A Body of Practical Divinity, Sermon 51
Of the Commandments.
Exod. 20.1, 2.
And God spake all these Words saying, I am the Lord thy God, &c.
Quest. What is the Preface to the Ten Commandments?
Resp. The Preface to the Ten Commandments, is I am the Lord thy God. Where observe First the Preface to the Preface, God spake all these Words, saying. 2. The Preface it self to the Commandments, I am the Lord thy God.
1. I begin with the First, the Preface to the Preface, vaiedabbur elohim, God spake all these Words, saying, &c. This is like the Sounding of a Trumpet before a Solemn Proclamation, [God spake;] other parts of the Bible are said to be uttered by the Mouth of the Holy Prophets, Luke 1.70. but here God spake in his own Person.
Quest. How may we understand this, [God spake,] he hath no Bodily Parts or Organs of Speech?
Resp. God made some intelligible sound, or formed a Voice in the Air, which was to the Jews as God's very speaking to them. In the Text, 1. The Law-giver, God, [God spake.] 2. The Law it self, [all these Words.]
1. The Law-giver, [God spake:] There are Two things requisite in a Law-giver. First, Wisdom. Laws are Founded upon Reason; and he must be Wise that makes Laws. God in this respect is most fit to be a Lawgiver; he is Wise in Heart, Job 9.4. He hath a Monopoly of Wisdom, 1 Tim. 1.17. The only Wise God. Therefore he is the fittest to Enact and Constitute Laws. 2. The Second thing requisite in a Law-giver is Authority. If a Subject make Laws, though never so wise, yet they want the stamp of Authority. God hath the Supream Power in his Hand; he derives a being to all; and he who gives Men their Lives, hath most right to give them their Laws.
2. The Law it self, [all these Words;] that is, all the Words of the Moral Law, which is usually stiled the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments. It is call'd the Moral Law, because it is the Rule of Life and Manners. St. Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a Garden; the Moral Law is a chief Flower in it; the Scripture is a Banquet, the Moral Law the chief Dish in it.
First, The Moral Law is perfect, Psal. 19.7. The Law of the Lord is Perfect. It is an exact Model and Platform of Religion; it is the Standard of Truth, the Judge of Controversies, the Pole-Star to direct us to Heaven, Prov. 6.23. The Commandment is a Lamp. Though the Moral Law be not a Christ to Justifie us, yet it is a Rule to instruct us.
Secondly, The Moral Law is unalterable; it remains still in force. Though the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws are abrogated, yet the Moral Law delivered by God's own Mouth is to be of perpetual use in the Church. Therefore the Law was written in Tables of Stone, to shew the perpetuity of it.
Thirdly, The Moral Law is very illustrious and full of Glory. God did put Glory upon it in the manner of the Promulgation of it. 1. The People before the Moral Law was delivered, were to wash their Cloaths, Exod. 19.10. Whereby as by a Type God required the Sanctifying of their Ears and Hearts to receive the Law. 2. There were Bounds set that none might touch the Mount, Exod. 19.12. which was to breed in the People reverence to the Law. 3. God wrote the Law with his own Finger, Exod. 31.18. Which was such an Honour put upon the Moral Law, as we read of no other Writing. God did by some mighty Operation make the Law legible in Letters, as if it had been written with his own Finger. 4. God's putting the Law in the Ark to be kept, was another signal Mark of Honour put upon it. The Ark was the Cabinet in which God put the Ten Commandments, as Ten Jewels. 5. At the delivery of the Moral Law there was the attendance of many Angels, Deut. 32. Here was a Parliament of Angels called, and God himself was the Speaker.
Use 1. Here we may take notice of God's Goodness, who hath not left us without a Law. Therefore the Lord doth often set it down as a Demonstration of his Love, in giving his Commandments, Psal. 147.20. He hath not dealt so with any Nation, and as for his Iudgments they have not known them. Nehem. 9.13. Thou gavest them true Laws, Good Statutes and Commandments. What a strange Creature would Man be, if he had no Law to direct him? There would be no living in the World; we should have none born but Ishmaels, every Man's Hand would be against his Neighbour. Man would grow wild if he had not Affliction to …ame him, and the Moral Law to guide him. The Law of God is an Hedge to keep us within the bounds of Sobriety and Piety.
Use 2. If God spake all these Words of the Moral Law, then it condemns, First, The Marcionites and Manichees, who spake slightly, yea, blasphemously of the Moral Law; they say it is below a Christian, it is Carnal; which the Apostle con…u…es, when he saith, The Law is Spiritual, but I am Carnal, Rom. 7.14. Secondly, The Antinomians, who will not admit the Moral Law to be a Rule to a Believer. We say not he is under the Curse of the Law, but the Commands; we say not the Moral Law is a Christ, but it is a Star to lead one to Christ; we say not it doth Save, but it doth Sanctifie. They who cast God's Law behind their Backs, God will cast their Prayers behind his Back. They who will not have the Law to Rule them, shall have the Law to Judge them. Thirdly, The Papists; who (as if Gods Law were imperfect, and when he spake all these Words, he did not speak enough,) add their Canons and Traditions to the Moral Law. This is to tax Gods Wisdom, as if he knew not how to make his own Law. And surely 'tis an high provoking Sin, Rev. 22.18. If any Man shall add to these Words, God shall add unto him the Plagues written in this Book. As it is a great evil to add any thing to a Man's sealed Will, so much more to add any thing to that Law God himself spake, and wrote with his own Fingers.
Use 3. If God spake all these Words, viz. of the Moral Law, then this presseth upon us several Duties.
