be advanced to the highest Trusts in Government Another Instance is that of Artaxerxes another Heathen who commissionates Ezra to make such as knew the Law of God Rulers over all the People beyond the River Ezra 7.25 Oh what shame doth this speak to England where Men that are ignorant of yea that hate the Law of God are every where made Rulers over others The word Know there used is a Word of sense and signifies an affectionate Knowledge such a Knowledge as is accompanied with Love it is a comprehensive Word it is as much as if he should have said It is my resolution to have the Law of thy God observed I know thee to be a man full of Wisdom Zeal and Faithfulness to God and thy Country and therefore I commit this weighty Affair to thee look out such men as have understanding in love to and zeal for the Law of thy God and make them Rulers over the People beyond the River In like manner Jethro Priest or rather Prince of Midian for the word signifies both adviseth Moses to provide out of all the People able Men such as fear God Men of truth and hating Covetousness four necessary Qualifications and make them Rulers over the People I do not find any ground from the Text to conceive that Jethro gave this Counsel to Moses by any special Revelation but being a wise and understanding man he gave such Counsel as Reason it self dictates to all men which will appear plainly if we weigh those Qualifications Jethro mentions in the Ballance of Reason For doth not Reason tell us That men who are not able for an employment are not to be entrusted with it That men of falshood who make no conscience of their word or promise are unworthy of the Government of others That covetous private-spirited men who love money and make hast to be rich are not fit to be trusted with the execution of Justice is it likely that such men will faithfully serve God and their Country whose hearts run after Covetousness And if the light of Nature teach us that there is a God it tells us that He is to be feared and that Magistrates who are to govern others should in an especial manner be such as fear God themselves For if Magistrates have no fear of God what opportunity have they to discountenance Virtue and encourage Vice and so bring down the wrath of God upon the Land Therefore Plato writes for a Government which he calls Aristocracy that is such a form of Government where the best men are made Governours and that must needs be the best Government where the best men bear rule You see then how the Light of Nature and Reason doth instruct us to chuse the wisest and best men for Governours and may not men be ashamed and blush to call themselves Christians who are in practice below Heathens Oh my native Country what Lamentation shall I take up for thee how are thy Foundations out of course how art thou fallen from the Light of Nature and Principles of Reason it self Who is that Man thou canst produce among thy Magistrates and Rulers that may indeed be justly called a Man of Truth and fearing God Where is that excellent Spirit of true Wisdom and Understanding to be found among thy Leaders Are such as have the Spirit of God and true Discretion advanced to the Government Is it not now become a Crime sufficient to depose a Governour to be a man that feareth God O let it not be told in Egypt nor published in the streets of Media that England turns men out of Government because the Spirit of God is in them and they do excel in Virtue let not the Prince of Median here how Jethro's Counsel is rejected and men that have no wisdom truth or fear of God made Rulers of the Land Repent in time of thy transgression of the very Law of Nature while thou dost profess the Gospel lest Pharoah Plato and Darius with all the wisest of the Heathens rise up in judgement and condemn thee for they have judged the best of men and such as did excel in Virtue worthy of greatest Exaltation but thou in midst of Gospel-Light ladest them with reproach and scorn and the wicked walk on every side while the vilest men are exalted 2. It being evident from the Light of Reason that men rightly qualified with the Spirit of Government are only fit to be entrusted with it Let us enquire what the Law of God saith to this point and certainly we shall find that the Law of Nature and Scripture do most exactly agree as well in this as other things The first Scripture I shall mention is Deut. 17.14 to end where there are several Qualifications required in him whom the People were to make King either expresly or implicitely 1. He most be a Brother which word is of a large extent for it imports one of their own Country and Religion they were not to set a stranger over them that is a stranger in either for the People of Israel were Brethren not only by Nation but Religion and it enjoyned them to set one over them who was a member of the Church of God and without doubt that was the principal reason for which this Rule was given lest if they should have set any of the Idolatrous Kings of the Nations over them he should draw them to Idolatry And surely it layes an Obligation upon Christians and Protestants to set one of their Brethren over them not one who will bring in Popery Superstition and Idolatry into the Land 2. The Lord tells the People that the King whom they were to make should write a copy of his Law and read therein all the dayes of his life that he might learn to fear the Lord which doth manifestly instruct the People to set one over them who was