Nimrod who notwithstanding he had elder brothers yet took the power of government upon him yet it s conceived he went no further then the government of his own family the heads of families appearing in the same age with him in the offspring both of Shem and Japhet and t is not probable that in those times the government was mostly such for they might have enough in one family for one man well to govern considering the many hundreds of years those ancients lived and the mind of man might well then be contented with it the profit was care and the honor duty and the end only safety against brutish invasion which course is as most natural so most conjectural untill the contrary be proved And most assuredly as their families increased even after the dispersion so divided they the land as well as in the dayes of Peleg and though it may be conceived that in this dispersion and confusion of languages the seed or occasion of future Discords Wars Jars and such like was sown yet it is probable that the earth in the fulness thereof being before them and the remembrance of kindred being fresh they did not immediately break out into blood by forcing a disseising or putting them out of possessions who were in but those unprovided sought out habitations and their numbers in their respective progresses increasing they sent out what we call Colonies The chief leader or Colonel of which was as is most likely the most Ancient who also gave forth to them the general law of their fathers whether traditional or otherwaies and the next in degree of age as the fathers of many children were accounted as chiefs next that cheif or King and these by Scripture according to that phrase in the time of Moses writing when now the world was grown to some setlement in disordered order were called Princes But these soon wax out the remembrance of their neerness of blood for surely where God was not regarded man was neglected forgetting God and his Law and private interest increasing the issue was divisions Wars and Jars The just might separate and divide as did holy Abraham and just Lot but the wicked fought for it and by power obtained their will and that law or liberty of blood-letting once admitted there was no stint of strife they renewed the Wars as the season of the year gave opportunity and with this strife out of all question came in against the law of nature the servitude of man to man and therewith also a confusion of families as to pure discent But let us pass on and hast the Lord makes now his family in the houshold of Abraham by especiall Covenant of promise with him and his seed rejecting all other Nations Yet how that rejection wrought is difficult for Melchizedech Abrahams contemporary was a holy man and assuredly kept purely the law of his fathers supposed of Shem though living amongst the accursed Cananites so Pharoah King of Aegypt to whom the Lord communicated his error in taking Abrahams wife and more especially Abymelech King of Gerar who apprehensive of Gods indignation for the same thing prayeth as one and that not only of himself but as of a Nation that knew and kept the Covenant of the Lord Wilt thou also destroy a righteous Nation said he not she is my sister But to proceed This Abraham is called a mighty Prince yet Arms but three hundred and eighteen this confirms what was before asserted shewing what Kings and Princes then were for these were to fight four Kings and manifestly proves the generality to be but heads of families though the Assyrian had now conquered many families mark also Abrahams complaint for lack of an heir urging his power and estate to difcend to Eleazar his chief servant These things are inserted only to lead the weak reader in a plain path way of historicall narration therefore this one example might suffice but this must be more then seconded both in Isaac the child of promise and Jacob and his progeny Isaac was Abrahams heir both of goods and graces yet falls into the offence of Abraham his father and for safeguard of his life denieth his wife And as a King governing his family hath issue Esau and Jacob Twins and although the birth right of divine blessing is by Isaac given to Jacob yet the temporall inheritance was to Esau which primogeniture is several waies and in the right of it acknowledged to Esau by Jacob whose substance was the gift of his God in and for his faithfull service he performed to Laban But le ts hast to see Jacob in his full grown family discended into Aegypt and there continued the time appointed by Gods promise during whose servitude while the yoak of Pharoah gauled the necks of his off-spring the way which God used to perform and fulfill his promise of freedom t is strange to flesh and blood you can look for no other government upon their shoulders then the whips of the Taskmasters untill the time of deliverance from the Lord comes who raiseth up Moses to be their saviour and leader but the judgements of his mouth during the whole course of his government were for the greatest part extraordinary even from the mouth or Spirit of the most high God which although it shews how nigh a relation holiness and obedience can work betwixt man and God yet so far it sheweth not ought as exemplary to us in our present