be buzz'd as if they were Christi populi the anointed of the People and held of them but this Claim also falleth to the ground by the Text God help if the people fall to make Gods to say that Princes may be lawfully slain is to make men believe P. 801. P. 808. that they go to Heaven for breaking God's Commandments * Ser. 3. on Gunpowder Treas p. 938 939. V. Appen p. 91. What if Kings take too much upon them Corah's exception then it is dedi vobis Regem in irâ saith God by the Prophet Angry was I when I gave him but I gave him tho but this onus Principis how may webe rid of it Is there any other per me to go to to deprive or depose them sure where the worst is reckoned that can be of them clamabunt ad Dominum is all I find in nature every thing is dissolved by the same means it came together in the Law institution and destitution belong both to one c. * Sermon on the Queen's day at the end of his Lectures on Jonah p. 695. Bishop King. It is the greatest dishonour to Religion to put down Princes a thing which neither Moses in the Old nor Christ in the New Testament c. ever hath taught counselled and much less practised I say not against lawful Magistrates but not against heathenish infidel Idolaters tyrannous Rulers though by the manifest and express sentence of God reprobated and cast off P. 696. V. p. 697. I never could suspect that in the Commission of Christ given to his Disciples there is one word of encouragement to these lawless attempts unless to go into the World be to go and overturn the World to shake the Pillars and foundations thereof with Mutinies and Seditions and unless preaching may be interpreted proclaiming of War and Hostility unless to baptize be to wash the people of the World in their own bloud unless binding and loosing be meant of Fetters and Shackles retaining and remitting of Prisons and Wards and receiving the Holy Ghost be receiving the firy and turbulent Spirit which our Saviour liked not * Id. Lect. 35. in John. p. 472 473 c. Cons Loc. If such were the King as Darius was and such his Rulers and Officers as would make a Decree to defraud God of his Worship as Dan. 6. be thou also as Daniel was enter into thy House and open thy Windows toward Jerusalem and pray c. stay not till the King or his Council release thee thereto and if every hair of thy head were a life redeem thy duty to God 〈◊〉 adventure and loss thereof rather than neglect it and if â—â—ou happen to be alone in that action yet forego it not I like not in any case that the least advantage and slip in the Earth be given to the People against his lawful and Christian Governour it is as fire to Flax an easie a welcome persuasion to busie and catching natures the least exception once taken against their want of Religion Piety Justice or the like is so far followed that not onely the Prince in the end but the whole People rueth it Doctor Jackson * To. 3. Treat of Christian obed p. 903. yield but once That dominion over the Creature is founded in Grace and then tempt the precious Saints to muster Decem legiones and if God suffer them to prosper they will be the godly party whether men will or no. †P. 933 934. Let every Soul be subject is not the same as let every Soul be obedient to the higher Powers no no albeit there can be no obedience without subjection yet may there be subjection without obedience and oftentimes when obedience to humane Powers is dangerous subjection is due and cannot be denied without the just censure of disobedience Act. 4.18 19. the Apostles were commanded not to speak in the name of Christ so far were they from doing what was commanded that they refuse to hearken to such a proposal yet were they still subject to their Power whom they refused to obey for they suffer themselves to be imprison'd by them without resistance and yet withal they obey the Angel of the Lord which open'd the Prison doors Acts 5.18 but being the second time convened without violence offered they subject themselves to their Power and do not appeal to the Angel which had deliver'd them out of Prison or implore his aid to resist their Power with this flat denial of obedience to their injunctions they do not deny or question subjection to their coercive Power nor do they repine at the exercise of it or rail upon the actors and the true reason of the subjection of their bodies without subjection of their Consciences was that Commandment of our Saviour Luke 12.4 c. fear not them that can kill the body c. * Id. p. 941. the Rule is General that unto the penalty or sanction of every humane Law or Ordinance passive obedience ☜ or subjection of the outward man is due whether the Law be just or unjust * P. 963. and this Rule holds as punctually of the Magistrate as of the Magistracy †P. 965. he that is a King or supreme Magistrate by just and lawful Title may not be resisted albeit he exercise his Power tyrannically †P. 967. The power which the High-Priest exercised in apprehending our Saviour was unjust and satanical was it therefore lawful for Christ's Disciples to resist it to oppose violence to it was unlawful and if Peter had continued to do as he began he had fallen under the Sanction of this Law They that resist shall receive damnation SECT VIII Doctor Hakewil was thought fit by King James to be intrusted with the instruction of his eldest Son Prince Henry the delight of the English Nation and to vindicate the just rights of Princes he set forth Ann. 1613. his Scutum regium in which Chap. 1. Lib. 1 he shews What a horrid sin Murther is especially Ch. 2. of Princes who are God's immediate Vicegerents and sit in the place of God and are accountable only to him against whom to make insurrections is with the Giants to make War against God and Ch. 6. discoursing of that Text 1 Sam. 8. that their King should seize their Vineyards c. he subjoins not that this was lawful for their King to do for the King's duty is otherwise described Deut. 17. but that if he did so they ought not to resist him and therefore the Prophet subjoins ver 18. not that they were to shake off his Yoke or to disturb his Reign or to murther his Person but to call upon God for redress and Ch. 7. the Prophet David shall rise in judgment against those that do otherwise and shall condemn them who had this excellent Lesson not only in his mouth but in his heart and I could wish engraven on all mens tongues and hearts and hands in great
