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FIRST TABLE OF THE LAW-DUTY TO GOD.

The first commandment, is, Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. Exod. xx. 3, Deut. v. 7.' *

The second commandment, is, 'Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. †

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.' ‡

The fourth commandment is, Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath-day, and hallowed it. (See section on the Sabbath-day.)

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Every one should examine his heart, to see who sits enthroned there,whether God, or the world, or self, or any sinful object,-any object loved equally with God, or more than God.

+Learn from this commandment, 1. That God is our Lord and Sovereign, and therefore, has a right to demand what he pleases, Isa. xxxiii. 22. 2. That God is very jealous for the purity of his worship, Exod. xxxiv. 14. 3. That transgressors shall not escape the due reward of their disobedience.

Learn from this commandment, 1. That God's name ought to be used with holy reverence. 'Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name,' Psa. xxix. 2. 2. The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain,' that is, he will account him very guilty, and will assuredly punish him. This sin destroys families, Zech. v. 3, 4; brings judgments upon a land, Hos. iv. 1-5; 'Because of swearing the land mourneth,' Jer. xxiii. 10. 3. The folly and wickedness of this sin appears, when it is considered, that no benefit is obtained by the commission of it. Hear the word of the Lord, 'I say unto you Swear not at all: neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jersusalem; for it is the city of the great king. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head; because thou canst not make one hair white or black: but let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil,' Matt. v. 34-37. 4. Learn also that God's ordinances are to be attended to with holy reverence. 'Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools.' Eccl. v. 1.

When the Rev. John Howe was dining with some people of fashion, one of them, while highly extolling Charles 1, mixed his conversation with many horrid oaths. Mr. Howe told the gentleman he had omitted to mention one great excellence in the character of the prince. The gentleman was impatient to hear it. Mr. Howe said,-that King Charles was never heard to swear an oath in common conversation. The gentleman kindly received the reproof, and promised to break off the practice.

SECOND TABLE OF THE LAW-DUTY TO MAN.

The fifth commandment is, 'Honour thy father and thy mother;* that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.' It requireth, The preserving the honour, and performing the duties belonging to every one in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals.'

The sixth commandment is, "Thou shalt not kill.' It requireth, All lawful endeavours to preserve our own life, and the life of others; and forbiddeth, "The taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbour unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.'

The seventh commandment is, "Thou shalt not commit adultery.' It requireth, The preservation of our own and our neighbour's chastity, in heart, speech, and behaviour, and forbiddeth, 'All unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.'

The eighth commandment is, 'Thou shalt not steal.' It requireth, 'The lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others;' and forbiddeth, 'Whatsoever doth or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbour's wealth or outward

estate.'

The ninth commandment is, 'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.' It requireth, "The maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbour's good name, especially in witness-bearing;' and forbiddeth, 'Whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbour's good name.'

The tenth commandment is, 'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.' It requireth, Full contentment+ with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbour, and all that is his ;' and forbiddeth, ‘All discontent with our estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbour, and all inordinate motions and affections to any thing that is his.'

* When an amiable youth was lamenting bitterly over the death of an affectionate parent, his young friends endeavoured to comfort him, by reminding him that he had always behaved with duty, tenderness, and respect, to his deceased parent.' 'So I thought,' replied the youth, whilst my parent was living; but now, I remember with pain and sorrow, many instances of disobedience and neglect, for which, alas, it is too late to make atonement'.

'No doubt,' said the Rev. John Brown of Haddington, 'I have met with trials as well as others; yet, so kind has God been to me, that I think, if God were to give me as many years as I have had in the world, I would not wish any change, except that I wish I had less sin. It might be written on my coffin: Here lies one of the cares of Providence, who early lost both father and mother. and yet never missed them, for God made up the want of both."

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STCTION VI.

THE TRINITY.

I. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. Two general statements regarding the Godhead,* are, (1.) 'Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,' Matt. xxviii. 19. (2,) 'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all, Amen,' 2 Cor. xiii. 14.

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II. The Son is Divine. He is expressly said to be God. (1.) 'In the begining was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' John i. 1. (2) Whose are the Fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is God over all, blessed for ever,' Rom. ix. 5. (3) Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God,' Phil. ii. 6. (4) He has divine perfections ascribed to him; he is eternal and omnipotent. 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.' Rev. i. 8. (5.) He is omnipresent. 'Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,' Matt. xviii. 20. (6.) He is omniscient and just. And all the churches snall know that I am he who searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will give unto every one of you according to your works,' Rev. ii. 23. (7.) He has divine works attributed to him. (1.) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made,' John i. 3. (2.) 'By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible

*The Three Persons in the Godhead are distinct but not separate. Things which are distinct are not always separate. This is the case with the soul and body of man, while he is alive in this world. This is the case with the faculties of the mind. They are distinct, but not separate. So it is in regard to the Persons in the Godhead. The three Persons in the Godhead are the same in essence, and equal in every divine perfection. The Scriptures represent the Holy Ghost as subordinate to the Father and the Son, and the Son subordinate to the Father. But this is only a subordination of office, in reference to the different parts they take in the work of man's redemption. In their official capacity, the Son is obedient to the Father, and the Holy Ghost is obedient to the Father and the Son. This gives rise to all that is said in the Scriptures of the Holy Ghost, and much that is said of the Son, as unequal to the Father, John xiv. 26; John xv. 26; 1 John iv. 9.'-(Theol. Class Book.)

