the only true Religion then in being that he would not allow the Exercise thereof at Rome but did inflict great Penalties on the Professors of it under his Government the Images of Caesar were brought into Jerusalem by Pilate as an Affront to their Religion and the Treasures of the Temple were seiz'd upon He by his President did crucifie the Holy Jesus and killed with the Sword St. James the first of Christian Bishops there so great an Adversary was he to the Christian Faith and yet our Saviour owns that his Authority even against himself was from above John 19.11 and that it was not lawful in defence of his own Person to take up the Sword against him Claudius was a debauched and vicious Person and barbarously cruel Suetonius declares that he was a very Prodigy of Lust that he was of a most salvage c. 33 34 37. c. 25. bloody Temper he was so great an Enemy to the right Worship of the only true God that under the Name of Jews he banished the Christians from Rome Suet. c. 16. Tacit. l. 15. p. 363. At the Command of Nero the Christians were exposed to the most exquisite Punishments saith Tacitus they were torn in pieces of Dogs and nailed to the Cross or being roul'd in Pitch were so committed to the Flames and made to serve the use of Torches in the Night These were the Persons which the Christians of that Age in Scripture are forbidden to resist and were commanded to obey in all things lawful to be done So that from hence these two Conclusions will arise First That Christians must be subject to their Civil Magistrates and in no Cases are allowed or authorised forcibly to resist or to bear Arms against them Secondly That in all lawful Matters they stand bound to yield active Obedience to the Commands of their Superiours And First That Christians must be subject to their Civil Magistrates and in no Cases are allowed or authorised forcibly to resist or take up Arms against them may be evident 1. From those Expressions of the Old Testament which reprehend and positively condemn all evil Speeches of the Higher Powers which say Thou shalt not revile the Gods Exod. 22.28 nor speak Evil of the Ruler of thy People against which Text St. Paul confesseth he offended when he said to the High-Priest God shall smite thee thou whited Wall altho that High-Priest even then commanded that St. Paul should be smitten contrary to the Law Acts 23.3 and so was an unrighteous Judge And seeing by occasion of the Misgovernment of evil Princes Men through impatience of Spirit might be apt to break forth into disloyal Thoughts and undutiful Affections to them even when Fear restrains them from seditious Speeches or rebellious Practices the Wise-man strictly doth prohibit even these Risings of the Heart against them saying Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy Thoughts do not wish any Evil to his Person Crown or Government no not in thy most secret and inward Thoughts Now hence I argue thus If we may not speak Evil of the Ruler of the People much less may we act Evil against him if we may not revile him with the Tongue we may not smite him with the Fist if we may not say unto him thou art wicked Job 34.18 we cannot surely judge or pass the Sentence on him as a wicked Person and much less may we punish him as such if we may not have an undutiful or disloyal Thought of him much less may we do an undutiful or disloyal Act towards him 2. This will be farther evident from the Deportment of the Man after God's own Heart towards King Saul for God himself had stablished this Law Deut. 17.15 Thou shalt in any wise set him King over thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse he also had rejected Saul and his whole Family from ruling over Israel 1 Sam. 15.26.16.12 The Lord hath rejected thee saith Samuel to Saul from being King he hath rent the Kingdom from thee and hath given it to a Neighbour of thine that is better than thou he saith not that hereafter he would rend it from him 1 Sam. 15.28 30. but more expresly this day the Lord hath done it All this is said by the same Prophet in the Name of the same God who chose Saul King and before all the People Again God saith to Samuel not only that he had rejected Saul from reigning over Israel but also that he had provided for himself another King whom instantly he sends him to anoint without any Expressions of Reservation for the Life of Saul and instantly upon this Unction the Spirit of the Lord the Spirit of Wisdom 1 Sam. 16.13 14. Counsel and Government came upon David from that day forward and departed from Saul He also was accepted in the sight of all the People and what more plausible Pretences could be offered of Failure on the part of Saul or of the actual investing of David in the Kingly Government After all this Saul persecutes him out of his Dominions and drove him out from abiding in the Inheritance of the Lord saying Go serve other Gods 1 Sam. â—6 19 ch 18.11 ch 19.11 ch 20.31 ch 24.11 Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He casts a Javelin at him to smite him to the Wall sends Messengers to his House to watch him and slay him in the Morning He declares that he shall surely die and in pursuance of that bloody Resolution he hunted him as a Partridge in the Wilderness and pursued his Life to take it away all this he did against him tho there was neither Evil nor Transgression nor Rebellion in his hand So that no subject in the World could have a better Plea for self-defence or taking up the Sword on the Account of the tyrannical Deportment of a King than he had against Saul and yet behold with what * This is an Instance on which the Fathers much insist and often urge for the Suppression of all Rebellious Attempts and Practices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 1. in David Soul to 8. p. 16. lin 27 38. Basil of Sileucia introduces David speaking thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 16. Optatus makes him speak thus Sine causa me victoria provoâ—â—s frustra me occasio in triumphos invitas volebam hostem vincere sed prius est divina praecepta servare non inquit mittam manus in unctum domini repressit cum gladio manum dum timuit oleum servavit inimicum adv Parmen l. 2. p. 60. Abhorrence and Detestation he looks upon the stretching forth his hand against him Chalilah li Mejehovah 1 Sa. 24.6 Abomination will be charged upon me from the Lord if I stretch forth my Hand against the Lord 's Anointed and again ch 26.11 ch 24.5 The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my Hand against the Lord 's Anointed yea no sooner had he cut