O Lord hast set our most Gracious King over us as our Political Parent as the Supreme Minister to govern and protect us and to be a terror to them that do evil O my God give Grace to me and to all my Fellow Subjects next to thine own infinite self to love and honor to fear and obey our Sovereign Lord the King thy own Vicegerent for Conscience sake and for thy own sake who hast placed him over us O may we ever faithfully render him his due Tribute O may we ever pray for his Prosperity sacrifice our Fortunes and our Lives in his defence and be always ready rather to suffer than to resist So also say the Bishops of Sarum and Exon. Seth Lord Bishop of Sarum 's Sermon Preached before the King at White-Hall November 5. 1661. Rom. 13.2 And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation If within the Compass of those Foundations which I have mentioned Pag. 9. be found any color or shadow of License for any person whatsoever upon any pretence whatsoever to entrench upon the power of lawful Magistracy if any warrant at all for open Rebellion or privy Conspiracies for murthering or deposing of Princes or absolving Subjects from their Allegiance then let Kings cease to be our Nursing Fathers and Queens to be our Nursing Mothers The Act of Resistance is set down absolutely without any restraint Pag. 19. in respect of any Pretences or Causes whatsoever So that the sense of the words resolved by the Scriptures is this every Soul which upon any pretence whatsoever in any manner whatsoever shall resist the lawful Authority that is over him shall receive to himself damnation that is he puts himself thereby into a state of damnation If Erroneous Pag. 25. heretical or Idolatrous Magistrates may be resisted because they are so or because they join oppression of godly Men unto their Error in Religion how can any Kingdom stand Supposing this Tenet to be true it is indeed evident Pag. 26. no Government can be But now what color can there be to charge this Tenet upon Christianity Doth the Old or New Testament give any occasion to this Doctrine Is it countenanced 1. By Moses Or 2. By the Prophets Or 3. By our Saviour Or 4. By the Apostles 5. That Cloud of Witnesses the Noble Army of Martyrs did they give testimony to this Assertion or to the contrary 1. Moses was so far from the Doctrine of Resistance Pag. 27. that notwithstanding the Hardness of Pharaoh's Heart the Cruelty of the Bondage the Weakness of the Egyptians by Plagues the Number of Israel six hundred thousand and three thousand five hundred and fifty fighting Men above twenty years old besides the Tribe of Levi yet he would not lead them unto the promised Land without Pharaoh's positive and express consent to their Departure 2. As for the Prophets in the third Chapter of Daniel we find three of God's Children put to the Trial the fiery Trial of this Doctrine by Nebuchadnezzar an Idolater and a Tyrant acting highly under both those Capacities together They were cast into the fiery Furnace because they would not worship the Golden Image which he had set up And in the sixth we find Daniel thrown into the Lions Den only for praying to the God of Israel Let us consider their Behaviour did they resist or mutiny or labor to alienate or discontent or by denouncing Threats and Terrors to discourage Subjects from Obedience How had they been instructed by their Prophets Jeremy 2 Chron. 36.13 had taught them that Zedekiah had turned from the Lord God of Israel in rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear by God and that they ought to seek the peace of the city whither they were carried captives and to pray unto the Lord for it Jer. 29.7 And therefore the three Children in the Third of Daniel only refer themselves to God for Deliverance and Daniel in the midst of the Lions Den prays heartily for Darius O king live for ever Dan. 6.21 3. In the next place let us consider the Case of Christ and his Apostles and see whether any such Tenet may be collected from their Doctrine or Practice their Speeches or their Actions As for what concerns our Lord Christ I have had the Honor formerly in this place more at large to vindicate him from such Aspersions He paid Tribute at the expence of a Miracle Matth. 17.27 He submitted himself to all the Powers that were over him to the Sanhedrim and their Delegates to Herod and to Pontius Pilate he submitted himself to death by an unjust Sentence even to the bitter and accursed Death upon the Cross Phil. 2.8 This was his Practice As for his Doctrine he taught Men to render to Cesar the things that were Cesars Matt. 22.21 He acknowledged Pilate 's Power to be from above John 19.11 He rebuked Peter for smiting with the Sword and told him that those that take the sword shall perish by the sword Matth. 26.52 He taught his Disciples to pray for them which should persecute them Matth. 5.44 And the utmost permission which he gave them was when they were persecuted in one city to flee unto another Matth. 