the World and of Eternal Damnation in the World to come And verily Resisting Governours is not less unbecoming the Reason of a man than the Patience and Humility of a Christian For the Officer is armed with Authority but the contumacious Opposer hath nothing to defend or plead for him but Arbitrary Power wilful Perverseness and stubborn Humour which in cold blood or sober consideration must be acknowledged far more dangerous than the evil the Resistant pretended to remedy And here if ye demand the manner of this Subjection I answer True Christian Subjects bear to the King such a Submission as Children to their Parents Not a terrifying and amazing but a respectful and reverential Subjection The King is the Father of his Countrey and all his Loving and Loyal Subjects are as so many Children to him This Subjection also doth imply 1. A real and eminent Love of the King Gods own People Israel said of King David Thou art worth ten thousand of us 2 Sam. 18.3 Hence the King is called The breath of our nostrils Lam. 4.20 2. This Subjection doth imply Fidelity and adhering to the King at all times and in all conditions The King and his Subjects are united in their Political capacity as the Head and the Body Their welfare is conjoyned and cannot be separated And this Fidelity is most excellent when it comes from a touch of Gods finger from the Grace of his holy Spirit As we read there went with Saul a band of men whose hearts God had touched 1 Sam. 10.26 But such as clave not to him are stigmatized for Children of Belial who despised their King v. 27. For Fidelity also we have the example of Davids Servants Behold thy Servants are ready to do whatsoever my Lord the King shall appoint 2 Sam. 15. v. 15. And Ittai that Loyal heart that noble and constant spirit said to the King when David went to perswade him to go back and to take care of his own safety As the Lord liveth and as my Lord the King liveth surely in what place my Lord the King shall be whether in death or life even there also will thy Servant be v. 21. Here was a faithful Servant and Loyal Subject indeed and herein he evidenced himself no less obedient to the Law of God by which we are bound in Conscience to help the King against his Enemies And thus to adhere to the King by being faithful in the Trust reposed in us in being just in our places and ready to help in all difficulties is a right and sure way to make a Kingdom invincible and terrible to Enemies Divisions Conspiracies and Combinations in a State expose it to forreign Enemies A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand saith the wise Counsellor the Son of God But Unity of heart and affections between Subjects and their Sovereign renders a Kingdom prosperous at home and formidable abroad 3. Prayer to God for him Our Religion the Law of our God our Christianity as well as our Fidelity Loyalty and Affection call for this at our hands The blessed Apostle St. Paul exhorts Timothy to this duty 1 Tim. 2.1 c. And I think that the Collects of our Church for the King and Queen are both wise and Christian 4. Thanksgiving to God for any mercy to the King I exhort that Thanksgivings be made saith the Apostle The Infinite Majesty of Heaven is the Ocean from which flow all blessings that we mortals receive It is he that giveth great Deliverance to his King and sheweth mercy to his Anointed to David and to his seed for evermore Psal 18.49 50. Therefore should we give thanks unto the Lord and sing praises to his holy Name Especially let us praise God for the wonderful and happy Deliverance of this Church and Nation by our Joshua who hath by the Divine favour and blessing saved us and put a stop to the Malice and Cruelty of all the Churches Enemies This is the Lords doing and it is marvelous in our eyes And as great a mercy as ever this Nation and Church enjoyed Tho' through an unnatural Principle the Prejudices of many wise and pious men have made them ungrateful to your Majesties who are in truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benefactors not only to all English Protestants but to all the Reformed Churches And that these Prejudices may be removed and that all your Subjects may give God and your Majesties thanks hath been my constant desire and labour And tho' I know that the multitude are prone to Innovations and Changes and too apt to be seduced yet in this Revolution they are to be justified so far as they defended their Religion Laws and Liberties And I challenge any learned and conscientious Divine to dispute the Case in Print before God and the World And therefore I humbly beg your Sacred Majesties pardon while I make Animadversions on the Reverend Dr. William Sherlocks Book intituled The Case of Allegiance due to Sovereign Powers stated and resolved according to Scripture and Reason and the Principles of the Church of England I cannot believe that false Principles in Government conduce to your Majesties service And for this reason among others I think it my duty to oppose them I do believe that the