valued at a high price Now to the end that we may more deeply imprint this in our affections and that we may never forget the great good and benefit of good Government it behoves us to consider what should be the Reason that God permitteth such corrupt Governors to be in the world It is not because God wants either Power Wisdom or Will to do us good for as a father pitieth his children so and much more is our Gods favor toward us And as the Heavens are higher then the Earth so is his Mercy c. God is of great bounty abundant in goodness rich in mercy If it be so as it is certainly so then we may learn this That the cause why God suffereth us to err in this matter of Government is for his Glory and for our learning for our good Good things are best seen to be good by their contraries The benefit of light is best discerned when we have been in darkness The absence of the Sun and cold in Winter causeth us to value the benefit of his nearer presence in the Summer The full loatheth the hony-comb but to the hungry bitter things seem sweet When God brought Jsrael out of Egypt he could have brought them to Canaan a nearer way God seeth it meet that we must sow in tears before we reap in joy God placed Adam our Grandfather in happiness he valued an apple at a higher price then Gods favor therefore God made him to know sorrow that seeing the difference he might be more wary afterwards and value better things according to their worth Israel was Gods first born Son and God bestowed this favor not to be enough valued upon them namely this That he did immediately appoint the persons that should govern them But Israel were full and fat they were wanton and slighted Gods mercy in this matter Therefore God suffered them to reap the fruit of their inventions They disliked that form of Government which God had prescribed which God had owned and blessed They would alter that form of Government appointed by God namely that of Judges and they would have a King Against this form of Government by Kings God expresly declared his dislike for here note it was not about the person but about the form of Government the difference lay directly between Government by Judges and Government by Kings They were at the first content that God should choose the person and to make him King who the Lord their God chose But after they fell more grosly they chose Kings themselves without enquiring of God as I purpose if God will to shew afterwards Well consider we of it God gave them a King in his wrath c. Note well what God saith Deut. 28.47 48. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with a good heart for the abundance of all things Therefore thou shalt serve thy enemies in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in need of all things and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck c. Beloved friends Let us not cast away our Reason that noble faculty of our Souls consider that both they and we have had a long and large experience of the difference between Judges and Kings Compare those Judges of Israel before Kings were with those Kings that were after them Consider this That of or amongst those Judges immediately appointed by God from Moses to Samuel there was not one of them but were blessed by God his good Spirit helped them to judg righteously Secondly God made them a blessing to the People they did not addict themselves to voluptuous pleasure nor to build stately Palaces not to idolatrous wives not to many wives not to voluptuous diet or much wine not to multiplicity of attendants not to Plays Pastimes Hawking and Hunting not to Oppression of their Brethren not to idleness not to swearing profaneness They did not nourish and promote and put great Titles of Honor upon men and keep company with such most familiarly which openly and often blasphemed and despised God the most high God by swearing revelling whoring and what not profaneness nor did those blessed Judges neglect the due administration of Justice and Judgment Quest But what did these Judges then What manner of persons were they Ans First Note that God sent them they came into the sheepfold by the door by Gods appointment they did not creep slighly in by beauty friends eloquence mony indiscreet Elections of the people not by any unjust fraud or force Hence it came to pass that God blessed them with a good portion of his good and blessed Spirit God owned them Hence it came to pass likewise That the sheep owned them and willingly obeyed their voyce and followed them in the paths of righteousness These Judges likewise loved the People see how Moses intercedes and pleads with God by prayer and supplication for them Oh it is a precious benefit to people to enjoy godly Governours These Judges were humble meek painfull they did not swell with conceit that their veins were full of Royal bloud For they still acknowledg the people to be their brethren It 's said of Moses when Jethro came to see him that he judged the people from morning to evening And afterwards his burthen or charge was not laid aside by Jethro's counsel only it was eased It is said of Samuel That besides the pains he took where he dwelt in judging the people he likewise went about and judged the people in other places year by year Now dear friends concerning the fruits that came by Kings I appeal to God to his sacred word to the Records to the Chronicles to the experience both of our own and other Nations whether Kings have been to be compared with those Judges have not Kings been addicted to those vices and very empty of such graces as were requisite for men in such eminent places For though some may cavil and object that some Kings were good I shall if God permit and assist answer I hope to satisfaction both this and all other objections that I have yet heard of and can remember that tend to confirm and strengthen the continuance and beings of Kings amongst us Because I judge that from evident grounds plainly laid down in the sacred Scriptures the word of God the most true and the most unerring rule to direct us Kings were neither the first nor the best way of Government Consider likewise those precious promises of God who hath not left us without hope for the word of God seemeth to me plainly to declare and shew that in these last days which days and times I believe to be these verytimes or times very near approaching as by the opinion of many Godly and learned men in which God will destroy corrupt Government and Governors and will exalt his mountain in the top of the Mountains and will give and restore to us Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning
Afterwards thou shalt be called a City of righteousness a faithful City Isai 1.25 26 27. ch 2.2 3 4. Of this I purpose to speak more afterwards Dearly beloved friends thus much I can and do affirm to you all in the presence of that all-seeing â—od who will bring hidden things deeds of darkness to light even in the presence of that God who I do Love Fear Worship who is my Hope my Joy from whom I received all the Good I have from whom I expect my comfort for the time to come I have not so far as I know my own heart any prejudice nor respect of persons nor any past present or future by or sinister respect in the writing this little Treatise I have never received the value of one penny in recompence of my endeavors and for the time to come I am so far from thoughts that way That I do expect rather that I shall receive injury hereby and that this may be a great hinderance to me in wordly respects only this is my comfort That I know whom I have trusted And this further can I say likewise That at the writing hereof I know not nor did ever see either those truly honourable Generals the Lord Fairfax nor the Lord Cromwel nor any Captain or Souldier amongst them except some few I lately saw in or neer to London as I passed by them nor do I know any one of them if I see them again so far as I conceive It is possible some of my acquaintance may be in the Army but if it be so I know it not And concerning those worthy men for so I esteem them to be that now sit in the Parliament I never saw any one of them to my knowledg except one who I have seen I think three or four times yet I know not certainly whether he be of the Parliament or no only I think he is Whereas I affirm that I know not any of the Army or of the Parliament I intend that I know not the persons of the men but by their fruits I know much concerning them Some may judge this to be superfluous to mention but I shall shew you what moveth me so to do In discoursing with divers men I find to my best apprehension That there is such a crooked and perverse generation of men that imagine mischief that invent base false and slanderous reports against Parliament Generals Army and indeed against the most that truly fear God Blame me not therefore courteous Reader if I labour to prevent slanderous and lying Tongues And this likewise I affirm That with due regard of Gods presence in the fear of God being much sensible of my own weakness seriously considering of how great weight it is to write books and to present them to publique view I am very fearful to presume above what is meet and this I say further that my purpose is to propound the matters and causes I shall principally insist upon in this following Treatise I purpose likewise according to the measure of light grace and opportunity that God shall give me to prove and clear the matters propounded and then having presented the cause I shall earnestly desire of God to stir some persons who are more learned and better able then my self and to enable and direct them so That they may more largely and clearly shew forth to publique view the mind of God in these matters of Government and Governors It is now a long season that the Nations have been so kept under by Corrupt Governors above two thousand years during which time where or who was the man that durst or did punctually discover the Corruption of Governors or of Government 1. This is one reason that moveth me to present the cause to publike view namely because I know not or do not discern that any one writer from Samuels days to this time the pens of the Scriptures excepted that hath punctually written upon this subject 2. This is another moving cause because now being a time of more Liberty and considering that I my children and posterity are concerned in the case of Government I conceive there is reason good why I should present this cause to publike consideration 3. This is another motive I look upon the great effusion of bloud that hath been shed about this matter the cause for ought I know being not yet wholy determined but is still so that I conceive that our godly Governors are ready to prefer Gods glory and the common good before their own interests in those matters that they shall clearly see to be the mind and will of God 4. This is another motive seeing apparently our miserable condition people being divided in judgment and in affection so that our condition is much like a ship in a Tempest Therefore the end of my endeavors shall be so far as God shall assist that I may reconcile differences and that Peace and Truth may meet together as Moses and Aaron met together in the mount of God and kissed each other And as this is the end I propound to my self so likewise I purpose it shall be the Title or Superscription Dearly beloved friends all you that love and fear the Lord all you that have obtained like precious faith I earnestly intreat you to assist me in this work with your prayers with your most best uttermost and strongest abilities Contend for the truth in love but strive not lust not to be contentious Reject not that Truth that Good wholy which is accompanied with some blemishes Men cast not away a good garment because of a little dirt Consider the great differences and troubles about Governors and Government Therefore I humbly request thee to weigh try prove examine search the Scripture cleave to the Truth Seek the favour of God with more then ordinary prayer That the good holy Spirit of God may lead thee into truth For it is evident that many unclean Spirits many false and lying Spirits are permitted to deceive many in these our days This point of Government is of great concernment if God help us to discern the good and right way prescribed practised owned and blessed by God to chuse persons so that God may be said to chuse for us to shut up all windows and by-ways that so Wolves Foxes and beasts of prey may be kept from the Sheep If God help us to discern the way the true and right way and in that way to set open the door that the good and true Shepherds may enter whose fruits will soon discover them to be good and true Shepherds for they will love the flock they will watch over them not for the fleece mostly but to defend them from beasts of prey These good Shepherds will seek the comfort of the Flock they will drive them to the wholesom pastures and to the still waters where they may be refreshed where they may bless the name of the Lord and lie down without fear for true love casteth out fear and
