naked eat her flesh and burn her with fire These things considered touching the excellency of this forme of Government and especially the Divinity of it and now also by a wonderful work of God England being in a capacity to chuse unto themselves a new Government and in such deep perplexity about that great Question where to set their foot in peace some pleading for the unjustice of casting off the Kingly Government others unsatisfied with the present and all expecting what will be the conclusion And seeing no Humane Forme quiet and safe to set down their foot upon in rest and tranquillity hereby all hearts are perplexed sighing up to heaven for direction what to do and where to finde rest and quiet to the Land By this means all hearts are prepared to embrace any help or counsel from the Lord and when they have wearied themselves with differences they will gladly all concur together to set open the door to let in the Lord Jesus to give them rest who hath been all this while knocking at the door by these perplexing troubles that his Government might be on all hands galdly embraced and himself finde a free and peaceable enterance to begin his blessed and waited-for reign over the Nations of the earth according as it is Prophesied in the holy Scriptures Therefore in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the King of Saints whose Kingdom I desire to advance with all my might and heart I do beseech those chosen and holy and faithful Saints who by Councils at Home or by Wars in the Field have fought the Lords Battels against Antichrist and have carried on the Cause of Christ hitherunto That you would now set the Crown of England upon the head of Christ whose only true inheritance it is by the gift of his Father a Psa 2. 8. Ask of me and I will give thee the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Let him be your JUDGE Let him be your LAW-GIVER Let him be your KING take the patern and form of your Government from the Word of his Mouth which will have power over the Consciences of all the people of the Land and compose all differences about that point into a sweet harmony of obedience and subjection to Christ our Lord and King with one heart and consent and will bring about all the people with one heart and shoulder to promote the designs of Christ and yours also when they see that yours are not for your selves but for the Lord to accomplish all the remainder of the great works of the Lord even until Antichrist be destroyed and the Throne of the Beast burnt with fire and the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus set up in many Nations You blessed ones of the Lord who have so eminently beyond the wont of Conquerors humbled and abased yourselves as no-bodies in the work and ascribed all the praise and glory of your Valiant Atchievments unto the Lord Jesus whom by faith you did always see fighting for you and to your admiration getting the Victory for you You that have with an holy boldness of faith made those dreadful appeals unheard of in other stories unto the Lord Jesus to witness to the sincerity of your Cause and Conscience by his own arm and in all your straights have never found him to fail you or farsake you but still made you Conquerors not only of your Enemies but which is more of your selves also not to arrogate praise unto your selves nor to improve your Victories beyond the bounds of Christian patience and love to the conquered and all for the honour and glory of Christ and his grace that his Name and Cause might find room and acceptance in the hearts of your Enemies whom you therefore used like Christian Brethren and not like Enemies Shall such holy ones as you need perswasion to set that Crown upon the head of Christ which he hath put into your hands to dispose of where can you make a better choice then to take the Lord to be your King and where can you think to find a better patern of Government then in the Word of God and where can you think to finde better Laws then in the holy Scriptures This following Platform of Government I do no farther urge then you shall finde it to be purely deduced from the holy Scriptures It is the holy Scriptures of God onely that I do urge to be your onely Magna Charta by which you should be ruled in all things which being Christ is your King and Soveraign Law-giver and you are his people ruled by him in all things And you my dear Brethren the faithful Ministers of the Gospel of Christ and all Christian Brethren who do not yet see cause of submitting and yielding unto this Change I do beseech you to consider the times and compare the Prophecies of Scripture with the present providences and see if you finde not all things to come to pass according as it is written and that these wonderful providences are not without Scripture-authority and much to be regarded by the people of God Nor be they the executions of Divine wrath upon either Church or World by prophane hands who act their own wills and lusts though they accomplish Gods ends but they be the pouring out of the wrath of God upon Antichrist for his destruction and overthrow of his Kingdom by the hands of holy Saints according to the command of Christ Christ himself riding forth Victoriously among them and performing his great works written and foretold in the holy Scriptures May not Queen Maries coming to the