A treatise of the high rebellion of man against God in blasphemy

A Treatise of the high Rebellion of MAN against GOD in BLASPHEMY.

BLASPHEMY is against God, as it opposeth his So∣veraignty and revealed will in the Law, made inglorious by it in his Attributes.

Or, 2. as it opposeth Gods love in Christ revealed in the Gospel, Jam. 2.7. 1 Tim. 1.13.

Or, 3. as it opposeth the glory of God revealed in the operations of the Holy Spirit, as in Matth. 12.24, 31. Mark 3.29, 30.

It's onely Blasphemy that opposeth God in his Soveraignty and Rule, or will in the Law, that is intended in this Treatise, in that it concerns the Magistrate onely.

This Blasphemy is of two kindes, and forbidden under two of the Com∣mands.

• 1. There is Blasphemy that is directly against Jehovah Elohims, or the Lord God in himself, which is forbidden in the first Command, and oppo∣seth his Soveraignty.
• 2. There is Blasphemy against God in his Name, that is, in his autho∣rity, his Power, his Justice, his Law, his Government: and this is forbid∣den in the third Command. Under which two heads or Commands, all Blasphemy that concerns the Magistrate to judge is comprehended: for the Law makes no other Blasphemers but these.

Blasphemy is in Scripture expressed by three words.

1. By 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies lightness, dis-esteem, or vilifying of a thing; and in this is opposed to the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which sig∣nifies weight and glory.

It signifies cursing, and is opposed to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, blessing, Gen. 27.11. which word is used to set out the evil wishes and contempt of in∣feriours towards the superiour in his person and rule.

2. By 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, whose primary signification is to bore, or to make hollow a thing; in which is a taking away the pith or substance of it, and leaving it nothing but the rinde or bark: and this word is used to set out blasphemy against the Name, that is, the authority, the power, the justice, the sufficiencie of the law and government of God.

Both which are expressed, Levit. 24.15, 16.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Whatever man shall vilifie, lightly esteem, or dishonour his Elohims, his sin shall be upon him.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or shall make empty or nothing the Name, the Authority, or Law and Government of God, shall surely die.

Which is a blasphemy or evil speaking committed daily among us, without fear, or remorse of conscience: yet ye see it is such a sin, that not a pecuniary mulct or bodily imprisonment inflicted on Blasphemers by Civil Sanctions (if I may so call them) doth suffice, but certain death: for which among men is no Law, and so men committing it daily are not reputed transgressors.

So that that that is indeed blasphemy is not punished, and that that is not blasphemy is punished for it, not with the punishment of blasphemy according to God, but such as men allow of. When sure, were that is bla∣sphemy punished according to God, the other horrid execrations among men would quickly be done away from among men in the land, God san∣ctifying his own Institutions thereunto; when mens prudential rules prove nothing at all effective. Blasphemy against God being as he hath instituted punished, would bring an awe and a fear of Himself and Name, so as that men would tremble to trample his glory under foot, or name him but in reverence. God will be found in his own way, but not in man's. Man's justly deserve to be blasted, because they neglect the Lord and his law: God honouring those honour him, when those slight him shall be lightly regarded.

But to the first word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and how it is used in the case of Blasphemy in the Scriptures.

1. As it represents God himself in the first Command, it shews that no man is to slight, dishonour, or vilifie Jehovah, as he is Lord and King, or to make light of him.

1. It is committed in rejecting him, with those, Luke 19.14. We will not have this man to reign over us: vers. 27. which were to be destroyed by the Gospel, as the Kings enemies.

2. Or, as the Israelites desired to have a King as the Gentiles. Which though then God did not so severely punish, it a greeing with his will, thereby to set up Types to men of his Son: but now to do it, were more sinful.

3. But perfected, in that they alleadge for the cause why God should not be King, in the two first. Contradiction comes in the last, to fill the sin of Blasphemy up in the measure of it.