spring forth it causeth the Corn to grow whereby man is nourished Now consider whence or how this creature the Sun is so wonderfully and excellently made is it not from the wisdom and excellency of the most high God that made it and governeth it Now let us but consider That if God should but with-hold his hand if God should but withdraw himself his wisdom his power his faithfulness his skill for want of such a Work-master these glorious works of God would be confused and fail This sheweth that there is a necessity for the well-being of matters of great consequence especially such as are the Governments over and amongst men that the Governors be chosen men we cannot be too circumspect what Governors we do receive and that they be men chosen of God c. If we err in this Governor we shall finde that great trouble will follow Consider likewise the Stars of Heaven which although they are to us innumerable yet every Star hath his proper place they go their appointed journeys and courses which they keep without jarring or alteration performing those operations to them appointed Consider likewise the Tydes how they do ebb and flow keeping within the limits of time and proportion Thus far they flow and so return in their due and appointed seasons And doth not this come to pass from the excellency and perfection of that God that created and is the Governor of them Consider likewise amongst men in every great and useful work if the guide and governor of the work be skilful and able doth not the work committed to him prosper proportionably On the contrary if a foolish man a disordered person have the government in chief of such matters are they not likely to fail and be confused Consider likewise in a Ship when the Master is godly wise skilful and able is not the Voyage by him likely to come to good issue But on the contrary if a foolish disordered unjust man be the Master is not the undertaking endangered if not overthrown And is not this matter namely the Government of a Common-wealth to be looked upon with as much regard Ought not men to be very heedful and circumspect who and what manner of persons they accept to govern them Doth not this matter immediately concern Gods glory Doth it not concern the good and comfort of our Souls of our Bodies of our Estates and of our Children Yes certainly the matter is of great concernment And yet are we not to lament this namely That men oft rush upon the chusing of Governors as the horse into the battel with too little fear or wit Men are too much of these tempers First Either they will admit of no Government whence springeth misery confusion and every evil work by this means some say as Pharaoh said to Moses Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should hear his voyce and let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Thus will it be with many who acknowledg none to be their Rulers And some David speaketh of Psal 12.4 who say in their hearts Our tongues are our own who is Lord over us These men know not what they do they desire that which would assuredly make them miserable But of this in another place if God will Or secondly Others they desire to have Government but they consider not of how great concernment Government is of Hence it comes to pass that like the people in Samuels time men will have a King they will have a Governor not duly weighing and considering what maner of Governor they desire whether he be godly or ungodly whether he be wise or foolish whether he be a man sent of God or a man of their own inordinate desires whether he come in to be the true Shepherd by the door of Gods Word according to the rule there prescribed or whether he come in at the window or creep in some other way by friends beauty riches eloquence fraud flattery Thus lamentable experience teacheth us hath been the practise of the People and Nations from the time of Samuel to this day too often Hence it cometh to pass that so many Wolves enter into the sheep-fold who miserably devour persecute destroy the sheep The consideration of these miseries which arise from and attend upon those people that have wolves in sheeps clothing instead of true Shepherds occasions us to search and enquire what may be the true ground or fountain whence this evil springeth There are two main and principal Causes which occasioned God to suffer Jsrael to be so misled so seduced so deceived so afflicted The one Reason was Because the people slighted dis-esteemed and undervalued this pearl of great price namely to have God to be their King and to have him immediately to choose their Governors for them The second Reason was Because the people did not diligently observe and cleave to the Commandments of God but instead thereof they followed their own inventions And if we shall warily consider what the cause hath been and is why the People and Nations have done and do so miscarry in their Governments it ariseth from these two fore-named Grounds namely the slighting Gods Mercies and departing from prescribed Rules For the first of these read Deut. 6.11 to 16. where God admonisheth them to take heed and to beware lest when they had abundance when they had eaten and were full that they did not then slight disesteem or forget God Reason God gave them in this admonition as namely because vers 12. God brought them out of Egypt out of a low condition vers 15. and because God was a jealous God among them and lest the wrath of God were kindled against them to destroy them Notwithstanding those and many other Exhortations and Cautions which the Lord from time to time laid before them to warn them yet they soon and often turned aside from God the Fountain of living water and digged to themselves broken Cisterns that would not hold good water And touching the second namely their departing from the Rules prescribed Moses did often admonish them as in this Chapter vers 16. Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God c. Vers 17. But you shall keep diligently the Commandments of the Lord your God and his Testimonies and his Ordinances c. Dearly beloved this is very apparent That Government is of very great concernment Therefore it is to be prized at a great value We ought with great diligence to seek and to search the Scriptures that so we may find the right and pure way prescribed owned and blessed by God for the choice of our Governors By this means we shall obtain a blessing from God we shall have true Shepherds we shall discover wolves in sheeps clothing who slily creep in to devour and to destroy If God so often willeth us to take heed to keep all his Commands then certainly this which is of so great concernment is not to be slighted but
so rest in peace because a good Shepherd is their watchman Was not this the very foundation and cause that David Ps 23. found such great comfort and refreshment namely from his Shepherd Dear Friends if God help us to obtain good Shepherds good Governors our strife will end our differences will be composed Corrupt Opinions on the one hand and desperate Blasphemy and Profaneness on the other hand will vanish as smoak before the winde The very presence of Moses destroyed the profaneness of Idolatrous Worship Dear Christian Friends if God help us in this matter then shall peace and truth meet together and as Moses and Aaron they shall kiss one another in the Mount of God Then shall we well provide for the comfort of our children and for their posterity Then shall the generations to come have cause to bless us Then shall the Name of the Lord be praised with joyful hearts Then shall the Lord bless us and we shall be blessed I shall endeavor to write in this ensuing Treatise without partiality without turning to the right or to the left hand without respect of persons further then in a way of righteousness accept of this my mite And let those men who have received more abilities and opportunity put more into the Treasury Dear Friends and Country-men I dare not say that for your sakes I could be content to have my name blotted out of the Book of Life Nor with Paul That for this cause I could be content to be a cast-away from the presence of God for ever For the thought of that would be more bitter then death But this I do say That so far as I know my own heart provided that the loss of my temporal life would be the means to procure this happiness to you namely that you might possess Judges as the first and Counsellors as at the beginning I could be content to lay down this temporal life that for a little season I do here enjoy Beloved Friends I considering that there is so great a distance at this time between Opinions but more especially there is a greater difference between the affections of many I shall desire leave of the courteous Reader that without offence I may propound some other matters to consideration My ends therein are that I may extinguish that heat if not wholly yet in some measure that is burning or smothering in the hearts of many For otherwise these will lie as a block or as a bar in the way to hinder that peace and truth should not meet together I remember Jacob his example herein he being intended and desirous to be reconciled to his brother Esau who had determined or threatned his death He labors to prevent and pacifie his brothers anger by sending presents and soft answers good words before him Such gifts as I have I offer to you Silver and Gold I have but little I desire that I may finde the like acceptance that Jacob did The first and great hinderance that I find laid in the way to hinder Peace and Truth from meeting together is the death of the late King the removing of divers Lords and some others from their present Being or acting as Members of that Court and the pretended wilful breach of a former Covenant I am not desirous to call back those things that are done and past I am not desirous to take abroad those imbers in which wherein hath been or may be contained coals of fire that might or may