evil_a and_o sinful_a disposition_n and_o none_o of_o they_o from_o god_n but_o by_o his_o permission_n only_o and_o as_o the_o bare_a permission_n so_o the_o bare_a foretell_v of_o a_o thing_n to_o be_v do_v be_v no_o way_n the_o cause_n of_o the_o do_v of_o it_o and_o consequent_o can_v neither_o justify_v nor_o excuse_v the_o do_v of_o it_o if_o it_o be_v evil_a in_o itself_o or_o do_v with_o a_o ill_a intention_n or_o any_o otherwise_o in_o all_o respect_n than_o it_o ought_v to_o be_v do_v the_o foretell_v therefore_o of_o jeroboam_n by_o ahijah_n the_o prophet_n that_o he_o shall_v be_v king_n and_o reign_v over_o the_o ten_o tribe_n of_o israel_n can_v no_o more_o excuse_v he_o for_o the_o way_n he_o take_v to_o make_v himself_o king_n nor_o the_o ten_o tribe_n for_o assist_v he_o in_o it_o than_o elisha_n the_o prophet_n foretell_v hazael_n that_o he_o shall_v be_v king_n of_o syria_n do_v justify_v or_o excuse_v he_o for_o murder_v benhadad_o his_o master_n etc._n that_o he_o 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the_o bishop_n of_o winchester_n vindication_n of_o himself_o from_o divers_a false_a scandalous_a and_o injurious_a reflection_n make_v upon_o he_o by_o mr._n richard_n baxter_n in_o several_a of_o his_o write_n see_v the_o table_n on_o the_o other_o side_n of_o the_o leaf_n 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 1_o cor._n 11._o 16._o london_n print_v by_o m._n flesher_n for_o joanna_n brome_n 1683._o a_o table_n of_o the_o matter_n contain_v in_o this_o book_n two_o preface_n the_o one_o to_o mr._n baxter_n the_o other_o to_o the_o reader_n the_o bishop_n letter_n whilst_o he_o be_v bishop_n of_o worcester_n in_o vindication_n of_o himself_o against_o mr._n baxter_n calumny_n page_n 1._o the_o attestation_n of_o dr._n gunning_n and_o dr._n pearson_n p._n 27._o mr._n baxter_n thesis_n of_o government_n in_o general_n and_o his_o doctrine_n of_o the_o government_n of_o england_n in_o particular_a p._n 29._o these_o former_o print_v 1662._o and_o now_o reprint_v loyalty_n censure_v and_o his_o 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than_o i_o can_v have_v do_v it_o when_o i_o be_v much_o more_o able_a than_o i_o now_o be_o but_o only_a to_o vindicate_v myself_o together_o with_o the_o honour_n of_o the_o order_n whereof_o i_o be_o though_o i_o confess_v myself_o unworthy_a to_o be_v so_o from_o be_v guilty_a of_o such_o crime_n and_o reproach_n as_o it_o have_v please_v mr._n baxter_n to_o lay_v unto_o my_o charge_n which_o may_v perhaps_o after_o i_o be_o go_v be_v believe_v to_o be_v true_a if_o they_o be_v not_o prove_v to_o be_v false_a before_o i_o go_v from_o hence_o and_o be_v no_o more_o see_v and_o this_o i_o have_v do_v soon_o have_v not_o some_o of_o my_o learned_a friend_n and_o brethren_n advise_v i_o
principle_n common_a to_o they_o nature_n all_o and_o what_o can_v that_o be_v but_o the_o law_n of_o nature_n and_o what_o be_v the_o law_n of_o nature_n but_o the_o law_n of_o god_n himself_o write_v in_o man_n heart_n and_o therefore_o it_o be_v according_a to_o this_o law_n before_o there_o be_v any_o positive_a law_n of_o god_n or_o man_n in_o the_o case_n that_o jacob_n in_o blessing_n of_o his_o child_n birthright_n before_o his_o death_n do_v acknowledge_v reuben_n right_a of_o primogeniture_n by_o say_v that_o his_o be_v the_o excellency_n of_o dignity_n and_o the_o excellency_n of_o power_n because_o 4._o he_o be_v his_o first-born_a if_o he_o have_v not_o forfeit_v it_o by_o defile_v his_o father_n bed_n and_o consequent_o by_o commit_v incest_n as_o well_o as_o adultery_n crime_n punishable_a by_o death_n even_o in_o those_o day_n as_o appear_v by_o judah_n condemn_v his_o daughter-in-law_n thamar_n to_o be_v burn_v suppose_v she_o to_o have_v be_v a_o adulteress_n and_o it_o be_v for_o a_o crime_n