we add the twenty years of their life when God uttered this sentence to the thirty eight years of their wandring in the desart it will appear that all those who entred the Land of Canaan under the conduct of Caleb and Iosua were under sixty yeers so that there was none who was decrepit with age The measure and proportion of mans life from time to time since the first ages There are six degrees by which the life of man hath been altered since our first Parents First before the Flood the number of mans years was at most nine hundred or nine hundred and sixty as we may see in Iered and Methusala Gen. 5. Secondly After the Flood immediately God altered the third part of that age for Sem the most famous of Noah's Sons lived in all but six hundred years Thirdly In the first Generations of those who were born after the Flood the life of man was abridged one moiety for Arphaxad Scelas Heber lived but four hundred thirty eight or four hundred sixty four years whereas their first progenitors had lived twice as long Fourthly this half was cut in two about the time of the Tower of Babel so that mans life was abridged to the fourth part of the ordinary age of the first men for Peleg who was born at that time lived 239. year which was but the fourth part of the years of Jered and Methusala Fiftly afterwards the life of man was yet much more shortned and still declining through many generations reached but to the eighth part of the age of our first Parents This was in the time of Moses who lived one hundred and twenty years which is but the eighth part of nine hundred and sixty By the way we may observe that when God was to send the Flood he gave to men but the tearm of one hundred and twenty years which was the eighth part of the ordinary age of men in those times to which it seems answers the number of eight persons saved in the Ark. Sixtly and lastly the life of man grew every day shorter and shorter till it was reduced to the twelf part of the first measure for eighty years which is the age that few at this day do exceed is but the twelf part of nine hundred and sixty which was then the ordinary age before the Flood and that which was then their youthful age is now our greatest old age So then the life of man was first reduced to two thirds then to the half then to the fourth then to the eighth part and in the end to the twelfth None of the Kings of Juda exceeded the age of seventy years This is but an Historical observation yet remarkable that these very Kings which God had appointed over his people have been all short lived he that lived longest was David he was thirty years old when he was set on his throne and he raigned forty years and six months so that he did not much exceed seventy years but none of his successors from Salomon till Zedechias did ever attain to that age which may be easily proved by the sacred Chronology Difference between the faithful of the Old Testament and those of the New concerning their desire of long life another difference about the reckoning of the years of their life Under the Old Testament many of the faithful desired long life but since the coming of Christ we do not read of any who have desired it on the contrary when Simeon had seen Christ the Lord he was content to die after that the Author of eternal life appeared the faithful have not had such desire to stay long in this transitory life and so much the less in that our Saviour did not sojourn long in this world having continued but few years We may observe also that the Old Testament speaking of many of the faithful recites how many years they lived but since the coming of our Lord who conversed so short a time upon the Earth the sacred story makes no mention at all of the total sum of any mans years in all the New Testament the daughter of Iairus is the onely person whose age is observed when she died but this was because she was restored again to life the same day her departure having immediately followed upon her resurrection Three causes why men are loath to leave this life represented in him who died first The trouble that men have upon the apprehension of death is increased upon the concurrence of these causes First if one die young for he hath more reason to desire life then he who is full and satisfied with daies Secondly if he die a violent death for we are best content with that which is natural Thirdly if he die without issue for death should be more supportable to those who survive themselves in the persons of their children Now that we may in good time learn that neither the shortness of this life nor violent death nor want of posterity should make our departure grievous to us God would have these three accidents to meet in him who was both a just man and the first that died to wit Abel For first he died young in regard of the age of men in those daies Secondly he dies a violent death and which was most grievous by the hand of his own brother Thirdly he died without issue A moral observation upon the daies of Lazarus raised from the dead The number of daies makes not a long life many who think they are alive are dead in effect 1 Tim. 5.6 the daies we pass in ignorance or in malice should be abated from the count of our years The four daies of Lazarus his abode among the dead must not be reckoned