Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the moral law and the covenants, from the…Vindiciae legis, or, A vindication of the morall law and the covenants, from the…

1. For societies and public Common-wealths, whereby they have ¹made wholesome laws. It's wonderful to consider, how excellent the Heathens have been therein. Thus Chrysostom, speaking how the most excellent men need the counsel of others, instanceth in Jethro's advice to Moses, about choosing assistant officers: That great man Moses (saith he) who was so potent in words and works, who was the friend of God, which commanded the creatures, was helped in counsel by Jethro his father-in-law, an obscure man, and a Barbarian: Although, to speak the truth, Jethro, when he gave this counsel, was not so, but had the knowledge of the true God.

1. For societies and publike Common-wealths, whereby they have ¹made wholsome lawes. It's wonderfull to consider, how excellent the Heathens have been therein. Thus Chrysostome, speaking how the most excellent men need the counsell of others, instanceth in Jethro's advice to Moses, about choosing assistant officers: That great man Moses (saith he) who was so potent in words and workes, who was the friend of God, which commanded the creatures, was helped incounsell by Jethro his father-in-law, an obscure man, and a Barbarian: Although, to speak the truth, Jethro, when he gave this counsell, was not so, but had the knowledge of the true God.

1. 11. The light of Nature useful and necessary for the making of wholesome laws in Common-wealths.1. The light of Nature usefull and necessary for the making of wholsome lawes in Common-wealths.

2. This light of nature serveth for the instigation and provocation ¹of men to many good actions and duties towards God and man. Hence still observe that phrase, They detain: reason and natural light is bound, as a prisoner, by the chains of lusts and sinful affections; which thing Aristotle doth fully set forth in his incontinent person, whom he describeth to have a right opinion in the general about that which is good; yet, being too much affected to some particular pleasure or profit, by that means the better part is over-born: and therefore Aristotle saith, the better part of the mind did provoke to better things. This agreeth with that of Paul. And as they bound captivated practical truths towards man, so they also imprisoned them about God. Plato had the knowledge of one God, yet he dared not to communicate it to the vulgar: Therefore (saith he) Opificem universorum neque invenire facile, neque inventum in vulgus promulgare tutum: It was not easy to find out the Maker of the world, nor yet safe to make known to the people him, when he was found out. Here for fear of the people, he detained this truth. And Austin hath a most excellent chapter, cap. 10. lib. 6. de Civit. to show how Seneca kept the truth in unrighteousness: he speaks of a Book Seneca wrote (which now is lost) against Superstitions, where he doth most freely and boldly write against the practices of their worship; but, saith Austin, He had liberty in his writing, but not