the manner of his production naturall either by Creation or generation but supernaturall and Mysticall by an incomprehensible Oâ—â—mbration of the Holy Ghost And as the person and conception of Christ did transcend the knowledge both of men and Angels so likewise did the offices of Christ and all his Acts of Mediation and all those Divine Graces viz Faith Hope Charitie which invest it with a reall Right and interest therein And therfore there was never one sillable so much us muttered by any heathen Philosopher or other prophane writer concerning any of these nor is it possible to attaine the least glimps of knowledg concerning them by any other meanes then the Immediate revelations of the spirit of God Quaere It may be demanded how these meer naturall gifts and blessings in heathens should be a meanes of salvation seeing no man by them can possibly attaine the knowledge of Christ the sole fountaine of life And therefore why heathen men should be damned to whom God never since the publication of that Generall pardon by Christ Imparted the meanes to be saved Sol. Though these naturall gifts and blessings in heathens be not the direct and Immediate meanes to attaine the knowledge of Christ yet they are the Remote and occasionall meanes because they are sufficient lights to discover unto men the insufficiencie of their owne abilities to performe those duties which the Law of God and nature exacteth And by that meanes to occasion to seek for life and Salvation elsewhere as the Aethiopian Eunuch did and the converted Thiefe who acknowledging his own unrighteousnesse sought to Christ for refuge and according to the rule of Petenti Dabitur obtained what he sought though he never knew the Scriptures And therefore it is but justice that those heathens who doe not rightly imploy that one talent which S. Paul affirmeth they have received from God Rom. 1. should receive their wages with the evill and sloathfull servants though theis woes shall not be equall to the woes of those Caytiffes who have mis-imployed five talents viz. 1. The talent of naturall gifts and blessings 2. The talent of Religious Education 3. The talent of Gods Word and Sacraments 4. Of Religious Magistracie 5. Of a learned Ministery Now this Jus Divinum is that which doth properly claime a place in that Government which concerneth heathen men without the bosome of the Church and Ignorant of the will of God Revealed concerning Christ the Mediator Which is the ground of Jus Divinum Immediatum 2. Immediate Divine Right is that which is grounded upon Subdivision 7 the will of God concerning the manifestation of his mercy in Christ by vouchsafing unto men the direct and Immediate meanes unto life and Salvation in the Revelations of Gods spirit concerning Christ and his merits and all other matters which relate to him And this Jus Divinum is twofold Extraordinarium Ordinarium 1. Extraordinarie Divine Right is that which is grounded upon the will of God concerning the Manifestation of his mercie in Christ by the Immediate extraordinary revelations of his spirit concerning the mystery of salvation by Christ which was the means which God vouchsafed unto Adam divers of the patriarks Prophets and Disciples of Christ and the converted Thief also before the knowledge of Christs Gospell was fully compleated in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles of which the Apostle maketh mention Heb. 1. And this Ius Divinum in regard it relateth either to particular times particular persons or particular occasions cannot properly claime a place in Government which concerneth the constant Ordering of a societie of men 2. Ordinarie Divine Right is that which is grounded upon the will of God concerning the Manifestation of his mercie in Christ by the Ordinarie Revelations of his Spirit declared in the writing of the Prophets and Apostles which we commonly call the Scriptures which were published by the speciall mercy of God for a light and guide to his visible Church in all truths requisite to Salvation by Christ And this Jus Divinum is two-fold Supernaturale Naturale Subdivision 8 1. Supernaturall Divine Right is that which is grounded upon the will of God revealed in the Scriptures concerning those Supernaturall truths which are the proper and Immediate meanes of Salvation by Christ and not attainable by any other meanes but onely by Divine Revelations And these are of two sorts 1. Such truthes wherein Christ hath expresly made any of his love to us And these againe are twofold 1. Such as are the object of Christian faith and those are such things as Christ hath done and acted for our sakes for the Reconciliation of us to God as the assumption of our nature and the offering it up againe for a sacrifice to God and all other naturall acts of Mediation which is the substance and contents of a Christians Creed 2. Such as are the object of Christian hope and those are such blessings as Christ by his act of Mediation hath made us capable of and which for his sake we expect by prayer to receive from God and those are the Supernaturall blessings and habits of Faith Hope and Charitie which enable us for the performance of our Christian duties and all those Supernaturall blessings which are the reward of those duties and these are the substance and contents of our devotions 2. The second sort of Supernaturall truths revealed in Scriptures are such wherein we retaine an expresse of our love to Christ proportionable to those blessings which we have received of his love to us And those are such truthes which are the object of our Charity and rules of Christian dutyes of which truths Christ meant when he said If you know these things happy are ye if ye do them Now these Christian duties are of two sorts viz either meerly or mixtly Evangelicall 1. Meerly Evangelicall are those which consist in the right use of Evangelical and Supernaturall gifts and blessings such as are the gifts of prophesying healing working of miracles and the like mentioned by Saint Paul 1. Cor. 12. which duties were of no use at all under the old Covenant of works but were instituted by God since the fall of man for the benefit of his Church and for helpes and furtherances to Christian men in the performance of Christian duties 2. Mixtly Evangelical duties are those which consist in the right use of Natural blessings and which received their first sanction from God in Paradise before the Apostasie of man upon which Apostasie that law of nature was absolutely abolished as to that use to be a Rule and ground for the Salvation and damnation of man For no man is now damned because he transgresseth that law of nature but because of Infidelity Despair and hatred of Christ which are the opposite vices to Faith Hope Charitie which consist in the knowledge confidence and love of Christ which that law never any way related unto But yet the same law and Rule received a
new Evangelical sanction from God the Redeemer who as he renewed the nature of man so did he also renew the same law of nature for a new Evangelicall law and rule whereby to measure these new Evangelicall duties which are as necessarie to Salvation now under the Gospel as S. Paul proves 1 Cor. 13. as the Legal duties were under the Law and old Covenant of works which severall duties are the same in substance being measured by the same Law and Rule but different in circumstances First in their Objects For whereas under the old Covenant of works God the Creator was the adaequate and Immediate object of our love and duty Now the Immediate and adaequate object thereof is Christ the Redeemer 2. Circumstance wherein they differ is in the manner of performance which under the old Covenant was to be proportioned to the utmost exactnesse of a most perfect Law but now under the new to the utmost exactnesse onely of our most Imperfect abilities And this new Evangelical Law is that whereupon Christ will pronounce that fatal sentence of Eternal life or death upon all men at the day of judgement as himself affirmeth Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you will Christ say to them on his Right hand Not because they were Wise or valiant or Rich or Noble nor yet because they had preached and wrought Miracles and cast out Devils and prophesied in Christs name but because they had fed the hungry clothed the naked comforted the sick relieved the stranger fatherlesse and widow And therefore because this new Commandment of Charity which is the ground of these duties is of so necessary concernment for the Salvation of all men The Holy Ghost did alwayes expresse those