Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A91938
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To his excellency the Lord Generall Cromwell. A few proposals, relating to civil government. / Humbly offered by John Rogers an unworthy servant of Christ, and preacher of the Gospel now at Tho. Apostles London.
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Rogers, John, 1627-1665?
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1653
(1653)
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Wing R1816; Thomason 669.f.16[97]; ESTC R211692
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3,761
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1
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and Jurisdiction over Churches and Consciences into their possession Ps 83. 11 12. Such are v. 13. set as a wheel upon the run till they have run themselves all to peeces and this was openly declared would be the ruin of this Parliament at Thomas Apostles Febr. 18 unlesse God prevented a day when we and the Navy were ingaged together all day long Lastly they must govern all for God not too much for man 2 Chro. 196. Take heed what you doe for ye govern not for man but for the Lord saith Jehosaphat O that they may be Moses's for meekness and for their oft meeting and conferring with God on the Mount Joshua's for courage and Samuels for uprightnesse and Davids for Gods Favorites and for figuring out the coming of Christ and Solomons for wisdome and workers for Gods latter Temple and Daniels for discerning the daies wee live in and Nehemiah's for activity and abillity and builders up of the broken wals of Jerusalem and then shall they in their measure make good the promise of Judges as at the first Isa 2. 20. and then the work of the Lord shall go on in the hands of Zerubbabel with shoutings of grace grace unto it The fourth Proposal is That those who are righteous and spirited for this Government of the Worthies of the late Parliament that Propos IV are without just exception may be owned with honour That the righteous suffer not with the wicked The fifth Proposal is That the Rulers after they be chose be set solemnly and publickly apart by prayers to God for their Worke Propos V and his wisdome as they were wont to doe in Israel as Numb 11. 16 17. Gather them before me and I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee and put it upon them and say to the people sanctifie your selves So Ezra 9. 23 24. So we fasted and besought our God for this and he was intreated of us and then I separated twelve of the cheife sayes he And although in the Commonwealth of Israel they were wont when they set them apart for Governours to poure out a horne of oyle or else to lay on hands on each These Ceremonies are now abolished and yet the signification of them remains viz. that there bee some evidence or other that the Lord hath laid his hand on them and hath poured out his horne of oyle upon their heads unto their very hearts I mean his Unction from on high the holy Spirit enduing them with sanctified gifts and abilities separating and setting them apart for the worke of this Government by such a measure of his oyle of grace as suites with the age wherein we live i. e. aboundantly more then in former ages These Five Proposals Right Honorable put in practise with Gods blessing shal serve as five fingers sor the Work and wil show that the hand of the Lord is with us wherefore consult with the Saints Deu. 1 13. and send to all discerning spirited men for their Proposals And I beseech your Excellency to accept these few at first from a faithfull Commonwealths man one that longs for the day of the Lord Christ and that this Government may be a fore-runner thereof and a preparative thereunto these Proposals are presented with the full sailes and gales I hope of the Spirit Seeing thousands of glazed eyes are upon you with hungry longings for such a Government as may be most intent to make way in these three Nations for that day of Christs reign in righteousnesse That our mountains may drop downe with new wine and our hills with milke Joh. 3. and great be the day of Jezreel by this Government is the soule-struggling and faith-acting unfained and resolved prayers of one who defires nothing of your Excellency for himselfe but to be one of the meanest of Your Servants for Christ and this Commonwealth JO. ROGERS From my Study Tho. Apostles 25. day of the second Month Ziu 1653. Printed for Robert Ibbitson 1653.
