10. Scoffing and taunting at holiness, and the exercises of religion.

11. Dishonouring the religion which we profess, by unworthy and unsuitable carriage of life.

12. Performing prayer, or any other religious exercise, only out of custom, without affection and delight, and holy regard of the presence and majesty of God in his worship. More might be added, which, for brevity, we omit.

Is it not the highest shame of Christians to take pleasure to vilify and abuse that holy name of God, that saints and angels are blessing above, and which we hope, (as we pretend,) to bless with them for ever? If any dare offer to excuse it, by provocation or passion, that otherwise use it not; consider what a madness this is, because man hath injured thee, thou wilt injure God, and be avenged upon his name for it. And you that plead custom, accuse yourselves more deeply; that, tells you are guilty of long continuance in, and frequent commission of this horrible sin. Were the fear of God in men's hearts, it would prevail both above their passion and their custom. Did they believe this, that the Lord will not clear in his great day, it would fright them out of their custom. Were there a law made, that whosoever were heard swear, should be put to death, you would find a way to break your custom: God threatens eternal death, and you fear not, because indeed you believe not.

Generally, the reverent and holy use of the name of God and particularly, 1. In case of necessity, by advised and religious swearing by his name, and his alone, in judgment, truth, and righteousness. 2. Consider his name often, to take it into our thoughts, to meditate on his glorious attributes, and on his word and works; in both which those attributes shine forth unto us. 3. To delight to make mention of his name upon all fit occasions, and to speak to his glory. 4. To adorn our holy profession of religion with a holy life, with wise and circumspect walking, that it may

not be evil spoken of by our means.

5. That our

heart and affection be in the service of God which we perform, otherwise (how plausible soever the appearance and outside of it is) it is nothing but guiltiness within, a taking of his name in vain, who will not hold them guiltless that do so. 6. Above all exercises, to delight in the praises of God, which is most properly the exalting and magnifying of his name, the lifting it up on high. The Psalmist abounds in commending it; it is good, it is comely, it is pleasant. Oh! that we could resolve with him, Psal. xxxiv. 1, 2-I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be in my mouth continually. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord, &c. This is, as we can, to bear a part here with glorified spirits; and a certain privilege to us, that after a few days we shall be admitted into their number.

PRECEPT IV.

Remember to keep holy the Sabbath-day, &c.

Amongst all the visible creatures, it is man's peculiar excellency, that he is capable of considering and worshipping his Maker, and was made for that purpose; yet, being composed of the dust of the earth, and the breath of God, a body and a soul, the necessities of that meaner part, while we are in this life, employ as much, and take up a great part of our little time. And in this regard God hath wisely and graciously set apart a day for us, one of each seven to be appropriate to that our highest employment, the contemplating and solemn worshipping of his ma jesty. This is the scope of this precept:

1. The precept itself. 2. The reason of it, and motive to its obedience. The precept itself is first briefly expressed. 3. Further explained and urged.

Remember. This word used, 1. It seems to reflect upon by-past omission and forgetfuness for though

it was instituted in paradise, and was not now a new, unheard-of thing to this people, as appears by Exod. xvi. 23; yet it is likely they were much worn out of the observation and practice of it, especially during the time of their captivity in Egypt. So then it is renewed thus: "Keep holy this day which you know was so long ago appointed to be so; be not now any more unmindful and regardless of it." 2. 2. Such a way of enjoining seems more particularly needful in this than in the rest, because it is not so written in nature as the rest, but depends wholly upon particular institution, which may also be the cause why it is so large, and the form of it alone amongst all the ten, both negative and positive-Thou shalt do no work, and, Remember to keep it holy. S. But the main reason of this remember is the main thing or aim in this precept, as both the badge, and the preserver, and increaser of all piety and religion. And therefore is it, that it is so often pressed in the books of the law, and sermons of the prophets, to the people of God, and so often called a sign of God's covenant with them, and their mark of distinction from all other people.*

The sabbath-day. It is called a day of rest, from the beginning and original of its institution, God's rest; and from the end of its institution, man's rest; both which follow in the words of the command: the one is the example and enforcing reason of the other.

