was call'd in which both the Universities most amicably agreed resolving only to give an account of the Proceedings at Oxford in the Years 1â—22 1647 and 1683 the Decree of 1622 was made the 25th of June in full Convocation on this occasion †Antiqu. Oxon. l. 1. p. 326 327 c. Mr. Knight of Broadgate Hall now Pembroke College preaching at S. Peter's in the East on Palm-Sunday upon 1 Kings 19.9 What dost thou here Elijah started this Question Whether it were lawful for Subjects in the defence of themselves when persecuted for Religion to take Arms against their Prince which he held in the Affirmative for which Doctrine when he was convened by the Vice-Chancellor he pleaded the Authority of Paraeus in his Commentary on the xiii to the Romans and the Example of King James who assisted the Rochellers against their King and was for that reason sent to Prison the Vice-Chancellor making the Bishop of St. David's Laud who in May of the same Year had his Conference with Fisher the Jesuit acquainted with it from whom the King was inform'd who ordered Knight and his Sermon to be sent up the Author being committed a Prisoner to the Gate-house in Westminster where he lay two Years and at last by the intercession of one of his Fellow Prisoners with Bishop Williams was releas'd and having ask'd the King's Pardon went into Holland where in a short time he died When Knight was complain'd of the King sent to the Vice-Chancellor to injoin the Students of Divinity to lay the Foundation of their Studies next to the holy Scriptures in the Fathers and Councils and to abstain from the Writings of either Jesuits or Puritans and accordingly the Heads of Colleges the Professors c. met in Convocation the Bishops that were then about the Court having condemn'd the Doctrine and the Books that contain'd it as seditious and contrary to the holy Scriptures the Decrees of Councils and Dictates of the Fathers and to the Doctrine and Constitutions of the Church of England and censur'd among others this Proposition * Proposit 2. v. Antiqu. Oxon. p. 327. That Subjects not private Persons but inferior Magistrates may take Arms to defend themselves the Commonwealth the Church and true Religion against their Sovereign or the superior Magistrate upon these Conditions If 1. The Prince turn Tyrant 2. If he compel his Subjects to commit Idolatry or to blaspheme 3. When any great injury is done 4. If they cannot otherwise be safe in their Fortunes their Lives and Consciences upon condition also 5. That under the pretext of Religion or Justice they do not seek their own advantage and 6. That their Arms be managed with much moderation Moderamine inculpatae tutelae These are the Terms of the Proposition and the Censure of the University runs thus This Proposition is false and seditious and so craftily restrain'd under such Conditions annex'd as every seditious Person may make use of to vindicate himself And the third Proposition which is of the same kind is alike condemn'd so that it is no wonder that Gillespy in the Preface to his Sermon calls this Doctrine the new Oxford Divinity and I wish no worse had been ever broach'd or owned there Nor did the University rest here but withal decreed and declared That according to the Canon of the holy Scriptures Subjects ought by no means forcibly to resist their Prince and that it is not lawful to take Arms either offensive or defensive against the King upon the account of Religion or any other Pretence requiring all the Members of the Convocation to subscribe the Censures and enjoyning all that should be admitted to any Degrees to take an Oath to consent to the determinations of that Convocation while the Commentary of Paraeus was burn'd in the Church-yard of St. Mary's at Oxford at Paul's Cross in London as it was likewise burn'd at Cambridge that University joyning with her Sister of Oxford in the Condemnation of those seditious Doctrines For as a * Doublet Ep. ad Gerh. Voss learned Foreigner who at that time was upon the spot informs that Knight citing for his Opinion the Authority not only of Paraeus but also of Bucanus and Junius Brutus affirming further that it was the Opinion of all the Reformed Divines and illustrating it by this instance that If the King of France should while his Army laid Siege to any Town of the Protestants his Subjects happen to fall by the hand of any of the besieged he was justly slain nor was he that killed him guilty of any crime both the Universities condemn'd the Doctrine and though at Oxford only Paraeus's Book was burn'd yet at Cambridge they also burn'd Bucanus's Common places and Junius Brutus or Hubert Languet's Vindiciae and damn'd the Authors to perpetual Infamy my Author adding that the Cambridge Doctors were the more fierce of the two whether because they hated the Puritans or were the Majority of them at least Remonstrants the Censure of that University Doublet saw when he was at the Commencement it being put into his Hands by him who drew it up upon his promise not to transcribe it What hinder'd it's publication I know not while the same year Dr. David Owen publish'd his Anti-Paraeus seu Determinat de Jure Regio adv David Paraeum at Cambridge anno sc 1622. Octavo in which the Doctrine of Resistance is throughly confuted This Censure and the Execution done upon his Book much troubled the old Paraeus And his Son * Append. in Comment ad Rom 13.5 vit Paraei says that his Father meant what he wrote not of Kings endowed with an absolute power but of such as were admitted to their Crowns upon condition while the illustrious Hugo Grotius thought so well of it that he hath inserted it at large in his Works †Vot pro pace ad Art. 16. p. 661. with a high commendation affirming That the Reverend Memory of King James the first the wisest King of Great Britain and the honor which he owed to the University of Oxford which at that time foresaw the Calamities which England afterward suffered and a just fear lest the pernicious Doctrine might do more mischief ingaged him to reprint the Censure To which Determination Dr. Prideaux Dr. Abbot and the other eminent Men of that time gave their suffrage Anno 1647 June 1. The same famous Academy met in Convocation and declared their Judgment concerning the Solemn League and Covenant and a few of their Reasons why they could not take that Covenant I shall transcribe * Ad calc vit Sanderson p. 174. as they were drawn up by Bishop Sanderson 1. We cannot take the Oath without acknowledging in the Imposers a greater power than for ought appeareth to us hath been in former times challenged †P. 181. 3. We cannot take the Oath without manifest danger of Perjury ‖ P. 182. the Oath being contrary to the Oath of Supremacy by us taken
Puritan against Scripture Fathers Councils and other Orthodoxal Writers for the Coercion deposition and killing of Kings and the Title is a sufficient declaration what the Author's judgment was the Book it self being in many places both as to Argument and Style very agreeable to the Treatise called Deus Rex set forth by the King's Order he proves in the First Chapter that Kings are not punishable by man but reserv'd to the Judgment of God by the Testimony of the Holy Scriptures and in the subsequent Chapters he proves the same by the Testimony of the Fathers and other ancient Writers and he briefly gives his Opinion * P. 24. Chap. 4. but very fully Be the King for his Religion impious for his Government unjust for his Life licentious the Subject must endure him the Bishop must reprove him the Counsellor must advise him all must pray for him and no mortal man hath Authority to disturb or displace him The same Author Ann. 1622. printed at Cambridg his Anti-Paraeus in confutation of †Ambergae 1612. David Paraeus's Book De Jure Regum Brincipum contra Bellarminum Becanum c. who disallowing the Pope's Claim invested the Power over Princes in the People In the Preface of this Book the Dr. shews the consonancy and agreeableness of the Popish and Disciplinarian Principles and in the Book refutes from the dictates of nature Thes 1. p. 3 c. the laws of Nations Civil and Canon Scriptures Fathers and most eminent Reformed Divines that the Power and Jurisdiction of Kings is not founded in compact as if the Majesty of Princes were derived from the People and limited by them but that P. 16 17. as God is the Supreme Lord of all who judges all his Creatures and is judged of none so Kings and Princes who judge and punish others can be judg'd and punish'd by no one save God alone to whose only power they are subject this David understanding though guilty of Adultery and Murder implores the divine mercy against thee only have I sinned for I acknowledg no other Superior on Earth but thee who can call me to account give sentence against me or punish me for my sin the reason is the King is the head of the body politick but the members ought not to judge the head because they are subject nor to cut it off for then they cease to be members and this the Heathen Poet knew and averred that Kings have a power over their several Subjects but God only hath an Empire and Authority over Kings Nor will the publick safety and tranquillity be maintain'd without such an unaccountable power in Kings for the Monarch who is opposed by his rebellious Subjects although they are much too strong for him will call to his assistance all his neighbouring Kings and Confederates will list Foreign Forces to vindicate himself and the miseries of such a War will be a poor comfort to such an infatuated Nation P. 18. but suppose there were such a power in the People to call their Kings to account which we ought not to grant ☞ Nero perish'd but the case of Rome was not better'd by it for in the next year after his death it felt more calamities and was imbrued in more blood than in the whole nine years of Nero 's Tyranny Rome when she cast off her Kings did not abrogate p. 19. but change the Tyranny and Athens drove out one Tyrant and brought in thirty ☞ I do confidently assert that all Tyranny whether it uses violence against God or Man ought to be suffer'd ought not to be abrogated till he puts an end to it who alone girds and ungirds the loins of Kings p. 20. Solomon was guilty of Polygamy and Idolatry but lost not his Crown and Dignity Ahab slew Naboth Tyrannically Banished and put to death the Prophets persecuted the true Religion and established the Worship of Baal by his Authority but neither the inferior Magistrate nor the People presumed to resist his Tyranny it is true Jehu did so but it was not by any power that the Laws gave him but by an extraordinary Commission from Heaven and that which could not then be done without an Oracle from Heaven cannot now be done without the contempt of God's Majesty the contumely of Kingly Power and the ruin of the Commonwealth Christ who lived under the Empire of Tiberius the Authority of Herod and Government of Pilate p. 22. the Apostles who flourish'd under Caligula Claudius Nero and Domitian the Primitive Christians who lived under Persecutors for three hundred years Liberius Hosius Athanasius Nazianzen and many other Fathers who for a thousand years after the Birth of Christ watered the Church with their holy Lives and sound Doctrine were all ignorant of this Mystery that Princes may be resisted by their Subjects if they are blessed who suffer persecution for righteousness sake p. 25. then they undoubtedly shall not be blessed who refuse to suffer persecution for righteousness sake for in that they will not suffer but rise against their Persecutors they are convinc'd of sin and acquire to themselves damnation But are not Princes under the power of the Law Yes P. 41. under the directive not under the compulsive power of the Law. P. 43. but have not Princes given their Subjects many and must they be suffered to invade them it is very hard that Princes own voluntary concessions should be made use of to their detriment to encourage their Subjects to Rebellion and Parricide but whatever Princes do as the Laws are derived from them and they are the interpreters of them so though they voluntarily submit to their direction they cannot be compell'd so to do the concessions of a Prince to his Subjects P. 55. do not give them a right to call him to account Tyrants who are in possession of lawful power over us we are commanded to obey forbidden to resist ☜ for in the Holy Scripture we find no distinction between a good Prince and an evil Tyrant as to the honour reverence and obedience that is due to them it is not lawful therefore to draw the Sword against them because they that resist resist God and shall receive to themselves damnation but no law of God or Man hath set over us private Tyrants Usurpers or Domestick Thieves we are under no obligations to them we owe them no obedience nor are we any way either out of reverence to their power or necessity of submission but that we may repel force by force P. 65. one Apostle forbids all resistance another commands obedience to Superiors neither of them make any distinction between good and bad and they speak to all Inferiors indifferently to Lay and Clergy to Men of all Orders Degrees and Dignities that Man therefore distinguishes ill where the Law of God admits of no distinction in such a case God allows us flight P. 80. and patience and prayers and tears