kindle such fâ—â—â—es as are not easily quenched It is better for peace sake to suffer some yea much wrong then to endeavor to right our selves in such a way as may turn to far greater loss Our Saviour counselleth us rather to suffer wrong then to contend in Law and rather to lose our garment then to contend too earnestly for it In those things wherein sin is committed by others and we no actors nor consenters in it we may in some cases especially then when by seeking revenge we may plunge and throw our selves â—â—to greater dangers and temptations in such cases we may wait patiently and commit those cases to God that judgeth righteously Sin shall slay the wicked doer and God will bring down the evil and the deceitful men He that riseth up to right another mans cause must look well to his own calling and abilities Did not these lie as a bar in the way to hinder Peace and Truth from meeting I should be silent and commit the matter to him that judgeth righteously and so I desire to do I shall not use here any carnal weapons onely make some use of Truth so well as I am able that thereby we may find the way to Peace And first touching the late Kings death consider that we cannot recall that What then Are you resolved to set up the eldest Son upon the Throne of his Father Consider well of it Can you tell whether he will prove wise or foolish Can you tell whether he will care for the Flock Can you tell whether he will love or hate the Flock Can you tell whether you should obtain your desires or whether that the pursuance thereof may not be a means to ruine your selves and many others that desire to live in peace Are you nevertheless resolved to have such a Watchman such a Shepherd Will you expect grapes from thorns I have indeed to my sorrow heard this with my ears lately spoken That if a Turk or any other as bad almost should come hither and contend for the Government there would be a great party for him Oh horrible impiety that men should so far be transported beyond the bounds of Reason and Religion Indeed there is a generation too apparent that by their works by their swearing and prophaneness and hatred of those that love and fear the Lord declare evidently that they are Gods enemies It is therefore not to be wondred that God should give them over to strong delusions to believe lies What if Gods Word declare evidently That the Government by Judges be better more agreeable to his mind more useful and more comfortable to us will you nevertheless have a King consider of it Friends Countrymen Beloved I have no prejudice against a King but this I say I honour love worship and desire to cleave to the Precepts and Commandments of him that is the King of Kings of him who gave me life and is able to raise me up to life when this span of time is past when the King of Terrors hath done his utmost spite I was no actor in the Kings death I had taken a great journey above four years before the death of the King and was many hundreds of miles distant from this Land and returned hither very lately I speak therefore the more freely with more liberty I have endeavored with the greatest care I could to weigh mens words and passages in the ballance of the Sanctuary and I find many that speak loosely carelesly and many more prophanely Is
others and hate them without just cause it cometh to pass oft-times that God doth turn these slanders and unjust reproaches into blessings Balak sent for Balaam to detest Jacob and to curse Israel But God turned that curse intended into a blessing Numb 23.8 How shall I curse where God hath not cursed Vers 24. Behold the People shall rise up as a Lion he shall not lie down till he eat of the prey and till he drink the blood of the slain c. Numb 24.5 How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Habitations O Israel Vers 6. As the valleys are they stretched forth as the gardens by the rivers sides as the Aloe-tree which the Lord hath planted as the Cedars besides the waters Vers 9. Blessed be he that blesseth thee c. These things I desire may be well noted and weighed In this matter first Hath not God in the sight of all the world turned this imprecation into a blessing For God hath been so far from destroying that Army that on the contrary God hath destroyed their Enemies and preserved them Note secondly That this imputation was unjustly layd upon this Army namely that they delighted in War For this I do undoubtedly beleeve That the Generals and chief of the Army and many others were so far from delighting in War that it was their grief that they could not finde the way to true Peace without War God is the Searcher of all hearts and he hath shewn and will shew who those blood-thirsty men are there meant by David Thirdly Note That it is evident if we consider the substance of Mr Prynnes speech in the latter part especially that the Officers of the Army were rendred odious by Mr Prynne in the face of the Parliment publiquely in so much that he saith That they sought the destruction of the Common-wealth This could not be hid from the Army Dearly beloved Country-men Do by them as you would be dealt withall had you been in their places judg righteously Consider that this Army hazarded their lives and many lost their Lives amongst them of their dear Friends in defence of the Parliament and Common-wealth There was now but a step between them and death For may not any rational man see plainly That they being at the time being rendered odious and Enemies to the Common-wealth by Mr William Prynne in a publique way What wanted then to bring them to destruction Onely this in a rational way wanted That the King might be made their Head and Governor and by that means who is so blinde that doth not see that the Kings helpers in time of his Troubles should have been exalted and made their Judges The Army themselves were to be disbanded that Mr Prynne seeketh in his speech to effect and without controversie it had been disbanded had not God shewed the Army the danger and the snare that they were in and withall if God had not given to the General and to the Army an undaunted courage and if the blessing of God had not gone along with them they had been destroyed For as touching the Kings party of them of their former mercies or cruelties rather the Army had had experience too much for to trust them upon such slight pretences Consider now deal unpartially would not you if it were your case rather your enemies and Gods enemies and the countries enemies should perish rather then your selves and many others Well had the Army sate still till they had been destroyed we might have lamented over their and our miseries in Davids language 2 Sam. 3.33 Thus dyed Abner as a fool dyeth Vers 34. Thine hands were not bound nor thy feet tyed in fetters of Brasse But here I end with this Scripture hoping that God may one day shew M. Prynn cause to revoke this imprecation In the mean time he may evidently see that it is turned to a blessing Concerning M. Pryns Speech I could answer to the particulars but considering the straitness of present time and likewise considering that if I should be long some of his papers might be read of too many Therefore I observe Davids counsel in another case who desiring to cover Sauls death and Jonathans desired That it might not be told in Gath nor published in the Gates of Askelon least it caused the daughters of the Philistines to rejoyce I shall therefore endeavor to bind up his answer fast together his Speech may be divided into two parts viz. In the first I find many witty and ingenious contrivances fine twined threds or to give them a term more suitable to his intentions let them be taken for such cords as the Philistines used to bind Sampson with Therefore we shall let them pass under this name M. Prynns new inventions to binde the King and secure the Common-wealth to be in a firm lasting peace c. and future felicity The Second part may be considered under this notion M. Prynns endeavour to render the Army odious and enemies to the Common-wealth I do hope and believe that M. Prynne his aims and intendments were real for to obtain Peace and Safety But I believe that he was mistaken and erred from the pattern shew'd in Gods revealed will very far When I looked well upon M. Prynn his Speech with what learning wit and eloquence it is contrived considering his parts It occasioned me to remember Pauls speech 1 Cor. 1.27 28. Thus â—xpressed God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty Vers 28. And vile things of the world and things which are despised and things which are not hath God chosen to bring to naught things that are Our blessed Saviour sheweth us a reason of this Math. 11.25 I give thee thanks O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of understanding and hast opened them to babes Vers 26. It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such In our times it is not to be much marvelled at that wise men come short when we consider of former times the children of Israel were very apt to break sleight and neglect Gods commandements and to prefer their own inventions Was it not strange that they should forsake that Fountain of living Waters that great God Jehovah of whose Faithfulness Wisedome Power Goodness Long-suffering They had had such large experience of Yet search the Scriptures and you may see many instances how they distrusted God how they forsook God murmured complained despised and provoked God from time to time Was it not to be admired that they should forsake God and set up a golden Calf in Moses his absence Was it not to be admired That having had such experience of Gods Providence and Blessing under the Government of those Humble Wise Faithful Judges or Governors being such men as entred into their Offices by the immediate and prescribed will of God from Moses to Samuel Under
