but that one cursed Position alone wherein notwithstanding their disagreements otherwise they both consent That lawful Sovereigns may be by their Subjects resisted and Arms taken up against them for the Cause of Religion it were enough to make good the Charge against them both which is such a notorious piece of ungodliness as no Man that either feareth God or the King as he ought to do can speak of or think of without detestation pag. 134. Ad Aulam It were good if we did remember that they are to give up that account to God onely and not to us pag. 177. SECT XX. Doctor Bernard * Ser. on Rom. 13.2 in the Clavi Trabalea p. 21. affirms that some Expositors conceived one cause of the Apostle's Exhortation to be the Rumour then falsly rais'd upon them as if they had been seditious c. And that the Kingdom of Christ tended to the absolving of Subjects from their obedience to any other And then shews †p. 28 29. That it is a Popish Assertion that a people can never so far transfer their right over to a King but they retain the habit of it still within themselves averring * p. 30. That whoever have or shall resist do tread under their feet the holy Scriptures †p. 35. That as Kings receive their Power from God so are we to leave them only to God if they shall abuse it not but that they may and ought to be prudently and humbly reminded of their duties but yet without lifting up our Hands against them in the least resistance of them God wanteth not means whereby he can when he pleases remove or amend them ‖ Pag. 40. The Arms of the Primitive Christians were nothing but Prayers to God Petitions to the Emperor or Flight when persecuted c. To this purpose does Mr. Symmons in his Vindication of King Charles aver That * Sect. 8. p. 84. Rebels as for God they believe him as little as they do the King for they dare not trust him for protection they have more confidence in the Militia a great deal and stand more upon it beside if they did believe God they would also fear him Faith and Fear go together they would regard his Word more and not be so opposite in all their ways or endeavour to make it of none effect by their sinful Ordinances and Traditions besides Faith in God discovers it self by their doing the Works of God and they are not Hatred Strife Sedition Rebellion Murther Lying Slandering and speaking evil of Dignities Sect. 14. p. 146. c. Tell us O ye pretenders to Piety where is that Subjection to the King for conscience sake which S. Paul calls for and that Obedience for the Lords sake which S. Peter requires Pag. 257. c. Consider and call to mind whether those Teachers ☞ who have been most active and busie in drawing you into this way have not hereby contradicted their own former Doctrines As it was said of Stephen Gardiner that no Man in the Days of Henry the Eighth had spoken better for the King's Authority than he had done in his Book De verâ obedientid and yet no Man more violent in Queen Mary's Time in persecuting those that held fast to the same Truth and Doctrine may not the like be affirm'd of many of your Preachers that no Men taught the Duty of Obedience better or inveighed more against Rebellion Pag. 258 259. and sheedin of Blood than they heretofore have done but now none more violent Observe that Note out of Mr. Fox how Henry the Fourth that deposed Richard the Second was the first of all English Kings that began the burning of God's Saints for their standing against the Papists Pag. 260 261 262. As the Doctrine of Infallibility is the Root of all Error among the Papists so it is now among them that are the Worshipers of a Parliament for when it was believed that the Pope could not err then he might oppose Princes excommunicate Kings absolve Subjects from their Obedience c. so now this being swallowed that the Parliament cannot err they may raise Rebellion too absolve People from their Loyalty persecute the King c. Consider whether in any thing these Men have perform'd what at first they promised whether Religion be better settled the Church better reformed and united or the Commonwealth more flourishing c. SECT XXI Thus that good Man asserted the Rights of Princes and the Duty of Subjects in those evil Days * Bishop of Lond. 2d Letter ab the neglect of the Lord's Supper when under an usurped Power Sin was the Law and Transgression the Commandment When three once happy Nations wore the heavy Yoke of Slavery and Men felt to their cost what the power of the People could do till God of his infinite Mercy restored our Judges as at the first and our Counsellors as at the beginning under whom Truth appeared in its true Colours and the Mask of Hypocrisie would no longer hide the Deformities of the Traitor and here I will not mention the Acts of Parliament made just after the Restoration that condemn the Power of the People that assert their Authority Superiority and Unaccountableness of Princes and the Unlawfulness of taking Arms against them upon any pretence whatsoever and confine my self to the Writings of the eminent Divines of the Age and I will begin with the Bishop of Down and Conner Dr. Taylor †Ductor dubitant B. 3. c. 3. Rule 1. who proves That the supreme Power in every Republick is universal absolute and unlimited ‖ Rule 3. n. 1. That it is not lawful for Subjects to rebel or take up Arms against the Supreme Power of the Nation upon any pretext whatsoever He that lifts up his Hand against the Supreme Power or Authority that God hath appointed over him is impious against God and fights against him Rom. 13. The Apostle doth not say he that doth not obey is disobedient to God for that is not true in some Cases it is lawful not to obey but in all Cases it is necessary not to resist * Id. n. 2. I do not know any Proposition in the World clearer ☞ and more certain in Christianity than this Rule And in the fifteenth Number he answers at large that wild Question as he calls it If a King went about to destroy his People is resistance then lawful And concludes all †N. 15 17. We have nothing dearer to us than our Lives and our Religion but in both these Cases we find whole Armies of Christians dying quietly and suffering Persecution without murmur if the Prince doth not do his Duty that is no Warrant for me not to do mine To this pious Prelate now in Heaven I will join a pious Brother of his as yet on Earth †Bishop Kenn's Expos Ch. Cat. V. Comman Who thus addresses to God in the behalf of his Sovereign Thou
ancient Right to his Crowns that any King in the known Parts of the World hath P. 178. Where Government in general in Scripture is establish'd and Obedience to Governors injoin'd it ought to be reckoned as spoken of our Governors and Government Ecclesiastical and Civil as well as of any other in the World. Ch. 7. p. 198. Whatever discouragement the Clergy of England have found they still preach up and persuade Loyalty to the King and by the Doctrine of Passive Obedience to temporal Authority keep People from Rebellion notwithstanding they have so often been jeer'd and abused with it * Serm. 2. of the unlawfulness of resist Ep. Ded. Mr. Payn. I think it my duty as a Minister of that Church and Religion which hath been often the Mark but never the Author of any Treason to publish these Sermons And that none may be so malicious as to think we calculate our Sermons merely for the present Circumstances as if the Pulpit were but a kind of a Weather-glass wherein the Doctrine of Obedience to Governors is higher or lower to the temperature or variation of outward Affairs I have put out a plain Sermon without any Addition that was preach'd long before the Plot c. When the ancient Christians were persecuted P. 7 8 9. they endured unheard of cruelties from their Governors ☞ and this often as they complain'd of in their Apologies against Law too Such as would have stirred up those who had power to defend themselves had they not learnt such Principles from their Religion as forbad it we are under the obligation of Oaths though there have been some who have forgot all Oaths and could as easily unloose them as Sampson did his Wit hs and then set themselves free from the Precepts ☞ and Examples of Christ and his Apostles by this colour and pretence that the Government under which they lived was of another Nature than ours in England and that such is our Constitution as makes all this impertinent and of very little regard here And by the same way might they not discharge Wives and Children and Servants from those Duties the Gospel requires from each of them because there was a great difference between the State and condition of those among the Jews the Romans and the Grecians formerly and with us now And afterward he shews Serm. 2. p. 22. That neither in the Case of Religion nor of Legal Rights nor in the case of Natural Defence and the otherwise remediless case of Mankind by the encroachments of Princes P. 27. it 's any way lawful to take Arms. And proves that the Law of Nature or of Self-preservation does not allow of resistance c. And closes all with these good Prayers God preserve Christianity from that reproach P. 37. and blasphemy which these wicked Men have brought upon it God preserve the Protestant Religion from that advantage which is hereby given to our Enemies to destroy it J. Kettlewell 's Measures of Christian Obedience Book 2. c. 4. A Duty to Kings and Princes being God's Vicegerents here on Earth is a readiness and resolved industry to maintain and support them in their Persons and Government not plotting and endeavouring our selves to give away their Lives and Kingdoms unto others or consenting to them that do so not submitting and subjecting our selves to them but violently resisting and opposing them is called by S. Paul resisting of Power or standing up against it Rom. 13.2 And this when it is made by great numbers and goes on to extremities when men are as the Apostle there saith set in array and posture of Defence against it ☜ and ready by force of Arms to wage War with it is Rebellion Book 3. c. 6. The first pretence whereby men justifie to their own thoughts the indulgent Transgression of several Laws is because those Transgressions wherein they allow themselves are necessary for the preservation of their Religion and of themselves in those times of danger and persecution wherein God's Providence has placed them Religion is in danger and like to be undermined by the close and subtle Arts or overborn by the more open and powerful violence of strong and witty Enemies And this is God's Cause and Christ our Lord and Saviour's Interest So that whatever is done here we think is in Service of our Maker If we fight it is his Battels Some on one Hand that call us Hereticks think no means sinful whereby they can weaken and divide And others again even of our own selves who justly abhor these damnable Instances of Disobedience upon pretence of preserving or propagating Religion in some furious and firy spirited sort of Papists for God forbid that we should think them all to be of this temper do yet run into the same extravagance which upon so great reason they condemn in them For if we look into our zeal for the common Religion of Protestants we shall find that we transgress many and those most material and weighty Laws of it whilst we express our affection and concern to defend and preserve it For doth not this pretence of preserving our Religion carry us beyond all the Bounds of Peaceableness and good Subjection Yea I add further that these same Fears for our endangered Religion transport us into the Transgression of sundry weighty Laws which oblige us towards our very Enemies who have contrived to destroy us Thus full of Sin and Disobedience is this sanctified pretence It is the Cover for every Offence ☞ and the common shelter for all Transgressions for we boggle not at an◠sin so long as it tends to preserve us in the prosperous Profession of our endangered or oppressed Religion But if Men would consider calmly and have patience to look beyond the surface and bare outsides of things they would soon discern the vanity of this pretence and how far it will be from excusing any such sinful and disobedient Practices as they think to justifie and warrant by it For as for true and substantial Religion for protection whereof they would be thought to venture upon all these Transgressions it stands in no need of their help to preserve it in persecuting times altho they should use innocent and just means not such as are sinful and disobedient it would live then without their care and whether they went about by any politick means to preserve it or no. For Religion is not lost when Religious Men are persecuted it doth not suffer when they do that profess it seeing it is not one jot impaired when Men are buffeted and imprisoned nay when they bleed and die for it ☞ Could the violence of Persecution have oppressed our Religion it had been stifled in the Birth For it entered in a persecuting Age and yet was not over-born by the pressure of its Sufferings but bravely overcame them It begun grew up and conquered all the World in the very Heat of Affliction and Opposition the more it
THE HISTORY OF Passive Obedience Since the REFORMATION AMSTERDAM Printed for Theodore Johnson in the Calver-Straet 1689. THE PREFACE HAving always thought that the Doctrine of Passive Obedience or Non-resistance of our lawful Superiors had been a Doctrine founded in the Holy Scriptures recommended to the Christian World by the Precepts and Example of our Blessed Saviour and the Practices of his more immediate Followers which Copy the Church of England hath exactly transcribed to whose immortal Glory it must be said that She alone in contra-distinction both to Papists and Dissenters hath asserted the Principles of Obedience to Princes as the best Ages of Christianity own'd and practised it and having lived so long to see that Doctrine ridicul'd and call'd the Doctrine of the Bow-string and the Assertors and Practisers of it exploded as Old Lacrymists and the matter of fact as to the first Ages of the Reformation denyed while some affirm that the Tenet was no older than Archbishop Laud and was introduced by a few Court Bishops Bishop Saunderson's Preface to Arch-Bishop Vsher of The Power of the Prince and Obedience of the Subject The Apostle saith put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers Tit. 3.1 Tho' S. Paul was certainly no Man-pleaser far from seeking himself or from making merchandize of the Word of God or handling it deceitfully for filthy Lucre sake nor were there hopes of Preferment when the Church had no setled Revenue nor was there any Christian Prince in the Universal World but he draws his Arguments from the Ordinance of God the discharge of Duty and a good Conscience the advancement of the Gospel and the honor of the Christian Religion See more in that admirable Preface the better to make way for the attainment and establishing of their own Grandeur by reason of which the Enemies of our Communion both Romanists and others have confidently averred that our Obedience to our Sovereigns is nothing but our Interest and that we have vindicated the Rights of Kings because they have vindicated the Rights of our Church and have prosecuted all that dislik'd our Constitutions I could no longer forbear writing in the behalf of that truth which is eternal and unalterable as are all the Doctrines of Christianity tho we must acknowledg to our shame that they are more illustrious in our Books than in our Lives and shewing that from the infancy of the happy Reformation the Church of England hath always believed and avowed That it is the duty of every Christian in things lawful actively to obey his Superior in things unlawful to suffer rather than obey and in any case or upon any pretence whatsoever not to resist because whoever does so shall receive to themselves Damnation Nor can the Doctrine be unseasonable since no Government can be safe without it Mens Passions naturally inclining them to think well of themselves and to make Complaints of hard Vsage even then when they are most gently treated what Instances have we in the Writings of the last Ages When Parsons in the name of his Party resolving to expose the admirable Reign of Q. Elizabeth renders her worse than the worst of Tyrants and asks Where are the Neroes and Dioclesians where are the Genserics and Hunnerics As if neither Pagan nor Arian Persecutors were as cruel as she And when another Classis of Men blackned one of the best of Men and the best of Princes the Martyr CHARLES I. as the great Enemy of his Country the Invader of the Religion and Liberties of his Subjects and have not former Ages labored under the same Discontents When the disaffected Jews could say We have no portion in David nor any inheritance in the Son of Jesse every man to his tents O Israel And yet that Prince was of Gods own immediate designation and a Man after Gods own heart Now if upon such Pretensions Subjects may right themselves by resisting their lawful Superiours how soon will a fruitful Land be turned into a barren Wilderness and Paradise it self become a Field of Blood And I have with some regret and confusion reflected heretofore that in the Romish Communion Preston Widdrington and Barnes in England VValsh and Caron in Ireland and in Scotland Barclay to omit other Countries all profest Papists and all but Barclay Priests and consequently more obliged to uphold the Grandeur of the Pontifical Chair should honestly and stoutly appear to the Vindication of this Truth which we seem either weary or asham'd of I never wondered to see the Enemies of our Church make a Fasting-day of our Blessed Saviours Nativity as if they were sorry that he came into the World and perhaps with reason because their Actions were so contrary both to his Precepts and Example but I stand amazed to see her Sons disown her Doctrine and Constitutions Did we seriously study the Laws of Providence and consider the indispensible Obligations laid on us of taking up the Cross did we remember that Affliction is the Churches Portion and that not the least Evil may be done to procure the greatest Good this a Aug. de haeres Epiph. Doctrine would be more easily believ'd and more readily embrac'd They were the Gnosticks of the Primitive Church who taught Men to swear and forswear and to sly from Persecution when it was the Lot of Religion And for these among other Reasons I conjecture does b Stillingfleet's Ser. Jan. 30. 168 â— / 9. p. 3. 4. a learned Man of our Church call Simon Magus the Institutor of that vile Sect The Leviathan of the Primitive Church who de stroyed all the differences of good and evil And that probably because as the Leviathan makes himself sport in the waters so the Gnosticks played with Oaths and all Laws divine and human c Id. p. 4. setting a mighty Value upon themselves and having mean and contemptible Thoughts of the Authority which God had established in the VVorld and it may be because he was the Hobbs of that Age who gave being to Opinions contradictory to the whole Tenour of the Gospel For the Gnosticks thought d Id. p. 5. all the Governments of the VVorld to be nothing else but the contrivance of some evil Spirits to abridg Men of their Liberty which God and Nature had given them and that this is the speaking evil of Dignities which they are charged with by S. Jude And the same great Man says e Sermon Novem. 5. 1673. pag. 2 3. that it was one of Machiavel 's Quarrels against Christianity that by its Precepts of Meekness and Patience it rendered Men unfit for such great Undertakings as could not be accomplish'd without something of Cruelty and Inhumanity whereas the old Religions by the multitude of Sacrifices did inure Men to Blood and Destruction and so made them fit for any Enterprize And Machiavel was certainly in the right if Religion were intended only to make Men Butchers or to instruct them in the use of Swords and
