Apostles expresse Doctrine But the Doctrine which commendeth and urgeth such disobedience vilifying refusing assistance smiting of Powers as the words of the fore-cited Authors called usually Fifth-Monarchy-men do is contrary to the Precepts of Christ his holy Apostles and other holy men in the holy Scriptures Therefore that Doctrine is damnable and Antichristian The minor is proved from those Precepts which expresly command Subjection Fear Honour Assistence to them Whereof the first is that of our Saviour Matth. 22. 21. Mark 12. 18. Luke 20. 27. Where our Lord Christ being by the Disciples of the Pharisees and Herodians posed with this Captious question tending to intangle him in his talk Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not After the shewing of tribute money and the acknowledgment that it had Caesars Image and inscription our Lord Christ thence inferring that it was due to him whose Image and inscription it bare resolves them that they were to render to Caesar the things that were Caesars to wit Tribute Honour and that Subjection which was then given to him as Emperor Now it is known that the Emperor or Caesar then reigning was Tiberius Caesar Luke 3. 1. Who came to the Empire by wicked practises and not only led a most vitious and wicked life in uncleanness and Irreligion but also was a bloody oppressor of the Senate and people of Rome as may be seen in Tacitus his Annals Suetonius in the relation of his life and other Historians Therefore the Doctrine that teacheth disobedience denying of Tribute Honours Subjection to Kings and Princes as being Oppressors Enemies to Christ that urgeth hatred smiting of them is contrary to Christs precept which requires Tribute Honours and Subjection to be given them though by wicked waies obtaining Empire and most wickedly ruling and putting Christ himself to death The next text is that full and plain precept of the Apostle Paul Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Where St. Paul requires of every Soul therefore of the most inlightned Saints to be subject to the Higher or Supreme Powers who are termed v. 3. Rulers or Princes such as bear the Sword v. 4. Therefore Civil Magistrates who had power of punishing even with death who were revengers unto wrath upon him that doth evil and might praise them that did well therefore they were the Persons who had rule who are meant by powers for such actions are only of Persons it is not said the powers that should be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the powers that are in being though by evil means attaining it and be that beareth the Sword not he only that ought to bear the Sword but he that hath it in Possession though perhaps not rightly acquired nor is it said every soul is to be Subject to the powers that are such as they should be but which are nor to be good Rulers only but Rulers nor he that useth or beareth it aright but he that beareth the Sword unto these the Apostle requireth Subjection of necessity v. 5. And that necessity he explaineth to be not only because they can inflict wrath or punishment as is expressed v. 4. But also for conscience sake that is as St. Peter speaks 1 Pet. 2. 19. For conscience towards God out of regard to Gods Ordinance v. 1 2. Who by his Providence for mans good sets up and disposeth of those powers and also commandeth them to be owned as by his appointment for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies precept as well as Providence like as compound Nouns of the same theme do 1 Cor. 9. 14 Heb. 11. 23. c. And to these Powers or Rulers the Apostle supposeth the paying of Tribute as the constant use of Christians that then were and that of right for they were Gods Ministers or servants attending continually unto this self same thing that is their Good v. 4. And therefore due to them as wages for their service to them and wages that God assignes them as being his servants in keeping Peace Order righteousness among men instead of God who claims this to be his Office and Substitutes Civil Rulers to do it for him and to receive their Tributes and Customs as his receivers And therefore the Apostle requires v. 7. Christians to render to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custome or toll to whom Custome is due Fear to whom Fear belongeth Honour to whom Honour appertains whom the series of the context plainly shewes to be the Higher Powers Rulers that bear the Sword which can be meant of no other than Civil Magistrates and Governours such as Emperors Kings Senates and Officers which either make or execuse Lawes belonging to the Civil state Now sure if Subjection Tribute or Poll-mony Custome or Toll for Commodities Imported or Exported Fear or Reverence of their Persons and Authority and Honour in respect of their preeminence and dignity be to be given to them then it is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine to teach disobedience contempt withdrawing assistence from them The reasons which the Apostle gives of Subjection to Powers are also of much importance for the Confirmation of the Obligation that lies on Christians to yield them Obedience Tribute Fear of offending them and Honour of their Persons and place 1. because they are Powers now if there be no Subjection they are not powers 2. They are Higher Supreme or Excelling power therefore those over whom they are are to be Subject to them or Ordered under them or else they Usurp anothers place 3. They are of God and what is of God should be owned not opposed 4. They are Ordained or Ordered of God both by his wise Providence disposing of such imparity that there may be good order in humane society if all were equals nothing sooner bringing confusion and hindering common good as is apparent in Armies from whence that word we translate Ordained seems to be taken all right order requiring first and last highest and lowest without which no useful frame either artificial or natural can be erected or made and also by his holy and just command which requires superiors in place and power to be Honoured Feared Assisted and served by inferiors 5. Hence the Apostle infers that resistence of them is resisting of Gods Ordinance therefore it must needs be a great sin not only to destroy them smite them but also to withstand their power or by contempt or subtraction of due aid or subsidie to weaken them or to provoke them to anger because it is contending against God 6. The Apostle upon the same reason denounceth Damnation or Judgment from God on them that do resist For as it is the Ordinance of God that is resisted so is it the Judgment or Damnation of God which is threatned to be inflicted in which respect as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Jugment is used Rom. 3. 8. without mentioning God so it is expressed Rom. 2. 2 3. with mentioning of him 7. Subjection is further urged
lib. 1. c. 6. I rest on that on which after Chrysostom Cajetan Isidor Clarius Aretius Mountagu Gataker and Heinsius Exercit Sacr lib. 5. c. 13. pitch that by reason of the confusion that then was in the Government the High Priests then not succeeding according to the Law of God in the Family of Aaron nor continuing during life but by bribes and evil arts being promoted and removed by the Kings and Governors at pleasure insomuch that as Heinsius speaks it is manifest there was then such Anarchy that dâ—ily as it were they were and were not High Priests Besides Paul's long absence from Jerusalem his unacquaintance with affairs there especially in the government of the Temple and Council of the Jews the place manner of sitting habit not distinguishing him from the rest it may well be conceived that he did not then distinctly know Ananias to be the High Priest nor perhaps one of the Council regularly constituted though it be said v. 1. He earnestly beheld the Council And it to me seems the more likely that he did not perceive him to be High Priest because he directs his speech to them with the same compellations as he did Acts 22. 1. under the titles of Men and Brethren without distinguishing him from the rest or any respective speech to them as a regular Court of justice but as a company gathered together by the chief Captain to accuse and examine him not to judge him Which is the more likely by reason of what he did v. 6. in bespeaking them under the title of Men Brethren and perceiving them to be of different parties he used art to set them at variance and to break up the Assembly in a confused manner which he would not have done had it been a Court legally set However we determin of St. Pauls knowledge of Ananias it is clear that he doth not impute his speech v. 3. to Prophetick liberty as Grotius imagines when he saith in his Annot. on Acts 23. 3. utitur jure Prophetae nor justify it but corrects it and imputes it to his ignorance and adds the command of the Law Exod. 22. 28. For it is written thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy people following therein the Greek version the whole verse being Thou shalt not revile the Gods that is as is conceived Judges or God nor curse the Ruler of thy People Which being alledged by St. Paul as in force and applyed to himself as thereby condemning his speech of opprobrious and threatning language if it were not excused by his ignorance doth plainly prove that a Ruler of the People though an Ecclesiastick and climbing to the place by indirect means unrighteously judging opposing the truth the Kingdom and Apostle of Christ yet should not be reviled or with menaces terrified or cursed but being in the possession of a Rulers place be regarded in words and actions as a Ruler To which I shall add some more passages of the old Testament St. Pauls allegation of this shewing that they are moral and still binding Christians Eccl. 10. 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought or conscience and curse not the rich in thy Bed-chamber for a bird of the ayr shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter Eccles. 8. 2. I counsel thee to keep the Kings commandment and that in regard of the Oath of God Out of all which I conclude that the minor of my argument is sufficiently proved that the Doctrine which commendeth and urgeth such disobedience vilifying refusing assistance smiting of Powers whether Civil or Ecclesiastical or military as thâ— words cited by me do is contrary to the Precepts of Christ his holy Apostles and other holy men in the holy Scriptures and consequently damnable and Antichristian § 4. The Exceptions of Fifth-monarchy-men and others against the first Argument are refelled AGainst this Argument which overthrows also the Doctrines of Jesuited Pontificians and other opposers deposers and smiters of Kings and other Rulers there are sundry exceptions taken One exception is that those Precepts were for that time when the Christians were unable to resist But this is prevented by the Apostles words Rom. 13. 5. Ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake Another that these Precepts tie us to submit to these Rulers and not to resist them till they cease to be Rulers which they do when excommunicate deprived by the Pope But if the Pope be comprehended under every soul as Chrysostom conceived even the Apostles were then the Pope himself is to be subject to Rulers and consequently cannot depose them nor hath the Scripture given this power to the Pope or Man to depose them it being God's prerogative as is said Psal. 75. 7. God is the Judge he putteth down one and setteth up another Another evasion is that subjection is required to Rulers while they are a terror to evil works not to good but not when they oppresse are enemies to Gods People Christ's Kingdom then they cease to be Rulers but this is prevented by the Apostle who saith the Powers that be are ordained of God and therefore to them as they are subjection is to be given and resistence is forbidden by S. Paul But the chief exception is that which p. 51 of the Banner displayd is in these words Now then we say that called the Ordinance of God proves the Ordinance of the Devil and though the Powers of the great Image might be taken for the Ordinance of God so long as they kept their pure civil and unmixed state so saith Paul the Powers that be i. e. the Civil Powers of old Rome tho a bloudy Persecutor and devourer of the Creation and God's Heritage are ordained of God yet when the Power of Rome adulterated from its pure civil state and becomes a mixt Antichristian state the Beast and a Whore then it is said of that beastly Antichristian Power that the Dragon or Satan gave him his power and his seat and great Authority and what then is this save the Ordinance of Hell To which I reply If I understand them aright this is their meaning that the powers of the great Image that is the Kings Emperors and Rulers of the world then ceased to be Gods Ordinance and became the Ordinance of Hell when that was fulfilled which we read Revel 13. 2. which they take for granted was when the Empire of Rome or the ten Kings that arose out of the division of it did give their power and strength as it is Revel 17. 13. unto the beast mentioned v. 11. which it 's without doubt with them to be the Bishop of Romes pretended supremacy dominion Oecumenieal Vicarship by which Christian Religion was corrupted mixed with Paganish and Jewish rites and the ten Kings and their Kingdoms made dependent on the Pope And consequently subjection and assistance is not due to the Civil or Ecclesiastical or Military powers or Laws that now
Ex AEd. Lamb. Feb. 29. 1663. Imprimatur Geo. Stradling S. T. P. Rever in Christo Pat. D. Gilb. Archiep. Cant. à Sac. Domest Saints no Smiters OR SMITING CIVIL POWERS Not the Work of SAINTS BEING A TREATISE Shewing the Doctrine and Atempts of QUINTO-MONARCHIANS OR FIFTH-MONARCHY-MEN About Smiting Powers to be damnable and Antichristian By JOHN TOMBES B. D. Matth. 26. 52. Then said Jesus unto him Put up again thy Sword into his place for all they that take the Sword shall perish with the Sword LONDON Printed by R. D. for Henry Eversden at the Greyhound in St. Paul's Church-yard 1664. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EDWARD EARL of CLARENDON LORD CHANCELLOR OF ENGLAND BY Divine Providence declared in my Writings upon His Majesties return into this Kingdom I was engaged in the asserting the Oath of His Majesty's Supremacy which drew upon me a necessity of arguing the point of taking any Oath at all in somewhat an ample Treatise about Swearing which being presented to him it pleased His Majesty to accept of Since which time I have employed much of my study in a Treatise of the Kingdom of God and the seeking it But having made some entrance into it and finding it likely to become too large for the end intended to wit the undeceiving of those who under pretence of setting up the Kingdom of God think it their duty to demolish all present Powers as Antichristian they being persons averse from reading any thing that is prolix I have chosen rather to cut this part out of the whole piece than to stay the finishing of the rest Such as it is I presume to present it to your Honour in humble gratitude for that voluntary unthought of favour towards me which moved you of your own accord and goodness to insinuate to His Majesty your ancient knowledge and later apprehensions of me by which means I have enjoyed that peace which is through His Majesties goodness yet vouchsafed me which I humbly crave your Honour to accept of from Your Honours devoted and deeply obliged Servant in our Lord JOHN TOMBES The Contents § 1. THe Occasion of this Treatise is declared § 2. The words of Quinto-Monarchians expressing their opinions about seeking Christs Kingdom in this Age are recited § 3. Their Doctrine about smiting Civil powers is proved from Scripture precepts to be wicked § 4. The exceptions of Fifth-Monarchy-men and others against the first Argument are refelled § 5. Suppositions implied in the Quinto-Monarchians exceptions about the stone and its smiting Dan. 2. 34 35 44 45. are shewed to be mistakes or uncertainties § 6. Quinto-Monarchians Hypotheses about the Civil Governments being from the 4th Monarchy Rome and the Dragon are shewed to be groundless § 7. More Arguments are urged against Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine from precepts and examples of holy persons § 8. More Arguments are urged from Censures and determinations in the New Testament § 9. Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine of smiting Civil Powers inciteth to resisting of evil and self-revenging forbidden by Christ and his Apostles § 10. Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine tends to Murder and ruine of humane Society § 11. The 9th and 10th Arguments from the meekness peaceableness and patience of Saints are urged against the smiting work of Quinto-Monarchians § 12. The 11th and 12th Arguments from the contrariety of the Martyrs example and agreement with Papists Doctrine and practice are urged against the Quinto-Monarchians § 13. The smiting work of Quinto-Monarchians is grounded on falsities or uncertainties concerning the Agents means and time of the smiting Dan. 2. 34 35 44 45. § 14. Many things are groundless and false which the Quinto-Monarchians suppose and take for Articles of their faith concerning the Fifth Monarchy and its setting up § 15. The claim which the Quinto-Monarchians make to Civil Government on earth in the Saints afore Christ's coming is false § 16. The Reasons and Arguments of Fifth-Monarchy Men for their separation and engaging against Civil powers are shewed to be vain Saints no Smiters Smiting CIVIL POWERS not the work of SAINTS OR A Treatise shewing the Doctrine and Attempts of Quinto-Monarchians to be Damnable and Antichristian § 1. The Occasion of this Writing is declared IT was our Saviors injunction to his Disciples Matth. 6. 33. that they should first seek the Kingdom of God it was his care to direct how they were to seek it to wit by Prayer for its coming preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom suffering patiently for it and living holily according to his Precepts and Example And accordingly the holy Apostles Martyrs Confessors and Believers in Christ have in the several Ages since Christs appearing in the flesh promoted the Kingdom of God by these means Nevertheless to omit other Instances whether of former or later times there hath been a company of men in this Nation noted by the Name of Fifth-Monarchy-men or Quinto-monarchians who have in Sermons and in Printed Writings asserted another way which is like the barbarous proceedings of Turks or bloudy Papists of setting up the supposed visible Kingdom of God by bodily weapons fighting against all the present Civil Powers on Earth as Antichristian and in most cruel manner killing all that oppose them and determining this to have been the Generation work they were to prosecute in this Age. By what degrees and means they came to such monstrous Opinions they can best tell who have been acquainted with them The cursed effects of such Opinions as have been hatched and vented by the men of that perswasion after sundry other attempts before that time frustrated brake out in the beginning of January 1660. in the City of London a small number of men dementate by those Conceits in a most horrid furious manner making a most bloudy Insurrrection in a most violent audacious way not to be parallel'd Those Principles by which they acted and their Practises were to my knowledge opposed some years before in some of the Congregations to which some of the Assertors had joined themselves and they thence solemnly ejected and their Doctrine in the Confessions of Faith of those Congregations and some other Apologetical and Polemical Writings rejected and impugned And after that Insurrection presently those persons who were obnoxious to suspition and obloquy as abettting or fomenting that Attempt by reason of their dissent from the received way of Ecclesiastical Rites and Government did by humble Apologies and otherwise acquit themselves from that crimination Nevertheless having met with some of the Writings of the men whose Principles animated that Rising and fearing that there may yet some sparks of that fire lie unquenched after the publishing of some Writings against the Papists to shew the insufficiency of their proofs for the Truth Visibility Holiness Infallibility of their Church Supremacy of their Pope the certainty of their unwritten Traditions necessity of receiving the Trent Faith and joining to the Roman Church as it is now governed and some other against Quakers about the Light within each man as an