As to say, We would not have God reign, because he is so severe. So the man in the Gospel sayd he knew he was an austere man, and reaped where he sowed not, Matth. 25.24. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an hard man, who also gathe∣red where he strawed not. In which indeed blasphemy is committed against God, if it be spoke against him as King and Lord of a people: and a man doth for such-like sayings deserve death by the Law. And doubtless the Egyptian, Levit. 24.15. in his blaspheming God, sayd no more.

Or if it be understood cursed. as opposed to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it is onely a desire in opposition to God his magnificence and glory, that he might be acknowledged as King no longer, but that they may be under men, who would not rule with the like justice, but give a greater liberty to sinners in their lives, to live after their lusts and licentiousness. It was blasphe∣my in the Jews account, that Christ, as they thought a meer man, made himself equal with God. Now men make themselves equal with God many ways.

That the truth of this may appear.

Exod. 22.28. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Thou shalt not revile, blaspheme, or lightly esteem the Elohim. By which was understood the Judges, who were Gods deputies. For which very fact, by the Law, it was death. Now if it be death to blaspheme the Deputy of the King, how then to blaspheme the King himself!

1. This is illustrated in Gaal and his brethren, Judg. 9.27, 28. who in the house of their Elohims eat and drink; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and made light of Abimelech, or blasphemed Abimelech, saying thus: Who is Abimelech, or who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is be not the son of Jerubbaal, and Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor, and the father of Shechem; for why should we serve him? Vers. 29. Would to God this people were under my hand, then would I remove Abimelech. Note well, he vilifies Abime∣lech, to set up himself in his place onely. A thing natural, arising out of an unsound heart to God.

2. In Shimei, 2 Sam. 16.5. He came forth, and cursed or blasphemed still as he came; which God explains, vers. 7. And thus said Shimei when he cursed: Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and man of Belial. Vers. 8. The Lord hath returned on thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned. And the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son, and behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. Vers. 9. for which Abishai calls him dead dog: as a dog, he barking; and as dead, being by the Law condemned to die; and therefore would have cut off his head.

Note In this of Shimei were many blasphemies or curses: he did it all the way as he came.

1. Dishonouring him, by calling him man of bloods.

2. By saying that he was a childe of Belial, or of the devil, one that was not under the yoke of God's law, and so unfit to rule. And so the rest, as deprecations.

But 〈◊〉〈◊〉 what Abishai said, when he humbled himself to David, 2 Sam. 10 22. Shall Shimei not die for this? As if he had said, Shall this serve his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for cursing the Anointed of JEHOVAH?

Which proves that the Magistrate may pass by reproaches cast on him∣self, so that God be not concerned therein: but if God be directly con∣cerned in the blasphemy of any, he might not. Acts 6.11. It is Moses and God.

Now Abab, to prove Naboth's death just, and that none should be found to intercede for him, sets up witnesses to say he blasphemed not the King onely, but God and the King; which man could not pardon, Levit. 24.14.15. Yea, note, 1 King. 21.10. the witnesses were sons of Belial. men with whom God or his Law were of no esteem, who yet cover their im∣piety with seeming zeal of God, by not saying He cursed God, but, Thou blessedst God, by the contrary word, as that the people should think they to honoured God and his Law, that they were afraid to mention the word curse before them, as not to be named.

Not to pass by Shimei in his end for cursing David, 1 King. 2.7, 8, 9. he was the last man David gave Solomon charge of, that he bring him to the grave in blood for it: who for breaking the Oath of God after, vers. 43, 44. was slain by Benaiah.

The Heathens punished blasphemy of their gods: Acts 19.37. freely proves it.

Again, as to vilifie God, or the Magistrate, Gods deputy, was death; so for the childe to vilifie his father, it is death also, Exod. 21.17. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or, the despiser of his father or mother shall die. Which sentence of the Law Christ confirms in the Gospel, Mat. 15.4. and renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, evil speaking to or of his father or mother. How much more shall he evil speaks of God die?