Reverend Dr. acts according to the present perswasion of his Conscience as he speaks in the beginning of his Preface and I do not take him either for a dishonest man or a fool But as he saith he may be mistaken and so may any body else tho' never so wise and honest And he saith ingenuously that if any man can shew him that the Principles he acts on are false uncertain or precarious and such as cannot reasonably satisfie an honest and unbiassed mind he will confess that his desire of satisfaction secretly and insensibly distorted his Judgment tho he took all possible care that it should not I do as I would be done by and I believe that many have refused the Oaths upon Principles of Conscience tho' I believe their Consciences erroneous And I hope to make it evident if as the Dr's phrase is they will deliver themselves from the Tyranny of Prepossession and Prejudice § 2. p. 10. Animadversion on Section 1. The Dr. saith That which hath perplexed this Controversie is the intermixing the Dispute of Right with the Duty of Obedience or making the Legal Right of Princes to their Thrones the only Reason and Foundation of the Allegiance of Subjects A. I cannot imagine that any Obedience is due but to him only who hath Right If he hath no Right why should I pay him Obedience The Scripture saith Fear to whom fear honour to whom honour I must know therefore to whom it is due The Scripture supposeth all Subjects to know some other way to whom Obedience Fear and Honour is due For I take it for granted and as that which all Learned men will own that the Scripture is not a Rule of Policy or Political Government any more than
which concern the Duty of Subjects and the Publick Good And as for the Instances in Scripture out of the Books of the Kings and Chronicles it is plain that there was a Covenant between the King and People And after the Deposing of Athaliah all the Congregation made a Covenant with the King in the House of God 2 Chron 23.3 And what doth a Covenant signifie if it may not be defended and justified If such a dead Dog as I am were worthy to admonish an English Monarch I would advise him to make Law the Rule of his Reign and shew his Prerogative in Acts of Bounty Mercy and Mitigation of the Rigour of some severe Laws And I would not tell him that it is Rebellion for an Innocent Subject to defend himself And yet I imagine that I am as great a Friend to Monarchy and to the Church of England as the greatest Passive-Obedience-Doctor is 4. We have the End of Government For the good of the whole Sodiety Power and Authority is ordained of God for the Happiness of Mankind By this we are legally secured against wicked Men in our Houses Possessions Lands and Estates in our Liberties and Properties and in whatsoever belongs to us as Members of a Civil Society Political Order is a just Disposition between King and Subject as well as between Subject and Subject God is the Author and Lover of Order and an Enemy of Disorder and Confusion And Government was constituted by the singular Wisdom and Providence of God for the good of his Creatures From hence I may deduce these Inferences 1. Hence the Power and Authority of Kings and Governours is clearly Divine They are constituted Rulers by God and are his Ministers And therefore Honour and Obedience is due to them for the Lords sake 1 Pet. 2.13 2. Hence it follows evidently That Princes and Governours ought to Rule in Gods fear and so perform their Office as Gods Vicegerents administring Justice impartially knowing whose Authority they have Hence Princes are called Pastors of the People and Fathers of the Countrey And should bear the Name of Gods and Children of the most High not only in Power but in Goodness 3. Hence it necessarily follows that all Subjects ought to reverence and honour their King and Governours with most humble Service Homage and Obedience in all things But of this more anon 2. I shall consider the several kinds The most common Distribution is into Monarchy Aristocracy and Democracy The first kind or Form of Government is Monarchy I approve of this as best according to the saying of the most Famous Poet The Rule of many is not good Let there be one Ruler one King to whom God gives the Scepter He is King who hath Supream Power subject to none And a Monarch is either Absolute or Conditional And again either Elective or Successive Elective when in a Kingdom a Person of a new Family or of the same Family is chosen Successive when the next Heir Male and in some Kingdoms the Female is owned and proclaimed Thus the Kingdom of England is by Inheritance and Succession And our King never dies as we say But the King of England is not Absolute but Limited And hath Lords and Commons without whom he cannot make nor repeal Laws And we have Magna Charta unviolable And the Subjects great Felicity and no less the Kings Honour who Rules not over Slaves but Freemen 3. I shall shew the Latitude of Subjection It is a Civil Filial Fear of the King And excludes all things that tend to his Dishonour and includes