Men are gods, or, The dignity of magistracy, and the duty of the magistrate…

First, from the practices of godly Rulers; What Asa did, hath been already mentioned. Hezekiah was a Prince that did also promote Piety, 2 Chron. 29.2, 3, 4, 5.25.30. & in 2 Chron. 30. & 5. which places are large (therefore not here recited) but full to our purpose, wherein Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sanctify themselves, to praise the Lord with the words of David, and both Priests and People to keep the Passover.

First, from the practices of godly Rulers; What Asa did, hath been already mentioned. Hezekiah was a Prince that did also promote Piety, 2 Chron. 29.2, 3, 4, 5.25.30. & in 2 Chron. 30. & 5. which places are large (therefore not here recited) but full to our purpose, wherein Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sanctifie themselves, to praise the Lord with the words of David, and both Priests and People to keep the Passeover.

So Josiah, 2 Chron. 34.3. ult. And the King stood in his place, and made a Covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his Commandments. And (mark) he caused all that were present ⟨p. 256⟩in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the Inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the Covenant of God. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the Countries that pertained to the children of Israel. (Observe) And made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the Lord their God. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord. He made them to serve the Lord both by his precepts, and by the punishments he inflicted on them that would not. This text can never be answered. All the subtle evasions which Jesuitical heads have used to make it invalid, could never do it. For if as some affirm, it is not binding to us under the New, because it is delivered in the Old Testament, then Faith in Christ and Repentance, which are the sum and substance of the Old Testament are void also; and so they may rob us, if we will believe them, both of our Saviour and Salvation