Then will not all their Court Chaplains the Astrologers and the Sooth-sayers be able to comfort them And then if they send for Daniel he will read a most dreadfull doom upon them It were good therefore for such Persecutors of the Saints to beware what they do Let them remember what David saith Psal 50. 16. What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant into thy mouth Seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my Words behind thee When thou sawest a Thief then thou consentedst with him and hast thy portion with adulterers Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy Brother Thou slanderest thine own Mothers Son These things thou hast done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver It were better to give God glory For whosoever offereth praise to God and confesseth his sin gloryfieth me and to him that disposeth his way aright I will shew the Salvation of God Object But you will say May not Rulers and Magistrates punish and imprison the Saints if they speak against the Government or against the Governours May not a Father and by consequence a Ruler or Father of the Common-wealth distinguish of the actions of his Children what is righ and what is crooked and chastise the obliquity of their actions and yet not reflect upon the action which is good in it self Answ I will not deny but there may be a right discerning between the good of an action and the obliquity thereof And a Father may in a due way shew his dislike of the obliquity and his approbation of that which is good But great caution and tenderness had need to be used in this case That the good be not discountenanced because of some obliquity therein For so parents should become guilty of a double sin calling good evill contrary to the Rule Isai 5. 20. and so discouraging the hearts of their Children contrary to another Rule Col. 3. 21. 2. In such case parents had need to take heed their displeasure be moderate and such as the Word of God allowes lest they provoke their Children contrary to that rule Col. 3. 31. Fathers provoke noâ— your Children Do not exasperate them by disgraceful speeches or actions Correction should be moderate lest a Brother seem vile in our sight Dâ—ut 25. 3. Else it will provoke rather then cure the Spirit But to speak more particularly to the Objection I answer 1. That Saints may yea they ought to discover the corruptions of all Image-Governments and the righteousness of Christs Government that they may convince the World and specially Rulers of their sin in not submitting themselves to the quiet peaceable and righteous Government of Christ and for so doing Rulers may not punish them Yea they may reprove the evil of Rulers and denounce Gods Judgments against them and against the State as Isaiah Jeremy Ezechiel Jehu Oded Amos and other of the Prophets yea Christ himself and yet they are not to be accounted disturbers of the State nor may they be punished as such For the Lord forbids it Psal 105. 15. Touch not mine anointed do my Prophets no harm 2. I answer that we read not of any godly Prince that fell foul upon the Servants of Christ upon this account but Asa and he payed dear for it For God smote him with an incurable disease 3. I Answer that sundry wicked Rulers yea heathens have had so much patience that they would suffer the Servants of Christ to deliver their Message and to rebuke the evils of their persons and Government and to make particular applications to them and yet have not charged them as disturbers of the State or ill-affected to the present Government much lesse have they imprisoned them and detained them in durance for so doing Jehu threatned Baasha to take away his posterity and the posterity of his house and that the Dogs and fowls should deavour them 1 King 16. 3 4. Oded reproves Ahaz for his rage and cruelty yet Ahaz did not imprison him but hearkned to his Counsel 2 Chron. 28. 9. Isaiah calls the Rulers of Judah Rulers of Sodom and the people people of Gomorrha and charges them all with Apostacy Isai 1. 2 4 10. Jeremy speaks against Coniah a despised broken Idol and threatens he shall be childless Jer. 22. 28 30. Ezechiâ—l calls Zedekiah a profane wicked Prince whose day is come that iniquity should have an end and threatens that God would remove the Diadem and take off the Crown c. Exod. 21. 25 26. Amos tells Jeroboam he should dye by the Sword and Israel should be carried Captive out of their Land Amos 7. 11. Micah chargeth the Princes of Israel to hate the good and love the evil to pluck off the skin from the flesh and break their bones and chop them as for the pot Mich. 3. 2 3. Zephany who lived in Josiahs time charged the Princes to be like roaring Lions and her judges Wolves of the evening that gnaw not the bones till the morning Zeph. 3. 3. Jonah preacheth against Nineveh that they should be destroyed in fourty dayes Yet none of these were arrested as disturbers of the State and cast into Prisons for all their plainness And what can any of the Saints say more then hath been spoken by these Prophets before them Wherefore unless Rulers will declare and publish to all the World that they are acted by the Dragon and that with more malignity then many wicked yea some heathen Rulers have been and that their Government is indeed none other but Image-Government by the terribleness of their visage it would become them to forbear such hard usage of Christs Messengers who in very faithfulness dare not but deliver their Message though it be somewhat harsh and unpleasant Yea let their callings be supposed to be never so good yet undoubtedly such kind of exercise of their power is Antichristian and Satanical Therefore if Princes would not hear reproofs from the Servants of Christ for mal-administration of their power the best way is to reform the errours of their Government and then the Saints will have no occasion to blame them Otherwise it is in vain to imprison them for the Word of God is not bound And if they should proceed not only to imprison but condemn them it would prove but like the cutting off of Hydra's head The blood of the Martyrs and the imprisonments of the Apostles and Christians have redounded to the increase of the Church and furtherance of the Gospel Phil. 1. 12. Vse 4 Consolation The consideration of this Truth that the Government is laid upon the shoulder of Christ may yeild strong consolation unto all the Saints especially unto those that do or shall suffer hard measures
