The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

A SERMON Preached upon

EXODUS XXX. 15.

The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an attonement for your Souls.

IT is our Duty to love all men; and a reason of it is, our likeness to all men: they have Souls like ours; their Souls have all the image of God as well as ours, and capable of the fruition of God, and eternal glory, as well as ours. Which Parity, whether it be not fairly inti∣mated in the words of the Text, judge you, when God for attone∣ment for Souls sets a value to all people alike; the Rich and Poor to meet in one and the same sum, and not one to pay more or less than another, but all alike. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than half a shekel. This may seem to be something an unequal rating, and the rich to be set too low, and the poor too high.

But to give a clear account of this matter, let us consider,

• I. Of the sum that was to be given, Half a shekel.
• II. The end for which it was given, To be a ransom or attonement for souls. And then,
• III. The parity that is to be in this payment, None to exceed above, nor none to abate beneath another: but all to pay alike.

I. The sum is half a shekel. Now their shekel was of the value of our half crown, and the half shekel was half as much. And as our half crown is either in one piece, or hath five six pences to make it up in value: So they had their shekel either in one piece, or four pieces to make it up. Those four pieces in the Greek language were called Drach∣mes, in the Hebrew Zuzees, in Latine Pennies. And so the Greek renders the half shekel here two Drachmes. And the two Pennies that the good Samaritane gave, Luke X. 35. is the very same sum, viz. half a shekel: the Roman penny being seven pence half penny, and two of them making half a shekel, or fifteen pence.

And that sum of two pence, that the good Samaritane lays down, is very properly mentioned in that case. For as here the half shekel, which was in value two pence, is to be given for attonement of Souls, so there the two pence, which was in value half a shekel, is given for recovery of life.

Two things concerning this half shekel here mentioned are observable in the New Testament.

First, That the mony changers Tables that our Saviour overthrew in the Temple, were the Tables of the Collectors and Receivers of this half shekel. And why then should he overthrow their Tables, when the mony they received was of Gods appoint∣ment? It was indeed, but the wretched Receivers made a base trade of getting gain by changing their mony. And for giving them single mony for their whole shekel or half crown piece, they must be paid some profit. This is that that made our Saviour kick down their Tables, and not any crosness against the sum, which was of Gods own appoint∣ment.

Secondly, In that story, Matth. XVII. 24. It is this half shekel mony, that they come to demand, which Christ rather than he will not pay, will fetch it by miracle out of a fishes mouth. Now,

II. What was the end or reason of this gift or payment. It was for the ransom of a Soul, for the attonement of a Soul. Where by Soul is not strictly meant that inward

part of man properly so called, but his life and person; for so the word Soul signifies also in Scripture very often. As instead of more, for the first signification, viz. Soul for Life, take that of David, Let them be cut off, that seek after my Soul. For the last, Soul for Person, that in Exod. I. 5. All the Souls that came out of the Loins of Jacob were seventy Souls. The meaning is that this parcel of mony was yearly to be paid, as a payment or tribute, to God for the preservation of their lives and persons. And that may be observed by these two things.

First, This was an extraordinary oblation, and not the like commanded in the whole Law, i. e. any offering of mony. Lambs and Goats and Bullocks were commanded to be offered, but as for the offering of mony there was this payment only. Now the Sacri∣fices of Lambs and Bullocks were more properly for the attonement of their Souls, viz. for the pardon of their sins, and the withholding or removing of judgment. But this peculiar and extraordinary one of mony was for the peculiar and extraordinary end, viz. for the ransom or preservation of their life and person.

Secondly, This you may find hinted in vers. 12. When thou numbrest the people, they shall give every one a ransom for their Souls, lest there be a plague among them. This must be a ransom for their lives, to keep the plague, or any other deadly occurrence away, that might take away their lives, or destroy their persons.

III. The parity or equality in the payment of this sum. The rich no more, and the poor no less. The reason of which when we come to weigh, let us be sure to do it in Gods own ballances, or we may easily be mistaken. What the rich pay no more than the poor, and the poor as much as the rich? A Gallant would scorn to be so ranked with the poor, to pay no more than he; and the poor would grudge to be rated with the rich, to pay as much as he. But he that ordained the payment saw very good reason for what he did; and would that they rest in his ordaining, and learn somewhat from such appointing. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less.

And now let us look over these three things again, and consider what may be learned from them.

I will transpose a little these particulars, and speak of the second first, viz.

I. The end and purpose for which this sum was given, to wit, as an acknowledgment and an owning that their lives and persons were in the hand of God, and that to him they looked for their Preservation. And therefore it was that they paid this sum, for the ransom of their lives. So that as the payment of this mony was a Duty, so it was a Doctrine, teaching them to own their depending upon God for their lives and beings. So that hence we learn,

That every man is to own his dependance upon God for his life and being.

