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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75729	A brief description of the fifth monarchy, or kingdome, that shortly is to come into the world. The monarch, subjects, officers and lawes thereof, and the surpassing glory, amplitude, unity, and peace of that kingdome. When the kingdome and dominion, and the greatnesse of the kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the saints of the most high, whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome, and all soveraignes shall serve and obey him. And in the conclusion there is added a prognostick of the time when the fifth kingdome shall begin. by William Aspinwall, N.E.	Aspinwall, William, fl. 1648-1662.	1653 (1653)	Wing A4004; Thomason E708_8; ESTC R16233	13,627	16

judged needfull for regulating Judgment in all Ages and Nations For no action or case doth or possibly can fall out in this or other Nations by sea or land but the like did or possibly might fall out in the land of Israel Eccl. 1.9 and yet they had no other Laws or Rules of Judgment but what now remains to all posterity Nevertheless that people were counted even by the Nations to be the only free and wire people in respect of their Statutes and Judicials Deut. 4.5 6 7 8. And truly had the wisdom of God judged it needful he could have compiled a larger systeme or body of Lawes for direction of his people Wherefore from his silence we may safely conclude that no more were needfull And Paul doth avouch that the Scripture is compleat to furnish a Christian to every good work 2 Tim. 3.17 And whereas the object presumes it would leave the government arbitrary if the application of those generall rules be left to the Judges understanding and application of the Rule I answer there is lesse cause of fear that men in whom the fear of God dwels having a promise of assistance from God 2 Chr. 19 11. should mistake the perfect laws of God then that Students at Law and Judges should mistake the the imperfect Laws and dictates of men which have not the like promise of Divine assistance But suppose a sincere-hearted man in some obscure and difficult cases should mis-apply the rule of Judgment or which is worse suppose the Judg through corruption pervert judgment either of which may possibly fall out yet that wil not argue the government arbitrary For who knows not that Judges can mistake through corruption pervert the laws of men and yet the government is not counted arbitrary because it hath bounds and limits even so is it in the other case Besides the danger pretended is far lesse if we be regulated by Gods book of Statutes then if we follow our own For if the Judg be corrupt he is punishable and if he mistake it is but the Judges personall failing and that of ignorance and such sins God doth not charge upon the Nation But if the Nation or the Representative of a Nation make Laws dissonant to Gods Law or make mis-interpretations of Gods Law and enact the same for Laws it will turn to sin to the Nation and Christ will visit it as an incroachment upon his royalty 2 K. 16.7 8. Ezek. 43.7 8. Christ counts it a karkas of Kingly power to set up their posts by his posts and Mic. 6.16 doth complain that the statutes of Omri were kept And let any that fear God answer me Can any statutes made by men be equally perfect as Gods statutes be or can it be conceived that the wisest of the sons of men should excogitat a more compleat system or body of Laws then Christ the wisdom of the father hath don I suppose ther 's none but wil answer negatively And if so then what need men desire a more ample body of Laws or what should hinder the Nations now towards the end of the fourth Monarchy from conforming themselves to this platform of civil Government which Christ will shortly erect in this fifth Monarchy here spoken of As touching things of a middle nature which you carry this way or another way without breach of any rule of righteousnes as for instance to secure their fields by a common fence or by a keeper and many such like things they are not to be regulated by Laws but by Covenants amongst the neighbour-hood for their mutual good and the breach of that Covenant is a trespas and punishable by the Law 5 The fift and last thing I proposed to consideration is the necessity and benefit of this Monarchy and model of Civil Government according to the will and word of Christ alone There is a three-fold necessity of the coming of this Kingdome 1 That the will of God may be done in earth as it is done in heaven which cannot be expected til this Kingdom come Mat. 6.10 Thy Kingdome come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Why can that possible be yes verily according to the meaning of that Petition which intends not a conformity to the Angels and Saints in heaven in respect of the perfection of our obedience to the rule for that is not attainable in this life but it hath respect to the perfection of the rule of our obedience to wit the wil and word law of God which is one and the same to them and us and shall certainly be attain'd to in this world in the time of this fifth Monarchy we shall have no other rules of obedience then the Angels in heaven to wit the will word of Christ that blessed and onely Potentate unto whom all power in heaven and earth is given And truly that Petition excludes all Statutes Ordinances and Acts of Parliaments Dyets c. out of this fifth Monarchy as wel as out of heaven And I believe there is no man doth conceive that the Angels or Saints in heaven are guided by any Acts or Edicts made in any convention of States here below no more shall they be ruled in such a way when this Monarchy is set up there shall be but one Lord and his name one 2 There is a necessity of the coming of this Kingdom that the Saints may be conformable to their head Rom. 8.24 and have their time of reigning with him as they have had of suffering 2 Tim. 2.12 Ap. 20.4 3. There is a necessity of the coming of this Kingdome that the Creation may be delivered from the vanity and bondage whereto Christ saw meet to subject them in hope of deliverance Rom. 8.19 to 23. For during these Monarchies men have ruled by their own laws Edicts and wils yea the whole Creation was subjected to their rule but yet they groaned under this as under a bondage earnestly waiting for the manifestation of the Sons of God when the dominion wil be conferred upon Saints that they may no more be subject to the wils and pleasures of men but to the will of Christ the only potentate and this is called The glorious liberty of the Sons of God The benefits of this Monarchy are exceeding great both in respect of spiritual and temporal blessings It far exceeds all other Monarchies both in the perfect constitution of all civil and ecclesiastical administrations and in the fruits and effects of both In the Common-wealth there shall be no Tyranny Isa 35.9 but full of brotherly love mercy and truth Isa 65 25. 11 6 7 8. Rev. 22.2 their leaves or their words shal be of a healing vertue Their Officers shall do righteously Isa 11.4 5. Isa 1.25.26 60.17 And from all these flows peace and tranquility Psal 85.10 72.7 Isa 14.13 cessation of wars Isa 2.4 Mic. 4.3 Hos 2.18 Isa 33.20 21. store of provisions Hos 2.21 22 23. Psa 67.6 Amos 9.13