10.23 4. As for the Apostles they taught Men to obey them that have the rule over them Heb. 13.17 To submit themselves to every Ordinance of Man 1 Pet. 2.13 To do all things without murmuring or disputing Phil. 2.14 To pray for Kings and all that are in authority 1 Tim. 2.2 Saint Peter hath told us that such as despise dominion and speak evil of dignities are in an especial manner reserved to Judgment 1 Pet. 2.9 10. And Saint Paul in my Text that they shall receive damnation This Doctrine they sealed with their Blood. Saint Peter according to Ecclesiastical Tradition was crucified and S. Paul beheaded James the Son of Zebedeus slain with the Sword c. Now as for the Powers to which all these Instructions and Behaviours did refer they were for Idolatry and Tyranny and Persecution Humani generis portenta If it be objected that all these submitted because they were not able to resist the Answer upon Christian Principles might be That he which restrained the Flames and stopped the mouths of Lions could have given his Servants power to resist that Christ could have prayed his Father who would have given him more than twelve Legions of Angels for his relief that the Apostles who wrought mighty Signs and Wonders could have rescued themselves had it not rather pleased the great Ordainer of Powers by their submission to ratifie and establish the Doctrine of Obedience 5. But the Belief and Practice of the Primitive Christians will satisfie this Objection even to common Sense and Reason The Instances in this kind are infinite where Christians abounding in numbers being in Arms and abundantly able to make resistance have chosen with the expence of their lives to yield obedience to Idolaters persecuting them for their
Doctrin of the Church and would fain defend it as the uniform belief of the Reformed much more to the same purpose may be found in the same Book which I recommend to the Reader 's perusal the Learned Author of which wrote after his Father's Copy and therefore I have joyned them together tho according to the exact rules of Chronology I should have given the junior du Moulin a place in the next Reign CHAP. VI. The History of Passive Obedience during the Reign of King Charles the Martyr SECT I. WEre we to judge of the righteousness of any Cause and of its being acceptable to God by the prosperity of its outward circumstances and to intitle Heaven to the owning of all the designs which providence promotes as some Divines both then and since have argued more consonant to the Doctrin of the Alcoran than the Holy Gospel then the most Excellent Prince Charles I. was a vile Malefactor and fell justly a sacrifice to the rage of his rebel Subjects but the true Sons of the Church were of a more Orthodox belief and chose rather to suffer with their Master the Lord 's Anointed than to enjoy the ease and preferments which then were the rewards of perfidiousness and disloyalty as the first part of this History hath amply proved And though Dr. Sybthorp's Sermon called Apostolical Obedience was severely censured nor is it fit to defend every Proposition in it yet the then Bishop of London Dr. George Mountain approved it publickly in Print as a Sermon learnedly and discreetly Preached Testim ante concion and agreeable to the Ancient Doctrin of the Primitive Church both for faith and good manners and to the Doctrin established in the Church of England and therefore under his hand gave authority for the Printing of it Ma. 8. 1627. Mr. Hayes Could any thing privilege Loyalty toward Kings Serm. at St. Mary's Oxon. on Esth 1.15 1624. p. 3 21. Eminence and Alliance might be fair pretences but neither of these could yield Queen Vasthi advantage but what shall any dare to limit Sovereignty and prescribe Majesty it's duty shall he that enjoys the subjection of others by the Law be subject himself to the Law no in no other sense than that of Aquinas not that the Law should lead him by compulsion but lead him by directive persuasion if he conform his actions to the prescript of the Laws it is of his own accord if he do not is he lyable to account Yes but it is only to God against thee only have I sinned says King David Ps 51. those modest times had not the face to capitulate with their Sovereigns the pride of Faction had not yet hatch'd this rebellious Doctrin ☜ that if Kings obey not Laws Subjects have leave to disobey their Kings no let it glory in no Ancienter Author than New Rome and in no better success than confusion and seeing it owes it self to Jesuited Patrons let it be banish'd this Land together with their Persons Mr. Adams When Saul was in David 's hands In 2d ep of Peter pr. 1633. p. 755. his Men alledge God's promise and the advantage concurring and what was David 's charm to allay the fury of those raging Spirits he is the Lord 's Anointed Saul did not lend David so impenetrable an Armour when he ran to encounter Goliah as David lent him in the plea of his Unction not one of the discontented Out-laws durst put forth a hand of violence against him the image and impress of that Divine Ordinance strikes such an awe into the hearts of Men that it makes even Traytors cowards so that instead of smiting they tremble like those whose Office it is to suffer not to do fear God honour the King there was never Man that feared God but he also honored the Prince But let us hear P. 759 c what the Synod of Hell can plead for disobedience how if the Prince be bad an Enemy to truth and goodness a Ravisher a Persecutor raising powers for the extirpation of the Gospel here if ever a Subject may renounce all Allegiance for here is power against power Man against God and the Subject of both left to follow either Answ in this streight some for fear of the King Shipwrack their faith and these are Traytors to God others by a defensive sword in their hand Rebels to the King ☞ there is no question but God must be obeyed even against the King