provided for you that is for others Isa 30.33 Tophet is prepared of old yea for the King it is prepared Your Flatterers tell you you may do what you please for you are gods but if you break the Law of God you shall dy like men and fall like one of the Princes Psal 82.6 7. He shall cut off the spirit of Princes He is terrible to the Kings of the Earth Psal 76.12 4. Magistrates are to execute Judgment and Justice in the Land 1 Kings 10.9 Because the Lord loved Israel for ever therefore made he thee King to do Judgment and Justice Not to do what he list as the Court-Parasits pretend that the King can do no evil Which they gather from that place 1 Sam. 8.9 to 19. where the Lord bids Samuel tell the People the manner of the King what he would do how he would enslave them and oppress them make them his Servants take away their goods and possessions from them and make them cry out by reason of their oppression now hence do those wicked Advocates of Tyranny plead that it is lawful for a King to do these things O filthy and degenerate wretches Apostates from the Light of Nature men given up to a reprobate mind professed enemies to mankind how dare you thus to prevaricate with God and the world to father your most damned Notions hatched in the lowest Hell upon God himself as if the Judge of the whole Earth should do as unrighteously as your selves As if the Lord should make a Law for Kings to tyrannize and oppress the People without controul when as the Lord hath particularly enjoyned the King to keep all the words of his Law and all his Statutes to do them Deut. 17.19 the Lord foreseeing that folly which the People would commit in asking a King many hundred years before it came to pass made a Law that if at any time the People should say I will set a King over me like the Nations round about Deut. 17.14 the King should keep all his Statutes as well as the meanest person And if you ask why then doth he tell the People when they asked a King that this would be the manner of him I answer Not ye Blasphemers as if the Lord allowed of such Tyranny but to deter the People from that folly which at present did possess them in asking a King For the Lord was highly displeased with them for it as you may reade at large in the story He did give them their own desire of a King but in wrath Hos 13.11 The King was made to do Judgment and Justice if Tyranny and Oppression be Judgment and Justice it is lawful for the King to do that otherwise not So likewise Judges and Officers are appointed to judge the People with just Judgment Deut. 16.18 and the Lord complains of the Magistrates Psal 82. How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked Defend the poor and fatherless do Justice to the afflicted and needy Deliver the poor and needy rid them out of the hand of the wicked Here here is the Duty of Magistrates but alas what should one say unto them they know not neither will they understand they walk on in darkness all the foundations of the Earth are out of course Arise O God and judge the Earth for thou shalt inherit all Nations Thus the Apostle instructs us what is the Duty of the Magistrate Rom. 13.3 and 4. To give praise to them that do well and to execute wrath upon them that do evil And the same doth the Apostle Peter affirm 1 Pet. 2.14 But how little are the Scriptures regarded now a-dayes O what cause have we to take up that Lamentation Isa 59.1 to 16 and especially that vers 14 and 15. Judgement is turned away backward and Justice standeth a-far off for Truth is fallen in the street and Equity cannot enter yea Truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey 5. A fifth general Duty of Magistrates is to Protect and Defend the People Therefore they are called Shepherds Numb 27.17 When the Lord told Moses that he should go up to Mount Abarim and see the Land and be gathered to his People he entreats the Lord to appoint another to succeed him that the People might not be as Sheep without a Shepherd So David was chosen by God to feed his People Israel 2 Sam. 5.2 That is to be their Shepherd and Leader to watch over them for their safety which he did according to the integrity of his heart Psal 78.72 The Title of Shepherd is not appropriated to Ministers but belongs to Magistrates also Now a good Shepherd layes down his Life to Protect and Defend the Sheep John 10.11 Magistrates are called Shields Psal 47.9 and Hos 4.18 Her Rulers the word in the Hebrew is her Shields now the use of a Shield is to Defend Thus Tola defended Israel Judg. 10.9 and Gideon hazarded his life for the defence of his Country Judg. 9.17 not to make himself Lord over them for that he refused afterwards He did not fight for Honour or Greatness but for the Good of his Country Thus Nehemiah adventured himself in person for the Peoples good and would not flee to save his life and leave the work unfinished Nehem. 6.11 though there were many and potent enemies round about He was a Shepherd that loved the Flock a true Shield to defend them from Tobiah Sanballat and the rest of God's and their enemies a Repairer of the Breaches both in the People and the Wall But alas poor England thy Shepherds are become Robbers thy Princes within thee are roaring Lions thy Judges are evening Wolves instead of defending the Flock they devour it Thy Shields are become Swords which pierce thine own bowels Thy Rulers instead of repairing thy Breaches throw down thy Walls and widen the Breaches among thy Inhabitants more and more But hear I pray you O ye Heads of England and Princes of these Nations Is it not for you to know Judgement who hate the good and love the evil who pluck their skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones who break the bones of the Lords People and chop them in pieces for the pot and boil them in the cauldron The day is coming when you shall cry unto the Lord but he will not hear you he will even hide his face from you as you have behaved your selves ill in your doings Mich. 3.1 to 5. You are the Shepherds of this People therefore thus saith the Lord Wo be to the Shepherds of England that do feed themselves should you not feed the Flock Ye eat the fat ye cloath you with the wool ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the Flock with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them Behold I am against the Shepherds and I will require my flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding the flock neither shall they feed themselves any