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
Childe shall be born unto us a Son shall be given Unto whom shall this childe be born Surely the Prophet here personates the Church of Christ and by Vs he means the Church of the Jews according to what is spoken Isa 42. 6. and 49. 6. I will give thee for a Covenant to the people to wit the Jews and for a Light to the Nations So that his meaning is God will give to the Jews such a Son as shall sit upon the Throne of David to execute Judgement and Justice It is the promise of a blessing then to come And the phrase Vnto us or For us or Of us a Son shall be born implies That the Messiah here promised according to his Humane Nature shall be born and descend of the Jewish race And that in the first place he was given for them they then being the onely Church of Christ in the world And the GOVERNMENT shall be upon his shoulder The conjunction argues That it was already on his shoulder in regard of one of his Natures and shall in Gods appointed time be laid upon his shoulder in regard of his Humane Nature also The word translated a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Government is not elswhere to be found in Scripture and therefore it is more difficult to judge of the proper sense thereof But it hath a near affinity with two other b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words which signifie Princely Rule and Dominion according to that of Isa 32. 1. Princes rule in Judgement And By me Kings rule Prov. 8. 16. And it is such a power as Princes and Conquerors do put forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as may appear by the use of that Root Gen. 32. 28. And when the Prophet saith That this Government shall be upon his shoulder it implieth That it is so weighty as none but the shoulder of the MESSIAH was able to bear And his Name shall be called WONDER Counsellor The Everlasting Father The Prince of Peace The word which our Translators render Wonderful is never so translated by them but in this place But it is a Substantive and not an Adjective and properly signifies a WONDER A new and strange thing that a Virgin should conceive Isa 7. 14. And that the Power of the Most High should overshadow a Virgin and that she should conceive without the help of man This is a WONDER indeed Counsellor This word c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is generally spoken of such Counsellors as are about Princes and Civil Magistrates such as were Jonathan and Achitophel in Davids time 1 Chron. 27. 32 33. and such were Azur Peletiah and Benajah in Zedekiahs time whom we commonly call Privy Councellors or Councellors of State And this argueth That the Government here spoken of is to be understood of Civil-Government The Everlasting Father Christ is so called in a double respect 1. Because he begetteth us through the Gospel administred by his Servants 1 Cor. 1. 15. And hence it is that Conversion is called a new birth 2. Christ is the Everlasting Father in regard of Creation He is the God of the spirits of all flesh Numb 16. 22. Moreover Christ is called The Prince of Peace or as the Apostle calls him He is first King of Righteousness typified by Melchisedeck Gen. 14 18. and then King of Peace Heb. 7. 1 2 The extent of this Government is expressed by an unusual form of writing the word Increase which here and nowhere else that I remember is written with Mem finale in a quadrangular form to shew that this Government 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d should spread it self into all the quarters of Heaven East West North South So extensive should the Government be and so also should be the peace of the same And for durance it should have no end so long as the world indures The Subject or Object of this Government about which it should be conversant it is not said Upon Zion but Vpon the Throne and Kingdom of David to shew that he means not a Government over the Church in an Ecclesiastical way but a Government over the Common-wealth in a Civil way The effects of this Government are these two to order and to support it amplified by the means of this Support Judgement and Justice For by Justice the Throne is established Prov. 16. 