1. If God spake all these Words, then we must hear all these Words; the Words which God speaks are too precious to be lost. As we would have God hear all our Words when we Pray, so we must hear all his Words when he speaks. We must not be as the deaf Adder which stoppeth her Ears. He that stops his Ears when God cries, shall cry himself and not be heard.
2. If God spake all these Words, then we must attend to them with Reverence. Every Word of the Moral Law is an Oracle from Heaven, God himself is the Preacher; this calls for Reverence. If a Judge gives a Charge upon the Bench, all attend with Reverence. In the Moral Law God himself gives a Charge, God spake all these Words; therefore with what Veneration should we attend? Moses was to put off his Shoes from his Feet (in token of Reverence,) when God was about to speak to him, Exod. 3.5, 6.
3. If God spake all these Words of the Moral Law, then we must remember them. Sure all God speaks is worth remembring; those Words are weighty which concern Salvation, Deut. 32.47. It is not a vain thing for you, because it is your Life. Our Memory should be like the Chest in the Ark where the Law was kept: Gods Oracles are Ornaments, and shall we forget them, Ier. 2.32. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments?
4. If God spake all these Words, then believe them. See the Name of God written upon every Commandment. The Heathens that they might gain Credit to their Laws, reported that they were inspired by the Gods at Rome. The Moral Law fetcheth its Pedigree from Heaven, ipse dixit, God spake all these Words. Shall we not give credit to the God of Heaven? How would the Angel confirm the Women in the Resurrection of Christ, Mat. 28.7. Lo (saith he,) I have told you; I speak in the Word of an Angel. Much more should the Moral Law be believed, when it comes to us in the Word of a God. God spake all these Words. Unbelief enervates the Virtue of God's Word, and makes it prove Abortive, Heb. 4.2. The Word did not profit, not being mixed with Faith. Eve gave more credit to the Devil when he spake, than she did to God.
5. If God spake all these words▪ then love the Commandments, Psal. 119.97. O how love I thy Law? It is my Meditation all the day. Consider how I love thy Precepts, Psal. 119.159. The Moral Law is the Copy of Gods Will; our Spiritual Directory; it shews what Sins to avoid, what Duties to pursue: The Ten Commandments are a Chain of Pearl to adorn us: They are our Treasury to enrich us: They are more precious than Lands of Spices or Rocks of Diamonds, Psal. 119.72. The Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver. The Law of God hath Truth and Goodness in it, Nehem. 9.13. Truth, for God spake it; and Goodness, for there is nothing the Commandment enjoyns but is for our good: O then let this command our Love.
6. If God spake all these words, Then teach your Children the Law of God, Deut. 6.7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy Heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children: He who is Godly is both a Diamond and a Load stone; a Diamond for the sparkling of his Grace; and a Load-stone for his attractive Virtue in drawing others to the Love of Gods Precepts: Vir bonus magis aliis prodest quam sibi: You that are Parents discharge your Duty: Though you cannot impart Grace to your Children, yet you may impart Knowledge: Let your Children know the Commandments of God, Deut. 11.19. Ye shall teach them your Children: You are careful to leave your Children a Portion: Leave the Oracles of Heaven with them; instruct them in the Law of God: If God spake all these words, you may well speak them over again to your Children.
7. If God spake all these words, then the Moral Law must be obeyed: If a King speaks, his words command Allegiance: Much more when God speaks, all his words must be subscribed to: Some will obey partially, obey some Commandments, not others; like a Plow, which when it comes to a stiff piece of Earth makes a Baulk. But God that spake all the words of the Moral Law, will have all obeyed. God will not dispense with the Breach of one Law: Indeed Princes for special Reasons, dispense sometimes with Penal Statutes, and will not take the Severity of the Law. But God who spake all these words, binds Men with a Subpoena to yield Obedience to every Law. This condemns the Church of Rome, who instead of obeying the whole Moral Law, blot out one Commandment, and dispense with others.
1. They leave out the second Commandment out of their Catechises, because it makes against Images; and to fill up the number of Ten, they divide the Tenth Commandment into two. Thus they run themselves into that dreadful Premunire, Rev. 22.19. If any Man shall take away from the words of this Book, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life.
2. As they blot out one Commandment, and cut that knot which they cannot untye, so they dispense with other Commandments: They dispense with the sixth Commandment, making Murther Meritorious in case of propagating the Catholick Cause: They dispense with the seventh Commandment, wherein God forbids Adultery: The Pope dispenseth with the Sin of Uncleanness, yea Incest, only paying such Fines and Summs of Mony into his Coffer. No wonder the Pope takes Men off from their Loyalty to Kings and Princes, when he teacheth them Disloyalty to God. Some of the Papists say expresly in their Writings, That the Pope hath Power to dispense with the Laws of God, and can give Men a License to break the Commandments of the Old and New Testament: That such a Religion ever get foot in England, the Lord in Mercy prevent. If God spake all the Commandments, then we must obey all: He who breaks this Hedge of the Commandments a Serpent shall bite him.
Object. But what Man alive can obey all Gods Commandments?
Resp. To obey the Law in a legal Sense, viz. To do all the Law requires, no Man alive can: Sin hath cut the Lock of original Righteousness, where our strength lay: But in a true Gospel Sense, we may so obey the Moral Law, as to find Acceptance. Which Gospel-Obedience consists in a Real Endeavour to observe the whole Moral Law, Psal. 119.166. I have done thy Commandments. Not I have done all I should do, but I have done all I am able to do; and wherein our Obedience comes short, we look up to the perfect Righteousness and Obedience of Christ, and hope for Pardon through his Blood. This is Evangelically to obey the Moral Law; which though it be not to Satisfaction, yet it is to Acceptation. Thus I have done with the first, The Preface to the Preface, God spake all these words: I should now come to the second, the Preface it self to the Commandments, I am the Lord thy God, &c.