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hearers　did　judge；　and　if　perhaps　these　were　punisht　who　did　not
listen　to　them　plainly；　teaching　easie　things；　it　doth　not　thence
follow；　that　the　Kings　were　obliged　to　follow　all　things　which
they　in　Gods　name　did　declare；　were　to　be　followed。　For　though
Iosiah　the　good　King　of　Iudah　were　slain　because　he　obeyed　not
the　word　of　the　Lord　from　the　mouth　of　Necho　King　of　AEgypt；　that
is　to　say；　because　he　rejected　good　Counsell　though　it　seemed　to
come　from　an　enemy；　yet　no　man　I　hope　will　say　that　Iosiah　was　by
any　bond　either　of　divine；　or　humane　Lawes　obliged　to　beleeve
Pharoah　Necho　King　of　AEgypt；　because　he　said　that　God　had　spoken
to　him。　But　what　some　man　may　object　against　Kings；　that　for　want
of　learning；　they　are　seldome　able　enough　to　interpret　those
books　of　antiquity　in　the　which　Gods　word　is　contained；　and　that
for　this　cause　it　is　not　reasonable　that　this　office　should
depend　on　their　authority；　he　may　object　as　much　against　the
Priests；　and　all　mortall　men；　for　they　may　erre；　and　although
Priests　were　better　instructed　in　nature；　and　arts　then　other
men；　yet　Kings　are　able　enough　to　appoint　such　interpreters　under
them；　and　so；　though　Kings　did　not　themselves　interpret　the　word
of　God；　yet　the　office　of　interpreting　them　might　depend　on　their
authority；　and　they　who　therefore　refuse　to　yeeld　up　this
authority　to　Kings；　because　they　cannot　practise　the　office　it
selfe；　doe　as　much　as　if　they　should　say　that　the　authority　of
teaching　Geometry　must　not　depend　upon　Kings；　except　they
themselves　were　Geometricians。　We　read　that　Kings　have　prayed　for
the　People；　that　they　have　blest　the　people；　that　they　have
consecrated　the　Temple；　that　they　have　commanded　the　Priests；
that　they　have　removed　Priests　from　their　office；　that　they　have
constituted　others。　Sacrifices　indeed　they　have　not　offered；　for
that　was　hereditary　to　Aaron；　and　his　sonnes；　but　it　is　manifest；
as　in　Moyses　his　life　time；　so　throughout　all　ages　from　King　Saul
to　the　captivity　of　Babylon；　that　the　Priesthood　was　not　a
Maistry；　but　a　Ministry。
　　　　XVII。　After　their　returne　from　Babylonian　bondage；　the
Covenant　being　renewed；　and　sign'd；　the　Priestly　Kingdome　was
restor'd　to　the　same　manner　it　was　in　from　the　death　of　Ioshuah
to　the　beginning　of　the　Kings；　excepting　that　it　is　not　expresly
set　downe　that　the　return'd　Jewes　did　give　up　the　Right　of
Soveraignty　either　to　Esdras　（by　whose　directions　they　ordred
their　State）　or　to　any　other；　beside　God　himselfe。　That
reformation　seemes　rather　to　be　nothing　else　then　the　bare
promises；　and　vowes　of　every　man　to　observe　those　things　which
were　written　in　the　booke　of　the　Law。　Notwithstanding；　（perhaps
not　by　the　Peoples　intention）　by　virtue　of　the　Covenant　which
they　then　renewed；　（for　the　Covenant　was　the　same　with　that　which
was　made　at　Mount　Sinai）　that　same　state　was　a　Priestly　Kingdome；
that　is　to　say；　the　supreme　civill　authority；　and　the　sacred　were
united　in　the　Priests。　Now；　howsoever　through　the　ambition　of
those　who　strove　for　the　Priesthood；　and　by　the　interposition　of
forraigne　Princes；　it　was　so　troubled　till　our　Saviour　Iesus
Christs　time；　that　it　cannot　be　understood　out　of　the　histories
of　those　times；　where　that　authority　resided；　yet　it's　plaine；
that　in　those　times；　the　power　of　interpreting　Gods　Word　was　not
severed　from　the　supreme　civill　power。
