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<DATE>2013-10-31</DATE>
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<NAME>Amanda Flynn</NAME>
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<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE Grand Cata&s;trophe, OR THE Change of Government: BEING A VVord about the la&s;t turn of the&s;e Times WRITTEN In a Letter to a Friend, as an E&s;&s;ay, either to give, or to receive Satisfaction in the Di&s;pute of the la&s;t CHANGE. By one who takes leave to &s;tile him&s;elf Johannes Cornubien&s;is..</P>
<Q><BIBL>PSAL. 75.7.</BIBL>
<P>God is Judge, Hee putteth down one and &s;etteth up another.</P></Q>
<Q><BIBL>PROV. 29.2.</BIBL>
<P>When the Righteous are in authority the people rejoyce; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.</P></Q>
<P>LONDON Printed by R. I. and are to bee &s;old at the Crown in Pope&s;-head-Alley. 1654.</P>
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<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<HEAD>The Grand Cata&s;trophe, or the change of Government, being a word about the la&s;t turne of the&s;e times.</HEAD>
<P>_THat &s;aying of the P&s;almi&s;t hath of late times oft been in my thoughts, even that; <HI>Thy way is in the &s;ea, and thy path in the mighty waters, and thy foot|&s;teps are not known,</HI> P&s;al. 77.19. For if ever there were an Age &s;ince <HI>I&s;raels</HI> advance out of <HI>Aepypt,</HI> when God once and againe made <HI>his path in the waters</HI> (litterally at <HI>Jordan</HI>) and had his <HI>way through the Sea</HI> (even the red Sea) and through the whole of that miraculous providence was, <HI>as a &s;hip in the &s;ea,</HI> who&s;e way and foot&s;teps are unknown; If ever (I &s;ay &s;ince that age) God hath &s;o acted again the &s;econd time, to bring up his people from an Aegypt, &s;ure it hath been in this, which we have &s;een. And indeed the works of God in the mid&s;t of us have been &s;o <HI>parallel</HI> unto tho&s;e <HI>pa&s;t providences,</HI> as that I have often &s;aid, they have been but another <HI>edition</HI> of them with &s;ome <HI>inlargements.</HI> Our way out of Bondage, and through the Wilder|ne&s;&s;e hath been &s;o like, that &s;carce can there be mentioned any particular act then, which (as <HI>I&s;aiahs</HI> phra&s;e is) <HI>hath not its mate now.</HI> What God hath done for the by-pa&s;t time, there is &s;carce any &s;o great a &s;tranger in <HI>I&s;rael</HI> but can tell, but what God is doing, or will doe, is that which po&s;eth the greate&s;t Teachers in <HI>I&s;rael;</HI> and I had almo&s;t &s;aid, we &s;ee <HI>not our &s;ignes, there is no more any Prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.</HI> That great <HI>&s;igne</HI> of the <HI>concurring de&s;ires, and prayers, and coun&s;els of the godly</HI> (which was wont never to faile us) is now eclip&s;ed by tho&s;e &s;ad divided aimes, and &s;ub-divided thoughts, which cau&s;e breaking, and bleeding of heart every where; and how long it wil be ere the <HI>envie of Ephraim</HI> (the major, or ten parts of Pro|fe&s;&s;ors) and the <HI>envie of Judah</HI> (the minor, or two parts of them) &s;hal depart, and each &s;hal not vexe, or vary one from another,
<PB N="2" REF="3">who can tell? yet certaine the time &s;hal come, when it &s;hal be; but in the interim, to &s;ee through the&s;e clouds, to be able to heare the voyce of the <HI>Father</HI> in the mid&s;t of the confu&s;ed noy&s;e of his <HI>Children,</HI> is the great de&s;ire, and indeavour of my &s;oule. And that I might <HI>pump</HI> up the deeper, and fuller di&s;coveries of longer heads and hearts then my owne, I will adventure humbly to ca&s;t in a <HI>di&s;h of water</HI> out of my little ci&s;terne-thus: I have for &s;ome yeares eyed that place of <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 1. 23, 24, 25, 26. as a Prophe&s;ie, which is yet to receive its accompli&s;hment. And much hath been (as I humbly judge) done in the mid&s;t of us, as to the mi|natory or threatning part of it; whether God be not about to enter (at lea&s;t) upon the more po&s;itive mercy of it, I would a little inquire; and let that ver. 26. be the ba&s;is of the inquiry, the words are thus; <HI>I will re&s;tore thy Judges as at the fir&s;t, and thy Coun|cellors as at the beginning, afterward thou &s;halt be called the city of righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;e, the faithfull city.</HI> From this Prophe&s;ie I would &s;peake the words of truth with &s;oberne&s;&s;e; and oh, that the &s;ons of truth and &s;oberne&s;&s;e others I de&s;ire not to deal withall) would give me an an&s;wer, that if I erre I might &s;ee it, for verily I am unwilling my errour &s;hould abide with me; teach me, and I wil hold my tongue, and cau&s;e me to under&s;tand wherein I have erred.</P>
<P>But yet heare me of your goodne&s;&s;e (yee Judges and Princes of rea&s;on) while in a few words I acquaint yee with my thoughts, about this Scripture in reference to the&s;e times.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, <HI>I have thought that God clearly intimates a re&s;olve</HI> (as it were upon the debate) <HI>to change the forme of Government from what it was now,</HI> (corrupted by Kings and Princes) <HI>unto what it was better, when admini&s;tred in the dayes of the Judges and Elders</HI> (or as it is here phra&s;ed) Coun&s;ellours, Kings and Princes of a Monarchi|cal principle, and power, were not <HI>ab initio,</HI> i. e. not from the be|ginning among&s;t his people, they were indeed at <HI>la&s;t,</HI> but not at <HI>fir&s;t.</HI> Now tel me (for I de&s;ire to learn) if the context of the&s;e words, joyned with the words them&s;elves &s;peake not, as if God would rai&s;e up an expectation of &s;uch a change, as in which he would remove <HI>Kings</HI> and <HI>Princes</HI> (whom he cals <HI>rebellious, and companions of Theeves</HI>) as his <HI>enemies,</HI> and adver&s;aries, as tho&s;e which had made the faithful City (<HI>I&s;raels</HI> Common-wealth) an <HI>Harlot;</HI> and which that it might become againe the <HI>city of righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI>
