by the present Law of the Land I can by no means allow For the good of the Governed being the first Fundamental Principle directing him what Measures to take in the Exercise of Government and as yet there being no other Obligation upon him it is left to his Conscience Judgment and Discretion before that Oath what Course to take in answering that great End of Government And if any of the present un-repealed Laws shall be thought by him repugnant to the good of the Subject or but Comparatively not so effectual thereunto may he not nay is he not in Conscience bound to lay down to himself some other Rules in Order to that End Fourthly I might Answer that seeing all Men look upon themselves as freed from the punctual Observation of Positive Laws in the Case of extream Necessity this equitable Liberty God himself allows I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice and our Municipal Law indemnifies the Subject in many such Cases And seeing the Security the King gives to his Subjects is a Voluntary Act but the Peoples to the King may be Exacted from them by Force and by Law I think there is much more Reason that the King in Extremity may depart from the Letter of the Law than that the People should And if the People may Appeal to Reason and Equity to the Law of Nature and the first Reason of Government in the Defence of their Priviledges may not the Prince much more do the same in the Defence of his Prerogatives and in the Exercise of his Dominion And shall he be indispensably Oblig'd by the Letter of the Law in Governing not allow'd to plead Nature and Equity the Reason and Ends of Government and extream Necessity And yet the People be at their own Liberty in Arbitrarily Obeying as they shall Judge it Reasonable and Agreeable to the Ends of Government Some of these foresaid Considerations which I must repeat are offered as Problems only and with Submission or something like them might I imagine be in the Mind of that Eminent Lawyer Serjeant Hale one of the House of Commons in the 43 d. Year of Queen Elizabeth who spake there to this Effect I wonder says he that the House stands either at the greatness or time of paying the Subsidies demanded since all we have are in Her Majesties Power she may Lawfully at her Pleasure take it from us she has as much Right to all our Land as to any Revenue of the Crown All which saith he I am able and ready to prove Thus far he But I shall not presume to go so high nor will it be expected from me to proceed farther upon this tickle Subject Only I do not find that he was called to the Bar nor Reprimanded as a Pander to Tyranny as opening a Passage to Arbitrary Government for his plain dealing and freedom of Speech But this I shall say that this one Speech of that Gentleman exceeds all that has of late been said or done as far as I can learn for the setting up an Absolute and Despotical Soveraignty And yet it passed then without noise or giving any Offence or creating Jealousies and Fears in the Hearts of the People against the Government Yet one word more When I re-collect how Judge Cook the Oracle of the Law as some of his Admirers are pleased to call him no Prerogative Lawyer as all agree assures us that the first Kings of this Realm had the whole Land in Demesn and therefore upon the Principle now on foot That Dominion is Founded on Property undoubtedly Absolute Soveraigns I cannot but in two words expostulate with the Underminers of our present Establishment Where is your Ingenuity O ungrateful People of the Land to treat your Princes so rudely so unworthily to Vilifie their Persons to Invade their Prerogatives and through unwearied Clamours and Importunate Complaints to extort from their Crown the few remaining Flowers of the Regality Like Vipers to bite them who have Nourished you in their Bosom and as it were almost pulled out their own Eyes for your sakes You who have waxen fat through their Gifts and Concessions who are grown thick by their Indulgence and Liberality to forsake them that have made you and to lift up your Heels against them that have thus dearly treated you Oh Monstrous Ingratitude Them that have given you all the Liberty and Property you can Legally pretend to under whom you have enjoyed both as fully as Heart can wish beyond Example of past Ages or the present Times in any other Common-wealth from whom you have received all possible Assurance of continuing so for the future you to Defame to Libel to Conspire against to Resist to deny Chearful and Conscientious Subjection and Liberal Contributions or rather necessary Retributions to these Bountiful and Gracious Princes Oh Height of Impiety Oh Barbarous Inhumanity For shame wipe off this Reproach from the Christian Name and from the English Nation whereof you are Members Sermon II. Titus 3. Ver. 1. Put them in Mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to Obey Magistrates IT is the Universal Custom of Mankind to carry on their Publick Triumphs with Feasting and among other External Rites of Mirth to chear their Hearts with a more than Ordinary freedom in the use of the Creature To do so is the Voice of Reason the Lesson of Experience a Maxim written in the Word of God it self and Warranted by the practice of the most Holy Men we there read of There is a certain sourness contracted in our Natures by business and Absence is apt to interrupt our Correspondence to estrange us from one another But our Solemn Meetings re-collect us again and Good Chear sweetens the Soul softens the Temper after all our Care and Travel Hereby the Spirits being Reviv'd and the Heart putting on her Festival Robes I mean Joy and Gayety Mutual Love and Friendship among private Neighbours is easily renew'd the common Interest of Societies inlarg'd and by doing and receiving Offices of kindness the House is Swept and Cleansed from all those impurities of wrath bitterness dissentions and animosities in whose room succeed those sweet and beautiful graces of Joy and Peace and entire Affection one towards another Wine saith the Psal maketh glad the Heart of Man and Bread strengtheneth Mans Heart It is good and comly saith the Preacher there is nothing better than that a Man should eat and drink and make his Soul enjoy good in his Labour To whom God hath given Biches and Wealth to him has he given Power to eat thereof to take his Portion and to rejoyce in his Labour This is the gift of God Then I commended Mirth saith he because a Man has no better thing under the Sun than to eat and to drink and be Merry Our Lord himself took a freedom herein which drew upon him that spiteful Character that he was A Glutton and a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners It is in my
content with my private solitude sometimes with Democritus Laughing at the Folly and Madness of this unquiet World sometimes with Heraclitus bewailing the Giddiness of the sinful People and daily in my Closet with the Prophet imploring the Mercy of God upon this miserable Nation But it is otherwise with me and the rest of my Brethren in the Ministry we are not to be afraid of the faces of men through Cowardise nor seek their commendation by Treachery and Compliance It is our work and business which God has ordained us to and strictly requires at our hands to watch over Mens Souls as they that must give an account to instruct to rebuke and to reform their evil ways however dangerous it may be to us or displeasing to them And so much the stronger obligation lies upon us to Preach up any Evangelical Precept by how much the more we see the Peoples Principles and Practices running counter to the Doctrine of the Gospel To affirm as many do that this is not to Preach Christ and the Faith in Christ is meer Ignorance to say no worse of it As if to Preach the Doctrine of Christ and the Gospel Precepts was not to Preach the Faith in Christ St. Luke I am sure long since thought so He has told us that Felix sent for Paul and heard him concerning the Faith in Christ What was the Subject of the Apostles Sermon 'T was Righteousness Temperance and Judgment to come So that if to reason of Righteousness and Temperance be to Preach the Faith in Christ then surely to plead for Obedience to Authority and patient suffering under Oppression is likewise to Preach the Faith in Christ I am therefore little concern'd when 't is told me you lose this Friends kindness that Neighbours good Opinion you forfeit such a Persons Favour by your indiscreet and resolute ingagement on these ungrateful Points Alass these are but Worldly motives not worthy to be laid in the Balance with a Mans Duty the friendship of Men being Enmity with God and the Wisdom of this World Foolishness with him The Favour of God and some few good Men the inward Peace and Satisfaction that in simplicity and Godly sincerity I have held forth the words of Truth and Soberness and the Recompence of Reward promis'd to all the faithful dispensers of the Gospel will infinitely outweigh those Vain and Momentary advantages It is I 'le assure you one great design of the Gospel to settle the unstable minds of the Multitude in Civil Peace and Patient Obedience to compose them unto chearfulness and a readiness unto every good work And it is by consequence our Duty and ought to be our endeavour to Promote the same to the utmost of our Power to put an hook in the Nostrils of the Leviathans of our unhappy Age to chastise such as make sport and play the Wantons in the Disturbances of the Common-wealth Thus much I here freely confess concerning the Nature and Design of the Gospel and our Duty and think it so far from being an Objection against the truth of the Revelation of Jesus Christ or a Crime in us that 't is its singular Excellency and ought to be accounted our Glory and Commendation whatever the conceited Atheists the profane Wits and the busy Pamphleteers of these days say to the contrary For is it not reasonable thus to Judge of the Wisdom and Righteousness and Goodness of God That he who takes care of the Lillies of the Field of the Sparrow on the House top and numbers the very Hairs of our Head that he who regards every particular Mans welfare and is pleased to make known our mutual Duty one toward another in our private Relation should much more provide for the Honour and safety of Principalities and Powers of the Publick Peace and the relative Offices between the Prince and the Subject Is not this Publick this General good of infinite more Value to the World and more worthy the Providential care and gracious regard of God by Revelation He that Quarrels the Gospel and all Revelation as a Trick of State a Politick contrivance of Priests and Damns the Ministers of the Gospel as base Instruments of the Princes Tyranny because both it