I confess hath been traditionally handed from one to another and been received by those who see more with other men's eyes than their own But whereas it is pretended that Tyrants do us some good in defending us from Theeves and Murderers I cannot apprehend that it is but Gratis dictum for they are so far from defending us from them that they make Theeves and Murderers by destroying Trade and oppressing the People with unreasonable Taxes and Exactions and being patterns to others in Profuseness and Prophaness they daily encrease the number of Theeves and Murderers in the Land yea wicked Governours are the principal Cause of Theeves and Murderers 2. And no wonder they should make Theeves and Murderers for they are Captains and Leaders of that Troop Theeves and Murderers learn of them What are those cruel Exactions that they lay upon us to maintain their Lusts but publick Thefts and doth not the Blood of the poor Innocents cry out against them as Murderers yea surely the Voice of the Blood of those hundreds these men have murdered by filthy Prisons for obeying God's Commands cryes aloud against them Tyrants are the greatest Theeves and Murderers of all 3. We are not at all beholding to them for suppressing or punishing Theeves and Murderers now and then For first They are Partial some Theeves and Murderers they will not punish but if they have Money they may be easily set at Liberty by one subtil Evasion or other Secondly Those they do punish are most of their own making as I shewed before Thirdly And they encrease more continually hang one and make two And Fourthly They do worse themselves than those they do punish And Lastly If we were rid of Tyrants and Oppressing Governours we could take care our selves to set up such as would execute Justice impartially and neither rob nor murder us themselves nor suffer others to do it both which these wicked Rulers do 4. But the reason why we are commanded to be subject to Magistrates is not because they do us some good but because they are Servants to us for good Rom. 13.4 It is a madness to say they are Servants to us for good because they do some good Would you say he were a Servant for good to his Master that would rob him and take away his goods to spend upon his lusts and lay violent hands upon him if he should reprove him because he would work sometimes and keep other Theeves out of the house he is a Servant for good that fulfils his Relation and performs the duty of a Servant And so it is concerning the Magistrate if he do that good which a publick Servant to the People is bound to do he is a Servant to them for Good If he oppress enslave impoverish persecute them though he may do some good yet he is not a Servant to them for good and they owe him no subjection An oppressing Magistrate neither keeps his Relation of a Servant to the People nor answers the End for which he was made Their Good but makes himself their Lord and seeks their hurt and the little good he doth doth not compensate for the great Evil. We are commanded to be subject to the Magistrate not because of some good he doth but because he is a Servant to us for good indefinitely that is all the good which his Office enjoyns him to do us 5. The Apostle gives this reason why we should not resist the Magistrate because we need not fear him if we do well but shall have praise of him vers 3. now though a Tyrant may possibly do some good yet we cannot have praise of him when we do well nay we carry our Liberties and Lives in our hands when we go about the best Duties We cannot meet together to serve God as he hath commanded us but we are in danger of the loss of our Liberties Livelihoods nay and Lives also for many have caught their Deaths in Prisons of late Therefore this pretence of some good is but a meer airy notion instead of an Argument 6. And lastly The Apostle gives this for the reason why we are to be subject to Magistrates and pay them Tribute because they continually attend upon this thing that is doing justice and seeking our good vers 6. not because we receive some good from them as the pretenders affirm but because they make it their work and continual endeavour to do us good Assidue incumbentes some render it but I suppose it might better be rendred fortiter instantes the word denotes vehement perseverance they put all their might and strength constantly to the performance of their Duty But be that neglects the greatest part of his Duty and is careless in his Office or continually oppressing us though he may possibly do some good hath no right to subjection or tribute from the People So that you see plainly what kind of Power God hath forbid us to resist and what Rulers he hath commanded us to be subject unto A Power that is just rational and profitable to us but an unjust arbitrary tyrannical or oppressive Power he hath not commanded us to be subject unto Rulers Magistrates that execute Justice punish evil doers praise them that do well and are Servants to us for good we must needs be subject unto for Conscience sake but no command to submit to Tyrants or Oppressors The same answer is to be made to that in 1 Pet. 2.13 14. that though the Apostle commands us to submit to such Governours as are sent for the punishment of evil doers and praise of them that do well yet he doth not command us to submit to such as punish us for doing well or oppress us And so we are to understand all other Scriptures that speak of obedience and subjection to Magistrates they mean righteous Magistrates not Oppressors 2. A second Argument to prove that we owe the Magistrate no passive obedience in case of Tyranny or Oppression but may lawfully resist him is this That which the Law of Nature teacheth all men to do cannot be unlawful But Nature teacheth to resist all that come to Oppress or Injure us as well the Magistrate as others Therefore it cannot be unlawful If a Magistrate should offer violence to any Womans chastity and unless she should yeeld her Body to him threaten to kill her will not Nature it self teach her to resist him and defend her self if she can If a Magistrate who ought to Protect me and my Relations will come to Murder my Wife and Children doth not Nature command me to defend them and resist him Nature teacheth all creatures to resist injury and defend themselves one way or other and who would be so childish as to affirm that Reason teacheth men to lay aside Self-defence and suffer others to destroy us under a pretence of Authority If we consult with Reason it will tell us that the wickedness of a Magistrate in oppressing us who is our Servant to protect us is far
