conscientious men voted and acted as they did conscientiously really judging the course they steered to be the safest and most direct for bringing the great Ship of the Common-wealth into the harbour of rest and peace And is it not contrary as well to principles of reason as Religion that such men upon so faire an account as this should be so fouly handled To this I answer First not to question that which I make no question but will be sufficiently proved in due time I meane the Religiousnesse of the Gentlemen spoken of Religious men are as well men as religious and consequently are not yet baptized into the spirit of that divine prerogative which should make them in the Apostle James his phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 1. 13. persons un-temptable by things that are evill They that are capable of receiving gifts or of any inordinacy in their desires after earthly accommodations how wise or just soever they be otherwise are subject both to have their eyes blinded and their words perverted A guift saith God himselfe doth blinde the eyes of the wise i. of those that are religiously wise as well as others the Scripture not often tearming any men wise but upon that account and pervert the words of the righteous a Deut 16. 19. A guift or any thing equivalent to a guift and that not onely after it is received but much more whilst it is yet desired and expected is apt to have both these sad operations even upon the best of men For who can be better then those whom wisedome and righteousnesse joyne hand in hand to make excellent Secondly Sect. 30. When men are religious onely to a mediocrity and withall servile in their judgements to some principles which are commonly and with great confidence and importunity obtruded upon the consciences of professors for sacred Truths and yet are extreamly discouraging and full of enmity to a thorough stable and quiet dependence upon God by being religious upon such tearmes as these they become twofold more the children of feare then otherwise they were like to be and consequently so much the more capable and receptive of sad and dismall impressions from the World upon all occasions And it is not more commonly then truely said Pessimus Consiliarius Timor that Feare is a bad Counsellor Thirdly Sect. 31. When religious men sinne against the common Interest and liberties of a free borne Nation and make one purse with the knowne and thrice declared enemies of their Land and people whether they doe it with or against their judgements and consciences the Law of nature and necessity cannot for the present stand to make either a scrupulous inquiry after such a difference or a regular assignement of favour to the qualifying circumstances of demerit but cals yea and cries out immediatly and commands all men without exception that have a prize in their hand to give it for the redemption of their Nation out of the hand of Oppression and Tyranny And when this Law hath been obeyed to the securing of the Nation she presently resigneth and this freely and willingly all her authority and command into the hand of positive and standing Lawes calculated for the ordinary posture and state of things untill there be another cry of like danger in her eares When these standing Lawes come to resume their authority and power there will be an opportunity to inquire if it shall be thought convenient who sinned with and who against their consciences and their assesments which were we uniformly rated by the Law of necessity may be reduced to tearmes of more equity by those other lawes But Fourthly Sect. 32. According to the Notion of that maxime in naturall Philosophy Corruptio optimi est pessima that errours of the best men of worst consequence in many cases The digressions of men religious are many times worse then the thorough discourses of other men When conscience and concupiscence meet as oft they doe in religious men the conjunction is very fiery It was the saying of Gregory long since When men conceive of sinne under the notion of a duty there it is committed with an high hand and without feare a Cum vitiū virtus putatur culpa sine meta cumulatur Greg. de Pastor cur l. 3. c. 1. Nor ever was nor is ever like to bee the persecution of the Saints more grievous then when those that shall persecute them and put them to death shall thinke that therein they doe God service b Joh. 16. 2. So that whereas the objection in hand plead's on the behalfe of those Parliament men who were religious that they followed the light and dictate of their judgements and consciences in complying with the King and his complices the truth is that though it may reasonably be thought so much the lesse sinful in them if they did it upon such tearms yet was it a ground so much the more justifiable for the Army to proceed upon to the dis-interessing of them as they did For when religious men breake out of the way of righteousnesse and truth with the renitency and obmurmuration of their judgements and consciences it is a signe that their judgements and consciences are yet at liberty and in a condition to reduce them But when these are consederate with their lust there is little hope of their repentance But Fiftly and lastly Sect. 33. for this whereas the objection intimates some hard measure offered unto them being men of conscience and acting according to their judgements the truth is that I know not how the Army could walke towards them with a softer foot to secure the liberties of the Kingdome together with their owne lives and estates against the menaces of their