〈◊〉 i. e. reddendi aesari quae sunt Caesaris 2. For Kings more especially that they may truely understand the due limitation of this Commission and in what things God hath reserved the power entire to himselfe and to conscience his highest and most immediate deputy and substitute for direction of the Kings duty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. reddendi Deo quae sunt Dei For as it is sacrilegious in Subjects to intrude upon the sacred Rights and Prerogatives of Kings and to act in any thing as Judges or Commanders without Commission from him so is it much more sacrilegious in Kings to intrude upon the more sacred Rights and Prerogatives of God and to act as Gods Lords and Masters over their Subjects in those matters whereunto their Commission from God doth not extend nor invest them with a right of power and dominion over their Subjects Now to give a direct answer to this Quaere it will be requisite to premise some distinctions concerning the object of Politicall Cognizance which is two-fold viz. Objectum per se Objectum per accidens 1. Objectum per se which is the direct and immediate Object of Politicall Cognizance consists in the Fundamentals and Essentials of Politick Government being such causes and matters wherein the King may lawfully exercise both his Legislative and Judiciarie power over all persons within his Dominions both Ecclesiasticall and Civill 2. Objectum per accidens which is the indirect and accidentall Object of Political Cognizance consists in the Contingentials of Politique Government being such causes and matters wherein the King may lawfully exercise both his Legislative and Judiciarie power over some persons of both sorts whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill but not over some of either sort although they be his native Subjects inhabiting within his owne Dominions The discussion of which two points manifesting what doth fall directly and what ex accidenti within the sphere of Politicall Cognizance will be a full and direct Solution of the former part of this Quaere from whence it will be easie to conclude what are extra-regalia and Metapoliticall matters The judgement whereof God hath reserved immediately to himselfe and conscience his immediate Deputy and Vicegerent in all humane affaires and wherein the King cannot exercise either his Legislative or Judiciarie power without guilt of sacrilegious intrusion which will be a direct and full answer to the latter part of this Quaere The point which our method presents unto our scrutiny in the first place is the Objectum per se of Politicall Cognizance which as we said consists in the Essentials and Fundamentals of Politick Government which are twofold viz. Nativa Praeternativa 1. The Native Fundamentals and Essentials of Politick Government are such causes and matters as were of Political Cognizance upon the first originall Institution of that Government when mans innate knowledge and native light of understanding was sufficient for the direction of his duty without the help of positive Lawes and Statutes and the native rectitude and inclination of mans will was sufficient to excite the performance of his duty without the help of any Judiciarie inducements either Compensatorie or Vindicative But for the more full and facile investigation and discovery of these Fundamentals and Essentials these two expedients are conducible 1. The consideration of the time when 2. Of the grounds whereupon Politick Government was first instituted by God 1. The time when Politick Government was first instituted was immediately upon mans first creation in the state of Innocency and under the old Covenant of Workes for Politick Government as we formerly manifested is a naturall blessing enabling man for the due performance of his naturall duties and grounded upon the fifth Commandement of the Morall Law prescribing honour to Parents which commenced upon mans first creation before Adams Apostasie by virtue of which law of Nature the Herauldrie of Sub Supra did then receive a being amongst men and Parents by virtue of that naturall law were invested with a power and dominion over their Children and Children obliged unto the duties of subjection and obedience to their Parents So that though Adams sinfull prevarication had never devested himselfe and his posterity of their native Prerogatives yet this graduall Herauldry of Sub Supra supereminencing Parents above their Children should have had its due and naturall influence upon mankind For even Christ himselfe although totally exempted from all manner of enormous guilt both actuall and originall yet was not exempted from this duty of subjection to his parents Luke 2.51 Whence it is manifest in the first place that the Native Fundamentals and Essentials are onely naturall duties consisting in the right use of those naturall blessings wherewith God did invest man upon his first creation before his Apostasie purposely to enable him for the exact and due performance of those duties which God required of him in the state of Innocency under the old Covenant of Workes And therefore as the duties which God did then require of man were partly Internall partly Externall so did he conferre upon man two sorts of naturall blessings correspondent unto these duties 1. Internall blessings which are bona animi or the blessings of the soule 2. Externall which are bona corporis fortunae the right use of which two sorts of naturall blessings is the very summe and substance of all the naturall duties expressed in the Decalogue or law of Nature which was the Rule of all humane actions before Adams Apostasie For the regulation of all Internall acts of the understanding and will which are the faculties of our soules was prescribed in the first and last precepts of that law of Nature And the regulation of all Externall actions concerning the body and those naturall creatures which God made for the use and service thereof was prescribed in the other eight And other duties then these were not at that time either knowne unto man or required of him by God so that no Politicall or Monarchicall power could possibly at that time be extended to any other matters but onely these naturall duties prescribed in the Decalogue A further restriction also of which power is prescribed in the second expedient conducing to the Investigation of the Native Essentials and Fundamentals of Politick Government which is the grounds whereupon it was instituted 2. The grounds of the institution of Politick Government are two viz. Primarie and Secondarie 1. The Primarie ground is the power of communicating a being and existence which indeed is the very ground whereupon the Holy Ghost doth demonstrate the Deity and prove the Lord alone to be God and to have the sole right of power and dominion over man because God alone doth communicate life and being and all things unto man Acts 17.24 For because it is he that made us and not we our selves therefore we must wholly devote our selves to his worship and service as his people and servants Psal
power to prescribe Laws for to enforce the practise of such duties upon other persons to whom God hath not vouchsafed that understanding knowledge concerning these duties But now for a further illustration of the premises and to frame a more direct full and satisfactory answer to the Quaere concerning the due limitation and extent of the Kings power I will here set downe a briefe Analysis of the whole duty of man the regulation whereof is the very designe of that Power and Dominion which God hath either delegated unto the King or reserved unto himselfe and conscience touching humane affaires And from thence demonstrate 1. Unto what duties the Kings power doth properly and directly extend so that he may lawfully exercise the same over all persons within his Dominions whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill for the regulation of such duties 2. Unto what duties the Kings Power doth extend onely indirectly and per accidens so that he may lawfully exercise his power over some persons within his Dominions of both sorts but not over other some of either sort for the regulation of those duties 3. Unto what duties the Kings Power doth no way extend neither derectly nor indirectly so that he may not exercise the same over any person within his Dominions whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill for the regulation of those duties The duty of man is twofold 1. Naturall which is the duty of man quà homo rationalis and is expressed in the law of nature divided by Christ Mat. 22. into two parts or tables 1. Containes the duty of man towards God and consists in a love exceeding all selfe-love Ver. 37. And this duty is twofold 1. Internall consisting in the service and worship of God by the inward acts of the soule i. e. of the understanding will and affections of man and in a due returne of the bona animi which God hath conferted upon man And this part of mans duty is prescribed in the first Commandement 2. Externall which consists in honouring God by outward actions and in a due returne of those hona corporis fortuna which God hath conferred upon man And this is twofold 1. Originall and Primarie which is that honour worship and service which both Moses Deut. 6.13 and Christ Mat. 4.10 â—mits solely unto God And is twofold 1. Private consisting in personall honour and worship of God which is twofold 1. Corporall consisting in the outward gestures of the body Prescribed Commandement 2. 2. Vocall consisting in reverent speeches praises of God Prescribed Commandement 3. 2. Publick consisting in the practise of these duties at solemne times and in solemne assemblies Prescribed Commandement 4. 2. Representative and Secondarie which is the honour worship and service due unto Parents Kings and Magistrates as Gods Deputies and Lieutenants Prescribed Commandement 5. which I shall fully demonstrate in the next Chapter to be a Precept of the former Table of the Morall Law and that Kings and Parents in that capacity as Kings and Parents doe relate unto their children and Subjects as Gods and not as Neighbour 2. Containes the duty of man towards his neighbour and consists in a love inferiour unto the love of our selves And is twofold 1. Externall which consists in the performance of externall offices of love and restraint of externall injuries to our neighbour 1. In his owne person Commandement 6. 2. In his second selfe Commandement 7. 3. In his god's Commandement 8. 4. In his good name Commandement 9. 2. Internall consisting in the inward inclination and desire to perform these duties and in the restraint of all inward motions to the sinnes prohibited in these precepts Commandement 10. 2. Evangelicall which is the duty of man quà homo Christianus And is expressed in the Gospel or Law of Christ Which duty is twofold 1. Meerly Evangelicall which consists in the right use of Evangelicall and supernaturall blessings conferred upon particular men for the advancement of the Gospell of Christ as the power of working miracles of prophecying and the like mentioned by Saint Paul 1 Cor. 12. 2. Mixtly Evangelicall which consists in the right use of those naturall blessings which enable men for the performance of the law of nature And therefore these mixtly Evangelicall duties are the same in substance as I shewed before with naturall duties and are differenced after the same manner and regulated by the same precepts of the Moral Law but the difference consists as to our present purpose in the Object and terminus ad quem whereunto these Evangelicall duties do referre which is Christ the Redeemer whereas naturall duties do relate unto God the Creatour both as their object and erd Now from these premises I shall returne a direct answer to the Quaere concerning the extent and limitation of Regall power in three briefe Theses or Corollaries shewing 1. What are omnimodò Regalia 2. What are partìm Regalia and partim extra-regalia 3. What are omnimodò extra-regalia Onely by the way I shall premise another briefe praecognitum to facilitate the understanding of these ensuing Corollaries Note viz. That in regard the opinions of Heathens Jewes and Christians doe generally concenter in the due extent and limitation of Regall power in order to the duties of the second Table my present discourse shall onely referre unto the duties of the first Table of the Morall Law for two reasons 1. Because the people are most subject to offend in these duties and that two wayes 1. Through errour because these duties do most transcend their naturall reason 2. Through zeale because they conceive these duties most neerly to concerne their eternall and spirituall happinesse and welfare 2. Because Kings and Magistrates are or at least wise ought to be most diligent in the reformation and punishment of offences which immediately concerne God and Religion because the promotion of Gods honour worship and service is the principall part of the office and calling of Kings and Magistrates the direction of whose precipitate zeale in this point is the absolute designe of this Chapter The first Thesis declaring what are omnimodò Regalia is this Thesis 1. All Externall duties prescribed in the foure last precepts of the first Table of the Morall Law are directly and properly of Politicall Cognizance so that the King may lawfully exercise his Legislative power in the composure of Lawes and Statutes for direction of honour worship and service both to God and himselfe and that concerning both publike and private acts of honour and worship whether of the body or of the tongue and here the disposall and ordering of our estates i. e. the bona fortunae as well as bona corporis must be presupposed to be directly of the same cognizance and to pertaine to the same power For Solomon commands to honour the Lord with our substance Prov. 3.9 and God ordained parents and Kings to be his instruments in the impartment of these outward blessings of fortune as well as the blessings of the
preserve our owne may destroy theirs which Doctrine doth plainly legitimate rebellion by the Law of Nature And therefore to prevent both this and many other dangerous and damnable inferences which may be deduced from this fundamental errour placing this fift Commandement under a wrong genus of the Morall Law and thereby putting a wrong construction upon all the duties therein prescribed I shall endeavour to rectifie this Epidemicall errour by twelve Reasons or Arguments demonstrating this fift Commandement to be a Precept not of the second but of the first Table of the Morall Law Whereof The first foure doe conclude the Negative part that it is not a Precept of the second Table The latter eight the Affirmative part that it is a Precept of the first Table The Negative part that it is no Precept of the second Table appeares 1. By Saint Pauls exposition of that lesser Commandement whereby Christ divides the second Table from the first viz. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe under which Commandement saith the Apostle are comprehended all the Precepts of the second Table relating to our neighbour and particularizing them mentions onely the last five Rom. 13.9 Ob. You will say though he specifie no other but the five last Precepts of the Decalogue yet he intimateth in that verse that some other Commandement is also comprehended in this saying Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe which other Commandement must needs be this of obedience to parents Sol. By other Commandement the Apostle doth not mean any of the other five which are specifically distinct from these five but other particular branches of these five Negative Commandements of the second Table each of which comprehends many particulars under them and that hee doth not thereby understand this fift Commandement which is an Affirmative Precept is manifest from the Reason alledged by the Apostle in the subsequent verse shewing why and how this love of our neighbour is the fulfilling of the Law of the second Table For saith he love worketh no ill to his neighbour therefore is love the fulfilling of the Law Ver. 10. Where you may observe that all the duties of the second Table relating to our neighbour are grounded primarily upon the Negative effects of our love which is the not doing ill to our neighbour for not our neighbour but our selves are the immediate object of the positive effects of our love and so the Precepts are all exprest by way of negation But the duties of the fift Commandement are of a different nature and consists primarily in the positive effects of our love and therefore this Precept is exprest by way of affirmation both in the Decalogue Exod. 20. and by Saint Paul in the first verse of this Chapter For first he commands us to submit our selves to higher Powers that is to perform and execute their commands when they are not contrary to Gods Precepts and this is the immediate and primary duty of this fift Commandement and in the next verse hee prohibits all resistance though their commands be such as we judge to be contrary to Gods Precepts and this is the consequentiall and secondarie duty of the same Commandement A second Reason why this fift Commandement cannot be a precept of the second Table is because such a Commandement would be superfluous in the second Table for if the honour and obedience due to Kings and parents were duties of the second Table then they should be grounded upon such a love as is inferiour unto and to be measured by the love of our selves and wee should yeeld our obedience and submission to their commands onely when we judged them to conduce unto our own good and benefit whereupon it would follow that the honour due to Kings and parents should be no other then what is due to our friend or servant or any other neighbour for nature teacheth us to obey and execute their commands when we conceive them to conduce unto our owne advantage and so this fift Commandement should be altogether superfluous And therefore cannot be a Precept of the second Table The third reason why this fift Commandement cannot be a Precept of the second Table is because God doth not permit us to accuse or testifie against our parents upon any occasion no not in case of Idolatry wherein wee were not to pity or spare any neighbour how neare and dear soever they were unto us whether it were brother childe wife or friend but were to accuse them and testifie against them and to execute the sentence of death upon them with our owne hands Deut. 13.6 7 8 9 10. yea if it were a whole city that were guilty of this sinne it was to be destroyed Ver. 15. Yet in this strict charge concerning Idolatrous neighbours of so neere relation the Text doth not mention any man or woman who hath the relation of a father or mother to us thereby differencing them from all neighbours whatsoever And Solomons exposition of this fift Commandement makes this more cleare and evident Eccles 10.20 where he extends the honour and reverence due to Kings unto the very thoughts and imaginations of the heart notwithstanding they were both Fooles Tyrants and Idolaters for when Solomon prohibited the cursing of the King yea even in the thought he was not ignorant that Saul had beene a Tyrant himselfe an Idolater and that his sonne Rehoboam who should succeed him was a Fool. But it was never prohibited to speake or think evill of any friend or neighbour who was guilty of these crimes nay we are commanded to accuse them of evill Ob. You will say What must men then thinke and beleeve manifest lies Must we neither say nor thinke that those Kings are evill and wicked which manifest themselves to be such in all their actions such as Jeroboam Ahab Manasses Nebuchadnezzar whom the Scriptures record for most infamous and notorious sinners and may not we speake or thinke that for which we have the warrant of Scripture Sol. Kings in reference to their duty towards God may be more wicked then any other men because they may offend in a double capacity 1. In their naturall as men and professores fidei by transgressing of Gods Commandements which doe oblige them equally as they do other men 2. In their Politick as Gods Deputies and propugnatores fidei by breach of that trust which God hath reposed in them for ruling and judging of the people committed to their care and protection according to Justice and Equity But in reference to their duty towards us though themselves may be wicked yet they cannot doe wicked things as I shewed in the last Chapter that is they cannot inflict any thing upon us but that which God hath decreed to fall upon us for our sinnes as the Holy Ghost testifieth of Pilates sentence against Christ Acts 4. so that the evill which they doe to us is just in respect of us though it be never so unjustly executed by them So that
