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A57732
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The magistrates power vindicated, and the abominablenesse of resisting their power discovered by Peter Row.
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Row, Peter, fl. 1662.
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1661
(1661)
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Wing R2060A; ESTC R182865
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10,788
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16
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anoint King and promised to his 4th Generation which was Jeroboam Son to Joash 1 King 9. and beginning compared with chap. 10.30 chap. 13.1 and chap. 14.8 and 16. or of Baasha 1 King 15.27 28. compared with 1 King 16.1 2. but the last set himself up yet God you see saith Hee set up all these 2 As God set them up so hee knew all things and must needs know it So then it being clear that God set them up at least it must be concluded that God knew of their setting up how is the text to be understood how may it be said They set them up not by God and hee knew it not 1. They did not by his counsel set up Saul but contrary neither do I finde them so setting up Jeroboam Son of Nebat by any counsel or advice except the Prophet from God but in rebellion against the house of David contrary to as far as I understand former commands from God yet God as before did it though they did not it by God his advice let it be of Saul as most like or of any other 2. But how may it be said he knew it not that I understand is He approved it not or they made it not known to God by prayer or the like but did it rashly not seeking God which is in Scripture said to be a making known unto God Phil. 4.6 By prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God So the reason of the truth is confirmed against Objectors and the Scripture cleared Reas. 2. Because Jesus Christ hath called us to this Subjection to follow him in his steps who suffered by the Higher Powers and threatned not much less resisted 1. Pet. 2.21 This I write in special for them that profess to be his Disciples and he having called it is but reason that we should follow and serve him in it Rom. 12.1 it is reason as I shall demonstrate it 1. Because he hath redeemed us who else had suffered body and soul eternally in hell fire if when one is sentenced to death another should come and redeem him from death by laying down a great price more than hee is able to gain by all his labour and indeavour it is but reason the redeemed should serve him all his daies So Jesus Christ having bought and redeemed both body and soul with his precious blood from eternal death not with money or corruptible things but with the offering up his body and soul therefore it is but reason wee should serve him with body and soul though through short and momentary sufferings 1 Cor. 6.20 2 Because he being gone before in the same path 1 Pet. 2.21 it is not a laying on our shoulders that hee would not touch no no hee hath took on him the heavier end of the staff and having born it for our eternal salvation 't is but reason that wee should follow him in momentary sufferings seeing then this is a duty upon every man to be subject to the Higher Powers 1. Then let all be exhorted to make conscience of this duty especially such as pretend most to Christianity how oft do the Apostles to this exhort as in the Text and saith Peter Submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake to the King as Supream c. And that this exhortation may take place in the hearts of such as fear and love the Lord. I shall set before you some Motives 1. Hereby thou wilt glorifie Christ Christ telling Peter by what death hee should glorifie God told him of suffering for his sake Joh. 21.18 And Peter begs the Disciples for the Lords sake that they would submit and what is so much to a Christian as Gods glory nothing not life it self if indeed a Christian But a little to shew how this glorifies God 1. By making wicked men ashamed who have accused us for such for Religions sake because therein going contrary to Governours and others as though wee were heady high-minded as they did in the Apostles daies that the Christians were against Caesar and denied him to be King which they did not although they held Christ to bee King and themselves his subjects to obey his Laws of which Laws this was one that they should bee subject to Caesar and now by their subjection though multitudes in many places and likely able to resist being able to raise Armies and especially being attended with miraculous gifts and yet to submit in quietness under all their wrongs and not offer to resist it would shew such as said they were against Caesar to bee lyars and make them ashamed of their false accusations and so put them to silence 1 Pet. 2.12.15 Is it not the same now how have wee been talked of as such a people if we had opportunity And to make good this reproach have told us of the Munster Anabaptists and said we would do the same if we had opportunity now how could wee make them ashamed but by our quiet subjection though able to resist but oh how hath the contrary practices brought more shame on the profession of Religion more than any before us and as much as in such lies who have resisted the Powers have justified the reproaches 2. Suffering would have honoured Christ in that though wee never saw him yet to suffer for obeying him would have been more honour than usually the Princes of this world have to have sealed the truth of our Faith in his Word and Promise with our blood what could bee done more to his praise and honour that though Christ be in Heaven who hath left his Word here upon Earth that hee hath a people on earth whom his Word hath such power on their souls and consciences to bring them into subjection 2 Cor. 10 4.6 through sufferings yea to the laying down their lives for him 3. This would bee to his glory in the day of Judgement in the judgement hee shall pass against wicked men to be but righteous 2 Thes. 1.4 c. who have not onely been disobedient but persecutors and afflictors of such as have been obedient who have not onely refused to feed cloathe and visit them but have stript imprisoned and killed them for worshipping Christ in his holy Ordinances 2. Bee all exhorted to repent that have been guilty for that is the way to escape Gods judgements which will come for such transgressions Ezek. 33.11 Luk. 13.1 They that do repent then shall not perish for their sin Object Some may say what advantage will that bee to mee to repent except others that have been guilty shall do the same Answ. 1. What knowest thou but thy example may draw others which hath strengthened some in their evil or have caused such to go on in it that were doubtful 1 Cor. 15.10 11 And save them by converting them from the evil of their waies and so cover a multitude of sins which have been ushered in by this 2. However thou shalt deliver thy own self in the day