practical truths which relate to Charity in plain Grammatical words and precepts as wel before as after Christs Incarnation whereas these speculative truths which are the Object of our Faith and these blessings also which are the proper Object of our Hope were commonly represented unto the Church in the old Testament by Types and Figures Ob. S. Paul in disputing this point of Faith and works in his Epistles to the Romanes and the Galatians concludes Faith alone to be sufficient to Salvation and excludes works as Impediments rather then helpes thereunto Sol. There be three sorts of works grounded upon three severall Lawes 1. Ceremoniall works which were grounded upon the Ceremoniall Law which was abrogated by Christ and these S. Paul utterly excludes as altogether unprofitable 2. Legal workes which were grounded upon the Law of Nature which was the ground of the old Covenant of works And these S. Paul excludes as altogether Impossible 3. Evangelicall works which are grounded upon that new Law which Christ prescribed Iohn 13.34 A new Commandment give I you that you love one another Which new Commandment cannot be understood of that Love which was the complement of that law which was the ground of the old Cov. of works for that was an old Commandment given by God at the first Creation before Christ was thought on either by man or Angels but must necessarily concern this Evangelical love and Charity which relateth to Christ the Redeemer and is the Complement of this new Evangelical Law whereupon this new Covenant of Grace is grounded And these Evangelicall works are as necessary to Salvation as either Faith or Hope from which it cannot possibly be separated as is evident in the converted Thief For I am sure the Salvation of that Thief was atchieved by as great a mercy from God and as little merit in himselfe as could be expected in any man that is saved For we never read of any grace that he had or any good work that he did till he was upon the Gallows when the shortnesse of his life could not afford opportunity for many and yet in that short historie of his short life we shall find a record of his Charity as well as of his Faith and Hope For in the first place he rebuked his blasphemous companion there was an act of his Charity Secondly he justified Christs innocencie and acknowledged his power and donimion there was an act of his Faith Thirdly he prayed to receive the blessing of life by Christ there was an act of his Hope Luk. 13.39 And therefore by reason of the inseparable connexion of these three Evangelicall Graces the holy Ghost doth sometimes attribute salvation to one of them alone but that is in opposition to all Ceremonies or legall duties and perfections but never in opposition to any one of the other two concomitant graces of the Gospel Before I passe from this point of Charity I shall crave the Readers leave to digresse a little in the recommendation of her results arising from the circumstances observable in Christs new Commandment of Charity to the observation of our new Pharisaicall Gospellers who disdaine all men of a different perswasion from themselves as Heathens and Publicans 1. That the Traitor Judas was amongst the twelve when Christ gave them this new Commandment to love one another therfore it was never Christs intent to prohibit communication in publique and Christian duties with any who did publiquely professe themselves members of Christs Church unlesse where the parties obstinately either persevere in such hereticall opinions as are manifestly destructive to the grounds and principles of Christian faith Or else obstinately persist in such notorious and scandalous courses of life as publickly declare them void of Christian Charity For after this Commandement Christ himselfe did administer the Sacrament of his bodie and blood to Judas as appeares Luk. 22. although Christ himselfe was not then ignorant that Judas intended to betray him that night 2. That Saint Paul was not amongst the twelve when Christ commanded them to love one another though he was then a Chosen vessell and Judas then a Reprobate And therefore Christ did never priviledge us to Judge or Condemne any man much lesse to injure or defraud any man under pretence that he is a Reprobate and an Enemy to God for such presumptuous Intrusions into the Councells and secrets of God is an Idolatrous Arrogancie which the very Angells of God dare not adventure upon For what man could have judged Saint Paul to be a member of Christ at eleven of the clock that day which was the day of his conversion when he was posting to Damascus with strong Commission from the high Priest and a stronger Resolution in himselfe to persecute all people of all sexes who professed Christ Acts 9. And when Christ told the twelve of that abominable treason which should be acted that night against himselfe by one of them the eleven no more suspected Judas then they did one another as appeares John 13 2â— And therefore seeing these high Saints could not determine either of the salvation of Paul or damnation of Judas no not six houres before the Lord himself publickly declared his own determinations concerning
Charles par la grace de Dieu Roy de la grande Bretaigne P. Stâ—nt excudit THE DIVINE RIGHT OF GOVERNMENT 1. NATURALL AND 2. POLITIQUE More Particularly of Monarchie the onely Legitimate and Natural spece of Politique Government VVherein the Phansyed State-Principles Supereminencing salutem populi above the KINGS Honour And Legitimating the Erection of Polarchies The popular elections of Kings and Magistrates And the Authoritative and compulsive establishment of a National conformity in Evangelical and Christian dutyes Rites and Ceremonies Are manifested to be groundlesse Absurdities both in Policy and Divinity By MICH HUDSON 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 22.21 And Paul said I have lived in all good Conscience before God until this day Act. 23.1 But this I confesse unto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence toward God Act. 24.14.16 Printed in the year 1647. To his most Sacred Majesty Charles by the grace of God King of Great BRITTAINE France and Ireland defendor of the Faith c. Most Gratious and dread Soveraign WHen I behold the prodigious preposture and confusion which reigneth in your Majesties Dominions where servants ride on horse-back and Princes walk on foot where subjects are clavered up into the Kings Throne and the King debased below the condition of a free-born subject me thinks the wisdome and goodnesse of God whose castigations of his children are his ordinary Heraulds to proclaime his Commands of Reformation doth by these sacrilegious usurpations upon your Majestyes Sacred Prerogatives which have produced these National calamities wherein your Majesty is the principal sufferer Intimate a National guilt of the like usurpation upon the more Sacred Prerogatives of God wherein your Majesty to whom God hath delegated the Supream Authority hath been in a Legal construction the principal actor and that God hath permitted your Majestyes subjects to possesse themselves of your Throne and act as Kings in those things whereunto no King did ever by any Commission Authorize a subject because Your Majesty hath formerly possessed your self of Gods Throne and acted as a God in those things whereunto God did never by any Commission Authorize a King Pardon I beseech Your Majesty my audacious and rude expressions extorted from my pen by the Nature of the matter charging the guilt upon Your most Sacred Majesty of a Crime whereof I dare be deposed Your Majesty was never any way conscious For the most Sacrilegious Champions of these times have experimented Your conscientious resolutions to be so compleatly postur'd in the Militia of Sanctity and Religion that neither their fiercest assaults nor subtillest temptations could ever make them accessory to the least thought of alienating those things which Your Majesty did believe to be made Sacred only by the Temporary dedication of men which is an obvious and evident Demonstration to the world how horrid and abominable the very thought of a Sacrilegious Intrusion would be to Your Majesty if rightly understood upon those Divine prerogatives which were made Sacred by Gods own institution from the foundation of the world And that therefore Your Majestyes Aberrations in this kind have been Circumstantiated with no lesse innocency of soul no lesse zeal to the glory of God the prosperity of his Church and the Spiritual welfare of his and Your people then the Resolutions of David were for