to Hard. A. Art 2. Divis 6. justifies Luther as a godly man and accuseth Harding of Slander And Divis 7 he calls Melancthon and Bucer godly learned men And he calls Peter Martyr a most worthy and learned Father A. to Hardings Preface And Harding commends his Modesty And surely if Passive Obedience had been the Doctrine of those days and esteemed as it hath been of late Rebellion to oppose it the ever Renowned Hooker Preface to Eccl. Pol. would not have honoured Calvin with this Elogium For my own part I think him that is Calvin incomparably the wisest man that ever the French Church did enjoy since the hour it enjoyed him The Divines of the Church of England are not wont thus to commend Authors guilty of Heresie or Schism or Sedition or Rebellion And Dr. Bilson True difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion p. 3. pag. 264. saith Calvin is so well known to those that be Learned or Wise for his great pains and labours in the Church of God that a few snarling Fryars cannot impeach his Name And Dr. Whitgift against the Puritan T. C. every where honours Bullinger Castius and more especially Zuinglius And yet all these justified Defensive Arms in some case Now who are the Innovators they that follow the first Doctors of our Church or they that have embraced other new and unheard of Principles in Government I leave the works of our Forefathers to be Judges But here it is objected by some weak and factious spirits that our Convention or Parliament have done as bad to the late King as the Rump Parliament so called O. C. and the Army of Sectaries did to King Charles the First And therefore if we are justifiable they are justifiable and consequently Jan. 30. ought not to be kept as a day of Humiliation and Fasting For this let the Reader consider what the Dr. saith p. 46 47 c. Or let him take this Answer Our Cause and theirs differ as far as Heaven and Hell or Good and Bad Murder and Self-defence I will not say that there were no Corruptions in Government nor no Innovations brought into the Church Neither will I dispute the Reasonableness of the War between the King and Parliament in the beginning But supposing that the Parliament had sufficient Cause to defend themselves Yet 1. King Charles the First had given full satisfaction to the Two Houses of Parliament and the Bishops and the Common Prayer were Established by Law And all know that it was the National Worship as it is now and cannot be abrogated or altered but by King Lords and Commons But O. C. destroyed the House of Lords and the Book of Common Prayer by force and by the Sword 2. King Charles the First was a professed Protestant and all his Officers and Ministers in Church and State were such as the Law allowed But the Late King was a professed Papist and put Papists in Places of Trust against Law and turned out all the best Protestants for no reason but only because they opposed the Jesuits and Arbitrary Power 3. King Charles the First and the Parliament had concluded upon a Settlement to the satisfaction of all sober and wise Men in the Kingdom but O. C. and his Army of Sectaries with force turned about a hundred Members out of Parliament and kept them Prisoners against Law and Justice 4. O. C. and the Sectaries Ruled the Nation by the Sword in time of Peace contrary to all Law and Executed many of the most Zealous Protestants But King William defends all Protestants according to Law 5. They like Cruel Tyrants and Usurpers destroyed the whole Frame of Government Murdered the King and Banished all the Royal Family As there are some at this day who are so vain and sottish as to desire a Common-wealth and to Root out the Bishops and Common Prayer and so bring confusion into Church and State As if there were no difference between the Reformation of Abuses and destroying that which is good and excellent We say that this Faction in a Nation is to be opposed as well as the Tyranny and Illegal Proceedings of the Papists For both are destructive of our Laws and Established Religion It is true our present Business is against the Abominations of the Church of Rome and the Usurpations of Popish Priests and Jesuits But we also abhor all those who would Murder a Protestant King and destroy our Liberties and the Religion by Law Established and force us contrary to our Consciences But King William opposeth none but Papists who would have destroyed us and he continues our Parliament and our Laws Liberties and Religion with all the Incouragements thereof 6. King William was invited over by divers of the Nobility and Gentry to save us from Popery and Slavery and was received with the universal Joy of Protestants But O.C. and his Sectaries who Barbarously and Impudently Murdered King Charles the First were cryed out against by all sound Protestants who adhered to the Laws of the Nation