such a case Men may refuse to obey else in all other matters we ought to obey what Laws soever they make as concerning outward things we ought to obey and in no wise to rebel though they be never so hard noysom and hurtful Our duty is to obey and to commit all the matters to God not doubting but that God will punish them when they do contrary to their office and calling therefore tarry till God correct them we may not take upon us to reform them ☞ for it is no part of our duty If the Robels I say had consider'd this think you they would have preferr'd their own will before God's will for doing as they did they prayed against themselves * Id. Serm. on Ep 21. Sund after Trinity p. 196 197 Subjects may not of their own private autority take the sword or rebel against their King for when they rebel they serve the Devil for they have no commission of God so to do but of their own head they rise against God that is against the King to whom they owe obedience and so worthily be punish'd therefore good Christian People beware of rebelling against our Sovereign Lord the King. ‖ Id. 24. Sund after Trin. p. 216. The calling of the Subjects is to be obedient unto the Magistrates not to rebel against them for if they do they strive against God himself and shall be punish'd of him Another cause why Christ was circumcised is Id. Serm. on the Twelfth day p. 291. to be obedient unto common orders therefore he would suffer rather to be circumcised than to give occasion of hurly burly or uproar for the will of the Father was that Subjects should obey Magistrates and keep orders Subjecti estote cuivis potestati be obedient unto them c. look what Laws and Ordinances are made by the Magistrates we ought to obey them and this is to be understood as well in spiritual matters as temporal matters so far forth as the Laws be not against God and his Word When they will move us to do any thing against God then we must say Oportet magis obedire Deo quam hominibus we must be more obedient unto God than Man ☞ yet we may not withstand them with stoutness or rise up against them but suffer whatsoever they shall do unto us for we may for nothing in the World rebel against the Office of God that is to say against the Magistrate CHAP. III. The Doctrine of Passive Obedience in the Reign of Queen Mary SECT I. UPon the Death of King Edward VI. so prevalent were the two Families of Northumberland and Suffolk that they made a great Party to oppose the legal Succession of the Right Heir their abettors being countenanc'd and encouraged by the last Testament of King Edward but as * Cent. 16. p. 1. Fuller rightly observes the Will of the Duke of Northumberland but whatever was done in defence of the Lady Jane Grey was contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England which taught her Children better and more wholsom Doctrine and though Archbishop Cranmer were one of the Subscribers to that Will and to the Letter sent after Edward the sixth's Death to Queen Mary yet there is much to be said in Apology for him For first Cranmer ‖ Heyl. Hist of the Refor p. 152. Fox Burnet and Godwin c. of all the Privy Council was the last that stood out having at first positively refused to sign the Will and after much reasoning and many arguments urged for the Queens Illegitimation required a longer time of deliberation and at last could be overcome by nothing but the King 's own restless importunity To whom the Archbishop had as he ought a great regard and this his resolution so prevail'd upon his Judges that though at first they committed him to the Tower with the Lady Jane Fox tom 2. p. 1289. and the Duke of Northumberland's Sons for High Treason yet though they prosecuted his Fellow Prisoners on that Statute they let fall their Action against him and prosecuted him only for Heresie to his great joy as Fox relates it The same ‖ p 1698. Author assuring us that Dr. Heath afterwards Archbishop of York did affirm to one of Archbishop Cranmer's Friends that notwithstanding his Attainder of Treason the Queens Determination at that time was that Cranmer should only have been deprived of his Archbishoprick and had a sufficient Living assign'd him with commandment to keep his House without meddling in matters of Religion Secondly that the Archbishop was encouraged so to do * Id. ibid. by the Example of all the Nobles of the Realm and the States and Judges Sir James Hales only excepted for the Lord Chief Justice Mountague had after much ado subscribed the Lawyers especially assuring him that it was no breach of his former Oath so to do And it is well known that if any thing exasperated Queen Mary against him it was not the signing of King Edward's Will but her Mother's Divorce which Cranmer so actively promoted Thirdly The Reasons were specious both from * Hâ—yl Hist Reform ann 1553. p. 151 152. Burn. par 2. p 223. Law and Policy as they were then stiled that both the Sisters were declared illegitimate and that by Act of Parliament and that were they not so yet being but of the half Blood to the King by the Law they could not succeed nor could any Foreigner by the same Law. And that the Duchess of Suffolk had waved her Title and then the Right was in the Lady Jane that this was the only way to preserve the Nation from the Vassalage and Servitude of the Bishop of Rome and from subjecting the Realm to Foreigners if the Sisters should marry out of it Fourthly Par 2 hist l. 1. p. 224. Dr. Burnet affirms that as nothing but the King 's own importunities could prevail on the Archbishop so it 's probable that he signed it only as a Witness and not as Counsellor according to a Distinction then found out by Sir William Cecil Secretary of State. But lastly This act was no Declaration of the Archbishop's Judgment in the Case of the Deprivation Deposition or resisting of Kings against which he protested through the whole tenor of his life He it was that was if not the Author * Fox p. 1697. yet the main Contriver Approver and Publisher of the Book of the Reformation the Catechism with the Book of Homilies as also of the Necessary Erudition of a Christian Man. In which Books the Power of Kings and the Necessity of Obedience together with the wretched Estate of Rebels and such as resist Authority is plainly set forth He calls the Insurrection against †Vide Herbert Hâ—â—â— 3. p. 457 King John as much as others magnifie it and what followed it plain Rebellion And having contrary to that Truth suffered himself to be over-persuaded in this one particular he publickly
old saying Let us do evil that good may come thereof cries out that they speak Blasphemy and that such mens damnation is just as if he were pronouncing an Anathema Maranatha against such profane Men. But our modern Zelots how contrary are they to St. Paul They seem to have minded that one thing that they might exclude the King from his rightful Succession due to him by Inheritance and by the Laws of the Land c. Peter du Moulin * Vit. Molinaei Lond. 4◠p. 707. When he returned into France from England with much grief saw the Protestants ingaged in the Party of the Prince of Conde against the Queen Mother which War was indeed raised against the King himself and endeavoured both by his Sermons and his Letters to remove them from so unlawful a design †V. Du Moulin answ to Philan. Angl. p. 37. and the King's Party owes it to him that not one Protestant Town on this side the Loire joyned it self to the Prince of Condé And when he was forc'd to leave France and fix at Sedan the first Letter that he wrote was to the Commonwealth of Rochel as it was then called ' To persuade them to Peace to dissolve their Covnention and to throw themselves as they ought on the Kings Mercy advising them to obey the King and thereby to take away all pretence from their Enemies And if God saw fit that they should suffer extremity for every one that feared God would be sure to suffer for no other cause but for the Profession of the Gospel c. Nay du Moulin the Son says Ubi Supr p. 45. that the actions of the Men of Rochel were disallowed by the best and the most of their Church That they were exhorted to their Duty by their Divines And that this was the Sense of the National Synod of which du Moulin was the President but two months before he wrote his Letter This also is du Moulin's Doctrine * P. 795 c. Ed. Genev. 