THE EPITOME OF Man's Duty. BEING A Discourse upon Mic. 6.8. where the Hypocritical people are briefly directed how to please God.  
Qui in vitiis sibi placent, non credent nobis, etiamsi Solem manibus gestemus.  Lactant. 
LONDON, Printed by R. W. for Francis Titan, and are to be sold at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet near the inward Temple Gate, 1660.   

The Epitome of man's Duty.  MIC. 6.8. 
He hath showed thee O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?  

THAT there are Laws of God engraven upon the tables of our hearts, 
Men would willingly please God and themselves too.  both the light of nature, and the holy Scriptures plainly tell us. Whensoever we raze out or blot any of these Laws, we prick our consciences, and draw blood of our own souls; and we become traitors also to God's Majesty, whose image and superscription we vilely deface; and we know very well that we have incurred his high displeasure. Now it hath been the enquiry of all men how to heal these wounds and gashes in the conscience, and how to pacify the wrath of God, and obtain reconciliation with him. Yet such a love they have to their old traitorous practices which they are loath to leave, that they would willingly find a way to please God, and to please themselves both together. They will spare no cost to be at peace with God, so it may not cost them the life of their sins, and they may still be at peace with them. This is too manifest in the story of Heathens, Jews, and Christians.  
The Heathens knowing that they had offended their Gods, 
Appatent from the Heathens.  but having no mind to be perfect friends with them, invented all the ways they could think of to get their good will, and obtain a grant of them to sin and not be punished, a licence to follow their own desires without any disturbance. This was the original of the multitude of Gods, of uncouth ceremonies, horrid mysteries, Panic terrors and affrightments: for they stood in a terrible dread that the Gods intended some mischief to them which they knew they deserved. The Athelians (for example) worshipped many Gods, who they thought might do them either good or harm: and lest there should be any that they performed no devotion unto, and therefore might owe them a spite, they made an Altar to an unknown God. Or as we may gather from Diogenes Laertius, there being a great mortality among them, and they obtaining no ease by all their prayers and sacrifices to the Gods of their own country, they imagined that it came from some unknown hand, and so worshipped that God whosoever he was, that he might be reconciled to them.  
Just such likewise was the humour of the Jews, 
From the Jews.  though better taught by God. They could contentedly bestow any thing upon him, so that they might but have their own wills; And when their sacrifices were costly and expensive, they hoped God would be well satisfied; and account himself no loser by their sins which brought him in so many fat services. And if these would not give him full content, rather than he should not be satisfied, and rather than their sins should be sacrificed, they would offer their own children unto him. They ask him if he would have their first born (as it was the manner of some heathens to sacrifice men and women upon their Altars to their Gods) If he desired, the fattest and fairest child in the flock should be made an oblation to him; or if he would have all their estates evaporated in sacrifices; all their riches smoke in his holy fires. It is the art of the superstitious man to flatter God and fawn upon him; to bribe him (as it were) with a rich and gaudy worship at some seasons, that he may have liberty at other times not to worship him nor serve him as he ought. And this being a timorous disposition of soul, it makes the man very scrupulous how to please God, & very lavish in his expenses, out of fear that he will otherwise be very troublesome to him if he be not pleased.  
There is still the same disease in the soul of most that are called Christians. 
And from the Christians.  They know that they have sinned, and that God is very angry; and they know that he is very powerful and able to tear them in pieces: that he is a consuming fire, & can devour them in a moment; And this fear makes them sigh and weep, knock their breasts, and make a mournful noise; fast and pray, run from Church to Church, to offer him sacrifice: hear God's word and read it, or do any other thing but only do the will of God according to what they hear and read to be their duty. For they do not see any such goodness in God that should attract their love, and make delight in his life, and accord with his will; but they are only amazed at his greatness, and tremble to think of the evil that he can do them. They will give him (as it were) the fruit of their body, they will pine and starve their corpse with fasting, if the doing that penance will satisfy for their surfeiting and drunkenness, or for their greedy, ravenous, and devouring covetousness. They will spare no ballowed breath, if their prayers may but blow away the infection of their oaths, lies, corrupt communication that comes out of their mouths. If he will have a drink offering of their very tears, they will not grudge it, so be it that they may drown the tears of the oppressed, or wash off the stains of cruelty and unmercifulness. They will mourn and lament; they will cry and howl upon their beds; they will sigh and groan; they will walk heavily and sadly; they will shut themselves up from company; they will make large confessions of their offences; I cannot tell what it is that they will not do; but all is to entreat the Lord not to be angry with them for their rebellions: and if ever they commit the like again, they promise to make him as good an amends as they do now, and resolve to fast and mourn and bewail the fault; so that he shall not say, they did nothing to please him.  
And the reason of all this is, 
The reason of men's endeavour to please him without leaving their sins.  because men love their sins well themselves; and think that God can love them also if he will, and that he need not be so offended and distasted unless he please. They hope therefore that ●hey may entreat him to be more kind then to take away their beloved lusts from their embraces, seeing it is not his nature but only his imperious will (as they imagine) that sets him so against them. And hence it is that they earnestly beg his pardon for what his past: and for to incline him to condescend to their desires of not being angry with their sins, they are willing and ready also otherwise to gratify him; and to give him something that may please him as well as their forsaking of them. And at last by long use and practice they grow to this conceit, that they cannot imagine what God would have more than that they should confess their sins and be sorry for them. And they live as if they could not devise what should be more pleasing to God, nor what he should require further of mortal creatures: Whereas my text tells you plainly that it is the corruption of their wills rather than the weakness of their understanding, that makes them judge thus perversely, For it is plain enough what is acceptable unto God, The Lord hath shown thee o man what is good; and what else is it but to do justly? etc. Thou needest not ask so many questions, (as they do, ver. 6, 7.) as if thou knewest not what God would have, nor what thou shouldst do to him more than thou dost, unless thou shouldst offer thy children to him, or all the beasts in thy pastures, etc. For a little inquiry will acquaint thee that God is very well pleased if thou wilt be just, merciful, and humble.  
That seems to be the very true sense and meaning of those words foregoing, 
The sense of the words from their dependence on the foregoing.  Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord, etc. ver. 6, 7. For this chapter contains the pleading of God with his people: in the first verse of which he calls to the Prophet as his Attorney to manage his plea which he puts in against them. And the Prophet in the second verse calls for silence whiles he pleads in open court in his behalf. After which in ver. 3, 4, 5. he opens the case, and shows how guilty they were even from their own confession, that God had never given them any cause to be weary of his service; but rather that he had done them all the good that they could desire. And he leads their memories back as far as Egypt, and the wilderness, where his mercies were wonderful to them, bidding them testify against him, and put in their plea also, if they had any thing to say in justification of their defection from him.  
Now in those words, for 6, 7. the Prophet seems to bring in the people interrupting of him in this complaint against them; saying for themselves in a grumbling manner, What would you have us do? what is it that you would have us give to God? Do we not offer him sacrifices, and bow our faces before his dwelling place? What would he have more than this? What better provision shall we make for him at his house? They speak like men that knew not how to please God, and as if he was such an one that no body knew what would content him. Will he be pleased (say they) with a thousand of rams? What, would he have all the sheep in our flocks driven to his Altars? Would he have all the oil in the land run in a stream to his house? or would he have our first born children now sacrificed, which formerly we might exchange for some thing else? Would he have them in kind now offered up unto him? or would he have all the fruit of our body, the blood of all our children one and other sprinkled before him to expiate for our sins? No, what need all this language (saith the Prophet here in my text) why, do you make yourselves so strange to what I say? As though you could not tell without all these aspersions cast upon God what he would have you to do? He hath showed thee O man, who talk'st in this sort, what is good; And tell me what thou thinkest in thy own conscience it is that the Lord requires of thee. Is it any thing else but to do justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with God? Their silence and not answering to the Question argues that it is unanswerable; and therefore the Prophet goes on in the rest of the chapter without any interruption from them, to lay open their sins and punishments. It is not such a difficult matter to please God as men make it; they know well enough what it is that he requires, if they have any mind to do it: and it is no such strange thing that they should wonder he requires it at their hands.  
In the words you may observe these six things.  
1. 
Six observations from the words.  That there is some duty to be paid to God by every one of us.  
2. That it is easy to know this duty.  
3. That God exacts of man nothing in his duty which is unequal or unjust, and therefore it is easy also to do it.  
4. That a man's own conscience will be witness against him if he do not perform this duty which God requires.  
5. Justice, mercy and humble deportment before God are the sum of it.  
6. These things were always more valued by God then sacrifices, and other the most costly services.  
All these lie plainly before your eyes, as you may soon discern in the text: or they will all manifestly appear to him that will seriously attend these following considerations which I will offer to his thoughts upon every one of them.   

FOR the truth of the first, That there is something owing by every one of us unto God, 
The proof of the first, from four things.  I need not search all the divine writings to make out God's title to man's duty; here are evidences enough for it within the compass of the text.  
First he is our Lord [What doth the Lord require of thee? 
1 He is our Lord. ] and that by a title Paramount to all others. He gave us our being; and it is one of the Regalia of the crown of heaven, that all the Subjects of that kingdom are perfect creatures. We are all his vassals, and can no more be absolved from fealty and homage to him, than we can cease to be when we are. All the tenors, you know, among us were held by some services: and that of pure Villeinage made a man most at the will of the Lord: now such is that which we own to God, but more pure and absolute than any other can possibly be. For our persons are tied and bound to him, and not only our services; and we are not bound by our own consent only, but we are Servi nati, born his servants; yea more than so, we are Servi creati (a title peculiar to him) created servants, who own their whole selves to him.  
To deny therefore all obedience unto God, is to say, we are our own, who is LORD over us? It is the highest piece of pride and insolency, an unpasalleld rebellion against our natural Sovereign; a crime never to be pardoned but by his infinite clemency, and our unseigned subjection to him as long as we live.  
2. 
2 We are men.  We are men [he hath showed thee O Man what is good] and as we are reasonable creatures, (1) We are endowed with more excellent powers of obeying God than other creatures: we are tied to him in the most noble services, and fitted for the most honourable employments. (2) And being reasonable creatures, we likewise have a sense above all others of our obligations to the supreme Lord of the world; and our own consciences give us the lie, if we say that we are free to do what we will. We know very well that when we took a being from him, we took an oath of faith and service to him. There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Hierocles.  as an Heathen himself could say, an oath inessenced and consubstantiated with mankind; an oath of allegiance included in our very being; a Sacrament which we took to God in our mother's womb when we had first leave to become men. Our very reason and conscience is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. (in Arrians Phrase) that promise and engagement whereby we swear to God before we can speak, as soon as a soul is breathed into us. He that breaks this sacred oath or promise, doth unman himself as much as he can, and becomes unreasonable. And (3.) as reasonable likewise, a man can soon tell himself, that since he requires service of persons and things below him: he is much more bound in service to the Most High who is the creator of us all.  
3. God requires something of us, 
3 God makes demands.  which he would never do if it was not his due: He is not so unjust as to make demands where he hath no right: nor so needy as to beg that which is none of his own: nor so unkind as to follow us with continual arrests if we were his neighbours only, and not his tenants and debtors: nor so unwise as to maintain officers and servants where he hath nothing to receive. These are the words of the Prophet of God to men: now why should God send his messengers and Ministers, and call upon men so earnestly, but that there are some services incumbent upon them, of which they ought to be highly sensible? What King makes proclamation where he expects no subjection? What Lord issues out commands, and sends out his servants, where he hath no tenants that hold of him? It would be in vain to make such loud cries to men, if God expected nothing, but that men should please themselves, and do to him as they thought good. And it is too late to ask quo jure, by what right God requires our obedience: for I have already mentioned a title that comprehends all in it.  
4. 
4 The worst of men confess his right.  The worst of men confess his right. They that will not love him, will flatter him; they that will not give him all, will give him some: and they that have been negligent, seek to make him satisfaction. The Jews to whom the Prophet here speaks, that would not do all his will, yet offer him large sums to buy off the punishment for their faults. As they who are bound by their tenors to personal service in the wars, would many times rather send their servant in their stead: so would these men gladly give God content by sacrificing of their beasts, when they had no mind to offer up themselves. And all the ways whereby the poor heathen study to make him reparation for their wrongs, and atone him to them, are plain confessions of this truth, that we own something to him.  
In a matter so clear, 
Application, against the professedly profane.  I will not hold a candle to the Sun, but First I shall rather wonder that there should be any such persons in the world that live like bruits; as if God required nothing of them, but had made them to fill their bellies, and their purses, and had given them leave not to be men. Sons of Belial they are (as the ancient Scripture calls them) men under no yoke or government, unless it be the tyranny of their own lusts and passions, which domineer over them. Men that hate instruction and scorn reproof, as if we did them wrong when we tell them God requires that they should be better. Men that lift up the nose, like the wild Ass in the wilderness which snuffs up the wind at her pleasure, and say, who shall command them? I wish there were no such Monsters in the world, that shake off the government of God, and say of Christ, this man shall not reign over us: that take it ill to be touched in the tender interest of their sins: that think (it is plain) neither God nor man can require more of them then they will give them.  
