welfare and prosperity Rebellion against their Governours they hated as Witchcaft and ever thought it safer to suffer than to resist Hence they paid Tribute without marmuring for their opinion was that no Man could have that Power except it were given him from above His Tyranny could not make them neglect their duty nor his ill Government tempt them to forget their Allegiance Where the Man was rough and hard-hearted that was over them they look'd upon the Providence as a means to try their faith and even then when they might have resisted and conquer'd they would not because they thought it was unsuitable to their Religion SECT XXVI Doctor Tennison says the same * Mr. Hobbs's Creed examin'd p. 149 15 151. This then is the Doctrine of Politicks that Rebellion is not Iniquity if upon probable grounds it becomes prosperous It is blamed as an opinion of Mr. White That part-boil'd Romanist as he is called that a dispossess'd Prince ought neither to be desired nor to endeavour to return if the people think themselves to be well and their Trade and Employment be undisturb'd And he adds Who can answer they shall be better by the return of the dispossess'd party surely in common presumption the gainer is like to defend them better than he who lost it ☜ Certainly for this Sentence publish'd at such a time to this Nation if for any other cause those Books ought to be burnt in England as well as some of them have been burnt at Rome there is no tye so strong as that of Religion p. 158 159. which eternally binds a conscientious Subject in Allegiance to his Sovereign and Wars arise from mens self-interests and lusts and true goodness is both the Creator and preserver of peace unless a Man obeys for Conscience-sake all the Cords of outward Pacts and Covenants will not hold him * V. pref p. 7. c. Neither will such Covenants hold the people that pretend to Religion if they be mis-taught that God is glorified in their private good and that their private good is to be valued before the life of a Prince if they can safely deprive him of it What Hobbs hath written three times over in his de Cive p. 161. de Corpore Politico and his Leviathan ought rather to be esteemed seeds of Sedition than Elements of Government and Society and I am sure among those Principles one is that Government is founded in compact The people p. 167. if they believed that a company of Delinquents joyning together to defend themselves by Arms do not at all unjustly but may lawfully repel lawful force by force they would soon be stirred up and suffer none for whom they have respect to be brought to justice SECT XXVII Thus Doctor Hooper * Serm. at Whitehal on Math. 22.21 p. 11. Is he not the Vicegerent of God Wherever therefore his Sovereign the Almighty hath not prevented him by any precedent Commands there he hath right and liberty to put forth his and in those cases to expect an active chearful Obedience ☞ and that we should in no case and for no reason resist Be this Civil Government heretick or Infidel we are not discharg'd of our Allegiance we are obliged by the same divine Authority to preserve our Religion under it and to continue to it our subjection p. 18 19. the Church of which we have the blessing to be Members has restored to Princes and those that are in Authority the full exercise of their lawful Power their Countries and their people no place priviledg'd nor person exempted no forein Potentate sharing the Authority nor dividing their Revenue ☞ their Subjects bound in an Allegiance not to be withdrawn on any pretence of Schism or Heresie in the power of no Consistory to discharge And here we see no politick reserve that our Church hath not provided for it self any other refuge but in the providence of God and the piety of the Civil Power What was not her own she hath given out of her hands where she cannot communicate yet there she will obey and where she cannot obey she is ready to endure expecting her reward in Heaven ☞ not ignorant how much she suffers now from the contradiction of disloyal Men for the truth of this Doctrine and how much by its meekness she stands exposed to future persecution yet she professes to know too that her Saviour's Kingdom is not of this World that the rendezvouz against a Prince is not protected by being in a Church turns not her Congregations into Armies c. And though Parties seemingly opposite agree in the contrary Opinion we take not that for an argument of its truth equally detesting the holy League of the one and the solemn League of the other Doctor Harscard Dean of Windsor * Serm. before L. Mayor 1680. p. 13. Contempt of Government springs from that leud Opinion that Dominion is nothing else but strength and might that Philosophy that resolves all Beings and Actions into matter and motion lays the foundation too of all Obedience not Conscience and divine Commands ☜ but the strongest Arm and longest Sword only Subjects because they are over-power'd What doth vilifie our Governours more than this Principle Whom we beautified before with the Titles of sacred and divine but now are made a common lump onely of strength and power and are really weaker because their Subjects too like them are onely Arms but no heart or Conscience no internal Principle to oblige unto Obedience For if no inward persuasion or dread of an higher power but only fear and interest weakness and convenience are the bottom and reason of our Obedience where these shall change and the Man hath swell'd his Coffers procured firm Alliances and muster'd up his Armies and Confederates and other instruments of Rebellion he may then by the Title of Power lay claim to Dominion and set up for himself What signifies religious Oaths and solemn Vows to engage us unto Obedience which is onely an acknowledgment of weakness if onely external power