Kings immediately in shewing the People the great evills that they should reape by Kings noted 1 Sam. 8. From Ver. 9. to Ver. 19. Kings will take your Sonnes and your Daughters from you and will appoint them to serve themselves This God doth not say was lawfull for Kings to doe for Gods Law was expresse to the contrary Exod. 22.21 Moreover thou shalt not do injury to a stranger Neither did Gods Lawes permit that they should wrong any man and Samuel useth that as a strong argument to convince them of their evill namely in these words 1 Sam. 12.3 Behold here J am beare record before the Lord of mee whose Ox have I taken or whose Asse have I taken or whom have I done wrong unto or whom have I hurt Ver. 4. Then the People said thou hast done us no wrong nor hast hurt us neither hast thou taken any thing of any Mans hand Hereby appeareth the Peoples great evill and ingratitude and their unrighteousnesse in forsaking that government with which they could find no fault Further this shewed that Kings would prove great evills because they would be great wrongers and great oppressors because they would take by violence their choisest comforts from the People And further this shewed that Kings would rule by the Rules of their owne wills in our dayes called their prerogatives this is shewed in these expressions Kings will take these and these things from you but this they ought not to do for herein Samuel sheweth his integrity we may observe that the Law of God ought to be the guide the Rule and the bounds to all men high and low to King and People this is evident Deut. 17.16 to 20. There God saith that the King should have the Booke of the Law and that hee should reade therein all the dayes of his life that hee may learne to feare the Lord his God and to keepe all the words of this Law and these Ordinances to do them that his heart be not lifted up above his Brethren and that hee turne not to the right hand or to the left hand c. From hence we may see that the King is not to do what hee listeth but he is as expresly commanded to observe and do the Law as any other man yea and in some sort more because his example is more prevalent to draw others either to good or evill But further wee may here note the difference betweene Kings and Iudges the Kings they will do thus and thus they will breake the bounds set unto them but the Iudges were humble meeke men this God knew when hee put in that clause so nearely linked to the observation of his Law namely that his heart be not lifted up above his Brethren experience hath taught us much of this could we be warned That Kings their hearts will be lifted up Observe I pray you the Iudges they acknowledged the People to be their Brethren but Kings they say their blood and their discent is more Royall more Illustruous more Excellent then those they call the baser sort and the more ignoble It is to be noted that in the first and purest times those men that were truly godly truly vertuous those men that were most precize that were the most observant of the Law of God Those men then were accounted to be the most noble and so we finde they were in Gods esteeme for wee finde Moses taken from keeping the sheepe And Gideon from threshing and David from the Sheepe-fold and made Rulers of the People But the World is now turned upside-downe for what do some men now applaud and worship but the Blood Royall and Noble Blood we have men now that are truly noble and eminent for Piety that sway the government of the Common-wealth but what is the tumult They say they cannot see their Nobility I would speake soberly and forbearingly consider warily and truly is it not because the God of this World hath blinded the eyes of many men But let us further note that this King Saul or a King or the Government by Kings would not onely deprive the People of their Sonnes and Daughters but also Kings would take their seede and their Vinyards 1 Sam. 8.15 Their Men-servants and their Maide-servants and the chiefe of your yong men and your Asses and Sheepe and yee shall be his servants Note I pray you that this People had great liberty and freedome under the government by Iudges could they have improved these with thankfull and contented hearts but they would reject and slight these mercies they would be governed by Kings under which Government they should endure many afflictions but when it commeth to this height that they themselves should be servants then they begin to be more sensible then they cry out but saith God Ver. 18. The Lord will not hear you in the day and time of these afflictions By this evident admonition it plainly appeared that God opposed in threatning manner this government by Kings for note that the cause here was not so much about the person to be made King but it was about the forme of government by Kings Note further how Samuel humbly and patiently doth argue the cause with the People Chap. 12. ver 7. to 13. where Samuel putteth the People in minde how God had not bin wanting to them but from time to time had raised up and appointed good governors for them Which governors God protected guided and blessed to them and made them Saviours and not oppressors nor destroyers to them sometimes for their sinnes and to prove them whether they would cleave to God and to shew them the benefit that it was to have God to appoint good governors and for other ends which God knew to be for his glory and their good God did leave them without chiefe Iudges and then we see the People they run into many by-paths and sinfull courses and then God suffered them to feele afflictions by enemies but note that when the people considered the cause and sought the favour of God and cryed to God to helpe them God never failed but answereth their petitions note in what manner God answered them he raised up Iudges vvhich God made to be blessings and Saviours to the People From this expostulation of Samuel we may observe that God by Samuel reproveth the People for altering that forme of government which God in his wisdome had prescribed and blessed to the People And the People could not deny the truth of this but further note that God to the end that posterity to come might evidently see his displeasure for that cause because the People had altered the forme of government by Iudges and instead thereof had wilfully and obstinately desired a government by Kings Therefore the Lord sheweth the People by an eminent and wonderfull way expressed thus 1 Sam. 12.17 I will call unto the Lord and he shall send Thunder and Raine that yee may perceive and see how that your wickednesse is great which yee
and so did the Governors and the Kings of Israel and Iuda I shall refer these matters to the consideration of the godly and of the learned if any lust to be contentious I strive not to contend but contend to bee quiet and seeke for Peace and Truth And now I conceive it is requisite to speake a word touching the Lawyers Gods Lawes if we observe them well are pithy and short they are contained in a little roome if we substract the Historicall matters or matter which shew Gods actings and mans actings which are not so properly Lawes but rather shew Gods glory and mans conversation from the direct Commandements of God in what a little volume would Gods Lawes be contained which sheweth the purity and excellency of them of Gods Lawes The Lawes of some Countries containe great Bookes or Volumes in comparison of Gods Lawes many Lawyers looke much upon the Letter of the common Lawes I would there were many more looked faithfully to the true meaning of those Lawes contained in the Sacred Word of God We reade but little of other Lawes during the times of the Iudges of Israel I do believe that the multitude of Lawes did originally spring from the iniquity of the Lawyers and from the iniquity of the People scarce any words were sufficient so to expresse the truth but either the Judge or the Lawyer or the People would break through the Law I believe there is just cause of sorrow and of shame to consider it The best way that I know to reforme this is to keepe closest to the true Originall which is the most true perfect and clear rule and is the rule of all rules because all other rules are but derivatives from thence Doubtlesse our Lawes ought to be as few as may be and those Lawes distributed into such severall places where the People dwel such as do concern those People in those parts for the Peoples ease and comfort Secondly the Lawes ought to be in our own language so as the People may reade and observe them because God doth afford that benefit to the People in the giving and publishing his Lawes which are of the most excellency And if we consider the end why Iudges were multiplied as Gods glory was the chiefe so likewise the Peoples ease and comfort is expressed so ought it to be in those Lawes that are branches of Gods Lawes as Gods glory is the highest and true end of them so likewise the Peoples ease and comfort by and from them is to be respected A great helpe both for Gods glory and for the Peoples comfort is to have good and faithfull