A view of the threats and punishments recorded in the Scriptures, alphabetically composed with some briefe observations upon severall texts / by Zachary Bogan ...

Parents, their Due.

Such as Curse them, threatened

1 with Death. Every one that curseth* 1.1 his Father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. he hath cursed his father, or his mo∣ther, (of whom he had his life) his blood shall be upon him, Lev. 10. 9. He shall be put to death, he hath cursed his father &c.] Certain∣ly, God accounts this a hainous sinne: for he seemes to have thought, that he gave suf∣ficient reason for the greatnesse of the pu∣nishment of it, onely by repeating it. Chil∣dren might forbeare to curse their parents, even out of malice: for, no doubt, God will prosper them the better, and blesse them the more. The Jewes, when they speake of a child's cursing his parents, by an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, expresse it by Barach, a word which signi∣fieth, Blesse.

2 Blacknesse of Darknesse, (as some com∣pare

the following expression with that in Peter, 2 Epist. 2. 17. & Jud. 13.) Who so curseth his father or his mother, his lamp, shall be put out in obscure darknesse, Prov. 20. 20. When the godly die, it is no more, then if a man's candle should be put out, when the day breakes.

I used the word cursing, in the Title, be∣cause it is so in our translation: but yet I believe a smaller matter, then wee usually understand by cursing, will deserve punish∣ment; yea, though it be meant onely of evill speaking. for so in Leviticus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is transla∣ted by the Sept. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he that shall speake evill To, or OF. So in Marke 9. 39. we translate, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 SPEAKE EVILL OF me. The word is the same which we translate, curseth, ch. 7. 10. where this statute in Leviticus is cited in these words, viz. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Evill spea∣king, I said:* 1.2 but I meant not onely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, such as that, 1 Pet. 2. 1, i. e. obtrecta∣tion and slander; but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, such as that, Eph. 4. 31. i. e. vilifying, or disgracing by reports; though true. So that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (the word used in this statute, and translated, curseth,) shall be that thing in words, which 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (rendred, despiseth, in Deut. 27. 16.) may be in any other way, viz: in mind, or behaviour.

Such as make Mocks of them, or give them ill words,

1 With a curse upon their posterity, viz. of serving their brethren. For Noah, (though he deserved sufficiently, to be mocked for his folly) because his sonne Cham, finding him naked, went and made sport of it; or perhaps onely complained to his brethren, of what his father had done; (whereas chil∣dren should cover their parents failings, in this sense) thus saith of his son Canaan, (as some thinke, because he first saw it, and told his father, who told it to his brethren) Cur∣sed be Canaan, a servant* 1.3 of servants shall he be to his brethren, Genes. 9. 25. with 22. Cursed be:] or, cursed is. So the Hebrew rather: as if he did not pray, but prophecie. And his pro∣phecie was fullfilled: for the Canaa∣nites, being the posterity of Cham, which came of Canaan (who alone is men∣tioned of Cham's sonnes: and the ejection of whose posterity by the Israelites, Moses his maine designe was to relate, so that there is some ground to thinke, that Canaan the grandchild, had a hand in the sinne, as I have said, before) those that were used best (I meane the Gibeonites) were used as ser∣vants;

the rest as servants of servants, and worse too, by the Israelites: who were of the posterity of Seth, and their brethren, or kin∣red, (for so the word is used in Scripture) by whom they were utterly destroyed. Whe∣ther Noah prayed, or prophecied; this is cer∣taine: The prayers of Parents, both for, and against their children, are very powerfull; and many times come to passe, like prophecies. Augustine* 1.4 speakes of ten children, that be∣ing cursed by their mother, went about qua∣king and trembling from one place to ano∣ther, like vagabonds. In that manner, as some conceive, Cain did: because the Septuagint in Gen: 4. 12. for fugitive and vagabond, tran∣slate, groaning, and trembling. And there might be many other instances given. Inso∣much, that, as Ambrose* 1.5 saith, Children should honour their parents, if it were for no∣thing but for feare: honoretpius patrem propter gratiam, ingratus propter timorem.

2 With a most fearefull Judgement, what ever it be. The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the Ravens of the valley shall pick it out, & the young Eagles shall eat it, Prov: 30. 17. The eye] the same thing (I believe) that is meant by Lamp in c. 20, and so it is expounded alike, viz: of the Soule. And accordingly it is thought, that by the Ravens of the valley, and the young Ea∣gles,

are meant the black Divels of the lowest Hell, and the Spirits subject to that Prince of the ayre; who shall make a prey of such a mans Soule, as soone as 'tis got out of the Cage. If these words be meant onely of blindnesse (as the Sept. seeme to have taken the other, ch. 20* 1.6) yet is the Pu∣nishment sad & fearefull. The EIE that mocketh] though he say no∣thing; but doe it so closely, that his father shall not know it. And de∣spiseth to obey] or despiseth the wrin∣kles (for so onea 1.7 saith, the Hebrew word * also signifies;b 1.8 and the Sep∣tuagint render it Old age) that is, the markes of her old age, hastened with paines and care in bearing and bringing him up. so that herein he is both unreasonable, in despising, that which himselfe occasioned, and unnaturall also, and worse then the beasts: for some* 1.9 of them will pay their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a great deale bet∣ter, then many Christians; in feeding their old ones. So that (understand you by Ravens and Eagles, what you will) such a wretch as will mock his parents, may well feare, that the birds and beasts will rise up against him, to punish him in this world: and their na∣turall affection come against him in judge∣ment

co condemne him, in the world to come.

