and not he From whence it is plain that the Prince hath the Sword in both senses from the same hand from which he hath his Robes his Crown and his Scepter He is a Soveraign as Gods Vice-Gerent and Representative and as Gods Vice-Gerent and Representative he is a Soveraign and under both or either character he holds the Sword by the Autority of his Heavenly Master who hath put it in his hand for his Peoples defence and also to be an avenger to execute wrath upon every soul that is disobedient to the Laws which are made to defend his rights against the invasions of his Subjects or he rights of his Subjects against the violence and invasions of one another In both these respects he is an Avenger and God to whom Vengeance and the Power of life and death over men Radically and Originally belongeth hath committed the Sword of War and Justice unto him that he might be Vindex in terris and not only Command but Punish in his stead Hence the Emperor Justinian who according to my first proposition in the first sentence of his Preface to the Pandects solemnly * Deo Autore nostrum gubernante imperium quod no-bis à coelesti Majestate traditum est prae fat I. digest acknowledges that he received his Empire from God doth in the beginning of his Proem to the Institutions assert Arms to be primarily necessary for a Prince in the following words Imperatoriam Majestatem non solum Armis decoratam sed etiam legibus oportet esse armatam The Majesty of a King ought to be fortified and adorned not only with Arms but Laws With Arms in the first place without which his Majesty would be contemptible and his Laws of no force for take away the Teeth and Talons of the Lyon and his Roaring to which Solomon ingeniously compares the wrath of a King shall be no longer terrible but every vile Dog will bark and every silly Ass will bray in his face and lift up his heels against him Hence saith * Prolog tract de leg consuet regn Angl. Glanvil of the Kings of England almost in the words of Justinian Regiam Majestatem non solum armis oportet esse decoratam sed legibus and to this purpose †L. 1. c. 27. Fleta habet Rex in manu suâ omnia jura the King hath all the Laws in his hand materialem gladium qui pertinet ad Regni gubernaculum and the Sword which belongeth to the Government of his Kingdom and saith Bracton in the beginning of his first Book In rege qui reclè regit necessaria sunt duo baec arma videlicet leges there are two things necessary for a King that Governs well Arms and Laws Hence the Laws of this Kingdom which acknowledg the imperial Crown and Jurisdiction of his Realm to be taken immediately from God according to my first Proposition do also according to the second acknowledg the Kings Power over the Militia and that force of Armour belongs unto him by vertue of his Royal Seignory as may be seen in the 7 of Edward I. and in the 13 of our present Soveraign c. 6. where it is declared that the supream disposition of the Militia and of all Forces by Sea and Land and of all Forts and places of strength is and by the Laws of England ever was the right of His Majesty and his Royal Predecessors And if it were not he would not be a real but a meer nominal King in shew a Soveraign or shadow of a Soveraign but in reality a Subject a Spartan King a distressed Prince indeed not Gods but the Peoples unhappy Minister and Servant which his Majesty of his great wisdom knew very well when he told that House of Commons which asked the Militia of him for some weeks that he would not part with it for an hour It was the voice of a King and a Christian he spoke as it became Gods Vice-Gerent and Lieutenant who knew very well from whom he had his Sword as well as his Scepter and that he bore it not in vain but was the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him or them that do evil Having now shewed first that sovereign Princes are God's ministers and vicegerents and secondly that as such they have and exercise the supreme power and particularly that of the Sword I now proceed to make some practical Observations upon this Loyal doctrine proper to this meeting and the exigence of these times in which we live First then we may observe what a groundless and blasphemous doctrine it is to assert as the Popish Writers do that the Pope hath all manner of temporal as well as spiritual power given him from God and that he giveth the former to Emperours and Kings to use it under him but so that as his ministers and vicegerents they depend entirely upon him This is the great Palladium of the Popish Cause which hath murthered and deposed so many sovereign Princes and disposed of their Crowns and Dominions This brought Henry the IV. Emperour of Germany on a cold frosty day barefoot and bare headed to Pope