is thus express'd From Civil Wars c. ☜ but not one Word of this could he ever find in the Roman Missals that have come to his hands it being the peculiar Glory of the Church of England that her Prayers and Practices have always been eminently loyal and Enemies to Treason and Rebellion And he says farther * Ib. p. 226 227. That Rebellion is a sin so contrary to Christianity that though the Primitive Christians had all the Provocations imaginable and Force sufficient they never offer'd to rebel So that they who do rebel have divested themselves of the Christian Principles and almost of their Humanity too In the Prayer for the Parliament We may say of our Princes as Pliny said of the good Emperor Trajan they have freely yielded to rule by those Laws to which nothing but their own goodness could oblige them and doubtless the People of England ought to take it as an Act of Grace that their Kings have consented to govern them on this manner In the Prayer after the Commandments the King is said to be God's Minister and we beg God that all his Subjects duly considering that he hath God's Authority may faithfully serve honor and humbly obey him according to God's blessed Word and Ordinance And this is admirably commented †Id. part 3. §. 4. p. 20. We are to consider that Kings bear God's Name and act by his Power and such as rebel do fight against God oppose his Word and resist his Ordinance c. In the occasional Office for Nov. 5. we pray God That the King may cut off all such workers of Iniquity as turn Religion into Rebellion and Faith into Faction And in the Office for May 29. when we thank God for the Restoration of the Royal Family we beseech God to accept of our unfeigned Oblation of our selves vowing all holy Obedience in Thought Word and Work unto the Divine Majesty and promising in him and for him all dutiful Allegiance to his anointed Servant and to his Heirs for ever And it is also observable the Proclamations relating to those solemn times are appointed to be read which are as full to this purpose as any thing can be and by our Canons when the Minister bids Prayer before his Sermon to continue the belief of this Truth he is bound to exhort the People when they pray to acknowledge the King to be in all Causes and over all Persons next and immediately under God supreme c. CHAP. V. The Orders of our Bishops BY the Orders of our Bishops I mean not so much the particular Injunctions or Enquiries of our Prelates within their own particular Dioceses though of such instances there is no want as I have shewn Chap. 2. from the Articles of Inquiry of Archbishop Cranmer and the Articles of Visitation of Bishop Ridley and could prove from many other such Instances but the general Orders which have been sent from the Metropolitan to the whole Church such Injunctions when obey'd ought to be look'd on as the sense of the whole Church unless we shall impeach either the Makers or the Complyers of dishonest Practices especially when the Adversaries of the Church have given occasion to such Injunctions thus when Knight of whom I shall treat in the next Chapter was censured at Oxford the same Year some Cautions concerning Preachers and Preaching were by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York with the King's Consent as the Law required sent to the several Bishops of their Provinces to be put in execution in their several Dioceses The Directions are dated Aug. 4. 1622. of which the first requires That no Preacher c. shall fall into any set course or common place otherwise than by opening the Coherence and division of his Text which shall not be comprehended and warranted in essence substance effect or natural inference within some one of the Articles of Religion set forth Ann. 1562. or in some one of the Homilies set forth by Authority c. The fourth is That no Preacher of what Title or Denomination soever shall presume from henceforth in any Auditory within this Kingdom to declare limit or bound out by way of positive Doctrine in any Lecture or Sermon the Power Prerogative Jurisdiction Authority or duty of Sovereign Princes or therein meddle with Matters of State and Reference between Princes and People than as they are instructed in the Homily of Obedience and in the rest of the Homilies and Articles of Religion set forth by Publick Authority These Injunctions were again renew'd and reinforc'd in the days of King Charles the Second and in the next Reign and in the Articles of the present Archbishop of Canterbury * July 16. 1638. Art. 7. the Clergy are expresly enjoyn'd That in their Sermons they should four times in the Year at least teach the People That the Kings Power being in his Dominions highest under God all Priests should upon all occasions persuade the People to Loyalty and Obedience to his Majesty in all things lawful and to patient Submission in the rest promoting as far as in them lies the publick Peace and Quiet of the World. And agreeably to this Doctrine were the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy especially the later framed which though particularly made against the Papists yet as Bishop Sanderson well observes where the Reason of making and imposing an Oath is particular Praelect 7. de juram but the words of the Oath are general there the Oath obliges according to the sense of the words in their utmost latitude as says he for Example in the Oath of Supremacy to the making of which the Usurpation of the Pope gave occasion the words being all general do exclude all Persons from exercising that Supreme Power in this Kingdom And every Clergy-man especially ought to reflect how often he hath solemnly profess'd and averr'd That it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against the King or any commissioned by him c. and to remember that that Declaration was injoyned in opposition to the Doctrines of the year 1641 the Men of which age asserted That the Power of Kings was given them by the People and might be resumed by the Donors that the King was co-ordinate with the States and that his Politick differ'd from his personal Capacity Now the occasion of the making a Law and the preamble of it are look'd on as the best Interpreters of the words of a Law. CHAP. VI. The Censures of our Universities NOR are the Censures of our most famous Universities in this case to be neglected or look'd on slightly it is well known what a Repute the Judgment of the single College of the Sorbone hath at Paris and how much the Authority of the Foreign Universities together with our own sway'd with King Henry the Eighth and persuaded the Christian World to credit the Justice of his Divorce Now I shall not mention the Censure of the Mille manus Petition as it
And if it be objected that Wyat's Rebellion happened the same year and that he took Arms upon the Account of Religion I answer 1. Were it so this was the fault of but a few discontented Protestants not the fault of their Religion and Principles but of their Passions 2. Nor did those Discontents take Arms for Religion as the Historian says expresly * Burn. ubi supra p. 269. For when Wyat made his Proclamation at Maidstone he professed that he intended nothing but to preserve the Liberty of the Nation and keep it from coming under the Yoke of Strangers which he said all the Council except one or two were against and assured the People that all the Nobility and chief Men of England would concur with him Now the Generality of the Nation was then Papist the Nobility and Gentry especially and so could not be presumed to take Arms for the Protestant Religion He said nothing of Religion but in private assured those that were for the Reformation that he would declare for them And his Demands †P. 270. have no relation to Religion but to the Command of the Tower and that the Queen should be under his Guard c. The same ‖ Ibid. Historian affirming that the Rebellion was not at all raised upon the pretence of Religion which according to the Printed Account set out by the Queen's Order was not so much as once named and that Poynet Bishop of Winchester was not in it P. 171. c. and that Christopherson's Book on this Subject was but a Flourish of his Wit and no decisive proof And I cannot learn but that Wyat as well as Dudley died a Papist 'T is true some of his Adherents pretended Religion as there are and will be wicked Men of all Persuasions but they did but pretend Religion as Mr. Bradford one of the Writers of the aforementioned Letter said of them in his Exhortation to the Professors of the Gospel in England but ☜ as he adds they were Hypocrites and under the Cloak of the Gospel would have debarred the Queen's Highness of her Right but God would not so cloak them This therefore was the Sentiment of our Confessors at home during the Reign of Queen Mary and I doubt not but it was the Sense of their Brethren the Confessors abroad as I shall make it appear from the Writings of the Bishops Jewel and Sandys whatever the Author of the History of the Troubles at Francfort says to the contrary who was well known to be a party and for that reason not fit to give such evidence * P. 195. as he does that the greatest Traitors and Rebels King Edward had in the West Parts were Priests and such as had subscribed to the Book or whatsoever by Law was then in force But in all the Stirs which have happened either since the Queen's Majesty came to the Crown or before I have not heard of so much as one Minister or other that hath lifted up his hand against her Majesty or State whom it pleaseth the malicious Man to term Precisian and Puritan Traitor and Rebel While this Author hath forgot what before he recorded * Pag. 44 45. That Knox their Patriarch was banished from Francfort for High Treason against the Emperor of Germany And not long after the History was written Hacket and his Companions would have convinced him that the Men of his Party can be Rebels SECT IV. Under Queen Elisabeth the Truth broke from behind the Cloud and shone triumphantly and as Truth is always the same so it appeared in this particular Doctrine Archbishop Sandys was one of the Confessors of that Age and from him we learn †Serm. 3. p. 51. That if we despise Government and speak evil of them that be in Authority if we mutter and murmur against the Principality of Moses and Aaron if we loath the present State and seek after Alterations then shall the Blessings of God turn into Cursings ‖ Id. Ser. 4. p. 67. As we should pray for all Men so chiefly for Kings and undoubtedly it is unlawful to rebel against those whom we are bound to pray for In Paul 's time the Kings and Rulers of the People were Ethnicks Tyrants Enemies to Christ and cruel Persecutors of the Gospel whereupon some thought it not convenient for the Church to pray for them who sought to destroy it S. Paul abateth this Opinion teaching them that they should chiefly pray for such as for Men in greatest danger and most needing the help of their Prayers pray for him that prayeth not for himself We must pray for ill Princes because the King's Heart is in God's Hand that he may turn their minds and stay their Persecutions c. to pour out Supplications Pag. 68. that God would grant them a long life a safe Government a sure dwelling Tertull. valiant Soldiers faithful Counsellors a good People and a quiet world and whatsoever the Hearts of Men or Kings do desire and I am sure such a Prayer is not reconcileable with resistance and let all such as will not say Amen to this Prayer assure themselves that they are neither dutiful Christians nor faithful Subjects Thus also speaks Bishop Jewel * Def. of the Apol p. 15. We teach the People as S. Paul doth to be subject to the highest Powers not only for fear but also for conscience we teach them that whosoever striketh with the Sword by private Authority shall perish with the Sword if the Prince happen to be wicked or cruel or burthensome we teach them to say with S. Ambrose Tears and Prayers be our Weapons ☜ Anno 1586. Bishop Bilson Printed his Book of the true difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion And therein says * P. 260. Deliverance if you would have obtain it by prayer and expect it in peace P. 262. these be Weapons for Christians the Subject hath no refuge against his Sovereign but only to God by prayer and patience Christ fore-teaching his Disciples P. 256. that they should be brought before Kings and Rulers and put to death and hated of all Men for his Names sake addeth not as you would have it he that first rebels but he that endureth to the end shall be saved P. 278. Your Spanish Inquisitions and French Massacres are able to set grave and good Men at their wits end and to make them justly doubt since you refuse the course of all divine and human Laws with them whether by the Law of Nature they may not defend themselves from such barbarous Blood-suckers if the Laws of the Land where they do converse do permit them c. This last Quotation I have transcribed that I might answer the Authority which some Men use to prove that it is lawful in some Cases for Subjects to resist For were this true yet 1. This is but one Doctor 's Opinion contrary to the Doctrine of the Church and
so much was expunged he knows not he fully declares his mind †Pag. 93 94. In the mighty upon earth which are not always so virtuous and holy that their own good minds will bridle them what may we look for considering the Frailty of Man's Nature if the World do once hold it for a Maxim that Kings ought to live in no Subjection that how grievous disorder soever they fall into none may have coercive power over them Yet so it is that this we must necessarily admit as a number of right well learned Men are persuaded c. Inducements leading Men to think the highest Magistrate should not be judged of any saving God alone are especially these 1. As in natural Bodies there could be no motion unless there were something that moves all things and it self continueth immoveable so there must be a supreme Head of Justice whereunto all are subject but it self in subjection to none which kind of preheminence if some ought to have in a Kingdom ☞ who but the King shall have it Kings therefore no Man can have lawful power and authority to judge if private Men offend there is the Magistrate over them which judgeth if Magistrates they have their Prince if Princes there is Heaven a Tribunal before which they shall appear on earth they are not accountable to any And here this admirable Discourse breaks off abruptly which is a great pity There is no need to give Arch-Bishop Bancroft a place in this Catalogue the naming of his Books of dangerous Positions c and the Survey of the pretended holy Discipline are a sufficient Proof of his Sentiments and by his Directions if I mistake not was the account of Hacket Coppinger and Arthington drawn up called Conspiracy for Pretended Reformation the Design of which Books is expresly against the Doctrine of taking up Arms against the Lords Anointed especially on the account of Religion Near Mr. Hooker therefore I shall place his dear Friend Adrian Saravia as the Ancients frequently quote St Basil and St Gregory of Nazianzen together who tho a Forreiner better understood both the Civil and Ecclesiastical Polity of these Kingdoms than some Natives And he thus pronounces in the behalf of truth ‖ Epist ante libr. de Imperandi autorit Christianâ obedient At this time the Authority of Kings is called in Question and many men Dispute that the Authority of the People or of the Senate the States is above the King and that from Reasons of Humane not of Christian and Divine Philosophy and what is much to be lamented not without great Scandall of the Church of Christ they having got by reading the Roman and Greek Historians Philosophers and Orators an Admiration and liking of their Manners and Laws so as to think that all other Governments ought to be Modell'd like them Many Books are written by our own Men and by the Papists on this Subject which incite the Nobility and Commons to take Arms whensoever Kings turn Tyrants which Doctrine since it is contrary to the Principles of Christianity which our Saviour and his Apostles deliver'd to the Church and brings ruine and desolation to Kingdoms and Commonwealths I have thought my self bound to confute And see the Madness of these People who write on this Subject the Papists oblige all Subjects to take Arms against an Heretical Prince i. e. one whom they call so and others they oblige Subjects to take Arms against a Prince that is a Papist and therefore refuses to Establish or Defend the Pretestant Religion so that of whatsoever persuasion a Prince be by some part of his Subjects he must be accounted a Tyrant while a true Christian is a Good Subject let his Prince be of what Religion he pleases It is Intolerable Impiety to abuse the Testimony of Holy Scripture to the Confirmation of so Pestilent an error while no Pagan Laws no institutes of the Philosophers can enjoin Subjects a more perfect and strict Obedience than the Doctrine of the Gospel c after this in the Book he shews that the Original of Government is from God and not from the People that the People when they have chosen a King have no Authority over him afterwards that a King is as much a King before his Coronation Oath as after it and many other such things he concludes his fourth Book ‖ p. 314. Ed. 1610. and it is great pity the other three Books are lost with this excellent passage Since God is the preserver of Mankind he cannot suffer a Tyrant longer to Reign than it is necessary for the punishment of the Sins of Men wherefore the best remedy against a Tyrant is the amendment of our Lives and constant Prayers to God. A serious Meditation upon the precepts of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ will easily teach us what is the Duty of Good Men toward evil Kings and Princes he who shall revolve with himself the precepts of loving Enemies can be no Mans Enemy much less his Kings he who is prepared to Bless them that Curse him and is resolved not to return rayling for rayling nor to pursue revenge of injuries will never speak irreverently nor Curse Crowned Heads nor lye in wait for their Life he who hath learnt that we must not resist evil but overcome evil with Good with Forbearance and Patience can never be a Rebel never be a Traytor These things the Apostles taught us these things the Fathers have deliver'd down to us and being bred up under these institutions they patiently suffer'd the most cruel Torments and by suffering overcame and to us their Posterity they have left this Example in whose steps it is much safer for us to tread than to give credit to the Authors of the new Doctrine that is contrary to it SECT V. King James when he came to the Crown brought learning enough with him to Vindicate his own Right and the Rights of other Princes and without vanity it may be Affirm'd that he hath managed that subject to Admiration in his Writings the greatest part of which were opposed to the Doctrines of the Romanists tho his Basilicon Doron smartly chastises the Disciplinarains This King in the Hampton-Court * p. 47 48. Conference severely Condemn'd some of the notes of the Geneva Bible as partial untrue seditious and savoring too much of dangerous and Trayterous Conceits as for Example the Marginal Note on 1. Exod. 19. alloweth disobedience to Kings on 2. Chron. 15.16 the Note taxeth Asa for deposing his Mother only and not killing her And to shew the agreement between Papists †P. 49 50. and some others in these Doctrines wereas Dr. Reynolds complain'd of a seditious Book written by one Ficlerus a Papist in behalf of the Pope against Queen Elizabeth called De jure Magistratûs in subditos the Bishop of London said that the Author of that Book was a great Disciplinarian whereby it did appear what advantage that sort of People gave
