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
that should be found guilty of that filth We extoll the generosity of Moses who refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter and gave over the sway he bore in the Court of Egypt but how many Monarchs have voluntarily laid aside their Diadems and renounc'd the majestie of the Scepter to reduce themselves to the obscurity of a private life We celebrate the abstinence of David who refused to drink the water that some of his valiant Worthies had fetch'd him with danger of their lives 2 Sam. 23. But divers Generals of Armies mortally wounded would not have the bloud of their wounds stanched nor permit the drawing out of the dart wherewith they were clean shot through before in the first place they had taken order for the safety of their Souldiers Wee further commend David who beholding that the plague wherewith the people were smitten was occasioned through him offered himself to punishment that hee might deliver his Common-wealth But some Pagans have made away themselves rather then they would be engaged to fight against their Country that had unjustly banished and confiscated them We proclaim the kindnesse of Joseph that was the nourisher of his Father but they speak of such a Son who to save his Father cast himself into the midst of the fire We admire divers other examples of Vertue which are famous in the Scripture but the Heathen have shewed actions far beyond Yet hath there always been more goodness and more vertue without comparison in the Saints then in Infidels Divers of the Pagans actions have been greater verily and more vigorous but they were not enlivened from the true principle of vertue which is faith in God and had not his glory for their aim So many creatures surpasse man in divers acts of foresight naturall affection courage temperance fidelity gratiâ—ude and yet they have but the resemblances of Vertues neither can one say that there is in them any morall goodnesse But see here our question Whatever vertuous actions the heathen have performed proceeded from God himself which gave them the inclinations to them Now wherefore did he enable them to do such notable actions and yet accepted not their persons for it is impossible to please him without faith Hebr. 11.6 And why would he that even their works in the sense I have named should outstrip those of the Saints Hee would verily teach us that works even the very best have not merit enough to bring us neer to him For if many that have been transcendent in divers vertuous acts notwithstanding have not obtained grace And on the contrary many that have been inferiour in works are counted amongst the friends of God followeth it not that if we be pleasing unto him it is not because of our works A consideration upon the two last sinners immediately converted by Christ viz. the Thief and S. Paul One was converted by our Savivour on the Crosse the other by him in heaven one entred Paradise the same day that Christ entred being dead The other was rap'd up thither before ever he died One repented not but at the last hour of his life amidst his very punishment the other found not his heart till he was cast down with affrightment by voyces and vision from heaven One and the other viz. the thief and Saul afterwards Paul were especially this last far enough from having any inclination to Christ then when his grace surprised them Many suppose in a carnall a man power whereby he contributes to his own conversion but Sauls example witnesseth the contrary he was in the very heat of his madness when he was called from above was he in a posture to turn himself to Christ then when he went against Christ Whence comes it to passe that all men naturally beleeve that they must be justified by Works It is sufficiently known that this opinion is natural to every man All of us harbour this prejudice within us Thence it comes to passe that all Religions except the Christian generally teach it the Pagan the Mahumetan the Jew yea and many that professe Christianity agree all in this point and sing all the same song But how comes this to be false and abusive seeing it is dictated by Nature it self We must remember that by the law of the Creation it is ordained that man should be justified by his works and that by them he should live for ever This principle was ingraved in the minde of man who verily had had righteousness and life by his works had he stood in his primitive innocencie but his fall hath bruised his bones making him uncapable of accomplishing this condition But he yet retains this ancient principle which hath been left him to the end he should remember whence he is fallen not to make him beleeve that he can do that now which he could in the state of innocencie Touching the pretended merit of WORKS That the Causes of our salvation are in heaven the Marks of it on earth IN the search of these two points we must take two contrary ways For the Book of life wherein we are enrolled to salvation and the mercy of God which calls us