Moses put that prudent Counsel of Jethro in execution according to the mind of God he bids the People look out such men as were spirited for Government Deut. 1.13 Take ye wise Men and understanding and known among your Tribes it is translated but I suppose it might have been better rendered 1. Take ye wise men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sapientes this word is used frequently for the best sort of Wisdom true spiritual Wisdom saving Knowledge Prov. 13.20 Prov. 10.8 Psal 19.7 The Testimonies of the Lord make wise the simple Moses bid the People look out men that understood the Law of God that was the Wisdom he bid them have an eye to even as Artaxerxes bid Ezra as I have shewn before That which Jethro called the Fear of God Moses calls Wisdom and no wonder for that is the only true Wisdom Job 28.28 Psal 111.10 Prov. 7. It is as if he should have said My Father-in-law Jethro gave me good Counsel I give the same to you Look out such Men as are truly wise that fear God they will make conscience of their Duty to God and you but if you chuse men void of that true Wisdom the Fear of God they will have little or no regard to the Honour of God or your Good 2. Men of Understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et prudentes prudent Men Men of Counsel as Jer. 49.7 Is Counsel perished from the Prudent 1 Sam. 16.18 David is said to be a man prudent in matters in both these places there is the same word that is mentioned by Moses and generally this word is taken for a wise Counsellor So that Moses bids the People chose such men for Magistrates as were prudent Counsellors Every wise man or every one that fears God is not fit to be a Magistrate he must be a prudent Man also one that is able to advise in matters of weight and concernment relating to the publick Affairs of the Land 3. Known Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men that have been tryed that have given proof of their Integrity and Uprightness that are known to be true and cordial to the Service of God and their Generation for the word is taken for experienced Isa 53.3 A man acquainted with grief that is one that hath been tryed and experienced in it So that Moses directs the People to look out such men who had been tryed and were known to be faithful publick-spirited self-denying persons such as Caleb and Joshua who had followed the Lord fully in an hour of temptation and adventured their lives for the Peoples good These are the Men that are fit to be Rulers over the People that will adventure their All for the People Ulysses was a man tryed the Grecians had had large experience of his Wisdom and Faithfulness to them and therefore they honoured him Joseph gives the like counsel to Pharaoh Gen. 41.33 Let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise and set him over the Land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Virum prudentem sapientem the very same words that Moses uses and indeed the same Counsel that Moses by the Spirit of God gave the Israelites did Joseph by the same Spirit gave the Egyptians and they took his Counsel The thing pleased Pharaoh and all his Servants Vers 37. They liked his Counsel well and because they could find none that had so much true Wisdom and Prudence together as he had Pharaoh set him over the Land Thus Nehemiah set Hananiah over Jerusalem because he was a faithful man and feared God above many Nehem. 7.2 and Chap. 13.13 He set Shelemiah Zadok and Pedajah over the Treasuries and Hanan next to them because they were accounted faithful men Thus you see how the Law of God requires the People to look out men that are endowed with the spirit of Government and to make them Rulers and what Presidents the Word of God hath left us of the same O therefore beware you that are Teachers of others that through your own ignorance of the Law of God or slavish fear of wicked Rulers or a base love of filthy lucre you do not cause the People to stumble in the Law of God lest he make you base and contemptible before all the People because ye have been partial in the Law Mal. 2.8 9. The God of Israel hath said He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God He that hath said A Minister must be blameless sober of good behaviour c. 1 Tim. 3. Hath said A Magistrate must be just ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 And will you say that a wicked Minister or Magistrate is God's Ordinance Take heed of being partiall in the Law 3. Having shewed you how the Light of Reason and Law of God do concur in the confirmation of this Truth That none but such as are endued with the Spirit of Government should be entrusted with it I come to another Argument drawn from the End of Government Every Means should be adequate to its End such as may be effectual to accomplish the End it was appointed for The End for which Magistrates were made was The Glory of God and Good of the People Magistrates are the Means for accomplishing this end and can it be conceived that persons destitute of Wisdom Prudence Faithfulness Justice or the fear of God are qualified for this End Will such a one ever seek to Honour God in the Government as hath no Love to him or Fear of him to encourage Virtue who is himself a Slave to Vice Will such a one seek the Peoples Good who regards not his own Is one that knows not yea that hates the Law of God fit to be entrusted with the execution thereof Is a Drunken Magistrate a fit mean to reduce a People to Sobriety A Profane Magistrate a mean to encourage Piety When experience daily confirms the Truth of that Regis ad exemplum totus componitur Orbis The whole World follow the Example of their King Is a Perfidious person who makes light of the violation of his Faith a mean to promote Truth and Honesty if it be it is per accidens through the goodness of God who brings good out of evil and so I hope the Perfidiousness of these Governours will be a warning to the People to choose more Faithful Conscientious Men for time to come The Heathens could say Deus Natura nil faciunt frustra God and Nature make nothing in vain But that accursed Opinion That a Wicked Magistrate is Gods Ordinance under a pretence and vizard of Peace and Quietness doth even fly in the face of God himself and charge him with setting up so great an Ordinance over all mankind which is but a vain thing For certainly that is in vain which is not able to accomplish its End so that to call a wicked Magistrate God's Ordinance is to reproach our Maker My Word saith the Lord shall not return unto me void but shall accomplish
