so numerous that they began to be call'd Christians Chap. 5 there were among them Prophets so being assembl'd on occasion as I conceive of giving an extraordinary Commission after the manner of the people of Athens when they elected Ambassadors or that I may avoid strife upon a point so indifferent to chuse two new Apostles The Holy Ghost said Separat me BARNABAS and SAUL for the Work wherto I have appointed them that is for so it is render'd by all Interpreters the Holy Ghost spake those words by the mouths of the Prophets Now the Prophets being well known for such this Suffrage of theirs was no sooner given than as one that can allow Prophets to be leading men may easily think follow'd by all the rest of the Congregation So the whole multitude having fasted and pray'd the most eminent among them or the Senatorian Order in that Church laid their hands upon PAUL and BARNABAS who being thus sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed to Seleucia TO evade this apparent Election or Chirotonia of the whole Congregation wherby these Apostles or Ambassadors to the Churches of the Gentils were ordain'd Divines have nothing to say but that they were elected by the Holy Ghost As if the Chirotonia of the People were more exclusive to election by the Holy Ghost than the Chirothesia of the Aristocracy for which in the mean time they contend But if neither of these were indeed exclusive of the Holy Ghost how is it possible in this frame where tho of natural necessity an Aristocracy must have bin included yet the Aristocracy is not in the Text so much as distinguish'd from the People or once nam'd that the Power and so the Ordination should not have bin in the People The Council of the Apostles of the Elders and of the whole Church at Jerusalem and other Councils not of Apostles nor of the whole Church in other times or places us'd this form in their Acts It seems good to the Holy Acts 15. 22. Ghost and to us But dos this whether a true or a pretended stile exclude that Act from being an Act of that whole Council Or how coms it to pass that because PAUL and BARNABAS were separated by the Holy Ghost they were not ordain'd by the Chirotonia of the whole Christian People at Antioch THE Chirothesia can be no otherwise understood in nature nor ever was in the Commonwealth of the Jews than Election by the few And so even under the mere Chirothesia Ordination and Election were not two but one and the same thing If MOSES ordain'd JOSHUA his Successor by the Chirothesia he elected JOSHUA his Successor by the Chirothesia and for what reason must it be otherwise with the Chirotonia That a Pharisee could do more with one hand or a pair of hands than a Christian Church or Congregation can do with all their hands is a Doctrin very much for the honor of the true Religion and a soverain Maxim of Ecclesiastical Policy Third way of Ordination in the Church of Christ THE third Constitution of Church-Government in Scripture whether consisting of Bishops or Presbyters between which at this time a man shall hardly find a difference runs wholly upon the Aristocracy without mention of the People and is therfore compar'd by GROTIUS to the Sanhedrim of Israel as that came to be in these Grot. ad 1 Tim. 4. 14. days from whence Divines also generally and truly confess that it was taken up to which I shall need to add no more than that it is an Order for which there is no Precept either in the Old Testament of God or in the New Testament of Christ This therfore thus taken up by the Book II Apostles from the Jews is a clear demonstration that the Government of the Church in what purity soever of the Times nay tho under the inspection of the Apostles themselves has bin obnoxious to that of the State wherin it was planted The Sanhedrim from the institution of the Chirothesia for a constant Order consisted of no other Senators than such only as had bin ordain'd by the Imposition of Hands which came now to be confer'd by the Prince in the presence or with the assistance of the Sanhedrim The same Order was Grot. ad Mat. 19. 13. observ'd by the Jewish Synagogues of which each had her Archon nor would the Jews converted to the Christian Faith relinquish the Law of MOSES wherto this way of Ordination among other things tho erroneously was vulgarly attributed whence in the Church where it consisted of converted Jews Ordination was confer'd by the Archon or first in order of the Presbytery with the assistance of the rest Hence PAUL in one place exhorts TIMOTHY thus 1 Tim. 4. 14. Neglect not the Gift that is in thee which was given thee by Prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery And in another thus 2 Tim. 1. 6. Wherfore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the Gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands I GRANT Divines that Ordination by this time was wholly in the Presbytery what say they then to the distinction of Ordination and Election Are these still two distinct things or may we hence at least compute them to be one and the same If they say Yes why then might they not have bin so before If they say No who in this place but the Presbytery elected Why says Dr. HAMMOND §. 106. it is plain that the Spirit of Prophecy elected But to give account of no more than is already perform'd were the spirit of History rather than of Prophecy to which it appertains to tell things before they be don as did the Prophets now living in this Church that TIMOTHY should com to be ordain'd So the place is interpreted by GROTIUS and how it should be otherwise understood I cannot see But putting the case som Act preceded as SAUL and DAVID were elected Kings by Prophecy yet did ever man say that for this SAUL or DAVID were any whit the less elected Kings by the People To the contrary in every well-order'd Commonwealth a Jove principium the disposing of the Lot and of the Suffrage too has universally bin attributed to God THE Piety of Divines in persuading the People that God elects §. 134. for them and therfore they need not trouble themselves to vote is as if they should persuade them that God provides their daily Bread and therfore they need not trouble themselves to work To conclude this point with Dr. HAMMOND'S own words upon the same occasion this distinction of Ordination and Election is in Divines the procreative §. 111. Mistake or Ignorance producing all the rest THE reason why PAUL ordain'd now after this manner among the Jews is to me an irrefragable argument that he ordain'd not after this manner among the Gentils for wheras the first Ordination in the Christian Church namely that of MATTHIAS was
is a greater Light which they have I do not know There is a greater Light than the Sun but it dos not extinguish the Sun nor dos any Light of Gods giving extinguish that of Nature but increase and sanctify it Wherfore neither the Honor born by the Israelitish Roman or any other Commonwealth that I have shewn to their Ecclesiastics consisted in being govern'd by them but in consulting them in matters of Religion upon whose Responses or Oracles they did afterwards as they thought fit Nor would I be here mistaken as if by affirming the Universitys to be in order both to Religion and Government of absolute necessity I declar'd them or the Ministry in any wise fit to be trusted so far as to exercise any power not deriv'd from the Civil Magistrat in the administration of either If the Jewish Religion were directed and establish'd by MOSES it was directed and establish'd by the Civil Magistrat or if MOSES exercis'd this Administration as a Prophet the same Prophet did invest with the same Administration the Sanhedrim and not the Priests and so dos our Commonwealth the Senat and not the Clergy They who had the supreme Administration or Government of the National Religion in Athens were the first ARCHON the Rex Sacrificus or High Priest and a Polemarch which Magistrats were ordain'd or elected * * Per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the holding up of hands in the Church Congregation or Comitia of the People The Religion of Lacedemon was govern'd by the Kings who were also High Priests and officiated at the Sacrifice these had power to substitute their Pythii Embassadors or Nuncios by which not without concurrence of the Senat they held intelligence with the Oracle of APOLLO at Delphos And the Ecclesiastical part of the Commonwealth of Rome was govern'd by the Pontifex Maximus the Rex Sacrificulus and the Flamins all ordain'd or elected by the People the Pontifex by the ††Tributis Tribes the King by the ‖ ‖ Centuriatis Centurys and the Flamins by the ‖ ‖ ‖ ‖ Curiatis Comitiis Parishes I do not mind you of these things as if for the matter there were any parallel to be drawn out of their Superstitions to our Religion but to shew that for the manner antient Prudence is as well a rule in divine as human things nay and such a one as the Apostles themselves ordaining Elders by the holding up of hands in every Congregation have exactly follow'd for som of the Congregations where they thus ordain'd Elders were those of Antioch Iconium Lystra Derbe the Countrys of Lycaonia Pisidia Pamphylia Perga with Attalia Now that these Citys and Countrys when the Romans propagated their Empire into Asia were found most of them Commonwealths and that many of the rest were indu'd with like power so that the People living under the protection of the Roman Emperors continu'd to elect their own Magistrats is so known a thing that I wonder whence it is that men quite contrary to the universal proof of these examples will have Ecclesiastical Government to be necessarily distinct from Civil Power when the Right of the Elders ordain'd by the holding up of hands in every Congregation to teach the People was plainly deriv'd from the same Civil Power by which they ordain'd the rest of their Magistrats And it is not otherwise in our Commonwealth where the Parochial Congregation elects or ordains its Pastor To object the Common-wealth of Venice in this place were to shew us that it has bin no otherwise but where the Civil Power has lost the liberty of her Conscience by imbracing Popery as also that to take away the Liberty of Conscience in this Administration from the Civil Power were a proceding which has no other precedent than such as is Popish Wherfore your Religion is settled after the following manner the Universitys are the Seminarys of that part which is national by which means others with all safety may be permitted to follow the Liberty of their own Consciences in regard that however they behave themselves the ignorance of the unlearned in this case cannot lose your Religion nor disturb your Government which otherwise it would most certainly do and the Universitys with their Emoluments as also the Benefices of the whole Nation are to be improv'd by such Augmentations as may make a very decent and comfortable subsistence for the Ministry which is neither to be allow'd Synods nor Assemblys except upon the occasion shewn in the Universitys when they are consulted by the Council of State and suffer'd to meddle with Affairs of Religion nor to be capable of any other public Preferment whatsoever by which means the Interest of the Learned can never com to corrupt your Religion nor disturb your Government which otherwise it would most certainly do Venice tho she dos not see or cannot help the corruption of her Religion is yet so circumspect to avoid disturbance of her Government in this kind that her Council procedes not to election of Magistrats till it be proclaim'd Fora Papalini by which words such as have consanguinity with red Hats or relation to the Court of Rome are warn'd to withdraw If a Minister in Holland meddles with matter of State the Magistrat sends him a pair of Shoes wherupon if he dos not go he is driven away from his charge I wonder why Ministers of all men should be perpetually tampering with Government first because they as well as others have it in express charge to submit themselves to the Ordinances of men and secondly because these Ordinances of men must go upon such political Principles as they of all others by any thing that can be found in their Writings or Actions least understand whence you have the suffrage of all Nations to this sense that an ounce of Wisdom is worth a pound of Clergy Your greatest Clercs are not your wisest men and when som foul Absurdity in State is committed it is common with the French and even the Italians to call it Pas de Clerc or Governo da Prete They may bear with men that will be preaching without study while they will be governing without Prudence My Lords if you know not how to rule your Clergy you will most certainly like a man that cannot rule his Wife have neither quiet at home nor honor abroad Their honest Vocation is to teach your Children at the Schools and the Universitys and the People in the Parishes and yours is concern'd to see that they do not play the shrews of which parts dos consist the Education of your Commonwealth so far as it regards Religion The Ins of Court and Chancery TO JUSTICE or that part of it which is commonly executive answers the Education of the Ins of Court and Chancery Upon which to philosophize requires a peculiar kind of Learning that I have not But they who take upon them any Profession proper to the Educations mention'd that is Theology Physic or Law
