Selected quad for the lemma: honour_n
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A67559
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Against resistance of lawful powers a sermon preached at White-Hall, Novemb. Vth, 1661 / by Seth Ward ...
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Ward, Seth, 1617-1689.
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1661
(1661)
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Wing W812; ESTC R10700
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22,608
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47
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conceivable The Foundation of Government and Obedience is deeply and firmly rooted in the Foundation of our Religion And if the Scripture cannot be broken if it be true that Heaven and Earth shall pass away before one jot of it shall pass away it is as true that the Ordinances of the Sun and Moon shall fail before this Ordinance shall be dissolved For if by the Principles of our Religion we are obliged to believe concerning the Books of the Old Testament that they have been delivered by holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. i. 21. then the Holy Ghost hath said By me Kings reign c. Prov. viii 15. If Christ be the Son of God the Son of God hath said Render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's Mat. xxii 21. If the Holy Spirit did overshadow Peter and the rest of the Apostles then Peter overshadowed and filled with the Spirit commands us in the Name of God to submit our selves to every Ordinance of man 1 Pet. ii 13. If Saint Paul were called to be an Apostle by the miraculous appearance of our Lord Christ after his Ascension and was by him immediately instructed in the pure and genuine spirit of Christianity then Saint Paul's Theory concerning Government is an authentick Christian Theory whereby the Doctrines and practises of Christians are to be judgedâ— and that Theory is delivered in the seven first Verses of this Chapter Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers c. And they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation I call it a Christian Theory of Government because it is a brief and comprehensive Scheme whereby all Questions concerning Obedience and Government may according to Christian Principles be resolved The whole Discourse of the Apostle consisteth of two general parts First A strict Injunction Secondly Effectual Motives First The Injunction in the first words Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers c. Secondly The Motives in the words following which are taken from I. The Original and Institution of Government it is ordained of God hence follows II. The Sinfulness of Resistance They resist the Ordinance of God And III. The Danger of it They shall receive Damnation Which is again enforced by IV. The End of Government in respect of Evil men The End of Government in respect of Good men Out of all which follows V. The Necessity of Subjection Wherefore ye must needs be subject And VI. The Nature of that Necessity it is not of Prudence but of Conscience After all which the Apostle like a legitimate Demonstratour resumes his Proposition and concludes it with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 7. Render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honour to whom honour The words which I have chosen contain in them the Danger of Resistance to the Civil Powers They relate both to the Antecedent and Subsequent parts of the Apostle's Discourse and are as efficacious towards the pressing of the Injunction of Obedience as it is possible for words to express or men to conceive The strongest and most operative Arguments upon men at least wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Arguments of Terrour The most terrible thing within the compass of humane apprehension is Damnation which imports besides the judgements of this life the eternal privation of the enjoyment of God utter Darkness and everlasting Burnings Those that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation Those that resist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resistance is a Relative Act and it implies some Person or Thing to be resisted What then is the Correlate of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is delivered in the first Verse Those that resist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Authorities set over them Civil Authorities having jus Gladii the Authorities Supreme or Subordinate justly obtaining over them It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here used which signifie corporal strength and power but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Scripture distinguisheth from both the other From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke iv 36. and ix 1. 1. Cor. xv 24. Ephes. i. 21. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iude 25. It answers the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Septuagint translates by all the names of Legal Authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is taken for the Persons of Governours as well as for their Power so Ephes. iii. 10. That to Principalities and Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might be known c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against Powers and the Rulers of this world â—phes vii 2. So that we may not separate their Personal and their Politick capacity It remains that we enquire the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it is to resist in the Language of the Gospel Now 1. That to oppoâ—e by force is to resist it is so plain that I need not speak to it We meet both the words in that sence Iames iv 6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God resisteth the proud and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resâ—st the Devil 2. But the word signifies Opposition by subtility as well as by force The Opposition of Elymas the Sorcerer to Sâ—int Paul is expressed by this word Act. xii 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the opposition of Iannes and Iambres to Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. iv 15. 3. And lastly it signifies Opposition by Words as well as by Deeds So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gainsay and to resist are the same Luke xxi 15. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to contradict Acts vi 10. The words then do clearly and plainly comprehend all manner of resistance or opposition This hitherto concerns the Proposition taken materially if we reflect upon the form of it there will be two things to be considered First That the Proposition is indefinite and equipollent to an Vniversal They that resist that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Soul as in the first Verse that resists without any exception of persons Secondly That the act of Resistance is set down likewise absolutely without any restraint in respect of any Pretenses or Causes whatsoever So that the sence of the words resolved and expounded by the Scriptures is this Every Soul which upon any Pretense whatsoever in any maner whatsoever shall resist the lawfull Authority that is over him shall receive to himself damnation that is he puts himself thereby into a state of Damnation This I conceive to be the meaning of the Holy Ghost in the words of my Text. I must acknowledge that two things have been questioned in this Proposition by the men of this unhappy viperous and adulterous generation I. The first is Whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be interpreted so severely as to signifie eternal damnation II. Whether that which is said concerning all Persons and Pretenses can be
