Spirit when he saith As the Lord liveth and as my Lord the King liveth surely in what place my Lord the King shall be whether in death or life even there also will thy Servant be 2 Sam. 15.21 And they that furnished David with Provisions especially Barzillai the Gileadite according to this Gent. Doctrine and indeed his whole Discourse of this Matter is meer Enthusiasm as if God did all things without means might have been wiser and saved Charges and committed the thing to God to determine as he thought fit But I am weary of lashing this Doctrine with which none but poor weak crazy Heads can be deceived or vile leud and Atheistical men because it teacheth such Nonsensical Disloyal Unchristian and Unnatural Behaviour towards our King and Country Voluptuous and Effeminate Epicures indeed by this Doctrine may sleep in a whole skin as we say but if they do not betray they will do no service to the Throne and Kingdom in time of Difficulty And as much as I think the late King was to blame I cannot but pity him if all his Adherents were of this Gent. Mind But let God be true and every Man a Liar Is there no distinction to be made between Lawful Kings and Usurqers or Tyrants in Title And again between Lawful Kings having Authority and ruling according to Law and Princes that have Authority but are Tyrants in Exercise and would subvert the Ancient Government and rule Arbitrarily Again he doth not distinguish between God's extraordinary and immediate and his ordinary and mediate Providence between what he doth by his Almighty Power immediately and what he doth mediately by Men as Instruments and these Instruments are Good or Bad. And here should be considered in what manner he works by good Instruments and in what manner by bad And tho' this Subject is difficult yet surely the Primitive Doctors and Fathers of the Church made distinction I have ever thought that all Government in Church and State stands most firm upon its own Foundation Let us have true Divinity and true Policy once more in England for God's sake Fourthly I must consider what he saith to the Williamites And here what he saith P. 35. is true We are satisfied and highly pleased with the present state of Affairs But I observe here that he fails in the usual Complement and Address of a Gent. He might if he had thought of it have honey'd the bow with us as we say in our Country and at his first Aggress given us thanks for assisting in our several Callings and Places to preserve our Religion and that Church of which this Gent. saith he is a Member and our Laws Liberties and Properties But oh this Passive Obedience I have a mind to say once more that I would have it rooted out of the world because this ingenious Gent. and verily in my heart I believe a good Christian hath forgotten the common courtesie of the Nation and falls foul upon us with some morosity He saith VVe have appeared very pertly against the Doctrine of Non-resistance and Passive Obedience Very pretty This Gent. in Conscience could neither resist nor assist and therefore tho' he is glad of the Deliverance yet he cannot thank the Deliverers Well but at least he might be silent and not speak evil of those who with a good Conscience could and thorough God's blessing did deliver him from that Bondage under which he â—â—â—ned If I were in the mire and the greatest Villain upon Earth helper me out so far I would be thankful to him and own his kindness as not to expose him when I am not bound in Conscience But this Gent. design is to put an End to this unseasonable Controversie p. 2. Very well Why then does he assert and defend Passive Obedience as the Glory of the Church of England and the Bulwark of all Religious Kings and States against the rage of mutinous and rebellious Spirits who pretend to fight for God's Truth against the Laws and Governments of their Countries P. 36. This foolish and sottish Charge would move a stone as we say Surely he had a mind to provoke us and quicken this Controversie almost buried in the Grave of Silence I could here fairly illustrate and make it probable that Passive Obedience hath been I will not say the Cause but the Occasion of the Ruin of two Kings and of a Civil War and of the Church of England once and almost the second time for what reasonable man indued with flesh and blood can indure this Church Tyranny that in any case whatsoever we must not resist Would to God this Gent. would have been quiet Does he think that we will be beat out of our Senses once more and that so soon after our eyes have been opened I will rebuke him in the words of Job cap. 27. verses 5 6 7 8. God forbid that I should justifie you till I die I will not remove my Integrity from me My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Let my Enemies be as the wicked and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous For what is the hope of the Hypocrite tho' he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul I will stand by it there is no other way in Conscience to justifie our cause but by asserting defensive Arms in some Case But says this Gent. VVe had no disloyal Exhortations from the Press or Pulpit to perswade men to sight against their Prince nor had we any to perswade us to sight for Him but the thing was committed to God to determine as he thought fit P. 3. God a mercy Prejudice I Suppose our Reverend Fathers and Brethren can give an Account to the world of their own Behaviour without asserting God's Providence in this Gent. wild notion But for once I will write a Latin Sentence Turdus sibiâ—â—â—lum cacat Every man must Answer for himself I 'le blame no man that does not blame me But some Writings from the Press we had and from the hand of a Person who is now dignified in the Church if we are not all mistaken And he is highly approved of by His present Majesty and all the Clergy that are without Prejudice and honour real worth speak honourably of him As for our Gracious King the whole series of his Proceedings since He Landed on English Ground shews his most Excellent Virtues Justice Mercy Clemency Fortitude and Magnanimity And I am confident He can say what the Emperor Trajan said to a Tribune when he set him over the Praetorian Band delivering the Sword Vse this for me when I Command just things and against me when I Command unjust things And now with due Submission to my Governours in Church and State I come to the main Matter of Controversie First I assert That Defensive Arms are in some case Lawful and consequently that the Doctrine of Passive Obedience and Non-resistance is false This I