must be their keeper SECT XXVIII Doctor Falkner's Christian Loyalty is written wholly upon this Subject proving that Government is appointed by God and is of divine Institution own'd so by the Christians who were persecuted by the Civil Powers and his whole second Book is employed in shewing the unlawfulness of Subjects taking Arms against the King upon any account and this he proves from the obligation of Oaths and solemn declarations from the Laws of Nature and humane policy from the prohibitions of both the Old and New Testament especially the New proving that this resistance is not onely sinful in private persons but in the whole body of the people and in subordinate Magistrates and I would willingly see a sober Answer to that discourse instead of puzling the World with little distinctions of persecuting according to or against Law. And in his Treatise of Reproach and Censure he shews how
declared at the least four times in the year That the King's Majesties Power Authority and Preheminence within his Realms and Dominions is the highest Power under God Here the Injunction plainly distinguishes the claim of the Pope from other claims implying that our Church always believed that her Prince's Power was derived immediately from God and that they were superior to all their Subjects either singly or collectively and so were not accountable to them but only to God and among Bishop Ridley's Articles of Visitation An. 1550. one is Whether any do preach or defend that private persons may make Insurrection stir Sedition or compel Men to give them their Goods Anno 1564. being the seventh Year of Queen Elizabeth in the ‖ Sparr Collect. p. 123. Articles for Preaching it is injoyn'd That the Minister move all People to Obedience as well in observation of the Orders appointed in the Book of Common Service as in the Queen's Majesty's Injunctions as also of all other civil Duties due for Subjects to do and that all Preachers Preaching Matters tending to Dissention c. shall be complained At last the Injunctions were called Canons and the first Canon An. 1603. in the first Year of King James is the same in substance with the Injunction of Henry the Eighth Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth and for this reason Can. 55. it is ordained That every Minister should before his Sermon acknowledge the King to be in all Causes and over all Persons supreme Head and Governor in more express terms than were formerly used But particularly I look upon the Canons of the Year 1640. to be a full Explanation of the belief of our Church in this point Now Can. 1. injoyns all former Laws Ordinances and Constitutions formerly made for the acknowledgment and profession of the most lawful and independent Authority of our dread Sovereign Lord the King 's most excellent Majesty to be carefully observed and then descends to give an Explanation of the Royal Power and Authority That the most sacred Order of Kings is of divine Right being the Ordinance of God himself founded in the prime Laws of Nature and clearly establish'd by express Texts both of the Old and New Testament and for any Person or Persons to set up maintain or allow in any their said Realms or Territories respectively under any pretence whatsoever any independent coactive Power either Papal or Popular whether directly or indirectly is to undermine their great Royal Office and cunningly to overthrow that most Sacred Offfice which God himself hath establish'd and so is treasonable against God as well as against the King. For Subjects to bear Arms against their Kings See the Doctrine of these Canons vindicated in Dr. Puller's Moderat of the Ch. of Engl. c. 12. §. 6. p. 34. offensive or defensive upon any Pretence whatsoever is at least to resist the Powers which are ordained of God and though they do not invade but only resist St. Paul tells them plainly They shall receive to themselves Damnation while in the next Paragraph they shew that this Doctrine does not intitle the King to every Man's Estate But against the Synod that made these Canons lies a great Objection tho I should have thought that the hard Censures of it might have been spar'd because no Synod of our Church and perhaps none of any other Protestant Church hath so expresly condemn'd Popery and Socinianism the great Enemies of true Reformed Christianity as this Synod hath done ‖ V. Art. 3.4 that it was not a Lawful Synod because it was continued and sat after the Parliament was Dissolved and was by another Parliament Condemn'd not to answer that that very Parliament that first Condemn'd this Synod ruin'd even the Monarchy it self nor that the Synods of old Provincial or General were not dependent on the meeting of the States at the same time I answer First that these Canons were made and confirm'd in full Convocation of both Provinces of Canterbury and York and the making of Canons being a work properly Ecclesiastical these Canons were made by the Representatives of the whole Clergy of this Kingdom 2. The Canons were confirm'd by the King which was all that was of old required in such Cases and tho the Convocation sat after the Dissolution of the Parliament yet 1. This is not without President even in the happy Days of Queen Elizabeth not to look back into Henry VIII or the primitive Times And 2. the Persons who condemn'd this Synod are well known to have done it to justifie their own Proceedings being resolved to ruine Episcopacy and with it the Monarchy and afterward by their own power they called an Assembly of Divines and What a Confession of Faith what Discipline Rites and Methods did they Establish a Directory among other things out of which they left the Lord's Prayer perhaps because it 't was a Form the Apostles Creed because themselves thought they could make a better and the Ten