The advice of Solomon, Eccles. 10.20. Despise not the King in thy con∣science, and in thy lodging chamber despise not the rich. A bird of the air will carry the voice of it, and on its wings shall the thing be declared. Now if a man should fear to despise man in the secret of his conscience, how should man fear to despise God the King in his thoughts or conscience, since he needs no birds nor wings to reveal it, but knows them long before they were within man, and needs not any to testifie of what is in man? Psal. 139.2.

Again, not to punish Blasphemy, is a dangerous thing. 1 Sam. 3.13. For I have told him, that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth, because his sons are to themselves blasphemers, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and he restrained them not; who was he that then judged Israel. That is, by their abuse of their trust, they made the people to slight them, to vilifie them, and despise them: for which neglect of Eli,

and his sons sin, God judged his house for ever, that it should not be pur∣ged by sacrifice nor offering for ever. The 70 read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Eccles. 7.21. God would not have the Master give heed, though he heard his servant slight him, vilifie him, or curse him, vers. 22. and that because his own heart knows he oft-times had cursed others.

Hear England, hear also ye Magistrates, Ezek. 22.7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 In thee the father and mother are made slight of: or, as we read, In thee have they set light by father or mother; by God, his Law and Rule.

And it is not to be past by, that to men in Covenant the blessings and curses are to be often read that are annexed to the Law, Deut. 11.26. Josh. 8.24. as inforcements to obedience, and from disobedience.

As for the third Commandment, I read it thus: Thou shalt not bear the name of Jehovah thy Elohims for nothing, for a vain thing, or for a lye.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 bears either expression.

Again, I read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Thou shalt not bear, and not Thou shalt not take from the Prophets, who call their prophecies The bur∣den of the Lord, Hab. 1.1. Mal. 1.1. Now of any discovery of God, the Law is the burden of the Lord, which the people, on the very knowledge thereof, are to bear, God laying it on them, as appears by the acts of Conscience, in their agreeing with it against men themselves. And when they acknowledge the Law to be God's, then they take it on them as their burden; who yet bear it for a vain thing, against the command; and like Ephraim, who as a heifer unaccustomed to the yoke, kicks against the pricks; and having taken the burden on them, would cast it off again.

O England, thou hast the Law, thou ownest that Law to be Gods; and as God's, thou submittest to the teaching thereof, but thy self art not go∣verned by it: in which is a bearing Gods name for nothing, a professing we know God, but in works we deny him.

By this Command, the Magistrate is to punish false swearing; and in that, there is a great evil committed in the nation by swearing men. Note that the oath of God was ministred onely in cases where was want of wit∣nesses to assist in judgement, and not else; as in Exod. 22.8, 9, 11. Cases to prove the practice in all other like kindes.

2. It was never the minde of God that Witnesses and Juries should be sworn at all: they were appointed for tryal of things by matter of fact, proved by testimony of men that saw it.

The one is commanded in the third Command; the other in the ninth.

The ones punishment is by Retaliation; the others, by Satisfaction.

So that it is a sad thing to swear Constables, Churchwardens, Officers, Juries, Witnesses, that God hath not appointed; because, if they swear falsly, they sin against their souls, a sin to death; and so it becomes a grie∣vous snare to men. 1 Kings 2.43, 44.

In which comes to be considered the Magistrates just authority to give unto men the oath of God, not onely about things lost, &c. but Neh. 13.25.

he made the Jews swear by God that they should not give their sons, nor take their daughters to their sons or themselves: which before they had done, and was against the Covenant.

1. To binde them from future breach thereof, he swore them by God.

2. So that if after they had done the same, they had died not for mar∣rying, but for breaking the Oath of God.

3. He could not have put them to the Oath, but that they broke the Covenant; when the Oath was instituted to preserve it, and men from breach of it, or it was death to them.

4. They promised not to do it more: and for confirmation of their promise, he required an Oath of them, Nehem. 10.28, 29, 30. Lev. 5.4. was not an Oath put on men by a Magistrate.

5. It is true, that the thing that was committed to a man, and he hid it, and sware falsly to conceal it, was to be restored, and a fifth part to it, because it was committed to his trust; and violently, as in case of theft, he took it not out of the owners possession, Lev. 6.3, 5.