　　　　XVIII。　Out　of　all　this；　we　may　easily　know　how　the　Iewes　in
all　times　from　Abraham　unto　Christ　were　to　behave　themselves　in
the　Commands　of　their　Princes。　For　as　in　Kingdomes　meerly　humane
men　must　obey　a　subordinate　Magistrate　in　all　things；　excepting
when　his　Commands　containe　in　them　some　Treason；　so　in　the
Kingdome　of　God；　the　Iewes　were　bound　to　obey　their　Princes；
Abraham；　Isaac；　Jacob；　Moyses；　the　Priest；　the　King；　every　one
during　their　time　in　all　things；　except　when　their　commands　did
containe　some　treason　against　the　Divine　Majesty。　Now　treason
against　the　Divine　Majesty　was；　first；　the　deniall　of　his　divine
providence；　for　this　was　to　deny　God　to　be　a　King　by　nature；
next；　Idolatry；　or　the　worship　not　of　other　（for　there　is　but　one
God）　but　of　strange　Gods；　that　is　to　say；　a　worship　though　of　one
God；　yet　under　other　Titles；　Attributes；　and　Rites；　then　what
were　establisht　by　Abraham；　and　Moyses。　For　this　was　to　deny　the
God　of　Abraham　to　be　their　King　by　Covenant　made　with　Abraham；
and　themselves。　In　all　other　things　they　were　to　obey；　and　if　a
King　or　Priest　having　the　Soveraign　authority；　had　commanded
somewhat　else　to　be　done　which　was　against　the　Lawes；　that　had
been　his　sinne；　and　not　his　subjects；　whose　duty　it　is；　not　to
dispute；　but　to　obey　the　Commands　of　his　superiours。

Chap。　XVII

Of　the　Kingdome　of　God　by　the　new　Covenant

　　　　I。　There　are　many　cleare　prophesies　extant　in　the　old
Testament　concerning　our　Saviour　Jesus　Christ；　who　was　to　restore
the　Kingdome　of　God　by　a　new　Covenant；　partly　foretelling　his
regall　Dignity；　partly　his　Humility　and　Passion。　Among　others
concerning　his　Dignity；　these；　God　blessing　Abraham；　makes　him　a
promise　of　his　sonne　Isaac；　and　addes；　And　Kings　of　People　shall
be　of　him；　Gen。　17。　vers。　16。　Jacob　blessing　his　sonne　Judah；　The
Scepter　（quoth　he）　shall　not　depart　from　Judah；　Gen。　49。　vers。
10。　God　to　Moyses；　A　Prophet　（saith　he）　will　I　raise　them　up　from
among　their　brethren　like　unto　thee；　and　will　put　my　words　in　his
mouth；　and　he　shall　speak　unto　them　all　that　I　shall　command　him；
and　it　shall　come　to　Passe；　that　whosoever　will　not　hearken　unto
my　words；　which　he　shall　speak　in　my　name；　I　will　require　it　of
him；　Deut。　18。　vers。　18。　Isaias；　The　Lord　himselfe　shall　give
thee　a　signe；　Behold　a　Virgin　shall　conceive；　and　bear　a　Sonne；
and　shall　call　his　name　Emanuel；　Isai　7。　v。　14。　The　same　Prophet；
Unto　us　a　child　is　born；　unto　us　a　Sonne　is　given；　and　the
government　shall　be　upon　his　shoulders；　and　his　name　shall　be
called　Wonderfull；　Counsellour；　the　mighty　God；　the　Everlasting
Father；　the　Prince　of　Peace；　Isai　9。　vers。　6。　And　again；　There
shall　come　forth　a　Rod　out　of　the　stemme　of　Jesse；　and　a　branch
shall　grow　out　of　his　roots；　the　spirit　of　the　Lord　shall　rest
upon　him；　&c。　he　shall　not　judge　after　the　sight　of　his　eyes；
neither　reProve　after　the　hearing　of　his　eares；　but　with
righteousnesse　shall　he　judge　the　Poor；　&c。　and　he　shall　smite
the　earth　with　the　rod　of　his　mouth；　and　with　the　breath　of　his
lips　shall　he　slay　the　wicked；　Isay　11。　vers。　1；　2；　3；　4；　5。
Furthermore　in　the　51；　52；　53；　54；　56；　60；　61；　62。　Ch。　of　the
same　Isay；　there　is　almost　nothing　else　contained　but　a
description　of　the　coming；　and　the　works　of　Christ。　Jeremias；
Behold　the　days　come；　saith　the　Lord；　that　I　will　make　a　new
Covenant　with　the　house　of　Israel；　and　with　the　house　of　Judah；
