A COMPLAINT AND PETITION OF The whole Kingdome OF ENGLAND For satisfaction of Conscience and avoiding Rebellion Printed for W. Webb 1643. TO THE HONOVRABLE HOVSES OF PARLIAMENT WHereas your Petitioners having formerly contributed freely and liberally to the King and Parliament in conjunction do now refuse further to contribute or pay conceiveing them in opposition as by reason His Majesties Person was invaded in battell at Keinton contrary to the many Declarations of taking up Armes for the safety of His Majesties Person so in regard there is no expresse care of His Person and Honour in your late Ordinance for the assessing the Twentieth part in London nor in your Declaration for leavying of money in the Counties And whereas this their refusall is meerly out of Conscience according to that information they have concerning the Divine Constitution of particular Kings in their severall Kingdomes and of subjection to them both Active and Passive and of the damnablenesse of Resisting from First the Word of God Dan. 4. 17. 25. 32. where thrice in one Chapter it is said That the Kingdomes be Gods and he gives them to whom he will 1 Sam. 26. 9. Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Annointed and be guiltlesse And the same blessed spirit which calls David the Lords Annointed Psal 89. 20. doth call Cyrus a Heathen Prince the Lords Annointed also Esa 45. 1. Rom. 13. Let every soule be subject to the higher Powers for there is no Power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Yea we acknowledge in our Booke of Common-Prayer that King CHARLES is Gods Minister and that he hath Gods Authority and so fighting against him we fight against God himselfe Secondly Mr Calvin and other Protestants their Exposition on Rom. 13. and 1. Pet. 2. Thirdly The Harmony of Reformed Churches concerning Magistracy Fourthly The Doctrine of the Church of England in the Bookes of Homilies delivered concerning civill obedience Fifthly From the Lawes of the Land which declare it to be Treason to leavy Warre against the King in this Kingdome and to encounter in fight and kill such as are assisting to the King or come to helpe him or to aid in those cases And the Action of the Earle of Essex was adjudged Treason though In the reigne of Q. Eliz. he pretended nothing but removing evill Counsellors from the Queene Now that which is evill in its owne nature cannot be the subject of any command nor induce any obligation upon any man by any Authority whatsoever Remonstrance May 19. And we may not doe evill that good may come of it Rom. 3. 8. Sixthly Also in regard of the late Protestation relating to the said Doctrines and to His Majestie respectively which Protestation you have bound your selves to maintaine and all those that doe any thing in pursuance of it You would at least be pleased in your present undertakings for Religion and for the Law of the Land and the Liberty and Property of the Subjects to proceed in the way of Religion without violence to the Conscience in a case that concernes no lesse then Salvation or Damnation As you professe your tendernesse of the conscience even in matters of indifferency And that first your Authenticall Divines Dr Burgesse Mr Marshall c. may publish something for the resolving of Conscience in this way clearely out of the Word of God and home to the Action at Keinton taking notice also That His Majestie tooke up Armes for the maintenance of the Lawes concerning the publike worship of God and for the Priviledges and freedome of Parliament notoriously invaded by Brownists and Separatists and that now He continues them also for the necessary defence of His Person manifestly in danger since the battell at Keinton To which satisfying the Premises your Petitioners farre from contemptuousnesse and obstinacy against the cleare Word of God and Lawfull Authority shall ingenuously condescend and readily make payment of these severall Rates accordingly And pray for c. FINIS THE NECESSITY OF Christian Subjection ROM 13. 5. VVherefore ye must needs be subject not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake WOuld men but meditate or were they perswaded of the truth of the Prophet's speech 1 Sam. 15. 22 23. Behold to obey is better then Sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams for Rebellion is as the sinne of Witchcraft and stubbornnesse is as Iniquity and Idolatry Were they I say perswaded of this truth there would not be so little hearkening to the commands of Authority nor so little obeying what they heare nor would men runne so fiercely into the fearefull sin of Rebellion onely to maintaine and justifie their owne sacrifice of fooles which is indeed no other then their Eccles 5. 1. Olympiodor in loc foolish imaginations have devised and their vaine thoughts have set up as an Idoll to themselves Or were wee not fallen into those last and worst of times prophecied of by the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 1. 5. wherein men that make shew of godlinesse yea many that make most shew of it have onely a shew but deny the power of it being proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents Proud indeed when they dare exalt themselves against Gods Vicegerent Cursed speakers when His Majesties large Declaration p. 12. 