all things that tend to his Honour It contains all Duties and Services required of Subjects to their Prince There is an universal Obedience next under and after God in all things Legal due to the King who Reigns by the Ordinance and Appointment of God Native Religion and true Christianity is the greatest Interest of Princes A good Conscience and pious Heart abhors Obmurmurations Factions Seditions Rebellions or whatsoever can be conceived to disturb the Souls subjection to the Higher Powers It is gross Hypocrisie to pretend to follow the Holy Jesus and not render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's I am sure that Christ and his Apostles taught Subjection to the Roman Emperor as the Ornament and Honour of their Religion This Subjection first forbids light and vain thoughts of the Kings Authority and Person 2. Uttering Wicked and Trayterous words speaking evil of him Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the Ruler of thy People Exod. 22.28 And curse not the King no not in thy Thought Eccles 10.20 And the Holy Ghost brands them with the odious name of filthy Dreamers who despise Dominion and speak evil of Dignities St. Jude ver 8. In brief It excludes all retaining of his Dues Tribute Custom c. all Cheating him of his Revenue all Disobedience to his wholsom Laws all Contempt or Violation offered to his Sacred Person 2. Subjection includes or comprehends all Duties of a Christian Subject to his King For that which is in one place Let every Soul be subject to the Higher Powers is in another Fear the King and Honour the King And in the Fifth Commandment Honour thy Father and Mother Here as by Father and Mother all Superiors are meant not only our Natural Parents but also our Political Father our Governours especially the Supream Magistrate the King As it is well explained in our Church-Catechism To Honour and Obey the King and all that are put in Authority under him Which also is the Interpretation of all sober Divines So by this word Honour all kinds of Duty and Services from all Inseriors to their Superiors respectively are comprised So to Honour as to Fear Love and Obey them c. This is expressed also by St. Peter Submit your selves unto every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well This is yet more fully and largely set down by St. Paul Rom. 13. Where this Doctrine is not only declared but pressed and confirmed by many strong and solid Reasons We must needs be subject not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake v. 5. If you make Conscience of your ways give the King his Due There is nothing more plain than this Chapter for Subjection to the King and Submission and respect to his Officers without murmuring and repining when according to Law they demand their Dues The humble Christian and obedient Subject who willingly submits to the Kings Laws may be assured that in that particular he pleaseth God and he always hath the Testimony and Satisfaction of a good Conscience But the stubborn and disobedient who will not render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's assuredly displeaseth God and can never quiet his Conscience but runs the hazard of a most ignominious esteem in
words of the Reverend Dr. Fern Monarchy however we cannot say it is Jure Divino by Divine Precept commanding all Nations to be so governed or Jure Naturae by Nature's Law inforcing it is plainly ductu Naturae by Nature leading men from Paternal to Legal Government and exemplo Divino as I may say by Divine example and insinuation We suppose as the Sacred Historian tells us that Adam and so Noah after the Flood by Gods blessing begat Sons and Daughters These spread over the face of the Earth some in Asia some in Africa some in Europe c. And these God indued with Reason and they lived or should have lived by the Light of Nature Gods own Law written in their hearts And as face answereth to face in a glass so the heart of man to man And when they encreased greatly for orders sake or because some were lawless and living without the fear of God oppressed the weak Natural Prudence which is the Light of God in Man taught them to Covenant with one Ruler and to have common society and mutual help and some Rules Laws and Customs to determine Controversies between Family and Family Man or Man for the publick good To this first Constitution all were bound both Rulers and Ruled and this could not be changed ordinarily but by the Heads of such Societies or Families If any man can disprove this by Reason or Scripture we would gladly see it As for our own Countrey it is manifest in the most antient Histories and Chronicles that ever I read that we have been governed by Kings all along But we have had an Heptarchy and not always Lineal Succession And when England was one Monarchy under Egbert in the year of Christ 818. or thereabouts we shall find the Succession altered for the publick good as the late Author of the Vnreasonableness of Separation upon the account of the Oaths hath largely shewed out of