binds other Nations Sol. By the nature of the Law it is moral and so universal and perpetual There are indeed one or two Particulars that were peculiar to the Jewish State First They must set one over them whom the Lord should chuse which implieed that God intends out of his especial grace and favour to them as his Church to chuse the man himself for them sometimes yet they were to make him King but God doth not so for other Nations but hath left us to chuse for our selves according to the Light of Reason and Scripture Again their King was not to send the People to Egypt because the Lord had forbid the People of Israel to return thither any more which our King may do upon a just occasion but the substance of the Law is of a moral nature and obligeth all Kings and People whatsoever That the King should not multiply Silver Gold Wives or Horses to himself and thereby impoverish the People and suffer his heart to be drawn from God that he should have a copy of the Law of God and read therein all the dayes of his life learn to fear God and keep his Statutes and not lift up his heart above his Brethren is all Moral and doth oblige other Kings as well as the Kings of Israel That a People professing the true Religion should not set over them one of a strange Religion to bring in Idolatry and False-worship which was the intent of that clause Thou shalt not set a stranger over thee That they should take care to set up a man in the Throne who is able and willing to perform the Duties God requires of a King is all Moral and obligeth the People of England as much as it did the People of Israel The next Scripture I shall produce for confirmation of this Truth is 2 Sam. 23.3 The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God You see here the Rock of Israel hath appointed two great Qualifications in those that rule over men Justice and the Fear of God Object These places shew only the Magistrates duty not any Qualifications necessary to the Office of a Magistrate this proves that Magistrates are bound to observe those duties not that the People are bound to chuse none but such men as are just and fear God to be Governours Sol. The very same Sophistry do the wicked and scandalous Priests use to cheat the poor People withal and lull them asleep that they may make a prey of them in the mean while The Lord sayes 1 Tim. 3. A Bishop or Overseer for so the word is in the Greek must be blameless vigilant sober of good behaviour apt to teach not greedy of filthy lucre not given to Wine no stricker but patient not a brawler nor covetous The Priest is a proud covetous drunken deboist person and the poor People must be compelled to own him for a Minister of Christ who hath never a Qualification of a true Minister in him if they complain we cannot own him for a true Minister a Minister must be thus and thus qualified he is the contrary they are answered O those are indeed the Duties of a Minister but not the Qualifications necessary to the Being of a Minister a man may be a true Minister if he be ordained though he walk contrary to these Duties and you are bound to own his Ministry nevertheless because it is an Ordinance of God So in this case we cannot deny say they but a Magistrate should be just ruling in the fear of God it 's his duty so to do but what if he be unjust and cast away the fear of God he is a true Magistrate notwithstanding and you are bound in Conscience to own his Authority as the Ordinance of God By this kind of Sophistry the Devil maintains his Kingdom and the Beast and False-Prophet theirs to the utter ruin of the Bodies and Souls of men These are the two grand Cheats wherewith the World is abused by wicked and unworthy persons pretending to Authority from God to govern both Church and State when they are utterly destitute of those Qualifications God hath laid down for the election of persons into those Offices and indeed it is hard to say which is the greater cheat of the two Blessed be God many discern the Cheat of an ignorant proud covetous and prophane Ministry and will not own it for an Ordinance of God I doubt not through God's assistance to make it evident to the World that a wicked tyrannous and oppressing Magistracy is no more Gods Ordinance than the other and that the People are bound to reject both and set up able men Men of Truth fearing God and hating covetousness in the Magistracy as well as Ministry and that all who are not thus qualified are but meer Counterfeits and Pretenders For whereas these men pretend that the Characters which the Scriptures give of true Magistrates and Ministers do only shew their duty not any Qualifications that are necessary to the constitution of them it is a meer falsity For the Spirit of God hath on purpose laid down Characters of a true Magistracy and Ministry that the People who have the Power of electing both put into their hands by God should not suffer his Ordinances to be prophaned but chuse Men after his heart for both functions of Magistracy and Ministry The Apostle commands Titus to ordain Elders in every City that is Ministers but upon this condition that there were any to be found that were qualified according to the mind of God Titus 1.5 to 8. and layes down several Characters to signifie what Qualifications God required in Ministers If any be blameless c. and so goes on with many Qualifications which you may read there and whereas the Apostle bids Titus ordain Elders he doth not mean Titus singly but joyntly with the consent of the Church as is intimated in that clause As I have appointed thee Now the Apostle would not appoint Titus to do otherwise than he himself did and the rest of the Apostles but it is plain that the People chose their Officers Acts 6.3 and 5 verses the whole multitude chose Stephen and the rest So Acts 14.23 When they had ordained them Elders in every Church 't is in your Translation but learned Beza renders it thus Communibus suffragis creantes eis Presbyteros they made them Elders or Ministers by common suffrage or consent the multitude gave their votes and chose them and then the Apostles confirmed them by Fasting and Prayer but this by the way However they were to be made yet not without Ministerial Qualifications Titus and the People together had no power to make an ignorant or scandalous man a Minister of Christ The very same doth the Scripture hold forth concerning Magistrates that the People are to look out Men rightly qualified with magistratical Endowments for the Office of Magistracy When
