<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>1-14-10</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>John Latta</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Added TEMPHEAD, checked ID, and added TYPEs to DIVs in order to validate. Checked for N=""s. Checked for GROUP tags. Proofed title. Checked ^s. Reviewed structure; changed HEAD to BYLINE; changed HEAD to OPENER. Checked placement and completeness of PBs. Checked for damage GAPs, #s, @s, oes, --s, and UNCLEARs. Corrected [dollar]s. Checked for &amp;cs with incorrect spacing. Checked for LBs. Checked for startqs and endqs, qs, abq's, Ae's, and Qs. Checked italic I / J and U / V. Checked for missing page GAPs. Checked for EPIGRAPHs and ARGUMENTS. Checked proofsheets and made corrections. Checked CLOSERs, TRAILERs, SIGNEDs, OPENERs, SALUTEs, BYLINEs. Sample: 2 minutes. Proofing: 10 minutes. Tag review and corrections: 10 minutes. DONE.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="A91938">
<STC T="W">R1816</STC>
<STC T="T">669.f.16[97]</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99870398</BIBNO>
<VID>163250</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="treatise">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<HEAD>TO HIS Excellency the Lord Generall Cromwell.
A few Propo&s;als, relating to Civil Government.</HEAD>
<BYLINE><HI>Humbly offered by</HI> John Rogers <HI>an unworthy &s;ervant of Chri&s;t, and Preacher of the Go&s;pel now at</HI> Tho. Apo&s;tles <HI>London.</HI></BYLINE>
<OPENER><SALUTE>RIGHT HONOURABLE,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_WHil&s;t my <HI>&s;oul</HI> is boyling over into <HI>earne&s;t prayers</HI> to the great <HI>Jehovah</HI> for VVi&s;dome, Coun&s;el, and Courage for you in this exigency of importance, as the great <HI>Deliverer</HI> of his people (through <HI>Gods grace)</HI> out of the <HI>hou&s;e</HI> of <HI>Aegypt,</HI> I am vi&s;ited with that word in Exod. 12. 42. <HI>It is a night to be much ob&s;erved unto the Lord for bringing them out of Aegypt; This is that night of the Lord to be ob&s;erved of all the Children of I&s;rael in their Generations.</HI> So this is the <HI>day (viz. April.</HI> 20. 1653.) to be <HI>much ob&s;erved</HI> (or <HI>in</HI> Hebr. full of <HI>ob&s;ervations)</HI> and the rather for that in the <HI>revolution</HI> of times, the <HI>changes will</HI> run their round out, and then the <HI>Lord</HI> will come to <HI>reigne.</HI> For at as fir&s;t <HI>I&s;rael</HI> had no <HI>Governour</HI> but <HI>God,</HI> and next to him <HI>Generals,</HI> as <HI>Mo&s;es, Jo&s;hua,</HI> &amp;c. with their <HI>Officers;</HI> and after that <HI>Judges</HI> and <HI>Synedrions</HI> or <HI>Parliaments</HI> over them, and then <HI>Kings;</HI> So now the <HI>change</HI> is to go back again from <HI>Kings</HI> to <HI>Parliaments,</HI> from <HI>Parliaments</HI> to <HI>Generals,</HI> until we have <HI>Governours</HI> as at the <HI>beginning,</HI> I&s;a. 1. 26. and till Chri&s;t come.</P>
