev. 25:14, "If thou sell ought
unto thy neighbor, or buyest ought at thy neighbor's
hand, ye shall not oppress one another." Thus, those
who set their lands to the sweat and toil of others at too
hard a rate, so that the 'laborious tenant cannot subsist by
his industry; those that let out money at a biting interest,
or rigidly exact it from insufficient persons; great ones
who fright the meaner into disadvantageous bargains, and
force them through fear to part with what they enjoy at
an under price; these, and others like them, though they
I may not be condemned by human laws, which give too
much permission to men to make the utmost advantage
of their own, yet they are guilty by the Jaw of God, and
their sin is no less than oppression, which is a sin hateful
both to God and man. The prophet Micah, chap. 3:2, 3,
calIs it a "flaying off their skin from off them, and their
flesh from off their bones;" and "chopping them in pie-
ces as for the pot, and as flesh for the caldron." All un-
mercifulness and hard dealings with others are a kind of
theft; for the law of nature, and much more the Jaw of
charity, binds thee so to deal with others that they may
have no cause to complain of thee to God, and in the bit-
terness of their spirits to imprecate his wrath and ven-
geance upon thee.
3. Another kind of theft is, detaining from another
what is his due either by equity or compact.
And how many are there whose profuse riot and lux-
ury are maintained upon the intrusted goods of others,
388 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
whilst the poor creditor in the meantime hath no other
satisfaction but good words, and scarce any thing to live
upon but his own tears and sighs! And how many with-
hold the hire of the laborer, who, when he hath wearied
himself in their service, is denied that small reward
which he requires for his necessary refreshment! Yea,
not only denying it, but even deferring it beyond the
time that they can conveniently be without it, is a kind of
theft and oppression. Deut. 24:14, 15, "Thou shalt
not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy. At
his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun
go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart
upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be
sin unto thee." Yea, in all thy bargains and agreements,
though they be never so much to thine own prejudice,
thou art bound to stand to them, unless the other will
voluntarily release thee from the obligation; for this is
one of the characters given of a godly person, Ps. 15:4,
"He that sweareth," and covenanteth "to his own hurt,
and changeth not," but upon demand is ready and willing
to fulfil his agreement. How much more heinous and
abominable is it, when men have already received the full
value of their compact, unjustly to withhold what they
have agreed to give! which is no better than to take
their labor or their goods from them by violence and rob-
bery; yea, and in one respect worse, inasmuch as it adds
falsehood to stealth.
4. Another kind of theft is in buying and selling.
And this is a very large and voluminous deceit; for the
subtlety of men hath found out so many artifices to de-
fraud and overreach one another, that to recount them is
almost as hard as to escape them. Here come in the false
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 389
weights and the false measures which are an "abomina-
tion to the Lord," Prov. 11:1; false and counterfeited
wares; overcommending or undervaluing of goods for
advantage, and many other unjust contrivances which
men's consciences can better suggest to them than any
discourse. The apostle at sufficiently cautioned and
threatened such men, 1 Thess. 4:6, "Let no man go
beyond or defraud his brother in any matter; because
that the Lord is the avenger of all such." Believe it, there
is a day coming when the false weights shall be them-
selves weighed, and the scanty measures measured by a
standard that is infallibly true. Possibly thou mayest deal
so cunningly, that those whom thou overreachest can have
no advantage against thee nor right themselves by law;
but remember that the great Judge will avenge them upon
thee at the last day. Then all accounts shall be balanced,
and so much found resting due which thou shalt certainly
pay, though not to those whom thou hast wronged, yet to
the justice of God who is the great and universal creditor.
Besides these several kinds of theft, there are likewise
many other kinds, as prodigality in wasting what should
satisfy the just demands of others, taking wages and re-
ward for what we do not endeavor conscientiously to per-
form; selling that which we have no right to dispose of,
or things which ought not to be sold; taking bribes for
justice, or rewards for injustice. But I shall not particu-
larly insist upon these and many others that might be
mentioned.--Thus we have seen what the negative part of
this precept is, or what is forbidden in this commandment.
II. As every negative implies in it a positive,
now see what is the duty here REQUIRED.
390 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
This is twofold: that everyone of us should have
some calling, and that all of us should be contented in the
state and condition of life in which Divine providence ,
hath placed us.
1. The command is, thou shalt not steal, therefore
every man ought to have a calling by which he may
comfortably subsist, and by his labor and industry may
provide at least necessaries for himself and family. For
he that provideth not for his family" hath denied the
faith," saith the Apostle, "and is worse than an infidel."
(1.) Some there are who live without any calling at all.
Such are like idle drones that consume the labor of others;
lazy vagabonds to whom the greatest charity would be
correction, who only serve to devour misplaced alms and
defraud the truly poor of their relief. Yea, if I should
rank with these a company of superfluous debauched
gentlemen, I think I should do them no great injury;
such I mean who are neither serviceable to God nor their
country, who have nothing of true worth and gentility in
them, but are a company of lewd and desperate characters,
the most unprofitable members in the commonwealth, and
good for nothing but to kill and destroy one another in
their drunken quarrels. I know there is no necessity for
manual. employment and labor to those whom God bath
liberally endowed with his earthly blessings; but yet they
may have a calling, and within their own sphere may
find employment enough to take up their time and
thoughts, and such as may make them the most beneficial
men on earth, and truly honored and loved by others;
for by their authority, their example, the ampleness of
their patrimony and revenues, and the dependence that
others have upon them, they may be as influential to pro-
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 391
mote goodness and virtue as too commonly they are to
promote vice and villany; and to such truly generous
spirits who intend to be so employed, let me commend
the careful perusal of an excellent treatise directed to
them, entitled, "The Gentleman's Calling." But yet
withal, if they should condescend to some stated vocation
and course of life, it would be no disparagement to their
gentility; for certainly Adam was as much a gentleman,
and had as large demesnes as any of them, and yet God
thought fit to place him in E den that he might dress and'
keep the garden. But as some have no employment,
(2.) Others have an unlawful employment, whose only
work is to instruct in vice, and excite men to it. And
how many such are there who live by provoking and en-
couraging the wickedness of others, and continually make
use of all the allurements that might entice to evil; and
recommend debauchery, first to the fancy and then to the
will and affections!
(3.) Others have indeed an honest and a lawful calling,
but they are negligent and slothful in it. Sloth tendeth to
poverty, Prov. 6:10, 11, "Yet a little sleep, a little slum-
ber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy po-
verty come as one that travelleth," drawing nearer and
nearer to thee by soft and silent degrees; "and thy want
as an armed man," who, though his pace be slow by rea-
son of the weight of his armor, yet his assaults are more
irresistible and destructive. And poverty tempts to theft,
Prov. 30:9, " Lest I be poor, and steal." And therefore
this command, which forbids theft, must, by consequence,
enjoin labor and industry in those lawful callings wherein
the Divine providence hath set us, according to that of
the apostle, Eph. 4:28, "Let him that stole, steal no
392 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands
the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him
that needeth," and so, by his industry, of a thief become
a benefactor and a1msgiver.
2. It requires us to be contented with that portion of
earthly comforts which our heavenly Father allots to us.
"Be content with those things ye have." Heb. 13:5.
And certainly he that is not content with what God allows,
him, lies under a grievous temptation, by fraudulent and
unjust courses, to carve out his own condition to himself:
and to invade the rights and property of others. Discon-
tent and covetousness are the root of all injustice. He
that thinks himself wronged in that he hath not as much
as some others, will be apt, either through fraud of vio-
lence, to increase his own by wronging of others.
Let us therefore check this ripening temper betimes,
and not think that we have too little and others too much;
but whatsoever God affordeth us, let us account it suffi-
cient provision and a child's portion; and although it be
but food and raiment, neither the most delicate nor the
most sumptuous, yet, "having food and raiment, let us be
therewith content," as the apostle exhorts us, 1 Tim. 6:
8. Let us look upon all other things as superfluous or in-
different, and not murmur though we should never obtain
them; for whatever is needful to thy subsistence God's
providence and blessing upon thy industry will furnish
thee with, and what is not needful to this, is not worth
thy envy and repining.
3. I shall only subjoin a word or two to those who are
conscious to themselves that they have wronged others of
what was their due, and either withheld or taken from
them what by law and equity belonged to them.
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT. 393
Let such know that they are bound to make them a
perfect and plenary satisfaction, by making an entire and
plenary restitution, if the thing they have stolen or pur-
loined be still extant and in their hand; or if not, then by
making a full and satisfactory compensation. Yea, be the
thing great or small, more or less, though it should seem-
ingly tend to the loss of thy credit by acknowledging
such a wrong, or visibly tend to thy impoverishing or un-
doing to restore it, yet notwithstanding, thou art bound to
restore every farthing of that of which thou hast wronged
and defrauded thy brother. Nor is it enough to confess
the sin before God and to beg pardon at his hands, but
thou must likewise render unto man what is his due, and
what thou unjustly keepest from him, whether it be his
by thy promise or by his own former possession, as ever
thou hopest to obtain pardon for thy sin from the mercy
of God; yea, and thou art bound likewise, to the very ut-
most of thy power, to make him recompense for all the
damage which he hath in the meantime sustained by thy
unjust withholding of his right and due from him; or else
thou shalt never obtain pardon and remission for thy
guilt. And the reason is, because, as long as you detain
what is another's, so long you continue in the commission
of the same sin; for unjust possession is a continued and
prolonged theft, and certainly repentance can never be
true nor sincere while we continue in the sin of which
we seem to repent; and thy repentance not being true,
pardon shall never be granted thee.
But you will say, "What if those whom we have
wronged be since dead? How can restitution be made
to them?"
