Spirit when he saith As the Lord liveth and as my Lord the King liveth surely in what place my Lord the King shall be whether in death or life even there also will thy Servant be 2 Sam. 15.21 And they that furnished David with Provisions especially Barzillai the Gileadite according to this Gent. Doctrine and indeed his whole Discourse of this Matter is meer Enthusiasm as if God did all things without means might have been wiser and saved Charges and committed the thing to God to determine as he thought fit But I am weary of lashing this Doctrine with which none but poor weak crazy Heads can be deceived or vile leud and Atheistical men because it teacheth such Nonsensical Disloyal Unchristian and Unnatural Behaviour towards our King and Country Voluptuous and Effeminate Epicures indeed by this Doctrine may sleep in a whole skin as we say but if they do not betray they will do no service to the Throne and Kingdom in time of Difficulty And as much as I think the late King was to blame I cannot but pity him if all his Adherents were of this Gent. Mind But let God be true and every Man a Liar Is there no distinction to be made between Lawful Kings and Usurqers or Tyrants in Title And again between Lawful Kings having Authority and ruling according to Law and Princes that have Authority but are Tyrants in Exercise and would subvert the Ancient Government and rule Arbitrarily Again he doth not distinguish between God's extraordinary and immediate and his ordinary and mediate Providence between what he doth by his Almighty Power immediately and what he doth mediately by Men as Instruments and these Instruments are Good or Bad. And here should be considered in what manner he works by good Instruments and in what manner by bad And tho' this Subject is difficult yet surely the Primitive Doctors and Fathers of the Church made distinction I have ever thought that all Government in Church and State stands most firm upon its own Foundation Let us have true Divinity and true Policy once more in England for God's sake Fourthly I must consider what he saith to the Williamites And here what he saith P. 35. is true We are satisfied and highly pleased with the present state of Affairs But I observe here that he fails in the usual Complement and Address of a Gent. He might if he had thought of it have honey'd the bow with us as we say in our Country and at his first Aggress given us thanks for assisting in our several Callings and Places to preserve our Religion and that Church of which this Gent. saith he is a Member and our Laws Liberties and Properties But oh this Passive Obedience I have a mind to say once more that I would have it rooted out of the world because this ingenious Gent. and verily in my heart I believe a good Christian hath forgotten the common courtesie of the Nation and falls foul upon us with some morosity He saith VVe have appeared very pertly against the Doctrine of Non-resistance and Passive Obedience Very pretty This Gent. in Conscience could neither resist nor assist and therefore tho' he is glad of the Deliverance yet he cannot thank the Deliverers Well but at least he might be silent and not speak evil of those who with a good Conscience could and thorough God's blessing did deliver him from that Bondage under which he â—â—â—ned If I were in the mire and the greatest Villain upon Earth helper me out so far I would be thankful to him and own his kindness as not to expose him when I am not bound in Conscience But this Gent. design is to put an End to this unseasonable Controversie p. 2. Very well Why then does he assert and defend Passive Obedience as the Glory of the Church of England and the Bulwark of all Religious Kings and States against the rage of mutinous and rebellious Spirits who pretend to fight for God's Truth against the Laws and Governments of their Countries P. 36. This foolish and sottish Charge would move a stone as we say Surely he had a mind to provoke us and quicken this Controversie almost buried in the Grave of Silence I could here fairly illustrate and make it probable that Passive Obedience hath been I will not say the Cause but the Occasion of the Ruin of two Kings and of a Civil War and of the Church of England once and almost the second time for what reasonable man indued with flesh and blood can indure this Church Tyranny that in any case whatsoever we must not resist Would to God this Gent. would have been quiet Does he think that we will be beat out of our Senses once more and that so soon after our eyes have been opened I will rebuke him in the words of Job cap. 27. verses 5 6 7 8. God forbid that I should justifie you till I die I will not remove my Integrity from me My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Let my Enemies be as the wicked and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous For what is the hope of the Hypocrite tho' he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul I will stand by it there is no other way in Conscience to justifie our cause but by asserting defensive Arms in some Case But says this Gent. VVe had no disloyal Exhortations from the Press or Pulpit to perswade men to sight against their Prince nor had we any to perswade us to sight for Him but the thing was committed to God to determine as he thought fit P. 3. God a mercy Prejudice I Suppose our Reverend Fathers and Brethren can give an Account to the world of their own Behaviour without asserting God's Providence in this Gent. wild notion But for once I will write a Latin Sentence Turdus sibiâ—â—â—lum cacat Every man must Answer for himself I 'le blame no man that does not blame me But some Writings from the Press we had and from the hand of a Person who is now dignified in the Church if we are not all mistaken And he is highly approved of by His present Majesty and all the Clergy that are without Prejudice and honour real worth speak honourably of him As for our Gracious King the whole series of his Proceedings since He Landed on English Ground shews his most Excellent Virtues Justice Mercy Clemency Fortitude and Magnanimity And I am confident He can say what the Emperor Trajan said to a Tribune when he set him over the Praetorian Band delivering the Sword Vse this for me when I Command just things and against me when I Command unjust things And now with due Submission to my Governours in Church and State I come to the main Matter of Controversie First I assert That Defensive Arms are in some case Lawful and consequently that the Doctrine of Passive Obedience and Non-resistance is false This I