Hildebrand's palace this brought the Emperour Frederick the first to hold Pope Adrian the 4th's Stirrop and this set the foot of Pope Alexander the 3d upon his Neck when his Holiness blasphemously misapplyed the words of the Psalmist Thou shalt tread upon the Lion and Adder the young Lion and Dragon thou shalt trample under foot It was upon this account of the Pope's pretended universal Sovereignty that King John surrendred this Kingdom to Pope Innocent the 3d that Henry the 2d submitted to the lashes of the Monks of Canterbury and that Henry the 4th of France was whipped in the Person of his Ambassadour Cardinal D'ossat by the Pope and Cardinals at Rome To be short this doctrine makes all Princes the Pope's Vassals and it ought not to be endured by any Loyal Christian Subject as being so unreasonable in it self so destructive to the rights and dignity of sovereign Princes and so contrary to the word of God Our Ancestours themselves were never able to bear it as * Colces instit part 4. p. 13 14. appears from the resolve of the Lords and Commons in Parliament in the 40 year of Edward the 3d who when the Pope by his Ambassadour demanded Homage of the King for his two Kingdoms answered that King John upon whose surrender the Pope grounded his claim could not put his Realm in any such subjection without his peoples consent that it was against his Coronation Oath and that for themselves they could not assent to any thing in Parliament that tended to the disinberison of the King and his Crown and that if the Pope attempted any thing of that nature they would resist him with all their force And in the Stature of Praemunire wherein as I have shew'd the three Estates of this Realm acknowledged the King to be immediately subject to God
likewise are Men ordained Kings And so Tertullian after him Thence is the Emperor from whence he was a man before he was Emperor thence he hath this Autority from whence he hath his breath And again We must of necessity reverence the Emperor as one that our Lord hath chosen so that we may reasonably say that Caesar is rather ours than yours as being ordained by our God Apol. c. 30.33 and in another place a Christian is an Enemy to no man much less to the Emperor whom he knows to be appointed by God ad Scapul This was current Divinity among the Christians under the Pagan and Persecuting Emperors and what it was after they turned Christians may be seen in the Apology of St. Athanasrus unto Constanius especially from these words O Almighty Lord eternal King the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ thou by thy word hast given the Empire to thy servant Constantius It would be endless to cite more Autorities to confirm this Doctrine out of the Fathers I will rather shew how it hath been taught by our own Acts and Authors of our own Soveraigns the Kings of the English * Sir Orland Bridgmans speech to the Regicides p. 12 13 14. Empire to whom God hath given this †Granmers Letters to Qu. Mary Imperial Crown the Statute of Praemunire lb. K. 2. c. 5. declares that the Crown of England is so free that it is in no Earthly Subjection but immediately subject to God in all things touching the regality of the same And the Parliament in the 25 H. 8.21 made this recognition unto his Majesty that his Graced Realm had no Superiour under God but only his Grace and 24 H. 8. c. 12. and that next unto God they ought him a Natural and Humble Obedience And long before this our Ancient and learned Lawyer Bracton did declare that the * L. 1 de rer divis c. 2. King is the Vicar and Minister of God and Christ that he †L. 2. c. 22. hath neither equal nor Superiour and that * L. 1. de ver divis c. 8. every Soul is under him but he is under none except only God As for Ecclesiastical Autorities it would take up too much time to recite them all The * Canon 36. Art 1. Church is to admit none into holy orders but such as will first subscribe that the Kings Majesty next under God is the only Supream Governor of all his Realsm and Dominions and in the Book of †see hom about obedience part 1. and against wilful Rebell p. 1. Homilies besides the assertion of this Doctrine about Soveraign Princes in general our late Soveraign King James is acknowledged for the high gift of God To conclude this head from hence it comes to pass that our Kings as the learned * In Epistolâ ad virun Ampl. D. Morley Bochart observed are stiled by the Grace of God and that the Royal Motto is Dieu et mon Droit and accordingly this Church which is so Pure and Primitive in her Loyalty hath taught her Children to Pray Almighty God whose Kingdom is everlasting and Power infinite have mercy upon the whole Church and so rule the heart of thy Chosen Servant Charles our King and Governour that he