1635. in his Buckler of Faith That the Government of Kings is by Divine Right and founded upon the Ordinance of God and that God hath required Obedience to Magistrates as to those whom he hath established and that whosoever resisteth them resisteth God and that those who affirm that the Authority of Kings is of Human Institution put Kings upon maintaining their Interests by force c. That that Allegiance of Subjects is firm which is incorporated in Piety and is esteemed a part of Religion and of the service which we owe to God. And whatever the learned Hugo Grotius might have said in his Books de Jure Belli Grot. in Mat. xxvi 52. Pacis in his later Works wherein it may presumed he speaks his truest Sense he asserts this Doctrine which it appears he had well studied as if he had been a Member of the English Church whose Articles and Politie he so well understood and in whose Communion he resolved to have lived had not God in his Providence ordered it otherwise If it be once admitted says he that private Men when they are injured by the Magistrate may forceably resist him all places would be full of Tumults and no Laws or Judicatures would have any Authority since there is no Man who is not inclined to favour himself To this purpose * Vot pro pace ad art 16. pag. 66 〈◊〉 662. he censures the Practices and Writings of many of the French Church still excepting Camero confirming his Opinion by the Authority of King James and the Reasons of the University of Oxford that condemned Paraeus's Book †Animadver in animadv Riveti art 16. p. 644. For both Christ and his Apostles Peter and Paul have Preached the Doctrine that no force is to be opposed to the Supreme Power and that we ought to own and retain the Doctrine to be of Divine Right and Institution The Opinion of Monsieur Bochart the glory of the French Churche sis fully seen in his Epistle to Bishop Morley who among other reasons refused to Communicate with the Reformed Church in France because he thought they asserted the Doctrine of Resisting and Deposing Kings but Bochart expresly avers That the King is Gods Anointed and Lieutenant and so not in any case to be Resisted since he is accountable to none but God. That he who rises against his Prince is one of those Giants that fight against God. That David could not take away the Wife of Uriah Nor Ahab seize Naboth's Vineyard without being guilty of great sin but that when Samuel 1 Sam. viii 9. says of the King He shall take your sons and your daughters c. He means that when Kings commit such transgressions they are as uncontrolable as if the Actions had been lawful That in such cases a Nation ought to call upon God since there are no Human remedies against the force of a King for if a King may be resisted he cannot be a Sovereign for where Subjects may Resist they may Judge and consequently the Sovereignty is in them That when Julian Persecuted contrary to Law none of his Soldiers rose up against him though nothing was more easie would they have undertaken it since at his death it was plain that almost the whole Army was Christian David Blondel * De Formula Regnante Christo Sect. 2. §. 16. p. 172. p. 184. chastises Pope Gregory VII as for many other Usurpations upon Princes so for this among the rest for saying That a Prince hath his Power from the People contrary to what S. Paul says expresly of Nero that he was ordained of God affirming further that lawful Kings being guilty of ill management of their Power are accountable to and shall be punished by God who gave them that Power Pag. 187 but not to Men. That this Opinion that Kings were subject to any human Authority was brought into the Church near 1100 years after our Saviour came into the World when the Church could not be presumed to be in a better condition than it was when it flourished in the former Ages of Christianity And that no Man before Greg. VII ever owned the Power of any Man over Kings And this he proves from the Testimonies of Tertullian Pag. 188. Hosius of Corduba Basil Ambrose Hierom Arnobius junior Cassiodore and others who say That King David was above the coercive power of the Law nor could be called to account for his Faults And therefore says in his Confession to God Against thee only have I sinned If Subjects offend against the Laws of Justice the King corrects them but if the King offends who shall correct him None but he who is Justice it self all other persons are under the Restraint of Laws but Kings only are reserved to the Tribunal of God and therefore while according to the Apostle it is a terrible thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God it will be more terrible to Kings who have none on
Ceremony of Religion is abolish'd P. 48 49. if righteousness consists in blaspheming God contempt of his Ordinances and scorning the Doctrin and practice of his Saints these Men may lay some claim to it are they greater practisers of self-denyal who Preach War and Blood rather than obey than those who Preach Passive Obedience and Suffering rather than violence P. 55. Milton is very industrious to find out causes why so many would not be Traytors why could he not fall into the consideration of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy that all Members of parliament take at their entrance ☜ how did he forget the commands of Obedience from God P. 59. repentance is a great reproach among those Rebels the Preaching of that Doctrin is worse to them P. 64. than Passive Obedience It is ridiculous to any judgment uninthral'd that such as Rebel against their King should pretend P. 66. they are not Rebels to God. Christians never thought that any sword drawn against their King did not violate their Loyalty and Allegiance much less that their profess'd Loyalty and Allegiance led them to direct Arms against the King's Person There are many such Passages in the Book Medit. on death p. 257 258. but I shall only quote one more towards the end of it Kings have their Power from God and God gives the Sword yea even to wicked Kings and because the Power is given them for justice it is called the Sword of Justice tho they use it oftentimes to injustice the Scripture forbids us to judge another Man's Servant but this Man will have the Father punish'd by the Child the Master by the Servant the Prince by the People Kings are unaccountable to Men for their actions for if Kings be accountable to Men are not they to whom he is accountable by the Libellers argument not only stronger than the King but stronger than Justice P. 260. divine law forbad all Men to take the Arms of justice without or against the King who is referred to God's justice and justice hath no Arms but his power the Law was above the Emperor Theodosius P. 262 v. loc p. 263. in regard it was his rule but could not make any Person or Society above him it were a profane Oath as well as vain that should be void at the will of the Father this last Age hath brought forth a generation that do God service when they scorn all his Laws and Religion c. SECT II. Bishop Sanderson in his censure of Ascham's Book Printed at London 1650. Upon perusal of Mr. Ascham 's Book you left with me I find not my self in my understanding thereby convinc'd of the necessity or lawfulness of conforming unto or complying with an unjust prevailing Power further than I was before perswaded it might be lawful or necessary so to do viz. As paying Taxes and submitting to some other things in themselves not unlawful by them imposed or required such as I had a lawful Liberty to have done in the same manner tho they had not been so commanded and seem to me in the conjuncture of present circumstances prudentially necessary to preserve my self or my Neighbour from the injuries of those that would be willing to make use of my Non-submission to mine or his ruin so as it be done with these Cautions 1. Without violation either of duty to God or any other just obligation that lies upon me by Oath Law or otherwise 2. Only in the case of necessity otherwise not to be avoided 3. Without any explicite or implicite acknowledgment of the Justice and Legality of their Power I may submit to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Force but not acknowledge the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Authority or by any voluntary Act give strength assistance or countenance thereunto 4. Without any prejudice unto the claim of the oppressed Party that hath a right Title or casting my self into an incapacity of lending him my due and bounden Assistance If in time to come it may be useful to him towards the recovery of his Right 5. Where I may reasonably and Bonâ Fide presume the Oppressed Power to whom my Obedience is justly due if he perfectly knew the present condition I am in together with the exigency and necessity of the present case and all the circumstances thereof would give his willing consent to such my conformity and compliance So that upon the whole matter and in short I conceive I may so far submit unto the Impositions or comply with the Persons of a prevailing Usurped Power unjustly commanding things not in themselves unlawful or make use of their Power to protect me from others Injuries As I may submit unto comply with or make use of an High way Thief or Robber when I am fallen into his hands and lie at his mercy As for Mr. Ascham's Discourse tho it be handsomly framed yet all the strength of it to my seeming if he would speak out would be in plain English this 1. That Self preservation is the first and chiefest obligation in the World to which all other Bonds and Relations at least between Man and Man must give place 2. That no Oath at least no imposed Oath in what Terms soever express'd binds the Taker further than he intended to bind himself thereby and it is presumed that no Man intended to bind himself