Commandments because the fifth plainly accused them of Rebellion against their Lawful Prince And it is worth the observing that Sr. Edward Deering's Speeches that were spoken with so much Virulence against this Synod and afterwards Printed were by the Order of the same House who first applauded them decreed to be Burnt by the hand of the Common Hang-man And if it be still objected that the Canons were Reprobated since the Restitution of Charles II. I say that I quote them not as a Law that obliges the Church but as the known Sense of the Church of England at that time CHAP. III. The Doctrine of the Homilies THough the name of Homily hath been look'd upon and censured by unthinking People as ridiculous yet those admirable Sermons made by our first Reformers as a body of practical Divinity and a Confutation of the Errors and Idolatries of the Church of Rome are as Bishop Ridley said of the first Tome of them * Apud Fox To. 3. p. 506. Holy and wholsome Homilies Recommendations of the principal Virtues which are commended in Scripture and against the most pernicious and capital Vices that so alas do reign in this Realm of England These we subscribe to as containing wholsome Doctrine †Dr. Stanley's Faith and Pract. c. 7. p. 192. and every Man hereby sees what Opinions the Clergy are of for they subscribe and assent to the Book of Articles and Homilies and to the Book of Common Prayer Many also have some regard to the Articles of An 1640. They take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and the Test c. and Johnson says That the Book of Homilies is the best Book in the World next the Bible And since a ‖ D. Welw Letter to M. March p. 10. late Author is so bold to say that Passive Obedience in the narrow sense we take it in was not so much as thought on at the time of the publishing the Homilies I must first ask him How he came to be so
And if it be objected that Wyat's Rebellion happened the same year and that he took Arms upon the Account of Religion I answer 1. Were it so this was the fault of but a few discontented Protestants not the fault of their Religion and Principles but of their Passions 2. Nor did those Discontents take Arms for Religion as the Historian says expresly * Burn. ubi supra p. 269. For when Wyat made his Proclamation at Maidstone he professed that he intended nothing but to preserve the Liberty of the Nation and keep it from coming under the Yoke of Strangers which he said all the Council except one or two were against and assured the People that all the Nobility and chief Men of England would concur with him Now the Generality of the Nation was then Papist the Nobility and Gentry especially and so could not be presumed to take Arms for the Protestant Religion He said nothing of Religion but in private assured those that were for the Reformation that he would declare for them And his Demands †P. 270. have no relation to Religion but to the Command of the Tower and that the Queen should be under his Guard c. The same ‖ Ibid. Historian affirming that the Rebellion was not at all raised upon the pretence of Religion which according to the Printed Account set out by the Queen's Order was not so much as once named and that Poynet Bishop of Winchester was not in it P. 171. c. and that Christopherson's Book on this Subject was but a Flourish of his Wit and no decisive proof And I cannot learn but that Wyat as well as Dudley died a Papist 'T is true some of his Adherents pretended Religion as there are and will be wicked Men of all Persuasions but they did but pretend Religion as Mr. Bradford one of the Writers of the aforementioned Letter said of them in his Exhortation to the Professors of the Gospel in England but ☜ as he adds they were Hypocrites and under the Cloak of the Gospel would have debarred the Queen's Highness of her Right but God would not so cloak them This therefore was the Sentiment of our Confessors at home during the Reign of Queen Mary and I doubt not but it was the Sense of their Brethren the Confessors abroad as I shall make it appear from the Writings of the Bishops Jewel and Sandys whatever the Author of the History of the Troubles at Francfort says to the contrary who was well known to be a party and for that reason not fit to give such evidence * P. 195. as he does that the greatest Traitors and Rebels King Edward had in the West Parts were Priests and such as had subscribed to the Book or whatsoever by Law was then in force But in all the Stirs which have happened either since the Queen's Majesty came to the Crown or before I have not heard of so much as one Minister or other that hath lifted up his hand against her Majesty or State whom it pleaseth the malicious Man to term Precisian and Puritan Traitor and Rebel While this Author hath forgot what before he recorded * Pag. 44 45. That Knox their Patriarch was banished from Francfort for High Treason against the Emperor of Germany And not long after the History was written Hacket and his Companions would have convinced him that the Men of his Party can be Rebels SECT IV. Under Queen Elisabeth the Truth broke from behind the Cloud and shone triumphantly and as Truth is always the same so it appeared in this particular Doctrine Archbishop Sandys was one of the Confessors of that Age and from him we learn †Serm. 3. p. 51. That if we despise Government and speak evil of them that be in Authority if we mutter and murmur against the Principality of Moses and Aaron if we loath the present State and seek after Alterations then shall the Blessings of God turn into Cursings ‖ Id. Ser. 4. p. 67. As we should pray for all Men so chiefly for Kings and undoubtedly it is unlawful to rebel against those whom we are bound to pray for In Paul 's time the Kings and Rulers of the People were Ethnicks Tyrants Enemies to