TO HIS Excellency the Lord Generall Cromwell A few Proposals relating to Civil Government Humbly offered by John Rogers an unworthy servant of Christ and Preacher of the Gospel now at Tho. Apostles London RIGHT HONOURABLE WHilst my soul is boyling over into earnest prayers to the great Jehovah for VVisdome Counsel and Courage for you in this exigency of importance as the great Deliverer of his people through Gods grace out of the house of Aegypt I am visited with that word in Exod. 12. 42. It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out of Aegypt This is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the Children of Israel in their Generations So this is the day viz. April 20. 1653. to be much observed or in Hebr. full of observations and the rather for that in the revolution of times the changes will run their round out and then the Lord will come to reigne For at as first Israel had no Governour but God and next to him Generals as Moses Joshua c. with their Officers and after that Judges and Synedrions or Parliaments over them and then Kings So now the change is to go back again from Kings to Parliaments from Parliaments to Generals until we have Governours as at the beginning Isa 1. 26. and till Christ come But my Lord my heart is full with humble thankfulnesse and resentment of the hopes you have put us all unto and to your Honour indeed I am pressed in spirit and so are many others after a solemne meeting of prayers with hundreds of this City at Tho. Apostles London about this change and to seek God for you to present you with these following Proposals I. That your Excellency do choose the men that must governe this Commonwealth being that it is the judgement of many faithful discerning Ministers and others that you are called thereunto of God So Moses did choose able men to be Rulers in Exod. 18. Propos I 25 26. And they judged the people at all seasons but the hard causes they brought to Moses So that Moses gave them their charges to doe righteously without respect of persons Deut. 1. 16 17. And Joshua the next General with 's Officers commanded the people Josh 3. 2. and the Lord said to Joshua though in another case ch 4. 2. Take you twelve men out of the people one of a Tribe c. and sayes the text Vers 14. that very day that Joshua did so the Lord magnified him in the sight of all Israel and they seared him as they feared Moses before him So it is upon our hearts Right Honourable that God will make you hereby Right Honourable indeed in the sight of all his Israel After this Gideon the General of that little Army of three Bands that destroyed the huge host of the Midianites was offered by the Israelites the Government Judg. 8. 22. for hee had won it And Nehemtah chap. 7. 2. gave Commissions out to men fearing God to governe And so all the Governours that ever were victorious in the word were either Rulers themselves or else chosen to be such or else chose such wherefore we say as Ezra 7. 25. And thou after the wisdome of thy God that is in thine hand set Magistrates and Judges which may judge all the people that are beyond the River all such as know the Laws of thy God and teach thou them that know not The second Proposal as to number of persons that shall Governe I humbly propose either a Synedrin Parliament or Councel of seventy or else one of a County For that in the Commonwealth of Israel which is our best patterne they had three sorts of Courts the Upper Propos II Court or Synedrin which consisted of seventy able fit men joyned with Moses Numb 11. 16 17. And the Lord said to Moses Gather before me or in my Name seventy worthy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the Elders and Officers over them For I will come down and talk with thee and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee and I will put it upon them and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee c. This number answers to the seventy which at first went into Aegypt Gen. 46. 27. Exod. 1. 5. Deut. 10. 22 and to the seventy Elders which went up Mount Sinai Exod. 24. 1. 9. Now in this first great Senate they sat in forme of an halfe Circle round so that the Nasi or Abbeth-Din chiefe or father of the house sat as the Speaker in Parliament doth to see all before him The second sort of Synedrin was called the Lower Court c. they were under a great Senate and consisted of three and twenty persons who sate in the City gates as Amos 5. 5. which Christ implies when he promises the Gates of hell Councels and strength shall not prevail against his Church So Deut. 16. 18. And the third Court consisted but of three Judges in smal Cities But Secondly or else choose one of a County representing that County as one of a Tribe did represent the Tribe in Num. 1. 4. And with you there shall be a man of every Tribe and Vers 16. These were the renowned i. e. famous for abilities and qualifications called to be States-men or to consult about matters of State Num. 7. 2. and 16. 2. But if the present juncture of affairs requires a quicker dispatch that in the interim twelve Worthies may be chosen as present Governours Josh 4. 1. 2. Numb 14. Deut. 16. 18. Ezra 7. 15. like to Israels twelve Judges The third Proposal As to their Qualifications they must be menfearing God Nehem. 7. 2. Exod. 18. 21. lovers of Truth and Justice Propos III Deut. 16. 18. hating bribes and covetousnesse which corrupt Justice Deut. 16. 19. Exod. 28. 21. not respecters of persons Deut. 1. 17. and 16. 19. Wise though not politick and Understanding in the times and seasons Deut. 1. 13. Searching Gods word Dan. 1. 4. and 9. 2. As the Jewes Cachami wisemen or Magistrates doe at this day they must be able active men Exod. 10. 21. Gen. 47. 6. 1 Chron. 26. 6. in the things of God and at all seasons ready to hear and helpe the oppressed Exod. 18. 19 22. the Greeke is at every houre who were wont to sit from the daily sacrifice in the morning till the daily sacrifice in the evening so that they began and ended with Sacrifices every day And then they must be Easers of the people as Numb 11. 17. Exod 18. 22. hence the word Rulers Nasi is so named of lifting up or easing the burthens of the people And they must govern as the Servants of Jesus Christ Isa 60. 2 10 17. Rev. 21. 24. But not as Lords over Christ Rev. 4. 10 11. least the Nobles be like Oreb Judg. 7. 25. and Zeeb and the Princes as Zebah and Zalmunna that take the houses of God i.e. Christs Government