careful our blessed Saviour was to pay all due respects to any person invested with Authority and that St. Peter recommends a meek behaviour even towards them from whom we receive hard measure P. 94. That such a continued respect and practice of duty to Governours even under hard usage is that which Conscience to God will oblige to perform This duty of respectful submission is not founded upon the good temper of our Superiours but upon the Authority they receive from God and the Precepts which God hath thereupon given to us P. 97. Obj. But if Religion be concern'd and in danger doth it not behove every good Man to be zealous c. Ans 1. It is requisite he should be zealous in the diligent exercise of a holy Life and in frequent and devout prayer c. But he must not be active as an evil doer in giving himself the liberty to behave himself undutifully towards his Superiours 2. Religion can never be so in danger that God can need any sinful practices of Men to uphold his interest his Kingdom is not so weak that it cannot stand without the affistance of the works of the Devil P. 99. 3. Religion can never be opposed with greater enmity and malicious designs than it was when our Saviour suffered and yet then he reviled not P. 100. nor allow'd St. Peter's rashness The Jews aimed utterly to root out the Christian Name and there were great oppositions against Religion even fiery Tryals 1 Pet. 4.12 When yet Saint Peter requires Christians to follow the Example of our Lord's patience and meekness and to reverence Superiours 4. True zeal for Religion consists in pious and holy living not in passionate and sinful speaking To Dr. Falkner I should join his Pupil Dr. Sherlock but his Book of Non resistance is so strong and his arguments from Scripture so cogent that it is needless to make any extracts out of it and till his Adversary writes both a more becoming and a more demonstrative Answer it will be still by all wise Men look'd upon as unanswerable SECT XXIX Among the unanswerable Treatises I also reckon Dr. Hicks the Dean of Worcester's Jovian for unless scurrility confidence and a desertion of the main Argument may pass for an Answer the Reply that is yet extant deserves no Rejoinder Out of that Elaborate Commentary on the Doctrine of Passive Obedience I shall only quote one passage because it is a History of the Author's Principles and Resolution I had rather dye a Martyr than a Rebel P. 259 and I resolve by God's assistance neither to turn Papist nor Resist but if I cannot escape I will suffer according to the Gospel and the Church of England and I will Preach and Practise Passive Obedience after the example of the Prophets and Martyrs who suffered against Law and in my most melancholy prospect of things I can comfort my self with the hopes of a reward for dying at a Stake which he shall never have for dying in the Field To this purpose also the Sermon at Bow-Church Jan. 30. 1681 / 2. Together with the same Author's Artillery Sermon are worth the perusing Dr. South I have read heretofore of some Serm. 2. p. 80 81. that having conceived an irreconcileable hatred of the Civil Magistrate prevailed with Men so far that they went to resist him even out of Conscience and a full perswasion and dread upon their spirits ☜ that not to do it were to desert God and consequently to incur Damnation Now when Mens rage is both heightened and sanctified by Conscience the War will be fierce for what is done out of Conscience is done with the utmost activity and then Campanella 's Speech to the King of Spain will be found true Religio semper vicit praesertim armata which sentence deserves seriously to be considered by all Governors and timely understood lest it come to be felt P. 212. P. 236. We have seen Rebellion commented out of Rom. xiii He that makes his Prince despised and undervalued blows a Trumpet against him in Mens Hearts c. * See Dr. Freeman's Ser. before the L. Mayor 1682. p. 8. P. 242 243. To imagine a King without Majesty a Supreme without Sovereignty is a Paradox and direct contradiction The Church of England glories in nothing more than that she is the truest friend to Kings and to Kingly Government of any other Church in the World. It is the happiness of some Professions and Callings that they can equally square themselves to and thrive under all Revolutions of Government but the Clergy of England neither know nor affect that happiness and are willing to be despised for not doing so And so far is our Church from encroaching upon the Civil Power as some who are back-friends to both would maliciously insinuate that were it stript of the very remainder of its privileges and made as like the Primitive Church for its bareness as it is already for its Purity it could chearfully and what is more Loyally want all such Privileges and in the want of them pray that the Civil Power may flourish as much and stand as secure from the assaults of Fanatick Anti-Monarchical Principles grown to such a dreadful height during the Churches late confusions as it stood while the Church enjoyed those Privileges Dr. Serm. on Heb x. 36. p. 2. John Moor. Our Saviour was the first that did effectually recommend this Passive Virtue to the World and furnished Men with such true Arguments to bear their Cross as made the most afflicted state not only supportable but to be preferred before the happiness of this life P. 16 17. A good Man when he is persecuted for his Religion neither deserts it nor by any unlawful means defends it He will not renounce his Faith to escape Persecution and yet he dreads by resisting of Authority to promote the cause of Religion P. 19. it being a blasphemy against the Divine Wisdom and Power to suppose God can stand in need of our sins to bring to pass his most glorious designs and this he says of those who under pretence of defending their Rights or Religion resist lawful Authority He then in whom this virtue of Patience dwells keeps a due regard to the commands laid upon him to submit himself to the Supreme Powers and he dares not lift up his Hand against the Lords Anointed ☞ nor Levy War upon the most plausible account whatsoever nay to him it cannot but seem a wonder that the Doctrin of Resistance should have gone down so glibly with any who have read the New Testament and are baptised into the Christian Faith. All Resistance to the Supreme Authority is unlawful The Popes of Rome being the first pretenders from Scripture to a right to resist the Civil Power P. 20 21. c. And it is most certain that by the same Argument they would take off their obligation to this plain Christian Duty they
makes a Hypocrite to reign for the sins of a people Now the Supremacy of Kings and the subjection of every Soul to them are so joined that the King cannot be said to be supreme unless every Soul be subject to him nor will the duty of subjection agree to every Soul unless the King be invested with this Supremacy Sect. 3. p. 21. for all Men universim omnes sigillatim singuli whether singly or contained in a body are bound in conscience by this Apostolical Precept to pay the duties of subjection and observance to Kings and whereas Bellarmin as others urged the deposition of Athaliah Sect. 5. p. 33. to prove the lawfulness of Dethroning Princes he answers that Athaliah had no right to the Crown that she had the Kingdom by violence that the true King lay hid that by her Parricide and Treason she had made herself guilty of death by the Law and ought to have suffered Prelect 4. Sect. 3. p. 44. p. 47. and that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power which St. Paul uses never signifies force and violence but a just Power which must be lawful because it is from Heaven that Christ was subject by the law to the Power of Pilate and the Apostles to the Heathen Princes Prel 5. Sect. 1.2 p. 70 71. and that in the Primitive Church there were no Traytors who either openly or privately contrived or attempted any thing against the Life or Crown of the Emperor when they wanted neither numbers nor force but they durst not turn Rebels or Traytors ☜ lest by breaking the command of Christ they should lose Heaven and Bellarmin belies them when he says they wanted not a right nor good will to depose Kings but only forces sufficient P. 73. it was of old their Doctrine that the Church ought not to rebel against Princes and this the Gospel taught them let them therefore shew from the Gospel that it is lawful for else let a Man pretend to Inspiration if he speaks from himself and not from the Gospel believe him not says St. Chrysostom Prelect 8. Sect. ult p. 96. and having shewn from David's saying against thee only have I sinned that Kings are accountable only to God he closes his Lecture with these words a King is under the coercion of no Laws because there is no power among Men on Earth that can punish him so that when Kings transgress we must expect the judgments of God upon them SECT XIV In the same year Dr. Lewis Bayly Bishop of Bangor set forth the Practice of Piety ‖ P. 479. edit 1675. in the end of which he shews that the Doctrine which St. Paul taught the Ancient Church of Rome is diametrically opposite in 26 fundamental points of true Religion to that which the new Church of Rome teacheth and maintaineth and the 24th is this that every Soul must of conscience be subject and pay tribute to the Higher Powers i.e. the Magistrates which bear the Sword. Rom. 13.1 2 c. and therefore the Pope and all Prelates and by parity of reason all other Subjects must be subject to their Emperors Kings and Magistrates unless they will bring damnation upon their Souls as Traytors that resist God and his Ordinance and therefore let the Jesuits P. 480. c. take heed and fear lest it be not Faith but Faction not Truth but Treason not Religion but Rebellion which is the cause of their deaths ☜ because they cannot be suffered to persuade Subjects to break their Oaths and to withdraw their Allegiance from their Sovereign to raise Rebellion to move Invasion to stab and poyson Queens to kill and murder Kings c. Some years before this Dr. Richard Crackenthorp Preach'd at Pauls Cross viz. Mar. 24. 1608. and in his Epistle Dedicatory he affirms pr. Lond. 1609. that his desire therein was to testifie his unfeigned love first to God's truth and then to the Peace of our Jerusalem and in the Sermon he commends King James's Book of Free Monarchies but especially his Learned Apology for the Oath of Allegiance and proves that as Solomon had his Kingdom neither from the Priest nor the People but immediatly from God so the Scriptures call Kings the Ministers or Lieutenants of God Rom. 13. and that all the Ancient Fathers did believe that the Imperial Authority of Kings was immediatly and only derived of God immediatly depending of God and of God alone this was the judgment and just defence of all the Christians and of the Church at that time and to prove this to be agreeable to the Law he cites a Statute made 16. Ric. 2. c. 5. of purpose to keep sacred and inviolable the Sovereignty and regality of this Kingdom ☞ it was therein declared that the Crown of England hath been so free at all times not then only but which is specially to be remembred at all times that it hath been in subjection to no Realm but immediatly subject to God and to none other in all things touching the regality of the same in defence of which Statute they in the Parliament then Assembled promised to live and dye as it is there noted by all which it is evident that this Doctrine which is now at Rome counted most ridiculous it in it self most sacred as being grounded on the Scriptures of God and as most sacred hath been embrac'd by all the Christians in the Primitive Church taught and maintained with a general consent by the Ancient and Godly Fathers in their several Ages and Successions constantly defended by whole Kingdoms and Empires and that under pain of High Treason to the Gainsayers thereof even in those latter times also when superstition had dimin'd but not quite extinguish'd and put out the Truth that cannot possibly be true loyalty or sincere obedience which ever attending to an higher command includes in it as in a Trojan Horse that condition of rebus sic stantibus durante beneplacito or the like out of which if strength and opportunity might serve they might let out whole Armies and Troops of Armed Men suddenly to surprize both Church and Kingdom and much more to that purpose To Dr. Crackenthorp it is requisite to join his Friend Dr. P. 334 ed. Lon. 1675 Daniel Featly who in his Handmaid to devotion on the Feast of the Fifth of November gives all good Christians this useful admonition All that fear God ought to abhor and detest all Traiterous and Bloody conspiracies against the Prince and State because God strictly forbids dreadfully threatens miraculously discovers and severely punishes all Treasons and Conspiracies as we see in Corah Absalom Adonijah Zimri the Servants of Ammon Sullam Haman the servants of the Nobleman in the Parable Judas for God forbids conspiracies Touch not mine Anointed c. SECT XV. The Famous Peter du Moulin the Father the Cicero of the French Churches was by King James made a Prebendary of the Church of Canterbury and