and Argument But this is not our Case I will state the Case Suppose a whole Nation Christian and the true Religion fixed by Law so that it is our Birthright and Property as it were and we have a Legal and Civil Right or Human Right as well as a Divine to our Religion and yet this is evidently Invaded by Evil Councellors about the King and he is drawn to destroy Religion If this Gentleman can shew any Primitive Christian or ancient Father and Doctor of the Church who saith in this Case it is not Lawful to Defend our Religion Laws Liberties and Properties I yield the Cause Otherwise we grant all his Examples and Instances as nothing to our purpose They shew indeed the Peaceableness Meekness Humility Patience and Faith of those Primitive Christians their Zeal and Affection for the Happiness of the Empire and their Submission to the Government Laws and Usages of their Country and to their Superiours in their most rigorous Execution of them to the destruction of them and their Religion which is called the Abuse of Power and Legal Tyranny in which case we also own Passive Obedience Secondly I differ from this Gent. about Conquest He would have King William a Conqueror tho' He claims not by it And so tho he was none of them that did or durst have resisted or rebelled against King James yet after his Desertion he forsook him P. 13. Answ If the Prince of Orange had designed an Invasion and Conquest as this Gent. calls it both he and we had been bound in Conscience to Oppose him because there is a Loyalty to our Country as well as to our King And Invasion and Conquest are dismal things as well as shameful But blessed be God He came not as the Enemy of our Country but as our Friend as our Joshua our Saviour to deliver us from Popery and Slavery He ventured his Life to save us from Oppression not to Conquer us Besides if he conquered King James and this Gentleman He did not Conquer those that joyned with him which were by far the greatest part of the Nation I am sure in our County multitudes Subscribed the Association to stand by the Cause with their Lives and Fortunes not to Enslave themselves by Conquest And then it followed That they humbly desired the Prince of Orange to take the Government upon him and Circular Letters were issued out for a Convention and that Convention or Parliament Elected him King and the Princess Queen and He accepted it as a Trust and all Government is a Trust and founded in Covenant as I have elsewhere proved and then we honoured Him and prayed for Him as our King According to those Exhortations in Scripture which order us to Fear God and the King Prov. 24.21 to be subject to the higher Powers which are of God Rom. 13.1 and to pray for Kings and all in Authority that under them we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all Godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2.1 2. All which are as much now due to Their present Majesties as to any that ever sat on the Throne It is true by His Affection to our Nation and Zeal for our Religion and Liberties he conquered our Hearts and will for ever reign there and He merits our Lives and Fortunes but it is not for the Honour of our Nation to say He Conquered us And indeed 14000 Men cannot subdue England by force which is properly Conquest We received him as sent from God with hearts full of joy and with chearful countenances And were it not for that Doctrine of Passive Obedience in its vast extent with which many devout Christians and many Learned Pious and great Bishops and Doctors through prejudice were possessed I will not say infected the whole Nation had sounded with Songs of Triumph and our Churches and Pulpits with Praises and Hallelujahs as if we had had Heaven upon Earth So great was the Mercy of our God in delivering us and our Posterity from Popish Ignorance Error Superstition and Idolatry and restoring our Laws and Liberties For my own part I was transported with joy and I care not if all the world saith as some said in Hosea his time c. 9. v. 7. The Prophet is a Fool the spiritual Man is Mad. But surely in truth and reason they are Fools and Madmen that reject so great Deliverance and Salvation out of fondness to a silly Opinion There need no Eloquence if I could use it our great Fears and imminent Dangers are Oratory sufficient Popish Judges Popish Officers in the Army Popish Priests and Jesuits at Court Popish Heads of Colleges in the University Popish Justices of the Peace Mayors c. with the Dispensing Power might well affright us And tho' we perhaps might have spun out a slavish life without great Persecution yet our Children could expect nothing but French Dragoons and Torture or voluntary Exile if not the Marian days of Fire and Faggot But as for those who plead Conquest for the King they know not what they do in making this Plea as a Learned Man speaks For if there were no other right neither Precedent nor consequent but meerly because such an one was stronger and got it and so holds it now then whosoever is strongest at any time he hath right and if a stronger than he comes he shall have right This is no good Divinity nor Policy to Plead thus That which subjects my Conscience to such an one is Submission upon some Compact Covenant or Agreement Besides this sort of Men by flattering Monarchs and deluding the People with crying out The King the King have wholly forgotten the very Heathens Lesson It is sweet and comely to Die for our Country that is our Laws Liberty Property c. I must confess Conquest makes way for Subjection as it did in Caesar over the Jews but I hope no man will say this is our case nor do they do their King or Country any Service who put the Controversie upon this Issue Thirdly I must consider what this Gentleman saith about God's Providence in disposing Kingdoms And here I must needs say that he is honest in the main but he hath not read and digested Divinity enough to handle this subject and therefore he is very confused And I will not arrogate so much to my self as to say I have sounded this depth which hath cost me some years study and yet I must admire for I am ignorant or unsatisfied about many things concerning God's Providence I will not at this time ingage in the Controversie between the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants God's Providence and Man's free acting are not inconsistent that is certain How they concur is most mysterious and the Highest Point in School-Divinity And I may safely say that it is above my strength to cut asunder or my wit to untie this knot But it is mine and every mans Duty to do God's Will and submit to his Pleasure who doth whatsoever pleaseth him in