12. Thus have you the words briefly opened I shall onely raise one Observation from the same as that which I conceive to be chiefly intended and shall lay down as a firm Position which all the Powers in the world shall not be able to overthrow That the Power of Civil-Government is laid upon the shoulder of Jesus Observ Christ the MESSIAH the Son of David and to him it doth of right belong This I take to be the chief scope of the words and the great Promise here held forth That there should come a time when the MESSIAH should exercise Rule and Dominion as a Prince over all Nations of the world as well in Temporal or Civil things as in Spirituals Now that I may the better clear this Truth consider That there are three kindes of Government and they are all laid upon the shoulder of the MESSIAH 1. There is an Universal Government over all the Creation and Workmanship 1. Vniversal Government of God The parts of which Government that I may so speak are two 1. The Law-giving part which Christ exercised in the Creation giving unto every creature a Law and imprinting the same upon them or putting the same within them And this we commonly call the Law of Nature whereof we can give no reason but the will and pleasure of the Creator Hence springs those secret Virtues in the Magnet and many precious Stones Herbs and Minerals the ebbings and flowings of the Sea which Philosophers ignorantly and absurdly attribute to the Moon putting the Effect before the Cause Hence it is that Fire burneth and Water quencheth and all things act according to their several Natures which is none other but the Law given them by the Lord Jesus in the Creation For we must understand that the worlds were made by him Heb. 1. 2. and without him was not any thing made that was made Joh. 1. 3. And the same day that he created them he gave them a Law To the Heavens he gave their Motions the first day Gen. 1. 1. And on the fourth day he gave the Sun and Moon and Stars their Motions So that as David saith Psal 19. 1 4 5. The Sun like a bridegroom cometh forth of his chamber and rejoyceth as a strong man to run his race And on the fifth day he gave a Law to the Herbs Trees Plants Fowls Fishes Beasts and every creeping thing to produce their like for propagation of their kinde And as Jeremy saith Chap. 8. ver 7. The Stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming
And therefore Moses saith Deut. 17. 15. From among thy brethren shalt thou set a King over thee And Jer. 30. 21. Their Nobles shall be of themselves and their Governour shall proceed out of the midst of them and I will cause him to draw near and he shall approach unto me Now Moses and Jeremiah both of them do speak unto the Church of Christ which argueth That onely such as are in fellowship with the Church ought to be appointed Officers 2. They must be godly men or as it is said Exod. 18. 21. Men fearing God Wise men Deut. 1. 13. For the fear of God is the beginning of wisdome 3. They must be able men Exod. 18. 21. or men of power and courage and such as may be bulwarks to the people as the word doth signifie 4. They must be men of Truth Exod. 18. 21. such as will neither speak lyes themselves nor give ear to lyes and false tales Prov. 29. 12. 5. They must be intelligent knowing and discerning men Exod. 18. 21. 6. They must be haters of Covetousness no Bribe-takers Exod. 18. 21. 1 Sam. 12. 3. 2 Chron. 19. 7. Amos 5. 12. No companions of vain and wicked persons Psal 26. 4 5. 7. They must be just * Job 29. 17. 2 Sam. 23. 3. He that ruleth amongst men must be just ruling in the fear of God And they must be impartially just in distributing Justice they must neither accept the face of the poor nor of the rich Lev. 19. 15. Exod. 23. 2 3. 8. They must be of a liberal bountiful spirit given to hospitality Job 31. 17 18 19. I have not eaten my morsel my self alone and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof c. 9. They ought to be pitiful they should be eyes to the blinde feet to the lame a tongue for the dumb and a father to the poor Job 29. 15 16. Prov. 31. 8. 10. They must be men of Tempeoance not given to Wine and Women Prov. 31. 3 4 5. 11. They must be men of meek spirits such was Moses Numb 12. 3. and such should all Magistrates be Zeph. 2. 3. Wherefore God promiseth his special guidance unto such when they come to sit on the Judgement-Seat Psal 25. 9. A man of a hasty rash headstrong spirit is often mis-led in judgement And if you reade Psal 45. 4. you shall see that David reckons Meekness amongst the qualifications of a Ruler or Prince Thus you have seen the qualifications of such as should be called forth unto highest place of Trust in a Commonwealth and to the execution of Judgement among the people And truly the like qualifications are required in every Officer of lowest rank saving that they may be chosen out of a lower rank of men who are not of the like quality and estates And who will not grant that such men as these are fittest to be be trusted with Power and Office in a Commonwealth But behold how contrary hereunto is the way of the world They minde not so much the aforesaid qualifications but if they be such men as can make friends to those in higher Power and such as can temporize and please the humors of the Prince or chief Ruler of the State and such as will cry up their Lords Interest with open mouth where-ever they come then are they fit Officers for the Nations and so it hath been ever since they received their Power from the Dragon They little care for Saintship they had rather have them such as will Brow-beat the Saints and discourage them such as will rule over the people of God with rigour like as the Egyptians did over the Israelites Thus you see a broad difference between the Government of Christ and the Government exercised by the Nations in respect of the Ministers and Officers of the State from the highest to the lowest But ere I passe to the next point consider the latitude of their power For be they of higher or be they of lower rank and place they may not go beyond the Rules and Laws which Christ hath given Their commissions are only to do and execute Justice and Judgment every man according to the quality of his Office Each man must do that which the just Law-giver hath given him in charge But now for the Officers of the Nations they are not bound to the