judgements and consciences then they did A third grand Objection Sect. 34. wherewith some encounter that action of the Army The third maine objection hitherto justified is this they therein say these men made themselves Covenant-breakers and sinned against the Solemne Vow and Oath which they or at least some of them sware unto God with hands lifted up to Heaven if not with hearts also In this Covenant they promised and sware that they would endeavour with their estates and lives mutually to preserve the rights and priviledges of Parliaments whereas by that violent dismembring of the Parliament they brake and trampled upon them To this we answer more briefly First That most certaine it is that it is no right or priviledge of Parliament to Vote or Act in opposition to the benefit and good of the Kingdome and those who have intrusted them It is unpossible that any things that is sinfull should be the right or priviledge of any person or society of men under Heaven Therefore if the Army did nothing more but onely restraine from acting in such a way they did not herein violate a Right or priviledge of Parliament If it be replyed Sect. 35. that though it be
their proceedings to betray them both in the one and the other unto their enemies But two things it is like will bee here objected First that the Parliament were Judges lawfully constituted of the Kings delinquency against the Kingdome but the Army were no Judges of such a constitution of the miscarriages of the Parliament Therefore there is not the same consideration in point of lawfulnesse in the proceedings of the Army against the Parliament which is of the Parliaments proceeding against the King There is the same difference likewise betweene the act of a Clyent and Pupill wherein the one dischargeth his Advocate and the other his Guardian and the act of the Army in dethroning the Parliament men To this I answer First Sect. 18. That whether we place the lawfulnesse of a Parliamentary Judicature in respect of the Kings Delinquency either in their Election by the people or in the conformity of this their Election unto the Lawes of the Land certaine it is that the Army were Judges of every whit as competent and lawfull a constitution of their delinquencies in the same kinde For First If we measure the lawfulnesse of Parliamentary Judicature by the call of the people thereunto the Army as was formerly proved hath every whit as lawfull a constitution to judge who are enemies to the peace and safety of the Kingdome as the Parliament it selfe hath Nor doth it at all argue any illegality in their judgements about the Parliament men that they had not the explicit and expresse consent of the people therein or that they had no call by them so to judge no more then it proveth an illegallity in many Votes and Ordinances of Parliament that they were both made and published not onely without the particular and expresse consent but even contrary to the minds and desires of the people or at least of the major part of them Besides it is a ridiculous thing to pretend a want of a call from the people against the lawfulnesse of such an act which is of that soveraign necessity for their benefit and good which the actings of the Army were especially at such a time when there is no possibility of obtaining or receiving a formall call from the people without running an eminent hazard of losing the opportunity for doing that excellent service unto them which the providence of God in a peculiar juncture of circumstances exhibit's for the present unto us Mens consents unto all acts manifestly tending to their reliefe are sufficiently expressed in their wants and necessities If it be yet said But the people doe not judge the proceedings of the Army against the Parliament men as tending to their reliefe or welfare in any kinde but as contrary unto both nor doe they give so much as their subsequent consents thereunto I answer besides what was lately said to the nullifying of this pretence that Physitians called to the care and cure of persons under distempers need not much stand upon the consents of such patients either subsequent or antecedent about what they administer unto them If the people be uncapable in themselves of the things of their peace it is an act of so much the more goodnesse and mercy in those who being fully capable of them will ingage themselves accordingly to make provision for them It is a deed of Charity and Christianity to save the life of a lunatique or distracted person even against his will Porrò si paulatim idem populus depravatus habeat venale suffragiam regimen flagitiosis seeleratisque committat recte adimitur populo talis potestas dandi honores ad paucorum bonorum redit arbitrium Aqu 12 ae qu. 67. art 1. Besides it is a ruled case amongst wise men that if a people be depraved and corrupt so as to conferre places of power and trust upon wicked and undeserving men they forfeit their power in this behalfe unto those that are good though but a few So that nothing pretended from a non-concurrence of the people with the Army will hold water Or Secondly If we estimate the lawfulnesse of that Judicature by the conformity of their elections thereunto to the Lawes of the Land the investiture of the Army into that Judicature which they have exercised in the case in question is conforme unto a Law of farre greater authority then any one yea then all the Lawes of the Land put together I meane the Law of nature necessity and of love to their Country and Nation which being the Law of God himselfe written in the fleshly tables of