that act of the peoples as appeareth 1 Kings 12.24 Thus saith the Lord Ye shall not go up nor fight against your brethren for this thing is done by me The peoples sin lay in another way They enquired not of the Lord who should govern them therein lay their evil From that root sprung up their error and this error was the very cause I do undoubtedly believe that they had so many corrupt Governors that ruled over them It may evidently be seen that men usually run into extreams and all is because they are not circumspect in following Gods Commandments they depart from the Rule Now dearly beloved Countrymen I judg it will be seasonable because such precious liberties are not usual to consider a little what our condition is and what we are and in what relation we do truly stand according to the true Rule of Gods sacred Word the most blessed and unerring Rule of Truth God in great rich and singular mercy undeserved by us hath put a great difference between us and the beasts of the field and between us and these sensless creatures lands houses and such earthly inheritances How cometh it then to pass That when a King dyeth the breath is scarcely out of his body or his body quite cold there is such post-haste such running and riding to proclaim one King in his room what is the matter of such great haste surely there is something in it Do they not take us as young heirs take their fathers inheritance as beasts lands houses This maketh me to consider sometimes the manner and actings of such men of War as do live upon the labours of honest and true men they when they espy a prey presently up top-sail top gallant sails and all the sails it were oft-times better for the true honest and plain-dealing men that they should make less haste observe it well your honest Merchant men make less speed to pursue after others because they mind their own Surely Moses that godly man made no such haste nor did the good Iudges of Israel they stayed till they were called by God Certainly I should note it to be the Character of a good Shepherd or Governor when they do first consider the great weight and concernment for Gods glory and for the peoples good that Government is of certainly if it be heartily and duly considered there is not just cause for so great haste Moses and Gideon and the rest considered the great weight for saith Moses My abilities are but weak and Gideon said he was but mean in his own esteem for such a work it is like they considered That except God did in an extraordinary manner promise to assist them with his blessed Spirit they should be insufficient for so weighty employments Indeed if any look at their own glory and ease and worldly riches it is no marvel then if such make speed but consider that if any want Gods blessed Spirit into what a truly miserable condition do they plunge both themselves and those poor people that must be judged preserved and protected by them I do confess I see no such cause of haste when matters are truly considered of There will or would be less bloodshed and more peace if men were truly consciencious of their duties Crowns would be of less esteem It is well to be noted That in the first and purest times God owned and blessed the people as his proper and peculiar inheritance and so carryed himself to them for Moses had children yet God so honoured and loved the people that he did not leave them the people to the Judges as their inheritance although the Judges were blessed Judges but did keep them as his own inheritance and so provided men whose inward affections he knew and God did immediately appoint Judges himself for them and those God blessed with his good Spirit all of them such did not claim the people as their inheritance and so leave them as beasts lands or houses to their children this continued all the time of the Judges But when the people preferred their own inventions before the wisdom of God and would be governed by a King and so cast off God from raigning over them then a declining people and a forsaking God Not long after God made David a promise That some of his posterity should hold the people as their inheritance in some proportion Government went then by Succession But consider now beloved Countrymen That there is no King upon Earth hath such a promise as David had now the partition wall is broken down God is reconciled if we believe therefore for any King now to claim Government by Succession they must shew some Charter some gift from God for it for my part I have searched the sacred Records of Gods Will revealed and in all the Word of God I can see no such Scripture if they can shew any hidden light let it be shewn that I may see it too but till then I shall conceive that we Believers are Gods inheritance and God by my consent shall be our King and appoint our Governors in his own way and then I am sure this people I and my posterity may rest in secure peace for then God will not fail to bless such Governors with his good and blessed Spirit Beloved Countrymen GOD hath preferred us in honor above beasts or lands and shall we like those asses beasts prostrate our selves to such a servile condition Object But suppose a King can say His forefathers obtained the Kingdom by the Sword by Conquest Answ I look upon that as the worst and meanest title of all For our Indians that know not God can shew such a title for their unjust encroachments upon other mens Lives and Estates And consider That that man that possesseth but the Goods or Lands of another mans by violence shall hold that no longer then till the other man hath power to take them again but we acknowledg a God and his Word must be our guide But further consider That suppose that we should grant to a King as good a title to Government as Moses Joshua Saul had who were men immediately appointed by God which no King I beleeve can shew the like yet these could not rightfully claim the people as inheritance to leave to their Children that is Gods proper right and God is a jealous God Kings must therefore shew such a Promise made to them by God and recorded in Gods Word as David had or else I must desire leave to be excused if I conceive that I and my posterity through the gracious bounty of a good God in Christ do look upon my self as free and not as a bond-man And yet further Could Kings shew as good a promise as David had yet God must chuse the man which should be Governor For Gods Word is express Deut. 17. Thou shalt make him King whom the Lord thy God shall chuse This is a sentence recorded and never repealed to this day There is an apparent
Our tongues are our own What Lord shall controul us It were well or better then it is with too many if they were no worse then the beasts that perish for many now cannot or do not agree so lovingly as the unreasonable beasts that shall perish Do not the wilde Bears agree amongst themselves But to leave the world in the broad way to destruction I entreat you Countrymen you that desire to do Gods will do you seek to be made conformable to that glorious image of God Lev. 11.45 Be ye holy saith God for I am holy Ephes 4.2 16. Follow the Truth in love forbearing one another and forgiving one another Mat. 5.43 44 46. Joh. 13.34 Consider I pray you That that wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable then gentle and easie to be entreated full of mercy Jam. 3.17 Vers 14. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts rejoyce not neither be lyars against the Truth for this wisdom is not from above but is earthly sensual and devilish Dear Friends amongst the many sins of our times I finde or shall rehearse three or four predominate corruptions and notorious sins namely First Contempt of the Ministry Secondly Contempt of those that most truly fear God And thirdly Dividing and separating one from another upon too slender grounds I could reckon up many more but these I onely mention at the present The Devil laboreth to deceive men in those things that are most precious in those things that may be most effectual to draw us from God For the first God saith Do my Prophets no harm 1 Chron. 6.22 And again the Apostle saith That we should have the Ministers of God in high esteem for their works sake And Nahum 1.15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that declareth peace which are the Ministers and Embassadors of the most high God Thus the Prophet Isaiah expresseth his estimation by Gods own direction concerning the Ministers Isai 52.7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that declareth and publisheth peace and good tidings and publisheth Salvation saying unto Sion thy God reigneth Thus Rom. 10.15 How beautiful are the feet of them that bring the glad tidings of peace and tidings of good things Observe here That if the feet of Gods Ministers which is the lowest part of the body and most soiled by dirt be so beautiful of what high estimation ought the person of the Ministers to be of It it an argument That where we see men so abuse and contemn the Ministry that those men are apt to slight the Word of God If one bring us a precious Jewel would it not be a great part of ingratitude to throw dirt and dung in his face that brought it And observe well where you see men so much abuse slight and contemn the Ministry there and then it is more then probable God is withdrawing his gracious presence from those men When Cam once discovered his fathers nakedness was not he neer to a curse And are not Ministers our spiritual Fathers Consider how the Galatians behaved themselves towards Paul their Minister Gal. 4.13 14. And ye know how that through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you Which tryal ye despised not but received me as an Angel of God yea as Christ Jesus In the primitive Times of the Church in the next Times after those great persecutions we may read what estimation and respect both Constantine and the Christians yeelded and gave to the Ministers and shall we decline so far from the Rules of Scriptures and from the Examples of the Churches in the purest Times Friends or Country-men Consider what Jude speaketh Vers 8. Notwithstanding these sleepers despise Government and speak evil of them that are in auâ—hority Vers 9. Yet Michael the Archangel when he strove against the Devil and disputed about the body of Moses durst not blame him with cursed speaking Vers 10. But these speak evil of those things they know not Vers 11. Woe be unto them c. Consider that evil words do corrupt Doth a Fountain send out sweet water and bitter c. Remember I pray you That that wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable Look well first to your own hearts and you shall there finde cause enough to bear more with those things which you conceive to be errors in other men but especially in Ministers The Devil laboreth most to corrupt men in those matters that are of the greatest concernment For consider that the Ministry they perswade men to serve the true God in an eminent way If therefore the Devil can but bring their Ministry into contempt then the people will take but little heed to their Ministry So likewise if he can draw men to disgrace those that fear God and have most respect to Gods Commandments this is a very effectual way to draw others into those ways that are opposite to them that lead to certain destruction Remember Christs caveat Mat. 18. Take heed that you offend not one of these little ones c. And touching the third matter consider that Satan laboreth to sow discord amongst brethren for this weakens both parties and the known Rule is to be noted Divide and Rule and doubtless in such Divisions the Devil he ruleth too often and too apparently Moses commendeth to us an humble frame of spirit and left it in his last Exhortation to the people when he saith Deut. 32.2 My Doctrine shall drop as the rain and my speech shall distill as the dew as the showre upon the herbs and as the great rain upon the grass His speeches were weighty lovely and precious Note I pray you how and in what a beautiful frame and habit he blesseth and commendeth to the people an humble frame of heart and spirit Deut. 33.1 Now this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the Children of Israel Vers 2. The Lord came from Sinai c. Vers 3. Though he love his people yet all the Saints are in thy hands and they are humbled at thy feet to receive thy words Note I pray you to observe and lay it up as a Treasure in your hearts That God accounteth men then fit to profit or receive Gods Word when they are humbled at his feet that is when we lie most low which is plainly shewed in these words At the feet of God which is the lowest part in our apprehensions Consider that this grace is of great esteem in Gods sight Mark upon what terms the glad tydings of Salvation are tendred even to such as were in a low condition to such as were in their blood and no eye pityed them to such as see their own not so much other mens wants to those that are lost in themselves David saith Psal 25. God will teach the humble c. Countrymen Friends Beloved We have many risings of heart amongst us many differences do but obtain and keep and make use