that those who suffer for asserting any other power over Kings are not Martyrs but Traitors †Id. Serm. 39. p. 391 392. We sin against the Father the Root of Power in conceiving amiss of the Power of the Civil Magistrate when God saith By me Kings reign there the Per is not a Permission but a Commission it is not that they reign by my Sufferance but they reign by my Ordinance a King is not a King because he is a good King nor leaves being a King as soon as he leaves being good all is well summed up by the Apostle Rom. 13.5 Ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake The Law of the Prince is rooted in the power of God ‖ Ser. 69. p. 698. the Root of all is Order and the Orderer of all is the King. SECT IX The Archbishop of Spalato came a Stranger into this Kingdom but in a little time became well acquainted with the Estate of our Church and spoke her Sense in his Books which were well received both here and abroad nor does his Apostacy afterward concern the Merit of the Cause for if we may believe a ‖ Bishop Cosens of Transub Reverend Prelate of our Communion the Archbishop of Spalato did make good what he promised here when he came to Rome that he would own and defend the English Church to be a true Church of Christ And that among other her Doctrines he very well understood this of Non-resistance or rather he understood it to be a Doctrine of the true Catholick Church for his Books were written tho not completed before he left Italy will easily appear when it is remembered that * Lib. de Rep. Eccles cap. 1. he shews to the confutation of all that can be said to the contrary That our blessed Saviour while he lived on earth had no temporal Kingdom ‡ Cap. 2. That the Power of Princes is immmediately from God proving it from Rom. 13.1 That thus God ordain'd the Affairs of the old World that God himself was the King of Israel till the Days of Saul that he transferred his power not to the people but to Saul that this Opinion that Kings were of God's Institution and not the peoples was the Belief of the ancient Christians which he proves from the Writings of Irenaeus Tertull. Chryst Optat. Didymus Hosius Ambrose Austin c. And from the Assertions of the elder Popes and Councils that the common opinion of the Schoolmen and other Divines that Government is in the Body of the People is false that there is no Revelation hath confirmed this Assertion that all that the Light of Nature says is that Men must be governed and that if the Government were originally in the Hands of the People all Governments ought to have been Democratical which says he is the worst and most imperfect Form of Government he proving also that if the People do elect they cannot call the Prince whom they elect to account after which †Cap. 10. n. 82. he proposes an Objection If Princes be so unaccountable then there is no Remedy against evil Princes no not tho they are Enemies to the true Faith and are guilty of Maleadministration of the Government and vex their Subjects both in their Civil and Sacred Properties for while Deposition is the only Remedy if they cannot be deposed there is no Remedy To which he answers 1. That we are to enquire after such a State not what is free from all Inconveniences but what is subject to the least and the least dangerous but much more pernicious and destructive of human Society are those Confusions which are wont to arise from the Rebellions of Subjects and from Civil Wars than those which happen from the Cruelty of an ungovernable King exercised upon his Subjects 2. That this is proper and peculiar to a supreme temporal Prince that he cannot lawfully be deposed for such Kings are only inferior to God and are his immediate Vicegerents c. And in his Confutation of the Errors of Suarez ‖ C. 3. n. 6. he shews the mistakes of that Jesuit that there is no Revelation that God hath given Princes such a power proving from S. Paul that there is no power but what is of God. And †N. 16. if a Crown happen to fall to an Infidel his Subjects are bound to obey him in which case says he we ought to acknowledge and reverence the Equity of the English ☞ who when they had freed themselves from the Papal Yoke and embraced the Reformed Religion under Edward the Sixth did notwithstanding after his Death set the Crown on the Head of his Sister Mary whom they knew to be a Papist and zealously affected towards the Pope which Succession the Peers did not only allow of but the Prelates also who expected nothing from her but Executions and Martyrdoms for they knew that Religion ought not to hinder the Admission of the lawful Heir to his Right ‖ N. 17. For the Power of a King is given him by divine positive Law and therefore there is no other but God who can take his power from him To this Archbishop I will join his bitter Adversary Bishop Montagu * Not. in Invect 2. Naz. in Jul. because herein they were both agreed When the Christians in Julian 's time betook themselves only to their Prayers and not to Force it was not because they could not but because they would not for they had sufficient force to subdue the Tyrant as both Greg. Naz. and S. Austin aver but they had learn'd patience in the School of their Master Christ who had recommended it to them both by his Words and by his Example not to confound Heaven and Earth c. Bishop Lake 's Sermon Preached in Trinity-Church in Winchester at An Assizes 1610. A false Religion doth not hinder him from being a lawful Sovereign To resolve the Conscience of such as doubt Whether a different Religion doth evacuate the Power of a lawful Sovereign It doth not says he tho it be a false Religion SECT X. Old Mr. Ded hath been censured as a Puritan but I am sure neither he nor his Copartner Clever were so in this point for in their * The 5th Commandment p. 216 217. Comment on the Commandments they thus declare themselves The first Duty of the Subject is Submission both inward and outward in heart to reverence and outwardly to obey the Magistrate and this is commanded Rom. 13. Let every soul be subject c. He commands not only a bodily Subjection which may be in many rebellious persons that resist Authority and lie open to the Curse of God for this sin but an inward submission of the Soul as unto a spark of God's Authority ☜ and an appointment of his For if this inward be not first this outward will fail upon every occasion there must be also an outward subjection in obeying their Commands as
nevertheless he sat up and dictated his sense of it but the Earl was on a sudden by reason of the fight hurried away and whether the King had the Paper or no I cannot learn but the original or a Copy of it was by some zealous Man supprest no doubt because it condemn'd taking up Arms on the specious pretences of Religion and Liberty And according to his Sentiments was his usage he being plundred by the Parliament Army as well as the other so called Malignants SECT XI There was no little Clash between Arch-Bishop Laud and Bishop Davenant about other points but in this they agreed * Davenant deter qu. 4. p. 22. He that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword i. e. He that usurps the Sword he that uses it without permission from the King who by God's Ordinance bears the Sword now who can believe that a Prince will give leave to draw his own Sword against himself all others ought to abstain from laying hands on him whose punishment God hath by a certain special priviledg reserv'd to himself the antient Christians being harass'd with most grievous persecutions never fled to these indirect means Pag. 23. but defended the Church by those means which God hath appointed viz. by the tears of her Christians the preachings of her Priests and the sufferings of her Martyrs and what Suarez say * V. p. 24. That there is no need of a Superiour Power to keep the Pope in order because Christ will in an especial manner in this case provide for his Church may be with much greater reason said of Kings Christ himself will in a more Eminent manner defend his Church not onely against the cruelty of persecutors but also against the gates of Hell. Resistance is unlawful and contrary to God's Ordinance for St. Paul says it is a sin and worthy of eternal damnation to resist the Powers ordained of God. Put the case that Princes will not only not purge the Church of Heresies and false worship but what is worse * Id. qu. 12. p. 58. will defend those corruptions by their Authority yet in this case the people ought not to reform 1. Because God requires from Subjects to suffer whatsoever the Magistrate can inflict rather than desert the true Religion but not to compel the Magistrate for Religion is to be defended not by killing others but by dying for it our selves not by cruelty but by patience not by wickedness but by fidelity says Lactantius 2. When the people undertake such an action without the Prince's consent it is Rebellion now evil is not to be done that good may come thereof let such Men take to themselves whatever Names they please they are Traytors not Christians L. there will be great danger in so doing for should they get the Power they cannot make Laws * Qu. 17. What shall be able to keep a Man within the duty of a good Subject who will not be bound by Oaths †Qu. 30. Criminals of the Superiour Order i.e. Kings c. God hath reserv'd to his own Court and Judgment SECT XII I will not quote Arch-Bishop Laud because the Adversaries to this Doctrine aver that it was of his inventing but instead of him I will call for an unquestionable witness Arch-Bishop Usher who expresly order'd * Clavi Trabales p. 52. That Loyalty should according to the Canon be four times every year preach'd to the people while his actions were a plain Comment upon his Opinions I need not mention the regard the forein Protestant Divines had to him and the Romanists too especially Cardinal Richelieu as well as those of our own Country * Apud eund Sanders pref to the Bishop's Book While I inform the Reader that in the beginning of our most unhappy Commotions the Lord Deputy of Ireland Strafford desired the Primate Usher to declare his judgment publickly concerning those Tumults which he did in two Sermons at Christ-Church in Dublin on Eccles 7.2 Whereupon the Deputy signified it would be acceptable to the King to print the Sermons or to write a Treatise on the Subject the latter the Arch-Bishop made choice of and sent it into England with an intent to have it printed as the Martyr Charles design'd that his Subjects might receive the satisfaction from the same as himself had done In the time of the Usurper Cromwel it was not thought fit to be printed lest it might have been perverted to the support of his Power For by this time the flatterers of that great Tyrant had learn'd by a new device upon the bare account of Providence without respect to the justice of the Title the only right and proper foundation to interpret and apply to his advantage whatsoever they found either in the Scriptures or in other Writings concerning the Power of Princes or the duty of Subjects profanely and sacrilegiously taking the Name of that holy Providence of God in vain and using it onely as a stalking Horse to serve the lusts and interests of ambitious Men. In the first part of that learned Treatise the Bishop proves that the Power of the Prince is from God and that * Part. 1. §. vi p. vi Our Government is a free Monarchy because the Authority resteth solely in the person of the King whereupon it is declar'd that the King is the onely Supreme Governour of these Realms in all Causes whatsoever which could not stand if either the Court of Parliament it self or any other power upon Earth might in any cause over-rule him I say any Power whither forein or domestick and then * §. 28. He discourses at large as of the original of Regal power from Heaven so of the Law of the King proceeding in the second part to treat of the Obedience of the Subject * V. p. 109. 111 134 c. In which he plainly shews that whither the Power be good or bad whosoever does resist it by withdrawing his service from it or denying Tribute or not giving that honour to it which he ought to give resisteth the Ordinance and disposition of God by whose appointment they bear Rule * P. 145. 146. Quest But how are Subjects to carry themselves when such things are enjoined as cannot or ought not to be done R. surely not to accuse the Commander but humbly to avoid the command and when nothing else will serve the turn as in things that may be done we are to express our subjection by active so in things that cannot be done we are to declare the same by passive obedience without resistance and repugnancy such a kind of suffering being as sure a sign of subjection as any thing else whatsoever He P. 147 c. that consults with flesh and bloud will hardly be induc'd to admit this Doctrine of passive Obedience and therefore if he will learn this Lesson he must make choice of better Masters and listen in the first place to Solomon Prov. 3.5
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding And to that Oracle of the Son of God himself Matth. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself c. then must he raise up his thoughts to the heigth of that beatitude which our Saviour's own mouth hath given assurance of to all such as will be ruled by him herein Matth. 5.10 11 12. Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake c. and to look on the recompence of Reward and to encourage himself with the precedent of the Apostles and Prophets the innumerable company of Martyrs and Confessors and above all to look unto Christ himself Obj. P. 150 But suppose the King should command us to worship the Devil would you not give us leave to stand upon our Guard and if not what will become of God's Church and his Religion R. As if this had been a new Case never heard of before when the Devil-Worship i. e. that of Idols called Devils 1 Cor. x. 20. was so vehemently urged by the cruel Edicts of the persecuting Emperors did the Christians ever take Arms against them for the matter or betake themselves to any other Refuge but fervent Prayers unto Almighty God and patient suffering of what disgrace or punishment soever should be put upon them Pag. 152. c. But if Mens Hands be tied no Man's Estate will be secure c. I answer God's Word is clear Whosoever resisteth resisteth the Ordinance of God and thereby a necessity is imposed upon us of being subject not only for wrath but for conscience sake which may not be avoided by the pretext of any ensuing mischiefs whatsoever it becomes us in obedience to perform our part and leave the ordering of Events to God Pag. 177. whose part that is And so much both of active Obedience which in all things that may be done we are bound to perform unto our Sovereigns and of the passive which in other Cases with all Christian Fortitude we are tied to undergo ☞ without the least carnal thought either of resisting their Authority or conspiring against their Persons State and Dignity And then he closes his Discourse with an account of the Obligation of Oaths c. and the methods of the ancient Church when persecuted viz. ' Patient Sufferings and Prayers to God. Nor need I mention Dr. Heylin whose Opinions are well known and are remarkably to be seen in his Stumbling-Block of Disobedience discovered censured and removed c. Of which the Arguments are cogent and the Authorities good tho I do not like the sharpness of his Language nor the severity of his Reflections SECT XIII Archbishop * Oper. to 1. disc 2. The Serpentine-Salve p. 525 526. Bramhal who succeeded Usher both in his See and his Loyalty says there were Nonconformists in the Days of Queen Elisabeth and King James who severely protested in Print That no Christians gave more to the Royal Supremacy than they without limitation or qualification that for the King not to assume such a power or for the People to deny it is a damnable sin nay altho the States of the Kingdom should deny it him and if the King command any thing contrary to the Word of God yet we ought not to resist but peaceably to forbear Obedience and sue for Grace and when that cannot be obtained meekly to submit our selves to punishment abjuring all Doctrines repugnant to this as Anabaptistical and Antichristian they condemn all Practices contrary to this as seditious and sinful And then proceeds to give his own Opinion That Dominion is not from the Grant or Consent of the People but from God. Pag. 527 528. That absolute Power may be limited by Statutes c. without communicating Sovereign Power to subordinate or inferior Subjects or subjecting Majesty to Censure which Limitations do not proceed from mutual Pactions but from Acts of Grace and Bounty Pag. 531. If the People be greater than the King it is no more a Monarchy but a Democracy Our Oath binds us to acknowledge the King to be supreme in all Causes and over all persons to defend him against all Conspiracies and if to defend him much more not to offend him That Oath which binds us to defend him against all Attempts whatsoever presupposeth that no Attempt against him can be justified by Law against such evident Light of Truth to ground a contrary Assertion derogatory to his Majesty Pag. 532. upon the private Authority of Bracton and Fleta no authentick Authors were a strange degree of weakness or wilfulness that Subjects who have not the Power of the Sword committed to them may use force to recover their former liberty or raise Arms to change the Laws established Pag. 537. is without all contradiction both false and rebellious Surely Pag. 538. if any Liberty might warrant such force it is the Liberty of Religion but Christ never planted his Religion in Blood he cooled his Disciples Heat with a sharp Redargution Ye know not what spirit ye are of It is better to die innocent than to live nocent as the Thebean Legion all Christians of approved Valor answered the Emperor Maximian Pag. 542. If a Sovereign shall persecute his Subjects for not doing his unjust Commands yet it is not lawful to resist by raising Arms against him they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation But they ask Is there no Limits I answer where the Law doth not distinguish neither ought we to distinguish how shall we limit what God hath not limited Obj. But is there no Remedy for a Christian in this Case Yes three Remedies 1. To cease from sin remove our sin and God will take away his Rod. ☜ 2. Prayers and Tears S. Naz. lived under five Persecutions and never knew other Remedy The third Remedy is flight this is the uttermost which our Master hath allowed nor is this way so hard for Subjects this way hath ever proved successful to the Christian Religion SECT XIV With Archbishop Usher I will also join Bishop Brownrig a Man much of his primitive temper and approved Moderation even by the Enemies of our Church notwithstanding his Episcopal Character * Serm. to 1. Serm. 2. p. 26 28. The Writ by which Princes are made issues from Heaven Kings reign by God's Election not by his Permission only that is too weak and sandy a Foundation permission falls short of approbation c. †Serm. 3. p. 33. Darius was an Enemy to the Church one that kept the Church of God in Bondage and Captivity used them not as Subjects but as Slaves enthrall'd them to his Tyranny yet still acknowledged and honored by the Prophet as their rightful Sovereign the primitive Saints submitted to Julian that hateful Apostate S. Peter requires Subjection not only to the good and gentle but to the froward Governors Darius made a wicked Law forbidding Religion and
