THE Legislative Povver IS CHRIST'S PECULIAR PREROGATIVE Proved from the 9th of Isaiah vers 6. 7. By W. A. LONDON Printed for Livewel Chapman at the Crown in Popes head alley 1656. To the READER COnsidering it is the duty of all that love the truth to bear witness thereunto every one according to the grace received and this being an age wherein the Kingly power of Christ is much controverted I thought it my duty to cast in my mite and to contribute what the Lord hath imparted to me for the publick good Which consideration hath moved me to publish this small treatise and to expose it unto the view of others that they may weigh and consider the matter-subject thereof Wherein I have indeavoured with as much brevity and evidence of truth as I could to vindicate the Soveraign power of the Lord Jesus as well intemporal as spiritual matters In order whereunto I thought it meet to open this portion of Scripture in Isaiah which doth so expresly speak of that subject And though I cannot apprehend that all men no nor all the Saints and faithful Servants of Christ will assent unto every Iota yet I doubt not but they will allow unto me as I also account it may duly to allow unto them a latitude Not thinking it meet to lye up all mens Judgements in every scruple to be of the same mind However I am confident of this that so far as they see any light of truth appearing they will be of the same mind and that is all I do desire leaving each one to the liberty of their Judgements until fuller light break forth And let me request this that none may take occasion of stumbling because in some passage I say that we find no mention of Juries in Scripture it having been an ancient received custome in England and as many apprehend it to be a matter of great priviledge to the conservation of the subjects liberty and free passage of Justice For if it may be granted that these Jurors are indeed Judges of the causes brought before them and be men qualifyed and chosen according to the Rule and be obliged to give in their Verdicts and Judgements according to the perfect rule of the Word of Truth and that in every circuit whether town hundred or shire such known fit persons may be constituted I disallow it not it is not the name I take offence at for I would not strive about words though it were desireable we might in our words and speeches learn to speak the language of Canaan I mean Scripture-language And though I mostly insist upon the Judicials of Moses as the Rules of Judgement in all cases Capital Criminal or Civil yet my intention is not to bind up all Rules of Judgement in every case to that scantling but withal to take in the whole Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles which do give light and direction to the right understanding and application of those rules unto each particular case For my intention is not in this small tractate to Judaize but to shew the perfection of the whole Word of God to direct in matters of Civil Judgements as well as in Church affairs And if I sometimes rebuke sharply and blame the usurping power of Princes and States in assuming the Royal Prerogative of giving Laws unto the people without Commission from Christ you may bear with me for they are worthy to be reproved It is not want of due respect to Magistrates that maketh me so bold but my faithfulness and love to them moves me to advertise them of the danger I descend not to a particular application of those obliquities I touch upon unto any particular persons or states because I see not a cleer ground to carry me forth therein except they should require it at my hands It sufficeth me to shew them the truth and leave it to themselves to make application and to all the Saints to be judges who shall in fine judge all the World I should have rejoyced that some more able would have undertook this taske But when I perceived a deep silence I mean as to willing and many cryed out against fifth Monarchy men as they are called that they make a great noise and clamour against this and that Government and know not what Government they would have or at least do not publish it to the World I thought it a duly incumbent upon me to remove that Calumnie by holding forth the most perfect rule and platform of all administratians in civil States If yet it be said that I have not digested the whole Fabrick and Model of Government into a perfect form nor projected meet expedients whereby it might become practicable amongst us I confesse I may fall short of expectation in that particular and in so weighty a case it would be necessary for the ablest and strongest parts to assist Yet though the case be difficult and our Nation and Government reduced to extremity of hazard and danger I doubt not but something might be done through the Lords assistance in order to our establishment in truth and Peace would it please the Lord to open the hearts of the Rulers and people to accept and imbrace wholesome and seasonable Counsel And then I should look at it as my duâ—y â—o communicate my poor weak apprehensions theâ—e abouts if I were thereunto called But if proposal of the sweetness and amiableness the Peace and righteousness of Christs Government shall not find so much acceptance as to incline the peoples hearts to make experiment and proof of the same by a professed subjection to his Royal Soveraign power it is because the Lord hath more breaking work for us ere we can be fit to bear his Yoke whose yoke is easie and burden light Especially when we compasse it with the heavy yokes of men And in such case as this it would be in vain to attempt any thing of that Nature You may consider what the Lord hath written of some Country whether England or some other Islands I determine not Isai 24. 13 14. that there must be a vintage and pressing of them like as grapes are pressed ere they be fit to be new-moulded Which I fear may be our case Accept therefore in good part what I have here in love and faithfulness tendred and let every one improve it to a right end I know full well that God hath reserved the chief honour of setting up the Kingdom of Christ in it's full lustre and beauty unto his own people the Jews to them shall come the first Dominion Mich. 4. 8. Yet something we might do and I believe we shall after this breaking work is over in order to the setting up of this Kingdom of Christ in England according to the Divine light of the Word of truth as it is written Isai 24. 15. Wherefore with URIM or Divine light do ye glorify Jehovah in the Isles of the Sea the name of Jehovah the God of Israel The word Urim is
