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
miracles If Moses or Eliah or any of the Prophets had done any miracle upon the Sabbath the Pharisees had not so boldly condemned the Son of God for violating the Sabbath seeing he wrought miracles on that day and he had not failed in this point to have produced examples if there had been any but he indeed was the first that ever did any miracle on the Sabbath This then that seemed to serve as a pretext for their reproof of Christ was rather a means to oblige them to admire him so much the more for this was an extraordinary miracle and a marke of dignity far surpassing that of all the Prophets by making that to be seen which none of them ever did viz. To produce miracles on the Sabbath day In a word this was one of the prerogatives which God had reserved for his Son and one of the works by which God would have it known that he was Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12.8 To this I will add the ensuing observation Seven Sabbath daies which Christ honored by his miracles I will not speak of that which is known to all namely that without reckoning the Sabbath of every seventh day there were besides seven daies yearly in divers seasons on which all servile work was forbid by the Law these were the first and last of the feast of unleavened bread that of the first fruits that of the feast of Trumpets the first and eighth of the feast of Tabernacles and that of Expiation all these universary daies are mentioned in the 23. chapters of Leviticus we know also that in the feasts of Easter and Pentecost there were seven daies of rest But as the actions and sufferings of Christ are the perfection of all those things which are contained in the Old Testament this seems to me worthy of admiration that among the Sabbath daies which our Saviour honoured whilest he conversed in this world the History of the Gospel hath marked out seven which Christ made famous by miracles I will set them down according to the order of time in which they fell out The first of these seven daies of Sabbath was sanctified by the cure of a Demoniac of St. Peter's mother in law and of some other infirm persons Mat. 1.21 Luke 4.31 The second by a wonderful cure of the Paralitic who had been diseased thirty eight years Joh. 5. The third by the healing of him who had a whithered hand Luke 6.6 The fourth by the curing of divers sick persons notwithstanding the incredulity of the Galileans Mark 6.1 The sift by an unheard of miracle til then a man born blind who received his sight John 9. The sixth by another strange miracle of a woman that was bowed downward eighteen years and cured of this infirmity Luke 13.10 The seventh by the cure of an Hydropic Luke 14.1 So in Christ we have the accomplishment of the Sabbath sanctified by those actions which before were never seen upon that day In what things our Saviour is to be immitated God doth binde us to the observation of the Sabbath by his own example because he rested himself on that day but must we immitate God in all his actions there be vertues in him which we cannot immitate without sin or madness to immitate his power were not a vertue but an insufferable pride as that of Salmonius or the King of Tyre Ezek. 28.2 They that endeavour to fast forty daies after the example of the Son of God ought to consider that this fast was one of the effects of his power which we ought to admire for we cannot imitate it and here let us observe that among all the perfections in God there is not any one of them proposed for our imitation but his goodness he never commanded us to follow his example but in this one vertue Be ye holy as I am holy Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful Be perfect to wit in goodness as your Father is perfect Lev. 11. Luke 6. Matth. 5. and 6. So the sanctification of the Sabbath consisteth chiefly in the action of goodness and holiness Whence it is that in the History of the New Testament we do not read that ever the Sadduces appeared on the Sabbath day There is nothing more frequent in the Gospel then the proceedings of the Pharisees chiefly on the Sabbath daies for on that day they are seen in the Temple in the Synagogues even in the fields Mat. 12.1.2 on that day they are heard to censure the works of the Son of God Iohn 9.14.15 Luke 6.7 On that day they visited and feasted each other Luke 14.1 c. But for the Sadduces that other famous sect the sacred History makes no mention of them when it speaks of any thing that past on the Sabbath day it relates what they spoke or did in many occurrences upon divers daies but it never speaks of any appearance they made that day so that although sometimes the Pharisees and Sadduces have been found together in the same place yet this was never on the Sabbath for we do not read that upon this day they ever met nor that then the Sadduces disputed with Christ or censured â—is actions or that they came iâ—to the fields to calumniate them as iâ—compatible with the Sabbath which the Pharisees were wont to do and which is strange in the whole History of the Gospel we do not â—â—nde that the Sadduces were ever â—ounâ— in the Temple or Synâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 Now to know the reason hereof we must presuppose that wâ—â—â—â— some have gathered out of the Rabbins that the Sadduces held among other of their errors this that it was not lawful to go out of their houses on the Sabbath day into any place whatsoever this opinion was grounded on a false exposition of that passage in the Law which ordained that none should go out of his house on the seventh day Exod. 16.29 The Sadduces inferred upon this that if any did but step out from the door of his house on that day he broke the Sabbath The Pharisees on the other side proved that upon the 7th day they were bound to repair to the Temple and Synagogues because God commanded that on the Sabbath day the people should assemble together Levit. 23.3 Yet notwithstanding the Sadduces upon that day would not go out of their houses whence it is that in all the sacred Story we do not finde that ever they shewed themselves on the Sabbath day In brief under pretence of observing punctually the Sabbath they profaned it impudently in an irreligious idleness and impious Hypocrisie Why the Law useth such an excellent subject viz. God's Rest as a reason for the beasts to rest The same reason why God will have man to rest on the seventh day obligeth him to suffer his ox and his asse and all his cattle to rest then viz. because upon that day God rested but why will Almighty God bring his own example as a reason for the rest of beasts a subject so mean