6. Leagues with people are confirmed by Oath, Josh. 9.15. See how it was kept, vers. 19, 20. And the sin of the Princes is reproved, in making their League, v. 14. They were cursed for their deceit in swearing, v. 22, 23.

It is a very remarkable case, that the Israelites were not to cause to swear by the name of Idol-gods, Isa. 65.16. Josh. 23.7.

See how God revenged the breach of the Oath by Saul with the Gibe∣onites, 2 Sam. 21.2. In that vers. 1. there was famine three yeers for Saul's slaying them. The Gibeonites must have satisfaction, David must give it: which was not in silver or gold, vers. 6. Seven men of Saul's sons must be delivered them, and they hanged them up to the Lord in Gibeah of Saul: when the love of Rispah was such, that she continued with the carcases a long time, keeping the fowls by day, and beasts by night from them; who was Saul's concubine. After which, God was intreated for the land.

Yea the Covenant on mans part was done to God by an Oath, 2 Chron. 15.14, 15. Ezra 10.3, 5. Neh. 10.29. and by a curse, by the Prince of the peoples writing, and sealing to it, Nehem. 9.38.

But to return to the second word used of the Spirit to set out blasphe∣my by, and that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which properly is applyed to the boring, hollowing, or taking forth the substance of a thing; and fitly agrees with taking God's Name for vain, or a making it nothing, empty, and insub∣stantial.

Against this Command, is the despising of the Law, as well as authori∣ty of God; of which says Paul (Heb. 10.28.) He that despised Moses law, died without mercy.

And it is blasphemy for men to say of the Law of God, It is insufficient to rule men by, It's no fit government for people is contained in the word; and to say that any other is as good or better then that; or to say it is too severe, too hard, too strict: they take out the substance of the Law, hol∣low it, and make it nothing.

Deut. 17.12. The man that will do presumptuously, not hearkning to the

judge, that man shall die: which was in a difficult case onely. What is it then not to hearken to the Law in clear cases? And proves, that for the diffi∣cult cases may arise or be supposed to be, the Law is not to be layd aside, because though we see them not stated in the Law, God doth admit that men search the Word, and see his wisdom in it.

Of this sin of Presumption, see Numb. 15.30, 31. The soul that doth ought presumptuously (which is to be understood in judgement, or actions that do appertain thereunto, when they do them otherwise then God commands in his Word) 1. Reproacheth the Lord in his authority over them. 2. He despiseth the Word of the Lord. 3. He hath broken his Command: to which the word despised did pertain, for which the soul was to be cut off; and is a word concerns Judges and Judgment primarily.

Now as it is Blasphemy to impair the Law of its glory, to take ought from it; so is it much more blasphemy to take from the name of God in his Authority or Soveraignty in like kinde, and according to God. Herein, great and grievous is the blasphemy that is committed in the Nation dai∣ly: the Lord pardon it, as done in ignorance among us: yet the Law saith, The Lord will not he be free from punishment that beareth his name for nothing: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 guiltless, or punishless.

As for the third word, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and answers to the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as signifying imprecations.

The word is an expression of a Superiour to an Inferiour, and usually accompanies power and authority; as Christ in cursing the figtree.

By this word God cursed the earth, Gen. 5.14, 17, 29. and he cursed the Serpent by it. By this word he declares those cursed that curse his peo∣ple, Gen. 12.3. By this word, the curses on breach of Covenant were threatned, Deut. 27.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. The rebuilder of Jericho was cur∣sed by this word, Josh. 6.26. and those do the work of God negligently, Jer. 48.10.

In one place, Exod. 22.28. the inferiour hereby is forbid to curse the Prince of the people; which yet Inferiours may do to men like themselvs, though not to God: that is, blast them in their names, through the infir∣mities abide in man. The word also, as the 70 render it, may be read, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

Men by this word are not said to blaspheme God or his Name in the holy Scripture; and in the New Testament by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Rom. 2.24.