according as it is said Psal 93. 5. Holiness becomes thy House for ever Thus you see it cleared from the Text That the Government there spoken of must necessarily be understood of Civil Government Let me now produce some Arguments of the like nature drawn from other Scriptures that speak of the Kingdom of the Messiah And they will demonstratively prove That Civil Government and Jurisdiction do of right belong unto the Messiah the Son of David our Lord Jesus Christ that blessed and onely Potentate 1 Tim. 6. 15. These Arguments I shall reduce to six Heads 1. The Style given to the Government of the Messiah argueth that it is not Ecclesiastical but Civil It is called an Absolute k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soveraignty Dominion or Sultanship Dan. 7. 14. Hence the Turks derive the Name of their chiefest Lords whom they call Sultans This is such a power of Government as cannot be applied to Church-Government but is always attributed to earthly Princes Power in reference to mens persons and estates and ordering of the Commonwealths Affairs which is a Power that was never allowed to Churches or Church-Officers And David speaking of that Power which the Messiah should put forth saith Psal 72. 8. He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth The word there used for l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominion doth signifie such a power as is inconsistent with Church Government It is such a Dominion and Rule as Masters do exercise over their servants Levit. 25. 43. Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour or as Adam did exercise over the fishes of the sea and fowls of the air and every thing that moveth upon the earth Gen. 1. 28. where the same word is used And who can with any pretence or colour of reason suppose That that should be an Ecclesiastical Power Yea it is such a ruling power as Princes exercise over their enemies Psal 110. 2. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies Wherefore we must needs conclude That Civil Government doth of Right belong to Jesus Christ unless we shall willingly shut our eyes against the clear light of Truth 2. The Titles given to Christ do argue That Civil Power belongs to him He is called The GREAT KING in reference to Jerusalem or the Commonwealth Maâ— 5. 35. He is called also King of kings and Lord of lords Rev. 19. 16. Now in the Churches there is but one King and one Lord. Sometimes I alledged also 1 Tim. 6. 15. and applied those words The blessed and onely Potentate unto Christ as if the Apostle had spoken immediately of Christ Lest any therefore should mistake the place as I also did till I looked into the Original I thought it good to advertise every one to examine duly the words in their proper tongue ere they relye upon any interpretation given But yet the mistake is not great because that which is spoken of the Divine Nature may also by communication of properties be attributed to the Humane Nature united to the Second Person He is the King of kings and Lord of lords as hath been shewed 3. We may fetch another Argument from the Royal Seat of the Messiahs Government or the place of his Throne and Court which is not here said to be Zion or the Church but Jerusalem and Jerusalem in Scripture-phrase is frequently put for the Civil State And for that cause it is called The City of the great King Mat. 5. 35. Swear not by Jerusalem for it is the City of the great King Why were not Hebron and Samaria and other Cities of Israel and Judah his Cities Yea verily but they are not the Royal Seat of this great King or the place of his Court and Throne the place of his residence That will be at Jerusalem For There do the thrones of Judgement remain or sit the thrones of the house of David Psal 122. 5. Whence it is that most of the Prophecies concerning the Kingdom of the Messiah do still â—un upon Jerusalem I will create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a praise and I will rejoyce in Jerusalem Isa 65. â—8 19. Isa 62. 7. Ye that are the Lords remembrancâ—rs keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the midst of the earth And in the 3d Verse of that Chapter he saith That Jerusalem shall be a Royal Diadem as if that were the Royal Seat of this great King the MESSIAH And Zachary prophesying of the Kingdom of this great King bids Zion that is the Church rejoyce not onely for the presence of the Lord in his Church but also because the Lord Jesus the Messiah would again choose Jerusalem to be his Royal Seat Zech. 2. 10 12. and Zech. 14. 16 17. And it shall come to pass that every one that is left of all the Nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King the Lord of Hosts and to keep the feast of Tabernacles And it shall be that whosoever will not come up of the families of the earth to Jerusalem to worship the King the Lord of Hosts even upon them shall be no rain This King undoubtedly is King Jesus the promised Messiah of whom the Angel speaketh to Mary Luke 1. 32. He shall be great or shall be called the son of the MOST HIGH and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end And Thrones and Kingdoms are always put for Civil Jurisdiction and Power not for Church-power And lâ—st any should be mistaken to think that all the Scriptures which speak of Christs Kingdom are to be understood of his Spiritual Government over his Church the Prophet Isaiah tells us That he shall reign as King both in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem that is both in Church and Civil State Isa 24. 23. If any shall say That this will necessarily â—nferre Christs Personal reign for a thousand years I answer That it will not necessarily follow But that is not my subject at this â—aâ—e to discuss Possibly there may be a mistake both in them that avouch the thousand years Personal reign and in them that deny Christs Rule and Government in Civil things But whether he will Personally reign on earth a thousand years or no doubtless he will Personally appear and will assume his Kingdom and order the same And it is one thing to appear and to order and constitute Government another thing to reside and exercise the same But I shall conclude nothing positively as to that particular 4. The Acts of Judgement and Justice which are put forth in this Kingdom of the Messiah are such as appertain to Civil not unto Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Let me instance in some Acts and I shall begin with that which David mentions Psal 72.
