I shall shew that it was just to depose Nebuchadnezzar To this purpose we must consider 1. That all Government is a Trust 2. That all Government is for the safety and good of the Community 3. That there may be such crimes as may forfeit the Crown and Throne and reduce all to first Principles 1. We must consider that all Government is a Trust The Dominion of one man over another is by consent and is founded in Covenant All men are free by the Law of Nature to chuse what kind of Government they think most convenient And the Positive Law of God hath left this to their Election The Nomination of the person and the Limitation of the power is originally and radically in the Community Hence some Nations have Lords Dukes c. their supream Governours Some Nations have Kings by Election every Reign Others have Succession in one Family Some have Queens to rule over them others will not allow Women to reign Some are absolute Monarchs others are limited Some have Aristocratical others Democratical Government And almost all Nations vary in these Circumstances It is true Authority is from God There is no Power but of God saith St. Paul Rom. 13.1 And By me Kings reign and Princes decree Justice saith God by Solomon Prov. 8.15 But tho' the Donation of the Power is of God yet the Designation of the Person and the Limitation of the Power how much or how little or in what manner Mankind must be ruled and give Obedience and owe Submission is wholly by Positive Law and Agreement at the first Constitution or afterwards Thus we read 2 Sam. 5.3 All the Elders of Israel came to the King to Hebron and King David made a League with them in Hebron before the Lord and they anointed David King over Israel Here was an Assembly or Parliament who chose David King and covenanted with him God and Man are not opposite but subordinate in this case That which is of God saith a learned Divine may be of Man also For the second cause doth not exclude the first or contrarily Because the fruits and increase of the Earth are obtained by the care and labour of Man therefore are they not given of God So that as the Prophets and Apostles in old time were called immediately by God not by Men but other Pastors and Bishops of the Church being not immediately called by God but by men yet cease not to have their Vocation from God Because God ceaseth not to do what he doth by means As God designed Timothy Bishop not immediately as Paul but by the Imposition of the hands of Paul and the Presbytery So God in old time by an immediate call set Magistrates and some Kings upon the Throne as Moses Joshua the Judges David Jehu c. But he gave Power and doth not cease to give Power to others as to the seventy Elders by Man's counsel and means and that according to the Laws and received Customs of the People either by Election and the consent of the Senate as now the Roman Empire or by the Suffrages of the People as Consuls Governours of Cities either meerly or mixtly Democratical or by the will of the Souldiers as the old Empire of Rome or finally by Hereditary Succession as the Kings of France of Spain and of Great Britain c. and the Princes of the Empire For there is no Power but of God And certainly the Authority of one or a few in humane Consideration would not suffice to govern and contain so many in Duty and many times very cruel and evil Men unless there were something of the hand of God in it Therefore God himself is the proper and first Cause of Magistracy tho' Men are the next Cause The Prince is bound saith no mean Divine to look to the safety and welfare of the Kingdom as is agreed by all And therefore he is bound to it because he receives this Power originally I speak not in opposition to God but I say originally from the People themselves as appears by the Government of Judah and the Kings of Israel For Judg. 8.22 The men of Israel came to Gideon to make him their King It is true Gideon refused this offer saith Mr. Rogers in his Commentary with great resolution and wisdom telling them that the Lord should rule over them v. 23. His meaning was that the Order that God had set of Governing by such as had no continued Government should stand and not be perverted by or for him or his but contrarily to his Power he would hinder it And God reigned indeed in the Commonwealth of Israel which flourished in Gideon's time wherein the Elders were chosen by common consent some Ecclesiastical to give the meaning of the Law and others Civil and Temporal as men call it to rule the people thereby c. And if any War fell out the Lord himself stirred up Guides and Judges and they were not chosen I suppose he means only or in a usual course by Men as appears c. 1. v. 1. neither did their Children succeed them And thus the Lord both in Peace and War ruled over them and so Gideon meant that the Office of a Judge was no ordinary Magistracy such as the King is but a Temporary and Occasional much like to the Dictatorship of the Romans in respect of the use whereto it served tho' otherwise of divine Election immediately not by Men. And Judg. 9.6 They gathered together and made Abimelech their King And Judg. 11.8 9 10 11. the people covenanted with Jephtha and made him their King And as for Saul tho' he was designed by God for the Kingdom yet the people themselves chose the kind of their Government first when they said Give us a King to rule over us after the manner of the Nations After that God had anointed Saul it is said 1 Sam. 11.15 And all the people went to Gilgal and there they made Saul King before the Lord in Gilgal And as for David tho' he was anointed King by Samuel yet we find that he continued subject unto Saul after that And 2 Sam. 2. He came to Hebron thither the men of Judah came and there they anointed David King over the House of Judah v. 4. After that he was thus anointed by Judah to be King over them yet he did not rule over Israel till the other Tribes also went out and made him King over them 1 Chro. 12.38 It is said That all these men of war came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David King over all Israel And as for Solomon tho' he was designed by God to the Kingdom yet it is said of him also 1 Chro. 29.22 That all the Congregation did eat and drink before the Lord and they made Solomon the Son of David King the second time and anointed him to the Lord to be Chief Governour Solomon being dead 2 Chro. 10.1 it is said of Rehoboam that he went to Shechem where all Israel