few mens hands to beggar the whole these take towls and customs of their brethren p. 14. Why may not the Soldiers pull the Judges out of Westminster Hall and take all their rusty Records Laws c. And make a fire on them That so we may have honest godly Laws according to the Scriptures and reason In the preface to the 8 last Sermons of Mr. Tillinghast who was much for the Fifth-Monarchy are these words Let none take offence at this language for I cannot forbear vilifying the Kingdoms of the fourth Beast when my thoughts are upon the magnifying of the Kingdom power and glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. And if the Virgin daughter of Sion without any disparagement to her holy modesty might of old be allowed by God himself to dispise the great King of Assyria and to laugh him to scorn I know no reason to the contrary but one of the Lambs followers may without breach of rule in an holy triumph of faith express contempt of the Kings of the Earth who are all of them the lovers of the Mother of Harlots and Abomination of the Earth In the first Sermon p. 2. Of the third edition 1659. Mr. Tillinghast saith Davids Kingdom was a type of Christs Kingdom and indeed whereas this Kingdom here Jerem. 33. 20 21. Promised is shadowed forth by that of David it doth hold thus much that the Kingdom is not only a spiritual Kingdom but an outward visible Kingdom for such a throne and Kingdom Davids was p. 14. Yet the woman hath not had her day upon the Serpent but there is a time wherein the woman must have a day upon the Serpent to break his head therefore there is such a Kingdom wherein the Saints of Jesus Christ shall crush all the enemies of Jesus Christ in the world p. 39. The Devil plays his game thus in the new Testament times he made men to look for an outward Kingdom only when Christ was about to set up a spiritual Kingdom now that Christ would set up an outward Kingdom saith the Devil look only to the spiritual Kingdom p. 41. Gods Peoples faith is not grounded on fancies but they see and know that God is doing some glorious thing in the world he is overturning Kingdoms and setting up the Kingdom of his Son Serm. 3. p. 57. He conceives The work of Christs visible Kingdom over the world the work of the present time one great article of our faith the work that God doth call his Children to at this day and he calls upon them from Heaven to attend to that they are to expect it before Christ come forth bring his Kingdom with him p. 60 61. He distinguisheth in Christs visible Kingdom between the Kingdom of the Stone and of the Mountain this he calls the Kingdom of glory wherein the Saints shall not work but receive that the working Kingdom of the Saints wherein Saints are by the Lord imployed to do some notable service against his coming which is the breaking down the great Image the bringing down all his enemies that when he comes he may find them his footstool for he is to fit at the Fathers right hand until all his enemies be made his footstool it 's a Kingdom wherein Plow-shaers are to be beaten into Swords there shall be wonderful use of Swords Weapons of War out of Daniel 12. 12 13. He gathers the beginning of each of these p. 62. Truly I look upon it as being a main and principal part of that faith once delivered to the Saints as touching the fifth Kingdom p. 63. Though this Stone fundamentally is Christ himself yet considered as smiting the great Image it can be no other but Christ mystical Christ in his members and the cutting out of this Stone cannot be meant as some would have it of Christs first coming p. 65. Now if it can be made appear that that with which the fifth Kingdom doth begin the work of the great Image the over-turning the Thrones of the Kings is to be performed by the Saints as chief instruments in the management of it then it follows of necessity there must be such a thing as the Civil and Military power to be in the hands of the Saints and that before the day of Christs appearance they must have this power in their hands for the performance of that work and if so then it 's not evil for the Saints and People of God to seek for it to pray for it to plead for it for it 's to come into their hands for the doing of their work before the day of Christs appearance And then endeavours to prove that this work with which the fifth Kingdom doth begin is a work to be performed by Saints as the chief and principal instruments in the doing of it p. 74. There 's the coming forth of Christ when his enemies by his Saints are made his footstool p. 79. He gives some figues that this work is near at hand and p. 82. He makes this to be a general sign that never was there a principle that did run so much among the Churches of Christ as this hath done within these twelve months I have set down the words of those persons that I shall oppose in their positions that I may not be thought to impose upon them Out of them it is manifest that they assert that all the powers not only Ecclesiastical but also Civil and Military of the Nations even the Protestant as well as the Turkish and Romish Kingdoms are Antichristian and all their Laws Officers Schools Corporations Titles Priviledges Degrees and ranks of men in their politick and military as well as Ecclesiastical state Babylonish from the fourth Monarchy that those that they call publick spirited Saints of this age distinct from Notional professors and formally Godly are to hate separate from them deny any assistance to them rise up against them to destroy them utterly to smite them in order to the setting up a fifth Monarchy of Christ's visible Kingdom on earth that the Saints may be a free Common-wealth of themselves subject to no Laws but Christ's and free from all oppressions of men § 3. The Doctrine of smiting Powers is proved from Scripture Precepts to be Wicked THis Doctrine is damnable and Antichristian as is proved by these Arguments following whereof the first is taken from those Precepts of the New Testament and the Old which forbid such disobedience vilifying refusing assistance smiting of Powers over us Dignities Officers but command Honour Obedience Assistance Fear to Powers Dignities and their Laws and may be thus formed That Doctrine is damnable and Antichristian which commendeth and urgeth Practises and Actions contrary to the Precepts of Christ his holy Apostles and other holy men in the holy Scriptures This Proposition is of it self manifest unlesse that be not acknowledged damnable which is condemned by so holy persons nor Antichristian in a large sense which is flatly opposite to Christ's and his holy
and resistence is condemned v. 3. from the use of the Powers or Rulers who are not only by Office but also in act not a terror to good works but to evil For though it were true those Rulers that then were in matters of Religion and in things that pertained to their own profit and lust were towards some a terror to good works and abettors of many wicked and injurious practises yet in the general they did not terrifie sober industrious and peaceable persons but those who did actions contrary to them and did reward and praise them that were useful for the Common-wealth and therefore they that did well as Saints or Christians should do they had no reason out of fear to resist them but in well doing to expect praise from them 8. From their deputation from God to do justice v. 4 6. The Apostle argues further the necessity of subjection to them and the impiety of resisting them telling them that the Ruler was God's Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three times he gives him these titles and that to do justice for him and therefore he that resists him resists God and this cannot be with impunity God not permitting his bearing the Sword for him to be in vain but so ordering it that he is and shall be an Avenger unto wrath unto him that doth evil All these Arguments whereby the Apostle enforceth his Precept both for the positive part requiring subjection and the negative denying resistence do shew that the Apostle was very earnest in pressing this duty of subjection to civil Magistrates which it is probable he did the more importunately urge in this Epistle because it was written to the Romans who were Inhabitants in that City where were most oppressions and villainies committed of any part of the world and in that time whether in Claudius or Nero's reign in which the Powers that were the Caesars or Emperors and Rulers under them were as monstrously vitious wicked unrighteous tyrannous and cruel enemies to Christians as in any time and therefore the Roman Christians might be tempted to think that sure they were not to be subject to such but were to resist them Nor doth the Apostle only in this place urge the duties of subjection and non-resistence of Civil Powers but also strictly injoins Titus in his Epistle to him c. 3. 1. to put the Christians over whom he was in mind of this that they should be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates intimating thereby that Christians had need to be minded of it because it was a necessary duty notwithstanding provocations to the contrary To these Precepts of the Apostle Paul I shall add the plain Precepts of S. Peter 1 Epist. c. 2. v. 13 14 15 16 17. where he thus chargeth Christians Submit yoursâ—lves to every Ordinance of man or humane creature for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well For so is the will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men As free and not using your liberty for a Cloak of malicâ—ousness but as the servants of God Honour all men love the Brotherhood fear God honour the King In which words S. Peter commands subjection to every Ordinance of man where as the Adversaries forbid subjection to any humane Creature or Ordinance any Government whatsoever that is of mans erecting building and planting The Apostle bid be subject for the Lord as Jehosaphat said to the Judges 2 Chron. 19. 6. Take heed what ye do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the Judgement but the Adversaries say subjection is against the Lord The Apostle bids submit to the King as supreme or excelling they say submit not to the King he is not supreme nor excels none hath any just title to rule now Kings are from the Dragon the worst of men the Saints are to smite them he saith Submit to Governors as unto them that are sent by him they say submit not to them because sent by him for they and all that own them are Antichristian The Apostle saith they are sent by him for the punishment of evil dâ—ers and the praise of them that do well these say they are sent to oppresse the Saints and to uphold Babylon The Apostle saith that so is the will of God that ye submit to Kings and Governors sent by him they say It is the will of God that ye oppose smite them The Apostle saith that ye may so put to silence the ignorance of foolish men they say by so doing ye shall promote the interest of Babylon The Apostle joins these Fear God honour the King and in like manner Solomon Prov. 24. 21. My Son fear thou the Lord and the King they say Fear God vilifie destroy the King Now it is to be observed that the Caesars Powers Rulers Principalities who then bare the sword the Kings and Governors then sent by the King were the Roman Emperors Kings and Governors under them who were all of them great Idolaters took the Title of Pontifex Maximus as being chief about the Idol service of Jupiter and other Heathen Gods none of them Christians by profession or Jews but enemies to both and fierce and cruel persecutors of Christians and some of them so unrighteous and vitious that one of them particularly Nero was adjudged by the Senate hostis patriae the enemy of his Countrey in whose time St. Paul and St. Peter are thought to have written their Epistles yet did they require subjection to them and therefore to teach they are to be resisted and smitten for those qualities to whom the Apostles notwithstanding them require subjection honour and payment of tribute is with most impudent face to gainsay the Apostles Doctrine And because that it seems out of doubt to them that Ecclesiastical Rulers should be vilified opposed as being Antichristian being conceived to be against their imagined Fifth-Monarchy I will add the words of St. Paul upon occasion of the High Priest Ananias his commanding them that stood by him to smite him on his mouth for saying I have lived in all good conscience before God unto this day whereupon he said to him God shall smite thee thâ—u whited wall for sittest thou to judge me after the Law and commandest thou me to be smitten contrary to the Law which occasioned them that stood by to say revilest thou Gods High Priest In reply whereto correcting himself St. Paul said I wist not brethren that he was the High Priest For it is written thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy People I acknowledge there is not a little difficulty to acquit St. Paul from falsehood or dissembling in saying He knew not that Ananias was the High Priest sundry waies are conceived which may be seen in Mr. Gataker's Cinnus
