higher or sunk lower as the day proved clear or cloudy is to bring an unjust Scandal on the Church and her most illustrious Champions Men of great Probity and Wisdom as the greatest Hypocrites and Time-servers in the World who sacrificed their Consciences to their Desires of growing rich and powerful while had the Times been contrary to them they would have owned other Principles This Imputation I shall wipe off and shew that even in the worst of times in the Marian Persecution this Doctrine was publickly own'd and asserted when contrary to the Laws of Nature and Humanity and the Rules of Christian Equity the Protestants were most cruelly harras'd 'T is true the Devil said to God of Job Turn thy hand against him and he will curse thee to thy face but it was the Devil that said it and he was a Lyar from the beginning and so it proved in the Case of Job for when God altered his Methods and treated the good Man as if he had been his Enemy Job was always the same perfect and upright one that feared God and eschewed evil In this Catalogue I purposely omit Bishop Manwaring and Sibthorp in the Reign of CHARLES I. and Bish Parker Cartwright c. in the Reign of JAMES II. because their Authorities were in their own times excepted against as of Men that did not write soberly on the Subject resolving for the most part to appeal to the Writings of such Men who have been and are esteemed the unquestionable true and orthodox Defenders of the Protestant Religion against her Romish Adversaries and if such Authorities will not encline and the Reasons of such eminent Authors perswade the Reader to be of my Opinion I shall only say I am sorry that I have lost my labor THE AUTHORS THE Articles Page 3 Injunctions and Canons Page 4 The Homilies Page 7 The Liturgy Page 10 The Orders of Bishops Page 12 University Censures Page 13 The Institution of a Christan Man Page 19 Bishops Tonstal Stokesly and Bonner Page 20 Tyndal the Martyr ibid. Bishop Latimer Page 21 Arch-Bishop Cranmer ibid. Sir John Cheek Page 22 Martyrs and Confessors in Queen Marys Reign Page 23 Arch-Bishop Sandys Page 26 Bishop Jewel ibid. Bishop Bison Page 27 Mr. Perkins Page 29 Mr. Hooker ibid. Arch-Bishop Bancroft Page 30 Adrian Saravia ibid. King James I. Page 32 Bishop Buckeridge Page 33 Mr. Tho. Cartwright ibid. Arch-Bishop Whitgift Page 34 Dr. Fulke ibid. Bishop Carlton Page 34 Bishop Andrews Page 35 Bishop King ibid. Dr. Jackson Page 36 Dr. Hakewil Page 37 Dr. Bois Page 38 Dr. Donne Page 40 Arch-Bishop of Spalata Page 41 Arch-Bishop Montagu Page 42 Bishop Lake ibid. Mr. Dod Page 43 Bishop Hall ibid. Bishop Davenant Page 47 Arch-Bishop Usher Page 48 Arch-Bishop Bramhal Page 50 Bishop Brownrig Page 52 King Charles I. Page 53 Dr. Hammond ibid. Bishop Ferne Page 54 Mr. Chillingworth Page 55 Dudley Diggs ibid. Sir Edw. Coke Page 58 Dr. Gerhard Longbaine ibid. Ric. Overton Page 59 Bishop Saunderson Page 60 Dr. Bernard Page 63 Mr. Symmons Page 64 Bishop Taylor Page 65 Bishop Kenn Page 66 Dr. Seth Ward B. of Sarum ib. Dr. Lamplu Bishop of Exon Page 70 Bishop Hacket Page 71 Dr. Sharp Page 72 Bishop of Lincoln ibid. Dr. Burnet Page 73 Bishop of S. Asaph Page 78 Dr. Sprat B. of Rochester ib. Mr. Thorndyke Page 79 Dr. Spencer Dean of Ely ib. Dr. Tillotson Page 80 Dr. Stillingfleet Page 81 Dr. Patrick Page 84 Dr. Towerson Page 86 Mr. Scrivener Page 88 Mr. Glanvil Page 91 Dr. Horneck Page 93 Dr. Tennison ib. Dr. Hooper Page 94 Dr. Hascard Page 95 Dr. Falkner ib. Dr. Hicks Page 97 Dr. South ib. Dr. John Moor Page 98 Jeremiah in Baca or a Fast-days Work c. Page 99 Mr. Wake Page 100 Dr. Beveridge Page 102 Dr. Ironside ib. Dr. Isaac Barrow Page 103 Dr. Cave ib. Dr. Dove Page 104 D. Puller ib. Dr. Scott Page 105 University Address presented by Dr. Gower Page 108 Dr. Grove Page 109 Mr. Hesketh Page 110 Dr. Freeman Page 111 Dr. Littleton Page 112 Dr. Morrice ib. Dr. Lake ib. Mr. Lynford Page 113 Mr. Long Page 115 Dr. Fowler Page 116 The Faith and Practice of a Church of England Man Page 117 Mr. Payn Page 118 J. Kettlewell Page 119 Mr. Belling Page 121 Dr. Calamy Page 122 The whole Duty of Man Page 125 Erasmus ib. Grotius Page 126 Beza ib. Luther ib. Calvin ib. Camero Page 127 Is Casaubon ib. Peter du Moulin Page 128 Mons Bochart Page 129 David Blondel ib. Sam. Petit Page 130 Mons Allix ib. Dr. Bourdieu ib. Le droit Souverain c. ib. THE HISTORY OF Passive Obedience Since the REFORMATION INTRODUCTION WHen Judicious Men undertake to determine what are the Doctrines of any Church they do not guide themselves by the Practices nor the Writings of some of her Members but by the Positions which she hath publickly owned and asserted and the Practices that are consonant thereunto this being agreeable to the Counsel of our holy Saviour who when he bids us * Mat. 7.15 16. To beware of false Prophets who came in Sheeps Cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves cautions us that we shall know them by their fruits i.e. Not by the Fruits of their Lives but of their Doctrines So does †Serm. Bishop Sanderson interpret the Words and so also does the Dean ‖ Serm. on Nov. 5.1673 p. 28 29. of S. Paul 's We think it most convenient to follow our Saviour's Rules to judge of Mens Pretences how great and haughty soever by the Fruits they produce which Rule is not to be understood concerning the particular Actions of Men which have no respect to their Doctrines for as S. Chrysostom observes many Hereticks have been Men of excellent Lives ' and so on the contrary but we are to understand it of those Fruits which their Doctrines have a direct influence upon and therefore the Rule hath a particular respect to two things by which we are to examine the fairest Pretences 1. The Design they end to 2. The Means made use of for the accomplishing this Design If therefore the Design be quite of another Nature from that of the Gospel if the means be such as are directly contrary to it we may from thence justly infer that how plausible soever the pretences are how fine and soft soever the Sheeps cloathing be that inwardly they are ravening wolves Thus that great Man determines it against the Jesuits in the very case of resisting excommunicating deposing and murdering Princes and so do we all judge concerning the Church of Rome many of her Members are doubtless loyal and peaceable but their Church teaches them otherwise in the famous Lateran Council * M. Payn 's Sermon Sept. 9.1683 pag. 20. Treason in Papists is like original sin to mankind they all have it in their Natures tho many may deny it or not know it But in Protestants it is like the Italian Distemper it was
as also to shew how Men by degrees came to despise then to speak evil and at last with violence to oppose Kings but that it would swell this Preface to too great a bulk While I must profess I have met with an honester and more Christian account of our duty in the Heathen Epictetus whose words will serve for an excellent Commentary on St. Peter not only to the good and gentle Enchirid. c. 3â— p. 29 30. ed. Ox. but also to the froward we must suit our duties to our respective relations Have we a Father we are commanded to take care of him to yield to him in every thing if he gives us ill Language if he beats us we must bear with him but our Father is an ill Man did nature give thee a relation to him as he is good or rather as he is a Father no other Man can hurt thee unless thou wilt thy self Nor shall I mention how dissonant to our Laws the resisting of Kings is that is an undertaking recommended to the Gentlemen of the long Robe while I further observe that many of the Sermons that recommend Non-Resistance were Printed at the desire of the Two Houses of Parliament others at the request of the Lord Mayor c. and all with Licence which gives us the suffrages of all concern'd in the publishing the discourses as well as the Preacher to which if we joyn the multitude of Addresses I mean not of the life and fortune of Dissenters who never cryed Hosannah one day but when they intended to cry Crucifie the next but of those who profess'd themselves true Sons of the Church we cannot wish for a more full and particular Evidence I have not always tyed my self to the very words of the Authors I cite especially not to a literal translation which savors of a mean pedantry but I have no where wilfully falsified their meaning or lessened their force and having thus accounted for the equity seasonableness and integrity of this second Part I conclude with that Passage of Mr. Philpot 's Letter Apud Coverdale's collect p. 217. that every good Man ought not to hide his Faith but to edifie the Church of God by a true confession for as St. Paul writeth to the Romans the belief of the heart justifieth to acknowledge with the mouth maketh a Man safe so he rendreth the Passage and he that walketh uprightly walketh safely For while the little policies of crafty Men will at last expose and ruin them integrity will be its own security I have taken care Sir to correct the Errata of your first part as of this second while I hope you or some Friend for you will give speedily due correction to your many answerers as one of them hath been already silenc'd who by a Method peculiar to this Age undertake to confute a History not by proving the falsifications of the Author or disproving the matter of fact but by shewing reasons why what was said by some Men seven years ago ought to be unsaid and retracted in this present juncture as if the change of Mens circumstances necessarily brought with it a change of that truth which I thought eternal and unchangable I am Yours c. ADVERTISEMENT The Historical and Miscellaneous Tracts of the Reverend and Learned Dr. Peter Heylyn containing I. Ecclesia Vindicata Or the Church of England justified 1. In the Way and Manner of her Reformation 2. In Officiating by a Publick Liturgy 3. In prescribing a set Form of Prayer to be used by Preachers before their Sermons 4. In her Right and Patrimony of Tythes 5. In retaining the Episcopal Government 6. And the Canonical Ordination of Priests and Deacons II. The History of the Sabbath in two Parts III. Historia Quinquarticularis Or an Historical Declaration of the Judgment of the western Churches and more particularly of the Church of England in the five Controverted Points reproach'd in these last times with the Name of Arminianism IV. The Stumbling-block of Disobedience and Rebellion proving the Kingly Power to be neither Co-ordinate nor Subordinate to any other upon Earth To which are added V. A Treatise de jure Paritatis Episcoporum Or a Defence of the Right of Peerage of the English Bishops And an account of the Life of the Author To be Sold by the Booksellers A Catalogue of Author's STephen Gardiner and Bonner P. 2 Dr. Râ—bert Barnes the Martyr P. 5 Necessary Frudition of a Christian Man P. 9 William Trâ—daâ—e the Martyr P. 11 The Postil set out an 1550. P. 15 Bernard Gilpin P. 17 Bishop Hâ—â—per the Martyr P. 18 Bishop Coverdale P. 22 Bishop Latymer the Martyr P. 23 Archbishop Cranmer the Martyr P. 25 Judge Montague P. 29 Sir James Hales P. 30 The Norfolk and Suffolk Protestants P. 31 The Lady Jane Grey and the D. of Suf. P. 32 Bishop Rilley the Martyr P. 33 Bradford the Martyr P. 34 Laurence Saunders the Martyr P. 35 George Marsh the Martyr P. 36 Mr. Philipet the Martyr ibid. The Franâ—furt Confessors viz. Sâ—ory Barlow Cox Becon Bale Parlâ—â—urst Grindal Sandys Nâ—wel Wâ—â—m Jewel c. ibid. Thomas Beâ—on P. 39 The Homily against Râ—bellion P. 43 Bishop Jewel ibid. Alexander Nâ—wel P. 45 The exhortation to the North. Reb. P. 46 Antonius Corranus P. 47 Dâ— â—â—ng P. 49 Barthol Clerk. P. 50 Bishop Babington ibid. Dr. Laurence Humfreys P. 53 Archbishop Banerâ—â—t P. 37 54 Dr. Eâ—des P. 55 Bishop Mâ—reton P. 50 Mr. Greenham P. 60 Archbishop Abâ—â—t P. 61 Bishop Barlow ibid. Francis Merbury P. 62 Dr. John Doâ—e P. 63 King James P. 64 Sir John Hayward P. 65 Bishop Bilson P. 71 Gâ—dman's Recantation P. 74 Oxf. answ to the mille manus petition P. 75 Bishop Rudd ibid. Doctor Field P. 76 Bishop Overal's Convocation Book P. 77 Deus Rex P. 82 Gabriel Powel P. 84 Oliver Ormerod ibid. Albericus Gentrlis P. 85 Bishop Andrews P. 88 Rich. Thomson P. 90 Dr. Collins ibid. Isaac Casaubon P. 92 Bishop Prideaux P. 95 Bishop Buckeridge P. 98 Bishop Godwin P. 100 Dr. David Owen P. 101 Dr. John Downham P. 104 〈◊〉 Dawes ibid. Dr. Bois P. 105 Bishop Ablet ibid. Bishop Bayly P. 107 Dr. Crackemherp ibid. Dr. Featly P. 108 Pet. du Moulin Sen. P. 109 Pet. du Moulin Jun. P. 111 Bishop Mountaine P. 115 Mr. Hayes ibid. Mr. Adams ibid. Author of a Discourse of Supreme Power and Common Right P. 117 Sam. Oates ibid. Mr. Robert Bolton ibid. Mr. Faringdon P. 119 Mr. Chillingworth ibid. Bishop Lake P. 120 Dr. Stephens ibid. P. H. P. 121 Dr. Swadlyn P. 122 Dr. Holyday ibid. Mr. Berkâ—nâ—ead P. 123 Bishop Henry King. ibid. Dr. Gardiner P. 124 Dr. Mayne P. 125 Dr. Heylin P. 126 Sir Jo. Spelman P. 127 Sir Tho. Ashton ibid. An Appeal to thy Conscience P. 128 Mr. Symmons P. 129 Bishop Rainbowe ibid. Mr. Sheringham P. 130 Mr. Allington ibid. Mr. Jane P. 131 Bishop Sanderson P. 132 Judge Jenkins P. 134 Dr. Stewart ibid. Bishop Brownrig ibid.