Heaven and in Earth in the Seas and all deep places However I beg leave of the Learned and Judicious to make a favourable Interpretation of my design upon this abstruse subject First It is certain and agreed upon by the Calvinists and Arminians that God is not Author of Sin He is the Author of the Evil of Punishment but not of the Evil of Sin Amos 3.6 Secondly God permits many things which he doth not approve as the Persecution of good men for righteousness sake Thirdly God in his Providence for the wickedness of a people or for their probation and trial may suffer his Church to fall into the hands of Tyrants and Oppressors and to be carried Captive or to be Exiles Fourthly Tho' such wicked Instruments as Tyrants sin greatly in their Pride Cruelty and Oppression of Gods own Inheritance yet in his Providence he may make use of them as Scourges and Rods to punish the wicked and chastise the good for their trial as the exercise of their Faith Patience Humility c. Fifthly God in his Providence may and sometimes doth create Deliverance for his People in an unexpected manner And we may well say of this great Deliverance of our Nation This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Psal 118.23 So much for God's Providence Now I must distinguish about Governours which this Gent. doth not Governours are either Lawful Princes or Usurpers First A lawful King is he who hath a true Title to the Throne either by Succession or Election Secondly An Usurper is he who hath gotten Possession but hath no right This latter is by God's Permission This Usurpers have for God suffers them to rule and some call this a Providential Right very incongruously For this gives no just Title and consequently there is no Subjection due The vilest person may have this in Judgment to a Nation as one speaks on purpose to try them that so by such unlawful Subjection that Nation may fill up the measure of their Iniquities and God may destroy both them and their Governours of which there are many dreadful Examples in History This Gent. is very confused He saith That the Primitive Christians never regarded the Right Title or the Claim of Princes and Emperors And by this seems to own Oliver Cromwel as well as any Lawful King And he makes no Distinction between a Lawful King and an Usurper I must confess the History of the Primitive Christians about Governours is very imperfect Because they minded Religion more than Political Government and an Heavenly Kingdom more than an Earthly But it will be very hard for this Gent. to prove That the Primitive Christians owned any Emperor that was not first own'd by the Senate and People of Rome In times of Confusion many things are suffered or indured which are not approved And when the Empire was in Distraction through Emulation of men aspiring to the Throne both the Christians and the Senate and the 〈…〉 might not know what to do in Prudence or what course to take as well as this Gentleman in our late Confusions and yet not be blame-worthy nor own an Usurper And it is a Case of Conscience of great concernment sometimes How far we may live quietly under an Usurper First No man is bound in Conscience to tell an Usurper that he is so no more than he is bound to tell a Thief upon the High-way that he is a Rogue Secondly Any man may with a good Conscience take upon him the Office of a Judge or any other Legal Trust or a Preacher of God's Word in time of Confusion under an Usurper provided he owns not his Authority nor Swears Allegiance as to a Lawful Prince Because Government must be and Good Laws may be put in Execution in any time of Confusion and somebody must do these things In short in my opinion a Conscientious man living under an Usurper may do whatsoever conduceth to Order Natural Right Publick Good and Justice and the Preservation of the true worship of God without owning his Authority But this I am sure is very unseasonable and I almost tremble to say this little about it at this time for fear of giving Scandal But I think my self able to prove against any man that King William and Queen Mary by the Election of the People in Convention have as true a Title as ever any Prince had And if this Gent. can prove what he saith P. 10. with all my heart be it done I must out of awful fear and reverence say nothing of it more I hope by God's grace I shall ever render fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Rom. 13.7 Thirdly Every man is bound tho' not unseasonably rashly and furiously when there is no probability of good Success to indeavour that the right Governour be placed on the Throne As for instance when O. C. had possession all the true Sons of the Church of England and many of our Presbyterian Brethren to my knowledge never owned his Authority but were very zealous and heartily prayed for the Restauration of the King and Royal Family And they thought it their Duty when they could not actively serve and obey the King to suffer with him and lye at the Mercy of the Usurper till God should pardon the Sins of the Nation and