that which is false and are either prejudiced with their own Passions and Affections or else fearing to be baffled and made ridiculous by Philosophers and Men of Reason fly for Shelter and Sanctuary to that which is Sacred but what Altar can protect him who offends the Sacred Majesty of Reason I need say no more to such Men having I hope sufficiently proved why Theology ought to be distinguish'd from Philosophy and in what each of them chiefly consists that neither of them ought to be a Servant to the other and that both of them may exercise their own peculiar power without offending one another Lastly I have shew'd where there was occasion what Absurdities Mischiefs and Inconveniencies follow from Men's confounding these two faculties not knowing how exactly to distinguish and divide one from the other Before I proceed I desire notice may be taken that I declare the benefit and necessity of Sacred Scripture that is Revelation to be exceeding great for seeing we cannot by Natural Light perceive that Simple Obedience is the way to Salvation and that God's special Grace and Favour hath by Revelation only and not by Reason made it known unto us the Scripture must certainly be a great help and consolation to all mankind because tho' every Man may obey yet in respect of the whole there are very few who by the dictates and conduct of Reason live vertuously so that were it not for the Testimony of Scripture we might doubt of most Men's Salvation CHAP. XVI Of founding Commonwealths Of every Man's Natural and Civil Right Of the Right of Supreme Powers HItherto I have carefully endeavoured to distinguish and divide Philosophy from Theology and have shewed the liberty of reasoning which Theology allows every Man it is now time to enquire how far this liberty of thinking and speaking a Man's Thoughts may in the best governed Commonwealths extend it self And that we may orderly examin the matter we will discourse of the Foundations of Commonwealths and in the first place of every Man 's Natural Right without any relation either to Government or Religion By the Law and Institution of Nature I mean nothing else but those Rules of Nature according to which every individual Being is naturally appointed and ordained in such a certain manner to be and to act for Example Fishes are by Nature ordained to swim and the greater to eat the less therefore by the Sovereign Right or Law of Nature they possess and enjoy the Water and the greater eat the less For it is certain that Nature considered absolutely hath Sovereign Right to all things within its own power that is the Right of Nature may extend it self so far as its Power can extend for the Power of Nature is the Power of God who hath Sovereign Right to all things But because the universal Power of the whole frame of Nature is nothing else but the Power of every individual Being joyned together it follows that every individual Being hath Sovereign Right to all things within the compass of its Power or the Right of every Individual may extend it self so far as its determinate Power will reach And because the supremest Law of Nature is that every thing should endeavour as far as it is able to preserve it self in that state wherein it is without having regard to any thing else but it self it follows that every individual Being hath Sovereign Right to this self-preservation that is to continue its existence and to operate as it was naturally ordained And in this respect there is no difference between Men and other Individual Beings in Nature nor between Men endued with Reason and others who know not the use of it nor between Fools and Men in their right Senses for what every thing doth by and according to the Laws of its own Nature that it hath in the highest degree right to do because it acteth as it was by Nature appointed and can do nothing otherwise amongst Men therefore considered living only under the Power of Nature he that knows not what Reason is as well as he who knows not what Vertue is hath as much right to live according to the Laws of his Appetite as he who directeth his life by the Rules of Reason My meaning is That as a wise Man hath right to all things which Reason dictates or that lives according to the Laws and Rules of Reason so likewise an ignorant or meer sensual Man hath right to all things whereto his Appetite leads him or that liveth according to the Law of his Appetite which is the same thing that Paul declares who acknowledgeth that before the Law that is so long as Men were considered living in the State and under the Power of Nature there was no sin The Natural Right therefore of every Man is determin'd not by Reason but by Appetite and Power for all Men are not naturally ordain'd to act and operate according to the Rules and Laws of Reason but on the contrary all Men are born actually ignorant of all things and before they can know the right of living and acquire the habit of Vertue a great part of their Age tho' they be well educated is spent and passeth away yet in the mean time they are bound to live and as much as in themselves lies to preserve themselves by the impulse of their Appetite seeing Nature hath given them nothing else wherewith to do it and hath denied the actual use of right Reason so that they are no more obliged to live by the Rules of it than a Cat is bound to live like a Lion whatsoever then every Man as he is considered under the Power and Laws of Nature shall either by the dictates of Right Reason or by the impulse of his Appetite think convenient and profitable for him that by the Law of Nature is lawful for him to desire and either by force deceit intreaties or any other way he thinks most easie to get it and may consequently take any one for an Enemy that endeavours to hinder him from having his desires From whence it follows that the Law and Institution os Nature under which all Men are born and for the most part live prohibits nothing but what no body desires or is in no bodies power nor doth it forbid Contention Hatred Wrath Deceit or any thing absolutely to which a Man's Appetite inclines him Nor is this any wonder for Nature is not bounded and shut up within the Laws only of Human Reason which designs and intends nothing but the real good and preservation of mankind but acts according to an infinite number of other Laws and Rules which regard the whole frame and eternal course of Nature whereof Man is but a small Particle and all Individual Beings are by the necessity and Laws of Nature only ordained in such a certain manner to exist and operate so that if there be any thing in Nature which seemeth to us absur'd and rediculous or evil 't is because we
know things only in part and because we are for the most part ignorant of the Order Course and Coherence of Universal Nature and would have all things directed and governed by our Reason when in the mean time that which our Reason thinks evil is not so in respect of the course and Laws of Universal Nature but only in respect of the Laws of our particular Nature But without doubt or dispute 't is very much for Mens advantage to live according to the Laws and Dictates of Reason which as I have said intends nothing else but the real good of mankind and there is no body who doth not desire to live in safety and out of fear which is impossible so long as it is lawful for every Man to do what he lists and Reason hath no greater priviledge than Hatred or Anger He that lives where there is continual Enmity Hatred Wrath and Deceit must live always in danger and fear and therefore Men avoid them as much as they can When we likewise consider that Men live wretchedly and miserably without mutual Assistance and the conduct of Reason as we have shewed in the fourth Chapter it must clearly appear that if Men will live securely without fear there is an absolute necessity of uniting themselves and agreeing together to transfer the Right which every particular Man hath by Nature to all things upon the whole collective Body assembled and living together in Society which Right is to be determined and directed not by the strength and Appetite of every single person but by the Power and Will of the whole assembled together which would however be a vain attempt if that Society would still follow the Dictates of sensual Appetite By the impulse of sensual desire every Man is carried a several way and therefore they must stedfastly resolve and firmly covenant to govern and direct all things according to the dictates of Reason which no Man will oppose that is not out of his Wits and must bridle all desires that are injurious to one another They must do nothing to others which they would not have done to themselves And lastly must defend one anothers Right as they would their own Why such an agreement ought to be entred into and ought to stand firm and inviolable is our next enquiry It is the Universal Law of Human Nature that no Man should quit or neglect any thing which he thinks to be for his good unless it be for the hope of a greater good that is every Man of two goods ought to chuse the greatest and of two evils the least I mean that which seemeth to the Chuser the greatest or the least because things are not sometimes in themselves what we judge them to be And this Law is so deeply engraven upon Human Nature that it is to be reckoned amongst the Eternal Verities of which no Man can be ignorant From this Law it necessarily follows that no Man doth ever sincerely promise to depart from that Right which he hath to all things and faithfully keep his Promise unless it be for fear of a greater evil or for the hope of a greater good Suppose a Thief force me to promise that I will give him all my Goods when he pleaseth to have them now seeing as I have already said that my Natural Right is only limited and determined by my own Power it is certain that I may by falshood and deceit free my self from this Thief in promising what he demands and by the law of Nature I may deceitfully make him such a Promise Suppose likewise that I have without any fraudulent intention promis'd a man not to taste Meat Drink or any other kind of Nourishment for the space of twenty days afterwards I perceive what a foolish promise I have made and that I cannot without the hazard of my life keep it in this Case seeing I am by the Law of Nature obliged of two evils to chuse the least I may very lawfully break this promise and do as if I had never made any and it is my natural right so to do for whether I have in truth or but in mine own Opinion made an ill promise yet since the evil is so great which I fear I am authorised by the Law of Nature to take any Course to avoid it from whence we conclude that no Promise or Covenant can have any obligatory Power unless it be upon a consideration that some advantage or benefit is to accrue by it take away the Consideration and the Covenant becomes null and void It is therefore perfect folly to expect from any Person the constant keeping and faithful performance of his Promise or Contract unless at the same time things be so order'd that he who keeps not his Covenant shall lose much more than he can gain by the breach thereof which is a Consideration that ought first to take place in the founding of any Commonwealth if all men would willingly submit to the conduct of Reason and knew what was necessary and profitable for the Publick every man would detest fraud and deceit and for the good and preservation of the Common-wealth would above all things faithfully perform his Promises which is the Common-wealth's only defence and security but men are far from being guided by reason every man is led away by his Pleasure and Lusts and mens minds are often so possest with Covetousness Glory Envy Anger and other Passions that they have no room left for Reason and therefore tho' men may promise with external Signs of Faithfulness and Sincerity and enter into Covenants to make good their Promises yet no man can be sure they will be made good unless some benefit and advantage attend their performance seeing every man by the Law of Nature may deal deceitfully and break his promise in hopes of greater good or for fear of greater evil but because as we have already shewn natural right is determin'd by every man's particular power it follows that as much as every man either voluntarily or by force transsers of his own Power upon another from so much of his own right he parts with to another and he hath Soveraign right over all who hath the Supream Power wherewith he may by Force and severe Punishment which is Universally feared keep all in subjection which right he shall no longer retain than he can preserve the power of doing what he will otherwise he must reign precariously and no man that is stronger than he is bound to obey him For this reason without any repugnancy or resistance made by natural right may a Society be formed and Covenants faithfully kept if every particular person do transfer all the Power which he hath upon the Society which Society by that means will have the Soveraign right of nature to all things that is will be possest with the Supream Power of Governing which every one willingly or for fear of Punishment will be bound to obey The Right or Power of such a
Society is called Democracy which is a general Assembly of men who in fellowship have Soveraign right to all things within their Power from whence it follows that Supream Power is bound by no Law but all ought to obey it in all things which obedience every one did in express words or tacitly and by implication promise when he transfer'd all his own Power of defending himself that is all his own natural right upon the Society So that if any men intended to keep any thing to themselves at the same time they ought to have provided and taken care for the defence and safe keeping thereof but if they did not nor could do it without dividing and consequently destroying the Government and Commonwealth that ought to be accounted an absolute submission of themselves to the will of the Supream Power which being done absolutely and not only upon necessity but likewise for very good reasons unless we will declare our selves Enemies to the Commonwealth and act contrary to Reason which perswades us to defend the Commonwealth with our utmost power we are bound to obey all the Commands of the Supream Power be they never so absurd for even those Reason commands us to obey that of two evils we may chuse the least Consider likewise how easily every one may run into the danger of submitting himself absolutely to the Will and Arbitrary Power of another for as we have shewn Supream Powers have no longer right of commanding what they will than they can keep that Power for as soon as they lose it they lose likewise the right of commanding all things and that right falls to him or them that can get and keep it therefore it very rarely happens that Supream Powers command harsh and unreasonable things for it very much concerns them to look to themselves to keep their Power to mind the publick good and order all things by the Rules of Reason No violent Governments saith Seneca ever stood long It is observable that in Democratical Governments severe and unreasonable Commands are never much to be feared for 't is almost impossible that the major part of an Assembly if it be great should agree in that which is unreasonable and absurd the Foundation and End likewise of that Government being only to avoid the mischiefs of boundless Appetite and to keep Men as much as may be within the compass of Reason that they may live together in Peace and Amity which Foundation once taken away down falls the whole Fabrick against which Ruin to provide is the duty of the Supream Power The Subjects part is to obey and acknowledge nothing else to be right but what is declared to be so by the Supream Power But some may think that by this Rule I make Subjects Servants or Slaves because they account him a Servant who acts by Command and him free who only obeys his own Will which is not absolutely true for he that gives himself up to his own pleasure and desires and neither sees or does what is for his own good is indeed the greatest of Slaves and he only is free who of his own accord lives according to the dictates of Reason Acting by Command which is Obedience doth in some sort take away Liberty but 't is the account upon which a Man acts that makes him a Servant for if the end of the action be wholly and solely for the benefit of him that commands without any advantage to the Agent then the Agent is a Servant and unprofitable to himself but in a Commonwealth or Government where the welfare of all the People and not of him that governs is the principal and Supreme Law he that in all things obeys the Supreme Power is not an unprofitable Servant to himself but is to be counted a Subject and therefore that Commonwealth is counted freest where the Laws are sounded upon most Reason for there every Man when he will may be free in living with his own intire consent according to the Rules of Reason Tho' Children are bound to obey all the Command of their Parents yet they are not Servants for the Commands of Parents tend chiefly to the good of their Children and therefore we acknowledge there is great difference between a Servant a Son and a Subject who are thus defined A Servant is he who is bound to obey the Commands of his Master which respect only the Masters benefit A Son is he that by his Parents Command doth that which is for his own good And a Subject is he who by the Command of the Supreme Power doth that which is for the good of the Publick and consequently as he is one of that Body for his own benefit By what I have said I think I have clearly shewn what is the Foundation of Democratical Government of which before all others I chuse to treat because it seems most natural and comes nearest to that freedom and liberty which Nature allows every Man for in Democratical Government no Man so transfers his own Natural Right to another as for ever after to be excluded from consultation but only transfers it upon the major part of the Society of which he still makes one and upon this all remain as they were before in their natural estate equal Moreover I purposely treated of this Government because it best suited with my Intention which was to speak of the benefit of Liberty in a Commonwealth I will therefore have nothing to do with the Foundations of other Powers nor to know their Right is it necessary to know whence they had and often have their Original that is too manifest From what I have declared where ever the Supreme Power is whether in one person in few or in all 't is certain that they have the Soveraign right of commanding what they will and whoever either willingly or by compulsion transfers to another the Power of defending himself he hath clearly parted with his Natural Right and consequently must resolve to obey him that hath it in all things which he continues obliged to do as long as the King the Nobles or the People can preserve the Supreme Power which they received which was the first Foundation of transferring Natural Right of which I need say no more The Foundations and Right of Government being laid open it is easie to determine what is private civil Right what is Injury or Wrong what is Justice what Injustice in a Civil State. Lastly Who is a Confederate or Ally who is an Enemy and what is Treason By private civil Right no other thing can be understood but every Man 's keeping and preserving himself in the state wherein he is which Liberty is limited and determined by the Decrees and Dictates of the Supreme Power and defended by the sole Authority thereof for after every one hath transferr'd to another his right of living according to his own Will which only bounded his own power I mean his liberty of defending himself he is then obliged to live