Destruction of them all Thus I have discreetly or indiscreetly rationally or not I must leave the indifferent Reader to judge but I am sure with greatest Satisfaction of my own Conscience laid open my heart to my Countrymen And I am ready to Answer this Gentleman or any of my Brethren in these Problems following First That the Church of Rome is an Idolatrous Church Secondly In some Case Defensive Arms are Lawful Thirdly In some Case it is Lawful to Abdicate a King Fourthly King William and Queen Mary by the free consent and Election of the People in Convention have as good a Title as ever any had Fifthly Neither Monarchy nor Episcopacy nor Presbytery nor any one Form of Government in Church or State is of Divine Right Antecedent to Law and Agreement Sixthly That if the Bishops and Fresbyterians could Unite in one National Church and Worship by a Comprehension it would be a blessed Agreement Seventhly That Liberty of Conscience for all Dissenting Protestants of what Sect soever with some Limitations and Restrictions as to Government yea Papists themselves in some Degree not Excepted is a piece of Prudence and harmless Policy at least if not of Christianity which commands universal Charity Lastly I think that I can shew that these Problems are not contrary to the Practice of this Church and State in the Beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign whose Memory is for ever blessed among Protestants And if I could have the License of the Press I doubt not to make these things probable notwithstanding the Present Prejudices of many I have read that there was no Persecution for Religion in the Beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign and if I were worthy to advise there should be no Persecution for Religion in the beginning nor in the whole Reign of King William and Queen Marry that Glory may be to God on High as the Angels Song is on Earth Peace good will towards Men that Man may be at Peace with Man and all Men may be reconciled to God I hate Bigotism for an Opinion tho' I think every Man is bound in Conscience to lay down his life for his King and Country when God shall call him thereunto and earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints against the Abominations of the Roman Synagogue As for Protestants they agree in the Main and tho' I approve of the Saying of a Learned Presbyter if Opinions make Saints or Saints make Opinions we shall quickly have more Opinions than Saints yet St. Paul says They that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please themselves Rom. 15.1 And I like Gamaliel's Councel as most seasonable for our times for this reason among others because it is a good natured thing and all mens Minds are so full of Prejudice that what one calls Saint another calls Devil Wherefore refrain from these men and let them alone for if this Counsel or this Work be of men it will come to nought But if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest haply ye be found even to fight against God Acts 5.38 39. I believe in my Conscience that the Church of England in her Liturgy and Ceremonies as by Law established is fairly defensible against all Antagonists But the Church her Self never thought them equal to God's Word or unalterable in some Exigents as the Right Reverend the Bishops and Great Men of our Church have with no less Prudence than Piety acknowledged in all times and more especially in their late Petition to King James wherein they say that they want not due tenderness towards Dissenters and that they shall willingly come to such a Temper as shall be thought fit when Matters come to be settled in Parliament and Convocation And this is all that ever I designed for the great End of Peace and Union among Protestants And now I have Cause to be angry with this Gent. for he hath heated me and set me on fire and that in Hell too But if he will Damn the Priests and Jesuits he may for me for they deserve the Curses of the Nation but if ever he Damns us again I think what I 'll do and I need not care if I tell him tho' I am a Reprobate and the worst of Reprobates a Rebel I will do what I can to save his Soul by reducing him to a more Charitable Opinion of the Friends of his King and Country and that he shall never produce Rom. 13. against us more tho' perhaps I may shame him in this world The Righteous is as bold as a Lion says Solomon Prov. 28.1 What Evil have we done Nay what Good for this Cause have we not done Was ever any Man before Damned for helping to Save his Country What does this Gent. mean I tell him again we have Cause to be Angry But I have read excellent advice of St. Paul Eph. 4.28 Be ye angry and Sin not let not the Sun go down upon your wrath Neither give place to the Devil v. 27. And therefore before I bid him God be with you Sir this Gent. and I will shake hands and be Friends for we are resolved that if we can hinder it the late King shall never return to England again Hear what he