<P>But my Lord, my heart is full (with humble thankfulne&s;&s;e, and re&s;entment of the <HI>hopes</HI> you have put us all unto, and to your <HI>Honour</HI> indeed) I am <HI>pre&s;&s;ed</HI> in &s;pirit; and &s;o are many others (after a <HI>&s;olemne meeting</HI> of prayers with hundreds of this <HI>City</HI> at <HI>Tho. Apo&s;tles London,</HI> about this <HI>change,</HI> and to &s;eek God for you) to pre&s;ent you with the&s;e following <HI>Propo&s;als.</HI></P>
<P N="1">I. That your <HI>Excellency</HI> do choo&s;e the <HI>men</HI> that mu&s;t governe this <HI>Commonwealth</HI> (being that it is the judgement of many faith|ful di&s;cerning <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> and others, that you are called thereunto of God.) So <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> did <HI>choo&s;e</HI> able men to be <HI>Rulers</HI> in <HI>Exod.</HI> 18. <MILESTONE N="I" UNIT="Propo&s;."> 25, 26. <HI>And they judged the people at all &s;ea&s;ons, but the hard cau&s;es they brought to Mo&s;es.</HI> So that <HI>Mo&s;es.</HI> gave them their <HI>charges</HI> to doe <HI>righteou&s;ly</HI> without <HI>re&s;pect of per&s;ons,</HI> Deut. 1. 16, 17. And <HI>Jo&s;hua</HI> the next <HI>General</HI> (with's Officers) commanded the <HI>people, Jo&s;h.</HI> 3. 2. and the <HI>Lord</HI> &s;aid to <HI>Jo&s;hua</HI> (though in another ca&s;e) <HI>ch.</HI> 4. 2. <HI>Take you twelve men</HI> out of <HI>the people, one of a Tribe, &amp;c.</HI> and &s;ayes the <HI>text,</HI> Ver&s;. 14. that <HI>very day</HI> (that <HI>Jo&s;hua</HI> did &s;o) <HI>the Lord magnified him in the &s;ight of all I&s;rael,</HI> and they <HI>&s;eared him,</HI> as they <HI>feared Mo&s;es</HI> before him. So it is upon our <HI>hearts (Right Honourable)</HI> that God will make you hereby, <HI>Right Honourable</HI> indeed, in the &s;ight of all his <HI>I&s;rael.</HI> After this, <HI>Gideon</HI> (the <HI>General</HI> of that little <HI>Army</HI> of three <HI>Bands,</HI> that de&s;troyed the huge <HI>ho&s;t</HI> of the <HI>Midianites)</HI> was offered by the <HI>I&s;raelites</HI> the <HI>Government,</HI> Judg. 8. 22. for hee had won it. And <HI>Nehemtah,</HI> chap. 7. 2. gave <HI>Commi&s;sions</HI> out to men <HI>fearing God,</HI> to <HI>governe.</HI> And &s;o all the <HI>Governours</HI> that ever were victorious (in the word) were either <HI>Rulers</HI> them&s;elves, or el&s;e cho&s;en to be &s;uch, or el&s;e cho&s;e &s;uch, wherefore we &s;ay, as <HI>Ezra</HI> 7. 25. <HI>And thou, after the wi&s;dome of thy God that is in thine hand, &s;et Magi&s;trates and Judges which may judge all the people that are beyond the River, all &s;uch as know the Laws of thy God, and teach thou them that know not.</HI></P>
<P>The &s;econd <HI>Propo&s;al,</HI> as to <HI>number</HI> of <HI>per&s;ons</HI> that &s;hall <HI>Governe,</HI> I humbly <HI>propo&s;e</HI> either a <HI>Synedrin, Parliament,</HI> or <HI>Councel</HI> of &s;even|ty, or el&s;e <HI>one of a County.</HI> For that in the <HI>Commonwealth</HI> of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> (which is our <HI>be&s;t patterne)</HI> they had <HI>three &s;orts of Courts,</HI> the <HI>Upper</HI> <MILESTONE N="II" UNIT="Propo&s;."> <HI>Court</HI> (or <HI>Synedrin)</HI> which con&s;i&s;ted of &s;eventy <HI>able (fit) men</HI> joyned with <HI>Mo&s;es, Numb.