that which I please and prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it Isa 55.11 Word is not here to be restrained to the Word Preached but is taken in a large sence my Word of Command Promise Threatning my Word of Consolation Commination or Institution of mine Ordinances it shall all prosper in the thing whereto I sent it I appoint nothing that is not sufficient for its End Now the End of that Institution of Magistracy being the Glory of God and Good of the People in the praise of them that do well and punishment of those that do evil A vile person is no more a mean for it than a profane person is a mean for bringing Glory to God and doing Good to the People in the Ministry Object But may not a wicked Minister or Magistrate be an Instrument of good to others though he be bad himself Sol. 1. He may accidentally I have heard of a Natural Fool that hath been instrumental to convert a wicked man but he was never the fitter to be made a Minister of Christ therefore A wicked Ruler may accidentally be an Instrument of some good to a People but this is not Argument for the lawfulness of choosing such a one to the Government Magistrates are called Healers Isa 3.7 Leaders Isa 9.16 It is possible an ignorant person may hit upon a Medicine to cure a dangerous distemper but would any wise man choose him for his Physician ever the sooner A Fool Coward may possibly do a piece of good service once but is he therefore fit to be made a Leader It is altogether as absurd to affirm That a wicked or unworthy person should be made a Magistrate 2. But where there is one wicked Magistrate that doth good for the People there are twenty do mischief That now and then a wicked Magistrate doth good for the People may be written among Wonders and Prodigies not to perswade us to choose such a one again but to admire and adore the Wisdom and Goodness of God who brings good out of evil and makes wicked men sometimes become serviceable to him and his people contrary to their own inclinations 3. But if there be any wicked Magistrate who possibly doth some good yet he doth a great deal more hurt the evil outweighs the good 4. In a word That which makes any thing a Mean is the proportion it bears to the End if a thing be not adequate to the End 't is no Mean But a wicked and unworthy person though he may do some good accidentally in the Magistracy or may have some property or other commendable is not adequate to the End of Government Nero Vitellius Caligula the veriest Monsters in the World had some properties laudible Yea the Devil himself hath something of good he hath Knowledge and Faith and other things good in themselves but a wicked man wants those qualifications of true Wisdom Faithfulness and the Fear of God which might render him fit for accomplishing the End for which Magistracy was instituted O therefore if you have any zeal for the Honour of God shew it by standing up for those to be made Governours who truly fear his holy Name and will be careful of his glory Or do you wish your Own your Childrens or the Nations Prosperity then never give your Vote again for wicked Men to Rule the Land You will acknowledge that it is your duty in your places to promote the Glory of God and Good of the Land of your Nativity yea who is there that will not say Such a man that would not be willing to do this were unworthy to live You see the Means for these Ends 't is by advancing Wise and Faithful Men that Fear God and Hate Covetousness to the Government Resolve if ever the Lord afford you an opportunity to choose Governours again to look out men so qualified that may answer the Ends of Magistracy Never foster up your selves with fond conceits that you shall gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles that wicked Magistrates will ever promote those glorious ends of God's Ordinance 4. A fourth Argument to evince the truth of this That none but such as are endued with the Spirit of Government are to be intrusted with it is If the setting up men void of wisdom faithfulness and the fear of God in the Government be the way to enact wicked-Laws Then such as are destitute of those qualifications are not to be set up But the former is true therefore the latter That wicked Magistrates will one way or other by force or fraud or both get wicked Statutes to be made is evident by the Scripture History and the Chronicles of all Nations Thus the Lord complains of the wicked Kings of Israel Ezek. 43.7 8. that they prophaned his holy Name by setting their posts by his posts and their thresholds by his thresholds and the wall between him and them and when once wicked Statutes are enacted woful experience hath taught the world how hard it is to get them repealed The Lord complains how the Statutes of Omri were kept above an hundred and threescore years after his reign Mica 6.16 and the People of Israel walked in the wicked Statutes of the Kings which they had made so long till they were carried captives to Assyria 2 King 17.8 And had I time to mention all the wicked Statutes which have been made by means of the wicked Kings of this Nation and are yet in force it would make you stand amazed to think how They the Lawyers and Clergie together have abused the poor People But it would take up a Volumn to treat of this by it self and this Argument is so experimentally understood at this day that I need not enlarge upon it What cursed Laws are now in force to persecute the faithful Ministers of Christ for preaching to the People that they might be saved to murder the Lord's People by stifling them in Prisons and Dungeons where hundreds have within these three years perished for no other cause but praying preaching and hearing the Word of God and all this and much more because wicked men are put in authority For had the People obeyed the Law of God and chosen such to rule as were just and fearing God this would not have been 5. A fifth Argument is this If the chusing men destitute of the Spirit of Government be the way to make void the Law of God Then none such should be chosen But the former is true therefore the latter As wicked Magistrates will enact wicked Laws of their own so will they be sure to reject and make void the Law of God Why else do we see so many men pardoned for Murder and walk at liberty up and down the streets in the face of the Sun who by the Law of God should die and the faithful Servants of God and Friends of their Country laid up in filthy Dungeons How easie a thing is it for a Murderer if he hath money to get a
