and justice to his dying day He that is born a King or a Prince can never be unborne more semel Augustus semper Augustus Yea I believe that the eldest Son of such a King is in respect of birth the Lords anoynted in his fathers life time even as David was before Sauls death ' and to deprive Him of his right in reversion is as true injustice as to dispossesse him of it were he actually invested with it I believe where unction speaks not Inheritance by birth is the best Title to a Kingdome had unction been silent Adoniiah by this had surely prevailed as the succeeding Kings of Judah did Solomons own words to his mother inferre as much 1 Kin. 2.22 aske for him the kingdome also for he is mine Elder brother as in this our Nation Birth hath alwayes been the best and most unquestionable plea unto the Crowne the Conque-rour himselfe made use of it so did Henry the fourth and Richard the 3. though both usurpers we may observe how Gods speciall providence blessing hath alwayes favoured this title and preferr'd it they that marke what story tels concerning the opposite indeavors of some both in Henry the eighth Edward the sixth Queen Elizabeths dayes must needs confesse Gods speciall care in conveying the Kingdome to that Royall family where now 't is seated being lineally descended in the Elder surviving bloud from both the divided Houses after the union And on the other side it is most evident that God hath sharply punished those that have offered wrong unto right of Inheritance yea the whole Nation hath lost much both Noble and Vulgar bloud in former times for suffering injustice to be done unto it if we remember but the wars between Yorke and Lancaster we shall finde somewhat in the root of them to this purpose Concerning Monarchy I do believe that of all Governments it is Sect. 4 the best and most perfect it being most opposite to Anarchy most agreeing to well ordered nature as appears among planets birds beasts and bees the most ancient and Noble from the beginning of Nations yea of families whereof there is still an Image in every well guided house where one is chiefe and lastly it being that which God set up among his owne people and hath the nearest resemblance of himselfe for where Majestie is all concentred in one there is a more compleat Image of God who is but one yea and Majesty so united makes it as in God more amiable to the good and more terrible to the wicked And from hence I cannot but see and confesse to Gods praise this Nations Happinesse which hath ever been subject to this Government and if I should be of that sect who are weary of it and wish for an alteration Pro. 24 21 22. I believe I should neither feare God nor the King as I ought to do as Solomon infers they do not who associate with them that are seditious or affect a change whose calamity sayes he shall rise suddainly surely God is wiser then man and that Government which hee so long time hath blessed a Nation with is doubtlesse the best for that Nation In a Monarchy I do believe that the King hath neither superior to compell him nor equall to affront him for then he were not the supreme 1 Pet. 2.14 Gen. 49.10 as the Apostle cals him and I do conceive that in regard of his supremacy he is fons legum The Law giver the Authour and moderatour of the Lawes or rather the Lex viva of his Kingdome without him the Lawes are dead and on him dependeth salus reipublicae Himselfe is bound to no Lawes save those of God and the reason is quia nemo sibi fert legem sed subditis suis He is the King onely of his people and to whom onely he is a King to them onely he gives Lawes A King in this is like God and must indeed be like him further who notwithstanding hee may dispense with his own precept and so doth in some cases yet for the most part himselfe is pleased to walke towards us by those rules hee gives unto us Indeed the free conformity of a Prince to his own Lawes doth constrain his people to a more loving obedience In a Monarchy also I do believe suscipiendi belli Authoritatem penes esse principem as Augustine contra Faustum speaks and if men have not their Princes warrant they have not Gods call to go to war nor can they upon any good ground looke for Gods blessing God call'd Ioshua and the people to that prosperous undertaking against Amalek by the mouth of Moses We do not read in Scripture of any just war ever undertaken by Subjects without the will and command of the Sovereigne voluntiers in such a case are non entia in Gods book justa causa recta intentio personarum idoneitas et authoritas principis are the 4 Conditions that make a war compleatly righteous doubtlesse the justnesse of the cause alone cannot give a lawfull power as some imagine no though the cause be Religion it selfe and the persons Holy men their intentions good yet to take up armes without the Prince is crimen laesae majestatis and no lesse than Treason if war without the Prince be so unlawfull though for Religion then much more unlawfull is it if against the Prince or contrary to his command though for the same cause And I belive that in a case of war a subjects duty is to looke principally at a lawfull call yea more than at the cause it selfe for that may be supra nos and therefore nihil ad nos if we prye into the reasons of Princes undertakings we may prove our selves busy bodyes 1 Pet. 4.15 who in the Apostles judgement are guilty Persons Peter Martyr out of Aug. tels us that fieri potest ut princeps ipse contra Conscientiam bellum gerat et milites tamen nihil peccent dum ordinariae potestati obtemperant populum enim obtemperare oportet principi suo id vero dum faciunt potest illis dubium esse an a principe suo contra mandatum dei pugnetur excusantur autem dum in causâ dubiâ principi suo parent suo inquam non alieno and their own Prince is Hee under whose protection they were borne and unto whom onely they have sworne Allegiance Concerning Authority I believe it to be a most high and sacred Sect. 5 thing the very Crown and dignity of a Prince the Repositum which God hath committed to his charge and he who is faithfull to God will sooner part with life it self then suffer that which hee by him is entrusted withall to be violated undermined or diminished Yea I do believe that a Sovereigne Prince is bound in Conscience to uphold and maintaine this beam of Divinity with the sword if he be so hindred by obstructions that hee cannot defend it by his Lawes and I believe that all his Subjects upon his call are bound in
