ten tribes is held forth as imitable we see what is the tendency of this mans Principles But no sound man will think the suddain and furious Rebellion of the ten tribes from Davids house upon the rash and furious answer of a young King was justifiable although the Lord in his Providence ordered it so And upon the revelation hereof it was acquiesced in and arms were not used against the dividing party and it would be consider'd also that they who made the secession were the major part of the body of the people But what is all this to justifie the insurrections of any lesser party of private people against the Magistrate and all Magistrates supreme and subordinate as this man would have them to do Every example recorded in Scripture is not imitable As to the revolt of Libnah 2 Chron. 21.10 this is reported in Scripture as a fact but is not justified and approven although it be said they revolted because Jehoram had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers This imports not the impulsive cause of the revolt or motive which they had before their eyes for in that same verse and period it is said The Edomites also revolted from him because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers and the Edomites loved not the true Religion But the meritorious cause on Jehorams part of that piece of judgement coming on him is pointed at as oft-times God punisheth mens sins by the sinful actions of other men against them the instruments are sinful but his justice is holy But let the Libeller tell us in good earnest if he thinks that the laying aside of the Presbyterian frame is the forsaking of the Lord God of our fathers and a sufficient cause for any one Town in the Kingdom to revolt from the King though he do not persecute them nor force them to his way as there is no evidence that Libnah was thus used shall a Kings swerving in that one point or if there be greater infidelity be sufficient ground of defection from him Cave dixeris Libnah was a City of the Priests Josh 10. perhaps much of the temper of this sort of men but their revolt was sinful because with the secession from the Common-wealth they fell off from the Church of God from Jerusalem the Temple and publick Worship and place of it which was as yet owned by God notwithstanding many corruptions the revolt is only recorded as done not as well done As to what he adds of the Practices Prophesies and manner of the late blessed Reformations and the Right and Constitution of this Kingdom afterward it shall be considered But it is a wonder that upon this point of resistance and taking arms against Kings he hath omitted Davids taking Goliaths Sword and gathering bands of men for his own defence against Sauls violence which because he medleth not with neither shall we further then to note what Beza in his answer to Castellio P. 20. sayes Davidis unctio ita eum à privatis distinguebat ut jure posset armis vim injustam repellere And it were to be wished that this Libeller who mocks at the exemption of Kings from punishment by Subjects as we will hear may let Davids word sink in his heart Who shall stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed and be innocent Now to draw to a close of this matter let these few things be observed 1. That whatever may be said of the lawfulness of defensive arms against the illegal violences and extreme oppression of a Prince who is not integrae Majestatis by other Magistrates to whom with him the protection of Laws and Liberties is jointly committed by certain pactions and conditions expressed that will say nothing to warrand the insurrection of any party of private persons against all their Magistrates acting according to Laws agreed upon by the Magistrates of all degrees and the body of the Community 2. That the late rising against and resisting the King and all Authorities in the Land was utterly unwarrantable not only upon the account of their being meer private persons who did take arms but because there was neither sufficient ground for that deed had it in its nature been lawful nor did they abide within due limits of an innocent defence The Author of L. R. tells us P. 329. When there is no actual invasion made by a man seeking our life we are not to use violent re-offending Again he saith P. 327 328. Private men must not presently use violence to the Kings servants till they supplicate nor may use re-offending if flight may save and must not use violent re-offending against the servants of the King but in the exigence of last and most inexorable necessity And P. 321. Any mean not used for preventing death must be an act of revenge not of self-defence And adds there That in paying tribute or suffering a buffet of a rough Master we are not to use any act of re-offending c. Now the world knows the life or blood of these people was not sought upon any termes there was no forcing them to idolatry to false worship nor frighting them to any thing of that kind upon pain of their lives only for their contempt of the outward Ordinances of God purely administred in an Orthodox Church they were put to pay such moderate fines as the publick Laws had appointed without any actual invasion of them or their persons they were the first aggressors and invaders wounding and murthering the Kings Servants and Ministers and seising on his chief Officer Napht. p. 137. confesseth they shed the first blood and first murthered the Kings Servants They had never before that essayed supplicating these in power for mitigation of their fines which was not forbidden them to do if so be they would have done it without tumults and combinations but being inflamed by furious Agitators they would flee to the Sword and provoke others to combinations with them And so spoiling loyal persons who would not concur with them and their hearts being full of much more mischief they marched on to mock Authority with armed Petitions as they had mocked God by sinful prayers to prosper their evil course as if he had been altogether such a one as themselves But not only have others but themselves also cause to praise God that they had no success in sin which might have been a snare and a stumbling block to them and others also It is Gods great mercy not to thrive in an evil way 3. All the people of God are to advert carefully to the dangerous principle of this Libeller and his adherents which is this all alongs his Book That it is as or more irrational and unlawful to suffer unjustly from the Magistrate so long as there is strength enough to act against him as it is to obey actively his unlawful commandments This doctrine cannot but be a source and spring of perpetual seditions under every kind of Government Civil and Ecclesiastical For thus
