whose Authoritie alone the Laws are executed for it is he that beareth the Sword And Plutarch says of him that he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely govern according to the Laws but hath a power above them He hath so indeed for the good of his Subjects to whom the rigorous execution of the Laws in many cases would be an insupportable burden if by the Kings Authoritie they might not be moderated and interpreted by Rules of Equitie against which our Dissenters have the least reason of any men alive to object And if we grant him this power for our good how can we deny it to him for his own That Learned Casuist Bishop Sanderson whose modesty in other Resolutions is eminent in resolving this Question Whether it be lawful for the Prince in cases extraordinary to do any thing besides or against Law undertakes to prove the Affirmative with an extraordinary confidence and which is more to prove it by that abused Maxime which some would invert against the King Salus Populi Suprema Lex That the Peoples Safetie is the highest Law And if I prove not this as your selves shall confess from that very Maxime saith he then say that I cannot see at noon-day and censure me to have been not a Defender of this good Cause but a Betrayer and Praevaricator Which thus he doth First he tells us the Original of that Sentence viz. from Cicero de Legibus in these words l. 3. Regio Imperio duo sunto iique praeeundo judicando consulendo Praetores Judices Consules appellantur Militiae Summum Jus habento nemini parento Ollis Salus Populi Suprema Lex esto Now to whom doth this power belong to them says the very Letter of those Laws to whom the Imperial power was committed that is to the two Consuls for the time being Come now says the Bishop all you that are the Patrons of Popular confidence read weigh and examine every Word Syllable and Comma and shew where you can find the least hint of any power granted to Subjects against their Princes will either to judge concerning the safety of the people or to determine and do any thing against the Laws Doth not the whole series both of Things and Words loudly proclaim that the Supream Authoritie which is above all Law and that the care of the Publick safetie properly belongs to him alone to whom the Imperial power the right of the Militia and that Supream Authoritie which is subject to none is granted When the Law commands one thing says Aeneas Sylvius de Ortu Imperii c. 20. and Equity another it is fit the Emperour should temper the rigour of the Law with the bridle of Equity Seeing no Decree of the Law though made by never so deliberate advice can sufficiently answer the various and unthought-of plottings of mans nature and it is manifest that the Laws which aforetime were just in after-times may prove unjust harsh and unprofitable to moderate which it is needful that the Prince who is Lord of the Laws interpose his Authority And where it is said that a Law though it be severe should be observed this respects inseriour Magistrates not the Emperour to whom the power of moderating the Laws is so connexed that by no decrees of man it can be pull'd from him Bishop Sanderson gives a pertinent instance to this purpose in his Book de Oblig Consc p. 384. That when upon discovery of the Gunpowder-plot the Traitors fled some of them were pursued by the High Sheriff of Worcester-shire who having hunted them from place to place came to the Confines of his Countie beyond which he was not to pass with his Souldiers by the Law yet fearing that they might otherwise escape he pursues them into another County takes them and brings them Prisoners Yet knowing he had transgressed the Law and lest others in matters of less moment should be encouraged to do the like or himself be exposed to future trouble he presently goes to the King and obtains his Pardon What excellent Chymists were they who out of those golden Laws should draw out so many Swords and Axes against their Soveraign and Fellow-subjects on such a vile pretence And is not our young Empyrick neer of kin to them who by his Mountebank-Receipts would poyson the People with a conceit that they may by the Laws arm themselves against the King if they shall judge that he doth transgress those Laws that then he is no longer a Minister of God but of the Devil and may be persecuted as a Midnight-Thief or Highway-Robber or in the words of Gregory as a common Cut-throat pag. 25. And that he is hardly to be blamed who shews himself so courageous for God and for that Religion which he approves as to assassinate his Prince To conclude it is the judgement both of Divines Civilians and States-men that there must be in Kings and Governours a Supream Power to mitigate the rigour of the Laws and to suspend the execution of them to pardon some Delinquents and in case of necessity to provide for the safety of the People besides and against the Laws and that to arm the People and teach them on pretence of the Law to resist their Prince is a pernicious Tenet destructive to Government It is Criminal saith Mr. Hunt p. 41. and no less dangerous to the being of any Polity to restrain the Legislative Authority and to entertain principles that disable it to provide remedy against the greatest mischiefs that can happen to any Community No Government can support it self without an unlimited Power in providing for the happiness of the people No civil Establishment but is controlable and alterable to the Publick Weal Whatever is not of Divine Institution ought to yield and submit to this Power and Authority And this is all that I or any of my Brethren that I know of ever intended to say of the extent of the Kings Power That such distempers as are incurable by common and prescribed Remedies such as the Kings Evil usually is must have extraordinary applications such as the Kings hand and none but his may successfully administer Nor doth any among us plead that the King is above the Directive power of the Laws but onely that he is not under the Coercive power of them For which cause Antonie would not permit that Herod should be called to an account of what he did as a King for then he should in effect be no King at all for what power can judge him who is the Supreme power on Earth The Emperour saith Tertull. is solo Deo minor inferiour to God onely and under the power of God onely In cujus solius potestate sunt à quo sunt secundi post quem primi And St. Ambrose spreaking of David applieth it to other Kings He was a King and obnoxious to no humane Laws because Kings are free from punishment for their offences being secured by the power of their Empire If the People have power to
to molest another for his Religion Our Author might have gone for one of the Godly partie in those daies I do not read that there was one Law extended throughout the whole Roman Empire which was almost Vniversal but that several Kingdoms and Cities were governed by their own Laws So were the Jews and Heathen as well as Christian Subjects in their several Cities and remote Provinces As Julian told the Bishops that were of several Perswasions that they should not disturb the publick peace of the Empire and then they might enjoy their own Liberties and Religion Constantine seemed to be almost of a like perswasion for why else did he not suppress the Arian Heresie which from Alexandria infected the whole Empire He did take care to prevent Schism and Sedition among Christians that the administration of the Government might be more easie But this great man banished Athanasius into France where he remained till Constantine his Son recalled him as Eusebius in his Chronologie But what if there were some Edicts for the establishment of Christian Religion in Constantine's days nothing was confirmed by the Senate that was accounted then a needless thing Nor did the Edicts of one Emperour bind another by the same Authoritie as Constantine might have setled the Orthodox Religion Constantius setled the Arian and after him Julian the Pagan Religion I mean by his own Imperial power and Edicts For the Roman Emperour was an Absolute Monarch their Will was a Law as Gregory Nazianzen quoted by you p. 13. The Will and Pleasure of the Emperour is an unwritten Law backed with Power and much stronger than written ones which were not supported by Authority So that though he did not as you term it fairly enact Sanguinary Laws yet had he the Law of the Sword in his hands And I think it was a great mercie of God to the Christians under him that he did not by publick Edicts put the Sword out of his own hands into the hands of his Heathen Magistrates who would have written them all in bloud Therefore Mr. Baxter saies p. 20. of 4th part of his Direct Julian was a protector of the Church from Popular Rage in comparison of other Persecutors though in other respects he was a Plague Valentinian was a right Christian Emperour and when he was chosen the Souldiers were importunate that he should assume another as an Associate in the Empire he tells them It lay in you to chuse me your Emperour but being chosen what you desire is not in your power but mine it belongs to you as Subjects to be quiet and rest contented and to me as your King to consider what is fit to be done Zozomen l. 6.86 Justinian was another good Emperour and he assumed the sole administration of the Empire to himself and demands in his Novels Quis tantae authoritatis ut nolentem Principem possit ad convocandos Patres caetorosque Proceres coarctare Who can claim so great Authority as to constrain the Prince to assemble the Senate against his will And Justinian Novel 105. excepts the Emperour from the coercive power of the Law to whom says he God hath subjected the Laws themselves sending him as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living Law unto men And the Gloss noteth That the Emperour is the Father of the Law whereupon the Laws also are subject to him When Vespasian was Emperour it was declared by the Senate That he might make Leagues with whom he pleased And though Tiberius Claudius or Germanicus had made certain Laws yet Vespasian was not obliged by them And Pliny in his Panegyrick to Trajan tells him how happie he was that he was obliged to nothing So that the Christians had no more pretence of having the Laws on their side under Julian than under Dioclesian Maximus or Constantius nor did they ever plead them to justifie a Rebellion against him for want of such an Advocate or Leader as our Author Gregory Nyssene tells us also what the power of the King or Emperour was he defines him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that hath Absolute power in himself no Master nor Equal Cont. Eunomium l. 1. So that our Author 's great Babel is fallen viz. that the Julian Christians had their Religion established by Law and that they were long possessed of it For Laws or no Laws by the Lex Regia the Emperour could reverse the old and establish new as it pleased him and for want of Laws where the word of the Emperour was there was power and none might say to him What dost thou Thus it was with Constantine and Constantius and why not with Julian And now I hope the good Christians of our Age will no longer trust to such broken Reeds as our Author puts into their hands much less that they should take up the Sword which will be no other than a broken Reed also not onely to fail them but to pierce through their sides Now if we should turn the Tables and ask our Author Whether when Jovian and Valentinian were Emperours and had made some new Edicts for the Orthodox Christians as well as against the Arians and Pagans it had been lawful for the Arians or Pagans to rebel in defence of their Religion Or to come nearer home Whether when Queen Mary had established Popery by Law in this Nation it had been lawful for the Papists to have rebelled against Queen Elizabeth they having the Laws on their side yea and questioning her Right of Succession too yet we do not read that they did contrive a General Rebellion though for ought I see our Author would have justified them when he tells us from Zozomen what men may do for the Religion whereof they are well perswaded Or neerer yet when the Long too Long Parliament pretended against the King that their Religion was in danger by Poperie and Superstition their Laws and Liberties invaded by an Arbitrary Power did they well or ill from these pretences to raise that War against the King that turned the Nation to an Aceldama Were the Laws such as could justifie that Rebellion or no If they could not then I am sure they cannot now since the late Act for Treason in the 13th of our King and a Declaration of Parliament That it is not lawful on any pretence whatsoever c And by several Statutes it is declared That the King is the Onely Supreme Governour of his Dominions over all Persons and Causes whatsoever And the power of the Sword or Militia is put into his hands as well by the Law of the Nation as of God and I trust he will not bear it in vain Having thus stript this full-fac'd Bird of a few borrowed and painted Feathers how justly is he exposed to be hooted at by every boy or dealt with as in the Apologue of such another bird that seeing the Pidgeons to be well meated and live securely he would get himself to be coloured and arrayed like one of them and feed among
