A25294:1128
The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easy draught of the Christian…The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easie draught of the Christian…
The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easy draught of the Christian catechism in LII lectures on chosen texts of Scripture, for each Lords-day of the year, learnedly and perspicuously illustrated with doctrines, reasons, and uses / by that reverend and worthy labourer in the Lord's vineyard, William Ames ...The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easie draught of the Christian catechisme in LII lectures on chosen texts of Scripture, for each Lords-day of the year, learnedly and perspicuously illustrated with doctrines, reasons, and uses / by that reverend and worthy laborer in the Lord's vineyard, William Ames ...
London: printed by T. Mabb for Thomas Davies, 1659
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The fortieth Lords day.
Exod. 20. 13. Thou shalt not kill.
IN this sixth command of the Decalogue Moses treats of the person and life of man, and this is the reason, why this command is placed before the other two following, in which only are •andled, only the adjuncts of these. For the person and life are of greater importance, than the things that belongs to the person. Therefore care was first •o be had of this, and then of these. The command is proposed negatively, without the rest that ⟨p. 243⟩follow, when yet the precedent were proposed affirmatively. The reason is, because in things belonging to the fifth precept, privation is more used than contrariety; that is, it is more commendable not to give the honour to such as it is due, than to load them with manifest injuries, and reproaches. But in these commands nothing is more usual, than that unto the duties commanded, we run into the quite contrary faults as to hurt our neighbours life or his livelihood in his goods, or to bear a false testimony against him, or to desire any thing inordinately, that is his. It was therefore very suitable that in the fifth commandment the perfect duty opposite unto the privation of honour should affirmatively be commanded us; but in the rest it was more necessary that we should be recalled from the contrary faults, and sins by a negative prohibition. Now the life, for which provision is made in this command, is both bodily and spiritual; and both these ought to be considered not only in their esteem and existence, but also in all their accessory qualities, that makes for their comfort and conveniency.