building the Temple or of Uzzah for saving the Ark of God So that I cannot but expect these unexpected expressions to breed an amazement in Your Majesty for prevention whereof I shal in plain termes declare what I understand this Sacriledge to be And that is All usurpation of Power over conscience in the enactment of Lawes and Statutes for the Regulation thereof in matters which are not of Political cognisance And under the sanction of Personal or Pecuniary mulcts to enjoyn a National conformity in confession of Evangelical and Christian Faith and in Evangelical and Christian forms of worship Government and Discipline Which were neither dutyes nor indeed things in rerum Natura when Politique Government did first receive it's Institution from God and therefore cannot be directly of Politique cognizance nor any fundamentall or Essential part of the object of Politique Government as the tenth Chapter of the second Book doth more clearly manifest The design of which Chapter being the due limitation of the Kings Power in ordine ad extra Regalia Metapolitica And of the subsequent Chapter being the due extension of the subjects obedience in ordine ad Regalia Politica were the principal Inducements that gave life unto this present discourse and is indeed a service whereunto I do acknowledge my self able to bring more zeal and good affection then any other abilities yet I could not chuse but like Balaams Asse Imploy the utmost of my pore endeavours to secure both my Master and his subjects from the fierce wrath of that angry Angel which me thought I saw standing in the way with a drawne sword in his hand ready to take vengeance for both their sacrilegious exorbitances And thereupon resolved rather to hazard the crushing of my Masters foot against the wall of worldly reputation by an humble and dutiful representation of his errour which I knew to be committed in the Innocency of his soul then by an undutiful silence or palliation thereof to prompt or permit him quantum in me to gallop on into mischiefes in my apprehension destructive both to his temporal and Spiritual welfare Sr God is my record I do not plead this exemption of Conscience from the Iurisdiction of Regal Power for mine own sake out of any designe that I have thereout to suck the least advantage unto my self either by gaining a toleration to professe or act contrary to any Law Statute or Ecclesiastical Canon enjoyning a conformity in these Evangelical duties For I do acknowledge mine own conscience so fully satisfyed concerning the Orthodoxnesse of the Faith professed the Religion of the formes of worship practised the warrantablenesse of the Ecclesiastical Government established and the Comodiousnesse of the Ecclesiastical Discipline exercised in the Church of England as to my self and all others of my perswasion in the Reign of queen Elizabeth Your Royal Father and Your Sacred self til these late years of frenzie that mine own Conscience would witnesse all such designes in me to be designes for gaining a toleration not to be Conscientiously devout and pious but onely to be unconcionably profane licentious and Atheistical Or yet by engratiating my self with any of the Spurious Grandees of these times who now soare aloft in the highest Region of Pomp and Magnificence through a supportment from those feathers which they have with Sacrilegious hands pluck't from your Majesties wings And like ambitious Icarus have Artificially cemented and fastened the same unto
be Orthodox and what Hereticall neither may he under the sanction of any personall or pecuniarie mulct or penalty enjoyne his Subjects to professe and sweare such Creeds and Articles of Faith and Religion as those Lawes shall make Orthodox or by virtue of those Lawes punish any of his Subjects who out of conscience doe professe themselves of another different Faith and Religion The Reasons for confirmation hereof are three The first whereof appeares partly in the premises declaring no humane power or authority to extend unto the acts of the soule because the soule doth derive its being immediately from God himselfe and not from our parents Ob. Saint Paul exhorteth not every body but every soule to be subject to the higher powers Rom. 13.1 thereby importing the Kings power to extend unto the acts of the soule as well as the acts of the body so that not onely the Externall but also the Internall duties of the Morall Law must come within the sphere of Politicall Cognizance Sol. That exhortation of Pauls is not directed unto Kings but unto Subjects and therefore doth not relate unto the Kings power but unto the Subjects obedience For though the King cannot judge the acts of the soule or punish the thoughts of the heart how unjust impious or Atheisticall soever yet doth not that priviledge the Subjects to performe their acts of obedience out of hypocrisie and dissimulation and with eye-service as the Apostle speaketh Ephes 6.6 And not out of sincerity and singlenesse of heart for wrath and not for conscience sake The Reason is because this duty of obedience and subjection to Kings is not meerly a service to Kings but principally to God himselfe whose person the King doth represent who seeth and judgeth the secrets of our soules and measureth the merits of our duty not by our outward worke but by our inward faith and love And therefore though the Kings power cannot yet our obedience must be extended even to the acts of the soule that it may be an acceptable sacrifice to God as well as the King but this doth not authorize the King to exercise his power over the acts of the soule The second Reason is grounded upon Christs ordinance for the plantation and promulgation of the Gospell and faith of Christ Marke 16.15 Goe ye into all the world and preach the Gospell This is all the commission which the Apostles had and which other Ministers still have for the conversion of men to the Faith and Religion of Christ And yet they were sent to convert the Gentiles a people who neither understood or beleeved any thing at all either of Christ or Scripture or any principles of that Faith and Religion nor were any way inclined to seeke after such knowledge It 's true indeed that Christ endowed his Apostles with a power farre beyond the power of Magistrates for it was a power to worke miracles but that was not for the punishment or destruction of any but for the benefit and preservation of all such upon whom they were shewed which was a fit meanes to perswade and convince their understandings but wee never read that Christ did delegate any Legislative or Judiciarie power unto his Apostles to punish any mis-beleevers or enforce the profession of those truths and points of faith which they could not perswade nay indeed he peremptorily inhibited them the affectation of any such power Mat. 20.25 whereupon Saint Peter chargeth Presbyters not to demeane themselves in the execution of their office as lords over Gods heritage And yet it is the duty of Ministers and not of Magistrates to reforme errours in matters of Faith and Doctrine for we doe not read that ever Christ gave any rule or command to Kings or Magistrates to plant or propagate his Faith and Gospell and therefore in relation to these duties the Ministers and not the Magistrates are stiled Fathers because it is the duty and office of Ministers and not of Magistrates to beget men in Christ Jesus through the Gospell 1 Cor. 4.15 Ob. Esay prophecying of the flourishing estate of Christs Church among the Gentiles under the Gospell reciteth this for a speciall meanes of the encrease thereof that Kings shall be the nursing fathers and Queenes the nursing mothers of the Church in those dayes Esay 49.23 whose office it is by power to compell and not by preaching to perswade men to forsake the errour of their wayes And therefore Kings being fathers to the Church of Christ may execute the duties of their calling over the members thereof and by consequence may exercise both their Legislative and Judiciarie power in matters of Christian Faith and Doctrine which is that which constitutes men members of this Church and gives the nomen esse to a Christian quà talis Sol. The attribute which this Text giveth unto Kings doth admirably expresse the duty of Christian Kings towards their Subjects in reference to their Christian and spirituall vocation and profession For Kings are not here simply stiled fathers as in other places of Scripture which relate directly to their power and soveraignty over their Subjects but with the addition of this Epithet of Nursing they shall be saith the Text Nursing fathers