not to be resisted This Power was at â—â—rst in the hands of Moses and when Korah and his company rebelled against him God vindicated his Authority by a miraculous Destruction of those Rebels for the Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up Afterwards when they came into Canaan the ordinary Exercise of his Power was in the High Priests and Judges whom God raised up whose Sentence and Judgment was final and must not be resisted under penalty of death when the Children of Israel desired a King this soveraign and irresistible Power was transferred to him and settled in his Person Saul was the first King who was chosen by God and anointed by Samuel but for his Disobedience was afterwards rejected by God and David the Son of Jessâ— was anointed King to succeed after Saul's death But in the mean time David was persecuted by Saul who sought after his Life And though he himself was anointed by God and Saul rejected by him yet he durst not pâ—rsist nor oppose him nor defend himself by force against the most unjust violence but fled for his life and hid himself in Caves and Mountains Nay when Saul was delivered into his hands by God he durst not stretch out his hand against the Lord 's Anointed Let us now consider what Christ and his Apostles taught and practised about Obedience to Soveraign Princes whereby we may learn how far Christians are obliged by these Laws of Subjection and Non-Resistance 1. I shall consider the Doctrine of Christ while he lived on Earth And here are several things very fit to be obserâ—â—d First We have no reason to suspect that Christ would alter the Rights of Soveraign Power and the measures of Obedience and Subjection which were fixt and determin'd by God himself This was no part of his Commission to change the external Forms and Polities of Civil Governments which is an act of Secular Power and Authority and does not belong to a Spiritual Prince He who would not undertake to decide a petty Controversie or to divide an Inheritance between two contending Brethren 12. Luk. 13 14. can we think that he would attempt any thing of that vast consequence as the Changes and Alterations of Civil power which would have unsettled the Fundamental Constitutions of all the Governments of the World at that time Our Saviour tells us That he came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfil it to fill it up to compleat and perfect it Mat. 5.17 that is to fulfill the anciâ—nt Types and Prophesies in his own person to perfect an external and ceremonial by a real and Evangelical Righâ—â—ousness to perfect the Moral Laws with new instances and degrees of Vertue but He abrogated no Moral Law and therefore not the Laws of Obedience and Subjection to Princes which has alwaies been reduced to the Fifth Commandment Nay he abrogated no Laws but by perfecting and fulfilling them and therefore he could make no alteration in the Doctrin of Non-Râ—sistance which is as perfect Subjection as can or ought to be paid to Soveraign Princes His Kingdom was not of this World as he told Pilate Though he was a King he neither was an Enemy nor Rival to Caesar but had he absolved his Disciples from their Obedience to Princes had he made it in any case lawful to Resist which was so expresly forbid the Jews by God himself and which is such a contradiction to the very Nation of Soveraign Power he had been somewhat worse than a Rival to all the Princes of the Earth for though he had set up no Kingdom of his own yet he had pulled down theirs Whereas he took great care that his Religion should give no disturbance to the World nor create any reasonable Jealousies and Suspicions to Princes who had been very excusable for their aversion to Christianity had he invaded the Rights and Royalties of their Crowns This makes it very improbable that our Saviour should make any Alterations in Civil Powers or abridge the Rights of Soveraignty which is so foreign to his design of coming into the World and so incongruous to the Person which he sustained and yet he could not alter the Duties of Subjects but he must alter the Rights of Princes too he must take away the Soveraign Power of Princes at the same time that he makes it lawful for Subjects in any case whatsoever to resist We may safely then conclude That our Saviour has left the Government of the World as he found it He has indeed given such admirable Laws as will teach Princes to govern and Subjects to obey better which is the most effectual way to secure the publick Peace and Happiness to prevent the Oppression of Subjects and Rebellions against Princes but he has not interposed in new modelling the Governments of the World whicâ— is not of such consequence as some men imagine It is not the external form of Government but the Fatherly Care and Prudence anâ— Justice of Governours and the dutiful Obedience of Subjects which can make any People happy If Princes and Subjects be good Christians they may be happy â—nder most forms of Government if they be not they can be happy under none Had our Saviour given Subjects Liberty to Resist to Depose to Murder Tyrannical Princes he had done them no kindness at all for to give liberty to Subjects to Resist is only to proclaim an Universal License to Factions and Seditions and Civil Wars and if any Man can think this suâ—h a mighty Blessing to the World yet methinks it is not a Blessing proper for the Prince of Peace to give But he who instructs Princâ—s to Rule as God's Ministers and Vicegerents and to express a Fatherly Care and Concernment for the Happiness of their Subjects and that teaches Subjects to reverence and obey their Princes as the Image of God and quietly submit and yield to his Authority and that enforces these Laws both on Princes and Subjects in the Name and Authority of God and from the consideration of the future Judgment when Princes who abuse their Power shall give an account of it to their great Master when Subjects who resist shall receive to themselves Damnation and those who patiently and quietly suffer for God's sake shall have their Injuries redrest and their Obedience rewarded I say such a person as this takes a more effectual course to reform the Abuses of the Civil Power and to preserve good Government in the World than all our wise Politicians and State-menders who think to reform the Government of the World by some State-Spells and Charms without reforming those who govern and those who are governed This our Saviour has done and this is the best thing that could be done nay this was all that he could do in this matter He never usurpt any Civil Power and Authority and therefore could not new model the Government of the World He never offers any external Force and Compulsion to make Men obey his Laws and
