is of God because God onely can doe whatsoever he will do or will have to be done so by the Prophet Isaiahs My counsell shall stand and I will do all my pleasure I have spoken it J will also bring it to passe I have purposed it I will also do it and so the false Prophet the Prophet Balaam spake the same truth Hath God said it and shall he not do it haâ—h he spoken it and shall he not make it good and so said the Leaper Num. 13.9 Maâ— 8. Domine si vis Lord if thou wilt thou canst q. d. whatsoever thou wilt thou canst do This receives some Objection but a very weake one Object he cannot lye sayes the Objector He cannot dye saies the Objector and therefore he cannot doe whatsoever he will doe For he can if he will lye or dye and therefore he cannot doe whatsoever may be done And this objection weake as it is receives this answer To dye to lye Answ implyes weaknesse and things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against Nature whatsoever may be done according to Nature or besides Nature or above Nature and implying power God onely can doe or cause it to bee done could hee dye or could he lye he were not God For God is immortall and true Nay sayes the Objector not so neither Replic God cannot doe whatsoever may be done according to Nature and which implyes power and strength For God could not destroy Sodome while Lot was in it but to have destroyd Sodome while Lot was in it was neither against Nature Gens nor implyed any wealtenesse Therefore c. And this replication receives this rejoynder Rejoynd Gods power is to be consisidered two wayes Either 1. As it is absolute and unlimited without or 2. As it is conditionall and limited by his will and decree In and by the first consideration of his power God could have destroyed Sodome while Lot was in it but in the second I dare not say he could not but I doe say he would not because he willed and decreed to manifest his mercy in saving â—ot and his justice in destroying Sodome In the justice of his absolute power God gave Israel a Saul In the Mercy of his limited power God gave them a David A Tyrant or bad King is his Rod or Sword to whip and punish us and such Kings we have had A Father or a good King is his Shield and Buckler to protect us and defend us and such a King wee have now and long and long may we have him but were he other then he is both bad and good as they are powers they are from God For there is no power but of God Lastly all power is of God For God is the Creator of all things Reason 4 and therefore of all powers and that of nothing of nothing not onely privatively but of nothing Negatively of nothing not only Mediately as the Fish in the Sea and Fowle in the Aire but also of nothing immediately as Heaven and Earth and so God is the Author and Creator of power i. e. of the Title to power by meanes the meanes of men and of the power it selfe without meanes from himselfe I have done with my proposition All power is of God and now I come to your application viz. There fore let every soule be subject to the higher powers ANd here I am first to enquire Qualis anima Patt â— Who is meant by every Soule Omnis anima Every soule i. e. Omnis anima laica Every Laye Soule saies that Malignan Church of Rome As for the Clergie they are tâ—ee and exempted from any such subjection Saint Bernard determines thâ—s against them who writing to a cerraine Archbishop upon this subject quotes and cites these words of Saint Paul Sit omnis animasubjecta ergo vestra quis vos excepit ab hac universalitate Let every soule be subiect to the higher powers and therefore you must for who hath excepted you indeed who can except you from this universalitie Let every soule Saint Chrysostome is most luculent Etiamsi Evangelista etiamsi Apostolus etiamsi propheta though thou be an Evangelist though thou be an Apostle though thou be a Prophet yet thou art within the verge of this precept Let every soule be subiect to the higher powers I conclude this with that Answer which the King of Denmarke returned to the Bishop of Rome who threatned him with an excommunication Esse nostrum a Deo Regnare a Deo populo a te papa nihil recipimus nisi falsam Idolatricam religionem quam tibi remittimus per praesentes Our being wee have received from God our Kingdome we have received from God and the people from thee O Pope wee have received nothing but a false Idolatrous Religion which we remit and send backe unto thee by these presents I beseech you take you heed that you make not popish opinions your practise yet I must tell you That soule that Rebels against the King that beates Armes against the King is as bad if not worse than that Soule that Excommunicates the King for this there is some for that there is no colour He that excommunicates the King usurpes upon pretence of bringing the King to a sight of his sinnes Now suth evill may not be done though such good may