and they teach Obedience to the Soveraign Magistrate may as well argue against our Religion and us because we instruct Children to Obey their Parents Servants to be subject to their Masters and exhort you all to mutual Love Peace Charity Justice and Uprightness one towards another I maintain then that Peace on Earth National Peace is one principal aim of our Christianity one of the Chief blessings design'd us here below by Christs appearance in the Flesh and was the argument of the Heavenly Host's Anthem at his Birth And oh How beautiful on the Mountains are the feet of them that bring good Tidings and publish Peace who in the Name of God charge the People with the Kings Peace Ay but say some these Priests are always medling with the Municipal Laws of the Land obtruding upon their Auditors such discourses as would beseem the Reverend Judges on the Bench rather than Ministers in the Pulpit This exception I confess implies too much of Commendation tho it carries little of truth in it However since 't is made use of against us why I beseech you may not we acquaint our selves and those that hear us when the Argument leads us to it and since our adversaries require it with the Law which is in part the measure of our Subjection to Civil Authority as well as others Examine the Gospel which is the Rule of their Obedience to God and to their Church Governours Or how is it possible for us to state the question aright Unless we first inform the Conscience of the Law of the Land which as many contend is the only Standard of our Duty to the Prince But 't is yet farther Objected You are such sticklers so restless on this Point that your Sycophancy is manifest and your Harangues become Nauseous to the Peoples Stomachs Ay and will be so as long as we thwart their quarrelsom Humour as long as we oppose their turbulent Practices against the present Powers Is there not reason a necessity for us so to do Are there not more Underminers of the Government than Preachers of Submission to Authority Are there not more Libels sent forth to overturn the present Establishment than Sermons to uphold the Peace and Order of the State Yea are not the Enemies of Peace more apparently guilty of Flattery whilst they fawn on the Multitude Court the Populace Cajole the People and raise the Mobile into Discontent and Mutiny still keeping them in continual Motion still Heightening their Fears and Alaruming them with the Prospect of remote dangers and by these little Arts improving their instability and suspicions of danger which blessed be God is acknowledged uncertain and at a distance even to the present disquiet of the Nation Foolishly anticipating
if they are guilty of any and all their Kingcraft and Mysteries of State will be disclos'd and must be answer'd The dread and expectation of which last Assizes will in a great measure check their exorbitances and put such manicles on their hands that ofttimes the things they would they cannot do and what they would not even that they do against their wills Yet farther you have the consideration of the sturdiness of many ill principled Subjects among you who though not to be justified yet are as a bullwark to the peaceable and conscientious There is a shrew'd Proverb among us Oppression will make a Wise man mad much more the Wicked and the Rebellious In the utmost extremities there will rise up men not strictly conscientious but of undaunted natural spirit and courage that will not stick to break through all the honds of Duty and Obedience and with the hazard of their Lives and Fortunes endeavour to redress intolerable Grievances And thus their Sin through the righteous Judgment of God may prove the security But why do I mention these things I see no necessity of this Discourse I know not wherefore we should entertain such odd suspicions of our Magistrates as to support our selves with the probability of their disasters Let us be more just and charitable towards them accounting of them as men of Honour and Honesty as well as our selves that know their duty and will laudably discharge it out of a principle of Conscience They cannot be ignorant of this one thing that the end of Government and the measure of their Power is the good of the People There is likewise the Oath of God upon them that they will Govern according to Law And what other assurance would any man wish for 'T is more I am sure than many among us will give for their peaceable demeanour He that is not content herewith 't is impossible to satisfie him except by delivering up the reigns of Government into his hand and then the Subject can still have no better security than an Oath An Oath is the end of all strife among men and 't is the highest Assurance God has or can give us of the righteousness of his Government and Providence He that thinks not this sufficient is not fit to live in this world unworthy to enjoy the Society of men and the benefit of Government Besides it is the Interest of Governours that the Subjects Rights and Properties be maintain'd that they should be secur'd and encourag'd in their Labours and reap the fruit of their Industry and Improvements the Riches of the People being the Glory the Strength and the Riches of the Prince and therefore if Conscience will not yet at least his Interest will incline him unto moderation in the exercise of Dominion I shall yet farther add that you have the Security of your Fellow Subjects such I mean as are wise and conscientious that will not be destructive instruments nor actively assist in oppressing the people contrary to Law As for others Fear will in some measure check many of them and the Law of the Land will curb them The crys of the afflicted Subjects will at length reach the ears of the Prince and necessity of State will prevail with him to deliver up his evil Counsellors as a sacrifice to the peoples discontents Yea as the case now stands with us the Kings Officers though commissionated by him being punishable by Law as I take it for their illegal proceedings there is little ground to fear t is hardly possible any barbarous or unsupportable mischief should arise in our Government and the most that can in likelihood happen will be much more eligible than the breach of the publick Peace and the violent overthrow of the present Establishment Finally my Brethren give me leave to add count me not a flatterer if I speak it out of the reach of his Sacred Ears when I consider the person of our present Prince the sweetness of his Nature our long experience of the mildness of his Government the blessings of Peace plenty and increase of Trade which we have long enjoy'd under him When I recollect how strictly and impartially righteousness and justice is executed among us he seldom or never obstructing the course of the Law except it be in extending his mercy and pardon to unfortunate Criminals which is the heighth and pride of his good nature and wherein he may be said truly to resemble God himself But otherwise let me ask you whose Ox has he taken whose Ass has he seiz'd who has he Defrauded or Oppressed whose Life whose Property has he invaded whose Liberty has he illegally or unreasonably restrain'd in Prison or in Exile When I remember his Charity in forgiving us his Readiness to oblige us the fresh assurances we have of his Governing by Law when I here of foreign Princes admiring his Wisdom and courting his Friendship as much perhaps as Sheba did Solomons when I see the miserable and afflicted Subjects of other Nations seeking and finding shelter under his wings when I read those but just thanks and commendations they return him whilst they admire the prudence and moderation of his Conduct the protection and quietness we our selves receive from him Yea when in a Seditious Author I met with this Testimony of his Royal Grace and goodness That he never made use of his Negative Voice or denied his Assent but to one publick Act only And whereas one of the worst of his Enemies has allow'd him this Character That he is a Prince under whose displeasure his adversaries fall gently In fine since I cannot but behold and admire his Wisdom in the choice of the subordinate Magistrates whose Piety Learning and Integrity is conspicuous amongst us I cannot forbear not only out of duty to the Divine Ordinance but in gratitude and thankfulness to God and the King acknowledge our present happiness and security Not only put you in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers and to obey Magistrates but also offer up my Prayers to God That he would grant the King a long Life and abundance of Years at home Peace and Victory abroad a Loyal Senate and a faithful People a quiet World and a secure Reign And in fine that God would inspire us all with such a measure of his Grace that by our patience peaceableness and chearful subjection our present happiness may be continued still longer unto us under his Government and his Successours that shall come after him that we and the Ages to come may lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all godliness and honesty AMEN 1 Cor. 7. 20. Exod. 32. 2. Ver. 8. James 3. 17. Deut. 17. 15. Ver. 5. 1 Cor. 2. 14 15. Luke 12. 11. Mat. 10. 18. Vid. Seld. Tit. Hon. Gen. 45. 3. Ver. 2. Ver. 7. Ver. 8. Ver. 2. Eccles 10. 12. Acts 3. 5. Chap. 2. Ver. 15 16 1 Sam. 25. 10. 11. v. 3 14 17 21 25. Plâ—t red c. 13. v. 3. 4. Titus 3. 1. Dan. 2. 47. Ver. 17. Mr. Seld. Tit. Hon. Episcop Ver. 2. Ps 104. 15. Eccles 2. 24. 3. 12 22. 5. 18. 8. 15. 9. 9. Math. 11. 19. Rom. 14. 17. Rom. 13. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1. 12. Valde Seditiosa semper fuit Creta De eis vult moveri Cretas quorum maximè indigebant Exod. 9. 16. Jer. 27. 5 6. 2 Chron. 13. Hen. 7th Math. 6. 13. Ex. 20. Luke 14. 31. Ch. 27 7. 1 Pet. 2. 13. v. 18. Tit. 2. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 23. Coloss 3. 24 25. Eph. 6. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 20. 21. 23. Quos deprebendit Evangelica Doctrina obnoxios servituti aequo animo ferant nec ideo se putent manumissos quod a tyrannide vitiorum sint manumissi Ne pretexiu Religionis Christianae ordo reip turbetur suam quisque sortem ferat in ea perduret Especially Treatise of Monarchy c. Acts 16. Ver. 37. Acts 23. 2. Ver. 3. Ver. 5. Ver. 5. Acts 24. 24 25. James 4. 4. 1 Cor. 3. 19. Matth. 6. Matth. 6. 34. 1 Epist 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod lib. 8. cap. 36. Matth. 26. 52. v. 52. 53. 54. 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. 1. Tim. 2. 1. 21. Charles 5th 1 Sam. 8. â— Prov. 16. 32. 1 Pet. 3. 9. Rom. 12. 19. Ver. 20. Matth. 5. 44. 1 Thes 5. 22. 1 Pet. 3. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 7. Matth. 5. 39. Plat. Red. Matth. 5. 29. Psal 76. 12. Psal 82. 7.