Christ and cruel Persecutors of the Gospel whereupon some thought it not convenient for the Church to pray for them who sought to destroy it S. Paul abateth this Opinion teaching them that they should chiefly pray for such as for Men in greatest danger and most needing the help of their Prayers pray for him that prayeth not for himself We must pray for ill Princes because the King's Heart is in God's Hand that he may turn their minds and stay their Persecutions c. to pour out Supplications Pag. 68. that God would grant them a long life a safe Government a sure dwelling Tertull. valiant Soldiers faithful Counsellors a good People and a quiet world and whatsoever the Hearts of Men or Kings do desire and I am sure such a Prayer is not reconcileable with resistance and let all such as will not say Amen to this Prayer assure themselves that they are neither dutiful Christians nor faithful Subjects Thus also speaks Bishop Jewel * Def. of the Apol p. 15. We teach the People as S. Paul doth to be subject to the highest Powers not only for fear but also for conscience we teach them that whosoever striketh with the Sword by private Authority shall perish with the Sword if the Prince happen to be wicked or cruel or burthensome we teach them to say with S. Ambrose Tears and Prayers be our Weapons ☜ Anno 1586. Bishop Bilson Printed his Book of the true difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion And therein says * P. 260. Deliverance if you would have obtain it by prayer and expect it in peace P. 262. these be Weapons for Christians the Subject hath no refuge against his Sovereign but only to God by prayer and patience Christ fore-teaching his Disciples P. 256. that they should be brought before Kings and Rulers and put to death and hated of all Men for his Names sake addeth not as you would have it he that first rebels but he that endureth to the end shall be saved P. 278. Your Spanish Inquisitions and French Massacres are able to set grave and good Men at their wits end and to make them justly doubt since you refuse the course of all divine and human Laws with them whether by the Law of Nature they may not defend themselves from such barbarous Blood-suckers if the Laws of the Land where they do converse do permit them c. This last Quotation I have transcribed that I might answer the Authority which some Men use to prove that it is lawful in some Cases for Subjects to resist For were this true yet 1. This is but one Doctor 's Opinion contrary to the Doctrine of the Church and
Spoil and Robbery of the Subjects may no less considering the nature of the Crime deserve such Punishment of Princes as they do 〈◊〉 People But because there is none in such Cases that can or ought duely and regularly to execute such Laws because there can be no such Execution without the Power of the Sword and there can be but one proper Subject of that Power in any Republick And of all guilt I know not whether any be greater than the assuming of such a Power which no ways belongs to a Man for better it were to take away ones Horse or to ravish another Man's Wife or to extort unjustly anothers Estate than to divest a Prince of his Right of Rule and usurp it to himself and that first because no Man's Estate or any thing that is his doth descend to him or otherways become his by the like divine Title as the Supream Power rightly posited and possessed doth to the Owner thereof and therefore this being more sacred the Invasion of this Right is much more wicked and unjust Secondly because a publick mischief and of general influence upon all is much more intolerable than a private But such a Violation of Princely Rights must of necessity draw a publick mischief on the whole civil Body I mean all the Subjects in such a Nation who shall be distracted between the sense of Obedience known otherwise to be due and the terror of usurped Power threatning ruine to such as comply not with their Injustice Pag. 104. Some late Demagogues have written for the promotion of Religion forsooth as well as Civil Liberty that to kill Tyrants and here I will not shew who they call Tyrants is as good an act as to slay Wolves Lions and Bears But I would fain know whence such a Law proceeded if not from Tyranny it self Even such persons who under colour of natural Law of returning evil for evil and self-preservation have done the greatest injustice imaginable not only against the person persecuted but the people who never at any time had power so to deliver themselves nor if they had did generally and unanimously or could confer the same on the new Pretenders to it That Law therefore of killing Tyrants invented by Tyrants taketh place on the Authors of it as much as any body else and where the like Power can be snatched up may have the same event on popular Statesmen as well as Kings and Princes For they are Tyrants too Mr. Jos Glanvil's Sermon of Christian Loyalty published by Anth. Horneck D. D. on Rom. 13.2 They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Pag. 153 154. Which words were spoken in the days of Nero who besides that he was an Heathen was a Persecutor and a Tyrant and the most infamous instance in Nature and yet this Monster is not excepted as to the tribute of Obedience Whereas had this been said in the days of such a Prince as our Charles the First it might have been suppos'd that the vertue of the Person claim'd the reverence and subjection and not the Character of the Prince And that 't was damnable to resist because he was good not because he was supreme because he was a Nursing-father of the Church not because the ruling Father of his Countrey 'T was an happy Coincidence therefore to secure the Authority of the Magistrate which answers the greatest pretensions of Rebellion If Religion be pretended an Heathen must not be resisted