off the Skirt of Saul's Robe but his Heart smote him for it When Providence seemed twice to have delivered Saul into his Hands and Abishai offered to smite him to the Earth his Answer to Abishai was Destroy him not ch 26.9 for who can stretch forth his Hand against the Lord 's Anointed and be guiltless And lastly when the Amalakite did at Saul's own Request when he was mortally wounded and ready to be seiz'd by his Enemies stretch forth his Hand against him David revenged that Action by the Death of the Amalakite nor is he ever charged in Scripture with Murther or In justice for that Act so that no Provocations no Advantages no Colour or Pretence of Right from God or Failure on the part of Saul could prevail with him to one Rebellious Attempt against the Lord 's Anointed Now that which made it thus unlawful to rise up against him could only be that he received his Authority from God since then all other lawful Sovereigns are by St. Paul declared to be the Ordinance and Ministers of God it must be as unlawful in such Cases to rise up against them Object Now if to these things you oppose the Example of Jeroboam and the ten Tribes who openly revolted from Rehoboam who being Heir to Solomon was legally their King Answ I answer 1. That this Action of the ten Tribes is by God called a Rebellion for the People having said 1 Kings 12.19 What Portion have we in David neither have we Inheritance in the Son of Jesse and it follows So Israel rebelled against the House of David to this Day Now what the God of Truth doth style Rebellion that is the rising up against that Person to whom they owe Allegiance must certainly deserve that Character so that God by calling that which the ten Tribes did a Rebellion doth thereby declare that Rehoboam was still their lawful Sovereign for otherwise their renouncing of him and setting up another in his stead would not have been a Rebellion And therefore when God declares that this thing was from him we must thus understand it that it was permissively from him that he left Rehoboam thus to his own Pride he suffered Satan to encline him to hearken to the Counsel of his Young-men and to despise the sage Advice of the Elders and also to alienate the Hearts of Israel from him that so he might fulfil his Threatnings against Solomon for his Idolatry which he pronounced in these Words Forasmuch as this is done of thee and thou hast not kept my Covenant and my Statutes 1 Kings 11.11 12. which I have commanded thee I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee and will give it to thy Servant notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it but I will rend it out of thy Sons hand I will for this afflict the Seed of David v. 39. Now what is thus from God may yet be Sin in him or them unto an high degree who are the Executioners of his Punishments and do accomplish his Decrees as in the Instance of those Heathen Kings who vexed Israel tho God permitted them to do so for his Peoples Punishment for God delivered them up into the hands of the Spoilers that spoiled them Judg. 2.14 and sold them into the hands of their Enemies round about and yet he was resolved to punish all that oppressed them Jer. 30.20 2 Sam. 24. In the Case of David whom the Lord moved to say Go number Israel and Judah because his Wrath was kindled against Israel and yet he doth severely punish him on that Account and in the instance of our Saviour's Passion for the People of Israel and the Gentiles did only to him what God's Hand and Counsel determined before to be done Act. 4.28 and yet they suffer severely for it to this day If it be still objected That God by his Prophet Ahijah promised that he would rend the Kingdom out of the hands of Solomon 1 Kings 11.31 35. and give ten Tribes to Jeroboam and again that he would take the Kingdom out of his Sons hands and give it unto him 〈◊〉 37 38. even ten Tribes and said I will take thee and thou shalt reign according to all that thy Soul desireth and shalt be King over Israel and that this must of necessity be done during the Reign of one of the Posterity and Seed of David to whom the Government of these ten Tribes belonged by Right of Succession God having promised that to his Son he would give one Tribe 1 Kin. 11. â—â— â—â— that David his Servant might have a Light before him always in Jerusalem and again I will not take the whole Kingdom out of his hand And therefore that this could not be Rebellion in Jeroboam to take the Government of these ten Tribes upon him whilst there was still surviving any Heir of David and Solomon since otherwise he never could have had it and so God's Promise could not have been fulfilled And again for the same reason that it could not be Rebellion in the ten Tribes to quit the Government of Rehoboam and embrace that of Jeroboam because that Rehoboam was the Legal Heir of Solomon since God had promised that he should have a Legal Heir for ever and so they never could have submitted to Jeroboam without Rebellion and so God's Promise could not have been fulfill'd And lastly if it be objected that had this been Rebellion on the foresaid Account they must have been under a constant Obligation to revolt from Jeroboam and his Posterity to the House of David which yet God never calleth them to do nor condemneth them for not doing and then the Gift God promised and performed to Jeroboam must be a Gift he was obliged in Conscience not to receive because he could not do it without keeping another man's Subjects from that Allegiance they owed unto him and therefore being instrumental to their continual Sin I say if it be thus objected to confess ingeniously quo me vertam nescio I find it very difficult to avoid the strength of these Objections which make some rather chuse to say this Action tho very peccant upon various Accounts was yet not formally Rebellion because performed by a special Commission from God who gave to Jeroboam these ten Tribes and by so doing transferred their Duty of Allegiance from Rehoboam unto him which he might with good reason do seeing he is the King of Kings from whom all carthly Powers hold their Dominions Durante ejus beneplacito Dan. 4.17 who ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men and giveth them to whomsoever he will and seeing secondly he was the Judge and Governour of Rehoboam who had a Right to punish him and his Fore-fathers how and by whom and unto what Degree he pleased and therefore to the deprivation of all or of the greater part of his whole Kingdom if he pleased But then to argue That because this Great Sovereign may do it to
