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on the one hand; or to conclude against Covenanting, as a ceremonial duty, because of this circumftance attending it, on the other.

*

FOURTHLY, The PUNISHMENT of fuch as would not feek the Lord God of their fathers deferves to be confidered in the next place: "That whofoever would not seek the Lord God of Ifrael fhould be put to death, whether fmall or great, whether man or woman This punishment was firft denounced when God gave the judicial law to Mofes; and Afa applied it to the particular cafe of the kingdom in his day. The only queftion to which I fhall attend is, If this law were peculiar to the Jews, or common to all men? In anfwer to which I fhall obferve,

1. THAT Idolatry, refpecting the object of worship, is a crime punifhable by the law of nature, being a manifeft violation of it. But, to fet the matter in a clearer point of view, 'The law of nature must be confidered as operating in a state of nature; or, as in a state of civil fociety. Idolatry in a state of nature, is a crime against the law of nature; but, in that ftate, one man is to another as one independent nation is to another; no man having right to hurt another, except in the cafe of felf-defence; or in the prevention and repara

2 Chron. xv. 13.

tion of injuries. The right of executing the law of nature, in this ftate, cannot be exerted in the restraint of crimes which are, by remote confequences only, hurtful to fociety. Idolatry, therefore, though a crime against the law. of nature, prior to the erection of fociety, must be left to the judgment of God; fecing there is no human jurifdiction empowered to restrain it. But, in a state of civil fociety, it is quite otherways. The civil law is fuper-induced, and comes in aid of the law of nature: And the execution of that law is intrufted to the civil magiftrate. Therefore, where the magiftrate knows the true God, and where his fubjects have known him likeways, he is bound to punifh fuch idolaters as fet up falfe gods within his jurifdiction; nor can he protect the public fafety if he does otherways: For the acknowledgment of God is effentially neceflary unto the being of fociety, that oaths, which are appeals to his omnifcience and omnipotence may be of force. Oaths are the ligaments of fʊciety; but if that being, by whom we fwear, be fuperfeded, and vanities fubftituted in his room, these ligaments are diffolved, and, by confequence, fociety itfelf *.

2. THE

* The doctrines of toleration and restraint, in matters of religion, ought to be touched with a delicate hand, I grant; but, I hope, I have not exceeded in what is delivered. Dr Owen, who was never fufpected of intolerant principles, carries the matter much higher: "It

2. THE magiftrates of the Jewith republic were bound to punih idolaters on a two-fold account: They were bound to do it on the principles juft mentioned; and for reafons peculiar to their theocratical government. God was King of the Jews, or head of the theocracy; therefore, he could not fuffer any other deity, more than any earthly king could admit a rival into his kingdom. Two heads of the fame kind and order in any commonwealth are abfolutely incompatible. Hence idolatry had a particular aggravation in Canaan, beyond what it has in any other country; it amounted to nothing less than high treafon : Now, treafon has been deemed capital in every age. Hence, we may fee, how unjustly the Mofaic fyftem in general, and this covenant in particular, have been charged with cruelty by the Deifts and libertines of thefe times. They grant, that treafon has ever been confidered as a capital crime among mankind; and they dare not deny, but the traitor justly pays his head, when in the power of majefty: But here they tax the execution of traitors with the moft flagrant injuftice! Shocking abfurdity! Grofs infatuation!

is the duty of magiftrates," faid he, "not to allow any public places for falfe and abominable worfhip; as alfo, to demolish all outward appearances of fuch fuperftitious, idolatrous, and unacceptable fervice. Let Papifts, who are idolaters; and Socinians, who are anthropolatræ, plead for themfelves." See Dr OWEN on Toleration, and Dr Lowrн's Letter to Dr Warburton.

FIFTHLY,

FIFTHLY, We may now confider the OcCASIONS of this Covenant. The interval between this tranfaction and that in last year of David's reign was near feventy-fix years: For the kings which were between David and Afa reigned juft fixty years; and this covenant took place in the fifteenth year of Afa's reign. More particularly,

1. THIS Covenant obtained after God had accomplished various promifes made to Ifrael in the Davidic Covenant. He had fet Solomon on the throne of his father David, blessed Ifrael with remarkable peace and profperity under his government; enabled him to build a moft fplendid houfe for the name of the Lord*; and brought every part of the ceremonial worfhip unto the highest pitch of perfection and glory. Now, the accomplishment of God's promifes laid them under new obligations to devote themfelves to him who bestowed all things fo liberally on them: And it was proper to testify their gratitude for the advancement of his work among them, by vowing to him who had brought them hitherto.

2. THE glory of the kingdom, and especially the fplendor of religion, had been greatly eclipfed by Solomon's apoftacy. That fame

*For a delineation of this fabric, and a view of the myfteries vailed under it, fee Lee on Solomon's Temple, as alfo Arias Montan. Villalpand. aud Lewis Cappellus on the fubject.

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Solomon

Solomon who had been fo much the object of divine love, unto whom God had appeared twice, even he fell into the horrid fin of idolatry; and that in an advanced period of life. Fondness for imitating the fashions of the great, in matters of religion as well as common life, has been the plague of both ancient and modern times; therefore, it is not improbable, that, in compliance with their prince, his courtiers relinquithed the true religion and a good confcience along with him. Solomon himself was probably reclaimed, however, and wrote the book of Ecclefiaftes after his reformation.

3. THE apoftacy of Solomon had been fignally punished in the revolt of the ten tribes from under the authority of the family of David, which was followed with remarkable apoflacy from the true religion, and dreadful covenant-violation. Jeroboam, for political reafons, prohibited the males from appearing three times a-year before the Lord at Jerufalem, as was required by the law of 'Mofes. To accommodate them in his own dominions, he fet up one calf at Bethel, the fouth end of his kingdom, on the borders of that of Judah, to prevent the Ifraelites from going into it: Another at Dan, that he might at once accommodate the northern territories, and alfo draw perfons hither from the fouthern parts. These reafons were too grofs, however, to be either affigned or avowed: The oftensible one was, their perfonal eafe; "It is too much for you

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