this rule established among men the cause of much theft would be taken away from among men which mens hard heartedness occasions and after with as much severity put them to death oft-times for a smal matter as though God were not able to restore our loss or we could not be without it 2. Many late and unusual offences as clipping and coyning of money and embasing of it which is made treason by our law would not be so rife among us the occasion thereof being removed from men in great part 3. Burning of houses and such like effects of unnatural envy would be removed when oppression and ignorance of the law of God were removed from the shoulders of the poor 4. God would restraine men as now he doth of much evil to admiration that home non sit housini lup us so then he would do much more the fear of God though his law and the justice thereof be not so extreme as mans in this case yet the after-judgement on the soul and curse of them and their families falls far greater on men then theirs can do Command the Ninth Exod. 20.16 Thou shalt not bear false witness THis negative bindes in the affirmative Thou shalt bear witness to the truth c. Statute Deut. 17.6 The Idolater was not to dye at the testimony of one but of two or three witnesses Deut. 19.15 One witness shall not rise against a man for any iniquity or sin Levit. 19.11 Ye shall not lye one unto another Levit. 19.16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people nor shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour Ezek. 22.9 Prov. 21.18 He that heareth speaketh constantly Exod. 23.1 Thou shalt not raise a false report put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness as those witnessed against Naboth 1 Kings Vers 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil nor shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgement Vers 3. Nor shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause The witnesses at the time of execution were to stand at the right hand of him that was condemned and to lay their hands on his head and cast the first stone Numb 35.30 Prov. 24.28.29 Judgement Deut. 27.24 Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly Deut. 19.16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testifie against him that that is wrong Vers 17. Then both the men between whom the controversie is shall stand before the Lord as a special case referred to the chief Judges the Priests and Judges that shall be in those dayes Vers 18. The Judges shall make diligent inquiry and behold if the witness be a false witness and hath testifyed falsly against his brother Vers 19. Then shall ye do to him as he had thought to have done unto his brother So and no way else shalt thou put away evil from among you life for life eye tooth stripe for stripe c. Note If Judges and Justices were as they ought at all times sitting in all the chief places of the Nation 1. Witnesses would not be so chargeable for their journey and attendance to men as now they are 2. Men might discharge their consciences who by the law-covenant were bound to witness freely one for other as oft as occasion served 3. Subpaena's were utterly out of use and the charge thereof taken away from men 1. If according to the law of God that were exactly done on the false witness which was intended against the party that was prosecuted men in the Nation would hear indeed and fear to do any such wickedness 2. If evil be so to be put away then by not doing so though to man it seems to be a matter of never so much severity the evil there-remaines in the land still 1. In what was done or intended to be done by them past 2. The evil practice thereof will never be done away by any other means from among us but by this On Deut. 2.24 The curse denounced against the false and so the curses added to the breach of every command note the difference between Gods law and mans 1. Mans law onely extended to punish sin when proved by witnesses against a man by which men as in case of adultery fear to commit it publikely but will do it privately and man he thinks cannot not curse him for it or if he do he cares not 2. Now God curseth such by his law so that though they may escape the publike punishment they cannot the secret judgement or curse for it 3. So that this now will prevaile with men when the other will not in which the law of God doth far excell the most just and righteous ordinances of man 4. These curses are added to Gods laws not mens for fear before and a punishment after his laws are broken and not mens so that the hand of God in the revealing and cutting off and cursing of evil doers will appear under his rule far otherwayes then under mens 5. Effect whereof is excellently set down Deut. 29.18 God speaks of one not regarding the curse and calls him the root of bitterness that bears gall and wormwood who when he hears the words of this curse he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst Vers 20. The Lord will not spare him the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against him and all the curses in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven vers 21. and the Lord will separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the covenant that are writen in this book of the law Command the Tenth Exod. 20.17 Thou shalt not covet 1. S Search all the Statute-books of all the Nations in the world they have no such law in them nor take no notice of any such sin Rom. 7.7 2. Nor have they any punishment for it 3. Under this law it is condemned as well as any Hence the Apostle saith The law is spiritual Appl. O ye princes see here are not Gods laws more perfect then yours you have no such law 2. Is not your law the work of the law of God in your hearts onely would there ever have been a law of yours had not God given a work of his in you 3. Hence see a necessity of taking his and leaving yours 4. Do not say the law is not sufficient to judge by 1. Were not the Jews as great as we and they had no other 2. They fell into as many varieties of evil and sin as any Object If thou sayest No we fall into more Resp The reason of that is we have not the law of God to prevent it set up among us as they had the law of man can never have that place among a people as the law
