Indeed humanity may induce us to give rest to the poor beasts that travel for us but doeth this base subject of the beasts rest deserve so noble and excellent a reason as the rest of God himself We must observe here one threed of the Lawgivers wisdom The Law of God contains many points which would be contemptible because of their meanness if there were not some provision against this now to prevent this slighting of them God hath authorised them by the highest reasons that can be by the severest comminations against those that infringe them and by the richest promises to those that observe them this is the reason why such grievous punishments are set down against him that shall taste leavened bread within the seven daies of Easter this is the reason why that he who findes a birds nest must content himself with the young ones and let the dam fly away hath the promise of length of daies which is the same that is annexed to one of the great Commandments of the Law for those who honour their Father and Mother Deut. 22.6 7. This is the reason why God forbids the eating of the flesh of creeping things and backs this prohibition with a reason taken from his own example Be you 〈…〉 holy because I am holy Lev. 〈…〉 This is also the cause why â—e inteâ—poseth his own example in commanding the rest of beasts for this ordinance being made in the favor of so mean a subject is the more considerable in that it is annexed to such an high and excellent matter to wit the rest that God took after the Creation Why none of the dead have been raised on the Sabbath day In my observations on the Creed upon the Articles of Christs Resurrection I promised to handle this question I must first then verifie the Hypothesis I say that on the Sabbath day our Saviour cured many diseases but never upon that day raised any that were dead neither in the Old nor New Testament do we read of any such resuscitation upon that day Not the Sunaimtes son that was raised by Elisha for the History saith expresly that it was not the Sabbath day and the journey of Elisha and Gehazi which they made to raise the dead child was against the rest of this day 2 Kings 4.23 c. neither he who was laid in the grave of the same Prophet nor the sons of the Widow of Nain which were carrying to be buried for they raised them there when they went to inter them now the sanctity of the Sabbath debarred them from burying on that day 2 Kings 13.21 Luke 7.15 Not Lazarus of Bethany for when he was raised many Jews were come to his grave which the holiness of the Sabbath would not have permitted Those pious women who had prepared spices to embalm our Saviour's body being prevented by the Sabbath rested all that day and went not to the Sepulchre till the next morning which was the 3rd day after his death not that those were raised with Christ and appeared in the holy City for these miracles fell not out till the day after the Sabbath not the daughter of Iairus nor Tabitha for then they were raised when their Friends were performing their Funeral Ceremonies for them Now these actions such as are the burying of their dead the washing and embalming of them yea the entring into an house where a dead corps lay all these were prohibited on the Sabbath as being incompatible with its sanctity Matth. 92.3 c. Acts 9.37 Not the Widow of Sarepta's son whose resurrection is mentioned without naming the day which had not been omitted if it had been on the Sabbath not Eutychus who was raised by St. Paul for this was on the first day of the week the Sabbath being already past and here it is remarkable that this young man the last of those that were raised recovered life the same day that Christ returned from the dead viz. on the Sunday Now why God never raised any on the Sabbath day two reasons may be given The first is because Christ himself who is the first born among the dead and the chief of those that were raised was not resuscitated on the Sabbath but he suffered this day to pass before he would come out of his grave besides as I observed on the Creed Christ was not raised on the Sabbath to shew the union between him and others that were raised of all which none received life this day The other reason may be this viz. This life is a time of travel and the Sabbath was the time of rest the wisdom of God would not that on the day which was ordained for the repose and rest of the living the dead should be taken from their ease and called back again to travel The V. COMMANDMENT Honour thy Father and thy 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 VVE know why God the Law-giver hath ordained the duties of Children towards their Fathers but hath not expressed the duty of Fathers towards their Children the reason is because the affections of Parents towards their Children is naturally greater and needs fewer incitements then that of Children towards their Parents this is the meaning of that common saying that the Parents affection descends towards the Children but the love of Children towards their Parents doth not so easily ascend Now we demand how comes it that love rather descends then ascends The reason is because Love had its beginning in Heaven God is the first that loved I say Love had its original in Heaven and came down into the Earth and in this it differs from Faith which had its beginning on Earth and terminates in Heaven By a secret instinct and natural affection which is found in paternity imitates that of God which is Father of all and who loved us before we loved him as in affection the Father prevents the Child so the Love of God towards us doth infinitely surpass that which we bear towards him The Prophet in that passage which I quoted speaking of the reuniting of disagreeing Families saith That the heart of the Fathers shall be converted towards their Children and the heart of the Children towards their Fathers In the order of these words the conversion of the Father towards the Child proceeds the conversion of the Child towards the Father for we must presuppose that as the Paternal affection is the first and strongest so the heart of the Father is more easily reconciled and sooner appeased then that of the Child Why the Law expresseth the Childrens duty to Parents by the word Honour rather then by the word Love Surely the Honour which is commanded to be rendred to them doeth not exclude the Love which is due to them But whereas unreasonable Creatures Love their little ones and are beloved of them The Lawgiver wills that this natural affection which ought