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The Divinity of Christ is a most important, and an essential doctrine. Two Gentlemen were once disputing on the divinity of Christ. He who argued against it, said:-"If it were true, it would have been expressed in the Scriptures in clear and unequivocal terms. "Well,' said the other, if you believed, what language would you use, to make the doctrine indisputable ?' replied, I would say, that Jesus Christ is the true God.' You are very happy," said the other, 'in the choice of your words; you have hit upon the very words of Inspiration, for St. John, speaking of the Son says,-"This is the true God and eternal life." 1 John, v. 20.

and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by him, and for him." 'And he is before all things, and by him all things consist,' Col. i. 16, 17, (3.) 'He upholdeth all things by the word of his power,' Heb. i. 3. (8.) He has divine worship given him. (1.) "The Father judgeth no man; but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father,' John v. 22, 23. (2.) When he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, Let all the Angels of God worship him,' Heb. i. 6.

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III. (1.) The Personality* of the Holy Spirit, is proved from John xvi. 13,14. Jesus said, 'Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. The Divinity of the Holy Spirit, is proved from the following passages,- Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God,' Acts v. 3, 4. "No prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation: for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,' compared with the words of Paul, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,' 2 Peter i. 20, 21; 2 Tim. iii. 16.

IV. There is but one God; although there be three persons in the Godhead. (1.) 'I am the Lord, and there is none else; there is no God besides me: I girded thee although thou hast not known me; that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me: I am the Lord, and there is none else,' Isa. xlv. 5, 6. (2.) 'We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one,' 1 Cor. viii. 4. (3.) 'I and my Father are one,' John x. 30.

V. We cannot understand the nature either of the unity or of the plurality which exists in the Divine nature, but there is nothing self-contradictory in them. In the divine nature there is both unity and plurality; God is, in one point of view, one, and in another three.' It is impossible that man, who is a finite creature, can

*These verses put the personality of the Holy Spirit beyond all rational doubt. The expressions should have been it, and not 'he, if the Holy Spirit were only a Divine Energy, and not a real Person. The distinct personality of the Holy Spirit is proved by the frequent application of the masculine pronoun to Him in Scripture, though the word spirit is neuter.'-(Matt. Henry.)

+God is three in personality, but one in essence or substance three in one respect, but one in another. The three Persons in the Godhead do not constitute one Person, neither does the one God constitute three Gods; but the three Persons exist in one God, and the one God subsists in three Persons. God is such sense as to

really, as well as nominally, three in Person; but not in a Book, p. 38.)

be inconsistent with His being one in essence.(Theol. 'God is one, yet manifold.'-(Dr. A. D, C. Twesten.)

comprehend God, who is an infinite Being, any more than he is pleased to make himself known. Great caution should be exercised in trying to explain what is not revealed, regarding the nature of the Godhead. 'Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof, is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea,' Job xi. 7-9. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;

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and his greatness is unsearchable,' Psa. cxlv. 3.*

SECTION VII.

THE DIVINE AND HUMAN NATURES OF CHRIST.

I. (1.) Christ hath two natures, the nature of God and the nature of man. 'And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles believed on in the world, received up into glory,'1 Tim.iii. 16. (2.) Christ is both God and man in one person. 'Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us,' Matt. i. 23. For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the

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* The doctrine of the Trinity is mysterious, and above human reason; but not contrary to reason, or absurd, nor more mysterious or above reason than the very being, nature, and perfections of God. These are all inexplicable and incomprehensible by finite minds. It is not to be expected that the mode of the Divine existence should be level to the comprehension of finite capacities. The mystery in reference to the Trinity does not exist in the fact, that there are three Divine persons in the Godhead, for this is plainly revealed; but in the manner in which the three Divine persons subsist in the Divine essence, or in the Godhead. The mysteriousness of the triune existence of God is no just reason for rejecting the doctrine. If we may not believe anything respecting God which we cannot comprehend, we may not believe His existence, or His perfections, or His works, or His ways; for they are all incomprehensible by It becomes us short-sighted fallible creatures, immersed in the darkness of the fall, to bow to the instructions of Heaven. If we do not, we must abide the doom of unbelievers. The doctrine of the Trinity is of the greatest importance; for it relates to, and has a vastly important bearing upon the whole scheme of salvation. The gospel is wholly built upon it. It is, therefore, the fundamental, and an essential article of the Christian Religion. The three Persons of the Godhead, are, distinctly, proper objects of religious worship. This arises from the fact,-1. That each Person is truly Divine, and, 2. That worship is represented as paid to them, distinctly, in the Scriptures. God should be worshipped according to His personal distinction, because in this mode of existence much of his essential and peculiar glory consists, as in this way He differs from all other beings, and claims a superiority to them: and because to each Person we are indebted for the part He takes in the accomplishment of the great work of human redemption,-(Theol. Class Book, p. 41, 42, 43.)

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