Question I.

THe first Question is, whether the now Magistrate may en­joyn the people under his power to Covenant with God in the Law as the Jews did?

To the answering whereof, I shall premise these Que­ries, it's not whether men may, but

1 Its whether God may not inforce a people to Cove­nant with him, and whether since the fall, all people, be­fore they can be a people to God, are not to submit to his enforcement.

2 Whether God in giving the Law, hath not made use of this enforce­ment as well on the Gentiles as the Jews, Rom. 3.29. & 7.1. Paul writes to the Romans Gentiles, shewing, that the Law had dominion over them, whiles they lived, as a husband over a wife, and the Reason (because they knew the Law) the knowledge of it actually enjoyns obedience to it, in Gentiles as well as Jews, Gal. 3.13. who are Gentiles are said to be under the rule of the Law, v. 23. he saith, They were kept under the Law until Faith came, v. 24. and was their school master to bring them to Christ, Eph. 2.12. the evil estate of the Gentiles was set out in this, not onely that they were without Christ, but that (as we this day) they were Aliens from the Commonweal of Israel (that is, the government of God in the Law judicial.) And strangers from the Covenants; [...], not the Covenant, as of the Gospel-Covenant onely, but Covenants of Law and Gospel, Gal. 4.24. Abrams two sons are the two Covenants, the one Ismael by Hagar, which is Sinai in Arabia, the Law-Covenant; the other the Gospel-Covenant, which is Isaac by the free woman Sarah, which is Jerusalem from above. Now these Covenants are the Covenants of promise, the promises of the Law being onely made to the people under the Law-Covenant, and those of the Gospel to the peo­ple under the Gospel-Covenant; because by the Covenants, they are Gods, and God is so theirs, as the tenor of the Covenant reveals him. Lastly, [Page 2] hence as we are without the Covenant this day, so we are without God in the world, that is, in the world estate; and as without God therein, so with­out hope, which is no less true in English mens estate now, then in the Ephe­sians, when they were Gentiles, &c. Again, writing to Timothy, whose fa­ther was a Greek, 1 Tim. 1.9. the Law was made for men without Law, viz. the Heathens as well as Jews, [...], for disobedient, Command 5. for the ungodly, Command 1. for the unholy and prophane, Command 3. for murderers and manslayers, Command 6. for whoremongers, and them that defile themselves with mankinde, Command 7. for men-stealers, Command 8. for perjured persons, Command 3. for Lyars, Command 9. Now that he speaks of the Law and its rule, is cleer, in that he applies himself to the making of the Law, which was for judgement and rule of the Jewish Nati­on, and in them of all that know and own the Law for Gods. Again, he goeth but to the ninth Command, as being onely punishable by the Judge, the tenth being reserved to God to judge the transgressions thereof at last.

That that is remarkable in this Text, is this,

1 That he saith indefinitely it was made for such, even for such Gentile sinners as well as Jews, and no more for the one then for the other, for God is no respecter of persons.

2 Such offences are committed among us, and such offenders are abiding with us, and the Law was made for them, not onely to shew them their sin, and let them al [...]ne in it, but to punish them for it, and judge them by it.

3 By the Law, cleerly the Apostle understands not the ten commands onely, but the whole judicial Law, its Statutes and judgements.

Quest. 2. Whether God having thus laid the Law on all that know it, it be not the duty of the Magistrate, who is Gods vicegerent, to see the peo­ple under his power to submit to the same? As the Law and Covenant en­joyn.

1 Not doing it as an act of his own, but as Gods Minister, Rom 13.4.

2 Not subjecting the people to himself, but Gods obedience, Judges 8.22, 23.

3 Not respecting his own will, but Gods command, Rom. 13.5. if ever, now men ought to be subject to such a Magistrate for Conscience, and he that will not in such a work, let him suffer the execution of Gods wrath, he bears not the sword in vain, to suffer men to stand out in sin against God and his Law.

4 Shall any plead Conscience whether they will submit to the Law of God in the outward man, as to a rule of life, or whether they will be Gods people, or whether they will own the true God under so much knowledge of God and his Law?

Quest. 3. Whether when the people have Covenanted with God in the Law, the Magistrate be not to put in execution the punishments for the brea­ches made by the people of the Covenant, Joshua 7.15.

Resp. 1. Or else he bears the sword in vain, Rom. 13.4. Deut. 17.2.

2 Or else the whole Nation are defiled by the sin, and so the punishment becomes universal, Deut. 13.12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

3 The Scriptures require that the soul sins against the Law shall dye, Ezek. 18.4.

4 Or the Nation will become abominable, and in stead of being a people of God, be a people of Satan, for by punishment of sin according to the Law, sin was said so to be put away from among them, and not else, the sin else remaining, Deut. 13.5. one man as pitch defiling another.

