who exerciseth a particular providence in the disposal of Crowns and Scepters and over-ruleth all external and second causes to set up such Princes as he himself has first chose and therefore he that resisteth resisteth not Man but God he opposeth the constitution and appointment of the Soverain Lord of the world who alone is our natural Lord and Governour and who alone has right to put the government of the world into what hands he pleases and how prosperous soever such Rebels may be in this World they shall not escape the Divine Vengeance and Justice which will follow them into another world they shall receive to themselves Damnation This was St. Paul's Doctrine about subjection to the higher powers and he did not only preach this Doctrie himself but he charges Timothy and Titus two Bishops whom he had ordained the one Bishop of Ephesus the other of Crete to preach the same Thus he charges Titus to put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates to be ready to every good work 3 Titus 1. When he commands him to put them in mind to be subject he supposes that this is a known duty of the Christian Religion and a duty of such great weight and moment that people ought to be frequently minded of it that the Bishops and Ministers of Religion ought frequently to preach of it and to press and inculcate it upon their hearers For it is a great scandal to the Christian Religion when this duty is not observed and yet in many cases this duty is so hard to be observed requires such a great degree of self-denial and resignation to the will of God and contempt of present things that too many men are apt to forget it and to excuse themselves from it And therefore St. Paul gives this in particular charge to Titus and in him to all the Bishops and Ministers of the Gospel to take special care to instruct people well in this point and frequently to renew and repeat their exhortations especially when they find a busie factious and seditious spirit abroad in the world Thus he instructs Timothy the Bishop of Ephesus 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty But you will say What is this to such an absolute subjection to Princes as includes Non-resistance in it cannot we pray for any man without making him our absolute and Soverain Lord are we not bound to pray for all our Enemies and Persecutors and does our praying for them make it unlawful to resist and oppose their unjust violence How then can you prove from the duty of praying for Kings that it is in no case lawful to resist them if it were lawful to resist Tyrannical Princes yet it might be our duty to pray for them And therefore though it be our duty to pray for Princes it does not hence follow that we may in no cases lawfully resist them In answer to this I grant that praying for any man nay praying for Kings and Princes cannot of it self prove that it is unlawful to resist them if it otherwise appear that resistance is lawful but if it be our duty to make supplications prayers and intercessions for persecuting Princes as the Apostle commands them to pray for the Roman Emperors who were profest enemies to Christianity that is if they must beg all good things for them a long and happy and prosperous Reign which is included in intercessions and prayers this strongly infers that they must not resist their power nor undermine their Thrones For we cannot very well at the same time pray for the prosperity of their government and endeavour to pull it down The Apostle did not understand those conditional Prayers that God would Convert or Confound them a prayer which thanks be to God was never found in any Christian Liturgie yet which possibly is one reason why some men are no great Friends to Liturgies And when the Apostle directs them to pray for Kings and all that are in authority that they must live quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty that is that they might enjoy peace and security in the profession and practice of the true Religion this seems to imply that when they are persecuted for their Religion which was the case at that time they must pray for persecuting Princes that God would incline their hearts to favour his people but must not fight against them This is the only direction the Apostle gives them in the case and we may reasonably suppose that had he known any other he would not have concealed it If it is always the duty of Christians to pray for the prosperous and flourishing state of the Empire as by this Apostolical exhortation it appears to be it could never be lawful for them to resist the powers for I cannot understand how any man without mocking Almighty God can pray for the prosperity of his Prince and the good success of his government at the same time when he fights against him When St. Paul had so freely and openly declared against resisting the higher powers which Timothy who was his Scholar and Companion and fellow-labourer could not but know what other interpretation could he make of the Apostles exhortation to pray for Kings and all that are in authority that we may live quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty but only this that prayer is the last and only remedy that we can have against persecuting Princes Had it been lawful for them to resist