in doing the evill they Command so nor may we rise up against them when they Command that which is evill And this is the Summe of Gods Truth and the Saints Practise in this case of Subjection to wicked Kings This to remove Prejudice and Misunderstanding now ad Rem 1. No Cause can justifie the Subjects taking up Arms against their King 1. No cause can justifie arms against the King We must know Satan deceives not more than when an Angell of Light and Rebellion prevailes not more than when it's pretence is Religion and Justice See that one Example of Absolon 2 Sam. 15. He steales away the Hearts of the People and how that Vers 6. First he possesseth them with an evill opinion of the King Vers 3. that he neglects the execution of Justice and then insinuates into them Vers 4. That if he were made Judge in the Land not yet seeming to ayme at the Crown he onely desires to be made a Judge in the Land them the times should be better If any Man had any suite or cause if he came unto him he would doe him Justice Vers 5. c. And then condescended to a winning Affability with the People he raiseth a most unnaturall Rebellion which he colours over not onely with the faire Pretence of executing Justice but also of preserving Religion and therefore he offers Sacrifice before the People And the better to countenance his Rebellion he makes use of Achitophell the great Councellor and others of the Nobles of Israel And if we look upon King David he good Man is put to as great straits as King Charles He is driven from the great City Jerusalem he is forc't to fly a farre off and glad that he can be furnisht with provision at Mahanaim at the bounty of his better Subjects And being at this distance he Assembles what Forces he can rayse and sends them out to suppresse the Rebellion of Absolon who as he brought upon the Kingdome the misery of a Civill War so upon himselfe the confusion of an unnaturall Sonne and a Rebellious Subject Here let me say to King Charles what Cushi said to King David since their case is not much unlike when he brought the News of the Victory 2 Sam. 18.32 Let the Enemies of my Lord the King and all that rise up to doe thee hurt be as that young Man is But that a pretended Cause how specious soever should justifie Arms against the King no Man will beleive Therefore I must goe a great way farther and draw the Cord much longer and make it appeare that no Cause how just soever truely and indeed can justifie the Subjects taking up Arms against their Soveraigne What cause more Religious than that of Religion What cause more Just than that of Justice it selfe Yet neither for the Profession of Religion nor for the execution of Justice may Subjects take up Arms against their King This is evident Ashur is the Rod of Gods anger yet must Israel be subject Nebuchadnezzar his scourge yet must Judah submit and be so farre from raising Arms against him that they must pray for his Peace Jer. 29.7 In that 1 Tim. 2.1 Prayers are commanded to be made for Governours who were they not Christians but Heathens In that 1 Pet. 2.13 Honour the King Who was that Constantine the good No but Nero the Cruell And sure where God Commands Prayers to be made for Kings Horour and Obedience to be given to Kings he takes away taking up Arms against Kings though such as Nebuchadnezzar such as Nero Idolatrous and Cruell Blessed are they saith our Saviour who suffer persecution for Righteousnesse sake for their's is the Kingdome of Heaven Math. 5.10 not Blessed are they who rayse Rebellion for Righteousnesse sake that theirs may be the Kingdomes of the Earth And againe Vers 44. Love your Enemies blesse them that curse you and pray for them which despightfully use you and persecute you and the reason is ut Filii sitis That ye may be the Children the Children of whom Filii hujus seculi Children of this World no Flesh and Blood cannot endure this they are for another Way a Way of Opposition a Way of Rebellion but Filii Patris vestri qui est in Caelis the Children of your Father which is in Heaven If then to love our Enemies to Blesse them that Curse us to doe good to them that here us and to Pray for them who despightfully use us and persecute us be Godly Spirituall and Heavenly then to have bitter Envyings and Strifes in the Heart to rayse Civill Dissention and Division in the State is Earthly Sensuall and Divellish as S. James speaks ch 3. v. 15. S. Peter in 1 Ep. c. 2. v. 18. He admonisheth Servants to be subject to their Masters with all Feare not only to the Good and Gentle Alla kai tois skoliois but also to the Froward so our English pravis the wicked so Beza duris hard or cruell so Tremelius And if Servants must obey wicked and cruell Masters then must Subjects obey Wicked and Cruell Kings for the same relation that the Servant hath to his Master the same hath the