among the daies of his life and whereas he was raised again he had reason to reckon from the day of his resurrection rather then from the day of his nativity The VI. COMMANDMENT Thou shalt not kill Why God in his titles doeth rather call Himself our Buckler then our Sword VVHEN the Scripture expresseth Gods protection opposing his arms to our enemies it represents them rather defensive then offensive sometimes he is called the Rock and Tower of his people sometimes also our Buckler this was the first title that God assumed to himself after the first war we read was in the world Gen. 14. for thus he vouchsafes to speak to Abraham I am thy Buckler and afterward he hath been many times honoured by this title in that he would be called the Buckler of his people but he would never be named their sword but once and after that he was named their Buckler Deut 33.29 this is to shew that the children of God are not properly quarrellers and if at any time they take arms it is rather to defend then to hurt Since Moses there have been but three men who received power to kill any miraculously and the same who have miraculously inflicted death on the living have also given life to the dead Reasons
of the one and the other Among the miracles that God hath displayed by his servants we read that sometimes they have put some persons to death so Elijah made fire come down from heaven which consumed two Companies of fifty men a peece with their Captaines so Elisha caused Bears to come out of the Forrest which tore many of the Children of Bethel so St. Peter by his word onely smote with death Ananias and Sapphira These Executions could not be but just being done by a supernatural power notwithstanding God did not bestow this but on very few for since Moses though many have had the gift of miracles yet none have received this power of destroying men by miracles but these three Elijah Elisha and St. Peter neither would God have those in whom he had placed this miraculous power to make use thereof but very seldom therefore Christ did justly reprove the Apostles who would have imitated this Act of Elijah Luke 9.54 55. Moreover those whom God had employed to inflict death upon some he gave them power to bestow life upon others as Elijah on the Widows son of Sarepta Elisha on the Shunamites son and St. Peter on Tabitha as being an Act more glorious to bestow life on the dead then to take it from the living he would also shew that for the more full authorising of the calling of these great personages they were employed as well to give life as to destroy otherwise wicked men would have had some pretence in saying that their God had power to kill the living but not to restore the dead which blasphemy was prevented by the wisdome of God The plot of the Priests in consulting to put Lazarus to death Joh. 12.10 Murther is more or less enormous in divers respects now though the example which I set down here be extraordinary it will serve nevertheless to shew how far the furious spirit of murther extends it self The son of God had raised one that was dead the Priests endeavoured to bury this miracle willing to send back to the grave a man that had been thence taken out this was to commit a double murther upon the same person as God had given twice life to Lazarus the one at his nativity the other at his resurrection so this was as it were to make him die twice in taking from him the second life which he had re-established in the first A question If the punishment of a criminal being interrupted by some extraordinary accident intervening after the execution is begun is it just to discharge him of the punishment to which he was condemmed It hath hapned sometimes that malefactors have fallen down from the Gibet upon the breaking of the rope some have been taken down as dead who yet have lived a good while after some upon the Scaffold have had divers blowes in the neck by the sword and yet the head not cut off St. Ierem in his Epistle to Innocent mentions a strange example and in the former age one of our Martyrs being set upon the pile where they thought to have burnt him alive he died a natural and quiet death before the fire was kindled But if it happen that a Malefactor who hath passed through all the sorts of a mortal execution should be yet found alive by some means not thought on or foreseen by men ought he be again exposed to punishment The providence of God who hath rescued him seems to have given him letters of pardon Justice also which did not condemn him to die twice seems to have received the satisfaction which it required of him seeing he hath undergone if not death it self yet at least the impression of death In this case which may furnish matter for a fair debate I distingish thus there be some crimes so enormous that they deserve more deaths then one if a man could die oftner then once so murtherers sorcerers and others guilty of such hainous wickedness should be carried back again to punishment though they had been rescued by some interruption which might seem miraculous it is to be presumed that the justice of God did stay the course of execution to increase rather the pain of death then to remit the punishment but as for lesser faults chiefly those which Gods law hath not declared capital and yet are such