of an humble heart and I doubt not but that peace and truth will meet notwithstanding all other oppositions And on the contrary so long as you carry in your company proud hearts you shall not enjoy and obtain peace and truth the Reason is plain because God resisteth the proud he knoweth the proud afar off What saith Jam. 4.1 From whence are wars and contentions among you are they not hence even from your pleasures that fight in your members Vers 2. Ye lust and have not ye envy and desire immoderately I shall conclude this Exhortation with that Ephes 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers Vers 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God Vers 31. Let all bitterness and anger and wrath and evil speaking be put away with all maliciousness Vers 32. Be ye courteous one to another freely forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake freely forgave you There hath been or is stil a great variety distance and difference of opinions amongst too many if I should or could answer to the satisfaction of all a work much beyond my compass yet new opinions springing up I should still have more and continued labour and trouble Yet I shall propound to the consideration of the godly and well-affected that way that God hath prescribed owned and blessed for the composing and ending of all differences that are or shall arise Much labour and travel and pains is and hath been taken to compose differences I pray you that you will consider That God who is wise and knoweth what is in man better then man himself this God brought his Church and chosen People out of Egypt through the Wilderness being a Type and Figure shewing us how we must through the wilderness of this world through many temptations and tryals pass before we arrive at the Land and place of our Rest Many are the sentences recorded by Moses that man of God which shew That God took an especial care of his Church and Chosen and as in other matters so especially in this matter namely That in all cases of difference whether it were in the duties of men appertaining to God in matters of his Worship or in such differences as did arise or should be amongst men which likewise had a reference to the breach of Gods Law in all of these cases God left not the people without order and means to try determine and compose differences for otherwise it had been the peoples great misery but God is the God of Wisdom and Order and not of Confusion Now if we do consider well of it the way that God ordained and owned and blessed to that end to compose differences was by appointing Moses to give Judgment in all cases of difference this plainly appeareth Exod. 18.15 16. by this means all matters of difference were desided And so likewise the Ministers counsel was of great use as appeareth Deut. 17.9 10 11 12. there God doth directly command his people to seek counsel of the Ministers and likewise doth will and command us to hearken to their counsel The Gospel is not against that good order that God in his wisdom prescribed Now Beloved Friends the way to compose differences I beleeve will lie much in this namely That we highly esteem of the counsel of our Governors temporal and spiritual Government is established and strengthened by the Gospel and who can or dare prescribe a better form for the Administration of Justice then God himself hath described and prescribed and never repealed Moses was the first in Gods Ordination and had the preeminence of matters of Judicature and Aaron likewise had his charge and authority very nearly assistant to Moses the Ministers counsel was to be of force By Moses all matters whether they were breaches of the first or second Table whether they were matters more immediately committed against the Majesty of God or whether they were mediately committed against our neighbor all these matters were examined tryed and judged by Moses God appointed him to judg and to put an issue to all matters The Ministers had their place likewise their counsel was of great use I purpose to speak more particularly to these in place afterwards This Use only I commend to the consideration of all who it may concern namely That seeing that God hath given such authority to Governors as it is evident that God hath for this was not cancelled or removed by the coming of our blessed Saviour but contrarily this was confirmed as seasonably I hope will plainly appear Consider of that place 1 Cor. 6.4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to the life set them up which are least esteemed in the Church c. Was not this the way to heal their distempered differences namely by Governors or Judges and rather then they should pretend some excuse he saith Set them up which are the least esteemed c. not that the Apostle intended that they should set up any carelesly but vers 5. he speaks this to shame them This matter being of such great concernment it behoveth us for the good of us and of our posterity to take special care that so far as it may be in our power let us use all circumspect care That we allow of set up and obey such men as may be according to Gods mind there lyeth much weight in it for let our differences be what they will be or shall be or can be yet the Governors will they must they ought to hear try and judg of them This is doubtless Gods own way it hath his Image and Inscription I grant That if any Governors any whatever shall not act for God but against Gods Laws the Body of the People or their Representatives have or ought to have power to depose and punish such for in relation to God and his Laws both the Governors and the governed are and ought to be subjects to Gods Commands But beloved Friends do not so far trust to this your liberty that by reason thereof you neglect to enquire and take counsel of God who shall be your Governors have an especial eye to the Rules contained in his Word about this matter ask counsel of God For consider well of it let the Experiences recorded in Scripture let the Experiences recorded in other Nations let our own Experiments recorded in this k nd teach us That when a Government is once setled it is a difficult matter to remove or alter either the person or the form of Government once established although we should apparently see that they were evil towards God and us We have I believe much cause to be thankful to God That he hath granted unto us more liberty now in these matters then our Fathers obtained from the days of Samuel to this day Those Governors that now we enjoy both in the Parliament and in the Army I believe they
are men that prefer Gods glory and the Peoples good much before any private respects to themselves and I do believe if God give us patience we shall see it evidently to appear Let it be our wisdom and care to know and not to exceed the bounds of our lawful Liberties in this matter and the Rule of God forget not I do beseech all you that love God and do desire to do his Will That you will wrestle with God for a blessing in this matter for I believe the time is near that God will restore Judges as at the first and Councellors as at the beginning then shall we be called a City of Righteousness a faithful City Isai 1.26 Touching the great difference that seemeth to be amongst many I have no doubt but that the godly if they obtain a blessing in this matter of Government and study to be quiet shall plainly find a means in Gods own way to compose their differences Dearly Beloved You that are of different opinions and that do unfeignedly desire to do Gods good will and pleasure I would put a great and vast difference between you and those men that manifest by their fruits That the fear of God is not before their eyes that manifest by their fruits That touching Gods Commandments they agree in one opinion which is That they will have little respect to Gods Commandments because concerning these David saith Psal 10.2 The wicked speak with a double heart that is they pretend that they hate diversities of opinions and that they will be comformable to Gods Laws but alas doth it not too evidently appear That they acknowledg not God in all their ways for under pretence of conformity they shelter themselves and so make ready their arrows that they may shoot at them which are upright in heart as David witnesseth Psal 11.2 Job saith of such Job 29.17 I brake also the jaws of the unrighteous man and pluckt the prey out of his teeth And in the next Verse Job saith I was a father unto the poor and when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently To those that fear the Lord and earnestly desire to do his Wil I say That I believe that by reason that evil Governors have so chased so afflicted and so persecuted you that from the apprehensions of your former miseries you fear all Governors you are very shy of Government But dear Friends let me say this to you Stay a while and look back again God hath promised that he will restore Judges as at the first c. What then then the case will be altered good Governors will love the Flock and defend them from the wicked and ungodly and blood-thirsty men they will feed the Flock God commanded Moses to carry the flock in his bosom neer his heart Numb 11.12 Carry them in thy bosom as a Nurse carrieth her sucking childe unto the Land that I will shew thee Be not afraid therefore for a Nurse that loveth her sucking Childe will love it and not cast it away because of her own trouble nor yet though the child have blemishes and is not so beautiful as some others I pray you be not afraid of Government for if you eye God enquire his counsel who shal govern you fear not follow but the rule prescribed and I doubt not but that God will bless that Government to you the Spirit of God will rest upon them For consider That God is the Author of Government therefore do not fly from Government for this I can tell by experience That I have seen a people that have out of Conscience to my apprehension professedly separated themselves from other Societies in the wilderness and allowed Liberty of Conscience without any disturbance I have seen and noted and experimentally known these people and passages and what have been the fruits of such a boundless monstrous and deformed Liberty They have rent and divided so amongst themselves that it hath come to open hatred one of another and they have even cryed out for to have some Government that men might not speak and do what they list For consider of it That when God doth withdraw his good Spirit from men and let the Devil loose to deceive them it is scarcely credible to beleeve how far such men are drawn away even to blaspheme God and his sacred Word which are unseparable Companions And some may be drawn to beleeve That they may murther their Neighbors and take their Wives Children or Goods Now consider That it is a singular and precious mercy to us that God hath wisely and strongly prescribed Rules and Bounds and Government to these raging waves of the restless Sea beyond which they may not pass Dear Friends Look upon Government as a precious mercy it were not to be expressed the greatness of our misery to be without Governors or to be without the blessed Laws of God to be governed by For consider it well That as the Laws of God are for Gods glory so likewise the Laws of God are for our exceeding great good There is no Law of God but our Good is contained in it and without those Laws we should be miserable The wicked of the world would dishonor God that made us and they would make servants and vassals of us The strong would oppress the weak and would devour another Note well all along from Moses to Samuel and you shall finde That when the condition of the People was in a state of such a Liberty to be without chief Governors then the people committed wickedness and are punished and the way that God delivered them was by raising up good Governors For this take for an assured truth That from good Gouernors and good Laws ariseth blessedness Therefore cleave close to the Laws of God they are a precious treasure And likewise take heed that your Governors be of Gods sending Follow the Rules by God prescribed exactly diligently There are some books written by some that I forbear to name both because the matter seemeth to me to be ended and also because I follow after peace I will not meddle with the Cause they or he pretendeth that moved him to write But this I say They or he have not cause to complain of unkindness from this present Government for he hath just cause to say they were patient and forbearing for I desire those who are guilty to consider in what an high degree they have sinned The Holy Ghost commandeth us That no corrupt communication should proceed out of our mouths and the Apostle Jude sheweth the great evil of those that are hold in their own conceits I desire God to give them repentance if it be possible That the thoughts of their hearts and their transcendent evil may be forgiven to them For consider That let men slatter what they will or can yet there is a glorious God whose eyes are as a flame of fire from his sight such deeds of darkness cannot be hidden and remember That God
