Selected quad for the lemma: law_n
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A61282
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Four sermons preached upon solemne occasions I. The troubler of Israel. II. The righteous mans concern for the churches misery. Preached before the judges. III. Cæsars due honour, preached before the mayor and aldermen of Leicester, May 29. 1669. IV. Davids work and rest, preached before the election of the mayor. By Tho. Stanhope A.M. Vicar of St. Margarets in Leicester.
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Stanhope, Thomas.
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1670
(1670)
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Wing S5233B; ESTC R221868
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48,189
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101
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voluntariè date to render it him willingly and freely for this difference some Criticks make between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one takes in whatsoever the other includes and adds to it a frankness and cheerfulness in the Giver Our money hath the Kings stamp upon it and that vindicates his right to it Two main motives there are which may encourage us in the paying this honour 1. Christs example in the very same case He saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 2.21 hath left us an example that we should follow his steps and the Scripture hath remarked his example in the perf ormance of this duty when in his Mothers Womb a kind of Poll-money was laid by Augustus upon all his subjects Luk. 2 3 4. The blessed Virgin with her husband Joseph went to their own City to be taxed Yea the Divine Providence so ordered it that while she attended this payment the Saviour of the world was born into the world It cannot be denied but afterwards he submitted in this nature when the Collectors came to St. Peter with that question Doth not your Master pay tribute He answered yes Matt. 17.24 25. It seems he had formerly done it and that was not the only time though then he was willing to work a miracle rather than give offence by his backwardness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notwithstanding lest we should offend them go thou to the Sea and cast and book and take up the fish that first cometh up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of money that take and give unto them for me and thee verse 27. 2. The Equity there is for it Kings are Gods Ministers employed for the Common good and therefore it is just they should be well maintained by the common purse They are preservers of peace providers for wars neither of these can be done without contributions They attend the good and service of their Kingdoms and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Apostles argument for this cause pay you tribute also for they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing Rom. 13.6 But I presume there is enough if not too much said upon this subject Therefore 2. There is an honouring them with our bodies Whereby I mean a yielding obedience to their commands Thus the Apostle useth honour for obedience Children obey your Parents For which he cites the fifth Commandement Honour thy Father and Mother Ephes 6.1 2. This is the same with St. Pauls subjection Let every soul be subject to the higher powers Rom. 13.1 and St. Peters submission submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake 1 Pet. 2.13 What the Ancient Doctors of the Church thought of this honour we shall soon discern Let one witness for all Athenagoras who flourished about 150 Years after Christ In Legat. pro Christianis ad Imp. Rom. ad finem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We do willingly obey your Magistrates in all things which are commanded us What those all things are we shall enquire presently In the mean while observe the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your Governours speaking to the Heathens So that they concluded it a duty to live in subjection to the Emperours though not owning the Christian Faith And methinks this speech of his comments excellently upon that charge to Titus as a dispenser of the Gospel put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates Pit 3.1 I know obedience to Princes is an unpleasing doctrine a morsel which some mens throats are so narrow not to meddle with their consciences they have much adoe to swallow yet when all is alledged it will appear their duty whereto I could charitably hope they might more easily be perswaded when once truly informed in its due latitude and extent For the discovery whereof let me lay down four Rules having first premised in the general that obedience is of two sorts active and passive so that in some cases the one in some the other may concern us Therefore Rule 1. Where the commands of Princes are lawful all Subjects are bound to an active obedience which must be yielded heartily and conscienciously Nay I doubt not to assert that a passive obedience only in such cases renders us no better than transgressours Magistrates should find the people as ready to obey as they are to enjoyn And take notice I say this obedience should be yielded heartily and conscienciously because the command of God herein layes an obligation upon the conscience Ye must needs be subject not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 It is expressly a duty of the fifth commandement They are our Civil Parents and Children are bound to obey their Parents though against their own inclinations in things which be lawful The onely difficulty will be wherein this lawfulness must be placed For the understanding of which word I affirm that all things are lawful which are not sinful and sin can onely be known by a violation of some Scripture-precept either in direct terms or by necessary consequence This is the Apostles definition sin is a transgression of the law 1 John 3.4 If their injunctions prove in convenient they are accountable to God for them but that inconvenience doth not discharge us from our obedience That this was the judgement of the first Christians I appeal to Ignatius born before our Saviours crucifixion Epist ad Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be obedidient to Caesar in those things where your obedience may be without danger and those of that time valued nothing as dangerous which was not sinful Provoke not your Governours to wrath that you give no occasion to those who seek occasion against you Now sure this Holy Martyrs Testimony reacheth as far as my Rule and further I perswade no man For Rule 2. Where the commands of Princes are unlawful We are not to obey actively It is possible there may be such commands and in such cases we must take up a resolution of not obeying The reason is because we are first and mainly obliged unto God and no other obligation can lay a force upon us further than it comports with that which we owe unto Him It is therefore worth observing that fear God and honour the King are put together as if the first were not onely a direction to and an argument for but a limitation also of the latter Thus when the Primitive Christians were called by the Heathens to offer sacrifice in their Temples they gave this reply as Justin Martyr relates it In Apolog. 2. pro Christianis pag. 64. Edit Morell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We worship God alone but in all things else we joyfully serve you This was the case of the * Dan. 3.17 18. three Children required to adore Nebuchadnezzars golden Image and refusing the case of †Dan. 6.9 10. Daniel when Darius decreed that no petition should be made to