New errors made palpable by an old light, or a cheap and easie method to cure the dissentions of the time by a septuagint of conclusions,: composed and experimented by Anthony Norwood, Esquire.

LXX.

If nationall Covenants be grounded upon a humane Law, and if the supreame legislative power ought to be obeyed as well in their abro∣gating as in their making of Lawes, then, if the Law upon which a Covenant is grounded be taken away, the Covenant loseth its force.

But nationall Covenants are grounded upon a humane Law, and the supreme legislative po∣wer ought to be obeyed as well in their abroga∣ting, as in their constituting of Lawes.

Therefore all such covenants lose their force, if the Law upon which they are grounded bee taken away.

Truth is best discerned when in her playnest dress, I have therefore clothed these my concep∣tions in this home-span attyre, that the sense and intendment of the conclusions may be ob∣vious to the meanest capacity; wherein did I conceive the least inconsistency with even and upright reason, they should sooner have felt the flames, then seen the light: But lest I may therein seeme to some, to savor too much of an

affected singularity, I will close up the propo∣sitions with our Saviours example, then which none is more proper for a Christian Mans imi∣tation and direction; and from thence it seems to me, that the most materiall of the prece∣dent inferences may rationally bee dedu∣cted.

Amongst the Evangelists, who, being particu∣larly inspired, wrote the story of his life and passion, it is recorded, that hee bestowed a chi∣ding upon Peter, for opposing the Officers and Souldiers of the Common-councell of his own Nation, in the defence of him his Master, when they came to lay violent hands upon him. And that hee himselfe as Man, thought it no sinne to submit his own body even to death, the same Councell judging him guilty of a Crime, meriting so severe a punishment.

It was the authority of this Councell, to which our Saviour laid down the dearest of his earthly interests, not to the power of Pilate; for he washed the blood from off his guiltless hands and had the power been solely in him, made his desire to save him manifest, by pleading for his life, and justifying his spotless innocence, say∣ing, I finde no fault in the Man. It was the councell then that gave the condemning sen∣tence against him. Wee have a Law, and by that Law he ought to dye, was the instrumental vote, that sent him an innocent to the meritori∣ous

Cross. Which councel had he not been conscious, that it had lawfully a power over him, his submission thereunto had been a sinne against himselfe, because it was in his power to summon Legions of Angels to his protection. And had he sinned, his suffering had not beene efficacious to Mans salvation.

Something may be said, why this example of our Saviours is not altogether pertinent to this purpose. As first in respect of that saying of the Jewes, wherein they disclaime any lawfulness in themselves to put any man to death; from whence it may be alledged, that our Saviour suffered not under the authority of the Jewish Councell, but Pilates jurisdiction. Which is thus answered.

It is apparent that the sentence of death was passed upon him by the councel; and that was it which gave Pilate power over his life. And that that Nation had liberty to try offending natives by their own Lawes is not less evi∣dent. Whereby it seemes to me, that (they bring a conquered Nation) the allegeance be∣tweene the Emperour and them, was regulated and circumscribed by reciprocall capitulations, and conditionall Covenants, by which the executing power was reserved to the Emperiall Officer: otherwise the Leviticall Law by which the Israelites were forbidden to suffer a bla∣sphemer to live would have justified them

no less in the execution then in passing the sen∣tence. And therefore although the executing power was consentatively in Pilate (for which cause our Saviour may be said to suffer under him) yet was it authoritatively from that Ma∣gistracy which did yeeld to those conditi∣ons; and that may still be the Common-coun∣cell of his own Nation.

Againe, whereas we say that the supreme au∣thority is solely and independently in the El∣dership of associated Christians, it may be ob∣jected, that this example will not make good the assertion: because we finde that Priests, Pharisees and Scribes, were mixed with the El∣ders of the people in that councell by which he was condemned. To this we reply, that.