Bishop Hacket P. 135 Dr. Plume ibid. Archbishop Sandcroft P. 136 Bishop Morley ibid. Bishop Wren P. 140 Bishop Laney ibid. Bishop Pearson ibid. Bishop Turner P. 141 Bishop Fell. P. 144 Bishop Thomas ibid. Earl of Clarendon ibid. Sir Robert Filmer P. 146 Sir Wid. Dugdale ibid. Dr. Lake Bishop of Chichester ibid. Dr. Allestrey P. 147 Dr. Sherlock ibid. Dr. H. Bâ—â—shaw P. 148 Dr. Falkner P. 149 Bishop Crofts P. 150 Dr. Griffith ibid. Dr. Jane P. 151 Dr. Outrant ibid. Sir Orlando Bridgman ibid. Sir Hencage Finch P. 152 The Harmony of Divinity and Law. ibid. Mr. Foulit ibid. Bishop Spratt ibid. Dr. Pâ—â—â—ck ibid. Dr. Fitz-Williams P. 153 Mr. Wagstaffe P. 154 Dr. Bisby ibid. Dr. Bernard ibid. Oxford notes on Josephus ibid. Dr. South P. 155 Several Addresses P. 156 Dr. Stillingfleet P. 157 Dr. Tennison P. 163 Dr. Patrick P. 166 Dr. Tillotson P. 167 Dr. Meggot P. 168 Dr. Hardy ibid. Dr. Goodman ibid. Dr. Burnet P. 169 Dr. Littleton P. 172 Dr. Will. Saywell ibid. Dr. Dove P. 174 Dr. Maurice P. 175 Dr. Williams P. 176 Dr. Grove P. 177 Dr. Staince ibid. Dr. Wake P. 180 Dr. Fowler P. 181 Mr. Evans ibid. Dr. Comber ibid. Dr. Pelling P. 182 Dr. Pierce P. 184 Dr. Whitby ibid. Mr. Lâ—ng P. 185 Dr. Fuller ibid. Dr. Sclater ibid. Dr. Hickman P. 186 Mr. Jos Pleydall ibid. Mr. Jemmat ibid. Mr. Stainforth ibid. Mr. David Jenner P. 187 Mr. Hancock ibid. John Goodwin P. 188 Mr. Smalridge ibid. Mr. Graile ibid. Mr. Pomfret P. 189 Mr. Nicholas Claget ibid. Dr. Carswell Vic. of Bray P. 190 CHAP. I. The Doctrine of Passive Obedience in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth when the Reformation of Religion was begun SECT I. THe two Hinges upon which the Papal Grandeur moves are the Supremacy and the Infallibility of S. Peter's Successor by the first they affright Princes from attempting a Reformation since no Man ought to controul his Superior who could excommunicate and depose him and by the second they exclude all complaints of inferior persons for what alterations ought to be made in a Church that cannot err Hereby they formerly kept the world in ignorance and a blind subjection for many Ages till it pleased God in great mercy to instruct the world that Princes were accountable to God alone whose Vicegerents they were and that all Bishops were in spiritual matters equally the Successors of our holy Saviour and his Apostles that no Man was free either from Vice or Error and that the Popes in a more especial manner had been guilty of both Idolatry and Heresie as well as gross and notorious Immoralities Among the Princes of Christendom King Henry the Eighth of England begun very early to assert his Rights and the he made not a complete Reformation himself dying in the Romish Communion as great Designs cannot be perfected in a moment yet the present Age owes to that great Prince its thanks for his abandoning the Peope his allowing the holy Scriptures in the English Tongue his abolishing many Shrines and Images to which the common People paid Idolatrous Worship and many other such Blessings In his days * Ann. 1536. Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester wrote his Book De Verâ Obedientiâ to which Bonner wrote a Preface a Book so well thought of by the eminent Protestants beyond Sea Printed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Melchior Goldâ—sâ—us hath given it a place in his accurate Collection of Writers for the Power of Kings against the Papal Usurpations which Book was translated into English anno 1553. and therein we are taught this Doctrine In that place God hath set Princes whom as Representers of his Image unto men he would have to be reputed in the supreme and most high room and to excel among all other human Creatures as S. Peter writeth and that the same Princes reign by his Authority as the holy Proverbs make report By me saith God Kings reign insomuch that after Paul 's saying Whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God. Which Paul opening that plainly unto Titus which he speaketh here generally commanded him to warn all men to obey their Princes Paul without difference biddeth men obey those Princes that bear the Sword. S. Peter speaketh of Kings by name Christ himself commandeth tribute to be paid unto Caesar and checked his Disciples for striving who should be the greatest Kings of the Nations quoth he bear rule over them declaring plainly in so great variety of Degrees and Orders which God doth garnish this world withal that the Dominion and Authority pertaineth to none but to Princes But here some man will say to me you travail about that that no man is in doubt of for who ever denied that the Prince ought to be obeyed It is most certain that he that will not obey the Prince is worthy to die for it as it is comprehended in the Old Law and also confirmed in the New Law. Obj. But we must see will he say that the King do not pass the Limits appointed him ☞ as tho there must be an Arbiter for the ordering of his Limits for it is certain that Obedience is due but how far the Limits of requiring Obedience extend that is all the whole Question that can be demanded What manner of Limits are those that ye tell me of Sol. seeing the Scripture hath none such but generally speaking of Obedience which the Subject is bounden to do unto the Prince the Wife unto the Husband or the Servant to the Master it hath not added so much as one syllable of Exception but only hath preserved the Obedience due to God safe and whole ☞ that we should not hearken unto any man's word in all the world against God else the Sentences that command Obedience are indefinite or without exception but are of indifferent force universally so that it is but lost labor for you to tell me of Limits which cannot be proved by any Testimony of Scripture We are commanded doubtless to obey in that consisteth our Office which if we mind to go about with the favour of God and man we must needs shew humbleness of heart in obeying authority how grievous soever it be for God's sake not questioning nor enquiring what the King what the Master or what the Husband ought or may command others to do and if they take upon them either of their own head or when it is offered them more than right and reason is they have a Lord unto whom they either stand or fall and that shall one day sit in Judgment even of them We have by testimony of God's Word shewn that a Prince's mighty Power is not gotten by flattery or by privilege of the people but given of God. Christ sought not an earthly Kingdom but the state of Orders remaining still he set forth and taught the Form of Heavenly Conversation which he by his own doings declared to consist in humility and contempt of worldly things when
Intercession unto the King's Grace with all due Subjection that his Grace would release that commandment if he will not do it they shall keep their Testament with all other Ordinances of Christ and let the King exercise his Tyranny if they cannot fly and in no wise under the pain of Damnation shall they withstand him with violence but suffer patiently all the Tyranny that he layeth on them both in their bodies and goods and leave the vengeance of it unto their Heavenly Father But in no wise shall they resist violently neither shall they deny Christ's verity nor yet forsake it before the Prince neither shall they go about to Depose their Prince p. 295. as my Lords the Bishops were wont to do but they shall boldly confess that they have the verity and will thereby abide And this he proves by the examples of Peter and John and of Christ of the three Children and Daniel and then adds so that Christian Men are bound to obey in suffering the King's Tyranny but not in consenting to his unlawful commandment always having before their eyes the comfortable saying of Christ Fear not them that can kill the body which when they have done they can no more do c. The Weapons used by the Martyrs in those Days were Patience and Prayers and by those Arms they conquered their Adversaries So when the Martyr Bilney going to his death was upbraided Vid. Answer to Stephen Gardiner's Devilish Detection fol. 203. b. edit an 1547. that he being accounted an holy Man wrought no Miracles He answered with a mild voice and countenance God only works Miracles and Wonders and he it is that hath wrought this one Wonder in your Eyes that I being wrongfully accused falsly belied opprobriously and despitefully handled buffeted and condemned to the fire yet hitherto have I not once opened my mouth against any of you this passeth the work of nature and is therefore the manifest miracle of God who will by my death and suffering be glorified and have his Truth enhaunced This was the true way to get the Crown of Martyrdom and here you see the Patience of the Saints SECT II. The necessary Erudition of a Christian Man tho compiled anno Domini 1540 received not its Approbation in Parliament till ann 154◠being Printed in May following by the King Henry the Eighth's Order who thought it so useful that himself writes a Preface to it directed to all his faithful and loving Subjects with the Advice of his Clergy as a Doctrine and Declaration of the true Knowledge of God and his Word with the principal Articles of Religion allowed also by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Nether House of Parliament In which says our Historian Lord Herbert's Henry VIII p. 495. they handled all things with much moderation the King having labored first to make Tenents understood then to have them observed And tho there be in it Accounts given of the seven Sacraments the Doctrine of Purgatory c. yet the Ruin of the Popish Religion is unquestionably under the Providence of God much owing to the seasonable publishing and dispersing of this Book which came out both in Latin for the Instruction of Foreigners and English for the use of the Natives nor was it to be expected that Heterodoxies of so long continuance should all in a moment be condemned In this Book the Exposition of the Fifth Commandment teacheth us thus In this Commandment by these words Father and Mother is understood not only the natural Father and Mother which did carnally beget us and brought us up but also Princes and all other Governors Rulers and Pastors under whom we be nourished brought up ordered and guided And by this word Honor in this Commandment is not only meant a Reverence and lowliness in words and outward gesture but also a prompt and ready obedience to their lawful Commandments a regard to their Words a forbearing and suffering of them an inward love and veneration towards them c. this is the very Honor and Duty which not only the Children do owe unto their Parents but also all Subjects and Inferiors to their Heads and Rulers And after this having fully shewn the Duties of Children to their Parents and Parents to their Children from the Precepts and Examples of holy Scripture it proceeds This Commandment also containeth the Honor and Obedience which Subjects owe unto their Princes for Scripture taketh Princes to be as it were Fathers and Nurses towards their Subjects Then reckoning up the several Duties of Princes it adds And all their Subjects must again on their parts and be bound by this Commandment not only to honor and obey the said Princes according as Subjects be bound to do and to owe their truth and fidelity unto them as unto their natural Lords but they must also love them as Children do love their Fathers yea they must more tender the Surety of their Prince's Person and his Estate than their own or any others even like as the Health of the Head is more to be tendered than the Health of any other Member And by this Commandment also Subjects be bound not to withdraw their said Fealty Truth Love and Obedience toward their Princes for any cause ☞ whatsoever it be ne in any cause may they conspire against his person ne do any thing towards the hinderance or hurt thereof nor of his Estate And furthermore by this Commandment they be bound to obey also all the Laws c. made by their Princes and Governors except they be against the Commandment of God. They must also give unto their Prince aid ☞ help and assistance whensoever he shall require the same either for surety preservation or maintenance of his Person and Estate or of the Realm And further if any Subject shall know of any thing which is or may be to the noyance or damage of his Prince's Person or Estate he is bound by this Commandment to disclose the same with all speed to the Prince himself or to some of his Council for it is the very Law of Nature that every Member should employ himself to preserve an defend the Head. And that all Subjects do owe unto their Princes and Governors such Honor and Obedience as is aforesaid it appeareth evidently in sundry places of Scripture but especially in the Epistle of S. Paul Rom. 13. and S. Peter 1 Pet. 2. and there be many Examples in Scripture of the great Vengeance of God that hath fallen upon such as have been disobedient unto their Princes But one principal Example to be noted is of the Rebellion which Chore Dathan and Abiron made against their Governors Moses and Aaron For punishment of which Rebels God not only caused the Earth to open and to swallow them down but caused also the Fire to descend from Heaven and to burn up 250 Captains which conspired with them in the same Rebellion And the Explanation of the Sixth Commandment saith thus
