to Hard. A. Art 2. Divis 6. justifies Luther as a godly man and accuseth Harding of Slander And Divis 7 he calls Melancthon and Bucer godly learned men And he calls Peter Martyr a most worthy and learned Father A. to Hardings Preface And Harding commends his Modesty And surely if Passive Obedience had been the Doctrine of those days and esteemed as it hath been of late Rebellion to oppose it the ever Renowned Hooker Preface to Eccl. Pol. would not have honoured Calvin with this Elogium For my own part I think him that is Calvin incomparably the wisest man that ever the French Church did enjoy since the hour it enjoyed him The Divines of the Church of England are not wont thus to commend Authors guilty of Heresie or Schism or Sedition or Rebellion And Dr. Bilson True difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion p. 3. pag. 264. saith Calvin is so well known to those that be Learned or Wise for his great pains and labours in the Church of God that a few snarling Fryars cannot impeach his Name And Dr. Whitgift against the Puritan T. C. every where honours Bullinger Castius and more especially Zuinglius And yet all these justified Defensive Arms in some case Now who are the Innovators they that follow the first Doctors of our Church or they that have embraced other new and unheard of Principles in Government I leave the works of our Forefathers to be Judges But here it is objected by some weak and factious spirits that our Convention or Parliament have done as bad to the late King as the Rump Parliament so called O. C. and the Army of Sectaries did to King Charles the First And therefore if we are justifiable they are justifiable and consequently Jan. 30. ought not to be kept as a day of Humiliation and Fasting For this let the Reader consider what the Dr. saith p. 46 47 c. Or let him take this Answer Our Cause and theirs differ as far as Heaven and Hell or Good and Bad Murder and Self-defence I will not say that there were no Corruptions in Government nor no Innovations brought into the Church Neither will I dispute the Reasonableness of the War between the King and Parliament in the beginning But supposing that the Parliament had sufficient Cause to defend themselves Yet 1. King Charles the First had given full satisfaction to the Two Houses of Parliament and the Bishops and the Common Prayer were Established by Law And all know that it was the National Worship as it is now and cannot be abrogated or altered but by King Lords and Commons But O. C. destroyed the House of Lords and the Book of Common Prayer by force and by the Sword 2. King Charles the First was a professed Protestant and all his Officers and Ministers in Church and State were such as the Law allowed But the Late King was a professed Papist and put Papists in Places of Trust against Law and turned out all the best Protestants for no reason but only because they opposed the Jesuits and Arbitrary Power 3. King Charles the First and the Parliament had concluded upon a Settlement to the satisfaction of all sober and wise Men in the Kingdom but O. C. and his Army of Sectaries with force turned about a hundred Members out of Parliament and kept them Prisoners against Law and Justice 4. O. C. and the Sectaries Ruled the Nation by the Sword in time of Peace contrary to all Law and Executed many of the most Zealous Protestants But King William defends all Protestants according to Law 5. They like Cruel Tyrants and Usurpers destroyed the whole Frame of Government Murdered the King and Banished all the Royal Family As there are some at this day who are so vain and sottish as to desire a Common-wealth and to Root out the Bishops and Common Prayer and so bring confusion into Church and State As if there were no difference between the Reformation of Abuses and destroying that which is good and excellent We say that this Faction in a Nation is to be opposed as well as the Tyranny and Illegal Proceedings of the Papists For both are destructive of our Laws and Established Religion It is true our present Business is against the Abominations of the Church of Rome and the Usurpations of Popish Priests and Jesuits But we also abhor all those who would Murder a Protestant King and destroy our Liberties and the Religion by Law Established and force us contrary to our Consciences But King William opposeth none but Papists who would have destroyed us and he continues our Parliament and our Laws Liberties and Religion with all the Incouragements thereof 6. King William was invited over by divers of the Nobility and Gentry to save us from Popery and Slavery and was received with the universal Joy of Protestants But O.C. and his Sectaries who Barbarously and Impudently Murdered King Charles the First were cryed out against by all sound Protestants who adhered to