Such, as Set light by them, threatned.

With a Curse. Cursed be hee that setteth light by his father or mother, Deut. 27. 16. Set∣eth light.] Doth not honour, saith the Paraph. and the vulgar translation This sinne is ran∣ked with very hainous sinnes, in that Cata∣logue, Ezek. 22. 7. after which follows a fear∣full threat. v. 13, 14, 15.

Such as are Disobedient to them, and Incorrigible.

With Stoning to death. If a man have a stubborne and rebellious sonne, which will not o∣bey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that when they have chastned him will not harken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him and bring him out unto the Elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place. And they shall say unto the Elders of this city. This our sonne is stubborne and rebellious, he will not obey our voice, he is a glutton, and a drunkard, Being rebellious is the maine crime, and being a glutton and a drun∣kard, are brought in as evidences, though crimes too) And all the men of his City shall stone him with stones that he die: So shalt thou

put ••ill away frō among you,* 1.10 & all Israel shall hear and feare, Deut. 21. 18, 19. 20, 21. Certainly, rebellious children are grievous sinners in God's account, and he will accor∣dingly punish them; because he aggravates the disobedience of the Israelites to his own self by it, Isa. 1. 2. I have nourished & brought up childrē, & they have rebelled against mee. And accordingly threatens them with grievous threats, c: 30. 1. &c. Woe to the rebellious children.

Such as doe not Honour them.

Have cause to feare Shortnesse of life. Be∣cause it is said, Honour thy father and thy mo∣ther that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, Ex: 20. 12. I say, shortnesse of life, simply, because it is usu∣ally so expounded, otherwise I should say, short injoyment of their inheritances, which is no reason they should enjoy, who will not honour those from whom they have them. Indeed I rather thinke that in these words is promised (that which is promised also in other places to other things upon the keep∣ing of the command), not so much living long

as living long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. In that good good Land, (for so the Septuagint translate,* 1.11 and so it is o∣therwise called) out of which, on the con∣trary, they are every where threatned to be cast* 1.12 out, and carried away by captivity if they kept not the cōmandments. As for liv∣ing long only, a promise of that, is annexed on∣ly to Letting the damme goe, when they rob'd a bird's nest, ch. 22. 7. And Dying in a pol∣luted land, though they lived never so long, was a punishment, Amos 7. 17.

I placed Not-Honouring, after not-Obeying, because I take it to be lesse: as I take Honou∣ring to be more then Obeying (So farre am I from taking it for no more then it is com∣monly made to be, viz: honouring with Cap and Knee forsooth; which they think to be enough without doing any thing, when they are bid) viz: yeelding them help, and support,* 1.13 and indeavoring to reward them with acts of piety. Reward them, I say; for so the word in the Hebrew for honour, will sig∣nifie; as well as to honour; according* 1.14b 1.15 to the use of the Greeke word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

Tim. 5. 3. and v. 17. Act 28. 10. The Jewes* 1.16 have a saying, What honour is to bee given to parents? To give them meat, and drinke, & to cloath them and cover them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See of this word a little af∣ter.
• * 1.2

  * I conceive 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not so opposite to Barach, as it is to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which pri∣marily sig∣nifies, hea∣vie, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth light.
• * 1.3

  Parents had power of selling their chil∣dren for servants, Ex. 21. 7 at least they pra∣ctised it for the pay∣ment of debts, or the like causes, Neh. 5.
• * 1.4

  Lib. 22. de civ. Dei c. 8.
• * 1.5

  Lib. de Bened. Pa∣triarc. c. 1.
• * 1.6

  Translating 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not, blacknesse, but the apple of the eye, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• a 1.7

  Rab. Solom.
• b 1.8

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. It is trans∣lated by us gathering, Gen. 49. 10. wrinkles are made by the gathe∣ring up of the skinne.
• * 1.9

  The Storke called in greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, whence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to be gratefull. I will not say that our word comes from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.10

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 it is the word in most plaes, where we have this exprssi∣on, Put away evill from among you (Used most commonly when mention is made of some desperate crime) as Deut. 13. 5. c. 17. 7. &c. it signi∣fies burne. and it hath respect either to the in∣corrigiblenesse of the person: because wee use to burn such things as we cannot otherwise deale with. or else to the infectiousnesse of his sinne: because wee use to burne quite up, (or dead) such things as will certainly spread further, if they are not so used.
• * 1.11

  a Deut. 1. 25, 35. &c.
• * 1.12

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.13

  And to perish frō off the good land, Deut: 11. 17▪
• * 1.14

  Such as Aeneas gave to his decrepit fa∣ther An∣chises, whō he carried upon his back (at the destruction of Troy) and is therefore called Pius Aeneas by the Poet, in honour and commendation, especially of this act of his Aristotle saith, the you••g storke will doe the like to the old.
• b 1.15

  Beza upon 1 Tim: 5. 17. honoris enim appellatione jam dixi, pium omne officium, ac subsidium Hebraeorum more significari. See Jer. 30. 19. &c.
• * 1.16

  Buxtorf. in Florileg.