ments may the more be minded, and taken Notice of, 1718. and imprinted in Peoples Thoughts, they are here, in Part, tranfcribed out of the 20th Chapter of Exodus. I. Thou shalt bave no other Gods before me.

II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image, or any Likeness of any Thing that is Heaven above, or in the Earth beneath, or that is in the Water under the Earth': Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor Serve them.

III. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain: For the Lord will not bold bim guiltless" that taketh his Name in vain.

IV. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.

V. Honour thy Father and thy Mother: That thy Days may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

VI. Thou shalt not kill.

VII. Thou shalt not commit Adultery.

VIII. Thou shalt not steal.

IX. Thou shalt not bear falfe Witness against thy Neighbour.

X. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbour's House, nor his Wife, nor bis Man-fervant, nor his Maid-fervant, nor his Ox, nor his Afs; nor any Thing that is thy Neighbours.

All which our Holy Lord Jefus Chrift fulfilled in his own Perfon, and taught it to the People, as this his most holy Sermon will witnefs abundantly: And all who profefs his great Name, muft, and ought to teach the fame.

Verle 19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of thefe leaft Commandments, and teach Men fe, he fhall be called the leaft in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever fall do and teach them, the fame fhall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Here we are strictly enjoined, as we value our Reputation in Heaven, both to do, and to teach, the Commandments, and Law of Mofes though not the

G 4

Ordinances

718. Ordinances, Commandments, or Traditions, of the Seriles. Now the Scribes and Pharifees taught divers good Things, in Words, as we understand by Christ; But (fays he) be ye not like unto them; for they fay, and do not: Example being often of more Force and Power than Precept: They might have faid as some of our modern Scribes do, to the People, "You must

Gal. 5. 22, 23.

not do as we do; but do as we fay." But, according to Chrift, this will not ferve their Turn; for he shuts the Gates of Heaven against all them (and all fuch) though his own Hearers, as in the next Verfe.

Verse 20. For I say unto you, Except your Righteouf nefs fhall exceed that of the Scribes and Pharifees, ye shall in no Cafe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thole Scribes and Pharifees had a Righteoufnefs, but it was one of their own making, an outfide One only; whereas within they were full of Deceit and Hypocrify; they cry'd up Righteoufnefs in Words, and yet cry'd out against him who taught it in the greatest Purity, and fought his Destruction; they were notable Examples to all Perfecutors for Religion. Our Lord, and his Servants, did not, nor do not, Ipeak against outfide Holinels, fo as the Infide be the fame; for a living Man hath both Infide and Out; fo has living Righteoufnefs an inward and outward Purity, which is manifeft by its Fruits, and thofe Fruits are Fruits of the Spirit, which is, Love, Meekness, Temperance, Patience, Experience, Hope, and Charity, or Brotherly Love; of which thofe People fhewed very little to Chrift; he was very fenfible of their Envy and Malice, which was very contrary Fruits to Holiness; and therefore he tells them that hear him, That their Righteoufnefs must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharifees, or they in no Cafe fhall enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Veríe 21. Ze bave heard that it was faid by them of old Time, Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill, hall be in Danger of the Judgment :

Verse 22. But 1 fay unto you, that whofoever is angry 1718. with bis Brother without a Caufe, fhall be in Danger of the Judgment; and whosoever shall fay to his Brother, Raca, Jhall be in Danger of the Council; but whosoever fball fay, Thou Fool, fhall be in Danger of Hell-Fire:

Here we may learn that the Law provided nothing against Anger, only in this Cafe, against fhedding of Blood; and many times if Anger is too much kindled, it fets the Soul on Fire of Hell, if it be not timely quenched. People, as it grows hotter, call one another out of their Names, and take the Name of the Lord in vain, break the third Commandment, swearing by him, and Curfing of Men: We may plainly fee by Chrift's Doctrine, that the first Degree of Anger (without Caufe) is dangerous; but the fecond is very dangerous. Soft Words from a fedate Mind will wonderfully help in this Cafe: It is not eafily conceived what a mighty Advantage Satan hath upon one that is angry without a Caufe: And we are often apt to think we have Caufe when we have none at all: and then we make Work for Repentance, without which we are in Danger of Hell-Fire. Wherefore every true Chriftian ought to Watch against the Evil Eph. 4. of Anger; and yet there may be Anger (where there is real Caufe) without Sin.