are being built or erected upon the old foundation of the fourth Monarchy in this supposed mixt estate but they are warranted and bound as being the Stone expressed Dan. 2. 34 44 45. to smite destroy utterly dissolve the powers of the fourth Monarchy which they conceive to be all the present in their persons Offices Laws Titles priviledges and whole constitution and to take to themselves all the power and dominion in the earth in order to the erecting of the Fifth-Monarchy which they call Christs visible Kingdom upon earth Now surely such a monstrous giant-like claim as this exceeding any of the proud claims of Nebuchadnezzar or any of the Persian Roman Turkish Monarchs had need of very good cards for it some unquestionable Charter or grant of Heaven especially when it so flatly opposeth such plain precepts as I have alledged to the contrary which unless they be proved to be relaxed or repealed by a Divine sentence testified by some infallible evidence of miracles or otherwise such as Christ and his Apostles had do prove that this claim and the Doctrine that teacheth such practises as they incite men to is from the Devil himself who is the great Abaddon or destroyer of the World Sure Christ when he bid his Disciples teach men to observe all that he had commanded promising to be with them all daies unto the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. And S. Paul when he thus wroâ—â— to Timothy 1 Epist. ch 6. 13 14. I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickeneth all things and before Jesus Christ who before Pontius Pilate witnâ—ssed the good confession that thou keep this Commandment whereof Prayer and thanksgiving for Kings and all that are in Authority 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. Obedience to Masters 1 Tim. 6. 1. are a part without spot unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ did conceive their commands to be binding until Christs second coming And sith he only hath power to repeal release dispense with a Law who hath a power either legislative or declarative of Law superiour or equal to his who gave or at first Authoritatively declared it it can be no less than Pope-like or Dictator-like arrogance in some persons upon pretence of a peculiar Revelation to them no way demonstrated but in an obscure claucular meeting for consultation imagined to be communicated to them determin that which St. Paul said was the ordinance of God to be the ordinance of Hell because they say it and to exceed the Pharisees in arrogance whom our Saviour chargeth with hypecrisie for making the commandment of God of none effect by their tradition though it were the tradition of their Elders or chief Rabbins or Doctors Matth. 15. 6 7. This bidding defiance to all the Powers of the Earth and this taking on them to make void so plain Precepts of Christ and his Apostles without any other proof than they bring is in my apprehension one of the greatest pieces of pride and arrogancy that I have met with and as great a delusion as I think this age hath afforded § 5. Suppositions implyed in the Quinto-Monarchians exceptions are shewed to be uncertain as those about the Stone it's smiting Dan. 2. 34. 44. NEvertheless let us examine what they say of which some things are supposed some things are inferred The things supposed and inferred are these 1. That the fourth Kingdom mentioned Dan. 2. and 7. Is the Roman Empire which I will not deny though there be not a few very learned men that take the fourth Monarchy to be the Empire of the successors of Alexander the great and that upon such reasons as might make sober men not too peremptory in the contrary opinion much less to make the future smiting of it an article of faith and the visible Kingdom of Christ to succeed it 2. That the Kingdom mentioned to be set up Dan. 2. 44. shall be an external visible Kingdom on earth which is yet more doubtful being more controverted among godly learned men and that upon such weighty considerations on both sides as may make considerate men if not to suspend their judgement yet not too resolutely to assert it nor obtrude it with such zeal as the Quinto-Monarchians do as an article of faith and build such mighty attempts commotions in the world and hopes on so uncertain a foundation 3. That In the daies of these Kings must be meant at the end of the fourth Monarchy when all the materials of the Image shall be broken in pieces and scattered so as no place was found for them Whereas it is far more probable that it was set up when Christ began to Preach the Gospel as John Baptist and our Lord intimated when he invited men to repent and believe the Gospel for the Kingdom Heaven was at hand very likely alluding to those places in Daniel ch 2. 44. In their daies the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and therefore called the Kingdom of Heaven to distinguish it from the Kingdoms of men set up by them not by the God of Heaven whereto the like is Dan. 7. 14. And seems to be referred to the spiritual Kingdom of Christ which the Saints of the most High do take as the Author to the Hebrews ch 12. 28. saith Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken let us have or hold fast grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear which no man doubts to be meant of the receiving the Kingdom of Christ by faith in him upon the Preaching of the Gospel 4. There is a distinction made between the Kingdom of the Stone and the Kingdom of the Mountain as if they were either several Kingdoms or at least of several conditions and qualifications whereas the text doth distinguish them no otherwise than in their extent not one spiritual the other visible external the one the working Kingdom the other the Kingdom of glory 5. That the Stone which must do the smiting and breaking work is not Christ personal only but also Christ mystical with his members or to use the words of Mr. Tillinghast Though this Stone fundamentally is Christ himself yet considered as smiting the great Image it can be no other but Christ mystical Christ in his Members But sure in this they are mistaken this work being made in scripture Christs own peculiar work Matth. 21. 42 43 44. Jesus saith unto them did ye never read in the scriptures the Stone which the builders rejected the same is become the head of the Corner This is the Lords doing and it is Marvellous in our eyes Therefore I say unto you the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder or dash him to pieces In which passage it is apparent that by the
with the Bishops that did set up Images in the Churches and if by the mixture be meant their assuming Ecclesiastical power I suppose these Objectors will not charge them with this it being to their great vexation that the Bishops especially the Bishops of Rome claimed and usurped authority over Emperors and Kings as he doth at this day to excommunicate them if they reconciled not themselves to them to depose them and many of the Emperors and Kings did contend against this usurpation in many sore Wars If by mixture of State be meant the assisting of the Popes to destroy the opposers of the Papacy I acknowledge it true that there were too many that did so But in this there was no mixture of civil Ecclesiastical power but rather a concurrence the Ecclesiastical keeping to themselves the judgment of Heresies and putting upon the secular power the execution of their sentence whereby they did debase the civil power in making it subservient to them but made no mixture of State Which appeared in that some of the civil powers that kept their civil government as before yet did oppose this usurpation in Popes and Prelates in making them their Executioners to destroy those who were judged Hereticks by them and therefore this act of theirs was the evil of those persons that did it but not of the civil Government it self 3. It is supposed that then the civil powers were the beast and a whore Which no doubt alludes to that which we read Revel 17. 1 2 c. of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters and v. 3. 7. the whore is resembled by a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast and v. 18. it is said and the woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth Which few do deny to be meant of Rome some of the learned Papists themselves granting it to be meant of Rome though they would have it believed that Rome is so called the Whore while it was heathen not since it became Christian. Others there are chiefly Those of the Protestant Churches who do conceive by the Whore is meant Rome Papal as conceiving the descriptions ofher and her practises cannot be applied to Rome as it was Paganish or Ethnick Whether this or the other or any other opinion be right it is not needful now to discuss It is sufficient that the Civil Powers of Rome whether Ethnick or Christian or in a future estate cannot well be termed the Beast and a Whore too sith the text makes them distinct or if they may yet sure the Civil Powers are not the Whore sith it is said v. 2. The Kings of the earth have committed fornication with the Whore and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication therefore the Kings of the earth and inhabiters of the earth must not be confounded with the Whore And v. 16. It is said And the ten Horns who are ten Kings which had received no Kingdom then v. 12. And therefore not while Rome was Ethnick but after it's being Christian Which thou sawest upon the Beast these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Therefore the Kings which are the Civil Powers are not the same with the Whore but though at first beguiled by her shall at last hate and consume her when they shall be undeceived 4. It is supposed that then the Power of Rome when adulterated from its pure Civil Estate became a mixt Antichristian state or a beastly Antichristian Power What is meant by Antichristian state or Antichristian Power is not easy to resolve It is true the Apostle John makes mention of many Antichrists that should come in the last time among which his words intimate that there should be a special Antichrist that they had heard should come 1 John 2. 