I answer: In this case thou art bound to make it to
394 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
their children, or their nearest relations, to whom it is
to be supposed that what thou hast wrongfully detained
would have descended and been left by them. Or, if none
of these can be found, nor any to whom of right it may
belong, then God's right takes place, as he is the great
Lord and proprietor of all things; and thou oughtest,
besides what thou art obliged to give of thine own, to
bestow it on the works of charity and piety, for it is
then escheated to him. Yet, withal, thou hast great
reason to bewail that thou hast so long deferred the
restitution of it to the right owner till now thou hast
made thyself incapable of doing it.
This possibly may seem a hard lesson, and doubtless
it is so in a world so full of rapine and injustice; but
yet, as hard as it is, this is the rule of christianity, this
is the inflexible law of justice, and without this you live
and die without all hopes of obtaining pardon, by con-
tinuing in your sins impenitently.
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
The former commandment provides for the security
of every man's property, that he may suffer no wrong
nor detriment in his goods; this provides for the pre-
servation of his good name, which is a much dearer pos-
session. For" A good name," saith the wise man,
Prov. 22:1, "is rather to be chosen than great riches,"
and therefore it ought to be preserved and guarded by
us, although not delicately and nicely, yet tenderly and
with respect. Whoso contemns fame will soon prosti-
tute virtue, and those who care not what others say, will
shortly arrive to such impudence of sinning as not to
care what they themselves do.
Indeed a good name is so excellent a blessing, that
there is but one thing to be preferred before it, and that
is a good conscience. When these two stand in com-
petition, credit must give place to duty; and in this case
it is far better to lose our repute with men, than our ac-
ceptance and reward with God. It oftentimes so hap-
pens, through the ignorance and general corruption of
mankind, that what is honest, and pure, and just, is yet
not of good report amongst them: piety is but affecta-
tion, strictness of life a peevish hypocrisy, the cross a
scandal, Christ himself a Wine-bibber, a friend of pub-
396 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
licans and sinners, his doctrine heresy, and his miracles
impostures. And if thou lightest upon any such froward
and perverse censurers, as too many such there are in
all ages, "who think it strange," as the apostle speaks,
"that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot,
speaking evil of you," seek not by any base and sinful
compliance to redeem their good opinion, but rather
glory in the testimony of their railing, and account all
their reviling speeches to be but so many votes for
your blessedness. "Blessed are ye when men shall revile
you, and persecute you, and shall speak all manner of evil
against you falsely for my sake." Mat. 5:11.
Never covet a good name by bad actions. For what
will all the concurring applause of the whole world sig-
nify to thee, if yet thy conscience condemn thee louder
than they can extol thee? This is but to have music at
the door, when all the while there is chiding and brawl-
ing within. It is far better that others should wound thy
credit than thou thy conscience. That is a wound which
their tongues can never lick whole again. All the repu-
tation thy popular sinning can bring thee will be but like
hanging bells at a horse's ears, when all the while his
back is galled with his burthen. Whoever will be a
christian must resolve to go through bad report as well
as good: he should desire the one, but not anxiously
refuse the other. And if any will bespatter him, let
him be careful that it be only with their own dirt, and
not with his--with their own malice" and not his mis-
carriages. And whilst he thus keeps his conscience
clear, he may be assured that his credit shall be cleared
up at that day when all their unjust reproaches shall
but add a crown and diadem of glory to his head.
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 397
But where a good name is consistent with a good
conscience, we ought to prize and value it as one of
the choicest of God's blessings in this world, and to
use all lawful means to preserve it. For,
1. A good name will render a man more serviceable to
God, and the fitter instrument to promote his honor and
glory in the world.
And therefore the wise man, Eccl. 7:1, compares a
good name to "precious ointment," and in the compari-
son gives it the preference. For as precious ointment dif-
fuses its fragrancy through the room where it is poured
forth, and affects all that are in it with its delightful odor;
so do men's gifts, when they are perfumed with a good
name, delight and attract others, and by a sweet and pow-
erful charm allure them to imitate and practise those vir-
tues which they see to be so commendable. And therefore
we find it the apostle's care, 2 Cor. 6:3, to give" no
offence in any thing, that the ministry might not be
blamed." Though it be our great folly to estimate men's
counsels by their own practice, since a disease physician
may prescribe a wholesome medicine, yet so it comes to
pass, whether through the curse of God or the prejudice
of men, that those who have lost their credit, have, toge-
ther with it, lost all opportunities and advantages of doing
good in the world: let their talents be never so great and
their gifts never so eminent, yet if once this dead fly be-
gotten into this box of ointment, it will corrupt it and
render it unsavory to all. And the devil hath no policy so
successful to make the gifts of those whom he fears might
shake his kingdom unuseful, as either to tempt them to
the commission of some infamous and scandalous sin, or
to tempt others falsely to calumniate and report such pro-
398 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
fligate crimes concerning them; then he knows such a
one is disarmed and made unserviceable, and if he can but
once blast the leaves, the fruit will seldom come to any
maturity and perfection. Therefore as you desire to be
serviceable to God in promoting his glory, and to the
world in promoting their good and benefit, which is the
great end of our being and the only thing worth living
for, so endeavor, by all wise and honest means, to keep
up your good name. Be good, and appear to be so. "Let
your light so shine before men, that they seeing your
good works, may glorify your Father which is in heaven:"
Mat. 5 : 16.
2. A good name, as it gives us advantage of doing good
to others, lays an obligation upon us of being good ourselves.
For if the world be so kindly mistaken as to report
well of us without any desert, yet this cannot but stimu-
late us, if we have any ingenuousness, and engage us to
deserve it, and thus happily turn that which was praise
into motive. Or if they give us but our due commenda-
tion, and our virtue justly challengeth this fame, yet still
it will engage us to do things worthy of ourselves, and
worthy of the common estimate that men put upon us, that
we may not fall short of what we have been, or what they
still repute us to pe. This is a laudable ambition, which
seeks by virtue to maintain that credit which by virtue
we have acquired. And doubtless when other arguments
have been baffled by a temptation, this hath been a sheet
anchor to the soul, and hath often held it in the greatest
storms, when the wind and waves have beat most furiously
against it. "Should I consent to this sin, what a blot and
dishonor-should I get to myself! How should I be able
to look good men in the face again? Would not this sin
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 399
brand me for a hypocrite in their esteem? Would they
ever look upon me or receive me with affection after this
fall? Should I not carry the disgrace and scar of this
wound visibly upon me to my grave? No, one sin shall
never ruin all the comfort and all the repute gained
through so many years, and I, who have been so long
exemplary as a christian, will not by this one act make
myself a scorn to the wicked and a shame to the godly."
And by these considerations he rejects a temptation that
perhaps ran down all other considerations before it. But
a man of a lost and desperate credit sins impudently with-
out any such restraint upon him; he thinks it is but in
vain for him to abstain from any wickedness, for, whether
he doth or not, people will still believe him guilty; his
credit is, so disfigured and his name so infamous that he
thinks he cannot be worse than he is already reported,
and so rubs his forehead and outfaces censure, and with a
brazen impudence cares not how wicked he is nor how
many know him to be so. Thus you see how cautious
we ought to be in maintaining our own good name.
But this command requires us to preserve the re-
pute and good name of OTHERS as well as our own.
It forbids
The sin of lying, of detraction and slander, and of base
soothing and unworthy flattery.
In the first place, the command prohibits LYING; and
this is a sin which comprehends under it all other vio-
lations of this precept, for slander and flattery are both
of them lies, different on1y in manner and circumstances;
and as lying is a sin large and comprehensive in its na-
ture, so it is general and universal in its practice. We
400 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
may well complain, with the holy prophet, that "Truth
is perished from the earth."
And here I shall show what a lie is, with the different
sorts of lies, and then the heinousnes and aggravation of
this common sin.
I. A lie, according to Augustin's definition of it, is
A VOLUNTARY SPEAKING OF AN UNTRUTH WITH
AN INTENT TO DECEIVE.
In a lie therefore there must be these three ingre-
dients. There must be the speaking of an untruth; it
must be known to us to be an untruth; and it must be with
a will and intent to deceive him to whom we speak it, and
to lead him into error. Hence,
1. Parables and figurative speeches are no lies. For
neither as to the drift and scope of them are they false-
hoods, nor yet are they spoken with an intent to deceive,
but rather to instruct the hearers, and so they have nei-
ther the matter nor the form of a lie.
The Scripture abounds with these tropical expressions,
which although, in the proper signification of the words,
they cannot be verified of the thing to which they are ap-
plied, yet do they very fully agree to them in their figura-
tive and transferred sense. Thus Jotham's parable of
trees choosing them a king was aptly accommodated to
the sense which he meant, and which those that heard
him well enough understood. And thus our Savior
Christ calls himself a door, signifying by that metaphor
that by him alone we must enter into heaven and eternal
life; a vine, signifying that without our incision into him
and spiritual union to him, whereby we derive grace
from his plenitude and fulness of grace as the branches
do sap and juice from the stock, we shall be cast out as
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 401
withered and fruitless branches, fit for nothing but to be
burned. Innumerable other metaphors are every where
dispersed throughout the Scriptures.
And besides metaphors, the Scripture useth hyperboles.
I shall only instance in that famous one, John, 21:25,
"Many other things Jesus did, the which, if they should
be written every one, I suppose that even the world it-
self could not contain the books that should be written."
This high expression the evangelist uses to indicate the
great number of the miracles an remarkable passages
of our Savior's life, and to signify that he did very many
other things which are not on record.
And sometimes the Scripture useth ironical taunts.