knowing whose Minister he is may above all things seek thy Honour and Glory and that we and all his Subjects duly considering whose Autority he hath may faithfully serve honor and humbly obey him in thee and for thee according to thy blessed Word and Ordinance Yes according to the word of the Apostle in my text who saith that the beareth not te Sword in Vain because he is the Minister of God II. Having now shewed that Soveraign Princes are Gods Ministers and Vice-Gerents and Reign by his special appointment I proceed to shew in the second place that under that Character they have and exercise the Supream Power and particularly the Power of the Sword This latter Proposition is a very easy and discernable consequence from the former and may be illustrated from the nature of subordinate Magistrates who are the Kings Ministers appointed under him as he is appointed under God As for example the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is the Kings Minister and Vice-Gerent and by consequence under that character he hath and exercises the Supream Power in the Government of that Kingdom both Civil and Military both that of the Scepter and that of the Sword which the King hath committed unto him In like manner Soveraign Princes being as I have shewn Gods Lieutenants and Vice-Gerents within their several Realms and Dominions they Reign under that Sublime character and as his Representiatives have and exercise all Jurisdiction and in particular that of the Sword accordingly as the Apostle saith he beareth not the Sword in Vain for he is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath or punishment upon him that doth evil Were men of the temper of the Angels who obey their Superiours purely for Conscience-sake then it would be sufficient for Princes that they had the commanding without the Punishing Power but since most men are subject more for Fear than Conscience it is highly necessary that the Soveraign should be furnished with the Coercive and Vindicative Power which may be called the Sword of Justice and without which all his Laws and Orders would be vain precarious and insignificant words and writings meer Cobwebs which the Wasps and Hornets that swarm in all Governments would insultingly break through And were men also like the good Angels free from evil passions would they be quiet in the several ranks and stations in which God hath set them then Soveraign Princes like Arch-Angels who are secure from the insurrections of their Subjects would be safe without the Sword but since Pride Envy and Discontent make men envy their Superiours and strive to snatch the Crowns from off their Princes heads since there are Lucifers in all Kingdoms and the Dragon and his Angels will in all worldly Governments be still fighting with Michael and his it is absolutely necessary that the Soveraign be furnished with the Supream Command Government and Disposition of the Militia or Military Forces which may be called the Sword of War Furthermore it is necessary for the Soveraign to bear the Sword of War not only to defend himself from his own Rebellious Subjects but to defend both himself his people from the invasions of other Soveraigns for it is not upon Earth as it is in Heaven where one Principality can live without danger or jealousie of anothe but in all Earthly Kingdoms there must be military Societies Preparations ready to oppose foreign violence actual and Potential Forces some every where as the Historian speaks in equis Armis ad subita belli excubantes and if this Power of levying War and providing Arms and Forces did belong to any other person than him whom God hath appointed for Soveraign that person would be Soveraign
the Prince and are God's Trustees to see that he doeth his duty and that if he will not they may compell him and reform without him and raise forces to resist his unjust force But as this opinion is utterly against Scripture the Histories of all times and the practice of all civil governments wherein all inferiour Magistrates have their commissions from the Supreme So is it utterly against reason for then instead of one we should have many Sovereigns in every Government Power against Power and Sword against Sword and if there be any man here so absurd that is not convinced of the danger and absurdity of it at first hearing I desire him to admit this hypothesis but for one year into his own family Let him suppose that his Steward or chief servant hath his Steward's authority immediately from God and is God's Trustee to see that he doth his duty and that when he will not he may force him and reform his family without his consent but if he abhor this as an absurd and impious proposal and as utterly inconsistent with the just exercise of the