it had been a more proper prayer that God would give them strength and courage and counsel to oppose all his and their enemies that he would appear as miraculously for their defence as he formerly did in fighting the Battels of Israel that he would set Christ upon his Throne and make all the Princes of the earth give place to a more glorious Kingdom Time was when it was all one whether he saved with many or a few He knew how to destroy potent and formidable Armies without any humane strength and power or by such weak contemptible means as reserved the glory of the victory intire to himself and he is the same still that ever he was and his power is the same But St. Paul very well knew that it was not lawful for them to pull Emperours out of their Thrones to give any disturbance to civil powers or to attempt any changes or innovations in government and therefore since they must submit to such Princes as they had there was no other remedy left them but to beg of God so to incline the hearts of Princes that they might enjoy a quiet and peaceable possession of their Religion even under Pagan Princes For as much as some men of late days profanely scoff
all cases to give to Coesar what is Coesar's due And when our Saviour commands us to render to Coesar the things which are Coesar's without telling us what Coesar's things are this is so far from making his answer doubtful and ambiguous and of no use in this present Controversie that it suggests to us three plain and natural consequences which are sufficient to end this whole dispute 1. That our Saviour did not intend to make any alteration in the rights of Soveraignty but what rights he found Soveraign Princes possest of he leaves them in the quiet possession of for had he intended to make any change in this matter he would not have given such a general rule to render to Coesar the things which are Coesar's without specifying what these things are 2. And therefore he leaves them to the known Laws of the Empire to determine what is Coesar's right Whatever is essential to the notion of Soveraing Power whatever the Laws and Customs of Nations determine to be Coesar's right that they must render to him for he would make no alteration in this matter So that subjection to Princes and Non-resistance is as plainly determined by our Saviour in this Law as paying Tribute for subjection and Non-resistance is as essential a right of Soveraign Power and as inseparable from the notion of it as any thing can be So it is acknowledged by the Laws and Customs of Nations and so it is determined by the Apostle St. Paul as I shall shew hereafter 3. I observe farther that when our Saviour joyns our duty to our Prince with our duty to our God render to Coesar the things which are Coesars and to God the things which are God's he excepts nothing from Coesar's right which by the Laws of Nations is due to Sovereign Princes but what is a violation of and an encroachment on Gods right and Soveraignty that is we must pay all that Obedience and Subjection to Princes which is consistent with our duty to God This is the onely limit our Saviour sets to our duty to Princes If they should command us to renounce our Religion and worship false Gods if they should challenge divine honours to themselves as some of the Roman Emperours did this we must not do because it is to renounce obedience and subjection to God who has a more soveraign power and a greater right in us than our Prince But all active and passive obedience which is consistent with a good conscience towards God and required of us by the Laws of our Country and the essential rights of Soveraignty is what we owe to our Prince and what by our Saviour's command we must render to him This I hope is sufficient for the explication of our Saviour's answer to the Pharisees and Herodians which evidently contains the Doctrine of obedience and subjection to Princes enforced on us by the authority of our Saviour himself 2. Our Saviour's rebuke to St. Peter when he drew his sword and struck a servant of the high Priest and smote off his ear is as plain a declaration against resistance as words can make it 26 Mat. 52. Then said Iesus unto him Put up thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword For the understanding of which we must consider upon what occasion St. Peter drew his sword for we must not think that our Saviour does absolutely forbid the use of the sword which is to destroy all civil governments and the power of Princes and to proclaim impunity to all the villanies which were committed in the world The sword is necessary to punish wickedness and to protect the innocent In the hands of Princes it is an instrument of Justice as St. Paul tells us That they bear not the sword in vain but are the ministers of God revengers to execute wrath upon him that doth evil 13 Rom. 4. In the hands of private Persons it may be lawfully used in self-defence Thus our Saviour a little before his crucifixion gave commission to his Disciples to furnish themselves with swords though they parted with their garment for the purchase 22 Luke 36. Which we may suppose was not designed as a meer modish and fashionable thing but to defend themselves from the private assaults of robbers and such-like common enemies