punishable_a by_o death_n also_o that_o simeon_n and_o levi_n the_o two_o next_o elder_a son_n of_o jacob_n lose_v the_o privilege_n of_o their_o birthright_n also_o namely_o for_o be_v guilty_a of_o the_o horrible_a murder_n of_o the_o inhabitant_n of_o the_o whole_a city_n of_o shechem_n and_o thus_o the_o dignity_n of_o excellency_n and_o the_o dignity_n of_o power_n come_v to_o be_v the_o inheritance_n of_o judah_n jacob_n four_o son_n because_o the_o three_o elder_a brother_n have_v forfeit_v their_o right_n thereunto_o by_o be_v guilty_a of_o such_o crime_n as_o be_v punishable_a by_o death_n which_o guilt_n of_o they_o be_v give_v by_o their_o father_n jacob_n as_o a_o reason_n why_o or_o cause_n for_o which_o they_o be_v disinherit_v from_o thence_o we_o may_v infer_v first_o that_o natural_o or_o according_a to_o the_o law_n of_o nature_n the_o elder_a and_o consequent_o the_o next_o in_o blood_n have_v a_o right_a to_o inherit_v before_o those_o that_o be_v young_a or_o those_o that_o be_v far_o off_o and_o two_o that_o they_o be_v not_o to_o be_v disherison_n exclude_v from_o that_o right_n of_o they_o but_o for_o some_o very_a great_a crime_n or_o unless_o god_n who_o dispose_v of_o all_o thing_n as_o he_o please_v do_v prefer_v the_o young_a before_o the_o elder_a as_o he_o do_v jacob_n before_o esau_n ephraim_n before_o manasses_n and_o david_n the_o young_a before_o all_o his_o elder_a brethren_n though_o isaac_n and_o joseph_n and_o samuel_n himself_o seem_v to_o wonder_v why_o he_o do_v so_o it_o be_v contrary_a to_o the_o dictate_v of_o nature_n and_o the_o general_a practice_n of_o all_o mankind_n and_o contrary_a to_o the_o general_a positive_a law_n of_o god_n himself_o also_o law_n concern_v the_o descent_n of_o inheritance_n from_o father_n to_o son_n and_o if_o he_o have_v no_o son_n to_o his_o daughter_n and_o if_o he_o have_v no_o daughter_n to_o his_o near_a kinsman_n of_o his_o family_n as_o be_v set_v down_o at_o large_a numb_a 27._o from_o verse_n the_o 8_o to_o the_o 12_o compare_v with_o deuteronomy_n the_o 21._o v_o 16._o where_o it_o be_v say_v that_o if_o a_o man_n have_v a_o young_a son_n by_o a_o wife_n that_o he_o love_v better_a than_o he_o love_v she_o by_o who_o he_o have_v his_o elder_a son_n he_o shall_v not_o make_v the_o son_n of_o his_o belove_a wife_n the_o first-born_a that_o be_v his_o heir_n before_o the_o son_n of_o the_o wife_n who_o he_o hate_v who_o be_v indeed_o the_o first-born_a or_o indeed_o his_o elder_a and_o therefore_o indeed_o and_o in_o right_a his_o heir_n which_o right_a it_o seem_v by_o the_o text_n his_o father_n can_v not_o deprive_v he_o of_o or_o take_v from_o he_o unless_o he_o be_v so_o rebellious_a and_o incorrigible_a as_o that_o he_o be_v to_o be_v stone_v by_o the_o people_n and_o put_v to_o death_n for_o it_o as_o may_v be_v gather_v from_o the_o verse_n immediate_o follow_v in_o the_o aforesaid_a chapter_n so_o that_o it_o seem_v it_o be_v not_o by_o the_o positive_a law_n of_o god_n in_o the_o power_n of_o the_o father_n to_o deprive_v his_o elder_a son_n of_o his_o birth_n right_a for_o any_o thing_n less_o than_o will_v deprive_v he_o of_o his_o life_n neither_o be_v a_o young_a son_n to_o be_v prefer_v before_o the_o elder_a as_o to_o the_o prerogative_n of_o birthright_n because_o he_o be_v a_o better_a man_n or_o a_o better_a son_n because_o the_o prerogative_n of_o birthright_n be_v not_o found_v in_o grace_n but_o in_o nature_n and_o therefore_o though_o cain_n be_v graceless_a and_o impious_a and_o abel_n a_o righteous_a and_o religious_a person_n yet_o god_n tell_v cain_n that_o he_o be_v to_o rule_v over_o abel_n which_o he_o can_v have_v no_o right_a or_o title_n to_o but_o because_o he_o be_v his_o elder_a brother_n and_o so_o be_v profane_a esau_n to_o rule_v over_o jacob_n upon_o that_o account_n