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A N
ILLUSTRATION
O F
THE DOCTRINES
O F
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION,
WITH RESPECT TO tVA/ftl/: a/lltfwK
FAITH AND PRACTICE,
UPON THE PLAN OF
Cfte aOemMp's ©Dorter Catetfnfm.
COMPREHENDING
A Complete Body of Divinity.
BY THE LATE REV. ANJ0TLEARNED
Mr THOMAS BOSTON,
MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT ETTRICK,
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AUTHOR OF |
THE FOURFOLD STATE, A VIEW OF THE COVENANTS, \3c. |
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IN |
THREE VOLUMES. |
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VOLUME III. |
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HOLD |
FAST THE FORM OF SOUND WORDS. — 2 TIM. i. |
J3- |
THE SECOND EDITION
EDINBURGH:
PRINTED BY SCHAW AND PILLANS, FOR THE REVEREND JOSEPH JOHNSTON,
D R U M M O N D S TR E E T.
1796.
CONTENTS
OF THE
THIRD VOLUME.
Of the fifth commandment, continued Page 3
'The duties of kufbands and wives ib.
2 he duties of children to parents 6
The duty of parents to children 8
The duty offervants to maflers 1 7
The duty of maflers to Servants 12
The duty of people to miniaers 2$
• The duty of minifiers to people 27
The duty of ruling elders nd people 1 S
The duty of magi'irates and fubjecls 37
The d ties of other relations 40
The fins forbidden ib.
Of the reafon annexed to this command ' 44
Of the fixth commandment 51
'I he duties required $3
The fins fo r hidden 5 6
Of the feventb commandment 69
'J he duties required lb.
The fins forbidden 74
Of the eighth commandment So
The duties req^red 81
3 he fins forbidden S3
Of the ninth commandment locy
The duties required lb.
The fins forbidden 1 1 4
Of th tenth commandment 131
The duties required 133
The fins forbidden 151
Of mail's inability to keep the law perfeclly 1 77
An explanation of Gen. vi. 9. in the notes 1 S3
Of
( a )
Of Jin in its aggravations Page 1 88 Of the defert of fin 195 Of the means of fahatien in general 200 Of faith in Jefus Chrifi 206 A71 explanation of Gen. xv. 6. in the notes 212 Of repentance unto life 220 Of Cbrifs ordinances in general 226 How the word is made efifeBual to filiation 232 How the word is to he read and heard 239 V he duty of attending on ordinances 247 A caveat againf receiving the gofpel in vain 257 The danger of not comply i?ig with the gof pel-call 270 How the facraments become efjfeBual to falvation 277 The nature 0/ the facraments. 283 Gen. xvii. 10. explained in the notes ihi 5 he number of the facraments 289 The nature of baptifm 292 Gen. xvii. 12. explained in the notes 298 Gen. xvii. 14. alfo explained in the notes 299 The nature of the Lord's f upper 301 Of the worthy receiving of the Lord1 s f upper 310 The ??ecejjity of felt-examination 320 The djnger of unworthy communicating 335 The nature of prayer 352 jl difc our fe on fe ere t prayer 367 Of the rule 0} direBion in prayer 3 84 7 he preface 0 -the Lord's prayer 39° 5" be firjl pe tit ion 397. The fecond petition ■ 403 The third petition 421 The fourth pe tition 437 The filth petit on 450 Thefixth petition 458 Gen. xxii. 1. explained in the notes 459 Ext rails from the author's notes on part of Gen. ii. %3 iii. in the notes 461 The conclusion of the Lord's prayer 480 ji difcourfc on the experimental knowledge of Chrifi 488 Of the right improvement of a time officknefs and mor- tality 504 Two forms of perfonal covenanting by the author 517
AN
AN ILLUSTRATION
THE DOCTRINES
THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.
OF THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT, CONTINUED.
Secondh T COME to (hew the duties more peculiar to each *' X party.
i. The duties of the hufband of this fort may be reduced to this one, viz. that he carry himfelf towards her as a head for her good, ruling her in the fear of the Lord. It is not a name of power only, but of duty ; for he muft be fuch a head to her as Chrift is to the church, Eph. v. 23.. And whofo reckon upon the authority of that name without eyeing the duty of it, put afunder what God has joined in his grant, and will join when he calls men to an account.
2. The duties of the wife may be reduced to this one, viz, fubmitting herfelf to her hufband as her head, Eph. v. 22. 23. She is not to lord it over him, but to be fubject to him^ And in this refpect there is a reverence and fear of the huf- band enjoined the wife, Eph. v. 33. 1 Pet. iii. 2. which is a due regard in the heart to his character as a hufband, feeing in that God has put of his own name upon him, God him- felf being called our hufband j a fear to offend him, flowing from love, venting itfelf in fpeaking and carrying refpeclfully to him, 1 Pet. iii. 6.
Now, the hufband as the head of the wife owes her,
1, Protection, fo as fhe may be as fafe and eafy under the covert of his relation to her as he can n^ike her. For this caufe God has given the hufband as a head to the weaker vefTel ; and therefore it was an ancient ceremony in marriage
A 2 for
4 Of the Fifth Commandment,
for the hufband to fpread his fkirt over his wife, Ruth iii. 9, He is to protect her to the utmoft of his power from the in- juries of others, 1 Sam. xxx. 18. ; and particularly from the infults, whether of children or fervants in the family, as well as neighbours, Gen. xvi. 6. And if fo, furely he himfelf is not to bear hard upon her, but to fhew her a peculiar ten- dernefs as the weaker vefTel, a tendernefs to her body and fpirit too ; and not to fuffer her, far lefs to oblige her, to di- ftrefs herfelf above meafure.
On the other hand, {he owes him obedience, a fubmiflion to, and compliance with, his admonitions. It is obferved of Job's wife, for as ill as fhe was, when he calls her a fool, fhe does not give him the fame epithet again. Reafon it- felf teaches, that whofo puts himfelf under the protection of another, muft-be ruled by that other, and not by himfelf.
2. -Provifion, 1 Tim. v. 8. The hufband ought to provide for his wife, and cheerfully furnifh her with what is needful and convenient, according to his ftation and ability ; and lay out himfelf by all lawful means for her comfortable thorough- bearing. And this he fhould have an eye to, not onlv for the time of his life, but even after his deceafe.
And, on the other hand, the wife ought to be helpful to her hufband by her frugal management, Prov. xxxi. 27., And God's word and frequent experiments plainly fliew, that 3 man's thriving or not thriving has a great dependence on his wife's management, Prov. xiv. 1. While he, then, is bufy without doors, fhe fhould be careful within ; and there- fore it is recommended to women to be much at home, Tit. ii. c. Yet fhe may well go abroad when her bufinefs calls her, as Abigail did, 1 Sam. xxv.
3. Lofty, Direction, with calmnefs inftructing her, how fhe fhould carry in every thing, both with refpect to things of this life and of the other, Prov. ii. 17. He ought to be as eyes to her, which have their place in the head, and fo fhould be capable to guide, 1 Pet. iii. 7.
On the other hand, the wife fhould be pliable and teach- able, 1 Tim. ii. 11. ; yea, and be ready to feek inftruction from her hufband, 1 Cor. xiv. 35. She fhould be obedient to his commands and directions, ver 34. ; for in every thing wherein the law of God has not bound her up, the huf- band's will ought to be complied with, Eph.v. 24. Gen. iii,' 16.
The reafons of the hufband's duty are thefe.
I. Becaufe hufbands are appointed to be fach heads as
Chrift
The Duties of Hufiands and IV i
its.
Chrift is to the church, Eph. v. 25. And if men would re- flect on this, it would make them very dutiful, and bear with many things, as Chrift doth, elfe We would be ruined.
2. Becaufe thy wife is thy own fleih, thy fecond felf, ver, 28. 29. ; and fo undutifulnefs is monftrous,
3. Becaufe me is the weaker vefTel, 1 Pet. iii. 7. ; for it hath pleafed the Lord to exercife the woman with a fpecial meaiure of infirmity, both natural and moral.
The reafons of the woman's duty are thefe.
1. Becaufe the woman was created for the man, 1 Tim. ii,
13. compare 1 Cor.xi. 9.
2. Becaufe the woman was the fir ft that finned, 1 Tim. ii.
14. compare Gen. iii. 16.
3. Becaufe fhe is the weaker veiTel.
life 1. Let all fuch as have been, or are in that relation, be humbled under a fenfe of their fin in that point, and fly- to the blood of Chrift for pardcn. And let every one look on that relation as a ferious matter, in which people muft walk with God, and under which they are bound to fo many duties, of which they muft give an account to the Lord. . 2. Let hufbands and wives ftudy to make confcience of their duty one to another, and frame their life accordingly. For motives, confider,
(1.) God lays them on. Nature may ftorm at them, but they are God's commands; and whpfo breaketh over the hedge, the ferpent will bite.
(2.) Your marriage- vows and voluntary covenant engage to thefe. Though we forget them, God does not, and will not.
(3.) Your own comfort depends upon them; and fo does the happinefs in that relation.
LaJ/yy Death comes, and that will diffblve the relation. Therefore, before that awful event, let every one make con- fcience of performing their refpeclive duties, that they may die in peace.
As to the relation betwixt parents and children, fee Coh iii. 20.21. " Children, obey your parents in ail things: for this is well-pleaiing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, left they be difcouraged."
In the firft of thefe, we have, 1. The duty that children owe to their parents ; and that is obedience in all things lawful. The word rendered obey, points at obedience flowing from inward refpect to them, 1. The reafon of it; it is plea- fi.ng to God, who has enjoined it.
In
6 Of the Fifth Commandment,
In the next place, we have the duty of parents to their children. Where, i. There is fomething fuppoied, that they mufl ufe their parental power and authority over their chil- dren for their good. 2. Something exprefted, that they ufe it moderately, not abufe it to the irritating of them, left they crufh them, and make them heartlefs.
Parents and children muft carry to one another as they will be anfwerable to God, who has given them their orders. Here I Ihall mew,
1. The duties that children owe to their parents.
2. The duty of parents to their children.
Firfy I am to fhew the duties which children owe to theif parents.
i. Singular love to them, as the parents ought to bear to them. This is called natural affection, the want where- of is accounted among the moll horrid abominations, Rom. i. 3 ( . Such a natural affection did Jofeph fhew to his lather, Gen. xlvi. 29. when " he went to meet him, fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while."
2. Reverence and fear. Their fear is to be fquared with love, and their love falted with fear, Lev. xix, 3. The mo- ther is there particularly mentioned ; and that, in the firft place, becaufe, as people are ready to break over the hedge where it is loweft, fo children are moll: apt to defpife their mother ; and they being much about her hand while young, left familiarity breed contempt, God hath exprelsly provi- ded againft it. They muft have a confcientious regard to that authority God has given them over ^them, and fear to offend them, as thofe who to them are in God's ftead.
3. An outward reverent and refpe£tful behaviour to- wards them. They ought not to be treated rudely by their children, as if they were their companions, Mah i. 6. ; but they ought to fpeak refpeclfully to them, Gen. xxxi. 35.; and carry refpectfully to them, Prov. xxxi. 28. 'ihis was Solomon's practice, even when a king, 1 Kings ii. 19. ; for as the candle, if lighted, will fhine through the lantern, fo reverence in the heart will appear in the outward car- riage. _ -
4. A ready obedience to their lawful commands, Col. iii. 20. If it be not contrary to the command of God, they ought to obey. Subjection and obedience to parents is the honour as well as the duty of children. Jofeph's ready obe- dience to his father is recorded to his commendation, Gen.
xxxvii,
The Duty of Children to Parents* 7
xxxvii. 13. Yea, Chrift himfelfwas a pattern to children in this regard to the parental authority, Luke ii. 51.
5. Submiflion. They are to fubmit to their inftruclions "and directions, readily receiving them, and complying with
them, Prov. i. 8. Man being born like a wild afs's colt, has need to be taught. They are to fubmit to their reproofs and admonitions, to take them kindly, and amend what is arnifs, Prov. xiii. 1. Yea, they are to fubmit to their corrections, for the folly bound up in their hearts makes the rod necef- fary, Heb. xii. 9. They are children of Belial, indeed, that ■will not bear this yoke of fubjection.
6. Bearing with their infirmities, and covering them with the wings of love. Whether they be natural or moral in- firmities, they would beware of defpifing or infulting them on that account, or any way expofing them, as fome foolilh youngfters "are apt to do, Prov. xxiii. 22. Gen. ix. 22.
7. Following their reafonable advice, and taking alongft with them the authority of their parents, in order to their calling or marriage. That children ought not to difpofe of themfelves in marriage without the confent of parents, is the conftant doctrine of the Proteftant churches. And the rea- ions are thefe. (1.) The fcripture gives the power of ma- king marriages for children to the parents, Deut. vii.3. Jer. xxix. 6. 1 Cor. vii. 37. 38. Yea, even after parties have confented, it is left to the parent, whether to give his abufed daughter to him that has been guilty with her, Exod. xxii. 16. 17. (2.) The moft approved examples of marriage in fcripture go this way, Gen. xxiv. 3. 4. xxviii. 1. 2. and xxix. 19. Judg. xiv. 2. Laf/y, The reafon is plain ; for the child cannot give away any thing that is his parents againft their will. Now, the child himfelf is the pa- rents, a part of their felf-moving fubftance, in which they have a moft undoubted property. So, when the devil was permitted to fall upon what was Job's, he fell upon his children, and killed them in the firft place. Yet, upon the other hand, no parent can force a child to marry fuch and fuch a perfon ; for confent makes marriage, and that which is forced is no confent. The child muft be fatistied as well as the parent, Gen. xxiv. 57. So the fhort of it is, that the confent of both is necefiary, and that the parent muft nei- ther force the child, nor the child rob the parent.
8. P.eadinefs to requite their parents when they are in need of it ; that as they did for them when young, fo they
mull:
8 Of the Fifth Commandment,
muft do for them when old, or reduced to poverty. This God requires ef children, i Tim. v. 4. It is a piece of that honour to parents which the fifth command enjoins, Matth. xv. 4. 5. 6. 80 did Jofeph, Gen. xlvii. 12. This was a piece of duty which the Lord performed to his mother while he hung on the crofs, John xix. 27.
9. Lafllyy In a word, children mould fo live as they may be an honour to their parents ; for according as they are, their parents are either credited or afhamed. Yea, and when they are dead and gone, they fhould be reverently remem- bered, their wholefome advices religionfly followed, and their debts fatisfied, fo as no body may get occafion to reproach them when they are away.
life 1. This may ferve for conviction and humiliation to us all, who either have had parents fince we came to the years of difcretion, or yet have them. Who can fay in this, I have made my heart clean ?
2. I exhort fwch as have parents, whether one or more, to be dutiful to them, according to the word. There is in- deed a great difference betwixt children in their father's fa- mily, and thofe forisfamiliated, who, by tacit or exprefs confent, are left to their own difpofal $ but the duty of fi- lial affection, reverence, and gratitude, abideth. For mo. tives, confider,
(1.) That parents, with refpecl to their children, do in an efpecial manner bear an image of God, as he is our Crea- tor, Frovifor, and Ruler. So are parents thofe from whom, under him, we had our being, by whofe care and govern- ment God provided for us, when we could neither provide for nor rule ourfelves.
(2.) Hence it is evident, that do what we can to them, or for them, we can never make a full recompence, but, af- ter all, mufYdie in their debt. But how little is this con- sidered by many, who look on what they do for their pa- rents in a magnifying glafs, while they are blind to what their parents have done for them !
(3.) Laft/y, Confider, that God takes fpecial notice how ye carry to your parents, Col. hi. 20.. It is a piece of duty which God readily regardeth according to his promife 5 and the neglect thereof ufeth not to be overlooked, but as it dif- pofeth to an ill life otherwife, fo God readily pays it home$ fo as the fin may be read in the punilhment.
Secondly, I come to confider the duty of parents to their
children ; and 1 may take up this under five heads, viz.
2 while
The Duty of Parents to Children. p
While they are yet in the womb, while in their infanc)», from they time they come to the ufe of reafon, at all times, and when a- dying.
i. The duty which parent3 owe to their children while yet in the womb.
ifty Parents are obliged to ufe all care for the prefervation of the child, to beware of any thing that may harm the child in the belly, and efpecially that may procure abortion, Judg. xiii. 4.
2d/y, Dealing with God in behalf of the child, praying for its prefervation, and for its foul, as foon as it is known to be a living foul. I think that no fooner fliould the mother or father know a living foul to be in the womb, but as foon, with Rebekah, they fhould go to God for it, Gen. xxv. 21. 22. If Hannah could devote her child to God before it was conceived, 1 Sam. i. 11. Chriftian pa- rents may and ought to devote their children to God when quickened in the womb. Whofo neglect this, coniider not that then the child is a finful creature, under the wrath of God, and the curie of the law 5 that it is capable of fancli- iication, muft live for ever in heaven or hel^ and that poffi- bly it may never fee the light.
Lqftiy> Labouring by all means that it may be born within the covenant ; which is to be done by parents ma- king fure their own being within the covenant ; for fo runs the promife, " I will be thy God, and the God of thy feed."
2. The duty they owe to them in their infancy.
ifi Parents fhould blefs God for them when they are born, Luke i. 67. &c. Children are God's heritage ; the key of the womb is in his hand ; he gives them to fome, and with- holds them from others ; and they fhould be received with thankfulnefs from the Lord's hand.
idly> Giving them up to the Lord as foon as they are born, renewing the dedication of them to God, and ac- cepting of the covenant for them; and procuring to them the feal of the covenant, without any unnecefTary delay- Under the Old Teftament, infants were to receive the feal on the eighth day. Now there is no fet time, but common equity bids take the firft opportunity, and not delay it needlefsly. The undue delay of circumcifion was punifhed in Mofes, Exod. iv. 24. ; and the delay of baptifm cannot but be difpleafing to God too, as a flighting of his ordi- nance.
Vol. III. B 3d/y,
io Of the Fifth Commandment*
2dly> Tender care of them, doing all things necefFary for them, while they are not capable to do for themfelves, If. xlix. 15. And here it is the duty of the mother to nurfe the child herfelf, if fhe be able, Hof. ix. 14. And this care of infants, the burden of which lies moft on the mo- thers, is one great piece of their generation-work, wherein they are ufeful for God, and which they ought to look on as ipecial fervice for their comfort in the trouble which therein they have.
3. The duties they owe to them from the time they come to the ufe of reafon, and fo forward.
ljly They are to provide for them, aud that aye and until they be in a capacity to provide for themfelves., 1 Tim. v. 8. This arifes from the natural obligation and inftincl that is common to men with beads whereof the wildeft will feed their young till they be able to do for them- felves. Thus parents are, (1.) To provide fuitable mainte- nance for their children for the prefent, and to lay out them- felves for it, though with the fweat of their brows. (2.) And, as God profpers them, they are to lay up fomething for them, 2 Cor. xii. 14. ; for though the pofTeffion be their parent's entirely, yet he is ftinted to the ufe of a part, ac- cording to what is necefTary. Only no man is to take from prefent neceffities for future provisions ; but what God has given, let men take the comfortable ufe of it; and what re- mains, let them lay by for their children, Eccl. ii. 18. 19. 24. But for people to deny themfelves things neceffary and comely, that they may lay them up for their children, is a curie ; and if their children fhould follow their example, to deny themfelves the ufe thereof, to tranfmit them to theirs, the ufe of it mould never be had : but ordinarily what the parents narrowly gather, and keep fo as they cannot take the convenient ufe of it themfelves, the children quickly run through.
2a'y, Civil education, that they may be ufeful members of the commonwealth. This we may take up in thefe three things.
(1.) Parents mould polifii the rude natures of their chil- dren with good manners, fo as they may carry come'y and difcreetly before themfelves or others, Prov. xxxi. 28. It is the difhonour of parents to fee children rude and altogether unpoliihed as young beafb •, and religion is an enemy to rudenels and ill manners, 1 Pet. iii. 8.
(2.) They mould give them learning according to their
ability,
Tht Duty of Parents to Children. \\
ability, and fee that at leaft they be taught to read the Bible, -2 Tim. iii. 15. What is it that makes to many ignorant old people, but that their parents have neglected this ? But where parents have neglected this, grace and good nature would make a fhift to fupply this defect.
(3.) They fhould train them up to do fomething in the way of fome honeft employment, whereby they may be ufe- ful to themfelves or others. To nourifh children in idienefs is but to prepare them for prifons or correction-houfes, or to be plagues to fome one family or another, if Providence do not mercifully interpofe, Prov. xxxi. 27. Chriftians fhouid train up their daughters to do virtuoufly, ver. 29. For their own fakes, let them be capable to make their hands fufficient for them, feeing none know what ftraits they may be brought to. And for the fake of others to whom he may be joined, let them be virtuoufly, frugally, and actively educated, other- wife what they bring with them will hardly quit the coft of the mifchief that their unthriftinefsand ft Hinds will produce, Prov. xiv. 3. Whether ye can give them fomething or no- thing, let them not want Ruth's portion, a good name, a good head, and good hands, Ruth hi. 1 1. 80ns fhouid be brought up to fome honeft employment, whereby they mav be worth their room in the world, Gen. iv. 2. This is luch a neceiTary piece of parents duty to their children, that the Athenians had a law, That if a fon was brought up to no calling at all, in cafe his father fhouid come to poverty, he was not bound to maintain him, as otherwife lie was.
3^', Religious education, Eph. v'u 4. If parents provide not for their children, they are worfe than hearts to their young j if they give them not civil education, they are worfe than heathens ; but if they add not religious education, what do they more than civilifed heathens ? When God gives thee a child, he fays, as Pharaoh's daughter to Mofes's mother, " Take this child and nurfeit for me," Exod. ii. 9. Though we be but fathers of their flefh, we muft be careful of their fouls, otherwife we ruin them.
