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
the holy Scriptures shall oâ—der all affairs among men And great shall be his Dominion for the Stone Christ shall grow to be a mountain filling the whole earth all men submitting to be ruled by the Word in civil as well as Church-affairs Now it seemeth to me that the Lord Christ is now accomplishing these things in great Britain The faithful Brethren in Scotland gave the first blow at the dirty toes and feet of this Image with whom the faithful brethren in England presently concurred But the Iron of the Civil State stuck so fast to the miry clay that according to the Word of Christ they are beyond all the thoughts of men both fallen together they are fallen they are fallen they are both fallen together Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his faithful Word and goodness for his mercy endurteh for ever and all his faithful Word shall be accomplished Amen Amen There be many other Prophecies of holy Scriptures touching these things as the Saints well know the application whereof to what is now done in England I will not undertake it being a worke rather for a Treatise then a Preface Yea some Prophecies as I apprebend do more particularly describe what is now done but I shall not mention them hoping that others will do it according as the Lord shall please to open that door Now these things being so it doth deeply concern those holy and faithful ones of the Lord who have been Instruments in his hand to accomplish these great and glorious works whether by Councils or Wars or otherwise to be wise and discerning of the times to know what Israel ought to do in this great work of bringing about the Kingdom to David to lay the Government upon his shoulders that after all these clouds and storms the peaceable Kingdom of Christ may rise up and the Lord may reign in England Much is spoken of the rightful Heir of the Crown of England and the unjustice of casting out the right Heir but Christ is the only right Heir of the Crown of England a Psa 2. 8. The uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession and of all other Nations also b Rev. 11. 15. The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign c. and he is now come to take possession of his Kingdom making England first in that blessed work of setting up the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus and in order thereunto he hath cast down not only the miry Religion and Government of Antichrist but also the former form of civil Government which did stick so fast unto it until by an unavoidable necessity it fell with it which while it stood and as it stood was too high to stoop to the Lord Jesus to be ruled by his command Now therefore by these preparations made by the naked Arm of the Lord Jesus to set up his Kingdom in England he calleth upon those Worthies into whose hands he hath betrusted the managing of this great work now to advance Christ not man not themselves but Christ which doing taketh off those heavy imputations of investing themselves with Authority of taking the Inheritance to themselves God forbid God forbid that it should enter into our hearts to think so unworthily so unchristianly so dishonourably of such renowned servants of the Lord who have so graciously and humbly ever given unto the Lord all the glory of all their Victories that now at last they should rob him of his Crown Dominion and Government which to set up in England hath been the mark and Scope of all these late great works of God and if it be not yet done surely it is either because the Lord hath not yet fully revealed to them what his will is they should do in the midst of these confusions or because the unquietness of the times permits them not to go about it That which the Lord now calleth England to attend is not to search humane Polities and Platformes of Government contrived by the wisdom of man but as the Lord hath carried on their works for them so they ought to go unto the Lord and enquire at the Word of his mouth what Platforme of Government he hath therein commanded and prâ—scribed and humble themselves to embrace that as the best how mean soever it may seem to Humane Wisdom Faith can see beauty power and glory in any Divine institution when Humane Wisdom may think it weak and contemptible There is undoubtedly a forme of Civil Government instituted by God himself in the holy Scriptures whereby any Nation may enjoy all the ends and effects of Government in the best manner were they but perswaded to make trial of it We should derogate from the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures if we should deny it The Scripture is able throughly to furnish the man of God whether Magistrate in the Commonwealth or Elder in the Church or any other unto every good work And when a Christian people are to choose their Government should they take their Patern from the Nations of the World a 1 Sam. 8. 