capable of performing those Duties and resolved to obey the Command of God for if the King must read all his dayes in the Law of God and learn to keep all his Statutes would not common Reason infer this that the People who were to make a King should not make an ignorant person that were unable or a profane person that were unwilling to study the Law of God Indeed all the other duties which the Lord acquaints the People with beforehand were so many directions for them to set up one qualified for those duties for if the King was not to multiply Silver or Gold to himself surely this instructed the People not to make a covetous person King if the King must not lift up himself above his Brethren it taught them to make a humble tender-hearted man King not a proud domineering person who would lord it over the Lord's Heritage and enslave them and so may be said of all the other duties of the King each duty of the King is a direction to the People to constitute one qualified for it Object But this Law was given to Israel how doth it appear it
provided for you that is for others Isa 30.33 Tophet is prepared of old yea for the King it is prepared Your Flatterers tell you you may do what you please for you are gods but if you break the Law of God you shall dy like men and fall like one of the Princes Psal 82.6 7. He shall cut off the spirit of Princes He is terrible to the Kings of the Earth Psal 76.12 4. Magistrates are to execute Judgment and Justice in the Land 1 Kings 10.9 Because the Lord loved Israel for ever therefore made he thee King to do Judgment and Justice Not to do what he list as the Court-Parasits pretend that the King can do no evil Which they gather from that place 1 Sam. 8.9 to 19. where the Lord bids Samuel tell the People the manner of the King what he would do how he would enslave them and oppress them make them his Servants take away their goods and possessions from them and make them cry out by reason of their oppression now hence do those wicked Advocates of Tyranny plead that it is lawful for a King to do these things O filthy and degenerate wretches Apostates from the Light of Nature men given up to a reprobate mind professed enemies to mankind how dare you thus to prevaricate with God and the world to father your most damned Notions hatched in the lowest Hell upon God himself as if the Judge of the whole Earth should do as unrighteously as your selves As if the Lord should make a Law for Kings to tyrannize and oppress the People without controul when as the Lord hath particularly enjoyned the King to keep all the words of his Law and all his Statutes to do them Deut. 17.19 the Lord foreseeing that folly which the People would commit in asking a King many hundred years before it came to pass made a Law that if at any time the People should say I will set a King over me like the Nations round about Deut. 17.14 the King should keep all his Statutes as well as the meanest person And if you ask why then doth he tell the People when they asked a King that this would be the manner of him I answer Not ye Blasphemers as if the Lord allowed of such Tyranny but to deter the People from that folly which at present did possess them in asking a King For the Lord was highly displeased with them for it as you may reade at large in the story He did give them their own desire of a King but in wrath Hos 13.11 The King was made to do Judgment and Justice if Tyranny and Oppression be Judgment and Justice it is lawful for the King to do that otherwise not So likewise Judges and Officers are appointed to judge the People with just Judgment Deut. 16.18 and the Lord complains of the Magistrates Psal 82. How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked Defend the poor and fatherless do Justice to the afflicted and needy Deliver the poor and needy rid them out of the hand of the wicked Here here is the Duty of Magistrates but alas what should one say unto them they know not neither will they understand they walk on in darkness all the foundations of the Earth are out of course Arise O God and judge the Earth for thou shalt inherit all Nations Thus the Apostle instructs us what is the Duty of the Magistrate Rom. 13.3 and 4. To give praise to them that do well and to execute wrath upon them that do evil And the same doth the Apostle Peter affirm 1 Pet. 2.14 But how little are the Scriptures regarded now a-dayes O what cause have we to take up that Lamentation Isa 59.1 to 16 and especially that vers 14 and 15. Judgement is turned away backward and Justice standeth a-far off for Truth is fallen in the street and Equity cannot enter yea Truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey 5. A fifth general Duty of Magistrates is to Protect and Defend the People Therefore they are called Shepherds Numb 27.17 When the Lord told Moses that he should go up to Mount Abarim and see the Land and be gathered to his People he entreats the Lord to appoint another to succeed him that the People might not be as Sheep without a Shepherd So David was chosen by God to feed his People Israel 2 Sam. 5.2 That is to be their Shepherd and Leader to watch over them for their safety which he did according to the integrity of his heart Psal 78.72 The Title of Shepherd is not appropriated to Ministers but belongs to Magistrates also Now a good Shepherd layes down his Life to Protect and Defend the Sheep John 10.11 Magistrates are called Shields Psal 47.9 and Hos 4.18 Her Rulers the word in the Hebrew is her Shields now the use of a Shield is to Defend Thus Tola defended Israel Judg. 10.9 and Gideon hazarded his life for the defence of his Country Judg. 9.17 not to make himself Lord over them for that he refused afterwards He did not fight for Honour or Greatness but for the Good of his Country Thus Nehemiah adventured himself in person for the Peoples good and would not flee to save his life and leave the work unfinished Nehem. 