Mat. Westminster and Mat. Paris and others But still all this supposeth an Agreement between the King and People originally And no doubt Monarchy and all Government will stand best upon its own Foundation And what men agree to all conscientious men will observe according to the mutual Oath of King and People And it is so far from being an inconvenience that it is the only true and just Title of all Royal Families And it is a prejudice to the King to say otherwise For the best and wisest men submit only upon Condition and Covenant We know that Nature teacheth all men to prevent Ruine and this is the Law of God But let us come to the Dr's great Principle the disposal of Providence p. 12. God governs the rest of the World removes Kings and sets up Kings only by his Providence that is then God sets up a King when by his Providence he advanceth him to the Throne that is I think God sets up a King when he sets up a King a self-evident Principle and puts the Sovereign Authority into his hands Then he removeth a King when by his Providence he thrusts him from his Throne and takes the Government out of his hands c. I can make no other sense of this but that God doth it when he doth it But how shall it appear to us that it is Gods Providence either to remove or set up a King The Dr. answereth There are but three ways whereby God gives this Power and Authority to any person either by Nature or by express Nomination or by the Disposal of Providence p. 11. If this be not Trifling I know not what is If any man should ask the Dr. Who made him Master of the Temple and he should answer God made him so or it was the disposal of Providence would he not smile tho' this is true But the Question asked is about the Humane Principal Efficient subordinate to God and his Providence But the former never comes into question among Christians It is confessed it was Gods Providence that exalted Joseph and all Kings I can hardly forbear but I have always reverenced the Dr. and therefore will say no more but Lord have mercy upon us the sinful Sons of Adam O the power of Prejudice As for Gods Providence in this Revolution I have published my thoughts in a Discourse entituled Conscience satisfied in a Cordial and Loyal Submission to the present Government of King William and Queen Mary and I must refer the inquisitive Reader to that Treatise p. 11 c. But here farther that we may consider what the Doctor saith we must distinguish of Gods Providence It is either 1. Immediate and extraordinary Or 2. Mediate and ordinary 1. The immediate and extraordinary Providence of God is when God works what he will besides or against the means and order appointed by himself in Nature And this is done in all Miracles which are effected to this end that we may know that the Omnipotent Creator and Governour of all things acts most freely by means or without means And this is manifest either 1. In punishing his Enemies Or 2. In preserving his Servants Thus God immediately by a Deluge from Heaven drowned the Old World confounded the Language of the Rebels at Babel rained Fire and Brimstone out of Heaven upon Sodom drowned Pharaoh and his Host in the Red Sea after all those former Plagues and Judgments upon him Thus God commanded the Earth to open and swallow up those proud and hypocritical Rebels Corah and his company By this the Sun stood still and the Moon stayed till the people had avenged themselves on their Enemies Josh 10.13 By this to deliver good Hezekiah and his people Israel the Angel of the Lord smote in the Camp of the Assyrians one hundred fourscore and five thousand 2 King 19.35 On the other side God by his extraordinary Providence gave Abraham a Son in his old age commanded the Ravens to feed his zealous Servant Elijah multiplied the Widdows Oil and preserved the three Children in the Fiery Furnace and the like Hence the Psalmist concludes The Lord alone doth great wonders Psal 136.4 But I suppose the Dr. doth not mean that God makes any King or Queen thus by Miracle He did not send an Angel to set the Crown on their Majesties Heads on the days of their Arrival in London or on the day of their Election by the Convention of Estates or on the day of their Coronation 2. Therefore there is a mediate and ordinary Providence of God And that is when God by Creatures or second Causes produceth those Effects to which those Creatures or Causes by the constant accustomed Order of Nature are appointed and made by God Thus by food and nourishment he sustains us by Physick and Medicines he removes diseases and heals the sick by his Word Read and Preached he declares his will to sinners and perswades them to believe and obey Thus we read Man doth not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