send Deliverance Now as this Gentleman writes P. 13. Did God give the Empire of the World to Nero to Domitian to Julian the Apostate all Usurpers and some of them Murderers of their Predecessors nay to Marius who was the very Image of O. C. And hath he not since that done any thing of that Nature Did not he that gave the Kingdom of England to King James give it also to King William Here he seems to own O. C. as much as King William I hope he means not so and I will not positively charge him tho' I grievously suspect him Sure I am this is no Doctrine of the Church of England O. C. was permitted by God's Providence as a Scourge and Plague to this sinful and unworthy Nation both to Prince and People according to the third Premise And for the transgressions of a land many are the Princes thereof Prov. 28.2 But King William was sent to us by Divine Providence as a gracious Gift and the greatest Temporal Blessing that God could vouchsafe a poor distressed distracted Nation according to the fifth Premise And indeed to do this Gent. right I charitably presume that it is want of Distinction in Divinity not in his thoughts to compare O C. and King William For P. 12. he applieth Dan. 4.17 where God is said to set over Kingdoms the basest of men such as O. C. was Kings given to a sinful Nation in his wrath and sometimes as suddenly again taken away in his anger and at other times continued longer for the Trial of his People or the Chastisement of wicked men which is good Divinity I shall conclude this about God's Providence with the
Conscience Satisfied IN A Cordial and Loyal Submitting to the Present GOVERNMENT of King WILLIAM AND Queen MARY In Three Discourses Justifying the Williamites against the Jacobites The first being Animadversions on a Book intituled The Doctrine of Non-Resistance or Passive Obedience no way concerned in the Controversies now depending between the Williamites and the Jacobites The second on 1 Sam. 23.30 Then said David Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hands of Saul And the Lord said They will deliver thee up The third on Dan. 5.20 But when his heart was lâ—fted up and his mind hardened in Pride he was deposed from his Throne and they took his glory from him By TIM WILSON Rector of Kingsnoth in Kent Licensed and Entred according to Order LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers Chapel 1690. To the Impartial Reader Reader THE Justification of my own Actions in this present Revolution ingages me and the love of Truth constrains me to this Task What I have done upon the strictest Examination of my own heart I have done with a pure Conscience and with just abhorrence of Popery and Slavery And I am ready to Answer all Objections that may be made against those Principles of Government and unmoveable Foundations which I have laid I assert nothing but what agrees with the Reason of Man with the Word of God and with the Practice of all Ages in like Exigents I give to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods and I also justifie the Liberty of my Native Countrey And this occasioned me to make Reflexions upon the Discourse of this Gentleman For my own part I desire to Fear God with the most Devout I Honour King William and Queen Mary with the foremost and I love the Liberty of an Englishman with my whole Soul I confess I was zealous against Reading the Declaration of the late King in Churches First Because it was Illegal and seem'd to me to own Arbitrary Government and the Dispensing Powers Secondly Because it evidently conduced to the Change of the establish'd Protestant Religion and the Introduction of Popery as the National Worship But I was then and am now for the Ease of Tender Consciences only I would have all done Orderly by the Legislative Power of the Nation that is by King Lords and Commons Now as for this Gentleman I have plainly shewn his Mistakes about Conquest about God's Providence about the Lawfulness of Defensive Arms c. I submit the whole to thee Christian Reader Lay aside Prejudice Consider exactly Judge impartially and God be with us all A Justification OF The VVilliamites I Cannot but greatly approve the Design of this Gentleman which seems to be the Glory of God in asserting his Providence about disposing Kingdoms the Honour of King William in making him a lawful Prince the Peace of the Nation in perswading the Jacobites to Submission the Preserving the Reputation of the Church of England in allaying the heats and animosities of the Williamites c. And I will not accuse him of luke-warmness in neither assisting nor resisting the late King because he that is not against us is on our side in some sense And this was the case of Hundreds in England who could not sound the depth of these Doctrines and did not trouble themselves about Passive Obedience And no doubt many will commend him for his Prudence and calm temper in standing by unconcerned and observing which side would have Success But if all Men had been as wise as this Gent. or as subtle I fear we should have been over-run by Popery and Arbitrary Power before this day For who should help us not this Gent. nor any of his Perswasion because he must in no case resist Who should then invite the Prince of Orange over and Promise him Assistance Let Fools and Rebels do that this Gent. hath more wit and is bound in Conscience to be Passive Prayers and Tears are his only Weapons And I make no doubt for truly I believe him to be a devout Man but he prayed to God for Deliverance But when the Deliverer came joyn with him who will be him he must not assist nor resist Now in all others cases Divines call this a Tempting of God But let us see particularly wherein we agree and wherein we differ First It is agreed That the