<PB N="3" REF="3">&s;hould be ble&s;&s;ed with its fir&s;t Government of <HI>Judges and Coun&s;ellours.</HI> After all Di&s;pute and Comment (which yet I have had the advantage to heare and read) upon that, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 8. it appeares clearly, that at <HI>the fir&s;t,</HI> and in the <HI>beginning,</HI> God did di&s;-approve of the change of Government from <HI>Judges</HI> to <HI>Kings,</HI> and the <GAP LANG="heb" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF"> there &s;poke of, was to terrifie his people from their de&s;ire, it being directly oppo&s;ite to <GAP LANG="heb" DESC="foreign" RESP="OXF"> The manner of Kingly Government was, and hath been experi|enced, to be no more like Gods, then the violent, tyranical ad|vice of <HI>Reboboams</HI> young Coun&s;ellours, unto the grave and mode|rate Coun&s;el which the ancient men gave, who were indeed the wi|&s;er, and advi&s;ed better then young Lads did; yet &s;till it hath been the manner of Monarchy to act after the <HI>young mens Councel,</HI> and not according to the councel of the aged. As thereby &s;hewing it &s;elfe to be not the government of the <HI>beginning,</HI> nor that which was at <HI>fir&s;t.</HI> But God &s;peaking here of reducing the &s;tate of things to that <HI>prime</HI> patterne, doth (to me at lea&s;t) clearly intimate this change of Government, which we have had &s;ome experience of, and which others &s;hal in time finde; for we are but as the fir&s;t ripe fruit to that Harve&s;t, wherein the &s;ickle of Providence &s;hal be put into the Kingdomes of men, to accompli&s;h this Prophecie, of Gods cutting downe Monarchs, his Adver&s;aries, and making way for re&s;toring of his <HI>Judges as at fir&s;t, and his Coun&s;ellours as at the beginning.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, may it not then be thought <HI>to be</HI> (not to &s;ay impious, but) <HI>very impolitique, and imprudent in any people or per&s;on to dote up|on, and admire that which the great God of all the World is re&s;olved to pull downe.</HI> Certainly, it's the Creatures folly to re&s;i&s;t the Creators coun&s;el, who ever &s;et him&s;elfe either in de&s;ire, or de&s;igne again&s;t the Lord, and did receive the one, or accompli&s;h the other; without doubt, if the <HI>mo&s;t high</HI> rule in the <HI>Kingdomes of men,</HI> and doe what&s;oever he plea&s;eth, there can be no re&s;i&s;ting of his wil. I am apt to thinke, that the time ha&s;tens in which God wil make all the Princes of the earth (<HI>Nebuchadnezzar</HI>-like) to graze with the Bea&s;ts, and to wander in the Wilderne&s;&s;e, that they may &s;ee, and know, and under&s;tand, and con&s;ider that he is re&s;olved to
<PB N="4" REF="4">deale with them as rebels; and that their power, and pride, and pomp &s;hal be &s;o &s;tained, as that all their blood in their owne, and va&s;&s;els veines, &s;hal never be able to recover their &s;plendor any more. <HI>What&s;oever God will in Heaven, or Earth, that does he.</HI> And though Monarchy lift up it &s;elf above the Skies, though it fixe it &s;elfe among&s;t the Starres, yet even thence &s;hal it tumble down, by that power which di&s;&s;olves the Ho&s;t of Heaven, and cau&s;eth the Stars to fall as the leaves from the Vine; and &s;ith this appears to be his determined purpo&s;e upon the whole Earth, I per&s;wade my &s;elfe it wil be but <HI>a vaine thing,</HI> for the Kings of the earth, and the Princes to take councel together, to re&s;i&s;t the Lord, and his Chri&s;t; &s;urely when he &s;trikes they'le be but as a <HI>Potters ve&s;&s;el,</HI> and when God is breaking of them, why &s;hould not they be to us as a <HI>ve&s;&s;el wherein there is no plea&s;ure.</HI> Nay, why rather &s;hould not all entertaine with delight the change which God is about to make, &s;ince it is from the <HI>wor&s;e</HI> to the <HI>better,</HI> from the unrighteous, and tyrannous power of <HI>Monarchies and Princes,</HI> into his Govern|ment of <HI>Judges</HI> and <HI>Coun&s;ellours,</HI> which were from the beginning, which indeed were the <HI>fir&s;t,</HI> and &s;hal be <HI>la&s;t</HI> in this world, till <HI>David</HI> him&s;elfe doe come againe, and the <HI>Lord Chri&s;t be exalted in his day.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, it hath been in my thoughts to con&s;ider, <HI>whether this Prophe&s;ie hath received its accompli&s;hment;</HI> or be yet to be fulfilled; Though &s;ome Expo&s;itors &s;eem to be confident of the pa&s;t imple|tion, the already fulfilling of this Prophe&s;ie, yet many doubt it. True it is, that there was a <HI>Tanquam-accompli&s;hing</HI> of this Prediction, after the returne of the <HI>Jewes</HI> from the <HI>Babyloni&s;h</HI> captivity, but yet I cannot be convinced (at pre&s;ent) that then there was a <HI>total accompli&s;hment</HI> of it, &s;o as to re&s;t therein, and to expect no more from this Scripture; for let it be con&s;idered, whether ever after that returne (ever in their be&s;t and quiete&s;t e&s;tate) <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> were &s;o ordered and e&s;tabli&s;hed, as that it might in the fulne&s;&s;e of the Letter, and in the whole latitude of the intendment of the phra&s;e, be called, <HI>the city of righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, the faithfull city;</HI> certain|ly, &s;acred word wil not give my faith a footing to beleeve it. <HI>Ezra</HI> and <HI>Nehemiah</HI> in their workes, and writings, &s;peake at ano|ther rate, <HI>Nehemiah</HI> conte&s;ts about Oppre&s;&s;ion, which was a|mong&s;t them rife and ridged (and that in the prime of their refor|mation