The Jews were taught it by their being bound to pay a yearly tribute to God for the preservation of their life and being: and we taught it from their example. And I speak to this subject the more willingly, because the thing and the time do concur so fair toge∣ther; so that the subject we speak of is not only useful and necessary, but seasonable and agreeable both to their time and ours. Concerning their payment of this Pol-mony, or dependance mony, their own writers tell us, that the Collectors of this Tax began upon the Collection of it the last month of their year; and so went on gathering in the beginning of the new year. That we are come to the last month, nay the last week of our year doth very justly give us occasion to remember our preservati∣on the year that is now gone over our heads, and all the years of our life hitherto; and to consider of that merciful and good Providence, that hath preserved us all along those years. And this, and hardly a more seasonable discourse can we take up at this time, than such an one, as shall remind us, and if it may be, warm us with a feeling of our Dependence upon God for our preservation.

Need I to divide the Theme before us and prove apart, That our Dependence is upon God for our preservation: And, That we are to be sensible of this Dependence? We can hardly find a place in Scripture that proves the one, but it proves both together: and none there is hardly but if they acknowledge the truth of the thing, that mens depen∣dence is upon God for their preservation; but they acknowledge also their sense of it, and that they so own their preservation.

I might instance multitudes of places, but do I need, when there is not a holy man through all the Bible, that speaks of his own preservation, but he owns it to have been from God, and shews himself to have been sensible of it? Job X. 12. Thou hast given me life, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. Lam. III. 22. It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed: And Act. XXVI. 22. Having obtained help of God, &c. There is not a person in Scripture that takes notice of the preserving of his life and person, but he al∣ways turns it that way to own God the Author of it; unless it be such a fool as he, that

bids, Soul, take thine ease, &c. or as he, Is not this great Babylon that I have built, &c. or they that say, To day, or to morrow we will go into such a City, and buy and sell and get gain: and never mention God or his providence in the bargain. I hope I need not prove that all our lives, persons, and the preservation of both are in the hand of God, and at his disposal; but I may sum up all in this challenge and appeal, Dare any defie Gods Provi∣dence and Preservation, and take upon you your own preservation, and to maintain your life and person of your selves?

But let not such a thing be once mentioned among Christians: but the great business is that Christians would become rightly sensible of their dependence upon God.

I cannot omit one thing in this Law about paying this half shekel, viz. vers. 14. that every one that was twenty years old and upward, was to pay it. And why then? And why not before? Not but that they that were under twenty years old were under the same preservation, and had reason to acknowledge the same preservation: but at twen∣ty years of age they were come to that age as should be the age of discretion, and that men should now consider under what tuition they lived, and that then it was time to own it; though folly and vanity of youth had not suffered them to do so before. And twenty years of age was the time, when they were in their prime and strength and flush, and when it was the likeliest time to think of their own strength and vigor, and that they stood upon their own subsistence. Then and forward, it was most seasonable to admonish them upon what it was that they subsisted, and who it was that preserved them.

The acknowledgement that it is God that doth preserve our life and being, may be of the Tongue only, and nothing but words, or bare conviction of the truth of the thing, and but little more than words neither. But a feeling acknowledgment of Gods preser∣vation is such a thing, as speaks it self by some evident demonstration. It is the Apostles saying, That saving faith worketh by Love; we may say the like of Historical Faith, if it work at all, it worketh by some evidence or demonstration of action. And such evi∣dences or demonstrations in this case are various.

I. Such a person, who owns and feelingly believes his dependence upon God for his preservation, is careful to commit himself to Gods protection, and his preserving provi∣dence the best he can. We read of persons being under the wings of the Almighty, and putting themselves under his wings; and they are there because they put themselves there, Psal. XCI. 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust. How comes he there? He puts himself there by committing himself to Gods pro∣vidence as he ought to do. As Ruth did II. Chap 12. Psal. XXXVI. 6, 7. Thou savest man and beast. How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God; therefore shall the sons of men put their trust under the shaddow of thy wings. There is a general providence, that pre∣serves man and beast; but a peculiar protection for them that put themselves under the shaddow of his wings.

Can we say that man is under Gods protection, that never put himself under Gods protection? Can we say God keeps that that was never committed to him? Such an one as a Worldling, an Epicure, that minds not God, nor his duty of committing himself to him? Yes, you will say, for this man lives and is preserved as well as the best; he is kept out of danger as well as the holiest: he is in health, wealth and a thriving condition as well as another man; and therefore sure God keeps him as well as another: He preserves indeed man and beast, as the Psalmist tells us, and so he is preserved as beasts are preserved. But he owns not God in his preservation no more than they.

A man that rightly owns his dependence upon God, commits himself to God by prayer, beseeching him to take him to his care and charge. Thus the Saints of God have ever put themselves under his wings. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be feared and so shall I be saved from mine enemies. This was Davids way to be in safety and preservation continually. And it is according to Gods direction, Psal. L. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will deliver thee. So Jacob commits himself to Gods protection, when he is going for Syria by prayer and a vow. Gen. XXVIII. 20. If God will be with me, and keep me in the way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on, &c. And such another copy you have of Jabez, 1 Chron. IV. 9. And Jabez called upon the Lord God of Israel, saying, O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and inlarg my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me. And God granted him that which he requested. This is the way to engage God to our preservation, when we thus cast our selves upon him, and implore his care of us.