Zachary did abselve the French from their Oath of Allegiance his reason is for Hottoman a French-man and a Lawyer denieth that Chilperick was deposed by the Popes authoritie or that his Kingdom was given to Pepin but that all this was transacted by the authoritie of the great Council of that Nation as appears by ancient Annals which shew that there was no need of absolving the Subjects from that Oath which also Pope Zachary utterly denied for in the French Histories it is recorded as Hottoman and Girardus witness That the French did from the beginning reserve to themselves a power as of chusing so of deposing their Kings and that they were not wont to swear any other Fidelitie to the Kings whom they created than that they would yield them Faith and Allegiance if their Kings did perform that which they also swore to do So that if the King by male-administration first broke his Oath there was no need of the Pope the perfidiousness of the King having absolved the subjects from their Oath Yet lest this Invention of Milton's own should not be of weight to clear his Holiness he brings the Popes infallible testimonie for himself Pope Zachary says he who you say did arrogate that authoritie to himself excuseth it and lays it on the People for the Popes words are these If the Prince be obnoxious to the People by whose beneficence he possesseth his Kingdom the People that make the King may depose him So that the result of all is the Pope and Fanatick are agreed in this Principle The Majestas realis is in the People as Bellarmine with Buchanan do assert and They that create the King may destroy him with the same breath How industrious this Mercenarie man is to vindicate the Pope whenas his own Creatures acknowledge that he was the Dux Gregis the grand Instrument of dethroning that King and sharing his Inheritance In a Dialogue between Theophilus a Christian and Philander a Jesuit Bishop Bilson p. 418. of Christian Subjection brings in Theophilus saying Your Law doth not stick to boast that Zacharias deposed Childerick King of France and placed Pepin in his room Philander answers And so he did Theoph. Who says so besides you Philand Platina saith Ejus authoritate regnum Franciae Pipino adjudicatur By Zachary 's authoritie the Kingdom of France was adjudged to Pepin And Frisingensis affirmeth that Pepin was absolved from the Oath of Allegiance by Pope Steven which he had given to Childerick and so were the rest of the Nobles of France and then the King being shaven and thrust into a Monasterie Pepin was anointed King which you think much the Pope should do in our days Theoph. Zachary was consulted with whether it might lawfully be done or no he did not openly intermeddle with the matter whatever his privie practices were though many of your Bishops and Monks to grace the Pope make it his onely act But hear Zachary 's own words when Volorade and Burchard were sent to understand his judgment I find saith he in the sacred storie of Divine Scripture that the people fell away from their wretchless and lascivious King that despised the Counsel of the Wise men of his Realm and created a sufficient man of themselves King This was likely the case of Jeroboam who had a special Warrant from God God himself allowing their doings All power and rule belongs to God Princes are his Ministers and therefore chosen for the people that they should follow the Will of God and not do what they list All that he hath as Power Glorie Riches Honour and Dignitie he receiveth of the People the People create the King and may when the cause requireth forsake the King It is therefore lawful for the Franks refusing this Monster Childerick to chuse one able in War and Peace by his wisdom to protect and keep in safetie their Wives Children Parents Goods and Lives This is the Popes Divinitie saith Bishop Bilson that Kings have their power of the People which the Scripture saith they have from God Now as to the Annals of France it is true that the Pope had not intirely grasped the power of deposing Princes in those days but made use of other Instruments yet this was done say the Annals Pontifice prius consulto as Sabellicus and the Gloss in verb. Deposuit i. e. deponentibus consensit The true reason was this Pepin was a man on whom the Pope relied to quell the Lombards and defeat the Grecians that he and Pepin might divide the Spoils of the West as it came to pass for the Emperour was turned out of Italy Now let the Reader judge how diligent an Advocate Milton is for the Pope that notwithstanding his own words advising it and the testimonie of his own creatures affirming it and the matter of fact and the event demonstrating it would yet excuse him from having a hand in deposing of that French King And is this a fit Guide for our Modern Writers Is it not possible as our Author says but to take many things from Doleman in the case of Succession and many more from Milton when you would irritate or defend the People of England in case of Resistance and Regicide Have the Boutefeus of this Age nothing to set the Nation into a flame but those Firebrands which were rak'd up in the Ashes of that prosligate Villain Milton who pleaded the Cause of the Pope Gratis and for money that of Good God! what a Spirit of Rebellion is spread over the Land when as it was observed by Dr. Heylen at the beginning of the last unnatural War No times were more full of Odious Pamphlets no Pamphlets more aplauded nor more dearly bought than such as do most deeply wound those Powers and Dignities to which the Law hath made us subject Methinks we are like the man in the Gospel Matth. 12.44 out of whom the unclean Spirit being cast out it walked up and down through drie places seeking rest and finding none then said he I will return to my house from whence I came out and finding it emptie swept and garnished he taketh with him seven other Spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first Deus avertat Omen I beg my Readers pardon that I may animadvert a little on these Libellers and acquaint them that to their Progenitors we owed the kindling fomenting and inflaming those late Wars that made us a confusion at home a scorn and a reproach abroad Prynne Burton and Bastwick were like so many Foxes let loose and encouraged like the Priests and Preco's of Mars to scatter Fire-brands through the Nation Nor would the times permit a little water to be sprinkled for the quenching of them but fed them with oyl The Laws were silenced and out-lawed then as they are now as if indeed we were inter Arma there wanted not scourges to punish them but an arm to inflict the legal
Dissentions if every Subject should be permitted to dispute the lawfulness of such Commands as are enjoyned him not by his Prince alone but by the mature deliberation of his Council especially when as it is with us every one hath his vote in chusing those Counsellor that in our names consent to the Laws This were to do what is foretold by Solomon Prov. 20.25 After vows to make enquiry It is a pernicious Opinion that hath infected too many of this Age That though we do not actively obey the Princes Commands yet if we submit to the Penalty the Law is satisfied and we are free from guilt In answer to which I say 1. That Obedience is more than Non-resistance it must be active and cheerful as in paying Tribute and Custom so in other parts of obedience to go and come and do what is commanded 2. Suffering or paying the penaltie is not the chief intention of the Law but the duty of Obedience without which the ends of Government will be frustrated viz. Peace and good Order 3. The Law of God enjoyns us to obey the Laws of men that are not contrary to his Law Now though we satisfie the Law of our Country by bearing the penalty yet the Law of God is not thereby satisfied that Law requires Repentance and Amendment i. e. that we do so no more As in that instance of frequenting Divine Service we do not think a Papist hath satisfied the Law when he pays Twelve pence neither indeed do others For it is Gods Law that is broken who commands us not to forsake the publick Assemblies and to obey them that have the rule over us For we are to obey for Conscience sake i. e. because of the obligation which the Command of God hath laid upon us And when the Magistrate calls for our obedience in this or that particular which is not against Gods Word God commands our obedience to him he having Gods Authority in such cases and to disobey is not onely to disobey man but God Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake and for Conscience sake and the penalty of disobedience is damnation So that it is an Atheistical Suggestion that Rulers and Tyrants did first invent Religion to keep men in awe For although no other Terrours are sufficient to keep men in obedience but those of Hell and eternal Damnation because men may carry on their mischievous designs so secretly or with such a high hand as to escape punishment in this life yet it is not man but God that requireth obedience even to humane Laws under the Severest Sanctions of Eternal Death .. Object But what if the thing commanded be not good then we owe no Obedience for the Magistrate is no longer Gods Minister than he commands for God When he commands against God he commands without Authority and so we may disobey him without sin Answ There are but two Rules whereby we are to judge whether the Commands of our Superiours are good or not The first is the Law of God and when we make that our Rule we must be as sure that the Word of God condemns what the Magistrates command as we are sure that God commands us to obey our Magistrate And in all reason we should chuse what is our most plain and indispensable duty before that which is doubtful especially when the penalty of not obeying is no less than Damnation for that is the wages of sin or disobedience to Gods Law 2. A second Rule is the Laws of men which do bind the Conscience when the Command is not contrary to Gods Word So that the Case to be resolved is onely this What we must do when the Magistrate