for he did this against his Conscience as appeareth by his speech to David about it 1 Chron. 21.3 Why doth my Lord require this thing why he will be a cause of trespass unto Israel Thus we have seen wherein and how far we are to obey the Higher powers Soli Deo sine exceptione parendum humanae obedientiae pietas justitia metae sint Not in all things without exception so God onely is to be obeyed but so far forth as the matter of the Command hath not impiety or injustice in it 3. How in what manner must we obey the Higher Powers I shall speak to this Negatively and Affirmatively One word in the Negative It must not be constrained or grudged Obedience properly and truly Obedience is a willing free service a readiness to receive and do Commands Affirmatively 1. We must obey with that reverence and respect already spoken of 2. There must be submissive humble Obedience 1 Pet 2 13. in an acknowledgement of subjection Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King c. The word rendred Submit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies a submitting of the neck to the yoke 3. We must obey in singleness of heart in the fear of the Lord for Conscience sake and not being led by our own interests and hopes of advantaging our selves in the world Where Self is the motive and end of obedience to superiours so that a man obeys the higher powers with respect mainly to his own temporal emolument or advancement there will be a readiness to obey men against God violating his Laws and violencing the Conscience but when we submit our selves to every Ordinance of man For the Lord's sake with respect to his Command as serving and honouring him in our submission and obedience to men then we shall make God's Word the Rule and his Will the ground of our Obedience and so shall have a conscientious respect to the due extent and the just limitation of our obedience obeying in all things in the Lord so far as men have God's warrant to command and we have the allowance of God his Word to act This is Christian Obedience to perform civil duties upon grounds of Religion within the bounds of Religion and Conscience and this is a main thing to be lookt to in our obedience to men to have a Conscience therein toward God and to serve the Lord Christ to whom we must give account and by whom we shall be rewarded for our obedience and service to men which is done as unto him Now here I shall take occasion briefly to discuss this Question Quest Whether Humane Laws or the Commands of men do bind the Conscience so that the Command of lawful Authority lays upon the Subject an Obligation to and necessity of Obedience Answ Divines reputed Orthodox have differed in their judgement about this some denying others asserting an Obligation laid upon the Conscience by the Laws of men Now for the reconciling of these seeming differences in judgment among the Orthodox I shall shew 1. What Conscience is 2. What it is to bind the Conscience or to be binding in Conscience 3. How many wayes this Obligation in Conscience is made or induced Then I shall conclude something positively concerning this matter 1. What is Conscience The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Latine word Consciencia of Con and Scire now Conscire is to know together so that Conscientia sounds as much as Scientia cum alio Well then Conscience is a knowledge and inward sense of our own judgement and of the judgement of another viz. of God either approving our actions as good or condemning them as evil Now Conscience is either good or evil A good Conscience is a knowledge and perswasion of the Legality and Regularity of our actions and of the approbation of God and of men that judge right An evil Conscience is a knowledge and apprehension of the Illegality and Irregularity of our actions for which our own hearts condemn us so that we fear the judgement of God or Man for our evil deeds Quest Now the Question is Whether Humane Laws do bind in Conscience so that the violation of them makes an evil Conscience Sol. In order to the Solution of this here is to be considered how Conscience refers to God and how to Men. Strictly Conscience is referred onely to God so that an evil Conscience is a sense of sin committed against God and a fear of God's judgement for it More largely Conscience bears respect also to men thus the Apostle saith that herein he did exercise himself Act. 24 16. to have a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men being careful to avoid offences against either Table of the Law both in general and particular so that an evil Conscience is a sense of sin as against God so against men and a fear as of being judged for it by God so of being censured by men or of falling under disgrace So much as to the first special enquiry in order to the Solution of the main Question I have shewed you what Conscience is a good Conscience and an evil Conscience 2. What is it to bind the Conscience or to be bound in Conscience This is to be understood either strictly or more largely Strictly and properly There is an Obligation to Obedience under a fear of offending God or under the danger of a moral sault More largely and improperly there is an obligation upon the Conscience under a fear of offending men or under the danger only of a civil offence which is a matter of ill report among men The Question is properly concerning the obligation of the