well acquainted with the Thoughts of those venerable Men who wrote the Homilies at this distance of time What Communication hath he with the other World or what peculiar Memoirs that have scap'd all the wise Men of our Church who have been conversant with her Records have fallen into his hands And then I will shew that the Expressions of the Homilies are very full and plain and exclusive of all Pretences to take up Arms against our lawful Superiors The Homily or Exhortation to Obedience Burnet's Hist Ref. part 2. l. 1. c. 6. was made An. 1547. in the Reign of K. Edward the Sixth in the second part of which Sermon of Obedience we are told that it is the calling of God's People to be patient and on the suffering side and to render Obedience to Governors although they be wicked and wrong doers and in no case to resist and stand against them Subjects are bound to obey them i. e. Governors as God's Ministers although they be evil not only for fear but also for conscience sake and here good People let us mark diligently that it is not lawful for Inferiors and Subjects in any case to resist and stand against the superior Powers for St. Paul 's words be plain That whoso withstandeth shall get to themselves Damnation Our Saviour Christ and his Apostles received many and divers Injuries of the unfaithful and wicked men in Authority yet we never read that they or any of them caused any Sedition or Rebellion against Authority we read oftne that they patiently suffer'd all Troubles Vexations Slanders Pangs Pains and Death it self obediently without Tumult or Resistance Christ taught us plainly that even the wicked Rulers have their Power and Authority from God and therefore it is not lawful for their Subjects to withstand them although they abuse their Power Let us believe undoubtedly good Christian People that we may not obey Kings if they command us to do any thing contrary to God's Commandments in such a case we ought to say with the Apostle We must rather obey God than Man but nevertheless in that case we may not in any wise withstand violently or rebel against Rulers or make any Insurrection Sedition or Tumults either by force of Arms or otherwise against the Anointed of the Lord or any of his appointed Officers but we must in such case patiently suffer all wrongs and injuries referring the judgment of our Cause only to God and Part 3. of the same Homily Ye have heard before of this Sermon of good Order and Obedience manifestly proved both by Scriptures and Examples that all Subjects are bound to obey their Magistrates and for no cause to resist or withstand or rebel or make any Sedition against them yea although they be wicked men The second Book of Homilies was compiled in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and among them the Homily against Disobedience and wilful Rebellion is full to this purpose * Part. 1. In reading the holy Scriptures we shall find in very many and almost infinite places as well of the Old Testament as of the New that Kings and Princes as well the evil as the good do reign by God's Ordinance and that Subjects are bounden to obey them The further and further any Earthly Prince doth swerve from the Example of the Heavenly Government the greater plague he is of God's Wrath and Punishment by God's Justice unto the Country and People over whom God for their Sins hath placed such a Prince and Governor What shall Subjects do then What a perillous thing were it to commit to Subjects the Judgment which Prince is wise and godly and his Government good and which otherwise as though the Foot must judge of the Head an Enterprize very heinous and which must needs breed Rebellion and is not Rebellion the greatest of all mischiefs A Rebel is worse than the worst Prince and Rebellion worse than the worst Government of the worst Prince that hitherto hath been If we will have an evil Prince when God shall send such a one taken away and a good one in his place let us take away our Wickedness which provoketh God to place such a one over us Shall the Subjects both by their Wickedness provoke God for their deserved punishment to give them an undiscreet and evil Prince and also rebel against him and withal against God who for the punishment of their Sins did give them such a Prince And this Doctrine is excellently inforc'd in the second part of that Homily from the Example of King David in his Carriage towards Saul And one reason perhaps why these old plain Sermons are by some men despised and evil spoken of is because they so heartily recommend this Doctrine of Non-resistance CHAP. IV. The Doctrine of the Liturgy TO our Homilies I subjoin the Liturgy of our Church the most excellent body of publick Prayers that the World owns In the Morning and Evening Service for every day God is said to be the only Ruler of Princes exclusive of both Pope and People To the understanding of which Collect I shall give you the Paraphrase of Dr. Cumber * Compan to the Temple part 1. § 23. p. 171. Ed. Fol. The Church of England is famous above all other Churches for her entire Loyalty to the King which may be seen not only in the Lives of the true Sons thereof but in their Prayers c. †Id. p. 173. God is the only Judge of the Actions of Princes since they are his Servants and Substitutes to their own Master they must stand or fall and are only accountable to his Tribunal and therefore we have so much the more need to pray for them to their great Lord that he would direct them to do well and guide them who are to rule us that this their mighty Prince may be in safety and in peace for if it should be otherwise which God forbid we neither will nor can oppose them having no other Arms against our Prince but Prayers and Tears ‖ Id. p. 174. If he were a Saul or a Nero we should sin in ceasing to pray for him ‡ Id. p. 176. v. p. 225. It is natural to the true Sons of the Church of England to love the King. If a foreign Prince opposes our King he is a Robber if * P. 177. he be a Subject who rises against his Sovereign he hath renounc'd Christianity with his Allegiance ☞ and is to be esteem'd a Troubler of our Israel Therefore whosoever they be that are Enemies to the King and whatsoever the pretence be we wish they may never prosper In the Litany we pray God to deliver us from all Sedition privy Conspiracy and Rebellion and Dr. Cumber †Part 2. § 2. p. 225. says That the Words Rebellion and Schism were put into the Litany since our late unhappy Civil Wars that have given us reason to pray From all Sedition c. In the Greek Liturgies he says it
‡ P. 201 202. We are not satified in being obliged to preserve the King's person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and the Liberties of the Kingdom forasmuch as 1. No such limitation of our Duty in that behalf is to be found either in the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance which no Papist would refuse to take with such a Limitation nor in the Protestation nor in the Word of God. 3. Such a Limitation leaves the Duty of the Subject at so much loosness and the safety of the King at so great uncertainty ☞ that whensoever the People shall have a mind to withdraw their Obedience they cannot want a pretence from the same for so doing 4. Hereby we make our selves guilty of an actual and real diminution of his Majesties Power and Greatness which in the same Breath we call the World to witness with our Consciences that we had no thought to diminish c. P. 210 211. The Tyranny and Yoke of Antichrist if laid upon the Necks of Subjects by their lawful Sovereigns ☜ is to be thrown off by Christian Boldness in confessing the truth and patient suffering for it not by taking up Arms or violent resisting the higher Powers Pag. 217 Because some have inferred from the very Order that the Defence of the King's Person and Authority ought to be with subordination to the preservation of the Rights and Privileges of Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdom therefore we cannot take this Oath Especially being told in a late Pamphlet P. 219. that the King not having preserved the Liberties of the Kingdom c. as of duty he ought is thereby become a Tyrant and so ceaseth to be a King and consequently that his Subjects cease to be Subjects and ow him no longer Subjection which Assertion since we heartily detest as false and scandalous in the Supposition and in the Inference seditious and devilish we dare not by subscribing this Article give the least countenance thereto And that we may take the Covenant in our own sense is contrary to the nature and end of an Oath which must be full of simplicity P. 223. contrary to the end of Speech c. and will bring a scandal upon our Religion that we practise that our selves that we condemn in the Paqists viz. Swearing with Jesuitical Equivocations and mental Reservations that we play fast and loose with God in as much as what we swear to day in one sense we may swear the direct contrary to morrow in another P. 225. And if this would fatisfie the Conscience we might with a good Conscience not only take the Covenant but even subscribe to the Council of Trent also yea and to the Turkish Alcoran P. 229. if the King should not protect us but neglect his part too having power and ability to perform it his voluntary neglect ought not to free us from the faithful performance of what is to be done on our part Ann. 1683. July 21. in a full Convocation many opinions were condemn'd that had been publish'd in diverse Books and writings in English and also in the Latin tongue P. 2. repugnant to the holy Scriptures decrees of Councils writings of the Fathers the Faith and profession of the Primitive Church and also destructive of the Kingly Government the safety of his Majesties Person the publick Peace the Laws of Nature and Bonds of Humane Society as Proposition 1. All civil Authority is derived originally from the People Proposition 2. There is a mutual compact tacit or express between a Prince and his Subjects and if he perform not his Duty they are discharged from theirs Proposition 3. P. 3. that if Lawful Governours become Tyrants or Govern otherwise than by the Laws of God and Man they ought to do they forfeit the Right they had unto their Government Prop. 7. Self-preservation is the Fundamental Law of Nature and supersedes the Obligation of all others when they stand in competition with it Prop. 8. The Doctrine of the Gospel concerning patient suffering of Injuries is not inconsistent with violent resisting of the higher Powers in case of Persecution for Religion Pr. 9. P. 4. There lies no obligation upon Christians to Passive Obedience when the Prince commands any thing against the Laws of our Country and the Primitive Christians chose rather to die than to resist because Christianity was not yet settled by the Laws of the Empire And besides the Condemnation of the Doctrines the Books of Milton P. 7. Baxter Goodwin Owen Johnson c. were ordered to be publickly burnt by the Hand of the Marshal in the Court of the Schools as Books that were fitted to deprave Mens Manners stir up Seditions and Tumults overthrow States and Kingdoms and lead to Rebellion Murther of Princes and Atheism it self And a Prohibition issued forbidding the Reading any of the said Books under great Penalties This Decree was drawn up by Dr. Jane Dean of Glocester and the King's Professor of Divinity at Oxon and subscribed by the Vicechancellor other Professors and the whole Convocation And pursuant to this Decree Parkinson a Fellow of Lincoln-College for maintaining that the Right and Foundation of all Power was in the People that Kings are accountable for their Maleadministration c. And particularly that King Charles the First was justly put to death for making War upon his Subjects was an 1684. expelled the University And it is observable that our excellent Homilies that so expresly require Obedience to Princes and condemn Rebellion and Resistance upon any pretence whatsoever were Printed at the Theatre the same year that the abovementioned Decree was made CHAP. VII The Opinions of Learned Men. WHen Men would know what are the Sentiments of any Church in her Articles or Sanctions the most rational Course is to make inquiry among those who were concern'd in making them or those who may be presumed best to understand them by reason of their nearness to the time their acquaintance with the Compilers or their extraordinary Sagacity and Honesty and of suchpersons in the Church of England must we make Inquiry concerning the Doctrine of Obedience and Non-resistance In * Burn. hist Ref. part 1. l. 3. p. 245. the Days of Henry the Eighth when the Reformation began to dawn an 1537. a Convocation was held upon the Conclusion of which there was Printed an Explanation of the chief Points of Religion signed by nineteen Bishops eight Arch-Deacons and seventeen Doctors of Divinity and Law in which there was an Exposition of the Creed the Ten Commandments c But this was but a rude Draught the beauteous Stroaks were given it †Id. p. 286. anno 1540. when a select number of Bishops sate by Virtue of a Commission from the King confirm'd in Parliament among which were Cranmer Ridley Redman and other extraordinary men their first work was to draw up a Declaration of the Christian Doctrine for the
