Exposition on the Ten Commandments, Commentary on commandments · Commandment 1 (1 of 3)
The First COMMANDMENT.
God spake these words, and said, I am the Lord thy God: Thou shalt have none other Gods but me.
THERE are two things in the general which perfect a Christian:foreign. Just. Mart. Expos. Fidei. the one, is a clear and distinct Knowledge of his Duty; the other, a consciencious Practice of it, correspondent to his Knowledge; and both these are in an equal degree necessary. For as we can have no solid, nor well-grounded Hopes of Eternal Salvation without Obedience, so we can have no sure nor establisht Rule for our Obedience without Knowledge: And therefore our Work and Office, is not only Exhortation but Instruction; not only to excite the Affections, but to inform the Judgment; and we must as well illuminate as warm.
Knowledge indeed may be found without Practice; and our Age abounds with such Speculative Christians, whose Religion is but like the Rickets, that makes them grow large in the Head, but narrow in the Breast; whose Brains are replenisht with Notions, but their Hearts straightned towards God; and their Lives and Actions as black and deformed, as if their Light had only tann'd and discolour'd them. I confess, indeed, that their Knowledge may be beneficial unto others, who may savourily feed upon that Meat which these do only mince and carve: yet where it is thus over-born by unruly Lusts, and contradicted by a licentious Conversation, to themselves it is most fatal and baneful. It is like light shut up in a Lanthorn, which may serve to guide and direct others, but only soots, and at last burns that which contain'd it.
But although Knowledge may be thus without Practice, yet it is utterly impossible that the Practice of Godliness should be without Knowledge.
For if we know not the limits of Sin and Duty, what is required of us, and what is forbidden, it cannot be supposed, but that in this corrupted State of our Natures, we shall unavoidably run into many heinous Miscarriages, unless it were possible for us to please God at unawares, and so get to Heaven by great chance.
And therefore that we might be informed what we ought to do, and what to avoid, it hath pleased God who is the great Governour, and will be the righteous Judge of all the World, to prescribe us Laws for the regulating of our Actions; and that we might not be ignorant what they are, He hath openly promulgated them in his Word: For when we had miserably defaced the Law of Nature, originally written in our Hearts, so that many of the Commands of it were no longer legible, it seemed good to his infinite Wisdom and Mercy, to transcribe and copy out that Law in the sacred Tables of the Scriptures, and to super-add many positive Precepts and Injunctions which were not before imposed.
The Bible therefore is the Statute-Book of God's Kingdom, therein is comprised the whole body of the Heavenly Law; the perfect Rules of an holy Life, and the sure Promises of a glorious one. And the Decalogue, or ten Commandments is a Summary or brief Epitome of those Laws, written by the immediate Finger of God, and contracted into so short an Abridgment, not only to ease our Memories, but to gain our Veneration; for sententious Commands are best befitting Majesty. And indeed if we consider the paucity of the Expressions, and yet the copiousness and variety of the Matter contained in them, we must needs acknowledge not only their Authority to be Divine, but likewise the Skill and Art in reducing the whole Duty of Man to so brief a Compendium.
The words are but few,Exod. 34.28. called therefore the Words of the Covenant, the ten Words; but the sence and matter contained in them, is vast and infinite. The rest of the Scripture is but a Commentary upon them; either exhorting us to Obedience by Arguments, or alluring us to it by Promises, or frighting us from transgressing by Threatnings, or exciting us to the one, and restraining us from the other, by Examples recorded in the Historical part of it.
But before I come to speak of the Commandments themselves, it will be necessary to premise something concerning the Time, the Reason, and Manner of their Delivery:
The Time (according to the best Computation of Chronology) was about two thousand four hundred and sixty Years after the Creation of the World;Exod. 20.1. two hundred and twenty Years after Israel's descent into Aegypt, and the third Month after their departure out of Aegypt; before the birth of Christ almost fifteen hundred Years, and therefore above three thousand before our Days.
This was the first time that God selected to himself a National Church in the World; and therefore it seemed expedient to his Wisdom to prescribe them Laws and Rules how they ought to order both their Demeanour, and his Worship and Service. Before this the Law of Nature was the standing Rule for Obedience; but because it was bloted and raz'd by the first Transgression, it was supplied in many particulars by Traditions delivered down from one to another: And those of the Patriarchs, who according to the Prescripts of this Law, endeavoured to please and serve God, were accepted of him, and frequently obtained the priviledge of especial Revelations either by Dreams, or Visions, or heavenly Voices, concerning those things wherein they were more particularly to obey his Will. In those first Ages God made no distinction of People or Nations, but as it is since the Wall of Partition is broken down, and the Jewish Economy abrogated by the Death of Christ, so was it before, that in every Nation he that feared God,Acts 10.35. and wrought Righteousness, was accepted of him.
But the World totally degenerating into vile Superstitions and Idolatries, the Knowledge and Fear of the true God was scarcely any where to be found, but only in the Family and Posterity of Abraham; and even there too we have reason to suspect a great Decay and Corruption, especially in their long aboad among the Idolatrous Aegyptians; Josh. 24.14. Ezek. 20.7, 8.yea, the Scripture doth in several places expresly charge them with it: and in all probability they took the Pattern of their Golden Calf from the Aegyptian Apis, being Idolaters only in a younger Figure, and a lesser Volume. God therefore justly rejects all the rest of the World; but being mindful of his Promise to their Father, and the Father of the Faithful, appropriates this People to himself as his peculiar Inheritance: And because it was manifest by experience, that neither the Law of Nature, nor Oral Tradition, handed down along from one Generation to another, were of sufficient force to preserve alive the Knowledge and Worship of the true God, but notwithstanding these, the whole Earth was become wicked and idolatrous; that therefore this People whom God had now taken to himself, might have all possible advantages to continue in his Fear and Service, and that they might not degenerate as the rest of the World had done, he himself proclaims unto them that Law by which he would Govern them, writes it upon Tables of Stone, commits them into the hands of Moses, whom he had constituted his Lieutenant; and commands them to be laid up in the Ark as a perpetual Monument of his Authority, and their Duty. How wretchedly depraved are our Natures, when even that which is the very Light and Law of them is so obliterated and defaced, that God would rather intrust its Preservation to Stones, than us; and thought it more secure when engraven on senseless Tables, than when written on our Hearts!
The Manner wherein this Law was delivered, is described to be very terrible and astonishing: the Wisdom of God design'd it so on purpose to possess the People with the greater Reverence of it; and to awaken in their Souls a due Respect to those old despised Dictates of their Natures, when they should see the same Laws revived and invigorated with so much Circumstance and Terror: For indeed the Decalogue is not so much the enacting of any new Law, as a reviving of the old by a more solemn Proclamation. And for the greater Majesty and Solemnity of the Action, we read,
First, That the People were commanded to prepare themselves two days together by a Typical Cleansing of themselves from all external and bodily Polutions, before they were to stand in the Presence of God. So we find it enjoyned, They were to be sanctified,Exod. 19.10, 11. and to wash their Cloaths, and be ready against the third Day, whereon the Lord would come down in the sight of all the People, upon Mount Sinai.
Now this signifies unto us two things:
First, That we ought to be seriously prepared when we come to wait before God in his Ordinances, and to receive a Law at his mouth: Indeed the Dispensation of the Gospel, is not such a Ministry of Terrour, as that of the Law was; God doth not now speak unto us immediately by his own Voice, which they that heard it, were not able to indure; he doth not pronounce his Law in Thunder, nor wrap it up in Flame and Smoak; but he speaks unto us in a still Voice, by Men like ourselves; and conveys the rich Treasure of his Will unto us in earthen Vessels, of the same Mould and Frailty with ourselves. He treats with us by his Messengers and Ambassadors; whose Errand, though it be delivered with less Terrour, yet ought not to be received with less Reverence, for it is God himself that speaks in them, and by them; and every word of Truth which they deliver unto you in the Name of the Great God, and by the Authority of that Commission which he hath given them, ought to be received with as much prostrate Veneration and Affection, as though God himself had spoken to you immediately from Heaven.