<PB N="5" REF="4">and returne) makes me thinke then their &s;tate did not de&s;erve the glory of being called, <HI>The city of righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e;</HI> and the po&s;ture, or rather prepo&s;terous, and di&s;orderly &s;tate of affaires, which &s;ome yeares after he found at <HI>Jeru&s;alem;</HI> doth give little ground to call it all that time <HI>the faithfull citie,</HI> &amp;c. This makes me to think, that this Prophe&s;ie is but <HI>parallel</HI> to that of <HI>Jeremiah</HI> 31.23 and therefore it received not its accompli&s;hment at their returne from <HI>Babylon,</HI> but is to be fulfilled when God &s;hall bring them up, and back from the <HI>North,</HI> when not only <HI>Judah,</HI> the two Tribes, (which alone returned from <HI>Babylon</HI>) but likewi&s;e <HI>I&s;rael</HI> (the ten Tribes) with them &s;hould rejoyce in that Government of <HI>Judges and Coun&s;ellours</HI> as at fir&s;t, until they come to their King|dome-&s;tate under the reigne of the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias,</HI> and <HI>David</HI> their King. And in ca&s;e there were a fulfilling of this Prophe&s;ie after their re|turne from <HI>Babylon,</HI> I am apt to thinke it was but &s;uch a fulfil|ling as hath been of &s;ome others, which was rather <HI>in part,</HI> and <HI>in a&s;&s;urance of the truth, then in whole and full perfection of the Prophe&s;ie.</HI></P>
<P>Fourthly, &s;uppo&s;ing then this Prophe&s;ie as yet not to be fulfilled, <HI>Why may not the I&s;les of the Gentiles as well looke after, and expect the fulfilling of it among&s;t them</HI> (I &s;ay) <HI>as well as the remnant of the Jewes?</HI> Is God only the God of <HI>Jewes,</HI> or is he not equally the God of the <HI>Gentiles?</HI> In the Prophe&s;ie of Gods re&s;toring and &s;etting judgement in the earth, are not the <HI>Gentiles</HI> expre&s;ly mentioned to &s;hare therein? <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 42. And are not they &s;aid to be expect|tants, <HI>waiting for his Law?</HI> Nay, doth not the connexion of this, and the next chapter import, that this Prophe&s;ie relates to the times of the Nations flowing into the light, and Law of the Me&s;|&s;ias? certaine I am, the Rabbins (who u&s;e to make advantage of all Scriptures, to the utmo&s;t for their owne Nation, and are not favourers of us &s;inners of the <HI>Gentiles</HI>) doe under&s;tand this Scripture of the times of the Me&s;&s;iah, who &s;hal prevaile over the wicked (&s;o <HI>Kimchies</HI> phra&s;e is for us <HI>Gentiles</HI>) And clear it is that the <HI>Gentiles</HI> are promi&s;ed (and &s;o Prophe&s;ied of) <HI>to partake with, to &s;hare in, and &s;uck of the &s;ame brea&s;ts of con&s;olation with the Jewes;</HI> now whether it be a con&s;olation to have good Judges, and righ|teous Coun&s;ellours (as <HI>I&s;rael had at the fir&s;t, and in the beginning</HI>) let tho&s;e &s;peake who have felt the burthen, and ta&s;ted the bitter|ne&s;&s;e
<PB N="6" REF="5">of the tyranny of <HI>rebellious Princes and Monarchs.</HI> Since then this Promi&s;e, or Prophe&s;ie (call it as we plea&s;e) referres to the <HI>Jewes</HI> expre&s;ly, as a mercy to come in its &s;ea&s;on, let us not bind our &s;elves with the cords of feare, and diffidence from coming in to participate with them in the &s;ame, for as much as we are now <HI>of the &s;ame body, and fellow heires of the &s;ame hopes, and partners in the &s;ame promi&s;es with them</HI> (that being de&s;troyed which made the diffe|rence) Neither let it be thought too <HI>great</HI> ambition for us <HI>Gentiles</HI> to <HI>precede</HI> them in the injoying of tho&s;e Prophe&s;ies, &s;ince we doe goe before them in greater matters. And why may not God hereby provoke the <HI>Jewes</HI> to jealou&s;ie and emulation, when they &s;hal &s;ee us to love and enjoy what once they had, &amp; as yet want; and yet this wil not hinder, but that the <HI>Jewes</HI> &s;hal have in time a <HI>gradual</HI> (though not &s;pecificall) <HI>preheminence</HI> above us the <HI>Gen|tiles;</HI> for albeit we be the <HI>fir&s;t</HI> in the injoyment of the fulfilling, yet may they be the <HI>chiefe</HI> in the perfection of this promi&s;ed mer|cy; though they come in <HI>la&s;t,</HI> yet may they be advanced to <HI>highe&s;t</HI> place, and &s;o <HI>the fir&s;t &s;hal be la&s;t, and the last &s;hall be first;</HI> they <HI>the fir&s;t in the Promi&s;e, la&s;t in the performance;</HI> we the <HI>la&s;t, fir&s;t</HI> in the fulfilling, and yet they the <HI>last,</HI> come up to be the <HI>chiefe</HI> in the injoyment: And &s;o Chri&s;t, who is fir&s;t our &s;alvation and &s;et|tlement, may yet <HI>be the glory of his people I&s;rael in both,</HI> &s;ending and &s;etling among&s;t us his <HI>Judges</HI> and <HI>Coun&s;ellours,</HI> till him&s;elfe alone &s;hal come to &s;it upon the Throne of his father <HI>David,</HI> that by us, as by a <HI>light,</HI> may be &s;een what &s;hal be the glory of the <HI>Jewes,</HI> and &s;o the final advantage of the <HI>Jew</HI> above the <HI>Gentile,</HI> &s;hal be <HI>much every way,</HI> when they &s;hal (though <HI>la&s;t,</HI> and <HI>after</HI> us) enjoy their Judges as at <HI>fir&s;t, and their Coun&s;ellours as in the beginning,</HI> in a beau|ty as farre exceeding us, as that of <HI>Rachel</HI> the younger, did that of <HI>Leah</HI> the elder, and &s;o they be the <HI>prime</HI> in beauty, though we the <HI>fir&s;t</HI> in <HI>birth,</HI> or beginning of this Prophe&s;ie.</P>