mens hearts Sect. 19. hath an authoritative jurisdiction over all humane Lawes and constitutions whatsoever a prerogative right of power to overrule them and to suspend their obliging influences in all cases appropriate to it selfe Yea many of the Lawes of God themselves thinke it no disparagement unto them to give place to their elder Sister the Law of necessity and to surrender their authority into her hand when shee speaketh So that whatsoever is necessary is somewhat more then lawfull more I meane in point of warrantablenesse If then the Army stood bound by the Law of nature and necessity to judge the Parliament men as they did viz. as men worthy to be secluded from their fellowes in Parliamentary interest this judiciary power was vested in them by a Law of greater authority then the Lawes of the Land and consequently the legality or lawfulnesse of it was greater then of that in the Parliament which derives its legality onely from a conformity to the established Lawes of the Land Yea the truth is that that Law of necessity by which the Army were constituted Judges of those Parliamentary Delinquents we speake of cannot in propriety of speech be denyed to be one of the lawes of the Land being the law of nature and consequently the law of all Lands and Nations whatsoever established in this and in all the rest by a better and more indubitable legislative Authority then resides in any Parliament or community of men whatsoever If it be here further objected Sect. 20. yea but what necessity was there lying upon the Army to assume that judicative power unto themselves which they exercised upon the Members of Parliament It is an easie matter to pretend a necessity almost for every unjust and unrighteous thing but not so easie to judge what such a necessity is which is authorized by God with a suspensive power over humane lawes To this I answer First That they cannot at least in the ordinary signification of the word be said to assume a power of judicature unto themselves who onely judge either of persons or of things in respect of themselves and with relation to what concernes themselves by way of duty either to doe or to forbeare The exercise of such a judging or judicative power as this is imposed by God by way of duty upon all men and woe unto them who doe not judge both persons and things in such a consideration
be by continuance Can the Ethiopian saith God himselfe to the Iews change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may ye also doe good that are accustomed or taught to doe evill a Jer. 13. 23. And elsewhere speaking of the same people they hold fast deceit they refuse to returne no man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done Every one turned to his course or race as the horse rusheth into the battle b Jer. 8. 5 6. meaning that as the warlike horse having been for a while curb'd and held in by his Rider with a sharp bit strong hand rusheth with so much the more violence and fury into the battle when he feeles his liberty In like manner these men and it is the case generally of all men when they had been at any time restrained for a while whether by my word or my judgments upon them from these vile practises still upon the first opportunity that they found themselves loose they re-practised their former wickednesse with so much the more eagernesse and keenenesse of spirit It were easie to bring Authorities in great numbers Sect. 22. both divine and humane and these attended with a like traine of examples both ancient and modern for the farther confirmation and credit of this axiome that men generally are much more like to practice on their owne vices then to fall off to the exercise of other mens vertues But by what hath been delivered in already upon this account most evident it is that the men deparliamented by the Army were in their full carreire to the utter undoing of the Kingdome when they were dismounted and consequently that the judgement of the Army looking upon them as persons meet to be discharged from that great Trust wherein they so prevaricated was according to righteousnesse and truth Therefore 3. Sect. 23. And lastly as to the objection last propounded it is no such great matter of difficulty clearly to discern and judge of such emerging necessities at least of many of them which are authorized by God with a prerogative interest of suspending humane lawes Hunger is by the holy Ghost himselfe enrolled amongst those necessities which are invested by God with a faculty and right of suspending his owne lawes so farre and in such cases as they oppose the reliefe of it Have yee not read saith our Saviour to the Pharisees what David did when he was an HVNGRY and they that were with him how he entered into the house of God and did eate the shew-bread which was not lawfull for him to eate viz. in ordinary cases neither for them that were with him but for the Priests only a 〈◊〉 at 12. 