II. They that own their dependence upon God for preservation and protection put th••mselves under his protection in the way of his protection. Do you think that Gods m••rciful prot••••••••on dwells every where, and that a man may promise himself to meet with it every where; in an Idol Temple, a Whorehouse, leud company? He that walks in a

wicked course of life; can he expect Gods merciful providence will meet with him here? The Apostle tells us how to put our selves under Gods protection, 1 Pet. IV. 19. to com∣mit the keeping of our souls to him in well doing. And David long before, Psal. XXXVII. 3. Do good, and verily thou shalt be f••d. Keep in his ways and he will keep thee: be doing his work and he will take care of thee: But canst thou expect his protection and care, when thou art in the ways of the Devil, and doing the work of the Devil? A Christian should alway be doing of that, as that he may lawfully and warrantably beg Gods blessing upon him while he is doing it. Joyn prayer and well doing together; and thou art sure to speed well.

III. He that owns his dependence upon God, aims that his preservation be to the ser∣vice of him that preserves him. As he owns that he lives upon God, so he aims to live to him. This use of Gods preserving providence Jacob aimed at, Gen. XXVIII. 21. If God will be with me and keep me in this way, &c. so that I come again to my Fathers house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God. And David, Psal. CXVI. 8, 9. For thou hast de∣livered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. And it pinched Job that he should any way have failed of it; Job VII. 20. I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, O! thou preserver of men? Hast thou preserved me, and do I sin against thee, contrary to the end I should have aimed at under thy preservation? Reason and the very light of nature may argue to such a pur∣pose, that in all equity and justice he that is maintained by God should be serviceable to God. We look for service of our servants and beasts, and all the reason in the World God should have it from Men.

IV. He that owns his dependence upon God, observes Gods constant preserving pro∣vidence; and counts nothing in preserving providence small. No sin is to be accounted little, because it is against a great God; and no good providence is little, because it is exercised towards sinful men. A true owner of his dependence upon God, looks upon Gods preserving mercy towards him through this double multiplying glass, his own brit∣tleness, and his own unworthiness; that God should preserve a thing so brittle, and so ill deserving.

And thus I have considered the end of this offering, viz. To be an acknowledgment to God of their dependence on him for their lives, and to implore his care and good pro∣vidence towards them for their preservation. Now in the second place we come to consider,

II. The quantity of this sum. Half a shekel. What? But half a shekel for the best man in Israel? Why? The price of a servant was thirty whole shekels, and is the rate of the best freeman in Israel, but at a poor half shekel? Exod. XXI. 32. If an Ox push a man servant or maid servant, that they die, the owner of the Ox must give to their Master thir∣ty shekels of silver for the price or value, of his servant he had lost. And so our Saviour was sold at the price of a servant, viz. thirty pieces of silver: a poor price to value him at: and you may think it not a rich price to value the best man of Israel, but at half a shekel, when the poorest servant was valued at thirty whole ones.

Do you not observe the difference? That was the price of a Servant twixt man and man; this the rate of men twixt Man and God. A servant might well be worth thirty shekels to his Master, as being able to be profitable to him. But what can poor sinful man be profitable to God? Even an Ox or an Asse may be of a good handsom price twixt man and man, because they may be profitable to man; but what can man be pro∣fitable to God? It is Eliphaz question, Job XXII. 2. Can a man be profitable to God, as a wise man may be profitable to himself? You find oft in Scripture mention of the Children of Belial: the word signifies, Unprofitable, but it means an Idol, a God that cannot profit, and whom it is no profit to serve. Our God is not such, he is not an unprofitable Master; it is profit to serve him, but when we have done all we can, we have cause to say, We are unprofitable.

If we should be valued by God according as we can be profitable to God, (as we value our cattel according as they are profitable to us) at what rate should he set us? At a grain of dust, and a dram of ashes, at a puff of vapour, and a blast of wind, at the rate of a moth, and the price of a worm, at the value of nothing, and lighter than vanity: this is the proper weight we carry upon the ballance, if we be weighed as we are indeed in our selves. Therefore never complain that God rates men so low as but half a shekel: wonder rather that he rates or values them so high; nay, that he sets any value upon them at all. For Lord, what is man that thou shouldest value, or think of him, and the Son of man that thou shouldest make account of him. Man is like to vanity, his days are like to a shadow that departeth away; Psal. CXLIV. 3, 4. And yet upon such an one God setteth his eye, upon such an one he setteth some value. He was to offer God half a shekel for his Soul. God lays not this Tax to rate men according to their worth, for that was nothing, nor to lay any heavy burthen upon them, for the tax was small, but it was to instruct them,

That God requires some tribute of men for their preservation.

Men must not think to live on free cost, and that God maintains their lives for no∣thing but rather let them know that he looks for some pay and tribute from them. The Apostle tells us, that what was written aforetime was written for our learning; and so what was written for them is written for us too. Only the punctual rate and payment of half a shekel lies not upon us, as it did upon them; but what is intimated by the pay∣ment of this rate, is intimated to us as well as it was to them. The intimation was, that they, Men, owe God a debt and payment for the preservation of their lives, and he ex∣pects it from them. This payment of half ashekel mony ceased, when the Jews ceased to be a Nation; but the equity and intimation that it read and carried with it, ceased not, but takes hold upon us as it did on them.