Think then how solicitous the Israelites were in fitting themselves for that great and dreadful Day of hearing the Law; a Day more great and dreadful than ever any shall be, except that of Judging Men according to the Law; think how their hearts throb'd and thrill'd within them, when they heard the clang of the heavenly Trumpets mixt and blended with loud and terrible cracks of Thunder; and both giving them a Signal of the near Approach of God: think, if you can, what thoughts they had when they saw the Mountain burning with Fire, and inveloped with Clouds and Smoak, out of which on every side were fearful Lightnings shout among them; think how they trembled, when they saw the Mountain tremble and totter under the Weight and Greatness of God descending down upon it: And bring with you the same affections, if not so terrified, yet as much over-awed, whensoever you come to wait upon his holy Ordinances; for it is the same God that speaks unto you, and he speaks the same things to you, as then he did; not indeed with such amazing Circumstances, yet with the very same Authority and Majesty.
Were God now to come down among you in his terrible Majesty, or should a thick Cloud fill this place, and Lightnings flash out of it; should you hear the Thunder of his Voice, I am the Lord; thou shalt have no other Gods before me; certainly such a dreadful Glory would make your hearts tremble within you, and the very Earth tremble under you: Could you then give way to Sloath and Drowsiness; could your hearts run gadding after Vanities and Trifles, or could there be any Object considerable enough to divert your thoughts and affections from so terrible a Glory? Why believe it, God is as really present here, as when he thus manifested himself to the Israelites; and present upon the very same occasion too. He is now delivering his Law to you, pronouncing his high and sovereign Commands; and if he so far consults our weakness, as not to do it in such an astonishing manner: Yet far be that disingenuity from us, that we should be either the less careful to prepare for, or the less reverent in attending on the Declarations of his high Will and Pleasure, though he makes it known to us by Men of the same Temper, yea, or Distempers with ourselves.
Secondly, If the Israelites were to sanctifie and prepare themselves to appear before God at Mount Sinai, how much more ought we to sanctifie ourselves that we may be meet to appear before God in Heaven? That Glory which God manifested when he delivered the Law, is not comparable to the infinite Glory which he always reveals to the Saints in Heaven: and yet if the People of the Jews were not allowed to see God, though veiled with a Cloud, and thick Darkness, without being first accurately prepared for such a glorious Discovery, how much more ought we to prepare ourselves, to wash our filthy Garments, and to cleanse our Souls from all Defilements both of Flesh and Spirit, that we may be worthy to stand before God, and to see him there where he darts forth the full rays of his Brightness, and causeth his Glory for ever to appear without any check or restraint, without any cloud or veil interposing to hide it.
That's the first Circumstance observable in the delivery of the Law.
Secondly, The Mount on which God appeared was to be fenced and rail'd in, with a strict Prohibition that none should presume to pass the Bounds there set them, nor approach to touch the Holy Mount, under the Penalty of Death. So we have it Exod. 19.12. which intimates unto us two things:
First, The due Distance that we ought to keep from God, and teacheth us to observe all that Reverence and Respect which belongs unto Him, as being infinitely our Superiour. Certainly the very place where God manifests himself, at least whilst he doth so, are venerable and awful: and therefore when God revealed himself to Jacob in a Dream, and gave him the Representation of a Ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven, Angels upon every round of it, and God on the top; we find with what awe he reflects upon it in his waking thoughts,Gen. 28.16, 17. Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
Secondly, This setting Bounds and Limits to the Mount, signified, as in a Type, the strictness and exactness of the Law of God. His Law is our Boundary, which he hath on purpose set to keep us from rushing in upon his Neck, and upon the thick Bosses of his Buckler: And that Soul that shall presume so to do, that shall break these Bounds, and commit a Trespass upon the Almighty, shall surely die the Death, even that eternal Death which he hath threatned against all Violaters of his Law.
That is a second remarkable Circumstance in the delivery of the Law.
Thirdly, We have a Description of the terrible Manner in which God appeared to pronounce his Law: Thunders, and Lightnings, and Earthquakes, and Fire, and Darkness, were the Prologue and Introduction to it; and were so dreadful as caused not only the People to remove, and stand afar off, as not able to indure such terrible Majesty, as we find it, but even affrighted Moses himself,Exod. 20.18. who was to be Internuncius Dei, the Messenger and Herald of God: this we find intimated, Exod. 19.19. When the voice of the trumpet sounded long and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake. What it was that he said, is not there mentioned; but in all probability, he then spake those words which the Apostle hath recorded, So terrible was the sight, that Moses said, Heb. 12.21.I exceedingly fear and quake.
Now this dreadful Appearance of God in the delivering the Law, served for two Ends:
First, To affect them with a reverent Esteem of those Commands which he should impose upon them: For certainly unless they were possest with most gross and beastial Stupidity, they must needs think those things to be of vast and great Concernment, which were attended with such a train of remarkable and amazing Circumstances; and it is natural for Men to be awed by Pomp and Solemnity; the Majesty of the Commander adding a kind of Authority to the Command.
Secondly, To put both them and us in mind, that if God were so terrible only in delivering the Law, how much more terrible will he then be, when he shall come to Judge us for Transgressing the Law! Indeed the whole Apparatus of this Day seems to be Typical of the last; but as it is the condition of all Types, it shall be far out-done and exceeded by its Anti-type. Here were Voices, and Fire, and Smoak, and the noise of a Trumpet; and these struck Terrour into the hearts of the People, who came only to receive the Law: but oh think what Consternation will seize upon, and cramp the hearts of Sinners, when the Lord shall descend from Heaven at the last Day with a Shout, with the Voice of the Archangle, and with the Trump of God,1 Thess. 4.16. as the Apostle describes it. When not a Mountain only, but the whole World shall be burning, Heaven and Earth all on a light flame about them; when they shall hear the terrible Voice of the Majesty on high calling to them, Awake ye Dead, and come away to Judgment; when the Earth shall be universally shaken, and shake the dead Bodies out of their Graves, when whole Croudes of naked Nations shall throng and cluster about the great Tribunal, not to receive a Law, but a Sentance, a Sentance that shall determine their final and eternal Estate: certainly if the giving of the Law were so full of Terrour, much more terrible shall be our being judged according to that Law.
And this is another remarkable Circumstance in the delivery of the Law.
Fourthly, When God himself had with his Dread Voice spoken to them these Ten Words, their affright and astonishment was so great, that they intreat Moses to be the Truchman and Interpreter between God and them, They said unto Moses, Exod. 20.19.Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. Neither is this without a great Mystery and excellent Signification; for it intimates that the Law, as it is dispensed to us only from God, is in itself the Ministration of Death and Condemnation: but as it is delivered to us by a Mediator, by our Lord Jesus Christ, (of whom Moses here was a Type) so we may hear and observe it, and obtain eternal Life, not for, but thorough our Obedience to it. And therefore the Law is said to be ordained by Angels, in the hand of a Mediator; that is,Gall. 3.19. it was solemnly dispensed by the Ministry of Angels, and then delivered into the hand of Moses, to be by him communicated to the People. Now this intimates unto us, that the Severity and Terrours of the Law were intended to drive us unto Christ, as here they drove the Israelites unto Moses, the Type of Christ, from whose mouth the Law spake not so dreadfully, as it did from God's.