</HI> 11. 16, 17. <HI>And the Lord &s;aid to Mo&s;es, Gather before me</HI> (or in my Name) <HI>&s;eventy</HI> (worthy) <HI>men of the Elders of I&s;rael, whom thou knowe&s;t, to be the Elders and Officers over them; For</HI> <MILESTONE N="1"> <HI>I will come down and talk with thee, and I will take of the &s;pirit which is upon thee, and I will put it upon them, and they &s;hall bear the burden of the people with thee, &amp;c.</HI> This number an&s;wers to the <HI>&s;eventy,</HI> which at fir&s;t went into <HI>Aegypt, Gen.</HI> 46. 27. <HI>Exod.</HI> 1. 5. <HI>Deut.</HI> 10. 22 and to the <HI>&s;eventy Elders</HI> which went up <HI>Mount Sinai,</HI> Exod. 24. 1. 9. Now in this fir&s;t <HI>great Senate,</HI> they &s;at in <HI>forme</HI> of an <HI>halfe Circle round;</HI> &s;o that the <HI>Na&s;i</HI> or <HI>Abbeth-Din,</HI> chiefe, or father of the hou&s;e &s;at as the <HI>Speaker</HI> in <HI>Parliament</HI> doth, to &s;ee all before him.</P>
<P>The <HI>&s;econd</HI> &s;ort of <HI>Synedrin</HI> was called the <HI>Lower Court, &amp;c.</HI> they were under a <HI>great Senate,</HI> and con&s;i&s;ted of three and twenty <MILESTONE N="2"> <HI>per&s;ons</HI> who &s;ate in the <HI>City gates,</HI> as <HI>Amos</HI> 5. 5. which Chri&s;t implies, when he promi&s;es <HI>the Gates of hell (Councels</HI> and <HI>&s;trength) &s;hall not prevail again&s;t his Church.</HI> So <HI>Deut.</HI> 16. 18. And the third Court con&s;i&s;ted but of three <HI>Judges</HI> in <HI>&s;mal Cities.</HI> But <MILESTONE N="3"></P>
<P>Secondly, or el&s;e choo&s;e one of a <HI>County,</HI> repre&s;enting that County, as one of <HI>a Tribe</HI> did repre&s;ent the <HI>Tribe,</HI> in <HI>Num.</HI> 1. 4. <HI>And with you there &s;hall be a man of every Tribe;</HI> and Ver&s;. 16. <HI>The&s;e were the renowned, i. e.</HI> famous for <HI>abilities</HI> and qualifications, called to <MILESTONE N="2"> be <HI>State&s;-men,</HI> or to con&s;ult about matters of State, <HI>Num.</HI> 7. 2. and 16. 2. But if the pre&s;ent <HI>juncture</HI> of affairs requires a quicker di&s;patch, that in the interim, twelve <HI>Worthies</HI> may be cho&s;en as pre&s;ent <HI>Governours,</HI> Jo&s;h. 4. 1. 2. Numb. 14. Deut. 16. 18. Ezra 7. 15. like to <HI>I&s;raels</HI> twelve <HI>Judges.</HI></P>
<P>The <HI>third Propo&s;al,</HI> As to their <HI>Qualifications,</HI> they mu&s;t be <HI>menfearing God, Nehem.</HI> 7. 2. <HI>Exod.</HI> 18. 21. <HI>lovers</HI> of <HI>Truth</HI> and <HI>Ju|&s;tice</HI> <MILESTONE N="III" UNIT="Propo&s;."> Deut. 16. 18. <HI>hating</HI> bribes and <HI>covetou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> (which corrupt Ju&s;tice) <HI>Deut.</HI> 16. 19. Exod. 28. 21. not <HI>re&s;pecters of per&s;ons,</HI> Deut. 1. 17. and 16. 19. <HI>Wi&s;e</HI> (though not politick) and <HI>Under&s;tanding</HI> in the times and &s;ea&s;ons, <HI>Deut.</HI> 1. 13. Searching Gods word, <HI>Dan.</HI> 1. 4. and 9. 2. (As the Jewes <HI>Cachami</HI> wi&s;emen or <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> doe at this day,) they mu&s;t be <HI>able active men, Exod.</HI> 10. 21. <HI>Gen.</HI> 47. 6. 1 <HI>Chron.</HI> 26. 