Quote 4036
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the Ten Commandments are the very absolute and everlasting rule of true righteousness and all virtues, set down for all places, men, and ages, to frame themselves by. For the sum of the Ten Commandments is this: to show our love to God, and to love one another. And the Lord requires this at all times, and everywhere, of all kinds of men. The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
there is a holy kind of anger, which the scripture does not disallow; so that, unless a man is angry in that way, he will never be a good and godly man. For a good man has a zeal for God, and in that godly zeal he is angry at the iniquity and naughtiness of mankind.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Stripes must not be bestowed except for some great offence, and that too, should not be done in the father's anger, but moderately; not to mar, but to amend them. Let the parents always remember that golden saying of St. Paul, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger." The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
I have to say something, in what is left, touching the correction of those that are included under the name of children. This correction consists partly in words, and partly in stripes. In both there must be a middle-mean and measure, do that nothing is done outrageously. Do not let the admonition that is given in words be more bitter than the fault deserves. Let it nip for the time present; but being past, let it be spoken of no more.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Let the father instruct his children in manners. From our birth, we are all clownish and rude; and all children have unseemly and uncivil manners. This evil is doubled by evil custom and clownish company. Let the parents, therefore, teach their children manners early, which may adorn them at home, and become them abroad. Let him instruct the child how to behave himself decently in his going and in the posture of his body: how in the church, how in the market, how at the table, how in men's companies, and in all other places of company. The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
let him charge and see that his children go to the holy congregation to be instructed in religion there, by the public preacher. Yet nevertheless, let the father examine his children at home, and know what they have learned by hearing the sermon. Let both the father and mother also at home privately endeavour to teach their children the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, and the Lord's prayer; and let them teach them a brief and ready rule out of the scriptures for understanding the sacraments. Let them often and many times cause them to repeat the catechism, and beat into their heads such sentences as are most necessary to put them in memory of their faith and duty of life. The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Last of all, there is also to be found in the word of God a particular law for honouring old men, which bids us to rise before the hoary and grey-haired head. Lev 19.32 Old men therefore are to be honoured, whom we must worthily magnify, and in whom we must acknowledge the singular grace of God in giving them long life. By long and continual experience of all things, they have attained to much wit or wisdom, whereby they are able to help us with their counsel. Therefore, they ought to be praised, so that all men may understand that grey hairs are a crown of glory. Pro 16.31 Moreover, if aged weak persons are driven into need, then our abundance must supply their necessity.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Monks and hermits praise their profession or solitary life, extolling it above the skies. But I think truly, that there is more true virtue in one political man, who governs the commonweal and does his duty truly, than in many thousands of monks and hermits, who do not have so much as one word expressed in the holy scriptures for the defence of their vocation and vowed order of living.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Now, since our faith is all one, and the very same with theirs, it is lawful for us as well as for them, in a rightful quarrel by war, to defend our country and religion, our virgins and old men, our wives and children, our liberty and possessions. Whoever (under the pretence of religion) forsakes their country afflicted with war, not endeavouring to deliver it from barbarous soldiers and foreign nations, even by offering their lives to the push and prick of present death for the safeguard of it, are flatly unnatural to their country and countrymen, and transgress this fifth commandment. The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Let us not show ourselves unthankful to those to whom we are duty-bound forever, for their good deeds toward us. Let us nourish, cherish, and aid them in all their necessities: yes, let us wholly bestow ourselves and all that we have, to do them good. For all that we possess undoubtedly is theirs; and all that we have, we enjoy by them — for if they were not, then we would not be.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
I have to reckon up the abuses of the sabbath-day, or the sins committed against this commandment. It is transgressed by those who do not cease from evil works, but abuse the sabbath's rest to provoke fleshly pleasures. For they keep the sabbath to God, but they work to the devil, in gambling, 505 drinking, dancing, and feeding their inclinations 506 with the vanities of this world, whereby we are not only drawn from the company of the holy congregation, but we also defile our bodies, which we should rather sanctify and keep holy. Those sin against this precept, who either exercise any handy occupation on the sabbath-day, or else lie wrapped in bed and fast asleep till the day is almost spent, not once thinking to make one of God's congregationThe Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
We know that the sabbath is ceremonial, so far as it is joined to sacrifices and other Jewish ceremonies, and so far as it is tied to a certain time. But considering that on the sabbath-day, religion and true godliness are exercised and published, and that a just and seemly order is kept in the church, and that the love of our neighbour is thereby preserved in it, I say that it is perpetual, and not ceremonial. Even today, truly, we must ease and bear with our family; and even today we must instruct our family in the true religion and fear of God. Christ our Lord nowhere scattered abroad the holy congregations, but as much as he could, he gathered them together. Now, as there ought to be an appointed place, so likewise must there be a prescribed time, for the outward exercise of religion, and consequently, for a holy rest.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