Halac San. C. 4. S. 11. should happen that in all the Holy Land there remain'd but one Presbyter that Presbyter assisted by two other Israelites might ordain the seventy or great Sanhedrim and the Sanhedrim so constituted might constitute and ordain the lesser Courts I am of opinion that were there no Presbyter in the Land yet if all the Wise Men of Israel should agree to constitute or ordain Judges they might do it lawfully enoug But if so then how coms it to pass that our Ancestors have bin so solicitous lest Judicature should fail in Israel Surely for no other cause than that from the time of the Captivity the Israelites were so dispers'd that they could not upon like occasions be brought together Now I appeal whether the clear Words of MAIMONIDES where he says that our Master MOSES ordain'd the Sanhedrim by the Chirothesia be not more clearly and strongly contradicted in this place than affirm'd in the other since acknowleging that if the People could assemble they might ordain the Sanhedrim he gives it for granted that when they did assemble they had power to ordain it and that MOSES did assemble them upon this occasion is plain in Scripture Again if the power of Ordination falls ultimatly to the People there is not a stronger argument in Nature that it is thence primarily deriv'd To conclude the Chirothesia of the Presbyterian Party in Israel is thus confess'd by the Author no otherwise necessary than thro the defect of the Chirotonia of the People which Ingenuity of the Talmudist for any thing that has yet past might be worthy the imitation of Divines IN tracking the Jews from the restitution of their Commonwealth after the Captivity to their dispersion it seems that the later Monarchy in Israel was occasion'd by the Oligarchy the Oligarchy by the Aristocracy and the Aristocracy by the Chirothesia but that this Monarchy tho erected by magnanimous and popular Princes could be no less than Tyranny deriv'd from another Principle that is the insufficiency of the balance For tho from the time of the Captivity the Jubile was no more in use yet the Virgin MARY as an Heiress is affirm'd by som to have bin marri'd to JOSEPH by virtue of this Law Every Daughter that possesses an Inheritance in any Tribe of the Children of Israel Numb 27. 8. shall be Wife to one of the Family of the Tribe of her Fathers c. By which the Popular Agrarian may be more than suspected to have bin of greater vigor than would admit of a well-balanc'd Monarchy THE second Presbytery which is now attain'd to a well balanc'd Empire in the Papacy has infinitly excel'd the pattern the Lands of Italy being most of them in the Church This if I had leisure might be track'd by the very same steps At first it consisted of the seventy Parish Priests or Presbyters of Rome now seventy Cardinals creating to themselves a High Priest or Prince of their Sanhedrim the Pope but for the Superstition wherto he has brought Religion Book II and continues by his Chirothesia to hold it a great and a Reverend Monarch establish'd upon a solid Foundation and governing by an exquisit Policy not only well balanc'd at home but deeply rooted in the greatest Monarchys of Christendom where the Clergy by virtue of their Lands are one of the three States THE Maxims of Rome are profound for there is no making use of Princes without being necessary to them nor have they any regard to that Religion which dos not regard Empire All Monarchys of the Gothic Model that is to say where the Clergy by virtue of their Lands are a third estate subsist by the Pope whose Religion creating a reverence in the People and bearing an aw upon the Prince preserves the Clergy that else being unarm'd becom a certain Prey to the King or the People and where this happens as in HENRY the Eighth down gos the Throne for so much as the Clergy loses falls out of the Monarchical into the Popular Scale Where a Clergy is a third Estate Popular Government wants Earth and can never grow but where they dy at the root a Prince may sit a while but is not safe nor is it in nature except he has a Nobility or Gentry able without a Clergy to give balance to the People that he should subsist long or peaceably For wherever a Government is sounded on an Army as in the Kings of Israel or Emperors of Rome there the saddest Tragedys under Heaven are either on the Stage or in the Tiring-house These things consider'd the Chirothesia being originally nothing else but a way of Policy excluding the People where it attains not to a balance that is sufficient for this purpose brings forth Oligarchy or Tyranny as among the Jews And where it attains to a balance sufficient to this end produces Monarchy as in the Papacy and in all Gothic Kingdoms THE Priests of Aegypt where as it is describ'd by SICULUS their Revenue came to the third part of the Realm would no question have bin exactly well fitted with the Chirothesia pretended to by modern Divines Suppose the Apostles had planted the Christian Religion in those Parts and the Priests had bin all converted I do not think that Divines will say that having alter'd their Religion they needed to have deserted their being a third Estate their overbalance to the People their Lands their Preeminence in the Government or any part of their Policy for that and I am as far from saying so as themselves ON the other side as PAUL was a Citizen of Rome let us suppose him to have bin a Citizen of Athens and about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to constitute the Christian Religion in this Commonwealth where any Citizen might speak to the People Imagin then he should have said thus Men of Athens that which you ignorantly seek I bring to you the true Religion but to receive this you must not alter your former Belief only but your antient Customs Your Political Assemblys have bin hitherto call'd Ecclesiae this word must lose the antient sense and be no more understood but of Spiritual Consistorys and so wher as it has bin of a Popular it must henceforth be of an Aristocratical or Presbyterian signification For your Chirotonia that also must follow the same rule insomuch as on whomsoever one or more of the Aristocracy or Presbytery shall lay their hands the same is understood by virtue of that Action to be chirotoniz'd How well would this have sounded in Aegypt and how ill in Athens Certainly the Policy of the Church of CHRIST admits of more Prudence Chap. 5 and Temperament in these things Tho the Apostles being Jews themselves satisfy'd the converted Jews that were us'd to Aristocracy by retaining somwhat of their Constitutions as the Chirothesia yet when PAUL and BARNABAS com to constitute in Popular Commonwealths they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chirotonizing them Elders in every Congregation CHAP. V.
to complete what was wanting And if at any time they alleg'd that this Bounty had bin thrown away on ungrateful Persons he would answer with a smile that he saw they were mercenary and that they plainly sold their Gifts since they expected so great a return as Gratitude 8. HIS natural inclinations to study kept him from seeking after any publick Imployments But in the year 1646 attending out of curiosity the Commissioners appointed by Parlament to bring King CHARLES the First from Newcastle nearer to London he was by som of 'em nam'd to wait on his Majesty as a Person known to him before and ingag'd to no Party or Faction The King approv'd the Proposal yet our Author would never presume to com into his presence except in public till he was particularly commanded by the King and that he with THOMAS HERBERT created a Baronet after the Restoration of the Monarchy were made Grooms of the Bedchamber at Holmby together with JAMES MAXWELL and PATRICK MAULE afterwards Earl of Penmoore in Scotland which two only remain'd of his old Servants in that Station 9. HE had the good luck to grow very acceptable to the King who much convers'd with him about Books and Foren Countrys In his Sisters Papers I find it exprest that at the King's command he translated into English Dr. SANDERSONS Book concerning the Obligation of Oaths but ANTHONY WOOD says it was the King's own doing and that he shew'd it at different times to HARRINGTON HERBERT Dr. JUXON Dr. HAMMOND and Dr. SHELDON for their approbation However that be 't is certain he serv'd his Master with untainted fidelity without doing any thing inconsistent with the Liberty of his Country and that he made use of his Interest with his Friends in Parlament to have Matters accommodated for the satisfaction of all Partys During the Treaty in the I le of Wight he frequently warn'd the Divines of his acquaintance to take heed how far they prest the King to insist upon any thing which however it concern'd their Dignity was no essential point of Religion and that such matters driven too far wou'd infallibly ruin all the indeavors us'd for a Peace which Prophecy was prov'd too true by the Event His Majesty lov'd his company says ANTHONY WOOD and finding him to be an ingenious Man chose rather to converse with him than with others of his Chamber They had often discourses concerning Government but when they happen'd to talk of a Commonwealth the King seem'd not to indure it Here I know not which most to commend the King for trusting a Man of Republican Principles or HARRINGTON for owning his Principles while he serv'd a King 10. AFTER the King was remov'd out of the I le of Wight to Hurstcastle in Hampshire HARRINGTON was forcibly turn'd out of service because he vindicated som of his Majesty's Arguments against the Parlament Commissioners at Newport and thought his Concessions not so unsatisfactory as did som others As they were taking the King to Windsor he beg'd admittance to the Boot of the Coach that he might bid his Master farewel which being granted and he preparing to kneel the King took him by the hand and pull'd him in to him He was for three or four days permitted to stay but because he would not take an Oath against assisting or concealing the King's Escape he was not only discharg'd from his Office but also for som time detain'd in custody till Major General IRETON obtain'd his Liberty He afterwards found means to see the King at St. James's and accompany'd him on the Scaffold where or a little before he receiv'd a Token of his Majesty's Affection 11. AFTER the King's Death he was observ'd to keep much in his Library and more retir'd than usually which was by his Friends a long time attributed to Melancholy or Discontent At length when they weary'd him with their importunitys to change this sort of Life he thought fit to shew 'em at the same time their mistake and a Copy of his Oceana which he was privatly writing all that while telling 'em withal that ever since he began to examin things seriously he had principally addicted himself to the study of Civil Government as being of the highest importance to the Peace and Felicity of mankind and that he succeded at least to his own satisfaction being now convinc'd that no Government is of so accidental or arbitrary an Institution as people are wont to imagin there being in Societys natural causes producing their necessary effects as well as in the Earth or the Air. Hence he frequently argu'd that the Troubles of his time were not to be wholly attributed to wilfulness or faction neither to the misgovernment of the Prince nor the stubborness of the People but to a change in the Balance of Property which ever since HENRY the Seventh's time was daily falling into the Scale of the Commons from that of the King and the Lords as in his Book he evidently demonstrats and explains Not that hereby he approv'd either the Breaches which the King had made on the Laws or excus'd the Severity which som of the Subjects exercis'd on the King but to shew that as long as the Causes of these Disorders remain'd so long would the like Effects unavoidably follow while on the one hand a King would be always indeavoring to govern according to the example of his Predecessors when the best part of the National Property was in their own hands and consequently the greatest command of Mony and Men as one of a thousand pounds a Year can entertain more Servants or influence more Tenants than another that has but one hundred out of which he cannot allow one Valet and on the other hand he said the People would be sure to struggle for preserving the Property wherof they were in possession never failing to obtain more Privileges and to inlarge the Basis of their Liberty as often as they met with any success which they generally did in quarrels of this kind His chief aim therfore was to find out a method of preventing such Distempers or to apply the best Remedys when they happen'd to break out But as long as the Balance remain'd in this unequal state he affirm'd that no King whatsoever could keep himself easy let him never so much indeavor to please his People and that tho a good King might manage Affairs tolerably well during his life yet this did not prove the Government to be good since under a less prudent Prince it would fall to pieces again while the Orders of a well constituted State make wicked men virtuous and fools to act wisely 12. THAT Empire follows the Balance of Property whether lodg'd in one in a few or in many hands he was the first that ever made out and is a noble Discovery wherof the Honor solely belongs to him as much as those of the Circulation of the Blood of Printing of Guns of the Compass or of Optic Glasses to their several
the end they may be the better protected by the State in the free exercise of the same they are desir'd to make choice in such manner as they best like of certain Magistrats in every one of their Congregations which we could wish might be four in each of them to be Auditors in cases of differences or distast if any thro variety of opinions that may be grievous or injurious to them should fall out And such Auditors or Magistrats shall have power to examin the matter and inform themselves to the end that if they think it of sufficient weight they may acquaint the Phylarch with it or introduce it into the Council of Religion where all such Causes as those Magistrats introduce shall from time to time be heard and determin'd according to such Laws as are or shall hereafter be provided by the Parlament for the just defence of the Liberty of Conscience THIS Order consists of three parts the first restoring the power of Ordination to the People which that it originally belongs to them is clear tho not in English yet in Scripture where the Apostles ordain'd Acts 14. 