Fifthly, Upon this Intercession and Request of the People, Moses is called up into the Mount, the Law deposited in his hands, engraven in two Tables of Stone, by the Finger and Impression of God himself, the most sacred Relique that ever the World injoyed; but at length lost, together with the Ark that contained it in the frequent Removes and Captivities of that People: Neither is this too without its Spiritual Mystery and Signification; for it notes to us that our Hearts are naturally so hard and stony, that it is only the Finger of God that can make any impression of his Laws upon them. It is well known that the Ark was a most famous Type and Representation of Jesus Christ; and the keeping of the Tables of the Law in the Ark, what doth it else mean, but to prefigure to us that the Law was to be kept and observed in him who fulfilled all Righteousness? And when God doth again write his Laws upon our Hearts, we also keep them in Christ our Ark, whose compleat Obedience supplies all our Imperfections and Defects.
Sixthly, Whereas this Law of the Ten Commandments was twice written by God himself; once before and again after the Tables were in an holy Zeal broken by Moses; this also is full of Mystery, and signifies the twice writing of the Law upon the Hearts of Men: first by the creating Finger of God, when he made us perfectly like himself; and then again by his regenerating Power, giving us a new Impression, and as it were setting us forth in a new Edition, but yet containing the same for substance, as when we came forth at first out of the Creating-hand of God; for Regeneration, and the new Birth is but a restoring us to the Image of God, which we defaced by our Fall in Adam, and as it were a new stamping of those Characters of himself, in Righteousness and Knowledge, which were obliterated.
Seventhly, and lastly, It is said that when Moses came down from the Mount after his long Converse with God, his Face shone with such a divine and heavenly Lustre, that the Israelites were dazeled with the Brightness, and could not stedfastly look upon him;Exod. 34.9. and that therefore he was forced to put a Veil over his Face to allay and temper those Beams which the reflexion of God's Face and Presence had cast upon him; but this Veil he laid aside when he turned into the Tabernacle to speak with God. The significancie of which History the Apostle expresly gives us, That there was a Veil upon the Heart of the Jews, 2 Cor. 3.13, 14, 16.so as they could not see to the end of the Law, which is Christ Jesus, who is the end of the Ceremonial Law, by puting an end unto it in its Abrogation; and the end of the Moral Law, because in him it hath attained its end, for the end of it was by convincing us of our own Weakness and Inability to perform it, to lead us unto Christ, by whose Righteousness alone, and not by the Works of the Law, we are to expect Justification before God: Yet there was so thick a Veil cast over the Law, that the Jews could not look through it upon the Glory that shone in Christ, of whom Moses was still the Type: But when they shall turn unto the Lord, this Veil shall be taken away, and then shall they discern the significancy of all those Ritual Observances, and perceive spiritual Things after a more sublime and spiritual manner.
And thus I have shewn you the Time, the Reasons, and the Circumstances of the delivery of this Epitome of the Law in the Ten Commandments, wherein many excellent Gospel-Truths are delineated and shadowed out unto us.
But some one may say, What need all this long Discourse about the Law? Is it not fully abrogated by the coming of Christ into the World? Shall we be again brought under that heavy Yoak of Bondage, which neither we, nor our Fathers were ever able to bear? Doth not the Scripture frequently testify, that we are not now under the Law, but under Grace; that we are freed from the Law, that Christ was made under the Law, to free those who were under the Law; and therefore to terrify and over-aw Mens Consciences by the Authority of the Law, what else is it but a Legal Dispensation, unworthy of that Christian Liberty into which our Saviour hath vindicated us, having fulfilled the Law by his Obedience, and by his Death abolisht it.
To this I answer, Far be it from every Christian to indulge himself in any Licentiousness from such a corrupt and rotten Notion of the Law's Abrogation; for so far is it from being abolisht by the coming of Christ, that he himself expresly tells us, He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it; Matth. 5.17.foreign, i. e. either to perform, or else to perfect and fill up the Law. And Verse 18. assevers, That till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, until all be fulfilled; i. e. till the consummation and fulfilling of all things; and then the Law which was our Rule on Earth, shall become our Nature in Heaven.
When therefore St. Paul speaks (as frequently he doth) of the Abrogation, and Disanulling of the Law, we must heedfully distinguish both of the Law, and likewise of the Abrogation of it. The Law which God delivered by Moses's Ministry, was of three sorts:
The Ceremonial,
Judicial, and
Moral Law.
The distinct Consideration of each of these, may afford us some light in this matter.
The Ceremonial Law was wholly taken up in injoyning those Observances of Sacrifices, and Offerings, and various Methods of Purifications and Cleansings, which were tipical of Christ, and that Sacrifice of his which alone was able to take away Sin.
The Judicial Law consisted of those Constitutions which God prescribed the Jews for their Civil Government: for their State was a Theocracy; and whereas in other Commonwealths the chief Magistrates give Laws unto the People, in this, the Laws for their Religion, and for their Civil Government, were both Divine, and both immediately from God. So that their Judicial Law was given them to be the standing Law of their Nation; according to which all Actions and Suites between Party and Party were to be tried and determined; as in all other Nations there are particular Laws and Statutes for the Decision of Controversies that may arise among them.
But the Moral Law is a System or Body of those Precepts which carry an universal and natural Equity in them, being so conformable to the Light of Reason, and the Dictates of every Mans Conscience, that as soon as ever they are declared and understood, we must needs subscribe to the Justice and Righteousness of them.
These are the three sorts of Laws which commonly go under the name of the Law of Moses, all of which had respect either to those things which prefigured the Messias to come, or to those which concerned their Political and Civil Government, as a distinct Nation from others; or to those natural Vertues and Duties of Piety towards God, and Righteousness towards Men, as were common to them with all the rest of Mankind.
Now a Law may be said to be null and void two ways,
Privatively, or
Negatively: Either that it was repealed after it was first given, or that its Obligation extendeth not, nor ever did extend to some People and Nations in the World.
Now I desire you heedfully to attend to these Propositions, for they will be of great use to clear up how far, and in what manner we are freed from the Obligation of the Law.
First then, As for the Ceremonial Law we affirm, that to the Jews it is properly abrogated, and the Obligation and Authority of it utterly taken away and repealed. And concerning this it is that the Apostle is to be understood, when in his Epistles he so often speaks of the Abrogation and Disanulling of the Law; he speaks it, I say, of the Ceremonial Law, and Aaronical Observations, which indeed were so fulfilled by Christ as to be abolisht: For this Law was given to be only an Adumbration, and foreign, or faint Representation of Christ: as in the Night, while the Sun is in the other Hemisphere, yet we see its light in the Stars, which shine with a borrowed and derived Brightness; but when the Sun is risen, and displays its Beams abroad, it drowns and extinguisheth all those petty Lights: so while Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, was yet in the other Hemisphere of Time, before he was risen with Healing under his Wings, the Jews saw some glimmering of his Light in their Ceremonies and Observances; but now that the Day of the Gospel is fully sprung, and that Light which before was but blooming, is fully spread, those dimmer Lights are quite drowned and extinguisht in his clear Rays; and an utter end is put to all those Rites and Ceremonies which both intimated, and in a kind supplied the absence of the Substance. So that to maintain now a Necessity of Legal Sacrifices, and Purifyings, and Sprinklings, is no less than to evacuate the Death of Christ, and to deny the shedding of that Bloud, that alone can purifie us from all Pollutions; which is but to catch at the shadow, and lose the substance.
Secondly, In respect of us, who are the Posterity and Descendants of the Gentiles, it is more proper to affirm, That the Ceremonial Law was never in force, then that it was truly abrogated; for the Ceremonial Law, was National to the Jews, and in a sort peculiar to them only. Neither did God intend that the Observation of it should be imposed upon any other People, although they should be proselited, as a thing necessary for their future Happiness. And this appears by strong and cogent Reasons:
First, Because God expresly commands all those who were to be subject to the Ceremonial Law, that they should appear at Jerusalem thrice in the Year before the Lord.Exod. 34.23, 24. Now this Command would have been impossible to be obeyed, were it intended that its Obligation should reach to those Countries which were far remote and distant from Jerusalem.