5. Make us a King to judge us like all the Nations we know what an offence that would be to Christ who intends to Rule them himself by his own Divine Patern and Direction Christ is now about to ruine the Roman-Image Wisdom therefore it is to look above all such Paterns to find out a Divine Platforme taught by God himself which he will delight to bless unto such men as shall submit unto it And if there be a Divine institution of civil Government that may suit the State of England I doubt not but all the godly in the Land would chuse that way of Government before any other in the World for every Divine institution hath a Divine blessing in it Yea God himself is more eminently present ruling thereby and the Spirit of God doth breath in and bless every institution of the Word to make it powerful and effectual to attain its end better and more effectually then any Humane Ordinance and Institution in the Wâ—â—ld can do The Promise also of Gods blessing and protection is unto all those who walk in Scripture-ways and Ordinances Moreover that uncomfortable difference among the people of God about that great business of changing the Government in England would hereby be reconciled and all things brought unto an holy peace every one readily yielding that the Lord Jesus should assume the Soveraignty to appoint them what Government to set up over them and would most readily embrace that whereby the Lord himself should reign in England I think it needful to insert this word of Apology for my self That it pleased the Lord of his free mercy to me in my self being no way fitted for such a work to put me on to instruct our poor blind and dark Indians in the good knowledge of the Lord who when through grace they tasted of the
Christ come in and help ye for ward the setting up of his Kingdom I am bold to present this Scripture-Platform of Government to publique view if advice so carry it at this season because I do believe it to be a Divine Institution of a Civil Government and seemeth to me to be such as will well suit the present condition of England Scotland and Ireland or any other religious people in the World who fear the command of God and tremble at his Word and being perswaded in my heart that it is the minde of the Lord that Nations should be governed by Scripture-Institutions the time being come that the Lord is about to shake all the Earth and throw down that great Idol of Humane Wisdome in Governments and set up Scripture-Government in the room thereof It may please God to give acceptance unto this poor beginning and move the hearts of such as are wise to prosecute this design of Christ and more accurately to search the Scriptures to finde out the perfect will of God in this point which yet is but in its birth and dawning many things being yet dim and dark in the morning twilight we cannot see far before us nor round about us but the Rising-Sun will through grace bring greater light with him As for such wholsome just and wise Laws as any Nation hath already made the Wisdome of the Lord will teach his People to refer them to their Scripture-principles demonstrating the truth and equity thereof by the Word of God whereby they will appear to be the deducts from the Word of God and hence they that are governed by them are governed by the Lord they that break them sin against the Lord by breaking his Commandment and Law It were a Work worthy the labours of the best Divines and the best of Men to demonstrate the equity of all the wholsome and wise Laws of ENGLAND by the Word of God the effects of which Work would be of admirable consequence to sanctifie the whole Land to make the Rulers more expresly to govern for the Lord and the People to obey the Lord in obeying their Governours and so the Lord himself should Reign over them My continual Prayer in this behalf at the Throne of Grace is that the Lord would so far scatter those black Clouds which do darken the mindes of God's People in ENGLAND that they may see some Beams of the brightness of CHRIST his coming to Reign and that the Lord would please to bow their divided hearts to meet with one consent and accord to make CHRIST their LAW-GIVER and JUDGE and KING in whom alone they shall finde settlement and assured peace Amen Amen THE CHRISTIAN COMMONWEALTH OR The Civil Polity of the Rising Kingdom of Jesus Christ CHAP. I. IT is the Commandment of the Lord that a people should enter into Covenant with the Lord to become his people even in their Civil Society as well as in their Church-Society a Deut. 29. 10 11 12 13. You stand this day all of you before the Lord your God your Captains of your Tribes your Elders and your Officers with all the men of Israel 11. Your little ones your wives and the stranger that is in thy Camp c. 12. That thou shouldest enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God and into his oath which he maketh with thee this day 13. That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself and that he may be to thee a God as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. Whereby they submit themselves to be ruled by the Lord in all things receiving from him both the platform of their Government and all their Laws which when they do then Christ reigneth over them in all things they being ruled by his Will and by the Word of his Mouth b a Isai 33. 