Man was for the Lady Jane but besides his Temper I have this to say for him that the several and contrary Acts of Parliament limiting and changing the Succession according to the King's Pleasure in the latter end of Henry the Eighth's Reign might very well in such a juncture of Affairs as happen'd on the Death of Edward the Sixth stagger a wise Man and incline him to believe that the Son had the same Right that his Father had as unquestionably he had if it were a Right of the Crown especially while that Right was recogniz'd and confirm'd in Parliament To this excellent Prince was Sir John Cheek a Tutor as he also was the Restorer of the Greek Tongue in England he in his Advice of the True Subject to the Rebel Ed. Oxon. 1641. p. 2 3 4. or the hurt of Sedition thus bespeaks the Rebels of that Age For our selves we have great cause to thank God by whose Religion and holy Word daily taught us we learn not only to fear him truly but also to obey our King faithfully and to serve in our own Vocation like Subjects honestly ye which be bound by God's Word not to obey for fear like Men-pleasers but for conscience sake like Christians have contrary to God's holy will whose Offence is everlasting Death and contrary to the godly Order of Quietness set out by the King's Majesty's Laws the breach whereof is not unknown to you taken in hand uncalled of God unsent by Men unfit by reason to cast away your bounden Duties of Obedience c. yet ye pretend that partly for God's sake partly for the Commonwealth's sake ye do rise How do you take in hand to reform Be you Kings by what Authority or by what Succession Be you the King's Officers by what Commission Be you called by God by what Tokens declare you that Ye rise for Religion what Religion taught you that If you were offer'd Persecution for Religion you ought to fly so Christ teacheth you and yet you intend to fight if you would stand in the truth you ought to suffer like Martyrs and you slay like Tyrants thus for Religion you keep no Religion and neither will follow the Counsel of Christ nor the constancy of Martyrs whatever the Causes be that have moved your wicked Affections herein Pag. 11. as they be unjust Causes and increase your Faults much the thing it self the Rising I mean must needs be wicked and horrible before God and the usurping of Authority and taking in hand rule which is the sitting in God's Seat of Justice a proud climbing up into God's high Throne must needs be not only cursed newly by him but also hath been often punished afore of him and that which is done to God's Officers Pag. 12. God accounteth it done to him Ye be bound in God's Word to obey your King and is it no Breach of Duty to withstand your King See also Bishop Hooper's Comment on the Fifth Commandment SECT III. But the outward Felicity of the Church as it was very great under Edward the Sixth so it was short-lived a black Storm gathering under Queen Mary and at last falling severely upon her Protestant Subjects who dealt with her as they were in duty bound they assisted her chearfully till she got her Crown and when contrary to her Duty and her Promises she persecuted them some of them resolutely suffered Martyrdom others as our Saviour advises fled into Foreign Countries for Protection the great Men of that Party solemnly disowning the Principle of taking up Arms against their Sovereign even when she had falsified her promises to them And this is attested by more than a few of the greatest Men of that Reign ‖ Burn. Hist Res part l. 2. p. 285. the Bishops of Exeter S. Davids and Glocester Taylor Philpot Bradford Crome Sanders Rogers Laurence and others who having given an account of their Principles conclude thus as the Historian says These things they declared that they were ready to defend as they often had before offered and concluded charging all People to enter into no Rebellion against the Queen but to obey her in all points except where her Commands were contrary to the Law of God. But their own words will most properly give us their meaning as * Tom. 3. p. 100 c. Fox records Because we hear that it is determined to send us speedily out of the Prisons of the King's Bench c. where at present we are and of a long time some of us have been not as Rebels Traitors seditious persons Thieves or Transgressors of any Laws of this Realm Inhibitions Proclamations or Commandments of the Queen's Highness or of any of the Councils God's Name be praised therefore but only for the Conscience we have to God and to his most holy Word and Truth to one of the Universities there to dispute We write and send abroad this our Faith humbly requiring and in the Bowels of our Saviour Christ beseeching all that fear God to behave themselves as obedient Subjects to the Queen's Highness and the superior Powers which are ordained of God under her rather after our Example to give their Heads to the Block than in any point to rebel or once to mutter against the Lord's anointed we mean our Sovereign Lady Queen Mary into whose Heart we beseech the Lord of Mercy plentifully to pour the Wisdom and Grace of his Holy Spirit now and for ever Amen First we confess and believe all the Canonical Books of the Old Testament c. And having reckoned up what Doctrines they owned and what they condemned they go on thus And we doubt not but we shall be able to prove all our Confessions here to be most true by the Verity of God's Word and Consent of the Catholick Church In the mean season as obedient Subjects we shall behave our selves towards 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 Sovereign Lady the Queen's Highness but where they cannot obey but they must disobey God then to submit themselves with all patience and humility to suffer as the will and pleasure of the highest powers shall adjudge as we are ready through the goodness of the Lord to suffer whatsoever they shall adjudge us unto rather than we will consent to any Doctrine contrary to this which we here confess unless we shall be convinced thereof either by Writing or by Word c. and the Lord of Mercy endue us all with the Spirit of his Truth and Grace of Perseverance therein unto the end Amen May 8 Anno Dom. 1554. This Letter was subscribed by Bishop Ferrar Bishop Hooper and Bishop Coverdale and by nine others who were the Flower of Confessors at that time
that with a limitation which concerns not us nor do we pretend that any Man is infallible 2. Bishop Bilson had been in other things very much deceived tho a wise Man and a good Scholar for even upon such Men their Passions do many times impose witness the Nullity 3. For this very Opinion Bishop Bilson is censured by the †Third Paper to Henderson p. 85. op 2d Edit ann 1687. Martyr Charles For Bilson I remember well what Opinion the King my Father had of him for these Opinions and how he shewed him some favor in hope of his Recantation as his good nature made him do many things of that kind but whether he did or not I cannot say 4. At the time when Bilson's Book was written the Queen was assisting the Dutch against their and her common Enemy the Crown of Spain now if in the Low-Countries the Government was founded in Compact as many Learned Men say and that all their Privileges Sacred and Civil contrary to that Agreement were invaded and the Inquisition introduced all their Petitions slighted and some hundred thousands barbarously murdered this alters the Case while it can no way hold good in Governments where there is no such Compact 5. ‖ Ductor dubitant l. 3 ch 3. rule 3. n. 19. Bishop Taylor quotes Bilson with Barclay and others as an Assertor of the Doctrine of Non-resistance and Loyalty If the Opinion of Bishop Bilson were he never so venerable for his Learning and other Accomplishments be contrary to that of our Blessed Saviour and his holy Apostles we ought to renounce them and I have with a mixture of sorrow and shame reflected upon Cressy's Censure of that Book * Exomolog c. 12. Queen Elisabeth conceived it convenient for her wordly Designs to take on her the Protection of the Low-Countries against the King of Spain she imployed Dr. Bilson Bishop of Winchester to write his Book of Christian Subjection in which to justifie the Revolt of Holland he gave strange Liberty in many Cases especially concerning Religion for Subjects to cast off their Obedience but that Book which served Queen Elisabeth's wordly Designs by the just Judgment of God hath contributed much to the Ruin of her Successor King Charles for there is not any Book that the Presbyterians have made more dangerous use of against their present Prince than that which his Predecessor commanded to be written to justifie her against the King of Spain †Howel's Life of Lewis 13. And it was a smart Observation of Lewis the Thirteenth of France when that good King Charles was involved in a Civil War that perhaps God punished him for assisting the French Protestants at Rochel when in Arms against their Sovereign But after all let 's hear this Reverend Prelate where he determines rather than disputes upon this Case and none shall need to speak for him The Jesuit after long arguing with him about the Magistrate's being accountable for his Faults to the People The true Difference between Christian Subject c. part 3. p. 97 98. Ed. Lond. 1586. Id. p. 252 253. as well as the People to him comes at last to this Issue Then Princes says he have impunity to do what they list without fear of Laws To which he replies Princes appoint penalties for others not for themselves they bear the Sword over others not others over them Subjects must be punished by them and they by none but by God whose place they supply And in another place We deny that Princes have any superior and ordinary Judge to hear and determine the Right of their Crowns We deny that God hath Licensed any Man to depose them and pronounce them no Princes Princes have far greater honor and power over Subjects than any Man can have over Sons and Servants they have power over Goods Lands Bodies and Lives which no private Man may challenge They be Fathers of our Country to the which we be nearerbound by the very Confession of Ethnicks than to the Fathers of our Flesh how then by God's Law should Subjects depose their Princes to whom in most evident words they must be subject for conscience sake tho they be Tyrants and Infidels Pag. 277. And lastly in Answer to the Jesuit's Objection of the German Princes resisting the Emperor which was the Hinge on which all the difference in their Arguments did hang. They were Magistrates says he and bare the Sword in their own Dominions you are private Men and want lawful Authority to use the Sword their States be free and may resist any wrong by the Law of the Empire You be Subjects and simply bound by the Laws of the Country to obey the Prince or abide the pain which the publick State of this Realm hath prefixed The Queen of England inheriteth and hath one and the same right over all her Subjects be they Nobles or others So Mr. Perkins on the Fifth Commandment The Duties to Superiors in Authority are 1. Obedience to their Commandments Rom. 13.1 because every higher power is the Ordinance of God and the Obedience which we perform to him God accepteth it as tho it were done to himself Rom. 13.2 Qu. What if our Superiors be cruel and wicked Answ Yet we must yield Obedience to them but not in wickedness 1 Pet. 2.18 Act. 4.19 2. Subjection in suffering the Punishments inflicted by our Superiors Qu. What if the punishment should be unjust Answ Yet must we suffer it till we can get some lawful Remedy for the same 1 Pet. 2.19 20. And among the Sins against this Commandment he reckons the sixth to resist the lawful Authority of Superiors and the seventh to obey them in things unlawful In this Reign Mr. Hooker published his judicious Books of Ecclesiastical Polity from the first of which it must be confessed it is observed that he lays the Foundation of Government in Agreement Spalatens de Rep. Eccl. lib. 6. c. 2. n. 19. p. 526. Opinionem verò jam factam communem nostrorum Scholasticorum c. That the common Opinion of the Schoolmen and most other Divines which place the power of Government in the Body of the People as if it were given to them by God and the People might dispose of it to whom they pleased is false and altogether to be rejected he herein following the Schoolmen too strictly who had brought in the Terms and Notions of the Aristotelean Philosophy into the Christian Church while Aristotle is known to be a great Lover of a Democracy but whatever he laid down in Thesi I am sure he hated the Deductions that some Men make from him that because Government arose out of Compact therefore the People may call their Princes to an account for in those Fragments of his Eighth Book of Ecclesiastical Polity which were happily preserved by Archbishop Usher and published by Dr. Bernard in his Clavi Trabales who professes * Pag. 49 50. that by what art and upon what design