made good upon the Principles of Christianity I. As to the former of these I shall onely say that the Argument brought against this interpretation doth in truth exceedingly confirm it The Allegation is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in Scripture for Temporal Iudgment The place produced is 1 Cor. xi 29. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnation to himself where the Apostle seemeth to explain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the following words Verse 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly and many sleep viz. by Temporal Iudgments And indeed this is true but these things likewise ought to be observed 1. First that the same Penalty is denounced in the Gospel to those who resist Authority and to those that are guilty of the body of Christ 1 Cor. xi 27. and trample upon the blood of the everlasting Covenant 2. That neither Ananias and Sapphira nor yet the Corinthians were by their temporal Iudgments exempted from eternal 3. And lastly that seeing the great difference betwixt the Legal and Euangelical dispensation did consist in this that the express Promises and Threatnings under the Law were temporal and under the Gospel eternal if God shall under the Gospel besides eternal punishments due to every Sin add moreover to some particular sins the threatnings of temporal Iudgments let these men consider what advantage they have gotten and what can more be devised to contribute to the aggravations of such a sin I shall say no more to the first Question nor to that part of the Text which concerns the damnation of Resisters precisely considered but shall apply my self to the resolution of the second II. It is impossible in half an hour to speak concerning all those pretenses for resâ—stance of Magistrates which being raised by Satan and made use of by the children of disobedience are falsly charged upon Religion I shall single out some of the chief of them and examine them by the Law and the Testimony by the Old and New Testament adding to them as occasion requires the judgment and practise of the Primitive Christians and afterwards make a brief Application Those which have given the greatest scandal as having troubled the Christian world and almost turned it upside down are reducible to the two Heads of â—eligion and Civil Affairs First Those which refer to Religion are such scandalous Tenets as these I. That Erroneous suppose Heretical or Idolatrous Powers may be resisted especially if they endeavour to force men to their own Religion II. That Christian Magistrates have no power in matters of Religion viz. None 1. In religious Causes 2. Over religious Persons By Orders Over religious Persons By personal Gifts Secondly Those which refer to matters Civil are reducible to such as these I. Harsh Administration II. Pretenses of Competition of power and the like Now I shall not be afraid or backward to acknowledge that if any one of these Tenets be agreeable to the Principles of Christianity or to the practise of the Primitive and purest Christians who are to be presumed to have known the minde of Christ and his Apostles then we are to admit that there is reason in what is alledged to create a Iealousy upon Religion For 1. If Erroneous Heretical or Idolatrous Magistrates may be resisted because they are so or because they joyn opprâ—ssion of Godly men unto their Errour in Religion how can any Kingdom stand These are matters wherein every man makes himself a Iudg and it is not material whether he judge righteous or unrighteous judgment the matter once stated in Thesi that in such Cases men may resist the Hypothesis is easily made and men let loose to act according to their proper Apprehensions or the Pretenses of those who have power with them What shall be done when at the same time a Prince shall be judged by one part of his Subjects Heretical and prophane for departing from Superstition and vindicating his power from unjust Vjurpations over it while another part shall judge him to be Superstitious and will never believe him to abhor Idols so long as he will not commit Sacrilege What shall be done while some conclude him to be irreligious because he will not worship Images others Idolatrous because he kneels at the Communion and both esteem him an Oppressour because he restrains their Zeal and hinders them from that excess of Riot which they pant after to the devouring of one another Supposing this Tenet to be true it is indeed evident no Government can be But now what Colour can there be to charge this Tenet upon Christianity Doth the Old or New Testament give any occasion to this Doctrine Is it countenanced 1. by Moses or 2. by the Prophets or 3. by our Saviour or 4. by the Apostles 5. That Cloud of Witnesses the Noble Army of Martyrs did they give Testimony to this Assertion or to the contrary I may not insist a word to each of these 1. Moses was so far from the Doctrine of Resistance that notwithstanding the hardness of Pharaoh's heart the cruelty of the Bondage the weakness of the Egyptians by Plagues the numbers of Israel six hundred thousand and three thousand five hundred and fifty fighting men above twenty years old besides the Tribe of Levi yet he would not lead them into the promised Land without Pharaoh's positive and express consent to their Departure 2. As for the Prophets in the third Chapter of Daniel we finde three of God's Children put to the trial the fiery trial of this Doctrine by Nebuchadnezzar an Idolater and a Tyrant acting highly under both those Capacities together They were cast into the fiery Furnace because they would not worship the golden Image which he had set up And in the sixth we finde Daniel thrown into the Lion's den onely for praying to the God of Israel Let us consider their Behaviour did they resist or mutiny or labour to alienate or discontent or by denouncing threats or terrours to discourage Subjects from Obedience How had they been instructed by their Prophets Ieremy 2 Chron. xxxvi 13. had taught them that Zedekiah had turned from the Lord God of Israel in rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear by God and that they ought to seek the peace of the City whether they were carried Captives and to pray unto the Lord for it Jer. xxix 7. And therefore the three Children in the third of Daniel onely refer themselves to God for deliverance and Daniel in the midst of the Lion's den prays heartily for Darius O King live for ever Dan. vi 21. 3. In the next place let us consider the Case of Christ and his Apostles and see whether any such Tenet may be collected from their Doctrine or Practise their Speeches or their Actions As for what concerns our Lord Christ I have had the Honour formerly in this place more at large to vindicate him from such aspersions He paid Tribute at