Good Work for a Good Magistrate, Part 1 – Part 3
I. To advance true Religion.
FOr the Advancement of Religion, it will bee expedient to ſhew how the Univerſities may bee made uſeful that waie, as beeing the foundation, upon which the other is built.
Though it may bee diſputed why illuſtrious Schools, or Colleges ſhould not bee ſeparated in other parts of this Land, and not all confin'd to Cambridg and Oxford, and theſe ſo neer, as in Yorkſhire, Cornwal, and Wales, &c. yet becauſ the regulating of theſe wee have, may reach thoſe thoughts hereafter, it is conceived, for preſent, fit to pitch upon that work onelyonly.
And becauſ the frame of theſe two ſeem's verie rotten, and much ſhaken, doubtleſs the Cure muſt bee in the foundation; though it bee offenſive to ſom, reverencing too much the aſhes of their founders, who (under the notion of Chriſt) ſerved Anti-Chriſt by works of that kinde.
The true Regulating of theſe Colleges therefore will bee the returning them to the ſervice of Chriſt indeed. Though in the Goſpel wee have no footſteps at all for ſuch conjunction of men in anie place; yet doubtleſs they may have their uſe; and Learning will prove oil to the wheel in manie works.
I ſuppoſe it will not bee hard to perſwade men to take leav of thoſe ornaments (or rags rather) the monuments of Idolatrie, viz. gown, caps, Matriculations, with the manie ceremonies about Commencements; but let Sholars live as other men for apparel, &c.
Colleges properlie are the meeting of men for the hearing Lectures, and improving their parts, not wals to contein monaſtick d…ones; and ſo loſe the ends of other mens bounties, as of their own precious time.
There need no volumes, nor tedious rules of ordering the waie of Colleges, or ſtudies, if wee agree once upon the End.
Two things therfore wee propound:
I. That the End bee Chriſtian and Noble.
II. That the means bee adequate.
I. For the End, it is generally agreed, that it ſhould bee the preparing and ſitting younger people for ſom ſervice, in reference to their Countries; not for ſtudying to determine in ſtudying; eſpecially in tendencie to ſpiritual or civil good; commonly called Miniſtrie, and Magiſtracie: with which terms I know not why anie ſhould quarrel.
II. Then the Means need to lead that way, and to bee ſuitable and certain, if poſſible. For preſent this is offred; viz. That ſuppoſing there bee ſixteen ſuch Houſes in Cambridg, eight may bee laid apart wholly, and onelyonly for thoſe intended for the Miniſtrie: To carrie this on
1. That, as the Jeſuits for wits, ſo wee, for godlineſs, chuſe all ſuch youth in anie place, or condition where wee finde them at plough or trade, which are godlie and tractable, and ſend them thither to ſtudie Logick, and tongues, and ſuch to have their maintenance there out of Scholarſhips, &c.
2. For whom ſix Tutors are to bee appointed in each College, and have 200 l per annum wholly to attend that work; and the Senior of theſe ſix to bee preſident firſt, and the reſt in order for the carrying on that work.
3. And all the reſt of the Fellowſhips and Scholarſhips revenue laid up in a ſtock, to maintein theſe young Preachers, when ſent out, till they bee ſetled in the Countrey: and the Tutors of theſe Colleges ſhall give teſtimonie for them ſo ſent out; or elſ not to bee received: and ſo if you need ten or twentie preachers at anie time, you may have them and recruit again, as the Regiment in London doth now.
4. And having ſuch materials, everie College may have in it a Church of Chriſt; and ſo eight Churches; and more may bee in the Town, which may ſpread over all the Nation.
5. That they bee taught and exampled by their Tutors in the ſhorteſt waie, for doubtleſs theſe godlie Students will get more in moneths, then others in years; their own conſcience beeing an alarum to them: And hence with ſubmiſſion it is offred, that Tutors would let them know what parts of man they muſt deal withal in preaching, viz.