lead him to own a meer democracy which is the worst of Governments as the only lawful Government he placeth and fixeth the unpunâ—shable Soveraignty there Kings and Parliaments may be according to him punished by the people but they have a Power attended with impunity from men if they erre God must amend that onely we see where we are and that the resolution of all supreme Power is upon the people under God according to these mens tenets the rabble of the multitude against King and all Nobles and Rulers are instated in the Soveraignty under God yea Napht. goes further giving to any part of meer private persons power over King and all Magistrates and Nobles to judge depose and punish them or the major part of the people if there be strength enough and that uncontrollably upon their own judgement of discretion as we have heard and will hear further But now ventum est ad triarios we come to the great Guns whereby Napht. and his witnesses L. R. and the Apol. strives to batter down Gods order and to make soveraign Powers in the case of abuse of Power punishable by their inferiors and subjects a thing which all the Lords and Superiors in Scotland had need to look to for with as good reason may their tennents and vassals be exhorted to rise against them and take order with them when they think they do them wrong as subjects may be exhorted to rise against their King Lex Rex harps much upon the Covenant betwixt the King and the people and betwixt both together with God quest 14. and 40. asserting That the King is only a King conditionally and Covenant-wise that this Covenant giveth the people a coactive Power over the King to punish him if he fail in his duty and that if it be not performed on his part although it be but a tacite and implicite Covenant the people for their part are loosed from the Covenant These and many such Doctrines consequent on these he hath in these questions But Naph out-stripes his leader for albeit he also harpes upon that supposed Covenant p. 19. p. 30. and elsewhere laying much of the stresse of resistance against and revenge upon the King abusing his power upon that rotten foundation Yet he goes a greater length then L. R. doth for L. R. takes the Covenant as the warrand for the body of the people with their Rulers of inferior degree to resist and punish the King but Napth pleads the Covenant for any party of meer private persons to rise against resist throw down King and all Magistrates Supreme and Subordinate and in their Phineas-like motions to use the vindicative punishing reforming Power of the Sword especially in case of defection in matter of Religion such as he thinks the cause now to be And the great stresse of the business is still laid upon these Covenants tacite and virtual or expresse and it is pleaded the people or any part of the people have by that Covenant a joynt obligation with the King and all Magistrates lying upon them to use a vindicative and reforming Power in case of defection in Religion yea even against all back-slidden Rulers and the plurality of an apostate Nation There is a two-fold Covenant they talk of as the foundation of all humane Societies 1. the religious joynt Covenant between the King or Soveraign and people with God 2. The civil Covenant betwixt the King and the people Concerning the former it is Naph mind p. 18. That albeit the care of Religion toward God in a vindicative and punishing way and reforming it c. lyeth upon the King or Magistrates mainly he should have said onely for none can produce a commission but the Powers ordained of God for using the vindicative punitive and reforming Sword about which the question is now but only the Magistrate Yet there is a joynt obligation lying upon the people and every party thereof to vindicate and reform Religion in a publick punitive way even against all Magistrates and Nobles if they be the principal perverters and patrons of abominations and against the plurality of the people for sayes he 18. p. Idolatry perjury c. ought by all meanes n. b. to be suppressed restrained and severly punished So that if any part of the people do think the Magistrates all of them or the plurality of the people Patrons of abominations as in the present case he challenges them to be any private party that think they have power enough may slee to the vindicative punishing and reforming Sword and fall upon all Rulers and others whom they think to be in a defection and will boldly say that in truth they are so This is the mans fine Doctrine he conceals not his own intentions and his parties upon the account of the Apostasie which they now fansie to fall with bloody cruelty on all Magistrates and people too who stand in their way he shews his bloody teeth but God will knock out the teeth of this sanguinary Faction as he hath done Yea Naph runs yet higher for upon the conceit of setting up Government for Truth and Relâ—gion and Gods Worship as the main ends P. 16. he asserts The cessation of the obligation to the Government when there is a perversion in that great design of it and a returning of people to their primaeve liberty as he often speaks to erect Governments to their mind and to combine with whom they will as before we heard Concerning these things we say 1. That albeit it be Gods holy will that in erections of Civil Government his Truth sincere Worship and Glory in these should be mainly minded and intended by men and it is mens duty so to do yet it is clear that in many places de facto it is not so although men profess in the general aiming at Truth and right Worship yet there are aberrations in the particular 2. Albeit there be in the point of Truth and the Worship of God which de jure should be principally cared for in Government a notable perversion and swerving that doth not at all invalidate the Authority or Government nor break the obligation thereunto although it be injurious to favourers of Truth and right Worship For God so far regards the keeping of humane Societies in tolerable order that albeit the great duties of advancement of his Truth and Worship be not minded by Rulers yet he will not have the Common-wealths where justice between man and man is maintained for his Glory although Religion not minded as it ought to be casten loose nor will have men think themselves loosed from obligation to the Government albeit there be perversion in the managing thereof as to Religion for neither must they be heard who hold That civil Dominion is grounded on Grace nor they who say That infidel heretical or excommunicate Magistrates fall from their power or that the Subjects obligation to them ceaseth 3. It shall be easily granted that the people and every one of the
the Presbytery Otherwise what marvel is it that they be looked upon in the esteem of these who value them as involved in the guilty connivance and consent to all the vile things that issue from Napht. and his party And that this Libeller be looked upon as the common allowed Advocate of the Presbytery and who reads the Book will with some ground say crimine ab uno disce omnes Neither is it our design or will to grieve or give offence to the generation of the humble meek and self-denyed seekers of Gods face partakers with us of the same pretious faith and running to obtain the same prize of the inheritance with us however differing in judgement in some particulars nor shall we take them as partakers with this furious Author and his adherents For who can imagine that a meek people who hath the promise of Gods teaching should be so far transported as to take the circumstantials of Religion for the great and weighty matters of the Law and Gospel without which known and beloved none can come to God Who can think that an intelligent people should account that the concerns of Christs Kingdom and their own salvation doth lye with so much stresse upon this point that the weakest and most ignorant Minister shall have a potestative parity with the man of greatest Gifts Learning and Knowledge that the Minister weakest in his Prudentials should have equal Authority in mannaging the matters of Gods house with the wisest and one of the most noted prudence that the youngest rawest most unexperienced Minister should have as much power in ruling the house of God as the man fullest of years whose judgement is consolidated and ripened for Government and who hath for a long time given such documents of good and wise behaviour that makes him fitter to rule the younger sort