Verfe 23. Therefore if thou bring thy Gift to the Altar,. and there remembrest that thy Brother, bath ought against

thee,

Verfe 24. Leave there thy Gift before the Altar, and go thy Way, firft be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy Gift.

The Chriftian Religion admits of no Malice nor Guile; the Worship of it is in Spirit and Truth, and Love, without Hypocrify, without Deceit, or Hatred: If we come to the Altar, this will hinder our Acceptance. Though we may indeed have a Gift, we are to feek Reconciliation, and not fay, Let him come to me, I will not go to him; but Chrift tells us,

We

26.

1718, we must go to him; and if thou go to the Offended, in a meek and Chriftian Spirit, and feek Reconcilation, if thy Brother will not be reconciled, if the Fault be in him, thou haft done thy Duty, and thy Gift will be received, and Chrift will manifeft himfelf to thee by his Grace and Spirit. But yet art thou to feek for Peace, he having ordained it, and laid it as a Duty incumbent on thee.

I Cor. 6.

Verse 25. Agree with thy Adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the Way with him: Left at any Time the Adverfary deliver thee to the Judge, and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer, and thou be cast into Prijon.

Verse 26. Verily I fay unto thee, thou shalt by no Means come out thence, till thou hast paid the utmost Farthing.

It is plain from hence, that Jefus is for a quick and Speedy End to Differences; fays, he, Agree with him quickly; for it is of dangerous Confequence to let Dilagreements lay long, it eats like a Canker, and it deftroys the very Nature of Religion. Perfonal Differences is a great Hurt to Families, to Churches, and to Nations, and Countries, efpecially when efpoufed by Parties; then what rending, tearing, and devouring Work it makes: Wherefore take Chrift's Counfel, and agree quickly; and if the Difference be on the Account of Debt, as is often likely, if the Debt be juft, 'tis better to offer up one's Self, and all that he has in the World, than to ftand out with one's Adverfary, till it come to the utmoft Extremity; and for Chriftians to go to Law one with another, is contrary to the Apostle's Advice; and oftentimes the Gainer of the Caufe, lofes by going to Law; fo that 'tis good to agree quickly; it being profitable fo to do, both fpiritually and naturally.

Verle 27. Te bave heard that it was faid by them of old Time, Thou shalt not commit Adultery:

Verfe

Verfe 28. But I fay unto you, whosoever looketh on 1718. a Woman to luft after her, bath committed Adultery with her already in bis Heart.

...

The Law was against Adultery; but the Gospel is against Luft; and where there is no Luft, there can be no Adultery; for then the Occafion of Adultery is taken away; and the Caufe being taken away, the Effect of Courfe ceafeth. Behold the chafte and pure Doctrine of Chrift, and his holy Difpenfation, greatly excelling the Law, or Mofaic Difpenfation! Our bleffed Saviour doth not admit of an unchaft or Juftful Looking upon Women, much lefs of immodeft Salutations, Touches, Embraces, or Difcourfes, which all tend to beget Luft in the Hearts of Men; and Luft James : conceived, brings forth Sin; and Sin when finished, brings forth Death to the Soul,

Verle 29. And if thy Right-eye offend thee, pluck it out, and caft it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish, and not that thy whole Body fhould be caft into Hell,

Verfe 30. And if thy Right-hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish, and not that thy whole Body Should be caft into Hell.

1

Chrift compares the finful Lufts and Inclinations, which are the Caufe of Mens Destruction, and their being caft into Hell, to a Right-eye, or a Right-hand (two of the most useful and ferviceable Members of the Body) not that he intended that we fhould cut off our natural Members, but that we fhould cut off thefe finful Lufts, and caft them from us, though they were as a Right-eye, or Hand. Now, obferve, it is very much against Nature, and very painful to pull out an Eye, or to cut off an Hand; fo Sin of many Kinds, is very agreeable to Nature, or the natural Man, and 'tis very hard for him to part with it, he pleads the Ufe of it, and when Chrift, the Phyfician of the Soul, comes to put his Incifion Knife to it (which is his Word)

poor