paternal authority in Families it is every whit as bad in sovereign States and Kingdoms and in a short time would make the Supreme the subordinate Magistrate's Slave I have also made this observation because many inferiour Powers and Magistrates have formerly and I wish I could not say of late done very much harm to the Crown and given very ill example to the common people of this Kingdom by their undutifull and disloyal actions Were it needfull I could prove this Charge by a volume of Examples out of the Histories of the late times to which I refer you and heartily wish for the honour of God and the Protestant Religion that our present Sovereign and God's Vicegerent to whose goodness so many ungratefull men owe their honours and estates and some incurable Traitours their honours and lives had not of late been treated by some inferiour Powers and Potentates more like a publick enemy than a Prince But in the fifth place If God hath put the Sword in the Sovereign's hand we may all learn how Necessary and Honourable the profession of a Souldier is who beareth not the Sword in vain but to fight the Lord's battels in defence of his Vicegerent and to be a revenger to execute wrath upon them that doe evil Every lawfull Souldier whether Common or Commander is God's Souldier and what Jehosaphat said unto his Judges 2 Chron. 19. may with a little alteration be said by the King to his Militia or Army Let the fear of Gob be upon you and take heed what you doe for the judgments which you execute are God's judgments and you fight not for man but for the Lord. I have made this observation because we have at least one Sect among us who say that it is unlawfull for a Christian to bear Arms and serve in the Wars under his lawfull Prince But this is just such another absurd opinion as that of the same men who say it is unlawfull to take an Oath before the lawfull Magistrate when we are required to swear I profess I wonder what can be the ground of such an absurd opinion and how the Socinians who pretend to be Masters of Reason can teach such an unreasonable thing It is a perfect contradiction to the doctrine of the Apostle who here teacheth us that the Sovereign beareth the Sword as he is God's Minister and that he beareth in not in vain but to be a revenger to execute wrath upon him that docth evil and if he bear the Sword by God's appointment and for so great an end it must needs be lawfull and laudable to bear it under him just as because he is the supreme Minister of Justice some must needs serve under him in the administration and execution of Justice and those who doe so are to be honoured in their several places upon the account of that civil authority which they derive from him The Sovereign is the fountain both of Civil and Military authority both are equally from God and necessary for the support of Government and therefore I confess I cannot understand why it should be more unlawfull for a Christian to buckle on the Sword at the command of his Prince than to put on a Gown But secondly I have made this observation to let our seditious people see how little like Christians they demean themselves in railing as they have always done at the King's Guards and of late at the loyal Militia of this City calling them as they did not many days ago my Lord Mayor's Janizaries my Lord Mayor's Army and as they think very wittily my Lord Mayor's Guards These people are themselves an argument to prove how necessary the Sword is for the quiet and welfare of Government according to the moto of your Shield arma pacis fulcra that arms are the cause of peace They shew us what we must expect from them were it not for the Sword and God be praised that both the King and the Lord Mayor have their Guards to defend them otherwise I fear the spirit of Corah which reigns still in these men would soon push them on to pull his Lordship out of his Chair and His Majesty out of the Throne But in the last place if God hath put the Sword into the Sovereign's hand and the Military as well as the Civil Power be derived from him you may see how Honourable a Science the Science of Arms is and how useful and Profitable to all Governments Schools of Arms are wherein Men disposed for Martial Employments may learn the Military Discipline and how to be Expert in feats of Arms. Such Honourable Societies are His Majesties Nurseries for the Militia as the Inns of Court are for the Law and the two Universities for the Church and as it is to be wished and endeavoured that no Person be bred in either of the former who would employ their Tongues and Pens against Gods Servant and their Soveraign So is it to be wished and all possible Endeavours ought to be used by you who are Members of this Honourable Company that