come of it but he that rebels whatsoever he pretends intends the destruction of the King and the first of these evills is badd the latter farre worse for it adds to disobedience against the King disobedience against God and so makes that sinne which was but one two and the sinner lyable to a double punishment judgement and shame in this world damnation and torment in the next Nay that it doth not saies the Rebell for the commands of the higher powers doe not oblige the Soule Yes that they doe sayes St. Paul a true and loyall Subject under a bloudy and cruell Tyrant though not directly yet reflexly though not Primario per se 1a 2ae Object principally and by themselves yet they doe Per concomitantiam by dependency and subordinately The second causes bring forth naturall effects Answ when they are subordinate to the first cause the Kings lawes are the second cause our obedience is the naturall effect which we are bound to yeeld even in conscience Rom. 13. where the Kings law which is the second cause is subordinate to the first cause which is the law of God Yea if the thing commanded by the higher power be a thing indifferent in it seâ—fe neither simply good nor simply evill that command more bindes the subject then his conscience and therefore the command of a thing simply good or the prohibition of a thing simply evill the subject is bound in conscience to obey not that the obligation depends upon the will of man but upon the power of God and because he that resists the power resists the ordinance of God therefore for conscience sake the power must
the fourth best but the worst of the foure best And these foure degrees to the chayre of State are but tytles a word confounded by some bodie with power a conditio sine quâ non that necessarie condition which God uses whereby to mount men to Soveraigntie V. G. The soule is not infused into the body untill the body be accommodated with all naturall dispositions of necessitie required to make the bodie a fit receptacle for the soule nor is any Prince mounted to his throane without those meanes politicall which are necessarily required to install him in his Throne yet for all this Bayard himselfe dares not but say That the soule is infused or created in mans body immediately of God nor can any reasonable man justly say but that the power whereby Kings rule and governe States is immediately of God And whereas S. Peter cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinance of man â— Pet. 2.13 he means it only either 1 Subiectivè or 2 Obiectivè or 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because men are the subject the object and the end of it but the fountaine of it is God In a word as I said before the title to it is Humane and by men but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the jurisdiction the authoritie or as it is called in our translation the power of it is from God and thus I cleare it All power especially Monarchiall is from God 1 Sam. 10.24 so saies Samuel of the first King Israel ever had see ye him whom the Lord hath chosen he divolves it altogether from himselfe and from the people that we might not be gull'd by the Papist who saies royall power comes from the Pope or by the â—â—abaptist who saies it comes from the people he saies not therefore see ye him whom I the Prophet Samuel have chosen or see ye him whom ye the people of Israel have chosen but Quem elegit Dominus whom the Lord hath chosen And sayes God himselfe By me Kings reigno and in that very word Pro. 8.16 〈◊〉 by me we are told that the power of Kings is not à fortunâ by fortune or à planetâ by the Planets or à populo by the people nor yet à se by himselfe but à Deo by God Christ makes it as evident in his answer to Pilate Pilate began to chide him with surrowes and frownes because he gave him no answer Joan. 18. Knowest â—hoâ—s not that J have power to release thee and power to condemne thee No saies Christ thou couldest have no power over me unlesse it were given thee from above and yet Pilate was but an inferiour power for Pilate was but a Deputie but because he was rightly deputed to that place by Caesar by the King he saies he could have no power over him unlesse it were given him from above to let us know there is no power but from God I know Scripture needs no second yet to set this point home I adde Nâ—â—â—â—ceo Scripture and Reason to Nature Nature is ingrafted by God and nature concludes power to be due over 〈◊〉 propter bonum regimen eorum for their more orderly government â—â—iefly as the precept against murther is by the law of nature from God so the authoritie of higher powers to punish the evill and reward the good is by the law of nature from God I further cleere this truth by reason thus All power especially Monarchie is from God for plenitudo Rat. 1 all fulnesse of power is onely in God that power which creatures have is but