is one and the same they are both Servants to the People though in a different kind of Service Object But are not Magistrates called Gods How then can they be the Peoples Servants Sol. That is a Metaphorical Expression spoken not by way of Property but Resemblance we know Magistrates are not properly gods it were blasphemy to say so the names or attributes of God cannot without blasphemy be given to them it were blasphemy to call a King Jehovah or Lord God or the like or to give him any of God's Properties Omnipotent All-wise All-sufficient Eternal or the like they are called Gods because true Magistrates do in some higher Measure than private persons resemble the Wisdom Power and Justice of God which is the utmost can be proved from that Title this doth no way contradict their proper Title of Servants to the People For when a Magistrate is a terror to evil works and a praise to good Rom. 13.3 he is a Servant to the People for good ver 4. and in this service of his he represents the justice of God who rewards every man according to his works We must beware of straining Metaphors the proper title of the Magistrate which describes his relation is a Servant Of God To the People The Metaphorical Title of God describes his Virtues and Duties the Wisdom Faithfulness and Justice which a true Magistrate is indued with and rules in and the proper and metaphorical Titles are not repugnant to each other but this observe by the way that he that is destitute of those Virtues or neglecteth those Duties wherein a true Magistrate resembleth God may be more justly called a Devil than a God because he resembleth the Devil more than God If it be said that an unrighteous Magistrate by reason of his great power and external glory resembleth God I answer It is false for God hath no unrighteous or oppressive power neither hath given any such to Magistrates and therefore there is no resemblance between the power of a Tyrant or Oppressor and the Power of the Most Just and Righteous Jehovah The same I say of his external Glory for the Glory of God is in his Wisdom Justice Faithfulness and other attributes and the Works of Goodness Mercy and Righteousness which he doth which the outward powers and splendor of an unrighteous Magistrate doth no way resemble but it doth most aptly resemble the power and glory of the Devil whose Servant he is and whose works he doth Object But if the King be the Peoples Servant why is it that we read so often in Scripture that the People were used to salute the King with this Title My Lord the King and say they were his Servants Sol. Those are expressions of courtesie and respect commonly used not only to the King but private persons yea sometimes our inferiors Rebecka calls Abrahams Servant My Lord Gen. 24.18 Jacob calls his Brother Esau My Lord eight times in two Chapters Gen. 32. and 33. Obadiah calls Elijah My Lord 1 Kings 18.7 13. The very same Title that is usually given to the King and the same word in the Hebrew in all these places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Levite in a way of courtesie sayes to the old man that came from his work out of the field Thy Servant Judg. 19.19 It is used so Gen. 42.10 2 Kings 1.13 and Chap. 2.6 And so it is to be understood when we read the People call the King My Lord and say they are his Servants it is an expression of courtesie not that they are in a strict and proper sence and in point of duty his Servants or the King their Lord for it is nothing so Thus we read 1 Kings 12.4 the People come and tender their Service to Rehoboam upon condition that he would ease them of their burdens they came with respectful courteous language unto him and thought to win him thereby but when he refused to perform his duty to them they make him know that in a strict and proper sence they were his Masters and could punish him for his faults and did deprive him of his Crown ver 16. And so the Parliaments of England and often the People without the Parliament have in their Addresses to the King given him the Title of Lord in a way of honour and respect but when he hath refused to perform his duty to them and endeavoured by his unlawful Prerogative to abridge them of their Liberties they have made him understand his Relation and by force of Arms asserted their own Priviledges and sometimes compelled the King to perform his duty other times deposed him from the Government as the People of Israel did Rehoboam upon the same account and so have most if not all the Nations in the World done the same How common a thing is it in our ordinary Salutations to say we are such a ones Servant in a general and respective sence and in point of courtesie whose Servant we are not in a strict sence and point of duty Object But why may not Princes be Lords over the People as well as Masters Lords over their Servants for the word translated Master Ephes 6.5 Col. 3.22 signifies Lord Sol. 1. Because the Servant is inferiour to his Master and by his place obliged to serve his Master but here it is the contrary for the Magistrate is inferiour to the Commonwealth because he is made by and for them and his Office as I have shewed before is to be a Servant to the People Now a man cannot be in one and the same respect Lord and Servant 2. The Master pays the Servant his wages so doth not the Magistrate the People but the People pay him his wages So that this Objection is justly retorted upon those that urge it and in stead of proving the Magistrate to be the Lord and the People to be Servants proves the contrary that the Magistrate is the Servant and the People Masters Which not only the Philosophers and wise sort of the Heathens understood but many of the greatest Emperors in the World have confessed Augustus Caesar one that had the Empire of the world of whom we read Lu 〈…〉 1. would not suffer the People to call him Lord. Tiberius Caesar who succeeded him in the Empire of whom we read Luk. 3.1 forbid any man to call him Lord and took it as a reproach cast upon him for any one to call him so And in an Oration he made to the People he useth these words I have often do still afirm that a good and virtuous Prince whom you have entrusted with so great and large authority ought to serve the Senate and all the Citizens often and many times particular Persons neither do I repent of what I have said And I have acknowledged you for my very good and favourable Lords and do still acknowledge the same Thus you see the greatest Emperors of the world confessing themselves to be the Peoples Servants and the People their Lords or
Mene Tekel Or The Downfal of Tyranny A TREATISE wherein LIBERTY and EQUITY are Vindicated and TYRANNY Condemned by the Law of God and Right Reason And the Peoples Power and Duty to execute Justice without and upon Wicked Governors Asserted By Laophilus Misotyrannus Printed in the Year 1663. CHAP. I. Containing a Scriptural Description of Magistracy also shewing that it is an Ordinance of God what kind of Ordinance and in what respect it is an Ordinance of Man IT being the usual method of Architects when they undertake a piece of building in the first place to draw in a narrow compass a Platform of the same according to which they afterwards raise the Structure I think it not unprofitable for me to imitate them I shall therefore present you with a Platform of the following work I mean a Description of Magistracy which comprehends in a few words those several Particulars which are the subject of this Treatise Magistracy is an Ordinance of God for the right ordering of Commonwealths whereby such as are meet for Government are lawfully called to serve God and the People therein for his Glory and their Good in the execution of Judgement and protection of those committed to their charge and receive due Power Honour Tribute and Obedience therefore This Description takes in especially these seven Particulars 1. The Nature of Magistracy 2. The