so much was expunged he knows not he fully declares his mind †Pag. 93 94. In the mighty upon earth which are not always so virtuous and holy that their own good minds will bridle them what may we look for considering the Frailty of Man's Nature if the World do once hold it for a Maxim that Kings ought to live in no Subjection that how grievous disorder soever they fall into none may have coercive power over them Yet so it is that this we must necessarily admit as a number of right well learned Men are persuaded c. Inducements leading Men to think the highest Magistrate should not be judged of any saving God alone are especially these 1. As in natural Bodies there could be no motion unless there were something that moves all things and it self continueth immoveable so there must be a supreme Head of Justice whereunto all are subject but it self in subjection to none which kind of preheminence if some ought to have in a Kingdom ☞ who but the King shall have it Kings therefore no Man can have lawful power and authority to judge if private Men offend there is the Magistrate over them which judgeth if Magistrates they have their Prince if Princes there is Heaven a Tribunal before which they shall appear on earth they are not accountable to any And here this admirable Discourse breaks off abruptly which is a great pity There is no need to give Arch-Bishop Bancroft a place in this Catalogue the naming of his Books of dangerous Positions c and the Survey of the pretended holy Discipline are a sufficient Proof of his Sentiments and by his Directions if I mistake not was the account of Hacket Coppinger and Arthington drawn up called Conspiracy for Pretended Reformation the Design of which Books is expresly against the Doctrine of taking up Arms against the Lords Anointed especially on the account of Religion Near Mr. Hooker therefore I shall place his dear Friend Adrian Saravia as the Ancients frequently quote St Basil and St Gregory of Nazianzen together who tho a Forreiner better understood both the Civil and Ecclesiastical Polity of these Kingdoms than some Natives And he thus pronounces in the behalf of truth ‖ Epist ante libr. de Imperandi autorit Christianâ obedient At this time the Authority of Kings is called in Question and many men Dispute that the Authority of the People or of the Senate the States is above the King and that from Reasons of Humane not of Christian and Divine Philosophy and what is much to be lamented not without great Scandall of the Church of Christ they having got by reading the Roman and Greek Historians Philosophers and Orators an Admiration and liking of their Manners and Laws so as to think that all other Governments ought to be Modell'd like them Many Books are written by our own Men and by the Papists on this Subject which incite the Nobility and Commons to take Arms whensoever Kings turn Tyrants which Doctrine since it is contrary to the Principles of Christianity which our Saviour and his Apostles deliver'd to the Church and brings ruine and desolation to Kingdoms and Commonwealths I have thought my self bound to confute And see the Madness of these People who write on this Subject the Papists oblige all Subjects to take Arms against an Heretical Prince i. e. one whom they call so and others they oblige Subjects to take Arms against a Prince that is a Papist and therefore refuses to Establish or Defend the Pretestant Religion so that of whatsoever persuasion a Prince be by some part of his Subjects he must be accounted a Tyrant while a true Christian is a Good Subject let his Prince be of what Religion he pleases It is Intolerable Impiety to abuse the Testimony of Holy Scripture to the Confirmation of so Pestilent an error while no Pagan Laws no institutes of the Philosophers can enjoin Subjects a more perfect and strict Obedience than the Doctrine of the Gospel c after this in the Book he shews that the Original of Government is from God and not from the People that the People when they have chosen a King have no Authority over him afterwards that a King is as much a King before his Coronation Oath as after it and many other such things he concludes his fourth Book ‖ p. 314. Ed. 1610. and it is great pity the other three Books are lost with this excellent passage Since God is the preserver of Mankind he cannot suffer a Tyrant longer to Reign than it is necessary for the punishment of the Sins of Men wherefore the best remedy against a Tyrant is the amendment of our Lives and constant Prayers to God. A serious Meditation upon the precepts of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ will easily teach us what is the Duty of Good Men toward evil Kings and Princes he who shall revolve with himself the precepts of loving Enemies can be no Mans Enemy much less his Kings he who is prepared to Bless them that Curse him and is resolved not to return rayling for rayling nor to pursue revenge of injuries will never speak irreverently nor Curse Crowned Heads nor lye in wait for their Life he who hath learnt that we must not resist evil but overcome evil with Good with Forbearance and Patience can never be a Rebel never be a Traytor These things the Apostles taught us these things the Fathers have deliver'd down to us and being bred up under these institutions they patiently suffer'd the most cruel Torments and by suffering overcame and to us their Posterity they have left this Example in whose steps it is much safer for us to tread than to give credit to the Authors of the new Doctrine that is contrary to it SECT V. King James when he came to the Crown brought learning enough with him to Vindicate his own Right and the Rights of other Princes and without vanity it may be Affirm'd that he hath managed that subject to Admiration in his Writings the greatest part of which were opposed to the Doctrines of the Romanists tho his Basilicon Doron smartly chastises the Disciplinarains This King in the Hampton-Court * p. 47 48. Conference severely Condemn'd some of the notes of the Geneva Bible as partial untrue seditious and savoring too much of dangerous and Trayterous Conceits as for Example the Marginal Note on 1. Exod. 19. alloweth disobedience to Kings on 2. Chron. 15.16 the Note taxeth Asa for deposing his Mother only and not killing her And to shew the agreement between Papists †P. 49 50. and some others in these Doctrines wereas Dr. Reynolds complain'd of a seditious Book written by one Ficlerus a Papist in behalf of the Pope against Queen Elizabeth called De jure Magistratûs in subditos the Bishop of London said that the Author of that Book was a great Disciplinarian whereby it did appear what advantage that sort of People gave
Bishop Hacket P. 135 Dr. Plume ibid. Archbishop Sandcroft P. 136 Bishop Morley ibid. Bishop Wren P. 140 Bishop Laney ibid. Bishop Pearson ibid. Bishop Turner P. 141 Bishop Fell. P. 144 Bishop Thomas ibid. Earl of Clarendon ibid. Sir Robert Filmer P. 146 Sir Wid. Dugdale ibid. Dr. Lake Bishop of Chichester ibid. Dr. Allestrey P. 147 Dr. Sherlock ibid. Dr. H. Bâ—â—shaw P. 148 Dr. Falkner P. 149 Bishop Crofts P. 150 Dr. Griffith ibid. Dr. Jane P. 151 Dr. Outrant ibid. Sir Orlando Bridgman ibid. Sir Hencage Finch P. 152 The Harmony of Divinity and Law. ibid. Mr. Foulit ibid. Bishop Spratt ibid. Dr. Pâ—â—â—ck ibid. Dr. Fitz-Williams P. 153 Mr. Wagstaffe P. 154 Dr. Bisby ibid. Dr. Bernard ibid. Oxford notes on Josephus ibid. Dr. South P. 155 Several Addresses P. 156 Dr. Stillingfleet P. 157 Dr. Tennison P. 163 Dr. Patrick P. 166 Dr. Tillotson P. 167 Dr. Meggot P. 168 Dr. Hardy ibid. Dr. Goodman ibid. Dr. Burnet P. 169 Dr. Littleton P. 172 Dr. Will. Saywell ibid. Dr. Dove P. 174 Dr. Maurice P. 175 Dr. Williams P. 176 Dr. Grove P. 177 Dr. Staince ibid. Dr. Wake P. 180 Dr. Fowler P. 181 Mr. Evans ibid. Dr. Comber ibid. Dr. Pelling P. 182 Dr. Pierce P. 184 Dr. Whitby ibid. Mr. Lâ—ng P. 185 Dr. Fuller ibid. Dr. Sclater ibid. Dr. Hickman P. 186 Mr. Jos Pleydall ibid. Mr. Jemmat ibid. Mr. Stainforth ibid. Mr. David Jenner P. 187 Mr. Hancock ibid. John Goodwin P. 188 Mr. Smalridge ibid. Mr. Graile ibid. Mr. Pomfret P. 189 Mr. Nicholas Claget ibid. Dr. Carswell Vic. of Bray P. 190 CHAP. I. The Doctrine of Passive Obedience in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth when the Reformation of Religion was begun SECT I. THe two Hinges upon which the Papal Grandeur moves are the Supremacy and the Infallibility of S. Peter's Successor by the first they affright Princes from attempting a Reformation since no Man ought to controul his Superior who could excommunicate and depose him and by the second they exclude all complaints of inferior persons for what alterations ought to be made in a Church that cannot err Hereby they formerly kept the world in ignorance and a blind subjection for many Ages till it pleased God in great mercy to instruct the world that Princes were accountable to God alone whose Vicegerents they were and that all Bishops were in spiritual matters equally the Successors of our holy Saviour and his Apostles that no Man was free either from Vice or Error and that the Popes in a more especial manner had been guilty of both Idolatry and Heresie as well as gross and notorious Immoralities Among the Princes of Christendom King Henry the Eighth of England begun very early to assert his Rights and the he made not a complete Reformation himself dying in the Romish Communion as great Designs cannot be perfected in a moment yet the present Age owes to that great Prince its thanks for his abandoning the Peope his allowing the holy Scriptures in the English Tongue his abolishing many Shrines and Images to which the common People paid Idolatrous Worship and many other such Blessings In his days * Ann. 1536. Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester wrote his Book De Verâ Obedientiâ to which Bonner wrote a Preface a Book so well thought of by the eminent Protestants beyond Sea Printed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Melchior Goldâ—sâ—us hath given it a place in his accurate Collection of Writers for the Power of Kings against the Papal Usurpations which Book was translated into English anno 1553. and therein we are taught this Doctrine In that place God hath set Princes whom as Representers of his Image unto men he would have to be reputed in the supreme and most high room and to excel among all other human Creatures as S. Peter writeth and that the same Princes reign by his Authority as the holy Proverbs make report By me saith God Kings reign insomuch that after Paul 's saying Whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God. Which Paul opening that plainly unto Titus which he speaketh here generally commanded him to warn all men to obey their Princes Paul without difference biddeth men obey those Princes that bear the Sword. S. Peter speaketh of Kings by name Christ himself commandeth tribute to be paid unto Caesar and checked his Disciples for striving who should be the greatest Kings of the Nations quoth he bear rule over them declaring plainly in so great variety of Degrees and Orders which God doth garnish this world withal that the Dominion and Authority pertaineth to none but to Princes But here some man will say to me you travail about that that no man is in doubt of for who ever denied that the Prince ought to be obeyed It is most certain that he that will not obey the Prince is worthy to die for it as it is comprehended in the Old Law and also confirmed in the New Law. Obj. But we must see will he say that the King do not pass the Limits appointed him ☞ as tho there must be an Arbiter for the ordering of his Limits for it is certain that Obedience is due but how far the Limits of requiring Obedience extend that is all the whole Question that can be demanded What manner of Limits are those that ye tell me of Sol. seeing the Scripture hath none such but generally speaking of Obedience which the Subject is bounden to do unto the Prince the Wife unto the Husband or the Servant to the Master it hath not added so much as one syllable of Exception but only hath preserved the Obedience due to God safe and whole ☞ that we should not hearken unto any man's word in all the world against God else the Sentences that command Obedience are indefinite or without exception but are of indifferent force universally so that it is but lost labor for you to tell me of Limits which cannot be proved by any Testimony of Scripture We are commanded doubtless to obey in that consisteth our Office which if we mind to go about with the favour of God and man we must needs shew humbleness of heart in obeying authority how grievous soever it be for God's sake not questioning nor enquiring what the King what the Master or what the Husband ought or may command others to do and if they take upon them either of their own head or when it is offered them more than right and reason is they have a Lord unto whom they either stand or fall and that shall one day sit in Judgment even of them We have by testimony of God's Word shewn that a Prince's mighty Power is not gotten by flattery or by privilege of the people but given of God. Christ sought not an earthly Kingdom but the state of Orders remaining still he set forth and taught the Form of Heavenly Conversation which he by his own doings declared to consist in humility and contempt of worldly things when