On the seventh day we must think of the works that God did in six days: the children of God must call to remembrance what and how great are the benefits they have received the whole week — for which they must thank God, for which they must praise God, and by which they must learn God.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
He will not suffer nor allow among them the example of those dull-heads who say: "Let faith and religion be free to all; let no man be compelled to any religion." For he commands us to bind the stranger within the gates of God's people — that is, the stranger who dwells in their jurisdiction — to the holy observing of the sabbath-dayThe Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Let the law of God be holy to us, let his gospel be reverend in our eyes; and let the doctrine of the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles be esteemed by us as that which came from God himself. Let us not take the name of the Lord our God into our mouths, unless it is in a matter of weight.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
First of all, we have to think of God as the chief felicity and infinite treasure of all good things, who loves us exceedingly with a fatherly affection, always wishing and by all means desiring to have us saved, and to come to the perfect knowledge of the very truth; whose judgments are true and just, whose works for their excellence are wonderful, and whose words are most true, and truth itself.The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
This ark in turn was laid up in the holy of holiest. All of these circumstances tend toward nothing else, than to commend to us the excellence of the Ten Commandments, and to warn us to reverence that God who published this moral law, as the Lord of heaven and earth, and who at his own will and pleasure, orders the disposition of all the elements against disobedient rebels. These circumstances also admonish us, that even now, in our time also, we have to esteem the Ten Commandments as among the dearest jewels to be found in the whole world. For the holy relics that remain in the church of Christ, are the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's prayer, and lastly, the whole contents of the sacred bible.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
The law is the same everywhere, and the will of God is always one, because God is but one and is never changed. Nevertheless, the commandments were first set down in tablets by God, who was the beginner and writer of them; and after that, were again written into books by Moses.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
First of all, therefore, let no man think that before Moses' time there was no law, and that the law was first published by Moses. For the same special points of the moral law, which Moses sets down in the Ten Commandments, were very well known to the patriarchs, even from the beginning of the world.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
The MORAL law is that which teaches men manners, and lays down before us the shape of virtue; declaring with it how great are the righteousness, godliness, obedience, and perfection that God looks for at the hands of us mortal men.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
The law of God, openly published and proclaimed by the Lord our God himself, sets down ordinary rules for us to know what we have to do, and what to leave undone, requiring obedience, and threatening utter destruction to disobedient rebels. This law is divided into the MORAL, CEREMONIAL, and JUDICIAL laws: all the parts of which, and every point of which, Moses has very exquisitely written, and diligently expounded.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
There arises, I confess, some darkness in the scriptures, because of the idiomatic nature, figurative ornaments, and unfamiliar use of the tongues. But that difficulty may easily be helped by study, diligence, faith, and the means of skillful interpreters. I know that the apostle Peter says that in the epistles of Paul "many things are hard to understand." 2Pet 3.16 But he immediately adds, "which the unlearned, and those who are imperfect or unstable, pervert, as they do the other scriptures also, to their own destruction." By this we gather that the scripture is difficult or obscure to the unlearned, unskillful, unexercised, and malicious or corrupted wills, and not to the zealous and godly readers or hearers of it.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
We must pray continually, that the bountiful and liberal Lord will grant to bestow on us his Spirit, that by it the seed of God's word may be quickened in our hearts, and that we, as holy and right hearers of his word, may bear fruit abundantly to the glory of God, and the everlasting salvation of our own souls. For what will it avail to hear the word of God without faith, and without the Holy Spirit of God to work or stir inwardly in our hearts?The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
if in any place you perceive those traditions to disagree with the scriptures, then gather that it is the forged invention of men, and not the apostles' tradition. For they, who had one and the same Spirit of truth, did not leave to us one thing in writing, and teach us another thing by word of mouth. Furthermore, we must diligently search whether those traditions set forward the glory of God rather than of men; or the safety of the faithful rather than the private advantage of the priests. And we must take heed of men's traditions, especially since the Lord says, "In vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men." Mat 15.9 So that now, the surest way is to cling to the word of the Lord left to us in the scriptures, which teaches abundantly all things that belong to true godliness.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
to this end, the word of God is revealed to men: that it may teach them what, and what manner, one God is towards men — that he would have them saved, and that is by faith in Christ; what Christ is, and by what means salvation comes; what becomes the true worshippers of God, what they ought to flee, and what to follow.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
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