(1.) Parents ought to inftrucl their children in the prin- ciples of religion, and to fow the feeds of godlinefs in their hearts, as foon as they are able to fpeak, and have the ufe of reafon, Deut. vi. 6. 7. Such early religious education is a bleffed mean of grace, 1 Kings xviii. 12. compare ver. 3. Not only is this the duty of fathers, who fhouid teach their children, Prov. iv. 3.4.; but of mothers, who, while the children are young about their hand, fhouid be dropping B 2 fomethinr
12 Of the Fifth Commandment,
fomething to them for their fouls good. Solomon had no/I only his father's lefTon, but the prophecy his mother taught him, Prov. xxxi. i. See chap. i. 8.
(2.) They fhould labour for that end to acquaint them with the fcriptures, 2 Tim. iii. T5. to caufe them to read them. Let the reading of their chapters be a piece of their daily talk ; and caufe them read the fcriptures in order, that they may be acquainted both with the precepts and hiftories of the Bible. Let them be obliged to learn their Catechifm, and catechife them yourfelves, according to your ability. For teaching by way of queftion and anfwer is molt, eafy for them.
(3.) If they afk you any queftions concerning thefe things, do not difcourage them, but take pains to anfwer all their queftions, however weakly they may be propofed, Deut. vi. 20. 21. Children are often found to have very mifhapen notions of divine things 5 but if they were duly encouraged to fpeak, they might vent their thoughts, which parents thus get occaiion to rectify.
4th/yy Labour to deter them from fin. The neglect of this was Eli's fin, for which God judged his houfe, 1 Sam. iii. 1 3. Endeavour to pofTefs their hearts with an abhorrence of finfnl practices, and a dread of them. Carefully check their lying, fwearing, curling or banning, and Sabbath-breaking. If they learn thefe while young, they will be fair to accom- pany them to gray hairs. Let them not dare to meddle with what is another man's, if it were not worth a farthing. Encourage them in taking up little things, and they may come in time to bring themfelves to an ill end, and you tp dii grace.
$thly, Stir them up tp the duties of holinefs, and the prac- tice of religion. Often inculcate on them the doctrine of their finful and miferable Hate by nature, and the remedy- provided in Chrift. Shew them the neceftity of holinefs, pointing out Chrift to them as the fountain of fanctification. Commend religion to them, and prefs them to the ftudy of it, as the main thing they have to do in the world, Pfov. iv, 4. &c.
6ihlyy Pray with them, and teach them to pray. For this caufe let not the worfhip of God be neglected in your fami- lies ; but for your childrens fake maintain it. No wonder that thole children feek not God who never fee their parents bow a knee. Ye fhould take them alone, and pray with them, and teach them to pray, laying the materials of prayer often
before
The Duty of Parents to Children. \\
before them ; and let them learn the Lord's prayer, and ufe it as a form till fuch time as they can conceive a prayer by that directory. For though we do not think the Lord has bound us to that form, (if he has, the forms of the Englifh liturgy are mod: impertinent, which intrude themfclves on us, and do not leave us to it), yet that it may not be uied as a prayer, or as a form, I know none that do affirm ; though it is plain it is principally intended for a directory in prayer, Matth. vi. 9.
Lqftly, They ihould often be put in mind of their baptif- mal vows : and I judge it advifeable, that when ye have been at pains to inftruet them in the principles of religion, and they have attained to a tolerable meafure of knowledge, fo that with judgment they may perfonally confent to the co- venant, as a child religioufly educated may be able to do be- twixt nine and twelve years of age, if not before ; it would be profitable to call them before yon, and folemnly declare how ye have laboured to do your duty to them, as ye en- gaged in their baptifm, and require them exprefsly to con- sent unto the covenant for themfelves ; taking them perfonal- ly engaged to be the Lord's.
4. Correction, Eph. vi. 4. The Greek word there figni- lies both correction and inftruction ; and fo does the Englifh word nurture. They muft go together ; for inftruction without correction will hardly fucceed. Parents muft keep their children in fubjection ; if they lofe their authority over them, the children will be children of Belial indeed, with- out a yoke, the end of which will be fad, Prov. xxix. 15. They muft not only be corrected by reproof, but, when need is, with frripes, Prov. xix. 18. Begin early, as foon as they are capable to be bettered by it ; and let your love to them engage you to it, and not reftrain you, Prov. xiii. 24. As ever ye would keep them out of hell, correct them, Prov. xxiii. 13. 14. I offer the following advices in this point.
(1.) Take heed ye correct not your children juft to fatisfy your own paflion ; for x\\z wrath of man worketh not the righteoufnefs of God. That is revenge, not correction. Let the end of your correction be the child's ^rood. It were good that parents, if they find themfelves in a paffion, would firft beat down their own difordered fpirits before the beat the child.
(2.) Let them know well wherefor ye correct them : for if the child know not what he has done amifs, he can never be bettered by the correction. And therefore pains fhouM
be
i 4 Of the Fifth Commdndment.
be taken to convince them of the evil of the thing ; otherwife we deal not with them as rational creatures.
(3.) Confider well the difpofition of the child. That feve- rity may be necefTary for one, that will quite crufh another » A man will not take his fhff to threfh his corn, nor yet his flail to beat out kail- feed. Meafure your correction, then, by the child's difpofition.
(4.) Go about the work with an eye to the Lord for fuccefs. Correct thy child in faith of the prcmife, Prov. xxii. 15. «< Foolifhnefs is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction fhall drive it far from him," viz. as a mean ap- pointed and blefled of God for that end. It is our belief, and not our blows, that will do the bufinefs. And no doubt the neglect of this is one main caufe why correction oft-times does no good.
La/I/y, Take heed ye correct not your children only for faults againft yourfelves, letting them pafs with their fins sgaioft God. Many will give them a blow for a difrefpect- ful word againft themfelves, who for lying, banning, Sab- bath-breaking, will never touch them. Their children's croffing of them muft not go unpuniflied, but it will be long ere they correct them for their fins againft God.
5. The cafting them the copy of a good example, Pfal. ci. 2. Children are apt to imitate their parents,, but efpecially in evil. He that fins before a child, fins twice, for he may expect that his fin fhall be acted over again. Let them, then, not fee you do any thing ye would not have them to do, nor fpeak words ye would not have them to follow you in. Your good precept will not ftick, if it be not faftened with a good example.
6\ Encouraging of them to do well ; and when they do well, with kind looks, fpeeches, and actions, 1 Chron. xxviii. 2,0. Ingenuous fpirits are but abufed, when they are always driven by way of authority, and not drawn in the way of kindnefs. The name of a father and mother founds of bowels of kindnefs ; it is a pity it fhould ever degenerate into the nature of mere mafterly authority.
7, Lnftlyy Seasonable difpofing of thern in marriage, if need be, Ruth iii. 1. 1 Cor. vii. 36. So did Abraham with his fon Ifoac, Gen. xxiv. ; and ifaac with his fon Jacob, Gen. xxviii. j always consulting their own inclinations, not forcing them to this or that marriage againft their will, which is but either to oblige them to difobey their parents, or to make themfelves rnii^rahlc to pleafe them. The ne- glect
The Duty cf Parents to Children. \ ,*
gle& of this duty may prove a fnare to the child, and bring grief and forrow to both.
4. There is a duty they owe to them at all t'mes ; and that is praying for them. Sometimes this is all they have ac- cefs to do for them. But be they never fo far away, they ihould not be forgotten. Though they be out of your fa- mily, they mould not be out of your prayers, as Job's chiU dren were not, Job i. 5, And parents ihould confider the feveral cafes of their children, and be very particular before the Lord for them. It is marked cf Job, that " he of- fered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all," ib. And though in fome cafes this may not be convenient in family-prayers, yet, in fecret, parents mould have their particular petitions for their particular children, according to their particular cafes.
5. LaJ}ly> The duty that parents when a-dying owe. to their children. We muft all die, and leave our children, elfe they will leave us before. Lay up thefe few advicesj then, for that time.
(1.) If Providence furprife you not, call together your children, that you may 'do them good by your advice at your latter end, as Jacob did, Gen. xlix. 1. And do it time^- oufly, left, if you delay, you be not able to fpeak to them when you would. A word from a deathbed has ufually more influence than ten words in a time of health •, and words fpoken with the dying breath of a parent are fair to ftick.
(2.) Lay over your children whom ye are to leave, on the Lord himfelf 5 and whether ye have any thing to leave them or not, leave them on your covenanted Gcd by faith, Jer. xlix. 11. Accept of the covenant now, renew it then, and lay the ftrefs of their through-bearing on that God on whom ye have laid the ftrefs of your own fouls.
(3.) Give them your teftimony for God, agamft fin, and concerning the vanity of the world. If ye have had any experience of religion, commend Chrift, and the way of the Lord, to them from your own experience, Gen xlviii, 15. 16. If ye have had experience of the evil and bit- ternefs of fin, fhew them the ill of it. What courfes ye have found profitable for your foul, and, what hurtful ; mark thefe to them particularly. If experience fail, yet confcience may help you out, if awakened, to this tefti- mony.
- (4,) Give them vour dying advice to make choice of
Chrift
\6 Of the Fifth Commandment,
Chrifi: as their portion, and holinefs as their way, to cleave to it, living and dying in it. And what faults ye know are in any of them, which ye could not before get reformed, let your dying lips again reprove, exhort, obteft, and teftify againft, if fo be they may be perfuaded to hearken at laft.
(5.) Blefs them, in praying for them to God, the fountain of bleffing ; declaring withal, that they fliali be bleffed, if they keep the way of the Lord.
(6.) Let your temporal affairs be fo ordered, as that after your deceafe they may not be a fnare to your children, a bone of contention, or an occafion of grudge, one of them againft another, If. xxxviii. 1.
life 1. This ferves for conviction and humiliation to thofe that are in that relation. In thefe things we offend all, both in the_ matter and manner of duty \ which may fend us to the Father of mercies, through Chrifi:, for grace to remove our guilt, and to fit us to reform.
2. I exhort parents to be dutiful to their children, accor- ding to the will of God laid before you in his word. For motives, confider,
(1.) The ftrong tie of natural affection laid upon you. Our children are parts of ourfelves, and therefore our bowels fhould yearn towards them, moving us to do to them all the good we can. There are three things that may make our affection work towards dutifulnefs to them.
[1.] They have fin conveyed to them by natural, genera- tion, Pfal. li. 5. We may rejoice in them, indeed, as God's gifts ; but, alas ! we may mourn over them as bearing na- turally our own finful image. As they are our children, they are children of wrath ; they have a corrupt finful nature conveyed unto them. Did they derive fome hereditary bo- dily difeafe from us, how would we pity them, and do what in us lies to help them ? but they derive a hereditary foul dif- eafe from Adam by us, and fhould we not pity and pray for them ?
[2.] Great is the danger they are in, if we do not our duty to them. They are in a world of fnares ; if we be not eyes to them, they may fall to their ruin. If the wild afs's colt be not tamed by education, they are in a fair way to be ruined in time by a finful life, Frov. xxix. 15. ; and if mercy prevent it not, they are in a fair way to be ruined to eternity.
[3.] Education is a blefled mean of grace. So was it to
goodObadiah, 1 Kinjjs xviii. 12.-, and (o it was to Timothy,
2 2 Tim.
The Duty of Parents to Children. 1 7
2 Tim. iii. 15. compare chap. S. 5. Why, becaufe it is a mean appointed of God for that end, and therefore may be followed in faith of the promiie, Prov. xxii. 6. " Train up a child in the way he fhould go ; and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Chap, xxiii. 14. ".^?hou {halt beat him with the rod, and fhalt deliver his foul from hell'" Auguftine's mother was a good woman ; but fuch was his life, that it coil her many prayers and tears •, and weeping to one about his cafe, " Go thy way (faid he to her), for it cannot be that a fon of thefc tears can perifh j" and fo it was.
(2.) This is a great part of our generation-work, the work that we have to do for the honour of God in the world, Pfal. lxxviii. 3. 4. to do our endeavour to hand down religion and honefty to the fucceeding generation. And we mult give an account to God of it. And as kings muft ac- count to God for what they have done for him in their king- doms, and minifrers in their congregations, fo muft parents account to him for what they have done in their families.
(3.) The vows of God are upon us for that caufe. Thefe are little minded by many, but God does not forget them. As Sarah was under the bond of the covenant by her hus- band's circumcifton ; fo mothers are under the bond of the covenant by the vows taken on by their hufbands ; and are therefore obliged to ufe their utmoft endeavours to fulfil thefe vows in the education of their children.
And the due coniideration of this might engage children to be obedient and pliable to the commands, inftructions, and directions of their parents, for their good.
I come no.v to the relation betwixt mafters and fervants, for which you may read Col. iii. 22. & iv. 1. " Servants, obey in all things your mafters according to the fieih ; not with eye-fervice, as men-pleafers, but in linglenefs oi heart, fearing God. Mafters, give unto your fervants that which is juft and equal, knowing that ye aifo have a Mafter in heaven."
The fervants duty is laid down, ver. 22. {i Servants, obey in all things your mafters," &c. Wherein coriiider, (1.) The duty enjoined therh, " obedience''. (2.)The extent of it, " in all things," in things religious and civil, in eager or harder pieces of fervice ; nothing is excepted but what is iinful ; and that is excepted in that claufe, " your mafters according to the flelh ;" that is, the outward man, to diftin- gfciih them from the great: Lord and Mafter of the con-
Vol, III. C fcience;
^3 Of the Fifth Commandment,
fcience ; in which refpect we are forbidden to be " fervants of men/' i Cor. vii. 23. ; and to " call no man matter," Matth. xxiii. 8. Therefore Jofeph is commended for refu- fing the folicitations of his miftrefs to uncleannefs, and Saul's fervants that they would not flay the Lord's priefts. (3.) The manner of it ; negatively, " not with eye-fervice if that is, when the mailer's eye is the meafure of 'their work, bufy before him ; but if he turn his back, they flacken their hand : pofitively, " in finglenefs of heart " that is, faithfully, as under the eye of God, to whom they mult give account.
The mailer's duty is laid down, chap. iv. 1. Wherein, (1.) We have the duty they owe to their fervants. It is ta- ken up in two general heads. [1.] They are to " give them what is jufl ;" that is, what they are obliged to give them by ftrict law or condition ; give them what they owe them by ftricl: juftice. [2.] " What is equal ;" that is, what they are tied to by the law of charity and Chriftian meeknefs, though not of ftricl: juftice. (2.) The reafon enforcing it is, becaufe mafters on earth " have a Mafter in heaven, to whom they muft give an account, as of other things, fo of how they do to their fervants.
Before I come to the duties of fervants and mafters, two things are to be considered, viz. who are meant by fervants, and who by mafters.
1. Who are meant by fervants. Not to fpeak of bond- fervants or flaves, whofe bodies are perpetually under the power of their mafters, there being no fuch fervitude among us ; fervants, who are mercenary, or hirelings, are of two forts. (1.) Domeftic fervants, who live in their mafters family. (2.) Extra-domeftic fervants, who, though they live not in their mailer's family, but by themfelves, yet re- ceive his wages, whether for a few days, as day-labourers, men or women ; or for certain terms, as herds, hinds, &c. All thefe come under the name of fervants, and owe a duty to their mafters, according to the law of God.
2. Who are meant by mafters. (1.) There is the princi- pal mailer, the mafter of the family, who pays the wages. (2.) There are fubordinate mafters. Such are3 [1.] The miftrefs of the family, Ffal, txxiii. 2. [2.] Fellow-iervants, or others deputed by, and having power from, the principal mafter, to overfee others, Gen. xxiv. 2. Thefe muft be o- beyed, as having the mailer's authority, unlefs it be known
that
The Duty of Servants to Majlers. ify
that they go crofs to the will and interefl: of the principal mafter. And here I fhall confider,
i. The duty fervants owe to their matters.
2. The duty of mailers with refpect to their fervants.
Firft> I am to (hew the duty which fervants owe to their mafters. They owe,
i. Inward reverence towards them, and fear of them^ i Pet. ii. 1 8. Mai. i. 6. They fhould have a hearty refpect to the character of a mafter, with a confcientious regard to the fuperiority that God has given them over them, where- in they are, fo far, to them in the place of God, Eph. vi. 5. "as unto Chrift." They fhould fear to offend them, to difpleafe them by doing or omitting any thing which they know will offend them, Eph. vi. 5.
2. Honour, Mai. i. 6. They ought outwardly to carry refpeclfully to them, whatever they be, if they be their ma- ilers, and that both in word and deed. An humbly fub- miflive and refpectful countenance and carriage towards a mafter, is an excellent ornament of a fervant. Neither the badnefs of the mafter, nor his goodnefs and piety, leaves fervants a latitude in this point. Though they be bad men, yet they are mafters, 1 Tim. vi. 1..5 and if they be fellow Chriftians, that takes not way the diftanceof ftations, ver. 2.
3. Carefulnefs to maintain the credit of the family, not difclofing the fecrets thereof, nor blazing abroad their infir- mities. The king of Syria was troubled to think that any of his fervants fhould be as fpies upon him, 2 Kings vi. 11. And furely tale-bearing fervants muft be a great plague to a family. It is reckoned among the mifchiefs of an evil time, when there is no trufting of any body, that a man's enemies are thofe of his own houfe, Micah vii. 6. It is a Judas-like treachery, when men or women are brought into a houfe to eat their bread and work their work, to go abroad among others and wound their reputation.
4. Standing to the mafter's allowance, both in things de- termined by condition and not determined. Some things are determined by condition, that the fervants may require ; and when the mafter allows that, though the fervant may think it too little, he ought not to take more at his own hand. So when fervants are allowed to keep fo many beafts,- and no more, it is their fin to keep more j though they may think it is no fault if they can get it kept fecret, it does no great wrong to the mafter. But that is injuftice to the ma- fter, and your fin before God, in vvhofe fight it will be rec-
C 2 koned
20 Of tie Fifth Corr.mandmeni.
koned theft,' Gen. xxx. 23. And in things not determined by condition, as the meafure of diet and liberty, certainly the matter's allowance in that is to be ftood to. As to their diet, it is obferved of the virtuous woman, Prov. xxxi. 15. " She giveth meat ro her houfehold :" they do not take it at their own hand. The fecret watte that Tome make in the houfes of others for their bellies, is oft-times, I believe, punifhed with hungry bellies when they come to their own. As for their liberty and time, it is carved out by the mailers, not by the fervants, .ver. 15. 18. And for fervants to take their ma- iler's time to employ for themfelves, without their mailer's al- lowance, is injuftice.
5. Meek and patient fubmiffion to the checks and rebukes of the matter, not anfwering again, Tit. ii. 9. The ears of fervants are bored to hear, and their tongues not filed to , fpeak-. It is very good reafon, will ye fay, when we are in a fault -, though many will not take a word in that cafe, with- out giving the matter as good as he brings. But if they have done no fault, they think they are not obliged to bear a re- buke. But the Spirit of God does not teach ib, 1 Pet. ii. 18. 19. 20. " Servants, be fubjecl: to your matters, with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but alfo to the froward, For this is thank- worthy, if a man for confcience toward God endure grief, frittering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye fhall take it pa- tiently ? but if, when ye do well, and fuffer for it, ye take it patiently; this is acceptable with God." It may be the ma- iler's fin to chide unreafonably, but it is the fervant's fin not to bear it meekly. Sarah dealt harldly with her maid, which Was her fin ; yet the angel will not allow Hagar to take her heels for it, but obliges her to return and fubmit, Gen. xvi. 9.
9. Lqftly, Serving them conic ientioufly and honettly. If fervants expecl their wages, they owe their matter fervice ; and God will have them to make confcience of their fer- vice. If we look to the word of God, there is much that goes to this.
(1.) Servants mutt be obedient and pliable to the com- mands of the matter in all lawful things, Tit. ii. 9. Though the fervice required may. be painful and hard, yet they ought not to refufe it. Thus Jacob ferved Laban, Gen. xxxi. 40. 41. without confidering, that he was as good a man as his matter was. They that put their necks under the yoke, Ihould refolve to bear it.
(2.) Yc fliould follow the matter's direction in the ma- nagement
The Duty of Servants to Mafter s. 21
nagement of the work, not only doing what you are bidden, but as ye are bidden, Pfal. exxiii. 2. The mafter is the eye to direct, and the fervant the hand to do what is directed. That the fervant may calmly advife the mafter, there is no doubt ; but they that will do nothing pleafantly, if they get not their own way of it, forget themfelves and their duty.
(3.) Ye fhould do your bufinefs cheerfully, Col. iii. 23. Such a fervant was Jacob to his uncle Laban, Gen. xxix. 20. Sullennefs and going about bufinefs grudgingly, makes it un- acceptable, though otherwife well done.
(4.) Ye fhould do your bufinefs iingly. This a fervant does when he does not confult his own eafe and humour, but his mailer's true intereft, truly aiming at the thriving of his affairs, carefully avoiding every thing that may tend to his lofs; 2nd therefore parfuing his intereft when the mailer is abfent as well as when prefent, aiming at his duty as un- der the eye of God.
(5.) Ye mould do your bufinefs faithfully. Faithfalnefs is a neceflary qualification in a good fervanr, Matth. xxiv. 45. Servants having their mafter's fubftance among their hands, had need to be faithful, they having occalion to wrong him eafily, if they have no refpect to conference. But the fear of God will make people faithful to men in little and in great things. They muff, not take of their mafter's goods to their own ufe, without his allowance, Tit. ii. jc. They muft be faithful in their accounts, and not give up falfe accounts, as the unjuft fteward did, Luke xvi. 6.; nor alledge falfe comrnifKons from their mafter, as Gehazi did, 2 Kings v. 22. Jacob's faithfulnefs was his comfort, that though he had his matter's flocks among his hands, he was free of them, Gen xxxi. 38.
6. Diligence and carefulnefs about their mafter's bufinefs, Prov. xxii. ult. Negligence and carelefTnefs is a piece of in- justice, whereby fervants defraud their mafters, Prov. xviii. 9. ; for the lofs may be all one to the mafter, whether it be procured wilfully or through carelefTnefs.
7. Za/i/y, Readinefs and quicknefs in the difpatch of bufi- nefs. A flothful lazy fervant is raoft uneafy, Prov. x. 26. Such a one, quick and ready, was Abraham's fervant, Gen. xxiv. 33. 56. It is an apc-ftolical precept, Rom. xii. 11. " Not flothful in bufinefs ; fervent in fpirit ;" for fervants fhould ply their work, and honeftly employ their ftrength for their mafter'? behoof, Gen. xxxi. 6.