therefore neither forces Princes to Rule well nor Subjects to Obey but he has taken the same care of the Government of the World as he has done of all the other Duties of Piety and Vertue that is he has given very good Laws and has threatned those that break them with eternal punishments and as the Laws and Religion of our Saviour prevail so will the Governments of the World mend without altering the Model and Constitution of them 2. But yet we have some positive Evidence what our Saviour taught about Obedience to the Higher Powers I shall give you two Instances of it which are as plain and express as can be desired First The first is that Answer our Saviour gave to the Pharisees and Herodians when they consulted together to intangle him in his Talk Mat. 22.15 c. they come to him with great Ceremony and Address as to an infallible Oracle to consult him in a very weighty Case of Conscience They express a great esteem and assurance of his Sincerity and Faithfulness and Courage as well as of his unerring Judgment in declaring the Will of God to them Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any Man for thou regardest not the person of Man that is thou wilt not conceal nor pervert the Truth for fear nor favour and then they propose an insnaring Question to him Tell us therefore what thinkest thou is it lawful to give Tribute to Caesar or not They thought it impossible that he should give any Answer to this which would not make him obnoxious either to the Roman Governours if he denied that the Jews might lawfully pay Tribute to Caesâ—r or â—o the Pharisees and people if he affirmed that they might for there was a very potent Faction among thâ—m who thought it unlawful for the Jews to own the Authority or Usurpations of any Foreign Prince or to pay Tribute to him as to their King They being expresly forbid by their Law to set a stranger over them for their King who is not their Brother i. e. who is not a natural Jew Deut. 17.15 and it seems they could not distinguish between their own voluntary Act in chusing a Stranger for their King which was indeed forbid by their Law and their submitting to a Foreign Prince when they were conquered by him Our Saviour who knew their wicked intention in all this that they did not come with an honest design to bâ— instructed in their Duty but to seek an Advantage against him expresses some indignation at it Why tempt ye me ye Hypocrites But yet to return them an Answer to that their Question he bids them shew him the Tribute-Money that is the Money in which they used to pay Tribute and enquires whose Image and Superscription it had for coining of Money was as certain a Mark of Soveraignty as making Laws or the power of the Sword Well they acknowledg that the Image and Superscription on the Tribute-Money was Caesar's upon which he replies Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's The plain meaning of which Answer is this That since by the very Impresâ—ion on their Money it is evident that Caesar is their Soveraign Lord they must render to him all the Rights of Soveraignty among which Tribute is one as St. Paul tells us Render therefore unto all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Rom. 13.7 Whatever is due to Soveraign Princes and does not interfere with their Duty to God that they must give to Caesar who at this time was their Soveraign In which Answer there are several things observable 1. That our Saviour does not examine into Caesar's Right nor â—ow he came by this Soveraign Power bâ—t as 〈◊〉 found him in possession of it so he leaves him and requires them to render to him all the Rights of Soveraignty 2. That he does not particularly determine what the things of Caesar are that is what his Right is as a Soveraign Prince Hence some men conclude that this Text can prove nothing that we cannot learn from it what our Saviour's Judgment was in this Point that it is only a subtil Answer which those who ask the Question could make nothing of which was a proper return to their ensnaring Question This I think is as great a Reproach to our Saviour as they can well cast upon him that He who was the Wisdom of God the great Proâ—het and Teacher of Mankind should return as Sophistical and doubtful Answers as the Heathen Oracles and that in a Case which required and would admit a very plain Answer It is true many times our Saviour when He discourst of what concern'd His own Person or the Mysteries of His Kingdom which were not fit at that time to be publisht in plain terms used a Mistical Language as when he called his Body the Temple or he taught them by Parables which were not obvious at the first hearing but still what he said had a certain and determined sense and what was obscure and difficult he explained privately to his Apostâ—es that in due time they might explain it to others but to assert as these men must do that Christ gave them such an answer as signified nothing and which he intended they should understand nothing by shews that they are not so civil to our Saviour as these Pharisâ—es and Herodians were who at least owned in compliment Master we know that thou arâ— true and teachest the way of God in Truth neither carest thou for any Man for thou regardâ—st not the Person of Men. But certainly the Pharisees did believe that there was something in our Saviours