bush So Joshua Num. 27.16 to 19. God himself by his own Voice appointed Joshua to his Office This Call is easily known by some signs or tokens whereby the Lord makes known his mind to the People as Moses to satisfie the people that he was called of God gave them signs by God's appointment Exod. 4.1 to 9. So Joshua had some of Moses's honour put upon him that all the Congregation of Israel might be obedient unto him Numb 27.20 that is as I conceive an extrrordinary portion of Moses's Spirit was given to him to qualifie him for that great Trust which he was to undertake Numb 11.17 to 26. We read the Lord took of the Spirit that was upon Moses and gave it to the Seventy which were to assist him in the Government No doubt the same but in a greater measure was bestowed upon Joshua as one who was not only to assist but succeed Moses in the place of chief Magistrate that the people seeing the excellency of his Spirit might be content to hearken to him which is evident by Deut. 34.9 Joshua the son of Nun was fall of the Spirit of Wisdom for Moses had laid his hands on him and the Children of Israel hearkened unto him A Call very near to this though not in the strickest sence Immediate was that of Gideon Judg. 6.14 who was called by an Angel sent from Heaven and perhaps many other of the Judges were called in the same manner but whoever hath this Call hath something or other either in the manner of his Call or in the excellency of his Spirit or both which is sufficient to convince the People that he is one appointed by God to be their Governour and that it is their duty to hearken to and obey him as the People did Joshua 2. There is a mediate Call when God calls a man to the Government by and with the consent and concurrence of the people And thus the Kings of Israel were called by the consent of the people who constituted them and it was the Peoples right by the Law of God to set the King over them Deut. 17.14 15. 't was the Peoples act that constituted the King Therefore we read all the People went to Gilgal to make Saul King 1 Sam. 11.15 The people made David King of Judah 2 Sam. 2.4 and afterwards all the Tribes of Israel came to Hebron to make him King of Israel 1 Chron. 12.38 Solomom was made King by all the Congregation 1 Chron. 29.20 All the People came to Shechem to make Rehoboam King 2 Chron. 10.1 and when he refused to ease them of their burdens and oppressions rejected him and made Jeroboam King 1 Kings 12.20 All the people of Judah took Uzziah and made him King 2 Chron. 26.1 The people of the Land made Josiah King 2 Chron. 33.25 The people of the Land took Jehoahaz and made him King 2 Chron. 36.1 The people made Abimeleck King Judg. 9.6 By all which it plainly appears that the right of making Kings was in the People The same we find concerning all other Magistrates and Officers that the people were to make them by the Law of God Deut. 16.18 Judges and Officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee throughout thy Tribes and they shall judge the people with just judgement And indeed it is a piece of greatest folly and imprudence for the people to part with their right of making Magistrates either Supream or Subordinate to commit the making of Judges and other Officers to the King is by interpretation a neglect of our own duty which the Law of God requires an undervaluing of our birth-right and a resignation of our Laws Lives Liberties and Estates to his will which King James knew well enough to be an eminent expedient of King-craft when he used to say Let me make what Judges and Bishops I will and I will have nothing to be Law or Gospel but what I please No wonder that the people of this Nation are so grievously oppressed by Judges and Lawyers that the Law is so wrested Justice perverted and Violence committed when they neglect their duty of making Judges Sheriffs Justices of the Peace and other Officers and commit it to the King who will be sure to chuse such as shall advance his Prerogative and debase the Peoples Liberty as much as lies in them and dare do no other for fear of his displeasure how easie a thing is it to take away any mans Life Liberty or Estate which the King hath a desire to take away and that under a pretence of Law when the Judge Sheriff Justices and Jury are all his Creatures and Vassals and the Judge must say that is Law which the King would have so or else be turned out of his place which usually he hath bought at the price of some Thousands of pounds The Sheriff must pick a Jury that he knowes before-hand will give what verdict the Judge bids them or else be judged an enemy to the King And the Justices upon the Bench dare as well go upon hot coals as oppose the Kings Pleasure And never will it be otherwise unless the people grow so wise as to challenge their right by the Law of God to make Judges and Officers themselves who may execute just Judgement If a People will be so base as like Esau to contemn their birth-right and neglect their duty cowardly or carelesly to resign their Priviledges into the hands of a King 't is no wonder if they smart for it as England at this day if the people were so wise as to make Judges all other Officers themselves according to the Law of God they could not be so abused as they are Object But doth not the Law say that the people were to make him King whom the Lord should chuse Deut. 17.15 It should seem by this that the people have not liberty to make such as they please but are to accept of such as God hath appointed for the Government Answ This argued that God did intend often out of his especial favour to Israel to make the choice himself of the person that should reign over them but this did not at all infringe the peoples rights or liberties for the Lord to shew how tender he was of the peoples liberty at the same time when he chose for them appointed them to constitute him God chose him but they made him King I shall not deny but if God be pleased at any time in an extraordinary manner to choose a Governour for us and send a Prophet to make known his mind to us as he did Samuel to appoint Saul and after him David Ahijah to appoint Jeroboam Elisha to appoint Jehu it is our duty to make him King But God doth not do so with other Nations as he did with Israel He hath not sent any Prophet to tell us whom he appoints but hath left all Nations to their undubitable birth-right to constitute such
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
the antient Laws of England this man that rules at present is no rightful King of England but by oppressing the Nation and persecuting the Lords People hath lost the Title of a King and that the Name of a King doth not agree to him but Tyrant is the Name due to him Object But doth not Elihu say Job 34.18 Is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly Sol. That is to a King in Truth not in shew not one that is a Tyrant under the Name of a King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies Consul a wise and discreet Governour who is a true King Tyrants are not here meant A King is one thing and a Tyrant another So the word translated Princes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liberal or ingenuous persons To call wise or ingenuous Governours wicked were a slander but doth it follow hence that we may not call irrationel covetous dis-ingenuous oppressing Rulers Wicked the scope of the place plainly intimates this to be the meaning of the words for the verse foregoing he sayes Wilt thou condemn him that is Most Just meaning God and then argues A minore ad majus from the lesser to the greater If it be unlawful to say to a wise or liberal Governour thou art wicked How much more unlawful is it to condemn God who is the Most Just Wise and Liberal And by the verse following it is evident that he doth not intend to assert the Priviledge of Princes or great men above others for he tells us that God accepts not the persons of Princes or Rich men more than the Poor and it is observable that when he speaks of such Princes whose Persons are not accepted by God he doth not use that expression which is translated Princes ver 18. and hath a virtuous signification but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which hath no virtuous signification but signifies barely Princes or great Men and he tells us That God regards no man for his greatness and if this place should be understood as the Royalists would have it to forbid us to speak disgracefully of wicked Rulers then the holy Prophets and Apostles are to be blamed for they did so as you have seen before but that is the true interpretation of the place which I have given the other is only a gloss which the Prelates give to support Tyrants under the shadow of whose wings they shelter themselves Object But is it not said who may say to a King what dost thou Eccles 8.4 Sol. This argues the danger of opposing a King not the unlawfulness In the word of a King is Power he hath so much Power at his command that no private person under his Government is able to oppose him without his own ruine But the meaning of the place is this The King for the execution of Justice and punishing Evil-doers hath so much power both from God and the People that none may oppose him in the execution of Justice and that this is the meaning of the wise Man appears by the verse foregoing Stand not before him in an evil thing sayes he and then gives this as a reason for he doth whatsoever he pleaseth and who may say to him what dost thou that is in punishing such as will stand before him in an evil thing But it is clear enough that the faithful Servants of God in Scripture have said more to wicked Kings than what dost thou Samuel said to Saul Thou hast done foolishly 1 Sam. 13.13 Elijah to Ahab Thou art he that troubleth Israel yea the People of God were bound to restrain and punish wicked Kings and frequently did so as I shall shew hereafter Object Doth not Paul confess his Error in speaking reproachfully of the High Priest though a wicked Ruler and thereby teach us That it is unlawful to speak reproachfully of wicked Rulers Acts 23.4 5. Sol. No such thing the words do rather prove the direct contrary for it is clear that Paul calls a wicked Ruler Whited-wall gives him a disgraceful Title 2. Paul knew him to be a Ruler when he called him so for sayes he Sittest thou to judge me after the Law and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the Law vers 3. he knew him to be Judge and yet calls him Whited-wall and without doubt he knew him to be the man they called High Priest by the High Priests Robes and the Place where he sate for Paul full-well understood the Customes of the Jews 3. Whereas it is alledged That Paul corrects himself or recants afterwards there is no ground for it I wist not sayes Paul that he was High Priest that is truly and really so as indeed he could not be because the High-Priesthood was abrogated by the Death of Christ who was the true High Priest And besides he was a Tyrant and caused him to be smitten contrary to the Law and therefore no lawful Ruler and the Apostle answers not only the Objection which they made against him for reviling the High Priest by saying he did not know him to be High Priest or own him for High Priest but prevents another Objection which they might more plausibly make from Exod. 22.28 Thou shalt not revile the gods or blaspheme the Ruler of thy People As if he should have said I know you will say I have broken that Law by speaking evil of a Ruler but you are mistaken the Law doth not forbid us to speak evil of Tyrants or Oppressors but of lawful Rulers who govern in Righteousness I do not own him for High Priest or a lawful Ruler though I know he sits as Judge that will thus wickedly pervert Justice If he had been a good and lawful Ruler I would not have spoken so reproachfully of him as to have called him Whited-wall but have honoured him but this man under the Title of High Priest and Judge is a real Tyrant◠and therefore I have not broken that Law So that Pauls Answer to their Objection is a vindication of himself and the Conformity of his practice to the Law of God 4. And that place which Paul cites out of the Law Exod. 22.28 by the Title given to the Magistrate shews that it means only just and righteous Magistrates which rule according to God's Law Thou shalt not revile the gods Why are they called gods but because they represent the Wisdom Justice and Truth of God and are in his stead to execute Justice according to his Word This Christ gives for the reason why they were called gods John 10.35 Because the Word of God came to them that is his Word of Commission to execute the Word of his Judgements but if they do the quite contrary as this Wicked Ruler they represent the Devil and not God and as I hinted before are more fitly termed Devils than gods 5. This Text which Paul mentions doth not forbid any just and plain reprehension of wicked Rulers To speak the Truth to or of them
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
