as were taken prisoners dreadfully executed which is seconded by that Oracle of our Laws Sir Edw. Coke Lord Chief Justice in the 3d. p. of his Institutes find a Principle in Law a Rule in Reason and a Trial in Experience that Treason doth ever produce fatal and final destruction to the Offender and never attaineth to the desired End two Incidents inseparable thereunto and therefore let all Men abandon it as the most poisonous Bait of the Devil of Hell and follow the Precept in Holy Scripture Fear God Honour the King and have no Company with the Seditious or at we translate it Meddle not with them that are given to change Prov. 24.21 Sect. 113. But suppose the Rebellion be prosperous and successful that the Rebels be Victors and instead of being drawn to the deserved Gibbet they usurp the Throne and arraign the Sovereign Powers as Criminals before their Tribunal and pronounce and execute that ugly Sentence on them they themselves have merited will they be as free from guilt before God as they will presume themselves secured from the Vengeance of Man No surely they are hainous Sinners against God and shall be punished with an everlasting destruction from the Presence of the Lord for resisting the Powers ordained by him and this is the Apostolical Doctrine professed by the Church of England who thus concludes the first Part of her Homily or Sermon of Obedience to Rulers with reference to my Text. Here let us learn of St. Paul the chosen Vessel of God that all Persons having Souls he excepteth none nor exempteth none neither Priest Apostle nor Prophet saith St. Chrysostome do owe bounden Duty and even in Conscience Obedience Submission and Subjection to the Higher Powers which be set in Authority by God forasmuch as they be God's Lieutenants God's Presidents God's Officers God's Commissioners God's Judges ordain'd of God himself of whom only they have all their Power and all their Authority and the same St. Paul threatneth no less pain than everlasting damnation to all disobedient Persons against all Resisters against this general and common Authority forasmuch as they resist not Man but God not Man's Device and Invention but God's Wisdom God's Order Power and Authority Sect. 114. That this truth may the more evidently appear I will represent unto you 1. The Sinfulness of resisting the Higher Powers with armed Force 2. The Grounds upon which the Decree and Ordination of God to condemn rebellious Resisters to an everlasting destruction is founded 1. That the Sinfulness of Rebellious Resistance against the Higher Powers may the more evidently appear it shall be considered both more generally as 't is directly opposed to Subjection and more particularly as it includes those â—vils which are necessarily antecedent and dispositive to it concomitants with it effects and consequential attendants of it Sect. 115. 1. We will consider the sinfulness of a Rebellious Resisting of the higher Powers more generally as 't is directly opposed in the Text to Subjection in the former Verse As Subjection is a Practical acknowledgment of our Allegiance and bounden Duty to the higher Powers so a violent Resistance of them is a practical disclaiming and renouncing of Submission and Obedience to them and consequently a Defiance made to that Power which is God's Ordinance and a contemning of the Authority of God himself Apostolus cujusque est ut quisque every ones Officer is himself say the Jews Disobedience to the Authority and Resistance against the Person of the Sovereign Ruler or those Commissioned by him who are God's Ministers and Deputy Gods is Disobedience and Resistance against God himself And accordingly Moses told Korah and his Confederates who associated themselves in opposition to Aaron as an Usurper that encroached on the Rights Liberties and Priviledges of the Lord's People that he and all his Company were gathered together against the Lord Numb 16.11 their Conspiracy and Rebellion against the Lord's Officer was against the Lord himself because he acted not in his own name and upon his own account but in God's name and for God's service And elsewhere told them that when they murmured against him and Aaron your murmurings are not against us i. e. only but against the Lord Ex. 16.8 i. e. principally and especially So God himself said to Samuel when the People stubbornly resolved upon another manner of Government than that he had exercised over them as to the external Pomp Grandeur and Succession thereof they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not Reign over them 1 Sam. 8.7 which is also the Case of all Christ's Ministers as Christ himself assured them Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And elsewhere Jo. 13.20 He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me So that the Officers of God and his Christ are as God and Christ themselves presentiate or represent them exercise not their own but their Authority and therefore the Despisers and Resisters thereof are Despisers and Resisters of the Persons and Authority of