23. Elders by the holding up of hands in every Congregation that is by the suffrage of the People which was also given in som of those Citys by the Ballot And tho it may be shewn that the Apostles ordain'd som by the laying on of hands it will not be shewn that they did so in every Congregation EXCOMMUNICATION as not clearly provable out of the Scripture being omitted the second part of the Order implys and establishes a National Religion for there be degrees of Knowlege in divine things true Religion is not to be learnt without searching the Scriptures the Scriptures cannot be search'd by us unless we have them to search and if we have nothing else or which is all one understand nothing else but a Translation we may be as in the place alleg'd we have bin beguil'd or misled by the Translation while we should be searching the true sense of the Scripture which cannot be attain'd in a natural way and a Commonwealth is not to presume upon that which is supernatural but by the knowlege of the Original and of Antiquity acquir'd by our own studys or those of som others for even Faith coms by hearing Wherfore a Commonwealth not making provision of men from time to time knowing in the original Languages wherin the Scriptures were written and vers'd in those Antiquitys to which they so frequently relate that the true sense of them depends in great part upon that Knowlege can never be secure that she shall not lose the Scripture and by consequence her Religion which to preserve she must institute som method of this Knowlege and som use of such as have acquir'd it which amounts to a National Religion THE Commonwealth having thus perform'd her duty towards God as a rational Creature by the best application of her Reason to Scripture and for the preservation of Religion in the purity of the same yet pretends not to Infallibility but coms in the third part of the Order establishing Liberty of Conscience according to the Instructions given to her Council of Religion to raise up her hands to Heaven for further light in which proceding she follows that as was shewn in the Preliminarys of Israel who tho her National Religion was always a part of her Civil Law gave to her Prophets the upper hand of all her Orders Definition of a Parish BUT the Surveyors having now don with the Parishes took their leaves so a Parish is the first division of Land occasion'd by the first Collection of the People of Oceana whose Function proper to that place is compriz'd in the six preceding Orders Institution of the Hundred THE next step in the progress of the Surveyors was to a meeting of the nearest of them as their work lay by twentys where conferring their Lists and computing the Deputys contain'd therin as the number of them in Parishes being nearest Neighbors amounted to one hundred or as even as might conveniently be brought with that account they cast them and those Parishes into the Precinct which be the Deputys ever since more or fewer is still call'd the Hundred and to every one of these Precincts they appointed a certain place being the most convenient Town within the same for the annual Rendevouz which don each Surveyor returning to his Hundred and summoning the Deputys contain'd in his Lists to the Rendevouz they appear'd and receiv'd 7. Order THE seventh ORDER requiring That upon the first Monday next insuing the last of January the Deputys of every Parish annually assemble in Arms at the Rendevouz of the Hundred and there elect out of their number one Justice of the Peace one Juryman one Captain one Ensign of their Troop or Century each of these out of the Horse and one Juryman one Crowner one High Constable out of the Foot the Election to be made by the Ballot in this manner The Jurymen for the time being are to be Overseers of the Ballot instead of these the Surveyors are to officiat at the first Assembly and to look to the performance of the same according to what was directed in the Ballot of the Parishes saving that the High Constable setting forth the Vrn shall have five several sutes of Gold Balls and one dozen of every sute wherof the first shall be mark'd with the Letter A the second with the letter B the third with C the fourth with D and the fifth with E and of each of these sutes he shall cast one Ball into his Hat or into a little Vrn and shaking the Balls together present them to the first Overseer who shall draw one and the sute which is so drawn by the Overseer shall be of use for that day and no other for example if the Overseer drew an A the High Constable shall put seven Gold Balls mark'd with the letter A into the Vrn with so many Silver ones as shall bring them even with the number of the Deputys who being sworn as before at the Ballot of the Parish to make a fair Election shall be call'd to the Vrn and every man coming in manner as was there shew'd shall draw one Ball which if it be Silver he shall cast it into a Bowl standing at the foot of the Vrn and return to his place but the first that draws a Gold Ball shewing it to the Overseers who if it has not the letter of the present Ballot have power to apprehend and punish him is the first Elector the second the second Elector and so to the seventh which Order they are to observe in their function The Electors as they are drawn shall be plac'd upon the Bench by the Overseers till the whole number be complete and then be conducted with the List of the Officers to be chosen into a Place apart where being privat the first Elector shall name a Person to the first
City which serv'd for the delight and health of it being cut down to be sold for three pence will tell you that they who did such things would never have made a Commonwealth The like may be said of the Ruin or Damage don upon our Cathedrals Ornaments in which this Nation excels all others Nor shall this ever be excus'd upon the score of Religion for tho it be true that God dwells not in Houses made with hands yet you cannot hold your Assemblys but in such Houses and these are of the best that have bin made with hands Nor is it well argu'd that they are pompous and therfore profane or less proper for Divine Service seeing the Christians in the Primitive Church chose to meet with one accord in the Temple so far were they from any inclination to pull it down THE Orders of this Commonwealth so far or near so far as they concern the Elders together with the several Speeches at the Institution which may serve for the better understanding of them as so many Commentaries being shewn I should now com from the Elders to the Youth or from the Civil Constitution of this Government to the Military but that I judg this the fittest place wherinto by the way to insert the Government of the City tho for the present but perfunctorily The Government of Emporium THE Metropolis or Capital City of Oceana is commonly call'd Emporium tho it consists of two Citys distinct as well in Name as in Government wherof the other is call'd Hiera For which cause I shall treat of each apart beginning with Emporium The City-Tribes and Wards EMPORIUM with the Libertys is under a twofold Division the one regarding the National and the other the Vrban or City Government It is divided in regard of the National Government into three Tribes and in respect of the Vrban into twenty six which for distinction sake are call'd Wards being contain'd under the three Tribes but inequally Wherfore the first Tribe containing ten Wards is call'd Scazon the second containing eight Metoche and the third containing as many Telicouta the bearing of which names in mind concerns the better understanding of the Government Wardmote EVERY Ward has her Wardmote Court or Inquest consisting of all that are of the Clothing or Liverys of Companys residing within the same The Liverys SVCH are of the Livery or Clothing as have attain'd to the dignity to wear Gowns and particolor'd Hoods or Tippets according to the Rules and antient Customs of their respective Companys The Companys A COMPANY is a Brotherhood of Tradesmen professing the same Art govern'd according to their Charter by a Master and Wardens Of these there be about sixty wherof twelve are of greater dignity than the rest that is to say the Mercers Grocers Drapers Fishmongers Goldsmiths Skinners Merchant-Taylors Haberdashers Salters Ironmongers Vintners Clothworkers which with most of the rest have common CommonHalls Halls divers of them being of antient and magnificent Structure wherin they have frequent meetings at the Summons of their Masters or Wardens for the managing and regulation of their respective Trades and Mysterys These Companys as I shall shew are the Roots of the whole Government of the City For the Liverys that reside in the same Ward meeting at the Wardmote Inquest to which it belongs to take cognizance of all sorts of Nusances and violations of the Customs and Orders of the City and to present them to the Court of Aldermen have also power to make election of two sorts of Magistrats or Officers the first of Elders or Aldermen of the Ward the second of Deputys of the same otherwise call'd Common Council men Election of Aldermen and of the Common Council men THE Wards in these Elections because they do not elect all at once but som one year and som another observe the distinction of the three Tribes for example the Scazon consisting of ten Wards makes election the first Year of ten Aldermens one in each Ward and of one hundred and fifty Deputys fifteen in each Ward all which are Triennial Magistrats or Officers that is to say are to bear their dignity for the space of three Years THE second Year the Metoche consisting of eight Wards elects eight Aldermen one in each Ward and a hundred and twenty Deputys fifteen in each Ward being also Triennial Magistrats THE third Year Telicouta consisting of a like number of Wards elects an equal number of like Magistrats for a like term So that the whole number of the Aldermen according to that of the Wards amounts to twenty six and the whole number of the Deputys to three hundred and ninety The Court of Aldermen THE Aldermen thus elected have divers Capacitys for first they are Justices of the Peace for the term and in consequence of their Election Secondly They are Presidents of the Wardmote and Governors each of that Ward wherby he was elected And last of all these Magistrats being assembled together constitute the Senat of the City otherwise call'd the Court of Aldermen but no man is capable of this Election that is not worth ten thousand Pounds This Court upon every new Election makes choice of nine Censors out of their own number The Common Council THE Deputys in like manner being assembled together constitute the Prerogative Tribe of the City otherwise call'd the Common Council by which means the Senat and the People of the City were comprehended as it were by the motion of the National Government into the same Wheel of annual triennial and perpetual Revolution The Common Hall BVT the Liverys over and above the right of these Elections by their Divisions mention'd being assembled all together at the Guild of the City constitute another Assembly call'd the Common Hall The Election of the Lord Mayor and Sherifs THE Common Hall has the right of two other Elections the one of the Lord Mayor and the other of the two Sherifs being annual Magistrats The Lord Mayor can be elected out of no other than one of the twelve Companys of the first Ranks and the Common Hall agrees by the plurality of Suffrages upon two Names which being presented to the Lord Mayor for the time being and the Court of Aldermen they elect one by their Scrutiny for so they call it tho it differs from that of the Commonwealth The Orator or Assistant to the Lord Mayor in holding of his Courts is som able Lawyer elected by the Court of Aldermen and call'd the Recorder of Emporium THE Lord Mayor being thus elected has two Capacitys one regarding the Nation and the other the City In that which regards the City he is President of the Court of Aldermen having power to assemble the same or any other Council of the City as the Common Council or Common Hall at his will and pleasure and in that which regards the Nation he is Commander in Chief of the three Tribes wherinto the City is
envious Demagog going to summon him upon som pretence or other to answer for himself before the Assembly the People fell into such a Mutiny as could not be appeas'd but by TIMOLEON who understanding the matter reprov'd them by repeating the pains and travel which he had gon thro to no other end than that every Man might have the free use of the Laws Wherfore when DAEMENETUS another Demagog had brought the same Design about again and blam'd him impertinently to the People for things which he did when he was General TIMOLEON answer'd nothing but raising up his hands gave the Gods thanks for their return to his frequent Prayers that he might but live to see the Syracusians so free that they could question whom they pleas'd NOT long after being old thro som natural imperfection he fell blind but the Syracusians by their perpetual visits held him tho he could not see their greatest Object if there arriv'd Strangers they brought them to see this sight Whatever came in debate at the Assembly if it were of small consequence they determin'd it themselves but if of importance they always sent for TIMOLEON who being brought by his Servants in a Chair and set in the middle of the Theater there ever follow'd a great shout after which som time was allow'd for the Benedictions of the People and then the matter propos'd when TIMOLEON had spoken to it was put to the Suffrage which given his Servants bore him back in his Chair accompany'd by the People clapping their hands and making all expressions of Joy and Applause till leaving him at his House they return'd to the dispatch of their Business And this was the Life of TIMOLEON till he dy'd of Age and drop'd like a mature Fruit while the Eys of the People were as the Showers of Autumn THE Life and Death of my Lord ARCHON but that he had his Senses to the last and that his Character as not the Restorer but the Founder of a Commonwealth was greater is so exactly the same that seeing by Men wholly ignorant of Antiquity I am accus'd of writing Romance I shall repeat nothing but tell you that this year the whole Nation of Oceana even to the Women and Children were in mourning where so great or sad a Funeral Pomp had never bin seen or known Somtime after the performance of the Exequys a Colossus mounted on a brazen Horse of excellent Fabric was erected in the Piazza of the Pantheon ingrav'd with this Inscription on the Eastern side of the Pedestal HIS NAME IS AS Precious Ointment And on the Western with the following GRATA PATRIA Piae Perpetuae Memoriae D. D. Olphaus Megaletor Lord ARCHON and sole LEGISLATOR OF OCEANA Pater Patriae Invincible in the Field Inviolable in his Faith Vnfained in his Zeal Immortal in his Fame The Greatest of Captains The Best of Princes The Happiest of Legislators The Most Sincere of Christians Who setting the Kingdoms of Earth at Liberty Took the Kingdom of the Heavens by Violence Anno Aetat suae 116. Hujus Reipub. 50. THE PREROGATIVE OF Popular Government BEING A POLITICAL DISCOURSE In Two Books The former Containing the first Preliminary of OCEANA inlarg'd interpreted and vindicated from all such Mistakes or Slanders as have bin alleg'd against it under the Notion of Objections The Second Concerning Ordination against Dr. H. HAMMOND Dr. L. SEAMAN and the Authors they follow In which Two Books is contain'd the whole Commonwealth of the Hebrews or of Israel Senat People and Magistracy both as it stood in the Institution by MOSES and as it came to be form'd after the Captivity As also the different Policys introduc'd into the Church of CHRIST during the time of the Apostles Without Council Purposes are disappointed but in the multitude of Counsillors they are establish'd SOLOMON La multitudine è piu Savia è piu costante ch'un Principe MACCHIAVEL EPISTLE to the READER VVHOSOEVER sheds mans blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the Image of God made he Man If this Rule holds as well in shedding the blood of a Turk as of a Christian then that wherin Man is the Image of God is REASON Of all Controversys those of the Pen are the most honorable for in those of Force there is more of the Image of the Beast but in those of the Pen there is more of the Image of God In the Controversys of the Sword there is but too often no other Reason than Force but the Controversy of the Pen has never any Force but Reason Of all Controversys of the Pen next those of Religion those of Government are the most honorable and the most useful the true end of each tho in a different way being that the Will of God may be don in Earth as it is in Heaven Of all Controversys of Government those in the vindication of Popular Government are the most noble as being that Constitution alone from whence all we have that is good is descended to us and which if it had not existed Mankind at this day had bin but a Herd of Beasts The Prerogative of Popular Government must either be in an ill hand or else it is a game against which there is not a Card in the wole pack for we have the Books of MOSES those of the Greecs and of the Romans not to omit MACCHIAVEL all for it What have the Asserters of Monarchy what can they have against us A Sword but that rusts or must have a Scabbard and the Scabbard of this kind of Sword is a good frame of Government A MAN may be possest of a piece of Ground by force but to make use or profit of it he must build upon it and till it by Reason for whatever is not founded upon Reason cannot be permanent In Reason there are two parts Invention and Judgment As to the latter In a multitude of Counsillors say both SOLOMON and MACCHIAVEL there is strength Nay as for Judgment there is not that Order in Art or Nature that can compare with a Popular Assembly THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE IS THE VOICE OF GOD. Hence it is that in all well-order'd Policys the People have the ultimat result but unless there be som other to invent a Popular Assembly can be of no effect at all but Confusion Invention is a solitary thing All the Physicians in the world put together invented not the Circulation of the Blood nor can invent any such thing tho in their own Art yet this was invented by one alone and being invented is unanimously voted and imbrac'd by the generality of Physicians The Plow and Wheels were at first you must think the invention of som rare Artists but who or what shall ever be able to tear the use of them from the People Hence where Government is at a loss a sole Legislator is of absolute necessity nay where it is not at a loss if well model'd as in Venice the Proposers tho frequently changeable