Iudges for such will not so much seeke themselves which is truely to destroy themselves as they will seeke Gods glory and the Peoples good These things have bin mightily perverted yet God hath not left us without hope but that God will restore Iudges as at the first and counsellers as at the beginning then shall we be called a City of righteousnesse a faithfull City What ever I have written in this little Booke or Treatise I doe and have onely propounded to the consideration of all you that do love honor and feare the true and ever living God who is blessed for ever I doe humbly with all due respect to the godly and to the learned acknowledge I am but a weake fraile man of my self I may erre therefore if any man can and will shew we any error provided that they bring the authority of Gods Sacred Word according to the plain and sincere meaning of the blessed Spirit of God I hope God will give me a heart willingly not constrainedly to acknowledge any error I ever held it as a principle that wee cannot please God better nor bring more true honor and safety to our selves then by hunble unfeigned and willing acknowledgement of any of our errors in some proportion sutable to our offences Receive nothing from me further then you finde it agreeable to Scripture But this I say that in what ever I have here in this Booke written I have set God alwayes in my sight I knowing that I am ever in his sight to whom I must give account for what I have written I account it to be a matter of no small moment to write any Booke neither had I written if I had not believed God called me to it of my selfe I can do no good matter but this J do believe that in this writing contained in this Booke I am strengthened protected and guided by the good and blessed Spirit of the true and ever-living God To whom I desire to acknowledge and give as is Gods due and my duty all praise and service glory and honor and power because God is worthy of it for he hath created all things and for his Wills sake they are and have bin created Rev. 4.11 Now beloved and approved Commanders and Souldiers you that have bin helpers of the Lord against the mighty although I have not made mention of your Names in this little Treatise yet you are in my eye as men of precious esteeme and so I believe you are in Gods accompt precious I meane such as out of godlâ— zeale and true love have acted in these Wars of which sort I bâ—lâ—eve there are many amongst your Army may I not account you amongst Davids worthies yes I believe I may and further I believe I may truly say that many of you Revel 21.27 Are written in the Lambs booke of life and that you Ver. 24. Are of the people that shall be saved and walke in the light of it Ver. 1. That new Heaven Ver. â— That holy City that new Ierusalem God himselfe shall be your God with you Vers 4. And God shall wipe away all teares from your eyes and there shall be no more deathâ— for the first things are passed Cha 22.12 And behold I come shortly saith God and my reward is with me to give to every man as his works shall be Ver. 14. Blessed are they that do his Commandements that their right may be in the Treâ— of life Ver. 11. He that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still Have you been co-acters in fighting Gods battells and should I or my Posterity be forgetfull that you many of you have borne a meanes that we enjoy Gods Word freely preached and that we still enjoy Gods sacred Word in our own Language and that we are not forced to bow down to dumbe Idols to Idolatry and that we are not cast into those darke miserable noysome golgotha's those places which have bin the destruction of thousands where no eye could see or speake to them to pitty them where they have bin murdered out of the view of men I meane those accursed inquisition Houses This comfort only they had which those workers of iniquity could not take from them that there was one open place where the bright and beautifull eye like to the eye of the Morning
ENDEVORS Aiming at the GLORY OF GOD THAT PEACE TRUTH may meet together Wherein is contained the excellency benefit and necessity of good Government and Governors A loving Reply to Mr William Prynnes Speech made to the House of Commons and afterwards published Some matters are propounded to the Consideration of the Ministry and also to particular and to all Opinions The first purest best and most blessed form and manner of Government prescribed by God and recorded in Gods sacred Word together with the way of entrance or Gods calling of persons to places of chief Government the great consequence thereof Wherein is shewed That Government by Succession from the Father to the Son was none of Gods Institution in the first and purest Times And also the Government by Judges is plainly proved to be the best form of Government being Gods immediate direction most blessed and approved for Gods glory and for a peoples greatest Good Comfort and Safety By JOHN BLACKLEACH Isai 1.26 And I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellers as at the beginning afterwards thou shalt be called a City of Righteousness and a faithful City Deut. 28.1 If thou shalt obey diligently the voyce of the Lord thy God and observe and do all his Commandments then the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the Nations of the Earth Gen. 49.18 O Lord I have waited for thy Salvation LONDON Printed by John Macock for the Author and are to be sold in Popes-head-Alley 1656. To my dearly beloved Country-men of England and to all of what Country soever namely to all such as love the true onely glorious and blessed God and endeavor unfeignedly to do his Will to such as have obtained like precious faith with us Grace Mercy and Peace be to you through the acknowledging of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord. Dearly Beloved UPon the serious and often consideration of that happy and blessed condition and unparaleld benefit which the blessed Angels do and the elect Children of God shall enjoy to Eternity in having God for their defence and their exceeding great reward The benefits thereof for number and greatness far exceed what the eye of man hath seen or the ear heard or what the heart of man can conceive Amongst other priviledges and benefits this is not the least That they shall have God to govern them whose wisdom is most absolutely perfect to lead them and to direct them Revel 19.11 John saith I saw heaven open and behold a white horse and he that sate upon him was called faithful and true and he judgeth and fighteth righteously Vers 12. And his eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns and he had a name written that no man knew but himself Vers 13. And he was clothed in a garment dipt in blood and his Name was called The Word of God Vers 14. And the hosts which were in Heaven followed him upon white horses c. Vers 15. And out of his mouth went a sharp sword that with it he shall smite the Heathen and rule them c. From this place being full of consolation I shall onely collect this one point of Observation pertinent to the matter by me intended namely That the whole hoast of Heaven the blessed Angels the Saints and Children of God shall have this unmatchable this exceeding great benefit namely They shall be guided ordered and governed by the Word of God All the Hoasts of Heaven followed the Word of God upon white horses Which sheweth That this shall be the happiness of the blessed Angels and Saints to be guided by and subject to the Word of God We may easily discern our own weakness in guiding our selves we all like sheep are apt to go astray and to run into many dangers But God is infinitely wise to direct us he is strong to protect us he is rich in mercy abundant in mercy as the heavens are higher then the earth so is his mercy He likewise is able to fill and to satisfie our Souls with good things with him is the well-spring of life Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God By this means namely by being guided by God we shall not need to fear we may lie down and rest in peace because the Lord is our Keeper read Psal 23. The consideration of this leads me further to consider of Government amongst men here on earth Upon diligent enquiry into the revealed will and minde of God recorded in the sacred Scriptures I finde That on earth it is a matter of the highest concernment to have good Government good Shepherds such as are sent of God Search the Scriptures and you shall find That when the People enjoyed godly wise faithful Governors they were endowed with many other singular and great blessings from God On the contrary when their Governors were corrupt the People were disturbed oppressed and afflicted The Scriptures are so full so copious so evident in the proof of this that I shall spend the less time in quotations Read the story of the Judges the book of Kings and the Chronicles of Israel and that being blessed to you by God will help you clearly to discern the truth of this matter The experience of all Ages will shew That from good and evil Governors proceeded the