Conscience Satisfied IN A Cordial and Loyal Submitting to the Present GOVERNMENT of King WILLIAM AND Queen MARY In Three Discourses Justifying the Williamites against the Jacobites The first being Animadversions on a Book intituled The Doctrine of Non-Resistance or Passive Obedience no way concerned in the Controversies now depending between the Williamites and the Jacobites The second on 1 Sam. 23.30 Then said David Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hands of Saul And the Lord said They will deliver thee up The third on Dan. 5.20 But when his heart was lâ—fted up and his mind hardened in Pride he was deposed from his Throne and they took his glory from him By TIM WILSON Rector of Kingsnoth in Kent Licensed and Entred according to Order LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers Chapel 1690. To the Impartial Reader Reader THE Justification of my own Actions in this present Revolution ingages me and the love of Truth constrains me to this Task What I have done upon the strictest Examination of my own heart I have done with a pure Conscience and with just abhorrence of Popery and Slavery And I am ready to Answer all Objections that may be made against those Principles of Government and unmoveable Foundations which I have laid I assert nothing but what agrees with the Reason of Man with the Word of God and with the Practice of all Ages in like Exigents I give to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods and I also justifie the Liberty of my Native Countrey And this occasioned me to make Reflexions upon the Discourse of this Gentleman For my own part I desire to Fear God with the most Devout I Honour King William and Queen Mary with the foremost and I love the Liberty of an Englishman with my whole Soul I confess I was zealous against Reading the Declaration of the late King in Churches First Because it was Illegal and seem'd to me to own Arbitrary Government and the Dispensing Powers Secondly Because it evidently conduced to the Change of the establish'd Protestant Religion and the Introduction of Popery as the National Worship But I was then and am now for the Ease of Tender Consciences only I would have all done Orderly by the Legislative Power of the Nation that is by King Lords and Commons Now as for this Gentleman I have plainly shewn his Mistakes about Conquest about God's Providence about the Lawfulness of Defensive Arms c. I submit the whole to thee Christian Reader Lay aside Prejudice Consider exactly Judge impartially and God be with us all A Justification OF The VVilliamites I Cannot but greatly approve the Design of this Gentleman which seems to be the Glory of God in asserting his Providence about disposing Kingdoms the Honour of King William in making him a lawful Prince the Peace of the Nation in perswading the Jacobites to Submission the Preserving the Reputation of the Church of England in allaying the heats and animosities of the Williamites c. And I will not accuse him of luke-warmness in neither assisting nor resisting the late King because he that is not against us is on our side in some sense And this was the case of Hundreds in England who could not sound the depth of these Doctrines and did not trouble themselves about Passive Obedience And no doubt many will commend him for his Prudence and calm temper in standing by unconcerned and observing which side would have Success But if all Men had been as wise as this Gent. or as subtle I fear we should have been over-run by Popery and Arbitrary Power before this day For who should help us not this Gent. nor any of his Perswasion because he must in no case resist Who should then invite the Prince of Orange over and Promise him Assistance Let Fools and Rebels do that this Gent. hath more wit and is bound in Conscience to be Passive Prayers and Tears are his only Weapons And I make no doubt for truly I believe him to be a devout Man but he prayed to God for Deliverance But when the Deliverer came joyn with him who will be him he must not assist nor resist Now in all others cases Divines call this a Tempting of God But let us see particularly wherein we agree and wherein we differ First It is agreed That the Prince of Orange now our Gracious Soveraign had just Cause to make War upon James the Second P. 5. And if he had a just Cause I will not say to invade us or the injurious Prince as this Gent. saith but to right himself and come over and help us to right then surely our cause was just also and it could be no Sin but a Virtue to joyn with him against our Common Enemies Secondly It is agreed That this Prince was no Subject to King James nor to any other Prince and consequently was no Rebel P. 5. And if He could not have Right without Force He might lawfully compel him by force to do what He ought to have done without it but would not Thirdly The Author very sensibly and pathetically represents the Tyranny Oppression and Grievances of the Nation He saith P. 5. All Protestants grant the late King's design was certainly to Extirpate the Protestant Religion to Inslave and consequently to Extirpate the English Nation And P. 16. He Persecuted that Church he Promised and was bound to Protect and did not treat us like Englishmen but like Slaves And P. 18. It may suffice to say in general Never any of our Princes so openly attempted the Ruin of an Established Religion or by more Illegal Courses than He. Nor Law nor Oaths nor Promises nor Gratitude could restrain Him He broke thorough all the Barriers God and Man had put in his way and seemed resolved to ruin us or himself c. And Pag. 23. All his Solemn Promises were easily broken or rather never intended to be kept at the very time they were made and all those He hath since made have been violated in Ireland where only He had Power to keep or break his word c. Fourthly It is agreed That the Doctrine of the Lawfulness of defensive Arms is not proper at all seasons or may be an unseasonable Dispute P. 2. And that very great Caution must be used lest the People Rebel and it is a sign of a crazy Nation when the Fundamentals of Government must be laid open But yet if it be a truth in extreme Necessity it must be manifested to satisfie mens Consciences And this Gentleman confesses P. 1. That the Doctrine of Passive Obedience was indeed dangerous to them that is Their present Majesties when He first entered England because all that believed themselves bound by it were obliged not to take up Arms for Him against King James and so consequently it deprived Him of their Assistance and for this reason I