3 4 5. meaning and yet were innocent and unreprovable notwithstanding the transgression of a divine law as touching the plain express letter of it Now if God hath asserted such a priviledge unto the necessity of hunger whereby to supersede the conscientious obligation of his own law in order to its present satisfaction much more hath hee authorized it to the superseding of any constitution or law meerly humane in reference to such an end unlesse wee shall thinke that hee is more jealous for the observation of the lawes of men then of his owne So then if it be no great matter of difficulty for a man to judge when he is an hungry evident it it that there are some cases of necessity obvious enough whereunto the lawes of men ought to give place and to be content to be as if they were not For the reason why hunger is invested with such a priviledge from God as we speak of is not simply as or because it is hunger i. such a peculiar and determinate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in a way proper to it selfe threatneth and endangereth the life of man but in respect of the generall nature of it and as it simply threatneth and endangereth this life if it be not timely healed by the application of food or nourishment It was the preciousnesse of the lives of men in Gods sight not any respect he bare to any paricular way or meanes of endangering them which obtained from him the grant of such a priviledge unto hunger that in order to it 's necessary satisfaction it should over-rule his owne law So that whatsoever else it be as well as hunger which so apparently menaceth or portendeth ruine and destruction to the lives of men partakes of the same indulgence and grant of priviledge from God with hunger and is facultated by him in order to the prevention of the mischiefe menaced to transgresse a Law without guilt of sinne By the cleare warrant of this consideration and deduction the Jewes extended that grant of priviledge which God as we have heard made or indulged explicitely unto hunger only unto all manner of things and cases whatsoever whereby and wherein life was exposed to imminent hazard and danger Their common maximes were as they were formerly mentioned Periculum vitae pellit Sabbathum Periculum vita pellit omnia Sect. 4 that danger of life drives away the Sabbath Perill of life drives away all c. Now if the perill of the life of one man or of a small parcell of men as David and those that were with him were no great party was priviledged from heaven with a sinlesse transgression of a speciall law of God certainly the imminent danger of bloody combustions in the middest of a great Nation wherein the lives of many thousands were like to be sacrificed besides the hazard of beinging many other most deplorable and sad calamities upon the whole Land which as hath beene proved wrought effectually in the counsels and actings of the disseated Parliament-men is a broad and unquestionable ground of equity and right for the Armie to build a prevention or diversion of them upon though it be with a temporary disobedience to such lawes of men which were never doubtlesse intended by the Law-makers themselves for the binding either of mens consciences or their hands in such cases Onely Sect. 24. lest the truth we assert should possibly suffer through any mans mistake I shall adde one thing by way of caution or explication about the premises When wee seeme to approve of that principle of the Jewes wherein they say that Perill of life drives away all and speak many things concerning the priviledges of necessity we doe not suppose nor intend to say that men may lawfully transgresse every law or precept of God whatsoever for the saying of their lives being in danger as for example that they may lawfully lie forswear themselves deny Christ or the like in such cases for men doubtless ought rather to accept of death then deliverance upon such tearmts as these But that which we suppose upon the account specified is onely this that hunger or any parallell exigence or necessity have such an indulgencie of priviledge from God which extendeth to the suspension of all such Lawes as
many Therefore to goe about either to justifie the Kings act by the act of the Army or to condemne the act of the Army by the Kings is as if I should undertake to prove that the night is lightsome because the day is so or that the day is darke because the night is so A fourth objection in the mouthes of some Sect. 40. against which they conceive the Army cannot be justified in the businesse in question The fourth grand Objection is that all such actions are contrary unto and condemned by the Lawes of the Land But to this objection at least to the weight and substance of it we have already answered over and over and particularly have asserted and proved First that all humane Laws and constitutions are but of a like structure and frame with the Ceremoniall Lawes of old made by God himselfe which were all made with knees to bend to the Law of nature and necessity Secondly That it is to be presumed that the intent of all Law-givers amongst men is notwithstanding any or all their Lawes seemingly commanding the contrary to leave an effectuall doore alwayes open for the common good and in cases of necessity to be provided for by any person or persons whatsoever Thirdly that all Lawes binde onely according to the regular and due intentions of the Law-makers Fourthly that the Lawes of nature and necessity are as well the Lawes of the Land as those commonly so called Fifthly that when any two Lawes encounter one the other in any such exigent or straite of time that both of them cannot be obeyed the Law of inferiour consequence ought to give place to that of superior and the duty injoyned in this to be done though that required in the other be left undone We now adde First That we charitably suppose that there is no such Law of the Land which prohibiteth or restraineth any man or for of men from being Benefactors to the publique especially from preserving the publique liberties in cases of necessity when they stand in extremâ tegulâ and are in imminent danger of being oppressed for ever there being no likelyhood of reliefe from any other hand And if