Doctrines to murder Princes are not of the Gospel-Spirit Bishop Hacket's Sermons on Psal xli 9. on the Gowry's Conspiracy p. 740. 741. Surely above all Men if the Clergy be not careful to set forth the honor of this day with great Honour and Solemnity it is their Ignorance or their Negligence Had these furious Sword-men that laid their Weapons to his Throat found an austere Master nay a Tyrant they must have born with it and not touch the Man that bears the Character of the Lord 's Anointed Dr. Sharp before the House of Commons Apr. 11. 1679. p. 35. O may God so inspire you That by your means the Person of his sacred Majesty and the Rights of his Crown may be secured against all wicked Attempts And p. 39. Let us hate all Tricks and Devices and Equivocations both in our Words and in Carriage Let us be constantly and inflexibly loyal to our Prince and let no consideration in the World make us violate our Allegiance to him And in his Sermon preach'd before the Lord Mayor 1680. speaking of the upright Man He is one studiously endeavouring to preserve his Allegiance to his Prince Pag. 19. He is a Man that honors the King that is observant of the Laws that is true to the Government and meddles not with them that are given to change In his Sermon preached at the Yorkshire Feast Feb. 17. 16 79 / 80. p. 17. We may do a great deal of good by our good Examples of Loyalty SECT XXII And to evince that this hath been the unquestion'd Doctrine of all the Members of this Church I shall subjoin many other Testimonies * Bish of Lincoln Principl and Posit p. 7. That England is a Monarchy the Crown Imperial and our Kings supreme Governors and sole supreme Governors of this Realm and all other their Dominions will I believe I am sure it should be granted seeing our Authentick Laws and Statutes do so expresly and so often say it In our Oath of Supremacy we swear That the King is the only supreme Governor supreme so none not the Pope above him and only supreme so none coordinate or equal to him so that by our known Laws our King is solo Deo minor invested with such a Supremacy as excludes both Pope and People and all the World God Almighty only excepted by whom Kings do reign from having any Power Jurisdiction or Authority over him This Book hath its Imprimatur not from any mean hand but from my Lord Bishop of London himself which is to me a plain implication that his Lordship did then own the Doctrine and so we have another Testimony to the Truth †Burnet's Vind. c. printed at Glascow p. 7. c. The Vindication of the Authority c. of the Church is full to this purpose Obj. May not Subjects when opprest in their establish'd Religion defend themselves and resist the Magistrate doth not the Law of Nature direct Men to defend themselves when unjustly assaulted Answ We must distinguish between the Laws of Nature and the Rights and Permissions of Nature now self-defence cannot be a Law of Nature ☜ for then it could never be dispenc'd with without a Sin nay were a man never so criminal he ought not to suffer himself to be killed neither should any Malefactor submit to the sentence of the Judge but stand to his defence by all the force he could raise and it will not serve turn to say for the good of Society he ought to submit for no Man must violate the Laws of Nature were it on never so good a design Christ's dying for us shews that self-defence can be no Law of Nature otherwise Christ who fulfilled all Righteousness had contradicted the Laws of Nature ‖ Pag. 10. He then proceeds to demonstrate that Magistrates derive not their Power from the Surrender of the People for none can surrender what they have not ☜ Take then a multitude of People not yet associated none of them hath power of his own Life neither hath he power of his Neighbor's since no Man out of Society may kill another be his Crime never so great much less be his own Murtherer A multitude of People not yet associated are but so many individual Persons therefore the Power of the Sword is not from the People nor is any of their Delegation but is from God. * Pag. 35. Consider that Christ was to fulfill all Righteousness if then the Laws of Nature exact our Defence in case of unjust Persecution for Religion ☜ he was bound to that Law as well as we for he came not to destroy but to fulfil the Law both by his Example and Precepts if then you charge the Doctrine of Absolute Submission as brutish or stupid or as contrary to the Law of Nature see you do not run into Blasphemy by charging that Holy One foolishly for whatever he knew of the secret Will of God he was to follow his revealed Will in his Actions †Pag. 39. If fighting at that time when Saint Peter drew his Sword for preserving Christ from the Jews were contrary to the Nature of his Kingdom so the Rule of the Gospel binding all the succeeding Ages of the Church no less than those to whom it was first deliver'd what was then contrary to the nature of Christ's Kingdom will be so still * P. 42. I shall add one thing which all Casuists hold a safe Rule in matters that are doubtful viz. That we ought to follow that side of the doubt that is freest from hazard ☞ here then damnation is at least the seeming hazard of resistance therefore except upon as clear evidence you prove the danger of absolute submission to be of the same nature that it may ballance the other then absolute submission as being the securest is to be followed * P. 41. Obj. But he is the Minister of God to thee for good and if they swerve from this they forsake the end for which they were raised up and so fall from the Power and right to our Obedience Answ It is true the Sovereign is a Minister of God for good so that he corrupts his power grosly when he pursues not that design but in that he is onely accountable to God whose Minister he is c. The same Author continued stedfast to this Doctrine when he left Scotland and came into England * Ser. on Jan. 30. 1674 / 5. p. 7. 9. David when Saul was most unjustly hunting his life would not stretch forth his hand against him seeing he was the anointed of the Lord from Almighty God the King had his Power and to him he knew he was to give an account of his Administration Affirming that the Enemies of that Royal Martyr P. 38. by Oaths and Counter-Oaths which they often took had their Consciences so seared as to be past feeling till they threw off all sense of God and Religion and set up professedly
Spoil and Robbery of the Subjects may no less considering the nature of the Crime deserve such Punishment of Princes as they do 〈◊〉 People But because there is none in such Cases that can or ought duely and regularly to execute such Laws because there can be no such Execution without the Power of the Sword and there can be but one proper Subject of that Power in any Republick And of all guilt I know not whether any be greater than the assuming of such a Power which no ways belongs to a Man for better it were to take away ones Horse or to ravish another Man's Wife or to extort unjustly anothers Estate than to divest a Prince of his Right of Rule and usurp it to himself and that first because no Man's Estate or any thing that is his doth descend to him or otherways become his by the like divine Title as the Supream Power rightly posited and possessed doth to the Owner thereof and therefore this being more sacred the Invasion of this Right is much more wicked and unjust Secondly because a publick mischief and of general influence upon all is much more intolerable than a private But such a Violation of Princely Rights must of necessity draw a publick mischief on the whole civil Body I mean all the Subjects in such a Nation who shall be distracted between the sense of Obedience known otherwise to be due and the terror of usurped Power threatning ruine to such as comply not with their Injustice Pag. 104. Some late Demagogues have written for the promotion of Religion forsooth as well as Civil Liberty that to kill Tyrants and here I will not shew who they call Tyrants is as good an act as to slay Wolves Lions and Bears But I would fain know whence such a Law proceeded if not from Tyranny it self Even such persons who under colour of natural Law of returning evil for evil and self-preservation have done the greatest injustice imaginable not only against the person persecuted but the people who never at any time had power so to deliver themselves nor if they had did generally and unanimously or could confer the same on the new Pretenders to it That Law therefore of killing Tyrants invented by Tyrants taketh place on the Authors of it as much as any body else and where the like Power can be snatched up may have the same event on popular Statesmen as well as Kings and Princes For they are Tyrants too Mr. Jos Glanvil's Sermon of Christian Loyalty published by Anth. Horneck D. D. on Rom. 13.2 They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Pag. 153 154. Which words were spoken in the days of Nero who besides that he was an Heathen was a Persecutor and a Tyrant and the most infamous instance in Nature and yet this Monster is not excepted as to the tribute of Obedience Whereas had this been said in the days of such a Prince as our Charles the First it might have been suppos'd that the vertue of the Person claim'd the reverence and subjection and not the Character of the Prince And that 't was damnable to resist because he was good not because he was supreme because he was a Nursing-father of the Church not because the ruling Father of his Countrey 'T was an happy Coincidence therefore to secure the Authority of the Magistrate which answers the greatest pretensions of Rebellion If Religion be pretended an Heathen must not be resisted If Tyranny 't is damnation to oppose a Nero. Pag. 156. Kings wear God's Image and Authority but besides there is evidence enough in the nature of the thing to prove that Kings have their Power and Authority from God and are no Substitutes of the People Pag. 157 158 159. They that Rule are God's Substitutes and no Creatures of the People for the People have no power to govern themselves and consequently cannot devolve any upon another Resistance is opposite to the Spirit of Religion Religion is of a calm and pacifick temper like that of its Author whose voice was not heard in the street He commands the payment of all Duties to Cesar He acknowledgeth Pilates Power to be from above He commands his Disciples to pray for their Persecutors He permits them to fly not to oppose He rebukes Peter 's violence to the High Priests Servant and the revenge of the Disciples when they called for fire from Heaven He paid Tribute submitted to the Laws of the Sanhedrim and to that unjust sentence against his life This was his temper and the Apostles who liv'd among his Enemies and theirs and met with severity enough to have soured their spirits and exasperated their Pens to contrary resolutions and instructions yet as true followers of their dear Lord they faithfully transmit to us what they had learn'd from him viz. That we should obey those that have the rule over us submit to every Ordinance of Man pray for Kings and all in Authority submit to Principalities and Powers and to obey Magistrates And those Noble Spirits of the first Ages after who began to be Martyrs as soon as to be Christians who lived in the Fire and went to Heaven wrap'd in those flames that had less arder than their love These I say amidst the greatest and fiercest fires that cruelty and barbarism had kindled paid the tribute of a peaceable and quiet subjection to their Murtherers and made unforced acknowledgments of the right they had to their obedience Pag. 157 158 159. Nor do we ever read of any attempts they made to free themselves by resistance though as Tertullian saith they were in powerful numbers mingled in their Villages and in their Cities yea in their Castles and in their Armies Yea there is an illustrious instance of Passive Obedience in the Thebean Legion whose tenth Man being executed for not offering sacrifice to Idols they quietly submitted to the Cruelty And a second Dicimation being commanded by Maximinian the Author of the first one of their great Commanders an excellent Christian persuades them to suffer it with the same patience because it was not with their Swords they could make their way to the Kingdom of Heaven but by another kind of Warfare Pag. 163. By a dear experience we have learned that 't is better to endure any inconveniences in a setled Government than to endeavour violent alterations Doctor Anth. The Letter he makes his own p. 478. and advises others to follow the Example of these Primitive Christians p. 541. Horneck's Letter to a Person of quality at the end of his best Exercise speaking of the heavenly Lives of the Primitive Christians he saith Pag. 496. They looked upon Christianity as a Religion that taught them to suffer valiantly Pag. 534. 535. To their Princes and Magistrates they were ever very submissive and in all lawful things obedient to a tittle In their Prayers they always remembred them and though they persecuted and afflicted them yet that did not abate their Zeal and Vows for their
of Testimonies Yet after the Popes Deposing Power came into request the Commonwealth Principles did so too and the Power of Princes was said to be of another Original and therefore they were accountable to the People And having shown the Affinity of such Doctrines and Principles in both by some Tragical effects of them as well at home as abroad he proceeds thus Pag. 12. If we enquire farther into the Reasons of these Pretences we shall find them alike on both sides The Commonwealthsmen when they are asked how the People having once parted with their Power come to resume it They presently run to an implicit Contract between the Prince and the People by vertue whereof the People have a Fundamental Power left in themselves which they are not to exercise but upon Princes violating the Trust committed to them The very same Ground is made the Foundation of the Popes Deposing Power viz. An Implicit Contract that all Princes made when they were Christians to submit their Scepters to the Popes Authority c. And where he reasons against these Principles from the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles Pag. 15. The Religion they taught says he never meddled with Crowns and Scepters but left to Cesar the things that were Cesar's and never gave the least intimation to Princes of any Forfeiture of their Authority if they did not render to God the things that are God's Concluding that Head with this Reflection upon the whole In my 〈◊〉 there is very little difference between Dominion being founded in Grace and being forfeited for want of it But then secondly as to the breaking of Oaths and Bonds of Allegiance he first lays down That the Duty betwixt Princes and Subjects is natural and antecedent to their embracing the Christian Religion And therefore secondly the absolving Subjects from that is in plain terms nulling the Obligation to a natural Duty and taking away the Force of Oaths and Promises And thirdly That all Mankind are agreed that it is a sin to break a lawful Oath and the more solemn and weighty the Oath is the greater is the Perjury And then proceeds to shew that the Power which absolves from such Oaths is a Power of turning Evil into Good and Good into Evil of making civil Obedience to Princes to be a Crime and Perjury to be none and such as from the Schoolmen he proves to be greater than they allow of in God himself Pag. 18. where there is intrinsick Goodness in the Nature of the thing and inseparable Evil from the contrary to it As in the Case says he of Disobedience to Parents and Violation of Oaths lawfully made and after a clear Confutation of the Sophistry of Popish Casuists in this matter he concludes Wo be to them that make good evil Pag. 24. and evil good when it serves their turn For this is plainly setting up a particular Interest under the Name of the Good of the Church and violating the Laws of Righteousness to advance it If Men break through Oaths and the most solemn Engagements and Promises and regard no Bonds of Justice and Honesty to compass their Ends let them call them by what specious Names they please The Good Old Cause or The Good of the Church it matters not which there can be no greater sign of Hypocrisie and real Wickedness than this c. And lastly as for the justifying Rebellion upon the account of Religion having cited the Boucher de justâ abdicat Hen. 3 Sorbon Doctor who not only called it lawful to resist Authority on the Account of Religion but folly and Impiety not to do it where there is any probability of Success And said that the Martyrs were only to be commended for suffering because they wanted Power to resist With a Note of Admiration says he Most Catholick and Primitive Doctrine And a little after pag. 28. Cardinal Bellarmin having given his Reason amongst others for the Pope's deposing Power Because it is not lawful for Christians to suffer an Heretical Prince if he seeks to draw his Subjects to his Belief The Learned Dean makes this Reflection upon it And what Prince that believes his own Religion doth it not And what then is this but to raise Rebellion against a Prince where-ever he and they happen to be of different Religions With a great deal more to the same purpose which it would be much more profitable for the Reader to learn from the ingenious Preface it self than from this imperfect Transcript of it A CONTINUATION OF THE HISTORY OF Passive Obedience Since the REFORMATION AMSTERDAM Printed for Theodore Johnson in the Calver-Straet 1690. A PREFATORY EPISTLE TO THE AUTHOR Of the First Part of the History of Passive Obedience SIR THE first part of the History of Passive Obedience having been favorably received by the generality of Readers tho unjustly censured and undeservedly reproach'd by some Men who think themselves injured thereby I have thought fit to publish a second Part of the same History not doubting your leave for my so doing wherein the Reader may find that Doctrin carefully and at large deduc'd through the first Ages of our Reformation down to the times of Archbishop Laud and from thence to the present time to shew the World that the Opinion was not first hatch'd and brought up in that great Man's days who dyed a Martyr to the constitutions of our most excellent Church and among them to the true Principles of Loyalty Nor do I believe that any one Primitive Doctrin wherein we differ from the Papists can shew even in that Age when the whole drift of our Writers was to expose and confute the Romish Synagogue more Authors that uniformly assert it than this of Non-Resistance as if God in his wise and good Providence had so order'd it to stifle an Objection which he foresaw would afterwards be made against it in the degenerate Ages of the same Church nor is there need of any other Apology to you or the Reader for my medling with this Province for my adding some Passages to what hath been already publish'd and illustrating and enlarging others since if the interest of truth be promoted See the History unmask'd it matters not how many are engaged in that service nor that whether they are called Papists Atheists and Hobbists for their pains I have often heretofore wondred at the assurance of the Romish Authors who wrote against our Church a little after the Reformation that they could so confidently accuse the whole Body of Pretestants as the Preachers and Practisers of Rebellion for so says Stapleton ‖ Counterblast p. 20. that Protestants obey no longer than till they have power to resist And Card. Allen * Answ to the Just of Gr. Bri. cap. 4. that the Protestants are desperate and Factious that as long as the Laws are favorable to them they are obedient but when the Laws are against them and their Princes their Enemies they break all the Bonds of Allegiance despise
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.