who as Iosephus tells us were very numerous at that time For no man wants authority to defend his life against him who has no authority to take it away But the case of St. Peter was very different he drew his sword indeed in his Master's defence but against a lawful authority The officers of the Chief Priests and Pharisees came with Iudas to the place where Iesus was to seize on him This was a lawful authority though employed upon a very unjust errand but Authority must not be resisted though in defence of the greatest innocence Men who draw their swords against lawful powers shall perish with the sword Which does not signifie what the event shall always be but what is the desert and merit of the action Rebels may sometimes be prosperous but they always deserve punishment and if they escape the sword in this world St. Paul tells us they shall receive Damnation in the next What can be said more expresly against resistance than this St. Peter never could have drawn his sword in a better cause never in the defence of a more sacred Person If we may defend oppress'd Innocence against a lawful authority if we may oppose unjust and illegal violence if any obligations of friendship gratitude or Religion it self could justifie resistance St. Peter had not met with this rebuke What should he tamely suffer his Lord and Master to be betrayed the most admirable example of universal Righteousness and goodness that ever appeared in the world Shall one who had done no evil who had neither offended against the Laws of God nor men who had spent his whole time in doing good be so barbarously used and treated like the vilest Malefactor Shall he who was so famous for miracles who gave eyes to the blind and feet to the lame shall he who was the great Prophet sent from God to instruct the world shall their dear Master be haled away from them and they stand by and see it suffer it Thus might S. Peter have argued for himself But though it was a very unjust action yet it was done by a just authority and lawful Powers must not be resisted though it were in defence of the Saviour of the world And if St. Peter might not use the sword in defence of Christ's Person there is much less pretence to fight for his religion for though some call this fighting for religion it is onely fighting for themselves Men may keep their religion if they please in despite of earthly powers and therefore no powers can hurt religion though they may persecute the Professors of it And therefore when men take up arms to avoid persecution it
needs perswasion For I take it for granted that there is no need to perswade any man especially the good and vertuous not to resist the powers when he meets with the just rewards and encouragements of Vertue The usual pretence for Seditions and Treasons is to redress publick grievances to deliver themselves from a state of oppression and slavery but all mankind agree that they ought to obey Governours who govern well and no man thinks it just or honourable to rebel who has not or cannot pretend some cause of complaint The tryal of our obedience is when we suffer injuriously for righteousness sake when our Rights and Liberties are invaded when we groan under such oppressions as are enough to make a wise man mad and to transport him to irregular and unjustifiable actions This was the case of the Primitive Christians to whom the Apostles wrote and therefore we might reasonably expect that he should urge such Arguments to Subjection as should reach their case but if these men be good Expositors the Apostle says nothing to perswade any man to obedience to the powers who finds the powers uneasie and troublesome to him and those who have nothing to complain of one would think should need no Arguments to perswade them to subjection to so easie and gentle a yoak 3. Nay according to this interpretation of the Doctrine of Subjection that we are bound only to be subject to those Princes who rule well who punish wickedness and reward vertue this Doctrine of Subjection gives no security at all to the best governments in the world The most Factious and Seditious spirits can desire no greater liberty than this principle grants them For no humane government can be so exact and perfect but it may be guilty of great miscarriages Good men may suffer and bad men may flourish under a vertuous Prince and therefore ill designing men can never want pretences to misrepresent the government and to foment Discontents and Jealousies between Prince and People This unhappy Nation has been a sad example of this twice in one Age under two as just and merciful Princes as ever sate upon the English Throne When there were never fewer real grievances to be complained of and never more loud and Tragical complaints and if Subjects are not bound to obey any longer than all things please and gratifie their humors it is a vain thing to name the Doctâ—â—â—â— of Subjection which is of no use at all 〈◊〉 peace and security of humane 〈◊〉 4. This is absolutely false 〈◊〉 are bound to be subject to 〈◊〉 Princes no longer than th◠〈…〉 according to the measures 〈…〉 and righteousness The Apostle I am sure supposes the contrary when he tells the Christians But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled 1 Pet. 3. 