End of Magistracy 3. The Call of Magistrates 4. The Qualifications 5. The Relation of Magistrates 6. The Duty 7. The Due of Magistrates or what is due to them from the People which is as much as I judge necessary at this present season for the handling of this point I shall endeavour in the strength of God to treat of them all distinctly from Scripture and right Reason with what brevity and perspicuity this weighty and knotty Subject and the capacity of common Readers will allow The Lord open my understanding that I may understand the Scriptures which relate to this Subject and so guide me by his Spirit that knowing I may make known his mind concerning this great Ordinance of his which hath so long been abused and thereby instruct the Ignorant and convince the Gainsayers of those Truths which the Scriptures deliver concerning the same First Then to begin with the Nature of Magistracy It is an Ordinance of God for the right ordering of Commonwealths That Magistracy is an Ordinance of God is so clear from the abundant Testimony which the Scriptures give thereunto both in the old and new Testament and so Universally acknowledged by all sober and rational persons that I shall only mention a few Scriptures for proof of it and so proceed Deut. 16.18 Rom. 13.1 to 4. Titus 3.1 1 Pet. 2. 13 and 14. Quest But the Question will be what kind of Ordinance this is for we read of several sorts of God's Ordinances Ordinances of the Passeover Numb 9.12 Ordinances of the House of God Ezek. 44.5 Ordinances of Divine Service Heb. 9.1 Ordinances of Justice Isa 58.2 Answ It is an Ordinance of Justice or Righteousness instituted by God for the execution thereof that Commonwealths may be ordered in a just and righteous manner God is the God of Order and as he delights therein so hath he appointed Order for all his Creatures but especially for Man Order for every one as considered apart order for Societies of men and those of several sorts which I shall not here enumerate There are politick or civil Societies and in these men as men joyn together to live by Rules of common Right for civil Comfort and Security There are Societies Ecclesiastical in these men as Saints joyn together to live by Rules of Gospel-Order for the Glory of God and mutual edification in Faith and Holiness The former are usually termed Commonwealths the latter Churches which as they differ in name so also in nature as is hinted above having different Subjects Laws Governours Duties and Ends. The latter sort of Societies fall not under present consideration because Magistracy is an Ordinance instituted for all mankind and Magistrates have the care of men as men committed to their charge 2 Sam. 23.3 as is also clear by this that Heathen Magistrates if righteous are true Magistrates although I deny not but Saints as men are bound to submit to this great Ordinance as well as others and as they are members of civil Communities are obliged by those Rules of common right which other members are Politick or civil Societies usually termed Commonwealths are the proper Objects of this Ordinance which as they cannot subsist without Order and Government so according to their various inclinations and occasions constitute Governours over them according to those several forms and manners of Government which several Nations delight in And thus the very savage Indians and Americans themselves live in some measure of obedience unto this great Ordinance of God the Light of Nature convincing them that Government is necessary to their well-being shewing hereby the work of the Law written in their hearts as the Apostle speaks Rom. 2.15 for this Ordinance of Magistracy is a branch of that Law as you may see Deut. 16.18 and many other places But although Magistracy in the general be an Ordinance of God yet as to the several kinds and manners of it is an Ordinance or Constitution of man God having left men to their liberty to make choice of this or that manner of Government which in the best of their understanding seems most conducible to his Glory and their own security for God hath not left men to an absolute liberty to chuse what Government they please without respect to the ends of Government but all Nations and People are obliged by the Law of Nature seriously to consult and wisely to consider what form of Government is most expedient for them and best corresponding with the Ends of Government and to chuse that Now what-ever righteous form of Government a Nation chuses may in that sense be called their Ordinance or Constitution and yet as it is grounded upon the Law of God it is God's Ordinance also and obligeth all that live under it to subjection And this is the true meaning of that place 1 Pet. 2.13 to 16. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake it is not meant as the wicked Antichristian-Prelates would perswade the People to believe every Law of man good or bad righteous or unrighteous for we know that neither Christ the Prophets or Apostles would submit to wicked statutes or ordinances of their Governours but every righteous Constitution or kind of Government called the Ordinance of man because God hath left men to their liberty to chuse what species of Government may be most conducible to their own good Having given you a description of Magistracy and shewn you that it is an Ordinance of God what kind of Ordinance what is the proper Object of it and in what sence it is an Ordinance of man I shall close this
that which I please and prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it Isa 55.11 Word is not here to be restrained to the Word Preached but is taken in a large sence my Word of Command Promise Threatning my Word of Consolation Commination or Institution of mine Ordinances it shall all prosper in the thing whereto I sent it I appoint nothing that is not sufficient for its End Now the End of that Institution of Magistracy being the Glory of God and Good of the People in the praise of them that do well and punishment of those that do evil A vile person is no more a mean for it than a profane person is a mean for bringing Glory to God and doing Good to the People in the Ministry Object But may not a wicked Minister or Magistrate be an Instrument of good to others though he be bad himself Sol. 1. He may accidentally I have heard of a Natural Fool that hath been instrumental to convert a wicked man but he was never the fitter to be made a Minister of Christ therefore A wicked Ruler may accidentally be an Instrument of some good to a People but this is not Argument for the lawfulness of choosing such a one to the Government Magistrates are called Healers Isa 3.7 Leaders Isa 9.16 It is possible an ignorant person may hit upon a Medicine to cure a dangerous distemper but would any wise man choose him for his Physician ever the sooner A Fool Coward may possibly do a piece of good service once but is he therefore fit to be made a Leader It is altogether as absurd to affirm That