For remedy wherof or to avoid this there can be no way but to make the Commonwealth very inequal IN answer to this there will need no more than to repeat the same things honestly Mr. HARRINGTON speaks of the national Balance of Empire p. 40. to this sense Where the Nobility holds half the Property or about that proportion and the People the other half the shares of the Land may be equal but in regard the Nobility have much among Few and the People little among Many the Few will not be contented to have Authority which is all their proper share in a Commonwealth but will be bringing the People under Power which is not their proper share in a Commonwealth wherfore this Commonwealth must needs be inequal And except by altering the Balance as the Athenians did by the Sisacthia or recision of Debts or as the Romans went about to do by an Agrarian it be brought to such an equality that the whole Power be in the People and there remain no more than Authority to the Nobility there is no remedy but the one with perpetual feud will eat out the other as the People did the Nobility in Athens and the Nobility the People in Rome Where the Carcase is there will be the Eagles also where the Riches are there will be the Power So if a few be as rich as all the rest a few will have as much Power as all the rest in which case the Common-wealth is inequal and there can be no end of staving and tailing till it be brought to equality Thus much for the national Balance For the provincial there Power dos not follow Property but the contrary This the Prevaricator having acknowledg'd le ts slip to the end he may take a gripe of Venice which because the three or four thousand of which originally consisted and now consists that whole Government having acquir'd Provinces and increase of their City by later comers do not admit these to participation of Power he says is an inequal Commonwealth He will be a Mill-horse whether the Cake be dow or not for this is to draw in a circle and Rome which by his former Arguments should have bin equal by this again must be inequal seeing Rome as little admitted her Provinces into the body of the Commonwealth as dos Venice This clash is but by way of Parenthesis to return therfore to the business in present agitation THE Estates be they one or two or three are such as was said by virtue of the Balance upon which the Government must naturally depend Wherfore constitutively the Government of France and all other Monarchys of like Balance was administer'd by an Book I Assembly of the three Estates and thus continu'd till that Nation being vanquish'd by the English CHARLES the 7 th was put to such shifts as for the recovery of himself in the greatest distress he could make To which recovery while the Estates could not be legally call'd he happening to attain without them so order'd his affairs that his Successors by adding to his Inventions came to rule without this Assembly a way not suting with the nature of their Balance which therfore requir'd som Assistance by force and other concurring Policys of like nature wherof the foren Guards of that Monarchy are one the great baits alluring the Nobility another and the emergent Interest of the Church a third TO begin with the last of these the Church except it be in a War for Religion as when they join'd with the Princes of Lorrain and what Party of the French Nobility were made or they could make against the King of Navar are not of themselves so hot at hand or promt to Arms but the King being to use their word no Heretic thro their great apprehension of the third Estate as that which is most addicted to the Protestant Religion may be confident they will never side with the People So by this emergent Interest or Accident he has the Church sure enough FOR the Nobility which is exceding gallant this Change has the greatest baits for wheras the Church being not spar'd the third Estate is laden and the Peasant overladen with Taxes the Nobility is not only at better ease in this regard but for the greater or more considerable part receives advantage by it the King having always whether in Peace or War a great Cavalry than which there is no better in the world for the Exercise Entertainment and Profit of the Nobility Governments of Citys Castles Provinces in abundance which he rarely distributes to any other The greater Nobility are Marechals Generals the less Officers in the Armys specially of the Horse the Emoluments wherof they receive also in time of Peace and many of this Order being Pensioners taste of the King's Liberality without taking pains or having any Imployment at all By which both that France is a Monarchy by a Nobility and how she holds her Nobility is apparent NOW the Church and the Nobility standing thus ingag'd to the King by which means he has two parts of the Balance to one it is demonstrable that the Government must be quiet Nor seeing the Church for the reason shewn is sure enough coms the Government since the Protestant Citys and Holds were demolish'd to be otherwise disquieted than by the flying out of the Nobility which whenever it happens in any party considerable either for the Number or the Interest causes the Crown to shake for it seldom coms to pass upon this occasion but the third Estate or som part of it takes Arms immediatly In which place it is worthy to observ'd that Wealth according to the distribution of the Balance has contrary motions The third Estate in France having Riches and those laden with Taxes com to have somthing to lose and somthing to save which keeps them in continual fear or hope The Nobility holding to the King the third Estate has somthing to lose which withholds them from Arms thro fear but the Nobility flying out the third Estate has somthing to save which precipitats them into Arms thro hope wheras the Peasant having nothing to save or to lose to hope or to fear never stirs The case standing thus the sufficiency of the French Chap. 9 Politician since the Masterpiece of Cardinal RICHLIEU in demolishing those Walls of the Protestants which had otherwise by this time bin a Refuge for the third Estate and perhaps overturn'd the Monarchy lys altogether in finding for the Nobility work abroad or balancing them in such sort at home that if a Party flys out there may be a stronger within to reduce it or at least to be oppos'd to it In this case lest the native Interest of the Nobility since the Assemblys of the three Estates were abolish'd might cool the remaining Party or make them slower in the redress of such Disorders or Discontents than were requisit the King is wisely provided of Foren Guards which being always in readiness and not obnoxious to the
is nevertheless Phil. 1. shewn by POLLUX to have bin the peculiar Office of the Thesmothetae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to chirotonize the Magistrats For as the Proedri were Presidents of the People in their Legislative Capacity so were the Thesmothetae upon occasion of Elections thus the Chirotonia L. 8. c. 8. of the Proedri or of the Thesmothetae signifys nothing else but the Chirotonia of the People by which they enacted all their Laws and elected all their Civil or Ecclesiastical Magistrats or Priests as the Rex Sacrificus and the Orgeones except som by the Lot which Ordination as is observ'd by ARISTOTLE is equally popular This whether ignorantly or wilfully unregarded has bin as will be seen hereafter the cause of great absurdity for who sees not that to put the Chirotonia or Soverain Power of Athens upon the Proedri or the Thesmothetae is to make such a thing of that Government as can no wise be understood Book II WHAT the People had past by their Chirotonia was call'd Psephisma an Act or Law And because in the Nomothetae there were always two Laws put together to the Vote that is to say the old one and that which was offer'd in the room of it they that were for the old Law were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pronounce in the Negative and they that were for the new 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pronounce for the Affirmative THESE Laws these Propositions or this frame of Government having bin propos'd first by SOLON and then ratify'd or establish'd by the Chirotonia of the Athenian People ARISTOTLE says of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he instituted or constituted the popular Government which Constitution implys not any Power in SOLON who absolutely refus'd to be a King and therfore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to him implys no more than Authority I have shew'd you the Words in controversy and the Things together in the Mint now whether they that as to Athens introduc'd them both understood either I leave my Reader by comparing them to judg IT is true that the Things exprest by these Words have bin in som Commonwealths more in others less antient than the Greec Language but this hinders not the Greecs to apply the Words to the like Constitutions or Things wherever they find them as by following HALICARNASSAEUS I shall exemplify in Rome Lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ROMULUS when he had distributed the People into Tribes and Parishes proceded to ordain the Senat in this manner the Tribes were three and the Parishes thirty out of every Tribe he elected three Senators and out of every Parish three more all by the Suffrage of the People These therfore came to ninety nine chosen by the Chirotonia to which he added one more not chosen by the Chirotonia but by himself only Which Election we may therfore say was made by the Chirothesia for as in this Chapter I am shewing that the Chirotonia is Election by the Many so in the next I shall shew that the Chirothesia is Election by One or by the Few But to keep to the matter in hand the Magistrat thus chosen by ROMULUS was praefectus urbi the Protector of the Commonwealth or he who when the King was out of the Nation or the City as upon occasion of war had the exercise of Royal Power at home In like manner with the Civil Magistracy were the Priests created tho som of them not so antiently for the Pontifex Maximus the Rex Sacrificus and the Flamens were all ordain'd by the Suffrage of the People Pontifex Tributis Rex Centuriatis Flamines Curiatis the latter of which being no more than Parish Priests had no other Ordination than by their Parishes All the Laws and all the Magistrats in Rome even the Kings themselves were according to the Orders of this Commonwealth to be created by the Chirotonia of the People which nevertheless is by APPIAN somtimes call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chirotonia of the Tribuns whether these Magistrats were Presidents of the Assemblys of the People or elected by them Sic Romani Historici non raro loquuntur Consulem Calv. Inst l. 4. cap. 3. â— 15. qui comitia habuerit creasse novos Magistratus non aliam ob causam nisi quia suffragia receperit Populum moderatus est in eligendo WHAT past the Chirotonia of the People by the Greecs is call'd Dion Hal. l. 8. Psephisma 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the Congregation of the People was to be dismist MARCUS standing up said Your Psephisma Chap. 3 that is your Act is exceding good c. THIS Policy for the greater part is that which ROMULUS as was shewn is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have instituted or ordain'd tho it be plain that he ordain'd it no otherwise than by the Chirotonia of the People THUS you have another example of the three words in controversy Chirotonia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psephisma still apply'd in the same sense and to the same things Have I not also discover'd already the original Right of Ordination whether in civil or religious Orders This will be scandalous How derive Ordination as it is in the Church of CHRIST or as it was in the Church of the Jews from the Religion or rather Superstition of the Heathens I meddle not with their Religion nor yet with their Superstition but with their Ordination which was neither but a part of their Policy And why is not Ordination in the Church or Commonwealth of CHRIST as well a political thing as it was in the Churches or Commonwealths of the Jews or of the Heathens Why is not Election of Officers in the Church as well a political thing as Election of Officers in the State and why may not this be as lawfully perform'd by the Chirotonia in the one as in the other Philo de Inst Princ. THAT MOSES introduc'd the Chirotonia is expresly said by PHILO tho he opposes it to the Ballot in which I believe he is mistaken as not seeing that the Ballot including the Suffrage of the People by that means came as properly under the denomination of the Chirotonia as the Suffrage of the Roman People which tho it were given by the Tablet is so call'd by Greec Authors All Ordination of Magistrats as of the Senators or Elders of the Sanhedrim of the Judges or Elders of inferior Courts of the Judg or Suâ—fes of Israel of the King of the Priests of the Levits whether with the Ballot or viva voce was perform'd by the Chirotonia or Suffrage of the People In this especially if you admit the Authority of the Jewish Lawyers and Divines call'd the Talmudists the Scripture will be clear but their Names are hard wherfore not to make my Discourse more rough than I need I shall here set them together The Authors or Writings I use by way of Paraphrase upon the Scripture are the Gemara Babylonia Midbar Rabba Sepher