The Ceremonial appointments of the Jewish Nation did not only prescribe the exter∣nal action, but also enjoyned the signified Duty too. They were enjoyned to offer sacri∣fice. The outward action was killing a beast, and offering him upon the Altar for an at∣tonement for their sins. The thing siynified was the sacrificing of Christ, the great obla∣tion for the sins of men. The Duty intimated was, that they should look to the death of Christ, and by that believe to obtain the forgiveness of their sin, and not barely by their sacrifice. So that they were bound both to the moral Duty, to believe in the death of Christ for the attonement of sin: and they were to offer sacrifice too, thereby to signifie his death in which they believed. And the like might be said of the other cere∣monious burthens that were laid upon them. But we will only take instance in that be∣fore us.

They were enjoyned to offer this half shekel yearly to God for the preservation of their lives. The thing signified was, that their lives depended upon God, and to him they must look for their preservation. The moral Duty intimated and required, was, That they were bound to pay atribute of obedience to God for his preserving them. For it was not mony that God looked after, but to obey is better than sacrifice. The cere∣monial part of their work was laid down long ago, but the moral Duty that it signified lays still upon all of us, and all men in the World.

By the way let me tell you this out of the Roman Histories, that when Vespasian had conquered and destroyed Jerusalem, he commanded that the Jews should pay this half shekel, that they used to pay to God for their lives, to his Idol Jupiter Capitolinus at Rome. A sad thing to pay that that was to be paid to God their Preserver, to the Devil the Destroyer. For his God Jupiter Capitolinus was no better than a Devil. And I wish in the parallel it be not too true with too many: that they pay what they owe to God for their lives and preservations to the Devil.

Well, the first thing taught in the payment was, That we should learn and observe, that God doth not preserve and take care of mens lives for nought, but that he expects some tribute and payment for it. And truly that he may in all reason in the World, if we will but compare his case and mens together. Every shepherd, every shepherds boy must be paid for keeping another mans flock; and must the great shepherd have no pay for keeping and leading Israel like a flock? Nay, Satan himself sees it all the reason in the World, though he speak it with a venomous intent, that if God have hedged Job round about, as he had done, and taken such care of him, that he pay him with fear and careful walking before him. Doth Job fear God for naught? Hast thou not made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? I. Chap. 9, 10. Therefore it is no wonder if he fear thee, it is all the reason in the World he should.

There is no care in the world taken of one person by another, but it is repayed with some fair repayment or other: Even the care of Parents to their Children, which you will say nature it self binds them to, yet they expect to be paid with their obedience. That challenge of God is but most just, Mal. I. 6. A Son honoureth his Father, and a Servant his Master; if then I be a Father, where is mine honour, and if I be a Maste, where is my fear? It is the very title and profession of God, that he is the Preserver, Keeper Saviour of men; and no pay to him from men for all this? Job VII. 20. O thou preserver of men. The word signifies Observer too. As God looks to men, so he looks after men to see what they do, and how they demean themselves to him that looks to them. So Samuel hints to Saul, and Nathan to David; I have done thus and thus to you, kept you, dignified, promoted, prospered you, and is this the requital you make to me? Need I to tell you that God is called the Watch man of Israel, that never slumbereth nor sleepeth, but continually takes care of them. But the Apostle, 1 Tim. IV. 10. goes further, and tells you, that he is not only the Preserver of Israel, but even of all men. We trust in the living God, who is the Savi∣our of all men, specially of those that believe. Some from the word Saviour would conclude

universal grace and redemption; but the word means as in the Book of Judges, a Pre∣server or Deliverer; and so God is to all, especially those that believe. Though he pre∣serve not unbelievers in the very same manner and degree that he doth believers, yet he preserveth them, and looks for requital from them for their preservation.

Now that in all equity some payment is due to God in this case, let us a little consider of these things.

First, The preciousnes of life; that very thing may argue, that it is not a small debt we owe to him that preserves it. It hath the proper name of precious. Prov. VI. 26. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adultress will hunt for the precious life. And do you not think that Solomon speaks very true when he calls life precious; and do you not think that even the father of lies speaks true when he said, Skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life? What will any man take for his life to pass it away? What jewels, what rubies, what riches will buy his life from him? No, he accounts it too precious to part with his life for mony or monies worth. And this doth enhance the preciousness of life, that it is not only so excellent a being in it self, but without it all things are nothing to him that hath lost it. Bring a dead man bags of gold and heaps of silver, fill his coffin up with pearls and jewels; strew his grave with diamonds and rubies; there is no hearing, no minding, no affecting, when his jewel, that was more worth then all these, his life, is gone.