SARUM ANNO DOMINI 1683. Septemb. 11. 1685. Imprimatur Henry Maurice Reverend Archiep. Cant. à Sacris LONDON Printed in the Year 1685. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Courteous Reader THe two former Sermons were committeá to the Press chiefly with a Design of doing Good to those deluded Souls who by the Pharisaical Opinions and the false Characters and Signs of Godliness which are too frequent in the Writings of our late Dissenters were gull'd into a fond conception that they had the Power of Godliness when they had scarce attained to the Form and who were leaven'd with and were encourag'd by their Rebellious Principles to that Resistance of the Higher Powers to which Damnation is most plainly threatned in the Holy Scripture finding therefore by Discourse with Mr. Nelthrop who sent for me when he was in our County Prison that the Ring-leaders of the late Rebellion chiefly relied upon the Principles of the late Author of Julian the Apostate for the Justificatian of their Treasonable Practices against His present Majesty whom God preserve I thought it proper in pursuance of the Design aforesaid to add this Sermon to them though it contains somethings already handled in the second because it fully and I hope convincingly refuteth that Pernicious Principle slyly suggested by the Author of that Book Viz. That Christian Subjects may defend by Force of Arms their Religion by Law established p. 68.71 against their Lawful Sovereign And that when their Religion is once thus Established they may pursue a persecuting Julian even when He is their Lawful Sovereign as if he were a Mid-night Thief or a High-way Robber p. 73. Now though these Rebels cannot without great Falshood and Hypocrisie take Sanctuary here seeing they had through the rich Goodness of our gracious Sovereign as great freedom in the exercise of the Religion by Law Established as ever they enjoyed yet since this is become their chief Plea and their last refuge and seeing the plain consequences of this Doctrine are most unchristian and pernicious I subjoin this Sermon where you will find this Proposition opposed to it viz. It is not lawful for any Subjects to take the Sword and by it to Resist the Higher Powers in the Defence of a Religion Established by the Law of the Land and I hope Established upon Firm Principles of Reason by Your Friend and Servant D. W. ROM 13.1 The Powers that be are ordained of God SInce this is a most certain truth which shineth with the brightest evidence of Reason and of Revelation That God is naturally the Sovereign Lord and Emperor of the whole world 〈…〉 the King of aâ—â—he Earth The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Seeing he is exâ—l 〈◊〉 as head above all and Reigneth over all and hath decreed that all Dominions shall obey and serve him Seeing he is the only Potentate and the most High who Ruleth in the Kingdom of men it follows by the clearest Consequence that all Authority and all the Power of Humane Governours must be subordinate unto him and imparted by him that they are all the Delegates 〈…〉 Vicegerents or as St. Paul here styles them the Officers and Ministers of God And seeing no man can lay claim to an Inferiour and Dependant Office and Jurisdiction or regularly exercise that Power but by Commission and Appointment of a Superior Power in whom that Jurisdiction doth originally reside it follows that no Earthly Potentates who in the exercise of the supremest of their jurisdictions must be Inferior to and Dependant on the King of Kings can be invested with Power over other men but by Commission from and by appointment of that God who is the King of all the Earth and that they all have Reason to confess with David Thine O Lord 1 Chr. 29. is the Kingdom Now because the acknowledgment and firm belief that this is the true Fountain and Original of Humane Power doth most effectually tend to enforce that due Subjection and Obedience to it which is so necessary to be pressed in this Age of Factions and Rebellions that We knowing whose Authority our Rulers have may faithfully serve honour and humbly obey them in him and for him and that the Minister of God may also be engaged to exercise that Power with which by God he is intrusted as most conduceth to Gods Glory That knowing whose Minister he is he may above all things seek his Honour and Glory I therefore judge it proper to insist upon this Subject which I shall prosecute with plainness and Sincerity endeavouring to shew I. What are the Powers mentioned in my Text. II. In what Sense they are said to be ordained by God III. What Evidence there is from Reason and from Scripture that they are his Ordinance And IV. What improvement may be made of this Doctrine And First Men willing to dispute themselves into Rebellion have been so Critical and Nice as to distinguish here betwixt the Power and the Person who is invested with it confessing that indeed the Office of Magistracy is the Ordinance of God but denying that the Magistrate or Person who doth execute the Office is his Ordinance Fond and Absurd For it is as if I should distinguish the Office of the Majoralty of Sarum from the Mayor of Sarum which Office neither is nor can be exercised but by a Mayor and must be a bare name without him and should say that the Majoralty of Sarum is the Kings Ordinance but that the Mayor of Sarum is not so Moreover Secondly The word here used is Powers not Power in the singular whereas no instance can be given in Scripture and no propriety of Speech allows that the Authority abstractly taken should be so spoken off And Thirdly The Authority abstracted from the person Authorised can never be the subject of what is here ascribed to the Powers for we cannot resist or yield obedience to the Magistracy but by resisting or obeying him who is a Magistrate Authority in the abstract where there is none to exercise it cannot be feared nor can it give us praise for doing well nor be a terror or an Avenger of wrath to him that doeth evil it cannot receive Custom Tribute or challenge fear or honour it therefore cannot be the bare Authority but only Authorised persons to whom these duties are enjoyned and these effects ascribed Fourthly As if St. Paul had actually designed to obviate this sond evasion he himself thus interprets the Powers to be the Rulers and the Ministers in whom the Power is lodged for thus he speaks Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil And again Wilt thou not be afraid of the Power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same for he is the Minister of God to thee for Good Fifthly St. Peter plainly doth enjoin obedience to the Prince who is invested with this power for the Lords sake whose Minister