High Priest who receiv'd Answers from God had nothing to do with the Militia nor had he any share in the Government and on the other side they that were possest of Lands had no power to make Laws The Chief Priest Aaron and his Son Eleazer were both chosen by Moses but when Moses was dead no man had the power of chusing the High Priest but the Son still succeeded the Father The General of the Army was also elected by Moses not by the Power of the High Priest but took upon him the Generalship or Supreme Power by vertue of that Authority which Moses gave him and therefore when Ioshua dyed the High Priest chose no body into his place nor did the Princes ask Council of God concerning a new General but every one commanded the particular Militia of his own Tribe and all the Princes jointly together had the same power over the whole Army that Ioshua had and it seems there was no need of a General unless when they were to fight against an Enemy with joint Forces of which there was constant occasion and necessity in Ioshua's time when they had no fixed place of abode and all things were in Common But after all the Tribes were by right of Conquest possest of Lands which they were commanded to keep and divide amongst themselves and Property began then there was no more need of a General because the several Tribes by that division became not only fellow Subjects but Confederates they were in respect of God and Religion fellow-Subjects but in respect of one Tribes power over another no more than Confederates In all particulars that of the Jews publick Temple excepted like the States of the seven United Provinces for the division of that which is common into parts is nothing else but every Mans possessing his own part and the rest quit the right which they had to it Moses therefore chose the Princes of the Tribes that after the Land and the Government was divided every one might take care of his own part that is that the Prince of every Tribe should by the High Priest ask Council of God concerning the Affairs of his own Tribe that he should command the Militia of his own Tribe build and fortifie Cities appoint Judges in every City fight against the Enemies of his own Tribe and have the absolute Power of Peace and War within his own Tribe nor was he obliged to acknowledge any other Judge over him but God or a Prophet whom God should expresly send and if he departed from the Worship of God the rest of the Tribes were to account him no Subject but fight against him as a publick Enemy that had violated the Faith of the Covenant made with God of which in Scripture we have several Examples When Ioshua was dead the Children of Israel without any new General asked Counsel of God and when they understood that the Tribe of Iuda was first to assault the Enemy Iuda agreed only with his Brother Simeon to go up with united Forces and fight the Enemies of both their Lots in which agreement none of the rest of the Tribes were comprehended See Iudges c. 1. v. 1 2 3. But every Tribe as that Chapter declares fought separately against its own particular Enemy and spared the Lives of whom they pleased though they were commanded upon no terms to spare any but to extirpate all for which Sin they were indeed reproved but never called to account for it When the Tribes made War one upon another and medled with one anothers Affairs in assaulting the Benjamites it was because they had justly offended the rest of the Tribes by breaking the common Bond of Peace so that none of their Confederates could safely venture themselves amongst them This was the reason the rest of the Tribes invaded the Benjamites in a hostile manner and after the fighting of three several Battels having conquer'd them by right of War put all Nocent and Innocent to the Sword which they afterward repented too late That which I have said of the Power of every particular Tribe is by these Examples confirm'd But some body will perhaps ask who chose the Successor of the Prince of every particular Tribe I find nothing certain in Scripture concerning it but seeing every Tribe was divided into Families and the eldest were the Heads of every Family I suppose of these Heads the eldest did by Right succeed him that was Prince of these Seniors or Elders Moses chose the Seventy that were to assist him who with him were the supreme Council and after the Death of Ioshua had the Administration of the Government By Elders often in Scripture and amongst the Iews are meant Judges but this particular not being much to our purpose it is sufficient that I have proved no person after Moses's Death executed all the Offices of Supreme Power for since all things did not depend upon the pleasure and will of one single person nor upon the Decrees of the Council or People but some things were done by one Tribe others by another by the equal Power and joynt Authority of every one it evidently follows that from the Death of Moses the Government was neither Monarchical Aristocratical or Popular but as I have said Theocratical First because the Temple was the Palace of the Government and upon that account only all the Tribes were Fellow-Citizens Secondly Because all the Citizens or Subjects were to swear Fidelity and Allegiance to God their Supreme Judge to whom only they promised to yield Obedience And lastly Because the Chief Commander or General when there was occasion was to be chosen by none but God which Moses in the Name of God expresly prophesied to the People Deut. 17. 15. which likewise appears by the Election of Gideon Sampson and Samuel and therefore it is not to be doubted but the rest of their faithful Captains were chosen in the same manner though it be not set down in their History These things being thus laid open it is time to enquire how this Con by poverty sold his Land when the Year of Iubilee came it was e who did govern as of those that were governed that neither the Subjects should become Rebels nor the Governours Tyrants They that have Supreme Power or the Administration of Government when they wickedly oppress and abuse their Subjects they still endeavour to make the People believe that all their Actions are just and legal which may be easily done when the Interpretation of the Law depends only upon them 'T is this that makes them take so much Liberty of doing what their Desires dictate and think much of their Prerogative lost when the power of interpreting the Laws is in any but themselves or when the Laws are so perspicuously and clearly interpreted that there can be no doubt or dispute concerning them The Iews therefore were very much secured against the Oppression and Injustice of their Princes by Moses giving the power of interpreting the Laws to the
Levites Deut. chap. 21. v. 15. who had no administration or part in the Government with the rest but all their Honour and Fortune depended upon their truly and rightly interpreting the Law. Moreover all the people were commanded once in every seven years to assemble together in one place where the High Priest read and expounded to them the Laws and likewise every particular person was obliged constantly with great care to read over the Book of the Law See Deut. chap. 21. v 9. and chap. 6. v. 7. The Princes and Rulers therefore for their own sakes were to take good heed that they did all things according to the known Prescription and Rules of the Law if they expected any Honour from the People who would then reverence them as God's Ministers and Vicegerents otherwise they must expect the Universal Hatred of the People which was a sort of Divine Vengeance Another thing which very much bridled the Exorbitant Power and Lust of their Princes was their Militia's being formed out of their own People none from Twenty to Sixty excepted it not being in the Prince's Power to levy or keep in Pay any Forreign Forces This I say was a thing of great Consequence for Princes cannot possibly oppress their Subjects without Forces in continual Pay and Princes fear nothing so much as the Power of their own armed Subjects by whose Valour Labour and Expence of Blood the Glory and Liberty of a Kingdom is purchast and secured Therefore Alexander when he was to fight a second Battel against Darius hearing Parmenio give Advice which did not please him Quintus Curtius in his Fourth Book says Alexander would not check Parmenio again though he had upbraided Alexander more bitterly than was expedient but fell upon Polyperchon who was of Parmenio's Opinion Nor could Alexander oppress the Liberty of the Macedonians which he most feared till after he had out of the Prisoners he took formed Troops that out-numbred his own People that being done he did what he pleas'd being before restrain'd by the Liberty which the best of his own Subjects enjoy'd And if this Liberty of Armed Subjects in other Governments be a Bridle to Princes who ascribe to themselves the Glory of all Victories it was certainly a much greater Curb to the Princes of the Iewish Tribes whose Soldiers fought not for the Glory of their Prince but the Glory of God and ventur'd no Battles till they received an Answer from God. What is more to be observed is That all the Princes of the Iews were associated and linked together by a Religious Covenant so that if any one forsook the publick Religion and offer'd to violate every man's Divine Right they might justly account him a publick Enemy and destroy him Thirdly Another thing which kept the Iewish Princes within bounds was the fear of a New Prophet For if any man of an unblameable Life and Conversation could by some certain signs prove himself a Prophet that Prophet had presently Right to the supreme Power in the same manner that Moses himself had by Revelation and not as the Princes who were to consult God by the High Priest and without doubt such Prophets could easily make the Oppressed People of their Party and by some little signs perswade them to what they pleas'd But when Justice was duely administred the Prince could make such timely provision that the Prophet should so far submit to his Judgment as to be strictly examined whether his Life and Conversation were good Whether the signs of his Mission were true And lastly Whether that which he prophesied in the Name of the Lord were agreeable to the Religion and Laws of the Country If the Signs he gave failed or if his Doctrine were new he might by the Authority of the Prince be justly condemn'd or else approved and received Fourthly The Prince could not claim the Power of governing upon the account of being more Nobly descended than others but had Right to it only by Seniority of Age and Merit Lastly The Princes and all the Army had as much Reason to desire Peace as War for the Militia being composed only of Iewish Subjects the same persons that were Soldiers managed Affairs in times of Peace he that was a Commander in the Field was in the Tribunal a Judge and he that was a General in the Camp was a Prince in the City Therefore none could desire War for Wars sake but only to enjoy Peace and to defend their Subjects Liberties Perhaps the Prince abstain'd as much as was possible from Innovations that he might not attend and wait on the High Priest which he might think beneath his Dignity So much for the Reasons which kept the Princes within bounds Let us now see what kept the People to their Duty The Principles of the Government will make this clear for whosoever considers them will find they begot so much Affection in the Hearts of the People that it was impossible any man should think of betraying or deserting his Countrey but must be so much affected with it that he would suffer any Extremities rather than be subject to any other Forreign Government For after they transferr'd their Power upon God acknowledging their Kingdom to be the Kingdom of God and believed they only were the Children of God and all other Nations God's Enemies believing their mortal Hatred against them to be Piety See Psal. 139. v. 21 22. They could abhor nothing more than swearing Fidelity and promising Obedience to Strangers nor could any thing be thought so execrable and abominable as betraying their Countrey that is the Kingdom of that God they worship'd It was counted an horrible Offence to go out of their Countrey to live because they would not celebrate the Worship of God to which they were strictly obliged any where but in their own Land which was therefore called the Holy Land and every part of the Earth beside esteemed by them profane and unclean Therefore David being forced by Saul to fly his Country complains in these words 1 Sam. chap. 26. v. 19. If they be the children of men that have stirred thee up against me cursed be they before the Lord for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying go serve other Gods. This was the Reason which is very worthy Observation that no Iewish Subject was ever condemn'd to Banishment He that sins deserves to be punish't but his punishment oughr not to be a sin The Affection which the Iews had for their Countrey was not simply Love but Piety which with their Hatred to other Nations was so augmented by their daily Worship that it became natural to them for their daily Worship was not only different from but absolutely contrary to that of all other Nations and was the Reason they did not only live unmixt but separate from them Continual Reproach must necessarily beget perpetual Hatred and there is no Hatred so great and lasting as that which is grounded upon
purchase another new Tyrant So that there was no end of their Discords and Intestine Wars and the Causes of violating God's Law were still the same which could never end but with the Total Destruction of the Common-Wealth We have now seen how Religion began in the Iewish Common-Wealth and how the Government might have been perpetual if the Just Wrath of God would have permitted it to continue But because it would not therefore it perished I have here spoken only of their First Government the Second being but a Shadow of their First seeing they were still under the Power of the Persians After they obtained their Liberty of Cyrus the High Priests became their Princes by usurping the Supreme Authority the Priests having as great a Mind to the Crown as to the Mitre Of this Second Government I need say no more Whether their First Government as it was conceived Durable or Religious be a Pattern that may be followed will appear in the next Chapter For the Close of all I desire it may be particularly observed That by what hath been declared in this Chapter it is evident That Divine Right or Religion had its Beginning and Rise from a Covenant or Contract without which there is no Right but that of Nature and therefore the Iews were not obliged by any Precept of Religion to shew any Kindness towards any other Nations who were not concerned in the Covenant but only to those of their own Common-Wealth CHAP. XVIII Certain Political Maxims Collected from the Government and Histories of the Jews Commonwealth THough the Government of the Jews as it hath been describ'd in the preceding Chapter might have been perpetual yet 't is an Example that cannot now be follow'd nor is it advisable to put it in practice for if any Men would transfer their power upon God they ought to do it as the Jews did by an express Contract or Covenant so that not only the mind of them that transfer their power but also the Will of God upon whom the power is transfer'd ought to be known but God hath revealed by the Apostles that the Covenant of God shall no more be written with Ink nor in Tables of Stone but shall by his Spirit be written in our Hearts That form of Government under which the Jews lived might be very useful and convenient for them who lived alone without any foreign Trade or Commerce who kept themselves within their own Territories and separated themselves from all the rest of the World but 't is in no wise fit for People that live by trading with others and consequently it is to very few people that the Jewish government can be of any use or advantage but though it be a pattern that cannot be follow'd in all things yet there were in it many things very worthy of our observation and which are fit to be put in practice Because my intention is not to treat expresly of Government I will pass many things by and only take notice of those that make for my purpose Namely That it is not repugnant to the Kingdom of God to make Majesty Elective that is to chuse the Person