God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son And as Moses said to the Oppugnors of Aaron and what is Aaron So say I to the Resisters of the King and what is the King hath not God said that Kings are Gods Psal 82.1 6 And Reign by him Pr. 8.15 or as our Apostle stiles them twice in one Verse after the Text v. 4. they are the Ministers of God his Vice Roys Commissioned to attend his Work continually and God standeth and ruleth by them and judgeth with them Psal 82.1 He therefore that resisteth and fighteth against the King resisteth and fighteth against God himself Acts 5.39 for the Authority and Power of the King is the Authority and Power of God himself and consequently he who rejecteth and deposeth the King doth constructively reject and depose God himself because his Authority not only abstractly in its self but also concretly as inherent in his own Person and executed by him is of God too For as there is no Power or Authority but of God so the Powers the Persons in Authority that be are ordain'd of God whether they are good or bad Sect. 116. 'T is not therefore strange at all that Samuel compares Rebellion to the sin of Witch-craft and affirms it to be such a stubbornness for stubbornness is exegetical of Rebellion as is iniquity and Idolatry 1 Sam. 15.23 Rebellion is as the Sin of Witch-craft and stubbornness is as iniquity and Idolatry Indeed the Rebellion here spoken of was a Matter of Disobedience committed immediately against God himself but yet I conceive very applicable to that committed also immediately against the King because the Authority of the King and of God himself is the self same thing and the formal Reason of Subjection to the one and the other the very same viz. for conscience-sake that
Ease Liberty Property and Safety of the Subject cry themselves up for the Patriots of their Country if they encourage a Resistance of the Supream Powers and expose Subjects to the Mischiefs of War and lay them open to the Mercy of a Victorious Army the result will be Anarchy and Confusion Were Resistance of Authority never so lawful 't is such a Remedy of Public Grievances as never did or will bear its own Charges and whatever Nation or People used it paid a Severe Reckoning for it and lamented their Folly and Rashness The Miscarriages Oppressions and Tyrannies of a Single Person are finite and reach but to particular cases but the Miseries of War are endless and universal And whatever the Event be or whoever wins the Prize contended for the Common-wealth is sure to be a loser by it and the Generality never reap any thing from it but repentance and a dear bought experience of the Insolence of Souldiers who with drawn Swords rate the Merits of their Services and are not easily pleased unless they take whatever they demand If Princes may and do abuse their Power 't is much more certain that the Rabble neither can or will use theirs aright Sect. 14. 2. 'T is against Common Reason That Subjects should be allowed Liberty in any case whatsoever to resist the Sovereign Power because if Resistance in any case be allowed it must be allowed in all cases reducible to that case as hath been already intimated and the Subjects themselves being the Judges of it when they are disobliged and discontented they will presently pretend that case and the Common People are so easily imposed on and so partially affected to that which they account their own Interest that there will be no stop to pretences but they will be apt to conceive themselves Tyrannically insulted over and grievously oppressed when no harm at all is done to them and so disturb and hazard the Government rather than suffer the smalsest Inconveniences I will give you two remarkable Instances from the Scriptures of discontented popular Men who from unreasonable and wicked pretences resisted and disturbed two of the Best Governours in the World Sect. 14. 1. The First I shall instance for this is Moses He was meek above all the Men that were upon the Face of the Earth Numb 12.3 free from all sour and surly Passions and so full of gentleness and clemency that he gave no just cause of provocation to any Man And he was a Man of such unstained integrity that he hath this Character from the Holy Ghost himself That he was faithful in all Gods House Heb. 3.2 and he was so fast a Friend to the Israelttes that to preserve their Lives and Peace he hazarded his own Exo. 2.12 13 14 15. He was so highly favoured by God himself that he chose him to be the Captain General over his own People and his Conduct was seconded with so many Miracles and such extraordinary Preservations and Deliverances that he was as a God to them Exod. 4.16 and Moses had such glorious Appearances of God to him and such visible Symbols of his gracious Presence with him that they could not but be convinced that he was raised up by God himself to be their Leader and Saviour Yet when this Excellent Ruler of his People had by Gods own Appointment Consecrated Aaron and his Sons to the Priesthood and God gave an evident Testimony immediately