Prince of Orange now our Gracious Soveraign had just Cause to make War upon James the Second P. 5. And if he had a just Cause I will not say to invade us or the injurious Prince as this Gent. saith but to right himself and come over and help us to right then surely our cause was just also and it could be no Sin but a Virtue to joyn with him against our Common Enemies Secondly It is agreed That this Prince was no Subject to King James nor to any other Prince and consequently was no Rebel P. 5. And if He could not have Right without Force He might lawfully compel him by force to do what He ought to have done without it but would not Thirdly The Author very sensibly and pathetically represents the Tyranny Oppression and Grievances of the Nation He saith P. 5. All Protestants grant the late King's design was certainly to Extirpate the Protestant Religion to Inslave and consequently to Extirpate the English Nation And P. 16. He Persecuted that Church he Promised and was bound to Protect and did not treat us like Englishmen but like Slaves And P. 18. It may suffice to say in general Never any of our Princes so openly attempted the Ruin of an Established Religion or by more Illegal Courses than He. Nor Law nor Oaths nor Promises nor Gratitude could restrain Him He broke thorough all the Barriers God and Man had put in his way and seemed resolved to ruin us or himself c. And Pag. 23. All his Solemn Promises were easily broken or rather never intended to be kept at the very time they were made and all those He hath since made have been violated in Ireland where only He had Power to keep or break his word c. Fourthly It is agreed That the Doctrine of the Lawfulness of defensive Arms is not proper at all seasons or may be an unseasonable Dispute P. 2. And that very great Caution must be used lest the People Rebel and it is a sign of a crazy Nation when the Fundamentals of Government must be laid open But yet if it be a truth in extreme Necessity it must be manifested to satisfie mens Consciences And this Gentleman confesses P. 1. That the Doctrine of Passive Obedience was indeed dangerous to them that is Their present Majesties when He first entered England because all that believed themselves bound by it were obliged not to take up Arms for Him against King James and so consequently it deprived Him of their Assistance and for this reason I
and Argument But this is not our Case I will state the Case Suppose a whole Nation Christian and the true Religion fixed by Law so that it is our Birthright and Property as it were and we have a Legal and Civil Right or Human Right as well as a Divine to our Religion and yet this is evidently Invaded by Evil Councellors about the King and he is drawn to destroy Religion If this Gentleman can shew any Primitive Christian or ancient Father and Doctor of the Church who saith in this Case it is not Lawful to Defend our Religion Laws Liberties and Properties I yield the Cause Otherwise we grant all his Examples and Instances as nothing to our purpose They shew indeed the Peaceableness Meekness Humility Patience and Faith of those Primitive Christians their Zeal and Affection for the Happiness of the Empire and their Submission to the Government Laws and Usages of their Country and to their Superiours in their most rigorous Execution of them to the destruction of them and their Religion which is called the Abuse of Power and Legal Tyranny in which case we also own Passive Obedience Secondly I differ from this Gent. about Conquest He would have King William a Conqueror tho' He claims not by it And so tho he was none of them that did or durst have resisted or rebelled against King James yet after his Desertion he forsook him P. 13. Answ If the Prince of Orange had designed an Invasion and Conquest as this Gent. calls it both he and we had been bound in Conscience to Oppose him because there is a Loyalty to our Country as well as to our King And Invasion and Conquest are dismal things as well as shameful But blessed be God He came not as the Enemy of our Country but as our Friend as our Joshua our Saviour to deliver us from Popery and Slavery He ventured his Life to save us from Oppression not to Conquer us Besides if he conquered King James and this Gentleman He did not Conquer those that joyned with him which were by far the greatest part of the Nation I am sure in our County multitudes Subscribed the Association to stand by the Cause with their Lives and Fortunes not to Enslave themselves by Conquest And then it followed That they humbly desired the Prince of Orange to take the Government upon him and Circular Letters were issued out for a Convention and that Convention or Parliament Elected him King and the Princess Queen and He accepted it as a Trust and all Government is a Trust and founded in Covenant as I have elsewhere proved and then we honoured Him and prayed for Him as our King According to those Exhortations in Scripture which order us to Fear God and the King Prov. 24.21 to be subject to the higher Powers which are of God Rom. 13.1 and to pray for Kings and all in Authority that under them we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all Godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2.1 2. All which are as much now due to Their present Majesties as to any that ever sat on the Throne It is true by His Affection to our Nation and Zeal for our Religion and Liberties he conquered our Hearts and will for ever reign there and He merits our Lives and Fortunes but it is not for the Honour of our Nation to say He Conquered us And indeed 14000 Men cannot subdue England by force which is properly Conquest We received him as sent from God with hearts full of joy and with chearful countenances And were