not the fword in vain," Rom. xiii. 14. herefore, right honourable, God having calyou to wield the fword of authority in the ft famous city of this kingdom, I, a poor inbitant thereof, the author of this enfuing alogue, have, through the advice and perfuan of fome godly minifters, and through the onfideration of the fuitableness of the subject ith your place, been moved to take the boldefs to offer this work to your worthy name and patronage, (not for that I do conceive your honour is ignorant of your duty, nor yet for that 1 fee you to neglect your duty; for for your Chriftian integrity in your place, and your zealous forwardnefs to reform things amifs by punishing of evil-doers, doth to me witnefs the contrary) but rather to encourage your honour to continue your godly courfe in the ways of well-doing, and to advance forward in paths of piety, being more swift in your motion now towards the end of your race (your year I mean) that so your Mafter Chrift may have caufe to fay concerning you as he once did concerning the church of Thyatira, "I know thy works, and charity, " and fervice, and faith, and thy works: and "the last to be more than the firft," Rev. ii. 19. Yea, and that it alfo may be faid concerning you, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou haft been faithful over a few "things, I will make thee ruler over many "things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,' Mat. xxv. 21.

And so most humbly begging of your honour, that thefe my poor labours may be accepted, and

A 3

that

that under your honour's name, they may forth into the world, and praying the Lord power, and the God of all grace, to multip his Spirit upon your honour, with all the ble fed fruits of the fame, I take my leave, an reft,

Your honour's most

humble fervant to

be commanded,

E. I

THE

AUTHOR to the well-affected Reader.

[

Good Reader,

Do confefs, there are fo many both godly and learned expofitions upon the Ten Commandments already extant, that it may feem eedlefs to add any more unto that number. Nevertheless, I pray thee, do not think it imoffible, but that God may by fuch a weak intrument, as I myself am, fhew his power in dong fomething more, touching this fubject, than ath yet been done. I do confefs, I have had jood helps from the labours of others, and have nade much use thereof, efpecially for matter, er have I not confined my difcourfe within he compafs of what I have found in other ooks, but have from the warrant of the word of God, taken the boldness to enlarge it, both s touching the matter and manner, and especilly touching the application, wherein I have enleavoured to give both believers and unbelievers heir diftinct portion, by diftinguishing betwixt he Ten Commandments, as they are the law of works, having the promife of eternal life, and he threatening of eternal death annexed to them, nd fo applying them to the unbeliever; and as hey are the law of Chrift, having the promise

of eternal life, and the threatening of eterm death feparated from them, and fo applying them to the believer. 1 have not denied, bu acknowledged, yea, and proved, that the law of the Ten Commandments, truly expounded, are to be a perpetual rule of life to all mankind, yea, to believers themselves; for though the Spirit of Jefus Chrift, do, according to his promife, write this law in their hearts, as their inward rule, yet, in regard that whilst they live in this world, it is done but in part, they have need of the Ten Commandments to be unto them as an outward rule: for though the spirit have begotten in them a love to this law, and wrought in them a willing difpofition to yield obedience thereunto, yet have they need of the law to be unto them as a glass, wherein they may see what the will of God is, and as a rule to direct them how to actuate their love and willingness, fo that as a precious godly minifter of Jefus Chrift truly faith, the Spirit. within, and the law without," Is a lamp unto their feet, and a light un"to their paths," Pfal. cxix. 105.

But yet I do conceive, that expofitors on the Commandments fhould not only endeavour to drive on their defigns to that end, and there terminate their endeavours, as if there were no further use to be made of the law, neither in believers, nor in unbelievers; but they should aim at further end, an end beyond this, efpecially in unbelievers, and that is to difcover to them how far fhort they come of doing that which the law requireth, that so they may not take up their reft in themselves, but haften out

of

of themfelves, to Jefus Chrift, and that believers by beholding their own imperfections fhould take occafion to humble themfelves, and cleave the more clofe unto him by faith.

For when by way of expofition, it is only declared what is required, and what is forbidden in every commandment, with exhortations, motives, and means to do thereafter, it hath been obferved, that divers both profane and meer civil honeft people upon the hearing or reading of the fame, have concluded with themselves, that they must either alter their course of life, and ftrive and endeavour to do more than they have done, and better than they have done, or elfe they fhall never be faved, and hereupon they have take up a form of godliness, in hearing, reading, and praying, and the like, and fo have become formal profeffors, and therein have refted, coming far fhort of Jefus Chrift, yea, and believers themfelves have fometimes taken occafion thereby, to conceit that they muft do fomething towards their own juftification and falvation.

grace

Wherefore I, yet not I, by any power of mine own, but by the of God that is with me, have endeavoured not only to fhew what is required, and what is forbidden in every commandment but alfo, that it is impoffible for any man, whether he be an unbeliever or a believer, to keep any one commandment perfectly; yea, or to do any one action or duty perfectly, that fo by the working of God's Spirit in the reading of the fame, men may be moved, not only to turn from being profane, or mere civil honeft men, to be for

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