he is saying Be subject unto every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake to the King as Supreme And Lastly The design of the Sacred Writers of the Gospel was undoubtedly to secure the peace and quiet of the world to forbid all Resistance of the Higher Powers and to stop the mouths of those ignorant and foolish men who represented Christianity as prejudicial unto the Powers then in being and apt to make disturbance in the State but if they laid no obligation on the Christian to own the Powers then in being as Gods Ordinance but only to acknowledge in the General that Civil Government is from God how could their Doctrine answer these designs seeing it leaveth men at liberty to resist all who are invested with Authority and by so doing to disturb continually the peace and quiet of the world That therefore men should struggle against such shining evidence of truth may tempt us to suspect that they were as averse from yielding due subjection to the word of God as they were from conplying with the Commands of their Superiors Secondly For explication of the first particular I add that the Powers here mentioned must not be extended to Vsurped Powers or such as have no Legal Title in opposition unto those who have Just Title though by the prevalence of an Vsurper they are unjustly kept from the enjoyment of their Right For were this so Might would give Right and every prosperous Rebel would by that very Act commence God's Ordinance and so be both a Rebel against God and yet be his Vicegerent too nor would men rule because they are the Higher Powers but be the Higher Powers because they rule Moreover what is Vsurpation but the assuming of a Power to which he that usurps it hath no lawful call and no just title since then the ordination of that God who is the Sovereign of the world must be a lawful call and give the person thus ordained a Legal Title to be his Vicegerent it follows from the very nature of the act that the Usurper can not be Gods Ordinance When the Vsurper doth begin his Vsurpation by taking of the Sword or wresting it out of the hands of him who bears it by Commission from God he must unquestionably be the Resister of Gods Ordinance how therefore can success in his resistance render him the Power Is it not strange that he who purchaseth damnation by resisting by the same act and by the highest aggravation of it even the deposing of his lawful Prince should purchase a just title to Dominion Thirdly Could an Usurped Possession create a Right to Government were it sufficient to render the Vsuper Gods Vicegerent and his Ordinance though he doth justle out the lawful Successor then must all Laws and Constitutions to preserve the Government in the Right Line and to condemn all Vsurpations made upon it become void as being Laws enacted to disapprove condemn and to resist Gods Ordinance and all our Oaths of yielding Faith and True Allegiance to the Kings Heirs and Lawful Successors and of defending them unto the outmost of our Powers against all Vsurpers whatsoever must be unlawful oaths So plainly doth this Doctrine tend unto the dissolution of our Government Fourthly A man may possibly usurp Dominion against Gods own appointment and designation of another person to be the Ruler of his people Thus was it in the case of Absalom 2 Sam. 16.18 Chap. 19.10 for all the men of Israel chose him in opposition to David they anointed him over them and yet the Holy Ghost doth forty times style David King during the Usurpation of his Son but never doth vouchsafe that title to Rebellious Absalom whereas if such an Usurpation could have rendred him Gods Ordinance then must He Reign at the same time against and yet according to Gods Ordinance Fifthly Certain it is the Pope did long Vsurp and actually possess and exercise a power over most of the European Kings and Kingdoms If then bare Usurpation would render any man the Ordinance of God I know not how we could divest him of that Title or throw of his Yoke without resisting of the Higher Powers And therefore to conclude this first particular we by the Higher Powers are to understand The Persons lawfully intitled to their Government To the next enquiry viz. Head In what sense are these persons said to be ordained by God I answer negatively that they cannot be supposed to be here styled his Ordinance only by virtue of Gods eventual and permissive providence for so all things must be acknowledged to be of Gods appointment which were foreseen but not prevented by him The Rebel who Resists Gods Ordinance as well as the Superiour Powers which are here styled his Ordinance the Usurper and the Legal Prince must in this sense be equally ordained of God These Higher Powers therefore must be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Edict Constitution Ordinance as being by his Institution invested in their Dignity and Office and as being men who act by virtue of his Commission Word and Precept Which will be farther evident if we consider 1. That every Soul is here commanded to be subject to the Higher Powers i. e. to yield a free intire active obedience to them in all lawful things now as no Subject can be obliged to yield obedience to an Inferior Magistrate but as he is by virtue of Commission from his Prince impowered to be a Magistrate so neither can the Subjects of the King of Kings which we all naturally are be bound to yield Subjection to any as his Ministers unless they have received Commission from him so to be 2. The Higher Powers must be obeyed saith our Apostle for Conscience Sake Now nothing but a Law of God can bind the Conscience and therefore there must be some Law of God investing the Superior with that Authority we are commanded to obey for Conscience sake 3. The Higher Powers are here said to be the Ministers of God to us for Good and to be terrors to the Evil Doer Now by experience we find the Providence of God doth not so order matters as to make them at all times and in all places actually so the Persecuting Emperors to omit many others being a Terror to the best of men and even those Higher Powers which then obtained when this Epistle was indited being Promoters and Encouragers of the most Barbarous Impieties they must be therefore styled the Ministers of God for Good c. because by him they are ordained and positively appointed for that end But yet it still remains a question Question how 〈◊〉 Higher â—â—wers become Gids Ordinance how these Higher Powers do become Gods Ordinance how his Commission is derived his Ordination doth descend upon the Individual Person so as to render him the Person by God ordained to exercise that power which is here said to be of God To which enquiry I answer negatively First Answer to it negatively not by Gods