now a Nurse you know doth not beget a child but onely protect and nourish it after it is both begotten and borne And such a power indeed a Christian King may and ought to exercise over his Subjects that is after they are begotten and borne children of the Faith and Church of Christ by the preaching of the Gospell he both may and ought to use his power to protect them from the wolvish enemies of Christs Church and to nourish them by gracious expresses of his Royall favour But I cannot finde any warrant for the King in that Text to enact any Lawes or Statutes to compell men of another Faith and Religion to become such as himselfe or to punish them that will not nor can I beleeve it to be any part of his commission or calling Repl. It may be replied against this first That such a liberty for every man to professe and beleeve what his owne phantasie doth suggest and judge Orthodox in such high and sacred mysteries will fill the Church with absurd and blasphemous errours and heresies and by consequence the Common-wealth with distractions and divisions For it is a probatum of daily experience that when the people are madded and instigated by mad Sheba's and Sectaries they will adventure upon any mischiefe sparing neither Scepter nor Mitre Ephod nor Diadom fancying the cause to be Gods and that themselves doe God good service when they rage against his Anointed and kill his Prophets with the sword in the furious pursuit of their fanaticke opinions And therefore there is a necessity that Kings should exercise their power to settle an Uniformity in matters of Faith and Doctrine because the peace and unity and preservation of the Common-wealth doth so directly depend thereupon Secondly The Primitive Church hath
same unto diverse objects as First that part of his will which concerneth Angels is termed the law of Angels Secondly that which concerneth men I meane in their naturall duty towards God and their neighbour for man never received Law but that before his Redemption and those Lawes which relate to Redemption are not properly naturall but supernaturall Lawes is termed the Law of Nature i. e. humane or the Law of the rationall nature Thirdly that part of Gods will which concerneth naturall Agents is termed the Law of Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Law of the corporeall Nature Againe this second sort of Law which is the Law of humane or rationall Nature and is grounded upon the will of God concerning mankind is divided by Christ himselfe into two parts which he termes two Commandements Mat. 22.27 Which two are differenced by two different Objects and two different sorts of love required of us for the due performance of our different duties unto these two different Objects The first Commandement relates to God whom we must love above our selves and all that we call ours for God doth not allow any man to value either life limbe liberty or estate above himselfe Mat. 10.37 39. Luke 14.33 Marke 8.35 and of this nature are all the particular Commandements of the first Table which are comprehended under this generall and great Commandement the duties whereof are grounded upon a love exceeding the love of our selves The second Commandement relates unto our Neighbour whom wee are not obliged to love either above our selves or equally with our selves but onely like our selves so that the love of our selves in this second part of the Law of Nature is allowed the first place and wee may lawfully value our owne life limbs estates and liberties above our neighbours and preferre the indempnity of our selves before the indempnity of our neighbour in each of these severall respects when they chance to come in competition And therefore no Law either of God or man doth make homicide capitall no nor culpable where it is necessitated se defendendo And of this nature are all the particular Commandements of the second Table which Christs exposition comprehends under this second generall Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe the duties whereof are grounded upon a love not exceeding but inferiour unto the love of our selves Now the Kings Honour being grounded upon the fifth Commandement which they take pro concesse to be a Precept of the second Table and therefore grounded upon a love which must not exceed the love of our selves the people are obliged by the Law of God and Nature in all their duties towards the King in the first place to looke upon their owne safety and by consequence the Kings Honour is not a superiour but a subordinate end to salus populi so that the people may resist yea and kill the King also if they be necessitated se defendendo Argum. 2 A second Argument which they urge for a further confirmation of this is the instance of a Generall or Governour of a city who though his Commission be never so large extending to life liberty and estate yet if he shall contrary to his trust reposed in him for defence of that city turne the Canon against the city to destroy it may lawfully be resisted by the city and Souldiery and that by armes and violence as a traitour to his trust and therefore if the King shall breake the trust reposed in him by God the people may like this city and souldiery lawfully resist him as a a traitour to his trust and provide for their owne safety before his honour Argum. 3 Lastly they alledge out of Scripture severall instances of Kings that have beene resisted by the people in order to their owne safety wherein the actions of the people have beene sometimes expresly approved by God as in the deposition of Rehoboam from his dominion over the ten Tribes 1 King 12.24 And sometimes countenanced by holy men of God which themselves have been the principall actors therein as David in the defence of himselfe from the rage and fury of Saul 1 Sam. 22.1 2. and Chap. 23.7 8. And Elisha in his advise to the Elders to resist the messengers sent by King Jehoram to take away his head 2 King 6.32 and yet neither of them reproved by God for preferring their owne safety before their obedience to the Kings commands And therefore the Subjects may provide for and regard their owne safety rather then his Honour That Doctrine which I shall here premise as a ground for the solution of these Arguments and to evidence the preheminence of the Kings Honour above the peoples welfare is such a principle in Divinity as I presume will prima facie hazzard the repute of a Paradox being directly opposite to the opinions of all Christian Authors who write of the Morall Law who distinguishing the Ten Commandements into two Tables according to Christs rule Mat. 22.37 doe generally conclude the fift Commandement prescribing honour to parents to be a Commandement of the second Table which containeth our duty towards our neighbour as if Kings and parents related to their Subjects and children as neighbours and not as Gods And that the duties therefore to be performed to Kings and parents are grounded onely upon such a love which must not exceed the love of our selves which being granted for truth the Argument taken from the Law of Nature to prove the preheminence of the peoples welfare above the Kings Honour and thereby to legitimate the resistance of Kings as well as of any other men when the people doe judge their commands to be destructive to their owne safety and welfare is altogether unanswerable For Christ in that prementioned division of the Morall Law Mat. 22.37 makes but two objects of mans duty one superiour whom wee are obliged to love and respect above our selves and that is God another inferiour object whom wee are obliged to respect onely as our selves that is in the respect of the degrees of extension of our love equally to our selves for wee must have a regard unto our neighbour in his person and life chastity goods and good name as well as our owne but yet we are not obliged to an equality in reference to the degrees of the intension of our love to our neighbour in any of these particulars for we may and ought to love and respect our own life goods and good name above our neighbours so that every man is set in the middle betweene these two objects to the one hee lookes upward as an object above him to the other downeward as an object below him So that if Kings and parents relate to us only as neighbours and not as Gods for there is no other third object of mans duty then they are not our superiours but inferiours nor may we respect their persons goods or good name above our owne as things sacred but beneath and after our owne and so to