from Heaven that the Service of Aaron in his Priestly Office was highly acceptable to him which was with astonishing admiration acknowledged by all the People of Israel Lev. 9.24 Yet you shall find that Cerah Dathan and Abiram pretend that their Civil and Religious Rights are Invaded and they themselves insolently tyrannized over And hereupon They gather themselves together against Moses and Aarons and lay to them ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are holy every one of them Numb 16.3 q. d. you deal partially and impropriate that to a few which of Right belongs to all And v. 13. they said to Moses Is it a Small Thing that thou hast brought us up out of a Land flowing with Milk and Honey to Kill us in the Wilderness except thou make thy self altogether a Ruler over us q.d. will nothing satisfie thee but Arbitrary Government And say they v. 14. Wilt thou put out the Eyes of these People q. d. dost think that these People are so dull and inapprehensive that they do not perceive that thou hast a Design to enslave them to thy imperious Will And what more unjust and unreasonable Pretences could there be made against the Administration of any Government in the World Yet you shall find that this Pleading of the Peoples Rights and Liberties and Priviledges was so taking that presently Two Hundred and Fifty of the Congregation took part with them Numb 16.2 and shortly after the whole Body of the Israelites unanimously espoused the Quarrel and 't was one and all against Moses and Aaron v. 19. and 't is wonderful to observe that though God miraculously manifested his indignation and abhorrence against these Rebels and their wicked Pretences causing the Earth to make it self a Grave to Bury them alive Numb 16.32 33. and sent down Fire from Heaven to consume the Two Hundred and Fifty Men who by Offering Incense had Invaded Priests Office v. 35. Yet notwithstanding all this you shall find that those bold and confident Speeches of Corah and his Companions being of a Popular Strain did so strangly insinuate into the Factious and Licentious Humour of the People and had such powerful influence upon them that the Main Body of the People the very next Day fall to murmuring against Moses and Aaron justifie the Complaints and Pretences of Corab and his Confederates own those Rebels for the People of the Lord and thought them hardly dealt withal And though God by his own immediate hand had destroved them in their very sight yet they impudently impute the spilling of their Blood to Moses and Aaron v. 41 42. Sect. 15. Now that which I design to infer from this notable instance are these Two Things 1. That Men of Seditious and Rebellious Spirits harden themselves against Convictions from the most Eminent Demonstrations of Divine Justice and Vengeance are implacable and unreconcilable to the Governing Powers over them will Calumniate Affront and Oppose them in Desiance to all the Reason Religion and Justice in the World And also 2. That 't is an easie matter for Men of discontented and ambitious Spirits to pretend Grievances Oppressions and Innovations under the most Regular Government in the World and such Men shall never want Partakers and Followers And therefore if it be allowable for Subjects to judge when there is a just and warrantable Ground for Insurrections and Rebellions against their Rulers there shall never be any setled Government upon Earth Sect. 16. 2. The other Governour I shall instance is David He was a King of Gods own
his Servants This People would not be contented unless God gave them a King as their Neighbouring Nations had to govern them and here the Prophet represents to them how he would demean himself in his Government He would from his Prerogative royal after the manner of the Kings of the Gentiles which was such a King as they desired claim and exercise Power to dispose of their Persons and Possessions as he pleased and how causlesly soever he oppressed them and to what base Drudgeries and dangerous Employments soever he consigned them their case would be remediless for as God would not help and relieve so neither could they lawfully by resistance help and relieve one another his external Magnificence and Pomp would tempt him to very grievous Exactions and how unreasonable and intollerable soever they might seem to be there was no redress to be expected because his Power was irresistible and uncontroulable and from which no appeal could be made verse 18. Ye shall cry out in that day because of your King which ye shall have chosen you and the Lord will not hear you in that day 'T is plain therefore that the Original Charter of that Supreme Power formerly exercised over this People was not lessened and limited by the Translation of it into a Regal Dignity but this manner of Government was more inconvenient for the People because the Grandeur and pompous Magnificence thereof would be more burthensome and oppressive to them Sect. 28. 