Crown by the help of the Saints be seasonably called to remembrance or if not yet now the time is come to change Governments and to cast down all at the foot of Christ that he may Reign and fill the Earth with the glory of his Government No Oaths or Covenants of Gods People are against Christ but in subordination to him and to the advancement of his Kingdom If therefore these great Changes are carried up to that head that is the true scope and end of those Vows and Promises It were not lawful to terminate such a Vow or Covenant as that is upon any Person Family or Creature it were Idolatry nor was it so nor is it now broken by breaking all Creatures in pieces that stood in the way of obtaining the true end thereof namely the advancement of the Lord Jesus and his Kingdom I beseech you therefore help forward this work which Christ hath put into the hands of those whom he hath made eminent in accomplishing the works of his glorious coming to set up his Dominion on earth Be not behind in bringing Christ to the Throne in England You you the holy Watchmen of the Lord have given God no rest by your uncessant Prayers for the bringing about what is now done follow on therefore to follow the Lord and as Antichrist falleth with whatever else stood in the way of Christ so now let
The Christian COMMONVVEALTH OR The Civil Policy Of The Rising Kingdom of Jesus Christ Written Before the Interruption of the Government by Mr. John Eliot Teacher of the Church of Christ at Roxbury in New-England And Now Published after his consent given by a Server of the Season LONDON Printed for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-Head-Alley To the Chosen and Holy and Faithful who manage the Wars of the Lord against Antichrist in great Britain and to all the Saints faithful Brethren and Christian people of the Commonwealth of England Grace and Mercy with Peace and Truth be multiplied through Jesus Christ our Soveraign Lord and King Ever Honoured and Beloved in Christ THe late great Changes which have fallen out in great Britain and Ireland haue so amazed the most of men and the black and confused Clouds which have over-spread the whole Land have so darkened the way of those wheels of Providence by which Christ is coming to set up his Kingdom that they whose eyes the Lord hath begun to open to see Christ coming in power and in great glory according to his Promise do also see the other part of his word verified namely that the coming of Christ is in the Clouds of darkness by means whereof it is long ere all men can see him or be perswaded that it is he who is now coming though afterwards they shall see that even those Clouds were needful a while to obscure the bright appearance of his design Lately reading a Book called a Plea for Non-subscribers or the grounds and reasons of many Ministers of Cheshire and Lancashire c. though I had before heard of the sad differences distances of spirit and dissatisfactions among the people of the Lord yet then my heart bled to see such precious holy men pleading as they believe for God with a pure and sincere Conscience and yet in so doing strongly to speak against the glorious work of the Lord Jesus in casting down Antichrist and setting up his own Kingdom foretold in Scripture and now fulfilling as also strongly and sharply speaking against those whom the Lord hath pleased to employ and improve as his Instruments in accomplishing thereof On the other side those writings which that Book Answereth have so missed the Principles on which the Cause standeth whereby the Consciences of others should be satisfied who oppose as that the Answerers have clearly the upper ground of them in many things and therefore stand firme in that which they suppose to be a right Cause and weaken those who have indeed a right Cause in hand insomuch as that hereby the difference is exceedingly encreased and sharpened Now though I am the most unmeet of all men to undertake to interpose and speak unto such learned grave holy and eminent persons every way beyond me in all accomplishments for the Lords work and in a Cause so much above me yet was I pressed in my spirit considering whose Cause I plead to take the boldness to propound that unto them which I believe to be the true state of the Cause and which by the blessing of God may reach to their satisfaction when they see that they into whose hands the Lord to the wonderment of men hath been pleased to put power do follow the Lord and accomplish his Word aim at the fulfilling of his ends and design denying themselves that they may advance Christ Jesus in the Throne and let him reign over them The prayers the expectation and faith of the Saints in the Prophecies and Promises of holy Scripture are daily sounding in the ears of the Lord for the downfall of Antichrist and with him all humane Powers Polities Dominions and Governments and in the room thereof we wait for the coming of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus who by his Divine Wisdom Power Government and Laws given us although hitherto sealed up in a great measure in the holy Scriptures will reign over all the Nations of the earth in his due time I mean the Lord Jesus will bring down all people to be ruled by the Institutions Laws and Directions of the Word of God not only in Church-Government and Administrations but also in the Government and Administration of all affairs in the Commonwealth And then Christ reigneth when all things among men are done by the direction of the word of his mouth his Kingdom is then come amongst us when his will is done on earth as it is done in heaven where no Humane or Angelical Policy or Wisdom doth guide any thing but all is done by Divine direction a Psal 103. 