then to be ruled by them Or who can see the prejudice to Christs Kingdom and pretious souls if such a worthy person as is described be intrusted with an inspection over other Brethren and Churches in a reasonable bounds not with a dominative or lordly power but paternal and fatherly not to do after his own arbitrement and as one unchallengeable in his actions but to be regulated by acts of the Church and Land and to be responsible to his Superiors in case of maleversation not to rule solly but with the consent and counsel of Presbyters Can this way be disrellished by sober Christians being so strongly pleaded by the light of sound reason making so much for the comliness and order of Christs Church being so suitable and correspondent to the antient Government of the Church of Israel where there were Priests and chief Priests and several ranks of Ministers an order which was neither typical nor temporal but hath a standing reason reaching us being so conform to the beginnings of Christs ordering the New-testament Ministry where there were Apostles above the seventy Disciples being so agreeable to the Apostles constitution of the Government of the Churches of the New Testament which was in an imparity of Power in Ministers as is luculently exemplified in the Power of Timothy and Titus who were no Evangelists nor ever accounted so by the Spirit of God And finally our ascended glorious Saviour having honoured persons invested with that precedency by Letters written by his Secretary John unto them Rev. 2.3 chap. wherein he shews the approbation of their office and power reproving their neglects yet honouring them with the stile of Angels to the Churches or his Messengers in special manner To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus c. which cannot without notable perversion of the Scripture be otherwise understood but of single persons presiding over Presbyters And this order Christs Church and dear Spouse having since that time retained in all places where Churches were constitute without exception in all times without interruption untill this last Age wherein through hatred of corruptions adhering thereto under Popery and because of the enimity of the popish Bishops to the Reformation some have utterly without any reason rejected the office it self Who can think that a Christian people will not readily follow the foot-steps of the flock in former generations Neither is there any intention to provoke any fearers of God who have been perhaps in an hour of tentation miscarried to irregular courses following too readily in the simplicity of their hearts cunning leaders who have had too much dominion over their faith these we judge worthy of greatest tenderness in dealing with them nor are we without hope that God who stills the noise of the seas the noise of the waves and the tumult of the people Ps 65. v. 7. will in time allay their animosities and rebuke the stormy wind and seas of their passions that they may be still and that he will bring them to consider their wayes wherein they have exceeded and give them to know how ill and bitter a thing it is to forsake their own mercies in the ordinances of God for the want or having of this or that form of external Government But these we aim at in this parallel with Anabaptists are the Naphtalian party i. e. the furious sort of these who under the conduct of this teacher and his like make sport of rebellions murders assassinations that have so hardened and harnessed their hearts as appears by their writings and deeds that they have become stout in a dedolent greediness to commit any wickedness which they account meet to serve their design as if their supposed good cause could legittimat the worst course who make no reckoning as their Doctor here professes of overturning Thrones making the Land drunk with the blood of the Inhabitants multiplying fatherlesse and widows in the midst thereof and introducing greatest confusions and calamities that may make all faces gather blackness and all to smite on the thigh crying alas for the day if so be they may upon the ruins of all erect the idol of pretended parity of Ministers which when they have set up the imperious agitators will as they have done formerly baffle if any offer be to level them to others and howsoever the weaker brethren must be entertained with fair words and noddified with notional disputes anent their parity with the best that they may think themselves somewhat yet how disdainfully was it and yet would be taken if these low shrubs should essay a practical parity with the tall Cedars in the Government of affairs Imparity was then without a title now it is with it and there is our change and great defection and surely that which hath been will be and there is no new thing under the Sun This furious Napht. coming in upon the back of the Apology as another invenomed Egg hatched be-like by one and the same Cockatrice the second justifying the rebellion to which the first did instigate and inflaming to more may let them who will not shut their own eyes see the mystery of Anabaptistical
pag. 105. that a Ministers external call is not in ordination by them who have power upon trial of gifts but in having such a visible evidence of the call of Jesus Christ as in reason and charity doth obliege all men to receive the person so called as truly sent These with several other points tending to Libertinisme yea and to the abolishing of the sense of grossest sins in people are vented here as may be seen in the progress But our maine work shall be to shew the face of this mans way and how Anabaptistical-like it looks in some particular practices wherein the similitude will hold without much halting that if he will not be he healed others may be warned 1. The Sect of Anabaptists laboured much as the learned men that knew them and dealt with them declare to overthrow Magistracy in the places where they lived they represented the secular powers unto the people as the ungodly of the world instigating and stirring them up to pull them all down as the oppressors of their liberty in spirituals and civils They denied all authority to Magistrates in Church matters averring they ought not to medle in matters of Religion or Faith nor use any compulsion on men so much as to urge them to the use of the external meanes of Gods worship And upon the ground Luke 22. The Kings of the Nations c. it shall not be so amongst you which is pressed against Superiorities amongst Church-men They pleaded with no less plausibleness against superiority of Magistrates amongst and over Christians although when they came to some strength at Munster they would have their own King John of Leyden the Taylor 2. As they studied to overthrow the ordinance of Magistracy so also the other divine ordinance of Ministery these being as it were the two great lights the Sun and the Moon which God hath appointed to guid the world These masters of confusion would extinguish them both that they might vent their wares in the world for destroying not only humane Societies but the Souls of men In order to the ruine of the Ministery they declaimed most bitterly against all of that function that were not of their way as Hirelings Thieves and Wolves Ignorant-beasts Priests of Baal cursed Creatures Servants of Sathan and what ever else their invenomd hearts could prompt them to utter against Christs Ministers to work their disgrace amongst the people and so to defame them that they might be useless in the service of God Their great work was to exclude faithful Ministers from the esteem of Gods people that