trouble than Christ himself hath appointed us In St. Luke he giveth us this commandment ye shall possess your lives in patience saith he in the which words he giveth us both commandment what to do and also great consolation and comfort in all troubles he sheweth also what is to be done and what is to be hoped for in troubles and when troubles happen he biddeth us be patient and in no case violently ☜ nor seditiously to resist our persecutors because God hath such care and charge of us that he will keep in the midst of all troubles the very hairs of our heads so that not one of them shall fall away without the will and pleasure of our Heavenly Father Wherefore the Christian Man's Faith must be always upon the Resurrection of Christ p. 150. when he is in trouble and in that glorious Resurrection he shall not only see continual and perpetual joy and consolation but also the victory and triumph of all persecution trouble sin death hell c. the pains also they vex us withal for the time if they tarry with us as long as we live p. 153. yet when death cometh they shall avoid and give place to such joys as be prepared for us in Christ for no pains of the World be perpetual and whether they shall afflict us for all the time of our mortal life we know not for they be the Servants of God to go and to come as he commandeth them But we must take heed we meddle not forcibly nor seditiously to put away the persecution appointed unto us by God ☞ but remember Christ's saying possess your lives by your patience and in this commandment God requireth in every Man and Woman this patient obedience He saith not it is sufficient that other Holy Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Evangelists and Martyrs continued their lives in patience and patient suffering the troubles of this World but Christ saith to every one of his People by your own patience ye shall continue your life Now therefore as our Profession and Religion requireth patience outwardly without resistance and force so requireth it patience of the mind and not to be angry with God although he use us that be his own creatures as him listeth c. Nor is it to be pretermitted that Miles Coverdale Bishop of Exon who published the Letters of Bishop Hooper and other the Martyrs in his Epistle to the Christian Reader praiseth God for these and such other Monuments which he had preserved and brought to light by his singular great providence because the more nigh that mens words and works approach unto the most wholsom sayings and fruitful doings of the old ancient Saints and chosen Children of God which loved not only to hear his word but also to live thereafter the more worthy are they to be esteemed embraced and followed and we have just cause to rejoyce that we have been familiar and acquainted with some of those which walked in the trade of their footsteps for the which cause it doth us good to read and hear not the lying Legends of feigned false counterfeited and Popish Canonized Saints but such true holy and approved Histories Monuments Orations Epistles and Letters as do set forth unto us the blessed behavior of God's dear Servants By which it appears that he was of their opinion in this as well as other Primitive Doctrins of the Reformed Church of England in opposition to the Novel and false assertions of the Church of Rome and so we have another eminent Confessor of those early days of the Reformation attesting the truth in the point of Non-resistance It is also remarkable that at that time the Protestants were no contemptible party of Men in the Nation that Queen Mary had been disinherited by Act of Parliament a Bill of Exclusion past into the formality of a Law and that for illegitimacy as it is their declared that the Crown was given to another by the Will of Edward VI. that Queen Mary was both a Papist and a Persecutor and turn'd the Protestant Bishops out of their Sees even before a Parliament made it Law and yet the Holy Men of those days in their Letters to their Friends and Followers treat only of Patience and Submission to Providence of looking to our Blessed Saviour and suffering without Murmuring as he did and that to resist even the Queen was a damnable sin when they wanted not abettors nor opportunities of conveying their thoughts privately to them and I am sure they were not to seek for courage and resolution who so frankly and undauntedly condemn'd the Popish Superstitions and Idolatries when they had nothing in prospect but Prisons and Executions nay those Protestants who had given their Votes for her Exclusion repented of their crimes while others of the same belief stood by her in her distress and placed her on her Throne SECT III. In the Reign of this Pious and Learned Prince Edward VI. Old Father Latimer * In Coverdale's Collect. of Letters p. 56. that Old True Apostle of our English Nation and of Christ as Bishop Ridley his Fellow Prisoner and Companion in Martyrdom calls him that generous and honest Man who when the Parliament Anno 1539. had confirmed the Six Articles the Whip with Six Cords as they were justly called voluntarily chose to abandon his Bishoprick Godwin's Annals p. 172 173. 229. rather than conform to so unjust a Law and abstained Ten years from Preaching till after the death of Henry VIII he was restored did notwithstanding his great plainness dominari in concionibus filling the Pulpit with a mighty Grace nor was he wanting in those days to bear witness to this Doctrin for in his explanation of that Petition of Our Holy Saviours Prayer Thy will be done he says Our Rebels 4th Serm. on the Lord's Prayer p. 142. Lond. 1635. which rose about two years ago in Norfolk and Devonshire they consider not this Petition they said it with their lips only but not with their hearts Almighty God hath reveal'd his will as concerning Magistrates how he will have them to be honour'd and obey'd they were utterly against it he revealed this his will in many places of the Scripture but especially by St. Peter where he saith 1 Pet. 2.13 subditi estote omni humanae creaturae that is to say in effect be subject to all the common Laws made by Men of Autority by the King's Majesty c. be subject unto them and obey them saith God and here is but one exception that is against God when Laws are made against God and his word then I ought more to obey God than Man ☞ then I may refuse to obey with a good Conscience yet for all that I may not rise up against the Magistrates nor make any uproar for if I do so I sin damnably I must be content to suffer whatsoever God shall lay upon me yet I may not obey their wicked Laws to do them only in
pray for the High Powers think that cross to be laid upon thee for thy Deserts amend thy life humbly lament thy cause to God who will not leave thee succorless and defend thy self against Satan and all his crafty suggestions with these Scriptures following f. 264. after which he cites very many places of the Holy Writ to confirm what he had said both Precepts and Examples out of the Old and New Testament * Catech. p. 343. Did not Christ teach Obedience toward the Higher Powers did he not pay Tribute c Did not the Apostles of Christ in like manner both teach and do neither lack we in the Holy Scriptures Histories which do manifestly declare what a great Sin Disobedience is and how grievously God hath punish'd it the Histories of Dathan and Abiron Zimri and Baasa c. confirm this it is good to follow the example of David ☜ which shewed such honour and reverence unto King Saul being both a Wicked Ruler and also his mortal Enemy that he would not once hurt him nor yet suffer any other to do it although he had sufficient opportunity and occasion at divers times to have slain him if he had been minded The Lord forbid said he that I should lay my hand on him again kill him not for who saith he shall lay hands on the Lord 's Anointed 2. Reg. 1. and not be guilty as the Lord liveth he dieth not except the Lord smite him c. and this Doctrine he confirms by many other examples both under the Law and the Gospel Id. Tom. and closes all with the example of the Thebaean Legion so vigorously did our Forefathers thunder with it Is the Magistrate appointed of God an Officer 1. f. 437. Obj. or is he rather a Tyrant Usurping Power and Authority over other Persons against all Right and Law Ans He is ordained of God to be a Ruler over his People and no Man hath justly Rule and Authority in any Common-wealth which is not ordained of God. Obj. But what if the Magistrates be evil wicked ungodly tyrants haters of the truth oppressors of the poor c. are they also appointed of God Ans In Job it is thus written for the sins of the People doth God make an Hypocrite to Reign over them and God himself says by the Prophet I shall give them Children to be their Princes and Babes shall have Rule over them the People also shall be pilled and polled c. Our Saviour Christ confest that the Authority which Pilate had although a wicked and ungodly Person was from God ☞ and he willingly suffer'd death under that Tyrant neither do we read that the Apostles at any time did reject and cast away the Regiment of the Heathen Rulers as a thing unlawful but they rather exhorted the Subjects to obey them so far as they commanded nothing contrary to God's word to honour them to pray for them to give them tribute c. Thus we see that not only Godly but also ungodly Princes not only righteous but also unrighteous and wicked Rulers are given us of God the one I mean the good for the favour which God beareth towards us the other I mean the evil for the anger and displeasure that he hath towards us when he sees us disobedient to his Laws and Ordinances †f. 504. Subjects from the very heart must love and reverence the civil Magistrates as the Ministers and Vicars of God. and if it be their duty to love and reverence and honour the Higher Powers with a true and inward affection of the heart then may they not hate them and unworthily speak of them 2. * f. 505. Their next duty is to pray for them that God may be with them assist them and defend them c. 3. They must humbly obey them and that not for fear of punishment but for conscience sake for as God hath commanded the Magistrate to rule so he hath commanded to obey this commandment of God may by no means be disobey'd for to disobey the Magistrate is none other thing than to disobey God whose Minister the Magistrate is and whose Office he executeth And having proved this by several places of Holy Scripture he subjoins If this Obedience were throughly grafted in the hearts of Subjects all murmurings tumults commotions seditions insurrections c. should soon cease in the Common-wealth they should soon cease for they should never be attempted but whosoever through the motion of the Devil enterprise such things against the Magistrates ☜ they always come to a miserable end so far is it off that they have good success in their wicked and damnable attempts as Histories of all Ages do evidently declare c. 4. The Office of Subjects is willingly and without grudging to bear such burdens and pay such charges as the Magistrates shall reasonably require of them c. but Qu. f. 506. But may the Magistrate take away the Subject's goods at his pleasure Answ Nothing less for there is a propriety of goods and possessions as well in the Subject as in the Magistrate so that if the Magistrate do unjustly take away his Subjects goods he is a Tyrant and shall not escape the terrible indignation and fierce Plagues of God as we may see in the History of King Ahab and Naboth the Jesreelite c. 5. and finally it 's requir'd of Subjects that they do not blaze nor publish abroad but rather conceal and hide the faults oversights and negligences of the Magistrates c. This was the Doctrine which the Catechists of those days taught the People And as Men were taught to believe in those days ‖ Id. tom 2. op f. 211. in the pomander of Prayer so were they also taught to pray As it is thy Godly appointment O Lord God that some should bear rule in this World to see thy Glory set forth and the common peace kept so it is thy pleasure again that some should be Subjects and inferiors to others in their vocation altho before thee there is no respect of Persons and forasmuch as it is thy good will to appoint me in the number of Subjects I beseech thee to give me a faithful and an obedient heart unto the High Powers that there may be found in me no disobedience no unfaithfulness no treason no falshood no dissimulation ☜ no insurrection no commotion no conspiracy nor any kind of Rebellion in word or in deed against the Civil Magistrates but all faithfulness obedience quietness subjection humility and whatsoever else becomes a Subject that I living here in all lowliness of mind may at the last day through thy favour be lifted up unto everlasting Glory where thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest very God for ever Amen The same Author in his Treatise Tom. 3. f. 499 500. called the Glorious Triumph of God's most Blessed Word introduceth the Holy Scriptures thus vindicating themselves
Rulers and it is no News to hear it of them Elias had such measure measured unto him Micheas all of them faithful to Princes ever were so accused We say the Doctrine of Rome is no Friend to Princes and here he instances in the treasonable Books and rebellious Insurrections of the Papists and adds shew the Princes the Gospel hath deposed shew the Princes that Popery hath not wronged It is our Doctrine that we firmly hold and they fully defie That he that taketh the Sword shall perish with the Sword i. e. he that taketh it without the bounds of a calling warranting him and that calling he afterward says is only the Prince's Order as all Rebels ever do that he which resisteth the Superior Powers resisteth the Ordinance of God and to his own Damnation that we ought to obey and be subject not for Fear but for Conscience sake that the Weapons of Subjects be but Prayers and Tears c. See then whether Popery or God's holy Gospel which we hold stand better with the safety of Princes and flourishing Estates of Kingdoms c. SECT IV. Among the Works of Dr. Lawrence Humfreys Preached at Oxford 1588. which he published against the Romanists his seven Sermons on 1 Sam. 26.8 9 c. To persuade Obedience to Princes c. are not the least considerable In which having in the Epistle Dedicatory commended that Saying of S. Ambrose Rogamus Auguste non pugnamus We beseech O Emperor P. 22 23. we fight not and in the first Sermon mentioned the many Rebellions of the Papists he says Such a Catholick Faith must be maintain'd by such Catholick Means namely by open Rebellions privy Practices in a Catholick and Universal Manner that is by all unlawful Means P. 24. That when Scruples arise against such traiterous Enterprises then the Pope hath this Religion and Omnipotency P. 32. that he can dispense with any Oath In the second Sermon he teacheth every one his Duty It is lawful for a Magistrate to put to death a Malefactor otherwise no Spirit no Reason no Friend no carnal Respect can authorise any Man of his own Head or his private affection to draw weapon against any man much less against a double and compound person P. 34. c. as the Prince established by Law and publick Authority If Christ found fault with his Servant Peter fighting in his own quarrel ☜ host much more will he be angry with them that take weapon against his anointed Prince his Lieutenant in the Earth What do these Giants and Tyrants of the World think Or what do they esteem of the Blood of a Prince Or what do they imagine of the Ordinance or Institution of Princes Are they Upstarts by themselves c. No it is only the Ordinance of our living God. P. 36 37 By Office he representeth God he is God by name Saul himself is named here the anointed of the Lord so are all other Potentates that are by their Vices evil Men yet by Office the Ordinance of God Prov. 8. Job 34. By me rulers reign the Hypocrites rule not without him And why are the bad as well as the good advanced Austin gives two Reasons hereof It is not unjust that wicked men receive power to hurt both that the patience of the good may be tryed and the wickedness of the evil punished And if they are set up by God they cannot fall but by God. P. 43. What were the Magistrates in the time of Peter and Paul but Heathen and Tyrants as Nero and such others and yet Paul exhorts every soul to be subject to the higher powers and whosoever resisteth c. Even Nebuchadnezzar a Tyrant and Infidel was to be prayed for Chrisostome amplifyeth the excellent Integrity and Faithfulness of David toward Saul the anointed Serm 3. p. 56. in that David did this in the Old Testament where some revenge was in a sort permitted c. But to kill him or any the anointed of the Lord is contrary to the Law of Nature and all Laws Those that are disloyal and Rebels are not good Christians P. 63. P. 78. P. 106. We of this Land do swear and protest in the name of Christ a fidelity to God to the Prince and to our Country this Oath must be kept Many Laws have been made against Treason and Rebellion yet the unbridled and cruel Subjects have always unkindly and unnaturally conspired against their Prince and against their own Country Our King Ethelred complains in an Oration in this sort We are overcome of the Danes not with Weapon or force of Arms but with Treason wrought by our own People Anno 1593 Reprinted 〈◊〉 1640 c. Doctor Richard Bancroft afterward Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury published his Dangerous Positions c. the whole Design of which Treatise is to expose and ' condemn the Republican Principles then newly broached in England by the Lovers of the Geneva Platform I have already in the Reign of Queen Mary given his Sentiments of the Proceedings of the English Exiles at Francfort against Knox whose Principles were so infective that they inflamed his own native Country and threw it into a most unnatural Rebellion of which their Ministers were the prime cause and shall add his sense of those seditious Doctrines and Practices * Lib. 1. cap 3. But because some peradventure will labor to excuse these Proceedings and to color the same with some pretence of zeal and great desire they had to be delivered from Popish Idolatry and Superstition I have thought it convenient to let you understand how far they are from making any such pretences in their own behalf and with what new Divinity Positions Mr. Knox and Mr. Buchanan have amplified the Geneva Resolution ☞ viz. That if Princes refuse to reform Religion the Magistrates and People may lawfully do it by force of Arms to the Justification not only of their said Attempts and Actions but also many others of the like nature Ch. 4. And afterward he mentions their Positions That Princes for just causes may be deposed That it is not Birthright only nor Propinquity of Blood that makes a King lawfully reign above a People professing Jesus Christ If Princes be Tyrants against God and his Truth their Subjects are freed from their Oaths of Obedience The People are better than the King and of greater Authority c. Of all which and many the like Propositions he averrs that they tend to the disturbance and utter overthrow of the freest and most absolute Monarchies that are or can be in Christendom and that they are contrary he was sure both to the Word of God and to all the Laws and Customs of this Realm But I must transcribe the greatest part of the Book should I cite all that is to my purpose in it while I leave to the Reader 's private Consideration that and his other excellent Treatise called a Survey
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
