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its_o illegality_n which_o undertake_v if_o i_o err_v through_o ignorance_n i_o will_v upon_o convincement_n from_o better_a judgement_n ground_v upon_o sound_a divinity_n and_o reason_n willing_o recant_v my_o mistake_n and_o subscribe_v to_o and_o allow_v of_o a_o warrantable_a eldership_n in_o the_o mean_a time_n i_o crave_v pardon_n for_o a_o little_a freedom_n of_o language_n it_o may_v perchance_o be_v wonder_v at_o by_o some_o that_o i_o be_v not_o of_o very_o grave_a year_n myself_o shall_v dare_v to_o write_v any_o thing_n against_o the_o grandee_n &_o senior_n of_o our_o time_n but_o we_o have_v a_o proverb_n among_o we_o that_o old_a man_n be_v twice_o child_n and_o true_o such_o be_v many_o of_o our_o elder_n they_o may_v perchance_o as_o babe_n desire_v the_o sincere_a milk_n of_o the_o word_n but_o i_o be_o sure_a many_o of_o they_o be_v not_o as_o yet_o grow_v thereby_o sed_fw-la nucibus_fw-la relictis_fw-la i_o intend_v to_o have_v about_o with_o they_o arm_a to_o their_o best_a advantage_n
levites_n only_o sit_v with_o they_o because_o they_o be_v learn_v in_o the_o talmud_n not_o that_o of_o right_n it_o belong_v unto_o they_o to_o sit_v there_o goodwin_n in_o his_o jewish_a antiquity_n fol._n 199._o and_o 198._o he_o say_v how_o jehosophat_n appoint_v in_o every_o wall_a city_n secular_a judge_n which_o be_v their_o elder_n to_o determine_v criminal_a offence_n i_o wonder_v that_o our_o presbyterian_o shall_v be_v so_o far_o braze_v with_o ignorance_n as_o not_o to_o blush_v to_o urge_v this_o portion_n of_o scripture_n for_o a_o warrant_n for_o their_o court_n of_o elder_n to_o be_v set_v up_o here_o in_o england_n when_o as_o it_o fail_v in_o every_o particular_a to_o be_v any_o wise_a applicable_a to_o we_o for_o first_o the_o jew_n be_v govern_v by_o 70_o elder_n before_o so_o be_v never_o england_n secon_o moses_n be_v both_o king_n and_o priest_n among_o they_o he_o be_v their_o priest_n and_o take_v great_a pain_n in_o his_o holy_a function_n with_o they_o whereby_o he_o become_v less_o fit_v to_o manage_v their_o civil_a affair_n and_o we_o may_v likewise_o read_v deut._n 33.5_o moses_n be_v among_o the_o righteous_a as_o king_n i_o never_o know_v that_o our_o bishop_n or_o presbyter_n ever_o exercise_v any_o kingly_a office_n in_o england_n nor_o have_v it_o ever_o be_v unless_o in_o these_o four_o year_n last_o pass_v whenas_o charles_n stewart_n be_v go_v from_o his_o parliament_n and_o be_v denudate_v of_o his_o kingly_a power_n which_o power_n in_o conceit_n fall_v into_o the_o lap_n of_o our_o assembly_n who_o thereupon_o enthusiastical_o by_o imaginary_a revelation_n publish_v they_o must_v take_v to_o themselves_o elder_n of_o the_o people_n to_o bear_v part_n of_o the_o burden_n with_o they_o three_o that_o be_v god_n own_o immediate_a act_n and_o he_o put_v his_o spirit_n upon_o they_o and_o they_o prophesy_v verse_n the_o 25_o but_o this_o be_v a_o mere_a humane_a institution_n not_o warrant_v by_o any_o mean_n unless_o by_o such_o imaginary_a revelation_n and_o strange_a oracle_n which_o thing_n since_o christ_n himself_o come_v in_o the_o flesh_n have_v cease_v and_o why_o shall_v we_o now_o credit_v they_o i_o believe_v our_o elder_n be_v not_o by_o their_o