they might affect them only and that they might have ready accesse to poyson them with their perverse Doctrines and Dictates of sublime unconceivable non-sense set forth under the garb of a glancing novelty of words 3. They bent themselves to work division in the Church of God and to move people to forsake the assembling of themselves together in Church-meetings and to follow them to seek Christ in private Conventicles where they might with freedom enough open their hearts and debauch them into their way The Church meetings they reckoned no better of then as of droves and herds of hoggs confused mixtures unworthy the name of Churches and wherein no blessing was to be expected to the Ordinances 4. They were above all men arrogant and proud despisers of such as were not of their way as being men without God in the world reprobate and wicked denying to them even common civilities 5. When any of theirs were punished either for their errors or for fellony murther or rebellion they heavily lamented the removeal of the dear servants of God crying them up for Martyrs and complaining tragically that truth and godliness was oppressed and that men who would have all things done according to Gods word were not suffered to live in a persecuting world How neer this man with his complices doth approach to the manners of that odious Sect in these particulars may some way appear from this Libell and the Apology When the spirit that stirreth in these furious writings especially in Naphthali wherein the evil man waxeth worse and worse is considered how much confusion may be seen to be portended to Church and State if hearts be infected with the Doctrines therein held forth It is greatly to be wished and prayed for that the Lord may give his people such understanding that they be not ignorant of the wiles of Sathan who drives a deeper design against this poor Church and Land then the subversion of this or that exterior form of Church-Government The controversie rests not in matters touching a Bishop or a Presbytery which if mens passions or prejudices might permit may be for the advantage of the Gospel well consolidated by their mutual paying of due respects one to another the episcopal inspection not abrogating but strengthening the due right of Presbyters and Presbyters not despising that lawful inspection but all concurring together in a kindly mutual assistance and amicable conjunction for carrying on the real interests of Christs Kingdom without imperiousness on the one side and without froward disorderliness on the other But this polemical Presbyterian as he would seem to be though he and his brethren in evil have ruined that way of Presbytery long ago accounts such matters too low to stand upon The design his Libel runs upon is to open a gap to endlesse rebellions under whatsoever constitution of Church-Government And not only to bring all our Magistrates from the highest to the lowest under disgrace which is the next step to destruction and to make them a sacrifice to the fury of the wicked people but to ruine Kingly Authority and Magistracy the Ordinance of God and to dissolve humane Societies and Kingdoms as shall be seen and especially to ruine this Kingdom There is a great noise made it may be it is not causles and it were to be wished Rulers looked to it of the increase of Popery but truly when the spirit of such writings as this is considered it will be found there is cause to fear unless the wisdom and goodness of God and the prudence of the King and Governors under him prevent That as one way the Roman Antichrist may come in So some furious successor of John of Leyden under pretence of a Phineas-like spirit come in another way upon our Church and Land to lay it waste and to make it a field of confusion and blood the seeds of future miseries being too visibly sowen by this man and his complices whose mouths are full of Blasphemies as their hearts and hands are full of blood That this Libell and the like are not more quickly followed with meet animadversions is not to be marvelled at by any who knowes they are like the Pestilence that walks in darkness and that hardly do they come to the hands of any but such as are willing to be deceived by them being intended for the blinding of these not for the opening the eyes of others
his Acts of violent resistance and vindication of liberty according to the Covenant And in reference to the case of the Nation in these Times the man is so far transported as to teach the people That their liberty is so far lost that they are reduced to the condition of a most insupportable and unnatural conquest which should be a most just cause and provocation to all ingenuous Spirits and good Patriots to undertake the asserting of their own liberty upon the greatest peril Page 116. And that the pressures and grievances of the Nation by reason only of that Court of Commission for executing the Laws anent Church matters do far exceed all the pressures and injuries of that Spanish inquisition whereupon the United Provinces have justified and approved their revolt from the King of Spain Page 126. So that this mans design is clear from his words to dissolve and confound this Kingdom to move them who will be taken in his snare to renounce Allegiance to the King to revolt from him as having better cause then the United Provinces had to revolt from the King of Spain to combine themselves in new Societies to their own mind they being now relapsed into their primaeve liberty and the obligation to the Government being loosed and that every man and every Party as they find themselves strong enough should upon their own discretive judgement of what is their due civil Liberty as well as what is right Religion and upon their greatest peril undertake not only violent resistance of all powers above them but valiant vindication of Religion and Liberties and reforming what they think amisse vi armis even to the punishing all and whatsoever person that will oppose them in their way The particulars shall be after spoken to but now more generally we consider his fundamental Doctrines of confusion That the true ends of instituting civil Government are the true happiness of People here and hereafter and the glory of God and that Magistrates and Governours are oblieged to prosecute these ends no judicious Christian will question All the question is anent the Duty of the fearers of God in the case of the perversion of the ends of Government by these in whose hand it is whether when this perversion is manifest the band and tye to the Government ceaseth as to the persons injur'd thereby and whither this be the case as matters are now stated that private persons or any number of them are for the present suppos'd perversions of the ends of Government disoblieged from all tyes to the same and relaps'd into their primaeve liberty and priviledge to combine in Societies which are to their mind as at first they did associate themselves in the political bodies whereof now they are members for their own good and preservation As for the general position or affirmative resolution to the former question it is undoubtedly both unchristian and unreasonable When was there at any time greater perversion and straying from the ends of Government then was in the times of many of the holy Prophets of God and in the times of Christ his holy Apostles and the primitive Christians who were both replenish'd with much light to know their duties and much zeal to act for the honour of God against all perils and dangers whatsoever lying in their way Government was perverted by manifest