'T is true their King was not commissioned and authorized by God to deal thus with them unless in case of extream necessity of which he was the sole Judge nor consequently could he do so lawfully and justly for God expresly forbad the Prince to take his Peoples inheritance and to thrust them by Oppression out of their Possessions Ezek. 46.18 And therefore when Ahab was guilty of such a Fact he was condemned and severely threatned for it 1 Kings 21.20 21. this description then of the manner of the King doth not primarily respect his Office but the exercise of his extraordinary Power and which necessarily belongs to all Sovereign Powers and is habitually inherent in them though never exerted for we cannot understand it simply of what the King might de facto actually do because 't is very ordinary for one private Man to oppress another we must therefore understand it of such an effect of Power as carries with it the priviledge of what is righteously and justly done that is it must not be resisted and punished Although he hath not God's approbation yet he hath thus far his tolleration that God forbids his Subjects to resist him and he hath this peculiar Right to himself that what is punishable in others is not so in him which is evidently implied in verse 19. If ye shall cry out in that day because of your King God will not hear you That is God would not allow them to resist or appeal to any Superior Power and to this Sense and Interpretation agreeth that of Solomon Eccl. 8.4 Where the Word of a King is there is Power and who may say unto him what dost thou and elsewhere he speaks of the King against whom there is no rising up Prov. 30.31 Clearly intimating that the Subjects of Israel could not lawfully resist their Kings with armed Force And this was the Reason as St. Augustine observes why David confessing his hainous Sins of Murther and Adultery both capital Crimes faid Against thee only that is God have I sinned Psal 51.4 Because being a King 't was his peculiar Prerogative to be exempted from all the Penalties which were the Effects of humane Power and to be only subject to divine Vengeance And I conceive that of Jezabel to King Ahab implieth so much too 1 Kings 21.7 Dost thou now govern the Kingdom of Israel which being spoken with reference to the obtaining of Naboth's Vineyard suggested to him that being a King he was not obnoxious to the coercive Force or Penalty of any human Law and therefore might do what he would to satisfy and please himself without exposing himself to any legal Danger of Opposition or Resistance Sect. 29. This Truth will further appear from the Consideration of the particular Case of Saul who was the first Person that was invested with the Regal Dignity according to that Fundamental Law of the Kingdom of Israel or Judah Deut. 17.15 Thou shalt in any wise set him King over thee whom the Lord thy God shalt chuse For he was chosen by the Lord to be King of Israel and by his special Command anointed to the Kingly Office by Samuel 1 Sam. 9.16 Comp. with 1 Sam. 10.1 and for such recognized by all the People 1 Sam. 10.24 and Ch. 11.15 and that he was exempted in the Exercise of his Regal Office from the Violence of armed Force shall be manifested from the Deportment of David towards him respectively to whom he abused his Regal Power in a most stupendious manner David was by God's special Command ancinted to succeed him in the Throne long before Saul's Death 1 Sam. 16.12 13. which was well known to Saul 1 Sam. 24.20 The Case was this Saul for his Disobedience to God's positive Command was rejected decreed to be rejected from his Kingdom 1 Sam. 13.13 14. But his Kingdom was to continue to him during his life 1 Sam. 26.10 11. that is the Kingdom was translated from Saul's Family and established in Davids Saul henceforward was Tenant if I may so speak for life only of the Kingdom and David was Reversioner in Fee The common Interest therefore of the Kingdom was in an extraordinary manner included in David's Safety and he was obliged to preserve himself for the public Welfare and by the Designation of God himself 't was manifest that the exchange of Saul for David would be for the general Good of the Kingdom Sect. 30. Under all these Circumstances Saul degenerates more and more and is so stubbornly rebellious against the Commands of God that Samuel tells him plainly that God had rejected him from being King and rent his Kingdom from him and given it to one better than he 1 Sam. 15.23 and 28. that is God's Sentence of Rejection was renewed and confirmed against him but not actually executed upon him till he was slain by the Amalekite and to other provocations Saul adds a most unjust malicious ungrateful and inhuman Persecution of David and nothing less than his Death will satisfy him 1 Sam. 20.31 32. and for his sake most barbarously Murthers Fourscore and Five Priests of the Lord And Nob the City of the Priests smote he with the Edge of the Sword both Men and Women Children and Sucklings and Oxen and Asses and Sheep 1 Sam. 22.18 19. which was a most inhuman Fact and afterwards hunted after David as for a Partridge on the Mountains and drove him away from the public Worship of God and did interpretatively say unto him go serve other Gods 1 Sam. 26.19 which