only_o if_o he_o have_v not_o sell_v he_o his_o birthright_n and_o with_o it_o his_o right_n and_o title_n to_o lordship_n over_o he_o and_o as_o this_o be_v the_o way_n of_o succeed_a in_o the_o government_n of_o family_n so_o be_v it_o in_o the_o government_n kingdom_n of_o kingdom_n also_o general_o among_o the_o gentile_n as_o they_o be_v lead_v by_o the_o light_n and_o instinct_n of_o nature_n only_o and_o particular_o among_o the_o jew_n by_o the_o positive_a law_n of_o god_n as_o appear_v by_o the_o catalogue_n and_o genealogy_n of_o the_o king_n of_o juda_n where_o the_o elder_a of_o the_o son_n do_v always_o succeed_v his_o father_n in_o the_o kingdom_n without_o interruption_n unless_o god_n himself_o who_o be_v king_n of_o king_n be_v please_v to_o interpose_v as_o he_o do_v in_o the_o succession_n of_o david_n to_o saul_n and_o of_o solomon_n to_o david_n which_o be_v both_o of_o they_o act_n of_o god_n prerogative_n and_o not_o according_a to_o the_o ordinary_a course_n of_o law_n among_o the_o jew_n as_o appear_v by_o solomon_n answer_n to_o his_o mother_n batshebah_n when_o she_o speak_v to_o he_o to_o let_v his_o brother_n adonijah_n have_v abishag_fw-mi the_o shunamite_n to_o wife_n ask_v for_o he_o say_v he_o the_o kingdom_n also_o for_o he_o be_v my_o elder_a brother_n which_o be_v a_o 22._o plain_a confession_n of_o solomon_n himself_o that_o according_a to_o the_o ordinary_a course_n of_o law_n then_o in_o force_n adonijah_n throne_n shall_v have_v succeed_v david_n in_o the_o kingdom_n have_v not_o david_n who_o be_v a_o prophet_n as_o well_o as_o a_o king_n know_v god_n mind_n to_o the_o contrary_a and_o indeed_o god_n have_v make_v know_v his_o mind_n unto_o david_n concern_v solomon_n by_o nathan_n the_o prophet_n when_o assoon_o as_o he_o be_v bear_v he_o call_v his_o name_n jedidiah_n that_o be_v belove_v of_o the_o lord_n thereby_o make_v david_n to_o understand_v that_o he_o be_v design_v to_o succeed_v he_o in_o the_o throne_n whereunto_o may_v be_v add_v that_o perhaps_o adonijah_n be_v confederate_a with_o absolom_n who_o brother_n he_o be_v by_o the_o same_o mother_n in_o his_o rebellion_n against_o david_n and_o consequent_o have_v forfeit_v what_o be_v due_a to_o 6._o he_o by_o his_o birthright_n be_v guilty_a of_o what_o he_o deserve_v to_o be_v put_v to_o death_n for_o though_o by_o reason_n of_o his_o father_n fondness_n of_o he_o he_o be_v not_o put_v to_o death_n for_o it_o ibid._n but_o whether_o this_o or_o god_n intimation_n of_o his_o pleasure_n to_o david_n by_o nathan_n the_o prophet_n be_v the_o reason_n that_o solomon_n the_o young_a brother_n be_v prefer_v before_o adonijah_n the_o elder_a to_o succeed_v david_n in_o the_o kingdom_n it_o be_v evident_a by_o solomon_n aforesaid_a answer_n to_o his_o mother_n and_o by_o the_o constant_a course_n of_o succession_n in_o that_o kingdom_n that_o there_o as_o well_o as_o in_o all_o other_o nation_n the_o elder_a son_n or_o near_a in_o blood_n be_v legal_o to_o succeed_v in_o throne_n as_o well_o as_o in_o family_n and_o do_v so_o still_o and_o be_v of_o right_a to_o do_v so_o in_o all_o hereditary_a kingdom_n from_o which_o right_o ground_v upon_o the_o law_n of_o nature_n attest_v by_o the_o general_a practice_n of_o all_o mankind_n in_o all_o place_n and_o in_o all_o age_n and_o ratify_v by_o god_n positive_a law_n to_o his_o own_o people_n i_o see_v not_o how_o any_o man_n can_v be_v exclude_v without_o some_o kind_n of_o violation_n of_o the_o law_n of_o nature_n or_o without_o some_o kind_n of_o unbecoming_a reflection_n upon_o the_o positive_a law_n of_o god_n itself_o as_o if_o god_n have_v not_o make_v as_o good_a and_o as_o wise_a a_o law_n to_o obviate_v all_o inconvenience_n for_o his_o own_o people_n as_o any_o people_n can_v make_v for_o themselves_o chap._n vi_o such_o exclusion_n