84. doth freely acknowledge that according to the known Laws of England a Popish Prince when he is Lawfully possest of the Crown will be Inviolable and Vnaccountable as to his own Person and ought by no means to have any Violence offered to him This is something but it is not all 't is the Truth but not the Whole Truth For I have shewn by the known Laws of this Land that the People can make no Military or Forcible Resistance against the King they must not rise up against Him and his Armies in their own Defence the Laws have fettered and manacled them with the Slavish Principle of Passive Obedience they must not lift up their Hands against their Soveraign to oppose him or his Forces for they have no Right to the Sword but what he gives them except for private Defence no body without his Authority can Array them and by these Laws there are no Cases excepted no not the Case of a Popish Successor which makes our Authors Heart ake for not excepting of which in his Bow-Sermon he is so angry at Dr. Hickes But the Dr. as (†) P. 90. Ignorant as he hath made him in the English Historians was it seems better versed in the English Antiquities and Customs and in the Old Lawyers and Common and Statute-Laws of the Land than to make any Exception or Distinction where the Law makes none according to that Old Maxim Vbi lex non distinguit ibi non est distinguendum And besides the Dr. remembred what his Uncharitable Brother Mr. J. had forgot That according to the Act of Uniformity he had subscribed declared and acknowledged That it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King and that he did abhor that Traiterous Position of taking Arms by his Authority against his Person or against those that are Commissionated by him It was apparently the Design of the Three Estates in this Act to secure the Nation of such Ministers as would preach up the Doctrine of Non-resistance without distinction and whether the Doctor that hath so preached it or Mr. J. that hath so maliciously opposed it is more Conformable to the Act and True to his Oath let the World judge He granted as I observed before that the Person of the King is Inviolable and free from Violence but then as if he had granted too much he seems to retract it in part again For (†) P. 88. saith he with the Noble Peer whom he calls a Worthy Person one single Arm unresisted may go a great way in Massacring a Nation And p. 85. How far men may endeavour notwithstanding the Kings Person is Inviolable to save themselves when Princes will be the Executioners of their own Cruelty without breach of their Allegiance If they have a mind they may ask Ask of whom of Harry Nevil or Mr. H. or of which of the Heretick Lawyers Which of the discontented Enemies of the Prerogative will oblige the World with this New Discovery Or if Mr. J. knew it why did he hide his Talent and put the World to the trouble of Asking But I am afraid because he did not it is something he durst not tell some State-Mystery that his Great Assertor of Laws and Religion now with God told him was not safe to speak some Platâ—-Redivivus-Doctrine likely something that depended upon this Atheistical as well as Illegal Principle in England That all Power is Radically in the People and that the King is their Minister and not the Minister of God Whatever it was I will stand no longer guessing But having shewed that Passive Obedience is required in all Perfect and Regular Governments by the Common Laws of Soveraignty and more particular in this Realm by the Imperial Laws thereof I will proceed to enquire how far the Church and Ancient Churchmen have agreed with the Three Estates for I find that our Author makes much use of Ecclesiastical Authority particularly of our Reformers and of the Book of Homilies when they favour him but how far he will value them when they are against him especially in this Controversie between him and the Doctor about Passive Obedience I will not undertake to tell I will begin with the Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christen Man set forth by King Henry the 8th with the Advise of his Reforming Clergy who were the Compilers of it such as Cramner and other Martyrs who on the Fifth Commandment write thus Subjects be bound not to withdraw their Fealty Truth Love and Obedience towards their Prince for any Cause whatsoever it be ne for any cause they may Conspire against his Person ne do any thing towards the Hinderance or Hurt thereof nor of his Estate And afterwards they prove this out of Rom. 13. Whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist the Ordinance of God shall get to themselves Damnation And upon the Sixth Commandment No Subjects may draw their Swords against their Prince for any cause whatsoever it be nor against any other saving for Lawful Defence without their Princes License And although Princes which be the Supream Heads of their Realms do otherwise than they ought to do yet God hath assigned no Iudges over them in this World but will have the Iudgment of them reserved to himself and will punish them when he seeth his time So much for the Authority of Cramner Ridley Redman c. From whence I pass to the Book of Homilies which p. 104. he hath recommended to every Bodies Reading as one of the best Books that he know in the World next the Bible In the second part of the Sermon of Obedience Subjects are bound to obey them as Gods Ministers although they be Evil not only for Fear but also for Conscience sake and here Good People let us all mark diligently That it is not lawful for Inferiors and Subjects in any case to resist and stand against the Superior Powers For St. Pauls words be plain That whosoever withstandeth shall get to themselves Damnation Our Saviour Christ himself and his Apostles received many and divers Injuries of the Vnfaithful and Wicked Men in Authority yet we never read that they or any of them caused any Sedition or Rebellion against Authority We read oft that they patiently suffered all Troubles Vexations Slanders Pangs and Pains and Death it self obediently without Tumult or Resistance Christ taught us plainly that even the wicked Rulers have their Power and Authority from God and therefore mark the Reason it is not lawful for their Subjects to withstand them although they abuse their Power And yet Mr. J. in contradiction to this Book which he hath recommended as the best Book next to the Bible †Preface p. 8. saith That this Doctrine is Intolerable and contrary both to the Gospel and the Law of the Land But this Homily further tells us That the Vocation and Calling of Gods People is to be patient and of the suffering
by his deaths-wound (†) L. 25. c. 3. Amm. Marcellinus who was at the Battel says it was uncertain who threw the Javelin but that the (‖) Ib. c. 26. Persians shortly after did upbraid them for Traytors and Regicides having heard by the Relation of some of their own Revolted Souldiers upon an uncertain report That Julian was struck with a Roman Dart. But (†) Eutrop. lib. 10. p. 133. Eutropius another Pagan Historian who was then in the Field saith positively hostili manu interfectus est That he was slain by the hand of the Enemy and Festus Rufus and the (‖) Ab uno ex hostibus quidem fugiente cento perentitur Epitome of Victor report the very same (†) Lib. 3. c. 21. Socrates tells us That it is uncertain who killed him for some said that it was a revolted Persian but others that it was a Roman Souldier which was the more common Report But Callistus the Poet saith he who was one of his Guards and who wrote his Exploits in Heroic Verse saith that he was killed by a Daemon which it may be saith he is but a Poetical Fiction but perhaps it may be the real truth for the Furies by which he means the Destroying Angels have punished very many (‖) Lib. 6. c. 1. Sozomen saith that when he was killed the Air was full of Mist and Dust and Darkness so that no body could tell who the Horseman was who slew him but that some said that it was a Persian others that it was a Saracen others again that it was a Roman who was offended at him for bringing the whole Army by his Rashness and Folly into such streights (†) Theodor. l. 3. c. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For instead of taking Care or making Provision for so great a Body of men he led them into Desert places where they wanted both Guides Meat and Drink and they were lamenting and sighing for the sad Fate of the Roman Army when he received the Fatal Stroke (‖) Ibid Theodoret saith That no Body knew who struck him but whether it was Man or Angel certain it is that he was the Minister of the Divine Will (†) Lib. 8. p. 500. Philostorgius leaves the Fact between a Saracen and Roman and saith That many inclined to believe that it must be a Roman because the stroke was so sudden that no Body saw when it was given I have been more particular in shewing what all the Historians have said of the Death of Julian the better to set forth the Presumption Malice and Partiality of Libanius the Sophist and Magician who as our Author tells us was resolved to find out the Man that killed Julian and he doth it thus First he proves That it was no Persian because the King of Persia proclaimed a Reward to him that killed him but no body ever came to challenge the Reward From hence he concludes they were to look for the Murderer among themselves but who among them could do it but one of them who did not live according to his Laws and had conspired formerly against Him and then having an Opportunity put their Design in Execution It was apparently the Design of our Author in setting down the Conjecture of Libanius to perswade his Reader that he was a Christian who killed Julian otherwise why did he not tell us That this was the Single Conjecture of Libanius who was the Master of Julian and a Magician and a most mortal and spiteful Enemy of Christ and the Christians 2dly That his Conjecture is supported only upon his own Authority who saith That the King of Persia proclaimed a Reward to him that killed Julian 3dly That he asserts a notorious Lye viz. That the Christians had formerly (†) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plotted his Destruction c. But instead of this he brings in (‖) ◠6. ◠◠Sozomen justifying the Murder of Julian which indeed he doth not absolutely but from the Greek or Pagan Principles in answer to Libanius It may be saith he it was true that he who killed Julian was a Christian for it is not improbable that some one of the Souldiers might take into consideration how the Greeks and all Men to this day still praise the killers of Tyrants in former times as men that were willing to dye for the Common Liberty and delivered their Country-men Kindred and Friends And one then can scarce blame him who shews himself so brave for God and for that Religion which he approves These words of Sozomen are to be taken as an Answer to Libanius the Greek upon the Greek Principles for if according to the Greeks he deserved Praise who would hazard his life to kill a Tyrant for the Common Liberty upon the same Principles one would scarce blame a man who does the same for God and for the Religion which he approves But although the words were to be taken absolutely and not as a Reply to Libanius yet they are no Justification but only an Extenuation of the Fact The Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one would scarce blame doth still imply in strictness That such an one was to be blamed though the Provocation was very great But what if it had been certain that a Christian perverted with Greek Principles had killed Julian what is that to the rest of the Christians of that Age There was a very great number of the Murderers of our late Blessed Soveraign who was put to death as a Tyrant but yet it doth not follow that the Doctrine of Killing Lawful Kings when they turn Tyrants is generally approved among the English Protestants though it may likely be approved by some who as Mr. Hobbes hath observed have sucked in Ill Principles about Government from Greek and Latine Authors and I pray God our Author be not such an one else why should he so slily insinuate upon the bare Conjecture of one Antichristian Villain and Magician That he was a Christian who killed Julian even there where it was his professed Design to shew that they treated him like Barbarians that they had no Reverence for his Majesty but pursued him like a Midnight Thief or a Robber One would have expected such a Junius-Brutus-way of writing from a Bellarmine or Mariana a Knox or Buchanan rather than from a Minister of the Church of England who in her Book of Homilies which is one of the (†) P. 104. best Books in the World next to the Bible and to (‖) P. 101. which the whole Clergy of England have subscribed teacheth her Children (†) 2 Part of the Sermon of Obedience That it is the Calling of Gods People to be patient and on the suffering side and to render Obedience to Governours although they be wicked and wrong-doers and in no case to resist and stand against them But you will say in defence of our Author That he called the Murder of Julian a (‖) P. 60. Traiterous Assassination
we find the Proverb true by Experience That there is none so Blind as those who will not See I had almost forgot to tell the Reader that when I declared in the Introduction That I was well satisfied with the Authors Comparison of Popery and Paganism I had not observed that he seems to deny the Truth of this Proposition That the Church of Rome is a True Church of Christ only Corrupt This I thought necessary to observe left I should be thought to side with Mr. J. against the most Learned Reformers in the Particular which I declare I do not believing the Church of Rome to be a True Church as a Man that hath the Plague or Leprosie is a True Man If I were not of this Opinion I should be puzled to tell how the Church of England which was once as Antichristian as It came to be a True Church or how the Romish Church her self should come to be true if She did Reform I shall add no more but only tell the Author of Julian who Thraso-like hath Despised this Answer before he saw it That I as much Despise his Great Boasts Confidence and Hectoring I know are sometimes Serviceable to a Coward in Sword-quarrels but what Influence they may have in Conflicts of the Pen I am such a Novice in writing Controversies that I profess I cannot tell However if he or any other Person will make a Fair Close and Substantial Answer to what I have here written they will Oblige me by the Performance and the World may reap Advantage from a Plain and Solid Management of the Matters of Controversie between us But if instead of such an Answer as I hope this of mine is they shall but shuffle and prevaricate and take Sanctuary in Cavil Satyr and Scurrility I shall think my self obliged to pass over such kind of Replyes in Silence and Contempt THE CONTENTS THe Introduction p. 1. CHAP. 1. The Roman Empire not Hereditary p. 5. CHAP. II. Of the Behaviour of the Christians towards Julian p. 84. CHAP. III. Of the Behaviour of the Christians towards Julian in Words p. 93. CHAP. IV. Of the Behaviour of the Christians towards Julian in their Actions p. 115. CHAP. V. Of the Behaviour of the Christians towards Julian in their Devotions and first of their Psalms p. 126. CHAP. VI. Of their Prayers and Tears p. 137. CHAP. VII Of Julians Death p. 154. CHAP. VIII Shewing That the Christian Subjects of Julian practised Passive Obedience when they were in an Able Condition to Resist p. 164. CHAP. IX Shewing That the Former Christians before the time of Julian suffered as much or more than Julians Subjects did not only without but Contrary to Law p. 186. CHAP. X. Wherein is defended the Doctrine of Passive Obedience against Law p. 199. CHAP. XI Wherein are further considered the Reasons for Passive Obedience or Non-Resistance and wherein it is shewn that Resistance would be a Greater Mischief than Passive Obedience p. 239. CHAP. XII Wherein is shewed That notwithstanding this Doctrine of Non-resistance or Passive Obedience we are Secure enough of our Lives Properties and Religion p. 263. The Conclusion p. 282. For the Readers Ease in Examining my Citations I thought Good to give Him this Account of the Editions I have made Vse off Ignatius Oxon. 1644.47 Tertullianus Paris 1641. Cyprianus Oxon. 1682. Eusebius Hist Eccl. Paris 1659. Socrates per Hen. Paris 1668. Sozomen per Hen. Paris 1668. Theodoretus Valesium Paris 1673. Philostorg Valesium Paris 1673. Athanasius Par. 1627. Hilarius Par. 1631. Greg. Nazianz. Par. 1630. Epiphanius Par. 1622. Lucifer Calarit In Biblioth Partrum Gelasius Cyzicen Octavo Paris 1601. Lactantius Lugd. Bat. 1660. De Moritibus Persecutorum Oxon. Zonaras Basil 1557. Cedrenus Basil 1563. Suidas Col. Allob. 