Idolatry and horrid Tyranny many monsters of men possessing the thrones of Soveraignty yet look over all the sacred Writings of the holy Prophets look to the history of the life and actions of Christ and his Apostles or to the history of the great Lights of the primitive Church for many hundreds of years and see if any of the teachers taught such doctrine that in case of the manifest perversion of the ends of Government people did relapse into their primaeve liberty and priviledge to combine with whom they pleased to forsake the union with these political bodies with which they were conjoyn'd or that they were liberated from the obligation and band to the civil order and Government under which they were or if that was the sense of any of the godly zealous Christians and fearers of God in these times who alwayes keeped themselves pure from sinning against God refusing obedience unto mens unlawful Commandments but the Doctrine of these new Christians never came in their hearts that they should make secessions from the civil Societies wherein they lived so long as they keep'd within the bounds over which such or such Government was and account all their obligation to abused Government dissolved Yea upon the contrary as there are never to be found amongst the people fearing God any such rentings of the States and Common-wealths they lived in approven of God or injoyn'd by his Prophets in his name So in reproving sins and menacing judgements against these in Authority albeit they grievously abused their places yet the Prophets Apostles and Christ also studied to preserve respects to the Soveraignty and Powers set over People and while they warn'd all from the highest to the lowest to amend their wayes they guarded against seditious dissolutions of the Common-wealth on any pretext never prescribing rebellion and revolting the greater sin as the cure of Tyranny or irreligiousness in the Actings of Powers What abusers of Government and perverters of the ends thereof were Tiberius Claudius Nero Domitian c. yet Christ will have Caesars due given him and his Apostles presse subjection to them Honor to be given them Tribute to be paid to them Prayers to be made for them not for destroying them and their Government but for preserving their Persons and sanctifying their hearts that they might govern rightly and peaceably a Prayer Point-blank contrary to endeavours to disturbe their Kingdoms by seditious courses to dissolve and dissipate them and to take vengeance on their persons So that they must needs be the disciples not of Christ or Paul or Peter but of Judas of Galilee and of Theudas Acts 5.36 37. who upon account of perversion of Government teach any part of the people to dissolve and confound the Societies whereof they are members and that the obligation being loosed from the Government they may break off from it and erect themselves in new Combinations and Societies with whom they think best If this may passe for good divinity the grand enemy shall never want opportunity of casting Fire-balls in humane Societies and working confusion and every evil work But as this position is very dissonant from Religion so it is no less to sound reason for it hath a clear tendency to the breaking and crumbling in pieces of all humane political Societies all Commonwealths and Kingdoms of the World which no wit of Man can preserve from dissolution if once this Principle be drunk into the hearts of People and sink there For by this mans opinion the judgement of the perversion of the ends of Government in tyranny oppression c. is alwayes put over to the
discretion of the sufferers of prejudice by it were they never so few in comparison of the whole body of the people they may pronounce upon the same and according to their discretive judgement of the injurious perverting of Government determine their actions for renouncing or revolting from the society in which and Government under which they are and nothing should hinder them from this but want of probable capacity to through their work as he often speaks So wise and cautious must his followers be though not conscientious that in working a mischief they light not upon a mischief Good God! to what times are we reserved wherein the unmeasurable audaciousness of men dare present such poyson to a Christian People and to attempt the breaking them in pieces by such Doctrines which both Religion and sound Reason abhorres Dare this Libeller say that this is a fundamental constitution of political Societies that at the arbitrement and lust of any minor part of private persons pretending a perversion of the ends of Government a pretence that will never be wanting to malecontents and malapert wicked ones even katherines and highlandish theeves and it is real to them if they themselves be admitted Judges they may make secession from the Society in which they are embodied and renounce their obligation to the Government thereof Is not such a principle rather contra-fundamental to all humane combined Societies and were it at first entring of the Society expresly proposed that when ever any minor party should account the ends of Government perverted they should be at their primaeve liberty again to break off from all the magistratical Order and from society with the major party of these with whom they are combined Would not the overture of such a condition be rejected with indignation and upon just reason for that were to open a gap to continual seditions divisions and fractions And all rational men would judge it were better not to joyn in society with such men then to joyn in such termes Again suppose there be a breaking off from a magistratical Power and major part of a society upon pretension which will never be wanting to cover sedition and confusion such is the corruption of men of a perversion of the ends of Government the party making secession may haply meet with that same measure they gave to the Community wherewith they were formerly joyned For when they have combined and embodied themselves in a Society if a minor party arise amongst themselves with the same accusations against them which they had against the body they did separate from Must not that same party have the same priviledge of Primaeve liberty to combine and erect a corporation by themselves which they claimed before will not they plead that the obligation to the Government and Society ceaseth and they are free to erect a new one And where shall there be a stand till humane Societies be miserably broken in pieces which seems to be Satans design by this Mans Doctrine Further can this assertion subsist that neither alledgiance or fidelity nor obedience is to be given unto any created power but in defence of Religion and Liberty That obedience is not to be given unto any Creature on earth against Religion or the Revealed Will of God shall be easily granted we abhorre the very thought of so doing Again it shall not be said that obedience is to be given to Powers against the Liberty competent to us as Subjects and consistent with Soveraignty yet so that the measure of that Liberty must not be made by every private mans will but by the Declarature of the Parliament representative of the Subjects which best knows what thereunto belongs But to say that all not only obedience but alledgiance and fidelity due to any created power is indispensibly restricted to this qualification in Defence of Religion and Liberty viz. of the subject is a most false assertion It is known that a restriction excludes all other cases which are not in the restrictve proposition included now it