6.11 though there were many and potent enemies round about He was a Shepherd that loved the Flock a true Shield to defend them from Tobiah Sanballat and the rest of God's and their enemies a Repairer of the Breaches both in the People and the Wall But alas poor England thy Shepherds are become Robbers thy Princes within thee are roaring Lions thy Judges are evening Wolves instead of defending the Flock they devour it Thy Shields are become Swords which pierce thine own bowels Thy Rulers instead of repairing thy Breaches throw down thy Walls and widen the Breaches among thy Inhabitants more and more But hear I pray you O ye Heads of England and Princes of these Nations Is it not for you to know Judgement who hate the good and love the evil who pluck their skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones who break the bones of the Lords People and chop them in pieces for the pot and boil them in the cauldron The day is coming when you shall cry unto the Lord but he will not hear you he will even hide his face from you as you have behaved your selves ill in your doings Mich. 3.1 to 5. You are the Shepherds of this People therefore thus saith the Lord Wo be to the Shepherds of England that do feed themselves should you not feed the Flock Ye eat the fat ye cloath you with the wool ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the Flock with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them Behold I am against the Shepherds and I will require my flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding the flock neither shall they feed themselves any
Governours over them as in the best of their understanding are rightly qualified for it Object But doth not Conquest or Hereditary Succession manifest the will of God to us and oblige us to constitute a person now that extraordinary way of revealing the mind of God by Prophets ceases Sol. As for Conquest the pretence of a right to the Government over others from it is so grosly irrational and injurious to mankind that it scarcely deserves an Answer a Title not allowed by the tamer sort of bruit beasts a title fit to be owned among none but beasts of prey For what is Conquest simply considered but Violence and the continuation thereof but a continued Oppression I know the Advocates of Tyranny urge that of Nebuchadezzar's Title to govern Judah and all the Nations round about by Conquest and of the Lords Peoples right to the Land of Canaan and the neighbour Nations by the same but it is a grosse mistake For the right Nebuchadnezzar had to the Land of Judah was not by Conquest but Donation from God and the Lord sent the Prophet Jeremiah to tell the People of Israel and all the Nations round about That he had given all those Kingdoms to Nebuchadnezzar and his Sons for the space of seventy years and threatens to punish that Nation that would not serve him with the Sword Famine and Pestilence Jer. 27.1 to 9. So likewise 't was the Lord's Donation that gave Israel a Title to those Nations and we know well That the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof and he may give it to whom he pleaseth If any one can prove infallibly that God hath made him a grant of the Kingdom of England to him and his Heirs for seventy years or more I think it our duty to acquiesce in the soveraign will and good pleasure of God and not to oppose it but if this cannot be proved it is in vain to plead Conquest Force and Right are as opposite to one another as Light and Darkness A Pirate that hath conquered a Ship may plead as much right to govern it as a Conqueror to govern a Common-wealth And as for Succession by Birth though it be an Argument of a paler Complexion than Conquest which is a Title died in Blood yet hath it as little strength as the other My meaning is that Royal Primogeniture alone without the Peoples Consent is no rightful Title to the Government Or that the eldest Son or Heir of a King lawfully begotten to say nothing of Bastards hath no right to the Government by Birth unless the People consent to Choose him thereunto Which I prove thus 1. Because it is directly contrary to the Law of Nature in many respects First It makes the whole inferiour to a part yea to one member which is most absurd for if a man may Govern over a Common-wealth without their consent then are they inferiour to him the Will of one man must be preferred above the Will of the whole perhaps many millions Secondly This pretence of a right to the Government by Birth ravisheth Nature it self offers violence to her For whereas she justly claims a power constitutive of Magistrates and hath derived it to the People as her Trustees this Argument would deprive both them and her thereof That Nature hath committed the constitution of Governours to the People is clear because she hath not determined the Heirs of Kings any more than others yea Nature is often more liberal in bestowing her Magistratical endowments on many thousands sometimes on the greatest number of men than on the Royal Progeny as they