The people of Israel being admonished to make themselves Judges and Officers in all their Tribes, and the Priesthood not being in∣feoffed by God with any judiciary authority, nor the orders of Scribes and Pharisees consti∣tuted by him, if we should say that these Priests, Scribes and Pharisees were made members of that councell by the election of the people, it would be a long while before any thing could be produced to prove the contrary. Besides in matters hard to be judged, the peo∣ple were directed to enquire of the Priests and Levites, & they might therefore be called by the Elders of the people to assist in their Na∣tional

Councels, as it hath been the custom in England for the Judges at Law, and yet not have therein a condemnatory power. And this seems to be intendment of the Text, for after the High Priest had voted his answer to be blasphemous, he refers the sentence to the Councel, and they thereupon condemn him to be guilty of death. Deut. 16. 18. Levit. 17. 9. Marke 14. 64.

This was the case of that immaculate Lamb, who being to be offered up an expiation, for sin, was careful to preserve himself without spot, that man might be cleansed from the deep stain of his deadly pollutions, by that his underser∣vedly bleeding Oblation.

Christ the anointed and just one was sen∣tenced to death by the unjust verdict of the El∣ders of of his own Nation; and yet he, having power to resist, submitted to the killing con∣demnation; because he knew it was not unjust so to do. Here we have an example beyond ex∣amples; a president equal to a precept. He is safe that can repose upon this Rock, seeing God hath made me a member, I will not scruple to obey such an authority as had power over my head. He did not expostulate the unjust∣nesse of the sentence; nor will I so much esteem of my own worth above his merits, as to think that any priviledge or prerogative can exempt me from being under the lash of the like au∣thority.

So long as live in a society, I must be under some government, and it ought to be such as I may safely submit to. Not meerly for the bene∣fit sake, for if I goe no further, my obedience exceeds not the gratitude of sensuall Beasts, but like a Christian for conscience sake. Not my fancy, but my duty must guide me to be obedi∣ent. I cannot erre by my submission to a law∣ful authority. And I shall hardly be perswaded, that being incorporated into a Christian Socie∣ty, any Magistracy can have so lawfull a power over me, as the Eldership or paternall Councel of my own Nation, till I know upon whose judgement I may rely with better security then upon my allseeing and no sinning Savi∣ours.

He was a King, a Priest and a Prophet, who, having a certaine and infallible knowledge of all things, taught us by his example, to be obe∣dient to the determinations of nationall coun∣cels. And what pretenders soever there be to Prophecy, Priesthood or Kingship, who dare trust to their own conceptions, rather then to the path, which he who only can be their Savi∣our hath troden out to them, they are not like∣ly ever to come to the place that hee hath pro∣vided for those who follow and beleeve in him, for he that thinks himselfe wiser then God can∣not put any confidence in God.

Adam sins, and in him all Mankinde. To free

Man from the punishment due for sin Christ is promised: God, to shadow forth the designed Christian Church, forms to himselfe a Church of the children of Israel, for whose sakes the I∣dolatrous Kings of Canaan, are destroyed by Gods appointment. The Jsraelites desire, God is displeased, yet gives them Kings reserving the choice to himselfe. These Kings are types of him, who was to suffer for sinne. Some of these Kings are by Gods direction doomed to death for sinning. By Gods predeterminate counsell the Kingship and Priesthood of Israel met both in him, who was preordeined to be a sacrifice for sin: and Christ not without the consent of his Father, together with his life gives up the power of both to a councell of his own Nati∣on. By his death the Law by which those Kings and Priests were constituted is abolished; and all those made Kings and Priests to God the father, who by a true and lively faith, can lay hold up∣on his sons incarnation, passion and resurrecti∣on. Thus were Adams posterity brought from bondage to liberty, from death to life. And whe∣ther the substance of the precedent propositions may not be reasonably collected from this ex∣emplary progress to mans salvation, I leave to be determined by any ingenuous Christian, who will contemplate these circumstances in his so∣ber, selfe-denying, and peace-projecting soli∣tudes. Rev. 1. 6.

To conclude. I am not so wise in my own conceit, as to thinke it impossible for me to be mistaken. It may be that my own blindness hath made me venter thus boldly into publique; but I would be loath that that should lead any other man into the same error. If therefore through the want of judgement, I have in any thing here∣in by me published swarved from the truth, I I doe humbly request, and shall thinke my selfe extreamely happy to have my misapprehensi∣ons laid open by some ingenious and more knowing pen; which being done, let me under∣goe the severest of censures, if I be found in the number of those who hate to be reformed.