by the civil law as theft it seems that the Malefactor hath sufficiently suffered pain if he hath tasted the half of death An allusion in the Apostles words who ordains that the Sun go not down upon our anger Ephes 4.26 The law commands that the Malefactors body put to death be buried the same day it is expresly forbid to let it hang all night on the Gallows Deut. 21.23 therefore as the Sun must not go down upon such a spectacle though it be the body of a Malefactor justly punished by death and whose punishment should serve for an example Even so our anger though it proceed from a just resent of some injury done to us yet it should never sleep with us to this it seems the Apostles words do allude The VII COMMANDMENT Thou shalt not commit Adultery Why God though he approves not Poligamy nor unlawful diverces which were freequent in the old Testament yet never forbad them but by the last of all the Prophets THE question is not why God tolerated these sins among the Israelites We know that the hardness of their hearts did as it were extort this licence Mat. 19.8 and for the same cause God did for a long time wink at this disorder which was so common For we do not read that he ever reproved any of those who had plurality of wives or who put them away without just cause onely in Malachi 2. v. 14 c. He censureth their Poligamy and unlawful divorces But why this custome which had been allowed by so long silence and prescription of so many ages was condemned at last Or why did he delay to censure this custome till the last of the Prophets for Malachi was the last of them all The purpose of God was that the Kingdom of Christ should be famous amongst other preheminences for its exact policy far exceeding that which went before for this end he suffered that of Moses to give way to some disorders such as were Poligamy and Divorces to make it known that the government of Christ which cut off this tolleration is more perfect then that of Moses So that this politick Law of Israel served to declare and advance that peece of holiness in Christ and to shew the perfection of his government then when he came to suppress the abuse which that ancient indulgence had supported Now as the time of his coming and of this reformation did approach God would prepare the hearts of men and whereas he was to put a period to the old Testament and meant not to send any more Prophets it was needful that the last of them should make this preparation So as for Poligamy and unjust Divorces God
them p. 35. Wherefore is Nathaneel called an Israelite or child of Israel rather then the child of Jacob Joh. 1.47 p. 36. God never works a Miracle to witness or prove that which a man may know naturally But why then did he cause so many miracles to intervene at the publication of the Law seeing it is naturally known to men p. 38. The I. COMMANDMENT Thou shalt have no other gods c. A consideration of the times wherein Athisme and Superstition have generally reigned p. 41. By the Example of the Pharisees and Sadduces is shewed that God rather pardons the superstitious then the profane p. 42. The true Religion the easiest The folly of the Pagans affecting plurality of Gods p. 43. A consideration upon the worship of Angels p. 44. Touching a kinde of Idolatry very subtil and usual p. 45. Wherefore is it that a man that hath false gods leaves them not so easily as another forsaketh the true p. 47. The II. COMMANDMENT Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image c. Who is more wicked he that adds to the Ordinances of God or he that detracts from them p. 49. Of the nature of painting that represents the History of the Bible p. 51. None ever made any image of God except God himself p. 52. VVhy was it that God who often appeared in a visible shape would not manifest himself after this manner when he published the Law p. 53. If we had the true pourtrait and very resemblance of our Saviour Christ taken from his own body what account ought we to make of it p. 55. A notable difference betwixt one of the figures which represented Christ and those that represented the Angels And a consideration upon the matter p. 56. VVhence is it that in the Apocalyps Iesus Christ being man is decypher'd only in parabolical Figures rather then in the natural form of his own body p. 57. VVhat 's the reason that amongst all the wonders that God hath wrought he never made an Image to speak p. 58. Two sorts of sinners at which God mocks p. 59. The admirable proportion that God holds in the despensation of his judgments p. 60. Of whom are descended those Nations that go naked p. 66. The number of Generations named in the Promise p. 67. Strange Examples of divers Subjects in which God hath manifested both his Mercy and Iustice p. 69. Why did God sometimes take such particular care of the Patriarchs and their children even of these that were wicked and at this day he makes no such addresses as he did then to them p. 71. Why God spent but six daies in Creating the World and empleyed seven to overthrow the walls of Jerico p. 73. The II. COMNANDMENT Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord c. Why God pronounceth the same word twice to the same purpose against idle oathes p. 75. Although in some things God hath dispensed with his law yet he hath never