commands things which we judge not expedient In which case considering especially our circumstances the Laws established being such as we our selves have consented to it is too late for us to dispute the inexpediency of them for so there can never be an establishment it being impossible to make such Laws as may not be excepted against by some especially such as transgress the Laws In such cases therefore the Magistrate not the Subject is to expound the Law It is sufficient that the Laws have a tendencie to the publick and more general good though some private men may suffer in the Execution of them And when resisting those Laws which are made will do more hurt than good we ought to obey them though we suffer unjustly in so doing As Dr. Sanderson gives an instance in Souldiers who for their Cowardise or some other crime are adjudged to be punished in a way of Decimation i. e. every tenth man now although some of those that suffer may be guiltless and valiant men yet the private inconvenience must be endured rather than a publick mischief should be tolerated Of this the Learned Casuist speaks so largely and satisfactorily that I shall refer my Reader to his last Praelection p. 356. De Obligatione Conscientiae When we are commanded to do what we apprehend not to be for our good we must have a double consideration First to the person commanding who is Gods Minister and therefore may not be resisted though in the second place he abuse his power in commanding what is not good or lawful For if in this case we resist we usurp the Power and invade and destroy the Order and Government that God hath set over us If we might resist when we apprehend that we are commanded things against our Religion our Laws or Liberties then there could be no such thing as Rebellion and then there would not long be any such thing as Religion Libertie or Government in the world Doubtless the Apostle was sensible what kind of Governours were in Rome when he wrote his Epistle namely such as commanded for the most part things that were impious yet we read not of any resistance and doubtless those Primitive Christians best knew the Apostles mind and practised accordingly THE REASONS For not resisting Wicked Princes BEcause 1. He is Gods Minister For the Lords sake we must submit saith St. Peter and for Conscience sake i. e. for the Obligation that God hath laid upon us as he is Gods Minister This swayed with David He was the Lords Anointed and therefore he could not lift up a hand against him nor would St. Paul speak evil of any of the Rulers of the People For to speak evil of them is accounted as Blasphemy and Disobedience is as Sacriledge And as St. Paul A resisting of the Ordinance of God Obj. As he is Gods Minister for good we are ready to obey him but when he commands what is evil he is no longer Gods Minister but the Devils and we ought not to obey him Ans He is Gods Minister still as to his Office though in respect of the abuse of it by unrighteous Actions he do the work of the Devil And many times God placeth cruel and unrighteous Kings as a just Judgment over an unrighteous people
this Recognition declare so often as he doth particularly in p. 198. that the Succession of the Crown is the right of the whole Community their appointment their constitution and creature in Parliament Did he never read what is said by Grotius de Jure belli He says If a Kingdom descend by Succession an Act of Alienation is in itself null l. 1. c. 4. s 9. Which agrees with what Bishop Sanderson delivered before And Mr. Hunt himself says Grotius is more than ten witnesses and if you add the Bishops I think them of more value than a hundred In quâ tandem Civitate Catilina arbitraris te vivere saith Cicero you that make Hue and cry after such as write for Religion and Loyalty as if they were ready to banish themselves or prove felo's de se consider I pray under what Government you are and though you may escape the Magistrates wrath yet you ought to be solicitous 〈◊〉 you may escape the wrath of God to which you have made your self obnoxious I have but one Remark more on Mr. Hunt which is that he hath consulted another famous Author one Mr. Thomas White who being a Romish Emissary made it his business to continue our distractions This man wrote a Book entituled The Grounds of Obedience and Government And his Motto is Salus Populi Suprema Lex esto whereof I have given you the genuine sence already Now among many other Notes transcribed by Mr. Hunt from this Jesuitical Writer p. 158. he comes to answer the Objections of Divines concerning the Authoritie of Princes and non-resistance Vp steps the Divine saith he to preach us out of Scripture the Dutie we owe to Kings no less than Death and Damnation being the guerdons of Disobedience and Rebellion And p. 159. They will speak Reason too telling us that God by nature is high Lord and Master of all That whoever is in power receiveth his right from him That Obedience consists in doing the Will of him that commandeth and conclude that his Will ought to be obeyed till God taketh away the Obligation i. e. till he who is to be obeyed himself releaseth the Right Besides p. 160. They alledge that God by his special command transferred the Kingdom from Saul to David from Rehoboam to Jeroboam So that in fine all that is brought out of Scripture falleth short of proving that no time can make void the right of a King once given him by the hand of God Now mark what Mr. White says to overthrow the sense of these Scriptures The reason says he of THIS WEAK WAY OF ALLEADGING SCRIPTVRE is that when they read that God commandeth or doth this they look not into Nature to know what this Commanding or Doing is but presently imagine God commands it by express and direct words and doth it by an immediate position of the things said to be done whereas in Nature the Commands are nothing but the natural Light God hath bestowed on Mankind and which is therefore frequently called the Law of Nature Likewise Gods doing a thing is many times onely the course of natural second Causes to which because God gives the Direction and Motion he both doth and is said to do all that is done by them Now to the same end viz. to prove that Kingly Government is not from God but the People and therefore may be altered and resisted and in the same words for the most part doth Mr. Hunt deliver this black invention of Mr. White p. 144. The nature of Government and its Original hath been prejudiced by men that understand nothing but words and Grammar-divines that without contemplating Gods Attributes or the Nature of man or the reasonableness of moral Precepts have undertaken to declare the sence of Scripture and infer that Soveraign Power is not of Humane Institution but of Divine Appointment because they find it there written That by him Kings reign Imagining that when the Scripture saith God commands or doth this that God commanded it by express words or doth it by an immediate position of the thing done whereas in nature his Commands are nothing but the natural Light God hath bestowed on Mankind Likewise Gods doing a thing is onely the course of natural and second Causes to which because God gives Direction and Motion he doth both and is said to do all that is done Likewise Gods doing a thing is onely the course of natural and second Causes to which because God gives the Direction or Motion he doth both and is said to do all that is done All this is verbatim Mr. White So is his Raillerie in the same Phrase to bring an Odium on Divines that would prove Government out of the Scripture White calls them Grammar-Divines Verbal and wind-blown Divines p. 162. And Mr. Hunt calls them Men that understand nothing but Words and Grammar-divines Who saith Mr. White without Logick Philosophie or Morality undertake to be Interpreters of the Sacred Bible Who saith Mr. Hunt without contemplating Gods Attributes or the Nature of man or the Reasonableness of Moral Precepts have undertaken to declare the sense of the Scripture It is not strange to me having read a Defiance to the Royal Family to read the like against the Clergie But that the Scripture also should suffer and the uncertain and mutable Traditions and Effects of natural Causes be made equivalent with the immediate Commands of God in the Scripture though it be no new thing among Jesuits yet a true Protestant should abhor it The man is so angry that he hath done the ungrateful Bishops any right that he will have satisfaction right or wrong from the rest of the Clergie And though he call the younger sort onely Coxcombs yet his design is to bring the whole Clergy into contempt But any young Divine may draw such Conclusions out of the Premises as might exclude him out of the Society of all good and learned men 1. That to conclude from the sence of Scripture is a weak way of Arguing In this Mr. White and Mr. Hunt consent 2. That non obstante what the Scripture says of Divine Right of Soveraign Power it is not of Divine but Humane Institution 3. That Providence and the Effects of second Causes being influenced by God are of equal Authority with the Precepts enjoyned by the Word of God 4. That the Soveraign Power being but of Humane Institution may be resisted and is alterable 5. That they who mock the Messengers of God do go on to despise the Word of God and abuse his Prophets a sin which often stirs up the Wrath of God so as there is NO REMEDY And this I observe in the behalf of the abused Clergie 6. That having cast off our Loyaltie to our Governours and their Laws puts us in a fair way to cast off the Soveraignty of God and his Laws 7. That the worst of Papists and their most Atheistical Arguments are made use of by some that call themselves true Protestants against the express
call the King to an account the Estate is Democratical if the Peers it is Aristocratical but if indeed it be Monarchical neither nor both can judge their Prince In the first Homily against Rebellion p. 1. our Church says that in reading of the Holy Scriptures we shall find in very many places as well of the Old Testament as the New That Kings and Princes as well the evil as the good do reign by Gods Ordinance and that Subjects are bound to obey them The Augustan Confession Article 16. Christians must necessarily obey the present Magistrates and Laws except when they command to sin French Confession Article 11. We ought to obey Laws and Statures pay Tribute and bear other burdens of Subjection and undergo the Yoke with a good will although the Magistrates should be Infidels so that Gods soveraign Authoritie remains inviolate The Belgick Confession All men of what dignitie qualitie or state soever they be must subject themselves unto the lawful Magistrates pay them Imposts and Tributes and please and obey them in all things not repugnant to the Word of God Also pray for them that God would be pleased to direct them in all their actions that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life under them in all pietie and honestie The Helvetick Confession Let all Subjects honour and reverence the Magistrate as the Minister of God Let them love and assist him and pray for him as their Father let them obey him in all his just and equitable Commands and pay all Imposts Tributes and other Dues faithfully and willingly And in case of War let them also lay down their lives and spill their bloud for the good of the Publick and of the Magistrate willingly vailiantly and cheerfully For he that opposeth himself to the Magistrate provoketh the heavie wrath of God upon himself The Bohemian Confession Let every one yield subjection in all things not contrarie to God to the Higher Powers and their Officers whether