father and neighbour, Luke 14. 26. Matth. 10.37. when obedience to God, and obedience to our fuperiors cannot confift, we are to obey God rather than man, Acts 4. 19. and we are to love the Lord, and hate father and mother, Luke 14.26. 4. Yet take notice, that ceremonials or pofitives of the firft table for a time cede and give place to morals in the second; as, for relieving or preferving our neighbour's life in hazard, we may travel on the fabbath-day,according to that fcripture, I will have mercy, and not facrifice; and, The fabbath was made for man, and not man for the fabbath, &c.

7. The feventh diftinction (which is ordinary) is of the commandments into affirmative and negative; as ye fee all the commandments in the firft table are negatively fet down, forbidding fin directly; Thou shalt not have any other gods,&c. only the fourth is both negative and affirmative, forbidding fin, and commanding duty directly; as alfo, the fifth only, which is the firft of the fecond table, is affirmative, all the reft are negative.

This diftinction is not fo to be underflood, as if nothing were commanded or injoined in the negative precepts, or as if nothing were forbidden in affirmative precepts (for, whatever be expreffed as forbidden, the contrary is always implied as commanded; and, whatfoever is exprefly commanded, the contrary is always implied as forbidden) but the diftinction is taken from the manner of fetting them down; concerning which, take these rules or general obfervations for your better understanding, many whereof are in the larger

catechifm.

Ift, However the commandments be expreffed,affirmatively or negatively, every one of them hath two parts; one affirmative,implied in negative precepts, requiring the duties that are contrary to the fins forbidden; another negative, implied in the affirmative precepts, forbidding the fins that are contrary to the duties commanded: As for example, the third commandment, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; it implies a command reverently to ufe his name: So to remember to keep holy the fabbath-day, implies a prohibition of profaning it. In which fenfe all the commandments may in fome refpect be called negative (and fo a part of the fourth commandment is negatively expreffed, Thou shalt do no work) or affirmative; in which refpect Chrift comprehendeth all the negatives under these two great affirmative commandments, of

love to God and our neighbour; for every commandment doth both injoin and forbid. The like may be faid of promifes and threatnings, there being in every promise a threatning,and in every threatning a promife conditionally implied: And this may be a reason why fome commandments are negatively expreffed, fome pofitively, to fhew that both are comprehended.

2dly, Tho' the pofitive commandment (or the pofitive part of the commandment) be of a like force and authority with the negative,as to the obligation it layeth on us to duty; yet it doth not tye us to all occafions and times,as negatives do: Hence is that common maxim, That affirmative commands tye and oblige femper,ever,that is,they never want their authority,and we are never abfolved from their obedience; but they do not oblige and tye ad femper,that is,in all differences of time we are not tyed to the exercife of the duties enjoined. Negatives again oblige both femper & ad femper, that is, always, and in all differences of times: For inftance, in the third commandment, the affirmative part is to use the Lord's name and ordinances holily and reverently in prayer, reading and hearing, &c. So, in the fourth commandment, we are required to fanctify the fabbath, by waiting on ordinances, &c. This makes these ftill duties, fo as to pray, hear, &c. are ftill duties: but we are not to be, and fhould not be always exercised in these duties; for we muft abound in other duties alfo of neceffity and mer1 cy: we must eat, and fleep, &c, and, when we fleep, we can neither act, love, nor fear. Again, the negative part is, not to profane the Lord's name in his ordinances; this may not be done at any time: the reafon of the difference is this, because in affirmatives we are not always tied to the acts of duties and graces, but to the difpofition and habit. Habits are a fpiritual quality, a vis, or power fitting and enabling for bringing forth these acts, and for the bringing them forth in the due time and feafon, when they fhall be called for; but in finful things we are prohibited, not only the habits, but the acts alfo: the one is always and ever a fin, but the other is not always called for as duty. If any defire rules to know when a duty is called for; as for inftance, when we are to pray, hear, &c. it is hardly poffible to be particular in this, yet we may try it by thefe generals;

1. Any affirmative precept binds to prefent practice, when the duty required tends to God's glory, unto which every thing fhould be done (as I Cor. 10. 31.) and when the omiffion of the duty may difhonour him. 2. When

2. When it tends to others edification, and omitting will fomeway ftumble and offend.

3. When fome fpecial providences meet and concur, to give opportunity for fuch a duty; as for inftance, the giving of alms when we have it, and fome indigent perfon offers, whofe neceffity calls for it, Gal. 6. 10. So, when fecrecy for prayer is offered, (and no other more neceffary duty at that time is called for) which we are to watch unto, Col. 4. 2, or when we meet with fome fpecial occafion or difpenfation, pointing out to us this or that as a duty called for; fuch a providence invites us to the practice of that duty: for, tho' provi*dences will not make thefe things to become duties which are not duties, yet they will ferve to time and circumstantiate duties that ly on us by vertue of affirmative precepts.

4. Some Ipecial occafions and times are fet down in the word, as for praying morning and evening, for hearing the word on fabbath-days; and in these, and other the like duties, the examples of the faints, fo recorded for imitation in fcripture, would be obferved as a copy and pattern.

5. When they have not fuch inconveniences with them, as crofs and hinder other moral duties of edification, love, &c. for, if they do that, they muft yield and give place to thefe: but, if no other duty be called for, then they ought to be done; for we should be in fome duty. And tho' fuch duties be in themselves moral, fuppofe praying, hearing, and fuch others, which might be inftanced; yet the timing of them, or going about them at fuch a time, and in fuch a manner, is not moral fimply, but as thefe are by circumstances called for.