it not for that Doctrine of Passive Obedience in its vast extent with which many devout Christians and many Learned Pious and great Bishops and Doctors through prejudice were possessed I will not say infected the whole Nation had sounded with Songs of Triumph and our Churches and Pulpits with Praises and Hallelujahs as if we had had Heaven upon Earth So great was the Mercy of our God in delivering us and our Posterity from Popish Ignorance Error Superstition and Idolatry and restoring our Laws and Liberties For my own part I was transported with joy and I care not if all the world saith as some said in Hosea his time c. 9. v. 7. The Prophet is a Fool the spiritual Man is Mad. But surely in truth and reason they are Fools and Madmen that reject so great Deliverance and Salvation out of fondness to a silly Opinion There need no Eloquence if I could use it our great Fears and imminent Dangers are Oratory sufficient Popish Judges Popish Officers in the Army Popish Priests and Jesuits at Court Popish Heads of Colleges in the University Popish Justices of the Peace Mayors c. with the Dispensing Power might well affright us And tho' we perhaps might have spun out a slavish life without great Persecution yet our Children could expect nothing but French Dragoons and Torture or voluntary Exile if not the Marian days of Fire and Faggot But as for those who plead Conquest for the King they know not what they do in making this Plea as a Learned Man speaks For if there were no other right neither Precedent nor consequent but meerly because such an one was stronger and got it and so holds it now then whosoever is strongest at any time he hath right and if a stronger than he comes he shall have right This is no good Divinity nor Policy to Plead thus That which subjects my Conscience to such an one is Submission upon some Compact Covenant or Agreement Besides this sort of Men by flattering Monarchs and deluding the People with crying out The King the King have wholly forgotten the very Heathens Lesson It is sweet and comely to Die for our Country that is our Laws Liberty Property c. I must confess Conquest makes way for Subjection as it did in Caesar over the Jews but I hope no man will say this is our case nor do they do their King or Country any Service who put the Controversie upon this Issue Thirdly I must consider what this Gentleman saith about God's Providence in disposing Kingdoms And here I must needs say that he is honest in the main but he hath not read and digested Divinity enough to handle this subject and therefore he is very confused And I will not arrogate so much to my self as to say I have sounded this depth which hath cost me some years study and yet I must admire for I am ignorant or unsatisfied about many things concerning God's Providence I will not at this time ingage in the Controversie between the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants God's Providence and Man's free acting are not inconsistent that is certain How they concur is most mysterious and the Highest Point in School-Divinity And I may safely say that it is above my strength to cut asunder or my wit to untie this knot But it is mine and every mans Duty to do God's Will and submit to his Pleasure who doth whatsoever pleaseth him in
Destruction of them all Thus I have discreetly or indiscreetly rationally or not I must leave the indifferent Reader to judge but I am sure with greatest Satisfaction of my own Conscience laid open my heart to my Countrymen And I am ready to Answer this Gentleman or any of my Brethren in these Problems following First That the Church of Rome is an Idolatrous Church Secondly In some Case Defensive Arms are Lawful Thirdly In some Case it is Lawful to Abdicate a King Fourthly King William and Queen Mary by the free consent and Election of the People in Convention have as good a Title as ever any had Fifthly Neither Monarchy nor Episcopacy nor Presbytery nor any one Form of Government in Church or State is of Divine Right Antecedent to Law and Agreement Sixthly That if the Bishops and Fresbyterians could Unite in one National Church and Worship by a Comprehension it would be a blessed Agreement Seventhly That Liberty of Conscience for all Dissenting Protestants of what Sect soever with some Limitations and Restrictions as to Government yea Papists themselves in some Degree not Excepted is a piece of Prudence and harmless Policy at least if not of Christianity which commands universal Charity Lastly I think that I can shew that these Problems are not contrary to the Practice of this Church and State in the Beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign whose Memory is for ever blessed among Protestants And if I could have the License of the Press I doubt not to make these things probable notwithstanding the Present Prejudices of many I have read that there was no Persecution for Religion in the Beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign and if I were worthy to advise there should be no Persecution for Religion in the beginning nor in the whole Reign of King William and Queen Marry that Glory may be to God on High as the Angels Song is on Earth Peace good will towards Men that Man may be at Peace with Man and all Men may be reconciled to God I hate Bigotism for an Opinion tho' I think every Man is bound in Conscience to lay down his life for his King and Country when God shall call him thereunto and earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints against the Abominations of the Roman Synagogue As for Protestants they agree in the Main and tho' I approve of the Saying of a Learned Presbyter if Opinions make Saints or Saints make Opinions we shall quickly have more Opinions than Saints yet