be called a fool then a wicked man For although that outwardly in regard of inconveniences men are more troubled if they be called wicked yet inwardly and in their secret thoughts they are more offended if they be reputed fools The reason is because every one naturally desireth to be thought a man that is a reasonable creature of which degree he thinks himself degraded if he be taxed of folly which is the want of judgment or reason and indeed essentiall to man So divine justice condemneth him to greater punishments who calls his brother fool then him that is angry without cause Mat. 5.22 But then how comes it that no man except he be a fool indeed dare take upon him the title of wise and yet every one dare call himself good the cause also is plain for though every man beleeves himself to be reasonable and is offended at the name of fool yet he knows that the name of wise includes qualities not common to all and which are not in the power of every one for to have a good natural understandding a quick apprehension a good judgment are perfections which every one cannot have though he would never so fain but to be good that is to hav moral goodness consisting in civil conversation only there are none who think not themselves capable thereof therefore as every one beleeves he may be a good man if he will so every one dares call himself good and that boldly because he knows that common belief gives him power to be so but as for wisdom which we know depends not on the will of any person none dare so boldly and openly assume this title An Oservation upon this That in the Scripture God is oftner angry with mans wickedness then he useth to laugh at their folly We may speak the truth irronically God himself useth sometimes this figure namely then when he mocks Idolaters and such as trust in Soothsayers he invites them to try if their gods and Astrologers can deliver them Iudg. 10.14 Ier. 8.28 Isa 47.13 and then also when he mocks those who trust to the wisdom or power of Kings Hos 13.10 truly mans folly deserveth as much to be mocked as his malice is worthy of our indignation yet there is oftentimes more cause to be angry with the wickedness of the world then to laugh at its vanity So the Scripture sets out to us how God is oftner angry with the wickedness of men then he useth to laugh at their folly and even then when he doth mock them he is most incensed against them Psalm 2.4 5. Is it lawful to divulge false news if it may serve for the publick good For example to appease a discontented people or to incourage them when they are affraid or to disperse a tumultuous conspiracy or to divert the plots of an Enemy Polititians make no scruple among other of their inventions to spread a false report when they think it may produce some good effect this seems to be countenanced by that of the Prophet Elisha who led the Syrians into Samaria making them beleeve that he would conduct them elsewhere 2 Kings 6. but to leave the opinions of Expositors upon that extraordinary example the general rule of truth is still firm for if it be not lawful to lie even for the glory of God how much less for other causes for is it reason that any estate or weal publick should be of greater consideration with us then God himself VVhy it is lawful sometimes to make shew of evil but never lawful to make shew of good There is great odds between a formal lie and a simple fiction or resemblance for the one is altogether vitious the other sometimes lawful but with a distinction We do not call him an Hypocrite who makes shew of evil which he hath not but him who makes shew of the good he hath not the first is sometimes lawful the other is never allowable it is lawful for a good man to counterfeit the naughty man as Salomon made shew to dispatch the poor infant 1 Kings cap. 3. but it were cousnage if a wicked man should counterfeit a good man its lawful for a learned man to play the ignorant but it were ridiculous presumption in an ignorant to make shew of learning its lawful for a wise man to play the fool as David did in the Court of Achis but but its a trancendant folly for a fool to counterfeit the wise man its lawful for a milde man to make shew of rigour as Ioseph did outwardly to his brethren but there is nothing more detestable then for a cruel man to make shew of mildness and lastly it is lawful for a friend to counterfeit the enemy but for an enemy to play the friend is horrible treachery Counterfeiting therefore is lawful in the one but not in the other good and evil in respect of their essence lodge within man not according to outward appearance the inside may be good though it doth not alwaies appear outwardly so but the outside can never be good if there be not goodness within hence it is that sometimes good under the shape of evil is lawful but evil is never lawful under the shape of good VVe may know a wicked man but it is impossible to know a good man If I finde a man doing wickedly I am not deceived if I hold him for a wicked man but when a man doth all the good he can yet this is no infallible mark to assure me that he is a good man for many do good things either out of Hypocrisie or some interest such will give all they have to the poor yea will suffer willingly Martyrdom who notwithstanding are void of Charity 1 Cor. 13.3 the works they do have truly a superficial goodness but abusive because the inside is naught As true goodness then lodgeth within the heart which to us is unknown so we cannot know if such a