religion-第5部分

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and　to　thy　seed　after　thee。　And　I　will　give　unto　thee；　and　to　thy
seed　after　thee；　the　Land　wherein　thou　art　a　stranger；　all　the
Land　of　Canaan；　for　an　everlasting　possession；　and　I　will　be
their　God。　Now　it　was　necessary　to　institute　some　sign　whereby
Abraham　and　his　seed　should　retain　the　memory　of　this　Covenant；
wherefore　Circumcision　was　added　to　the　Covenant；　but　yet　as　a
sign　onely。　vers　10：　This　is　my　Covenant　which　yee　shall　keep
between　me　and　thee；　and　thy　seed　after　thee；　every　man…child
among　you　shall　be　circumcised；　and　ye　shall　circumcise　the　flesh
of　your　foreskin；　and　it　shall　be　a　token　of　the　Covenant　between
me　and　you。　It　is　therefore　Covenanted；　that　Abraham　shall
acknowledge　God　to　be　his　God；　and　the　God　of　his　seed；　that　is
to　say；　that　he　shall　submit　himselfe　to　be　governed　by　him；　and
that　God　shall　give　unto　Abraham　the　inheritance　of　that　Land
wherein　he　then　dwelt；　but　as　a　Pilgrim；　and　that　Abraham　for　a
memoriall　sign　of　this　Covenant；　should　take　care　to　see
himselfe；　and　his　male　seed　circumcised。
　　　　IV。　But　seeing　that　Abraham　even　before　the　Covenant
acknowledged　God　to　be　the　Creatour　and　King　of　the　world；　（for
he　never　doubted　either　of　the　being；　or　the　Providence　of　God）
how　comes　it　not　to　be　superfluous；　that　God　would　purchase　to
himself　with　a　price；　and　by　contract；　an　obedience　which　was　due
to　him　by　nature；　namely　by　promising　Abraham　the　Land　of　Canaan；
upon　condition　that　he　would　receive　him　for　his　God；　when　by　the
Right　of　nature　he　was　already　so？　By　those　words　therefore；　To
be　a　God　unto　thee　and　to　thy　seed　after　thee；　wee　understand　not
that　Abraham　satisfied　this　Covenant　by　a　bare　acknowledgement　of
the　power；　and　Dominion　which　God　had　naturally　over　men；　that　is
to　say；　by　acknowledging　God　indefinitely；　which　belongs　to
naturall　reason；　but　he　must　definitely　acknowledge　him；　who　said
unto　him；　Gen。　12。　v。　1。　Get　thee　out　of　thy　Country；　&c。　Gen。
13。　v。　14。　Lift　up　thine　eyes。　&c。　who　appear'd　unto　him；　Gen。
18。　v。　1。　in　the　shape　of　three　celestiall　men；　and　Gen。　15。　v。
1。　In　a　vision；　and　vers。　13。　In　a　dream；　which　is　matter　of
faith。　In　what　shape　God　appeared　unto　Abraham；　by　what　kinde　of
sound　he　spake　to　him；　is　not　exprest；　yet　it　is　plain　that
Abraham　beleeved　that　voyce　to　be　the　voyce　of　God；　and　a　true
Revelation；　and　would　have　all　his　to　worship　him；　who　had　so
spoken　unto　him；　for　God　the　Creatour　of　the　world；　and　that　his
faith　was　grounded　on　this；　not　that　he　beleeved　God　to　have　a
being；　or　that　he　was　true　in　his　promises；　that　which　all　men
beleeve；　but　that　he　doubted　not　him　to　be　God；　whose　voice；　and
promises　he　had　heard；　and　that　the　God　of　Abraham　signified　not
simply　God；　but　that　God　which　appeared　unto　him；　even　as　the
worship　which　Abraham　owed　unto　God　in　that　notion；　was　not　the
worship　of　reason；　but　of　Religion；　and　Faith；　and　that；　which
not　reason；　but　God　had　supernaturally　revealed。
　　　　V。　But　we　read　of　no　Lawes　given　by　God　to　Abraham；　or　by
Abraham　to　his　family；　either　then；　or　after；　secular；　or　sacred
（excepting　the　Commandement　of　Circumcision；　which　is　contained
in　the　Covenant　it　selfe）；　whence　it　is　manifest；　that　there　were
no　other　Lawes；　or　worship；　which　Abraham　was　obliged　to；　but　the
Lawes　of　nature；　rationall　worship；　and　circumcision。