So that that Rebellion and King William's Actions and those that joined with him differ as much as Destroying a Nation and Saving a Nation as the greatest Sin and the greatest Good Lastly Our Royal Martyr King Charles the First died in the Defence of the Laws and Established Religion But the Late King Abdicated or Deserted or at least went out of the Kingdom rather than he would Rule according to Law And when he was gone to France the Chief of the Nobility and Gentry desired the P. of O. to take the Government upon him and to Summon a Convention which Convention Elected him King and the Princess Queen The Late King fled and Banished himself rather than he would do the Nation Justice and when he was gone the Convention or Parliament resolved to keep him out The P. of O. tho' a Soveraign Prince and no way Subject to the Late King did not Murder him when he had him in his Power But O.C. and the Sectaries of the Army Beheaded King Charles the First tho' he was Innocent and a Prince of most Excellent Virtues and of Ever Blessed Memory Ob. Solomon saith Prov. 24.21 22. My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruin of them both A. This Text doth not forbid the Change of Government in Absolute necessity when the Safety of the whole Kingdom requires it and it is done Regularly and for the Publick Good But commands Obedience and Fear to the present Lawful King and never to join with Changelings who are restless under Government and Lightly Wantonly Factiously or Seditiously oppose what is present It is not to be understood Morally as if it were Absolutely evil and a Sin to change when the whole Frame of Government is corrupt But you must take it prudentially that a wise Man who fears God ought not to Change that Form of
Government under which he lives unless in urgent necessity But what if the King be given to Change Then meddle not with Him Keep the Fundamental Laws and Customs of your Countrey and the true Religion by Law Established We say saith a Learned Author that if Power be given to the King by Law yea or to other Magistrates tho' it be against Religion we have no help but suffering or flying till we can be helped by Legal ways But if when we have Laws for our Religion and Liberties the King out of his own will or seduced by others shall in an Illegal way seek to deprive us of them now we may defend our selves and in this we resist no Kingly Authority but the Will of such a Man Obj. Exod. 22.28 Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the Ruler of thy People A. This Text commands Obedience to the King with all reverence in Heart Tongue and Action But what is this to innocent and lawful Defence Which St. Thomas and other Schoolmen call cum moderamine inculpatae tutela Obj. Psal 51.4 Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight A. The Confession of David saith a great Divine is to be taken comparatively He sinned against God alone by way of Excellence because he could be punished condemned and absolved by God alone But David sinned also against those who were meer Subjects as Bathsheba Vriah Joab and Nathan but not as a Tyrant violating the whole State of the Common-wealth but as a Sinner left to his Lust Furthermore no Man could judge of the Personal Fact of David except God alone which pertained not to the Subversion of the Common-wealth I say the sin of David was particular which was not destructive to the whole Common-wealth Besides David speedily recanted and repented of the evil The sense is saith Calvin cited by the Author of the Synopsis as if he should say I do not regard what Men think or speak if either they spare me or extenuate the wickedness by flattery or mitigate my grief with gentle Speeches yet it is more than enough to me that I perceive thee my Judge that Conscience draws me to thy Tribunal c. Other Expositors say I have sinned against thee only as a Judge and Avenger because I can fear punishment from thee only For Kings are free from the bonds of their offences saith St. Ambrose R. R. saith No Creature judgeth the King but the blessed God otherwise he would be King in Name not in Deed. G The Kings sin is not punishable Which is all true of the Personal Crimes of Princes or of such Oppressions as are speedily repented of Obj. Psal 82.6 I have said ye are Gods A. This is true saith one of Inferiour Magistrates as well as Superiors and yet none will say but the Inferior may be resisted Kings should imitate God in Wisdom in Justice in Mercy c and defend not oppress the Innocent To tell a King thus becomes a Priest much better than to delude him with an unaccountable and irresistible Power Obj. Prov. 8.15 16. By me Kings Reign and Princes Decree Justice By me Princes Rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the Earth A. By here denotes the Principal cause it doth