when the King commands things against God. what then shall we resist him with violence no God never Warrants that practice no not against a Prince that denies him there is an active Obedience and a passive I may not execute his impious commands I must suffer his unjust punishments the vices of Men cannot frustrate the institution of God peruse Mat. 5.44 and Rom 12.17 this will tye the Hands of Christian Subjects Samuel offer'd not to depose Saul though the express Sentence of God had cast him off and he was Excommunicated by a higher power than ever came from Rome Saul lived and dyed a King this he illustrates by the examples of the Jews and Primitive Christians and adds what resistance did those Primitive Christians make to those barbarous outrages but praying for the Emperor's life when under the Emperor's command they were bleeding to death neither did they suffer because they were not able to resist but it was their Doctrin c. Christians never prove losers but when they unjustly sight for their own preservation provide we the buckler of patience not a sword when the decree was gone out by Ahasuerus this was their refuge preces lacrymae the Apostles could work miracles yet they resisted not the ordinate powers this charge St. Paul gives the Romans even while Nero was their Emperor a Monster whom divers held to be Antichrist that Religion then cannot be right that pulls down Princes seeing neither Moses in the Old Testament nor Christ in the New nor Levite nor Prophet Apostle nor Disciple either counsell'd or practised against Government which should decide the point that hath cost the Lives of so many Christians and still threatens more Tragedies P. 763. there was never Prince to whom some Belialist took not some exceptions it were ill with Princes if their state depended on the good liking of their Subjects Subjects unfaithful at the heart may be without the suspicion of their Prince but they beheld Rebels in the Court of Heaven we be bound to be subject not only for wrath but for conscience sake In all the time of David 's prosperity there was no news of Shimei he looks like a fair Subject but he that smiles on David in his Throne P. 821. curs'd him in his Flight there is no security in that Subjects Allegiance that hath not God in his Conscience he that poysons the People with the male opinion of their Prince is the most dangerous Traytor to rip up the faults of Kings is bold
enforcing to Idolatry assumed all Religious Worship to himself yet the Prophet acknowledges and honors him as his King and Sovereign observe Religion requires Subjection to those Kings that deface the Worship of God and would compel to Idolatry Now if it be said that Idolatry was the Worship injoin'd by the Laws of the Land We answer that Idolatry is against the Law of God and so the Jews were under a superior Obligation and I think if Men may take Arms when any thing is done to them contrary to human Laws there seems to be more reason that they should do so when any thing is done contrary to the Laws of the great King of Heaven and Earth but the latter is by our Adversaries disallowed therefore with much more reason the former But it is time to return to Bishop Brownrig who avers That active and actual Obedience to ungodly Laws we may not we must not yield and perform thus to submit to Men were to rebel against God but yet protestation of Subjection must continue tho our particular active Obedience be denied or restrain'd tho we dare not perform our active Obedience in doing what they command Pag. 34. yet we must perform our passive Obedience in submitting to their punishments Papists teach that Heretical Kings forfeit their Crowns and Lives if they command against God. No we must here with Daniel honor their Persons and Calling when Conscience forbids us to fullfil their Commandments Darius also was now the Author of Daniel's destruction his Law ensnared him his Power condemn'd him his Seal shut him up in the Den of Lions yet for all this the holy Prophet honors him as his King. Observe No worng or injury can exempt or discharge our persons from our Lawful Sovereign ☜ He upbraids not the King with Tyranny and Impiety charges him not with the cruelty of his usage threatens him not with Vengeance and Judgments from God much less as a Prophet doth he denounce sentence of deprivation against him but fergetting his wrongs forgiving his Injuries sends up a devout Prayer for his life and welfare c. SECT XV. In Justice I ought to have given King Charles the First the Preference to some of the forecited Authors but I have reserved him to lead the Van of the remaining Writers who were particularly engaged in the Service of that Truth for which that great Prince became a Martyr and when I have mentioned this I have said enough to those who consider what he suffered by the Men who were Enemies to the Doctrine of Nonresistance and what he unanswerably wrote in Defence of that Doctrine being resolved at present to quote no more of him than that one Sentence in his Second Paper to Henderson that to reform as Grosthead said in ore gladii cruentandi is a wicked and ungodly saying This Prince shall be attended as he ought by his Chaplains and Dr. Hammond comes first of whom it were enough to say that he was a Member of the Convocation anno 1640 for that discovers his Sentiments since he gave his consent to those Canons But he hath more particularly declared his Opinion especially in his * L. 2. § 5. p. 53. Practical Catechism Some Wars are unjust as that of Subjects seditiously raised against the Supreme Power in a State. †Sect. 9. p. 69 70. But what may we fight for if we may not fight for Religion Resp It is the most precious thing indeed and that to be preserved by all lawful proper