excellency worth and goodnesse which God doth communicate unto men for the Regulation of their owne private affections and the exercise of a pious and vertuous life of which Honour every man in the Common-wealth is equally capable 2. Politicall Honour is that excellency worth and goodnesse which God doth communicate unto men for the Regulation of the externall actions of men in order to the preservation of society and the exercise of a peaceable and quiet life which is that Honour which the King doth receive from God and which doth supereminence him above all others in the same society and Common-wealth And this is also two fold viz. Primarius Secundarius 1. Primarie Honour is that excellency of power and authority which doth enable the King for execution of the duties of his Calling in the Rule and Government of his people and Subjects And this is two-fold viz. Legislativus Judiciarius 1. Legislative Honour is the power and authority to constitute and enact Lawes and Statutes for the Publike good and benefit of the Common-wealth And this againe is twofold viz. Ecclesiasticus Civilis 1. Ecclsiasticall Honour is the power and authority to enact Lawes and Statutes for the Regulation of mens words and actions in order to the externall performance of the duties of the first Table of the Morall Law according to the patterne exhibited by God in the frame and composure of the Ceremoniall Law instituted by God for that purpose 2. Civill Honour is the power and authority to enact Lawes and Statutes for the Regulation of mens words and actions in order to the externall performance of the duties of the second Table of the Morall Law according to the patterne exhibited by God himselfe in the frame and composure of the Judiciall Law Instituted by God likewise for that purpose 2. Judiciarie Honour is the power and authority to put all these Lawes in execution And this is two-fold Compensativus Vindicativus 1. Compensative Honour is the power to encourage and remunerate the integrity of pious and just men with titles of Honour and offices of state and the like according to the merits of their service and obedience which is the pastorall duty and office of Kings signified principally by their Scepter which is is called in Christs Govenment A Scepter of righteousnesse because of Christs Government over the Saints and Church triumphant wherein there is no use at all of the Sword but onely of the Scepter and by the exercise of his pastorall office to reward the faith and patience of the Saints Which passage I doe here insert to shew that the Scepter doth principally import the Pastorall and not the Imperiall and Magisteriall office of a King which relateth properly to his Militarie power 2. Vindicative Honour is the power to correct and punish the delinquences of disobedient and evill men which is the Magisteriall office and duty of Kings signified by their sword 2. Secondarie Honour which is a spece also of Politicall Honour is that Honourable and Magnificent maintenance which God hath assigned unto the King for support of his Royall power and dignity for as our lives Gen. 5.9 so our estates and fortunes are not ours but Gods For heaven and earth are his and all riches and honours come from him and he is Lord over all 1 Chron. 29.10 11 12. Psal 50.10 11. Psal 95.4 For a manifest of which Prerogative God in all his distributions reserved some part which he ordained to be sacred and holy unto himselfe as in that charter and grant made unto Adam in Innocency when there was no King or Priest but onely Adam himselfe the Lord in that grant reserved the Tree of Knowledge So that the law for honouring God with our substance Prov. 3.8 was an eternall law of nature and not any positive emergent law for before the Institution either of the Ceremoniall or Judiciall lawes of Moses This Prescript and Rule was observed by the Patriarchs as Cain and Abel both which did render unto the Lord a tribute out of their several possessions Gen. 4.3 4. And Abraham by this law paid Tythes to Melchisedec Gen. 14.20 And by the same law Jacob vowed unto the Lord the retribution of a Tenth of that which the Lord should give him Gen. 28. last as an acknowledgement that hee received it from God the Lord of all for Jacob had nothing of his owne at that time but a staffe Gen. 32.10 Now as God did delegate unto Kings a power over our persons in his ordinance for their Primarie honour of power and authority so did he likewise give them a power over our estates for support of that honour which is their Secondarie honour of Maintenance and Revenue which was the ground of Christs command to render a tribute of our goods unto Caesar Mat. 22.21 intimating that this temporall honour of tribute was by virtue of Gods delegation as due unto Caesar as the spirituall honour of praise and worship was unto God And upon the same ground Saint Paul commands to render custome and tribute to Kings not as a gift and favour but as a due and just debt Rom. 13.7 and gives this reason for it because they are Gods Ministers appointed to supply his place in Ruling and Judging us And seeing God hath transferred the greater power to Kings viz a power over our lives by putting the sword i. e. the Militia or Military power of the Common-wealth into his hands Rom. 13.4 the Apostle thence concludes their Investiture with the lesse viz a power over our estates Ver. 6. And this power was all the title which Christ had to that Asses-Colt which he sent his Disciples to fetch for his use Luke 19.30 for it appeares in the Text that Christ was not the proprietour of that colt yet he did not give order to his Disciples either to buy or hire or begge or borrow the colt of the owners but onely to tell any that profered to interrupt them that the Lord had need of him for it was a sufficient title to dispossesse the private owner that the publike Lord of all did command him and upon that answer the private owner did not resist the Disciples in taking him away Ver. 34. And the like power we see exercised by Pharaoh in that ordinance for storing up a fift part of all the Corne of Egypt for seven yeares together which law was enacted by Pharaoh upon the single Counsell of Joseph with the approbation onely of Pharaoh's servants or Councell and not by the generall consent of the people Gen. 41.34 Neither can we pretend this law to be Tyrannicall amd contrary to the law of God and Nature for it proceeded from the wisdome of God which in this businesse directed the mind of Joseph Gen. 45.57 Psal 105. Nor can any man imagine but the state and magnificence of Saul David Jeroboam and others who of private persons were advanced by God himself to Regall honour and dignity was supported by this meanes
enormities as are destructive to peace and unity and by consequence to all Politick Association 2. The second spece of the Object of Politicall Cognizance is Objectum per accidens which is the indirect and mediate Object of Politick Government consisting in the Contingentials thereof being such causes and matters wherein the King may exercise both his Legislative and Judiciarie power over some persons both Ecclesiasticall and Civill but not over other some of either sort And these are those supernaturall and Evangelicall duties which were never knowne nor any way usefull upon the first institution of Politick Government under the old Covenant of Workes but were instituted afterward and made ordinances of the new Covenant of Grace not directly for helps of Politick Government but for the immediate meanes and helps to life and salvation by Christ and the advancement of his mysticall kingdome Such as were the Sacraments both of the Old and New Testament which were symbolicall ordinances instituted by God meerely as seales and confirmations of this new Covenant of Grace and also all Evangelicall formes of Worship Government and Discipline relating immediately unto Christ All which are supernaturall duties wherein the light of nature though it were restored to its native and pristine purity is no way conducent to guide or direct us without particular revelations of the Spirit of God declared either by Scripture or some other extraordinary and supernaturall meanes which duties therefore cannot be knowne to Heathens to which God never vouchsafed the benefit of such revelations nor be possibly capable of any legall sanctions from the most prudent and intelligent Legislator that ever sate at sterne in any Heathenish Common-wealth And yet though Heathens cannot be good Christians they may be good Kings as the Holy Ghost testifieth of Cyrus whose Government is much magnified Esay 45. although he understood