not exclude the less Principal or Instrumental the Election of the People As Psal 18.29 By thee that is God I have run thro' a Troop or by thy help saith Synop. out of G. By me as King of Kings Kingdoms are constituted and Persons set over Kingdoms either are given or are deposed according to Dan. 2.21 4.25 31 32. and by me they are preserved c. Neither doth this forbid the People to defend themselves against a Tyrant or to Depose a Tyrant but rather acknowledgeth them Instruments This hinders not what St. Thomas saith 2.2 q. 10 art 10. Dominion and Prelacy were introduced by Humane Right Because God and Man both concur to Government God is the first Cause Man the second Whatsoever the second Cause doth saith Fortescue out of an ancient Author c. 3. the same doth the first Cause by an higher and more excellent way or mean Obj. Prov. 30.31 A King against whom there is no rising up And Eccles 8.4 Where the word of a King is there is Power and who may say unto him What dost thou A. These Texts speak of a King Ruling according to the Customs and Laws of his Countrey or not of Tyrants and Oppressors Or at least they forbid not self-defence in case of Extremity I may honour the King and yet not suffer him to kill me when I am innocent and have served Him faithfully and when he ought by the Laws of God and Man to protect me Solomon Prov. 30.31 speaks of the glory and happiness of a potent and invincible Prince not of any Moral evil or unlawfulness in defending our selves against Illegal Courses Oppression and Tyranny of wicked Princes Again these Texts give a General Rule being wholly silent in casual exceptions as in case of extream Male-Administration The sacred Writers exclude not certain Pacts saith a grave Divine or Laws of Humane Creation or Constitution by which the King is put into that Super-eminency And the saying of Optatus Milevitanus is either to be taken of Emperors or Absolute Monarchs or verily of Him who restrains his Super-eminence within the Laws of Divine as well as Humane Constitution for then in truth There is none above the Emperor but God alone who made the Emperor Solomon saith what may be done not what may always be rightly done by a Prince For afterwards v. 9. he teacheth us that many abuse their Power to Tyranny There is a time wherein one Man ruleth over another to his own hurt Therefore he doth not give the Magistrate leave to do what he will For the Power of Man is limited by the Word of God and honest Laws Because it is written We must obey God rather than Man and give to Caesar the things that are Caesar 's and to God the things that are Gods The second verse is not to be understood otherwise I counsel thee to keep the Kings commandment and that in regard of the Oath of God As if he should say So obey the King as rather to obey God to whom we are all bound with greater Religion Obj. Eccl. 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy thought and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber for a Bird of the Air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter A. Solomon prohibits reviling or slighting the Kings person or speaking evil of the King either for natural or moral personal defects and vices And he cautions us against wrath for a little Oppression because a King may easily be revenged on us and ruine us But he forbids not self-defence in case of Universal Oppression If thou art wise and skilful despise not a young or a foolish King by mocking his Majesty by proud
slandering his Government by contemning and reproaching his Statutes and Deeds but as much as the matter and truth will bear speak thou honourably of him and think the best and interpret well actions that are doubtful saith some Author For it is wisdom as well as duty to reverence the Kings Person and Office and conceal small miscarriages Obj. St. Matth. 22.21 Read the Context v. 15. Then went the Pharisees and took counsel how they might intangle him in his talk And they sent out unto him their Disciples with the Herodians saying Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the person of men Tell us therefore what thinkest thou Is it lawful to give Tribute unto Caesar or not But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said Why tempt ye me ye Hypocrites Shew me the Tribute money and they brought unto him a penny And he said unto them Whose is this Image and Superscription They say unto him Caesars Then saith he unto them Bender therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods When they had heard these words they marvelled and left him and went their way A. It is most certain that Tribute is to be paid to our Governours The Herodians were sent to intangle him in his talk And they propounded this Question concerning Caesar the Roman Emperor's Tribute To which our Saviour answers that