the Laws of the Nation So that that Rebellion and King William's Actions and those that joined with him differ as much as Destroying a Nation and Saving a Nation as the greatest Sin and the greatest Good Lastly Our Royal Martyr King Charles the First died in the Defence of the Laws and Established Religion But the Late King Abdicated or Deserted or at least went out of the Kingdom rather than he would Rule according to Law And when he was gone to France the Chief of the Nobility and Gentry desired the P. of O. to take the Government upon him and to Summon a Convention which Convention Elected him King and the Princess Queen The Late King fled and Banished himself rather than he would do the Nation Justice and when he was gone the Convention or Parliament resolved to keep him out The P. of O. tho' a Soveraign Prince and no way Subject to the Late King did not Murder him when he had him in his Power But O.C. and the Sectaries of the Army Beheaded King Charles the First tho' he was Innocent and a Prince of most Excellent Virtues and of Ever Blessed Memory Ob. Solomon saith Prov. 24.21 22. My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruin of them both A. This Text doth not forbid the Change of Government in Absolute necessity when the Safety of the whole Kingdom requires it and it is done Regularly and for the Publick Good But commands Obedience and Fear to the present Lawful King and never to join with Changelings who are restless under Government and Lightly Wantonly Factiously or Seditiously oppose what is present It is not to be understood Morally as if it were Absolutely evil and a Sin to change when the whole Frame of Government is corrupt But you must take it prudentially that a wise Man who fears God ought not to Change that Form of
slandering his Government by contemning and reproaching his Statutes and Deeds but as much as the matter and truth will bear speak thou honourably of him and think the best and interpret well actions that are doubtful saith some Author For it is wisdom as well as duty to reverence the Kings Person and Office and conceal small miscarriages Obj. St. Matth. 22.21 Read the Context v. 15. Then went the Pharisees and took counsel how they might intangle him in his talk And they sent out unto him their Disciples with the Herodians saying Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the person of men Tell us therefore what thinkest thou Is it lawful to give Tribute unto Caesar or not But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said Why tempt ye me ye Hypocrites Shew me the Tribute money and they brought unto him a penny And he said unto them Whose is this Image and Superscription They say unto him Caesars Then saith he unto them Bender therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods When they had heard these words they marvelled and left him and went their way A. It is most certain that Tribute is to be paid to our Governours The Herodians were sent to intangle him in his talk And they propounded this Question concerning Caesar the Roman Emperor's Tribute To which our Saviour answers that they ought to render to Caesar the things that are Caesars So that by Christs command all Subjects must willingly and chearfully and for Conscience sake render honour tribute custom subjection and obedience to the Higher Powers which are ordained of God But what is this to the Desensive Arms against Tyranny and Oppression The Jews had promised Obedience to the Romans and to Caesar Now what we promise Synop. out of G. tho' forced by necessity of War binds us fast for unless it were so the whole sanction of a Covenant would perish Besides Possession of a long time which to endeavour to move or change is always unjust in publick Affairs Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Christians hearkened to no Innovations under what specious pretences soever but performed Faith Allegiance and Obedience to the Emperor But let any man prove that these Emperors did not rule the Jews according to their Promise and Covenant and known Laws and Customs or that our Saviour forbids defending our Lives Liberties or Properties if invaded contrary to Law Custom or Covenant Again it follows not that if Christ doth not here dispute Caesars Title that he never did nor that his Disciples never satisfied themselves I am sure the Scribes and Pharisees and the multitude cryed out when our Saviour was accused We have no King but Caesar a plain acknowledgment of Caesars Title Power and Authority Obj. 