nothing of these Evangelicall duties which relate to Christ the like Panegyricks are recorded not onely by the Heathenish but also by Christian Authors of the government of Solon of Athens Lycurgus of Lacedemon and Servius Tullius of Rome And this is further manifested by that judicious and rationall answer which Gallio the Romane Deputy returned to the complaints of the Jewes against Paul for preaching against the Jewish Ceremonies and the outward form of worship prescribed by Moses Acts 18.14 15. If it were a matter of wrong or injustice saith Gallio which importeth sins against the law of the second Table or of wicked lewdnesse which importeth sinnes against the law of the first Table of the Morall law then reason would O ye Jewes that I should bear with you But if it be a Question of your law looke ye to it for I will be no Judge of such matters Whence it is observable that though this wise Heathen was perswaded that it was a part of his office and duty to judge of offences against the law of nature whether they were transgressions of the first Table and so immediately against God or of the second Table and so immediately against our neighbour ye he did conclude from the principles of sound reason that the judgement of these Jewish Ceremonies which were not naturall but Evangelicall duties did not pertaine to his Office or Calling So that these Evangelicall duties cannot be directly and per se the Object of Politicall Cognizance or the subject of any positive Law or Statute generally obligatory unto all persons But yet these Evangelicall duties may and doe fall within the sphere of Politicall Cognizance indirectly and per accidens that is in such persons to whom God doth vouchsafe the benefit of these supernaturall revelations for in regard the service and worship of God ought to be the first and principall care of all Kings as well Heathen as Christian according to the Maxime of that * Arist pol. lib. 7 c. 8. knowing Heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion must be the foundation of all Policy being the most important businesse amongst the affaires of State cementing all societies and energating all lawes as Plutarch well observeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in regard also that they to whom God hath vouchsafed the knowledge of these Evangelicall and supernaturall duties cannot with a safe conscience serve and worship God after any other manner but that which in their opinion is most consonant to his word and will therefore it is both lawfull and expedient for Kings to exercise both their Legislative power in composure of Lawes and Statutes for directing a laudable conformity amongst these persons in the religious observation and practise of these Evangelicall and supernaturall duties of the Religion and piety whereof they are already sufficiently perswaded and satisfied in their consciences and also their Judiciary power in punishing the contempt or neglect thereof because to such persons there is no medium betweene the practise of these duties and that wicked lewdnesse or profanenesse the restraint and reformation whereof Gallio did acknowledge to be directly a part of the duty of the Magistrates office and calling But for other persons who are not of the same perswasion concerning the Religion of these Evangelicall duties but beleeve the practise thereof to be superstitious and dishonourable to God and another forme of worship to be the onely acceptable service unto him in regard the practise of Evangelicall duties in such persons cannot proceed from faith and trust in God whereby they may expect a blessing from him upon their service and devotion but rather that curse and damnation which Saint Paul affirmeth to be the just merits of all acts of worship which are not of faith but either of doubtfulness or which is worse of perfect hypocrisie and dissimulation Rom. 14. last The enforcement of such a conformity by the Magistrate in Evangelicall worship and service in such persons contrary to their consciences must necessarily render him guilty not onely of their sinnes and thereby liable to that curse and damnation which is due to their hypocrisie and dissimulation whereof hee is in some sense the efficient cause but also of sacrilegious intrusion upon those sacred prerogatives which God hath reserved wholly unto himselfe that is the command and power over mens consciences over which he never appointed any lord or master besides himselfe as the expressions and exhortations both of our Saviour Mat. 23.8 9. and of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 8.6 doe purposely insinuate and whereunto the Kings Commission did never extend Whence it is manifest that Christian Kings may exercise their Legislative power in the composure of Lawes and Statutes to direct a conformity of Evangelicall worship and service in those persons unto whom God hath vouchsafed the true understanding thereof and thereby satisfied their consciences of the Legality and Religion thereof and also his Judiciarie power in rewarding the pious and due observance and punishing the impious contempt and neglect of such duties in the same persons But may not exercise either his Legislative or Judiciary
body unto their children and subjects and therefore it is lawfull for them to command in the one as well as the other in order to all outward duties And in whatsoever he may lawfully exercise his Legislative power in the same he may likewise exercise his Judiciary for that is the life of the Law which without execution is but a dead letter like a man without a soule I shall not need to insist upon the confirmation of this Corollarie because I presume the grounds already premised in the former part of this Chapter may be sufficient to warrant this conclusion And besides the profest designe of this Chapter is not so much the extent as the limitation of the Kings power in order to Evangelicall duties which are extra-regalia and Metapoliticall matters whereof wee shall speake in the two following Theses Thesis 2. The second Thesis which declares what are partì Regalia and partìm extra-regalia relates to matters of Evangelicall worship Government and Discipline which is this No Evangelicall ceremonies or formes of worship nor any Ecclesiasticall Government or Discipline which relateth unto Christ is directly and per se of Politicall Cognizance but onely indirectly and per accidens And therefore the King cannot lawfully enact any Lawes or Statutes concerning these matters which shall be generally obligatory unto all persons within his Dominions but onely unto such persons whom God hath enlightned by his spirit and thereby satisfied their consciences of the lawfulnesse and Religion of such Worship Government and Discipline The Reasons are two The first whereof is fully declared in the former part of this Chapter demonstrating all Ceremonies which relate unto Christ and are any wayes significative either of his person his offices or acts of mediation to be supernaturall matters and therefore such wherein the light of nature cannot be a sufficient guide so that they cannot be ranged amongst the Essentials but onely the Contingentials of Politick Government The second Reason is because conscience is the onely law and rule whereby the merits of these duties are to be judged as Saint Paul declareth Rom. 14. last where speaking of Evangelicall Priviledges and Ceremonies he enjoyneth the dictates of conscience to be observed under no lesse sanction then damnation to him that disobeyeth of which doctrine his owne practice concerning the Sacrament of Circumcision is a manifest confirmation for though he caused Timothy to be circumcised because of the Jewes who were perswaded that none who contemned that Ceremony were members of the true Church or fit for their association Acts 16.3 yet he would not permit Titus to be circumcised because the Grecians should be satisfied that he did not esteeme these Ceremonies so essentiall to life and salvation that they ought to be obtruded upon those whose consciences were not satisfied concerning the same Gal. 2.3 And you may observe Acts 15. that when the Apostles consulted of sending decrees concerning the observation of Ceremonies to the Gentiles upon whom the Jewes would have obtruded the observation of Circumcision as necessary to salvation they were carefull to enjoyne neither Circumcision nor any other Ceremony but such as those of the Religion whereof the Gentiles were formerly satisfied in their consciences And therefore if the Magistrate shall by any Law or Statute compell