they ought to render to Caesar the things that are Caesars So that by Christs command all Subjects must willingly and chearfully and for Conscience sake render honour tribute custom subjection and obedience to the Higher Powers which are ordained of God But what is this to the Desensive Arms against Tyranny and Oppression The Jews had promised Obedience to the Romans and to Caesar Now what we promise Synop. out of G. tho' forced by necessity of War binds us fast for unless it were so the whole sanction of a Covenant would perish Besides Possession of a long time which to endeavour to move or change is always unjust in publick Affairs Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Christians hearkened to no Innovations under what specious pretences soever but performed Faith Allegiance and Obedience to the Emperor But let any man prove that these Emperors did not rule the Jews according to their Promise and Covenant and known Laws and Customs or that our Saviour forbids defending our Lives Liberties or Properties if invaded contrary to Law Custom or Covenant Again it follows not that if Christ doth not here dispute Caesars Title that he never did nor that his Disciples never satisfied themselves I am sure the Scribes and Pharisees and the multitude cryed out when our Saviour was accused We have no King but Caesar a plain acknowledgment of Caesars Title Power and Authority Obj. 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour A. This is also spoken of Governours indefinitely and of such who would rule according to the Customs and Laws of their Countries Not of Tyrants who would Subvert National Laws and Customs without cause And tho' there was great Confusions in the Roman Empire about the Throne sometimes yet still the Emperor promised to Rule according to Laws and Customs received And surely no Man can prove that Passive Obedience was owned in those days if the Emperor commanded Illegally Nor was their Hereditary Succession in the Empire The wickedness of Man cannot destroy the Institution of God But Magistrates Kings Emperors are constituted of God And Christian Religion doth not overthrow the Political Government of Infidels and Heathens Therefore we must pray for all Persecutors and Idolaters Obj. Tit. 3.1 Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Poweers to obey Magistrates A. All these Texts command what no rational Man much less Christian denieth ought to be given to our Governors But they prohibit not Defensive Arms in case of Universal Oppression Obj. 1 St. Pet. 13 14 17. 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 for the praise of them that do well Fear God Honour the King A. The Apostle speaks indefinitely of Governors and of Obedience to them but he states no particular Case When this Epistle was written Synop out of G. I think that Claudius or Nero was Emperor Therefore we must obey Infidels and evil Princes But this prohibits not Self-defence when Laws are violated Tho' the Ordinance or Government in the manner of its Constitution be from Man saith a Learned Author yet because of the necessity of its Institution it is from God Submit to it tho' of Man for the Lords sake For God is the primary Author Observe Kings and Presidents are an Humane Constitution or Ordinance made by Men with common Consent by certain Laws yet by the Command and Authority of God So that I conclude with a great Statesman As it was the Oppression and Slavery under which we had been brought that rendered His Majestys undertaking in coming into these Kingdoms with armed Force in order to redeem them both Honourable and Just So it was the Hope of being delivered by Him from Misery and Bondage that incouraged us first to invite and then to cooperate with Him in the Prosecution and Accomplishment of His Glorious Design It was the Invasion upon our Laws that we complained of and from which we desired and indeavoured to be relieved c. Thus I have omitted no appearance of an Objection and have given satisfaction to all that will examine things impartially and conscienciously in order to their ready and hearty Obedience to Their Majesties and the Preservation of the Religion Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom I shall conclude all with a plain Exhortation both in respect of the King and Subjects First For the King Seeing His Majesty hath received Power and Authority from God it concerns him to Administer Justice and Judgment For Gods Eye is All-seeing and he is Omnipresent God standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty he judgeth among the Gods Psal 82.1 It is a poor weak inferior thing beneath the Spirit and Dignity of a Prince to wrong the Innocent But it is indeed Great and Godlike to seek Judgment and relieve the Oppressed God hath Honoured Kings with his own Name and Titles and