good or bad The Saxonick Confession The more a Christian is sincere in Faith the more he ought to subject himself to the publick Laws But I shall end where I began with the Doctrine of our Martyrs and Confessors who sealed with their bloud the Truths that they published with their Pens for whom in vain do we build and garnish Monuments of Fame to their memories while we are Apostates from their Doctrine and Practice The first Reformers of our Religion in the Institution of a Christian man on the Fifth Commandment say That Subjects be bound not to withdraw their Fealtie Truth Love and Obedience from their prince FOR ANY CAVSE WHATSOEVER IT BE ne for any cause may they conspire against his person ne do any thing towards the hinderance or hurt thereof or of his estate And by his Commandment they are bound to obey all the Laws Proclamations Precepts and Commandments made by their Princes and Governours except they be against the Commandment of God And likewise they be bound to obey all such as are in Authoritie under their Prince as far as he will have them obeyed They must also give unto their Prince aid help and assistance whensoever he shall require the same either for suretie preservation or maintenance of his Person and Estate or of the Realm or of the defence of any of the same against all persons And there be many examples in Scripture of the vengeance of God that hath fallen upon RVLERS and such as have been disobedient to their Princes But one principal example to be noted is of the Rebellion of Core Dathan and Abiram made against their Governours Moses and Aaron For punishment of which Rebels God not onely caused the Earth to open and to swallow them down and a great number of other people with them with their houses and all their substance but caused also a fire to descend from Heaven and to burn up two hundred and fiftie Captains which conspired with them in the Rebellion And again on the Sixth Commandment No Subjects may draw their Sword against their Prince for what cause soever it be nor against any others saving for lawful defence without their Princes license And it is their dutie to draw their Swords for the defence of their Prince and Realm whensoever the Prince shall command And although Princes which be the chief and supreme Heads of Realms do otherwise than they ought yet God hath assigned no Judges over them in this world but will have the judgment of them reserved to himself Sir John Cheek who was Tutor to King Edword the Sixth and a person of great Learning and Integrity in his Book called The true Subject to the Rebel speaks to this purpose If you were offered persecution for Religion you ought to fly for it and yet you intend to fight If you would stand in the truth you ought to suffer like Martyrs and you would slay like Tyrants Thus for Religion you keep no Religion and neither will follow the Council of Christ nor the Constancy of Martyrs And then asking the people why they should not like that Religion which Gods word established the Primitive Church authorized and the whole consent of the Parliament confirmed and his Majesty had set forth he says Dare you Commons take upon you more Learning than the Chosen Bishops and Clerks of this Realm have I suppose that the Author of Julians Life might transcribe that Act of Queen Mary above-mentioned out of Mr. Prynnes second part of the Loyalty of pious Christians c. where we have it printed at large p. 65. from whence he might very honestly have told us Mr. Prynnes Judgment of such Prayers as were made against the Queen who p. 64. says That Queen Maries zealous Protestant Bishops Ministers and Subjects likewise made constant prayers for her But some over-zealous Anabaptistical Fanaticks using some unchristian expressions in their prayers against her That God would cut her off and shorten her daies occasioned this special Act against such prayers And having repeated the Act he adds p. 66. These prayers were much against and direstly contrary to the Judgment of Archbishop Cranmer Bishop Farrer Bishop Hooper Rowland Taylor John Philpot John Bradford Edward Crome John Rogers Laurence Sanders Edward Laurence Miles Coverdale Bishop of Exon and others of our Godly Protestant Bishops and Ministers who soon after suffered as Martyrs They in their Letter May 8. 1554. professing that as Obedient Subjects we shall behave our selves towards Queen Mary and all that be in authority and not cease to pray to God for them that he would govern them all generally and particularly with the Spirit of Wisdom and Grace and so we heartily desire and humbly pray all men to do in no point consenting to any kind of Rebellion or Sedition against our Soveraign Lady the Queens Highness but where they cannot obey but they must disobey God there to submit themselves with all patience and humility to suffer as well what the will and pleasure
on Augustus and called the Lex Regia by which it was declared that Quicquid per Epistolam statuit cognoscens decrevit aut per Edictum propalavit Lex esto Whatever he should determine by his Epistle whatever he should decree upon Cognizance or declare by his Edict should be a Law This very power of the Empire was in being when our Saviour and his Apostles lived on the Earth who though they were far remote from Rome yet precisely submitted to the Roman Emperours and did indispensibly oblige his Disciples in all times to come to do the same because the powers that then were though an Augustus Nero or Claudian Heathen and Persecutors were ordained of God to be his Ministers to bear the Sword to receive Tribute and Custom Fear and Honour c. And that therefore they must needs be subject not onely for fear of wrath but for the Lords sake and for Conscience sake And the obedience which was to be given them is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be at their Command as Souldiers are to their General and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to obey them at a word Titus 3.1 Hence it was I mean from the Roman Laws not from the Scripture that Dion says of Augustus that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Free and of absolute Authoritie both over himself and over the Laws for Rex est Lex viva reipsa praecipit ut Lex per scriptum That the Emperour is a living Law and commands as much by word as the Law doth by writing and the S.P.Q.R. by their own abbreviation became an unintelligible Cypher Thus the Roman Empire continued until the Reign of Constantine or else he could not have propagated the Christian Religion so much as he did by his Edicts there being as is supposed many strict Laws against it And it is not to be credited by Christians that the Imperial power should be disanulled by their becoming Christians If it be said that they themselves did consent to the abridgment of it let the Records be produced and let the Donation of Constantine in this respect be more probable than that fictitious one which the Pope produceth for the Western Empire of which I have spoken in another place See the History of the Donatists What was done by Constantine who was not baptized till the latter end of his Reign and made many Edicts for the toleration of all Religions as is shewn in the foregoing Papers will scarce amount to an Establishment of the Christian Religion But granting that he had to the utmost of his power established the Christian Religion yet his Successor thought himself not at all obliged by his Edicts for by the same Reason that Constantius should be bound by the Edicts of Constantine Constantine should be bound by the Edicts of Dioclesian for the persecution of Christians But as our Author hath observed from Gregory Nazianzen who speaking of Julian's Souldiers who were most of them Christians and yet besides the Law of God knew no other Law than the Will of their Prince Invective 1. p. 75. And in truth if the Christian Emperours had been explicitly and absolutely bound up to their Subjects to maintain their Religion and Priviledges which by the favour and grace of those Emperours were granted to them and the Subjects left at liberty to defend and obey their Emperours the Emperours had been in a worse condition than their Subjects for upon the Peoples changing of their Religion as we know they did when almost the whole World became Arians they might have resisted their most Orthodox Emperours as Mr. Hunt affirms they actually did in the Reign of Constantius But what Religion could the Christians plead that they were long in possession of and was established by Laws When Constantius nothing regarding the Constitutions of his Predecessor did with all his might and frequent Edicts establish the Arian Religion and suppress the Orthodox hath been already shewn Besides there were Vrbes liberae not onely free Cities but free Nations under the Romans who were govern'd by their own Laws and Magistrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they held inviolable Of this nature Josephus l. 16. c. 4. of his Antiquities observes the Asian Churches mentioned in the Revelations to be who had jus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a right of Liberty and legal Priviledges yet did none of those Churches ever plead their Priviledges or plead exemption from the Emperours Edicts Yea Christ himself who might have pleaded exemption from paying tribute unto Caesar the Children as he says being free yet to avoid scandal he works a Miracle for the payment of it and enjoyns his Disciples to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars The weight of these and those other Arguments which follow will I doubt not sink that Triumphant Arch which our Author hath raised into those Quick-sands on which he grounded it And I shall now proceed to erect a lasting Pillar to the perpetual Infamy of this Author upon such firm and impregnable grounds as shall continue against all the impetuous but impotent blasts of this Boreas It hath been accounted a good method for refuting of Errours to reduce them to their first Principles and Originals Be it known then to all men that our Author hath bid defiance to the Laws of God and Man in teaching the Doctrine of Resistance which was never taught among any Christians until Popery was come to its perfection That he hath as much as in him lierh scandalized and even condemned the Primitive Christians as allowing of and practising that intolerable Doctrine of Resistance That both he and Mr. Hunt have defended this Doctrine by the same Arguments as the Jesuits John Milton and other Regicides have done That John Milton c. received the same Principles from Mr. Burton Mr. Burroughs Bridge Marshal and others in defence of the late Vnnatural War against Charles the First That their design is to raise another War on the same grounds against their present Prince And though they seem to blind their designs by preparing onely to exclude a Popish Successour yet 't is beyond denial that all the Arguments of the Author of Julian are levelled against the Prince that is in possession and that he doth with the shew of Authority recommend the assassination of such a Prince and that Mr. Hunt's Original far exceeds the Transcript in such impious designs If this Character be not black enough let him that reads and understands onely subscribe the name of the Author of the Life of Julian with that of Mr. Hunt In perpetuam Rei memoriam and you have all in two words As for Mr. Hunt if this passage which I shall name do not amount to more direct Treason than those for which he says he would indite a great person no less than a Secretary of State of Treason in a plea for the Succession I think there can be no such thing The Paragraph p.
