Iúdiciallsofcommon equitieare fuch as aremadeaccordingto thelave or inftinâofnaturecommon to all men: and thefe, inrefpedoftheir fub. fiance, binde theconfciences not candyofthe Iewes but altoof the Gen. tiles:for theywere not giuen to the Iewes as they are lewes,that is, a people received into theCouenant aboue all othernations, brought from Egipt to the landeofCanan, ofwhom the Mefsias according to the flefh was to come : but they were giuen to themas theywere mortali men fubiee`t tothe order and lawsofnatureas all othernations are. Againe iudiciall laws, fo farre foorth as theyhaue in them the general! or common equitie of the lawe ofnature are moral!: and therefore binding in confcience, as the mom rail lawe. A judicial! lawe may beknowne to be a laweofcommon equitie, ifci. therofthefe two things be found in it,Firf},ifwife men not only among the Iewes,but alto inothernations haue by naturallreafon and confcjenceiud- ged the fame to be equall,iuft,andneceflaric:and withall,haue iuftificdthis their judgement by inaóing laws for their cornmonwealths , the famein fubftance with fundrie of the iudiciall !awes giuen to the !ewes : and the Romane Emperours among the ref}, haue done this molt excellently as will appeare by conferring their lawes with the !awes ofGod . Secondly a Iudicial! bath commonequitie,ifit ferue direaly to explane and confirme anyofthe tenne preceptsofthe Decalogue:or, ifit ferue direly to main. taine and vphold any oldie three cllatesofthe family,the commô-wealth, theChurch. Andwhether this be foor no,it will appeare, if wee doe but confider the matter ofthe lawe, and the reafons or confiderations vpon which the Lord was moued to giue the fame vnto the Iewes. Now tomake the point in hand moreplaine,take an exampleortwo.lt is a judicial law of God thatmurderersmuff be put to death:now the queftion is,whether this lawe forfubfiance be thecommon equitie ofnature binding confciencesof Chriflians orno? and the anfwere is, that without further doubting it is fo. For firít ofall,this lave bath beene by common confent ofwife lawgiuers enacaed in manycouncrcis andkingdomes befide the lewes. l t was the law bEuripjt He. of the Egyptians andboldGrecians,ofDraco,of Nurna,and ofmany ofthe cuba. Romane'Emperours . Secondly thislawe ferries dire6tly tomaintaine obe.. ,7'beodof.. & dience to the fixt commandement : and the confideration vpon which the c de EpifcQú. lawewas made is fo waightie, that withoutit acommon-wealth cannot Bien, Band. The murderers bloodemua be fhedde (faith theLord , Num. 3 5. 3 3,34.)becatJe thewboleland is defiledwith bloode, and remainethvnclenfed, till hisblood be fhedde. Againe it was a judicial! lawe among the Iewes that theadultererandadultereffe fhoulddie the death : now let the quefiió be whether this lawe concerne other nations as beeing deriued from the common lawe ofnature : and it feemes CO be fo. For fire wife men by the light efreafonand natural! confcience haue judged this punifhmcnt equal! Zg and iuft. Iudahbefore this judicial! !awe was giuen byMgfes, appointed Tamar his daughter in lawe tobe burnt todeathfor playing the whore. Na- buchadnezzer
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=