A37049:662
A37049:662
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1675
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.
3. It is necessary that that principle act in the right manner, that is, 1. Sincerely, Josh. 24.14. 2. In fear and reverence, Eccl. 5.1, 2. 3. With faith and respect to Jesus Christ, Heb. 11.6. 4. With Judgment and understanding. To speak of him, not knowing what we say, or to whom we speak, wrongeth him: thus ignorant, passionate, rash, irreverent and inadvertent mentioning of God, or meddling with any Ordinance or Duty, wrongeth him, and is a bringing of vain oblations, which he expressly forbiddeth, Esa. 1.13.
3. It is necessary that that principle act in the right manner, that is, 1. Sincerely, Josh. 24.14. 2. In fear and reverence, Eccl. 5.1, 2. 3. With faith and respect to Jesus Christ, Heb. 11.6. 4. With Judgment and understanding. To speak of him, not knowing what we say, or to whom we speak, wrongeth him: thus ignorant, passionate, rash, irreverent and inadvertent mentioning of God, or medling with any Ordinance or Duty, wrongeth him, and is a bringing of vain oblations, which he expresly forbiddeth, Esa. 1.13.
4. When ever we make mention of God, we should study to be in case to mention him as ours, as our God and Father in Christ, in all ordinances and duties, that is, 1. Taking up our natural distance. 2. Looking to Christ for removing of it. 3. Resting on him, and making use of him for that end. 4. Delighting in the mentioning of God as ours. 5. With thanksgiving and blessing, when ever he is named, as the Apostle often doth.
5. It is required in respect of the use, fruit, and effect, that something which is profitable may remain and stick with us, according to the nature of the duty which is gone about, or the way of mentioning God, such as some conviction and testimony of the Conscience. 1. That Gods honour; 2. The edification of others in way of Instruction, or Conviction, or of Reproof, or of comfort, &c. 3. My own edification and spiritual advantage, or, 4. My own exoneration and peace, as to the performance of such a duty, were in some measure of singleness aimed at and endeavoured; and as there is a missing of any of these, Repentance should be exercised, and faith for pardon; some fruit, some sense, some lesson, some discoveries, some convictions, &c. would be sought after to remain. When these or any of these (if all the rest of them can be altogether without one) are wanting, this command is simply broken; if in part they be wanting, it is comparatively more or less broken.
Let us then take a view in particulars. 1. Look to our profession, Oh! what emptiness is there, much more appearance and show, than reality and substance? yea what desiring to seem something, rather than to be? if our professions (who are least in them) were met and measured by our reality, O how lamentable vast a disproportion would be found? the one would be quickly found much broader and longer than the other, the outer-half much bagged as it were, being a great deal larger than the inner, even where there is most sincerity and reality.
Let us then take a view in particulars. 1. Look to our profession, Oh! what emptiness is there, much more appearance and shew, than reality and substance? yea what desiring to seem something, rather than to be? if our professions (who are least in them) were mett and measured by our reality, O how lamentable vast a disproportion would be found? the one would be quickly found much broader and longer than the other, the outer-half much bagged as it were, being a great deal larger than the inner, even where there is most sincerity and reality.
2. Look through public duties, if there be not much taking of Gods Name in vain, in hearing, praying, praising, using the Sacraments, &c. and if so, O what a Libel might be drawn up against us from every Sabbath, Prayer, Sermon, &c. whereof we often cannot tell what fruit remaineth, except it be sin, guilt, and hardness; and therefore doubtless his Name is much taken in vain in them.
2. Look through publick duties, if there be not much taking of Gods Name in vain, in hearing, praying, praising, using the Sacraments, &c. and if so, O what a Libell might be drawn up against us from every Sabbath, Prayer, Sermon, &c. whereof we often cannot tell what fruit remaineth, except it be sin, guilt, and hardness; and therefore doubtless his Name is much taken in vain in them.
3. Look through private duties in families, Reading, Praying, Singing, Conferring, Catechising, saying Grace, or seeking a Blessing, and giving thanks at Table; how little regard is often had to the name of the Lord in these? and how little care and pains is taken to walk by the former rules in them?