Chapter Now if the King must be one so and so qualified it plainly intimates that there was no such Title to the Government as Birth-right For if the Eldest Son of a King were not so qualified the People could not set him over them without disobeying the Law of God Again The Law layes conditions of Government upon the King upon the observation whereof He and his Children are to prolong their dayes in the Kingdom He must not multiply Horses to himself nor Wives nor greatly multiply Silver and Gold He must read in the Law of God all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear God and keep all his Statutes and he must not lift up his heart above his Brethren nor turn aside from Gods Commandement to the right hand or the left and if he and his children did thus they were to continue in the Kingdom But now suppose a King and his Children will multiply Horses Silver and Gold to themselves and lay unreasonable Taxes on the People to maintain their pride and luxury live in the presumptuous violation of the Law of God and lift up their hearts above their Brethren lord and domineer over them and break all the conditions of Government Were the People bound to accept of the Eldest Son of the King to succeed his Father in the Throne No such thing They breaking the Conditions of Government forfeit their Right and the People might lawfully set another over them as they did when Rehoboam presumptuously rejected the Law of God and would not ease them of their Burdens 1 Kings 12.16 choosing Jeroboam in his stead 2. The special grant that God made of the Kingdom to David and his Seed doth not in the least favour this Hereditary Title For 1. The Promise was not that the Kingdom should descend to his Posterity in an Hereditary manner that the Eldest Son should succeed the Father in the Throne if any of Davids Sons were made King by the People it was as much as God had promised David or the People were bound to For neither did the Law of God nor the grant made to David oblige the People to the Eldest Son and therefore we read that Solomon succeeded David in the Throne a younger Brother to Adonijah but a wiser man and no question upon that account preferred before him and promoted to the Kingdom 2. That Deed of Gift made to David and his Seed was not absolute but conditional upon condition that they kept the Law of God and executed his judgements they were to continue in the Throne 1 King 6.12 1 King 8.25 1 King 2.3 4. But when Solomon and Rehoboam his Son had violated the Conditions of Government the People cast off Rehoboams yoke from their shoulders and good reason for they were bound to him and his Seed only upon condition they observed the Law of God and therefore by his rebellion against God and resolution to tyrannize over them they had a just discharge from subjection to him and his Heirs And a Nation can oblige themselves to any man and his posterity no otherwise than conditionally upon condition they observe the Law of God and execute his Judgments for to make an absolute Engagement to a Prince to receive his eldest Son and accordingly his Posterity for their Governours what kind of persons soever they may prove were contrary to the Law of Nature a giving away their own and posterities Birthrights and to the Law of God which requires qualifications in Governours which will be more fully cleared in the next Chapter Object But we reade that Jehoshaphat when he died gave the Kindom to Jehoram because he was the first-born 2 Chron. 21.3 and the People made Ahaziah the youngest son of Jehoram King in his fathers stead for the Band of men had slain all the eldest 2 Chron. 22.1 Doth not this prove that the first-born or eldest son of a King hath a right to the Crown after his fathers decease Sol. Not at at all For whereas it is said Jehoshaphat gave him the Kingdom that implies that it was in his power to have chosen whether he would have given it him or no and that Jehoram had not the Kingdom by inheritance or of right but by his fathers gift and the meaning is this Jehoshaphat with the Peoples consent bestowed the Kingdom upon Jehoram his eldest son for otherwise Jehoshaphat had no power either by the Law of God or Nature to give the Kingdom of Israel but Jehoshaphat being such a holy man and good Governour had won the Peoples affections so much that they were contented to grant his desire that his eldest son should succeed him For if Jehoshaphat should have given away the Kingdom without the Peoples consent it had been wickedly and injustly done and therefore I dare not entertain such a thought of good Jehoshaphat The other Instance is as void of proof For if it should be granted that if the eldest Son had been living or any of the elder Brethren the People would have made the eldest King yet it doth not follow they were bound to do so or that it was the birthright of the eldest Son to succeed his Father It is possible that the People might in an ordinary way set up the eldest Son in his Father's room because usually the eldest might be supposed to be the fittest for it as having most knowledge and experience and the Father commonly hath the greatest love for his eldest Son and would improve his interest in the Judges Rulers and Officers as well as the People for his eldest Son's succession and for other reasons but it will not follow hence that it was the Birthright of the eldest Son And yet I do not remember that the Scripture doth mention above one example of the eldest Son 's succeeding the Father among all the Seed of David that sate upon the Throne and that was Jehoram above mentioned and he had the Kingdom by gift not in his own right And we find Solomon a younger Brother succeeding his Father and Abijah who succeeded Rehoboam seems to be a younger Brother for the Scripture mentions elder sons that Rehoboam had by another wife 2 Chron. 11.19 20. but Rehoboam loved Maacah Abijah's mother more than all his wives and therefore improved his interest to make him King You see then notwithstanding these Objections that the People have an undoubted right of making their Governours according to the Law of God and that there is no just or rightful title to the Government of Nations without the consent of the People CHAP. IV. Treating of the Qualifications of Magistrates evincing by the Light of Reason Law of God End of Government and other Arguments that the People are bound to chuse such as are endued with the Spirit of Government wise and faithful men fearing God and hating Covetousness to be Governours over them I Have shewn you in the last Chapter that by the Law of God and Nature the People have an
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
binds other Nations Sol. By the nature of the Law it is moral and so universal and perpetual There are indeed one or two Particulars that were peculiar to the Jewish State First They must set one over them whom the Lord should chuse which implieed that God intends out of his especial grace and favour to them as his Church to chuse the man himself for them sometimes yet they were to make him King but God doth not so for other Nations but hath left us to chuse for our selves according to the Light of Reason and Scripture Again their King was not to send the People to Egypt because the Lord had forbid the People of Israel to return thither any more which our King may do upon a just occasion but the substance of the Law is of a moral nature and obligeth all Kings and People whatsoever That the King should not multiply Silver Gold Wives or Horses to himself and thereby impoverish the People and suffer his heart to be drawn from God that he should have a copy of the Law of God and read therein all the dayes of his life learn to fear God and keep his Statutes and not lift up his heart above his Brethren is all Moral and doth oblige other Kings as well as the Kings of Israel That a People professing the true Religion should not set over them one of a strange Religion to bring in Idolatry and False-worship which was the intent of that clause Thou shalt not set a stranger over thee That they should take care to set up a man in the Throne who is able and willing to perform the Duties God requires of a King is all Moral and obligeth the People of England as much as it did the People of Israel The next Scripture I shall produce for confirmation of this Truth is 2 Sam. 23.3 The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God You see here the Rock of Israel hath appointed two great Qualifications in those that rule over men Justice and the Fear of God Object These places shew only the Magistrates duty not any Qualifications necessary to the Office of a Magistrate this proves that Magistrates are bound to observe those duties not that the People are bound to chuse none but such men as are just and fear God to be Governours Sol. The very same Sophistry do the wicked and scandalous Priests use to cheat the poor People withal and lull them asleep that they may make a prey of them in the mean while The Lord sayes 1 Tim. 3. A Bishop or Overseer for so the word is in the Greek must be blameless vigilant sober of good behaviour apt to teach not greedy of filthy lucre not given to Wine no stricker but patient not a brawler nor covetous The Priest is a proud covetous drunken deboist person and the poor People must be compelled to own him for a Minister of Christ who hath never a Qualification of a true Minister in him if they complain we cannot own him for a true Minister a Minister must be thus and thus qualified he is the contrary they are answered O those are indeed the Duties of a Minister but not the Qualifications necessary to the Being of a Minister a man may be a true Minister if he be ordained though he walk contrary to these Duties and you are bound to own his Ministry nevertheless because it is an Ordinance of God So in this case we cannot deny say they but a Magistrate should be just ruling in the fear of God it 's his duty so to do but what if he be unjust and cast away the fear of God he is a true Magistrate notwithstanding and you are bound in Conscience to own his Authority as the Ordinance of God By this kind of Sophistry the Devil maintains his Kingdom and the Beast and False-Prophet theirs to the utter ruin of the Bodies and Souls of men These are the two grand Cheats wherewith the World is abused by wicked and unworthy persons pretending to Authority from God to govern both Church and State when they are utterly destitute of those Qualifications God hath laid down for the election of persons into those Offices and indeed it is hard to say which is the greater cheat of the two Blessed be God many discern the Cheat of an ignorant proud covetous and prophane Ministry and will not own it for an Ordinance of God I doubt not through God's assistance to make it evident to the World that a wicked tyrannous and oppressing Magistracy is no more Gods Ordinance than the other and that the People are bound to reject both and set up able men Men of Truth fearing God and hating covetousness in the Magistracy as well as Ministry and that all who are not thus qualified are but meer Counterfeits and Pretenders For whereas these men pretend that the Characters which the Scriptures give of true Magistrates and Ministers do only shew their duty not any Qualifications that are necessary to the constitution of them it is a meer falsity For the Spirit of God hath on purpose laid down Characters of a true Magistracy and Ministry that the People who have the Power of electing both put into their hands by God should not suffer his Ordinances to be prophaned but chuse Men after his heart for both functions of Magistracy and Ministry The Apostle commands Titus to ordain Elders in every City that is Ministers but upon this condition that there were any to be found that were qualified according to the mind of God Titus 1.5 to 8. and layes down several Characters to signifie what Qualifications God required in Ministers If any be blameless c. and so goes on with many Qualifications which you may read there and whereas the Apostle bids Titus ordain Elders he doth not mean Titus singly but joyntly with the consent of the Church as is intimated in that clause As I have appointed thee Now the Apostle would not appoint Titus to do otherwise than he himself did and the rest of the Apostles but it is plain that the People chose their Officers Acts 6.3 and 5 verses the whole multitude chose Stephen and the rest So Acts 14.23 When they had ordained them Elders in every Church 't is in your Translation but learned Beza renders it thus Communibus suffragis creantes eis Presbyteros they made them Elders or Ministers by common suffrage or consent the multitude gave their votes and chose them and then the Apostles confirmed them by Fasting and Prayer but this by the way However they were to be made yet not without Ministerial Qualifications Titus and the People together had no power to make an ignorant or scandalous man a Minister of Christ The very same doth the Scripture hold forth concerning Magistrates that the People are to look out Men rightly qualified with magistratical Endowments for the Office of Magistracy When
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
a Servant to them for their good he shall not be their Lord to their hurt to vassalize and enslave them they rejected him and his Government and chose another in his stead The advise which the old Counsellors gave him was rational sincere and is recorded to their honour they were worthy Patriots of their Country and Assertors of the Law of God and Liberties of the People against unlimitted Prerogative and arbitrary Power they perswade the King to know his place and be humble if thou wilt be their Servant and not to dissemble with the People promise one thing and mean another and therefore they add And wilt serve them as if they should have said if thou wilt promise them to be their Servant and perform thy promise to them and wilt indeed be their Servant and by rejecting that advise Rehoboam left the Kingdom of Israel This was Saul's plea when he had disobeyed God in sparing Agag and the chief of the Cattle I obeyed the voice of the People 1 Sam. 15.4 as if he should have said I am the Peoples Servant and must obey them I was afraid to disobey the People I know this was no excuse for Saul neither did it justifie the action because he had an express Command from God to destroy them utterly And therefore if the greatest part of the People had been unwilling to have Agag killed yet he should have obeyed God rather than man but it shews that Saul knew the People to be above him and that it was his duty to obey them in any lawful command and therefore he would have excused his disobedience to the Command of God by his obedience to the People In like manner Ahab though a wicked man was so observant of the People that he would not presume to give an answer to Ben-hadad about a matter of publick concernment till the People had appointed him what to say and when the People had forbid him to consent unto Ben-hadad's demands he obeys their voice and returns this answer to Ben-hadad I may not do it 1 Kings 20.8 9. As if he should have said the people have forbid me to consent unto thy demands and I may not disobey them I am their Servant the Silver and Gold thou sendest for is mine no otherwise than as a Trustee of the People to employ it in their Service and for their good and I must not dispose of it without their consent Ahab who had sold himself to do wickedness had not yet arrived to that degree of unrighteousness as to pretend an absolute Prerogative to do what he would or that the People had no coercive power over him for he confesses he may not do that which the People in the