or Persons who shall have the Supream Power of Government for after the Iews transferr'd their Power upon God they delivered the Supream Power of Governing to Moses who thereby had in God's Name the sole Authority of making and abrogating Laws of chusing sacred Ministers and likewise the sole power of teaching judging and punishing and though the Priests were Interpreters of the Law yet they had no power at all to judge the People nor to excommunicate any person for none could do that but the Judges and Princes who were chosen out of the People as appears Ioshua chap. 6. v. 26. where Ioshua adjured the people not to rebuild Iericho Iudges chap. 21. v. 18. where the Elders of the Congregation appointed what Women the Benjamites should marry to propagate their Tribe and 1 Sam. chap. 14. v. 24. where Saul commanded the People not to eat any food till Evening If we consider the Histories and Successes of the Iews we shall find other things very well worth our Observation First That there were no different Sects of Religion amongst them till after the Priests in the Second Government usurped the Supream Authority and the Power of making Laws To make their Authority lasting they took upon them the Power which the Princes had and at last would be called Kings The Reason is apparent for in the First Government nothing was made Law by the High Priest because he had no power of decreeing any thing his Business was only to return those Answers to the Princes and Council which were given by God So that at that time their High Priests could not desire to make new Decrees but only to do that which was their known Duty for they had no other way to preserve their Liberty against the Princes but by keeping the Laws free from Violation and Corruption but after the Priests got power of medling with matters of Government and of Priests became Princes then every one as well in Religion as other Affairs would have all things determin'd by the Pontifical Authority daily making Decrees which they would have to be as Sacred as the Laws of Moses so that Religion degenerated into horrible Superstition the true Sense and Interpretation of the Law was corrupted and the Priests after the Restauration attempting to get the Supream Power into their hands to gain the People so soothed and flatter'd them that they approved of all they did were it never so wicked and made Interpretations of Scripture suitable to their Humours and Practices which Malachy in express Words testifies reproving the Priests of his own time in this manner Mal. chap. 2. v. 7 8. The Priest's lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts But ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the law ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hosts And so goes on in reproaching them with interpreting the Law as they pleased with their respecting of persons and taking no heed to walk in God's ways It is certain that though the Priests were never so cautious and wary yet they were narrowly observed by the wiser sort who taking notice of the Priests Boldness declared That the People were not bound to the Observation of any Laws but those that were Written and that all Decrees made by the Priests which the deceived Pharisees chosen as Iosephus tells us out of the meanest of the People called the Tradition of their Fathers were not at all obligatory nor to be obey'd Without all doubt the High Priest's flattering the People the Corruption of Religion and the Multiplication of Laws became a great occasion of those Disputes and Controversies which could never be ended for when men in the heat of Superstition begin to quarrel and
by Revelation or whether God command it for it matters not how it was revealed so as it obtain the Force of a Law and become in the highest Degree obligatory to Men. If I then prove That Justice and Charity cannot become a Law or Command but by the Power and Command of the Supream Powers it will be easily granted seeing Supream Power is always in the hands of the Supream Magistrates that Religion becomes a binding Law only by their Decrees who have the Power of Government and that God hath no peculiar Kingdom over Men but by them who have the Supream Ruling Power That the outward Practice of Justice and Charity becomes an obligatory Law by the Command of the Supream governing Power appears by what I have said in the Fourteenth Chapter where I have declared That in the State of Nature Reason cannot pretend to any greater power than Natural Appetite may and that they who live according to the Laws and Dictates of Natural Appetite have as much Right to all things within their Power as they that live according to the Rules of Reason So that for this very Reason we cannot conceive there can be in the State of Nature any sin nor can we think God to be a Judge punishing sins but all things carried on in their course according to the Laws of Universal Nature to use Solomon's own Words all things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the clean and to the unclean no place being left for Justice and Charity But that the Dictates of Reason that is as I have shew'd in the Fourteenth Chapter the Divine Law written in our hearts might obtain the strength and force of a Law it was necessary that every man should part from his Natural Right and transfer it either upon all upon some or upon one and that then we first came to know what was Justice and what Injustice what Equity and what Iniquity Justice therefore and the Dictates of Right Reason with Love to our Neighbour becomes a Precept and obligatory Law by the Power and Decrees of Supream Magistrates and because as I have shew'd the Kingdom of God consists in the power that Justice Charity and true Religion have over us by becoming a Law to us therefore it follows that God hath no peculiar Kingdom over Men but by those who have the Supream Ruling Power Whether we consider Religion revealed to us by natural or prophetical Light the Demonstration is Universal seeing Religion is the same and equally revealed by God which way soever it be supposed to come to our knowledge and therefore that Religion prophetically revealed might obtain the force of a Law among the Iews it was necessary every man should first part with his natural Right and that all with one common consent should resolve to obey and submit to all things which should by God be prophetically revealed to them just as People do in Democratical Government where all with common consent resolve to live according to the Dictates of Reason and though the Iews did transfer their Power upon God yet they did it more in opinion than reality for the Supream Power really and absolutely remained still in them till they transferr'd it upon Moses who was thenceforward an absolute King and by him only God reigned over the Iews Moreover because Religion became a Law only by the Power of the Supream Government Moses could punish none before the Covenant was made because then no man had parted with his own Power and Right They broke the Sabbath before the Covenant was made and were not punished as appears Exod. chap. v. 27. but after the Covenant when every man had parted with his Natural Right he that broke the Sabbath only by gathering sticks was stoned as appears Numb chap. 15. v. 36. and the observation of the Sabbath when the People had parted with their Power became a Law by the Command of the Supream Magistrate Lastly Upon this very ground also when the Commonwealth and Government of the Iews was destroyed Revealed Religion had no longer the Force of a Law for without doubt as soon as the Iews transferr'd their Power upon the King of Babylon the Covenant of the Kingdom of God and the Obligation of the Divine Law ceased for as soon as they were Subjects to the King of Babylon the Covenant whereby they promised to obey God in all things became void and they could no longer perform it From the time they were subjected to the King of Babylon they were no longer in their own power as they were in the Desart and their own Country but were in all things obliged to obey the King of Babylon as appears by what we have said in the Sixteen Chapter and by what Ieremy saith Chap. 29. v. 7. Seek ye the peace of that City whither I have caused ye to be earried captives and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace They could not seek or provide for the peace of that City as Ministers of Government because they were Captives and therefore they were to do it as Servants or Subjects by keeping themselves free from Sedition and by observing the Laws of the Government though very different from those of their own Country By which it is evident that Religion among the Iews obtain'd the force of a Law by the Command of the Supream Power which Power being destroyed Religion was no more a Law or Command of that particular Government but was to be accounted a general Dictate of Reason I say of Reason because Catholick Religion was not yet known by Revelation we therefore conclude that Religion whether it be natural or revealed acquires the Force of a Command only by the Decree of those who have the Supream Power and God hath no peculiar Kingdom over Men but by the Supream Magistrate And this is made more clear by what hath been said in the Fourteenth Chapter where we have shewn That all God's Decrees imply Eternal Verity and Necessity nor can we conceive God as a Prince or Lawgiver to Men therefore Divine Documents made known to us by the light of Nature or revealed to us by the Prophets have not the force of a Law immediately from God but must necessarily receive it from those or by their means who have the Power of commanding and making Laws and by their means only we apprehend that God reigns over Men and directs Humane Affairs according to Justice and Equity which is also proved by Experience for we can find no Footsteps of Divine Justice but where the just reign otherwise to use Solomon's Expression once more the like event is to the righteous and to the wicked to the clean and to the unclean which made many doubt God's Providence who believed that God did immediately reign over Men and made Universal Nature only for their use Seeing then both Reason and Experience make it evident that the
for divine Doctrins that Credulity was accounted Faith and Philosophical Controversies were maintaned both in Church and State with so much animosity and heat of dispute from whence I perceived that not only cruel hatred and dissention by which Men are easily stir'd up to sedition but many other mischeifs too tedious to be here mentioned took their beginning I resolved diligently to examin the Scripture a new with a free and unprejudiced mind and neither to affirm any thing positively of it or admit any thing to be it's Doctrine which was not clearly Demonstrated by it Under this caution I Composed a method of interpreting the Sacred Volums and furnisht with it I began in the first place to inquire what Prophesy was why God revealed himself to the Prophets and whether they were acceptable to God because they had sublime thoughts and notions of God and Nature or only for their Piety These things being known I could easily determin that the Authority of the Prophets was of greatest weight in things relating to real vertue and to the use and benefit of Life but in other matters their opinions did very little concern us This being likewise known I further inquired what it was for which the Iews were called Gods chosen People and when I perceived it was only because God chose out for them a particular part and climate of the World where they might live conveniently and securely I thereby also learnt that the Laws revealed by God to Moses were nothing else but the Statutes of that particular government of the Iews and that none but the Iews were bound to receive them yea that the very Jews themselves were not bound by them any longer then their Government continued That I might know whether it can be concluded from Scripture that the understanding of of Mankind is depraved by Nature I inquired whether the Catholic Religion or the Divine Law revealed to all Mankind by the Prophets and Apostles were any other then that which natural Reason teacheth and Lastly whether Miracles happen contrary to the order of Nature and whether they do more certainly and clearly prove the Being and Providence of God then those things do which we clearly and distinctly understand by their first Causes but when I could find nothing in whatever the Scripture expresly teacheth disagreable or repugnant to human understanding and when I likewise saw that the Prophets taught nothing but what was plain and might easily be understood and that they adorn'd and confirm'd their Doctrin with such a Style and such reasons as they thought would most affect the minds of the multitude with Devotion towards God I was fully perswaded that the Scripture left reason perfectly free and had nothing to do with Philosophy but that each stood on its own basis But that I might plainly demonstrate these things and put an end to the whole matter I shew which way the Scripture is to be interprepreted and that all its knowledge of things Spiritual is to be drawn from it self and not from those things which we know by the light of nature Then I pass on to shew those prejudices which spring from thence and that the common People addicted to Superstition prizing the reliques of time above eternity do rather adore the Books of the Scripture than the very word of God it self After this I shew the revealed word of God not to be any certain number of Books but a simple knowledge of Gods will revealed to the Prophets that is to obey God with the whole heart by practising Justice and Charity I shew that the Scripture teacheth this according to the capacity and opinions of those to whom the Prophets and Apostles were sent to Preach this Word which they did that Men without any reluctancy might cordially embrace it The Fundamentals of Faith being discovered I Lastly conclude the object of revealed knowledge to be nothing else but obedience and so distinct from natural knowledge as well in respect of its object as its foundations and means that it hath nothing in common with it but each maintains its own proper dominion without any mutual disagreement and that neither ought to be subservient or a hand-maid to the other Moreover because the dispositions of Men are very different one being possest with this and another with that opinion and that which moveth one Man to Devotion provokes another to Laughter every one ought to have the Liberty of his own judgment and the Power of interpreting the Principles of Faith according to his own reason and that no Mans Faith is to be justified or condemned but only by his Works so that all Men may obey God with Freedom of mind and only Righteousness and Charity be in esteem After I have by these things shewed the Liberty granted by God's revealed Law to all Men I go on to the other part of the question which is that this Liberty may be allow'd without any prejudice to the Peace of a Common-wealth or to the Rights of the Supream Powers nor can it be taken away without great detriment and danger both to peace and the whole republick To demonstrate this I begin from every Mans natural right which reacheth so far as every Mans Desire and Power can extend it self and no Man by the Law of Nature is bound to live according to another Mans Will or Inclination but every Man is the assertor of his own Liberty Further I shew that no Man departs from this right but he that transfers the Power of defending himself to another and that he must necessarily and absolutely be the keeper of that right upon whom every one hath devolved his own natural right of living as he pleaseth together with the Power of Defending himself and from hence I prove that they who are possest of the Supream Power have right to all things within their Power and that they only are the Protectors of Law and Liberty all other Men being obliged to Act according to their determinations and Decrees but because no Body can so far deprive himself of his Power of defending himself as to cease from being a Man I thence conclude that no Man can be totally deprived of his natural right but that Subjects do still retain by the Law of Nature many things which cannot be taken from them without very great danger to Government Those things being granted to be their rights either by tacit implication or by express agreement and stipulation made between them and their Governours These things being considered I passon to the Commonwealth of the Iews which I fully enough describe shewing upon what Reason and by whose Decree Religion first began to obtain the force of a Law touching upon some other things by the By which seem worthy to be known After this I shew that they who have the supreme Power are not only Protectors and Interpreters of the Civil but also of the Divine Law and that in them only is the right of Judging what is