Secondly,
22 Of the Fifth Commandment.
Secondly, I come now to mew the duty of mafters with refpecl to their Servants, i. In the choice of them ; and, 2. When they have got them.
Firjl, In the choice of fervants, two things are to be no- ticed.
1. Chriftlan mafters mould look to the converfation of thofe whom they take to be their fervants, that they be pioufly inclined, as David did, PfaL ci. 6. left they bring an Achan into their camp. A pious fervant may bring a bleffing to the mafter, as in Jofeph's cafe. It is obfervable, that Potiphar faw that God was with Jofeph, ere he entruft- ed him with his bufraefs, Gen. xxxix. 3. 4. When Jonah came to the ftiipmafter, he took him into his ftrip without aiking queftions, but ere all was done he was made to do it, Jonah i. 8.
2. They fhould look to their fitnefs and ability for their fervice, Pfal. cxii. 5. So Laban had knowledge of what Jacob could do before he engaged with him ; for he ftaid with him a month, Gen xxix. 14. 15.
Secondly, When they have got them. There are two things in the general that they owe unto them.
1. That which is juft. Juft things mull be done to all, and particularly to thofe that are under us. God takes fpe- cial notice of injuftice done by fuperiors to inferiors, who cannot fo well get tht-mfelves righted. And by the law of ftridt juftice mafters are,
(1.) To allow their fervants fufKcient maintenance, whe- ther within or without the houfe, Prov. xxvii. 27. If ma- fters get their work, it is juft they mould allow them food convenient, whereby they may be fitted for their work. The mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn was not to be muzzled ; for our fakes doubtlefs God faith it, that thofe who work fhould eat fufTiciently.
(2.) To give them payment of their wages, the keeping back whereof is a great oppreflion and crying iin, Jam. v. 4. Mafters fhould beware of all fraud and deceit in this. It llands as a blot on Laban's memory, that he did not keep conditions with Jacob, but changed his wages ten times, Gen. xxxi. 41. ;'for which he might make fome plaulible pretence as well as others. To pay them what is infuffi- cient, putting them oft* with any thing that may make up account, is unjuft, Amos viii. 6. Nay, the keeping it up, and delaying to pay them, when it is in the power of our hand, is contrary to juftice, Deut. xxiv. 14. 15.
(3)
Tbs Duties of Majlers to Servants. 23
(3.) They fliould require no more of them than they are able to do. Servants mould not be kept idle, Prov. xxix. 21.; neither mould they be rigoroufly prelfed ?.bove their power, but allowed convenient time for reft and refrefhment, Lev. xxv. 43. It is juft, not only becaufe they are fellow- creatures, but fellow Chriitians.
(4.) Overiight and dire&ion in what they mould do, Prov. xxxi. 27. Thus Boaz is found in the field with his reapers. It is very unjuft to find fault with what fervants do, while men will not be at pains to tell them how they would have their bufinefs done.
2. They owe them that which is equal by the law of Chriftian meeknefs and charity. Now, thus they owe unto them thefe things.
(1.) Mailers ought to rule their fervants gently and meekly, as being of the fame blood with themfelves, Eph. vi. 9. A proud and imperious carriage does not become Chriftianity. They ihould moderate or relax threatening, not do all with them with boaiting and terror, but by meeknefs draw them on.
(2.) They mould be ready to hear them in what they have to fay. It is the character of a Nabal, that " he was fuch a fon of Belial, that a man could not fpeak to him," 1 Sam. xxv. 17. Job declares himfelf to have been of ano- ther temper, Job. xxxi. 13. The advice of a fervant, mo- deftly propofed, is not to be flighted, 2 Kings v. 13. 14. ; and if there be any thing they have to complain of, mailers ihould hearken thereto, and do them right, as they would have God to hearken to themfelves.
(3.) They mould be wary of hearkening to ill tales con- cerning them, Prov. xxix. 12. An eaiinefs to believe every tale makes an uneafy life, efpecially ill tales concerning thofe in whom people are particularly concerned.
(4.") They ought to take care of them when they are fick, efpecially when they have none other to care for them. It is highly reafonable that they fhould be cared for in their iicknefs by thofe in whofe fervice they have fpent their ftrength, Matth. viii. 6. It is noted as a piece of the cruelty of an Amalekite, that he left his fervant when iicknefs over- took him, 1 Sam. xxx. 13.
(5.) They ihould encourage and fhew fpecial favour, even by letting fomething beyond condition fall to tfaithful and diligent fervants. This is very equal ; reafon, intereft, and
religion,
24 Of the Fifth Commandment,
religion, call for it, Prov. xiv. ult. For a faithful fervant is one of the heft of friends.
(6.) Lafily, They fhould be concerned for the good of the fouls of their fervants. For in this cafe matters are inftead of parents to them. They mould inftrucl: them in the prin- ciples of religion, and labour to train them up in the ways of godlinefs, fetting them on and ftirring them up to duty, Gen. xviii. 19. They mould daily pray with them and for them, by keeping up religious duties in their family, Jer. x. 25. And they mould labour to bring them to the public ordinances, Jofh. xxiv. 15. ; reftrain them by their authority from fcandalous and finful words or deeds, as from profaning of the Sabbath, &c. ; and reprove them for their fins againft God, as well as faults againft themfelves ; and if they will not refrain they ought to turn them out of their family, Pfal.ci. 7.
JJfe 1. This may ferve to convince and humble both ma- ilers and fervants.
Ufe 2. I exhort fervants to be dutiful to their matters. For motives, confider,
1. That in your fervice ye have two matters, one on earth, and another in heaven, Col. iii. 23. Your matter on earth fays, Do this fo or fo ; and your Matter in heaven fays, " Whatfoever he faith unto you do it," John ii. 5. And here know, ( 1.) That your Matter in heaven has given you his or- ders how ye mutt carry in fervice to men, as well as in pray- ing, &c. to himfelf. (2.) He fees how ye obey theie orders. His eye is always on you. (3.) He will call you to an account how ye obey thefe. (4.) He will account the fervice faith- fully done, fervice to himfelf; and, on the other hand, undu- tifulnefs to men, undutifulnefs to himfelf.'
2. God himfelf will be your paymafter, according as ye carry yourfelves in your ttation. (1.) God will reward duti- ful fervants. There is a temporal reward that God ordina- rily beftows on fuch, Prov. xvii. 2. u A wife fervant fhall have rule over a fon that caufeth fhame, and fhall have part of the inheritance among the brethren." And that is what Providence lays to the hands of honelt fervants, that are not fincere Chrittians. But true Chriftian fervants fhall get the reward of the heavenly inheritance, Col. iii. 24. (2.) God will reward undutiful fervants too, vex. 25. Ordinarily God writes his indignation againft their undutifulnefs in their lot in the world ; but if they repent not, the quarrel is purfued to another world. That is a fad wbrdj Luke xvi. 11. " If
1 ye
¥"he Duty of People to Minifters. 25
ft have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, 'who will commit to your truft the true riches ?"
Let mafters be dutiful to their fervants according to the will of God. For motives, conflder,
i. Ye are as fathers to them. The fifth command fup- pofeth this ; and fo the fcripture elfewhereteacheth, 2 Kings v. 13. Ye are civil fathers, and inftead of natural fathers to them. They are committed to your charge, as under your roof and power. God would have all fuperiors to put on fatherly bowels towards their inferiors, as he who is fupreme Lord calls himfelf 6i Our Father which. is in heaven." If mafters would thus look on themfelves, it would engage them to their duty towards their fervants. When God brings a fer- vant into a houfe, efpecially thoie of the younger fort, either wanting parents, or leaving them to ferve you, he fays, as John xix. 26. 27. " Man, behold thy fon 5" and to the fer- vant, " Behold thy father."
2. Ye have a mafter which is over you and your fervants too, to whom ye muft give account, Col. iv. 1. And there is no refpect of perfons with him. He has given a law to the mafter as well as to the fervant ; and in judging of them he will not favour the mafter more than the fervant. Pride makes men imperious and oppreffive.e Here is a fovereign remedy to curb it. Let us remember that we have a Mafter in heaven, Job xxxi. 13. 14. And fo much for family- rela- tions.
I come now to conflder the relation betwixt eccleiiaftical lathers and their children, Thefe fathers are preaching and ruling elders. Here I fhall confider, 1. The duties of mini- sters and people ; and, 2. Thofe of ruling elders and people.
First, I fhall fhew the duties of minifters and people.
Firjiy I fhall fhew the duty people owe to their minifters.
1. They owe them fingular reverence, and that becaufe of that honourable ftation wherein Chrift has placed them, fending them to deal with flnners in his own ftead, 1 Cor. iti 1. % Cor. v. 20. This founds that debt of reverence, Rom. x. 15. ; and mould be exprefTed in word and deed. They are the ftars whom Chrift holds in his right-hand ; and though they fhine not fo clear as ye would with, people would beware of treading them under foot, feeing Chrift holds them in his right-hand, Rev. i. 20. compare chap. ii. 4. 14. 20. &c.
2. Endeared love to them for their work's fake, 1 Theft*. v. 13. Gal. iv. 14. 15. The gcfpel is the greatcft benefit
Vol. III. D that
26 Of the Fifth Commandment.
that men can partake of; and it is very natural to love thole who are the inftruments by whom the Lord conveys great be- nefits to us. And as minifters ranft lay their account with the hatred of thofe that hate the light, lb thofethat get good of ordinances will as naturally love them as the child does the father and mother. But as there are unnatural children in the family, who little regard the father that begat them, or the mother that bare them ; fo it is not to be wondered, that there are unnatural children in the church, that reject thofe by whofe means they have got any acquaintance with religion that they have, and caft reproaches on the breafts of ordinan- ces, in fucking of which they grew up.
3. Diligent attendance on ordinances of all forts difpenfed by them, as word, facraments, catechifing, &c. Heb. x. 25. Luke x. 16. In vain do thefe ftars fhine, if their be none to receive their light. The fame word that obliges minifters to difpenfe ordinances, muft needs oblige people to attend them ; and that even though they may lie at a considerable diftance from them, 2 Kings iv. 22. 23. The woman there mention- ed had fixteen miles to go to the man of God.
4. Submiffion to them in things pertaining to their office,, Heb. xiii. 17. ; fubmitting to difcipline exercifed by them in the name of Chrift ; to their inflections, cordially receiving them from the word ; to their reproofs, whether public or private ; to their exhortations and charges, wherein they hold forth to you the will of God, ib. Jam. i. 21. They wfto do otherwife, tin againft their own fouls, as well as difcou- rage minifters by their untraelablenefs, and do but lay up witnefles againft themfelves, to be led againft them at the great day. It is not the hearers of the word, but the doers there- of, that are juftified. It will be no advantage to you to have heard, but never complied.
5. Praying for them, 1 ThefT. v. 25. The work in which they are engaged is a great work. Who is fufHcient for it ? They have need of prayers for them. Your own intereft may engage you to it. They may do their work, but the fuccefs of it muft be fetched from heaven by prayer, 1 Cor. x. 4. We have the fword, but how fhall we get the arm ? We may compafs Jericho, and give the fhout •, but it is the power of God that muft make the walls to fall. Like Gideon's three hundred men, we may bear the lamps in our empty pitchers, blow with the trumpet, and the earthen pitchers may be broken in the caufe, but God only can do the work, Judges vile
6. People
The Duties cf Minijlers to People \ 27
6. People (hould be very tender of the reputation of mini- iters ; it being a tender thing, fo much interwoven with the ftsccefs of the gofpel. The Spirit of God, feeing that the devil would be very ready to mark at their reputation in a ipecial manner, by a wicked world and falfe brethren, has fet a double hedge about it, 1 Tim. v. 19. " Againft an elder receive not an accufation, but before two or three wit- nefTes." So that ye ought not only not to (lander them, but to be loath to receive thoie (landers vented by others againft them, believing nothing therein without proof.
7. Lajlly, Maintenance. This by divine right is due from people to their minifters, 1 Cor. ix. 14.
Secotidly, I (hall (hew the duty of minifters to their people.
1. They owe tender love to the fouls of their people.— They fhould be full of bowels towards them, 1 Theft, ii. 7. 8.; which (hould appear in their preaching, and all parts of their work.
2. Diligent and faithful difpenfing of all gofpel-ordinances to them, word, facraments, ccc. It is a labour, and they rnuft take it fo, willing to fpend and be fpent in the fervice of their Lord, and of precious fouls. And indeed they are as lighted candles, which while they ihine wafte, 2 Tim. iv. 2. i Theft, ii. 3. 4.
3. Behaving fo as they may be examples of holinefs and tendernefs, Tit. ii. 7. ; for precept, without example, will have little influence.
4. Watching over their flocks, that being ready to be ac- quainted with their (late and cafe, they may be in capacity to inftrucl, comfort, and admoniih them, &:c. as the cafe re- quires, Heb. xiii. 7.
5. Lajily, Praying for them, Eph. i. 15. 16. Secondly, I come to (hew the duties of ruling elders
and the people over whom they are appointed overfeers. And as we are this day to ordain fome to that office, 1 (hall difcourfe of this fubjecl a Utile more fully than 1 would otherwife have done, in a catechetical exercife. J propofe to difcourfe on this occaiion, from that text,
D 2 1 Tim.
28 Of the Fifth Cemmandmmh
I Tim. v. 17. — Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honour, efpecially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
The church is the kingdom of Chrift, and the holy fcrip- tures are the book of the manner of the kingdom. There the inftitution of church-officers, their work, and the duties owing them by others, are only to be found. And whatever officers of the church men pretend to be, if their office be not found there, they have no due call to their work, but are ufurpers and intruders.
In the words read, the apoftle gives us the work affigned by Jefus Chrift to elders of the church, and what is due for it unto them from the church : Let the elders that rule wel/9 be counted worthy of double honour. Here he diilinguiihes two forts of elders of the church.
I. Ruling elders. The word elder originally is a name of age ; but here, and in many other places of fcripture, it is evident, that it is the name of an office, being the name of ruling church-officers, becaufe ufually taken out of the elder fort, or that, though of the younger, yet they ought to be men of gravity and authority. Here connder,
( !.) The work of thefe elders, from whence their defigna- tion is taken. It is to rule, and govern the church, as thofe who are fet over it by the Lord. For the Lord has not left his church in a irate of anarchy and confuncn, but appointed fomc to rule, and others to be ruled.
(2.) How they ought to manage their work, well ; i.e. rightly, worthily, according to the rules prescribed them by Chrift, the chief Biftiop.
(3.) What is due from the church to thofe who fo manage it ; doubfcy i. e. abundant honour. This honour implies two things, viss- (1.) Maintenance. This is evident from ver. 18. (2.) Eftcem and reputation, Phil. ii. 29.
Epifcop'atians, as they have given us the prelate, an officer whom Chi-ift never appointed, fo they rob us of the ruling elder, which the text fo plainly difcovers to be a church-of- ficer of divine institution. To evite the force of which,, they turn this elder into various fhapes : but in vain. For by the elders that rule well, cannot be underftood fuper- animated ministers, as foxne fay ; for it is evident that the preaching elder is to have more honour than this elder. But it is (hocking to the common fenfe of the people of God,
1 o
The Duties of Ruling Elders and People. ig
to honour and efteem a young laborious minifler more than an old one, who has fpent his flrength in the work. Nor by them are to be underftood magiitrates, as others fay ; for at this time they were not fo much as members of the church. Nor are deacons meant hereby, as others fay ; for their work is not to rule the church, but to ferve tables, Acts vi. 2. Nor are we to underfland by them the fixed pallors of flocks, in oppofition to thole that travelled up and clown to vifit and confirm the churches, whom they under- itand by thofe that labour, namely, to wearinefs, in the laft part of the verfe. For the work of the fixed pallor is fuch a labour too, j ThefT. v 12. Nor yet fuch as were unfit for preaching, yet adminiftered the facraments, prayed with the church, and privately admoniftied the unruly. But fuch an officer, I am fure, is unknown to the Bible. It remains, then, that they are thofe whom we call ruling elders, whofe work is, as in the text, to govern the church, but not to preach the word ; and therefore they are diftinguifhed from preaching elders, as is plain from the particle efbecially ; as Phil. iv. 24. " All the faints falute you, chiefly they that are of Cssfar's houieholcU" Chiefly is the fame word in the Greek that is here rendered efpecially ; and it plainly implies, that there were fome faints at Rome not of Casfar's houfehbld. So here are defcribed fome elders that rule weli, and do not labour in word and doctrine.
2. Preaching elders : Their work is to preach the gofpel ; to labour in the word and doctrine. To them in a fpecial manner, by the text, double honour is due, i. e. maintenance and refpeft, forafmuch as their office is greater and more honourable, not only in ruling of the church, as the others do, but preaching of the gofpel beiides. Where, by the by, we may fee, that if Paul's doctrine had place in the world, the preaching pariih-minifter would have more honour than the non-preaching bifhop, who contents himfeif with ruling, but puts not his moulders to the labour in the word and doctrine. Maintenance, we fee, is due to both fort of elders, by divine right. But it is no fin for either to quit their right in certain circumftances. And with us the ruling elders are allowed no maintenance, but the preaching elders are. The reafon of this is the poverty of the church that cannot bear it ; and that our ruling eiders are not taken off their fecular employments, as minifters are.
The
^d Of the Fifth Commandment*
The doctrine deducible from the text is, Boer. " Ruling elders rightly discharging their duty, are "Worthy of abundant honour."
Having Sufficiently cleared the divine inftitutlon of ruling elders from the text, which is clear alfo from Rom. xii. 8, i Cor. xii. 28. I fhall, in profecution of the doctrine, fhew,
I. What is the duty of thefe officers.
II. What it is to difcharge the duties of that office well.
III. What is the honour that people owe to their ruling elders.
IV. Apply.
I. I am to fhew what is the duty of thefe officers.
The apoftle tells us in the general, that their work as ruling "elders is to rule the church. The keys of jurisdiction and government are not given to one, but to the unity of church-officers acting together ; fo, together with the paftor, they are to rule the congregation. God fetting a minifter in a congregation, fays to him, It is not meet the man ihould be alone, 1 will make him an help meet for him. — And a fociety of diligent and faithful elders are a meet help indeed. And without that the weight of a congregation is too heavy for the ihoulders of one, as Exod. xviii. 18. But more particularly,
1. They are to be careful overfeers of the manners of the people. Hence the apoftle fays to the elders of Ephefus, Acts xx. 28. " Take heed therefore unto yourfelves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghoft hath made you overfeers, to feed the church of God." And as minifters are a mouth to the church, fo they are to be inftead of eyes. And therefore it is necefTary, for the good of a congregation,- that there be of them in every corner. For they are truly watchmen, whom the Holy Ghoft has fet over the flock, as well as minifters are. And they ought to acquaint them- Selves with the way of the people, that fo they may encou- rage th'pfe that do well, and warn thofe that do evil. And
o ...
tmlefs elders do fo, and communicate their help in that mat- ter to the paftor, he may be long in a congregation, and yet be a ft ranger to many under his charge ; and fo ministerial vifitations may be very ufeleSs.
2. Though they are not to preach the word, yet they are to apply the word privately to people by virtue of their office. They are to have a mouth to Speak, as well as eyes to take heed to the flock of God, 1 Tim. iii. 2. — " Apt to teach."
There
The Duties of Ruling Eiders and People. 3 v
There is a word pat to this purpofe, 1 Theft*, v. 12, — f< Are over you, and admonifh you." It is the fame word in our text. The word admoniJJj there ufed, is far from expreiiing the full meaning of the word the Holy Ghoft ufeth here, ufed alfo Eph. vi. 4. It properly fignines to " pq£ into the rnind." And fo it implies a fivefold duty.
(1.) Exciting people to their duty. Obferving negligence, they ought to ltir up people to their duty \ e. g. thofe that neglect family-prayer, fecret prayer, attending regularly on ordinances, or are negligent of their fouls ftate any way, 'they fliould drop a word to ftir them up.
(2.) Rebuking of fin. Reproofs of wifdom are as ne- ceiTary for church-members as fait is to keep meat from corrupting. It is neceflary to difcourage fin and wicked- nefs in the church, which lliould be a holy fociety. And there wants not occafion enough for this, in fwearing, lying, profaning of the Sabbath, drunkennefs, ftrife, variance, and whatfoever is contrary to the rules of the gofpei.
(3.) Warning fuch as they fee in hazard of fin ; to tell them of the fnare, their hazard and danger, and fo to pre- vent people's falling into if, as far as lies in their power. Sometimes people may be difcerned daggering, and a word ihen duly put into their mind may, by the bleffing of God, keep them from falling.
(4.) Comforting thofe that are cait down, and ftrengthen- ing the weak. It was the practice of holy Job, chap. iv. 4. " Thy words have upholden him that was faliing, and thou haft ftrengthened the feeble knees." And church-rulers ought always to have a fpecial eye upon thofe that are the weak and diftrefTed in Chrift's flock, to labour to fupport them in the Lord.
(£.) Inftructing and informing them privately. And in-, deed rule without inftruetion is dumb, and not agreeable to the way of our Lord's governing his houfe ; and excitations, rebukes, &c. can never be rightly managed without informa- tion of the mind. For if we would gain our errd in dealing with people, we muft not think it enough to tell them their duty or their fin, but by reafoning with them to convince their conlciences.
Thefe things are the duty of all church-members, however
little it is laid to heart. Only what others are bound to by
the common band of Chriftianity, we are bound to by our
office, Lev. xix. 17. 1 ThefTv. 14.
.3. They are to vifit the fick, and fhould be fent for, for
that
Of the Fifth Commandment,
that end, Jam. v. 14. 15. But 'other wife Chriftian love may engage them to go even when they are not fent for. They ought to pray with them and for them* And, by the fame reafon, they are to counfel, inftruct, and comfort them, according to the grace beftowed on them, and as they fee the party's cafe does require. This would be a means to render the office more efteemed than, alas ! it is with many. And it needs not hinder the paftor's vifits.
