The Ten Commandments

p. 249Of the Commandments.

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.

p. 249First, 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.

p. 250Use 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.

p. 250Use 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.