A65285:2067
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
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.
2. Gods Commandments are sweetened with Joy and Peace. Cicero questions whether that can properly be called a Burden, which one carries with Delight and Pleasure. Utrum onus appellatur quod laetitia fertur. If a Man carries a Bag of Money given him, it is heavy, but the Delight takes off the Burden. When God gives inward Joy, that makes the Commandment delightful, Isa. 56.7. I will make them joyful in my House of Prayer. Joy is like Oil to the Wheels, which makes a Christian run in the way of Gods Commandments; so that it is not burdensome.
2. Gods Commandments are sweetned with Joy and Peace. Cicero questions whether that can properly be called a Burden, which one carries with Delight and Pleasure. Utrum onus appellatur quod laetitia fertur. If a Man carries a Bag of Mony given him, it is heavy, but the Delight takes off the Burden. When God gives inward Joy, that makes the Commandment delightful, Isa. 56.7. I will make them joyful in my House of Prayer. Joy is like Oyl to the Wheels, which makes a Christian run in the way of Gods Commandments; so that it is not burdensome.
3. Gods Commandments are Advantageous. 1. The Commandments are preventive of Evil; a Curb-bit to check us from Sin. What Mischiefs should not we run into, if we had not Affliction to humble us, and the Commandment to restrain us? Gods Commandments are to keep us within Bounds. The Yoke keeps the Beast from straggling. We are to be thankful to God for Precepts; had not he set his Commandments as an Hedge or Bar in our way, we might have run to Hell and never stopped.
3. Gods Commandments are Advantagious. 1. The Commandments are preventive of Evil; a Curb-bit to check us from Sin. What Mischiefs should not we run into, if we had not Affliction to humble us, and the Commandment to restrain us? Gods Commandments are to keep us within Bounds. The Yoke keeps the Beast from stragling. We are to be thankful to God for Precepts; had not he set his Commandments as an Hedge or Bar in our way, we might have run to Hell and never stop'd.