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Idolatry (which Word implies, the Regarding Pictures or Images in Time of Prayer and Adoration) being every where ftigmatiz'd as a very great Abomination, in the Sight of the LORD. By the third they are strictly injoin'd, Not to take God's Name in vain. That is, not to fwear by his holy Name, but upon ferious and important Occafions; and then, punctually to observe their Oath. By the fourth, they are requir'd to keep holy every seventh Day, by ceafing from their ufual Labours. That fo, their Minds and Bodies being wholly free and difengag'd from other Bufinefs, they might be at leifure to meditate upon the mighty Works of their Creator, and devote themselves more entirely to his Service. By the fifth, they are commanded to honour their Parents; and encourag'd to it by the conditional Promise of a long and happy Life. The fixth prohibits the committing of any kind of Murder: The Seventh, of Theft: The eighth, of Adultery: The ninth, bearing falfe Witnefs: The tenth, defiring to obtain, unlawfully, (any thing which is the Property of another. All which are said

to

to have been written by God himself, upon two Tables of Stone, for general and lafting Ufe.

SECT. III.

Further Particulars of the LA W.

But the feveral Particulars compris'd under these general Heads being too many to be retain❜d and obferv'd faithfully by all forts and degrees of Men: God was pleas'd further to reveal every Minute Circumftance of what he expected from them, both in their Duty to Him, and to one another. All which he caus'd to be written; that those who were to have the Government of the People, either in a Spiritual or Temporal Capacity, might expound it to them, as Occasion should serve; and fee to the Execution and Obfervance of it.

Commentators have taken Notice, that the Hundred and Nineteenth Pfalm (which is wholly made up of the Celebration of God's Law) rings the Changes, as it were, upon it, in the ten following Words; which, as they are render'd in our English

Tranfla

thefe.

Translation of the Bible now in ufe, are 1. Law. 2. Teftimonies. 3. Ways. 4. Precepts. 5. Statutes. 6. Commandments. 7. Judgments. 8. Word. 9. Ordinances. 10. Juftice.

Levit.

We need not queftion but every one of thefe Expreffions fingly were intended by the Composer of this Pfalm, to fignify the whole Law of God. But when we find feveral of them us'd together, in the four laft Books of the Pentateuch especially; as where it is faid, God made a Statute and Exod. xv. an Ordinance; and Thefe are the Statutes 35 and Judgments and Laws, which the LORD xxvi. 46. made between Him and the children of Ifrael; and These are the Commandments and Numb. the Judgments, which the LORD commanded xxxvi.13. unto the children of Ifrael; and I command Deut. thee, this day, to love the LORD thy God, xxx. 16. to walk in his Ways, and to keep his Commandments, and his Statutes, and his Judgments; we may reafonably conclude that they have somewhat different Significations; that they are not cafually jumbled together as a Parcel of fynonymous Words, only to express the fame thing by; but,

were

32

*

were judiciously intended to denote the
feveral Kinds and Parts of the Law: at
leaft, that they point out to us the two
principal Sorts of it;
the Worship of God,

that which relates to and that which concerns the Manners and Properties of Men between themselves. The first of which seems to be implied by the Word Statutes or Commandments; and the second, by that of Judgments; these Terms occurring the moft frequently in all thofe Places where the Law is profeffedly declar'd; and afterwards, whenever it is occafionally mention'd.

And, tho' these Terms are but two, yet in the Verfion of the Septuagint they are utter'd by, at leaft, two feveral Greek Words apiece; which makes each of them carry more than one Senfe: And therefore, by Commandments or Statutes, we may well understand to be meant God's Will in relation to what fhould or fhould not be

* As appears very plainly from the Greek Verfion, where the Words manifeftly import Meanings diftinct from one another; Commandments, Elona. Statutes, Ilesταγματα. Judgments, Κείματα, Κρισεις, Δικαιώματα.

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done about the religious Worship of Himself; together with the Rationale or ProT priety, as to the Manner and Order in which it ought to be done. As by the Word Judgments is implied, the Rules by which they were to proceed in their Courts of Judicature; where they were, either to * condemn or + acquit those who should be tried by them. And thus much it was expedient should be faid toward the explaining of these Terms; because they occur very frequently in the Scriptures; and we fhall be oblig'd, now and then, to have recourse to them in the Profecution of this Treatife.

SECT. IV.

How the Law was to be taught.

Now, the better to notify and make this Body of Laws understood, by all those who were concern'd to know them, God, foreseeing that this People, in Process of Time, would reject him, that he should not 1 Sam. reign over them; and, by their own Confeffion, unto all their fins, in running into xii. 19.

viii. 7.

x. 19.

* Κρισεις, Κρίματα.

† Δικαιώματα.

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