man is truely good But then how shall we know him to be wicked seeing wickedness as wel as goodness hath its abode within the heart The reason of this difference is plain an evil action never proceedes from a good heart but an action that is outwardly good may proceed from an evil heart When the Scripture speaks of any man in Hell it never names the man and when it doth name him it never expresseth the name of Hell an observation upon this matter The Parable in St. Luke chap. 16. nameth him who is in Abraham's bosome to wit Lazarus but gives no name to him that is in Hell Only in general calls him a rich man I will omit the reasons which some alledge for this and will onely say that the Scripture never nominates those whom it mentioneth to be in Hell torments and for this cause it is that the rich mans name is past over in silence whereas Lazarus is called by his name so it speaks of divers spirits in prison 1 Pet. 3.19 that is to say in Hell but
revelation for we had never known how many dayes God bestowed in creating the whole Universe if himself had not revealed this secret which he expresseth in the fourth Commandment of the Decalogue Yea moreover what the Law carries in its very frontispiece I am the Lord thy God could not be known by any naturall means To clear this we must again remember that God never names himself the God of those he hates The revelation comprehended in these words I am thy God is an expression of benevolence and graciousnesse Now this his saving benevolence could not be known by any voyce of Nature We say further that here are two points to be distinguished one that there is a God the other that he is our God The first that there is a God is written naturally in our hearts which is the reason that never yet Angel descended from heaven to come and tell men that there is a God But to make them know that God is their God to ensure them of his loving-kindnesse to bring them injunctions from him and in brief to attest and confirm that which they could not learn from any naturall principle God hath wrought miracles hath caused Angels to speak yea hath spoke himself The I. COMMANDMENT Thou shalt have no other gods c. A consideration of the times wherein Atheisme and Superstition have generally reigned TWo crimes are forbidden in this first Commandment of the Law One not to have a God the other to have more then one These two sins are very ancient in the world yet it seems that Atheisme was the first or at least Profaneness which comes very neer to Atheisme We read not that before the Flood there was any Idolatry amongst men The holy History Gen. 6. marking out the cause of their destruction seems rather to accuse them for having had no God at all then for having had many After the Flood though Atheisme was on foot still in the world yet was Idolatry far more generall But as the corruption of mankinde began by Atheisme or Profaneness it makes as though it would return thither again The first Ages have been Atheists the following ages Idolaters and the last into which we are fallen is already wholly disposed unto Atheisme And when the Son of man comes he shall not finde faith upon the earth By the example of the Pharisees and Sadduces is shewed that God rather pardons the Superstitious then the Profane The Pharisee was superstitious but the Sadduce inclined to Atheism seeing that he beleeved not the immortality of the soul neither the resurrection of the body nor the life to come Now we finde that divers Pharisees notwithstanding the envie and ill will with which they were fore-stalled became capable of the Faith and received the Gospel One of the most eminent of this Sect viz. Nicodemus spent both his cost and his pains in the buriall of Christ But never read wee of any Sadduce that was converted to Christianity Not that God hath been wanting either in goodness or power to their conversion but as it seems he would have it seen that in disdaining to make them his Disciples he more detesteth the profane then the superstitious Such a Pharisee that had even persecuted the Church was promoted as high as unto an Apostleship But never any Sadduce came so much as to the quality of a Disciple The true Religion the easiest The folly of the Pagans affecting plurality of gods False Religions have a thousand objects a thousand troublesome windings and every of them trails the minde of man now into one danger by and by into another But true Religion hath but one God one Mediatour one Sacrifice expiatorie one justifying Faith one Baptisme one mysticall Body and one onely Spirit How much the more we multiply this Union so much the lesse have we of Religion But the poor Pagans took it clean contrary for they that had the greatest number of gods counted themselves most religious It was the wisdom of the Greeks and Romans to seek all the gods they heard tell of yea all they could imagine thinking that to have many gods was to have much Religion A consideration upon the Worship of Angels The most specious and fair seeming Idolatry was the adoration of Angels creatures so noble and so far above us These celestiall spirits have sometimes come and spoke to men but their communication was ever short they did as it were but passe by without ever permitting any to know them Now it seems that the Wisdom of God would that every of their apparitions should be but of small continuance not to give time to the curiosity and feebleness of man that inclines to Superstition to ask them questions from