Now who is the Preserver of this dear jewel, while we carry it about us? Is it we our selves? The Psalmist tells us, that It is he that made us, and not we our selves. Psal. C. And reason may tell us, that it is he that preserves us, and not we our selves. For can we any more preserve our lives of our selves, than we can give life to our selves? When a desperate danger is ready to swallow us up, if God withdraw his preserving providence can man bring his life out of danger? In Scripture Phrase for a man to put his life in his own hand (Judg. XII. 3.) is to venture it to danger, where there is no safety: but in the hands of God it is secure, while he will take charge of it. Feeling is that passage of Daniel to Belshazzar, Dan. V. 23. The God in whose hand is thy breath. Canst thou take it into thine own hand, and there hold it? The Jews tell a story of the Angel of death sent to take away the soul of Moses, but Moses withstood him, and he could not do it; but when God saw his time to take it, no withstanding. The Angel of death in their meaning is the Devil, and the Apostle speaks to their opinion, Heb. II. 14. That through death he might destroy him that ••ad the power of death that is the Devil. Now wherein lies the reason, why Satan takes not away our lives, when he pleaseth? Is it in our selves? Would not he, think you, carry away all men bodily to his den, if it were in his power? And is it our power that doth restrain him? Think of those poor possessed ones in the Gospel, whom the Devil hurried so up and down at his pleasure. Is it our own power that doth restrain him, that he useth not us so? When we read or hear such stories have we not cause, if we had hearts, to look up at a higher power than our own, that we are not, as they were, in his power? And was it his courtesie that he spared their lives, when God had given him liberty to use their bodies as he did? Or was it not, that God restrained him? you may guess it by Jobs case, betwixt whose life and Satans malice against him God had put this bar, Only take not away his life.

But when God himself comes by death resolvedly to take away any mans life, whose power is it in to hinder? When he is resolved to tear body and soul assunder, who shall say, what dost thou? When he will preserve life no longer, who can make it out, and preserve it himself? The Lord giveth life and the Lord taketh it away, in his hand only is the disposal of our life and being.

Secondly, God shews himselves tender of our lives: doth not only preserve them, but shews that he is tender of them, and willing to preserve them. God is the fountain of be∣ing, and giver of life, and it is agreeable to his nature to maintain the being of men, and their lives; but it is not so agreeable to him to destroy them: it is said of him that he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, Lam. III. And he saith of himself that he hath no pleasure in the death of the sinner, Ezek. XVIII. And no wonder, for it is somewhat besides his nature: q. d. for it is his nature to give being, and not to de∣stroy it.

Now that God is tender of the lives of men, and preservs them willingly and tenderly, you have it evidenced in the mouth of three or four witnesses, that the truth of it may be established.

1. He is tender of the lives of very birds and beasts, and therefore forbids all cruelty towards them. Balaam for cruelty towards his poor Ass is reproved both by the Angel, and the Ass her self. And how does God forbid to kill a beast and her young on the same day, to take a bird and her young at the same time, but if he take the young to let the dam go; forbids to seeth a kid in his dams milk: and in a word, it is a token the Holy Ghost gives of a good man, that he is merciful to his very beast.

2. Is it not an evidence that God is tender of mens lives, when he hath made so severe a Law against murther, or taking them away? And what strange discoveries hath he made of murthers and murtherers, that he that hath taken away a mans life may not go unpu∣nished? So tender is God of the life of man, that as man hedgeth in a choice tree or plant that he is tender of; so hath God mans life with such a siry law, as well as he doth also with his providence.

3. Doth not God tender the life of man, when he would have all men to spin out their lives to life eternal, and shewed them a way how to do it, if they would but take his way? God had rather thy life should reach Heaven and Eternity there, than to drop into Hell in the end, and be drowned in eternal death. And this is one thing amongst others that doth highly enhance the preciousness of mans life, that it may be translated to Eternity.

4. And Lastly, If you yet need any evidence and demonstration of Gods tenderness to mens lives and willingness to preserve them, and unwillingness to destroy them, look upon your selves as you are alive here this day. And whence is it, that you are so? Can you give any other proper reason, than this, because God is tender of your lives, and is not willing to destroy them? Hath he not power enough to have cut them off and de∣stroyed them long ago? And have we not given him cause enough to have destroyed them over and over? Whence is it then, that we are all here this day? God hath spared our lives, preserved our lives, tenderly preserved them, or our souls had long ago dwelt in silence.

And are we not in debt to God for this care and tendering of us? Is there nothing to be paid him, not one half shekel, for all our preservation? Doth not all the reason in the world dictate, that when we live by him, we should live as he would have us: that when he spares and preserves our lives, we should lead and spend our lives according to his rule?

And this is all that he requires from us, He looks not for mony nor monies worth; not for a shekel nor half a shekel, not for an offering of a lamb or bullock for the ransome of our lives; but all that he requires is, that we pay God obedience and service; live to God as we live by him.

III. Having considered the Quality of this payment, viz. to be a tribute of acknow∣ledgement of their dependence upon God for their lives, and the preservation of them: and the Quantity of it, or the Sum it self, Half a shekel, to imply that they lived not on free cost, but under a rent and homage to God: we come now in the third place to dis∣course of the Equality of the payment. The rich shall give no more, and the poor shall give no less; but every one exactly alike. Which may seem something strange, when there was such a diversity of persons. That was a miracle about the measuring of Manna, that every one should have the same proportion, when they came to measure, and yet such a difference of proportion, when they gathered. And this is something wonderful in the proportioning, that all should pay so exactly alike, when there was such vast difference twixt persons and conditions. Some worth thousands, some worth nothing, some on high on a Bench of State, and some as low embracing a dunghil: and yet all pay alike: What are we become Levellers, All hail, fellows, and no distinction; the rich no better than the poor, and the high become yokefellow with the base? This taught them and may teach us, that which so oft is inculcated in Scripture,