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
have done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a King Ver. 18. Then Samuel called unto the Lord and the Lord sent Thunder and Raine the same Day and all the People feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly Ver. 19. The People said wee have sinned in asking us a King besides all our other sins c. Concerning this King we have occasion to note that Gods Presence did remove now and stand at a further distance then before God did not wholy depart from them but remembering the multitude of his mercies he did still favour the People but as the Tabernacle for the sinnes of the People was removed out of the Host Exod. 33.7.8 Yet not wholy out of their sight so here God removed his gracious presence further off from the People The next King was David who was a good and vertuous King God would not afflict the People so much that they should have no good Kings Davids blemishes I forbear though some blemishes he had such as I believe were not to be found amongst the Iudges that were immediately appointed by God to their place after succeeded Solomon how far he declined from the straight Rules of Gods revealed Will are to be found recorded in the Booke of Kings Rehoboam Reigned he had 18. Wives and threescore Concubines and desired many Wives 2 Cro 11 21 23. He forsooke the Law of the Lord and all Israel with him for which cause Shishack came up against Jerusalem and tooke the strong Cities which were of Iuda The People were made servants to Shishack 2 Cro. 12.1 to 9. Further he did evill and prepared not his heart to seeke the Lord. Ver. 14. Ahijam reigneth he walked in all the sinnes which his Father had done before him and his heart was not perfect with the Lord 1 King 15.3 Asa reigned he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord he put down his Mother because she had an Idoll in a Grove 1 King 15. Nadab reigned he did evill in the sight of the Lord and made Israel sinne 1 King 15.26 Baashaw reigneth he did evill in the sight of the Lord and caused Israel to sinne 1 King 16. Elah he reigned did evill being drunke was slaine 1 King 16. Omri reigneth he did evill in the sight of the Lord worse then all that were before him 1 King 16. Zimri reigneth was burnt 1 King 16.18 Ahab the sonne of Omri reigneth and did worse then all before him 1 King 16.3 Ahaziah reigneth he did evill he sought helpe of Baallzebub the God of Ecron 2 King 1. Iehoram reigneth he did evill in the sight of the Lord. 2 Kin. 3.2 Iehosaphat reigneth he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. 2 Kings Ioram reigneth he did evill 2 Kin. 8.9 Jehoram sonne of Iehosaphat reigneth he did evill 2 Kin 8.17 Jehu reigneth he regarded not to walke in the Law of the Lord God 2 Ki. 10.31 He is an occasion to cause Israel to sin therefore they are smitten in all the Coasts of Israel Ver. 23. Athalia reigneth did evill is slaine 2 Ki. 11.3.6 Iehoash reigneth he did good in the Eyes of the Lord during the time the Priest taught him 2 Ki. 12.2 But the high places were not taken away he is slaine Ver. 21. Iehoaash sonne of Iehu reigneth did evill in the sight of the Lord and causeth Israel to be delivered into the hands of their enemies 2 Ki. 13.2.3 The Destruction of the People was so great that there was left but 50 Horsemen and 10 Charrets and 10000 Footemen they were destroyed and made like Dust beaten to powder 2 Ki. 13.6 7. Iehoash sonne of Iehoaash reigneth he did evill in the sight of the Lord. 2 Ki. 13.10.11 Ieroboam reigneth he did evill in the sight of the Lord. 2 Ki. 14.23 24. Amaziah reigneth did uprightly in the Eyes of the Lord but not like David 2 Ki. 14.3 Azariah reigneth did uprightly in the Eyes of the Lord but they burnt Incense in the high places and the Lord smote the King and hee was a Leper to the Day of his Death 2 Ki. 15.3 4 5. Zachariah reigneth hee did evill in the sight of the Lord 2 Ki. 15.8.9 Shallum reigneth is slaine 2 Ki. 15 14. Menahem reigneth did evill 2 Ki. 15.17 18. Pekahiah reigneth He did evill in the sight of the Lord. 2 Ki. 15.23 24. Pekah reigneth He did evill 2 Ki. 15.28 The People carried away captive Iotham reigneth He did uprightly but the People burnt incense in the high places in his Dayes the Lord sent enemies upon the People 2 Ki. 5.34 37. Ahab reigneth He consecrated his Sonne in the fire he did much evill 2 Ki. 16. Hoshea reigneth Hee did evill in the sight of the Lord he becommeth servant to Salmanasser King of Ashur 2 Ki. 17.2 3. The People besieged and carried captive Ver. 6. Because they kept not Gods commands diligently 37. Hezechiah reigneth He did uprightly according to all that David 2 Ki. 18. Manasseh reigneth Hee did evill in the sight of the Lord after the abomination of the Heathen 2 Ki. 21.2 He did much evill and filled Jerusalem from corner to corner with innocent blood 2 Ki. 21.16 And hee caused Iuda to sinne and to do evill Ver. 16. Ammon reigneth He did much evill in the sight of the Lord 2 Ki. 21.20 Iosiah He reigneth He did uprightly in the sight of the Lord 2 Ki. 22.2 Iehoahaz his Sonne reigneth he did much evill in Gods sight 2 Ki. 23.32 The Land in his Dayes was put under great tribute Ver. 33. Iehojachin reigneth He did evill 2 Ki. 23.37 very much evill Iehojachin his Sonne He reigneth He did much evill 2 Ki. 24.9 The People carried captive in his Dayes very much People Ver. 13.4 Zedechiah He reigneth and He did evill in the sight of the Lord very much 2 Ki. 24.9 20. It is well to be considered of that amongst all the Iudges of Israel that came into their places according to Gods institution there was not one man of them that I know of that was taken away by the Sword of the enemy nor by treachery slaine by their owne People nor came to any untimely Death save one man and that was not for practicall evill of himselfe but for suffering sinne to go without due punishment in his children But contrarily they are noted much for Humility Sincerity and Piety Certainly the Spirit of God doth wisely describe Governors for our learning had we but hearts wisely and diligently to observe them But note contrarily that amongst the Kings how many were taken away by untimely Deaths some by Gods command slaine some by the Sword of the enemy some carried captive and the greater part slaine by the People and the most of them are noted to bee notorious sinners I shall rehearse some of them although I believe not all The first fruits of their King Abimelecke Iudg. 9.6.53 The next was Saul slaine was his owne Executioner 1 Sam. 31.4 Nadab slaine by
and purest times and by Judges which being considered I believe it plainely followeth that from the time of Samuel to this day this prophesie hath not bin fulfilled and accomplished because there hath not from that time to this bin such a Reformation such a Government by Iudges as was in the first and most pure times instituted the most immediately by God himself and is held out in these words As at the first c. Fifthly I observe that there is just ground to hope and believe that such a Reformation God will worke namely that God will restore Iudges as at the first Sixthly I believe there are good grounds from this place compared with the acts and great workes that God is now working and hath wrought to expect that this very time is the time or the beginning of the time God pointed out in this prophesie Because that corrupt government by Kings is put downe in such a way of burning and righteousnesse as hath not bin from that time to this day as I believe and such an earnest seeking and strong endeavours as hath not bin usuall for to set up and restore a government by Iudges as at the first in which endeavours I cannot but acknowledge that I believe it evidently appeareth That many men have affectionately endeavored with the hazard of their lives and of all their worldly comforts to obtaine a government such as might be for the glory of God and according to his Will revealed as at the first Object How commeth it then to passe that sin abounds so much and that wickednesse is not more suppressed Answ We are to consider that great workes are not alwayes finished so soon as they are begun God may suffer some sins now more then ordinary to appear that by that meanes we may see them and see the evâ—ll of them and the danger of them and by seeing them we may see how and where they may be rooted up this government is yet in agitation not fully settled as I conceive they have many occasions their Enemies not wholy subdued We may observe that in those times when God was about to work the greatest deliverances for his Church God worketh by contraries in mans apprehension when Israel was nearest to their deliverance out of Aegyt then God let them taste the most bitterly of he yoke of their oppression although Moses at the same instant was labouring for their deliverance Secondly can we see no reformation consider that the Gospell hath free liberty to be preached many Congregations are much reformed and a free liberty for Reformation to others Idolatry is suppressed the Ministery and People are freed from those troubles in conscience that formerly they would have beene glad to have beene eased of and further consider that in these times there is much more light many things formerly obscured and hid are now appeared and concerning those sins that are a just cause of griefe I believe when government is setled they will be driven away as chaffe before the winde and touching those Burdens and Taxations I believe they are our governors griefe to impose them and I hope God will shew them a meanes to ease them and to take them away in the mean time let us seek God unfainedly and God will answer us graciously Thirdly let us consider which party those that are for or those that are against this present government or Army be most guilty of the sin most reigning I shall speak something what my own experience reacheth and so far as my memory and opportunity hath received from