though the Dr. saith There is nothing like this any where else in Scripture which is gratis dictum yet other Learned Divines say that the Apostle means this 1 Pet. 2.13 14. When he saith Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake whether to the King as Supream Hence they collect and I think truly That the Donation of the Power is of God and the Designation of the Person or Limitation and Qualification of the Power is of Man tho' it is also the disposal of Providence I have said in another Discourse God and Man in these Acts are not opposite but subordinate God is the first Cause Man is the second Cause The Prince that receives Authority from Man receives it from God also tho' mediately by Man and is Gods Minister and a Ruler v. 3 4. The Dr. proceeds Then in order to the fulfilling of this precept it would be necessary for Subjects to exarmine the Titles of Princes and to that end to be well skill'd in History and the Laws of a Nation and to be able to judge between a pretended and real Right c. A. And surely it is not so difficult a thing to know who is our Prince as the Dr. would make it It is so easie that every Subject in England as far as ever I heard never doubted that the late King James was the lawful King of England c. And there needs no great skill in History and Law to know this And as for the Revolution when we are bound in Conscience to obey another King there needs no History to tell us what we have seen and heard And the Reverend Dr. will tell us when the Government is setled p. 9. Suppose the greatest uncertainty that you can suppose the Consciences of men would not be more perplexed than you have perplexed them at this day And therefore you need not have said Let any man judge in what perplexities this sense of the Apostles Precept would involve the Consciences of men The Dr. hath a great deal more to the same purpose and descants at large To which I answer in general That if St. Paul had taught us Politicks in Rom. 13. I should have thought it very strange Men must learn Politicks from the Laws of Reason and the common Prudence and Experience of Mankind Suppose the Great Turk in a Passion or upon a small Provocation should draw his Scymeter or Sword to kill some Eminent Nobleman of his Court and the Nobleman should defend his Life by force of Arms and by Skill or Strength should disarm his great Lord and Master and escape for his Life In this case I say Natural Religion and Conscience will justifie the Innocent Nobleman and will tell the Great Turk that he ought to give God thanks in such like words as David did when Abigail by her wisdom pacified his wrath 1 Sam. 25.32 Blessed be the Lord God who sent thee this day to meet me And blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou who hast kept me this day from shedding blood I should never read the Scriptures nor any History or Law-book to tell me who is my King no more than I would to tell me who is my Father and Mother I like a Fool have all my days presumed without Book with my Fellow-subjects and with my Brethren and Sisters who is my King and who is my Father and Mother and have honoured and obeyed them according to the fifth Commandment Such reasoning is unworthy of the profound Judgment of Dr. Sherlock If the Dr. pleaseth I would desire him to write a Book to teach Children what are their Names and who are their God-fathers and God-mothers before we Catechize them any more For is it not a very hard thing to know all these things See how prejudice blinds the Eyes of pious and wise men I confess that when there is a competition for the Crown or when Imposture may be reasonably suspected or in the like extraordinary case then the Subjects may become Sceptics But then we have a Privy Council and a Parliament to examine judge and determine But otherwise I am persaded that there was not one of ten thousand that ever doubted whether King Charles the Second was the true Heir and rightful King or King James the Second But let us hear the Dr's Objection p. 24. If the choice and consent of the People makes a Prince then no man is a Subject but he who consents to be so For the major Vote cannot include my consent unless I please That is the Effect of Law and Compact or Force not of Nature If Subjects give their Prince Authority they may take it away again if they please There can be no Irresistible Authority derived from the People For if Authority be wholly derived from them who shall hinder them from taking it away when they see fit Vpon these Principles there can be no Hereditary Monarchy One Generation can only chuse for themselves their Posterity have as much right to chuse as they had A. The Dr. owns That if the Lineal Succession should fail then the People must chuse a Prince and this hinders not Hereditary Monarchy No more doth it in such an extraordinary case as our present case is And the Dr. himself saith p. 25. A Legal Entail is nothing more than the Authority of the People tho' here he saith Vpon these Principles there can be no Hereditary Monarchy Let him reconcile these The Parliament hath setled the Succession But saith the Dr. Every Subject must consent This is thought a mighty Goliath but I think it a poor weak Argument I have elsewhere shewed that the meek wise and ever-renowned Hooker foundeth all Government in Covenant