proportionable means but then War or unlawful resistance being of all things most improper to defend or secure or plant this and it being acknowledged unlawful for Peter to use the Sword for the Defence of Christ himself to do it meerly for Religion must needs be very unlawful Religion hath still been spread and propagated by suffering and not by resisting and indeed it being not in the power of Force to constrain my Soul or change my Religion or keep me from the Profession of it Arms or Resistance must needs be very improper for that purpose And the same Author in his Section of Meekness says if they be our lawful Magistrates then our Meekness consists in Obedience active or passive acting all their legal Commands and submitting so far at least as not to make violent resistance to the punishment which they shall inflict upon us I shall put you in mind of this great Truth that Christ and his Disciples were Id. sect 11. p. 79 80. of all the Doctors that ever were in the World the most careful to preserve the Doctrine and Practice of Allegiance even when the Emperors were the greatest Opposers of the Christian Religion and if ever you mean to be accounted a Follower of them you must go and do likewise S. But was not Tiberius an Usurper and yet Christ saith Render to Cesar the things that are Cesars C. Julius Cesar wrested the Power out of the Hand of the Senate but before the time of Tiberius the Business was accorded between the Senate and the Emperors that the Emperor now reigned unquestioned without any competition from the Senate Which Case how distant it is from other forcible Usurpations where the Legal Sovereign doth still claim his Right to his Kingdoms and to the Allegiance of his Subjects no way acquitting them from their Oaths or laying down his Pretensions tho for the present he be over-power'd is easily discernable to any who hath the Courage and Fidelity to consider it and is not by his own Interests bribed or frighted from the performance of his Christian duty And this Doctrine he ex professo maintains against S. Marshal Godwin and others in his Treatise of resisting the lawful Magistrate under the color of Religion c. in which he condemns Subjects taking Arms against their Prince * p. 54. c. by Arguments taken 1. From the nature of Religion 2. From the Examples of Christ and Christians 3. From the making of Christianity and particularly of the Protestant Doctrine 4. From the Constitution of the Kingdom affirming that in the New Testament there is no one Christian Virtue or Article of Faith more clearly deliver'd more effectually inforc'd upon our Understandings and Affections than that of Obedience to Kings Bishop Ferne hath written purposely on this Subject his Resolution of Conscience whether upon supposition the King will not discharge his Trust but is bent or seduced to subvert Religion Laws and Liberties Subjects may take Arms and resist Resolved That no Conscience upon such a Supposition or Case can find a clear ground for such Resistance whence it follows that the Resistance made against the higher Powers is unwarrantable and according to the Apostle damnable Rom. xiii You are told says Dr. Ferne the Gospel and your Liberties Epist and all you have are in most eminent danger and without taking Arms for the defence irrecoverably lost and that it is lawful by the fundamental Laws of
Rulers and it is no News to hear it of them Elias had such measure measured unto him Micheas all of them faithful to Princes ever were so accused We say the Doctrine of Rome is no Friend to Princes and here he instances in the treasonable Books and rebellious Insurrections of the Papists and adds shew the Princes the Gospel hath deposed shew the Princes that Popery hath not wronged It is our Doctrine that we firmly hold and they fully defie That he that taketh the Sword shall perish with the Sword i. e. he that taketh it without the bounds of a calling warranting him and that calling he afterward says is only the Prince's Order as all Rebels ever do that he which resisteth the Superior Powers resisteth the Ordinance of God and to his own Damnation that we ought to obey and be subject not for Fear but for Conscience sake that the Weapons of Subjects be but Prayers and Tears c. See then whether Popery or God's holy Gospel which we hold stand better with the safety of Princes and flourishing Estates of Kingdoms c. SECT IV. Among the Works of Dr. Lawrence Humfreys Preached at Oxford 1588. which he published against the Romanists his seven Sermons on 1 Sam. 26.8 9 c. To persuade Obedience to Princes c. are not the least considerable In which having in the Epistle Dedicatory commended that Saying of S. Ambrose Rogamus Auguste non pugnamus We beseech O Emperor P. 22 23. we fight not and in the first Sermon mentioned the many Rebellions of the Papists he says Such a Catholick Faith must be maintain'd by such Catholick Means namely by open Rebellions privy Practices in a Catholick and Universal Manner that is by all unlawful Means P. 24. That when Scruples arise against such traiterous Enterprises then the Pope hath this Religion and Omnipotency P. 32. that he can dispense with any Oath In the second Sermon he teacheth every one his Duty It is lawful for a Magistrate to put to death a Malefactor otherwise no Spirit no Reason no Friend no carnal Respect can authorise any Man of his own Head or his private affection to draw weapon against any man much less against a double and compound person P. 34. c. as the Prince established by Law and publick Authority If Christ found fault with his Servant Peter fighting in his own quarrel ☜ host much more will he be angry with them that take weapon against his anointed Prince his Lieutenant in the Earth What do these Giants