13. 225. 256. 257. c. they dare libell and slander Prince and Prelate Disobedient to Parents Naturall Ecclesiasticall and Politicall were we not I say fallen into such times I should not need to urge the Apostles inference which the unseasonable sinnes of these seasons make so seasonable Wherefore ye must needs be subject c. In which words Infert conclusionem Principaliter intentam Aq. wherein Concludit Paraenesin subjectionis ejusque necessitatem Rol. shewing that we must obey the Magistrate not onely for feare of punishment but much more because that although the Magistrate hath no power over the conscience of man yet seeing he is Gods Minister he cannot be resisted by any good conscience Gen Notes ex Calv. Bez. In qua duas potissimum urget causas ob quas potestatibus necessariò obediendum Marlor 1. First their power to cause feare of wrath 2. Secondly our conscience to obey Gods ordinance In respect of both which we must be subject not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake Wherein I shall consider these 5 particulars 1. The Illation Wherefore 2. The Duty subject 3. The Necessity must needs 4. The persons obliged Ye 5. The Reasons perswading and those twofold 1. From feare of wrath although not onely for wrath 2. For conscience But also for conscience sake 1. The Illation and inference in this word Wherefore being Aquin. Lyr. Calv. Bez. Marlor Rocello a conclusion wherein Quod initio praeceperat de praestandâ Magistratibus obedientiâ nunc per modum collectionis repetit sed
different from the patterne of Heaven diverse from Divine institution and indeed Punishments rather then blest governments If they be compared with Monarchie Which made the wisest of Kings affirme that many Princes are imposed for the transgression of a Land But that Realme onely indures long which is ruled by one man of understanding and knowledge Prov. 28. 2. Which Doctrine seemes to be squared to Gods owne practice throughout all ages whensoever he designed any governour over his people the Jewes after they were taken notice of for his peculiar although for a long time he retained the royall supreame Title of King to himselfe during 1 Sam. 8. which time he oft times immediatly delivered his Regall mandates by Urim Thummim Visions Oracles Prophesies c. Yet he appointed one Supreame Vicegerent over them and not many for as for the Sanhedrim they were but as Moses or the High preists privie Counsell Or as delegated Judges because of the multiplicity of businesses One I say and not Judg. c. 10. c. 15. many witnesse Moses 40 yeares betwixt Egypt and Canaan Joshua neere 60 yeares settling them in Canaan after them Judah after him Othniell then Ehud then Shamgar then Deborah then Gideon then Tolah then Jair then Jephthah then Sampson But never above one at one time And how lamentable the times were when there was not one Supreame but the multitude tooke power into their owne hands that hideous story of the licentious Danites and the ravished Levites wife and the revenge of one upon another may serve to Judg. 19. 20. astonish all posterity and affright them from affecting Anarchie yea and when God after that he had in mercy looked upon their misery sent them new Judges Hely and Samuel successively and they not therewith satisfied would have a King like other nations he doth not set severall Kings over them as Joshua found 31 over the Land at their entrance but he 1 Sam. 8. 5. Josh 12. appointed them onely one King 1. Sam 8. 22. As being safest for his people best resembling his government and most agreable to his Ordinance Wherefore we must needes be Subject to such forme of government for it is the Ordinance of God Oh how much therefore are those too blame who go about to alter this forme of government and to introduce a new deformed device of their owne ambitious invention wherein they are not agreed whether they shall be stiled 1. The States of England as some of their Preachers forgetting the King in their praiers have sycophantically phrased them 2. Or whether they shall be entituled The Perpetuall Senate or Assessours of the Kingdome as some have endeavoured to derive their stile as the Impresse of a Republick 3. Or whether they shall be dignified with the Princely Attribute of Gentlemen of the Crowne of England to which should be annexed the power of electing their King although hereditary as some of themselves have ambitiously expressed their affectation in assimilation to that of Poland onely to the end that themselves might be sharers in Supremacy A Government which admitting a Monarch whom yet they dare not deny is neither Monarchie Aristocracy Democracy nor Oligarchie and Anarchie I dare say they would not have it intituled A Government which if Aristotle himself were to sit in Councell at their close Committees he could not yet resolve what to call it a government never grounded on the Ordinance of God nor practiced in any established Common-weale And what fearefull