The Holy Arbor, Chapter 5 · Section 1 · Commandment 1
§. 1. The Decalogue.
THe Commandments were given about Two thouſand five hundred years after the Creation; not that men were left all this time without Law, for there was a Law written in their hearts, Rom. 2.14. but to make that more plain, which by the corruption of Nature was become very dim and much defaced; ſo that as long as men have been, there hath alſo been a Law, although not expreſſed in words, yet written in the heart: wherefore if it be well obſerved, we ſhall finde, That even before the giving of the Law, all the Precepts of the Ten Commandments were in a maner known and acknowledged, though they require whatſoever was commanded Adam in his Integrity, and whatſoever was commanded ſince, Gen. 2.16, 17. Exod. 20. The Law being that which God himſelf delivered to his people by the hand of Moſes, which alſo with his own finger he wrote in two Tables of Stone, called The Moral Law, becauſe it ſheweth the Vertues to be followed, and the Vices to be avoided; as alſo to diſtinguiſh it from the Ceremonial Law, which comprehendeth the Ceremonies preſcribed by God in the old Church; and from the Judicial and Political Laws, which contain Judgements, and the Penalties to be inflicted on the breakers of this Moral Law: The ſum whereof is this, The Firſt Table, containing the four firſt Commandments, Commandeth all the Duties which man oweth to God; The Second Table, containing the ſix laſt Commandments, commandeth all that Man oweth to Man, according to the Will of God. For the Commandments of the Latter Table are to be referred to the firſt, that is to ſay, They are to be kept, not indeed ſo much for our Neighbors ſake, as for Gods ſake, of whom they are commanded: the Firſt Table being immediately, the Second mediately referred unto God; the Commandments whereof are not notwithſtanding leſs then thoſe of the Firſt Table, but the principal ſervice of the Firſt Table, is greater then the principal ſervice of the Second, Matth. 22.37, 38.
Inſtances of Scripture proving that the Decalogue was in mans heart before it was written in the two Tables of Stone:
1. The Firſt Commandment was known unto Abraham, when as almoſt in ſo many words the Lord ſaid unto him, I am God All-ſufficient, ſtand before me, and be upright, Gen. 17.1. And Jacob ſaid, Put away the ſtrange gods, Gen. 35.2.
2. The Second was alſo known unto Jacob, for he purged his houſe from Idols when he was to build an Altar in Bethel, Gen. 35.2. Acknowledging hereby that this was a Corruption, which the true God would be offended at.
3. The Third Abraham alſo ſeemeth to have well known, when he ſware by the true God unto Abimelech, to confirm his League, Gen. 21.23. And Jacob, when he ſware unto Laban by the fear of his father Iſaac, Gen. 31.53.
4. The Fourth is recorded by Moſes to have been given in Paradice, Gen. 2.2, 3. And is likewiſe ſet down in Exodus 16.23.
5. The Fifth Jacob ſhewed in his practice, when he followed his Fathers direction in taking a wife; and his children by going at his command into Egypt; and Joſephs nouriſhing him there in his old age: Shem and Japheth reverencing their Father Noah, are bleſſed; but Ham ſcorning him, is curſed in his Son Canaan, Gen. 9.25, 26.
6. The Sixth was written in Cain's Conſcience, which made him cry, My ſin is greater then can be forgiven; and God expreſly forbiddeth it, Gen. 9.6.
7. The Seventh was to be ſeen in the Sons of Jacob, when they ſaid, Should he make our Siſter a whore? Gen. 34.31. In Joſeph, when his Miſtris tempted him, Gen. 39.9. and in Judah, when he commanded Thamar to be burnt, Gen. 48.2.
8. The Eighth Laban urgeth upon Jacob, Gen. 31.30. who acknowledgeth Death to be due for it, Gen. 45.5. And Jacobs Sons ſay, God forbid that we ſhould ſteal, Gen. 44.
9. The Ninth, Heathen Abimelech ſhewed to be written in his heart, when he complained of Abrahams falſe teſtimony touching his Wife, Gen. 20.9. & 26.9. And of Iſaac's for the like; yea, and Judah kept promiſe, not lying or deceiving, Gen. 38.20.