<P>Fifthly, in ca&s;e the&s;e things be thus, let us a little con&s;ider <HI>what is this Government of Judges and Coun&s;ellours, which upon the change of Government we may expect, and &s;hould acquie&s;ce in, as a mercy promi&s;ed.</HI> And here it mu&s;t be promi&s;ed as an indubitable conclu|&s;ion, <HI>That the government of Judges was but of one Per&s;on, as chiefe Judge,</HI> at one <HI>time.</HI> The great &s;pace of time after the divi&s;ion of <HI>Canaan</HI> by Lot (which is the Epocha from which the giving and
<PB N="7" REF="5">governing of Judges is reckoned, as <HI>Acts</HI> 13.19. &amp; 20. compared with <HI>Judges</HI> 3.9.) had its cour&s;e in the &s;ucce&s;&s;ion of Judges, one after another, and in all that time there were never more then one <HI>Judge</HI> at a time. The Government is expre&s;&s;ed in the plu|rall of <HI>Judges,</HI> by rea&s;on of their &s;ucce&s;&s;ive turnes, one after the death of another, and not becau&s;e there &s;hould be, or were many at once. Con&s;ult the Book of the <HI>Judges,</HI> and you will not in the lea&s;t he&s;itate herein; <HI>Othoniel, Elon, Deborah, Gideon,</HI> and the re&s;t governed, or judged by turnes (during the time of their lives) and not any two of them at one time.</P>
<P>This being cleare beyond contradiction, con&s;ider we a little the <HI>u&s;e of the Judge at any time,</HI> what it was for, and upon which any came to that place; and con&s;ider we the rule and power of a Judge &s;o inabled; Now as for his ri&s;e; <HI>It is evident it was upon a Martiall or Military account,</HI> he that was the <HI>deliverer</HI> was there|fore, and thereupon the <HI>Judge;</HI> the per&s;on which providence rai|&s;ed up unto <HI>I&s;rael</HI> in the time of any of their &s;treights to deliver them out of the hand of their enemies, was (<HI>Eo nomine, eadem&abque; ra|tione</HI>) the <HI>Judge</HI> afterward, during terme of life; <HI>Jephtah</HI> therefore did upon the&s;e termes covenant to undertake the Office of being their <HI>Generall in Warre,</HI> that he might be their <HI>Judge in peace.</HI> Had not the people promi&s;ed that, and called God to witne&s;&s;e (as the &s;eale and &s;ecurity of that Promi&s;e) he had not gone forth either again&s;t the malignant <HI>Ammonites</HI> fir&s;t, of the male-contented <HI>E|phraimites</HI> afterward, but being a&s;&s;ured of being <HI>Judge</HI> after the warre, he ingaged in the warre, and according to the ingagement of the Elders unto him, he judged (or governed as chiefe) &s;ixe yeares afterward; upon who&s;e death <HI>Ibzan</HI> &s;ucceeded him in the Judicature of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> and judged &s;even yeares, even till he dyed. Now albeit it appeares not by the &s;acred Hi&s;tory what was the ground upon which the Judge (for the time being) was elected in time of peace; (for neither in the dayes of <HI>Elon,</HI> who &s;uc|ceeded <HI>Ibzan</HI>) nor of <HI>Abdaon</HI> (who came to be Judge after <HI>E|lon,</HI> was there any vvars) albeit (I &s;ay) therefore it appeare not what was the particular <HI>worth,</HI> or <HI>merit, eminency,</HI> or <HI>de&s;ert,</HI> for which the election in tho&s;e times was made, yet &s;till it is evi|dent, that in <HI>times of warre,</HI> and &s;treights, the valiant and &s;ucce&s;|ful management of the affaires then, was alway the ground which
<PB N="8" REF="6">gave the ri&s;e and rea&s;on of the particular election unto the power and honour of the chief Judicature afterward.</P>
<P>Having pa&s;&s;ed thus farre in our inquiry, let us now con&s;ider <HI>whether or no that during this government of Judges, there was not al&s;o annexed unto it, the Synedrian of the Elders, and &s;o at the &s;ame time there was the J&V;DGE,</HI> and the <HI>COVNSELLOVRS,</HI> as having an hand in, and authority with the Judge to manage the govern|ment of <HI>I&s;rael.</HI> And there are (be&s;ides many conjecturall evi|dences) three things, which may be of weight and &s;ufficiency to atte&s;t, and carry us to plenary beleife hereof.</P>
<P N="1">1 <HI>That no Hi&s;tory, either &s;acred or prophane doth (or can) make it appeare, That from the fir&s;t in&s;titution, or foundation of the Synedrian (which was by Mo&s;es) there was not an abolition or di&s;&s;olving of that power which they had, and exerci&s;ed in the Government of</HI> I&s;rael. <HI>Cunaeus</HI> is cleare and po&s;itive in this, his words are, <HI>Id concilium cum con|&s;titutum a Mo&s;e e&s;&s;et &s;emper deinde &s;ub judicibus, regibu&s;&abque; &amp; ponti|ficibus u&s;&abque; ad extremam Judaeae de&s;olationem fuit man&s;it&abque; &amp;c.</HI> neither have I as yet met with any Author of name or note (indeed with none at all) that ever denied this, but that &s;till during the time of <HI>Judges</HI> (as afterwards) there were al&s;o the <HI>Coun&s;ellours</HI> (the &s;e|venty Elders) who did alway manage the affaires of Govern|ment, e&s;peciall in Civil things, as in matters of Fact and fault between man and man, throughout all the Tribes of <HI>I&s;rael.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2 <HI>The frequent mention of the Elders in the Booke of Judges is &s;o ob|vious that it mu&s;t be granted, that even in that time the Elders were.</HI> And that they were of power appeares cleare enough, both by their calling of <HI>Jeptath</HI> to be <HI>Generall</HI> of their Forces, and cove|nanting with him that he &s;hould be <HI>Judge</HI> upon his &s;ucce&s;&s;e, <HI>Judg.</HI> 11.9, 10. And why &s;hould it be doubted or que&s;tioned, whether or no this conjunction of <HI>Judges</HI> and <HI>Coun&s;ellours</HI> were together at <HI>Mizpeh</HI> at that time, when as its con&s;titution was but yet new, and nothing appeares why it &s;hould be thought either to be alte|red, or abrogated.</P>