prosperity and adversity of the Nations Search the Chronicles and Records of the Ages and Times from Moses his time to these days wherein we live and it will evidently appear That from this principle from this root namely from Government arose the prosperity or adversity of the People and Nations If we look but back from the time of King Henry the eight we shall see this State tossed to and fro suitably to those persons that were the principal Governors and that both in religious duties and in other temporal matters The experience the Records of all Ages do abundantly testifie being duly weighed and considered of what great concernment Government is of to render a people blessed or despised of God To the intent that we may the better and more clearly see the singular benefit that it is to have a good Government I shall propound briefly some particulars to consideration For instance look upon the universal works the Creation of God Consider the Sun how it goeth his due course not failing to perform his great journey round about this world in twenty four hours the Sun knoweth his rising and his going down not altering nor failing one minute of time nor failing one foot of ground in all his great and unwearied journeys O how excellent are all thy works O God Consider likewise those excellent vertues and operations with which the Sun is beautified and enriched as namely First Light which sheweth man the way and work he is to perform without light Man is miserable Secondly The Sun heateth the air and comforteth man and all creatures Thirdly The Sun causeth the bud of the herb to
if we deminish Object But is there any president or example that warranteth a people to depose and punish their Governors Answ The condition expressed and recorded in the Book of Joshua doth plainly hold out That the whole body of a people or such as represent or are Deputies for the Common-wealth or part of that body may in cases wherein their Governors act not for God but contrary to his revealed Will in such cases I conceive the Word recorded in the Book of Joshua plainly warranteth and teacheth people That they ought to make such exceptions This people that gave Joshua his Answer were a part of the people And although this Covenant or Caveat had not been expressed yet it had been the peoples duty and wisdom to follow him in Gods ways but not other ways If we take notice and consider that place recorded Numb 25.1 The people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab c. The people for this cause were commanded by God to slay those Governors that were guilty in this matter The Lord said to Moses Take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the Sun that the fierce wrath of the Lord may be turned from Israel Numb 25.4 Now this sheweth That it is Gods Will that Governors shall by the people be punished in such cases as are notorious breaches of Gods Law for although these Governors were not equal but inferiour to Moses yet they were Governors of the people as for example all Governors are not Emperors nor all Kings nor all Judges of an equal rank yet they are all of one kind Gods Law bindeth and hath the same authority over all But further consider this it is there recorded for our learning Num. 25.6 That one of the children of Israel brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of c. Note That this man was a Prince Vers 14. Vers 7. And when Phineas the son of Aaron saw it he rose up c. and took a spear in his hand and followed the man of Israel into the Tent and thrust them both through c. From this Text it plainly appeareth That in such openly known sins Princes are liable to punishment nay further That God taketh this as a matter that is so acceptable to him that he rewardeth it with an extraordinary commendation and reward Vers 10. Then the Lord spake unto Moses saying Phineas the son of Aaron hath turned mine anger away from the children of Israel while he was zealous for my sake amongst them therefore I have not consumed the children of Israel in my jealousie Vers 12. Wherefore I say unto him Behold I give unto him my Covenant of Peace Here note That Phineas stood not to search over the Punctilioes of the Common Laws neither was he a Judg nor ordinary Officer to put men to death he stayed not till this man was tryed by his Peers but he considered that God was highly dishonored the case was extraordinary therfore he put his life in his hand and couragiously zealously pursued the transgressor and slew him this is recorded for our learning Rō 15.4 Whatsoever things are written aforetime are writen for our learning It is to be admired That people they should be offended at the Army and at some of the Parliament because they executed Justice upon such an offender as had sinned in the sight of the Sun by setting up Idolatry that had sinned in shedding innocent blood such an offender as was tryed and found guilty to the knowledg of the Land and by the opinion of Lords Commons Army and People witness their Writings in Print and is this so hainous a matter This maketh me call to mind the Prophecy Revel 18.16 17. Alas alas that great City that was clothed in fine linnen and purple and scarlet and guilded with gold and precious stones and pearls For in one hour so great riches are come to desolation And every ship-master and all the people that ocupy ships and whosoever doth trafique on the sea shall stand afar off and cry c. But what saith the Spirit of God Vers 10. O Haeven rejoyce over her and ye holy Apostles for God hath punished her to be revenged on her for your sakes Dear Friends you that are not drunk but in good frames of heart consider that this great Tower of Confusion is fallen the Prophets foretold of these days Isaiah Daniel Hosea Micah and others they tell us plainly That corrupt Governors must down I believe the time is accomplished that God did in his counsel determine these matters therefore hang down your heads no longer but you that wait for the Salvation of Israel lift up your heads I pray you Countrymen note That the Army and the Parliament they being zealous for Gods glory they put their lives in their hands they look all oppositions in the face they executed Justice upon an offender this was Gods work that guarded them with strength this act of theirs was beyond their own abilities I pray you compare this act with that of Phineas is not there the same cause in the offender Is not the zeal of Phineas and their zeal like in the very countenance and of near affinity And hath not God crowned this act of theirs Consider that God hath blessed the fruits of the earth and hath enriched our barns and stores Hath not God blessed us in our fishing abroad not the like for many years before Hath not God blessed us by giving us Victories at Sea and Victories at the Land Whithersoever they turn themselves they are blessed since the death of the late King This maketh me commend to your consideration that blessing that God gave to Joshua and is acknowledged thus There was not a City that God delivered not into his hand nor place was too strong for him Consider it well and apply it If any will be obstinate and blind let them be so I cannot help it But to go on in 2 Kings 11.15 Jehojada the Priest commanded the Captains of the Hundreds that had the rule of the Host Vers 16. And they laid hands on her c. and there she was slain We may here observe That there is a president recorded in Scripture that sheweth That when a principal Governor shall do evil in the sight of the Lord the people did account it to be their duties to punish such great offenders and offences by death thus was Jesabel slain The example of the Israelites likewise is considerable 1 King 12.20 where the ten Tribes by reason that Rehoboam would not hearken to them in easing them of those Taxations that they said were too heavy they therefore deposed or rejected him from being their King for although that Jeroboam forsook Gods Commandments afterwards that was his sin But touching their act in casting off and renouncing all obedience to Rehoboam for his sin of oppression God plainly alloweth that and owneth