needless but it will also if the King and Lords please render the House of Commons as needless too which may also be the Case of the House of Lords if the King and House of Commons please to have it so For I presume he will have the Co-ordination to be equally lodged in the one as in the other that our Author had any respect to this I cannot affirm but I well remember when the Legislative Authority was pretended unto by the Two Houses that their Advocates pleaded this Maxim for the Justification of what they called Ordinances of Parliament which were of such Authority and Power in the Hands of their subordinate Instruments that they used them to deprive of Life Liberty and Estate and nothing was more frequently urged than Co-ordinata se invicem supplent Co-ordinates ought mutually to supply each others defects So that what the King from Perversness or Ignorance would not do or imposency or restraint could not do with them they presumed they were sufficiently authorized to do without him because the public Interest and Safety must not miscarry or be hazarded for want of supplemental Laws Sect. 104. I know our Author supposeth the King in his Political Capacity to be in another considetation thereof inferior to the Two Houses of Parliament though he will not perhaps say he is so in his Legislative viz. as the Executive part of Government is lodged singly in him because this as he teacheth is a Matter of Trust derived from the Legislative part for which he is accountable and in that capacity the King is a Subject to the Two Houses of Parliament Right Excellent indeed this is not in terms asserted but 't is plainly the intent and drift of it Well! let it be supposed That the Executive Power of the Kingdom is a Trust from the Legislative Power will it not then follow that the King derives a Trust to himself certainly if this Author himself may be believed he hath a share in the Legislative Power and therefore if a Trust be transferred and devolved from thence to him it must be with his concurrence as acting in that capacity Now if he should chance to be unfaithful to himself and violate this Trust to whom in a judiciary way must he be accountable of whom must that Court be constituted that must question the Matter there may be no Houses of Parliament in being and if there be if he disgust their proceedings may he not Adjourn Prorogue or Dissolve them if he think fit and what will become of the Matter then 't is but equal that if all interested in the Legislative Power be concern'd the King himself should be admitted of the Quorum when this matter of Trust comes to be questioned and debated I conceive the Vanity of this pretence That the Executive part of Government is an accountable Trust committed by our Laws to the King will evidently appear to any impartial Man that will but try how to answer these few plain Questions 1. If this Trust be abused is it any part of the Executive Power of the Government to Summon Try Judge and Punish the Abuser thereof 2. In whose Name shall the Process for Summons be issued forth in order to his Tryal 3. What provision hath the Law made for the Arresting of the King's Person to secure his forth coming to Tryal in case he refuse to obey a preceptive Summons 4. Is it not High Treason to imprison the King or by force to take him into a Man's Power yea or but to manifest such a Design by some overt act 5. If he have a fair Tryal according to Law he must be tried by his Peers I pray who are they 6. Who shall be his Judge and pass Sentence 7. What is the Punishment the Law hath ordained for the abuse of this Trust 8. Who shall execute the Sentence pronounced against him 'T is manifest the whole Administration of the Executive Power being confessedly lodged in the King nothing of this can legally be done and therefore 't is impossible that the King 's Executive Power should be a Trust committed to him by his Houses of Parliament for which he ought to be accountable to them or any other earthly Power I hope you would not have our High and Mighty Sovereign Lord the good People of England erect an High Court of Justice which shall be instead of Delators Witnesses Jurors Peers Judges and Executioners I am taught by some that understood the Constitution and Laws of the Kingdom of England very well that the King is not accountable for his Office or Actions to any Court Person or Persons whatsoever and every Man that will but attentively read the Spencer's Case and the Tryals of the Regicides may learn the same Lesson And thus saith the most learned Bracton Sunt sub Rege liberi homines servi omnis sub eo est ipse sub nullo nisi tantum sub Deo Si à Rege petatur cum Breve non currat contra Regem locus erit supplicationi quod factum suum corrigat emendet si non fecerit satis erit ei ad paenam quod Dominum expectet ultorem de chartis Regiis factis Regum nec privatae personae nec Justiciarii debent disputare There are Free-men and Servants under the King and every one is under him and he is under no one but under God only If any thing be to be demanded of the King since a Writ cannot go forth against the King there will be place for petitioning that he would correct and amend his doing if he do not it will be Punishment enough for him that he expect the Lord to be the Avenger of the Royal Grants and Actions of the King neither private Persons or Judges ought to dispute much less to censure and chastise And my Lord Coke in his Compleat Copy Holder hath taught me That the King representeth God's Person on Earth And I presume no Man is so daringly bold as to affirm That God is accountable and censurable for any of his doings Sect. 105. 