18. Out of all this, we may easily know how the Jews, in all times from Abraham unto Christ, were to behave themselves in the commands of their _princes_. For as in kingdoms merely human, men must obey a subordinate magistrate in all things, excepting when his commands contain in them some treason; so in the kingdom of God, the Jews were bound to obey their _princes_, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the _priest_, the _king_, every one during their time in all things, except when their commands did contain some treason against _the Divine Majesty_. Now treason against the Divine Majesty was, first, _the denial of divine providence_; for this was _to deny God to be a king by nature_: next, _idolatry_, or the worship not of other, (for there is but one God), but of strange Gods; that is to say, a worship though of one God, yet under other _titles_, _attributes_, and _rites_, than what were established by Abraham and Moses; for this was to _deny the God of Abraham_ to be their king _by covenant_ made with Abraham and themselves. In all other things they were to obey. And if a king or priest, having the sovereign authority, had commanded somewhat else to be done which was against the laws, that had been his sin, and not his subject’s; whose duty it is, not to dispute, but to obey the commands of his superiors. ------- CHAPTER XVII. OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD BY THE NEW COVENANT. 1. The prophecies concerning Christ’s dignity. 2. The prophecies concerning his humility and passion. 3. That Jesus was that Christ. 4. That the kingdom of God by the new covenant, was not the kingdom of Christ, as Christ, but as God. 5. That the kingdom by the new covenant is heavenly, and shall begin from the day of judgment. 6. That the government of Christ in this world was not a sovereignty, but counsel, or a government by the way of doctrine and persuasion. 7. What the promises of the new covenant are, on both parts. 8. That no laws are added by Christ, beside the institution of the sacraments. 9. Repent ye, be baptized, keep the commandments, and the like forms of speech, are not laws. 10. It pertains to the civil authority, to define what the sin of injustice is. 11. It pertains to the civil authority, to define what conduces to the peace and defence of the city. 12. It pertains to the civil authority, to judge (when need requires) what definitions and what inferences are true. 13. It belongs to the office of Christ, to teach morally, not by the way of speculation, but as a law; to forgive sins, and to teach all things whereof there is no science, properly so called. 14. A distinction of things temporal from spiritual. 15. In how many several sorts the word of God may be taken. 16. That all which is contained in Holy Scripture, belongs not to the canon of Christian faith. 17. That the word