answer for they marvelled and left him and went their way And yet those who had wit enough to ask such ensnaring Questions could not be so dull as to be put off wiâ—h a Sophistical Answer an Art below the gravity of our Saviour's Persâ—n and Office but would have urged it a little fâ—râ—her had they not been sensible that they were sufficiently answered and had nothing to reply For indeed can any thing be plainer than our Saviour's Answer They ask him whether it were lawful to pay Tribute to Caesar he does not indeed in express words say that they should pay Tribute to Caesar but he gives them such an Answer as withal convinc'd them of the Reason and Necessity of it He asks whose Image and superscription was on the Tribute-Money they tell him Caesars from whence he infers Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's Therefore Wherefore because the Tribute-Money had Caesars Image on it therefore they must render to Caesar the things that are Caesars which certainly signifies that Tribute was one of those things which belonged to Caesar and must be rendred to him as appeared by having Caesar's Image Not as if every thing that had Caesar's
Mark and Stamp on it did belong unto Caesar and must be given to him as some Men profanely enough how wittily soever they imagine burlesque and Ridicule our Saviour's Answer for at this Rate all the Mony of the Empire which bore his Image was Caesars but the Money which was stampt with Caesar's Image and was the current Money of the Nation was a plain sign as I observed before that he was their Soveraign and paying Tribute was a known Right due to Soveraign Princes and therefore the very Money which they used with Caesar's Image on it resolved that Question not only of the lawfulness but the necessity of paying Tribute and this was so plain an Answer that the Pharisees were ashamed of their Question and went away without making any Reply for they no more dared to deny that Caesar was their King than they thought he dared either to own or deny the lawfulness of paying Tribute to Caesar. And this was all the subtilty of our Saviour's Answer But then our Saviour not confining his Answer meerly to the Case of paying Tribute but answering in general That we must render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's extends this to all the Rights of Soveraign Princes and so becomes a standing Rule in all Cases to give to Caesar what is Caesar's due And when our Saviour commands us to render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's wâ—thout telling us what Caesar's things are this is so fâ—r from making his Answer doubtful and ambiguous and of no use in this present Controversie that it suggests to us three plain and natural Consequences which are sufficient to end this whole Dispute 1. That our Saviour did not intend to makâ—â—ny alteration in the Rights of Soveâ—aignty but what Rights he found Soveraign Princes possest of he leaves them in the quiet possession of for had he intended to make any change in this matter he would not have given such a general Rule to render to Caesar the things which are Caesar 's without specifying what these things are 2. And therefore he leaves them to the known Laws of the Empire to determine what is Caesar's Right Whatever is essential to the Nation of Soveraign Power whatever the Laws anâ— Customs of Nations determine to be Caesar's Right that they must render to him for he would make no alteration in this matter So that subjection to Princes and Non-Resistance is as plainly determined by our Saviour in this Law as paying of Tribute for Subjection and Non-Resistance is as essential a Right of Soveraign Power and as inseparable from the notion of it as any thing can be So it is acknowledged by the Laws and Customs of Nations and so it is determined by the Apostle St. Paul as I shall shew hereafter 3. I observe farther That when our Saviour enjoins our Duty to our Prince with our Duty to our God render to Caesar the things which are Caesar 's and to God the things which are God's He excepts nothing from Caesar's Rights which by the Laws of Nations is due to Soveraign Princes but what is a violation of and an encroachment on God's Right and Soveraignty that is we must pay all that Obedience and Subjection to Princes which is consistent with our Duty to God This is the only limit our Saviour sets to our Duty to Princes If they should command us to renounce our Religion and worship false gods if they shoâ—ld challenge Divine Honours to themselves as some of the Roman Emperors did this we must not do because it is to renounce Obedience and Subjection to God who has a more Soveraign power and a greater Right in us than our Prince But all Active and Passive Obedience which is consistent with a good Conscience towards God and required of us by the Laws of our Country and the essential Rights of Soveraignty is what we owe to our Prince and what by our Saviour's Command we must render to him This I hope is sufficient for the explication of our Saviour's Answer to the Pharisees and Herodians which evidently contains the Doctrin of Obedience and Subjection to Princes enforced on us by the Authority of our Saviour himself Having seen what the Doctrin of our Saviour was let us now consider his Practice And we need not doubt but our Saviour lived as he preacht He taught his Disciples by his Example as well as by his Laws His Life was the best Comment upon his Sermons was a visible Lecture of Universal Righteousness and Goodness and it is impossible to conceive a more perfect and absolute example of Subjection and Non-Resistance than our Saviour has set us When our Saviour appeared in the World the Jews were very weary of the Roman Yoke and in earnest expectatâ—on of their Messias who as they thought would restore the Kingdom again unto Ifrael and this expectation of their Messias whom they mistook for a Temporal Prince made them very apt to joyn with any one who pretended to be the Messias and to rebel agâ—inst the Roman Government Suâ—h most