and Tyrants of the World think Or what do they esteem of the Blood of a Prince Or what do they imagine of the Ordinance or Institution of Princes Are they Upstarts by themselves c. No it is only the Ordinance of our living God. P. 36 37 By Office he representeth God he is God by name Saul himself is named here the anointed of the Lord so are all other Potentates that are by their Vices evil Men yet by Office the Ordinance of God Prov. 8. Job 34. By me rulers reign the Hypocrites rule not without him And why are the bad as well as the good advanced Austin gives two Reasons hereof It is not unjust that wicked men receive power to hurt both that the patience of the good may be tryed and the wickedness of the evil punished And if they are set up by God they cannot fall but by God. P. 43. What were the Magistrates in the time of Peter and Paul but Heathen and Tyrants as Nero and such others and yet Paul exhorts every soul to be subject to the higher powers and whosoever resisteth c. Even Nebuchadnezzar a Tyrant and Infidel was to be prayed for Chrisostome amplifyeth the excellent Integrity and Faithfulness of David toward Saul the anointed Serm 3. p. 56. in that David did this in the Old Testament where some revenge was in a sort permitted c. But to kill him or any the anointed of the Lord is contrary to the Law of Nature and all Laws Those that are disloyal and Rebels are not good Christians P. 63. P. 78. P. 106. We of this Land do swear and protest in the name of Christ a fidelity to God to the Prince and to our Country this Oath must be kept Many Laws have been made against Treason and Rebellion yet the unbridled and cruel Subjects have always unkindly and unnaturally conspired against their Prince and against their own Country Our King Ethelred complains in an Oration in this sort We are overcome of the Danes not with Weapon or force of Arms but with Treason wrought by our own People Anno 1593 Reprinted 〈◊〉 1640 c. Doctor Richard Bancroft afterward Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury published his Dangerous Positions c. the whole Design of which Treatise is to expose and ' condemn the Republican Principles then newly broached in England by the Lovers of the Geneva Platform I have already in the Reign of Queen Mary given his Sentiments of the Proceedings of the English Exiles at Francfort against Knox whose Principles were so infective that they inflamed his own native Country and threw it into a most unnatural Rebellion of which their Ministers were the prime cause and shall add his sense of those seditious Doctrines and Practices * Lib. 1. cap 3. But because some peradventure will labor to excuse these Proceedings and to color the same with some pretence of zeal and great desire they had to be delivered from Popish Idolatry and Superstition I have thought it convenient to let you understand how far they are from making any such pretences in their own behalf and with what new Divinity Positions Mr. Knox and Mr. Buchanan have amplified the Geneva Resolution ☞ viz. That if Princes refuse to reform Religion the Magistrates and People may lawfully do it by force of Arms to the Justification not only of their said Attempts and Actions but also many others of the like nature Ch. 4. And afterward he mentions their Positions That Princes for just causes may be deposed That it is not Birthright only nor Propinquity of Blood that makes a King lawfully reign above a People professing Jesus Christ If Princes be Tyrants against God and his Truth their Subjects are freed from their Oaths of Obedience The People are better than the King and of greater Authority c. Of all which and many the like Propositions he averrs that they tend to the disturbance and utter overthrow of the freest and most absolute Monarchies that are or can be in Christendom and that they are contrary he was sure both to the Word of God and to all the Laws and Customs of this Realm But I must transcribe the greatest part of the Book should I cite all that is to my purpose in it while I leave to the Reader 's private Consideration that and his other excellent Treatise called a Survey
of other Mens sins that will retain their integrity and rather than do would suffer evil P. 〈…〉 what can there do These are they that are so pityed in the Text down then ☞ down to the place of darkness from whence it came with that Antichristian Principle that it is lawful for the People upon the ill managers and abuse of their Power by Arms and force to depose and punish their Princes this once admitted layeth the Ax to the Root of all Civil Society c. Dr. 〈…〉 p. 37. Nath. Hardy D. R. The Enemies of the King accuse him for being a Traytor to his People which was so far from being true that it was impossible since he never received any trust from them after which addressing himself to the Lord Mayor and his Brethren he adds you have taken care that Rebellion may be destroyed in that which was its Principal Engine the illegal League and Covenant and in its rotten Principles those Doctrins which give Power to the two Houses of Parliament in some cases to take up Arms without and against the Kings command and distinguish between the Personal and Politick capacity of the King as to the point of resistance c. Dr. Serm. before Lord Mâ—yer Fâ—â— 11. 