If Tyranny 't is damnation to oppose a Nero. Pag. 156. Kings wear God's Image and Authority but besides there is evidence enough in the nature of the thing to prove that Kings have their Power and Authority from God and are no Substitutes of the People Pag. 157 158 159. They that Rule are God's Substitutes and no Creatures of the People for the People have no power to govern themselves and consequently cannot devolve any upon another Resistance is opposite to the Spirit of Religion Religion is of a calm and pacifick temper like that of its Author whose voice was not heard in the street He commands the payment of all Duties to Cesar He acknowledgeth Pilates Power to be from above He commands his Disciples to pray for their Persecutors He permits them to fly not to oppose He rebukes Peter 's violence to the High Priests Servant and the revenge of the Disciples when they called for fire from Heaven He paid Tribute submitted to the Laws of the Sanhedrim and to that unjust sentence against his life This was his temper and the Apostles who liv'd among his Enemies and theirs and met with severity enough to have soured their spirits and exasperated their Pens to contrary resolutions and instructions yet as true followers of their dear Lord they faithfully transmit to us what they had learn'd from him viz. That we should obey those that have the rule over us submit to every Ordinance of Man pray for Kings and all in Authority submit to Principalities and Powers and to obey Magistrates And those Noble Spirits of the first Ages after who began to be Martyrs as soon as to be Christians who lived in the Fire and went to Heaven wrap'd in those flames that had less arder than their love These I say amidst the greatest and fiercest fires that cruelty and barbarism had kindled paid the tribute of a peaceable and quiet subjection to their Murtherers and made unforced acknowledgments of the right they had to their obedience Pag. 157 158 159. Nor do we ever read of any attempts they made to free themselves by resistance though as Tertullian saith they were in powerful numbers mingled in their Villages and in their Cities yea in their Castles and in their Armies Yea there is an illustrious instance of Passive Obedience in the Thebean Legion whose tenth Man being executed for not offering sacrifice to Idols they quietly submitted to the Cruelty And a second Dicimation being commanded by Maximinian the Author of the first one of their great Commanders an excellent Christian persuades them to suffer it with the same patience because it was not with their Swords they could make their way to the Kingdom of Heaven but by another kind of Warfare Pag. 163. By a dear experience we have learned that 't is better to endure any inconveniences in a setled Government than to endeavour violent alterations Doctor Anth. The Letter he makes his own p. 478. and advises others to follow the Example of these Primitive Christians p. 541. Horneck's Letter to a Person of quality at the end of his best Exercise speaking of the heavenly Lives of the Primitive Christians he saith Pag. 496. They looked upon Christianity as a Religion that taught them to suffer valiantly Pag. 534. 535. To their Princes and Magistrates they were ever very submissive and in all lawful things obedient to a tittle In their Prayers they always remembred them and though they persecuted and afflicted them yet that did not abate their Zeal and Vows for their
the deformity of your fault c. an unnatural hope it is and a beastly to joyn with any strangers to the spoil of their own Country but such is the nature of that false Religion to regard no Country faith nature or common honesty SECT II. Antonius Corranus of Sevil a Learned Spaniard an excellent Person as Dr. Patrick with reason calls him spent much of his time in England and as appears by his Writings very well understood our Doctrine after he left his Country for the sake of a good Conscience he Preach'd ten years in France as he did also for some time in Flanders still reserving himself when God should give him an opportunity to Preach to his own Countrymen which he afterwards did for two years in London till that Congregation of Exil'd Spaniards was dissolv'd after which an 1571. he was chosen by the Templers to read his Lectures among them and their choice was confirm'd by Edwin Lord Bishop of London In the first year of his Ministry he expounded the Epistle to the Romans and out of that larger Commentary he Printed an 1574. a Theological Dialogue between St. Paul and one of his Roman auditors for this among other reasons that it might witness the purity of his Doctrine and how much he abhorr'd the Opinions of the Sectaries that then disturb'd the Church In this Dialogue having shown from the close of the 12th Chap. that we ought to overcome our Enemies perversness and malign temper by our goodness and patience he continues to Paraphrase the 13th Chapter thus Rom. I could wish from my Soul that this Doctrine so useful and necessary to our quiet were embrac'd by all Men but O horrid wickedness many of our Church begin not only to revenge themselves on their Persecutors but dare take Arms and resist the Magistrates and Judges that hinder the Preaching of the Gospel Paul They who think that the sufferings of Christians hinder the propagation of the Gospel are extreamly deceived for the blood of the Martyrs waters the Garden of the Church but do you who love Religion mind this Precept that every one that hath given up his name to Christ be subject to the higher Powers for why are they placed in a superior Station but that their inferiors may be subject unto them Rom. But what if Princes either Hereditary or Elective be evil or cruel must we obey them Paul What should hinder for we are not to consider our Rulers