he be never so true a Subject and all unlikely to make any resistance or to think any evil unto your Grace P. 184. Whereas it is they that go about to make Insurrection to the maintaining of their worldly pomp and pride and not the true Preacher Who is he that would be a Traitor or maintain a Traitor against your most excellent and noble Grace I think no Man yea and I know surely that no Man can do it without the great displeasure of the eternal God. For S. Paul commandeth straitly unto all Christians to be obedient in all things Rom. 13. on this manner Let every man submit himself to the authority of the higher power for whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation 1 Pet. 2. Also S. Peter confirmeth this saying Submit your selves unto all manner of ordinance of man c. Wherefore if every man had the Scriptures as I would to God they had to judge every Man's Doctrine ☞ then were it out of question that the Preachers thereof either would or could make or cause to be made any Insurrection against their Prince seeing the self same Scripture straitly commandeth all Subjects to be obedient unto their Princes as Paul witnesseth saying Warn them saith he that they submit themselves to princes and to powers and to obey the officers Now how can they that preach and exhort all Men to this Doctrine cause any Insurrection or Disobedience against their Prince Call to mind the old Prophets and with a single eye judge if any of them either privily or apertly stirred up the People against their Princes P. 185. Look on Christ if he submitted not himself to the high powers paid he not Tribute for all he was free and caused Peter likewise to pay Suffered not he with all patience the punishments of the Princes Yea Death most cruel altho they did him open wrong and could find him guilty in no Cause Look also on the Apostles and if ever they stirred by any occasion the People against their Princes yea if they themselves obeyed not to all Princes altho the most part of them were Tyrants and Infidels Consider likewise those Doctors which purely and sincerely have handled the Word of God either in Preaching or Writing if ever by their means any Insurrection or Disobedience rise among the People against their Princes but you shall rather find that they have been rather ready to lay down their own Heads to suffer with all patience whatsoever Tyranny any Power would minister unto them giving all People example to do the same Now to conclude if neither the Scripture neither the Practice of the Preachers thereof teacheth nor affirmeth that the People may disobey their Princes or their Ordinances but contrariwise teacheth all Obedience to be done unto them it is plain that those Bishops or rather Papists do falsly accuse those true Preachers and Subjects which thing would appear in every Man's sight if by their violence the Word of God were not kept under Now is this the Doctrin that I do Preach and Teach ☜ and none other as concerning this matter God I take to record and all my Books and Writings that ever I wrote or made and only I allow and favor them which further this Doctrine of Christ and of this I am sure mine Adversaries or rather Adversaries to Christ's Doctrin must bear me witness After this he proceeds to demonstrate that the Pope and the Papistical Bishops are they who Preach to the People the contrary Doctrin as that St. Peter exempts himself and his Successors from being subject to Superiors that Subjects may be disobedient to their own Lords and that the Pope may Depose Kings that he hath autority to break all Oaths Bonds and Obligations and other such like positions and then adds there is no Officer that hath need to be afraid of Christ's Gospel nor yet of the Preachers thereof ☜ but of those privy Traitors can no Man be too wary the Scripture commandeth us to obey to wicked Princes and giveth us none autority to Depose them who was more wicked than Herod and yet St. John suffer'd Death under him Who was wickeder than Pilate and yet Christ did not put him down but was Crucified under him Briefly which of all the Princes were good in the Apostles days and yet they deposed none So that God's word and their own learning and the Practice of our Master Christ and his Holy Apostles are openly against them p. 190. there is no People under Heaven that more abhors and with earnester heart resisteth and more diligently doth Preach against Disobedience than we do Yea I dare say boldly let all your Books be search'd that were written this 500 Years and all they shall not declare the autority of a Prince and the true obedience toward him as one of our little Books shall do that be condemn'd by you for Heresie p. 202. 204. And then he impeacheth them of denying that the King's Power is immediatly of God while it can never be proved that ever we spake against God or our King. The same Learned and Holy Martyr in his Discourse that Mens Constitutions not grounded in Scripture bind not the Conscience is of the same mind If the power command any thing of Tyranny against Right and Law always provided that it repugn not against the Gospel p. 292. 293. 294. nor destroy our Faith our Charity must needs suffer it for as St. Paul saith Charity suffereth all things also our Master Christ If a man strike thee on the one Cheek turn him the other For if he doth exercise Tyranny if he command thee any thing against right or do thee any wrong as for an example cast thee in Prison wrongfully if thou canst by any reasonable and quiet means without Sedition Insurrection or breaking of the common Peace save thy self or avoid his Tyranny thou may'st do it with a good Conscience but in no wise ☞ be it right or wrong may'st thou make any resistance with a Sword or with Hand but obey except thou canst avoid as I have shewed thee but if the Cause be right lawful or profitable to the Common-wealth thou must obey and thou must not sly without sin But suppose the King should condemn the New Testament in England and command that none of his Subjects should have it is he to be obeyed or not this will be a great Scourge and an intolerable plague My Lords the Popish Bishops would depose him with short deliberation and make no Conscience of it they have Deposed Princes for lesser Causes than this is a great deal But against them will I always lay Christ's Fact and his Holy Apostles and the Word of God. If the King forbid the New Testament c. under a temporal pain or else under the pain of Death Men shall first make faithful Prayers to God and then diligent
☜ Moreover no Subjects may draw their Swords against their Prince for any Cause whatsoever it be nor against any other saving for lawful defence without their Prince's licence and it is their Duty to draw their Swords in defence of their Prince and Realm whensoever the Prince shall command them so to do And although Princes which be the Chief and Supreme Heads of their Realms do otherwise than they ought to do ☜ yet God hath assigned no Judges over them in this World but will have the Judgment of them reserved to himself and will punish them when he seeth his time and for amendment of such Princes that do otherwise than they should do the Subjects may not rebel but must pray to God which hath the Hearts of Princes in his Hands that he so turn their Hearts to him that they may use the Sword which he hath given them unto his pleasure SECT III. * viz. Oct. 2. A. 1528. as Jo. Fox informs us in his Edition of the Works of Tindal Berns and Frith An. 1573. p. 97. Long before this time did the Martyr William Tyndale otherwise as he says himself called William Hychins or Hitchins publish his Book of the Obedience of a Christian Man and in it asserts the same Doctrine notwithstanding his many personal Sufferings the Censure of his Books and the publick Condemnation of his Translation of the Holy Bible * viz. Oct. 2. A. 1528. as Jo. Fox informs us in his Edition of the Works of Tindal Berns and Frith An. 1573. p. 97. and it is worth nothing that the Doctrine of this Book relating to Non resistance was censur'd by the Romish Priests of that time In his Epistle to the Reader he says †Vid. 1st Part of Hist of Pas Obed. p. 20. Let us therefore look diligently whereunto we are called we are called not to dispute as the Pope's Disciples do but to dye with Christ that we may live with him and to suffer with him that we may reign with him We be called to a Kingdom that must be won with Suffering only as a sick Man winneth Health Tribulation is our right Baptism and is signified by plunging into the water we ‡ p. 98 99 100. that are baptized into the Name of Christ saith S. Paul are baptized to dye with him â—om 6. And this is the difference between the Children of God and of Salvation and between the Children of the Devil and Damnation that the Children of God have power in their Hearts to suffer for God's Word which is their life and salvation their hope and trust And the Children of the Devil in time of adversity flee from Christ whom they followed feignedly God is ever at hand in time of need to help us Tyrants and Persecutors are but God's Scourge to chastise us and he lets them do not whatsoever they would but as much only as he appointeth them to do and as far forth as is necessary for us let us therefore arm our selves with the promises both of help and assistance and also of the glorious reward that follows The same Martyr in his Prologue unto the Book saith pag. 104 105 106. I have made this little Treatise that followeth containing all Obedience that is of God. Now as ever the most part seek Liberty they be glad when they hear the unsatiable Covetousness of the Spirituality rebuked When Tyranny and and Oppression is preach'd against And therefore because the Heads will not so rule will they also no longer obey but resist and rise against their evil Heads And one wicked destroyeth another yet is God's Word not the cause of this neither yet the Preachers for tho that Christ himself taught all Obedience how that it is not lawful to resist wrong but for the Officer that is appointed thereto and how a Man must love his Enemy and pray for them that persecute him and how that all Vengeance must be remitted to God Yet the People for the most part received it not ☞ they were ever ready to rise and to fight Thus seest thou that it is the bloody Doctrine of the Pope that causeth Disobedience Rebellion and Insurrection for he teacheth to fight and to defend his Traditions and to disobey Father Mother Master Lord King and Emperor where the peaceable Doctrine of Christ teacheth to obey and to suffer for the Word of God and to remit the Vengeance and defence of the Word to God which is mighty and able to defend it And in the Treatise it self Tyndale having first treated of the Duties of Children Wives and Servants proceeds to discourse of the Obedience of Subjects unto Kings pag. 109 110. Princes and Rulers out of Rom. 13. averring That as a Father over his Children is both Lord and Judg forbidding that one Brother revenge himself of another but if any cause of Strife be between them will have it brought to himself or his Assigns So God forbiddeth all men to avenge themselves and taketh the Authority of avenging to himself saying Vengeance is mine I will reward For it is impossible that a Man should be a righteous an equal or indifferent Judge in his own Cause Lusts and Appetites so blind us God therefore hath given Laws to all Nations and in all Lands hath put Kings Governours and Rulers in his own stead to rule the World through them and hath commanded all Causes to be brought before them as thou readest Exod. 22. where the Judges are called Gods because they are in God's room and execute the Commandments of God And in another place of the said Chapter Moses chargeth saying See that thou rail not on the Gods c. Whosoever therefore resisteth them resisteth God for they are in the room of God and they that resist shall receive their damnation Tho no man punish the breakers of the Law yet shall God send his Curses upon them till they be utterly brought to nought Neither may the inferior person avenge himself upon the superior or violently resist him for whatsoever wrong it be ☜ if he do he is condemn'd in the deed doing in as much as he taketh upon him that which belongeth to God only when he saith Vengeance is mine c. and Christ saith All they that take the Sword shall perish by the sword Takest thou a Sword to avenge thy self So givest thou not room to God to avenge thee but robb'st him of his most high Honor in that thou willt not let him be Judg over thee If any man might have avenged himself upon his Superior that might David most righteously have done upon King Saul which so wrongfully persecuted David even for no other cause than that God anointed him King. Yet * 1 Reg. 24. when God had deliver'd Saul into the hands of David and his Men encouraged him to slay him he answered The Lord forbid it me that I should lay my hand on him And †Cap. 26. when Abishat would have nailed