with Reproaches and Back-bitings not to give him any just Offence not to do or say any thing which may render him Odious to his People or Contemptible to his Neighbours not to discover his Infirmities nor to aggravate his Faults nor to blaze abroad his Mistakes All which being a weakening of his Government a lessening of his Interest and Authority over the Hearts of his People is no less than Disloyalty by Consequence and in its tendency a Robbing him of his Crown and Dignity Which of you would endure your Children or your Servants to slander or bespatter you with Lyes or to Publish the Secrets of your Families or to expose you for any weakness or ill Conduct in your Domestick Affairs What the Pater familias is in the Oeconomy of the House the same is Pater Patriae in the Polity of the State To uncover the Nakedness of the Father of thy Countrey is inconsistent with all those foresaid Duties of Fearing and Honouring him no less a violation of this Duty than that of Canaan's was Therefore says the Preacher Curse not the King no not in thy Thoughts much less not by open Calumny or more sly detraction for 't is written Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy People I shall crave leave to go yet a little further on this Argument 'T is not enough to pay the Tribute when required by a formal Law but you are bound in Conscience at least to assist his and the Publick Necessities at other times otherwise I understand not how you can be said to Reverence and Honour the King God and the King both no doubt love and require a chearful Giver Those who in words profess to love the Prince but will neither supply his wants nor suffer others so to do are like those Charitable Christians St. James mentions who when a Brother or Sister was Naked and destitute of daily Food said unto him Be thou warmed and filled notwithstanding gave them not those things which were needful Those who would have themselves believed His Majesties Loyal Subjects and Declare they will stand by him with their Lives and Fortunes Prosecuting him indeed with good wishes but in the mean time starving him out of his Throne That put the question which Nabal did unto Davids Messengers Shall I take my Bread and my Water and my Flesh that I have killed and give it to I know not whom nor by what Authority nor for what end demanded who is David and who is the Son of Jesse are not these sort of men in Scripture-language called Wicked Churlish evil doers Fools Railers Sons of Belial such as requite evil for good that is give nothing for their Peace and Protection which they enjoy through the Providence of the Prince Should five hundred at once forbid you to supply the Supream Power yet I must let you know that the will of God cannot be dispensed with by the Law of Men that as our Lord reply'd to the Pharisees the Kings Image and Superscription being on their Gold and Silver you are to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and in a word that what Christian Charity and common Humanity binds you to in the relief of your Neighbour Evangelical Loyalty and the Fundamental reason of Government obliges you to in the supply of your Prince Hitherto we have explained the nature of the Duty we proceed unto the Reason of it in the latter part of the Text. for there is no power but of God c. I shall easily give it for Granted that a Prince may be an Usurper and a Lawful King may turn Tyrant that neither of them can be accquitted hereof at the Tribunal of God where they must account for both But still upon Earth among us men even the Usurper is of God and the Oppressour is the Ordinance of God for there is no Power whatever though Usurpt though Tyrannical but is by divine Ordination St. Paul makes no exception unto this general rule He might possibly at that time of day have alledg'd both Usurpation and Oppression against the present Powers There was possibly sufficient reason if any could be to declaim and make publick Harangues against Grievances and the Emperors personal crimes and expensive Debaucheries which were beyond measure notorious such as must needs drain the Exchequer and whereon the Revenue of the Common-wealth was misimploy'd There was not wanting plausible pleas against Monarchy it self in the Roman State which was a Common-wealth from the beginning even in Romulus time in the opinion of a late Author at least in behalf of the Peoples right in choosing their own Supream Magistrate as no doubt it was and had so continued long by the Original frame of the Roman Government But this is certain Aristocracy or Democracy or a mixture of both had for many Ages been own'd and received by all ranks and degrees of men as the true and undoubted Government until very lately by the Usurpation of the Caesar's a single person having mounted the Steed and setled himself in the Saddle rid and spur-gall'd the Beast the common People almost to death Thus much might have then been with truth argued against the Emperors Government but still for all this the Powers then in being were of God had a lawful yea divine Authority over the People in the Judgment of St. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here rendred Powers properly signifies lawful Authority such as have a just right of exercising dominon over the People I shall allow if you please as before I intimated that the Emperour was not strictly and in every respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lawful Governour not in foro Conscientiae not in foro Coeli for he had no true Natural or Civil Right to the Throne antecedent to his Usurpation nor has or can any Prince have and exercise a Despotical Power over the Subject as did Nero but he sins against the Law of Nature or of God I shall therefore allow that he was only in those regards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e one that had got the long Sword in his hand and by force subjected the Romans unto his will and power against the known Law against the Will and against the Intrest of the Roman People Yet this notwithstanding I must acquaint you that by the doctrine of the Scriptures in respect of the People after God has once declared his allowance of him by the success 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Violent and originally Unjust Power may become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Legal and Righteous Authority unto whom the People of the Land at least the People of God must of necessity be Subject and are bound in Conscience to yield Obedience they having no inherent right in them nor permission from God to question his Title or to throw off the Yoke of Subjection though he attain'd the Empire by force though he maintains it by the Sword though he administers
for a Curb to the Sinner and not for a Punishment to the Righteous since the Wisdom and Goodness of God has therefore Ordained all of us unto Subjection to Magistrates and made it our indispensable Duty yea our Interest and Security so to be And in particular since we Preachers of the Gospel are Commanded to put you in mind that ye be subject to Principalities and Powers and that ye Obey Magistrates I make no more Account of these spightful Insinuations than I would of the Drunkards Songs or the Atheists Witticisms that are so plentifully in these days exercis'd upon us for no other Reason that I know of but because we tell them the Truth We are indeed by the more cunning part of the Enemies of the Government in a cooler manner blamed for making Princes Gods as if they immediately came down from Heaven which looks like a piece of high Presumption and Sacriledge And 't is true we do so in some sort God himself having vouchsafed that Title of Honour to them and our Lord confirmed it Besides St. Paul in my Text fetches them from Heaven telling us they are of God or from God that they are Ordain'd of God I cannot pass by observing on the other hand how that God condescends also to assume the Titles of Earthly Governours the word King and Prince Lord and others of the like sort being frequently attributed to him in Holy Scripture And whereas God by way of Excellence is styled King of Kings nevertheless the Prophet Daniel scrupled not to give the same Appellation unto Nebuchadnezzar also So frivolous in my judgment is that Exception of a Learned Man against Soveraign Princes assuming Divine Titles They are therefore called Gods because they resemble God in Supream Power And as Man is said to have been Created in the Image and likeness of God because of his Dominion over the Creature according to the Opinion of some Learned Men so may the Prince be said to bear the Image and likeness of God in a special manner upon the Account of his Soveraignty over the People In fine there being you see so near an Affinity between God and the King 't is not to be wondred that we make so great a difference between the Prince and the Subject And in our Discourses lay upon you the same burden of Reverence Obedience and Non-resistance as St. Paul before us has done teaching no other Doctrine than what the Holy Ghost has warranted and Commanded us to Teach That ye be subject to the Higher Powers which are of God that they who resist resist the Ordinance of God And oh that ye would lay to Heart that terrible Punishment which awaits all Rebellious and Disobedient Subjects They that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation But after all is said the Grand Debate will be How shall we be satisfied who is this Higher Power among us and in whom that Soveraignty rests to whom Subjection is due Especially in this mixt Monarchy where not only the greatest share of the Property but a considerable part of the Legislative Power is in the People For Answer I say that this notwithstanding the King is the Higher Power that Ordinance of God in the Defence of whose Person and Authority this Discourse is intended Or do I say it only Does not the Municipal Law of the Land say as much And this is I am certain I speak it with somewhat more than ordinary Confidence an Universal an Infallible way of knowing the Supream Power in order to our Non-resistance according to the Doctrine of the Gospel viz. He that beareth not the Sword in vain in whom alone the Military Power remains He whose Person is inviolate whose Life is Sacred whose Power cannot be taken from him Legally without his consent who is Accountable to none but God for any Misgovernment and these are His Majesties Prerogatives even by the Political Contract the express Statute-Law of the Realm he is that Higher Power St. Paul speaks and I have been Discoursing of if there be any such thing as an Higher Power among us Nay I shall further add though I will not positively affirm it submitting my self herein to better Judgments That Prince who is not responsible to the People is in effect the sole Soveraign Power if he pleases to Usurp and Exercise it Nor can the Subject Conscientiously resist him For I cannot apprehend that any resistance can be Lawful in point of Conscience that is forbidden by the Positive Law of the Land which is our Case in this Nation Though the Prince may be culpable in the sight of God for so doing yet the Subjects cannot be Justified in Rebelling when the Law has taken from them that Liberty