vindication of their own rights forbid him to do You see then how clearly the Scripture makes good this Assertion That Magistrates yea the very highest of all are publick Servants to the People Let us enquire a little into Reason and see what that sayes unto it 1. Then do not the People make constitute and authorize Magistrates whence have they their Call unless from the People from God by any immediate Call as Moses and Joshua or in an extraordinary manner by a Prophet as Saul David Jehu This they dare not pretend to From Nature let them prove it if they can as soon may they turn the Day into Night and Ocean into dry Land as prove any right to Government by Nature inherent in one family as I have shewed before By conquest And so hath every Rogue in the World that is able to get a company of theeves together and forcibly take away my Possession and lead me captive a right to govern over me There 's no other right to Government either by the Law of God or Nature but the Peoples choice and therefore needs must they be Servants unto those who give them their power 2. If they were not the Peoples Servants why do the People maintain them and pay them their wages Is it not from the Peoples purse the Magistrate is maintained I need not use many words in this Argument you know it by experience Why saith Crysostome do we give Tribute to the King is it not the wages of his care for our protection Since then the Magistrate hath his Power and Wages from us what should he be in reason but our Servant Object B 〈…〉 is it not his due how then can we be said to give it him Sol. Answer It is his due no otherwise than as he is a publick Servant to us and is by us entrusted with the care of our common safety and so becomes due Wages for the work he doth us Object But if Magistrates be the Peoples Servants why then are they called the Higher Powers and every soul commanded to be subject to them Rom. 13.1 and obey them Titus 3.1 Sol. This is meant of our single capacity not of our collective Every man may be considered singly or as one particular person and so every particular person in his single capacity is inferior to the King and to be subject to and obey him in the execution of his Office but a man may be considered conjunctively or as he is in union with the Commonwealth and a part of that whole and in this respect the Magistrate is inferior to us as we are all united together and make up one Commonwealth for we that is all particulars joyning together give the King that power which afterwards as private persons we are subject unto and are subject to him no otherwise than as the publick Servant which we have made and do maintain at our charges paying him his wages for the Service he doth us we are subject to him not as our Master but as our own Servant The King is Superior singulis but Inferior Universis Superior to us as single persons but Inferior to us as we are a Commonwealth 2. Whereas some would restrain this only to the King or chief Magistrate there is not the least ground for any such restriction for as well the Subordinate as Supream Magistrates are over us in their several places and degrees and we are as much bound to obey Judges Mayors Bailiffs in the execution of that trust which the People have reposed in them as the King and yet we do not think a Mayor or Bayliff to be above the Community that chose him and the word translated higher Rom. 13.1 where the Apostle speaks of higher Powers is attributed to all other Magistrates as well as the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.2 all that are in Authority it is rendered there 3. Ministers are said to be over the People 1 Thes 5.12 and the People are commanded to obey them and submit to them in the Lord and yet they must not be Lords over Gods Heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 but are Servants to the People 2 Cor. 4.5 And it is the very same concerning Magistrates for the Relation of Magistrates and Ministers in the general
assert our Liberties and Priviledges to make Laws for the Glory of God and our Good these our Servants conspire against their Masters and have wickedly robbed us of our Power and shared it among themselves we are no more bound to submit to their unjust and most prefidious Acts than a Master is bound to stand still and let his Servant give away his Goods and undoe him What Authority had a Parliament to give away our Birthrights to enslave the Corporations and Counties that sent them up to assert their Freedoms and to expose us to the lusts of wicked Oppressors to give away the Militia of the Land to the King to he disposed of for our slavery for who knowes not that it is put into the hands of bloody Papists and Sons of Cruelty and Oppression in most parts of the Land Did God give them this Authority who dares so to blaspheme Did the People give them any such Commission not in the least and therefore I conclude they had no authority at all to do it That they have no authority from the People I make good thus 1. There is no People can be supposed to be so destitute of reason and such Enemies to themselves their Little-ones and Posterity as to send up Trustees to enslave them and undoe them to give away their Birthrights and Priviledges to expose their Lives Liberties and Estates to Tyranny 2. If any People should be so foolish to send up Trustees with a Commission of this nature yet it were unlawfully done it were against the Law of God and Nature and the Grant it self null and void It were a wicked and treacherous thing for any man to give away the Power of preserving his own but especially his Wise his Children and Posterities Lives Liberties and Estates because both the Law of God and Nature oblige a man to preserve all these to give away the power of self-defence from my self is most abominable treachery to my self To give it away from my Wife and Children is most cursed and unnatural treachery to them and if a man should give away this Power to another yet the other hath no right to it by that grant it is as if it had been never given There are two infallible Maximes which make this good Whatever a man gives if it were not in his power to give it is not obliging But it is not in our power to give away self and family-defence and therfore if a man should do it yet the grant were not obliging Another Maxime as certain is that Against the Law of God or Nature nothing binds But to give away the Power of Self and Family-defence to a King or Parliament or both or to any other Person or Persons is against the Law of God and Nature And therefore if a People should be so ignorant as to do it yet it doth not at all bind them Suppose a Man should give the King or Parliament an absolute Power over himself his Wife and Children and they should come to ravish his Wife or murder his Children before his face were he bound to stand still and suffer it no such thing the Law of God and Nature binds him to rescue his Wife and Children if it be in his power notwithstanding that unlawful Act of his in giving them away before The Parliament had no Authority from God to betray our Rights and Liberties for God ordained Magistrates not for our hurt but good Rom. 13.4 They could have no authority from us because the Law of God and Nature obligeth us to defend them and therefore there is indeed nothing but a pretence of Authority which is as meer a cheat as any in the world and we have the same right to all our Freedoms and Priviledges that we had before they gave them from us and as soon as we can it is not only our Liberty but Duty for the sake of our Wives Children and Posterity to resume them again and to turn these unfaithful Stewards out of our Service with wages suitable to their merits The Lawyers say there are some cases wherein though the King make a Grant to a person by his Letters Patent yet nothing passeth to the Patentee I am sure if Scripture or Reason or both may give Judgement in our case though the Parliament have given away our Birthrights perfidiously to the King yet nothing passed of right to the King thereby The Parliaments giving our Birthrights to the King is just of as much force as if the Convocation of Prelates or Council of Bishops should give our souls to the Devil they have as much Power to do the latter as the Parliament have to do the former for both are against the Law of God and Nature and the King hath just as much right to our Liberties by the Parliaments Donation as the Devil hath to the souls of those whom the Bishops excommunicate and curse Let us not be such Children in understanding as to be frighted with a Pretence of Authority to oppress us for they have no other Authority but what is derived from the Devil and our perfidious Servants the Parliament who have sold us for nought CHAP. VIII I Come from the Power due to the Magistrate to the Tribute and I shall resolve this as I did the former 1. Positively 2. Negatively 1. Positively First So much Tribute as is necessary for prosecuting the Ends of Government viz. the Glory of God and Good of the People that is due to the Magistrate and the People are in justice bound to render unto him Secondly So much as is suitable to the Relation he is in Servants must have sufficient Wages to perform their Service yea it is their due in point of Equity Magistrates are our Servants and Wages competent to their Office is their due from us Many Towns Cities and Nations have been destroyed because their Magistrates had not Wages enough to perform their Service Constantinople was made a prey to the Turk by the Covetousness of the Citizens who would not furnish the Emperor with Money sufficient for the defence of the City Thirdly So much Tribute as is necessary for the several Duties of Magistrates is due to them to carry on Justice and protect the Land which varies according to the greatness of their trust and various Emergencies of publick affaires which is the rule by which the Magistrates Wages is to be proportioned 2. Negatively What-ever Tribute is indeed hurtful to the People is not due to the Magistrate because it is contrary to the End for which Magistracy was ordained he was made for their good therefore they are not bound to maintain him to their hurt If a Magistrate will have a Tax to maintain a standing Army which shall keep the People in slavery they are not bound to pay it because it is for their hurt If a Tax should be levied for building Pauls or any other Superstitious business which is burdensome to the People they are not bound to pay it
cast into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death Prov. 21.6 What shall be given unto thee or what shall be done unto thee O thou false tongue sharp arrows of the Mighty with coals of Juniper Psal 120.3 and 4. If you do not speedily repent know that you shall cry out one day for a drop of Water to cool this lying flattering tongue But I know what your wicked hearts will answer Let us alone till then and we care not know therefore that not onely God but the People will abhor you the Lord hath denounced that curse against you Prov. 24.24 He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the People curse Nations shall abhor him 2. The just and lawful Titles of Good Magistrates are not due to wicked Magistrates but they forfeit their right thereto by their Tyranny and Oppression or other misgovernment And therefore we find the Prophets Christ and Apostles giving to wicked Magistrates Titles of ignominy and disgrace suitable to their merits Elijah tells wicked Ahab to his face Thou art he that troubleth Israel 1 King 18.18 Elisha calls King Jehoram The Son of a Murderer 2 Kings 6.32 Isaiah calls the Rulers of his time Rulers of Sodom Isa 1.10 Ezekiel calls the King of Israel Prophane wicked Prince Ezek. 21.25 Christ calls Herod Fox and bids them go and tell him so Luke 13.32 Paul calls the Roman Emperor A Lyon 2 Tim. 4.17 Yea the Apostles and many thousands of Christians together for so the company of Believers was Acts 2.41 with one accord in their Prayers mention Herod and Pontius Pilate by name spread their wickedness before God and desire the Lord To behold their Threats Acts 4.27 It was no wonder the holy Prophets were so persecuted by wicked Rulers since they were such faithful plain-dealing men that knew not how to give flattering Titles unto them but called them Rulers of Sodom Troublers of Israel Sons of Murderers and Prophane wicked Persons No wonder the Governours looked upon Christ and his Apostles with an Evil eye and punished them as Seditious men since they called them Foxes Lyons and gave them such reproachful Titles as they had deserved They hated plain-dealing and reproof as all Tyrants do and would be sure to suppress that spirit if they could which dared presume to reprehend their wickedness and yet these holy Men were not afraid to give them Titles of dishonour answerable to their merits Oh you wicked flatterers that daub with untempered morter and flatter great Men for advantage see here what the holy Prophets and Apostles did and take shame to your selves for your filthiness Wo to him that calleth good evil and evil good that putteth Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness Isa 5.20 Who justifie the wicked for reward and take away the Righteousness of the Righteous from him Your root shall be rottenness and your blossom dust The Lord is no respecter of Persons and hath forbid us to be so If Kings or great Men be wicked they deserve to be called as they are Nay take notice of this that when the Christians in their assembly lift up their voice with one accord to God and boldly prayed to the Lord To behold the Threats of Herod and Pontius Pilate whom they mentioned by Name relating their wickedness the Lord shewed how exceedingly he was pleased therewith in that as soon as the prayer was ended the place was shaken and they were all filled with the holy Spirit and great Grace was upon thâ—â— all Perhaps if there were more boldness in the Assemblies of the Saints at this day in bearing a faithful Testimony for God against these wicked Rulers there would be a greater Presence of the Spirit of God among them and greater measures of Grace upon them And in like manner have the faithful Servants of the Lord in all Ages born their Testimony against the wickedness of their Rulers The Title which John Knox that famous Servant of Jesus Christ and eminent Instrument