4. Look through secret duties, betwixt God and you, how ye pray in secret before God: ah! often so, as ye would be ashamed to pray before men; how do ye Read, Meditate, &c. in secret? how do ye join in prayer with others? which in some respect is secret; God knoweth how poorly we acquit our selves in these ordinarily, and how much we take his Name in vain in them.
4. Look through secret duties, betwixt God and you, how ye pray in secret before God: ah! often so, as ye would be ashamed to pray before men; how do ye Read, Meditate, &c. in secret? how do ye joyn in prayer with others? which in some respect is secret; God knoweth how poorly we acquit our selves in these ordinarily, and how much we take his Name in vain in them.
5. Look through occasional duties, wherein ye have occasion to make mention of God with or to others, as when upon any Emergent of providence, we will say, It is Gods will, God hath done it, God is good and merciful, &c. or in any particular duty of christian Communion, in instructing, comforting, admonishing, or convincing of others, or debating with them; how often, when the Scripture, and the name of God will be in our mouths: in these, and the matter of debate may fall to be some of his ordinances, will there be but very little reverence and respect to God in our hearts?
6. Consider how this sin of taking his Name in vain is fallen ⟨p. 164⟩[…] ⟨p. 165⟩[…] ⟨p. 166⟩in by writing, not only when Treatises are written, but almost in every Epistle or Letter, there will be found some prayer or wish, for fashion-sake, wherein there is but little Conscience made to have the heart joining in it; how much irreverent using of the Scripture and of Gods Name, is there in writing of Letters, particularly of Burial-Letters, thus. It h •th pleased the Lord, it hath seemed good to God, it hath pleased God or the Almighty, &c. I am not condemning the thing simply, but our way of abusing it.
6. Consider how this sin of taking his Name in vain is fallen ⟨p. 164⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 165⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 166⟩in by writing, not only when Treatises are written, but almost in every Epistle or Letter, there will be found some prayer or wish, for fashion-sake, wherein there is but little Conscience made to have the heart joyning in it; how much irreverent using of the Scripture and of Gods Name, is there in writing of Letters, particularly of Burial-Letters, thus. It h •th pleased the Lord, it hath seemed good to God, it hath pleased God or the Almighty, &c. I am not condemning the thing simply, but our way of abusing it.
7. Look through accidental mentionings of God (if we may say so) in salutations, God save you, God be with you; In prayers for Children, evidencing rather our fondness on them thereby, than our love and reverence to the Name of God; for such as are in any present hazard, God save; for any favour, courtesy or complement, God bless; these are good (as the Apostle saith of the Law) if used lawfully, but they are often sinfully, rashly, ignorantly, yea profanely abused, we having often more respect to them we speak unto, than unto God. I would not condemn the use of them being duties, but exhort you to guard against the abuse, and to use a grave, reverent, understanding, and sensible way of expressing of them, or of any thing like them.
7. Look through accidental mentionings of God (if we may say so) in salutations, God save you, God be with you; In prayers for Children, evidencing rather our fondness on them thereby, than our love and reverence to the Name of God; for such as are in any present hazard, God save; for any favour, curtesie or complement, God bless; these are good (as the Apostle saith of the Law) if used lawfully, but they are often sinfully, rashly, ignorantly, yea prophanely abused, we having often more respect to them we speak unto, than unto God. I would not condemn the use of them being duties, but exhort you to gard against the abuse, and to use a grave, reverent, understanding, and sensible way of expressing of them, or of any thing like them.
8. Consider narrations of Scripture-stories, or other stories, questions, tales, &c. wherein the Name of God is mentioned, and possibly when we tell them, to make a sport of them, and to make merry with them; how often is his blessed Name taken in vain in them? certainly the mentioning of his Name were often better forborne, than so irreverently used.
8. Consider narrations of Scripture-stories, or other stories, questions, tales, &c. wherein the Name of God is mentioned, and possibly when we tell them, to make a sport of them, and to make merry with them; how often is his blessed Name taken in vain in them? certainly the mentioning of his Name were often better forborn, than so irreverently used.