The ground and rise of Blasphemy, as committed against the Name of God in the third Command, in the slighting of the rule, government, au∣thority, law, or covenant of God, is this, That therein the Attributes of God are concerned: so that in the despising of the one, the other also is despised, set at naught, vilified, and dishonoured; and the glory of God taken from him, and bestowed on some other.

1. He that says the Law of God is not a sufficient rule, and that there needs the Prudentials of men to compleat it, sets at nought the wisdom of God, who would make such a Law as was deficient for the end he made

it: & so dishonors him in the glory of his wisdom, and makes man to men more glorious, in that he must come and give it its beauty of perfection.

2. He that says it is too severe, condemns God in his mercy, and ren∣ders him as a Tyrant to man, as ruling by power onely; in which fear and servility is begot in man, and love destroyed, which is the ground of obe∣dience, and the fulfilling of the Law; and the other, of disobedience.

3. He that says it is a law to the Jews onely, denies his Soveraignty, as if he were God of the Jews onely, and not of the Gentiles also.

4. He that saith it's onely a ground of Law, or a rule to make Laws by, but not a Law to govern men by, bores the Law, hollows it, and makes it empty and void, yea a lye, and God a lyer to man, who enjoyned men not to turn from it to the right or left hand: Or denies Gods goodness to the Gentiles, who was so good, kinde, and careful of the Jews, as to give them a Law fitting them; but as for the Gentiles, he respected not them so as to give them any Law at all: Or else despise his goodness to the Jews, who in giving them a Law, and ruling over them, did it by such a Law as was unfit to be a Law to men; and so become judges of the Law, and not doers of it, James 4.11. But, as Christ said in another case, Judge not ac∣cording to appearance, but judge righteous judgement: that men come not to make themselves God, Joh. 10.36.

5. They that say their own humane law is fitter and better for them then the Law of God, despise God and his Law in the glory of his Will, that would give them no fitter; and in the glory of his goodness and pru∣dence, that would in giving a Law give them no better.

6. They that say they ought not to be under God's Law, but their own, despise his power, rule, and authority, and thrust him from them, saying, We will not have thee to rule over us.

7. They that slight the setting up of the Covenant in the Nation with God, set God at naught, despise the promises annexed to the Covenant, and intail the curses on themselves and posterity, casting them and theirs out of his protection, to be devoured of their enemies, who may say, Perse∣cute and take them: there is none now to deliver them; God, who should be their glory, is departed from them.

8. If any should be so profane as to say that the Law is not just nor ho∣ly, he robs God of the glory of his holiness, and contradicts the Spirit of God in the Gospel, which says that the Law is holy, just, and good, Rom. 7. Wherefore the Law is holy, and the Command holy, just, and good.

Note it well; the Command is not onely holy, just, and good, but the Law Judicial also, that depends on that Command: both are by the Spirit in the Gospel, and by the Gospel, commended, owned, and esta∣blished to Gentiles, viz. the Romanes as well as Jews.

9. If it be Crimen laesae Majestatis to say of the Supreme authority of a Nation, It is bloody, tyrannical, usurped, unjust, childish, unfit, &c. how then for a man to say so of God himself in his Law and Government? in all which is a denying God to be God, and mans subjection to, and his acknowledgement of him as such: Or to wish the Government of God ill, as that it might never be, is blasphemy, yea a cursing the name of God.

Again, if you live by Gods Law, and teach that for Law, ye must judge by it: if ye judge by it, ye must punish by it, Act. 23.3.

In the Ordinance of Lords and Commons dated May 2. 1648. against Blasphemy, 1. It is mentioned as an errour for men to say that the Moral Law or Ten Commands is not a rule of Christian life: when indeed the rule of the Christians life is more spiritual: not onely, Thou shalt not kill; but, Thou shalt not be angry with thy brother without cause, nor say Thou fool to him: and Thou shalt not commit adultery is not enough; but, Thou shalt not lust.

Indeed it should have been set down Blasphemy, for men to say the Di∣vine Law is no Law; and that men are not to submit to it, but live as they list.