Pardon Some call it a Lease of Life because it is too gross a thing to say a Pardon for Murder in plain terms O how frequently have I seen that saying of the Philosopher exemplified in this Nation The great Thieves lead the lesser thieves to hanging Publick Thieves who cheat the whole Nation of their Liberties Estates Birth-rights and Gospel-priviledges under the titles of Judges and Justices condemn and sentence to death small thieves for such faults as are not the hundredth part so heinous as their own And yet the poor people believe the great Thieves are God's Ordinance and worthy of all honour but the lesser thieves justly put to death Whereas indeed if Justice had its course there were more reason why the little thieves should condemn and execute the great Thieves For it is the Tyranny and Oppression of the Magistrates which is the principal cause why there are so many Thieves in the Land They lay intolerable Taxations on the People and by their Tyranny destroy Trade so that thousands are constrained to lay down their Callings for want of work they make such intricate tedious and chargeable Laws that are more like Instruments to pick the Peoples Pockets than Rules of Righteousness invented by the subtil Lawyers for Gins to catch the People in where they keep men so long as their money lasts and then let them go so that for the most part it fares with those that seek to the Lawyers and Witches for remedy alike they never thrive after By these and many other Artifices or Mysteries of State the Magistrates rob spoil and impoverish the People and reduce them to such necessity that while the Governours spend their money in pride luxury and all manner of voluptuousness they are forced to beg or steal and many being ashamed to beg fall to stealing for the necessity of their souls but stealing without authority are brought before the company of Rulers who have a Charter to steal by Authority and condemn all others who steal without license from them and sentenced to death by those who much more deserve it than themselves But alas it were endless to recite the particular cases wherein these wicked Rulers violate the Law of God for whereas the Law hath appointed punishment for evil-doers and praise for them that do well what do these but the very contrary turning the Sword against such as fear God and obey his Law So that we have just cause to plead with the Lord as David did Psal 110.126 It is time for thee O Lord to work for they have made void thy Law Brethren you cannot but acknowledge that the Law of God should be put in execution that it is great cause of lamentation yea and holy indignation to see the Law of God thus violated and what wise man could expect any better from such Rulers as these it is impossible the Law of God should be executed where wicked men are exalted Magistrates are entrusted with the execution of God's Law and if they do not understand or affect it they will never execute it Artaxerxes though a Heathen shewed more wisdom and prudence than many eminent Professors among us have lately done for he would have Ezra to make such men as knew the Law of God that is knew it affectionately as understood and loved the Law of God Magistrates and Judges over all the People beyond the River Ezra 7.25 He knew that it was in vain to think of having the Law of God executed by ungodly Rulers If we had the best Laws that ever any Nation under Heaven had and wicked Magistrates to execute them we should have little advantage by them they will find one way or other to wrest and pervert the Law of God in despite of the People I thought to have urged other Arguments for the confirmation of this great and weighty Truth That onely such men as are endowed with the Spirit of Government should be entrusted with it and to have shewn you how the setting up of men void of those qualifications which the Light of Reason and Law of God requires in Magistrates is the way to extirpate Virtue out of the Land and to introduce all manner of Vice and to bring down the Judgments of God upon us but in regard we find it by sad experience that this wicked Generation are no other than a mighty flood of Superstition and Prophaness a sweeping rain of Oppression an Army of Locusts eating up every green thing I shall forbear to enlarge any more upon this Particular but close this Chapter with a word of Exhortation and so proceed to the next You see what Power the Lord hath entrusted the People withal that the Right of making their Governours belongs to them yea that it is not onely their Priviledge but Duty by the Law of God to set Magistrates over them both Supream and Subordinate you see also what Qualifications the Law of God requires the People to look after in such as they entrust with Government they must be Wise Prudent Faithful Persons that have given Proof of their Integrity Men of Truth that understand the Law of God Fearing God and Hating Covetousness O that I might prevail with every one that reads this to resolve that if ever they have an opportunity to give their Suffrage for the Election of Magistrates again they will lay aside all by-respects and carnal interests whatsoever and give their Voice for none but such as are endued with the Spirit of Government and with those due Qualifications which the Law of God requires How frequent is it for men to give their Voice for those of their own Judgement or Party though altogether destitute of that Excellent Spirit which makes men meet for the Trust they are chosen to How common to adhere to their Kindred Landlords or Benefactors and improve all their Interest for such a one who hath neither Wisdom Faithfulness Fear of God nor Love to his Country Alas How rare a thing is it to hear of one chosen for his Virtues The sound of a great Name and glittering shew of phantastical Apparel is that which qualifies a man for Government in the judgement of the multitude 'T is not what Virtues but what Titles a man hath When a hundred men better qualified for Magistracy are passed by a Knight or a Lord shall be chosen for his Airy Titles sake which is just as if a man should refuse a Shield of Brass because it were not finely painted and choose a Paper Escutcheon bearing some noble Armes for his shield to defend him for Magistrates are the Shields of the Earth Psal 47.9 O England be not still so froward as to put away prosperity from thy self by choosing such for thy Governours as are void of those Qualifications which the Law of Nature and Scripture doth require Never wilt thou enjoy a solid lasting Peace until thou embrace Righteousness Isa 32.16 to 19. Never will Righteousness be executed unless righteous men be made