5. It appears from the very Form and Tenor of the most Excellent Charters of the English Subjects Liberties that the Regal Authority and Power is not a fiduciary Trust from his Subjects and People under any consideration whatsoever Magna Charta it self runs thus Spontanea bona voluntate nostra dedimus concessimus By our free and good will we have given and granted c. not contracted bargain'd and upon good and valuable considerations covenanted and promised but from grace and condescention given and granted See 9 Hen. 3. so when the same Charter was confirmed in King Edward's time it was thus worded Know ye that we of our meer free will have granted to all Free-men these Liberties So in the Statute Quo Warranto 18. Edw. 1. Dominus Rex ad Parliamentum suum de gratia sua speciali propter affectionem quam habet erga Praelatos caeteros
de Regno suo concessit c. The Lord the King of his Parliament from his special grace and for the Affection he hath toward the Prelates and all others of his Kingdom hath granted I appeal to all unprejudiced Men to consider if this be the Language of an accountable Trustee Sect. 106. Coke the Regicide having told his Blood-thirsty Masters That Charles Stuart for so he called his Liâ—ge Lord that King of Blessed Memory stands now that is in their High Court of Justice to give an account of his Stewardship he thus begins to diffect his charge That the Kings of England are trusted with a limited Power to govern by Law and affirms it to be one of the Fundamentals of the Law that the King is not above the Law but the Law above the King And for the Proof of it offer'd the Coronation Oath wherein the King swears to keep and observe the Laws which the People shall chuse And then endeavouring to impute to his Sacred Majesty a Violation of his Fidelity to God and his People concludes him justly condemned by the Fundamental Law of the Nation c. and no wonder of such an Inference for as he tells us Governours are but the Peoples Creatures the Work of their hands to be accomptable as their Stewards and therefore when they prevaricate and abuse their Trust to question by what Law they call them to account is High Treason with a Witness And this is the true Tendency of that Doctrine That all Power is originally from the People and the King 's executive Power a Trust from the Two Houses of Parliament because this makes them as Coke phraseth it his Liege Lords and warrants them to exercise an absolute Power over him 'T is so naturally implied saith he that if a King become a Tyrant that he shall dye for it that this is the first necessary Fundamental Law of every Kingdom which by intrinsical Rules of Government must preserve it self This is just like the Liberty of the People which proves it self whereas the Power of the King must be proved before the Subjects ought to obey it because he hath no more than he hath received from his Sovereign Lords the People which is only founded on positive Law and if he pretend to more than they have given him he usurps upon their Liberty which they have a Right to defend and preserve by force of Arms which being a new Edition of John Coke's Doctrine the Author must needs deserve exceedingly well of the Government and cannot be worthily dealt withal unless highly promoted how agreeable this is to our Legal Constitution I refer to every indifferent Judgment who will compare it with what hath been observed concerned it and shall conclude in the Words of this Author It is indeed clear from the New Testamdnt That the Christian Religion as such gives us no grounds to defend or propagate it by force It is a Doctrine of the Cross and of Faith and Patience under it and if by the Order of Divine Providence and of any Constitution of Government under which we are born we are brought under sufferings for our professing of it we may indeed retire and fly out of any such Country if we can but if that is 〈…〉 must then according to this Religion submit to those sufferings under which we may be brought considering that God will be glorified by us in so doing and that he will both support us under our Sufferings and gloriously reward us for them By Submitting to Sufferings by what follows I hope he means a Submission without Resistance though we are strong enough to make it and then the Safety of the English Government is secured though Religion be our Property and shall chance to be persecuted because by the Constitution of our Government we may not upon any pretence whatsoever take Arms against the King Sest 107. 