effects must necessarily follow it Besides that it is easie to conjecture when men leave the fountaines of the living waters and take themselves to Cisterns of their owne digging It may also be apparant to any indifferent understanding Speed H. 3. p. 635. ex Mat. West-monast Martin H. 3. p. 66 67 70 71 73 74. who reads or heares the story of Hen. 3. when there was an attempt of 24. Assessours and a trayterous appointing Les Douze Piers far short of this confused insolency what Robberies what Rapes what Murthers what Burglaries what Extortions what Exactions followed every one shrouding himselfe under that Assessour which he followed yea and every one of the Assessours after a little time bandying himselfe against another either for their owne faction or favouring of their followers is rather to be imagined then reported yet those times too really felt it and all must necessarily taste the like bitter fruit who will plant and nurse the tree of popular faction And alas how foolish and fond of flitting to use King James Vpon the Lords Prayer his Scottish Proverbe in another case are those people which will be bewitched to follow these many-headed Hydra's before the voice of the Lambe and never consider that old Adage Citius impletur unus saccus quà m plures hath there beene so much pains bestowed in vaine if it be in vain As the Apostle speakes in another case to bring this Kingdome from an Heptarchie to a Monarchie that now one part of this Iland should be turned from a Monarchie to a Roman Decemvirate a Venetian Senate a Low-countrey State nay to a Government without a name God forbid Vis unita fortior but a Kingdome divided Matth. 12. 25. cannot stand I beseech you therefore brethren marke them diligently which cause divisions amongst you and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. for those who at first cause divisions in Opinion in Doctrine and in Religion will at the length attempt divisions in Government in Policie in Countries and Kingdomes Let us in the feare of God consider with our selves That if there be no power but of God even the punishing and persecuting power and if we must be subject even to that lest we should fight against God Oh how much more then where Kings are nursing fathers ought we to shew our Esa 49. 23 subjection with all readinesse and chearfulnesse If Saint Paul inforce obedience to the Prince with so many forcible Arguments when that Tyrant Nero who devoured Christians like a Lyon raigned and raged Oh how should we urge and presse this point when a Constantine a Patron of the Church 2. Tim. 4. 17. and patterne of Piety is our President in religious exercises aswell as President over us with righteous government for certainely They that resist resist the Ordinance of God which is the third reason whereupon our Apostle grounds this inference Wherefore ye must needs be subject For as in his Church Christ gave some to be Apostles some 3. Prophets some Evangelists some Pastours and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints and for the worke of the Ephes 4. 11 12. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Vers 14. Ministry so God in the Common-weale appointed some to be Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most eminent and excellent above all other some to be Governours under them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent by Commission from them Amongst whom some are Nobles some Judges Prov. 8. 16. some Priests for those
so to assist and is a Judge amongst the earthly Gods yea even of those whom they sometimes cannot come by to judge according to their deservings who when he shall arise as he will arise Vers 8. to judge the earth he will recompence such wicked persons after their deservings he will reprove them and set before Ps 50. 21. them even in Order the things that they have done As first their Pride next their Covetousnesse to maintaine it after that their Rebellion to declare it then their Hypocrisie and counterfeiting Religion to vaile and defend it and at the length he will bring Death hastily upon them and they shall Ps 55. 16. goe downe into Hell sithence such wickednesse is in their dwellings and amongst them and is not this a fearefull Judgement and Condemnation so fearefull as what can be conceived to be added And yet behold 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 14. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Judgement Condemnation yea Damnation of an accusing conscience shall consummate their misery even such as drave Judas to be his owne Executioner upon earth Matth. 27. 3 4 5. This shall doe continuall execution of Gods just judgement upon them in Hell by that worme that never dies and that fire which never shall be quenched where their rebellious carkasses Esay 66. 24. shall be an abhorring to all flesh wherefore for the escaping such fearfull 1. Judgement 2. Condemnation 3. Damnation here and hereafter from God and man We must needs be subject 2. Subject Which is the duty That as the Devill overcame man by his disobedience to God so man may returne to God and overcome the Devill by obedience to man for the Lords sake Christianity is a Schoole of Humility and we must Matth. 