100.2 And the reason why the Holy Ghost prohibited the exhibition of any honour or reverence unto Idols is because they cannot give any being unto man nor frame any man in the womb Esay 44.24 so that the primarie and originall ground of Politick Government is the power to communicate a being and existence which power God delegated unto man immediately upon his first creation by that propagatorie benediction Crescite multiplicamini Gen. 1.28 From which fountaine did flow the other secondarie and immediate ground of Politick Government 2. The Secondarie ground is the graduall and distinctive Herauldry of Sub Supra above mentioned supereminencing one man above another For as God did ordaine parents to be his instruments in the communication of a being unto their children so did he likewise ordaine that children should be so farre forth subject and inferiour unto their parents from whom they doe derive their being as they doe depend upon their parents for the same For whereas God himselfe by way of creation did communicate unto Adam the entire being both of soule and body in both which respects Adam is stiled the sonne of God Luke 3. last so did he thereupon ordaine that Adam should be subject and obedient unto himselfe in all the actions and motions both of soule and body and whereas God did ordaine Adam and all his descendents to be Gods instruments by virtue of that propagatorie benediction in the communication of the corporeall part of being unto their children so did God likewise ordain the subjection and obedience of children unto their parents to be extended unto all the extrinsecall actions and motions of the body God reserving still the power and command over the intrinsecall acts of the soule of every man entire to himselfe because every soule doth still derive its being immediately from God and not from our parents Whence it is manifest in the second place that those Native Fundamentals and Essentials which are the proper and adaequate Object of Politicall Cognizance are only the Externall duties of the Morall law consisting in the right use of the Externall blessings of nature viz. bona corporis fortunae which are the onely blessings hereditarily descendable and communicable unto children from their parents For seeing all Politick Government is grounded upon paternall as a Policy is upon an Oeconomie which are not essentially but only circumstantially different both of them regulating the same duties and actions onely whereas an Oeconomy doth regulate the actions of one family a Policy doth regulate the actions of many families And seeing all paternall Government is grounded upon this Herauldry of Sub Supra established betweene Parents and Children by the fifth Commandement and this graduall and distinctive Herauldry upon the power to communicate a being and existence delegated unto parents by Gods propagatory benediction Gen. 1 28. which benediction reacheth onely the corporall and not the spirituall part of man It doth necessarily follow that no Politicall or Monarchicall power can be directly extended to any other matters but onely the corporeall and externall duties of the Morall Law Ob. If the communication of a being and existence were the ground of this Herauldry of Sub Supra then all children should be subject and inferiour unto their parents but Asa King of Judah was not subject to his grandmother Maacha but did depose her and yet was not reproved but commended for that act 2 Chron. 15.16 And so was Joash for the deposition of Athaliah his fathers mother 2 Chron. 23. and therefore the communication of a being cannot be the primarie ground either of that subordination or of the institution of Government Sol. All men as men and in their naturall capacity are inferiour and ought to be subject unto their parents but men as Kings and in their Politick capacity cannot be children unto any man nor have any father but God and therefore are stiled by the Holy Ghost the children of God Psal 82.6 I have said Ye are children of the most high and therefore in this sense they cannot be inferiour or subject unto any but God alone and so by consequence must be above their owne naturall parents in Rule Dominion and Power and in case of justice must not respect that naturall relation no more then Asa did respect it in his grandmother Maacha who in this Politick relation was not a Parent or Judge but a subject and child to her owne naturall grandchild and so was Athaliah to Joash And the Virgin Mary to her sonne Christ Jesus who rebuked his own mother when she presumed to command in matters above her sphere for a miraculous supply of the defect of wine Iohn 2 Woman what have I to do with thee He doth not here give her the stile of Mother but of Woman as if she had no relation of a parent and governour to him because that command or desire which she transmitted to him could not be performed by him as he was a man and her naturall sonne but onely as he was a God and so a spirituall father to his owne naturall mother And thus much briefly of the Native Fundamentals and Essentials of Politick Government the next point to be spoken of is the Preternative 2. The Preternative Fundamentals and Essentials of Politick Government are those matters which fell directly within the sphere of Politicall Cognizance upon the restitution of that Government when that blessing amongst others which are the ground and object thereof was renewed unto man by the mercy of God in Christ after Adams sinfull prevarication had devested both himselfe and his posterity of all those blessings wherewith God had inriched his created nature which blessings of nature were not renewed unto man in their native integrity and perfection but onely in such a measure as the wisdome of God saw most expedient to immind man of his owne infirmity and selfe-insufficiency whereby to occasion the application of himselfe to seeke for happinesse in the mercy of God in Christ and not in any naturall perfections worth or excellency of his owne For which purpose God was pleased to leave the understanding of man in statis suo restituto so much obnubilated that his naturall knowledge is not sufficient for direction of such naturall duties as are requisite to peace and unity the meanes to preserve humane society which is one of the ends of Politick Government which defect therefore in naturall knowledge God ordained to be supplied by the exercise of the Kings Legislative power in the composure of Lawes and Statutes for mans direction both in Ecclesiasticall and Civill affaires And for the same purpose did likewise leave the will of man so much depraved that his naturall inclination is not sufficient to excite him to the performance of such naturall duties as are requisite unto the preservation peace and unity of humane societies though hee did know and understand them but rather unto those opposite sins and transgressions which tend to the dissolution
The Argument is this To whomsoever the power of vengeance and recompence pertaineth he is a God for God himselfe affirmeth those prerogatives to be peculiar to himselfe Deut. 22.35 36. But both these prerogatives pertaine unto the King as Saint Paul affirmeth in this Text ergo Kings are Gods and by consequence the fift Commandement which prescribeth our duty to them must be a Precept of the first Table The seventh Reason is grounded upon the nature of that obligation which the commands of Kings doe impose upon their Subjects which binde the conscience Ver. 5. which is Saint Pauls fift motive to obedience Wherefore ye must needs be subject not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake Which reason Saint Peter alledgeth also to perswade this kind of submission to Kings 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves for the Lords sake because the submission is not to man but to God Ephes 6.7 whose Majesty and Authority the King doth represent and in the latter part of this second Chapter Saint Peter presseth this kind of submission for conscience sake and the Lords sake by Christs example who needed not to have submitted to Pilate or the Jewes for wrath for he was able to overthrow them all with a blast of the breath of his mouth as he did the officers John 18.6 and shall doe Antichrist at the last day 2 Thes 2. Or to have obtained twelve legions of Angels from his Father for that purpose Mat. 26.53 whereof one single Angell was able to destroy 185000. Assyrians in one night but yet to honour the Substitute and Deputy of his Father he submitted to their power knowing it was his Fathers will and that the judgement was not theirs but Gods Acts 4.28 which is the ground of Nazianzens advise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must submit to good Kings as to the Lord himselfe to bad Kings for the Lords sake Upon which grounds it is easie to prove the King to have the relation of a God to his subjects For he that can command the conscience is a God but the commands of the King doe oblige the conscience i. e. in licitis politicis whereunto his Commission doth extend and therefore in reference to all those matters the King is a God to his Subjects And by consequence this fift Commandement prescribing the Subjects duty must be a Precept of the first Table The eight and last Reason is taken from the nature of those acts whereby Subjects ought to expresse their obedience to Kings Ver. 6 7. which is Saint Pauls fixt motive to obedience which acts doe referre either unto the Kings power or else to his maintenance 1. The acts of obedience relating to power are Feare and Honour which are due onely to God Deut. 6.13 Mat. 4.10 Mal. 1.6 But Saint Paul commandeth us to performe these duties unto the King in this Text to which Solomon addeth another precept Prov. 24.21 My sonne feare God and the King And David likewise commanded the people to worship God and King Solomon 1 Chron. 29.20 so that God and the King are made a joynt object of these duties which are peculiar to God ergo the King must supply the place of God in reference to his Subjects and by consequence the fift Commandement must be a Precept of the first Table Ob. Christ forbids us to feare them that can kill the body onely but cannot kill the soule Mat. 10.28 but Kings can onely kill the body and not the soule ergo wee may not feare Kings Sol. That command of Christs is not Positive but Comparative as appeares in the Text and onely prohibits us to feare the King more then God Repl. Then when the Kings commands are contrary to Gods we may resist Sol. We may resist his commands but not his power for in those cases we must obey God by an active the King onely by a passive obedience for which wee have the president of the Apostles themselves Acts 4. and 5. who did refuse to obey the commands of the Rulers prohibiting them to preach in the name of Jesus but yet submitted to their power in yeelding themselves to be imprisoned and beaten according to the commands of the Rulers so that they obeyed both God and the Magistrate the first by doing the latter by suffering 2. The acts of obedience relating to the Kings maintenance are Tribute and Custome whereof I spoke at large in the ninth Chapter of this Booke in the point of Secondary Honour due to the King where I demonstrated these to be due to God onely Primarily and to the King onely Secondarily as he supplies the place of God in Ruling and Judging his people And therefore seeing we are to performe those acts of submission and obedience to the King whereof God himselfe is the proper and immediate object it followeth necessarily that the fift Commandement which prescribeth those acts must be a Commandement of the first Table Now upon these grounds it is easie to frame an answer to the three Arguments alledged for the preheminency of the peoples safety above the Kings Honour whereby to legitimate the resistance of Kings in order to the peoples safety To the first Argument taken from the Law of nature Answ 1 I answer that it is grounded upon a false supposition for the fift Commandement which is the ground of the Kings Honour is not a Precept of the second Table but of the first the duties whereof are grounded upon a love exceeding the love of our selves for the Law of God and Nature teacheth us to love God above our selves Deut. 5.6 Mat. 22.37 and therefore though the King be a man in his naturall capacity and therefore in that sense hath the relation of a neighbour yet in his Politick capacity in which sense onely he is the object of the duties of the fift Commandement he hath the relation of a God to us and not of a neighbour and therefore we ought to regard his Honour above our owne safety and rather to suffer the losse both of our estates friends and life then dishonour him To the second Argument grounded upon the instance of a Generall I answer Answ 2 that the case is farre different For I presume the Argument presupposeth that Generall to be trusted by the King for the safety and protection of that city and not for the destruction of it and that upon this supposition they doe resist him as a Traitor to his trust and in this case the resistance is lawfull because his Commission doth not extend to that act and he is onely a Magistrate so farre as his Commission doth authorize him But suppose the King should have judged that city to be destroyed and authorize that Generall to execute that judgement in this case it were absolutely unlawfull to resist and all acts of opposition in the city or souldiery being the Kings Subjects were absolute treason and rebellion because the Kings Commission from God doth extend absolutely both to our estates and persons nor doth he
the title of Conquest in it self is neither lawful nor warrantable nor cannot create a just and lawful title to a Crown but onely in such cases where it is legitimated either à Priori by an Immediate warrant and Command from God or else à Posteriori by the extinction of the issue Royall Chap. 8. 3. Theologicall as it relateth to the end of Monarchie which qualifieth all Monarchicall duties both in King subjects in which sense it is the subject of the four last Chapters of this second book 1 wherein is shewed 1. The nature and species of the end of Monarchie and what is meant by God and the Kings honour which is the principall end of Monarchie and what by Salus populi which is the lesse principâ—ll And wherein these ends do consist Chap. 9. 2. The duty of Kings in the due limitation of their power in Ordine ad extra Regalia Metapolitica Chap. 10. 3. The duty of subjects in the due extension of their obedience in Ordine ad Regalia Politica Chap. â—â— 4. What influence oathes and Covenants may or ought to have upon the mutuall and Monarchicall dutyes either of King or subject Chap. â—â— The Scope and Substance of the whole TREATISE ALl Authors whose judgements and intentions have fitted their pens for the communication of a compleate and grounded knowledge of the subject of their Treatise unto the apprehension of their Reader have endeavoured to frame their discourses in that method which deduceth things from their Originall causes grounds and principles the right understanding whereof hath by the approbation of the most judicious Writers of all sorts and in all ages been constantly applauded for the most profitable guide and introduction to the right understanding of the matter principally intended to be insisted upon in the sequel of their discourse My purpose therefore being in pursuance of that duty service and affection wherein by the law both of God and nature I stand obliged unto my King and Countrey to present them with an Idea of that unparallel'd policy which the providence of God and the prudence of our Ancestors hath established and continued for many ages together in this kingdome to the unspeakeable comfort benefit and happines of all those who live under the protection thereof if they were truely sensible of the abundant manifestation of Gods mercies towards them in the establishment and perpetuation of Monarchiall Government in this nation being the onely policie honoured with Divine institution and many other sacred sanctions whereof no sort of Polarchie whatsoever is capable all Polarchies being onely corruptions and opposite curses and privations of the blessing of Monarchie and the fruites of Divine malediction for sinne as I shall demonstrate in the sequel of this discourse and that also of such a Monarchie as is grounded upon Hereditary succession the onely ordinary title to soveraignty and Royall power whose justice and Legality is warranted by Divine Ordinance Conquest in its best attire being the most eminent of curses and all popular elections most Sacrilegious sinnes as the latter book of this treatise will fully manifest I shall endeavour in imitation of the most judicious Authors to facilitate the right understanding of the Divine Right of Monarchie by observing this Method in my ensuing discourse 1. To lay the foundation and Basis thereof in a briefe explication of the nature and Species of Jus Divinum which I shall premise for an introduction to this treatise 2. To proceed in the superstructure by declaring the Divine Right of Order and Government in generall together with the severall kindes thereof as it hath its effects in all the three species of the creatures of God compleating the immediate composure of the vniverse whereof the first sort are Celestiall as Angels the second intellectual as men the third meerly natural as al other inferiour creatures whose actions and motions are framed and