Thus in that bitter sarcasm of Elijah to the priests of
Baal, 1 Kings, 18:27, "He mocked them, and said,
cry aloud; for he is a god." Ironical speeches of this
kind are so far from being intended to create error in
the minds of men, or to confirm them in it, that they are
spoken on purpose to convince them of their errors and
make them appear to be shameful and ridiculous, and
therefore are no lies.
But here we must take this caution, that in using such
figurative speeches we ought so to circumstantiate them
that the hearers may easily perceive the drift and scope
of our discourse, or at least that they may be assured
that we intend some other meaning by them than what
the words do properly and in themselves bear. Otherwise,
though it may not be a lie in c us, yet it may be an occa-
sion of error and mistake in them.
2. Every falsehood is not a lie. For though it hath the
matter, yet it may want the form and complement to make.
it such. For many times men speak anti report that which
402 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
is not true, which yet they themselves do believe to be true;
and so they are rather deceived than deceivers, and per-
haps are far from any intention of imposing on the credu-
lity of others. Such a one is not so much to be accused of
lying, as of folly and rashness in reporting that for truth
the certainty of which is not clear and evident to himself.
3. A man may speak that which is true, and yet be a liar
in so doing. As in these two cases:
When we report that to be a truth, which, although it be
so, yet we believe it to be a falsehood, and report it with an
intent to deceive those that hear us. Or,
When we report the figurative words of another, leaving
out those circumstances which might make them appear to
be figurative. Therefore they are called false witnesses
which came in against Christ and testified that he said
he was "able to destroy the temple of God and to build
it in three days," Mat. 26:60, in which, though there
were many falsifications of the words of our Savior, yet
had they reported the very words that he spake, they had
nevertheless been false witnesses, because by their tes-
timony they wrested them to another sense than what
Christ intended by them; for certainly he is a liar who
reports my words with a purpose to beget a wrong con-
struction of them, as much as he who reports me to have
spoken what I never said.
4. It is no lie to conceal part of the truth when it is not
expedient nor necessary to be known. Thus, 1 Sam. 16:2,
God himself instructs Samuel, when he sent him to anoint
David king over Israel, that he should answer, he came
to sacrifice to the Lord; which was truth, and one end of
his going into Bethlehem, though he had also another,
which he prudently concealed.
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 403
5. A man may act contrary to what he before said, if
the circumstances of the thing be altered, without being
guilty of lying. Of this we have frequent examples in
the Scripture. Thus, Gen. 19:2, the angels tell Lot
that they would not come into his house, but would
"abide in the street all night;" yet, upon his importunity
and earliest entreaties, they went in with him. And thus
Peter, with some heat and vehemency of his humility, re-
fused that Christ should wash his feet, John, 13:8,
"Thou shalt never wash my feet;" but when he was in-
structed in the significancy of this condescension of our
Savior, he not only permits, but entreats him to do it. So
likewise in all things of such a nature we may lawfully
change our "words upon the change of our minds, and
upon the inducement of some circumstances that were
not known or considered by us, we may, without the im-
putation of lying, do otherwise than we before resolved
and declared. But here must be heedful caution:
That the actions be not such as we are bound to perform,
by divine precept;
Nor such as we have bound ourselves to by the voluntary
obligation of a vow made unto God;
Nor such that our not doing them, or doing otherwise.
than we have promised, shall be hurtful or prejudicial to
others. For If I have promised another that which is be-
neficial to him, however I may change my opinion, yet I
must not change my purpose; but, unless he will release
me, or hath forfeited the benefit of my promise by failing
in the conditions of it, I stand engaged to perform what I
have plighted to him.
Thus you see what a lie is, and what is not a lie.
The sum of all I shall contract in this description of
404 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
it: A lie is a falsehood, either real or supposed so by us
spoken purposely and with an intention to deceive an
other. And therefore, neither falsehoods not thought to
be so, nor figurative speeches, nor truth partly concealed.
nor the change of our mind and purposes upon the
changing and alteration of circumstances, can be charge.
able with the foul and scandalous sin of lying.
As to the different sorts of lies, they are usually distin-
guished into three kinds: the jocular, the officious, and
the pernicious lie.
1. The jocular lie is a lie framed to excite mirth and
laughter, and to deceive the hearer only to please and
divert him. Though it may seem very harmless to de-
ceive men into mirth and recreation, yet truth is such an
awful and severe thing that it ought not to be contradict.
ed; no, not in jest. And God reckons it as a sin against
the Israelites, Hos. 7:3, that they made "the king and
princes glad," or merry, "with their lies."
2. The officious lie is a lie which is told for another's
benefit and advantage, and seems to make an abundant
compensation for its falsehood by its use and profit. But
yet neither can this excuse it from being a sin; for since
a lie is intrinsically evil in itself, let the advantage that
accrues by it be never so great, we ought not to shelter
either ourselves or others under that rotten refuge. That
stated maxim holds universally true in all cases; we ought
not to do evil that good may come thereof: Therefore,
although thine own life or thy neighbor's depends upon
it, yea, put the case, it were not only to save his life but
to save his soul, couldst thou by this means most eminent-
ly advance the glory of God or the general good and wel-
fare of the church, yet thou oughtest not to tell the least
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 405
he to promote these great and blessed ends. This the
apostle takes for granted, Rom. 3:7.
And here, as this passage may seem at first glance
somewhat obscure, I shall briefly expound it. If the truth
of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory,
why yet am I also judged as a sinner? The words as they
stand seem to be favorable to such a beneficial lie; but if
we consider the scope and drift of them, we shall see that
they clearly condemn it. For the apostle had, in the fore-
going verses, taught that the unrighteousness and sins of
men did occasionally conduce to the manifestation of the
justice and veracity of God, in fulfilling his threatenings
upon them. Against this position he raiseth an objection,
verse 5, If the unrighteousness of men commend and illus-
trate the righteousness of God; how then can God be just
in taking vengeance on those sins by which he is glorified?
To this the apostle answers two ways:
He abhors the consequence, verse 6. God forbid that we
should think him unjust because he punisheth those sins
which accidentally serve for the manifestation of his glo-
ry. For if God were unjust, how then should he judge
the world?
He answers, by putting a like case and giving a like in-
stance, verse 7, "If the truth of God hath more abounded
through my lie--why yet am I judged as a sinner?" As if
he had said, " By the like reason as you infer that it would
be unrighteous in God to wish those who are the occasion
of so much glory to him through their sins, by the like, I
might infer, that if by my lie I might glorify God, I were
not to be accounted a sinner for lying." But this, saith he,
verse 8, is a most wicked consequence, and such as would
justify the slanders of those who report that we affirm it
406 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
lawful to do evil that good may come, whose damnation is
just: that is, it is just with God to damn those who slander
us with such a gross untruth; and it is just with God to
damn those who hold so wicked and destructive a doctrine.
So you see that nothing could be more expressly spoken
against these officious lies than what the apostle here pro-
duceth in this place. He asserts, in general, that we must
not do evil that good may come thereof; and he instanceth
in particular, that we must not lie, although the glory of
God may be promoted by it.
3. The malicious and pernicious lie is a lie devised on
purpose for the hurt and damage of my neighbor. And this
is the worst and the most heinous sort of all, and hath
nothing that might excuse or extenuate it. It shows a
heart brimful of the bitterness of malice, when this pas-
sion works out at the mouth in slanderous reports and
false accusations. All lies are in themselves sinful; but
this is the vi1est and most abominab1e of all.
II. The AGGRAVATIONS OF THIS SIN. Consider,
1. It is a sin that makes you most like unto the devil.
The devil is a spirit, and therefore, gross carnal sins
cannot correspond to his nature. His sins are more re-
fined and intellectual; such as are pride and malice, de-
ceit and falsehood, John, 8:44, "He is a liar, and the
father of it." And the more malice goes into the com-
position of any lie, the more nearly it resembles him.
This is the first-born of the devil; the beginning of his
strength; for by lies he prevailed over wretched man;
hence it is his darling and beloved sin, and the greatest
instrument of promoting his kingdom. It is that which, in
his own mouth, ruined all mankind in the gross, when he
falsely suggested to our first parents that they should be
NINTH COMIMANDMENT. 407
as gods; and that which he still puts into the hearts and
mouths of men to ruin and destroy their souls and the
souls of others, Acts, 5:3, "Why hath Satan filled thine
heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?" "When he speaketh a
lie, he speaketh of his own," saith our Savior. And cer-
tainly, when we speak a he we repeat only what he
prompts and dictates to us. Thou never liest but thou
speakest aloud what the devil whispered softly to thee;
the old serpent lies folded round in thy heart, and we
may hear him hissing in thy voice. And therefore when
God summoned all his heavenly attendance about him,
and demanded who would persuade Ahab to go up and
fall at Ramoth-Gilead, an evil spirit that had crowded
in amongst them steps forth and undertakes the office, as
his most natural employment, and that wherein he most
of all delighted, 1 Kings, 22:22, "I will go forth and
be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets." Every
lie thou tellest, consider that the devil sits upon thy
tongue, breathes falsehood into thy heart, and forms thy
words and accents into deceit.
2. Consider that it is a sin most contrary to the nature
of God, who is truth itself: It is sin that he hates and
abominates, Prov. 6:16, 17, "These six things doth the
Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a
proud look, a lying tongue," &c.; and Prov. 12:22, "Ly-
ing lips are an abomination to the Lord." Hence we have
so many express commands given us against this sin, Lev.
19:11, "Ye shall not deal falsely, nor lie one to an-
other." Col. 3:9, "Lie not one to another." "Wherefore,
putting away lying, speak every man truth to his neigh-
bor." Eph. 4:25.
3. Consider that it is a sin that gives in a fearful evidence
408 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
against us that we belong to the devil and are his children;
for he is the father of lies and of liars. God's children
will imitate their heavenly Father in his truth and ve-
racity. And it is a. very observable place, Isa. 63:8,
"Surely," saith God, "they are my people; children that
will not lie; so he was their Savior."