Conscience as Conscience respecteth God So that the doing or not doing of a thing brings on a moral culpableness with which a man's heart may charge him a sin against God Well then 3. How many wayes is this obligation in Conscience induced with respect to the Laws of man 1. The Conscience is bound either onely in general i. e. by vertue of God's general Command to honour Superiours or also in special i. e. with respect to singular or positive Laws of Superiours 2. A special Law or Constitution of the civil Powers may be said to bind the Conscience either per se or per accidens A civil Constitution or Injunction is obligatory per se when it so binds the Conscience that it must necessarily be observed and cannot be crossed or neglected without offending God and that by reason of the special command of the Powers Again Sometimes such a Law or Sanction is obligatory binding the Conscience only by accident as when any thing is commanded with respect to good order and the keeping of a due decorum and the avoiding of scandal The Conscience is bound by this Command so far as the violation of it
is the destruction of good order and a breach of the publick peace and matter of scandal or an occasion of sinning unto others A very learned and Orthodox Writer hath these distinctions among others in the discussion of this great question which we are now in hand with Well Determ now to conclude something in Answer to this Inquiry Whether humane Laws or the Commands of men do bind the Conscience Concerning which I lay down this in General Humane Laws do and do not bind the Conscience For the understanding of this we must with Aquinas distinguish of Laws he tells us That Laws of humane Position or Sanction are either Righteous or Vnrighteous and thus he concludes Justae leges humanae obligant in soro Conscientiae ratione legis aternae c. The righteous Laws of men have a binding power in the Conscience as they are grounded upon derived from and agreeabe to the Eternal Law the Law of God and no further for only God's Laws do simply and per se bind the Conscience But unrighteous Laws saith he bind not in the Court of Conscience Leges auteminjustae non obligant c. unless in some cases as for the avoiding of scandal and with respect to the publick peace c. Yea saith he f those Laws of men be unrighteous per contrarietatem ad bonum Divinum as contrary to Divine good or the Law of God as if Rulers should make Laws binding to an Idolatrous Profession or Worship or to any thing contrary to the Law of God We are bound in Conscience not to obey such Laws it is meet that we should obey God rather than men And in another place he hath this conclusion 2da 2dae qu. 104. Art 5. Subditi in iis tantummodo Superioribus suis obedire tenentur in quibus ipsi Superioribus subjiciuntur in quibus ipsi Superiores sublimioris potestatis praecepto non adversantur This in General Particularly for a full determination of the Question there might be many distinct conclusions laid down according to the diverse distinctions of Persons or Powers that make Laws or give Commands with respect to the diversity of the Subject about which they are as relating to the matters Civil or Ecclesiastical but I shall adde only a few words 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively Negatively I lay down these three Positions 1. Mens commands oblige not the Conscience directly and immediately as God's Commands do but by the intervention of God's Command It is the command of God that binds my Conscience to observe any command of man Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man 1 Pet. 2 1â— Eccles 8.10 for the Lord's sake saith the Apostle Peter Keep the Kings Commandment and that in regard of the Oath of God i. e. not onely for fear of man but also and chiefly for fear of wronging thy Conseience toward God 2. Humane Laws bind not the Conscience universally and unlimitedly as the Laws of God do I must examine the constitutions of men by the Laws of God and see whether they be righteous or no whether they be not contrary to God's Law and if I find them so I am bound in Conscience to deny active obedience 3. The Commands of men do not bind absolutely as the Laws of God do There may be a due subjection in some cases unto man by suffering the penalty though obedience be withholden The result of all is this That no voice but the Voice of God must be heard in the Conscience as commanding there and binding indispensibly to obedience and let me add this That it is antichristian for men to set up their own Will as a rule of sin and duty to take it upon them to give Laws to the Conscience This is St. Paul his Character of Antichrist that he as God 2 Thes 2.4 sitteth in the Temple of God i. e. in the Church he sitteth as God i. e. saith Diodate making himself absolute Lord of Consciences bringing them to his obedience The setting up of another Law-giver then Christ is properly Antichristianism What saith Calvin As long as the Pope exerciseth Tyranny over the Conscience we shall not cease to call him Antichrist nay we shall go further saith he and call them members of Antichrist who take such snares upon their Consciences Now Affirmatively and positively concerning this question of the binding power of humane Laws in the Conscience I conclude thus That all Laws and Commands of men in Power to which the order of the Power doth rightfully and duly