of the Scotish Reformation frequently gave to the Tyrannous Queen who ruled the Land was Bondslave of Satan and he constantly prayed in publick in words to this purpose That God would deliver her from the Power of Satan to whom she was now a bondslave John Hus that glorious Martyr of Jesus Christ was not afraid to affirm to the Emperors face That wicked Kings were not worthily Kings before God Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. Pag. 807. And pag. 813. he sayes That Subjects and common People ought openly and publickly to detect and reprove the Vices of their Rulers having Power given them of Christ and Example of Paul so to do The Bishop of Burgen in his Oration which he made in the Counsel of Basil layes down this assertion It is absurd for a King to be of more Authority than his Kingdom and he that ruleth not for the Good of his Subjects is not to be counted a King but a Tyrant Eleutherius in the Letter which he sent to Lucius King of this Island about 170. years after the Death of Christ affirms the same in these words A King hath his Name of Ruling not of having a Kingdom and so long shall you be a King indeed while you rule well which if you do not the Name of a King shall not remain with you but you shall lose it Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. Pag. 139. Which Eleutherius is in high esteem by Ecclesiastical Historians for the Eminency of his Wisdom and Piety both as indeed that very Epistle doth sufficiently evidence he deserves to be Thus you see several eminent Lights in the Church of God concur in the same Perswasion That wicked Magistrates have no right to the Titles of such Magistrates as rule well Nay the Antient Laws of this Nation give full testimony to this Truth For in the Chapter of the Laws of King Edward commonly called the Confessor by whom most of the good Laws we enjoy were made treating of the duty of the King the Law saith thus The King because he is the Vicegerent of the highest King is appointed for this purpose to reverence and rule the Kingdom the Lords People and holy Church and to defend them from injurious persons to pluck away evil-doers utterly to scatter and destroy them which if he doth not perform the Name of a King shall not agree to him but he looseth the title of a King Well then let no man be so foolish and perverse as to charge this assertion with novelty or singularity for you see what abundant Evidence there is both from Scripture and Reason That a wicked and unrighteous King forfeits his right to the Title of a King And though the perfidious Parliament or rather mock Parliament have lately betrayed their own Trust and our Liberties making it Treason for us to mention the cruel Tyranny and Oppression we groan under yet by
Mene Tekel Or The Downfal of Tyranny A TREATISE wherein LIBERTY and EQUITY are Vindicated and TYRANNY Condemned by the Law of God and Right Reason And the Peoples Power and Duty to execute Justice without and upon Wicked Governors Asserted By Laophilus Misotyrannus Printed in the Year 1663. CHAP. I. Containing a Scriptural Description of Magistracy also shewing that it is an Ordinance of God what kind of Ordinance and in what respect it is an Ordinance of Man IT being the usual method of Architects when they undertake a piece of building in the first place to draw in a narrow compass a Platform of the same according to which they afterwards raise the Structure I think it not unprofitable for me to imitate them I shall therefore present you with a Platform of the following work I mean a Description of Magistracy which comprehends in a few words those several Particulars which are the subject of this Treatise Magistracy is an Ordinance of God for the right ordering of Commonwealths whereby such as are meet for Government are lawfully called to serve God and the People therein for his Glory and their Good in the execution of Judgement and protection of those committed to their charge and receive due Power Honour Tribute and Obedience therefore This Description takes in especially these seven Particulars 1. The Nature of Magistracy 2. The End of Magistracy 3. The Call of Magistrates 4. The Qualifications 5. The Relation of Magistrates 6. The Duty 7. The Due of Magistrates or what is due to them from the People which is as much as I judge necessary at this present season for the handling of this point I shall endeavour in the strength of God to treat of them all distinctly from Scripture and right Reason with what brevity and perspicuity this weighty and knotty Subject and the capacity of common Readers will allow The Lord open my understanding that I may understand the Scriptures which relate to this Subject and so guide me by his Spirit that knowing I may make known his mind concerning this great Ordinance of his which hath so long been abused and thereby instruct the Ignorant and convince the Gainsayers of those Truths which the Scriptures deliver concerning the same First Then to begin with the Nature of Magistracy It is an Ordinance of God for the right ordering of Commonwealths That Magistracy is an Ordinance of God is so clear from the abundant Testimony which the Scriptures give thereunto both in the old and new Testament and so Universally acknowledged by all sober and rational persons that I shall only mention a few Scriptures for proof of it and so proceed Deut. 16.18 Rom. 13.1 to 4. Titus 3.1 1 Pet. 2. 13 and 14. Quest But the Question will be what kind of Ordinance this is for we read of several sorts of God's Ordinances Ordinances of the Passeover Numb 9.12 Ordinances of the House of God Ezek. 44.5 Ordinances of Divine Service Heb. 9.1 Ordinances of Justice Isa 58.2 Answ It is an Ordinance of Justice or Righteousness instituted by God for the execution thereof that Commonwealths may be ordered in a just and righteous manner God is the God of Order and as he delights therein so hath he appointed Order for all his Creatures but especially for Man Order for every one as considered apart order for Societies of men and those of several sorts which I shall not here enumerate There are politick or civil Societies and in these men as men joyn together to live by Rules of common Right for civil Comfort and Security There are Societies Ecclesiastical in these men as Saints joyn together to live by Rules of Gospel-Order for the Glory of God and mutual edification in Faith and Holiness The former are usually termed Commonwealths the latter Churches which as they differ in name so also in nature as is hinted above having different Subjects Laws Governours Duties and Ends. The latter sort of Societies fall not under present consideration because Magistracy is an Ordinance instituted for all mankind and Magistrates have the care of men as men committed to their charge 2 Sam. 23.3 as is also clear by this that Heathen Magistrates if righteous are true Magistrates although I deny not but Saints as men are bound to submit to this great Ordinance as well as others and as they are members of civil Communities are obliged by those Rules of common right which other members are Politick or civil Societies usually termed Commonwealths are the proper Objects of this Ordinance which as they cannot subsist without Order and Government so according to their various inclinations and occasions constitute Governours over them according to those several forms and manners of Government which several Nations delight in And thus the very savage Indians and Americans themselves live in some measure of obedience unto this great Ordinance of God the Light of Nature convincing them that Government is necessary to their well-being shewing hereby the work of the Law written in their hearts as the Apostle speaks Rom. 2.15 for this Ordinance of Magistracy is a branch of that Law as you may see Deut. 16.18 and many other places But although Magistracy in the general be an Ordinance of God yet as to the several kinds and manners of it is an Ordinance or Constitution of man God having left men to their liberty to make choice of this or that manner of Government which in the best of their understanding seems most conducible to his Glory and their own security for God hath not left men to an absolute liberty to chuse what Government they please without respect to the ends of Government but all Nations and People are obliged by the Law of Nature seriously to consult and wisely to consider what form of Government is most expedient for them and best corresponding with the Ends of Government and to chuse that Now what-ever righteous form of Government a Nation chuses may in that sense be called their Ordinance or Constitution and yet as it is grounded upon the Law of God it is God's Ordinance also and obligeth all that live under it to subjection And this is the true meaning of that place 1 Pet. 2.13 to 16. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake it is not meant as the wicked Antichristian-Prelates would perswade the People to believe every Law of man good or bad righteous or unrighteous for we know that neither Christ the Prophets or Apostles would submit to wicked statutes or ordinances of their Governours but every righteous Constitution or kind of Government called the Ordinance of man because God hath left men to their liberty to chuse what species of Government may be most conducible to their own good Having given you a description of Magistracy and shewn you that it is an Ordinance of God what kind of Ordinance what is the proper Object of it and in what sence it is an Ordinance of man I shall close this
first Chapter and in the next treat of the second particular the End of Magistracy CHAP. II. Treating of the Ends for which this great Ordinance was instituted by God that is for his own Glory and the Peoples good Also shewing that these should be the Peoples ends in electing Governours and Governours ends in accepting and executing their Office THe second Particular which falls under consideration is the End or Ends of this great Ordinance The Glory of God and good of the People 1. The Honour and Glory of God Magistrates are called God's Ministers or Servants as the Word signifies and is frequently rendered in other places Rom. 13.4 He is the Servant of God Now a Servant honoureth his Master Mal. 1.6 they being by their Office Servants of God are bound in their several places to seek how they may honour and glorifie Him Therefore David exhorteth the Mighty or Princes of the Earth as the Word often signifies and the Contents of your Bibles have it to give Glory to God Psal 29.1 yea repeats the Exhortation thrice together to let us understand that they in an especial manner are obliged to promote and advance the glory of God Therefore that good King Jehoshaphat in that pious charge which he gives to the Judges to judge faithfully couragiously impartially and in the fear of God uses this as his argument to enforce the Exhortation For ye judge not for man but for God 2 Chron. 19.6 your work is not to please men but to honour and glorifie God for whom ye judge And because Eli had not so careful a respect to this end but honoured his Sons before God suffering them to make their own ends of God's Ordinance the Lord rejected him and his posterity depriving them not only of the Office of Cheif-Priest but Chief-Magistrate also Eli was the chief Magistrate and had judged the Land 40 years 1 Sam. 4.18 and the Lord had promised that his House should walk before Him for ever but the meaning was upon condition that he and his posterity honoured God in their places but when he neglected to honour God the Lord refused to honour him or his posterity with that Office 1 Sam. 2.30 and denounces one of the most dreadful temporal Judgments against him and his posterity that the Scripture records 2. The Good of the People Therefore the Apostle treating of Magistracy in its Institution as the Ordinance of God and of Magistrates acting in conformity thereto drawes a strong argument for subjection to them from the end of Magistracy For sayes he he is the Servant of God to thee for good Rom. 13.4 as if he should have said I have indeed exhorted you to be subject to Magistracy as it is an Ordinance of God and shewn you the danger of resisting that Ordinance or those that act conformably thereunto but do not mistake me as if I had no other argument to urge for your subjection than God's Soveraignty that it is his Ordinance and therefore you must be subject I tell you one end for which God instituted this Ordinance was your Good he hath not only consulted his own Glory in this Ordinance but your benefit and advantage Thus you see how the Lord draws us with the cords of a man and bands of love Hos 11.4 as well in this as other Ordinances of his he deals with man as a rational creature and proposes arguments suitable to his nature and conducing to his advantage thereby to allure him to subjection to his most righteous will and what a tender regard the Lord had as well to the good of mankind as the glory of his own name in the Institution of this Ordinance And if these be Gods Ends in this Ordinance surely they should be the Peoples also if these be the ends of Gods Institution of Magistrates they should be the Peoples in Election of them I shall shew you hereafter that by the Law of God and Nature the People have an undoubted right to make their Governours but you must not understand an absolute or arbitrary power to chuse what Government or Governours the Devil and their own lusts shall excite them to but such a form of Government and such Governours as may answer the end of God's Ordinance his Glory and their own Good How careful also should Magistrates be to answer the end for which they were ordained by God these ought to be yea are the great ends of every true Magistrate to honour God and serve his Generation He that seeks his own advantage by the Government neglecting the ends above mentioned doth not deserve the Name of a Magistrate and is indeed a real Tyrant usurping those Titles which are due to a true and righteous Magistrate And what a zeal had blessed Moses for the honour of God and good of the People when God would have destroyed them and offered to make of him a greater and mightier Nation than they a temptation almost beyond the power of flesh and blood to resist he refuses to accept the offer and pleads with God to consult the glory of his own Name and his compassions to the People Numb 14.12 to 20. Another time how doth he intercede for the People Exod. 32.32 O Lord I pray thee forgive the sin of this People and if not blot me out of thy Book as if he would not have been content to go to Heaven or at least to live unless the Peoples sin were pardoned he little minded the advancing of himself or his posterity that would not he â—â—ken to a motion made by God himself to destroy Israel and make of him a Nation greater and mightier than they In like manner Joshua that faithful Governour made the honour of God and the Peoples good the ends of his Administration Josh 7.8 What a publick Spirit had Nehemiah how truly did he serve God and the People in the Office of chief Magistrate he was so far from breaking down the Walls of the City that he and all his Servants continued in the work of building the Wall and did not so much as put off their cloaths except for washing till it were finished he would buy no Land nor eat the Bread of the Governour as others had done before him while the people were in bondage because of the fear of God Nehem. 4.23 and Chap. 5.14 to end This was the end of good Mordeâ—â—i when he was advanced to great Authority to seek the welfare of his people and speak peace to all his seed CHAP. III. Treating of the Call of Magistrates both supream and subordinate shewing that both by the Laws of God and Nature the right of making Governours is inherent in the People HAving briefly passed over two particulars I come to the third The Call of Magistrates which is twofold Immediate and Meditate 1. Immediate when God by virtue of his Sovereignty doth immediately call a man to the Goverâ—â—ent and give him his Commission as he did Moses Exod. 3. calling to him out of the