1619. Bocharti Epistola Octavo 1650. Versio Gregor Nazianz. citata p. 120. Extat in Biblioth Coll. Sion Plutarchus Franc. 1620. Tacitus Per Lipsium Antverp 1668. Eutropius Per Sylburgium Franc. 1590. Xiphilinus Per Sylburgium Franc. 1590 Herodianus Per Sylburgium Franc. 1590 Zosimus Per Sylburgium Franc. 1590 Libanius Par. 1627. Theophilus Antecessor Par. 1638. Ammianus Marcellinus Par. 1681. Eumenius inter XIV Panegyricos Paris 1643. Pomponius Laetus inter Hist Rom. Script In Oct. Editos per H. Steph. 1568. Aurelius Victor Lugd. Bat. Julius Capitolinus Inter Hist Aug. Scriptores Lug. Batav Fl. Vopiscus Inter Hist Aug. Scriptores Lug. Batav Trebell Pollio Inter Hist Aug. Scriptores Lug. Batav Lampridius Inter Hist Aug. Scriptores Lug. Batav Spartianus Inter Hist Aug. Scriptores Lug. Batav Book of Homilies London 1623. Acts and Monuments London 1610. The Tryals of the Regicides London 1679. The Reader is desired to Correct the following Mistakes of the Press P. 3. l. 23. read handing p. 27. l. 21. r. successful against p. 81. l. 14. for two r. three p. 88. l. 13. r. Legal Absolute p. 89. l. 21. for Zos r. Soz. p. 96. l. antepen that they did p. 119. l. 3. for that r. than p. 021. for credible r. possible p. 201. l. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 214. l. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 241. l. 6. r. only Subject ib. l. 31. controlling p. 252. l. 13. dele not p. 257. l. 11. r. yet let alone p. 296. dele while he p. 299. l. 4. for that r. which ib. l. 17. for safety r. duty Besides these there are many Faults in the Margent especially in the Greek the most considerable are Collected and Subjoyned The lesser Faults I mean in Spirits Accents and Letters of like Figure particularly the Mistake of the double Consonant ς for σ the Learned Reader will easily observe and I hope as easily pardon P. 7. l. 17.734 l. 21.736 p. 8. l. 1.736 p. 16. l. 13. consalutatur p. 21. l. 10. agere triumphavit l. 15. consulatibus p. 22. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 24. l. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 42. l. 10. l. 1. c. 26. p. 75. l. 27. pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 76. l. 5. Sozim l. 4. p. 739. p. 87. l. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 89. l. 12. Socr. l. 3. c. 3. Sozom. l. 5. c. 7. p. 103. l. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Ex Joan. Antiocheno Excerpt per H. Vales Ed. 1634. p. 845. p. 105. l. 10. lege c. 1 p. 137. Ibid. c. 1. p. 155. p. 108. l. 1. Gelas Cyz p. 148. l. 11 Socrat. l. 3. p. 167. l. 3. pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 188. l. 21. largiter p. 189. l. 2. hominem p. 210. l. 8. pro lex lege Rex p. 256. l. 14. antequam THE INTRODUCTION THe Apostacy of Julian the Emperor did not perhaps make a greater Noise in the Cities of the Roman Empire than the Short Account of his Life called Julian the Apostate did in the City of London at its First Publication It started from the Press as Racers usually do from the
have done in such a case but since it is not the only Expedient but such an one as is very disputable and dangerous too he was methinks too bold with their Beards in asserting That they would have set aside an Hundred such Titles to secure their Religion when other probable Means more agreeable to the Constitution of the Government were offered for the Security thereof In such a case the Fathers might have professed their Zeal for the Christian Religion and yet like our Loyal Addressers have made it their humble Request to the Emperor not to have passed the Bill of Exclusion that is but one among other Expedients and a man may be free in the Choice of means without being Guelph and Gibeline at once I am sure there is no such Contrariety in such Addresses as for a Minister of our Church to write such a Book as Julian to be Lamb without and Wolf within to wear the Churches Livery and yet in secret to list himself with her Enemies to pretend a mighty concern for Religion and yet to slander the Primitive Christians and scoff at the Doctrine of Passive Obedience this indeed is to be contrary to his Profession and to be Guelph and Gibeline at once CHAP. II. Of the Behaviour of the Christians towards Julian HAving shew'd in the First Chapter the Falseness of his First Principle That the Roman Empire was Hereditary I proceed in this to lay open all his other Shams and Falsifications by which to use his own words (†) P. 68. he hath glossed away all his Duty as a Christian Subject and broken all the measures by which all the Ancient Suffering Christians went in former Persecutions For first after he hath most artificially aggravated the Behaviour of the Christians against Julian and made it look like very Criminal and Barbarous then he undertakes to Apologize for them telling us That truly (‖) P. 68. their Case differed very much from that of the First Christians and that they were in quite other Circumstances (†) P. 71. The sum of all which is this That the first Christians suffered according to the Law of their Country whereas these under Julian were persecuted contrary to Law it being manifest that Julian oppressed them in a very illegal way He did not fairly Enact Sanguinary Laws but he put them to death upon Shams and pretended Crimes of Treason and Sacrilege c. And this their Suffering against Law he brings to justifie their seeming Misbehaviour and Barbarous Usage of him which after he had magnified to the height in Expressions not becoming a Divine p. 66. then he adds But for the Name of Christians he had better have fallen among Barbarians I shall not examine the Merits of their Behaviour towards Julian till I have proved that they were not illegally persecuted by him because this being once proved it must needs follow That if they broke the Primitive Measures of Christian Subjection and Obedience they are to be blamed for it and cannot signifie any thing as a Precedent for us to follow in case which God forbid we should be persecuted contrary to Law He tells us That (†) P. 66. they so treated this Emperor that one would have taken them to be the Apostates and most falsly and plainly (‖) P. 94 95. suggests like a Jesuit That they would have rebelled but that they wanted Strength What saith he would they have a few defenceless Christians do when they had lost their Strength Have they never heard a West-Country-man say Chud eat Cheese and chad it Nay he hath done his best to make it probable that Julian was killed by a Christian It is easie to guess whether all this tends His Reflections on the Behaviour of these Christians are to draw on his Reader and prepare his mind for what he hath said upon Passive Obedience and therefore to spoil the Precedency of their Behaviour in their Words Actions and Devotions and to shew to what little purpose he hath written 6 Chapters about it I shall here shew that Julian did persecute them legally because all his Orders and Decrees how unjust soever were legal and in particular that Juventinus and Maximus who he saith were put to death upon shams were notwithstanding legally put to death because they were put to death by the Sentence and Command of the Emperor who was an Absolute Soveraign who govern'd by Despotic or Regal Power and whose very Pleasure was a Law He may as well say That a Man who dyes in England legislatively by virtue of a Bill of Attainder enacted into a Law dyes illegally whereas by the English Constitution the King and Parliament or the King with the Consent of the Parliament are legal Masters of every mans Life and Fortune and can put to death whom they please In like manner what the King and Parliament or to speak in the words of Learned Chancelor (†) De laud. Leg. Angl. ch 9. Fortescue what the Regal and Political Power can in conjunction do here the Regal or Imperial Power could do alone in the Roman Empire where as Dan. speaks of Nebuchad