escape a curse for rather then such a sinne should goe unpunished God shall inable a bird to reveale it as that Text further teacheth 2 Sam. 6.16 We all know what a curse God laid upon Michal for despiseing the King in her heart and how they are called men of Beliall 1 Sam. 10.27 who despised Saul in their hearts when God had elected him but they whose hearts God had touched honoured him sayes that Text. Sure I beleeve that our duty is to thinke of the King whom God hath set over us 2 Sam. 14.19 2 Sam. 19.27 as of an Angell of God for excellency as Davids Subjects did of him and to endeavour too that others may have the same thoughts of him I have reasons for my faith in this particular Prov. 21.1 Prov. 16.10 1. God gives Kings speciall spirits and he undertakes in a speciall manner to guide and order the Kings heart and to direct his mouth 2. God hath honoured a King above other men and we are bound to submit our thoughts to Gods to concurre with him in exalting him most highly whom God so exalteth 3. A Prince is Pater patriae the father of the Country yea and of the Church a nursing father and children must both have themselves and indeavour to worke in each other a reverend esteeme of their common father A good Subject neither can nor will see or beleeve any thing dishonourable of his Sovereigne should he be where he might behold a nakednesse or a weaknesse he would shut his eyes and not see it so farre would he be from acting Chams part in discovering it unto others 4. A King as I conceive him is the most excellent Image of God in the world and the most glorious Christ was God Man and Mediatour in all which respects he hath his Image amongst us Every true Christian is the Image of Christ as Man every true Minister of the Gospell is the Image of Christ as Mediatour and accordingly ought to approve himselfe but a Christian King is also the Image of Christ as God and as so is to be reverenced and esteemed by us He is the Image of Christ as Judge and Governour of the world of Christ glorified whereas every other Christian is onely the Image of Christ crucified a King is also the Image of Christ as he shall come whereas we are onely Images of Christ as he did come Christ came at first in the shape of a servant was humble to all subjective to the Civill Magistrate did not resist his will though contrary to Law and like him herein I beleeve must all Christians be of what ranke soever as such under the Supreame they must be meeke and lowly patient when contemned and if providence so order that they be delivered up to the will of the people their most deadly enemies for no cause as Christ was against all Law of God or Man like him they must make no bodily resistance against Authority But when Christ shall come the second time he shall appeare after another manner viz. clothed with Majestie and Glory as a Judge and Ruler as the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity nor will he yeild himselfe then to be despised and abused as he was before no more will he I beleeve long suffer those that beare his Image in that respect to be contemned in the meane while verily I doe beleeve it is the most high and transcendent boldnesse that can be imagined to abuse or slight in the least degree the Image of Christ as Judge as God Surely it is the duty of Soveraigne Kings to remember in what sense themselve are Christi imagines above other men that so their lookes may be answerable to their dignities for the chasing away evill from others and the preventing of contempt unto themselves But if a Prince shall be so gracious as to deny himselfe sometime in respect of his greatnesse and as Christ at his first comeing did lay aside his glory for a season to converse more familiarly with his people for their good shall he being most highly adorned with the sweet Spirit of the Gospell and the conditions thereof meeknesse patience mercy affability and the like rather delight to appear to his Subjects as Christ a Saviour then as Christ a Iudge as Christ hath done then as he shall do I thinke his Subjects have no reason to esteeme more meanly of him for this or to say from hence we will not have this man to reign ouer us but unlesse they be of the Pharisees stampe they will have a more high reverence and love toward him if not they deserve by him to be accounted rather Enemies than Subjects and as they in the Parable were to be handled accordingly Indeed I believe that as the best Christians so the best Kings in this world are liable to persecution both of hand and tongue in regard of that Image of God which is upon them when the insurrection of evill doers had driven David from his royall City then did Shimei's mouth also open against him to the enlargement of his sorrowes we know the Scripture tels us that the nature of the self advancing Bramble when he is gotten up is to be most spightfull against the Cedars of Libanus Iud 9.15 the most eminent in grace or place Holinesse alone cannot defend a Prince from ill usage it rathers make him obnoxious unto dangers preserve me O Lord for J am holy said that Holy King Ps 86.2 Yea as among inferiours so among the chiefe the best inclinations are most opposed the sweetest natures most abused by Satan and his Members whose main endeavours are to blunt if possible the edge of goodnesse to stop all wayes of discovering or dispensing love to prevent Subjects from their full tasting of that grace which is intended towards them by their Sovereigns Experience shewes in many places that when Enemies have slandered right intentions their labours are to force the doing of something which may put a colour of truth upon their scandals they will drive a man if they can into such streights that if God do not help from Heaven he must at length by a kind of necessity be constrained to step into that disclaimed path whereof at first they did seem to prophecie And this God permitteth sometimes for a season to be done even to Princes themselves that he thereby might have occasion more evidently to declare himselfe their saving strength in upholding and delivering them and in subduing their people under them as also that the Eminency of fortitude wisedome meeknesse and those other graces which himselfe hath planted in a King may be manifest to the encouragement of his Subjects under their particular Burdens If we look unto Iesus with the eye of faith upon our Soveraign with the eye of sense Heb. 12.2 and consider both how they have endured the contradiction of sinners we shall not be wearied or faint in our minds but shall runne with