Moses put that prudent Counsel of Jethro in execution according to the mind of God he bids the People look out such men as were spirited for Government Deut. 1.13 Take ye wise Men and understanding and known among your Tribes it is translated but I suppose it might have been better rendered 1. Take ye wise men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sapientes this word is used frequently for the best sort of Wisdom true spiritual Wisdom saving Knowledge Prov. 13.20 Prov. 10.8 Psal 19.7 The Testimonies of the Lord make wise the simple Moses bid the People look out men that understood the Law of God that was the Wisdom he bid them have an eye to even as Artaxerxes bid Ezra as I have shewn before That which Jethro called the Fear of God Moses calls Wisdom and no wonder for that is the only true Wisdom Job 28.28 Psal 111.10 Prov. 7. It is as if he should have said My Father-in-law Jethro gave me good Counsel I give the same to you Look out such Men as are truly wise that fear God they will make conscience of their Duty to God and you but if you chuse men void of that true Wisdom the Fear of God they will have little or no regard to the Honour of God or your Good 2. Men of Understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et prudentes prudent Men Men of Counsel as Jer. 49.7 Is Counsel perished from the Prudent 1 Sam. 16.18 David is said to be a man prudent in matters in both these places there is the same word that is mentioned by Moses and generally this word is taken for a wise Counsellor So that Moses bids the People chose such men for Magistrates as were prudent Counsellors Every wise man or every one that fears God is not fit to be a Magistrate he must be a prudent Man also one that is able to advise in matters of weight and concernment relating to the publick Affairs of the Land 3. Known Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men that have been tryed that have given proof of their Integrity and Uprightness that are known to be true and cordial to the Service of God and their Generation for the word is taken for experienced Isa 53.3 A man acquainted with grief that is one that hath been tryed and experienced in it So that Moses directs the People to look out such men who had been tryed and were known to be faithful publick-spirited self-denying persons such as Caleb and Joshua who had followed the Lord fully in an hour of temptation and adventured their lives for the Peoples good These are the Men that are fit to be Rulers over the People that will adventure their All for the People Ulysses was a man tryed the Grecians had had large experience of his Wisdom and Faithfulness to them and therefore they honoured him Joseph gives the like counsel to Pharaoh Gen. 41.33 Let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise and set him over the Land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Virum prudentem sapientem the very same words that Moses uses and indeed the same Counsel that Moses by the Spirit of God gave the Israelites did Joseph by the same Spirit gave the Egyptians and they took his Counsel The thing pleased Pharaoh and all his Servants Vers 37. They liked his Counsel well and because they could find none that had so much true Wisdom and Prudence together as he had Pharaoh set him over the Land Thus Nehemiah set Hananiah over Jerusalem because he was a faithful man and feared God above many Nehem. 7.2 and Chap. 13.13 He set Shelemiah Zadok and Pedajah over the Treasuries and Hanan next to them because they were accounted faithful men Thus you see how the Law of God requires the People to look out men that are endowed with the spirit of Government and to make them Rulers and what Presidents the Word of God hath left us of the same O therefore beware you that are Teachers of others that through your own ignorance of the Law of God or slavish fear of wicked Rulers or a base love of filthy lucre you do not cause the People to stumble in the Law of God lest he make you base and contemptible before all the People because ye have been partial in the Law Mal. 2.8 9. The God of Israel hath said He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God He that hath said A Minister must be blameless sober of good behaviour c. 1 Tim. 3. Hath said A Magistrate must be just ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 And will you say that a wicked Minister or Magistrate is God's Ordinance Take heed of being partiall in the Law 3. Having shewed you how the Light of Reason and Law of God do concur in the confirmation of this Truth That none but such as are endued with the Spirit of Government should be entrusted with it I come to another Argument drawn from the End of Government Every Means should be adequate to its End such as may be effectual to accomplish the End it was appointed for The End for which Magistrates were made was The Glory of God and Good of the People Magistrates are the Means for accomplishing this end and can it be conceived that persons destitute of Wisdom Prudence Faithfulness Justice or the fear of God are qualified for this End Will such a one ever seek to Honour God in the Government as hath no Love to him or Fear of him to encourage Virtue who is himself a Slave to Vice Will such a one seek the Peoples Good who regards not his own Is one that knows not yea that hates the Law of God fit to be entrusted with the execution thereof Is a Drunken Magistrate a fit mean to reduce a People to Sobriety A Profane Magistrate a mean to encourage Piety When experience daily confirms the Truth of that Regis ad exemplum totus componitur Orbis The whole World follow the Example of their King Is a Perfidious person who makes light of the violation of his Faith a mean to promote Truth and Honesty if it be it is per accidens through the goodness of God who brings good out of evil and so I hope the Perfidiousness of these Governours will be a warning to the People to choose more Faithful Conscientious Men for time to come The Heathens could say Deus Natura nil faciunt frustra God and Nature make nothing in vain But that accursed Opinion That a Wicked Magistrate is Gods Ordinance under a pretence and vizard of Peace and Quietness doth even fly in the face of God himself and charge him with setting up so great an Ordinance over all mankind which is but a vain thing For certainly that is in vain which is not able to accomplish its End so that to call a wicked Magistrate God's Ordinance is to reproach our Maker My Word saith the Lord shall not return unto me void but shall accomplish
that which I please and prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it Isa 55.11 Word is not here to be restrained to the Word Preached but is taken in a large sence my Word of Command Promise Threatning my Word of Consolation Commination or Institution of mine Ordinances it shall all prosper in the thing whereto I sent it I appoint nothing that is not sufficient for its End Now the End of that Institution of Magistracy being the Glory of God and Good of the People in the praise of them that do well and punishment of those that do evil A vile person is no more a mean for it than a profane person is a mean for bringing Glory to God and doing Good to the People in the Ministry Object But may not a wicked Minister or Magistrate be an Instrument of good to others though he be bad himself Sol. 1. He may accidentally I have heard of a Natural Fool that hath been instrumental to convert a wicked man but he was never the fitter to be made a Minister of Christ therefore A wicked Ruler may accidentally be an Instrument of some good to a People but this is not Argument for the lawfulness of choosing such a one to the Government Magistrates are called Healers Isa 3.7 Leaders Isa 9.16 It is possible an ignorant person may hit upon a Medicine to cure a dangerous distemper but would any wise man choose him for his Physician ever the sooner A Fool Coward may possibly do a piece of good service once but is he therefore fit to be made a Leader It is altogether as absurd to affirm That a wicked or unworthy person should be made a Magistrate 2. But where there is one wicked Magistrate that doth good for the People there are twenty do mischief That now and then a wicked Magistrate doth good for the People may be written among Wonders and Prodigies not to perswade us to choose such a one again but to admire and adore the Wisdom and Goodness of God who brings good out of evil and makes wicked men sometimes become serviceable to him and his people contrary to their own inclinations 3. But if there be any wicked Magistrate who possibly doth some good yet he doth a great deal more hurt the evil outweighs the good 4. In a word That which makes any thing a Mean is the proportion it bears to the End if a thing be not adequate to the End 't is no Mean But a wicked and unworthy person though he may do some good accidentally in the Magistracy or may have some property or other commendable is not adequate to the End of Government Nero Vitellius Caligula the veriest Monsters in the World had some properties laudible Yea the Devil himself hath something of good he hath Knowledge and Faith and other things good in themselves but a wicked man wants those qualifications of true Wisdom Faithfulness and the Fear of God which might render him fit for accomplishing the End for which Magistracy was instituted O therefore if you have any zeal for the Honour of God shew it by standing up for those to be made Governours who truly fear his holy Name and will be careful of his glory Or do you wish your Own your Childrens or the Nations Prosperity then never give your Vote again for wicked Men to Rule the Land You will acknowledge that it is your duty in your places to promote the Glory of God and Good of the Land of your Nativity yea who is there that will not say Such a man that would not be willing to do this were unworthy to live You see the Means for these Ends 't is by advancing Wise and Faithful Men that Fear God and Hate Covetousness to the Government Resolve if ever the Lord afford you an opportunity to choose Governours again to look out men so qualified that may answer the Ends of Magistracy Never foster up your selves with fond conceits that you shall gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles that wicked Magistrates will ever promote those glorious ends of God's Ordinance 4. A fourth Argument to evince the truth of this That none but such as are endued with the Spirit of Government are to be intrusted with it is If the setting up men void of wisdom faithfulness and the fear of God in the Government be the way to enact wicked-Laws Then such as are destitute of those qualifications are not to be set up But the former is true therefore the latter That wicked Magistrates will one way or other by force or fraud or both get wicked Statutes to be made is evident by the Scripture History and the Chronicles of all Nations Thus the Lord complains of the wicked Kings of Israel Ezek. 43.7 8. that they prophaned his holy Name by setting their posts by his posts and their thresholds by his thresholds and the wall between him and them and when once wicked Statutes are enacted woful experience hath taught the world how hard it is to get them repealed The Lord complains how the Statutes of Omri were kept above an hundred and threescore years after his reign Mica 6.16 and the People of Israel walked in the wicked Statutes of the Kings which they had made so long till they were carried captives to Assyria 2 King 17.8 And had I time to mention all the wicked Statutes which have been made by means of the wicked Kings of this Nation and are yet in force it would make you stand amazed to think how They the Lawyers and Clergie together have abused the poor People But it would take up a Volumn to treat of this by it self and this Argument is so experimentally understood at this day that I need not enlarge upon it What cursed Laws are now in force to persecute the faithful Ministers of Christ for preaching to the People that they might be saved to murder the Lord's People by stifling them in Prisons and Dungeons where hundreds have within these three years perished for no other cause but praying preaching and hearing the Word of God and all this and much more because wicked men are put in authority For had the People obeyed the Law of God and chosen such to rule as were just and fearing God this would not have been 5. A fifth Argument is this If the chusing men destitute of the Spirit of Government be the way to make void the Law of God Then none such should be chosen But the former is true therefore the latter As wicked Magistrates will enact wicked Laws of their own so will they be sure to reject and make void the Law of God Why else do we see so many men pardoned for Murder and walk at liberty up and down the streets in the face of the Sun who by the Law of God should die and the faithful Servants of God and Friends of their Country laid up in filthy Dungeons How easie a thing is it for a Murderer if he hath money to get a
