highly impious-being an imitation or aping of our Lord's miraculous fast in the wilderness. (Christ hath left us an example that we should follow his steps; but he has left no command to attempt to imitate his miracles.) They who instituted these days, and they who observe them, are to be reckoned in the number of those who "teach for doctrines the commandments of men."-Matt. xv. 9. See Col. ii. 16, 17, 20-23; Gal. iv. 9-11; and 1 Tim. iv. 1-5; where the distinction of meats under the New Testament dispensation is absolutely condemned.

It may be here objected by some, that there were many ceremonies under the Old Testament dispensation, instituted by the express command of God. To this we answer, that there is a very great difference between ceremonies instituted by God, and the inventions of men. The ceremonies which God appointed of old were no part of the moral law; and they were never designed to be continued in his Church. They were only a shadow of good things to come.-Heb. xi. 1, &c. Worship must now be spiritual, and suited to the Gospel dispensation.-See John iv. 23, 24.

We may here remark, that this commandment is farther violated, when the worship and ordinances of God are neglected, contemned, hindered, or opposed,-Matt. xxiii. 13; Acts xiii. 44, 45; 1 Thess. ii. 15, 16; and likewise when those are tolerated, whether ministers or people, who publish and maintain erroneous opinions and practices.-See Deut. xiii. 6-11; Gal. i. 8, 9; Rev. ii. 2, 14, 15, 20..

INFERENCES.

From this subject we learn,-1. That all ought to honour God according to his Word. 2. That acceptable worship must be spiritual, and far removed from the inventions of men. 3. That we are not left to choose the manner in which we are to worship God, any more than the object that we are to worship. That if we do not worship God in spirit, we show that we are unacquainted with his nature and character. 5. That however fond man may be of his own devices, they must be abandoned in the worship of God. 6. That, as members of the Church of Christ, he alone is our head, and we must live by him. 7. The danger of perverting his ordinances more or less; for if we do, we are not blameless. 8. The danger of contemning, neglecting, hindering, or opposing God's worship and ordinances.

Reasons Annexed.

The reasons annexed to the Second Commandment are, God's sovereignty over us, his propriety in us, and the zeal he hath to his own worship.

ANALYSIS AND PROOFS.

We are here taught,—

1. That God is our Lord and Sovereign. Isa. xxxiii. 22.— "The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king: he will save us." See also Psal. xcv. 3, 6.

2. That we are the property of God. Psal. xcv. 7.-" He is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand." See also Psal. xlv. 11.

3. That God is very zealous for the purity of his worship. Exod. xxxiv. 14.-"Thou shalt worship no other god; for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

EXPLANATION.

Obs. 204.- We should worship God in the way which he hath appointed, because he is our Lord and Sovereign.

By God's sovereignty over us, expressed in these words, "I the Lord," we are to understand his absolute power over us, as his creatures; by which he can dispose of us, and prescribe to us, as seemeth good to him. God has no reason to ask what we are willing to do; but what he commands we are bound to do, whatever be the nature or degree of the service to which we are called.

If, then, God has an undoubted and a sovereign prerogative over us, he can appoint such ordinances in his Church as it seemeth good to him; and we are bound to observe them just as he appoints them.

Obs. 205.-We should worship God in the way which he hath appointed, because we are his property.

By God's propriety in us, expressed in these words, “Thy God," we are here to understand his right in us by redemption; for, as Creator, the Lord cannot properly say, "I am thy God," because all have forfeited his favour and love; so that it is as Redeemer only that he stands in this most gracious relation to any of the children of men.

If, then, we are among the people of God, we are redeemed

by the blood of his Son; and thus his love ought to constrain us to love him, and to show our gratitude to him; which, in a great measure, is manifested by cleaving to all his ordinances, and by observing them exactly in the way which he hath appointed. And if so, then every human invention whatever ought to be rejected as unworthy of a place among Divine institutions.

Obs. 206. We should worship God in the way which he hath appointed, because he is very zealous for the purity of his worship.