Secondly, Because all their Sacrifices and Oblations, in which consisted the chiefest part of the Ceremonial Worship, were to be offer'd up only at Jerusalem, which were alike impossible, if this Command of Sacrificing had been intended by God to be obligatory to all the World. No Sacrifices were accepted by God, but what were offer'd up in the Temple; and therefore the Jews to this day, although they are very blindly zealous of the Law, yet offer no Sacrifices unto God, looking upon themselves as dispensed from that Duty, because of their Dispersion, and the imposibility of assembling themselves to Jerusalem to do it: And therefore doubtless that Command, even whilst it was in force, obliged none but the Jewish Nation, who living not far from their Metropolis, might with conveniency enough assemble themselves togegether to that Holy Service.
And thirdly, We find that even before Christ's coming, the Jews themselves did not impose the Observation of the Ceremonial Rites of their Law, upon all those Heathens whom they won over to be Proselytes to their Religion; for their Proselytes were of two sorts,
Such as were Proseliti Legis, Ger. berith Proselytife deris, and called also Gerthedek Proselyti Justitiae.who became perfect Jews in Religion, lived among them, and engaged themselves to the full Observance of the whole Law.
And such as were called Proseliti Portae; that is, those Heathens who were so far converted, as to Acknowledge and Worship the only true God, although they lived in other Nations, and obliged not themselves to the performance of what the Levitical Law required: these the Jews admitted into Participation of the same common Hope and Salvation with themselves, when they professed their Faith in God the Creator, and their Obedience to the Law of Nature,These Precepts were, 1. The Administration of Justice upon Offenders. 2. Renouncing of Idolatry. 3. Worshipping the true God, and keeping the Sabbath. 4. Abstaining from Murder. 5. From Fornication. 6. From Robbery. 7. From eating of Blood, or any Member of a Beast taken from it alive. together with the Seven Traditional Precepts of Noah.
From all which it clearly appears, that the Ceremonial Law, to speak properly, is not abrogated to us Gentiles, it never being given with an intent to oblige us; but it is truly abrogated and disanulled to the Jews by the coming of Christ, the Messias into the World, in whom all these Types were to receive their full Accomplishment. And concerning the Ablation of this Ceremonial Law, we must understand the Apostle, when he frequently and earnestly asserts the Liberty of Believers, and their Freedom from the Law; that is, the believing Jews were positively freed from the necessity of observing it; and the believing Gentiles were negatively free from observing it at all.
And for the farther clearing of this Matter, we must know that in the very beginning of the Church, there arose great Dissention between the believing Jews, and the believing Gentiles, concerning the Necessity of observing the Levitical Law:Among these Cerinthus was a ring Leader, as Epiphanius affirms, Haeres. 13. for we find, Acts 15.5. That certain of the Sect of the Pharisees which believed, affirmed, That it was needful to Circumcise the Gentiles, and to command them to keep the Law of Moses. Which yet was greater Rigour than was formerly used to the Proselyte Party. To determine this Question, the Apostles and Elders meet together in a Council at Jerusalem; where after some Debate, the whole Result seems in brief to have been this: That the believing Jews might still, without Offence, observe the Rites and Ceremonies of the Law; for though the Necessity of them were now abrogated, yet the Use of them might for a season be lawfully continued; though they were mortuae, yet not mortiferae; dead they were, but hitherto not deadly:*Cum venisset fides quae prius illis observationibus praenunciata post mortem & resurrectionem Domini revelata est, amiserant tanquam vitam officii sui. Veruntamen tanquam defuncto corpora necessariorum officiis deducenda erant quodammodo ad Sepulturam, nec simulate sed Religiose; non autem deserenda continuo vel, inimicorum obtrectationibus, tanquam canum morsibus projishcienda. Proinde nunc quisquis Christianorum, quamvis sit ex Judeis similiter ea celebrare voluerit, non erit pius deductor, vel bajulus corporis, sed impius sepulture violator. Aug. Ep. 19. ad Hieronym. They were expired, yet some time was thought expedient for their decent Burial. And therefore we find St. Paul himself who so earnestly in all his Epistles opposeth the Observation of the Ceremonial Law, yet he himself submits to the use of those Rites, and purifieth himself in the Temple according to the Law, Acts 21.26. yea, he also circumciseth Timothy, because he was the Son of a Jewess, Acts 16.3. by which he evidently declares, That those Believers who were of that Nation, though they were freed from the Necessity of, yet they might lawfully as yet, observe the Aaronical Constitutions, especially when to avoid giving of Offence, it might be expedient so to do. So tender a thing is the Peace of the Church, that even abrogated Rites and Ceremonies should not be violently rejected, to indanger a Wound and Schism; and therefore much less ought constituted and received Rites in things of less moment than Sacrifice and Circumcision, be so stifly and pertinaciously oppugned to the incurable Breach and Division of the Church.
But then concerning the Gentiles; although before the coming of Christ, they might become perfect Proselytes to the whole Law of Moses, and receive the Seal of Circumcision, as*Izates King of Adiabena, Jos. Ant. 20.2. although Orosius, l. 7. c. 6. affirms him to have been a Christian, yet that he was circumcised according to the mind of his first Instructer Ananias, the same Josephus witnesseth. many of them did, yet after the Evangelical Doctrine was consummate, and the Apostles sent into all the World to preach it to every Creature, they by the Holy Ghost determine, in that first Council of the Church, That the Gentiles should by no means be burdened with any of those Impositions: but as they were heretofore by the Jews themselves concluded to be in a safe Condition, even as many of them as worshipped the true God, and observed the Commandments of Noah; so now the Apostles Decree to preserve them in the same Liberty; and therefore write unto them, That they should not subject themselves to the dogmatizing Commands of false Teachers, who required them to be circumcised, and to keep the Ceremonial Law; but that from as many as believed nothing more was required than only to abstain from Meat offered to Idols, and from Blood, and from Things strangled, and from Fornication;Eccles. Pol. lib. 4. i. e. (as Judicious Mr. Hooker very probably interprets it) from incestuous Marriages within prohibited Degrees. And all those Commands laid upon them by the Apostles, are the very Precepts of Noah. But Circumcision, and other Observances of the Ceremonial Law, they were not obliged to;*The Reason why the Gentiles ought not to observe the Ceremonial Law, even then when the believing Jews might lawfully do it, I suppose was this, That there lying no precedent Obligation upon them to do it, as there did upon the Jews, they could have no other Motive to perswade them to submit to these Observances, unless it were an Opinion, that they were necessary in themselves for their Justification before God. Which was indeed to evacuate the Death of Christ, and overthrow the Foundation of the Gospel. yea, they were obliged not to observe them, as being Subversions of their Souls, Acts 15.24. And therefore we find that the same holy Apostle who himself circumcised Timothy, because he was the Son of a Jewess, when he writes to the Gentiles, he tells them expresly, That if they be circumcised, Christ shall profit them nothing, Gal. 5.2.
And thus we see how far, and in what sence the Ceremonial Law is abrogated.
Thirdly, As concerning the Judicial Law, and those Precepts which were given the Jews for the Government of their Civil State; that Law is not at all abrogated, not to us, for it was never intended to oblige us. Neither indeed is it at all necessary, that the Laws of every Nation should be conformed to the Laws which the Jews lived under; for doubtless each State hath its liberty to frame such Constitutions as may best serve to obtain the ends of Government: And therefore although the Punishment of Theft were ordained by God himself to be sometimes a double, sometimes a four-fold,Exod. 22.1, 4. sometimes a five-fold Restitution, yet are not our Laws to be condemned, which ordain the Penalty of this Transgression to be no less than Death; for the Reason and Necessity of every Nation is the best Rule and measure for those Laws by which they are to be governed.