Take heed that all this be not true in your lives, if not in the temper of your spirits. Remember seriously this fundamental truth which you all know well enough already, That you are not at liberty: that there are some indispensable duties he upon you: that you are tied to God in the most sacred bonds: and that it must be your greatest care to see them well discharged.  
And secondly; 
And against pretended Saints.  if this be true, let the Libertines of this Age look to it, who think that all duty smells of baseness and servitude (for by that name they have learned to call all our services) and that Christ came to free us from obedience to God himself. And let us look to them also: for if God must expect nothing from them, than what presumption is it for us poor mortals to imagine that they must be just or faithful, or any thing else to us. And therefore you may observe, that at the same time that men began to think there was no obligation lay upon them of duty to God, they began to imagine that all their Landlords also were usurpers, and that they had no rights but what the corruption of ancient times had given them.  
But Christ did not make us the less men, by making us to become Christians. He hath in his title the name of our Lord. Duty and true grace are it no such difference as silly people imagine. Our obligations are not diminished, but our strength and power is increased; the service is not altered, but love mixed with justice makes it more easy. We are not discharged from our work, but our reward is swelled to an unmeasurable disproportion to it.  
But I pass by this, because I hope there are none that hear me, who set God and Christ at odds, and rob him of his creature under a pretence of making him a Christian.   

THE second truth, 
The second obse●●●… prov●… 〈…〉  viz. That it is easy for men to know their duty, is clear from two passages in the text. 1. The Lord hath showed it to them. He hath demonstrated it, & made it very plain so that if a Law do not bind till it be promulgated, that injures not God's title at all; for he hath shown and proclaimed his mind. 2. It is so shown, that men cannot but see it and take notice of it, as the manner of words by way of Question doth clearly intimate, What doth the Lord require of thee? As if he should have said; thou knowest very well, I need not tell it thee, It is sufficient only to put thee in mind of what thou art well acquainted with, even to do justly, to love mercy, etc. And indeed it is so plain, that God shows it more ways than one.  
1. 
1 God shows man his duty by his Conscience.  He shows it in our own consciences by the light of reason. That the Question supposes, and the Apostle expressly saith, Rom. 1.19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them. Rom. 2.15. Which show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, etc. (1) Man's soul doth not come out of God's hand like a sheet of white paper, in which there is nothing writ, or printed; but it is as a book impressed with many sacred letters and divine characters. And (2) this book is not shut and clasped, but it stands open to every one's search. Nor (3) is God's mind writ in some corner of the book, and wrapped up in leavs of darkness, but it shows itself, and the letters are so great, that they will be read Nor (4) Is the sense of this writing hard to be understood, but we call them Common notions, first principles which must be easy, and perspicuous at the first sight. Nor (5) need we go to the learned for their Comments upon them; or as Tertullian speaks, we need not appeal to a soul that hath been form in the Schools, bred in a Library, and fed with Academical notions, 
De test. Animae, cap. 1.  but simplex & rudis, & impolita, & idiotica, illa ipsa de compito, de trivio, de textrino, the most simple and rude, the most impolished and illiterate soul, the veriest highway soul; the soul that is bred in the shop or in the street, will testify to these things, as well as that which is brought up in a Study, or learned retirements. Nor (6) is this book so blotted by our fall into the dirt, but that the great lines of our duty are fair and legible. Just as we see the Sun in a cloud casts forth a light whereby we discern in waht part of the heavens it is; or as a pearl will shine though it lie on a dunghill; so will these golden letters shine and glister in men's fouls, inan heap of rubbish: and this light will break forth through a veil of darkness. And (7) where there are any lacunae, any gaps or breaches in a particular soul, by comparing all the Copies, and consulting with one another's reasons, we should soon find the true sense. Yea (8) more than this, it is not in the power of any of you to raze out these characters. They are not at your liberty to expunge or alter. For they are not so much scriptae as natae, written as born: we did not put them into us, but we find them in us. Though I might here cry out as Tertullian in another case, O anima naturaliter Christiana! O soul, who naturally art a Christian! yet let us look further and consider,  
2. 
2 By his word in the Scriptures.  That in the Bible God shows our duty more clearly by the light of revelation. Here we are informed so exactly both what God is, and what man is: that he must be blind that doth not see that it is God's word, and that man's obedience is due unto it. The very stile wherein it speaks is, Thus saith the Lord, a form of speech not to be found in other books. The contents of it about our duty are so clear and plain, that we may say with Solomon, Prov. 6.23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lex est lux, the Law is light. Or as it is said in the vision of Habakkuk, which God bid him write and make plain upon tables, (chap. 2.2.) he that runs may read it. And again these plain things are so agreeable to the connate principles of our mind, and the natural sense that we have of goodness, that he hath put his laws into our hearts; and we need not say one to another (as if it was a strange thing) know the Lord, for all of us may know him from the greatest to the least. In short, this word is compared to a glass which shows unto us all our own deformities, and represents unto us likewise the face and image of God, whereby we should dress and compose ourselves to be beloved of him.  
3. 
3 By his Ministers.  He shows us our duty by his Ministers in the light of preaching. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, Isa. 58.1. Wilt thou judge the bloody City? yet thou shalt show her all her abominations, Ezek. 22.2. If there be any thing in this book, that is not so plain and clear: God hath set them to expound and unfold it. If any thing be dark, they are to manifest it. They open to men God's word, and let them into the inwards and secrets of it. And by manifestation of the truth, they commend themselves to every conscience of man in the sight of God, as the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 4.2. i e. men know in their consciences that what we say in these matters, is the very truth of God.  
4. 
4 By his Works.  The works of God in the world abundantly show it by the light of providence. Those exemplary punishments I mean upon notorious offenders, which speak the finger of God; and his rewards to the righteous, which have many times no less of God in them. By these God vindicates his authority, and shows that he is the supreme Governor; and that these are his Laws from which we ought by no means as we love ourselves to swerve, or stir a foot. And so God saith, the wickedness of Judah was discovered, Ezek. 16.57. when he punished her for her iniquity: It had often before been discovered by the preaching of the Prophets, but when that would not prevail, he laid it open in a more dreadful manner by the voice of his judgements, which bid all men mind their duty better.  
5. 
5 By the Church.  All the people and Church of God do show it in the light of their lives. Their light shines before men; 
Math. 5.16. 1 Pet. 2.9.  they show forth the praises or the virtues of him that hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light. Men cannot but see that there are many in the world, that run not with them into the same excess of riot, that pray continually, that make a conscience of every word they speak; that are full of love and pity; that are ready to do good; of a peaceable and meek disposition, and ready to forgive, etc. These show to men what is good, and they have them continually before their eyes. It is well if it be not so plain, that they become an eyesore to them: if they do not shine so bright in contradiction to their lives that they are offended at it. The Church of God is called the pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. 3.15. because it doth hold forth the truth to men: and support it in the world, even as a pillar doth a proclamation which is affixed to it, so that all that pass by may read it. And this it doth not only by preaching and outward profession, but by the sincere practice of a multitude of professors. So that it is as easy for men to know their duty, as to know what a King's proclamation is, which is not only cried, but likewise posted up in the marketplace, that all may read it.  
Let us not then be so dull as to think on the one hand to plead Ignorance, or weakness of parts, or insufficiency of light in excuse, for neglect of our duty: or so wild, 
We cannot then plead Ignorance, we need not be Seekers.  as on the other hand to turn Seekers in Religion, as though no body could yet find the way to heaven. The Lord hath showed thee O man, what thou hast to do; and therefore thou shalt not be able to pretend that thou wantedst the means of knowledge, and hadst no body to inform thee in thy duty: And he hath shown it so long ago, that the world cannot be at this day to seek how to please God, as if no body could tell what his mind was. To pass by the former; let it be considered concerning the latter, that they he shrewdly to be suspected to believe no God; or else not to know what they mean by the name, who are to seek what Religion to be of. For no man can be rationally persuaded of the being of a God, and not be persuaded that he governs the world: And if he govern the world, it must be by Laws; And if those Laws are incertain, they are no better than none. And if they be made for all his subjects, they must be plain, because many of them understand but little.  
It is an easy thing to find what Gods will is, if we be but impressed with such a sense of our dependence on him as begets that reverence and fear of him, and that love and affection to him, which easily and naturally flows from the sense of our dependence. God's mind is laid before us, we need only open our eyes and look no further. The way is plain, though it be narrow; the gate is open, though it be straight. You may easier find the way than walk in it, you may sooner see the gate then enter in at it. It is to be feared that they who seek for some new way, find this too straight and narrow which they have been in; and they would have a greater liberty to themselves, then formerly their consciences durst let them take. And then the Devil may soon show them the way wherein they should walk, and by a new light discover to them the paths of darkness. But I dare say if any man have a mind to live godly, to deny himself, to walk humbly with his God; he need not go to seek any further than this book. There he may behold so much to be practised, that if he will seek no further till he hath done that, I may warrant him from being of the number of any other seekers than those that seek the Lord continually, that they may walk in all his commandments blameless. They are exceeding broad, they are to have an influence into the whole life: so that if the doing of those be our end, we need seek for no more, for they will hold us at work all our days.   

THE third observation is, 
The third observation proved.  That God's demands are not unequal, or that he doth not exact of us any duty that is hard and rigorous. They are not Draco's Laws cruel and tyrannical: nor the heavy yoke of Moses, grievous, and painful; but the gracious commands of Jesus Christ, the Laws that God himself lived by when he was in the flesh: Co●in germane to those that rule in heaven. Two things in the text likewise speak this, besides that which is mainly intended.  
First the Prophet calls it Good which the Lord shows to us. He requires nothing that is for our harm, or our real damage, or which a man should refuse if he was left to himself, did he rightly understand. And secondly, the question likewise speaks it, What doth the Lord require of thee? As if he should have said, what great matter doth he look for? what canst thou except against it? is it any thing strange and uncouth, that was never before heard of? Did thy mind never give thee notice of it? Is it some monstrous task, that the mind of man could never conceive it, nor think of it? No.  
1. 
1 God exacts not things impossible.  God requires nothing impossible, as is apparent from two things which the text suggests to our thoughts. 1. He doth not bid men offer their children to him, which perhaps they have not. He doth not bid them buy them (as the Heathen sometime were fain to do) for perhaps they are not able. He doth not exact of men (as the Prophet before said) a thousand rivers of oil, which a whole Town or Country cannot afford: But as Moses saith, The commandment is not hid from thee; neither is afar off: It is not in heaven that thou shouldst say, who shall go up to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldst say, who shall go over the sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayst do it. Deut. 30.11, 12, 13, 14. He doth not bid us all be Scholars, and understand all the books of nature: He bids us not to climb up to heaven, and follow the chariot of the Sun, and tract the paths wherein the Moon walks, and number all the heavenly bodies, things which all men's parts and employments will not reach: but he saith plainly, do justly, love merty, walk humbly with God; things within us, which we know well enough he requires of us. And secondly, you may observe that he saith, What doth the Lord require or thee O man? He doth not bid us make other men do justly and love mercy, etc. He doth not command us to quell other men's passions, but our own: nor govern other men's desires and lusts, but those that are in ourselves. He exacts not of us their duties, whether it be of our children or servants, or any such impossible task, but our own duty toward God and them. When we have done what we can to make them understand and do their duty, then saith the Scripture, God will not require their blood at our hand: But the soul that sinneth, that shall die, and every soul shall bear its own iniquity.  
2. 
Nor things unreasonable.  He requires nothing unreasonable, for he speaks to us here in the Text as men. He bids us only love a greater good more than a less; a better thing more than a worse; God more than the world; the soul more than the body. To do to others, as we would they should do to us; to provide for a long life more than a short; to lay up treasure where none can take it away. He never bids us pray, unless we be in need; nor give thanks, but when we have received a blessing. Do but show that you are not in perpetual want, and he will not ask you to pray without ceasing; Do but make it good that you receive not innumerable blessings every day, and he will not require you to give solemn and hearty thanks. Do but show that it is better to be drunk then to be sober, and you may take your fill; that a man can write better than God, and then you need not read his Word; that all time is your own, and then you may sit at home, or recreate yourselves on the Lord's day. And so you may say of every other duty; not one of them is unreasonable to be expected from us; for he commends the best things to us, and prefers a good to us before an evil; or a greater good before a less.  