there be no such Law as this there is none that reacheth the case of the Army no not in the criticall or characteristicall circumstance of it Secondly That in case there be any such Law as this that it is a meere nullity and the matter of it no more capable of the forme of a Law i. of an obliging power then tymber or stone is capable of information by a reasonable soule which according to vulgar Phylosophie rather then the truth is the proper forme of a man The Lawes of nature and of common equity are the foundation of all Lawes truly and properly so called and whatsoever venditateth it selfe under the name or notion of a Law being built besides this foundation wanteth the essence and true nature of a Law and so can bee but equivocally such Thirdly Sect. 42. If there be a Law which maketh force offered to Magistrates or persons in Authority in any kinde or any interrupting or disturbing them in their way punishable yet neither doth this evince the act of the Army we so much speake of to have been contrary to the Lawes The reason is because it is the constant genius and manner of Law-givers and of Lawes to lay down only the general rule and to conceal the exceptions which they still suppose are or may be Now the exception doth not breake the Rule nor is it properly contrary to the rule I meane so as to evince a nullity or crookednesse in it onely it is not comprehended within the verge or compasse of the rule All cases saith the Roman Oratour and Statesman are not provided for by written Lawes but onely those which are plaine the exceptions being left out or omitted a Non omnia scriptis sed quaedam quae perspicua sunt tacitis exceptionibus caventur Cicero de Invent l. 2. Consonant hereunto is that of Grotius In Lawes prohibitorie saith he the words are commonly larger then the minde or intent of the Law b In legibus prohibitorijs plerunque verba latius patent quà m mens ipsa legis in Mat. 12. 3. Upon which occasion that vertue which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we Equitie appeares to be most necessary in a Judge or any other to whom it shall appertaine to expound Lawes the property hereof being as Aristotle long since observed to rectifie or right state the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it is defective thorow the generality of it By rectifying the Law he meanes nothing else but a limiting and restraining the binding force of it to cases intended by the Law-makers together with an exemption of such cases from it which upon grounds of reason and equity it may be conceived never were intended by them to be concluded in it So that in some cases to presse and urge the rigorous extent of the letter of the Law is to turne the waters of the Law into blood and to overturne the true intent and meaning both of the Law and Lawgiver at once Such urgings and pressings of Laws without due limitation gave occasion to that Proverbiall saying in Tullie Summum jus summa injuria Idem facit ac is qui legem transgreditur qui saevâ verborum prerogativâ fraudulenter contrà juris sententiam abutitur God 1. tit 1. le 5. that the Highest justice is the Highest injustice And the Imperiall Law it self makes him no better then a transgressor of the Law who fraudulently abuseth the sterne prerogative of words contrary to the sense and meaning of the Law And elsewhere no reason of Law or fairenesse of equity will indure it that thorough hard construction of words we should turne those things against the benefit of men which were wholesomely brought in amongst them for their profit and good b Nulla juris ratio aut aequitatis benignitas patitur ut quae salubriter pro hominum utilitate introducuntur ea nos duriore interpretatione contrà ipsorum commodum producamus ad severitatem Digest l. 1. tit 3. de leg leg 24. Sect. nulla Doubtlesse they stumble at this stone who pretend to finde any such Law amongst the Lawes of the Land by which the Army should be denyed a liberty or lawfulnesse of power to secure the peace and liberties of the Nation by such a method and course as they steered necessity lifting up her voyce and crying unto them with such importunity to doe it For as the afore-named Grotius well observeth amongst all the exceptions which are tacitly included in Lawes there is none either more usually or more justly admitted then that which ariseth from necessity c Inter omnes autem exceptiones quae tacitè insunt legibus nulla est aut justior aut receptior quà m eaquae fluit ex necessitate Hug. Grot. ubi suprà By
what we have argued and related from learned and judicious men in this point evident it is both by the light of reason as also from the testimony of very competent witnesses that whatsoever the Lawes of the Land be the Army could be no transgressors of any of them in standing up and interposing as they did to vindicate the publique liberties of their Nation in such a case of necessity as that before them A fift Objection Sect. 43. wherewith some strengthen and comfort themselves against the deportment of the Army The fift great Objection hitherto justified is this The example of the fact must needs be of very dangerout consequence to the Kingdome For by the same reason and upon the same account that the Army opposed the present Magistracy and proceedings of the publique affaires amongst us any other party of men making and finding themselves strong enough for the undertaking may at any time attempt the like disturbance and confusion and so the Kingdome shall be alwayes in danger of the like combustions and broyles I answer First That the