Neither is the Judicial Law abrogated to the Jews; for though now in their scattered State the Laws cease to be of force, because they cease to be a Body Politique, yet were their Dispersion again collected into one Republick, most probably the same National Laws would bind them now, as did in former times, when they were an happy and flourishing Kingdom.
Fourthly, As concerning the Moral Law, of which I am now treating, that is partly abrogated, partly not; abrogated as to some of its Circumstances, but not as to any thing of its Substance, Authority, and Obligation.
First, The Moral Law is abrogated to Believers as it was a Covenant of Works: For God in Mans first Creation wrote this Law in his heart, and added this Sanction unto it, If thou dost this, thou shalt live; if not, thou shalt die the Death. Now all Mankind sinning in Adam, and thereby contracting an utter Impotency of obeying that Law, that we might not all perish according to the rigorous Sentance of it, God was graciously pleased to enter into another Covenant with us, promising a Saviour to repair our lost and decayed Condition, and Eternal Life upon the easier Terms of Faith and Evangelical Obedience. Indeed all those who either never heard of Jesus Christ, or do reject him, are still under the Law as a Covenant; and therefore their Estate is most wretched and deplorable; for being Transgressors of the Law, there remaineth nothing for them, but a certain fearful looking for of Wrath and fiery Indignation to devour them as the Adversaries of God: but those who are true Believers, are under a better Covenant, even the Covenant of Grace, wherein God hath promised unto them Eternal Life upon the Condition of their Faith; and they may with full assurance of Hope, to their unspeakable joy and comfort, expect the performance of it. And therefore,
Secondly, To them also the Moral Law is abrogated, as to its condemning Power. Though it sentenceth every Sinner to Death, and curseth every one who continueth not in all things that are written therein, to do them; yet through the Intervention of Christ's Satisfaction and Obedience, the sins of a Believer are graciously pardoned, and the venome and malignity of the Curse is abolisht, it being discharged wholly upon Christ, and received all into his Body on the Cross: Gal. 3.13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us; and therefore we may triumphantly exult with the Apostle, Rom. 8.1. There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.
In these two respects Believers are indeed freed from the Moral Law, As it hath the Obligation of a Covenant; and as it hath a Power of Condemnation.
But thirdly, As it hath a power of obliging the Conscience as a standing Rule for our Obedience, so it remains still in its full vigour and Authority; it still directs us what we ought to do, binds the Conscience to the performance of it, brings guilt upon the Soul if we trangress it, and reduceth us to the necessity either of bitter Repentance, or of Eternal Condemnation: For in this sence, Heaven and earth shall sooner pass away, than one jot or tittle shall pass from the Law.
And therefore the Antinomian is to be abominated, that derogates from the value and validity of the Law, and contends, That it is to all purposes extinct unto Believers, even so much as to its preceptive and regulating Power; and that no other obligation to Duty lies upon them who are in Christ Jesus, but only from the Law of Gratitude: that God requires not Obedience from them upon so low and sorded an account as the fear of his Wrath and dread Severity, but all is to flow only from the Principle of Love, and the sweet Temper of a grateful and ingenious Spirit.
But this is a most pestilent Doctrine which plucks down the Fence of the Law, and opens a Gap for all manner of Licenciousness and Libertinism to rush in upon the Christian World; for seeing that the Moral Law is no other than the Law of Nature written upon Man's heart at the first, some Positives only being super-added, upon the same account as we are Men, upon the same we owe Obedience to the Dictates of it. And indeed we may find every part of this Law inforc'd in the Gospel; charg'd upon us with the same Threatnings, and recommended to us by the same Promises; and all interpreted to us by our Saviour himself to the greatest advantage of Strictness and Severity. We find the same Rules for our Actions, the same Duties required, the same Sins forbidden in the Gospel, as in the Law; only in the Gospel we have these Mitigations, which were not in the Covenant of Works:
First, That God accepts of our Obedience if it be, Syncere voto & conamine, in earnest desires and endeavours; although we cannot attain that perfect Exactness and spotless Purity which the Law requires, yet we are accepted through Christ, according to what we have, and not according to what we have not, if so be we indulge not ourselves in a wilful Sloath and Contempt of the Law.
Secondly, The Gospel admits of Repentance after our Falls, and restores us again to the Favour of God upon our true Humiliation: but the Law as a Covenant of Works, left no room for Repentance, but required perfect Obedience without the least Failure; and in case of Non-performance, nothing was to be expected but the Execution of that Death it threatned.
Yet withal, an higher degree of Obedience is now required from us under the Dispensation of the Gospel, than was expected under the more obscure and shadowy Exhibitions of Gospel-Grace, by legal Types and Figures. We confess that the Israelites, before the coming of Christ, were no more under a Covenant of Works, than we are now: but yet the Covenant of Grace was more darkly administred unto them: And therefore we having now received both a clearer Light to discover what is our Duty, and a more plentiful Effusion of the Holy Ghost, to enable us to perform it; and better Promises, more express and significative Testimonies of God's Exceptance, and more full Assurance of our own Reward; it lies upon us, having all these Helps and Advantages above them, to endeavour that our Holiness and Obedience should be much superiour to theirs; and that we should serve God with more Readiness and Alacrity, since now by Jesus Christ our Yoak is made easy, and our Burden light.
So that you see we are far from being dispensed with for our Obligation to Obedience: but rather that Obligation is made the stricter by Christ's coming into the World: and every Transgression against the Moral Law is inhaunced to an excess of Sin and Guilt, not only by the Authority of God's Injunction, which still continues inviolable, but likewise from the Sanction of our Mediator and Redeemer, who hath invigorated the Precepts of the Law by his express Command, and promised us the assistance of his Spirit to observe and perform them.
Now here before I can come particularly to treat of the Words of the Decalogue, I think it requisite to propound some general Rules for the right Understanding and Expounding of the Commandments, which will be of great use to us for our right apprehending the full Latitude and Extent of them.Psal. 119.96. The Psalmist tells us, That the Commandments of God are exceeding broad. They are exceeding straight, as to any Toleration or Indulgence given to the unruly Lusts and Appetites of Men; but exceeding broad, in the Comprehensiveness of their Injunctions, extending their Authority over all the Actions of our Lives. Now that we may conceive somewhat of this Breadth and Reach of the Law of God, observe these following Rules:
First, All those Precepts which are dispersed in the Holy Scriptures, and concern the regulating of our Lives and Actions, although they are not to be found expresly mentioned in the Decalogue, yet may they very aptly be reduced under one of these ten Commands. There is no Duty required, nor Sin forbidden by God, but it falls under one, at least of these ten Words, and sometimes under more than one: and therefore to the right and genuine Interpretation of this Law, we must take in whatsoever the Prophets, Apostles, or our Lord Christ himself hath taught, as Comments and Expositions upon it; for the Decalogue is a Compendium of all that they have taught concerning Moral Worship and Justice; yea, our Saviour doth Epitomize this very Epitome itself, and reduceth those ten Words into two, Love to God, which comprehendeth all the Duties of the first Table; and Love to our Neighbour, which comprehendeth all the Duties of the second Table; and tells us, that upon these two hang all the Law and the Prophets, Matth. 22. verse 37 to verse 41. And certainly a due Love of God, and of our Neighbour, will make us careful to perform all the Duties of Religion to the one, and of Justice to the other, and keep us from attempting any Violation to his Honour, or Violence to their Right. And therefore the Apostle tells us, That Love is the fulfilling of the Law;Rom. 13.10. and 1 Tim. 1.4. that the end of the Commandment is Charity, or Love the end; i. e. the Completion, or the Consummation of the Commandment, is Love both to God, and one another. But concerning this I shall have occasion to speak more largely hereafter.