almost in the words of St. Paul declare that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordained by the Great God unto this very work Secondly This also was the professed Tenet of the Jews The Book of Wisdom dogmatically doth assert Wisd 6.3 That Power is given them from the Lord and Sovereignty from the most High and that they are Ministers of his Kingdom which Doctrine is so plainly and frequently delivered in the Old Testament that they who owned those Sacred Records could not doubt the truth thereof For there the Higher Powers are honoured with the very name of God John 10.35 I have said ye are Gods Psal 82.1 which name they bore saith Christ because the Word of the Lord came unto them i. e. because by his appointment and Commandment they ruled and by his Word did act they are said to be Kings for the Lord to be anointed to the Lord or to his service 2 Chron. 9.8 1 Chron. 29.22 1 Sam. 2.10 2 Sam. 22.5 Esa 45.2 1 Kings 2.12 1 Chron. 29.23 1 Kings 10.9 to be his Kings and his Anointed and this is also said even of Cyrus an Heathen Emperor Their Thrones of Majesty are styled the Lords Throne for whereas in the History of the Kings we read that Solomon sat upon the Throne of David his Father in the Book of Chronicles we read thus Then Solomon sat upon the Throne of the Lord whereas the Queen of Sheba is introduced thus speaking in the Book of Kings Blessed be the Lord God who delighteth in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel Her speech is thus related in the book of Chronicles Blessed be the Lord God who delighteth in thee to set thee on his Throne their Kingdom is styled the Kingdom of the Lord 2 Chron. 9.8 2 Chron. 13.8 1 Chron. 28.5.17.14 Jer. 43.10 Dan. 5.18 Dent. 1.15 17. the Throne of the Kingdom of the Lord his Kingdom God doth expresly style Nabuchadonosor his Servant declares that he gave him his Kingdom that he was King of Kings because the God of Heaven had given him a Kingdom Power Strength and Glory Moreover the Judgment exercised by men appointed for that work by Moses is said to be Gods Judgment and they who were commissionated by the Higher Powers as were the Judges by Jehosophat 2 Chron. 19.5 are said to judge not for man but for the Lord. Psal 82.1 And he is said not only to be with them in the Judgment but even to stand in their Congregations and to judge among them If then these Higher Powers bear the name of God because he hath appointed them to rule if they are Kings for the Lord and anointed to do his Service if both their Thrones Kingdoms and Judgments are the Lords if he doth rule and judge amongst and by them they must undoubtedly be his Vicegerents and his Ordinance Thirdly This Doctrine is established with a more shining evidence in the New Testament for First my Text in express words declares concerning the then present Powers elected by the people or the Roman Army confirmed by the Senate that they were Powers ordained by Gods and yet this being their Original and Title to the Government they could not otherwise be styled Gods Ordinance than as all other Higher Powers do deserve that name Moreover the Apostle here affirming that there is no Power and consequently that the then present Governours enjoyed no Power but of God sufficiently insinuates that even these Roman Emperors derived not their Power from the Election of the people or from the Confirmation of the Senate but from the Ordinance of God and were it otherwise how could resistance of their Power be the resistance of Gods Ordinance as is declared v. 2 Secondly In the administration of their Government they are declared to be the Officers and Ministers of God which Title must demonstrate God to be the Author of their Mission and Deputation to their Office for the same dependance that a Subordinate Magistrate of State hath on his Sovereign for being his Minister the Supreme Magistrate must have upon God for being Gods Minister Now we all know that he alone can be the Minister of a Prince or State who hath received a Commission from them to act in their names and therefore must confess that he who is indeed Gods Minister must have received a Commission from God to act in his name Cent. 1 Fourthly This Doctrine hath the concurrent suffrage of all the Fathers of the Christian Church and hath been handed down unto us through the purest Ages of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 7. c. 17. Thou shalt fear the King say the Apostles Constitutions because he is the Ordinance of God And honour those who are commissionated by him as the Ministers of God Cent. 2 (h) L. 5. c. 241. Irenaeus in the Second Century having been very copious in proving this assertion from the Holy Scriptures concludes his whole discourse with this expression By whose Command they are born men by his Command they likewise are ordained Kings Cent. 3 In the third Century (i) Ad Autolycun l. 1. p. 76. E. Theophilus speaks thus I adore the true God knowing that by him the King is ordained he is a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appointed by God being in a manner intrusted with the Government of God You have received the Kingdom from above saith (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 17. Lit. D. Athenagoras in his Oration to Aurelius and his Son Commodus We adore that God saith (l) Apud Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 7. c. 11. Dionysius of Alexandria who hath committed the Government unto Valerian and Galienus Thence is the Emperor saith (m) Apol. 30.33 ad Scap. c. 2. Tertullian whence is the Man and from him he derives his Power from whom he hath received his Breath he is the man whom our God chuseth and so must be beloved by the Christian who knows he is appointed by God and that he makes them Governours over the Nations Cent. 4 In the fourth Century Constantius the Emperor although an Arian was owned by (n) Apud Athanas Epist ad solit vitam agentes p. 840. Hosius (o) Ib. p. 831. Athanasius and four other Bishops as one who had received from God the Empire The High God hath committed unto you the Empire saith Firmicus There is no Power but what is ordained of God saith Basil in Psal 32. and (p) De errore profan Relig. now c. 17. Epiphanius from this Doctrine thus confirmed such inferences do naturally flow as lay immoveable foundations of Loyalty Subjection and Obedience to the Higher Powers and cut off all pretences of Phanatick Spirits to disturb the peace And Infer 1 Are Magistrates the Ordinance of God do they derive their Power and Authority from him and act as his Vicegerents then evident it is that they do not derive their Power from the People or act by virtue of any Power intrusted