so that I am not singular in the Church of England And surely it is not required in our Constitution that every individual person consent explicitly to Acts of Parliament but the major Vote includes all And there is nothing more common in the World either in Political or Sacred Affairs than for a Father or Guardian or God-father or Friend or Relation to engage for a Child See Deut. 29 10 11. If it were any other person I should be afraid would turn Anabaptist or at least a Puritan and write a Book against God-fathers In these Cases an Implicite Covenant is fully sufficient If the whole Kingdom consists of such who were Children to their Parents that Elected the Prince and agreed that the Kingdom should be Hereditary this in Conscience binds them Tho' they make no Personal and Vocal Expression of their Consent and Agreement as the Fathers did I imagine that upon second Thoughts the Dr. will have no mind to oppose this and therefore I say no more But the Dr. saith That if Subjects give their Prince Authority then they may take it away again if they please A. All Subjects are bound in Conscience to stand to their Covenant Agreement Promise and Oath And here whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance
of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation This is Rebellion supposing a Kingdom not universally oppressed And this secures the Prince as well as the Providence of God in the Dr's unintelligible Notion But this is to say God as well as Man is confined to Humane Laws in making Kings p. 25. A. I suppose the Dr. living among such an Honourable Society of Lawyers hath heard of being tryed by God and the Countrey And so the King and Queen may be made by God and the Countrey God feeds us but we must put Meat in our Mouths God Clothes us but we must put on our Clothes God doth what we do when we use the Means appointed by God And when the Dr. is in a reasoning Humour he will tell us that there is no doubt but several Governments have been begun by and Originally derived from the Choice and Consent of the People p. 23. but still it is God who by his Providence advanceth Men to the Throne But of this before As for those who advance Conquest I have spoken my Mind formerly And I add that when the whole Community be it by the Sword is subdued as the Jews were by Caesar and have promised Subjection and own the Authority of the Conqueror and he promiseth them Protection I grant this gives the Conqueror Humane Right and Title as well as Gods Authority For he holds his Crown as some speak jure Gentium concessu Gentium But if the P. of O. did Conquer England against which he declared and acted nothing like a Conqueror in any part of the Nation where his Army Marched but every where like a Saviour and Deliverer I say if the P. of O. did Conquer the Nation the Princess of Orange did not And Queen Maries Title can be no other way God save Her Majesty for I am Her most Loyal Subject and Servant but by the Election of the People in Convention and now confirmed by Act of Parliament Which I desire all Conscientious Men to consider Finally As for Submission that is an Implicite Covenant as I have shewed and must be kept So that tho' the Dr. cannot yet with all or the most Judicious Philosophers Schoolmen and Reformed Divines I can see where to fix the Foundation of Government and that is in the Agreement of the People And this is the ordinary Disposal of Providence But let it be by the Election and Consent of the People Or by Conquest and so by After-Covenant Or by Submission which is an Implicite After-Covenant Or by continued Usurpation as the Dr. speaks which still is founded upon After-Covenant and Promise all these are the Disposals of Providence So that the Dr. very weakly for I do not believe he doth it craftily gives only the General Cause which no Man denies But we desire to know what is causa secunda proxima particularis the second next and particular Cause as the Schools speak of this Revolution and Government And the Reason is either we have done very well or very ill in joining with the P. of O. And we would gladly convince the Dr. or any Man else that we have hazarded all that is dear to Man Virtuously and Honourably to preserve Gods true Religion and Worship as by Law Established to save the English Monarchy from the Usurpations of the Bishop of Rome and to continue the Liberties of our Native Countrey The Providence of God is no Rule or Reason or Measure of our Duty But the Law of God and Nature and the Laws of the Land when they contradict not these And the Dr. will tell us so when he thinks of it p. 32. The Divine Providence hath Ways and Methods of removing Kings and Setting up Kings which we are not aware of nor concern'd to know because it is no part of our Duty To sum up all this In this Revolution some talk of Desertion and Abdication Some of Conquest Some of Gods Providence as the Dr. and some of the Election of the People 1. As to Desertion and Abdication whether the Late King did in a proper and strict