are called and gives more Wisdom Courage Kindness Temperance Faithfulness and Justice to common People than to the Eldest Son of a King How many thousands in a Nation might be found whose natural temperament is more enclinable to Virtue then we often see a Kings to be Now all wise men know 't is Virtue that enobles the Spirit and makes it capable of highest undertakings How often may we see Kings fierce in their Countenance cruel in their Natures implacable ungrateful effeminate false luxurious and universally vitious and these things even radicated in their Complexions when there are many thousand persons of a common yet more truly noble extract amiable in their Countenance affable in their Carriage faithful in their Promise temperate in their Manners and generally enclined to Virtue Now surely if Nature hath designed any one to Superiority it is the most virtuous Therefore I conclude That Nature is no Friend to this Hereditary Title It is just matter of laughter and disdain to read those ignorant and impudent pretences which some men make to the Government from Nature when the streets abound daily with multitudes that by Natures Law have a better Title to it than themselves Thirdly This pretence formalizeth all the Commonwealth Vassals It pronounceth the People home-born Slaves Which what ingenuous spirit can bear For if all the People must against their Wills be subject to one man and honour maintain and obey him what more perfect character of Vassalage than this Those wretches that knowingly plead for this Title deserve to be stigmatized in the foreheads as common enemies to mankind Fourthly Nay this pretence of a right to the Government by Birth without the consent of the People divests the People of all Power of Self-preservation for the Office of the Magistrate as I shall shew more hereafter is to protect and defend the People and the common security of the People lyes in having good Governours Now if the Eldest Son of a King be a person vitiously enclined one given to malice revenge luxury intemperance avarice falsity or the like Vices and yet the People bound to accept of him for their Governour because of his Birth they must be bound to renounce their own safety and embrace destruction which the Law of Nature forbids and common Reason will abhor Thus you see how this pretended Birth-right to the Government doth violate the Law of Nature and tend to cheat the People of their real Birth-rights Liberty and Security Let us enquire a little into Scripture and we shall find that it is as contrary to Scripture as Nature 2. The Scripture gives not the least countenance unto this pretended Title of Birth-right to the Government and no wonder for it never was the intent of God to repeal the Law of Nature by Scripture but to explain and confirm the same But that I may argue distinctly consider these particulars First The Law of God concerning the making of a King hath not a word of this The Law doth not enjoyn the People to make the Eldest Son of a King Governour in his Fathers stead or speaks of an Hereditary Title to the Crown but plainly intimates the contrary Deut. 17.15 to the end For first the Law requires qualifications in him that the People were to set over them He must be one thus and thus qualified which I shall open more fully in the next
Pardon Some call it a Lease of Life because it is too gross a thing to say a Pardon for Murder in plain terms O how frequently have I seen that saying of the Philosopher exemplified in this Nation The great Thieves lead the lesser thieves to hanging Publick Thieves who cheat the whole Nation of their Liberties Estates Birth-rights and Gospel-priviledges under the titles of Judges and Justices condemn and sentence to death small thieves for such faults as are not the hundredth part so heinous as their own And yet the poor people believe the great Thieves are God's Ordinance and worthy of all honour but the lesser thieves justly put to death Whereas indeed if Justice had its course there were more reason why the little thieves should condemn and execute the great Thieves For it is the Tyranny and Oppression of the Magistrates which is the principal cause why there are so many Thieves in the Land They lay intolerable Taxations on the People and by their Tyranny destroy Trade so that thousands are constrained to lay down their Callings for want of work they make such intricate tedious and chargeable Laws that are more like Instruments to pick the Peoples Pockets than Rules of Righteousness invented by the subtil Lawyers for Gins to catch the People in where they keep men so long as their money lasts and then let them go so that for the most part it fares with those that seek to the Lawyers and Witches for remedy alike they never thrive after By these and many other Artifices or Mysteries of State the Magistrates rob spoil and impoverish the People and reduce them to such necessity that while the Governours spend their money in pride luxury and all manner of voluptuousness they are forced to beg or steal and many being ashamed to beg fall to stealing for the necessity of their souls but stealing without authority are brought before the company of Rulers who have a Charter to steal by Authority and condemn all others who steal without license from them and sentenced to death by those who much more deserve it than themselves But alas it were endless to recite the particular cases wherein these wicked Rulers violate the Law of