to it and his grace that dispenseth it and the Saviour that hath purchased it must be sought in heaven On the other side as we have on earth the instruments of salvation viz. the Gospel the Sacraments Faith so likewise the same faith the testimony of the holy Ghost the peace of our consciences and our works themselves are here on earth the marks of our salvation Divers overturn this method supposing to be saved by vertue of their works and on the other side teaching that none can be saved if he be not one of Gods closet In the one they place on earth the Causes of our salvation in the other they seek the Marks of it in heaven and in both the two they are as wide of the mark as heaven is from earth Wherefore is it that our Lord speaking of works according to which he will judge men at the last day mentioneth none but works of mercy Matth. 25.35 This passage presents unto us the sentence that shall be given upon men at that great day where it speaks of nothing save feeding those that hungred receiving strangers clothing the naked visiting the sick and those in prison And on the contrary of not having performed such deeds of benevolence But are there no works but these worthy to be remembred before Christs Tribunall and that are able to declare us just or are there no other sins except the omission of such duties no other crime that deserves damnation Yes there are works that excell these he that spends his bloud and life for Christs sake doth a deed far surpassing him that gives clothes and food to the poor to be a prisoner for the Gospel is more then to visit prisoners How is it then that this sentence expresseth naught save the works of mercy although that there be many other kindes of
NEW Observations UPON THE DECALOGUE OR The Second of the Four Parts OF Christian Doctrine Preached upon the CATECHISM By JOHN DESPAGNE Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed by Thomas Newcomb for Joshuah Kirton and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Kings Arms in Pauls-Church-yard 1652. To the RIGHT HONORABLE and THRICE-ILLUSTRIOUS PHILIP Earl of PEMBROKE and MONTCOMERY Baron of SHURLAND Lord of CARDIFFE PARR ROS and KENDAL MARMYON and S. QUINTIN Knight of the order of the GARTER and Chancelor of the University of OXFORD My LORD I Present you here with a handful of fruits gathered out of your own Field which I humbly desire may be acceptable to you as I am accountable to you so I will endeavour continually to please God and your self this auditory among whom you have been pleased to give me a place and whether so many noble persons do resort shall be an everlasting monument of your Charitable piety My Lord our souls bless you and our bowels which are refreshed with the shadow of your name shall carry the acknowledgment thereof up to Heaven In these dayes full of horror and confusion the foxes hav holes and the birds of the air have nests but the son of God hath not in regard of us where he may rest his head if you had not lodged him amongst us even so may you lodge with him in his highest habitation But my Lord live here first many ages and in the end live eternally To the READER Reader IN the Preface of my Observations on the Creed I have prevented the most of those accusations which might be made against that Treatise or these that follow I could overwhelm them with reasons who yet demand for what serv these things that I have uttered to salvation Now concerning Orthodoxal points in which you may see so many Looking-glasses of Gods wisdom points I say cleared by innumerable celestial lights conduce they nothing to salvation but these people who speak so Magisterially imagine that nothing conduceth to salvation but what they find in their cōmon places and as all their learning consisteth in that vulgar kind of study so they think all Divinity is locked up within such bounds I need not answer those who complain that all here is of too high a taste and that I give them nothing but salt or spices but it is free for them to take hereof as much as will season the ordinary food of their mindes and yet the acrimony which they find there proceeds from their tenderness but in accustoming themselves they will finde there the relish salubrity and nutritive vertue of Manna Many for want of the knowledg of the very principle meet with many rubs and stumbling stones in the plainest ways that may be if I should say that Enoch is the third of those who went out of the world none having gone before but Abel and Adam this were imperceptible to those who cannot consider the 5 chapter of Genesis but I do not undertake to teach the rudiments I presuppose them and I beleeve I speak to those who understand them There be some who wish I had been somwhat more large in these observations but these men complain that they are conducted the shorter way I could furnish them with words enough but is not this for their advantage that they hav in few words the whole substance of a Subject within this brevity which I have expresly studied for they shall