the 12 th Verse of the 7 th Chapter of Zachary They made their Hearts as an Adamant Stone least they should hear the Law and the Words which the Lord of Hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the former Prophets where Spirit must signifie mercy in this Sense speaketh also the Prophet Haggai Chap. 2. v. 5. Loe my Spirit that is my Grace and Mercy remaineth among you fear ye not Isa. Chap. 48. v. 16. It is said the Lord and his Spirit hath sent me there Spirit may be understood to signifie the Will and Mercy of God or his mind revealed in the Law for the Prophet saith from the beginning that is when he first came to declare Gods Wrath and Judgments against them he spake not in secret from the time that it was published there was I but now I am a Messenger of Joy sent by the Mercy of God to proclaim your restauration it may also as I have already said be taken for the mind and will of God revealed in the Law that is he by the Command of the Law Levit. Chap. 19. v. 17. came to admonish them therefore under the same conditions and in the same manner he warns as Moses did and at last like Moses ends with predicting their restauration but in my Opinion the first Exposition seems the best To return to what was first intended by all these Quotations it is evident that these following plain Phrases of Scripture The Prophets had the Spirit of God. God poured out his Spirit upon Men. Men were filled with the Spirit of God and with the Holy Ghost signifie nothing more then that the Prophets had some particular extraordinary Vertue above other Men and were Persons very Eminent for their constant piety Moreover that they understood the Mind and Will of God for we have shewn that the Spirit in the Hebrew Language signifies both the mind and the purpose and resolutions of the mind yea the Law because it makes known Gods Mind is called the Spirit and Mind of God so that the imagination of the Prophets forasmuch as by it the decrees and purposes of God were revealed may likewise be called the Mind of God and the Prophets may be said to have the Spirit of God now though the Mind and Will of God be Written in our minds and his Eternal purposes and decrees be Engraven on our Hearts and consequently to use the Scripture Phrase we also understand the Mind of God yet because natural Knowledge is common to all Men it is very little esteem'd and the Iews who valued themselves above all other Nations extreamly despised it because it was common to all Mankind Lastly the Prophets were said to have the Spirit of God because Men were altogether ignorant of the Causes of Prophetical Knowledge and did not only admire it but as they did all other strange and unusual things ascribed it to God as the immediate Author of it We may then without any scruple affirm that the Prophets did no other way understand the revelations of God then by the help of imagination that is by the means of words or signs and these either real or imaginary for seeing we find in Scripture no other means beside these it is not lawful to suppose or fancy any other but by what Laws and Rules of Nature it was done I confess I am utterly ignorant I might with others say it was done by the Power of God but it would be little to the purpose and no more then if I should by some unintelligible terms express the form of any thing all things are done by the Power of God for the Power of Nature is nothing but the Power of God and 't is certain that we therefore do not understand the Power of God because we are ignorant of natural Causes and we very foolishly have recourse to the Power of God when we know not the natural Cause of any thing that is when we are ignorant of Gods Power but we have now no need of knowing the cause of prophetical Knowledge for as I have already intimated we only endeavour to find out what the Scripture teacheth us that from thence as from the precepts of Nature we may know our Duty but with the Causes of Scripture-Doctrines we have nothing to do Seeing then the Prophets by the help of imagination understood those things which God revealed there is no doubt but they perceived many things which were beyond the extent of natural understanding for from words and signs many more Ideas may be formed then can be only out of those Principles and Notions upon which all our natural Knowledge is founded Hence it is evident why the Prophets perceived and declared all things parabolically and in dark Speeches and exprest all spiritual things after a corporal manner because that doth better sute with the nature of the imagination neither can we now wonder why the Scripture or the Prophets spake so improperly and obscurely of the Spirit or Mind of God as Numb Chap. 11. v. 17. I will come down and talk with thee there and I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee and put it on them Likewise in the 1 st Book of Kings chap. 22. v. 11. and Zedekiah the Son of Chenaanah made him Horns of Iron and he said thus saith the Lord with these shalt thou push the Syrians till thou hast consumed them Michah saw God sitting Daniel saw him like an Old Man cloathed in white Garments Ezekiel like fire and they who were with Christ descending like a Dove the Apostles like Cloven Tongues and Paul before his Conversion like a great light all which Visions agree with those fancies and imaginations which the vulgar have of God and of Spirits Lastly because the imagination is wandring and unconstant Prophesy did not long continue with the Prophets nor was it frequent but very rare and as there were but very few that had it so likewise 't was very seldom we are now to inquire how the Prophets could be sure of those things which they perceived only by the strength of imagination and not by the certain Principles of mental Knowledge but whatever may be said concerning this Particular ought to be fetcht from Scripture tho' as we have already confest we have no true knowledge of the thing and cannot explain it by its first Causes however what the Scripture declareth concerning the truth and certainty of the Prophets I will shew in the following Chapter wherein I resolve to treat of Prophets CHAP. II. Of Prophets IT appears by the preceding Chapter that the Prophets were not endued with perfection of mind above other Men but only with strength and vivacity of imagination which Scripture-Histories abundantly testify Solomon excell'd all others in Wisdom but not in the gift of Prophesy Heman Darda Kalcoll tho' Men very Wise yet were no Prophets when plain Countrymen who had no Learning yea Women as Hagar Abrahams Maid had that gift which is agreeable both to
shall his Kingdom stand here Christ convinceth the Pharisees from their own Principles and Opinions who said he cast out Devils by Belzebub the Prince of Devils but we ought not to conclude that Christs Words are an absolute proof that there are Devils and a Kingdom of Devils So also when he said to his Disciples Matth. Chap. 18. v. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little Ones for I say unto you that in Heaven their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven by these Words Christ taught nothing more then that they ought not to be proud or despise any one whatever else was faid was only the better to perswade his Disciples the same may be said of the Signs and Discourses of the Apostles nor need we say more of this Subject because it would be extreamly tedious to Quote all those places of Scripture which are Writen only Ad hominem or according to Mens Capacity and with a great prejudice to Philosophy are maintain'd to be Divine Doctrines 'T is sufficient to have mention'd these few general ones the Curious Reader may himself examine the rest but seeing all those things which I have spoken concerning Prophets and Prophesy do directly concern the thing I aimed at which was to divide Philosophy from Theology yet because I have only touched upon the question generally I will now in the following Chapter inquire whether the Gift of Prophesy were peculiar only to the Iews or common to all Nations And also what is to be understood by the calling of the Iews CHAP. III. Of the calling of the Jews and whether the Gift of Prophesy were peculiar only to the Jews EVery Mans prosperity and true happiness consists only in the fruition of good but not in the glory that he alone and no other Person enjoys that good for whoever thinks himself the more happy because it is well with him when it is not so with other Men or because he is more fortunate and prosperous then others is ignorant what is true felicity and beatitude and the joy which ariseth from such a conceit is Childish and savors of an envious Evil Mind for example Mans true beatitude and felicity consists only in Wisdom and the knowledge of Truth but not in his being wiser then other Men or that other Men want true knowledge for that adds not at all to his Wisdom which is his true happiness he therefore that rejoyceth in being happyer then other Men takes Pleasure in their misfortune and is an envious Evil Man and he that is so never knew true Wisdom or the Peace of a good Life seeing therefore that the Scripture for the better perswading the Iews to obey the Law saith Deut. chap. 10 v. 19. that God chose them above all People and was nigher to them then to all other Nations Deut. chap. 4. v. 7. that he gave them Statutes and Laws more righteous and just then he did to other Nations as it is in the 8 th Verse of the same chap. and lastly that God made himself more known to them then to other People as it is in the 32 th verse of the 4 th chap. All this was spoken according to the capacity and understanding of those that did not know what was true blessedness as we have shewn in the foregoing Chapter and as Moses himself testifies in Deut. chap. 9. v. 6 7. for the Iews had not been less blessed tho' God had equally called all Men to Salvation nor had God been less gracious to them tho' he had been as nigh to other Nations their Laws had not been less righteous nor they less wise tho' the same had been prescribed to all other People and the Miracles done among them had not less declared Gods Power tho' the like had been wrought for other Nations nor had the Iews been the less obliged to serve and Worship God tho' God had equally given to all other Men the same Gifts which he bestow'd on them God's saying to Solomon in the 1 st Book of Kings chap. 3. v. 12. that none after him should be ever like him for understanding seems to be only a manner of speaking to declare the excellency of Solomons Wisdom what ever the words mean yet we ought not to believe that to increase Solomons happiness God promis'd never to make any Man so wise as he for that would not at all have made Solomons Wisdom greater neither would a wise King have given God the less thanks tho' God had said he would bestow as much Wisdom upon all other Men. But tho' we say that Moses in the forecited places of the Pentateuch spake according to the Capacity of the Iews yet we cannot deny but that God prescribed those Laws of the Pentateuch to the Iews only that he spoke only to them and that no other Nation ever saw such miracles as were wrought amongst them all that I intend is that Moses spake after such a manner and made use of such arguments the better to convince their Childish understandings and bind them the faster to the service and worship of God. Lastly we will shew that the Iews did not excel other Nations in knowledge or Piety but in some other thing or that I may with Scripture speak to their Capacity God did not make choise of the Iews above other Nations that their knowledge might be more sublime or their Lives more righteous then other Peopl's but for another end and purpose and what that was we will in order declare But before I begin I will in few words explain what I mean in that which follows by Gods disposing and direction what by Gods external and internal assistance what by Gods calling or Election And Lastly what I intend by fortune I take Gods disposing or direction to be the fixed order and immutable course of Nature or the Concatenation of Natural things and causes for we have already shewn that the universal Laws of Nature whereby all things are done and determin'd are nothing else but Gods eternal decrees which imply eternal verity and necessity therefore whether we say that all things are done and brought to pass according to the Laws of Nature or by the ordination and decree of God we say but one and the same thing because the Power of all Natural beings is nothing else but the Power of God by which all things were ordered and done it therefore follows that whatever Man who is a part of Nature doth for the preservation of his being or whatever Nature without any indeavour of his offers him for that end it is offered by the divine Power operating either by human Nature or by things without it so that whatever human Nature can perform by its own Power for self preservation that may be truly called Gods internal assistance and that benefit and advantage which Man receives from the Power of external causes may be justly termed Gods external help which fully explains what is
Law which depends upon the necessity of Nature is that which necessarily follows from the very Nature or Definition of any thing and the Law which depends upon the Pleasure of Men and is more properly called Law is that which Men for the greater safety and benefit of Life or for other Causes do prescribe to themselves and others for Example that all Bodies when they hit or dash against other less Bodies do loose so much of their own Motion as they impart to those other less Bodies is the Universal Law of all Bodies which follows from the necessity of Nature so likewise when a Man remembers one thing he is presently mindful of another like it or as soon as he sees them together is a Law which necessarily follows from Human Nature but that Men voluntarily part with or are compell'd to part with that Right which every one hath by Nature and oblige themselves to a certain Rule and Manner of living depends upon the Will and Pleasure of Men and tho' it be absolutely granted that all things by the Universal Laws of Nature are ordain'd to be and Operate according to a certain and determinate Rule yet I say those Laws do depend upon the Pleasure of Men. First because Man as he is a great part of Nature makes and constitutes a part of the Power of Nature and therefore those things which follow from the necessity of Human Nature that is from Nature it self as we conceive it regulated by Human Nature tho' they follow necessarily yet they follow from Human Power wherefore the Sanction of those Laws may very well be said to depend upon the Will of Men because it so depends upon the Power of Mans Mind that the Mind of Man as it apprehends things under the Notion of true or false may nevertheless be clearly understood without those Universal Laws but not without the Law of necessity as I have defined it Secondly I have said those Universal Laws of nature depend upon the Pleasure of Men because we ought to define and explain things by their next and immediate causes and that Universal consideration of Fate and the chaining together of causes can no way help us in the forming and ordering our thoughts concerning particular things that is we know not how things are ordered and tyed together so that it is better yea absolutely necessary for the benefit of Life to consider things as they are possible and so much of Law consider'd absolutely But because the name of Law by Translation is apply'd to natural things and commonly by Law nothing else is meant but a command which Men may or may not perform so that it confines human Power to bounds and limits beyond which it might go and yet commands nothing which it is not able to do therefore Law more particularly defined is that rule and manner of living which Men for some end prescribe to themselves or to others but because very few know the true end of Laws and Men being for the most part incapable of Understanding it do not live according to the dictates of reason therefore Law-givers that they might equally bind all have wisely establisht an end very different from that which necessarily follows from the Nature of Laws namely by propounding to those who keep the Law that which they most love and by threatning the breakers of the Law with that which they most fear and so endeavor as far as 't is possible to rule the multitude as a Horse is govern'd with a Bridle so that Law in its common acceptation is that rule of living which by the Power of others is prescribed to Men and consequently that they who obey Laws are said to live under Law and may be called Servants or Subjects he that giveth to every one his due because he is afraid of the gallows is under the Power of another and being compell'd by the fear of punishment to do what he doth cannot be called just but he that giveth to every one his due because he knows the necessity and the true end and reason of Laws what he doth is free and voluntary and he may therefore be deservedly called a just Man which I suppose to be St. Pauls meaning when he said they that lived under the Law could not be justify'd fy'd by the Law for justice as it is commonly defined is a constant Voluntary resolution of rendring to every Man that which is his due and therefore Solomon Prov. chap. 20. v. 15. saith it is joy to the just to do judgment but the wicked fear Seeing then Law is nothing else but a rule of living which Men for some end prescribe to themselves or to others the Law may therefore be distinguisht into human and divine by Mans Law we understand that rule of living which secures life and the weal public but the Divine Law hath respect only to our cheifest good that is the true knowledge and love of God the reason why I call this Law Divine is in respect of the Nature of our cheifest good which I will with all possible brevity and plainess declare Whereas our better part is our underderstanding it is certain if we seek our own good we ought cheifly to endeavour as much as is possible the perfecting our intellect because in the perfection of that consists our cheifest happiness and since all our knowledge and certainty which removes all doubt depends only upon the knowledge of God because nothing can be or be known without God and because we may doubt of all things while we have no clear and distinct Idea of God it follows that our perfection and cheifest happiness depends only upon the knowledge of God. Moreover since nothing can either exist or be known without God it is certain that all things in Nature in respect of their essence and perfection do imply and express the Notion of God and consequently the more we know natural things the greater and more perfect knowledge we acquire of God because the knowledge of an effect by its Cause is nothing else but knowing the true Nature and Property of the cause so that by how much the more we know natural things so much the more perfectly do we know the being of God who is the cause of all things and all our knowledge that is our cheifest happiness doth not only depend upon but wholly consists in the knowledge of God which consequence is made good by a Mans becomming more or less perfect according to the Nature and perfection of the thing he most loves and so on the contrary He therefore is most perfect who pertakes most of the highest Beatitude and who above all things loves and is most delighted with the intellectual knowledge of God who is the most perfect of all beings Hitherto then our cheifest good and happiness still returns into the knowledge of God the end then of all human actions so far as we have an Idea of him being God the means which this end