others from such open provocations of God as swearing whoring false speaking and like sins Presently many are apt to mischieve him it is well for him if he scape with base language as Roundhead Whores-bird Roundhead c. with bitter hatred I have lately seen this and heard it to my sorrow It is said of the wicked That they cast up mire and dirt This I say unto those that fear God Walk humbly circumspectly mourn for these abominations And God will spare you as a man spareth his son in the day of calamity when the wicked shall be destroyed together I pray you that are more sober consider you hear such complaints against the General Officers and Army put these complaints in the ballances of Truth bring them to the Touch-stone You have had experience of the behaviour of both parties on which side did sin prophaneness plundering and such acts of prophaneness most abound Were the Officers and Souldiers of the Malignant Army more holy more harmless then this party of this Army For which side did God witness or do you judg that God seeth not or regards not c. Well seek not evasions do not resolve not to see not to consider not to acknowledg Object But some I believe will find fault with me because I do not name and particularize actions persons times and places more particularly with more evident witnesses c. Answ 1. My time will not suffer me to be so large although I purpose if God will when I come to points wherein I purpose to engage or insist in those things I purpose to be more punctual 2. I answer That men do not use candle-light at noon days when the Sun shines bright but in dark places So are these matters they are not done in corners these matters are accompanied with a cloud of witnesses Your own experiences your own consciences rightly ballanced are more then a thousand witnesses There are extant in some Books many of these particulars where they are more largely handled only I hope it will not be grievous if I put you in minde of those things whereof you have experience already Moreover those miraculous passages of Gods Providence wherein Digitus Dei the finger of God evidently appeared and doth still appear to admiration So that if our hearts be not hardned and our eyes blinded I conceive these are witnesses sufficient But notwithstanding if we shut our eyes if they be not opened I do conceive and answer as Abraham answered to Dives being in torments That if one should arise from the dead you would not believe But let men judg what they please this is the comfort and stay to them whose hearts are right with God namely this That God seeth he regardeth he is a strong God a wise and faithful God he will make bare his arm and mightily work for the good of his chosen and to the confusion of his enemies Object Courteous Reader Christian Friend lest thou shouldst take offence because I kept not more close to the matter propounded Answ I seeing and considering the great bitterness the great heat that evidently appeareth to be in the prejudiced and fore-stalled hearts of many men I endeavored only to qualifie that heat and in part to remove that prejudice otherwise I conceived that there would be no place for Peace and Truth to meet together But to proceed The man that hath most effectually written to my apprehension that yet hath come to my knowledg to hinder Peace and Truth at this time from meeting is Mr William Prynne in his Book called The substance of a Speech made in the House of Commons Touching this man I have no prejudice against him I never saw him to my knowledg I have likewise met with some other of his Labors and upon some consideration of the matters in them contained to my best apprehension this I finde That he hath taken much pains that he is a man endowed with divers good gifts if they be sanctified I do beleeve he is zealously affected and that his intendments are for the glory of God and for the good of the People I love the man and do beleeve that we shall both meet before God and his glorious Angels to both our comforts through the rich mercy and free favor of our God in his dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ I would not cast dirt upon all his Labors but onely I shall endeavor to sift and winnow them and desire him to recollect his thoughts and to revive his Works over again and where he findeth an error I desire him to recall that and to revoke it Who knoweth the errors of his life In many things we sin all This perswasion I have of Mr William Prynne That he is so zealous and so ingenuous that he will not persist in a known error Paul being in an error when he persecuted Christ in his members brought much glory to God great advantage to his Church and left himself as an eminent pattern for others to imitate When and after he saw his error he recanted and repented and repaired his error In the first Scripture alledged I find this place cited out of Mat. 5.9 Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the children of GOD. This place in his intendments pointeth out that which he hoped as I beleeve should be the issue of his Labors in the work following But here I finde that of Solomon verified That the race is not always to the swift nor riches to men of understanding For had this speech of his prevailed it would have been so far from causing peace that I do beleeve both we and the children yet unborn should have had cause to lament it Had his speech there declared in that book prevailed it would have effected much more sorrow and trouble then before The next Scripture is Psal 68.30 Rebuke the company of spear-men scatter thou the people that delight in War Some Translations read it thus Destroy the Company c. This Text here is placed as a leading exhortation to the Reader to perswade them to follow this example This place compared with that which goeth before and with that which followeth after plainly holds out thus much That Mr Prynne did endeavor to render the Army root and branch odious for the Army consisted of the Head and Members which appeareth in the first leafe in the Title or Inscription of his Book in these words namely The Armies Remonstrance Novemb. 20. is a way to speedy and certain ruine and a meer plot of the Jesuites to destroy us This he presents to the whole Kingdom I hope by this time Mr Prynne seeth cause to recall and revoke this For he inviteth the Kingdom with him to pray That God would destroy the Army in the Scripture before cited I say with Steven the Martyr Act. 7.60 Lord lay not this sin to his charge I answer by way of reply to this Scripture That when men do lay unjust slanders and reproaches upon
which Governors they had no cause to complain as by their own confession upon Samuels enquiry appeared Yet notwithstanding They would and did reject God their King and his Deputies the Judges and they preferred obstinately Kings of their own invention in imitation of the Heathen round about and so they changed the form of Government prescribed owned and blessed by God and set up their own inventions against which God opposed with many circumstances arguments threatenings and by miracle from heaven Yet they went on obstinately they would have a King whatsoever it cost what or how great evils soever came thereof And if we consider the very root and branch that leadeth M. Prynn and many other wise men out of the way ariseth from hence Because they depart from Gods wisedom revealed in the holy Scrsptures And in the stead thereof prefer their own inventions M. William Prynn endeavoreth in the whole substance of his Speech to bind the King with new ropes such as the Philistines bound Sampson with and likewise with seven green cords and with new ropes never occupied and yet more he plats his locks as it were and fasteneth them with the thred and pin of the Web and the Woof But all this to little purpose for I would grant M. Prynn some part of his argument which he often rehearseth namely that such contrivances such manacles were not put upon any or scarcely any King for a long season or from the Creation c. Yet all to little purpose for bind Sampson and miss that way or place wherein his strength resteth and he will break all your Cords asunder For in the first place it evidently appeareth That these obligations and ties were sinful if they could have taken effect Secondly They were too weak to hold him under namely the late King Thirdly They failed in regard they reached not the place where his strength lay Fourthly These matters propounded by M. Prynn were not likely to prove to be a means to help the people but rather to trouble them and would have brought upon the people if they had come to effect many and great evils and adversities which the people could no way have shuned as I doubt not but that I shall make it evidently to appear in the following part of this book by the help of God Concerning M. William Prynn I look upon him as a man of far more eminent parts then my self this I speak not out of by-respects but in the presence of that glorious God who I do love and fear I am very fearful to presume above that which is meet Yet this I say That in this matter I believe the Lord hath shewed to me his weakness I am willingly content to be tryed by the word of God in which tryall I desire all such as truly love God and his Truth that without turning to the right or left hand they will judge uprightly First I conceive That this M. Prynne sinned in namely because that he invented and prescribed a way to take away from the King divers rights and priviledges which God allowed to all lawfull and good Kings which all Kings ought to be and recorded in the Scriptures the unerring rule of Truth I say it appeareth plainly that this was sinful because this way prescribed by M. Prynne in the endeavors of his whole speech was not a way prescribed by God but directly forbidden in the whole tenor of the Scriptures by evident testimonies which speak directly of that power or authority which God gave to Governors and to Kings I doubt not but that will evidently appear being duly and