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour A. This is also spoken of Governours indefinitely and of such who would rule according to the Customs and Laws of their Countries Not of Tyrants who would Subvert National Laws and Customs without cause And tho' there was great Confusions in the Roman Empire about the Throne sometimes yet still the Emperor promised to Rule according to Laws and Customs received And surely no Man can prove that Passive Obedience was owned in those days if the Emperor commanded Illegally Nor was their Hereditary Succession in the Empire The wickedness of Man cannot destroy the Institution of God But Magistrates Kings Emperors are constituted of God And Christian Religion doth not overthrow the Political Government of Infidels and Heathens Therefore we must pray for all Persecutors and Idolaters Obj. Tit. 3.1 Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Poweers to obey Magistrates A. All these Texts command what no rational Man much less Christian denieth ought to be given to our Governors But they prohibit not Defensive Arms in case of Universal Oppression Obj. 1 St. Pet. 13 14 17. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well Fear God Honour the King A. The Apostle speaks indefinitely of Governors and of Obedience to them but he states no particular Case When this Epistle was written Synop out of G. I think that Claudius or Nero was Emperor Therefore we must obey Infidels and evil Princes But this prohibits not Self-defence when Laws are violated Tho' the Ordinance or Government in the manner of its Constitution be from Man saith a Learned Author yet because of the necessity of its Institution it is from God Submit to it tho' of Man for the Lords sake For God is the primary Author Observe Kings and Presidents are an Humane Constitution or Ordinance made by Men with common Consent by certain Laws yet by the Command and Authority of God So that I conclude with a great Statesman As it was the Oppression and Slavery under which we had been brought that rendered His Majestys undertaking in coming into these Kingdoms with armed Force in order to redeem them both Honourable and Just So it was the Hope of being delivered by Him from Misery and Bondage that incouraged us first to invite and then to cooperate with Him in the Prosecution and Accomplishment of His Glorious Design It was the Invasion upon our Laws that we complained of and from which we desired and indeavoured to be relieved c. Thus I have omitted no appearance of an Objection and have given satisfaction to all that will examine things impartially and conscienciously in order to their ready and hearty Obedience to Their Majesties and the Preservation of the Religion Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom I shall conclude all with a plain Exhortation both in respect of the King and Subjects First For the King Seeing His Majesty hath received Power and Authority from God it concerns him to Administer Justice and Judgment For Gods Eye is All-seeing and he is Omnipresent God standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty he judgeth among the Gods Psal 82.1 It is a poor weak inferior thing beneath the Spirit and Dignity of a Prince to wrong the Innocent But it is indeed Great and Godlike to seek Judgment and relieve the Oppressed God hath Honoured Kings with his own Name and Titles and they should imitate Him in Wisdom Goodness Justice and Mercy And as this tends to the Honour of God and Happiness of his Church and the Prosperity of the Kingdom so it gains the Love and Affection of Subjects which is the only Ambition of Valiant Wise and Just Monarchs Secondly For the Subject Seeing Kings are by Gods Designation Ordination or Constitution let every Subject humbly submit They derive their Right from the Highest Majesty of Heaven and Earth They are set over us by Gods approbation And the God of Israel who led his People by the hands of Moses and Aaron in all Ages hath subjected Mankind to some of his Viceroys on Earth And they who are Enemies to them are Enemies to God and cast off that sweet and easie Yoke of Obedience to which God would have all his submit This condemns all wilful Offenders who disobey Governours They are in Gods stead and to despise them is to despise God himself And as Subjects ought to yield Obedience to their Soveraigns which I have Illustrated elsewhere so they ought to be grateful for their Favour Mercy Clemency and good Government And in particular they ought to be thankful to God and the King for the Mercies of this present time even the Reviving of our Religion Laws and Liberties FINIS