says to the Jacobites p. 24. If they admit all the dreadful Consequences that attend this relapse and yield up both Church and Nation to certain and inevitable ruin only that they may not be Damned for Perjury and Disobedience to a King that has left them when he might have stayed and now offereth to return and do what he then refused What shall we also Consent and Sacrifice our selves and our Posterity to the humour or scruples of these men Shall we suffer the English Church Liberties and the very People of England to be destroyed to gratifie two or three hundred Persons And it is a remarkable Speech if it be true which he saith he hath been told from good hands that one of our Bishops Bishop Ken said Tho' he could not satisfie his own Scruples yet he thought the English Nation fools if ever they suffered King James to return And Pag. 33. he saith It is now the same Sin to resist them that is King William and Queen Mary it was formerly to resist Him that is King James And we will Joyn our hearts in Prayer Cloath all their Majesties Enemies with shame O Lord but upon themselves and their Posterity may the Crown flourish for ever Ps 132.18 Long live King William and Queen Mary Deliciae humani Generis the Darlings of England and the Favourites of Heaven and may they late enter into Coelestial Joys Amen 1 Sam. 23.12 Then said David Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hands of Saul And the Lord said They will deliver thee up SAul was appointed by God anointed by the Prophet Samuel and chosen by the Children of Israel to be their King And in the beginning of his
Conscience Satisfied IN A Cordial and Loyal Submitting to the Present GOVERNMENT of King WILLIAM AND Queen MARY In Three Discourses Justifying the Williamites against the Jacobites The first being Animadversions on a Book intituled The Doctrine of Non-Resistance or Passive Obedience no way concerned in the Controversies now depending between the Williamites and the Jacobites The second on 1 Sam. 23.30 Then said David Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hands of Saul And the Lord said They will deliver thee up The third on Dan. 5.20 But when his heart was lâ—fted up and his mind hardened in Pride he was deposed from his Throne and they took his glory from him By TIM WILSON Rector of Kingsnoth in Kent Licensed and Entred according to Order LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers Chapel 1690. To the Impartial Reader Reader THE Justification of my own Actions in this present Revolution ingages me and the love of Truth constrains me to this Task What I have done upon the strictest Examination of my own heart I have done with a pure Conscience and with just abhorrence of Popery and Slavery And I am ready to Answer all Objections that may be made against those Principles of Government and unmoveable Foundations which I have laid I assert nothing but what agrees with the Reason of Man with the Word of God and with the Practice of all Ages in like Exigents I give to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods and I also justifie the Liberty of my Native Countrey And this occasioned me to make Reflexions upon the Discourse of this Gentleman For my own part I desire to Fear God with the most Devout I Honour King William and Queen Mary with the foremost and I love the Liberty of an Englishman with my whole Soul I confess I was zealous against Reading the Declaration of the late King in Churches First Because it was Illegal and seem'd to me to own Arbitrary Government and the Dispensing Powers Secondly Because it evidently conduced to the Change of the establish'd Protestant Religion and the Introduction of Popery as the National Worship But I was then and am now for the Ease of Tender Consciences only I would have all done Orderly by the Legislative Power of the Nation that is by King Lords and Commons Now as for this Gentleman I have plainly shewn his Mistakes about Conquest about God's Providence about the Lawfulness of Defensive Arms c. I submit the whole to thee Christian Reader Lay aside Prejudice Consider exactly Judge impartially and God be with us all A Justification OF The VVilliamites I Cannot but greatly approve the Design of this Gentleman which seems to be the Glory of God in asserting his Providence about disposing Kingdoms the Honour of King William in making him a lawful Prince the Peace of the Nation in perswading the Jacobites to Submission the Preserving the Reputation of the Church of England in allaying the heats and animosities of the Williamites c. And I will not accuse him of luke-warmness in neither assisting nor resisting the late King because he that is not against us is on our side in some sense And this was the case of Hundreds in England who could not sound the depth of these Doctrines and did not trouble themselves about Passive Obedience And no doubt many will commend him for his Prudence and calm temper in standing by unconcerned and observing which side would have Success But if all Men had been as wise as this Gent. or as subtle I fear we should have been over-run by Popery and Arbitrary Power before this day For who should help us not this Gent. nor any of his Perswasion because he must in no case resist Who should then invite the Prince of Orange over and Promise him Assistance Let Fools and Rebels do that this Gent. hath more wit and is bound in Conscience to be Passive Prayers and Tears are his only Weapons And I make no doubt for truly I believe him to be a devout Man but he prayed to God for Deliverance But when the Deliverer came joyn with him who will be him he must not assist nor resist Now in all others cases Divines call this a Tempting of God But let us see particularly wherein we agree and wherein we