Magistracy either the superior or subordinate in ordinary jurisdiction neither the Acts or judgements of any of those Judges afterwards in such special causes of evident supream either direction or assistance neither during their forty years peregrination in the wilderness nor in their daies of rest untill they called for a King nor indeed at any time That is we are not to take what ever one judges supream or subordinate in ordinary jurisdiction or legall government say as a binding word issuing from an infallible spirit or accompanied with such divine directions But according to the respective laws and customs of the place and Nation wherein we live ordered according to the reason and necessity of intervening accidents wherein those general rules which nature teacheth of self preservation and of preferring generals before particulars and general and common good before particular alwaies presumed nought be done contrary or destructive to any part of Divine rule must by all men as was by them be observed But seeing all that Moses did was not extraordinary let us a little view his behaviour in the course of this narration even of that man with whom so extraordinary a spirit rested for his first actions I leave the reader wholly to Scripture only this he was under persecution from his infancy being then exposed to the mercy of the waters only for what I shall specially aim at shall be and are his acts judicial and those either in referenre either to Church or Common-wealth The first law of Moses mouth was not only
they do and go unpunished be assured the Magistrate is in the greatest fault he is or loose or lazy or both So for maintenance in this way the Magistrate may clearly setle it and ought and that onely from a publike maintenance for otherwise his people will grow pure beasts in the form and shape of men and to these he ought to setle a maintenance competent for humane industry is capable of humane satisfaction this as Teachers but as Pastors let the additionall maintenance be as Christian duty requires Now to setle it as Tythes were the What and how and where and when and to whom well setled it cannot be unlawfull that is to give a tenth but to admit it as of duty to the Minister as to the Priest to plead customes of and for Tything as well as to deny customes of not Tything are all equally absurd if throughly scanned A maintenance and that onely is agreed due by all to them that Labour in the word and Doctrine but the whole Ministery hath with us been so Generally corrupted that not onely men have made or pretended conscience to pay any Tythes to such wolves in sheepes Cloathing but from the vanity wickedness and perversness of these men of corrupt minds have questioned whither a ministry be Here is a hard task for the Magistrate for he hath been necessitated to take that power into his hands which at first himself questioned whither it were lawfull for him or not but attempting and finding no danger present the fear is now least he should not let go his hold I presume this is clear he may and will declare if he have any Religion which he approves this is most naturall that he will establish what he consents not to who can perswade himself of it all that I can say is if he be a Christian let him with all meekness and in the evidence of truth by all Christian means labour to win all but to enforce none but the wicked and disobedient to just and righteous Lawes The want of which is the great disgust of all good men but I shall not enlarge here of that The Churches power then consisting principally if not wholly in things plain and evident it is most certain that the Magistrates Power in ordinary ought not to stretch so high much less exceed that is to help where that with humane thoughts seems to come short as the Church hath hitherto held Now in this I shall speak one word to the great and weighty consideration of the Supremacy of power and whither and how there be or may be Two Supreams which will a little clear up the way for amity amongst so called Christians of all opinions First we must consider the rise of the controversie is from the word of God in all the new Testament wherein all words of saving knowledge are directed soly wholy and onely to the Elect Saints at least by calling and profession which in their season some think nay beleeve shall govern the world and at these as called out of the way of the world to a more holy and spirituall serving of him Now some suppose this was to be done onely in a Church way which both Papist Greek Church and Protestants of all sides agree that is that the Magistrate Ruling among Christians in ordinary ought to be a Christian Now saith the Church of Rome and all as a Christian he must be a member of some visible Church if so he must be subordinate to the Pope and a generall Councell saith the Pope to a generall Councell and Fathers of the Church lay the Biblers of old To a generall Councell and the Kirke say both the Lutheran and Calvinistical Divines All which place the Power of the Church Authoritatively in the Officers or Officer Supream Now those of the Congregational way of all sorts distinguish as the rest do First in that the Supream Magistrates are men and so members of Churches they are