3. Nothing that is unnatural. 
Nor things unnatural.  I do not mean to corrupt nature; for so the most reasonable thing that is may seem unnatural; as to provide for our parents; to keep our word when it is to our damage, etc. But to nature as God made it, and to renewed nature, God requires nothing that is contrary. It cannot be unnatural to trust God more than our riches; to live by faith in God; to depend upon his promises; yea to leave all for his sake; and to trust him with our lives, as well as our fortunes; to trust him till another world, as well as in this. That which seems the hardest thing in Religion, is to lay down our lives if God call for them: to forsake every thing, rather than break the least of his Commandments; and yet there is nothing unnatural in it, but it is according to the right constitution and nature of our souls, to let him dispose of our lives and goods, who gave them to us; to trust him with them, and with ourselves. It is not unnatural to give our lives to the God of Life; especially since he hath promised a better life, which makes it infinitely reasonable, and so far from being unnatural, that it is desirable to do and suffer what he pleases. 
〈◊〉. in Epist.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Nothing puts us so much out of all fear, as to stand in the fear of the Laws. And nothing puts us in such possession of ourselves, as to give ourselves to him.  
But you must not think that when I say it is thus good, 
A caution.  there is nothing in it that is harsh and sour; for as the worst things may be grateful, so the best things may be unsavoury to a bad palate. To the flesh these things will not seem good till it be tamed and subdued, and then even the body will think itself bettered by them. Many sorts of poison are sweet in the mouth, and many good medicines are as bitter. Many sins are pleasurable in the acting, though they be rank poison, bitterness and gall when they are gone down and swallowed into the conscience: And on the contrary, many things are uneasy and distasteful, which afterward yield the rarest delights, and the greatest benefits. We must not think that our duty is such, that we shall find no labour, no reluctance in it. No, it is not so easy as to eat our meat, or drink our drink; but being spiritual, it will find resistance from the flesh, and we must do some violence to that at the first for our souls good. And then when we are used to our duty, it will be as natural to us as to eat; and though to put forth such acts of obedience may not be so easy as to go to a feast, yet in the acting, they will be no less sweet than our meat and drink.  
And if God require no unequal thing, 
No man then shall dare to plead his want of power to do God's commands.  let no man think to plead his own inability, to do God's commands. Why should God give us a charge, if it were impossible to be kept? what good or wise master would require tasks that can never be performed? And besides, is it not as possible to forbear sin for God's sake, as out of reverence to a person whom thou fearest? Canst thou not as well do what God commands, as what a friend enjoins? Canst thou not as well forbear to be drunk, when none but God sees, as thou canst when the Magistrate or Minister is in company? And if thou canst be sober to day, then why not to morrow also? If for a week thou canst give thyself to reading and prayer, then why not for a month, and so for a year, and so for ever? If thou canst be silent and hold thy tongue, why canst thou not keep from Oaths and evil language when thou speakest? And for other matters that are higher, if thou canst do these lower even by an ordinary grace, why canst thou not do them by the mighty power of God's holy Spirit? If a man can abstain from much evil by himself, then why should he not be able to do good through God? There is no man shall have this pretence for himself at the day of Judgement, that he was unable to do what he knew; for than it will appear to all others and himself also, that he could have done more than he did. God required many things within himself; and for the rest, the Spirit of God that moved him to them, would have assisted him in them. Yea, even now it appears to men's own consciences, that they can have no such excuse; for that is the fourth Observation.   

THat men's own consciences will speak against them, 
The fourth observation proved.  if they do not what God requires. This is but a deduction from what hath been said, and is plainly also supposed in the text. For first you have seen that men have a full knowledge of their duty. They need not be told it; but the Question only being asked, it is supposed they can readily make an Answer. Or being named, it need not be proved, their own hearts instantly giving an assent. And therefore secondly, they must needs witness against themselves: for as they know what they ought to do, so they know when they do not as they ought. And they know without any information, so that if you do but ask the Question, they are sufficiently reproved of their negligence. And so thirdly, they will condemn themselves; for it is contrary to the mind, to approve of that which it knows it ought not to have done. As it is a witness against itself in matter of fact, so it will be a Judge, and condemn itself as to matter of right. And this is a great deal more than the Devil can do against any man of us. For though he may inform and accuse, yet he cannot sentence or condemn. And if a man's own conscience was clear, he need not fear all his plaints, all the bills that he is able to put in against him. But the conscience is not only Informer, and Accuser, and Witness, but Judge also, and it sentences and condemns us. And that first of all as unjust to God; and secondly false and cruel to ourselves. For there was a debt owing unto God, and therefore we were unjust to him in not paying of it; and our own consciences told us of it, and therefore we were treacherous, false and barbarous unto our souls, in violating their light, and acting contrary to those known principles that are within them. They will always be telling us of it, they will lash us with everlasting torments, and after they have, being their own Judges, they will turn Executioners and Tortures likewise of themselves. So that every wicked man is worse than a Devil to himself, and he carries his own hell about with him.  
And therefore every one of us had need take heed how we render ourselves guilty before God; 
The danger of sinning against our conscience.  for he need but send to our own souls and rouse them up, and they will become our greatest tormentors. As we set ourselves against God, so will God set ourselves against ourselves. And as we are ready to impeach him of hardness and severity, so shall we most miserably indite ourselves of cruelty and hardheartedness to our own souls. And as we are apt to count him unreasonable in his demands, so shall we accuse ourselves of unreasonableness; and our souls shall fall out with themselves as they did with him. Such a confusion doth sin make in the world, and in ourselves. When we cease to be friends with God, we shall never after be friends with our own souls. When peace is broken with heaven, all the world is disturbed, and there is peace with nothing, no not with our own minds. Therefore as we love ourselves, let us endeavour to live in all good conscience before God. Let us not do the least evil, for to avoid the suffering of the greatest evil; and let us not neglect any good, for the purchasing of the best good the world affords. Take the heathen man's counsel, which it is a shame Christians should not follow. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 
Chilo apud Laert.   
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Choose any loss, rather than a dishonest gain; for that will trouble thee once; but this for ever. It cannot be long before thou feelest that occultum flagellum, that hidden whip, the cords of which thou art continually twisting for to lash thyself; and though it scourge thee with a silent stroke which no body hears, yet it will make thee cry and roar in an eternal misery. Then thou that wouldst not do justly to others, shalt do justice upon thyself; and thou that lovedst not mercy, shalt be able to show none to thyself; and thou that behaved'st thyself proudly and contemptuously against God, shalt seem the vilest creature in thy own eyes, and not have so much comfort, as to conceive a good opinion of thyself.  
But that all this which hath been thus briefly discoursed, may more fully and clearly manifest its truth, pass we to the fifth observation, which is mainly intended.   

THat the duties which God requires of man, 
The fifth observation.  are, justice, mercy, and humble walking before him. These three are the things which I say are so plain, so good, so necessarily incumbent upon us, that our consciences cannot deny their obligation. These are the Pandects that contain all the Laws whereby we are to live; or rather, they are the Brief, the Summary of all those Laws. God hath at large delivered his mind, and shown his will in the Bible; but sometimes he doth epitomise it, and contracts the sum of our duty into a few commands, which are as it were the quintessence and heart of the whole. The Hebrew Doctors observe, that there are in the Law of Moses, six handred and thirteen precepts. All these (say they) David comprehends in the compass of eleven, Psalm 15. 
Our duty is sometimes reduced to a few heads in the holy Scripture.  The Prophet Isaiah again brings them into a smaller compass, and reduces them to six heads, which you may read in Isa. 33.15. 
V Gemara in Maccoth. cap. 3.  In Micah they are more compacted into three, naming this place which I am discoursing of. In Isaiah again they are brought to two, Isa. 56.1. Keep ye judgement, and do justice (though our Saviour hath better epitomised them, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, etc. and thy neighbour as thyself) And then comes the Prophet Amos, and he thrusts all into one, Amos 5.4. Seek ye me, and ye shall live. But the Prophet Habakuk comes after and does it better (according to some of their opinions) saying, The just shall live by faith, Hab. 2.4. which last place is much cited by the Apostle Saint Paul, and you see what is the sense of some of the Hebrews concerning it; that it is a compendious manner of speaking, and includes in its comprehension all that which God speaks in other places. Thus much false Christians might learn of their enemies, that faith is not such a lean and meager thing as they make it, but is full of obedience to all Gods will. And according to this notion, I must look upon this part of my Text, as expressing in a few words, that which we must seek for at large in other parts of holy Writ, as representing to us our whole duty toward God, and towards all men, yea and towards ourselves also. For the opening of which, three things may be expected to be distinctly handled. 1. What it is to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. 2. That God requires these things of us. 3. That they are Good, and it is no unkindness in God to exact them. But for brevity sake, I will do all these three together, and as I show what is meant by doing justly, etc. subjoin some arguments for their being due to God, and likewise good to us.   

TO do justly, 
1 What it is to do justly.  is to give every one that which is his own. And it contains in it all the duties of the second Table, especially of the eighth Commandment. Sometimes justice or righteousness is taken largely for all Religion. Sometimes more strictly for our duty toward our neighbour, as to matters of right. And sometimes most strictly, for the duties of the eighth Commandment, to defraud no man, to withhold from none what we own them; nor rob them, or take away from them that which they have in their possession. And here it may possibly be taken in the strictest sense, so that all the rest of those Commandments must be included in the phrase of walking humbly with God. But if it be extended to all of them, then by virtue of the fifth Commandment, to do justly, is to give our parents due honour, whether they be natural, civil or spiritual. And in respect of the sixth, it is to preserve the life of our neighbour, and to have a care that we injure him not in his being. In reference to the seventh, it is to preserve his just relations, and not to touch them, or cause the violation of their faith to him. And in reference to the eighth, it is to preserve his estate, and not meddle with his goods. And the ninth requires that we preserve his good name, and not defame him, nor do any prejudice to his credit, no more than we would to his estate. And by virtue of the tenth, we are to moderate our very desires, so as not to envy to him that which is his, and long to have it in our possession. And thus in General I may give you some remembrances of this part of our duty.  
1. That we must not withhold from any man his due, if it be in our hands. Whether it be due by our Promise, or by his Labour; by his trust reposed in us, or by our offence against him; for we are bound in this last case to make satisfaction and reparation to him.  
2. We must not take from any man that which is his own, whether in his or any other man's possession. Neither by our words, as through lying, false-swearing, etc. nor by our deeds, as stealing, robbing, or any other ways.  
3. And we must not desire or covet that which is another man's, nor look with an evil or greedy eye upon any thing that he enjoys. For this is justice in our souls, as the other two are in our outward actions: and it is this base covetous and having disposition, which makes men that they cannot forbear such violent actions.  
Now how plain is all this to be understood, 
It is no injustice to require it of us.  and how meet is it to be done? What injustice do you find in God, for requiring justice at your hands? The very definition of this act, is to give to every one their due, or letting men have what is their own. And if it be reasonable in others towards you, than it is most reasonably required of you towards them. And if you may demand it from them, and they from you, then much more may God demand it of you all. The relation that is between us and others, requires it of us; and God made both them and us, and those relations; and therefore he may require this of thee, O man, whosoever thou art. He doth but bid thee do what any heathen will tell thee is thy duty, if thou ownest thyself to be a man, and intendest to live among men, and not to be destroyed as a beast of prey. Aristotle or any Lawgiver, could not call for less justice than God doth; only God requires it in words of greater force to engage us to it. It is well observed by a most learned Divine of our own, 
D. Saunderson. Serm. in 1 Pet. 2.17.  that what Aristotle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to give a man his own, the holy Apostle calls, Rom. 14.7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to render him his deuce or debts. Both these words of the Apostle are more significant than those of the Philosopher's, which may teach us that Christianity requires under stricter bonds that which morality demands. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a debt, or that which is owing, is more expressive of our obligations then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his own, or his property. We are debtors unto justice, and stand bound to our neighbours by our own act and deed, so that he may soon prove it is his own which he requires. And then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to render or restore, is more full of justice then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to give or distribute. For it signifies the returning of that which we have borrowed of our neighbour; and therefore he saith in the next verse, Own no man any thing, but to love one another. Every act of Justice is but the paying of what we have received; for he doth justice to us, and therefore we own it back again to him. We do but pay him with his own coin, and discharge that duty which not only God, but he hath obliged us unto. Not that it is lawful to cousin them that cousin us, and thus to render men as we receive; for that is but to be as dishonest as they who would not pay us that debt which we took ourselves to be bound in unto them. And there is a public justice likewise to which we own much; for it preserves our estates, and from thence we look for satisfaction for our wrongs.  