of the pretended Holy Discipline And if I mistake not by his directions the Account of Hacket's Coppinger's and Arthington's Treason was drawn up and Printed in the Book called Conspiracy for pretended Reformation the Design of which is expresly against the Doctrin of taking up Arms against the Lord's anointed especially on the Account of Religion SECT V. Anno 1594 Dr. Richard Eedes Printed with five other Sermons London 1604. p. 70 72 73 74. Dean of Worcester Preached before the Queen on Isai 49.23 Wherein he says That the Strength even of Heathen States was in their Religion by the which they were persuaded that their Princes were the Children of their Gods and their Laws drawn from the Oracles of some Divine Power They found by experience how hard it was for men to be brought to obey men unless they had the authority of more than men c. And what doth more teach either Obedience or Peace than the Religion of Christ Obedience is rightly called Nervus Imperii the Sinew and Strength of a Kingdom as well because it is grounded upon the Obedience of Christ who as Bernard noteth Ne perderet Obedientiam perdidit vitam did rather chuse to lose his life than to leave his Obedience As also because it requires in Christians Obedience without respect of persons to all without difference of Degrees higher Powers Rom. 13.2 Without exception against their Qualities not only to them that are good and courteous but to them also who are froward 1 Pet. 2.18 ☜ And that in all things Tribute to whom tribute c. and that not with eye-service as men-pleasers c. and that not because of wrath but for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 That if all the Laws and Policies of States and Kingdoms were gathered into one they could not be so strong to work peace and to persuade Obedience as these few but very forcible Rules of the Religion of Christ How much therefore is it to be lamented that in so great Light there should be so little Fruit That whereas the Truth of Religion is the Preserver of Government and the Mother of Obedience the name of Religion is made the Firebrand of Kingdoms and the armor of disobedience and that not only to maintain the Tyranny of that Usurping Power who takes upon him to Depose Kings but also to bring in that Anarchy of factious Subjects who presume to give Laws to their lawful Princes Wherein besides that it is true which Leo wrote unto Theodosius private causes are handled with pretence of Piety and every Man makes Religion which should be the Mistress the Handmaid of his affections it is intolerable to see how far some busie heads fetch the beginning of Kingdoms p. 7â— Vindic contr Tyran Bachâ—n de juâ—e regin and so as they please the right of Kings from the pleasure of the People how contemptuously they term the titles of honour and reverence the solecisms of the Court how seditiously they give wings to ambitious humors to plead the right of a â—aconical Ephory against Kings but for themselves and to arm that beast of many heads the multitude which ever goes as Seneca not whither it should but whither the stream bears it against that which to want of judgment is ever most heavy the present Government Whereas the right rules of Religion give no remedy to Subjects against the Highest Authority ☞ but the necessity of either suffering or obeying and therefore they that open that gap whether it be to the Tyranny of ambitious Popes or to the Anarchy of seditious Subjects howsoever they pretend the name of Religion they shall sooner prove themselves to have no Religion than that there is any defence for them in the Religion of Christ which teacheth as to be thankful to God for good Princes so to be patient of those whom in anger as the Prophet Hosea speaks Hos 13.11 he setteth over us for the punishment of our sins and against whom the first Professors of our faith had no weapons but prayers and tears p. 2. the same Author in his first Sermon before King James saith that promotion comes neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South but from God. Ps 73.6 that their power is of God Rom. 3.1 and their judgments God's judgments Deut. 1.17 and that therefore they who resist them not only by a consequence resist the ordmance of God Rom. 13.2 but God in them as he told Samuel they have not rejected thee but me 1 Sam. 8.7 The Reverend Bishop Moreton begun very early to assert this Doctime in his Writings and he lived long enough to assert it by his sufferings being a great sharer in that affliction which in the great Rebellion the Doctrine of resistance brought upon both the King and the Church Anno 1596. he publish'd his Solomon or a Treatise declaring the shake of the Kingdom of Israel pr. Lond. as it was in the days of Solomon Wherein he proves after the words as it was in the days of Solomon insert these following that the Kingdom of Israel was a most true and lively picture of the State and Crown one egg being not more like another than the State to that under which we live so that all his arguments without any further comment are applicable to our Kingdom and whereas he foresaw ‖ Ep. ad Lect. that it would be objected to him that he gives the Christian Magistrate especially in great and absolute Monarchies greater authority than seems to stand with the good of the Church or the truth of God's Word he desires the Reader not to attribute it to flattery but to a constant and settled persuasion he intending in publishing the Treatise the good and peaceable State of the Kingdom and the maintaining of that powerful and majestical Authority whereunto it hath pleased God to make us subject and in the discourse he affirms †Sect. 2. p. 4 5. that Magistracy is not a mere device of Man as they who contemn and labor to overthrow all Authority speaking evil of those things which they know not have imagined but an ordinance of God. Rom. 13. there is no power but of God he therefore that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God. Obj. But it cannot be shewed that it was ever establish'd by God throughout the World except only among the Jews but was invented and continued by Men excelling others in strength and ambition Answ The abuses of Magistracy tho many and grievous p. 6. cannot take away the lawful use of it and altho Magistracy hath been by the express commandment of God establish'd only in the Church yet it belongs as much to Infidels for it is instituted by God not as he is the Saviour of his Church but as he is the Creator and Preserver of all Men. p. 7. God sets up this his Ordiannce among Infidels by the light of nature remaining in the minds of Men c.
You dispose not only their Affairs but their Crowns at your pleasure you hunt them not to covert but to death You train up your Followers in the high mystery of Treason To these ends you wrest Scriptures you corrupt Histories you counterfeit Reasons you corrupt all Truth And all you say is directed to a holy and religious end Away then with your Devotion and so we shall be rid of your dangerous Deceit This was his Opinion in the Days of King James nor was it newly taken up to comply with that Prince for Ep. Dod. ante Answ to Doleman as Sir John Heyward himself informs us he wrote his Account of the Deposition of King Richard the Second and the Usurpation of King Henry the Fourth to shew that the People have no lawful power to resist their Prince nor to hinder the Succession according to Proximity of Blood. SECT II. On S. James's day being July 25 of the same year was this Learned Prince crowned Pr. London 1604 the Sermon on that Solemnity being Preached by Dr. Bilson Bishop of Winchester on Rom. xiâ—â— 1. The powers that are are ordained of God. In which we are told That the likeness which Princes have with the Kingdom of God and of Christ consists in the Society of the Names and Signs which they have common with Christ in the Sufficiency of the Spirit wherewith God endueth them in the Sanctity of their Persons which may not be violated in the Sovereignty of their Power which must not be resisted ☜ By the anointing of Kings God hath taught us that their persons once dedicated to his Service are not only protected by his stretched-out Arm but are and ought to be sacred and secured from the violence and injury of all mens hands mouths and hearts Touch not mine anointed P. 105. saith God by his Prophet which is chiefly verified of Princes whom God anointeth to be the chiefest of his People Neither is violence only prohibited towards them but all offence in speech or thought Yea the very Robes which they wear are sanctified The Sovereignty of their Power will soon appear as well by the persons subjected as by the things committed to their Charge Let every soul be subject c. He that brings an Exception useth but a Delusion says Bernard for who can loose what God hath bound neither is this an Exhortation to Obedience but a plain Injunction You must needs be subject c. You must imports a necessity for conscience declares a Duty to God the danger of resisting being as great as the Commandment of obeying is streight Whosoever resists resists the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves judgment ☜ Dare any man promise himself success and protection in Conspiracy and Treason when the Spirit of God so plainly threatens ruin and condemnation to all that resist whosoever they be To maintain Peace and Tranquillity God hath allowed Kings power over the Goods Lands Bodies and Lives of their Subjects and what private men may not touch without theft and murder that Princes may lawfully dispose as God's Ministers taking vengeance on them that do evil ☞ He that resisteth and dishonoreth them resisteth and dishonoreth the Ordinance of God to his own confusion in this life where Princes are permitted to revenge the wrongs done to them and in the next where God everlastingly punisheth the contempt of his Ordinance What kind of Honor is due to Princes is shortly delivered in that Commandment Honor thy Father Rom xiii 1. The Apostle in this place nameth three things due to Princely Dignity Subjection Honor and Tribute teaching us that Princes must be obeyed with Conscience Reverence and Recompense It is therefore sin to despise or refuse their Laws commanding that which is good and likewise to resist or reproach their Power punishing that which is evil even in our selves Howbeit when Princes cease to command for God or bend their Swords against God whose Ministers they are we must reverence their Power ☞ but refuse their Wills. It is no resistance to obey the greater before the lesser neither hath any man cause to be offended when God is preferred Yet must we not reject their Yoke with violence but rather endure their Swords with patience that God may be Judge between Prince and People with whom is no unrighteousness nor respect of persons The man of sin hath not more grosly betrayed his pride and rage in any thing than in abasing the Honor and abusing the Power and impugning the Right of Princes by deposing them from their Seats and translating their Kingdoms to others by absolving their Subjects from all Allegiance ond giving them leave to rebel by setting his Feet in Emperor's Necks and spurning off their Crowns with his Shooe c. In all which he hath shewed himself like himself to yoke whom God hath freed and to free whom God hath yoked to deject whom God hath exalted and to erect whom God hath humbled to challenge what God hath reserved and to cross what God hath commanded And whatever Citations may be made out of this Learned Prelate's Book Of the true Difference c. Printed at Oxford 1585 in Quarto and the next year at London in Octavo to prove the contrary Yenet the Quoters and some of them I fear wilfully mistaking what he says of such Republicks and States in which upon the Invasion of Sabjects Privileges they are allowed by fundamental written known Compact as in Germany by the Bulla Aurea to resist as if it were applicable to free Monarchies and particularly to England contrary to his own express Assertion * P. 518 519 c. where be proves it at large That the Subjects in England have not that lawful Warrant to draw their Sword without consent of their Prince as the Germans have without consent of the Emperor He also teaches us our Duty agreeable to the holy Scriptures and primitive Antiquity in many places of that Book †P. 339 c. What Question can this be between the Prince and the People whether the Magistrate shall be deposed since God hath expresly commanded the People to be subject to the Sword and not to resist Against which Precept no earthly Court may deliberate ☜ much less determine to break his Law or license the People to frust are his Heavenly Will. It is one thing to disbuâ— then the Conscience from obeying the Evil which a Prince commandeth which a Priest may do and another thing to take the Prince's Sword out of his hand for abusing his Authority which the Priest may not do Manasses was carried Captive out of his Realm in the midst of his furious Idolatry and yet in his absence and misery no man stirred against him but his Kingdom was reserved for him until he was released out of Prison and sent back from Babylon It was therefore not for fear of Death but for regard of Duty that the zealous Priests
