bent and Business be to protect and seek the welfare and peace of the people in the Common-wealth and especially of such as fear God that they may live quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty 5. Psa 101.6,7 If to this end he endeavour to purge out wicked Officers and set up Men fearing God for Under-Judges and Magistrates 6. Psal 122. If he love the Church of God and be himself even one of them rejoycing with them in fellowship in the Ordinances of God seeking the peace and prosperity of the Church if so then in these things he resembles not onely Moses Joshua David Nehemiah but in some measure the Lord himself and if for the Lord's sake we should submit to and obey Magistrates though evil men how much more if God give us such a Governour are we to be thankful for and submit to obey and live cheerfully and quietly under such a Government Therefore having so good ground for my request I pray you men fathers and brethren of this Nation and Commonwealth of England take it well that I make this address to you beseeching you that now God hath been so gracious to us and dealt so mercifully with us that none of us be like those wicked Adversaries that grieved that one was come to seek the welfare of God's people Nehem. 2.10 Gen. 45.24 nor let us fall out one with another but be at peace and so with thankfulness to God submit to and live quietly under the Government God hath so extraordinarily given us and sealed his minde in his manner of putting us under it in which we have such Testimonies of his mercies and streams of his goodness that knowing his minde for our submission I need use no other motives to perswade onely I shall assay to remove some thoughts that hinder the ready submission of some and for that is the rest of my request in my address to you all 1. You dear Friends that plead your Obligation and Affection to the Governour and Government that fore-was in the King and his Successors I commend your then-Affection and Faithfulness in its season in and according to that Obligation in which so long as with God's allowance I might I stood one with you but God hath by a power even issuing from that power signally with his own hand changed that and set another Power up that is in being and the very Successor of what went before I need say no more a Child is to honour his Father but if his Father be dead and his Mother married to another man the same Law bindes him to honour him that is now his Father I might give many such instances and fortifie them with Scripture also Dan. 1 2 4 5 11-13 6. c. Ezek. 17 12-21 Jer. 38 16-20 29. but I shall onely pray you confider the example of that holy Prophet Daniel commended in holy writ he was faithful to Nehuchad-nezzar yea and to his Son Belshazzar also and what became of the unfaithful Prince and Princes that submitted not to be faithful in that Obligation when God had put them under it nor would be perswaded thereto is known but Daniel was faithful yet when God by providence put that Government and Governour out of being and set up another even the Medes and Persians who won that Power by conquest Daniel submitted to and followed the Lord and was as faithful to Darius as ever before to Nebuchad-nezzar he knowing that the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will when God had set up another Power he was subject unto that Rom. 15.4 Pro. 2.20 And this is written for our instruction That we may walk in the way of good men What troubles befel such as would not submit to and live under the Government God hath set over them we may read at large in Scripture Jer. 29. 41 42 43 44. And how God hath resisted and testified against such as have enterprized Rebellion to the Government he by providence puts us under even the dim-sighted may see Let therefore the Apostolical charge take place with us and let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers that are in being knowing they are ordered of God If you cannot fully digest this counsel yet till you can you may digest Gamaliel's counsel to cease opposing Act. 5.38,39 For if this counsel or this work be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest happily ye be found even to fight against God And I hope in considering what God hath done and what the Scripture saith you will see that the setting up this Power is of God and so digest the Apostles counsel also 2. You my dear Country-men that from the Authority of the King and Parliament and so from the Authority of Parliament issuing from and confirmed by the King did from and in obedience to that Power lift up your hands and protest before God to be faithful to that Power and also when that Power had in its agitation something purged and new moulded it self so as the House of Lords was down and the King departed even then again protested to be faithful to that still remaining Power of the Government of the Commonwealth of England as it then stood without King or House of Lords and on dissolution of that Power many made their Addresses to the Chief in Military Power for calling a free Parliament and by vertue of his Authority voted for Members and so by Act and Hand avouched his Authority Did not you as I do all this to God in obedience and submission to him acknowledging him the Orderer of all Powers and so submitting to the Power he hath possest of being if you did it not on this ground you were weakly carried and byassed with some base ends which far be it from me to judge and if you did it on this ground then have you not onely seemed but really involved your selves in the Obligation of Faithfulness to the Protector and Government that is in being and so your own heart will say as much to you as I can That every Soul of us be subject to the higher Powers that are in being Nor are a few grievances any toleration to us for unfaithfulness but surely we have none but what the necessity in Providences disposing hand puts on us nor are we loaden with any burthen or hindred of any advantage nor drawn to any service which in our own former Engagements we did not oblige our selves unto Therefore I hope you are well pleased with and will be obedient to the Government God hath put us under and I pray you let us lovingly and peaceably so walk together in our obedience 3. Now you dear Fathers and Brethren who for the love of Jesus Christ and in desire to please God and approve your hearts to him in your Faith Worship and Conversation
