A Golden Chain

But touching other nations and specially Christian common wealths in these days, the case is otherwise. Some are of opinion, that the whole judicial law is wholly abolished: and some again run to the other extreme, holding that judicial laws bind Christians as straightly as Jews: but no doubt they are both wide: and the safest course is to keep the mean between both. Therefore the judicial laws of Moses according to the substance and scope thereof must be distinguished; in which respect they ^aare of two sorts. Some of them are laws of particular equity, some of ^bcommon equity. Laws of particular equity, are such as prescribe justice according to the particular estate and condition of the Jews common wealth and to the circumstances thereof: time, place, persons, things, actions. Of this kind was the law, that the brother should raise up seed to his brother, and many such like: and none of them bind us, because they were framed and tempered to a particular people.

But touching other nations and specially Christian common wealths in these daies, the case is otherwise. Some are of opinion, that the whole iudiciall lawe is wholly abolished: and some againe runne to the other extreame, holding that iudiciall lawes bind Christians as straightly as Iewes: but no doubt they are both wide: and the safest course is to keepe the meane between both. Therefore the iudiciall lawes of Moses according to the substance and scope thereof must be distinguished; in which respect they ^aare of two sorts. Some of them are lawes of particular equitie, some of ^bcommon equitie. Lawes of particular equitie, are such as prescribe iustice according to the particular estate and condition of the Iewes common wealth and to the circumstances thereof: time, place, persons, things, actions. Of this kind was the law, that the brother should raise vp seed to his brother, and many such like: and none of them bind vs, because they were framed and tempered to a particular people.

1. aJuris particularis.