ordered meerly by the Law and light of Nature First in their Generall Relation to God their Creator Secondly in the specificall relations of the different kindes of creatures to one another and thirdly to the mutuall Relations of the particulars of each of these three species among themselves which shall be the work of the former book of this treatise 3. To finish and consummate the work by manifesting the Divine Right of Monarchie which is the onely policie or humane Government warrantable by God and Nature First in its Originall and Efficient Secondly in its Form and Essencie Thirdly in its ground and matter And Fourthly in its end and use which shall be the businesse of the latter booke of this Treatise An Introduction to the Treatise declaring the Nature and Species of Jus Divinum IN regard the Divininy or Divine right of Government and particularlie of Monarchie is the principall scope and intendment of this Book It will be requisite in the first place to premise a description and series of the Nature and species of Jus Divinum to the intent the Reader may more perfectly understand what this Jus Divinum meaneth and thereby the better judge what sort of Jus Divinum may justly and properlie challenge a place in each sort of Government and particularlie in Monarchie Jus or Right is that which is conformable unto and warrantable by some Law And Jus Divinum or Divine Right is that which is conformable unto and warrantable by some Divine Law The Generall and Vniversall Divine Law is the will of God Which is the Generall Vniversall cause of all things that have or ever shall have a being both in their esse and their modo essendi Whether it be happy or miserable so that there is nothing exempted be it good or bad from the participation of some kind of Jus Divinum because the will of God which is the onely ground of a Jus Divinum doth extend unto every entitie both in its being and manner of being And therefore to guide the Readers apprehension in a more Methodicall path unto that Jus Divinum which properly claimeth a place in Monarchie I shall endeavour the Investigation thereof through all the severall degrees of entities that also in all their severall states and conditions relating to Order and Government till I come to that Jus divinum from which this naturall blessing of Monarchie doth derive its Divine Sanction and the opposite Curse of Polarchie its Divine Malediction Divis Gen. beginning at the first and generall division of Jus Divinum in Jus Divinum Absolutum Relativum Absolute Divine right is that which is grounded upon the eternall will of God concerning himselfe considered in his absolute and abstract capacity as he was before all worlds without relation to any creature as a subject object or instrument of his glory either in its Creation or Government in which sense it is the very Essence of God for in God the Law which guideth the light which sheweth the right which emanateth and the Object
the manner of his production naturall either by Creation or generation but supernaturall and Mysticall by an incomprehensible Oâ—â—mbration of the Holy Ghost And as the person and conception of Christ did transcend the knowledge both of men and Angels so likewise did the offices of Christ and all his Acts of Mediation and all those Divine Graces viz Faith Hope Charitie which invest it with a reall Right and interest therein And therfore there was never one sillable so much us muttered by any heathen Philosopher or other prophane writer concerning any of these nor is it possible to attaine the least glimps of knowledg concerning them by any other meanes then the Immediate revelations of the spirit of God Quaere It may be demanded how these meer naturall gifts and blessings in heathens should be a meanes of salvation seeing no man by them can possibly attaine the knowledge of Christ the sole fountaine of life And therefore why heathen men should be damned to whom God never since the publication of that Generall pardon by Christ Imparted the meanes to be saved Sol. Though these naturall gifts and blessings in heathens be not the direct and Immediate meanes to attaine the knowledge of Christ yet they are the Remote and occasionall meanes because they are sufficient lights to discover unto men the insufficiencie of their owne abilities to performe those duties which the Law of God and nature exacteth And by that meanes to occasion to seek for life and Salvation elsewhere as the Aethiopian Eunuch did and the converted Thiefe who acknowledging his own unrighteousnesse sought to Christ for refuge and according to the rule of Petenti Dabitur obtained what he sought though he never knew the Scriptures And therefore it is but justice that those heathens who doe not rightly imploy that one talent which S. Paul affirmeth they have received from God Rom. 1. should receive their wages with the evill and sloathfull servants though theis woes shall not be equall to the woes of those Caytiffes who have mis-imployed five talents viz. 1. The talent of naturall gifts and blessings 2. The talent of Religious Education 3. The talent of Gods Word and Sacraments 4. Of Religious Magistracie 5. Of a learned Ministery Now this Jus Divinum is that which doth properly claime a place in that Government which concerneth heathen men without the bosome of the Church and Ignorant of the will of God Revealed concerning Christ the Mediator Which is the ground of Jus Divinum Immediatum 2. Immediate Divine Right is that which is grounded upon Subdivision 7 the will of God concerning the manifestation of his mercy in Christ by vouchsafing unto men the direct and Immediate meanes unto life and Salvation in the Revelations of Gods spirit concerning Christ and his merits and all other matters which relate to him And this Jus Divinum is twofold Extraordinarium Ordinarium 1. Extraordinarie Divine Right is that which is grounded upon the will of God concerning the Manifestation of his mercie in Christ by the Immediate extraordinary revelations of his spirit concerning the mystery of salvation by Christ which was the means which God vouchsafed unto Adam divers of the patriarks Prophets and Disciples of Christ and the converted Thief also before the knowledge of Christs Gospell was fully compleated in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles of which the Apostle maketh mention Heb. 1. And this Ius Divinum in regard it relateth either to particular times particular persons or particular occasions cannot properly claime a place in Government which concerneth the constant Ordering of a societie of men 2. Ordinarie Divine Right is that which is grounded upon the will of God concerning the Manifestation of his mercie in Christ by the Ordinarie Revelations of his Spirit declared in the writing of the Prophets and Apostles which we commonly call the Scriptures which were published by the speciall mercy of God for a light and guide to his visible Church in all truths requisite to Salvation by Christ And this Jus Divinum is two-fold Supernaturale Naturale Subdivision 8 1. Supernaturall Divine Right is that which is grounded upon the will of God revealed in the Scriptures concerning those Supernaturall truths which are the proper and Immediate meanes of Salvation by Christ and not attainable by any other meanes but onely by Divine Revelations And these are of two sorts 1. Such truthes wherein Christ hath expresly made any of his love to us And these againe are twofold 1. Such as are the object of Christian faith and those are such things as Christ hath done and acted for our sakes for the Reconciliation of us to God as the assumption of our nature and the offering it up againe for a sacrifice to God and all other naturall acts of Mediation which is the substance and contents of a Christians Creed 2. Such as are the object of Christian hope and those are such blessings as Christ by his act of Mediation hath made us capable of and which for his sake we expect by prayer to receive from God and those are the Supernaturall blessings and habits of Faith Hope and Charitie which enable us for the performance of our Christian duties and all those Supernaturall blessings which are the reward of those duties and these are the substance and contents of our devotions 2. The second sort of Supernaturall truths revealed in Scriptures are such wherein we retaine an expresse of our love to Christ proportionable to those blessings which we have received of his love to us And those are such truthes which are the object of our Charity and rules of Christian dutyes of which truths Christ meant when he said If you know these things happy are ye if ye do them Now these Christian duties are of two sorts viz either meerly or mixtly Evangelicall 1. Meerly Evangelicall are those which consist in the right use of Evangelical and Supernaturall gifts and blessings such as are the gifts of prophesying healing working of miracles and the like mentioned by Saint Paul 1. Cor. 12. which duties were of no use at all under the old Covenant of works but were instituted by God since the fall of man for the benefit of his Church and for helpes and furtherances to Christian men in the performance of Christian duties 2. Mixtly Evangelical duties are those which consist in the right use of Natural blessings and which received their first sanction from God in Paradise before the Apostasie of man upon which Apostasie that law of nature was absolutely abolished as to that use to be a Rule and ground for the Salvation and damnation of man For no man is now damned because he transgresseth that law of nature but because of Infidelity Despair and hatred of Christ which are the opposite vices to Faith Hope Charitie which consist in the knowledge confidence and love of Christ which that law never any way related unto But yet the same law and Rule received a
new Evangelical sanction from God the Redeemer who as he renewed the nature of man so did he also renew the same law of nature for a new Evangelicall law and rule whereby to measure these new Evangelicall duties which are as necessarie to Salvation now under the Gospel as S. Paul proves 1 Cor. 13. as the Legal duties were under the Law and old Covenant of works which severall duties are the same in substance being measured by the same Law and Rule but different in circumstances First in their Objects For whereas under the old Covenant of works God the Creator was the adaequate and Immediate object of our love and duty Now the Immediate and adaequate object thereof is Christ the Redeemer 2. Circumstance wherein they differ is in the manner of performance which under the old Covenant was to be proportioned to the utmost exactnesse of a most perfect Law but now under the new to the utmost exactnesse onely of our most Imperfect abilities And this new Evangelical Law is that whereupon Christ will pronounce that fatal sentence of Eternal life or death upon all men at the day of judgement as himself affirmeth Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you will Christ say to them on his Right hand Not because they were Wise or valiant or Rich or Noble nor yet because they had preached and wrought Miracles and cast out Devils and prophesied in Christs name but because they had fed the hungry clothed the naked comforted the sick relieved the stranger fatherlesse and widow And therefore because this new Commandment of Charity which is the ground of these duties is of so necessary concernment for the Salvation of all men The Holy Ghost did alwayes expresse those practical truths which relate to Charity in plain Grammatical words and precepts as wel before as after Christs Incarnation whereas these speculative truths which are the Object of our Faith and these blessings also which are the proper Object of our Hope were commonly represented unto the Church in the old Testament by Types and Figures Ob. S. Paul in disputing this point of Faith and works in his Epistles to the Romanes and the Galatians concludes Faith alone to be sufficient to Salvation and excludes works as Impediments rather then helpes thereunto Sol. There be three sorts of works grounded upon three severall Lawes 1. Ceremoniall works which were grounded upon the Ceremoniall Law which was abrogated by Christ and these S. Paul utterly excludes as altogether unprofitable 2. Legal workes which were grounded upon the Law of Nature which was the ground of the old Covenant of works And these S. Paul excludes as altogether Impossible 3. Evangelicall works which are grounded upon that new Law which Christ prescribed Iohn 13.34 A new Commandment give I you that you love one another Which new Commandment cannot be understood of that Love which was the complement of that law which was the ground of the old Cov. of works for that was an old Commandment given by God at the first Creation before Christ was thought on either by man or Angels but must necessarily concern this Evangelical love and Charity which relateth to Christ the Redeemer and is the Complement of this new Evangelical Law whereupon this new Covenant of Grace is grounded And these Evangelicall works are as necessary to Salvation as either Faith or Hope from which it cannot possibly be separated as is evident in the converted Thief For I am sure the Salvation of that Thief was atchieved by as great a mercy from God and as little merit in himselfe as could be expected in any man that is saved For we never read of any grace that he had or any good work that he did till he was upon the Gallows when the shortnesse of his life could not afford opportunity for many and yet in that short historie of his short life we shall find a record of his Charity as well as of his Faith and Hope For in the first place he rebuked his blasphemous companion there was an act of his Charity Secondly he justified Christs innocencie and acknowledged his power and donimion there was an act of his Faith Thirdly he prayed to receive the blessing of life by Christ there was an act of his Hope Luk. 13.39 And therefore by reason of the inseparable connexion of these three Evangelicall Graces the holy Ghost doth sometimes attribute salvation to one of them alone but that is in opposition to all Ceremonies or legall duties and perfections but never in opposition to any one of the other two concomitant graces of the Gospel Before I passe from this point of Charity I shall crave the Readers leave to digresse a little in the recommendation of her results arising from the circumstances observable in Christs new Commandment of Charity to the observation of our new Pharisaicall Gospellers who disdaine all men of a different perswasion from themselves as Heathens and Publicans 1. That the Traitor Judas was amongst the twelve when Christ gave them this new Commandment to love one another therfore it was never Christs intent to prohibit communication in publique and Christian duties with any who did publiquely professe themselves members of Christs Church unlesse where the parties obstinately either persevere in such hereticall opinions as are manifestly destructive to the grounds and principles of Christian faith Or else obstinately persist in such notorious and scandalous courses of life as publickly declare them void of Christian Charity For after this Commandement Christ himselfe did administer the Sacrament of his bodie and blood to Judas as appeares Luk. 22. although Christ himselfe was not then ignorant that Judas intended to betray him that night 2. That Saint Paul was not amongst the twelve when Christ commanded them to love one another though he was then a Chosen vessell and Judas then a Reprobate And therefore Christ did never priviledge us to Judge or Condemne any man much lesse to injure or defraud any man under pretence that he is a Reprobate and an Enemy to God for such presumptuous Intrusions into the Councells and secrets of God is an Idolatrous Arrogancie which the very Angells of God dare not adventure upon For what man could have judged Saint Paul to be a member of Christ at eleven of the clock that day which was the day of his conversion when he was posting to Damascus with strong Commission from the high Priest and a stronger Resolution in himselfe to persecute all people of all sexes who professed Christ Acts 9. And when Christ told the twelve of that abominable treason which should be acted that night against himselfe by one of them the eleven no more suspected Judas then they did one another as appeares John 13 2â— And therefore seeing these high Saints could not determine either of the salvation of Paul or damnation of Judas no not six houres before the Lord himself publickly declared his own determinations concerning