likely were Thâ—â—dâ—s and Judas of Galilee of whom we have mention Ast. 5.36 37. anâ— it is not impossible but the Egyptian who led 4000 men into the Wildeâ—nâ—ss Act. 38. either pretended to be the Messias or some fore-runner of him to be sure such were those false Christs and false Pâ—ophets of whom our Saviour warns his Disciples Mat. 24.23 Then if any man shall sâ—y unto you Lo here is Christ or there beâ—ieve him not This being the temper of the Jewish Nation at that time so extreamly inclined to Sâ—ditions and Rebellion against the Roman Powers how easie had it been for our Saviour had he pleased to have made himself very potent and formidable How easie couâ—d he have gained even the Scribes and Pharisees to his party whose great quarrel was at his meanness and poverty would he once have declared himself a Temporal Prince and invaded the Throne But he was so far from this that when he perceived the people had an intention to take him by force and make him a King he withdrew himself privately from them and departed into a Mountain himself alone John 6.15 and yet I presume there might have been as many plauâ—â—ble pretenâ—es to have justiâ—ied a Rebellion then as ever there were in any Nation since He had at that time fed five thousand men besides women and children with five barly loaves and two small fishes and what a formidable Enemy would he have been who could Victual an Army by Miracles and could when he pleased conquer by the same miraculous Power also This the people whom he had miraculously fed were very sensible of and did hence conclude That he was the Prophet that should come into the World and that it was time to take him and set him upon the Throne But though our Saviour was indeed the Messias yet he was not such a Messias as they expected he was not a Temporal Prince and therefore would
they must be subject to their Prince too because he acts by God's Auâ—hority and Commission Were a Soveraign Prince the Peoples Creature that might be a good Maxim Rex major singulis sed minor universis that the King is greater than any particular Subject but less than All together but if he be God's Minister he is upon that account as much greater than All as God is And that the whole Body of the People all together as well as one by one are equally concerned in this Command of being subject to the Higher Powers is evident from this consideration That nothing less than this will secure the Peace and Tranquility of Human Societies The Resistance of single persons is more dangerous to themselves than to the Prince but a powerful Combination of Rebels is formidable to the most puissant Monarchs The greater number of Subjects rebel against their Prince the more too they distress his Government and threaten his Crown and Dignity and his Person and Authority be sacred the greater the Violence is which is offered to him the greater is his Crime Had the Apostle exhorted the Romans after this manner Let no private and single man be so foolish as to rebel against his Prince who will be too strong for him but if you can raise sufficient Forces to oppose against him if you can all consent to depose or murder him this is very innocent and justifiable nay an Heroical Atchievement which becomes a free born people How would this secure the Peace and Quiet of the World How would this have agreed with what follows That Princes are advanced by God and that to resist our Prince is to resist the Ordinance of God and that such men shall be severely punisht for it in this World or the next For can the Apostle be thought absolutely to condemn Resistance if he makes it only unlawful to resist whâ—n we want power to conquer Which yet is all that can be made of it if by every soul the Apostle means only particular men not the united force and power of the Subjects Nor can there be any Reason assigned why the Apostle should lay so strict a Command on particulâ—r Christians to be subject to the higher Powers which does not equally concern whole Naâ—ions for if it can ever be lawful for a whole Nation to resist a Prince it may in the same circumstances be equally lawful fâ—r a particular man to do it If a Nation may conspire against a Prinâ—e who invades their Rights their Liberties or their Religion why may not any Man by the same Reason resist a Prince when his Rights and Liberties are invaded It is not so safe and prudent indeed for a private man to resist as for great and powerful numbers but this makes Resistance only a Matter of Discretion not of Conscience If it be lawful for thâ— whole Body of a Nation to resist in such Cases it must be equally lawful for a particular man to do it but he does it at his own peril when he has only his one single force to oppose agaâ—nst his Priâ—ce So that our Apostle must forbid Resistance in all or none for single persons do not use to resist or rebel or there is no greaâ— danger to the Publick if they do but the Authority of Princes and the Security of publick Government is only endangered by a Combination of Rebâ—ls when the whole Nation or any considerable part for numbers power and inâ—erest take Arms against their Prince If Resistance of our Prince be a sin it is not the less but the greaâ—er sin the greater and the more formidable the Resistance is and it would very much unbecome the Gravity and Sacredness of an Apostolical Precept to enjoin subâ—ection to private Christians who dare not who cannot resist alone but to leave a powerful Combination of Rebels at liberty to resist so that every Soul must signifie all Subjests whether single or united for whatever is unlawful for every single person considered as a Subject is unlawful for them all together for the whole Nation is as much a Subject to the higher Powers as any single man Thus I am sure it is in our Government where Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament own themselves the Subjects of the King and have by publick Laws disclaimed all Power of raising any War either offensive or defensive against the King Having heard what