And he is some savage wild creature, 
And it is very good for us.  who sees not all this to be good. For our neighbour, no question, it is good that we should do justly; and if for him, then for us; for in his welfare, our own welfare consists, we being both members of the same body; and in his honesty is our safety. And therefore they that will not be honest themselves, would have all men else honest, and think that it is the best thing in the world that all should deal justly with them. But how can any man expect that from another, which he will not vouchsafe to him? or by what reason is it that we must engross all good to ourselves, and let our neighbour have none of it? If we would have the monopoly of it, we shall never purchase it, for men will destroy such Wolves and Foxes that raven for themselves, and do no good at all to others. Or if they do not spy their subtlety, but it is covered in darkness, God will tear the prey out of their mouths, and the righteous Lord will make them know that it is bad to do unrighteously. For commonly we see that they who do wrong to others, are in themselves or posterity laid open to the violence of such like unjust persons. And so the Eastern Fable taught the people, that the Wolf having soln a Pig, was met withal by a Lion, who took it away from him, and it was a wonder that he was not himself also torn in pieces. That which was not well gotten, could not well thrive; and men might consider in the midst of a violent act, that if they can find in their heart to be dishonest, there may be others in the world of the same mind, that will make no conscience to deal with them as dishonestly. 〈◊〉 am very much pleased therefore with the Northern proverb, That it is good sport to be honest: The world may smile a while upon men in their dishonest gain, and they may laugh at their good fortune; 
Job 20.5.  but the triumphing ●f the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment. If a man have but a little that is justly gotten, it is a great treasure; for he gains a good conscience, which will continually ●east him. But wickedness, though it be sweet in the mouth, yet it is the gall of Asps within: and besides, the riches that such a man swallows down, he shall vomit them up again: 
Job 20.12, 14, 15.  God shall cast them out of his belly.  
And it is no less good for whole Nations, 
Good for whole Kingdoms, as well as for private men.  than it is for private men, to do justly; for they subsist by it, and it is the pillars of government, of peace and tranquillity. Every act of Justice is as a pin in a building, which joins the parts of it faster together, and maintains the entireness of the whole body. And when any man defrauds another, he pulls out a little pin, loosens the joints, and doth what he can to bring all things to ruin. Either men become enemies to each other, and are in a state of war when wrong is committed; or else they stand at a distance, and will have nothing to do with each other any more; and both ways Society is dissolved; that Communion which is the foundation of Commonwealths is over-turned.  
But see what the Scripture saith in all these cases; where many blessings are promised to just men, and curses are threatened upon all others, Prov. 3.33. The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked, but he blesseth the babitation of the just. A curse indeed, enough to make a whole volume, for Zachary saw a flying roll, a sheet of parchment as large as our Books, writ on both sides with woes against the thiefs and false swearers, Zach. 5.3, 4. A place which I have taken notice of in the foregoing papers, and I will add by the way here, That a flying roll may not only denote the speed which that Book full of curses would make to come upon them; but also that the volume was open and spread forth, so that all might read it. For you know when a sheet is not rolled up, but hangs expanded, it is moved by the wind, and flies as it were up and down in the air. Believe therefore the same wise man who saith, Prov. 10.25. As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. If you compare this verse with the second, it will seem likely, that by a righteous man, he means one who doth justly, and thereby takes a course to settle himself; and by a wicked man, an oppressor, who may soon lose all that he hath unjustly got. Unrighteousness you see will be our own loss, more than any other man's; and therefore to do justly, is not more another's good and gain, than it is our own. And so you may read, Prov. 11.11. Prov. 14.34. where he shows the general concernment of Cities and Nations, of lesser and greater Communities in righteous dealing. King Canutus knew this so well, that when he had condemned many malefactors, and one desired it might be considered he was of the blood-royal, and have some favour: He said, So he shall; let him be hanged upon an higher Gibbet. That Justice which he observed in punishments, if all would observe in their promises, Covenants, contracts, and all their deal and intercourses, they would banish suits, quarrels, wars and tumults out of the world. Peace would grow and flourish on this root; and how great a good that is, 
Psal. 85.10.  we in this Nation by this time may have learned. This would make our swords rusty, and our armour good for nothing but to hang up in our houses, and show that we were once miserable. All that the thunder and lightning of our Guns telleth us, is the world's injustice, from which we must either be defended or delivered: Let this cease, and they will all be silent. This will put out the fires which nothing else will quench; and bury the enmities which else will always be maintained. It was a wise and a true answer (with which I will conclude this) which Agesilaus gave to one, who asked him whether Fortitude or Justice were the greater virtue, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: We should have no need of your valour, if we were all just.   

AS to do justly, 
2 What it is to love merey.  is to give to men that which is their own; so to love mercy, is to give to others that which is our own. Or rather Justice renders, and mercy gives to men that which is their due. For that which is ours may be due to others who are in need, though not by man's Laws, yet by Gods. And there is a kind of Justice even in mercy, in so much that in Scripture-language, righteousness frequently signifies giving of Alms, and a Just man, signifies one that is Good. But as these two stand distinguished, justice requires that every man have his due; and mercy, that he have what is not by mere justice due to him. Three sorts of men there are, say some of the ancient Hebrews, and every one of them hath his peculiar saying. The first is the unjust, and he saith, That which is mine is mine, and that which is thine is mine. The second sort is the just, and his saying is, That which is mine is mine, and that which is thine is thine. The third sort is the good or merciful, and he saith, That which is thine is thine, and that which is mine is thine. He will not take away from others what is his, but give to them what is his own; and the Apostle is thought by some to allude to this distinction of men, when he saith, Rom. 5.7, 8. Scarcely for a Righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. I should prolong this discourse beyond its just bounds, if I should mention all the particular acts of mercy: Let it suffice therefore in General to tell you,  
1. 
We must not always exact our due.  That sometimes we must let go our own right, and those deuce which in justice others are bound to pay unto us. Strict justice may sometimes be a kind of injustice, i. e. it may overthrow the ends of justice, which is preserving of humane society. And all will confess that it is so hard, severe and oppressive to the parties of whom it is exacted, that what mercy requires in this case, is very much like the demands of Justice. This bids us to make abatements sometimes of what in strictness we might ask; and to deal favourably and gently with all men. Where men have had great losses, and their estates are much broken, we must not hold them rigorously to agreements. Neither must we take all advantages of our Brethren, nor seize on a mortgage when they cannot pay; nor sue a bond, nor turn a man out of his lease, when he misses his day. And a thousand such like cases there are, wherein mercy calls for that which is named kindness and favour.  
But secondly, 
We must give to others what they need.  as we must not always require what is our own in other men's hands, so we must always give to the poor what is in our own hands. We must relieve the distressed, defend the fatherless, plead the cause of the widow, visit and help the sick, deliver the prisoner and captive; and be so far from requiring in some cases what others own us; that we must give them more to support their feeble estate withal. Many actions of mercy there are to men's souls, which I shall not mention, but in general tell you, that under this word are included all actions of Charity, pity and compassion toward our neighbour. And we must charge ourselves with them, as we do with actions of Justice. And be as careful not to withhold supplies from the poor, as we are not to steal: and not to say them nay when we are able, no more than we must lie to our Brother: and we must make provision for them, and do them good, as diligently as we watch over ourselves, that we take not away from them, nor do them evil. The covetous is abhorred of God, as well as the thief; the unmerciful as well as the murderer. And therefore a man must not content himself that none can charge him with doing wrong: but his light must shine before men, and he must give Alms of such things as he hath. And likewise he must deal fairly with all men, and not with a griping hand, and an overreaching head; and he must be ready to forgive all them that have trespassed against him, and not hold them to over-strict satisfaction.  
There are many blind worldlings, 
Too many think it sufficient to be just; but it is hard so to be, if we be not merciful.  many moles and earth-grubbers, that pother and scrape in the earth all their days, and they do not invade any of their neighbour's possessions, nor encroach upon their ground, but content themselves in their holes: and yet they do no good at all, nor bring any benefit to the world. They seem not so bad as rats, that eat our meat, and , and books; but yet none is the better for them: and at last many are much the worse. As the mole, though she take nothing away from our ground, but seems to raise it higher; yet in time she destroys it all, by her hills which she casts up: So these men, though they do not plainly pick men's pockets, and rob them: though they raise fair houses, and seem to make Towns more splendid where they live, yet they secretly work out all the old inhabitants, and make it all their own dwelling. They are as the spleen in the body, and draw all they can from others to fill their own bags; and the hard conditions which they hold men unto, with their obstinate refusal to relieve a decaying person, undoes many round about them.  
But that it is meet we should do otherways, appears not only from that great rule of our Actions, 
God justly requires mercy of us.  to do to others as we would they should do to us, were their condition ours, and ours theirs: but also from the great mercifulness of our God to us. We stand in need every day of God's mercy, both in giving and forgiving, and why should it be thought hard that he bids us relieve the needy, when we ourselves are in so much need, and he thinks not much to relieve us? But besides, if it be hard for us to part with a little out of abundance; how hard is it to them, to want not only the abundance, but that little? And again, since God gives all to us, he may entail it upon us and our heirs, on what conditions he pleases, and what great matter is it, if this be one, that we give some of it away to others? And truly this is one of the things that makes it good; 
Mercy is for our good.  for there is no such way of saving and preserving, as by giving: and no such way of losing, as by unmerciful saving. This cuts off the entail from many a fair estate, that the last Lord of it was a covetous miserable wretch. And besides, God bids us here love mercy, which we could not do if it were not Good. Neither will God tie us, as you heard, to such hard conditions, as to delight in our own mischief. And therefore all ingenuous heathens have counted it a piece of singular contentment to do good, and some looked upon it as a becoming little gods in the world. This, if any thing, likewise, will draw the love and affection of others to us, not to say their perty adorations. A great light and splendour such actions cast abroad, when they are not done out of popularity and vainglory, but out of love to mercy, and to God the father of mercies; and they get a man honour without desiring of it, or taking any other pains to seek it. And there is not only pleasure and credit in this noble virtue, but as much profit as heart can desire. It must needs be good, because it is called in Scripture doing of good; and though the phrase properly imports the good of others, yet let me tell you, we hereby bestow no small boons upon ourselves. God so loves it, that he loves those that love it, and hath promised great rewards to them and theirs, in this world, and in the world to come. With the merciful, he will show himself merciful, Psalm 18.25. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy, Mat. 5.7. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth: The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself, Prov. 11.25, 26. His righteousness endureth for ever, his born shall be exalted with honour, Psalm 112.9. This is an argument upon which I might dilate till night: For there are no less treasures for the merciful man, than the rich man hath of wealth in his house; yea infinitely more, for he lays up his treasure in heaven; where God hath bound himself to pay him with usury and increase.   

AND now for the third thing, 
3 What it is to walk humbly.  What it is to walk humbly with God? it is not fit that I should give you much more than the heads of discourse, unless I intended of a Sermon to make a treatise.  
First therefore, 
To think meanly of ourselves.  think lowly of thyself, which is a great part of this duty. So the word humbly is often taken, especially in compare with God, from whom we and all we have do come, and on whom they continually depend. As thou givest to others their own, yea thine own; so assume to thyself no more than is thine own: yea call nothing that is good thine own; but acknowledge God in all, be it riches, or beauty, or learning, or health, or grace itself. When thou exercisest justice and mercy, do not take it to be a matter of high desert: but think that thou only dost as becomes a man, and thou dost thyself a great deal of right and kindness in it: and what thou dost, it is from God, who gives both the will and ability to do it.  
2. 
Bewail thy imperfections.  Mourn and lament over thyself. Think lowly of thyself, when thou art at the best: and then moan over, and bemoan thyself, that thou art no better. This is called in Ahab, humbling of himself, which though it were but outward, yet was answered with an outward blessing. And thus they are joined together, Jam. 4.9, 10.  
3. 
Obey God's commands.  Readily subject thyself to all God's commands. He that truly mourns and is sad that he is no better, strives most sincerely, and uses all means to be as good as he can. His heart rises not against any of God's commands, he thinks nothing too strict which God enjoins. He willingly gives up his liberty and choice to God, which is an act of the greatest humility imaginable. Not my will (Lord) but thy will be done, is not only his language, but the sense of his soul. And what greater subjection can there be in a man, then to have no will of his own, but to part with it unto another? This makes all sin so abominable, because it bids defiance to God, and disowns in a proud sort his authority: and this makes goodness so acceptable, because it makes us lay ourselves at God's feet, to know his pleasure, and debases us to nothing. We claim no power over ourselves, or any thing that we have, own no right at all to dispose of any thing as we please, when we humbly walk with God.  