provided for you that is for others Isa 30.33 Tophet is prepared of old yea for the King it is prepared Your Flatterers tell you you may do what you please for you are gods but if you break the Law of God you shall dy like men and fall like one of the Princes Psal 82.6 7. He shall cut off the spirit of Princes He is terrible to the Kings of the Earth Psal 76.12 4. Magistrates are to execute Judgment and Justice in the Land 1 Kings 10.9 Because the Lord loved Israel for ever therefore made he thee King to do Judgment and Justice Not to do what he list as the Court-Parasits pretend that the King can do no evil Which they gather from that place 1 Sam. 8.9 to 19. where the Lord bids Samuel tell the People the manner of the King what he would do how he would enslave them and oppress them make them his Servants take away their goods and possessions from them and make them cry out by reason of their oppression now hence do those wicked Advocates of Tyranny plead that it is lawful for a King to do these things O filthy and degenerate wretches Apostates from the Light of Nature men given up to a reprobate mind professed enemies to mankind how dare you thus to prevaricate with God and the world to father your most damned Notions hatched in the lowest Hell upon God himself as if the Judge of the whole Earth should do as unrighteously as your selves As if the Lord should make a Law for Kings to tyrannize and oppress the People without controul when as the Lord hath particularly enjoyned the King to keep all the words of his Law and all his Statutes to do them Deut. 17.19 the Lord foreseeing that folly which the People would commit in asking a King many hundred years before it came to pass made a Law that if at any time the People should say I will set a King over me like the Nations round about Deut. 17.14 the King should keep all his Statutes as well as the meanest person And if you ask why then doth he tell the People when they asked a King that this would be the manner of him I answer Not ye Blasphemers as if the Lord allowed of such Tyranny but to deter the People from that folly which at present did possess them in asking a King For the Lord was highly displeased with them for it as you may reade at large in the story He did give them their own desire of a King but in wrath Hos 13.11 The King was made to do Judgment and Justice if Tyranny and Oppression be Judgment and Justice it is lawful for the King to do that otherwise not So likewise Judges and Officers are appointed to judge the People with just Judgment Deut. 16.18 and the Lord complains of the Magistrates Psal 82. How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked Defend the poor and fatherless do Justice to the afflicted and needy Deliver the poor and needy rid them out of the hand of the wicked Here here is the Duty of Magistrates but alas what should one say unto them they know not neither will they understand they walk on in darkness all the foundations of the Earth are out of course Arise O God and judge the Earth for thou shalt inherit all Nations Thus the Apostle instructs us what is the Duty of the Magistrate Rom. 13.3 and 4. To give praise to them that do well and to execute wrath upon them that do evil And the same doth the Apostle Peter affirm 1 Pet. 2.14 But how little are the Scriptures regarded now a-dayes O what cause have we to take up that Lamentation Isa 59.1 to 16 and especially that vers 14 and 15. Judgement is turned away backward and Justice standeth a-far off for Truth is fallen in the street and Equity cannot enter yea Truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey 5. A fifth general Duty of Magistrates is to Protect and Defend the People Therefore they are called Shepherds Numb 27.17 When the Lord told Moses that he should go up to Mount Abarim and see the Land and be gathered to his People he entreats the Lord to appoint another to succeed him that the People might not be as Sheep without a Shepherd So David was chosen by God to feed his People Israel 2 Sam. 5.2 That is to be their Shepherd and Leader to watch over them for their safety which he did according to the integrity of his heart Psal 78.72 The Title of Shepherd is not appropriated to Ministers but belongs to Magistrates also Now a good Shepherd layes down his Life to Protect and Defend the Sheep John 10.11 Magistrates are called Shields Psal 47.9 and Hos 4.18 Her Rulers the word in the Hebrew is her Shields now the use of a Shield is to Defend Thus Tola defended Israel Judg. 10.9 and Gideon hazarded his life for the defence of his Country Judg. 9.17 not to make himself Lord over them for that he refused afterwards He did not fight for Honour or Greatness but for the Good of his Country Thus Nehemiah adventured himself in person for the Peoples good and would not flee to save his life and leave the work unfinished Nehem. 6.11 though there were many and potent enemies round about He was a Shepherd that loved the Flock a true Shield to defend them from Tobiah Sanballat and the rest of God's and their enemies a Repairer of the Breaches both in the People and the Wall But alas poor England thy Shepherds are become Robbers thy Princes within thee are roaring Lions thy Judges are evening Wolves instead of defending the Flock they devour it Thy Shields are become Swords which pierce thine own bowels Thy Rulers instead of repairing thy Breaches throw down thy Walls and widen the Breaches among thy Inhabitants more and more But hear I pray you O ye Heads of England and Princes of these Nations Is it not for you to know Judgement who hate the good and love the evil who pluck their skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones who break the bones of the Lords People and chop them in pieces for the pot and boil them in the cauldron The day is coming when you shall cry unto the Lord but he will not hear you he will even hide his face from you as you have behaved your selves ill in your doings Mich. 3.1 to 5. You are the Shepherds of this People therefore thus saith the Lord Wo be to the Shepherds of England that do feed themselves should you not feed the Flock Ye eat the fat ye cloath you with the wool ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the Flock with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them Behold I am against the Shepherds and I will require my flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding the flock neither shall they feed themselves any