dispensed with faith also of the stability of Gods oathes p. 79. The IV. COMMANDMENT Remember the Sabbath day c. Why God never wrought any miracle on the Sabbath day before the coming of Christ p. 81. Seven Sabbath daies which Christ honored by his miracles p. 84. In what things our Saviour is to be immitated p. 86. Whence it is that in the History of the New Testament we do not read that ever the Sadduces appeared on the Sabbath day p. 87. Why the Law useth such an excellent subject viz. God's Rest as a reason for the beasts to rest p. 90. Why none of the dead have been raised on the Sabbath day p. 92. The V. COMMANDMENT Honour thy Father and Mother c. Whence comes it as they say commonly That Love and Affection useth to descend Difference between Faith Charity The words of Mal. 4.5 discussed p. 97. Why the Law expresseth the Childrens duty to Parents by the word Honour rather then by the word Love p. 99. Wherefore the Law commanded Children to fear those that brought them into the world namely the Mother before the Father p. 100. The Promise annexed to the fift Commandment Examples of that proportion which is found sometimes between good works and the recompence which they receive in this life p. 102. Why fifteen years were added to the life of Ezechias p. 104. The age of the Israelites when they passed out of the Wilderness into the Land of Promise p. 107. The measure and proportion of mans life from time to time since the first ages p. 109. None of the Kings of Juda exceeded the age of seventy years p. 111. Difference between the faithful of the Old Testament and those of the New concerning their desire of long life another difference about the reckoning of the yeas of their life p. 112. Three causes why men are loath to leave this life represented in him who died first p. 113. A moral observation upon the daies of Lazarus raised from the dead p. 114. The VI. COMMANDMENT Thou shalt not kill Why God in his titles doeth rather call Himself our Buckler then our Sword p. 116. Since Moses there have been but three men who received power to kill any miraculously and the same who have miraculously inflicted death on the living have also given life to the dead Reasons of the one and the other p. 117. The plot of the Priests in consulting to put Lazarus to death John 12.10 p. 119. A question If the punishment of a criminal being interrupted by some extraordinary accident intervening after the execution is begun is it just to discharge him of the punishment to which he was condemmed p. 120. An allusion in the Apostles words who ordains that the Sun go not down upon our anger Ephes 4.26 p. 122. The VII COMMANDMENT Thou shalt not commit Adultery Why God though he approves not Poligamy nor unlawful divorces which were freequent in the old Testament yet never forbad them but by the last of all the Prophets p. 124. VVhy men are more subject to be ashamed in the Act of any sin rather then in that of pride and why more in Luxury then in any other sin p. 127. What may be inferred upon this that the Holy Ghost describing under divers similitudes the spiritual beauty of the Church makes no mention of painting p. 128. A moral observation upon Sampson's loosing of his strength and sight and how he recovered the one but not the other p. 129. The VIII COMMANDMENT Thou shalt not steal Why Christ used the example of theeves to induce us to search for the Kingdom of Heaven p. 132. An observation upon this that among Christ's Disciples there is but one noted for avarice but all are taxed for ambition p. 135. To one man onely God by divine means did shew the way to become rich p. 136. A conjecture upon the Jewish opinion touching the just price of things vendible p. 138. A Question if he that hath made restitution of the goods unjustly detained as
to be in Man should be cloathed with a more noble quality then that which is found among beasts for these are capable of natural affections but man alone is capable of Honour as well to give Honour as to receive it Another reason why this Commandment speaks of Honour rather then of Love in some regard a man owes more affection to his wife and children then to his father and mother for he must forsake father and mother and cleave to his wife but in matter of Honour the Parents have alwaies the preheminence in our affections many times they have the second place but in Honour and reverence they should still be first Wherefore the Law commanded Children to fear those that brought them into the world namely the Mother before the Father The Decalogue saith Honour thy Father and thy Mother but in the 19. of Leviticus ver 3. it is said that every one should fear his Mother and his Father here the Mother is first named We must observe that in this passage the Law giver speaks of the fear which the children should have towards those that are the Authors of their Generation The love which they carry to the child causes sometimes that he fears them not therefore God commands him to fear them Now because the Mother hath the greatest part of this natural affection towards the child and consequently is less feared God hath inforced this obligation of the child towards the Mother naming her first before the Father in this commandment which injoyneth to fear them both So this duty