4. And in particular, 
Worship him with reverence.  we must reverently worship him by all Acts of prayer and praises. O come let us worship, and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker, Psal. 95.6. A Psalm not unfitly appointed to be used heretofore in the beginning of divine service, to remember us how reverently and solemnly we should address ourselves unto God's worship. And let me tell you this, that it becomes us to enter into the place where we tender out services unto God, with more humility and composedness, then ordinarily now appears. It is not a sign of a good Spirit, to come either with an haughty and high look, or with a careless and garish eye, much less laughing and talking, when we are going to humble ourselves, and fall down before the Lord. But we ought to enter even into the place where we intent to perform our obeisance to him, with reverend thoughts, submissive looks, and a bashful countenance, as being deeply sensible of our unworthiness to approach into his presence. There is a tradition among the Hebrews, that David learned but two things of Achitophel, and he made him his master, his friend, and his privy-counselor for them. And the one of them was by way of reproof, because he came into the School, the house of Teaching, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) with his head lifted up, 
V P. Fagium in Pirk. Au. cap. 6.  which had the face of rashness and pride in it. Oh that men would now profit so much by reproofs, and count them their friends that tell them of their faults; and that they would learn likewise to come into the house of God with more becoming reverence in their faces then ordinarily they do!  
5. 
5 Exercise meekness in afflictions.  Meekly submit to God's corrections. As thou must not choose thy work, so neither must thou choose thy usage. All impatience comes from pride, and our murmur are bred by too goodly thoughts of our own selves. Alas! what are we, more than many others, that we should expect to be so tenderly handled? What great matters can we do with that health, or riches, or credit, which we would never have to absent themselves from us? Nay, what condition is bad enough for such wretches? What a wonder is it, that such unprofitable creatures are not banished out of the world? If we thought thus ofttimes with ourselves, we should become very humble; i e. meek, patiented, and contented under all that befalls us. One act of humility begets another; and he that thinks meanly of himself, will not be angry that he is afflicted.  
6. 
Subjection to our Governors.  Be peaceable and obedient to Governors, who are gods in the world, and to whom God hath bidden us, that we should subject ourselves. Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the King as supreme, or unto Governors, etc. 1 Pet. 2.13. It is an high act of pride and insolency, to control the authority that is over us, and to set up our own wills above God's vicegerents. For it is a great contempt of the majesty of God, whose image they more remarkably bear, and with whose effigies they are more visibly stamped then other men. We must always therefore do what they command us, or else suffer what they inflict upon us. And if we choose the latter, we must suffer as meekly and peaceably, as if it was an immediate hand of heaven upon us. For if Solomon say of every man, That proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath, Prov. 21.24. then much more is he to be branded in the forehead, for a man superlatively proud, who cannot endure to be touched in body or estate, but it casts him into the highest inflammations of anger, even against the highest powers.  
7. 
Temperance and sobriety in the use of what we enjoy.  Moderately and temperately use God's mercies. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifies to be temperate, is applied frequently to the mind, in opposition to pride and self-conceitedness. For sobriety indeed proceeds from an humble sense, that nothing is ours, but all that we have is Gods; and that we have right to nothing, but what he gives, and as he allows. And all drunkenness, wantonness, and whatsoever other intemperance there is in the world, is commonly the issue of an haughty, giantlike temper of spirit, which makes men look upon themselves as Lords and owners; and all creatures as their proper goods, which are perfectly at their disposal. The crown of pride, and the drunkards of Ephraim, are both names for the same persons, Isa. 28.1, 3. For besides that such men have no regard to a supreme being, they look big upon all their inferiors; and no beasts likewise do kick more against the reproofs or counsels of God's Prophets, than such as they.  
8. 
Modesty in looking for a reward.  Modestly expect a reward from God, when thou hast done these and all other good actions. That word which is here in my text rendered humble, doth frequently occur in the Jewish writings, for shamefacedness and modesty. And therefore I add this at the last, as the top of all, that when we have done all our work with the greatest strictness; yet we must look for our wages from mere mercy and benevolence. This humility is the greatest ornament, and the fairest of all the graces in God's sight. We never look more beautiful, then when we blush at our own defects, and dare not cast our eyes confidently upon God. The highest act of Faith, is a piece of the lowest humility. When we rely most upon God's mercy, we utterly disclaim all our own merits.  
But as that act of Faith, whereby we cast ourselves on God's mercy, is not all the acts of it, but supposes many others foregoing; even so it is in this act of humility, whereby we acknowledge ourselves unworthy to receive any reward from God's hand: It is so far from being all the humility that God requires, that there must precede all the other acts which I have mentioned, before this can take its place. Many men can easily disclaim all trust in their own righteousness, because they have none to trust in. But they are truly humble men, that are just and righteous, and yet trust not in that for their acceptance with God to salvation. You cannot say, that a man is wise, because he holds his peace, when he is dumb and tongue-tied: But he is a wise person, who can speak well, and yet silently hearkens. No more can he be deemed poor in spirit, who hath no riches nor treasures in his soul to brag of; but he only, who is enriched with knowledge, and faith, and love, and all good works, and yet is lowly in heart, poor in his own thoughts, and acknowledges that he is but an unprofitable servant.  
Now all this is but just, 
The justice and goodness of all this.  because of our dependence on God, his superiority over us, and his excellency above us. On all which when we look, we must say with Job, 42.5, 6. Now mine eye seethe thee; and therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. And it is no less good, than it is just. For first, He that lies low, lies safe. He cannot fall far, who stands on the ground; but whether can he fall who lies already upon it? We shall not be in danger to tumble down from great hopes and expectations, if we be so humble as to have no high opinion of ourselves and deservings. The lowest valleys are the safest from wind and storms; and God hath promised to preserve the meek, and that they shall inherit the earth. Who will harm modest and submissive persons; that had rather put up an injury, then do any; that are loving, peaceable, and quiet in the Land? None but those, against whom no men be defended. And secondly, He that lies low, is most fruitful. The mountains are commonly barren, and the valleys are most richly laden. For the Lord resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. And thirdly, He that lies low, is blessed from above with all that is good for him. The less he expects, the more he shall have; the more unworthy he judges himself to be, the more fit he is to have his emptiness filled. The showers that run of from the high heads of mountains, run down into the bosom of valleys. Most of heaven's plenty falls into the lowest places; and so do most of God's favours and blessings fall into humble souls. They that behave themselves as it becomes them, in meekness, moderation, obedience, modesty, etc. God will make good his Word unto them. The meek shall eat and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord; They shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. He will keep them in perfect peace, in a sweet serenity and quiet of Spirit. He will exalt them in due time, and open even the gate of heaven unto them; not to pour down blessings on them, as now he doth; but to receive them up to his blessings. This discourse would swell too much, if I should particularly show the goodness of every one of the  acts of humility; and therefore it shall suffice to have given these light touches upon some of them.   

NOW if these things be so as I have discoursed; 
Application.  then first let us begin to put in practice a part of the duty last mentioned, 
Be humbled for sins against these commands.  by being deeply humbled for all our sins, against these plain and familiar commands Let every man search into himself how far he hath gone along with the stream; for it is manifest, that covetousness and oppression, hard heartedness and cruelty, pride and irreligion, have come in like a flood upon us in this Nation, and born many away before them. As for Justice, we may take up the complaint of Petrarch concerning the Age wherein he lived, that hunters and fowlers use not greater cunning in laying their nets and snares for wild beasts and fowls, then crafty men do to inveigle and ensnare the simple and plain-meaning people. Or we may say with one of his Countrymen (which is now become a proverb in Italy) That by deceit and cunning, men live half the year, and by cunning and deceit the other half. And Mercy is such a stranger to men's hearts, that we count him a person of great tenderness, that will not deceive us at all; and a very merciful creature, who will not deceive us as much as he can. So little kindness and good nature is stirring; that we are apt to suspect them of designs, who make much of us; and we dare scarce receive men's courtesies. And what is a great deal of our Religion, but an humoursom kind of devotion; a proud self conceited pleasing of ourselves, with a fastidious contempt of all others? Where is that awefulness in men's countenances when they converse with God; that tenderness of heart at the mention of any of his commands; that bewailing of their sins; that patience, peaceableness, acceptance of the punishment of their iniquities that ought to appear? We may almost say with this Prophet in the next Chapter, The good man is perished out of the earth, 
Mic. 7.2.  and there is none upright among men. For could there be so much spoil (think you) committed in the midst of us, and no injustice? Such estates so quickly gotten, and no covetousness? So much blood shed, and no hatreds? So many contentions, quarrels and hot disputes; and no uncharitableness? So many vain opinions, and no pride? Such unsteadiness in the ways of God, and no self-conceitedness in men's hearts? Such contempt of the Ministry and all that is sacred, and no irreligion? We must begin therefore to amend, by acknowledging these sins, and seriously bemoaning them, either in ourselves or others.  
But our amendment must not end here, 
Amend in all these things.  nor must we think by blubbered eyes and lamentable groans, to draw God to be a party with us in these sins. No, we must sincerely proceed to a practice of all these duties, which the Prophet and our own consciences loudly call for; and the rather, because they have been so much laid aside and neglected, or at least, some of them set up to thrust out all the rest.  
And first for Justice, let us put away all iniquity, if there be any in our hands, and all covetous desires which we find lurking in our hearts. 
First be more just.  Let every one say as the Psalmist doth, Psalm 139.23, 24. Search me O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. If thou hast wronged any man, make him satisfaction. Own nothing to any man, but to love one another. Detain not the wages of the hireling. Let no man go beyond his Brother, or defraud him in any thing. Let his relations, and goods, and every thing he hath, be as an holy thing to thee, which thou mayst not lay thine hand upon. We are told of an heathen people who were so just, 
Aelian. var. hist. l. 4. 1.  that if they found any thing in the highway, they would not take it up, thinking the owner would come ere long to seek it, to whom it did of right belong. I wish there were but half so much justice among Christians, who not only cousin others when it comes in their way, and have fair opportunities presented, but use all sorts of circumventions, and will go a great way about to seek an occasion to deceive them. It is grown to be an art and a study how to cheat a neighbour; and whereas those heathen boggled at an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (as they called it) a thing which was found, and thought it an injury to take it up; Christians make no scruple of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (as I may phrase it) an injustice which they seek for, and are inquisitive to find ways of bringing it to pass. And sad it is to consider, for how little men will venture to displease God, and what a small gain will tempt them to do unjustly. If a man could get all the world by one act of unrighteousness, he would be a great loser by the bargain; but there are such vile and cheap souls, that will not stick for a small sum of money, perhaps for no sum at all to do not one, but many injurious acts to their neighbours. A little consideration (methinks) would amend men in such a matter as this; and the thoughts only of its folly might work a cure upon them without a Sermon against it. Fear of losing all might make them careful not to have a farthing that is got unjustly, if they had but so much observation as little children, who use to say, that after they once cheat, they never thrive in their games. I know it is a desire of being rich, and indeed of being rich presently, that thrusts men forward into such base and unworthy courses; But God doth so order it, that nothing more hinders the accomplishment of their desire, than the way they take to attain it. There is a great truth in the Spanish proverb, that He who will be rich in one year, shall be hanged at the half years end. Exceeding greediness may make men do such villainous acts that they cannot be endured, but are brought to ruin by them. But howsoever in the Proverb of the wise man, there is an infallible verity, Prov. 28.22. He that hasteth to be rich, hath an evil eye; and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him. See also v. 20. and chap. 20.22. Put away therefore all falsehood and guile; all covetousness and violence; if it be but to save the estate that you have, and that you may get more, and have it last longer: But you will consult better for yourselves if you do thus out of obedience to God, and respect to your Brethren; as it is a part of that duty which God and man oblige you unto.  
And as for Kings and Princes they are engaged above all other men to do justly, seeing they are the leaders of the people, by whose examples they are inclined to live, 
V Cardinal. de Ossat. Epist. 66. part. 1. & Epist. 81. Les Roys & autres primes Sovereign's se permettoient toutes choses qui tournoient à leur profit, etc.  and by whose righteous management of things they live happily. It was a most pernicious Maxim, and altogether unworthy of a good man (as one of his own party in express terms acknowledges) which Pope Clement the eighth had often in his mouth, viz. That Kings and Sovereign Princes may do any thing which will make for their profit. And a shame it is to their religion that he could add in justification of this saying, that matters are come to such a pass, that it is not at all imputed to them, nor redounds to their dishonour, if they break their faith, forswear themselves, lie, betray their allies, and do any other thing of like nature. But these wicked principles which he made use of on purpose to persuade the King of France to break his league with England, are most excellently confronted by a golden speech of that Cardinal who reports these things, 
Epist. ●77. part. 2. au Mons. de Villeroy.  in which all such persons are much concerned. At the foot of the account saith he (speaking of King James his moderation when he came to the Crown of England) You shall find, that the better and more justly any man shall rule, to the honour and glory of God, and to the comfort, profit and happiness of his subjects; the more assured his estate shall be; the more strong, the more beloved and blessed shall he be of God, and men: in which consists the true and lasting grandeur and puissance of Kings, and the assurance of their posterity. Nay Agesilaus had better notions of Divine things in this particular than that Pope, 
Plutarch. in Vi●. Ages. & in Apotheg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  who when some told him the Great King (i. e. the King of Persia) would have it so; answered, How can he be greater than me, unless he be more just and more sober? Upon the mentioning of which, Plutarch gives this excellent admonition, By justice, as by a royal standard, we should take the measure of men's heights one above another. If we were in a state of war, and one should make a motion to such great persons to do justly, perhaps he might receive such an answer as Antigonus gave a Philosopher who presented him with a treatise of this subject; Thou art a fool to give me now a book concerning justice, when thou seest I am besieging other men's Castles, and making war upon their Cities: But when things are settled, and when it is apparent that violent dealing comes upon men's own heads; then sure a man may be believed, if he say, that there is no other way to thrive, nor can a Prince live by any such prosperous doctrine as that of Justice and piety. Then sure, if not at other times, one may propose the example of an heathen Emperor to them, 
Alex. Severus. Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri ne feceris. Al. Lamprid.  who was so taken with that saying of our Saviour's, Math. 7.12. that he caused this sentence to be writ in sundry places upon the walls of his palace, Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not have done to thee.  
