No More Learning

15.
R. The hierarchy or government in heaven having been established by God from the beginning, principal
post of very high dignity was assigned to Lucifer but he not being content with his own principality, aspired higher, and so broke in upon the hierarchy.
C. How does this appear thought Lucifer had de signed to be God, and had made an attack upon him, to
d,pofe him, and reign His stead.
R. The person of God far exalted above the attempts
of angels, as well as men, and to invade his person thought too foolish for much more for an angel of heaven. The y? » of Lucifer and his angels was aspir ing to higher rank in the hierarchy than that in which God had plac'd them, and so was an immediate revolt from under the government of their superior angels but in
conse
(4. )
a
in a
is
;;
a
is
is a
? I
is, is
f~
330
The REHEARSAL.
consequence it was a rebellion against God, who had in-
stitutedtkoit orders of angels. There is no other way of
rebelling against God, but by oppofing his institutions ; for, as I faid, his person is not only above the reach, but out
of the fight, and above the understandings of angels, as well as of men.
Hence likewise will follow, that there is no rebellion whatever but against God ; for all order and government on earth, as well as in hea•ven (as we shall see in the sequel of this inquiry) being the positive institution of God, conse quently all disobedience to government, or rifing up against
i^t, is a rebellion against God the institutor ; as Moses faid to Korah, What is AArON that you murmur against him ? Your rebellion is against the Lord. Num. xvi. 1 1. As if a
servant mutiny against his fellcw-servant, and will not obey the orders of the steward, his rebellion is against
the master of the family ; and the consequence, if suffer
ed to go on, must prove the dissolution of the family,
and so may be faid to be an attempt against the master himself.
C. But how does it appear that the rebellion of Lucifer and his angels was for an higher rank in the hierarchy of heaven than was allotted them ?
Jl. St. Jude tells us, ver. 6. The angels who kept not their first estate (or principality as our margin reads the word 'A^))r which signisies government but left their ovun hahitation (eueqlqgeon that house or station allotted them) He hath reserved in everlasting chains, under dark
ness, unto thejudgment the great day.
keeping to their first estate or station crime the reserving in chains, &c. that crime.
Where their not nam'd as their the punishment for
The like description given Isai. xiv. 12. How art thou fallen from heaven, Lucifer, sen the morning For thou hast said in thine heart, will exalt my throne above the stars God will be like tke most
High. This was spoke of the king of Babylon, way 0/ allusion to the pride of Lucifer, which was only to be like the most High, not to dethrone him, but to be above the
of
O is
of
• ■/
Iof by
is is
)
;
is
it,
The REHEARSAL. 331
that the angels of God, as the bishqps of the rhurch are called stars and angels, Rev. 20. Tie seven Qars are the angels ofthe churches.
lars,
Gregory the great, bishop of Rome, who died in the 7th century, apply'd this text of Isaiah to 'John then bishop of Constantinople, who was the />yr that set up: for universal bishop telling him, that the bishops of the church were the
(lars of
above all these, he did imitate the pride of Lucifer.
Goct', and his to advance his throne seeking
What Isaiah called stars, Exekiel calls stones of fire, and makes the like allusion to describe the pride of the
ting of Tyrus. Thou art the anointed cherub thou wast upm the holy mountain of God thou hast walked up and douvn in the midst of the stones of fire —Thine heart wast lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wis-
etotn by reason thy brightness, Ezek. xxviii. 14, 17.
C. am fatisfy'd that government was sirst instituted in heaven among the angels of God, and that the sirst fin was
the revolt of Lucifer and his rebel-angels, to the distur
bance of that hierarchy, appointed God.
-At our next meeting, hope you will shew me,
how government began upon earth among men. And thence go on to shew the deduction of from that be
ginning, to this day. Which you can perform with clearness, will be of great use to the world but to
no place more than our England.
From
i
it
is,
I if
;
it,
i.
by
I
of
;
;
by
332
The REHEARSAL. i
From ctat. Aug. 1 1, to &at. Aug. 18, i 705. N° 55.