10. The Tenth Abraham ſheweth to be written in his heart, when having recovered the goods of Sodom, he coveted none of them being other mens; and it was ſin to look on a woman to luſt after her, and puniſhed even in Kings, Gen. 12.17. & 20.7.
The maner how this Law was given; viz.
1. There was great preparation three days together, the people were ſanctified according to the maner of thoſe times, by Waſhings and Purifyings: So let us prepare our ſelves by prayer, before we come to hear the Lord ſpeaking unto us in the Miniſtery of his holy Word.
2. A ſtrict charge was given them, That neither man nor beaſt on pain of death ſhould come near the Mount, whence the Law was to be delivered: how much leſs mercy deſerved the Tranſgreſſors of theſe glorious Laws?
3. The Lord deſcended with great terror, the Trumpet ſounding, the Earth ſhaking, and Lightnings flying about: Shewing with what fear of offending againſt thoſe weighty Laws they were to be received into the heart.
4. Almighty God himſelf ſpake all theſe words in the hearing of all the people, and afterward writ them in two Tables of Stone with his own finger; intimating hereby the perpetuity of them, and how ſtony-hard our hearts be, that the finger of God alone is able to imprint them there.
5. When Moſes had broken theſe two Tables, the Lord writ the ſame words in two other Tables: So mans heart by Gods Creation had all the Laws written in it, but after his Fall it was without any letter thereof in effect, until that the Lord writ them anew.
6. At Moſes his return from the Lord with theſe Laws, his face did ſo ſhine, that the people were not able to look on him till he vail'd it; neither could the Jews, nor any of the Gentiles, be able to ſee into the end of the Law, Chriſt Jeſus, till the Lord took away their vail of blindeneſs and hardneſs of heart, 2 Cor. 3.13, 14.
The Decalogue is divided after a threefold maner; viz.
1. It is divided by Chriſt and Moſes into two Tables; the former whereof compriſe our duty towards God immediately; the Second our duties towards God mediately.
2. It is divided into Ten Commandments, whereof four are aſcribed to the Firſt, and ſix other unto the Second Table.
3. It is divided according to the things themſelves, which are commanded or forbidden in the Decalogue; now generally is commanded the Worſhip of God, and that which is contrary thereto is forbidden.
The worſhip of God, being that wch is generally commanded in the Decalogue, is
1. Immediate, when Moral works are immediately performed unto God; which is
1. Internal, which conſiſteth partly in this, that we worſhip the true God, and that that be performed unto the true God, which is commanded in the firſt Commandment; partly that the maner or form of Worſhip be right and lawful, whether it be internal Worſhip or external; which Form is taught in the Second Commandment.
2. External; which is
1. Private, which containeth the private Moral works of every one, which are always to be of every man in particular performed; and this private Worſhip is delivered in the Third Commandment.
2. Publike, which conſiſteth in ſanctifying of the Sabbath, and is delivered in the Fourth Commandment.
2. Mediate, when Moral works are performed to our Neighbor, in reſpect of God, delivered in the Second Table; which likewiſe is
1. External, which conſiſteth partly in the duties of Superiors towards their Inferiors, and ſo of the contrary of which duties (as alſo of Civil order compriſed under them) is ſpoken in the Fifth Commandment; partly in the duties of one Neighbor towards another, which are ratified in the reſt of the Commandments.
2. Internal, which conſiſteth in the internal affection of the heart, being the very uprightneſs of mens affections towards their Neighbor, which is to be included and underſtood in all the former Commandments, and is preſcribed in the Tenth and laſt Commandment.
In what reſpect the Second Table is ſaid to be like unto the Firſt; viz.
1. As touching the kinde of the chief Worſhip; alſo in reſpect of the Ceremonial, which are not the chief Worſhip of God.
2. As touching the kindes of Eternal Puniſhment; becauſe the tranſgreſſion of both Tables meriteth eternal puniſhment.
3. As touching the unſeparable coherence of the Love of God and our Neighbor; which love of God is declared and exerciſed by our love to our Neighbor.