or at least not so Immeasurably and in a manner so totally defaced and blotted out not in the most corrupt natures of either of their societies as they are in the natures of humane and Intellectuall Agents for even the very Devils retain the native Integrity and perfection of their Intellectuals though their wils be totally depraved and deprived of that Divine and native blessing whereas the depravity and corruption of humane nature hath a proportionable influence upon both their wils and understandings the scrutiny of that Jus Divinum which is proper to the Government observed in the mutuall relations of Angelicall or naturall Agents cannot be obstructed with the like difficulties as are Incident to humane policy And in regard also the Externall Government observed in the mutuall relations of Angelicall and naturall Agents is not so appositely pertinent to my purpose as that which is participated by humane societies which is indeed the principal scope and intendment of this Book I will onely in the next Chapter for Methods sake briefly touch upon these two more Natural Governments wherein this Jus Divinum is more apparent and so proceed to the third and last policy wherein the scrutiny of a Jus Divinum is of greatest difficulty but yet for our purpose of greatest necessity CHAP VIII Of that Government which is observed by the society of Angels Naturall Agents and men in their particular and Mutuall Relations THE Wisdome of God which saw the preservation of the Universe to have a necessary dependance upon the mutuall Peace and Unity of these three several kinds of creatures viz the Angelicall Intellectuall and Naturall Agents whereof the Universe was composed that Peace and Unity to have the like dependancie upon their Order and Government did likewise see it necessary that the same meanes should have the same efficacy in the particulars of each of these three species least confusion in particulars should through their mutual dissention produce the destruction of the species and by consequence also of the Universe Lib. De moderatione in disput servand For that saying of Nazienzen is a most divine Maxime of truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Order is the mother and preserver of all things And therefore the Lord out of his care and solicitude for the preservation of particulars which are the very foundation of the Universe did not terminate the influence of Order and Government in the species of any of the three several sorts of creatures but did also Originally constitute the particulars of each in different degrees of superiority and subordination purposely as a ground of that Order and Government which he ordained to be a meanes of their safety and preservation Amongst the holy Angels we find Archangels 1 Thes 4.16 And amongst the Devils Beelzebub the Prince of Devils Mat. 9.34 Yea the title which is given in Scripture to the society of Angels is a manifest Argument of different degrees of Superiority and subordination amongst them where they are called the Hosts of the Lord and the Armies of the living God For every Soldier knowes that Order and Government is even essentiall to an Army where some must necessarily command and others as necessarily obey And the obedience of Angels I mean not the generall obedience of the whole species unto God their Lord and Maker but also their particular and mutual obedience to one another is strongly Intimated by Christ in the third petition of that Prayer the practise and use whereof he enjoyned to all Christians Luk. 2.11 wherein we desire that our observance of Gods will here in earth may be such as that which is performed by the Angels in Heaven Now our observance of Gods wil is not terminated in the obedience of the species unto God but comprehends also the mutual respects and duties between Inferiours and superiours whether it be in Political or paternall Government For which we have an express in the first Commandment And these degrees of order and subordination are yet more manifest in the naturall Agents which in all their actions are by that Divine Law of nature subservient to each other as the Heavens to the earth both the earth and Heavens to the plants and all these three to sensible and Animate creatures onely where Divine Malediction the fruits of mans wickedness to which all these creatures are subordinate doth occasionally subvert their Natural courses for a punishment of mans unnaturall wickedness turning the Heavens into brass and the earth into iron Deut. 28. Neither hath Divine providence left the Inanimate and sensible creatures destitute of degrees of superiority and subordination to be a warrantable ground for Order and Government amongst themselves The Lyon is invested with a certaine naturall Power and Authority over the Beasts of the field who naturally express a certain Dread and Reverence to that courage Might and cunning wherewith nature hath endowed him And the Eagle is invested with the like prerogative over the fowls of the Aire and the Leviathan or Whale over the fishes of the sea And * Ad Rusticum Monachum Jerome affirmeth the same order to be observed amongst every particular society of sensible creatures The dumb beasts and wilde herds saith he do follow their leaders yea the Bees have their King and the Cranes flie all after one like an Alphabet of letters But this Wisdome and Providence of God in the constitution of degrees of superiority and subordination amongst the particulars of the Immediate species of the Universe is most manifest in the species of the Intellectuall creatures which is the ground of Politick Government concerning which he that had an ambition to be voluminous might here meet with sufficient and even wished opportunity for the accomplishment of his desires this point being the subject of all Histories and Chronicles both sacred and prophane which have been penned since Moses the Prothistorian of the world But that some Government hath alwaies been observed amongst all nations and societies of men yea even the most Barbarous and Savage Indians the undoubted Authorities both of Experience and Authentick Historians have engrafted an Indisputable perswasion in the mindes of men From which very fountain they likewise derive as strong an assurance that one and the same Government hath not been alwaies observed amongst all nations and societies For though we find no other kind of Government but Monarchie so much as once mentioned either in the Old or new Testament both which are stored with variety of passages concerning Monarchie and Kings And surely if any Polarchie even the most laudable sort that ever was devised either by the Athenians Lacedemonians Syracusans or Romans had been capable of any of those Divine sanctions whereof Monarchy doth participate the Holy Ghost would never have past over all them in such a profound and Universall silence and have mentioned onely Monarchy the onely received Policy both amongst the Jewes and all other Nations who upon any occasion are honoured with
resolved to endure no Superior as Cesar was to admit of no equall And the Monarchie of Octavius Augustus by the overthrow of Anthonie a similer competitor what can any man imagine in probability to have proved the conclusion of those Polarchical differences but the utter ruine and desolation of that flourishing and renowned Common-wealth For if you read * Lib. 6. De Bell. Judaâ— Iosephus you shall find that the ruine and desolation of that famous nation of the Jewes was occasioned rather by the civil Intestine and bloody dissentions of the three factions in Jerusalem created by the Tritarchie of Simon Iohn and Eleazer then either by the valour or policy of the Romanes Ob. Solomon himself a King saith that where no Councel is the people fall but in the multitude of Councellours there is safety Prov. 11.14 Whereby it appeares that the security of the people is more or less according to the greater or lesser number of Councellors Now you know in a Monarchie the people are ruled by the wisdome and prudence of one man but in a Polarchy by the wisdome and prudence of a multitude Therefore salus populi is better provided for in a Polarchy And by consequence a Polarchy is the better Government Sol. There are two sorts of Councellours 1. Subordinate and obeying Councellours the approbation of whose Councels depend upon a superior Monarch and a multitude of these Councellours Solomon found by experience to be exceedingly conducent to the safety of the people and the honour of the King 2. Supream and ruling Councellours the results of whose Councels were sufficient for the constitution of a decree or Law without the approbation of any Superior Monarch And such Councellors as these Solomon had no experience nor thought of Now there are two reasons why the Councels of the former are to be preferred to the Councels of the latter sort of Councellors 1. Because those Councels which proceed from subjects have the advantage of two opposite dangers of each side one to guide their Councels in the safe way of Moderation between the Kings Prerogative and the Peoples safety and benefit First the danger of self-prejudice being equally interested with the People in the grievances and sufferings which proceed from the Tyranny of an unlimited or rather an unduly limited prerogative by Lawes which may tend to the oppressions of the subjects in their estates or persons not warrantable by any Law of God which obligeth the King in a Reciprocal bond of love to regard the peoples safety as wel as they are obliged to regard his honour And therefore no wise men wil administer any Councel of this nature which is destructive to themselves as wel as the people Secondly the danger both of the Kings displeasure and the frustration and rejection of their Councels if they should present any advice to the King which tended to his own dishonour or to disinable him for the protection of his people But the Councels which proceed from a multitude of Governours have neither of these bridles to guide them in an equal and moderate way For though their Councels be never so prejudicial to the Common-wealth yet they have no Superior whose displeasure they are afraid of And as for the sufferances and oppressions of the people it is the Basis and support of their greatnesse and Power Repl. Whatsoever the Councels be which are given to a King yet his Resolutions may be as exorbitant as the Results of these ruling Councelours For the oppressions and grievous impositions which are laid upon the people are his benefit as wel as they are the benefit of Ruling Councellors Sol. The case is much different For the Honour and Power of a King saith Solomon is in the multitude of his people and the wealth of a King in the prosperity and riches of his people because they have all an equal relation of subjection and friendship to the King But the Power and safety of the Supream Rulers is in the multitude of their factious friends and paucity of their adversaries of a contrary faction For as we formerly demonstrated from Christs own words and Maximes it is impossible but there must be some differences and divisions in every Polarchy which though they be smothered for a while either through fear of a common enemy or some other respects of common advantage yet wil burst out at length when the different care regard of the different Governours wil not be to see the people numerous or wealthy but their friends numerous and wealthy their enemies few miserable And the prevalency of malice makes alwayes this latter their greatest chiefest care so that by the several Governours of different factions the calamity and overthrow of the whole Commonwealth comes at last to be the chiefest and Universal care and endeavour in every Polarchy 2. The second reason why the Councels of a multitude of subjects are more conducible to the happinesse both of the King and people then the councels of a multitude of Rulers is because the Lawes which are compiled and framed by their councels are grounded upon the validity of their reasons and grounds which satisfie the Kings judgement though they proceed but from the single opinion and vote of one and one though the opinions and votes of four hundred others bee contradictory thereunto whereas the Lawes that are framed by the other Councels are grounded onely upon the multiplicity of votes although they be never so absurd and how absurd the votes of the Major part may be in a multitude yea even of the chief and principal amongst them the Scripture affords us plentiful testimony For in the case of the two Angels all the men of Sodome voted against one Lot Gen. 18. And six hundred thousand Israelites voted against one Moses for the Deifying of the golden Calf Ex. 32. Baal had four hundred and fifty votes to be the God of Israel when the Lord himself had only Elijah's 1 King 18. And Ahab obtained four hundred votes for his safe return from Ramoth-Gilead when onely Micajah did vote against it 1 Kin. 22. Nay did not all the Priests and Elders and multitudes of people vote Jesus Christ himself to be a grand Malignant and Delinquent even worthy of death Mat. 27. And therefore you see where the energy of a Law doth depend totally upon the multiplicity of votes how ordinary and frequent it is even for the most absurd Impieties and the most detestable injustice to attain the preheminence either through the simplicity or partiality of judgements which is never wanting in a Polarchy 6. The sixt and last Malediction Incident to Polarchy is cursed Regulation Every Polarchical action in the Polarchs who are Interested in the active part of Government being rebellious intrusive both in the Institution and management of a Polarchical Government in Relation to the lawful Monarch who is by them deposed from and deprived of his just and Legal inheritance and birth-right and factions
and seditions in relation to the subjects And directlie contrary to Gods Law and Commandments And the actions of the Polarchists who are interested in the passive part of Government must needs be of the same nature so farre as they are consenting and assisting unto their usurping Governours in these Polarchical and sinful actions But I desire the Reader to consider that my discourse relates to Ancient Common-wealthes and not to our new Plantations who may indeed erect a Polarchy without any guilt of Rebellion or intrusion upon another mans right because happily the places may be void of Inhabitants and so void of all Government But yet those Polarchyes cannot be free from such factions and divisions as our Saviour Christ doth make Essential even to the least Polarchy though it be but onely Oeconomical And a minore ad majus the common principles of a Logick make a valid Argument And upon these grounds I conclude all Polarchies of what kind soever to proceed from Divine Malediction and therefore to be directly a curse and judgement of God upon a Nation And that therefore the vocation and profession of Polarchs is cursed unlawful and unwarrantable by the word of God either in themselves or their partakers And I hope there is sufficient matter alledged in the premises to warrant this conclusion And yet to adde a greater lustre to this truth I shall in the next Chapter resolve two queries or cases of conscience concerning these two opposite kinds of Government viz the blessing of Monarchie and curse of Polarchy CHAP V. Of the Resolution of two Quaeries concerning a mutual transmutation betwixt these two opposite kinds of Government I Confesse the cases of conscience which may be proposed concerning these two opposite kinds of Government are very numerous But yet I suppose a judicious Reader may frame a resolution of any one or all of them out of the premises together with what I shal further adde in the resolution of the two subsequent quaeries 1. Quaere Whether a Monarch or King and his people may not either severallie or by joynt consent endeavour the change of that Government into a Polarchy salvis utriusque partis conscientijs when there appeares a manifest cause for so doing As in the King a consciousnesse of his own disability to execute the dutyes of his calling In the people a sense of their own sufferings under an evill and Tyrannicall Government the fruits of that disability Sol. This querae consists of 3. parts 1. Concerns the King severally 2. Concerns the people severally 3. Concernes both King and people joyntly unto each of which parts I shall frame a severall answer 1. The Kings sole endeavours for such a change do render him guilty of a five-fold iniurie 1. To himself which is the most unnaturall kind of obloquie therefore an offence of the highest nature amongst those which relate immediately to man 2. To his posterity wherein the Holy Ghost declares him more notoriously criminous then an Infidell 1. Tim. 5.8 For an Infidell is even naturally studious to preserve the honour both of himself his posterity and family 3. To the faith of Christ the renunciation whereof Saint Paul in the prementioned Text imputes to him who doth renounce that Legal Authority and Power wherewith God hath invested him for the just defence of that faith according to Esaiah's prophesie Cha. 49 23. Kings shal be thy nursing Fathers 4. To the Saints and Church of Christ whose wants ought to be supplyed out of his abundance 2 Cor. 8. and 9. Ch. 5. To his people changing their blessing into a curse As for the Kings disabilities It was never intended by the Law either of God or man that they should be the ground and measure of his Power and Prerogative for then most Kings should transferre their Supreamacy in matters civil unto the Lawyers and in Ecclesiastical unto the Divines whereas both Divine and humane Lawes invest the King with a Supreamacy in both presupposing the supply of his defects in either by a Councel composed of the most knowing men in both Lawes Civil and Ecclesiastical For which the Lord himself supplyed us with a president in the Jewish Sanedrim which was the great Councel instituted by God himself to assist Moses in matters of Importance and difficulty when such grew numerous and after him all the Judges Monarchs and Kings of Israel which Councel consisted both of priests and Princes or chief Elders in every tribe as you may read 2 Chron. 19. 2. Sol. The peoples sole endeavour for transmutation of Monarchie into Polarchy cannot be free from a triple guilt 1. Of injustice to their own selves in depriving themselves of that which God ordained for a blessing and a meanes of their happinesse and security and contracting upon themselves that curse which is the fruits of Divine Malediction and ordained by God for a Punishment of sinne 2. Of Manifest Disobedience to the Kings Power and Authority in acting things contrary to his commands 3. Of Manifest injustice to his person by intruding upon his just and lawfull Inheritance As for the peoples sufferings by the Kings evil and Tyrannicall Government that can be no ground or warrant for them to act any thing prohibited by the Lawes of God For though such sufferings be Mala poenoe that is afflictions and punishments from which we are taught by Christ to pray deliverance and from which we ought also to endeavour a deliverance by all such lawful meanes as are warrantable by the word of God Yet in regard all Mala poenae are a part of Gods justice whereby he is honoured And all Mala culpae such as disobedience and rebellion against Authority and the endamagement of our neighbour much more of our Soveraign in his estate or honour are transgressions of Gods precepts wherein God is dishonoured and the Devil the flesh and the world preferred before and above him No man ought to endeavour a deliverance from the most horrid Tyranny and oppression by the least act of injustice or rebellion As for the arguments and objections alledged by the oppugners of this doctrine to legitimate their acts of injustice and rebellion under the pretences of self-defence I shal recite and resolve the most material of them in the eleventh Ch. of this book which speaks of the subordination of the ends of Monarchie manifesting also the Kings Honour to have the Right of preheminence ante salutem populi that is above the peoples welfare 3. Sol. The joynt endeavours of both although they carry the fairest shew of equity and conscience in regard there is no injustice done but to those that are willing to receive it who by Aristotles rule are incapable of an injury but that must be understood ab Extrinseco and in foro judicij yet are altogether unwarrantable in this case For first they are directly felons de se and as guilty of self-robbery as he that kils himself is of self murder As we shewed in the
