But how doth it appear that these or any other Judicial Laws of Moses do at all appertain to us, as rules to guide us in like cases? I shall with him who scrupleth this, to read Piscator his Appendix to his Observations upon the 21, 22, 23. Chapters of Exodus, where he excellently disputeth this question, Whether the Christian Magistrate be bound to observe the Judicial laws of Moses, as well as the Jewish Magistrate was. He answereth by the common distinction, he is obliged to those things in the Judicial law which are unchangeable, and common to all Nations: but not to those things which are mutable, or proper to the Jewish Republic. But then he explaineth this distinction, that by things mutable, and proper to the Jews, he understandeth the emancipation of an Hebrew servant or handmaid in the seventh year, a mans marying his brothers wife and raising up seed to his brother, the forgiving of debts at the Jubilee, marying with one of the same Tribe, and if there be any other like to these; also Ceremonial trespasses, as touching a dead body, etc. But things immutable, and common to all Nations are the laws concerning Moral trespasses, Sins against the Moral law, as murder, adultery, theft, enticing away from God, blasphemy, striking of Parents. Now that the Christian Magistrate is bound to observe these Judicial laws of Moses which appoint the punishments of sins against the Moral law, he proveth by these reasons.

Gillespie, George, Wholesome Severity Reconciled With Christian Liberty (London: Christopher Meredith, 1645), 6–7.

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