in them or conferred upon them by the People but by the Power of that God who is the Fountain of all Government Which will be further evident if we consider First That the Magistrate is here expresly stiled the Avenger of Wrath and by St Peter is declared to be the man who doth commission others for the avenging of the Evil Doer now seeing God expresly challengeth the right of executing recompence and vengeance to himself Deut. 32.35 Rom. 12.19 saying to me belongeth recompence and vengeance vengeance is mine I will repay it no man can be invested with that Power but by Commission Deputation and Warrant from the God of Vengeance and so the Higher Powers can only exercise it by virtue of a right derived from him Again seeing all private Persons are forbidden to avenge themselves seeing they are commanded to recompense to no man evil for evil they cannot give that Power to another which they have not received from God and which they are not Authorised by him but rather are forbidden to exert and so the Magistrate cannot be rationally supposed to receive this Power from them and this seems written with a Sun beam in those words of our Apostle where of the Magistrate he saith He is the Minister of God the Avenger of wrath to him that doth evil behold He is the Minister of God not of the People and his Vindictive Justice upon evil doers is therefore to be feared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because He in the execution of it is the Minister of God If it be said in Answer to this Argument that every man has a Natural Right to defend his own Life by taking away the Life of any man who doth injuriously assault it this therefore he may part with to his Prince and by so doing give him the Power of Life and Death I Answer that it is exceeding evident that no man doth make over such a Right unto his Prince for had he done it by owning himself subject to his Government no Subject could defend his Life from the Assaults of Thieves and Robbers or other bloody Persons without assuming what they had given to their Sovereigns since therefore Subjects do retain this Right as fully under Civil Governments as in a state of nature they cannot be supposed by submission to their Governors to have abandoned or parted with that Right which doth so sundamentally destroy the vain pretence that it is needless to add more in confutation of it Secondly The Supreme Governor saith the Apostle bears the Sword that is he hath the Power of Life and Death Now seeing God hath said to every private man thou shalt not kill and since he hath not given to any man the Power to dispose of his own Life or to commit self-murther or to consent that any one that will shall murther him seeing 't is evident from Reason that no man can confer that Power on another which he hath not received it follows that the People who never had this Power over their own Lives cannot impart it to the Magistrate He therefore must receive it wholly from that God who giveth unto all men Life and Breath Acts 17.25 and therefore hath the Sovereign Right to be the sole disposer of them And sure that God who breatheth into man the Breath of Life must have the sole Dominion over his own Production this Dominion consequently can be communicated to none but those to whom by him it is communicated to the Magistrate it is committed by that Law of God which puts the Sword into his hand to cut off evil doers and if the People or any others will challenge the like Power they must shew the like Charter and if they cannot do so as without doubt they cannot this is sufficient to disprove all their pretences to give this Power to another And sure I am that St. Paul knew of no Sword Bearer besides the Minister of God nor did St. Peter know of any who could wield it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.13 14. for the avenging evil doers but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those who were sent by the Commission of the Supreme Power so to do Objection And whereas from St. Peter it is objected against this inference That even the King or Supreme Power is by him stiled an Humane Ordinance 1 Pet. 2.13 or Humane Creature and hence it is concluded that he is the Ordinance of man derives his Power from the People and therefore is accountable to them if he abuse the Power so received from them Answer 1 To this I answer 1. That St Peter cannot be rationally deemed by this expression to deny the Higher Powers to be the Ordinance of God for then he must assert what is the plainest contradiction to St. Paul who as you have already heard expresly says they are God's Ordinance the Ministers of God the Officers of God and whosoever doth resist these Powers resists the Ordinance of God He also must expresly contradict the Doctrine of the Old Testament which hath as fully and more frequently declared not only of the Kings of Israel and Judah but of an Heathen Cyrus and Nabuchodonosor that they did rule by his Commission and Appointment and that their Thrones Kingdoms and Judgments were the Lords 2. He by immediate consequence must contradict his own avowed Doctrine in this very place where he requires all Christians to be subject to this Humane Ordinance for the Lords Sake and out of Conscience towards God for where the Power we submit to is not the Ordinance of God there can be no Subjection due unto it from Conscience towards God where he hath given no Authority to govern there can be no Subjection for the Lords Sake and where he giveth an Authority to govern the Government derived from his Authority must be his Ordinance Answer 2 Whereas it is inferred from this expression That the Higher Powers deriving from the people must be accountable to them if they abuse the Power so received this Inference makes the Apostle like an unskilful Builder pull down that very Fabrick which he intended to erect for his designis clearly this To teach all Christians by Subjection to the Higher Powers even when they suffered from them wrongfully and for the Sake of Righteousness to approve themselves the Servants of God and by well doing to put to silence the Ignorance of Foolish Men and wipe off the aspersions of Rebellious Principles or practices which they had cast upon them and for which they were wont to speak against them as Evil Doers Now can it be supposed that whilst he was in Prosecution of this good design he should tell these Christians that though he called the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Supreme Power yet they were above him though he required their Subjection to him yet he thought fit at the same time to let them know he was their Creature and if he did not rule as they would have him must