perfect righteous Laws of Christ but to the unperfect and many times unjust Laws of men and according to them they must act though never so contrary to the Laws of God Yea and many times they do act and must act according to the wills and pleasures of their Lords from whom they receive their power though quite contrary to the Laws of the Land established Thus you see a palpable difference in respect of the latitude of the Officers power in Christs Kingdom and the power of those that are Officers in those Kingdoms that have received their power from the Dragon The one hath the will of Christ for their limit and the other the will of sinful men or of Satan 3. Come we to consider the manner of their administrations and how The manner of their administration the Officers in Christs Kingdome do execute their power which I shall shew in four particulars First when they come together in their Judicatories or in their Councels they begin with prayer and seeking the face of God for his presence to be with them and to go along in all their administrations They know that God will be sanctifyed in all that draw neer to him Lev. 10. 3. They know that every thing is sanctifyed by the Word of God and Prayer And as good Jehosaphat when he sent forth Magistrates prayed for them The Lord be with the good 2 Chro. 19. 11. so they think it meet to pray for themselves that God would be with them in their Councels and in their Judgments and administrations And knowing that they are not to judge for man but for the Lord 2 Chro. 19. 6. they begin with God They know it is a heathenish practise whether for persons or families or Governments and Judicatories not to call upon the name of the Lord Psal 79. 6. Jer. 10. 25. And therefore in New England they do alwayes begin their Courts and Councels and their Military exercises with invocation of the Name of the Lord. Secondly when they have begun with Prayer like Christians and such as depend upon God for guidance and direction then they do hear with all gravity and meekness the causes brought before them as men that are willing to know and understand the truth of the matter ere they conclude or judge of the same Therefore meekness is coupled with truth and righteousness Psal 45. 4. They do not break jests to make the carnal multitude merry nor do they threaten men and call them out of their names But patiently hear the cause and attend to the witnesses who give in their Testimony upon oath especially in weighty cases Deut. 10. 20.
mans beast shall kill another mans beast and the owner knew that his beast was wonted to push then shall he make full restitution in kind or at least in value else the parties shall each bear a share in the losse Exod. 21. 35 36. 4. If a man take hire for goods committed to him to keep and they be stollen or gone he shall make restitution Exod. 22. 12. 5. If a man borrow ought of his Neighbour and it miscarry the owner present Or if it were hired he shall not make it good but if the owner be absent he shall make it good Exod. 22. 14 15. 6. If a man gain any thing by force fraud or unfaithfulness he shall restore the principal and one fifth part more Lev. 6. 5. These are the principal cases which I find in Scripture but if any other be found which is here omitted let the ingenuous Reader add it to the number As for Common swearing and drunkenness I find not an expresse punishment yet being brutish sins as also common whoredome is they are punishable with the usual punishments of a beast And if they prove incorrigible then there is a Law to cut them off by death Now the perfection of these Laws of Christs Kingdom appears 1. By the equity of them they are most just 2. By the comprehensiveness of them for though they be but few in number yet may be extended in the application of them by way of proportion unto all cases and actions that do or can fall out at Sea or at Land all circumstances being duly weighed and rightly applyed 3. By the extent of them which reacheth all persons in all ages and in all Nations For unrighteousness is unrighteousness as well in one person as in another as well in one age and in one Nation as in another And by consequence as unrighteousness is one and the same so also must the Judgment and the punishment be And the reason thereof springeth from the unchangeable Nature of Christ who is the same to day Yesterday and for ever Again these Laws and Judgments cannot be altered or changed by any created power in regard of the Divine Original of them Whence also it comes to passe that they have a binding power over conscience I should now come to compare the Laws of men with these Laws of Christ and to shew the righteousness and equity of the one and the unrighteousness and iniquity of the other But if I should enter into particulars I should both weary my self and the Reader Let it suffice to give a taste of some few Christs Law makes it death to worship Idols Mens Laws make it death not to worship Idols And how many faithful Servants of Christ have suffered Martyrdom even in these Nations upon this Account Again Gods Law saith a Thief shall make double restitution unto the party wronged or be sold Mens Laws say they shall be hanged And what equity is there in it that the life of a man should go for thirteen pence half penny or a greater summe Or what recompence will that be to the party wronged Christs Law saith If a man lye with a marryed Woman he and she shall dye Mens Laws say they shall stand in a white sheet Or if they do make it death to commit adultery yet they must be found as they use to speak rem in re which cannot well be proved unless the parties will confesse against their own lives