6. Another Objection is this a King may actually and professedly endeavour to subvert the established Government and overthrow the whole Constitution and set himself to destroy if not all nor the greatest part yet at least very considerable numbers of his People and so plainly counteract the very end of his Authority and Power and will it not be lawful for his Subjects in such a Case to resist him Ans The Sky may fall and then Larks will be good cheap Princes may become Phreneticks and be uncapable of Government and them as in the Case of a Minor that is an Hereditary Prince a Prorex is to be had during the Suspension of the Exercise of his Authority and Power Or they may be so dissatisfied with the Burthensomness of the Government that they may be weary of it Abdicate and Renounce it or they may be so intoxicated and transported with wild and outragious Passions Discontents and Prejudices against their Subjects that they may disclaim the Government of them and indeed do so when instead of administring the Government in order to their Peace and Safety they turn it to their distraction and ruine will not be the Ministers of God for good but hurt to them will not support but destroy the Foundations of their Kingdoms but then with their Subjects and Kingdoms they destroy themselves too and cease to be Princes because they that disclaim the Protection of their Subjects and wilfully resolve to destroy their Dominions can have no right to govern them They can be no Rulers who will leave nothing under them to be ruled by them and then the Resistance of them will not be a Resistance of the Higher Powers but this is a meer Platonical Idea a Case put that perhaps never was nor never is like to have a real Existence in the Nature of things Let these things be considered Sect. 108. 1. Plutarch observes Inest omni populo aliquod malignum contra Imperantes There is in all sorts of People some malignity against their Governours Such is the Pride of Man's heart that he is averse to Subjection our unwillingness to be restrained from following our own Minds and Wills and to be guided and commanded by the Mind and Will of another prejudiceth us against the Ruler of us and this as Mr. Hooker tells us makes Men very attentive and favourable Hearers to suck in any Poyson that is breathed forth against the King or the Governours which are sent forth and anon it mulriplies and every valley and obscure corner is ready to eccho it back again We must therefore be very wary now we give ear to any evil Suggestions concerning the Designs or male-Administrations of the Higher Powers Defamation begets an evil Opinion of the Prince and concludes in disaffection to him and that naturally tends unto and ends in Contempts Abhorrences and Oppositions 2. It hath ever been the Practice of seditious and rebellious minded Men to bestir themselves to ingenerate in the Minds of Subjects Jealousies and Fears concerning the Councels Designs and Administrations of their Princes and to magnify
God may be pleased in having his Will fulfilled Rebellion and Stubbornness against the King are of the like Nature with the Sins of Witch-craft iniquity or Superstition as some Translate it and Idolatry against God because they partake of the same Commerce with the Spirit that worketh in the Children of Disobedience alike averse to Subjection and Obedience to the Institutions and Commands of God and alike addicted to the vain Imaginations and Reasonings of their own depraved Minds and alike resolved to fulfil their own Wills in contradiction to the Will of God And as Witch-craft Superstition and Idolatry ascribe the Honor and Glory that is due to God to another so a Rebellious and Stubborn Resistance of the Sovereign Powers is an usurping and arrogating of that Superiority and Vindicative Authority over the Sovereign Powers which belongs to God alone the Subjects assuming the Glory of the Divine Authority and punitive vengeance to themselves and when Offenders are under the like Guilts they must expect the like Alotment of Punishment And accordingly Vatablus on the Place thus Paraphraseth it Tam grave peceatum est tam gravis punitio ei debetur So that if Witch-craft Superstition and Idolatry put Men into a State of Damnation so doth Rebellion And the Church of England Declares in express Terms That eternal Damnation is prepared for all impenitent Rebels in Hell with Satan the first Founder of Rebellion and grand Captain of all Rebels And cells us that the Rebels themselves are the very Figures of Fiends and Devils and as they be followers of Lucifers Rebellion so shall they be of his Damnation in Hell undoubtedly partakers In part 3d. of Serm. against wilfut Rebellion And in the same Homily affirms That all sins possible to be committed against God or Man be contain'd in Rebellion And how