Magistrates but suffer patiently death rather than to offend God or else our obedience is nothing but hypocrisie and dissimulation Who would accept his own Child's making of Courtesie when all his facts be contrary to his commandment What Masler would be content or think his Servant doth his duty in putting off his cap and in his doing contemneth all his Master's Laws and Commandments the Laws of a Magistrate if they be repugnant to the Word of God they should not be obeyed yet rather should a Man suffer death than to defend himself by force ☜ and violent resisting of the Superior Powers as Christ his Apostles and the Prophets did On verse 2. Because that naturally there is in every Man a certain desire of liberty and to live without subjection and all manner of Laws except such as please himself St. Paul is not content generally to exhort and command all Men to obedience of the Higher Powers but giveth many great and weighty causes wherefore Men should be obedient and in subjection to them The first is because the Office of a Magistrate is the Ordinance of God and therefore the Magistrate must be obeyed except we will say in some respects God is not to be obeyed therefore the Magistrates be called Gods in Scripture ungodly Princes God suffers and appoints for the sins of the People but let the King and Magistrate be as wicked as can be devised and thought ☜ yet is his place and office the Ordinance and Appointment of God and therefore to be obeyed and in case they do any thing in their Offices contrary to the Word of God although the Subjects may not nor upon pain of eternal Damnation ought not by force nor violence to resist the Officer in his High Power yet they are bound to think that God can and will as well revenge the abuse of his Office in them as punish the Subject for the disobedience of his ordinance towards the Higher Power If it be true that St. Paul saith the higher power to be the Ordinance of God it is very damnable iniquity that for any private affection or other unjust oppressions for any Man to depose the Magistrates from their Places and Honors appointed by God or else privily or openly craftily or violently to go about to change or alter the State and Ordinance of God c. The second cause is the great peril and danger it is to resist and disobey God's Ordinances They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation as tho he had said lest ye should think it a light thing but a trifling matter to withstand and disobey the Magistrates understand ye that in so doing ye stand and fight against God and therefore ye provoke Judgment and Vengeance against your selves and be culpable and guilty of God's everlasting displeasure if ye repent not Here St. Paul hath set forth the End and success of Sedition ☞ Treason Conspiracy and Rebellion that is to say destruction both of Body and Soul and who is able to contend and fight with God On verse 5. One cause wherefore we must obey is the fear of pain and punishment which the Magistrate must minister by the commandment of God unto all such as disobey and contemn the Ordinance of God the other is conscience for although the Magistrate do not see nor know how thou dost disobey and break the Order of God or else if thou could'st by power and strength overcome the Magistrates yet thy conscience is bound to obey there be some so indurate and past grace that think themselves not bound to obey this order and Higher Power appointed and commanded of God but doubtless those shall perish with their Captains as Achitophel did with his Absalom if the Higher Power command any thing contrary to God's Word they should not be obey'd notwithstanding there should be such modesty and soberness used as should be without all violence force rebellion as Peter and John used ☞ saying God is more to be obeyed than Man and so in saying of truth they continued in the truth without moving of Sedition and suffered death for the truth c. Nor was this only this excellent Bishop's Opinion while his King was of his Religion and friend to his Person and Principles but as Truth is eternal and unalterable so he persevered in this belief when Queen Mary persecuted the Church of God and this worthy Prelate in a particular manner The Martyrs Letters Lond. 1564. 4to p. 120. for in his Letters just before his death set out by Miles Coverdale Bishop of Exon his fellow Confessor he frequently inculcates this Doctrin Remember ye be the workmen of the Lord and called into his Vineyard there to labour till eventide that ye may receive your peny which is more worth than all the Kings of the Earth but he that calleth us into his vineyard hath not told us how sore or how fervently the Sun shall trouble us in our labour but hath bid us labour and commit the bitterness thereof unto him who can and will so moderate all afflictions that no man shall have more laid upon him than in Christ he shall be able to bear these days be dangerous and full of peril p. 136. but yet let us comfort our selves in calling to remembrance the days of our forefathers upon whom the Lord sent such troubles that many hundreds yea many thousands died for the testimony of Jesus Christ both men and women suffering with patience and constancy as much cruelty as Tyrants could devise and so departed out of this miserable World to the Bliss everlasting p. 139. Who would not now rather than to offend so merciful a God fly this wicked Realm as your most Christian Brother and many other have done or else with boldness of heart and patience of the Spirit bear manfully the Cross even unto the death Albeit I know p. 141 / 2 that all those which seek God's honour and the furtherance of his Gospel be accounted the Queens Enemies altho we daily pray for her Grace and never think her harm but we must be content to suffer slander and patiently to bear all such injuries Nevertheless this is out of doubt that the Queens Highness hath no authority to compel any man to believe any thing contrary to God's word neither may the Subject give her Grace that Obedience in case he do his Soul is lost for ever Our bodies ☜ goods and lives be at her Highness commandment and she shall have them as of true Subjects but the Soul of man for Religion is bound to none but unto God and his holy Word p. 148 149 Seeing therefore we live for this life among so many and great perils and dangers we must be well assured by God's word how to bear them and how patiently to take them as they be sent to us from God we must also assure our selves that there is no other remedy for Christians in the time of
Rain under the pretence of Obedience to the Magistrates whom we ought to obey although they be wicked But such much learn of Christ to give to Cesar that that is Cesar's and to God that that is due to God And with S. Peter to obey the higher Powers in the Lord albeit they be evil if they command nothing contrary to God's Word otherwise we ought not to obey their Commandments although we should suffer death therefore as we have the Apostles for our Examples herein to follow who answered the Magistrates as we ought to do in this case not obeying their wicked Precepts saying Judg ye whether it be more righteous that we should obey men rather than God. Nor was this Doctrine peculiar to these few Confessors in that general Persecution for Rogers the Proto-Martyr of that Reign Dr. Taylor of Hadley Crome Laurence and others as appears by the first * page 23. Part of this History were of the same mind the contrary Doctrine among those who called themselves Protestants being then hardly hatch'd or but just out of the Shell Thus the Primitive Martyrs who never declined going to a Stake unanimously declared that no man of their Society was imprisoned or brought to suffer as a Traytor against the Government for they had learnt to dye not to fight for Religion SECT VI. It cannot be denied that John Knox was an early Opposer of this truly Christian Apostolical and Primitive Practice as the account of the Troubles of * v. first part of Hist page 25 / 6. Francfort declares But we ought withal to consider what our most worthy Primate Archbishop Bancroft well observes †Danger Posit c. lib. 2. c. 1. that whereas such dangerous Doctrines as these The Authority which Princes have is given them from the People and upon occasion the People may take it away again That evil Princes by the Law of God ought to be deposed That when Magistrates cease to do their Duties in deposing evil Princes then God gives the Sword into the Peoples hands and such other like dangerous Positions as he truly calls them were owned by the Genevians and many of the English that were fled to Geneva in the Reign of Queen Mary ' that the rest of the learned Men that fled in that Queens Reign as John Scory William Barlow Richard Cox Thomas Becon John Bale John Parkhurst Edmond Grindal Edwin Sandys Alexander Nowel Robert Wisdom John Jewel and very many more having no great affection to Geneva bestow'd themselves in Germany especially at Zurich Basil and Francfort and maintain'd the Reformation of the Church of England in King Edward 's time ☜ they used in their holy Assemblies the form of Service and order of Ceremonies which were then establish'd and they utterly misliked and condemned the aforesaid Propositions as very seditious and rebellious according to the judgment of all the Reformed Churches for ought I can learn both in Germany and elsewhere except Geneva and her Offspring besides they of Francfort as it appeareth notwithstanding their grief that they were constrain'd to leave their Country for their Conscience yet in the midst of all their Afflictions they retained so dutiful Hearts to Queen Mary imitating therein the Apostles and Disciples of our Master as that they could not endure to hear her so traduced into all Hatred and Obloquy as she was by the other sort Mr. Knox coming upon occasion from Geneva to Francfort was by these grave Men accus'd of Treason as he himself confesseth for Matters that he had publish'd in print against their Sovereign and the Emperor and was fain thereupon to fly thence to Geneva So that by this and the former Letter of Bradford c. we may plainly see what was the uniform Belief of the English Confessors in those days of Persecution both those who were in England and those who had fled thence for Righteousness sake and for a good Conscience Nor can I find any true Son of our Church that asserted the contrary Doctrine unless we must except Bishop Poinet in his short Treatise of Politick power and true obedience in which it is Thetically laid down that it is lawful to depose an evil Governor and to kill a Tyrant But I cannot believe the Book to be his 1. Because Printed as I think after his death Anno 1556. he dying at Strasburg April 11. of the same year and the Preface to his Book seems to acknowledg it 2. Because if I conjecture aright by the character Printed at Geneva where two years afterward Anno sc 1558. both Knox's first blast of the Trumpet against the Regiment of Women and Goodman's Book of Obedience first saw the light and Ant. Gilbie's admonition to England and Scotland to call them to repentance and thirdly because it wants that learning and acumen that discover themselves illustriously in his other Writings and the Doctrine is contrary to that Bishop's Practices l. 2. hist Reform p. 271. Dr. Burnet acquitting Bishop Poinet of having any hand as he was accused in Sir Thomas Wyatt's Rebellion and how easie is it in a disturbed Age for Zealots to Father on a dead Bishop such Tenets as he neither own'd nor defended but if after all this Bishop Poinet be the genuine Author of that Treatise it is but the example of one and that no Old Man for he died before he was forty maintaining a Paradox against all the other the venerable Martyrs and Confessors of that time SECT VII Among those pious Exiles Thomas Beacon was one who having been in the beginning of Queen * Fox tom 2. p. 1281. Mary's Reign committed to the charge of the Lieutenant of the Tower with Bradford and Vernon went afterwards into Germany whence upon Queen Elizabeth's advancement to the Crown he with many other Exiles return'd into this Kingdom I shall at present omit what he in his Anthology out of the Works of Lactantius hath cited out of that Father and give an account of what he declares to be his own Sentiments In his Governance of Virtue Sect. Tom 1. oper f. 263. Lond 1564. against Rebellion and Disobedience he thus instructs us If the Devil that old Enemy of Mankind and troubler of all good orders go about to put in thy head that the Magistrates and High Powers do not their duty in the right Government of a Common-wealth ☜ but too much cruelly oppress their Subjects and that therefore they may justly rise and rebel against them and take upon thee of thy own private authority to redress things that are amiss in the Common-wealth take heed that thou by no means consentest to his most subtle and wicked temptation whereby he goeth about to throw thee into everlasting damnation both of Body and Soul besides the shameful death that thou shalt have in this World and the loss of all that ever thou hast but content thy self with thy vocation labour diligently and quietly for thy living to maintain peace
the deformity of your fault c. an unnatural hope it is and a beastly to joyn with any strangers to the spoil of their own Country but such is the nature of that false Religion to regard no Country faith nature or common honesty SECT II. Antonius Corranus of Sevil a Learned Spaniard an excellent Person as Dr. Patrick with reason calls him spent much of his time in England and as appears by his Writings very well understood our Doctrine after he left his Country for the sake of a good Conscience he Preach'd ten years in France as he did also for some time in Flanders still reserving himself when God should give him an opportunity to Preach to his own Countrymen which he afterwards did for two years in London till that Congregation of Exil'd Spaniards was dissolv'd after which an 1571. he was chosen by the Templers to read his Lectures among them and their choice was confirm'd by Edwin Lord Bishop of London In the first year of his Ministry he expounded the Epistle to the Romans and out of that larger Commentary he Printed an 1574. a Theological Dialogue between St. Paul and one of his Roman auditors for this among other reasons that it might witness the purity of his Doctrine and how much he abhorr'd the Opinions of the Sectaries that then disturb'd the Church In this Dialogue having shown from the close of the 12th Chap. that we ought to overcome our Enemies perversness and malign temper by our goodness and patience he continues to Paraphrase the 13th Chapter thus Rom. I could wish from my Soul that this Doctrine so useful and necessary to our quiet were embrac'd by all Men but O horrid wickedness many of our Church begin not only to revenge themselves on their Persecutors but dare take Arms and resist the Magistrates and Judges that hinder the Preaching of the Gospel Paul They who think that the sufferings of Christians hinder the propagation of the Gospel are extreamly deceived for the blood of the Martyrs waters the Garden of the Church but do you who love Religion mind this Precept that every one that hath given up his name to Christ be subject to the higher Powers for why are they placed in a superior Station but that their inferiors may be subject unto them Rom. But what if Princes either Hereditary or Elective be evil or cruel must we obey them Paul What should hinder for we are not to consider our Rulers as private Men but to reverence them as constituted by God for there is no power but what is of God if they inclined by the fear of God promote piety their example does great good but if they do otherwise we ought to consider the Vengeance of God who for the Sins of a Nation sets over them Hypocrites and Dissemblers But even this Dispensation of God brings with it advantage to the godly Rom. Then you S. Paul are of that opinion that it is not lawful to take Arms against Princes and Magistrates tho they hinder the Gospel and would Murther and destroy us Paul That is my opinion and this I add as a conclusion Whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation and that justly for since God is the Author of this Order they who rebel against the Magistrates wage War against God himself and shall bring upon themselves great Calamities Rom. O the deplorable state of this Age In which we see so many civil Wars popular Seditions Treasons cruel Murthers of Princes and more than barbarous Massacres perpetrated on Subjects Paul All these things probably fall out for the Sins both of the People