the Magistrates whom they made for their good and maintain as their Servants judges what Power and Wages is fit for their Servants to have Que. But how shall we distinguish between such Tribute as is due and such as is not due for we had need be certain that it is not due if we refuse to pay it Answ 1. When Magistrates require Tribute for unlawful uses For instance if they will have Taxes to maintain their Pride Covetousness Lasciviousness Luxury Prodigality we are not bound to pay what they demand I deny not but in prudence we may give it them in case we cannot avoid it without our own undoing as a man would rather give his Purse to a Thief than be killed But in Conscience we are free to refuse if we can with our own safety When it is evident to the World that Magistrates use our money not for our good but hurt serve their own Lusts with our wages we are not bound to maintain them O how many Hundred Thousands nay Millions of money have these men squeezed out of poor England within this three years which hath been all spent upon their Luxury and our Slavery What immesurable Pride and Wastfulness are they guilty of who is able to fathom the Covetousness of the Clergy and Lawyers the insatiable Rapacity of the Courtiers who like the Grave never say 't is enough A Generation whose teeth are as swords and their jaw teeth are knives to devour the poor from off the Earth and the needy from among men Prov. 30.14 A Whirl-pool that sucks in what ever comes near it and so great that if God permit them to continue a few years more they will suck in the whole Land A bottomless Pit as deep as Hell it self And think you that it is your duty to maintain Play-houses and Whore-houses for the Courtiers with that which should buy your Children bread or feed the hungry bellies and cloath the naked backs of the Poor 2. When the Great Ones lay the burden on the Mean the Rich cast the burden on the Poor the Poor are not bound to bear the burden for the Rich. If a Parliament consisting of Lords Knights and Gentlemen who have the greatest part of the Revenues of the Land will cast the burden of the Taxes upon the poor Handy-crafts-men and Labourers who get their Living by the sweat of their brows it is unjust and not at all obligatory 3. When the Tribute is more than the People are able to pay without impoverishing the Land and impairing the Common-wealth when not a few covetous or envious persons but the generality of the Nation groan under their burden and complain 't is more than they are able to bear and the Governours lay on more load still in this case the Governours are Oppressors and the People may remedy themselves if they can Object But the People have entrusted the Parliament with this affair and therefore what Tribute their Trustees have ordained they are bound to pay Sol. I say as before in the case of Power we give the Parliament Authority to raise such Tribute as is sufficient for our security and the Service the King is to do us but we give them no Power to impoverish or oppress us to give away our Wives and Childrens bread to maintain a company of Proud Lazy Drunken Debauched Courtiers filthy idle Drones who will not work and therefore by the Law of God should not eat 2 Thes 3.10 That the People should give away their Estates from their Wives and Children and the Poors due also to make Provision for the Lusts of their cruel Taskmasters who spoil them of all their Liberties both as Men and Christians is more than a hundred Parliaments have Power to decree and we are unwise to endure CHAP. IX Treating of the Honour which is due to the Magistrate IN the handling of this Particular I shall observe the same Method I did in the former and shew you First What honour is due to the Magistrate Secondly What is not 1. Then we owe to such Magistrates as are a Terroun to evil Works and a Praise to them that do Well the Honour of such just and lawful Titles as the People bestow on them as King Judge Sheriff Mayor or the like which is so clear both in the Old and New Testament that it needs no proof 2. We owe to them the acknowledgement of the good service they do us and thankful acceptation thereof although it be no more then their duty Thus we read the People did use to acknowledge the good they had received by Moses Joshua Gideon David and other good Magistrates and mourned for them at their Death and good reason for the happiness of a Land is bound up in the Government thereof Such Princes as Govern well deserve Titles of Honour The Romans were wont to give the Titles of Pater Patriae to their good Emperours as they did to Augustus Antoninus Pius and others And Augustus who refused to be called the Peoples Lord as I mentioned before yet did with the highest satisfaction and thankfulness embrace that Title of the Father of his Country The Title of Lord of the Country is far inferiour in the Judgement of all wise men to that of Father of the Country Yea good Magistrates deserve to be honourably mentioned after death and had in blessed Memory by Posterity as Edward the Sixth that young Josiah is and will be to the Worlds end 3. We owe them Honour in our gestures and behaviour as we read the Lords People were wont to do bowing the Head and the Body in token of that honour which was due to them Thus did Nathan to David 1 King 1.23 Thus did Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9.8 Araunah 1 Chron. 21.21 And I judge it very lawful and requisite to shew bodily respect to good Magistrates although I cannot think it lawful for a Magistrate to punish any of the People who are not satisfied of the lawfulness thereof and upon that account do refuse such ceremonies as putting off the hat or the like But in the next place What honour is not due to the Magistrate 1. False or flattering Titles are not his due though he be the best man upon Earth Job 32.21 Let me not I pray you accept any mans person neither let me give flattering Titles unto man for I know not to give flattering Titles in so doing my maker would soon take me away To call a man Defender of the Faith who is a Persecutor of it To call a profane Tyrant Gracious O what abominable flattery and falsity is this To call wicked perjured profane Dukes or bloody minded Popish Archbishops your Grace what is it less than Blasphemy It were fitter to call them your Vice then your Grace O you flattering Priests Courtiers Lawyers and others who thus accustome your mouthes to lyes that you draw them in like your breath consider what your portion will be from the Lord Rev. 21.8 you are all to be