1. The oricinal state os nature sbewd to be a ftzte of government and subjection, not of independency. 2. St. Paul of a different opinion from Mr. Lock, as ts AdamV right by creation. 3. The sirst government
by institution, as well as nature. 4. A vindication of the sifth commandment from the trifling of Mr, Lock. An advertisanent. Concerning Sandwich. The Review, and experiment.
Counts Come now to hear, master, how government fae- JL gan among mankind ; and how it has been d, • dued to us from the beginning ; for that is the point we
are chiefly concern'd in.
R. The erecting of government among the spirits of heaven, and the sirst rebellion against it there, will be of
mighty use to us, in our inquiry after the nature of go-
vernment, and rebellion among mankind. Therefore the first of our six homilies against rebellion, begins with this revolt of Lucifer and his angels, as thesource and spring
of all rebellion among men.
(1. ) Government is dependency, when one depends upon another. It issuperiority, when one is superior, and an other inferior. Therefore they who wou'd have the ori ginal of government in the people are oblig'd to suppose a
of independency among all mankind, when no man in the world had any dependence upon any other man; and when no man wassuperior to another. This they call the siate of nature. And if such a state cannot be shew'd their whole scheme falls to the ground.
But they happen'd ill to call this the state of nature, a- mong a race of mankind, who all came into the world by generation. And nature has imprinted nothing more
strongly upon all mankind, than the duty and dependince ofchildren towards their parents, and the superiority of
parents over their children. And where either parents or
state
The REHEARSAL.
333 Or children ofsend against this law ofnature, the parents
not taking care of, and providing for their children ; or the children in not returning duty and obedience to their parents ; such are call'd un-natural. This is the com- . mon sentiment of all mankind : therefore this supposed in dependent state of mankind must be look'd for among the prœ-adamites. Or, we must suppose a shower of men dropping out ofthe clouds, without fathers or mothers, all upon the level. Or, that men were created in multi- ' tudes, like the beasts, hirds, fi(h, and fowl. And then indeed two men created at the same time, and not de- due'd the one from the other, wou'd be independent as to
nature. But without that, the independent^? ^ can not be the state of nature; but directly contrary to it.
(2. ) Now, countryman, letus observe, how Gorfdesigning man for government, express'd it in the occonomy of his creation, and founded it in very nature. To obviate these
salsely suppos'd pretences of the natural state, he created
but one man ; and did not create the woman at the fame
time, lest she might have pleaded independency ; but made her afterwards out of the man ; which shew'd her depen dency upon him : and she was made for his use, as an help meet for him. The apostle argues the authority of the man over the w/oman, from his being sirst created,
l Tim. ii. 12, 13. suffer
not a woman to teach, or to usurp authority over the man, but to be in filence. For
Adam was first formed, then Eve.
C. Our renown'd Mr. Lock, in his two treatises of go
vernment, which you have before taken notice of, laughs
at this argument. Which having been urg'd by Sir Rob. Filmer, Mr. Lock answers hook I. chap. iii. p. 19. That this argument will make the lion have as good a title to it
(the government) as he (Adam) and certainly the ancient- er, fays he.
R. Cou'd this pass from a school-hcy ? It is answer'd
like-a merry-andrew. Besides the utter contempt of, and
burlesquing the holy scriptures. But we must suppose Mr. Lock (like the rest of our common-wealth -men ) little con
verfant in those sacred oracles ; where they can sind no thing
334 The REHEARS AL. I cannot
thing favouring their papularschemes, otherwise
think that Mr. Lock, who pretended to sobriety* and a character ; would have attack'd the argument of the apt-
silt, in the person of Sir Rob. Filmer, if he had known it. (3. ) But to go on. I urge not nature alone for the
foundation of government : only I have gone thus far up on the argument of nature, to shew, that thestate of na
ture, which our vnhigs set up and recur to upon all oc
casions, was not a state of independency, as they wou'd
have it.