6. in the things of God, <HI>and at all &s;ea&s;ons</HI> ready to hear and <HI>helpe</HI> the oppre&s;&s;ed, <HI>Exod.</HI> 18. 19, 22. the Greeke is, at <HI>every houre,</HI> (who were wont to &s;it from the <HI>daily &s;acrifice</HI> in the morning, till the <HI>daily &s;acrifice</HI> in the evening (&s;o that they began and ended with <HI>Sacrifices</HI> every day:) And then they mu&s;t be <HI>Ea&s;ers of the people</HI> as <HI>Numb.</HI> 11. 17. <HI>Exod</HI> 18. 22. hence the word <HI>Rulers, (Na&s;i,)</HI> is &s;o named of <HI>lifting up,</HI> or <HI>ea&s;ing</HI> the <HI>burthens</HI> of the <HI>people.</HI> And they mu&s;t govern as the <HI>Servants of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, I&s;a.</HI> 60. 2, 10, 17. <HI>Rev.</HI> 21. 24. But not as Lords over <HI>Chri&s;t, Rev.</HI> 4. 10, 11. lea&s;t <HI>the Nobles be like</HI> Oreb, Judg. 7. 25. <HI>and</HI> Zeeb, <HI>and the Princes as</HI> Zebah <HI>and</HI> Zalmunna, <HI>that take the hou&s;es of God (i.e.</HI> Chri&s;ts <HI>Government</HI> and <HI>Juri&s;diction</HI> over <HI>Chur|ches</HI> and <HI>Con&s;ciences) into their po&s;&s;e&s;sion, P&s;.</HI> 83. 11, 12. Such are (v. 13.) &s;et as a <HI>wheel</HI> upon the <HI>run,</HI> till they have <HI>run them&s;elves all to peeces</HI> (and this was openly declared would be the ruin of this <HI>Parliament</HI> at <HI>Thomas Apo&s;tles</HI> Febr. 18 (unle&s;&s;e God prevented) a day when <HI>we</HI> and the <HI>Navy</HI> were ingaged together all day long. La&s;tly, they mu&s;t govern all for God (not too much for man) 2 <HI>Chro.</HI> 196. <HI>Take heed what you doe? for ye govern not for man but for the Lord,</HI> &s;aith <HI>Jeho&s;aphat.</HI> O that! they may be <HI>Mo&s;es's</HI> for <HI>meekne&s;s!</HI> and for their oft <HI>meeting</HI> and <HI>conferring with God</HI> on the <HI>Mount! Jo&s;hua's</HI> for courage! and <HI>Samuels</HI> for uprightne&s;&s;e! and <HI>Davids</HI> for Gods Favorites! and for <HI>figuring out</HI> the coming of <HI>Chri&s;t!</HI> and <HI>Solomons</HI> for <HI>wi&s;dome,</HI> and <HI>workers</HI> for Gods latter <HI>Temple!</HI> and <HI>Daniels</HI> for di&s;cerning the daies wee live in! and <HI>Nehemiah's</HI> for <HI>activity,</HI> and <HI>abillity,</HI> and <HI>builders</HI> up of the <HI>broken wals</HI> of <HI>Jeru&s;alem;</HI> and then &s;hall they in their mea&s;ure make good the <HI>promi&s;e of Judges as at the fir&s;t,</HI> I&s;a. 2. 20. and then the work of the Lord &s;hall go on in the hands of <HI>Zerubbabel</HI> with &s;houtings of <HI>grace grace unto it.</HI></P>
<P>The <HI>fourth Propo&s;al</HI> is, That tho&s;e who are righteous, and &s;pirited for this Government, of <HI>the Worthies</HI> of the late <HI>Parliament</HI> (that <MILESTONE N="IV" UNIT="Propo&s;."> are without ju&s;t exception) may be owned with <HI>honour, That the righteous &s;uffer not with the wicked.</HI></P>