Bethel were set up to be worshipped 2 Kings 17.16 that they left all the Commandments of the Lord their God and made them molten Images even two Calves That Jereboam cast out the Priests of the Lord 2 Chron. 13.9 the Sâ—ns of Aaron and the Levites and made them Priests after the manner of the Nations of other Lands That he drove Israel from serving the Lord 2 Kings 17.21 2 Chr. XI 14 16. 1 Kings 15.17 and made them sin a Great Sin and caused all those who set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel to desert their Habitation That Beasha King of Israel built Ramah that he might not suffer any to go out or to come in to Asa King of Judah to worship God according to the Law of Moses Secondly We know that all these things were done in opposition to the Law of the Land i.e. the Law of Moses established not only by consent and Covenant of all the Tribes of Israel and Judah but also by the Prescript and Authority of the Great God of Heaven God having made a Covenant with them which never could be disannulled by any Law of man and charged them saying Ye shall not fear other Gods 2 Kings 17.35 nor bow your selves to them nor serve them yet the ten Tribes continued this Idolatrous Worship till they were carried Captive 2 Kings 18.11 12. For the King of Assyria did carry away Israel into Assyria because they obeyed not the Voice of the Lord their God but transgressed his Covenant and all that Moses the Servant of the Lord commanded and would not hear them nor do them Thirdly Observe that God sent many Prophets to warn both Jeroboam 1 Kings 13.14.7 and his people of this great defection from him and to denounce his heavy Judgments against him and his Successors in that Kingdom for it For the Lord testifyed against Israel and against Judah by all the Prophets 2 Kings 17.13 and by all the Seers saying turn you from your evil ways and keep my Commandments and my Statutes according to all the Law that I commanded your Fathers That in his Providence he frequently chastised them for it 1. 2 Chr. 13.17 1 Kings 15.27 29.17.2 By Abijah King of Judah who slew 500000 of Jeroboam's men 2 By Baasha the Son of Ahijah who conspired against Nadab the Son of Jeroboam and smote all the House of Jeroboam 3. By the Dearth foretold by Elijah 4. By the very bitter Affliction which befel them in the days of Jehu 2 Kings 10.32 For in those days the Lord began to cut Israel short and Hazael smote them in all the Coasts of Israel and in the days of Jeroboam the Son of Joash when they were few 2 Kings 14.26 Vide 70 Interp 2 Kings 15.29.17.6 shut up and had no Helper And Lastly by delivering them up into the hands of Tiglath Pileser and Shalmaneser Kings of Assyria But all this while we never find that any of Gods Prophets uttered the least word for the encouragement of any of their Subjects to rebel against them upon this account or to engage them to sight for the Religion established in their Kingdoms and made the National Religion by the unalterable Laws of God or to rise up in Arms because they were not suffered to go up to Jerusalem to worship as God had commanded and as they had Covenanted they never minded them that Jeroboam when he came unto the Crown Jul. p. 69. found them in full and quiet possession of their Religion which was a blessing so inestimable that they should plainly undervalue it if they did not do their utmost to keep it That he seduced them from it in an Illegal Way against a Precept of their Decalogue and did it only by a Pretence that the two Calves he had set up in Dan and Bethel 1 Kings 12.24 were the Gods that brought them up out of the Land of Aegypt And yet it is not to be doubted but that these Prophets were truly jealous for the Lord of Hosts for the purity of his Worship and for the observation of the Law of Moses what therefore could have hindred them from calling on the People as our Phanatick Preachers did to help the Lord against the Mighty and sight for the Defence or for the Reformation of their Religion but their dislike of such Proceedings and the Conviction of their Consciences that such miscarriages in Princes would never warrant the Insurrection of their Subjects upon pretence of violation of the Religion established by Law or to cut off Idolatrous and Persecuting Princes without Express Commission and Authority from that God who removeth Kings Dan. 2.21 2 Kings 9.6 7. and setteth up Kings as it was in the case of Jehu who by Gods Prophet was anointed actual King over Israel 2 Kings 10.30 and was commanded by him to smite the house of Ahab his Master and of whom God declared that he had done well in executing Vengeance on the House of Ahab And this may very probably be gathered from the deportment of Elijah under that King who had none like him in iniquity 1 Kings 21.25 Ahabsent and gathered them 1 Kings 18.20 Deut. 13.5.17.2 1 Kings 18.13 v. 18. For having once obtained the Kings Authority to convene the Priests of Baal he in his presence and donotless with his permission slew them all according to the tenor of the Law of Moses He also shut up Heaven that there was no Rain until these Baalites were destroyed But although his accursed Wife at least by his connivance and the abuse of his Authority had slain the Prophets of the Lord and though the Prophet tells him to his Face that he and his Fathers house had troubled Israel in that they had forsaken the Lord and followed Baalim and lastly though Elijah had the people at his Devotion at Mount Carmel yet notwithstanding all his jealousie for God he gives them no encouragment to attempt any thing against their King he setteth up no person to oppose him till by express Command from God he had been authorized to anoint Jehu King over Israel 1 Kings 19.16 Moreover when Baasha conspired against Nadab and slew him tho he did only that which the Lord had spoken by his Servant Ahijah the Shilonite 1 Kings 14.14 as the just punishment of the revolt of Jeroboam from his Law and though God doth acknowledge that he exalted Baasha from the dust 1 Kings 16.2 and made him Prince over his people Israel yet came the word of the Lord against Baasha and against his house because he killed him whence we may rationally conclude Quod ille dominum suum Nadab interfecisset ut imperium assequeretun Munst Vatab. clarius in locum that though Gods Providence permitted Baasha to conspire against the Son of Jeroboam and though he ordered matters so as that he was Gods Instrument in doing execution on the house of