as private Men but to reverence them as constituted by God for there is no power but what is of God if they inclined by the fear of God promote piety their example does great good but if they do otherwise we ought to consider the Vengeance of God who for the Sins of a Nation sets over them Hypocrites and Dissemblers But even this Dispensation of God brings with it advantage to the godly Rom. Then you S. Paul are of that opinion that it is not lawful to take Arms against Princes and Magistrates tho they hinder the Gospel and would Murther and destroy us Paul That is my opinion and this I add as a conclusion Whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation and that justly for since God is the Author of this Order they who rebel against the Magistrates wage War against God himself and shall bring upon themselves great Calamities Rom. O the deplorable state of this Age In which we see so many civil Wars popular Seditions Treasons cruel Murthers of Princes and more than barbarous Massacres perpetrated on Subjects Paul All these things probably fall out for the Sins both of the People and Rulers The People forgetting their Duty despise the Authority of the Prince and the King on the contrary forgets his Obligations and rages like a cruel Tyrant Wouldest then therefore and when I speak to you I speak to all Men not dread the Power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise and a reward from it so far oughtest thou to be from opposing it Rom. A most excellent method of bearing this Yoak which would otherwise be insupportable but men are wise too late Would to God this Doctrine were as much engraven on Mens Hearts as it finds a place on their Tongues for by this means it would soon come to pass that the Minds of Christians would enjoy much inward Peace and the Commonweal much Advantage Paul Wheresoever you are inculcate this Sentence in season out of season beseech reprove and teach that the Magistrate is God's chosen Minister appointed and preferr'd by him to the Office of governing for the punishment of them that do evil and for the comfort of them that do well If therefore thou do evil fear for he bears not the Sword in vain for God who hath advanc'd those Powers hath arm'd them with the Sword of Justice That I may sum up all in a few words we ought to be subject to the Powers not only for wrath but for Conscience sake for it is the Duty of a Christian to be subject to his Superiors Rom. You therefore believe that we must obey Magistrates not only for fear of Punishment but for greater Reasons because tho the Magistrate have no power over Conscience yet because he is the Minister of God no one with a good Conscience can resist him Paul That is my Opinion and for this Reason to shew the inward Obedience of your Mind do you pay Tribute c. So that learned and pious Paraphrast in opposition to the many false Glosses put upon the Words of the holy Apostle John Young Doctor of Divinity preach'd before the Queen the Second of March 1575. on Psal 131. Lord I am not high minded and he tells us the occasion of writing the Psalm was That there were certain Parasites and Flatterers attending upon King Saul who maligning David because that by Almighty God's special appointment he was anointed King over Israel and seeking to bring him into discredit and into hatred with his Prince did insinuate that he did secretly practise the Deposing him from the Kingdom and the Advanceing of himself ambitiously to the same Therefore the Prophet declares their Suggestions to be most false and slanderous and himself to be innocent from that great Offence S. Austin saith He that will go about to satifie and fulfil as all other so that ambitious and arrogant desire shall find it a Toyl of all Toyls such a Labor as Samson or Hercules never atchiev'd This desire of Honor Rule Principality worldly Glory and Renown is in the Heart of Man if it be once possessed therewithal a Worm that dyeth not c. Now David when he saith He did not exercise himself in such great matters c. his meaning was that he did never seek as he was most falsly and unjustly charged by some to advance himself ambitiously to the Kingdom King Saul his Master being alive because he knew well enough that
the Rebel's Catechism wherein he shews that Lucifer was the first Author of Rebellion that the Rebellion even of the heart makes a Man guilty of Damnation in the sight of God much more that of the tongue or the hand that one branch of the Rebellion of the hand is the composing and dispersing of false and scandalous Books and Pamphlets tending to the dishonour of the King the other the taking up Arms against such Persons P. 6 7. cons p. 9 10 11 c. to whose Authority they are subject and it is worth our observation that not only the bearing Arms against the King is declared to be Rebellion by the Law of England but that it was declared to be Rebellion by the chief Judges of this Kingdom at the Arraignment of the Earl of Essex for any Man to seek to make himself so strong that the King should not be able to resist him although he broke not out into open act even defensive Arms are absolutely unlawful in the Subject against his Sovereign in regard that no defensive War can be undertaken but it carrieth with it a resistance in it to those Higher Powers to which every Soul is to be subject we find it thus resolved in Plutarch P. 12. that it was contrary both to positive Laws and the Law of Nature for any Subject to lift up his hand against the Person of his Sovereign with much more to the same purpose The same Author near about the same time See his Ecclesia Vindicata p 645 c Prâ—at Lon. 1681. wrote a Treatise intitled the stumbling-block of disobedience removed to shew that Kings ought not to be controuled by their Subjects either singly or in a body the whole of which learned Treatise as well as his other Vindications of the Doctrins and Rights of our Church will sufficiently repay the Reader 's expence of pains and leisure And in his Sermon on May 29. 