That God is no Respecter of persons in regard of any ones outward condition, Rom. II. 11. There is no respect of persons with God. Act. X. 34, 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. But in every Nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteouness is accepted with him. But Peter there seems to destroy what he had built up, for he had said, God is no respecter of Persons, and yet immediately after he saith, God accepteth some. But the meaning of him, and of other places that speak the same is, that God respects no men upon any external accounts; he respects not the rich man a whit the more for his being rich, nor any poor man the less for his being poor; he is not like them, Jam. II. 2. Who if they see a man with a gold ring or gay cloathing, O! then I pray Sir, come up hither and sit here; but if a poor man in mean garb and habit, then go thou, and stand or sit there at my footstool. The Apostle at vers. 4. gives them their right title, though at first sight not easy to understand, Are ye not become Judges of evil thoughts? His meaning is not, that they judged or passed sentence upon evil thoughts, but that they were evil thoughted Judges, as a Judge of unrighteousness is an unrighteous Judge. When God hath so com∣manded, that men should judge impartially without respect of persons, are not you evil thoughted Judges, when you so prize the rich, and despise the poor, meerly because of their outside, or external condition?

God cannot do so: he cannot gaze with admiration upon a gallant suit and clothings, glittering lace and diamonds: he cannot ever the more regard a man, that hath regarded mony and gotten a great deal of it together. Nothing that the World can contribute to a person, can make God to respect him a straw the more. Take but that one instance of

Herod Agrippa, Act. XII. When he was in all his pomp and gallantry, and as irchly dressed as mony and hands could make him, the sun shining upon his cloth of silver, and cloth of gold raiment, that dazled the spectators eyes, as Josephus tells the story; the foolish people, they admire him, applaud, adore him; and he speaks and looks more like a God than a Man. In that very instant God shewed how little he regards any man for his out∣side, be it never so gorgeous; for he strikes him with the lowzy disease and he is eaten up with lice, and dies.

God looks upon men as they come into the world, and as they go out, Naked, and not through any deckage that the world hath put on them. And accordingly Exod. XXXIII. 5. When God would call the people to account for their making the golden calf, and look upon them in their proper condition, he bids them put off their ornaments from them. Now God looking upon men in this their naked condition, as men, he sees this equality in all men in the world.

First, That they are all alike his Creature, and therefore he may in this respect value them all alike. The rich did no more create himself then the poor, and the high no more than the low, but they are all alike his creation. Psal. C. He made us, and not we our selves. And there is no man to be excepted from the word Us, but he made one as well as another. That is a Caveat to the rich and high, which God speaketh to Job, in Chap. XL. 15. Behold now Behemoth, which I made with thee, he eateth grass like an Ox. What doest thou compare with me any thing that eateth grass? Yes, I made him as well as thee, and thou madest thy self no more than he did, and you are both my creatures, as well the one as the other. Thou as well as He. So is the rich his creature as well as the poor. Prov. XXII. 2. The rich and the poor meet together, the Lord is the maker of them both. They meet together, and it may be, the rich spits at the poor in scorn and despising: yet the Lord made them both; and in that regard there is no difference betwixt them. And thereupon the same Solomon saith, Prov. XIV. 31. He that oppresseth the poor reproaceth his Maker. As if he cast in the teeth of God, for that he made such a pitiful creature, that were fit for no∣thing, but to be oppressed and trodden upon. The oppressor thinks himself another kind of creature, whereas they were cast in one and the same mold.

Doth the rich and high and great think, that he is less beholding to God for his creating, than the poor and the mean? Or else does he think, that God laid out more pains and power and love in the creation of him than he did on the other? Did God use more art or skill, or more care and endeavour in making him, than in making the poorest Crea∣ture, that goes from door to door? Although the Holy Ghost hath made some difference in relating the history of the Creation of other things, and of man, and hath brought in the whole Trinity consulting for the making of man, Come let Us make Man; yet in the making of several men we must not look for any diversity. And whatsoever men will ga∣ther out of Psal. XXXIII. 15. He fashioneth their hearts alike: as some from thence would gather the praeexistence of souls, some the equality of souls: certainly this may be, that God made no difference of his working, when he made all.

Secondly, As all the men of the world are of this parity and equality in regard of the Creators work that made them, so also in regard of the matter or mettle of which they are made. Did God chuse any finer clay for the making of one than for another? Dust thou art, was the character of the first Adam, and does any of his posterity differ from that character? Did God look out for finer clay to make a great rich man of, than he did to make a poor? Jer. XVIII. 4. The vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the Potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the Potter to make it. The Potter hath a pot on the wheel, and it hits not to the fashion he aimed at, so that he workes it up to vessel of another fashion, but the same clay still. So however there may be some varie∣ty in the frame of the vessel made, some diversity in the composure of men, some fair, some foul, some black, some white, some a smooth Jacob, some a rough Esau, yet the clay that these diversified vessels are made of, is but one and the same.

You remember that Esay XLV. 9. Wo! to him that striveth with his Maker, let the pot∣sheard strive with the potsheards of the earth. The meaning of the latter clause, The pot∣sheards of the earth, is, Men to strive with men is something like, equal match; and if they will needs strive, let them strive one with another, but Wo! to him that striveth with his Maker. You see the title given to all on earth, they are but earthen potsheards, but as bits of a broken pitcher. While the pitcher was whole it was but an earthen pitcher; while Adam was in innocency he was but a vessel of clay, though a vessel of honour: but his fall hath broke the pitcher all to pieces; and all the men of the world are but as sheards of a broken picher. It may be one piece of the potsheard may be bigger than the others are, yet that is but a potsheard still, and of the very same mettle with the other. It may be one piece is finely painted and coloured, which the other is not, yet it is but a pot∣sheard for all its painting, and but of the very same clay, with the other bits for all its bravery.