hundred years ago to chuse a King for me A. I am afraid the Dr. next time will say That the Laws of former Parliaments made some years ago do not bind us tho' not repealed And none but present Parliaments can make Laws for us We have nothing to do with our Forefathers we must personally consent to all Laws Phy for shame Dr. let us hear no more of this For I am confident you do not believe that our Ancestors had no Right to make Laws for us or to chuse a King for us A King is a King to Children Born of Parents who have chosen him or his Family and such Children are his Subjects without a personal and verbal Ingagement And former Laws bind us without a new Act of Parliament to confirm them 2. The Dr. asserts p. 36. If they that is Sovereign Princes receive their Authority from Men which they do as well as from God say we and Humane Laws which the Dr. confessed before I cannot imagine that their Power is any more than a Trust of which they must give an account to those who have intrusted them with it according to those Laws by which they were intrusted to exercise that Power For whether there be any express Provision made in the Law to call them to an Account or no the Nature of the thing proves that if they receive their Power from Men they are accountable to them For those who give Power may take an Account of the use and abuse of it This with the Drs. Concessions hereafter mentioned proves the Lawfulness Reasonableness and Conscience of this present Revolution And p. 25. he saith A Legal Intail is nothing more than the Authority of the People So that the Authority of the People I mean either the Convention of Estates which is an extraordinary Assembly or the Parliament which is the ordinary Assembly gives Humane and Legal Right And such a Prince is set upon the Throne by God and is by the Disposal of Providence and is Gods Minister for the good of the People So that what the Dr. saith in the beginning of p. 25. is very weak To say that God sets up no Prince who ascends the Throne without Humane Right and Legal is to say that some Kings are removed and others set up but not by God which is directly contradictory to Scripture It is to say That the Four Monarchies were not set up by God because they all began by Violence and Usurpation It is say That God as well as Men is confined by Humane Laws in making Kings It is to say That the Right of Government is not derived from God without the Consent of the People For if God cannot make Kings without the People or against their Consent declared by their Laws the Authority must be derived from the People not from God or at least if it be Gods Authority yet God cannot give it himself without the People nor otherwise than as they have directed him by their Laws A. If we speak of Gods Absolute Power he can send a Legion of Angels and set the Crown upon a Kings Head or by any like extraordinary Nomination and Means But we say and I hope the Dr. upon consideration will not deny it that Right Reason Natural Conscience Law and Scripture are the Rule of our Duty and by these means God cooperates and his Divine Providence concurs with men And when the Dr. is in his senses and argues like himself that is a Divine of his Reputation and Station in the Church he will tell you p. 65. That the King hath no Right but by Law and then the Law may determine how far his Right shall extend c. But this Revolution hath confounded the wisdom of the wise and brought to nothing the understanding of the prudent insomuch that a man may propound St. Pauls Question to these great Doctors of our Church Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this World Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this World It is much easier to justifie the whole Revolution I will here add the Judgment of Tol. collected by the Author of the Synopsis on Rom. 13. Power that is Principality or Magistracy yea even of Infidels and Idolaters is not but of God that is from the Divine Ordination and Disposition that the wicked may be restrained the just honoured c. from God as the first Beginning and Cause and Author not indeed by himself but mediately by men in whom God hath put this instinct to set over them those that should Rule them And whoever reads the Lord Chan. Fortescue will find this true in England Animadversions on Sect. 3. In this Section I shall animadvert on some of his Propositions and then propose his Concessions scattered all over his Book As for the two first Propositions I admit them But I think that I may justly find fault with the third which is There are but three ways whereby God gives this Power and Authority to any person Either by Nature or by express Nomination or by the Disposals of Providence Here I say that this Division is Illogical and naughty Logicians say that the parts of a Division must be opposite but these are not For the Power and Authority that is given by Nature is the disposal of Providence and the Power and Authority that is given by express Nomination is the disposal of Providence also And I must confess that in my small Reading I never met with any that made such a sort of division I should have added 3. By Covenant or by the Election of the People I fear that the Dr's Enthusiastical notion of Providence here