THE Authority of GOD over MEN, In the LAW, CLEARED, Showing that it's no persecution for the Magistrate as JEHOVAH'S Deputy, in JEHOVAH'S Name, to enforce it on the people, but that he is bound to do the same. Written by an unworthy witness to the Law and government of God, JOHN BRAIN. LONDON, Printed for Rich. Moon, and are to be sold at the seven stars in Paul's Churchyard, near the great north door, 1653. To the Supreme Authority of the Nation, The Parliament of the Commonwealth of England. Right Honourable, THe fear of God and love of your souls, makes me set before you the words of Moses, Deut. 27.27. Cursed be he confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them, and all the people shall say Amen; which signifies, that God will stir up the people against men, for not confirming the Law, all the Law; and that there is a curse follows the not confirming of it. I have out of desire of your satisfaction and encouragement, answered some objections which may beget high thoughts, exalting themselves against God: the Lord I hope will remove the hindrances cause delay in his work, and make the way plain before ye, and deliver you from reasoning with flesh and blood about prudential honours, profit and pleasure of the world; and the Lord answer all your Questions according to his counsel upon your Consciences. And first, the Lord season your thoughts with that of God when the people would be under humane Authority, as the Gentiles, 1 Sam. 8.7. they have not rejected thee, but me, signifying, that if men would set up God's Law by humane Authority, they yet reject God from reigning over them: the divine Law administered by humane Authority since the types of Christ (as the Kings of judah were) are passed, and he come, is abomination, and worse than Deut. 22.9. sowing the field with divers seeds, ver. 10. or ploughing with an Ox and an Ass, ver. 11. or wearing a garment of linen and woollen. O consider, Magistracy ruling under God, is higher and more honourable than that that is of itself without God. But let us see what are the hindrances that God should not reign over us. From the Soak near Winton, October 1653. The Authority of GOD over MEN, in the LAW, cleared. Question I. THe first Question is, whether the now Magistrate may enjoin 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 It's whether God may not enforce 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, showing, 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 enjoins 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 only 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 only, but Covenants of Law and Gospel, Gal. 4.24. Abraham's two sons are the two Covenants, the one Ishmael 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 only 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, 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 men's estate now, then in the Ephesians, when they were Gentiles, etc. 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 profane, Command 3. for murderers and manslayers, Command 6. for whoremongers, and them that defile themselves with mankind, Command 7. for menstealers, Command 8. for perjured persons, Command 3. for Liars, Command 9 Now that he speaks of the Law and its rule, is clear, 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 only 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 only to show 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, clearly the Apostle understands not the ten commands only, 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 God's vicegerent, to see the people under his power to submit to the same? As the Law and Covenant enjoin. 1 Not doing it as an act of his own, but as God's Minister, Rom 13.4. 2 Not subjecting the people to himself, but God's obedience, Judges 8.22, 23. 3 Not respecting his own will, but God's 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 God's 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 God's 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 die, 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 only. 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 dies more justly for sinning against Law, then without Law, for offending Gods than man's 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 denied 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 God's 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, etc. 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 yokes 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 kind 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 shows, 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. 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 Nabuchadnezzar, 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 dunghill, because there is no other God that can deliver in this sort. So that it appears, God's 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 honour 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 Leu. 26.15, 25. Deut. 5.2, 3- mark, the Covenant is no less tied 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 apostasy 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 entered 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 die for denying Gods? was it Treason to declare any other King in a Nation than 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 counterfeiting the Broad-Seal Treason, how then to swear by the name of the most high falsely, or in a way God owns not? Object. O but this was in a civil way only that Kings were so honoured. 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 choose Saul or Barrabas, 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 only, as a Lord over men; which men despising, die more justly for, then for opposing the authority of all the men on earth. 