men to practise those Ceremonies or Formes of worship concerning the Religion and lawfulnesse whereof they are not satisfied in their consciences hee doth compell them to sinne and thereby render himselfe guilty of that damnation which Paul affirmeth to be the merits of all injuries done to the conscience Ob. All the godly Kings of Judah as David Solomon Asa Jehoshaphat Joash Hezekiah and Josiah did impose the observation and practise of the Jewish sacraments and other Evangelicall formes of worship upon the whole nation of the Jewes and also punish the neglect thereof and therefore Kings may lawfully exercise their power in these matters over all subjects within their Dominions Sol. God had revealed and expresly enjoyned the use of these Sacraments and set Formes of Worship Government and Discipline unto the whole nation of the Jewes and therefore the Jewes were obliged thereunto not by the Lawes of the King but by the immediate law of God within whose cognizance both these Evangelicall ceremonies and conscience it selfe also the Judge of all these doth directly fall over which God onely and not the King is Judge so that when these Kings did exercise their Judiciary power concerning these Jewish rites it was onely in pursuance of the law of God which made these duties generally obligatory unto that Nation But it was not lawfull for those Kings to force the practice and observance of these duties upon any other people though they lived within their Dominions nor doe we finde in Scripture that any of these godly Kings did force the Gibeonites who were their subjects but no Israelites either to be circumcised or to eat the Passeover or observe any other Jewish Rites Onely indeed if any stranger became a Proselyte and so a professour of that Religion not by constraint but of their owne voluntary inclination and desire then it was lawfull for the Magistrate to force such to observe the Jewish Ceremonies Exod. 12.48 because then the neglect thereof was an act of profanenesse in such as well as in the Jewes which is directly of Politicall Cognizance and pertaines to the Magistrate both to judge and punish But in regard the inward satisfaction of conscience concerning these Evangelicall Formes of Worship Government and Discipline is that alone which doth naturalize these supernaturall duties and thereby quarter them in praedicamento Regalium and transforme them into matters of Politicall Cognizance And the inward dissatisfaction of conscience that which impedeth their naturalization and the removall of their quarters de praedicamento extra-regalium the proper sphere of all Metapoliticall matters which inward qualification of conscience is properly a point of faith and so a duty of the first Commandement of the Morall law for till we be so fully satisfied concerning the Religion of these Evangelicall Ceremonies and Formes of Worship that the practise thereof may proceed from faith neither can wee adventure upon the voluntary practise thereof or the Magistrate enforce the same upon us without the incurment of the guilt of damnation to both I shall therefore referre the more punctuall discussion of this point unto the next Thesis which concernes the omnimodò extra-regalia whereunto it doth more properly appertaine The third Thesis declares what are omnimodò extra-regalia Thesis 3. And this relates to Internall duties and matters of Evangelicall faith and doctrine which is this No internall duties prescribed in the first Commandement of the Morall Law doe either directly or indirectly fall within the sphere of Politicall cognizance so that the King cannot lawfully exercise either his Legislative or Judiciarie power in matters of faith and doctrine nor by any positive Lawes and Statutes determine what points shall
the words of Solomon are to be understood onely of Kings in reference to the exercise of their power upon us which whether it be for good or hurt is still from God whose Deputies all Kings are and whose heart the Lord ruleth either for our benefit or prejudice Prov. 21.4 And therefore we may not thinke them evill or unjust to us for the Judgement is not theirs but Gods Prov. 26.29 who cannot be unjust And if we looke in Esay 3. you shall finde that God owneth all the grievous oppressions and violences which Tyrants exercise upon their Subjects for judgements and punishments sent upon that people or nation by his owne selfe and to demonstrate that all Kings act by his immediate direction he hath made the decrees and ordinances of Heathen Kings subservient to his glory and his peoples good not onely on accidenti by his providence but ex proposito in their owne purposes as is apparent in the decrees of Cyrus and Darius to build the Temple of God whom they knew not and of Nebuchadnezzar to honour his name all which three were meere Heathens The fourth and last Reason why this fift Commandement cannot be a Precept of the second Table is because it doth not enjoyne such a retaliation of love as every Commandement of the second Table doth for every Commandement of the second Table doth enjoyne our neighbour to returne the like respects and measure of love to us as we doe give to him but this fift Commandement doth not enjoyne our parents to honour and reverence us as we are bound thereby to honour and reverence them therefore it cannot be a Commandement of the second Table And if you doe observe it you shall finde this rule of Retaliation to be a perfect note of difference betweene the duties of the first and of the second Table for no duty of the first Table doth oblige God to returne the same respects to us which we are obliged to exhibite to him for wee are bound to worship him and love him above all and to expresse this love in every faculty both of soule and body but God is not obliged to worship us nor to love us after such a manner but our neighbour is obliged to returne the same measure of love to us which wee are bound to exhibite unto him either in his body goods or good name I confesse indeed that parents are engaged to performe duties to their children as well as children are to parents but those are onely such paternall duties of protection and provision as God himselfe is also obliged to performe unto his dutifull children by his Covenant for conferring blessings upon them when they truely honour him Deut. 28. and 29. for performance of the externall part of which Covenant God doth substitute Kings and parents as his instruments to convey these blessings unto Subjects and children but these duties are not so much as intimated in the fift Commandement but are enjoyned onely in that generall Covenant betweene God and his people who therefore doth make Kings and parents indulgent to subjects and children whereby to expresse his care for performance upon his part when Subjects and children are obedient unto God and his Deputies and thereby carefull to performe upon their part The Reasons concluding the Affirmative part that this fift Commandement is a Precept of the first Table are eight The first is grounded upon our Saviours answer to the young man Mat. 19.18 Marke 10.17 Luke 18.20 In all which places this Precept Honour thy father and thy mother is intended by Christ to enjoyne all the duties of the first Table of the Morall Law for God you know is often in Scripture stiled Father as in Mat. 6. wee finde him stiled Father twelve times but we never finde him stiled Neighbour in all the Scripture for to love God but in the same manner which wee are bound to love our neighbour that is like our selves were selfe Idolatry And besides our duty to God is oftentimes enjoyned in this very expression of Honour as 1 Sam. 2.30 where this word Honour importeth the whole duty of man towards God in which sense this word Honour is also used by our Saviour John 8.49 And therefore it is manifest seeing God is capable of the title of Father and that this expression of Honour may be properly extended to all the duties due unto God which are the duties of the first Table that this Precept of Honour thy father and mother may comprehend all the duties of the first Table and that it doth so in this place I doe prove thus Christ in his answer must needs mention all those duties which are necessary to salvation for else his rule were not perfect but the duties of the first Table are equally if not more necessary to life then the duties of the second Table and cannot be included in any other Precept which Christ reciteth in those Texts therefore all the duties of the first Table must necessarily be comprehended in this Precept Honour thy