care of those who are put on an inevitable necessity of defending themselves c. How far a man that is assaulted and put on an inevitable necessity of defending himself against the injuries of private men is one thing and what he may do against his Prince of whom you seem to discourse is another In this case we may apply that in Rev. 13.10 He that killeth with the sword shall be killed with the sword This is the patience and faith of the Saints P. 11. This Doctrine of Passive Obedience you say quite alters the Oath of Allegiance which requires you to be obedient to all the Kings Majesties Laws Precepts and Process proceeding from the same I do not find those words in that Oath as set forth by King James but I find what you overlook viz. I will bear Faith and true Allegiance to his Majestie his Heirs and Successors and him and them will defend to the utmost of my power against all Conspiracies and Attempts whatsoever And thus I find more particularly in a Declaration which I believe our Author hath subscribed thus amplified I do declare that it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King And that I do abhor that traiterous Position of taking Arms by his Authority against his Person or against those that are commissionated by him P. 11. After a large Preface little to your purpose telling us That the Church of England reserves her Faith entire for the Canonical books of Scripture which I hope you also do and that she divides her Reverence between the Fathers and the first Reformers of this Church who partly were Martyrs that died for the Protestant Religion and partly Confessors that afterward setled it And now to the business How much the Fathers would have been for a Bill of Exclusion you say we have seen already No not one word of it from the beginning nor I believe any mention of it from one Argument tending to it to the end of the Book from any of the Fathers as will shortly appear But what say our Martyrs Confessors and Reformers First he tells us what some men would have perswaded King Edward to do if they could have had their wills confirmed by Act of Parliament They shewed what they would have done if they could saith our Author They never spake such bad English as our Author doth in his Taunton-Dean Proverb Chud eat more Cheese an chad it which being interpreted is We would rebel if we had power The Duke of Northumberland indeed did cause the Lady Jane Gray's Title to be proclaimed but here the Bishops must be the men that were chiefly engaged in that designe of Exclusion whereas I read not that any of them were ever consulted with nor ever declared any thing to that purpose but in their joynt and most solemn Writings enjoyn the clean contrary as shall now appear P. 12. The Bishops in Queen Elizabeth 's time to whom under God and that Queen we owe the settlement of our Church concurred to the making of that Statute which makes it High-Treason in her Reign and forfeiture of Goods and Chattels ever after in any wise to hold or affirm That an Act of Parliament is not of sufficient force and validity to limit and bind the Crown of this Realm and the descent limitation inheritance and government thereof 13 Eliz. chap. 1. But our Author never considered the grounds and reasons of that Act Ex malis moribus bonae Leges it was the iniquity of those times and the traiterous practices of the Queen of Scots which gave occasion to that Statute for there were many Pamphlets written by Saunders and the Author of Doleman which deni'd the Title of Queen Elizabeth and proclaim'd her an Usurper and the Queen of Scots made actual claim to the Crown of England she assumed the Arms of England and other Regalia and by her Confederates endeavoured to raise a Rebellion and conspired against the life of the Queen for which causes she was condemned as may appear by her Sentence which was passed upon her viz. That divers things were compassed and imagined within this Kingdom of England with the privity of the said Queen who pretended a Title to the Crown of this Kingdom and which tended to the hurt death and destruction of the Royal Person of our Soveraign Queen Cambdens Eliz. p. 464. Leiden 1625. Such practices gave occasion to that Statute to prevent the Mischiefs that might befal Queen Elizabeth and the Nation And that Statute consists of many heads As first Whoever should compass imagine devise or intend the death or destruction or any bodily harm tending to death destruction or wounding of the Royal person of the Queen or deprive or depose her of or from the Stile Honour or Kingly name of the Imperial Crown of this Realm c. or leavy War against her Majesty within this Kingdom or without or move any Strangers to invade this Kingdom or Ireland c. or shall maliciously publish and declare by any printing writing word or sayings that our Soveraign Lady during her life is not or ought not to be Queen of this Realm c. or that any other person or persons ought of right to be King or Queen of the same or that our said Queen is a Heretick or Schismatick Tyrant Infidel or an Vsurper of the said Crown c. these shall he guilty of High-Treason Also if any after thirty days from the Session of this Parliament and in the life of our said Queen shall claim pretend declare or publish themselves or any other besides our said Queen to have Right or Title to have and enjoy the Crown of England or shall usurp the same or the Royal Stile Title or Dignity of the Crown or shall affirm that our said Queen hath not right to hold and enjoy the same such shall be utterly disabled during their natural lives onely to have or enjoy the Crown or Realm of England in Succession Inheritance or otherwise Then follows the Case of Succession That if any person shall hold or affirm that the Common Laws of this Realm not altered by Parliament ought not to direct the Right of this Crown or that our said Queen by the Authority of Parliament is not able to make Laws and Statutes of sufficient force c. as above Yet was not the Queen of Scots condemned upon the Statute of the 13 of Eliz. but on that made in the 27 of her Reign wherein it was provided That twenty four persons at least part being of the Privy Council and the rest Peers of the Realm should by the Queens Commission examine such as should make any open Rebellion or Invasion of this Realm or attempt to hurt the Queens person by or for any pretended Title to the Crown In which Commission I find no Bishop save the Archbishop who at first refused to act nor when the whole Parliament petitioned for the Execution do we find that the
such as die in the Communion of the Church of England and therefore much less to those that die in the belief of the Socinians who renounce the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity and the use and efficacie of the Holy Sacraments 4. Constantius himself would never have consented to the Murder of Julian upon due consideration the Murder of others being repented of upon his Death-bed and here is but one Argument for both his Exclusion and his Murder Now although our Author hath sufficiently refuted himself in what hath been said yet because the Calumnie against the Christians of that Age though asserted onely with noise and confidence and as the saying is Fortiter Calumniare aliquid adhaerebit may beget a false opinion both of those Primitive Christians and the Doctrine of Christianitie it self and also infect the present Generation in which too many are glad to hear what power they may exercise on such Governours as are not of their own Judgment I shall in due time enquire strictly into this Authors Opinion concerning Resistance and shew that his whole Fabrick will be crush'd by the authoritie and reason of those very Authors upon whose bare names he seeks to raise it But for this I must desire the Readers patience An Answer to our Author's CHAP. III. Their Behaviour towards him in Words THe Reader may understand that our Author hath done with Julian as a Successor and now shews how the Christians treated him when he was in full possession of the Empire and that by Divine Appointment as he grants And therefore I hope it will be considered that the following Reflections do shew from the practice of the Christians of that Age how the Christians of this may behave themselves towards their lawful Governours And he begins p. 32. with a great varietie of Instances as he calls them of the hatred and contempt of those Christians towards Julian And I shall also desire that the Reader will consider not onely the matters of fact but the lawfulness of such Words and Actions as were spoken and done against Julian A facto ad jus non valet argumentum And then by what number of Christians and of what condition they were that spoke and acted such things as were spoken and acted For we have known in our Age such things spoken and done by no small companie of men against a Prince of known Integrity as will make all sober Christians to be ashamed and confounded at the report of them And if such behaviour of our present Christians shall be a hundred years hence read in our Annals it will be a grand Calumnie against such as were more Loyal and Pious for any Reader to conclude that such was the general practice of the Christians in that Age or that because one discontented Bishop turn'd Apostate and fought against his Prince that all the Bishops and Christians then alive were Rebels P. 33. Of their behaviour you inform us under these three Heads 1. Of their Words 2. Their Actions 3. Their Devotions Of their Words You say they were quit with him for calling them Galilaeans in calling him Idolianus This I confess savours of the Wit of that Age So the Arians called Athanasius Sathanasius so the Pharisees called our Saviour Beelzebub But did they return railing for railing I am sure they taught us to return Blessing and Prayers even to our Persecutors What if the Antiochians libelled him and plaid with his Beard and twitted him with some natural Blemishes and Imperfections whereof he himself gives the world an account in his Misopogon Is that sufficient authority for us to libel our Governours Is it becoming a Christian to deride the bodily Infirmities as the Shape of the Body the Gate the Beard and as you say p. 33. every thing that belonged to him Julian himself shewed more wisdom and humanity in scorning these impotent Reproaches than they did Christianity in seeking by such boyish language to vex every Vein in his Royal Heart p. 66. It is a sign that he had more of moderation than they for had they had his Power by your description of them they wanted no Will utterly to ruine him But I think it more agreeable to Truth though some few over-zealous persons might Lampoon his sorrie Beard as fit to make Ropes of c. that yet the generality were better principled and neither used their Tongues nor their Swords against that Heathen Emperour As for those that did so reproach him Julian tells them truly they had renounced the Laws and him that had the keeping of them i. e. They dealt with him as you say like Barbarians And if the Christians were first in the Transgression it was not like Julian would be long behind them or be less barbarous than they And yet though he could have revenged himself with the Sword he did it onely with the Pen And when he was put into a fit of anger he onely told them as a punishment that he would see them no more Nondum ira quam ex compellationibus probris conceperat emolitâ loquebatur asperiùs se eos asserens postea non visurum Am. Marcell l. 23. I think in this particular one would take them to be the Apostates and not Julian as you say p. 66. P. 36. You give a particular instance of a single man in Berea whose Son warping to the false Religion his Father turned him out of doors and disinherited him who related this whole matter to the Emperour then coming to Berea The Emperour being arrived invited among other Magistrates and Chief men this young man and his Father and set these two next himself and tells the Father that in his mind it was not just to force a mans Judgment otherwise inclined to reduce it to the other side Therefore don't you saies Julian force your Son against his mind to follow your Opinion for neither do I force you to follow mine though I could easily compel you The Father sharpning his Discourse with a Divine Faith answered O King do you speak of this Villain who is hated by God and hath preferred a Lye before the true Religion But saies Julian putting on a vizard of Meekness again Friend leave railing and turning to the young man said I will take care of you my self since I have not prevailed with your Father to do it This Berean deserves the Title of Noble for his Zeal but it reacheth not to a demonstration of what you produce it for p. 35. that the Christians took the freedom to reproach him and his Religion to his face for though he despised his Religion yet for ought that appears he owned his Authority and reverenced his Person bespeaking him by the Title of O King And here is no example for railing words neither from that Noble Berean against Julian nor from Julian against him P. 38. you give another instance of Maris Bishop of Chalcedon who being blind was led to the Emperour as he was Sacrificing to Fortune