sense Abdicate the Kingdom is a matter that I need not dispute but surely the Convention did well to take this into Consideration that the Kingdom was left without any Order or Government in a very troublesom time But supposing that it was a proper and strict Abdication this doth not make the Prince and Princess of Orange King and Queen of England This must be some other way 2. As to Conquest And 3. As to Gods Providence I have said enough to satisfie any Consciencious and wise Man who will lay aside Prejudice and Prepossession And therefore 4. I am fully satisfied in my own Conscience and will dispute the Case with any Learned and Consciencious Divine that it can be justified no other way but by the Election of the People in Convention As for the Examples of Jehoiada and Joash and Athaliah and of Jeroboam and Jehu I think there may be a better Account given than the Dr. gives But this is nothing to the main Controversie between him and us That concerns the Non-Swearers I shall only give you a familiar Simile or Example out of Scripture of the Election of a King tho' it doth not quadrare in omnibus it is not nor needs be fitted in all Circumstances to the Kingdom of England In the first Book of Sam. chap. 8. The People of Israel desire a King Then it follows they had none before Whereupon Samuel told them his Message from God and at last yielded to the importunity of the People And he called all the People Chap. 10. that is All the Heads Elders and Princes of the People a great Convention Parliament or Assembly of the Nation And they chose Saul And all the People shouted and said God save the King And those whose Hearts God had touched went with him And they that despised him were called Children of Belial And I shall only add Samuel's Admonition and Counsel Chap. 12. ver 24 25. Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things he hath done for you But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed both ye and your King I know that there are two Prejudices as the Dr. speaks in like case rather than Objections against this Truth 1. This will not please the King and Royal Family 2. This occasions Subjects to Rebel when they think fit 1. This will not please the King and Royal Family A. We are confident that this is an Insinuation of weak Spirits and directly contrary to the Great and Heroick Designs of their Sacred Majesties and their Impartial Administrations of Justice and God forbid we should do any thing justly meriting the loss of Their Majesties Favour and their Hearts confiding in us I am sure that the pleading for our Liberties is no Prejudice to the Kings Crown or Prerogatives Why should not our Soveraign look
slandering his Government by contemning and reproaching his Statutes and Deeds but as much as the matter and truth will bear speak thou honourably of him and think the best and interpret well actions that are doubtful saith some Author For it is wisdom as well as duty to reverence the Kings Person and Office and conceal small miscarriages Obj. St. Matth. 22.21 Read the Context v. 15. Then went the Pharisees and took counsel how they might intangle him in his talk And they sent out unto him their Disciples with the Herodians saying Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the person of men Tell us therefore what thinkest thou Is it lawful to give Tribute unto Caesar or not But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said Why tempt ye me ye Hypocrites Shew me the Tribute money and they brought unto him a penny And he said unto them Whose is this Image and Superscription They say unto him Caesars Then saith he unto them Bender therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods When they had heard these words they marvelled and left him and went their way A. It is most certain that Tribute is to be paid to our Governours The Herodians were sent to intangle him in his talk And they propounded this Question concerning Caesar the Roman Emperor's Tribute To which our Saviour answers that they ought to render to Caesar the things that are Caesars So that by Christs command all Subjects must willingly and chearfully and for Conscience sake render honour tribute custom subjection and obedience to the Higher Powers which are ordained of God But what is this to the Desensive Arms against Tyranny and Oppression The Jews had promised Obedience to the Romans and to Caesar Now what we promise Synop. out of G. tho' forced by necessity of War binds us fast for unless it were so the whole sanction of a Covenant would perish Besides Possession of a long time which to endeavour to move or change is always unjust in publick Affairs Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Christians hearkened to no Innovations under what specious pretences soever but performed Faith Allegiance and Obedience to the Emperor But let any man prove that these Emperors did not rule the Jews according to their Promise and Covenant and known Laws and Customs or that our Saviour forbids defending our Lives Liberties or Properties if invaded contrary to Law Custom or Covenant Again it follows not that if Christ doth not here dispute Caesars Title that he never did nor that his Disciples never satisfied themselves I am sure the Scribes and Pharisees and the multitude cryed out when our Saviour was accused We have no King but Caesar a plain acknowledgment of Caesars Title Power and Authority Obj. 