AN ADDRESS FOR Submissive peaceable and loving living together Under the Present Government To the People of the COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND However by some called ROYALISTS PRESBYTERIANS INDEPENDENTS or FIFTH-MONARCHY MEN. By Tho. Moore Senior Hearken unto me that God may hearken unto you Let every soul be subject to the Higher Powers As much as is possible have peace with all men LONDON Printed by James Cottrel 1656. To all Christian Readers Beloved Christians WHereas many of the People of this Commonwealth have testified both their thankefulness for and submission to the present Government by making their Addresses or Recognitions to his Highness the PROTECTOR in one of which Recognitions my Name also is Be not you offended That I in testmony of thankfulness to God for his Mercies in and of desire of Love among our selves and peaceable living under the present Govâ—… 〈◊〉 do make my Address to you first giving my Ground and then making my Request to you with endeavour of answering what I conceive in any of us might hinder the Acceptance For any weaknesses of mine in this attempt let Charity prevail so far to pass hy as not to be prejudiced therewith but that which the Scripture calleth for and I according to the Scripture request accept my boldness in desiring of you I being for peace I pray let none of you be for war among our selves but each endeavouring peace that we may share in that Promise Blessed are the Peace-makers and so fear God and love one another and live in peace among our selves and the God of peace be with us which is the prayer of the least and unworthiest of all God's Mercies and Servants Tho. Moore Wittlesey April 7. 1656. Rom. 13.1,2 Let every soul be subject unto the higher Powers for there is no Power but of God the Powers that be are ordained of God whosoever theresore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation MAnkinde being fallen under sin and death and so liable to have the curse death by sin deserved executed on them all Rom. 6.23 5.12,18 Heb. 10.6,9 Gal. 3.13 Rom 14.9 1 Cor. 6.19,20 2 Cor. 5.14,15 Jesus Christ the Son of God interposing hath for Mankind suffered that deserved death and curse and so redeemed Mankind from the curse of the Law and by his Death Resurrection and Sacrifice offered to God hath bought all Men of God and is become their rightful Lord inlightning and extending means to them that as they are not their own but his so they might live to him that is their Saviour and Lord. And God hath given all Power and Authority to him and all over into his dispose and made him Lord of all and doth by him uphold and order all things Mat. 11.27 28.18 Act. 2.36 10.36 Col. 1.17 Heb. 1.3 Psa 75.3 so that it is indeed by him whose Sacrifice was vertuous from his first undertaking though more manifested since acted that the Earth is upheld and the Inhabitants thereof and the Governments among them therein Prov. 8.15,16 By him Kings raign and Princes decree justice by him Princes rule and Nobles all the Judges of the earth And all that God doth in ordering the Sons of Men he doth it in and through his Son Christ and according to the Covenant and Agreement between the Father and the Son in the Sons first undertaking for Mankinde Joh. 5.19,20,22,23 and so and in that manner God ruleth for ever by his Power and his Kingdom ruleth over all Psal 66.7 103.19 Dan. 4.25,35,37 Psa 57.6,7 yea even in the Kingdom of Men and gives it to whomsoever he will and none can stay his hand and say unto him What dost thou So that prâ—mâ—tion cometh neither from the East West or South but God is Judge himself he putteth down one and setteth up another So that it is evident That there is no power but of God The words also here give us to understand it of the Dominion Rule Authority and Power of Magistrates called here The higher Powers as appointed and ordered by God that is the highest Power his Son the Great King that is higher than the highest of them Eccles 5.8 Rev. 11.15,17 but doth not yet take his great Power into his own hands personally to raign with his Saints but as he hath given the earth to the children of men so he giveth the Power of governing into the hands of some men whom he calleth Mighty Ones or Gods to judge among the Sons of men for God to give account to him when Christ comes personally to judge Psa 115.16 Psa â—â— so that the Powers that in any Age or Nation are in being for Magistracy in a Commonwealth they are of God and whether for mercy or chastisement they are ordered by God in the same love and to the gracious end in which he gave Christ made him Lord. And here to understand Powers for Magistracy in a Commonwealth is evident in the Text Verses following also in the Apostles charge to Titus to teach the same Doctrine to Believers Tit. 3.1 To put them in minde to be subject to Principalities to obey Magistrates And Peter also teacheth the same putting it as one chief part of an honest Conversation 1 Pet. 2.13 14,15,17 To submit our selves to every Ordinance of man that is humane Ordinance or Creature viz. Princes Magistrates Governours which God hath made instrumentally by Men whether by Birth Election or Conquest for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supream or unto Governours as unto them that are sent or set in Office by him c. and shewing this to be the will of God c. he joyns these two together Fear God and honour the King which term by the whole context appears to be the chief Governour and those set in Office of Government by him for as History saith The chief Governours in those dayes were called Emperours but whether Emperour King Prince Protector Judge all are included in saying King or chief Governour Principalities Powers Magistrates and that these Powers are the Governours of Commonwealths is cleer in saying The Powers that are or are in being and so the like at any time in being for as for such kinde of Powers wielded with such a Sword in spiritual and Church-Astairs though before Christ offered up the acceptable Sacrifice there was something like in the Aaronical Priesthood though even then the Kings were in the Throne above them yet now Christ is come the High Priest after the Order of Melchizedec remaining himself the High Priest for ever having in that no Successor the Priesthood being changed there is of necessity a change of that Law Heb. 7.11 Mat. 20.25 28. Luk. 22 24 27 Mat. 8 12. 2 Cor. 1.24 1 Pet. 5.2,3 Rev. 13.1,2 8. 11.1,2 And Christ hath forbidden it to all Church-Officers in forbidding his Disciples and Apostles