eftablished. In the due Confideration whereof we fall find the truth in hand no wayes invalidated, and that what was then done by the Kings of Ifrael and Judah, cannot reasonably be now made a Rule to Magiftrates under the Gospel: And that the Analogy will no way hold, may be made appear both from the diffe rent station and posture thofe Kings were in from all Magiftrates now, and also from the different Condition of the Church then and now, and many Circumftances peculiarly relating to both. First, the Worship and Policy of the Jews, being in it felf Typical, and representative of what was to come hereafter, their Government was likewife so, and in their Kings very eminently. Secondly, God was pleafed in thofe Times upon all eminent Occafions of Reformation in his Worship and Proceedings of that Nature to fend Prophets to declare his pofitive Mind, and to put an end to all Doubts, that could be about such things: Nay, fome of the Kings themfelves were Prophets immediately infpired, and did not only take care of the Worship eftablished by Mofes, but did themselves

themselves by Divine Authority bring in things of a new Institution into the Worship of God. Thus David did, and Solomon in bringing Musick into the Temple, and fetling the Courses of the Priests, and were divinely inspired to write part of the holy Scriptures: No Magistrate now can pretend to any fuch power in themselves, nor have they any fuch extraordinary direction to guide them; but are punctually obliged to whatever Chrift hath revealed in the Gofpel: And therefore in this respect the Analoholds no way good.

The fum of all which is, that no Argument ought to be drawn from the Examples of the Kings of Ifrael or Judab, whereby to prove the Power of any prefent Magistrates over the Af fairs of Religion; by reason of the great difference between thofe Magistrates and ours, efpecially in these two refpects: First, that they were Typical: Secondly, that in fuch Cafes they had either Prophets fent to them, or themselves were divinely infpired.

And in this part of the Argument,

if I had a mind to enlarge farther than I needs muft, I believe that I should find it an easie matter, to find our Authour to have committed fundry mistakes in affigning the Difference between the State of the Church, and the Condition of Magiftrates, as it was under the Law; fhall not dispute whether the Laws -fulness of the Magiftrate's using coercive power under the Law was Typical of this, that fuch coercive power fhould not be lawful under the Times of the Gospel : But in the fecond place I shall venture to fay this, that feveral of the Constitutions made by the Jewish Kings, were fuch as ftood in no need either of direction from Prophets commiffioned for that purpose, or any immediate infpiration given in to them themselves; And in this Part of the Debate I fhall go no farther than the Instances which our Author here layes down, of bringing Mufick into the Temple, the fetling of the Priests Courses, Two Things certainly which without infpiration, common prudence would abundantly serve

I

serve to affist any man in: But to fhew how little need there is to infift

Job

upon any thing of this, I shall produce an inftance of the Magiftrates coercive power in Matters of Religi on, which shall not be liable to any of all these, however frivolous exceptions, as having in it not any thing peculiar to the Ordinances of Mofes. And I fhall fetch it out of the Book of chap.31.v.26,27,28. If I beheld the Sun when it shined, or the Moon walking in brightness, and my heart hath been fecretly enticed, or my mouth bath kiffed my hand, this also were an iniquity to be punished by the Judges, &c. Here now is an offence purely fpiritual, a Crime meerly against Religion, not any otherwife at all against the State, or any particular Member of it; a fin indeed it was against God, but fuch an one as did consist in a meer mistake about him, and fuch a mistake as was in that Age and part of the World very frequently committed ; and yet it is faid to be an İniquity to be punished by the Judges. So that it feems in the dayes of Job, the

Civil Magistrate was thought to have in himself a power, and was concerned to look upon it as a Duty incumbent upon himself, to take care not only of the fafety of Himfelf and His People, but likewife to look after the Honour of Almighty God.

Now whatever may be pretended for that Natural Liberty, which every man is now a-dayes fuppofed to have a full right to, to be permitted the enjoyment of his own way of Worship, we do find that things of this Nature were before the Dayes of Mofes, and without relation to any of his Laws,under the Restraint and Authority of Superiours, who were to be in this as well as in any other Affairs, not only Guides but Governours. I suppose that without breach of Modefty, a man may with fome Confidence affirm, that if it had not been within the due bounds of that Power which of right did belong to Abraham, that it would never have been recorded for his everlasting Honour by God himself, That he would command bis Children and Houshold after I 2 bim