And all under-officers and ministers of public buisiness had need hear this doctrine continually sounding in their ears, because it is so contrary to their worldly interests to practise it exactly. When men have power and opportunity to gratify their covetous desires, they will find that they need a very divine power to enable them to deny them. 
Balzack.  It is very strange (saith the Master of modern Eloquence) that the great Turk can intrust his wives to the vigilancy of others, and assure himself their chastity will thereby be conserved; yet that Kings know not to whom they may safely encharge their treasures. But the true reason is, for that an honest man is by so much more difficultly found then an Eunuch, by how much miracles are more rare than Monsters. Great fortitude is requisite to the obtaining of honesty, but the will only suffices to become covetous. And therefore seeing it is necessary to do some violence to ourselves, to keep us from doing violence to others; such persons have great reason to thank those who will lay their hands daily upon their corrupt affections by holy admonitions & counsels; not only to restrain & setter, but to slay and mortify them.  
And to conclude this; let us all be sure to remember it is not enough to praise justice, and make speeches in its commendation; nor to have some affection to it by convictions in our minds of its reasonableness and profit; but we must do justly, as my text speaks: and all our actions must be conform to the principles which we praise. This I say the rather, because it hath been noted that men of excellent intellectuals have had bad morals: and those who have writ books for the preservation of honesty, have not preserved themselves from corruption.  
Now Secondly, for Mercy, 
Secondly, Let mercy be joined with justice.  it makes a more special claim to our favour, because we stand so much in need of it every day, if not from other men, yet from God. And it is to be observed that the Prophet, though justice is to be loved, yet doth not say Love justice, but Love mercy; because he would recommend it to our dearest affections. For there are more just men, than there are merciful in the world; it being easier to give men their own, then to bestow upon them what is ours. Oh, to part with this earth, this Idol of Gold and Silver, is a hard lesson: to give to him that asks, to do good to him that doth evil to us, is an harsh saying. But remember what Zacheus saith, Luk. 19.8. Not only I restore four fold to him whom I have wronged; but half of my goods I give to the poor. Of such a charitable disposition must you be, if you hope to go to heaven, and care no more for riches than do your little children. You must not make hard bargains with poor men, nor think every penny overplus too much for them. You must use sometimes to give more than you have agreed for; that so you may be ready and disposed to do an act of charity when the poor call for it. I know it hath been frequently pleaded, that the times are hard and dangerous, and that men's estates are much impoverished. But then (1) they are harder you may be sure with the poor, if they be hard with you who are rich. If they make you cry, they make them groan. If they pinch your purse, than they squeeze and drain their very houses. And (2) mercifulness is the way to make them better. When they have made us better and become more charitable, than they themselves will grow better, & become more peaceable. He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed. He that hath mercy upon the poor, happy is he, Prov. 14.21. Prov. 22.9. And (3) the worse and more dangerous they are, the less we should be in love with riches, and the more we should give away to them that need. For it is likely we cannot keep them or by giving some away we may secure the rest. As men that are afraid their goods will be lost by storms at Sea, give so much in the hundred to assure them; so should we assure our goods and estates with God when the times are tempestuous, by giving him a large sum for his uses. A wiser man than any of us makes the badness of the times an argument unto charity, howsoever now it is a motive to many to shut their hands. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight, for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. Eccles. 11.2. His meaning is, the time may come when thy treasure shall be taken from thee, and how much better is it to part with them voluntarily? Thou canst not tell how much danger all thou hast will be in: and therefore it is wisdom to intrust God with it, and give him something in hand, that he may save the rest. And (4.) if God do not save thy riches, yet he may wonderfully save thee. For he hath promised (Psal. 41.1, 2.3.) to preserve the merciful men in time of trouble and sickness. Or (5) if he take such men away, it is when he intends to destroy a place, and then who would desire to live? Isa. 57.1 If they be taken away from the evil to come, than death doth them a great deal of good, and God is very merciful to such merciful men, in not letting them see the desolation of their country. To all which add, that while we live, we have no more than we do enjoy, and then we give away for God's sake. And there is no less of mercy in forgiving of men, then in giving to them, in passing by the evil they do to us, then in doing good to them; but lest this discourse should proceed to over great a length, I must leave you to judge how much we should love it by what hath been said of this.  
And then thirdly for walking humbly with God, 
And thirdly, humble walking with God be joined with them both.  let me only suggest these two things from the word walk, which I have not yet taken notice of. First, it signifies more than one single act, and engages us to a continued motion in the ways of humility. Our demeanour towards God must be a life of lowliness, meekness and patience; a course of contentedness and sobriety, modesty and moderation; a constant series of such actions as I have named. And if we think to come to heaven by taking a step or two in this way, or by fierce running at sometimes, we shall be but like to a traveller who fits still the most of his day, and thinks to come to his journey's end by some sudden spurts toward night. To maintain a constant sense of our dependence on God; a continual converse with him: & to have a perpetual care in all things to please him, by conforming our wills to him; are things so necessary, that we are but nominal Christians without them. And secondly, to walk humbly signifies more than an inward persuasion, and denotes something outward that is to be seen by the world. God will not accept of that which people call a good heart, a pious resolution and right meaning; but he will have us walk before all men in the way of his commandments, and publicly appear in opposition to the wickedness that is in the world. If we think one thing and do another, the greater is the sin, & the greater will be the condemnation, because we know so well and do so ill.  
Not to mention any thing besides that may be included in the phrase; I beseech you put these things in practice. 
These things must be done, and not only praised.  I have persuaded you enough, do but persuade yourselves. All men commend justice, yet they do unjustly. Virtue hath every one's good word, though they live ungodlily. The proud man commends humility; and the covetous man praises Charity; and the unrighteous man speaks for honesty. Men compliment with godliness, and they court virtue, but none will have her. She is poor, and will not consent to their base desires; and so though they extol her beauty, they will none of her. So in Italy they have a proverb among the husbandmen, laudandos esse montes, sed à planitie non recedendum. Commend the mountains, but live in the valleys. It is fine sweet air that breathes on the top of hills and affords a pleasant wholesome dwelling; but keep there where most profit dwells, and that is in the bottom. It is sad that men should extend such a proverb as far as heaven, and commend the holy hill of God, and all the graces and pleasures that stand on the top of it; but resolve still to dwell below, and love the things that are beneath, better than all those that are above. Yea though it be a mere dunghill, they will embrace it, if it be but fat, and will yield them plenty of worldly increase. They like goodness when they consider it alone; but when they consider it with other things, they take their ease and profit to be much better. So Soph●cles said in that advice which too many follow, 
— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Praise righteousness, but stick fast to thy gain. Let it have thy good word, but do as thou seest good for thyself. But I beseech him that readeth these things, that by what hath been said, he would rise above approbations and commendations of godliness, and hearty subject himself unto the power of it: or if he love a softer word, let him embrace it, and marry himself to it; let the match now be made up, if he be yet but a complementer in Religion, and not really wedded to it.  
I will only add, 
They must not be divided from each other.  that all those three are so linked and chained together, that they are inseparable, and we cannot take one but we must have all. He cannot walk humbly with God who observes not all the rules of justice and common honesty, with mercy also towards men. God will give him no thanks that goes against his conscience and known Laws to do him service, (as they are pleased to style it.) No, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Plato in Critone.  etc. Let neither thy children (saith Plato) or thy life, nor any thing else be dearer to thee then justice, that thou mayst have wherewith to answer for thyself when thou comest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the other world. Else we (say the Laws which he there introduces speaking their part) shall be thy enemies, and more than we, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Brethren will be against thee: the Laws in that world will not courteously receive and treat thee. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
And then on the other side, we cannot be just and merciful to men, unless we walk humbly with God. Justice it self should spring from a sense that we are under a divine Law, and are subjects to the heavenly Sovereign. And true godliness is but a piece of justice toward God, as honest dealing in affairs of the world is justice toward men. We do a manifest wrong to God, and deal dishonestly with him, if we detain from him solemn and constant worship of him. We are base cheaters & defrauders, when we let our worldly business, though never so justly managed, rob God of our best thoughts and affections. And what highway robbers then and notorious felons are those who suffer their sports and pleasures, if not their more beastly lusts to do violence to all religious duties? Many of this sort are so highly injurious to God, that they not only steal all they can from godliness and piety, but they wound and stab it with the sword of their tongues; and if they were able, would strike it dead, as they ofttimes leave it gasping for life. And this they do with an high hand and great insolency; as if those who most humbly submit themselves to all Christ's commands, and are most fearful of doing any wrong to God, were to be esteemed our greatest enemies, and those that should suffer all wrong from men. That Noble Philosopher I just now mentioned, hath a lesson for them as well as for the former, if they will be so just either to God or themselves as to learn it: In my opinion (saith he) piety and holiness about the service and worship of God is one part of justice; and the other part of it is concerned in the serving of men. Let no man therefore pride himself in this, that he is not liable to the charge of any creature, when God hath so much to say against him for neglect of praying to him, 
Plato in Euthyprone, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc.  reading his word, praising him for every good thing he receives, if not mocking at all these. And let this be esteemed true excellency (which we should have the fortitude to maintain in the worst of times) not to blush at Christian virtues, nor to boast of moral ones.  
3. And when we have done what we can upon ourselves and those under us, then let us pray for others; especially those that rule us, 
Let us pray for others, and principally for our Rulers, that they may do these things.  that we may have just, merciful and religious Governors. Our prayers will be the more acceptable for them, when we pray but for that which we do ourselves in our own places; and their justice and goodness will be the more sweet to us, when it is the fruit of our earnest prayers. Let us beseech therefore the great Lord and Governor of the world who rules the Nations in righteousness and truth, that all those who do or shall bear any part in the government of these Lands, may be such as will take away no man's rights, defend our Laws, pity the poor, and not exact great fums merely to support their own greatness. Let us pray that those may rule us who are ruled by their maker, that will do good even to enemies, walk humbly with their God, be poor in spirit, not given to the vanities and excesses of the world; that will sympathise with a poor Nation in its poverty, pity it miseries; not prodigally waste its treasures: and such as will love Religion, and make the worship of God reverend and the practice of all Christian duties had in high esteem.  
Such Rulers the Lord will love and bless: 
See also Prov. 28. 15, 16. Prov. 29.14. Prov. 20.28. Amos 5.14, 15.  and both Prince and people will feel the blessing that is in them. For so the wisest King that ever was tells us, Prov. 25.5. That if the wicked be taken from before the King, his throne shall be established in righteousness. And if it be so established, than the King by judgement establisheth the Land, Prov. 29.4. All the people rejoice when the righteous are in authority; and by a man of understanding and knowledge the state of a land is prolonged, Prov. 29.2. 28.2. That which the Bishop of Elvas said to the estates of Portugal after they had restored that family to the Crown which had long been excluded by the Spaniard, is the greatest commendation of a Prince to the people's affection, next to true piety; His Majesty (said he) doth not esteem those tributes lawful which were paid in tears; and he will not reign over your goods, nor over your heads, nor over your privileges, but over your hearts. He that by such a government as this doth seat himself in the affection of God and his people: his throne shall be est ablished for ever, and his children are blessed after him, Prov. 29.14.20.7, 8. I will conclude this with the words of the same wise King, which concern every man of us: He that followeth after righteousness and mercy, findeth life, righteousness and honour, ch 21.21. By humility and the fear of the Lord, are riches, and honour, and life, Pro. 22.4.  
And when God hath heard these prayers, may we be so wise and happy as to choose such Representatives in future times, as consist of persons just and righteous, merciful and tender of all men's interests and concernments; and that walk with God, not living in any sin; and that walk humbly with him, not being puffed up with a conceit of their own godliness: That are neither ungodly themselves, nor call all others ungodly who are not of their mind; That love not those who are bad; nor scorn any that are good; And in brief, that are not swollen with a belief of their own excellencies, nor grown heady and proud in opinions; but men of a sober Religion toward God, joined with justice and charity toward man.   