20. Angels do his commandment hearkening to the voice of his word and so it shall be on earth when and where Christ reigneth It is Prophesied Dan. 2. 34 35 c. Thou sawest Dan. 2. 34 35 c. till that a stone was cut out without hands which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay and brake them to pieces 35. Then was the iton the clay the brass the silver and the gold broken to pieces together and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors and the wind carried them away that no place was found for them and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth c. Which Prophecie doth clearly foreshew the forenamed points for there is an epitomy of all the Monarchies Governments and Polities of men who have had their Humane Glory in this world the last and strongest of all which Dominions is the Roman so mixed and interwoven in many States by the combining of that dirty Roman Religion with civil Powers as that when that stone Christ by his faithful Instruments shall overthrow and beat in pieces that Religion they must and shall according as it is written beat down withall the strongest Iron sinews of oivil States which are propugnators and supporters thereof whether professed or secretly Yea moreover when Christ that stone shall by his chosen Instruments smite in pieces all the Romish Religion and civil States which are complicated with it and supporters of it who though they greatly care not for it a Dan. 2. 43. They shall not cleave one to another even as iron is not mixt with clay yet for their own ends they are supporters of it then down cometh the whole Image from top to bottom all Dominions and Governments of man by Humane Policy formes of Government and Laws in all places whatsoever in Gods order and time who by their fall shall be so pashed in pieces that though they were before a terrour to men yet now they shall be light and contemptible things of no more account with men then dust or chaff because Divine institutions both of Government and Laws arising in the room of Humane they will be quite darkened even as the Stars are by the rising-Sun for in the room of them shall arise the Government of the Lord Jesus who by the Word of his Mouth written in
wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me ver 14. I am not able to bear all the people alone because it is too heavy for me The conveniency of the number of this high Council is thus to be measured and judged by Gods Standard Israel had at least three Millions of people though not one Million of men in order or not much more for the Souldiers were but six hundred thousand now their Supreme Council consisted of seventy one therefore that is the highest number that will be needed among men ordinarily yea though a people should be much bigger I see not but that number may suffice But that number is not limitted because God denyeth not this Government to fifty who are the least Court and a lesser number of men then the highest Council in Israel had by Gods appointment and if it be not limitted on the one side so nor on the other Again the lowest number of the Supreme Council that may be is five because that Council must consist both of Magistrates and Elders of Churches Elders of both sorts one of a sort sufficeth not and the bigger part must be Magistrates This Council must alwaies be in being personally or virtually to give answer to all Cases propounded touching the Law of God and the application thereof to any particular Person or Cause and to take care for the general Protection Provision and Government of the whole in truth holiness and peace CHAP. V. THe duties of all the Rulers of the civil part of the Kingdom of Christ are as followeth The Office and Duty of all the Rulers is to govern the people in the orderly and seasonable practice of all the Commandments of God in actions liable to Political observation whether of piety and love to God or of justice and love to man with peace Hence they are keepers of both Tables and are so to look that all the Commandments of God be observed as to compel men to their undoubted duty and punish them for their undoubted sins errours and transgressions A Case a Duty a Sin is said then to be undoubted when either it is expresly or by general approved consequence commanded or forbidden in the Scriptures or when it hath passed the circuit of Gods Polity and received its final determination according to the Scriptures unto which not to submit is capital presumption Hence again Rulers are eminently concerned to maintain the purity of Religion with all care and power holiness truth and peace being much concerned herein Hence again all Rulers must be skilful in the Scriptures they must read and meditate in the same all the daies of their life that thereby they may be enabled to do their Office faithfully and religiously so long as they live Hence again they are to give counsel and command for the well ordering of all the Publick Affairs of their