] Which was the puniſhment appointed for blaſphemers and Idolaters ; which if it ſeem ſevere, ir 1s to be conſidered that Parents are in Gods ſtead, and entruſted in good meaſure with his authoriry over their Children, and that Families are the matter and foundation of the Church and Common-wealth, and they who are naughty Members and Rebellious childrenin them, do commonly prove the bane and plague of theſe ; and therefore no wonder if they arenipped 12 the bud.
22 And if a man have commtitted a fin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on da tree 77 3
» Which was done afrer the MalefaQtor was put to death ſome other way, this publick ſhame being added ro his former puniſhment See Foſ: 7: 25: and 8: 29: and 10: 26; 2 Sam: 4: 12.
23 His body ſhall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou ſhalt in any wiſe bury him that day (for* he
that is hanged, is F accurſed of God z ) that thy land " Gab x |
T Heh.
that T
Chap. XX, }
e For the phraſe ſee 'magg Þuth 2:1
* Gen:
99 3
be not defiled o, which the LORD thy God giveth thee + Heb.
the curſe
n (i.e.) He is ina ſingular manner curſed and puniſhed by Gods of God.
appointment witha moſt ſhameful kind of puniſhment, as this was held among the Jews and all Nations ; and therefore this puniſhment may ſuffice for him, and there ſhall not be added to it that of lying unburied, which was another great calamity, Fer: 16: 4. And this curſe is here appropriated to thoſe that are hanged, partly becauſe this puniſhment was inflifted only upon the moſt notorious an publick Offenders, and ſuch as brought the curfe of God upon the community, as Numb: 25: 4: 2 Sam: 21: 6, and principally to fore- ſignifie that Chriſt ſhould undergo this execrable puniſhment, and be made a curſe for us, Gal: 3: 13: which though it was yet to come in reſpe& to men, yer was preſent unto God, and in his eye at this
time. And fo this is delivered with reſpe& unto Chriſt, as many
other paſſages of Scripture manifeſtly are. o To wit, morally, either
by inhumanity towards the dead : or rather by ſuffering the monu-
ment or memorial of the mans great wickedneſs, and of Gods curſe,
to remain publick and viſible a longer time than God would have it, whereas it ſhould be pur our of ſight, and buried in
oblivion,
CHA P. XXII.
Laws about ſtray Cattel, x, 2. About thy neighbours Ox fallen in the way, -
4. Woman's wearing of Apparel diſtini# from Man's, 5. Of Birds caught, 6, 7. Of Battlements for Houſes, 8. Of divers Seeds ſown, g. Of Plowing with an Ox and ſs, 10. Of Garments of divers colours,” 11: Of Fringes' upon the four quarters of a Garment, 12. The puniſhment of him that ſlandereth his Wife. 13, 19. Her puniſhment if the ſcandal be - true, 20, 21. The puniſhment of Adultery, 22, Of Rape, 23, 24. Of Fornication, 25 ==27, Againſt Inceſt, 30. Thou
LA
*Levit.
ulneſs #4
2334
| Hou * ſhalt not ſee thy brothers @ ox,or his ſheep | * Exod, T
,
go aſtray, and hide thy ſelf from them 6, thou
ſhalt in any caſe bring them again unto thy brother.
2 So called by communion not of Religion, but. of nature, as having one Father, even God, Mal. 2. 10. as appears, I. Becauſe the ſame Law is given about their Enemies OX, Oc. Exod. 23.4. 2. Be- cauſe elſe the obligation of this Law had been uncertain, ſeing men could not o:dinarly tell whether the ſtraying Ox or Sheep be- longed to a Jew or to a ſtranger. 3. Becauſe this was a dury of common juſtice and charity, which the Law of Nature taught e- ven Heatiens, and it is abſurd to think that the Law of God de- livered to the Jews ſhould have leſs charity in it than the law of nature given to the Gentiles. 5 (7. e. ) Difſemble or pretend rVat thou doit not ſee them ; or negle& or paſs them by as if rhou hadſt nor ſeen them. :
2 And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee c, or if thou know him not d,then thou ſhalt bring ic unto thine own houſee, and it ſhall be with thee until thy brother
ſeek after it, and thou ſhalt reſtore it to him again.
c Which may make the duty more troubleſome or chargeable. d Which implies, that if they did know the owner, they thould reſtore it to him. e To be uſed like thine own Cattel. f The owner, as it may be preſumed, paying the charges.
3 In iike manner {talt thou do with an Afs, and fo
ſhalt thou do with his raiment,and with all loſt chings of thy brothers, which he hath loſt, and chou haſt found,
ſhalt thou do likewiſe ; thou mayeſt not hide thy ſelf g. g (5. e. ) Diſſemble that thou haſt found it. Or, hide zt, 7. e. con-
ceal the thing loſt. . 4 Thou ſhalt not ſee thy brothers aſs, nor his ox fall
down by the way, and hide thy ſelf from them : thou ſhalt ſurely help him h to life :hem up again. h (i. e. ) Thy Brother, the owner. Compare Exod. 23. 5.
5 The woman ſhall not wear that which percaineth unto a man, neither ſhall a man put on a womans gar- ment # : for all that do ſo, are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
7 To wir, ordinarily or unneceſlarily, for in ſome caſes this may be lawful, as to make an eſcape for ones life. Now this is forbid- den, partly for decency ſake, that men might not confound, nor ſcem to confound thole Sex:s which God hath diſtinguiſhed, that all appearance of evil might be avoided, ſuch change of garments carrying a manifeſt umbrage or ſign of ſoftneſs and effeminacy in the man, of arrogance and impudency in the woman, of lightneſs and petulancy in both ; and partly to cut of all ſuſpicions and oc- caſions of evil, which this praCtice opens a wide door unto.
6 If a birds neſt chance to be before thee in the way, in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam fitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou ſhalt not take the dam with the
young. 7 But thou ſhalt in any wile let the dam gok,and take the young to thee, that it may be well with thee, and
that thou mayeſt prolong 757 days.
k Partly for the Birds ſake, which ſuffered enough by the loſs of its young ; for God would not have cruelty exerciſed towards the brute Creatures : and partly for mens ſake to reſtrain their greedi- neſs and covetouſneſs that they ſhould nor monopolize all ro them- ſelves, but might leave the hopes ofa future ſeed for others.
8 When thou buildeſt a new houſe, then thou ſhalt make a battlement / for thy roof, that thou bring nor