and Power Common Reason and Equity the Law of Nature and the Original of Government and extream Necessity will by no means Justifie such violent Attempts upon the Supream Magistrate It is one main ground of Political Government to deprive the Subject from being his own Judge and Assertor of his own Priviledges Without this Fundamental Principle there will be only the Name and Shadow of Government when as really 't is but meer Anarchy If the Subject might be permitted to fly in the Face of Authority and to Assault him when ever he apprehends himself injur'd we should but be Populus virorum an Independent Herd of Licentious and ungovernable Men not Corpus Politicum not a Compact Body of Citizens United together in Peace Order and Subordination But it is commonly Argued Is not the Prince Oblig'd to Govern by Law and if he transcends that Power by Invading the Peoples Liberty and Property are we bound to Obey him I Answer He is Oblig'd but the Obligation is between God and his own Conscience God only is the Revenger of the Breach of the Coronation-Oath though the Peoples Liberty and Property and the Laws are the subject-matter of it Secondly I grant that in the Case put we are not bound to Obey him but we are bound patiently to suffer not actively to resist Thirdly I am of Opinion but speak it still with Submission that the King being by all sober understanding Men acknowledged the King of Right before he gives the People that Assurance of his Governing by Law that that Oath is therefore a voluntary Act of Grace unto which he is not Oblig'd by the Fundamental Constitution For if so he could not Exercise the Supream Governing Power before the Oath was taken which yet neither he nor his Predecessors were ever thought uncapable to do Supposing then that the Prince would not give to the People this Assurance I ask whether he is then Oblig'd to Govern strictly by the present Law 'T is my Judgment he is not Obliged He ought indeed the Law of God and Nature and the first Reason of Government requires him to Rule with regard to the good of the Governed yet that he is strictly ty'd unto the particular Methods of Government declared
are indeed often told that this is not to Preach Jesus Christ and him Crucified whereas I make no Question but that he who Teaches any Christian Duty does the work of an Evangelist Preaches Jesus Christ and him Crucified Time was when they only were taken for Soul-saving Preachers who as Aaron perswaded the Israelites to break off the Golden Ear-rings which were in the Ears of their Wives of their Sons and of their Daughters had a dextrous way of wheadling their Disciples to fling their Silver Thimbles and Bodkins into the Fire of our Civil Contentions From whence came out two Molten Calves Slavery drest up in the Habit of Liberty and Property and Hypocrisie lurking under the Disguise of Conscience and Religion Vnto these two Idols were the People forc'd to fall down and Worship It was the same time when they only were esteemed Gospel-Teachers who went to Market for the Subject of their Sabboth-Sermons as the Dissenters most Judaically but Ignorantly call the Lords Day who took their Texts out of the Diurnals and by the help of some Passages of Holy Scripture mis-applyed and Profanely abused brought forth just such another Monster as Mahomet did out of the Law and the Gospel scil A Bloody and Tyrannical Government and an Ill-favour'd Religion which the Church of God never before saw In fine they only were acknowledged the Faithful Dispensers of the Word who were Trumpeters of Sedition and turn'd this Kingdom into War and Blood and Confusion and Anarchy a Work as Diametrically Opposite to the Office of a Minister of Jesus Christ and to the Nature of the Gospel as Light is to Darkness But we silly Wretches as we are who Instruct the People unto Modesty and Patient Submission unto the Higher Powers as our Lord and his Apostles did to rest content with that form of Government under which they are born and bred must needs be represented as a sort of Men that know not or will not Preach Christ and the Faith of Christ although we speak no other things than what the Law and the Prophets and the Scriptures of the New Testament have said before us and enjoyned us to Preach even such things which being indeed to the Dissenters a stumbling-block and to the Factious Politician Foolishness but I am fully perswaded if carefully learnt and Conscientiously practised will accompany Salvation For my own part I desire no fairer play as to the Subject though not as to the Management of these Sermons than that what I have here wrote may be Impartially scann'd and as it shall be found to savour of the Gospel-Spirit let my Character and Entertainment be accordingly which is all Courteous Reader and what I may justly expect from thee Thomas Gipps Sermon I. Rom. 13. Ver. 1. Let every Soul be subject to the Higher Powers for there is no Power but of God the Powers that be are Ordained of God THERE is nothing under the Sun but is lyable to Alteration the best and purest things ordinarily in the Change degenerating into the filthyest and most unsavoury This Observation holds good in Morals as well as Naturals and even the Revelations of God himself when abus'd to loose and ambitious Ends when corrupted by the false glosses of deceitful Men prove most destructive to the Peace and Welfare of the World Hence it comes to pass that Wâ—rs Commenced upon the Account of Religion and carried on under pretence of Conscience have evermore been the bloodyest seldom or never ceasing but in the utter Ruine of one side 2. And for the same Reason Disobedience to Authority and Rebellion against the Prince when grounded on the mistaken Doctrines of the Gospel are usually found most Obstinate the Plague of the Common-wealth and an incurable Disease When Conscience under a mistake leads the Van no Projects of Peace will please but what she approves of When the Glory of God is writ upon the Banners no Conditions are hearkened to but what she propounds When the Defence of the Gospel is taken up in Opposition to the Civil Magistrate no terms of Agreement will be accepted unless every point be gain'd exactly Conform to that Enthusiastical Model to those conceited Schemes of Divine Worship which every Zealous Bigot lays down for the undoubted Law of the Gospel Conscience is the most Formidable Invader of the Rights and Properties of the Subject of the Power and Soveraignty of the Supream Magistrate And when she gives the Signal to Battel the word is Spare neither great nor small Neither Prince nor People neither things Sacred nor Profane escape her Fury but all lye prostrate and truckle to her Arbitrary Commandment Whilst there are any left to make Head against her she will never put up her Sword her very Mercies are Cruel She will never give over the pursuit till glutted with the Blood of her Adversaries her self bursts asunder into Faction Heresie and the most Irreligious Separations When the Number of such as have been Slaughtered in an Holy War shall be reckon'd up it will possibly be found that Interest and Passion and Revenge and Civil Faction have slain their Thousands but Conscience her Ten Thousands How this comes to pass is not difficult to discern An Opinion of our own Holiness begets in us Spiritual Pride or rather Fleshly Wisdom and Confidence Obedience to God is a most Powerful Motive pushing us on unto the most dangerous and desperate Enterprizes The Propagation of the Kingdom of Christ oft-times makes us forget our selves to over-look the means and to think that the Goodness or Innocence of our Design is sufficient to Sanctifie the Villany and to Justifie the undertakers To Defend the Purity of the Gospel is thought as indeed it is if rightly manag'd a Glorious work it appearing to most of us the greatest instance of gratitude we can return to God namely to advance the Excellent Glory of the Divine Nature Besides the Conversion of Men yea even the compelling them by force to renounce their Errors and to embrace the Truths of the Gospel seems at first blush a Noble and Heroick piece of Christian Charity worthy the Zeal and Pains of every one to effect as well in his Enemy as Friend Upon these general but for the most part misapply'd Principles many Ignorant Consciences full of Zeal and sudden flashes of Spiritual Light like Paul in his Journey to Damascus are indeed struck blind with the abundance of Revelation and Knowledge falsly so called And from thence forward know not neither care nor will give themselves leave to consider what course they are taking for the compassing these great Ends neither will suffer others to take them by the Hand and Conduct them to the Infallible Oracles of God where they may understand what it is which God would have them do satisfying themselves with the uprightness of their remote intentions but winking at the Iniquity of the means pursuant thereto Although it is an Eternal Rule of right Reason and an
unquestionable Maxim of our Holy Religion That we must not do evil that good may come 4. Conscience in this case which is but an irregular Passion and may rather be called Self-conceit or sullen Perswasion becomes a most daring Champion and that Cause is most likely to succeed wherein she is sworn of the Counsel or made use of in the Execution Hence both Ambitious Princes and Rebellious Subjects in their Foreign Invasions or Civil Wars still either in pretence or Truth have Painted Conscience and the Glory of God on their Ensigns thinking it sufficient to Excuse their outrages with the pretext of Godliness Some of you I know have read of the Holy War carried on by the blind Zeal of Christendom against the Saracens some have heard of the Holy League in France many of you of the Spaniards Invincible Armado Equip'd at the Request of his Holiness for the Propagation of the Faith most of you are sensible that there was lately a Solemn League and Covenant set up in this Kingdom for the Glory of God and we are at this day freshly Alarm'd with the Report of an Association These Proceedings are not to be wondred at since Religion hath ever by Experience been found first lyable to be deprav'd by ill Men then to be made a stalking Horse for the carrying on the most Impious Enterprizes Our Lord himself fore-told as much and this Mystery of Iniquity began to work in the Children of Disobedience at the very dawning of Christianity The first Hereticks and Schismaticks that sprung up in the Church Men that boasted of their Knowledge of the Divine Will as much as any among us ever did arrogating to themselves the Name of Gnosticks i. e. as the word imports Knowing Men who as they thought were fully acquainted with the Doctrine of God Yet among many other freakish Opinions deny'd Subjection due to the Magistrate and are describ'd as such by St. Jude Filthy Dreamers who defile the Flesh despise Dominion and speak evil of Dignities 5. The Christian Religion is first pure and then peaceable as St. James teacheth us intimating that the Purity of it being first lost or renounc'd nothing but Confusion and Disorder can be expected to follow from whence it has often come to pass that Men of Corrupt Minds perverse Sons of Belial have set up Religion