The Lord strooke him with leprousie vers 19. and then the Priests thrust him out of the holy place because of his uncleannesse according to the Law Nay sayes the Text vers 20. himselfe hasted also to goe out because the Lord had smitten him this example therefore makes nothing at all for the lawfulnesse of resisting the Kings person commanding against his owne Lawes Other examples as little to the purpose are also alleadged by those that would faine winde Gods Word to speake the language of their owne spirits but these onely were mentioned at our conference and therefore I will not spend time to answer any other which indeed are already answered by abler pens then mine Sect. 11 Now I come to the Argument from reason which in your thoughts as it seemes if you be in earnest doth imply a necessity of resistance in such a case Salus populi which is Suprema lex doth require it for thus you argue It is according to reason that every particular man should endeavour the preservation of his owne being yea 't is Lex naturae every member of the body every creature in the world will doe it ergo much more man who hath also the use of Reason to perswade him to defend himselfe against an unjust violence Indeed say you Christianity commands us patiently to submit when we are wronged by the Law but if against Law then we may stand upon our owne guard by all the Lawes of Nature and Nations As for example say you if a father or master whose commands are to be bounded within the compasse of their particlar relations shall by unjust violence require things unsuteable to be done the childe or servant may and ought to defend himselfe even to the disarming of his Governour so if a Prince shall command any thing beyond or beside the relation of his Kingly office as for example when a sentence is passed by a triall at Law for me against him he shall notwithstanding in his passion send to my house to do me violence I must defend my selfe and disarme him if I can for if in such a case I shall yeild my throat to his fury to be cut I shall be guilty of selfe murder and if this may be done for the safety of a private man then much more when Salus populi wrich is suprema lex doth require it These in breife as I remember were your Arguments and illustrations to which I thus answer First in generall Reason I grant ruleth well when Religion opposeth not but 't is her duty to vaile unto faith and therefore as you and I have often taught even reason her selfe must be denied in some cases as well as nature a Christian as well as another creature may and must looke to his owne preservation but we are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 and so are not our owne nor must be in the first place for our selves the Honour of that profession which he that bought us hath entrusted us to maintaine must be preserved by us before life it selfe if selfe defence will blemish my Holy profession if resisting the King speakes rather the doctrine of the Iesuits then of Iesus I had rather by patience possesse my soule in safety then by opposing endeavour the preservation of my body Ob. But for the particular instances every member of the body say you will defend it selfe Answ True and all the Head yea every one of them will defend the Head before it selfe 't is naturall to them and if wee be right members of the Commonwealth the King is our Head Ob. Every Creature will endeavour the preservation of its own being Answ So will a reasonable man and a Christian in speciall ought so to do that he may do his Creator the more service but onely in that way and by those meanes as may not crosse the end of his beeing Ob. But Christianity commands to submit with patience onely when wronged by the Law Answ It hath beene already answered that Christian patience is not so limited if the Law be on my side when the King wrongs me my wrong is the greater and my patience in such a case is more glorious and comes nearer to perfection Ob. But the Kings Commands are bounded as those of a Father or master within the compasse of their particular relations Answ That is already denyed and must be better proved before I answer further onely this I adde that the similitude of a father or master is not to this case corresponding for 1. I am equall to my father or master as I am a Subject though their inferiour in my particular relation to them but so I am not to my Prince 2. I have a Law to warrant me to stand upon mine owne defence against them and to disarme them when they breake the Kings peace upon mee but I have not to justify me in my so doing against my Prince 3. The King hath not given a father or master potestatem vitae et necis over those that in their relations are under them as God hath given the King therefore although I may defend my selfe against them yet not against him to whom being the publick father and Lord I owe the greater duty and obedience and am to forsake them to serve him Answ 2 Besides I do not wholely yeild to the lawfulnesse of resisting a father or master onely for the unsuteablenesse of their command or perhaps because jujurious to the childe or servant if it be not impious in it selfe for that place of the Apostle seemeth to gainsay it servants bâ— subject to your Masters with all feare 1 Pet. 1 18.19 not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward for this is thanke worthy if a man for Conscience sake toward God indure griefe suffering wrongfully q. d. when in the frowardnesse of their Spirits they command things unsuteable submit your selves and resist not now if subjection in such a case be due to Masters much more is it unto a Prince Answ 3 Or lastly I answer there is a medium between obeying and resisting in a case of that nature and that is complaining to those that are above them for fathers and masters are themselves also under Authourity unto which their children or servants may appeale for their own defence when unreasonable commands with violence are forced upon them and so may and must the Subjects do appeale to God in such a case 1 Sam. 8.18 who onely is above their Prince 1 Sam. 8.18 Ob. But suppose the streight be such that the Son or servant cannot appeale to the Magistrate hee must either yeild to the thing unlawfull or be killed if he do not resist Answ The case is never so between us and God Gen. 22.14 hee is every where to whom we may appeale yea providebit in monte our extremity is his best oportunity Quest But what warrant for this Answ I know your selfe at leasure can finde many I 'le minde