4. They are to concur with the paftor in the exercife of difcipline, according to the word of God, and the conftitu- tions of the church agreeable thereto. For miniffers and elders make up thai church, having the power of cenfures, Matth. xviii. 17. And thus they are to delate fcandalous perfons to the judicatory, either when their private admoni- tions will not do, or where the offence is in its own nature public, and cannot be pafTed with private admonition. And in the managing of matters in the judicatory, they are not only to give their opinion and vote according to their light, but to reafon the matter calmly, for the finding out of the beft expedient. Admifiion to, and debarring from, the fa- crament of the Lord's fupper, is a weighty piece of this work, belonging to the kirk-feffion, wherein ail tendernefs, caution, and wifdom fhould be ufed, to feparate as far as we can betwixt the precious and the vile, that holy things be not caft to dogs.
As for the collecting and distributing of the church's mo- ney, it is fo far from being the main work of ruling elders, that it is no part of their work as elders at all, but belongs to the deacons, which is an inferior office. But the fupe- rior offices of the church including the inferior ones, the elders may do it, and muft do it, where there are not deacons,
U. I come now to fhew, what it is to difcharge the duties of that office well.
1. It is to difcharge it faithfully, 1 Cor. iv. 2. It is a great truft the Mafter puts us in, and we muft aft in it with that faithfulnefs to our own fouls, and the fouls of thofe who are under our charge, as our confeience may not have wherewith to reproach us.
2. Diligently, Rom. xii. 8. The flothful fervant that clo- feth his eyes, and gives up his watch, will never be appro- ved of God. Be diligent in your duty, and it will not want its reward.
3. Zealoufly, Pfal. Ixix. 9. Zeal for the Matter's honour,
2 and
The Duties of Ruling Elders and People, 33
and advancing the kingdom of Chrift in real holinefs, and fuppreffing the devil's kingdom in fin and wickednefs, in the congregation, and otherwife as we have accefs, is well beco- ming church-officers efpecially.
4. Prudently, Matth. xxiv. 45. Church-officers had need to join the wifdom of the ferpent with the fimplicity of the dove. And they will find it neceiTary many a time to fweet- en with prudent management the bitter pills they muft give, Gal. vi. 1.
III. I proceed to mew, what is that honour that people owe to their ruling elders.
1. They ought to efteem and refpect. them for their work's fake, 1 TheiT. v. 12. 13. Their work is honourable, their Mafter whom they ferve in that work is great, and the ad- vantage of their work redounds to the church. People's efteem of them is but a neceiTary encouragement to them in thework they have undertaken, without any profpect of world- ly advantage. And if people efteemed the Lord's work, they would even efteem the workers too.
2. Obedience and fubmiffion to them in their doing the work of their office, Heb. xiii. 17. If it be their duty to watch over you, excite and admonifh you, &c. ye ought not to account them meddling in what belongs not to them, when they inquire into your way. Ye ought to fall in with the duties they ex- cite you to ; meekly to receive their rebukes, admonitions, and warnings ; honourably to receive their confolations, as thofe that have a commiflion from the Lord ; and heartily to to receive their good admonition and counfel ; and fubject- ing yourfelves as Chrift's fubjecto to the difcipline of his ho ufe.
3. They ought to pray to God for them, 1 ThefT. v. 15. It is a great work we have in hand, and your intereft is con- cerned in our right difcharge of it ; which therefore mould make you to give us a fhare in your prayers.
4. Shutting your ears againft reproaches caftan them, and being backward to receive ill reports of them, ftaving them off, unlefs there befufficient evidence, 1 Tim. v. 19. Church- officers are thofe whom Satan mainly aims to difcredit, and Therefore ftirs up rotten -hearted hypocrites, falfe brethren, and a profane generation, to caft dirt upon them, that fo their work may be marred in their hands, religion defpifed, and finners hardened.
Ufe 1. As to vou that are alreadv in this honourable office, Vol. Ill/ E and
34 Of the Fifth Commandment,
and you that are now to be ordained to it, I exhort ycu to labour rightly to clifcharge your duty. To prefs this exhor- tation, I offer the following motives.
Mot. i. Confider it is a facred office in the houfe of God, to which God has called you ; and therefore let us together take that exhortation, Acts xx. 28. " Take heed therefore unto yourfelve?, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghoft has made you overfeers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchafed with his own blood ." The office is honourable in itfelf, however the world efteem of it. David, though a king, would have thought it no difparage- ment to him, when he faid, "A day in thy courts is better than a thoufand : I had rather be a door-keeper in the houfe of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickednef?,'7 Pfah Ixxxiv. 10. But it has work annexed to it ; and being facred, . it is not to play with. Labour to approve yourfelves to your Lord and Mailer.
Mot. 2. Ye have thereby a fair occafion to be ferviceable to God, and to advance Chrift's kingdom, and fupprefs that of the devil, in the congregation. And O what fhould we not do to do good to fouls ? Jam. v. 20. " Let him know, that he which converteth the {inner from the error of his way, fhail fave a foul from death, and fhal} hide a multi- tude of fins," I think that now, of a confiderable time, I and my brethren of the elderfhip might have faid, " The flrength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbifb, fo that we are not able to build the wall," Meh. iv. 10. ; and it has gone near to the finking of fome of our fpirits. But now that Gcd has inclmed the hearts of fo many to come ever and help us ; if we take courage in our Mailer's work, to ply it faithfully, diligently, zealoufly, and prudently, and the Lord blefs us with unity among our- felves, and real zeal for his honour, to put to our fhoulders jointly to the work, we may hope, by the bkffing of God, to fee a more promifing face on this congregation, fin more difcouraged, and piety more increafed.
Mot. ult. You and I muit give an account to our great Ma- tter, how we have carried ourfelves in his work, Heb. xiii. 17. If we be faithful, we fhall not want our reward from the chief Shepherd, who will give us a crown of life. If we be unfaithful, wo will be unto us for betraying our truft.
I give you a few advices.
1 . Remember always that it is God whom ye have to do
with.
The Duties of Ruling Elders and People. 35
with. Tin's will make you little to regard men's feud or fa- vour, if ye do your work agreeable to God's will.
2. Study to act in dependence on the Lord ; for he fend1? none a-warfare on his own charges. Eye his promifed af- firmance, when ye fet about your work.
3. Labour to believe, that the way of uprightnefs and faithfulnefs is the fure way. " When a man's ways pleafe the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him," Prov. xvi. 7. " He that rebuketh a man, af- terwards fhall rind more favour than he that flattereth him," Prov. xxviii. 23. Let men's corruptions fay what they will, their confciences will fpeak in favour of faithful dealing.
4. Watch over your own perfons, that in your perfonal walk ye be blamelefs and exemplary, 1 Tim. iii. 1. 2. 3. If ye be untender in your walk, ye will do more hurt than ye can do good. Being honoured to be governors in the houfe of a holy God, ye muft be holy as the Matter is holy ; ten- der in your words, circumfpect in your actions, and there- fore watchful over your hearts.
5. Watch over your families. Every one that has a fa- mily is obliged to this, and you in a fpecial manner, 1 Tim. iii. 4. 5. The finful practices of thofe of your family will reflect a peculiar diihonour on you, and by you on your Lord and Matter. Therefore your families fhould be a church, wherein God is to be duly worshipped morning and evening ; and good difcipline kept up, by admonition, re- proof, and watchfulnefe.
6. Ye muft watch over one another, each over his fel- low-elders, knowing, that any thing fcandalous in one of the fociety reflects a dishonour on the whole, and by them on the Lord himfelf. And if ye be not careful on that fide, there will be little good of your watching over the flock. And therefore ftrict difcipline among yourfelves is abfolutely 'necefTary.
Use II, As to you the people, I would exhort you to make confcience of your duty towards your officers. Alas ! for the little confcience that is made of that among us. I am fure we may find matter of mourning this day in that matter.
Inftead of honouring of them, many defpife and pou-r contempt on them, more than otherwise they would do ; thus vilely treating their facred office.
Inftead of fubmiflion and obedience, what refractor! nefy
E 2 and
3 6 Of the Fifth Commandment,
and fpurning of difcipline for fcandalous offences ! Some cannot endure to be told of their faults ; but if we admo- nifh or reprove them, even privately, they are made worfe inftead of better; and rather than take a reproof, they will give up with ordinances.
Inftead of being careful of their reputation, fome will bawl out upon them, and abufe them on every occafton. And there is nothing with many more readily received, than the vomit of malicious and fpiteful fpirits againft mi- nifters and elders, which is greedily licked up, i Cor. iv.
13-
Hence it is, that men's hands are weakened, and they are difcouraged in their work, while they fee the people of that temper, Hof. iv. 4. And hence it is, that it is fo very hard to get men to undertake the office of elders ; for they fee, that if they engage therein, they muft be the very butt of the malice and fpite of bitter fpirits ; and that if they will be faithful, they engage themfelves in a fighting life, and that the ftream will go againft them. But allow me to put you in mind of three things.
1. Whofe part you act in that matter. It is the part of Satan againft thefe men and yourfelves too. Can you fall upon a more expedite way to advance the kingdom of the devil in the congregation, than to difcourage and weaken the hands of thofe that are fet over you in the Lord ? Is there a fairer way to rout the army, than to make their leaders ufelefs ?
2. Whofe fervants they are. They are clothed with a commiffion from the King of the church ; and the contempt poured on them reaches to their Mafter : "He that defpifeth you (fays he), defpifeth me," Luke x. 16*. Will the laws of the land avenge the affronts done to a petty officer, who comes to execute the fentence of a civil court ? did David feverely avenge on the Ammonites their maltreating of his fervants, whom he fent on a congratulatory meffage to them, as >e find in 2 Sam. x. ? and will not the Lord Jefus relent in his wrath the maltreatment of thofe that are clothed with his commiffion ?
3. Z'fl/y, Are ye not the profeffed fubjecls of the kingdom of Chnlt r Why then will ye not fubmit yourfelves to the laws of his houfe ? Why will ye not be obedient in the Lord to thofe whom he fets over you, complying with their ex- hortations, admonitions, and rebukes? Lukexix. 27. Why do not ye ftrengthen their hands in the Lord's work ? If
ye
The Duties of Sub] eels to Magift rates* 37
ye have any intereft in Zion's King, it is the work of our common Lord, which you are obliged to in a private wav, as well as they by virtue of their office ; and therefore ve are bound to co-operate with them in what fcrves to pro- mote the intereft of that King, whofe fervants you profefs to be.
I proceed now to confider the relation betwixt political fathers and their children ; that is, magiftrates and fubjects. Firfl, I Ihall (hew the duty of fubjects to magiftrates.
1. They owe them lingular refpect and honour, 1 Pet. ii. 17. They are to be honoured by us in our hearts, thinking of and efteeming them reverently, and carrying a reverent fear and awe of them within our breafts, 1 Sam. xxvi. 16. r 7. Prov. xxiv, 21. And this is to be exprefTed in a refpectful behaviour towards them in word and deed.
The grounds of this are fpecially two. (1.) The ordi- nance of God, whereby they are fet above us in the way of power and authority, Rom. xiii.; and fubjects ought to walk in a confeientious regard to the fuperiority that God has given their rulers over them. (2.) The image of God that mines in their dominion and eminency above their fubjects, Pfal. lxxxii. 6. They are God's vicegerents on earth, whofe office bears a reprefentation of God's dominion.
2. Subjects owe them the charity to conftruct the beil of their actions that they will bear, and to beware of palling a raffi judgment of their adminillrations. Notable is the inftance of it in David, 1 Sam. xxvi. 19. "Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his fer- vant : if the Lord have ilirred thee up againil me, let him accept an offering : but if they be the children of men, curfed be they before the Lord ; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, faying, Go ferve other gods." The liberty that many take in fpeaking of magiftrates, and wrefting their actions ftill to the worft fide, is what proceeds not from the fpirit of the gofpel, but is contrary to the word, an effect of their own pride and prefumption, Exod. xxii. 28. Eccl. x. 20. 2 Pet. ii. io. Jude 8. This is alfo highly reafonable, and hath thefe grounds. (1.) That candour and charity we owe to all men, but in a fpecial manner to our fuperiors, requires it, 1 Cor. xiii. 5.7. (2.) Our unacquaintednefs with the fprings of public bufinefs, fecrets of government, and reafons of ftate, Prov. xxv. 3. And natural modefty, as well as religion,
teaches
38 Of the Fifth Commandment.
teaches men not to anfwer a matter before they hear it, Prov. xviii. 13. This dutiful children will allow to their parents, wives to their huibands, fervants to their matters, and inferiors to their fuperiors ; and why mould not rriagi- itrates have it too ?
3. Subjection, loyalty, and obedience to their juft laws and commands. It is bad religion where loyalty to the ma- giftrate mull Hand in place of all religion towards God ; but it is alfo bad religion where people's pretended religion to- wards God juftles out their loyalty to the magiftrate, Rom. xiii 5. This duty Papifts exeem churchmen from ; and no wonder, for it is a part of the character of Antichriff, 2 Theff. ii. 4. ; but the fcripture fubjects minifters to the magiftrates, as having fouls as well as others, Rom. xiii. " Let every foul be fubjedt to the higher powers."
4. The payment of their tribute, Rom. xiii. 6. 7. This is a debt of thankfulnefs, and juftice too, for the benefits of go- vernment which the fubjects enjoy, without which the go- vernment cannot be fupported, but all would go into con- fufion.
5. Defending of them in danger, each one according to his Ration, 2 Sam. xviii. 3. 1 Sam. xxvi. 15.
6. Laflly, Prayer to Gcd for them ; fupplications for fup- ply of wants, prayers for good things to them, interceffions far turning away of evil from them, and thankfgivings for mercies bellowed on them, 1 Tim. ii. 1. 2. There is a reafon for it too ; for the welfare of fubjects is wrapt up in theirs, ib. Much depends on their management, God's honour, our own good; and their high place has many dangers, diffi- culties, fnares, and temptations.
Use. Let me therefore exhort you in the words of the apoflle, 1 Pet. ii. 13. 14. " Submit yourfelves to every or- dinance of man for the Lord's fake: whether it be to the king, as fupreme ; or unto governors, as unto them that are fent by him for the puniihment of evil-doers, and for the praife of them that do well." Let us honour and dutifully fubjecl ourfelves, according to the will of God, to our gra- cious Sovereign King George, our rightful and lawful King by virtue of the laws of Scotland, pointed at in the claim of right, and upon which was founded the late happy Revolu- tion. Let us adore that bountiful Providence, by which his grandfather [Frederick Elector Palatine of the Rhine] ha- ving loft one kingdom [that of Bohemia], befides his private eftate, in thecaufe of the Proteftant religion, three kingdoms are now conferred on the grandfon. Let us thank our God,
who
The Duties of Magift rates to Subjects. 39
who did fo feafonably bring him to the throne, and that in peace, to the furprife of all parties, fo as we were like men that dreamed. Let us fuppofe that the Popiih Pretender had effectuated his purpofe, what a cafe had we oqqii in this day! Yet rejoice with trembling; it is hard to fay that Heaven and thefe finful nations are become friends yet. Let ns be dutiful to fubordinate magiilrates under him, and ho- nour thofe whom God has honoured by their office, faying to them, Ye are gods. Let us not Humble atheifls, Jacobites, and rnalignants, againfl our holy religion, by contempt of the magifirate. We read the Bible, where fubjeclicn is com- manded to fubje&s oft. and again, even to magistrates that were enemies to Chriftianity. We are the followers of that Jefus who paid his tribute, and taught the people of the Jews, who were more folemnly covenanted with God, and more flrictly bound up in the choice of their kings, than any nation under heaven, yet not to deny their tribute to Caefar, the Heathen Roman emperor, who then was their chief raa- giftrate, Matth. xxii. 19. — 21.
Secondly, I {hall {hew the duty of magiilrates to their fubject.s, which 1 {hall only name.
1. They ought to eftablifh good laws among their fubjefis, and to fee them duly executed, Zech. viii. 16. 2 Chron. xix.
2. To govern them with wifdom, juftice, and clemency, 2 Chron. i. 10.
3. To puniih evil-doers, and encourage them that do well, Rom. xiii. 3.
4. To protect them, and provide for their common fafety, 1 Tim. ii. 2. ; to fee to their profperity, and not to opprefs them, Prov. xxviii. 16.
5. Lafily, They ought to promote true religion, and ad- vance the interefl of ChrifTs kingdom among their fubjecls, If. xlix. 23. Some will have the magifirate to be the foun- tain of church-power. Others leave him nothing to do in religion but to defend the church, and execute her acts. Thus go the Papifts. Truth goes the middle way, allowing the magifirate a cumulative, though not a privative, power in church-matters ; and though he ought not to exercife a fpiritual funclicn, yet he can command and oblige miniflers and other church-officers to do their duty, authoritatively call them to do it. And this is no more to ufurp church-power, than a minifler's charging magiflrates from the word, is to ufurp civil power. See Confeflion of Faith.
There
4© Of the Fifth Commandment,
There are other relations that import a mere preference ; as, betwixt the aged and the younger, the weaker in gifts and the ftronger, and between equals.
Firjl, As to the relation betwixt the aged and the younger,
i. I mall confider very briefly the duties of the younger to the aged, for thefe are fathers and mothers in fcripture- language, i Tim. v. i.
(i.) They ought to tfubmit to them, fo as to follow their wife advice, and not to fraud upon the points with them, but to be ready to yield to them, where lawfully it may be done, i Pet. v. 5.
(2.) They ought to honour them, and carry refpedtfully to them. The Ancient of days commands us to honour old age, Lev. xix. 32.
2. The aged ought, (1.) To be ready to profit the younger fort by their good advice, to tutor them, as Eli did young Samuel, 1 Sam. iii. 9. (2.) To give them the example of a virtuous and holy life, Tit. ii. 2.
Secondly, The duties of the weaker in gifts to the ftronger are,
(1.) To reverence and refpect them for the gifts of God in them, Gen. xlv. 8. (2.) To be willing and ready to learn of them. (3.) To beware of judging harfhly of them in things wherein they have a greater liberty than them, Rev. xiv. 3.
The duties of the ftronger in gifts are, (1.) To commu- nicate cheerfully to them what God has given them, and fo to help them by their gifts. (2.) To encourage them, and bear with their infirmities, Rom. xv. 1.
LafJy, The duties of equals are, (1.) To regard the dig- nity and worth of each other, and carry refpe£tfully to them. 1 Pet. ii. 17. (2.) To carry modeftly towards one another, preferring in honour each other, Rom. xii. 10. (3.) To en- deavour after and rejoice in one another's welfare as their own, ver. 15. 16,
II. I proceed now to fhew, what is forbidden in the fifth commandment. According to our Catechifm, it forbids M the neglecting of, or doing any thing againft the honour and duty which bclongeth to every one in their feveral places and relations."
This queftion is a field as large, or rather larger than the
former, in fo far as to one duty feveral fins are oppofed :
but fearing that ye cannot bear enlargement, having heard
1 fo
The Sins fcrhidckn. 41
fo much already on thefe relations, I fhall contract my difcourfe on this into a very narrow compafs.
This command is broken, (1.) By neglecl: of the duties we owe to our relations, which ye have heard. (2.) By doing any thing againft and contrary to thefe duties.
Firji, Hufbands and wives break this command, and fin againft one another, many ways. As particularly,
1. Againft that tender conjugal love they owe to one an- other, is all unkindnefs, whereby, laying alide, end di veil- ing themfelves of natural affection, they are furly to, care- lefs of, and unconcerned for their relatives, or their comfort. Of this fort are their bitter fpeeches, reproaching and re- viling one another. That felfifhneis, whereby they are at no pains to pieafe one another in lawful things, and void of fympathy in one another's joys and griefs ; unreafonable fufpicions and jealoufies, whatever be done to pieafe them ; blazing abroad their own fhame, in fpeaking to the difcredit of their relatives ; contempt of and defpiling one another. All thefe are quite oppoiite to conjugal love.
2. Againft that faithfulnefs they owe to one another, in refpecl of their bodies, is infidelity in the grofs breach of the marriage-contract, deferting and leaving one another, and defrauding one another. In refpect of their means, is all idlenefs, mihrianagement, and waftery ; and in refpect of their fouls, is unconcernednefs about them, being at no pains to inftruct, admonifh, and watch over one another ; and if at any time they tell them of their faults, it is to their re- proach, being before others, or in their pafiion, fo that it can do no good. And much more when they become fnares and hinderances to one another, inftead of meet helps, leading and provoking their relatives to fin againft God, and ruin their own fouls.
Wives particularly fin againft their hufbands, by cafting off all reverence to them, carrying themfelves imperioufly towards them, being difobedient, wilful, and untraceable, and, like Vafhti, Efth. i. 10. 11. 12. who would no come to the king, when fent for by him, will not go an inch by their own will to pieafe them. It is not their honour to command, whofe province God has made it to obey, Ezek. xvi. 30. Eph. v. ult.