1. The memorie: therefore Method muſt bee had.
2. The Judgment: ergò cleering of difficulties of all kindes.
3. The Will: which the doctrinal part applied may convince home.
And therefore they do well, that in their preaching, and publick reading the Scripture, Firſt analize the chapter; Secondly, cleer all difficulties in it where ever it lie's; and thirdly, draw ſom concluſions from the analyſis, which muſt needs bee the marrow of the Scripture. Wee are bold to conclude, theſe three things will make a good Preacher in reference to means (the help of the ſpirit ſuppoſed)▪
1. Sound Judgment in the Scriptures; which muſt bee got by prayer and dailie reading. Manie commentators will not do much good; the the laſt are beſt; for Polemicks your Jeſuites will ſerv for water-bearers: Am…ſius, and ſom ſuch ſhort writers are beſt, &c.
2. A gift of Application, and bringing that to your heart which wee know; here all thoſe rational helps of ſpeech will do well; here Chriſt's reaching by ſimilitudes would bee minded, which are properly the fooliſhneſs of preaching, and ſom have found do moſt good.
3. Dexteritie in caſe of Conſcience: in which particular the miſerie of this nation ought to bee bewailed, who were wont to bee fruitful in caſes. Perkins and Ames have don a little that way, but not much. What want of converting Preachers there is, who ſee's not? and that high opinion of illiterate men's doing ſo much good is a miſtake, if generally obſerved.
And when they are thus fitted, they may bee ſent out when there is need, and mainteined by the Collegeſtock, till provided for in the Countrey, where they may gather Churches in the Countie. All well qualified for the work may join at firſt; and after, as the bleſſing of God appear's, leſſer Churches in ſeveral places may ariſe, and Communion held amongſt them all, according to that waie of New-England, ſet forth by Hooker and Cotton.
Their maintenance may bee of tithes, or rather from ſomthing anſwerable at two ſhillings, one ſhilling, or eighteen pence upon a pound-rent: which ſtock may bee put into three gentlemen's hands, choſen yearly for that purpoſe, and thence allow to theſe Preachers, according to their places, conditions, and families: and out of this ſtock thirtie pound per annum to the widow, during widowhood, when anie die's; out of this ſtock the poor may have help; yea good ſummes may bee borrowed by the State in anie exigent upon good ſecuritie.
And thus the State paie's them, and thus they have dependance upon the State.
Two of the ableſt of theſe, may one day in a week, at the Countie-Town, anſwer all controverſies, according to a Rule after preſcribed.
And for the other eight Colleges, they may have in each ſix Tutors, to whom, all Gentlemen that would learn anie other Arts or Science whatſoever may reſort, and there may you have whatever anie out-Landiſh Academie can teach: from thence, if anie will applie themſelves to the Miniſtrie, they may com to the other Colleges.
And the ſtock alſo of theſe Colleges ſo preſerved, that by that means they may ſend ſom to travel abroad, and bee more furniſhed for the States ſervice, as the Hungarians and other people do.
To all this I would add, that manie of your Gentrie, Lawyers, and Phyſitians might do well to applie themſelves, beeing godlie, and qualified, as manie are.
Or why might not ſom of the numerous Gentrie in their Countrey, ſtudie, and either preach for nothing; or give Phyſick gratis, or adviſe in matters of Law freely?
The ſins of Sodom creep upon us: and whileſt our Souldiers are whetting their ſwords for the next battel, how manie are whetting their knives for the next feaſt? oh! why ſhould anie make Recreation a trade?
The great Turk teacheth better doctrine, who muſt bee skill'd in ſom handicraft: and moſt forrein Princes are Merchants.
After the foundation is well laid in the Univerſitie, the building thereupon may bee thus framed.
1. Let certain able, fit, godlie, and learned men bee maintained that, not beeing tied by office to anie particular charge, or flock, may, both in publick and private, take all lawful advantages, and opportunities to preach, and diſpute for true Religion, travelling continually to that end, and perſwading all men, to forſake the waies of ſin and error, and to retein and profeſs the truth, and walk therein.Acts 8. 4. Acts 17. 2. and ch. 19. v. 6. to 10. Acts 13. 3. and 14, 15, 16. v. 1 Cor. 14. 1.