<P N="3">3 <HI>The particular &s;tory of the Levite and his Concubine is of evidence e|nough by it &s;elf to con&s;train us to conclude, that there were Coun&s;ellours in the times of the Judges;</HI> To whom but to the Elders did he addre&s;&s;e him&s;elfe? Who but they did do him ju&s;tice? indeed in tho&s;e days there was no <HI>Judge in I&s;rael</HI> (as there was not at &s;ome other
<PB N="9" REF="6">times) but yet it appeares then there were the&s;e <HI>Coun&s;ellours;</HI> and a very &s;trong argument it is that they were, <HI>when and while there were Judges,</HI> becau&s;e they were when there were none. In <HI>Jeph|tabs</HI> ca&s;e they elected him <HI>Generall,</HI> and con&s;tituted him <HI>Judge;</HI> and now in the <HI>Levites ca&s;e,</HI> they heare his in jury, and doe him Ju&s;tice. Be&s;ides, had there been a <HI>Judge</HI> at that time in <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> its que&s;tionable whether or no the complaint &s;hould have been made to him, unle&s;&s;e the extraordinarine&s;s of the ca&s;e had made him to take cognizance of it, for <HI>in Civil affaires</HI> (as one wel ob&s;erves) the Judges did but <HI>rarely appeare,</HI> and <HI>when is was, the occa&s;ion or affaire was weekly;</HI> Upon all this it wil appeare, That <HI>indeed the Government by Judges was mixed with the Synedrian of Elders,</HI> and Judges and Coun&s;ellours were Gods Government at <HI>fir&s;t,</HI> or the kinde of power and rule by which <HI>I&s;rael</HI> was governed <HI>at the begin|ning,</HI> &s;o that this will be the re&s;ult of the inquiry; that God pro|mi&s;ing here to give his people their <HI>Judges as at fir&s;t, and their Coun&s;ellours as at the beginning:</HI> The Government which hereupon we are to expect, is, that <HI>forme which the people of God had at fir&s;t, when they were po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed of the Land of</HI> Canaan, <HI>and were governed by Judges and Elders.</HI> And the rea&s;on why this was called the Go|vernment <HI>as at the fir&s;t, and as in the beginning,</HI> is, becau&s;e that this was the <HI>fir&s;t forme,</HI> or way of rule which the <HI>Jews</HI> had after the &s;e|ven Nations of the Land of <HI>Canaan</HI> were de&s;troyed, and that Land was divided, and injoyed by Lot; till which time indeed they had not <HI>Judges,</HI> i. e. not that Government, as <HI>Paul</HI> tels us, <HI>Acts</HI> 13.19, 20. Nor were they capable till then of any &s;etled forme of Government, becau&s;e till then they were not <HI>a &s;etled Common-wealth; Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Jo&s;hua</HI> were their Leaders from a &s;trange Land, and their Deliverers till they came unto <HI>Canaan,</HI> and they guided, and governed them in their march, and military con|dition; but when afterward they were &s;etled, and had their Land divided by Lot, then God gave them Judges; till then their &s;tate was but <HI>itinerant,</HI> and un&s;etled; but from that time they be|came a Common-wealth, and (though not freed from warres, yet) were &s;etled where they were to abide, and therefore this was <HI>their fir&s;t,</HI> and <HI>beginning e&s;tate,</HI> the prime con&s;titution of that Common-wealth. Then (Reader) that I may apply this to our pre&s;ent time, let me expo&s;tulate the ca&s;e with male-content, or
<PB N="10" REF="7">di&s;&s;atisfied per&s;ons about the late, &s;trange, and unexpected turne that hath been among&s;t us.</P>
<P><HI>Why may we not rather rejoyce, and re&s;t in it as in a mercy Prophe&s;ied, than murmure at it, and &s;lander it as being a de&s;igne plotted?</HI> Or if we &s;hould grant it a thing <HI>plotted by men,</HI> why may we not rejoyce, that God by men hath accompli&s;hed his owne intentions, <HI>howbeit</HI> (A&s;&s;yrian like) <HI>they neither meant &s;o, nor did their hearts think &s;o?</HI> Veri|ly though the wrath, or pride of men doe not directly aime at, nor can therefore groundedly expect to accompli&s;h the righteou&s;ne&s;s of God; yet we have often &s;eene, (and of late have had many choy&s;e experiences of it) that when, or where man did but in|tend, and appoint tran&s;actions to &s;uch, or &s;uch an end, God did over-rule and order them unto the fulfilling of his owne purpo&s;es. <HI>Doe yee not remember the former things? &amp;c. Have yee forgot the dayes of old?</HI> when nece&s;&s;ity con&s;trained us, both in Parliament and Army to re&s;olve, and doe things, &s;trange, and &s;eemingly ec|centrick, which albeit they &s;tartled us at fir&s;t, nor were intended for that end (which yet was the ble&s;&s;ed i&s;&s;ue of them) have yet been &s;uch as we have had cau&s;e to &s;ay, <HI>What hath God done for us, and how came he downe by terrible things which we looked not for, doing and accompli&s;hing the coun&s;els and purpo&s;es of his owne will, which</HI> we ne|ver <HI>did</HI> (at fir&s;t at lea&s;t) <HI>expect,</HI> may not it be &s;o then now a|gaine? and upon the Premi&s;es may not we conclude this, as the fruit of our la&s;t change; <HI>That God is now about to give us the ble&s;|&s;ing of his people, and the fulfilling of a prophe&s;ie:</HI> for verily a <HI>Lord Pro|tector, and Coun&s;ellors</HI> (e&s;pecially tho&s;e of the Grand Synedrian in Triennial Parliament) is much like <HI>I&s;raels Judges at the fir&s;t, and their Coun&s;ellors at the beginning.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> No, but <HI>this is more like a King and his Lords;</HI> its more like that which we have fought and prayed again&s;t, then like that which we have de&s;ired and expected.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;.</HI> But <HI>are you not mi&s;taken in your &s;elves? or were you not mi&s;|guided in your aymes?</HI> Did you, or dur&s;t you pray, or fight for any thing incon&s;i&s;tent with, or oppo&s;ite to any thing Prophe&s;ied of, or promi&s;ed in the Scriptures of truth? <HI>And is not one &s;ingle per&s;on a&s;&s;i&s;ted by a Councel, and concluded by, yea and re&s;pon&s;ible to a Syne|drian of Elders</HI> (Heads of our Tribes in Parliament) I &s;ay, is not this <HI>like Judges</HI> of old, and Coun&s;ellours at the beginning.</P>