imposed upon his Learning Let no man say that I do not speak of Divine Providence with that awful regard and reverence that I ought for surely I justifie Gods Providence much more clearly than this abstruse and unaccountable notion The Dr. goes on By Nature Parents have a Natural Superiority over their Children and are their Lords and Governours too This was the first Government in the World and is the only Natural Authority For in propriety of speaking there is no Natural Prince but a Father c. Here observe that this destroys the Principles of Sir R. F's Book with which so many young Divines in the University of late have been possessed and about which they have been so very passionate that they would endure no modest opposition but invidiously declaimed against any man who did but call in question this Principle as if he could not be a Lover of Monarchy If there is no Natural Prince but a Father thens in propriety of speaking there can be no Natural Prince now in the World but every Prince must be by Institution or Agreement or the like For the Relation of King and Subject are not Natural as the Relation of Father and Child are But yet I say Monarchy approacheth nearest to the Government of Gods Throne And I approve of the
upon us with Respect when we pay him all Legal Obedience out of Conscience and venture our Lives and Fortunes in defence of his Crown and Dignity as well as of our Laws and Properties Why may not we hope for Preferment Honour and Commendation as well as those who never practise what they teach When I have lived to see their Senses too much for their singular Divinity But however we fare in this World I am of Opinion that a King should do Justice a Priest should teach Truth and a Souldier should Fight for a good Cause and leave the Success to God The Happiness of a Kingdom is in a Princes Ruling as a Father and Subjects obeying out of Love rather than meer necessity Obj. 2. This occasions Subjects to Rebel when they think fit To this I say besides what I have formerly written that the Doctrine of Non-Assistance which is now become common is as bad if not worse than our Doctrine of Resistance in some Case Now the Dr. owns the former p. 50. saying Thus far I think the Subjects may be very guiltless who do not drive the King away but only suffer him quietly to be driven away or to escape out of his Kingdom for this is no Rebellion no Resistance but only Non-assistance which may be very innocent For there are some Cases wherein Subjects are not bound to assist their Prince and if ever there were such a Case this is it I grant Non-Assistance and Resistance are not the same in all cases I grant we are not bound to assist our King in Illegal Commands But I should think that if we may not resist him in his Illegal and Arbitrary Commands we ought in Conscience to assist him in his Legal Commands especially in the preservation of his Person Crown and Dignity And I am sure that the late King would have called this a Seditious and Rebellious Doctrine as well as ours But thus the poor King was cheated And the Dr. may say as well as think in his heart p. 27. Let him go if he cannot defend himself Well I commend the Dr. in this case for Teaching Subjects to sleep in a whole skin But in troth I think it is more plain dealing and the King had better be told that in the same case they will not assist him they will resist that is in case of Universal Oppression I will suppose for once that David was against Defensive Arms and Resistance in any case and upon this supposition let us hear his Judgment and Resolution 1 Sam. 26.15 16. David said unto Abner Art not thou a valiant man and who is like unto thee in Israel Wherefore then hast thou not kept thy Lord the King for there came one of the people in to destroy the King thy Lord. This thing is not good that thou hast done As the Lord liveth ye are worthy to die because ye have not kept your Master the Lords Anointed Abner might have replied to David if he had been taught by the Dr. Sir the King is in pursuit of you when you are innocent and that illegally cruelly causlesly maliciously and therefore tho' I must not resist I may not assist nor see your innocent blood shed Take my Master Lord and King and do what you will with him Here I must desire the Dr. to reflect upon his Conscience in the fear of God And I dare appeal to the Judgment of any moderate conscientious and learned Papist or to the Judgment of any indifferent man in the World if our Doctrine be not as honest as this In this case Non-Assistance is as bad as Resistance for the Prince must certainly infallibly and inevitably fall into the hands of his Adversaries with this aggravation That those he trusted deceived him To this purpose we may consider that distinction of the Efficient Cause mentioned by