18. And v. 22. He saith He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son And ch 4. v. 3. He saith And every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God And this is that Spirit of Antichrist whereof ye have heard that it should come and even already is it in the world And in his second Epistle v. 7. For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh This is a or the Deceiver and an or the Antichrist which words seem to import that those erroneous seducing teachers whether gnosticks or other who were risen in that time when these Epistles were written were it is likely called Antichrists from their opposition to the true Doctrine concerning the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh-Nevertheless many of the ancients in after ages did often give hints of the expectation of Christians commonly entertained whether from St. Johns words or some other tradition that there would arise some more remarkable Antichrist who should whether by Power or deceit corrupt or infest the Church of Christ beyond what was done in his daies And this hath been imagined by some of them should be a Roman the same with the man of sin 2 Thes. 2. 3. That wicked or lawless one v. 8. the Beast Revel 13. 11. And the Whore of Babylon Revel 17. 5. which in many ages the great corruptions in the Popes of Rome and their Courts caused to be applied ever and anon by some or other of the best and learnedst of their times to the Popes and Papacy And since the time of Luther it hath been almost generally received by Protestant Writers of all sorts that the Popes and Papacy especially since Pope Boniface the third usurped the Title of Oecumenical Bishop as proper to his See and Gregory the seventh the Power of deposing Emperors and Boniface the eight the welding of both swords Civil and Ecclesiastical are the Antichrist Man of sin Beast and Whore of Babylon foretold that he should come by St. Paul and St. John And not a few very learned and sober godly men both of Bishops and Presbyters in England Ireland France and other Nations have asserted it by Preaching and writing and have made it one of their chief pleas for their refusing communion with and enmity against the late Bishops of Rome and the Papal Church although some of late have thought otherwise and have endeavoured to apply those passages to some other whether rightly or not I do not now determin Whence it hath come to pass that as the Papists who still adhere to the Bishop of Rome as Christs Vicar and St. Peters Successor swallow down all that comes from Rome be it never so vain and erroneous so on the other side those who have been induced by the arguments inforced from the places of holy scripture alledged to conceive that the Popes or Papacy or Roman Synagogue have been and are the Antichrist Man of sin Babylon the Whore therein mentioned have been apt to
Power and Authority given by Satan was to speak great things and Blasphemies and to make War with the Saints And again of the two Horned Beast v. 12. It is said that he exerciseth all the Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the first Beast before him and causeth the earth and them that dwel therein to worship the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed which cannot be understood of legal Power such as we are required to be subject to but such wicked and unrighteous Power as is used in requiring adoration of Idols and urging it either by meer force without any Law or by devellish Acts to entice men thereto Which was in the Roman Heathen Emperors from Satan who is said to cast the Christians into Prison Revel 2. 10. by stirring up the Pagan Emperors and their subordinate Rulers to do it and yet their Civil Power as is confessed was the Ordinance of God 6. It is supposed that then when the Powers of the great Image or old Rome became a mixt Antichristian estate and not before they became the Ordinance of Hell to which there is no Subjection due But they do not tell us when this was nor can tell And is it not then blind fury that hurries men to such frantick determinations as to date the relaxation of so plain a precept as that Rom. 13. 1. is from such a time as they know not when it begins and to infer thence a warrant for some supposing themselves Saints upon no better evidence than their conceit of Gods Revelation of this by his Spirit from his word to attempt the smiting of all the Powers of the great Image Civil and Ecclesiastical whose derivation is from Rome others not excepted nor freed the Kingdoms of the Romish Iron Legs or the Roman Kingdom divided into the Eastern and Western Monarchies wherein the whole Dominion Power and Monarchy of the Ottoman Family or that of the Turkes is comprehended and the Beasts ten Horns or Antichrists Civil Powers equivalent to the ten Toes and also the little Horn together with all powers whatsoever that shall be found opposers of the Lords Kingdom whether they be of the golden Babylonish Silver Persian Brasen Grecian or Iron Roman Dan. 2. and ch 7. Revel 13. Comprehending the whole Kingdom of Antichrist in the Civil and Ecclesiastical parts thereof made up of persons and things though they grant that some of these were the Ordinance of God to whom every soul was to be subject and those only to cease to be to whom the Dragon gives his Power Revel 13. 2. which who they are and when this Power was given by the Dragon they are not able to give any assurance of 7. It is supposed that the Civil Powers now even in this Nation are a mixt Antichristian state and that their Power is from the Dragon since this mixture though not before But with what colour can they make those powers Antichristian who do maintain the faith of Christ To have their Power from Rome who have denied obedience to the Bishop of Rome To be a mixt Antichristian state who cause their subjects to abjure the Popes Supremacy To have their power from the Dragon who do by their Lawes the Execution of them pull down the worship of Idols and punish with death Diabolical Arts Quarrels perhaps are against the Kings Supremacy over Ecclesiastical persons and in Ecclesiastical causes as if it made a mixt Antichristian state so as that what is denied to the Pope is given to the King But this objection was so fully answered by Dr. John Rainold in his conference with Hart the Jesuite in the Tower ch 10. that Hart himself was satisfied that it was not so Perhaps some others imagin that in the making of Bishops there is an adulterating of the pure Civil power and an Antichristian mixture of Civil and Ecclesiastical power but this also is but a mistake that which is meerly Ecclesiastical therein being left to Ecclesiastiques to do Yet were it granted there were some mixture of Civil and Ecclesiastical power that this should make the Civil powers Antichristian is without all reason affirmed Were the Fathers of the Family or the first-born sons both Rulers Oeconomical and Priests to offer sacrifice Melchizedec a King and a Priest David a King and a Prophet therefore Antichristian will they count all preachers who are masters and parents and husbands by reason of this conjunction of these different functions in their persons therefore Antichrian Are not or have not there been many of them who perhaps have been of the fraternity of the Quinto-Monarchians themselves who have had commands in the Army and yet have been Preachers yea taken upon them to be Elders in the Churches and to have had ordination by laying on of hands who yet have not been judged by reason of this mixture Antichristian Are not then these men very partial who condemn that in one which they do not in another conniving at if not approving that in such as favour their party which they do count inveigh against as a most heinous crime deserving extermination in them that side not with them Much more abominable is it that they should impute that power by which peace is kept justice is done humane society is preserved to the Dragon and not see it to be from the Devil that they stir up hatred in the world and practise murthering of innocent men yea of those who are by God made Rulers over them whom they should obey assist and defend 8. It is supposed that the mixture of Civil powers by them imagined makes them who otherwise had been the Ordinance of God to be the Ordinance of Hell and their power from the Dragon though promoting Idolatry and persecuting Christianity by the Roman Ethnick Emperors did not make void their being the Ordinance of God nor the duty of Christians Subjection to them As if the shedding of the blood of the Saints and setting up Idols were not more from Satan and more inconsistent with Civil powers than an usurpation of an Ecclesiastick office or Uzziahs presumption to burn incense God would not have David build him a Temple because he had shed blood not because he was as it is likely Author of fetching the Ark to him in a Cart he and all Israel attended the carrying of it playing before the Lord on all manner of instruments Sure this Doctrine smells rank of Pharisaism to break the Commandments of God for mens traditions to disanul the duty of Subjects to their Civil Parents because of some supposed inordinate mixture Yea is not this the very venom of Antichristian Papal listing up of themselves above all that is called God not only to excommunicate and depose Emperors for simony as the Popes termed it because they gave Bishops investiture into their Bishopricks or for Heresy or favouring hereticks in not destroying them but also to proclaim War against them and attempt to kill them by reason of mixture or