Jerem。　31。　31。　And　Baruch；　This　is　our　God。　&c。　Afterward　did　he
shew　himselfe　upon　earth；　and　conversed　with　men；　Baruch　3。　vers。
35；　37。　Ezekiel；　I　will　set　up　one　Shepheard　over　them；　and　he
shall　feed　them；　even　my　Servant　David；　And　I　will　make　with　them
a　Covenant　of　Peace；　&c。　Ezek。　34。　vers。　23；　25。　Daniel；　I　saw　in
the　night　visions；　and　behold　one　like　the　Sonne　of　man　came　with
the　clouds　of　heaven；　and　came　to　the　antient　of　dayes；　and　they
brought　him　near　before　him；　and　there　was　given　him　Dominion；
and　Glory；　and　a　Kingdome；　that　all　People；　Nations；　and
Languages　should　serve　him；　his　Dominion　is　an　everlasting
Dominion；　&c。　Dan。　7。　vers。　13；　14。　Hagga；　Yet　once　it　is　a
little　while；　and　I　will　shake　the　Heaven；　and　the　Earth；　and　the
Sea；　and　the　drye　Land；　and　I　will　shake　all　Nations；　and　the
desire　of　all　Nations　shall　come；　Hagga　2。　v。　8。　Zachariah；　Under
the　type　of　Joshuah　the　High　Priest：　I　will　bring　forth　my
servant　the　Branch；　&c。　Zach。　3。　v。　8。　And　again；　Behold　the　man
whose　name　is　the　Branch；　Zach。　6。　v。　12。　And　again；　Rejoyce
greatly　O　Daughter　of　Sion；　Shout　O　Daughter　of　Jerusalem；　behold
thy　King　cometh　to　thee；　he　is　just；　having　salvation；　Zach。　9。
v。　9。　The　Jewes　moved　by　these；　and　other　Prophesies；　expected
Christ　their　King　to　be　sent　from　God；　who　should　redeem　them；
and　furthermore　bear　rule　over　all　Nations。　Yea　this　Prophesie
had　spread　over　the　whole　Roman　Empire　（which　Vespasian　too；
though　falsly；　interpreted　in　favour　of　his　own　enterprises）　That
out　of　Judea　should　come　he　that　should　have　dominion。
　　　　II。　Now　the　Prophesies　of　Christs　Humility　and　Passion；
amongst　others　are　these。　Isa　53。　v。　4　He　hath　born　our　griefes；
and　carried　our　sorrowes；　yet　we　did　esteem　him　stricken；　smitten
of　God；　&　afflicted；　and　by　and　by；　He　was　oPpressed；　he　was
afflicted；　yet　he　opened　not　his　mouth；　He　is　brought　as　a　Lamb
to　the　slaughter；　and　as　a　sheep　before　her　Shearer　is　dumb；　so
opened　he　not　his　mouth；　&c。　vers。　7。　And　again；　He　was　cut　out
of　the　Land　of　the　living；for　the　transgression　of　my　People　was
he　stricken；　&c。　vers。　8。　Therefore　will　I　divide　him　a　portion
with　the　great；　and　he　shall　divide　the　spoyle　with　the　strong；
because　he　hath　poured　out　his　soule　unto　death；　and　he　was
numbred　with　the　transgressours；　and　he　bare　the　sinne　of　many；
and　made　intercession　for　the　transgressours；　vers。　12。　And　that
of　Zachary；　He　is　lowly；　riding　upon　an　Asse；　and　upon　a　Colt　the
foale　of　an　Asse。　Zach。　9。　vers。　9。
　　　　III。　In　the　reign　of　Tiberius　Cesar；　JESUS　our　Saviour　a
Galilaean　began　to　preach；　the　sonne　（as　was　supposed）　of　Joseph；
declaring　to　the　people　of　the　Jewes；　that　the　Kingdome　of　God
expected　by　them；　was　now　come；　and　that　himselfe　was　a　King；
that　is　to　say；　THE　CHRIST：　Explaining　the　Law；　choosing　twelve
Apostles；　and　seventy　Disciples；　after　the　number　of　the　Princes
of　the　Tribes；　and　seventy　Elders　（according　to　the　pattern　of
Moyses）　to　the　Ministry；　teaching　the　way　of　salvation　by
himselfe　and　them；　purging　the　Temple；　doing　great　signes；　and
fulfilling　all　those　things　which　the　Prophets　had　foretold　of
Christ　to　come。　That　this　man；　hated　of　the　Pharisees；　（whose
false　doctrine　and　hypocriticall　sanctity　he　had　reproved）　and　by
their　means；　of　the　People　accused　of　unlawfull　seeking　for　the
Kingdome；　and　crucified；　was　the　true　CHRIST；　and　King　promised
by　God；　and　sent　from　his　father　to　renew　the　new　C