the School-men It is either 1. Physical Or 2. Moral The Physical Cause is that which hath a real influx towards the Effect or that which truly and of it self contributes to the Being of the Effect The Moral Cause is that which tho' it doth not really operate in producing the Effect yet it is such in ordine Moris in order to Manners as they say as if it really conferred Being to the Effect and that because the Effect that follows is no less imputable to it than if it had produced the Effect by a real influx such are causes consulting commanding and not hindering when they ought to hinder But I have sufficiently lashed this Doctrine elsewhere As for the rest of the Book it is either what we grant or what hath been already answered or contains the Dr's Arguments to perswade the Clergy that have not taken the Oaths And I see no reason why the Arguments should not prevail with them if they will lay aside prejudice But I believe the Dr. may Preach Passive Obedience and Non-Resistance upon Rom. 13. long enough before he will gain one rational and considering man For the Male-administration of the late unhappy King and the Tyranny Pride and Insolence of the Jesuits instead of frighting them out of their senses have frighted the Commons of England into their senses that they will rather believe they merit Salvation if the Protestant Faith allowed it than that they are guilty of that Resistance which the Apostle saith shall receive Damnation for joyning with the Prince of Orange and his Confederates in this Revolution Wherefore I shall conclude with these three Propositions 1. In our Case Defensive Arms were lawful 2. King William and Queen Mary with their true Friends can be justified no other way 3. This Doctrine as I have explained it is neither contrary to the Church of England nor more prejudicial or dangerous to Monarchy than any other Principle as will appear I hope to any who will impartially consider what I have written in a Treatise called Conscience Satisfied in a Cordial and Loyal Submitting to the present Government of King William and Queen Mary and in another small Discourse in Answer to the History of Passive Obedience and in a Fast Sermon on Josh 5.13 Art thou for us or for our Adversaries And I think that the Thanksgiving-days and the Fasting-days and the Collects and Prayers read and the saying Amen by all the Members of every Congregation is a Justification of what hath been done in this Revolution unless men are gross Hypocrites and honour God with their mouths without their hearts And whatever some late Bishops and Governours of the Church have done I am sure the first Blessed Reformers honoured all Protestant Churches as Sisters and their Divines and Ministers as Brethren I know not why Luther and Calvin and Arminius tho' they differ in some Opinions should not all still be honoured as faithful Servants of Christ And here I shall produce a few of our Divines most famous who speak honourably of them as all men that hate Faction in the Church ought to do The Reverend Bishop Jewel Reply
Government under which he lives unless in urgent necessity But what if the King be given to Change Then meddle not with Him Keep the Fundamental Laws and Customs of your Countrey and the true Religion by Law Established We say saith a Learned Author that if Power be given to the King by Law yea or to other Magistrates tho' it be against Religion we have no help but suffering or flying till we can be helped by Legal ways But if when we have Laws for our Religion and Liberties the King out of his own will or seduced by others shall in an Illegal way seek to deprive us of them now we may defend our selves and in this we resist no Kingly Authority but the Will of such a Man Obj. Exod. 22.28 Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the Ruler of thy People A. This Text commands Obedience to the King with all reverence in Heart Tongue and Action But what is this to innocent and lawful Defence Which St. Thomas and other Schoolmen call cum moderamine inculpatae tutela Obj. Psal 51.4 Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight A. The Confession of David saith a great Divine is to be taken comparatively He sinned against God alone by way of Excellence because he could be punished condemned and absolved by God alone But David sinned also against those who were meer Subjects as Bathsheba Vriah Joab and Nathan but not as a Tyrant violating the whole State of the Common-wealth but as a Sinner left to his Lust Furthermore no Man could judge of the Personal Fact of David except God alone which pertained not to the Subversion of the Common-wealth I say the sin of David was particular which was not destructive to the whole Common-wealth Besides David speedily recanted and repented of the evil The sense is saith