For the Majesty that God gave the Emperor all People Nations and Languages trembled and feared before him Whom he would he slew and whom he would he kept alive and whom he would he set up and whom he would he pulled down This is most amply and elegantly set down by (‖) L. 53. Dio who tells us That all Power Civil and Ecclesiastical was in the Emperor the Consular Proconsular Censorian Tribunitian and Pontifical and that he had all this Power and Authority not by Force and Usurpation but by Law the Senate and People consenting thereunto That therefore all things were done according to the Pleasure of the Emperors as in Kingdoms and that though they were not called Kings and Dictators yet they had the Regal Dictatorian Power that by virtue of these Offices they had Power of raising Armies and Money of making War and Peace of making deposing and killing Senators and in a word of (†) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putting any man to death as an expiratory Sacrifice without Tryal who they thought injured them never so little in Word or Deed. Furthermore he saith That they were (‖) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above the Laws and free from all Legal Necessity and might do any thing having all things belonging to Absolute Regal Authority but only the Name of King This is the Sum of what Dio saith of the Imperial Leviathan to which the Civil Law agrees which tells us That (†) L. 1. T. 3. 31. T. 4. Princeps legibus solutus 4 Quod Principi placuit legis habet vigorem utpâ—te cum lege Regiâ populus ei in eum omne suum Imperium potestatem consâ—rat Quodcunque igitur Imperator c. Vid. I. L. 1 2. the Emperor was above Law that whatsoever pleased him had the nature of a Law because by
Side and that we ought to obey Governours although they be wicked and wrong-doers Afterwards it proves from the Example of David The we may not withstand nor in any wise hurt an (‖) Sam. Bochart Ep. ad D. Morley p. 80. Anointed King mark the Reason again which is Gods Lieutenant Vicegerent and Highest Minister in that Country where he is King He durst not once lay Hands upon Gods High Officer the King whom he did know to be a Person reserved and kept only to Gods Punishment A General Rule and Lesson to all Subjects in the World not to withstand their Liege Lord and King nor to take a Sword by their private Authority against their King Gods Anointed who only beareth the Sword by Gods Authority for the Maintenance c. Who only by Gods Law hath the Use of the Sword at his Command It is an intolerable Madness Ignorance and Wickedness for Subjects to make any murmuring rebellion resistance or withstanding Commotion or Insurrection against their Soveraign Lord. We may not in any wise withstand violently or rebel against Rulers or make any Insurrection Sedition or Tumults either by force of Arms or otherwise against the Anointed of the Lord or his Officers but we must in such case patiently suffer all Wrongs and Injuries referring the Judgment of our Cause only to God Here we have Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept for Passive Obedience Here we are taught that we must suffer all sorts of Wrongs and Injuries from our Soveraign without Resistance and withstanding of him and in this Realm I am sure the Soveraign cannot wrong or injure his Subjects but contrary to the Political Laws But to go on with this next best Book to the Bible In the second part of the Homily against Disobedience and wilful Rebellion David was fain to save his Life not by Rebellion or any Resistance but by Flight and hiding himself from the Kings Sight Shall not we being good Men as we are Rise and Rebel against a Prince hated of God and Gods Enemy and likely to be Hurtful and Pernicious to the Common-wealth Shall we not Rise and Rebel against so Vnkind a Prince nothing considering or regarding our True Faithful and Painful Service or the Safeguard of our Posterity Shall we not Rise and Rebel against our known mortal and deadly Enemy that seeketh our Lives No saith Godly David What shall we do then to an Evil to an Vnkind Prince an Enemy to us hated of God hurtful to the Commonwealth c. Lay no Violent hand upon him saith Good David but let him live until God appoint and work his End If King David would make these Answers as by his Deeds and Words recorded in the Holy Scriptures indeed he doth make unto all such Demands concerning Rebelling against Evil Princes Vnkind Princes Cruel Princes Princes that be to their good Subjects mortal Enemies Princes that are out of Gods Favour and so Hurtful or like to be Hurtful to the Commonwealth what Answer And now to use out Unanswerable Authors (‖) P. 111. own words I have been the more Copious in these Citations to shew that this is the stunding Doctrine of the Church of England to which all Orders of the Clergy have subscribed and Mr. J. among the rest The Church of England long since (†) P. 89. calculated and fitted this Doctrine for the use of a Popish Successor And if the Doctor hath been ill taught by his Mother the Blame is to be laid upon her and he is to be excused It is She that taught him to preach up Passive Obedience like a (‖) P. 81. Parasite Sycophant and Murderer Poor Man He sucked it in his Mothers Milk it was bred in his Bone and I fear it will never go out of his Flesh Nay to see what a sad Fate attends some Men he had the Misfortune to be bred in Oxford where Passive Obedience hath long been the Doctrine of the Malignant place as appears by Mr. (†) In the Preface to a Sermon preached before the House of Commons Gillespic one of Mr. J.'s Old Masters who called Preces Lachrymae the New Oxford Divinity which however is somewhat less Offensive than the Mountebank Receipt of Prayers and Tears Nay so determined was the Doctor by his unhappy Stars to imbibe that Slavish Principle that he was bred in the very same College where the Immortal Sanderson drew up the Vniversities Vnanswerable Reasons against the Covenant out of which Mr. J. hath (‖) Preface p. 3. taken the most witty Allusion in his Book where speaking of Passive Obedience without a Law to require it he saith It is like one of the marvellous Accidents of Transubstantiation which makes a Shift to subsist when it hath lost its Subject which is the very same Illustration that the (‖) Judicium Acad. Oxon. de faedere p. 66. Rex vel in propriâ suâ personâ coram corporaliter adest vel absens praesentiam suam supplet per delegatos quosdam sive commissionarios suos magni sigilli autoritate ad hoc deputatos quaevis alia praesentia realis aenigmatis instar est transubstantiationis monstro haud absimilis spectrum scilicet phantasma University made use of to set forth the monstrous Absurdity of pretending the Kings Authority and Presence where he was neither in Person nor by his Commissioner I think it not amiss to put Mr. J. in mind of his vain Distinction lest his Superviser should teach him to reply That the Imperial Laws above cited regard the Politick and not the natural Person of the Soveraign But to prevent him from flying to this miserable shift I must tell him That in the (†) Coke in Calvins Case p. 439. Reign of Edw. 2. the Spencers the Father and the Son to cover their Treason invented this damnable Opinion That Homage and Allegiance was due to the King more upon the account of his Politick Capacity than his Natural Person Upon which Opinion they inferred execrable and detestable Consequents 1. That if the King did not demean himself by Reason in the Right of his Crown his Lieges were bound by Oath to remove him 2. That when the King could not be reformed by Sute of Law that ought to be done by the Sword 3. That his Lieges be bound to Govern in Aid of him and in Default of him And which were condemned by two Parliaments one in the Reign of Ed. 2. called Exilium Hugonis le Spencer and the other in Ann. 1. Edw. 3. cap. 1. If I should produce no more Authorities but these already cited it were enough to shew the Concurrence of the Church and Church-men with the Three Estates of this Realm as to the Doctrine of Non-resistance or Passive Obedience but because I have undertaken the Doctors Vindication I will shew what brave Men before him have defended this Bloody Doctrine that so if he cannot be Justified he may at least be Excused I begin with