extend it self are to be obeyed for Conscience sake and all such constitutions of men as are fundamentally or reductively and interpretatively the Commands of God or which enjoyn that which hath allowance from the Word of God all such have a binding power in the Court of Conscience not directly and immediately indeed upon account of man's ordination as they are humane Ordinances but as they are God his Laws propounded and enforced by a civil sanction and as they fall in duty under that general Command of obeying those that are over us in the Lord. Prop. Now I come to prove and demonstrate the point which hath been opened That every soul must be subject to the higher powers i. e. every person must reverence and obey Rulers and Magistrates Proof This duty lies clearly and fully in the Text but see further proof My Son fear thou God Prov. 24 2â— Tit. 3.1 and the King Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to reverence and obey Magistrates 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as to them that are sent by him and to this subjection God boweth the hearts of Subjects God saith David Psal 144. subdueth my people under me Thus the people of Israel were subject to Joshua their cheif Magistrate Josh 4.14 They reverenced him They were obedient to him All that thou commandest us Josh 7.16 17. we will do and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go as we bearkned to Moses in all things so we will hearken unto thee onely the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses This last clause only the Lord c. seems to be a restriction and wary honest interpretation of their promise and engagement to Joshua Junius reads it thus Tantum videto Videto ut Deus tibi adsit sicut Moschi tu ab eo non recedas c. c. only see that God be with thee as he was with Moses guiding thee and dictating commands to thee and that thou depart not from God but keep close to his Commands as Moses did They would have Joshua to know that they were not so rash as to engage themselves unlimitedly to obey him in all things in case he should command any thing according to his own will and lust but so farre forth as
he should give Commands from God and according to those Statutes and Ordinances which God hath appointed to them they would be ready to yield obedience This is not an absolute promise but a restipulation a Covenant upon considerations to perform Articles Now for demonstration of the point I shall bring no other reasons or arguments for the confirmation of this Truth That all men must be subject for the enforcing of this duty of Subjection to Magistrates but only such as I find in the Context 1. 1 Arg. ab honesto The first reason is taken ab honesto It is meet that all men should be subject to God and to the Divine Ordination Now Magistracy is from God it is his Ordinance and the powers that be are ordained of God therefore out of respect and reverence toward God the Author of Powers it is meet that we should be subject to them It is God that giveth to Man power and authority over others Gen. 3. he first gave a Marital power a power to the Husband over the Wise in the next place from this followed a Parental power the power of Parents over Children and hence sprang other powers as a Despotical power the power of Masters over Servants and a Regal power the power of Rulers over Subjects The Apostle here properly speaks of this last of Civil publick Powers Now these powers are ordained of God First appointed by him raised above and set over other men God challengeth this as proper and peculiar to himself to raise up and appoint Rulers over people By me Kings Reign Prov. 8.15 16. by me Princes Rule The most high hath power over the Kingdomes of men Dan. 4.14 and giveth it to whomsoever he will and God hath put his own Name upon Rulers upon the powers which he hath set up Psal 82.6 I have said ye are Gods therefore let us reverence this Ordinance of God and be subject to the powers ordained by him God will have us to honour them whom he thus honoureth and will have us to know that in our subjection and obedience to them we have to deal with him 2. 2 Arg. ab inhonesto A second argument from subjection is taken ab inhonesto from the dishonesty and shamefulness of the contrary as an humble conscientious subjection to Magistrate is an acknowledgment of God's Ordinance so a contempt or slighting of the powers ordained by God and disobedience to them as Powers is Rebellion against God and his Ordination He that resisteth resisteth the Ordinance of God and how great is this sin It is a practical denial of God his Soveraignty a refusing to be under his Government It is God's Will to set such Order among men that some shall Rule others shall be Subject some shall give Commands others shall yield Obedience Now to despise and wilfully to violate this Order of God is great iniquity therefore it is made a brand of Libertines 2 Pet. 2.10 Jude 8. and prophane persons to despise Government 3. 