There are divers sorts of creatures which have not the favour of life bestowed on them, no not the lowest degree of life. The Lord hath given man not only l•fe, but the highest degree of life; this is a high favour. It was Satan's argument (chap. 2.) Skin for skin, and all that a man hath, will he give for his life; As if he had said, What is a mans bo•y to his life? What are his estate, his lands, his gold and silver? What are all these dead commodities to his life? Life is the most precious of natural blessings. A worm (under this consideration) is a more noble creature then the Sun, because a worm hath life, which the Sun hath not. The lowest of a superior order, is better then the highest of an inferior; Though the Sun be the excellentest of all inanimate creatures, yet it moves (though in heaven) in a lower orb, then any thing that lives grovelling on the earth. A leaf is more excellent then a pearl or a diamond, because a leaf hath a life in it, which these have not; That opinion of voluptuous Atheists or Epicures, delivered us by the Preacher, hath a truth in it, A living dog is better then a dead lion (Eccl. 9.4.) For though (as that voice spake from heaven, Revel. 14.13.) Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, and though cursed are the living that live without the Lord: In which sense the poorest ⟨p. 524⟩dead dog is better then the proudest lion alive; Yet, consider man only within the line and compass of natural life; Then he that lives in the worst condition, is better then he that once was in highest dignity, but now is dead. It is usual in Scripture by a dog to set forth the vilest estate of man, and the most excellent by a lion. When Mephibosheth would show how low he was in his own eyes, though the son of a noble Prince, he joins these two, Dead and a dog together, 2 Sam. 9.8. What is thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am? He calls himself not only a dog, as Christ did the woman of Canaan, and as she acknowledged her self to be, but to lay himself as low as lowness it self, he calls himself a dead dog, implying, That life giveth some honour, and casteth a lustre upon every subject, which it inhabits, though it be the meanest. When Esau was near perishing with hunger (Gen. 25.32.) he resolves thus, I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this birth-right do to me?
There are divers sorts of creatures which have not the favour of life bestowed on them, no not the lowest degree of life. The Lord hath given man not only l•fe, but the highest degree of life; this is a high favour. It was Satans argument (chap. 2.) Skin for skin, and all that a man hath, will he give for his life; As if he had said, What is a mans bo•y to his life? What are his estate, his lands, his gold and silver? What are all these dead commodities to his life? Life is the most p•ecious of naturall bl•ssings. A worm (under this consideration) is a more noble creature then the Sun, because a worm hath life, which the Sun hath not. The lowest of a superiour order, is better then the highest of an inferiour; Though the Sun be the excellentest of all inanimate creatures, yet it moves (though in heaven) in a lower orb, then any thing that lives groveling on the earth. A leaf is more excellent then a pearl or a diamond, because a leaf hath a life in it, which these have not; That opinion of voluptuous Atheists or Epicures, delivered us by the Preacher, hath a truth in it, A living dog is better then a dead lion (Eccl. 9.4.) For though (as that voice spake from heaven, Revel. 14.13.) Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, and though cursed are the living that live without the Lord: In which sense the poorest ⟨p. 524⟩dead dog is better then the proudest lion alive; Yet, consider man only within the line and compasse of naturall life; Then he that lives in the worst condition, is better then he that once was in highest dignity, but now is dead. It is usuall in Scripture by a dogge to set forth the vilest estate of man, and the most excellent by a lion. When Mephibosheth would shew how low he was in his own eyes, though the son of a noble Prince, he joyns these two, Dead and a dog together, 2 Sam. 9.8. What is thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am? He cals himself not only a dog, as Christ did the woman of Canaan, and as she acknowledged her self to be, but to lay himself as low as lownesse it self, he cals himself a dead dog, implying, That life giveth some honour, and casteth a lustre upon every subject, which it inhabits, though it be the meanest. When Esau was near perishing with hunger (Gen. 25.32.) he resolves thus, I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this birth-right do to me?