Again Christs Law alloweth any of the Sons of men to live in any place provided they commit not some capital sin that deserveth cutting off But Mens Laws at least in some places do make it death for a Jew to live amongst them When yet Jesuites and Seducers to Idolatry and worshippers of strange Gods can find allowance Moreover Christs Law gives all the Sons of Adam a kind of Lordship over the Creature But Mens Laws restrain that liberty making some kind of fowls the Kings game only forbidding others to meddle with them under such and such penalties Again Christs Law gives the eldest Son the birth-right of inheritance and alloweth him a double portion But Mens Laws sometimes give the yongest Son the birth-right and sometimes allows all the Sons to inherit alike And sometimes again gives all the Lands unto the eldest and puts off the yonger Children with small and inconsiderable portions to make the eldest Son a Gentleman Furthermore Christs Law is very tender of the subjects liberty and imprisoneth no man but only for matter of fact and that to secure them where other security cannot be had until the first opportunity of hearing and tryal which was not to be delayed But men will imprison others without matter of fact as we see Joseph was imprisoned in Aegypt So also was Paul when yet the Rulers confessed he might have been set at liberty for any matter of fact that they could charge him with and there he was kept in durance for two whole years and more Again Christs manner was to proclaim war before he make war but the Rulers of the World can begin war and proclaim it afterwards Now what a woâ—ul depravation of Magistratical power is this that carryeth it in such a contrary stream to Christ I might instance in many more particulars And such as are better acquainted with the Laws and customes of the Nations may pick out many more pregnant instances I suppose then I am able to alleadge being noâ— versed in those wayes But these few may give occasion to such as have power in their hands to consider how things may be best regulated and to prune off all such Laws as are most obnoxions and point-blank against the Royal Law of Christ For much might be done in this respect and as I conceive safely if it were meet for me to speak But I shall briefly wind up all in a few words of application in the general as my Method is Vse 1 1. For information that the Doctrine of the fifth Kingdom or Monarchy is no Novelty no Fancy no Childish nor ridiculous opinion as some unadvisedly speak But to use the words of him that Rules in Chief unto Mr. Tillinghast it is a most glorious truth For Daniel tells us that in the dayes of the fourth Kingdom or Monarchy especially towards the end of the same God will raise up such a Kingdom as cannot be destroyed which is that Kingdom of Christ or World to come wherein Christ shall reign as King and his Saints together with him for above a thousand years compare Dan. 2. 44. and 7. 27. Rev. 20. 4. 7. Now if the four Kingdoms or Monarchies must be destroyed and another Kingdom succeed which shall never have an end whilst the World lasts what is it else but a fifth Kingdome in number and order If any pinch upon the word Monarchy as not a Scriptural expression they may please to consider it is not words we do desire to contend for but for the truth The word Monarchy is a
Greek word and expresseth no more then a Kingdome where one Rules as Chief And this may suite well enough with this fifth Kingdom or Kingdom of Christ For he shall â—e King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that shall be his style Rev. 17. 14. and 19. 16. And Zachary speaking of the same time saith Jehovah to wit Christ shall be King over all the earth and in that day there shall be one Jehovah and his Name one And what is this but a Monarchy Yea Christ above all others is most properly called a Monarch and his Kingdom a Monarchy But I would not contend for a word or a name The word Kingdom is good enough and doth fully expresse the Doctrine and matter held forth As touching the time and some other circumstances I know good men do differ and they may without Offence to a good conscience or to the Truth allow to each other their different apprehensions What mine own thoughts have been touching those things I have already in some small Treatises upon that subject expressed with submission to better judgments and shall forbear to say any more to that in this place Only I shall propound some few Questions and give a brief and modest answer to them because I know there be some mis-apprehensions touching this truth and some are very apt to calumniate fifth Monarchy men as they are called as if they were adversaries not only to this present Government but in General to all Government whereas in truth they are the constant assertors of Government Quest 1 Quest 1. Whether will Jesus Christ appear personally when he assumes this his Kingdom at the end and expiration of the fourth Kingdom or Romane Monarchy Answ Answ These Scriptures satisfy me that Christ will personally appear Zach. 12. 10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced c. Speaking of this very time and Rev. 1. 7. Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him Which places are not to be understood of the last and great day of Judgement both of quick and dead but of Christs appearing in his Kingdome whereof the Apostle writes For at the last day when quick and dead shall be judged there will be no more mourning after Christ nor solemne dayes of humiliation No more Fountains opened for sin and for uncleanness after that day And when Christ thus appears he will come to reign as a King over all the Nations Rev. 11. 