about that work; and I hope I fhall then make it appear unto you that the (a) ten commandments are but an epitomy or an abridgment of the law of God, and that the full expofition thereof is to be found in the books of the prophets and apostles, called the Old and New Testament.

Neo. Indeed, Sir, I have told him that we must not stick upon the bare words of any of the ten commandments, nor reft fatisfied with the bare literal fenfe, but labour to find out the full expofition and true fpiritual meaning of every one of them, according to other places of holy fcripture.

Evan. If you told him fo, you told him that which is most true; for he that would truly understand and expound the commandments, muft do it according to these fix rules.

First, He muft confider that every commandment (b) hath both a negative and an affirmative part contained in it; that is to fay, where any evil is forbidden, the contrary good is commanded; and where any good is commanded, the contrary evil is forbidden; for faith Urfinus's catechifm, (c)" The Lawgiver doth "in an affirmative commandment comprehend "the negative; and contrariwife, in a negative "he comprehendeth the affirmative."

Secondly, He must confider that under one good action commanded, or one evil action forbidden, (d) all of the fame kind or nature are comprehended;

comprehended; yea, all occafions and means leading thereunto; according to the saying of judicious Virell," The Lord minding to forbid divers evils of the fame kind, he comprehendeth them under the name of the great❝ eft."

"

Thirdly, He muft confider that the law of God is fpiritual, reaching to the very heart or foul, and all the powers thereof, (a) for it chargeth the understanding to know the will of God; (b) it chargeth the memory to retain, and the will to chufe the better, and to leave the worfe; it chargeth the affections to love the things that are to be loved, and to hate the things that are to be hated, and fo bindeth all the powers of the foul to obedience, as well as the words, thoughts, and geftures.

Fourthly, He must confider, that the law of God must not only be the rule of our obedience, but it must also be the reason of it; we muft not only do that which is there commanded, and avoid that which is there forbidden, but we muft alfo do the good, because the Lord requireth it, and avoid the evil, because the Lord forbiddeth it; (c) yea, and we must do all that is delivered and prefcribed in the law, for the love we bear to God; the love of God must be the fountain, the impulfive, and efficient cause of all our obedience to the law.

Fifthly, He muft confider, that as our obedience to the law mufi arife from a right foun

(a) Rom. vii. 14. Mat. v. 27.
(b) Dod on the Com. Page 24.
(c) Urfin. Cat. Page 37.

tain,

tain, fo must it be directed to a right end, and that is, that God alone may be glorified by us; for otherwise it is not the worship of God, but hypocrify, faith Urfinus's catechifm; (a) fo that according to the faying of another godly writer, (b) the final caufe, or end of all our obedience, must be God's glory; (c) or which is all one, that we may pleafe him, for in feeking to please God, we glorify him: and these two things are always co-incident.

Sixthly, He muft confider that the Lord doth not only take notice what we do in obedience to his law, but alfo after what manner we do it: and therefore we must be careful to do all our actions after a right manner, viz. humbly, reverently, willingly and zealoufly.

Neo. I beseech you, Sir, if you can spare fo much time, let us have fome brief expofition of fome, if not of all the commandments before we go hence, according to these rules. Evan. What fay you, neighbour Nomologifta, do you defire the fame?

Nom. Yea, Sir, with all my heart, if you please.

Evan. Well then, although my occafions at this time might justly plead excufe for me; yet, feeing that you do both of you defire it, I will for the prefent difpenfe with all my other bufinefs, and endeavour to accomplish your defires, according as the Lord fhall be pleafed to enable

(a) Page 528.
(6) Mr. Whateley God's hulb. Page 1 20.
(c) 1 Cor. x. 31.

enable me and therefore I pray you understand and confider, That in the firft commandment there is a negative part expreffed in thefe words, "Thou shalt have none other "Gods before my face." And an affirmative part included in thefe words, "But thou fhalt "have me only for thy God;" for if we must have none other for our God, it implies ftrongly, that we must have the Lord for our God.

Neo. I pray you, Sir, begin with the affirma tive part, and first tell us what the Lord requir eth of us in this commandment?

COMMANDMENT I

Evan. In this firft commandment, the Lord requireth the duty of our hearts or fouls, Prov. xxiii. 26. That is to fay, of our understandings, wills, and affections, and the effects of them. Neo. And what is the duty of our under standings?

Evan. The duty of our understandings is to know God. (a) 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. 9. Now the end of knowledge is but the fulness of perfuafion, even a fettled belief, which is called faith, fo that the duty of our understandings is, fo to know God, as to believe him to be according as he hath revealed himself to us in his word and works, Heb. xi. 6.

Neo. And how hath the Lord revealed himfelf to us in his word?

(a) Andr. on the Com. Page 125.

Evan.

Evan. Why he hath revealed himself to be most wise, Rom. xvi. 27. Most mighty, Deut. vii. 21. Most true, Deut. xxxii. 4. Moft juft, Neh. ix. 33. And moft merciful, Pfal. cxlv.

8.

Neo. And how hath he revealed himself to us in his works?

Evan. He hath revealed himself in his works to be the Creator of all things, Exod. xx. 11. And the Preferver of all things, Pfal. xxxvi. 6. And the Governor of all things, Pfal. cxxxv. 6. And the Giver of every good gift, James i. 17.

Neo. And how muft our knowledge of God, and our belief in him, be expreffed by their effects?

Evan. We muft exprefs, that we know and believe God to be according as he hath revealed himself in his word and works, by our remembring and acknowledging him whenfoever there is occafion for us fo to do.

As for example. When we read or hear thofe judgments that the Lord in his word hath threatened to bring upon us for our fins, (a) we are to exprefs, that we do remember and acknowledge him to be moft mighty, true, and juft, by our fearing and trembling thereat, Pfal. cxix. 120. Hab. iii. 16. And when we read or hear of bleffings, that Lord in his word hath promised to bestow upon us for our obedience, (b) then we are to exprefs, that we do remember and acknowledge him to be most true, and merciful,

(a) Deut. xxviii. 16. (b) Deut. xxviii. 2.