<PB N="11" REF="7">
<P>Obj. <HI>But a Protector is but one &s;ingle per&s;on, and God &s;peakes of Judges,</HI> and &s;o it is Monarchy, and not that, &amp;c.</P>
<P>An&s;. <HI>It is a mi&s;take</HI> (as hath been hinted) to <HI>thinke there were more Judges then one at a time.</HI> Though the expre&s;&s;ion in the Pro|phe&s;ie be <HI>plural,</HI> yet the power and place in the exerci&s;e of it was <HI>&s;ingle;</HI> and therefore though it be called the time when the <HI>Judges ruled</HI> (as <HI>Ruth</HI> 1.1.) yet was there but one Judge, who judged at a time. One <HI>Jephtah,</HI> one <HI>Tola, &amp;c.</HI> and no more. Be&s;ides, it is <HI>a gro&s;&s;e mi&s;take to thinke, and &s;ay, that this is a Monarchicall, or Kingly Government, and that hereby the Act, and Declaration for the aboli&s;hing of Kingly power is tran&s;gre&s;&s;ed;</HI> for know and con&s;ider, <HI>It is one thing to be governed by one, and another thing to be governed by a Monarch;</HI> though every Monarch be <HI>one,</HI> yet <HI>every &s;ingle</HI> one is not a Mo|narch. The Duke of <HI>Venice</HI> is but <HI>one,</HI> yet no <HI>Monarch;</HI> the State holden in <HI>Holland</HI> was but one, yet no <HI>King;</HI> the <HI>Judges</HI> (for the time being) were but one at a time, yet no <HI>Kings.</HI> It is true, in the time of their interval it is &s;aid, <HI>Then was there no King in I&s;rael;</HI> but that was rather from the general u&s;e of the word King, then from their power, or rule as Kings; and this will appeare evidently by two things (be&s;ides that all Authors do &s;pecifically di&s;tingui&s;h the times of that Government of Kings and Judges, which they could not, in ca&s;e they were the &s;ame.</P>
<P N="1">1 <HI>The People when they de&s;ired a King in oppo&s;ition to</HI> Samuel, <HI>who was the la&s;t Judge, did certainly know that there was a very cleare and va&s;t difference between a Judge and a King;</HI> otherwi&s;e they would not have de&s;ired, and conte&s;ted for that which they had al|ready.</P>
<P N="2">2 <HI>God him&s;elfe when he &s;peakes of that bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, doth more then in|timate what a difference there would be between the per&s;ons and powers of Kings which they de&s;ired, and Judges which they had;</HI> &s;o that to &s;ay, that a <HI>King,</HI> and a <HI>Judge,</HI> (or <HI>Protector,</HI> being no more then a <HI>Judge</HI>) is all one, bids very faire, and goes very facre to cleare the <HI>I&s;raelites</HI> from &s;in, in their de&s;ire of a <HI>King,</HI> and to charge God with <HI>folly,</HI> that he was &s;o offended with them, when they de&s;ired no more in effect then his owne promi&s;e of Judges. Adde to this, that God in this place of <HI>I&s;aiah,</HI> doth oppo&s;e <HI>his Judges and Coun|&s;ellours</HI> to <HI>Kings and Princes,</HI> the government of the one, unto the government of the other, which had they not been <HI>divers</HI> need
<PB N="12" REF="8">not be; for God might have &s;aid, <HI>I will de&s;troy Kings and Princes my enemies, and give them my Kings and Princes;</HI> No, but ile give my <HI>Judges</HI> in&s;tead of tho&s;e <HI>Kings.</HI></P>
<P>It is true indeed, <HI>Jo&s;ephus</HI> cals the Judges in Greek <HI>Monarchs,</HI> and the Hebrew in <HI>Judges</HI> once and againe &s;tiles them <HI>Melecks;</HI> but it is becau&s;e of the more lax &s;ignification of the words, and not becau&s;e of the &s;trict acceptation of the thing, and the knowne and now frequent notion of Kings and Monarchs, The <HI>Roman</HI> Dictators, <HI>Cinna, Sylla, (Mario)</HI> &amp;c. where by the Greek Writers &s;tiled <HI>Monarchs,</HI> and yet it is known they were not Mo|narchs, as the thing &s;trictly &s;ignifies. The Dictators were but (if I may &s;ay &s;o) Protectors <HI>pro tempore;</HI> the wi&s;e <HI>Tacitus,</HI> (and in|deed all Hi&s;torians of note) di&s;tingui&s;h betweene the Dictators and <HI>Cae&s;ars,</HI> as between two kinds of Government.</P>
<P>It is not <HI>a &s;ingle per&s;on,</HI> but <HI>a &s;ole power</HI> which makes a Monarch &s;o called, and known, and this the late King knew very well, when upon di&s;cour&s;es of a limited Prerogative, he was wont to &s;ay; <HI>It was but a de&s;igne to unking him, and make him another Duke of Venice, SOLENES OF POWER, SOVERAIGNTY OF RVLE, HEREDITARINESSE OF</HI> Title, <HI>IMSPONCI|BLENES OF ACTION,</HI> &amp;c. have been deemed, and urged as the <HI>Regalia of a Monarch,</HI> and when the&s;e are not, the Ma&s;ters of Monarchy will tell you, King&s;hip is <HI>wanting,</HI> or at lea&s;t <HI>waning,</HI> and in its decay.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But how &s;oone may the Protector a&s;&s;ume this if he plea&s;e, and what ab&s;olute power hath he at pre&s;ent, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>An&s;. <HI>Have we ground to thinke him a man of &s;o much ambition, and &s;o little faith, as to violate his Oath, though for a Kingdome?</HI> Hath not the Nation had experiments &s;trong and &s;incere, long enough to da&s;h &s;uch jealous Brats in peeces? For which of his good works is it that you thus &s;u&s;pect him?</P>