5 In Covenant keeping, was great reward, so in Covenant breaking was death, the wages of sin is death, Rom. 6.23. Ezek. 18.29. Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal: O house of Israel, are not my way e­qual? are not your ways unequal? compare Gods with ours, and his ways are equal, ours unequal.

There are three grounds, by which the Magistrate hath warrant to force the Law of God on a Nation, which are all binding to the now Magistracy.

1. Is the ground that the creature stands bound to God by for his Crea­tion, as it retains a knowledge of God thereby, so that man is without ex­cuse by the creation, for making any similitude of God, because in the things are made, the invisible things of God are seen, Rom. 1.19, 20, which inexecu­sableness is before God onely.

2 The Law being added, sin abounded, Rom. 5.20. Gal. 3.19. the Law was added because of transgression, so that after the receiving and owning of the Law, sin abounds not in quantity, but in quality also: a man dyes more justly for sinning against Law, then without Law, for offending Gods then mans Laws, for breaking the Law after the Covenant then before, as Paul says, Rom. 7.7. I had not known sin, but by the Law, and 1 Cor. 15.56. the power of sin is the Law, and Rom. 5.13. where is no Law is no transgression imputed.

3 A people desiring the knowledge of God, and enjoyment of his name, but are denyed by such as rule over them, and after by the outstretched arm of God, are redeemed from them, are by a special means called to a setting up of Gods Law and government, as a debt to their Redeemer.

I. Thus Exod. 20.2. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the house of bondage, out of the Land of Egypt, &c.

Note, the Antichristian estate is the Land of Egypt to us, as Egypt was to the Israelites, Rev. 11.8. and the house of bondage in respect of the illegal yoaks William the bastard laid on this Nation, which were full of tyranny and oppression, who destroyed the fundamental Law of the Nation, and on all differences with the Barons, his posterity promised restoration of them, who then knew no better.

Now God never delivered this Nation from the house of bondage and Land of Egypt in this kinde until now; now there is a freedom from others, and a tye to God, that he be made king that hath delivered them. See how Israel observs Gedeon, Judges 8.22, 23. The men of Israel said unto Gedeon, Rule thou over us, and thy sons also, for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. And Gedeon said unto them, I will not rule over you, nor shall my sons rule over you, the Lord shall rule over you.

It shews, that a people are bound to set up him to rule over them, that delivered them from their enemies; and I hope the men delivered of this Nation will say God delivered them, Deut. 29.16, 17.

[Page 4]Yea the late power could not, this power I know will not say they deli­vered the Nation from the bondage on it, spiritual or corporal, but that it was God delivered it; what now hinders that God, who ought to reign, is not set up in the Land to rule?

Yea, I believe the very enemy for our deliverance sake will say as Nebu­chadnezzar, seeing his idolatry scorned, and the worshippers of the true God preserved, as Dan. 3.28. and ver. 29. I make a decree, that every people, Nation and language which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednege, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghil, be­cause there is no other God that can deliver in this sort. So that it appears, Gods deliverance of a people from evil and idolatrous powers, is a ground by which that people so delivered are bound to own God his rule and Law, they being therefore freed, that they may honor him and obey him, as in the deliverance of his people Israel, Luke 1.74, 75. 2 King. 17.35, 36, 37, 38, 39.

Quest. 4. But what are the enforcements God authorizeth the Magistrate with in setting up his Law?

1 Exod. 19.5. Keep my Covenant, then shall ye be a peculiar treasure to me a­bove all people, for all the earth is mine: if not, see Lev. 26.15, 25. Deut. 5.2, 3- mark, the Covenant is no less tyed to the keeping of the judgements, Deut. 7.12. then to the keeping of the commands, ver. 9.

2 As in 2 King. 11.17. A Covenant is made after general apostacy to Baal, that the people will be the people of the Lord.

3 All the people small and great, have the words of the Covenant read to them, and they stand to it, 2 King. 23.2, 3.

4 2 Chron. 15.12, 13, they entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and who would not seek the Lord God of their fathers, whether man or woman, small or great, should be put to death.

2 Chron. 34.31, 32. Josia made a Covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, to keep his Commands, his testimonies and his statutes, and he caused all that were in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it.

I beseech you consider, if mortal men made Kings, adjudge men to death for denying their supremacy, doth not man more justly dye for denying Gods? was it Treason to declare any other King in a Nation then he that is Legally such? How much more doth he deserve death, that sets up another King then God over men, by Idols? Was the counterfeting the Broad-Seal Treason, how then to swear by the name of the most high falsly, or in a way God owns not?