St. Paul's Doctrine was let us now consider what St. Peter taught about this matter he had as much reason to learn this Lesson as any of the Apostles our Saviour having severally rebuked him for drawing his Sword against the lawful Powers as you have already heard And indeed his rash and intemperate zeal in this Action cost him very dear for we have reason to believe that this was the chief thing that tempted him to deny his Master He was afraid to own himself to be his Disciple or that he had been in the Garden with him because he was conscious to himself that by drawing his Sword and smiting the Servant of the High-Priest he had incurred the penalty of the Law and had he been discovered could expect nothing less but to be severely punish'd for it it may be to have lost his Life for his resistance And indeed this has very often been the fate of those men who have been transported with a boistrous and intemperate Zeal to draw their Swords for their Master and his Religion against the lawful Powers that they commonly deny their Master and despise his Religion before they put their swords up again But St. Peter having by our Saviour's Reproof and his own dear-bought Experience learnt the Evil of Resistance neveâ— drew his Sword more and took great care to instruct Christians not to do so 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15 16. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as supreme or unto Governours as to them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of them that do well For so is the will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silâ—nce the ignorance of foolish men As free and not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness but as the sâ—rvants of God This is the very same Doctrin which St. Paul taught the Romans Let every soul be subjâ—ct to the higher powers for the same word is used in the Original and therefore to submit and to be subject is the same thing which as St. Paul tells us signifies Non-Resistance only St. Paul speaks of not resisting the Higher Powers that is Emperors and Soveraign Princes herein including all those who act by their Authority S. Peter to prevent all Cavils and Exceptions distinctly mentions both That we must submit to all humane Power and Authority not only to the King as Supreme that is in St. Paul's phrase to the Higher Powers to all Soveraign Princes who are invested with the supreme Authority but
THE CASE OF THE ALLEGIANCE DUE TO Soveraign Powers Further Consider'd and DEFENDED WITH A more particular Respect to the Doctrine of NON-RESISTANCE and PASSIVE-OBEDIENCE TOGETHER With a Seasonable Perswasive to our New Dissenters By WILL. SHERLOCK D. D. Master of the Temple LONDON Printed for W. Rogers 1691. D R. Sherlock's DEFENCE OF HIS CASE of ALLEGIANCE c. THE CASE OF THE ALLEGIANCE DUE TO Soveraign Powers DEFENDED c. THere is nothing more evident than that GOD set up a Supreme and Soveraign Power in the Jewish Nation as could not and ought not to be resisted by the Fundamental Laws of their Government not that the Supreme and Soveraign Power is alwaies to be in a single Person but that where-ever it is it is irresistible and that whenever this Supreme Power by the Laws of the Nation is invested in a single person such a Prince must not upon any Pretence whatsoever be resisted To prove this I shall begin with Examples out of the Old Testament The first Governour God set over the Children of Israel when he brought them out of the Land of Egypt was Moses and I think I need not prove how sacred and irresistible his Authority was This is sufficiently evident in the Rebellion of Korah Dathan and Abiram against Moses and Aaron when God caused the Earth to open her Mouth and swallow them up Numb 16. And least this should be thought an extraordinary cafe Moses and Aaron being â—xtraordinary persons immediately appointed by God and governed by his immediate Direction the Apostle St. Jude alledges this Example against those in his daies who were turbulent and factious who despised Dominions and spake evil of Dignities Jud. v. 11. which he could not have done had not this Example extended to all ordinary as well as extraordinary Cases had it not been a lasting Testimony of God's Displeasure against all those who oppose themselves against the Soveraign Powers But Moses was not alwaies to rule over them and therefore God expresly provides for a Succâ—ssion of Soveraign Powers to which they must all submit The ordinary Soveraign Power of the Jewish Nation aftâ—r Moses's death was devolved either on the High Priest or those extraordinary persons whom God was pleased to raise up such as Joshua and the several Judges till in Samuel's days it settled in their Kings For as for the Jewish Sanhedrim whose Power is so much extolled by the Jewish Writers who are all of a late date many years since the destruction of Jerusalem and therefore no competent Witnesses of what was done so many Ages before it does not appear from any Testimony of Scripture that there was any such Court of Judicature till after their return from the Babylonish Captivity But yet God took care to secure the Peace and good Government of the Nation by appointing such a Power as should receive the last Appeals and whose Sentence in all Controversies should be final and uncontroulable as you may see in the 17th of Deut 8 9 10 11 12. ver There were inferiour Magistrates and Judges appointed in their several Tribes and Cities which Moses did by the advice of Jethâ—o his father-in-Father-in-law and by the approbation of God Exod. 18. But as the Supreme Power was still reserved in the hands of Moses while he lived so it is here secured to the High Priest or Judges after his death for it is expresly appointed That if those inferiour Judges could not determine the Controversie they should come unto the Priests and Levites that is the Priests of the Tribe of Levi who by the 12. ver appears only to be the High Priests â—nd to the Judge that shall be in those days that is if it shall be at such