Now I proceed to shew, that God did not leave it
wholly to nature, though the arguments from nature were
strong against the state of independency : but he likewise
added his positive command and institution for government, betwixt Adam and Eve, before there were any other of
mankind in the world, faying- to Eve, Gen. iii.
defire /hall be to thy husband, and he shall rule truer tbee. Or, as our margin reads it, tboushall hesubject unto him : Or art commanded to be under obedience, as the apostle-
words Cor. xiv. 34. that there was no of in C. exceeding plain, state
dependency then. And that, both from nature, and the positive institution of God: otherwise Eve might have
with Adam, and claim'd the breeches, as some
disputed
ef her daughters have done since.
But now, master, when children were born to Adam,
how did go then
R. have told you before, that there no dictate of
nature more impress upon us, than the obedience of
your parents in all things, Colosl'. iii. 20. And this called thestrst commandment ivith promise, Eph. vi. 2. And the promise remarkable, that may be null -with
thee, and that thou mayest live long upon the earth. fay this remarkable, considering that in this command our
duty to our governors contained, who are our political fathers; and our rebellion against them, and taking the sward, will cause US to perish by the sword, and shorten
our
besides the frequent commands
children to their parents
of God in holy scripture for the fame as children obey
1 6. Thy>
is
? d
is
I It it,
is
it
'
:
is
I
is
;
it it
is 1
The REHEARSAL.
355 »ur days. And this is even a natural consequence, be
sides the tbreatning of God, and his promise, that \tshall be nvell with us, if we be obedient.
God expresses his own authority over us, by what we owe to our natural fathers. As he fays, Mai. i. 6. If I be a fatber, where is mine honour ?
(4. ) C. Mr. Lock thinks, or at least fays, that the pow er of the mother was equal to that of the father over
the children. And thence wou'd persuade us, that no thing of government is included in the $th command. He fays, book I. chap. vi. p. 76. that the fifth command was
so far from establishing the monarchical power of the fa ther, that itset up the mother equal with him. Then he quotes a great many texts where children aIre to honorfa
to that of the father's over their children.
R. No doubt there is honour and obedience due from
children to their mother, as well as to their father ; but to the mother in subordination to the father. So that if their commands shou'd interfere, that of the father must take place.
And the dominion and rule of the husband over the wife, and her being made subject to him, which I have shew'd before, duly consider'd, it cannot be suppos'd,
that her power was equal to his over their children. The mother has a poiver and authority over her children. But the supream po-wer is only in the father: for he commands both mother and children. Therefore God
ther and mother. And concludes,
ber that I
no more, the scripture joins mother too in that homage -which is due from children. And he employs a whole chapter, book II. chap. vi. to prove the mother's title equal
p. 78.
do not remem any where read, children obey your father and
supream I
when he asserts his authority over us, calls him
be a father, where is mine honour ? Whence some have thought, that
self our father, but never our mother.
our duty to God our father is contain'd in the c,th com mand, and therefore reckon'd it into the first table, of what relates to God.
But that it relates to- our spiritual and political fathers, to
If
336
The REHEARSAL.
to our governors in church and slate, is the common and
received opinion of the Chrisiian church : and express'd in our catechism, in our duty towards our neighbour : where immediately after honour thyfather and mother, follows, by way of explanation, to honour and obey the king, and all that are put in authority under him. To submit our selves to all our governors, teachers, spiritual pastors and masters. To order ourselves lowly and reverently to all our
betters. Where the whole œconomy of government, from the highest to the lowcst, is all included under the yh con- . mandment, and dedued from it.