a wicked or unworthy person should be made a Magistrate 2. But where there is one wicked Magistrate that doth good for the People there are twenty do mischief That now and then a wicked Magistrate doth good for the People may be written among Wonders and Prodigies not to perswade us to choose such a one again but to admire and adore the Wisdom and Goodness of God who brings good out of evil and makes wicked men sometimes become serviceable to him and his people contrary to their own inclinations 3. But if there be any wicked Magistrate who possibly doth some good yet he doth a great deal more hurt the evil outweighs the good 4. In a word That which makes any thing a Mean is the proportion it bears to the End if a thing be not adequate to the End 't is no Mean But a wicked and unworthy person though he may do some good accidentally in the Magistracy or may have some property or other commendable is not adequate to the End of Government Nero Vitellius Caligula the veriest Monsters in the World had some properties laudible Yea the Devil himself hath something of good he hath Knowledge and Faith and other things good in themselves but a wicked man wants those qualifications of true Wisdom Faithfulness and the Fear of God which might render him fit for accomplishing the End for which Magistracy was instituted O therefore if you have any zeal for the Honour of God shew it by standing up for those to be made Governours who truly fear his holy Name and will be careful of his glory Or do you wish your Own your Childrens or the Nations Prosperity then never give your Vote again for wicked Men to Rule the Land You will acknowledge that it is your duty in your places to promote the Glory of God and Good of the Land of your Nativity yea who is there that will not say Such a man that would not be willing to do this were unworthy to live You see the Means for these Ends 't is by advancing Wise and Faithful Men that Fear God and Hate Covetousness to the Government Resolve if ever the Lord afford you an opportunity to choose Governours again to look out men so qualified that may answer the Ends of Magistracy Never foster up your selves with fond conceits that you shall gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles that wicked Magistrates will ever promote those glorious ends of God's Ordinance 4. A fourth Argument to evince the truth of this That none but such as are endued with the Spirit of Government are to be intrusted with it is If the setting up men void of wisdom faithfulness and the fear of God in the Government be the way to enact wicked-Laws Then such as are destitute of those qualifications are not to be set up But the former is true therefore the latter That wicked Magistrates will one way or other by force or fraud or both get wicked Statutes to be made is evident by the Scripture History and the Chronicles of all Nations Thus the Lord complains of the wicked Kings of Israel Ezek. 43.7 8. that they prophaned his holy Name by setting their posts by his posts and their thresholds by his thresholds and the wall between him and them and when once wicked Statutes are enacted woful experience hath taught the world how hard it is to get them repealed The Lord complains how the Statutes of Omri were kept above an hundred and threescore years after his reign Mica 6.16 and the People of Israel walked in the wicked Statutes of the Kings which they had made so long till they were carried captives to Assyria 2 King 17.8 And had I time to mention all the wicked Statutes which have been made by means of the wicked Kings of this Nation and are yet in force it would make you stand amazed to think how They the Lawyers and Clergie together have abused the poor People But it would take up a Volumn to treat of this by it self and this Argument is so experimentally understood at this day that I need not enlarge upon it What cursed Laws are now in force to persecute the faithful Ministers of Christ for preaching to the People that they might be saved to murder the Lord's People by stifling them in Prisons and Dungeons where hundreds have within these three years perished for no other cause but praying preaching and hearing the Word of God and all this and much more because wicked men are put in authority For had the People obeyed the Law of God and chosen such to rule as were just and fearing God this would not have been 5. A fifth Argument is this If the chusing men destitute of the Spirit of Government be the way to make void the Law of God Then none such should be chosen But the former is true therefore the latter As wicked Magistrates will enact wicked Laws of their own so will they be sure to reject and make void the Law of God Why else do we see so many men pardoned for Murder and walk at liberty up and down the streets in the face of the Sun who by the Law of God should die and the faithful Servants of God and Friends of their Country laid up in filthy Dungeons How easie a thing is it for a Murderer if he hath money to get a
Governours If ever thou art Healed these must be thy Healers If ever thy Breaches be made up these must be the Repairers O take that Counsel of Jethro Exod. 18.21 Look out from among thy People able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness and make them Rulers If thou shalt do this thing then shall all thy People go to their place in Peace Vers 23. CHAP. V. Treating of the Magistrates relation wherein is proved both by Scripture and Reason that Magistrates from the highest to the lowest are the Peoples Servants Such Objections as may probably be made against that Assertion answered and a few Inferences deduced from it I Come to the Relation in which Magistrates stand to the People and I doubt not through the Lords assistance to make it manifest that the fond conceit which the flattering Lawyers and Prelates have infused into the ignorant multitude of the Sacredness and Unaccountableness of the King is altogether inconsistent with his relation And because that 13th Chapter of the Romans is so much pleaded by the Advocates of Tyranny I shall begin with that The Relation of the Magistrate is plainly held forth by the Title which the Spirit of God gives him in that Chapter and that is A Publick Servant whereas it is translated Minister in the plainest term it is Servant Rom. 13.4.6 The word translated Minister vers 4. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in pulvere desudare It signifies saith Pareus a painful and laborious service like those that by hard travel raise the dust with their feet And as it signifies a laborious so many times a low service in comparison of many others Rom. 16.1 Phebe a woman is called Servant of the Church at Cenchrea The Women are said to minister unto Christ and the company in the house Mat. 8.15 Mat. 27.55 So John 12.2 Martha served that is she waited at Table in all these places the same Word is used and signifies a mean service and indeed the service which this word doth properly signifie is a Service in the Dust So that that word imports a painful and humble Service The other word ver 6. translated Ministers should have been translated Publick Servants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 publicus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opus publick Workmen or Servants The Magistrate hath his name not from Idleness but painfulness The word is sometims applied to a mean service as 2 Sam. 13.18 Amnons Servant The Septuagent renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Illiricus in his Clavis Scriptura sayes that the word doth most properly signifie a Service that is laborious And it is applyed to Epaphroditus Phil. 2.15 a Messenger that carried the Churches relief to Paul You see then what a Magistrate is by the Titles the Spirit of God gives him A publick and painful Servant But the Question will be to whom is the Magistrate Servant none will deny but he is the Servant of God but few understand what he is to the People in general and to themselves in particular as members of the whole know then that he is a Servant Of God and To thee Rom. 13.4 The Relation of the Magistrate is in those words briefly fully and clearly held out Observe the Apostle doth not say he is a Servant of God for thy good but to make it plain that he is a Servant to the People also he saith he is a Servant Of God To thee for good thereby most excellently representing not only the End of Magistrates in those words For good but also the relation they stand in both to God and the People in those words he is a Servant Of God To thee and though this may perhaps seem strange to some that the Magistrate should be a Servant to the People in general and themselves in particular yet this Scripture doth not go alone but there are more than two witnesses to confirm it although one Scripture is a sufficient proof in it self because God who is the author of it cannot lye I shall therefore mention some other Scriptures for confirmation of it Acts. 13.36 It is said that David King of Israel Served his Generation The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports a Service full of labour and care it is a metaphor taken from those persons that work at the Oars and is substantially applyed to in-inferior Servants of the Commonwealth as Mat. 5.25 lest the Judge deliver thee to the Officer that is the Jailor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Mark 14.65 the Servants strook Christ that is the inferior Officers that attended the Court and without doubt a King is as truly a Servant to the Commonwealth as a Jailor Bayliff or any other publick Servant and therefore hath the Spirit of God applyed the same expression to him as he hath to them And if we read Davids behaviour to the People we shall find that he well understood and kept his relation of Servant to them for when he had made an unadvised resolution to go out in person and leave the City which was neither safe for him nor them they tell him plainly that he shall not go forth whereupon the King submitted to them with this humble answer which well became the Peoples Servant That which seemeth you best will I do as if he should have said it seems best to me to go in person and I had fully resolved it but you say it is better for me to succor you out of the City I submit my Judgement to yours and my Will to yours and that which seems best to you will I do 2 Sam. 18.1 to 6. So when he had a desire to bring the Ark of God back again in a publick manner he asks the Peoples consent first David said unto all the Congregation If it seem good unto you let us send c. 1 Chron. 13.2 And indeed common reason will tell us that it is fitter one man should submit to the Judgement of many thousands I mean in things lawful rather than they to him Rehoboams wise Counsellors the old men that had stood before his Father were not ignorant of this they knew the King was the Peoples Servant and therefore they perswaded him to acknowledge himself to be the Peoples Servant and promise to Serve them 1 Kings 12.7 and that was the way to establish his Throne but the young Courtiers like our Feather-men could not endure to hear of this they tell him 't is a dishonour to a King to be Servant to the People and counsel him to stand up for a lawless Prerogative and to daunt the People with threatnings but alas it was in vain the People understood their Priviledges and Liberties yea and duty also too well to be fooled out of all by great words if he will not submit to their just demands and do what seemed good to them as David did and be
I confess hath been traditionally handed from one to another and been received by those who see more with other men's eyes than their own But whereas it is pretended that Tyrants do us some good in defending us from Theeves and Murderers I cannot apprehend that it is but Gratis dictum for they are so far from defending us from them that they make Theeves and Murderers by destroying Trade and oppressing the People with unreasonable Taxes and Exactions and being patterns to others in Profuseness and Prophaness they daily encrease the number of Theeves and Murderers in the Land yea wicked Governours are the principal Cause of Theeves and Murderers 2. And no wonder they should make Theeves and Murderers for they are Captains and Leaders of that Troop Theeves and Murderers learn of them What are those cruel Exactions that they lay upon us to maintain their Lusts but publick Thefts and doth not the Blood of the poor Innocents cry out against them as Murderers yea surely the Voice of the Blood of those hundreds these men have murdered by filthy Prisons for obeying God's Commands cryes aloud against them Tyrants are the greatest Theeves and Murderers of all 3. We are not at all beholding to them for suppressing or punishing Theeves and Murderers now and then For first They are Partial some Theeves and Murderers they will not punish but if they have Money they may be easily set at Liberty by one subtil Evasion or other Secondly Those they do punish are most of their own making as I shewed before Thirdly And they encrease more continually hang one and make two And Fourthly They do worse themselves than those they do punish And Lastly If we were rid of Tyrants and Oppressing Governours we could take care our selves to set up such as would execute Justice impartially and neither rob nor murder us themselves nor suffer others to do it both which these wicked Rulers do 4. But the reason why we are commanded to be subject to Magistrates is not because they do us some good but because they are Servants to us for good Rom. 13.4 It is a madness to say they are Servants to us for good because they do some good Would you say he were a Servant for good to his Master that would rob him and take away his goods to spend upon his lusts and lay violent hands upon him if he should reprove him because he would work sometimes and keep other