Conscience as they will answer the contrary unto God to assist him I believe also that the Authority of a King or supreme Governour is the naturall and essentiall investment of his Person though it extend where his Person is not even all over his dominions yet in him 't is radicated is as unseperable from him as his life is who ever aimes at the one aimes also at the other is the voice both of reason Law and story I do conceive that though the distinction holds good of inferiour Governours that they may be considered as men as magistrates yet not so of the supreme who comes to his Authority by inheritance Hee ought not to be considered of in any notion severed from that of King Sauls Person was Gods anointed In others their Authority is onely sacred and addes veneration to their Persons and is separable from them the man may live when his Authority is extinguished but the very Person of a King in regard of royall birth or unction and of immediate dependance upon God is sacred as well as his Authority and doth adde veneration unto that as well as that to him indeed they adde honour to each other and are inseperable they live and dye together they are of Gods conjunction whereas other Authority is of mans and though man may sever what himselfe hath joyned yet what God hath joyned no man must sever Hence I believe that as hee who resists the Authority of an inferior magistrate resists the King so hee that resists the Authority yea or the Person of a Prince or supreme magistrate resists God not onely his Power intrusted to him but also his wisedome in making and ordaining of him in fastning or bestowing the Authority upon him And as hee that resists the King in his Officers shall from the King receive punishment Pro. 17.11 a cruell messenger shall be sent unto him so they that resist God in the King His Minister Rom. 13. shall receive to themselves damnation either temporall from the hand of him that is resisted unto whom God will deliver them up Pro. 20.26 to scatter and to bring the wheele over or from some other in his place 2 King 14.5 as the Kings Son slew those that slew his father or else eternall if they scape here for Solomon sayth hee that provoketh a King to anger Pro. 20.2 sinneth against his owne Soule God doubtlesse will maintaine the Act of his owne wisedome their devise shall be onely mischeivous to themselves that seek to pull him downe whom God hath exalted Ps 62 4. therefore Solomon well Pro. 30.31.32 against a King there is no rising namely without the confusion and ruine of the risers to prevent which he gives his advise in the next words if thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thy self acknowledge it if thou hast thought evill lay thine hand upon thy mouth Private mens Injuries may be washed off with teares but wrongs done to Princes in regard of God his neare and speciall interest are hardly wiped off but with bloud who ever saies David lifted up his hand against Gods Anointed 1 Sam. 26.9 and was guiltlesse as if he had said can any one out of any story name me a man whom vengeance in such a case hath not alwayes followed I do believe that Military strength and outward wealth are the Sect. 6 nerves and sinews of Authority for by these feare and reverence is procured to that and love to the Princes person in all those who are not able to see God in the face of Majestie of which sort there are too many therefore to take away or with-hold these is to endeavour the weakening of the Kings Authority and to bring the same together with his person into contempt and his life it selfe into danger surely if a King be appointed of God to be the Supreame in Authority it is the Subjects duty to manifest their approbation of Gods will and their obedience to their Prince in yeilding to him the superiority over themselves in such matters true feare of God will make men honour him whom God honoureth and faith in God to trust him whom God trusteth The Hearts of Subjects I beleeve next to the Arme of God are the strength of the Princes strength and the wealth of his wealth and therefore to rob him of these is the greatest theft it is to rend from him his Honour his Reverence his Authority and what ever God hath invested him withall and this is often done by publishing and aggravating his humane infirmities Psal 35.11 but most commonly by laying to his charge things whereof he is not guilty When Absolom and Achitophel went about their horrid Treason they cast Iniquity upon the King they found none upon him but they laid some on Psal 55.3 2 Sam. 15. that so his Subjects might hate him as themselves did and joyne with them against him this I beleeve hath alwayes proved a sinne of a purple dye and is a blasphemy against God as well as against the King for he that speakes evill of the King speaks evill of Gods Law which commands the contrary and so of God himselfe A King is the light of his Israell Act. 23.5 the Sunne of his Kingdome Jam. 4.11 and true Religion which is a light too obscures not that light the Locusts that came out of the Pit were they that darkened the Sunne this condition better becomes Jesuites such as Sanders and Parsons were then Protestants Rev. 9.2 3. A Prince is the breath of his peoples nostrils and his honour is the breath whereby himselfe lives and whosoever have indeavoured to stop or infect this breath have gone about to murder all the Subjects as might be evidenced by examples what ever pretences at first were the issue in the end hath beene the Land was an Acheldama Surely I beleeve that Piety and Allegeance doth instruct a loyall Subject to prize his Soveraignes good name before his owne yea to be glad and joyfull of an occasion even to drowne his owne credit in his Princes service to advance him Scripture teacheth to deny our selves to Honour our King Samuel at Sauls request when he had told him that God had rejected him and so knew him to be actually under Gods displeasure and thereupon was himselfe departing from him in anger yet was content to turne againe 1 Sam. 15.30 to honour him before the people to put all respect that possibly he could upon him as he was a King I beleeve a true religious Subject dares not entertaine an evill thought of his Soveraigne nor beleeve evill of him he dares not conceipt meanly or slightly of the Lords Anointed that place of Scripture doth much awe him Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King in thy heart the word in the originall being disrespect not disesteeme not a disrespectfull thought of a King is an accursed thought and who so harboureth such a thought shall not