differ First It is agreed That the Prince of Orange now our Gracious Soveraign had just Cause to make War upon James the Second P. 5. And if he had a just Cause I will not say to invade us or the injurious Prince as this Gent. saith but to right himself and come over and help us to right then surely our cause was just also and it could be no Sin but a Virtue to joyn with him against our Common Enemies Secondly It is agreed That this Prince was no Subject to King James nor to any other Prince and consequently was no Rebel P. 5. And if He could not have Right without Force He might lawfully compel him by force to do what He ought to have done without it but would not Thirdly The Author very sensibly and pathetically represents the Tyranny Oppression and Grievances of the Nation He saith P. 5. All Protestants grant the late King's design was certainly to Extirpate the Protestant Religion to Inslave and consequently to Extirpate the English Nation And P. 16. He Persecuted that Church he Promised and was bound to Protect and did not treat us like Englishmen but like Slaves And P. 18. It may suffice to say in general Never any of our Princes so openly attempted the Ruin of an Established Religion or by more Illegal Courses than He. Nor Law nor Oaths nor Promises nor Gratitude could restrain Him He broke thorough all the Barriers God and Man had put in his way and seemed resolved to ruin us or himself c. And Pag. 23. All his Solemn Promises were easily broken or rather never intended to be kept at the very time they were made and all those He hath since made have been violated in Ireland where only He had Power to keep or break his word c. Fourthly It is agreed That the Doctrine of the Lawfulness of defensive Arms is not proper at all seasons or may be an unseasonable Dispute P. 2. And that very great Caution must be used lest the People Rebel and it is a sign of a crazy Nation when the Fundamentals of Government must be laid open But yet if it be a truth in extreme Necessity it must be manifested to satisfie mens Consciences And this Gentleman confesses P. 1. That the Doctrine of Passive Obedience was indeed dangerous to them that is Their present Majesties when He first entered England because all that believed themselves bound by it were obliged not to take up Arms for Him against King James and so consequently it deprived Him of their Assistance and for this reason I
Redress Grievances when he thought it necessary if Abishai would kill King Saul he might for him he is not bound to assist It is God's Providence who pulls down one and sets up another Doth not God and Man abhor such Sophistry and Collusion Well fare Passive Obedience it deserves contempt and scorn and to be rooted out of the world if this be it And Good men will make it their business to ridicule and confute it P. 37. for this is one of the worst and most exploded Doctrins of the whole World P. 35. I am sorry he gives such advice as I cannot hearken to to speak modestly of it especially as he hath represented it P. the last And indeed Passive Obedience began to be ridicul'd and exploded by divers of the Clergy and Laity in my hearing some Months before we dreamed of the Prince of Orange's coming to deliver us from our cruel Task-masters the Jesuits and Evil Councellors being convinced of this Error and the many Mischiefs thereof by sence and experience the Mistriss of Fools according to the Proverb as this Gentleman saith P. 22. And now I dare say without transgressing that Rule of Christianity of not rendring railing for railing we are even with this Gentleman for calling us Rebels and inferring this absurd Consequence from our Doctrine That it is Lawful for every man to rebel against his Lawful Prince whenever he thinks it necessary Object But if Defensive Arms are Lawful who shall be Judge when we are oppressed Answ In our Case this Gentleman hath already determined for us that never any Nation was more oppressed And if any man will not stand to his Determination he must I think be wilfully blind However there is no Judge but right Reason for what hath God made us reasonable Creatures but to Judge between Good and Evil Why even of your selves judge ye not what is right is our Saviour's question Luk. 12.57 But indeed great and universal oppression is commonly a thing sensible of which our Senses may be Judges We who justifie Defensive Arms in some Case are as zealous for Government in General and for Monarchy and the English Government and for King William in particular as this Gent. For we have ventured Lives and Fortunes with Him which the Author confesses he hath not And at the rate that he Writes all the Subjects of England or Scotland who came over in Arms with King William are Rebels all that Joyned with Him all that Prayed for his Good Success all the Protestants who defended themselves in Ireland especially Mr. Walker and the London-Derry Protestants are all Damned Rebels because they were Subjects and ought not in any Case to resist the late King And is this the manner of Man O Lord God as he saith But let this Gent. know that the Innocent I mean the Legally Innocent may defend themselves by the Law of Nature and this is written in his and every mans heart And he saith P. 1. The contrary Doctrine was dangerous to the Prince of Orange at his first Landing And indeed if half the People had believed Passive Obedience as most of the Clergy taught and most of the Army seemed to believe He might have lost his Head by venturing to Save us But blessed be God Englishmen would not be frighted out of their senses by a causeless Curse from some weak Prophets or full of prejudice And how any man could declare too soon for the Prince of Orange his now Majesty and so forget his Duty as he saith