and Rulers The People forgetting their Duty despise the Authority of the Prince and the King on the contrary forgets his Obligations and rages like a cruel Tyrant Wouldest then therefore and when I speak to you I speak to all Men not dread the Power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise and a reward from it so far oughtest thou to be from opposing it Rom. A most excellent method of bearing this Yoak which would otherwise be insupportable but men are wise too late Would to God this Doctrine were as much engraven on Mens Hearts as it finds a place on their Tongues for by this means it would soon come to pass that the Minds of Christians would enjoy much inward Peace and the Commonweal much Advantage Paul Wheresoever you are inculcate this Sentence in season out of season beseech reprove and teach that the Magistrate is God's chosen Minister appointed and preferr'd by him to the Office of governing for the punishment of them that do evil and for the comfort of them that do well If therefore thou do evil fear for he bears not the Sword in vain for God who hath advanc'd those Powers hath arm'd them with the Sword of Justice That I may sum up all in a few words we ought to be subject to the Powers not only for wrath but for Conscience sake for it is the Duty of a Christian to be subject to his Superiors Rom. You therefore believe that we must obey Magistrates not only for fear of Punishment but for greater Reasons because tho the Magistrate have no power over Conscience yet because he is the Minister of God no one with a good Conscience can resist him Paul That is my Opinion and for this Reason to shew the inward Obedience of your Mind do you pay Tribute c. So that learned and pious Paraphrast in opposition to the many false Glosses put upon the Words of the holy Apostle John Young Doctor of Divinity preach'd before the Queen the Second of March 1575. on Psal 131. Lord I am not high minded and he tells us the occasion of writing the Psalm was That there were certain Parasites and Flatterers attending upon King Saul who maligning David because that by Almighty God's special appointment he was anointed King over Israel and seeking to bring him into discredit and into hatred with his Prince did insinuate that he did secretly practise the Deposing him from the Kingdom and the Advanceing of himself ambitiously to the same Therefore the Prophet declares their Suggestions to be most false and slanderous and himself to be innocent from that great Offence S. Austin saith He that will go about to satifie and fulfil as all other so that ambitious and arrogant desire shall find it a Toyl of all Toyls such a Labor as Samson or Hercules never atchiev'd This desire of Honor Rule Principality worldly Glory and Renown is in the Heart of Man if it be once possessed therewithal a Worm that dyeth not c. Now David when he saith He did not exercise himself in such great matters c. his meaning was that he did never seek as he was most falsly and unjustly charged by some to advance himself ambitiously to the Kingdom King Saul his Master being alive because he knew well enough that
divide these duties so as if they could not consist together and did not both Peter and Paul require so much when Kings were Enemies of the truth and of the Salvation of their Subjects Verily when Men make their excuse by God in this they tell a lye for the Almighty as Job says in another matter for that which is Caesar 's may be given to Caesar without the least breach of allegiance to Almighty God and it is most true that Chrysostome saith on the 13th to the Romans subjection to Princes overturneth not Religion a point belike that in those days stood in need stall and successively to be urged for the Greek Scholiast likewise in his Collect on the same place to the Romans hath it near word for word and he saith after that St. Paul taketh great care to urge it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every where neither was this as Jerome supposeth by reason of the continuance of any old Heresie but because St. Paul saw that this sin would universally and successively assail and therefore as Men hinder the work of godliness in themselves they must keep tenderly in the reins of their consciences the reverence of their Prince Whosoever doth vilipend his Sovereign in his conscience is either an Atheist or a Hypocrite the causes of Sedition and Rebellion are 1. Pride there are that go under the name of resolute that give occasion to upbraid the Land as Ezekiel upbraided Jerusalem there are in thee that have despised father and mother Ez. 22 7. that speak scornfully both of Queen and Council 2. Lack of Wisdom in not discerning the policies of Princes 3. lack of compassion in not weighing their temptations and their necessities 4. lack of equity when the Subject blames his Prince for his own fault Lastly forgetfulness of their benefits which is unthankfulness in my Text the Lord threatens the depravers of Kings and Magistrates the foul of the Heaven shall carry the voice c. this notes the heinousness of the Sin for the Holy Ghost is not wont to bewray Men for trifles and is strong evidence that the maligning of Higher Powers is in the Catalogue of those sins which though they escape Man yet the vengeance of God doth pursue and as it were bring back again to the judgment seat it matters not what plausible shews there be to do such things for the event discovers that they are but shews Absalom seemed to have a just quarrel against Amnon for lying with his Sister especially his pernicious impunity consider'd by reason of David 's indulgence but Absalom 's matter was not Amnon 's incest but Amnon 's Seniority he was betwixt Him and the Crown for the Event declared what an hater of incest Absalom was by his behavior to his Father's Concubines and the Lord discovered by his Insurrection against his Father that it was ambition that made him to kill his Brother Dr. John Dove in his Sermon about divorcement at Pauls Cross 1601. says that some Men will prove Rebellion and High Treason out of the Scriptures that the People are above the King and cites in the Margin Vindiciae contra Tyrannos CHAP. V. The History of Passive Obedience during the Reign of King James SECT I. WHEN God of his great mercy had taken to himself our illustrious Queen Elizabeth in the beginning of the Year 1603. her undoubted Successor King James published the same Year a little but accurate Treatise intituled The true Laws of free Monarchies which is an exact Comment on 1 Sam. 8.11 c. where Samuel shews the Israelites what would be the manner of the King that should reign over them that if he made their free-born Children Bond-men vers 11 c. and seized their Estates by Injustice and Violence vers 14 c. they should be allowed no other remedy in that day of their Calamity but to cry unto the Lord vers 18. and to punish them for their Contempt of his immediate Conduct God threatens he will not hear them In this Book says the learned John Forbes Duplies to Henderson p. 20. he doth at length demonstrate That in a free Monarchy such as he proveth his Kingdom of Scotland to be the Subjects for no occasion or pretext whatsoever may take Arms without power from the King and much less against him whether he be a good King or an Oppressor c. and comprehendeth the sum of all his Discourse concerning this matter in these words following Shortly then to take up in two or three Sentences grounded upon all these Arguments out of the Law of God the Duty and Allegiance of the People to their lawful King Their Obedience I say ought to be to him as to God's Lieutenant on Earth obeying his Commands in all things except directly against God as the Commands of God's Minister acknowledging him a Judge set by God over them having power to judge them but to be judg'd only by God to whom only he must give account of his Judgment fearing him as their Judge loving him as their Father praying for him as their Protector for his continuance if he be good for his amendment if he be wicked following and obeying his lawful Commands eschewing and fleeing his Fury in his unlawful without resistance ☞ but by Sobs and Tears to God according to that sentence used in the Primitive Church in the time of the Persecution Preces lacrymae sunt arma Ecclesiae i. e. Prayers and Tears are the Arms of the Church And the Book it self speaks out The Wickedness of the King can never make them that are ordained to be judged by him to become his Judges And if it be not lawful to a private man to revenge his private Injury upon his private Adversary since God hath only given the Sword to the Magistrate how much less is it lawful to the People or any part of them who all are but private men to take upon them the use of the Sword whom to it belongeth not against the publick Magistrate whom to only it belongeth But should I transcribe every Passage out of that accurate little Treatise I should swell this Volume and tire the Reader whom I therefore refer for his further satisfaction to the Work it self in which and his other Works the King hath shewn himself as a learned man styles him A Pillar of the Church Oweni Antipar Pag. 117 118. a Support to a ruinous Commonwealth a brave Champion of Christ against Antichrist and the new Arians an invincible Defender of Kings against the Papal Tyranny the Impostures of the Cardinals and the Seditions of the Puritans the Restorer of the Episcopal Dignity and the Defender of it against Presbyterian Anarchy the Defender of the Catholick Faith and the truly peaceable King. R. Doleman i. e. Parsons having publish'd his Conference concerning the Succession to the Crown of England Ann. 1594. a Book from whence most of our modern Enemies of the true Rights of Princes have borrowed
both their Arguments and Authorities Sir John Hayward Ann. 1603. sets out his Answer to the first part of that Conference which was reprinted Ann. 1683. for the satisfaction of the zealous Promoters of the Bill of Exclusion The Book was written as himself in his Dedicatory Epistle tells the King in Defence of the Authority of Princes and of Succession according to proximity of Blood and to maintain that the People have no lawful Power to remove the one or repel the other The Jesuits main Argument is Hayâ— pâ—â— 1. Ed 〈◊〉 and p 3â—â— that Succession to Government by nearness of Blood is not by Law of Nature or Divine but by the humane and positive Laws of any Commonwealth and consequently that it may upon just Causes be alter'd by the same changing the fashion of Government and limiting the same with what Conditions they please But the learned Civilian confutes the Opinion with much Reason Pag. 6. and many very pertinent Authorities he grants That it is inconvenient to be governed by a King who is defective in Body or Mind but it is a greater inconvenience by making a Breach in this high point of State to open an Entrance for all Disorders wherein Ambition and Insolency may range at large When S. Peter terms Kings a Human Creature c. 2. p. 39 40 c. 1 Pet. 2. he means not as you interpret a thing created by man. Is a brutish Creature to be taken for a thing created by a Beast If so then all Creatures should be called Divine because they were created by God to whom it was proper to create And S. Paul says Rom. 13. That all Authority is the Ordinance and Institution of God. It is evident that in the first heroical Ages the People were not governed by any positive Laws but their Kings did both judg and command by their Word by their Will by their absolute Power without any restraint or direction but only of the law of Nature and when it grew troublesom and tedious for all the People to receive their Right from one man Laws were invented as Cicero saith and when any People were subdued by Arms Laws were laid like Logs upon their Necks to keep them in more sure Subjection Parliaments in all places have been erected by Kings so that neither Laws nor Parliaments were assigned by the People for assistance and direction to their Kings We must judge Facts by Law and not Law by Facts or Example which Alciat and Deciane do term a Golden Law because there is no Action either so impious or absurd which may not be parallel'd by Examples Pag. 46. I never heard of Christian Prince who challeng'd infinite Authority without limitation of any Law either Natural or Divine but where you term it an absurd Paradox that the People should not have power to chasten their Prince and upon just Considerations to remove him I am content to joyn with you upon the Issue Pag. 47. Had you no Text of Scripture no Father of the Church no Law no Reason to alledg Do not the Apostles 1 Pet. 2.10 13. Jude 8. Rom. 13. Tit. 3.1 1 Tim. 2.1 oblige us to pray for and obey Kings But perhaps you will say that the Apostles did not mean this of wicked Princes the Apostle speaks generally of all S. Peter 1.2.18 makes express mention of evil Lords And what Princes have ever been more either irreligious or tyrannical than Caligula Tiberius Nero the Infamy of their Ages under whose Empire the Apostles did both live Pag. 50 51. and write I will give you an Example of another time Nebuchadnezzar King of Assyria wasted all Palestina took Jerusalem slew the King burnt the Temple took away the holy Vessels and Treasure the residue he permitted to the Cruelty and Spoil of his unmerciful Soldiers who defiled all places with Rape Ruine and Blood. After the glut of this Butchery the People which remained he led Captive into Chaldea and there commanded ☜ that whosoever refused to worship his Golden Image should be cast into a firy Furnace What Cruelty what Impiety is comparable to this And yet the Prophets Jeremy c. 29.7 and Baruch c. 1.11 did write to those captive Jews to pray for the Prosperity and Life of him and Baltasar his Son that their days might be upon Earth as the days of Heaven And Ezekiel c. 17. both blames and threatens Zedekiah for his Disloyalty in revolting from Nebuchadnezzar whose Homager and Tributary he was What Answer will you make to this Example Princes are the immediate Ministers of God and therefore he calls Nebuchadnezzar his Servant and the Prophet Esay calls Cyrus a prophane and heathen King the Lords Anointed In regard hereof David calls them Gods And if they do abuse their Power ☜ they are not to be judged by their Subjects as being both inferior and naked of Authority because all Jurisdiction within their Realm is derived from them which their presence only doth silence and suspend But God reserveth them to the sorest Tryal horribly and suddenly saith the Wise man will the Lord appear unto them and a hard Judgment shall they have Pag. 52. If he commandeth those things that are lawful we must manifest our Obedience by ready performing If he enjoyn us those Actions that are evil we must shew our Subjection by patient enduring It is God only who setteth Kings in their State it is he only who may remove them 2 Chron. 1. Prov. 28.2 2 Chron. 28.6 And therefore we endure with patience unseasonable Weather unfruitful Years and other like Punishments of God so must we tolerate the imperfection of Princes and quietly expect either Reformation or else a Change This was the Doctrine of the Ancient Christians Pag. 53. even against their most mortal Persecutors In a word the current of the Ancient Fathers is in this Point concurrent insomuch as among them all there is not one found not any one one is a small Number and yet I say confidently again there is not any one who hath let fall so soose a Speech as may be strained to a contrary sense How then are you of late become both so active and resolute to cut in sunder the Reins of Obedience the very Sinews of Government and Order Pag. 54. Neither was the Devil ever able until in late declining times to possess the Hearts of Christians with these cursed Opinions which do evermore beget a world of Murthers Rapes Ruins and Desolations For tell me What if the Prince whom you perswade the People you have power to depose be able to make and maintain his Party What if other Princes whom it doth concern as well in Honor to see the Law of Nations observ'd as also in policy to break those Proceedings which may form Presidents against themselves do adjoyn to the side What if whilst the Prince and the People are as was the Frog and the Mouse in the heat of their Encounter some