This is expressed in these words: "I am a jealous God;" and it intimates that he attentively beholds his worshippers, whether or not they observe all his statutes and ordinances. Jehovah manifests his zeal for his worship in two ways:-by threatening and by promise.

1. By threatening. This is expressed in these words,"Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,”—that is, inflicting punishment upon the children for the iniquity of their parents. See Joshua ix. ; 2 Sam. xxi.; 1 Kings xv. 29, 30, and xiv. 11. It must, however, be remembered, that the children who are thus punished, are such only as walk in the ways of their wicked parents, follow their example, and approve of their conduct; or, at least, do not disapprove of it, and mourn on account of it.

2. By promise. This is expressed in these words,—“ Showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." They who love God, are such as have an unfeigned pleasure in him as their God, see in him what cannot possibly be found in any besides him, take up their rest in him, and in every thing manifest themselves to be his people. And they who keep his commandments, are such as have a universal and a uniform regard to every part of his law, as the only rule of their faith and practice; and, with respect to this commandment, have a particular regard to the institutions of his own appointment.

It may here be remarked, that there is something very observable in the way of expressing the threatening and the promise. The threatening extends only to the third and fourth generations of them that hate the Lord; whereas the promise extends to thousands of generations of them that love him and keep his commandments. This evidently intimates, that judgment is God's strange work, and that he has no plea

sure in the death of the sinner; but that mercy is his delight, and that it is manifold and unbounded.

INFERENCES.

From this subject we learn,-1. That God has a right to demand what he pleases. 2. That being his professed people, we are under special obligations to observe what he hath commanded; and likewise the manner in which his commandments ought to be observed. 3. That transgressors shall not escape the due reward of their disobedience. 4. That parents ought to consider well how they act before their children, that they may not plunge them into ruin by their wickedness. 5. That children ought to imitate the example of their parents no farther than they follow the Lord. 6. The danger to which those parents expose themselves, who set a bad example before their children. 7. That this will not excuse their children before the Lord, if they do not what he hath commanded. 8. That those children that are brought up in his fear, have much cause to bless the Lord; and likewise, that much will be required from them. 9. The necessity of loving God, and of keeping his command

ments.

The Third Commandment.

The Third Commandment is, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Exod. xx. 7; Deut. v. 11.

Duties Required.

The Third Commandment requireth the holy and reverend use of God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, word, and works.

ANALYSIS AND PROOFS.

We are here taught,—

1. That God's names are to be used with holy reverence. Psal. xxix. 2.-"Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name." See also Matt. vi. 9.

2. That God's titles are to be used with holy reverence. Rev. xv. 3, 4.-" Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou king of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy

name.

3. That God's attributes are to be used with holy reverence. Rev. iv. 8.-" Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.' See also Rev. xv. 4.

4. That God's ordinances are to be used with holy reverence. Eccl. v. 1.-" Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools." See also Mal. i. 11, 14.

5. That God's Word is to be used with holy reverence. Prov. xiii. 13.-"Whoso despiseth the Word shall be destroyed; but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded." See also Psal. cxxxviii. 2.

6. That God's works are to be used and contemplated with holy reverence. Job xxxvi. 24.-" Remember that thou magnify his work which men behold."

EXPLANATION.

Obs. 207.-The Third Commandment requireth the holy and reverend use of God's names.

We may here observe, that by the name of God in this commandment, we are to understand every thing by which he maketh himself known,-his names, titles, attributes, ordinances, word, and works.

The names of God are these:

1. To point him out as absolute, unchangeable, self-existent, &c., he is known by the names, Jehovah, Jah, I Am, God, &c.

2. To point him out as sovereign, he is known by the names, Lord, God, &c.

3. As he is one God in three persons, in the relation in which these persons stand to one another, they are known by the names of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

To make a holy and reverend use of God's names, is to think, speak, and write of them in faith and fear; having on our minds a holy dread of his majesty, and believing him to be what he calls himself.-Deut. xxviii. 58; Jer. v. 22.

Obs. 208.-The Third Commandment requires the holy and reverend use of God's titles.