9. Consider the Usurping of Gods Attributes, or of an interest in him, rashly, as when men confidently, yet without all warrant, assert God is mine; I trust in his mercy▪ sweet Christ my Saviour, my Mediator, Ah! how often is this, which is the very Crown of grace, to wit, in Gods doing good and showing mercy, abused and profaned most sinfully and shamefully!
9. Consider the Usurping of Gods Attributes, or of an interest in him, rashly, as when men confidently, yet without all warrant, assert God is mine; I trust in his mercy▪ sweet Christ my Saviour, my Mediator, Ah! how often is this, which is the very Crown of grace, to wit, in Gods doing good and shewing mercy, abused and prophaned most sinfully and shamefully!
There is one particular, which yet remaineth to be spoken of on this Third Command, which concerneth Lots, Omens, Superstitious Observations and such like, whereby the Name of God is wronged, in being not only slighted, contemned and taken in vain in these events (which yet are guided by Him) but ⟨p. 167⟩the Disposal of things, which is due to God, is denied to Him, and Attributed to Chance, Luck, Fortune, and such like.
There is one particular, which yet remaineth to be spoken of on this Third Command, which concerneth Lots, Omens, Superstitious Observations and such like, whereby the Name of God is wronged, in being not only slighted, contemned and taken in vain in these events (which yet are guided by Him) but ⟨p. 167⟩the Disposal of things, which is due to God, is denyed to Him, and Attributed to Chance, Luck, Fortune, and such like.
We shall then: 1. Show what Lotting or Lottery is. 2. How it Concerneth this Command. 3. Distinguish Lots, into several sorts. 4. Show what are Lawful, and when they are Lawful. 5. What are Unlawful.
We shall then: 1. Shew what Lotting or Lottery is. 2. How it Concerneth this Command. 3. Distinguish Lots, into several sorts. 4. Shew what are Lawful, and when they are Lawful. 5. What are Unlawful.
A Lot or Lotting is, The Committing, of the Decision of some thing, in an Immediate way to Divine Providence, without the Intervening Casualties, or Influence, of any Second Cause, to sway in that Decision: So that when the thing falleth out, and is decided, there can be no Reason given, Why it is so on Mens part, but that the Lord was pleased to dispose: As it was in that Instance of Lotting, about the Election of the Twelve Apostles, in Judas his Room, Acts, 1. So from Proverbs, 16.33. It's clear that that is a Lot; Whereof the whole Disposal is of God: And therefore it is said, Chap. 18.18. to cause Contentions to cease, and to part betwixt the Mighty; Because none can quarrel, concerning that which Man hath no hand in.
A Lot or Lotting is, The Committing, of the Decision of some thing, in an Immediate way to Divine Providence, without the Intervening Causalties, or Influence, of any Second Cause, to sway in that Decision: So that when the thing falleth out, and is decided, there can be no Reason given, Why it is so on Mens part, but that the Lord was pleased to dispose: As it was in that Instance of Lotting, about the Election of the Twelve Apostles, in Judas his Room, Acts, 1. So from Proverbs, 16.33. It's clear that that is a Lot; Whereof the whole Disposal is of God: And therefore it is said, Chap. 18.18. to cause Contentions to cease, and to part betwixt the Mighty; Because none can quarrel, concerning that which Man hath no hand in.
A Lot, may be many ways appointed, either by the Throw of a Dice, or the like; or by some other mean putting Difference, betwixt one and other, even as men shall appoint: as when it is; By what Beast they shall first see, by what Saying, or by what Book they shall first hear, or look on, &c. Only we think, Lots differ from Omens, or Superstitious Observations, thus: 1. Lots are to decide betwixt two; the other, are Collections, which one may make concerning himself. 2. Lots follow on some appointment that is mutual and are free; the other may be other-ways.
A Lot, may be many ways appointed, either by the Throw of a Dice, or the like; or by some other mean putting Difference, betwixt one and other, even as men shall appoint: as when it is; By what Beast they shall first see, by what Saying, or by what Book they shall first hear, or look on, &c. Only we think, Lots differ from Omens, or Superstitious Observations, thus: 1. Lots are to decide betwixt two; the other, are Collections, which one may make concerning himself. 2. Lots follow on some appointment that is mutual and are free; the other may be other-wayes.