2. It is by that Ordinance blasphemy to say There is no God, or that he is not everywhere, or not omniscient, eternal: That the Father, Son, and Spi∣rit, are not one God.

Now Blasphemy against God in the Law chiefly relates to him as King of a kingdom, supreme of a people, Judge of breach of his Law: and so as God is in the Law, the Judges are called Elohim. That blasphemy is rather against his justice, authority, power, rule, law, and government, and his attributes secondarily in them.

3. As for the rest of the Ordinance, it is against Church-blasphemy, Herefie and Errour, which the Magistrate was not to judge or punish with the Civil sword by the Law in death, but the Church with the sword of the Spirit by Excommunication: as the denial of the manhood of Christ, or the two natures of Christ, or the unspottedness of his humanity: the deny∣al of his death, his resurrection or ascension into heaven; or that he is not the Son of God: the denyal of the Canonical Scriptures to be the Word of God, or the Resurrection, or the Last Judgement, or that Christs death is not meritorious.

1. The Law punisheth no man for any of these; nor doth it condemn it.

2. Nor doth the Gospel punish any man with imprisonment or death, nor convict any man of felony.

In the Act these Truths are called Errours, and those professed them adjudged to imprisonment, or inforced to deny them, which is worse.

1. The denyal of Infant-baptism; which is agreeable to the precepts, practice, and qualifications required in men to be discipled.

2. To say the soul lieth in the grave; which by Acts 2.31. is the truth of God, though the Spirit indeed goeth immediately to God. Of this see my Treatise of Soul, Spirit and Body.

3. Or that men baptized in infancy must be again baptized; when sure if that Pedobaptism be not of Christ, it is no baptism: and so if a man will be baptized, he must submit to it in the way of God.

4. To say the observation of the Lords day as injoyned by the Law of the Land, is not according to Gods word, or contrary to it.

5. Or to say the Church of England is not a true Church, the Mini∣stery a true Ministery, or the Ordinances not true Ordinances.

6. Or that the Presbyterian Government is Antichristian.

I made bold to mention this Ordinonce, 1. because thereby a snare

was laid for me from these last supposed Errors: but my Adversary giv∣ing me notice of it, it was broken, and I escaped.

2. To shew how dangerous a thing it is for men to be Law-makers in the Face of Gods Law. I believe many that had a hand herein, in heart are now sorry for it; who then acted as then were led by their own reason and others perswasion.

3. Consider, when things are not of God, in these times, they are quickly laid aside; and therefore men in Authority and power should be wise in doing what they do, that it be of God, that their labour come not to nothing, or worse then nothing; and still to mind, that he that is not with God, is against him: there is no indifferency or Medium in the thing.

4. I could shew how in this Ordinance against Blasphemy, Heresie and Error, is Blasphemy, Error and Heresie; so unfit is man to presume above himself to act in the work of God, and not rest in his will as revea∣led in his word.

5. I cannot pass by counselling men to take heed of censuring God in his Justice condemning the man for picking Sticks on the Sabbath, for appointing death to Idolatry, Blasphemy, dishonouring of Parents, &c. for in it is high Blaspemy; and if the Magistrate should not execute it, he bears the name, that is, the Authority of God for nothing: and as Saul (sent against Amalek) would spare the best, and thought the judgement too severe, was justly cut off from the Kingdom for it, and had this tingling speech of God for it, 1. Sam. 15.23. Rebellion is as the sin of witchraft, and stubbornness is an iniquity and idolatry: because thou hast re∣jected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being King, This is Blaspemy against God in his justice, and concernes the People in disputing it, and the Magistrate in his neglect of executing it; which not to do, is Rebellion, as divination is; when to execute Gods decree is better then sacrifice. Sauls rebellion is here compared to divination, in that it coms from Satan, yet pretends to divine light & power. So Sauls sparing the Cattle to sacrifice, seemed better to them then Oods command, and bewitched them from obedience to God; their own wayes inclining them from it, as Rom. 10.3. Being ignorant of the justice of God, they sought to esta∣blish their own justice; and so they submitted not to the Justice of God. By this ignorance they could not be said to stand in rebellion against God, as Saul, that knew it, by this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ezek. 21.21. The King of Babel at the Mother of the way, where two wayes were di∣vined by Augury which he should go: so men having before them Gods way and mans, do (as he) divine which is best, profitablest, most accep∣table to the People, and safest and easiest to be undertaken: which to God is as the King of Babels divination, and inquiry at the Teraphim, and looking into the Liver of the Beast, and neglecting the counsell of God and his being to them. This may seem harsh to be spoke, as to him Amos 7.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. but if I should say less then the truth, I should be unfaithful to God and man, and an Enemy to my own