Object. O but this was in a civil way onely that Kings were so honored.

Res. 1 God in the Law as King is only acknowledged as supreme in the State, as issuing forth all power from himself to men; in which he, not men, reigns: as of the contrary, not to submit to the rule and authority of God, is as the Israelites to reject God or Christ, and chuse Saul or Barabbas, or the Bramble to rule over them.

2 The worship of God was not contained in the Law judicial, but in the Law ceremonial: the Judicial Law held out his authority, power and rule onely, as a Lord over men; which men despising, dye more justly for, then for opposing the authority of all the men on earth.

3 This of the Law is an honor due to God from his creating man, and from man as his creature in natures state by created light.

Quest. 5. Whether the first Table belong to the Magistrate now or not, or onely the second Table?

Resp. Jam. 2.10. says, He that breaks the Law in one point, is guilty of all, and Moses says, Cursed be he confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them, Jam. 2.7, 11.

2 Judgement of things in the second Table is not to be executed with­out the use of Commands of the first.

1 A man in difficult cases cannot be satisfied, but by an Oath, Heb. 6.16. an oath is the end of all strife, Jer. 4 2. Thou shalt swear the Lord lives in righteousness; which shews, the oath of God is not to be ministred to unrighte­ous Law, and proceeds again, it must be in judgement, which cannot be, if the commands of the first Table pertain not to the Magistrate.

2 As an oath is to be ministred in judgement, Command 3. so that oath must be in the name of God, or the Plaintiff is not to receive his testimo­ny, yea indeed it can be no oath: Command the first is hence proved to be of necessary use in judgement.

3 It must not be by the name of an idol God, that the Magistrate pro­fessing Gods word ought not to receive, for God will cut off the name of I­dols out of the Land. Command second, is concerned also in judgement.

4 And whereas it ought to be the Magistrates care, that the people un­der him live a godly and sober life in all righteousness ond honesty, it proves from 1 Tim. 2.2.

1 A necessity of the seventh day Sabbath to be observed, the fourth Command.

2 And if the Law of Moses, by which the people are to live or be judge­ed, be read to them every Sabbath day, Act. 15.21.

3 That the remembrance of the Creation and Rest, with thanks to the Creator, be continued, that God may sanctifie them, and as a school-master bring men to Christ.

4 That the servant, the Oxe, the Ass, may rest and not be destroyed with labour and toil, the merciless master otherwise would burthen them withal, yea and destroy them: Christ tells us, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, Mark 2.27.

5 Without this, what profanation, wickednesses, and abominations would the people suddenly run into, and be before God worse then heathens, who observed days to their idol gods!

6 The seventh day is the signe of the Covenant of God, so that if that be neglected, the Covenant is not signed, yea God punished the breach of Sabbaths, the neglect of Sabbaths severely, and blessed in all abundance the observance of them, and annexed many promises.

If Magistrates now have nothing to do to put in execution the Commands of the second Table,

1 Then they have nought to do to punish Witches, Sorcerers, or other [Page 6] Covenanters with Satan, because these sin against the first Command in de­nying God, and against the third, in taking the name of God in vain.

2 Gal. 5.19, 20. Idolatry and Witchcraft are numbred together as a work of the flesh, with adultery, fornication, murther.

Object. Ver. 20. Heresie is exprest, and that pertains not to the civil Ma­gistrate to punish.

Resp. This Heresie as here a work of the flesh, is limited to a denyal of God, or the rule and the authority of God, indeed, a dividing himself from God and his Law, under which the natural man ought to be, the Apostle in this Epistle treating mainly of the Law and the state of man as under the same, or as it ought to be under the same, for those under the curse ought to be under the rule of the Law, though the time and opportunity is denyed them, and this kinde of heresie concerns the Magistrate, as the punishment of witchcraft or murther doth, and distinct from the heresies 2 Pet. 2.1. speaks of calling them damnable heresies, that is, denying Christ that bought them, which is brought into the Church, and come not under the Magistrates cognizance to punish with the sword.

And thus you see how the four Commands of the first Table concern the Magistrate, as much as the six last of the second Table, yea so as he that con­firmeth not all the words of the Law to do them is accursed, and he that breaks one is guilty of all, for the authority of the Law is in the first Com­mand acknowledged or made void in the owning or the denyal of it, as containing the Kingship and the supremacy of God as Lawgiver, this be­gets obedience.

The power of the Law is from the name of God contained in the third Command, this begets fear.

The sanctification of the people by the Law, is from the observation of the fourt Command, this begets holiness.