towards the Mother being more subject to be infringed is made so much considerable in that it is put in the first place The Promise annexed to the fift Commandment Examples of that propertion which is found sometimes between good works and the recompence which they receive in this life IT is well known why God in this Commandment hath rather promised life then any other blessing From our Parents we have received our life hence it is that life is promised to him that shall Honour those of whom he hath received it for as the punishment sometime answers the offence by the Law of retaliation even so many times God remunerates a good work by some favour answering the same in some similitude So Abraham offered his onely son and God promised him thousands of children Gen. 22.16 17. So Jacob who had fed Joseph by the space of seventeen yeers was reciprocally fed by Joseph in Egypt the space of seventeen yeers So Abraham and Lot for their Hospitality to men had the honour to entertain Angels So Rachab having preserved the Spies in her house was her self preserved with her house So the house of Obed Edom was blessed for having received the Ark of God so Ezechias having raigned 14 years religiously received from God an addition of fifteen years a tearm longer then the former So Daniel and his fellowes refusing to desile themselves with the King of Babylons meat though they were fed onely with pulse and water yet they fared better then those that were fed with the Kings allowance So she that was blamed for pouring out a precious ointment on our Saviours head is praised at this day where ever the Gospel is preached So many for humbling themselves have been exalted ' Its true we finde not alwayes this proportion between the work and the reward but though God doth not still pay in the same kind yet he gives that which is equivalent yea infinitely better if he doth not bestow long life upon Earth he gives that which is eternal in Heaven Now why he gives to some a longer to others a shorter life there be other reasons but secret I will observe some examples Why fifteen years were added to the life of Ezechias He that could see the particular causes why God abridges and prolongs our life till such a minute of time will finde the effects of a marvailous dispensation The number of the years of the Patriarchs and many others famous in the Old Testament is full of such Mysteries take one which is notable We know that God having caused the sentence of death to be pronounced against Ezechias did notwithstanding add fifteen yeers to his life The common sort who see no farther then the superficies of the History perceive not of what importance this tearm of years was which God bestowed on this Prince this number of years was fignificative and carrieth a meaning that reacheth far We must observe that a little before Ezechias sickness the Kingdom of Juda was drawing towards its end it had been invaded by the Assyrians and as yet stood in aw of them for this cause God promiseth to Ezechias not onely the prolongation of his life but also the continuance of his Kingdom for at the same time that he assured his life for fifteen years he added that he would deliver him from the hands of the Assyrians and would defend Ierusalem the capital City so the fifteen years that were promised to Ezechias did express also the continuance and establishment of his Kingdom We must observe then that Ezechias was the fifteenth King that raigned in Iudea in which the true religion was preserved for from Saul who was the first King till Ezechias inclusively are reckoned fifteen Kings of Iuda to wit 1. Saul 2. David 3. Salomon 4. Roboam who was forsaken by the twelve Tribes and retained onely that of Iuda with a part of Benjamin 5. Abija 6. Asa 7. Iosophat 8. Ioram 9. Achaziah otherwaies called Hozias whom his mother Athalia followed but because she usurped the Kingdom her unlawful ragin is not counted among the true Kings 10. Ioas. 11. Amaziah 12. Hazaria 13. Iotham 14. Achaz 15. Ezechias As then the raign of Ezechias was the fifteenth in order of succession so God would give him fifteen years including as it were in this epitome all the former raigns and recapitulating them by the like number of years in the fifteenth King this was to confirm al together both the life and raign of Ezechias both which having been upon the point of expiration so that the life of this Prince being prolonged fifteen years was a pledge of the subsistance of that throne which had supported fifteen Kings The age of the Israelites when they passed out of the Wilderness into the Land of Promise This I observe here as an Historical circumstance only None of those who entered into Canaan aâ—ter the death of Moses had as yet attain'd the age of sixty years except Calib and Iosua whom God reserved as two ancient witnesses of the wonders he wrought in Egypt This may be easily verified for two years after the Israelites departure from Egypt they were all condemned to die in the desert except such as were then twenty yeers old and under Numb 14.29 30. since this sentence of condemnation there passed thirty eight years in which the sentence was performed and about the end of this tearm the survivers entred Canaan now if
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