to countenance their Rebellion and Christianity hath been frequently drawn in to bear a part in the most Bloody Tragedies that ever were Acted upon the Stage of the World Thus it hath been from the beginning and will continue thus to be notwithstanding our Blessed Lord and his Holy Apostles took the greatest care imaginable both by Example and Doctrine to prevent these Mischiefs St. Paul among the rest intending in these words now read either first as some imagine to overthrow that Rebellious Principle of the Gnosticks just now mentioned Despising Dominion and speaking evil of Dignities and to prevent its further growth among the new Converts at Rome Or Secondly as Grotius conjectures to obviate that plausible Argument which the Jewish Christians might possibly be ready to draw from that passage of Moses viz. Thou shalt in any wise set him King over thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse one from among thy Brethren shalt thou set King over thee thou mayest not set a stranger over thee which is not thy Brother from whence they might gather that the Emperour being not their Brother not of the Seed of Jacob but a Stranger they were not obliged to Obey him Or Thirdly as some think to let the Roman Christians rightly understand his Doctrine and their own Duty namely that what he had before in this Epistle delivered concerning Christian Liberty was not to be stretch'd so far as to excuse their Subjection to the Temporal Magistrate Upon some one or more of these Accounts the Apostle reads them their Lesson here in the Text of which I shall give you the Explication and thence fully set forth the Nature of Subjection which is all I aim at at this time 6. The Grammatical form of the words is Imperative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by Consequence the words are Praeceptive importing a Duty properly so called unto which we are indispensably Oblig'd and which the Apostle more peremptorily presses in the 5 th Verse following Wherefore ye must needs be subject there is a Necessity laid upon you all The Romish Divines tell us that this is only Prudential Advice suited to the present Condition of the Christians who were then few and poor and unable to make resistance therefore was it unseasonable for them to exasperate the Emperour but their Interest rather and Wisdom to sit down patiently under Persecution waiting a more favourable time of asserting their Civil Rights and Liberty of Conscience and of pulling down that Cruel and Arbitrary Government of Nero. This Gap was first opened by the Papists through which many even Protestants in Profession have entred into the Field of Rebellion choosing rather to become Companions with those unruly Beasts in the Transgression than to be confin'd within the compass of Sobriety and the Peaceable Principles of the true Christian Philosophy But what I pray ye is or can be the meaning of those words Ye must needs be subject Not only for Wrath or fear of Punishment that is indeed a Prudential Motive fit for every reasonable Man to consider for his Worldly Interest but also for Conscience sake that 's without Question a Divine Evangelical one fit for every Christian to weigh in order to his Spiritual Interest Conscience I say towards God not for his own sake only but as St. Peter implies for the Lords sake in Honour and Obedience to the Law of God Let every Soul No Mortal Man is exempted neither Bishop nor Priest nor Subordinate Magistrate nor five hundred Princes of the Congregation Men of Renown Assembled no nor all the People of the Land Combin'd and Associated together can hold themselves excused Every Soul This Expression is borrowed from the Jewish Writers with whom it is very familiar to call Man Soul as indeed 't is not an unusual Idiom in our own Language that being a principal part Synechdochically put for the Man himself So that when St. Paul says Let every Soul 't is equivalent as if he should have said Let every Man or rather if we would render it to the full Let every living Man For so much the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes which most commonly in Scripture Language signifies the Life the Animal Life that Life which is common to him with the brute Beasts or else the Life relating to our Natural and Temporal Concerns Whence St. Paul opposes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Natural Man to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Spiritual Man From whence I draw this Conclusion that every true and sincere Disciple of Christ although he may and ought to preserve his Reasonable Soul his Conscience pure and
unspotted from Actual Complyance with the sinful Commands of his Superiours Conscience and the Rational Soul and Spiritual things are not in their Nature capable of being subjected to the external Power of a Prince yet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Animal Life all Temporal Civil Affairs being by God committed to the Supream Magistrate we ought in all those respects to be Subject to the Will and Governance of the Prince By the Higher Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Abstract is nevertheless meant the Concrete the Person of the Supream Magistrate he to whom the Government of the Common-wealth is entrusted and the Execution of the Law belongs So St. Paul expounds himself backing this Precept with several Reasons ver 3. for Rulers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 4. For he is the Minister of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he beareth not the Sword in vain He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Revenger All which passages clear the Apostles meaning that he treats not of the Supream Authority separate from the Person of the Prince but the Prince himself in Possession of the Supream Power This I the rather take notice of because there are a sort of Critical Pedantical Politicians that distinguish betwixt the Government and the Governour between the Laws of the Common-wealth and the Kings Person Government they are for and willing to be Subject to it the Law they cry up and none more Zealous than they for the execution of Justice But as for the Person of the Prince how rudely do they treat him How little do they Honour him Making him a King of Clouts rather than what indeed he is the Minister the Ordinance of God What else means so many Hedge-creepers among us pulling down the Fences of Obedience to the Magistrate and the fat Bulls of Basan enclosing him in on every side What else means that Malicious Raillery and those abusive Pasquils sent forth for the wounding his Honour And some have had the Confidence to threaten a Writ of Quo Warranto against his Authority By Power if you will admit St. Paul to expound his own meaning is to be understood not the Majesty of the Government but the Majesty of the King whose Person is Divine being Ordained by God whose Honour is Sacred and inviolate And for a further Confirmation of this Exposition you may please to remember that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power is in this sense us'd by our Lord himself When they bring you unto Synagogues and unto Magistrates and unto Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says St. Luke which St. Matthew expresses more simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kings and Governours or Emperours The Learned well know that Magistratus and Potestas and Majestas are frequently put for the Prince himself in all sort of Writers and nothing is more common than to call Persons by the Abstract denoting some Property in special manner belonging to them Thus we style a Notorious Malefactor Villany it self Villany in the Abstract which some express in a more Comical way a Rogue in grain i. e. one who like Cloath dyed with Scarlet has imbib'd the Principles of Naughtiness as a durable and inseparable Property In like manner to an Inferiour Magistrate we Address Your Worship to a Peer of the Realm Your Honour to a General of an Army Your Excellency to one of the Blood Royal Your Highness to a Prince Your Grace Your Majesty Thus Jacob speaking to Reuben to whom by Natural Right of Descent belong'd the Supream Power Thou art my First-born my Might and the Beginning of my Strength the Excellency of Dignity and the Excellency of Power And to make an end of this Observation God himself is often called Wisdom and Holiness Righteousness and Truth it self Now as it would be thought an high Act of presumption and Atheism for any Man to distinguish betwixt the Person of God and his Essential Attributes that is to pretend to be subject to the Wisdom Holiness Righteousness and Truth of Divine Grace and Providence and in the mean time to Blaspheme the Person of God Just such another piece of Hypocrisie and empty Loyalty are they guilty of who profess to Obey the Law and to submit to the Government but Murder or Persecute or Vilifie the Prince in whom the Government rests as an Inherent Property and the execution of the Law appertains as his unquestionable Right and Prerogative by whose Wisdom and Authority Justice is distributed to the People of the Land as Light and Heat is by the Sun to the whole World But as the Spaniards living under the scorching heat of that Planet are said to curse it at the approach of Summer so is it many times with an unthankful and wanton People enjoying too much Ease Peace and Plenty through the abundant Grace and Goodness of a King 't is familiar with them to fly in his Face and lift up the heel against him that has made them thus Happy But to proceed Let every Soul be subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is Passive Whence we learn that it is not in our own Liberty to subject our selves when or as long as we please nor on what Terms and Conditions we think fit to stand nor on whom we pretend to devolve the Government and Succession It 's not in our Power to pull down one and set up another That 's the Prerogative of God by whom Kings Reign It 's not for us Violently and Clamourously to alter the Frame of Government already Established but a modest and sincere Christian is to take it as he finds it Outward Force yea Obstinate Petitions and Importunate Addresses when the State is in a Commotion and the Prince under some disadvantages becomes not one who is of a tender Conscience but smells rankly of Disobedience and Rebellion If it had been the mind of God and the sense of the Apostle to permit these things to our Deliberation the words rather should thus have run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let every Soul subject himself Government only in general would have been Ordained but the Specification of it and the Choice of the Governours left to the Peoples Suffrage and Election But he is to be subjected because it is his Duty so to be Antecedent to his own Will and Choice Because it is the appointment of one who is Higher than either King or Subject because it is the Ordinance of God Of which more by and by If it be ask'd What is the extent of our Subjection and unto what Acts of Obedience are we hereby Oblig'd I Answer First Positively to acknowledge him the Ordinance of God to render Tribute and Custom and Fear and Honour unto him as it follows in the Apostles Discourse after my Text to preserve his Person from outward Violence and secret Conspiracies to own his Rights and Prerogatives yea to Love and Reverence him Or else thus Secondly Negatively not to resist him not to Wound his Honour