this as it was said of SOLON by ARISTOTLE being that which I have already shewn to be us'd both in the Greec of the Scripture for the constitution of the Sanhedrim by MOSES and in other Authors for that of the Senat by ROMULUS each of which was then elected by the People whence it may appear plainly that this is no word as they pretend to exclude popular Suffrage but rather to imply it And indeed that it is of no such nature as necessarily to include Power could not have bin overseen in the New Testament but voluntarily where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are Acts 17. 15. signify'd by it that conducted PAUL But they have Miracles such indeed as have neither words nor reason for them had need of Miracles And where are these same Miracles why the Apostles by the Chirothesia or laying on of hands confer'd the Holy Ghost So they did not only when they us'd that Ceremony in reference to Ordination but when they us'd it not in that relation as to those that were newly baptiz'd in Samaria Men and Women now it is not probable that Acts 8. these who should seem to have bin numerous were all ordain'd at least the Women and so the Miracle is to be attributed to the Hands of the Apostles and not to Ordination in general JOSHUA was full of the Spirit not because he had bin ordain'd by the Chirothesia for so had many of them that crucify'd CHRIST and persecuted the Apostles but because MOSES had laid his hands upon him WOULD Divines be contented that we should argue thus The Chirotonia or Suffrage of the People of Israel at the first institution was follow'd with miraculous Indowments therfore whoever is elected by the People shall have the like Or what have they to shew why the Argument is more holding as to their Chirothesia seeing for above one thousand years all the Hierarchy and Presbytery laid together have don no more Miracles than a Parish Clerc A CONTINU'D Miracle as that the Sea ebs and flows the Sun always runs his admirable course is Nature Intermitted Nature as that the waters of the Red Sea were mountains that the Sun stood still in the Dial of AHAZ is a Miracle To continue the latter kind of Miracle were to destroy the former that is to dissolve Nature Wherfore this is a certain rule that no continu'd external Act can be in the latter sense miraculous Now Government whether in Church or State is equally a continu'd external Act. An internal continu'd Act may indeed be natural or supernatural as Faith A NATURAL Man being even in his own natural apprehension fearfully and wonderfully made is by the continu'd Miracle of Nature convinc'd that the World had a Creator and so coms to believe in that which is supernatural whence it is that all Nations have had som Religion and a Spiritual Man being convinc'd by the purity of CHRIST'S Doctrin and the Miracles wherby it was first planted is brought to the Christian Faith However CHRIST may require such continu'd Faith or Spiritual exercise of his Church as is supernatural he requires not any such continu'd Act or bodily exercise of his Church as is supernatural But the Government of the Church is a continu'd Act or bodily exercise It should be heeded that to delude the sense is not to do Miracles but to use Imposture Now to persuade Book II us That Monarchical Aristocratical Popular or mixt Government have not always bin in Nature or that there has ever bin any other in the Church were to delude sense Wherfore give me leave in which I am confident I shall use no manner of Irreverence to the Scripture but on the contrary make the right use of it to discourse upon Church-Government according to the rules of Prudence THE Gospel was intended by Christ to be preach'd to all Nations which Princes and States being above all things exceding tenacious of their Power is to me a certain Argument that the Policy of the Church must be so provided for as not to give any of them just cause of Jealousy there being nothing more likely to obstruct the growth of Religion and truly the nearer I look to the Scripture the more I am confirm'd in this opinion First way of Ordination in the Church Christ Acts 1. CHRIST being taken up into Heaven the first Ordination that we find was that of the Apostle MATTHIAS after this manner THE Aristocracy of the Church that is the Apostles assembl'd the whole Congregation of Disciples or Believers at Jerusalem being in number one hundred and twenty where PETER it having as it should seem bin so agreed by the Apostles was Proposer who standing up in the midst of the Disciples acquainted them that wheras JUDAS was gon to his place the occasion of their present meeting was to elect another Apostle in his room wherupon proceding to the Suffrage they appointed two Competitors JOSEPH and MATTHIAS whose names being written each in a several Scrol were put into one Urn and at the same time two other Lots wherof one was a blank and the other inscrib'd with the word Apostle were put into another Urn which don they pray'd and said Thou Lord which knowest the hearts of all men shew whether of these two thou hast chosen The Prayer being ended they gave forth their Lots and the Lot fell upon MATTHIAS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by this Psephisma the very popular word and not only so but being apply'd to the Ballot is the very literal and original signification he was added to the eleven Apostles So you have the first way of Ordination in the Church after Christ was taken up into Heaven perform'd by the Election or Chirotonia of the whole Church NOW except any man can shew that MATTHIAS ever receiv'd the imposition of hands these several things are already demonstrated First that the Chirotonia is not only the more antient way of Ordination in the Commonwealth of Israel but in the Church of CHRIST Secondly that the Chirothesia or imposition of Hands is no way necessary to Ordination in the Christian Church Thirdly that the Disciplin of the Christian Church was primitively Popular for to say that in regard of the Apostles it was Aristocratical is to forget that there is no such thing without a mixture of Aristocracy that is without the Senat as a Popular Government in Nature Fourthly that Ordination in the Commonwealth of Oceana being exactly after this pattern is exactly according to the Disciplin of the Church of CHRIST And fifthly that Ordination and Election in this example are not two but one and the same thing THE last of these Propositions having bin affirm'd by Mr. HOBS §. 115. Dr. HAMMOND tells him plainly that his assertion is far from all truth Let us therfore consider the Doctor 's Reasons which are these Seeing the Congregtion says he is affirm'd by the Gentleman to have ordain'd and it is plain by the words of
Jewish Sanhedrim The Providence of God in the different way of Apostolical Ordination NOW in these several ways of Ordination there is a most remarkable Sect. 5 Providence of God For wheras States and Princes in receiving of Religion are not at any point so jealous as of an incroachment upon their Power the first way of Apostolical Ordination destroys Monarchical Power the last wholly excludes the Power of the People and the second has a mixture which may be receiv'd by a Commonwealth or by a Monarchy But where it is receiv'd by a Commonwealth the imposition of hands coms to little and where it is receiv'd by a Monarchy the Election of the People coms to nothing as may be farther consider'd in the original and progress of the Conge d' Elire THE ways of Ordination or of Church Government lying thus in Scripture the not receiving of the Christian Religion is not that wherof any State or Prince thro the whole world can be any ways excusable The Conclusion Shewing that neither GOD nor CHRIST or the APOSTLES ever instituted any Government Ecclesiastical or Civil upon any other Principles than those only of Human Prudence Vses of this Book TO sum up this second Book in the Uses that may be made of it Sect. 1 Certain it is of the Greec and Roman Storys that he who has not som good Idea or Notion of the Government to which they relate cannot rightly understand them If the like holds as to the Scripture Story som light may be contributed to it by this Book Again if som gifted Men happening to read it should chance to be of the same judgment it is an Argument for acquir'd Learning in that for the means of acquir'd Learning and in the means of acquir'd Learning for Universitys For how little soever this performance be had it not bin the fashion with the English Gentry in the breeding of their Sons to give them a smack of the University I should not have don so much The present use of this Book BUT letting these pass If there were Commonwealths or Governments Sect. 2 exercising Soverain Power by the Senat and the People before that of Israel as namely Gibeon If the inferior Orders and Courts in Israel as those instituted by MOSES after the advice of JETHRO a Heathen were transcrib'd out of another Government tho Heathen as namely that of Midian If the order of the Church introduc'd by CHRIST in his twelve Apostles and his seventy Disciples were after the pattern of Israel namely in the twelve Princes of the Tribes and the seventy Elders If there were three distinct ways of Ordination introduc'd by the Apostles one exactly according to the Ballot of Israel as namely in the Ordination of MATTHIAS another exactly according to the way of the Jewish Sanhedrim or Synagog as namely that of TIMOTHY and a third compos'd of these two as namely that of the Deacons Then is it a clear and undeniable result of the whole That neither GOD nor CHRIST Book II or the APOSTLES ever instituted any Government Ecclesiastical or Civil upon any other Principles than those only of Human Prudence Sect. 3 The Consequence of this Vse AN Observation of such consequence as where it has bin rightly consider'd there the truth of Religion and of Government once planted have taken root and flourish'd and where it has not bin rightly heeded there has Religion or the pretence of it bin the hook and the line and the State the prey of Impostors and false Prophets as was shewn in the hypocritical Pharises for ever stigmatiz'd by the word of Truth AND for Might let her be never so much exalted in her self let her Sword be never so dreadfully brandish'd the Government not founded upon Reason a Creature of God and the Creature of God whose undoubted right in this part is by himself undeniably avow'd and asserted is a Weapon fram'd against God and no Weapon fram'd against God shall prosper Sect. 4 A transition to the next Book THE Principles of Human Prudence and in them the Art of Lawgiving being shewn in the first Book and vindicated throout the whole course of Scripture by this second I com in the third to shew a Model of Government fram'd according to the Art thus shewn and the Principles thus vindicated THE THIRD BOOK CONTAINING A MODEL OF Popular Government Practically propos'd according to Reason confirm'd by the Scripture and agreable to the present Balance or State of Property in England The PREFACE Containing a Model of Popular Government propos'd Notionally THERE is between the Discourses of such as are commonly call'd Natural Philosophers and those of Anatomists a large difference the former are facil the latter difficult Philosophers discoursing of Elements for example that the Body of Man consists of Fire Air Earth and Water are easily both understood and credited seeing by common Experience we find the Body of Man returns to the Earth from whence it was taken A like Entertainment may befal Elements of Government as in the first of these Books they are stated But the fearful and wonderful making the admirable structure and great variety of the parts of man's Body in which the Discourses of Anatomists are altogether conversant are understood by so few that I may say they are not understood by any Certain it is that the delivery of a Model of Government which either must be of no effect or imbrace all those Muscles Nerves Arterys and Bones which are necessary to any Function of a well order'd Commonwealth is no less than political Anatomy If you com short of this your Discourse is altogether ineffectual if you com home you are not understood you may perhaps be call'd a learned Author but you are obscure and your Doctrin is impracticable Had I only suffer'd in this and not the People I should long since have left them to their humor but seeing it is they that suffer by it and not my self I will be yet Book III more a fool or they shall be yet wiser Now coms into my head what I saw long since upon an Italian Stage while the Spectators wanted Hoops for their sides A Country fellow came with an Apple in his hand to which in a strange variety of faces his Teeth were undoubtedly threaten'd when enter'd a young Anatomist brimful of his last Lesson who stopping in good time the hand of this same Country fellow would by no means suffer him to go on with so great an Enterprize till he had first nam'd and describ'd to him all the Bones Nerves and Muscles which are naturally necessary to that motion at which the good man being with admiration plainly chopfallen coms me in a third who snatching away the Apple devour'd it in the presence of them both If the People in this case wherof I am speaking were naturally so well furnish'd I had here learn'd enough to have kept silence but their eating in the political way of absolute necessity requires the
