A. Not only because they have been usually divided into that Number; but because they were Originally deliver'd fo by God himself; and are accordingly fo call'd by Mofes. Exod. xxxiv. 28. Deut. iv. 13.

4. 2. What do thefe Commandments, in Ge neral, Refer to ?

A. To the Two great Branches of our Duty: Dur Duty towards God, and Dur Duty towards Dur Neighbour.

5. 2. What Authority have you for this Divifion of thefe Commandments?

A. The Authority of our Bleffed Saviour, Mat. xxii. 37. And indeed God Himself feems to have had Regard unto it, when he commanded Mofes to prepare Two Tables for Them; On the One of which were to be Engraven Those which concern our Duty towards God; on the Other, Those which contain our Duty towards our Neighbour. Exod. xxxi. 18. xxxii. 19. xxxiv. 1, 4, 28.

6. 2. How many Commandments does each of thefe Tables comprehend?

A. As to the Commandments themselves, it is not doubted by Any, but that those of the First Table end with that which concerns the Sabbath; and that the Second begins with that which Requires Us to Honour our Father, and our Mother, Eph. vi. 2. But in Dividing the Commandments of Each Table, there is a Difference between Us, and Thofe of the Church of Rome. For they join the Two First into One; and then to compleat the Number of Ten, divide the Laft into Two; And fo affign, not as we do, Four to One Table, and Six to the Other; but Three to the First Table, and Seven to the Second.

7. 2. Is it a Matter of any Moment, How each Precept is divided, so long as all are Retained?

A. In itsfelf it is not: But as the Design of this Divifion is to enable them the better to drop the Second Commandment, which is fo exprefs against their Image-Worship, altogether; (and which accordingly they do oftentimes Omit, in their Books of Devotion) fo it is certainly of Great Moment to be taken Notice of. Now the First and Second Commandments, have apparently a Different Defign, and were intended to forbid Two very Different Things. But the See below Laft Commandment folely Refpects the Sin of Sect. xxiv. Coveting: And if the Difference of the Inftances 2; 2. which are given in it, the better, to clear, and inforce, the Obfervance of it, be fufficient to make a Several Command, according to the. Diftinction of Them; they may as well divide it into Six, or indeed into Six hundred Commands, as into Two. For at this Rate, Thou fhalt not Covet thy Neighbour's Houfe, will be One: Thou shalt not Covet thy Neighbour's Wife, Another: Nor his Man-Servant, will be a Third: Nor his Maid-Servant, a Fourth: Nor his Ox, a Fifth : Nor his Afs, a Sixth: Nor any Thing that is his, a hundred more in one General Expreffion.

8. 2. But is there not One Great Branch of Our Duty here wanting, namely, Our Duty to- · wards Ourselves?

4. There is not: For all thofe Duties which we fo call, have a manifeft Regard, more or lefs, to our Duty to God, and our Neighbour; and may be comprised under the Offices relating to Them. At leaft, fince there is no Duty of this kind, but what is Required by God of Us, the better to fit Us for his Service, and Acceptance; it must be confefs'd, that the First Commandment alone, will take in, whatfoever of this Nature may feem wanting in the Whole.

9. 2. Is there any other Divifion of thefe Commandments, that may be fit to be taken Notice

of, before we proceed to the particular Cónfideration of Them?

A. There is yet One; namely, That of these Commandments, fome are Pofitive, and declare what we are to Do; as the Fourth Commandment of the First Table, the Fifth of the Second: Others are Negative, and fhew us what we are to Avoid; as all the Others of Both Tables.

10. 2. What do you obferve from this Diftinction ?