Jeroboam according to the Sentence of his Prophet Hoc crimen poenam à deo merebatur cum nullo dei jussu idfecisset Grot. yet was not this his action acceptable in the sight of God because he here resolves to punish him 1 Kings 16.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he slew him Again the instances of the Idolatrous King of Judah from the days of Rehoboam till the time of their Captivity afford a further confutation of this new Apology for Treason and Rebellion For First it cannot be denied but that the Law of Moses and the Religion prescribed by it was the Religion established in the Kingdom of Judah Secondly The Scripture notwithstanding doth inform us that when Rehoboam had established his Kingdom 2 Chr. 12.1 1 Kings 15.3 he forsook the Law of the Lord and all Israel with him That Abiiah who succeeded him walked in all the sins of his Father which he had done before him 2 Chr. 21.11 That Jehoram made High Places in the Mountains of Judah 2 Chr. 24.16 17. and caused the Inhabitants of Judah to commit Fornication and compelled Judah thereto That Jehojada and the Princes of Judah left the House of the Lord God of their Fathers and served Groves and Idols 2 Chron. 28.24 25. That Ahaz did shut up the doors of the House of the Lord and he made him Altars in every Corner of Jerusalem 2 Chron. 33.5 6. and in every several City of Judah he made High places to burn Incense unto other Gods That Manasseh built Altars in the house of the Lord whereof the Lord had said in Jerusalem shall my name be for ever and he built Altars for all the Host of Heaven in the two Courts of the house of the Lord That Hezekiah with relation to some of these Enormities confessed after this manner Our Fathers have trespassed 2 Chron. 29.6 7. and done that which was evil in the Sight of the Lord and have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the Habitation of the Lord and turned their Backs also they have shut up the Doors of the Porch and put out the Lamps and have not burnt Incense nor offered burnt Offerings in the Holy place unto the God of Israel by all which sayings it is evident that the exercise of the established Religion wholly was obstructed and the people were compelled not only to neglect but act in opposition to it Thirdly 2 Kings 17.13 2 Kings 14.25 26. 2 Chron. 12.4 8 9. 'T is further evident that God testified against these Abominations done in Judah by all his Prophets and his Seers that he chastised them for it 1. by Shisak King of Egypt who in the days of Rehoboam took the fenced Cities of Judah and came up against Jerusalem and took away the Treasures of the house of the Lord and of the King's house and the Shields of Gold which Solomon had made and caused Judah to be tributaries to him because they had transgressed against the Lord. 2. By the revolt of Edom and of Libnah because Jehoram had forsaken the Lord God of his Fathers And 3. 2 Chron. 21.10 Vers 16 17. by stirring up against Jehoram the Spirit of the Philistins and of the Arabiams that were near the Aethiopians who came up into Judah and brake into it and carried away all the Substance that was found in the King's house and his Sons also and his Wives 4. By the Host of Syria which came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the Princes of the People from among the People and sent all the Spoyl of them to the King of Damascus 2 Chron. 24.24 25. Zach. 14.5 Joel 1.2 3. a Great Host of Judah being delivered into the hands of their small Company because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers 5. By a terrible Earth-quake in the days of Vzziah 6 By the dreadful plague of Locusts Caterpillars and Canker-worms 7. By sending against Judah Rezin the King of Syria 2 Chron. 28.6 and Pekah Son of Remaliah who slew in Judah 120000 valiant men in one day because they had for saken the Lord God of their Fathers and the King of Israel who carried away captive two hundred thousand Women Sons and Daughters Verse 8. And yet we read not of any Prophet stirring up these People to Rebel on the account of the Religion by Law established or on the account of all the miseries they suffered by the neglect of God's true Worship and by the introduction of Idolatry whence it is evident that private Persons or Subjects were then thought to have done their Duty when they had sighed and mourned for these abominations and kept themselves from any fellowship with these iniquities We find indeed 2 Chron 25.27 that after the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish but they sent to Lachish after him and slew him there But who made this Conspiracy the Text doth not inform us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antiq. Jud. lib. 9. c. 10. Josephus saith that some of his own Friends were the Contrivers of it the Syriack and Arabick Version that his Servants thus conspired against him as did the Servants of his Father Joash against him 2 Chr. 25.3 and as the Servants of Ammon did afterwards against their Lord and if so no doubt these Servants of Amaziah deserved the same punishment those other Murtherers received 2 Chron. 33.25 though by reason of the infancy of Vzziah who was then but four years old as good Interpreters conjecture and by reason of the interregnum of eleven years they scaped their condign punishment Moreover the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports Conspiracy and Treason being generally used in an ill sense gives us just reason to believe the Holy Ghost did not approve this Treachery and much less the ensuing Murther Fifthly Argument 5 According to this Principle Christians might lawfully rebel against those Arian Emperors who succeeded Constantine the Great viz. against Constantius and Valens for evident it is 1. That the Nicene Faith was fully established by Constantine the Great (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb de vit Const l. 3. c. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. c. 32. Eusebius informs us that He confirmed the Doctrine of the Nicene Synod and made Laws against Arius and those of his Perswasion (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 1. c. 8. p. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 9. Socrates saith the same and (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soz. Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 20. Sozomen adds that he condemn'd to banishment those who did contradict the Suffrage of the Nicene Council and that He made a Law against all Heresies not suffering them to Assemble any where but in the Catholick Church and declaring that the (d) Privilegia quae contemplatione Religionis indulta sunt Catholicae