This is shew'd more at large in Bishop OveraWs con- vocation-book, p. 25. where it is faid, " Thatitjs
generally agreed upon, that obedience to kings and ci vil magistrates is prescribed to all subjects in the sifth commandment, where we are enjoined to honour oui
parents. Whereby it followeth, that subjection of in
seriors unto their kings and governors, is grounded up on the very Jaw of nature; and consequently, that
the sentences of death, awarded by God himself, against such as shew'd themselves disobedient and incorrigi ble to their parents, of cursed them, or' struck them, were likewise due unto those, who committed any such offences against their kings and rulers, being the heads and fathers of their commonwealths and
kingdoms. "
Here is the authority of the whole church of England
in convocation assembled, against Mr. Lock in an expla nation of a text of scripture. And for his criticism, wherein he shews his wit, and found it out, (being cun ning ! ) that mother is join'd with father in the $tb com mand, it is no more an objection than where inferior go vernors are join'd with the supream, in the commands of oar obedience to them. As l Pet. ii. 15. Submit your
selves whether to the king as supream, or unto go vernors, as unto them that are sent by him. Will any fay here, that there is no supremacy given to the king, be cause other governors are join'd with him, in the fame
command of obedience? As much and no more, does the motbir,
The REHEARS AL.
337 vatber, being join'd with the father in the $th command,
take away the supremacy of the father! And yet so fond is Mr. Lack of this, as he thought, new discovery,
that he fays, p. 272. Had but this one thing been well
confider d— it wou'd have ended all the dispute about fa
therly authority, by setting up two co-ordinate monarchs,
Ithefather, and the mother.
Am told, that the Obfcrvator (which I have not seen,
for I
because no answer is given to those affidavits he has
printed relating to the flag hung out at Sandwich,
on the day of the late election there : and insers that the Rehearfal, by his silence, yields what he faid to be false.
The Rehearsal did not think it needful to take any no
tice of these affidavits, because they are nothing to the purpose, nor do they contradict the affidavits of Joseph
Hunger and George Broad, printed in Rehearsal, N. 46. Which do not so much as name some persons, which the other affidavits take pains to clear from having done that deed: so that this is wholly trifling. Again the affi davits of Joseph Hunger and George Broad do not posi
tively assert that this flag did belong to a troop of horse in the time of Oliver Cromwell, only, that they did take it to be so, and believd and that was Francis Hook who had caus'd to be hung out. But they name not the window, or any window out of which was hung, nor who did but as theysuppose: but that such fag
was hung up at the anabaptift meeting-house, and that they took particular notice of and of the arms decipher'd
read no more that paper scurrilous
)
does
insult,
and that was not the fame flag which Francis Hook afterwards produc'd to the mayor of the town, un
less alter this they positively swear against which nothing faid in the other affidavits, but that such one, and such one did not do and such one did not see and was not hung out at such win dow. All which makes nothing against what the two forenam'd had sworn.
In the fame Rehearsal, N. 46. are set down certificates Vol. Q. t.
upon
up
I. it,
is d,
it :
a it
it,
it
a a
a
it,
:
it it
a
it
it,
it,
338 The REHEARSAL;
to disprove the •villainous lye of the Review, about the mieather-cockiX. Oxford. And Rehear. Mt 44. disproves another as notorious a faljhood of the Review, in siA'am
to the church of England, which he asserts so pofitively, as that ifit be otherwise, he promises /»r ever to
do-wn this cause, and not to fay one word more to it. Yet he writes on still with as much fury (by way of modera tion against the church as ever. And without much as offering to justify or retract his weather-cock, and Other
as gross impofition's upon the credulity of the vulgar to en- flame the nation, and prejudice them against the church
established.
Shou'd now call him to repentance, and to make good
his promise Or to retract and make satisfaction to the world for his very lying book call'd the experiment, about Abraham Gill, prov'd to be such by certificate from the present lord bishop of Chester, publish'd in several Ga zettes In that book he lays load, with all his venom, upon the church of England, and turns his own Shortest •way upon her (he still fond of that performance and provokes any to disprove one word of thesatis he relates. Yet being undeniably disproved, in the principal point, he blusheth not, nor thinks of repentance These men's principle is, to do no right, and take no -wrong. They boldly call upon others to make good what they fay. To prove, or to retract. But when requiri from themselves, they laugh and make jest of and go
on still in their wickedness and make no scruple to re peat the fame di/prov'd lyes and slanders over and
over again, with re-doubsd assurance
This by way of advertijement. For will not be
verted from the thread of the subject am upon, to fol
low men destitute of common honesty or shame. But my fatisfaction is, that have fully shew'd them to be yici:
and have left them.