a time when there is an extraordinary Judge raised by God for there were not alwaies such Judges in Israel as is evideâ—t to any one who reads the Book of Judges and of them they should enquire and they shall shâ—w the sentence of judgment and thou shalt do according to the sentence which they of that place which the Lord shall chuâ—â— shall shew thee and thou shalt observe to do according to all they shall inform thee Where the Place which God shall chuse signifies the Place which he should appoint for the Ark of the Covenant and for the Lâ—viticâ—l Worship which was the place where the High Priest and the chief Judge or Ruler of Israel when there was any such person had their ordinary residence which was first at Shilo and afterwards at Jerusalem The Authority of the chief Priests or of the Judge when there was one in those days was as absolute Authority as the most absolute Monarch in the World can challenge v. 12. That Disobedience to their last final Determination whatever the cause be shall be punisht with Death And what place can there be for Resistance in such a Constitution of Government as this It is said indeed in v. 11. according to the sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee and according to the judgment that they shall tell thee thou shalt do And hence some conclude that they were not bound to abide by their Sentence nor were punishable if they did not but only in such cases when they gave Sentence according to the Law of God But these Men do not consider that the matter in controversie is supposed to be doubtful and such as could not be determined by the inferiour Courts and therefore is submitted to the decision of the Supreme Judge and as he determined so they must do and no man under the penalty of Death must presume to do otherwise Which takes away all liberty of judging from private persons though this Supreme Judge might possibly mistake in his Judgment as all human Judicatures are liable to mistakes but it seems God Almighty thought it necessary that there should be some final Judgment from whence there should be no Appeal notwithstanding the possibility of a â—istake in it So that there was a Supreme and Soveraign that is unaccountable and irresistable Power in the Jewish Nation appointed by God himself for indeed it is not possible that the publick Peace and Security of any Nation should be preserved without it And I think it is as plain That when the Jews would have a King their Kings were invested with this supreme and irresistible Power for when they desired a King they did not desire a meer nominal and titular King but a King to judge them and to go out before them and fight their Battels that is a King who had the Supreme and Soveraign Authority 1 Sam. 8.6 19 20. a King who should have all that Power of Government excepting the peculiar Acts of the Priestly Office which either their High Priest or their Judges had before And therefore when Samuel tells them what shall be the manner of their King v. 11. though what he saies does necessarily suppose the translation of the soveraign and irresistible Power to the Person
of their King yet it does not suppose that the King had any New Power given him more than what was exercised formerly by their Priests and Judges He does not deterr them from chusing a King because a King should have greater Power and be more unaccountable and irresistible than their other Rulers were for Samuel himself had had as soveraign and irresistible a Power as any Kiâ—g being the Supreme Judge in Israel whose Sentence no man could disobey or contradict but he incurred the Penalty of Death according to the Mosaical Law But the reason why he dissuades them from chusing a King was because the external Pomp and Magnificence of Kings was like to be very chargeable and oppressive to them He will take your Sons and appoint them for himself for his Chariots and to be his Horsemen and some shall run before his Chariots And he will appoint him Captains over thousands and Captains ovâ—r fifâ—ies and will set them to ear his Ground and to reap his Harvest And thus in several particulars he acquaints them what Burthens and Exactions they will bring upon themselves by setting up a King which they were then free from And if any Prince should be excessive in such Exactions yet they had no way to help themselves They must not resist nor rebel against him nor expect that what Inconvenience they might find in Kingly Government God would relieve and deliver them from it when once they had chose a King Ye shall cry out in that day because of your King which ye have chosen you and the Lord will not hear you in that day v. 18. That is God will not alter the Government for you again how much soever you may complain of it This I say is a plain Proof that there Kings were invested with that Soveraign Power which must not be resisted though they oppress their Subjects to maintain their own State and the Grandeur and Magnificence of their Kingdom But I cannot think that these words contain the Original Grant and Charter of Regal Power but only the translation of that Power which was formerly in their High Priests or Judges to Kings Kings had no more Power than their other Governours had for there can be no Power greater than that which is irresistible but thâ—s Power in the hands of Kings was likely to be more burthensome and oppressive to them than it was in the hands of their Priests and Judges by reason of their different way of living which is the only Argument Samuel uses to dissuade them from transferring the Supreme and Soveraign Power to Princes And therefore I rather chuse to translate Mishpat as our Translators do by the manner of the King than as other learnâ—d men do by the right of the King thereby understanding the Original Charter of Kingly Power for it is not a Regal Power which Samuel here blames which is no other but the very same which he himself had while he was Supreme Judge of Israel but their pompous way of living which would prove very oppressive and burthensome