and love peculiar to himselfe he loves not his father onely because he begat him or his mother because she bare him in her wombe and gave him sucke or his friend because beneficiall unto him or his Soveraigne because he doth protect him these are vulgar grounds and of meere naturalls yea of bruit creatures but his principall foundation is the Command of God and the apprehension of Gods love to himselfe and as Gods Love and Word is capable of no alteration no more is a Christians love and duty which is built upon it it is in its measure and degree like that constant and unfeigned yea though the Prince should change and omit what belongs to him yet a true Christian Subject changeth never nor dareth he to neglect the least tittle of his duty O sayes he Gods love to me in Jesus Christ hath kindled in my heart a love unto my Soveraigne set over me by himselfe Gods word in my soule is the root of my duty to my Prince therefore so long as God continues to love me so long will I continue an obedient Subject as nothing can separate Gods love from me neither life nor death nor Principalities nor Powers so nothing shall separate my heart from my King neither feares nor threatnings nor plunderings nor persecutions as nothing can nullifie Gods word Heaven and earth shall passe away before the least tittle of that shall perish so nothing can or shall alienate me from my Allegiance to my Prince but him will I Honour him will I love feare and obey actively or passively although he should account of me and deale with me as with an Enemy 6. We Honour God by rejoycing his Spirit and by being carefull not to greive the same after which manner also we must Honour the King our endeavours must be to glad his heart and our studies to make him chearfull that so he may govern us with comfort Heb. 13.17 and give up his account with joy which will be most for our advantage as the Apostle speaketh in another case Indeed crossenesse and perversnesse is a great wickednesse when exercised against any specially against a Prince yet even such a Person is sometime so afflicted When I speake of Peace saies King David then they make them ready to battaile such was their crossenesse Ps 120.7 in another place they dealt perversely with me without a cause Ps 119 78. indeed when ever men deale perversely with their Prince they do so without cause for there neither can nor ought to be any cause to move a man to break his duty to his Sovereigne or rather to his God who hath commanded his constant and loyall obedience It is not spoken in Scripture to the commendation of those vexatious Sonnes of Zerviah that they were too hard for David and so often greived his Spirit but every true David must meet with such men to discover him to the rest of his people to be a man after Gods owne Heart meeke wise and patient Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria as some write having got power with the Empresse did vex Ioh. Chrysostome to death by tormenting his Spirit and molesting of him who can thinke of that act without indignation it was reported of you know whom that he vexeda minister to death by his unjust and incessant troubling of him an horrid thing if it were true and worthy of a sharpe censure but I pray God that some of them that blaimed him have not since had a finger in such endeavours and against a more High and Sacred person omne occultum tandem revelabitur Thus reverend Sir by this glimpse you see what kind of Honour I believe is due unto a King and how the Subjects are to expresse the same and now Sir I instance not in every particular way as in paying tribute or the like which our Savior and Saint Paul commandeth because that will naturally follow upon that which hath been said And now Sir discern my faith in the whole case the grounds of it you may perceive I am one of those that conceive the Standard of Gods word to be the best rule to measure at a subjects duty by indeed I would have all men obey for Conscience sake Rom. 13.5 the great Apostle I am sure is of the same minde Sect. 8 And now I come to the second thing namely to shew how those objections are removeable which as I remember were opposed against my judgement of the unlawfulnesse to resist a King I then desired to maintaine and indeed do still believe that to whatsoever the King commands we must either yeild our active obedience or if against Conscience we must suffer or fly you added a fourth which I did not acknowledge and you called it defensive resistance And your position was this A defensive resistance against the Kings will or Personall commands when contrary to his legall is lawfull yea necessary To make good this position there was to prove the lawfulnesse alleadged the Example of the peoples resisting Saul in the behalfe of Ionathan of Davids strengthening himselfe against Saul of Davids purpose at Keilah if the men therof would have stood unto him of Vzziah the King his beeing resisted and thrust out of the temple by the Priests Arguments from reason also were produced or rather similitudes instead of Arguments which I suppose were to shew the necessity of it as of resisting a father or master commanding by unjust violence things unlawfull and unsutable to his fatherly or masterly relation And then the Oath or Covenant which the King takes or makes at his Coronation was alleadged as giving countenance to a defensive resistance on the Subjects part if the Prince doth make a breach thereof Lastly I was required to shew some Scripture oppugning this resistance which I then promised Sir If my memory doth not faile mee this was the summe to which according to my Conscience and weake ability I shall now more fully answer then I could in regard of your own or my precedeing labours it being the Lords day at night do then Intreating you to remember that as then so now we discourse of the matter onely as a case in Divinity 1. Concerning the Position the termes thereof and then of the matter therein The practice of some in this sinfull Nation doth at this present too too sufficiently expound what is to be understood by the terme of defensive resistance but I confesse their exposition is very new or els 't is figurative per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae vox est signans cuntraria dicto as war is called bellum quód minimé bellum so defensive resistance quod oppugnat magis To defend of old and properly was and is to keep of or to avoyd not to give blowes not to begin the assault but it inferres an Assault made a staying at home rather then a going abroad or a being driven from thence rather then a driveing it is not to