Jerusalem and the Jewes were destroyed And these acts of the people are sinful and rebellious and so declared by Gods judgements thereupon For wheresoever the Scriptures mention the constitution of a King after this manner you shal find that they likewise record not onely the frustrations of the peoples endeavours but also that they were frustrated by some heavy and suddaine judgements from God both upon the usurper whereby he was degraded from his undue honour and the people who presumed to conferre that honour upon him without a warrant from God and so by that meanes to obtrude a deputy upon God of their own and not of Gods election And you may further observe for satisfaction in this point that these acts of the peoples in a King and anointing of Kings are onely mentioned where some of these occasions happened that is where there was an Interruption of the ordinary meanes of conferring this Supreamacy by Birth-right and Hereditary succession either by the Interposition of Gods just Prerogative in the advancement of some person by extraordinary and Immediate Revelation or else by the usurpation of some who had no right or Title at all but force and violence either private of themselves and some few partners wherein God stirred up the people to Vindicate the Kings Right or publique of the people but where the Supreamacy and Soveraign Power with all the appendages descended by Birth-right there is no mention at all made of the people though the acts of duty and homage was as necessary to be performed to such Kings and were also actually performed to all who enjoyed the Crown by Hereditary succession as Abijah Asa Iehosaphat Iehoram and the rest to whom the people were no lesse subject and obedient then to those who were appointed by God but yet I say in those cases the peoples act of submission and homage are not expressed but presupposed as known acts of duty to those Kings who attained the Supreamacy by those ordinary and known meanes of Birth-right and Hereditary succession 2. To the reason alledged for the peoples Right to this Royal Investiture I answer that the honour and submission which the people exhibit to their King are not acts of favour to be conferred and disposed voluntarily at their own will and pleasure but acts of duty whereunto they are obliged by the Law of God And therefore must be performed to such as God esteems worthy of the honour to be his Deputies and not upon such as themselves judge worthy to be their Ruler For as it was not necessary that God should require our consent to make us so neither is it necessary that he should require our consent to govern us For though the Angels be Invested with a Supreamacy over men and men over natural Agents yet neither did the natural Agents elect or constitute men their Lords and superiors nor men the Angels And therefore that God who did constitute and ordain these degrees of superiority and subordination amongst the species of the Universe without their consent may by the same right and justice constitute the like degrees of distinction amongst the particulars of any species without any concurrent Act of theirs For you know the people are obliged to exhibit acts of honour and reverence to the Judge but it doth not therefore follow that the people make that man a Judge but he is made such by letters Patents from the King without asking any consent from the people 3. To S. Peters testimony I answer that the Apostles expression there doth relate partly unto the subject of soveraignty that is the King who in his natural capacity is properly a man and patrly to the object of Royal power which is the people upon whom that power is exercised In both which respects it may be properly termed an ordinance of man But it doth not at all relate unto the Originall and Efficient cause of that power which is God himself and neither King nor people 3. To that former inference that though the King be Major singulis yet he is minor Vniversis I answer that it is a distinction 1. Absurd and ridiculous in nature 2. Sencelesse and destructive in Policy 3. Groundlesse and damnable in Divinity 1. In Nature for a Kings Power must needs be the same with a Fathers in substance onely the Kings is more absolute and more obligatory as I shall shew hereafter both being grounded upon the same precept and exprest in the same words And can any believe that if a Father have thirteen sons seven of those mayby joynt consent renounce their Father and depose him from all Authority either over themselves or their other six brethren seize his estate and lock him up in a close rooms I believe if the observator the Author of this Corollarie should be so served by his own sonnes he would not commend them for dutyful children 2. In Policy It is sencelesse and destructive For if the Major part of the people be superior to the King then the Government is not Monarchicall but Democraticall and that also a Democracy of the basest sort For every species of Policy derives its denomination and nature from those who are Invested with the Supreamacy And that confusion and destruction is alwayes the conclusion of such a Government both experience and the generall consent of Polititians doth declare 3. In Divinity It is groundless and damnable being directly contrary to that express Rule which God himself hath prescribed in this case Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evill nor speak in a cause to decline after many Where God plainly declares that the universality of the offenders cannot legitimate the fault as appeares also in the sinne of erecting the golden Calf Absaloms conspiracy and the forecited Instances For though it be a maxime in Policy that multitudo peccaâ—tium tellit peccatum i. e. poenam pecâ—ati It is as true a Maxime in Divinity that multitudo peccantium aggravat peccatum i. e. culpam the guilt of sinne and the more I seduce the more guilt I contract and though the multitude of partakers may secure me from punishment in foro Judicii humani yet I am sure to receive the just reward of that sin at Gods Tribunal from which the whole society both of men and Devils cannot secure me 4. To return a direct answer to the second Corollary we must distinguish the parts of that stipulation or Covenant which are three viz Materia Finis Forma 1. The matter of the Covenant is two-fold 1. Ex qua and that is the Lawes and Rules of justice 2. Circa quam and that is the people who are the objects of al Acts of justice grounded upon these Lawes 2. The end of that Covenant is two-fold 1. Principalis which is either primus and that is Gods glory or à primo-ortus and that is the Kings honour who is Gods Deputy 2. minus principalis and that is salus populi 3. The form of
excellency worth and goodnesse which God doth communicate unto men for the Regulation of their owne private affections and the exercise of a pious and vertuous life of which Honour every man in the Common-wealth is equally capable 2. Politicall Honour is that excellency worth and goodnesse which God doth communicate unto men for the Regulation of the externall actions of men in order to the preservation of society and the exercise of a peaceable and quiet life which is that Honour which the King doth receive from God and which doth supereminence him above all others in the same society and Common-wealth And this is also two fold viz. Primarius Secundarius 1. Primarie Honour is that excellency of power and authority which doth enable the King for execution of the duties of his Calling in the Rule and Government of his people and Subjects And this is two-fold viz. Legislativus Judiciarius 1. Legislative Honour is the power and authority to constitute and enact Lawes and Statutes for the Publike good and benefit of the Common-wealth And this againe is twofold viz. Ecclesiasticus Civilis 1. Ecclsiasticall Honour is the power and authority to enact Lawes and Statutes for the Regulation of mens words and actions in order to the externall performance of the duties of the first Table of the Morall Law according to the patterne exhibited by God in the frame and composure of the Ceremoniall Law instituted by God for that purpose 2. Civill Honour is the power and authority to enact Lawes and Statutes for the Regulation of mens words and actions in order to the externall performance of the duties of the second Table of the Morall Law according to the patterne exhibited by God himselfe in the frame and composure of the Judiciall Law Instituted by God likewise for that purpose 2. Judiciarie Honour is the power and authority to put all these Lawes in execution And this is two-fold Compensativus Vindicativus 1. Compensative Honour is the power to encourage and remunerate the integrity of pious and just men with titles of Honour and offices of state and the like according to the merits of their service and obedience which is the pastorall duty and office of Kings signified principally by their Scepter which is is called in Christs Govenment A Scepter of righteousnesse because of Christs Government over the Saints and Church triumphant wherein there is no use at all of the Sword but onely of the Scepter and by the exercise of his pastorall office to reward the faith and patience of the Saints Which passage I doe here insert to shew that the Scepter doth principally import the Pastorall and not the Imperiall and Magisteriall office of a King which relateth properly to his Militarie power 2. Vindicative Honour is the power to correct and punish the delinquences of disobedient and evill men which is the Magisteriall office and duty of Kings signified by their sword 2. Secondarie Honour which is a spece also of Politicall Honour is that Honourable and Magnificent maintenance which God hath assigned unto the King for support of his Royall power and dignity for as our lives Gen. 5.9 so our estates and fortunes are not ours but Gods For heaven and earth are his and all riches and honours come from him and he is Lord over all 1 Chron. 29.10 11 12. Psal 50.10 11. Psal 95.4 For a manifest of which Prerogative God in all his distributions reserved some part which he ordained to be sacred and holy unto himselfe as in that charter and grant made unto Adam in Innocency when there was no King or Priest but onely Adam himselfe the Lord in that grant reserved the Tree of Knowledge So that the law for honouring God with our substance Prov. 3.8 was an eternall law of nature and not any positive emergent law for before the Institution either of the Ceremoniall or Judiciall lawes of Moses This Prescript and Rule was observed by the Patriarchs as Cain and Abel both which did render unto the Lord a tribute out of their several possessions Gen. 4.3 4. And Abraham by this law paid Tythes to Melchisedec Gen. 14.20 And by the same law Jacob vowed unto the Lord the retribution of a Tenth of that which the Lord should give him Gen. 28. last as an acknowledgement that hee received it from God the Lord of all for Jacob had nothing of his owne at that time but a staffe Gen. 32.10 Now as God did delegate unto Kings a power over our persons in his ordinance for their Primarie honour of power and authority so did he likewise give them a power over our estates for support of that honour which is their Secondarie honour of Maintenance and Revenue which was the ground of Christs command to render a tribute of our goods unto Caesar Mat. 22.21 intimating that this temporall honour of tribute was by virtue of Gods delegation as due unto Caesar as the spirituall honour of praise and worship was unto God And upon the same ground Saint Paul commands to render custome and tribute to Kings not as a gift and favour but as a due and just debt Rom. 13.7 and gives this reason for it because they are Gods Ministers appointed to supply his place in Ruling and Judging us And seeing God hath transferred the greater power to Kings viz a power over our lives by putting the sword i. e. the Militia or Military power of the Common-wealth into his hands Rom. 13.4 the Apostle thence concludes their Investiture with the lesse viz a power over our estates Ver. 6. And this power was all the title which Christ had to that Asses-Colt which he sent his Disciples to fetch for his use Luke 19.30 for it appeares in the Text that Christ was not the proprietour of that colt yet he did not give order to his Disciples either to buy or hire or begge or borrow the colt of the owners but onely to tell any that profered to interrupt them that the Lord had need of him for it was a sufficient title to dispossesse the private owner that the publike Lord of all did command him and upon that answer the private owner did not resist the Disciples in taking him away Ver. 34. And the like power we see exercised by Pharaoh in that ordinance for storing up a fift part of all the Corne of Egypt for seven yeares together which law was enacted by Pharaoh upon the single Counsell of Joseph with the approbation onely of Pharaoh's servants or Councell and not by the generall consent of the people Gen. 41.34 Neither can we pretend this law to be Tyrannicall amd contrary to the law of God and Nature for it proceeded from the wisdome of God which in this businesse directed the mind of Joseph Gen. 45.57 Psal 105. Nor can any man imagine but the state and magnificence of Saul David Jeroboam and others who of private persons were advanced by God himself to Regall honour and dignity was supported by this meanes
of respect and reverence unto any person whose merits wee conceive to make a just title thereunto and this is that Honour whereof Aristotle's Maxime is to be understood that honor est in honorante non in honorate And this Honour is two-fold Fictitius Verus 1. Fictitious Honour is that which is grounded upon a meere pretence of some excellency worth and goodnesse in honorato the true ground thereof being indeed onely interest and selfe-respects in honorante which is properly Adulation and not Honour the affectation whereof was reproved by our Saviour John 5.44 and was the crime of the ambitious Pharisees who loved the praise of men more then the praise that cometh of God John 12.43 regarding the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shadow more then the substance 2. True and reall Honour is that which is grounded upon a reall perswasion of some excellency worth and goodnesse in honorato and is a result of Fundamentall Honour relating thereunto as the shadow doth unto the substance And this is twofold viz. Ethicus Politicus 1. Ethicall Honour is that which is grounded upon a perswasion of personall vertue in honorato either Intellectuall as wisdome knowledge prudence and the like or Morall as liberality temperance fortitude justice and the like 2. Politicall Honour is that which is ground upon a perswasion of those Royall excellencies in honorato which do supereminence him above all others in the same society And this againe is twofold viz. Primarius Secundarius 1. Primarie Honour is that which is grounded upon a perswasion and knowledge of Supremacie of power and authority in honorato And this is twofold viz. Activus Passivus 1. Active Honour is a willing endeavour to performe all his commands expressed in Ecclesiasticall or Civill Lawes and Statutes when wee conceive them to be just and honest and agreeable to the Law of God 2. Passive Honour is a voluntary submission to his Judiciarie decrees and censures for our non-performance of those Commands which we conceive to be dissonant to the Law of God 2. Secondarie Honour is the payment of Tribute Custome and the like contributions out of our estates for the maintenance and support of the Royalty and Magnificence of the Person invested with Royall power and dominion And thus much briefly of the nature and species of the principall end of Monarchy which is God and the Kings Honour It followes now that we should declare the nature and species of the lesse principall end which is Salus populi 2 Salus populi which is the lesse principall end of Monarchy though it be really distinct from the Kings Honour as the Relatum is from the Correlatum yet is an individuall Concomitant thereof and indeed a meere result and product of the same for salus populi can never be effected by any other meanes but those which in the first place doe effectuate and energate the Kings Honour whether we look upon the Monarchicall actons of King or Subjects both which are vers't about the same object and matter onely in a diverse manner For the King by reason of the Supremacy of his power and authority is interested onely in the active part of Government and therefore he acts for his owne honour and the peoples welfare by composing Lawes and Statutes wherein he commands things tending to the preservation of peace and unity in that society a principall ground of both the former ends The people are interessed onely in the Passive part of Government and therefore they act for the Kings Honour and their owne welfare by their obedience and submission to the Kings commands expressed in those Lawes and Statutes the violation whereof is a direct meanes of dishonour to God and the King and of ruine and destruction to the people For which cause Jeremy exhorted the captive Jewes in Babylon to pray for the peace and prosperity of that King because their owne peace and welfare depended upon his Jer. 29.7 And Paul also pressed Timothy and the Ephesians unto the practise of the same duty in behalfe of their Kings and Magistrates for the same reason 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Now though this salus populi being a result of the Kings Honour be capable of the same parts and divisions with the Kings Honour the fountaine thereof yet to avoid prolixity I shall referre the actuall specification of its parts unto the Readers Meditations it being no difficult matter to judge of the species of the Relatum by the divisions of the correlatum reprepresented in the premises And this briefe Analysis of God and the Kings honour and salus populi or the peoples welfare I hope may be sufficient for a generall survey of the nature and parts of the ends of Monarchie for a more full and perfect explication whereof I shall in the ensuing Chapter insist upon the resolution of a Quaere prescribing the due limitation of the Kings power CHAP. X. Of the due limitation of the Kings Power THe Quaere conducing to a plenary narration and exegesis of this point are both numerous and weighty one whereof I purpose to insist upon in this Chapter which I doe acknowledge was not the meanest inducement that gave life unto this present discourse of Monarchy the Solution whereof I suppose will present the Reader with a glimpse of some of those nationall crimes which have drawne upon us these nationall calamities a subject fitter for an entire Tract then a particular Chapter But my designe at present is rather to start then state this Question hoping a more learned and judicious Pen may supply the defects of mine by a more punctuall and satisfactorie discussion and determination of this point so profoundly mysterious both in Divinity and Policy Quaere What matters are within the sphere of Politicall Cognizance and what are res extra-regales and metapoliticall matters wherein the King cannot exercise either his Legislative or Judiciarie power without guilt of sacrilegious intrusion Sol. This Quaere consists of two parts the latter consequentiall of the former and both of them immediate expedients to enunciate the quality and extent of the Kings Commission from God the sole ground both of the Kings Power and the Subjects Obedience For though Kings be stiled Gods in Scripture Psal 82.6 and are indeed really so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in their Politicke capacity referring to their power over their Subjects yet wee all know that they are not so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in their physicall capacity referring to their nature and essence for they shall dye like men Psal 82.7 And therefore the right understanding of the nature of the Kings Commission and Deputation from God I conceive to be a point of necessary concernment 