other Potentate play the Kite with them both as the Turks did with the Hungarians c. 3. p. 57 c. That Princes may be chastised by their Subjects your Proofs are Two one is drawn from certain Examples the other from the good Success and Successors which usually have followed Slender Threds to draw any Man to your Opinion There is no Villany so vile which wants Example and by the secret yet just Judgment of God divers evil Actions are carried with appearance of good success Pag. 61. When Saul persecuted David he defended himself no otherwise than by flight During this pursuit Saul fell twice into his power once he did not only spare but protect him the other time his Heart did smite him for that he had cut away the Lap of his Garment lastly he caused the Messenger to be slain who upon request and for pity had further'd as he said the Death of that sacred King. We have a Precept of Obedience which is the Mould wherein we ought to fashion our Actions God only is superior to Princes who useth many Instruments in the execution of his Justice but his Authority he hath committed unto none Pag. 68. The Examples of Suintilla and other Gothick Kings in Spain is answer'd by saying that the Kingdom was not then setled in Succession And then he shews the illegality of the Proceedings against King John Pag. 72 73 74 75. Edw. 2. and Rich. 2. and adds Three Causes are commonly insinuated by you for which a King may be deposed Tyranny Insufficiency and Impiety But what Prince could hold his State what People their Quiet assured if this your Doctrine should take place How many good Princes doth Envy brand with one of these Marks What Action of State can be so ordered that either blind Ignorance or set Malice will not easily strain to one of these Heads Every execution of Justice every demand of Tribute or Supply shall be claimed Tyranny Every unfortunate Event shall be exclaimed Insufficiency Every kind of Religion shall by them of another Sect be proclaimed Impiety But are not Princes subject to Law C 4. p. 81 82 c. and Order Answ I will not deny but there is a Duty for Princes to perform but how prove you that their Subjects have power to depose them if they fail The people may so give away their Authority that they cannot resume it and few Princes in the World hold their Estates by Grant of the people If the Prince hath no power but by Commission from the People then all Estates are popular Our Laws do acknowledge supreme Authority in the Prince within the Realm and Dominions of England neither can Subjects bear themselves either superior 1 El. 1. or equal to their Sovereign or attempt violence either against his Person or Estate No Prince is Sovereign C. 5. p. 92. who acknow ledgeth himself either subject or accountable to any but to God. Did David bear Arms against his Anointed King ☜ Did he ever lift up his Eye lids against him Did he ever so much as defend himself otherwise than by flight What then shall we say unto you who to set up Sedition and Tumult abuse all Divine and Human Writings in whatsoever you believe will advance your purpose who spend some Speech of Respect unto Kings for Allurement only to draw us more deep into your deceit c. The Coronation Oath is only a free P. 102. Royal Promise to discharge that Duty which God doth impose The Prophets P. 105. the Apostles Christ himself hath taught us to be obedient to Princes ☜ tho both Tyrants and Infidels This ought to stand with us for a thousand Reasons to submit our selves to such Kings as it pleaseth God to send unto us without either judging or examining their Qualities their Hearts are in God's Hand they do his Service sometimes in preserving sometimes in punishing us If they abuse any part of their power let them assuredly expect that God will dart his vengeance against them with a most stiff and dreadful Arm. In the mean season we must not oppose our selves otherwise than by humble Suits and Prayers acknowledging that those Evils are always just for us to suffer which are many times unjust for them to do If we break into disorder we resemble the Giants who sealed the Skies C. 6. 116 117. It was alledged in behalf of some Cities in France that they were not Rebels because they had not professed Allegiance unto Henry the Fourth but the chiefest Lawyers of our Age did resolve that forasmuch as they were original Subjects even Subjects by Birth they were Rebels in bearing Arms against their King altho they had never professed Allegiance But the admission of the people say you hath often prevailed against Right of Succession ☞ So have Pyrates against Merchants so have Mutherers and Thieves against true meaning Travellers Chap. 8 p. 146 147. But may not a man trespass on such Laws for the good of the Realm Answ What Conscience can any men have in defiling their Faith Such Consciences you endeavour to frame in all men P. 156 157. to break an Oath with as great facility as a Squirrel can crack a Nut. In what a miserable condition should Princes live if their State depended upon the pleasures of the people in whom company takes away shame and every man may lay fault on his Fellow How could they command P. 164. Who would obey c. It seems strange to reason to plant Religion under the Obedience of Kings not only careless thereof but cruel against it But when we consider that the Jews did commonly forsake God in prosperity and seek him in distress that the Church of Christ was more pure more zealous more entire I might also say more populous when she travelled with the storm in her face than when the wind was either prosperous or calm We may learn thereby no further to examine but to admire and embrace the unsearchable Wisdom and Will of God. P. 170. c. God hath taught by the Apostle S. Paul that whosoever resists the higher powers which at that time were Infidels receive unto themselves damnation ☞ You teach that whosoever doth not in the like case resist doth damnably offend were not the Spirit of Division otherwise called the Devil seated in your Soul you would not thus openly oppose the Settlings of your rotten Brain against the express and direct Sentence of God. The Apostle teacheth us to be obedient to higher powers for conscience sake and not for any private respect P. 173 c. You whose Office is to pray to instruct Men in pure Devotion to settle their Souls in piety and peace you take upon you the Policies of State you read and deface the Reputation of Kings you make your selves both Judges and Moderators of all their Actions allowing them to flie no further than you give them Wings
You dispose not only their Affairs but their Crowns at your pleasure you hunt them not to covert but to death You train up your Followers in the high mystery of Treason To these ends you wrest Scriptures you corrupt Histories you counterfeit Reasons you corrupt all Truth And all you say is directed to a holy and religious end Away then with your Devotion and so we shall be rid of your dangerous Deceit This was his Opinion in the Days of King James nor was it newly taken up to comply with that Prince for Ep. Dod. ante Answ to Doleman as Sir John Heyward himself informs us he wrote his Account of the Deposition of King Richard the Second and the Usurpation of King Henry the Fourth to shew that the People have no lawful power to resist their Prince nor to hinder the Succession according to Proximity of Blood. SECT II. On S. James's day being July 25 of the same year was this Learned Prince crowned Pr. London 1604 the Sermon on that Solemnity being Preached by Dr. Bilson Bishop of Winchester on Rom. xiâ—â— 1. The powers that are are ordained of God. In which we are told That the likeness which Princes have with the Kingdom of God and of Christ consists in the Society of the Names and Signs which they have common with Christ in the Sufficiency of the Spirit wherewith God endueth them in the Sanctity of their Persons which may not be violated in the Sovereignty of their Power which must not be resisted ☜ By the anointing of Kings God hath taught us that their persons once dedicated to his Service are not only protected by his stretched-out Arm but are and ought to be sacred and secured from the violence and injury of all mens hands mouths and hearts Touch not mine anointed P. 105. saith God by his Prophet which is chiefly verified of Princes whom God anointeth to be the chiefest of his People Neither is violence only prohibited towards them but all offence in speech or thought Yea the very Robes which they wear are sanctified The Sovereignty of their Power will soon appear as well by the persons subjected as by the things committed to their Charge Let every soul be subject c. He that brings an Exception useth but a Delusion says Bernard for who can loose what God hath bound neither is this an Exhortation to Obedience but a plain Injunction You must needs be subject c. You must imports a necessity for conscience declares a Duty to God the danger of resisting being as great as the Commandment of obeying is streight Whosoever resists resists the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves judgment ☜ Dare any man promise himself success and protection in Conspiracy and Treason when the Spirit of God so plainly threatens ruin and condemnation to all that resist whosoever they be To maintain Peace and Tranquillity God hath allowed Kings power over the Goods Lands Bodies and Lives of their Subjects and what private men may not touch without theft and murder that Princes may lawfully dispose as God's Ministers taking vengeance on them that do evil ☞ He that resisteth and dishonoreth them resisteth and dishonoreth the Ordinance of God to his own confusion in this life where Princes are permitted to revenge the wrongs done to them and in the next where God everlastingly punisheth the contempt of his Ordinance What kind of Honor is due to Princes is shortly delivered in that Commandment Honor thy Father Rom xiii 1. The Apostle in this place nameth three things due to Princely Dignity Subjection Honor and Tribute teaching us that Princes must be obeyed with Conscience Reverence and Recompense It is therefore sin to despise or refuse their Laws commanding that which is good and likewise to resist or reproach their Power punishing that which is evil even in our selves Howbeit when Princes cease to command for God or bend their Swords against God whose Ministers they are we must reverence their Power ☞ but refuse their Wills. It is no resistance to obey the greater before the lesser neither hath any man cause to be offended when God is preferred Yet must we not reject their Yoke with violence but rather endure their Swords with patience that God may be Judge between Prince and People with whom is no unrighteousness nor respect of persons The man of sin hath not more grosly betrayed his pride and rage in any thing than in abasing the Honor and abusing the Power and impugning the Right of Princes by deposing them from their Seats and translating their Kingdoms to others by absolving their Subjects from all Allegiance ond giving them leave to rebel by setting his Feet in Emperor's Necks and spurning off their Crowns with his Shooe c. In all which he hath shewed himself like himself to yoke whom God hath freed and to free whom God hath yoked to deject whom God hath exalted and to erect whom God hath humbled to challenge what God hath reserved and to cross what God hath commanded And whatever Citations may be made out of this Learned Prelate's Book Of the true Difference c. Printed at Oxford 1585 in Quarto and the next year at London in Octavo to prove the contrary Yenet the Quoters and some of them I fear wilfully mistaking what he says of such Republicks and States in which upon the Invasion of Sabjects Privileges they are allowed by fundamental written known Compact as in Germany by the Bulla Aurea to resist as if it were applicable to free Monarchies and particularly to England contrary to his own express Assertion * P. 518 519 c. where be proves it at large That the Subjects in England have not that lawful Warrant to draw their Sword without consent of their Prince as the Germans have without consent of the Emperor He also teaches us our Duty agreeable to the holy Scriptures and primitive Antiquity in many places of that Book †P. 339 c. What Question can this be between the Prince and the People whether the Magistrate shall be deposed since God hath expresly commanded the People to be subject to the Sword and not to resist Against which Precept no earthly Court may deliberate ☜ much less determine to break his Law or license the People to frust are his Heavenly Will. It is one thing to disbuâ— then the Conscience from obeying the Evil which a Prince commandeth which a Priest may do and another thing to take the Prince's Sword out of his hand for abusing his Authority which the Priest may not do Manasses was carried Captive out of his Realm in the midst of his furious Idolatry and yet in his absence and misery no man stirred against him but his Kingdom was reserved for him until he was released out of Prison and sent back from Babylon It was therefore not for fear of Death but for regard of Duty that the zealous Priests