15. Quest 2 Quest 2. Whether shall the Saints that are then asleep arise and whether shall all the Saints arise and come with Christ and reign with him Answ Answ It is evident that when Christ comes from Heaven to take possession of his Kingdom his Saints shall arise and come and reign with him Rev. 20. 4 5. And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his Image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished This is the first resurrection Whence I gather that all such Saints as have worshipped the beast or his Image or received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and have not renounced communion and compliance with Antichristians and wiped off that blot by repentance before their death such Saints though they do remain in a safe and blessed condition yet Christ will not put that honour upon them to reign with him or for him during the thousand years This rising of the Saints is called the first resurrection Rev. 20. 5. And these shall dye no more Rev. 20. 7. but shall reign with Christ Some think that all the Saints shall arise and come with Christ according to what we read But I understand all in that place to be meant of all such as have not complyed with Antichrist according to that in the Revelation anâ— none else according as it is written but the rest of the dead lived not again Namely the rest of the dead Saints lived not again till the thousand years were expired Quest 3 Quest 3. Whether shall there be any more conversion of souls during this Kingdome of Christ Whether any marrying and giving in marriage any increasâ— by natural generation Answ Answ I conceive there will be conversion of souls during the time of the New Jerusalem and the means of conversion and persons to be conveâ—ted For you may read that Christ the tree of life shall yield twelve manner of fruits every month of the year and the leaves of that tree to wit the Ministery of the Gospel shall be for the healing of the Nations So that there will be need of healing and there will also be means of healing and such means as is compared to the leaves of a tree properly expressing the Ministry of the word to beget faith for the saving of their souls And Zach. 14. 18. God will smite the Nations that keep not the Feast of Tabernacles Tabernacles there being put for the whole worship of God as appears by comparing it with the 16th vers And the word Tabernacles implyeth that the very same worship shall be continued in the New Jerusalem which Christ did institute in the time when he Tabernacled amongst us and not their old Levitical worship As for marrying eating drinking and other civil and natural Actions it seems clear to me there will be a continuation of them as long as the World lasts both amongst carnal men and amongst Saints also setting apart the Saints that arise again and come with Christ who neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God They have no need of meats and drinks and trade and traffick But as for the Saints that never dyed they will build and plant and beget Children such as shall be the blessed of the Lord Isa 65. 20 21 22 23. and 60. 4. and 49. 22. Quest 4 Quest 4. Whether will there be civil Officers Magistrates and Ministers of Justice in the time of Christs Kingdom Answ Answ Yea doubtless for so Isaiah saith I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Councellors as at the beginning Isai 1. 26. And thine Officers shall be peace and thine Exactors righteousness Isai 60. 17. Quest 5 Quest 5. Whether may not Christians that wait for this Kingdom of Christ submit unto Civil Powers under the 4th Monarchy and also act under them Answ Answ Doubtless they both may and ought to be subject and also they may act under them any act of righteousness though the Princes be for their persons wicked and for their callings usurping Tyrants So did Joseph under Pharaoh Gen. 41. 40. Obadiah under Ahab a wicked Prince and an usurper 1 King 18. 3 4 13. Daniel under Nebuchadnezzar and Darius Dan. 2. 48. and
6. 1. Nehemiah under Artaxerxes Neh. 2. 1. Mordecai under Ahasuerus Esth 8. 2 9 15. Cornelius under the Roman Emperour Act. 10. 1. Yea there were Saints in Caesars house Phil. 4. 22. All which places do evidently shew that Saints may officiate under wicked and Prophane Princes and Rulers And the reason is clear For there is no Power but of God Rom. 13. 1. And God would not have his Servants so straitned in their Spirits as not to Act righteously under an unrighteous Ruler so long as they may Act for him and for his people or not against them Besides it may be greatly to the honour of God and for the good and comfort of his people that such are advanced As we see in those examples of Obadiah Daniel Nehemiah and Joseph who honoured God by their faithfulness and did many good Offices for the people of God And experience hath learned many wicked Princes that there be none so sit for publick trust none so faithful as they Which redounds much to the honour of God Object But I know some godly minds may scruple this point out of a Holy fear and jealousie lest they should partake with evil Rulers in their sin especially now that Romish Babylon is shortly to be destroyed Answ This tenderness of Spirit which some out of malignancy count frowardness or worse ought not to be discouraged by any in higher or lower ranke For it proceeds from a good principle namely faithfulness to God And truly none so fit nor any so like to be faithful to men as those who are faithful to God Therefore to remove the occasion of their stumbling let me commend this to their consideration That it is not my acting by their Commission that makes me communicate in their sins but compliance with them in Acts of unrighteousness according as it is written The Soul that sins shall dye the Son shall not bear the iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father bear the iniquity of the Son the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him Ezek. 19. 