The Sum of Sacred Divinity, Book 1 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Of the third Commandement.
IN the third Commandement, God wouldReuerence is a religious affection in the Seruice of God. hauehave his Worſhip to bee with all Reuerence and Religion for the Name of God, noting out this whole outward ſeruice, as that whereby God is made knowne vntounto vsus: and taking it in vaine, noting euerie abuſe therein, ſhew the reuerent manner of worſhipping God, to be the ſubiect of this Commandement, whether it be in his publike or priuate ſeruice, or in the vſing of his Names and Titles. Of his publike Seruice the Pſalmiſt uPſal. 26. 6.ſaith, I waſh my hands in innocencie, and ſo compaſſe thine Altar, O IEHOVAH. Of priuate, the Law is giuen in the caſe of Vowes, Othes, &c. Numb. 30. 3. When a man voweth a Vow vntounto IEHOVAH, or ſweareth an Oath, hee ſhall not prophane that hee ſpeaketh. Touching the Reuerend and Religious vſing of the Names and Titles of God, a ſpeciall commination is made, Deut. 28. 58. If thou wilt not feare this glorious and reuerend Name, IEHOVAH thy God, &c. The contrarie hereof generally is, all lacke of Reuerence in Gods Seruice, and contayneth vnderunder it,
Firſt, Vſing Gods Name careleſly in common talke; as, Good Lord! O God! &c. when wee neuer thinke vponupon him.
Secondly, Ieſting with the Scripture, or the Phraſes of it, The xIer. 23. 34.Prophet, or the Prieſt, or the People, which ſhall ſay, (in ſcorne and deriſion) The burden of IEHOVAH, I will viſit that man and his houſe.
Thirdly, Light paſſing ouer the Iudgements of God that are ſeene in the World; which, becauſe it is a common fault, our Sauiour, Luke 13. 1. inſiſteth long, to ſhew the right vſe that is to be made of them: Were theſe Galileans, whoſe bloud PILATE mingled with their Sacrifices, or thoſe eighteene vponupon whom the Towre of Siloam fell, and ſlew them, greater ſinners then all other men, becauſe they ſuffered theſe things? Nay: but I ſay vntounto you, Vnleſſe ye repent, yee ſhall all in like manner periſh.
Fourthly, Abuſing of the Creatures to the reading of Fortunes, Deſtinies, Prognoſtications, and ſuch like, contrarie to the right vſe and end of their Creation, which was not to fore-tell things to come, but to diſtinguiſh dayes, moneths and yeeres, as before was opened. Therefore doth the Prophet Eſay worthily ſcorne and deride this kind of people, Eſay 47. 13. Thou tyreſt thy ſelfe with the multitude of thy counſels. Let now the Aſtrologers, the Star-gazers, and Prognoſticators ſtand vp, and ſaue thee from thoſe things that ſhall come vponupon thee. In the particular parts of GODS Seruice theſe things are contrarie:
In Othes the contraries are, Firſt, to ſweare falſely: It yZach. 5. 4.ſhall enter into the houſe of him that ſweareth falſely by my Name. Secondly, to ſweare of matters either not doubtfull or not of that waight that requireth an Othe, or when we know that he for whoſe ſake we ſweare, will not reſt in it. All theſe, the Apoſtle, Heb. 6. 16. comprehendeth in one, when he ſaith, that an Othe among men for confirmation ſake, is an end of all gain-ſaying.
Therefore Swearing in our common talke is vnlawfull: Let zMat. 5. 37.your communication be Yea, yea, Nay, nay: for whatſoeuer is more then theſe, commeth of euill; Thirdly, not to performe that which we ſweare to doe: aMat. 5. 37.Thou ſhalt not forſweare thy ſelfe, but performe thine othe to the Lord. In Curſes it is contrarie, when in bitterneſſe or rage we curſe our enemies, or our ſelues: with which fault two bIob 3. Ier. 35.of the ſingular Saints of God, Iob and Ieremie were ſtayned.