build the House of God even as themselves pleased they did not neglect that worke and fall to argue and dispute about the Kings authority or to set things in a combustion to greive the Kings spirit but they set themselves to their proper businesse and blessed God for their King Ezra 7.27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers which hath put such a thing as this into the Kings heart to beautifie the House of the Lord which is in Hierusalem which was indeed the way to continue the Kings heart still towards them O that this wise generation were but acquainted with such piety But I returne If it be objected as 't is often in Pulpits alleadged that the people in building that Temple in Nehemiah's time Nehem. 4. did worke with their swords and speares and bowes and so did defend themselves against their enemies I answer it is true but they had the Kings leave so to doe the King was on their side Nehemiah was strengthened by the Kings speciall authority so that not they but those that opposed them were the resisters of the King 'T is worth your noting also in the sixth place how the Jewes in Mordecay's time Esther 3.10 being destined to death to please the lust of proud Haman yet because that wicked Decree was countenanced with the Kings authority his Privy Seale the Iewes durst not resist for the safeguard of their lifes and all they had they did not plead that the King was seduced by ill counsell to destroy their whole Nation as they had cause and therefore by the Law of nature they must stand upon their owne defence no the people of the Lord were not acquainted with any such devices they prayed put their trust in their God who never failed them and he brought it so to passe that against the day came Esther 8.11 they had the Kings leave and authority to draw their swords in their owne defence which else they durst never have done as is plainly evident in the story 2 Sam. 9.1 Truly Sir those phrases of Scripture When Kings goe forth to Warre and What King going forth to Warre against another King do plainly speak to my conscience Luke 14.31 that the power of wageing War either offensive or defensive is onely in and from the King who alone is inabled of God to warrant men in such a way wherein whosoever goeth without the Kings approbation is not allowed of God and if so then sure the Lord will never say Well done good and faithfull servants to them that goe in that way against the Kings command yea and against his Person But Sir I will not weary your Spirit with the quotation of too many Scriptures of this nature contradicting resistance I shall onely therefore remember you of two more and then conclude this particular also one is Act. 23. you cannot deny Act. 23.3 4. but when Ananias commanded Paul to be smitten it was a command contrary to Law for the Text doth so affirme it hee had no ground but his owne will to offer that violence and yet how doth the Apostle checke himselfe for his but ignorantly speaking an unbeseeming word against him and alleadgeth Scripture against himselfe it is written thou shalt not speake evill of the ruler of the people and if that word Ruler did comprehend Ananias I am sure it includes the King and if not an unbeseeming word to such a one then sure not a resisting action against a King which is farre more unbeseeming if you say Saint Paul was a private man but what is his example to a publicke State or Parliament I answer a publicke State consists of private men besides the Title of volunteer which they that walke in this way of resistance are called by doth speake to my apprehension that the Parliament doth not command any to run upon their owne damnation Rom. 13.2 by going this way but leaves it to every one 's owne free will and so in effect all resisters are but private men and without offence be it spoken I thinke Saint Pauls example in a matter of this nature should be more prevalent with a Christian then the very command it selfe if such a thing were of a whole Parliament Lastly let the example of our Master and Saviour Jesus Christ never be forgotten by us who when apprehended in the Garden would not suffer Peter to use his sword in defence of him against authority but told him Hee that smit with the sword against that should perish by the sword of that and yet if you well consider it I beleeve you will confesse that that authority was rather guided by Will then Law in that particular action nay and our Saviour addes too that he was strong enough to have defended himselfe had it beene lawfull for he could have had twelve Legions of Angels with a word speaking yea the whole course of the proceedings against our Saviour was illegall for what Law was there ever that an innocent person should be delivered to the will of his accusers to be crucified yet the text sayes of Pilate Joh. 19.16 that Tradidit Jesum voluntati eorum it was mouth and malice onely that prevailed yet our Saviour made no resistance it cannot be said that he was then onely as a private man for sure at that time he was of all that ever was the most publike person also if it be said but his case was particular I answer true but our Saviour did not sinne in the manageing of it as for ought I see he must have done if he had omitted any thing that had beene lawfull and necessary and such if we will beleeve it is defensive resistance against the personall and illegall commands of a Governour Besides I doe not see how Christ can be freed from the imputation of unfaithfulnesse if this doctrine of resistance be so lawfull and necessary a thing for the preservation of a Christian Church and State the matter being of such grand importance that he did not leave some expresse and plaine warrant for it No no Christ was faithfull in all things righteousnesse and peace truth and love humility and obedience met all in him let his wayes onely be acknowledged safe and good and ours confessed to be dangerous and ungodly Thus good Sir you have my Scriptures against resistance from which with many others of like nature I doe conclude That to the Prince his personall command as well as to his legall I must yeild mine active obedience if not against the revealed will of God or else submit with patience to the penalty that shall according to pleasure be inflicted or lastly I may flie for mine owne safety if I have not a sufficient measure of suffering grace And I doe conclude that by Gods Word resistance is utterly unlawfull in this case and that no man from thence can have a sufficient ground for his conscience to go in such a way And now Sir I could