Masters The same in effect did Trajan the Emperor confess that he was inferiour to the People for when the Praetor delivered him the Sword at his Inauguration he returned it to him again with these words Take this Sword use it for me if I do that which is good but if otherwise against me and that so much the more because it is the more wicked for one that Rules over all to transgress the Law himself He was far from pretending to impunity that his person was Sacred and must not be touched whatsoever wickedness he committed but like a wise man and good Governour he resolved to do nothing worthy of punishment or if he did he submitted himself to the stroak of the Sword as much as any other person was to do and it is observable that it was not for want of power he spake this for the Empire was then at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the highest or very near it Theseus in like manner a most wise and valiant King of the Athenians acknowledged the Peoples power to be above his and affirms yea glories in it That in Athens the People Reigned I could quickly tire both my self and you with Testimonies of this nature from Philosophers Orators and others but I know the judgement of any man is no proof and I have given sufficient proof from Scripture and Reason already and therefore I shall not fill up my Papers with transcribing other mens judgements but mention one or two places worthy our consideration out of the new Testament which are the Testimony of Christ himself and Paul his Apostle and with a few Inferences from the whole close up this Chapter The first is that of our Saviour Mat. 20.25 to 28. The Princes of the Gentiles exercise Dominion over them and they that are great exercise Authority over them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your Seavant And whosoever will be chief among you let him be your Servant This Text holds out these things following First That there were two great political Evils among the Gentiles 1. Their Princes lorded it or exercised Dominion over them they would not keep within the bounds of their relation which God and Nature had set out to Governours to be Servants to the People but they would be Lords over them whose Servants they were in right And therefore it is that Christ useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they exercise Lordship against them as much as to say their Lordship is against the Liberties and Priviledges of the People against the Good and Benefit of them whom they Govern Their Prerogatives abrogate the Peoples Rights 2. The great men exercise Authority over them not the wise men or the good men who were best qualified for Government but those who had great titles and riches were Rulers over them which was contrary to the Light of Nature which the Gentiles were endued withal as I have shewed at large under the qualifications of Magistrates Governours were not chosen for their Virtues or Goodness but for their Greatness Secondly Both these evils are forbid among Christians It shall not be so among you You that will be my followers shall not imitate the wicked manners of the Gentiles Your Princes shall not be Lords over you they shall not exercise Lordship against the Liberties and Priviledges of their Brethren But whosoever will be chief among you which must be the chief Magistrate unless you will allow any other above him let him be your servant They that are great shall not exercise authority among you but they that are Wise Good and Faithful men such as fear God and hate Covetousness you shall not choose men to Govern for their Greatness sake but for their Goodness Object But is not this place to be understood onely of Ministers that they are not to be Lords over the People Sol. There is no reason for such a restriction for the same evil that was practised by the Gentiles is forbid among Christians It shall not be SO among you How was it among the Gentiles He doth not say their Priests but their Princes lorded it over them But it shall not be SO among you your Princes shall not do so Christ knew well enough that his Church would encrease and many millions own his Gospel and therefore carefully laies down Rules beforehand how the Princes of Christians should behave themselves Again our Saviour puts it in the most comprehensive terms imaginable Whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant be he who he will that is chief he is but your servant at highest And Christ allows of a chief Magistrate but the Gospel knows no chief Minister For though Paul saith 2 Cor. 11.5 he was not behind the very chief of the Apostles he means not that any Apostle was by his Office above others but chief in labours and gifts and so some might exceed others And in regard this Precept is so consonant to the Light of Reason Law of God and that of Rom. 13.4 where the Magistrate is called A Servant to the People I wonder any should go to restrain it onely to Ministers it being given in such extensive universal terms Another place like to this is 1 Cor. 8.5 6. There are many that are called gods and lords but to us there is but one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ As if he should have said there are indeed among the Heathens many gods they live in Idolatry but we Christians own but One God Many of the Gentiles are so vain-glorious that they will have earthly Lords but we Christians own none for our Lord but Jesus Christ that is no titular Lords such as exercise lordship over the People 1. Then A Word to chief Magistrates Kings Princes c. Learn to know your selves your places and relations Alas how few of you that wear Crowns and sway Scepters understand your relation and he is like to rule well that knows not his place Beware of those flattering and covetous Priests and Lawyers who will say any thing for advantage and flatter you out of your own reason The Word of God Law of Nature and your own Reason if you have not lost it will tell you that you are Publick Servants to the People who gave you your Power and pay you your Wages For shame make no more pretences to a Lordly Power over the People whose Servants ye are talk no more of your Lordships unless you mean to declare your selves Tyrants Rulers chief Magistrates we own but not to be our Lords but Servants according to the Word of God You know no other name to call the People by but Subjects the Law of God will teach you a better name to call them Brethren and not to lift up your hearts in a lordly manner above your Brethren This was the appellation David used to give the People 2 Sam. 19.12 And the Lord commands proud Rehoboam
because this Theam is so large that I cannot have room in this Discourse for all the particular Duties of Magistrates either Supream or Subordinate I shall only mention some general Duties under which many particular are comprehended 1. Then Magistrates ought to make it their great design both in their undertaking and exercising their Authority to answer the ends of Goverment and to prosecute those ends in the whole series of their transactions They should consider the greatness of the work they take in hand the strictness of the account they must one day give and examine well their own hearts whether they mean in undertaking what God did in instituting Goverment whether Gods ends be their ends whether they take the charge upon them for the glory of God and good of the People or for base ends of worldly honour and greatness Alas how few Magistrates are there whose hearts will not condemn them in this if they should but dare to put the question to them Where is the Governor to be found who doth not make his private interest his cheifest end that doth not take more care to honour himself and his posterity than God that doth not seek the Peoples goods more then their good as if the People had been made for them not they for the People This is the mark that Magistrates should level at in all their consultations How may I advance the Honour of God and promote the Peoples good like Titus Vespasian of whom it is recorded that he counted that day lost in which he had done no good 2. Magistrates must eye their relation and behave themselves in all respects conformable thereto 1. They must fill up their Relation You are Servants of God he hath entrusted you with Talents look you imploy them to your Masters use You are Servants to the People they have given you power to employ it in their Service they also pay you your wages Then serve the People not your selves O how many Rulers are thâ—re that instead of serving God and the People with their Power serve the Devil and their Lusts instead of serving the People serve themselves of the People You are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your service should be like those that travel in the dust that labour and take pains You are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Publique Servants or Workmen you are not to consume your time and treasures in idleness but painfulness You give the Lion the Unicorn and Beasts of prey for your Arms as if your Office did allow you to prey upon the People as you do it were far more sutable to your relation to give the Labouring Ox thereby to signifie that you know your place and mean to discharge the trust reposed in you by taking pains for the People You are called Repairers of Breaches which will not be done without diligence Magistrates are by their Office Nursing Fathers then learn of Moses to carry the People in your bosome as a nursing father doth the sucking child Numb 11.12 and shew your readiness to serve all particular persons as often as you can that they may have occasion to say you are the servants of God to them for good Rom. 13.4 Remember that which is reported of Titus Vespasian who is said never to have sent away any person sad from his presence 2. Be sure you keep within the circumference of your relation you are Publique Servants take heed you do not forget your selves and your relation and please your selves with dreams of Lordly Power over the People whose servants you are Be provident of the Peoples Treasures be humble in the Peoples presence be curteous and affable in your carriage amiable in your countenance labour to win the Peoples love by kindness and respect Like Trajan the Emperour who behaved himself so to the People as he would have an Emperour to have done to him if he had been a private person Remember the miserable ends of Lascivious Sardanapalus Luxurious Vitellius Prodigal Heliogabalus Bloody Nero and others who kept not within the bounds of their relation If you transgress the limits of your station and spend your time in wantonness luxury prodigality and tyranny the People one time or other will remember their relation though you forget yours It hath been observed by Historians of the Inhabitants of this Isle that though they endure long they will not endure alwayes They will bear much before they call their servants to account but at last they use to make all even Remember that proverb of a wise King Oppression makes a wise man mad The Wrath of a King is like the roaring of a Lion we grant it But the Wrath of the People is like the Raging of the Sea which will overwhelm a thousand Lions in an instant You seem at present to imitate Canutus once King of this Island who sitting in his Royal Chair by the Sea side challenged a Lordly Power over the Ocean and forbid the waves to touch his Robes threatning them if they did presume to disobey his commands but the sturdy waves not valuing his Lordly threats approached his person wet him to the thighs and skirts forced him to remove his Chair and retreat and made him know the Ocean was above him Beware of dallying too long with the British Seas and lording it over the multitude of Waters if once a Spring-tide arise and Tame and Humber overflow they will acknowledge little homage to your Lordships and perhaps shew less They will make you to remove your Chairs as Canutus did and perhaps renounce your Titles also They will wet your thighs and cool your lusts and wash your filthy bloody skirts those Rivers know no Lords 3. A third duty of Magistrates is To observe the Law of God themselves that so they may by their example induce the People to the same Hearken not to those wicked Earwigs those open Enemies to God the world and most of all to your selves who tell you that you are above the Law They serve their own bellies and know no other God They are the greatest Plague and Judgment of the Land such Lepers should not be endured in the English Camp Such filthy Lawyers and Prelates are the Foxes and Wolves who annoy this Commonwealth it never will be well with us till they are taken Varlets that have respect of persons and will transgress for a piece of bread Prov. 28.21 What seared consciences and whorish foreheads have those men that dare to say that the King is above the Law when as the Lord hath given a strict and particular charge to the King to have a copy of it by him and reade therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear God and keep all his Statutes Deut. 17.18 19. If you think you have such immunity above other men put your finger in the flames and try what priviledge you shall have more than others O know that if you break the Law of God the same place is