throughly tryed that it is as great an evil to deprive any lawful Governor or King of that authority and power which God alloweth to them by deminishing it as it is a sin and error on the other hand to give to them more power then God doth allow them in his Will revealed in his Word And further it will plainly appear upon due examination That both these are very injurious to the peoples good comfort and safety That is to say it will appear that M. Prynnes advise in deminishing that power and authority due to Governors was both a breach of Gods Law and very injurious to the people God saith expresly Deut. 4.1 2. Hearken O Israel unto the Ordinances and laws which I teach you Vers 2. Ye shall put nothing to the word which I command you neither shall ye take ought therefrom We may not do that which seemeth good in our own eyes but all that God commandeth us We sin as well if we turn to the right hand as if we turn to the left hand if we add or deminish to or from Gods commandements Now let us note M. Prynnes own expressions which are often repeated words to the same effect M. Prynne saith fol. 37. The King hath wholy stript himself his heirs and successors for ever of all that power and interest which his Predecessors alwaies injoyed in the Militia Forces Forts and Navy of England Ireland c. First In this observe That the King did not this willingly but by the seeking and consent of M. Prynne Secondly To be stript wholy for ever of all that power which his Predecessors always injoyed was more then God alloweth For observe well this must needs follow That either all the power which the late King or his Predecessors injoyed was unlawful which could not possibly be except they were usurpers and entered not into the sheep-fold aright at the door c. or else it is evident that Mr. Prynne would have taken from the King that power which God and the people gave yeelded and did acknowledg to be due to all lawful and good Shepheards or Governors that entered by the door into the Sheep-fold in all former times This will appear by record of holy Scripture That Governors were allowed by God and the people Government in those matters of and in which M. Prynne prescribed a way to take from him a power very eminent and considerable The Judges of Israel never claimed nor exercised more power over the people whether it were in War or in Peace whether in those things we distinguish under names of Spiritual or Temporal matters then the King did afterwards for in this matter the Kings took more power Now it is evident That the Judges took and the People willingly gave to the Judges and afterwards to the Kings which succeeded that Power and Authority in many cases which lawful Power M. Prynne laboureth to take away and that in an high degree Now consider that it doth expresly appear if we consider what power God offered to Joshua and the people promised him Recorded Jos 1.16 All that thou commandest us we will do and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go Vers 17. As we obeyed Moses in all things so will we obey thee Secondly God gave to Kings and the people gave to Kings as much power of Government and command as unto the Judges in
presume more then is meet and causeth us to despise many of Gods Saints and little ones that are not thus apparelled with so many humane authorities And I believe it too evidently appeareth that from this very Root is sprung up such a flame of fire that will with much difficulty be quenched God grant it may be quenched 6. My Endeavors are primarily the glory of God and that Peace and Truth may meet and kiss one another To all those that earnestly and heartily desire and endeavor the same namely Gods Glory Peace and Truth I doubt not but that I may safely and boldly say That if they deck themselves inwardly with lowliness of mind let them be but low enough in their own eyes let them but learn of Jesus Christ to be humble and meek a lesson much urged by Moses the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and yet how little do we profit and I doubt not but Gods Name will be much honored many of our brethren will be much edified the weak much strengthned our selves much more approved in the hearts of others and the flame of the fire of hatred and contention will be much abated and thereby we shall possess our own Souls with more peace and Peace and Truth will meet and embrace one another sooner Dear Countrymen and Christian Friends Be not many Masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation Jam. 3.1 As if the Apostle should say Consider that by these contentions we shall receive no profit but much loss Now consider whence come our contentions come they not through pride Yea certainly they do witness the Prophets and Apostles consider That God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble and meek Jam. 4. God will teach the humble his ways Psal 2. Oh Brethren Countrymen and Friends That I could prevail with you in this particular That you would forbear one another and instruct one another and build up and edifie one another in love Let every man esteem other better than himself Let there be no root of bitterness amongst us Psal Wait upon God patiently and he shall bring it to pass thine eyes shall see it and thy heart shall be glad And this I doubt not but that I may safely affirm by the sacred Authority of Gods revealed Will in his Word That if ever thou shalt meet Christ Jesus as thy Husband in his Kingdom to thy comfort thou must come to him as a Bride prepared for her Husband in which preparation this is a principal part namely to be inwardly adorned inriched and furnished with lowliness with humility Pretend what faith in Christ thou wilt or canst whosoever thou art if thou hast not this grace in some good measure thou shalt never meet Jesus Christ to thy comfort Excuse me dear friends if I digress or be large though not large enough in this matter for this is a principal preparation to the way where Peace and Truth dwelleth Time bids me forbear To return to the matter of Mr Prynnes Book in the Book entituled The Sword of Christian Magistracy supported I finde therein many precious sentences alledged or taken from of the Word of God out of the Word of God being the very authority the very writings of the Apostles and Prophets These Scriptures come to me with authority I consent unto them whether they were written before the Coming of Jesus Christ in the Flesh by the Prophets or since the Coming of our blessed Saviour by his Apostles I acknowledg them all and rejoyce to consider the splendor beauty excellency and comfort that is contained in those Scriptures For whether such sentences were written before Christs Coming by the Prophets or since his Coming by the Apostles they were all Gods Ministers his Messengers his Embassadors blessed Messengers God sent them his Word is true and faithful unalterable I consider That God that sent those sentences is not as man variable that is to say of several mindes but is the same yesterday to day and for ever Therefore I hope God will not so far leave me as to refuse the authority of his Word for I had rather my tongue should cleave to the roof of my mouth and that my hand should lose its use then that I should refuse or dislike the Word of God the rule or square of Jerusalem and one of Jerusalems chief joys Within that precious Word is contained all those precious streams that refresh and make glad Jerusalem the City of God God hath magnified his Word above all his Name Psal 138.2 I hope none dare presume to speak any thing to cavil against the Word of God Most of the sentences so alledged by Mr Prynne being the Word of God I do acknowledg and to my understanding they are of moral equity and use I do except against none I have not exactly viewed all I do acknowledg likewise That he hath drawn many necessary Observations and Conclusions from the Scriptures such as I do beleeve are agreeable to the Will of God as they are the truths of God Yet I should humbly desire M. Pryn to review his Labors wherin I do beleeve he may if God help him finde cause to revoke certain matters there in that Book contained Two things in my apprehension are very offensive and sinful First The jeering or deriding men under the names of the Saints or the Brethren Secondly For that it seemeth to me that he doth turn the edg of the Sword against many of those that love and fear God and desire to do his Will In the first leaf in his Epistle directed to the House of Commons I finde him use these expressions To M. Dell and his Independent Saints and the like again is used fol. 2. Mr Dell and some of his Saints and in the same leaf again he expresseth himself thus Saint Lilburn and Saint Overtons And a little further thus The Sectaries and Independent Saints Thus in divers places he reproacheth many under these names of the Saints and the Brethren and such like terms To my understanding this is a just cause of offence First Because this name of Saints and of Brethren are not in themselves evil but they are used and approved of in the Scripture phrases as Deut. 33.2 He came with ten thousands of his Saints Psa 31.32 O love the Lord all ye his Saints Dan. 7.18 The Saints of the most high Mat. 27.52 Many bodies of Saints Rom. 1.7 Called to be Saints And so the name of Brethren Deut. 15.7 33.9 Psa 122.8 For my Brethren and Companions Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren I do beleeve That it is unbeseeming a Christian to call any other Christian or any man Saint by way of reproach We may not play with holy things God giveth this name of Saints and Brethren to his Elect as a Title of honor and respect It cannot be good for any to reproach another with the title or badg or cognizance of his own profession Secondly Because there is