1. For Subjects that they may more perfectly understand the just extent of this Commission and in what things God hath thereby delegated a Power unto Kings over Subjects for direction of their duty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and destruction thereof which defects in our naturall inclinations God ordained to be supplied by the exercise of a Judiciarie power whereby to excite us to the performance of these naturall duties either by the remuneration of our merits of obedience or the punishment of our crimes of disobedience unto the Lawes and Statutes composed for mans direction both in Ecclesiasticall and Civill affaires so that the exercise both of the Legislative and Judiciarie power of Kings were meere emergencies of mans Apostasie Before which time though Government was established amongst men by that law of nature yet in regard that Law whereupon this Government was founded was so principled in mens hearts that it was sufficient to direct all Politicall and Monarchicall duties and the naturall rectitude of their wills to excite the performance of them there was no occasion at all for the exercise either of the Legislative or Judiciarie power for direction of Politicall and Monarchicall duties or restraint of Politicall and Monarchicall exorbitances neither should there ever have beene any more occasion if man had persisted in that his native Innocency and integâ—â—â—y for any such direction or restraint then there was to direct the duties or restraine the exorbitancies of Christ himselfe whose innocency and integrity both in his nativity and conversation was parallel to Adams in his created and native state and condition the conformity of whose active obedience to authority in omnibus licitis and passive in illicit is neither was nor could be any way defective to the most exact rules and lawes of God and nature Whence it is manifest that though Magistrates in the state of Innocency were invested by the law of nature both with a Legislative and Judiciarie power in actu signato yet the actus exercitus or exercise thereof was a meere emergency of mans prevarication and Apostasie which did not occasion God to ordaine and institute any new sort of humane policy or any new lawes for direction of Politicall duties but onely to ordaine the actuall use and exercise of his Legislative power to supply and help the defects imperfections and infirmities of his understanding in the lawes of nature by the composure of Positive Lawes and Statutes and of his Judiciary power to correct and regulate the depravities of his will by remunerating the merits of his obedience and punishing the crimes of his disobedience to those Lawes and Statutes The result of all which is but briefly this that the Objectum per se or the direct and immediate Object of Politicall Cognizance consisting in the Fundamentals and Essentials of Politick Government is onely the externall duties prescribed in the Morall Law in reference unto which duties Kings both may and ought to exercise both their Legislative and Judiciary power over all persons within their Dominions whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill Ob. Some do object against this that Christ hath suffered for the sins of the whole world and therefore that no man ought to be punished for sinne for it would be a point of direct Injustice to require satisfaction of us for that for which our surety hath already paid and given plenary and perfect satisfaction to our Creditour so that the exercise of the vindicative part of Judiciary power in Magistrates inflicting punishment for offences must needs be unlawfull and destructive to the principles and priviledges of the Gospell of Christ Sol. I answer that the punishments inflicted by Magistrates are not intended for the satisfaction of Gods justice for our offences against God but for the instruction of our obedience in order to the publike peace for no temporary punishments or tortures how extremely inhumane and barbarous soever can possibly be satisfactory for the least sinne against the law of God whose merits in the court of Gods Justice are eternall death Neither doth any man suffer now in earth nor shall any man suffer hereafter in hell for any sinne against God and his law of nature but onely for sinnes against Christ and his law of the Gospell that is for infidelity despaire and want of charity or the love of Christ as I have already intimated in the Introduction So that the punishments inflicted by the Magistrate is not intended for satisfaction of any sinne committed against God for that satisfaction is peculiar to the sufferings of Christ but for prevention of future mischiefes either in the offender or others or both that men may live together in peace and unity following all godlinesse and honesty according to the commands of the Gospell and law of Christ which as I said before is not different from the Morall law given by God at the first creation in Essence for both of them enjoyne the same duties but onely in circumstance and the manner of performing these duties For whereas the law of God doth require an exact and legall performance according to the letter of the law the law of Christ doth require onely an equitable and Evangelicall performance according to the measure of our abilities And therefore whereas the offences against Gods law were determinable only in a Court of Justice and so punished according to the quality and merit of the trespasse the offences now against Christs law are determinable onely in a Court of Mercy and Equity and so punished according to the measure of our abilities and the mis-imployment of such talents and blessings as wee have received by Christ who hath renewed by his Spirit in every mans soule some of the obliterated characters of nature whereof they were deprived by Adams sinfull prevarication And according to this law of Christ are all the Nations and Kingdomes of the world now governed as well Heathen as Christian for all Government was by his Father transmitted unto him John 13.3 Phil. 2.10 11. so that now all Kings and Rulers as well Heathen as Christian are Christs Lieutenants and Deputies for what Solomon attributed to Christs power indefinitely in the consignation of Kings Prov. 8.15 By me Kings raigne David expresly extendeth to Heathens as well as Christians Psal 2.8 I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance And Saint John expresly affirmeth Jesus Christ to be Prince of all the Kings of the earth Apoc. 1.5 And therefore all Kings doe now order and decree all things in a Court of mercy and equity which looketh upon the abilities of the offender and not in a Court of Justice which looketh onely upon the quality of the offence For no Prince in the world whether Heathen or Christian doe punish Ideots and Mad-men for the same offences which sometimes are made capitall in men of understanding the reason is because these are capable of Reformation and to be made better by punishments the other not so and therefore though the offence be the same in both yet the punishment is not so whence it is manifest that the exercise of the Kings Judiciary power is not intended for satisfaction for sinne for which Christ died but meerely for restraint of such
enormities as are destructive to peace and unity and by consequence to all Politick Association 2. The second spece of the Object of Politicall Cognizance is Objectum per accidens which is the indirect and mediate Object of Politick Government consisting in the Contingentials thereof being such causes and matters wherein the King may exercise both his Legislative and Judiciarie power over some persons both Ecclesiasticall and Civill but not over other some of either sort And these are those supernaturall and Evangelicall duties which were never knowne nor any way usefull upon the first institution of Politick Government under the old Covenant of Workes but were instituted afterward and made ordinances of the new Covenant of Grace not directly for helps of Politick Government but for the immediate meanes and helps to life and salvation by Christ and the advancement of his mysticall kingdome Such as were the Sacraments both of the Old and New Testament which were symbolicall ordinances instituted by God meerely as seales and confirmations of this new Covenant of Grace and also all Evangelicall formes of Worship Government and Discipline relating immediately unto Christ All which are supernaturall duties wherein the light of nature though it were restored to its native and pristine purity is no way conducent to guide or direct us without particular revelations of the Spirit of God declared either by Scripture or some other extraordinary and supernaturall meanes which duties therefore cannot be knowne to Heathens to which God never vouchsafed the benefit of such revelations nor be possibly capable of any legall sanctions from the most prudent and intelligent Legislator that ever sate at sterne in any Heathenish Common-wealth And yet though Heathens cannot be good Christians they may be good Kings as the Holy Ghost testifieth of Cyrus whose Government is much magnified Esay 45. although he understood nothing of these Evangelicall duties which relate to Christ the like Panegyricks are recorded not onely by the Heathenish but also by Christian Authors of the government of Solon of Athens Lycurgus of Lacedemon and Servius Tullius of Rome And this is further manifested by that judicious and rationall answer which Gallio the Romane Deputy returned to the complaints of the Jewes against Paul for preaching against the Jewish Ceremonies and the outward form of worship prescribed by Moses Acts 18.14 15. If it were a matter of wrong or injustice saith Gallio which importeth sins against the law of the second Table or of wicked lewdnesse which importeth sinnes against the law of the first Table of the Morall law then reason would O ye Jewes that I should bear with you But if it be a Question of your law looke ye to it for I will be no Judge of such matters Whence it is observable that though this wise Heathen was perswaded that it was a part of his office and duty to judge of offences against the law of nature whether they were transgressions of the first Table and so immediately against God or of the second Table and so immediately against our neighbour ye he did conclude from the principles of sound reason that the judgement of these Jewish Ceremonies which were not naturall but Evangelicall duties did not pertaine to his Office or Calling So that these Evangelicall duties cannot be directly and per se the Object of Politicall Cognizance or the subject of any positive Law or Statute generally obligatory unto all persons But yet these Evangelicall duties may and doe fall within the sphere of Politicall Cognizance indirectly and per accidens that is in such persons to whom God doth vouchsafe the benefit of these supernaturall revelations for in regard the service and worship of God ought to be the first and principall care of all Kings as well Heathen as Christian according to the Maxime of that * Arist pol. lib. 7 c. 8. knowing Heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion must be the foundation of all Policy being the most important businesse amongst the affaires of State cementing all societies and energating all lawes as Plutarch well observeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in regard also that they to whom God hath vouchsafed the knowledge of these Evangelicall and supernaturall duties cannot with a safe conscience serve and worship God after any other manner but that which in their opinion is most consonant to his word and will therefore it is both lawfull and expedient for Kings to exercise both their Legislative power in composure of Lawes and Statutes for directing a laudable conformity amongst these persons in the religious observation and practise of these Evangelicall and supernaturall duties of the Religion and piety whereof they are already sufficiently perswaded and satisfied in their consciences and also their Judiciary power in punishing the contempt or neglect thereof because to such persons there is no medium betweene the practise of these duties and that wicked lewdnesse or profanenesse the restraint and reformation whereof Gallio did acknowledge to be directly a part of the duty of the Magistrates office and calling But for other persons who are not of the same perswasion concerning the Religion of these Evangelicall duties but beleeve the practise thereof to be superstitious and dishonourable to God and another forme of worship to be the onely acceptable service unto him in regard the practise of Evangelicall duties in such persons cannot proceed from faith and trust in God whereby they may expect a blessing from him upon their service and devotion but rather that curse and damnation which Saint Paul affirmeth to be the just merits of all acts of worship which are not of faith but either of doubtfulness or which is worse of perfect hypocrisie and dissimulation Rom. 14. last The enforcement of such a conformity by the Magistrate in Evangelicall worship and service in such persons contrary to their consciences must necessarily render him guilty not onely of their sinnes and thereby liable to that curse and damnation which is due to their hypocrisie and dissimulation whereof hee is in some sense the efficient cause but also of sacrilegious intrusion upon those sacred prerogatives which God hath reserved wholly unto himselfe that is the command and power over mens consciences over which he never appointed any lord or master besides himselfe as the expressions and exhortations both of our Saviour Mat. 23.8 9. and of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 8.6 doe purposely insinuate and whereunto the Kings Commission did never extend Whence it is manifest that Christian Kings may exercise their Legislative power in the composure of Lawes and Statutes to direct a conformity of Evangelicall worship and service in those persons unto whom God hath vouchsafed the true understanding thereof and thereby satisfied their consciences of the Legality and Religion thereof and also his Judiciarie power in rewarding the pious and due observance and punishing the impious contempt and neglect of such duties in the same persons But may not exercise either his Legislative or Judiciary
afforded us many laudable presidents to this purpose in many Creeds and briefe formes of Confessions purposely composed by the Fathers and Councels of those times to the end that a professed Uniformity of Faith and Doctrine in such Fundamentals might preserve the peace and unity of the Church and by consequence of the Common-wealth And therefore there wants neither reason nor authority to warrant the exercise of Regall power in matters of Faith and Doctrine Sol. This Uniformity of Faith and Religion is more to be desired then hoped for for Saint Paul hath expresly declared the necessity of such a dissonancie amongst Christians in the principles of Faith and Religion as shall also introduce divisions and discords amongst them 1 Cor. 11.18 19. in which Text the Apostle alledgeth the providence of God to be the ground thereof who thereby provides for the manifestation of the sincere and faithfull and also for their better information and knowledge in matters of faith And surely the Gospell had never beene so perfectly radicated in the mindes of Christians without oppositions and disputes concerning the same and therefore it proceeded from the wisdome providence and goodnesse of God towards his children that these divisions should be the fruits and effects of the Gospel as Christ himself did forewarne his Disciples for Christians are alwayes best principled in those points which are most controverted for the disputes concerning Jewish Ceremonies in the times of the Apostles concerning the Trinity in the times of the Fathers concerning the nature of Justification of the Sacraments and other points of Popery of later times and concerning formes of Worship Government and Discipline of the Church in these present times hath begotten a more exact understanding in Christians in all these points then ever they had in probability attained unto if Satan had not sowed these seeds of discord amongst them As for the dangers and inconveniencies to Church and Common-wealth pretended for the necessity of the exercise of a Regall power in these matters it is but a piece of Jeroboam's policy in erecting golden Calves to secure his kingdome for to pretend a necessity of unwarrantable meanes for the security of Church or State is but to appeale from God to the Devill for succour which will certainly bring our feares upon us For it is just with God to powre downe those judgements upon the true Professours which are due to such Hereticks when the former sort out of diffidence of Gods wisdome power and goodnesse will anticipate his Justice in the latter and out of a precipitate zeale to Gods honour obtrude their undesired and therefore unwelcome help and assistance upon him Whereas if wee could but let them alone as Christ exhorteth Mat. 15.14 and waite Gods time with patience the Lord will not faile to root out such spurious plants which are not of his owne planting but of the Devils as all such Heresies most undoubtedly are Yet I deny not but the Magistrate both may and ought to exercice his power for the restraine and punishment of those divisions which are the fruits and effects of these erroneous and Hereticall opinions when they come to be of Politicall Cogniâ—â—nâ—â— i. e. aâ—â—â— of violence and injustice disturbing the peace of the Common-wealth but the errours themselves which are the causes and productives of these mischiefes in State are not at all of Politicall but of another higher Cognizance As for the concise formes of Faith and Confession mentioned in the latter part of the Objection I doe acknowledge such short Creeds as that of the Apostles of the Nicene Councell of Athanasius and many other Orthodox Creeds devised some by Councels some by particular Fathers against such particular Heresies as raigned in their times to be of admirable use and expediency for the Churches edification but for any Magistrate to constraine his Subjects by virtue of any Law or Statute to sweare the truth of these Creeds or of any other Article of Faith of the truth whereof the deponent is not first fully satisfied in his conscience but doth either beleeve or doubt the same to be false must needs be an offence of a very high nature in any Magistrate because he doth not onely render himselfe accessary to the perjury of him that sweares but guilty also of a sacrilegious intrusion and usurpation upon those sacred prerogatives which God hath reserved entire unto himselfe viz. of the power and command over the conscience which God never imparted unto any Creature Man or Angell neither of whom how great and glorious soever is able to pacifie an injured incensed and wrathfull conscience The third Reason is taken from the inefficacy of compulsive meanes to plant the faith of Christ manifested in Saint Pauls exhortation to Timothy concerning his demeanour towards those who should oppose themselves against the truth and Gospell of Christ not onely of infirmity and ignorance but of obstinacy and maliousnesse 2 Tim. 3. towards whom he exhorteth Timothy to be gentle and instruct them with meeknesse 2 Tim. 2.24 25. And yet wee know that Saint Paul did not want experience of the efficacy and vertue of compulsive and violent courses to force a conformity in others to his owne faith belief and profession and therefore surely he would never have so carefully prescribed this rule to Timothy if he had found persecution and the exercise of secular power to be a better expedient to convert men to the faith of Christ or to convince an erroneous conscience the incongruity of which meanes also the Lord himselfe hath further manifested by rendring all such inordinate endeavours not onely fruitlesse and inefficacious for the eradication of Heresies but also advantageous to confirme them in the parties persecuted and to multiply the professours of the same Hereticall opinions as the Histories of the Primitive Persecutions doe sufficiently declare For there is so much disproportion betweene an immateriall conscience and a materiall sword that the weakest judgements are apt to conclude that those who make use of such absurd and improper arguments to convince the consciences of others are not provided of better grounds and reasons whereupon to build their owne Faith and Religion And hee that consulteth the Narratives of the Spanish proceedings in the Conversion of the Indians shall finde that Saint Peter added more soules to the Church of Christ by one Sermon then the Spaniards were able to doe by seven yeares persecution although it was not defective in any point of savage and inhumane cruelty Ob. Many perverse natures have beene converted to the faith of Christ by rigorous meanes upon whom perswasions and argumentations could have no such influence and we find by daily experience that correction and stripes are a meanes to infuse documents into some children in whose soules the most rationall instructions with meeknesse could make no such impression Sol. Balaams Asse spoke when shee was beaten three times with a staffe and yet a man would esteeme him an Asse that should