　　　　VI。　Now　Abraham　was　the　Interpreter　of　all　Lawes；　as　well
sacred　as　secular；　among　those　that　belonged　to　him；　not　meerly
naturally；　as　using　the　Lawes　of　nature　onely；　but　even　by　the
form　of　the　Covenant　it　selfe；　in　which　obedience　is　promised　by
Abraham　not　for　himselfe　onely；　but　for　his　seed　also；　which　had
been　in　vain；　except　his　children　had　been　tyed　to　obey　his
Commands：　And　how　can　that　be　understood；　which　God　sayes　Gen。
18。　vers。　18。　19。　（All　the　Nations　of　the　earth　shall　be　blessed
in　him；　for　I　know　him；　that　he　will　command　his　children；　and
his　houshold　after　him；　and　they　shall　keep　the　way　of　the　Lord
to　doe　justice；　and　judgement）　unlesse　his　children　and　his
houshold　were　supposed　to　be　obliged　to　yeeld　obedience　unto　his
Commands。
　　　　VII。　Hence　it　followes；　that　Abrahams　subjects　could　not
sinne　in　obeying　him；　provided　that　Abraham　commanded　them　not；
to　deny　Gods　Existence；　or　Providence；　or　to　doe　somewhat
expresly　contrary　to　the　honour　of　God。　In　all　other　things；　the
word　of　God　was　to　be　fetcht　from　his　lips　only；　as　being　the
Interpreter　of　all　the　Lawes；　and　words　of　God。　For　Abraham　alone
could　teach　them　who　was　the　God　of　Abraham；　and　in　what　manner
he　was　to　be　worshipped。　And　they　who　after　Abrahams　death　were
subject　to　the　Soveraignty　of　Isaac　or　Iacob；　did　by　the　same
reason　obey　them　in　all　things　without　sin；　as　long　as　they
acknowledged；　and　profest　the　God　of　Abraham　to　be　their　God。　For
they　had　submitted　themselves　to　God　simply；　before　they　did　it
to　Abraham；　and　to　Abraham　before　they　did　it　to　the　God　of
Abraham；　againe；　to　the　God　of　Abraham　before　they　did　it　to
Isaac。　In　Abrahams　subjects　therefore；　To　deny　God　was　the　only
Treason　against　the　Divine　Majesty；　but　in　their　posterity　it　was
also　Treason　to　deny　t　he　God　of　Abraham；　that　is　to　say；　to
worship　God　otherwise　then　was　instituted　by　Abraham；　to　wit；　in
Images　made　with　hands；　as　other　Nations　did；　which　for　that
reason　were　called　Idolators。　And　hitherto　subjects　might　easily
enough　discern　what　was　to　be　observed；　what　avoyded　in　the
Commands　of　their　Princes。　In　Images　made　with　hands　In　the　15。
Chap。　14。　Article；　There　wee　have　shewed　such　a　kinde　of　worship
to　be　irrationall；　but　if　it　be　done　by　the　command　of　a　City　to
whom　the　written　word　of　God　is　not　known；　nor　received；　we　have
then　shewed　this　worship　in　the　15。　Chap。　art。　18。　to　be
rationall。　But　where　God　reigns　by　way　of　Covenant；　in　which　it
is　expresly　warned　not　to　worship　thus；　as　in　the　Covenant　made
with　Abraham；　there；　whether　it　be　with；　or　without　the　Command
of　the　City；　it　is　ill　done。
　　　　VIII。　To　goe　on　now；　following　the　guidance　of　the　holy
Scripture；　The　same　Covenant　was　renewed；　Gen。　26。　vers。　3；　4。
with　Isaac；　and　Gen。　28。　vers。　14。　with　Iacob；　where　God　stiles
himselfe　not　simply　God；　whom　nature　doth　dictate　him　to　be；　but
distinctly　the　God　of　Abraham　and　Isaac；　afterward　being　about　to
renew　the　same　Covenant；　by　Moyses；　with　the　whole　People　of
Israel；　Exod。　3。　v。　6。　I　am　saith　he　the　God　of　thy　Father；　the
God　of　Abraham；　the　God　of　Isaac；　and　the　God　of　Jacob。　Afterward
when　that　People；　not　only　the　freest；　but　also　the　greatest
enemy　to　humane　subjection；　by　reason　of　the　fresh　memory　of
their　AEgyptian　bondage；　abode　in　the　wildernesse　near　mount
Sinai；　that　antient　Covenant　was　propounded　to　them　all　to　be
renewed　in　this　manner；　Exod。　19。　ver。　5。　Therefore　if　yee　will