it with Violence Injustice and Avarice yet he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Authority is lookt upon as derived from God to have receiv'd the divine stamp and approbation so far at least as to require the Christians humble and peaceable submission thereunto which being a matter of no small difficulty rightly to state I may possibly take occasion hereafter more distinctly and fully to discuss 'T is true St. Paul seems as if he discours'd of some incomparable Prince whilst he describes him as executing Judgment and Justice for the benefit of the Subject without wrong or oppression of the Innocent for says he Rulers are not a terror to good Works but to the Evil do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same He is the Minister of God to thee for good he is a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Plato himself were he now alive again as they say he is lately risen and has attempted the reformation of our present disorders could not give us a more noble and apt Character of a Prince However neither will this pretence serve the turn of our Common-wealths-men for if you will but consider those forementioned passages in Hypothesi as well as Thesi if you will remember who was then the higher Power at Rome when St. Paul wrote this Epistle namely Nero one of the most cruel impious and debaucht Princes that ever sway'd Scepter you will not then think that the Apostle here speaks strictly of some great and Heroick Prince then in being for Nero was not such an one nor that the Precept is laid down as only obligatory when the Prince happens to be a terror unto evil doers and a praise unto them that do well We must then seek for Another sense of those words which I conceive is this The Apostle in this description lays down one especial reason and ground of Subjection fetch 't from the benefit generally redounding to the People thereby and this with peculiar relation even to Nero himself the Emperor of Rome though one of the worst upon record in History He intimates that no Prince no not Nero himself 't is morally impossible generally speaking can be so sou'r and rigid towards the People but that a modest and humble minded Subject may hope for more advantages under his Government than by tumult and Rebellion that as all Rulers in general and in Thesi so was Nero in particular and in Hypothesi to be accounted a terror to wicked doers and a Minister of God for the good of the People that therefore if the Christian Romans would but truly consult their own Interest and would not be afraid of his Power nor fall under the lash of his severity they should live quietly and innocently not exasperating him by any indecent words or tumultuous behaviour and that then they might more probably expect Praise and Protection from him and be more likely to obtain those temporal blessings than by reproaching his Person forming Conspiracies and blowing up the Trumpet of Sedition against him This I take to be the Sum of the Apostles Doctrine and Argument as I have explicated it and am pretty confident agreeably to the mind of God to the Apostles drift in this place and to the unanimous Opinion and Practice of the Primitive Saints Which that you may after this large explanation remember and distinctly comprehend I shall reduce it into this short Proposition viz. That it is the duty of every man every Christian to love honour to reverence and obey and with their substance to support the Person of the Supream Magistrate and this in Conscience towards God as well as in order to his own temporal Interest Now though this be plain and obvious yet in these unhappy days men are and will be otherwise minded their heads begin to turn round again so tender of their own personal Rights and Properties that like the Sensitive Plant do but touch them they Shrink as if Wounded to death or as untoward Children when disciplin'd for their faults cry out Murder and make hideous Complaints of Tyranny Arbritrary Government and Oppression The rights of the People are of late so swell'd their Properties so enlarg'd their Liberties so extended that the Body Politick may not unfitly be resembled to those Crooked men whom in abuse we call Lords whose Heads are almost Shrunk down into their Breasts and become in a manner invisible at least-wise whose shape by that unnatural approach appears Monstrous and Deformed If the Head of the Common-wealth rises not at a due distance above the Body of the People there is neither Form nor Comliness in that Government yea and for the most part as in the said similitude the Constitution thereof proves Crazy and the Life short The Supream Magistrate is now endeavour'd to be coopt up and as it were Besieged with those fore-said Pretences So that he cannot turn himself round in his own Orb without the Offence of some peevish Libertine nor can make one step forward in the exercise of Government but is accused to Trespass upon the Property of some waspish Common-wealths-man and to trample upon the heel of some Free-born Subject So that indeed the Princes Person his Honour his Liberty and Property i. e. his Royalties and Prerogatives are in danger to be wrested from him by Force and Craft and the unwearied Clamours of unreasonable and unsatiable Men. I should now had I time and were it fit for me to intrench upon the Patience of this Honourable Audience or to Trespass upon the Publick Business of the Countrey examine the Grounds and the pretended Reasons of all this For otherwise I must declare that I am nothing terrified from this Task by the scornful Abuses of those late Demagogues who in their Pamphlets are pleased to call us Ministers Sycophants and Publickly to Indict us of Flattery because we Preach Obedience to the King and as much as in us lies in our Places and according to our Abilities withstand the alteration of Government For my self I must declare and I am sure no Man knows my Heart better than my self nor therefore can in Charity contradict me I say then I wish were not the thing impossible and therefore in vain to wish otherwise I could wish that we were once again in Paradise in the state of Innocence and Perfection that there were no need of Government or Governours at least that we were all so good and virtuous as to deserve that Liberty some Men gape after that those especially had their Freedom who could so use it as not to abuse it for a Cloak of Maliciousness But since this is not to be expected from the far greatest part of Mankind since the World is and ever will be full of Offences pestered with the Excesses and Disorders of unruly Men Since therefore it is the Interest of all good Men that Government should be maintained and Governours Honoured and Obeyed since the Law was made
own Conscience He was indeed oft times pleas'd to discover his mind to the Israelites by his Prophets What Prophesy and Revelation was to them the same is Providence unto us a manifest and sufficient Proof of the Divine Will All Mankind the most Religious and Loyal bare witness to this Truth in their Practise and the best the wisest Princes allow their Subjects this Liberty evermore passing bills of Amnesty upon the Recovery of their Kingdoms This was the Motive which prevail'd with one of our Kings for enacting that equitable Law whereby the People are acquitted of Treason when they submit to a crown'd Usurper that Ceremony it seems being intended for a Legal Token of Gods Providential Will. Thus far I am apt to believe the most Disloyal among us will agree with me Wherefore that I may not be misunderstood it will be necessary to lay down these following Rules and Limitations 1. That it is the duty of every Subject to assist his Prince to maintain the present Government against an Usurper to the utmost of his Power and this not only in the beginning of Rebellion which should always be nipt in the Bud but continue so doing with the hazard of his Life and Fortune whilst their remains any Hopes any Legal Methods of Defence For I would not be mistaken as if I accounted it a matter of small Moment to depart from our Oaths and Assurances given to the Government or as if I took upon me to licence People to practise against the Peace of the State or to herd themselves with tumultuous and ungovernable Men. No it will not be easy for a Loyal and Religious Subject to prostitute his Conscience upon every first appearance of danger or to violate his Contracts by a ready complyance with the Usurper before he does or suffers or makes any opposition in behalf of the Natural Prince But then only he may and is to submit when Providence has put an end to the dispute and clearly decided the Controversy And this may happen two ways 1. When 't is become morally impossible to restore the oppressed Prince as appears to have been the case of the Jews when Jehojakim was captive in Babylon then the hand of Providence has laid a necessity upon us to acquiesce in the Alteration of Government For as necessity has no Law according to the vulgar saying so impossibilities fall under no Law according to the Maxim of the Schools This is taken for granted by all men and even the supreme Rulers themselves approve it No one is or can in the Nature of the thing be oblig'd to impossibilities either by God or Man neither will the Powers in this Extremity require Subjects out of Fondness to run themselves head long into destruction in vain and to no purpose at all It is an Aphorism in the Divine Oeconomy it self God has thus yea more favourably resolved the Case between him and us I says he will have Mercy and not Sacrifice We are not strictly tied to the observation of his Positive Precepts His negative Laws oblige semper ad semper as the Learned speak That is plainly thus our Circumstances will never allow us to blaspheme God to murder to steal or to commit Adultery Because 't is said Thou shalt not c. The Holiness of the Divine Nature cannot will not in any wise dispense herein But his Positive Commands do not oblige ad semper It is permitted us upon urgent Occasions for instance to absent our selves from the Publick Worship to do works of Necessity and Charity and we are not always bound to publish our Opinions or to profess our Faith tho we may not deny it The Goodness and the mercy of the Divine Nature thus far indulges us as to the performance of our Duty to him And may we not reasonably expect the same Measure from our Earthly Governours It can never I own be lawful for us to blaspheme their Honour to fight against them or murder them because 't is said Thou shalt not speak evil of the Rulers thou shalt not resist them these negative Dutys oblige ad semper but 't is not always our indispensible Duty to fight for them In extream necessity then we may submit to an Oppressor Natural Prudence and self-preservation will warrant and enforce us to it Our Religion our Conscience and Fidelity to our Soveraign being to be guided by the Rule of Reason and Discretion to be concluded by the almighty Power of Providence we must sit down and