16 Sâ— p. 22 24. Goodman Kings are God's Vicegerents and he maintains and upholds them in their Offices under himself a King hath the Stamp and Character of Divine Authority upon him it is the Divine Providence that is the Peoples caution and security against the weaknesses passions and extravagances of Princes so that they shall not need to resort to Arms or any seditious and unlawful means in their own defence we use to appeal to an Higher Court when we are opprest in an inferior Judicatory and this is our proper refuge when our Rights and Properties are invaded to look up to God the Supreme Potentate of the World that he will restrain the exorbitances of his Ministers P. 25 26. God is the King of Kings the safety of Religion Liberty and Property are mighty Concerns but certainly they are not too great a Stake to trust in the hands of God unless the means we use be as certainly and manifestly lawful as the cause we pretend to shall be just and honorable we shall but provoke Providence instead of subverting it P. 34. let the People be quiet not listen to noice and rumors but be sure to Banish all disloyal thoughts of resorting to irregular means for the asserting their pretensions Is not God in the World c. SECT XIII Dr. Burnet in his modest and free conference †Printed Ann. 1669. p. 6 7. Shew me one place in either Testament that warrants Subjects fighting for Religion you know I can bring many against it yea tho the old dispensation was a more carnal and fiery one than the new one is yet when the Kings of Israel and Judah made Apostasie from the Living God into Heathenish Idolatry some of the Kings of Judah polluting the Temple of Jerusalem as did Ahaz and Manasseh so that God could not be Worship'd there without Idolatry yet where do we find the People resisting them or falling to popular Reformations neither do the Prophets that were sent by God ever provoke them to any such courses and you know the whole strain of the New Testament runs upon suffering it seems you are yet a Stranger to the very design of Religion which is to tame and mortifie nature and is not a natural thing but supernatural therefore the Rules of defending and advancing it must not be borrowed from nature but grace are not Christ's injunctions our Rule Since then he forbad his Disciples to draw a Sword for him with so severe a threatning that whosoever will draw the Sword shall perish by the Sword this must bind us and what he says to Pilate on this head my Kingdom is not of this World c. is so plain language P. 24. that I wonder it doth not convince all Pope Gregory VII Armed the Subjects of Germany against Henry IV. the Emperor upon the account of Religion because the Emperor laid claim to the Investiture of Bishops they being then Secular Princes and this prospering so well in the hands of Hildebrand other Popes made no bones upon any displeasure they conceived either against King or Emperor to take his Kingdom from him and free his Subjects from their Obedience to him the Authors who plead for this are only Courtiers Canonists and Jesuits now are you not ashamed in a matter of such Importance to symbolize with the worst gang of the Roman Church for the soberer of them condemn it yet fill Heaven and Earth with your clamors Burn. Vind. of the Authority c. of the Ch. of Scotland ad Lector if in some innocenter things the Church of England seem to symbolize with them one great rule by which the peace and order of all humane Societies is maintain'd and advanc'd is Obedience to the Laws and submission to the Authority of those whom God hath set over us to govern and defend us to whose commands if absolute Obedience be not paid ever till they contradict the Laws of God there can be neither peace nor order among Men now it cannot be denyed to be one of the sins of the Age we live in that small regard is had to that Authority God hath committed to his Vicegerents on Earth the Evidence whereof is palpable since the bending or slackning of the Execution of Laws is made the measure of most Mens Obedience and not the Conscience of that duty we owe the commands of our Rulers for what is more servile and unbecoming a Man not to say a Christian than to yield obedience when overawed by force and to leap from it when allured by gentler methods hence it appears how few there are who judge themselves bound to pay that reverence to the Persons and that Obedience to the commands of those God hath vested with his Authority which the Laws of Nature and Religion do exact and the root of all this disobedience and contempt can be no other but unruly and ungovern'd Pride which disdains to submit to others and exalts it self above those who are called Gods ☜ the humble are tractable and obedient but the self-will'd are stubborn and rebellious yet the heigth of many Mens pride rests not in a bare disobedience but designs the subverting of Thrones and the shaking of Kingdoms unless governed by their own measures Among all the Heresies which this Age hath spawned there is not one more contrary to the whole design of Relligion and more destructive of Mankind than is that Bloody Opinion of defending Religion by Arms and of forcible resistance upon the colour of preserving Religion ☞ the Wisdom of that policy is earthly sensual devilish savouring of a carnal unmortified and impatient mind that cannot bear the Cross nor trust to the Providence of God and
