A Golden Chain, Chapter 19
CHAP. 19. CONCERNING THE OVTWARD MEANES of executing the decree of election, and of the Decalogue.
AFter the foundation of Election, which hath hitherto beene deliuered, it followeth, that we should intreat of the outward meanes of the same.
The meanes are Gods Couenant, and the seale therof.
Gods couenant, is his contract with man, concerning life eternall, vponupon certaine conditions.
This couenant consisteth of two parts: Gods promise to man, Mans promise to God.
Gods promise to man, is that, whereby he bindeth himselfe to man to bee his God, if he breake not the condition.
Mans promise to God, is that, whereby he voweth his allegiance vntounto his Lo…d, and to performe the condition betweene them.
Againe, there are two kindes of this couenant. The couenant of workes, & the couenant of grace. Ierm. 31.3….42.43. Behold the daies come, saith the Lord, that I will make a now cou…nant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Iudah, not a…cording to the couenant I made with their fathers, when I tocke them …y the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; the which my couenant they brake; al…hough I was an husband to them, saith the Lord. But this shall be the couenant, that I will make with the house of Israel: after those daies, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
The couenant of works, is Gods couenant, made with condition of perfect obedience, and is expressed in the morall law.
The Morall Law, is that part of Gods word, which commandeth perfect obedience vntounto man, as well …n his nature, as in his actions, and forbiddeth the contrarie. Rom. 10.5. Moses thus describeth the righteousnes which is of the Law, that the man, which doth these things, shall liue thereby. 1. Tim. 1.5. The end of the commandement; is louelove out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and faith vnfained. Luk. 16.27. Thou shalt louelove the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy strength. Rom. 7. We know that the law is spirituall.
The Law hath two parts. The Edict, commanding obedience, and the condition binding to obedience. The condition is eternall life to such as fulfill the law: but to transgressours, euerlasting death.
The Decalogue or ten Commandements, is an abridgement of the whole Law, and the couenant of workes. Exod. 34.27. And the Lord said vntounto Moses, Write thou these words, for after the tenour of these words, I hauehave made a covenant with thee, and with Israel. And was there with the Lord fourtie daies and fourtie nights, and did neither eate bread, nor drinke water, and he wrote in the Tables the words of the covenant, euen the tenne Commandements. 1. King. 8.9. Nothing was in the Arke, saue the two Tables of stone, which Moses had put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a couenant with the children of Israel, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. Matth. 22.40. On these two commandements hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets.
The true interpretation of the Decalogue, must be according to these rules.
I. In the negatiue, the affirmatiue must be vnderstood: and in the affirmatiue, the negatiue.
II. The negatiue bindeth at all times, and to all times: and the affirmatiue, bindeth at all times, but not to all times: and therefore negatiues are of more force.
III. VnderUnder one vice expressely forbidden, are comprehended all of that kind, yea, the least cause, occasion, or entisement thereto, is as well forbidden, as that 1. Ioh. 3.15. Whosoeuer hateth his brother, is a manslayer. Matth. 5.21. to the ende. Euill thoughts are condemned, as well as euill actions.
IV. The smallest sinnes are entituled with the same names, that that sinne is, which is expressely forbidden in that commandement, to which they appertaine. As in the former places, hatred is named murther, and to looke after a woman with a lusting eye, is adulterie.
V. We must vnderstand eueryevery commandement of the law so, as that we annex this condition: vnlesse God command the contrarie. For God being an absolute Lord, and so aboue the law, may command that which his law forbiddeth: so he commanded Isaac to be offered, the Egyptians to be spoiled, the brasen Serpent to be erected which was a figure of Christ, &c.
The Decalogue, is described in two Tables.
The summe of the first Table, is, that we louelove God with our mind, memorie, affections, and all our strength. Matth. 22. 37. This is the first, (to wit, in nature and order) and great commandement, (namely, in excellencie, and dignitie.