to the prejudice of his own safety Two dangerous and desperate Principles which evidently tend first to the taking away of all Christian Fortitude and Suffering in a Righteous Cause 2. To the encouraging of Daring and Ambitious Spirits to attempt continual Innovations with this confidence that if they can by any ways how unjust soever possess themselves of the Supreme Power they ought to be submitted unto 3. To the obstructing unto the Oppressed Party all possible ways and means without a Miracle of ever recovering that just Right of which he shall have been unjustly dispossessed And to omit further instancing 4. To the bringing in of Atheism with the contempt of God and all Religion whilst every Man by making his own Preservation the Measure of all his Duties and Actions maketh himself thereby his own Idol The same excellent Casuist is of this mind in his Case of the engagement the bond of Allegiance whether sworn Vid. loc or not sworn is in the nature of it perpetual and indispensible c. and his Fifth Lecture of the Obligation of Conscience Sect. 11 13 14 16 17 20 21. to which for the sake of brevity I refer the Reader SECT III. To this Eminent Bishop Jenkins Redivivus Lon. 1681 p. 20 21. I shall joyn the Eminent Judge Jenkins To depose the King or take him by force or Imprison him until he hath yielded to certain demands is adjudged Treason in the Lord Cobham 's Case the Law makes not the Servant greater than the Master nor the Subject greater than the King P. 81. for that
Serm. called Subjection for Conscience sake p. 16. Must the free-born Subject break in upon the Birthrights and Liberties of the Crown and reduce it to Submission and Slavery that the humersom Christian may enjoy what he is pleased to call his Christian Liberty Christ gave not his Blood for this end nor did he make a purchase of a disobedient and gainsaying People Be confident no man can be God's Servant unless he be also a good Subject P. 22. Some mens Opinions and other mens Interests is the Conscience they so much talk of and then it is no wonder at all they cannot for their hearts obey when they themselves are setting up for Superiority Id. Pass Ob. stated and asserted pag. 3. P. 15. Passive Obedience is a patient and mild Suffering the hard and unjust Usages of Kings being both the Christian's Duty and Profession But this meek and Christian Principle was of late called to an account and with Arguments of Railery and Contempt endeavour'd to be hooted out of the World. Under the old Law when the King should usurp upon their Lands and Wives and Children 1 Sam. 8.11.18 all their Remedy was Ye shall cry out unto the Lord in that day c. They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation p. 17 18 19 21. It is in vain to say more being so plain to any Man to understand that seriously thinks of a day of Judgment when all the dawbing of Liberty and Property and Religion shall be wiped off and no pretence nor distinction satisfie against the evidence of Truth and so plain Expressions Mr. Nicolas Claget Disloyal Principles dispose Men to be unquiet Subjects Serm. on 1 Thes 4.11 p. 27. p. 22 23 38 39 40. such as these That all Power is from the People and is put into the King's hands upon trust that it is lawful for Subjects to enter into Covenants and Associations for the defence of themselves and their Religion against the Command of the Prince c. which are the Doctrins of Jesuits and Fanaticks See also Wilson's Disourse of Monarchy p. 15. 22 70 72.81 82. 106. 198. 207. 209. 248. 258 259. Mr. John Cook Serm. before the L. Mayor May 13. 1683. pag. 8 9. it 24 25. Dr. Jo. Price Seem Sept. 9. 1683. pag. 2. 12. 15. 18. Mr. Will. Bolton Coreh Redivivus pag. 9. 14. 29. Mr. Higham on Prov. 24.21 pag. 45 c. 86. 108. 123. 137. 157. 160. 175. c. Mr. Whitfield's Sermon before the L. Mayor Jul. 30. 1632. on Jude 8. Mr. Gifferd's Assize Sermon p. 12. Mr. Hyrick's Sermon July 26. 1685. p. 6 10 23 26. Mr. Brown's Sermon at the Visitation Apr. 12. 1681. p. 27 34. Dr. Smith Prebendary of Norwich Assize Serm. Sept. 13. 1668. p. 8 9. c. Id. Assize Serm. Feb. 27. 1672. p. 28. B. Rively's Sermon at Norwich July 19. 1679. on Rom. 13.4 p. 6 7. Dr. Thompson Dean of Bristol Serm. June 21. 1685. on Tit. 3.1 p. 3 5 6 14. 16 17 18 c. Mr. Bura's Serm. May 29. 1684. p. 25 27 c. Mr. Ethorowe's Scriptural Catechism p. 59. Mr. Alsop's Serm. on Exod. 20.12 p. 9 10 12 13 15 c. 24 25 30. Dr. Fr. Gregory's Serm. Nov. 5. 1679 p. 6 9 25. Mr. Will. Godman's Sermon May 24. 1660. p. 21 22 c. Mr. Luce's Serm. on 1 Pet. 2.16 p. 14 17 18. Mr. Fisher's Serm. Jan. 30. 1672. p. 11 13. Mr. Sayer's Assize Serm. Feb. 25. 1672. p. 38 40. Dr. Barnes's Serm. before the Univers of Cambr. p. 10 19 20 Mr. Crisp's Visir Serm. 1686. And very many other such Discourses and I have reason to suppose that if the Sermons of all the Divines of the Ch. of England on this subject were in Print the very Catalogue would swell to a very great bulk Doctrines of so pernicious a consequence to the publick Peace that it is enough to make us reject them as false without examining them further Such impious Doctrins and Principles as are destructive of the State and do leave Governments and Governors insecure * P. 44. And is Religion and God's Cause a Pretext for Treason and Rebellion This is next to Blasphemy and is an impious Reflection on the Wisdom and Power of God as if to bring about his own Designs he stood in need of our Devilish Devices I shall close this Chapter with the Testimony of Dr. Carswell Vicar of Bray Serm. at she Assize Mar. 3. 1683 / â— p. 25. in his State Reformer enquir'd into Designing Men still cunningly hide the disloyal Treachery in their Hearts their ambitious Designs their Disgusts and Disgraces at Court their Discontents for missng Places of Trust Command Profit or Honor under the Vizard or fair-fac'd Pretences of Religion or Justice P. 3â— they are only concern'd as Patriots of their Religion and Country c. If our Judges are unjust or the King had deputed none to hear p. 44. or none that would do Justice it were not then lawful to oppose or revile Be wise now therefore O ye Kings c. Tho the People may not daâ—e to revile p. 41. or presume to call you to an account yet the King of Kings whose Deputies you are will exact an account of your Stewardship God made not the People Judg of Moses's Actions but him of theirs The End of the Second Part. Some grosser ERRATA of the First Part. IN the Catal. of Authors read B. Montague p. 7. for primitive r. more early p. 18. for subscribed v. assented to for An. 1684. r. the same Year p. 32. r. Ficlerus p. 35. r. Al Kum p. 43. after or better him add the Paragraph in p. 46. And according to this Doctrin unto Malignants p. 54. r. Goodwin p. 74. for L. r. lastly p. 88. r. irreligious ERRATA of the Second Part. PAg. 1. for ought to read would willingly p. 5. l. 12. r. do deserve p. 9. r. an 1542 / 3. p. 11. marg r. Barnes p. 14. l. 18. r. as they p. 20. r. a Friend p. 32. l. 24. r. as he p. 36. must p. 53. how much p. 57. l. 1. the state dele after the words to following p. 59. l. 26. they could p. 70. l. 31. p. rend c. p. 79. l. 27. r. then p. 82. l. 36. for which r. and. p. 84. r. or Merode p. 88â— as if he p. 91. r. sorer p. 94. Abbadon p. 95. l. 2. r. whom p. 96. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 101. r. then only B. p. 104. marg Bowsin p. 105. l. 28. r. was the first p. 109. dele the Cicero of the Fr. Church dele Buckler of Faith. p. 112. l. 37. r. that Book is p. 127. r. 1661. p. 138. r. Theses p. 144. after B. Fell should be placed D. Allestry who is placed p. 147. and instead of Dr. Allestry should be placed p. 147. B. Thomas p. 149. r. wickedly The rest the Reader is desired to correct ADVERTISEMENT The Power communicated by God to the Prince ☞ and the Obedience required of the Subject Briefly laid down and confirmed out of the Holy Scriptures the Testimony of the Primitive Church the Dictates of right Reason and the Opinion of the wisest among Heathen Writers By the most Reverend Father in God James late Lord Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland Faithfully published out of the Original Copy written with his own hand by the Reverend Father in God Robert Saunderson L. Bishop of Lincoln with his Lordships Preface thereunto Sold by the Booksellers in London