the Magistrates whom they made for their good and maintain as their Servants judges what Power and Wages is fit for their Servants to have Que. But how shall we distinguish between such Tribute as is due and such as is not due for we had need be certain that it is not due if we refuse to pay it Answ 1. When Magistrates require Tribute for unlawful uses For instance if they will have Taxes to maintain their Pride Covetousness Lasciviousness Luxury Prodigality we are not bound to pay what they demand I deny not but in prudence we may give it them in case we cannot avoid it without our own undoing as a man would rather give his Purse to a Thief than be killed But in Conscience we are free to refuse if we can with our own safety When it is evident to the World that Magistrates use our money not for our good but hurt serve their own Lusts with our wages we are not bound to maintain them O how many Hundred Thousands nay Millions of money have these men squeezed out of poor England within this three years which hath been all spent upon their Luxury and our Slavery What immesurable Pride and Wastfulness are they guilty of who is able to fathom the Covetousness of the Clergy and Lawyers the insatiable Rapacity of the Courtiers who like the Grave never say 't is enough A Generation whose teeth are as swords and their jaw teeth are knives to devour the poor from off the Earth and the needy from among men Prov. 30.14 A Whirl-pool that sucks in what ever comes near it and so great that if God permit them to continue a few years more they will suck in the whole Land A bottomless Pit as deep as Hell it self And think you that it is your duty to maintain Play-houses and Whore-houses for the Courtiers with that which should buy your Children bread or feed the hungry bellies and cloath the naked backs of the Poor 2. When the Great Ones lay the burden on the Mean the Rich cast the burden on the Poor the Poor are not bound to bear the burden for the Rich. If a Parliament consisting of Lords Knights and Gentlemen who have the greatest part of the Revenues of the Land will cast the burden of the Taxes upon the poor Handy-crafts-men and Labourers who get their Living by the sweat of their brows it is unjust and not at all obligatory 3. When the Tribute is more than the People are able to pay without impoverishing the Land and impairing the Common-wealth when not a few covetous or envious persons but the generality of the Nation groan under their burden and complain 't is more than they are able to bear and the Governours lay on more load still in this case the Governours are Oppressors and the People may remedy themselves if they can Object But the People have entrusted the Parliament with this affair and therefore what Tribute their Trustees have ordained they are bound to pay Sol. I say as before in the case of Power we give the Parliament Authority to raise such Tribute as is sufficient for our security and the Service the King is to do us but we give them no Power to impoverish or oppress us to give away our Wives and Childrens bread to maintain a company of Proud Lazy Drunken Debauched Courtiers filthy idle Drones who will not work and therefore by the Law of God should not eat 2 Thes 3.10 That the People should give away their Estates from their Wives and Children and the Poors due also to make Provision for the Lusts of their cruel Taskmasters who spoil them of all their Liberties both as Men and Christians is more than a hundred Parliaments have Power to decree and we are unwise to endure CHAP. IX Treating of the Honour which is due to the Magistrate IN the handling of this Particular I shall observe the same Method I did in the former and shew you First What honour is due to the Magistrate Secondly What is not 1. Then we owe to such Magistrates as are a Terroun to evil Works and a Praise to them that do Well the Honour of such just and lawful Titles as the People bestow on them as King Judge Sheriff Mayor or the like which is so clear both in the Old and New Testament that it needs no proof 2. We owe to them the acknowledgement of the good service they do us and thankful acceptation thereof although it be no more then their duty Thus we read the People did use to acknowledge the good they had received by Moses Joshua Gideon David and other good Magistrates and mourned for them at their Death and good reason for the happiness of a Land is bound up in the Government thereof Such Princes as Govern well deserve Titles of Honour The Romans were wont to give the Titles of Pater Patriae to their good Emperours as they did to Augustus Antoninus Pius and others And Augustus who refused to be called the Peoples Lord as I mentioned before yet did with the highest satisfaction and thankfulness embrace that Title of the Father of his Country The Title of Lord of the Country is far inferiour in the Judgement of all wise men to that of Father of the Country Yea good Magistrates deserve to be honourably mentioned after death and had in blessed Memory by Posterity as Edward the Sixth that young Josiah is and will be to the Worlds end 3. We owe them Honour in our gestures and behaviour as we read the Lords People were wont to do bowing the Head and the Body in token of that honour which was due to them Thus did Nathan to David 1 King 1.23 Thus did Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9.8 Araunah 1 Chron. 21.21 And I judge it very lawful and requisite to shew bodily respect to good Magistrates although I cannot think it lawful for a Magistrate to punish any of the People who are not satisfied of the lawfulness thereof and upon that account do refuse such ceremonies as putting off the hat or the like But in the next place What honour is not due to the Magistrate 1. False or flattering Titles are not his due though he be the best man upon Earth Job 32.21 Let me not I pray you accept any mans person neither let me give flattering Titles unto man for I know not to give flattering Titles in so doing my maker would soon take me away To call a man Defender of the Faith who is a Persecutor of it To call a profane Tyrant Gracious O what abominable flattery and falsity is this To call wicked perjured profane Dukes or bloody minded Popish Archbishops your Grace what is it less than Blasphemy It were fitter to call them your Vice then your Grace O you flattering Priests Courtiers Lawyers and others who thus accustome your mouthes to lyes that you draw them in like your breath consider what your portion will be from the Lord Rev. 21.8 you are all to be
to tell them of their Vices relate their Abominations or give them such Titles as they deserve But to slander or reproach good Rulers undeservedly which wicked men are very apt unto if they punish them for their evil doing The word in the Hebrew is commonly used for cursing or blaspheming and in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not speak wickedly of a Ruler But to speak the truth of a Ruler in reproving him for his wickedness or giving him such Titles as are answerable to his merits is not to blaspheme or speak wickedly for then the holy Prophets and Apostles had been guilty of blaspheming and speaking wickedly in reproving wicked Rulers and calling them by such reproachful Names as they deserved and without doubt the Apostle Paul meant not to forbid us to speak of Rulers as they deserved for he calls Caesar A Lyon 2 Tim. 4.17 after this Object But doth not Luke give Theophilus the Title of Most Excellent Luke 1.3 and Paul give Festus the Title of Most Noble Acts 26.25 who was a wicked man Sol. The word in the Greek in both those places is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word hath a double signification Sometimes it is taken for the best Optimus and sometimes for the strongest or most powerful Potentissimus and it should be rendred here from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 robur most powerful and it is one thing to call a man Powerful another to call him Noble or Honourable A man may be Powerfull and yet not honourable For Honour is due to Virtue not to Strength And therefore I conclude that it may be more rationally interpreted Powerful than Noble since the word properly signifies so Object But are we not commanded to honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 Fear God Honor the King Sol. We are no more commanded to honour the King than all other men for the whole verse runs thus Honour all men love the Brotherhood fear God honour the King And the very same word is used for the honour we are commanded to give to all others that is for the honour we are to give the King We must give honour to whom honour is due Rom. 13.7 If the King be a real King a lawful Ruler who Governs well we are to honour him but if he be a Tyrant or Oppressor as I shewed before he forfeits his Title of King and deserves to be called as he is Object But if wicked Kings forfeit their Title by Tyranny and evil Government why then are they called Kings still as long as they possess the Crown Solution There is a twofold sence in which the word King may be taken 1. For a King Regnant a King de facto one that sits on the Throne wears the Crown swayes the Scepter bears the Sword and actually Rules the Land 2. A rightful King or a King de jure one that hath a right to do all this Now wicked Kings are called Kings in the former sence but are not called so in the latter They are Kings Regnant but not Rightful Kings They have not their name from any right they have to the Government but because they are possessed of it and at the present are suffered by God and the People to fit on the Throne Even as the Devil is called the God of this World because he doth actually bear rule in the hearts of the men of this world not that he is a rightful Ruler over them but because he hath them at his command under his Power and is generally received by the men of this World for their God and Ruler Object But why did Daniel use that Court phrase to salute the King which was a wicked Ruler Dan. 6.21 O King live for ever Sol. Very likely Daniel prayed for his Eternal Life For though the rest of the Courtiers used it as a vain formal complement yet in regard the words will bear a good sence it is likely that so Godly a man as Daniel meant in the best sence and so wished his Salvation But if Daniel should have meant vainly as the rest of the Courtiers did it was his failing as it was Josephs to swear by the Life of Pharaoh and is not imitable by us Object But doth not the Apostle Peter make it one of the Characters of those who are unjust and are reserved to the day of Judgement to be punished that they despise Government and speak evil of Dignities Sol. It is one thing to despise Government another thing to despise Tyranny Government is as I have shewed before from God Tyranny from the Devil We may not despise lawful Rulers such as execute Justice and rule in the Fear of God but we may despise those Rulers who Oppress Murder and Destroy the People Again though we may not speak reproachfully of Dignity or Glory as the word signifies yet we may of Tyranny For there is no dignity in Tyranny it is the highest indignity in the World We may not speak reproachfully of Government because it is Gods Ordinance for our good and there 's much Dignity or Glory in Gods Institution But we may of Tyranny because it is an Invention of the Devil and wicked Men for our hurt and is a vile abominable thing hateful to God and Man But that I may close this particular of the Honour due to the Magistrate 3. A wicked Magistrate hath no right to that Honour or Reverence which is due to a good Magistrate in the external gestures of the Body A Proud Tyrannous Lordly Magistrate who forgets his Relation of being a Servant to the People and hath his heart lifted up above his brethren contrary to the Law of God Deut. 17.20 forfeits his right to that external Reverence of bowing the Head or Body which is due to a humble painful and faithful Magistrate Therefore it was that when Rehoboam domineered over the People in that proud insolent manner they refused to honour him any longer but gave him a very diminutive title What portion have we in the Son of Jesse 1 King 12.16 and bid him look to his own House And well he deserved to be so slighted for doth not the Word of God say Blessed is the man that respecteth not the proud nor such as turn aside to lies Psal 40.4 Therefore it was that single hearted Mordecai would not bow nor do any reverence to wicked Human though he were the greatest Prince of the Empire Ester 3.2 And the King had commanded that all men should bow and do him reverence Mordecai knew he deserved no honour because he was a proud and unworthy person But how far forth in a case of necessity when we cannot avoid it without endangering our Lives or Liberties we may dispense with this Ceremony of bowing the Head or uncovering it before a wicked Magistrate is another question For though we owe him no such honour yet we may owe to our selves such a gesture for preservation of our Lives or Liberties For if David might eat of
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