Revenge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to do one Injury for another His Soveraign injures him against the second and he will therefore injure his Soveraign against the first Table of Civil Government He will sin against the Laws Imperial because his Prince sins against the Political Well let him do so at his Peril 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both Senses he may be legally Hanged for it in this World and without Repentance will be Damned for it in that which is to come But in the third place The General Reason assigned for Not-resisting the Soveraign because he is Gods Vicegerent doth imply That to resist him is to resist God who hath made him Soveraign and set him above all Coercion and Force If the Nature of Soveraignty and of a Crown Imperial did not require that he should not be violently resisted yet the Honour of God whose Image and Substitute he is would require the Subject not to do so lest he should seem to resist God The King saith †C. 21. Agapetus to Justinian the Emperor in regard of the Nature of his Body is of the same Mould with every Man but in respect of the Eminency of his Dignity he is like unto God who is Lord over all whose Image he beareth and by whom he holdeth that Power which he hath over Men. And ‖ De re Mil. l. 2. c. 5. Vegetius saith That next after God the Emperor is to be Honoured and Loved because he is a Corporeal God I had made a small Collection of Testimonies to this purpose out Christian Writers to shew how the King is the Minister and Image of God but I have since found them all with far many more in Archbishop Vshers Admirable Book Of the Power communicated by God to the Prince To which I refer the Reader Hence it is that the Common Law of England doth also attribute unto the King the Divine Perfections Finch lib. 2. del Leg. c. 1. as cited by Mr. Sheringham Roy est le test delâ—bien public immediate desoubs deiu c. The King is Head of the Commonwealth immediately under God over all Persons and in all Causes And therefore because he represents the Person of God and bears his Image the Law attributeth unto him a Similitudinary Manner a Shadow of Divine Excellencies namely Soveraignty Majesty Infiniteness Perpetuity Perfection Truth Justice Now to assert that Soveraign Princes are the Vicegerents and Images of God is very agreeable to Holy Scriptures Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the Ruler of thy People God standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty he judgeth among the Gods I have said ye are Gods and all of you the Children of the most High Accordingly saith Jesus Joh. 10.34 Is it not written in your Law of Princes I said ye are God If he called them Gods of whom the Word of God there speaks say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified thou Blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God These Earthly †Addo haud dubiè regibus primariò precipuè convenire quod Scriptura magistratibus indulget Deorum nomen ut Exod. 2.1.6.22.18 1 Sam. 2.25 Ps 82.6 proinde Solomon Ps 45. quod quidem ad Christum refert Apostolus Solomonis typo adumbratum sed sensus typicus literalem non excludit imo supponit Itaque etiam Solomon suo modo fuit Deus nempe ut rectè Diotogenes apud Stovaeum Rex cum Imperium habeat nulli obnoxium sit ipse viva lex Dei instar est inter homines Eaphantus ejusdem sectâ—e Quod Deo quidem inest inest regi ut sibi ipse imperet unde vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nulli autem subjiciatur Proinde in suum regem quisquis insurgit est Gigas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sam. Bochart Ep. p. 84 85. Gods these Vicegerents and Images of the Almighty Soveraign these Anointed of the Lord must not be resisted by those whom God hath sujected unto them If they do wrong if they tyrannize it over their Subjects he will punish them and turn their Hearts if he see fit But their Subjects must not defend themselves by Violence against him they must not take up Defensive Arms against them because they are in Gods stead for whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God In that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie that Resistance is inconsistent with Subjection or to shew that a Subject to a perfect Soverain ought not to resist Thus have I branched the General Reason for Non-resistance into three and every one of them is common to the Regulated or Limited as well as the Arbitrary Soveraign and I know not what can be replyed to them but either to deny that the Soveraign is Gods Vicegerent and doth 〈◊〉 derive his Authority from him or else to assert that Self-Defence is enjoyned by the Law of Nature But to deny the Former will be to deny the Bible and contradict the Doctrine and Practise of the Primitive Christians the Acts or Parliament Book of Homilies and the Liturgy especially in the ‖ Thy chosen Servant Our King and Governour that he knowing whose Minister he is And that we and all his Subjects duly considering whose Authority he hath Collect of the Communion-Service for the King and therefore I will suppose that my Brother J. dare not do it and before he asserts the Latter I desire him to consult Dr. Falkners Christian Loyalty a Book which ought to be read by every English Subject I shewed him before out of the Second Part of the Homily of Obedience That Subjects are not in any Case to Resist or stand against the Soveraign although he be Wicked or a Wrong-Doer And now I will shew that the Principle into which I have resolved it is plainly taught in the First There our Late Soveraign King James is called the Gift of God there the Authority of Kings their making of Laws Judgment and Offices are said to be Ordinances not of Man but of God This is also asserted by Old (†) De laudibus Legum Angliae c. 3. Chancellor Fortescue in these words All Laws published by Men have also their Authority from God for as the Apostle saith All Power is from the Lord God wherefore the Laws that are made by Man which thereunto have received Power from the Lord are also Ordained of God And if all Laws of Men be the Laws and Ordinances of God then I suppose the Common and Statute-Laws of every Empire which absolutely forbid the Subject to resist the Soveraign are so too and I desire to know whether it can be safe for a Christian to be guilty of the Breach of those Laws But to return to the Homily it further teacheth us That the High Powers are set in Authority by God that they are Gods Lieutenants Gods Presidents Gods Judges ordained of God himself And if these Presidents
Rabble who in Riots Tumults and Insurrections for which they would never want Pretences were Resistance in any case allowed are able to do more mischief in a Week than ever any Tyrant yet did in a Year Indeed the Strokes of a Tyrant like those of Thunder make a great Noise and all places ring with it and it puts the World in great affright but yet alone and unresisted a Tyrant cannot spill so much Blood especially in a Limited Empire as would be shed by Resistance in a Defensive War for the Rage of the worst of Tyrants generally wrecks it self upon particular persons or parties of Men but in Civil War which is worse than any Tyranny all must suffer without distinction and however it may be called Defensive and at first be so designed yet it will certainly degenerate into Offensive and Rapin Bloodshed and Devastations will be the ordinary Concomitants thereof The late Rebellion among us was called by the Raisâ—rs of it and I believe verily intended by some of them for a War merely Defensive but it soon proved Offensive the Managers of it being forced in their own defence to seek Advantages to set upon the King as he did to set upon them Indeed when the Defensive Party is very much the stronger then the War if the Defenders please may be merely Defensive but when the Party Offensive is as strong or stronger than they then they cannot defend themselves without taking the Advantage of Offence Besides if we consider the Passions of Men set in Military Opposition one against another the Notion of a Defensive War like many Notions in Geometry though it may