to take up Arms against the King. They are not enamour'd with every fine Project that may be set on foot neither do they admire those for the wisest of all that think themselves excellent at new modelling of States They suppose the King's Title may be good enough tho they do not know exactly how many Acres of Land may be held sufficient to confer a Right to the Sovereign Power They understand very well that there will be some casual Miscarriages in the administration of all humane Affairs but they esteem it more becoming wise and good Christians to bear with those we are acquainted with than to hazard the infinite mischiefs and inconveniences of a change which it is impossible either to foresee or prevent and therefore among the great Uncertainties and Vicissitudes of these earthly Concerns they are verily persuaded that our common Safety will be best preserved by a pious dependance upon the divine Providence which they are not ashamed to own tho they should be laugh'd at for it by a few conceited scoffing Politicians Mr. Hesketh †Serm. on Jan. 30. bef Lord Mayor 167◠/ ◠p. 10. Cons also his Serm. on 1 Pet. 2.15 p. 10 11 c. An. 1684. P. 13 14. Subjects are as equally obliged to assist their Kings in all straights and dangers as not to resist or rise up against them to bring them into the same and their failure in the first is as criminal as their doing the second and only differs from it as the Cause from the Effect for therefore some Men are encouraged to attempt the latter because others are negligent and failing in the former Some Men are apt to claim the honor of Loyalty if they do not actually resist their King as others that venture their Lives and Fortunes to assist and vindicate them against those that do resist them But how pernicious this is to the Safety of Kings and how contrary to the true notion of Loyalty will soon be made appear All Nations have ever held the Persons of Kings to be sacred and he that considers those Oaths that Subjects bind themselves in to Princes will clearly see that thereby they are obliged not only not to do violence to them themselves but to do all that in them lies that others also may not do it And when Duty is tied on men by Oaths there to fail in it is not only common guilt P. 17. but died with a Perjury Tho much may be said for David's being actually in Arms against Saul considering some Circumstances yet considering the whole matter we may safely pronounce of it that it was certainly unjustifiable for there were safer ways of avoiding the Displeasure and Anger of Saul than by raisng an Army of Out-laws and vicious Persons and appearing in actual Rebellion against him But if none of this were true yet the least Evil that can be said is that he yielded not that Assistance unto Saul which he might have done and by which possibly he might have averted Saul's sad Fate c. P. 22. I think it neither difficult nor injurious to shew the Doctrines of the late Usurpers to be but the Transcripts of what the later Jews do fabulously report of the Power of their Sanhedrim over Kings P. 22. ☞ P. 35.37 The Parricide of Charles I. was committed by Men who must first offer Violence to their own Consciences chase all remains of Justice and Compassion out of their own Breasts before they could do this Murther and cease wholly to be Men that they might commence Devils for truly I do not know how they can expect a better Name whom no ties of Laws no Bands of Conscience no Obligations of Oaths can hold Were our Religion chargeable with this Fact there needed no other thing to be pleaded against it this alone could bar all its pretences of being a Christian for ever for it is most certain the Religion of the Blessed Jesus can be chargeable with no such thing nay it is most obvious that it takes all possible care to prevent them that it secures Subjection and chearful Obedience to Kings by the strongest ties possible and makes it impossible for a true Christian to become Rebel upon any pretence whatsoever Whatever Religion doth contrary to this P. 37 38. is by that only Argument detected to be perfectly Antichristian I could easily make manifest how very unsafe all of them make the condition of things and upon what weak and slippery grounds they found Subjection to them It is the honor of the Church of England that her Doctrines in this case are truly Christian and Primitive And it is certain when she fails to be so i. e. loyal she ceases to be degenerates from her self and doth justly forfeit their i. e. Prince's Protection Dr. Freeman * Sermon before L. Mayor 1682. on Psalm 34.12 13 14. P. 8. He that makes his Prince to be undervalued and despised raises a Rebellion against him in mens breasts beats him out of his Subjects hearts and fights him out of their Affections and having once dispossess'd him of this his strongest Hold 't will be no hard matter to strip him of all his other Garrisons neither his Person nor his Government can hope to be long in safety when once they have wounded his Honour and put his Reputation to flight but in the Name of God! What do people of this temper propose to themselves Do they think that their Governours are not Men of passion and infirmities as well as others Do they not know that the Employments they are engaged in are so infinitely various and difficult that they are scarce capable to be managed with that evenness and exactness as may exclude all inconveniences And is it not certain that how ill soever the administration of publick Affairs may at any time be under lawful Governours 't is yet far more tolerable than even the reformation of an usurping Populacy Dr. Littleton's Sermon at a Solemn meeting of the Natives of the City and County of Worcester p. 17. Blessed Jesu This Evangelium Armatum this Sanguinary Doctrine was no Gospel of thy making no Doctrine of thy teaching Thy Doctrine was sealed with no bloud but that of thy own who wast the teacher of it and that of thy Apostles and Martyrs who were the propagators of it and though thou said'st thou camest not to send peace but a Sword yet that Sword was not designed to fight with but to suffer by it was a Sword of a passive not of an active persecution as to thy Disciples by which they were to fall victims themselves and not to sacrifice the lives of others And p. 18. May God ever preserve his gracious Majesty and Us the sinful People of this Land from such villanous Attempts of his and our Enemies I am heartily sorry that any who delight to wear the name of Protestants should give a just occasion for such a Charge D. Morrice Chaplain to
to draw it up nor would at last be brought to a compliance till he had his pardon sign'd for so doing and had been called Traitor by the Duke of Northumberland for his refusal his own Narrative which Fuller hath published declares That being an old weak man and without comfort in great fear and dread as were his Brethren with weeping eyes and sorrowful hearts they devised the said Book according to such Articles as were devised with the King 's proper hand above and beneath and on every side he thinking in his Conscience that the King never invented this matter of himself but by some wonderful false compass Montague determining with himself to be no Executor of the said Device whatsoever should chance of it Nor did he ever execute any Commission Proclamation or other Commandment from the Lady Jane or her Council but commanded his Son and Heir with twenty Men to join himself with the Buckinghamshire Men for the Defence of Queen Mary By this it appears that it was fear that swayed the greatest part of the Council and Judges at that time I say the greatest part of the Judges because * Sir James Hales one of the Justices of the Common Pleas Heyl. ubi supr ann 1553. p. 192 193. Fuller ubi supr p. 6. Bâ—unet par â— l. 1. p. 223. Fox tom 2. p. 1392. carried the Honor of a resolute and constant Man a Man both religious and upright whom no importunity could prevail upon to subscribe contrary to both Law and Conscience and tho he was afterward most unworthily requited by Queen Mary for it yet the Council would not find a Bill against him for High Treason upon this very account He was a Man * Tom. 2. p. 1278 1282. says Fox both favouring true Religion and also an upright Judge as any hath been noted in this Realm Of both which excellent Qualifications he gave a publick demonstration in that after the Queen's countenancing and establishing of the Mass he at a publick Assize in Kent gave Charge upon the Statutes made in the time of Henry the Eighth and Edward the Sixth for the Supremacy and Religion for which notwithstanding he had adventured his Life in Queen Mary's Cause in that he would not subscribe to the disheriting of her by the King's Will he was imprisoned in the Marshalsea Counter and Fleet and cruelly handled It is true the Severities of his Usage in Prison and the frightful Accounts which the Warden of the Fleet gave him of the Tortures appointed for Hereticks made him very melancholy in as much as he was as Fox continues his Story being perverted by Dr. Day Bishop of Chichester * Fox tom 2. p. 1331 1393. c. contented to say as they willed him or as Bishop Ridley in his Letter to Archbishop Cranmer words it he recanted perverted by Dr. Moreman And so just sometimes are God's proceedings with even a good man when he forsakes the ways of Truth as to leave him to walk in the paths of his own chusing to his ruin †Cons Bradfords Letter in Coverdale's Collect. p. 312. for the Consideration of this Apostacy so wrought upon him that he attempted in Prison to dispatch himself with a Pen-knife and after his Releasement was found drowned in a small River SECT III. And having entered into this Story I shall proceed a little further to shew how the Protestants of * Id. ibid. p. 1279 