potesta◠〈◊〉 a part of power V. G Looke upon that element which is highest and next to God the fire it hath a power that element hath but what power is it a power to warme us not to feed us Look againe upon that Element which is lowest and next to us the Earth that element hath a power too to feed us but not to cure us looke once more upon the two Medium Elements the Aire and the Water they have power to cure us but not to baile us against Deaths arrest or to looke upon the power in my Text the King if he be not he ought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pater paâ—râ—â— the Leader of his people as a Shepheard leads his sheep and the father of his countrey why even then by his power he can but enable us and inrich us he cannot sanctifie us or if he be what he ought not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tyrant what power hath he then why then he hath power to kill our bodie he cannot touch our soule and therefore as I conceive is that saying of Christ Feare not them that are abâ—e to kill the bodie but feare him which is able to kiâ—â— both body and soule and cast them downe into hâ—ll fire Now as the Philâ—sopher disputes All sâ—cond causes worke by the vertue and influence of the first cause the smaller wheeles of the Clock moâ—e as they are moved by the greater wheele all streames and Rivers aâ— from Fountaines so all powers upon earth because they are but part powers are from God because in God onely is all fulnesse of power All power is from God Reas 2 for whatsoever is possible to be done in nature God onely can do it can cause it to be done and hereby possible to be done in nature I understand not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to nature as when a young man marries a young woman why here it is according to nature that they multiplie and yet this power in nature is from the God of nature for though children be the fruit of the wombe Psa 127 4 Gen. 21. ye they are the gift of God But here also I understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides nature as when Sarah the old wife of old Abraham conceived and brought forth Isaâ—c this was no worke of nature but the finger of God and here also I understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 2. above nature as when the Virgin Mary conceived and brought forth our blessâ—d Lord and Master Iesus Christ This was a thing altogether above natures thoughts nature never dreamt of it for nature can dreame of nothing can intend nothing but what is naturall and nature never saw or read of any producing mankinde but either without the helpe of man or woman as Adam of the earthâ— or woman without man as Eve of Adam or of man and woman as our selves but that a Man should be borne of a woman without the helpe of man that a woman should compasse a man without the compasse of a man this was not within the compasse of nature it was the worke of God you see all power is still from God and so is the power in my text whether it be according to nature as in the election of Saul or above nature as in the anointing of David I go on Reas â—sa 4â— 10 11. and say thirdly all power
bee obeyed â— but saies the Rebell Replic it is possible for a higher power to command a thing unlawfull and if he do must he herein be obeyed or resisted Neither for howsoever a King may deale unjustly with his servants Rejoynd either 1 In violating the lawes and inforcing their consciences or 2 in depriving them of their goods by extortions and imprisoning their persons and though in the former of these cases he may not be obeyed yet in neither of these cuses may he be resisted But what are we to do then why then we may sugere flye away so David did from Saul if we do not then we must pati suffer but at no hand may we resist No Touch not mine anointed saies God It is worth your marking He doth not say Ne perdas kill not mine anoynted bee he a good or a bad King which is the most you can doe but Ne tangas touch him not which is the least that may bee St. Paul implies as much in the next word which is Part 3 if hee be the higher power and the King and command you a thing unlawfull not obey him not resist him but bee subiect to him and this word how-ever it seemes to imply lesser then obedience because in some cases it excludes the active part of it yet indeed it implies more then obedience because in all cases it includes the passive part of it and it selfe and honour too so that when Saint Paul saies Let every soule be subject to the higher powers he meants 1 Let every soule honour the King 2 Let every soule obey the King in things lawfull and indifferent 3 Let every soule be subject to the King in commands unlawfull that 〈◊〉 let every soule patiently suffer where he cannot actually do These are my three last Stages I am to travell over which I shall with all truth and expedition dispatch and then dismisse