office_n make_v wise_a or_o endow_v with_o any_o supernatural_a gift_n at_o all_o but_o continue_v still_o though_o mr._n elder_n yet_o as_o arrant_a blockhead_n as_o they_o be_v before_o so_o that_o a_o man_n may_v say_v of_o they_o as_o one_o say_v of_o a_o ignorant_a judge_n sit_v in_o his_o robe_n upon_o the_o bench_n yonder_o judge_n be_v make_v fine_a by_o his_o place_n his_o place_n not_o beautify_v he_o nor_o for_o my_o part_n will_v i_o believe_v any_o thing_n they_o can_v prophesy_v unless_o they_o tell_v i_o they_o will_v be_v kick_v out_o of_o their_o office_n four_o that_o government_n cease_v when_o israel_n obtain_v a_o king_n and_o now_o that_o england_n have_v and_o ever_o have_v a_o king_n what_o shall_v we_o do_v with_o this_o inconsistent_a government_n unless_o to_o fit_v ourselves_o to_o entertain_v the_o eldership_n we_o cast_v off_o monarchical_a government_n and_o introduce_v a_o government_n by_o state_n for_o my_o part_n i_o wish_v that_o hand_n to_o wither_v that_o shall_v attempt_v to_o lop_v off_o the_o royal_a branch_n of_o our_o land_n who_o right_a to_o the_o crown_n and_o kingly_a prerogative_n be_v equal_o just_a to_o any_o subject_a his_o possess_n what_o he_o have_v nor_o be_v there_o any_o understanding_n christian_n reproachful_o call_v independent_a of_o any_o other_o opinion_n so_o he_o may_v enjoy_v the_o liberty_n of_o his_o own_o conscience_n without_o civil_a coercion_n in_o point_n of_o religion_n he_o be_v to_o give_v a_o account_n to_o god_n of_o his_o own_o soul_n and_o every_o one_o be_v to_o bear_v his_o own_o burden_n the_o father_n not_o be_v to_o answer_v for_o the_o son_n nor_o the_o son_n for_o the_o father_n gal._n 6.5_o ezek._n 18.20_o but_o in_o civil_a and_o temporal_a matter_n be_v ready_a to_o subject_v himself_o with_o the_o most_o submissive_a to_o kingly_a authority_n according_a to_o the_o law_n of_o the_o nation_n where_o he_o live_v and_o may_v those_o curse_a soul_n who_o contrive_v the_o obliterate_n of_o the_o glorious_a being_n of_o our_o king_n here_o be_v sudden_o snach_v hence_o by_o a_o hand_n unlooked_a for_o and_o yet_o i_o wish_v king_n charles_n his_o return_v to_o his_o parliament_n and_o harken_v to_o their_o wholesome_a counsel_n for_o therein_o i_o conceive_v his_o flourish_a and_o happiness_n will_v most_o consist_v that_o there_o be_v and_o have_v be_v civil_a elder_n here_o and_o elsewhere_o no_o man_n needs_o to_o doubt_v it_o be_v obvious_a enough_o and_o manifest_a to_o each_o capacity_n our_o judge_n at_o westminster_n be_v nothing_o else_o but_o in_o this_o sense_n elder_n and_o judge_n to_o sit_v in_o counsel_n to_o determine_v and_o judge_v of_o criminal_a and_o other_o civil_a affair_n which_o we_o continue_v still_o to_o this_o day_n therefore_o be_v our_o new_a lay-elders_a in_o this_o sense_n useless_a and_o if_o we_o must_v for_o other_o end_n erect_v jewish_a sanhedrin_n in_o england_n i_o have_v show_v you_o it_o be_v not_o warrantable_a for_o we_o so_o to_o do_v because_o moses_n by_o god_n special_a appointment_n assemble_v 70._o elder_n to_o bear_v part_n of_o the_o government_n with_o he_o although_o it_o be_v urge_v with_o all_o the_o wit_n zeal_n and_o fervency_n it_o be_v possible_a for_o a_o country_n presbyter_n to_o palliate_v his_o people_n