the sacking of the City when the Iews were carried Captives into Babilon and were not for ought we know divided into Sects they presently neglected Ceremonies bid farewel to the whole Law of Moses forgot the Laws of their own Country as superfluous and mixed themselves with the rest of the Nations as appears out of Esdras and Nehemiah therefore without doubt the Iews after their Government was dissolved were no more bound by Moses's Law then they were before they became a Commonwealth for while they lived among other Nations before their going out of Egypt they had no peculiar Law nor were obliged to any but the Natural Law observing also the Laws of the Country and the Nation where they lived which were not repugnant to the Divine Natural Law the Patriarchs indeed offer'd Sacrifices to God but that was because they were from their Infancy accustomed so to do it being the Practice of all Men from the time of Enoch to offer Sacrifices to incite and testify their Devotion the Patriarchs therefore offered their Sacrifices neither as Men Commanded by any Divine Precept or Instructed by the Universal Law of Nature but only because it was the Custom of that time and if they did it by any Command that Command was no other then that of the Commonwealth wherein they lived and which as I have shewn in the 3 d. Chapter where I spoke of Melchisedek they were bound to obey Having justified my Opinion by Scripture-Authority I will next from general Principles very briefly shew why Ceremonies were useful to Establish and Preserve the Iewish Commonwealth Society is not only convenient but absolutely necessary to living securely from the danger of Enemies and likewise for the quicker and more easy dispatch of human labour and business for unless Men mutually assist one another they must want both time and means so far as 't is possible to preserve themselves all Men are not equally fit for all things nor is every one able to procure those things of which he singly stands in need no individual Person hath time or strength enough to Plow Sow Reap Grind Bake Boyl Weave Knit and do very many other things necessary to support Life not mentioning Arts and Siences which perfect and make human nature happy we see that those People who live Barbarously without any Policy lead miserable bruitish lives and do not come by those necessaries and sorry Houshold-stuff which they have without helping one another if Men were so constituted by Nature that they would desire nothing but what right reason dictates Societies would need no Laws and only to instruct Men in the precepts of Morality would be sufficient to make them with a free and constant mind do whatever should be for the public Good but 't is far otherwise with human Nature all men indeed seek their own Good and Advantage not according to the Dictates of right Reason but according to their own peculiar Lusts and hurryed with the violence of their own Affections without regard to any thing else believe that to be good which they ardently desire This is the reason why no Society of Men can subsist without Government Force and Laws to moderate and restrain unbridled Passions and Affections but down right compulsion is intollerable to human Nature and therefore Seneca the Tragedian says Empires maintain'd by force last but a little while mild Governments endure longest what Men do out of fear they do against their Will never considering the utility or necessity of what they do but only take care to avoid capital Punishment yea they can hardly refrain from rejoycing at the losses and misfortunes of their Rulers and tho' they themselves suffer by it cannot forbear wishing and doing them all the mischief they are able but above all things Men are impatient of obeying and being govern'd by their equals and lastly nothing is more difficult than to deprive Men of that Liberty which they once enjoy'd From all which it follows that all Societies if it be possible should be govern'd by their own general assemblies that so no Body may be Subjected to his equal but where the reins of Government are in the hands of a few or one single Person there that single Person ought to have extraordinary qualifications above others or at least should endeavour to make the People think so and in every government such Laws ought to be made as are likely to incline Men to do their duty not for fear of punishment but in hope of reward Moreover because obedience consists in executing the commands of those that rule it follows that in a Society where the ruling Power is in the Collective Body of the People and Laws are made by general and common consent there is no such thing as obedience and tho' the Laws be increased or diminished yet still the People remain free because they are not Subject to the Authority of another but Act by their own voluntary universal agreement and consent but 't is quite contrary where a single Person governs for there all are Subject to whatever he commands so that unless the People have been always educated under such absolute government it will be very difficult for a Monarch to make new Laws or to take away any liberty from the People which they have formerly enjoy'd These things being thus generally considered we now come to the Common-wealth of the Iews who when they went first out of Egypt were not obliged to the Laws of any other Nation so that they might then constitute and enact what Laws and Statutes they pleased and fix themselves and their government in any part of the World they had a mind to possess but being a stupid People and by long servitude depraved in their understanding they were unfit to make good and prudent Laws or to govern themselves by their own democratical Authority without a Superior the Power of governing was therefore to be put into the hands of a single Person who was to command the rest and compel them by force who was likewise to prescribe and interpret Laws This Power Moses easily obtain'd because he excell'd all others in divine Vertue and Power which Power he perswaded the People by many Testimonies Exod. chap. 14. v. 31. and chap. 19. v. 9. was given him by God being thus qualify'd he made and prescribed Laws to the People but took special care that the People might do their duty not so much out of fear as of their own free will which he did upon two considerations First because the Peoples obstinate and Rebellious Nature would not endure continual compulsion Secondly because there was an approaching War which was like to succeed better by encouraging then by threatning the Soldiers every one endeavoring by his valor rather to get Reputation then avoid Punishment for this reason also Moses by Gods command introduced Religion into the Common-wealth that Devotion more then fear might incline them to obedience Lastly he obliged them by many
convince the Heathen that then Worshipt the Sun Moon the Earth Water Air c. told them their Gods were weak inconstant mutable and subject to the Power of the invisible God whose Miracles they proclaim'd and by them endeavour'd to prove that the whole frame of Nature was by the Power of that God whom they worshipt created chiefly for their good and benefit with which Opinion Men were so pleas'd that ever since they have not ceased to fain Miracles that they may be thought better beloved by God then others and that the end and purpose of Gods making and preserving all things was chiefly for their sakes How arrogant is the foolish Vulgar who conceive nothing rightly of God or Nature but confound the Ordinances of God with the imaginations of Men and think Nature so narrow that they believe Man to be the principal part thereof Having thus discovered the Opinions and Prejudices of the Common People concerning God and Nature I will proceed in order and shew first that nothing can happen contrary to Nature whose order and course is eternal constant and immutable explaining also what is a Miracle Secondly that we cannot know the essence existence nor consequently the providence of God by Miracles but they more manifestly appear in the constant and unchangeable order of Nature Thirdly I will prove by some Scripture Examples that the Scripture it self by the decrees purposes and providence of God means nothing else but that regular course of Nature which necessarily follows from its eternal Laws Lastly I will shew how Scripture Miracles are to be interpreted and what we are principally to observe in the Relations we have of Miracles all which particulars are the subject of this present Chapter and will be very useful to the design of this whole Treatise The first Particular is proved by what we have said in the 4 th Chapter Concerning the Divine Law namely that whatsoever God willeth and decreeth implyes eternal verity and necessity for the Knowledge of God is not distinguisht from his Will and we say the same thing when we say God willeth and God knoweth any thing because by the same necessity derived from the Nature and Perfection of God whereby he knoweth any thing to be what it is by the same necessity must God will that thing to be what it is but since nothing is necessarily true but what is so by the Will and Decree of God it clearly follows that the Universal Laws of Nature are the very Ordinances of God which flow from the necessity and perfection of his Divine Nature Whatever therefore cometh to pass in Nature which is repugnant to its Universal Laws that must necessarily be contrary to the Decree and Knowledge of the Divine Nature or if any one conclude that God doth any thing against the Laws of Nature he likewise must grant that God Acts contrary to his own Nature which is the greatest of all Absurdities As therefore nothing happens in Nature contrary to its Universal Laws so neither doth any thing happen which doth not agree with and follow from them for whatever is done is done by the Will and eternal Decree of God that is according to Laws and Rules which imply eternal Verity and Necessity and therefore tho' the Laws in which are contained eternal Verity and Necessity be not known to us yet Nature always observes them and consequently keeps her constant and unchangeable course No rational Man can believe the Power and Vertue of Nature to be limited and its Laws confin'd to some particular Operations and Effects and not fitted Universally to all for since the Power and Vertue of Nature is the very Vertue and Power of God we ought to believe the Power of Nature infinite and the Laws of Nature so general that they extend themselves to all things which fall under the comprehension of the Divine Knowledge otherwise it must be granted that God Created Nature so weak and impotent and its Laws and Rules so defective that to preserve and maintain Nature he must upon every new occasion assist and succour it that things may fall out according to his Will which is very irrational for any Man to suppose If then nothing happens in Nature which doth not follow from its Rules and Laws that its Laws are extended to all things within the compass of Divine Knowledge and that Nature keeps a fixed immutable and regular Course it is manifest that whatever Men call a Miracle is only so in respect of their Opinions and signifies nothing else but some work or thing done of which we cannot discover the natural Cause by an example of any thing that ordinarily happens like it at least the Person cannot who relates or records the Miracle I might call that a Miracle whose cause cannot be made out from any natural Principles known by the Light of Nature but because Miracles were wrought according to the Capacity of the Vulgar who knew not the principles of natural things it is certain that the Antients counted that a Miracle which they could not explain as the common People use to do natural things namely by recurring to their Memory for bringing to mind some other thing of the like kind which they did not admire for the common People think they very well understand a thing when they do not admire it By this Rule and no other Men in old and later times have judged of Miracles and it is not to be doubted but many things are related in Scripture for Miracles whose causes might have been made manifest from the known principles of natural things as we have hinted in our 2 d Chapter where we spoke of the Suns standing still in the time of Ioshua and its going backward in the time of Hezekiah on the Dyal of Ahaz but of these things more at large when I come to speak of the Interpretation of Miracles I will now go on to prove the Second particular namely that we cannot by miracles understand the Essence Existence or Providence of God but that they are more clearly apprehended by us in the fixed and immutable order of nature which I thus prove If the Existence of God be not of it self known to us it must then be made out and concluded from Notions whose verity is so firm and unshaken that there cannot be a Power by which those Notions may be changed at least they ought to appear so to us at that time when from them we conclude the existence of God if we will have that existence to be indubitable for if we could think those Notions mutable by any Power whatever it be then might we doubt of the Truth of those Notions and consequently of our conclusion namely God's Existence nor could we be certain of any thing and seeing we cannot know what is congruous or contrary to Nature but that which we prove to be congruous or contrary to those Prime Notions if we could conceive any thing in Nature to be done by any
not well acquainted with them will take many things in Scripture for Miracles which were never thought so by the Penmen of it so that he will not only be mistaken in the Things and Miracles that happen'd but will be likewise ignorant what was the meaning of those by whom the Scripture was Originally Written for Example The Prophet Zachary chap. 14. v. 7. speaking of a future War saith but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord nor Day nor Night but it shall come to pass that at the Evening time it shall be Light in which words he seems to predict a great Miracle but they signify no more then that a doubtful Battle should be fought whereof the Success should be known only to God but towards Evening the Iews should be Victorious In the like Phrases and Expressions the Prophets were wont to foretel and write the Victories and overthrows of the Nations Isaiah chap. 13. v. 10. declareth the destruction of Babylon in these words the Stars of Heaven and the Constellations thereof shall not give their Light the Sun shall be darkned in his going forth and the Moon shall not cause her Light to shine which no body believes did happen in the destruction of that Empire nor that which the Prophet adds v. 13. therefore will I shake the Heavens and the Earth shall remove out of her place In like manner Isaiah chap. 48. v. 21. they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts he caused the Waters to flow out of the Rock for them he clave the Rock also and the Waters gushed out by which words nothing more is meant then that the Iews found Fountains in the deserts by which they quenched their thirst for no such Miracles happen'd when by the consent of Cyrus they returned to Ierusalem many expressions of like Nature occur in the Scripture and are only fashions of speaking amongst the Iewish Nation I need instance in no more but let it be observed that the Iews made use of such Phrases not only for Ornament to their Language but also to express their Devotion and therefore attributed all things to God so that the Scripture seems to relate nothing but Miracles even when it speaks of things meerly natural We are therefore to believe that when the Scripture saith God hardened the Heart of Pharaoh nothing more was signified then that Pharoah was very obstinate and disobedient and when it is said God opened the Windows of Heaven nothing more is to be understood then that there fell abundance of Rain whoever then will but consider that many things in Scripture are related very briefly imperfectly and without Circumstances shall find nothing repugnant to natural Reason but many things which seem very obscure may with a little Meditation be explain'd and easily understood so that I think I have sufficiently proved what I intended but before I put an end to this Chapter I have thought fit to intimate that in speaking of Miracles I have taken a course different from that I made use of in treating of Prophesy for I declared nothing positively concerning Prophesy but what I could conclude from fundamental Princiciples revealed in the Scripture but what I have said concerning Miracles I have drawn from Principles known by the Light of Nature which I did designedly because I could not know wherein Prophesy consisted nor could I aver any thing of it it being a meer Theological question exceeding human Capacity but what I could derive from revealed Principles so that I was forced to make a short Historical Collection of Prophesy and from thence to form some Maxims which might instruct me as far as 't was possible in its Nature and Properties but because that which we inquire concerning Miracles namely whether any thing in Nature can happen which is either contrary to its Laws or doth not follow from them is a Philosophical Subject I thought it much better to clear the Question by making use of Principles known by the Light of Nature as those that are most obvious I say I did it purposely because I can also prove it from fundamental Principles of Scripture which declareth that the course and order of nature in general is constant and immutable Ps. 148. v. 6 he also establisht them for ever and ever he hath made a decree which shall not pass and Ierem. chap. 31. v. 35 36. thus saith the Lord who giveth the Sun for a Light by Day and the Ordinances of the Moon and the Stars for a Light by Night which divideth the Sea when the Waves thereof roar if these Ordinances depart from before me saith the Lord then the Seed of Israel shall cease also from being a Nation before me for ever the Philosopher in his Book of Ecclesiastes chap. 1. v. 10. saith is there any thing whereof it may be said see this is new it hath been already of old time which was before us v. 11. he saith there is no remembrance of former things neither shall there be any remembrance of things to come with those that come after by which words he means that nothing happens which hath not happen'd before tho' it be forgotten in the 3 d Chapter v. 11. he saith that God hath made every thing beautiful in its time and v. 14. he saith whatever God doth it shall be for ever nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it v. 15. that which hath been is now and that which is to be hath already been which clearly declares that Nature keeps a constant fixed and unchangeable course that God in all Ages known and unknown it still the same that the Laws of Nature are so large and perfect nothing can be added to or taken from them and lastly that there is nothing new in Miracles but what seems so to Mans ignorance these things are expresly declared in Scripture but 't is no where said that any thing happens in Nature either contrary to its Laws or not proceeding from them so that Miracles require Causes and Circumstances and are not immediately wrought by I know not what Kingly and absolute Empire which the Vulgar attribute to God but by his divine Power and Decree manifested in the Laws and Order of Nature and that Miracles may be wrought by seducing Impostures as appears Deut. chap. 13. and Matth. chap. 24. v. 24. from whence it manifestly follows that Miracles were things natural and therefore to use Solomons expression are not to be thought new or contrary to Nature but have as neer an Alliance as is possible to natural things which may be easily made out by the Rules I have laid down drawn from the Scripture but tho' I say we are taught these things by Scripture yet I do not mean that the Scripture delivers them to us as Doctrines necessary to Salvation but only that the Prophets received them as we do and therefore 't is left to every Mans Liberty to have such an Opinion of them as