other men Those generally that stand for the Army and Parliament are godly or civill the most of them I know not one other wayes Those that are against them are many of them such as I have heard my self with much grief that have bin swearers most notoriously and have spoken of the secrets of nature of Men and Women in such a manner as if they had never lived where Gods Word had come to their knowledge in such a manner as the very Indians that are civilized are ashamed of or not accustomed to in such a manner as That their mouthes are filled with cursing and bitternesse destruction and calamity are in their wayes the way of Peace they have not knowne I leave them and speak to some other I believe there may be many some I know of whom I am perswaded I may safely affirm That they are the elect of God and yet neverthelesse through weakenesse for so I judge it to be do not favour the Army and the present government I hope God will shew them just cause to see their error and to acknowledge it in this particular But concerning those that stand for the present government and Army I know not nor have I discoursed with nor heard of any one Man that hath cordially favored the proceedings of the Army and this present government but they appeare to be either godly or civill not openly prophain I would not be mistaken I speak not in this particular what the Souldiery may be I mean the common Souldiery may be I know nothing against them but this I can affirm upon my own knowledge upon inquiry in Cornewall and in Devonshire they behave themselves so orderly that I much rejoyced to see their civill and orderly carriage and I did purposely enquire of the Inhabitants and I remember not any one but did acknowledge that they carried themselves orderly To conclude my Answer to this Objection I do acknowledge sin is committed too openly in the sight of the Sun there are many offences Let us all look to it for Christ Jesus the Sonne of the blessed God saith that woe be to him by whom the offence commeth Certainly there is a righteous God that will prove and try all our hearts and workes to whose righteous judgement I willingly refer the Cause I humbly request those that fear God not to be offended for consider that many take liberty to the utmost to detract the Army and present government therefore give me a little liberty I would not exceede the bounds prescribed by God But to return to shew cause why we may now expect Reformation Iudges is at the first this following is the seventh Observation gathered from this prophesie namely because God hath stirred up many godly and learned in these times to put in writing what they have gathered from the prophesies of the Prophets and these joyntly and unanimously do agree so far as I know that near to these times God will doe great things such as have not bin done for a long season in reforming matters in exalting and lifting up his Church out of affliction This is an encouragement to us to hope and expect that we shall have Iudges as at the first and counsellors as at the beginning then shall we be a City of righteousnesse a faithfull City Unto the foresaid Scripture we may add that Esai 2.2 It shall be in the last dayes that the Mountaine of
successively I doe but labout to set before you these instances and it is because I am not like so far as I know to have any more opportunity in this World to speak in the cause blame me not therefore if I propound these things to your consideration for I and my posterity are like to be subject to what forme of government you establish and I evidently see that from Government will arise great blessings if it be such government as God approveth if it be such as God hath prescribed then I know that the blessed Spirit of God will rest upon such governors On the contrary I know that if you mistake in government I do expect that great afflictions will follow and Governors not entring into their places according to the Rule of Gods Word I shall not expect that the gracious Presence of God will accompany them And this I evidently see by the records of the Sacred Word of God and by the experience of all Ages recorded that where government is corrupted they are a meanes to draw the People from the sincere worship of God and they are a meanes to bring the Wrath of God upon the People I doubt not but there are amongst you many wise godly and men precious in Gods esteem I pray God double the Spirit of his grace upon you and direct you to see much more of Gods minde however let it not be grievous if I put you in minde of those things which you know and which are plainely recorded in Gods sacred Word Moses put the People in minde of the same things often and so did Ioshua and so did Christ and his Apostles This is all that I can do by all the instances or arguments I can alledge it is but only to perswade or put you in minde of what is already recorded plainly in Gods Word which is a bright shining light all that I can say in comparison of Gods sacred Word is far short of the darkest night compared to the brightest shining light of the day therefore all that draweth me or is any motive to me in this cause is this namely The records of the sacred Scriptures shew such a Government and such Governors God did prescribe in such a manner and they were blessed by God they were a blessing to the People and the holy good and blessed spirit of God was given to such God in his wisdom did so appoint On the contrary I have observed both from the Records of the sacred Scriptures and from the Records of all Ages and from well considered experience that although the inventions of men which swerve from the most approved Rules of Gods Word may have a faire shew in some mens eyes yet he that well noteth such inventions shall in the issue finde Gall and Wormewood bitter fruits and Gods good Spirit doth not accompany such inventions which causeth me to keepe a loofe from Mans inventions especially in such a weighty matter and of so great eminent and high concernment both for Gods glory and for the Peoples blessednesse I conceive we cannot possible be too circumspect nor cleave too close and stedfastly to the most approved and blessed forme of Government and Governors prescribed owned and blessed by God and recorded in the sacred Scriptures for our learning Dearely beloved Fathers I speake freely and willingly and with more liberty of speech to you because I am perswaded that your heartâ— do really seeke Gods glory because I believe that you seeke not your selves and have better learned to tread under foote these trifles these sublunary comforts and do seek for an immortall Crown of glory provided for those that seek Gods glory you beloved know how to value Eternity better then a moment better then this short span of time Therefore I pray you be not offended But further where there are many Iudges of equall authority though Men fearing God and seeking Gods glory yet in many or in some causes and most especially in the most weighty causes do not respects sway much As namely loth to displease one another and lothfully to discover themselves Are not numerous companies having all equall authority subject to emulation to jealousies yea and sometimes to be so divided that doth it not sometimes appeare so violent that it occasioneth civil warres or contentions I pray you to consider mortall man is subject to frailty Therefore seeing the Heavenly frame of government is by one â—od and unto Gods Word the whole Host of Heaven is willingly obedient and considering that that government that God appointed in the first and purest times when God most immediately appointed government to his beloved first borne and peculiar Church and People considering that God appointed this forme of government namely by one Man a chiefe Iudge who had sole power to judge and appoint and to determine the weightiest causes is not this the safest way to avoide confusion and contention and most like to be blessed Herein indeed will lie the great weight of all the matter namely that we cleave close to Gods Rules that so a Wolfe may be prevented for getting into the sheepe fold For let us but seeke God in those wayes he hath appointed seriously and heartily and I doubt not but that we shall obtaine a blessing a Man sent of God And then let us never fear but God will accompany such a man with his blessed Spirit Did ever a People seeke GOD humbly following GODS Rules and heartily and failed I believe no Record of Divine authority will demonstrate such an example in such a cause so prosecuted Object But was not this forme of government peculiar to the state of the Israelites is it not abolished at the comming of Kings Answ I desire every one that doth unfeignedly desire to do Gods Will to be wary of this Objection and consider that it is too much for us to turn aside from Gods Institutions but to deny Gods Institutions this is a sin of a deep impression How often doth GOD bid us beware that we do neither add nor diminish this being duly considered I answer First this Order of government by Iudges in this manner was Gods owne Order God did most immediately appoint this Order Secondly God did prescribe this to his Church and People before the Law was given Moses was appoinâ—ed and had his power and place and the rest of the Judges were orderly distributed before the Law was given at Mount Sinai Thirdly this order of government was continued confirmed and blessed immediately by God himself undâ—r the Law Fourthly this O der was further confirmed by GOD when the People in the Dayes of Samuel desired a Government by Kings which appeareth in that GOD plainely affirmeth that the People cast God off when they altered this forme and further it appeareth that God was the same long after by the expressions of the Prophets Fifthly there was never any Government since to this Day to be compared with this Government nor so blessed by God