words of our Royal Martyr of ever Blessed Memory King Charles the First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 295. with me Gods wise Providence we know often permits many Events which his revealed Word the only clear safe and fixed Rule of good Actions and good Consciences in no sort approves Let not the meanest in understanding mistake me I am not for Election every Reign but for Succession just as it is in England But I say Election is the true Title of all Government originally and this is the Foundation of all the various Forms in the World Power is Gods but the Form as St. Peter saith is an Humane Creation Constitution or Ordinance I never loved to lye for God's Cause it needs it not nor daub with untempered Mortar God forbids it For my part if I did not in Conscience believe that the late King by his Male-administration deserved what he hath suffered not only from the hand of God but also from the hand of his Subjects and that in this Revolution they are innocent who defended themselves and the Laws of their Country against his Arbitrary Proceedings I should think my self bound by the Oath of Allegiance to pray for his Restauration But because he hath broken his Covenant Coronation Oath and Promise I am sure our part of the Bond and Covenant is cancelled also And that Kings were at first by Election I prove thus in the words of a great Divine not much altered What first invested such a Family with Regal Power more than another It must be either God from Heaven designing it as David or man appointing it or taken by Force there is no fourth It was not the first and to say the third is right is an extream wrong to the King If meer Force can give right then whosoever is most forcible hath right It must therefore be something else What can that be but the consent of the People in Parliament to such a Family which is in effect all one with Election you may give it what name you will But saith this Gentleman P. 28. The Primitive Church in the best times took the words of S. Paul in their plain and literal sense The Powers that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. in Possession are ordained or ordered of God Rom. 13. They never formalize or make any Exception but Conquest Election Vsurpation were to them all alike if once the man was Established in the Throne Answ I will not here take occasion to consider what learned Criticks say about the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which he seems to lay some stress but they say it signifies the True or Lawful Powers nor will I expatiate in Analyzing this Text tho' I have a Discourse upon this subject by me And I have read such Doctrine as this in some Oliverian Pamphlets in our late Anarchy and Confusion And if occasion be I can produce one which perhaps this Gent. hath seen and hath been corrupted by it or by some like it But sure he never read this Doctrine in any Book written by any Divine of the Church of England I have before distinguished between a Lawful and an Usurped Magistracy according to the best Divines of all Churches that ever I read insomuch that I wonder at this Gentleman who professeth himself of the Communion of the Church of England According to this Doctrine it is a poor weak thing to be a Martyr or to suffer for Loyalty to our King or Country Whereas it hath in all Ages not only among Christians but also among Heathens by the light of Nature been accounted a most Heroick Virtue to lay down our Lives for these If this Gent. had been alive and of years to advise no Subject should have suffered with King Charles the First if he had been their Counsel I am so angry that if I knew Thieves designed to rob this Gent. House I would not counsel one Neighbour to assist against these Rogues but would commit it to God to determine as he thought fit as his Cant is P. 3. which vergeth very near to Blasphemy And this very Phrase makes me think that this honest Gent. hath been misled by some Fanatick Book I cannot think that he ran into this Error wittingly and willingly and deliberately he is a good Christian surely because P. l. he speaks against those that despise all revealed Religion and that sort of Men who have their All in this world and pretend to nothing in the next and therefore I must in Charity believe he hath the Hope of a Christian but I cannot but explode his Doctrine O put'd Divinity Phy upon this gross Machiavelian and Hobbean Policy But to be serious seeing this Gent. hath advised us I will return kindness for kindness and for once be so free with him as to advise him Good Sir In the fear of God review that part of your Discourse which concerns God's Providence and the Government of Kingdoms and States and learn to distinguish between good and bad perhaps your second thoughts may be wiser Consult with some learned and conscientious Divine and see if he will tell you that in the Primitive times their Loyalty was one of their lesser Virtues upon which they never valued themselves as you say P. 3. You discourse in so loose and extravagant a manner that I must beg leave to enter my Dissent and Protest against this Dose of Opium And I never read so much Poison administred with a good design before in my life And if any applaud you for this Discourse I will pray with our Church in the Litany Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us for surely we are not in our senses God save King William and Queen Mary from such Defenders of their Right and Title If you will not be admonished to revoke this in my Opinion you deserve to speak plain English for by God's Providence and King William's Protection we Priests of the Church of England breathe in a free Air. I wish all of us could see our own happiness I hope in time mens Prejudices will be removed and through the Clemency of His most Gracious Majesty chearfully perform their Duty I say you deserve not only to be Excommunicated the Church of England but also the whole Church of God for this wicked Error But I hope our English Blood is still Noble and will count it their Honour and the Glory of their Religion to die for their King and Country when occasion is and God shall call them thereunto And this is true Church of England Loyalty and approved by all the Churches of God But at the rate that you talk if Corah Dathan and Abiram had had success it had been God's Providence and Approbation and so farewel Moses If Absalom had been prosperous and in Possession of the Throne right or wrong see to thy house David What need we commend the Fidelity of Ittai that loyal Heart that noble and constant