Subject to his King And Beza's note here concerning the Servant may not unfitly be applyed to the Subject That though his condition seem in this case very grievous yet his subjection shall be so much the more accoptable to God si voluntas ipsius plus valeat quam Dominorum injuriae If the good pleasure of his will more prevaile with them than the injury's of their Lords Again in Rom. 12.19 Dearely beloved saith Saint Paul avenge not your selves If we may not avenge our selves upon our Equalls much lesse upon our Superiours and least of all that is not at all on him who is Supreame Comment in locum Ergo affligemur inulti shall we then be tyrannized over without Revenge Musculus makes the Objection and gives the answer adjecta est saith he hujus gratia assertio illa ego rependam For this cause is that Assertion added I will repay saith the Lord and a fearefull thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10 11. and ideo horribilius Regibus therefore the more fearefull for Kings because they have him alone to be their Judge and quid credimus judicem illum si non ultorem as Tertullian speaks Wherefore doe we beleive him a Judge if not a Revenger As for Kings then God will punish them Autocheir with his own hand which David knew well when he answered Abishai moving yea inciting him to slay Saul or suffer Saul to be slaine with a Deus percusserit God shall smite him but as for himselfe he would not stretch out his hand against him 1 Sam. 2.6.10.11 I could heape up Texts of Scripture to confirme this Truth but this one sentence of my Text may suffice where we have it propriis terminis a thing now a dayes so
of the Church to this purpose as the Kings of the Jews had a Copy of the Law so now our Kings the Book of holy Scriptures committed to them at their Inauguration That as the King of the Jews was Custos utriusque Tabulae the keeper of both the Tables so ours also Custos utriusque Testamenti the keeper of both the Testaments Secondly the Preserver of our Peace 2. The Preserver of our peace preventing by his Wisdome or suppressing by his Power all Insurrections at home and withstanding and repulsing all Invasions from abroad Ver. 23. Hence it is that in the 34 of Ezech. the King is called the Shepheard of his people the Shepheard as pascere to Feed them regere to Guide them so tueri too to defend them to defend one from the other and all from the Wolfe Ver. 20. one from another the Leane from the Fat the poore from his Oppressor and all from the Wolfe the Wolfe the Enemy without the Fold the Enemy without the Kingdome In that 1 Tim. 2.2 we are commanded to pray for Kings Why that we may live Heremon kai ' Esuchion Bion a peaceable and quiet Life Heremon Bion a peaceable Life free from Civill Dissentions and ' Esuchion too a quiet Life safe from Forraigne Invasions This then is the King also ad nos to us the preserver of our peace 3. The Protector of our Laws as the Sunne is the Fountaine of Light The protector of our Laws so the King the Fountaine of Justice the Magistrates in the State like the Starres in the Heavens the Starres borrow their lustre of Light from the Sunne and the Magistrates their power of Justice from the King the Rule of which Justice are the Laws So that if any Magistrates shall violate the Laws they eclipse the Kings Justice and cast dishonour upon his Throne Which Indignity to revenge he hath the Sword committed to him by God and is appointed Vindex malorum Rom. 13.4 to take vengeance on them that do evill and this protection of our Laws is the preservation of our peace and defence of Religion the glory of both This then is the King ad nos to us the Defendor of the Faith and to that end especially he hath Huperochen his Excellency the preserver of our peace and to that end especially he hath ' Exousian Power the Protector of our Laws and to that end especially he hath ' Archen Principality or Governement or put them altogether as in good Kings they are ne're asunder he hath Excellency Power Principality for the Defence of the Faith the preservation of the Peace and the protection of the Laws of his Kingdom That the King is in se in himselfe this he is ad nos to us Now on our part is due to the King a full maintenance of his Royall Estate a full Maintenance is due non donum sed debitum not a Gift but a Debt For this cause pay you Tribute also so Saint Paul Rom. 13.6 from which Tribute Aquinas Comment in Rom. 13. though Aquinas will have the Clergy exempted ex privilegio Principum by the priviledge granted them from Princes for indeed no Man can remit a Debt but he to whom the debt is owing yet he confesseth it hath equitatem quidem Naturalem truely a Naturall Equity for it is Equity indeed if we will have our Faith defended our Peace preserved and our Laws protected that then the Excellency Power and Principality