Magistracy Supported because I believe God hath not called me to that work I shall leave the consideration of it to those that God hath appointed to judg The Cases that will come to be tryed in this kind or of this nature are many and differ much according to the Objects and Circumstances and cannot wholy be so determined but that much must be left to the wisdom of the Governors Concerning the death of the late deposed King Mr John Goodwin hath learnedly tryed and determined the justness thereof to my best understanding to whom I should refer the Reader only a word or two I conceive may not be impertinently spoken concerning that matter The first thing that I propound to consideration is this namely Whether that at and before his Tryal for his Life his Judgment and Execution he was properly a King or was deposed from being a King so that in that condition may we not look upon him as one that had been King but for such just cause deposed that to the equity thereof both the Houses of Parliament together with the Army and the Common-wealth consented and were actors therein and consented thereto Doth not this evidently appear if we consider that the Parliament formerly many and several times by publique writing declared That the King was so far a Delinquent that they were forced to disclaim his former authority and to take up Arms against him In the prosecution of Justice they subdued the late King and his party Now in this condition the King remained not being restored to his former Kingship which being considered will it not appear That those that gave sentence against him and those that brought him to his Tryal and did cause Justice to be executed upon him did not take away the life of a King but of one that had been King and hoped so to have been again Secondly I do propound to consideration Whether it be not lawful to desert and to depose Kings and to bring them to punishment for the breach of the Laws of the most high God This I believe appeareth plainly if we first consider That both King and People are all Gods Subjects God is the King of Kings God saith That one Law shall be to all Exod. 12.49 It is to be considered what God gave Joshua in charge Iosh 1.8 Let not this Book of the Law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that then mayst observe and do according to all things that is written therein To this very purpose God speaketh the same matter as the duty of Kings Deut. 17.18 And when he shall sit upon the Throne of his Kingdom then shall he write him this Law repeated in a Book Vers 19. And he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God Vers 20. That he may prolong his days in his Kingdom c. From these places it appeareth That both Ioshua and the Kings were to be subject to Gods Law otherwise God would have left them to their liberties but contrarily God doth directly impose upon them the diligent observation of all his Laws 2. We may note That the breach of Gods Laws were punishable in Kings plainly implyed in these words That it may go well that his days in his Kingdom may be prolonged By this we may plainly see That on the contrary if a King do neglect and transgress Gods Commands then his days in his Kingdom may be shortned The end wherefore God doth expresly charge them to regard the Law importeth plainly that it was to that end that it might be their Rule and Bounds And so likewise if by diligent need to Gods Laws the days of Kings may be prolonged then on the contrary for the neglecting and much more for the grievous breach of Gods Laws their days may be shortned To this purpose we may read That although Ioshua were a man that was placed as Governor over Israel by God himself and although he were so eminent a man for piety a man that had long and constantly walked in the ways of God of whose godliness the people had had long experience yet observe what the people answered to Ioshua in point of their obedience recorded Josh 1.16 Then they answered Joshua saying All that thou hast commanded us we will do c. Vers 17. As we obeyed Moses in all things so will we obey thee only the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses Hence we may observe in these words Only the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses is plainly implyed a conditional subjection in the people as if the people should have said We desire to be excused in case that we do see it appear by those fruits that thou bringest forth that God is departed from thee and that thou forsakest those paths in which God hath commanded us to walk and hath commanded thee to observe in such cases we will be free we do not promise to be obedient to thee This is a plain conditional engagement implyed plainly in those words Only the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses There is no King Emperor or Governor whatsoever but they are included all of them within the Rule of Gods Law that is to be the Rule and Guide of all their Actions the Bounds thereof they may not pass by turning aside either to the right or to the left hand nor by adding to the Commandments of God nor by taking any thing from Gods Commandments Moses was a notable excellent and eminent Example to Governors he observed Gods Laws willingly and circumspectly so did Joshua and all those Judges that were chosen immediately by God Thus David did endeavor to walk in Gods ways and some of the Kings of Israel although they lay under great temptations being lifted up so high in the opinions of the people these all acknowledged the Law of God to be their Rule their Guide and their Bounds For the breach of this Law old Eli was punished with temporal death although in his own person he were circumspect and obedient yet because that he suffered Gods Laws to be violated by his own sons God is so provoked that he taketh away his sons by the sword and the father by an untimely death an eminent pattern for Governors to look upon Governors are leading men their example is more prevalent then others they do more hurt then others by their evil examples therefore great men shall be greatly tormented God spared not Kings that broke and violated his Law Saul though he was chosen to his place by God immediately and therefore was anointed with oyl after an extraordinary manner yet when he went beyond the Bounds of Gods Commandments though it were in offering Sacrifice a matter good in it self yet because it was more then God commanded God cast him out of his place for it If we add to Gods Will revealed in his Word we sin or
them and lay them up let them be put into the treasury of your hearts to be considered of Dearly beloved Fathers I pray you accept favorably of these few following lines wherein I have laboured to present to your godly considerations such a platforme or draught of Government as is drawn from or out of the unblemished and most perfect patterne prescribed and revealed in the sacred Scripture those streight and unerring rules of truth in the discription thereof I have endeavoured without adding or diminishing according to the measure of Grace and strength from God received to present it to you with faithfulnesse These reasons following have moved me to present these following lines to your considerations First aiming at Gods Glory having an especiall respect to the accomplishment of those precious promises foretold by the Prophets Secondly because that I my selfe and my posterity are concerned in the cause Thirdly because that such an opportunity I believe hath not beene offered from the dayes of Samuel to this time considering I look upon you as men that aime principally at the glory of God and not so much at any worldly respects yon knowing and seeing the brittlenesse the uncertainty the mutability and vanity that is to be attained in any worldly comforts compared with those true weighty precious treasures provided promised and reserved for all those that love God believe in him and do unfeinedly desire to doe his Will and Commandements Fourthly I do consider that your actings now and the platforme of Government that you are now considering of is such as is like to concerne posterity It will concerne England Ireland Scotland and our Neighbour Nations they will warily look upon it and it will concerne the Islands in the Indies Barmoedas Virginia New England Newfound Land and other places Consider therefore I pray