is certain there may be cases wherein we ought to obey the Magistrate and yet the act of obedience cannot be properly and directly said to be either in defence of Religion or the Liberty of the Subject there may be some causes that properly concern his own honour wherein defence of Religion is not concerned the Magistrate perhaps not being of our Religion and far less defence of the Liberty of the Subject unless by a very remote and unnecessary consequence yet am I bound to him in causes concerning his honour this made the Ministers that disputed with the Doctors of Aberdeen decline to acknowledge that clause of the first Covenant in defence of Religion c. to be limitative or restrictive of duty to the King affirming it onely to be specificativen aming duties to him in some respects or in respect to some things not excluding others Yea the General Assembly 1639. will not have that clause in the Covenant restrictive for in their supplication to the Commissioner and Council they speak thus We have solemly sworn and do swear not only our mutual concurrence and assistance for the cause of Religion and to the utmost of our power with our Means and Lives to stand to the defence of our Dread Soveraign His Person and Authority in the preservation of true Religion Liberties and Laws of this Kirk and Kingdom but also n. b. in every cause that may concern His Majesties Honour shall concur with our friends and followers as we shall be required c. So Duty and Obedience to the King is there extended beyond what is expresly mentioned in the Covenant in defence of Religion and Liberties But further as to the point of Alledgiance or Fidelity that is another matter then Obedience Alledgiance to a King imports owning him as Lawful and Rightful King and that none others have power over him together with fidelity to his Person Crown and Dignity against all conspiracies and treason Obedience is the result of this acknowledged Soveraignty where commands appear lawful A man may keep Alledgiance and Fidelity to the King albeit sometimes there may be commands given which cannot be obeyed because of Gods countermand many learned Priests and Papists in England took the Oath of Alledgiance when first it was emitted and injoyn'd albeit they thought they could not give obedience to the King as to matters of Religion But this man is plain in his assertion that no Alledgiance is due to the King except with this restriction in defence of Religion And as he said a main part of his Religion is to erect Presbytery and root out Prelacy So that if Presbytery be not defended people are taught to renounce Alledgiance to the King How contrary is this to the Confession of Faith cap. 23. S. 4. Difference in Religion doth not saith the Confession make void the Magistrates just and legal Authority nor free the people from their due obedience to him But this
the power of self-defence Page 14. as he calls violent resisting the Magistrate is competent to all men by the instinct of pure nature and is the principal rule of righteousness and a priviledge competent to all men separately and joyntly not needing any other prerequisite but intollerable injury and is compleated in exercise by a probable capacity to encourage to it And to suffer injury under ptetext of the good of the Common-wealth is for the delusion of an empty name and for the lusts of others really to deprive a mans self of all share and benefit in it Page 15. propelling by force injuries done in the cause of Religion is the justest quarrel that men in their primaeve liberty could be engaged into And Page 16 17. Combinations for assistance in violent opposition of the Magistrate when the ends of Government are perverted which must be referred to the discretion of them who minds insurrection are necessary by the Law of Nature of Charity and in order to Gods glory and for violation of this duty of delivering the oppressed from Magistrates judgements comes upon people And Page 18 19. not only power of self-defence but vindicative and reforming power is in any part of the people against the whole and against all Magistrates and if they use it not judgement comes on supposing their capacity probable to bear them forth and they shall be punish'd for their connivance and not acting in way of vindication of crimes and reforming abuses And Page 28. they are but Flatterers and Men that have renounced Conscience who say that absolute subjection in suffering may be given to Authority abusing their power and not absolute obedience to their Commands and whatsoever reason saith he pleads for absolute subjection in suffering will far more rationally and plausibly infer unlimited and absolute obedience Absolute obedience may be more rationally yeelded then absolute subjection to suffering Page 157. to resist and rise up against persons abusing Authority is to adhere to God and Page 155. The late rising was altogether lawful righteous and necessary But what needs insisting on his justifying of any number of private persons rising up and resisting the whole Magistrates and Body of the People when ever they think they have cause seing this is the main scope of his Book and more too even to state them in a punitive power of all who are against them and a power to pull down all Authorities that are in their way as after shall more clearly appear But upon this point of resistance which he lispeth out as innocent harmless self-defence it is fit we should now abstracting from the other questions of private persons vindicative and punitive power till the next Chapter speak somewhat It is the subtilty of Sathan and of mans corruption that most horrid sins and crimes are covered under very smooth termes and cloaked with some Vizard of Vertue or with something so plausible and sweet to self-nature that few there are who will not own it Innocent self-defence and a mans preservation of his own beeing is so plausible a Plea that every one in any vexation that comes upon them from any justly or unjustly are much inclined to take hold of it It is true the God of nature who hath given a beeing to all creatures hath also given them inclinations and propensions to preserve themselves against opposition destroying nature the very inanimate creatures have this Fire preserves and defends it self against water when it is cast upon it there is a fight between the two contrary qualities of these creatures the fire with a noise resisting the water that it be not quenched with the contrary qualities of that creature So also are the sensitive creatures the beasts are carried impetu naturae to oppose every thing that tends to their destruction and to preserve their own beeing untill they be over-powered And all this self-defence is without sin for they being onely under natures Law and not under any Legal restraints of the exercise of their self-defending power by Gods word nor under any rule of reason in the exercise thereof do and may to the uttermost in all cases endeavour their self-preservation and nothing can hinder them from it but major vis and a Physical force greater then theirs is And this self-defending or preserving power and propension God hath given also unto Men yet otherwise then to inanimate creatures or unto beasts for these being under no other Law or Order but that of meer Nature that onely seeks its own preservation and labours in self-defence alwayes against all things afflicting nature caec◠impetu that self-defence is alwayes sinless But Mans natural propension to defend himself is subordinated unto and limited by the higher Laws of Reason and Grace and