not furthering or opposing their Fifth-Monarchy Lastly these men by allowing only this smiting work on the civil powers since their imagined mixture do evacuate all the rest of their arguments for justifying it whether from the Stones smiting Dan. 2. or taking the Kingdom Dan. 7. or such other whether just or unjust accusations or exclamations against civil powers which they make the reason of their smiting without this and though the scriptures make not at all this to be any of the evils in them or the reasons of Gods or mans hostility against them To conclude them though much more might be said against this hellish Doctrine of smiting civil powers it is sufficiently demonstrated that the suppositions and inferences of Fifth-Monarchy-men against the first argument are false and venemous and the conclusion stands good their smiting is damnable and Antichristan § 7. More arguments are urged against Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine from precepts and examples of holy persons A Second argument against the smiting of civil powers I draw from those words of St. Paul 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for allmen For Kings for all that are in Authority or excellency or eminent place or sovereign dignity that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness honesty For this is good acceptable in the sight of God our Savior Therefore it is likely hath reference to what he had said before chap. 1. 18. Because of the Prophecies that went before of thee that by them thou mightest war a good warfare I charge thee and exhort thee and first of all I exhort thee being to add other exhortations or as we read it that first of all that is as the chief or prime thing of all other supplications against evils prayers for good things intercessions for others thanksgivings be made for all men all sorts of men even for Kings or Emperors who were then persecutors of Christians and promoters of Idol service and all their under-governours to the intent we may lead a quiet and peacable life free from Invasions Robberies and Injuries in all godliness and honesty gravity or seemliness For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Whence may be inferred 1. That intercessions are to be made for the worst of Kings even the persecuting Emperors of the Fourth Monarchy and for all that are in authority or dignity 2. That there should be thanksgivings for them 3. That this is good and acceptable in the sight of God or Saviour 4. That this is a benefit to Christians that they may lead a quiet and peaceable life by means of Kings and persons in authority 5. That to this Christian teachers are to exhort 6. That first of all they should do this or exhort them to do this first of all or as chiefest of all Whence I argue That work and the inciting to it must needs be damnable and Antichristian which is directly contrary to that which St. Paul exhorts in the first place or chiefly to be done this I should think none should deny who acknowledgeth St. Paul to have been an Apostle of Christ and to have known and delivered in this Epistle the mind of Christ But the work of smiting civil powers and the Doctrine of Quinto-Monarchians inciting thereto by accursing them stirring up hatred against them exposing them to disobedience contempt opposition of such as are under them is directly contrary to that which St. Paul exhorts in the first place or chiefly to be done Which no man that is well in his wits can deny cursing stirring up hatred against civil powers exposing them to disobedience contempt opposition of such as are under them being as directly contrary to praying and giving thanks for them as black to white bitter to sweet and raising War and taking up Arms and smiting them being diametrally opposite to leading a quiet and peaceable life under them or by their means and counting this to tend to the promoting of Christs Kingdom contrary to the Apostle who makes it a hinderance of godliness and honesty and judging that to be the generation work of illuminated and the most sincere Saints which is contrary to what St. Paul saith is good and to expect that God should reward and highly regard men for doing that smiting work is contrary to what St. Paul makes acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Now that Doctrine which is thus contrary to St. Paul must needs be damnable and Antihristian and therefore the conclusion followes that the Doctrine of the Quinto-Monarchians smiting work of civil powers is damnable and Antichristian I know no exception against this but what was against the former argument and is refelled and therefore I pass on to a third argument The third argument I shall urge against the Doctrine of smiting eivil powers is from the examples of Christ his Apostles the holy Martyrs and Saints of the first and best ages of the Christian Church which should be as a Rule to the succeeding Concerning the example of our Lord Christ it is manifest that our Lord Christ was Subject to his Parents his Mother Mary and his reputed Father Joseph Luke 2. 51. that though he pleaded immunity from paying the didrachms or shekles translated tribute money Matth. 17. 25. yet he paid it that he might not offend the Collectors or Rulers who imployed them who whether they were the Officers of the Romans or of the High Priest and the mony paid for the use of the Temple as Cameron in his Prelection on that scripture argues yet it shewes he was voluntarily though not necessitated resolved to have regard to Rulers of every sort that he might therein be an example to us of Subjection Which is more fully proved by his answer to the High Priest adjuring him Matth. 26. 63. by his confession before Pontius Pilate 2 Tim. 6. 13. mentioned as imitable by Timothy v. 12. And most of all by his sufferings even unto death in which the Apostle Peter 1 Epistle 2. 21. Tells us that Christ also suffered fo us leaving us an example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a copy or written description or impression that ye should follow his steps and this is applied as an argument why they should submit themselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake not meerly out of fear of punishment but in obedience to Christs command or conformity to his pattern and these humane Ordinances are named to be Kings Governours sent by them Masters not only good and Gentle but also froward Whereby it is plain that our Lord Christ by his Subjection both active and passive imposeth on all Saints Subjection to all sorts of Rulers whether Houshold or Ecclesiastical or civil in the Common-wealth as a necessary duty and therefore the Doctrine of Quinto-Monarchians teaching it as an incumbent duty on the most illuminated as they fancy it Saints to
disclaim not only Ecclesiastical Rulers but also civil powers in order to their smiting work and also to smite them is damnable and Antichristian Nor can here the pretences of their being of the fourth Monarchy from Rome Oppressors Idolaters Antichristian salve the matter fith those Priests of the Jewes and Roman Governours to whom Christ yeiled Subjection were as bad and every way as obnoxious to their criminations of the present Governours as any now be Assuredly the present Governours in these Nations cannot be charged with such things as Pilate Caiaphas and the rest of those Governors to whom Christ was subject were chargable wth without extream impudence This argument is further confirmed from the examples of all the holy Apostles Martyrs and Confessors in the primative times of Christianity Instances might be given in James Peter Paul who doubtless could as easily have killed their persecutors as Ananias and Sapphira or strucken them blind as St. Paul did Elymas the Sorcerer yet submitted themselves to imprisonment pleaded their cause before Roman Rulers appealed to Caesar suffered even to death In the times following the Christians served under the persecuting Roman Emperors in their Wars and though they were in number many dispersedover their Empire and had Arms in their hands whereby they might in appearance have been able to have defended themselves against the violence of their persecutors yet they chose to suffer under the tyrannous Emperors that then were rather than to rise up against them to revenge themselves because their Christian profession did forbid them as Tertullian Apolog. c. 37. ad scapulam c. 2. Cyprian ad Demetr and others plead for them Out of these and other examples which might be produced we may argue thus That Doctrine which teacheth men to do contrary to the examples and profession of our Lord Christ Jesus his Apostles Martyrs Confessors Saints in the first and best ages of Christianity is damnable and Antichristian But such is the Doctrine of the Quinto-Monarchians concerning their smiting of civil powers as is manifest by comparing them therefore it is damnable and Antichristian § 8. More arguments are urged from censures and determinations in the New Testament A Fourth argument I deduce from those places of holy scripture which censure condemn and denounce woe unto those practises which the Doctrine of the Quinto-Monarchians incites men to and they magnify as the fruits of Gods Spirit The Apostle Peter 2 Epist. 2. 9 10 11. The Lord knowes how to deliver the Godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and dispise Government or Dominion presumptuous are they self-willed they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities whereas Angels which are greater in power and might bring not a railing accusation against them before the Lord. Which is seconded by St. Jude v. 8 9 10. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh despise Dominion and speak evil of dignities Yet Michael the Arch-Angel when contending with the Devil he disputed about the body of Moses durst not bring against him a railing accusation but said the Lord rebuke thee But these speak evil of the things they know not In which passages those holy Apostles rank the despisers of Dominion those that speak evil of dignities not among the Saints but amongst the most accursed reprobates though those Dominions and dignities were as bad as might be in respect of their personal qualities and actions yea the Arch-Angels example is brought in as not daring to bring against the Devil himself when there was a contention about Moses his body a railing accusation but referred it to the Lord to rebuke him teaching thereby that such terms as contain threatning contempt reproach of Governors and dignities are altogether unsuteable to Saints and such as they should not dare to utter though they contended with the Devil himself much less with men that are in Power and Authority much less to smite them and directing how to deal with them when they be injurious to wit to defer their cause to God for his suppression of them and threatning wo to the practisers of contempt of Dominion and speaking evil of dignities All which are contrary to the Doctrine of Quinto-Monarchians who revile dispise threaten them commend the smiting of them as the generation work promise rewards to them that do it Whence I infer that Doctrine which animates men to such practises as are damned by the holy Apostles St. Peter and St. Jude is damnable and Antichristian But such is the Doctrine of Quinto-Monarchians concerning their vilifying and smiting civil powers therefore it is damnable and Antichristian If any object our Saviours answer Luk. 13. 