n
of Israel, besides the Covenant which he made with them in Horeb." For
having explained those former Laws, in the beginning of the Book of
Deuteronomy, he addeth others, that begin at the 12. Cha. and continue
to the end of the 26. of the same Book. This Law (Deut. 27.1.) they were
commanded to write upon great stones playstered over, at their passing
over Jordan: This Law also was written by Moses himself in a Book; and
delivered into the hands of the "Priests, and to the Elders of Israel,"
(Deut. 31.9.) and commanded (ve. 26.) "to be put in the side of the
Arke;" for in the Ark it selfe was nothing but the Ten Commandements.
This was the Law, which Moses (Deuteronomy 17.18.) commanded the Kings
of Israel should keep a copie of: And this is the Law, which having been
long time lost, was found again in the Temple in the time of Josiah,
and by his authority received for the Law of God. But both Moses at the
writing, and Josiah at the recovery thereof, had both of them the
Civill Soveraignty. Hitherto therefore the Power of making Scripture
Canonicall, was in the Civill Soveraign.

Besides this Book of the Law, there was no other Book, from the time of
Moses, till after the Captivity, received amongst the Jews for the
Law of God. For the Prophets (except a few) lived in the time of the
Captivity it selfe; and the rest lived but a little before it; and were
so far from having their Prophecies generally received for Laws, as that
their persons were persecuted, partly by false Prophets, and partly by
the Kings which were seduced by them. And this Book it self, which was
confirmed by Josiah for the Law of God, and with it all the History of
the Works of God, was lost in the Captivity, and sack of the City of
Jerusalem, as appears by that of 2 Esdras 14.21. "Thy Law is burnt;
therefor no man knoweth the things that are done of thee, of the works
that shall begin." And before the Captivity, between the time when the
Law was lost, (which is not mentioned in the Scripture, but may probably
be thought to be the time of Rehoboam, when Shishak King of Egypt took
the spoils of the Temple,(1 Kings 14.26.)) and the time of Josiah,
when it was found againe, they had no written Word of God, but ruled
according to their own discretion, or by the direction of such, as each
of them esteemed Prophets.

The Old Testament, When Made Canonicall

From whence we may inferre, that the Scriptures of the Old Testament,
which we have at th