regulated by respects to the eternal good of the Soul in following duties to God albeit with vexation and trouble upon the outward man a rational and gracious man will advert lest in self-preservation as to his body or outward state he bring not on self-destruction as to his Soul It was wisely said by Thomas 2◠2◠quest 70. art 4. ad 1. Ideo Homini data est Ratio and I may add Gratia ut eá ad quae natura inclinat non passim sed secundum rationis vel gratia ordinem exequatur ideo non quaelibet defensio sui est licita sed quae fit cum debito moderamine It is too gross Divinity to bring arguments from Beasts who being under no Law of Reason nor Grace to limite their propensions may alwayes in all imaginable cases defend themselves with force to perswade men that they may do the like and that their propension for their external preservation is no more under any restraining rule to stop the exercise of it then that of Beasts is There are many cases of Rational and Gracious restraint of the exercise of that natural propension for self-preservation upon Men which are not upon Beasts For 1. the Libeller it is hoped will not allow self-defence of violent and forcible defence not of moral we do here alwayes speak or violent resistance of the Magistrate when Men are not in probable Capacity to mend themselves or when it is seen to be to no purpose In this case he will say it is no fault for a Man not to use violent resistance because Reason tells him it is to no purpose self-defence of a rational creature should not be meerly natural but rational it is natural to a Man to defend himself as it is to a Beast but not in the same way not alwayes when a Beast upon which there is no restraint of reason may do it It will not be denyed that the obligation of violent self-preservation ceaseth when a Man is put out by a Physical-force of all probable Capacity to help himself 2. A Man who is justly condemned to death both according to a just Law and by a just process according to the Law though he were in
people ought to reform themselves from all real corruptions in the Worship of God and keep themselves pure from abominable things every one is bound to amend one and so all will be more easily amended yea no man should say Am I my Brothers keeper but by faithful instruction warning reproof strive to save others from the evils of the times and places wherein they live But 4. That there lyes upon the people with the Magistrate a joynt obligation of publick reforming and using the avenging or punitive Sword in amending things amiss against the will of all Magistrates or even turning that Sword in a violent way against him or that such obligation lyes upon one part of the people against all Magistrates and their fellow Subjects as to violent them in matters of Religion or which they account Religion it is utterly denyed acting in a publick co-active way or by the use of the vindicative and punitive Sword For Reformation in a co-active way is so fully and only the Magistrates duty that whoever will intrude into it being persons of meer private capacity they stain Religion and brings scandal on it by their Rebellion Though the result of the work be good the manner is evil God needs no mans sin to help him in his work nor will he ever impute it as sin to private persons that they did tolerate with grief what they could not amend nor that they did forbear violent forcing the Magistrate to their mind supposing them in the right If in a way God hath set me in I cannot without manifest schisme and sedition and leaping beyond the limits of my calling do a good work I am to leave it to God to do it in his own cleanly way it is well if I keep my self pure mourning for abominations done and praying to God against them and using all charitable and fraternal means becoming a private Christian and thus my tolerating of what I cannot amend shall not be my sin albeit it is sin in them who have a publick Power and do not reform but connive at abuses As no part of a people or private persons have power to usurp the Office of a Minister to preach minister Sacraments c. So no private persons can lawfully under whatsoever pretence of good intentions meddle with the Magistrates work or intrude in the publick actings only competent to his place who is the Minister of God invested with Authority by him Far less can they in case of his deficiency or opposition use the vindicative or punishing Sword against him for not being of their Religion supposing â—t to be true nor against their fellow-subjects but all this is according to this mans mind The great mistake in all this matter is that the Magistrate and People are as to Covenant with God or engagements to him for advancing his Truth looked upon as two debitors bound in a Band conjunctly and severally for one sum so that in the deficiency of the one the other must pay all and hath power to stresse the deficient So they think there is a joynt and equal obligation betwixt Princes and People as touching the publick promoting of Religion If the Magistrate be deficient they must do it yea and fall on him for his deficiency But there is no such joynt obligation it is true the Magistrate in his place is bound in a publick way to advance Religion the people are also bound in their private capacities and callings to advance Religion and to serve the Magistrate therein as he employes and calls them But there is no such joynt obligation of King and People unto God that either of them should be so bound for the other that if the one be deficient the other party contracting becomes therefore obliged to the duty to which the deficient party is obliged or becomes guilty if he intrude not in the part of their duty Nor is there a mutual tye on both to force one another to their duty Qui diversimode obligantur ad diversa non sunt correi in promittendo The case betwixt the King and People in the religious Covenant with God is like the case of two men binding in one band for their several moieties of a sum if the one be deficient the other is not stressed for it nor is the payer bound to force the deficient by vertue of the band If the People reform themselves and keep themselves pure from abominations the Magistrates deficiency which they tolerate with grief shall not be imputed to them because God gives them not a calling to intrude into the Magistrates office or to use the reforming Sword or vindicative and puniing acts of it which only are committed to the Magistrate The King indeed is bound both as a Christian to own Religion for his own souls good and as a King to use his magistratical Power to force his Subjects to the use of external means of Religion which is all he can do and if he do this and meet with the insuperable stubbornesse of an evil people the guiltinesse lyes not on him but on them But upon the people there lyes no obligation to force the King or their fellow subjects to external means of Worship and Religion because that is not within the verge of their calling only they are to keep themselves pure and to use all moral means usable by persons in their station to move others to embrace true Religion And having done this they discharge themselves sufficiently and may commit the rest to God The late Covenant it self doth only bind private persons in their places and callings which certainly are private and to be managed by private means to endeavour reformation and doth not bind any number of meer private persons to pull the Sword out of the Magistrates hands when they think he useth it otherwise then he should and then they would have him use it It is not can never be the place and calling of meer private persons and the minor or far minor part of the People to use the vindicative punishing and reforming Sword against all Magistrates reckoned by them as Apostates and against all the body of the Land If the Covenant be passive of such Commentaries as this man puts upon it that whatever any private party accounts Reformation they may use the vindictive punishing Sword against all of all degrees that stand in their way to advance the same we have little reason to be in love with it and just cause to cast it by till it be cleared of such corrupt glossâ—â— But let us now consider the civil Covenant betwixt the King and the People Napht. touches on it on the forecited places and the Author of L. R. puts forth his strength such as it is upon this matter avowing that the King is not King but Covenant-wise and conditionally and that by Covenant the people have a civil claim against him may punish him and have a right to a coactive power over him in Courts set up