you with the greatest respect that you have an eye to the patterne of the Sanctuary to those rules and warrantable presidents recorded in Gods revealed Will the holy Scriptures I pray you turne not to the right hand nor to the left hand remember what an expresse charge God gave to Ioshua Chap. 1.8 Let not this Booke of the Law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe and do according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou have good successe I beseech you deare Fathers consult not too much with flesh and blood follow not the many and uncertaine presidents and inventions of men If you keepe close to Gods Rule you shall not err you shall be safe and then shall I and my posterity some of your little children shroud our selves under the protection of your wing with more peace and comfort conceiving our selves by Gods Providence to be secured from the many Wolves and Beares and Lyons that lie in waite to hurt us I have travelled through many difficulties forsaken Wife Children and some worldly comforts that J might present these following lines to your considerations which I would not mention but to this end That it might take some impression in your hearts and cause you advisedly to read and to consider what is contained in these following lines and that so all my labour may not be lost and these matters cast aside as wast paper to that end I pray you not to looke so much at the Garment as at the substance and not so much at the Order or Forme as at the Truth and true Meaning of what J have tendred to you but whatever my successe shall be I know my dependancy and whom I have trusted Dearely beloved Fathers J meane not to exclude my requests from being presented and are intended by me to be tendered to those two worthy Servants of God Sir Thomas Fairfax and Sir Oliver Cromwell being Fathers of this Common-wealth in an eminent manner To them and to the rest of those worthy Governours of this Common-wealth to you all I present my requests and what shall be contained in these following lines Dearely beloved Fathers you have now a great and glorious or precious opportunity put into your hands of Reformation be but Faithfull in this and God will make you Rulers of more and greater Cities of Heavenly places In the meane time till you can settle Government according to your desire I pray you let the administration of Justice come thorough as few hands as with equity you may that so the poore may come at their right with as little difficulty or charge and with as much ease as may be which I do believe you do endeavour I humble request of you likewise that you will take off from the Common-wealth what burdens and taxations you can I pray you be deeply and thoroughly affected with the many sad complaints and sighs of many poore hearts that are under your Government that are of your flock remember what frame of spirit was in that first and godly and eminent patterne of piety namely in holy and humble Moses that blessed man of God he sought the good the ease and the comfort of that people God committed to his government he changed this transitory life and now lives with God and with his blessed Angells to eternity the memory of him is recorded for our learning in Gods Booke of Records and is precious and blessed in all Ages Remember how our blessed Saviour delivered us from those oppressions of sinnes and from Satan and from Death and laid downe his life to redeeme us and all this hee did freely for us when no eye pittied us yea even then when wee were at emnity with him and he was a precious patterne for us to imitate and now hee sitteth in glory and is blessed to all eternity Hee regarded not the momentary trifles of worldly wealth the Foxes had holes and the Birds of the Aire had nests but the Sonne of man had scarcely a place whereon to rest his Head bee mercifull because your Heavenly Father is mercifull I do believe you do earnestly desire and endeavour to take off from the people what burdens you can J do consider that you have very many and great engagements that for the present you cannot avoide Taxations but I hope those occasions will in time convenient be removed so that then I hope you will ease the people what possibly you can I hope God will shew you a way to do it of this I am perswaded that we might be more eased in this matter were it not for the gainsayings and molestations that diverse bring upon us by reason of their irregularities I pray you be mindefull of our Trading and Marchandize to incourage that that so the poore labourer may bee imployed and relieved I cannot but with thankefulnesse acknowledge your great care and charge that you have allready taken in setting out Ships to secure our Marchants at Sea I pray you still continue your watchfulnesse that way because these times are times wherein many ungodly
will cause the fierce wrath of the Lord to break out against us Consider of it we have had the experience of above two thousand years what the fruits of Kings have been search diligently the Records of the sacred Scriptures from Samuel his time to this present day and the Records of all ages How often have the people been tossed to and fro in Religion in War in bloodshed under the Government of Kings the Father of one Religion the Son of another How much War and contention hath there been for to obtain Crowns and Kingdoms Consider of it Was it so under the Government by Judges prescribed by God Did they perswade the people to Idolatry Or contrarily did they not from time to time perswade the people to the true Worship of God Which of the Judges did strive for the Government But contrarily the very first of the Kings did shed much blood having in aspiring mind to obtain the Crown c. Search the Book of the Judges concerning Abimelech and his fruits Country-men beloved Consider of it I am perswaded That if such experiences such admonitions such warning as God hath given us recorded in the Scriptures and from our own and other Nations if these will not prevail though Abraham should send one to us from the dead it would not prevail One admonition more I desire we may remember God saith to Israel They were full and fat they would not serve the Lord in their own Land in the abundance of all things they would not observe Gods Law and Covenant without addition or diminution they would follow their own inventions Therefore saith the Lord they should serve their Enemies in hunger cold and nakedness in the want of all things and in a strange Land Consider dearly beloved That from the excellency of Government doth arise the happiness and blessedness of the Saints in the Kingdom of Heaven I pray you therefore let us set a high price upon Government Let us proceed warily in matter of Government let us enquire of God let us follow the purest the most clear and evident presidents and prescriptions without turning to the right or left hand let us enquire for the old and good ways prescribed owned and blessed by God himself against this there can be no just exception And it may be God will see and regard us and remember the riches of his own compassion of his own precious promises Isai 1.26 God will restore which argueth they then were not in being Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning then shall we be called a City of Righteousness a faithful City I might multiply Testimonies the Scripture is obvious and copious but time bids me forbear Therefore I go on to consider a little more particularly Kings concerning whom the most high and wise God did both see and know what and when the first King should be and how long the continuance of the Government of Kings should continue and when their Kingdoms should be finished of this I doubt not now the end of Kings and all other afflictions work together for the glory of God and the good of Gods Elect and I doubt not but that God would use some Kings as instruments in some particulars to be helpful to his Church and People Object Some and too many use this as an argument That Kings were good for Gods Church and People for say they did not God make Promises to Kings of good things and were not some Kings good instruments in some things to promote Gods glory Did not Solomon build a Temple to the name of the Lord c. Ans One instance consider Adam our great Grandfather after he had broken Gods Commandment and eaten the forbidden fruit after this and presently upon the occasion of what came to pass by reason of his transgression God out of his bounty and goodness maketh a Promise of great worth to Adam and to his posterity namely That the seed of the woman should breaks the serpents head Consider now would it be safe or sound arguing to argue thus Adam did well because God in mercy gave him a precious promise No verily Or would it be safe to say That we some of his posterity may follow his steps in sinning because that he obtained a precious promise No verily because we are first to have respect to Gods Covenant to his Law And also we are to consider That the root from whence this promise sprung was not from or because God was