4. Consider how dreadfully God hath threatened this
sin with, eternal death. Scarce anyone sin more express-
ly and particularly. Rev. 22:15, "Without," even in
outer darkness, "are dogs-and murderers, and idolaters,
and whosoever loveth or maketh a lie."
5. A lie showeth a most degenerate and cowardly fear of
men, and a most daring contempt of the great God. Who-
ever lies, does it out of a base and sordid fear lest some
evil and inconvenience should come to him by declaring
the truth. And this Montaigne, in his Essays, gives as the
reason why the imputation of lying is the most reproach-
ful ignominy that one man can lay upon another, and that
which most passionately moves them to revenge; because,
saith he, "To say a man lieth, is to say that he is audacious
towards God and a coward towards men." Lib. 2, c.18.
6. Mankind generally account lying a most infamous
and reproachful sin. A liar loseth all credit and reputa-
tion amongst men; and he who hath made himself scan-
dalous by lying, is not believed when he speaks truth.
Yea, it is so odious and foul a sin that we find it generally
esteemed worse than other sins; and the avoiding of this
is thought a good excuse for the commission of others;
for when men are moved with some violent passion they
often resolve to do those things which, when their passion
is allayed, they must look upon as grievous sins; yet,
rather "than be false to their word, and so censured for
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 409
lying, they will venture to perpetrate them. Thus Herod,
for his oath's sake, beheaded John the Baptist. And the
common excuse for rash and unwarrantable actions is, "I
said I would do thus or thus, and therefore I thought my-
self bound in honor to do it."
7. It is a sin that God will defect, and which exposeih those
who are guilty of it to shame and contempt. Lying lips
are "but for a moment." Prov. 12:19. And when they
are found out, as usually they are, by their own forget-
fulness and the interfering of their own speeches, how
shameful will their sin be to them! And the reward they
shall have for it is, that those who have accustomed them-
selves to lying shall not be believed' when they speak
truth.
Thus much concerning the heinousness and aggravation
of the sin of lying.
There remain two other violations of this command-
ment; the one is by slander and detraction, the other by
base flattery and soothing; and both may respect either
ourselves or others.
I shall now speak of the common sin of SLANDER and
DETRACTION: a sin that is reigning and triumphant in this
our age, and if I should likewise say in this place, I think
I should not myself be guilty of it by that censure.
Slander and detraction seem somewhat to differ. Slan-
der, properly, is a false imputation of vice, but detraction
is a causeless diminishing report of virtue. The one tra-
duceth us to be what indeed we are not, the other lessens
what we real1y are, and both are highly injurious to our
good name and reputation, the best and dearest of all our
earthly possessions.
Ten, Com. 18
410 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
When a man's life and actions are so blameless and
exemplary that even malice itself is ashamed to vent its
venom by base slanders lest it should appear to be ma-
lice, and the reproach should light rather upon the report-
ers than him whom they seek to defame, then it betakes
itself to those little sly arts of nibbling at the edges of a
man's credit and clipping away the borders of his good
name, that it may not pass so current in the world as be-
fore. Thus when any are so just as to give others their
due commendation either for learning, or wisdom, or piety,
or any other perfection, either of grace or of nature, you
shall have those who lie in wait to cut off other men's es-
teem. If they see it so strongly fortified by the conspicuous-
ness of it and the general vote of the world that they dare .
not attack the whole, they lurkingly assault part of it, and
what they cannot a1together deny they will endeavor to
diminish: "It is true, such a man is, as you say, learned
and knowing, but withal so knowing as to know that too.
He is wise, but his wisdom is rather politic than gene-
rous, and all his designs are biassed with self-ends. He is
charitable, but his charity seems too indiscreet; or if you
did not proclaim his good works he himself would. He is
pious and devout indeed, poor man, after his way, and ac-
cording to his knowledge." Thus by these blind hints
they endeavor either to find or to make a flaw in another
man's reputation, well knowing that a cracked name, like a
cracked bell, will not sound half so clear and loud in the
ears of the world as else it might. Thus you see what
slanders and detractions are. I remark,
1. A man may be a selfslanderer and a self-detracter.
Such are those who traduce and defame themselves, and
either assume to themselves those wickednesses which
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 411
they have not committed, or blame ably conceal those
gifts and excellencies they are endowed with, when they
are called to discover them for the glory of God and the
public good.
Some slander themselves out of hope of reward, when
they suppose that the crimes they boast of may be ac-
cepted as services by others. Thus, when Saul had slain
himself, an Amalekite falsely reports to David that he
had slain him-hoping to obtain a reward from him for
despatching his enemy.
Sometimes men impiously boast of those sins which
they never did and never durst commit, merely out of a
braving humor of vain-glory, and that among their de-
bauched companions they may gain the reputation of
valiant and daring sinners.
Others falsely accuse themselves of those sins of which
they were never guilty, out of a despairing and dejected
spirit. Thus many a poor soul that hath labored under
severe convictions, begins first to doubt, and then to con-
clude that he hath certainly committed the unpardonable
sin against the Holy Ghost, and, in extreme anguish and
horror, crieth guilty, and confesseth the indictment that
is falsely drawn up against him by the calumny of the
devil and his own dark fears and melancholy.
Sometimes men detract from themselves out of a lying
and dissembled humility, making this kind of detraction
only a bait for commendation; as knowing the ball will
rebound back the farther to them the harder they strike
it from them. This is usually an artifice of proud and
arrogant persons; and those who cannot endure to be
contradicted in any thing else, would be very loth you
should yield to them in this.
412 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
And, lastly, others detract from themselves out of a too
bashful modesty, or to avoid some troublesome and un-
pleasing employments which they are called unto. Thus
we find Moses, Exod. 4:10, making many excuses that
he was "not eloquent," but "slow of speech and slow
of tongue;" and all because he was loth to under-
take that difficult and dangerous charge of bringing out
the children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt.
All these kinds of self-slander and detraction are evil,
and some of them most vile and abominable.
2. There is a slandering of and detracting from another,
wronging him unjustly in his fame and reputation, which
we ought tenderly to preserve and cherish. God and
nature have intrusted us mutually with each other's
good name. Thy brother's credit is put as a precious
deposit into thy hands, and if thou wickedly lavishest it
out by spreading false rumors of him, or carelessly keep-
est it, by suffering others to do so when it is in thy power
to justify him, know assuredly that it will be strictly re-
quired of thee, for in this respect every man is his bro-
ther's keeper.
This slandering of others may be either in judicial pro-
cess or in common and ordinary converse.
(1.) In judicial process. And then it is truly and pro-
perly false-witnessing-- when thou risest up against thy-
brother in judgment, and attestest that which thou know-
est to be false and forged, or which thou art not most
infallibly assured to be true. And this sin is the more
heinous and dreadful on account of two aggravating cir-
cumstances that attend it.
Since usually all actions in law and judgment concern
either the person or the estate of thy brother, by a false
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 413
witness thou not only wrongest him in his name and
reputation, but also either his person or his estate, and so
thou art not only a slanderer but a thief or murderer.
"A hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor."
Prov. 11:9. And by so much the more odious is thy
crime, in that thou pervertest the law, which was intended
to be a fence and safeguard to every man's property, and
turnest it against itself, making it the instrument of thy in-
justice and cruelty. The Psalmist, Psal. 52:2, compares
Doeg's malicious tongue to a sharp razor; and certainly
when thou givest a false testimony against thy brother,
thy tongue is a sharp razor, it not only wounds his
credit but cuts his throat.
Again, since usual1y all judicial proceedings exact from
the witnesses a tremendous oath solemnly taken by the
name of the great God of heaven, to give in a false testi-
mony is not only to be guilty of slander but of perjury too.
Yea, and let me add one thing more to make it a most
accumulate wickedness; such a false testimony is not only
slander and perjury, but it is blasphemy too. For what
else is it but to bring the most holy God, who is eternal
truth, to confirm a falsehood and a lie? What can be a
higher affront to his most sacred majesty than this? For
a sworn witness is therefore accepted because he brings
God in to be a witness too. And wilt not thou tremble,
O wretch, to cite God to appear a witness to that which
a thousand witnesses within thee (I mean thy own con-
science) do all depose to be false and forged; and so
to transfer thy injustice, and rapine, and bloody murder
upon him, and shelter them all under the shadow of his
veracity and faithfulness!
You see then how horrid an impiety this is; and yet
414 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
how common it is, not only those who by this wicked
means suffer wrong, but others who are conversant in
such judiciary trials do too truly report.
May it please God to put it into the hearts of our ru-
lers to enact more severe and rigorous laws against those
who are found guilty of it! It is sad to think that whereas
a thief shall be adjudged to death (in England) for stealing
some petty inconsiderable matter, and perhaps too for the
relief of his pressing necessities; yet two villains that
have conspired together by false accusations and perjured
testimonies to take away a man's whole estate, or possibly
his life, should for these far greater crimes be sentenced
to so easy a punishment that only shame and reproach
make up the severest part of it. Certainly methinks it
were but just that the least they should suffer should be a
retaliation of their intended mischiefs, and that the same
they designed against their brother should be inflicted on
themselves; whether it be loss of life or loss of goods and
estate. It is but equity that the plotters and artificers
of mischief should perish by their own craft. And if this
rigor and wholesome severity were used, we should not
have so many oaths set out to hire, nor would any make
it a trade to be a witness; but innocency would be se-
cured under the protection of the laws, and the laws
themselves be innocent of the ruin of many hundreds, who
by this means fall into the snares of ungodly men. Of
this one thing I am sure, that God himself thought it a
most equitable law when he thus provided for the safety
of his people Israel: Deut. 19:18-20, "If the witness be
a false witness, and testify falsely against his brother, then
shall ye do unto him as he had thought to do unto his bro-
ther: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you;
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 415
and those which remain shall hear and fear, and shall
henceforth commit no more any such evil among you."