like reasonable men examine whether we are able with ten thousand to march into the Field and meet our Adversary with twenty thousand as our Lord advises When there is no humane probability of Success there God has put a stop to our Endeavours Hitherto we are to go and no farther For the Relation between the Leige Prince and the Leige People the mutual Offices of Protection and Assistance are now tho not wholly and eternally dissolved yet suspended for a while As the Prince deprived cannot be taxt justly because in the Discharge of his publick Trust he does not desperately run himself into certain ruine for the Protection of his Subjects So neither can he reasonably expect his People should do so in his Quarrel when there is no Hopes of Success Both the one and the other are patiently to suffer under the Disappointment Reservare se meliori fortunoe waiting a more favourable conjuncture of asserting their Rights and Liberties Secondly when the Natural Prince and his Legal Heirs are all extinct or lost then certainly the Usurper is the Divine Ordinance and ought to be recogniz'd as such having the best visible Title i. e. actual Possession of the Crown On whom by Providence and the Divine will the supreme Authority is devolved And I am well satisfyed that if this Rule is not to be followed 't is impossible for us to submit unto any Higher Powers at this day so many Invasions Usurpations and violent Changes having been made in all Governments Were we permitted to trace every Princes Title from the beginning downward to this present time and then to resist upon the Discovery of any one Flaw in the several Alterations and Successions we should find scarce one just and might upon that score resist I verily think But then When I affirm we may and ought to be Subject to a Usurper yet if there be but a bare Natural Possibility of our Soveraigns return I would be understood to speak of an unactive Submission as I may call it that is of sitting down patiently under his Dominion as Sufferers and as a conquered People not actual Promoters or Defenders of the Change For considering our former Oaths 't is Indecent and Treacherous so far to comply with Usurpation as to become active Instruments in the new Tyranny We may not then ingage in publick Offices and places of Trust We may not inform against nor implead nor judg nor persecute our Fellow Citizens
and Representatives both of God and the King that as the Supream Governour is Gods immediate Ordinance so are they that are sent by him the mediate and derivative Ordinance of God To deal freely with you I question not that Obedience and Subjection in all its branches in its utmost latitude is due to one as well as t'other that in case of the greatest outrages committed by them either through neglect or mistake or Passion or private Interest or Revenge or Servile Flattery of the Princes Humour the Subject ought not to seek redress but by such Peaceable methods as the Law prescribes and allows that in the mean time he ought to abstain from Violent Defence and Active Resistance For so is the Will of God that we suffer Patiently that we Honour and Reverence not Revile not Libel the Persons of the Subordinate Governours sent or commissioned by the King Let no one think here to avoid the strength of this Scripture argument by distinguishing between the Government of an absolute Arbitrary Prince such were the Emperours of Old and a mixt or limited Government as our's is at this day This makes no difference gives the Subject no Priviledge of resisting the Kings Ministers The Power of the Subordinate Magistrate is of the same Nature in both these Governments limited in the former by the will of the Emperour in his publick Edicts and private Instructions limited in the latter by the known Laws of the Nation let the Prince be Arbitrary or not still his Ministers are always limited though they transgress and depart from their Rule the People has in neither case Liberty turbulently to defend themselves with the breach of the Publick Peace the preservation whereof is still the Fundamental Principle and Care of every Government whether Absolute or Limited For which reason the Subjects in the Roman State were directed to appeal unto Caesar as their last refuge and we in this Nation unto the Kings Supreme Court of Justice as our only remedy against injury if they fail'd or we be disappointed of our expectations we have nothing more to do than patiently to submit to the Will and Providence of God This I take to be St. Peters Doctrine and am sure was St. Pauls Practice as is before prov'd and I lay it down as the first Reason of my resolution of the Question under debate We must not forcibly resist the inferiour Magistrates because it is the express Doctrine of the Scripture Because violently to resist the Kings Instruments Legally commissionated by him is inconsistent with our Duty to the Person of the King himself By the Doctrine of the Gospel we are to Love to Honour the Kings Person not Libelling Him not defaming Him What is the meaning of this We are not to bring into Question his Abilities his Justice his Wisdom his Vigilance his Integrity his Fidelity to his Oaths and Assurances given us of Good and Legal Government But he who by Force resists the Kings Officers Dishonours the Kings Person and Stains his reputation in all those respects by his turbulency and sturdy resistance of the Magistrate he does in effect tell the World that the King is unable or unwilling to Protect him resolved to crush and oppress him He thereby suggests the Higher Power to be either Fool or Knave or Tyrant or Perjur'd under which imputations 't is dishonourable for him to Lie For no man that thinks his Prince able to defend him will Riotously defend himself No one that judges him upright but will peaceably appeal to him none that believes him a Man of Honour and Conscience will question to be relieved by him and his Superior Courts of Justice In a word there can be no resistance no affront Offer'd to the Kings Ministers but tends directly to the Dishonour of the Kings Person The King has the same reason to complain of those that Violently persecute his Ministers as God had of the Israelites whom nothing would satisfy but to have Samuel depos'd They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me Against me principally is this Rebellion and Change of Government design'd Every Indignity cast upon the Servant reflects upon the Master and as Naturally and Necessarily ascends unto the Head the Supreme Governour of the Body Politick as the pains and anguish of a wounded Member arises unto the Head of a Natural Body He that breaks my Bones and bruises my Flesh and yet tells me he is tender of my Head the Seat of Sensation may if he please Value his wit upon the distinction but cannot satisfy me thereby for the injury done me And again as upon pretence of Putrefaction to lop off all the Members one after another is certain destruction both to the Body and the Head which cannot consist without the Integral parts so they who will never acknowledg the Prince to have any faithful Servants and Counsellors but are still ready to cut them off so soon as they are received into his Favour and Service whatever kindness they make show of to him yet forcing him to be thus Naked and to shift for himself leaving him as it were to wander alone on the Mountains as a Partridg to sit as a Pelicane in the Wilderness or as an Owl in the Desart do indeed destroy the Government and by Necessary Consequence murder the Kings Person also And if Reason will not I am sure sad Experience has once convinc't us of this Truth To use Force against the Kings Legal Instruments is a Breach of the Publick Peace Frustration of the Chief Ends of Society the Good of the People and endangers the Dissolution of the whole Frame of Government For without Order and peaceable Subjection there is nothing but Confusion and Violence and perfect Anarchy our Persons our Lives our Liberties and Properties when once a Civil War is commenc't being expos'd to the Dominion and Cruelty and Avarice of the Revengeful and Successful Conqueror And because I have made the Preservation of the Publick Peace the Ground of much of my Reasoning in this Discourse I the rather choose here a little to enlarge my self upon that Topick I shall readily grant if it be demanded that the Good of the Governed is the first Reason and the great End of Government but the next and in order to it is the Publick Peace which is the very Life and Soul of Government and absolutely necessary to the Peoples both Private and Political Happiness As therefore 't is the Princes Office by any means to secure it so it is the Subjects Duty and Interest to keep it tho with the loss of their private personal Concernments Peace is an unvaluable Blessing like that rich Jewell in the Gospel 't is Worth our while to sell all we have for the purchase of it I have seldom read nor does it often happen that the Subjects Circumstances were so hard their Condition so miserable where 't was worth their while to hazard their Lives and Fortunes by Civil
Discord Pax bello potior seems to be a Rule almost without Exception But that other ex bello pax is a Motto fit only for Traitors and Ufurpers to stamp upon their Medals Let any understanding Man sit down and with himself calmly consider how easy it is when once the Sacred Bonds of Civil Peace are broke for a forraign Enemy to invade and enslave the Nation what Devastations are made what Detriment sustain'd in private Estates how much Time and Expense of Treasure is required before any tolerable Settlement can be made how easy 't is for the Conqueror to set up a Tyrannical and Arbitrary Government which is oft-times the Issue of Domestick Wars at least how strangely the Government is weakened how universally the People are debauch't how difficult 't is for them to recover both their Publick and Private Losses Where is that wise Man and indued with Knowledge Let him tell me whether 't is not much better more Honorable and Heroick to flying over Board all his Substance yea and suffer himself with Jonah to be cast into the Sea for the Preservation of his Fellow-citizens rather than the Ship of the Common-wealth should sink in the Waves of Popular Insurrections The Safety therefore of the Government and of the Governours and the Good of the Governed being thus closely twisted with the Publick Peace they who take upon them violently to resist and engage the People in Rebellion do by consequence overthrow the Ends of Society and reduce us into that Condition which some Men call the State of Nature wherein every Man having a General Right to every thing but a Particular Right to nothing we sight and devour one another And which is the worst of all when we are weary of our Dissensions and an End is put to the Quarrel the Issue is seldom to the Advantage of the Subject We may alter the Government but for the Worse we may change our Masters but not ease our Shoulders from those Grievances we formerly groan'd under 'T is easy to fore-see these Inconveniencies by the Eye of Reason and Experience which is the Mistress of Fools will abundantly convince us of them But Because when ever we Preachers inforce