Secondly, Since most of the Commandments are delivered in Negative or Prohibiting Terms, and only the Fourth and Fifth in Affirmative or Injoyning. We may observe this Rule, That the Affirmative Commands include in them the Prohibition of the contrary Sin; and the Negative Commands include the Injunction of the contrary Duty: for it is necessary that the contrary to what is forbidden, must be commanded; and again, the contrary to what is commanded, must be forbidden: As for instance, God in the third Commandment, forbids the taking of his Name in vain, therefore by consequence the hollowing and sanctifying his Name is therein commanded. The Fourth requires the sanctifying of the Sabbath-day; therefore it surely followeth, that the Prophanation of it is thereby forbidden. The Fifth commands us to Honor our Parents; therefore it forbids us to be Disobedient or Injurious to them. And so it is easie to collect of the rest.
Thirdly, Observe also, That every Negative Command binds semper and ad semper, as the Schools speak; i. e. always, and to every moment of time: but the Affirmative Precepts, tho' they bind always, yet they do not bind to every moment; indeed as to the*Licet Praeceptum affirmativum non obliget ad semper ita ut semper actu impleatur, vel actu de eo cogitatur, obligat tamen ad semper secundum habitum, ita scil. ut homo semper sit ità dispositus, quod semper sit paratus implere preceptum quoties occurrit faciendum. Durand. lib. 2. dist. 22. quest. 3. lit. m. habit of Obedience they do, but not as to the Acts. To make this plain by instance: The first Commandment, Thou shalt have no other Gods before Me, bindeth always, and to every moment of time; so that he is guilty of Idolatry, whosoever shall at any time set up any other God to worship, besides the Lord Jehovah: But the Affirmative Precept, which is included in this Negative, viz. To Worship, to Love, to Invoke, to Depend upon this God, obligeth us always, for we must never act contrary hereunto; and likewise it obligeth us to every moment of time, in respect of the Habits of Divine Love, and Faith, and Worship, yet it doth not oblige us to every moment, in respect of the Acts of these Habits; for it is impossible to be always actually praying, actually praising, and actually worshipping of God; neither is it required that we should, for this would make one Duty shock and interfere with another. So likewise the fourth Commandment, which is Affirmative, Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day, obligeth always; and whosoever at any time prophanes the Sabbath, is guilty of the Violation of this Law: but it doth not, it cannot oblige to every moment of time, since this Day only makes its weekly returns, and every parcel of time is not a Sabbath-day. So likewise the fifth Commandment is positive, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, and binds always, so that we sin if at any time we are refractory and disobedient unto their lawful Commands: but it doth not oblige to the Acts of Honour and Reverence in every moment of time, for that is impossible, or were it not, it would be but mimical and ridiculous.
But now the Negative Precepts oblige us to every moment of time; and whosoever ceaseth the Observation of them for any one moment, is thereby involved in Sin, and becomes guilty, and a Trangressor before God: Such are, Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain. Thou shalt not Kill. Thou shalt not Steal. Thou shalt not commit Adultery, &c. now there is no moment of time whatsoever that can render the Non-observation of these Commands allowable; nor are there any circumstances that can excuse it from Guilt: Whosoever doth prophane the Name of God by rash swearing, or trivial or impertinent uttering of it; whosoever sheds innocent Blood; whosoever purloyns from another what is rightly his; whosoever is guilty of any Uncleanness, let it be at what time, in what place, after what manner soever, let it be done passionately or deliberately, whether he be tempted to it or not, yet he is a Transgressor of the Law, and liable to that Curse and Death which God hath threatned to inflict upon every Soul of Man that doth Evil: whereas in the Affirmative Precepts there are some times and seasons to which we are not bound, so as actually to perform the Duties injoyned us. This I suppose is clear, and without Exception.
Fourthly, Observe this Rule also, That the same Precept which forbids the external and outward Acts of Sin, forbids likewise the inward Desires and Motions of Sin in the Heart; and the same Precepts which requires the external Acts of Duty, requires likewise those holy Affections of the Soul, that are sutable thereunto: As for instance, The same Command that requires me to Worship God, exacts from me not only the outward service of the Lip, or of the Knee, but much more the inward Reverence and Affection of my Soul; that I should prostrate, not my Body only, but my very Heart at his Feet, fearing him as the greatest God, and loving him as the greatest Good, and with all the tenderness and dearness of an amorous and ravisht Soul, cleaving unto him, and clasping about him as my only Joy and Happiness. And therefore those are highly guilty of the Violation of this Command, who worship God only with their Bodies, when their Hearts are far estranged from him; offering up only the shell and husk of a Duty, when the pith and substance which should fill it, is given either to the World, or to their Lusts: Such as these are guilty of Idolatry even in serving and worwipping the true God; for they set up their Idols in their Hearts, when they come to inquire of him; as the Prophet complains, Ezek. 14.7.
So likewise that Positive Command, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, doth not only require from us the external Acts of Obedience to all the lawful Commands of our Parents, and Magistrates, and those whom God hath set in Authority over us, but requires farther, an inward Love, Veneration, and Esteem for them in our Hearts. For tho' Men can take no farther cognizance of us, than by our Overt-acts, and if those be regular, they are likewise satisfactory to all Humane Laws; yet this is not sufficient Satisfaction to the Law of God, who is the Discerner and Judge of the Heart and Soul, and whose Law hath this special Prerogative above all others, That it can with Authority prescribe to our very Thoughts, Desires, and Affections.
And then, as for Negative Commands; they do not onelyonly forbid the external Acts of Sin, but the inward Motions of Lust, sinful Desires, and evil Concupiscence. And this we find it at large, Matth. 5. where our Saviour makes it a great part of his most excellent Sermon upon the Mount, to clear and vindicate the Moral Law from the corrupt Glosses and Interpretations of the Scribes and Pharisees; and to shew, that the Authority of the Law reached, not only to prohibit sinful Actions, as that corrupt Generation thought, but sinful Affections too; consult Verse 21. Ye have heard, that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill: and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the Judgment. Here they stopt, in the very bark and rind of the Command; and thought it no Offence, tho' they suffered their Hearts to burn with Wrath, and Malice, and Revenge, so long as they pent it up there, and did not suffer it to break forth into bloody Murder. But what saith our Saviour Verse 22? But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgement: and whosoever shall say unto his brother, Racha, shall be in danger of the councel: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire. You see here, that not only the horrid Sin of Murder is forbidden by the Law, but all the Incentives to it, and Degrees of it, as Anger conceived inwardly in the Heart, or exprest outwardly in Words.
I cannot pass this place without giving you some Light for the right understanding of it:
Here are three Degrees of Sin, short of Murder, yet all forbidden by the same Precept which forbids that: Causeless Anger against thy Brother; calling him Racha, and calling him, thou Fool; whereof the one still exceeds the other in guilt; Racha signifies a simple witless Fellow, commonly used to upbraid such as were weak and ignorant: foreign, or thou Fool, signifies one that is not only ignorant, but wicked and ungodly; as the Scripture frequently useth the word in that sence, which is a far greater Reproach, than meerly to call him weak or silly. Now according to these three degrees of Sins, our Saviour proportions three degrees of Punishment to be inflicted on those that are guilty of them, each severer than other; causeless Anger shall bring them in danger of the Judgment; Racha, in danger of the Councel; and thou Fool, in danger of Hell-fire; that is, they shall make them liable to the Punishments inflicted by these.