The second Command is for the preservation of the power and the autho­rity of the Law, and for preventing unholiness, a not glorifying God as God.

So that the second Table disjoyned from the first, in the hand of man, is mans setting up of himself, and casting down the authority and power of God, and is the greatest of all abominations, and the greatest of all other violence done to God, O let not humane power and authority ever come to rule by the divine Law of God, this is indeed to set themselves in the Throne of God, will not God hold him guiltless takes his name in vain, and shall he be guiltless takes his throne, his honor, his name, his law and glory from him?

It is no less dangerous to rule by our authority, then not to rule by Gods law: Gods law is not to be administred but in his name, and by that autho­rity is of God, without desperate and high rebellion.

God is to be in the law and judgement, as Kings were in their law and judgement: shall men have that over you which you think too great to give to God? How little is God beholding to you who will not admit him his soveraignty in his own law over his creatures!

Object. But is not an inforcing a Covenant with God, and a putting [Page 7] men to death for idolatry, persecution, and an oppressing the Consciences of men?

Resp. 1 The enforcement is not of man but God, man is but Gods mini­ster therein, as in the other parts of his ministery.

2 Conscience is inexcusable before God from the things made, proving the invisibility of God against Idols and idolatry, as Rom. 1.19, 20.

3 The Law hath a light more strongly convincing Conscience then the natural light, by which it is bound to the living God from idols, by which man is inexcusable before men, and so he that hath the law, and yet wor­ships idols, justly is judged to dye thereby.

Note it is not mental idolatry, but manual or open, such as by two witnesses is proved before the Judge, is here meant.

4 Conscience is under the light of the law, so that a man cannot plead Conscience to do any thing against the law, as to steal, commit adultery, lye, murder, disobey his parents in lawful things, then much less may a man plead Conscience to be an idolater, a blasphemer, or to depart from the true God.

5 Persecution is from Tyrants afflicting men for doing just and holy things before God, and not from the Minister of God, doing justice on men actually and openly offending against the divine Law of God, as evil doers, not as Christians.

6 Conscience is not to be forced to believe Doctrines of Faith, but to be informed, when yet a man is to be compelled in his life to live righteous­ly, soberly, godlily.

7 Conscience is not prejudiced in its liberty, when the man is punished for idolatry, Conscience having no liberty from God to worship idols. Con­science agreeing with the Law against the idolater; onely man when he knows God, and glorifies him not as God, becomes vain in his imaginations, and is given up to act against Conscience to his own condemnation.

8 Conscience, when from some unknownness of the minde of God in some duty doubts, is not to be forced, because its knowledge of the thing is not accompanied with Faith, and so what is not of faith is sin: but Consciences knowledge of God is cleerer then to think that God is a stone, or that the Sun is God, or the like, or else there is no knowledge of God in that man, either as he is revealed in the Law or Gospel, or any answerable light to Law or Gospel, yea or nature it self abiding in him: without some answer­ableness to one of which lights in man, it cannot be termed Conscience in man, that withholds him from submitting to things enjoyned by a power.

Now its that answerableness of light in man to the Gospel, is not to be for­ced, and comes in the compass of persecution, the civil Magistrate not being trusted therewith; and not that answerableness of light in man to the Law, which is agreeable to the natural light, and concerns the natural man; and the natural life of men in their manners, and so the Magistrate to be trusted with it. Its not Conscience in a man that desires liberty to be unjust, un­honest, &c. but unconscionableness and a lack of Conscience.

As for that Queston, Whether the first Table be to be enjoyned by the [Page 8] now Magistrate, O that it might be considered, whether that shall be a Law to us concerns our neighbours, and not that concerns our God? Shall the Law be law, and the authority of God evacuated? As Christ, Matt. 23.19. Ye hypocrites, which is greater the Altar or the gift? so, which is greater, God or the Law? O is there not such an oneness in the law, that the destruction of one is the destruction of all?

1 Shall a childe dye for disobeying his parents by the fifth Command, and shall it not be death to them that will not take God for their God by the first command?

2 Is it death for a man carnally to defile himself with his neighbours wife, by the seventh Command, and shall spiritual defiling a mans self with who­rish idols by the second Command be much more death?

3 Shall stealing a child from his father be death by the eighth Com­mand, and shall not stealing men from God by perswading to idolatry, be death by the second Command? Deut. 13.6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

4 Shall a childs cursing his father or mother be death by the fifth Com­mand, and shall not cursing and blaspheming of God be death by the third Command, and denying his authority?

5 Shall heathens from the light of nature execute death for the like of­fences on men in revenge of wrong done to their idols, and shall we plead a liberty to those done against the onely true God by his enemies?