people both in Education of Youth whether in Schools or other Occupations in walking in their Callings in their Neighbourhood commerce and converse with men in subjecting themselves to Government with Religion Justice and Peace CHAP. VI. THe Office of the Ruler of ten is to see all his people walk as becometh Gods people in their several places furthering the same upon all occasions And at appointed times to sit alone to hear and determine Causes of Justice and of evil conversation to declare Gods sentence and counsel in every Case and see it executed Provided it be with the consent and submission of the party or parties concerned All difficult Cases and Appeals he shall binde over to the Court of six and Capitals in life limb or banishment to the Court of eleven These Rulers are next the people hence they see them * Each other most and therefore they need be singularly wise patient loving faithful and zealously holy men So great is his work and charge that it had need extend but to a small compass If he well perform his Office it doth prevent much trouble to Superiour Courts The Office of the Ruler of fifty is to see that all the Rulers often under him be faithful in their Office and Duty and to help on their work in all Cases and toward all persons as he hath occasion As also to call and keep the Court of six in their seasons where all Cases pertaining to the publick good of all his order and particular Cases betwixt parties of the several of the orders of ten under him are nextly to be tryed and determined together with Appeals from any of the Rulers of ten under him and difficult Cases transmitted from them to this Court This Court hath power to end strifes judge Causes declare and pronounce the sentence of Gods Word in mulcts and punishments and see them executed Difficult Cases they shall transmit and also Appeals they shall bind over unto the Court of three But capitals in life limb or banishment to the Court of eleven The Office of the Ruler of an hundred is to see that the Rulers of fifty under him do perform their Office and Duty faithfully to help them what lieth in him in any of their works towards their Rulers of ten or any particular person under him Also all Causes which concern the Publick good of all Orders under him are in his charge And also to call and keep the Court of three where Causes betwixt parties of his several orders of fifty are properly to be tryed and determined with Appeals from the Court of six and such difficult Cases as that Court shall transmit to them This Court hath power to end all strifes judge and determine Causes declare and pronounce the sentence of Gods Word in mulcts and punishments and see them executed Also to take care of the Publick good of all their Orders Appeals difficult Cases and capitals in life and limb and banishment they shall bind over and transmit to the Court of eleven The Office of the Ruler of a thousand is to see that all the Rulers of hundreds under him do perform their Office and duty faithfully to help them what lieth in him in any part of their charge toward their Rulers of fifties or Rulers of ten or any person under him also all Cases which concern the Publick good of all the orders under him are in his care and charge As also to call and keep the Court of eleven where all Causes betwixt persons in several of his Hundreds are properly belonging with Appeals from the Court of three and difficult Cases transmitted to them Also all Cases which concern the Publick good of all the Orders under them Also all capital Cases of life limb or banishment belong this Court because it is the highest and most solemn Judicatory in the single Platform and fullest of Majesty The highest punishment is fitly pronounced in a more solemn Judicatory then is the Court of six or three unless the smalness or paucity of the people have no higher
Also Cases betwixt parties of several thousands belong to this Court at the choice of the Plaintiff in which Court of eleven either that which himself doth belong to or that which his Adversary is under But this consideration doth belong to lesser Commonwealths where they have no Governour of the Superiour order and yet more then one Ruler of a thousand This Court hath power to hear and judge all Causes brought before them declare and pronounce the sentence of Scripture in all mulcts and punishments even death it self and see them executed Also to pronounce and see executed all such sentences as the Supreme Council doth determine and remit unto them Namely thus it is in lesser Commonwealths where there be no Courts of the Superiour order difficult Cases they must transmit to the highest Council and bind over Appeals unto them where there be no Courts of the Superiour order betwixt the Supreme Council and them The Office of the Supreme Council is to see that all the Rulers of thousands yea all Rulers and Officers of all orders and degrees do their Office and Duty faithfully and to receive difficult Cases and Appeals from the Court of eleven to search the Scriptures with all faithfulness to find out the pure mind of God impartially and sincerely to apply the Cause propounded thereunto to declare the will of God in the Case and so return it to the Court of eleven whereto it appertaineth there to receive judgement accordingly And whosoever will do presumptuously and not hearken unto that sentence shall be put to death Deut. 17. 