I Shall not exercise the Readers patience any longer about these matters, 
The sixth Observation.  when I have but briefly opened the sixth observation which naturally arrises from the discourse of the Prophet, viz. That these things [to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with God] were always more valued by God then Sacrifices, or any other bodily (though costly) services. It is the very intent of the man of God in this place to disparage all outward worship though of Gods own appointment (and much more all their own devised services) if it were not joined with true purity of heart and piety of life. For there is nothing reaches the soul but these things that I have been treating of; nothing but these conform us unto God, who is a pure spirit: nothing is everlasting and of an immortal nature but this image of God; and therefore this he would work in us that we may be blessed. But I need not proceed in this manner to give you the reason of it, you will presently conclude the truth of the observation if I do but show you first that these are the things which God always required above all the other: 
Two things to be proved.  and secondly that all the other things did tend to the advancement of these. You may well expect I should take this method, for your own souls will bid you inquire, why God did appoint sacrifices, circumcision, abundance of washings, and other ceremonies, if he was not mightily pleased with them.  
Therefore first I shall demonstrate that God was not pleased with sacrifices and things of that nature, 
1 Sacrifices not so pleasing as holiness.  separated from justice, mercy and godliness: but that rather they were an abomination to him and like the stinking carcase without the soul, when so separated.  
1. Look into the times before the law, & you shall see that there is no body commended for offering sacrifices, or for loving any of these outward shadows, but only for these substantial virtues which my Text speaks of. It is said of Enoch, that he walked with God. and that God took him, 
Proved from the times before the Law.  Gen. 5.22, 24. but it is not said that he was very liberal in slaying of beasts, and that he ascended to heaven in the smoke of sacrifices. And it is said of Noah, that he was a just man and perfect in his generations, and one that walked with God. Gen. 6.9. but nothing is there said where he is commended of building Altars, and making great store of oblations to God. Though they did these things, and it is recorded of them that they did them: yet their character is not fetched from such things, nor do you read that God commends them upon their account. And so of Abraham, it is said that he left his own country and believed God: and this saith the Apostle, was accounted to him for righteousness. His high thoughts of God, his submission to him, his dependence on him, his forsaking all for him, his trusting of life and every thing he had in his hands: his obeying God and following of him whithersovever he would lead him: and in short his absolute resignation of himself, child, and all things else to Gods will. These were the acts for which God accounted him his friend. But we do not read that God or the Apostle commend him for being circumcised: no, circumcision was but the seal of the righteousness of that faith which he had in uncircumcision, Rom. 4.11. i e. It did but testify to him that his faith was good and sound, because God hereby took him into a covenant with himself: or, it was that mark and outward token whereby God did assure him of his acceptance into a covenant of great blessings for himself and seed, because he had believed on him, and was righteous before him.  
2. And not to proceed any further to others that succeeded presently after him, 
And from the times when the Law was given.  but to look to the time of the Law: You may observe that the ten commandments were given by God before he gave any of the other Laws, Exod. 20. And likewise you may take notice of the ordinary style of Moses when he speaks of these things, which runs thus; These are the Commandments, the Statutes and the judgements, Deut. 6.1. or keep his Commandments, his Statutes and judgements, Deut. 30.14. the like to which you may read, Mal. 4.4. In all which places, and many other, Commandments are put first, which word comprehends the moral and everlasting precepts: and then follows Statutes, which denotes the Ordinances and institutions about God's Worship; and after that Judgements, which signifies the Laws about matters of civil right, both which were alterable and not eternal. Yea the whole book of Deuteronomy (or the second Law as the word signifies) seems to be added after the other, to teach them that it was obedience to his voice in all things that God did most regard. And therefore Nazianzen reckoning up the privileges of the Jews, saith that they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a double giving of the Law, Orat. 13. one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Letter, the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Spirit. Which may be interpreted of that in mount Sinai, and of the other in the plains of Jordan.  
3. And so after the Law was given, 
And from the succeeding Ages.  all the people of God understood that the things chief intended by him, were their inward mortification, their purity and integrity of soul: a spiritual worship, and a life of temperance, sobriety, justice, mercy, humility and all other virtues. To this there are a multitude of places in holy Writ that will testify and bear witness. Hath the Lord as great pleasure (saith Samuel) in  offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken then the fat of ramms. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry, 1 Sam. 15.22, 23. 
Samuel a witness of it.  Saul thought that God was delighted, if they feasted him with a multitude of sacrifices, and that nothing distasted him if they had a care not to entertain Idols with the good cheer at the Altar: and therefore Samuel tells him that God took the greatest pleasure in an hearty obedience to his commands, which was better than all the outward worship that he had appointed; and that rebellion against God's commands, was as bad as Idolatry and worshipping of stocks and stones. From the Prophet Samuel let us go to Asaph, 
And Asaph.  who lived not long after, and he tells us, Psal. 50.7, 8, 9, etc. that God did not hunger after the flesh of beasts and foul, nor thirst after the blood of Bulls and Goats: nor did he fall out with them for the neglect of this kind of service; but that which he required of them was to pray to him, and praise him, and perform all their vows promises to him, which was the best of offerings, ver. 14, 15. And that which he reproves and chides them for, was that they hated instruction, and made nothing of all his commands for the regulating of their words, desires and actions, ver. 16, 17, 18, etc. He asks them how they dare be so impudent as to pretend be in covenant with him (though they brought him never so many fat sacrifices) seeing they could not endure any of his counsels, but were unjust, unclean, liars, swearers, slanderers and backbiters. As long as their evil affections and desires were unmortified, he cared not for the death of so many of his creatures. And so you may read the sense of David in the next Psalm, Psal. 51.15, 16, 17. 
And David.  O Lord open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. The Sacrifices of God, are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise. There were no Sacrifices indeed appointed for murder and adultery (to which he hath a particular respect) but they made a man obnoxious to death by Moses his Law; Yet he saith in General, that God did not delight in burnt-offerings, and so his words may be extended farther than that one case of his. That which pleased God was holy praises, and the sacrifices of a broken heart and contrite spirit. There may be an allusion to the ceremonial worship in the words broken & contrite; the former of which may refer to the sacrifice of beasts, the latter to the perfume that was put before the testimony of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, Exo. 30.35, 36. And the words may signify as if he had said, that brokenness of heart, and an holy shivering of the spirit in pieces, so that it shall never be set together in the same frame wherein it was before, is far better than the cutting and chopping of the flesh of beasts in pieces. And as spices when they are beaten, smell the sweetest; so when your hearts are thus bruised and laid in their own dust by sincere contrition, it is a more grateful perfume to me then the beaten spices which were called most holy. If you look likewise into Psal. 69.30, 31. You shall find that to praise God with a song, and magnify him with thanksgiving, please the Lord better than an Ox, or Bullock that hath horns and hoofs. From him pass to Solomon his son, who is of the same judgement; for he saith expressly, That to do justice and judgement is more acceptable to the Lord than Sacrifice. 
And Solomon.  Prov. 21.3. Yea that the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, especially when he bringeth it with a wicked mind, v. 27. And therefore in Eccles. 5.1. he bids us be more ready to hear (i. e. to obey) then to offer the sacrifices of fools. A fool is one that hath a body without a soul: and such a carcase of religion are all sacrifices without obedience: A mere skin and husk of devotion, which God can no more be pleased with, than we are with the gifts of a fool, who knows not what he doth. If from thence you pass to the Prophet Isaiah, 
And all the Prophets.  he speaks so fully to my purpose in the first chapter from the eleventh verse to the twenty-first that I need not gloss upon his words. And chap. 63.1, 2, 3. the Lord tells that people who boasted so much that they had provided him with an house, and furnished his table continually with sacrifices, I need no house, nor am I beholden to you for a dwelling; for the heavens and the earth are mine. And I tell you there is no man loves me like to him that is poor in Spirit, humble and obedient to my word. Though you think that you please me mightily by the large provision you make at my house: believe it, without this contrition, poverty and holy trembling at my commands, he that kills a whole Ox is so far from doing me any service, that it is as bad as an act of murder: (because he is an hypocrite and a base flatterer) And you may as well bring a dog or a pig to me (which was forbidden by the Law to be offered) as a lamb: Swine's blood (which was the most detestable creature among them) is as good meat to me as the very best of your oblations: And you may as well fall down before an Idol and bless, as offer to me any incense. For indeed they made God but a great Idol, that could not see, nor hear their words and actions, much less their hearts and thoughts; and that would be pleased with any thing, and let them use him as they list. In the Prophet Jeremiah also the Lord complains that they had not harkened to his words, nor to his law, but rejected it, 6.19. and lest they should return to this exprobration, that they had been very obedient in offering of sacrifices, he faith, v. 20. To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your  offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me: Which is as if he should have said; Though you are at great cost and charges about this outward worship, yet these are not the things that I so much expect: though you fetch me perfumes from foreign places, yet there are things nearer hand that are far more sweet unto me. And he deals more plainly with them, chap. 7.21, 22, 23. etc. saying, put your  offerings to your sacrifices, and eat flesh, etc. The  offerings you know were to be wholly consumed in the fire, and the people were to have none of them; but of their peace-offerings or sacrifices of praise they did eat: Now saith God, Take all if you will for me; I care not for your  offerings: you may eat them yourselves as you do the rest, seeing you so little regard my other commands. Never think to flatter me with these, for I can be content if you feast upon them yourselves. I am not so greedy of yourf are sacrifices as you imagine: no, it was not about them that I spoke with your fathers when they came out of Egypt: but this was the thing that I commanded them, that they should obey my voice in all things. But did not they ask leave of Pharaoh (may some say) to go and offer Sacrifices in the wilderness? and did not God give them a Law about them? Yes, He did speak to them indeed about those things, but they were to be done in conjunction with better obedience: and comparatively with the other things, he did not command them. It was never intended that these should be their righteousness, and the things that they should above all others perform: but obedience was the chief thing even in these that God respected. For so the words of Jeremiah may be understood, I did not command your fathers merely concerning burn-offerings and sacrifices, but the thing I aimed at, even in the appointing of them, was that they should be obedient to my voice. To all this you may add that famous place cited by our Saviour Hos. 6.6. I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God, more than  offerings. I do not remember that the Prophet Ezekiel speaks any thing of this matter: which might be perhaps, because he wrote in the land of their Captivity, where sacrifices were not offered. But lest those of the captivity should think as their forefathers had done, that their sacrifices were the things that he most delighted in: and that therefore he brought them from Babylon that they might offer them to him: He tells them, Isa. 43.23, 24. that they had not brought him any Sacrifices, nor honoured him with any offerings since they came to Babylon, and yet he would deliver them, which was a sign that those were not the things which he stood so much upon. No, instead of loading and wearying him with their Sacrifices (as their ancestors had done) they had rather made him serve with their sins, and wearied him with their iniquities; So that it was only for his own names sake that he blotted out their transgressions, and did not remember their sins, v. 25. And to conclude, an honest Scribe in our Saviour's time acknowledges the truth of all that I have said, when he makes this reply to one of our Lords answers, There is one God, and there is none other but he. And to love him with all the heart & with all the unaerstanding, & with all the soul & with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself; is more than all whole  offerings and sacrifices, Mark. 12, 32, 33. Where we have a full confirmation of the words in my text and of that also which was said a little before, that these duties contained in the ten commandments, are the first and chiefest of all. For the Question of this Scribe is, which is the first commandment of all? and our Saviour doth not say, to offer Sacrifices, which is neither first nor second neither: But to love God he saith, is the prime and chiefest of all, and next to that is the love of our neighbour. 
V Hierod. & Porphyr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Plato Alcibiad. 2. Euseb. .3. praep. Evang. C. 3.  I might add the sense of sober heathens, who thought that no sacrifice would please God, but the oblation of a devout soul to him; and who looked upon these  offerings but as a needless butchery, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the food of the fire, and nourishment of the flame: but then I should too much exceed the just bounds of this discourse, considering also that there remains something due to that great enquiry, which is, For what end were they and such like things appointed by God, if they were not very pleasing to him?   

2. THE truth is, 
Sacrifices tended to promore toward holiness.  those heathens did commonly stretch this notion so far, as to condemn all sacrifices; 
* V Euseb. L. 4. Praepar. Svang. cap. 10. & 14.  some of them out of Ignorance of their true use, and others out of false principles which they had imbibed; and therefore (waving other ends, and keeping only to the purpose of my text) I laid down this as a Second truth to be proved, that Sacrifices and such like outward services, did tend to keep men from sin, and to advance justice, charity and piety.  