to them and bâ— apt to make them complain who had not been used to such Exactions Let us now proceed to consider how sacred and irresistible the Persons and Authority of Kings were under the Jewish Government and there cannot be a plainer Example of this than in the Case of David He was himself anointed to be King after Saul's death but in the mean time was grievously persecuted by Saul pursued from one place to another with a design to take away his Life How now does David behave himself in this extremity What course does he take to secure himself from Saul Why he takes the only course that is left a Subject he flies for it and hides himself from Saul in the Mountains and Caves of the Wilderness and when he found he was discovered in one place he removes to another He kept Spies upon Saul to observe his motions not that he might meet him to give him Battel or to take him at an advantage but that he might keep out of his way and not fall unawares into his hands Well but this waâ— no thanks to David because he could do no otherwise He was too weak for Saul and not able to stand against him and therefore he had no other Remedy but Flight But yet we must consider that David was a Man of War he slew Goliah and fought the Battels of Israel with great success he was an admired and beloved Captain which made Saul so jealous of him the Eyes of Israel were upon him for their next King and how easily might he have raised a potent and formidable Rebellion against Saul But he was so far from this that he invites no man to his assistance and when some came uninvited he made no use of them in an offensive or defensive War against Saul Nay when God delivered Saul two several times into David's hands that he could as easily have killed him as have cut off the skirts of his garment at Engedi 1 Sam. 24. or as have taken that spear away which stuck in the ground at his bolster as he did in the hill of Hachilah 1 Sam. 26. Yet he would neither touch Saul himself nor suffer any of the People that were with him to do it though they were very importunate with him for liberty to kill Saul nay though they urged him with an Argument from Providence that it was a plain Evidence that it was the will of God that he should kill Saul because God had now delivered his Enemy into his hands according to the promise He had made to David 1 Sam. 24.4.26 ch ver 8. We know what use some men have made of this Argument of Providence to justifie all the Villanies they had a mind to act but David it seems did not think that an opportunity of doing evil gave him license and authority to do it Opportunity we say makes a Thief and it makes a Rebel and it makes a Murderer No man can do any Wickedness which he has no opportunity of doing and if the Providence of God which puts such opportunities into Mens hands justifies the wickâ—dness they commit no man can be chargeable with any Guilt whatever he does and certainly opportunity will as soon justifie any other Sin as Rebellion and the Murder of Princes We are to learn our Duty from the Law of God not from his Providence at least this must be a settled Principle that the Providence of God will never justifie any action which this Law forbids And therefore notwithstanding this opportunity which God had put into his hands to destroy his Enemy and to take the Crown for his Reward David considers his Duty remembers that though Saul were his Enemy and that very unjustly yet he was the Lord's Anointed The Lord forbid saies he that I should do this unto my Master the Lord 's Anointed to stretch forth my hand against him seeing he is the Lord 's Anointed Nay he
also to those who are sent by him who receive their Authority and Commission from the Soveraign Prince St. Paul tells us at large That all Power is of God and that the power is the Minister of God and he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinâ—nce of God and therefore we must needs be subjest not only for Wrath that is for fear of being punisht by Men but also for Conscience sake out of reverence to God and fear of his Judgment This St. Peter comprises in one word which includes it all Submit your self to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake for How is God concerned in our Obedience to Princes if they be not his Ministers who are appointed and advanced by him and act by his Authority and if it be not his Will and Command that we should obey them and therefore he adds For this is the will of God that with well-doing that is by obedience and subjection to Princes ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men that is that you may put to silence those foolish men who ignorantly accuse you as fond of Changes and troublesome and dangerous to Government But then St. Peter observing that Christian Liberty was made a pretence for Seditions and Treasons he cautions them against that also As free but not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness that is to cover and excuse such wickedness as Rebellion against Princes but as the servants of God You must remember whatever Freedom Christ has purchased for you he has not delivered you from Obedience and Subjection to God you are His servants still and therefore must be subject to those who receive their Power and Authority from God as all Soveraign Princes do This is as plain one would think as words can make it but nothing can be so plain but that Men who are unwilling to understand and who set their wits on work to avoid the force and evidence of it may be able to find something to say to deceive themselves and those who are willing to be deceived and therefore it will be necessary to consider what false Colours some men have put upon these words to elude and baffle the plain scope and design of the Apostle in them As first they observe that St. Peter calls Kings and subordinate Governours an Ordinance of Man or a human Creature and from hence they conclude that Kings are only the Peoples Creatures they are made by the people and receive their Power from them and therefore