for us to interpret Scripture for most of the things we meet with in it cannot be deduced from Principles known by natural reason as we have already shewn and therefore the Truth of them cannot be made manifest by the strength of natural reason and consequently the true Sense and meaning of the Scripture cannot appear to us without some other light Moreover if this opinon were true the common People who are ignorant of or at least do not mind Demonstrations would entertain no Scripture but what they received from the Authority or Testimony of Philosophers and consequently ought to suppose Philosophers cannot Err in the interpretation of Scripture which truly would be a new Ecclesiastical Authority and a kind of Priesthood which the vulgar would rather scorn then reverence And tho' our method require the knowledge of the Hebrew Tongue which the vulgar have no time to Study nothing can upon that Score be objected for the common People of the Iews and Gentiles to whom the Prophets and Apostles Preached understood the Language of the Prophets and Apostles and by it understood the meaning of the Prophets tho' not the reasons of the things they Preached which according to the opinion of Maimonides they ought to have known to make themselves capable of understanding the Prophets meaning It doth not follow from the rule of our method that the common People must necessarily rely upon the Testimony of interpreters for I have given an instance of a People that knew the Language of the Prophets and Apostles but Maimonides can never shew me a common People that knew the causes of things which he says was the knowledge whereby the mind of the Prophets was to be understood and as for the common People of these days we have already shewn that all things necessary to Salvation tho' the reasons of them be not known may be easily understood in any Language because they are so common and ordinary and for this knowledge the vulgar do not depend upon the Testimony of interpreters in other things they follow the Fortune of the Learned But to return to a stricter examination of Maimonides opinion first he supposeth that the Prophets did in all things agree one with another and that they were most excellent Philosophers because as he will have it their conclusions were drawn from the Truth of things but this I have proved in my Second Chapter to be false Next he supposeth that the Sense of Scripture cannot be made out by Scripture for as much as it doth not Demonstrate any thing nor doth it prove the things of which it Treats by definition and Primary Causes wherefore according to the opinion of Maimonides the true Sense of Scripture can neither appear or be deduced from Scripture But I have likewise proved this to be false in the present Chapter For I have made it appear both from reason and examples that the Sense of Scripture is found out only by Scripture and to be derived thence even when it speaks of things unknown to us by natural light Lastly Maimonides supposeth that it is Lawful for us according to our preconceived opinions to expound and wrest the Words of Scripture and to deny or change the litteral Sense thereof be it never so express and plain which Liberty is Diametrically opposite to what I have Demonstrated in this and other Chapters and Savors of too much boldness but should I grant him this Liberty what advantage will he get by it none at all for those things which cannot be Demonstrated make up the greatest part of Scripture we cannot by this way make out nor by this rule expound or interpret them when on the contrary by following our method we may explain many things of this kind and as we have already shewn safely dispute of them but those things which are in their own nature perceptible their Sense is easily drawn from the context and as Maimonides method is unprofitable so it takes from the common People all certainty which they and all that follow any other method can by diligent reading have of the Sense of Scripture and therefore we reject it as dangerous useless and absurd as for the forementioned Tradition of the Pharisees we know not that there is any such and as for the Popes Authority I for no other reason deny it but because it wants clear Proof for had they as much Scripture to shew for it as heretofore the Iewish High Priests had for theirs I should be as little concerned that some of the Popes of Rome have been Hereticks and wicked Men as that the High-Priests of the Iews were sometimes as bad and yet by the command of Scripture had still the Power of interpreting the Law as appears by the 17 chap. of Deut. v. 11 12. chap. 33. v. 10. and Mal. chap. 2. v. 7 8. But because the Popes can shew us no such Testimony their Authority is very much to be doubted and that no Man may deceive himself and think that according to the example of the Iewish High-Priests the Catholic Religion also wants a High Priest it is to be observed that the Laws of Moses were the public Laws of the Country and needed a public Authority to maintain them for if every Man have a Liberty of interpreting the public Laws as he pleaseth no Common-wealth can stand but presently dissolves and public Laws become private but in Religion the Case is quite different for seeing Religion doth not so much consist in external Actions as in Truth and Singleness of Heart it is of no Public Power or Authority for Truth and Sincerity of mind is not infused by the command of Laws or by public Authority and no Man can be compell'd by force or by Laws to be made holy nothing but good brotherly Council education and a mans own free judgment can do that Seeing then every Man hath right to think of Religion as he pleaseth and it cannot be imagin'd any Man can part with this right it is in every Mans Power to judge of Religion and consequently to expound and interpret it to himself for as the cheif Power of interpreting Laws and judging of Public Matters resides in the Magistrate upon no other account but because they are public so likewise for the same reason the Supream Authority of explaining and judging of Religion is in every particular Person because it is every private Mans right The Authority then of the Iewish High-Priest to interpret Laws is far from proving the Popes Authority to interpret Religion but rather the contrary that every particular Man hath right to do it So that it is evident our method of interpreting Scripture i. the best for seeing the supream Power of interpreting it ought to be that natural reason which is common to all Men and not any Supernatural light or external Authority this method ought not be so difficult and abstruse that none but acute Philosophers can make use of or Compose it but it must be
according to his Will to whom he hath parted with that Liberty and from him only must expect Protection Injury or Wrong is when a Citizen or Subject is compell'd to suffer loss or damage from another contrary to Civil Right and the Decrees of the Supreme Power for there can be no such thing as Wrong or Injury any where but in a Civil State nor can any wrong be done to Subjects by the Supreme Power which may lawfully do whatever it pleaseth and therefore hath place only amongst private persons who by Law are obliged not to offend one another Justice is a constant resolution of giving to every one that which by the Law rightly interpreted belongs to him Justice and Injustice are sometimes called Equity and Iniquity because they that are appointed to end Suits and Differences are bound not to have any respect to persons but to look upon all as equals and equally to defend every Man's right neither envying the rich nor despising the poor Confederates are Men of two Cities or Societies who to avoid the danger and inconveniencies of War or for any other advantage and benefit mutually covenant not to offend or hurt one another but in case of necessity to assist and help one another both preserving their own Power and Dominion This League or Contract will so long continue firm and binding as the consideration of danger or profit upon which it was founded continues because no person covenants or is oblig'd to perform his contracts unless it be in hope of some good or fear of some evil which being the Foundation of all Contracts take away that Basis Experience tells us they all fall to the ground For tho' divers Empires and Governments do mutually covenant not to do any thing to the prejudice or hurt of one another yet 't is always the endeavour of both to hinder one another from growing too powerful neither do they believe one anothers promises unless they be fully satisfied that the End of their agreement be for the benefit of both nor is there any wrong in the case for who but a Fool ignorant of the right of Supreme Power will give credit to the words or promises of him who having Supreme Power hath right to do what he will and who is obliged by no other Law but the publick safety and benefit of the people under his Government we likewise observe that Religion and Piety signify very little for who ever hath the Supreme Power cannot without consequent mischief keep his Promises which prove prejudicial and destructive to his People and Government or that he cannot perform them without breaking Faith with his Subjects by which Faith he is principally obliged and which usually with Oaths he solemnly and religiously promiseth to keep An Enemy is one that liveth out of the Commonwealth and neither as a Confederate or Subject will own its Power or Government for 't is not the hatred of a Commonwealth but its Right and Power which maketh a Man an Enemy for the Power of a Commonwealth over him who will by no kind of Contract own its Power is the same that it hath over him who doth it harm because it hath right to compel him one way or other to yield and submit to it or confederate with it Lastly Treason in Subjects or Citizens is only where they have by express or imply'd Contract transferr'd all their right to the City or Commonwealth and that Subject is counted guilty of Treason who endeavours to usurp the right of the Supreme Power to himself or transfer it upon another I say he that but endeavours it for if none were to be condemned till after the commission of the fact the punishment would many times come too late therefore I say positively he that by any means goes about to usurp or take away the right of the Supreme Power making no difference whether the Commonwealth shall be a gainer or loser by it upon what account soever he attempted or did it yet he hath committed Treason and is justly condemned which every one also acknowledgeth to be just in War for if a Souldier keep not his station but without his General 's knowledge or command assaults the Enemy tho' he beat him and did it very advisedly yet doing it of his own head he deserves death having violated his own Oath and his Geneneral's Authority Now tho' Subjects do not see that their case and a Souldiers is alike yet in truth the reason is the same in both sor seeing the Commonwealth ought to be governed defended and preserved by the Counsel only of the Supreme Power and all have absolutely covenanted that this right shall reside only in the Supreme Power if any Man shall at his own Will and Pleasure without the knowledge of the Supreme Council make any publick attempt which would certainly prove very advantageous to the Commonwealth yet having violated the right of the Supreme Power he is lawfully and deservedly condemned Now to clear all scruples if any Man ask Whether maintaining that a Man in his Natutural State hath Natural Right to live according to the Laws and Dictates of his own Appetite be not flatly contrary to the revealed Law of God Seeing every Man whether he have or have not the use of Reason is equally obliged by God's Command to love his Neighbour as himself and therefore we cannot without being very injurious do any harm to another and live according to our own Lusts. This Objection is easily answered for if we consider only the state of Nature that state and Nature it self were before there was any Religion for by Nature no Man knows that there is any obligation upon him to obey God nor can he come to the knowledge of it by Reason but whoever knows it must know it only by Revelation confirm'd with Signs and therefore before Revelation no body was bound by the Divine Law of which every Man must be necessarily ignorant The state of Nature then and the state of Religion must not be confounded but considered apart and as we have proved by Paul's Authority the state of Nature is understood to be without Religion without Law without sin or wrong doing Nor do we consider the state of Nature as before and without the revealed Law of God in respect of Ignorance only but in respect also of that freedom and liberty in which all Men were born for if Men by Nature were bound by the Law of God or if God's Law were by Nature a Law there was no need of God's making a Covenant with Men and obliging them by Oath and Contract It must therefore be absolutely granted that God's Law took place from the time that Men by an express Covenant with God promised to obey him in all things by which Covenant and Promise they did as it were depart from their natural freedom and transferr'd their natural right upon God in like manner as we have declared is done in a Civil State. But of this I