<P>Obj. <HI>But he is but a man,</HI> and temptations may overcome, &amp;c.</P>
<P>Reply. <HI>Let this rather fill your &s;oule with prayers, then foment in you jealou&s;ies.</HI> But is not he bounded? Are not the Articles of agreement, like the bounds of the Sea, &s;uch as if he would <HI>rage</HI> he cannot pa&s;&s;e? And what&s;oever power he hath at pre&s;ent, may not the next Parliament le&s;&s;en it? And his pre&s;ent Councel check it; for how little a part of power hath he without the advi&s;e and con&s;ent of his Councel.</P>
<PB N="13" REF="8">
<P><HI>Obj.</HI> But <HI>yet he hath the &s;word,</HI> and may breake out, &amp;c.</P>
<P>An&s;. <HI>Yet &s;till we have jealou&s;ie,</HI> and &s;o make feare without grounds. <HI>Is there no fidelity in the pre&s;ent</HI> Councel? <HI>Is there no ho|nesty in the Officers of the Army</HI> to re&s;traine, and oppre&s;&s;e extrava|gancies? Or; <HI>is there no power in Prayer, no God in Heaven to mend all?</HI> verily if the Protector &s;hould fal from <HI>grace</HI> (which yet I am not &s;o much an <HI>Arminian</HI> as to feare) and &s;hould either mi&s;u&s;e, and mi&s;-improve his power to &s;elfe power, and pride, &amp;c. all that feare God, would cry out, <HI>let him be accur&s;ed,</HI> and I &s;hould thinke my &s;elfe worthy to &s;hare in the cur&s;e, if I &s;hould not &s;ay, <HI>Amen,</HI> even &s;o be it Lord. <HI>Let him be the &s;hame of men, the &s;corne of State, the abborrency of all that feare God, if be make his Protector&s;hip a &s;tep to King&s;hip for him&s;elfe or his.</HI> And here let me take the liberty to &s;ay, I could heartily wi&s;h, and upon my knees humbly begge, that (as an addition unto that Article, <HI>that the Protector &s;hall not be hereditary</HI>) it might be annexed, <HI>that the Family of any one Pro|tector &s;hall be wholly cut off from being elected to the Protector&s;hip, at lea&s;t unto the third Generation.</HI> It would be a <HI>te&s;t of &s;ingular &s;incerity</HI> in the now Lord Protector, to procure &s;uch an addition, and it would be <HI>a great &s;ecurity to prevent Monarchy,</HI> or other evil which may ari&s;e out of this office. We know, how that the Empire of <HI>Germany</HI> is not <HI>hereditary</HI> fundamentally, but <HI>Elective,</HI> yet for want of &s;uch a caution, as I humbly motion, how long the hou&s;e of <HI>Au&s;tria</HI> hath perpetuated the Imperiall power, in its owne Fa|mily, to the grand injury of all <HI>Germany,</HI> is a thing that needs no Hi&s;tory to confirme, or &s;et forth. I have heard (I confe&s;&s;e) that many have &s;aid, and doe &s;ay, that there is a long line of pedigree drawne up, <HI>to prove the Lord Protector to be lineally de&s;cended from Cadwallador;</HI> and this hath been, and is &s;till made u&s;e of by &s;ome, to in&s;inuate a de&s;ign, a <HI>future King&s;hip</HI> for him&s;elfe, or his; but as I know no ju&s;t ground for to beleeve the truth of this &s;urmi&s;e, &s;o I per&s;wade my &s;elfe, his Highne&s;&s;e the Protector, is <HI>more Christian, and le&s;&s;e Welch-man,</HI> then to minde &s;uch fooli&s;h vaine Pedegrees; if he draw not his line from Chri&s;t he will not be Honourable in the eyes of God, or Saints; and <HI>I hope his conver&s;ation will fully prove this report a lye.</HI> Neither doe I doubt in the lea&s;t that he will venter the perill of life and perjury upon &s;o meane an account,
<PB N="14" REF="9">as an antiquated (that I &s;ay not abominated) peece of He|raldry.</P>
<P>There is al&s;o another <HI>idle report,</HI> which yet becau&s;e its handed as from a <HI>Knight,</HI> and <HI>a Bi&s;hop,</HI> ile hint in a word, and &s;peake &s;hortly unto. The report is; <HI>That a Knight</HI> (whether errant or otherwi&s;e) <HI>having little to doe at Bath, &s;hould &s;earch for anno&s;ities in the Cathedrall there, and at la&s;t found a certaine Story, which it &s;eemes was</HI> Jothams <HI>Apologue, painted and ver&s;ified;</HI> and that this &s;hould be one line in the Poetry, BUT WOE TO US WHEN OLIVER SHALL BE KING. Hereupon it is com|mented and concluded, that woe will be now unto <HI>England,</HI> &s;ince <HI>Oliver Cromwell</HI> is King. This is the Legend or Story.</P>
<P>To it I would &s;ay but this; <HI>What if it be meerely</HI> (as other Le|gends) forged, and the wandring Knight not to be found to ve|rifie it? Or what, (in ca&s;e there be any truth in the Tale) <HI>if the Knight wanted his Spectacles,</HI> and read OLIVER <HI>instead of</HI> O|LIVE, or <HI>the Olivet,</HI> for it is in the Apologue of Trees, as the Tale confe&s;&s;eth; or what if it were <HI>Oliver</HI> indeed, who <HI>will un|dertake to prove the Poet an authenticke Prophet?</HI> Finally, <HI>what if the Poet &s;hould &s;peake</HI> (as &s;ome of the Heathen Oracles) <HI>truth at una|wares?</HI> And &s;hould predict, That when <HI>Oliver</HI> &s;hould be King, that is, in <HI>Jothams</HI> phra&s;e, <HI>Judge</HI> (for the Apologue was in the dayes of the Judges) <HI>then woe to us,</HI> i. e. <HI>Cathedrals, Painting and Build|ings</HI> too? would there be any great woe to Chri&s;tians, to &s;ee (now <HI>Oliver</HI> is Judge, or Protector) the ruine of Cathedrals, &s;ince they are of little u&s;e, and of &s;o great offence?</P>