(2.) There is a slandering of others in our common and
ordinary converse. And this is either open and avowed,
in their presence and to their faces; or secret and sly, be-
hind their backs.
The open and avowed is also twofold. One way is by
reviling and railing speeches, as Shimei barked at David,
2 Sam. 16:7, "Come out, thou bloody man, and thou
man of Belial." And I wish that our streets and houses
did not, to their great disgrace and reproach, echo with
such clamor; and that too many did not rake together all
the dirty expressions which their wit and malice will
serve them to invent only to throw into one another's
faces. A sin which, as it is sordid and base in itself, so
it chiefly reigns among those who are of a mean condi-
tion; but wherever found, is a disparagement to human na-
ture, a sin against civil society, and argues men guilty of
much folly and brutishness; and I am sure it is a transgres-
sion of that express command of the apostle, Eph. 4:31,
32, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and cla-
mor, and evil-speaking be put away from you, with all
malice; and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you."
The other way of open, avowed slander is by bitter
taunts and sarcastical scoffs. And this is usually an ap-
plauded sin among the more refined sort of men, who
take a pride and glory in exposing others and making
them ridiculous, thinking their own wit never looks so
beautiful as when it is dyed in other's blushes. But this
is a most scurrilous and offensive way, wherein certainly
416 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
he hath the most advantage, not who hath most wit,
but that hath least modesty. These kinds of tauntings are
sometimes such as the apostle calls cruel mockings, and
reckons up as one part of those persecutions which the
primitive christians endured. Heb. 11:36. As Nero for
his barbarous sport wrapped up the christians in beasts'
skins and then set dogs to worry them; so these dis-
guise their brethren in false and antic shapes, and then
fall upon them and beat them.
Again, there is a more secret and sly conveyance of
slander, by backbiting, whispering, and the carrying up
and down of tales. Like those busy tongues, Jer. 20:10,
that would fain find or make themselves some employ-
ment, saying, Report, and we will report. And so a
false and slanderous rumor shall, like the liver Nile,
spread over the whole land, and yet the head of it be
never known: it shall pass on to the indelible blot and
infamy of thy neighbor, and tile first author of it lie hid
and concealed in the crowd, as some fishes will in the mud
which they themselves have stirred. Against this sort of
men Solomon, in his book of Proverbs, is very severe;
and there is no one wickedness which that excellent.
compendium of wisdom and morality doth more inveigh
against than this of whispering about another man's dis-
grace, Prov. 18:8, "The words of a tale-bearer are as
wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of
the belly." And this he repeats again, chap. 26:22, in-
timating that the wound which such a tongue makes is
deep, but yet hid and secret, and therefore the more in-
curable. And Prov. 16:28, "A whisperer separateth
chief friends." He is, as it were, the devil's truchman
and interpreter between them both, and goeth to one and
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 417
buzzeth in his ear what such a one said of him, although
perhaps it be altogether false; and when he hath by this
means got some angry and choleric speeches from him,
goes and reports them back to the other; and so by his
wicked breath blows up the coals of strife and dissension
between them. Therefore the wise man tells us, "Where
no wood is, the fire goeth out; so, where there is no
tale-bearer the strife ceaseth." Prov. 26:20. The
apostle cautions the Corinthians against this sin, 2 Cor.
12:20, "I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you
such as I would-lest there be among you debates, en-
vyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swell-
ings, tumults;" and he reckons it up among the black
catalogue of those crimes, for the which "God gave up"
the heathen "to a reprobate mind, to do those things
which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighte-
ousness-full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity,
whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud,
boasters, inventors of evil things." Rom. 1:28-30.
Now one of the chief artifices of this sort of men is to
calumniate strenuously, according to that old maxim of
the devil, Calumniare fortiter, et aliquid adhaerebit, "Slan-
der stoutly, and somewhat will stick behind;" for though
the wound may possibly be healed, yet the scar will still
remain, and be a blemish to a man's reputation as long as
he lives.
But then again there is another kind of slander and de-
traction, when a man divulgeth those imperfections and
faults which are truly in his neighbor, without being called
or necessitated to do it. For sometimes truth itself may
be a slander, when it is spoken with an evil design to the
hurt and prejudice of another.
18*
418 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Indeed, if thou be duly called to witness in judgment;
or if it be in thy own defence and vindication, when, if
thou dost not discover him that is guilty, thou thyself
mayst be supposed to be the person; or if the crime be such
as ought not to escape unpunished; or if the remain contu-
macious after more private admonition, in which case our
Savior commands us to tell it to the church: or lastly, when
it is for the safety and security of another, who might else
be wronged should we conceal from him the mischiefs
which others intend him: in these cases it is both lawful
and expedient to make known the faults of thy brother.
But then be sure that thou do it not with any secret
delight and exultation that thou hast his credit to tram-
ple upon, to raise thine own the higher; but with that ,
true grief and sorrow of heart which may evince to all the
world that nothing but conscience and a sense of thy duty
enforced thee to publish his shame, which thou wouldst
be willing to hide at the price of any thing but sin and
thine own shame.
But, alas! it is strange to consider the depravity of our
nature, how we delight in other men's sins, and are
secretly glad when their miscarriages give us an occasion
to reproach and disgrace them. How many are big with
such stuff, and go in pain till they have disburthened
themselves into the ears of others! And some are such
ill dissemblers of their joy, that they do it with open
scorn and irrision. Others are more artificially malicious,
and with a deep sigh and a downcast look, and a whining
voice and an affected slowness, whisper to one, "Alas!
did you not hear of such a gross miscarriage by such a
one? and then whisper the same thing to another, and
a third; and when they have made it as public as they
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 419
can, hypocritically desire every one to keep secret, for
that they would be loth their neighbor should come to
any disgrace and trouble about it. Believe it, sirs, this,
though the matter you report be never so true, is nothing
else but slander; because it is done to no good end, but
only to feed your own malice, and, like flies, to lie suck-
ing the galled backs and sores of others. And therefore
we find that Doeg, though he told nothing but the truth,
1 Sam. 22:9, 10, yet is by David challenged as a liar
and slanderer. Ps. 52.
Having thus shown what this sin of slander is, I shall
give some brief RULES AND DIRECTIONS, which, through
the grace of God, may be serviceable to keep you from
this common sin; and then such as may show how you
ought to demean yourselves under the lash of other
men's slanderous tongues.
1. How to keep yourselves from slandering others.
(1.) If thou wouldst keep thyself from being a slanderer
of others, addict not thyself violently to anyone party or
persuasion of men. For party spilit will beget prejudice,
and prejudice is the jaundice of the soul, which repre-
sents other men and their actions in the color which our
own disease puts upon them. And indeed we have all
generally such a good conceit of ourselves, that it is a very
hard and difficult matter to have a good esteem for others
who are not of our judgment and of our way. And this
makes us, first, very willing to hear some evil of them;
for because we think that what we do is good, we cannot
cordially think them good who do not judge and act as
we ourselves do, and so our minds are prepared to en-
tertain reports against them from others, and then to
420 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
spread them abroad ourselves. And I cannot but impute
to this the great uncharitableness of our days, wherein
love and brotherly kindness lie murdered under the vio-
lence of different persuasions, and different modes, and
divers ways of worshipping one, and the same God and
our Lord Jesus Christ. Hence all those lying rumors
and lying wonders that one party invents to beat down
the other. Both suffer from each other's envenomed
tongues, and between' both, truth suffers, and charity
perishes, and is utterly lost. For shame, O christians!
Is this the way to promote God's cause or Christ's king-
dom? Doth he or it stand in need of your lies? Will
you speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for him?
Shall his honor be maintained by the devil's inventions?
I shall not speak partially; but wheresoever the fault
lies, there let the censure fall--that it is certainly a
very strong presumption of a weak and bad cause, when
the refuge and support of it are lies.
(2.) If thou wouldst not be guilty of slander, he not
husy in other men's affairs. Keep thine eyes within doors
and thy thoughts at home. Inquire not what others say
nor what others do, but look to thine own affairs, and
guide them with discretion. Thou hast work enough
at home, within thine own heart, and in thine own
house; and if thou art careful to manage that well,
thou wilt scarcely have either time or inclination to re-
ceive or divulge bad reports of others. And therefore
the apostle joins idleness and tattling together, "They
learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house;
and not only idle, but tattlers' also, and busy-bodies,
speaking things which they ought not." 1 Tim. 5:13.
They are idle, and yet busy-bodies, very idly busy, who,
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 421
because they care not to employ their hands, set their
tongues on work, and suffer them to walk through the
world abusing and lashing every one they meet. A true
description of a company of giddy flies in our times, that
aloe always roving from house to house; and skipping
about, now this man's ear, and by and by to that, and
buzzing reports of what ill they have heard or observed
of others.
(3.) Take another rule. If thou wouldst not be guilty
of slander, be frequent in reflecting on thine own miscarria-
ges, or thy proneness to fall into the same or greater faults.
When thou hearest or knowest of any foul and scanda-
lous sin committed by another, look backwards upon thine
own life and actions. Canst thou find no blots in thy copy?
Is the whole course of thy life fair written upon thy con-
science? If not, how canst thou without shame to thyself
upbraid thy brother with his miscarriages, when thou thy-
self hast been guilty of the like or greater? Or why, O
hypocrite, "beholdest thou the mote that is in thy bro-
ther's eye, and seest not the beam that is in thine own?"