who can lift up his hand against the Lord 's Anointed and be innocent 1 Sam. 26.9 or do they consider his commands in the Proverbs of Solomon 24.21 my Son fear God and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change or his counsel in the Book of Ecclesiastes 8.1 I counsel thee to keep the King's commandment and that in regard of the oath of God or because they possibly may pretend that they are exempted from or unconcern'd in the commands of Obedience delivered in the Old Testament do they know and remember the Precept given to all Christians by St. Peter submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake c. or that terrible Sanction of the same command they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation left by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans who then were the miserable Subjects of the worst King the worst Man nay I think I may add truly the worst Beast in the World that so all Rebels mouths might be stopt for ever ☜ and left without all colour and pretence whatsoever to justifie resistance of Sovereign Power Undoubtedly if they did know and consider and lay to heart these places of Scripture or the fearful judgment which befel Corah Dathan and Abiram for this very sin which they now commit and with a high hand still proceed in it would be impossible but their hearts would smite them as David 's did upon an infinitely less occasion and affright them out of these ways of present confusion and eternal damnation SECT III. Dr. 10 Serm. Prâ—at Lon. 16 â— P. 10â— Arthur Lake Bishop of Bath and Wells Magistrates are from God and he resides among them Magistrates must proceed like God God can and will redress the evils that spring from them because he is Sovereign in and over those places and persons which are misgoverned by them P. 131. what is our lesson truly first as Nazianzen advises as near as we can though we cannot as constantly as God not to have a heart and not a heart but to say with King David I have sworn and am stedfastly purposed it were to be wish'd there were such a constancy in our Oaths so many would not retract the Oath of that Allegiance which they owe without an Oath Dr. Sermon at St. Mary's Cambr on Judg. 21.25 1642. p. 27 28 29. Stephens The King's Commission is signed from Heaven by me Kings Reign his Authority is conferr'd by Heaven he is the Anointed of the Lord his power descends from Heaven obedience to him is required from Heaven 1 Pet. 2. it is the will of God that you submit your selves to the Government of your Kings I have heard the Prophet David suspected by some as partial in his own cause just like the Northern Borderers who conceived the Eighth Commandment thou shalt not steal to be none of God's making but foisted in by Henry the Eighth to shackle their thievish fingers but I dare oppose the 13th Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans against the power of Men or Devils which would trample upon the necks of Kings suppose thy King very wicked he hath more need of thy Prayers to make him better suppose him to be a Tyrant he will give thee the fairer occasions to exercise thy virtue of patience suppose him to be a Persecutor he 'll do thee a courtesie he 'll send thee to Heaven by violence Saul was an unnatural Tyrant against his own Son Jonathan P. 30 31. ☞ a bloody Persecutor of the Priest's of God a Sacrilegious Usurper of their Holy Offices a demoniacal furious Man possest with a Devil and on David 's part his life was sought for and by sparing Saul he should undo himself he had all the opportunity that might and security could administer unto him he was Saul 's adopted Son by Michal 's Marriage he was a Successor to the Kingdom by the Prophet's Unction and yet for all this who can lift up his hand c. are we Christians do we know the virtue of an Oath What think we then of the Solemn Oath of our Allegiance an Oath which can receive no dispensation no absolution from any power whatsoever contrary to the assertions of Bellarmine and Parsons is the establish'd Doctrin of the Church of England in the 37 Article the King's Majesty hath the chief Power in this Realm of England and his other Dominions and is not nor ought to be Subject to any jurisdiction whatsoever the six parts of the Homily against Rebellion are so full and apposite that we must either disclaim them from being the Interpreters of the Doctrin of our Church or sit down convinc'd in the manifest truth of this assertion c. Consider seriously against whom would you take up Arms Id. Serm. on Judg. 4.23 p. 78. is it not against the Power against the Ordinance of God they are Men before God but they are Gods before Men. the whole earth combining could not make St. Bernard willingly offend his King and shall the fear of a threatned plundering make us oppose our King shall the common rout persuade me to go to Hell for company 'T is true God sometimes refines his Church in the Furnace of Persecution neither then does he leave it naked and disarm it but what are the Churches weapons St. Ambrose had his dolere potero potero flere his sighs and groans against the Gothish Soldiers St. Bernard fought to death against Lewis of France non scutis aut gladiis sed precibus fletibus prayers and tears were his Sword and Buckler Nazianzen overcame Julian but it was lacrymis ubertim effusis by softning his Adamantine Heart with salt drops from their eyes thence flows the only Sea we can overthrow Pharaoh 's Host in SECT IV. P. H. Corah of the tribe of Levi joyn'd with Dathan c. Sermon at Cambr. 1640. on Numb 16. 3. p. 5 6. of the tribe of Reuben the Levite or Clergy alone would have wanted power and strength the Laity or Reubenite alone could not have had so fair a colour and cloak of Religion to cover their rebellious practices but both join'd together make a strong Faction and a fair show our surest course is to judge Mens Persons by their actions if their actions be unsound and irregular P. 10. 2. p. 11 c. if they gather themselves together against God's express word and commandment against their Prince and Sovereign be their outward appearance never so specious we may assure our selves that they neither fear God nor regard Man but only to serve their own turns if God in absolute and unlimited terms pronounce ☜ whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God I cannot see how the goodness of the end be it Religion or Reformation or the common good can warrant any such resistance from the transgression of God's Ordinance P. 15. cons the place unless these and the like limitations
Impiety but to charge them with faults they have not is shameless Blasphemy SECT III. To this purpose also the Author of a discourse concerning Supreme Power and common right calculated for the year 1641. but publish'd an 1680. is very full and pertinent I must recommend the Book to the Reader while I cite only one passage out of it Kings have a right of security against all Violence P. 33. they are above all humane judicature and only under God as the People are under them for which God styles himself Lord of Lords and King of Kings Sam. Otes Chaplain to Sir Francis Walsingham Lond. 1633. fol. P. 206 207 c. and other Persons of Honor in his Seventeenth Sermon on S. Jude's Epistle v. 8. Our Lord Jesus performed all Obedience to Rulers even then when they were Heathen and knew not God his precept was Give to Cesar the things that are Cesars his practice he paid tribute and Paul 1 Tim. 2.1 willeth the Ephesians to pray for them even then when like Manasses they poured out blood like water and made Towns and Cities swim with blood as he did Jerusalem when like the Chaldees ☜ they gave the dead bodies of God's Servants unto the Fowls of the air and the Flesh of his Saints unto the Beasts of the field When like Antiochus they burnt all Libraries and consumed the days of the Christians like smoak and their Bones were burnt like an hearth when they were like Pelicans in the Wilderness and like Owls in the Desarts when they did eat ashes like bread and mingled their Drink with weeping and to shew the constant practice of this not to go back like the shadow of Ezekiah 's Dyal to the time of the Law the Jews are commanded to pray for Nebuchadnezzar tho as a Man he deserved not the Name of a Man but a Beast yet as a King he is called the Servant of the Most High God. Mr. Rob. Bolton Batchelor in Divinity and Preacher of God's Word at Broughton in Northamptonshire in his Epistle Dedicatory to the Honorable Sir Rob. Carre Gentleman of the King's Bed-Chamber A gracious Man about a Royal Person is a goodly sight and full well worth even a King's Ransom For never any except himself truly fear the great God of Heaven can possibly be cordially and conscionably serviceable to any of our earthly Gods A Principle so clear and unquestionable that no Man of Understanding and Master of his own Wits except himself be notoriously obnoxious can have the face to deny it Please they may be politickly plausible flatter extremely and represent themselves to ordinary observation as the only Men for Loyalty and Love but if we could search and see their hearts we should find them then most laborious to serve themselves and advance their own Ends when they seem most zealous for their Sovereign's Service Achitophel in the sunshine of Peace and Calmness of the Kingdoms did accommodate himself to the present both in Consultations of State and religious Conformity but no sooner had this hollow-hearted Man espy'd a dangerous Tempest rais'd by Absalom's unnatural Treachery but he turn'd Traytor to his natural Lord When he observ'd the Wind to blow another way he follow'd the blast and set his Sails according to the Weather which made David after complain but it was thou O Man even my Companion my Guide and Familiar We took sweet Counsel together c. Wherefore let great Men without Grace profess and pretend what they will and protest the Impossibility of any such thing as Hazael did in another Case yet ordinarily in such tumultuous times and of universal confusion for the securing of their temporal happiness which without timely turning on God's side is all the Heaven they are like to have in this World or the World to come I say upon a point of great Advantage and Advancement with safety they would fly from the declining State and down-fall of their old Master tho formerly the mightiest Monarch upon earth as from the Ruins of a falling House And it can be no otherwise for they have no internal Principle or supernatural Power to illighten and enable them to set their shoulders against the Torrent of the times and be overflown with it But now he that truly fears God would rather lose his high Place nay his Posterity as much Hearts-blood if he had it as would animate a whole Kingdom than leave his lawful Sovereign Lord in such a Case upon any terms tho he might have even the Imperial Crown set upon his own Head. For Conscience that poor neglected thing nay in these last and looser times even laughed at by Men of the World yet a stronger tye of Subjects hearts unto their Sovereigns than Man or Devil is able to dissolve ever holds up his Loyal Heart erect and unshaken when all Shebnas Hamans and Achitophels would hide their heads and shrink in the wetting Which Conscience of his if upon such occasion he should unhappily wound he knows full well it would follow him with guilty Cries for his so base temporizing and traytorous flinking all the days of his life Mr. To. 2. Ser. 8. p. 637. Faringdon If we make no better use of our Liberty than to fling it over our shoulders and wear it as a Cloak of Maliciousness the spirit is ready to pull it off and tell us our duty that for all our liberty we are to serve one another that Christianity destroys not relations of Son to Father of Servant to Master of Wife to Husband of Inferior to Superior but establisheth them rather and his Practice was according to his Doctrin for he was an Eminent Confessor to Loyalty in that great Rebellion as was also his dear Friend Mr. Chillingworth between whom there was a great Sympathy of Sentiments and Sufferings for both were harass'd for Preaching the same truth His first Ser. before the King on 2 Tim. 3.1 2 c. p. 6 7 c. especially the later but nothing could affright him from his duty which obliged him freely to reprove the vices of the Age he lived in the chief actors in this bloody Tragedy which is now upon the Stage who have robb'd our Sovereign Lord the King of his Forts of the Persons of many of his Subjects and as much as lies in them of the hearts of all of them is it credible that they know and remember and consider the example of David recorded for their instruction whose heart smote him when he cut off the hem of Saul 's garment they that make no scruple at all of fighting against his Sacred Majesty and shooting Muskets and Ordnance at him which sure have not the skill to choose a Subject from a King to the extreme hazard of his Sacred Person whom by all possible obligations they are bound to defend do they know think you the general rule without exception or limitation left by the Holy Ghost for our direction in all such cases