the matter or to idolatrize their presence Of all mortall men that the Angels have longest held in discourse at one time Saint John the Divine was He who suffered himself to be carried away with an excesse of submission toward them Apocalyps 19.22 And since that time Angels have forborn to speak and commune with men Touching a kinde of Idolatry very subtill and usuall Many common people say that they put their confidence in the true Religion in their prayers and in the justice of their cause which is the same with Gods own It will seem to them very strange if one tell them that they deceive themselves and that one must trust neither in Religion although true nor in any of its duties neither in our just right though God himself be concern'd in it But they ought to consider that we cannot nor ought not to put our confidence but in God alone Religion is not God Religion is the service that one renders to God but it is not God Even the very Ark of God that held the Tables of the Law is called the might of God and his glory and yet it sufficeth that it was taken and carried about in triumph by his enemies Psal 78.61 Our faith is not rested upon a quality that God giveth unto a Cause nor in the interest that he takes in it but it is fastened and stayed on God himself who is its proper object This distinction that many will judge unprofitable and of little solidity is notwithstanding necessary and for want of taking heed to it we fall into an imperceivable Idolatry and which is very common Wherefore is it that a man that hath false gods leaves them not so easily as another forsaketh the true The Israelites were sometimes less constant in the service of the true God then the Pagans in the worship of their Idols This is cast in their their teeth Jerem. chap. 2. Go thorow the Isles of Kittim and behold c. is there any Nation that hath changed their gods which notwithstanding are not gods But my people hath changed their glory into that which is nothing worth This is natural and an effect of the weaknesse of humane judgment Naturall men desire to have a god that may have some proportion with
but out of the society of men Sometime God imployes one evill doer to punish another that hath committed the like offence There is even a secret analogie and conveniencie in such judgements The Serpent had inticed man to despise the fruits that God had given him and had drawn him to covet one that God had forbidden him The Israelites despise the Manna the ordinary food that God had given them and coveted the fruits of Egypt that God had taken from them Their sin like that of the Serpent was punished by the biting of serpents that were sent against them Numb 21.5 6. Sometime God practiseth the law of retaliation or otherwayes he sends punishments answering the form or nature of the crime we have an example in Adonibezek Jud. 1.7 and infinite more both in Scripture and experience Sometimes God looks upon the number of offenders and of just men and on the proportions which he findes between the offences of the one and vertues of the other had there been ten just men in Sodom it had not been destroyed Sometimes sinners are handled according to the measure of knowledge they have received by this rule judgement begins at the house of God and Jerosalem was destroyed before the Pagan Nations 1 Pet. 4.17 Ier. 25.18 c. Sometimes God looks upon the persons of our Ancestors from whom he takes occasion to punish the children chiefly when they fil up the measure of their Fathers Mat. 23.32 Finally though God punisheth sinners yet he punisheth them not alwayes for their sins but sometimes for other causes Iohn 9.2 3. Of whom are descended those Nations that go aked It is known there be many Nations among whom nakedness is accounted no disgrace a great part of the Inhabitants of Affris and the Natives of the West Indies walk without any other covering then their skins and it is remarkable that the people there at least the Affricans are come of Cham one of Noahs three Sons For the History of Genesis chap. 10. describing the peopling of the World shortly after the Flood makes it appear that the Posterity of Cham did for the most part settle themselves in Egypt Lybia and other neighbouring Countries whence doubtless they spred themselves through all the continent of Affric and the adjoining Islands and at last moved Westward the brutish behaviour that is found at this day among these Nations void of all shame seems to have continued among them as a mark of their Grand-fathers impudence who discovered his fathers nakedness Gen. 9.22 and this is wonderful that after so many ages such multitudes of people do yet express the turpitude of an Ancester removed so many degrees The number of Generations named in this Promise Many brethren are accounted but for one Generation because they are all within one degree of descent so the 12. sons of Iacob together were but one Generation and which is remarkable the 12th born after the deluge for in the Genealogy of Gods people we finde after Arphaxad the first that was born from the Flood 12. Generations till the 12. sons of Iacob to wit 1. Arphaxad 2. Scela 3. Heber 4. Peleg 5. Rehu 6. Serug 7. Nacor 8. Thera 9. Abraham 10. Isaac 11. Iacob 12. the twelve Patriarchs viz. Rubin Simeon c. Now taking the Generations in this sense and reckoning them for so many degrees we finde that from the Creation till this present time there have not been a thousand Generations as yet and indeed it is impossible