P. 3. is a Mystery that I would have this Gent. unfold If his Cause was good and just as this Author acknowledgeth who could declare too soon for him Passive Obedience deserves to be rooted out of the World if for no other reason yet for this because it hath blinded this honest Gentleman that he cannot speak well of his best Friends I mean of those who have been Instruments of his Deliverance from that Infatuated Monarch as he writes under whose Government he dreads to live again I hope we have no Court-Parasites and Flatterers who follow the old Maxim Oblige your Enemies Neglect and slight your Friends Cursed be such Policy I confess I am for forgiving Enemies and encouraging the Penitent I hate Cruelty or Severity especially considering so many misled Souls as we have had in England May the King's Throne be Established in Righteousness and may Mercy and Truth preserve the King But let not those who have cheerfully spent their strength in this Cause be slighted or exposed to the Malice of their Enemies Object Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Christians did not resist the Heathen Roman Persecuting Emperors And this was true Doctrine in Tertullian's time Apol. 1. Cap. 37. as he quotes Pag. 10. If we Christians would become your publick and declared Enemies or secret Revengers of our own Wrongs should we want Force and Number to support it We exceed the Moors the Marcomans and the Parthians or any other one single Nation in the whole World we are but of Yesterday and yet we have filled all your Places your Cities your Islands Castles Corporations Councels Tribes Companies Palace Senate and Forum or Market-Place and we have left you nothing to Enjoy alone but your Temples Now we who so willingly lay down our Lives are we not thereby fitted and prepared do you think to manage any War tho' we were very much inferiour in Number if our Religion did not oblige us rather to suffer Death than to Inflict it We might without Arms or Resistance barely by disagreeing with you and the Envy of a Separation very much endanger and disquiet you for if so great a part of the Empire as we now make should break it self off from the rest and retire into any remote Corner of the World it would certainly confound your Dominions to lose so many Subjects be their quality what it will yea our very departure from you would be a severe Punishment the Desolation and Silence we should leave behind us would strike you with an Horror and Amazement as if the World were expiring you would be forced to seek for new Subjects to supply our places and perhaps we should leave you more Enemies than Subjects or Defenders This place hath been often cited to prove the Doctrine of Passive Obedience and in truth it is a Noble Testimony of the Faith and Patience of those Saints Answ The Laws of the Empire were against them Now Christ came not to destroy or alter Political Government but left it as he found it And he sent his Apostles to reform the world to turn men from darkness to light and from the Power of Satan unto God And accordingly their Weapons were not Carnal but Spiritual They did not like Mahomet and his Followers Conquer the World by force of Arms but did Convince and Convert Jews and Gentiles by working Miracles by the Sword of the Spirit by the Word of God and by Reason Disputation
Heaven and in Earth in the Seas and all deep places However I beg leave of the Learned and Judicious to make a favourable Interpretation of my design upon this abstruse subject First It is certain and agreed upon by the Calvinists and Arminians that God is not Author of Sin He is the Author of the Evil of Punishment but not of the Evil of Sin Amos 3.6 Secondly God permits many things which he doth not approve as the Persecution of good men for righteousness sake Thirdly God in his Providence for the wickedness of a people or for their probation and trial may suffer his Church to fall into the hands of Tyrants and Oppressors and to be carried Captive or to be Exiles Fourthly Tho' such wicked Instruments as Tyrants sin greatly in their Pride Cruelty and Oppression of Gods own Inheritance yet in his Providence he may make use of them as Scourges and Rods to punish the wicked and chastise the good for their trial as the exercise of their Faith Patience Humility c. Fifthly God in his Providence may and sometimes doth create Deliverance for his People in an unexpected manner And we may well say of this great Deliverance of our Nation This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Psal 118.23 So much for God's Providence Now I must distinguish about Governours which this Gent. doth not Governours are either Lawful Princes or Usurpers First A lawful King is he who hath a true Title to the Throne either by Succession or Election Secondly An Usurper is he who hath gotten Possession but hath no right This latter is by God's Permission This Usurpers have for God suffers them to rule and some call this a Providential Right very incongruously For this gives no just Title and consequently there is no Subjection due The vilest person may have this in Judgment to a Nation as one speaks on purpose to try them that so by such unlawful Subjection that Nation may fill up the measure of their Iniquities and God may destroy both them and their Governours of which there are many dreadful Examples in History This Gent. is very confused He saith That the Primitive Christians never regarded the Right Title or the Claim of Princes and Emperors And by this seems to own Oliver Cromwel as well as any Lawful King And he makes no Distinction between a Lawful King and an Usurper I must confess the History of the Primitive Christians about Governours is very imperfect Because they minded Religion more than Political