<P>I will trouble my &s;elfe no further with the&s;e or the like con|ceits, or &s;urmi&s;es, but let me intreat (thee Reader) to con&s;ider &s;eriou&s;ly for thine owne &s;atisfaction if thou doubte&s;t, or for mine if I erre (for I would willingly be convinced) <HI>whether or no any who feare God, who are the Children of the Promi&s;es, and who conver&s;e with, and waite for the fulfilling of Prophe&s;ies; I &s;ay, whether any of tho&s;e have ju&s;t cau&s;e to murmure, repine, or oppugne the pre&s;ent Govern|ment, upon this turne and change?</HI> much le&s;&s;e, <HI>whether they have cau&s;e to re&s;olve at la&s;t only to acquie&s;ce, and &s;it &s;till, and to gratifie the old and common enemy, which as much as po&s;&s;ible they can wi&s;h, viz. to re&s;olve to &s;tand NE&V;TRALS,</HI> and <HI>let all oppo&s;e or prevaile that can,
<PB N="15" REF="9">and dare again&s;t this pre&s;ent power;</HI> which becau&s;e it was not <HI>a Childe</HI> of <HI>their conception,</HI> they are willing to let peri&s;h by the power of an open and profe&s;&s;ed enemy, withall putting to their helping or preferring hands; I will &s;ay no more, but re&s;erve the re&s;t for thoughts and &s;ighs in &s;ecret.</P>
<P>Only for a Cu&s;hion, I will &s;uppo&s;e it po&s;&s;ible for this paper at one time or other to lye at the Lord Protectors feet, and thereup|on I wil pre&s;ume upon <HI>his low Spirit</HI> in his <HI>High place,</HI> to be&s;peake him thus: My Lord, you have but little lea&s;ure, and I but little ability for many words, yet I be&s;eech you of your clemency to heare me a few.</P>
<P N="1">1 <HI>You have much power, and are in a great place, but power and emi|nency are &s;lippery places, and expo&s;e to great falls if one be not cautious.</HI> The fir&s;t per&s;on of your place and power came to a &s;ad end, not I thinke really for any default of his, but by the malice and &s;ub|tilty of his corrival; you have many enemies, men of much ma|lice, and not of &s;imple &s;lothfull &s;pirits; Beware what you doe, you have a Councel, to advi&s;e with whom wil be &s;afety, <HI>the more you act joyntly with them, the le&s;&s;e danger will be to your &s;elfe, or the Common-wealth.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2 <HI>You have Honours to conferre, but be &s;ure you honour none but &s;uch as honour God.</HI> It is but an unwi&s;e, and a derided work to guild a rotten po&s;t; and to conferre Honour upon &s;inful, &s;ordid, or unde|&s;erving Per&s;ons, will have but little of Prudence, and le&s;&s;e of Piety in it; <HI>&s;uch as are precious in Gods &s;ight, let them be honoura|ble, and doe you love them.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3 <HI>You have many eyes upon you, &s;ome expecting, &s;ome &s;u&s;pecting; di&s;appoint not the one, neither doe any thing to &s;trengthen the other.</HI> There are who <HI>&s;u&s;pect</HI> you'le KING it, and procure your Heire to &s;uc|ceed you; but di&s;-appoint tho&s;e men in their malice, who will thereupon <HI>cry,</HI> and &s;trive to <HI>downe with you, downe with you, even to the ground.</HI> Aske your Councel, whether it were not good pru|dence, and preventing policy, to <HI>provide again&s;t the Family of any Protector, as well as the Family of the late King; and con&s;ider, if an addition were made to the age of the Protector that may be cho&s;en, it would not be better.</HI> Certainly they of <HI>Venice</HI> finde it advantagious that their <HI>Dukes are old;</HI> and with ancient, above forty one, wil be more wi&s;dome, then with the young though twenty one. The
<PB N="16" REF="10">elder the Protector is, he wil be the more fitter to doe men good, he will be the unfitter to doe men hurt. By this (if your High|ne&s;&s;e &s;hal thinke it meet to endeavour) you will fru&s;trate your enemies, and refute the greate&s;t of their calumnies, and &s;urmi&s;es, and hereby you wil &s;atisfie many of your cordial friends, who ex|pect choy&s;e things from you, and &s;uch as accompany holine&s;&s;e, humility, and &s;elf-denial.</P>
<P>Finally, <HI>remember while you &s;tudy to be a terrour to evil doers, you &s;trive to be an incourager and Protector of tho&s;e who doe well;</HI> do your utmo&s;t to pull up <HI>every weed,</HI> but be cautious you pull up no <HI>good Plant</HI> therewith. While you are zealous again&s;t a Super&s;titious, prophane, ignorant, carnal Mini&s;try (in which zeale ride on and pro&s;per) be careful, and diligent to perpetuate and incourage an holy, &s;piritual, able, and peaceable company of Preachers, who may advance holine&s;&s;e and godline&s;&s;e, and prevent prophanenes and barbari&s;me, which begins to put forth their mon&s;trous heads in divers corners of the Land.</P>
<P>My Lord, ile &s;ay no more but this; <HI>You are in as much need of help from God now as ever,</HI> indeed more; your work as <HI>Generall</HI> is not yet at an end. I am much inclined to thinke, that at lea&s;t once more, you wil be forced to draw your Sword againe, and to be a <HI>Deliverer</HI> to this Nation (and tho&s;e of <HI>Scotland</HI> and <HI>Ireland</HI> united now to it) which if it fall out according to my prayers and hopes; you wil thereby confirme your &s;elfe of right to be our <HI>Judge,</HI> and I pray God &s;o to guide you in this your new Honour and Office, as that we may have as good, and great a ground to admire, and ble&s;&s;e God for you as a <HI>Protector,</HI> as (your enemies them&s;elves being witne&s;&s;e) we have had to acknowledge you as our <HI>Generall.</HI> And the &s;ame Lord &s;o ble&s;&s;e your <HI>pre&s;ent Councill.</HI> (made up of men who are de&s;ervedly e&s;teemed wi&s;e and godly) and e&s;pecially &s;o di&s;po&s;e of the <HI>Parliament to be,</HI> as that upon your and their account, we may have a good ground to &s;ay, <HI>God hath re&s;tored his Judges as at the fir&s;t, and his Coun&s;ellours as at the beginning,</HI> that therefore hereafter we may call <HI>Englands Triple-Common-wealth,</HI> THE CITY OF RIGHTEOVSNES, THE FAITH|FVL CITY.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
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