Thirdly, And as all are of the same dust in their original, and no difference; so is there any difference in the dust to which they shall return? Shall great and rich less turn to dust, than mean and poor; or shall they turn to nobler dust than the other? Shall a more noble or gentile worm seise upon a great man in the grave, than does upon a mean; or a more gallant corruption devour the rich man than doth the poor? There the Kings and Counsellors of the earth lie down together, Job II. 14. And there the poor and rich have the same lodging, and the Servant hath the same bed with his Master. And do they not all go to the same, the very same dust, and doth not the same, the very same corruption seize and consume them? Psal. CIII. 14. The Lord that made us knoweth our frame, he re∣membreth that we are dust. Dust in our beginning, dust at our latter end, and one and the same dust, both in our beginning and end, and no difference.

And therefore how can he in this regard but value all at one rate; and when the poor and rich come to pay tribute for the preservation of this dust, our bodies, that all should contribute alike; the rich no more, and the poor no less.

But are all mens Souls alike too, that God should rate them all alike too? Take the word in the text in the proper sence, you shall make an attonement for your Souls; are all Souls looked upon by God alike too? It was an old question in the Schools, An animae sint aequales? Whether all Souls are equal? And our inquiry adds one question more, Whe∣ther God weigh all Souls alike? And the the question lies not so much in this, Whether God prize not an holy Soul above a sinful, as whether every Soul be of the same value as a Soul? And the reason of the question is from the vast difference of the tempers of men, in which the acting and nature of the Soul appears. And it were wonder if some of the Jews did not cavil at this Law upon this very poynt. They took upon them to be ex∣ceeding wise; and abundance of them gave themselves that title; and must they be va∣lued with fools and Ideots?

I am not curious to discuss this question copiously. It might be a very proper answer to this question, such as is Joh. XXI. 21. Where Peters inquisitivness receives an answer, What is that to thee? So when any are curious to know, whether all Souls are alike, whe∣ther an unlearned Soul is like a learned, an Heathen like a Christian, an Ideot like a so∣lid man, I may say, What is that to thee? search and try and examine, and take care of thine own Soul. Yet to speak something to this case.

First, Distinguish between the Activity of the Soul, and the Capacity of it: what it does and what it is able to do. It is a Maxim, A posse ad esse non valet consequentia. From what a man can do, it will be but a weak consequence to conclude, that therefore he will do it. The Leper to our Saviour understood Logick better, and concludes not, that he would make him clean because he could do it; but he begs that he would do it, seing that he could, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. It is a good consequence to say, a Man does thus, therefore he can do it; but a wild one to say, therefore he can do no otherwise. So as to the judging of the true quality of the Soul, if you would take measure of a Soul aright, you must not barely look at its present acting, but at its ca∣pacity, and what in its full largeness and latitude it is able to act: not take measure of a reasonable Soul, as it is in its childhood, but when it is in its full growth, and ca∣pacity.

Secondly, Now the acting of a Soul in its full capacity, cannot be while it is in the bo∣dy. It cannot see God face to face, nor the Devil as he is a Spirit, which it may do when out of the body. It cannot converse with things in eternity, which it cannot but do, when out of the body, either blessed or miserable. It cannot here but be deceived ma∣ny a time over, there it cannot possibly be deceived; and so I might speak in other par∣ticulars.

So that the proper judging of the nature of the Soul and its capacity, is to take it as God did Israel at Sinai, (when he would know what to do with them,) stript of their ornaments; so must the Soul be stript out of the Body; loosed of all that that pinioned, hampered or any ways strainted it. And what think you of the Souls of Infants, of Fools and Ideots then and there? Can we think their Souls are Infants, Fools and Ideots in the other world? For

Thirdly, Though the Soul be of a vast capacity while in the body, yet the acting of it even there is many and many a time hindred, and curbed that it cannot reach to its acting in its full capacity, which it could reach to even here, if there were not some hindrance. Take in∣stead of more an instance or two of what may seem nearest to folly and ideotism, and are not. A man is drunk; does his Soul then act according to the proper capacity that it were able to act in, if he were sober? There is a man learned, and an hundred that have no learning at all. Now the reason why those unlearned ones are not learned as well as he, is not, because their Souls were not of capacity to have received learning, but be∣cause they had not the means of education in learning that he had. So the acting of the Soul according to its capacity is often time hindred by the want of apt organs or instru∣ments

in the body. Do you not see before your eyes by experience a man or woman moped, their understanding clean spoyled by a sad stroke of the Palsy or Apoplexy, that the person is not the same that he was before? and yet his Soul is the very same, but the right acting of it spoyled by the spoyling of the organs or instruments by which it should act. The brain is so shattered by the stroke of a Convulsion, that it cannot be so ser∣viceable to the Soul as it hath been. And so those Naturals and Ideots we are speaking of, their Souls are like to other Souls, spiritual substances, as well as others, immaterial and intellectual as well as others; but there is some defect of the organ or instrument in the body, something that the Intellect should use, is failing or bruised.