the Magistrate Power or Authority to tyranize and oppress Secondly Because Governours are appointed for the good of the People Thirdly Because this is a violation of the Law of Nature First Because God never gave the Magistrate Power or Authority to tyrannize and oppress So that to resist illegal Oppression is not to resist God's Ordinance but mans Usurpation not the King's Authority but his Lust Hence the Prophet Elisha defended himself 2 King 6.32 Elisha sat in his house and the Elders sat with him and the King sent a man from before him and ere the Messenger came to him he said to the Elders See ye how this Son of a Murderer hath sent to take away my head Look when the Messenger cometh shut the door and hold him fast at the door Is not the sound of his Masters feet behind him He calls him the Son of a Murderer because his Father Ahab had killed God's Prophets and he was like him in disposition But that which is to our purpose is that he resisted the King's Messenger he calls upon the Elders to assist him as knowing that God gives no Power to Princes to punish the Innocent And therefore they may defend themselves There is First Private defence Secondly Publick Private defence is proved by this Text. It is lawful against a sudden and illegal assault of a Messenger sent by the King If against a sudden as one saith why not against deliberated and plotted for they are worse This example of Elisha is brought to prove the lawfulness of using force against a King in using violence Prayers and Tears are very good means against tyranny but they are not the only means To kneel down and say Lord help us and not stretch forth an hand to help our sevles is not to trust God's Providence but to tempt God and to try whether he will work a Miracle for our safety It is Presumption and not Piety so to trust to a good Cause as not to use all lawful means to maintain it Here is forcible Opposition allowed against a Messenger Commissioned by the King The Elders are desired to seize him This act of Elisha was plainly contrary to the King's Command Secondly Because Governours are appointed for the good of the People He is the Minister of God to thee for good Rom. 13.4 But if thou dost that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil He hath not Arbitrary Power but his Power is limited And this is the end of his Government even the welfare of the Kingdom Now if the Subversion of the Government be designed and the Destruction of the People aimed at by Evil Counsellors then the Law of God allows and the Law of Nature requires the People to defend themselves The Magistrate is the Minister of God He sustains the Person of God as a Legate as one glosses and as is the Lord so is the Minister But God doth not punish the good but praise them Therefore the end of Government is that we may live justly and quietly and that the Body Politick and Publick Honesty may be defended If these are violated in an high measure the People are not bound to stand still and have their Throats cut The Sword is to defend the good and punish the evil but if the Sword be used to the contrary then the People must defend themselves Finally The cause of the Institution of Magistracy is to defend and honour the Good This is the call that Magistrates have for they ought not to rule for their own sakes only but for the publick good And they are not possessors of an unbridled Power but with such as is for the safety of their Subjects Thirdly Because this is a Violation of the Law of Nature The Subject as several Authors speak may be said to take up Arms either First As an Act of Self-Preservation Or Secondly As an Act of Jurisdiction exercised towards his Prince The first way we say it is lawful The second way we contend not for it because Jurisdiction properly signifies Power of Office The Schools out of Aristotle saith Wendel Philos Mor. b. 1. c. 29. distinguish Natural and Civil right by the Properties He assigns three Properties of Natural right The first is taken from the Efficient For Natural right hath its Original and Authority from God who first put it into the Minds of men in the Creation and after the Fall also in some manner preserved it in the Posterity of the first Men. Hence it is called by Aristotle The first Right or the first thing that is Just The second is from the Force and Efficacy The Right of Nature is understood by all indued with a sound Mind and every where among all hath the same Force Hence it is immutable and cannot be abrogated The third is from the end The Right of Nature is chiefly referred to Honesty There are also three Properties of Civil and Legal Right taken from the same Arguments The first is from the Efficient Civil Right hath its rise and authority from men by whom it is constituted with common consent with probable Reasons taken from the Law of Nature or some Circumstances The second is from the Force and Efficacy This Right obliges no body before it is established and constituted but after it is established and confirmed it begins to oblige under pain of Transgression Hence it may be changed and abrogated The third is from the End It is chiefly referred to Profit tho' it presupposeth Honesty from Natural Right Here it will not be amiss to lay down a few Definitions and Rules for the more ease understanding what we mean by the Law of Nature First There is an Eternal Law which the Schoolman out of S. Aug. b. 6. Of Free Will describes thus The Eternal Law is the highest reason which we must always obey by which Evil Men deserve Misery and Good Men a good Life by which that which is Temporal is rightly made and rightly changed From this Eternal Law flows the Law of Nature And accordingly Aquinas tells us The Law of Nature is nothing but a Participation of the Eternal Law in the reasonable Creature And Grotius saith Culverwell describes it thus The Law of Nature is the Dictate of right Reason shewing that there is Moral filthiness or Moral necessity in some Act from the convenience or inconvenience or disagreement thereof with the reasonable Nature it self and consequently that such an Act is either forbidden or commanded by God himself the Author of Nature The Laws of Reason saith the ever-renowned Hooker Eccl. Pol. b. 1. Parag. 8 have these Marks to be known by First Such as keep them resemble most lively in their voluntary acts that very manner of working which Nature her self doth necessarily observe in the course of the whole World The works of Nature are behooveful beautiful without superfluity or