of the King should be maintained To see a Man stand bare headed we account an ordinary and usuall Signe of Subjection and what is it think we then to see a State bare headed the Prince who is the head kept bare not onely denuded of his power and Aurhority but also of his meanes and maintenance But what is the Subject excluded may not he stand up in the defence of the Faith the preservation of the peace and the protection of the Laws Yes rise up he may but with his King not against him for against him there is no rising up But what if the King neglects nay seduced by his evill Councellors opposeth the sincerity and truth of Religion may not the Subject then stand upon Religions guard and Defend the Faith even against the King himselfe Judg. 6. v. 31. Here I might answer as Joash did Let Baal pleade for himselfe let wicked Kings Patronize their owne Cause Thanks be to God we have no cause to complaine of our Kings wickednesse but of our own and so need not I pleade for evill Kings since God hath given us so good and gracious a King But because this is that which many pretend to countenance their unlawfull Armes I Answer That in case a King neglects nay seduced by evill Councellors opposeth the sincerity and truth of Religion the Subjects may not rise up against the King Vi Armis with Force and Arms but Precibus Lachrymis with Prayers and Teares the Weapons with which the ancient Christians overcame the cruelty of their Persecutors according to that of Saint Bernard Bernard Epist 221. Stabimas pugnahimus usque ad mortem si ita oportuerit We will stand to it and fight even unto Death if need be But how why heare the Father non scutis Gladiis not with Shields and Swords sed precibus fletibus ad Deum with Prayers and Teares unto God The Subject then may defend by Petition to the King and Prayers for the King By Petition I say to the King yet not as Caesars Captaine Petitioned the Roman Senate as Plutarch Relates it with his Hand upon the Pummell of his Sword that if they would not grant it that should give it And in case the King will not Grant not Reade not Receive a Petition then Vince serendo ouercome by suffering And if it be the Truth of the Gospell a Man stands for so that the goodnesse of the Cause will beare him out he must not refuse to undergoe goe Death it selfe and so obtaine a Crowne of Martyrdome to be a Martyr himselfe by Christian Patience not Martyr the State by Civill dissentions King Solomon was chosen by God to build the Temple because he was a King of Peace 1 Cron. 2. Sure then Beloved whatsoever Men may pretend God hath not chosen them to reforme the Church who are Men of War yea War against their King against a Solomon too War against a King of Peace To raise a Civill War is certainely to exalt Satans Kingdome and not Gods or the King every where as too sad experience tells us to settle vile Profanation no where to settle true Religion And if Petitions to the King will not prevaile we must use Prayers to God for Solomon tells us The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord not in the power of the People and he turneth it whethersoever he will He can move evill Princes to good in mercy to his People as he did Belshazzar and Darius as
well as suffer good Princes to be moved to evill in judgement to his People as he did David and Hezekiah yea as he can move evill Princes so remove them at his pleasure as he did Saul and Ahab But the full clearing of this belongs to the last part of the Text. Onely this by the way Since there are Men who are now up in Arms against their gracious Soveraigne least any should be led away with their faire pretences we must know That no Man ought to take up Armes but in the Defence of a just cause Note and in Obedience to a lawfull Command For as a Man must have a good Cause to justifie his Arms so a lawfull Authority to justifie his Cause which who so wants is not onely a Rebell but a Murderer as Bernard to the Templars Serm. 1. Concerning unlawfull Duels so may I say of him who takes up unlawfull Arms if he dyes Moritur homicida he dyes a Murderer if he lives Vivit homicida he lives a Murderer yea whether he lives or dyes Est homicida he is a Murderer Occ sor lethaliter peccat occisus aeternaliter perit if he lives he is spiritually dead in that he slew and if he dyes he is eternally dead in that he is slaine slaine without Repentance here then enter a serious Deliberation and no sudden Resolution Were the Cause as Just as is pretended though no Man will think to pillage Houses the way to reforme the State to deface Churches the way to confirme Religion formerly towling a Bell on the Lords Day hath been accounted a great breach of the Sabbath now sounding of Trumpets beating of Drums taking of Castles plundering of Houses on the Lords Day an acceptable and commendable Service