32. to some Pharisees who said to him get thee out and depart hence for Herod will kill thee bidding them go ye and tell that Fox behold I cast out Devils and I do cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected I answer these words do not at all contain any vilifying of the Kingdoms of the fourth Beast or contempt of the Kings of the earth But a reproof of Herods evil qualities of craft and crueltie and a professed resolution of his going on in his work with undanted magnanimity till the time came of his laying down his life with a prediction that it should not be where Herod had jurisdiction but at Jerusalem As for that which we read Isai. 37. 22. This is the word of the Lord which he hath spoken concerning Sennacherib King of Assyria the Virgin the daughter of Sion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee it gives no allowance for one of the Lamb's followers to express contempt of the Kings of the earth though they were all of them as they are unjustly charged the lovers of the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the earth this being a breach of a plain rule in the New Testament requiring subjection to them and condemning contempt of them which is not in a holy triumph of faith but rather in a proud self magnifying or factious animosity not a deriding of their threats and Blasphemous desparaging of God as was that which the Prophet from God fore-told the Jews should do to a King that had no Authority over them but was an hostile Invader of them and by express warrant from God but a vilifying of the powers that are termed the Kingdom of the fourth Beast as opposite to the Kingdom power and glory of Jesus Christ our Lord though the Apostle Peter expressely bid Honour the King even then when the King was of the fourth Beast as they speak and opposite to the Kingdom power and glory of Christ Jesus The Prophet Isaiah never taught the Jewes to vilify Manasseh his Kingdom or Authority notwithstanding his reprehension of his wickedness and prediction of his calamity And in
like manner though preachers called to that Office may in a fit way shew Princes their sins and declare their danger Yet in no sort are they to vilify their Authority or contemn their persons Nor may men pretend the imitation of the holy Prophets boldness unless they can shew their commission and are endowed with their Spirit and power Nor may men who are but private persons take upon them to do as Christ did when he drove the buyers and sellers out of the Temple Which will be more fully proved by a fifth argument taken from some resolutions or determinations of our Lord Christ which condemn such attempts practises as the Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine animates to upon pretence of zeal for Christ and his Kingdom Luke 9. 54 55 56. When Christ was to go to Jerusalem he sent messengers before his face and they went and entered into a Village of the Samaritans to make ready for him And they did not receive him because his face was asthough he would go to Jerusalem and when his Desciples James and John saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from Heaven and consume them even as Elias did But he turned and rebuked them and said ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of For the son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them In which resolution our Saviour condemns the motion of James and John to have fire come down from Heaven to destroy the Samaritans for their not entertaining of Christ in imitation of Elias out of zeal for Christ because it was not out of the same Spirit that Elijah had nor agreeable to the end of Christs coming and his Gospel which were not to destroy mens lives but save them Now then the Doctine of Quinto-Monarchians which urgeth their smiting work which tends to the destroying of mens lives and not the saving of them out of a zeal as they conceive for Christ and his Kingdom though there be no other then a private or rather an haughty factious Spirit in them is contrary to Christs resolution and therefore indeed damnable and Antichristian Nor hath it indeed in Christ or his Apostles Doctrine or example any warrant but is an imitation of that pernicious use of the later Jewes which was taken up in a perverse imitation of Phinehas his act Numb 25. of Elias 1 Kings 18. 40. 2 Kings 1. 10. and some others out of zeal for their Law without Authority to destroy those things and persons which they judged contrary thereto as in the stoning of Stephen Act. 7. St. Paul Acts 14. 19. c. In which they were carried furiously and violently without any legal judicial proceeding hearing and sentence by Authorized Judges which caused so many seditions and such outrages as at last provoked the Romans to make a most horrid destruction of that people and ruin of that state To which the Quinto-Monarchians opinon and practise hath been too like and if not stayed would bring the like effect on Church and State with us The other determination is that of our Saviour in the case of Peters drawing his sword to rescue Christ in the garden from the Soldiers which came to take him and striking a servant of the High Priests and smiting off his ear which our Saviour disallowed bidding him to put up his sword again into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Matth. 26. 52. where our Lord who had bid them buy swords Luke 22. 36. a little before yet forbids the drawing of it and smiting off the ear of a servant of the High Priest though it were out of zeal for him it being against an Officer by a person without Authority declaring the evil consequence which would follow on such usage of it Now the Quinto-Monarchians smiting civil powers out of pretended zeal for Christs Kingdom without any authority in a furious heart of spirit is much more apparently contrary to Christs resolution in Peters case and therefore is censured justly to be damnable and Antichristian § 9. Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine of smiting civil powers urgeth to resisting of evil and self-revenging forbidden by Christ and his Apostles and to most horrid Murthers and great confusions A Sixth argument against the Doctrine of smiting civil powers in order to the setting up of the Fifth-Monarchy is taken from those texts of scripture which forbid resisting of evil and avenging our selves Our Lord Christ. Matth. 5. 38 39. reciting out of the Law of Moses words interpreted as allowing retaliation of wrongs with the like as those who threaten to others that they will give them as good as they bring he on the contrary tels his Disciples But I say unto you resist not evil But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also Which is not to be understood simply and absolutely as if that turning the cheek were to be done alwayes in the act it self But in a comparative sense rather than make a brawl or fight take further injury signified by the proverbial phrase of turning the check now if Christians be forbidden to fight when they are injured to recompense evil for evil then much more are they forbidden being private persons to whom the sword is not commited of their own accord to begin a War even with superiors and to proclaim it in order to procuring of good as the Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine moves Saints to Likewise St. Paul Rom. 12. 17. Recompense to no man evil for evil v. 19. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it written vengeance is mine I will repay it saith the Lord v. 21. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good 1 Peter 3. 9. Not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing But contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing When David had cut off Sauls skirt his heart smote him and he said unto his men the Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lords annointed to stretch forth mine hand against him seeing he is the anointed of the Lord 1 Sam. 24. 5 6. The Lord judge between me and thee and the Lord avenge me of thee but mine hand shall not be upon thee As saith the Proverb of the Ancients Wickedness proceeedeth from the wicked but mine hand shall not be upon thee v. 12. 13. And David said to Abigail blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging my self with mine own hand 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. Which shew that herein both in the old and new Testament holy persons agree that a King is not to be smitten though in hostility without cause by any of his Subjects though he were anointed to be King after him that revenge of
against God to reward Babylon but it may be understood as a prediction of what should be not as a command of what ought to be done by them as their duty as the like expressions Jerem. 50. 2. 14 15. 21. 26 27 28 29. which are imitated Rev. 18. 4. 6. Revel 19. 17. Isai. 56. 9. are to be expounded or as a permission allowing a person to do it as when St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 10. 27. Whatsoever is set before you eat asking no question for conscience sake which doth not injoyn them to eat whatsoever was set before them so as that if they did not eat it would be their sin for then they should be required to be gluttons but is an indulgence to them allowing them liberty to eat as a thing not unlawful but indifferent which unless further admonished they might eat without scruple of conscience 4. That it is not a command to the people who did come out of Babylon nor their act to reward double to Babylon and fill to her double but a prediction of what shall be done by others may be gathered in that the reward to them is to be construed to have been the slaughter of them and the cup which Babylon filled was the cup of blood which she was to drink of Revel 16. 6. now then those persons who were rewarded to whom this cup was filled by Babylon are such as had been put to death by Babylon and therefore could not reward her double or fill her double in the cup which she hath filled unless they were raised from the dead and consequently could not be the same individuals who are invited to come out of Babylon Revel 18. 4. 5. Upon this consideration it is also probable that the rewarding and filling Revel 18. 6. is ascribed to the Martyrs killed because God did it by reason of the cry of their blood which is intimated by the words v. 20. Rejoyce over her thou Heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her and other words Revel 11. 