6 Christ, Matt. 22.38. said, This is the first and the great Command, and the second is like to this.

Is it the great Command concerned God, and is there no punishment for offences against it, but for offences against the second, that concerns men onely?

That in the tenth Command, Thou shalt not covet, is by the Apostle cleer­ly reduced to the second Command, Eph. 5.5. or covetous person which is an idolater.

7 The second is said to be like the first, Matt. 22.39. what is forbid in the second, is forbid in the first as against God, as in the other, as against man; the first was a pattern to the second, and love is the fulfilling of both the Tables.

8 Is not the Conscience enforced, when enjoyned obedience to the Law, and Statutes, and Judgements of God in the second Table? and can it be said to be enforced, when enjoyned obedience to the law, &c. concerns the first Table? In a word, the Scriptures say that man is shut up under the law until Faith come: if man, the whole man, then Conscience in man is shut up to it, and hath no freedom from it, nor way to take himself from submitting to it, Gal. 3.22, 23. Christ himself was made under the Law, and how then are all others in their very creation? Gal. 4.4.

9 It will not be amiss to shew the dependency of the Commandments.

• 1 The first Command contains the Covenant it self, as it concerns God in his being to man, who is alone to be honored.
• 2 Command concerns God on our part, that we glorifie God as God, [Page 9] and not represent in him idols, and worship him in creatures.
• 3 Command shews God is to be sanctified of Covenanters in his name or authority, that might not be impayred.
• 4 Command hath in it a signe of the Covenant, and is for sanctification of the Covenanters.
• 5 Command, God sets up deputies to see the Covenant kept, God au­thorizing them with authority thereunto, as under him.
• 6 Command contains a preservation of the Covenanters in their being, the Covenant binding one man to preserve another.
• 7 Forbids defilement of themselves and neighbours wives, that they may have a holy seed that are in covenant with God. Hence a bastard seed was not to inherit.
• 8 A preservation of men in Covenant in their estates, tying men one to be just to another.
• 9 A preservation of them in their names, tying men to be true in Cove­nant one to another.
• 10 To keep our Consciences free from coveting any thing is anothers.

1 Kings in their authority, soveraignty, and laws of Treason, had that God should have, as in Saul, who ruled by Gods authority, and God rejected, and his Law exercised by humane authority.

2 When God again is made King, he hath no more in the four Commands then Kings had among us by their humane laws over the people.

3 The four Commands contain a kingly authority for bodily rule, the worship of God being ministred in the Tabernacle, not the gate; by a Priest, not the Judge, yet we think it hard to grant God what we give to men.

In the first Command the person of the King is specifically enjoyned to be owned alone; men also would not in their kingdoms admit corrivals, as in Caesar and Pompey: to proclaim another then the lawful King, is Trea­son by humane authority against the King, so in that kingdom is Gods, by divine authority it is Treason against God.

The second Command answers to counterfeiting the King in his coyn, his seal, his authority, his hand; all which by humane Law is Treason.

The third Command answers to the Kings name, all Acts and Edicts are published in his name, Writs executed in his name, and men (as by the true God) did corruptly use to swear by their kings lives, as Joseph by the life of Pharoah.

And was to confirm the kingly authority of God: now authority was so maintaind by men, in their humane way to themselves, that it was death for any to deny the Kings authority; how then to deny Gods soveraignty?

The fourth command answers to the Kings Courts, when as in old times in this very Nation, they had set days, in which the Laws of the Land were publikely read to the people: so on the Sabbath day Moses is read to the people, which is better, to which should be attendance, as Tenants at their Lords Court days.

Applic. 1 If the second Table be administred by humane authority, it is not administred as Gods Law, but mans.

2 Men set themselves in the place of God, and will not have God reign over them until he destroy them, Psal. 2.

3 Whiles men scruple whether God should reign from his seeming seve­rity, that he might exalt the divine glory to man in wayes of Tyranny, makes himself great as Herod; speaking as with the voice of God and not of man, Act. 12.22.

4 Doth God require more in his rule of men, then men in theirs? or would men give less, or shall he take less to be a King among the people which desire to be a Kingdome to God, then they gave their King before?

5 Tell me how a Kingdome can be Gods, and he not the King: or how he can be a King without his law and authority: or however God can have a visible authority among men, as a King in a kingdome, and the four com­mands of the first Table in any part of them laid aside or abridged.

6. As Law is nothing without Authority, yea no Law; so the second Ta­ble is nothing without the first, for the inward or outward man.

7 The covenanting of People with God in his Law, answers to our Na­tions receiving their King upon the Oath ministred to him at his Corona­tion, to rule justly by the Law of the Land, and to maintain our just rights.