there should have been so many For though every man that hath been since the Creation should have been a father at the age of ten years in a continual succession yet there cannot be six hundred Generations compleat seeing the World hath not lasted six thousand years as yet but indeed the number of Generations since Adam is far from a thousand Jesus Christ who was born a little before the four thousand year of the World was but the seventy fift Generation from Adam as may be seen in his Genealogy Luke 3.23 c. by all which we may judge that the race from Adam will never reach till the thousand Generation or else the World must necessarily continue longer then hitherto it hath done which is against all probability But why then is it that God promiseth to shew mercy unto the thousand Generation seeing that hath not yet been nor likely shall ever be The meaning is that though the race of the faithful should extend it self to the thousand Generation yet Gods mercies would extend it self as far Strange Exmples of divers Subjects in which God hath manifested both his Mercy and Instice God hath shew in both these attributes of his joyntly and yet severally at the same time and in the same respect They have been displayed in heaven in Adams Family in the Ark in Abrahams Tent in that of Isaac in the Kingdom of Israel among the Apostles and in the punishment of evil doers in every one of these places God hath manifested notable examples both of his justice and mercy in heaven the good Angels were elected and the evil spirits driven thence In Adams Family we have Abel and Cain God regarded the Oblation of the one and rejected that of the other in Noahs Family we have Shem and Cham the one is blessed the other accursed in the house of Abraham we finde Isaac and Ishmael Gal. 4. the one the child of promise the other after the flesh in that of Isaac we have Iacob and Esau the one beloved of God the other hated of him among the Kings of Israel there are David and Saul the one according to Gods heart the other rejected by God among the Apostles St. Peter and Iudas the one was received into mercy the other perished in despair on the very Cross the two theeves that were crucified with Christ one of them obtained grace the other died in impenitence the like we read in the Parable of the Publican and Pharisee in the Temple the one returning to his house justified the other was left in his pride so in the last day two shall be in the same bed the one shall be received and the other shall be forsaken Why did God sometimes take such particular care of the Patriarchs and their children even of those â—hat were wicked and at this day hâ— mâ—kes no such addresses as he did thâ—n to them Surely the same affection that was in Hagar when she thought her son would die may befâ—l divers other mothers to whom notwithstanding God will send no Angels to assure their childrens lives or their future prosperity Gen. 21.15 c. many women also may be paired with Rebecca when they carry twins as she did and yet God will not send them an Oracle to let them know what shall befal their children Gen. 25.22 Now among divers reasons of this extraordinary care which God had towards these persons we must know that in them were comprehended whole Nations which Rebecca bore in her
measures and degrees Now within these distances many causes of diversion or aversion may intervene which intercept or turn aside the affections but as there is no distance between a man and himself even so the love which a man bears to himself it immediately fastens to its object so that between the one and the other there is no place that can admit the interposition of any contrary cause the affection we bear to another moveth out of it self but that which each man hath to himself moveth as it were in a circle continually round about it self Why the older we grow the more we love our selves It is hard to beleeve that this natural love whâ—â—â— every one bears to himself and 〈…〉 born with us can receive any â—â—â—â—ment it is already great and of a high stature even when we are as yet in the Cradle some will say then that nothing can be added to such an affection seeing it is so great in its very beginning But on the other side it seemeth that it increaseth still and gathers strength and vigour as man increaseth in years in witness whereof we may alledge that ordinarily a father doth more love those children which are born to him in his old age then those he had before as Jacob was more tender over Benjamin then over the rest of his children I know other reasons may be given for this increase of affection but perhaps they proceed also from this cause Though all the children of one father are his flesh and blood yet notwithstanding the fathers affection towards himself being greater in his old age then before this descends also in a greater measure towards those children which he begets in that age But there is another probability that sheweth the increase of mens affections to themselves with the increase of their age as long familiarity increaseth the love that is between two persons so that man that hath been long conversant with himself hath had long experience of his own fidelity and confident in his own directions hath reason to love himself more then before seeing he was not then so well acquainted with himself VVhy we do not envy another mans goodness He that loves his neighbour as himself will never envy him for this vice is incompatible with love 