1280. Heyl. Bar. Full. ubi supra Suffolk were the Men who first resorted to Queen Mary when she was at Fremlingham Castle and gave her such aid and assistance as dispirited Northumberland and his Army and baffled all the Designs of her Adversaries And that it may be fully known what Principles swayed those good Men to assist their lawful Prince tho a known Papist and of a severe temper against an Usurper a profest Protestant and of other most amiable Qualifications it is worth the considering * Fox tom 2. p. 1726 1727. that when about the latter end of 1555 or the beginning of 1556 Commissioners were sent by Queen Mary and the Council into Norfolk and Suffolk among other Counties to enquire of matters of Religion an humble Supplication was exhibited by certain Inhabitants of the County of Norfolk wherein they profess ' That they were poor men but true faithful and obedient Subjects who as we have ever heretofore so intend we with God's Grace to continue in Christian Obedience unto the end and according to the word of God with all reverend fear of God to do our bounden duty to all those superior Powers whom God hath appointed over us doing as S. Paul saith Rom. 13. Let every soul be subject c. These Lessons right honorable Commissioners we have learned of the holy Word of God in our Mother Tongue 1. That the Authority of a King Queen c. is no tyrannical Usurpation but a just holy lawful and necessary Estate for man to be gâ—verned by and that the same is of God the Fountain and Author of Righteousness 2. That to obey the some in all things not against God is to obey God and to resist them is to resist God ☜ therefore as to obey God in his Ministers and Magistrates bringeth life so to resist God in them bringeth punishment and death The same Lesson have we learn'd of S. Peter saying Be ye subject to all human Ordinances c. 1 Pet. 2. After which with the Resolution and Courage of true Christian Confessors they profess That the Religion lately set forth by King Edward is such in our Consciences as every Christian Man is bound to confess to be the Truth of God to embrace the same in heart to confess it with mouth and if need require lose and forsake not only House and Land c. but also if God will so call them gladly to suffer all manner of Persecution and to lose their Lives in the Defence of God's Word and Truth We have learned the holy Prayer made for the Queen's Majesty wherein we learn that her Power and Authority is of God therefore we pray to God for her that she and all Magistrates under her may rule according to God's Word We think at present the unquiet multitude had more need to have these things more often and earnestly beaten and driven into them especially given in many places to stir and trouble than to take from them that blessed Doctrin whereby only they may to their Salvation be kept in quiet After which reflecting upon the Assistance which they and the Suffolk Men gave the Queen against the Lady Jane Grey they subjoin We protest before God we think P. 1728. if the holy Word of God had not taken some root among us ☜ we could not in times past have done that poor Duty of ours which we did in assisting the Queen our most dear Sovereign against her Grace's mortal Foe that then sought her Destruction It was our
resisteth the Ordinance of God. These are our Institutions these Doctrins are illustrious in our Books in our Sermons and in the manners and modesty of our People The same admirable Prelate in his Epistle Dedicatory to Queen Elizabeth before his defence of the Apology is still of the same mind blaming his Adversary Harding for debasing the Majesty of Kings ‖ sol 318.6 Mr. Harding concerning the Majesty and Right of Kings tells us they have their first authority by the positive Law of Nations and can have no more power than the People hath of whom they take their Temporal Jurisdiction as if he would say Emperors and Kings have none other Right of Government than it hath pleased their Subjects by composition to allow unto them thus he says and says it boldly as if God himself had never said per me Reges regnant by me and mine authority Kings bear rule over their Subjects or as if Christ our Saviour had never said unto Pilate the Lord Lieutenant thou shouldst have no power over me were it not given thee from above or as if St. Paul had not said there is no power but only from God they also hold that the Pope is the Head and Kings and Emperors the Feet If this Doctrine may once take root ☜ and be freely received amongst the Subjects it shall be hard for any Prince to hold his Right And in his Defence he declareth himself to be of the same mind part 1. p. 15. Mr. Harding knoweth right well we never Armed the People ☜ nor taught them to rebel for Religion against the Prince if any thing have at any time happen'd otherwise it was either some wilful rage or some fatal fury it was not our counsel it was not our Doctrine we teach the People as St. Paul doth To be subject to the higher powers not only for fear but also for conscience we teach them that whoso striketh with the sword by private authority shall perish with the sword if the Prince happen to be wicked or cruel or burthenous we teach them to say with St. Ambrose Arma nostra sunt preces lacrymae tears and prayers be our weapons and when ‖ p. 16. Harding himself had said that he condemn'd all such attempts that any Subject or Subjects whatsoever of their own private authority should take Arms against their Prince for matters of Religion why replies Jewel except you only the case of Religion Is it lawful by your Grant for the Subject in any other case either of Life or of Government to Arm himself against his Prince and would you thus perswade the People Is this your Religion Is this your Doctrine Anno 1565. Alexander Nowel Dean of St. Pauls set forth his reproof of Mr. Dorman 's proof and in it vindicates the Church of England from the scandalous imputation pr. at Lond. 4 to p. 94 95. that it taught Men to be Rebels Corah Dathan and Abyron rebelled against Moses and Aaron who were specially by God appointed to be their Governors and his Ministers but what appertaineth that to us who do obey our natural Prince appointed by God to be our Governor and all as well Civil Magistrates as Ecclesiastical Ministers of God under our Prince And therefore do we as we must needs renounce the authority of that foreign Usurper of Rome it is you Papists that are the Successors of the Rebels Corah c. who leaving the Obedience due to your own natural Princes for the serving of a Foreign false Usurper of Rome do rebel not only against Moses that is to say your Governor by God appointed but against God himself also we acknowledg that as Moses and Aaron were Gods Ministers by him appointed to govern his peculiar People Israel so hath God likewise appointed to every several Country their Moses and Aaron their Princes and Pastors or Bishops which ought likewise to be obeyed as Moses and Aaron were to be obey'd of the Israelites and that those who do disobey them do sin by Rebellion ☞ p. 96. as did Corah c as we are most far from Rebelling against our natural Sovereign and other of God's Ministers appointed to govern us and therefore no partakers of Corah and his fellows Rebellion so trust we in God to be most far from their most horrible destruction and we give warning to Mr. Dorman c. who for maintenance of a Forein Pharaoh against their conscience as is to be feared do disobey their own natural Prince and that upon a pretence of holiness and spirituality and are therein most like to Corah c. rebelling against their own special Governors by God appointed as they did that they make speed by unfeigned repentance to mollifie God's most just wrath that they follow not Corah c. in horrible damnation as they have followed them in damnable Rebellion Anno 1569. an exhortation to the Queens Majesties poor deceived Subjects of the North drawn into Rebellion by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland was printed by allowance and in it they are thus accosted Christians I cannot term you that have defac'd the Communion of Christians and in destroying the Book of Christ's most Holy Testament renounced your parts by his Testament bequeath'd unto you their pretences were the foul disorder of the Realm much impoverish'd far indebted the defrauding of due execution of Justice that no Subject can have his Right by Law but falsly whereas they are better taught far doth the proportion of duty of Subjects to the Prince exceed the duty of Servants to Masters or Children to Parents yea or of Wives to their Husbands the very nearest conjoyning in humane fellowship even so far as a Realm exceeds a private Family but if one of your own Servants Children or Wives should do that without your will nay against your will and express commandment that your Captains and you have attempted without and against the Queens Highness pleasure would you account them good Servants good Children or good Wives if they shall put on armour and weapon and become terrible or threaten force to the Master Father Husband or the rest of the Family if the case were your own you would more mislike it The Prince is the Husband of the Common wealth married to the Realm and the same by ceremony of a ring shall you resist her authority and refuse her blessing and say you be her good children Shall your Captains forsake her Service and say they are good Servants note withal how likely they are to profess a true Religion that hold this Principle ☜ to keep no faith use no loyalty regard no oaths and promises made with attestation of God and avowing themselves to renouncing of Heaven and to eternal damnation they regard no Religion that go so irreligiously to work all is but show and hypocrisie Reed I beseech you the excellent Treatise of Sir John Cheek Knight of the hurt of Sedition there see as in a glass