God for whereas the Law hath appointed punishment for evil-doers and praise for them that do well what do these but the very contrary turning the Sword against such as fear God and obey his Law So that we have just cause to plead with the Lord as David did Psal 110.126 It is time for thee O Lord to work for they have made void thy Law Brethren you cannot but acknowledge that the Law of God should be put in execution that it is great cause of lamentation yea and holy indignation to see the Law of God thus violated and what wise man could expect any better from such Rulers as these it is impossible the Law of God should be executed where wicked men are exalted Magistrates are entrusted with the execution of God's Law and if they do not understand or affect it they will never execute it Artaxerxes though a Heathen shewed more wisdom and prudence than many eminent Professors among us have lately done for he would have Ezra to make such men as knew the Law of God that is knew it affectionately as understood and loved the Law of God Magistrates and Judges over all the People beyond the River Ezra 7.25 He knew that it was in vain to think of having the Law of God executed by ungodly Rulers If we had the best Laws that ever any Nation under Heaven had and wicked Magistrates to execute them we should have little advantage by them they will find one way or other to wrest and pervert the Law of God in despite of the People I thought to have urged other Arguments for the confirmation of this great and weighty Truth That onely such men as are endowed with the Spirit of Government should be entrusted with it and to have shewn you how the setting up of men void of those qualifications which the Light of Reason and Law of God requires in Magistrates is the way to extirpate Virtue out of the Land and to introduce all manner of Vice and to bring down the Judgments of God upon us but in regard we find it by sad experience that this wicked Generation are no other than a mighty flood of Superstition and Prophaness a sweeping rain of Oppression an Army of Locusts eating up every green thing I shall forbear to enlarge any more upon this Particular but close this Chapter with a word of Exhortation and so proceed to the next You see what Power the Lord hath entrusted the People withal that the Right of making their Governours belongs to them yea that it is not onely their Priviledge but Duty by the Law of God to set Magistrates over them both Supream and Subordinate you see also what Qualifications the Law of God requires the People to look after in such as they entrust with Government they must be Wise Prudent Faithful Persons that have given Proof of their Integrity Men of Truth that understand the Law of God Fearing God and Hating Covetousness O that I might prevail with every one that reads this to resolve that if ever they have an opportunity to give their Suffrage for the Election of Magistrates again they will lay aside all by-respects and carnal interests whatsoever and give their Voice for none but such as are endued with the Spirit of Government and with those due Qualifications which the Law of God requires How frequent is it for men to give their Voice for those of their own Judgement or Party though altogether destitute of that Excellent Spirit which makes men meet for the Trust they are chosen to How common to adhere to their Kindred Landlords or Benefactors and improve all their Interest for such a one who hath neither Wisdom Faithfulness Fear of God nor Love to his Country Alas How rare a thing is it to hear of one chosen for his Virtues The sound of a great Name and glittering shew of phantastical Apparel is that which qualifies a man for Government in the judgement of the multitude 'T is not what Virtues but what Titles a man hath When a hundred men better qualified for Magistracy are passed by a Knight or a Lord shall be chosen for his Airy Titles sake which is just as if a man should refuse a Shield of Brass because it were not finely painted and choose a Paper Escutcheon bearing some noble Armes for his shield to defend him for Magistrates are the Shields of the Earth Psal 47.9 O England be not still so froward as to put away prosperity from thy self by choosing such for thy Governours as are void of those Qualifications which the Law of Nature and Scripture doth require Never wilt thou enjoy a solid lasting Peace until thou embrace Righteousness Isa 32.16 to 19. Never will Righteousness be executed unless righteous men be made
the Shew-bread for the satisfaction of hunger which was not otherwise lawful Mat. 12.4 I conceive we may as lawfully bow the Body or uncover the Head to a Ruler who doth not deserve it from us rather than destroy our selves as one would to a Thief on the high way rather than be killed or wounded CHAP. X. Treating of the Obedience due to the Magistrate I Am now come to the last Particular mentioned in the Description of Magistracy The Obedience which is due to him which I shall resolve First Positively Secondly Negaâ—â—vely 1. Positively To follow the common received Distinction of Obedience Active and Passive we owe both to a lawful Magistrate in all his just and lawful Commands First If the Magistrate command us to do any thing which he hath Authority from God and the People to command we are bound to obey him actively If he command us to perform our part in thâ— carrying on of Justice to assist in apprehending a Murderer to be of a Jury to make