3 Arg. a periculo A third Argument to enforce obedience to Magistrates is a taken a periculo from the danger of disobedience the pernicious effect of it respecting disobedient persons They that resist shaâ—â— receive to themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement From whom why from the Magistrate who hath Poweâ— in his hand and Commission from God to punish contumacious Offenders or they shall certainly be punished by God whâ—â— will vindicate his own Ordinance and will plead against the Violators of his Order so that the levelling humour and levellinâ— practices are dangerous to thâ— Authours Corah and his complices rose up against Moses and Aaron but they fell in such rising that they perished in the attempt the earth opened and swallowed up those Rebels Num. 16. And the Apostle Jude speaking of thâ—â— Factious and Seditious practice of unruly and Antimagistraticaâ— spirits in the latter times saith They perished in the gainsaying of Corah They that make head against Moses and Aaron against Magistrates and Ministers shalâ— be punished as sure as if the judgment were already Executed upon them But here is mainly intended punishment from the civil Magistrate that which is to be inflicted by the Powers disobeyed resisted They that disobey and resist shall receive condign punishment from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall receive judgment to themselves And this expression is by the way a little to be noted as hinting to us three things 1. The folly of those that are opposite to God's Order in his Constitution of humane powers refractory and disobedient to the good Laws and just Commands of Magistrates they run themselves upon mischeif they are enemies to themselves when they suffer the penalty of disobedience they have but their own seeking they do as it were reach out the hand for it to receive it Now will any wise man wilfully hurt himself 2. Here is hinted the Justice of the Laws in inflicting the penalty of Transgression upon wilful Offenders whatever the breakers of good Laws do suffer according to Law is to be imputed to their own wickedness they have nothing to lay to the charge oâ— Magistrates They that resist the powers receive judgment to themselves their due is paid them their punishment is but a just retribution the reward of their offence 3. Here is a hint of the vanity and bootlessness of such attempt of Rebellious people against God's Ordinance when they rise up against Authority against the Powers which God hath seâ— up They receive judgment to themselves They have the worst of it like a man that runs his head against a wall to beat down the wall he breaks his own head it may be beats out his own brains but cannot overthrow the wall nor do it any harm They that resist shall receive judgment And this pernicious effect or fruit of disobedience which is a denial of subjection to Magistrates is confirmed by one great end of the Institution of Magistracy of God his committing the power of the Sword to the Magistrate namely That he might be Ver. 3 a terrour to evil doers for Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil Here is the effect put for the cause evil works Metalepsis for evil workers And the Apostle expresseth himself in this manner because according to the course of Justice men are not to be punished but for evil works for something that is contrary to the Law of God and to the Laws of man consonant thereunto and grounded thereupon Note this Subjects are not to be threatened nor flattered into obedience to those Commands of the Powers which are sinful and repugnant to the Law of God and a good Conscience or to those that are arbitrary and illegal contrary to or beside the laudable constitution of the Government which is to be managed according to known Laws nor ought men to be punished for not obeying in such cases The Magistrate
powers is to resist the Ordinance of God and so to resist God himself and this wounds the Conscience and layes us under a fear of God his revenging Justice A Christian is bound to perform civil duties upon grounds of Religion God's Command binds the Conscience to keep men's righteous Laws Here is another Argument from the rule of Justice which is 7 Arg. ab aequo to render to every one his due and here he reckons up four particulars of civil obâ—dience according to the degrees of civil powers or the several Orders and Offices of men in power Render tribute to whom tribute is due viz. to the Prince his Treasurers Custome to whom custome is due To the Prince his Farmers and Collectours Fear to whom fear is due viz. to the Prince his Deputies to Governours Judges Justices Officers sent by him while they act in their places under him according to the Prince his declared will and the power derived to them and vested in them by the Laws as they are Ministers of Justice Lastly render honour to whom honour is due viz. to the Person and Authority of the Prince or cheif Ruler as Saint Peter commands honour the King Now Tribute is that which is charged upon and paid out of a man's possession and estate Custome is properly that which is paid out of Merchandize or Traffick exported or imported Fear is an acknowledgment of the power ordained by God and a care not to offend it lest we incur blame and punishment Honour is a due inward affection toward him whom we judg worthy of reverence and respect either for his vertue or for the eminency of his place or for his beneficence toward us or upon some other just consideration and an outward due signification and testification of our inward reverence and respect toward him honour is due to the powers especially the higher powers because of their Office and Place as to our civil Parents by vertue of God's command Honour thy Father Honour comprehends reverence fear subjection obedience