other Potentate play the Kite with them both as the Turks did with the Hungarians c. 3. p. 57 c. That Princes may be chastised by their Subjects your Proofs are Two one is drawn from certain Examples the other from the good Success and Successors which usually have followed Slender Threds to draw any Man to your Opinion There is no Villany so vile which wants Example and by the secret yet just Judgment of God divers evil Actions are carried with appearance of good success Pag. 61. When Saul persecuted David he defended himself no otherwise than by flight During this pursuit Saul fell twice into his power once he did not only spare but protect him the other time his Heart did smite him for that he had cut away the Lap of his Garment lastly he caused the Messenger to be slain who upon request and for pity had further'd as he said the Death of that sacred King. We have a Precept of Obedience which is the Mould wherein we ought to fashion our Actions God only is superior to Princes who useth many Instruments in the execution of his Justice but his Authority he hath committed unto none Pag. 68. The Examples of Suintilla and other Gothick Kings in Spain is answer'd by saying that the Kingdom was not then setled in Succession And then he shews the illegality of the Proceedings against King John Pag. 72 73 74 75. Edw. 2. and Rich. 2. and adds Three Causes are commonly insinuated by you for which a King may be deposed Tyranny Insufficiency and Impiety But what Prince could hold his State what People their Quiet assured if this your Doctrine should take place How many good Princes doth Envy brand with one of these Marks What Action of State can be so ordered that either blind Ignorance or set Malice will not easily strain to one of these Heads Every execution of Justice every demand of Tribute or Supply shall be claimed Tyranny Every unfortunate Event shall be exclaimed Insufficiency Every kind of Religion shall by them of another Sect be proclaimed Impiety But are not Princes subject to Law C 4. p. 81 82 c. and Order Answ I will not deny but there is a Duty for Princes to perform but how prove you that their Subjects have power to depose them if they fail The people may so give away their Authority that they cannot resume it and few Princes in the World hold their Estates by Grant of the people If the Prince hath no power but by Commission from the People then all Estates are popular Our Laws do acknowledge supreme Authority in the Prince within the Realm and Dominions of England neither can Subjects bear themselves either superior 1 El. 1. or equal to their Sovereign or attempt violence either against his Person or Estate No Prince is Sovereign C. 5. p. 92. who acknow ledgeth himself either subject or accountable to any but to God. Did David bear Arms against his Anointed King ☜ Did he ever lift up his Eye lids against him Did he ever so much as defend himself otherwise than by flight What then shall we say unto you who to set up Sedition and Tumult abuse all Divine and Human Writings in whatsoever you believe will advance your purpose who spend some Speech of Respect unto Kings for Allurement only to draw us more deep into your deceit c. The Coronation Oath is only a free P. 102. Royal Promise to discharge that Duty which God doth impose The Prophets P. 105. the Apostles Christ himself hath taught us to be obedient to Princes ☜ tho both Tyrants and Infidels This ought to stand with us for a thousand Reasons to submit our selves to such Kings as it pleaseth God to send unto us without either judging or examining their Qualities their Hearts are in God's Hand they do his Service sometimes in preserving sometimes in punishing us If they abuse any part of their power let them assuredly expect that God will dart his vengeance against them with a most stiff and dreadful Arm. In the mean season we must not oppose our selves otherwise than by humble Suits and Prayers acknowledging that those Evils are always just for us to suffer which are many times unjust for them to do If we break into disorder we resemble the Giants who sealed the Skies C. 6. 116 117. It was alledged in behalf of some Cities in France that they were not Rebels because they had not professed Allegiance unto Henry the Fourth but the chiefest Lawyers of our Age did resolve that forasmuch as they were original Subjects even Subjects by Birth they were Rebels in bearing Arms against their King altho they had never professed Allegiance But the admission of the people say you hath often prevailed against Right of Succession ☞ So have Pyrates against Merchants so have Mutherers and Thieves against true meaning Travellers Chap. 8 p. 146 147. But may not a man trespass on such Laws for the good of the Realm Answ What Conscience can any men have in defiling their Faith Such Consciences you endeavour to frame in all men P. 156 157. to break an Oath with as great facility as a Squirrel can crack a Nut. In what a miserable condition should Princes live if their State depended upon the pleasures of the people in whom company takes away shame and every man may lay fault on his Fellow How could they command P. 164. Who would obey c. It seems strange to reason to plant Religion under the Obedience of Kings not only careless thereof but cruel against it But when we consider that the Jews did commonly forsake God in prosperity and seek him in distress that the Church of Christ was more pure more zealous more entire I might also say more populous when she travelled with the storm in her face than when the wind was either prosperous or calm We may learn thereby no further to examine but to admire and embrace the unsearchable Wisdom and Will of God. P. 170. c. God hath taught by the Apostle S. Paul that whosoever resists the higher powers which at that time were Infidels receive unto themselves damnation ☞ You teach that whosoever doth not in the like case resist doth damnably offend were not the Spirit of Division otherwise called the Devil seated in your Soul you would not thus openly oppose the Settlings of your rotten Brain against the express and direct Sentence of God. The Apostle teacheth us to be obedient to higher powers for conscience sake and not for any private respect P. 173 c. You whose Office is to pray to instruct Men in pure Devotion to settle their Souls in piety and peace you take upon you the Policies of State you read and deface the Reputation of Kings you make your selves both Judges and Moderators of all their Actions allowing them to flie no further than you give them Wings
omnia ad salutem necessaria a point which he durst defend in the worst of times when that Church was so much oppress'd for asserting her Loyalty to God and the King for her agreement with the Primitive Church in not rebelling against the lawful Magistrate and in owning the Jus Divinum of Episcopal Hierarchy and Liturgy To what is quoted out of Mr. Edw. Symmons's Vindication of King Charles in the first part of this History let these Passages be added by virtue of the Canon Romanus Episcopus say the Jesuits Sect 4. p. 46. v. p. 47. the Pope hath power to depose Kings be they Heretical or Catholick of vicious or virtuous lives if in his judgment he finds them unfit and some others more capable of Government and do not these Men believe the Authority of Parliament to be as irresistible as that of the Pope and their Votes to be as full of virtue as his Canons and altogether as authentick even to the deposing of Kings and disposing of their Kingdoms have they not loosen'd People from their Oath of Allegiance to the King and then put them in Arms persuading them that 't is no Rebellion to fight against him Sect. 16. p. 160 161. the next thing they mention wherein they triumph indeed and glory is their late extraordinary success in the Field some perhaps may wonder how these three can agree together great sufferings strange patience and extraordinary good success prosperity and good success which of old went current only among the Papists for a note of the true Church is now admitted also by these Men to be a special mark of the goodness of their Cause but in regard our Religion hath hitherto taught that sufferings and patience were rather the marks of Christ's true Flock