From
so I
?
) ? I
I
:
is
l
a I!
it, di
!
so
:
! )
lay
The REHEARSAL.
From ^at. Aug. 18, to ,f>at Aug. 25, 1705. N° 56.
I. The government os Adam was sovereign ; with pow er os'lise and death, &c. 2. Proved by Mr. Lock, in his oppofing it. 3. The succession os the sirst-born,
to the government, proved from the consent os man kind, and the law os nature. 4. Some exceptions do affirm the rule. 5. App'lyd to elective kingdoms, and common-wealths.
Coun. ' I HUS far, master, I think we have gone on
X. s<*fily and clearly, that the state of nature was at the sirst a st ate of government and subjection, not of
That Adam had the government over £1^ ; and over all their children. And that all this was found
ed in very nature, besides the positive institution of God, to render all sure and certain, and cut off all occaston of dispute. So that the first state of nature, to which all
independency.
our whigs do reser, makes clearly against them, and is wholly on your side who plead for government, and the
divine institution of it; against that original indepen dent state of nature, which the wAtjs do suppose, but can never prove, unless they can sind some other origi
nal of mankind than the holy scriptures have told us.
But now, master, it remains to enquire what this government was which was plac'd in Adam ? How far it extended ? whether to life and death ? And all things to which our present governments upon earth do extend I
R. The nature of government is the fame, in all siWs and places. We have several modifications os
33j
(1. )
vernment in-the world now. Monarchies,
and what we call democracies: tho' none are properly siich, that is, by the eqaal vote of all the people. But in all these, wherever the fupream power is lodg'd, it is
and unaccountable, and extends to and death, and every thing of liberty, property, and whatever re
absolute,
lates to this world. WithouQt this there cou'd be no go-
•-
z vernment.
aristocracies,
54®
The REHEARSAL.
•vernmcnt. For how otherwise can the refractory be re-
ducd, or peace preserv'd ?
In my last I hope I have clear'd the matter as to Eve's
having a co-ordinate power with Adam over their children, which Mr. Lock has asserted. On the contrary, I have Thew'd, that Adam had thesupreme power, as well over
Eve, as over their children. And that the power of Eve over their children, was not co-ordinate, but sub- crdinate to that of Adam.
Now the supreme power has been call'd by several
names, in different ages and places. As by the name
of king, emperor, governor, protector, patriarch, captain, judge, Sec. But all of them took the name of father of
their country. And the fame thing was meant by all these names, that the supreme power. Which having been lodg'd in Adam, as well nature, as the divine appointment, he may be call'd any of these names. Tho' that offather was the ancientest, and includes all
the rest.
This thus explauVdin Bp. Overall's convocation-
. BOOK, lib. I. cap. z. where the power of Adam call'd
patriarchal, regal, or imperial and the reason given, because had no superior authority or power over or above
on earth. And whatever power has no superior, must be supreme and must be absolute and unaccounta ble. Since nothing but superior can call any to account,
or limit his power. For whatever does limit, or call to account, in that act, superior.
After the murder of Abel, Cain became vagabond
andfugitive. And why Because, fays he, every one that findeth me will stay me. We cannot suppose, that was every body's power to kill another, for any
crime, that wou'd make wild conszfeon upon the earth. And never was so, in any nation or government what soever. For inconsistent with all order, rule, or
government.
more reasonable to suppose, that Adam had pro-
scrib'd Cain, for the murder of his brother, and upon his
fight, had given orders for any that mt biro, Vojlay him. For
It is
it
in
it is
is,
it
it
is
a ?
a
a
is
it ;
;
by by
is
34* For which reason he and nutnt off, far from
his father, to the land of Nod. And built a city, pro bably for his own defence ; getting a band of men about him, who wou'd stand by him.