Hufbands fin againft their wives in dealing untenderly with them, tyrannifmg and domineering over them in a mafterful way, not protecting them from theinfults of others, *or providing for them ; giving them that are their wives
Vol. III. F" no
42 Of the Fifth Commandment.
no truft, but making them, like Nabal, accountable to the utraoft farthing ; nor encouraging and prailing them when they do well ; moft of all in beating them, in ufe only with furious or mad men, Eph. v. 25. 29. Secondly, As to parents and children :
1. Children fin againft. their parents by difobedience to them. Such are in the midft of the black roll, Rom. i. 3c. ; and are in a near way to ruin, Prov. xxx. 17. So do they by all irreverence to them, and flighting and dishonouring them in word and deed, Deut. xxvii. 16. ; and much more by curling of them, Exod. xxi. 17. Many, again, fin againft Cod and their parents, being unteachable, and will not hearken to their inftruc~tion, Prov, v. 7. ; they will not take a fharp word from them, but their hearts rife againft them and it too, Prov. xiii. 18. ; and others, though they will bear with words, yet they are ftubborn, and will notfobmif to correction, Deut. xxi. 18. 19. And what will we fay of thofe that, like cnrfed Ham, make a jeft of their parents in- firmities, wafte their fubftance, and prove unnaturpl and hard-hearted to them when they are old and in diflrefs ? Prov. xix. 26. Finally, they fin by -difpofing of themfelves to callings, or in marriage, without confent of their parents, Gen. xxvi. 34. $$*
2. Parents fin againft their children many ways, while thev are not concerned for them while infants ; but many are carelefs as to the bringing up of their children to fome honeft employment, but, by encouraging them in idlenefs, prove a fnare to them. Moft men, if they bring their children to be able to fhift for a livelihood to themfelves, think they have done enough, while they have not been at pains to bring them up for God. Many will learn them to work that will not learn them to read, pray, &c. What ihall we fay of thofe that will learn them to ban, fwear, lie, pick and fteal, and encourage them in fuch things ? Some kill their children by cockering of them ; they indulge them fondly to their ruin. And kow indifcretely will parents dote on one child by another, where it is not grace, but mere fancy, that makes the difference ? Gen. xxv. 28. Some, on the other hand, are wofully harfh to their children, and break their fpirits, by holding them fo fhort by the head that they are driven to extremities, ufing them as drudges rather than as children, immoderately beating them when they are in a fault, and inveighing againft them with bitter words, Col.
iii,
The Sins forbidden. 43
iii. 21. °, indifcreet and untender dealing with them with re« fpect to their callings or marriages. Thirdlyy As to mafters and fervants :
1. Servants tin againft their mafters by irreverent, difre- fpec~tful, and faucy carriage towards them, without any re- fpect to the honour which God calls them to give to their ma- fters. Many are difobedient, and will plainly tell, that they will not do what they are bidden ; or if they do it, they will do it in fuch a manner, as fhall vent their pride and pailion, Though the fcripture commands not to anfwer again, they will anfwer, and have the laft word too, and by no means will fubmit to reproofs. Many are unfaithful to their ma- fters, their ferviee is eye-fervice, unfaithful fervicej either by their negligence and floth bringing their mafter to lofs, or by dilhonefty in that which is under their hands. Some profeiiing fervants are by their way a fcandal to religion in, families where they are. Others are a plague to the family by the averfion they ihew to every good thing or religious duty, as if their mafters were no more concerned in them, if they work their work, Eph. v. 5. 6.
2. Mafters fin againit their fervants, not allowing them fuffkient maintenance, but niggardly pinching them, keeping back their wages from them in whole or in part, and fo op- prefting the hireling ; rigorouily keeping them at work, not allowing them convenient time for reft, nor wcrfhipping ot God in fecret, or attending on public ordinances. And fo they fin againft them by continual chiding and uneafinefs to them, and carclefihefs with refpect to their fouls good, Eph. vi. 9.
Fourthly, As to minifters and people i
1. People fin againft their minifters by their flighting and defpifing them, and nowife treating them as the mefTengers of Chrift -, going on in their evil ways over the belly of all warnings and reproofs, being ftubborn, and refufing fubjec- tion to difcipline ; flandering of them, creating them trouble, by forfaking of ordinances, &c* or any wife making their work burdenfome, or them to drive heavily in it ; and re- ftraining prayer for them.
Minifters fin againft people by an unconcernednefs about their fouls cafe, lazinefs, and unfaithfuinefs in difcharge of their duty, proving ftumbiing-blocks to their people by a loofe walk, and not being earneft in prayer for them, for the blefting of God on them and their meilage.
As to ruling elders and people, I have nothing to add to what I faid before*
F 2 Fifthly,
44 Of the Fifth Commandment.
Fifthly As to magiftrates and fubjed"ts :
i.Subjectsfin theiragainft magiftrates by carrying diirefpecl- fully to them, rebelling againft them, and difobeying their juft laws, reviling and fpeaking defpitefully of them, denying them fubjection and their juft dues, and not praying for them.
2. Magiftrates Cm againft fubjecls by ufing their power to fatisfy their lulls, and giving bad example to others, by ty- ranny and oppreftion, unjuft laws, and difcountenancing piety and virtue, and oppofing themfeives to the kingdom of Chrift.
Sixthly, As to the aged and younger : How little refpecl do the younger fhew to the aged ! Inftead of that honour due to age, people are ready to befool them, if not to account them witches or wizards, forgetting that either they muft come to their age themfeives, or die by the way- On the Other hand, few old people carry fo to the younger, as to command refpecl: by their examplary piety and holinefs ; but,, on the contrary, gray hairs are often found in the way of wickednefs.
Seventhly, As to the weaker and ftronger in gifts : It is often the iin of the weaker to envy the ftronger, and if they can to mifreprefent them. The weak judge the ftrong, and the ftrong defpife and ftumble the weak.
Lqftly, Equals fin againft one another, undervaluing the worth, envying and grieving at the good of one another, and tifurping pre-eminence over one another.
The fpring and fource of all this is, (i.) Want of love to. and fear of God ; for while people are not in their duty to God, how fhould they be in their duty to man ? (2.) Pride and ielfifhnels, while eve'ry one feeks himfelf, and not the good of others.
Thefe things may be very humbling to all of us. Who can fay his life is clean in any of thefe relations ? But even thofe who are very dutiful in their feveral relations as to the matter, may be guilty of the breach of this command, in fb far as what they do in thefe things does not proceed from gracious principles ; for indeed the ftrft command muft be carried along in all the reft.
III. We come now to the reafon annexed to this com- mand; which is, « A promife of long life and profperity (as far as it lhall ferve for God's glory and their own good) to all fuch as keen this commandment."
This
Reafon annexed to this Command. 4^
This is a promife to encourage the confeientious perform- ance of the duties here required. The apoftle tells us, that it is " the firft command with promife," Eph. v. 2.
Ofyueft. 1. How is this command the firft with promife, feeing the fecond has a promife alfo ?
Anf. It is the firft command of the fecond table : for it is the moft weighty of them all, as comprehending all the red in it ; fo that we cannot fin againft the reft, but we muft firft break over the hedge of this, which encompafTeth ail the reft. For one cannot violate another's life, chaftity, &c. but he firft violates the honour due to him by this command. And it is the only command that has a fpecial promife of a par- ticular mercy annexed to it. The promife annexed to the fecond command is but a promife of mercy in the general, and that not particularly to thole that keep that command, but all the commandments.
^ieft* 2. But does the law promife any thing but to per- fect keeping of its commands ? and if {o, what are we the better ?
Anf. We muft diftinguifh betwixt the law as a covenant of works, and the law as in the hand of Chrift for a rule of life to believers. As it is a covenant of works, nothing lefs than perfect obedience can intereft men in the promife ; for the leaft failure knocks off the man's fingers from the pro- mife, by virtue of the curfe, Gal. iii. 10. " Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." So that we can be no- thing the better of this promife. But Chrift being the Surety of the better covenant, having made a new covenant of grace in his blood, he takes the fame law in his hands, and gives out the commands of it as a rule of life to his co- venanted people, and renews the promifes of it to their fin- cere obedience of them, 1 Tim. iv. 8. " Godlinefs is profit- able unto all things, having promife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." As for the curfe of it, they hear of it no more, he having borne it away himfelf. And fo he crowns the fruits of his own grace in them with blefTed rewards. And as all thefe promifes are yea and amen in him ; {0 for his fake, through faith in his blood, they are obtained.
In the words we may confider thefe three things ; the bleffing promifed, the place where it is to be enjoyed, and the regard the Lord allows his people to have to that bleffing to further them in obedience.
First,
46 Of iht Fifth Commandment*
First, The bleffing promifed ; that is, long life, that thy days may be long. It is a temporal mercy, a mercy much deiired ordinarily by all men, and promifed to them that keep 'his commandment. There are four things here to be coniidered.
Firfif What is meant by men's days being long. It denotes two tilings.
i. Long life, Prov. iv. 10. " The years of thy life fhail be many/' Death in its belt colours has fomething frightful about it. It is a diffolution of foul and body, which nature ihivers at. But there is no eviting of it *, all muff die ; they muft go through that dark valley to their eternal flate. But the belt that can be made of it is promifed here, viz. that iuch fhall be full of days, and not be taken away till they be ripe for the fickle.
2. Profperity to accompany that life; for non viveretfed va lere, vita fL Long life in miferies is a continued death, rather than life. So that the nature of the thing teaches us, that a profperous long life is here promifed. It is a good old age3 Gen. xv. i j. And thus the apoftle explains it, Eph. vi. 3. « That it may be well with thee, and thou mayft live long on the earth. "
Secondly, That long life is in itfelf a mercy, and therefore is promifed. There are many things that may mortify men's deiircs of long life. Old age is ordinarily accompanied with a train of inilcrics; and the longer the godly live, they are the longer kept out of heaven. Yet there are four things that make this long and profperous life here promifed to the godly's keeping of this command, a great mercy.
1. A good old age is an honourable thing, Prov. xvi. 31. " The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteoufnefs." God commands a particular reverence to be given to old men, Lev. xix. 32. " Thou fhalt rife up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man." It is true, fin and wickednefs fpoils the greateft glory, and no man is more like the devil than a wicked old man, II. Ixv. 20. " The finner being an hundred years old, Khali be accurfed." But it is an honourable character which the Spirit of God puts on Mnafon, Acts xxi. 16. " An phi dif- cipie." And old godly men are moft like God, Daft. vii. 9. Rev. i. 14.
2. It is profitable for the exercife of godlinefs, in fo far as h makes them proof againff. many temptations which youth often carries men headlong unto. 2 Tim. ii. 22. Thefrothi-
nclii
Reafon annexed to this Command. 47
iiefg and fire of youth dying out through time, their grace is the better it wants thern. Young people's grace may ha more bulky, but old people's grace, though of lefs bulk, is more worth, becaufe it is more folid. Though new liquor may work and fweli up more, the old is better. John was the longeft lived of the apoilles, and wrote laft of them. In his younger years he could have burnt whole towns for Chriil, Luke ix. 54. ; but if ye will look to his epiftles written in his older days, they breathe nothing bt*t love, meeknefs, and folid godlinefs;
3. Long life makes way for the more proofs and experi- ences of the goodnefs of God on the earth, 1 John ii. 13. The young foldier may be more mettled and venturous; but the old foldier is more to be fruited, becaufe of his expe- rience and {kill. It is no fmall advantage to have been an eye- witnefs of the ieveral appearances God has made for his church, and of feveral ftprms that have gone over her head.
4. Lfjily, They have the larger opportunity of glorifying God here, and being fervkeabte in their generation, the longer they live on the earth ; and therefore (hall have a larger meafure of glory hereafter, a:> they have been more ferriceable for God than others, 2 Ccr. ix. 6. How many are cut off in their early days, while they were juft budding for the honour of God and the fervice of the church ! It is better for themfelves that they are form taken away 5 but the church is lefs the better of them, Phil, i. 23. 24. The Spirit of God takes notice of this in the old men that out-. lived Jofhua, how uieful their age was for God and his church, Join. xxlv. 31. ft And Ifrael lerved the Lord all the days of Jofhua, and all the days of the elders that over- lived Jofhua, and which. had known ail the works of the Lord that he had done for Ifrael." And though glory is not the merit of good works, yet according to the lowing, fo fhaU the harveft be.
Tibirdtyi A holy walk, particularly in the confclentious performance of relative duties, is the way to a long and pro- sperous life. Holinefs, and particularly relative holinefs, is the way to a long and happy life in the world.
1. As to holinefs in general, it is clear from two things.
(^1.) From the promife of God in his life-giving word. " Man lives by every word that proceeded! out of the mouth of God." The unbelieving world may think a fcripture-pro- niile but a poor fence for a man's life. Give them good en- tertainment, eafe, medicine, they will lav more weight on
thefe
48 Of the Fifth Commandment.
thefc than on a clutter of promifes ; but yet a promife from the Lord is better than all thefe, Dan. i. 15.; for " man fhall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," Matth. iv. 4. Now, it has the promife, 1 Tim. iv. 8. It has the promife of health, wealth, and long life, Prov. iii. 7.- — 10. & 16.
(2.) From the nature of the thing. A holy walk keeps ns back from thofe things that hurt and ruin the body. And no man's body is fo little abufed to its hurt, as his whofe foul has refpedl: to walk within the hedge of God's precepts. Drunkennefs and gluttony devours more than *he fword doth. Covetous care and anxiety waft.es the body. Inordinate af- fections are the confuming of the constitution. Holinefs, that reprefles thefe things, muft then be as health to the fiefh, Prov. iv. 22.
2. As for dutifulnefs to our relatives : Confider,
(1.) It hath God's promife for it in the text, which hath been made out to many in their fweet experience, as in the cafe of Ruth, and that of the Rechabites, Jer. xxxv. 19. And fo the contrary is threatened, Prov. xxx. 17. " The eye that mocketh at his father, and defpifeth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley fhall pick it out, and the young eagles fhall eat it ;" and has been fulfilled in many to the full extent.
(2.) Dutifulnefs of that fort procures the bleffing of relatives ; it natively draws out their hearts in thankfulnefs to God for them, and in prayerjs to God for them, which under God is a mean to bring down a bleffing upon them.. The bleffing of them that were ready to pcrifli was not in vain to Job ; it fprung up in a liberal increafe.
(3.) Such perfons are of a meek difpofition, and fuch have a peculiar promife to inherit the earth, Matth. v. 6. It is the want of the fpirit of meeknefs, and pride and fel- ilfhnefs in the room of it, that mars relative dutifulnefs.
4. Ln/lly, The nature of the thing leads to it ; for that is the ready way to make relations comfortable ; and the com- fort that people find in their relatives does good like a medi- cine, while the contrary is as rottennefs in the bones.
There are two objections that lie againft this doctrine.
Object. 1. Have not wicked men, that caft off all perfonal and relative holinefs, oft-times a long and profperous life ?
Anf. It is fo indeed. Job obferved it long ago, ch. xxi.
7. " Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are
mighty in power ?" But there is one thing that makes the
2 difference
Reapn annexed to this Command. 49
difference wide enough ; i. e. they have it not by promife. What of that ? will yc fay. There is very much in it. (t.) He cannot have the comfort of it as a godly man can have, no more than he can have the comfort of a well-furnifhed houfe, that knows not but every day he may be turned out of it, while he knows no where elfe to go to, in comparifon of one that has a tack of it, and is to move to a better when the tack expires. (2.) There is a fecret curfe in it that deilroys and ruins him •, fo that the morfel may be fair, but there is a bone in it that will riick in his throat, Prov. i. 32. 33. (3.) Laftly, The laft dim fpoils the feaft. No man can be faid to live a long and happy life, that dies a miferable un- happy death, as all wicked men do. Can that life be profpe- rous and happy that has fuch a black hinder end ? Does not death foon catch that man, that catches him ere his falva- tion be fecured.
Object. 2. Are there not many godly people whofe life in the world is neither long nor profperous, and have neither much health, wealth, nor long life ? The anfwer to this brings us,
Fourthly , To fhew how this promife is to be underflood. It is to be understood, as all other temporal promifesare, not abfolutely, as if in no cafe it could be otherwife •, but with thefe two limitations: (1.) As far as it (hall ferve for God's glory ; and God may be more glorified in their early death than their long life. The honour of God is the im- moveable rule by which thefe things muft be ail meafured. (2.) As far as it fh#ll ferve for their good ; and fo it may be a greater mercy to them to be hid in the grave, than to be left on earth ; and furely it is no breach of promife to give one what is better than what was promifed. And thefe two are not to be feparated, but joined together ; for whatever is moft for God's honour, is moil for the godly man's good. Now, upon this we may lay down thefe conciufions.
1 . Upon this promife the godly, walking in the way of perfonal and relative holinefs, may confidently expect from God as much long life and profperity in the world as fhali be for the honour of God, and their good to enjoy. And to have any more would be no favour.
2. A fhort and afflicted life may be more for their good than a long and profperous one, Pfal. cxix. 71. If. Ivii. 1. And why mould men quarrel with their bleffings, or call: at their mercies ? Good Jofiah was foon taken awav, becaufe
Vol. III. G the
£<S Of the Fifth Commandment*
the Lord would not have him to fee the evil that was co- ming on.
3. Many of the children of God may be guilty of fucli breaches of this command in the mifmanagement of their relative duties, that they may, by their own fault, fall fhort of the mercy promifed here in the latter, Pfal. xcix. 8. and fo need not wonder if they reap that correction which themfelves have fowed. And though others, that have ma- naged worfe than they, may efbape, no wonder either ; for God will let that pafs in another, becaufe of an after-rec- koning, when he will correct his own children for lefs, be- caufe that is to put an end to the quarrel.
4. Lqjlly, "Whatever they want cf this, it ihall be made up by what is better. The afflictions of the body ihall be health to their fouls ; their crciTes fhall not be curfes, but blefiings ; and if they be deprived of the refidue of their years here, they mail get them made up in heaven.
Secondly, The place where that bleffing is to be en- joyed ; in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee ; that is, the land of Canaan. So it refpecls the Jews. But as it rcfpecls Chriftians, it refers to any place of God's earth; and fo the apoftle turns it, Eph. vi. 3. " That thou mayft live long on the earth."
Lastly, That regard which the Lord allows his people to have to that bleffing, to further them in obedience : Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days maybe long upon the land ivhich the Lord thy God giveth thee. Though the chief motive to duty mould be the honour and command of God, yet God allows us to eye the promifed reward, even in tem- poral things, as a fecondary motive and encouragement to duty.
Use. Let this recommend to us the living in dutifulnefs to our relatives. This is phytic of God's appointment for the Sck ; it is the way to wealth of God's appointment for them that have little; It is the prolonger of life appointed by the Lord of life to thofe that would fee many days, and thefe good. And there is no lure way to thefe where the appointment of God lies crofs. Religion is the way to make the world happy. God has linked our duty and our intertft together, fo as there is no feparating of them. Re- lations are the joints of fociety ; fin has disjointed the world, and fo no wonder it be miferable ; relative holinefs would fet the disjointed world right again.
OF
OF THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT.
Exod. xx. 13. — Thou fialt not kill.
r F^HE fcope of this command is the prefervation of that JL life which God hath given unto man, which is man's greateft concern. No man is lord of his own or his neigh- bour's life ; it belongs to him alone who gave it, to take it away. It is obfervable, that this and the three following commands are propofed in a word, not becaufe they are of fmall moment, but becaufe there is more light of nature for them than thofe propofed at greater length.
This command refpects both our own life and the life of our neighbour. That it refpecls our neighbour, there can be no doubt ; and as little needs there to be of its refpedring our own. The words are general, agreeing to both ; and fo the fenfe of them is, Thou fhalt not kill thyfelf, nor any other. He that faid to the jailor, " Do thyfelf no harm," taught no other thing than what Mofes and the prophets did fay. Man is no more lord of his own life than his neigh- bour's; and he is in hazard of incroaching upon it, as well as that of another ; and it is no where guarded, if net here. Nay, the fum of the fecond table being, " Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as thyfelf," whereby love to our neighbour is made the meafure of love to ourfelves, it is evident that it refpects our own life in the firlt place.
As every pofitive command implies a negative, fo every negative implies a pofitive. Therefore, in fo far as God fays, Thoujhalt ?iot kill, viz. thyfelf or others, he thereby obliges men to preferve their own life and that of others. And feeing all the commands agree together, there can be no keeping of one by breaking of another ; therefore the pofitive part of this command is necefTary to be determined to lawful ^nd( vours. Hence the anfwer to that
^ueft. « What ?s required in the fixth commandment ?" i? .plain, viz. " The fixth commandment requireth all law-
G 2 ful
52 Of the Sixth Commandment \
ful endeavours to preferve our own life, and the life ct others," The duties of this command may be reduced to two heads, i. The preserving of our own life. 2. The preferving the life of others. But both thefe are to be qua- lified, fo as it be by lawful means and endeavours. For God ha? given us no fuch law, as for the keeping of one com- mand we may or muft break another. Only there is a great difference betwixt pofitive and negative precepts ; the prac- tice of pofitive duties may be in fome cafes intermitted with- out fin, as a man attacked in time of prayer, or on the Sab- bath-day, may lawfully leave, the prayer, and external wor- ship of the day, to defend his life, Luke xiv. 5. But ne- ver may a man do an ill thing, be it great or little, though it were even to preferve his own life or that of others, Rom. iii. 8. Is it a thing of which God has laid, Thou (halt not do fo and fo ? it mull never be done, though a thoufand lives depended upon it.
Hence it is evident, that a perfon may not tell a lie, nor do any finful thing whatever, far lefs blafpheme, deny Chrift or any of his truths, commit adulterv, or fteal, tho* his own life, or thq life of others, may be lying upon it. For where the choice is, Suffer or fin, God requires and calls us in that cafe to fuffer. And therefore the example of fuch things in the faints, as in lfaac, Rahab, &c. are no more propounded for our imitation, than Da- vid's murder, gz-c. Peter's denial of Chrift, &c. And tho' we read not of reproofs given in fome i'uch cafes, that will no more infer God's approbation of them than that of Lot's inceft, for which we read of no reproof given him. The general law againft fuch things does furffciently condemn them, in whomfcever they are found,
Object. This a hard faying. A man may be in the power of fome ruffian, that will require on pain of death fome finful thing ; and muft one fell his life at fuch a cheap rate, as to refufe to deny his religion, drink drunk with him, lie, or do any fuch thing for the time ?
Anf. It is no more hard than that, Luke xiv. 26. " If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and lifters, yea, and his own life alio, he cannot be my difciple." We muft love God more than our own or others life, and fo muft not re- deem it by offending God. Sin ruins the foul ; therefore fays our Lord, Matth. x. 28. " Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the foul : but rather fear him which is able to deftroy both foul and body in hell."
Ob:
The Duties required. -*
Objecl. In the cafe of martyrdom in the caufe of Chrift, it is very reafonable ; but that is not the cafe.