highest Mystery of Popular Government and indeed the supreme Law wherin is contain'd not only the Liberty but the Safety of the People FOR the remainder of the Civil part of this Model which is now but small it is farther propos'd Rule for Vacations THAT every Magistracy Office or Election throout this whole Commonwealth whether annual or triennial be understood of consequeuce to injoin an interval or vacation equal to the term of the same That the Magistracy of a Knight and of a Burgess be in this relation understood as one and the same and that this Order regard only such Elections as are National or Domestic and not such as are Provincial or Foren Exception from the Rule THAT for an exception from this Rule where there is but one Elder of the Horse in one and the same Parish that Elder be eligible in the same without interval and where there be above four Elders of the Horse in one and the same Parish there be not above half nor under two of them eligible at the same Election OTHERWISE the People beyond all manner of doubt would elect so many of the better sort at the very first that there would not be of the Foot or of the meaner sort enough to supply the due number of the Popular Assembly or Prerogative Tribe and the better sort being excluded subsequent Elections by their intervals there would not be wherwithal to furnish the Senat the Horse of the Prerogative Tribe and the rest of the Magistracys each of which Obstructions is prevented by this Exception Where by the way if in all experience such has bin the constant temper of the People and can indeed be reasonably no other it is apparent what cause there can be of doubt who in a Commonwealth of this nature must have the leading Yet is no man excluded from any Preferment only Industry which ought naturally to be the first step is first injoin'd by this Policy but rewarded amply seeing he who has made himself worth one hundred Pounds a year has made himself capable of all Preferments and Honors in this Government Where a man from the lowest state may not rise to the due pitch of his unquestionable Merit the Commonwealth is not equal yet neither can the People under the Limitations propos'd make choice as som object of any other than Book III the better sort nor have they at any time bin so inclining to do where they have not bin under such Limitations Be it spoken not to the disparagement of any man but on the contrary to their praise whose Merit has made them great the People of England have not gon so low in the election of a House of Commons as som Prince has don in the election of a House of Lords To weigh Election by a Prince with Election by a People set the Nobility of Athens and Rome by the Nobility of the old Monarchy and a House of Commons freely chosen by the Nobility of the new There remains but the Quorum for which it is propos'd The Quorum THAT throout all the Assemblys and Councils of this Commonwealth the Quorum consist of one half in the time of Health and of one third part in a time of Sickness being so declar'd by the Senat. HOW the City Government without any diminution of their Privileges and with an improvement of their Policy may be made to fall in with these Orders has * In Oceana elswhere bin shewn in part and may be consider'd farther at leisure Otherwise the whole Commonwealth so far as it is merely Civil is in this part accomplish'd Now as of necessity there must be a natural Man or a Man indu'd with a natural Body before there can be a spiritual Man or a Man capable of Divine Contemplation so a Government must have a Civil before it can have a Religious part And if a man furnisht only with natural parts can never be so stupid as not to make som Reflections upon Religion much less a Commonwealth which necessitats the Religious part of this Model CHAP. II. Containing the Religious Part of this Model propos'd practicably THERE is nothing more certain or demonstrable to common Sense than that the far greater part of Mankind in matters of Religion give themselves up to the public Leading Now a National Religion rightly establish'd or not coercive is not any public driving but only the public leading If the Public in this case may not lead such as desire to be led by the Public and yet a Party may lead such as desire to be led by a Party where would be the Liberty of Conscience as to the State Which certainly in a well order'd Commonwealth being the public Reason must be the public Conscience Nay where would be the Liberty of Conscience in respect of any Party which should so procede as to shew that without taking their Liberty of Conscience from others they cannot have it themselves If the Public refusing Liberty of Conscience to a Party would be the cause of Tumult how much more a Party refusing it to the Public And how in case of such a Tumult should a Party defend their Liberty of Conscience or indeed their Throats from the whole or a far greater Party without keeping down or tyrannizing over the whole or a far greater Party by force of Arms These things being rightly consider'd it is no wonder that Men living like men have not bin yet found without a Government or that any Government has not bin yet found without a National Religion that is som orderly and known way of public Chap. 2 leading in divine things or in the Worship of God A NATIONAL Religion being thus prov'd necessary it remains that I prove what is necessary to the same that is as it concerns the State or in relation to the Duty of the Magistrat CERTAIN it is that Religion has not seen corruption but by one of these three causes som Interest therwith incorporated som ignorance of the truth of it or by som complication of both Nor was ever Religion left wholly to the management of a Clergy that escap'd these Causes or their most pernicious Effects as may be perceiv'd in Rome which has brought Ignorance to be the Mother of Devotion and indeed Interest to be the Father of Religion Now the Clergy not failing in this case to be dangerous what recourse but to the Magistrat for safety specially seeing these Causes that is Interest and Ignorance the one proceding from evil Laws the other from the want of good Education are not in the right or power of a Clergy but only of the Civil Magistracy Or if so it be that Magistrats are oblig'd in duty to be nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to the Church Isa 49. 23. how shall a State in the sight of God be excusable that takes no heed or care lest Religion suffer by Causes the prevention or remedy wherof is in them only To these therfore it
National Religion and provision against scandalous Ministers THAT the National Religion be exercis'd according to a Directory in that case to be made and publish'd by Act of Parlament That the National Ministry be permitted to have no other public Preferment or Office in this Commonwealth That a National Minister being convict of Ignorance or Scandal be movable out of his Benefice by the Censors of the Tribe under an appeal to the Phylarch or to the Council for Religion Liberty of Conscience THAT no Religion being contrary to or destructive of Christianity nor the public exercise of any Religion being grounded upon or incorporated into a foren Interest be protected by or tolerated in this State That all other Religions with the public exercise of the same be both tolerated and protected by the Council of Religion and that all Professors of any such Religion be equally capable of all Elections Magistracys Preferments and Offices in this Commonwealth according to the Orders of the same UPON the whole of these Propositions touching Church Disciplin we may make these Observations Thus neither would the Party that is for gifted Men and Enemys to Learning thro ignorance which else in all probability they must lose Religion nor the Clergy be able to corrupt it by Interest But Decency and Order with liberty of Conscience would still flourish together while the Minister has a Preferment he sought the Parish a Minister they chose the Nation a Religion according to the public Conscience and every man his Christian Liberty He therfore that indeavors to confute this Chapter must either shew how these things may be omitted or more effectually provided for or tithe Mint and Cumin and neglect the weightier things of Lawgiving A COMMONWEALTH having in the establishment of Religion made resignation of her self to God ought in the next place to have regard to the natural means of her defence which introduces the Military part of this Model Book III CHAP. III. Containing the Military part of this Model propos'd practicably THE Military Part on which at present I shall discourse little consists in the Disciplin of the Youth that is of such as are between eighteen and thirty years of Age and for the Disciplin of the Youth it is propos'd Disciplin of the Youth THAT annually upon Wednesday next insuing the last of December the Youth of each Parish under the inspection of the two Overseers of the same assemble and elect the fifth man of their number or one in five of them to be for the term of that year Deputys of the Youth of that Parish Their Troops and Sports THAT annually on Wednesday next insuing the last of January the said Deputys of the respective Parishes meet at the Capital of the Hundred where there are Games and Prizes allotted for them as has bin shew'd * In Oceana elswhere and there elect to themselves out of their own number one Captain and one Insign And that of these Games and of this Election the Magistrats and Officers of the Hundred be Presidents and Judges for the impartial distribution of the Prizes Their Squadrons and Exercises THAT annually upon Wednesday next insuing the last of February the Youth thro the whole Tribe thus elected be receiv'd at the Capital of the same by the Lieutenant as Commander in chief by the Conductor and by the Censors that under the inspection of these Magistrats the said Youth be entertain'd with more splendid Games disciplin'd in a more military manner and be divided by lot into sundry parts or Essays according to the Rules * In Oceana elswhere given The second Essay or the standing Army THAT the whole Youth of the Tribe thus assembl'd be the first Essay That out of the first Essay there be cast by lot two hundred Horse and six hundred Foot that they whom their friends will or themselves can mount be accounted Horse the rest Foot That these Forces amounting in the fifty Tribes to ten thousand Horse and thirty thousand Foot be always ready to march at a weeks warning and that this be the second Essay or the standing Army of the Commonwealth Provincial Guards THAT for the holding of each Province the Commonwealth in the first year assign an Army of the Youth consisting of seven thousand five hundred Foot and one thousand five hundred Horse That for the perpetuation of these Provincial Armys or Guards there be annually at the time and places mention'd cast out of the first Essay of the Youth in each Tribe ten Horse and fifty Foot that is in all the Tribes five hundred Horse and two thousand five hundred Foot for Scotland the like for Ireland and the like of both orders for the Sea Guards being each oblig'd to serve for the term of three years upon the States pay THE standing Army of the Commonwealth consisting thus of forty thousand not Soldiers of fortune neither in body nor in pay but Citizens at their Vocations or Trades and yet upon command in continual readiness and the Provincial Armys each consisting of nine thousand in pay in body and possess'd of the Avenues and places of strength in the Province it is not imaginable how a Province should be so soon able to stir as the Commonwealth must be to pour forty thousand men upon it besides the Sea Guards Nor coms this Militia thus constituted except upon Marches to any charge at all the Chap. 3 standing Army having no pay and the Provinces wherof the Sea thus guarded will be none of the poorest maintaining their own Guards Such is the military way of a Commonwealth and the The eleventh Parallel Constitution of its Armys whether levy'd by Suffrage as in Rome or by Lot as in Israel WE will go up by Lot against Gibeah Judg. 20. 9. STANDING Forces being thus establish'd for such as are upon emergent occasions to go forth or march it is propos'd The third Essay or Army marching THAT the Senat and the People or the Dictator having decreed or declar'd War and the Field Officers being appointed by the Council of War the General by Warrant issu'd to the Lieutenants of the Tribes demand the second Essay or such part of it as is decreed whether by way of levy or recruit That by the same Warrant he appoint his time and Rendevouz that the several Conductors of the Tribes deliver him the Forces demanded at the time and place appointed That a General thus marching out with the standing Army a new Army be elected out of the first Essay as formerly and a new General be elected by the Senat that so always there be a General sitting and a standing Army what Generals or Armys soever be marching And that in case of Invasion the Bands of the Elders be oblig'd to like duty with those of the Youth Poena 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Guardian of Education and Liberty THAT an only Son be discharg'd of these Dutys without prejudice
Language so not this Religion nor that Religion yet som Religion is natural to every Nation 16. THE Soul of Government as the true and perfect Image of the Soul of Man is every whit as necessarily religious as rational 17. THE Body of a Government as consisting of the sensual part of Man is every whit as preservative and defensive of it self as sensual Creatures are of themselves 18. THE Body of a Man not actuated or led by the Soul is a dead thing out of pain and misery but the Body of a People not actuated or led by the Soul of Government is a living thing in pain and misery 19. THE Body of a People not led by the reason of the Government is not a People but a Herd not led by the Religion of the Government is at an inquiet and an uncomfortable loss in it self not disciplin'd by the conduct of the Government is not an Army for defence of it self but a Rout not directed by the Laws of the Government has not any rule of right and without recourse to the Justice or Judicatorys of the Government has no remedy of wrongs 20. IN contemplation of and in conformity to the Soul of man as also for supply of those his Necessitys which are not otherwise supply'd or to be supply'd by Nature Form of Government consists necessarily of these five parts The Civil which is the Reason of the People the Religious which is the Comfort of the People the Military which is the Captain of the People the Laws which are the Rights of the People and the Judicatorys which are the Avengers of their Wrongs 21. THE parts of Form in Government are as the Offices in a House and the Orders of a Form of Government are as the Orders of a House or Family 22. GOOD Orders make evil men good and bad Orders make good men evil 23. OLIGARCHISTS to the end they may keep all others out of the Government pretending themselves to be Saints do also pretend that they in whom Lust reigns are not fit for Reign or for Government But Libido dominandi the Lust of Government is the greatest Lust which also reigns most in those that have least right as in Oligarchists for many a King and many a People have and had unquestionable Right but an Oligarchist never whence from their own argument the Lust of Government reigning most in Oligarchists it undeniably follows that Oligarchists of all men are least fit for Government 24. AS in Houses not differing in the kinds of their Offices the Orders of the Familys differ much so the difference of Form in different Governments consists not in the kinds or number of the Parts which in every one is alike but in the different ways of ordering Chap. V hose parts And as the different Orders of a House arise for the most part from the quantity and quality of the Estate by which it is defray'd or maintain'd according as it is in one or more of the Family as Proprietors so is it also in a Government 25. THE Orders of the Form which are the manners of the mind of the Government follow the temperament of the Body or the distribution of the Lands or Territorys and the Interests thence arising 26. THE Interest