1. And first it seems to me as though there was the very spirit and reason of these three things in the threefold sacrifices that were appointed. Their sin-offerings which were to reconcile withal, may be looked upon as a piece of Justice, and to be given by way of satisfaction unto God for the offences and wrongs done unto him. And the peace-offerings, as a piece of love and gratitude to God the author of all Mercies: and as a piece of charity and kindness to the poor, who in many cases were partakers of them. And then their whole burnt-offerings were tokens of their obedience, and humble acknowledgements that he was their great Landlord of whom they held the land of Canaan, and from whom they received whatsoever they did enjoy.  
2. And so Secondly their Sacrifices taught them to consider that they should consecrate and offer themselves unto him, seeing that they were his, no less than their sheep or calves which they brought to his Altar. These sacrifices being their tribute which they paid to their supreme Lord, did express that they were tied to him in any services that he would require of them. They could not think that he would be pleased with an Ox, more than with a man, and that he would hold them excused if they rebelled against him, to whom they made these constant acknowledgements. They did not hereby pay their debts, but confess that they were indebted: They were not discharged by these from all obligations, but testified a sense that they and all theirs were engaged to him.  
3. And Thirdly, they promoted true holiness as they shown the hatefulness of sin, and the guilt which it brought upon those that did commit it. For what need was there that these poor creatures should suffer for their faults, if God was not much offended by their disobedience? The cries and struggle of the beasts might put them in mind what necessity sin brought upon them of suffering, and how cruelly it would use those who continued in it. And it would be easy to show, that there was no punishment threatened for the breach of any of the ten commandments, whether stoning, or strangulation, or cutting of the throat, or burning (for there were but these four) but it was represented in the death of these beasts, which were thrown on the pavement, tied about the throat, slain and burned either in whole or in part upon the Altar.  
4. And fourthly these Sacrifices and all other outward ceremonies might well teach them how far they ought to keep from all inward difilements, who were to be so remote from all fleshly pollutions. They that were under such a constant discipline of God, and taught by such holy men, could not without a strange neglect be so sottishly stupid as to imagine that God took no care of the soul, who would have the body so clean and pure. If a beast must not have any blemish in it, nor the man that offered it any legal uncleaness upon him: he might easily think that God expected his mind should be holy, and not in a worse condition than his beast or his body. If they were to wash themselves and their sacrifices, than the soul sure was not to be dirty and impure. If they were to be separated from all unclean persons, then much more from bad company. And if they might not so much as eat with a Gentile, then much less might they partake with them in their sins and impieties. 
Apud Photium in Biblioth. pag. 887.  I know not what truth there is in the observation of Eulogius; but he wonders why there being so many clean creatures allowed by God to be eaten in the Law, there were only five, (viz. a Goat, a Sheep, an Ox a Turtle and a Pigeon) which were used in sacrifices; unless it had an enigmatical and figurative meaning, to denote our five senses, which we are to purify and cleanse, that we may adhere to God, and be fit to draw near unto him.  
5. And therefore fifthly we may look upon the law of ceremonies as an hedge to the Law of moral precepts, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  or the ten commandments. Some things as Aristo●le well observes, are good in themselves and to be beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their own sakes, 
L. 1 Ethic.  and others are good and lovely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the sake of the former; as they are either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effective and operative of them, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some sort a preservative and guard to them; or as they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hindrances of their contraries, and forbidden that which would destroy them. Now though the things that we are speaking of were not good in themselves, nor had any proper worth in them, as justice, mercy, and humility have: yet they were of this latter sort of goods, and served to maintain these greater things in their sacredness, and to prohibit them from infringing any of the rights belonging unto them. God kept the Israelites at a great distance from violating these commands, by making them observant of lesser injunctions. Their fear of these meaner offences was intended as a guard and security to the greater sanctions and commands. As a man that dare not leap over an hedge into our pasture, will not venture one would think to climb over the wall into our garden: so he that durst not break through and transgress the bounds of these outward precepts; it was to be presumed would never be so bold as to tread under feet and contemn the more divine Laws. God intended mainly to preserve the holiness of the moral laws and spiritual precepts: and so he set the ceremonial as a thorny fence about them, to keep them from being broken. Their not eating of blood must needs make them to have a natural abhorrence of murder (Gen. 9.4, 5.) and their not marrying within such degrees of consanguinity, was an exercise of their chastity, and a great security against adultery and such like wickedness. Their taking no use of their poor Brethren, and leaving them the corners of the fields when they reaped, etc. was a means to make them not to covet nor be greedy of the world. Their observing of so many days in memory of God's mercies, must needs teach them to have the Sabbath in great reverence, which was in memory of the creation of the world, and their deliverance out of Egypt. Seeing they must break down so many mounds and banks as were cast up about the eternal Law: it might reasonably be supposed that they would never attempt to destroy it, at least not as long as they kept these entire.  
6. And in particular these things kept them from Idolatry, which was the highest contempt of God that could be. 
Orat. 42.  They were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as Nazianzen saith of the whole Law) a wall set up between God and Idols, to keep them from running unto strange worship: A partition which they must break down before they and the Gods of the heathens could meet together. And this Maimon doth conceive to be the reason of those precepts which carry not their reason in themselves: that God might make them abhor to participate in the Religion of the nations that were about them. For he well observes, that God commands them such things as were quite contrary to their practice: so that what the heathens loved, that they were to abominate: and what they reverenced, the Jews were to have for daily use; and they were not so much as to worship toward the same quarter of heaven; but whereas the world generally had their holy place in the East, God placed his sanctuary in the West. But it is not his observation alone; for Justin Martyr long before in his disputation with the Jew, 
Dialog, cum Tryph.  saith that the Israelites making a golden calf and offering sacrifice to it after the manner of Egypt, God did accommodate himself to them, and commanded them to offer him sacrifices, that so they might not give away his worship unto Idols. And more plainly in his answers ad Orthodoxos (if that book be his) he saith that the Egyptians taking all living creatures (except a Swine) to have something of Divinity in them: 
Respons. 35. ad Orthod.  God distinguished between the clean and unclean, and permitted the one to be offered in sacrifice, but the other he forbade to be so much as eaten; By both showing that they were unworthy of the honour or name of gods, which might either be slain and eaten, or else were to be reputed of as unclean.  
And Theodoret asserts it still more particularly, 
L. 7. the curate. Graec. affect.  that the Egyptians worshipping a Goat and a Sheep, as well as a Calf or Heifer: and likewise holding the Turtle and Pigeon among the birds in greatest veneration; God commanded the Israelites to sacrifice these rather than any other, that so they might learn how vile the Religion of those people was, whose gods were continually slain and eaten by them. And for this cause also it was (as he thinks) that God would not let them eat Swine's flesh, because the Egyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abstaining from the rest as gods, did think it lawful to eat of this creature only. But if it should be thought that the Egyptians did not worship a Goat, as it is certain they did a Cow, yet the Jews confess that the Zabii or Sabaeans who were their near neighbours, did give divine honour to it, and against their infection they were no less to receive an Antidote then against the other. And this perhaps may be the reason why God loaded them with such a world of ceremonies, that they might be so constantly employed, as not to have time to think of adding any other devices of their own or others to his service, having enough to do already. Only his infinite. Wisdom made these things serve to teach them higher duties, and to be shadows also of most glorious things to come, which I am not now to treat of.  
7. But seventhly, as they put them in mind to consecrate themselves to God, so they remembered them to give him the very best, and the secrets of their souls. For it is well observed by Cyril Alex. that though God suffered them to offer sacrifices as other Nations did, yet not after their manner, but so artificially and skilfully ordered, that (as I just now said) they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 travel with the form of a spiritual and intellectual worship in their womb, 
L. 9 Contra Julianum.  of which they are now at last delivered. Their whole  offerings which ascended entirely to heaven, and were to be chosen out of the best of their beasts, fruits or liquors, might well carry along with them the chiefest of their thoughts and affections, yea their whole souls toward God, in whose service they were to spend themselves. And when they sacrificed peace offerings, they were to give to God the kidneys or reins, which are the seat of carnal pleasure; and the heart (as some think) which is the fountain of all living motions, and the seat (in the ancient language) of the thoughts; and then the blood of the beast, which might well teach them to offer even their lives to him (who gave life to them) as well as all other things which were most dear in their eyes.  
8. To which it may be added, that the sacrifices could not be accepted, unless the person as well as the beast which he brought were clean and holy. So that the offering did not make him good, but supposed him to be so already. Plutarch gives us to understand how exact the Egyptians were about the red Cow which they had decreed was to be offered to Typhon, 
L. de Isid. & Osir.  when he says that if there were but one hair black or white, she was judged to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unlawful to be offered in sacrifice. But he tells us likewise (in the same place) that the person who brought it was to be sound and in a good state of health; for they thought that that being which is most pure, undefiled and without blemish, ought not to be served 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with bodies or souls that were full of putrifying sores or diseases. You cannot think that the Jews were no less intelligent than these heathen; especially since God required of the man that offered them, that he should be so far from greater pollutions, that he should not lie so much as under any ceremonial defilement. Or if there were any secret naughtiness lying in his heart while his outward actions were unbl●mable, yet the sacrifice of such a wicked man was an abomination to the Lord, who knows the heart, Prov. 15.8. And therefore you may observe that after the Psalmist had said, Psal. 51.17. The sacrifices of the Lord are a broken Spirit, etc. and desired acceptance with God for him and his people, ver. 18. he adds, Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with  offering, etc. ver. 29. As if he had told us first, that a broken and contrite heart must go before, else no sacrifices could be accepted to do the soul good; and then secondly, that in the time of offering they must be accompanied with righteousness, i.e. the man's soul must be holy and devout, and have a good affection in it unto God.  
9 And after this they could not be accepted but by the mediation of the Priest, which taught them great humility, even when they were at the best, and in the greatest purity of body and soul.  
10. And again there were some sins for which no sacrifices would be admitted, nor no Priest could intercede; which both taught them humbly to wait on the mercy of God, that he would find out a sacrifice and a Priest to expiate them; and likewise to take great heed how they fell into those sins.  
11. And the sacrifices themselves are to be considered as a part of their civil righteousness; for by the giving of these to God, and observing the rest of Moses his Laws they had a title to the Land of Canaan. If they kept themselves from defilements, or brought these oblations, and observed the feasts, and kept the outward part of the ten commandments, they were saved from being cut off by the Magistrate, or cast out by God from the possessions that he had given them. But God did not intent that this should make citizens of heaven, or give them a right to the celestial inheritance; Canaan itself being but a type of heaven, and these ritual observances but shadows of more heavenly performances, whereby they were to seek that better country.  
12. And yet when they performed these acts with an holy heart, in obedience to God's command, and as a part of his will: not relying on them, nor contenting themselves with them alone: they might be accepted as a piece of diviner righteousness, as Isaac's offering his son was, merely because God required him so to do. For than they were converted to have something of spirituality in them: and became of another nature: Then he that calls himself the righteous Lord, and the holy one of Israel, styles himself also by this name, The Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem, Isa. 31.9. Those divine Acts which render us acceptable in God's sight might be employed in these things as well as in others, that faith, obedience, resignation, humility, liberality, etc. which God requires, might be exercised in these observances, as well as in another matter; and for them (not merely for the sacrifices, etc.) they were commended.   

AND now how well will all this pains be bestowed, if every man who reads these things will never content himself, nor be at rest without a state of inward purity and conformity to the divine will, and a sincere obedience to every part of that Law which our Lord hath given us! Do not I beseech you cover yourselves with the leaves of piety, nor shroud yourselves under the empty shadows of Religion: but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, bring forth the real fruits of justice, mercy, and humble godliness; let the life of God possess your souls, and the divine spirit actuate and inform you as living members of his body. We have our washings, and our sacrifices, and our days of rest as well as the Jews had: let us have a care that we use them out of a sense of that duty we own to God, and as means to exercise and increase our graces; and not pride ourselves as they did in outward performances, and an heartless sanctity. If we glory merely in our Baptism, in our being of such a party and persuasion, in going to our Churches, hearing of Sermons there, and repeating them at home, receiving of the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood, praying, singing Psalms, and offering praises: We do but mock God with outward shows, and bring him to an Idol as Michal did saul's messengers instead of a man. Nay, it is a greater shame and more damning for us to mistake so grossly and to think to please God with such trivial things as words and outward gestures, when we know more than they did, and have their miscarriages laid so plainly before us. If God did not only despise but hate the Jewish service when not joined with obedience to his eternal precepts, then much more will he loath all ungodly men now with all their worship which they bring him, though never so pompous and ceremonious. For their Religion was full of shadows, ceremonies and outward signs, but ours is a Religion of more simplicity, and therefore we can be the less tempted to formality. And besides we being eased of that burden, of that heavy yoke which lay upon their necks, the heartier obedience in other things may be more justly exacted of us, and expected from us. Let me conclude therefore with the words of the Apostle of us Gentiles, and beseech you by the mercies of God, 
Rom. 12.1, 2.  that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God.   
FINIS.