insurrections against Kings as false Prophets do now albeit they had as great cause as ever people had under some of their Kings and were in capacity probable enough to crush them they never suggested to them that their obligations to subjection unto their Kings being but conditional they were set free when they became so extreamly wicked idolatrous c. nor did ever Godly people although they strived to keep themselves pure and to gain-stand in their private capacities the evils of the times think themselves free to use violence against Powers above them had this been their duty no doubt Gods Prophets would plainly and down-right have told them of it without circumlocutions but this they never did either that was no duty or the Prophets were not faithful in not admonishing them of their duty When at first that people sought a King from Samuel they resolved not to take him conditionally si bene regnaverit but with all the faults that might follow him neither reserved they Power to coerce him which had it been in their thoughts would easily have answered and weakned Samuels terrifying disswasive for they could have said we take him only as King on condition of his good behaviour otherwise we will take order with him but would have one as other Nations had Kings about them of whom Buchanan says they were not legitimi Reges but tyranni in his language because not under Law coaction And so also they behaved themselves toward them not using them as they deserved but forbearing violence against them although they were very evil Princes many of them But yet further it is pressed that such an Oath and Covenant betwixt King and People was in use then because Eccles 8.2 It is said I counsel thee to keep the Kings commandment and that in regard of the oath of God Therefore there was say they an Oath or Covenant betwixt King and People Ans 1. The most that can be made of this place is as Diodat in his note thereupon affirms that the subjects swore the oath of Allegiance and Obedience to the King upon the ground whereof they were to obey him it was at most foedus unilaterum as they call it in the Schools but it imports not mutual engagement of the King to them or that he swore to them much less that the Oath they made to him was conditional with a reserve of Power to punish him for his deviations which in this same King that writes this were very great albeit we grant all such oaths to Kings to be understood salvo jure Dei salva Deo obedientia 2. We do not see ground to assert that ordinarily amongst that people there were oaths of fidelity and obedience given to their Kings whatever was done in the extraordinary cases above mentioned far lesse that Kings engaged to them by oath ordinarily both the King ruled without such an oath and the people obeyed without such an oath or engagement Neither is there in Deut. 17. or Sam. 8. or any where else such a rule set in the institution or constitution of the King that any such matter should be done Nor hear we in the History of this same King Solomon who writes this that when he entred to the Throne either he swore to the people or they to him unlesse perhaps 2 Sam. 29.24 may import this as to Solomon Junius translation of this Text wherein he is followed by Cartwright may well passe praestitutum Regis observa sed pro ratione juramenti Dei i. e. Keep the Kings Commandment so far as it may be keeped retaining fidelity to God to whom absolute and illimited obedience is sworn So not the motive of obedience to the King because of the oath sworn to him is here imported but only the measure and moderation of our obedience due to him so as it may consist with the duty sworn to God our obedience to the King is here cautionated saith Cartwright dummodo non pugnet cum juramento quo divino imperio obstricti sumus we are to obey him 3. We may hold close to our own translation and yet not be necessitate to grant so much to be spoken of here as an oath of the people to the King let be a mutual Oath and Covenant betwixt King and People neither of which was in ordinary use amongst that people nor mentioned in sacred Scripture as ordinary For they were all bound by oath to obey all Gods Commandments this was the oath of God and amongst his Commandments this was one that they should obey the King in the Lord and obey all the Kings lawful Commandments in regard of their general oath and engagement to God to obey all his commandments they were bound to obey the Kings Command under God and in subordination to him albeit they never took any particular oath to obey the King and dealt not covenant-wise with him And thus the sense runs fairly I counsell thee to keep the Kings commandment and that in regard of or propter the oath of God because thou hast sworn to obey God obey the King in all lawful things for this is the will of God The motive of obedience is taken not from any particular oath made to the King but from the general oath made to God engaging in all things to obey him But yet this business of the civil Covenant is not at an end for it is urged L. R. P. 97. that this Covenant tyes the King be it tacite or expresse not to God only but to the people and brings him by reciprocation of bands to be under a Law-obligation to be subject to the peoples censure and punishment in case of failing as well as they are subject to to him in case of failing and that all covenants and contracts betwixt man and man bring the covenanters under a law and claim before men if the contract be broken And that the King becoming bound to the people he comes under action and claim by them if he fail and is punishable as they are if they fail And that the King and they have a mutual coactive power one over another and are mutually Magistrates one to another and the people if the King fail may judge him in their tribunal of necessity and that there needs no judge on earth between them more then between two Nations independent one upon another when they warr together And that in reformations of things amisse especially in Religion people may extraordinarily intrude in the Magistrates office and not only reform themselves actibus elicitis but reform others actibus imperatis And that people by vertue of this supposed covenant may when they see cause formally and effectively excercise upon their Kings that royalty which they have in themselves virtually and fountally Much of that sort of stuffe is to be found quest 14.40 and every where in that Book And it is lamentable that while they who labour to preserve Gods order in the world should be branded as flatterers