20 25. God doth neither impute the sin of Chief Rulers unto them that are subordinate nor the sin of subordinate Rulers unto those that rule in chief so be it they do not allow or imitate the sins each of other The Lord doth not judge that equal And should it be otherwise it would not be safe for any in any age to Act in higher or subordinate place This was the Judgement of those good men afore-mentioned Yet if you may not Act just and righteous things without ingagements such as will expose you to participation in their wickedness then separate from them and have nothing to do with them And whereas the bearing of Office under usurping powers especially now that Antichrists Kingdome is about to expire may seem to be an upholding of Antichrists power and a retarding of Christs work which is the deliverance of his people out of Babel I conceive it is a mistake for a man to act or Officiate righteously in his place cannot possibly uphold Babel or hinder Christs work Daniel did bear office not only under Nebuchadnezzar but also under Belshazzar a most debaushed Prince yea at such a time when Babylon was to be destroyed and ruined Dan. 5. 29. And who more fit to be advanced then he when Cyrus and Darius came to deliver the People of God from Tyranny oppression The rule and power he did bear was so far from upholding Belshazzars Tyrannical power or retarding the deliverance of Gods people out of Babels that it rather furthered the same Thus much I thought good to write partly for satisfaction of such godly and tender consciences as may scruple the Lawfulness of acting under Antichristian and Tyrannical Rulers and partly to vindicate those who are Assertors of the fifth Monarchy from the Calumnie cast upon them as if they were ill principled men and such as were adversaries to this or to that Government Whereas the contrary is most true that they are the best and truest friends unto Government and count it their duty to be faithful unto their trust be the Rulers what they may or the form of Government what it will Only they take themselves bound in Conscience to rebuke sin and bear witness against unrighteousness in any person of what quality soever and in any form of Government whatsoever And for that cause they are aspersed by evil minded men who willingly and wittingly pervert their honest and upright meanings that so they may insinuate themselves with Rulers and Governours in States to gain favour and promotion which is the scope they aime at and so trample the Servants of Christ under foot Yea sometime those that have cryed up the Kingdome of Christ and decryed all Tyrannical oppressing powers in their publick declamations do face about and fall bitterly upon fifth Monarchy men comparing them to John of Leiden and the Anabaptists at Munster and to Quakers and Raâ—ters to make them odious But let such as can turn about to the times and change their Doctrine and Judgement as men do their apparel consider what Councel Solomon giveth his Son Prov 24. 21. My Son fear thou Jehovah and the King and middle not with them that are given to change For their Calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of both They pretend the fear of God and honour of the Magistrate but in conclusion they finde acceptance neither from the one nor from the other Vse 2 Instruction In the next place therefore let it serve for a word of instruction in this truth That the power of giving Laws belongeth properly and peculiarly unto Jesus Christ the Messiah For if the Father hath laid this power in a special manner as hath been proved upon the shoulder of his only begotten Son as a weight and a burden too heavy for any in Heaven or in Earth to wield besides Christ then it will undeniably follow that it is his peculiar right Indeed Christ hath be trusted many of his Servants as his Viceâ— gerents and Deputies with the Executive part of civil power as hath already been shewed and might have been more at large manifested in the Government of the Jewish Nation which continued from the dayes of Moses for the space of nine hundred years and upwards but the Law-giving power he never allowed to any of the Sons of men Object But is it not said Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until SHILOH come And Numb 21. 18. The Princes digged the well the nobles of the people digged it by the direction of the Law-giver with their staves And Psal 60. 7. and 108. 8. Judah is my Law giver And do not these places prove that the Law-giving power hath been granted unto some others besides Christ Answ 1. I answer in general No. For Jehovah is our Law-giver as hath been already