as is the Law-giver such are the Laws or Rules given by that power I shall first and principally endeavour to shew who must be the Law-giver and only of right can chalenge this Legislative power And let me crave leave without regreat or offence to any godly mind to avouch for an irrefragable truth that in this fifth Monarchy Christ alone hath this Legislative power and none but he So saith Isaiah ch 33.22 Jehovah is our Legislator or Law-giver to wit that Jehovah which was to be born of the virgin without the help of man of whom Jacob prophesies Gen. 49.10 that before Shiloh to wit the Messias came from between his feet there should no Law-giver come from between the feet of Judah and yet many Kings Princes came from between Judahs feet that is were born and sprung out of his loyns and yet none of them nor all of them had any Legislative power til Shiloh came I shal not need to spend time to prove Shiloh to be the promised Messias being a truth generally received both of Jews Christians And til this time God preserved that tribe or septer distinct And Christ himself saith Mat. 28.18 All power is given unto me in heaven in earth if all power then Legislative power This his right by donation from the father as also is judicial power Job 5.22.27 and none can challenge power to either without delegation from Christ Judicial power I find delegated unto Ministers of Justice Isa 1.17 1 K. 6.12 Ezek. 45.9 but Legislative power Christ hath not any where delegated to any person or persons that I find since the world began but reserveth that as a peculiar Royalty to himself And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or absolute soveraignty is given to him Dan. 7.14 His wil word or command is a law to the subject this is absolute soveraignty such as Christ will not allow to any of his subjects He knows it were not safe nor wholsome because of the imperfection of mens wisdom and inconstancy of their judgements But to be regulated by Christ and to receive Laws from him with whom is no unrighteousnes or shadow of change is the priviledg honour and safety of saints for his wil is certain and it is always good And this wil be the perfect state model of Civil Governments under the fifth Monarchy Christ alone shal be Law-giver and if he be the Law-giver alone you may easily conclude that he will own no other Laws but what himself hath given which though they be few and brief yet are they compleatly sufficient and perfect other wise it would reflect upon the wisdom of faithfulnes of this only Potentate as Paul cals him 1 Tim. 6.15 I shall not need to expresse particularly the Laws but leave it to every subject to make diligent search for them where they lye scattered up and down in the holy Scriptures And if this wil shortly be the glory and liberty and safety of this fifth Monarchy let every godly mind equally poysed that waits and prayes for the coming of this Kingdom as our Saviour teacheth us Mat. 6.10 let them judge whether it would not be for our honour and safety to model and conform our civil state according to this form and platform we being cast upon the end of the fourth Monarchy that is already begun to break and wil suddenly come to ruine But it wil be said That this and sundry other Nations have been accustomed to have Parliaments Dyets c. consisting of a number of select men as a Representative of the State with Legislative power 'T is true de facto such hath bin the usage of this and sundry other Nations during the fourth Monarchy but de jure let the Scripture judge Clear it is Christ had this Legislative power confer'd on him by the Father Mat. 28.13 And who can assume this power out of Christs hand without delegation from him but it wil be an incroachment upon his Royalty If it be said they assume it not but the people give it them I demand what power have the people so to do or When did Christ betrust the people with power to make Lawes otherwise they can have no such power to confer and it is not impossible for them to give more then is originally and intrinsecally in themselves And this is all the trust which I find committed to Princes or people to execute judgment and justice Jer. 22 3. Ezech. 45.9 1 Kings 6.12 What use then will there be in this fifth Monarchy of Parliaments dyets c. if Legislative power be denyed them There wil be great and necessary use of supream Councels as hath been shewed for 1 They ought carefully to provide that wise godly and faithful Judges and Justices be placed in all meet places of the Nation to execute judgment and justice according to the judicials given by Christ 2 They are to constitute Exactors and Visitors I mean all subordinate Officers in all places of power and trust and to see they be men throughly purged and refined And for that end it wil be meet to send unto the several Churches which are Gods refining houses to commend unto them by the hands of their known Officers men of integrity throughly tested and fit for such and such employments Not to gratifie friends and acquaintance much lesse men that carry an outward splendor in the world and out of a corrupt and covetous principle seek to croud themselves into places of gain and profit 3 They are to displace unfit or unfaithful persons for Cujus est instituere ejus est destituere and if cause be to censure and punish them 4 They are to act in all matters of Councel touching war and peace and transactions with forreign States All which duly attended unto wil be work enough for the chief Councels of State As for the names of Parliaments and Dyets c. though there be no evil in the names yet I suppose they wil be laid aside in the time of this fifth Monarchy when men begin more to affect the language of Canaan then the imitation of idolatrous Nations If we should only take the Judicials to be our rules for justice and judgement it would make the Government arbitrary for the judicials are few and short and will not reach all cases or at least much will lye in the breast of the Judges who are to interpret and apply those general Rules to particular cases and that wil be dangerous The Laws indeed are few and brief and therefore require a spirit of wisdom and of the fear of the Lord in such as are to execute justice and judgment according to those Laws and Rules Men that are to be designed to such work should be such as walk close with God and are wel versed in Gods law rather then in humane Laws 2. I answer that though the Laws be few and brief yet they are perfect and sufficient and so large as the wisdome of God