Methinks our shame for our own sins should be a cover-
ing to our brother's, and when we ourselves are guilty,
we should not be so malicious nor foolish as to reproach
ourselves by reproaching him; for thus to eclipse and
darken his good name is but as when the moon ec1ipseth
the sun, her own darkness and obscurity is made the
more evident by it.
Or if God by his restraining grace hath kept thee from
those wickednesses into which he hath suffered others to
fall, yet then look inward, view and search thine own
heart, ransack over thy corrupted nature, and there thou
shalt find those, yea, and far greater abominations than
422 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
those, like beds of twisted serpents knotting and crawling
within thee. Say with thyself, "How can I reproach him
who hath but copied forth mine own nature? How can I
expose his infamy who hath but done what I have much
ado to keep myself from doing? Possibly the same temp-
tation might have prevailed over me too, had God let it
loose upon me. I owe my preservation, not to any differ-
ence that was between us, but only to the free and abound-
ing grace of God: by this it is that I stand; and shall
I reproach him for falling, who should also myself have
fallen were I not strong1y upheld by another?" Thus I
say, by reflecting on ourselves we shall be withheld from
being injurious in our censures and in our reports of
others, we shall hardly divulge their real miscarriages;
much less accuse and slander them with false and forged
ones. This is the apostle's rule, Gal. 6:1, "Brethren, if
a man be overtaken in a fault, ye, which are spiritual, re-
store such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering
thyself lest thou also be tempted."
(4.) If you would not be guilty of slander, listen not to
those who are slanderers and detracters. Lend not your
ears to those who go about with tales and whispers,
whose idle business it is to ten news of this man and the
other; for if these kinds of flies can but blow in your
ears, the worms will certainly creep out at your mouths.
For all discourse is kept up by exchange, and if he bring
thee one story, thou wilt think it incivility not to repay
him with another for it; and so they chat over the whole
neighborhood, accuse this man, and condemn another t and
suspect a third, and speak evil of all. I wish that the
most of our converse were not taken up this way, in re-
counting stories of what passed between such and such,
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 423
when all is to no other end but to bring an evil report
upon them. Now, if any such backbiters haunt thee, who
make it their trade to run up and down with tales and
news, give them no countenance, listen not to their de-
tractions, but rather sharply rebuke them and silence
their slanderous tongues; and this will either drive the
slander from them or the slanderer from thee. "The
north wind driveth away rain, so doth an angry counte-
nance a backbiting tongue." Prov. 25:23.
(5.) If you would not be slanderers of others, be not
self-lovers. For self-love always causeth envy, and envy
detraction. An envious man cannot endure another's
praise, and therefore seeketh all he can to blast it by
false reports and lying slanders, as if all that were de-
tracted from another were added to his own reputation.
When his neighbor's fame begins to grow tall and to
spread about him, he then seeks what he can to cut it
down, because he thinks it hinders his prospect, and the
world cannot take so fair a view of him as he desires,
therefore he is still hewing at it, sometimes with oblique
and sometimes with direct blows, sometimes striking at
his talents and. sometimes at his piety; and if he can but
make these fall in the esteem of the world, then he thinks
none shall be so much respected and honored as himself.
A man that is a self-lover thinks all due to himself: all
praise and commendation must run in his channel, or
else it takes a wrong course, and he accounts just so much
taken from him as is ascribed to another, and this puts
him upon this base art of detraction, that by depressing
others he may advance himself, and raise the structure of
his own fame upon the ruins of his neighbor's. Therefore
if thou wouldst not slander others, be sure do not too
424 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
much admire thyself. For self-applause and self-esteem is
like a pike in a pond, that will eat up and devour all about
it, that itself may thrive and grow upon them.
(6.) Be not too ready to entertain suspicious and evil
surmises against others. For if thou begin to suspect evil
of another, the next thing is to conclude it, and the next
to report it. This suspicion is a strange shadow that
every action of another will cast upon our minds, espe-
cially if we be beforehand a little disaffected towards them.
Thus very dreams increased suspicion against Joseph in
his brethren. And if once a man be out of esteem with
us, let him then do what he will, be it never so virtuous
and commendable, suspicion will still be the interpreter;
and where suspicion is the interpreter of men's actions,
slander and detraction will be the gloss and comment
upon them. Indeed suspicion is always too hasty in con-
cluding, and many times our jealousies and distrusts upon
very small occasions prompt us to conclude that what we
have thus surmised is certainly come to pass, and so we take
shadows for enemies, and report that confidently for truth
which yet we never saw acted but only in our own fancies.
Now, notwithstanding that this sin of slander and de-
traction is so great and heinous, yet may it not be justly
feared that many place their whole religion in it, and
think themselves so much the better by how much the
worse they think and report of other men? Do they not
think it a piece of zeal and warmth for the worship and
service of God, to cry down all as superstitious that do
not worship him in their way? Do they not make it, if not
a part, yet a sign of holiness, to be still finding fault and
crying out against others; to be censorious and clamorous
Such a class of men they represent as all lewd and pro-
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 425
fane, and such a class as all rebellious and hypocrites; and
then, to justify their censures, they instance possibly in
two or three, of whom perhaps they know no more than
the bare names.
And what tends all this to but mutual exasperation?
Those that do not believe them are exasperated against
the reporters, and those who do believe them are exas-
perated against the slandered.
And as it tends to exasperation, so likewise it encou-
rageth and hardeneth many in their sins. For when they
hear so much evil blazed abroad in the world, and few or
none escape without having some foul blot rubbed upon
them, or infamous crime reported of them whether truly
or falsely, how natural that many should think that sin
and wickedness is no such strange thing, and so embolden
themselves to commit that which they hear is so common.
I beseech you therefore, christians, for the peace of
the church, which else will continue sadly rent and di-
vided; for the sake of christianity, which else will be dis-
credited and reviled; for your brethren's sake, who else
will be discouraged or exasperated, be very cautious
what reports you either receive or make of others. Their
good name is very precious, precious to God when their
blameless conversation warrants it, and precious to them-
selves. However, unless there be absolute necessity, and
you are constrained to do it for the glory of God and the
good of others, divulge not their imperfections though
they be real, and in no case whatever feign or devise false
rumors concerning them. "Take heed lest, if ye bite and
devour one another, ye be not consumed one of another,"
and one with another. These are rules to keep you from
being guilty of slander against others.
426 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
2. But if any are guilty of raising an ill report against
you, observe these following rules and directions how you
ought to demean yourselves in this case.
(1.) If the reproach they cast on thee be true and deserved,
though they perhaps have sinned in disclosing it to the
world, yet make this use of it: go thou and disclose it in
thy most humble and penitent confessions unto God; yea,
and if thou art called thereunto by due form of law, give
glory unto God by confessing it before men. Men possi-
bly may upbraid thee with it, but by this course God will
forgive thee, without upbraiding thee.
(2.) If thou art falsely charged with that which never
was in thy heart to do, yet improve this providence to stir
thee up to pray the more fervently that God would for ever
keep thee from falling into that sin with which others slan-
der thee: so shall all their reproaches be thrown merely
into the air, and fall at last heavy on their own heads,
whilst thou rejoicest in the innocency of thine own soul.
(3.) If any unjustly slander thee, revenge not thyself upon
them by slandering them again. I must confess that this
is a very hard lesson, and requires almost an angelical
perfection to perform it well. We read in the Epistle of
St. Jude, that when Michael and the devil contended
about the body of Moses," the holy angel "durst not
bring a railing accusation" against that wicked spirit, but
only said, "The Lord rebuke thee." And so, when men
of devilish spirits spew out their slanders and broach all
the ma1icious accusations that their father the great ac-
cuser hath ever suggested to them, return not slander for
slander; for so the devil would teach thee to be a devil;
but with all quietness and meekness desire of God to re-
buke their lies and calumnies, and by all wise and pru-
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 427
dent means vindicate thyself, clear up thine integrity, and
make it appear that though "the archers have shot at
thee and sorely grieved thee with their arrows, even bit-
ter words;" yet still "thy bow remaineth in its strength."
What saith the apostle? 1 Pet. 3:9, Render not "evi1
for evil, or railing for railing." And indeed whoever doth
so seeks only to heal a wound in his name by malting a
much deeper one in his conscience.
(4.) When thou art, falsely aspersed and slandered; re-
fer thyself and appeal to the all-knowing God: retire in-
to the peace and refuge of thine own conscience, and
there shalt thou find enough for their confutation and thy
comfort.
Know that a good name may be in the power of
every slanderous tongue to blast; but they cannot cor-
rupt thy conscience to vote with them. Possibly, it is
only the excellence and eminence of thy grace that of-
fends them: if so, glory in it; for the reproaches of
wicked men are the best testimonials that can be given of
an excellent and singular christian. In a strict and holy
conversation there is such contradiction to the loose and
profane of the world, as at once both convinces and vexes
them, reproves and provokes them. And if thou dost
thus reproach them by thy life, wonder not at it if they
again reproach thee by their lying slanders. Be not too
solicitous bow they esteem thee. It is miserable to live
upon the reports and opinions of others; let us not much
reckon what they say, but what reports our own con-
sciences make; and if a storm of obloquy and reproaches,
railings and slanders, do at any time patter upon us, how
.sweet is it to retire inwards to the calm innocency of our
own hearts! there aloe a thousand witnesses which will
428 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
tell us we have not deserved them. How comfortable is
it to remit our cause to God, and to leave our vindication.
to him for whose cause we suffer reproach! Thus Jere-
miah appeals to God: "I heard the defaming of many-
Report, say they, and we will report it. But, O Lord of
hosts, thou that triest the righteous, and seest the reins
and the heart, unto thee have I opened my cause." Ch.
