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to govern his paffions, when they are vehemently stirred to disorderly motion; we do continually need God's inftruction to guide us, God's hand to uphold us, God's Pf. xxxvii. care and help to guard us: when therefore, I fay, our 23, 24. condition and circumftances do minifter dangerous occafions of fin; when our vain and weak tempers do incline or betray us thereto; when the world would fmile or frown us into it; when the Devil violently folicits, or thrufts on toward it; thus to be deftitute of God's grace, thus to be left to ourselves, is the moft horrible judgment that can be. In fuch cafes and feafons God's interpofal is neceffary, either to remove thofe temptations, or to fup port and defend us from the prevalence of them, puλácowv antaloτovs, keeping us from ftumbling and falling, as St. Jude 24. Jude speaks; not fuffering us, as St. Paul expreffeth it,

to be tempted above what we are able, but making with the 1 Cor. x. 23. temptation alfo a way to escape, fo that we shall be able to fuftain it.

That God would please to do this for us, we do here pray; and in pursuance of this petition we fubjoin that which in part may pass for an illuftration thereof, (implying an antithefis ferving to that purpose: for, delivering from evil importeth the fame with ῥύεσθαι ἐκ πειρασμοῦ, being refcued from temptation, in St. Peter; The Lord, 2 Pet. ii. 9. faith he, knoweth how to refcue the godly out of temptation; and τηρεῖν ἐκ τῆς ὥρας πειρασμοῦ, to preferve from the time of Rev. ii. 10. temptation, in the Revelation; which are opposed to bringing into temptation,) partly it may be supposed an improvement thereof; delivering from evil fignifying perhaps fomewhat more, than not permitting us to incur occafions ftrongly inviting us to evil; even the effectual keeping us from being overborne or complying with it. But let us confider that petition itself.

But deliver us from Cvil.

FROM evil, Tо тou wonpe St. Chryfoftom takes it for the Devil; who is the wompòs, the evil one, the tempter, who feduceth us to evil: but we fhall take it according

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to the more common acception: from evil; that is, principally, from fin, or evil moral and spiritual; the only evil, fimply and in its own nature fuch, and the root of all other evil; from that, and confequently from all mifchief (evil natural and temporal, or evil penal and afflictive) which may grow upon, or sprout from thence. As for fuch evils as these; the want of things necessary or convenient for us; bodily difeafe and pain; disappointment in our defigns, and ill fuccefs in our undertakings; difgrace and reproach upon our good names; dangers, difficulties, and diftreffes concerning our outward eftate; diftractions, vexations, and troubles of mind about temporal matters, with the like evils, (in fome fenfe, in fome degree evils, or appearing fuch to our natural fenfe and fancy;) we may indeed deprecate them, (as even our Lord himself did,) with fubmiffion (as he did) to the wisdom and will of God, in case it pleaseth him, and he thinketh fit to remove them but all these things being but names and empty founds in comparison to fpiritual and eternal evils, (fuch as are vicious diftempers of mind; indifpofitions to ferve God; ill progrefs in our spiritual affairs; diffatisfaction concerning our state in respect to God; actual tranfgreffion of God's holy will and law; incurring God's displeasure and disfavour; being deprived of his grace and affistance; wanting the communion and comfort of his Holy Spirit; remorfe of confcience, and anguifh of fpirit for having violated or neglected our duty; blindness of mind, hardnefs of heart; want of love, reverence, devotion toward God, of charity and good-will toward our neighbour; of fobriety, humility, regularity of paffion, and calmness of temper, in respect to ourselves and the inward frame of our fouls; thefe, I fay, and fuch like evils,) we should absolutely request of God, that he in mercy would deliver and free us from them; they being irreconcileably repugnant to his will and glory, and inconfiftent with our eternal welfare. Yet even these, and all other things, we do request only in general terms, leaving the distinct matter, and manner, and measure, according to which they should be dispensed, to the wisdom and goodness of God; who

doth, as our Lord telleth us, know what things we have Matt. vi. 8. need of, before we ask him; and is not only able, as St. Eph. iii. 20. Paul fays, but willing alfo, to do for us fuperabundantly above what we can ask or think. We are hereby (it seems) taught this point of good manners in our devotion, not to be tediously punctual and particular in our prayers, as if God needed our information, or were apt to neglect the particulars concerning our good.

We shut up all with a doxology, most suitable to the nature of devotion, fignifying our due faith, our affection, and our reverence toward God.

For thine is the kingdom, the Power, and the
Glorp, for ever and ever. Amen.

THAT is, for thou haft a perpetual and unmoveable authority, whereby juftly to difpofe of all things; thou haft an indefectible and irrefiftible power, whereby thou canft effect whatever seems just and good to thee; wherefore we profess only to rely upon, and seek help from thee; with hope and confidence we addrefs ourselves to thee for the fupply of our needs: thine is the glory; all honour and reverence, all love and thankfulness are due unto thee; therefore we render our adorations and acEven fo to thee, God the Fa

knowledgments to thee.

ther, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoft, be for ever ascribed all glory and praise. Amen.

AN

EXPOSITION

OF

THE DECALOGUE.

ALTHOUGH this fyftem of precepts may seem to have been in its defign rather political, than moral; to regard public and external, rather than private and interior action; that great branch of morality, which respecteth ourselves in our private retirements, or in our particular converfation, fobriety of mind and manners, being scarce touched herein, at least not openly and plainly expreffed; as alfo devotion toward God, (in any of its kinds, of praise, thanksgiving, confeffion of fin, prayer and interceffion,) that great part of natural religion, being not explicitly and pofitively enjoined: although alfo (as by the introduction thereto, and fome paffages therein, especially as it is delivered in Deuteronomy, may appear) it seemeth particularly to concern the Jewish nation; a people'o yàp iv called and chofen by God out of all nations, to be go- Χωρήβ και verned in a more special and immediate manner by God voos xai μῶν μόνον, himself, obliged to him by peculiar benefits and favours, &c. Juft. defigned by him to a separate manner of living; being Mart. Dial. cum Tryph. also perhaps in temper and disposition, as well as in con- p. 228. dition and circumstances of life, different from other people; whence laws convenient (or in a manner neceffary) for them might not fo well fuit to all others; upon which accounts, as other of their laws, fo perchance fome paffages in this notable part of them, may not unreafonably be deemed peculiarly to concern them; although

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