6. When without fin fuch a duty cannot be omitted; and altho' there be not any inward exercise of mind, or frame of spirit fuitable thereto, yet the confcience calls for it, or there is fome one fpecial occafion or other that puts us to it.

3dly, Obferve, That this rule of negatives, tying ad femper, or obliging in all circumftances of time, is not to be underftood, but where the matter is moral: therefore we would difting fifh again betwixt negative morals, and negativé pofitives; for politiyes, whether negative or affirmative, give still place to morals. As for inftance, that part of the fourth commandment is negative, In it (that is, on the feventh day) thou falt do no manner of work; yet fometimes, when neceffity calls for it, fome manner of works is lawful on that day, becaufe it is only a negative positive, and not a negative moral:

And

And to David's eating of fhew-bread was against a negative command, tho' not against a negative moral, but a negative pofitive,

4thly, Take this rule, That in all commands, jointly and feverally we would have special refpect unto the scope God aims at by them all in general, or by fuch a command in particular. Now, the general fcope is (2 Cor. 7. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16.) perfect and abfolute holiness, even as he is holy: and therefore, whatever he requires, he requires that it be abfolutely perfect in its kind; as, that our love to him be with the whole heart, &c. and fo our love to others be as to ourfelves: our chastity and purity all must be abfolute (fee 1 Tim. 1. 5.) This rule will teach us what we are to aim and level at: and whatever expofition of the commandments comes not up to this scope, is no doubt defective; and by this rule only we can be helped to the right meaning of every commandfent; for each of them has its peculiar fcope, both as to the duty it requires, and fins it condemns. And by this rule it is, that our Lord Chrift (whofe expofition with that of the prophets is beft) draws in the leaft and fmalleft branches of filthinefs to the feventh commandment, which difchargeth all things contrary to perfect and compleat purity.

5thly, The fifth rule is, That the law is fpiritual, Rom. 7. 14. and that not only outward obedience to fuch duties, or outward abftinence from fuch finful acts, is called for; but the law, having a fpiritual meaning, calls for fpiritual service, and that in these three: 1. As it requires fpiritual duties, fuch as faith, fear, love to God, and to others; right habits, as well as right affections, and outward actions: and therefore Paul, to prove the fpirituality of the law, inftanceth in the habit of luft, Rom. 7. as a thing thereby ditcharged. 2. The law is fpiritual, in that the obligation thereof reaches to the fpirit, and very inwards of the heart, affections and thoughts, as well as to the outward man: the love it requires, is love with all the foul, heart, and mind. Hence there is heart-idolatry, murder, and adultery, as well as outward, therein condemned. 3. It is fpiritual, in refpect of the manner; it requires, as to all outward duties, that they be done to a fpiritual end, from a fpiritual principle, and in a spiritual way, oppofite to the carnal way, to which the unrenewed heart of man is inclined: in which fenfe we are commanded to walk in the Spirit,, Gal. 5, 16. and so praying and praising, which

Preface. this law calls for, is praying and praifing in the Spirit, 1 Cor. 14. 14, 15, 16.

6thly, A fixth rule is, That, befide the duty expreffed, there is more implied in the affirmative command; and, befide the fin pitched on, there is more forbidden in the negative precepts, even all duties and fins of these kinds, in whatfoever degree: As for example, in the affirmative commands, 1. Where the duty is commanded, all the means that may further it are commanded likewife: Hence, under care to preferve our brother, Levit. 19. 17, 18. it is commanded that we fhould reprove him, &c. 2. Where any thing is commanded as a duty, all duties of that kind are commanded; as keeping holy the Lord's day, is commanded in the fourth commandment; there hearing, praying, watchfulness all the week over, and all things belonging unto the worship of God that day, fuch as tithes, that is, maintenance for a miniftry, cal ling of fit minifters, building of churches, c. are required, tho they be not all duties of that day. 3. Where a duty is required, the owning and fuitable avowing of that duty is required alfo; and fo believing in God, and the profeffion of faith, are required in the fame commandment, Rom. 10. 10. Where the duty of one relation is required (as of childrens fubjection) there is required the duty of the other relation, (as of parents) yea, and alfo of all under that name.

Again, in negative precepts, obferve, 1. Where great fins are forbidden, all the leffer of that fort are forbidden alfo ; as under adultery,murder, and idolatry, all light, obfcene, whorifh words, wanton looks, unchaft thoughts, revenge, rafh anger, worldly affections, &c. are forbidden; and they are comprehended and prohibited under the groffeft terms, to make them the more deteftable, odious and dreadful. 2. All means that may prevent these fins are commanded, and all fnares, or occafions, or incitements to them, are prohibited. 3. Where any fin is forbidden, there the leaft fcandal about it, or the leaft appearance of the guilt of committing it, is forbidden alfo; for God will have his people holy, and fhining in holiness, unfpotted, and without fcandal, and abftaining not only from all evil, but from all appearance of it, 1 Theff. 5.22. 4. We are not only forbidden the committing of fuch fins ourselves, delighting in them, and inclining to them, but accounting light or little of them in others; yea, we are commanded and ought to mourn for them, when committed by them.

The