none be admitted into it at least into the Government of it who will likely so misemploy their Swords You are the Chef d'ordre the Chief Academy of this kind in His Majesties Dominions and as you are the most Illustrious for the Number and Quality of your Members so may you ever be the most Exemplary for Christian Loyalty and imitable Patterns for all His Majesties Subjects of that Faith and Allegiance which is due unto him by the Law of †Cokes Calvin ' s Case Nature as well as the Municipal Laws of this Land May you all according to the Ancient Oath of Allegiance wont to be Administred in Courts of * Britton c. 29. Leet Be Faithful and Loyal to our Sovereign Lord the King and his Heirs and bear them Faith and Fealty of Life Limb and terrene
Honour and never do them hurt or damage but Defend them to your Power But if notwithstanding your Care and Endeavours to the contrary any disaffected Persons have or may hereafter creep in among you let their Right-hands forget their Cunning and cease to be dextrous in handling the Sword Let them never be able to stretch forth Hand or Sword against the Lords Anointed or if they do let them prosper according to the presage of our Blessed and Obedient Saviour who said He that taketh up the Sword that is without or against Autority shall perish by the Sword Let their Calamity as Solomon saith rise suddenly Let swift Destruction as David pray'd against his Enemies come upon them unawares let them be as the Chaff before the Wind and the Angel of the Lord scattering them Let all this come upon them as upon Absalom Brutus Cassius and Choerea and I hope there is none so disloyal in this Audience at least in this Honourable Company that will not heartily say Amen There are other Excellent Uses to be made of this Doctrine especially against the unchristian Practises of those Men who not having the feâ—r of the King of Kings before their Eyes love to speak and do every thing as far as safely they may against the Honour of his Vice-gerent standring his Person and Government belying or mis-construing his best Proceedings blaming or Censuring his most Innocent Actions delighting in his Misfortunes Triumphing in his Wants Aggravating his Infirmities dispersing Stories and Rumours to his Prejudice and loving to do every thing that tends to weaken his Autority and withdraw the Hearts of his People from him and render him Odious and Contemptible in their Eyes If you ask these Men with what Conscience they can thus treat their Soveraign they will tell you they do nothing but what they can Justifie by Law as if the Laws of the Land and not the Laws of the Gospel were the compleat and adequate Rule of Christian Duty Subjection and Obedience Or as if Men were to be Try'd at the last Judgment by those and not by these But alas the Man of God as the Apostle calls a Christian cannot be made Perfect in any one Duty by the Laws nor furnished by them unto every good Work but quite contrary the Laws of the Realm will allow us to do many grievous things against Father Mother Wife Children or any other sort of Relations or Neighbours for which without Repentance we shall be surely Damned Wherefore as the Laws of the Land are not the Measure of our Duty of our Parents c. so neither are they the Perfect Rule of our Duty to our Prince as it is plain from the Verse after my Text where the Apostle having told the Romans that the Emperour was the Minister of God he then adds Wherefore you must needs be subject not only for Wrath or fear of Legal Punishment but also for Conscience-sake To Conclude all these Disloyal Men with which these Kingdoms so abound Act more like Greeks than Christians and as if they had been bred at Athens and Sparta rather than in the School of Christ Otherwise they would be better Affected towards Gods Anointed they would Pray more for him and Murmure and Clamour less against him as knowing that God giveth us what Kings soever he pleaseth and that the Kings Heart is in the Hand of the Lord and that he turneth it whithersoever he will He is King of Kings Lord of Lords and the only Ruler of Princes He is the Fountain of Soveraign Power every King is his Vice-gerent and every Kingdom a Theocracy and therefore let us bless the Lord before all the Congregation and say in the words of David 1 Chron. 29. Thine O Lord is the Greatness and the Power and the Glory and the Victory and the Majesty For all that is in the Heaven and in the Earth is thine thine is the Kingdom O Lord and thou art exalted as Head above all Which in other words is the very Doctrine of the Apostle who saith That there is no Power but of God and that he beareth not the Sword in vain because he is the Minister of God To whom Father Son and Holy Ghost be ascribed c. AMEN