than extraordinary success in the World therefore c. these two names of suffering and patience shall from henceforth be rejected and wholly disclaimed P. 168. cons loc as infallible marks of Loyalty and Malignity success is the weakest Argument that can be alledged to prove the goodness of a Cause and the wickedest Men have most used it this Book was written Anno 1645. tho not published till the year 1648. CHAP. VII The History of Passive Obedience under King Charles II. c. SECT I. WHen the execrable Parricide was committed on the Martyr Charles and his Family driven into Exile this Truth did not want its Confessors tho they smarted bitterly for owning it of which number Mr. Sheringham publish'd his accurate treatise of the King's Supremacy wherein as he says in his Introduction he exposes and confutes those Principles and Grounds whereby the Rebels endeavour'd to justifie the War against the King the first of which was that it was lawful for the People to resist their Sovereign and Supreme Governors by force of Arms in case they be Tyrants and bent to subvert the Laws and Religion establish'd or by illegal Proceedings invade the Lives Estates or Liberties of their Subjects This dangerous position he fully and learnedly confutes in his Book proving the Supremacy of our Kings and that they are neither coordinate nor subordinate to the People both by the Statute and common Law of this Land and clearly answers all the objections from either reason or authority concluding all with this remarkable saying P. 118. To speak my desires I wish unfeignedly the Salvation of all the pretended Parliamentarians ☞ but to speak my thoughts I conceive more hopes of the honest Heathen than of any Man that shall dye a Rebel or not make restitution as far as he is able of all that he hath gained by oppression and injustice Mr. Allington in his Grand Conspiracy Sermon 3. p. 106 107. Vid. Serm. 2. p. 60 81. Caiaphas pleaded the exigencies of the State for the Murther of our Saviour and which of us is there that hath not a Caiaphas in his bosom Which of us is there that doth not rather consider the expediency than the justice of an action which of us do not consider whether what we do be not rather secure than conscionable Men who will sacrifice both Judgment Loyalty Conscience and all Honesty to avoid an inconvenience P. 115 116. it is a Law much commended in this Land of ours that no Man shall be tryed but by his Peers now a King must be above the judgment of his Subjects because among them he can have no Peers such an heir as Christ was in the Parable Sermon 4. p. 179. Luc. 20.14 could not be robb'd of his Birth-right nor deprived of his Inheritance but it must be done with violence and that violence could never had hands enough without an Association the Husbandmen without any mask of Religion P. 205. or cloak of Godliness without any pretence of freeing themselves from Tyranny Arbitrary Government or any manner of Oppression they declare clearly what more subtle Rebels would not that the reason they prosecute bought arraign'd and kill'd the heir P. 208 and P. 210 211. it merely was for his Inheritance that the Inheritance may be ours this Lord had power to call the Labourers but the Labourers had none to call him to account Anno 1651. Mr. Jane Father to the present Regius Professor at Oxon if I am rightly informed Printed his Answer to Miltons Iconoclastes and in it fully and on all occasions avers this truth Exam. of the Pref. p. 5. v. p. 11 It is hateful in any to descant on the misfortunes of Princes but in such as have relation to them by Service or Subjection as the Libeller Milton to the late King is the compendium of all unworthiness P. 28 v. p. 34. and unnatural Insolence had His Majesty's faults been as palpable as this Author's falshood it could not diminish his Subjects duty nor excuse the Rebels imprety Rebels never wanted pretensions P. 36 37. but liberty and justice were the common masks of such Monsters so this Man will have the World believe Rebellion is dearer to this Author than Religion and he will rather commend superstitious actions of a blind Age and the very dregs of Popery than want an ingredient to the varnish of that horrid sin P. 39. Superstitious Churchmen had their hands in the old Rebellions and in our days we find they have Successors that teach the People Doctrins of Devils and seduce them from Obedience to those that had the rule over them P. 47. Obedience and Sufferings are the servility and wretchedness which Milton calls the Pulpit stuff of the Prelates we may shortly expect that as these Miscreants have altered State and Church ☜ so they will compose an Index Expurgatorius of the Bible for it cannot be imagined that they will object this heinous crime of Preaching Passive Obedience to the Prelates and leave so many places in the Gospel which command it and themselves need not the Gospel to make Men obedient they have the Sword and this
Subjects leave to withdraw their obedience from their Sovereign when he hath most need of their assistance so that assoon as any Town City or Province of any Prince's Dominions is invaded by a Foreign Enemy or possess'd by a rebellious Subject that the Prince cannot for the present suppress the Power of the one or the other the People may lawfully resort to those who are over them and for their protection perform all the Offices and Duties of good Subjects to them whereas the duty of Subjects is and all good Subjects believe they owe another kind of Duty and Obedience to their Sovereign than to withdraw their subjection because he is opprest and will prefer poverty and death it self before they will renounce obedience to their natural Prince or do any thing that may advance the service of his Enemies P. 92. surely this woful desertion and defection which hath always been held criminal by all Law that hath been current in any part of the World hath received so much countenance and justification by Mr. Hobbs's Book ☞ that CROMWELL found the submission to those Principles produc'd a submission to him and the imaginary relation between protection and allegiance so positively proclaim'd by him prevailed for many years to extinguish all visible fidelity to the King whilst he persuaded many to take the Engagement as a thing lawful and to become Subjects to the Usurper P. 135 136. as to their legitimate Sovereign Kings themselves can never be punish'd for their casual or wilful errors and mistakes let the consequences of them be what they will but if they who maliciously lead or advise or obey them in unjust resolutions and commands were to have the same indemnity there must be a dissolution of all Kingdoms and Governments but as Kings must be left to God whose Vicegerents they are to judge of their breach of trust so they who offend against the Law must be left to the punishment P. 163. the Law hath provided for them if all Sovereigns be subject to the Laws of Nature because such Laws are divine and cannot by any Man or Commonwealth be abrogated they then are obliged to observe and perform those Laws which themselves have made and promis'd to observe for violation of faith is against the Law of Nature ☞ Nor doth this obligation set any Judge over the Sovereign nor doth any Civil Law pretend that there is any power to punish him it is enough that in justice he ought to do it and that there is a Sovereign in Heaven above him tho not on earth To this great Minister of State I should join Sir Robert Filmer but that it is needless the Enemies of the unaccountableness of Kings having branded him with the mark of a State Heretick for his Orthodox Opinions which among all good Men make his Memory reverend and his works Eminent to which I advise the Reader to make his recourse particularly his short but excellent Treatise of the Power of Kings c. See also Sir William Dugdale's Preface to his view of our late troubles c. The Late Bishop of Chichester Dr. Lake having Aug. 27. 1689. received the Sacrament on his Death-bed did in the presence of Dr. Hicks Dean of Worcester Dr. Green and some others make this protestation being as himself worded it ingaged in the most sacred and solemn act of conversing with God See the Paper and the vindication of it not knowing to the contrary but that he might appear with those very words in his mouth at the dreadful Tribunal That I was Baptized into the Religion of the Church of England and sucked it in with my Milk I have constantly adhered to it through the whole course of my life and now if so be the will of God shall dye in it and had resolved through Gods Grace assisting me to have dyed so tho at a Stake And whereas that Religion of the Church of England taught me the Doctrine of Non-Resistance and Passive Obedience which I have accordingly inculcated upon others and which I took to be the distinguishing Character of the Church of England ☜ I adhere no less firmly and stedfastly to that and in Consequence of it have incurred a Suspension from the exercise of my Office and exspected a Deprivation I find in so doing much inward satisfaction and if the Oath had been tendred at the peril of my life I could only have obeyed by suffering c. Manu propriâ Subscripsit Jo. Cicestrensis To this great Man I should add his bosome Friend Dr. Allestrey who speaks fully and consonant to sound Doctrine on this Head but I must refer the Reader to his Sermon Novemb. 