pleased with or approved of Adams transgression but the Promise sprung out of Gods abundant and rich mercy and free grace From the premised respects and considerations I gather and conclude That those gracious promises or acts wherein God used Kings as instruments or actors in some good things these do neither approve of the Government by Kings nor do they prove that the institution of Kings was approved by God and much less do they prove That the Government by Kings was of equal goodness with the Government by Judges in which the Word of God is plain and evident That God prescribed owned and blessed the Government by Judges And contrarily the Word of God is plain evident and copious That God did not allow of the Government by Kings but did expresly disapprove of that form of Government by Kings and to this we may add the experience of the fruits of Kings to this very day Object Some do use this argument to strengthen the continuance of Kings namely That God did fore-tell that Kings should be and some Kings God did himself appoint Ans God did fore-tell that Israel would kick with their feet and slight his Commandments God did fore-tell that the people would reap bitter fruits from Kings This doth not shew that God did allow or approve either of the one or of the other God did appoint some Kings immediately shewing that in this way if the people had kept close to God and have gone no further backward from his Rules and Directions then it should have been better and safer for the People it was too much to alter the forme prescribed by God but it was an addition to and aggravation of this sinne when they slighted God and did not enquire of God who should be the man that should be their King from time to time When they followed the Rule and made him King whom the Lord did chuse it may be noted that God chose Saul immediately by lot wherin we may note that although God were angry yet hee tooke thus much care for the People that God let Saul rightfully raigne no longer as King but so long as hee walked in Gods wayes and during that time God gave Saul some portion of his good Spirit or a spirit which made him sutable in some proportion to govern his People as appeareth 1 Sam. 10.9 God gave Saul another hearts and all those tokens came to passe c. And when Saul departed from God and forsooke his Law wee may
the death of Gods Priests 1 Sam. 22.19 And Nob the City of the Priests smote he with the edg of the sword both man and woman both childe and suckling both Ox and Ass and sheep with the edg of the sword and Davids life which he earnestly sought Witness his unjust molestation of the People whom he forced from their own dwellings to pursue an innocent and good man These were some of the first fruits of their Kings more followed afterwards But thus it was not the practise of these Judges in the first and purest Times But further we may note That this man Moses and his successors to the days of Samuel such as God instituted I do not mean such as crept in at the windows and in by-paths not in the way God instituted but Moses and the rest of his successors to Samuel we read much recorded concerning their vertues their pains and diligence but we do not read that they addicted themselves to gather great Estates to leave to their children and such as they had fleeced from their brethren the People unjustly nor do we read much of their banqueting houses nor of their sumptuous palaces nor of their numerous servants nor of their hunting and hawking nor of their excerable swearing and blaspheming the great and glorious Name of the Lord nor of their Prerogatives Royal to overtop and annihilate Gods Commandments and to seize upon the wracks of poor distressed Merchants and Seamen which suffered shipwrack upon their borders a custom I beleeve hateful and abominable in the eyes of the Lord and directly in opposition to his Commands who commandeth us to help and relieve the oppressed and afflicted and not to strive to add to their afflictions by taking away that little that God had otherwise spared to them I heard of one ship since my arrival that the people seeing themselves in danger forsook the ship yet after this ship was so brought to the shore that much of the loading being rich and of value was saved from the violence of the Sea but not returned to the Owners that I could yet learn I humbly entreat you that are our Governors make diligent enquiry that no more such crying sins be commited lest it bring upon us the fierce wrath of the Lord. But to return Neither are these Judges noted to keep a company about them of swearers or other vicious persons such as I here name not but such as your ears have heard of and such as God abominateth These Judges in these first and purest Times were humble faithful watchful and pious men men whose acts are recorded by Gods direction to all generations that they might be examples to follow O Lord shall we ever live to see those or such as those Governors that were in those first and purest times Hast thou given us hope of such a Reformation Blessed be thy Name I beleeve thou hast promised that we shall have Judges as at the first and Counsellers as at the beginning then shall we be called a City of righteousness a faithful City Having spoken thus much although it be very much less then the scripture recordeth for our learning touching the qualifications virtues of these Judges in these first and purest times wherein God did the most eminently and the most immediatly appoint and prescribe Government and Governors to and for his Church and peculiarly chosen people Israel I shall now endeavor to propound to consideration according to the measure of grace received to draw out of Gods sacred Word what finde there recorded concerning the principal Governors and other Governors distributed in several administrations and also their power and limitations and also the entrance of them into their places I finde That God in his divine wisdom saw it meet for his Church and chosen and peculiar people to ordain institute and appoint one chief Judg and not many Thus it appeareth in the book of Exodus and in the records of Joshua of all the Judges and in the book of the Kings that one chief Judg had the charge for although Judah and Israel were divided it is there to be noted that afterwards they became as two distinct and differenced Governments and also we note that this was not so in those first and purest times wherein God did the most immediately and clearly appoint Government And also we may observe That this division did not strengthen them nor did it turn to their peace and welfare as afterwards appeared and is recorded in the Books of the Kings and Chronicles For although God suffered it to be so yet we may also consider That God suffereth and bringeth upon the people for their sins many tryals and afflictions which yet God knoweth how to make use of for his own glory This people would not keep within the bounds of Gods first institutions therefore God causeth them to see the difference of Government to see the difference between his prescriptions and institutions and their own inventions and also that God might shew the fruits of such irregular proceedings to us that should come in these latter times Whatsoever was written was written for our learning Considering this I dare not turn aside from Gods Commandments in those first and purest times wherein God appointed that there should be one Governor and but one as chief And that this is the best way of Government most for Gods glory and the peoples good these Reasons guide me thereunto First Because God in his wisdom did see meet that it should be so witness the immediate pattern God gave to the people Moses Joshua Gideon Samuel and the rest Secondly Because this is the pattern of that glorious Government in Heaven one God distinguished but not divided in three persons which governeth over all God inviteth us to be like to himself and seteth forth himself for us to imitate Be ye holy for I am holy saith the Lord a place well known From hence I conclude That that Government is best that is most like most conformable to Gods Government in Heaven Thirdly We know that Forces united are strongest and occasion less difference and discord We may see in the Records of our own Nation the many Troubles Wars and Discords that many several Governments brought forth and produced If men should commit the constant Government of a Land into many hands of equal authority call them by what names you will would not this be the issue and fruits thereof First They should turn from the first and most pure way prescribed by God which God forbid And also would not such Governors be themselves over burthened with business and would not the People be worn away wearied and oppressed thereby It was Jethroes counsel to Moses and the Lord allowed or approved of it namely that there is recorded Exo. 18.18 Thou both weariest thy self and this people that is with thee Vers 21. Provide thou among all the people men of courage fearing God men dealing truly and haâ—ing covetousness