20:10, 12. Thus, if whilst wicked men are maliciously
conspiring how to blot and sully our names, we can but
keep our consciences clear, what need we much trouble
ourselves how the wind blows abroad, since we are har-
bored under the retreat of a peaceable heart? They may
possibly persuade others to believe their calumnies; but
God, who searcheth the heart and conscience, knows that
we are injured; and he is hastening on a day wherein he
will clear up our righteousness; and then the testimony ,
of a good conscience shall put ten thousand slanderers to
silence.--Thus I have spoken of this sin, slander and de-
traction.
The third sin against this commandment is BASE FLAT-
TERY, which is a quite opposite extreme to the other, as
both are opposite to truth. There is either self-flattery,
or the flattering of others.
1. There is a self-flattery. And indeed every man is,
as Plutarch well observed, his own greatest flatterer.
However empty and defective we may be, yet we are all
apt to love ourselves, perhaps without a rival, and to be
puffed up with a vain conceit of our own imaginary per-
fections, to applaud and commend ourselves in our own
thoughts and fancies, and to think that we excel all others
in what we have, and what we have not we despise as
nothing worth. From this abundance of a vain heart
NINTH COMMANDMENT. 429
break out arrogant boastings of ourselves, contemning of
others, and a presumptuous intruding ourselves into those
employments and functions which we are no way able to
manage. Learn, therefore, O christian, to take the just
measure of thyself. Let it not be too scanty, for that will
make thee pusillanimous and cowardly, and through an
extreme of modesty render thee unserviceable to God
and the world. But rather let it be too scanty than too
large, for this will make thee proud, arrogant and as-
suming; and by exercising thyself in things too high for
thee, thou wilt but spoil whatsoever thou dost rashly and
overweeningly venture upon. If thou art at any time
called or necessitated to speak of thyself: let it rather be
less than the truth than more; for the tongue is of itself
(very apt to be lavish when it hath so sweet and pleasing
a theme as a man's own praise. Take the advice of So-
lomon: "Let another man praise thee, and not thine
own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." Prov.
27:2.
2. There is a sinful flattering of others, and that either
by an immoderate extolling of their virtues, or what is
worse, by a wicked commendation even of their very
vices. This is a sin most odious to God, who hath threat-
ened to "cut off all flattering lips." Psalm 12:3. But es-
pecially it is most detestable in ministers, whose very office
and function it is to reprove men for their sins, if they
shall "daub with untempered mortar," and "sew pillows
under men's elbows," crying "Peace, peace, when there
is no peace to the wicked," only that they may lull them
asleep in their security; they do but betray their souls,
and the blood of them God will certainly require at their
hands.
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house: thou shalt not
covet thy neighbor's wife; nor his man-servant, nor his
maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that
is thy neighbor's.
Thus are we at last, through the Divine assistance, ar-
lived to the tenth and last precept of the moral law.
Indeed the papists, and after them some protestants,
divide it into two, making these words, thou shalt not covet
thy neighbor's wife, to be one entire command; and then
putting together the other branches of it, thou shalt not
covet thy neighbor's house, nor his servant, &c. to piece up
the last. And then, withal, to keep the number of the
commandments from swe1ling beyond a decalogue, or ten
words, some join the first and second together into one;
and the papists, in propounding the commandments to the
people, wholly leave out the second, fearing they may be
corrupted by hearing it, because it speaks too boldly
against their ido1atry and image-worship.
But how infinitely rash is it for vile wretches either to
invert or defalcate, and as it were to decimate the laws
of the great God, by the which they and all their actions
must be judged at the last day!
And certainly were it not that they might the better
conceal from the ignorant common people the dangerous
TENTH COMMANDMENT. 431
and heretical words of the second commandment, they
could have lain under no temptation at all to do a thing
altogether so unreasonable as the dividing of this tenth
commandment into two; for on the same ground might
they as well have divided it into seven, since there are
many more concupiscences mentioned in it than that
of our neighbor's wife and of his house. And if each of
these must constitute a distinct precept, why not also,
thou shalt not covet his man-servant: thou shalt not covet
his ox, &c.
Besides, the order of the words makes clearly against
them. For whereas they make, thou shalt not covet thy
neighbor' s wife to be the ninth, in the text those words,
thou shalt not covet thy nelghbor's house go before them,
so that either they must needs confess it to belong to the
tenth, or else must grant a most unintelligible hyperba-
ton both of sense and words, such as would bring in
utter confusion and disorder amongst those laws which
God certainly prescribed us in a most admirable method
and disposition.
But to speak no more of this, I shall first consider the
sin here prohibited, and then close up with some practical
use and improvement.
I. The sin here prohibited is CONCUPISCENCE, or an
unlawful lusting after what is another man's.
For since God had in the other commandments for-
bidden the acts of sin against our neighbor, he well knew
that the best means to keep men from committing sin in"
act would be to keep them from desiring it in heart; and
therefore he who is a Spirit imposeth a law on our spirits,
and forbids us to covet what before he had forbidden us to
412 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
perpetrate. It is true that other precepts are spiritual
likewise, and their authority reacheth to the mind and
the most secret thoughts and imaginations of the
heart; for our Savior, Mat. 5, accuseth him of adul-
tery that doth but lust after a woman, and him of mur-
der that is but angry with his brother without a cause;
and it is a most certain rule; that whatever precept pro-
hibits the outward act of any sin, prohibits likewise the
inward propension and desires of the soul towards it.
But because these are not plainly and literally expressed
in the former commands, therefore the infinite wisdom of
God thought it fit to add this last command, wherein he
doth expressly arraign and condemn the very first mo-
tions of our hearts towards any sinful object; and where-
as, before he had commanded us not to kill, not to steal,
not to commit adultery, not to slander and bear false wit-
ness; now in the last place, for the greater security that
these his laws should not be violated, he commands us
not so much as to harbor in our hearts any desire: to-
wards these. So that this tenth commandment may well
be called Vinculum Legis, the bond of the whole law; and
it is especially the bond that strengthens and confirms the
second table; for because all our outward actions take
their first rise from our inward motions and concupis-
cence, there is no such way to provide for our innocency
as to lay a check and restraint upon these.
Concupiscence is sometimes taken in Scripture in a good
sense, but more often in an evil. There is an honest and
lawful concupiscence, when we desire those things which
are lawful, to which we have right, and of which we have
need. There is likewise a holy and pious, and a wicked and
sinful concupiscence. We have both together, Gal. 5:17,
TENTH COMMANDMENT. 433
"The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against
the flesh."
It is only concerning this sinful concupiscence that we
are at present to speak. This evil concupiscence is the
first- born of original sin; the first essay and expression of
that corruption which hath seized on us and on all the
wretched posterity of Adam. For in original sin, besides
the guilt which results from the imputation of the primi-
tive transgression to us, and makes us liable to eternal
death, there is likewise an universal depravation of our
natures, consisting, first, in a loss of those spiritual perfec-
tions wherewith man was endowed in, his creation, which is
the defacing of the image of God stamped on our nature
in knowledge, righteousness and true holiness; and se-
condly, and consequent upon this, in a violent propension
and inclination to whatsoever is really evil and contrary to
the holy will and commands of God, and this is the image
of the devil, into which man, by his voluntary apostasy
and defection, hath transformed himself.
This inordinate inclination of the soul to what is evil and
sinful is properly the concupiscence forbidden in this com-
mandment. For the soul of man being an active and busy
creature, must still be putting forth itself in actions suita-
ble to its nature. Before the fall man enjoyed supernatu-
ral grace, though in a natural way; which enabled him to
point every motion of his soul towards God, and to fix
him as the object and end of all his actions; but, forfeit-
ing this grace by the fall, and being left in the hands of
mere nature, all his actions now, instead of aspiring to
God, pitch only on the creature. And this becomes sin to
us, not merely because we affect and desire created good
for that is lawfu1, but because we affect and desire it in
Ten Com, 19
434 TIIE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
an inordinate manner, that is, without affecting and desir-
ing God. And thus the soul not being able, without grace
and the image of God, to raise its operations to God,
pitched upon low, sinful objects, to the neglect and slight-
ing of God and the great concerns of heaven. This is, in
the general, that inordinate disposition of the soul which
is here called coveting or concupiscence.
There are four degrees of this sinful concupiscence.
1. There is the motus primo primi, or the first film and
shadow of an evil thought, the imperfect embryo of a sin
I before it is well shaped in us or hath received any linea-
ments and features. And these the Scripture calls the
imaginations of the thoughts of men's hearts, Gen. 6:5,
"God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of man's ;
heart was only evil continually:" that is, the very first
figment and flushing of our thoughts is evil and corrupt.
Indeed, some of these are injected by the devil. Many
times he assaults the dearest of God's children with hor-
rid temptations, and importunately casts into their minds
strange thoughts of questioning the very being of God,
the truth of the Scriptures, the immortality of the soul,
future rewards and punishments, and such other blas-
phemous, hideous and unshapen monsters, against the
very fundamentals of religion, for the truth of which they
would willingly sacrifice their very lives as a testimony to
them. These indeed are not their sins, although they are
their great troubles and afflictions; for they come only
from a principle without them, and they are merely pas-
sive and sufferers by them, so long as they are watchful
to abhor and resist them, and to cast these fiery darts of
the devil back again into his face. But then there are
other first motions arising in our hearts towards those
TENTH COMMANDMENT. 435
sins which are more delightful and pleasant to our sensual
inclinations: these, whatsoever the papists say to the con-
trary, as soon as ever they do but begin to heave and stir
in our breasts, are truly sins, and do in their measure
pollute and defile the soul; for the soul of man is like a
clear mirror, upon which if you only breathe you sully
it and leave a dimness upon it. So truly, the very first
breathings of an evil thought and desire in our souls do
sully their beauty and dim their lustre, and render the
image of God less conspicuous in them than it was
before.