5. 1665. on Luc. 9.55 Vol. 1. p. 127. and Vol. 2. p. 60. and p. 253 276. Thus the acute Dr. Sherlock Some Men pretend great Oppression Serm. on Ps 18.50 p. 2. and Male-Administration of Government though their licentious noises and clamors sufficiently confute it for Men who are most opprest dare say the least of it The Liberties and Properties of the Subject is an admirable pretence to deprive the Prince of his Liberties and Properties Others make Religion the pretence for their Rebellion Religion the greatest and the dearest Interest of all but methinks it is a dangerous way for Men to Rebel to save their Souls when God hath threatned damnation against those who Rebel No Men fight for Religion who have any Religion is a quiet peaceable governable thing it teaches Men to suffer patiently but not to Rebel It is evident it is not Religion such Men are zealous for but a liberty in Religion i. e. that every one may have his liberty to be of any Religion or of none which serves the Atheist's turn as well as the Sectaries but is not much for the honor or interest of true Religion So that whatever the pretences are it is an ambitious p. 3. v. p 6 7. discontented revengeful spirit an uneasie restless fickle and unchangeable humor which disturbs Politick Government and undermines the Thrones of Princes In the time of the Fanatick Plot p. 7 8. p. 11. but to Talk or Write or Preach about Obedience to Government or patient Suffering for a good Cause was to betray the Protestant Interest God may sometimes suffer Treason and Rebellion to be prosperous p. 11. but it can never prosper but when God pleases and it is impossible Rebels should ever know that and therefore it is impossible they should have any reasonable security of Success There is nothing more expresly contrary to the revealed Will of God than Treasonable Plots and Conspiracies against Sovereign Princes Christian Religion indeed is the greatest security of Government both in its Precepts and Examples It requires us to obey our Superiors in all lawful things and quietly to submit and suffer when we cannot Obey And the blessed Jesus who was the Author of our Religion and our great Pattern and Example did himself practise
Griffith Serm. 25. Mar. 1660. called fear God and the King p. 11. v.p. 39. and p. 8 9. If God command one thing and the King should command another then God's command is to be preferred and yet let me tell you that the King is not to be disobeyed for a true Christian is obliged to a twofold obedience Active and Passive Where the King commands things Lawful there yield Active Obedience and know that it is your duty to do them but if he should command such a thing as you may not lawfully do then you must not resist but suffer patiently for your not doing it and that is your Passive Obedience and in both these you may still keep a good Conscience for though God be to be preferred yet God will not have his Anointed to be disobeyed Dr. Jane Dean of Gloucester Ser. at the Consecr of Doctor Crompton Bishop of Oxon p. 30 31 32. Such is the peculiar genius of Christianity that where ever it is either Preacht or Received it can create no jealousie in the State. The ground upon which this Assertion stands is this that it disclaims all title to the Sword but leaves him that takes it to perish with it though it be drawn in defence of Christ himself In the Church then as of old in Israel there was no Smith to provide Swords and Spears though against their persecuting Philistines To obey Authority was taught and practised under a Nero and their Submissions were as unparallel'd as their Provocations And we may truly suppose under the Roman Emperors that had the Doctrine of Obedience been as truly received by their Heathen Subjects as it was Preacht by S. Paul and practised by the believing Romans they had effectually provided for the publick Tranquillity without any further need of Forts and Armies to secure it Dr. Outram The Glory of the King Ser. Jan. 30. 1664. p. 141 149. the Privileges of the Parliament the Liberty of the Subject the Purity of Religion these are written upon the Face of the design The Principle is doing evil that good may come of it and breaking Laws that we may the better observe them These Men went to Rome to whet the Ax and borrowed an Arrow out of the Roman Quiver secretly to shoot the Lord 's Anointed Were the Prince a Nero p. 160. Paul would charge us we should not resist and would charge resistance with damnation Sir Orlando Bridgman at the Tryal of the Regicides says Try. p. 10 12. v. p. 15 52 182 283. I must deliver to you for plain and true Law that no Authority no single Person no Community of Persons not the People Collectively or Representatively have any coercive Power over the King of England And this he proves at large in the same place The Crown of England is and always was an Imperial Crown Now I do not intend any Absolute Government by this It is one thing to have an Absolute Monarchy another thing to have that Government absolutely without Laws as to any coercive Power over the Person of the King. God is my witness what I speak V. p. 13 14. p. 280. V. p. 281 282. I speak from mine own Conscience that is that whatsoever the case was by the Laws of these Nations the Fundamental Laws there could not be any coercive Power over the King. And this he there proves from the obligation of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy c. Mark the Doctrine of the Church of England and I do not know with what spirit of Equivocation any Man can take that Oath of Supremacy Her Articles were the judgment not only of the Church but of the Parliament at the same time And the Queen and the Church were willing that these should be put into Latin that all the World might see the Confession of the Church of England So also Sir Heneage Finch P. 51. then the King's Sollicitor General The King is not accountable to any coercive Power See also the accurate Treatise See also Nalson's Counter p. 35 c. 3â—9 Com. Interest of Kings p. 139 c. p. 3. called the Harmony of Divinity and Law which proves that it is a damnable sin to resist Sovereign Princes and answers all the little objections of the Republicans to the contrary I shall here only mention Mr. Foulu's History of the Plots and Conspiracies of the pretended Saints and briefly transcribe a passage or two out of Dr. Sprat Bishop of Rochester his True account of the horrid Conspiracy At that time under the color of the only true Protestant the worst of all Unchristian Principles were put in Practice all the old Republican and Antimonarchical Doctrines whose effects had formerly proved so dismal were again as confidently owned and asserted as ever they had been during the hottest rage of the late unhappy Troubles p. 21. See p. 41. The Lord R was seduced by the wicked Teachers of that most Unchristian Doctrine which has been the cause of so many Rebellions That it is lawful to resist and rise against Sovereign Princes for preserving Religion p. 43 44. Other Principles were that the only obligation the Subject hath to the King is a mutual Covenant that this Covenant was manifestly broken on the King's part ☞ that therefore the People were free from all Oaths and other tyes of Fealty and Allegiance and had the natural Liberty restored to them of asserting their own Rights and as justly at least against a Domestick as against Foreign Invaders p. 131. v. p. 132. The whole design of A. S's Papers was to maintain That Tyrants may be justly Deposed by the People and that the People are the only Judges who are Tyrants That the general Revolt of a Nation from its own Magistrates can never be called a Rebellion which Positions the Historian calls with great Truth and Justice Villanous Opinions p. 133. and such as if allowed it will be impossible for the best Kings or the most happy Kingdoms in the World to be free from perpetual Treasons p. 164. and Rebellious Plottings But his Majesty hath just reason to acknowledge that the main body of the Nobility and Gentry stood by him so has the whole sound and honest part of the Commonalty so the great Fountains of Knowledge and Civility the two Universities so the wisest and most learned in the Laws so the whole Clergy and all the genuine Sons of the Church of England ☞ a Church whose glory it is to have been never tainted with the least blemish of disloyalty Dr. Pocock In ch 8. Hos 4. p. 388 389. Some Interpreters by Setting up Kings but not by me would understand Saul but that cannot with reason be imagined Others looking on the sin of the Israelites to be their defection from the House of David on which God had intayled the Right and Title of the Kingdom and their changing of the Kinghom and Priesthood of their own heads