Government and an Heavenly Kingdom more than an Earthly But it will be very hard for this Gent. to prove That the Primitive Christians owned any Emperor that was not first own'd by the Senate and People of Rome In times of Confusion many things are suffered or indured which are not approved And when the Empire was in Distraction through Emulation of men aspiring to the Throne both the Christians and the Senate and the 〈…〉 might not know what to do in Prudence or what course to take as well as this Gentleman in our late Confusions and yet not be blame-worthy nor own an Usurper And it is a Case of Conscience of great concernment sometimes How far we may live quietly under an Usurper First No man is bound in Conscience to tell an Usurper that he is so no more than he is bound to tell a Thief upon the High-way that he is a Rogue Secondly Any man may with a good Conscience take upon him the Office of a Judge or any other Legal Trust or a Preacher of God's Word in time of Confusion under an Usurper provided he owns not his Authority nor Swears Allegiance as to a Lawful Prince Because Government must be and Good Laws may be put in Execution in any time of Confusion and somebody must do these things In short in my opinion a Conscientious man living under an Usurper may do whatsoever conduceth to Order Natural Right Publick Good and Justice and the Preservation of the true worship of God without owning his Authority But this I am sure is very unseasonable and I almost tremble to say this little about it at this time for fear of giving Scandal But I think my self able to prove against any man that King William and Queen Mary by the Election of the People in Convention have as true a Title as ever any Prince had And if this Gent. can prove what he saith P. 10. with all my heart be it done I must out of awful fear and reverence say nothing of it more I hope by God's grace I shall ever render fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Rom. 13.7 Thirdly Every man is bound tho' not unseasonably rashly and furiously when there is no probability of good Success to indeavour that the right Governour be placed on the Throne As for instance when O. C. had possession all the true Sons of the Church of England and many of our Presbyterian Brethren to my knowledge never owned his Authority but were very zealous and heartily prayed for the Restauration of the King and Royal Family And they thought it their Duty when they could not actively serve and obey the King to suffer with him and lye at the Mercy of the Usurper till God should pardon the Sins of the Nation and send Deliverance Now as this Gentleman writes P. 13. Did God give the Empire of the World to Nero to Domitian to Julian the Apostate all Usurpers and some of them Murderers of their Predecessors nay to Marius who was the very Image of O. C. And hath he not since that done any thing of that Nature Did not he that gave the Kingdom of England to King James give it also to King William Here he seems to own O. C. as much as King William I hope he means not so and I will not positively charge him tho' I grievously suspect him Sure I am this is no Doctrine of the Church of England O. C. was permitted by God's Providence as a Scourge and Plague to this sinful and unworthy Nation both to Prince and People according to the third Premise And for the transgressions of a land many are the Princes thereof Prov. 28.2 But King William was sent to us by Divine Providence as a gracious Gift and the greatest Temporal Blessing that God could vouchsafe a poor distressed distracted Nation according to the fifth Premise And indeed to do this Gent. right I charitably presume that it is want of Distinction in Divinity not in his thoughts to compare O C. and King William For P. 12. he applieth Dan. 4.17 where God is said to set over Kingdoms the basest of men such as O. C. was Kings given to a sinful Nation in his wrath and sometimes as suddenly again taken away in his anger and at other times continued longer for the Trial of his People or the Chastisement of wicked men which is good Divinity I shall conclude this about God's Providence with the
words of our Royal Martyr of ever Blessed Memory King Charles the First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 295. with me Gods wise Providence we know often permits many Events which his revealed Word the only clear safe and fixed Rule of good Actions and good Consciences in no sort approves Let not the meanest in understanding mistake me I am not for Election every Reign but for Succession just as it is in England But I say Election is the true Title of all Government originally and this is the Foundation of all the various Forms in the World Power is Gods but the Form as St. Peter saith is an Humane Creation Constitution or Ordinance I never loved to lye for God's Cause it needs it not nor daub with untempered Mortar God forbids it For my part if I did not in Conscience believe that the late King by his Male-administration deserved what he hath suffered not only from the hand of God but also from the hand of his Subjects and that in this Revolution they are innocent who defended themselves and the Laws of their Country against his Arbitrary Proceedings I should think my self bound by the Oath of Allegiance to pray for his Restauration But because he hath broken his Covenant Coronation Oath and Promise I am sure our part of the Bond and Covenant is cancelled also And that Kings were at first by Election I prove thus in the words of a great Divine not much altered What first invested such a Family with Regal Power more than another It must be either God from Heaven designing it as David or man appointing it or taken by Force there is no fourth It was not the first and