peace: I must therefore do it, and in doing it, I do it in love, and in good will, to the safety of all men. God is witness, and my heart also, that I envy no man, but wish all good to my very Enemies, and God his glory and praise among us in all I write; how then to these preserve me under God?

Again, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which we read Rebellion, Rabbi David Transgredi voluntatem Dei; and so the trangressor of Gods will is a lye, of Teraphim, that is, as the Idol into which Idolaters in divinations in∣spected for direction in their undertakings, which was a lye to them: the Root 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies cogere, and shews that he that compels any thing against God, is as the Teraphim, to set out a false way to man as by a divination, like Jeroboams, who made Israel to sinne.

As concerning the Act, in it are considerable the Law, the sinne, the punishment: and of the present Authority I earnestly beg, as if God by me desired them to take heed what they do in making Laws: and let the Acts made by Hen. 8. and since, so much against God, be an admonition to them, that they give up their account to God for their great trust with joy, and not with sorrow in that day.

The Act was made August 9. 1650. it mentions unheard-of Blasphemies, even not to be named among the Heathens; when yet the Root of Blas∣phemy, and that the Law condemnes, is not mentioned; as, to de∣ny God his dominion and soverainty over us as King or Judge, and his rule in the Law. If these had been punished as God requires; the rest, which come from thence, as from the Root of bitterness, and the Womb of Hell, had never been heard of; which now as a leprosie overspreads the Nation.

As for its punishments, That they be sent to the house of correction, and bound to good behaviour, the first time, banishment the second time, and their return be death, without benefit of Clergy: as for the sinne, it is such, that the house of correction is not an equal punishment; not can men be bound for him he shall do no such offence: and to banish him, is to defile others no less evil before God then our selves, but may prove worse; and at last to put him to death as a Felon or transgressor of mans Laws and not Gods, is no way aceptable to God at all.

As for the Act against swearing by God, or by his Attributes, the peo∣ple of God used it in truth, and may do, as Paul did, yea, on civil and ordinary occasions, so that it be done in fear: and men doing it in that kind, ought not to be liable to pecuniary mulcts. For the calling of God for witness in truth, may be done as lawfully, as to do it in judgement, as the word of God abundantly witnesseth: it's part of Gods service, Deut. 6.13. Jerem. 4.2.

But when it is not done in reference to the end of an Oath, in righteous∣ness, but hellishly, vainly, profanely, then there is a taking Gods name in vain, and men to be punished as the Law injoines, and no otherwise, Lev. 19.19. Ye shall not swear by my Name falsly, nor prophane the Name of

thy God: If they swear falsly, they are penable; or if prophanely without conscience or fear.

Or if men swear by them are no Gods, Jer. 5.7. in which civil converse as well as Gods glory is destroyed.

Right honourable, consult in the truth of God, and that will shew you, as in a glass, what is to be done by you, and what men miscarried in that were before you. The word is better then the Urim and Thummim, the lights and perfections the high Priest enquired at. Whoever among you fear God, and love his name, looking for salvation by him, cannot but give entertainment to what is written in his word, to which I commend you all, as to the onely light, by which in safety you may receive directi∣ons from, and give stability to your undertakings; remaining, as before,

Your servant in God and his truth John Brayne.

FINIS.