1681. it is to be observed that such as draw their Swords upon God's Anointed use commonly to throw away the scabberds also and find no way of doing better but by doing worse no middle way for them to walk in but either to bear up like Princes or to dye like Traytors SECT VI. Of the same belief was Sir John Spelman in his Case of our affairs in Law c. that the Sovereignty is in the King's Person inseparably Pr. Oxf. 1643. p. 15 17 19. and the allegiance of the Subject by Law thereto inseparably annex'd fortifyed and enforc'd by Religion under the severe menace of damnation what streight then of humane Affairs can be so violent as to make Christian Subjects contrary to sworn Faith to Law and to Religion not only to disobey their Sovereign but resist and Invade the Sovereign Rights c. Anno 1641. Sir Tho. Ashton and many others Noblemen and Gentlemen of Cheshire tendred a Remonstrance to the Parliament against Presbyterian Government and in it they affirm that the donation of Sovereign Power is solely from God and so will he have the revocation too he doth not subject them to the question of inferiors but puts a Guard upon their Sacred Persons which to violate though in our own defence is a breach of his command even when persecuted as David was by Saul which precepts are renewed in the Gospel we see our selves bound by Oath to acknowledge and support that Regal Government our Statutes have establish'd our Laws approved History represents most happy to whom all Primitive times yielded full obedience to whose Throne Christ himself yields Tribute whose Persons God will have Sacred whose actions unquestionable whose Succession he himself determines and whose Kingdoms he disposes Tacitus tho a Heathen advises us to bear with the riots and covetousness of Kings as with barrenness and other infirmities of nature for while there are Men there will be vices but they cannot continue long and will be recompenc'd when better come In the 19th year of this King came forth a little book called an Appeal to thy Conscience as thou wilt answer it at the great and dreadful day of Jesus Christ p 2 3 c. the Author of which says that Subjects may not take up Arms against their lawful Sovereign because he is wicked and unjust no tho he be an Idolater and Oppressor 1. Because it were an high presumption in us to limit that command which God doth not limit now our obedience to Superiors is always commanded without limitation 2. We may not think evil of the King much less may we take up Arms against him 3. St. Paul saith recompence to no man evil for evil Rom. 12.19 If to no Man then certainly not to thy King 〈◊〉 That which peculiarly belongs to the Lord thou oughtest not without his Authority to meddle with but vengeance is his 5. Rom. 13. Every Soul none excluded must be subject there is no Power but of God if so then the Power of a wicked Prince is from God and the penalty of resisting is everlasting damnation both of Soul and Body in Hell-fire for ever 6. In Eccl. 8.1 2. the Covenant made by the People to obey their King is called the Oath of God and who dares break this Oath of God 7. God commands Touch not mine Anointed therefore thou mayest not smite him therefore thou mayest not bear Arms against God's Anointed 8. For Subjects to take up Arms against their own King tho an Idolater and an Oppressor is contrary to the practice of God's People in all Ages the Jews and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Christians 9. God's heavy judgments on those who have taken up Arms against their Prince tho an Idolater and Oppressor ought to be a warning to us how we do the like this is contrary to the Doctrin of the Church of England in her Homilies then he answers the usual objections for resistance resolves several doubts and removes other little scruples and in the close of all passionately advises all Men to return to the Lord and to do their duty P. 51. for 't is strange says he that God's Church can be no way preserved the Subjects liberty no ways maintain'd but by sin who ever heard unless from a Papist that the way to Heaven was through Hell shall we do evil that good may come Rom. 3.8 It would be a very needless labor to cite all the passages to this purpose that occur in the Books written between the year 1644. and the time of the King's Murther and therefore I shall refer the Reader to the Regal Apology Printed 1648. the Kingdoms brief answer to the Declaration of the Commons Pr. 1648. the Plea for the King and Kingdom 1648. with many other Treatises of the same kind only I shall mention Bishop Rainhowe who took the degree of Doctor of Divinity An. 1646. Vid. Bish Rainbow's life p. 41. when his chief Question on which he made his Thesis was Ecclesia Anglicana tenet