love and thankfulness Thus I have dispatched the Doctrinal part of this my discourse I have stated the duty of subjection to Magistrates telling you that it imports mainly reverence and obedience and shewing you what reverence is and what it is to obey Now whereas I assigned this limitation of our universal obedience viz. it must be in the Lord in all things according to the mind of God only so far as God his Word gives us command or allowance to act This is the limitation which the Scripture suggesteth and in many place holdeth forth and therefore cannot be justly offensive to any nor will it offend any good Magistrate who acknowledgeth God to be his Superiour and the Supream Law-giver and desires that God should be honoured above all And whereas touching the binding power of humane Laws in the Conscience I determined That the Laws of men bind not the Conscience directly and immediately nor universally and unlimitedly nor absolutely as the Laws of God do but only by the intervention of God's Command and as they are grounded upon and derived from and agreeable to the Eternal Law the Law of God and I concluded That no voice but God's Voice is to be heard in the Conscience as commanding there and binding indispensibly to obedience This determination is warranted by Scripture and therefore not to be quarrelled with Concerning the whole I shall shew you what was the sence and Conscience of our late King Charles the First as he expresseth himself in that Book of his Entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Portraiture of his Sacred Majesty his words are these I have often declared how little I desire that my Lawes and Scepter should entrench on God his Soveraignty who is the onely King of mens Consciences and yet he hath laid such restraint upon men as commands them to be subject for Conscience sake giving no men liberty to break the Law established further then with meekness and patience they are contented to suffer the penalty annexed rather than perturb the publick peace And again Next to fear God is honour the King next to it not before it Thus our late Soveraign I now come to a word or two of Application Application The first Use shall be for Confutation 1 Confutation First of Papists and Popish Doctrine Of Papists 1. Of that horrible and hellish Doctrine That it is lawful and meritorious to murther Princes in the quarrel of Religion justifying abetting and applauding the heinousest Treasons against the highest Powers upon earth Doth God say Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers and shall the Pope teach Subjects to murther their Princes and to blow up Parliaments c. for the advantage of the Catholick Cause as they call it Doubtless saith a learned Divine The Romish Religion is the most horrid Rebel in the world 2. There is another false absurd idle Doctrine of theirs hereby confuted viz. this That the Pope and his Bishops and Clergy who call themselves Spiritual are exempted from subjection to civil Magistrates both as to their persons in the tryal of Ecclesiastical Civil and Criminal Causes and as to their purses and possessions in paying Tributes Whereas the Apostle here chargeth every Soul to be subject to the higher powers to the powers ordained of God and Christ we read paid tribute for himself and Peter Act. 25.11 and Paul pleaded before the civil Magistrate and we know that Aaron the high Priest was subject to Moses the chief Magistrate yet these men as if they were higher than high Priests and before Peter and better than Apostles must forsooth be exempted from subjection to any civil Powers Secondly Our Text and Doctrine serves for Confutation of Donatists and Millenaries and Quakers and some Anabaptists who look for the abolishing of all Magistracy that Christ alone may reign among the Saints who cry down Magistrates and deny that they have any coercive punitive Power that cry up an equality and parity among Christians holding that Christians need no Magistrates and that they need not be subject to any And why so What do they plead for this opinion of theirs and for their denial of subjection i. e. reverence and obedience to Magistrates Object They say that they are the Lord his Freemen and that it is against Christian liberty for Christians to be under the power of any but Christ who is their only King who hath made them free and that they must not be the servants of men Answ The Liberty unto which Christ doth free his people in this life is inward and spiritual Gospel liberty is a liberty from sin a liberty unto duty a liberty to serve God in our order place and station a liberty from the yoke of Ceremonies c. and surely civil subjection to Superiours is not inconsistent with such spiritual liberty Indeed the Apostle Paul discourseth largely of Christian liberty and yet he doth more than
