第23章 That the Law of Nature is a Divine Law(2)

VII.To the fourth Law of accommodating our selves,these precepts are conformable,Exod.23.4,5.If thou meet thine enemies Oxe,or his Asse going astray,thou shalt surely bring it back to him again;if thou see the Asse of him that hateth thee lying under his burden,and wouldest forbear to help him,thou shalt surely help with him,vers.9.Also,thou shalt not oppresse a stranger.Prov.3.30.Strive not with a man without a cause,if he have done thee no harme.Prov.15.18.A wrathfull man stirreth up strife,but he that is slow to anger,appeaseth strife.18.24.There is a friend that sticketh closer then a brother.The same is confirmed,Luke 10.By the Parable of the Samaritan,who had compassion on the Jew that was wounded by theeves,and by Christs precept,Matth.5.39.But I say unto you,that ye resist not evill,but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek,turn to him the other also,&c.

VIII.Among infinite other places which prove the fifth law,these are some.Matth.6.14.If you forgive men their trespasses,your heavenly Father will also forgive you:but if you forgive not men their trespasses,neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.Math.18.21.Lord how oft shall my Brother sinne against me,and I forgive him?till seven times?

Jesus saith unto him,I say not till seven times,but till seventy times seven times:that is,toties quoties.

IX.For the confirmation of the sixth law,all those places are pertinent which command us to shew mercy;such as Mat.5.7.

Blessed are the mercifull,for they shall obtain mercy.Levit.

19.18.Thou shalt not avenge,nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people.But there are,who not onely think this law is not proved by Scripture,but plainly disproved from hence,that there is an eternall punishment reserved for the wicked after death,where there is no place either for amendment,or example.Some resolve this objection by answering,That God,whom no law restrains,refers all to his glory,but that man must not doe so;as if God sought his glory,(that is to say)pleased himselfe in the death of a sinner.It is more rightly answered,that the institution of eternall punishment was before sin,and had regard to this onely,that men might dread to commit sinne for the time to come.

X.The words of Christ prove this seventh,Matth.5.22.But I say unto you,That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause,shall be in danger of the judgement,and whosoever shall say unto his Brother Racha,shall be in danger of the Counsell,but whosoever shall say,thou foole,shall be in danger of hell fire.Prov.10.18.Hee that uttereth a slander is a foole.Prov.

14.21.Hee that despiseth his neighbour,sinneth.15.1.

Grievous words stir up anger.Prov.22.10.Cast out the scorner,and contention shall goe out,and reproach shall cease.

XI.The eighth law of acknowledging equality of nature,that is,of humility,is established by these places.Mat.5.3.

Blessed are the Poor in spirit,for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.Prov.6.16,19.These six things doth the Lord hate,yea seven are an abomination unto him:A proud look,&c.Prov.16.5.

Every one that is proud is an abomination unto the Lord,though hand joyne in hand,he shall not be unpunished.11.2.When pride cometh,then cometh shame,but with the lowly,is wisdome.Thus Isay 40.3.(where the comming of the Messias is shewed forth,for preparation towards his Kingdome)The voyce of him that cryed in the wildernesse,was this:Prepare ye the way of the Lord,make strait in the desart a high way for our God.Every valley shall be exalted,and every mountain,and hill,shall be made low;which doubtlesse is spoken to men,and not to mountains.

XII.But that same Equity which we proved in the ninth place to be a Law of Nature,which commands every man to allow the same Rights to others they would be allowed themselves,and which containes in it all the other Lawes besides,is the same which Moses sets down,Levit.19.18.Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self;and our Saviour calls it the summe of the morall Law,Mat.22.36.Master,which is the great Commandement in the Law?

Jesus said unto him,Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart,and with all thy soul,and with all thy mind;this is the first and great Commandement,and the second is like unto it,Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self.On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets.But to love our neighbor as our selves,is nothing else,but to grant him all we desire to have granted to our selves.

XIII.By the tenth Law respect of Persons is forbid;as also by these places following,Mat.5.45.That ye may be children of your Father which is in Heaven;for he maketh the sun to rise on the Evill,and on the Good,&c.Collos.3.11.There is neither Greek,nor Jew,circumcision,nor uncircumcision,Barbarian,or Scythian,bond,or free,but Christ is all,&in all.Acts 10.

34.of a truth,I perceive,that God is no respecter of Persons.

2Chron.19.7.There is no iniquity with the Lord our God,nor respect of Persons,nor taking of gifts.Ecclus.35.12.The Lord is Judge,and with him is no respect of Persons.Rom.2.11.For there is no respect of Persons with God.

XIV.The eleventh Law,which commands those things to be held in common which cannot be divided,I know not whether there be any expresse place in Scripture for it,or not;but the practise appears every where in the common use of Wels,Wayes,Rivers,sacred things,&c.for else men could not live.

XV.We said in the twelfth place,that it was a Law of Nature,That where things could neither be divided,nor possess'd in common,they should be dispos'd by lot,which is confirmed as by the example of Moses,who by Gods command,Numb.34.divided the severall parts of the land of promise unto the Tribes by Lot.