cast into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death Prov. 21.6 What shall be given unto thee or what shall be done unto thee O thou false tongue sharp arrows of the Mighty with coals of Juniper Psal 120.3 and 4. If you do not speedily repent know that you shall cry out one day for a drop of Water to cool this lying flattering tongue But I know what your wicked hearts will answer Let us alone till then and we care not know therefore that not onely God but the People will abhor you the Lord hath denounced that curse against you Prov. 24.24 He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the People curse Nations shall abhor him 2. The just and lawful Titles of Good Magistrates are not due to wicked Magistrates but they forfeit their right thereto by their Tyranny and Oppression or other misgovernment And therefore we find the Prophets Christ and Apostles giving to wicked Magistrates Titles of ignominy and disgrace suitable to their merits Elijah tells wicked Ahab to his face Thou art he that troubleth Israel 1 King 18.18 Elisha calls King Jehoram The Son of a Murderer 2 Kings 6.32 Isaiah calls the Rulers of his time Rulers of Sodom Isa 1.10 Ezekiel calls the King of Israel Prophane wicked Prince Ezek. 21.25 Christ calls Herod Fox and bids them go and tell him so Luke 13.32 Paul calls the Roman Emperor A Lyon 2 Tim. 4.17 Yea the Apostles and many thousands of Christians together for so the company of Believers was Acts 2.41 with one accord in their Prayers mention Herod and Pontius Pilate by name spread their wickedness before God and desire the Lord To behold their Threats Acts 4.27 It was no wonder the holy Prophets were so persecuted by wicked Rulers since they were such faithful plain-dealing men that knew not how to give flattering Titles unto them but called them Rulers of Sodom Troublers of Israel Sons of Murderers and Prophane wicked Persons No wonder the Governours looked upon Christ and his Apostles with an Evil eye and punished them as Seditious men since they called them Foxes Lyons and gave them such reproachful Titles as they had deserved They hated plain-dealing and reproof as all Tyrants do and would be sure to suppress that spirit if they could which dared presume to reprehend their wickedness and yet these holy Men were not afraid to give them Titles of dishonour answerable to their merits Oh you wicked flatterers that daub with untempered morter and flatter great Men for advantage see here what the holy Prophets and Apostles did and take shame to your selves for your filthiness Wo to him that calleth good evil and evil good that putteth Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness Isa 5.20 Who justifie the wicked for reward and take away the Righteousness of the Righteous from him Your root shall be rottenness and your blossom dust The Lord is no respecter of Persons and hath forbid us to be so If Kings or great Men be wicked they deserve to be called as they are Nay take notice of this that when the Christians in their assembly lift up their voice with one accord to God and boldly prayed to the Lord To behold the Threats of Herod and Pontius Pilate whom they mentioned by Name relating their wickedness the Lord shewed how exceedingly he was pleased therewith in that as soon as the prayer was ended the place was shaken and they were all filled with the holy Spirit and great Grace was upon thâ—â— all Perhaps if there were more boldness in the Assemblies of the Saints at this day in bearing a faithful Testimony for God against these wicked Rulers there would be a greater Presence of the Spirit of God among them and greater measures of Grace upon them And in like manner have the faithful Servants of the Lord in all Ages born their Testimony against the wickedness of their Rulers The Title which John Knox that famous Servant of Jesus Christ and eminent Instrument of the Scotish Reformation frequently gave to the Tyrannous Queen who ruled the Land was Bondslave of Satan and he constantly prayed in publick in words to this purpose That God would deliver her from the Power of Satan to whom she was now a bondslave John Hus that glorious Martyr of Jesus Christ was not afraid to affirm to the Emperors face That wicked Kings were not worthily Kings before God Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. Pag. 807. And pag. 813. he sayes That Subjects and common People ought openly and publickly to detect and reprove the Vices of their Rulers having Power given them of Christ and Example of Paul so to do The Bishop of Burgen in his Oration which he made in the Counsel of Basil layes down this assertion It is absurd for a King to be of more Authority than his Kingdom and he that ruleth not for the Good of his Subjects is not to be counted a King but a Tyrant Eleutherius in the Letter which he sent to Lucius King of this Island about 170. years after the Death of Christ affirms the same in these words A King hath his Name of Ruling not of having a Kingdom and so long shall you be a King indeed while you rule well which if you do not the Name of a King shall not remain with you but you shall lose it Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. Pag. 139. Which Eleutherius is in high esteem by Ecclesiastical Historians for the Eminency of his Wisdom and Piety both as indeed that very Epistle doth sufficiently evidence he deserves to be Thus you see several eminent Lights in the Church of God concur in the same Perswasion That wicked Magistrates have no right to the Titles of such Magistrates as rule well Nay the Antient Laws of this Nation give full testimony to this Truth For in the Chapter of the Laws of King Edward commonly called the Confessor by whom most of the good Laws we enjoy were made treating of the duty of the King the Law saith thus The King because he is the Vicegerent of the highest King is appointed for this purpose to reverence and rule the Kingdom the Lords People and holy Church and to defend them from injurious persons to pluck away evil-doers utterly to scatter and destroy them which if he doth not perform the Name of a King shall not agree to him but he looseth the title of a King Well then let no man be so foolish and perverse as to charge this assertion with novelty or singularity for you see what abundant Evidence there is both from Scripture and Reason That a wicked and unrighteous King forfeits his right to the Title of a King And though the perfidious Parliament or rather mock Parliament have lately betrayed their own Trust and our Liberties making it Treason for us to mention the cruel Tyranny and Oppression we groan under yet by