and things not to do wherein being obedient to God they would indeed have been a terrour to evil doers and praise to them that did well Deut. 14. to the end and the things commanded sometimes they did not and so did the things forbidden yea all their daies and yet retain the power and the people bound to subjection yea the best of them had eminent turnings aside herein but this never took away their power nor dethroned them neither disobliged the subjects this is clear in the case of Saul and David and Asah who committed great murders and Solomon and others multiplied horses and wives and the like contrary to command Saul slew eighty five innocent Priests and their City both men and women and children and sucklings and oxen and asses and sheep with the sword 1 Sam. 22.18 19. and contrary to Law even the Law from Gods mouth sought to slay David but David said hee could not resist or stretch out his hand against him and be guiltless no though he was a great Captain in Israel and anointed heir to the Crown I might larger insist on these things but my desire is brevity but from what is written none can but confess so far as I can see except they speak against light that if the being a punishment to good and a praise to the evil did make void the Kings power most of the Kings in Israel Sauls in particular and Davids too had been gone but you plainly see the contrary in what is said before in this answer 2 This cannot be essential to the being of the Higher Powers and disoblige us as to subjection is clear because Christ himself was herein subject Mat. 17.27 and to the death and more clear to this purpose he commands our subjection to them yea wherein they wrong us 1 Pet. 2.21 No one will say he was not able to resist if he should Christ gives him the lye Mat. 26.53 but some will say he was then called to suffer and therefore would not resist though he were able the same call is upon thee from Christ 1 Pet. 2.21 to follow his steps in the very thing but if thou wilt not take up his cross and follow him thou canst not be his Disciple Object 2 But we finde in Scripture that holy men did resist the powers and yet were blameless yea did well in it as Gideon Ehud and several others and why then may not we Answ. 1 They were extraordinarily called to it by the Lord that is the Lord spake to them by voice or Angels or Prophets or other extraordinary wayes 2 They had no command to be subject to those Kings but rather the contrary not to suffer them Exod. 23.31 Deut. 7.2.24 chap. 23.3.6 Thou shalt destroy their Kings and therefore were absolutely forbidden to make a Covenant with them for then they must keep it as with the Gibeonites which would be a snare to them had they never so good an oppurtunity the breach of which by Saul was sorely plagued by the Lord and they might do many things then that we must not now they might have more wives than one and divorce and one marry the divorced but not so now Mat. 5.31.32 compared with Deut. 24.1 2. and Mat. 19.7 8 9. So then they might destroy but now we must not offend Mat. 17.27 but thou not being immediately or by Prophets called to it neither commands in the Scripture for it but commands to the contrary their example will not justifie thee Obj. 3. But God did set Saul over the children of Israel by commandement and the people to be subject to him yet David resisted him Ans. 1. David was before this anointed to be King 2. David did not resist Saul or make war against him that I can finde but fled from him though he might have destroyed him yea he saith himself it was sinful and unlawful to stretch out his hand against him 3. But if what in this answer should not be so clear but that he did resist yet consider that examples are not alwaies binding duties if so then we must circumcise as Paul did especially when we receive command to the contrary from the Lord. Obj. 4. But if I must be subject to the Higher Powers then a theef on the high way being in power above mee I must not resist A. A theef on the high-way or the like is not the Higher Power or the Supream Authority in a Nation and therefore no Objection Obj. 5. But if the Higher Powers rise against mee to kill mee without cause must I not defend my self Ans. Not by resisting as David when Saul sought to kill him and said He should one day perish by the hand of Saul yet at the same time saith He should not be guiltless if he did it 1 Sam. 26.9.11 to the end compare chap. 27.1 So that he makes a clear answer to this Question or Objection so that the Prophet David condemns such an act that none could do it and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26.9.11 yea cryes out God forbid that I should do such a thing when others stirred him up thereunto Now I shall proceed to some reasons why every soul ought to be subject to the Higher Powers Reas. 1. Because God hath set up this Power that is the Apostles reason for subjection for saith hee There is no Power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God hee hath raised them to be Rulers over us therefore should wee submit to the power God hath set over us John 19.11 Obj. We finde that Rulers many times are usurpers which God said to Israel were not set up by him therefore hee intends not such powers Hos. 8.4 Ans. 1. It appears they were not usurpers for the reproof is not against them but the people so they it seems set not up themselves but the people therefore it seems not to be upon the account of usurpation 2. But that God intends such as come illegally they are not Powers set up by God Before I give an answer to this I shall as is necessary 1. Shew to whom the Prophet speaks 2. Of whom 1. To whom to Israel vers 3. 2. Of whom it must be of Jeroboam Son of Joash who was then King as appears in Hosea 1.1 or of Saul or some of the Kings of Israel either Saul the first and so all Kings being first desired by them contrary to Gods mind 1 Sam. 8.6 7. compared with Hosea 13.10 11. or else upon the chusing a King upon their revolt from the house of David Jeroboam Son of Nebat or of some that destroyed the Kings and set themselves up as Baasha and others but neither of these wee finde that are particularly mentioned but God saith hee set up as to Saul see 1 Sam. 15.7 as to Jeroboam Son of Nebat see 1 Kings 11.11 compared with vers 31. and 37. chap. 12.15 24. Concerning the Son of Joash now King hee was the third Generation of Jehu whom God sent his Prophet to