from the hands of Worldly Rulers because of their Testimony unto this Royal power of Jesus Christ Be not you dismayed or discouraged but be ye cheerful and comfortable for the Father hath laid the power of Civil Government upon the shoulder of Jesus Christ The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the great Islands be glad at it Clouds and darkness encompass him round about righteousness and judgement are the establishment of his Throne A fire shall go before him and shall burn up his enemies round about Psal 97. 1 2 3. All his enemies shall become his foot-stool Heb. 1. 13. And ye shall reign as Kings on the earth Rev. 5. 10. Christ your King hath said Ezech. 21. 26. Remove the Diadem and take off the Crown This not This exalt him that is low and abase him that is exalted * Or I will make it face about face about face about Overturn overturn overturn it yea This shall not be until he come to whom the Judgment doth belong and I will give it him God will overturn all forms of Government and make them face about he will remove this and that Diadem and Crown He will overturn This but not This that is he will overturn That which is not of his own institution but received from the Dragon but not That which is of his own institution and by him made over to the Saints And therefore when you see Governments face about then know that Christs Government and Kingdome is not yet come But when you see them face about a pace as it is in the text then know that Christ is at hand whose right it is For Judicial power of which the Prophet speaketh cannot rest till it rest upon Christs shoulder It is like a stone that falling from on high tends to its center and the neerer it doth approach it is carried with the more vehemency even so it is in this case Therefore as our Savour saith When these things begin to come to passe then look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth neer Luke 21. 28. For the Rod or Scepter of the wicked shall not rest upon the Lot of justifyed ones Psal 125. 3. And if you consider the reason why Christ doth thus overturn Governments you shall see great cause of rejoycing For for you sakes saith Christ I sent to Babel and fetched it down Even so Isai 43. 14. will the Lord deal with mystical Babel and all her Supporters For your sakes he will pull them down The blood and the imprisonments of his Servants make a loud cry in Christs ears Rev. 6. 10. How long O Lord Holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth This is the cry of the blood of those that have been slain for Christ and for his cause But suppose you only suffer imprisonment for the Testimony of Jesus your Lord and King will he not regard to relieve you Yea verily He is tender of your liberties though men be not He would have men that have power in their hands to set open the Prison doors and takes it ill if they do not but if they will not either he will do it himself Psal 146. 7. or he will be a fellow-Prisoner with you and you shall have his Company for your comfort Mat. 25. 43. Isai 43. 2. He was Companion with Shadrach Meshak and Abednego in the firy fornace Dan. 3. 25. And he delights to walk with them and gives them many sweet greetings his left hand is under their heads and his right hand imbraceth them Oh! if the implacable adversaries of Gods people knew what they did they would not cast them into dungeous and irons and Prisons as many times they do It may be your adversaries are potent and you poor weak Creatures in comparison of them But let not that trouble you For they are but grashoppers to Jesus Christ your Prison-fellow Yea they are nothing yea they are counted lesse then nothing and vanity or Tohu And what can nothing do Or what can that which is lesse then nothing do They shall not be planted yea they shall not be sown yea their stock shall not take root in the earth and he shall blow upon them and they shall wither and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble Therefore cease from man whose breath is in nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of The Phrase is very observable and you may read the same 2 Chron. 25. 16. and 35. 21. The meaning is as if you should say forbear and meddle not with such men for they are fraile Creatures and God will take a course with them If you have spoken to them and they will not hear a word from Christ nor from you in his Name let them alone God hath a purpose to destroy them Yet do you pray for them that God would not charge their sin upon them So did Stephen Act. 7. 60. And it is thought that that prayer was a means of Pauls conversion for he was the great Persecutor of the Saints at that time And the witnesses laid down the cloths at Sauls feet Act. 7. 58. So that you may be instrumental to do good unto your Persecutors unless the decree be gone forth against them Yea though they despitefully use you and persecute you yet pray for them Mat. 5. 44. If they sally out upon you with rage and despite if they calumniate your good conversation in Christ and fall upon you with insultation and scorn as the word * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth Or if they persecute you and incessantly pursue you and give you no rest but with force will assail you in your persons or in your names or estates yet pray for them If God convert their hearts you will have double cause of rejoycing If not your prayers shall return into your own bosomes What if the old Serpent the Accuser of the Brethren stir up wicked instruments as he did against Jeremy to smite you with the Tongue Jer. 18. 18. Who said Come let us devise devices against Jeremy for the Law shall not perish from the Priest nor Counsel from the Wise nor the Word from the Prophet come let us smite him with the Tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words And this may be the case of the Servants of God now Be it so Yet you have a safe receptacle to retire unto Psal 31. 20. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the * Heb. The liftings up the swellings or Gibbosities of man Jer. 18. 21. pride of man thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues So that you shall be safe enough But ah and alas for the sad doom and destinie of those catchpoles those false Accusers and Witnesses against the Brethren Christ will deliver up their Children to the famine they may go a begging And themselves come to an