horrible a sin against God and Man Rebellion is cannot possibly be expressed according to the greatness of it And what punishment can be too great for so great an offence Sect. 117. That the Truth hereof may the more manifestly be discovered we will consider a Rebellious Resistance of the Sovereign Powers in its Antecedent Concomitant and Consequent sinful Evils From which it will appear that Rebellion is not a singular or one only Sin but the whole Puddle and Sink of all Sins as our Church teacheth us in the Sermon afore-quoted 1. Let us consider a Rebellious Resistance of the Sovereign Powers in its antecedent dispositive sinful Causes and Preparations and we shall find it a Stream issuing from a very filthy Fountain and and of a very hainous Nature meritorious of an answerable punishment Sect. 118. 1. A Rebellious Resistance of the Sovereign Power proceeds from a Luciferian pride and presumption Pr. 13.10 Only by pride cometh contention Proud and Ambitious Rebels would be above all and under none Like Tyre they set their Hearts as the Heart of God Ezek. 28.2 saying with insolent Nineveh Zep. 2.15 I am and there is none beside me They conceit themselves so superlatively excellent that they will own no Superiours or Equals So much Lords and Masters of themselves that they are not only sufficient to protect preserve and defend themselves but also to cast down and domineer over all that are near them especially such as are set above them or would be competitors with them And what is the State of such proud ones before God Truly be knoweth them afar off Ps 138.6 scorneth such scorners Pr. 3.24 resists and counteracts them Jam. 4.6 and therefore they are sure to have a fall and that a terrible low one too they fall into the Condemnation of the Devil 1 Tim. 3.6 Sect. 119. 2. A Rebellious Resistance of the Sovereign Power proceeds from discontent Subjects dislike their Rank and Station they think themselves to be as well accomplished to be Men of Place and to make a Figure in the Government as the best of them all and 't is an hard Case that they should be only Creatures of Burden set in the World to be commanded and controlled have Freedom of Will without Freedom of Practice confined to the imperious Impositions of other Mens Wills and Pleasures who under no consideration intrinsical to the human Nature are any thing better than themselves And if the Public Administrations happen to be contrary to their particular humors and private interests and their Persons fall under any Public Disgrace their dissatisfaction is heightened and their condition becomes intolerable to them and their only Remedy to ease themselves and have their Wills is to rise up against the higher Powers and to contend with them for the Preheminence And what is this but a Contention with God to have their Wills in contradistinction to his Will They will not allow the Lord of all Things to do with his own as he pleaseth but they will prescribe unto God how and where to place them and will not be pleased unless God value them and prefer them according to that rate they set on their own worth and serviceableness The Lord himself called the Children of Israel who murmured against Moses and Aaron Rebels Numb 16.41 comp with ch 17.10 because their discontent did lead to Rebellion and end in it But how doth the Lord take it at mens hands when they grudge and are not satisfied with their condition Truly such Men being conformed to the Image of Satan they wander up and down under God's Curse seeking rest and finding none Ps 59.15 and St. Jude reporting the Reasons and manner of Christs Process to execute the last Judgment upon all that are ungodly v. 15. he numbers the Murmurers i. e. discontented Persons in the fore-front of them all as the Chieftains among all that are ungodly and marked out for the vengeance of eternal fire v. 16. Sect. 120. 2. A Rebellious Resistance of the Sovereign Power proceeds from a Spirit of Envy Malice Strife and Contention Hab 1.3 There are that raise up strife and contention Busie-bodies that love to Fish in troubled Waters And these are invidious minded Men whose Eyes are evil because God is good are grieved vexed and tormented because other Men are more at ease and better accommodated and contented than themselves trouble their own Flesh and rot their very Bones that others excel and are in any thing their Superiours and that they may disquiet and disturb others which they think stand in the Way as Obstacles to their Designs they will engage themselves in the most difficult and hazardous enterprizes Envyings strifes contentions factions and seditions are solemnly coupled together as near a Kin and springing one from the other 1 Cor. 3.3 2 Cor. 12.20 Gal. 5.20 what invidious and quarrelsom spirited Men cannot challenge and obtain by merit they will endeavour to accomplish by fraud force and violence Jam. 4.1 from whence come warrings and fightings among ye Come not they hence even from your lust which war in your members When Men are discomposed and disordered with