will treat more at large in the following Chapter It may by way of Objection be further demanded how I can maintain that Supreme Powers still retain their natural right of doing what they will when Supreme Powers as well as Subjects are bound by the Law of God To solve this difficulty which doth not rise so much from the state as from the right of Nature I say that the same consideration which obligeth a Man in the state of Nature to live according to the dictates of Reason obligeth him likewise to God's revealed Law namely because it is better and safer for him so to do But however if he will not 't is still but at his own peril and therefore he may live according to his own Will and is not bound to live by any other Man's direction or to acknowledge any mortal Man to be his Judge or upon any religious account his Superiour And this is the Right and Power which I say the Supreme Power still retains Supreme Powers may consult Men but are not bound to acknowledge any Man their Judge nor any Man but themselves the Assertor or Protector of Religion a Prophet only excepted who confirms his express Mission from God by undoubted Signs and Wonders and then neither do Supreme Powers acknowledge Man but God to be their Judge but if the Supreme Power will not obey God in his revealed Law 't is at their own peril no Natural or Civil Right can resist them for Civil Right depends upon the Decree and Will of the Supreme Power and Natural Right depends upon the Laws of Nature which do not respect Religion as it intends and designs the benefit of mankind only but were fitted and accommodated to the order and course of Universal Nature that is the Eternal Decree of God whereof we are ignorant And this is what others mean who do not so clearly express themselves when they say that a Man may sin against the revealed Will of God but not against his Eternal Decree by which he predestinated and ordained all things If any Man ask me when the Supreme Power commands any thing against Religion and the Obedience which we by express Covenant have promised to God whether we ought to obey God or Man I answer very briefly resolving to speak more fully of it in the following Chapter That above all things we ought to obey God when we have a certain and undubitable Revelation but because Men are usually very much mistaken in matters of Religion and because of the diversity of their Dispositions have great contests about their own Phancies as we find by woful experience it is certain that if no Man should be bound to obey the Supreme Power in things which a Man thinks concern his Religion the Civil Right and Laws of the Commonwealth would depend upon every particular Man's different Judgment and Affection for no Man would be bound by any publick Law which he thought contrary to his Faith or Superstition and under this pretence every one would be at liberty to do what he pleased For his reason therefore Supreme Power to whom by Divine and Natural Right it belongs to preserve and protect the Laws of Government ought to have the sole power of judging determining and establishing Religion and all Men are bound by their Faith and Allegiance which God hath commanded should be kept to obey all the Commands and Decrees of the Supreme Power which concern Religion but if they that have the Supreme Power be Heathen and Infidels we must either make no agreement with them or suffer all extremities if we do covenant with them and transfer our Right and Power upon them seeing we thereby deprive our selves of defending Religion and our selves We are bound to obey and keep Faith with them and may be compell'd to it unless it be where God by undoubted Revelation hath declared a person to be a Tyrant or excepting the person by Name hath promised his particular aid and assistance against him We read that of all the Iews which were in Babylon there were only three young Men who were assured of God's particular assistance that would not obey Nebuchadnezzar all the rest but Daniel whom the King himself adored were compell'd by the Law to obey him perhaps believing in their Minds that by God's Decree they were delivered into that Kings Hands and that by God's appointment he was to be King and keep the Supreme Power Eleazer on the contrary however it went with his Country gave an Example of his constancy to his followers and would rather endure all extremities than suffer their Right and Power to be transferr'd upon the Greeks and tried all means possible to avoid being compell'd to embrace the Faith and Religion of the Heathen which is confirmed by daily experience The Supreme Powers that profess Christian Religion for the security of their Government make no scruple of entring into Leagues and Covenants with Turks and Infidels and command their Subjects who live amongst them not to use any greater liberty in Religion or any other Affairs than the Articles of such Leagues or the Country in which they live allow as appears by the Contract which I have already told you the Hollanders made with the people of Iapan CHAP. XVII 'T is neither necessary or possible to transfer all things upon the Supreme Power Of the Iews Commonwealth what it was during the Life of Moses and what after his death before they chose Kings and of its Excellency What were the Causes of the destruction of so divine a Commonwealth and why it could not subsist without Sedition THough much of what hath been said in the preceding Chapter of the right of Supreme Powers and transferring on them every Mans natural Rights may upon serious consideration be very agreeable to Practice yet when all is done many things will remain in theory only and be found absolutely impracticable For no Man can so far transfer his Power and consequently his Right upon another as to cease from being a Man nor was there ever any Supreme Power that could do all that it would 'T is vain for Supreme Power to command a Subject to hate his Friend and love his Enemy or to command a Man not to be provoked with Reproach and Contempt or not to desire to be freed from fear and other things of the like kind which necessarily follow from the Laws of Nature this is made manifest by daily Experience for Men never so depart from their Right or so transfer their Power upon others but that they are still feared even by those to whom they have transfer'd it for Government is many times as much in danger of Subjects deprived of their Right as it is of foreign Enemies and if Men could be so far divested of their Natural Right as afterwards not to be able to do any thing but according to the Will and Pleasure of those that have the Supreme Power then indeed all sorts of Tyranny and
had Temples dedicated to him and was worshipt by Flamens and Priests in the same manner that other Gods were Tacitus in his First Book of Annals tells us That Alexander would be saluted by the Name of Iupiter's Son which was not Pride but Design as appears by the Answer he return'd to the invective Speech made by Hermolaus In the Eighth Book and Eighth Section of Quintus Curtius Alexander speaks to this purpose One thing is very ridiculous which Hermolaus requires That I should not own Jupiter to be my Father being so declared by his Oracle as if the Answer of the Gods were in my Power he offer'd me the Name of his Son which was very suitable to the Designs I am now about I wish the Indians would also believe me to be a God Success in War depends much upon Fame and that which is falsly believed sometimes works the same effects which things do that are true In which few words he very artificially endeavours to continue People in their ignorance and neatly insinuates the Design of his dissembling which Cleo likewise did in his Oration whereby he endeavour'd to perswade the Macedonians to sooth and flatter the King for after he had with admiration spoken in praise of Alexander and reckon'd up all his Merits giving a colour of Truth to the Fraud he shews the advantages gain'd by it in words to this effect The Persians are not only prudent but pious in worshipping their Kings as Gods because it was the Safety of Majesty and then concludes That he himself would be the first who at the King's entrance would fall down upon the Earth and worship him and that he thought the wisest amongst them would follow his Example See Curtius in his Eighth Book § 8. But the Macedonians were wiser Nor can any but meer Barbarians be so grosly cheated and of Subjects suffer themselves to be made Slaves altogether unprofitable to themselves Others have with more ease perswaded the World That the Majesty of Kings is Sacred that they are God's Vicegerents on Earth ordained by God and not establisht by the Votes and Consent of Men but preserved and defended by the particular aid and protection of Divine Providence This and much more have Monarchs devised to secure their Government with which I will not meddle but proceed to those things which for the preservation of Government Divine Revelation taught Moses We have already declared in the Fifth Chapter that after the Israelites went out of Egypt they were not subject to the Laws or power of any other Nation but it was lawful for them to Institute what Laws and possess what Lands they pleased for when they were freed from the intollerable bondage of the Egyptians and were not bound by Covenant to any Mortal they again recover'd their natural Right to all things which were in their Power and every Man might freely resolve whether he would keep his natural Right or part with and transfer it to another Being then in this natural State by the Counsel of Moses in whom all had a very great trust and confidence they resolved to transfer their Power upon no mortal Man but upon God only and without further delay promis'd all with one Voice to obey God in all things and never to own any other Power but such as God by Prophetical Revelation should institute and appoint This Promise and Translation of their Right and Power upon God was in the same manner that we have supposed it to be done in a common Society when Men resolve to depart with their natural Right For as it appears Exod. chap. 24. ver 7. they freely without any Compulsion not terrified with any threats did by express Covenant and Oath part with their natural Right and transfer'd it upon God and that the Covenant might be firm and binding without any suspicion of fraud God Covenanted nothing with them till after they had made tryal of his wonderful Power by which they had already been and were afterwards to be preserved see Exod. chap. 19. v. 4 5. for upon this very ground of believing that the Power of God only could save them they transfer'd all their Power of preserving themselves and consequently all their Right upon God. The Government then of the Jews was only in God and therefore by vertue of the Covenant was called the Kingdom of God God was rightful King of the Jews and consequently the Enemies of that Government were Gods Enemies and the Subjects of that Commonwealth who went about to usurp that Government were guilty of Treason against his Divine Majesty and the Laws of that Common-wealth were the Laws and Commands of God So that in this Commonwealth Civil Right and Religion which we have shewn consists only in Obedience towards God were but one and the same thing My meaning is that the Doctrines of Religion were Laws and Commands Piety was Justice and Impiety wrong and Injustice he that forsook the publick Religion ceased to be a Subject and upon that very account was thought an Enemy he that dy'd for Religion was thought to dye for his Country and between Religion and Civil Right there was no difference Upon this account this Government might very well be called Theocracy seeing the Subjects thereof were bound by no Law but what was revealed by God. But these things were thus more in opinion then reality for the Jews did indeed still retain the Absolute Power of Government as will appear by what shall be presently declared namely by the Form and Rules whereby their Government was Administred which is now my purpose to explain Seeing the Jews did not transfer their Power upon any other Man but all equally parted from it as is done in Democratical-government and all cryed with one Voice Whatsoever God himself without any other intermediate Person shall speak to us that will we do it clearly appears by this Agreement they all continued equal and the Power and Right of consulting God of receiving and interpreting Laws was equal in them all and the Administration of the Government was in the whole Congregation Upon this ground all equally at first hearken'd what God would say and what he would Command but in this first meeting they were so terrified and heard God speaking with so muh astonishment that every Man thought that day would be his last Full of very great fear they came again to Moses and said We have heard Gods Voice out of the midst of the Fire Now therefore why should we dye This great Fire will consume us we shall dye if we hear the Voice of the Lord our God any more therefore go thou near and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and speake thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee we will hear and do it By saying this they clearly abolisht the first Covenant and transfer'd upon Moses their own Right of consulting God and interpreting his Laws and Decrees for here they did not as before
promise to obey all that God should say to them but all that God should speak to Moses See Deut. c. 5. v. 25 26 28. so that now none but Moses became the giver and interpreter of Gods Laws and consequently was the Supreme Judg over whom no Man had power he only was Gods Vicegerent among the Jews in him resided the Supreme Majesty seeing he only had the power of consulting God of returning Gods Answers to the People and compelling the People to obey them I say he only for if any Man during the Life of Moses had preached any thing in the name of God though he were a true Prophet yet he had been a guilty Usurper see Numb c. 11. v. 27 28. And here we ought to observe that though the People chose Moses yet they had not the power of Electing any Successor in his place for at that very time when they transfer'd their Right and Power of consulting God upon Moses and promis'd to receive from him Gods answers they lost all their power and whoever Moses declared should be his Successor him were they bound to accept as chosen by God himself and had Moses chosen one who was to have as Moses himself had the whole Administration of the Government namely the Power of consulting God alone in his Tent and consequently the Power of making and abrogating Laws of making War and Peace sending Embassadors appointing Judges chusing a Successor and ordering all other things that belong to Supreme Power the Government had been perfectly Monarchical and there had been no other difference between the Jewish and other Monarchies but this that other Monarchies are or should be Govern'd according to Reason by Gods Decree of which the Monarch is ignorant but the Jewish Monarchy by Gods Decree revealed only to the Monarch which difference doth not at all diminish but increase the Monarchs Power and Dominion over all but the condition of the Subjects in both Monarchies is the same For the Subjects in both being ignorant of Gods Decree do absolutely depend upon the Mouth of the Monarch and he only is to declare what is right and what is wrong And if the People believe that the Monarch is to command nothing but by the will of God revealed to him in that very respect they are not the less but the more subject to him Now Moses did not chuse any such Successor but left Successors who were so to Administer the Government that it could not be called Popular Aristocratical or Monarchical but rather Theocratical For the Power of Interpreting Laws and Communicating Gods Answers to the People was in one Person and the Right and Power of Administring the Government according to the Laws already explain'd and according to the Answers already made known was in another See Numb c. 27. v. 21. But that these things may be clearly understood I will in order declare in what manner the Government of the Jews was Administred First The People were commanded to build a House which was to be God's that is the Palace of the Supreme Majesty of that Government and this was not to be built at any particular Persons cost but the publick charge of all the People that the House where Counsel was to be asked of God might be Publick and Common to all The Levites were the Courtiers or Officers of this Divine Palace of these the Chief next to God after the King was chosen Aaron the Brother of Moses whose Legitimate Sons succeeded him He as next to God was the chief Interpreter of the Divine Laws return'd the Answers of the Divine Oracle and made Supplications to God for the People had he herewith had the commanding Power there had nothing wanted of his being an absolute Monarch but that Power he had not and the whole Tribe of Levy was so far excluded from having any hand in the Administration of government that they were not allow'd to possess with the rest of the Tribes any Lands in their own right upon which they might live but were to be maintain'd and relieved by the rest of the People as a Tribe dedicated to God. The Militia was chosen out of the rest of the twelve Tribes they were commanded to invade the Country of the Canaanites to divide their Lands into twelve parts and to distribute the parts amongst the Tribes by Lot. Ioshua was elected General and Chief Commander of the Militia who only in future Affairs and Emergencies had the power of consulting God not as Moses had alone in his Tent or in the Tabernacle but by the High-Priest to whom only God gave his Answers The power of passing those Answers which were deliver'd to the High-Priest into Laws and the power of compelling the People to obey them the Manner and Means of executing those Commands the choice of the Militia or the choice of those that should chuse it of sending Embassadors in his own name the whole power of making and carrying on War depended absolutely and solely upon the Will of Ioshua into whose power and place no body did ever lawfully succeed nor was there ever any other chosen unless by God himself the Peoples affairs not requiring any such choice but all matters of Peace and War were under the direction and government of the Princes of the Tribes All from twenty years old to sixty were commanded to bear Arms the Army was formed only out of their own People who did not swear Fidelity to the General or Chief-Priest but to God and Religion and were therefore called the Lords Host and God by the Jews the Lord of Hosts For this reason the Ark of the Covenant upon which depended Victory or the loss of their Battels was always carryed in the midst of the Army that the People beholding as it were their King might fight with their utmost courage and strength From these Commands of Moses to his Successors we conclude that he chose Administrators or Ministers of State but none that had absolute Power for he gave to no body the sole power of Consulting God when he pleas'd and consequently not the Authority which he himself had of making and abrogating Laws of making War or Peace of chusing Officers for the Temple or in any of the Cities all which do properly belong to him that hath Supreme Power The Chief Priest indeed had power of interpreting the Laws and returning Gods Answers to the People but not as Moses when he pleas'd but only when he was called upon by the General or Supreme Council to do it On the other side the General of the Army and the Councils could consult God when they pleas'd but could not receive God's Answers from any but the High Priest and therefore what God said by the Mouth of the High Priest was not a Law and Decree as it was in the Mouth of Moses but only Answers and when those Answers were received by Ioshua and the Council then had they the force of Laws and Decrees Moreover the