Christ provided for his own safety by flight the Martyrs by patience offered their Souls to God and the prayers of the Church have always prevailed over its Tyrannical Persecutors SECT XII Anno 1613. Dr. John Downham's sum of Sacred Divinity was publish'd in * Commen on the 5th Command P. 177. which starting the usual objection what must be done if Princes command things unlawful such as with a good conscience we cannot yield unto he answers in such cases we are patiently to abide the punishment in which doing we no way violate the obedience due to them as the Apostle directs 1 Pet. 2.19 20. Anno 1614. Printed at Oxford 1614. P. 86. Lancelot Dawes sometime Fellow of Queens College Preach'd two Sermons at the Assizes held at Carlile the second of which had for its subject Psalm 82.6 7. I have said ye are Gods c. and in it we are informed that Princes have their Authority only from God for ‖ Ja. 1.17 if every good and perfect Gift be from above even from the Father of Lights much more this excellent and supereminent gift of governing God's People must proceed from the fountain the reason of all the sins that were committed in Israel is often in the Book of Judges ascribed unto this Judg. 17.6 18. c. P. 99. that they wanted a Magistrate there was at that time no King in Israel by me Kings reign c. it is not for a Magistrate to debase himself neither is it for others of what reputation soever to equalize themselves with the Judge whom God hath placed over them and this is not only meant of Godly and Religious Magistrates P. 100 101. 1 Sam. 8. but of Wicked and Ungodly Governors too such as are described by Samuel which take Mens Sons and Fields and Vineyards c. the reason is because the bad as well as the good are of God the one he gives in his love the other in his anger and be they good or bad we have no commandment from him but parendi patiendi of obeying them when their Precepts are not repugnant to God's Statutes and of suffering with patience whatsoever they shall lay upon us it was a worthy saying of the Mother of the two Garacs when they kept Sigismond in Prison Bentin â—er Hung. â—ec 3. l 2. that a Crowned King if he were worse than a beast could not be hurt without great injury done to God himself a lesson which she learn'd from David whose heart smote him when he had out the lap of Saul 's garment because he was the Anointed of the Lord altho he himself was before that time Anointed to be King over Israel and was without cause hunted by Saul like a Pelican in the wilderness and an Owl in the desert Then to draw thy sword and to seek perforce to depose such as God hath placed over thee either because they are not suitable to thy affections or not faithful in their places what is it but with the old Gyants to fight with God the weapons of a Christian in this case when such a case doth happen must be preces lacrymae prayers that either God would turn the heart of an evil Magistrate or set in his room a Man David like after his own heart and tears for his sins which as they are the cause of War Famine Pestilence and all other calamities so are they also of Wicked and Ungodly Magistrates P. 102. SECT XIII To what hath been cited out of Dr. Bois in the first part of this History may be added In Holy Bible we read Bois on Ps 47. P. 936. that David would not suffer his Enemy Saul tho a wicked King to be slain when he was in his hands for that he was the Lord's Anointed he had sanctitatem unctionis albeit he had not sanctitatem Vitae i. e. he had an holy calling tho not an holy carriage wherefore David said who can lay hands on the Lord 's Anointed and be guiltless and if Heathen Emperors in the Primitive times and ungodly Kings in all Ages ought to be thus obeved how much more a Christian and Virtuous Prince c. After the death of Robert Abbot Bishop of Salisbury were his Academick exercitations against Bellarmine Lon. 1619. and Suarez concerning the supreme power of Kings printed a work as it is called in the Epistle dedicatory agreeable to the Laws of Nature and Religion and very seasonable the Author of which having been the King's Professor of Divinity at Oxford * Prelec 1. Sect. 4. p. 4. vindicates the power of Kings and affirms * Prelec 1. Sect. 4. p. 4 that Pope Hildebrand Hellbrand Luther calls him that the first who assumed to himself the Power of Deposing Princes and absolving their Subjects from their Oath of Allegiance which Doctrine Sigebert a Writer of that Age calls Novelty and Heresie Sect. 5. p. 6 7. and when he treats of Rom. 13.1 be subject to the higher powers c. he says by Powers are meant Kings and Monarchs as the Word is used Luc. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that exercise authority c. in which words Kings by a certain circumscription are defined because power belongs only and properly to them thus Origen Ambrose and Aquinas understood the words and Kings are not only called powers but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in St. Peter 1. ep 2. supereminent powers because in their Kingdoms they have power over all Persons being constituted the supreme and over all and to whom it is given to exercise that power over all for Kingly Majesty is absolutely eminent and above all being so constituted by a supreme right for as * in Rom. 13. St. Ambrose says it hath the Image of God that all others might be under one to whom because he is God's Vicegerent every Soul ought to be subject as unto God. This Sentence of St. ☞ Ambrose lays the unquestionable foundation of Kingly Power for it expresses that in the Power of a Monarch the Image of the Divine Majesty appears and that Kings exercise a Power over Men delegated unto them in God's stead and therefore must be superior to all Men because nothing can be higher than God whose Deputies Kings are P. 12. this also is the Doctrine of Optatus St. John Chrysostom Agapetus and other Fathers and so destructive have the Romanists thought it to their pretensions ☞ that the Spanish Index Expurgatorius hath ordered this sentence to be blotted out of Antonius his Melissae tho the sentence be in two other Fathers viz. Agapetus and Maximus A King hath no superior on Earth Prelec 2. Sect. 4. p. 19. and tho Kings may be made by Men yet their Power is from God by whose Providence and Conduct they are advanc'd to those dignities by Men and whom God either in Mercy Job 34. Prelect 3. Sect. 1. p. 25. or in anger decrees to rule even that God who
the Rebel's Catechism wherein he shews that Lucifer was the first Author of Rebellion that the Rebellion even of the heart makes a Man guilty of Damnation in the sight of God much more that of the tongue or the hand that one branch of the Rebellion of the hand is the composing and dispersing of false and scandalous Books and Pamphlets tending to the dishonour of the King the other the taking up Arms against such Persons P. 6 7. cons p. 9 10 11 c. to whose Authority they are subject and it is worth our observation that not only the bearing Arms against the King is declared to be Rebellion by the Law of England but that it was declared to be Rebellion by the chief Judges of this Kingdom at the Arraignment of the Earl of Essex for any Man to seek to make himself so strong that the King should not be able to resist him although he broke not out into open act even defensive Arms are absolutely unlawful in the Subject against his Sovereign in regard that no defensive War can be undertaken but it carrieth with it a resistance in it to those Higher Powers to which every Soul is to be subject we find it thus resolved in Plutarch P. 12. that it was contrary both to positive Laws and the Law of Nature for any Subject to lift up his hand against the Person of his Sovereign with much more to the same purpose The same Author near about the same time See his Ecclesia Vindicata p 645 c Prâ—at Lon. 1681. wrote a Treatise intitled the stumbling-block of disobedience removed to shew that Kings ought not to be controuled by their Subjects either singly or in a body the whole of which learned Treatise as well as his other Vindications of the Doctrins and Rights of our Church will sufficiently repay the Reader 's expence of pains and leisure And in his Sermon on May 29. 1681. it is to be observed that such as draw their Swords upon God's Anointed use commonly to throw away the scabberds also and find no way of doing better but by doing worse no middle way for them to walk in but either to bear up like Princes or to dye like Traytors SECT VI. Of the same belief was Sir John Spelman in his Case of our affairs in Law c. that the Sovereignty is in the King's Person inseparably Pr. Oxf. 1643. p. 15 17 19. and the allegiance of the Subject by Law thereto inseparably annex'd fortifyed and enforc'd by Religion under the severe menace of damnation what streight then of humane Affairs can be so violent as to make Christian Subjects contrary to sworn Faith to Law and to Religion not only to disobey their Sovereign but resist and Invade the Sovereign Rights c. Anno 1641. Sir Tho. Ashton and many others Noblemen and Gentlemen of Cheshire tendred a Remonstrance to the Parliament against Presbyterian Government and in it they affirm that the donation of Sovereign Power is solely from God and so will he have the revocation too he doth not subject them to the question of inferiors but puts a Guard upon their Sacred Persons which to violate though in our own defence is a breach of his command even when persecuted as David was by Saul which precepts are renewed in the Gospel we see our selves bound by Oath to acknowledge and support that Regal Government our Statutes have establish'd our Laws approved History represents most happy to whom all Primitive times yielded full obedience to whose Throne Christ himself yields Tribute whose Persons God will have Sacred whose actions unquestionable whose Succession he himself determines and whose Kingdoms he disposes Tacitus tho a Heathen advises us to bear with the riots and covetousness of Kings as with barrenness and other infirmities of nature for while there are Men there will be vices but they cannot continue long and will be recompenc'd when better come In the 19th year of this King came forth a little book called an Appeal to thy Conscience as thou wilt answer it at the great and dreadful day of Jesus Christ p 2 3 c. the Author of which says that Subjects may not take up Arms against their lawful Sovereign because he is wicked and unjust no tho he be an Idolater and Oppressor 1. Because it were an high presumption in us to limit that command which God doth not limit now our obedience to Superiors is always commanded without limitation 2. We may not think evil of the King much less may we take up Arms against him 3. St. Paul saith recompence to no man evil for evil Rom. 12.19 If to no Man then certainly not to thy King 〈◊〉 That which peculiarly belongs to the Lord thou oughtest not without his Authority to meddle with but vengeance is his 5. Rom. 13. Every Soul none excluded must be subject there is no Power but of God if so then the Power of a wicked Prince is from God and the penalty of resisting is everlasting damnation both of Soul and Body in Hell-fire for ever 6. In Eccl. 8.1 2. the Covenant made by the People to obey their King is called the Oath of God and who dares break this Oath of God 7. God commands Touch not mine Anointed therefore thou mayest not smite him therefore thou mayest not bear Arms against God's Anointed 8. For Subjects to take up Arms against their own King tho an Idolater and an Oppressor is contrary to the practice of God's People in all Ages the Jews and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Christians 9. God's heavy judgments on those who have taken up Arms against their Prince tho an Idolater and Oppressor ought to be a warning to us how we do the like this is contrary to the Doctrin of the Church of England in her Homilies then he answers the usual objections for resistance resolves several doubts and removes other little scruples and in the close of all passionately advises all Men to return to the Lord and to do their duty P. 51. for 't is strange says he that God's Church can be no way preserved the Subjects liberty no ways maintain'd but by sin who ever heard unless from a Papist that the way to Heaven was through Hell shall we do evil that good may come Rom. 3.8 It would be a very needless labor to cite all the passages to this purpose that occur in the Books written between the year 1644. and the time of the King's Murther and therefore I shall refer the Reader to the Regal Apology Printed 1648. the Kingdoms brief answer to the Declaration of the Commons Pr. 1648. the Plea for the King and Kingdom 1648. with many other Treatises of the same kind only I shall mention Bishop Rainhowe who took the degree of Doctor of Divinity An. 1646. Vid. Bish Rainbow's life p. 41. when his chief Question on which he made his Thesis was Ecclesia Anglicana tenet
chains up his fury lest for our sins he permit him to return once more with seven other Spirits more wicked than himself and so our last Estate prove worse than the former Dr. Pr. 1661. P. 34. v. p. 14 19 21. Morley Bishop of Winchester's Sermon at the Coronation of King Charles II. is full to this purpose as no Man can take upon himself the Honor or Office of a Priest so much less can any Man take to himself the Honor or Office of a King but he must have it from God himself either by God's own immediate designation as Moses and the Judges had for the Judges were Kings and as Saul and David had or by God's ordinary way of Dispensation which was by Succession of Children unto their Fathers according unto which method as Families grew into Nations so Paternal Government grew into Regal and consequently an Usurper as he hath no claim to Divine Institution so he hath no title to Divine Benediction or Protection and besides because what is gotten by the Sword must be maintained by the Sword an Usurper must be a Tyrant whether he will or no. Lastly a Monarchy by Usurpation is res sine titulo a possession without a title which seldom lasts long or ends well for he that takes the Sword shall perish by the Sword says Our Saviour Mat. 26.52 Again as Monarchy by Usurpation is res sine titulo so Monarchy by Election is titulus sine re for Elective Kings are but conditional Kings and conditional Kings are no Kings besides P. 35. a King is to have the power of life and death which none that have it not themselves can give unto him and therefore how he that is Elected by those that have not the power of life and death comes to have the power of life and death and consequently how he comes to be a King is I conceive not easie to imagine the best and surest way for Prince P. 38. State and People is to protect cherish and allow of that Religion and that only which allows of no rising up against or resisting Sovereign Power no not in its own defence nor upon any other pretence whatsoever but tho Princes are called Gods yet they shall die like Men P. 46. says one that was a Prince himself Ps 82.7 and tho they be accountable to no Tribunal here yet they are to be judged hereafter by one who is no respecter of Persons a Prince therefore is to take care to govern himself not according to that licence which his exemption from the penalty of humane Laws may prompt him to but according to that strictness which the severity of the Divine Justice doth require of him The same Prelate in his Vindication of himself against Baxter P. 29 c. among Baxter's Maxims of Treason Sedition and Rebellion reckons