But however that was, the power of Adam was sove reign, for the reasons aforefaid. Or otherwise it must be, that there was no government whatsoever then upon the
face of the earth, but every man left to do what was good -in his own eyes. To plunder, steal, or kill any man, at his own discretion : which was inconsistent with the dominion
given to Adam over his wife and children, which we have seen before. And why was rule and dominion given to> Adam, and they all made subject unto him, but that he should govern them? And astate ofgovernment and inde pendency cannot stand together. They are contradictory the one to the other. Or can any suppose, that Adam, to whom the sirst grant and right ofgovernment was given, and from whom all mankind deduc'd their authority over their wives and children ; had not himself as great authority as we sind afterwards exercis'd by the fathers offamilies, where there was no superior political power to restrain them? As Judah commanded his daughter-in-law Ta- mar to be burnt, for playing the harlot ; and when it was found to be by himself, heforgave her, but none pretended to punish him. Here was absolute power in a
This he deriv'd from Adam. And had not Adam
family.
then as great power as Judah his son ? Judah was not then in his father's family ; and was not under the
subjection of any prince, who might restrain his fatherly authority in his own family. And was not Adam as
free as he ?
(2. ) Mr. Lock in his two treatises of government, p. 78. is forc'd to consess, that the power of life and death
was in the power of the father, but he will join the mother with him, because they are nam'd together, Zech. xiii. 3. " And it mall come to pass, that when any shall' yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him, shall fay unto him, thou shalt not live, for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his fa-
0. 3
ther
34a
The REHEARSAL.
ther and mother that begat him shall thrust him thro'
when he prophesieth. " Upon which Mr. Lock fays, " Here not the father only, but father and mother
had power in this case of lise and death. "
In my last 1 have shew'd, that the power of the mother over the children was not co-ordinate, but sub-ordinate to
that of the father. And the mother being here join'd in this execution, is for the greater abhorrence of the fin of blasphemy, in the son, and to shew, that her bow- tls, as a mother, must give place to her duty and regard to God. But suppose she shou'd have refus'd, thro' her
jointly,
to have join'd in this execution, wou'd that have taken away the power of the father to have done it himself? Or suppose the father shou'd have acquitted him for thisfin, cou'd the mother condemn and executt
him against the authority of the father ?
C. All this is plain, and that the supreme authority
was in the father. And consequently, by Mr. Lock's own consession, that the power of life and death was in the fatherhood, since he allows it in the parental autho
rity. Therefore there is no denying, that Adam had the power of life and death ; and consequently was a Hug, as well as a father ; since every father is a king in his own family, where there is no superior king or father to restrain his authority, in fach cafes as he thinks
fit, and bring them to be judg'd by him the supreme lard.
And thescriptures you have brought proving what was right and the law now, from what it was with Adam, as the woman to be insubjeclion, because Adam was first form'd; and, as also faith the law, i Tim. ii. 13. and I Cor. adv. 34. that is, this law given to Adam, shews that all authority is deriv'd from even the full fatherly authority, with power of life and death, as ex- ercis'd by fathers, that were not under a superior au thority afterwards ; which implies the whole regal au thority, that can extend no further than life and death : 1 fay, all this must have been undimably in Adam, since it is all deriv'd from that authority sirst given to him.
tenderness,
(3. ) But now, master, I am further to be inform'd how it
The REHEARSAl*
343
it went after Adam's death. To whom did his supreme
Or was it to end with him, since we sind not a grant to him and his successors ? Or who
was to be his successors?
R. That the government sirst sounded in Adam was not j
authority descend?
to cease with him, but to continue as a rule and standard, in all after ages to the end of the world, appears by the apostles making it a rule in their age, and an univer
sal rule to all mankind' for as such he speaks of those texts thou hast just now quoted.