you I begin with the first which is Let every soule honour the King 1a 3ae and the honour which we owe the King is threefold 1 Mentis 2 Oris 3 Operis in thought in word in deed in thought this is plaine by those commands of Solomon and S. Peter Feare God and the King 1 Pet. Eccâ—s 10.20 sayes Solemon Feare God and honour the King saies S. Peter yea Solomon is yet more punctuall in this particular Curse not the King no not in thy thoughts Now because there is no Medium betwixt doing well and ill and Solemon forbidding the ill he commands the good therefore and therefore we must have a reverend estimation of the King we must love him if he be good but we must honour him though he be bad because whether good or bad the King and so of God From this inward reverend estimation iâ— thoâ—gh proceeds an outward reverend expression in word this is taught us by the example of Bathsheba when Adâ—niah aspired the Crowne she though the Queene yet spake reverentâ—y to King David 1 Reg. 1.18 saying And now my Lord the King thou knowest it not Too blame therefore were thâ—y 1 Reg. 12.15 2 Sam. 16. Exod. 22.28 that said and much more too blame was he that repeated it in print To your Tents O Israel what portion have woâ—â— Davâ—d what in thâ— sonnâ— of lesse Too blamâ— was Shâ—mei for cursing Dâ—vid for no man may curse the â—uâ—â—r of his people the Kâ—ng is the father of his kingdome and hâ— that curâ—eth his father is to die the deaâ—h and it was heretofore a Canon Apostolicâ—ll and it is not yet repealâ—d That whosâ—ever reproaches the Kiâ—g if he be a Câ—ergie man is to be deprived if a Lay-man he is to be excommunicated and therefore whensoever thou peakest of Kings speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brieflâ—e or sweeâ—ly And so shall you with more alacritie yeeld the King the third honour you owe him which is honour indeed he honour of â—hy gâ—ods This honour lies under census vâ—ctigalis Canonis Capitationu the honour of custome from Me chants and Strangers the hoâ—our of his sâ—t Rent and the honour of Subsidie or Poll-money They were sonnes of Belial that said how shall this man save us 1 Sam. 10.17 and they despised him and brought him nâ— presenâ—s read the place an if they were sonnes of Belial who offered the King nothing think with your selves what they are that bring in against the King You see the first duty you owe the King honour the honour of your heart the honour of your tonguâ— and the honour of your hand Thâ— second dutie is obedience in all lawfull and indifferent things commanded Iosh 1.16 All that thou commandest we will do say the people to Moses his successor I shâ—a yet to let us know that this must not be stretched to commands unlawfull say the three Children Dan. 3.18 We will not serve thy God O King when Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to worship his golden Image This obedience consists Zenophâ— first in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in listning too and being perswaded by the Kings words Plato and therefore did he old Latine râ—adâ— Obedo to obey Obaudio to give care unto and â—â—ondly in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doing his lawfull eâ—â—cts which his the comâ—le â—enâ— of the former Which who oâ—â—er resists to do dâ—â—â—s ipso facto become a rebell and diâ—bedient Quam qui facit saies Thucid des pâ—ccarum nonefacit sâ—dâ—â—pse â—otus est peccatum hâ—â—h whosoever doâ—h â—edâ—th nor sinne but â—e is sin wholâ—y sinne and Samuo give tâ—â—e reâ—sâ—nâ—â—f it 1 Sam. 15.23 Râ—belâ—ion or Disâ—â—eâ—ienâ—e is as the sinâ—â— of Witchcraft and as a Witch mâ—y be sâ—id to be a Deâ—ill so may a Râ—beâ—l be said to be sin Sâ— Bernard puts it as far disobedience to an horitie is a peece of he sinne against the Holy Ghost and in truth he had some reason as I canâ—we for so layâ—ng for disobedience to authority is agaâ—nst the light of nature and the sinne against thâ— Holy Ghost is so calâ—ed bâ—cause it is against tâ—e lâ—gnt of grace In a word if the King commands not iniquiâ—y in temporals as did Pharaoh to the Midwiveâ— if he commands not mpâ—etie in spiâ—ituals as did Nebuâ—adnezzar he must be obeyed by us else to deny obedâ—eâ—ce is to uphold at least to usher in â—ebellion aâ—d that is the greatest dishonouâ— to the King and bring first or last a great burthen on the conscience â—chitâ—phel for his evill counsell against the King was so struck in conscience that he hung himselfe and David for but laying his hand upon the skirt of Sauls garment he had thereby so disquiâ—red his conscience thaâ— he coulâ— never againe be in quiet with himselfe till heâ—nd Saul weâ—e fâ—iends And therefore much too blame are they who say with those rebels â—n the Psalâ—e Dirumpamus vincula let us break their bonds for when â—he boâ—d of obedience is broken farewell safety that we may live in safety â—od continue