once enjoyn and earnestly press subjection to Magistrates There is a wide difference betwixt that liberty which Christ hath purchased for us and that libertinism which Fanatical spirits plead for And as to that other Text which they urge 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a price be ye not the servants of men To this I Answer that the Apostle there speaking of the subjection of Servants to their Masters forbiddeth sinful subjection and not civil subjection By Servants of men he meaneth not those that do civil service to their Superiours he forbids not Christians thus to be servants but he speaks of an inclination to gratifie their finful desires and a readiness to obey their wicked Commands for servants were then forced by threatnings and strips and by the terrours of death to obey all the Commands of their unbelieving Masters were they never so dishonest and wicked therefore the Apostle gives this admonition to believing Servants that were under the power of such Masters to take heed that they be not terrified into wickedness that they so serve men as not to offend God and wrong their own Consciences Thus Pareus interprets the place and so Chrysostome Noliâ—e eis parere si impia praecipiant Obey not their ungodly Commands And this admonition is very suitable with respect to the subjection and obedience of Subjects to their Rulers and Magistrates I may and must serve and obey the Magistrate but I must not sin at his Command * Major erga Deum obligatio quam erga homines illa absoluta haec conditionalis Supremae majestati debetur major reverentia Domino quam servo major obedientia When men command what God forbids in such a case God must be obeyed rather than men Walk ye not in the Statutes of your Fathers Ezek. 20.18 19. c. Walk in my Statutes I wish saith Calvin that these things were deeply printed in the minds of all men then would not so many serve the lusts of men as if they themselves were to be bought and sold Well here is the point They whom Christ makes free are free indeed but it is from bondage to their own and other mens lusts not from obedience to the honest Commands and righteous Laws of their Superiours Divers other frivolous objections and absurd pleas there are which have been fully answered over and over again and the Answers are in Print Obj. In Christ say they all are equal there is no distinction of Superiours and Inferiours Gal. 3 28. all are one in Christ Sol. To this it is Answered That politick inequality is not against Spiritual equality Obj. And whereas it is alleadged That Christ is the Christians only King therefore Christians must be subject only to Christ. Sol. The Answer is That though Christ be the sole King of the Church yet he is not the only King in the Church nor is his Kingdom contradictory to or destructive of civil Powers and Government Subordinata non pugnant There is no repugnancy where there is a subordination Kings in the Church serve Christ the great King of the Church and Christ keepeth up Order and maintaineth Government in the Common-wealth for his Church's sake for his own Kingdom 's sake I shall go no further in this Use of Confutation nor shall I stay much longer in the Application of the point only I shall add one word for Information and another of Exhortation Vse 2 We see here Information that Piety is not opposite to civil Authority that true Christianity opposeth not Magistracy that Religion maketh not Rebels but Subjects for subjection and obedience to Magistrates is one of the Principles of true Religion Indeed this is the common slaunder raised by the Devil and his Instruments against Christ and his Kingdom and Servants as if the true Religion and Professors of it were most dangerous to civil States as if the best men were the worst Subjects as if those that are most Religious were worst to be trusted as if there were most need to watch them and keep them under See what an Oration Haman made against God his people stuffing it with malignant Criminations Est 3.8 See what a pestilent Letter Rehum and Shimshai wrote against the Jews sending it to the King Artaxerxes Ezra 4.11 Was not Christ himself accused and condemned as an Enemy to Caesar and a mover of Sedition was it not laid to Paul his charge once and again that he was a pestilent fellow and a mover of Sedition and a Sect-master And thus Popish and profane and Atheistical malignant Spirits have been alwayes ready to cast such aspersions upon sincere Professours of the Gospel upon the most Religious and Conscientious and faithful Ministers and people Oh! they are Factious and Fanatical they are troublers of the Church and State they have a Spirit of Rebellion in them it is not fit they should live Thus the Devil would scare men from embracing the Truth and the Ordinances of Christ and from all forwardness in professing Religion But doubtless the godly Preachers and sincere professors of the Gospel are so far from denying the right of Princes and from a Spirit of Rebellion as that the Doctrine which they bring and which they entertaine and desire to hold fast establisheth the power of Rulers in their hands They are as one saith like Solomon his Workmen that built the Temple and built the Kings's Throne too And surely the more that any man takes in the Principles of the Gospel and of a Christian and the more power Religion hath upon his heart the better Subject will he be The Gospel commandeth all lawful obedience even to Infidel Magistrates such as were when Paul wrote this Epistle to the Romans and the more that the Doctrine of the Gospel comes in power upon the heart the more and better obedience there will be Rulers have no better friends than such as make Conscience of their wayes they are the best subjects to Princes on earth that do truly fear the God of Heaven These pray for Rulers while others do Curse and Swear and drink Healths as they call them thus constantly breaking the Kings Laws and by their wickedness provoking God to bring Judgement upon King and people These that fear God obey for Conscience sake and so as to keep a good Conscience when others obey onely for fear or according to their humour and without Conscience and however such talk of Loyalty and boast themselves the only Loyalists it would I think be no hard matter to demonstrate that none can be truly and certainly Loyal but such as are truly religious They that do not truly fear God do not truly Honour the King Though they may flatter Rulers for their own ends and be ready to serve them in many things so farre as they may serve themselves upon them and carry on their own designes and in those matters that may suit with their own humors yet to serve their lusts