THE NEW EARTH OR The True MAGNA CHARTA OF The past AGES and of the AGES or World to come CALLED The JEWS COMMONWEAL Written by an unworthy witness of the truth of the great God JOHN BRAYNE Isa 42.21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake he will magnifie the law and make it honourable Richard in Paules Church Yard Att The London Printed for Richard Moon at the seven stars in Paul's Church-yard neer the great North-door 1653. To the Supreme Authority THE PARLIAMENT OF THE Commonwealth of ENGLAND Right Honourable THe men without law that is the Nations to whom God had not given the knowledge thereof were a law unto themselves and made laws of their own wherein one man became as a God to another but we which have the law of God and use it not as a law are indeed in a kind as those Gentiles were altogether without it or worse who by our traditions for so indeed are humane laws have made voide the laws of God Mat. 15.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus the Pharisees had unauthorized the law of God before us Concerning the ceremonial law Mar. 7.8 and the moral law v. 10 11 12. by which then as now the word of God was made of none effect v. 13. and was committed in many things besides these particulars that are set down and expressed when man and not God reigneth nor doth God whiles his laws judge us not judge but man the law of the Nation and not of God untill men are judged by Gods law judgement is not the Lords but Justinians Gratians or other mens upon which the people imploy their time and study but if Gods laws were set up among us by his Bible or Statute book every man would easily become a lawyer where no acts are ever to be repealed but out-last those of the Medes and Persians No word must be added or diminished there is therein no more or less then should be so full hath God made it to govern by Deut. 4.1 2 6 8. the Ruler of the people was to have it alway by him and not to turn from the right hand or the left Deut. 17.18 19 20. It was the excuse of the Heathens they knew not the law to make use thereof it was the wickedness of the Papacy that it was not used therein though they knew it they well seeing that both they and their practice were under the condemnation thereof and that they had no authority thence to set up themselves and Lord it over the world putting themselves in the place of God without God But yee O yee Princes of the people into whose hearts God put it to give assurances to the nation that your desire is to make it happy which the Lord tells you consists in setting up Gods law Rom. 9.4 Deut. 4.6 7 8. God hath laid ingagements on you as on his people of old Deut. 4.24 though other alterations in the State were troublesome God will prosper you in this and in your undertakings for this remember ye have the ingagements of men upon you and of God on you and of vows made to God on your own souls O what shall or can hinder you need not fit a day to do it it is done for you to a word in the word untill when nationally we are not the people of God Iam. 4.12 tells us there is but one law-giver consider then what it is to give a law that is not according to Gods especially when we have the law by us and are not to go to heaven or beyond the Seas for it and I pray consider that the Gentiles Rom. 2. though they had laws of their own to judge by yet not having Gods law they are said to be without law and observe well thence what God may say of us our law and judgement Do O do as Iosiah did 2 Kings 23.2 3. bring forth the law do you and your people make a covenant and all the people with God to restore and obey the law in the commands the statutes and judgements thereof so shall no injustice nor oppression be used in the land this is the New Earth which the Saints even in the Apostles dayes dayes looked for in which dwelleth righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 the Romans having destroyed that government before and hath laine hid to this day in the word untill which the foundations of judgement and justice being out of course though you are never so wise just and willing to do the nation good ye cannot for the foundations are out of course and what can the righteous do saith David And let not the cry of the Prophet take hold of you Psal 119.16 Vp Lord for men have made void thy law Examine I pray if your laws have not in some kinde made void Gods laws which is the greatest guilt of a nation that may be under which we have layn ever since we had the knowledge of it amongst us Give me leave to tell you It is not enough you have put down the power and authority but you must put down the rule of the fourth Monarchy also as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15.24 O that ye might be honoured of God to put down that and set up the Lord and not your own when indeed ye shall be healers of the nation and restorers of the paths to walk in on which I beseech you to look as on that is Gods work and your chiefest duty to set up judges in the right place of judgement that they judge according to the law that judgement may be indeed the Lords and they called gods in which you shall do more for the nation then all the Parliaments ever were and deliver your own souls make prosperous the people establish authority and rule compose the differences in being among us and make the people one for it must be God that must make those of one house much more those of one nation to agree whereby ye may onely do it to which I leave you and pray the Lord to help you and direct you therein and remaine A faithful servant and well-wisher of you all in the Lord John Brayne THE foundation of all the gracious dealings of God with men hath alwayes been laid and began in or with Covenants in which God takes a people as a man a woman and espouseth them to himself Exod. 19.8 24.3 7. where in stead of the blood of the sacrifice we have Christ to make it in 1. There is the first covenant the Mediator or Minister thereof was Moses which was legal and made with all the people That they should keep the commandments the Statutes and Judgements set down in the books of Moses Deut. 5.1 2 3 5. vers 27. The blessings of this covenant were temporal for this life when it was broken temporal blessings were withdrawn The Kings of Israel as Josiah 2 Kin. 23.2 3. renewed it Deut. 29.10 11 12 13. 2 Kings 11.17 And another then this legal covenant