A?if. That is a miftake. The cafe fuppofed is indeed the cafe of martyrdom in the caufe of Chrift. And I confidently aver, that whofoever fufFers for the teftimony of a good con- fcience, and becaufe he will not break any one of the com- mands of God, is as true a martyr for the caufe of Chrift, as he that dies on a gibbet for the maintenance of any of the articles of our creed. Is, not holinefs the caufe of Chrift ? Has not a man in fuch a cafe the caufe of martyrdom by the end ? does he not lofe his life for t>~ fake of Chrift ? has he not the call to martyrdom, Suffer or Sin ? may he not look for the martyrs rewa-rd ? And if he redeem life by finning, tails he not under the fame fearful doom, as in that cafe, Matth. x. 39. " He that fmdeth his life, fhall lofe it : and he that lofeth his life for my fake, fhall find it," Mark viii. 38, f* Whofoever therefore mall be afhamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and iinful generation, of him alfo fhall the Son of man be afhamed when he cometh in the glo- ry of his Father, with the holy angels." Are not the ten con:u mands Chrift 's words, as well as the articles of faith ? What- ever difference may be betwixt thefe cafes, an impartial con- sideration will manifeft the cafe fuppofed is a greater trial of faith than the other. And God will furely make up to thefe fecret unknown martyrs at the day of judgment, the honour which the open and imnifeft martyrs have before-hand.
In difeouriing further from this fubject, I (hail fhew,
I. What is required in this command.
II. What is forbidden in it.
I. I am to fhew, what is required in this command. It requires, as I faid before, *? All lawful endeavours to pre- ferve our own life, or the life of others."
FIRST, It requires, that, by all lawful endeavours, we preferve our own lives. Self-prefervation is the leading duty of this command. Brute creatures have a natural inftincl for it. Our kind God has given man a written law for it, whereby it may appear that we are dearer to our God than to ourfelves. We may take up this in two things.
First, Thou muft preferve the life of thine own foul. When God fays, Thou Jl? alt not kill, doth he only take care for the body ? No •, doubtlefs of the foul too. He looks not to the cabinet only, overlooking the jewel. The foul is the man, at leaf! the bcft and moft precious part of him. Two things here are in general required.
1. The
$ 4 Of the Sixth Commancimehii
i. The careful avoiding of all fin, which is the deftru&ioit of the foul, Prov. xi. 19. It is by fin that men wrong their own fouls; whereby they wound them, fill them with poi- fonous things and prepare the way for their eternal death, Prov. viii. ult.
2. The careful ufing of all means of grace and holy exer- cifes, for the begetting, preferving, and promoting fpiritual life, 1 Pet. ii. 2. As we muft eat and drink for the life of our bodies, fo muft we ufe thefe for the life of our fouls ; eating Chrift's body, and drinking Chrift's blood, by faith, drinking in his word. The foul has its ficknefs, decays, &c. as well as the body. Let it not pine away, but nourifh it.
Secondly, Thou muft by all lawful endeavours preferve the life of thine own body. We may take up this in thefe three things.
1. Juft felf-defence againft violence offered unto us by others unjuftly, Luke xxii. 36. So a man ought to defend himfelf, if he can, againft thieves or robbers ; and therefore it is faid, " If a thief be found breaking up, and be fmitten that be die, there (hall no blood be fhed for him," Exod. xxii. 2. Yet this muft be only in the cafe of necefiity, where the violence cannot be efcaped but by a violent repel- ling it ; for all violent courfes muft be the laft remedy, Luke vi. 29. Where a foft reception will ftill the violence offered, it is not the fpirit of Chrift, but of Satan, that re- pels violence with violence. And when it is neceffary, no greater violence may be offered than what is neceffary to re- pel the attack, Exod. ii. 2. 31.
2. Furnifhing our bodies with whatever is neceffary for their health and welfare, according to our ability ; taking the moderate ufe of the means of health and life unto our- selves, Eph. v. 29.; for in fo far as we ufe not the means of pre- ferving them, we are guilty of deftroying them. Therefore it is our duty to allow ourfelves a competent portion of meat and drink, wholefome food, as the Lord lays to our hands; to provide competent houfing and clothing, to refrefh our- bodies with a competent meafure of reft and fleep; to ufe moderate labour, exercife, and recreations, and medicine for the removal of diftempers. The ufe of thefe is neceffary, and the immoderate ufe of them hurtful ; therefore the mo- derate and temperate ufe of them is our duty.
3. Keeping our affection r< gular, fubduing all inordinate and evil affections ; fo« thefe are deftructive to the body as well as to the foul. So that a patient difpdition, a quiet
2 mind
The Duties required. 5?
mind, and a contented and cheerful fpirit are duties of this command, as necefTary for the welfare of our bodies : where- as inordinate paflions are the ruin of them, Prov. xvii. 22. " A merry heart doth good like a medicine : but a broken fpirit drieth the bones."
SECONDLY, This command requires, that by all lawful endeavours we preferve the life of our neighbours. We may alfo take up tiiis in two things.
First, We muft endeavour to preferve the life of their fouls,
1. By giving them the example of a holy life, for that edifies and builds up, Matth. v. 16. ; whereas a icandalous walk is a foul- murdering practice.
2. By inftructing, warning, reproving, and admonifhing them, as we have opportunity, where the cafe of their fin. requires it, Jude 23. ; and comforting them in diftrefs, 1 Their, v. 16. ; and praying for them, Gen. xliii. 29. No man mull fay with Cain, " Am I my brother's keeper ?" We are required to watch over Gne another. If our neighs hour's ox or his afs fall into the ditch, we muft alfo help then} out : how much more when his foui is in hazard of falling into hell ?
Secondly, We muft by all lawful endeavours pre* ferve the life of our neighbour's body. Here God requires of us,
1. To protect and defend the innocent againft unjuft vio? lence, according to every one's power, as they have a fair call to exercife the fame, whether it be in refpect of their name, goods, or life, Pfal. Ixxxii. 3. 4. Prov. xxiv. 11. 12, And fo it is a duty of this command to reprefs tyranny, whereof we have a commended example in the interpofition of the people to fave the life of Jonathan, 1 Sam. xiv. 45, " And the people laid unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great falvation in Ifrael ? God forbid : as the Lord liveth, there fhall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he haih wrought with God this day. So the people refcued Jonathan, that he died not."
2. To give unto others the neceffaries of life, when in want, according to our ability. For as he that feeds not the fire puts it out, fo unmerciful people that fhut up their bowels from the needy, are guilty of their blood before the Lord, Jam. ii. 15. 16.
3. To entertain fuch affections towards our neighbour, as may keep us back from injuring of him, and him from doing harm to himfelf ; fuch as, charitable thoughts, love, compaf-
flont
5 6 Of the Sixth Commandment,
fton, meeknefs, gentlenefs, kindnefs. Thefe are as xviiti to quench fire in us which may burn up others, and as oil unto others to refrefh them, Eph. iv. ult.
4. A peaceable, mild, and courteous converfation, Prov, Xv. 1. in looks, fpeech, and behaviour.
5. Lajlly> With refpect to injuries, we ought to take all things in the befr. fenfe, 1 Cor. xiii. 5. 7. to avoid all occa- fions of ftrife, yea, even to part fometimes with our right for peace, as Abraham with Lot ; to bear real injuries, Col. iii. 12. 13. \ to forbear and be ready to be reconciled, and for- give injuries, yea, to requite good for evil, Matth v. 44.
With refpect to both our own life and the life of others* we are called to refift all thoughts, fubdue all paffions, avoid all occafions, temptations, and practices tending to the deftruction of our own life, or that of others, of foul or body.-
Who can underftand his errors ? What fliall come of4 us* if God enter into judgment with us ? Our omifiions would ruin us, even in thofe things where we judge ourfelves to be m the lead hazard.
II. I come now to fhew, what is forbidden in the fixth commandment. It forbids " the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbour, unjufriy, and whatfoever tendeth thereunto. "
Here I ihall confider this command as relating to our own life, and the life of our neighbour.
'FIRST, I Ihall coniider this command as relating to our own life ; and that, 1. WTith refpect to our fouls ; and, 2. With refpect to our bodies.
First, Thou fhalt not kill thine own foul. Our kind God forbids us to be felf-murderers and foul-murderers. We become guilty of the blood of our own fouls thefe ways :
1. By neglecting of the means of grace and falvation, Prov. viii. 34. 36. The life of our fouls is a flame that mult be kindled from above, and fed by means of grace. Whofo then neglect them, are guilty of their own blood, Confider this, ye prayerlefs performs, ye that are at no pains to get knowledge, flighters of public ordinances, private du- ties, reading, meditation, &c.
2. By oppofing and fighting againft the Lord's quickening work in the foul. They that murder convictions, murder their own fouls, as if thev were refolved that they fnould never
Air
^The Sins forbidden* jfi
ftir in them, Prow xxix. i. Some, with Felix, put them off with fair promifes ; fome, with Cain, with the noife of axes and hammers ; which is in effect, they will not let their fouls recover.
3. By continuing in fin impenitent, God calls by his word and providence to the man, as Paul to the jailor, (( Do thyfelf no harm." But, as if he were refoliite on his own ruin, he will not forbear thefe courfes. Wilful imptnitency is the gcofTeft Felf-murder, becaufe foul-murder, Ezek. xviii, 30. 3 l. His foul is Handing under a decayed roof, tell him that it will fall on him ; but he will not ftir a foot; is not his blood then on his own head ?
4. By unbelief, and not coming to Chrift by faith, John v. 40. Many means are efTayed to prefer ve the foul ; but frill it is ruined, becaufe the main cure is neglected. Let a man ufe never fo many remedies for his health, if he will not ufe the main cure neceftary, he is his own murderer. So re- folutions, watchings, engagements, are tried; but if faith, and employing of Chrift for fan edification, is not tried, he is ftill a murderer.
O firs, confider this. Murder, felf-murder, foul-murder, is a crying fin. What wonder the man perifh who will pe- rifh ? Will God fpare the fhedding of the blocd of that foul, which the man himfelf is fo liberal of?
And hence lee that people not only may, but this com- mand of God obliges them to feek the welfare and good of their fouls. Fear hell, hope for heaven : and let this ftir you up to duty : but do not reft there, go forward and make the love of God your main motive ; and that of itfelf would be fufficient to ftir you up to all the duties of a holy life.
Secondly, Thou (halt not kill thine own body. This is limply and abfolutely forbidden. We may take away the life of others in fome cafes juftly ; but in no cafe our own, un- lefs there be a particular divine warrant, which I fuppofe in Samfon's cafe, which is not to be expected by us ; for therein he was a type of Chrift. There are two things for- bidden here.
1. The taking away of our own life, by laying violent hands on ourfelves. This is the horrid fin of direct felf- murder ; of which Saul, Ahithophel, and Judas were guilty; and many fad inftances have been of it of late. The law of God utterly condemns it, and nature itfelf abhors it. It is the effect of a defperate envenomed fpirit, riling from pride and impatience, a horrible leaping into eternity ere the call come from God. It is highly diih.cnourable to God, char-
Vol; III. ' H -in-
5 8 Of the Sixth Commatidment,
ging him with cruelty, and refining to wait his leifure. It is the thing the grand murderer is feeking. Civil laws ftrike againft it : with us felf-murderers are denied Chriftian bu- rial, their goods are efcheated, that refpecl: to their families may deter people from it : in other places they have hung them up on gibbets. And though we will not take on us to determine the cafe of all fuch to be hopelefs for eternity, that is fufHcient to fcare us, I John iii. 15. " Ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."
2. Doing any thing that tendeth thereunto. Men may be guilty of killing themfelves indirectly many ways, all which are here forbidden. Here are forbidden, as tending to the murder of the body,
ifly All entertaining of any thoughts againft our own life, that is. heart- killing ; wearying of our own life, and fretful wifliing to be gone, as was Jonah's cafe, chap. iv. 3. ; all tampering with temptations of that fort, and not rejecting them with abhorrence, Job vii. 15. Our life is a mercy, and not to be wearied of fretfully ; for it is God's goodneis that we are out of hell. And it is horrid ingratitude to account God's eift a burden.
idly7 Difcontent, fretfulnefs, and impatience. It is a dan- gerous thing, Pfal. xxxvii. 8. It was that which prevailed with Ahithophel to make away with himfelf. It is like ink caft into a fountain, which makes all the water biackifh. It unfits for fociety with men, and for communion with God 5 it deftroys the foul and body too ; for the fretful man is his own tormentor. We mould frudy to be content with our lot, and eafy whatever our circumftances be, Heb. xiii. 5. ; and that will fet all our wrongs right, Prov. xv. 15.; for then our fpirit is brought to our lot ; and the vulture preys no more on our liver.
3<//y, Immoderate grief and forrow. When we go into the waters of godly forrow for fin, we are out again ere we are well in ; but in carnal forrow we will go over the head and ears, 2 Cor. vii. 10. How many have conceived that forrow upon fome crofs which they have met with ! fome- thing within their fancy has been balked, that has ruined their bodies as well as their fouls. We mould enure our- felvcs to a patient bearing of the Lord's hand ; and not fmo- thcr that fire within our breafts, but lay it out before the Lord, and leave it there, 1 8am. i. 18. ; and labour to pleafe God, and confult our own welfare by a holy and moderate chcerfulneft, Frov. xvii, 22.
The Sins forbidden. 59
qlkly, Anxiety, diffracting carking cares about the things of this life. As men fearing that they fhall not fleep, do thereby mar their own reft ; lb the body is often ruined by too much anxiety for it, Matth. vi. 31. <c Take no thought what ye fhall eat, &c." Gr. "Rack not your mind." When the mind is on the tenter-hooks, the body mult fmart for it. As the ape kills its fondling by hugging it, fo do men kill them- felves by indulging anxious cares. Let us labour then for a holy carelefThefs in thefe matters ; let us ufe lawlul means, and leave the fuccefs quietly on the Lord. Though anxiety will not add a cubit to our itature, it may through time take a cubit from it, Phil, iv. 6.
$tbly, Neglecting of our bodies, Col. ii. 23. when we do not make a convenient ufe of the means of life and health ; as when people deny themfclves the neceflary meafure of food, fleep, exercife, recreations, phyfic, clothes, and hou- iing. People may be guilty againft their own lives this way, (1.) By a carelefs negligent difpolition, Eccl. x. 18. (2.) From the plague of a covetous pinching humour, that they cannot find in their heart to ufe the gift cf God to them, Eccl. vi. 2. (3.) By means of inordinate paffions, 1 Kings xxi. 4. (4 ) Sometimes Satan has driven people under con- viction to this, fuggefting to them that they have no right to thefe things. But as long as men live, though they have not a covenant-right, they have a common providential right to the means of life; and the command binds, ^Ihoufialt not kill. It is a duty cf this command, then, to take care of our bodies, and provide them necefTaries fo far as we can : they sre not ours, but God's.
6th ly, Intemperance, when people keep no meafure in fa- tisfying of the flefh, Luke xxi. 34. They pamper the fiefh, till the beaft turns furious, and ruins itfclf. "When God made man, he imprefTed an image of his fovereignty on him, made him lord over the beafts; but now, without the beafts, and within the affections, are turned rebels. This is a monfter with three heads.
( 1.) Gluttony, intemperance in eating. Man fhould eat to live; but fome, like the beafts, live to eat. The law of God will not allow people to cram their bellies, and facrifiee to a greedy appetite, Phil. iii. 19. It is a degree of felf- murder ; for it cuts fhort people's days, which fobriety would prolong. There is a curie entailed upon it, which is often jeen to take effect, Prov. xxiii. 20. 21. " Be not amongft. wine-bibers; amongft riotous eaters of flefh. For the H 2 drunkard
6o Of the Sixth Commandment.
drunkard and the glutton fhall come to poverty : and drew, finefs fhall clothe a man with rags." The glutton and the drunkard, in fcripture-language, is equivalent to a ne'er-do- well in ours, Deut. xxi. 20. 21. It is a beaftly fin. A hea- then calls the glutton's belly a f wine's trough. A fcavengers whole occupation is to empty, is to be preferred to the glut- ton, who lives to fill a privy.
(2.) Drunkennefs, intemperance in drinking, Luke xxi, 34. A fin that makes quick work for the grave, and has carried many thither ere they have lived half their days. Reafon differences men from beafts, but the beaftly fin of drunkennefs takes away that, robbing men of reafon . It is the devil's rack, on which while he has men, they will babble out every thing ; for quod in corde fobrii, in ore ebrii. It is an inlet to other fins : for what will a man not do in his drunken - nefs," if he have a temptation to it ? It deftroys a man's health, wealth, and foul; murders foul and body at once. The Lacedaemonians ufed to fill their flaves drunk, that their children, feeing the picture of drunkennefs, might loath it, We have the picture of it, Prov. xxiii. 29. &c. (1.) It em- broils men in quarrels, " Who hath wo ? who hath forrow \ who hath contentions ?" Many have wo and forrow that cm- riot help it ; but drunkards wilfully create them to them- lelves. When drink is in, wit is out. Thence proceed drunken fcufHes; babbling in fcurrilous language ; and from words they go to blows, ivounds without caufe. (2.) It ruins their bodies y rednefs of eyest a fign of inward inflammation, through drink and watching, not through weeping and pray- ing. (3.) It expofes them to uncleannefs, ver 33. " Thine eyes fhall behold fl range women.'* (4.) It makes their tongues ramble, fpeak contrary to religion, reafon, common civility, yea, nonfenfe. (5.) It befots them; it makes their heads giddy, and they are fearlcfs of danger, ver. 34. "Yea, thou fhalt be as he that lieth down in the midft of the fea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a malt." (6.) Laflly, It is a bewitching fin. The man fees the ill of it, but his heart is hardened, he has no power to leave it, ver. 35. " They have ftricken me, fhalt thou fay, and I wan not fick ; they have beaten me, and I felt it not : when mall I awake ? I will feek it yet again." The curfe of God is entailed on it, If. xxviii. 1. 2. 3. " Wo to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whofe glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine. Bd.nld, the Lord hath a mighty
and
The Sins forbidden. 6l
snd ftrong one, which as a tempeft of hail and a deftroying ftorm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, ihall calt down co the earth with the hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim fhall be trodden under feet."
(3.) Intemperance in any other fenfual pleafure, Luke viii, 14. The pleafures of the fenfes are often chains to the foul, and fcourges to the body ; and intemperance in them will make them fo. Too much pleafing the body may make mourning at laft, Prov. v. 1 1. A mm may iin againft God and his own body in the intemperate ufe of any fenfual plea- sure whatfoever, though in itfelf lawful ; and no doubt much guilt is contracted in the intemperate ufe of tobacco, and fuch like things, 1 Cor. vi. 12.
"jthly, Immoderate labour and painfulnefs, Eccl. ii. 22. 23. Labour and exercife in moderation is like a fober wind mat purifies the air, and is good for the body and foul too : but immoderate labour and exercife is like a violent wind that throws down the houfe, and plucks up the tree by the roots.
Zqfifyy Expofing of ourfelves to unneceiTary hazards, Matth. iv. 7. To put ourfelves in hazard where we have no call, is to fin againfi: God and ourfelves. And in this cafe, God dedres mercy, and not facrince.
SECONDLY, We will coniider this command as relating to our neighbour's life.
First, Thou ihalt not kill thy neighbour's foul. It is fin that is the killing thing both to our own and our neigh- bour's foul. And there are feverai ways how men fall into this guilt of murdering the fouls of others. As,
1. By giving them an example of fin. God forbade to lay a (rumbling-block before the blind; but the world is fill- ed with thefe, and fo ruined, Matth. xviii. 7. Men do ill things, and think that if they do ill, it is but to themfelves. No ; but thereby thou doft what lies in thee to ruin others.
Yea, example is not only ruining to others in evil things, but alfo, (1.) In doing what has the appearance of evil: there- fore we mould take heed to that, becaufe others may take the appearance for reality, and fo be ruined by us. (2.) By an uncharitable ufe of our Chriftian liberty in things indit- ferent. Thus the ftrong may ruin the weak, Rom. xiv. 15.
2. By co-operating directly to the iin of our neighbour, which is indeed the lending our deftroying hand to ruin his foul, whereby his blood comes to be changed on us. It is the put- ting a cup of poifon in his hand to difpatch himfelf, and a
reaching
€l Of the Sixth Commandment,
reaching of the fvvord to the madman, which whofo do are accefibry to his death. Thus men are guilty,
ijl, By commanding others to fin, as Jeroboam made If- rael to fin. So magistrates by finful laws, and all Superiors whatfoever, when they ufe their authority to oblige another to an ill thing ; or whomever commands another to do what is finful.
idly, By counfelling others to it, or advifing them in it. The world is full of thefe murderers. So that, where a per- fon is under temptation, there is often at hand one like Jona- dab to give counfel to fome ill courfe, 2 Sam. xiii. 5. Such counfel often has the force of a command. So drunkards murder one another's fouls, Hab. ii. 15.
3 d/yy By joining with others in fin, Pfal. 1. 18. Going alongft with others in their fin, ruins not only ourfelves, but them too.
4//-'/y, By provoking others to fin, 1 Kings xxi. 25. Thus people are many ways guilty, by a provoking carriage, by provoking words ; and not a few fo devilifh that they take a pleafure to provoke others, that they may get (bmething to laugh at. Thefe are like them who ftir up the fire to burn another's houfe, that they may warm themfelves at it.
$'tkly, By foliciting and downright tempting to fin. Such agents the devil has in the world, who make it their bufi- s'.efs to draw others to fin, by and enfnaring carriage or plain words , fo that it is evident they are gone out on the devil's errant, Prov. vii. 18.
6thly, By teaching of fin. When men call truth a lie, and lies truth, when they give out a finful practice to be duty, and a duty to be a finful practice, they contribute directly to the fin of others, and bring that woe on themfelves, If. v. 10, " Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil 5 that put darknefs for light, and light for darknefs ; that put bitter for fvveet, and fvveet for bitter."
By all thefe, two fall at once ; for the fin of him that com- mands, counfels, &c. does not excufe the other.
(1.} By confenting to the fin of others, countenancing them in it, and encouraging them in their fin, Acts ix. 1. We may countenance finners in their duty, but by no means in their fin. Thefe two are very different, but they are often confounded ; and the confounding of them is the caufe of much diforder in our church at this day.