or interests they will break the King's Laws as well as God's but shew me a good Christian and I will shew you a good Subject that obeys for Conscience sake he that truly fears God will be afraid to break the Laws of God and Man And now there is an inference of the Magistrate's concernment depending hereupon and issuing from hence If true Religion make good Subjects and true Piety be the surest ground and bond of Loyalty then it greatly concerns Christian Rulers to maintain and keep up the true Religion among their Subjects and to promote Piety and to protect countenance and encourage those that are truly religious and pious This will prove to be a true point of State Policy for it is matter of life or death political to any Kingdom as it doth well or ill understand it 's own Interest Now I say This is the great concernment and interest of Soveraignty Qui vere civilis est vult cives bonos efficere legibus obtemperantes Arist l. 1. Eth. c. 13 and ruling Authority to take the most effectual course for the making of good Subjects and that is undoubtedly this to take order that principles of Religion may be instilled into men and fixed in them and that the power of godlinesse may be promoted and to this end that the exercises of Religion both publick and private may be encouraged and that care be taken that the Lord's day be sequestred and applied to holy exercises and that an able godly faithful practical Ministry be planted throughout the Prince his dominions and that insufficient negligent and scandalous Ministers be not promoted or suffered in the Church This would be the way to make good men and good Christians and consequently good Subjects tied fast to the Ruling Powers by the bond of Conscience without this other politick courses will prove ineffectual for till obedience be willingly yielded unto God it will not be conscionably and so not constantly yielded to his Deputies but Christians well informed from the Word of God and seasoned with Scripture Principles know that they must needs be subject not onely for wrath but for Conscience sake Again one word more with respect to Magistrates If Subjects be limited by the Word of God in point of their obedience so that though they be bound to subjection yet they are bound not to obey in any thing contrary to the Word Conceditur libertas utendi legibus c. itatamen ut substantia legum Divinarum non calcetur abjiciatur aut negligatur Szeged Bp. Babington Then Magistrates are likewise thus limited in their Commands and Injunctions so that though they have Power and Authority to make Laws and give Commands yet they are bound not to make any Law cross to God's Law not to command any thing contrary to the Word of God but all the Lawes and orders of Superiours should be subservient to the Laws of God or consistent with them Piety and Charity are the limits of the Magistrates command and our obedience It is the Magistrate ' sin to command that to be done in doing whereof the Subject finneth directly against God and in such a case of contrariety to the Divine Law the Maker as well as the observer of Laws abaseth the Eternal God setting him below the creature As Christ comandeth his Kingdom to be subject to Princes and Potentates so he commandeth all Princes and Potentates to be subject to his Kingdom Ps 2.12 Kiss the Son Every Calling and Profession hath some rule to go by and mens excellency in any calling stands in their conformity to the Rule Now the Word of God in a special manner propounded and enjoyned to Magistrates as their directory and Rule Josh 1.8 Deut. 17.18 19. 2 Chron. 23.11 See the Texts in the Margin When Joash was Crowned King the Testimony the Book of God's Law was given into his hand It was a Wise and a Religious saying of that famous Queen Elizabeth when a Bible was presented to Her as She passed thorow Cheap-side in London This hath been my delight and this shall be the Rule whereby I will frame my Government And doubtless if it must be the Subject his Rule for obeying it must be the Ruler his Rule for Commanding Vse 3 Let us approve our selves good Christian Subjects Exhortation yielding due subjection to the higher powers obeying for Conscience sake with a good Conscience in and for the Lord Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are God's Fear God and honour the King Let not these two Precepts be divided let not this Scripture order be inverted Obligatio erga Deum absoluta erga homines conditionalis si nihil vel impium vel injustum praecipiant Obediendum est Magistratui quatenus ea praecipit quae praecipi possunt a Ministro Dei et ei conveniunt qui gladium gestat malorum vindicem bonorum defensorem FINIS