St. Paul says They that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please themselves Rom. 15.1 And I like Gamaliel's Councel as most seasonable for our times for this reason among others because it is a good natured thing and all mens Minds are so full of Prejudice that what one calls Saint another calls Devil Wherefore refrain from these men and let them alone for if this Counsel or this Work be of men it will come to nought But if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest haply ye be found even to fight against God Acts 5.38 39. I believe in my Conscience that the Church of England in her Liturgy and Ceremonies as by Law established is fairly defensible against all Antagonists But the Church her Self never thought them equal to God's Word or unalterable in some Exigents as the Right Reverend the Bishops and Great Men of our Church have with no less Prudence than Piety acknowledged in all times and more especially in their late Petition to King James wherein they say that they want not due tenderness towards Dissenters and that they shall willingly come to such a Temper as shall be thought fit when Matters come to be settled in Parliament and Convocation And this is all that ever I designed for the great End of Peace and Union among Protestants And now I have Cause to be angry with this Gent. for he hath heated me and set me on fire and that in Hell too But if he will Damn the Priests and Jesuits he may for me for they deserve the Curses of the Nation but if ever he Damns us again I think what I 'll do and I need not care if I tell him tho' I am a Reprobate and the worst of Reprobates a Rebel I will do what I can to save his Soul by reducing him to a more Charitable Opinion of the Friends of his King and Country and that he shall never produce Rom. 13. against us more tho' perhaps I may shame him in this world The Righteous is as bold as a Lion says Solomon Prov. 28.1 What Evil have we done Nay what Good for this Cause have we not done Was ever any Man before Damned for helping to Save his Country What does this Gent. mean I tell him again we have Cause to be Angry But I have read excellent advice of St. Paul Eph. 4.28 Be ye angry and Sin not let not the Sun go down upon your wrath Neither give place to the Devil v. 27. And therefore before I bid him God be with you Sir this Gent. and I will shake hands and be Friends for we are resolved that if we can hinder it the late King shall never return to England again Hear what he says to the Jacobites p. 24. If they admit all the dreadful Consequences that attend this relapse and yield up both Church and Nation to certain and inevitable ruin only that they may not be Damned for Perjury and Disobedience to a King that has left them when he might have stayed and now offereth to return and do what he then refused What shall we also Consent and Sacrifice our selves and our Posterity to the humour or scruples of these men Shall we suffer the English Church Liberties and the very People of England to be destroyed to gratifie two or three hundred Persons And it is a remarkable Speech if it be true which he saith he hath been told from good hands that one of our Bishops Bishop Ken said Tho' he could not satisfie his own Scruples yet he thought the English Nation fools if ever they suffered King James to return And Pag. 33. he saith It is now the same Sin to resist them that is King William and Queen Mary it was formerly to resist Him that is King James And we will Joyn our hearts in Prayer Cloath all their Majesties Enemies with shame O Lord but upon themselves and their Posterity may the Crown flourish for ever Ps 132.18 Long live King William and Queen Mary Deliciae humani Generis the Darlings of England and the Favourites of Heaven and may they late enter into Coelestial Joys Amen 1 Sam. 23.12 Then said David Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hands of Saul And the Lord said They will deliver thee up SAul was appointed by God anointed by the Prophet Samuel and chosen by the Children of Israel to be their King And in the beginning of his
there be Laws whereby a King is to rule which he shall command his Subjects to break and his Subjects are neither bound to obey nor suffer by him then his Government is not Arbitrary But if there be Laws made and he may inforce his Subjects either to keep them or break them and punish them at his pleasure that shall refuse and the whole Kingdom bound in Conscience to suffer whatsoever he shall inflict for not breaking those Laws then is his Government Arbitrary For Arbitrary Government is that whereby a Prince doth rule ex arbitrio which he doth when either there is no Law to rule by but his own Will or when he hath a Power to break those Laws at his will and to punish the Subject at his pleasure for not breaking them And in truth this latter is rather an Arbitrary Government than the former as it shews more Liberty in the will that it hath a Power to act when Reason perswades to the contrary than if there were no Reason disswading and else there should be no Arbitrary Government in the world For no State but hath some Laws whereby they rule and are ruled even the very Indians only here lies the Arbitrariness of a Government that notwithstanding the Law the Ruler may pro arbitrio force his Subjects according to his own pleasure In our present Case December 88. we may well consider these things First The Matter of Fact is evident That the King 's evil Counsellors Popish Priests and Jesuits have tyrannized over us and oppressed us in an high measure This is known to the whole Nation Secondly I believe in my Conscience that it is the most Heroick and Virtuous Action that Mortal Man can do to deliver poor Innocents from Tyranny