2. A farther degree of this concupiscence is, when
these evil motions are entertained in the sensual mind with
some measure of complacency and delight.
When a sinful object offers itself to a carnal heart,
there is a kind of inward pleasing titillation that affects
it with delight, and begets a kind of sympathy between
them. As in natural sympathies a man is taken and de-
lighted with an object before he knows the reason why
he is so; so likewise in this sinful sympathy between a
carnal heart and a sensual object, the heart is taken and
delighted with it before it hath had time to consider what
there is in it that should so move and affect it. At the
very first sight and glimpse of a person we many times
find that we conceive some more particular respect for
him than possibly for a whole crowd of others, though all
may be equally unknown to us; so on the very first
glimpse and apparition of a sinful thought in our minds,
we find that there is something in it that commands a
particular regard from us, that unbosoms and unlocks
our very souls to it, even before we have the leisure to
examine why.
436 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
3. Hereupon follows assent and approbation of the sin
in the practical judgment, which, being blinded and for-
cibly carried away by the violence of corrupt and carnal
affections, commends the sin to the executive faculties.
The understanding is the great trier of every deliberate
action, so that nothing passeth into act which hath not
first passed examination and censure there; whether this
or that action is to be done is the great question canvass-
ed in this court, and all the powers and faculties of the
soul wait what definitive sentence will be here pronounc-
ed, and so accordingly proceed. Now here two things
do usually appear and put in their plea to the judg-
ment against sin; God's law, and God's advocate, con-
science; the law condemns, and conscience cites that
law. But then the affections step in and bribe the judge
with profit, or pleasure, or honor, and thereby corrupt
the judgment to give its vote and assent unto sin.
4. When any sinful motion hath thus gotten an allow-
ance and pass from the judgment, then it betakes itself to
the will for a decree. The judgment approves it, and there-
fore the will must now resolve to commit it, and then the
sin is fully perfected and formed within, and there wants
nothing but opportunity to bring it forth into act.
Thus you see what this concupiscence is, and the de-
grees of it, viz. the first bubblings up of evil thoughts in
our hearts, our complacency and. delight in them, (as in-
deed it is very hard and much against corrupt nature
not to love these first-born of our souls,) the assent and
allowance of our judgment, and the decree and resolution
of our wills. Each of these is forbidden in this com-
mandment.
But if the sin proceeds any further, it then exceeds the
TENTH COMMANDMENT. 437
bounds and limits of this commandment, and falls under
the prohibition of some of the former, which forbid the
outward acts of sin.
Thus much concerning evil concupiscence in the ge-
neral.
But here is mention likewise made of several particu-
lar objects of it: thy neighbor's house, his wife, his ser-
vants, his cattle, (under which are comprehended all sorts
of his possessions,) and all is included under the last
clause, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's. So that, to
desire to take from him either his life, or his good name,
or his virtue, is this condemned covetousness; as well as
a desire to take from him his temporal possessions and
II. I shall close all with some PRACTICAL USE AND
IMPROVEMENT.
1. Learn here to adore the unlimited and boundless so-
vereignty of the great God.
His authority immediately reacheth to the very soul
and conscience, and lays an obligation on our very
thoughts and desires, which no human laws can do. It
is but a folly for men to intermeddle with or impose
laws upon that of which they can take no cognizance,
and therefore our thoughts and desires are free from
their censure any farther than they discover themselves
by overt acts. But though they escape the commands
and notice of men, yet they cannot escape God. He seeth-
not as men see, neither judgeth he as men judge: the se-
crets of all hearts are open and bare before his eyes: he
looks through our very souls, and there is not the least
hint of a thought, not the least breath of a desire stirring
19*
438 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
in us but it is more distinctly visible to him than the
most opake bodies are unto us. "The Lord knoweth
the thoughts of man, that they are vanity." Ps. 94:11.
And therefore his law, like his knowledge, reaches unto
the most secret recesses of the soul, searches every corner
of the heart, judges and condemns those callow lusts
which men never espy; and if these find harbor and,
shelter there, condemns thee as a transgressor, and guilty
of eternal death, how plausible soever thy external de-
meanor may be. Wherefore,
2. Content not thyself with an outward conformity to
the law, but labor to approve thy heart in sincerity and
purity unto God: otherwise thou art but a pharisaical
hypocrite, and washest only the outside of the cup, when
within thou art still full of unclean lusts.
This was the corrupt doctrine of the scribes and phari-
sees, that the law reached only to the outward man; and
although we entertained and cherished wicked desires
and evil purposes in our hearts, yet so long as they did
not break forth into outward crimes, they were not to be
imputed unto us, nor did God account them as sins. And
this St. Paul confesseth of himself, that whilst he was
trained up in pharisaical Principles, he did not under-
stand the in ward motions of lusts to be sins.
But, alas, this is but gilding over a dry and rotten, post,
which, though it may look beautiful to men, yet, when God
comes to examine it, will not abide the fiery trial. Thou
art as truly a murderer, a thief, an adulterer in God's
sight, if thou dost but harbor bloody, unclean, unjust
thoughts in thy heart, as thou wouldst be in men's if
thou shouldst actually kill, or steal, or wallow in the
open and professed acts of uncleanness.
TENTH COMMANDMENT. 439
Indeed, most men do herein grossly delude themselves,
and if they can but refrain from the outward commission
of gross and scandalous sins, they very seldom reflect on
their heart-lusts, which, like deep ulcers, rankle inwardly,
and perhaps grow incurable; when all the while they
may be skimmed over with a fair and inoffensive life.
Although the heart estuate and boil over with malicious,
revengeful, lascivious thoughts, yet they usually dispense
with these, and their natural conscience indulgeth them
without disturbance.
But deceive not yourselves--God is not mocked,
nor can he be imposed upon by external shows, nei-
ther will he judge of thee as others do, or as thou thy-
self dost.
I know it is a very difficult thing to convince men of
the great evil that the:eo is in sinful thoughts and desires,
and therefore very difficult to persuade them to labor
against them; for because they do not openly obtrude
themselves, therefore men think they carry fin them
but small guilt and little danger. Every man that hath
but a remnant of conscience left him will beware of
gross and notorious crimes, that carry the mark of hell
and damnation visibly stamped upon their foreheads,
such as he that can without reluctance commit them,
must needs own himself for the apparent offspring of
the devil. But for "an. invisible thought, a notion, a de-
sire, a thing next to nothing--this certainly I may
please myself withal, for this can hurt no one. By a
malicious purpose I wrong no man, by a covetous de-
sire I extort from no man, and what so great evil then
I can there be in this?"
440 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
It is true, indeed, wert thou only to deal with men,
whom immaterial things touch not, there, were no such
great evil in them; but when thou hast likewise to do
with an immaterial and spiritual God, before whom thy
very thoughts and desires appear as substantial and con-
siderable as thy outward actions, then know that these
fall under his censure here, and will fall under his re-
venge hereafter.
Now were this persuasion effectually wrought into the
minds of men, is it possible they could indulge them-
selves as they do in vain, frothy, unclean, malicious
thoughts and desires? Is it possible they could so close-
ly brood on these cockatrice eggs which will bring forth
nothing but serpents to sting them to eternal death?
is it possible they could delight in rolling and tossing
a sin to and fro in their fancy, and by imagining it,
make the devil some recompense for not daring to
commit it? Certainly such men are altogether unac-
quainted with the life and power of true grace, when
those sins which they dare not act, yet they dare with
pleasure contemplate and dally with in their fancies and
imaginations.
Turn therefore your eyes inwards. Bewail and strive
against that natural concupiscence which lodgeth there,
and never content thyself that thou hast dammed up the
streams of thy corruption from overflowing thy life and
actions, till thou hast in some good measure dried up
the fountain of it.
3. See here the best and the surest method to keep us
from the outward violation of God's laws, which is to
mortify our corrupt concupiscence and desires.
TENTH COMMANDMENT. 441
And therefore, as I told you, the wisdom of God hath
set this commandment in the last place, as a fence and
guard to all the rest. Thou shalt not covet, and then cer-
tainly thou shalt not kill, nor steal, nor commit adultery,
nor bear false witness, but be kept pure from all out-
ward defilements of the flesh when thou art thus cleansed
from the inward defilements of the spirit.
For from these it is that all the more visible sins of
our lives and actions have their supply. Therefore saith
our Savior, "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,
murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,
blasphemies." Mat. 15:19. Observe that he puts evil
thoughts in the front, as the leader of all this black regi-
ment; for out of this evil treasure of the heart men bring
forth evil things; and all the fruits of the flesh, the grapes
of Sodom and the clusters of Gomorrah, receive their sap
and nourishment from this root of bitterness.
It ought therefore most deservedly to be the great and
chief care of every christian to lay the axe to this root, to
purge and heal this fountain that sends forth such corrupt
and poisonous streams, to keep his heart clean from sinful
thoughts and affections, and then his life will be clean by
consequence. And therefore God very pressingly re-
quires this, Jer.4:14, "O Jerusa1em, wash thy heart
from wickedness--how long shall vain thoughts lodge
within thee?
And let me add, that un1ess we make this our chief
care, unless we do most solicitously observe this last
commandment, all our care in observing the former
commands will be utterly in vain, not only in respect to
our acceptance and reward with God, but as to any
442 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
good issue and effect. All other endeavors will be as
hopeless as to attempt the cure of an ulcerous body with-
out purging it, where the corruption will quickly break
forth again; or to attempt the emptying of a pond that
hath many springs still rising up in the bottom of it,
which will soon grow as full as ever it was.
THE END.