Theeves out of the house he is a Servant for good that fulfils his Relation and performs the duty of a Servant And so it is concerning the Magistrate if he do that good which a publick Servant to the People is bound to do he is a Servant to them for Good If he oppress enslave impoverish persecute them though he may do some good yet he is not a Servant to them for good and they owe him no subjection An oppressing Magistrate neither keeps his Relation of a Servant to the People nor answers the End for which he was made Their Good but makes himself their Lord and seeks their hurt and the little good he doth doth not compensate for the great Evil. We are commanded to be subject to the Magistrate not because of some good he doth but because he is a Servant to us for good indefinitely that is all the good which his Office enjoyns him to do us 5. The Apostle gives this reason why we should not resist the Magistrate because we need not fear him if we do well but shall have praise of him vers 3. now though a Tyrant may possibly do some good yet we cannot have praise of him when we do well nay we carry our Liberties and Lives in our hands when we go about the best Duties We cannot meet together to serve God as he hath commanded us but we are in danger of the loss of our Liberties Livelihoods nay and Lives also for many have caught their Deaths in Prisons of late Therefore this pretence of some good is but a meer airy notion instead of an Argument 6. And lastly The Apostle gives this for the reason why we are to be subject to Magistrates and pay them Tribute because they continually attend upon this thing that is doing justice and seeking our good vers 6. not because we receive some good from them as the pretenders affirm but because they make it their work and continual endeavour to do us good Assidue incumbentes some render it but I suppose it might better be rendred fortiter instantes the word denotes vehement perseverance they put all their might and strength constantly to the performance of their Duty But be that neglects the greatest part of his Duty and is careless in his Office or continually oppressing us though he may possibly do some good hath no right to subjection or tribute from the People So that you see plainly what kind of Power God hath forbid us to resist and what Rulers he hath commanded us to be subject unto A Power that is just rational and profitable to us but an unjust arbitrary tyrannical or oppressive Power he hath not commanded us to be subject unto Rulers Magistrates that execute Justice punish evil doers praise them that do well and are Servants to us for good we must needs be subject unto for Conscience sake but no command to submit to Tyrants or Oppressors The same answer is to be made to that in 1 Pet. 2.13 14. that though the Apostle commands us to submit to such Governours as are sent for the punishment of evil doers and praise of them that do well yet he doth not command us to submit to such as punish us for doing well or oppress us And so we are to understand all other Scriptures that speak of obedience and subjection to Magistrates they mean righteous Magistrates not Oppressors 2. A second Argument to prove that we owe the Magistrate no passive obedience in case of Tyranny or Oppression but may lawfully resist him is this That which the Law of Nature teacheth all men to do cannot be unlawful But Nature teacheth to resist all that come to Oppress or Injure us as well the Magistrate as others Therefore it cannot be unlawful If a Magistrate should offer violence to any Womans chastity and unless she should yeeld her Body to him threaten to kill her will not Nature it self teach her to resist him and defend her self if she can If a Magistrate who ought to Protect me and my Relations will come to Murder my Wife and Children doth not Nature command me to defend them and resist him Nature teacheth all creatures to resist injury and defend themselves one way or other and who would be so childish as to affirm that Reason teacheth men to lay aside Self-defence and suffer others to destroy us under a pretence of Authority If we consult with Reason it will tell us that the wickedness of a Magistrate in oppressing us who is our Servant to protect us is far
greater than the wickedness of one private persons oppressing another 3. We have several presidents in Scripture of the Lords People that have resisted wicked and tyrannous Governours David resisted Saul who sought his Life unjustly 1. He being Sauls Servant went away without his leave yea contrary to his will 1 Sam. 19.10 2. He raised an Army to defend himself 1 Sam. 22.2 If it be said they came to him voluntarily I answer that is nothing to the purpose for within Sauls Kingdom David headed an Army contrary to the will of the King He became their Captain the Text saith 3. It is plain that David made war in his own Defence Because the Spirit of God saies Those that came to David came to him as helpers of the War 1 Chron. 12.1 and vers 17. The Children of Benjamin and Judah came to help him 4. And the Spirit of God pronounceth a blessing on them that came to help David against the Tyranny of Saul vers 18. 5. And God himself took his part He helped him vers 18. The Lord takes part with the poor Innocent when they take up Arms in their own defence against Tyrants Object But this was an extraordinary Case David was anointed to be King to succeed Saul and therefore he might use an extraordinary way to defend himself which another might not have done Sol. Though David was anointed to succeed Saul yet he did not pretend thereby any present right to the Government or that he was thereby authorized to take up Armes against Saul but he justifies his practise by his Innocency 1 Chron. 12.17 He had not deserved to be so persecuted by Saul because he had done no wrong and what he did was in his own defence which the Law of Nature taught him to do and those that helped him came to him as an innocent oppressed man whose Life was sought unjustly by a wicked Tyrant 1 Chron. 