and Oppression Thirdly The Prince of Orange under God hath been the great Instrument of our Deliverance from Popish Tyranny and Slavery Fourthly We ought to give Thanks to God first and then to his Servant our David the Captain of our Israel for saving us from our Enemies In short This Cause which I account God's Cause and the Cause of the whole Nation and the Prince of Orange now our most Gracious Soveraign whom I account God's Instrument have conquered my Heart and consequently shall have my Tongue my Pen the utmost of my Strength and Zeal Yea I hope through God's grace that I shall neither be ashamed nor afraid to lay down my life for the Protestant Religion and Interest and the Liberties Laws and Properties of my Native Country There are some Objections taken from Examples out of Scripture which seem to favour the contrary Opinion but I need not nor cannot consider them all and I perswade my self that they are obviated by what I have said And I am sure that he that confirms Truth by it confounds Error Yet I shall consider the main Objection See say many David's behaviour to Saul 1 Sam. 24. Ye know that King Saul persecuted David causelesly he sought his life for no reason David was a good and loyal Subject neither did Saul 's violence and persecution tempt him or prevail with him to change his Loyalty or forget his Duty David did but cut off the skirt of Saul 's Robe privily and his heart smote him for it And he said to his Men The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lord 's Anointed to stretch forth my hand against him And he hindered his Servants from hurting Saul And when he called to Saul he said My Lord the King And when Saul looked behind him David stooped with his face to the earth and bowed himself He called him my Father which is a Title of reverence Insomuch that Saul his Enemy was melted into kind Expressions by his goodness and righteousness Read and consider the whole Chapter at your leisure David heaped Coals of fire on Saul 's head as the Apostles Phrase is not to burn consume or destroy him but to win him to a good Opinion both of his Innocence and Loyalty Hence they infer that the Supream Magistrate the King though he suffers his Subjects to be never so much oppressed is not to be resisted but we must submit with Patience commit our Cause to God by Prayer and make our Appeal to Heaven who judgeth righteously and suffer our Throats to be cut or flee away leave our Posterity to Slavery and so expect a Reward in Heaven for suffering I Answer The Subject as several Divines say may be considered two ways First Divisively Secondly Conjunctively The Subject considered Divisively hath always applied himself to Prayers and Tears the oppression being only Personal and perhaps without remedy Some Inconveniences and Grievances will be in the best Government and we must not think to have all that we desire or perhaps may really deserve in this world And therefore we ought to get Publick Spirits and hate Private Designs and Self interest when it would destroy the Publick Good Secondly The Subject may be considered Conjunctively And thus when the Oppression is General and Universal almost then the People must look to their own Preservation all Government being for the good of the whole Body Politick And in this case the safety of the People is the Highest Law All Government and all Laws suppose this as a Principle or Foundation Again The Subject is said to take up Arms against the King either First As against the King's Person and of this we do not speak Thus who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless Hence it may be inferred That private Assassination of a Prince is wicked and abominable Secret or open Murder of any Man much more of a Prince is an heinous Crime We are taught by this Example that the hand is not to be lift up against the Magistrate but still David defended himself by force of Arms. Some Expositors as I find in the Author of the Synopsis say That David had Power to kill Saul Power was given by these words v. 14. The men of David said unto him Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee Behold I will deliver thine Enemy into thine hand that thou maist do to him as shall seem good to thee He that is invaded may prevent the Invader as Lessius and S. Thomas teach Lavater No Subject or Private person saith a great Divine may invade a Tyrant without lawful Defence tho' he hath occasion as David could indeed kill Saul whom yet he dismissed because there was not extream Necessity I will not saith he put forth my hand against my Lord for he is the Lords Anointed v. 10. For God knows to draw Tyrants to Punishment either by the ordinary Power of every Kingdom or by any other miraculous way The Consequence saith another rational Divine that follows from hence is clearly this That no private man in his own Cause for so was David's then by his own Power may seize upon the Person of a King in