2. And ſom one or more ſetled in everie great Town; that at certain ſet times, and places, weekly, may offer to diſpute anie point with anie man, in publick hearing of all that pleaſ to com; and ſom to bee appointed Moderators, and one or two appointed by the Magiſtrates to fine, or mulct either partie, that ſhall reproch, cenſure, or uſe anie unſeemlie language, contrarie to humanitie, love, Religion, &c. The advancement of Religion hereby would bee almoſt incredible.Acts▪ 28. 16. to 31. v.
3. To countenance, and take into ſpecial protection all the Churches of Chriſt, who hold but ſo much fundamental truth, as denominate's them ſuch, in ſpirituals to leav them wholly free; but not to ſuffer anie brother uncivilly (though it bee about ſpirituall Controverſies) to abuſe another, either in word or deed, in private or publick, againſt which certain penalties may bee made; ſo ſhall the Churches have peace, and bee daily multiplied.Iſa. 49. 23.
4. To cauſ to bee brought into a Method and printed, thoſe plain Rules in God's word, which hee hath ordained, to preſerv, and increaſ love and peace amongſt Churches, and Chriſtians, which Rules are ſo plain and expreſs, that hardly can anie contention break into a Church, if the Elders do but practiſe them themſelvs, and ſee the Members do the like; if but the Rules to order men's words onelyonly were but well obſerved, 'tis ſtrange, what peace and love there might bee.Pſal. 119. 5. to 16. v. &c. and 27. 32. 46. 52.
5. Let everie Church at their entring into that Eſtate (or after) petition the Magiſtrate for protection, &c. and at the ſame time alſo deliver up to the ſame Magiſtrate a book of the Articles of their Faith: and wherein they differ from others, and promiſe the Magiſtrate alſo publickly, to walk peaceably together therein▪
That ſo, if, after that, anie Brother fall from the Profeſſion of all, or anie of thoſe Articles, and yet will neither leav that Church, nor ſuffer them to meet in peace, but ſtill go on to diſturb them (for ſuch there are,) and is uncivil, through a perverſ zeal, let him bee puniſhed in ſom ſort by the Magiſtrate, according to his offence, and the Church to excommunicate him if they finde cauſ, &c.
6. To provide maintenance for Miniſters, and learned men in all Languages, and learning what can bee, eſpecially, for Churches that are poor, &c. about which much might bee ſaid, &c.
7. If the Magiſtrate ſee cauſ, to exhort, and ſtir up the Churches to keep cloſe to their own Principles, and to bee more zealous, both in word and deed, &c.Iſa. 49. 23.
8. To advance ſuch to all places of power, honor, and wealth, who are pureſt in their Profeſſion, and practiſe of true Religion, both towards God and man.Prov. 4. 8. 21. and v. 21. 1 Sam. 2. 30. Numb. 27. 20.
After the love and honor of God, hee chargeth us to love and help our Neighbor, the Magiſtrate eſpecially, is charged with the weak, as the widows, fathertheleſs, the poor, and the helpleſs, &c. of which part of God's will the Magiſtrate is to have a ſpecial care; to accompliſh which, a general rule muſt bee, that the poor may have their commodities taken off at a markettable price; elſ they will rather beg, or ſteal then work. To which purpoſe the Council of Trade ſhould bee the Merchant for the State, and in all Counties to have a ſtock readie, to buy at uſuall rate the commoditie of the Laborer; ſo as hee may live comfortably, and then the rule following may bee attended.Iſa. 1. 17. Job 29. 12, 13.
1. Let all vagabonds and idle perſons, and ſuch as make a trade of begging, that are able to do anie kinde of work, bee reſtrained, ſet to work, or puniſhed.Pſal. 109. 10. Ezek. 16. 49. 2 Theſ. 3. 10.
2. Let ſuch proviſion bee made, that all may bee ſet to work that are able, and willing; that all excuſe for beging or ſtealing bee prevented, which is not ſo hard to bee don.1 Theſſ 4. 11. 2▪3 10. 1 Tim. 5. 8.