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour A. This is also spoken of Governours indefinitely and of such who would rule according to the Customs and Laws of their Countries Not of Tyrants who would Subvert National Laws and Customs without cause And tho' there was great Confusions in the Roman Empire about the Throne sometimes yet still the Emperor promised to Rule according to Laws and Customs received And surely no Man can prove that Passive Obedience was owned in those days if the Emperor commanded Illegally Nor was their Hereditary Succession in the Empire The wickedness of Man cannot destroy the Institution of God But Magistrates Kings Emperors are constituted of God And Christian Religion doth not overthrow the Political Government of Infidels and Heathens Therefore we must pray for all Persecutors and Idolaters Obj. Tit. 3.1 Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Poweers to obey Magistrates A. All these Texts command what no rational Man much less Christian denieth ought to be given to our Governors But they prohibit not Defensive Arms in case of Universal Oppression Obj. 1 St. Pet. 13 14 17. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well Fear God Honour the King A. The Apostle speaks indefinitely of Governors and of Obedience to them but he states no particular Case When this Epistle was written Synop out of G. I think that Claudius or Nero was Emperor Therefore we must obey Infidels and evil Princes But this prohibits not Self-defence when Laws are violated Tho' the Ordinance or Government in the manner of its Constitution be from Man saith a Learned Author yet because of the necessity of its Institution it is from God Submit to it tho' of Man for the Lords sake For God is the primary Author Observe Kings and Presidents are an Humane Constitution or Ordinance made by Men with common Consent by certain Laws yet by the Command and Authority of God So that I conclude with a great Statesman As it was the Oppression and Slavery under which we had been brought that rendered His Majestys undertaking in coming into these Kingdoms with armed Force in order to redeem them both Honourable and Just So it was the Hope of being delivered by Him from Misery and Bondage that incouraged us first to invite and then to cooperate with Him in the Prosecution and Accomplishment of His Glorious Design It was the Invasion upon our Laws that we complained of and from which we desired and indeavoured to be relieved c. Thus I have omitted no appearance of an Objection and have given satisfaction to all that will examine things impartially and conscienciously in order to their ready and hearty Obedience to Their Majesties and the Preservation of the Religion Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom I shall conclude all with a plain Exhortation both in respect of the King and Subjects First For the King Seeing His Majesty hath received Power and Authority from God it concerns him to Administer Justice and Judgment For Gods Eye is All-seeing and he is Omnipresent God standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty he judgeth among the Gods Psal 82.1 It is a poor weak inferior thing beneath the Spirit and Dignity of a Prince to wrong the Innocent But it is indeed Great and Godlike to seek Judgment and relieve the Oppressed God hath Honoured Kings with his own Name and Titles and they should imitate Him in Wisdom Goodness Justice and Mercy And as this tends to the Honour of God and Happiness of his Church and the Prosperity of the Kingdom so it gains the Love and Affection of Subjects which is the only Ambition of Valiant Wise and Just Monarchs Secondly For the Subject Seeing Kings are by Gods Designation Ordination or Constitution let every Subject humbly submit They derive their Right from the Highest Majesty of Heaven and Earth They are set over us by Gods approbation And the God of Israel who led his People by the hands of Moses and Aaron in all Ages hath subjected Mankind to some of his Viceroys on Earth And they who are Enemies to them are Enemies to God and cast off that sweet and easie Yoke of Obedience to which God would have all his submit This condemns all wilful Offenders who disobey Governours They are in Gods stead and to despise them is to despise God himself And as Subjects ought to yield Obedience to their Soveraigns which I have Illustrated elsewhere so they ought to be grateful for their Favour Mercy Clemency and good Government And in particular they ought to be thankful to God and the King for the Mercies of this present time even the Reviving of our Religion Laws and Liberties FINIS