20. 27 28. Philip. 2. 4 Vers 5. to 9. Rom. 12. 10. Matth. 18. 2. not look every one upon our own excellencies but upon other mens having the same minde in us which was in Christ Jesus in giving not in taking honour preferring one before another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 humbling our selves as little children As they submit to their Parents so must we be subject to our Prince for he is the Person to whom principally the Apostle presseth this subjection as Aquin. Dion Carth. Bruno and Claud. glosse it The subjection to others being for his sake as the subjection to him is for the Lords sake which that we may performe aright let us consider these three particulars 1. Qualibus To what manner of Princes we must be subject 2. In quibus In what things we must be subject 3. Quomodo How we must expresse our subjection 1. Qualibus To what manner of Princes we must be subject As the Apostle injoynes Servants concerning obedience to their Masters so say I to Subjects concerning their Soveraignes Let as many as are under the yoke count their Governours 1 Tim. 6 1 2. worthy of all honour Sive fideles sive infideles whether they be gentle or whether they be cruell that the name of God and his Doctrine be not ill spoken of 1. And if they be believing let us not despise them because they are brethren but rather doe service and be subject because they are faithfull and beloved and partakers of the benefit to wit Redemption 2. Or if they be unbelievers let us not rebell nor resist them because although 1. Quidam illorum dantur ad timorem poenam increpationem Some of them are sent meerely for a terrour and a punishment 2. Yea Quidam ad illusionem contumeliam superbiam Some of them set up themselves in pride meerely to contemne and scorne and scoffe at their Subjects as the persecuting Emperours did when they exposed the Christians naked to fight with beasts and beastly Heathens 3. Aswell as Quidam ad correctionem utilitatem subjectorum conservationem Justitiae For a fatherly reformation of offendors a loving protection of the obedient and the preservation of Justice for both Yet we must consider and confesse that Ad utilitatem Gentilium terrenum Regnum positum est à Diabolo qui nunquam omnino quietus est Imo qui nec ipsas quidem gentes vult in tranquido agere ut timentes regnum humanum Earthly Kingdomes are erected by God not by the Devill who as he is never quiet himselfe so would he not have the people live in peace as appeares by his late practices which government is the meanes to procure and preserve preventing men from devouring those that are more righteous then themselves And for being like the Hab. 1. 13 14. fishes of the Sea or the creeping things who have no Ruler over them for Per legum positiones repercutiant multiplicem gentilium injustitiam Kings and Princes by their Lawes restraine and bridle the fury and violence of our naturall corruptions yea and the worst of Princes is never worse then Quemadmodum populi digni sunt Dei justo judicio in omnibus aliqualiter superveniente Iren. l. 5. c. 24. such as the people have provoked God to set to afflict them whose just judgement alwayes interposeth it selfe in such weighty cases Although sometimes we know it not oft-times we will not acknowledge it which being so may oblige every one of us to be subject to all powers of all qualities conditions dispositions tempers religions under whom the Lord hath placed us Sive 1. Nutriciis sive 2. Hypocritis sive 3. Haereticis sive 4. Tyrannis Whether they be noursing fathers for whom we must praise God or dissembling Hypocrites or obstinate Heretickes or bloudy Tyrants for all which we must pray to God Whatsoever Sanders Allen Stapleton Parsons Mariana Boucherius Santarellus c. on the Romish part And Knoxe Buchanan Gilbey Goodman and Daneus on the other extreame have formerly taught Calderwood hath followed and some too fiery spirits of late have seditiously and scandalously put in practice of whom I may say in the Apostles language If any man teach otherwise then what I 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. have affirmed he consenteth not to the wholsome words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse but is puffed up and knoweth nothing as he ought to know but doateth about questions and strife of words whereof commeth envy strife railings evill surmiseings froward disputations of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth which thinke that gaine is godlinesse howsoever they pretend godlinesse rather then gaine from such separate thy selfe For howsoever we must performe active obedience to such Princes onely so farre as lawfully we may Calv. Bez. Marlor Roloc. Genev. usque ad aras so long as Cum Deo non comparabuntur they are not set in competition Scorpiac with God Tertul. Yet we must performe passive obedience and absolute subjection suffering without resistance being subject Act. 4. 19. without rebellion even if they should command the most unjust superstitious idolatrous prophane or