18. do intimate the same Which if true is nothing to the smiting work of the Quinto-Monarchians by military power turning their Plow-shares into swords but only intimates the efficacy of the blood of Martys to bring divine vengeance on Babylon 6. But were it granted that the people of God invited to come out of Babylon Revel 18. 4. were the same numerical persons who are commanded to reward Babylon double and to fill her double in the cup which she hath filled and they are to do this by smiting with the sword yet this is nothing to the Fifth-Monarchy-Men in England unless they should be in Babylon at that time when Gods people should come out of her and did so come out of her And therefore there is no command Revel 18. 6. for them to smite till then but they are to put up their sword into the sheath and to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty under their Governors else they will be guilty of resisting and self-revenging condemned by Christ and his Apostles which was to be proved § 10. Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine tends to murder and ruine of humane society HEnce also a seventh argument is deduced that the smiting work to which the Doctrine of Quinto-Monarchians incites is wilful murder yea the most horrible murder that ever was except his who was a murderer from the beginning John 8. 44. or theirs who crucified the Lord of glory For it incites to a professed smiting and spoyling of all the civil powers on earth even those to whom they are bound to be subject by all Lawes of Religion nature country and reason and to act these things with all extremity out of imagined zeal for Christ which if it be not according to knowledge is a fire of Hell which will hardly be ever quenched and in prosecution thereof to smite those who resist them which must of necessity be all those who adhere to civil powers who will be doubtless the most conscientious Saints on earth and the greatest part of mankind which must needs be wilful Murder and Robbery if they have no warrant to do it But they have none neither Revel 18. 6. nor any other scripture or Revelation of God that we or they do know nor Lawes of nature or men do in the least warrant or permit it but all condemn it And therefore if they should be permitted to act their design which God forbid there would be more destruction and wasting than ever yet was made by men since the world began and more truly they might be termed Babylon in whom the blood of the Saints is found than any civil powers yet extant now murder-makes persons the Children of the Divil there being no sin more resembling him John 8. 44. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer and ye know saith St. John 1 Epist. ch 3. 15. That no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him therefore such are no Saints but Antichristian and the Doctrine moving to it is damnable and Antichristan To which I shall add an eighth argument taken from the direful effects to which the Quinto-Monarchians Doctrine of overturning and smiting civil powers and Lawes tends which are all the miseries which anarchy and confusion brings on the world even to the destruction of the Church of Christ on earth or rather according to the project they propound humane society if not the extirpation of mankind For by taking away civil powers safety of persons and all comforts of life are either taken away or much endangered When the Prophet Isaiah threatned calamity to the people of the Jewes Isai. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. He tels them the Lord the Lord of hosts doth take away the mighty man and the man of War the Judge and the Prophet and the prudent and the ancient the Captain of fifty and the honourable man and the Counsellor and the cunning Artificer and the eloquent Orator and I will give Children to be their Princes and Babes shall rule over them and the people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his neighbour the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient and the base against the honourable Whereby it may be perceived that God took it to be a curse next after the taking away the stay and the staff the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water to take from the Jewes their Rulers Teachers Nobles Scholars and therefore there cannot be a greater calamity to a people after the destruction of the fruits of the earth whereby famine comes than to smite time their civil powers and eminent persons who have been the Protectors and Guides of the people For then people become Murderers and Robbers one of another and all places are filled with fears dangers cries and miseries of all sorts The evils we have felt in our own civil Wars shew what misery it is to have Soldiers rule and not Princes and
all men James 3. 17. The wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable v. 18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace 1 Pet. 3. 10 11. He that will love life and see good daies let him seek peace and ensue it From hence I argue that doctrine is damnable and Antichristian which is opposire to Christs and his Apostles commands approbation and beatification concerning meekness and peaceableness But such is the doctrine of the Quinto-Monarchians which stirs up enmities and hostility among men teacheth separations from men even such as they hope are godly from Churches gathered in a pastoral way reducing things to primitive practise and breaths out nothing but Wars and smiting of all that denie or oppose their smiting work which are as contrary to meekness and peaceableness as hot to cold black to white Therefore their doctrine is damnable and Antichristian Nor can they be acquitted by alleging such texts as Psal. 139. 21 22. and 137. 9. Amos. 5. 15. Hab. 2. 6 7 8. Revel 17. 16. unless they can shew all civil powers extant and those whom they hope to be godly Churches gathered in a pastoral way reducing things to primitive practise yet count enemies to Christs Kingdom because they oppose that which these call the smiting work of the Stone to be indeed haters of God and Babylon and also that these are the Stone or the ten Horns that are to hate the Whore and make her desolate Till this be done which I expect to be done at later Lammas we may say as Christ did ye know not what spirit ye are of or rather determin that they are indeed of an Antichristian or Diabolical spirit For a further inforcing of this argument I shall adjoyn a tenth taken from those many texts of scripture especially in the New Testament which both require patience in the Saints and assigne blessedness to it and make suffering the portion of the Saints and necessary to their entrance into the Kingdom of God that to continue till Christs coming Matth. 5. 10 11 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven Luke 21. 19. In your patience possess your souls Acts 14. 22. Paul and Barnabas confirmed the souls of the Disciples and exhorted them to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God 2 Thes. 1. 4 5. So that we our selves glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer 2 Tim. 3. 12. Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution Heb. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receives James 1. 4. Let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing James 5. 7. Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Hence I argue those who teach smiting when Christ and his Apostles teach patience those who count them Antichristian who would have Christ his Saints his cause in and on the earth a sufferer though Christ and his Apostles call it Christian to suffer and require patience until the coming of the Lord these teach doctrine which is indeed damnable and Antichristian But so do the Quinto-Monarchians as may be seen before Sest 2. Therefore the doctrine of their smiting work is damnable and Antichristian § 12. The Eleventh and Twelfth arguments from contrariety to the Martyrs agreement with Papists THIS also leads us to an eleventh argument which is from the constant profession of the Saints and Martyrs in all ages that they were to suffer for the Kingdom of God not to fight for it so speaks St. John Revel 1. 9. I John who also am your Brother and companion in Tribulation and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ was in the Isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ. Where he makes these conjunct the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ and styles himself their Brother and companion in Tribulation and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ therefore he took all that were Brethren to be companions therein and these to be conjoyned together This was the profession of the Saints in the times of the ten great persecutions as may be seen in the writings of Justin Martyr Tertullian Cyprian and such as wrote Apologies for the Christians and the Acts and monuments of the Church which relate their practise suteable to their profession even when they were armed and were a considerable part of the Emperors Armies yet exposed themselves rather to butchery than they would attempt to fight Yea when the Beast was risen to whom the Dragon gave his power and his seat and great authority from which time as is shewed before Sect. 4. the Quinto-Monarchians make civil powers not to be the Ordinance of God but Antichristian and the Ordinance of Hell yet the Holy Ghost foretels not the smiting work of the Stone or turning their Plow-shares into Swords for the pulling down civil powers and setting up the fifth Kingdom on earth but saith Revel 13. 10 He that killeth with the Sword must be killed with the Sword Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints Which shewes that even they were not to set up the Kingdom of Christ by fighting but by patience and faith And Revel 14. 12. after the prediction of the fall of Babylon and the daughter of those who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name it is added Here is the patience of the Saints Here are they that keep the Commandments of God the faith of Jâ—sus shewing that even in those times the Saints would patiently suffer not avenge themselves by smiting or by destroying civil powers seek to set up Christs Kingdom on earth the contrary whereto is taught by the Quinto-Monarchians and thereby the generation of the just even the holy Martyrs their profession and practise is condemned which is damnable and Antichristian On the other side which yeilds a twelfth argument these â—enents of the smiting of civil powers to set up Christs Kingdom tend to the justifying or countenancing of the Popish former and later doctrine and practises wherein they have challenged and usurped a power over Emperors and Kings to depose and deprive them of life when they have opposed the Popes Authority or the Roman Church and Religion which opposition was counted by them to be against the Kingdom of Christ and thought