had the sharp sickle saying Thrust in thy sickle and gather the clusters of the Vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe And the Angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gathered the Vine of the earth and cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of God And the wine-press was trodden without the city and blood came out of the wine-press even unto the horse-bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs Rev. 14. 18 19 20. In regard whereof Christ is said to be clothed with a garment dipt in blood Rev. 19 13. No marvel then if the greatest Captains and stoutest spirts cry out unto the Mountains and Rocks to cover them and to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. Let no man therefore invade this Royal Power of Christ but acknowledge themselves and Kingdoms subject unto him who is the King of kings and Lord of lords Object 2. But have not the Princes of the Nations exercised this Law-giving Power And do they not so to this day I Answer True de facto they have done so and they do so at this day in all the ten Nations of the Roman Monarchy but quo jure by what right do they exercise such a power Let them shew their Commission from Christ if they can I am sure we reade not of any such power delegated to the best and wisest Princes that ever reigned neither to David nor to Solomon nor to any of the rest of the Kings of Judah and how then can it be imagined that Wicked and Antichristian Princes should have such a power granted unto them by Christ And if not from Christ whence then have they received their power We heard before that Jesus Christ received his Power by Gift from the Father But loâ— these Antichristian Princes receive their Power by Gift from the Dragon Rev. 17. 12. The ten Horns which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdom as yet but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast And who gave the Beast his power and the ten Horns or Kingdoms theirs Reade you the 13th of the Rev. ver 2. and you shall see That the Dragon gave the Beast his power and by consequence he gave the ten Horns or Kingdoms their power also for they both received their power together This Dragon as we may reade in the 12th Chapter of the Revelation is the Devil And he did indeed make his boast unto Christ that he had such a power to give all the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them to whom he pleased Luk. 4. 6. In respect whereof he is called The god of the World Joh. 12. 31. Thus you see the unsafe Tenure by which the ten Antichristian Kings and Kingdoms hold and exercise their power They have not received it by Gift from heaven but from the Prince of Darkness And how then should it be otherwise but as they have received their power from Satan so they must act for him against Christ and against his Witnesses all the dayes of Antichrists Reign Me thinks the consideration of this Original of their Power might be a strong Motive or Argument to such of the ten Kingdoms of the Empire as know most of Christ yea unto them all to throw away and to renounce all that Power and Authority which they have received from this Red Dragon the Devil and accept their Governments a new from Jesus Christ under the Broad-Seal of Heaven I doubt not but I may say of some that have been chief Rulers of this Nation that had they had such men about them as would have been faithful to shew them the Diabolical Rise of their Power and Jurisdiction out of the Word of God they would soon have renounced all such power and have submitted themselves and their Kingdoms unto Jesus Christ and received their power a new from him 2. There is a Ministerial Power which is none other but a power derived by Commission from Christ to act and execute the Laws of Righteousness and Judgement given by him And this power is committed unto States and Rulers and all sorts of Officers both of higher and lower rank For this great King the Messiah hath many Officers and Ministers under him to act and execute righteousness in his Name and according to his will and upon them he hath set a special character or image of his Mighty Power calling them Gods Psal 82. 1 6. Gen. 1. 26. Now that I may the better express the full latitude of Ministerial power or the Authority which Men and States do or should exercise by Commission from Jesus Christ the great King Let it be considered That all Magistratical Power may be distinguished into these two kindes Deliberative and Active The former to wit Deliberative Power belongs unto the great Councel or Representative of a State or Nation who are be trusted by them to deliberate about all Matters that concern the Publick Tranquillity and Peace of the State To negotiate with Forraign Princes and States To conclude of Peace and War To order the Militia To impower fit Officers for the service of the Commonwealth and to limit their Power To call all Officers higher or lower to an account and if there be just cause to displace them Of which you may reade more at large in Mr. Collons Abstract of Laws and Government Chap. 1. Sect. 2 3. This Councel or Representative are to be chosen by the Saints in all the Tribes or Shires of the Nation according to the Rules prescribed in the Word as appeareth Deut. 1. 13. compared with Exod. 24. 1. Numb 11. 24. Now what the Number of these Councellors shall be or whether one shall be President or chief amongst them I do not finde it strictly determined nor is it greatly material so be it they be qualified according to the Rule This Councel or Representative being the highest Power in the Nation they have Power to direct and determine in hard and difficult cases of Judgement such as may be transmitted to them from inferior Judicatories Deut. 17. 8. 1. 17. This Power though it be a Lordly Ruling Power and highest in respect of the People and Subjects yet it is a Ministerial and Subordinate Power in respect of the Messiah the Law giver 2. There is in every Commonwealth an Active Power which is to execute Judgement and Righteousness And this also is a Lordly Ruling Power but subordinate to the former And such is the Power of all Judges and Justices and other inferior Officers both of higher and lower rank who in their several Offices and. Stations are to do and execute their several Trusts according to the Laws and Rules of the Great Law-giver And Christ hath promised That this shall be the state and condition of his people in the Last-times when the Messiah shall reign Isaiah 60. 17. I will also make thine Officers Peace and thine Exactors Righteousness Now for the further clearing of the