father and mother upon which premised grounds it doth necessarily follow that this fift Commandement is a Precept of the first Table For That Precept which comprehendeth all the duties of the first Table must needs be a Precept of the first Table but this very Precept comprehendeth all the duties of the first Table as the premises demonstrate ergo The second Reason is grounded upon the nature of God which is being and existence for in Exod. 3. he defineth himself by this expression I am and upon this ground both David Psal 1â—0 Isaiah Chap. 44. and Saint Paul Acts 17. proves the Lord alone to be God because no creature no not the Angels themselves are able to give a life or motion or being unto man but onely God whose essence life and being is and therefore communicable onely from him so that whatsoever hath a power to communicate a being doth supply the place of God but parents have a power to communicate a being unto their children ergo they relate unto their children as Gods and not as men and by consequence the duties performed by children unto parents must be duties of the first Table and so likewise the Precept which enjoynes them must be a Precept of the same Table The third Reason as likewise all the five following alledged by Saint Paul Rom. 13. for motives to perswade submission to higher Powers every one of which Reasons doe demonstrate Kings and Magistrates who are Politick parents to have the relation of Gods unto the people is taken from the Author of the Kings power and that is God Ver. 1. For there is no power but of God Though the men invested with that power be as unjust and wicked as Pilate whose power Christ himselfe acknowledged to flow from that sacred fountaine John 19.11 upon which ground the King in the exercise of his power is alwayes stiled the Minister of God Ver. 4. yea and oftentimes also a very God as Psal
The Argument is this To whomsoever the power of vengeance and recompence pertaineth he is a God for God himselfe affirmeth those prerogatives to be peculiar to himselfe Deut. 22.35 36. But both these prerogatives pertaine unto the King as Saint Paul affirmeth in this Text ergo Kings are Gods and by consequence the fift Commandement which prescribeth our duty to them must be a Precept of the first Table The seventh Reason is grounded upon the nature of that obligation which the commands of Kings doe impose upon their Subjects which binde the conscience Ver. 5. which is Saint Pauls fift motive to obedience Wherefore ye must needs be subject not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake Which reason Saint Peter alledgeth also to perswade this kind of submission to Kings 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves for the Lords sake because the submission is not to man but to God Ephes 6.7 whose Majesty and Authority the King doth represent and in the latter part of this second Chapter Saint Peter presseth this kind of submission for conscience sake and the Lords sake by Christs example who needed not to have submitted to Pilate or the Jewes for wrath for he was able to overthrow them all with a blast of the breath of his mouth as he did the officers John 18.6 and shall doe Antichrist at the last day 2 Thes 2. Or to have obtained twelve legions of Angels from his Father for that purpose Mat. 26.53 whereof one single Angell was able to destroy 185000. Assyrians in one night but yet to honour the Substitute and Deputy of his Father he submitted to their power knowing it was his Fathers will and that the judgement was not theirs but Gods Acts 4.28 which is the ground of Nazianzens advise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must submit to good Kings as to the Lord himselfe to bad Kings for the Lords sake Upon which grounds it is easie to prove the King to have the relation of a God to his subjects For he that can command the conscience is a God but the commands of the King doe oblige the conscience i. e. in licitis politicis whereunto his Commission doth extend and therefore in reference to all those matters the King is a God to his Subjects And by consequence this fift Commandement prescribing the Subjects duty must be a Precept of the first Table The eight and last Reason is taken from the nature of those acts whereby Subjects ought to expresse their obedience to Kings Ver. 6 7. which is Saint Pauls fixt motive to obedience which acts doe referre either unto the Kings power or else to his maintenance 1. The acts of obedience relating to power are Feare and Honour which are due onely to God Deut. 6.13 Mat. 4.10 Mal. 1.6 But Saint Paul commandeth us to performe these duties unto the King in this Text to which Solomon addeth another precept Prov. 24.21 My sonne feare God and the King And David likewise commanded the people to worship God and King Solomon 1 Chron. 29.20 so that God and the King are made a joynt object of these duties which are peculiar to God ergo the King must supply the place of God in reference to his Subjects and by consequence the fift Commandement must be a Precept of the first Table Ob. Christ forbids us to feare them that can kill the body onely but cannot kill the soule Mat. 10.28 but Kings can onely kill the body and not the soule ergo wee may not feare Kings Sol. That command of Christs is not Positive but Comparative as appeares in the Text and onely prohibits us to feare the King more then God Repl. Then when the Kings commands are contrary to Gods we may resist Sol. We may resist his commands but not his power for in those cases we must obey God by an active the King onely by a passive obedience for which wee have the president of the Apostles themselves Acts 4. and 5. who did refuse to obey the commands of the Rulers prohibiting them to preach in the name of Jesus but yet submitted to their power in yeelding themselves to be imprisoned and beaten according to the commands of the Rulers so that they obeyed both God and the Magistrate the first by doing the latter by suffering 2. The acts of obedience relating to the Kings maintenance are Tribute and Custome whereof I spoke at large in the ninth Chapter of this Booke in the point of Secondary Honour due to the King where I demonstrated these to be due to God onely Primarily and to the King onely Secondarily as he supplies the place of God in Ruling and Judging his people And therefore seeing we are to performe those acts of submission and obedience to the King whereof God himselfe is the proper and immediate object it followeth necessarily that the fift Commandement which prescribeth those acts must be a Commandement of the first Table Now upon these grounds it is easie to frame an answer to the three Arguments alledged for the preheminency of the peoples safety above the Kings Honour whereby to legitimate the resistance of Kings in order to the peoples safety To the first Argument taken from the Law of nature Answ 1 I answer that it is grounded upon a false supposition for the fift Commandement which is the ground of the Kings Honour is not a Precept of the second Table but of the first the duties whereof are grounded upon a love exceeding the love of our selves for the Law of God and Nature teacheth us to love God above our selves Deut. 5.6 Mat. 22.37 and therefore though the King be a man in his naturall capacity and therefore in that sense hath the relation of a neighbour yet in his Politick capacity in which sense onely he is the object of the duties of the fift Commandement he hath the relation of a God to us and not of a neighbour and therefore we ought to regard his Honour above our owne safety and rather to suffer the losse both of our estates friends and life then dishonour him To the second Argument grounded upon the instance of a Generall I answer Answ 2 that the case is farre different For I presume the Argument presupposeth that Generall to be trusted by the King for the safety and protection of that city and not for the destruction of it and that upon this supposition they doe resist him as a Traitor to his trust and in this case the resistance is lawfull because his Commission doth not extend to that act and he is onely a Magistrate so farre as his Commission doth authorize him But suppose the King should have judged that city to be destroyed and authorize that Generall to execute that judgement in this case it were absolutely unlawfull to resist and all acts of opposition in the city or souldiery being the Kings Subjects were absolute treason and rebellion because the Kings Commission from God doth extend absolutely both to our estates and persons nor doth he