or Servant of God a Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that doth evil v. 4. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for Wrath but for Conscience sake ver 5. But this can lay no obligation upon our Conscience to be subject unto one who is a Servant of the Devil to revenge him upon those that do well So likewise ver 6. he tells us the cause why we are to pay Tribute to Magistrates For for this cause pay ye Tribute because they are God's Ministers or Publick Servants attending continually upon this very thing What thing is that that which he had mentioned before They are God's Servants continually attending upon your good to praise those that do well to punish those that do evil and this is the cause why you are to pay them Tribute But there 's no such cause to acknowledge unrighteous Rulers but one may plainly invert the words thus For this cause pay them no Tribute for they are the Devil's servants continually attending upon this very thing to injure and oppress you So that I conlude there is no reason or cause why we should be subject to Oppressors and therefore no obligation Object But doth not the Apostle mean Nero because he sayes Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers now it is generally received that Nero was the highest power when the Apostle wrote this Epistle Sol. 1. There are very learned men who do affirm otherwise that this Epistle was written in the dayes of Claudius Caesar but because Histories are so various I shall not insist on that 2. Suppose it had been written in the Reign of Nero either it was written in the first five years of his reign while he ruled well or afterwards when he turned Tyrant If it were written in the first five years of his reign and we should allow that the Apostle means Nero yet this doth no way contradict what I have asserted That it is lawful to resist Tyrants or Oppressors For while he ruled well I shall grant that it was unlawful to resist him But if it were written after the time that Nero turned Tyrant which is that the advocates of Tyranny would have I utterly deny that the Apostle means Nero for these reasons First Because the Properties of this Power which the Apostle speaks of do no more agree with Nero after he turned Tyrant then the Properties of Light with Darkness The Power Paul speaks of is a praise to them that do well and a terrour to them that do evil but Nero was then one of the greatest terrours to them that did well that ever was in the world the greatest Murderer of the Saints that filled the streets with the dead bodies of those that did well The Magistrate Paul speaks of Is a Servant of God to the People for good Nero was the greatest plague one of them that ever was both to the Church of God and the whole world one that murdered Senators Citizens Christians Kindred all manner of persons filled the Rivers with Christian-blood Secondly The Magistrate Paul speaks of is one whom we are to honour vers 7. but Paul himself speaks reproachfully of Nero and calls him Lyon 2 Tim. 4.17 Nay Thirdly By this interpretation the Senate of Rome must be damned because they resisted Nero and condemned him to a most shameful Death which action of theirs was never disapproved of by any man that had not lost his Wits or Conscience or both as it is to be feared most of the Prelates have before they undertake to plead for Tyranny But I conceive it to be meant neither of Nero in the time while he reigned well nor in the time of his Tyranny or any other particular Governour or Governours but of Government in the general as the Ordinance of God and true Magistrates who are conformable thereto as indeed the whole Series of arguments which the Apostle there uses doth evidence The Apostle in that Chapter gives us a summary of the Doctrine of Magistracy the Lord knew that his Church would increase and that the multitude of Believers would be more and more augmented till the Second coming of Christ and therefore he left rules of Magistracy to direct Christians how to behave themselves in conformity to that Ordinance The Apostle doth most perspicuously lay down the Nature and End of Magistracy the duties of Magistrate and People Rulers and Ruled with the grounds and reasons thereof Shewing Christians what is the Magistrates Relation to God and them and what is the benifit and advantage of this Ordinance and perswading them to live in subjection to those who govern according to the Rules of Magistracy but here is not a word of Tyranny or subjection to Tyrants to be found And whereas he bids us Be subject to the Higher Powers that also makes it plain that he meant not Nero or any other particular person for he puts it in the Plural Number taking in all lawful Governours whatsoever as well as the chief Magistrate and it were better rendered the Super-eminent Authorities or the Authorities that are over us and so Judges Mayors and other subordinate Governours are as fitly termed Authorities over us as the Supream Magistrate they are as much the Ordinance of God as he Servants of God to us for good and appointed to punish Evil-doers and a praise to them that do well and the chief Magistrate is not the highest Power for the Peoples power is above his they make him and maintain him and can depose him if he deserve it as the Senate of Rome did Nero for Nero was not the highest Power of Rome but the Senates Power was above his and for his Tyranny they condemned him to a most Shameful Death to avoid which he executed himself Object But doth not the Apostle command us to be subject to the Powers that are it seems by that that whosoever have the Power we must be subject to them good or bad Governours Sol. No such thing For the word translated Powers in its proper and native signification is Authorities or lawful Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the whole scope of the place shews plainly the Apostle means no other Powers but just rational and good Governours who are a terrour to evil works and a praise to good The Apostle doth not intend to assert Tyranny or teach us that the unrighteous Powers of the Earth are the Ordinance of God but he means the righteous Powers that are such as God hath ordained for the Good of mankind Object But we receive some good from unrighteous and oppressing Magistrates and though they do not fully come up to the duties God requires of them yet they defend us from Theeves and Murderers and it is better then it would be if there were no Magistrates for then we could not live no man could have any assurance of any thing he calls his Own and for that good we receive from them we are to be subject to them Sol. 1. This Objection