Subject to the Discipline of the respective Congregations and Churches but as Magistrates they are distinct Officers in the world for the good of all men and the peaceable and quiet Governing of those committed by God to their charge Now as a member he is inferior to the whole And as a man he is Subject to Ordinances But as a Prince he is not Subject to the Church for as the Prince cannot as Prince perform the Offices of a Pastor So neither can the Pastor Officers of one or more Churches intermeddle with the ruling power of the Prince as a Pastor or Church Officers in any of their opinions Now for Supremacy they who are Christian Princes and Pastors will not strive for the Supremacy of Power but keep their fixt places All Saints are now the Kings Priests and Prophets of the most High God But more especially the chief Magistrate in Ruling represents the Kingly Office of the Lord Christ and the Pastors and teachers the Priestly and Prophetical The Prince Governs the Commonwealth according to the Judiciall Law of the Almighty God the Law of pure righteousness laid forth in both the Testaments And the Pastors and Teachers and Elders Govern the Church in dispencing the Ordinances and Rules of the Gospel the Pastor principally if not only in Preaching of the Doctrinall part of Christianitie the brethren appointed to teach in opening the practicall part of Christianitie I know that some hold that all ought to come under the pure notion of Church Government and all Magistrates to Rule as Church Officers I allow it fit to be Queried but I presume it is the wickedness of our present age blinds our eyes that we see not all that all of them who pretend to sinceritie desire And I see not notwithstanding our variety of opinions but that all that have not the mark of the beast shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven By this it is plain there is in the Church of Christ the Lord Christs Substitutes in Governing the Nations by the materiall sword according to a Law of righteousness and Justice which man may comprehend And there is the Lord Christs Substitutes in holding forth to the severall Churches the Gospel of Love the one hath the sword of Justice the other that of the Spirit In the order of Government the Pastors and all the Saints must submit to the Supream Magistrate as to Christ the King As a Christian the Magistrate must submit to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of Christ as a member of that body whereof Christ is the head as a member a Christian subject to the Ordinances of the Gospel As a Prince ruling justly those committed to his charge It will be thought that this admitting of the Prince subject as a member will make his power subservient to the end of that particular Congregation to which he is associated And this will breed Emulation and at last division Now let this throughly be considered in the cause
Councels made the world and every living thing whether Angels or men in heaven or in earth which perfected The Almighty wisdome though it could have otherwaies gloryfied it self thought fit among all the Creatures which his hands had made to raise man to that pitch of honor as to make him not only the object of his love but in some sort the Author of his honor who is the fountain it self or original spring of honor and all other vertues and excellencies and this he himself acknowledges by several expressions of his own and Prophets when men have yielded obedience to his Commandments saying they honored him or gave glory to him Yea indeed it will be acknowledged of all sorts of men that the end of mans Creation was as is the work of every Artificer the glory and honor of the Creator and maker Therefore the same wisdom that Created man even while man was yet simple and pure in the absolute height of his first created perfection put him under the obedience of a Law and Rule in word to the keeping of which those first principles which we call the Laws of sense and reason were but subservient But man kept not long that station but disobeyed the law of his most high Creator by which error or fall it s concluded and agreed by all Christians that the whole nature of man was corrupted and tainted and from being the sons of God in pure creation all mankind became the sons of Adam by natural propagation bearing in our bodies the sting and marks of our first sin in our daily and continued transgressions thrust out from the presence of our God and could dwell no longer in paradise And now the Laws of sense and reason were mans rule God not holding that lively communion with man which he did before to prescribe him particular and positive Commands or Laws at least that we read of Yet the goodness of our Creator transcendently appeared in that while he breathes forth threatnings to his disobedient servant nay actually punishes him in ejecting him the earthly Paradise the Type of the heavenly Rest he opens a door of comfort in so sweet promises as he there annexed of the hopes of a Saviour under which Covenant he pleased in all ages to take a special regard to some men in and by whom the family and houshold of God was continued and to these he several times and by several manners revealed himself whether by Dreams Visions Angels or otherwise is not so materiall to be here discust and taught them the Laws and Ordinances of his house which Laws we see were not so contrary to the Law of pure Reason or the inherent law of nature that they wrought division or separation either amongst themselves or with others or so perspicuous to the eye of mans reason that each wanderer saw the wisdom of the Father and immediately followed that rule and dictate of the divine Spirit of which families or housholds it is conceived the Lord had several in divers Countries at the same time but as being least questionable most proper to a Christian and so most subservient to our end we shall only look at the direct line of scriptural genealogy from Adam to Noah and so to Abraham of whose posterity in the twelve Patriarcks was found the people of God the holy seed among whom were in his due time shewn the Oracles of God the depth of wisdom both for the government of Gods people as men or Saints by the Lords annointed and every inferior power under the civill Scepter or by the royall Preisthood or inferior Levite under the Divine declaration How far Adams power extended or how absolute it was I shall not controvert nor yet Noahs but this we may see that it was so paternal that we read not of any censure that he gave to Cain upon his brothers murther though we see God did but how it was effected whether only by the voice of conscience or otherwaies is so difficult that we will not guess but conclude had the knowledge of it been material either for Gods honor or our good the holy and wise God would not have so obscured it nor yet gives God a precept against murder but gives it Noah after the Flood That it was want of absolute power afterwards that brought such loosness and disorders upon the world whereby sin in the successions of generations from Adam to Noah was so multiplyed the contrary seems evident and that from the Tenor of Gods truth For there were mighty men who abused their power to wrong and injustice therefore were they plagued we may say plainly they sought and got power over each other and destroyed the pure law of nature For though I am not against nay I am for Government as will well appear hereafter yet this I say that the law of pure naturals sets not one above another which law observed there would be no need of Governors for each one would be a law unto himself But to return the power thus obtained they abused it to unjust ends Spoile Robbery Rapine Lust and such like for this came the wrath of God upon these children of disobedience and violence and the Flood washed away them and their sins together Yet the Lord remembred Noah for was he just from whose posterity descended all the present Inhabitants of the earth and although the fathers were as Shem and Japhet righteous in their generations yet the sons and progenie of these forgat the laws of their fathers house and fell into the delusions of Sathan by the lusts of their own hearts And forgetting the Judgements of God upon the old world they as well as the seed of Cham fell into the sins of the old world and promoted themselves over their brethren not according to priority of birth as most congruous to reason but by might and power abusing those excellent qualifications of divine infusion against the law of the most High and then according to their factions they by strength got dominion which loth to lose they combined together against God himself nay as sure as the Lord liveth the Poet truly expresseth the heart of man These Giants or Principes would if they could have plucked God out of heaven they first brake his Laws and then fought against him but the Almighty now only scatters them to his glory and they who before were bounded in a narrow compass are now dispersed through all regions and it is concluded that the chief of them of one language upon the confusion of tongues was their Prince but whether that were the most Ancient Strong or Wise we shall not need here dispute it is agreed there was a cheif and that the most ancient by the general Law of reason owned that place However it is most probable that their dominion extended not over many or that their power was unlimited But it seemeth among the sons of Noah that Chams posterity first deviated from the rule of nature in
Transubstantiation not Consubstantiation for they agreed the whole Law was as it is devolved into Form and Practise the pure streams of Justice were as they fell from the fountain of Divine and Moral Reason drawn by Art into private Cisterns of Profit and Honour But they durst not undertake the VVork I desired then considering my many occasions That they would but impart something to me to help me in my so great attempt I talked with some Attorneys to the same purpose and from two men I received two Papers shewing the abuse of dammage clear and suing out the Cap. utlagats the most ordinary matters I then addressed my self to some men eminent in Honor and places of Trust discovered my minde we argued I saw they were convinced of the truth of the thing and were resolved were the Law altered they should submit yea even to what I then and here propounded But they would have no hand in it they had no time they had spent their Studies in the present Law and to change was a new work Some advised me to leave off these thoughts and fall to Practise they would warrant me I should get as much as any of them After long delayes consulting my own strength and seeing Judges Serjeants Councellors Attorneys Solicitors and All confessed Alteration necessary delayes evident Justice incertain Equity more ruining then undoing Common Law I did partly out of the sence of the unjustness and wickedness of the Law but principally that I might be out of the lash of a credit Ruining frown leave all Practise whatsoever as I had formerly left the most and did consult which way to take to open in the most Christian way the Evils of the Apostate State and Commonwealth and how to offer an expedient sutable to the condition of the people wedded to Laws and Customs called their own This is that which the Lord put me upon I have avoided to my utmost all bitterness and just occasion of offence to any either Powers or persons And to any man shall require a further account of the hope that is in me concerning matter of Conscience or of the matter of Law and the Reasons herein offered so it be with Christian meekness and zeal for the Truth according to my knowledge I shall freely discover my self and yield I hope a satisfactory answer For I assert there is nothing here laid down in any kind as to the civil Regiment not warranted by the present so called Law-books of England I restrain not my self to the so called Year-Books For the scantness of my time I could have wished more and more abilities and that both natural and experimental but you must take it as it is onely an Essay for a Settlement of a Christian Commonwealth I leave the Work to such as Providence shall cull out of the many present Worthies of Englands Labourers Me thinks England labours like a woman in sore pangs of Travel crying out to be delivered I pray God none of the Midwives Juno like set cross-legg'd in the Temple of honor profit power or the like O that every one could banish all interests and all Relatious for Christs sake I know abundance that will allow this project of Resolving this Nation into County Jurisdictions their spirits will be immediatly fancying places to themselves friends kindred c. for the moddle holds forth a due satisfaction even to carnal Interests The opposition will arise from the great interest of the City of London and the Supream Judicatures but it is clear their interest may thus be continued to a just proportion Now they ruine Government within themselves and destroy the whole Nation besides let them live but let not England perish for the Lords sake you that are our Physitians remember your promises when you undertook the Cure Then you stroaked the wound gently you asked nothing till the cure were perfected but our wound is open still more wayes to discourage the poor impoverished subject then ever Take but the many fruitless Acts for poor prisoners into consideration and the forceing an Affidavit of the Engagement notwithstanding a Certificate of the Commissioners can we not easily determine the Reason it cannot be zeal for Justice but the Clerks Fee upon the Oath our hearts are hot in pursuit after the world while our lips breath forth expressions of the new birth Assuredly Englands Allarms to War will not cease till the sins cease You that are in Authority like valiant Chieftains must not onely speak couragiously but Act rigorously you and your just Acts and Ordinances are slighted and contemned First by your selves our Trustees they are not duly transmitted to the Counties then by our selves your Trustees they or some of them deal with them as they list each one interprets as his interest leads Let these things be represented to you and what is done nothing Nay come up to London waite and attend till you be weary the justness of your Cause gives not the quicker dispatch yea I have heard that some spoken to to hasten matters agreed on have been told their haste should cause their tarriance or words to that effect These are sad Symptoms to such Melancholy spirits as mine of renewed Judgements I shall say no more But leaving the whole Work to the Lord address my self to seek his face and pray unto THe Lord our God the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and of all the faithful the Almighty Jehovah the Father of our Lord Iesus and in him both of Jew and Gentile That he will please to open the eyes of all called Christians and give them hearts to understand his wayes that they may see and perceive the evil of their doings that the precisest professors may see that from their evil walkings the Enemy takes advantage and causes many Professors to fall off vainely thinking all are wholly hypocritical because of some mens failings Let those O Lord who have some beginnings of resenting their duty to seek thy face not give any occasion to thy Enemies the profane-hearted yet among thy people to transgress with more boldness because of their Liberties Yea give the loose Professors to consider that their evident unchristian walkings cause the open Enemies of our blessed Saviour to blaspheme even Jew and Gentile for what people walk so contrary to their profession as the so called Christian Father I pray discover to them that claim to be called thy Clergy as at least indeed set apart for more excellent and eminent services in Word and Doctrine that their lives must be the best Interpreter of their words their conversations of their Exhortations and Perswasions To Preach Love and live in Enmity to Preach Obedience and be Refractory if not Rebellious is not Christs way O let them all see even from the highest to the lowest that its Error evident hath caused Truth to be distrusted and their words contemned Righteousness and Truth carry a Majesty which Satan fears Convince them therefore that as they have