this Doctrine from the practice of Holy Men recorded in Scripture or other Instances out of Profane or Ecclesiastical History still the Diversity of Government is alledged as a sufficient Bar to the Force of the Argument I shall in the last Place make good my Conclusion from the express Statute Law of the Land And whereas I could produce several Acts of Parliament to this purpose yet Choosing rather to keep my self within Compass within my own Sphere being unwilling to seem too pert and busy in other Mens Province I shall not give my self the Trouble to examine Cook and other Learned Digesters of our Laws nor to search the Rolls in the Tower Yet I hope I may be allowed to take my own Book into my Hand without Offence and put you in Remembrance of that Declaration and Acknowledgement which I have more than once made You may meet with it in that Publick Act prefixt before the Liturgy in these Words I do declare that it is not Lawful upon any Pretence whatever to take Arms against the King and that I do abhor that Traiterous Position of Taking up Arms by his Authority against his Person or against those that are Commissionated by him So that to take up Arms to resist the Kings Ministers and Officers having his Commission is Treason To maintain the Legality of it is traiterous and to be abhorred And hence you see that 't was no Crime nor Scandal in sixty two to be an Abhorrer even in the Judgment of the Wisdom of the whole Nation If I should be told that this Declaration was intended only for the Clergy and School-Masters to subscribe I shall acknowledge that True but must by the way observe what Opinion our Law-givers then had of those who would be thought the only Preachers of Christ and him Crucifyed but it seems were suspected as the vilest Disturbers of the Government and most dangerous Incendiaries of the Common-wealth And since so great Trust is reposed in those who take upon them these Employments since they have Opportunity if they will to debauch the Understandings of their Disciples our Law-givers judged it necessary to oblige them to that Declaration and only to admit such of whose Fidelity to the Peace of the Nation they were assured and of whose indeavours of instilling no turbulent and treasonable Principles into the Ears and Minds of the People they were competently secure However tho the Clergy and School-Masters only are obliged unto that Acknowledgement yet if the Taking up Arms against those that are Commissionated by the King is to be abhorred by us and is in its self traiterous then certainly no Subjects ought to resist the Kings Ministers the Position of its Lawfulness being Traiterous the Execution thereof can be no less then Treason But that the People may Lawfully and Conscientiously commit Treason is a Solaecism in Government as well as Heresy in Divinity Hence the Phansie of the Author of that Book entituled A Treatise of Monarchy is plainly confuted who argues tho not for a Legal Power exprest in the Political Contract yet for a Moral Natural Transcendent Power implyed in all Constitutions for the People to resist the Kings Ministers and Destructive Instruments To assert this Lawful upon any pretence whatever is you see traiterous the enterprice is therefore Treason strictly and expresly provided against by the Law of the Land So much for the Reasons of my Answer to this Question And thus I have said as breifly as I could what I thought fit upon this Argument expecting now to be answered in the Words of the Disciples This is an hard Saying who can hear it What may we not defend our selves against Manifest Injury against Unsupportable Oppression when all other Relief is denied us when there is no other Way left to avoid the Miseries of Tyranny and Slavery If this be our Case who are Christians as you have stated it then farewell all our Temporal Interests we are then the most wretched People in the World With what ease than may ambitious Men and corrupt Magistrates trample on us Where is the Law of Nature that Great that Royal Law of self Preservation In Answer hereunto I shall readily grant that 't is an hard Chapter not easily read or believed not willingly digested by Flesh and Blood 'T is one of those high and difficult Points which I do not expect should take Root in the Heart of every Half-thick Christian and temporary Believer Either the wicked one Will catch away this Seed sown or Persecution or the Cares of this Life or the Deceitfulness of Riches or the Love of themselves and of this World will choke it But I would desire Men of Understanding and Integrity for that such only I can hope to prevail to recollect
my reasons and moreover to consider with themselves how that there are many other strict Precepts laid upon us by our blessed Lord no less difficult in themselves and altogether as repugnant to the Law of Nature Self preservation How often how peremptorily are we commanded in general to crucifie our selves to the world and the world to us to mortifie our earthly members to moderate our selves in the desire and fruition even of such things which nature prompts us to and allows us to vanquish our Passions which as the Wise man tells us is a more heroick atchievement than to conquer a City How frequently are we directed to lay aside those inclinations which Nature and the God of Nature has implanted in us to subdue those appetites which our natural temper inclines us to which Interest Self love and Self preservation dictates to us What a paradox is it the Natural man yea to many Pretenders unto strict Holiness to hear that by the Doctrine of God our Saviour they must not render evil for evil nor railing for railing but contrariwise blessing That they must not be their own Judges nor revenge their own quarrels that being the prerogative of God and is only communicated to our earthly Governours What will these men say or think when I shall put them in mind of that restraint God has laid on us all how he has limited the Natural Law of preserving our selves When I shall repeat those excellent Sayings of Christ and his Apostles If thine Enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink Love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you What can the Troublers of our Israel answer if I help them to remember the prudent Caution of the Apostle of abstaining from all appearance of evil those admirable Passages that 't is better to suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing Why do you not rather take wrong To him that smites thee on the right cheek turn the other also When and where I pray and in what Relation are these Gospel Precepts applicable to us if not in our Political State And is it not much more reason that we avoid appearance of evil and offences towards our Superiors and Rulers than towards one another To suffer patiently from the Civil Magistrate to take wrong from the Kings Ministers rather than from our equals and Fellow Subjects I can never enough admire the confidence of some men who are not asham'd to ascribe the preservation of Gospel Holiness solely to the Dissenters amongst us whereas I cannot discern the Spirit of the Gospel among them at all Where almost will you find that Modesty Humility Peaceableness Gentleness easiness to be Intreated Moderaton Obedience Condescention I shall for once on this occasion call it so unto Governours which are required in the Scriptures and are reckon'd up as the fruits of the Spirit I would once again here ask Why may not our Religion be suppos'd to restrain and interpret the general Law of Nature Self preservation in the point of Subjection and Non-resistance of Authority as well as in the case of private Revenge Why should we not be thought oblig'd to cut off one of our hands or feet and to pluck out our right eyes those darling usefull and necessary Members for the sake of Publick Peace as well as to avoid Private Offences It is no small argument to me of the Wisdom and Goodness of God in setting his stamp and approbation upon the precept of Subjection that to our own personal Contracts he has superadded an immediate tye of Conscience in the Revelation of his Will That God who best knows our Hearts the frowardness of our Wills the violence of our Passions the stubborness of our Affections what Lovers of our selves we naturally are what partial Judgers of our own Rights and Interests has therefore thought good to inclose that Law of Nature Self preservation allowing it unto us in no case to the breach or hazard of the publick Peace of the Commonwealth And if I may not defend my self against the injuries of my private Brother and Fellow Citizen but as the Law and the Peace of the State permits how shall I challenge that Liberty in a violent and tumultuous resistance of the Civil Magistrate God who is a God of Order and not of Confusion has himself so dispos'd and methodiz'd the Polities and earthly Governments of men as that 't is impossible if we would Conscienciously attend our duty that Wars and Fightings and cutting of Throats should in any wise be justifiable If so then Government is defective and in effect dissolv'd then is not Magistracy the Ordinance of God but at the Will of the People and alterable at their pleasure when ever they think fit to quarrel at the Princes conduct or at his Ministers pretended outrages and encroachments For where every one may do what is right in his own eyes that State which admits the Subject in any case whatever to call the Rulers to account to punish or to dethrone them or to make any violent changes in the Commonwealth there is no Government at all among them but Anarchy and Confusion and every evil work But To draw to a Conclusion these Discourses I confess administer but cold Comfort to the greatest part of men who like Beasts live by Sense and not by Reason are led by an excessive Love of themselves more than by the Will of God and the publick good of Societies What Security in the mean while say they have we of our Liberties and Properties of enjoying in any tolerable measure the labour of our own hands and of transmitting the benefit thereof to posterity I answer You have all the Security this uncertain world can afford You have the Almighty God taking care of you in whose hands are the Spirit of Princes and he will restrain them His word and promise is engaged His hands are not short that they cannot save neither are his ears heavy that they cannot hear You have his Almighty Power to rely on his Unsearchable Wisdom to depend on his Infinite Goodness to shelter you his Truth and Faithfulness to trust in and the eyes of his Providence continually watching over you You have the consideration of the natural frailty of your earthly Governours to comfort and to uphold you Though they are Gods bearing the image of God in the Political Government yet are they but meer moral men whose breath is in their Nostrils they must die like men and fall like Princes Look how dieth the greatest Potentate even as the meanest Subject There will be no difference between you and them at the Great day the day of Judgment They must then at least whatever privilege they claim in this life give an account at the Tribunal of God where there will be no respect of persons where there Cruelty and Tyranny