That thou keep holy. God sanctioned it by instituting it, and man sanctifies it by observing it according to that institution.

This sanctifying is, 1. In cessation from earthly labours. 2. In their stead to be wholly possessed and taken up with spiritual exercise, both in private and in public. The former is necessary for the being of the latter, that cessation for this work; and the latter is necessary for the due being of the former; we can

* Exod. xxiii. 12, and xxxi. 13, 14; Lev. xix. 30, xxv. 2, &c.; Jer. xvii. 21, 22; Isa. lviii. 13, 14, &c.

not be vacant and entire for spiritual service, unless we cease from bodily labour; and this cessation or resting from bodily labour, cannot be a sanctifying of this day unto God, unless it be accompanied with spiritual exercise.

In the following words, that part is only expressed, the rest or abstinency from work; but the other is supposed as the end of this, that they shall not do their own works, that they may attend upon God'shis solemn worship. And that is implied in that word, It is the sabbath of the Lord thy God, both of his own appointing, and for this end this work, that he may be more solemnly worshipped. And likewise the antithesis that seems to be in that word, In six days thou shalt do all thy work, imports, that on the seventh thou shalt do God's: not so called, that any benefit arises to him by our service; no, our goodness reaches him not at all. That way, that worship that is far above ours, that of the angels, can add nothing to him; for he is infinite. Even this work, sabbath's work, and all our prayers and praises offered to him, and all performances of his worship, they are our works in respect of the gain and advantage of them; it comes all back to us. But his worship is his work objec tively; he is the object of it, and directively by parti cular prescription from himself; and, if you will add, effectively too-never done aright but by his own grace and assistance.

Six days shalt thou labour, &c. The command of due labour and diligence in our particular callings, is not of this place; it belongs properly to the eighth precept, and some way to the seventh; here it is only mentioned premissively, and for illustration of this duty here enjoined. And further, there is under it a motive from abundant equity: seeing God hath made the proportion thus, not pinched to us, but dealt very liberally in the time granted for our own work, what gross, not impiety only, but iniquity and ingratitude will it be, to encroach upon that small part he hath nominated and set apart for his service! This was a

great aggravation of our first parents' sin, that having the free use of all the trees in the garden besides, they would not abate that one that was forbidden them, in homage and obedience to him that had given them all the rest, and given them themselves, who a little before were nothing.

Thou shalt labour. Not so as in them to forget and take no notice of God, not at all to call upon him and worship him, and think to acquit all by some kind of attendance on him on the sabbath. They that do so, are most unsanctified themselves, and therefore cannot sanctify the sabbath to God. Such profane persons do profane and pollute all they touch with their foul hands, for such be all profane hands lift up to God in prayer. The life of the godly is not a visiting of God only in his house on this day, but a daily and constant walking with God in our own houses, and in all our ways; making both our houses and our hearts, his houses, his temples, where he may dwell with us, and we may offer him our daily sacrifices.

Only the peculiar of this day is, that we may not divide it betwixt heaven and earth, but it shall be wholly for the service of God, and no work at all to have place in it that may hinder that, and suits not with the sanctifying of it; for so we are to understand the word, No manner of work.

As each one is

Neither thou nor thy servant, &c. obliged personally, so they that have command of others, are bound to bind them to observance, and the cattle to rest, because their labour is for man's use, and therefore his resting infers theirs; as likewise their rest is for a passive conformity, that man may see nothing round about him, but what may incite to the observance of this day; which was the reason, in solemn fasts, of the beasts fasting likewise, for man's further humiliation. The stranger, if converted and professing their religion, the same reason for him, as for all others within a man's house; and if a stranger to their religion too, yet they might and