they should imitate Him in Wisdom Goodness Justice and Mercy And as this tends to the Honour of God and Happiness of his Church and the Prosperity of the Kingdom so it gains the Love and Affection of Subjects which is the only Ambition of Valiant Wise and Just Monarchs Secondly For the Subject Seeing Kings are by Gods Designation Ordination or Constitution let every Subject humbly submit They derive their Right from the Highest Majesty of Heaven and Earth They are set over us by Gods approbation And the God of Israel who led his People by the hands of Moses and Aaron in all Ages hath subjected Mankind to some of his Viceroys on Earth And they who are Enemies to them are Enemies to God and cast off that sweet and easie Yoke of Obedience to which God would have all his submit This condemns all wilful Offenders who disobey Governours They are in Gods stead and to despise them is to despise God himself And as Subjects ought to yield Obedience to their Soveraigns which I have Illustrated elsewhere so they ought to be grateful for their Favour Mercy Clemency and good Government And in particular they ought to be thankful to God and the King for the Mercies of this present time even the Reviving of our Religion Laws and Liberties FINIS
the World and of Eternal Damnation in the World to come And verily Resisting Governours is not less unbecoming the Reason of a man than the Patience and Humility of a Christian For the Officer is armed with Authority but the contumacious Opposer hath nothing to defend or plead for him but Arbitrary Power wilful Perverseness and stubborn Humour which in cold blood or sober consideration must be acknowledged far more dangerous than the evil the Resistant pretended to remedy And here if ye demand the manner of this Subjection I answer True Christian Subjects bear to the King such a Submission as Children to their Parents Not a terrifying and amazing but a respectful and reverential Subjection The King is the Father of his Countrey and all his Loving and Loyal Subjects are as so many Children to him This Subjection also doth imply 1. A real and eminent Love of the King Gods own People Israel said of King David Thou art worth ten thousand of us 2 Sam. 18.3 Hence the King is called The breath of our nostrils Lam. 4.20 2. This Subjection doth imply Fidelity and adhering to the King at all times and in all conditions The King and his Subjects are united in their Political capacity as the Head and the Body Their welfare is conjoyned and cannot be separated And this Fidelity is most excellent when it comes from a touch of Gods finger from the Grace of his holy Spirit As we read there went with Saul a band of men whose hearts God had touched 1 Sam. 10.26 But such as clave not to him are stigmatized for Children of Belial who despised their King v. 27. For Fidelity also we have the example of Davids Servants Behold thy Servants are ready to do whatsoever my Lord the King shall appoint 2 Sam. 15. v. 15. And Ittai that Loyal heart that noble and constant spirit said to the King when David went to perswade him to go back and to take care of his own safety As the Lord liveth and as my Lord the King liveth surely in what place my Lord the King shall be whether in death or life even there also will thy Servant be v. 21. Here was a faithful Servant and Loyal Subject indeed and herein he evidenced himself no less obedient to the Law of God by which we are bound in Conscience to help the King against his Enemies And thus to adhere to the King by being faithful in the Trust reposed in us in being just in our places and ready to help in all difficulties is a right and sure way to make a Kingdom invincible and terrible to Enemies Divisions Conspiracies and Combinations in a State expose it to forreign Enemies A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand saith the wise Counsellor the Son of God But Unity of heart and affections between Subjects and their Sovereign renders a Kingdom prosperous at home and formidable abroad 3. Prayer to God for him Our Religion the Law of our God our Christianity as well as our Fidelity Loyalty and Affection call for this at our hands The blessed Apostle St. Paul exhorts Timothy to this duty 1 Tim. 2.1 c. And I think that the Collects of our Church for the King and Queen are both wise and Christian 4. Thanksgiving to God for any mercy to the King I exhort that Thanksgivings be made saith the Apostle The Infinite Majesty of Heaven is the Ocean from which flow all blessings that we mortals receive It is he that giveth great Deliverance to his King and sheweth mercy to his Anointed to David and to his seed for evermore Psal 18.49 50. Therefore should we give thanks unto the Lord and sing praises to his holy Name Especially let us praise God for the wonderful and happy Deliverance of this