22. The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he shall save us The substance of which Covenant and subjection of themselves unto the Lord to be ruled by him in all things is this That they do humbly confess their corruption by nature and lost condition that they acknowledge the free grace c Deut. 26. 1. ad 12. I profess this day unto the Lord thy God that I am come into the Countrey which the Lord thy God sware unto thy fathers to give us c. vers 5. And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God A Syrian ready to perish was my father and he wont down into Egypt c. vers 7. And when we cried unto the Lord he heard us c. ver 8. And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand c. of God in their redemption by Christ and in the promulgation of the Gospel unto them and making application thereof effectually unto their souls and therefore the Lord hath shewed his everlasting Love unto them and caused them inwardly by faith to give up themselves unto him to be for ever his to love serve and obey him in all his Word and Commandments so now they do outwardly solemnly with the rest of Gods people joyn together so to do in their Civil Polity receiving from the Lord both the platform of their civil Government as it is set down in the essentials of it in the holy Scriptures and also all their Laws which they resolve through his grace to fetch out of the Word of God making that their only Magna Charta and accounting no Law Statute or Judgement valid farther then it appeareth to arise and flow from the Word of God Such as with a lively faith enter into or walk in this Covenant do perform every Act wherein they are free from temptation of civil conversation among men a 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God by faith in obedience unto God Instructing that all should do so who take this Covenant and if they do not they are guilty of breach of Covenant before God A willing subjection of a mans self to Christ in this Covenant is some hopeful sign of some degree of faith in Christ and love to God and as a good preparative for a more neer approach to Christ in Church-fellowship and Covenant he that is willing to serve Christ by the Polity of the second Table civilly is in some degree of preparation to serve him by the Polity of the first Table Ecclesiastically The Child is implicitely comprehended in the Fathers Covenant a Deut. 29. 14 15. Neither with you onely do I make this Covenant this day but with him that standeth here this day before the Lord our God and with him that is not here with us this day the Wife is explicitely comprehended in her Husbands insomuch that in her Widowhood she and her Family are one under the order of the Government of God
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
holy Scriptures CHAP. IV. UPon the forenamed grounds of speedy Justice for the stablishing of firme peace all Causes betwixt man and man pertaining to the Congnizance of the Ruler of ten must be put upon Suit or Tryal within the space of one moneth b Lev. 19. 17. Thou shalt not suffer sin upon him Cases belonging to the Court of six must be put upon Suit or Tryal within the space of three moneths Causes belonging to the Court of three must be put upon Suit or Tryal within the space of nine moneths Causes belonging to the Court of eleven must be put upon Suit or Tryal in the space of one year and half or else to be frustrate and lose the priviledge of receiving judgement by man unless it appear that the providence of God did hinder or that the Defendant or Delinquent party did disappoint it in those cases it may be admitted to Tryal and receive Judgement though it be of a longer standing But Criminal Offences are to be judged at the time when and in the place where they be discovered and that with the most speed that may be Such Cases as are difficult weighty and worthy such attendance and cannot attain an acceptable issue in the Court where they firstly appertain may ascend from Court to Court either by Appeal or by Transmission to the Court of eleven And whatsoever Cause of weight cannot receive issue there may yet ascend either by Appeal or Transmission to the highest Council a Exod. 18. 22. Great matters they shall bring to thee 26. Hard matters they brought to Moses Deut. 17. 8 9. If there arise a matter too hard for thee c. thou shalt come to the Priests Levites and Judges that shall be in those days where by Gods appointment it must receive final determination b And thou shalt do according to the sentence c. Deut. 17. 