of Arbitrary Monarchy is the absoluteness of the Monarch the Interest of Regulated Monarchy is the greatness of the Nobility the Interest of Democracy is the felicity of the People for in Democracy the Government is for the use of the People and in Monarchy the People are for the use of the Government that is of one Lord or more 27. THE use of a Horse without his Provender or of the People without som regard had to the necessitys of Human Nature can be none at all nor are those necessitys of Nature in any Form whatsoever to be otherwise provided for than by those five parts already mention'd for which cause every Government consists of five parts the Civil the Religious the Military the Laws and the Judicatorys CHAP. V. Of Form in the Civil part 1. THOSE Naturalists that have best written of Generation do observe that all things procede from an Eg and that there is in every Eg a Punctum saliens or a part first mov'd as the purple Speck observ'd in those of Hens from the working wherof the other Organs or fit Members are delineated distinguish'd and wrought into one Organical Body 2. A NATION without Government or fallen into privation of Form is like an Eg unhatch'd and the Punctum saliens or first mover from the corruption of the Former to the generation of the succeding Form is either a sole Legislator or a Council 3. A SOLE Legislator proceding according to Art or Knowlege produces Government in the whole piece at once and in perfection But a Council proceding not according to Art or what in a new case is necessary or fit for them but according to that which they call the Genius of the People still hankering after the things they have bin us'd to or their old Customs how plain soever it be made in reason that they can no longer fit them make patching work and are Ages about that which is very seldom or never brought by them to any perfection but commonly coms by the way to ruin leaving the noblest Attemts under reproach and the Authors of them expos'd to the greatest miserys while they live if not their Memorys when they are dead and gon to the greatest infamy 4. IF the Punctum saliens or first mover in generation of the Form be a sole Legislator his proceding is not only according to Nature but according to Art also and begins with the Delineation of distinct Orders or Members Chap. V 5. DELINEATION of distinct Organs or Members as to the Form of Government is a division of the Territory into fit Precincts once stated for all and a formation of them to their proper Offices and Functions according to the nature or truth of the Form to be introduc'd 6. PRECINCTS in absolute Monarchy are commonly call'd Provinces and as to the delineation or stating of them they may be equal or inequal Precincts in regulated Monarchy where the Lords or Nobility as to their Titles or Estates ought not to be equal but to differ as one Star differs from another in Glory are commonly call'd Countys and ought to be inequal Precincts in Democracy where without equality in the Electors there will hardly be any equality in the Elected or where without equality in the Precincts it is almost if not altogether impossible there should be equality in the Commonwealth are properly call'd Tribes and ought by all means to be equal 7. EQUALITY or Parity has bin represented an odious thing and made to imply the levelling of mens Estates but if a Nobility how inequal soever in their Estates or Titles yet to com to the truth of Aristocracy must as to their Votes or participation in the Government be pares regni that
Monarchy being that of one Man or of a few Men the National Religion in Monarchy may happen not to be the Religion of the major part of the People but the Result in Democracy being in the major part of the People it cannot happen but that the National Religion must be that of the major part of the People 12. THE major part of the People being in matters of Religion inable to be their own Leaders will in such cases therfore have a public leading or being debar'd of their Will in that particular are debar'd of their Liberty of Conscience 13. WHERE the major part of the People is debar'd of their Liberty by the minor there is neither Liberty of Conscience nor Democracy but Spiritual or Civil Oligarchy 14. WHERE the Major part is not debar'd of their Liberty of Chap. VI Conscience by the Minor there is a National Religion 15. NATIONAL Religion is either coercive or not coercive 16. RELIGION is not naturally subservient to any corrupt or worldly Interest for which cause to bring it into subjection to Interest it must be coercive 17. WHERE Religion is coercive or in subjection to Interest there it is not or will not long continue to be the true Religion 18. WHERE Religion is not coercive nor under subjection to any Interest there it either is or has no obstruction why it may not com to be the true Religion 19. ABSOLUTE Monarchy pretends to Infallibility in matters of Religion imploys not any that is not of its own Faith and punishes its Apostats by death without mercy 20. REGULATED Monarchy coms not much short of the same pretence but consisting of Proprietors and such as if they dissent have oftentimes the means to defend themselves it dos not therfore always attain to the exercise of the like power 21. DEMOCRACY pretends not to Infallibility but is in matters of Religion no more than a Seeker not taking away from its People their Liberty of Conscience but educating them or so many of them as shall like of it in such a manner or knowlege in Divine things as may render them best able to make use of their Liberty of Conscience which it performs by the National Religion 22. NATIONAL Religion to be such must have a National Ministry or Clergy 23. THE Clergy is either a landed or a stipendiated Clergy 24. A LANDED Clergy attaining to one third of the Territory is Aristocracy and therfore equally incompatible with absolute Monarchy and with Democracy but to regulated Monarchy for the most part is such a Supporter as in that case it may be truly enough said that NO BISHOP NO KING 25. THE Soverainty of the Prince in absolute Monarchy and of the People in Democracy admitting not of any Counterpoise in each of these the Clergy ought not to be landed the Laborer nevertheless being worthy of his hire they ought to be stipendiated 26. A CLERGY well landed is to regulated Monarchy a very great Glory and a Clergy not well stipendiated is to absolute Monarchy or to Democracy as great an Infamy 27. A CLERGY whether landed or stipendiated is either Hierarchical or Popular 28. A HIERARCHICAL Clergy is a Monarchical Ordination a Popular Clergy receives Ordination from Election by the People FORM of Government as to the Religious part being thus completed is sum'd up in the three following Aphorisms 29. ABSOLUTE Monarchy for the Religious part of the Form consists of a Hierarchical Clergy and of an Alcoran or som Book receiv'd in the nature of Scripture interpretable by the Prince only and his Clergy willingly permitting to them that are not capable of Imployments a Liberty of Conscience Ch. VII 30. REGULATED Monarchy for the Religious part of the Form consists of an Aristocratical Hierarchy of the Liturgy and of the Holy Scriptures or som such Book receiv'd for a Rule of Faith interpretable only by the Clergy not admitting Liberty of Conscience except thro mere necessity 31. DEMOCRACY for the Religious part of the Form consists of a Popular Clergy of the Scriptures or som other Book acknowleg'd divine with a Directory for the National Religion and a Council for the equal maintenance both of the National Religion and of the Liberty of Conscience CHAP. VII Of Form in the Military part 1. A MAN may perish by the Sword yet no man draws the Sword to perish but to live by it 2. SO many ways as there are of living by the Sword so many ways there are of a Militia 3. IF a Prince be Lord of the whole or of two parts in three of the whole Territory and divides it into Military Farms at will and without rent upon condition of Service at their own charge in Arms whenever he commands them it is the Sword of an absolute Monarchy 4. IF the Nobility being Lords of the whole or of two parts in three of the whole Territory let their Lands by good pennyworths to Tenants at will or by their Leases bound at their Commands by whom they live to serve in Arms upon pay it is the Sword of a regulated Monarchy 5. IN Countrys that have no Infantry or Militia of free Commoners as in France and Poland the Nobility themselves are a vast Body of Horse and the Sword of that Monarchy 6. IF a People where there neither is Lord nor Lords of the whole nor of two parts in three of the whole Territory for the common defence of their Liberty and of their Livelihood take their turns upon the Guard or in Arms it is the Sword of Democracy 7. THERE is a fourth kind of Militia or of men living more immediatly by the Sword which are Soldiers of Fortune or a mercenary Army 8. ABSOLUTE Monarchy must be very well provided with Court Guards or a mercenary Army otherwise it s Military Farmers having no bar from becoming Proprietors the Monarchy it self has no bar from changing into Democracy FORM of Government as to the Military part being thus completed is sum'd up in the three following Aphorisms 9. IN a regulated Monarchy where there is an Infantry there needs not any Mercenary Army and there the People live tolerably well 10. IN a regulated Monarchy where there is no Infantry but the Nobility themselves are a vast Body of Horse there must also be a mercenary Infantry and there the People are Peasants or Slaves Ch. VIII 11. THERE is no such thing in nature as any Monarchy whether absolute or regulated subsisting merely by a mercenary Army and without an Infantry or Cavalry planted upon the Lands of the Monarch or of his whole Nobility CHAP. VIII Of Form in the Legal part 1. IF Justice be not the Interest of a Government the Interest of that Government will be its Justice 2. LET Equity or Justice be what it will yet if a man be to judg or resolve in his own case he resolves upon his own Interest 3. EVERY Government being not obnoxious to any Superior resolves in her own case 4. THE ultimat
the Minister of State takes his pastime 16. THE Complaint that the Wisdom of all these latter times in Princes Affairs consists rather in fine deliverys and shiftings of Dangers or Mischiefs when they are near than in solid and grounded courses to keep them off is a Complaint in the Streets of Aristocratical Monarchy and not to be remedy'd because the Nobility being not broken Chap. X the King is in danger and the Nobility being broken the Monarchy is ruin'd 17. AN Absurdity in the form of the Government as that in a Monarchy there may be two Monarchs shoots out into a mischief in the Administration or som wickedness in the Reason of State as in ROMULUS'S killing of REMUS and the monstrous Associations of the Roman Emperors 18. USURPATION of Government is a Surfeit that converts the best Arts into the worst Nemo unquam imperium flagitio acquisitum bonis artibus exercuit 19. AS in the privation of Virtue and in Beggery men are Sharks or Robbers and the reason of their way of living is quite contrary to those of Thrift so in the privation of Government as in Anarchy Oligarchy or Tyranny that which is Reason of State with them is directly opposit to that which is truly so whence are all those black Maxims set down by som Politicians particularly MACCHIAVEL in his Prince and which are condemn'd to the fire even by them who if they liv'd otherwise might blow their fingers 20. WHERE the Government from a true Foundation rises up into proper Superstructures or Form the Reason of State is right and streight but give our Politician peace when you please if your House stands awry your Props do not stand upright 21. TAKE a Jugler and commend his Tricks never so much yet if in so doing you shew his Tricks you spoil him which has bin and is to be confess'd of MACCHIAVEL 22. CORRUPTION in Government is to be read and consider'd in MACCHIAVEL as Diseases in a man's Body are to be read and consider'd in HIPPOCRATES 23. NEITHER HIPPOCRATES nor MACCHIAVEL introduc'd Diseases into man's Body nor Corruption into Government which were before their times and seeing they do but discover them it must be confest that so much as they have don tends not to the increase but the cure of them which is the truth of these two Authors POLITICAL APHORISMS Obsequium amicos veritas odium parit Terent. 1. THE Errors and Sufferings of the People are from their Governors 2. WHEN the Foundation of a Government coms to be chang'd and the Governors change not the Superstructures accordingly the People becom miserable 3. THE Monarchy of England was not a Government by Arms but a Government by Laws tho imperfect or ineffectual Laws 4. THE later Governments in England since the death of the King have bin Governments by Arms. 5. THE People cannot see but they can feel 6. THE People having felt the difference between a Government by Laws and a Government by Arms will always desire the Government by Laws and abhor that of Arms. 7. WHERE the Spirit of the People is impatient of a Government by Arms and desirous of a Government by Laws there the spirit of the People is not unfit to be trusted with their Liberty 8. THE spirit of the People of England not trusted with their Liberty drives at the restitution of Monarchy by Blood and Violence 9. THE Spirit of the People of England trusted with their Liberty if the Form be sufficient can never set up a King and if the Form be insufficient as a Parlament with a Council in the intervals or two Assemblys coordinat will set up a King without Blood or Violence 10. TO light upon a good Man may be in Chance but to be sure of an Assembly of good Men is not in Prudence 11. WHERE the Security is no more than personal there may be a good Monarch but can be no good Commonwealth 12. THE necessary Action or Use of each thing is from the nature of the Form 13. WHERE the Security is in the Persons the Government makes good men evil where the Security is in the Form the Government makes evil men good 14. ASSEMBLYS legitimatly elected by the People are that only Party which can govern without an Army 15. NOT the Party which cannot govern without an Army but the Party which can govern without an Army is the refin'd Party as to this intent and purpose truly refin'd that is by Popular Election according to the Precept of MOSES and the Rule of Scripture Take ye wise men and understanding and known among your Tribes and I will make them Rulers over you 16. THE People are deceiv'd by Names but not by Things 17. WHERE there is a well order'd Commonwealth the People are generally satisfy'd 18. WHERE the People are generally dissatisfy'd there is no Commonwealth 19. THE Partys in England declaring for a Commonwealth hold every one of them somthing that is inconsistent with a Common-wealth 20. TO hold that the Government may be manag'd by a few or by a Party is inconsistent with a Commonwealth except in a Situation like that of Venice 21. TO hold that there can be any National Religion or Ministry without public Indowment and Inspection of the Magistracy or any Government without a National Religion or Ministry is inconsistent with a Commonwealth 22. TO hold that there may be Liberty and not Liberty of Conscience is inconsistent with a Commonwealth that has the Liberty of her own Conscience or that is not Popish 23. WHERE Civil Liberty is intire it includes Liberty of Conscience 24. WHERE Liberty of Conscience is intire it includes Civil Liberty 25. EITHER Liberty of Conscience can have no security at all or under Popular Government it must have the greatest security 26. TO hold that a Government may be introduc'd by a little at once is to wave Prudence and commit things to Chance 27. TO hold that the Wisdom of God in the formation of a House or of a Government gos not universally upon natural Principles is inconsistent with Scripture 28. TO hold that the Wisdom of Man in the formation of a House or of a Government may go upon supernatural Principles is inconsistent with a Commonwealth and as if one should say God ordain'd the Temple therfore it was not built by Masons he ordain'd the Snuffers therfore they were not made by a Smith 29. TO hold that Hirelings as they are term'd by som or an indow'd Ministry ought to be remov'd out of the Church is inconsistent with a Commonwealth 30. NATURE is of GOD. 31. SOM part in every Religion is natural 32. A UNIVERSAL Effect demonstrats a universal Cause 33. A UNIVERSAL Cause is not so much natural as it is Nature it self 34. EVERY man either to his terror or consolation has som sense of Religion 35. MAN may rather be defin'd a religious than a rational Creature in regard that in other Creatures there may be somthing of Reason but there