be true in the Theory ' yet it will be impossible in the Practise and therefore I cannot but admire the Wisdom as well as the Goodness of God in forbidding us to Resist or Defend our selves by Force against the Soveraign and his Forces because Defence doth so naturally degenerate into Offence These things considered I desire Mr. J. the fierce and almost blasphemous Opposer of Passive Obedience to consider Whether as he saith He (†) Pref. p. 11. hath honestly pursued the End of our Saviours Coming into the World which was not to destroy mens Lives but to save them For had our Saviour allowed Subjects under the pretence of defending themselves and their Religion to resist their Soveraign he had come indeed to destroy Mens Lives and as he said in another sense Not to send Peace on Earch but a Sword He had then indeed set Subjects at variance against their Soveraign and made the World for Rebels the worst of Banditi by the Gospel which had then been a Doctrine of War and not of Peace But this was not consistent with his Infinite Wisdom and Goodness and the Care which he had for Government and the Peace and Well-fare of Mankind Though Tyranny be ill yet he knew Resistance was worse and therefore he hath commanded us to lay down our Lives for our Religion but not to take up the Sword in defence of it contrary to the Imperial Law For all that draw or use the Sword without Authority from the Soveraign whose right it is to bear it he hath left obnoxious to the Sword of Justice and to incur the Punishment of death Put up thy Sword into its place saith he to Peter for all that take the Sword shall perish with the Sword Wherefore let Mr. J. talk never so much against a Popish Successor and let him have what Characters men please to give him nay let them suppose him to be a Complicate Tyrant and as Gregory saith of Julian to be Pharaoh Achab Hieroboam and Nebuchadnezzar all in one nay let the Spirit of Galerius Maximin and Maxentius come upon him yet I am sure it will cost fewer Lives and less Desolation to let him alone than to resist him but if it would not I had rather die a Martyr than a Rebel this is my Resolution by the Grace of God I can be content to be barbarously murdered I know to whom I must pay my Passive Obedience to my God and to my King the Laws of God and the Imperial Laws of the Land require it of me For though (†) P. 80. God approves our Religion and would have all the World to embrace it and hold it fast yet he doth not approve of Resistance that 's no part of Christian Liberty and he would have none embrace that And though (‖) Ibid. Protestancy is so far from being Criminal by the Laws of our Country that it is Death to turn Papist as it was to turn Idolater among the Jews yet Passive Obedience is part of the Established Protestant Religion as it was of the Jewish and the Laws of our Country God be praised for it make it Capital to resist Therefore I resolve by Gods Assistance neither to turn Papist nor Resist But if I cannot escape I will suffer according to the Gospel and the Church of England and Mr. J. hath the Liberty to despise the Gospel and the Church and to resist his supposed Tyrant if he will He may preach and practise Resistance but I am resolved to preach and practise Passive Obedience after the Example of the Jewish Prophets and Martyrs who suffered against Law and in my most Melancholy Prospect of things I can comfort my self with the hopes of a Reward for dying at a Stake which he shall never have for dying in the Field But for fear I should move the Indignation of Mr. J. too much by shewing the utter Inconveniences of Resisting and how it is a Remedy against Tyranny worse than the Disease I will endeavour to temper him with a few Words out of his next best Book to the Bible in the First Part of the Homily against Disobedience What shall Subjects do then Shall they obey Valiant Stout Wise and Good Princes and Contemn Disobey and Rebel against Children being their Princes or against Indiscreet and Evil Governours God forbid For first What a Perillous thing were it to commit unto the Subjects the Judgment which Prince is Wise and Godly and his Government Good and which is otherwise as though the Foot must judge of the Head an Enterprise very hainous and must needs breed Rebellion For who else be they that are most inclined to Rebellion but such Haughty Spirits from whom springeth such foul ruin of Realms Is not Rebellion the greatest of all Mischiefs And who are most ready to the greatest Mischiefs but the worst Men What an unworthy matter were it then to make the Naughtiest Subjects and most inclined to Rebellion and all Evil Judges over the Princes over the Government and over their Counsellers to determine which of them be Good and Tolerable and which be Evil and so Intolerable that they must needs be removed by Rebels being ever ready as the Naughtiest Subjects soonest to Rebel But whereas indeed a Rebel is worse than the worst Prince and Rebellion worse than the worst Government of
Answer to the Former Question to shew That we have all the Security against the King that the King hath against us even all the Security that any People in the World ever had have or ought to have an For first We have the Care and Providence 〈◊〉 God for our Security who is King of Kings Lord of Lords and the only Ruler of Princes For as Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar the most High ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men and giveth it to whomsoever he will The Wellfare of the Publick is much more the Object of his Fatherly Care than the Wellfare of private persons and he delights to see the Nations of the Earth Happy and will not let them be Afflicted and Oppressed with Tyrants but when Tyranny is necessary for their Punishment or Cure But much more is he concerned for his own Family I mean for any Nation whose People are part of his Houshold which is the Catholick Church He delights to see them Happy and were it not for their Sins he would always set such Princes over them as would be Nursing Fathers to them and the Church But when it is necessary for their Punishment or Reformation then he will suffer their Kings to turn Tyrants and when he doth so the People like the People of Israel must patiently suffer them as they do other Judgments and not rise up against them lest they be found guilty of Rebellion against God On the other hand when a sinful People turn from those Sins by which they provoke God he will set Just and Merciful and Valiant Princes over them who shall Love them and Protect them as their own Children and this he can do both ways either by taking away Good or Bad Princes or by turning of their Hearts For the Hearts of Kings are in his Rule and Governance and he doth dispose and turn them as seemeth best to his Godly Wisdom According to what Solomon said and perhaps upon his own Experience That the Kings Heart is in the Hand of the Lord as the Rivers of Water he turneth it whithersoever he will Jealous and Suspicious Men indeed may have a thousand Contrivances and Phancied Demonstrations to prevent or remove Evil Princes but when God shall see it fit to punish them that way he will in a Moment baffle and defeat them all And on the other side Princes may have a thousand Devises how to oppress or enslave their People but God whose Instruments they are can in a Moment overturn them and their Devices he can resist the Strength of the Strongest Leviathan as he said unto Senaccherib I know thy Abode and thy going out and thy coming in and thy Rage against me and because thy Rage and thy Tumult is come into mine Ears therefore I will put my Hook in thy Nose and my Bridle in thy Lips and I will turn thee back by the way in which thou camest Wherefore as the Princes best Security against the People is the watchful Providence of God So the same watchful Providence is the Peoples best Security against the Prince The same God who stilleth the Noise of the Waves and the Tumult of the People in defence of the King doth likewise still the Thunder and asswage the Fury of the King in defence of the People and neither could be safe one from the other unless God did Watch and Preside and as it were pitch his Tent between them