greater than the wickedness of one private persons oppressing another 3. We have several presidents in Scripture of the Lords People that have resisted wicked and tyrannous Governours David resisted Saul who sought his Life unjustly 1. He being Sauls Servant went away without his leave yea contrary to his will 1 Sam. 19.10 2. He raised an Army to defend himself 1 Sam. 22.2 If it be said they came to him voluntarily I answer that is nothing to the purpose for within Sauls Kingdom David headed an Army contrary to the will of the King He became their Captain the Text saith 3. It is plain that David made war in his own Defence Because the Spirit of God saies Those that came to David came to him as helpers of the War 1 Chron. 12.1 and vers 17. The Children of Benjamin and Judah came to help him 4. And the Spirit of God pronounceth a blessing on them that came to help David against the Tyranny of Saul vers 18. 5. And God himself took his part He helped him vers 18. The Lord takes part with the poor Innocent when they take up Arms in their own defence against Tyrants Object But this was an extraordinary Case David was anointed to be King to succeed Saul and therefore he might use an extraordinary way to defend himself which another might not have done Sol. Though David was anointed to succeed Saul yet he did not pretend thereby any present right to the Government or that he was thereby authorized to take up Armes against Saul but he justifies his practise by his Innocency 1 Chron. 12.17 He had not deserved to be so persecuted by Saul because he had done no wrong and what he did was in his own defence which the Law of Nature taught him to do and those that helped him came to him as an innocent oppressed man whose Life was sought unjustly by a wicked Tyrant 1 Chron. 12.1 they heard how Saul hunted after his Life and made him hide himself and therefore came to help him which I shall shew hereafter is no more than the Law of God requires the People to do to deliver the Innocent from the hand of the Oppressor Another president we have 1 Sam. 14.44 and 45. verses When Saul would have put Jonathan to death unjustly the People resisted him both in word and deed Saul had not onely said but confirmed it with an Oath or a Curse that Jonathan should surely dye The People say and swear the Contrary As the Lord liveth not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground And they made good their word for they rescued Jonathan that he died not So likewise Elisha defended himself against King Joram's Tyranny 2 Kings 6.32 The King swears he would have Elisha's head from off his shoulders before night sends a Messenger to apprehend him and follows himself at the Messengers feet because he would be sure to see it executed Was Elisha bound to submit to this unjust Sentence and yeeld his neck to the Tyrant who came to murder him under the pretence of his Authority Elisha understood himself better than so See ye sayes he how this son of a Murderer hath sent to take away my head Look when the Messenger comes shut the door and hold him fast at the door is not the sound of his Master's feet behind him Here was a violent resistance of the tyrannous Power of the King in his own defence The Septuagent renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bruise him in the door As for that pretence Elisha was a Prophet an extraâ—â—dinary person it is not lawful for another to do so because Elisha did it is scarcely worth an answer For Elisha defended himself as a man he pretended nothing extraordinary but resisted one that came to murder him which Nature would have taught any man in the world to do And indeed if there had been never an example of this nature in Scripture yet the very Light of Reason were sufficient to determine the case Yea the very Prelates and other Advocates of Tyranny are forced to confess That in many cases it is lawful not only for the body of the People or the lesser part of them but for particular persons to resist the King Obj. But doth not the Apostle command Servants to be subject to evil Masters as well as good and to take it patiently when they are buffeted for doing well 1 Pet. 2.18 Will it not follow much more that we must be subject to evil Magistrates as well as good and take it patiently when they punish us for doing well Sol. 1. The scope of the place shews the Apostle doth not mean an absolute or universal subjection in all cases whatsoever but in smaller injuries which may be easily born and put up for the sake of peace and quietness better suffered than resisted If a Master be froward cross and crabbed apt to revile his Servants and give them evil language they must not revile again or return the like language to their Masters which they receive from them which is the Apostles meaning as you may see by comparing ver 18. with 23. If a Master should buffet his Servant or as we commonly term it cuff him about the ears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if being cuffed The Apostle tells us what kind of injuries he means such common injuries as may better be patiently suffered than violently resisted But it would be a madness to argue from this place that if a Master should offer to ravish his Servant or if she cryed out to cut her throat or come with a sword to kill his Servant or with a club to knock his Servant down that the Servant ought to be subject and take it patiently So that if we should grant that there is the same reason why the People should suffer injuries patiently from evil Magistrates that there is for Servants to suffer patiently from evil Masters it would prove no more but this that we must submit to them in some smaller injuries which we may put up without any great inconvenience but not that we should suffer them to murder us or our friends to lay us up in filthy Dungeons till we are poisoned and stifled up with the stink of them or to beggar our Wives and Children to satisfie their lusts 2. But indeed there is no such reason why the People should suffer injuries patiâ—â—tly from Magistrates without resisting as why Servants should from their Masters and therefore the Objection is of no force For 1. God hath commanded Servants to suffer lesser injuries patiently from their Masters but he hath not commanded the People to suffer such things from the Magistrate 2. The Magistrate is not the Peoples Master but as I have proved before their Servant and therefore this place proves rather the contrary That if the People who are in truth and reality the Magistrate's Master should offer any lesser injury to the Magistrate who is their Servant he ought to suffer it patiently at their hands So that alwayes the very weapons which the Kings-men fight withal wound themselves Alas poor men they grope at noon-day and stumble at the light their own Arguments stab their cause to the heart Yea truly I would desire no more to prove the lawfulness of resisting a tyrannous and oppressing Magistrate than what they urge against it Obj. But doth not Christ forbid us to resist evil Mat. 25.39 Sol. This place forbids us no more to resist a wicked Magistrate than any other wicked man For there is not a word peculiar to the Magistrate in this command But suppose it were appropriate to the Magistrate it would prove no more than this that we are to put up some lesser injuries as that other place requires Servants to do from their Masters and not return evil for evil Which is evident to be our Saviour's meaning 1. By the occasion of these words Ye have heard it hath been said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth That is It hath been commonly judged lawful among you to revenge your selves and do to others what evil they have done unto you but I forbid this sayes Christ it is an evil thing so to do you shall not render evil for evil And indeed it is no more than Reason it self dictates for though Reason teach us to defend our selves and not suffer others to beat out our eyes or teeth if we can hinder it yet if a man should take an advantage and beat out my eye or tooth before I were aware it were not rational for me to fall upon him and return the same but right my self in a wiser manner 2. And the particular cases Christ mentions shew he means lesser injuries If one smite thee on the cheek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erasmus Hemsius Soultetus and other learned men as Leigh observes understand it of striking not with the fist but the palm of the hand a box of the ear And our Translators render the word smiting with the palm of the hand Matth. 26.27 Another injury Christ would not have us to resist with violence is If a man take away our coat or compel us to go a mile with him he means that we should rather put up small injuries thereby to win men to the Gospel than by contending with them or rendring evil for evil lose the opportunity of gaining them to God But if you would understand the words Resist not Evil to forbid all Resistance of Evil it were impossible for the World to subsist For if we may not resist those who come to murder us rob us burn houses ravish women carry away our children for slaves and do such like intolerable evils we must go out of the World for there is no living here I conclude therefore that this place doth not forbid a private person to resist any great and unsufferable Evil which may be offered to the Life Liberty or Estate of himself or others much less doth it forbid the People to resist a Cruel and Tyrannous Governour who by his Office is bound to protect them and yet most perfidiously and traiterously doth oppress them murdering some imprisoning others for doing well impoverishing and enslaving all FINIS
unquestionable right of making their Governours both supream and subordinate I intend by the Lord's assistance in this Chapter to make it clear That the People are bound to chuse men endued with the Spirit of Government thereunto 1. Then from the Light of Nature it is evident that such only should be intrusted with the Government as are endued with the Spirit of Government Doth not Reason it self teach men in all their private concernments to entrust the managing thereof with persons fitly qualified what wise man would commit the government of his Family to an imprudent or unfaithful Steward the education of his Children to an ignorant or negligent Schoolmaster the government of his Workmen in any kind of Manufacture to one that wants discretion or honesty the care of a Flock of Sheep to a careless or unskilful Shepherd or put his Son Apprentice to a Master that neither understands nor regards his Trade Hath Nature taught us to be so cautious in these lesser concernments and careless of the greater to intrust none but such as are able and faithful with any matters of lesser moment and to commit our Laws Lives Liberties Relations Estates and good-names to the trust of such of whose ability and integrity we have no evidence All this is committed to the Magistrate Is a negligent and careless person unfit to govern a few Boyes in a School and yet such a one fit to govern a Nation whose number is as the sand of the Sea Is a faithless prodigal and dishonest man unworthy to be made a Steward of one Family and yet such a one fit to make a Steward for three Nations Is one that makes no conscience of his word unfit to be trusted with the care of a flock of Sheep and yet such a one fit to be trusted with the care of the Laws Lives Liberties Estates and Concernments of many millions of Men Is a careless faithless deboist person unfit to govern two or three Apprentices and yet such a one fit to govern Towns Cities Countries yea populous Nations themselves I appeal to any man who hath but the least spark of Reason in him whether this be not highly irrational And yet alas how few are there to be found among the multitude of men that inhabit this Nation who are half so careful of the weightier matters of Publick Concernment as of the Anise Mint and Cummin of their private affairs Much like to a company of Passengers that are going to Sea every one looks after his own Goods to secure them from dammage but little regard what Pilot and Mariners they have but when they are upon the Sea woful experience convinceth them of their folly Their Pilot is unskilful or negligent their Mariners as bad and now they begin to repent O that we had been so wise as to have chosen a better Pilot and Mariners but it is too late he hath got them aboard and there he keeps them till at length through his folly or negligence he runs the Vessel on the Sands where many of them lose their Goods and Lives together What a Pilot and Mariners the multitude have chosen woful experience hath now taught them O England why sleepest thou 't is high time to awake Thy Pilot and Mariners eat drink and make merry with thy sadding and have no regard to thee the winds blow the waves beat the storm encreases thy Tackling is bad thy Compass false thou art very near the Rocks or Sands and unless the Lord in mercy look upon thee thou wilt be suddenly split or sunk If ever the Lord bring thee safe to harbour again be wiser for time to come make choice of a better Pilot and Mariners for thy next Voyage But let us see what Instances we can find from the very Heathens themselves who have acknowledged this That men endued with the Spirit of Government are to be chosen thereunto Pharoah could say this of Joseph Can we find such a one as this is a man in whom the Spirit of God is Forasmuch as there is none so wise and discreet as thou art thou shalt be over mine house and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled Gen. 41.38 to 41. Mark here what the Light of Nature and Reason dictates to a Heathen 1. That there are no men so fit for Government as those in whom the Spirit of God is 2. That the wisest and discreetest men and such as have the Spirit of God ought to be preferred to places of the highest Authority 3. That Magistrates are not to be chosen by their Honours or Riches but by their Vertues not such as have empty Titles of Knights Lords Dukes or the like and a base ignoble spirit under it but such as are wise discreet and have the Spirit of God in them No question but Pharoah had Noblemen and Rich men enough to have preferred to that place but the Light of Nature convinced him that Joseph was fitter than all they 4. That lowness of condition as to worldly things is no just bar to hinder a wise discreet man in whom the Spirit of God is from the greatest trust in Government Joseph was a slave sold into Egypt after that a prisoner cast into a Dungeon and yet for all this the very Heathens prefer this man above all the Noblemen in the Land Object It will be objected This was an extraordinary case Joseph had skil in interpreting Dreams there was an eminent Character set upon him by God enough to convince any man that he was the fittest man for that trust Sol. The reason why Joseph was advanced to that great Trust was not barely for his Interpretation of the Dream but for the wise Counsel he gave thereupon the Lord had not only shewed him the Dream but the way how to preserve the Land the Counsel he gave was rational and discreet and pleased Pharoah and all his Servants ver 37. and because he was a wise and discreet Counsellor able to govern the Land better than any that was in it therefore they chose him Josephs skill in interpreting Dreams would not have fitted him for the Government of Egypt without a Spirit of Counsel and Prudence to manage the weighty Affairs thereof One gift doth not fit a man for every Function Pharoah by conference with him found him to be a wise and discreet Counsellor and therefore exalted him Darius though a Heathen preferred Daniel above all the Presidents and Princes of the Empire because he had a more excellent Spirit than they Dan. 6.3 the Light of Nature taught him that dignity was the just reward of Virtue no question but he had many thousands in his Dominions who excelled Daniel in greatness and riches but Daniel excelled them in Wisdom and Goodness Daniels Wisdom and Understaning out-weighed all their Titles and Treasures and was of more advantage to the Empire So that let a very Heathen be Judge and he will tell you that those who have the most excellent Spirits should