may be removed and occasion of probate of wills cease only set a part for paying the debts and divide the rest 4. It was the work of one made a Judge by the people in the way of the law and not of others which had not authority which authority Christ assumed not John 3.17 8.15 Ye children judge ye if the way of the Lord be not good and sweet better and sweeter then your fathers love unto you and if he careth not more for you then they Statute In case some were poor and had sold their inheritance Ruth 4.4 There is none to redeem it besides thee and I am after thee Judgement Note Those had right to redeem came into it successively and in order on the refusal thereof Jerm 32.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of servants Deut. 14.12 If thy brother serve thee six years the seventh he shall go out free Exod. 21.2 If thou buy an Hebrew servaent six yeers he shall serve in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing Note If a man would buy a servant he could not buy him for a longer tearm Deut. 21.5 If the servant will not go forth free vers 6. he was to bring him to the judges to shew he kept him not by constraint but free consent Note this liberty servants now have after seven yeers to abide longer if they please Deut. 15.16 17. Shews the ground of his stay that on experience had of the seven yeers past service that it was well with him he loved him and his house he might remaine Deut. 15.13 When thou sendest him out free from thee thou shalt not suffer him to go away empty vers 14. Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock out of thy flour and wine-press wherewith God hath blessed thee Verse 18. It shall not seem hard unto thee when thou sendest him away free c. to which God promised a blessing Exod. 21.26 27. If a man smite out his man or maid-servants eye or tooth they shall go out free therefore Deut. 23.15 If a servant escape from his master thou shalt not deliver him unto him he shall dwell with thee To explain this statute Levit. 25.46 God forbids ruling with rigor for which cause the servant ran away and was not by the Judge to be delivered his master which is illustrated Gen. 16.6 8. Sarah dealing hardly with Hagar she fled from her face and in One simus Deut. 24.14 Thou shalt not oppress the hireling of his wages that is poor and needy whether of thy brethren or strangers but shalt at his day give him his wages nor shall the Sun go down on it for he is poor and sets his heart upon it Levit. 19.13 Exod. 21.20 If a man smite his servant with a rod a thing for correction not a sword and he or she dye under his hand he shall be surely punished Vers 21. If he continue a day or two he shall not be punished for he is his money Exod. 20. the servant was to rest and sanctifie the Sabbath day Exod. 21.32 If an Ox gore a man-servant or maid the owner shall pay the master thirty shekels and the Ox shall be stoned which was one pound seventeen shillings and six pence Note If this were for a law how good were it for servants who now are as slaves for ten yeers and at the end their masters instead of giving ought seek to ruine them It would be good for masters also did they obey God would bless them The manner of the Jews contracts in the buying and selling of their lands is set down Jer. 32.7 8 9 10. 1. There was a right of redemption in the next of kin as before 2. He should if he could buy it if not he must have the refuse as Jeremiah had though in the prison 3. Hananeel is necessitated to do it it seems by crying I pray thee buy it and indeed without great necessity the Jews for the evil and reproach thereof would not do it Vid. Gen. 23. Abraham purchasing Mamre 4. This was onely in free purchases Vers 9.1 He bought the field of the owner 2. He weighed the money in which was much justice there was the number seventeen shekles and weight also and in the contrary much wrong may be done in payments though not used with us 3. He weighed to him the man himself the money Vers 10. Is a repetition of that in the ninth more fully setting down 1. That he gave Hananeel an evidence and subscribed and sealed it to pay for the land so much money to which were witnesses had subscribed their names to the conditions between them who also were to see the payment of the moneys and this as in the 11. verse was rolled up none but the buyer seller and witnesses knew Vers 11. Is another evidence called the evidence of the purchase which was given by Hananeel which was open Vers 12. The evidence of the purchase is not kept by the purchaser but by some officer intrusted therewith for the publike then called Baruch a Scribe Jerem. 36.26 2. This was done in the sight of him that sold it Hananeel which was a confirmation of the thing to the publike officer 3. To this book of the purchase also there were witnesses had attested their hands for confirmation as the former to that writing given Hananeel for payment of the money 4. These witnesses subscribed the book of the purchase before many Jews in a judicial way called to fit in the Court of the prison 5. In the presence of these it was delivered to Baruch 6. After the payment of the money that he gave Hananeel is returned him and kept with the other of the purchase for confirmation of his title much is the consideration Appl. Parents see I pray what honour God requires of your children to give you and to obey you and to be put to death if they do not obey you Oh but again discharge your duty as Abraham and Joshua did and as God commands you to do that they may know their duty and what in the law is commanded them concerning God and men in general and you and them in especial as in Deuteronom 4.8 9 10. Deuteronom 11.19 these are the things you are to teach your children speaking of them when you are sitting in the house when ye walk by the way when ye lye down and rise up these ye are to write on the door-posts of your houses and gates and not ballads and songs and lascivious pictures vers 20. which lead them to disobedience against God 1. Note It is said Deut. 21.21 of the disobedient child that was a drunkard and a glutton he should be stoned to death and so they should put away evil from among them 2. Signifying this that unless this course were taken with drunken disobedient children the evil of drunkenness and disobedience to parents would not be removed out of the land And who are there that are accustomed to drunkenness in the time