both Wherefore as it is the securest way for a Prince to have Peaceable and Obedient Subjects to serve God whose Vicegerent he is So on the other hand the best Security the People can have for their Property and Liberty against the Prince is to obey God who setteth up one King and pulleth down another and changeth their Hearts as he sees fit I hope Mr. J. will not think me singular in this piece of Divinity because it is taught by the Church in the next best Book to the Bible to which he and the Doctor have both subscribed in The first part of the Sermon against Rebellion God say the Holy Scriptures maketh a Wicked Man to Reign for the Sins of the People Again God giveth a Prince in his Anger meaning an Evil One and taketh away a Prince in his Displeasure meaning especially when he taketh away a Good Prince for the Sins of the People God giveth Wisdom unto Princes and maketh a wise and good King to Reign over that People whom he loveth and who loveth him If therefore we will have a good Prince either to be given us or to continue let us by our Obedience to God and to our Prince move God thereunto If we will have an Evil Prince when God shall send such an one taken away and a Good in his place Let us take away our Wickedness which provoketh God to place such an one over us and God will either displace him or of an Evil Prince make him a Good Prince so that we first will change our Evil into Good For will you hear the Scriptures The Heart of the Prince is in Gods Hand which way soever it shall please him he turneth it Thus say the Scriptures Wherefore let us turn from our Sins unto the Lord with all our Hearts and he will turn the Heart of the Prince unto our Quiet and Wealth Else for Subjects to deserve for their Sins to have an Evil Prince and then to Rebel against him were double and treble evil by provoking God more to plague them Nay let us either deserve to have a good Prince or let us patiently suffer and obey such as we deserve Shall the Subjects both by their Wickedness provoke God for their deserved punishment to give them an Indiscreet and Evil Prince and also Rebel against him and withal against God who for the punishment of their Sins did give them such a Prince I leave Mr. J. to give the Church an Answer to this her Interrogatory and so proceed to the second thing which we have for our Security and that is the Conscience of the Prince For as the Princes Security against the Insurrection of his Subjects consists very much in the Conscience that they have of the Duty which they owe unto him So their Security against his tyrannical abuse of his Power consists as much un the sense of that Duty which he ows unto them He hath the same Principles within him to check his Passions that they have to check and bridle their and hath all the Moral Obligations and the Fear of God who hateth Tyrants to keep him from oppressing them that they have to keep them from Rebelling against him The common Principles of Humanity Justice and Equity are engraven by the Finger of God upon the Minds of Kings as well as upon other Mens and they cannot do wrong to any particular person much less to great numbers of their Subjects without undergoing the same uneasie Remorse that other Men do when they injure one another This hath been found by sad Experience in
Inspiratâ patientiâ illudunt Inspired Patience despise the Cross the Rack and the Wild Beasts and all manner of of Terrible Punishments To the same purpose speaks (‖) L. 5. c. 13. Neipsam patientiam sine Deo cruciatos tantos posse superare Quia deest illis inspirata patientia Lactantius When the People see men torn into Pieces with such variety of Torments and tire out their Executioners with unconquerable Patience they guess what the real truth is that the Consent and Perserverance of so many dying Persons is not in vain nor that any Patience unless it were from God could overcome such great Torments Robbers and men of robust Bodies cannot endure such Tortures without shreeking and sighing because they have not Inspired Patience but our Women and Children conquer their Torturers nor can the Fire so much as make them Sigh This is most exactly agreeable to what is taught in the Gospel as in 1 John 4.4 You are of Gâ—â— saith the Apostle and have overcome them because stronger is he that is in you than he that is in the World This I take to be the true meaning of that great Saying of (†) Ad Smym. St. Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is near unto the Sword is near unto God and he that is among the Wild Beasts is in the midst of God So saith St. (‖) Ep. 10. Ed. Oxon. Cyprian to the Martyrs and Confessors That Christ Fights and Conquers in his Servants That he is present at their Conflicts and upholds strengthens and supports them This made St. Paul speaking of his Sufferings say I can do all things through Christ who strengthneth me And when all Men forsook him at his first Hearing he said That the Lord stood with him and strengthned him 2. Tim. 4.16 So in Coloss 1.11 He prays That They might be strengthned with all might according to his Glorious Power unto all Patience and Long-sufferance with Joyfulness And in his Epistle to the Philippians saith he To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to Believe but Suffer for his sake Accordingly I find our Glorious Predecessors and Martyrs in Queen Maries Days making most grateful acknowledgment of the Divine Courage and Assistance which they received from Christ Jesus Christ saith Bishop Ridley to the Dispersed Brethren hath given unto you a Manly Courage and hath so strengthned you in the Inner Man by the Power of his Spirit that you can contemn all the Flatteries of the World And so in his Answer to Mr. Grindall As the Weight of his Cross hath increased upon us so he hath not nor doth not cease to multiply his Mercies to strengthen us And to Mr. Bradford Blessed be God who is the Giver of all Strength and Stomach in time of Adversity And in another Letter to him The Spirit bringeth in him Dr. Taylor in you and in your Company such blessed Fruits of Boldness of Patience and Constancy in the Lords Cause In another Thanksgiving unto God for his manifold Gifts of Grace whereby it is manifest that God did assist you mightily And in his Letter to Aug. Bernher I trust to God it shall please him of his Goodness to strengthen me to make up the (†) Rogers and Grindall were the other two Trinity out of Pauls Church to suffer for Christ So Bishop Hooper to certain of his beloved Friends In the Name and in the Strength and Vertue and Power of his Holy Spirit prepare your selves in any case to Adversity and Constancy Much more to this purpose may be collected out of the Book of Martyrs and the Martyrs Letters to shew how Powerful and Visibly Christ assists all those whom he calls to Sufferings as St. Peter most emphatically sets it out in those words If ye are reproached for the Name of Christ Happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you implying That the Spirit of God rested upon Martyrs and Confessors as the Glory used to do upon the Temple so that it might be seen by all the People according to what Eusebius saith of the Martyrs in the Dioclesian Persecution Then saith he we beheld the most admirable Forwardness and (‖) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 8. c. 3. Divine Power and Alacrity of those who professed Christ Hence he ordinarily ascribes their Courage and Boldness and Patience and Constancy to Divine Inspiration as in the Martyrdom of Apphianus of whom he speaks as of a Champion assisted with the (†) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Mart. Pal. c. 4. Spirit of God and acted by a Divine Power without which it is impossible to solve or give any satisfactory Account of the Gallantry of many of our English Martyrs in the time of Henry the Eighth and Queen Mary who were as Valiant Souldiers of Christ as ever suffered for his Holy Name How could Nicholas Peke for Example defie those who tempted him to Recant while he was burning in the Fire unless he had been specially assisted by God How could Dr. Taylor have leaped and danced for Joy when he drew near the Place of Execution and kissed the Stake after he had