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
also of all the profits and interests and recompenced all the losses hath he sufficiently discharged his conscience p. 140. Sacriledge the first crime committed in the Church of Israel after they entred into Canaan And the first in the Christian Church p. 142. The IX COMMADMENT Thou shalt not bear false witness c. Whether it be more injurious to call our neighbour fool or knave And why a man glorieth rather to be esteemed good then wise p. 144. An Oservation upon this That in the Scripture God is oftner angry with mans wickedness then he useth to laugh at their folly p. 146. Is it lawful to divulge false news if it may serve for the publick good p. 148. VVhy it is lawful sometimes to make shew of evil but never lawful to make shew of good p. 149. VVe may know a wicked man but it is impossible to know a good man p. 151. 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 p. 152. The X. COMMANDMENT Thou shalt not covet c. A sin committed by rule and order is more enormous then that which is done in disorder and confusion p. 55. The diversity of conflicts in man against himself p. 156. Why some see more easily the defects of the memory and of other faculties of the soul then the defects of their judgment p. 159. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. The correspondency that is between the two Tables of the Law p. 161. There is love in God but not Faith and Hope p. 162. Whether it is a greater defect to want Faith or Charity p. 163. In all the History of that time which was before the law the love of God was never mentioned in express termes but onely the fear of God p. 165. Of them who excuse their faults on this That God hath not given them more understanding and judgement p. 168. In the duties of man towards God forgetfullness is more culpable then ignorance p. 169. Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Whence comes it that contrary to all other affections this which man carries to himself hath no bounds and why this never faileth nor is subject to diminution p. 171. Why the older we grow the more we love our selves p. 173. VVhy we do not envy another mans goodness p. 175. 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 p. 167. The Law continued from Moses who had an impediment in his speech till John the son of Zachary which Zachary was speechless Luke 16.16 p 168. 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 p. 170. VVhy the Scripture speaking of Vertue and Vice doth command or prohibit one oftner then another p. 172. THE NATURAL MAN and HIS QUALITIES Divers sorts of good men in the World's opinion and but onely one indeed MAny men are honest Either for fear of men aw'd by the severitie of the laws Or for the good that may come to them of it as hee that is right and square that he may keep his dealings afoot Or for reputation as it may fall out that the onely desire of glory may carry a man to give all he has to the poor yea to expose his body to the flames 1 Cor. 13.3 Or for the apprehension of hell For many would be out of measure wicked wâ—eâ—e it not that this fear holds them in Or for the joyes of heaven as he that asked of our Saviour what he should do to have eternal life Or to satisfie their own conscience that presseth and soliciteth them to some vertuous action Or out of a meer desire they have to vertue it self as there are generous dispositions that seem to go with no other spring Now in very deed of all these sorts of good men there is none that is truly so This assertion generally taken may seem to be very unjust For one will haply grant that hee who is not godly but out of fear or some interest hee pretends either in this world or that to come hath no reall goodnesse but that hee hath a servile or mercenary soul But you 'l think it strange to say that he that works not but out of conscience and the sole love he hath to vertue should not be a good man for what is it to be an honest man if this be not and what is further needfull to have this quality It seems true that our actions cannot have a nobler principle then this viz. to satisfie conscience and to love Vertue for its own sake Yet this is not enough to be a right honest man Wee must then presuppose that to speak properly and according to the language of God There is no good work but that which is done in consideration and out of love of the soveraign Good which is God himself For is it beleevable that God may approve of a work in which himself is no way considered Or that hee may take him for good that neglecteth or is ignorant of the chief Goodness and hath no affection to it This granted it is evident why the onely love of Conscience or of Vertue makes not an honest man for neither Conscience nor Vertue are God they are amiable by reason of him that is the highest Goodnesse but whosoever loveth them without him knoweth not so much as what good is Such was the goodnesse of many the Pagans and even such is the goodnesse of many now adays Wherefore God was pleas'd that the Heathen should outgo the Saints in many vertuous actions It is certain that in the Heathen Histories we have more examples of Heroick Vertues then what are read in the Bible it self Let 's mention but some of them Wee praise the continencie of Joseph but that of Alexander and Scipio came not short of it We talk of the Midwives which refused to obey Pharaohs command by which they were enjoyned to stifle the Hebrew male-children as soon as born but among infidels there have been slaves that rather chose to be wrack'd in pieces then to let fall word that might have prejudiced their Masters We commend the faithful amity that was between David and Jonathan But how many examples of Pagans that would have died for their friends Wee have in esteem the zeal of Phineas that punished the Adultery of the Israelite with the Madianitish woman but is this act comparable to the justice of that Prince who had rather that one of his own eyes should be put out and another of his own son that had committed that Adultery then to baffle the Law that ordained to put out both the eyes of him
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