Several discourses tending to promote peace & holiness among Christians to which are added,…

1. For the Expression. It may be used either Proverbially, or Allusively. Proverbially; Let one dead Man bury another; ⟨p. 343⟩that is, let them lie unburied, rather than my Service be neglected; or, there will not want others that will remove the dead out of their sight: and 'tis our Wisdom to let go things unnecessary, and mind the main. Or else it is used Allusively, to the Law of the Nazarites, and the Priests of the Old Testament. The Law of the Nazarites is in Numb. 6. 6, 7, 8. All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall come at no dead Body. He shall not make himself unclean, for his Father, or his Mother, for his Brother, or his Sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his Head. All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord; that is, he must rather follow his Vow, in honouring the Lord, than to follow natural Duty, in honouring his dead Parents. Now those whom Christ called especially to follow him, were consecrated to that service, as the Nazarite unto the Lord, during the days of his separation. And as they might not meddle even with the interment of their Parents, so this excuse was frivolous. Or else the Allusion might be to the High Priests, of whom we read, Deut. 33. 9. Who said to his Father, and his Mother,. I have not seen ⟨p. 344⟩him; neither did he acknowledge his •Brethren, nor know his own Children. Some think this hath reference to the Levites Fact, who being commanded by Moses, killed every Man his Brother, Neighbour, Friend, and Son, that had sinned in making or worshipping the Golden Calf, Exod. 32. 26,—29. Rather 'tis meant of the Priests continual Duty, who by the Law, if his Father, Mother, Brother, or Child did die, he might not mourn for them, but carry himself as if he did not respect or know them; for God would have them more regard their Function or Duty in his Service, than any natural Affection whatsoever: The Law is, Levit. 21. 11, 12. He shall not go in to any dead Body, nor deile himself for his Father, or his Mother; neither shall he go out of the Sanctuary, nor profane the Sanctuary of his God, for the Crown of the anointing Oil of his God is upon him. Now Christ alludeth to the Law, to show the urgency of this present service and employment to which he was consecrated: and the burial of the Dead might be left to Persons less sacred, or more at leisure.