to say the third is right is an extream wrong to the King If meer Force can give right then whosoever is most forcible hath right It must therefore be something else What can that be but the consent of the People in Parliament to such a Family which is in effect all one with Election you may give it what name you will But saith this Gentleman P. 28. The Primitive Church in the best times took the words of S. Paul in their plain and literal sense The Powers that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. in Possession are ordained or ordered of God Rom. 13. They never formalize or make any Exception but Conquest Election Vsurpation were to them all alike if once the man was Established in the Throne Answ I will not here take occasion to consider what learned Criticks say about the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which he seems to lay some stress but they say it signifies the True or Lawful Powers nor will I expatiate in Analyzing this Text tho' I have a Discourse upon this subject by me And I have read such Doctrine as this in some Oliverian Pamphlets in our late Anarchy and Confusion And if occasion be I can produce one which perhaps this Gent. hath seen and hath been corrupted by it or by some like it But sure he never read this Doctrine in any Book written by any Divine of the Church of England I have before distinguished between a Lawful and an Usurped Magistracy according to the best Divines of all Churches that ever I read insomuch that I wonder at this Gentleman who professeth himself of the Communion of the Church of England According to this Doctrine it is a poor weak thing to be a Martyr or to suffer for Loyalty to our King or Country Whereas it hath in all Ages not only among Christians but also among Heathens by the light of Nature been accounted a most Heroick Virtue to lay down our Lives for these If this Gent. had been alive and of years to advise no Subject should have suffered with King Charles the First if he had been their Counsel I am so angry that if I knew Thieves designed to rob this Gent. House I would not counsel one Neighbour to assist against these Rogues but would commit it to God to determine as he thought fit as his Cant is P. 3. which vergeth very near to Blasphemy And this very Phrase makes me think that this honest Gent. hath been misled by some Fanatick Book I cannot think that he ran into this Error wittingly and willingly and deliberately he is a good Christian surely because P. l. he speaks against those that despise all revealed Religion and that sort of Men who have their All in this world and pretend to nothing in the next and therefore I must in Charity believe he hath the Hope of a Christian but I cannot but explode his Doctrine O put'd Divinity Phy upon this gross Machiavelian and Hobbean Policy But to be serious seeing this Gent. hath advised us I will return kindness for kindness and for once be so free with him as to advise him Good Sir In the fear of God review that part of your Discourse which concerns God's Providence and the Government of Kingdoms and States and learn to distinguish between good and bad perhaps your second thoughts may be wiser Consult with some learned and conscientious Divine and see if he will tell you that in the Primitive times their Loyalty was one of their lesser Virtues upon which they never valued themselves as you say P. 3. You discourse in so loose and extravagant a manner that I must beg leave to enter my Dissent and Protest against this Dose of Opium And I never read so much Poison administred with a good design before in my life And if any applaud you for this Discourse I will pray with our Church in the Litany Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us for surely we are not in our senses God save King William and Queen Mary from such Defenders of their Right and Title If you will not be admonished to revoke this in my Opinion you deserve to speak plain English for by God's Providence and King William's Protection we Priests of the Church of England breathe in a free Air. I wish all of us could see our own happiness I hope in time mens Prejudices will be removed and through the Clemency of His most Gracious Majesty chearfully perform their Duty I say you deserve not only to be Excommunicated the Church of England but also the whole Church of God for this wicked Error But I hope our English Blood is still Noble and will count it their Honour and the Glory of their Religion to die for their King and Country when occasion is and God shall call them thereunto And this is true Church of England Loyalty and approved by all the Churches of God But at the rate that you talk if Corah Dathan and Abiram had had success it had been God's Providence and Approbation and so farewel Moses If Absalom had been prosperous and in Possession of the Throne right or wrong see to thy house David What need we commend the Fidelity of Ittai that loyal Heart that noble and constant