obey　my　voice　indeed；　and　keep　my　Covenant；　（to　wit；　that
Covenant　which　was　made　with　Abraham；　Isaac；　and　Iacob）　then
shall　yee　be　a　peculiar　Treasure　unto　me；　above　all　People；　for
all　the　earth　is　mine；　and　yee　shall　be　to　me　a　Kingdome　of
Priests；　and　an　holy　Nation。　And　all　the　People　answered
together；　and　said；　All　that　the　Lord　hath　spoken；　will　we　doe；
vers。　8。
　　　　IX。　In　this　Covenant；　among　other　things；　we　must　consider
well　the　appellation　of　Kingdom　not　used　before。　For　although　God
both　by　nature　&　by　Covenant　made　with　Abraham；　was　their　King；
yet　owed　they　him　an　obedience　and　worship　only　naturall；　as
being　his　subjects；　&　religious　such　as　Abraham　instituted；　as
being　the　Subjects　of　Abraham；　Isaac；　&　Iacob；　their　naturall
Princes；　For　they　had　received　no　word　of　God　beside　the　naturall
word　of　right　reason；　neither　had　any　Covenant　past　between　God
and　them；　otherwise　then　as　their　wils　were　included　in　the　will
of　Abraham；　as　their　Prince。　But　now　by　the　Covenant　made　at
mount　Sinai；　the　consent　of　each　man　being　had；　there　becomes　an
institutive　Kingdome　of　God　over　them。　That　Kingdom　of　God　so
renowned　in　Scriptures　and　writings　of　Divines；　took　its
beginning　from　this　time；　and　hither　tends　that　which　God　said　to
Samuel；　when　the　Israelites　asked　a　King；　1。　Sam。　8。　7。　They　have
not　rejected　thee；　but　they　have　rejected　me；　that　I　should　not
reign　over　them；　and　that　which　Samuel　told　the　Israelites；　1。
Sam。　12。　12。　Yee　said　unto　me；　nay；　but　a　King　shall　reign　over
us；　when　the　Lord　your　God　was　your　King；　and　that　which　is　said；
Jer。　31。　vers。　31。　I　will　make　a　new　Covenant；　&c。　Although　I　was
an　Husband　unto　them；　And　the　doctrine　also　of　Judas　Galilaeus；
where　mention　is　made　in　Ioseph。　Antiq。　of　the　Iewes；　18。　Book；
2。　Chap。　in　these　words：　But　Judas　Galilaeus　was　the　first
authour　of　this　fourth　way　of　those　who　followed　the　study　of
wisdome。　These　agree　in　all　the　rest　with　the　Pharisees；
excepting　that　they　burn　with　a　most　constant　desire　of　liberty；
beleeving　God　alone　to　be　held　for　their　Lord　and　Prince；　and
will　sooner　endure　even　the　most　exquisite　kinds　of　torments；
together　with　their　kinsfolks；　and　dearest　friends；　then　call　any
mortall　man　their　Lord。
　　　　X。　The　Right　of　the　Kingdome　being　thus　constituted　by　way　of
Covenant；　let　us　see　in　the　next　place；　what　lawes　God　propounded
to　them；　now　those　are　knowne　to　all；　to　wit；　the　Decalogue；　and
those　other；　as　well　judiciall　as　ceremoniall　lawes；　which　we
find　from　the　20。　Chap。　of　Exodus　to　the　end　of　Deuteronomie；　and
the　death　of　Moyses。　Now　of　those　lawes　deliver'd　in　generall　by
the　hand　of　Moyses；　some　there　are　which　oblige　naturally；　being
made　by　God；　as　the　God　of　nature；　and　had　their　force　even
before　Abrahams　time；　others　there　are　which　oblige　by　vertue　of
the　Covenant　made　with　Abraham；　being　made　by　God　as　the　God　of
Abraham；　which　had　their　force　even　before　Moyses　his　time；　by
reason　of　the　former　Covenant；　but　there　are　others　which　oblige
by　vertue　of　that　Covenant　onely　which　was　made　last　with　the
people　themselves；　being　made　by　God；　as　being　the　Peculiar　King
of　the　Israelites。　Of　the　first　sort　are　all　the　Precepts　of　the
Decalogue　which　pertaine　unto　manners；　such　as；　Honour　thy
Parents；　thou　shalt　not　Kill；　thou　shalt　not　commit　Adultery；
thou　shalt　not　Steale；　thou　shalt　not　beare　false　witnesse；　thou
shalt　not　Covet；　For　they　are　th