^. By neglecting what we owe to our neighbour for the welfare of his foul. In not doing what we ought to preferve
or
The Sins forbidden. 6$
or recover his foul, we are guilty of deftroying it, and fo in- directly operate to his fin. As,
ijr9 By neglecting the means for preventing of fin in others, Ezek. iii. 18. When people <3o not teach, warn, and admo- nifh, thofe whom they fee to be in hazard, or generally neglect to reltrain fin by all lawful means competent to them. Thus Eli finned, 1 Sam. iii. 13. " His fons made themfelves vile, and he retrained them not." Thus much guilt is contract- ed by minifters, magiftrates, hufbands and wifes, parents, mafters. &c.
2dly, By neglecting the means to recover thofe that have fallen into fin ; fuffering fin to lie on them, and not repro- ving it, Lev. xix. 17. compare 1 John iii. 15.; or repro- ving of them fo imprudently, pafiionately, or weakly, as that it can do them no good. So did Eli.
§dly, By not compailionating the finner, and mourning over his fin before the Lord, but hardening our hearts againft him, and being carelefs what come of his foul, Ezek. ix. 4. O what guilt is contracted this way in Shutting up our bowels of companion ! How many will exclaim againft the fins of others, whofe confciences witnefs that they never had a fore heart for the difhoncur done to God, and the ill to the fin- ner's foul by it.
4/,6/y, By being pleafed with their fin. This is in effect to be pleafed with their ruin, Rom. i. ult. Thus men are guilty,
(1.) By approving the fin of others, Pfal. xlix. 13. This is to fet cur ftamp on an evil way, that it may pafs current.
(2.) By rejoicing at it, and making a jeft of it. It is de- vilifh mirth that rifeth from our neighbour's ruining himfelf. Yet much of this guilt is in the world, Frov. xiv. 9.
Secondly, Thou (halt not kill thy neighbour's body un- juftly. There are three cafes wherein the life of our neigh- bour may be taken away juftly. (1.) In the cafe of public juftice, Gen. ix. 6. (2.) Of lawful war, Judg. v. 23. (3.) Of neceffary felf defence, Exod. xxii. 2. 3. The reafon is, becaufe in thefe cafes a man does not take, but God, the Lord of life and death, puts the fword in his hand ; fo that judgment in thefe cafes is the Lord's. Unlefs in thefe cafes, it is murder, an unjuft taking away another's life. Now, there are two things here forbidden with refpect to this.
Firfty The taking away of our neighbour's life uiijuflly. This is actual and direct murder. This was the fin of Cain. This is a horrible and atrocious crime, for which men's laws
condemn
$4 Of the Sixth Commandment.
condemn the guilty to the gallows, and God's laws condemn them to hell, i John iii. 15. A iin fo flat againft nature, that even a natural conference ufes to kindle a hell in the bo- fom of the murderer ; and a crime it is which Providence fpecially watches to bring to light. This is to be extended not only to what is commonly reckoned murder, but to thefe three cafes.
1. The taking away of men's lives, under colour of law, and forms of juftice, when the law is unjuft, and there is no real crime; as in the cafe of Naboth, 1 Kings xxi. 12. 13. 19, And therefore all the laws of the world will not free perfecutors from the guilt of murder, in their taking away the lives of the martyrs.
2/ The taking away of men's lives in an unjuft war, Hab. ii. 12. For in fuch a cafe an army is but a company of robbers and murderers, before the Lord ; feeing God puts not the fword in men's hands in an unjuft caufe.
3. The taking away of a man's life in a fet duel or com- bat, which, whether it fall in the hand of him that gives the challenge, or his that accepts it, is downright murder. There is not the leaft fort of approbation thereof in the fcriptures. And therefore the laws of duelling, like the laws of drinking, are not given by God, but by the devil. David's combating Goliah was by public authority, in a pu- blic caufe, and, befides, from an extraordinary impulfe of the Spirit. Duelling is from the devil, as being the effect of pride and rage ; a taking into men's heads the difpofing of that life which God only is Lord of; it is an ufurping of the magiftrate's fword, and invading God's right of venge- ance, Rom. xii. 19. And the pretence of honour, the ufuai plea for duels, is as far different from God's laws of honour, as hell is from heaven, Prov.xvi. 32. Matth. v. 44.
Secondly, Whatfoever tendeth to the taking away of our neighbour's life unjuftly. This is virtual, interpretative, in- direct murder. It is of feveral forts, all here forbidden.
1. There is heart-murder; and of that there are feveral forts.
tfiy Carnal anger and wrath, which is rafh, caufelels, and excefiive, Matth. v. 22. Some people's anger is like a fire in ftraw, foon blown up and foon out; others like a fire in iron, once kindled, which it is hard to get laid. But of whatever fort it is, it is a fhort madnefs ; and the longer it is kept, it is fo much the worfe, Lph. iv. 26. 27. " It reU- eth in the bofom of fools." All murder begins here. It is 2 a
The Sins forbidden, 65
a fire that kindles the anger of God, and of our neighbour, againft us, and fo cafts all into confufion. Let us fludy meeknefs ; which is what will make us like to Chrift, CoL iii. 12.
2c'/j, Envy, whereby people grieve and grudge at the good of others. It is the devil's two-edged fword drawn to flay two at once; the envious himfelf, Prov. xiv. 30.; for he is like a ferpent gnawing its own tail, Job. v. 2. *, and the party envied, Prov. xxvii. 4. While other fins are en- tertained for pleafure or profit, this is like a barren field,, bringing forth only briers and thorns ; there is not a dram of any fort of pleafure in it. But this was it that put Jofeph's brethren on a murdering defign. A charitable frame of ipirit is our duty, Rom. xii. 15.
3<//y, Hatred and malice againft our neighbour. This made Cain imbrue his hands in his brother's blood. And fuch as live in maiice and hatred go in his way, 1 John iii. 15. It is the fad character of perfons eftranged from God, that they are " hateful, and hating one another," Tit. iii. 3. But of all hatred, that is the worft which hates good men for for their goodnefs. However, we may hate every man's faults, but no man's perfon. " Love thy neighbour as thy- felf," is the exprefs command of Heaven,
qtkly, Revengeful thoughts and defires ; which are fo much the worfe as they are the longer entertained, Rom, xii. 19. That heart is a bloody heart that longs for a heart- fight, as they call it, on thole that have wronged them. God fees the moft fecret wifh of id to our neighbour, and will call us to an account. Let us learn long-fufrering and patience, to forgive, a difpoiition and readinefs to be recon- ciled ; otherwife our addreffes to Heaven for pardon will be vain, Matth. iv. 15.
$thlyt Rejoicing at the mifchief that befals others, Prov. xxiv. 17. 18. Nothing makes men liker the devii than that murdering difpoiition to make the ruin of others our mirth, and their forrow our joy ; for man's fin and mifery is what affords pleafure to the devil. We fhould fympathife and weep with them that weep, as well as rejoice with thofe that do rejoice.
Laftly, Cruelty, an horrid unrelenting difpoiition, that is not affected with the mifery of others, but carries it on, and adds to it with delight. A difpoiition rnoft inconiiflent with the fpirit of the gofpel, that teaches tender- heartednefs even to the very beafb, Prov. xii. ic, Bui thofe that de-
Vol. Ill, [ light
66 Of the Sixth Commandment*
light in cruel treating of thefe, want but an opportunity to exercife it on men.
2. There is tongue- murder. Solomon obferves, that the tongue, however little a member it is, is the lord of life and death, Prov. xviii. 21. and xxi. 23. If it be not well managed, then, no wonder it be fometimes found guilty of murder. The natural fhape of the tongue refembles a flame of fire, and therefore in Hebrew one word fignifies a flame and the tongue ; yea, and it is what it feems to be, " a fire, a world of iniquity," Jam. iii. 6. It refembles alfo a fword, and fo it is oft-times, lvii. 4. andFfal. lix. 7. The mouth and tongue refemble bow and arrow, and fothey are, Pfal. lxiv. 3. The rage of an ill tongue muft needs be dangerous, then, feing fuch an one lays about him with his bow and arrow, and advances with fire and fword, which muft needs bring him in blood-guilty. Now, this fword devours feveral ways. .
1//, By quarrelling, provoking, and contentious fpeeches, Prov. xxiii. 29. Such words have oft-times begun a plea that has ended in blood. And therefore the apoftle com- pares fuch to beafts, that begin to fnarl and bite one another, till it end in the ruin of either or both, Gal. v. 15. Let us make confidence., then, of peaceable, mild, and gentle fpeeches.
2ti/y9 By bitter words. Thefe are the impoifoned arrows that tongue-murderers fhoot at their neighbour, Pfal. lxiv. 3.4. Their tongue are dipt in gall, and they pierce to the heart, and give a home-thruft like a fword, Prov. xii. 28. They become not the diiciples of the meek Jefus. Lay afide thefe, as ye would not be reckoned murderers in the fight of God, Lph. iv. 31.
idly, By railing and fcolding. This was Shimei's mur- dering dttd, 2 Sam. xvi. 5. 6. 7. for which he died as a mur* derer in Solomon's days. Thus men and women manage their tongue-battles with eagcrnefs, making their doors or the town- gate the field of battle, where words pierce like fwords to the heart. Thefe are the plagues and the pefts of fociety, whofe bloody mouths proclaim their hearts fearlefs of God. Hear ye what the Lord fays, 1 Pet. iii. 9. " Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing : but cuntrari- wi(e, bleffing ; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye lhould inherit a bleffing."
$thly9 By reviling, reproachful, and difilainful fpeeches. Men think little of thefe ; they are but words, and words
are
The Sins forbidden. 67
are but wind. But they are a wind that will blow people to hell, Matth. v. 22. They are the devil's bellows to blow up the fire of anger ; which may make fearful havock ere it be quenched, Prov. xv. 1.
5 /£/}>, By mocking, fcoffing, and deriding fpeeches. Thefe are reckoned among the fufferings of the martyrs, Heb. xi. 36. " Others had trial of cruel mockings." The fokliers mock- ing of Chrift, John xix. 3. is compared to the baiting by dogs, Pfal. xxii. 16. See how children paid for this ufage to the prophet Elifha, 2 Kings ii. 23. 24.
Lnji'vy By curlings, imprecations, and wrathful wifhings of ill and mifchief to our neighbour's •, which is but throw- ing up of hellifli fire on others, that comes down and burns up him that threw it, Pfal cix. 18.
3. There is eye-murder, which vents itfelf by a wrathful countenance, and all geftures of that kind, inch as high and proud looks, and fierce looks, Prov. vi. 1 7. The Spirit of God takes notice of Cain's countenance, Gen. iv. 5. As there is adultery in looks, fo there may be murder in them, not only angry looks, but looks of fatisfaction on the mile- ries of others, which God knows the meaning of, Obad. 12.; gnafhing with the teeth, and all fuch geftures of a perfon, denoting a heart boiling with wrath and revenge, Acts vii.
54-
4. There is hand- murder, even where death killeth not. And people may be guilty of this twrd way?.
ijl> By way of omiffion, when we with-hold and give not help to thofe that are in diftrefs, to fave their life or living, Judg. v. 2. 3. ; neglecting the lick, not viiiting and helping them as need requires, Luke x. 31.32.; not affording means of life to the poor in want, Jam. ii. 15. 16. ; for thofe put out the flame of life that do not feed it. We fhouid then put on bowels of mercy and charity, in imitation of Jobj chap. xxxi. 16. &c. It is obfervable, that the fentence ngainit the wicked runs on unmercifuinefs to the poor mem- bers of Chrift, Matth. xxv. 41. &c.
2d/y9 By way of commifiion. And fo men are guilty, (1.) As they ftrike againft the living of others, their means and way of lubiiftence. This goes under the general name of oppreffion, a crying fin, Ezck. xxii. 7. Thus this command is broken by extortion, landlords racking of their lands fo as labourers cannot live on them, tenants taking others lands over their heads, fometimes to the ruin of honeft families, matters not allowing fervants whereupon to live;
I 3 and,
68 • Of the Sixth Commandment.
and, generally, by all kind of oppreffion, which in God's ac- count is murder, If. iii. 14. 15. Micah iii. 3.
(2.) As they ftrike againfl the body and life itfelf. Thus men are guilty, by fighting, ftriking, and wounding others^ Exod. xxi. 18. 22. How many have been guilty as murder- ers in the fight of men, that have had no defign to go the full length, when they fell to fighting ?
Perfecution is a complication of all thefe ; and therefore the better the caufe is, the worfe is the deed. It is a main engine of him who was a murderer from the beginning. And God will reckon with them as murderers at the great day, Matth. xxv. 41. 42. &c.
Laftly, Men may be guilty of the blood of others otherwife. As,
(1.) By finful occasioning in others thofe things whereby our neighbour fins againfl his own foul, £hiod eft caufa caufat eft etiam caufa caufati. So people fin by occafloning in others difcontent, fretfulnefs, immoderate forrow, &c. 1 Sam. i. 6. Wherefore we fhould beware of that, as we would not be guilty of their blood.
(2.) By all the ways we faid men co-operate to the de- ftroying of others fouls, they may be guilty of killing ethers bodies ; as by commanding, counfelling, or anywife procu- ring the taking away of men's living or lives unjuftly. So David murdered Uriah by the fword of the Ammonites. So informers againft the Lord's people in time of periecu- tion are murderers in God's fight, Ezek. xxii. 9. Yea, the approving, cr any way conferring to it, makes men guilty, Acls viii. I.
Now, Sirs, examine yourfelves in this matter ; and who will not be brought in blood guilty, guilty of their own and their neighbour's blood, the blood of their fouls and bodies ! God's law is fpiritual, and fees the guilt of blood where we plead Not guilty. Les us be humbled and convinced, and apply to the blood of Chrift, that we may be wafhed from it.
OF
OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.
Exod. XX. 14. — Tkcujl-alt not commit adultery.
THE fcope of this command is the prefervation of our own and our neighbour's chaftity and purity. God is a holy God, and the devil is an unclean fpirit : we muft there- fore ftudy purity in all manner of converfation. Our Lord puts this command before the fixth, Mark x. 19. ; becaufe our chaftity fhould be as dear to us as our life, and we fhould be as much afraid of that which defiles the body as that which def troys it.
This command is a negative precept, and exprefsiy forbids adultery : but under that is comprehended all manner of un- cleannefs whatfoever, with all the caufes and occafions lead- ing thereunto. And the pofltive part of this command is, that we muft preferve cur own and our neighbour's chaftity by a'.i due means.
In difcoarfing further, I fhali confider,
I. The duties required in this command.
II. The fins forbidden therein.
III. Pvlake fome practical improvement.
I. Our firft bufinefs is to confider what is required in this command \ and the Catechifm, agreeably to holy fcripture, tells us, that it requires " the prefervation of our own and our neighbour's chaftity in heart, fpeech, and behaviour."
The duties of this command may therefore be reduced to two general heads. 1. The prefervation of our own chaftity. 2. The prefervation of that of our neighbour.
FIRST, This command requires us to preferve our own chaftity and purity. There is a twofold chaftity. j. In fingle life; when it is led in purity, it is like the angelical ; when in impurity, it is devilifh. 2. There is conjugal chaftity,
when
70 Of the Seventh Commandment.
when married ] Jelves within the bounds of
''his lies in two things, (i.) With re- vives pur< corrupted. rig themfelves within, the ids of Chrjitian fohriety and moderation. In whatsoever itate we arc, " this is th£ m] of God, even our fan&ifica- tiorj, that we fhould abftain from 1
one of us fhould know how to poffefs his veffel in fanclifica- tiorf and honour, not in the luft of concupifcencc/' r iv. 3. 4. 5.
Now, there is a threefold chaflity required of us, and to be prefer ved by us.
Firjly Chaftity in heart, 1 ThefT. iv. 5. forecited. God knows the heart, and therefore his laws reach the heart, and lie will judge for heart-fins. We mufl keep our minds pure, that the thoughts be not led aflray and corrupted. Hence job " made a covenant with his eyes," chap. xxxi. 1. And Ave muft keep our affections pure, that they be not vitiated. 'Job faw this when he appeals to God, " If" mine heart have been deceived by a woman," ver. 9. This is to be pure before God, who feeth in fecret, and fearcheth the hidden things of darknefs. The leaft glance of the heart over this hedge is a crime.
Secondly, Chaflity in fpeech, Col. iv. 6. u Let your fpeech he always with grace, feafoned with fait." As there is tongue-murder, there is tongue-adultery. But our fpeeches muft favour of fobriety and purity •, and fo they will, if the heart be pure ; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth fpeaketh. The Holy Ghoft, in the fcriptures, gives us a pattern to be imitated in our fpeeches concerning thofe things that have a natural turpitude with them, vailing the fame in modeft expreflions.
Thirdly, Chaflity in behaviour, which comprehends both the keeping of the body undented by any grofs act, and a modeft carriage every way, 1 Pet. iii. 2. Modefty mufi appear in the whole of our behaviour, that the purity of the heart may mine forth thereby, as the candle gives light through the lanthorn.
Now, as this threefold chaftity is required here, fo the proper means for preferving it are alfo required.
1. Watching over our fenfes. Thefe are the ports at which Satan breaks in, and ruins people's purity. The heart and the fenfes are like a candle-wick, at the end of which lies a heap of powder. Objects fet fire to the fenfes
at
The Duties required, 71
at the wick, and thefe carry it along to the heart, where the corruption lies as a heap of powder. Particularly,
(1.) The eyes, Job xxxi. 1. Thefe were the gates at which fin firft entered into the world ; and thefe have been the gates of deftru&ion to many, whereby their fame, body, and fouls, have been deftroyed together. It is remarkable that the Sodomites were fmitten with blindnefs, who took fo little care to watch their eyes while they had the ufe of them. Curious glances of the eye have been fatal to many, as to David, 2 Sam. xi. 2. and to Jofeph's miftrefs, Gen. xxxix. 7.
(2.) The ears. The corruption of the heart makes people liable to be chained with Satan's fetters by the ears as well as the eyes ; as appears from Pro v. vii. 21. 22. " With her much fair fpeech fhe caufed him to yield, with the nattering of her lips me forced him. He goeth after her firaightway, as an ox goeth to the flaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the flocks." And curious liftening to rot- ten fpeeches, or whatfoever has a tendency to corrupt the heart, is to open the door to let out our purity.
2. Temperance, a fober ufe of meat, drink, fleep, and recreations. Hence our Lord warns his difciples, Luke xxi. 34. " Take heed to yourfelves, left at any time yo:|r hearts be overcharged with furfeiting and drunkennefs." Tem- perance is a neceflary hedge for chaftity, and the breaking over that hedge is a near way to facrifice the other. See Acts xxiv. 24. 25. " And, after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drufilla, which was a Jewefs, he fent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Chrift.— And as he reafoned of righteoufnefs, temperance, and judge- ment to come, Felix trembled.'' Why did the apoftle chufe that fubjeet before thefe great perfons ? Why, truly it was very fit. Hiftorians tell us, that this Drulilla was a molt libidinous woman, and had left her hufband, Aziz king of EmenefTa ; and while he was yet living, fhe was married to Felix, who was taken with her beauty ; and fo they lived together in adultery. The body being pampered, becomes a luxuriant beafl ; and thofe that cram their bellies with meat or drink, are but one remove from, and in near dif- pofition to filthinefs j for one fenfuality makes way for ano- ther.
On this account it is that fading and prayer may be to people a duty of this command ; for, as fome devils are not call: out, fo fome are not held out but by falling and prayer.
They
"j 2 Of the Seventh Commandment.
They that would keep themfelves pure, mull have their bodies in fubjeclion, and that may require, in fome cafes, a holy violence, I Cor. ix. 27.
3. Keeping of chafte and modeft company. Hence So- lomon exhorts, Prov. v. 8. 9. " Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her houfe : left thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel." How many have been ruined by the company they have fallen into, worfe than they had fallen into a den of lions and wolves ? Ill company wears off infenfibly the impref- fions of virtue on people's fpirits ; and if they be not at war with them, the maintaining of peace and converfe will make people like them.
4. Being bufied in fome honeft employment. Thofe that would be virtuous indeed, mud not eat the bread of idle- nefsi Honeft labour and bufinefs cuts olF many temptations that idle perfons are liable to. Had David been in the field with his army, when he was riling from off his bed in the evening-tide, 2 Sam. xi. 2. he had preferved his chaftity when he loft it ; and fo had Dinah, if {he had been at her bufinefs in her father's houfe, when fhe went cut to fee the daughters of the land, Gen. xxxiv. 1.
5. Marriage, by thofe that have not the gift of continen- cy. Hence fays the apoftle, 1 Cor. vii. 2. 9. " To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own hufband. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn." — Neither marriage nor lingle life are in themfelves morally good or evil, but indifferent. But that ftate of life is to be chofen by every one, that will moil conduce to their leading a holy life. So every particular perfon ought by them- felves to ponder their gift, and other circumftances, which will let them fee what is fin and what is duty in this cafe.
6. Cohabitation and conjugal love and afre&ion betwixt married perfons, without which that ftate will be no fence t© purity, but a fnare. Hence Solomon fays, Prov. v. 19. 20. " Let her be as the loving hind, and pleafant roe ; let her breads fatisfy thee at all times, and be thou ravifhed always with her love. And why wilt thou, my fon, be ravifhed with a ftrange woman, and embrace the bofom of a ftraii- ger?"
7 Lajlly, Shunning all occafions, and refilling all temp- tations, to the contrary, Prov. 5. 8. forecited. Sodidjofeph, Gen. xxxix. 8. It is a dangerous bufinefs to parley with :, them.
¥he Duties required* 73
them. The town that is content to capitulate with the ene- my, is next door to furrendering. There are two fins that the fcripture bids us flee from. 1. Idolatry, 1 Cor. x. 14. 2. Uncleannefs, 1 Cor. vi. 18. Why? Recaufe they are bewitching evils. It is fafer to flee, than to Hand to fight them.
SECONDLY, This command requires us to preferve the chaftity of others, and that fo far as we can, in their hearts, lips, and lives. For fo far as we might prevent the fin of others, and do it not, and much more when we occriion itj it becomes ours. Befides, that in preferving our own cha- flity, we preferve that of others, and fo the means conducing to the one do alfo conduce to the other. Our duty in this point may be reduced to thefe two heads.