is nothing of Religion 36. GOVERNMENT is of human Prudence and human Prudence is adequat to man's Nature 37. THE Prudence or Government that is regardless of Religion is not adequat nor satisfactory to man's Nature 38. WHERE the Government is not adequat or satisfactory to man's Nature it can never be quiet or perfect 39. THE major part of Mankind gives it self up in the matter of Religion to the public leading 40. THAT there may be a public leading there must be a National Religion 41. WHERE the minor part takes away the National Religion there the major part is depriv'd of Liberty of Conscience by the minor 42. WHERE the major part is depriv'd of Liberty of Conscience by the minor there they will deprive the minor of that Liberty of Conscience which they might otherwise injoy 43. IN Israel there was an indow'd Clergy or Priesthood and a National Religion under inspection of the Magistrat whence the Christians in Apostolic Times defraying their own Ministry could have Liberty of Conscience wheras if the Christians by going about to take away Tithes and abolish the National Religion had indeavor'd to violat the Consciences of the unconverted Jews these being far greater in number must needs have taken away the Liberty of Conscience from the Christians 44. PAVL in Athens could freely and undisturbedly convert DIONYSIUS and others therfore in Athens there was Liberty of Conscience but if PAUL and his Converts had gon about to drive Hirelings or an indow'd Priesthood or Clergy out of that Church who sees not that the Athenians would have driven PAUL and his Converts out of Athens 45. THAT there may be Liberty of Conscience there must be a National Religion 46. THAT there may be a National Religion there must be an indow'd Clergy 47. COMMONWEALTHS have had three ways of Union As the Athenians by bringing their Confederats to subjection As the United Provinces by an equal League or as the Romans by an inequal League The first way is tyrannical In the second one Commonwealth under the League is no more than another and each one as to her self has a Negative which kind of Union is not only obstructive but tends as we have seen both in Holland and Switzerland towards Division In the third way the Commonwealth uniting other Commonwealths retains to her self the leading of the whole League leaving to each of the rest her own Laws and her own Liberty 48. TILL a Commonwealth be first fram'd how such a Commonwealth should make an effectual Union with another Nation is not possible to be seen 49. THE new unpractis'd and heretofore unheard Union as it is vulgarly spoken with Scotland by uniting Deputys of divers Nations not in a Council apart or by way of States General as in the United Provinces but in the standing Councils of som one Common-wealth in the League is destructve to Liberty both in England and in Scotland 50. IF the Commonwealth of England receives Deputys from Scotland in a greater number than that of her own she receives Law from a foren Interest and so loses her own Liberty 51. IF Scotland be receiv'd in an equal number it obstructs the freedom of both or occasions War or Dissension 52. IF Scotland be receiv'd in an inferior number she receives Law from England and so loses her Liberty The like is understood of Ireland 53. WHERAS a well order'd Commonwealth should give the Balance to her Confederats and not receive it from them the Councils in which divers others are thus united tho in a far inferior number of Deputys yet if these â—y in wait or lay their heads together may be overrul'd obstructed or overbalanc'd by foren Interests 54. WHERE Countrys are divers in their Laws and yet are to receive Laws one from the other neither the Commonwealth giving Law knows what to give nor the Commonwealth receiving Law understands what she receives in which case the Union returns to Force or Confusion 55. THE best way of holding a Nation different or not different in Laws is the Roman that is by way of Province 56. A PROVINCE especially if she has strong holds may by defraying of a small Guard be kept to a just League and for the rest injoy her own Laws her own Government and her perfect Liberty Other ways of Union will be found more chargeable and less effectual on both sides for if England has no Army in Scotland Scotland will receive no Law from England and if England has an Army there her hold consists not in the Union but in the Force The like is to be understood of Ireland 57. IF a Country be very small and not able to subsist of it self as Wales it may be safely united and held but the advantage that Wales has in participation of all Magistracys and Offices is not that which England is able to afford to such a Country as Scotland without subjecting her neck to the yoke 58. THE order of a Commonwealth requires that it consists first of a Civil secondly of a Religious thirdly of a Military and fourthly of a Provincial part The manner of uniting Provinces or different Nations pertains to the last part and in the formation of a Commonwealth to begin with that first which is naturally last is to invert the Order and by consequence the Commonwealth it self which indeed is nothing but Order 59. WHERE there can be any other Government there can be no Commonwealth 60. WHERE there can be a Commonwealth what tumults soever there happen and which soever prevail there can be no other Government that is to say without foren Invasion which throout I must be understood to except 61. IF Sir GEORGE BOOTH had prevail'd he must either have introduc'd a Commonwealth or have restor'd the King 62. IF the King were restor'd he must either govern by an Army or by Parlaments 63. A KING governing now in England by an Army would for the same Causes find the same Effects with the late Protector 64. A KING governing now in England by Parlaments would find the Nobility of no effect at all 65. A PARLAMENT where the Nobility is of no effect at all is a mere Popular Council 66. A MERE Popular Council will never receive Law from a King 67. A MERE Popular Council giving Law to a King becoms therby a Democracy or equal Commonwealth or the difference is no greater than in the imperfection of the Form 68. A COMMONWEALTH or Democracy to be perfect in the Form must consist especially of such an Assembly the Result wherof can go upon no Interest whatsoever but that only which is the common interest of the whole People 69. AN Assembly consisting of a few may go upon the Interest of one man as a King or upon the Interest of one Party as that of Divines Lawyers and the like or the Interest of themselves and the perpetuation of their Government 70. THE Popular Assembly in a Commonwealth may consist of too few but can never
were a Commonwealth 7. DISTRIBUTION of shares in Land as to the three grand Interests the King the Nobility and the People must be equal or inequal 8. EQUAL distribution of Land as if one man or a few men have one half of the Territory and the People have the other half causes privation of Government and a state of Civil War for the Lord or Lords on the one side being able to assert their pretension or right to rule and the People on the other their pretension or right to Liberty that Nation can never com under any form of Government till that Question be decided and Property being not by any Law to be violated or mov'd any such Question cannot be decided but by the Sword only Chap. III 9. INEQUAL distribution of shares in Land as to the three grand Interests or the whole Land in any one of these is that which causes one of these three to be the predominant Interest 10. ALL Government is Interest and the predominant Interest gives the Matter or Foundation of the Government 11. IF one man has the whole or two parts in three of the whole Land or Territory the Interest of one man is the predominant Interest and causes absolute Monarchy 12. IF a few men have the whole or two parts in three of the whole Land or Territory the Interest of the few or of the Nobility is the predominant Interest and were there any such thing in nature would cause a pure Aristocracy 13. IT being so that pure Aristocracy or the Nobility having the whole or two parts in three of the whole Land or Territory without a Moderator or Prince to balance them is a state of War in which every one as he grows eminent or potent aspires to Monarchy and that not any Nobility can have Peace or can reign without having such a Moderator or Prince as on the one side they may balance or hold in from being absolute and on the otâ—â—r side may balance or hold them and their Factions from flying out into Arms it follows that if a few men have the whole or two parts in three of the whole Land or Territory the Interest of the Nobility being the predominant Interest must of necessity produce regulated Monarchy 14. IF the Many or the People have the whole or two parts in three of the whole Land or Territory the Interest of the Many or of the People is the predominant Interest and causes Democracy 15. A PEOPLE neither under absolute or under regulated Monarchy nor yet under Democracy are under a privation of Government CHAP. III. Of the Privation of Government 1. WHERE a People are not in a state of Civil Government but in a state of Civil War or where a People are neither under a state of Civil Government nor under a state of Civil War there the People are under Privation of Government 2. WHERE one Man not having the whole or two parts in three of the whole Land or Territory yet assumes to himself the whole Power there the People are under Privation of Government and this Privation is call'd Tyranny 3. WHERE a few Men not having the whole or about two parts in three of the whole Land or Territory yet assume to themselves the whole Power there the People are under Privation of Government and this Privation is call'd Oligarchy 4. WHERE the Many or the People not having the whole or two parts in three of the whole Land or Territory yet assume to themselves the whole Power there the People are under Privation of Government and this Privation is call'd Anarchy 5. WHERE the Tyranny the Oligarchy or the Anarchy not having in the Land or Territory such a full share as may amount to the truth of Government have nevertheless such a share in it as may Chap. IV maintain an Army there the People are under privation of Government and this Privation is a state of Civil War 6. WHERE the Tyranny the Oligarchy or the Anarchy have not any such share in the Land or Territory as may maintain an Army there the People are in privation of Government which Privation is neither a state of Civil Government nor a state of Civil War 7. WHERE the People are neither in a state of Civil Government nor in a state of Civil War there the Tyranny the Oligarchy or the Anarchy cannot stand by any force of Nature because it is void of any natural Foundation nor by any force of Arms because it is not able to maintain an Army and so must fall away of it self thro the want of a Foundation or be blown up by som tumult and in this kind of Privation the Matter or Foundation of a good orderly Government is ready and in being and there wants nothing to the perfection of the same but proper Superstructures or Form CHAP. IV. Of the Form of Government 1. THAT which gives the being the action and the denomination to a Creature or Thing is the Form of that Creature or Thing 2. THERE is in Form somthing that is not Elementary but Divine 3. THE contemplation of Form is astonishing to Man and has a kind of trouble or impulse accompanying it that exalts his Soul to God 4. AS the Form of a Man is the Image of God so the Form of a Government is the Image of Man 5. MAN is both a sensual and a philosophical Creature 6. SENSUALITY in a Man is when he is led only as are the Beasts that is no otherwise than by Appetit 7. PHILOSOPHY is the knowlege of Divine and Human Things 8. TO preserve and defend himself against Violence is natural to Man as he is a sensual Creature 9. TO have an impulse or to be rais'd upon contemplation of natural things to the Adoration or Worship of God is natural to Man as he is a Philosophical Creature 10. FORMATION of Government is the creation of a Political Creature after the Image of a Philosophical Creature or it is an infusion of the Soul or Facultys of a Man into the body of a Multitude 11. THE more the Soul or Facultys of a Man in the manner of their being infus'd into the body of a Multitude are refin'd or made incapable of Passion the more perfect is the Form of Government 12. NOT the refin'd Spirit of a Man or of som Men is a good Form of Government but a good Form of Government is the refin'd Spirit of a Nation Chap. IV 13. THE Spirit of a Nation whether refin'd or not refin'd can neither be wholly Saint nor Atheist Not Saint because the far greater part of the People is never able in matters of Religion to be their own Leaders nor Atheists because Religion is every whit as indelible a Character in man's Nature as Reason 14. LANGUAGE is not a more natural intercourse between the Soul of one man and another than Religion is between God and the Soul of a man 15. AS not this Language nor that Language but som