But now to understand the full scope and meaning of our Saviour in these Allusions, we must have recourse to the History of the Jewish Commonwealth: and there we find that they had two Courts of Judicature establisht among them, the lesser and the greater Sanhedrim; the lesser consisted of twenty three Persons, and was erected not only in Jerusalem, but in every considerable City among the Jews, where there were sixscore Housholders; these had Authority to inflict Capital Punishments upon Malefactors: but yet as the highest Crimes fell not under their Cognizance, so neither their severest Punishments under their Award. And this Consistory our Saviour calls here the Judgment; and tells, That whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause, shall be liable to a Punishment correspondent to that which this Sanhedrim was impower'd to inflict; still applying Temporals to Spirituals, that is, he shall be liable to Eternal Death, though not so severely executed, as it would be for Crimes of a more heinous nature.
Their greater Sanhedrim was their Supreme Court of Judicature,Vide Spanhem dub. Evang. dub. 139. and consisted of seventy Elders, besides their chief Speaker or Moderator. You will find their first Institution to have been by Divine Authority, Numb. 11.16. They sat only in Jerusalem; their Sentence was decisive and determining, from which there lay no Appeal: they were to Judge of all harder matters, which could not be determin'd by other Courts, as Causes concerning a whole Tribe, or the whole Nation; Causes of War and Peace; Causes concerning the High-Priest, and the Mission and Authority of Prophets that spake unto them in the Name of the Lord: And this may be the occasion of that Speech of our Saviour, It cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem; Luke 13.33.because in Jerusalem alone was this Sanhedrim constituted, which was to Judge of the Prophets, whether they were true or false: this Sanhedrim our Saviour here calls the Councel. And they had Power not only of Life and Death, (as the other had) but likewise of inflicting Death in a more severe and tormenting manner than the other. And therefore our Saviour saith, Whosoever shall call his Brother Racha, a vain witless Fellow, shall be in danger of the Councel; wherein he still brings the degrees of Punishments among the Jews, to allude to the Punishment of Sins in Hell; and so the meaning is, that as he who shall causelesly be angry with his Brother, exposeth himself to the danger of eternal Death; so he that shall suffer his anger to break forth into any reproachful or reviling Language, although his Taunts be not very bitter nor biting, only to call him a weak silly Person; yet hereby he incurs the danger of a severer Sentence, and execution of it upon him for ever.
But now the severest Sentence which this Sanhedrim could pronounce against the greatest Malefactors, was that they should be burnt alive with Fire. This Execution was always performed in the Vally of Hinnom, joyning to Jerusalem, which being a place wherein were frequent Fires made, both in Idolatrous times for the sacrificing of their Children to Moloch, and in their Purer times for consuming the Filth of their City, and that which was as bad, their Malefactors; it is not unfrequent in the Scripture to denote Hell by this Tophet, this Vally of Hinnom; which for its continual Fires, was a lively Type and Representation of it; yea, the very Scripture-name for Hell, foreign, seems to be derived from the Vally of Hinnom.
Now as Burning of Malefactors in Gehennâ, or the Vally of Hinnom, was among the Jews one of their highest and severest Punishments, and never inflicted but where the Crime was very gross and flagitious; so saith our Saviour, He that saith to his Brother, foreign, Thou Fool, shall be in danger of Gehennâ, of Hell-fire, i. e. of a severer Punishment in the true Hell, than those who were either causelesly angry, or expressed their anger in more tolerable Reproaches, although even they also shall (without Repentance) be eternally punisht. So that the sence of our Saviour in all this Allusion seems to be this: That whereas the Scribes and Pharisees had restrain'd that Command, Thou shalt not kill, only to actual Murder, as if nothing else were forbidden besides open Violence and Bloud; our Saviour contrarywise teacheth, That not only that furious and barbarous Sin of Murder, but also rash and causeless Anger, though it only estuate and boyl in the Heart, much more if it cast forth its foam at the Mouth in reviling Speeches, fall under that Prohibition, Thou shalt not kill. All these Degrees deserve to be punisht with eternal Death; but, as among the Jews, some were punisht with lighter, others with more grievous Penalties, so shall it be at the great Judgment: Anger in our Hearts shall be condemned with eternal Punishments; but if it break forth into reviling Expressions, the Condemnation shall be more intolerable, and by so much more, by how much the Reproaches are more bitter and sarcastical.
This, in brief, I take to be the true meaning of this difficult Speech of our Saviour, the whole scope whereof shews, That not only the gross Acts of Sin, but also the inward Dispositions, and corrupt Affections unto Sin, and every degree and tendency towards it, are forbidden and threatned by the holy Law of God.
So likewise, Verse 27 of this 5th Chapter, Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall look upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery already with her in his heart. Here our Saviour brings inward Concupiscence to the Bar, and makes the Heart and Eye plead guilty, although possibly shame or fear might restrain the grosser acts of Filthiness.
Thus, by these few Instances, although many more might be added, I have shewn, that the same Precept which forbids the outward acts of Sin, forbids likewise the inward desires and motions of Sin in the Heart.
And indeed there is a great deal of reason for it: For God who is our Law-giver, is a Spirit; he seeth and converseth with our Spirits. There is not the least thought that flits in thy Soul, not the least shadow of an imagination cast upon thy Fancy, not the stillest breathing of a desire in the Heart, but God is privy to it; he sees to the very bottom of that deep spring and source of Thoughts that is in thy Heart; he beholds them in their causes and occasions; and knows our thoughts, as the Psalmist speaks, afar off: he beholds our Souls more clearly and distinctly than we can behold one anothers Faces; and therefore it is but fit and rational that his Laws should reach as far as his Knowledge; and that he should prescribe Rules to that, whose irregularity he can observe and punish. Hence it is that the Apostle, considering what an Energy the Law had upon that part of Man which seemed most free and uncontroled, his Mind and Spirit, calls it a Spiritual Law, We know, saith he,Rom. 7.14. that the law is spiritual; and that because the searching and convincing power of it enters into our Spirits, cites our thoughts, accuseth our desires, condemns our affections, which no other Law in the World, besides this, can do: For how justly ridiculous would those be, that should command us not to think dishonourably of them, not to desire any thing to their detriment and prejudice; and should threaten us with Punishments in case of Disobedience: but the Law of God comes into our Consciences with Authority, and in the Name of the great God, requires his Peace to be kept among our tumultuous and seditious Affections, beats down their carnal Weapons, and gives Conscience a power either to suppress all rebellious Insurrections against the Majesty of Heaven, or else to indite, accuse, and torment Men for them. And therefore the Word of God is by the Apostle said to be quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, Heb. 4.12.piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joynts and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
That is therefore a fourth Rule for the right understanding of the Extent and Latitude of the Commands.
Fifthly, Another general Rule is this, That the Command doth not only forbid the Sin that is expresly mentioned, but all Occasions and Inducements leading unto that Sin; and therefore we may observe, that there are many Sins that are not expresly forbidden in any one Commandment, but yet are reductively forbidden in every one, towards the Violation of which they may prove Occasions. And as some one Sin may be an occasion to all others, so it may be well said to be forbidden in every Precept of the Decalogue; I shall instance only in two of this kind, and they are, Familiarity with evil Persons, or keeping of evil Company; and that reigning Sin of Drunkenness.
For the first of these it is evident, that though it be not expresly and in terminis forbidden in any one Commandment, yet as it is a strong Temptation and Inducement to the Violation of each of them, so it is a Sin against them all. There are no such sure Factors for the Devil, as wicked Company, who will strive to rub their Vices upon as many as they can infect: and therefore thou who delightest in the company either of Atheists, or Idolaters, or Swearers, or Sabbath-breakers, or Disobedient Rebels, or Murderers, or Whore-mongers, or Thieves, or Perjured Persons, or Covetous Muck worms, thou art guilty of the breach of each of these Commandments; for thou runnest thyself into the very Snare of the Devil, and takest the same course to make thy self so, which made them such. And therefore we are all forbidden to keep Company with such prophane and profligate Wretches, by the very same Commandment which forbids their Impieties, whatsoever they be.