3. All lame and blinde that are healthful, may bee ſet to ſom work, and the ſick, and unable kept in Hoſpitals; and it is the Magiſtrates dutie to ſee it performed, out of love to humanitie, and maintenance cannot bee wanting if full indeavor bee uſed therein. Amſterdam is far advanced herein.1 Tim. 5. 8. Judg. 16. 21.
4. Let truly poor Families and perſons bee made partakers of the publick Alms, either of the Churches of which they are, or houſes in which they dwel; Amſterdam doth much this waie, but this work might bee much more advanced: and the Lord would delight in ſuch, and do them good.Exod. 22. 22, 23. v. Prov. 14. 21. and 31. v. Prov. 19. 17. and 29. 7. ch. 28. 27. and 22. 9.
5. Let in everie town a Lombard (or bank of lending) bee appointed, where the poor, that have no friends, or will not make their need known, and ſuch as on a ſudden are fallen into ſom ſtrait, may have monie upon their paune upon a reaſonable Intereſt; A Lombard well regulated, would bee a worke of much merciemercy; and the monies of orphans might bee imploied in this waie to maintein the fatherleſs, and increaſ their ſtock, ſo would good bee don both waies. And herein lie's the wiſdom of the Magiſtrates, to do a publick good, and yet not hinder, yea oft increaſ the publick ſtock of the Common-wealth; manie ſuch things are don in the Low-Countries.Luk. 19. 23.
6. To give freedom of dwelling, Trading, and protection [merciemercy alſo] to all ſtrangers; to make little or no difference, as the Lord of old commanded his People, and promiſed to bleſs them for it, and this will inrich a Nation mightily, as wee ſee in Holland, aud not hurt anie Natives, as envious Perſons think, and can by good Reaſons bee proved.Levit. 19. 33, 34. Deut. 10. 19. Exod. 23. 9. and 22-21.
7. A ſpecial relief to poor people, and great good unto all ſorts is the coining of farthings, and half farthings, and other ſmall monie, 'tis incredible the good and convenience of it; and all former inconveniences as eaſily prevented: for which end, all money leſs then ſixpences mixed with ſo much Copper or braſs; that from one pennie to four pence, all may bee as big as ſixpences, and the farthings or half farthings muſt bee made ſo big, that they may have their value in copper, ſo will they not bee made by others, when the profit is ſmall, nor people loſe them when they are made ſo big; but ſpecial care muſt bee had, that ſo much copper and ſmall monie bee not made, as would bee a burthen to anie.Mat. 10. 29. Mar. 12. 42.
8. A Chamber, or Court to keep ſecure, and advance the eſtates of fatherleſs Children, &c. is of great uſe and relief for Orphans; the Laws and Orders about it are manie, and all muſt tend to the ſecuritie and increaſ of the eſtates of ſuch Children; as their Parents for the better ſecuritie have by teſtament, betruſted the publick with; or as it is in Holland, where the eſtates of all that die without wills, are ſeized by the deputies of that Court, and the neareſt or beſt friends of the Children ordered to manage the eſtate of the children: yet ſo as they may do nothing without conſent of the Lords; and what is don at laſt, is all upon good ſecuritie, for ſafetie and increaſ of the eſtate, which beeing managed by true Juſtice and merciemercy, is of great uſe to the fatherleſs, and of great uſe to the Common-wealth, as might bee manie waies proved.Ezek. 22. 7. Deut. 10. 18. Iſa. 1. 17. Jer. 5. 28.
9. And ſom courſ muſt needs bee taken, that poor men eſpecially, may not bee for ſmall debts clapt up in priſon, and thereby they and their families undon in a ſhort time, becauſ hee is not able to put in Bail; yea, how manie a Merchant undon preſently, that was in a thriving waie, and ſtrangers alſo oft undon upon meer pretences; and great is this oppreſſion.Prov. 21. 13. Mat. 18. 30. to 33. v.
