Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A84352
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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.
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Eliot, John, 1604-1690.
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1659
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Wing E504; Thomason E1001_10; ESTC R207846
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29,052
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58
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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
their next Superiours and so unto the highest b Deut. 1. 17. The case that is too hard for you bring it unto me Council if need be For the Council is in ordinary dispensation in Moses stead and the Scriptures are the Mouth of God at which they must enquire and by the guidance thereof determine of all Cases so far as the Lord giveth light and until the mind of God be known the Case must stay whatever it be c Num. 15. 34. And they put him in ward because it was not declared what should be done unto him Numb 9. 8. Stand still and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you CHAP. III. THe Lord hath given this Commandment in the ordering of his Government that judgment should be executed speedily a Ezra 7. 26. Let judgment be executed speedily upon them Eccles 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil and also that it should be managed with the greatest respect to the ease both of the Governours and People b Exod. 18. 17 18 22 23. This thing is not good thou wilt surely wear away both thou and this people that is with thee ver 22. So shall it be easier ver 13. Thou shalt be able to endure and all the people shall go to their place in peace viz. having judgement among themselves in their own Quarters and places of abode and not be troubled to come to the chief Court with every cause But particular times means and other circumstances the Lord hath not particularly commanded c Exod. 18. 22. Let them judge the people at all seasons Hence it is left unto the wisdom of the Rulers to order time means and other circumstances for the best and most effectual attainment of the forementioned speedy and easie determination and execution of Judgement in all Cases whatsoever and in all places Cities or Towns where the people dwell a Exod. 18. 23. All the people shall go to their own place in peace Hence again it well accordeth with Gods institution that every order do co-habit together b Deut. 1. 15. I took the chief of your Tribes and made them heads over you as neer as may be because that doth tend to facilitate both the watch and work of the Lords Government Hence also limits of place c Deut. 21. 2 3. Thy Elders and Judges shall measure unto the Cities about and the City which is next unto the slain man Deut. 16. 18. Judges shalt thou make in all thy gates throughout thy Tribes in a general observation with allowance to some particular exception as prudence and piety may require may be useful to attain this end Hence again if any shall remove his habitation to a more remote place meet it is that he do change his Rulers by chusing a Ruler of ten in the place whither he goeth to dwell and hence it is meet that such removings and changes be made by a due approbation of the Rulers whence he goeth and with the acceptance of those to whom he removeth lest by such unstable changes as some may affect they may slip out from under the Government of the Lord at least from under the watch and use thereof though from the right thereof they cannot because it is a general command to honour thy Father and thy Mother and lest by the confluence of unruly persons to a place more remisly governed the Government of the Lord should be undermined and scandalized Because sin will grow apace like ill weeds if it be not always watched and often weeded out and fire of strife will soon flame out if it be not speedily suppressed and quenched and it edifieth many ways that justice should be speedily done especially it promoteth peace and piety Hence it is meet that Rulers of ten appoint one day in a week solemnly to hear and determine Causes and guide the common Affairs of his ten for the more orderly easie and speedy proceeding of justice and peace which are facilitated and expedited by a stated and appointed time a Exod. 18. 26. They judged the people at all seasons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth frequently in Scripture signifie a stated time Again it is meet that the Ruler of fifty keep the Court of six consisting of five Rulers of ten and himself the Ruler of them once in a moneth for the more solemn proceeding of Justice Appeals if need be because the higher Cases ascend the more solemnity is in them b Exod. 18. 22. Every great matter they shall bring unto thee and need the more time and deliberation I call these a Court because they are an Assembly of Judges among whom God promiseth to stand c Psal 82. 1. Six is the lowest number of this Court but they may be more according as the orders of ten be more under a Ruler of fifty but they cannot exceed ten because a Ruler of fifty cannot by Gods institution have more then nine orders of ten under him Again it is meet that the Ruler of an hundred keep the Court of three consisting of two Rulers of fifty and himself the Ruler of them four times in the year upon the former grounds Three is the lowest number of this Court and it cannot exceed four because by Gods institution he cannot have more then three orders of fifty under him Again it is meet that the Ruler of a thousand keep the Court of eleven consisting of ten Rulers of an hundred and himself the Ruler of them twice in a year and here judgement runneth with greatest Solemnity and Majesty I say Greatest in the single platform Eleven is the lowest number of this Court but there may be more according as the orders of an hundred under him be multiplied but they cannot exceed twenty because he cannot have above nineteen orders of an hundred under him It is necessary that every Court have such Officers a Deut. 16. 18. Judges and Officers shalt thou make Vide Ainsworth in Loc. to attend as are necessary to accomplish and execute those ends for which the Lord hath instituted those Courts because the appointment of the end doth command all means requisite for the attainment of that end being such as accords with Justice and Prudence It is also necessary to have persons a Lev. 24. 12. Num. 15 34. They put him in ward and all other Instruments for the inflicting of all kindes of Punishments which the Law of God appointeth But touching the several Punishments of Cost Shame or Smart and touching the several ways of putting to Death by Stoning Burning Strangling or by the Sword as also touching Banishment I am here silent They more properly appearing in the handling of such Laws which do inflict several punishments according to the demerit of the sin or use of terrour unto others proportioning them to the Standard in the