In Vowes. Firſt, When they are ofThe Papiſts, which teach vows of things not in our own power, as perpetuall ſingle life. things not in our power, whereby the vow of perpetuall ſingle life appeareth to be vnlawful: for as our Sauiour ſaith, cMat. 19. 11.All are not capable of this, but they onelyonly to whome it is giuen. Secondly, When wee vow things too baſe to offer vntounto God; as if a Rich man, to obtayne ſome great merciemercy at Gods hands, would vow to giuegive ſomewhat not worth the ſpeaking of, vntounto the poore. This Salomon wiſheth vsus to take heed of, when in the matter of Vowes hee maketh the feare and reuerence of God, in not doing any thing vnworthy of his Maieſtie, one great and ſpeciall point, Eccleſ. 5. 6, 3. Thirdly, when we vow ſuch things, as are not indifferēt to do or to leaue vndone: for as to bring the hire of a Whore, or the price of a Dogge into the Houſe of God for a Ʋow, were to prophane his Seruice, Deut. 23. 18. So to vow that in token of a rare and extraordinarie zeale, which without vow wee are bound to doe, is rather to dally with God, then to offer any ſpeciall ſeruice to him. This is plainly taught, Deut. 23. 24. when it is ſaid, If thou vow not at all, it ſhall not be ſinne vntounto thee: but the ſinne is, in not performing our Vow, when wee hauehave vowed it. And if wee take a view of all the Vowes of Gods Children, wee ſhall find them all for the moſt part (according vntounto this rule) of things which otherwiſe without offence they might hauehave left vndone. Such was that of dPſ. 132. 3, 4, 5DAVID, I will not goe vntounto the Tent of mine Houſe, nor climbe vp my Bed-ſtead, nor ſuffer ſleepe in mine eyes, nor ſlumber in my eye-lids, till I find out a place for IEHOVAH, &c. an habitation for the mightie God of IACOB. And that of ANNA, e1. Sam. 1. 11.If indeed looking to the affliction of thine Hand-mayde, thou wilt remember mee, and not forget thine Hand-mayde, but giuegive vntounto thine Hand-mayde a man-childe, then will I giuegive him to IEHOVAH all the dayes of his life, and no Razor ſhall come vponupon his head. Such alſo was fGen. 28. 20, 21, 22.Iacobs Vow, If IEHOVAH God will be with me, and keepe mee in this iourney which I goe, and will giuegive mee bread to eate, and clothes to put on, ſo that I come againe to my fathers houſe in ſafetie; and finally, if IEHOVAH will be my God; Then (there beginneth the Vow) ſhall this Stone, which I hauehave ſet vp as a Piller, be the Houſe of God.
Fourthly, When we are ſlacke to performe them: When gDeut. 23. 21.thou voweſt a Ʋow to IEHOVAH thy God, thou ſhalt not delay to performe it: for IEHOVAH thy God will certainly require it of thee, and it ſhall be ſinne vntounto thee. When hEccleſi. 5. 3.as thou voweſt a Ʋow to God, delay not to performe it: for God hath no pleaſure in Fooles. Yet for the performance of ſome greater dutie, our Vow may bee put off for a time, as the example of the Rechabites iIer. 35. 7. 14.doth confirme, of whom the Lord himſelfe beareth witneſſe, that they obſerued the vow of IONADAB their father, charging them not to dwell in houſes, but in Tents continually; though for ſafetie of their liues they came to dwell in Ieruſalem.
For the performance of the duties of this Commandement,Whereunto are requiſite Preparation, are required in all, but eſpecially in the publike ſeruice of God; Firſt, Preparation of our ſelues before wee come: by conſidering both the cauſe that ſhould mooue vsus to it, and how to performe it with greateſt dutie and reſpect; as the Preacher doth exhort vsus: Take kEccleſ. 47. & 5. 1.heed vntounto thy feet, when thou goeſt into the Houſe of God: and bee neerer to hearken, then to giuegive the gift of Fooles, and ſacrifice; for they know not that they doe ill. Doe not confuſedly ſpeake with thy mouth, nor let thy heart make haſte to vtter a word before God: for God is in Heauen, & thou art vponupon the Earth: Therefore let thy words be few. To which purpoſe it is neceſſary, that we vſe priuate Prayer before-hand, and take ſpeciall view and examination of our ſinnes, that hinder our approch to God.