And as for the second Sin I mentioned, Drunkenness, it is now-a-days grown to such an height of Impudence, that it confronts the Sun: And whereas in the Apostles days, even among the Heathens themselves, shame so far prevailed upon Vice and Debauchery, that it left Sobriety the Day, and took only the Night to itself, for they that would be drunk were drunk in the Night; yet now among us Christians, Wickedness is grown so profligate, that we meet the Drunkard reeling and staggring even at Noon-day, and ready to discharge his Vomit in our Faces or our Bosoms. Possibly some, who are besotted with this loathsome Vice, may think it no great Wickedness, because it is not expresly forbidden in this Summary of the Law; and so they cry, Peace, peace, to themselves, altho' they go on to add Drunkenness to Thirst.
But of this common Sin I say, that it is not against any one particular Commandment of the Law, but against all; for since the Moral Law is the Law and Rule of right Reason, the whole of it must needs be broken, when Reason itself is perverted by Riot and Intemperance; the Man turned out of Doors, and the Beast taken in. So that indeed Drunkenness is not so much any one Sin, as it is all; never were all the Commandments more surely broken, when Moses cast the two Tables out of his hands, than they are, in another sence, broken by the Drunkard. For he hath put off the Man and hath put on the Swine; and into such Swine it is that the Devil enters, as surely as ever he entered into the Herd of the Gadarenes; and drives them furiously down the Precipices of all manner of Sins and Vices, till at length he plungeth and drowns them in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, and there let them drink their fill.
And therefore whatsoever is commanded, or whatsoever is forbidden, Drunkenness is forbidden, as being the greatest Advantage that the Devil hath to prompt Men to those Abominations, that were they in their right sences, they would abhor and detest. Is he, think you, fit to worship God, and to take him for his own God, who is not himself his own Man? Is not he guilty of Idolatry, who makes Bacchus his Deity, giving him the Libations of his Vomits, and falling prostrate before him? Can he forbear taking the Name of God in vain, who hath taken the Creatures of God to his bane; whose Tongue is set afloat with his excessive Cups, and whose Mouth the Devil Taps to let his Blasphemies, and Oaths, and Curses, and fearful Execrations run out the more fluently? Can he keep holy the Sabbath-day, whose last Night's Drunkenness and Excess, rocks him asleep either in his own House, or in the House of God? Is he fit to honour his Parents, who dishonoureth his own Body? Can he abstain from Murder, who first takes the ready way to destroy his own Body, and damn his own Soul; and then, through the rage of Wine, is ready upon every slight provocation to mingle his Vomit with the Blood of others? Can he keep himself from filthy Uncleanness, whose riotous Table doth but prepare him for a polluted Bed? Shall not he assevere that which is false, whose Reason is so blinded by the fumes of his Intemperance, that he knows no longer the difference between Truth and Falshood? And finally, what bounds can he set to his Concupiscence, who by thus blinding the eyes of his Reason, hath only left him Fancy and Appetite, both which the Devil rules and governs?
Thus you see there are some Sins, which though they are not expresly forbidden in the Decalogue, yet are virtually and reductively forbidden, as being the foams and the occasions of others; and among these, Drunkenness especially, which strikes at every Law that God hath injoyned us, the Guilt whereof is Universal, as well as the Sin Epidemical.
Sixthly, Another Rule for the understanding of the Decalogue is this, That the Commands of the first Table are not to be kept for the sake of the Second; but the Commands of the Second are to be kept for the sake of the First. The first Table commands us those Duties which immediately respect the Service and Worship of God; the second those which respect our Demeanour towards Men: Now the Worship and Service of God is not to be performed out of respect to Men; but our Duty towards Men is to be observed out of respect to God. For he that worships God that he might thereby recommend himself to Men, is but an Hypocrite and Formalist; and he that performs his Duty towards Men, without respecting God in it, is but a meer civil Moralist. The first Table commands us not to worship Idols; not to swear; not to prophane the Sabbath. The Laws of the Magistrate commands the very same; and those who are guilty of the breach of them, are liable to Humane Punishments: but if we therefore abstain from these Sins, because they will expose us to shame, or suffering among Men; if therefore only we worship God, that Men may respect and venerate us, all the pomp and ostentation of our Religion is but Hypocrisy; and as such shall have its Reward: for God requireth to be served not for Man's sake, but for His own.
The second Table prescribes the right ordering of our Conversation towards Men; that we should be dutiful and obedient to our Superiours; loving and kind to our Equals; charitable and beneficial to our Inferiours; and just and righteous towards all. These Duties are not to be done only for Man's sake, but for God's; and those who perform them without respecting Him in them, lose both their Acceptance and Reward. And therefore our Saviour condems that love and beneficence which proceeds meerly upon Humane and Prudential Accounts, Matth. 5.46. If you love them only which love you, what reward have you? do not even the Publicans the same? And Luke 6.33, 34. If you do good to them which do good to you, what thanks have you? for sinners also do the same. And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thanks have you? for sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
But we ought not therefore to serve God for Mans sake; but we ought to love Man for God's sake; and to perform the Duties of the second Table out of conscience and respect to God; and that Respect is threefold:
First, Obedience to his Authority; for then what we do for Men is an acceptable work and service, when we do it out of a sincere principle of obeying the Will and Command of God.
Secondly, Conformity unto his Example. And this our Saviour urgeth, Matth. 5.45. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good; and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.
Thirdly, A comfortable Hope and Expectation of his Eternal Reward: Luke 6.35. Love your enemies, and do good, and your reward shall be great.
This is the way to exalt Morality to be truly Divine; and to make whatsoever we do towards Men, to be an acceptable Service unto God. By this means we interest Him in all the Acts of our Charity, our Justice, and Temperance; and we may be assured, that what we thus do for His sake, shall in the end be rewarded by his Bounty.
Seventhly, Another Rule is this, That the Commands of the first Table, so far forth as they are purely Moral, supersede our Obedience to the Commands of the second Table, when they are not both consistant. As for instance, We are in the second Table required to obey our Parents, and to maintain and preserve our own Lives: yet if we are brought into such circumstances as that we must necessarily disobey either God or them, either prostitute our Souls to Guilt, or our Lives to Execution, in such a case our Saviour hath instructed us, Luke 14.26. If any man come unto me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Indeed a positive hatred of these is unnatural and impious; but the hatred which our Saviour here intends, is comparative, i. e. a loving them less than Christ, than Religion and Piety. And if the commands of the one, or the concerns of the other are at any time to be violated, or neglected, it must only be when we are sure that they are incompatible with a good Conscience, and true Godliness.
Again in the eighth place, Whereas in the first Table there is one Command partly Moral and Natural, partly positive and instituted, and that is our Observation of the Sabbath: we may observe that our Obligation to the Duties of the second Table, doth often times supersede our Obedience unto that Command of the first Table. It frequently happens, that Works of Necessity, and Mercy, will not permit us to be imployed in Works of Piety, nor to sanctifie the Sabbath after such a manner, as else we ought: For the Lord requireth Mercy rather than Sacrifice, Hosea 6.6. And this our Saviour alledgeth, Matth. 9.13. In which sence it holds true, That the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath, Mark 2.27. Whatsoever therefore is a Work of Necessity, or a Work of Charity and Mercy, and that not only towards Man, but even towards brute Beasts themselves, may lawfully be done on the Sabbath-day, without bringing upon us the guilt of Prophanation; for that which is purely Moral in the second Table, doth in a sort derogate from what is but positive and instituted in the first.