womb Gen. 25.23 we must not think it then strange for God to testifie a particular care of those whom he had appointed to be the fathers of Nations Besides those twins must be considered in another quality to wit as God would make them examples and types of the great mistery of Election and reprobation as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 9. v. 10. c. So Hagar and Ismael were marked by the hand of God to be figures of another Mystery handled by the same Apostle Gal. 4.24 the nativity and conditions of these persons and most of the actions which seemed contemptible and ridiculous were full of mysteries for which cause God did extraordinarily preserve and guide them Why God spent but six daies in Creating the World and employed seven to overthrow the walls of Jerico This City which was the first the Israelites took in after their passing over Iordan was delivered to them without stroke The walls whereof were beaten down not by Engines nor overthrown by springing of Mines but onely by the presence of the Ark of God accompanied with seven Priests sounding Trumpets of Rams horns and compassing the City by which means the whole walls fell down But this procession continued seven daies for first they went about Ierico for the space of six daies every day once after this on the seventh day the Town was encompassed seven times and at the seventh time when the horns sounded and the people gave a shout for joy the whole circuit of the walls fell down so that the Town was wholly dismantled Ioshua 6. Now among the most remarkable passages of this overthrow it may be wondered why God who in a moment with the breath of his mouth can beat down the strongest rampiers and fortifications would imploy so many daies and so long a train of reiterated formalities before the demolition of this place and withall why this was not done till the seventh day whereas the whole world was finished in the space of six daies Must there be more time to destroy one Town then to make the Universe Surely in this example as in infinite more God would shew that his hand is slower in demolishing then in establishing in defacing the least of his work then in forming the greatest thereof and so that his justice reacheth no farther then the third or fourth Generation whereas his mercy is extended to the thousand Generation The II. COMMANDMENT Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord c. Why God pronounceth the same word twice to the same purpose against idle oathes VVEE finde that when God speaks to man he sometimes doubleth his words In mens speeches those repetitions serve only to make the discourse more emphatical or to make a greater impression on the minde and memory of the hearer but in Gods language they are of another importance when God uttereth one and the same speech twice as it were with one continued threed he sheweth it is irrevocable and no waies to be altered We know that sometimes God hath repealed and annihilated his declaratory sentences as that which was uttered against Ninivie which he threatned after 40. daies to destroy yet he spared her a long time after this but when God uttereth a speech twice together he never revokes it The Psalmist willing to express the immutable stability of an Oracle saith God hath spoken twice I have heard the same twice Psal 62.12 that miraculous writing containing the ruine of Balthazer and his Kingdom began with Mene Mene it is numbred it is numbred as if it would say the reckoning is perfected nothing remains to be accounted for Dan. 5.25 We read also that sometimes God having expressed the same thing by two different representations this doubling thereof did signifie that the decree was irrevocable Pharaoh's two distinct dreams were but one thing in substance for the Kine in the one and the Ears of corn in the other did signifie the same thing notwithstanding this repetition of the same matter although expressed under different figures made Joseph say that whereas the dream was doubled twice the thing was established by God Gen. 41.32 Now it seems that Christ hath touched the same Mystery when he commands that our speech should be yea yea nay nay Mat. 5.37 as if he would injoyn us to be content with a double affirmation or a double negation in liew of superfluous oaths as being sufficient to express the stability of our speeches after the example of Almighty God who never repeals what he hath twice pronounced together Although in some things God hath dispensed with his law yet he hath never dispensed with faith also of the stability of Gods oathes Against the General Law God commanded Abraham to kill his own son against the same Law God authorised the Israelites to retain the jewels and Garments which they borrowed of the Egyptians Exod. 12.35 36. but he never commanded or permitted either to speak or beleeve a falshood chiefly in Religion the Commandments which forbad him are undispensable and these frauds which they call pious are the more Criminal for there is no thing more repugnant to Religion then to support her with lies as it is also a horrid thing to violate faith under the shaddow of faith that is to say of Religion In brief if any hath power and authority to dispence with an oath surely it is God but this he never did for when he swares a thing he never revokes it The Lord hath sworn and will not repent if there God never dispense with an oath why should any man dare to take upon him this power of dispensation either in himself or towards others The IV. COMMANDMENT Remember the Sabbath day c. Why God never wrought any miracle an the Sabbath day before the coming of Christ THE Old Testament is full of Miracles divers whereof were done among the Patriarchs in Egypt in the desart in the land of Israel and even in the Captivity of Babylon yet we do not read that any of them were wrought upon the Sabbath day but on the contrary we finde that the miracle of the Manna which lasted forty years was interrupted and suspended every Sabbath for the food which fell the six first daies of the week ceased on the seventh so that upon that day this miracle failed It is true that the consequences and effects of a miracle hath sometimes passed on the Sabbath as the fastings of Moses and Eliah which lasted forty daies in which time there were many Sabbaths but this long abstinence was onely the effect of a supernatural vertue which God had bestowed on them now this gift in which consisted the miracle was not found to be given on the Sabbath day otherwise in all probability the sacred History would not have omitted this cicumstance in brief 't is impossible to they that under the Old Testament any â—â—â—â—cle hath been wrought on the â—â—bbath day whereas the new Tâ—sâ—ament observeth that this day waâ— famous for many