Secondly, Diligent attention. Being come, and tremblingand Humiliation. at the preſence of God, before whom wee ſtand; like vntounto that good woman lActs 16. 14.LYDIA, whoſe heart God opened, that ſhee attended to the things ſpoken by PAVL. And as Cornelius did, Acts 10. 33. Now therefore all wee are heere preſent before God, to heare all things that are inioyned vntounto thee of God.
Whereupon, euerie where in the Scripture it is made a proper marke of Gods Children, to tremble at his Word: To mEſay 66. 2.this man doe I looke, to him that is humble and of a broken ſpirit, and which trembleth at my words.
Thirdly, Meditation, and chewing as it were the cud, when we are departed; as the men of nActs 17. 11.Berhea did; who, after they had heard PAVL, ſearched the Scriptures whether thoſe things were ſo.
For the fitting of vsus to ſome more ſpeciall parts of hisAnd when need is, both faſting, to quicken vsus to petition in the acknowledgement of our vnworthineſſe and wants, and feaſting to expreſſe our thankfulneſſe for his benefits. worſhip, are required both Faſting, and a holy Feaſt: Faſting, to quicken vsus to petition in the acknowledgement of our wants; holy Feaſting, to expreſſe our thankfulneſſe for his benefits. This vſe of Faſting, the King of Nineueh was not ignorant of, when hee gaue oIonah 3. 9, 10commandement by the Decree of the King and his Nobles, ſaying, Let neither Men nor Beasts, nor Heards, nor Flockes taste any thing, nor feede, nor drinke water; but let Men and Beasts couer themſelues with Sack-cloth, and cry vntounto God ſtrongly, &c. Eſay toucheth the ſame in the 58. pEſay 58. 4.Chapter of his Prophecy, Yee faſt not as theſe times are, to make your voyce to be heard on high. But of Faſting, what it is, and of the true nature and properties thereof, we ſhall hauehave further cauſe to ſpeake in the Doctrine of Repentance. The contrary hereof, is that which the ſame Prophet reprehendeth in the people, qEſay 22. 12.In that day the Lord IEHOVAH of Hoaſts called to weeping, and to mourning, to baldneſſe, and to girting with ſackcloth, and behold, gladneſſe and ioy, killing of Oxen, and ſlaying of Sheepe, eating fleſh, and drinking Wine. Let vsus eate and drinke, for tomorrow we ſhall die: that is to ſay, in ſtead of humiliation, they gaue themſelues to all kind of iollitie, and bathing of themſelues in pleaſures.
The exerciſe of Feaſting was taken vp amongſt Gods people, when they had receiued ſome ſingular benefit, or deliuerance from ſome notable euill, which by Faſting and Prayer they had begged at his hands. In which Feaſts, a more liberall vſe of the creature is permitted, both for plenty and variety, and all kind of honeſt iollity and pleaſure. Goe your wayes, it is ſaid, Nehem. 8. 11, 13. eat fat things, and drinke ſweet things, and ſend portions to him for whome nothing is prouided; for this day is holy to our Lord. So the people went to eate, and to drinke, and to ſend portions, & to celebrate great gladneſſe. And in Heſter 9. 19. They celebrated the fourteenth day of the MonethMonth Adar, with gladneſſe and bankettings and merriments, and ſending of portions from one to another. Generally, the Law thereof giuen, Deut. 16. 14. The Feaſt of Tabernacles thou ſhalt keepe ſeuen dayes: thou ſhalt reioyce when thou keepeſt that Feaſt, &c. The contrarie is in this Day of gladneſſe to mourne and weepe, for which rNehem. 8. 10. 11. & 12.Nehemiah and the Leuites doe reprooue the people, Hold your peace: for this Day is holy; be not ſad therefore.