defect even so theirs if they be so framed according to that which the Law of reason teacheth Secondly Those Laws are investigable by Reason without help of Revelation supernatural and divine Finally in such sort they are investigable that the knowledge of them is general The World hath always been acquainted with them It is not agreed upon by one or two or a few but by all Which we may not so understand as if every particular man in the whole world did know and confess whatsoever the Law of Reason doth contain but this Law is such that being proposed no man can reject it as unreasonable and unjust Again there is nothing in it but any man having natural Perfection of Wit and ripeness of Judgment may by Labour and Travel find out And to conclude the general Principles thereof are such as it is not easie to find men ignorant of them Now the Primary right of Nature so called cannot be changed because it is written in the hearts of men as S. Paul testifies Hence it cannot be blotted out unless Nature be blotted out and Reason cease to be Reason No Pope saith a witty Author nor Prince nor Parliament nor People nor Angel nor Creature can absolve you from it This Law Tully doth not put on one Aspect at Rome and another face at Athens but looks upon all Nations and Persons with an impartial eye It shines upon all Ages and Times and Conditions with perpetual Light It is yesterday and to day the same for ever There is but one Lawgiver one Lord and Supream Judge of this Law God blessed for evermore Natural Right is that which a man knows and can execute without peculiar Institution And the Primary Right of Nature is that which to know and execute a man is carried by an in-bred impeius or motion whose Precepts are as it were born with us As for Example In natural Theology God is to be worshipped He will reward the good and punish the wicked In Oeconomicks our Parents are to be honoured In Politicks Defend thy self against force Hence are drawn these Conclusions First No man ought to hurt us when we are Innocent Secondly If any man indeavours to hurt us when we are innocent we may defend our selves Thirdly Neither God nor Man gives Authority to Governours to hurt the Innocent Fourthly If Governours hurt the Innocent they may defend themselves by the Law of Nature So that Rom. 13. is to be understood of Authority Power or Jurisdiction in it self according to the first Institution as also when it is lawfully laid upon any person For otherwise when it is either wrongfully taken or unjustly used it may be resisted in divers cases for then it is not Lawful Authority May Papists take up Arms with Royal Countenance and Privilege and Prerogative against Law and to destroy Law And may not Protestants take up Arms to defend their Laws Surely he must needs be full of Prejudice very malicious or very weak in his Judgment who cannot see the unreasonableness of the one and the reasonableness of the other All Nations in all Ages by the very Light of Nature have constantly defended themselves by force of Arms when their Princes have turned Tyrants and by their Instruments sought to spoil them of their Liberties Privileges and Estates What Nation ever denied Defensive Arms against the unjust Incroachments Invasions and Oppressions of their Princes to be Lawful In England the Barons Prelates and Commons took a Solemn Oath to maintain their Laws Liberties and Charter yea and to wage War against the King if he refused and to compel him to confirm their Charter in the year 1214. Likwise in King Henry the Third's days in the year 1258 and they threatned Death to all that resisted Again in the reign of King Edward the Second they confederated to live and die together for Justice and to their Power to destroy the Traitors of the Realm especially the two Spencer's All the Reformed Churches have taken Arms to defend themselves The Lutheran Churches against the Emperor Charles 5th and they were justified by Luther Melancthon and other Divines The Protestants in France defended themselves against the French King 1559. The Netherland Provinces against the Duke of Alva and the Spanish Tyranny And Queen Elizabeth King James the First and King Charles the First did countenance and aid all these Which any well minded man ought to presume they would not have done so constantly and deliberately if they had thought Defensive Arms had not been Lawful And Dr. Bilson who was a zealous Defender of our Church and Realm both against the Papists and against the Puritans in his Book of The True Difference between Christian Subjection and Vnchristian Rebellion Perused and allowed by Publick Authority P. 3. Page with me 279. saith I will not rashly pronounce all that resist to be Rebels The Case may fall out even in a Christian Kingdom where the People may plead their right against the Prince and not be charged with Rebellion If the Prince should go about to subject his Kingdom to a Foreign Realm or change the Form of the Commonwealth from Impery to Tyranny or neglect the Laws established by common consent of Prince and People to execute his own pleasure In these and other Cases which might be named if the Nobles and Commons joyn together to defend their ancient and accustomed Liberty Regiment and Laws they may not well be counted Rebels Fifthly The Doctrine of Passive Obedience and Non-resistance is the high way to bring in Popery and Arbitrary Power For if the King is a Papist and Zealous for the Propagation of his Religion the Jesuites who account Protestants damned Hereticks will never cease to stir up such a Prince to promote his own Principles and to discountenance those that resolutely adhere to the established Religion And what will Prayers and Tears signifie to such a Prince when his Prejudice or his erroneous Conscience or his Priests or his Desire of being Absolute or some such like Affections furiously carry him to promote the Catholick Cause as they call it Yea this Perswasion may tempt a just Prince other ways for all Kings have Flatterers to forget his Faith and Promise and to take such courses as will in the event ruin and subvert his Crown and Dignity I wish Experience did not confirm this Now to say We may and ought to deny Obedience to such Commands of the Prince as are unlawful by the Law of God as all grant yea by the established Laws of the Kingdom as few will deny This doth no way destroy Arbitrary Government but rather erect it Saith a Learned Author For Government is not said to be not Arbitrary because the Subjects may deny in word and so left to suffer For then the Turkish Government is not Arbitrary for when the Great Turk Commands his Subjects to do any thing if they will deny and suffer for their denial they may and do sometimes deny their Obedience If
