POWER AND GOVERNMENT Made forth by God in Scripture by a Rule of righteousness: By which Rule shal all the Actions of men be Judged at the last Day.  

1. Made forth by God to the people of Israel in the Old Testament.  
2. By Christ in the New Testament, to future Generations.   
Wherein is expressly set forth, The difference of that Power and Government which is set up by the appointed Will of God; and that which is usurped by the depraved Will of Man.  
ALSO, What is the true Government, which ought to be established in [ This] and all Christian Common-Wealths.  


Published by Authority.    
London, Printed by R. Wood, 1651   

Power and Government, made forth by God in Scripture by a Rule of righteousness.  
Dear Friends,  
I Cannot but acquaint you with what it hath pleased God to acquaint me withal in these times of War and blood, that I might keep myself from the guilt thereof: And therefore I have considered what is Power and Government, according to the true meaning of the Scripture: for I find Power to be clearly held forth by its opposite, which is weakness; I even that which in Scripture is called Power in relation to Creature: As the power of Man, and the power of the World, and the power of the Devil; and the power of darkness: which indeed is but weakness; because it is appointed unto destruction: for true Power is unresistible, unchangeable, and endureth to all Eternity: And also true Government is that which is held forth by an universal Rule to all alike, without respect of persons, alike binding to all: The opposite to it is Depravity, or Deformity; which is one thing to day, and another thing to morrow; which keepeth no rule, and is according to the depraved will of the Ruler; and is binding or losing, as the will of him that ruleth, willeth: And this Power and Government I find made out unto the people of Israel, when God made choice of them to be a peculiat people to himself, above all other Nations, to serve him; And then he gave to them these two Commands: The first and great Command is; That they should love the Lord their God with all their hearts, with al their souls, and with all their strength, and with all their might, &c. as you may red: wherein is held forth the absolute Power which God hath over his creatures, to command all that the creature is, to his own Glory; and so is a true type of man before his fall, when he lived wholly to the praises of his Maker, which was his happiness. And the second Command is like to it, which I find God hath made out by this his power; by a Rule of righteousness which changeth not, nor altereth not: And this Government God hath given into the hands of men, to exercise one to another without partiality or respect of persons; which is, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: Not more, for then thou puttest thy fellow creature in the place of thy God: And so maketh an Idol of the creature, and placeth thy joy and happiness, and thy Rest, in perishing things: As in honour, riches, pleasure, money, gold, wife, children, and whatsoever else thou settest thy heart on: Neither must●●ou love thy neighbour less then thyself; for then you will exercise an Arbitrary power, and so become a tyrant to destroy thy neighbour, if he stand in the way of your own self-Interest; And this is the depraved condition of man since his fall: And by this Rule of righteousness did God rule the people of Israel in the time of the Judges; as you may see clear in Samuel, when the people of Israel desired to cast off God from ruling over them; and would have a King, as the heathen had, who ruled by their depraved wills: As God testifieth to the people▪ if Israel, That their Kings would take their sons, ●nd ●●eir daughters, and appoint them to works of his own; which the people were not acquainted withal, when God ruled over them by Judges: for Samuel maketh a clear testimony thereof, that he ruled for God by this righteous Rule, calling to the people to give Testimony of the truth hereof; asking them whose ox, or whose ass, or who had he done wrong to; and the people justified Samuel, that he had done them no wrong. And you may further red, how suitable to this Rule is all the direction of God in the Old Testament, and the Levitical Law, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and blood for blood. And also I find in the New Testament, Christ giving forth the same Power and Government; although different in words but to the same end, in these words; As many as believeth shall be saved; And as many as believeth not, are destroyed already: Here is the Power of Jesus Christ, who hath all power given into his hands in heaven and in earth; and so making forth this his Power in Believing: And also showing what is the depraved condition of man in unbelief to be destroyed: And the same Government, in these words, Do to thy neighbour, as to thyself; for on these two hangeth all the Law and Prophets: for surely this Rule of Righteousness shall judge all mankind with his works at the last day: so that I verily believe what Power and Government is not according to this Rule, cannot be called the Power of God, nor the Government of