3 This of the Law is an honour due to God from his creating man, and from man as his creature in nature's state by created light. Quest. 5. Whether the first Table belong to the Magistrate now or not, or only 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 shows, the oath of God is not to be ministered 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 ministered 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 God's 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 and 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 sanctify them, and as a schoolmaster bring men to Christ. 4 That the servant, the Ox, the Ass, may rest and not be destroyed with labour and toil, the merciless master otherwise would burden 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 than heathens, who observed days to their idol gods! 6 The seventh day is the sign 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 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 numbered together as a work of the flesh, with adultery, fornication, murder. Object. Ver. 20. Heresy is expressed, and that pertains not to the civil Magistrate to punish. Resp. This Heresy as here a work of the flesh, is limited to a denial 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 denied them, and this kind of heresy concerns the Magistrate, as the punishment of witchcraft or murder 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 Magistrate's 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 denial 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 fourth 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 disjoined from the first, in the hand of man, is man's 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 honour, his name, his law and glory from him? It is no less dangerous to rule by our authority, than not to rule by God's law: God's law is not to be administered 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 sovereignty in his own law over his creatures! Object. But is not an enforcing a Covenant with God, and a putting 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 ministry. 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 than 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 worship's idols, justly is judged to die 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, lie, murder, disobey his parents in lawful things, then much less may a man plead Conscience to be an idolater, a blasphemer, or to departed 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; only 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 mind 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 clearer than 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 itself 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 enjoined by a power. Now it's 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. It's not Conscience in a man that desires liberty to be unjust, unhonest, etc. but unconscionableness and a lack of Conscience. As for that Question, Whether the first Table be to be enjoined by the 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 child die 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 neighbour's wife, by the seventh Command, and shall spiritual defiling a man's 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 persuading to idolatry, be death by the second Command? Deut. 13.6, 7, 8, 9, 10. 4 Shall a child's 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 only 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 only? That in the tenth Command, Thou shalt not covet, is by the Apostle clearly 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 enjoined obedience to the Law, and Statutes, and Judgements of God in the second Table? and can it be said to be enforced, when enjoined obedience to the law, etc. 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, than 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 show the dependency of the Commandments. 1 The first Command contains the Covenant itself, as it concerns God in his being to man, who is alone to be honoured. 2 Command concerns God on our part, that we glorify God as God, and not represent in him idols, and worship him in creatures. 3 Command shows God is to be sanctified of Covenanters in his name or authority, that might not be impaired. 4 Command hath in it a sign of the Covenant, and is for sanctification of the Covenanters. 5 Command, God sets up deputies to see the Covenant kept, God authorising 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 another's. 1 Kings in their authority, sovereignty, and laws of Treason, had that God should have, as in Saul, who ruled by God's 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 than 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 ministered 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 enjoined 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 coin, his seal, his authority, his hand; all which by humane Law is Treason. The third Command answers to the King's 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 king's lives, as Joseph by the life of Pharaoh. And was to confirm the kingly authority of God: now authority was so maintained by men, in their humane way to themselves, that it was death for any to deny the King's authority; how then to deny God's sovereignty? The fourth command answers to the King's Courts, when as in old times in this very Nation, they had set days, in which the Laws of the Land were publicly 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 Lord's Court days. Applic. 1 If the second Table be administered by humane authority, it is not administered as God's Law, but man's. 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 ways 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, than 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 Kingdom to God, than they gave their King before? 