The Reaſons for which obedience is to be yielded to the Second Table:
1. That in this Obedience God himſelf may be worſhipped, and our love towards him ſhewed by our love towards our Neighbor for his ſake.
2. That by the love of our Neighbor, our conformity with God may appear.
3. That the Society of Mankinde may be preſerved, which was ordained of God for the celebration and magnifying of his Name.
Certain Rules concerning the ſubſtance and meaning of the Decalogue in general, and for Expounding the Commandments, viz.
1. The Moral Law or Decalogue is to be underſtood according to the Interpretation of Scripture, not according to the ſenſe or judgement of man onelyonly, or of Moral Philoſophy.
2. The Decalogue requireth in all the Commandments, obedience both external and internal, chargeth the underſtanding, heart and affection; commandeth perfect obedience, not in parts onelyonly, but alſo in degrees; not onelyonly in all the duties, but alſo in the degrees of theſe duties.
3. The obedience of the Firſt Commandment muſt be the motive or final Cauſe of our obedience towards the reſt of the Commandments, otherwiſe it is not the Worſhip of God, but hypocriſie, whatſoever we do.
4. We muſt above all things conſider the drift or end of each Commandment, for the end of the Law ſheweth the meaning thereof, and by the end we ſhall judge aright and eaſily of the means.
5. We muſt know, that the ſame vertue is often in a diverſe reſpect commanded in diverſe Commandments; that is, the ſame vertue is required for performing of obedience unto many Commandments.
6. In Affirmative Commandments commanding Vertues, are comprehended the Negative, forbidding the contrary Vices; ſo likewiſe in Negative Commandments are comprehended the Affirmative Vertues.
7. We muſt take heed that we reſtrain not the Commandments, and take them too ſtraitly; for in the General all the Specials, and in the chief Special, the next allyed Specials, and in the Effect the Cauſes be contained: So that under one kinde manifeſt are all of like ſort, whether commanded or forbidden; yea, and the Means whereby the things are done, are alſo commanded or forbidden.
8. The Obedience or Commandments of the Second Table yield or give place to the Obedience or Commandments of the Firſt Table: The Commandments of the Firſt Table are abſolutely to be kept, and for themſelves, the other of the Second Table are to be kept for the Firſt: Though they are alike as concerning the kinde of Moral Worſhip, the kinde of puniſhment, and as concerning their coherence or connexion.
9. Every Negative Commandment doth binde always, and at, and unto all times: Every Affirmative Commandment doth onelyonly binde always, but not at and unto all times alſo.
10. Howſoever the leaſt Commandment is not ſo ſmall, but the breach thereof deſerveth Eternal Death; yet the breaches of ſome Commandments are greater and more heinous then of others.
11. There is ſo near a relation betwixt all the Commandments of the Moral Law, that whoſoever obſerveth all ſaving onelyonly in one point, is guilty of all, James 2.10. Becauſe one and the ſame is the Author of them all.
12. To the breach of every Commandment there is annexed a curſe, although it be not expreſſed.
The uſe of the Commandments:
1. To lay open our Miſeries, Rom. 7.7, 9, 13, 14, 18.
2. To whip us to Chriſt, Gal. 3.24.
3. To be our Guide in all things that we are to do when we are come to him, Mat. 19.17, 18.
There are certain Libertine Antinomies who contend, That the Law is not to be taught in the Church of Chriſt, miſinterpreting the Sacred Text, to cloke their Rebellion againſt the Law of God, with a pretence of Obedience to the Spirit of Regeneration: But this Hereſie was long ſince refuted, Mat. 5.17. Rom. 3.31.
The Law's voyce was Thunder, the Tables Stone;
Break one and all, who keeps not all keeps none:
Moſt ſweetly tun'd they to each other are;
In Practice then thou may'ſt not make them jar:
Obedience they do for each other call;
A joynt Obedience is requir'd in all.
But who can keep the Law? Who's juſt an hour?
Frail Man, hadst thou a Will, where is thy Power?
Though ſince the Fall this is thy power above,
Yet is the Law fulfill'd by Chriſt and Love.