Testimony of Athanasius for this place being an account of the Publick Prayers made by himself for Constantius the Emperour though he had remeved him from his Pastoral charge In his Apologie to Constantius Witness hereof saith he is first the Lord who heard us and granted unto you the intire Empire which was left unto you by your Ancestors then those who at that time were present for the words I used were these onely Let us pray for the welfare of the most religious Emperour Constantius and the whole People with one voice cried presently O Christ be favourable to Constantius and so continued praying a long time And then he concludes Let truth take place with you and leave not the whole Church under a suspition as though such things as tended to the death of Constans should be thought on or written by Christians and especially by Bishops Athanasius was also accused for celebrating Publick Prayers in the Church of Alexandria which he confesseth he did being urged thereto by the importunity of the People that they might pray for the welfare of the Emperour in that Church which he himself had builded being ready otherwise to go out of the City and to assemble themselves in the Desarts But thus he expostulates with the Emperour And you O King most beloved of God where would you have had the People stretch out their hands and pray for you there where the Pagans did pass by or in the place which bore your name and which from the first foundation thereof all men did call a Church And then he prays thus for the Emperour O Lord Christ who art indeed King of kings the onely begotten Son of God the Word and Wisdom of the Father because the People have implored thy goodness and by thee called upon thy Father who is God over all for the welfare of thy most religious servant Constantius I am now accused And then speaking to the Emperour You do not forbid but are willing that all men should pray knowing that this is the Prayer of all that you may live in safetie and continually reign in peace And as for you O Emperour beloved of God many years I pray you may live and accomplish the Dedication of this Church for those Prayers that are made therein for your welfare do no way hinder the solemnitie of the Dedication And whereas Athanasius was accused also for not obeying the Emperours Command to depart from Alexandria he says I do not oppose the Command of your Majestie God forbid I am not such a man as would oppose the very Treasurer of the Citie much less so great an Emperour I was not so mad as to oppose such a Command of yours I neither did oppose it nor will enter into Alexandria until you of your humanitie be pleased I shall so do If old Gregory was of another mind it was but one Doctors Opinion And I think our Author in the same case is a Dissenter from all Christian Divines as well as from the Church of England and from Mr. Baxter too who saies that hurtful prayers and desires are seldom from God and he speaks it in the very case of Julian p. 17. of his Direct part 4. I shall here add the example of that Legion which was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Thundring Legion consisting of 6666 Christians under marcus Aurelius of whom Zephiline speaks thus The Emperours Army being in great distress for want of water and being compassed about by their Adversaries the Praefect of the Praetorians told Marcus That there was nothing which those Christians could not obtain by their Prayers Marcus therefore desired the Praefect that he would intreat them to pray unto their God which they had no sooner done but the Lord by thunder and lightning discomfited their enemies and with seasonable showers refreshed the whole Army which otherwise might have perished St. Ambrose was another of those Lachrymists which our Author derides he lived under Valentinian the younger another Arian Emperour and yet as Ruffinus says of him Hist Eccless l. 2. c. 26. he did not defend himself by his hand or weapon but with fastings and continual watchings and remaining under Gods Altar by his Prayers prevailed with God to be a Defender both of him and his Church I will give you St Ambrose his own words to his Church at Millain I will never forsake you willingly being constrained I know not how to make opposition Dolere potero potero flere potero gemere adversus arma Milites Gothos Lachrymae meae arma sunt talia enim munimenta sunt Sacerdotis aliter NEC DEBEO NEC POSSUM RESISTERE I can sorrow I can weep I can sigh against Arms Souldiers and Goths Tears are my weapons for such is the Munition of a Priest in any other manner I OVGHT NOT I CANNOT RESIST And his People were much of the same mind as he describes it Epist. 33. or as in some Editions the 13. Ad Marcellinam What could have been better spoken by Christian men than that which the Holy Ghost spake in you this day Rogamus Auguste non pugnamus We entreat O Emperour we fight not we are not afraid yet we entreat This saith St. Ambrose doth become Christians that both the tranquillity of peace be desired by them and their constancie in faith and truth should not be deserted no not with the peril of death And in his Tract de Renovatione fidelium Laude magis scribendum est non tam male facere non posse quam nolle whereof St. Peter told us the sence long before 1 Pet. 2.19 This is thank-worthie to God if a man endure grief suffering wrongfully And that man doth certainly suffer wrongfully that hath the Laws of God and man on his side But there is no Law of God for resistance of a lawful Magistrate The Apostle did not calculate his Doctrine for the three first Centuries under Heathen and that it should expire under Christian Magistrates the Spirit of God foresaw that Kings should be nursing Fathers to his Church and made good Laws for the securitie thereof but he never meant that Princes should be resisted though in some things they should act contrary to those Laws So that when our Author demands by what Law we must die p. 81. and answers Not by the Law of God for being of that Religion which he approves I answer Yes 1. By the Law of God rather than make resistance that we may bear testimony to that Law by suffering of death for our Religion rather than to violate it by our Rebellion 2. By the Laws of our Country too for though by the favour of Christian Princes many good Laws are made for obedient Subjects which the Prince may not violate without his great sin against God yet hath the Supreme Authority of the Land provided especially for the security of the Prince who is a Common good We see how in Nature light things do sometimes descend and things that are heavie
and patience of Martyrs and Confessors and to applaud the insolencies and extravagancies of the seditious Rabble Let me whisper it softly in your ear I think Julian the Apostate did less prejudice the Christian Religion than such a one as Lucian the Scoffer Mr. Baxter Christian Direct p. 20. I do not think Nero or Dioclesian martyred near so many as the People turned loose would have done Much more was Julian a Protector of the Church from popular rage c. And you shall sooner wash a Black-more white than cleanse your self from that Contagious Leprosie which over-runs your whole Book and I pray God it hath not seized on your Heart which you do in vain endeavour by the following Discourse which I now consider P. 68. you say The truth of the Matter is this Their case differed very much and they were in quite other circumstances than the first Christians were When Julian came to the Crown he found them in full and quiet possession of their Religion which they had enjoyed without interruption for almost fifty years and which was such an inestimable blessing that they had plainly undervalued it if they had not done their utmost to keep it and then to have this treasure wrested out of their hands by one bred up in the bosom of the Church who professed himself a Christian and never pull'd off his Masque till it was too late for them to help themselves this was enough to raise not onely all their Zeal but all their Indignation too Your almost saves your computation of fifty years wherein the Christians enjoyed a full and quiet possession of their Religion without interruption from a great Untruth for it was a good while after Constantine came to the Empire that he did or could shew any great favour to the Christians he being brought up under Dioclesian and not being baptized himself until towards the end of his Reign That he banished Athanasius the great Pillar of the Christian Religion is not to be denyed nor that Constantius was himself an Arian and promoted those destructive errours in such a manner as that the Orthodox Bishops whom Constantius had banished and were recalled by Julian seemed to be in a better condition under him than under Constantius many Bishops being banished for refusing to subscribe against Athanasius and his Creed in the Council of Millain And Athanasius with many others of his perswasion lived in desart places until the death of Constantius So that though the fifty years did run out at length yet in all Constantius his time which was reckoned above twenty years the Orthodox were mightily afflicted by the Arians Donatists and Circumcellians And you may as well say the Church of England had a full and quiet possession of their Religion without interruption in the times of our late Confusion when every Mushrome-Sect sprung up above it as that it was so with the Primitive Christians during the time of Constantius I might add much more but desire the Reader to be satisfied with that one instance of the Arians dealing with old Hosius a Bishop of a hundred years old whom in a Council of theirs at Sirmium they so tormented that they forced him to subscribe to them to save his life And how ill it was with others even in the days of Constantine see the History of the Donatists lately printed But then for the poor Primitive Christians of all they were born to Persecution they neither knew better nor expected it The Laws of the Empire were alwaies in force against them their Religion at best was in the world but upon sufferance as Abraham in the Land of Canaan where he had no Inheritance no not so much as to set his foot on But as his afflicted Posteritie were afterward Lords of that Country so after another Egyptian Bondage Christianitie was advanced to be the established Religion of the Empire All this and much more is but Mr. Hunts Argument in other words for p. 46. he says The Reformed Religion hath acquired a civil Right and the protection of Laws if we ought not to lose our Lives Liberties and Estates but where forfeited by Law we ought much rather not to lose them for the profession of the best Religion which by Law is made the publick National Religion And it is strange that some men of the same Religion in profession can think that notwithstanding it makes no matter what is done to a man if he be Religious but if he be not so the least publick injuries and injustice may be resisted vindicated remedied and by right defended by old Laws or new ones to be made for that purpose The Christian Religion was publisht when the whole world was Pagan and therefore it was submitted to such usage as the Governours would give it But when the Christian Faith had by Miracles of patience declared it self to be of Heaven according to the Prophecies on that behalf it took possession of the Empire and Crowns and Scepters became submitted to the Cross and the Christians acquired a civil Right of protection and immunity which they ought not they cannot relinquish and abandon no more than they can destroy themselves Such as thus perish shall never wear a Martyrs Crown but perish in the next world for perishin in this This will be interpretatively Crucifying Christ afresh after that he is received up into Glory i. e. after his Religion is exalted into Dignity Honour and civil Authority c. Thus far Simeon and Levi are agreed and these were precious hints to our Julian for till he hit on this new Notion there was nothing in the whole Book that favoured of Common sence or had any shew of Reason but his Pages as the Builders of Babel misunderstand one another and what one builds up the other throws down and after a long evaporation of smoak and ashes and sometimes fire as ancient Historians relate of Aetna our modern Historian makes the same Mountain to pour out such a deluge of Water as drowns all the Faith and Patience Christian men and leaves onely Julian to triumph at the overthrow of Christianity If these men be not in too great haste and their Guilt and Fears drive them not into Corners I would expostulate with them a while Can the Laws of men make void the Law of God and have you Authoritie to distinguish where the Law of God makes no distinction Doth not that speak plain that we must submit not onely to Masters that are good and gentle but also to the froward 1 Pet. 2.18 and to Parents that correct us according to their pleasure and the believing Wife is to submit her self to her unbelieving Husband in every thing Eph. 5.24 not contrary to Gods Word and is it not true that what is said of the submission of Servants Children and Wives the same may be said of Subjects as St. Augustine affirms after Gregory Nazianzen Was a Heathen Emperour to be submitted to in all things and not a
