Hopkins - HP BR75 .H65 1710

IV. An Expdjition upon the every moment of time, in refpell: of the Habits of Divine Love, and Faith, and' Worfhip, yet it doth not oblige us, to every moment in refpc<t of the Acts of thefc Habjts; for it is impollible to bO always acttially prlying, actually praifing, and act. ll~lly worlhipping 9f God; neitllei" is it required. that w<; fhould, for this would make one Duty .fuock and inte_ifere with another. .So li~eYfife the Fourth Cam~ mandment, which is Affirmative,.' lemt11fbrr that thou ltup holy tbt .Sabbath day, obligeth alway$; :ind whofoever at any time prophanes the ~bbath, is guiltY of the Violation of this Law: but it doth n,ot, it can_no.t ohlige to ~very moment o( time, fince this Day only makes its weekly returns, and eVery parcel of time is nc;>t a SibbJthday. So· !ikeyv-ife the ~ifth Command"'!ent is po~tive, 1-/onour thy Fathrr .and thy Mother, and bmds always, fo.that we fin 1f at any ttme we are refractory and difobedient unto their lawful Commands : but it doth not qbfige to the Acts of Honour and Reverence in every moment of time, for 'that is irnpoffible, or were it not, it would be but mimical and ridiculous. But nOw the Negative Precepts oblige us to ev~ry moment of time; and whofo- ~ver ceafcth the Obfervation of them for any one moment, is thereby involved in Sin, and beCO!lJCS guilty, ~nd a Tranfg~elfor before God: Such are, TfJorl j11alt not t4ke the Name of the IAr,d ~hy God in vain. Thou jhalt not KiD. 'Tho~ ./halt not Steal. Thou Jlutlt not commit .Adultery, ~c. Now there IS no moment of time whatfocver that can render the Non:obfervation of thcfe Commands ~llowable; nor are there any circumftances that can .excufe it from Guilt: ,Wh'?(C?ever doth prophan·e the Name of God by raJh fwearing, or trivial or impertinent uttering of it; whofoevef !heds innocent Blood; whofoever purloins frotn anOther what is rightly his; whofocvcr is guilty of any Uncleannefs, let it be at what time, . in what place, after ... what manner foever; let it be done paffionately or dclibefately, whether he be tempted to it or not, yet he is a Tranfgreffour of the Law, and liable to that Cnrfe and Death which God hath threatned to inflict upon every Soul of Man tlra't doth evil i whereas in the Affirmative Precepts there are fame times and feafons to·which we are not bound,. fo as ad:ually to perform th<: Duties enjoined us. This I fuppofe is clear, and without Exception. . Fourthly, Ob(erve this Rule alfo, That the fame Precept which forbids the extcr_ nal and outward Acts of Sin, forbids likewife the inward Dcfires and Motions of Sin in the Heart; and the fame Precepts which require the external Acts of Duty, require likewife thofe holy Affections of the Soul, that arc fuitablc thereto: As for infl:ance, The fame Command that requires me to Worfhip God, exacts from me not only the outward fervice of the Lip, or of the Knee, but much more the inward Reverence and AffeCtion of my Soul; that I fhould proftrate, not my Body only, but my very Heart at his Feet, fearing him as the grcatefr God, and loving him as the 9:rcateft Good, and with all the tendernefs and ~earnefs of an amorous and ravifh d Soul, cleaving unto him, and clafping about h1m as my only Jo y and Happi.. ncfs. And therefore, thofeare highly guilty of t~eViolation of this Command, who worfhip God only with their Bodies, when their Hearts at:e fa: cftrangcd from him; offermg up only the fhcll and husk of a Duty, when .their pith and fi1bftancc which fhould fill it, is given either t? the World,. o~ to the1r Lufts: Snch as thefe :tre guilty of Idolatry, even in fervmg and worlluppmg.thc trn~ God; for they fet up their Idols in their Heafts, when they come to mqmre of h1m; as the Prophet complains, Ez.efl.. 14. 7· So likewife that pofitivc C'...ommand, H011ot1r thy Fathtr and rby Mother, cloth not only require from us the external Acts of Obedience t6 all tile. lawful C~mmands of our Parents, and Magiftrates, and thofe whom.God hath fet m Authonty over us, but requires farther, an inward Love, Veneration, and Eftcem for ti1cm in our Hearts. For though Men can take no further cogni~ncc of us, than.by our Overtacts, and if thofe be regular, they arc likewife fansfaB:~ry to a}I Humane L:lws; yet this is not fufficicntSatisfaC\:ion to the Law ofGod, who Ii the D1fcerner and Judge of the Heart and Soul, and whofe Law hath this fpccial Prerogative above all others, That it can with Authority prcfcribe to our very Thoughts, Defircs, and Affections. And the.n, as for N:cgativc Commands; they do not only forbid the external AB:s of Sin, but the inward Motions of Luft, finfui Defires, and evil Concupifcencc. And thus we find it at large, Mmh. 5· where our Saviour makes it a great part

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