1 Cor. 13.4 It may be asked then why men do envy the greatness riches knowledge ingenuity courage and other qualities of their neighbours but are never envious of their goodness and piety for some will envy a man because he is in honor or because he is rich or valiant or eloquent but they will never envy a man because he is good This proceeds from divers reasons either from the small esteem that men have of goodness in comparison of other things or from this that every one perswades himself that he can when he pleaseth be as good as another or from this that goodness is so opposite to envy formally that it cannot be envies object being so contrary to it we cannot envy that in another which we cannot desire for our selves Divers Duties of the Law A Conclusion of this Treatise Why Moses who wrought so great and many miracles never raised any from the dead HE that turned the waters into blood who made fire and storms fall upon Egypt who divided the sea and drew water out of the rocks who wrought so many miracles upon all the Elements yet never restored any dead to life If one ask the reason why this kinde of miracle was not found among these other supernatural acts which made the Lawgiver so famous It wil be answered by som that this question is either unanswerable or unprofitable notwithstanding it is considerable and the solution is sufficiently clear for this answereth the quality of the law which was given by Moses The Law considered without Christ is a letter that killeth and the ministry of Moses is the ministry of death 2 Cor. 3.6 7. his office was not to give life but on the contrary to take it a way in testimony of which and to shew that the life and resurection is to be sought for elsewhere then in the Mosaical Law Moses never received power to raise any from the dead although there wanted not occasions which seemed to invite him to produce this miracle The Law continued from Moses who had an impediment in his speech till John the son of Zachary which Zachary was speechless Luk. 16.16 It were needless to speak of that again which is so well known to wit in what regard the Law was abolished and in what respect it yet continues The Oeconomy of the Old Testament chiefly since Moses required the observation of the Law as a means to obtain justice and life by if men did fulfil it and notwithstanding it made them understand that by reason of their sins the Law could not pronounce them just being in this regard impotent and having its mouth stopped Rom. 8.3 This seems to have been mystically intimated as well in the beginning as towards the end of that legal Oeconomy to introduce the Law God made use of a man who had an impediment in his speech for when Moses was injoyned to go to Pharoah he excuseth himself by reason of his defect of speech Exodus 4.10 And to signifie the abolition of the Law then when its time was almost expired to make way for a more perfect Covenant God made the legal Priests dumb who last his speech in the very Temple and at the time he should have pronounced the blessing on the people Luke 1.20 21.22 thus the Law as well at its entry as at its departure hath shewed that it cannot bring us that great benefit of justification with a full mouth Why God in speaking to man useth more words then when he is represented speaking to the creatures which want understanding and why he useth so many words and repetitions to effect mans conversation seeing he can convert him with one word onely God hath somtimes spoken or caused speeches to be utterred to the creatures which want either understanding or ears He commanded the Sun and Moon to stand still the Sea and Windes to be quiet the Whale that it should disgorge Jonas and the Feavers that they should be gone to obtain obedience from them he spoke to them but one word and the effect was as ready as the command for Heaven Earth Elements Plants and the beasts know the voice of their Soveraign Lord and submit themselves to it without contradiction but whereas man is naturally refractory and opposeth himself to the will of God he is not content to speak to him in few words what his pleasure is but incourageth him with reasons which he cleareth and inculcateth and withal adjoyneth promises and menaces Surely God could effect by one word onely that for which he useth such long remonstrances he makes himself to be obeyed sometimes in saying onely fellow me but to make men know how far they are departed from him and how difficult their conversion is ordinarly he doth not make them draw nigh to him but by degrees slowly and after many summons VVhy the Scripture speaking of Vertue and Vice doth command or prohibit one oftner then another For Example it speaketh oftner against avarice then against prodigality though it condemneth both So against excessive care oftner then against negligence and so likewise it oftner recommends to us liberality then frugality though it mention both the reason is plain enough because avarice is more general then prodigality and on the other side there be more frugal then liberal men therefore the more common a vice is the oftner it should be cryed down on the contrary a vertue which is found but seldom ought to be the oftner recommended We could produce many other passages upon these Subjects of Vertue and Vice but seeing we have undertaken onely these observations which concern the Decalogue in general in each one of the Commandments I pass to these which I am to handle upon the Subject of Prayer FINIS