;96 Chap.' t: Ofthe Promife oflong Life ? Coltl:, canJIretch out his hand againff the Lords anointed, andbe innocent ? And as they con- tain a dehortation from difobedience and rebellion, fo è contra we have an ex- hortation for obedience and fubjelion. Gedaliab, as he was willing to fubmit him- felfto the Cbaldees, fo he exhorts.others, Let usferve the King ofBabel, and itfoall he s sings 25.24. well with us. When any (hall rife in thegain-fayingof Corab, againft Mofes or Aaron, we mull not only not'joyn with them,but withdraw others from them, and fay with Num. 16. a6. Mofes, Departfrom the tentsofthefe wicked men, and touchnothing oftheirs, left ye be eonfumed in all theirfins. But on the other fide, if they require things dire tly and evidentlycontrary to the CommandsofGod, Des potins gram hominibus, we muff not obey them our felves ; nay, we alfa mull exhort others not to obey them ; if their au- thority be lawful ( though abufed ) we mutt rather fuller than refill : but if it be ufurped, and without any colour of title, we may refit's them, if we be able; for Ty- rants without title ( while the lawful Governour hath not relinquifht his claim ) are to be accountedas publick Thievesand Robbers, it's lawful for any to defiroy them : and thus wemay fay withDavid, &sit confurget mecum, who will rifeup with meagaitiff the evil doers? We'mufl get as many as we can to joyn with us, to deli- ver usfrom the oppref ion of fuchas ufurp or invade the Authority of our lawful Soveraign. CHAP. xI. Thefecondpart ofthis Commandment, A Promife oflong lift Reafons why thisPromifr is annexed to this Commandmont. How this Promife is made good. Reafons why God fometimes Portent the days of the godly, andprolongs the daysof thewicked. V[ E are now come to the fecond general part ofthis Commandment, which / / is the Promife, That thy days maybelong, &c. A prolongation of days. In the fecond Commandment, there is a general promífe to them that love God and keep his Commandments. In this there is a particular promífe for them that obferve EpheG 6. s. this Commandment; and therefore it's truewhich the Apoflleobferved,that this is' the firff Commandment with Promife, that is, with a particular Promife Now the reafons why God adds a Promife and reafon to this Commandment may be thefe. I: Beeaufe ( according to theProverb ) Adorantplume: orientem folem, gnaw oeci- dentem ; there aremorethat wor/hip tbe rifing, than thefatting Sun : and old men are compared to the Sun goingdown.. lob faith, that a man towards his end is like a Job 12. 5.. candle burningwithin the focket, or alamp defpifed. So confequently our Fathers ha- ving one foot in the grave, arenegledl ed, becaufe there is no further hopes ofrecei- vingbenefit by them, whereas iftheywere (fill growing upwith us, there. were fur- ther expedfation ofgood towards use Therefore God adds this reafon or motive to flit us up to give due honour to them, even when they are old, becaufe we, (hall be rewarded our felves withhonourand long life. 2. Secondly, here is a convenient proportion between the Promife an a the Duty, which ismoll juif. The Heathen-man faith, Si acceperis beneficiumgratis. there 5 if thou haft receiveda benefit,preferve it. We received a benefit in our birth fromour Parents, that is our life : be thankful to them,and fomaintain it ; for God then will have our life preferved by them fromwhom we had it, and that is, by their Benedi- dion ifwe Ihall continue in our honour to them. Pietas, faith S. Ambrofe, inparen- In Pfalm rr8. tee gratis Deo, merce: parentum, filiorum fiipendium; this piety towards Parents is ac- s Tim. 4. 8. ceptable to God, and is the juff reward from Children to Parents, &e. And Saint Paul Dent. 5. it: faith, it bathnot only thepromífe ofthis life, but ofthat to come. And therefore this fe- cond reafon is explained,ut bene nobisfit,that it may gowell withus. For,as it is laid, that ifall the Adverbs, asdin, &c, were linked together, and beneandmale were left out, they were nothing worth. And therefore God makes a Comment upon this Commandment, after hebath laid [ that thy days may be prolonged , he adds, that it maygobent well with thee: ut non foltem vitaft longa, fed Leta ; that tby lfe be not only long, buthappy. Now
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=