these That unlimited Governors are Tyrants and have no right to that unlimited Government If God permits Princes to turn so wicked as to be uncapable of Governing so as is consistent with the ends of Government he permits them to depose themselves If Providence disableth a Prince from protecting the just c. it deposeth him if any Army of Neighbours Inhabitants P. 31. or whoever do tho injuriously expel the Sovereign and resolve to ruin the Commonwealth rather than he shall be restored and if the Commonwealth may prosper without his Restoration it is the duty of such an injured Prince for the Common good to resign his Government and if he will not the People ought to judge him as made uncapable by Providence and not to seek his restitution to the apparent ruin of the Commonwealth If a People that by Oath and Duty are obliged to a Sovereign P. 33. shall sinfully dispossess him and contrary to their Covenants chuse and covenant with another they may be obliged by their later Covenant notwithstanding their former and particular Subjects that consented not in the breaking of their former Covenants yet may be obliged by occasion of their later choice to the Person whom they chuse with many more such Rebellious Treses all which the Bishop with great reason censures and to the Book it self I must refer the Reader where he will find ample satisfaction in a Manly confutation of the abovecited and other such popular errors And among these venerable Fathers of the Church I must beg leave to introduce a Lay-man concern'd in the same controversie for when Baxter had publish'd his Key for Catholicks and in it p. 321. treated of the King's murder of which he says Providence had so order'd it that it could not be laid on the Protestants with much more to that purpose John Nanfan Esq in those worst of times writes a censure of the Passage P. 3. and in it avers that all War taken up by Subjects upon any pretence whatsoever or by whatsoever caution or limitation evermore in the nature of it intends the destroying of King and Kingdom P. 4. that all the bringing the People into a body by Covenant is unlawful because Government merely consists in having no contracts of the People acting of themselves that in such Covenants Men swear things contradictory as to fight against the King and to be true to him there is no such thing in nature as a defensive War against the King by Subjects to subdue a King and deprive him of his Power P. 5. is the same thing as killing it stays but the acting I should be very glad P. 7. that the World should be satisfied that Supreme Power should be unquestionable I would trust God and Man and Humane casual events with my share out of it because I see pretended Reformations never countervail the mischief of Rebellions nothing in nature can go higher than its first cause P. 9. a Power derived out of the King cannot be understood to be against the King for no Power can create a Power against it self P. 10 11. all attempts to bring a King under the Power of his People are the same as to destroy him and this was resolved in the case of the Earl of ‖ Cambd. Annal. p. 547 548. Essex and it never came into the conceit of any Person to except a Parliament for committing Treason the nature of Man is to think any thing that hath been done P. 12. may be done and so never finds end of wickedness but to make it infinite any extraordinary or transcendent acting upon Government tho never so unlawful and violent yet if it become powerful it commonly creates somthing to others to derive from it thus the Long Parliament declared long before that execrable murder was committed that in case they should act to the highest president they should not fail in duty or trust ☞ having their eye and aim upon the deposing of Kings Edw. 2. and Ric. 2. and the last actors that completed the Tragedy conclude power of Parliaments from former destroying Kings and
rable is a King and Kingdom when every Man that is but audacious enough has a fair pretence if he can but gather force to overturn any settlement that can be in such a case such a Pirate Prince must be always exposed to Tempests King Stephen was none of our worst Princes and one of the most valiant but an Intruder he was and he sped accordingly his reign was the most turbulent of any except that of King John another Usurper c. But be the title of a King P. 18. as good as a Warrant from Heaven can make it be it so undoubted as Hell it self can find no pretence to question it be the King like an Angel of God yet if his Subjects will be Sons of Belial Sons of the Devil so Rebels are called in Scripture Men that will bear no yoke 't is still in their power to be as miserable as they please therefore I commend your strict adherence to your former Protestations P. 27. and to your Oaths of Allegiance take heed of destroying your Country to build your own House destruction and death is not all you are like to get by it take heed of that which follows there is another death to come after ☜ God has warn'd you of it they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation as you would avoid this take heed of that which leads to it thus that great Prelate who as it is justly said of him ‖ Thom. Brown. Ep. praefi conc Jun. 11. 1687. in the whole course of his life and in all the varieties of times and fortune still maintain'd his fidelity to his Prince in an illustrious manner SECT VII And of this opinion was that great promoter of piety and learning Bishop Fell who having in his †On 2 Pet. 3.3 Anno 1675. p. 21 22. Ox. 1675. Sermon before the King asserted that nothing can be so unhappy as Authority when baffled that the Coffee-house rebel is more mischievous than he that takes the Field and that a Prince is sooner murdered with a Label than a Sword and in his * Dec. 22. 1680. p. 3 4. on Mat. 12 25. Oxf. 1680. Sermon before the Lords exprest his astonishment by what Enchantment but that Rebellion is the sin of Witchcraft Men should be perswaded to disturb their own and the publick Peace forfeit all the advantages they enjoy in a settled Government which cannot be so bad as not to be much better than the confusion which sedition brings and run upon that sudden destruction which the Wiseman says is the end of those who are given to change he continues to give the same advice in his Sermon before the Sons of the Clergy wherein having told them that a great part of them present were the Sons of the persecuted Clergy ‖ On Act. 3.16 p. 61 63 68 69. a sort of Men that hazarded their lives unto the death and their Estates to the greater cruelty and grave of sequestration for the cause of God and of their Prince He adds 't is their glory that in the day of trial they did all they pretended to they forsook Father and Mother Houses Brethren and Sisters and those more endearing names of Wife and Children let it therefore be the strict concern of every one here present to maintain a faithful Loyalty to his Prince and Sovereign It is the peculiar glory of the Church of England ☞ that She above all others Principles her Children in Obedience to Superiors and most supports the ends and interests of Government which had so visible an effect in the late unhappy revolutions that the Royal Martyr who fell a Sacrifice to the misguided zeal of his rebellious Subjects ☞ made it his observation that none forfeited their duty to him who had not first deserted their Obedience to the Church nor can you any way more remarkably approve your selves to be Orthodox in your Religion and good Sons of the Church than if you are Loyal in your Principles and good Subjects to the King. On the 23. of June of the same year Dr. Thomas Bishop of Worcester dyed having two days before sent for a Reverend Divine to whom after he had discours'd an hour about the new Oath of Allegiance which he thought altogether inconsistent with the Doctrin of the Church and his former Oaths he said if my own heart deceive me not and God's grace fail me not I think I could dye at a Stake rather than take this Oath The Earl of Clarendon in his Animadversions on Mr. Cressy 's answer to the Dean of St. Paul's P. 72. as a very competent witness avers that there were very few who did so much as pretend to have a reverence for the Church of England that were ever active in the late Rebellion and that it were to be wish'd rather than hop'd that the Profession of Christian Religion in any Church had that impulsion in it as it ought to have that it preserv'd the Professors of it from entring into Rebellion and the practice of any other iniquity and speaking of Archbishop Cranmer who sign'd King Edward the Sixth's Will he adds if that unhappy P. 80. and ill advised Queen who had just reason to be offended highly with that Archbishop could have found that the Law would have condemn'd him for Treason she rather desired to have had him hang'd for a Traytor than to have him burnt for his Religion but the Law would not extend to serve her turn that way if it would no body would have blamed her for having prosecuted him with the utmost rigor whereas many good Men then did and since have for proceeding the other way with him The Popes who have assumed Authority to depose Princes P. 151 152. have caused more Christian blood to have been spilt more horrible Massacres of Kings and Princes and People than all the Heresies in the World and all other politick differences have produced much the greatest part of this destruction ☜ and ruin proceeded from the perjury of Popes themselves after they had promis'd and sworn to observe such parts and agreements voluntarily entred into by themselves or from the dispensation they granted to others to break their faith and not to perform the contracts they had entred into The same noble Person even when under the displeasure of his Prince and in Banishment thought himself still obliged to be unalterably Loyal as he professes in his Epistle to the King I thank God from the time I found my self under the insupportable burthen of your Majesties displeasure and under the infamous brand of Banishment I have not thought my self one minute absolved in the least degree from the strictest duty to your Person And whereas T. H. in his Leviath p. 114. had affirm'd that the obligation of Subjects to their Sovereign is understood to last as long and no longer than the Power lasts to protect them he rejoins P. 90. hereby he gives
these Laws p. 14. v. loc and p. 21 22 c which he gave to us Under the most barbarous and persecuting Emperors no Christian ever suffered as a Rebel they gave no other disturbance to the Government than by confessing themselves Christians and suffering for it Their numbers indeed were very formidable but nothing else The same Doctor wrote his Case of Resistance when the Doctrine of Non-Resistance and Passive Obedience were not Confuted but laught out of Countenance Ep. Ded. p. 109. When whoever hath been so hardy as to assert the Doctrine of Non Resistance hath been thought an enemy to his Country one who tramples on all Laws who betrays the Rights and Laberties of the Subject and sets up for Tyranny and Arbitrary Power p. 3. In this accurate Treatise he proves 1. That God himself set up a Sovereign and iresistible power in the Jewish Nation and that during all that time v. p. 13 14. it was unlawful for Subjects upon any pretence whatsoever to resist their Princes 2. That our Saviour taught the same Doctrine both by his Example and Precepts as did also St. Peter and St. Paul. p. 133. The sum of St. Paul's Doctrine is this that all Men whatever their rank and condition be must be subject to Sovereign Princes i. e. must obey all their just and lawful commands and patiently submit even to their unjust violence for Sovereign Princes are made and advanced by God and therefore he that resisteth resisteth not Man but God and how prosperous soever such Rebels may be in the World they shall not escape the Divine Vengeance and Justice which will follow them into another World They shall receive to themselves damnation p. 221. The last Judgment weighs down all other considerations and certainly Rebellion may well be said to be as the sin of Witchcraft when it so inchants Men that they are resolved to be Rebels though they be damned for it So Dr. H. Bagshaw Serm. on Isa 1.26 p. 8. Should Magistrates omit Works of Justice and Mercy they are no more Gods but Idols nay the worst sort of Idols that being made to represent do yet foully reproach Divine Power but should People resist libel or abuse them and so strive to deface the marks of their greatness they strike at the Majesty of the Supreme We may all learn Duty from considering that God is the founder of human Government So also the learned Dr. Faulkner V. Christian Loyalty l. 1. c. 5. p. 183 184. The truth is Maximus was a Rebel and had wicked murdered Gratian the Emperor and invaded the Territories of Valentinian and for this cause S. Martin though often requested for a long time refused to come to his Table and avoided all converse with him and did also foretel his ruin And Marcellinus Socrates Theodoret and Sozomen in their Histories often give him the stile of Maximus the Tyrant And Symmachus a Roman Senator was found guilty of Treason by Theodosius for publishing a Panegyrick upon Maximus S. Ambrose not only refused Maximus the salutation of a Kiss from him but withdrew himself from those Bishops who Communicated with him c. Chap. 6. p. 233. The same Author confuteing the claim of the Pope to this Kingdom on the account of the surrendry made by King John to Pandulphus the Pope's Legat adds I shall chuse to observe in general that this Case is the same as if any Seditious persons or Usurpers should by fraud or force reduce the King to straits and difficulties and should then by like methods gain a promise from him that he should be under their Government and shall order the Affairs of his Realm in complyance with them and subjection to them Now all such Acts are wholly void and utterly unobligatory Because 1. No part of Royalty can be gained by Possession upon an unjust Title against the right Owner upon a sure Title this being a parallel Case to a Thief being possest of an honest Man's Goods 2. No Sovereign King unless by voluntary relinquishing his whole Authority to the next Heir can transfer his Royal Supremacy to any other person whomsoever c. p. 383. v. loc Another ground of Subjects security though they may not take Arms against their Sovereign is from God being the Judg and Governor of the World and shall not the Judgment and Authority of God over Princes be thought valuable and considerable though he is more righteous and more able to help the oppressed than any Judge upon Earth p. 393. V. p. 395 397 456 457 463 490 491. Unless all things be in utter confusion and Anarchy it is not possible but that there must be acknowledged such an Authority which none have power of resisting but this can no where be so well placed for the Subjects Interest as in their Sovereign Prince and Supreme Governor Christians are Baptized into that Doctrine which makes great provision for the security of Kings and against all manner of resistance But though the directions of our Religion be plain History will acquaint us that there have been many contrary Practices as matters of Fact. But these are no more to be urged against the Rules of Duty in this than in other Actions of disobedience and swerving from God's Commandments p. 507. It was truly observed by Barclay that Valentinian the younger who was an Arian might as easily have been Resisted and Deposed by the Catholick Christians as any King or Emperor whatsoever if they would have undertaken any such thing for then the strength of the Eastern part of the Empire was then in the Hands of Theodosius who was a zealous promoter of the True Faith the Western Empire was over-run by Maximus an Enemy to the Arians The Army of Valentinian then at Milan were so disaffected to the Emperor that they declared they would go over to those Ambr. Ep. 33. ad Marcellin to whom S. Ambrose should direct them unless the Emperor would Communicate with them who embraced the True Faith. But in this case Theodosius protected and assisted Valentinian and S. Ambrose disclaimed all resistance against him and espoused his Interest to the utmost against Maximus Herbert Lord Bishop of Hereford Pr. Lond. 1688. in his Defence of the Reading the late Declaration asserts the same Truth for though he pleads for the Reading of the Decclaration p. 5. Because when we are bid to Honor the King we ought to observe that express command of God in every thing that is not expresly contrary to the word of God or at least most evidently deduced from it so that every common understanding must needs see it p. 15. Yet he subjoyns that it is impossible that a true Son of the Church of England should have any disloyal thoughts in his Heart his Principles commanding him unto intire Obedience either Active or Passive without any Equivocation or Mental Reservation whatsoever SECT VIII Dr. Matthew