finde still stuff of a large breadth if they will unfold it from one end to the other I have the approbation of divers men eminent for learning even of some to whom I am otherways unknown one of these under the name of the Genius of Cambridge having seen the English translation of my Observations on the Creed honored me with an excellent Latin Epistle encouraging me to publish these other tractats which I promised I know well that the Elogies which he gave me are too high to belong to me but doubtless in exalting me he would afford me matter of humiliation Whosoever thou art if ever these lines shall come into thy hands and if thou wilt be pleased to cast thine eyes upon them I beseech thee by these many brave vertues the sparkles whereof I finde shining in thy letters and by that sympathy communion of thoughts which God hath put in us do not conceal thy name from me it shall be precious and precious also shall thy counsels be to me O quis daret te ut fratrem mihi The Contents The NATURAL MAN and HIS QUALITIES DIvers sorts of good men in the Worlds opinion and but onely one indeed p. 1. Wherefore God was pleased that the Heathen should outgo the Saints in many vertuous actions p. 4. A consideration upon the two last sinners immediately converted by Christ viz. the Thief and St. Paul p. 8. Whence comes it to pass that all men naturally beleeve that they must be justified by Works p. 9. Touching the pretended merit of WORKS That the causes of our salvation are in heaven the marks of it on earth p. 11 Wherefore is it that our Lord speaking of works according to which he will judge men at the last day mentioneth none but works of mercy Mat. 25.3 p. 12. Why God hath chosen Faith rather then any other Vertue to be the instrument of our Justification The difference between a miraculous Faith and a justifying p. 14. Those that now adaies seek to be justified by works are more inexcusable then those that had this pretence before the death of Christ p. 16. Good WORKS the Effects of FAITH The strange reasons by which the Scripture inviteth us to good works with the method that it teacheth to make us capable of graces p. 17. Why the common people love rather to hear speak of Charity then Faith of the Law then the Gospel p. 20. Of Repentance and Obedience Wherefore is it never said that God repented him of any thing saving that which concern'd men p. 22. Wherefore hath God commanded divers things contrary unto common Principles p. 24. A Question touching David and Salomon accepting the choice that God gave them p. 26. Why is Superstition in things indifferent held so hainous p. 27. Touching the TABLES of the LAVV in general A comparing of the two miraculous Writings that are reported in the holy History p. 29. How long the Tables of the Law endured and a Consideration upon that matter p. 30. The reason why the Scipture shews which is the greatest Commandment and never which is the least p. 32. How one may judge of two diverse Commandments to know which is greater then the other p. 33 Why by the Law it was pollution to touch the dead corps of a godly man that had been murdered and nevertheless it was not pollution to touch the living Murderer p. 34. The Preface of the Decalogue Hearken Israel c. Degrees amongst Nations in regard of the love or hate that God bare to
Christ doth it not more resemble Christ then a dead Crucifix or a shape that expresseth nothing but some superficiall lineaments I say more That if one would abuse this Picture and idolatrize it I would do by it as Hezekiah did by the brazen Serpent 2 Kings 18.14 A notable difference betwixt one of the figures which represented Christ and those that represented the Angels And a consideration upon the matter In the Old Testament Christ was figured by the image of a Serpent set upon a pole without the Tabernacle in an open place But the Angels were figured by the faces of men having wings placed over the Ark it self in the most holy of Holies If we consider these figures and their placing that of Christs was greatly inferiour unto that of the Angels And if the true image of Christ did consist in outward lineaments an humane shape had been fitter there then that of a Serpent Whence is it that in the Apocalyps Jesus Christ being man is decyphered onely in parabolicall Figures rather then in the naturall form of his own body We see him appear with seven Stars in his right hand and a two-edged Sword going forth of his mouth We see him clad with a robe dipt in blood and mounted upon a white horse Wee see him in the shape of a Lamb slain having seven eyes and seven horns But we never see him there or in any other place of the holy History in the figure of his own naturall visage To teach us That we ought rather to seek him in the description of his graces then in the Idea of the feature of his visage What 's the reason that amongst all the wonders that God hath wrought he never made an Image to speak God hath shewed forth an infinite of Miracles of all sorts but never did he cause an Image to speak