there be Laws whereby a King is to rule which he shall command his Subjects to break and his Subjects are neither bound to obey nor suffer by him then his Government is not Arbitrary But if there be Laws made and he may inforce his Subjects either to keep them or break them and punish them at his pleasure that shall refuse and the whole Kingdom bound in Conscience to suffer whatsoever he shall inflict for not breaking those Laws then is his Government Arbitrary For Arbitrary Government is that whereby a Prince doth rule ex arbitrio which he doth when either there is no Law to rule by but his own Will or when he hath a Power to break those Laws at his will and to punish the Subject at his pleasure for not breaking them And in truth this latter is rather an Arbitrary Government than the former as it shews more Liberty in the will that it hath a Power to act when Reason perswades to the contrary than if there were no Reason disswading and else there should be no Arbitrary Government in the world For no State but hath some Laws whereby they rule and are ruled even the very Indians only here lies the Arbitrariness of a Government that notwithstanding the Law the Ruler may pro arbitrio force his Subjects according to his own pleasure In our present Case December 88. we may well consider these things First The Matter of Fact is evident That the King 's evil Counsellors Popish Priests and Jesuits have tyrannized over us and oppressed us in an high measure This is known to the whole Nation Secondly I believe in my Conscience that it is the most Heroick and Virtuous Action that Mortal Man can do to deliver poor Innocents from Tyranny and Oppression Thirdly The Prince of Orange under God hath been the great Instrument of our Deliverance from Popish Tyranny and Slavery Fourthly We ought to give Thanks to God first and then to his Servant our David the Captain of our Israel for saving us from our Enemies In short This Cause which I account God's Cause and the Cause of the whole Nation and the Prince of Orange now our most Gracious Soveraign whom I account God's Instrument have conquered my Heart and consequently shall have my Tongue my Pen the utmost of my Strength and Zeal Yea I hope through God's grace that I shall neither be ashamed nor afraid to lay down my life for the Protestant Religion and Interest and the Liberties Laws and Properties of my Native Country There are some Objections taken from Examples out of Scripture which seem to favour the contrary Opinion but I need not nor cannot consider them all and I perswade my self that they are obviated by what I have said And I am sure that he that confirms Truth by it confounds Error Yet I shall consider the main Objection See say many David's behaviour to Saul 1 Sam. 24. Ye know that King Saul persecuted David causelesly he sought his life for no reason David was a good and loyal Subject neither did Saul 's violence and persecution tempt him or prevail with him to change his Loyalty or forget his Duty David did but cut off the skirt of Saul 's Robe privily and his heart smote him for it And he said to his Men The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lord 's Anointed to stretch forth my hand against him And he hindered his Servants from hurting Saul And when he called to Saul he said My Lord the King And when Saul looked behind him David stooped with his face to the earth and bowed himself He called him my Father which is a Title of reverence Insomuch that Saul his Enemy was melted into kind Expressions by his goodness and righteousness Read and consider the whole Chapter at your leisure David heaped Coals of fire on Saul 's head as the Apostles Phrase is not to burn consume or destroy him but to win him to a good Opinion both of his Innocence and Loyalty Hence they infer that the Supream Magistrate the King though he suffers his Subjects to be never so much oppressed is not to be resisted but we must submit with Patience commit our Cause to God by Prayer and make our Appeal to Heaven who judgeth righteously and suffer our Throats to be cut or flee away leave our Posterity to Slavery and so expect a Reward in Heaven for suffering I Answer The Subject as several Divines say may be considered two ways First Divisively Secondly Conjunctively The Subject considered Divisively hath always applied himself to Prayers and Tears the oppression being only Personal and perhaps without remedy Some Inconveniences and Grievances will be in the best Government and we must not think to have all that we desire or perhaps may really deserve in this world And therefore we ought to get Publick Spirits and hate Private Designs and Self interest when it would destroy the Publick Good Secondly The Subject may be considered Conjunctively And thus when the Oppression is General and Universal almost then the People must look to their own Preservation all Government being for the good of the whole Body Politick And in this case the safety of the People is the Highest Law All Government and all Laws suppose this as a Principle or Foundation Again The Subject is said to take up Arms against the King either First As against the King's Person and of this we do not speak Thus who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless Hence it may be inferred That private Assassination of a Prince is wicked and abominable Secret or open Murder of any Man much more of a Prince is an heinous Crime We are taught by this Example that the hand is not to be lift up against the Magistrate but still David defended himself by force of Arms. Some Expositors as I find in the Author of the Synopsis say That David had Power to kill Saul Power was given by these words v. 14. The men of David said unto him Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee Behold I will deliver thine Enemy into thine hand that thou maist do to him as shall seem good to thee He that is invaded may prevent the Invader as Lessius and S. Thomas teach Lavater No Subject or Private person saith a great Divine may invade a Tyrant without lawful Defence tho' he hath occasion as David could indeed kill Saul whom yet he dismissed because there was not extream Necessity I will not saith he put forth my hand against my Lord for he is the Lords Anointed v. 10. For God knows to draw Tyrants to Punishment either by the ordinary Power of every Kingdom or by any other miraculous way The Consequence saith another rational Divine that follows from hence is clearly this That no private man in his own Cause for so was David's then by his own Power may seize upon the Person of a King in