And the common way of all the earth, from Adam to this day, has been, that the first-horn son Ihou'd succeed
the power and government of the sather upon his de- cease and as St. Augustin fays, what has always been5 and whose beginning we know not, we must conclude
have been from the beginning.
And this, the way, strong consirmation of
what prov'd before out of holy scripture, that the power of the mother was not equal xo that of the father over the children because, upon: the father's death, the go vernment did not devolve to the mother, assurvivor, which must have been the case, they had been copart ners in the government, but descended to the eldest son, as heir of his father and the queen consort became queen mother, and subset! to her son as with us to this day. And in the descent of private inheritance, the mo ther has a dowry orjointure during her lise, but the estate immediately descends to the eldest son, upon hisfa ther death.
G. The way and general custom of the whole earth of great weight, and the surest rule we have to know what we call the law of nature, as being that
which nature does dictate to all and which mo
\
rally impossible, that all men should otherwise agree.
yet surer indication of matter offact, that this was;
the method from the beginning, when we fee not the be
ginning or institution of set up as new thing, in any ester or later ages but to have com,e down, in full
currency, froni the beginning.
Q. 4 . (4. ) Yet,
But
;
it,
it is is
in
a
a
in
it is
sI;
is ;:
it
if
is a
it is
it,
a
;
;
by
in, y\
344
The REHEARSAL.
(4. ) Yet, master, there are exceptions from this general rule. As our gavel-kind, and other particular tenures in
England. places.
And I am toW, that there is the like in othei
R. It is a rule in grammar, and holds in other matteis, that an exception does affirm the rule, in all s«/2\i that aie not excepted. And indeed what law or custom can be
call'd general, or the of nature, ifa sew exceptions can overturn it ? We shall sind nothing to call the law of nature, at this rate, but eating, drinking, and
There is hardly any moral virtue, but we shall sind particular customs in some places to contradict it. And that is counted •virtuous in some countries, which is not
thought so in others. And some things are veryshame ful in this place, that are accomplishments in that.
The Romans thought self-murder an heroical act; and
theft was allow'd among the Lacedæmonians. The M»-
grelians at this day, who are Christians, think it no of fence against the law of God, or nature, to &// their young children, ifthey have more than they think they can maintain : esteeming it preserable for them to die young, than to live miserably. So that if we let some exceptions take away the general rule, these men that plead so much for the law of nature, will hardly be able
ro tell where to sind it.
(5. ) C. But what shall we fay, master, to Poland, that
is now an elective kingdom ? and Denmark, and Sweden were once so. What shall we fay to the Romans, and Grecians, and the several common-wealths at this day, as Venice and Holland? &c.
R. These are to be reckon'd among the exceptions, for these were not from the beginning -, because we know their beginning. The sirst common-wealths that ever were in the world, were those of Greece. And they began by
the mutiny and rebellion of the soldiers against generals and kings. And the whole curse of them while they last ed, was confuston and contest about their new schemes of
government, which they had invented ; with most bloody and perpetual wars, which rendered their whole country one continu'd Jbambles of/laughter. But
ing.
The REHEARSAL;
34£ But before that time, the way and manner of the
whole earth, without any exception, was hereditary mo
narchy. They knew of no other species of government. This therefore was that which was from the beginning;
and consequently which had descended from Adam.
C. This appears very plain to me. But, master, have
we no authority from scripture, concerning this right of
the first-born to succeed? this wou'd fortify and confirm very much.
R. There is proof sufficient, countryman, from holy- scripture, which I will shew thee at our next meeting. But
I was willing to pursue, in this, the topick I have ob- serv'd from the beginning, of considering nature as well as institution ; because our adversaries make such a stir a- bout nature, and think all natural arguments on their side. Therefore my sirst proof for the right of theprimo^
geniture has been from the general consent of mankind, and whatever we can call the law or dittate of nature.
From if>at. Aug. 25, to ^at. Sept 1, 1705. N° 57.
1 . The succession of the sirst-born, as well as the species of government, further demonstrated by the four rules in The short method with the deists. And shevSd to be infallible. 2.