12.1 they heard how Saul hunted after his Life and made him hide himself and therefore came to help him which I shall shew hereafter is no more than the Law of God requires the People to do to deliver the Innocent from the hand of the Oppressor Another president we have 1 Sam. 14.44 and 45. verses When Saul would have put Jonathan to death unjustly the People resisted him both in word and deed Saul had not onely said but confirmed it with an Oath or a Curse that Jonathan should surely dye The People say and swear the Contrary As the Lord liveth not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground And they made good their word for they rescued Jonathan that he died not So likewise Elisha defended himself against King Joram's Tyranny 2 Kings 6.32 The King swears he would have Elisha's head from off his shoulders before night sends a Messenger to apprehend him and follows himself at the Messengers feet because he would be sure to see it executed Was Elisha bound to submit to this unjust Sentence and yeeld his neck to the Tyrant who came to murder him under the pretence of his Authority Elisha understood himself better than so See ye sayes he how this son of a Murderer hath sent to take away my head Look when the Messenger comes shut the door and hold him fast at the door is not the sound of his Master's feet behind him Here was a violent resistance of the tyrannous Power of the King in his own defence The Septuagent renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bruise him in the door As for that pretence Elisha was a Prophet an extraâ—â—dinary person it is not lawful for another to do so because Elisha did it is scarcely worth an answer For Elisha defended himself as a man he pretended nothing extraordinary but resisted one that came to murder him which Nature would have taught any man in the world to do And indeed if there had been never an example of this nature in Scripture yet the very Light of Reason were sufficient to determine the case Yea the very Prelates and other Advocates of Tyranny are forced to confess That in many cases it is lawful not only for the body of the People or the lesser part of them but for particular persons to resist the King Obj. But doth not the Apostle command Servants to be subject to evil Masters as well as good and to take it patiently when they are buffeted for doing well 1 Pet. 2.18 Will it not follow much more that we must be subject to evil Magistrates as well as good and take it patiently when they punish us for doing well Sol. 1. The scope of the place shews the Apostle doth not mean an absolute or universal subjection in all cases whatsoever but in smaller injuries which may be easily born and put up for the sake of peace and quietness better suffered than resisted If a Master be froward cross and crabbed apt to revile his Servants and give them evil language they must not revile again or return the like language to their Masters which they receive from them which is the Apostles meaning as you may see by comparing ver 18. with 23. If a Master should buffet his Servant or as we commonly term it cuff him about the ears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if being cuffed The Apostle tells us what kind of injuries he means such common injuries as may better be patiently suffered than violently resisted But it would be a madness to argue from this place that if a Master should offer to ravish his Servant or if she cryed out to cut her throat or come with a sword to kill his Servant or with a club to knock his Servant down that the Servant ought to be subject and take it patiently So that if we should grant that there is the same reason why the People should suffer injuries patiently from evil Magistrates that there is for Servants to suffer patiently from evil Masters it would prove no more but this that we must submit to them in some smaller injuries which we may put up without any great inconvenience but not that we should suffer them to murder us or our friends to lay us up in filthy Dungeons till we are poisoned and stifled up with the stink of them or to beggar our Wives and Children to satisfie their lusts 2. But indeed there is no such reason why the People should suffer injuries patiâ—â—tly from Magistrates without resisting as why Servants should from their Masters and therefore the Objection is of no force For 1. God hath commanded Servants to suffer lesser injuries patiently from their Masters but he hath not commanded the People to suffer such things from the Magistrate 2. The Magistrate is not the Peoples Master but as I have proved before their Servant and therefore this place proves rather the contrary That if the People who are in truth and reality the Magistrate's Master should offer any lesser injury to the Magistrate who is their Servant he ought to suffer it patiently at their hands So that alwayes the very weapons which the Kings-men fight withal wound themselves Alas poor men they grope at noon-day and stumble at the light their own Arguments stab their cause to the heart Yea truly I would desire no more to prove the lawfulness of resisting a tyrannous and oppressing Magistrate than what they urge against it Obj. But doth not Christ forbid us to resist evil Mat. 25.39 Sol. This place forbids us no more to resist a wicked Magistrate than any other wicked man For there is not a word peculiar to the Magistrate in this command But suppose it were appropriate to the Magistrate it would prove no more than this that we are to put up some lesser injuries as that other place requires Servants to do from their Masters and not return evil for evil Which is evident to be our Saviour's meaning 1. By the occasion of these words Ye have heard it hath been said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth That is It hath been commonly judged lawful among you to revenge your selves and do to others what evil they have done unto you but I forbid this sayes Christ it is an evil thing so to do you shall not render evil for evil And indeed it is no more than Reason it self dictates for though Reason teach us to defend our selves and not suffer others to beat out our eyes or teeth if we can hinder it yet if a man should take an advantage and beat out my eye or tooth before I were aware it were not rational for me to fall upon him and return the same but right my self in a wiser manner 2. And the particular cases Christ mentions shew he means lesser injuries If one smite thee on the cheek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erasmus Hemsius Soultetus and other learned men as Leigh observes understand it of striking not with the fist but the palm of the hand a box of the ear And our Translators render the word smiting with the palm of the hand Matth. 26.27 Another injury Christ would not have us to resist with violence is If a man take away our coat or compel us to go a mile with him he means that we should rather put up small injuries thereby to win men to the Gospel than by contending with them or rendring evil for evil lose the opportunity of gaining them to God But if you would understand the words Resist not Evil to forbid all Resistance of Evil it were impossible for the World to subsist For if we may not resist those who come to murder us rob us burn houses ravish women carry away our children for slaves and do such like intolerable evils we must go out of the World for there is no living here I conclude therefore that this place doth not forbid a private person to resist any great and unsufferable Evil which may be offered to the Life Liberty or Estate of himself or others much less doth it forbid the People to resist a Cruel and Tyrannous Governour who by his Office is bound to protect them and yet most perfidiously and traiterously doth oppress them murdering some imprisoning others for doing well impoverishing and enslaving all FINIS