14. Thus he commands servants to be subject to their Masters with fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience towards God endure grief suffering patiently For what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye take it patiently but if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God 2 Chap. 18 19 20. And certainly there is as perfect a subjection due to a Soverain Prince as to a Master for he is more eminently the Minister of God and acts by a more Sacred and inviolable authority And that this does extend to our subjection to Princes appears from the example of Christ which the Apostle there recommends to our imitation who was the most innocent person in the world and yet suffered the most barbarous usage not from the hands of a private Master but of the supreme powers And therefore when he commands in the same Chapter to submit to Governours as to those who are for the punishment of evil doers and the praise of them that do well it is evident that he did not intend this as a limitation of our subjection as if we were not bound to be subject in other cases since in the very same Chapter he requires subjection not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward in imitation of the example of our Lord who suffered patiently under unjust and Tyrannical powers 5. I observe therefore that the Apostle does not alleadge this as the reason of our subjection but as a motive or argument to reconcile us to the practice of it The reason of our subjection to Princes is that they are advanced by God that they are his Ministers that those who resist resist the Ordinance of God and therefore we must submit for Gods sake out of reverence to his authority But it is an encouragement to subjection to consider the great advantages of government that Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil But though this motive should fail in some instances yet while the reason of subjection lasts and that can never fail while we own the Soverain Authority of God so long it is our dutie to be subject whether our Prince do his dutie or not 6. But to examine more particularly the meaning of these words When the Apostle says that Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil that they are for the punishment of evil doers and the praise of them that do well I see no necessitie of expounding this of good and evil works in general that all good and virtuous actions shall be rewarded by them and all evil actions punish't for this is almost impossible in any humane government and there never was any government in the world that appointed rewards for all virtuous actions and punishments for all wicked ones But these good and evil works seem to be confined to the matter in hand to subjection and obedience as a good and virtuous action And so the Apostle enforces this dutie of subjection not onely from the Authoritie of God but from the power of Princes Be subject to the higher powers for Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil We need not fear the powers when we obey them and submit ourselves to them but they will punish us if we rebel The force of which argument is this The best way to obtain safetie and protection under any Government is by being peaceable quiet and obedient such men generally escape under the greatest Tyrants for Tyrants themselves do not use to insult over the peaceable and obedient but if men be seditious and troublesome to government then he beareth not the sword in vain but is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil that is upon all disobedience and rebellion for whatever wickedness escapes unpunish't Princes for their own securitie must not suffer disobedience and rebellion to escape And that this is the meaning of it appears from the next verse where the
again when he pleases or however he must be an unfortunate Prince whom all his own Officers and Ministers conspire against and he must be a very weak Prince who has not force and power to oppose them For what does the discontent of the greatest Ministers signifie who can raise no forces to oppose their Prince and yet there are no forces to be raised if private men must not resist When inferiour Magistrates must submit or rebel alone as they must do if private men must not rebel whatever authority they have to controul their Prince they will want force and power to do it And yet it would be a lewd way of burlesquing this Doctrine of Non-resistance to make no more of it than this that when St. Paul so severely threatens damnation against those who resist his meaning is that private Subjects must not resist their Prince unless they have some discontented and factious Magistrates to head them But how should these subordinate Governours come by this power to resist their Prince They must either have it from God or from their Prince Not from God For Soverain Princes receive their authority from God and if God have bestowed the supreme and Soverain Power on the Prince it is a contradiction to say that he has advanced his own Ministers and Officers above him which would be to place a superiour power over the supreme Nor is it reasonable to suppose that inferiour Magistrates receive such a power as this from their Prince though it is evident they have no power but what they receive from him For notwithstanding Trajan's complement which he never intended should be made a Law for himself or other Soverain Princes no Prince can give such power as this to a Subject without giving him his Crown He gives away his Soverain power when he gives any Subject authority to resist he ceases to be a Soverain Prince if he makes any man his Superior for he cannot give away Soverain power and yet keep it himself And it would be a hard case with Princes had they as many Judges and Masters as they have Officers and Ministers of State Indeed no Prince without parting with his Crown can grant such an extravagant power to any Subject for while he continues Soverain God has made it necessary to the greatest Subjects to obey and submit For as for Trajan's saying to one of his Commanders when he delivered him the Sword Use this for me if I govern well and against me if I govern ill it only signified his fixt resolution to govern well and that he would imploy it in no ill services but it conveyed no more power to him to rebel if he should govern ill than a Father's saying to his Son that he should forgive his disobedience if ever he would prove unkind would justifie the disobedience of the Son if his Father should prove unkind The duties of these relations are fixt by God and cannot be altered by men A Prince may divest himself of his Kingdom and royal Power but while he continues Soveraign he cannot give liberty to any man to resist him 4. There is another objection not only to invalidate St. Peters authoritie but to answer all the arguments that are produced from the doctrine and practice of Christ and his Apostles to inforce this dutie of Non-resistance and subjection to Princes and that is that these commands were onely temporarie and obliged Christians while they wanted force and power to resist but do not oblige us when we can resist and conquer too I have sometimes thought that this objection ought to be answered onely with indignation and abhorrence as an open contempt of the authoritie of the Scriptures and blasphemie against the holy Spirit by which they were indited but it may be it is better to answer and expose it and let the world see besides the notorious folly of it how near a kin the doctrine of Resistance is to Atheism Infidelity and Blasphemy 1. First then I observe that this very objection supposes that the doctrine of the Gospel is against Resistance for those who evade the authoritie of the Scriptures by saying that Christians were then forbid to resist because they wanted power to conquer must grant that resistance is forbid Which is a plain confession that they are conscious to themselves that all the arts they have us'd to make the Scriptures speak their sence and justifie the Doctrine of Resistance will not do And therefore when men are once reduced to this last refuge to confess that the Scriptures are against them if they have any modesty left they ought never to pretend to the authority of the Scriptures in this cause more And this is a sufficient answer to all men who have any reverence for the authority of the Scriptures that they cannot resist their Prince without disobeying the plain and express Laws of the Gospel for he is a bold man who will venture his eternal Salvation upon pleading his exemption from any express Law 2. I would desire all men who have any reverence left for the Religion of our Saviour to consider seriously how this pretence does disparage and weaken the authority of the Gospel and make it a very imperfect and a very uncertain rule of Life which every man may fit and accommodate to his own humour and inclinations Christ and his Apostles do in the most express terms and under the most severe penalties forbid the resistance of Soveraign Princes But say these men this law does not oblige us now though it did oblige the Christians of those days for our circumstances are much changed and altered The Christians at that time were weak and unable to resist and therefore were taught to suffer patiently without resistance but thanks be to God the case is not thus now and therefore we may vindicate our natural and religious rights and liberties against all unjust violence Now observe what follows from hence 1. That the Gospel of our Saviour is a very imperfect and uncertain rule of life that it absolutely forbids things which are not absolutely evil but sometimes lawful without allowing for such a difference that it gives general laws which oblige onely at certain times or in some circumstances without giving any notice in what cases they do not oblige which is a mightie snare to mens consciences or a great injury to their Christian libertie It imposes this hard necessitie upon them either to make bold with a divine law if they do resist Tyrannical powers which is grievous to a tender conscience which has any reverence for God or to suffer injuriously when they need not had they been plainly instructed in their dutie and acquainted in what cases they might resist and in what not And I think there cannot be a greater reproach to the Gospel than to make it such an imperfect and insnaring rule 2. Nay this charges Christ and his Apostles with want of sinceritie in preaching the Gospel for either they knew that