Sclater What a joy will it be to thy Spirit and a lightning to thy Heart Royal pay paymaster on Rom. 2.10 p. 6 7 1â— when thou canst say thou didst not cowardly yield tho thou hast been disarm'd sequestred decimated and unrewarded for it 't was of God's mercy to be kept faithful to the righteous cause of God and the King when there were so many temptations to witdraw us from our Loyalty Fidelity and Loyalty is in a more especial manner required in a Subject towards his Sovereign 't is Treason in a Subject to fight against his Sovereign but how long must this Fidelity last a day or two or so Oh no I this Commandment is like that heavy saying in Matrimony till death us do part Dr. Hickman Serm. before Lâ—rd Mayor Juâ— 27. 1680 p. 17 18. The honor of God and the defence of his Worship are glorious Undertakings yet even here the excess of zeal is a crime and the great importance of the end cannot justifie any unlawfulness in the means the will of God as it is exprest in his Word is the standard of good and evil and he will not suffer his eternal Laws to be violated tho in his own defence if it should please him to give his and our Enemies such advantage over us as may endanger the exercise of our Religion we have our Prayers and other lawful endeavours for our redress but we must not defend our Church by an unlawful return of evil for evil nor like our Adversaries commit any Act of Impiety or Injustice tho under the most specious pretence of fighting the Battels of the Lord The goodness of the Cause here is so far from justifying the Act that it only aggravates the offence when a Law is violated or any injustice done for the sake of our Religion both the scandal and the Crime become conspicuous they are then laid at the door of our Church and bring a publick and perpetual blot upon our cause P. 19 v. p. 20 33. what can our Religion profit us or what honor can it bring to the Almighty when our Sacrifice comes polluted with blood and violence of its own how can it attone for our transgressions therefore it is necessary to obey not only for wrath ☞ but also for Conscience sake St. Peter who was the first that drew his Sword In his Master's quarrel was the first that denyed his name and forsook his cause and doubtless whosoever fights for his Religion against his Prince can never pass the muster without a Romish dispensation Mr. Ser. at Bath Aug. 7. â—631 p. 4 5 c. Jos Pleydall Arch-Deacon of Chichester Plebeians and Hobbists proceed upon one and the same Principle making the People the Fountain of all Power whereas Subjects owe a natural and inviolable Allegiance but if a Prince prove a Tyrant does he not by Male-administration forfeit the trust reposed in him in whose Opinion in the Opinion of Mariana or Knox Hobbs or Bradshaw i. e. in the judgment of Papists P. 8. Sectaries Atheists or Rebels 't is impossible there should be a Rebellion while the Principles of the Church of England are revered and owned that Kings may be Deposed and Murdered P. 11. we may reckon under the Apostles strange and monstrous Doctrins or rather under his Doctrins of Devils Mr. Assize Ser. p. 21 22. v. p. 5 78 16. Kimberley No pretences of Conscience or Religion can Authorize our Resistance of the lawful Powers which God hath set over us they never knew what it was in the times of the Primitive Christianity to oppose expel or destroy any Pagan Persecuting Arian or Apostate Emperor Mr. Assize Ser. p. 21. Jemmat None but God can absolve Subjects from that Allegiance and Obedience which they owe to their natural Lords neither the Male administration of Government nor their own fears jealousies nor the decay of Trade no nor the hazard of Religion it self can justifie the Acts of Rebellion they to whom God hath given his own Power are accountable to none but himself c. Mr. Serm. on 2 Chr. 13.5 p. 6. v. p. 8 15 18. Camfield The King is in the highest place and highest power and consequently all in his Dominions Every Soul of them are obliged to be subject to him none may presume to judge or resist him violently there can be nothing justifyable on the Subjects part but obedience and Submission the rest must be referred to God alone the only Ruler of Princes c. Mr. Ser. at York Aug 3. 1685. p. 16 24. 〈◊〉 loc Stainforth We have great reason to pity and pray for Kings for the eminency of their Station and uncontroulableness of their Power if Princes are bad Men and oppress their Subjects against reason and against Law we have no reason left us but Prayers to God in whose hands are the hearts of Kings Whatsoever Injuries they heap upon us whatsoever Violences and Persecutions we suffer under them we must not suffer our Passions to rise and swell againvt them much less must we take up Arms and by force resist their Persons or Authority P. 34. Those who take up Arms against their Sovereign's Authority fight against Heaven Mr. Graile Rector of Blickling in Norfolk publish'd four Sermons Lond. 1685. P. 44 45. For Loyalty to our Prince is a thing commanded by God himself together with Piety and Devotion towards himself yea and commanded in the very next place to it so that the one is a part an inseparable part a very considerable part of the other And it follows from hence by an apparent Consequence that Mens Disloyalty is a clear indication of their irreligion if they fear not the King they fear not God. ☜ If any Man seem to be religious and bridles not his Tongue from speaking evil of Dignities or Higher Powers Jam. 1.26 2 Pet 2.10 Rom. 13.2 P. 53 54 55. that Man's Religion is vain and 't is much more so if he holds not his hands from resisting these Powers Our Law will have no Error no Injustice no Folly no Imperfection whatsoever to be found in the King. All the States of the Realm joyned together all the Nobles and Commons and the whole Body of the People have not a Power and Authority equal to his For otherwise he would not be the King of a Kingdom but of single Men separately taken P. 56. The King is no substitute of the People but the Minister of God and his Power is the Ordinance of God. It is a contradiction to be Sovereign and to have a Superior The Lords P. 57. both Spiritual and Temporal together with all the Commons assembled in Parliament do by a solemn Oath acknowledg the King to be Supreme and themselves to be his Subjects And they have in publick Statutes particularly declared That both or either Houses of Parliament cannot nor lawfully may raise or levy any War offensive or
defensive ☜ against his Majesty his Heirs and lawful Successors Neither is the King accountable to them or to any other besides God These are the Essentials of Sovereignty There is but one Case wherein a good and loyal Subject will refuse to obey his Prince and that is p. 60 61 v. p. 66 96 97 119 120 154. when such Obedience will by no means consist with his Obedience to God But there is no Case whatsoever wherein he dares either to resist or reproach the Person or Authority of the King or to offer any Indignity to him To fight against him is to fight against God whom the King represents upon any pretence whatsoever it cannot be done without open Perfidiousness and Rebellion Such are Monsters of Men and are as natural brute Beasts made to be taken and destroyed So S. Peter describes them 2 Pet. 2.10 12. Mr. David Jenner in his Prerogative of Primogenitures * Lond 1635 P. 48. asserts the same Cause Altho the Law of God is indeed above all Kings and if they wilfully transgress the same they are all accountable unto God and unto God only for the same yet in this Kingdom of England no Statute Law is or can be above the King because it was the King that first gave life and being to the Law of the Land the King by his Royal Assent made the Law to be what it is viz. a Law But the Law of the Land did not make the King to be what he is viz. a King for the King was King before the Law. That the Doctrin and Practice of Deposing lawful Kings P. 122. and Excluding the right Heir from succeeding in the Throne for his being an Heretick Idolater ☜ tyrannical and wicked is grounded upon nothing but Popery and Fanaticism Mr. Hancock in his Answer to the Viscount Stafford's Memoires Lond. 1682. p. 31. I could make it evident that the same Maxims of Political Divinity the same Arguments and many times the same Phrases and Expressions are to be found in the Heads of both Factions I know 't is disputed whether the Ring-Leaders of Sedition among us poyson'd the Jesuits or the Jesuits them but I do not envy the Bishops of Rome the Honor of having first poyson'd them both with Antimonarchical Doctrins If Milton the great Oracle of one of the Factions had own'd himself to be a Papist there had been no reason to wonder at the Impiety of his Doctrins which he either did or might have learnt from the Popes and greatest Divines of the Roman Church It was truly alledg'd by Salmasius that the Doctrin of the sacred and inviolable Authority of Princes was preserved pure and uncorrupt in the Church till the Bishops of Rome attempted to set up a Kingdom in this World paramount to all Kings and Emperors but he with his usual Confidence acquits the Popes and charges his Antimonarchical Principles on Luther Zuinglius Calvin Bucer Martyr Parcus and all the Reformed Divines Bellarmine P. 50. Parsons Creswel Suarez c. are the Men that furnish'd the leading Faction among us with Principles and Precedents with Arguments and Texts of Scripture ☞ out of whom they either did or might have derived the Grounds of the War against the King of erecting an High Court of Justice and of bringing him to the Block John Goodwin P. 53. in one of his Pamphlets hath this remarkable Expression As for offering Violence to the Person of a King or attempting to take away his Life we leave the Proof of the lawfulness of it to those profound Disputers the Jesuits P. 166 c. I have fairly represented those Doctrins and Principles which strike at the very root of our establish'd Religion and Government with the Arts and Instruments which have been used by the prevailing Faction of the Roman Church for the Subversion of them ☞ And I know no stronger Argument against the truth and goodness of any Religion than that it supplants moral Righteousness and serves to be a Bond of Conspiracy allowes of Sedition and Treachery Injustice and Cruelty for how can that Religion be from God which maketh Men unlike to God as had or worse than if they were left to the Principles and Inclinations of their own Natures Of the Church of England I will only say It hath establish'd the Right of Kings upon such sure and unalterable Foundations that it is the Interest as well as the Duty of the Civil Power to support and defend it Mr. Animadv on Ob. Ch. Govern. Preface Smalridge Certainly that Doctrin which invades the just Rights of Princes can hope but for few Proselytes among those who have constantly defended them in their Writings asserted them in their Decrees and upon all occasions vindicated them with their Swords For we do not lye open to the imputation of a condition'd and distinguishing Loyalty who have shewed our readiness to imitate the glorious Examples of our Fathers and were prepar'd had not God's good Providence prevented our Service to have transcribed that Copy lately at Sedgmore which they set us formerly at Edg-hill And in truth our steady Fidelity to the Prince is so unquestionable that our Enemies have been pleased to ridicule what they could not deny and have made Passive Obedience bear a part in our Character when the Muse hath been enclin'd to Satyr Thus also the Person of Quality who wrote the Reasons Why a Protestant should not turn Papist P. 30 31. I am then quite out of conceit with your Religion since I cannot embrace it without endangering my Loyalty by reason of the Deposing Doctrin in case I live up to the pitch of its real Principles But 't is all one to me so long as I remain a Protestant what Religion my Prince is of tho I could wish he were of the same I profess because his Authority over me and my indispensible Obligation to submit to him do not depend upon his Opinion or Religion but upon his Birth-right yet have we not reason to doubt if the zealous sort of Roman Catholicks would not think it lawful to take Arms against their Prince turn'd a Heretick since the French League against Henry the 4th was upon this very account styled Holy and had I not been particularly acquainted with the Principles of the Church of Rome I had never conceived how it came to pass that such great Numbers of learned and well-meaning Men too could be guilty of such a horrible wickedness as that was and forget themselves so far as to pretend Holiness in an open Rebellion against their lawful Prince I am then more satisfied with the Loyalty of a Protestant especially of the Church of England who acknowledgeth the Prince to be a Supreme Governour over all his Subjects and Sovereign Judg in all Cases than with that of a Roman Catholick who seems to set limits to his Power by such restrictions as neither Reason nor Scripture can warrant Mr. Pomfret