Subjects leave to withdraw their obedience from their Sovereign when he hath most need of their assistance so that assoon as any Town City or Province of any Prince's Dominions is invaded by a Foreign Enemy or possess'd by a rebellious Subject that the Prince cannot for the present suppress the Power of the one or the other the People may lawfully resort to those who are over them and for their protection perform all the Offices and Duties of good Subjects to them whereas the duty of Subjects is and all good Subjects believe they owe another kind of Duty and Obedience to their Sovereign than to withdraw their subjection because he is opprest and will prefer poverty and death it self before they will renounce obedience to their natural Prince or do any thing that may advance the service of his Enemies P. 92. surely this woful desertion and defection which hath always been held criminal by all Law that hath been current in any part of the World hath received so much countenance and justification by Mr. Hobbs's Book ☞ that CROMWELL found the submission to those Principles produc'd a submission to him and the imaginary relation between protection and allegiance so positively proclaim'd by him prevailed for many years to extinguish all visible fidelity to the King whilst he persuaded many to take the Engagement as a thing lawful and to become Subjects to the Usurper P. 135 136. as to their legitimate Sovereign Kings themselves can never be punish'd for their casual or wilful errors and mistakes let the consequences of them be what they will but if they who maliciously lead or advise or obey them in unjust resolutions and commands were to have the same indemnity there must be a dissolution of all Kingdoms and Governments but as Kings must be left to God whose Vicegerents they are to judge of their breach of trust so they who offend against the Law must be left to the punishment P. 163. the Law hath provided for them if all Sovereigns be subject to the Laws of Nature because such Laws are divine and cannot by any Man or Commonwealth be abrogated they then are obliged to observe and perform those Laws which themselves have made and promis'd to observe for violation of faith is against the Law of Nature ☞ Nor doth this obligation set any Judge over the Sovereign nor doth any Civil Law pretend that there is any power to punish him it is enough that in justice he ought to do it and that there is a Sovereign in Heaven above him tho not on earth To this great Minister of State I should join Sir Robert Filmer but that it is needless the Enemies of the unaccountableness of Kings having branded him with the mark of a State Heretick for his Orthodox Opinions which among all good Men make his Memory reverend and his works Eminent to which I advise the Reader to make his recourse particularly his short but excellent Treatise of the Power of Kings c. See also Sir William Dugdale's Preface to his view of our late troubles c. The Late Bishop of Chichester Dr. Lake having Aug. 27. 1689. received the Sacrament on his Death-bed did in the presence of Dr. Hicks Dean of Worcester Dr. Green and some others make this protestation being as himself worded it ingaged in the most sacred and solemn act of conversing with God See the Paper and the vindication of it not knowing to the contrary but that he might appear with those very words in his mouth at the dreadful Tribunal That I was Baptized into the Religion of the Church of England and sucked it in with my Milk I have constantly adhered to it through the whole course of my life and now if so be the will of God shall dye in it and had resolved through Gods Grace assisting me to have dyed so tho at a Stake And whereas that Religion of the Church of England taught me the Doctrine of Non-Resistance and Passive Obedience which I have accordingly inculcated upon others and which I took to be the distinguishing Character of the Church of England ☜ I adhere no less firmly and stedfastly to that and in Consequence of it have incurred a Suspension from the exercise of my Office and exspected a Deprivation I find in so doing much inward satisfaction and if the Oath had been tendred at the peril of my life I could only have obeyed by suffering c. Manu propriâ Subscripsit Jo. Cicestrensis To this great Man I should add his bosome Friend Dr. Allestrey who speaks fully and consonant to sound Doctrine on this Head but I must refer the Reader to his Sermon Novemb. 5. 1665. on Luc. 9.55 Vol. 1. p. 127. and Vol. 2. p. 60. and p. 253 276. Thus the acute Dr. Sherlock Some Men pretend great Oppression Serm. on Ps 18.50 p. 2. and Male-Administration of Government though their licentious noises and clamors sufficiently confute it for Men who are most opprest dare say the least of it The Liberties and Properties of the Subject is an admirable pretence to deprive the Prince of his Liberties and Properties Others make Religion the pretence for their Rebellion Religion the greatest and the dearest Interest of all but methinks it is a dangerous way for Men to Rebel to save their Souls when God hath threatned damnation against those who Rebel No Men fight for Religion who have any Religion is a quiet peaceable governable thing it teaches Men to suffer patiently but not to Rebel It is evident it is not Religion such Men are zealous for but a liberty in Religion i. e. that every one may have his liberty to be of any Religion or of none which serves the Atheist's turn as well as the Sectaries but is not much for the honor or interest of true Religion So that whatever the pretences are it is an ambitious p. 3. v. p 6 7. discontented revengeful spirit an uneasie restless fickle and unchangeable humor which disturbs Politick Government and undermines the Thrones of Princes In the time of the Fanatick Plot p. 7 8. p. 11. but to Talk or Write or Preach about Obedience to Government or patient Suffering for a good Cause was to betray the Protestant Interest God may sometimes suffer Treason and Rebellion to be prosperous p. 11. but it can never prosper but when God pleases and it is impossible Rebels should ever know that and therefore it is impossible they should have any reasonable security of Success There is nothing more expresly contrary to the revealed Will of God than Treasonable Plots and Conspiracies against Sovereign Princes Christian Religion indeed is the greatest security of Government both in its Precepts and Examples It requires us to obey our Superiors in all lawful things and quietly to submit and suffer when we cannot Obey And the blessed Jesus who was the Author of our Religion and our great Pattern and Example did himself practise