God chusing a governor and the peoples chusing a governor therefore he chuseth a governor by lot wherein and whereby God chuseth therefore Gods direction and institution is that God shall chuse This is most for Gods glory and for the peoples greatest safety Lots are Gods own Ordinance as appeareth in many places Josh 7.17 So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel by their Tribes and the Tribe of Judah was taken And he brought the families of Judah and took the family of the Zarhites and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man and Zabdi was taken And he brought his houshold man by man and Achan was taken God could have shewed to Joshua who was the man so well as he shewed to him that there was an offence but he causeth Joshua to enquire his will in such a way as God had prescribed This sheweth that in difficult cases God ordained that people should enquire his minde by lots and this Samuel knew and therefore he enquireth Gods minde by lots in this very case of government this was never repealed to this day for God is not yea and nay God is not contrary or opposite to his own Rules This is certain it is better and safer for people to be directed by God to chuse the man yea although God for our sin should be angry with us yet even in those causes it is better to fall into the hands of God then into the hands of man and this David well considered when he chose to fall into the hands of God and not into the hands of man But further we may observe That this was the usual way namely by lots that the people took to enquire Gods minde in weighty and difficult causes as appeareth Iosh 18.6 I will cast lots for you here before the Lord thus Vers 8 10. read 1 Sam. 14.42 And Saul said casts lots between me and Ionathan my son and Ionathan was taken Here we may see that God appeared and gave a true determination and this was a way to avoyd strife Read 1 Chro. 26.13 And they cast lots both small and great for the house of their fathers Here again we may note That this use of lots was to shew what Gods minde was and to prevent all jealousies or indirect means and to prevent strife Read Nehem. 10.34 We cast lots for the offerings of the wood even the Priests the Levites and the People Read Ionah 1.7 And they said every one to his fellow come and let us cast lots that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us so they cast lots and the lot fell upon Ionah By this it evidently appeareth that the people in weighty cases did enquire to know Gods minde this way namely by lots Secondly We may observe That God doth answer the people this way Thirdly We may observe That the lot did not err nor fail to shew that which the people sought to God for Read Act. 1.24 And they prayed saying Thou Lord which knowest the hearts of all men shew whether of these thou hast chosen Vers 26. And they gave forth their lots and the lot fell on Matthias This sheweth that lots were not abolished but they are now of the same use that they were under the Law this is an example of the Apostles men in an extraordinary measure guided by the good and holy spirit of God and this was written no doubt for our learning this was and is a clear and evident direction in the very case of governors for the Apostles were Gods Embassadors his own Witnesses they were the Pen-men of the holy Scriptures this matter was an eminent and a weighty matter they chose but one of two The Reason is evident because the nature of their cause required no more First Because not any amongst all although holy would serve they must be men that had been the most noted to be eye-witnesses of what Christ had done and suffered and so that they had seen and heard those things themselves Secondly The Apostles were present that had an infallible spirit Thirdly This cause differs from the Governors of a Common-wealth because God in his wisdom ordered the Governors of a Common-wealth to be chosen by God out of all the people and I do conceive with due and humble respect to those that shall see Gods minde more clearly that it is the safest way to follow the most direct and evident Rules prescribed owned and blessed by God in the same cases Now it evidently appeareth that the Prophet Samuel directed immediately by God himself did chuse out of the whole twelve Tribes of Israel by that means God did fully chuse according to Deut. 17. to make him Governor whom the Lord did chuse immediately in this very case of chusing the Governor of a Common-wealth for in this case this president by Samuel was a certain and an approved president in chusing the person that God saw meet to be chief governor This was not about the form of government whether it should be by Iudges or by Kings for of that matter God shewed his minde by Samuel before expresly witnessing against the form of government by Kings but this was a Rule to shew how God is said to chuse the person that he seeth meet to govern I leave it to the consideration of the godly From these places before mentioned first I observe That it plainly and clearly appeareth that lots were ordained by God and that God owned them because God truly appeared and truly gave answer by them and because that God blessed this way of his own devising Secondly I observe That the lot when men cast themselves or referred themselves wholy to or upon God in such cases did never err it always gave a true direction a true determination in all weighty causes Search the Scriptures and it cannot be found that the lot ever erred Let not as fear therefore to chuse our chief governor by lot for let us not doubt God is the same unchangeable God yesterday and to day and the same for ever Will not this way compose all our differences Will it not heal all distempers Will not this way end all our strife Will not this way keep out all Wolves and Foxes and other beasts of prey Shall not we by this way return again to the Lord and by this means God shall be our King his Laws our guide by this means we shall obtain a man from the Lord and we shall be blessed and Peace and Truth shall meet together and so shall we have Iudges in some proportion as at the first and Counsellers as at the beginning and we shall be called a faithful City Thirdly Let us remember the great effusion of blood that hath been shed and the great envies hatred malice that is at this day reigning in the Land Is it not in every Country in every City in every Paâ—ish Nay there are but a few Families comparatively where there are not some breaches
the windowes and in by-pathes expect bitter fruits GOD hath not promised his holy spirit to such let the experience recorded in Scripture the sure rule of truth teach us this such corrupted governors will be what they truely are and they will alter breake through and evade Gods Lawes much more your agreements Observe we therefore GODS Presidents and Rules cleave fast and close to GOD now observe GOD did first settle government a chiefe Judge before he prescribed Rules for Judges or People Moses was chosen before the Law was given to direct both him and the People therfore do not in the mean time break out preposterously And now to all discontents whether through weakenesse or malice consider you did run well you were co-actors in the late Warrs what hindereth you you complaine of Taxations and at the same instant by your irregularities and gaine-sayings do not you unavoidably pull these charges in a great measure both upon your selves and upon us might not matters be quieted sooner and with lesse charge did not you so crookedly imagine evill matters you complaine of this government in many things both unjustly and unworthily but I am sure we that seeke after peace have true cause to complaine of you foâ— these matters consider will not the issue prove bitter and dangerous to your selves beare the burdens the more willingly because they are the fruits of sin our governors doubtlesse they study how to ease and helpe you and us and shall we be so ungratefull to study evill against them Consider I pray you that God hath divolved and turned the government let us not strive against God we see it is not an arme of flesh it must not be that because you think that is good to have government so and I think it is better thus and a third he conceiveth contrary to us both in all these cases it must not it ought not to be what any of us think meet further then what Gods counsell hath determined which I believe God will guide this present government whose charge and place it is to drect our course and this I believe that their hearts and eares are free and open to heare any regular and loving counsell for David saith he would heare the advice of his servant Dearly beloved Countreymen I pray you study to be quiet we have had experience of the sad events of war I do believe that if we have not profited it is because God hath yet greater afflictions to bring upon us labour to pray for to uphold and to encourage this present government and our selves to walke evenly and humbly with God and I dare affirm it is the nearest the safest way and best pleasing to God and the most for our own comfort how ever I am much greived for many especially for those malevolent inventers of evill things because they provoke wrath against themselves Now dearely beloved Fathers the truely vertuous Generalls the Lord generall Fairfax and the Lord Lieutenant generall Cromwell who though I never saw either of them yet I know them by their godly and gracious actings for the glory of God and for the good of us the people of England and for the good of our posterity cannot but unfeignedly love them how hath God used them as instruments to free us from that miserable bondage to them therefore and to the rest of those worthy and godly men that now govern this Land may not that which is recorded be spoken of you all Numb 24.5 How goodly are thy Tents O Iacob and thine habitations Oh Israel as the Vallies are they stretched forth as Gardens by the River side as the Aloe Trees which the Lord hath planted as the Cedars beside the waters Ver. 8. God brought him out of Aegypt his strength shall be as an Vnicorne he shall eate the Nations his enemies and bruse their bones and shoote them through with his arrowes Ver. 9. Hee coucheth and lyeth downe as a yong Lyon and as a Lyon who shall stir him up blessed be he that blesseth thee and cursed be he that curseth thee Dearely and unfeinedly beloved Fathers suffer me to use a word of exhortation Moses often repeateth the same things knowing how weak and fraile our nature is and how apt we are to forget those most perfect and blessed directions of our good God consider I pray you that as our God is a God abundant in mercy rich in mercy so also he hath made knowne himself to be a God jealous of his glory and will not give his glory to another Exod. 20.5 For I am the Lord thy God a jealous God Exod. 34.14 Because the Lord whose Name is jealous is a jealous God Deut. 4.23 Take heede unto your selves least you forget the Covenant of the Lord your God Ver. 24. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire a jealous God Chap. 6.9 Jos 24.19 Ioshua said he is an holy God he is a jealous God hee will not pardon your iniquity nor your sinnes if you forsake the Lord. Ver. 24. And the People said unto Ioshua the Lord our God will we serve and his voyce will we obey 1 King 19.10 Eze. 39.25 Rev. 1.13 In the middest of the seven golden Candlesticks one like unto the Sonne of Man clothed with a garment downe to the feete and girded about the paps with a golden girdle Ver. 14. His head and haires were white as white Wooll and as Snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire Revel 2.1 These things saith he that walketh in the middest of the seven golden Candlesticks Ver. 5. Remember thereofre from whence thou art fallen and do thy first works Rev. 22.12 Behold I come shortly and my reward is with mee Ver. 3. J am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end Ver. 14. Blessed are they that do his Commandements Remember that God is jealous of his honor who saith expresly wee shall not doe that which seemeth good in our owne eyes but all that God commandeth Note this Rule well it is Gods own Word and counsell the neglecting this Rule is and hath been the roote and branches of a world of mischiefe Eye the Word of God throughly follow those blessed rules prescribed by God in the first and purest times This is your wisdome and safety no doubt when Israel chose Abimeleck it seemed good in their own eyes when they chose to be governed by Kings it seemed good to them when the people lived without any government that condition seemed good in their own eyes although it brought the fierce wrath of God upon them when they worshipped the Host of Heaven when they worshipped Jdols and other wickednesse no doubt these matters did seeme good in their owne eyes Therefore dearly beloved leane not to your owne wisdome to your owne strength follow the straight rules of Gods sacred Word in the purest manner and times the most plainely described consider that government is of very weighty concernment proceede warily with all diligence in the