The Ten Commandments - Grace-eBooks.com

1 The Ten CommandmentsbyThomas WatsonTable of Contentsp. iiAbout This Book..p. 1 Title Page..p. 2 Original Table of Contents..p. 3 Introduction..p. 3 Obedience..p. Love..p. The Preface to the Commandments ..p. The Right Understanding of the Law..p. 412. The Ten Commandments ..p. The First Commandment..p. The Second Commandment..p. The Third Commandment..p. The Fourth Commandment..p. The Fifth Commandment..p. The Sixth Commandment..p. The Seventh Commandment..p. The Eighth Commandment.

2 P. The Ninth Commandment..p. The Tenth Commandment..p. 1473. The Law and Sin..p. Man's Inability to keep the Moral Law..p. Degrees of Sin..p. The Wrath of God..p. 1604. The Way of Salvation..p. Faith..p. Repentance..p. The Word..p. Baptism..p. The Lord's Supper..p. Prayer..p. 197 Indexes..p. 197 Index of Scripture References..p. 202 Latin Words and Phrases..iiiThomas WatsonThe Ten CommandmentsivThomas WatsonThe Ten CommandmentsThomas Watson, The Ten CommandmentsFirst published as part at A Body of Practical Divinity, 1692 Thomas WatsonThe Ten CommandmentsContents1.

3 The Preface to the The Right Understanding of the Law2. THE TEN The First The Second The Third The Fourth The Fifth The Sixth The Seventh The Eighth The Ninth The Tenth Commandment3. THE LAW AND Man s Inability to keep the Moral Degrees of The Wrath of God4. THE WAY OF The The Lord s Prayer2 Thomas WatsonThe Ten Commandments1. Obedience Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. Thoushalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his Commandments .

4 Deut 27: 9, is the duty which God requireth of man?Obedience to his revealed is not enough to hear God s voice, but we must obey. Obedience is a part of the honour we oweto God. If then I be a Father, where is my honour? Mal 1: 6. Obedience carries in it the life-bloodof religion. Obey the voice of the Lord God, and do his Commandments . Obedience withoutknowledge is blind, and knowledge without obedience is lame. Rachel was fair to look upon, but,being barren, said, Give me children, or I die; so, if knowledge does not bring forth the child ofobedience, it will die.

5 To obey is better than sacrifice. 1 Sam 15: 22. Saul thought it was enoughfor him to offer sacrifices, though he disobeyed God s command; but to obey is better than sacrifice. God disclaims sacrifice, if obedience be wanting. I spake not unto your fathers concerning burntofferings, but this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice. Jer 7: 22. Not but that Goddid enjoin those religious rites of worship; but the meaning is that he looked chiefly for obedience without which, sacrifice was but devout folly. The end why God has given us his laws, isobedience.

6 Ye shall do my judgements, and keep mine ordinances. Lev 18: 4. Why does a kingpublish an edict, but that it may be observed?What is the rule of obedience?The written word. That is proper obedience which the word requires; our obedience must correspondwith the word, as the copy with the original. To seem to be zealous, if it be not according to theword, is not obedience, but will-worship. Popish traditions which have no footing in the word, areabominable; and God will say, Quis quaesivit haec? Who has required this at your hand?

7 Isa 1:12. The apostle condemns the worshipping of angels, which had a show of humility. Col 2: 18. TheJews might say they were loath to be so bold as to go to God in their own persons; they would bemore humble, and prostrate themselves before the angels, and desire them to present their petitionsto God; but this show of humility was hateful to God, because there was no word to warrant are the ingredients in our obedience that make it acceptable?(1) It must be cum animi prolubio, free and cheerful, or it is penance, not sacrifice.

8 If ye be willingand obedient. Isa 1: 19. Though we serve God with weakness, it may be with willingness. Youlove to see your servants go cheerfully about their work. Under the law, God will have a free-willoffering. Deut 16: 10. Hypocrites obey God grudgingly, and against their will; facere bonum, butnot velle [they do good but not willingly]. Cain brought his sacrifice, but not his heart. It is a truerule, Quicquid cor non facit, non fit; what the heart does not do, is not done. Willingness is the soulof obedience. God sometimes accepts of willingness without the work, but never of the work without3 Thomas WatsonThe Ten Commandmentswillingness.

9 Cheerfulness shows that there is love in the duty; and love is to our services what thesun is to fruit; it mellows and ripens them, and makes them come off with a better relish.(2) Obedience must be devout and fervent. Fervent in spirit, &c. Rom 12: 11. Quae ebullit praeardore. As water that boils over; so the heart must boil over with hot affections in the service ofGod. The glorious angels, who, for burning in fervour and devotion, are called seraphims, arechosen by God to serve him in heaven. The snail under the law was unclean, because a dull, slothfulcreature.

10 Obedience without fervency, is like a sacrifice without fire. Why should not our obediencebe lively and fervent? God deserves the flower and strength of our affections. Domitian would nothave his statue carved in wood or iron, but made of gold. Lively affections make golden is fervency that makes obedience acceptable. Elijah was fervent in spirit, and his prayer openedand shut heaven; and again he prayed, and fire fell on his enemies. 2 Kings 1: 10. Elijah s prayerfetched fire from heaven, because, being fervent, it carried fire up to heaven; quicquid decorum exfide proficiscitur.