1. That we may do nothing which may enfare others.1 For whomever lays the fnare is partner in the fin that comes by it. A lamentable inftance of this we have in Juoah and his daughter-in-law : they were neither of them careful to preferve the other's chaftity, and fo they fell each by an- other's fnare, Gen. xxxviii. 14. 15. 16. For this caufe mo- deft apparel is here required^ 1 Tim. ii. 9. ; and careful avoiding of ail unfeemly behaviour, which may ha se a ten- dency to defile the minds of others, though we ourfelves have no ill intention. Thus. Bathfheba's wafhing iierfelf in a place where me might be feen of others, was the fad oc- cafion of the fin that David and ihe were plunged intOj 2 Sam. xi. 2. And truly where both grace and good maimers are wanting, it is little wonder that people break their necks over one another.
2. That we do everything incumbent on us to preferve the chaftity of others, in heart, f'peech, and behaviour. Let mar- ried perfons live together in due love and affection to one an- other. Let each one be an example of purity to others. Let thofe whom ye fee in danger be refcued by all means, whether by force or perfualion, as the circumfhnces re- quire. And let none bring others guilt on their own heads, by being filent when they fee the fmoke, till the flame rife and difcover itfelf. Let parents and mafters do what they can to prevent the ruin of their children and fervants, by rebuking any lightnefs about them, exhorting them, and praying for them ; keeping them out of ill company, not fufFering them to be idle or vague, and feaibnably difpofing of children in marriage. Our bodies are the Lord'-. ; we are or ought to be the temples of God •, the heart is the
Vol. HI, K moft
74 Of the Seventh Commandment.
mofi holy place cf the temple, and our fpeech and behavioo? the holy place. Let us take heed we bring in no unclean thing there, but keep his temple pure ; for if any defile the temple of God, him will God deftroy.
If. I come now to fhew, what is forbidden in this com- mand. It forbids " all unchafle thoughts, words, and ac- tions."
In nothing more quickly did the corrupt nature of man vent itfelf, than in inordinate concupifcence, which brought fhame along with it, as its juft punifhment -, which makes it hard to fpea!" of it, and lb much the rather that corrupt nature is apt, through Satan's influence, to turn the very commandment againft it unto an occalion of fin. There- fore, though there is a neceffity of fpeaking fomething on it, we cannot enlarge with that freedom upon it that we can do on other commands. Sift your hearts, then, as in the pre- fence of a holy God, who will call us to an account in this matter before his tremendous judgment- feat, and hear his holy law, Thoufialt not commit adultery.
In this fliort abbreviate of the law of God, where one fin fs exprefsly condemned, under it are forbidden ail fins of the fame kind. So here the whole dunghill of nlthinefs is fet before us for our abhorrence, and deteflation of our fouls, as we would not bring down the wrath of God on us. Here then all grefs acts of filthinefs are forbidden. As,
i. All unnatural lulls, not to be mentioned without hor- ror ; filthy fellowfhip with devils, as the guilty do fuppofe -, Sodomy, perfons abufing themfelves with thofe of their own fex, Rom. i. 14. — 27. ; beaftiality, Lev. xviii. 22. And to thefe we may add incefi, which is betwixt perfons within the forbidden degrees of confanguinity or affinity, Lev. xviii. 6. Concerning which this is to be obferved, that a man mud hold at the fame diftance from the relations of his wife as his own, and contrariwife, Lev. xx. 14. ; and fuch unna- tural mixtures can never be fanctified by marriage. *
2. Adultery, where one of the parties, or both, are mar- ried. In this cafe the aggravations of the fin of the mar- ried party will be juftiy charged upon the fingle perfon ; and for both, "whoremongers and adherers God will judge." Ileb. xiii. 4. And bigamy and poligamy are adultery ; for the vile fact cannot be fanctified, but made worfe, by mar- riage with'" the adulterer or adulterefs, Hof. iv. 10. " They "fhall commit whoredom, and fiiall increafe."
3- Fornication,
*The Sins forbidden. 75
3. Fornication, which is betwixt {ingle perfons, Col. iii. 5.. 6. " Mortify your members which are upon the earth -, fornication, uncleannefs, &c. For which things fake the wrath of God cometh upon the children o^ difobedience.,> Whoredom is a (in that without repentance is a fad badge of a fubjecT. of Satan, Eph. v. 5. " No whoremonger nor unclean perfon — hath any inheritance in the kingdom of God and Chrift." And a vaft inconfiftencey there is be- twixt being a member of Chrift, and that of a harlot, 1 Cor. vi. 15.
4. K.ape, or forcing a perfon to filthinefs, Deut. xxii. 25, This is a capital crime by the laws of God and men.
5. Secret uncleannefs in a perfon by themfelves alone, whe- ther they be waking, Eph. v. 12. ; or fleeping, at leaft fo far as they have occasioned it to themfelves by their own cor- rupt imaginations.
6. LciJIyy Immoderate and unfeafonable ufe even of the marriage-bed, and much more of the bed of whoredom. Mark thefe pah1 ages, 1 ThefT. iv. 3.4. 1 Cor. vii. 5. If. lviii. 13. Ezek. xxii. 10. and xviii. 6.
Thefe are the feveral kinds of vilenefs here forbidden. But this command goes further, and forbids three forts of un- cleannefs beiides.
1. Uncleannefs in heart, all fpeculative filthinefs, unclean imaginations, thoughts, purpofes, and affections, tho' people do not intend to purfue them to the grofs act, Matth. v. 28. " "Whofoever looketh on a woman to'luft after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Chap, xv. 19. " Out of the heart proceed — adulteries, fornications." Thefe fall not under the eye of men, but are open to the eye of God,- who will judge accordingly. A voluntary thought of thefe things is dangerous, a delightful roiling of them in the heart is uncleannefs before God, and a vitiated habit, where- by on every light occafion thefe filthy foarks are kindled in the heart, is worft of all, and raoft abominable.
2. Uncleannefs in words, all filthy communications and obfeene language, Eph. iv. 29. " Let no corrupt communi- cation proceed out of your mouth."- They are the difcove- ries of a filthy heart ; for Ci out of the abundance of the heart the mouth fpeaketh,'' contrary to nature, propaling thofe things which nature teaches to keep fecret. They are fnares to the hearers ; and to fpeak of them for delight, Is to act the filthinefs in words, when they cannot do it other- wife. Neither will the art fome have in clrefling up their
K 2 filthy
f6 Of the Seventh Commandment.
iilthy notions in figurative terms excufe ; but thefe in fome fort are moft dangerous, becaufe the devilifh wit difplayed in them makes them more (licking •, and fo by means of the like phrafes occurring in holy exercifes, they are the readier even to defile thefe. Of this fort are filthy fongs and bal- lad-finging ; and the delightful liftening to fuch things, as the fimple youth did to the fpeeches of the adulterous whore, Prov. vii. 1 8. — 21.
3. Uncleannefs in actions. Befides the grofs a&s, there are others leading thereunto, which are here alfo forbidden, As, ^
(1.) Wanton looks : there are f* eyes full of adultery," 2 Pet. ii. 14.; « wanton eyes," If. iii. 16. Even a look for un- lawful carnal delight is the venting of the impurity of the heart ; and though it be only from levity and curiofity, it is finfui, as a mean leading to evil.
(2.) Impudent and light behaviour, and imrnodeft gef- tureSj If. iii. 16. indecent poftures, contrary to religion and good manners. Thefe are hellifh matters of fport, that de- file the actors, and thofe that are witnefTes to them without abhorrence. And on this ground ftage-plays and filthy pic- tures are amongft the things forbidden in this commandsEzek, xxiii. 14. — 16.
(3.) Luxurious embraces and dalliances. Thefe are as fmoke going before the flame, and were praclifed by the adul- terous whore, Prov. vii. 13.
Now, as all thefe are here forbidden, fo all occafions and incentives to luft are forbidden, all that has a tendency to corrupt our own or neighbour's chaftity.
( j.) Immodeft apparel, Prov. vii. 10. God appointed ap- parel, [1.] For neceffity, to cover our fhame ana nakednefs ; £2.] To diftinguifh fexes ; [3.] To diftinguifh callings, the more noble from the meaner fort. The devti has found out the fourth, to be enticements to luft.
(2.) Keeping ill company. This has been the ruin of ma- ny: therefore Solomon advifes, Prov. v. 8. " Remove thy way far from her," a ftrange woman, or whore; M and come not nigh the door of her houfe." It was Jofeph's commendation, that he fled from his miftrefs. Whatever the company be, people fhould beware that they call not themfelves into fnares.
(3.) Icllenefs, the nurfery of all filthinefs, Ezek. xvi. 49. This exnofeth to many temptations ; for Satan will be ready
to
The Sins forbidden. * 7
to find idle people work. Gadding and vaguing abroad can hardly mifs to have an unfavoury end.
(4.) Intemperance, gluttony, and drunkennefs. Thefe have a tendency to murder, which is forbidden in the fixth command, and to uncieannefs, forbidden in the one under confideration, Prov. xxiii. 30, 31. 33. Notable to this pur- pofe is that fcripture, Jer. v. 8. " They were as fed horfes in the morning : every one neighed after his neighbour's wife."
(5.) Promifcuous dancing, or dancing of men and women together. This entertainment, however reckoned innocent among many, is evidently an incentive to luir, If. xxiii. ic. 16. 17. It is fuppofed, that it was to a dancing match a- mong the daughters of the land that Dinah went forth, when fhe was dealt with as an harlot. This practice feems to be ftruck at by thefe fcriptures, Rom. xiii. 13. "Let us walk — not in chambering and wantonnefs ;" 1 Pet. iv. 3. where mention is made of " walking in revelling." It is offenfive to the grave and pious, is condemned by our church, yea, and has been condemned by fome fober heathens.
(6.) Undue delay of marriage, 1 Cor. vii. 7. 8. 9. ; for they that refufe the remedy, strengthen the difeafe.
(7.) Unjuft divorce, Matth. v. 33.; wilful defertion, 1 Cor. vii. 12. 13. 5 want of conjugal affection, and all harfn- nefs and unkindnefs betwixt married perfons. Thefe are to be avoided, as incitements to uncieannefs.
(8.) Laftly, The Popifh doctrine and practice of forbid. cling lawful marriages, 1 Tim. iv. 3. ; difpenfing with unlaw- ful marriages, Mark vi. 18. *, tolerating of ftews or bawdy- houfes, Beut. xxiii. 17.; and entangling vows of fingle life, Matth. xix, 10. 11.
I fhall next make fome improvement of this fubjecl:.
1. Let thefe that have fallen into the fin of uncieannefc, repent, and walk humbly all the days of their life under the fenfe of it. There are, alas ! not a few amongft us to whom this exhortation belongs. And perhaps, if their eyes were opened, they would fee fomething in their lot that God has fent to go along with them, as a mark of his difpleafure againft that their fin ; wherein they might with no great dif- ficulty read their old fin in a continued punifhment. That fin may be forgotten with us, that is not fo with the Lord.
2." Let thofe that ftand take heed left they fall. Labour to -get your hearts pofTefTed with a dread of this fin, and
watch
1 8 Of the Seventh Commandment,
watch againft it, efpecially ye that are young people, fern ing it is a fin rnoft incident to youth, when the paffions are moft vigorous ; which yet may ftick faft with the blue marks of God's difpleafure upon you when you come to age. For motives, confider,
(i.) It is not only a fin, but ordinarily, if not always, a plague and punifhment for other fins. It is a mark of God's anger againft the perfon that is permitted to fall into it, Prov. xx. 14. « The mouth of a ftrange woman is a deep pit : he that is abhorred of the Lord, fhall fall therein." This is a heavy mark of God's indignation, which is worfe than to fall into a fever, or fome lingering diftemper ; for a perfon may recover of thefe in a fhort time, but it is not fo eafy to recover of the other.
(2.) It is a fin that very few ever get grace to repent of. It ftupifies the confcience, and waftes all fenfe of fin from it, Hof. iv. 11. I have ieen, alas ! too many that have made pu- blic fatisfaclion for that fin ; but allow me to fay, I have feen very few by whofe repentance I was much edified. Hear what the Spirit of God fays of thefe unhappy people, Prov. ii. 19. " None that go unto her, return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life." None, that is, very few; hut fome indeed do, as among the Corinthians, 1 Cor. vi. 9. 11. And be not offended, but cautioned, if I fay, that few women particularly ever get grace to repent of it. Solomon faid it before me, Eccl. vii. 28. " A woman among all thofe have I not found." And obferve what is faid, A els xxiv. 25. that Felix trembled when Paul preached, though he repented not ; but there is not a word of Drufilla's being moved.
3. It difhonours and debafes the body, i Cor. vi. 18. Our bodies are the members of Chrift or mould be ; but how are they debafed, being made members of a harlot ? And how low and contemptible a thing is fuch a wretched creature, even in the eyes of thofe that join with them ? *
(4.) It leaves an indelible fiain upon their reputation; their honour is funk, and there is no recovering of it, Prov. vi. 33. Though the fin may be pardoned before God, yet the blot lies on their name, while they have a name on the earth » Yen. and when they are dead and gone, their baftard pofte- rity ftill lie under the fiain, whereof they could be no caufe.
(5.) Poverty and want oft-times follow it. It natively tends to poverty, Prov. v. 10; and there is a fecret curfe of that nature that often accompanies it, Piov. vi. 26. " By
means
This Commandment applied. 79
means of a whorifh woman a man is brought to a piece of bread." How many have been made miferable by it, who have had occafion as long as they lived to remember they had ruined themfelves ?
(6.) Laftly> It is ruining to the foul, Prov. vi. 32. <c He that doth it," commit adultery with a woman, " deftroyeth his own foul." It ruins it here, in fo far as it defiles the confcience, fetters the affections, blinds the mind, utterly unfits for communion with God, till the guilt be wafhed off by the application of Chrift's blood, after a frightful awa- kening of the confcience. And if they do not repent of this fin, it will deftroy the foul for ever. Let thefe fcriptures imprint a horror of it in the minds of all, Heb. xiii. 4. 1 Cor. vi. 9. Gal. v. 19. 21. Rev. xxi. 8.
I clofe with a few directions, in fo many words.
1. Give yourfelves away foul and body to Jefus Chrift, and learn to live by faith, fenfible of your own weaknefs, and re- lying on his promifed ftrength ; for without him ye can re- lift no fin, nor temptation to fin.
2. Beware of a carnal frame, of floth and lazinefs. La- bour to be fpiritual and heavenly in the frame of your heart, Gal. v. 16. " Walk in the Spirit, and ve fhall not fulfil the luft of the flefh."
3. Watch over your heart and fenfes. " Make a cove- nant with your eyes, as Job did, that ye may avoid unlawful looks ; and never venture on the devil's ground, otherwife ye will fall into the fnare.
4. Study-mortification of all your unruly lufts and paffions, and beware of all occafions and incentives to this wicked- nefs.
5. Keep at a diftance from immodeft company, and be not too frolicfome and foolifh, light and airy in your difcourfe.
6. Lajlly> Pray fervently and importunately, that the Lord may fave you from this foul fin, and all temptations to it -, faying with David, Pfal. cxix. 37. " Turn away mine eye? from beholding vanitv.*
OB
OF THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT,
Exod. xx. 15. — Thoujbalt notjleah
^jT^HIS command refpecls men's goods arid outward eftate A. in the world •, and the fcope of it is to procure and further the fame by all good means. And the law of God refpecting this plainly fays, that religion is highly con- cerned in our civil acYions, working, buying, and felling, and all the ways of advancing of the outward eftate. In thefe we are hedged about by this command, as well as in natural things by the fixth and feventh. God's law follows us wherever we go, to the houfe or field, bed or board, church or market. This command alfo plainly eltablillies diftinct properties, and that there is no univerfal community of goods, but every one has his own portion.
This being a command of the fecond table, it refpecls our- felves as well as our neighbour. And fo the meaning is, Thou fhalt not fteal from thyfelf nor any other ; thou fhalt not wrong thyfelf nor others. And as in every negative is implied an affirmative, fo while ftealth or theft is here for- bidden, the contrary is required, namely, the procuring and furthering of our own and others welfare in thefe things, but by means only that are lawful.
In difcourfing further from this fubjecl, I fhall fhew,
I. "What is required in this command, viz. <* the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward eftate of ourfelves and others. "
II. What is forbidden, viz. " Whatfoever doth or may unjuftly hinder our own or our neighbour's wealth or out- ward eftate."
III. Make application.
0. 1,
The Duties required, 8 1
1. 1 am to fhew, what is required in this command. And,
First, God requires us in this command, by lawful means, to procure and further our own wealth and outward eftate* We may take up this in thefe feven things.
i. We fhould look unto God for things necefTary and convenient for us. Here we lhould begin our care about temporal things; " for he it is that giveth thee power to get wealth," Deut. viii. 18. ; and without his appointment our endeavours will not fuceeed, Pfal. cxxvii. A;l the creatures depend on God's provifion, as caged birds on thole to whole care they are committed, Prov. xxx. 8. And fo our Lord teaches us to pray every day, " Give us this day our daily bread/7 Matth. vu n. feeing God has comprehended this in the promife.
2. A provident care and ftudy to get things necefTary and fuitable to our condition, i Tim. v. 8. To pray, and caft off means, is prefumption ; to ufe means, but negleci praying, and looking to the Lord, is atheifm. We fhould keep the middle way betwixt carelefThefs and anxiety, and hold in the way of moderate care in thefe things ; for we are not to ex- pect to be like the lilies that toil not, neither fpin, and yet are clothed.
3* For this caufe every body muft have a lawful calling and employment, and duly ule it, that fo he may be ufeful to him- felf, and worth his room in the world, and not like mice and rats, good for nothing but to devour what others labour for* Adam in innocence had a calling, that of dreffing and keep- ing the garden of Eden, Gen. ii. 15. ; and fo had his fons afterwards, though born to greater eftate than any now can pretend to, the one being a keeper of flieep, and the other a tiller of the ground, Gen. iv. 2. But we muft be fure it be a lawful calling, Eph. iv. 28. But what avails it if it be not duly ufed ? Therefore God requires of men that they labour to be fkilfui in it, and not bunglers at what they take in hand, Prov. xiv. 8. ; and he allows men to look to himfelf for that end, U\ xxviii. 26. ; and likewife that they be dili- gent and induftrious in it, and not loiterers, Prov. x. 4. ; for lazinefs will make a thief, either directly or indirectly. And this is quite oppofite to God's appointment, Gen. iii. 19.
4. We are to take the moderate comfortable ufe ot the product of our diligence, ufing and difpofing of it for our neceffity and conveniency, according to our condition in the world, Eccl. x. 12. 13. For to what end do men get wealth, if they have no power comfortably to ufe it ? As
Vol. III. L good
$2 Of the Eighth Commandment.
good want it, as not to have the neceffary and convenient ufe of it. Such ileal and rob (in the fenfe of this command) from their neareft neighbour, that is, themfelves.
5. Withal God requires men here to be frugal and ho- neftly fparing, i. e. to keep a due medium betwixt lavifh- nefs and niggard pinching, Prov. xxi. 20. This frugality directs to the right managing of what God has given, fo as, (1.) People do not cafl out their fubftance on trifles that are for no good purpofe, but on fuch things as there is forne folid ufe of, If. lv. 2. ; and amongfl thefe are to be reckon- ed extravagant furniture for back and belly, in which people cannot fatisfyingly to confcience anfwer the queftion, What needs all this walte ? (2.) That of thofe things which may be ufeful, there be nothing loft. When Chrifl had provided bread enough, he gives particular orders to gather up the fragments, John vi. 12. (3.) That this care proceed not from carnal affection to the world, but from confcience to- wards God, that we abufe not his benefits, and take care to do good by what is fpared to ourfelves or to others, though it were even to beafts. Lajlly, True frugality will be ef- fectual to make us ready to lay out for God on pious ufes, to the poor and otherwife, as the belt way to lave, Prov, xi. 24.
6. Careful avoiding of whatsoever may embarrafs our affairs, and wrong our own wealth and outward cftate. — Thus God requires men to take heed that they do not in- veigle themfelves in unneceflary pleas and law-fuits, 1 Cor.
vi. 1 8.; rafh cautionry, Prov. xi. 15. whereby fometimes
men ruin themfelves and families, and fo fin againft God, themfelves, and their houfe. Of this fort may be reckoned people's ralh and foolifh engaging in things that they are in no probable cafe rightly to manage, ftretching farther than they can well be fuppofed able to reach.
7. Lajlly, Moderation of heart with refpeel to worldly goods, Phil. iv. 5. (/.) We mufl moderate our judgment about them, that we put not too high a value and efteem on them, 1 Tim. vi. 17. (2.) We mull moderate our wills about them, that we be not among thofe that will be rich •, for that will carry us over this hedge, ver. 9. (3.) We mult moderate our affections to them. We mull beware of love to them, ver. 10.; for the covetous heart will not (lick at undue means. We mufl: moderate our care about them, refting in God's promife, and depending on his providence, Matth.vi. 25. 26.J and be content with our lot, Heb. xiii. 5. For they that
• are
¥be Duties required. 8§
are not content, have what they will, are always poor ; and their eye will be evil towards others alio.
Secondly, God requires in this command, that we, by lawful means, procure and further the wealth and outward eftate of others. We are not born for ourfelves, nor mufl we live for ourfelves. We are members one of another as men, and much more as Chriftians ; and felfifhnefs is of- fenfive to Gcd, and deflrudtive to fociety. We may reduce this to two general rules of practice, founded on the light of nature, and confirmed by the word.
Firji9 Give every one their due. The natural confcience dictates this, however little it is regarded ; and God's word confirms it, Rom. xiii. 7. If ye do it not, ye rob them, or Heal from them. So God will reckon, and fo will men's confciences reckon at lali. In whatever relation ye (land to them as mailers, fervants, neighbours, or under any parti- cular bargain with them, cr obligation to them, give them what is due to them.
Secondly, Do as ye would be done to. This alfo a na- tural confcience dictates, and the word confirms, Matth. vii. 1 2. If we muft love our neighbour as ourfelves, we mufl not do to him what we would have no body