Will any Man think this the way of Reformation no sure unlesse this Reformation must be another Creation and so require another Chaos of Confusion But suppose we yet the Cause as good I say as is pretended yet where is the lawfull Command of Authority As for Excellency Power and Principallity which must constitute this Authority The Scriptures allowes them to Kings denyes them to Subjects though Magistrates yea the highest Magistrates denyes them I say joyntly and together as in Kings For the Magistrate though ne're so high 1 Epist 2.14 he is the Kings Creature So Saint Peter and so his Power and Governement a Derivative The Subject may have an Huperochen an Excellency of Gifts yea Megisten Huperochen the greatest Excellency which makes him capable of being Councellor to the King but not a King But his ' Exousia and ' Arche his Power and Governement being only Delegate and Derived from the King it is not Consonant to Reason that they should afford a lawfull Command against the King For the King being the Fountaine from whence the Magistrates Power doth Streame how against Nature is it for the Streame to run backwards into the Fountain for the Power derived from the King to be exercised against the King So that whil'st Men take up Armes and prosecute a Civill War against the King in stead of Defending we see they destroy Religion in stead of Preserving they disturbe the Peace in stead of Protecting they violate the Laws and that in an high Measure and an hainous Nature Indeed if we aske whether there be any Cause that can justifie Armes against the King and any Authority that can justifie the Cause The Scriptures as shall afterwards appeare will say no the Fathers say no the best of Moderne Divines say no. What shall we say then or rather what shall we doe then Why Defend our Kings Person and he will Defend our Religion Preserve His Honour and he will preserve our Peace maintaine His Royalty and He will protect our Lawes Strigellus tells us That Alphonsus King of Naples his Embleme was A Pelican feeding her young with her own Blood with this Motto better applyed then of late Pro Rege pro Grege What was that Kings may be most truely Ours who Pelican like is now ready to spend His owne Blood for the redeeming His owne Honour and His Peoples safety and if ye now tread in His steps follow His Example in being ready to sacrifice your own Lives for the Honour of your King and the Peace of your Country if ye dye in the enterprise your Deathes shall not be Mortes but Immortalitates having made your peace with God an Eternall Reward shall attend your Temporall Deaths And here I passe from Quid What the King is to the per Quem by whom he is King 2. Perquem by whom he King 2. Per Quem by whom If we come to Solomons Proverbs we shall finde this per quem answered with a per Me Prov. 8.15 per Me Reges Regnant by me Kings Reigne by Me King of Kings and Lord of Lords where the per is not a meere Permission but a full Commission it is not that they Reigne by my Sufferance but by mine Ordinance for if we bring our per quem to St. Paul he will answer us with an Ordinatae sunt a Deo Rom. 13.1 The Powers which are are ordained of God Bring this per quem to the Ancient Fathers Lib. 5. c. 24. and Irenaeus will tell us That Cujus jussu homines nascuntur hujus jussu Reges constituuntur By whose Command Men are Created by his Command are Kings Ordained Tertullian in Apologet. tells us Inde est Imperator unde homo antiquam Imperator By him is the Emperour by whom he is Man before he be Emperour Inde potestas illi unde Spiritus from him he hath his Power from whom he hath his Spirit Hence it is that in 1 Cron. c. 29. v. 23. it is said Solomon sate on the Throne of the Lord in solium Domini not in solium Populi on the Throne of the Lord not on the Throne of the People Yea bring this per quem to the Heathen and such is the dictate of Nature that he will answer it with a per Jovem And it were more than a Miracle that among the Heathen as one hath well observ'd so many Princes should submit themselves to one and that one peradventure a Woman peradventure a Childe were it not that they did acknowledge a Divine Power which St. Paul more Divine-like calls Gods Ordinance which begat a Reverence in their hearts Hence it is that we owe Honour and Subjection unto Kings though wicked even because of Gods Ordinance for as the unfaithfulnesse of a Man cannot frustrate Gods promise as appears Rom. 9. so nor can the Wickednesse of the Person make void Gods Ordinance So that a King is nor a King because he is a good King nor leaves being a King when he leaves being good We give Honour saith Bishop Andrews well not proswpw but proswpwpoiw not to Man but to God in Man So that as contempt of the Magistrate the Kings Vicegerent is contempt of the King who ordained the Magistrate