to death they for walking in the way of resistance and I for practiceing the duty of obedience they had not rather be in my case in respect of the cause of suffering then in their owne If any of you would but in earnest aske your consciences this question I dare say it would tell you that your way were not the way of God 2. This your way destroyes the whole Law of God Destructive to the whole Law of God It becomes us who are Gods Ministers entrusted with his holy truths to be faithfull unto every one of them all Gods commands ought to be equally deare unto us when time was you were all faithfull to the fourth Commandement You did runne well who did hinder My conscience tells me that the fifth Commandement being upon the stage of persecution must be as pretious to me now as the fourth was then and if Gods will so be I must be as willing to suffer with and for that though alone as I was before in behalfe of the other with your company Nay Sir as the ruine of one Jew would not satisfie Hamans malice his aime was at the destruction of the whole Nation so 't is not the death of the fifth Commandement onely that the unruly and bloudy Genius of these times thirsts after it desires rather as may appeare the extirpation of all insomuch that if ever we had cause to cry 't is time for thee Lord to worke for thy have made void thy Law we have cause now For consider doth not the first Commandement require us to acknowledge onely one God and him alone to be omnipotent most blessed and of an unerring spirit and yet have we not many that would make a certaine peece of the Parliament Gods equall in these Attributes doe they not intitle it the most blessed infallible omnipotent and wonder-working Parliament for my part I doe as truly honour the Parliament in a compleat sence as any poore Subject in England and being rightly congregated and joyntly compacted of Head and Members I thinke it not fit for any inferiour to imagine it to erre in matters of State and yet even then it may in matters of God for there is no Scripture that I know to the contrary I love the Parliament so well that I had rather die then be one of them that provoke God to such jealousie against it as I feare they doe that call it by his names of omnipotent and unerring and most blessed I have read what God did to the Spanish Navy in 88 that had the title of Invincible and how the Pope and his Church have gone downe the winde since Infallibility hath beene affixed to his Chaire by his flatterers I have read also how the good King of Sweden did truly presage his owne death when he saw the people begin to give him more honour then was due to man Act. 12. and Scripture tells us how God smote Herod with wormes because he tooke to himselfe from the peoples hands that honour which was Gods due nor do I see how that part of the Parliament hath greatly prospered to the benefit either of Church or Common wealth since those high and divine titles by its adorers have beene given unto it I have much wondred that among the late plenty of Ordinances there hath not beene some one to inhibit people this Blasphemy and Idolatry doubtlesse it affords suspicion of little true love to the first Commandement So is not reverence in Gods House and Service with a due regard to his Ministers in the execution of their office required in the second Commandement as well as Superstition forbidden and yet we see 't is counted ranke Popery to be more reverend there then other men and want of zeale not to abuse Gods Ministers yea prophanenesse and misbehaviour in Gods worship and opposition to his servants are reckoned by some the best Characters of Religion I dare affirme it from what I have read and now see that no people in the world not they that worship the Devill himselfe are so rude and unmannerly in their actions of this nature and to the Ministers of their Religion as some of ours are at this present and yet there is no Law to punish them nay all Lawes are taken away as they say that were wont to restraine them sure if this be so 't is a making void of the second Commandement And concerning the third we have those and they in favour too that not onely thinke it lawfull for themselves to breake those oathes which they have formerly made in the presence and name of God but also having as may seeme as good a faculty as the Pope to dispense with the breach of them in others and teach and exhort others thereunto as a thing necessary so it be in ordine ad causam as the Jesuites speake to promote the good cause Surely Sir I am much deceived if this be not the highest contempt that can be offered to the third Commandement if God were in earnest when he made it hee will never hold them guiltlesse that doe such things against it And for the fourth I wonder how that of late hath lost the favour of some of them who foure or five yeares agoe were ready to venture all they had to maintaine the dignity of it did they onely endeavour to preserve it till now that it might perish with its fellowes or are all kinde of revellings or sportings no sinnes on the Lords Day because they are acted in this yeare of Jubilee these blessed dayes of liberty as they are called nay are mustering of men when there is no enemy nigh plundering of men murdering of men on the Lords Day no violations of the Day it seemes so for some of us on that day can exhort to nothing else Surely Sir from preaching for and approbation of such doings some will be ready to say that we Ministers indeavoured onely to preserve the fourth Commandement heretofore that our selves might destroy it now and our feare onely was lest any should be injurious to God beside our selves And for the fifth Commandement is there any thing required in that which this generation will acknowledge as a duty any thing forbidden therein which it will yeild to be a sinne the Author of the late exhortation to repentance published to the whole Nation doth instance in no one direct breach of the fifth Commandement to be confessed on the fast day indeed all bonds of duty and relation are preached asunder to make way for liberty the Subject may not onely resist the King saies the Weaver that is set up to preach in my Church but also kill him in some cases and so the wife may kill her husband and the childe may kill his father and Surely Sir if such preachers and Doctrines must be forced upon a Ministers people in spight of his teeth I must needs feare that treason is hatching against the fifth Commandement we must bid farewell to that very shortly And