Now not to wade farther into this question, these two things are undeniable concerning all Souls in the world.

1. That they are all of the workmanship of God, and no Souls but come out of his hand. Ezek. XVIII. 4. Behold! all Souls are mine. XXXVIII Jer. 16. Zedekiah sware to Jeremiah, As the Lord liveth, who made us this Soul. And he spake very true; though Jeremiah was as good, and he as bad, yet God made both their Souls alike, Jeremia's as well as Zede∣kiahs, & contra. In that dispute about Praeexistence of Souls, some hold Praeexistence, and some not: yet both hold that the Soul comes immediately from the hand of God. And sure God sends no maimed Soul out of his hand.

2. That all Souls have equally need of Gods support. There is a double support of the Soul. Either that God preserve and keep it in the body for the life of the body, or preserve and keep it in grace for the good of the Soul. This distinction the words of the Apostle mean, 1 Tim. IV. 10. He is the Saviour of all men, especially of them that believe. He preserves the lives of all that live, but especially he preserves the Souls of those that believe in him.

So that, if the Question be, Doth God preserve all alike? Doth his providence set it self to keep all alike? If not, why should all be bound by this tax in the Text to pay for their preservation alike?

The Answer is easy, though it may seem strang when given; He doth, and he doth not. But I may facilitate it by this distinction.

First, He preserves all alike; that is, all that are preserved have their preservation alike from him, and alike owe their preservation to him. So that none is able to say, I owe my preservation to God less than thou doest. Thou art much beholden to him for the preservation of thy life, but I am not so much. Thou hast had more need of his pre∣servation than I have had.

Secondly, He preserves not all alike, viz. in this sence, That he takes care of the preservation of the Souls of some in another manner than he doth of others. He preserves the persons even of ungodly men, and keeps their Souls in them; but he preserveth the Souls of the godly in well being, as well as their bodies in life. Hence those frequent expressions. He keepeth the Souls of his Saints. The Lord careth for my soul. Commit the keeping of your souls to him, 1 Pet. IV. ult. And that one instead of more, Psal. CXXI. 7. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil, yea, he shall keep thy soul. He shall preserve thee from all evil to thy body; but which is the preservation indeed, he shall take care of the welfare of thy soul.

I shall not need to insist to shew the great difference of these two kinds of preservati∣on; even all the wicked of the world are under the former, Gods preservation of their lives; but the children of God are under both, the preservation of their bodies and souls also.

There is nothing that differenceth men in the sight of God, but good or evil acti∣ons. And the Judge of all the world, that cannot but do right, judgeth and rewar∣deth every one according to their works. As the Apostle hints, Rom, II. 6, 7, 8. Who will render to all men according to their works, and For there is no respect of porsons with God. He respects not whether men be high or low, rich or poor, but deals with all according to their works. Hence that in Eccles. IX. beginning. Outward accoutrements distinguish men in the world, but not with God; and poverty or riches, high place or contempt are not signes of his favour or disfavour; but he looks on men according to their doings.

Well; by Gods thus equally valuing all, we are taught, that we should under∣value* 1.1 none. God hath set a stint, that we should not be proud nor despise any▪ For,

1. What are we better then another? Yes, I have more estate than another, I go braver; such an one a poor pitiful fellow, not to be compared with me. I, but he is Gods workmanship as well as thou. Ye are twins so like, that ye cannot be known as∣sunder. Yea God himself knows no difference betwixt you. Hast thou an immortal soul, so hath he. Hath he a mortal body, so hast thou. Hast thou a soul that is made in the

image of God, so he. Hath he a body, that is but dust and ashes, so hast thou. What is added by the world, as we say, of wealth, and honour, and cloths, are such things as will once be clean stript off, and where is the difference then?

2. And who hath made the difference as to their outward condition? Answer the Apostles question. What hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast re∣ceived it, why boastest thou thy self, as if thou hadst not received it? When we see a per∣son in worse state than our selves, we commonly look upon our selves as some body; whereas we should look up to him, that hath made the difference. And do we see a poor miserable creature, and look upon him with scorn? And do we not rather think, Might not God have made me as poor and miserable, as this poor wretch? He might have clothed me with rags, as well as this poor beggar. He might have made me as silly as this poor Ideot. Down great heart, and proud, and learn to ascribe all the comforts and benefits thou hast above any other poor soul, where it is due, and to ascribe nothing to thy self, but guilt and sinfulness.

If we desire to be esteemed, what is it to be esteemed by God? He hath set all at one* 1.2 rate, as men are in the lump; if we desire to be of a better value, it is wisdom to labour to be so in his eyes that so values all. To esteem our selves is but a folly, to labour to have others esteem us is but folly, unless it be in an estimation, that God will say Amen to it also. Remember that of the Apostle, It is not he whom man approveth, but whom God ap∣proveth. If we would be thought to be beautiful, let it shine in the image of God; if rarely decked, let it be with his ornaments; if to be learned, remember that, He that ho∣noureth me, I will honour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  I
• * 1.2

  II.