great sin This perhaps he spoke like a Stoick but it was also spoken like a great Lawyer for the Roman Lawyers were great followers of that Sect of Philosophers Rom. 13. the Power of a Prince is by Divine Right not by the sole Constitution of Men. Suppose a Prince going about to destroy his own Country p. 103. as Nero did even Tyranny is more tolerable than Anarchy 〈◊〉 what happened when Nero was slain In the Reigns of the three following Princes p. 105 106 107. which lasted but a few Months more blood was spilt than in the 14 years of Nero 's Government When it is objected that we owe more to our Country than our Prince he flatly denies it affirming that the very Heathens knew that God sent evil Princes and that to reclaim Men from their sins and that God hath left us remedies for such evils such as repentance of our Vices obedience to our Sovereign ☞ thereby to encline them to be kind and gentle patience to take off the edge of their fury p. 112. and sighs and tears If the case of the Low Countries be objected and that our excellent Queen Elizabeth both praised and defended them the same answer must serve for this as for all examples that we must judge not according to examples but according to Laws or the case of the Men of Libnah who rebelled against Jehoram 2 Chron. 21.10 be insisted on we must answer says Drusius and so we have another witness to this truth the Learned Drusius that every action that is related in Holy Scripture is not praised nor was the cause good that because the Prince had deserted the true Religion therefore they might desert him for the Christians did not desert the Apostate Julian ☞ and that action is not to be made a pattern that is done contrary to reason and law nor does our defence of the Dutch confirm the Justice of their cause for we may justly defend those who themselves are engaged in an unjust War p. 116. as I have in more than one place proved as to this fact of Queen Elizabeth If Equals have no power one over another how much less hath an inferior power ove◠his superior a Subject over his Prince he shall be restrain'd by his superior who is God is it not in every Mans mouth that a Prince hath no other Judge but God Shame and conscience p. 118. p. 121 122 123. and honour may check them but not their Subjects Obj. But do not Aquinas Luther Peter Martyr and Beza allow of resistance Answ the book de regimine Principis is not Aquinas 's says Sigonius lib. 17. de regn Ital. Luther was deceived by the German Lawyers and brought to alter his opinion for the worse and what he spoke he said only of feudataries and of a Defensive War. Martyr was swayed by examples not reason as if because the Jews resisted the Macedonians and Romans whose Subjects they were not therefore Subjects may resist their lawful Sovereigns the example of St. Ambrose does not reach this case for he used no force nor had he any right to deny the temple to the Emperor which was his and Beza says only p. 12◠c. that the Laws must authorize such resistance But there are cogent reasons to encline to the practice of Passive Obedience 1. It is a rule that we must not speak evil of the Prince 2. Force towards a Father is unlawful therefore towards a Prince 3. A less evil is not to be removed if a greater will follow 4. If a Man in defence of his Mother ought not to resist his Father neither ought he to resist his Prince in defence of his Country 5. No one can depose a Prince but he who made him but the People did not make him c. 6. No evil is to be done that good may come of it 7. How can a King have absolute Power when he hath so many Ephori over him as he hath Subjects 8. The Authority of the Ancients Plato and Tully If it be objected that Plato says that Parents when they grow mad must be restrain'd and that others say that a Tyrant is a Madman I answer we constitute a Guardian over a mad Prince ☜ but we deny that a cruel Tyrannical Prince is to be reckoned a Madman Plato and Tully and Bartolus are of the opinion p. 132. that there can be no just cause of rebelling against or resisting a Prince The sentence of Mr. l'Hospital is observable that the Faction of the League was very potent the defence the Hugonets made seem'd necessary but that only the King's cause was just that both the Hugonots and Leaguers were guilty of waging War against their King but the Hugonots in a lesser degree because the necessity of self defence is more excusable than the Ambition of a Crown bu◠no Cause was just but the King 's for there cannot be any just cause of resisting a lawful Prince SECT VII The treasonable Design of Garnet and his Accomplices gave occasion to the making and imposing the Oath of Allegiance as good Laws generally owe their Rise and Original to men's ungoverable Passions and irregular Manners but no sooner did the Oath appear but out came two Breves of Pope Paul the Fifth to forbid the taking of it and Cardinal Bellarmine's Letter to the Archpriest Blackwel upon the same Account To these Adversaries that Learned King wrote an Answer Tripici nodo triplex cuneus and immediately Books multiplied on both sides to a great number Bellarmine Gretser Suarez Eudaemon Johannes Scioppius Becanus Parsons and others attempting to relieve the baffled Papacy while Bishop Andrews Bishop Barlow Bishop Buckeridge Bishopt Abbot Bishop Moreton Bishop Prideaux Isaac Casaubon Burhil Thompson Collins and others stoutly defended their King as they ought And tho their Arguments seem particularly levelled against the Papists yet by parity of reason they condemn all such for the like Opinions and Practices whoever asserts or is guilty of them It were a Subject worth a wise man's pains who had abilities and leisure to give an accurate Account of that Controversie but I shall only cite the Authors as they occur and make for the present purpose The King's Opinion we need not doubt of since the severest Enemies of this Doctrin confess that it hath been a commendable policy in Princes to popagate such Opinions nor have the Atheistical Politicians spared even Solomon himself as he served his own and not the interest of Truth when he said By me Kings reign Bishop Andrews's Sentiments have been published in the first part of this History to which may be added other Passages in the Writings of the same Author * Vol. of Serm. p. 803 804. Upon misconceiving this point some have fallen into a fancy that his anointed may forfeit their Tenure and so cease to be his If after he is anointed he grow defective prove a Tyrant fall to favor
Father at his Devotions instead of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Sons in the Original we find the Vowels set in the Teâ—â— which is somewhat strange in that tongue without their Consonants ☞ perhaps to intimate closely that so many Circumstances concurring otherwise for the aggravation of the offence as Subjects to lay violent hands on a King and that in the Temple and that at his Devotions to add further that it was done by his own Sons however it be more vocal than the Blood of Abel yet the manner of setting it down should shew it also to be scelus infandum a Wickedness too monstruous to be fully express'd Two Sons there were that David had whom he especially as it were doated upon above the rest of his Children Absalom and Adonijah and both of these take their advantages as far as in them lay to tumble their aged Father down from his Throne and bury him alive to make way for their prodigious and preposterous Purposes the former by the Peoples favor which he had gotten by his Hypocritical Popularity the latter by his Fathers Feebleness backing himself by the countenance of wicked Joab and disloyal Abiathar this hard measure received good King David at the hands of those of whom he best deserved He saw the Law of Nature violated Conscience of so heinous a Fact contemn'd his Indulgence repaid with monstrous Ingratitude his try'd Valour outbrav'd by his own Subjects Pag. 8. But the Judg of all the World is not subject to like Passions with us none shall touch his Anointed for evil but evil shall hunt those wicked Persons to destroy them P. 10. Godoliah was too confident on his own Innocency and the Loyalty of those that spake him fair but the event proved it too true for his security gave the advantage which the Traytor taking performed that most wicked Design which made all the miserable remnant of Israel to smart for it P. 11 12. They who hold such Grounds in their Schools that the Pope may make void the Oath of Allegiance that Subjects have taken to their lawful Princes that upon a pretence they are faln from the Church and turn'd Hereticks he may depose them and that being so deposed they may be lawfully murthered by their Subjects What hope may remain that such so bred so taught so believing will ever prove loyal A Traytor is a man of Belial P. 16 18. who to the disgrace of himself and his whole Family impiously conceivs and rebelliously vents his Hatred and Disloyalty against his lawful Sovereign Treason is of a deeper tincture than other Sins deserving a heavier doom and therrfore of all true Christians the more earnestly to be detested P. 22 23. Had these Men remembred what the wise King Solomon had left them for a better direction Prov. 8. By me Kings reign c. they might have found that the bond of Obedience to Princes is not so loosly knit by God that Subjects may dissolve it at their pleasure or upon any Discontent or Injury whatsoever cry we have no part and renounce our Inheritance for as a Head never so rheumatick and the fountain of all Diseases in the rest of the Members may not be therefore parted from them for fear of a worse inconvenience neither can the Members upbraid it as the Apostle and Nature teach us with these contemptuous Words ☜ I have no need of thee So the Head in the Body politick must keep his place howsoever till that highest Authority take it off who first set it on to change it for a better the more pernicious in reformed States and Commonwealths is the wicked band of Antichrist who take upon them to sever those whom God hath so linked together What other conclusion do they drive at in all their Volumes against the King's Supremacy and Subjects Oath of Allegiance but to make their Followers conceit that they have no part in King James SECT X. William Barclay tho a Romanist having written Six Books against the Enemies of Monarchy Buchanan Junius Brutus Boucher and others Cardinal Bellarmine thought himself so nearly concerned in the Controversie as to write an Answer to the learned Scotchman Barclay being dead Dr. Buckeridge Bishop of Rochester undertook the Papal Champion Lond. 1614. and in Two Books fully handles the Power of the Pope in deposing Kings and having asserted * Lib. 1. c. 1. p. 11. That Authority and Obedience are Relatives grounded on the Commandment of Honouring our Parents and †Câ—p 8 p. 1â—0 c. that all the Ancients were of this opinion that Kings were inferior only to God and superior to all other Persons and therefore could be deposed only by God because Inferiors have no Authority over their Superiors and that their Misdemeanours are not punishable by their Subjects since they have no Judg but God alone he cites S. ‖ Lib. 2. c. 3. p. 217. Paul Rom. 13.1 that there is no power but of God and that this is a general Sentence and that therefore the Power of Kings is from God and not from the People He that resists resists the ordinance of God this also is a general Sentence and binds all Traytors and Parricides who conspire against the Lord 's Anointed who raise Seditions and Tumults take Arms and muster Forces against Kings tho they be excommunicated and deposed Lib. 2. c. 6. p. 281. And when Bellarmine had objected that the Power of Kings is not immediately from God because Men by a certain natural instinct choose themselves Magistrates by whom they are governed He proves at large that tho the form of Government i. e. whether it be a Monarchy Aristocracy or Democracy be from Men yet the Power is alone and immediately from God. Every King sits on his Throne as a God I have said ye are gods but can the People choose and constitute a Deputy in God's stead Can they erect God's Throne and communicate his Power to Men without his consent Power therefore is immediately from God altho it be given to this or that particular Person by the mediation of the People P. 282. Paternal and regal Power are the same in essence tho they differ in extent what a Father is in one Family that a is King in many Families what then Did the Power of Adam over his Sons and Nephews and all mankind depend on their consent or did it flow from God and Nature ☞ And are hereditary Princes who are not made but born so made Kings by the consent of the People when in the same instant in which the Father dyes the Son is King P. 289. If the Power of Kings be not instituted by men without God neither can it be destroyed by men without God Grant we the Proposition true that God doth give Kingdoms to the Subjects with the consent of their Subjects P. 290. for God can confer and transfer Kingdoms by Men and without
Puritan against Scripture Fathers Councils and other Orthodoxal Writers for the Coercion deposition and killing of Kings and the Title is a sufficient declaration what the Author's judgment was the Book it self being in many places both as to Argument and Style very agreeable to the Treatise called Deus Rex set forth by the King's Order he proves in the First Chapter that Kings are not punishable by man but reserv'd to the Judgment of God by the Testimony of the Holy Scriptures and in the subsequent Chapters he proves the same by the Testimony of the Fathers and other ancient Writers and he briefly gives his Opinion * P. 24. Chap. 4. but very fully Be the King for his Religion impious for his Government unjust for his Life licentious the Subject must endure him the Bishop must reprove him the Counsellor must advise him all must pray for him and no mortal man hath Authority to disturb or displace him The same Author Ann. 1622. printed at Cambridg his Anti-Paraeus in confutation of †Ambergae 1612. David Paraeus's Book De Jure Regum Brincipum contra Bellarminum Becanum c. who disallowing the Pope's Claim invested the Power over Princes in the People In the Preface of this Book the Dr. shews the consonancy and agreeableness of the Popish and Disciplinarian Principles and in the Book refutes from the dictates of nature Thes 1. p. 3 c. the laws of Nations Civil and Canon Scriptures Fathers and most eminent Reformed Divines that the Power and Jurisdiction of Kings is not founded in compact as if the Majesty of Princes were derived from the People and limited by them but that P. 16 17. as God is the Supreme Lord of all who judges all his Creatures and is judged of none so Kings and Princes who judge and punish others can be judg'd and punish'd by no one save God alone to whose only power they are subject this David understanding though guilty of Adultery and Murder implores the divine mercy against thee only have I sinned for I acknowledg no other Superior on Earth but thee who can call me to account give sentence against me or punish me for my sin the reason is the King is the head of the body politick but the members ought not to judge the head because they are subject nor to cut it off for then they cease to be members and this the Heathen Poet knew and averred that Kings have a power over their several Subjects but God only hath an Empire and Authority over Kings Nor will the publick safety and tranquillity be maintain'd without such an unaccountable power in Kings for the Monarch who is opposed by his rebellious Subjects although they are much too strong for him will call to his assistance all his neighbouring Kings and Confederates will list Foreign Forces to vindicate himself and the miseries of such a War will be a poor comfort to such an infatuated Nation P. 18. but suppose there were such a power in the People to call their Kings to account which we ought not to grant ☞ Nero perish'd but the case of Rome was not better'd by it for in the next year after his death it felt more calamities and was imbrued in more blood than in the whole nine years of Nero 's Tyranny Rome when she cast off her Kings did not abrogate p. 19. but change the Tyranny and Athens drove out one Tyrant and brought in thirty ☞ I do confidently assert that all Tyranny whether it uses violence against God or Man ought to be suffer'd ought not to be abrogated till he puts an end to it who alone girds and ungirds the loins of Kings p. 20. Solomon was guilty of Polygamy and Idolatry but lost not his Crown and Dignity Ahab slew Naboth Tyrannically Banished and put to death the Prophets persecuted the true Religion and established the Worship of Baal by his Authority but neither the inferior Magistrate nor the People presumed to resist his Tyranny it is true Jehu did so but it was not by any power that the Laws gave him but by an extraordinary Commission from Heaven and that which could not then be done without an Oracle from Heaven cannot now be done without the contempt of God's Majesty the contumely of Kingly Power and the ruin of the Commonwealth Christ who lived under the Empire of Tiberius the Authority of Herod and Government of Pilate p. 22. the Apostles who flourish'd under Caligula Claudius Nero and Domitian the Primitive Christians who lived under Persecutors for three hundred years Liberius Hosius Athanasius Nazianzen and many other Fathers who for a thousand years after the Birth of Christ watered the Church with their holy Lives and sound Doctrine were all ignorant of this Mystery that Princes may be resisted by their Subjects if they are blessed who suffer persecution for righteousness sake p. 25. then they undoubtedly shall not be blessed who refuse to suffer persecution for righteousness sake for in that they will not suffer but rise against their Persecutors they are convinc'd of sin and acquire to themselves damnation But are not Princes under the power of the Law Yes P. 41. under the directive not under the compulsive power of the Law. P. 43. but have not Princes given their Subjects many and must they be suffered to invade them it is very hard that Princes own voluntary concessions should be made use of to their detriment to encourage their Subjects to Rebellion and Parricide but whatever Princes do as the Laws are derived from them and they are the interpreters of them so though they voluntarily submit to their direction they cannot be compell'd so to do the concessions of a Prince to his Subjects P. 55. do not give them a right to call him to account Tyrants who are in possession of lawful power over us we are commanded to obey forbidden to resist ☜ for in the Holy Scripture we find no distinction between a good Prince and an evil Tyrant as to the honour reverence and obedience that is due to them it is not lawful therefore to draw the Sword against them because they that resist resist God and shall receive to themselves damnation but no law of God or Man hath set over us private Tyrants Usurpers or Domestick Thieves we are under no obligations to them we owe them no obedience nor are we any way either out of reverence to their power or necessity of submission but that we may repel force by force P. 65. one Apostle forbids all resistance another commands obedience to Superiors neither of them make any distinction between good and bad and they speak to all Inferiors indifferently to Lay and Clergy to Men of all Orders Degrees and Dignities that Man therefore distinguishes ill where the Law of God admits of no distinction in such a case God allows us flight P. 80. and patience and prayers and tears