Church and Nation by our Joshua who hath by the Divine favour and blessing saved us and put a stop to the Malice and Cruelty of all the Churches Enemies This is the Lords doing and it is marvelous in our eyes And as great a mercy as ever this Nation and Church enjoyed Tho' through an unnatural Principle the Prejudices of many wise and pious men have made them ungrateful to your Majesties who are in truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benefactors not only to all English Protestants but to all the Reformed Churches And that these Prejudices may be removed and that all your Subjects may give God and your Majesties thanks hath been my constant desire and labour And tho' I know that the multitude are prone to Innovations and Changes and too apt to be seduced yet in this Revolution they are to be justified so far as they defended their Religion Laws and Liberties And I challenge any learned and conscientious Divine to dispute the Case in Print before God and the World And therefore I humbly beg your Sacred Majesties pardon while I make Animadversions on the Reverend Dr. William Sherlocks Book intituled The Case of Allegiance due to Sovereign Powers stated and resolved according to Scripture and Reason and the Principles of the Church of England I cannot believe that false Principles in Government conduce to your Majesties service And for this reason among others I think it my duty to oppose them I do believe that the Reverend Dr. acts according to the present perswasion of his Conscience as he speaks in the beginning of his Preface and I do not take him either for a dishonest man or a fool But as he saith he may be mistaken and so may any body else tho' never so wise and honest And he saith ingenuously that if any man can shew him that the Principles he acts on are false uncertain or precarious and such as cannot reasonably satisfie an honest and unbiassed mind he will confess that his desire of satisfaction secretly and insensibly distorted his Judgment tho he took all possible care that it should not I do as I would be done by and I believe that many have refused the Oaths upon Principles of Conscience tho' I believe their Consciences erroneous And I hope to make it evident if as the Dr's phrase is they will deliver themselves from the Tyranny of Prepossession and Prejudice § 2. p. 10. Animadversion on Section 1. The Dr. saith That which hath perplexed this Controversie is the intermixing the Dispute of Right with the Duty of Obedience or making the Legal Right of Princes to their Thrones the only Reason and Foundation of the Allegiance of Subjects A. I cannot imagine that any Obedience is due but to him only who hath Right If he hath no Right why should I pay him Obedience The Scripture saith Fear to whom fear honour to whom honour I must know therefore to whom it is due The Scripture supposeth all Subjects to know some other way to whom Obedience Fear and Honour is due For I take it for granted and as that which all Learned men will own that the Scripture is not a Rule of Policy or Political Government any more than
though the Dr. saith There is nothing like this any where else in Scripture which is gratis dictum yet other Learned Divines say that the Apostle means this 1 Pet. 2.13 14. When he saith Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake whether to the King as Supream Hence they collect and I think truly That the Donation of the Power is of God and the Designation of the Person or Limitation and Qualification of the Power is of Man tho' it is also the disposal of Providence I have said in another Discourse God and Man in these Acts are not opposite but subordinate God is the first Cause Man is the second Cause The Prince that receives Authority from Man receives it from God also tho' mediately by Man and is Gods Minister and a Ruler v. 3 4. The Dr. proceeds Then in order to the fulfilling of this precept it would be necessary for Subjects to exarmine the Titles of Princes and to that end to be well skill'd in History and the Laws of a Nation and to be able to judge between a pretended and real Right c. A. And surely it is not so difficult a thing to know who is our Prince as the Dr. would make it It is so easie that every Subject in England as far as ever I heard never doubted that the late King James was the lawful King of England c. And there needs no great skill in History and Law to know this And as for the Revolution when we are bound in Conscience to obey another King there needs no History to tell us what we have seen and heard And the Reverend Dr. will tell us when the Government is setled p. 9. Suppose the greatest uncertainty that you can suppose the Consciences of men would not be more perplexed than you have perplexed them at this day And therefore you need not have said Let any man judge