10. In lesser Commonwealths where there be no Rulers or Courts of the Superiour order Cases ascend to the highest Council from the Court of eleven but where there be Rulers and Courts of the Superiour order there the Cause must ascend from the Court of eleven in the single Platform to the Court of one Myriade or the lowest Court in the Superiour order and so proceed until it come to the Supreme Council Every Appeal in this Platform of Government which the Lord hath instituted doth ascend to an higher Court and to other Judges There is one of the Judges from whom he appealeth a member of the Court to which he doth Appeal truly to inform the Court of the Reasons of their Judgement and but one lest they should sway overmuch and the Appealant want the priviledge of new and unprejudiced Judges Whosoever shall trouble the free passage of Justice in the ending of Causes through a perverse will or base ends or captious and quarrelsome wit besides the charges of such agitations he is worthy of some other medicine as may most effectually do him good and warn others In all Courts he that hath power to call the Court hath a double Vote as for example in the Court of Three if the Ruler of an hundred differ from the two Rulers of fifty the Court is equally divided if there be three Rulers of fifty and one of them concur with the Ruler of an hundred their sentence standeth When the Court is equally divided it is a difficult Case and must ascend to the Court next above them by Transmission or if the lesser part of the Court oppose the sentence of the Court as judging it sinful then it must ascend by Transmission If a Judge of any Court shall oppose the rest in point of sin without weighty and considerable grounds in the judgement of the Court whither it ascends or is transmitted his first offence shall be corrected with the charge of such transmission and admonition from the higher Court after offences in like kind are to be considered and judged by proportion to the process of Christ in the Church even unto rejection from his Place and Office The highest Council is to consist of a convenient number of the most holy and able men a Num. 11. 16. Whom thou knowest to be Elders of the people With Exod. 18. 21. Able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness orderly chosen for that purpose by all the orders of b Deut. 1. 13. Take ye wise men men under their jurisdiction every man in order having an equal voice therein from among all the Elders of the people both in the Commonwealth and in the Churches c Deut. 17. 9. And thou shalt come to the Priests Levites and Judges that shall be in those days and enquire and they shall shew thee c. 2 Chro. 19. 8. Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehosaphat set of the Levites and of the Priests and of the chief of the fathers in Israel for the judgement of the Lord and for controversie Deut. 21. 2. Then thy Elders and Judges shall come forth and shall measure c. ver 5. And the Priests the sons of Levi shall come neer and by their word shall every stroke and every controversie be tryed Deut. 19. 17. Both the men between whom the controversie is shall stand before the Lord before the Priests and Judges Ezek. 44. 24. And in controversie they shall stand in judgement and they shall judge it according to my judgement the biggest number being civil Elders d Numb 11. 16. Gather to me seventy men of the Elders of Israel Vide Ainsw in Loc. Hence the Hebrews gather that they were chose out of all the Tribes and therefore there was not less then five of a Tribe and so many of Levi who before the institution of the Sanhedrim were taken of God instead of the first born to be Priests unto God for they were taken to be Priests at Sinai Numb 3. 14. And this institution was at Kibroth-hattaavah Numb 11. 34. with Numb 31. 15 16 17. The Lord commanded Moses that seventy Elders should stand with him before the Lord hence there were seventy one of the Council and Moses was the chief and ordained the rest According to which patern the people are to chuse their chief Ruler first who being installed by some instead of the whole people must instal the rest and is chief Ruler of the Supreme Council who must call and manage their Assemblies As the overburdensomness of the work of Government by one man was the ground of the institution of the forenamed orders of Government so the overburdensomness of the work for one man to hear all hard Cases and Appeals together with other Cares to provide for the welfare of the people was the ground of the institution of the Supreme Council a Deut. 1. 9. I spake to you and said I am not able to bear you alone Numb 11. 11. ad 16. ver 11. And Moses said unto the Lord Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant and
Courts of the Superiour order have power to judge all capital Cases whatsoever The Court of one Myriade hath also power to judge any Cause betwixt the Rulers of the thousands of that Myriade who are not to judge in the Court when their own Case is judged Difficult Cases they transmit and Appeals they bind over to the Court of five Myriades if there be such a Court betwixt them and the Supreme Council otherwise they transmit them to the Council The Causes which properly belong to the Court of five Myriades are such as fall out betwixt parties of the several Myriades under them I will ascend no higher in describing the Courts of the Superiour order party because Gods Method is plain and also it will be rarely of use in any Commonwealth especially considering that which I farther propound Namely seeing God himself was pleased to appoint a Prince a chief Ruler over every Tribe in Israel who were distinguished by that civil distinction of kindreds By proportion thereunto in populous Nations where there be other civil distinctions of societies and cohabitations of men viz. by Cities Provinces Countries c. should not they chuse a Prince a chief Ruler of those several Precincts of civil society Whose Office is chiefly to take care of the good Government firstly of all the Superiour Rulers under him as also of all the rest as he hath opportunity that the Lord may rule among them Likewise to hold a Court consisting either of the Rulers of Myriades or of five Myriades or of ten Myriades or of an hundred Myriades according to the greatness of the people in his Precincts This Court to be called the Court of the Prince or Lord or chief Ruler of such a Precinct and to be next unto the Supreme Council from which Court onely difficult Cases and Appeals have access to the Supreme Council and to which they remit the determinations of the Cause to receive its judgement Lest the Supreme Council be oppressed with business from so many Courts and thereby the people with delays of hearing and issue occasioned thereby It seemeth to be right Orders and according to Gods institution that these Princes of the several Tribes or Societies of men should be members of the Supreme Council The whole Dominion being distributed unto the Supreme Counsellours or to so many of them as may be meet For the Princes of the Tribes of Israel it seemeth to me were members of the Sanhedrim or Supreme Council because God commanded that they should be chosen very carefully from among the Elders of the people Hence they will chuse the most choice of their Elders to send up with Moses to stand before God Now they could not chuse better fitter and men more acceptable to God out of all their Elders then those whom God himself had chosen by name to be Princes of the Tribes Besides it is exceedingly harmonious in the frame of this Government that it should be so for though whoever of the other Elders whether of the single or Superiour Order be chosen to the Supreme Council it may seem requisite they should leave the lower station lest when Appeals have passed in the circuit of Gods Government and come to the highest Council there should be sundry of them through whose judgement the Cause had formerly passed which may prove prejudicial both to their persons and to the Cause But when it hath lastly passed through the Court of the Prince of the Tribe meet it is that one of the last Court through which it passed should be present in the Supreme Council to give true information how they lastly after all former Tryals did find the Cause But this is to be observed in the distribution of the whole Dominion to the several Supreme Counsellours that no such civil Dominion is to be put upon or accepted by such Elders of Churches as are Members of the high Council as being such whose only Office and Work is to search the holy Scriptures and give all attendance to declare the Divine Oracle of God in such Cases as are in hand of what nature soever they be yea and if the Council see need to call Eccesiastical Councils greater or lesser to search out the mind of Christ for his presence and blessing is in every Ordinance and all joyntly conspire the advancement of his Kingdom and the doing of his will The Election of all Superiour Rulers is to be after the same manner as in the single form viz. by all the people * Or orders of men over whom they are to rule Some of the Princes of the Tribes of Israel may seem to be Rulers of fifty thousands or of five Orders of Myriades yet the Office of the Princes was not onely under that notion but also as an head of a civil society a kindred an eminent part a division of the Commonwealth for some of the Tribes had but four Myriades and some but three and therefore could not in that way and order have a Ruler of five Myriades Therefore they must needs be instituted under another consideration viz. as being the head or chief Ruler over an eminent part or division of the Commonwealth being civilly divided into such Societies CHAP. VIII SO much for the Platform of the Lords Government Now it remains to consider of the Laws by which these Rulers are to Govern the Lords people The written Word of God is the perfect Systeme or Frame of Laws to guide all the Moral actions of man either towards God or man the Application whereof to every Case according to its circumstances must be by the wisdom and discretion of the Judges guided by the light of the Scriptures and a pure Conscience The judgement and determination of a Cause is nothing else but the particular application of the Cause according to all its circumstances unto the Rule and Standard of Gods Word The Records of which judgements are equivalent to Humane Laws Which so far as the Case with all its circumstances considered is rightly applyed to the Rule of the Word is a deduct from Scripture and bindeth the Consciences both of Judges alway so to judge in the like case and the people so to walk Which Records to order wisely and publish for common instruction and edification is a work of great wisdom and tendeth much to Gods glory the good of the people and the facilitating and expediting justice among them All Strangers are â—o be accounted under the Government of those Orders where they reside and where their business lieth so as to have the benefit of the Government of the Lord as our own people have FINIS