endeavour to make an Asse speake by beating her three times as often I grant that corrections and punishments may be efficacious to engraft knowledge and beliefe in mens minds of those principles whereof nature doth make them capable and where negligence or lewdness are the only impediments as it happeneth in some children but for a Magistrate to endeavour the engraftment and plantation of Christian principles in the heart of an Infidel who is prepossest with a prejudicate opinion of their fond and superstitious vanity by rigour and extremity would be an absurdity no lesse ridiculous then to endeavour to make an Asse speak by beating her three times with a staffe In regard nature doth afford no more capacity in men for the beliefe of these points of faith then it doth in Asses to speake or in stones to live whereof onely God who enabled Balaams Asse to speake is able to raise up children unto Abraham That is God is onely able to implant the faith of Abraham in the hearts of Infidels who are as incapable thereof by nature as stones are of life and motion And the means which God hath ordained for this purpose and whereupon therefore we can onely expect a blessing from God to make them effectuall is not rigour and compulsion but meeknesse and perswasion as Saint Paul declares 2 Tim. 2.25 Repl. Though the Magistrate may not punish the misbelief or incredulty of his Subjects concerning Articles of Christian faith the understanding and beliefe whereof is a supernaturall gift yet he ought to punish all idolatrous formes of worship because the light of nature is sufficient to monstrate the absurdnesse and impiety thereof as Saint Paul declareth Rom. 1. where the worship of Images is demonstrated to be a sinne against the light of nature upon which ground also the Judiciall Lawes of Moses which are meere Commentaries of the externall part and duty of the law of nature did decree all Idolatries to be punished by death And therefore the Magistrate may exercise both his Legislative and Judiciary power for the restraint and suppression of all Idolatrous worship and particularly of Images which is the Idolatrous forme of worship practised by Papists Sol. There is a twofold fountaine and originall of Idolatrous Worship 1. The will when the errour and obliquity doth proceed either from a wicked lewdnesse or else from a perverse and wilfull negligence and such were all the Idolatries of the Isralites because God himselfe had published Lawes and Statutes for the information of their understandings in that point the Justice and Religion whereof was not disputable because they were immediately from God And therefore these Idolatries were punishable in the Israelites because they did proceed from the errour and obliquity of the wi lt the Reformation whereof is indeed the very absolute and adaequate end of all punishments and of the exercise of all Politicall power 2. The understanding when the errour and obliquity doth proceed from an invincible ignorance and misapprehension of the Religion of the duty as in the Papists whose formes of worship how Idolatrous soever in the eyes of Protestants yet in their owne eyes appeare to be the onely service acceptable to God And in the Gentiles whose ridiculous and senslesse Idolatry was had in the like religious and reverent estimation amongst themselves the punishment of which Idolatry is no lesse incongruous then to beat a naturall foole for liking his owne painted coate better then my rich suite or a blinde man for judging that to be white which I that have eyes can discerne to be perfectly blacke For though the light of nature in its perfection in which sense Saint Paul speaketh of it Rom. 1. be a sufficient guide in all these particular things that is to discerne the errours of these Idolaters as well as the mistakes of fooles and blind men yet is it not sufficient to doe that in these particular men who doe not participate of such a perfection of naturall light and knowledge and therefore till it please God to enlighten their understandings it is as impossible to cudgell these Idolaters out of an opinion of the Religion of their owne formes of worship or to make them beleeve any other to be more innocent and acceptable unto God as with a hammer to drive wit into a fooles head or sight into a blind mans eyes And therefore seeing punishments were never ordained for the Information of the understanding but meerly for the Reformation of the will it cannot be just nor equitable in Magistrates to punish the errours and obliquities of Papists or any other Idolaters which have their foundation and ground in the understanding till first their understanding be rightly informed and themselves convinced of the errour of their wayes And to warrant this Doctrine wee have first a president in Saint Pauls owne practise in the conversion of the Athenians who did not make use of powder and bullets but of demonstrations and arguments to effect that great worke of Reformation in those Idolaters as we may read Acts 17. Secondly the testimony of Claudius Lysias who judged no accusations concerning these Ceremonies alledged by the Jewes against Paul to be worthy of death or bonds or any punishment Acts 23.29 Repl. Papists have the benefit of Scripture for their information which apparently condemne their Idolatrous formes of worship and therefore their Idolatry cannot be excused by the pretence of an invincible ignorance no more then the Idolatries of the Israelites could be Sol. The Aethiopian Eunuch had the benefit of Scripture too when he understood little enough of Christ and for ought I know might have continued an Idolater all his life if Philip in stead of expounding and reasoning had fallen upon cudgelling that ignorant Eunuch into a right understanding thereof And therefore it is requisite that they should first be convinced by reason that the Scriptures doe condemne their formes of worship as Idolatrous before they be punished for the practise thereof Neither againe is the reason and equity of that Law for punishing Idolatry the same in the Papists as it was in the Israelites for two causes 1. Because of the different nature of the sinne for the Idolatry principally intended by that Law to be punished in the Israelites was the worship of an Idolatrous object as appears Deut. 13. whereof the Papists are no wayes guilty for they worship the same God in the Unity of Essence and Trinity of Persons which the Protestants doe 2. Because of the different nature of the guilt though the sinne should be acknowledged to be the same in both and the Idolatry punishable in the Israelites to relate to the formes of worship of the true God which is the onely spece of Idolatry that can be charged upon the Papists For the Israelites under the Law had set formes of worship prescribed by God from which the least deviation was inexcusable in them but under the Gospell those Ceremonies were abrogated and all formes of
worship left unto the discretion of the Church Now the Papists presuming their Church to be both the true Church and infallible and that also by warrant of Scripture as they suppose it cannot be imagined that they can possibly understand or beleeve those formes of worship which they practise by the direction of their Church to be Idolatrous and therefore their errours in this kind deserve rather to be the object of our pity then our wrath Much more is requisite to complete this discourse concerning the limitation of the Kings power in order to these extra-regalia and Metapoliticall matters and more particularly concerning the limitation thereof in order to the calling and office of Ministers which is not subordinate but of a different degree and nature from the office of Kings both of them being the Anointed of God and neither of them depending directly and properly upon the other but onely in ordine ad aliquem tertium viz. God unto whom they both are servants and from whom immediately they doe both receive their commissions and neither of them from other For as the King hath no father or superiour but God himselfe in his Politick and sacred capacity as we have already demonstrated so neither hath the Minister in his Ecclesiasticall and sacred capacity as Christ himselfe declareth Mat. 23.9 And therefore though the Apostles both taught and practised obedience to Magistrates in all matters of Politicall Cognizance wherein it was lawfull for the Magistrate to command yet did Peter and John refuse to obey the commands of the Jewish Rulers in matters which immediately related to their office and calling Acts 4.20 and so did other of the Apostles also Acts 5.29 For surely if Ministers were obliged to obey the Magistrates in the execution of the duties of their calling the Gospell of Christ had never attained unto such a degree of perfection and maturity nor Christianity ever taken root in the world especially amongst the Jewes for the two prementioned Chapters of Acts 4. and 5. and many other Texts in the Acts doe sufficiently manifest by what strict lawes and commands the Jewish Rulers and Magistrates interdicted the publication thereof But the accurate discussion of this point concerning the Kings power over Ministers in reference to their persons estates and callings would swell this Chapter into a larger volume then was designed for the whole Treatise And therefore I will conclude this Chapter with a cautionary supplication to the Reader concerning the premises thereof which is that my expresses therein pleading the exemption of conscience from all secular power in reference first to matters of Faith and Doctrine which are neither directly nor indirectly of Politicall Cognizance Secondly to matters of Evangelicall Worship Government and Discipline which are onely indirectly and ex accidenti of Politicall Cognizance may not be so understood as if thereby I should intend to make the pretence either of conscience or of an Ecclesiasticall calling to be a sufficient warrant to authorize the resistance of Secular power by any Subject whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill For as the Kings commands in Metapoliticall matters whereunto his Commission doth not extend doe render him guilty of sacrilegious intrusion upon the sacred prerogatives of God so the Subjects resistance and deniall of a passive obedience though even in those Metapoliticall mattees doe render them guilty of a sacrilegious intrusion upon the sacred Prerogatives of the King to whom God hath delegated an absolute and unlimited power over both our estates and persons in resistance whereof we become guilty of rebellion both against God and the King as the next Chapter will more fully manifest speaking the due extension of the Subjects obedience CHAP. XI Of the due extension of the Subjects obedience THe ninth Chapter presented the Reader with two proposals concerning the ends of Monarchy The first whereof concerned their nature the explication whereof was the errand both of that and the tenth Chapter The second concerneth their order in the discussion whereof our principall designe is to declare in this present Chapter the due extension of the Subjects obedience and that it is their duty to preferre the Kings honour before their owne welfare in all matters of Politicall Cognizance You may remember that in that ninth Chapter I distinguished the adaequate end of Monarchy into principalem minus principalem The principall end is either primus which is Gods Glory or à primo ortus which is the Kings Honour The lesse principall end is salus populi Now concerning these three ends of Monarchy we must observe that they are not coordinate but subordinate and ought all of them to have an influence upon every Monarchicall action whether it proceed from Monarchs or Monarchists amongst which three the first and principall is the Glory of God which both parties ought principally to look upon in all their relative actions whether of power or obedience for that is the finall cause for which God ordained the King to rule and governe and the people to be ruled and governed So that the degrees of order and subordination amongst these three ends of Monarchy in reference to the duties both of King and people stands thus 1. The King ought to consult and endeavour by way of power the peoples safety in order to his owne Honour and to endeavour both his owne Honour and the peoples safety in order to the Glory of God 2. The people ought to endeavour by way of obedience and submission their owne safety in order to the Kings Honour and to endeavour both the Kings Honour and their own safety in order to the Glory of God Now because the true understanding of this order and distinction of degrees amongst these ends doth much conduce to the right understanding of the Subjects duty I shall endeavour to manifest this subordination by proposing 1. The most materiall Objections and Arguments which seeme to disprove it 2. The most materiall Grounds and Reasons which doe confirme it 3. By framing Resolutions upon these grounds to those Objections Indeed the preheminence of the first of these ends which is Gods Glory is not a point disputable amongst Christians But whether the Kings Honour may justly claime the second place and ought to be preferred before the peoples safety in all Monarchicall actions is not so unanimously agreed upon for though many beleeve that the Monarch may observe this method in his owne actions yet that the people both may and ought to preferre their owne safety before the Kings Honour is an opinion that hath not wanted store of Patrons in these times And the principall Arguments whereupon they ground the same are three Argum. 1 The first is grounded upon the Law of Nature which is never repugnant but subordinate and conformable unto the Law of God and indeed properly a part of Gods Law For the will of God which is the very adaequate Law of God doth receive diverse denominations from the diverse limitations of the
same unto diverse objects as First that part of his will which concerneth Angels is termed the law of Angels Secondly that which concerneth men I meane in their naturall duty towards God and their neighbour for man never received Law but that before his Redemption and those Lawes which relate to Redemption are not properly naturall but supernaturall Lawes is termed the Law of Nature i. e. humane or the Law of the rationall nature Thirdly that part of Gods will which concerneth naturall Agents is termed the Law of Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Law of the corporeall Nature Againe this second sort of Law which is the Law of humane or rationall Nature and is grounded upon the will of God concerning mankind is divided by Christ himselfe into two parts which he termes two Commandements Mat. 22.27 Which two are differenced by two different Objects and two different sorts of love required of us for the due performance of our different duties unto these two different Objects The first Commandement relates to God whom we must love above our selves and all that we call ours for God doth not allow any man to value either life limbe liberty or estate above himselfe Mat. 10.37 39. Luke 14.33 Marke 8.35 and of this nature are all the particular Commandements of the first Table which are comprehended under this generall and great Commandement the duties whereof are grounded upon a love exceeding the love of our selves The second Commandement relates unto our Neighbour whom wee are not obliged to love either above our selves or equally with our selves but onely like our selves so that the love of our selves in this second part of the Law of Nature is allowed the first place and wee may lawfully value our owne life limbs estates and liberties above our neighbours and preferre the indempnity of our selves before the indempnity of our neighbour in each of these severall respects when they chance to come in competition And therefore no Law either of God or man doth make homicide capitall no nor culpable where it is necessitated se defendendo And of this nature are all the particular Commandements of the second Table which Christs exposition comprehends under this second generall Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe the duties whereof are grounded upon a love not exceeding but inferiour unto the love of our selves Now the Kings Honour being grounded upon the fifth Commandement which they take pro concesse to be a Precept of the second Table and therefore grounded upon a love which must not exceed the love of our selves the people are obliged by the Law of God and Nature in all their duties towards the King in the first place to looke upon their owne safety and by consequence the Kings Honour is not a superiour but a subordinate end to salus populi so that the people may resist yea and kill the King also if they be necessitated se defendendo Argum. 