5 Tell me how a Kingdom 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 kingdom, 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 ministered to him at his Coronation, to rule justly by the Law of the Land, and to maintain our just rights. I make bold humbly to offer these Queries. 1. Whether it be not the mind of God, that in the fall of Kings, and that humane authority, that the humane Law shall fall with it. 2 Whether God hath not made himself way thereby to set up himself, authority, and law in the place thereof. 3 Whether or no the people that stand in the way and hinder Gods coming to the Throne, must not look to be removed and cast down. 4 Whether there be any fit or better than God to set up, or better authority and more lawful than Gods? Or a more just Law to be ruled by then his? if not, why is not he exalted? if God be God, follow him. 5 If the people should be so blind as to say, as Israel to Gedeon, Come thou and thy sons reign over us, say as he, I will not reign over you, nor shall my sons, God shall reign over you, he is King. Pilate would not be entreated to write otherwise. 6 Rev. 6.2. the Crown and kingdom in a war shall be given Christ, O that the now Magistrates of this Nation had the honour to give it him! he then should make this Nation the head of the greatest and most glorious Monarchy ever was, exceeding the golden head or state of the Babylonian, for plenty, as that of iron for richness and glory, Rev. 21.24. 7 Whether all the men that refuse or lay aside the first Command, reject not God in himself as King; and in the third God, in his authourity; and in the fourth, God in his Court, and in the fifth, God in his deputy; and in the rest, with the Statutes and Judgements, God in his Law and government, and so entail that sentence on them is written, Luke 19.27. as enemies of Christ to be destroyed before him, or as Psal. 2.3. for breaking the bands of God, his Law, come to be broke in pieces like a potter's vessel with a rod of iron; be wise now therefore, O ye Kings, be instructed ye that are Judges of the earth, kiss the son; make him your King, and do him homage, as to your only Lord and Sovereign, for God in despite of all opposition will set him on Zion hill, a sovereign and king to the people. 8 And whereas under Monarchy, indictments run against men for that against the peace of the King, his Royal Crown and Dignity, they had feloniously done so and so, men are now to be indicted thus, Thou B C. art charged with breaking the Covenant of God, by transgressing against his Sovereignty, in that thou art a worshipper of Idols, or of false Gods. Or against his Name or Authority, in blaspheming him, which was judged with fasting, 1 King. 21.12, 13. and so of the rest. Or thus: Thou A. B. art charged with breaking the Covenant of thy God, by transgressing his Law, in the unjust or violent taking away the goods or of thy brother D. E. Blasphemy in the third Command, what it is, is a curious Question, which concerns God in his Rule and Authority, when men risen up against it, and spoke evil of it, vilifying and reproaching it, as is apparent, 1 King. 21.12, 13. Naboth is accused for blaspheming God and the King, in which, not only God, but the King his Deputy, was pretended in the same blasphemy to be blasphemed, or to be evil spoken of: to which that may allude, He that despised Moses Law died without mercy, that is, he that speaks evil of Moses rule, died without mercy. And so David, Psa. 69.9. the reproaches of them that reproached me, fell on thee; God the only King, was reproached in the reproach of David his Deputy. To the Synedry or the Council of seventy, to the Judges and Elders, were Scribes appertaining, who were to be entrusted with Evidences and Covenants, or contracts of men. Concerning which, note, that one of Baruches in Jeremiah, is a form for all other Contracts of the like kind: as under one Command all sins of that kind are forbid, so under one form all Contracts of that kind are enjoined, unless the word hold out a particular exception, which is a general rule for cases, in like kind. These Scribes were by a public Officer, on complaints, to issue out Summons to bring in offenders before the Judge, which without Arresting, on warning given sufficed, for he that despised Moses Law, died without mercy, by which, a thief might lose his life, if he according to the Law would not labour for the man whose goods he stole, until he had satisfied him according to the Law, etc. Numb. 10.12. Moses sent to call Dathan. The form of the Summons take to be this, Numb. 16.16. Moses said to Corah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou and they and Aaron to morrow. 1 The place, before the Lord, that is the same with the place of Judgement. 2 The time, To morrow, judgement not to be delayed. 3 Be thou and thy company, partakers in the act, Complainants and Witnesses. 4 And Aaron, who was complained against. To these God instituted for rule in the Commonweal dividers, who allotting for payment of debts, divide the estate of men dying amongst the children or right inheriters according to the Law, who also are chosen of the people, and their acts to be submitted to, if just, as legal, and their authority not to be opposed or despised. The rule of dividing them, I have set down in my book of the New Earth. Now in that I think this, with what I have formerly written of this subject, is sufficient to answer the Questions propounded, I forbear to enlarge myself herein, and look to God to appear hereby for his own name and glory, to the now Magistrate of the Nation, to win and work their wills to the obedience of their God, that he may be good to the Nation, according to his truth and glory: to whom be obedience of every soul that hopes in him for salvation, now and ever, Amen. FINIS.