tntroduá. Why the moralLawwas written. Chap. 17, 69 Rue. The Platanifls ob praxim politicam, for policy, TheStoicly for the AClion it felf, Officium propter officinm, or propter virtutem , doing their duty for their duties, or venues own fake , none for the glory of God. But weknow , that OPiton eft propter quiddam altiM officio , for fométhing more excellent then than the duty it fell, that is for the glory ofGod. For he faith , My glory will not give toanother. Efa.4a.8. Bu "t theyrobbed God ofthis glory. 3, Laftly ; whereas God is no let's offended , yea more for thebreach of the firft Table , than of the fecond; and in the fecond Table more with Adultry than Theft : they go another way , and fet down great punifhments for Thefts , and fuch things as are committed againft themfelves , or concern them ; but when they come to Blafphemy and other fins that are injurious and derogatory to Gods honour , they regard not them nor fet any (or at leaft little) punifhment upon them, as if they concerned not them at all. In refpeft'of Men. Take the fecond Table, in which is contained the duty of Z: Parents and Children. They were fo unnatural, that they did facrifice their ownSons, and Daughters to Devils. And for Children, though they were undutiful to-Parents, MReg 53.10; and relieved them not,yet they had their Corban for it:áChild might neglecthis duty towards his Parents, if he vowed to beftow a gift on the Temple. For ftealth and rob- bery, that was accounted nofin , their Law bare them out : as in Sparta it was but, Tu quoque fac fimile, do thou the like; And for Adultry they allowed their vagae libidines, extravagant Luft , their abominable Feafts to yenus, and their Stews to maintain them. In refpedt of themfelves. They praClifed and delighted inGluttony and Drunk-_ ennefs, which was accounted no fin, but a vertue, and ufedafter their Sacrifices; in- 3' fomuch as Saint Angofline faith of them , theydid menfurae bibere fine menfiera , drink marines without meafure : and it was accounted a commendable thing among them. No marvel then if in thefe refpeCls, all thofe things confidered , that God plagued themwith blindnefsand darknefs, for fuch intolerable abufe of that light they had. Thu, Mans heart being an ill Cu/os or keeper ofthe Law, and ignorantin igno- ranee'beingmade plena ignoránti a the punifhment of ignorance; and fo the Law be- ing almoft blotted out , it was neceffary it Ihould be written, foas it might abide for ever. When God had made an end ofcommuning with Afofes upon Mount Sinai, hegavehim twoTables of Teftimony Tables of Stone written with his Eso1l3ti5, own Finger, which had a fign and refemblance; and indeed contained fummarily the Law of Nature. But after theywere broken in pieces by Mofes moved to wrath againft the Ifraelites for their Idolatry to the Molten Calf, then were two Tables 32.19. made again by Mofes , but the Law was written in them by God ;; this Law was called Moles Law , besaufe it was delivered to the Ifraelites by his Miniftery: ever 34. E fntceitbath been delivered to fucceeding Ages by the Miniftery of Man. Now it was neceffary that this Law fhould be given at this time in theft refpe ìs. a. Becaufe now, not only the Gentiles walked in the vanity of their own hearts, but the Ifraelites the Seed ofAbraham (to whom God hadbound himfelfEsek.ao.71 by,promife) were adiC}ed to the Idol worfhip of e&gypt3 and having lived long in ciEgypt, had almoft loft the knowledge of facrificingto, and truly worfhipping ofGod. So that had not God at this time takenhis People apart from other Nations into the Wildernefs, and thereas it werefchooled them apart, and taught them his Law, and given it to them written, to be preferved forpofterity, the whole World (inprobability) would have been (ifdimbefore) ftarkblind at length,andwholly ignorant of Gods Law. 2. Nordid God give his Law to all the World at once , nor writeit in the mani. fold and different tonguesof theNations, but firft imparted it to Afofes andAaron, and the Elders of the Yews, that by them it might be communicated to the whole body of that People, in the ancient Tongue kept ever fine eAdams oA time by the Pa- triarchs,"as iscommonly thought. And then did God make thishis People fo famous in regard ofthe wonderful Miracles wrought amongft them , hisadmirable dealings with them, his Temple and worthip granted to them : that the World before Chrifts coming could not plead ignorance. Befides whereas the Gentiles had departed from God,yet fuch was his mercy, that he left theway open for the Ifraelites to callthem again
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