Christian Shall the Priviledges which Christian Princes grant us be used as Weapons to fight and rebel against them Was it lawful for the Catholicks to rebel against Constantius when he was a declared Heretick and by great violence promoted that damnable Heresie as Bishop Vsher calls it suppressing and banishing the Orthodox and setting up the Arian Is it not said that if we suffer wrongfully i. e. against Law and Equity and take it patiently this is thank-worthy with God Can you without Sacriledge take away the Crowns from all the Martyrs that died ever since Julians time and tell us they died like Fools or mad men and were felo's de se for not selling their Lives at a dearer rate and like Sampson pull down the Pillars of the Empire with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I must perish let the whole world perish with me Or can you think that they perished in the next world for perishing in this when Christ tells them he that loseth his life shall save it If it be unjust in the Prince to deprive us of our Rights against the Law of the Land is it not much more so for us to deprive him of his against the Law of God as well as that of the Land too And have we not generally I mean the Clergie at least Subscribed That it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever not of Religion nor of the Laws to take up Arms c. Non debet minor potestas irasci si major praelata sit The Laws of the Land must give place to the Law of God The contrary to all these are the monstrous Consequences of your new distinction that allows of Rebellion when we suppose the Laws of the Land to be on our side I say suppose them for Wars have been raised and maintained on such a false Supposition And if when the Prince declares that he doth and will govern by the known Laws we shall Remonstrate that he doth not and suggest our groundless and unreasonable Fears and Jealousies that he will not who shall be Judge in this Case Shall the people take the Sword in their hands to cut this Gordian-knot and cut us all in pieces We have God be thanked many good Laws for our security and a gracious Prince that hitherto hath and will govern by them but we have one great Law of God and another of the Land that though he should not yet we may not rebel That excessive commendation which our Author gives of Constantius makes me think he hath exceeded also in the dispraise of Julian p. 70. Never any man in this world set his heart so much upon any other thing as he did to see the Christians flourish and to have all the advantages of glorie and power And neither conquered Nations nor a well-govern'd Empire nor great Treasures nor excessive Glorie nor being King of Kings nor all other things which make up other mens notions of Happiness did delight him so much as to have the honour of bringing honour to the Christians and of leaving them established for ever in the possession of Power and Authoritie And yet as it was said of Naaman that mightie man of Valour But he was a Leper so it is recorded of Constantius he was an Arian and persecuted the Church of God I think I have said enough already to confute the insignificant Instances produced by our Author when I gave you the more sober sence of St. Gregorie himself of St. Basil Ambrose and Bernard all which lived when they had the Laws on their side and the best Religion in the world to defend and yet they durst not do it by the Sword if they could have done it for I shall not now question their power Tertullian did assert that of old and the Learned Hammond hath put the truth of it out of question in his Answer to Mr. Stephen Marshal But says our Author p. 70. For Julian who by his Baptism first and entring into Orders after and going to Church after that sufficiently engaged himself to maintain Christianitie to endeavour on the other hand to dispossess them of their Freehold is an insupportable injurie It was so indeed and I would have our Author consider whether for a man that hath been received into the Bosom of the Church and hath eaten of her Bread and approved of her Doctrine to become an Apostate from that holy Profession and expose that Church and Christianity it self to scorn and contempt be not to out-do Julian I shall desire the Reader patiently to look on while I remove those few Blockadoes which our Author hath laid in my way and then I shall attack that inchanted Castle wherein those two Giants think themselves so secure as to laugh at all opposition that can be made against them That of Juventinus and Maximus mentioned a third time in p. 72. is already level'd if there were a Sham-plot against them our Author seems to be one of their accusers for talking too boldly against the Emperour which they utterly denied A second Sham-plot was of Sacriledge p. 72. but I see no man concerned in that neither shall I fight with Shadows as our Author doth P. 73. Old Bracton is conjured up and he presently flies in the face of the Conjurers and tells them that when Laws are made by the consent of the people and the Royal Authority they cannot be altered or destroyed without the joynt consent of all those by whom they were concerned And yet the Laws of Queen Elizabeth for keeping her Subjects in due obedience are exploded as some of the Grievances of the Nation With what face can they plead the Laws of the Land for their security who daily violate and contemn them and teach others to do so And in p. 74. our Author is surprised with the Thebaean Legion which appeared to him as a Legion of Noon-day Devils and he wonders who should raise them up he cries out as that Legion Matth. 8.22 Art thou come to torment us What have we to do with thee O Thebaean Legion what have we to do with their Example No I 'll warrant my Author he shall never die for his Religion as they did he hath parted with that already for fear of what might come And this Thebaean Legion is such a terrible immortal Army as will defeat all Rebels to the worlds end Are we says our Author to go to Mass to morrow or else to have our Throats cut No nor are we to cut our Princes Throat to day for fear lest he should compel us to go to Mass to morrow Such fears were as groundless in the daies of Charles the First as of Charles the Second yet we see what was then done Again Are we under a Sentence of Death according to the Laws of our Country if we do not presently renounce our Religion No but if we presently renounce our Religion as our Author hath done and then contrive a Rebellion we are under a Sentence of a
without breaking his Allegiance for bearing true Faith and Loyalty of life and limb or any way injuring the King for the King may be at Westminster when they are fighting against him in the Field And it is not Julian they resist but the Devil that is in him And yet I suppose that our Author as the Law requires hath declared his abhorrence of that traiterous Position of taking Arms by his authoritie against his person or against those that are commissionated by him But where shall we go to be resolved in this weighty Case shall we go to the Romish Casuists they are positively for killing the King Mariana and Bellarmine and many others own it in divers cases But we need not go so far our Author hath tanquam ex Tripode determined it in the Case of Julian that such a King is to be pursued as if he were a Midnight-Thief or a Highway Robber p. 73. and 't is as lawful to destroy him as for a hungrie Welsh man to eat up his Cheese and cry Chud eat meer an chad it p. 95. To this end Our Author quoteth Gregory calling on the Angels whose work it was to destroy the Tyrant who had not killed a Sihon King of the Amorites nor an Og the King of Basan but in so doing had killed the Dragon an Apostate the great Designer the common Enemy and Adversary of all with an c. p. 23. And again p. 61. If any one had killed Julian he was not to be blamed no but to be rewarded rather as one who shewed himself so courageous for God and for that Religion which he approves St. Chrysostom in his first Homily of David and Saul teacheth another Doctrine If we reverence and fear those Magistrates saith he that are elected by the King although they be wicked although they be Thieves and Robbers although they be unjust and whatever they be not despising them for their wickedness but standing in awe of them for the dignitie of him that did elect them much more ought we thus to do in the Case of God And Gregory Nazianzen speaks home to the Case in that 27 Oration p. 171. Continue faithful to your Kings but first of all to God and for him to them also to whom you have been committed by him And Elias Cretensis gives this Reason for it Because if ye fear God and studiously observe his Commandments you will be faithful also to your Kings for Gods sake Now Julian's Souldiers as our Author says p. 8. were men principl'd in the true Religion and therefore thought Julian stood in fear of them as he says yet they never did him hurt by Open Rebellion or Secret Conspiracies nor is our Author too old to learn of them P. 92. He sums up the strength of what hath been said in these Five PROPOSITIONS ANSWER 1. Christianitie destroys no mans Natural or Civil Rights but confirms them 1. Christianity obligeth us to prefer our Spiritual and Eternal Rights above our Temporal and Civil 2. All men have both a Natural and Civil Right and Property in their Lives till they have forfeited them by the Laws of their Country 2. Our Lives are to be parted with in obedience to God's Laws though not forfeited by the Laws of our Country 3. When the laws of God and of our Country interfere and it is made death by the Law of the Land to be a good Christian then we are to lay down our Lives for Christ sake This is the onely case wherein the Gospel requires Passive Obedience namely when the Laws are against a man And this was the Case of the first Christians 3. It is not the onely Case wherein the Gospel requires Passive Obedience when the Laws are against a man There was no Law of the Romans by which Christ might be put to death yet when he suffered he threatned not leaving us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.19 20 21. and hereunto we are called To what to suffer though wrongfully v. 19. and take it patiently for Conscience sake towards God 4. That killing of a man contrary to Law is Murder 4. If we suffer death wrongfully it is Martyrdom and acceptable to God though it be Murder in our Enemies 5. That every man is bound to prevent Murder as far as the Law allows and ought not to submit to be murdered if he can help it 5. We may so by our appeal to the Supreme Magistrate as St. Paul when he was like to be condemned contrary to Law appealed to Caesar having all the Law on his side Acts 25.8 Neither against the Law of the Jews nor against the Temple nor yet against Caesar have I offended yet doubtless if Caesar had condemned him he would have patiently submitted after the Example of his Master though he could have had Legions of Angels to defend him P. 93. Now I desire those men who of late have thundred in all publick places with the Thebaean Legion to keep that complete and admirable Example till they have got another Maximian and till that Maximian hath got authority at once to cut 6666 throats I think there was never more need than now to press that noble Example for though we have not a Maximian but another Constantine set over us no Julian that commands us to sacrifice to Idols but One that makes it his business that we should all with one consent worship God and our Saviour in the beauty of Holiness Though he have all the Laws of God and man to secure him from malitious and violent men yet how are the tongues of wicked men sharpned against him and all his Ministers in Church and State How are all those devilish arts of Calumny and Reproach the fears and jealousies of Arbitrary Power and Popery renewed which encouraged a Rebellious multitude to the cutting of the throats not of one Legion but of twenty at least and the cutting off the head of a most incomparable Prince too Would the Thebaean Legion that laid down their lives at the Command of a Maximian have murtered a word against so good a Governour And when the same things are attempted a second time shall we not bring forth the Thebaean Legion to withstand such impious practices and rise up in judgment against them who notwithstanding the Laws of God and our Country too would not onely decimate us but if it were in their power destroy us as Nero wisht that the Citizens of Rome had but one Neck that he might cut them all off at a stroke I would gladly add the consideration of the Thundering Legion to this of the Thebaean They by their Prayers obtained relief from Heaven and Victory too for the Army of a persecuting Heathen we are taught to pray for the Confusion of a Christian Prince But this shall suffice Under those cruel Emperours Dioclesian and Maximian that most illustrious example of Passive Obedience presenteth it self to our view which the Thebaean Legion shewed consisting of 6666