enough to convince any sober Man that the Ancient Christians did never dream that either the Pope or the People did give Kings their Authority or had any Power to depose them and authorize their Subjects to take up Arms against them with or without their Authority much less to set up others in their stead or reserve their Power in their own hands but did believe that their Authority and Power is wholly from God and therefore must be obeyed according to his Ordinance and that they never can be deposed either by the People or People or any other Authority upon Earth Dr. Dove Sermon on Nov. 5. 1680. p 4 5. They that dare imagin evil against the King in their Bed-chamber will not stick to countenance Rebellion against him in the Camp for the malice of Treason like fire concealed will either find or force its passage this is the usual Prologue to all trayterous designs P. 21. to calumniate the Government and speak evil of dignities to repreach the one and make it odious by traducing the other and rendring them contemptible we may learn by experience that God for the better Government of the World thinks it fit to make Rebels and Traytors the most memorable examples of vengeance and judgment search the Scriptures and turn over the Annals of all Ages you shall scarce meet in story with a seditious Innovator or a Rebel who hath not ruined himself Id. Ser. bef Lord Mâ—yor Sept. 29. 1682. p. 15. If a Man can help Men to an evasion from the duty of Obedience he shall have followers enough this is a certain sign that tho Men know their duty yet they do not love to hear it for certainly obedience to Magistrates is one of those things that accompany Saivation and if they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation then surely we may safely affirm and that without any breach of charity or stretching beyond our line that they who oppose them in lawful things or refuse to obey them in the same without a timely repentance and reformation are in danger of it P. 17. tho David was next heir to the Crown and already anointed to it tho Saul thirsted for his blood and persecuted him by force and fraud tho he had the hearts of the People and Saul was given up into his hands so that he could as easily have slain him as have cut his skirt yet this was that which kept him from so great iniquity that he was the Lord's Anointed P. 18. the Authority is still from God tho it be placed in the bands of a sinful Man and it loseth not its essence by the accession of personal miscarriages c. disobedience hath all that is base in it P. 24. and Rebellion contains a whole conjugation of wickedness of which there seems to be an indelible sense in all Mens minds since even they who love the thing do usually hate the name of Rebels and such as are conscious of the guilt would gladly avoid the reproach of it a plain indication of guilt as guilt is a manifest argument of sin and wickedness P. 25. 't is a sin next to blasphemy to speak evil of dignities a degree of profaneness to disobey them ☜ and intolerable iniquity to rebel against them it is as bad in its own nature as murder or theft being as expresly forbidden as these and in its consequence 't is far more mischievous c. this sin debauches the conscience P. 26. and hardens Men in impiety so that it is rare very rare to find a repenting Rebel it is directly opposite to the Spirit and Power of Christianity it makes the very profession of Religion odious and despicable it is contrary to the example of Christ the Blessed Apostles and Primitive Christians there have been many pretences made for disobedience and resistance P. 27. v. p. 28. one hath libelled the Primitive Christians ascribing their meekness and submission to necessity so Bellarmine another that the Apostles in prescribing Obedience only flatter'd the Emperors so Salmeron a third hath taught that the Doctrin of resistance was a mystery bid from the first Ages and reserved for these last days of greater light so Jo. Goodwin thus the Gospel it self is belyed to countenance that which it every where condemns we have a Church P. 30. whose Doctrin Discipline and Government is Apostolical and Primitive defective in nothing so much as the Obedience of her Members unless it be the exercise of her Discipline this Church was always famous for her untainted fidelity and loyalty to the Crown oh that our lives were as good as our Religion c. SECT XVI Dr. Henry Maurice The Ancient Christians knew how to dye better than to dispute Ser. on Jan. 30. 1681. p. 2 12 30 c. cons 1st pt hist p. 112. but none understood yet how to rebel for their Religion how then are we departed from this ancient and reasonable practice no Faction did ever insult a Prince they did not mean to destroy but now to return to the blaspheming of the Church of Rome if community of name be not so much to be regarded as agreement in Doctrin our accusers will be found to have a greater part in these Sectaries than we for both agree in the Fundamentals of Rebellion and the lawfulness and merit of Resisting the Higher Powers There are Men in the World that honor such as Martyrs P. 180. that were executed for murdering their King I hope they were neither Bishops nor Episcopal Men that were so fond of Canonizing those Murderers for Martyrs P. 318. when Chrysostome saw the Civil Power against him he would not contend but endeavoured to steal away to prevent contention and what his favorers did when they began a Mutiny they did it against his will and against all his entreaties and obsecrations to the contrary did not the Primitive Christians meet to serve God p. 326. and suffer'd Martyrdom for it but did they ever enter into Covenants and Practices against the State in all the lamentable distractions of the Church by the Arians we find no Orthodox Bishop animate the People against the Government p. 327. what Persecution soever they suffer'd but on the contrary restraining all tendences to Rebellion and withdrawing themselves when the popular favor towards them grew inordinate p. 32â— p. 337. and uncontrolable Whoever animated the People to resist Julian what a number of worthy learned Ministers of the Church of England were turned out to make vacancies for the Non-Conformists in the days of Rebellion who were to instruct the People in new Mysteries of Religion which their old Pastors had not the conscience or ability to teach them i.e. of the lawfulness of Rebellion we read of St. Ambrose's zeal against the Arians of his popularity of his charity c. but not a word of his Sedition p 34â— or his forcible resistance of the