from_o his_o pulpit_n with_o yet_o his_o labour_n be_v all_o in_o vain_a and_o he_o but_o endeavour_n to_o justify_v unwarrantable_a thing_n when_o as_o the_o unskilful_a sophister_n can_v set_v a_o specious_a gloss_n on_o a_o good_a matter_n but_o perhaps_o he_o have_v learn_v his_o lesson_n so_o far_o by_o rote_n as_o to_o tell_v the_o people_n it_o be_v in_o europe_n first_o set_v up_o at_o geneva_n by_o reverend_a mr._n calvin_n and_o since_o embrace_v by_o the_o state_n of_o holland_n and_o several_a place_n of_o germany_n and_o therefore_o why_o shall_v not_o we_o have_v it_o in_o england_n i_o answer_v in_o the_o same_o way_n of_o reason_n that_o in_o rome_n be_v and_o have_v be_v a_o long_a time_n continue_v the_o popish_a religion_n and_o profess_v and_o maintain_v by_o the_o emperor_n by_o the_o kingdom_n of_o spain_n by_o the_o king_n of_o france_n and_o some_o prince_n of_o germany_n and_o therefore_o why_o shall_v not_o we_o profess_v that_o religion_n too_o but_o more_o particular_o to_o take_v off_o this_o cavil_n i_o will_v make_v it_o appear_v that_o that_o argument_n do_v no_o way_n concern_v england_n the_o beginning_n of_o this_o government_n at_o geneva_n be_v well_o know_v be_v by_o mr._n calvin_n frame_v yet_o if_o we_o will_v believe_v history_n not_o intend_v for_o he_o perceive_v the_o abuse_n and_o too_o predominate_a tyranny_n of_o bishop_n contrary_a to_o god_n word_n lording_n it_o over_o god_n heritage_n devise_v a_o way_n for_o free_v the_o people_n from_o that_o slavery_n and_o the_o enlarge_n of_o god_n people_n to_o cast_v off_o the_o hierarchicall_a yoke_n and_o so_o invent_v a_o new_a way_n which_o he_o know_v the_o giddy_a multitude_n greedy_a of_o novelty_n will_v be_v easy_o facinated_a with_o and_o that_o the_o rather_o because_o they_o groan_v under_o the_o heavy_a pressure_n of_o their_o former_a slavery_n wherefore_o he_o buzz_v into_o the_o ear_n of_o the_o people_n that_o they_o shall_v have_v none_o of_o these_o lording_n bishop_n but_o they_o shall_v be_v rule_v by_o every_o pastor_n in_o his_o respective_a parish_n and_o to_o submit_v to_o his_o censure_n and_o because_o all_o shall_v not_o hang_v on_o so_o slender_a a_o thread_n as_o the_o like_v of_o a_o ignorant_a multitude_n he_o bind_v the_o people_n by_o oath_n to_o give_v obedience_n to_o such_o order_n as_o he_o with_o two_o other_o minister_n for_o more_o grace_n to_o the_o business_n have_v set_v down_o and_o appoint_v every_o church_n be_v to_o be_v govern_v by_o itself_o and_o the_o people_n swear_v to_o obedience_n and_o so_o every_o church_n almost_o differ_v from_o other_o begin_v to_o accuse_v one_o another_o of_o disobedience_n to_o the_o will_n of_o christ_n in_o those_o thing_n in_o which_o they_o differ_v which_o occasion_v much_o strife_n and_o contention_n among_o they_o for_o these_o presbyter_n be_v man_n of_o flesh_n as_o well_o as_o the_o bishop_n be_v and_o subject_a to_o the_o like_a infirmity_n begin_v to_o flutter_v as_o much_o or_o more_o over_o the_o people_n as_o ever_o the_o bishop_n do_v and_o to_o exercise_v as_o much_o coercive_a power_n over_o man_n conscience_n wherefore_o the_o people_n see_v themselves_o nothing_o better_v by_o this_o new_a frame_n of_o government_n but_o unadvised_o they_o have_v consent_v