A. A Great Difference with Refpect to our Obligation to Obedience. For, (ft,) The posttive Commands, though they are always in force, and therefore Oblige all who have any Concern with them, and fo long as they are under the Power of them; yet they do not extend to All Perfons, nor Oblige at all Times. As for Example: To Honour our Father and Mother, is a Duty of Eternal Obligation. But then many there are Who have no Father, nor Mother; and therefore neither can they lie under any Obligation to Honour Them. Again, to Obferve the Sabbath-Day to keep it Holy, is a Command that never ceafes to Oblige. But yet fhould a Man be made a Prifoner, or a Slave, in a Pagan or Other Country, where he had no Means, nor Opportunity to Obferve it; whilft he lay under thofe Circumftances, he would not be Guilty of any Sin, by not Obferving of it. But now

the Negative Commands, not only Oblige Always, but All Perfons, at All Times, and in Atl Circumftances. And therefore, to Worship any other God, befides the Lord: To make any Graven Image, to bow down before it, and worship it: To take God's Name in Vain: These, and the like Prohibitions oblige Men to a conftant uninterrupted Obfervation of them; be their Circumftances, or Conditions of Life, what they will. Nor can it, at any Time, or upon any Occafion

Occafion be lawful for any One, To worship another God; To make a Graven Image to worShip it; to take God's Name in Vain; and the like.

11. 2. Have you any thing farther to obferve from this Divifion?

A. This only; That these two Kinds mutually Include one Another: So that when God commands any Duty to be perform'd, we are to understand that he does, by the very fame Command, forbid whatsoever is contrary thereunto to be done by Us. And again, when he forbids any thing to be done; he does thereby Require us to fulfil the Oppofite Duty imply'd, as well as to avoid the Sin which is exprefly taken Notice of. To clear my meaning in an Inftance of each Kind: God commands Us in the Fourth Commandment, to keep Holy the Sabbath-Day; and that by Sanctifying of it to a Religious Reft: And, by the fame Commandment, he forbids. Us to do any fervile Work upon it; or any thing, whereby this Day may be unhallowed, or profaned by Us. And this would have been.. understood by the Other part of the Commandment, though God had not exprefly taken Notice of it. In like manner, when in the Sixth Commandment, God forbids us to Commit Murder; we are to understand, that we are not only prohibited thereby to ftab or poifon our Neighbour; but are Required to do, what in Us lies, to Cherish, and Preferve his Life: To help him, if he be affaulted by Another; to feed and clothe him, as far as we are able; and to prevent, according to our Ability, whatfoever may bring him in danger of lofing of it.

12. 2. Are there any other General Rules that may be of Ufe to us, for the better Understanding of the Commandments here propofed to Us?

A. There

A. There are Several fuch Rules; but thofe of moft Confequence feem to be these Four. First, "That in every Commandment, the Ge"neral Thing Express'd, comprehends under it "all fuch Particulars, as either directly depend "upon it; or may Fairly, and Reasonably, be "Reduced to it." Thus the Seventh Commandment, though in express Terms, it Forbids only the Sin of Adultery; yet, under that General, is to be extended to all manner of Fornication, Uncleanness, Lafcivioufnefs, not only to all unchafte Actions, but to all wanton Words, Thoughts, Defires: To all immodeft Behaviour, and indecent Attire. To whatfoever, in fhort, may intrench upon that Gravity, and Reservedness, which our Religion Requires of us; or may be. apt to tempt us to fuch Sins as are here forbidden: Such as high and full Diet, soft Clothing, the Company of wanton Perfons; from all which we muft abftain by virtue of this Commandment: As alfo from all Places of Danger, fuch as Play-houfes, Balls, Dancings, Mufick-meetings, and the like.

13. 2. What is the next General Rule, to be Obferved, in the Interpreting of these Commandments?

A. "That where any Daty is Required, or "any Sin Forbidden; we are to Reckon ourselves. "obliged thereby, to use all fuch Means, as may "Enable Us to Fulfil the One, and to Avoid the

Other." Thus, becaufe in the Eighth Commandment we are Required not to Steal; therefore in Order to our more conftant and ready Avoiding of it, we must account ourselves obliged not only to watch our Actions, that we do not in any thing defraud our Neighbour; but moreover to do, what in us lies, to keep curfelves out of fuch Circumstances as may be likely to tempt us thereunto. We are therefore

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