lawfulnesse or goodnesse of an action is not to be measured or judged by what may follow upon it by way of sequell or event but by what is like to follow upon it and this not by accident or by misconstruction but according to the native tendency proper ducture and inclination of it It is wittily said by one that he that goeth about to read the badnesse or goodnesse of an action by the event bolds the wrong end of the booke upward Christ did not amisse in giving a sop to Judas though presently upon the receiving of it the Devill entred into him and prevail'd with him to betray him very suddenly Nor would it argue any thing amisse in what the Army did though never so many troubles and tumultuous risings of people should breake out upon pretence of it The reason is because as the grace of God it selfe though a thing of most incomparable sweetnesse and worth may neverthelesse be yea and daily is turned into wantonnesse and much sin and wickednesse occasioned by it in the World so and much more may the most worthy actions and services of men bee compelled to pretence the worst and vilest deedes that lightly can bee perpetrated Therefore Secondly Sect. 44. Suppose the Army should have apprehended not onely a possibility but even a probability that that fact of theirs we speake of would beget out of its owne likenesse and occasion disturbances of quite another genius and spirit from it selfe yet might it have been sinfull and unworthy in them notwithstanding to stand still and not to have acted as they did The reason is because when seed-time is come men must not observe the windes nor regard the clouds when it is time to reape As men must not doe evill that good may come of it so neither must they forbeare the doing of good because evill may come of it Men are bound to sow the seed of good actions though they had some cause to feare that an increase of Dragons would spring from it But Thirdly Sect. 45. That no action of any bad consequence to the Kingdome can truly plead legitimacy of descent from this of the Army is evident thus Where there is not a concurrence of the same circumstance I meane either formally or equivalently the same there can be no place for exemplarinesse or likenesse of action And when there is or shall be the like politicall constellation with that under which the Army acted the like action cannot in the direct and native tendency of it be of any ill consequence to the Kingdome The killing of a man by Titius being assaulted and in his owne defence is no ground so much as in colour or pretence for Sempronius to flay a man travelling peaceably by him on the way Fourthly Sect. 46. Nor is it like that the action of the Army wee speake of should by any back-doore of misconstruction whatsoever let in mischiefe or disturbance into the Kingdome considering that it was performed and done in due order to such a provisionall settlement of affaires in the Kingdome that as far as is possible there may neither occasion be given on the one hand nor opportunity left on the other to any party or number of men to attempt any interrupture distraction or disturbance therein Therefore to pretend or plead that the said action of the Army is like to cause future trouble or disturbance in the Nation is as if a man should say that to build an house strong wals doores and windows were of dangerous consequence to invite theeves to assault and break into it Fifthly and lastly The action of the Army is not disparageable by any possibility or likelyhood of evill Sect. 47. that it may occasionally bring upon the Kingdome afterwards more then the preservation of a man from imminent death is reproveable because by it he is occasionally exposed to dye another time They who conceive that it had been better for the Kingdome and more conducing to the peace of it in after times that the Army should have sate still and not interpose as they did argue at no better rate of reason then I should doe in case I should perswade my friend being dangerously sick not to use the helpe of a Physitian for his recovery because in case he did recover his recovery might prove a probable occasion of more sicknesse unto him afterwards Quis furor est ne moriare mori i. What madnesse is' t through feare of future death To wish my selfe depriv'd of present breath If the Army had not applyed that plaister of fteele to the boyle or plague-sore of the Kingdome which they did there had been little or no hope of the recovery thereof from that politicall death the symptomes whereof had so strongly seized the vitall parts of it So that though the cure in processe of time should prove an occasion of a relapse or bring the like distemper againe upon it yet as Hezechiah was not without cause thankfull unto God who made an addition of fifteene yeares unto his life after his sicknesse unto death though this addition did not excuse him from dying afterwards So shall the people of the Nation have just cause of thankfulnesse unto the Army for those dayes of freedome and peace be they fewer or be they more which they shall enjoy though slavery and oppression should returne upon them afterwards like clouds after the raine Another Objection Sect. 48. deemed by some impregnable and above answer The sixt main Objection is framed by way of inference from Rom. 13. 1 2. Let every soule be subject to the higher powers Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation From hence the Army are concluded Transgressors and liable to condemnation because they resisted the higher powers and therein the Ordinance of God But with this