in what perplexities this sense of the Apostles Precept would involve the Consciences of men The Dr. hath a great deal more to the same purpose and descants at large To which I answer in general That if St. Paul had taught us Politicks in Rom. 13. I should have thought it very strange Men must learn Politicks from the Laws of Reason and the common Prudence and Experience of Mankind Suppose the Great Turk in a Passion or upon a small Provocation should draw his Scymeter or Sword to kill some Eminent Nobleman of his Court and the Nobleman should defend his Life by force of Arms and by Skill or Strength should disarm his great Lord and Master and escape for his Life In this case I say Natural Religion and Conscience will justifie the Innocent Nobleman and will tell the Great Turk that he ought to give God thanks in such like words as David did when Abigail by her wisdom pacified his wrath 1 Sam. 25.32 Blessed be the Lord God who sent thee this day to meet me And blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou who hast kept me this day from shedding blood I should never read the Scriptures nor any History or Law-book to tell me who is my King no more than I would to tell me who is my Father and Mother I like a Fool have all my days presumed without Book with my Fellow-subjects and with my Brethren and Sisters who is my King and who is my Father and Mother and have honoured and obeyed them according to the fifth Commandment Such reasoning is unworthy of the profound Judgment of Dr. Sherlock If the Dr. pleaseth I would desire him to write a Book to teach Children what are their Names and who are their God-fathers and God-mothers before we Catechize them any more For is it not a very hard thing to know all these things See how prejudice blinds the Eyes of pious and wise men I confess that when there is a competition for the Crown or when Imposture may be reasonably suspected or in the like extraordinary case then the Subjects may become Sceptics But then we have a Privy Council and a Parliament to examine judge and determine But otherwise I am persaded that there was not one of ten thousand that ever doubted whether King Charles the Second was the true Heir and rightful King or King James the Second But let us hear the Dr's Objection p. 24. If the choice and consent of the People makes a Prince then no man is a Subject but he who consents to be so For the major Vote cannot include my consent unless I please That is the Effect of Law and Compact or Force not of Nature If Subjects give their Prince Authority they may take it away again if they please There can be no Irresistible Authority derived from the People For if Authority be wholly derived from them who shall hinder them from taking it away when they see fit Vpon these Principles there can be no Hereditary Monarchy One Generation can only chuse for themselves their Posterity have as much right to chuse as they had A. The Dr. owns That if the Lineal Succession should fail then the People must chuse a Prince and this hinders not Hereditary Monarchy No more doth it in such an extraordinary case as our present case is And the Dr. himself saith p. 25. A Legal Entail is nothing more than the Authority of the People tho' here he saith Vpon these Principles there can be no Hereditary Monarchy Let him reconcile these The Parliament hath setled the Succession But saith the Dr. Every Subject must consent This is thought a mighty Goliath but I think it a poor weak Argument I have elsewhere shewed that the meek wise and ever-renowned Hooker foundeth all Government in Covenant so that I am not singular in the Church of England And surely it is not required in our Constitution that every individual person consent explicitly to Acts of Parliament but the major Vote includes all And there is nothing more common in the World either in Political or Sacred Affairs than for a Father or Guardian or God-father or Friend or Relation to engage for a Child See Deut. 29 10 11. If it were any other person I should be afraid would turn Anabaptist or at least a Puritan and write a Book against God-fathers In these Cases an Implicite Covenant is fully sufficient If the whole Kingdom consists of such who were Children to their Parents that Elected the Prince and agreed that the Kingdom should be Hereditary this in Conscience binds them Tho' they make no Personal and Vocal Expression of their Consent and Agreement as the Fathers did I imagine that upon second Thoughts the Dr. will have no mind to oppose this and therefore I say no more But the Dr. saith That if Subjects give their Prince Authority then they may take it away again if they please A. All Subjects are bound in Conscience to stand to their Covenant Agreement Promise and Oath And here whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance