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A80362
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Considerations for the Commons, in this age of distractions.
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1642
(1642)
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Wing C5909; Thomason E112_17; ESTC R22413
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6,839
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8
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needs follow that its both vaine and needlesse to trouble the whole Kingdome to make choice of its representative body since being convened and disserted by the King they must stand as cyphers and surely that time which was spent in preparing and passing the Bill for triennial Parliaments and that for the not dissolving of this was but lost labour for not to exist and to exist without any power are things little differing in such a case as this Never was there any age wherein the hearts of people were more perplexed betwixt command and command then in this We finde the King commanding and the Parliament forbidding the King affirming and the Parliament denying now in this uncertainety each man is doubtfull how to dispose of himselfe for the common good If people could rightly distinguish betwixt protection and oppression Monarchy and tyranny they would the better understand their duty in such times as these Questionlesse the duty that we owe unto our Soveraigne it doth not deny us this priviledge of having respect to our owne safety Now no man will deny the King to be the Lords annoynted his Deputy and Vice-gerent and that every subject ought to honour and obey him so farre as his commands thwart not the commands of God this comes not in question neither is it questioned whether an absolute obedience is to be yeelded to the unlawfull commands of an evill Magistrate for I presume none of our adversaries will affirme that neither is the question whether Subjects may make an offensive warre taking up armes against their Soveraigne as some have falsely and despightfully suggested But the question is meerly about our owne safety and just defence and may be thus stated When as the King is seduced by wicked men who have a constant opportunity of instilling their poysonous counsels into his sacred eares venting such destructive arguments as may most conduce to their own ends thereby prevailing over his innocent thoughts and purposes to his people the most candid dispositions being subject to dangerous inconveniences by the constant concurrence of evill examples and counsels and carrying him on to take up armes against his loyall Subjects The question is whether in such a case of extreame danger it be lawfull for the subject to take up armes in his owne defence That a defensive warr is lawfull and warrantable in such a case as this will appeare by these reasons 1. Because the end of all government is to make provision for the good and safety of the people that being the supreame Law if then Princes being intrusted shall refuse to joyne with the people in their necessary defence the people may without dis-loyalty save themselves it being contrary to the nature and intent of such a trust that necessary defence should be barred and natureall preservation denied to a people It must needs be a direct overthrowing of the very foundation of policy for a people by preserving subjection to their Prince to give way to the destruction of the Common-wealth 2. If the people might not preserve their owne peace against the unjust invasion and causelesse violence of their Prince we must conclude that God hath left man destitute of any sufficient humane helpe of saving himselfe for grant that and this will follow that when a Kingdome is exposed to eminent dangers the people must of necessity yeeld their necks and submit their lives to the wils of cruell men since the King denies them meanes of safety 3. The Law of nature binds each private man to defend himselfe against the Magistrate as a private man assaulting him by violence and not pursuing him in a legall way and to repell force by force the example of Naboth will cleerely demonstrate this when Ahab commanded him to give him his Vineyard Naboth refuses to comply with the Kings command it being unlawfull for him to part with the inheritance of his fathers Well Ahab by the instigation of his wife still pursues the designe and the thing must be put to the tryall and to this end witnesses must be suborned and these to give in testimony to the Elders and Nobles so and so Now in this case Naboth was bound to submit to his censure being tryed in a legall way so to leave the undeservednesse of his death charged upon the consciences of the false witnesses But now had Ahab come violently upon Naboth and attempted the killing of him for not subjecting to his unlawfull command will any man affirme that it had been unlawfull for Naboth to have defended himselfe against the unjust invasion and violence of Ahab If then it be lawfull for a private person thus to defend himselfe as doubtlesse it is then much more it is lawfull for a whole Nation 4. This is warrantable by Scripture examples 2 Chron. 26. 17 c. When Vziah the King entred into the Temple and would have burnt Incense to the Lord which was not lawfull for him to doe Azariah the Priest and foure score more withstood him and caused him to depart the Sanctuary 1 Sam. 14. 45. When Saul would have unjustly put Ionathan to death the people rescued him out of his hands and told the King plainely that he should not die severall other examples there be in Scripture which doe cleerely demonstrate this truth That the unlawfull acts and commands of Princes may be opposed To conclude that which gives men security in troublesome times is the justnesse of the cause they endeavour to vindicate let Achitophels plot Samballats mocke Rabshekahs waile and seducers wax every day worse and worse yet Magna est veritas praevalebit The waies of the wicked though for a time they may prosper yet they shall never be blessed God hath hitherto carred on the worke of reformation with a strong hand in despight of all Anti-reformers and doubtlesse the Churches cause shall prevaile though second causes should faile yet the zeale of the Lord of Hoasts will performe this FINIS