11 12. In the single Platform the Court of eleven is next to the Supreme Council for transmission and remission of Causes but where there be Courts of the Superiour order it is not so Also they are to declare the Counsel and Will of God touching War and Peace and accordingly transmit the work to such of the Rulers as they judge most meet to accomplish the same Also to take care for and provide means for Publick welfare and subsistence by Trading both Foraign and Domestick Fishing Tillage c. with all other necessary and useful Occupations Especially they are to take care for peace and truth in Religion in all the Churches and among all the people and the propagation also thereof As also the furtherance of all good learning in all the Liberal Arts and Sciences The Supreme Council and all Courts yea and all Rulers have power to bind Offenders and Persons concerned to appear or prosecute in due order and season punish for offences in that kind and if need be commit to prison for security If Rulers offend either morally or politically by rigor partiality or remisness his or their next Superiours have power to correct such evils according to the Word of God and as need may be the Case may orderly ascend from Court to Court even to the highest Council Heresie Blasphemy and other gross especially if capital sins are just cause in due order of deposition from his Office by the Supreme Council the Cause coming to them either by orderly ascent or taken in immediately as a notorious scandal which calleth for speedy remedy CHAP. VII SO much for the single Platform of Christ his Government now followeth the Superiour arising out of the first When the Lord shall bow the hearts of great Nations to embrace this form of Government there being populous Cities Provinces and Countries where the Rulers of thousands will be greatly multiplied and Causes frequently fall out betwixt parties of several thousands yea and betwixt the Rulers of thousands sometimes being so numerous insomuch that the Supreme Council will be overburdened even as Moses was Hence there will be a necessity of erecting the Superiour platform of the Lords Government which by proportion unto the single Platforme which is more fully exprest in Scripture doth arise from it and is builded upon it Namely that every ten orders of thousands should chuse a Ruler of ten thousand or a Myriade and five orders of Myriades a Ruler of fifty thousand or five Myriades and two orders of five Myriades should chuse a Ruler of an hundred thousand or ten Myriades and ten orders of an heundred thousands or ten Myriades should chuse a Ruler of a thousand thousand or an hundred Myriades or a Million I am led to believe that this Superiour order of Rulers is a Divine institution not only by consequence of proportion to the single Platform but expresly and that it was practised by Moses in Israel namely that ten Rulers of thousands had a Ruler over them of ten thousands or of a Myriade and that the order of Myriades or ten thousands were as duly orderly observed as the orders of thousands were For Numb 10. 36. when they rested from their marching Moses blessed them and said Return O Lord to the Myriades of the thousands of Israel therefore there were orders of Myriades as well as of thousands Furthermore it is expresly said by Moses in his song Deut. 33. 2. The Lord came from Sinai namely where the order of Government was first instituted and he came with myriades of Saints Therefore orders of Myriades were instituted and acted from the first foundation of this Government Likewise Deut. 33. 17. he speaketh of the orders of Myriades among the Tribes as familiarly observable as the orders of thousands So that we may see this Superiour order and platform of Government observed in Israel and expressed in the holy Scriptures The Ruler of a Myriade hath this eminency above a Ruler often in the single Platform that all his ten whom he immediately ruleth are eminent Rulers Hence they are an Assembly of Judges and a Court for number every way proportionable to the Court of eleven but for eminency and distinction they are more properly called the Court of one Myriade The Ruler of fifty thousand or five Myriades holdeth a Court for number proportionable to the Court of six in the single Platform but for eminency and distinction they are more properly called the Court of five Myriades The Ruler of an hundred thousand or ten Myriades holdeth a Court for number proportionable to the Court of three in the single Platform but for eminency and distinction it is more properly called the Court of ten Myriades The Ruler of a thousand thousand or an hundred Myriades holdeth a Court for number proportionable to the Court of eleven but for eminency and distinction it is more properly called the Court of one hundred Myriades The times or seasons Officers or other means for the most effectual ordering of these Courts will be most fitly discerned and agreed by such a people as may have use of them The Causes which most properly belong to the Court of one Myriade are such as fall out betwixt parties of their several thousands as also difficult Cases transmitted from the Court of eleven and Appeals from them Also all such Cases as concern the Publick good of all under them All