<P>The <HI>fifth Propo&s;al</HI> is, That the <HI>Rulers</HI> (after they be cho&s;e) be &s;et <HI>&s;olemnly</HI> and <HI>publickly apart</HI> by <HI>prayers</HI> to God for <HI>their Worke,</HI> <MILESTONE N="V" UNIT="Propo&s;."> and his <HI>wi&s;dome,</HI> as they were wont to doe in <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> as <HI>Numb.</HI> 11. 16, 17. <HI>Gather them before me, and I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee, and put it upon them; and &s;ay to the people &s;anctifie your &s;elves.</HI> So <HI>Ezra</HI> 9. 23, 24. <HI>So we fa&s;ted and be&s;ought our God for this, and he was intreated of us; and then I &s;eparated twelve of the cheife,</HI> &s;ayes he. And although in the <HI>Commonwealth of I&s;rael,</HI> they were wont when they &s;et them apart for <HI>Governours</HI> to poure out a <HI>horne of oyle,</HI> or el&s;e <HI>to lay on hands</HI> on each. <HI>The&s;e Ceremonies</HI> are now aboli&s;hed, and yet the <HI>&s;ignification</HI> of them remains, viz. that there bee &s;ome <HI>evidence</HI> or other that the <HI>Lord</HI> hath laid his <HI>hand</HI> on them, and hath <HI>poured out his horne of oyle upon their heads,</HI> unto their very <HI>hearts;</HI> I mean his <HI>Unction from on high,</HI> the <HI>holy Spirit,</HI> enduing them with <HI>&s;anctified gifts</HI> and <HI>abilities,</HI> &s;eparating, and &s;etting them <HI>apart</HI> for the worke of <HI>this Government,</HI> by &s;uch a mea&s;ure of his <HI>oyle</HI> of <HI>grace,</HI> as &s;uites with the <HI>age</HI> wherein we live (i. e. aboundantly more then in former ages.)</P>
<P>The&s;e <HI>Five Propo&s;als</HI> (Right Honorable) put in practi&s;e (with Gods ble&s;&s;ing) &s;hal &s;erve as <HI>five fingers</HI> &s;or the <HI>Work,</HI> and wil &s;how <HI>that the hand of the Lord is with us;</HI> wherefore <HI>con&s;ult</HI> with the <HI>Saints Deu.</HI> 1: 13. and &s;end to all <HI>di&s;cerning</HI> &s;pirited men for their <HI>Propo&s;als.</HI></P>
<P>And I be&s;eech your <HI>Excellency</HI> to accept the&s;e few (at fir&s;t) from a <HI>faithfull Commonwealths man,</HI> one that longs for the day of the Lord Chri&s;t, and that this <HI>Government</HI> may be a <HI>fore-runner</HI> thereof, and a <HI>preparative</HI> thereunto, the&s;e <HI>Propo&s;als</HI> are pre&s;ented with the full <HI>&s;ailes</HI> and <HI>gales</HI> (I hope) of the <HI>Spirit.</HI> Seeing thou&s;ands of glazed eyes are upon you, with <HI>hungry longings</HI> for &s;uch a <HI>Government,</HI> as may be mo&s;t intent to make way in the&s;e <HI>three Nations for that day of Chri&s;ts reign in righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</HI> That <HI>our mountains may drop downe with new wine, and our hills with milke</HI> Joh. 3. and <HI>great be the day of</HI> Jezreel by this <HI>Government,</HI> is the <HI>&s;oule-&s;trug|gling</HI> and <HI>faith-acting</HI> unfained, and re&s;olved <HI>prayers</HI> of one who defires nothing of your <HI>Excellency</HI> for him&s;elfe, but to be </P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED><HI>one</HI> of the meane&s;t of Your Servants for Chri&s;t, and this Commonwealth.
<HI>JO. ROGERS.</HI></SIGNED>
<DATELINE><HI>From my Study</HI> <DATE>Tho. Apo&s;tles 25. <HI>day of the &s;econd Month</HI> Ziu. 1653.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P>Printed for <HI>Robert Ibbit&s;on,</HI> 1653.</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