an offensive way especially such a King who had his Call immediately from Heaven what farther Consequence that concerns our business in hand let any shew from this place that can And some say That David arose with a purpose to slay Saul but changed his Mind in the midst of his Proceedings But I think that David was but a private Person and so had no Authority It is plain that David's heart smote him because he had cut off Saul's Skirt v. 5. Some think his Conscience checked him for the thought of his heart to kill the King But still his Conscience never checked him for keeping men in Arms to defend himself from Saul's oppression for this he did many Years The Person of the King ought to be Sacred but our persons and lives also ought to be defended We may zealously defend our own Innocence Secondly The Subjects may be said to take up Arms as against the King's Command for their own Preservation so we affirm it That it is lawful for Subjects Conjunctively considered or when the Laws of the Country are generally violated and the Oppression is almost Epidemical to take up Arms for Self-preservation against the King's Commands And justifie their Cause by the Law of Nature and right Reason which is not only the Common Law of England but of all Nations For the Law of Nature as Alex. de Ales saith is in us without our Cooperation and of God's putting in and impression Thus having heard my Judgment and our present Cause defended pray have a little Patience to hear my Affection It is written Psal 2.11 Rejoyce with trembling First Let us rejoyce that God of his infinite goodness hath delivered us from our merciless Enemies from a Religion so false and from such foolish Counsellors as would have made us Slaves But Secondly Let it be with trembling when we consider First Our own sinfulness and unworthiness of so good and gracious a Providence Secondly When we consider the dismal Calamities that have befallen His Sacred Majesty through evil Counsellors Let us rejoyce that the snare is broken and we are delivered let us tremble to think of God's righteous Judgments O that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for the calamities that have befallen this Nation and the Royal Family as the Prophet speaks Jer. 9.1 Our Religion teacheth us Love Goodness Mercy and Compassion Let us not rejoyce at the Calamities of our Enemies but at God's wonderful Mercy to us that our Religion our Laws our Liberties our Lives and our Posterity should be freed from the sink of all Mankind the Tyranny of Jesuits and blood-thirsty Papists Let us bewail our Sins the Cause of Afflictions Necessity nothing but Necessity to defend our selves and our Religion and our Posterity from Popery and Slavery forced us to this last Remedy I rejoyce that we are escaped I am sorry even for the trouble of our very Enemies Well then let us Sin no more lest a worse thing befall us It is true as the Prophet saith The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Isai 1.5 6. Sacred Majesty laid in the dust requires our Tears our Religion and our Laws revived require our joy Let us be grieved that the Crown is fallen from our Heads for we have sinned Let us rejoyce that God's Honour and Glory is manifested in the Salvation of his Church And as a Testimony of our Thankfulness to God First Let us be humble and lowly in heart ascribing all our Deliverances to God's gracious Providence over his Church Secondly Let us be merciful to others in their distress Let us lighten every burden and break every yoke Let us be patient towards all men and zealous of nothing more than good works and easie to be intreated in a good Matter Let us not oppress the Poor and Needy Let us ease Tender Consciences and perform our Vows made in our distress and do as we would be done by Let us be wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves Let us practice that Religion which we have defended with our utmost Zeal and Lives And this consists in Faith and Good Works Love and Peace Courtesie and Mercy that Glory may be to God in Heaven on Earth Peace and good Will towards Men. Thirdly Let us strive for Union among our selves A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand Let us joyn against the common Enemy of our Faith and Religion Let us lay aside our Animosities and not strive for private Interest but for the Publick good Let us seek Peace and insue it as those who love life and may see good days Let us imitate David's Example not seeking private Revenge but the Peace of our Jerusalem and the Prosperity of our Sion that is the Happiness of Church and State Let us heap Coals of Fire on our Adversaries giving them what they denied to us the tenderest thing in the World except God's Glory even Liberty of Conscience It is true as Solomon saith He that winneth Souls is wise But this must be done by Arguments convincing the Judgment not by force and violence He that wins the Heart gains a sure Friend but he that forceth the outward man loseth with great disadvantage what he seemed to have gained when the Compulsion ceaseth Faction may be promoted by rigorous Execution of Laws but Religion never got footing but by Reason and Argument Not that I am against preserving true Religion by Civil Laws if any be so wicked as to invade the Rights of the Established Religion but I am against Persecution for Conscience sake We have all suffered for our Divisions Let this not be a price in the hand of a Fool as Solomon saith Prov. 17.16 to get wisdom seeing he hath no heart to it I hope God hath taught all Protestants by their Afflictions to lay hold of this present Opportunity to Unite else we are very mean Proficients in the School of Christ It is true very few or perhaps none of us here present this day before God have suffered in our Persons Estates or Livelihoods But if we are Christians we should have a Sympathy and Fellow-feeling with our Brethren in Affliction we should be grieved for the Afflictions of Joseph I mean for the Calamities Disgraces Reproaches and Imprisonment of our Fathers and Brethren of the Nobility Gentry Clergy and Commons who opposed Popish Innovations and Arbitrary Power And even we our selves were just at the Pits brink almost fallen but God who heard the Publican's Prayer hath been merciful to us Sinners If we are stubborn obstinate and will nothing relent God can yet consume us by sending an evil Spirit among us but I hope there is a Blessing behind for us and our Posterity If we are Atheists Neuters or Luke-warm like the Church of Laodicea neither hot nor cold if