This showeth the lawfulness of truces, covenants, & other agreements concerning peace, being made to avoid injuries, maintain ancient bounds, procure ⟨p. 79⟩security in traffic, possessions, and journeys, set pensions, commons for cattle, liberties of hunting, fishing, or fouling, and getting fuel, or other necessaries for public commodities, if there be no unlawful conditions annexed unto the same. And we may make this covenant not only with Christians, but for the maintenance of peace, with infidels also. For that which is godly to be performed, is no less godly to be promised. But it is a note of true godliness, to be as much as may be, at peace with all men. Therefore to promise peace by covenant, is very godly. We may see the experience of this in the lives of holy men. Gen. 21.22. At that same time Abimelech and Pichol his chief captain, spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest. 23. Now therefore swear unto me here by God, that thou wilt not hurt me, nor my children, nor my children's children, &c. 24. Then Abraham said, I will swear. 27. Then Abraham took sheep and beeves, and gave them unto Abimelech: and they two made a covenant. Gen. 31.44. Now therefore come and let us make a covenant, I and thou, which may be a witness between me and thee. 45. Then Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold the pillar, which I have set up between me and thee. 53. The God of Abraham, and the gods of Nahor, and the god of […] father be judge between us: But Jacob sware by the fear of his father Izhak.
II. Concerning his body, we are to regard it alive and dead. Being alive, we ought if need be: I. To minister unto it food and raiment. Math. 25.41, 42. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat, I thirsted, and ye gave me no drink, &c. 45. In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. II. To lend our helping hand, when our neighbours body is in any danger. 1. Joh. 3.16. Hereby we perceived love, that he laid down his life for us, therefore also ought we to lay down our lives for the brethren.
When a man is dead, we ought to commit the dead corps to the grave, as may appear by these arguments: I. The instinct of Nature it self. II.
This sheweth the lawfulnes of truces, couenants, & other agreements concerning peace, being made to auoid iniuries, maintaine ancient bounds, procure ⟨p. 79⟩securitie in traffique, possessions, and iournies, set pensions, commons for cattell, liberties of hunting, fishing, or fouling, and getting fewell, or other necessaries for publike commodities, if there be no vnlawfull conditions annexed vnto the same. And we may make this couenant not onely with Christians, but for the maintenance of peace, with infidels also. For that which is godly to be performed, is no lesse godly to be promised. But it is a note of true godlines, to be as much as may be, at peace with all men. Therfore to promise peace by couenant, is very godly. We may see the experience of this in the liues of holy men. Gen. 21.22. At that same time Abimelech and Pichol his chiefe captaine, spake vnto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest. 23. Now therefore sweare vnto me here by God, that thou wilt not hurt me, nor my children, nor my childrens children, &c. 24. Then Abraham said, I will sweare. 27. Then Abraham tooke sheepe and beeues, and gaue them vnto Abimelech: and they two made a couenant. Gen. 31.44. Now therefore come and let vs make a couenant, I and thou, which may be a witnes betweene me and thee. 45. Then Laban said to Iaakob, Behold this heape, and behold the pillar, which I haue set vp betweene me and thee. 53. The God of Abraham, and the gods of Nahor, and the god of 〈…〉 father be iudge betweene vs: But Iaakob sware by the feare of his father Izhak.
II. Concerning his bodie, we are to regard it aliue and dead. Being aliue, we ought if neede be: I. To minister vnto it foode and raiment. Math. 25.41, 42. Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire, which is prepared for the diuell and his angels. For I was an hungred, and ye gaue me no meate, I thirsted, and ye gaue me no drink, &c. 45. In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. II. To lend our helping hand, when our neighbours bodie is in any daunger. 1. Ioh. 3.16. Hereby we perceiued loue, that he laide downe his life for vs, therefore also ought we to lay downe our liues for the brethren.
When a man is dead, we ought to commit the dead corpes to the graue, as may appeare by these arguments: I. The instinct of Nature it selfe. II.
