punishment, is obliged to exact it; to the payment whereof, if it be capital or otherwise grievous, he cannot be obliged. But in what sense the law is to be taken, depends on the will of him who hath the sovereignty. When therefore there is any doubt of the meaning of the law, since we are sure they sin not who do it not, it will be sin if we do it, howsoever the law may afterward be explained. For to do that which a man doubts whether it be a sin or not, when he hath freedom to forbear it, is a contempt of the laws; and therefore by chap. III. art. 28, a sin against the law of nature. Vain therefore is that same distinction of _obedience_ into _active_ and _passive_; as if that could be expiated by penalties constituted by human decrees, which is a sin against the law of nature, which is the law of God; or as though they sinned not, who sin at their own peril. RELIGION --- CHAPTER XV. OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD BY NATURE. 1. The proposition of the following contents. 2. Over whom God is said to rule by nature. 3. The word of God threefold; reason, revelation, prophecy. 4. The kingdom of God twofold; natural, and prophetic. 5. The right whereby God reigns, is seated in his omnipotence. 6. The same proved from Scripture. 7. The obligation of yielding obedience to God, proceeds from human infirmity. 8. The laws of God in his natural kingdom, are those which are recited above in chapters II. III. 9. What honour and worship is. 10. Worship consists either in attributes or in actions. 11. And there is one sort natural, another arbitrary. 12. One commanded, another voluntary. 13. What the end or scope of worship is. 14. What the natural laws are concerning God’s attributes. 15. What the actions are whereby naturally we do give worship. 16. In God’s natural kingdom, the city may appoint what worship of God it pleaseth. 17. God ruling by nature only, the city, that is to say, that man or court who under God hath the sovereign authority of the city, is the interpreter of all the laws. 18. Certain doubts removed. 19. What sin is in the natural kingdom of God; and what treason against the Divine Majesty. [Sidenote: The proposition of the following contents.]