lost the glory of Pastors by preaching Christ and pretending for Christ and following the world and seeking Self so they must redeem their ancient honor by signal services Let love be even to Enemies and let the reducing of those that go astray be with that real sincere affection as they Preach Saint Iohn did his back-sliding outlaw given in trust to a Pastor or Bishop Let them be Fathers of the Church and brethren in Christ let them be eyes to the blind and teachers to them that are slow of heart let them be diligent and faithful in their places preaching in season and out of season looking at their duty more then the reward for by the vertual Succession or publike Designation they own the charge of the Lord is upon them and they pluck a wo upon themselves if they preach not the Gospel Lord dispel from their minds the rudiments of the world the superstitious reasonings of the flesh and all carnal Ordinances and give them the Evidence of thy Spirit that by thy Power they may be instrumental in this our day of high expectation to draw much people to the Lord. Holy Father give us Magistrates as of old men full of wisdom and of the fear of the Lord men of courage and despising riches let them make Thee their strength not trusting to their knowledge knowing that in case of a Kingdom appointed to ruine by God wise Councels and fair occasions avail not but are by a secret over-ruling Providence wholly inverted nor to their courage riches or power for the same reasons Let them not undertake War for Ambition nor as all Christian Princes and States of late have done engage in Oathes in policy and for stratagems let their leagues be kept inviolably the priviledge of Nations is above that of private persons let their Laws be not onely in the letter but the practise also the Indexes of pure Iustice let their Government be such a sweet mixture of Iustice and Mercy that may declare they seek Reformation not destruction the Glory of God not the benefiting of Self let them hear before they determine determine before they execute and yet execute so that Righteousness may be preserved free from the scandal not onely of false Iustice but also of too late Iustice Banish from the hearts of all such as thou shalt call to places of Judicature every affection that is dissonant to the purity of Christian Profession Let not form destroy the essence of Justice O Lord look upon all those that have power wisdom and riches whereby being eminent in their Generations they are rendred useful for thy glory that they may all of them improve the Talents that they have received to the end for which they were principally given And Father let thy many promises of building up Sion sending down the New Jerusalem setling the people in peace making them all of one heart and mind be fulfilled to us in this our day Many beleeve it is the great work of thy Glory reserved for thy Call of thine own people Lord hasten that time shorten the evil dayes for thine Elects sake and stir up all hearts in their respective places so to act as the vigor of all Christian vertues may be so apparent that all eyes may see the brightness of thy glory the perfect image of the Father shining forth in the conversations of the children Let all our emulations be holy tending onely to incite and stir up desires of more affectionate duties and services to the eternal Majesty not seeking after principally loose and accustomed liberty but laying such a due restraint upon all inordinate walkings that even propension to transgression may be chastised nay strangled in the heart before it grows to action Let the gifts of the mind in our Commonwealth have the first place then the excellencies of the body and let those of the world have the last as the lowest in the Sphear of Christian Politicks Let thy Kingdom even of thy Son the one eternal immortal invisible infinite Prince the Prince of Peace come let his Spirit so rule and raign in the hearts of the sons of men that his will may be so done of us here as it is in heaven that thou and thy Name may be glorified by all flesh even so be it O Lord. Amen Amen So prayes CHARLS GEORGE COCK Student of Christian Law Of the Society of the Inner-Temple now resident in Norwich FINIS Postscript As I find this VVork accepted I shall enlarge Isaiah 62. vers 1. For Sions sake I will not hold my tongue and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest untill the Righteousness thereof break forth as the light and the salvation thereof be as a burning Lamp Vers 6. and 7. Ye that are the Lords Remembrancers keep not silence and give him no rest untill he repair and set up Ierusalem the praise of the Earth