I go on to the second general part of the Text Nebuchadnezzars Correction and Judgment He was deposed from his kingly Throne and they took his glory from him Here I shall shew these three things 1. By whom he was deposed 2. Why he was deposed 3. That it was just 1. By whom Nebuchadnezzar was deposed 1. By God 2. By his Subjects 1. He was deposed by God Tho' God is not the Author of the evil of sin yet he is the principal Efficient in the evil of punishment Now this was the punishment of the King for his Pride Oppression and Impiety And the Prophet tells Psal 75.6 7. Promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South But God is the Judge he putteth down one and setteth up another This the King acknowledgeth c. 4. v. 2 3. I thought it good to shew the signs and the wonders that the high God hath wrought towards me How great are his signs and how mighty are his wonders his Kingdom is everlasting and his Dominion is from generation to generation And v. 17. This matter is by the Decree of the Watchers and the Demand by the word of the holy ones The Watchers that is the Angels of God who are God's Instruments and Servants in punishing the evil and rewarding the good See v. 31 32. God who gives grace to the humble resists or fights against the proud This may comfort those that are oppressed God is the Avenger of all such I even I am he that comforteth you saith God by the Prophet Isa 51.12 13. Who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die and of the Son of man who shall be made as grass And forgettest the Lord thy Maker that hath stretched forth the Heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth And hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the Oppressor as if he were ready to destroy and where is the fury of the Oppressor 2. Nebuchadnezzar was deposed by his own Subjects They shall drive thee from men c. 4. v. 25. And if any say this is spoken neutrally Thou shalt be driven yet still here is the person understood be it spoken neutrally or impersonally Some body must do it And v. 33. He was driven from men By whom I answer He was either driven out by Tumult as it often happens to Tyrants or by the Conspiracy of the Nobles and Commons or by his Son Evilmerodach who as the Hebrews report affected the Kingdom while his Father lived Some think that he had oppressed and tyrannically used the Chaldeans Magicians and Wise-men of his Kingdom because they could not tell his dream See c. 2. v. 5. where he threatens that they should be cut in pieces and their houses should be made as a dunghill This Tyranny over their Liberties Properties and Lives ingaged them to depose the King according to the Law of Nature And this leads me to the second Why he was deposed 1. Because he was in a deep Melancholy and so unable to rule 2. Because he was a Tyrant and Oppressor and so his Subjects would not trust him with their Liberties and Lives 1. He was in a deep Melancholy and so unable to Rule See c. 4. v. 33. He was driven from men and did eat grass as the Ox and his body was wet with the dew of Heaven till his hairs were grown like Eagles feathers and his nails like Birds claws The sense is that his hair beard and nails were very much grown out because there was no body to cut them and he himself did not think of cutting them loving the likeness of beasts thro' black Choler or Melancholy His heart was changed from mans and he had a beasts heart given to him v. 16. He was not truly transformed into a beast as I believe but because his imagination was corrupt and his reason eclipsed thro' this adust humor he seemed to himself a beast And the most learned Physicians speak of this kind of Melancholy And our own Experience may confirm it in some of our own Age that have been troubled with Hypochondriack Passions and Melancholy He remained a man truly but Humane Sense and Reason as to the Exercise was taken from him 2. He was deposed because he was a Tyrant and Oppressor and so his Subjects would not trust him with their Liberties and Lives His severe and cruel Edict against the Magicians and Wise-men was intolerable and they could not but resent it See c. 2. Nebuchadnezzar dreamed and forgat his dream and yet would imperiously and tyrannically force his Magicians to tell the dream and the interpretation They make humble supplication to the King and tell him that no Ruler ever asked such a thing of any Magician or Astrologer or Chaldean None but God could reveal such secrets But notwithstanding the King was angry and very furious and commanded to destroy them This cruelty as it is thought stuck in their minds they treasured it up in their hearts and as soon as opportunity served were glad to throw off his tyrannical Yoke The word Magician to tell you that by the way among the Persians and other Eastern Countries at first was used in a good sense for a wise and understanding man for a Philosopher who spends his days in contemplation and meditation These were Astronomers and Astrologers or Mathematicians who by the influence of Stars and calculating Nativities foretold many strange things And for my part I believe there is much Truth and Innocence in this Art at least I am far from condemning so many wise men of all Ages But as for Sorcerers Diviners c. they are deluders of the People full of Imposture and Superstition And this sort of Diabolick creatures were forbidden by Moses Law Levit. 19.31 Regard not them that have familiar Spirits neither seek after Wizards to be defiled by them And Deut. 18.10 11. There shall not be found among you any one that makes his Son or his Daughter to pass through the fire or that useth Divination or an Observer of times or an Inchanter or a Witch or a Charmer or a Consulter with familiar Spirits or a Wizard or a Necromancer But to return This Demand and Decree of the King in it self was unjust for man though most skilful and most wise Lap. cannot reveal secret dreams especially already past much less their signification But some who write of Oneirocriticks do own that great Conjectures may be made from some certain and unwonted dreams A learned Author saith That the Chief Priests of the Chaldeans were addicted to Astrology And you will easily believe that Priests do not love to be oppressed and murdered without cause This was saith Synop. out of Calvin a beastly rage of the King because he demanded that which was above the power of man and that which the Chaldeans never arrogated to themselves Yet this was a reward of their arrogance because they assumed to themselves more than was meet 3.