are accountable to them if they â—â—use their Power In answer to this we may consider 1. That this Interpretation of St. Peter's words is a direct contradiction to St. Paul who expresly asserts That there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordâ—ined of God but according to this Exposition of Huâ—an Creature or the Ordinâ—nce of Man there is no power of God but all powâ—r is derived from the people Kings and Princes may be chosen by Men as it is in Elective Kingdoms and as it was at that time in the Roman Empire but they receive their power from God and thus St. Paul and St. Peter may be reconciled But to affirm That St. Peter calls Kings an Ordinance of Man because they receive their ower and Authority from Men is an irreconcilable contradiction to St. Paul who affirms That they â—eceive their power from God That they are God's and not the peoples Ministers Now though St. Peter and St. Paul did once differ upon a matter of Prudence it would be of ill consequence to Religion to make them differ in so material a Doctrine as this is and yet there is no way to reconcile them but by expounding St. Peter's words so as to agree with St. Paul's for St. Paul's words can never be reconciled with that sence which these men give of St. Peter's and that is a good Argument to me that is not the true interpretation of St. Peâ—er for I verily believe that these two great Apostles did not differ in this point 2. St. Peter exhorts them to submit to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake which plainly signifies that whatever hand Men may have in modelling Civil Governments yet it is the Ordinance of God and Princes receive their power from him For it is no act of Disobedience to God to resist our Prince nor of Obedience to God to submit to him if he does not derive his power from God and act by his Authority and Commission especially in such cases when he opposes the Government of God and the Interest of Relâ—gion and oppresses not only God's Creatures but his most faithful and obedient People who are his peculiar care and charge In such cases as these if Princes do not receive their power from God they are oppoâ—â—te and rival-powers and we can no more submit to them for God's sake than we can submit to a Rebâ—l for the sake of that is out of Duty and Loyalty to our Natural Prince And therefore when the Apostle exhorts them for God's sake to submit to their King he plainly supposes what St. Paul did particularly express That Kings receive their pâ—wer from God and therefore are God's Ministers even when they abuse their power and he that resists resists the Ordinance and Authority of God 3. But suppose we should grant That when St. Peter calls Kings the Ordinance of Man he means That they receive their Power and Authority from Men yet I cannot see what good this will do them for he plainly disowns their consequence That therefore Princes are accountable to the people as to their Superiors and may be resisted deposed and brought to condign punishment if they abuse this power as will appear from these two Observations 1. Thaâ— He gives the King the Title of Supreme who is above them all and is invested with the supreme and soveraign power Now the supreme power in the very notion of it is iâ—resistible and unaccountable for otherwise it is not supreme but subject to some superiour Jurisdiction which it is evâ—dently known the Roman Emperors of whom the Apostle here speaks were not And 2. That he requires Subjection to this Human Ordâ—nance which as appears from St. Paul signifies Non-Resistance so that tho' we should grant that the King derives his Power from the people yet it seems God confirms and establishes the Crown on his Head and will not suffer people to take it off again when theâ— please A Seasonable Admonition to our new Dissenters LET us have a care of our Zeal that we may not mistake an earthly Fire which burns and consumes for that Divine and harmless flame which is kindled at God's Altar A true Zeal for Religion is nothing more nor less than such a hearty Love for it as makes us very diligent in the practice of it our selves and very industrious to promote the knowledg and practice of Religion in the World by all lawful and prudent means A true Christian Zeal will not suffer us to transgress the strict bounds of our Duty to God or of our Duty to Men especially to Kings and Princes whatever flattering prospect of Advantage it may give To lye to forswear our selves to hate and revile each other to reproach and libel Governours in Church and State to stir up or countenance with the least thought any seditious practices against the King or Government is not a Zeal for God nor for Religion for this Wisdom is not from above but is earthly sensual and devilish for where Strife and Contention is there is Câ—nfusion and every evil work Let us be wary how we begin to entertain or to whisper our Discontents how we begin to listen to Suspicions of our Prince or of his Government and to hear with pleasure any scandalous stories or reflections on either GOD of His infinite Mercy preserve our King and Queen and these Kingdoms our Liberties Laws and Religion from the wicked Conspiracies of all our Enemies Which is the last thing I shall recommend to you to praise God for his Preservation of our King hitherto and earnestly beg that the same Providence would still watch over him for the time to come Let us bless God and let us honour our King and receive him with Joy and Thanksgiving as a new Gift and Present from the hands of God When we are heartily thankful for the Mercies we have already received this will maâ—e our Prayers more effectual for the continuance of them O Lord save the King and Queen who putteth their Trust in thee send them help â—rom thy Holy Place and evermore mightily defend them let their Enemies have no advantage against them nor the Wicked approach to hurt them Which God of His infinite Mercy grant through our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with the Father c. FINIS