the same in specie so must it have the same manner and way of expression as namely by our beleeving him by having an high esteeme of him by our obedience to his will by our manner of addresse unto his presence by our unfeigned and constant love unto his person and by our endeavouring to rejoyce and glad his spirit for by these particulars we doe expresse our honour and reverence of heart unto the Lord. 1. We honour God when we doe beleeve him yea then most of all as Luther sayes for thereby we give him the glory of all his attributes nor doe we ever more disparage the Majestie of God then when we make him a lyer like unto our selves in not giving credit unto his sayings those who would neither beleeve nor speake one word of truth themselves did most of all dishonour our Saviour when they voiced him to be a deceiver and a false speaker so no greater dishonour can men offer to their Prince then not to take his word unlesse withall to labour that others might not Surely it is a part not onely of good manners but also of that reverence and duty which a Subject owes unto his Soveraigne to credit and beleeve him before any other in the world especially upon his Protestations But indeed the more like unto Christ a Prince is in meeknesse mercy truth sweetnesse of disposition and desire of doing good the more of Christ's enterteinment shall he meet withall in this world 2. We honour God by having an high esteeme of his Majestie and by manifesting the same in termes accordingly to his praise upon all occasions and after this sort must we testifie our honour to the King we must have an high and pious conceit of him speaking of him alwaies as good and praying for him not as evill To make mention in prayer of a Christian Prince as if he were an Infidel or an enemy to goodnesse is rather to calumniate and vilifie him to slander and disgrace him then to shew reverence and honour to him it is rather the way to insinuate a tediousnesse of him and to worke an odium against him in the hearts of men then a venerable esteeme of him When Saint Paul required it as a thing good and acceptable in the sight of God to pray supplicate 2 Tim. 2. and give thankes for Kings and commends it as a meane whereby to live a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty I beleeve he did not intend such kinde of prayers as should leave a misconceit of Kings in the mindes of their people no I beleeve such prayers have beene the seeds of these our present troubles they have prejudiced our peace and quiet and provoked but little to the practice of true godlinesse and honesty the Lord in his good time touch the spirits of the seeds-men 3. We expresse our honour and feare to God by our full and perfect obedience to his will and word so must we to our Soveraigne by our obedience to his Person and Lawes preferring none but God before him the first in Authority must alwaies command our first obedience God that gives Authority to the King is therefore the greatest and so to be first obeyed the King gives Authority to all inferiour Magistrates and therefore is greater then all they both divisim conjunctim and so before them to be preferr'd in our submission unto should they command any thing contrary to his will If it be said but suppose the inferiour Magistrate commands according to the Kings Law which is his revealed will then 't is lawfull not onely to disobey his person but also to make resistance I answer This objection shall be dealt withall anon onely for the present I say this God is not honoured by being resisted no more surely is the King Moreover Authority is rather rooted in the Prince then in his Law for as he gives beeing to the inferiour Magistrate so he doth to the Law it selfe making it authorizable Et propter quod aliquid est tale illud est magis tale He is greater therefore then his Law not to be resisted for the sake of that which may be evidenced farther thus if when the Prince commands any thing contrary to the revealed will of God who hath given him his power he is not to be resisted though not to be obeyed then much lesse when he commands any thing contrary to his owne Law to which himselfe hath given power Christian Religion hath hitherto taught that the Prince his will must alway be done of us or on us of us when 't is according to or not against the Word of God on us when contrary to the same we must one way or other submit to Authority to the penalty if not to the command nor doe I conceive how I disobey the Law of the Land by submitting to the penalty annexed in obeying the will of the Prince seeing I must honour his person by my obedience 4. We doe manifest our reverence to God by our manner of addresse into his presence we doe not use to carry our Petitions to God with our hands upon our swords nor goe to him with threats and armes to have our requests granted neither must we in that fashion repaire unto our Soveraigne nor doe we use to thinke to make God yeild unto us by fore reporting of him that he meanes to doe so and so that we might force him for his credit sake to doe the contrary but we goe to him with selfe-denying hearts and words confessing his goodnesse and our owne unworthinesse intreating him to take advantage of our necessities to manifest his owne free grace and to cause his owne glory to appeare and after such a manner and with such termes must we goe unto our King the humble way is Gods way which he will make successefull 5. We honour God by our unfeigned and constant love unto him and for his sake to those that love him or that he loves which is expressed by our speaking good of him and them and not by endeavouring his or their disgrace and ruine And so must we also shew our honour to our Prince by our love which must be unfeigned and constant both to him and his in all conditions we must be willing rather to suffer for his and their sakes then to countenance any evill against either Indeed our love to our King will be thus natured if it be rightly grounded namely on Gods command and because he is our Soveraigne for though indeed we are to pray that a Prince may alwayes be as eminent in grace and goodnesse above others as he is in dignity yet if he be not we must remember that we owe him the highest honour as he is the Lords Anointed and appointed of God to be our Governour God who hath deserved from us to be obeyed hath commanded us to honour and love our King Indeed a Christian is Homo per se and hath a foundation for his duty