the Covenant Printed at Lon. 1640. disproves their pretended conformity with the French Churches in the points of Church Discipline and Obedience to Superiors averring solemnly P. 2. that it was ever far from our wishes that your conformity with the Reformed Churches of France should be misapplyed as a pretence of your expelling your Bishops much less a president for you to take Arms against your Gracious Sovereign P. 37 38. take it for granted that the Orders imposed upon you by His Majesty are Ungodly and Antichristian are you therefore allowed to defend Religion with Rebellion will ye call the Devil to the help of God Sure it is a prodigious kind of Christian Liberty for a Subject to draw his Sword against his Sovereign you that stand so much upon the point of conscience ought ye not to be subject for Conscience sake ☞ Were your Sovereign unjust and froward and his commands injurious unto God had ye instead of our pious defender of the Faith a fierce Dioclesian illud solis precibus patientiâ sanari potest nothing will mend it but prayers and patience it is Beza's counsel to the discontented Brethren of England conformable to that of St. 1 Pet. 3.17 Peter for it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing than for evil doing if the Sovereign come to kill the Subject for his Religion the Subject must yield him his throat not charge his Pike against him and this he proves by Calvin's Practice and Writings P. 38 39 40. the Churches of France have lately declared to His Majesties Ambassador there their utter dislike of the Insurrection of Scotland under pretence of a Covenant with Christ P. 41. there can be no just cause to take Arms against a Lawful Sovereign after this he treats of the French Protestants taking Arms P. 46. and concludes that till the Reign of King Lewis the Arms of the Protestants were either justifiable or excusable but their Wars in his time were neither and they prosper'd accordingly P. 48. the French Protestants had to do with a King of a contrary Religion they were incens'd by many wrongs and oppressions they were in danger to lose with their Forts and Towns their Liberty their Religion and their Life the privileges which they enjoyed were rewards of their long Services by the Charter of Rochel when they yielded to Lewis XI it was granted to them that they should be no longer the King's Subjects ☞ than the King should maintain their immunities and yet these true reasons and just fears could not justifie their defensive Arms against their Sovereign but they were condemn'd by the best of their own and of their neighbors and God shewed his dislike by the ill success he gave them And much more to this purpose is to be seen in his answer to Philanax Anglicus and in his Regii sanguinis Clamor ad caelum contra Parricidas Anglicanos Hagae Com. 1652 C. 1. 〈◊〉 5. for that being is du Moulin juniors and not Alexander Morus's as was conjectured affirming with the Apostle that even the Jews would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory had they known him while the Parricides of King Charles I. wittingly and wilfully Murdered their Lawful King and with the King beheaded also the Church of England and brought upon the neighbouring Protestant Churches abundance of Dishonor and much danger while the same madness was imputed to all the Reformation which had only infected a few who falsly called themselves Reformed Nothing hath happened since the beginning of the World more contrary to the glory of God or that hath cast a greater blot upon holy Truth while the Wickedness defends it self by the Doctrin of the Gospel and is said to be perpetrated to vindicate the Protestant Religion to the just indignation and abhorrence of all the foreign Churches for which reason Salmasius P. 7. Heraldus Porree and others wrote smartly both against the Men P. 17. and their villanous Principles It is a Law not only written but born with us and springs from the most pure fountains of Nature That it is a most horrid crime for Subjects to punish their Princes and therefore we do too much honour to Parricides when we use Arguments against them for as Aristotle says they who doubt 1 Top. c 9 whether God is to be worship'd or Parents to be honoured are not to be convinc'd by Reasons but by Scourges and Salmasius hath proved by unanswerable Reasons by divine and human Authority that the Majesty of Kings is unaccountable and that Subjects have no manner of Authority over them Cap. 2. p. 29 30. There is no fallacy of Satan which more prevails upon good Men to engage them in an evil Cause than when Men contrary to God's Word believe that it is lawful to do evil that good may come thereof and that God hath need of our sinful assistance to promote his Kingdom and that whatever is design'd to promote God's Glory immediatly commences good P. 52. the Judges at Westminster were turn'd out by the Army because being consulted they had given this opinion that to judge the King was against the Laws of England Cap. 5. p. 107. to argue from Providence and Success to the goodness of a Cause is impudent one man is hang'd for that by which another gets a Crown Junius Brutus by expelling the Kings of the Family of Tarquin saved his Country another Brutus by murdering a Tyrant ruined it perhaps the later Brutus did an act of justice when he slew an Usurper but the first was very unjust who drove away a lawful King by the murder of King Charles I. Cap. 6. p. 121. the Parricides taught the rest of the World that Kings may be guilty of breach of trust to their People that the People are their Judges and may condemn and execute them and these Tenets they are not ashamed to own in their Writings that they had freed the World of its old Superstition that Kings are only obnoxious to God and can be punish'd only by him that they had set an example to all other Nations conducive to their safety and to be dreaded by all Tyrants as Cromwel wrote to the Scots after Dunbar fight what an occasion of insulting is hereby given to the Papists to say Cap. 7. p. 135. this is the Religion which brings down Reformation to us from Heaven these are the Men who cry out against the Usurpations of the Popes upon the Crowns and lives of Princes only that they might themselves have that power over Kings when they had snatched it from the Pope But the Papists would suggest this with less fierceness if they remembred that those few who left us in this point went to them and borrowed their Weapons from them C. 8 p. 148. these Monsters do not content themselves with being simple Parricides but they turn Rebellion into a
Griffith Serm. 25. Mar. 1660. called fear God and the King p. 11. v.p. 39. and p. 8 9. If God command one thing and the King should command another then God's command is to be preferred and yet let me tell you that the King is not to be disobeyed for a true Christian is obliged to a twofold obedience Active and Passive Where the King commands things Lawful there yield Active Obedience and know that it is your duty to do them but if he should command such a thing as you may not lawfully do then you must not resist but suffer patiently for your not doing it and that is your Passive Obedience and in both these you may still keep a good Conscience for though God be to be preferred yet God will not have his Anointed to be disobeyed Dr. Jane Dean of Gloucester Ser. at the Consecr of Doctor Crompton Bishop of Oxon p. 30 31 32. Such is the peculiar genius of Christianity that where ever it is either Preacht or Received it can create no jealousie in the State. The ground upon which this Assertion stands is this that it disclaims all title to the Sword but leaves him that takes it to perish with it though it be drawn in defence of Christ himself In the Church then as of old in Israel there was no Smith to provide Swords and Spears though against their persecuting Philistines To obey Authority was taught and practised under a Nero and their Submissions were as unparallel'd as their Provocations And we may truly suppose under the Roman Emperors that had the Doctrine of Obedience been as truly received by their Heathen Subjects as it was Preacht by S. Paul and practised by the believing Romans they had effectually provided for the publick Tranquillity without any further need of Forts and Armies to secure it Dr. Outram The Glory of the King Ser. Jan. 30. 1664. p. 141 149. the Privileges of the Parliament the Liberty of the Subject the Purity of Religion these are written upon the Face of the design The Principle is doing evil that good may come of it and breaking Laws that we may the better observe them These Men went to Rome to whet the Ax and borrowed an Arrow out of the Roman Quiver secretly to shoot the Lord 's Anointed Were the Prince a Nero p. 160. Paul would charge us we should not resist and would charge resistance with damnation Sir Orlando Bridgman at the Tryal of the Regicides says Try. p. 10 12. v. p. 15 52 182 283. I must deliver to you for plain and true Law that no Authority no single Person no Community of Persons not the People Collectively or Representatively have any coercive Power over the King of England And this he proves at large in the same place The Crown of England is and always was an Imperial Crown Now I do not intend any Absolute Government by this It is one thing to have an Absolute Monarchy another thing to have that Government absolutely without Laws as to any coercive Power over the Person of the King. God is my witness what I speak V. p. 13 14. p. 280. V. p. 281 282. I speak from mine own Conscience that is that whatsoever the case was by the Laws of these Nations the Fundamental Laws there could not be any coercive Power over the King. And this he there proves from the obligation of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy c. Mark the Doctrine of the Church of England and I do not know with what spirit of Equivocation any Man can take that Oath of Supremacy Her Articles were the judgment not only of the Church but of the Parliament at the same time And the Queen and the Church were willing that these should be put into Latin that all the World might see the Confession of the Church of England So also Sir Heneage Finch P. 51. then the King's Sollicitor General The King is not accountable to any coercive Power See also the accurate Treatise See also Nalson's Counter p. 35 c. 3â—9 Com. Interest of Kings p. 139 c. p. 3. called the Harmony of Divinity and Law which proves that it is a damnable sin to resist Sovereign Princes and answers all the little objections of the Republicans to the contrary I shall here only mention Mr. Foulu's History of the Plots and Conspiracies of the pretended Saints and briefly transcribe a passage or two out of Dr. Sprat Bishop of Rochester his True account of the horrid Conspiracy At that time under the color of the only true Protestant the worst of all Unchristian Principles were put in Practice all the old Republican and Antimonarchical Doctrines whose effects had formerly proved so dismal were again as confidently owned and asserted as ever they had been during the hottest rage of the late unhappy Troubles p. 21. See p. 41. The Lord R was seduced by the wicked Teachers of that most Unchristian Doctrine which has been the cause of so many Rebellions That it is lawful to resist and rise against Sovereign Princes for preserving Religion p. 43 44. Other Principles were that the only obligation the Subject hath to the King is a mutual Covenant that this Covenant was manifestly broken on the King's part ☞ that therefore the People were free from all Oaths and other tyes of Fealty and Allegiance and had the natural Liberty restored to them of asserting their own Rights and as justly at least against a Domestick as against Foreign Invaders p. 131. v. p. 132. The whole design of A. S's Papers was to maintain That Tyrants may be justly Deposed by the People and that the People are the only Judges who are Tyrants That the general Revolt of a Nation from its own Magistrates can never be called a Rebellion which Positions the Historian calls with great Truth and Justice Villanous Opinions p. 133. and such as if allowed it will be impossible for the best Kings or the most happy Kingdoms in the World to be free from perpetual Treasons p. 164. and Rebellious Plottings But his Majesty hath just reason to acknowledge that the main body of the Nobility and Gentry stood by him so has the whole sound and honest part of the Commonalty so the great Fountains of Knowledge and Civility the two Universities so the wisest and most learned in the Laws so the whole Clergy and all the genuine Sons of the Church of England ☞ a Church whose glory it is to have been never tainted with the least blemish of disloyalty Dr. Pocock In ch 8. Hos 4. p. 388 389. Some Interpreters by Setting up Kings but not by me would understand Saul but that cannot with reason be imagined Others looking on the sin of the Israelites to be their defection from the House of David on which God had intayled the Right and Title of the Kingdom and their changing of the Kinghom and Priesthood of their own heads
affirm'd by many others of their Writers Thus we find P. 1â— the most mischievous Commonwealth Principles have been very well entertain'd at Rome as long as they are subservient to the Pope's deposing Power and if we inquire further into the reason of these pretences we shall find them alike on both sides the Commonwealth's Men when they are askt how the People having once parted with their Power come to resume it they presently run to an implicite contract between the Prince and the People by virtue whereof the People have a Fundamental Power left in themselves which they are not to exercise but upon Princes violation of the Trust committed to them ☞ the very same ground is made the Foundation of the Pope's deposing Power viz. an implicite contract that all Princes made when they were Christians to submit their Scepters to the Pope's Authority which is so implicite P. 13. that very few Princes in the World ever heard of it it is declared in the Case of King John that the resignation of the Crown to the Pope is a void Act. And so consequently will the Imposing any such condition be as inconsistent with the Rights of Sovereignty if they plead an implicite contract who made such conditional settlements of Civil Power upon Princes ☞ who keeps the ancient Deeds and Records of them for all the first Ages of the Christian Church this conditional Power and Obedience was never heard of not when Emperors were open and declared Infidels or Hereticks what reason can be supposed more now than was in the times of Constantius and Valens that were Arian Hereticks Yet the most Learned Zealous and Orthodox Bishops of that time never once thought of their losing their Authority by it as I could easily prove if the design of this Preface would permit me If Christ and his Apostles were the best Teachers of Christianity P. 15 this is certainly no part of it for the Religion they taught never meddled with Crowns and Scepters but left to Caesar the things that were Caesar's and never gave the least intimation to Princes of any forfeiture of their Authority if they did not reader to God the things that are God's it requires all Men of what rank or order soever to be subject to the Higher Powers P. 16. because they are the Ordinance of God and to pray for them that are in Authority c. Thus far the Christian Religion goes in these matters and thus the Primitive Christians believed and practised when their Religion was pure and free from the Corruptions and Usurpations which the Interests and Passions of Men introduced in the following Ages and how then come Princes in these later times to be Christians upon worse and harder terms than in the best Ages of it in my mind there is very little difference between Dominion being founded in grace and being forfeited for want of it and so we are come about to the Fanatick Principles of Government again which this deposing Power in the Pope doth naturally lead Men to but this is not all the mischief of this Doctrin For 2. It breaks all Bonds and Oaths of Obedience how sacred and solemn soever they have been P. 17. there being an obligation to Obedience on the Subjects part which doth naturally arise from the relation between them and their Prince when Subjects are absolved from their Oaths of Allegiance they are thereby declared free from that natural duty they were obliged to before this is nulling the obligation to a natural duty and taking away the force of Oaths and Promises this is turning Evil into Good and Good into Evil that can make Civil Obedience to Princes to be a Crime ☞ and Perjury to be none this is a greater Power than the Schoolmen will allow to God himself where there is intrinsick goodness in the nature of the thing and inseparable evil from the contrary to it P. 18. for tho it be granted that God may after the matter or circumstances of things our Question is only about dispensing with the force and obligation of a Law of Nature such as keeping our Oaths undoubtedly is this he illustrates very Learnedly and at large in some following Paragraphs asking how comes the Pope to have power to give away another Man 's natural right a Man swears Allegiance to his Prince by virtue of which Oath the Prince challenges his Allegiance as a sworn duty the Pope dispenseth with this Oath i.e. gives away the Princes right whether he will or no. but how came the Pope by that right of the Prince which he gives away P. 19 20 21. may he not as well give away all the just rights of Men to their Estates as those of Princes to their Crowns Cajetan lays down a good rule about dispensing with Oaths that in them we ought to see that no prejudice be done to the Person to whom and for whose sake they are made he afterwards cites the several distinctions which the Roman Casuists use to vindicate this Power of dispensing with Oaths particularly Laymen that a promising Oath made to a Man cannot ordinarily be relax'd p. 24. without the consent of the Person to whom it is made except it be for the publick good of the Church ☜ as tho evil might be done for the good of the Church but woe be to them that make good evil and evil good when it serves their turn for this is plainly setting up a particular Interest under the name of the good of the Church and violating the Laws of Righteousness to advance it if Men break through Oaths and the most solemn Engagements and Promises ☜ and regard no bonds of justice and honesty to compass their ends let them call them by what specious names they please p. 25. the good Old Cause or the good of the Church it matters not which there can be no greater sign of Hypocrisie and real Wickedness than this for the main part of true Religion doth not lye in caâ—ting Phrases or mystical Notions neither in specious shews of devotion nor so zeal for the true Church but in Faith as it implies the performance of our promises as well as belief of the Christian Doctrin and in Obedience or a careful observance of the Laws of Christ among which Obedience to the King as Supreme is one which they can never pretend to be an inviolable duty who make it in the Power of another Person to absolve them from the most solemn Oaths of Allegiance and consequently suppose that to keep their Oaths in such a case would be a sin and to violate them may become a duty which is in effect to overturn the natural differences of good and evil to set up a controuling Sovereign Power above that of their Prince and to lay a perpetual Foundation for Faction and Rebellion which nothing can keep Men from If Conscience and their Solemn Oaths cannot Therefore 3. The third