Calvin cited by the Author of the Synopsis as if he should say I do not regard what Men think or speak if either they spare me or extenuate the wickedness by flattery or mitigate my grief with gentle Speeches yet it is more than enough to me that I perceive thee my Judge that Conscience draws me to thy Tribunal c. Other Expositors say I have sinned against thee only as a Judge and Avenger because I can fear punishment from thee only For Kings are free from the bonds of their offences saith St. Ambrose R. R. saith No Creature judgeth the King but the blessed God otherwise he would be King in Name not in Deed. G The Kings sin is not punishable Which is all true of the Personal Crimes of Princes or of such Oppressions as are speedily repented of Obj. Psal 82.6 I have said ye are Gods A. This is true saith one of Inferiour Magistrates as well as Superiors and yet none will say but the Inferior may be resisted Kings should imitate God in Wisdom in Justice in Mercy c and defend not oppress the Innocent To tell a King thus becomes a Priest much better than to delude him with an unaccountable and irresistible Power Obj. Prov. 8.15 16. By me Kings Reign and Princes Decree Justice By me Princes Rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the Earth A. By here denotes the Principal cause it doth not exclude the less Principal or Instrumental the Election of the People As Psal 18.29 By thee that is God I have run thro' a Troop or by thy help saith Synop. out of G. By me as King of Kings Kingdoms are constituted and Persons set over Kingdoms either are given or are deposed according to Dan. 2.21 4.25 31 32. and by me they are preserved c. Neither doth this forbid the People to defend themselves against a Tyrant or to Depose a Tyrant but rather acknowledgeth them Instruments This hinders not what St. Thomas saith 2.2 q. 10 art 10. Dominion and Prelacy were introduced by Humane Right Because God and Man both concur to Government God is the first Cause Man the second Whatsoever the second Cause doth saith Fortescue out of an ancient Author c. 3. the same doth the first Cause by an higher and more excellent way or mean Obj. Prov. 30.31 A King against whom there is no rising up And Eccles 8.4 Where the word of a King is there is Power and who may say unto him What dost thou A. These Texts speak of a King Ruling according to the Customs and Laws of his Countrey or not of Tyrants and Oppressors Or at least they forbid not self-defence in case of Extremity I may honour the King and yet not suffer him to kill me when I am innocent and have served Him faithfully and when he ought by the Laws of God and Man to protect me Solomon Prov. 30.31 speaks of the glory and happiness of a potent and invincible Prince not of any Moral evil or unlawfulness in defending our selves against Illegal Courses Oppression and Tyranny of wicked Princes Again these Texts give a General Rule being wholly silent in casual exceptions as in case of extream Male-Administration The sacred Writers exclude not certain Pacts saith a grave Divine or Laws of Humane Creation or Constitution by which the King is put into that Super-eminency And the saying of Optatus Milevitanus is either to be taken of Emperors or Absolute Monarchs or verily of Him who restrains his Super-eminence within the Laws of Divine as well as Humane Constitution for then in truth There is none above the Emperor but God alone who made the Emperor Solomon saith what may be done not what may always be rightly done by a Prince For afterwards v. 9. he teacheth us that many abuse their Power to Tyranny There is a time wherein one Man ruleth over another to his own hurt Therefore he doth not give the Magistrate leave to do what he will For the Power of Man is limited by the Word of God and honest Laws Because it is written We must obey God rather than Man and give to Caesar the things that are Caesar 's and to God the things that are Gods The second verse is not to be understood otherwise I counsel thee to keep the Kings commandment and that in regard of the Oath of God As if he should say So obey the King as rather to obey God to whom we are all bound with greater Religion Obj. Eccl. 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy thought and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber for a Bird of the Air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter A. Solomon prohibits reviling or slighting the Kings person or speaking evil of the King either for natural or moral personal defects and vices And he cautions us against wrath for a little Oppression because a King may easily be revenged on us and ruine us But he forbids not self-defence in case of Universal Oppression If thou art wise and skilful despise not a young or a foolish King by mocking his Majesty by proud