There were Cherubins within the Tabernacle and in the Temple and God caused his voice to be heard from under the mercy-seat over which these Statues were placed but wee read not that ever they spake word The Son of God likewise never wrought any such miracle nor his Disciples God without doubt would not that men should have this pretence to colour their Idolatry For if any image had spoken they had easily beleeved that there had been some divine vertue inclosed in such a statue And that 's the reason the Divel did that which God would not for he hath often spake in divers Idols the betto oblige men to consult with and serve them In the 13 of the Revelat. vers 15. this Mystery is counted amongst those that the second beast wrought that he made an Image speak Besides although God should have made any speak as many suppose yet should it be no more adorable then Balaams Ass if it were again in the world Two sorts of sinners at which God mocks All sinners are worthy of Gods anger but there are two are worthy of derision as well as his indignation One is the proud the other the Idolater and we read that God mocks at both At the proud Psalm 2. Hee that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh at them the Lord shall have them in derision Esa 14. he jears the King of Babylon whose pride began to be followed with ruine It seems also that God mock'd at the pretensions of our great Grand-father when he said See Man is become as one of us He mocks likewise at the Idolaters Superstitious and those that resort to Wizzards So said he to the Israelites whom he had chastened for their Idolatries Cry to the gods ye have chosen that they may deliver you Judg. 10.14 Jer. 2.28 So the Prophet Elijah laughing at the Prophets of Baal bid them cry very loud that that Idol might hear them The admirable proportions that God holds in the dispensation of his judgements Here is a point marvellous dark and a matter whose bottom it is impossible to sound Our understanding cannot conceive why God chasteneth one more then another why with such a kinde of punishment why sooner or later why in such measure why so long time or so short and other reasons of such diversities as therein are marked Yet this Soveraign Wisdom doth nothing that is not perfectly regular although his operations seem to us so out of order Sometime God looks to the nature and quality of the crime When we are in affliction it is not enough for us to know or say in generall that it is fallen upon us for our sins There are alwayes certain misdeeds amongst others that are the particular cause of such and such judgements So the Nations that God threatned by Amos Chapt. 1. 2. were guilty of many enormous sins but there was one amongst the rest in every of them for which they were condemned Damascus for having broken Galaad with harrows of iron Gaza and Tyre for having delivered over the Jews into Captivity Edom for having pursued his Brother with the sword Moah for having burned the bones of the King of Edom c. Sometimes God marks them that give the first example of evill and handles them more harshly So Jericho because it was the first Town that shut the gates against Israel was exposed unto unmercifulness So Amalek for being the first that made war upon the people of God was condemned to a finall destruction So Nadab and Abihu because they were the first breakers of the Ceremoniall Law after the establishment of Aarons Priesthood were devoured by fire So Ananias and Sapphira the first that belied God in the beginnings of the Christian Church were miraculously punished Sometimes God hath regard unto the number of sins seldome doth he punish a man or a people for one fault When he adjudged the Israelites from twenty yeers old and upward to die all in the wildernesse that was by reason of a tenth Nationall sin that they had committed for God already complained that they had tempted him ten times Numb 14. v. 22. Sometimes God looks to the continuance and measure of sins and forbears to punish them til they be come to a certain growth He would not put Abraham into the possession of the promised Land because that the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet ful Gen. 15.16 Sometime God hath an eye to some circumstance that concerns the crime For the forty dayes that the Israelites had imployed to discover the Land of Canaan they were condemned to an exile of forty yeers in the Desert in detestation of their murmuring Numb 14.34 For having neglected the Sabbath of the Land which they ought to have let rest once every seven yeers they were captives out of their Land seventy yeers 2 Chron. 36.21 King Hozias for having presumed to enter into the holy place and there taking upon him to execute the Office which appertained not but to the Priests was stricken with a disease the judgment whereof belonged onely unto the Priests viz. a Leprosie and was driven not onely out of the Temple
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
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