God; But the power of the depraved will of man, which is the power of darkness appointed to destruction: for in this Rule is nothing but love and peace in believing, in union and communion unspeakable to all Eternity: But in the depraved condition is nothing but envy, hatred, malice: for man is said in Scripture to be a Fox, a Wolf, a Bear, a lion, the Devil himself, seeking to destroy his neighbour: for surely Jesus Christ fore-appointed, and in time took humanity for this onely end; to restore man from this his depraved condition of darkness; and that this everlasting Gospel might be preached to the people: And then shall the Kingly Power of Christ appear, by ruling by this Rule of righteousness: And then shall the Anti-Christian powers of Kings and Rulers of the earth bring their Crowns and sceptres, and lay at the feet of Christs Government: And then shall we be all taught of him from the greatest to the least: And every man shall say to his neighbour, Come fear the Lord: And then shall our swords and spears be turned into pruning hooks: And every man shall sit under his own Vine in peace; And then shall the lion lie down with the Lamb, and the sword and war shall cease. I pray remember, the sword was taken up against Arbitrary power and tyranny, against the King and his evil Counsel; and the aid of the people required: And I judge no man could justify his so doing upon any other account; therefore down with Arbitrary power out of Parishes, Towns, Cities, Companies, Hospitals, Courts of Judicature; That the Righteous Government of Christs Kingly Power may reign on the earth: O let no man exercise Arbitrary power, lest he make himself to be guilty of the blood now spilled! Oh do not destroy another, and practise the same thing thyself! For if thou dost, thy doom is written: O I pray remember the saying of Satan to Christ, when he took him up into a high Mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the earth, and the glory thereof, and  told him, if he would fall down and worship him, he would give them all to him: But Satan thou art a liar, the kingdoms of the earth, and the glory thereof is the Lords, and him must thou serve. I pray remember the saying of Christ, who hath said, he will bring down all the high Mountains, and all tall Cedars, and all crooked and rough ways he will make smooth and plain: which can be no other then the bringing down of Anti-Christian Kingly power, ruling for self, and their cruel laws binding up the persons and consciences of men thereto, and their rough and persecuting ways which they have used on the Saints, who have spoken against it: Oh it is no marvel the Angels sang such a song at the Birth of Christ; Glory to God on high; good will to man: for surely it was a greater piece of the manifestation of his glory, in the restoring of mankind from his depraved condition; then in making the whole world at the first: And the greatest good will and love to man being irrecoverable, and whom all the whole world was too little to restore one of mankind. O you Ministers of Christ, is not this the everlasting Gospel and freedom of the people which you ought to have preached to the world, and practised; and not preached for self and self-Interest! O take heed you make not yourselves guilty of all the blood spilled in these dayes by such ministry! O you Commanders and Souldiers, if you be for Christ, then are you to fight for this freedom and liberties of the people against the depraved will of man: That the Righteous Government of Christ may be set up in the world: for the sword was never taken up on this account before; for the Kingly Power of Christ to reign in the Earth: Oh if you make this your business, who shall be able to stand before you! Is it not the Power of God put into your hands? O you that desire peace, and that War may cease, act no more Arbitrary power; for by it Peace cannot be obtained.  
But in this Rule of righteousness is nothing but love, and peace, and a qui●t enjoying of all good: And this I conceive to be the Work which is now working in the world; although most men are so opposite to it, and to their own good therein. And I conceive that Jesus Christ is this Rule of righteousness, set apart of God the Father before man was; to be the Restorer of mankind after his fall; which came in time, and hath perfected the work: O search and try all things, take nothing on trust from man; for it must be the Teaching of God that must give Peace and Rest, and enjoyment of happiness here and hereafter in the whole man: for this vile body shall be made a glorious body at the last Day, when time shall be no more. Also I conceive the whole Scripture is but the making forth of Gods glory: for by Temporary glory he maketh himself known; which a spiritual glory, and all the whole Scripture, was written but to make known the Power of God, and the weakness of the creature; And the greatness of his Love by Christ, in Restoring what the weakness of man hast lost in his Innocency: And this I conceive to be that Everlasting Gospel which ought to be held out to the world; wherein the greatness of his Glory doth appear to poor Creatures.  
FINIS.