an offensive way especially such a King who had his Call immediately from Heaven what farther Consequence that concerns our business in hand let any shew from this place that can And some say That David arose with a purpose to slay Saul but changed his Mind in the midst of his Proceedings But I think that David was but a private Person and so had no Authority It is plain that David's heart smote him because he had cut off Saul's Skirt v. 5. Some think his Conscience checked him for the thought of his heart to kill the King But still his Conscience never checked him for keeping men in Arms to defend himself from Saul's oppression for this he did many Years The Person of the King ought to be Sacred but our persons and lives also ought to be defended We may zealously defend our own Innocence Secondly The Subjects may be said to take up Arms as against the King's Command for their own Preservation so we affirm it That it is lawful for Subjects Conjunctively considered or when the Laws of the Country are generally violated and the Oppression is almost Epidemical to take up Arms for Self-preservation against the King's Commands And justifie their Cause by the Law of Nature and right Reason which is not only the Common Law of England but of all Nations For the Law of Nature as Alex. de Ales saith is in us without our Cooperation and of God's putting in and impression Thus having heard my Judgment and our present Cause defended pray have a little Patience to hear my Affection It is written Psal 2.11 Rejoyce with trembling First Let us rejoyce that God of his infinite goodness hath delivered us from our merciless Enemies from a Religion so false and from such foolish Counsellors as would have made us Slaves But Secondly Let it be with trembling when we consider First Our own sinfulness and unworthiness of so good and gracious a Providence Secondly When we consider the dismal Calamities that have befallen His Sacred Majesty through evil Counsellors Let us rejoyce that the snare is broken and we are delivered let us tremble to think of God's righteous Judgments O that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for the calamities that have befallen this Nation and the Royal Family as the Prophet speaks Jer. 9.1 Our Religion teacheth us Love Goodness Mercy and Compassion Let us not rejoyce at the Calamities of our Enemies but at God's wonderful Mercy to us that our Religion our Laws our Liberties our Lives and our Posterity should be freed from the sink of all Mankind the Tyranny of Jesuits and blood-thirsty Papists Let us bewail our Sins the Cause of Afflictions Necessity nothing but Necessity to defend our selves and our Religion and our Posterity from Popery and Slavery forced us to this last Remedy I rejoyce that we are escaped I am sorry even for the trouble of our very Enemies Well then let us Sin no more lest a worse thing befall us It is true as the Prophet saith The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Isai 1.5 6. Sacred Majesty laid in the dust requires our Tears our Religion and our Laws revived require our joy Let us be grieved that the Crown is fallen from our Heads for we have sinned Let us rejoyce that God's Honour and Glory is manifested in the Salvation of his Church And as a Testimony of our Thankfulness to God First Let us be humble and lowly in heart ascribing all our Deliverances to God's gracious Providence over his Church Secondly Let us be merciful to others in their distress Let us lighten every burden and break every yoke Let us be patient towards all men and zealous of nothing more than good works and easie to be intreated in a good Matter Let us not oppress the Poor and Needy Let us ease Tender Consciences and perform our Vows made in our distress and do as we would be done by Let us be wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves Let us practice that Religion which we have defended with our utmost Zeal and Lives And this consists in Faith and Good Works Love and Peace Courtesie and Mercy that Glory may be to God in Heaven on Earth Peace and good Will towards Men. Thirdly Let us strive for Union among our selves A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand Let us joyn against the common Enemy of our Faith and Religion Let us lay aside our Animosities and not strive for private Interest but for the Publick good Let us seek Peace and insue it as those who love life and may see good days Let us imitate David's Example not seeking private Revenge but the Peace of our Jerusalem and the Prosperity of our Sion that is the Happiness of Church and State Let us heap Coals of Fire on our Adversaries giving them what they denied to us the tenderest thing in the World except God's Glory even Liberty of Conscience It is true as Solomon saith He that winneth Souls is wise But this must be done by Arguments convincing the Judgment not by force and violence He that wins the Heart gains a sure Friend but he that forceth the outward man loseth with great disadvantage what he seemed to have gained when the Compulsion ceaseth Faction may be promoted by rigorous Execution of Laws but Religion never got footing but by Reason and Argument Not that I am against preserving true Religion by Civil Laws if any be so wicked as to invade the Rights of the Established Religion but I am against Persecution for Conscience sake We have all suffered for our Divisions Let this not be a price in the hand of a Fool as Solomon saith Prov. 17.16 to get wisdom seeing he hath no heart to it I hope God hath taught all Protestants by their Afflictions to lay hold of this present Opportunity to Unite else we are very mean Proficients in the School of Christ It is true very few or perhaps none of us here present this day before God have suffered in our Persons Estates or Livelihoods But if we are Christians we should have a Sympathy and Fellow-feeling with our Brethren in Affliction we should be grieved for the Afflictions of Joseph I mean for the Calamities Disgraces Reproaches and Imprisonment of our Fathers and Brethren of the Nobility Gentry Clergy and Commons who opposed Popish Innovations and Arbitrary Power And even we our selves were just at the Pits brink almost fallen but God who heard the Publican's Prayer hath been merciful to us Sinners If we are stubborn obstinate and will nothing relent God can yet consume us by sending an evil Spirit among us but I hope there is a Blessing behind for us and our Posterity If we are Atheists Neuters or Luke-warm like the Church of Laodicea neither hot nor cold if