Sanctions Then it was first That Burton in a seditious Sermon compared that excellent Prince to Julian and his Chapel to Julian's Altar And tells the same storie of Maris Bishop of Chalcedon who called Julian Atheist and Apostate to his face as our Author hath done in print That Male-content having been admitted to the Kings Chappel for a while and defeated of a Bishoprick to which he aspired turned Apostate and defamed the whole Order as Antichristian He had served that excellent Prince in his Closer and missing of the Preferment in the Court for his turbulency being banished thence he began to court the People and sought it in the Camp not being ashamed to profess himself an old out-cast Courtier worn our of favour and Friends there which was the reason that he became a Professed enemy both to King and Court Then it was that he made his Pulpit a Drum to beat up for Sedition and War Prynne Bastwick Leyton and many others took the Alarm and dipping their Pens in Gall made way for the Sword that glutted it self with so much bloud He presumes to dedicate his Seditious Harangues as so many Fire-brands to the Houses of Parliament where finding too much combustible matter he made such a flame as warmed him a little but made a general conflagration through the three Kingdoms Had it not been much better that two or three such Boutefeus had suffered according to their deserts than that the whole Nation should fall a Sacrifice to those Idols of a Seditious party There wanted not then good Laws against such disturbers of the publick peace The Statute of Westm the first provided That no man should publish or tell any false News whereby discord or occasion of discord or slander may grow between the King and his People or Nobles And a Statute was made the second of Richard 2. ch 5 for punishing counterfeiters of false news and lyes of Prelates Earls Dukes c. of things which by them were never spoken to the slander of the Prelates c. And the punishment was left to the discretion of the King and Council And old Bracton records this ancient usage Si quis Machinatus fuerit vel aliquid fecerit c. If any one shall contrive or do any thing against the life of the King or to make Sedition in his Army or shall give consent or counsel thereto although they effect not the mischief which they designed he shall be guilty of Treason And accordingly one John Bonnet a Wool-man was drawn and hanged for scattering seditious Libels in London In the 4th year of Hen. 5. as Stow relates Sir William Stanly a person of great valour was condemned and executed as a Traitor for saying less than our Author doth That if he thought Perkin Warbeck to be the undoubted Son of Edward the 4th he would never bear Arms against him And in the 9th year of H. 7. Bagnal Scot Heath and Kennington who had taken Sanctuary in St. Martins le grand were taken out and three of them executed for forging Seditious Bills to the slander of the King and Council The like proceedings were made against Barrow Greenwood Penry Vdal and many others who were condemned and some of them executed for the like Seditious Writings against Queen Eliz. and her Government concerning which I shall present to our Authors Her Majesties Proclamation By the QUEEN A Proclamation against certain Seditious and Schismatical Books and Libels c. THE Queens most Excellent Majesty considering how within these few years past and now of late certain seditious evil-disposed persons towards her Majesty and the Government established for causes Ecclesiastical within her Majesties Dominions have devised written printed or caused to be seditiously and secretly published dispersed sundry schismatical and seditious Books diffamatory Libels and other phanatical Writings amongst her Majesties Subjects containing in them Doctrine very erroneous and other matters notoriously untrue and slanderous to the State and against the godly reformation of Religion and Government Ecclesiastical established by Law and so quietly of long time continued and also against the persons of Bishops and others placed in authority Ecclesiastical under her Highness by her authority in railing sort and beyond the bounds of all good humanity All which Books Libels and Writings tend by their scope to perswade and bring in a monstrous and apparent dangerous Innovation within her Dominions and Countries of all manner of Ecclesiastical Government now in use and to the abridging or rather to the overthrow of her Highness lawful Prerogative allowed by Gods Law and established by the Laws of the Realm and consequently to reverse dissolve and set at liberty the present Government of the Church and to make a dangerous change of the form of Doctrine and use of Divine Service of God and the Ministration of the Sacraments now also in use with a rash and malicious purpose also to dissolve the Estate of the Prelacy being one of the three ancient Estates of this Realm under her Highness whereof her Majesty mindeth to have such a reverend regard as to their places in the Church and Commonwealth appertaineth All which said lewd and seditious practices do directly tend to the manifest wilful breach of great number of good Laws and Statutes of this Realm inconveniencies nothing regarded by such Innovations In consideration whereof her Highness graciously minding to provide some good and speedy Remedy to withstand such notable dangerous and ungodly Attempts and for that purpose to have such enormous Malefactors discovered and condignly punished doth signifie this her Highness misliking and indignation of such dangerous and wicked Enterprizes and for that purpose doth hereby will and also straightly charge and command that all persons whatsoever within any her Majesties Realms and Dominions who have or hereafter shall have any of the said seditious Books Pamphlets Libels or Writings or any of like nature already published or hereafter to be published in his or their custody containing such matters as above are mentioned against the present Order and Government of the Church of England or the lawful Ministers thereof or against the Rites and Ceremonies used in the Church and allowed by the Laws of the Realm That they and every of them do presently after with convenient speed bring in and deliver up the same unto the Ordinary of the Diocess or of the place where they inhabit to the intent they may be utterly defaced by the said Ordinary or otherwise used by them And that from henceforth no person or persons whatsoever be so hardy as to write contrive print or cause to be published or distributed or to keep any of the same or any other Books Libels or Writings of like nature and quality contrary to the true meaning and intent of this her Majesties Proclamation And likewise that no man hereafter give any instruction direction favour or assistance to the contriving writing printing publishing or dispersing of the same or such like
Commands of God for obedience to the Higher Powers From all which Premises I shall onely conclude as to my self That it is much more desirable to perish by the hands of a known Enemie to God and the true Religion than to out-live that Religion and by a successful resistance against the Ordinance of God to live in the enjoyment of Temporal wealth and Honours and to deserve this Epitaph to be engraved on my Tomb. Plorate quotquot estis Pacis vitaeque placidae Pertaesi Conservator optimi Populi pessimus Legum Libertatis Religionis Protector Post Oliverum Primus nulli Secundus Deperditae Respublicae Instaurator Regum timendorum tremendus Judex Regiae Stirpis Extirpator Perfidus Juris Consultorum Doctor Ignoramus Qui Consentientibus dissentit ab omnibus Orthodoxis Antiquis Modernis Qui Dissentientibus consentit omnibus Papistis Anabaptistis Regicidis Scrutator Majestatis oppressus à Gloria Inglorius obiit OF Passive Obedience IT is a very hard Case that when the Scripture injoyns such as are of the Ministry in this Nation to put the people in mind to be subject to Principalities and powers and the Canons of the Church to which we have subscribed oblige us four times in the year at least to manifest open and declare in our Sermons and Lectures That the Kings power within his Majesties Realms c. is the highest power under God to whom all men born within the same do by Gods Laws owe most Loyaltie and Obedience afore and above all Powers and Potentates on Earth that for so doing we should be reproached as Time-servers and such as advance an Arbitrarie power and that such Doctrine is calculated and fitted on purpose for the use of a Popish Successour and to make us an easier prey to the bloudie Papists p. 89. And all this by those men who are equally obliged by Oaths and Subscriptions to do the same as we Of these things the Author accuseth a learned Doctor who had affirmed in a Sermon I suppose and he quotes p. 8. That the Gospel doth not prescribe any remedie but flight against the Persecutions of the lawful Magistrate allowing no other means when we cannot escape between denying and dying for the Faith This is in p. 80. and p. 85. for saying That the Gospel by its own confession is a suffering Doctrine and so far from being prejudicial to Caesars authoritie that it makes him the Minister of God and commands all its Professors to give him and all that are in authoritie under him their dues and rather die than resist them by force Now to remove the prejudice of such as are of our Author's Judgment I shall first propose the Judgment of Mr. Baxter as a preparative to the more candid entertainment of what I shall propound concerning Passive Obedience P. 24 of the 4th part of Christian Directorie Direct 31. Resist not where you cannot obey and let no appearance of probable good that may come to your selves or to the Church by any unlawful means as Treason Sedition or Rebellion ever tempt you to it for evil must not be done that good may come by it But Sect. 61. it is objected If we must let Rulers destroy us at their pleasure the Gospel will be rooted out of the Earth When they know we hold it unlawful to resist them they will be emboldened to destroy us and sport themselves in our bloud as the Papists did by the poor Albigenses Answ All this were something if there were no God that can easilier restrain and destroy them at pleasure than they can injure or destroy you If God be engaged to protect you and hath told you that the hairs of your head are numbered and more regardeth his Honour Gospel and Church than you do and accounteth his Servants as the Apple of his eye and hath promised to hear them and avenge them speedily then it is but Atheistical distrust of God to save your self by sinful means as if God could not or would not do it Thus he that saveth his life shall lose it This Mr. Baxter speaks against Rebellion and unlawful Arms and Acts. To this purpose he quotes Grotius de Imperio p. 210. answering the like Objection viz. Mutato Regis Animo Religio Mutabitur That if the King change his mind the Religion will be changed also Answ In this case the onely remedie is in the providence of God who hath the hearts of all men in his hand but especially the Kings God worketh his ends both by good and evil Kings sometime a calm sometime a storm is most profitable to the Church If the King be of a perverse and corrupt Judgment it will be worse for him than for the Church But all this you will say is against unlawful acts and means which they that have the Laws on their side cannot be said to use To this Mr. Baxter answers p. 26. What power the Laws have they have it by the Kings Consent and Act. And it is strange impudencie to pretend that his own Laws are against him If any misinterpret them he may be confuted I suppose Mr. Baxter means by some other method than that of arguing as St. Augustine advised in the like case The Law and Ordinance of Government and especially of Monarchie is founded on the Law of God and Nature and no positive Laws or condescentions of Governours can make void the Law of God For though a righteous Prince will not violate those Laws which he hath consented to yet if he should it will not justifie those Subjects that shall violate the Law of God and Nature in resisting and rising up against him in Rebellion which would as it were argue great ingratitude to them who by Acts of Grace have obliged themselves for as St. Augustine observes our Prince like God himself becomes a Debtor to man Non aliquid à nobis accipiendo sed omnia nobis largiendo Not by receiving any thing from us but by promising all good things to us So it is a certain way to bring us all to Confusion if the King should be judged as a Criminal upon every transgression of the Law And I would ask those who would bind their Kings in such Fetters By what authoritie they would proceed against him and judge him would they erect another High Court of Justice or bring him from his Throne to the Block Would they arm the people again on pretence of fighting for their Laws and Liberties The end of those things we have seen to be the death of a most righteous Prince and the general destruction of the Subjects Wherefore I commend to you that of your Bracton Omnem esse sub Rege ipsum sub nullo fed tantum sub Deo And if he contradict himself in this the suffrage of Nature and the Laws of all well-governed Nations will condemn him which agree in this That Principi non est Lex posita there is no Law above the Prince that makes the Law and by