2 A second Argument which they urge for a further confirmation of this is the instance of a Generall or Governour of a city who though his Commission be never so large extending to life liberty and estate yet if he shall contrary to his trust reposed in him for defence of that city turne the Canon against the city to destroy it may lawfully be resisted by the city and Souldiery and that by armes and violence as a traitour to his trust and therefore if the King shall breake the trust reposed in him by God the people may like this city and souldiery lawfully resist him as a a traitour to his trust and provide for their owne safety before his honour Argum. 3 Lastly they alledge out of Scripture severall instances of Kings that have beene resisted by the people in order to their owne safety wherein the actions of the people have beene sometimes expresly approved by God as in the deposition of Rehoboam from his dominion over the ten Tribes 1 King 12.24 And sometimes countenanced by holy men of God which themselves have been the principall actors therein as David in the defence of himselfe from the rage and fury of Saul 1 Sam. 22.1 2. and Chap. 23.7 8. And Elisha in his advise to the Elders to resist the messengers sent by King Jehoram to take away his head 2 King 6.32 and yet neither of them reproved by God for preferring their owne safety before their obedience to the Kings commands And therefore the Subjects may provide for and regard their owne safety rather then his Honour That Doctrine which I shall here premise as a ground for the solution of these Arguments and to evidence the preheminence of the Kings Honour above the peoples welfare is such a principle in Divinity as I presume will prima facie hazzard the repute of a Paradox being directly opposite to the opinions of all Christian Authors who write of the Morall Law who distinguishing the Ten Commandements into two Tables according to Christs rule Mat. 22.37 doe generally conclude the fift Commandement prescribing honour to parents to be a Commandement of the second Table which containeth our duty towards our neighbour as if Kings and parents related to their Subjects and children as neighbours and not as Gods And that the duties therefore to be performed to Kings and parents are grounded onely upon such a love which must not exceed the love of our selves which being granted for truth the Argument taken from the Law of Nature to prove the preheminence of the peoples welfare above the Kings Honour and thereby to legitimate the resistance of Kings as well as of any other men when the people doe judge their commands to be destructive to their owne safety and welfare is altogether unanswerable For Christ in that prementioned division of the Morall Law Mat. 22.37 makes but two objects of mans duty one superiour whom wee are obliged to love and respect above our selves and that is God another inferiour object whom wee are obliged to respect onely as our selves that is in the respect of the degrees of extension of our love equally to our selves for wee must have a regard unto our neighbour in his person and life chastity goods and good name as well as our owne but yet we are not obliged to an equality in reference to the degrees of the intension of our love to our neighbour in any of these particulars for we may and ought to love and respect our own life goods and good name above our neighbours so that every man is set in the middle betweene these two objects to the one hee lookes upward as an object above him to the other downeward as an object below him So that if Kings and parents relate to us only as neighbours and not as Gods for there is no other third object of mans duty then they are not our superiours but inferiours nor may we respect their persons goods or good name above our owne as things sacred but beneath and after our owne and so to
82.6 And Moses is stiled Aarons God Exod. 4.16 And of these Gods Saint Paul meant when he affirmed many Gods to be in earth 1 Cor. 8.8 Now in regard the King doth represent the person of God he is to be honoured not according to what he is in himselfe and in his naturall capacity that is as a man but according to what the person is whom hee represents and that is God For you know the respects which we exhibite to the Mayor of a towne which happily may be a Cobler are not proportioned according to the worth and honour of that Cobler but according to the worth and honour of the King whom he represents and therefore within those limits where that Cobler doth represent this Majesty and exercise this power derived from the King he is in all respects preferred above all other men of what quality soever though Knights or Lords and therefore our duties to the King cannot relate to him in his naturall capacity as a man but in his Politick as he represents the person of God and by consequence this fift Commandement must be a Precept of the first Table Some Jewish Writers upon this very ground and reason do concurre in this opinion that this fift Commandement pertaineth to the first Table because Kings are stiled Gods Psal 82. and Ministers of God whereunto that learned and reverend Divine * In his Tract upon the Morall Law p. 105. Bishop Andrewes returneth this answer That not onely superiours but also inferiours are included in that Commandement which excludes it from the first Table But with reverence to his great learning and humble submission to better reason I cannot in this particular captivate my assent either to his answer opinion or reason for if that were sufficient to seclude the fift the same reason would exclude also the fourth Commandement out of the first Table because both son and daughter and maid and man-servant yea even oxe and asse also are therein expresly mentioned But that which distinguisheth the two Tables is the object of the duty to whom it is to be performed and not the subject who is to performe it And wee doe not finde that the duties of the fift Commandement are to be performed to any inferiours but onely to superiours And besides this judicious Divine himselfe who is deservedly honoured both for piety and knowledge although he dissent from this opinion and in his division of the Commandements doth make this fift Commandement a Precept of the second Table yet in that Argument which he alledgeth to perswade the sincerity of submission and obedience to Princes he proves it directly to be a Precept of the first It pleased God a In his exposition of the fift Commandement saith hee to give this Commandement roome before our goods yea before our life to shew that obedience to Princes must be preferred before either our estate or life Now if Princes must be dearer to us then our selves how can they have the relation of neighbours upon whom the law of God doth not enjoyne us to set any such estimate The fourth reason is taken from the nature of the sinne which is the breach and transgression of this Commandement which is a sinne immediately against God For he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God Ver. 2. and therefore Rebellion against the Prince is termed a Rebellion against God as appeares Numb 14.2 3 4. where the Lord doth threaten the punishment of the peoples Rebellion upon the report of the ten spies not as a sinne against Moses but against himselfe And so likewise the Rebellion of Korah is tearmed a Rebellion not against Moses but against God Numb 27.3 And Christ saith those that despise his Messengers despise him Luke 11.16 And the Prodigall acknowledgeth his disobedience to his father to be a sinne first against heaven Luke 15. And Saint Paul saith that he that despised the Apostles despised not man but God 1 Thes 4.8 because their calling was Gods ordinance as also the Kings is And this was the ground of Gamaliels Argument whereby he disswaded the Councell from using violence to the Apostles because if their power were from God in fighting against the Apostles they should fight against God Acts 5. And therefore the transgression of this Commandement being a sinne properly against God as the immediate object this fift Commandement must needs be it Precept of the first Table The fift Reason is taken from the nature of the punishment due to the sinnes against this fift Commandement and that is damnation Rom. 13.2 which is Saint Pauls third motive to obedience for that punishment is generally due to all the sins against the first Table but not to all the sins against the second For by damnation here in this Text the Apostle must needs understand the punishment of temporall death which the Judiciall Law ordained to be inflicted for every trespasse against God and the offences against the law of the first Table which were judged not according to the dammage which ensued upon the offence like the offences against our neighbour where a man was to loose eye for eye tooth for tooth and the like but according to the quality of the person against whom they were committed for he that transgrest the fourth Commandement by gathering onely a few sticks was commanded to be stoned to death Levit. 24.15 And hee that blasphemed or cursed God was to die the death Numb 15.35 Now all transgressions against our parents were to be punished after the same manner and not according to the dammage which ensued for he that did smite his father or mother was to be put to death though no dammage ensued Exod. 21.15 Nay if he did but curse them he was to suffer death Ver. 17. which punishments were not due by the Law for any such offences against our neighbour but onely against God and sinnes of the first Table and therefore this fift Commandement must be a Precept of the first Table And the reason why I doe judge this damnation to be meant of a temporall punishment which is inflicted by the Magistrate and not of eternall which is inflicted by God is because in reference to Gods eternall punishments all sinnes are alike damnable and punishable with eternall damnation and so Saint Pauls reason should not be any motive more proper to perswade this duty then any other but in reference to temporall punishments inflicted by the Magistrate the sinnes onely against God and the first Table are made generally and universally capitall by the Law of Moses and the same were also made capitall by the lawes of other Nations for mens words against the King may render them guilty of treason and so of death which mens words against their neighbours doe not doe The sixt reason is grounded upon those acts which are said to be the duties of the King which are to revenge and recompence Ver. 3 4. which is Saint Pauls fourth motive to obedience
breake Gods trust when he destroyes a city because as Solomon witnesseth Prov. 16. that judgement is Gods and the King is sent by God to destroy those cities for the Tyrannicall Prince is Gods servant for the execution of his judgements and hath his heart guided by God Prov. 21.1 as well as the good Prince is for the dispensation of Gods mercies And therefore to resist a Tyrannicall King is to resist God from whom that Tyrant doth derive his power as Christ testifieth of Pilates power John 19.11 which we may not doe to save either our lives or estates To the third Argument I answer Answ 3 that ten thousand instances are not sufficient to legitimate one act expresly prohibited by the Law of God for even the Holy Ghost himselfe doth record the failings of the most holy men and that in the most notorious manner as in Abrahams lie to the Egyptians Gen. 12. Davids Murder and Adultery Solomons Idolatry and Peters Perjury Yea and sometimes we finde their sins passed over without reproofe as in the Polygamie of Jacob David many of the Kings and others yet the silence of the Holy Ghost in passing by this sinne of Polygamie without reproofe did not make it lawfull But for the instances of resistance in David and Elijah they are all particularly answered by severall Authors who have writ of this subject Only the resistance and deposition of Rehoboam is legitimated by Gods expresse approbation but if you observe the Text you shall finde that approbation relates to Rehoboams punishment and losse of the tenne Tribes and not to the peoples act of resistance For saith the Lord this thing is from me that is the renting the ten Tribes from Rehoboam according to his owne words to Solomon 1 King 11.11 but for the peoples act of resistance it is termed a Rebellion 1 Kin. 12.19 For though the deposition of Rehoboam and exaltation of Jeroboam was good and just in it selfe in regard it was the decree of God and accordingly declared to be his will 1 Kin. 11.31 yet in regard the people had no warrant to execute that decree and in regard Jeroboam did not act in order to Gods decree looking upon the execution of that decree against Rehoboam but upon the satisfaction of his ambitious desires it was sinfull both in Jeroboam and the people And that this was Jeroboams end appeares plainly because he durst not trust God for the preservation of his Honour and Dignity although God had promised the perpetuation thereof in the same Chapter Ver. 38 as well as the donation but runne to the Devill for the security of his Crowne erecting two Calves for the people to worship lest if the people should goe up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord should not be able to continue their affections to him nor performe his promise Chap. 12.28 So that God did never approve the act of resistance against the King unlesse by those who had a particular warrant from himselfe as well for the manner as the matter as in Jehu's case 2 King 10.30 without which it is not lawfull for any man to endeavour his owne safety by any resistance or opposition of the Kings power or any other acts of dishonour to the King CHAP. XII What influence Oathes and Covenants ought to have upon the duties either of King or Subjects Quaere SUppose the King have consented to the making of Lawes destructive to his owne Honour which preferre the peoples Safety before it and have also obliged himselfe by Oath for the observance of those Lawes whether may the King breake that Oath and Rule contrary to those Laws for the support and vindication of his owne Honour Sol. This was the case of the Israelites with the Gibeonites with whom the Israelites made a Covenant Josh 9.15 contrary to a former expresse command from God Exod. 23.32 Cha. 34.12 Deut. 7.1 which Covenant therefore was not oney prejudiciall to the Israelites but also unlawfull in it selfe yet after it was confirmed with an Oath by the Israelites they might not breake it Josh 9.19 although it was gained by fraud and subtilty as appeares in the Text For when Saul did ignorantly out of zeale to the children of Israel and Judah imagining the former command of God to lay an higher obligation upon them then their own Oath so fraudulently procured breake that Covenant and destroy the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21.1 2 3. the Lord revenged that perjurious act of Sauls upon the whole land of Israel by a constant famine yeare after yeare till the Honour of God was vindicated by the satisfaction of the Gibeonites in the bloud of seven of Sauls sonnes Ver. 9. And the Prophet David further resolves this case in expresse words Psal 15.5 Attesting Gods regard of that mans happinesse who doth regard Gods honour being thus engaged above all selfe-respects by performing what he hath sworne though it be to his owne hinderance and therefore the King may not breake a Law confirmed by an Oath although it be destructive to his owne Honour The reason whereof is Because Gods Honour by that Oath is made an hostage for the Kings fidelity and therefore the King is bound to regard the performance of that Law as he regards the Honour of Gods Name which must have the preheminence above his owne Honour Although all other Lawes not ratified with this high sanction may and ought to be revoked by the King if they be prejudiciall to his owne Honour for all such Lawes are supposed to be fraudulently procured like the grant of Mephibosheth's estate to Ziba 2 Sam. 16.1 for no man would willingly dishonour himself for that were against the Law of Nature and therefore may be revoked as that Law of Davids was by himselfe upon better information 2 Sam. 19.19 But a Law confirmed by Oath though fraudulently procured may not be revoked upon better information for that Joshua received concerning the Gibeonites Josh 9.16 yet all this must be understood of matters capable of this sanction that is such as are not destructive to the Honour of God formerly engaged by himselfe even from all eternity for Holinesse is the very Nature and Essence of God and all wicked Lawes which are opposite to this are destructive to his eternall Honour and therefore not capable of this sanction of an Oath for thereby Gods Honour is opposed to itselfe but where these two doe come in competition the lesse evill is to be made choice of we must rather breake our Oath though that be destructive to Gods temporary and adventitious Honour then act a wicked thing which is destructive to his essentiall and eternall Honour But in all matters of indifference which are capable of this sanction of an Oath that is the highest temporary sanction and therefore ought to be regarded above all former promises or resolutions of our owne although they be grounded upon a temporary command from God which is manifest in this case of the Gibeonites Quaere Seeing the Lawes preferring salus populi before the Kings Honour being confirmed by the Kings Oath doe oblige the King to act accordingly whether doe not they likewise priviledge the people to act things prejudiciall to the Kings Honour in order to their owne safety especially if the people have covenanted and sworne the same Lawes Sol. The acts of the King and the acts of the people in this case are of a farre different nature For the acts of the King in observance to those Lawes are onely prejudiciall to himselfe and his owne Honour and so are onely mala poenae and therefore capable of this sacramentall sanction from him But as for the acts of the people in this case they are destructive to the Honour both of God and the King which are sinnes prohibited in the fift Commandement which enjoynes us to regard their Honour above all selfe-respects as I have formerly declared and therefore all acts of the people either in the procurement or observance of such Lawes are mala culpae For it is a sacriledge of an high nature to violate and invade the sacred Power and Prerogative of Kings and therefore incapable of this sacramentall sanction from them For all Associations and Covenants against any of Gods Commandements are directly Covenants with Death and agreements with Hell and all the Oathes Vowes and Statutes made and framed thereupon are directly mischiefes framed by a Law and Obligations sealed to serve the Devill And whether it be safer for us to continue in the service of such a Master by acting according to such hellish Oathes and Covenants or to forsake his service by renouncing our sacriledge and giving Caesar his sacred right and due is not a case of any great difficulty to those who value God and salvation above the Devill and the damnation of their owne soules FINIS