Pray'd unless God had inspired him with Courage Or how could Archbishop Cranmer without the special Assistance of God endure the burning of his Right Hand which he held immoveable in the Flame before his Body was touched Or which is yet more wonderful how could Rose Allen a poor Maid-Servant without the wonderful Grace of God endure the burning of her hand until the Sinews shrank without the least Complaint thanking God for it and bidding the Tyrant who held her hand over the Candle if he pleased to burn her Feet and her Head also Afterwards this English Blandina sang for Joy at her Execution And in general so wonderful was the Courage and Patience of our martyred Ancestors that the Papists ascribed it to the Devil as Julian the Apostate did that of the Primitive Christians to Evil Spirits thereby confessing that it was Supernatural and above the ordinary Strength of Man And to this Divine Grace of Inspired Courage and Patience I may also add the wonderful work of God in rebating or taking away the Sense of Pain from his Holy Martyrs in the time of their Execution according to what (‖) De Mart. Palest c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eusebius writes who speaking of the Courage with which Romanus the Martyr bore the cutting out of his Tongue He declared saith he by his Behaviour that there is always a Divine Power present with those who suffer Torments for the True Religion which lessens their Pains and strengthens their Courage And so in the Martyrdom of (†) Ec. Hist l. 5. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blandina he tells us she was plied with a Succession of fresh Torturers and Tortures from Morning to Night to the Astonishment of her Tormenters till her whole Body was shattered and mangled into pieces and during
the time of her Execution she enjoyed sensible Intermissions of Refreshment in which she was not sensible of what was done unto her and this hapned as often as she repeated the words of Confession I am a Christian and there is no Evil done among us So when (‖) Theodor. l. 3. c. 16. Theodorus was tortured from morning til night by fresh Tormenters at the command of Julian he declared to those who asked him if he were Sensible of what was done unto him That in the beginning he felt a little pain but afterwards a Beautiful Youth appeared to him who stood by him and with a soft and cool Handkerchief wiped the Sweat off his Face which so delighted him that he wished he had still continued under the hands of the Executioners Thus in our Martyrologies (†) Foxes Acts and Monuments An 1555. p. 1711. Thom. Tomkins the English Scevola whose hand was held by Bonner over a Wax Candle with four Weâ—ks declared afterwards to James Hinse That his Spirit was so wrapt up while his Hand was burning that he felt no Pain And Mr. Farrar told a young Gentleman (‖) Id. p. 1724. who lamented the painfulness of the Death he was to suffer that if he saw him once stir in the Flames he should give no credit to his Doctrine and as he foretold doubtless by Divine Impulse so he patiently stood in the Fire till he was knocked down with a Staff Thus likewise (†) Id. p. 1767. Thomas Haukes who had promised to give his Friends a Sign in the midst of the Fire if the pains of burning were so tolerable that a man might patiently and quietly endure them after a long and patient continuance in the Flames when his Skin was shrunk up and his Fingers consumed with Fire at last he reached up his Hands burning on a light Fire and with great appearance of Rejoycing clapped them thrice together So (‖) Id. p. 1172. James Baynham while he while he was burning at the Stake and his Arms and Legs half consumed he said Behold Oye Papists ye look for Miracles and here now you may see one for in this Fire I feel no more pain than if I were in a Bed of Down but it is to me as Sweet as a Bed of Roses We read of others who sang Psalms in the Flames as of Mr. John Denly at whom Story commanded the Tormenter to throw a Fagot which when he had done he told him scoffingly that he had marred a good old Song And of Thomas Spicer John Denny and Edmond Pool who praised God with such an Audible Voice in the Fire as astonished those that stood by Now all these things as the Apostle saith hapned unto them for our Example and were written for our Consolation if ever we should be called to suffer as they were We cannot likely meet with more Cruel usage from the merciless Papists than they found at their hands and if we do we shall be sure if we be not wanting to our selves to receive the same Gracious Aids and Assistances from God in all our Spiritual Combats that they and the Primitive Christians did There can no Tryal or Temptation take us but such as is common to Christian Men and hath hapned to them before us and God is still Faithful and will not suffer us at any time to be tempted beyond what we can endure but will certainly with the Temptation be it never so great find out a way for us that we may be able to bear it And if God be for us as the Apostle speaks who can be against us And if he spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not together with him also truly give us All these things Mr. J. may laugh and scoff at this Passive Divinity as he pleaseth but for my own part I am so fully perswaded that God will Inspire me with Supernatural Patience and Courage if he call me to suffer for him that the Dismal Scene which his and other Unchristian Pencils have drawn of a Popish Persecution do not affright or discompose me because I set the mighty Advantages of a Good Conscience a strong Faith in the promised Reward for Suffering a Zealous Love for God and lastly of his special Aids Assistances and Consolations against all the Difficulties and Torments with which alone they have painted Persecution and so tempering the terrible Appearance of the One with the comfortable and delightful Prospect of the Other I am no more concerned for a Po pish Persecution than for other common Calamities which happen to Good Men Nor shall the Fear of it by Gods Grace ever transport me beyond the Bounds of Christian Decency and Moderation much less make me write such a wicked Book as the Life of Julian which indeed would make me afraid to dye even for my Religion before I had renounced it and begg'd the Pardon of God and Man The Author of it had spent his time far better and more like a Primitive Christian and a Minister of the Passive Church of England if he had employed his Parts in writing a Book upon the Principles which I have here laid down to allay the Fears and quiet the Minds of the Fearful and Impatient Multitude by shewing of them That Persecution was not so Black as Sense would paint it nor so Terrible as it looked at a Distance especially to a People that had lived long in Ease Pleasure and Plenty but that God would assuredly give us Suffering Spirits if he called us to Suffering Times and thereupon to exhort them to possess their Souls in Patience and endeavour to prevent it by constant and hearty Prayer to God and forsaking those sinful Courses for which perhaps the eye of Infinite Wisdom sees that Persecution will be the most Effectual Cure This is the Design that I have had in drawing this new and compleat Landskip of Persecution and I am so well satisfied with the truth and certainty of these things that I have added to Mr. J's Pourtraicture of it That if it please God to suffer a Popish Prince to Reign over us rather than he should prove a Julian indeed to Undermine our Religion by Crafty Arts and tempt us out of it by Worldly Honours and Rewards I heartily wish for the Churches good that he may rather prove a Maximin or Dioclesian I mean a down right Bloody persecutor though I were the Proto-Martyr of the Cause I speak this not relying on my own Strength but on the Gracious Assistance of God in whom I trust that he will Inspire me with the boldness of a Confessor and the Patience Courage and Constancy of a Martyr whensoever he shall please to call me to Confess his Truths and suffer for his Holy Name In the mean time let the Event of things be what it will I shall wait the good Pleasure of God and carefully endeavour as my Safety obligeth me to prepare my self for Persecution