the Conscience and indispensible because the King's Power is from God pag 62. to whom only Kings are accountable They pray for him three or four times by Name in all their solemn Offices their Sermons are frequent and pressing upon this Theme and their Books are numerous against Papists and their factious Scholars for the Right of Kings yea and their Actions being always Loyal do justifie they sincerely believe as they teach Dr. Sec. Edit ad Lectorem Pelling's Apostate Protestant Those Republicans who were the Movers of the Bill of Exclusion very well knew that by the sam ePower which they pretended to have to dispose of the Heir they might pretend afterwards to have to devest and destroy the Possessor of the Crown And I will presume to declare on my own and my Brethrens behalf too without begging their pardon that we still act ☞ and by the Grace of God resolve stedfastly to act upon the same loyal Principles wherewith we have hitherto endeavor'd to season the Kingdom The People cannot but be tickled at the heart p. 6 7. when they are told that they have a Sovereign Power in them which they did not dream of that they can make and unmake Kings that Crowns and Scepters lye at their Worship's Feet must make Court to them for Succession and that they can if they will bar them out and come like the Tribunes of the People of Rome with an uncontroulable Veto I am grieved at the heart and 't is enough to raise the indignation of every honest Man to find that so many among us do so inconsiderately not to say maliciously run altogether upon this Jesuit's Principles c. V. p. 9 10 11. p. 14. Doleman confidently insists on this that the Crown is not a bare Inheritance but an Inheritance accompanying an Office of trust and that if a Man's defects render him uncapable of the trust he hath also forfeited the Inheritance and from this Principle he concludes that even a true King may be deposed when he answers not the trust which the People had reposed in him This Jesuitical Doctrin did not long ago cost one of our Kings his Throne and his life too I pray God it be not so chargeable to another but t is ominous when pretending Protestants will be nibling at such Jesuitical Principles Observe that the Power of Deposing a King P. 19. naturally follows from the Doctrin of the People's Power to chuse one if any of our Clergy hold our Kings to be Divine they hold no more than what all Christians have ever held P. 21. V. p. 24 25. P. 33 34. v. loc p. 36. no more than what the Church of England hath declared no more than what the Laws of our Country do own and will bear them out in Doleman is positive that Princes may lawfully be deposed and he observes too is a remarkable instance as he calls it that God hath wonderfully concurred for the most part with such judicial Acts of the Commonwealth against their evil Princes not only in prospering the same but by giving also some notable Successor in the place of the deposed had Father Parsons been alive in our days perhaps he would have instanc'd in that blessed Bird Oliver Cromwell among the rest I happen'd to read a new Assemblies Catechism called a Political Catechism p. 38. v. p. 40 41 c. and I found it as full of the Jesuit's Venom as if it had been spit out of Doleman's own Mouth these are some of the Principles in it word for word 1. That the Government being a regulated Monarchy the King is not above the Law but is accountable to the Law and not to God only 2. That whatsoever is done by the King without and beyond the limits of the Regulation is not Regal Authority 3. That to resist the notorious transgressions of that regulation is no resisting the Regal Authority that the immediate Original of the King's Power is from the People and many other such Principles upon which the late Rebellion was raised and maintained After this he proceeds to shew that the little arts made use of to evade the obligations to Passive Obedience have been also borrowed from the Jesuits and to vindicate Dr. Hicks's Sermon on that Subject as also to shew the Parallel between the Jesuit and the Puritan particularly in their disobedience to Government violation of Oaths c. And then subjoins that when once Men are Jesuited P. 50. they will never stick at any manner of wickedness Lying Libelling Sedition defaming of Government Perjury c. you see how basely partial these Folks are in their ordinary censures P. 51. let a Man be a true Friend to the King and to the Establish'd Government and presently forsooth he is a Papist let him resuse to do evil that good may come tho that was St. Paul's way and he is called a Papist let him be for subjection to a Lawful Prince ☜ and when time serves for Passive Obedience and he is a Papist with a witness but let these Men profess the Faith and Doctrins of the Jesuits let them lye and equivocate like the Jesuits let them violate Oaths v. p 52 53 57 58. or construe them in their own sense like the Jesuits let them dispense with one another in doing any wickedness that is serviceable to their cause as the Jesuits do yet who but they the true Protestants we dare not be dishonest unless we will be Hypocrites nor be Rebels P. 54. unless we will be damn'd Some in Solomon's time were given to change out of 〈◊〉 strange kind of levity and inconsistency of mind Id. Serm. on Prov 24.21 1632. p. 25. and therefore some Expositors render the place thus cum inconstantibus with Men that are fickle and unsteady in their Loyalty would we not think it strange that Men who have shewed their fidelity all along Men who have acted taught suffered and ventur'd their Lives for the sake of Majesty should such I say start aside and suffer themselves to be wheadled into Faction at last Truly we might wonder at it the less when we consider that it was the case of several Men in the Reign of David and especially two very eminent Persons Abiathar the Priest and Joab that brave Commander the former had been David's secret and sure Friend and the later had not turn'd after Absalom both of them had been faithful hitherto but when Adonijah usurp'd the Kingdom both of them were concern'd in that Plot the Priest turn'd an Apâ—state and the General a Renegado upon what provocations I do not know nor can I gather any reason thereof unless it be that I now have mention'd a strange inconstancy of Spirit in Men who in David's Old Age thought it their best cunning to take up the Persian custom and worship the Rising Sun. Thus the Letter to a dissenter on occasion of the Declaration of Indulgence We are
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
who can lift up his hand against the Lord 's Anointed and be innocent 1 Sam. 26.9 or do they consider his commands in the Proverbs of Solomon 24.21 my Son fear God and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change or his counsel in the Book of Ecclesiastes 8.1 I counsel thee to keep the King's commandment and that in regard of the oath of God or because they possibly may pretend that they are exempted from or unconcern'd in the commands of Obedience delivered in the Old Testament do they know and remember the Precept given to all Christians by St. Peter submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake c. or that terrible Sanction of the same command they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation left by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans who then were the miserable Subjects of the worst King the worst Man nay I think I may add truly the worst Beast in the World that so all Rebels mouths might be stopt for ever ☜ and left without all colour and pretence whatsoever to justifie resistance of Sovereign Power Undoubtedly if they did know and consider and lay to heart these places of Scripture or the fearful judgment which befel Corah Dathan and Abiram for this very sin which they now commit and with a high hand still proceed in it would be impossible but their hearts would smite them as David 's did upon an infinitely less occasion and affright them out of these ways of present confusion and eternal damnation SECT III. Dr. 10 Serm. Prâ—at Lon. 16 â— P. 10â— Arthur Lake Bishop of Bath and Wells Magistrates are from God and he resides among them Magistrates must proceed like God God can and will redress the evils that spring from them because he is Sovereign in and over those places and persons which are misgoverned by them P. 131. what is our lesson truly first as Nazianzen advises as near as we can though we cannot as constantly as God not to have a heart and not a heart but to say with King David I have sworn and am stedfastly purposed it were to be wish'd there were such a constancy in our Oaths so many would not retract the Oath of that Allegiance which they owe without an Oath Dr. Sermon at St. Mary's Cambr on Judg. 21.25 1642. p. 27 28 29. Stephens The King's Commission is signed from Heaven by me Kings Reign his Authority is conferr'd by Heaven he is the Anointed of the Lord his power descends from Heaven obedience to him is required from Heaven 1 Pet. 2. it is the will of God that you submit your selves to the Government of your Kings I have heard the Prophet David suspected by some as partial in his own cause just like the Northern Borderers who conceived the Eighth Commandment thou shalt not steal to be none of God's making but foisted in by Henry the Eighth to shackle their thievish fingers but I dare oppose the 13th Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans against the power of Men or Devils which would trample upon the necks of Kings suppose thy King very wicked he hath more need of thy Prayers to make him better suppose him to be a Tyrant he will give thee the fairer occasions to exercise thy virtue of patience suppose him to be a Persecutor he 'll do thee a courtesie he 'll send thee to Heaven by violence Saul was an unnatural Tyrant against his own Son Jonathan P. 30 31. ☞ a bloody Persecutor of the Priest's of God a Sacrilegious Usurper of their Holy Offices a demoniacal furious Man possest with a Devil and on David 's part his life was sought for and by sparing Saul he should undo himself he had all the opportunity that might and security could administer unto him he was Saul 's adopted Son by Michal 's Marriage he was a Successor to the Kingdom by the Prophet's Unction and yet for all this who can lift up his hand c. are we Christians do we know the virtue of an Oath What think we then of the Solemn Oath of our Allegiance an Oath which can receive no dispensation no absolution from any power whatsoever contrary to the assertions of Bellarmine and Parsons is the establish'd Doctrin of the Church of England in the 37 Article the King's Majesty hath the chief Power in this Realm of England and his other Dominions and is not nor ought to be Subject to any jurisdiction whatsoever the six parts of the Homily against Rebellion are so full and apposite that we must either disclaim them from being the Interpreters of the Doctrin of our Church or sit down convinc'd in the manifest truth of this assertion c. Consider seriously against whom would you take up Arms Id. Serm. on Judg. 4.23 p. 78. is it not against the Power against the Ordinance of God they are Men before God but they are Gods before Men. the whole earth combining could not make St. Bernard willingly offend his King and shall the fear of a threatned plundering make us oppose our King shall the common rout persuade me to go to Hell for company 'T is true God sometimes refines his Church in the Furnace of Persecution neither then does he leave it naked and disarm it but what are the Churches weapons St. Ambrose had his dolere potero potero flere his sighs and groans against the Gothish Soldiers St. Bernard fought to death against Lewis of France non scutis aut gladiis sed precibus fletibus prayers and tears were his Sword and Buckler Nazianzen overcame Julian but it was lacrymis ubertim effusis by softning his Adamantine Heart with salt drops from their eyes thence flows the only Sea we can overthrow Pharaoh 's Host in SECT IV. P. H. Corah of the tribe of Levi joyn'd with Dathan c. Sermon at Cambr. 1640. on Numb 16. 3. p. 5 6. of the tribe of Reuben the Levite or Clergy alone would have wanted power and strength the Laity or Reubenite alone could not have had so fair a colour and cloak of Religion to cover their rebellious practices but both join'd together make a strong Faction and a fair show our surest course is to judge Mens Persons by their actions if their actions be unsound and irregular P. 10. 2. p. 11 c. if they gather themselves together against God's express word and commandment against their Prince and Sovereign be their outward appearance never so specious we may assure our selves that they neither fear God nor regard Man but only to serve their own turns if God in absolute and unlimited terms pronounce ☜ whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God I cannot see how the goodness of the end be it Religion or Reformation or the common good can warrant any such resistance from the transgression of God's Ordinance P. 15. cons the place unless these and the like limitations
had been specifyed and annext to the Command Law or Ordinance of Almighty God c. Anno 1643. Dr. Thomas Swadlyn Printed three Sermons intitled the Sovereign's desire and Subjects duty and himself was a Confessor at that time being Imprisoned for his Loyalty as he declares in his Epistle which he dedicates to the World wherein having proved that all Power is from God especially Monarchy he shews that every Soul is to be subject howsoever a King may deal unjustly with them Serm. 2. on Rom. 13 1. p. 25. either 1. By violating the Laws and inforcing their Consciences or 2. By depriving them of their Goods by extortions and imprisoning their Persons and though in the former of these cases he may not be obeyed yet in neither of these cases may he be resisted But what are we to do then Why we may either fly away as David did from Saul if we do not then we must suffer but at no hand may we resist When St. Paul says let every soul be subject he means 1. Let every Soul honour the King. 2. Let every Soul obey the King in things lawful and indifferent 3. Let every Soul be subject to the King in commands unlawful i. e. let every Soul patiently suffer when he cannot actually do If the commands violate the Conscience Id. Ser. 3. p. 29. 31 â—3 38. yet there the Power may not be resisted for to resist the Power is a sin second to none but Sacrilege the highest crime against Heaven is Sacrilege and the next crime to this is Rebellion against or disobedience unto the Majesty of Earth and whosoever resists the Higher Powers resists both God and the King the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies whosoever contrary orders or orders against the Laws or the Arms of the chief Magistrate he resists the Higher Powers whether it be in subtilty of counsel or obloquy of speech and if so much more a heinous crime is it to take up Arms against the King. I have not spoken this to flatter Kings no they shall dye like Men but to inform you he that presumes sins against the justice of God he that despairs sins against his Mercy but he that resists the Power sins against the Power of God and he that dares take Arms against the King would if he could take Arms against God too and therefore as damnation is due to every sin Sermon at Whitehall March 22 1639. p. 18 19. so especially to this sin the sin of Rebellion Dr. B. Holyday Archdeacon of Oxford to strike one's Father was death by the Law to curse one's Father was death by the Law c. the Law then for the Son and the Subject being the same where is the love where is the fear where is wisdom where is grace where is nature are they not all fled from a rebellious heart had zeal antiently armed it self against Sovereignty we had never heard of a Calendar of Saints P. 28. Salus populi suprema lex includes in it the safety of the head and for the members of the body to rise against the head is it not unnatural is it not frenzy let them remember the breach of Israel P. 30. which did first wilfully depart from their Sovereign and afterwards unwillingly whilest perforce from their Country and that afterwards in two hundred years they had both many more and worse Kings than Judah had and were at last seized on by the divine judgment to the instruction of others but their own ruin we may not do evil Id. Serm. at Oxf. May 21. 1643. p 42 Sermon at St. Mary's May 19. 1644. p. 65 66. that good may come thereof royalty must not down for the advancement of Religion object Rebellion and ye object all crimes it is nearer to a flout than a truth to call a Rebel a Christian they will ask what is the final cause of a King and they will answer the Peoples welfare certainly a true answer and as certain an imperfect one the People's good is an inferior purpose of Majesty the representation of the Divine Majesty is the highest purpose of Humane Majesty when in all causes a King is next under God Supreme Governor how can the People whether single or united P. 91. be the Governor of that Governor a great Council may be the adviser of a Prince but as the Statute Law of our Prayer binds us to confess before God it is God that is the only Ruler of Princes Id. Serm. at Chr. Ch. Nov. 10. 1644. p. 106. a King Absalom would be not of God's making for he had made David not of David's making a King then he could be made only by the People and the Devil whilest by the People and Treason whilst against the consent of God and David Mr. Berkenhead Serm. on Nov. 3. 1644. at Chr. Ch. Oxon. p. 13. However we must perform active Obedience to such Princes only as far as lawfully we may so long as they are not set in competition with God yet we must perform Passive Obedience and absolute subjection even if they should command the most unjust superstitious idolatrous profane and irreligious things which can be imagined yet I say we must not Rebel unless we will renounce Christianity but we must let this be the touchstone of our subjection even our patient and constant sufferings SECT V. Dr. Henry King Lord Bishop of Chichester They Sermon at St. Paul's Mar. 21. 1640. p. 11. that lift up their hands against the King in publick Rebellion or their tongues in murmur against his Commands or their hearts in disobedient and discontented thoughts are as ill Subjects to God as to the King you need not ask whom have they resisted St. Paul tells you Rom. 13. they have resisted the Ordinance of God for he hath his Power from God. Men like the mutinous Israelites P. 36. upon all occasions of pretended discontent cry down Moses and set up an Idol made out of popular votes and contributions Id. Serm. before the King May 29. 1661. p. 22 c. to what Votes soever Elective Rulers owe their Scepters Succession is the Vote of God who both declares the right and then continues it as his donation Crowns conferr'd by other hands sit loose and tottering upon the head of such as wear them I will give it keeps them fast this is the great Charter by which Kings hold the right to their Kingdoms by me Kings rule where are those then who place the right to dispose Kingdoms in the Popes or those in another extreme who intitle the People to this power a strange prodigy in opinion not heard of till those Men came into the World who as was falsly alledged of the Apostles at Thessalonica Act. 17.6 turn'd the World upside down placing the feet above the head and subjecting the Higher Powers contrary to the rule of God to the People who by his command ought to be subject unto