inquisition for Innocent Blood to testify the truth between a man and his neighbour in case of injury to keep watch or ward for defence of the Land from Forreign or Domestick Enemies and abundance of other cases might be mentioned wherein the Magistrate is not able to perform the Trust reposed in him unless the People do their Duty also If the Magistrate command us to depart from any vitious Assembly to restore any man his due to observe just Weights and Measures in our commerce to keep the Peace to render him such Tribute as is due or to obey any other just and righteous law it is our duty to yeeld a ready and chearful obedience thereto Secondly We are bound to obey him Passively if we have by our Transgressions fallen under the condemnation of any just and righteous Law If a Man or Woman have committed Theft Murder Adultery Perjury Extortion or any other wickedness punishable by the Law and be brought before the Magistrate who is by God and the People entrusted with the Sword for the punishment thereof it is their duty patiently to submit to such punishment as they have deserved Whether one may not lawfully fly and with-draw himself peaceably if he be guilty of Punishment especially in a case of Life and Death is a Question I have not time to discourse here But to make any violent resistance or forcibly to oppose the Magistrate in executing just punishment upon us for our evil Deeds is utterly unlawful Thus far I grant the Scriptures command us to obey Magistrates actively in performing all their just and lawful commands passively in submitting to such due punishment as they inflict upon us for doing evil And this is the submission Peter speaks of 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and praise of them that do well Mark well the Submission the Apostle requires we are to submit to those Governours that come for the Punishment of evil doers and Praise of them that do well The same doth the Apostle Paul teach Rom. 13.4.5 For he is the minister or servant of God to thee for good â—ut if thou do evil be afraid for hee bareth not the Sword in vain for he is the Servanâ— of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Wherefore ye must needs be subject not onely for wrath but for Conscience sake It is not left to our liberty whether we will be subject or no to those Magistrates that punish evill doers and praise them that do well but in point of Conscience we are bound to be subject unto them Indeed the very Light of Nature teacheth subjection to such Governours as punish Vice and praise Virtue and to resist the Magistrate in the due punishing of Vice or praise of Virtue is not only a Violation of the Law of God written in the Scriptures of Truth but of the Law of Nature written in the hearts of all mankind But the greatest Question will be what obedience we do not owe to the Magistrate for I need not spend my time and pains to confirm that which is so clear 2. Negatively I affirm as followeth 1. The Obedience due to the Magistrate from the People is no servile obedience but a free liberal and ingenuous Obedience It is not the obedience of Servants to a Master but of Free-men to their own Servant Wherefore ye must needs be subject Rom. 13.5 What means that wherefore it relates to ver 4. For he is a Servant of God TO thee As if he should have said Therefore ye must needs be subject because he is a servant of God To You for good Magistrates ought to command the People not in a lordly proud magisterial manner as if the People were their Vassals but in a humble modest ministerial manner as being Servants to God and them whom they do command mixing Entreaties with Commands Thus did Moses treat the People in a respectful manner entreating them as well as commanding Numb 16.26 Thus did Nehemiah chap. 5.10 11. Yea the very wicked Kings themselves had not so much forgotten their relation but they remembred to speak respectively to the People 1 Sam. 23.22 1 King 20.7 2 Kings 5.7 But now every inferiour Officer commands us after a most insolent and lordly manner as if we were home-born slaves 2. The obedience due to the Magistrate is not excentrical to his Office if the Magistrate command the People to do a thing that is in it self lawful yet if it be extrinsecal to his Office the People owe him no obedience therein because he hath no power to command us any thing besides his Office We owe the Magistrate obedience in every lawful Command but not in every lawful thing For it is unlawful for the Magistrate to command us many lawful things It may be lawful for a man to take the Magistrate's daughter to wife or a woman to take his son for her husband but if he commands them to do so they are not bound to obey him because he hath no power to give such a Command It may be lawful for any one to lend the Magistrate his money or goods without security yet if the Magistrate command a man to do so he is not bound to obey him 3. We owe the Magistrate no sinful obedience To obey him rather than God is a most Atheistical practice Daniel would not obey Darius his wicked Command Dan. 6.10 Daniel prayed the more boldly and openly because the King had forbid him Hananiah Mishuel and Azariah would not fall down to Nebuchadnezzar's Image Dan. 3.16 to 19. The Apostles would not forbear preaching for the Command of the Rulers but continued in their Work notwithstanding all their threats Acts 4.19 20. they told the High-Priest and Council that they would preach And when they were