10. Wherefore, let no houskeeper that hath dwelt in that place a year, or a year and a quarter, bee liable to bee arreſted till after ſentence, and execution bee out againſt his goods; and if no goods can bee found, then the creditor may have power to laie the debtor in priſon, if hee think hee hath concealed his goods, and have anie friends that will releaſ him, provided the Creditor muſt allow him ſix pence a daie, or leſs, ſo long as hee keep's him there: and though this may bee abuſed, yet cannot bee ſo hurtful as the other.Prov. 14. 31.
11. Another relief to poor and ſtrangers is, that no ſtranger (that is not a Town-dweller) after arreſt may bee carried to priſon; nor anie ſute begun till parties appear before the Peace-makers, appointed in everie Town for that purpoſe, to ſee if they can end the controverſie, and perſwade them to peace and love; if not, let the debtor put in ſecuritie to anſwer the debt, if poſſible hee can: if not, let him bee forced to put into the hands of the Peace-makers (or others) twentie ſhillings, fiftie ſhillings, five pounds, ten pound, or one hundred pounds, as the man is of abilitie, and the debt in greatneſs, on condition to have his libertie preſently in that Town, but not to go out of Town, till ſentence bee given one waie or other, upon forfeiture to the poor of that ſumm depoſited in the Peacemakers hands, if hee go out of Town before the debts bee paid, and the Creditor to take ſom other opportunitie, to ſue the debtor in the Town where the debtor dwel's, or to arreſt him another time, in the ſame Town, and then not ſo to bee truſted again.1 Cor. 6. 5. Mat. 5. 9.
12. Great cruelties are committed in Priſons, by great charges for fees, chambers, and dear victuals, and by ſtinking and unwholſom rooms; all which in MercieMercy and love to humanitie ought to bee prevented.Pſal. 107. 10. Mat. 18. 30. Prov. 14. 31.
13. Som courſ alſo muſt bee taken, that widows and under aged, and perſons of ſmall parts and education, may not bee over-reached, as oft they are by agreements, and under-writing of bills, for which are divers Remedies.Iſa. 10. 2. Exod. 22. 22. Ezek. 22. 7.
14. That none bee preſt to ſerv the State as Souldiers, by ſea or Land, againſt their wills, (the evils of which are great and manie) unleſs in ſom verie great exigent; and no State ſhall need to do it, if they manage State-affairs well; keep a rich, publick ſtock, and pay well, you ſhall never want men; and ſhould not they bee juſt and pay well that are to adminiſter Juſtice to all others?Iſa. 5. 7. Prov. 14. 31.
15. Needs muſt there bee ſet up in everie Town a houſ, to receiv and bring up to all manner of Trades, the Orphans of ſuch, as die without anie eſtate (or if they have ſo little, that none of their Kinred or acquaintance will take upon them, to bring up the Children) who beeing left to beg, or periſh, &c. the civil Fathers of the * fatherleſs are to take charge of them; young babes to bee nurſt up, and after learned to read, write, &c. and when big enough, to bee ſet to work, to learn ſomthing to live by; and if the ſtock will bear it, to have ten or twentie pounds to ſet up a trade for themſelvs, beeing big enough; or when they marrie out of the Weeſhouſ, as manie do in Holland. The orders for to regulate this houſ are manie.* Deut. 10. 18. Jeremie 5. 28.
And for means to maintein it, everie able Citizen, at firſt, will give ten, twentie, one hundred pounds, or more, beeing put on it by the Magiſtrates and Miniſters, and more will daily bee given by divers waies, and eſpecially by Teſtament when men die, if all bee right carried.
III. Juſtice.
VVHere there is true Religion and MercieMercy, no doubt but there will bee good Juſtice; yea, Justice is more neceſſarie to the immediate ſubſiſtence of a Common-wealth then the two former; for manie Common-wealths ſubſiſt without true Religion▪ and much MercieMercy; but without Juſtice, no Common-wealth can long ſubſiſt; and it is, of the three, the moſt immediate and proper work of the Magiſtrate's office, *Rom. 12. 1.to ſee true Juſtice executed.