sanctified them for my self But after all the People the Levites only excepted had worshipped the Golden Calf they were defiled and rejected and the Levites who sided with Moses as appears Exod. chap. 32. v. 20 27. were chosen into their room Deut. chap. 10. v. 8. The Lord separated the tribe of Levi to stand before the Lord to minister him and to bless his Name Which change when I seriously consider it makes me think of those Words in Tacitus Illo tempore non fuisse Deo curae securitatem illorum fuisse ultionem At that time God took more care to be revenged upon them than to preserve them God was so extreamly incensed against them that though Laws usually provide for the Safety Honour and Security of People yet the Laws which God gave the Iews were with a purpose to punish and be revenged upon them so that their Laws were not Laws that is the Peoples Safety but their Plague and Pnnishment Consider how many things the People were bound to give to the Priests and Levites beside the Money that was to be pay'd for the Redemption of the First-born Consider likewise that the Levites were only permitted to come near whatever was accounted holy which continually minded the People of their Uncleanness and Repudiation with which 't is very likely the Levites might often reproach them for amongst so many thousand Levites no question but there were some troublesome pragmatical Fellows who provoked the People and the People on their part to be quit with the Levites narrowly watched and pryed into their Actions who being but Men were subject to many failings and miscarriages which as is usual were charged upon the whole Function and at last especially when Provisions were dear in all probability the People grew weary of maintaining so many lazy idle and hated persons who were no Kin at all to them No wonder then when the People were at ease and publick Miracles ceased if they who were in Authority became remiss and the covetous incensed Minds of the People grew careless and neglecting the Divine Worship of which they began to be suspicious and ashamed desired a new 'T is likewise possible that the Princes to keep the Commanding Power still in their own hands might court the People to take part with them against the Priest and bring in a new Religion But had the duration and security of the Government been designed when it was first instituted things might have gone well if all the Tribes had had equal Honour and Power for who would have violated the Sacred Right of his Kindred They would rather for Piety and Religion's sake have maintained their Parents Brothers and Kinsmen seeing from them they were to receive the Interpretation of the Law and the Divine Oracles The Tribes would have been tied in a stricter Bond of Amity if all had had equal Power of administring in the Temple at least there had been less fear of Discord if the Election of the Levites had not been grounded upon the Wrath and Vengeance of God But as I have already said God was very angry with them and that I may again use Ezekiel's Expression he polluted them with their gifts in the redemption of their first-born that he might destroy them This appears by their Histories for as soon as the People began to be idle in the Wilderness many not of the meanest sort began to be offended with the Choice of this Tribe believing that Moses did not act by God's Command but did all things as he himself pleased because he made choice of his own Tribe above all the rest and made a perpetual Settlement of the Priesthood upon his own Brother So that a Tumult being rais'd they tell Moses and Aaron that all the Congregation were every one of them holy and that they lifted themselves up above all the Congregation of the Lord. No Reason could appease them but they were all miraculously destroy'd which occasion'd a Universal Sedition amongst all the People who believed that they who perished were not destroyed by God's Judgment but by some Trick of Moses after which followed a great Plague which made the People weary of their Lives This was the end of the Sedition but not the beginning of any Amity or Affection and God told Moses Deut. chap. 33. v. 21. that he knew the imagination the people went about even before he had brought them into the Land which he sware and Moses a little after Verse 27. saith to the People I know thy rebellion and thy stiff neck behold while I am yet alive with you this day ye have been rebellious against the Lord and how much more after my death And as all the World knows so it happened great Changes all manner of Licentiousness Luxury and Idleness made them grow daily worse and worse till being often beaten by their Enemies they brake their Holy Covenant and desired a Mortal King. The Temple became his Palace and the Tribes casting off the Divine Law and the Priesthood his Subjects The Electing of a King was a great occasion of new Seditions to reign precariously or suffer any Power to controll theirs was intolerable to their Kings They who from private Men were elected to the Throne were contented with the Dignity conferr'd upon them but when their Sons came by Right of Succession to the Crown they began by degrees to make Alterations that the Supreme Power might reside only in them which Power they had not so long as the Power of the Laws was not in their hands but were interpreted and kept by the High Priest in the Sanctuary So that the Kings were still subject to the Laws and had not Authority enough to abrogate the Old or make New. Moreover the Levites had power to keep the Kings as well as the Subjects under the Notion of being profane persons from medling with Sacred Matters Lastly Because all the power of their Kings depended upon the pleasure of any one who was accounted a Prophet of which they had an Example in Samuel who with great Boldness and Liberty commanded Saul to do what he pleas'd and for one Offence only transferr'd the Kingdom upon David which indeed made the Government perfectly precarious To avoid this their Kings consecrated other Temples that they might have no more need of consulting the Levites and enquired after others to prophesie in opposition to those who were accounted true Prophets But yet they could never compass their Ends for the Prophets were still ready watching their opportunity till a Successor came and then the Prophets by their Divine Power did sometimes set up some Famous and Worthy Person who being displeas'd with the King did under pretence of vindicating Religion endeavour to usurp the Supreme Power or some part thereof But neither this way could the Prophets compass their Ends for though they took away the Tyrant yet the Causes of Tyranny still remain'd and they did with a great Effusion of the Subjects Blood only
supreme Magistrates on one side or other concern themselves in the Dispute the Controversie never ends and there is a necessity of dividing into Sects In the Second place it may be observed That the Prophets who were but private persons sometimes by the great Liberty they used in admonishing reproving and reproaching the People did rather provoke than make them better who notwithstanding would with much greater patience receive correction and instruction from their Kings Yea the Prophets were sometimes intolerable to very pious good Kings by arrogating a Power of judging what was well and what ill done and sometimes by reproving Kings to their faces if they suffer'd any thing to be publickly or privately done which was contrary to their Judgment Asa who was by the Testimony of Scripture a good King imprison'd Hanani the Prophet see 2 Chron. chap. 16. for too boldly reproving and reproaching him for the League he made with the King of Syria Beside this Example there are others which shew That the Liberty the Prophets took did sometimes more hurt than good I need not instance the Civil Wars which were occasioned by the Prophets pretending to the Supream Power A Third thing fit to be observed is That during the time the People governed there happened but one Civil War which being ended the Victors had so much compassion for the Conquer'd Party that their whole care and study was how to restore them to their former Power and Dignity But after the People not accustomed to Kings had changed the Form of their Government into Monarchy there was no end of their Civil Wars they fought such fierce and bloody Battels as almost exceed Belief for in one Battel which is hardly credible Fifty Thousand Israelites were slain by the men of Iudah and in another the Israelites slew a very great number though not specified of the men of Iudah took the King himself Prisoner demolish'd a great part of the Walls of Ierusalem and to shew that the Rage of War hath no Moderation they destroy'd the Temple sack't the City laden and glutted with the Spoils and Blood of their Brethren taking Hostages they leave the King in his almost ruin'd Kingdom and more secured by the Weakness than the Faith of the King of Iudah's Subjects laid down their Arms. The men of Iudah in a few years after recovering strength come again into the Field and fight another Battel wherein the Israelites were again Victors killing an Hundred and Twenty Thousand of the Men of Iudah and carried away Captives Two Hundred Thousand of their Wives and Children with a very great Booty so that consumed by these and other Battels mention'd in Scripture they at last fell a prey to their Enemies Before they had Kings they sometimes lived in perfect peace Forty Years together and once which is scarce credible Fourscore Years without any Forreign or Domestick War but after they were governed by Kings and fought not for Peace and Liberty but the Glory of their Monarch we find them continually embroil'd the Reign of Solomon only excepted whose Wisdom and Vertue better appear'd in Peace than in War the desire of reigning at last became so excessive that their Kings sometimes waded to the Throne in Blood. Lastly During the Government of the People the Laws remain'd in their first purity and were constantly observed for before Kings came in there were very few Prophetsâ— but after the Election of Kings the Prophets grew very numerous We read Obadiah hid at one time an Hundred in a Cave to save their Lives We likewise find the People were often deceived with False Prophets the People before Kings had the Government being as there was occasion sometimes haughty and sometimes humble did when they were in Calamity forsake their evil ways sought God restored the Laws and by these means freed themselves from danger and distress but their Kings whose haughty Minds cannot without shame stoop obstinately persisted in their Sins and Vices till the Commonwealth was utterly destroyed By all this it clearly appears First How dangerous it is both to Religion and Government to put the Power of making Laws and governing into the hands of Priests and that it is much safer to restrain them from medling in any Business till their Counsel be ask'd and to keep them from preaching and teaching New Doctrines and Opinions Secondly It is very dangerous to judge and determine of things meerly speculative by Scripture or to make any Laws concerning Opinions which are or may be in themselves disputable That Government is very Tyrannical where Opinions are counted Crimes 't is a sign the angry Multitude are Masters Pilate to gratifie the incensed Pharisees commanded Christ to be crucified It was usual with the Pharisees when they had a mind to put Worthy Persons out of their Places and Offices of Dignity to ask Questions concerning Religion this made them accuse the Sadduces of Impiety According to the Example of the Pharisees base and abominable Hypocrites under pretence of Zeal for Religion persecute and traduce honest worthy vertuous men whom for that Reason they envy and by publickly inveighing against their Opinions stir up the People against their Persons This unworthy Practice because it is cloaked with Religion can hardly be restrained where the Supreme Powers have introduced any Sect whereof they themselves were not Authors for then the Sectaries not the Supream Powers are accounted Interpreters of the Divine Law that is the Supream Power makes Sectaries Interpreters of Scripture and then the Magistrates Authority signifies little with the People who have great Veneration for their Teachers to whose Doctrine and Decisions they think even Kings ought to submit To avoid all these Mischiefs nothing can be safer for a Commonwealth than to place all Religion and Piety only in Works that is only in the Exercise of Justice and Charity and for Matters of Opinion to leave every Man free to his own Judgment But of this Particular more largely hereafter Thirdly We see how necessary it is for the good both of Religion and Government to fix the Right and Authority of determining even in things pertaining to God and Religion and of judging what is right and what is wrong in the Supream Powers for if the power of judging Mens Actions could not without great danger to Religion and Government be allow'd to the Prophets much less ought it to be granted to Men who can neither prophesie or do Miracles But of this Particular I will speak expresly in the next Chapter Fourthly and lastly We see how dangerous it is for People never accustomed to Kingly Government and have Laws accordingly framed to chuse a Monarch for as the People cannot endure such a Government so Kingly Authority cannot brook Laws or any Rights and Priviledges of the People Establish't by any others of less Authority and a King will have very little mind to maintain Laws wherein the Peoples Interest was more intended and provided for than his own for
in maintaining such Laws he will think himself rather the Peoples Servant than their Master A New Monarch will make it his business to make New Laws framing the Rules of Government to his own purpose and will reduce the People to such a Condition that they shall not be able with as much ease to unmake as make a King. But here I cannot pass by another Observation which is That it is a very dangerous thing to take away the Life of a King though it be evident to all the World he is an Absolute Tyrant Because when a Nation is accustomed to Kingly Authority and hath been governed only by it they will scorn and contemn any Authority that is less and when they have taken away one Tyrant they will be necessitated as heretofore the Prophets were to chuse another in his room who must be a Tyrant whether he will or no for how can he behold his Subjects Hands stain'd with Royal Blood and approve the Fact which was but a president to shew how they might likewise deal with him If he will be a King and will have the People acknowledge his Power and not be his Judge he must unless he intend to reign precariously first revenge the Death of his Predecessor and make the People an Example that they may not dare to commit the like Parricide upon him But how can he revenge upon the People the Death of a Tyrant unless he first defend the former Tyrant's Cause approve his Actions and consequently tread in his steps Hence it comes to pass that people may indeed change but never destroy a Tyrant or turn ancient Monarchical Government into any other form Of this the People of a Kingdom not far from us have given the World a fatal Example who under colour and form of Law and Justice took away their King's Life and when he was gone they could do no less than change the form of Government but after much Blood spilt it came to this pass at last that another person was set up not by the Name of King as if all the Quarrel had been for nothing but a Name who could not possibly stand unless he destroyed the Royal Line and all that were suspected to be the last King's Friends He disturb'd the Quiet of Peace which breeds Rumors with new Wars that thereby he might divert the Minds of the People from reflecting upon the King's Murder but the Nation at last finding they had done nothing for the publick good by putting to Death their Lawful King and by changing the Government had brought themselves into a Condition worse than they were in before they resolved to return from whence they had strayed nor were they quiet till they saw all things restor'd to their former state Perhaps some will object the Example of the People of Rome who with much ease rid themselves of a Tyrant but their Example I think makes good my Opinion for though the People of Rome could easily destroy a Tyrant and change their form of Government because the Power and Right of chusing a King and his Successor was in the People and because the People amongst whom were many criminal and seditious persons were not accustomed to Kings for of Six they kill'd Three yet still they did nothing but in the place of one Tyrant chuse many who kept them always embroil'd in Foreign and Civil War till the Government under another Name as it did lately in England fell again to a Monarch but the States of Holland never that we know had Kings but only Earls or Counts upon whom the Supream Power was devolved for the States by their Declaration publisht in the time of the Earl of Leicester make it evident That they still reserved to themselves the Power and Authority of minding those Counts of their Duty and likewise kept continually in their own hands the power of maintaining their own Authority and defending their Subjects Liberty in case those Counts did at any time abuse their power the States had still Authority to restrain and punish them that they could do nothing without their Consent and Approbation Whence it clearly follows that the Right of Supream Power and Majesty always resided in the States which Power the last Earl endeavouring to usurp the States could not possibly be thought guilty of any Revolt or Rebellion when they did only restore their almost lost Government to its Pristine State These Examples fully prove That ancient Forms of Government ought to be preserved and cannot without great danger of total ruine be changed CHAP. XIX Religion and all things pertaining to it are subject to no other Power but that of the Supream Magistrate Publick External Forms of Religious Worship ought to be accommodated to the Peace of the Commonwealth WHen I said That they only who have the Supream Power have Right to all things and that all things depend upon their Decrees I meant things Sacred as well as Civil that is Supream Magistrates are the Supream Heads Judges and Interpreters of all things both in Church and State which is the particular Point I intended to treat of in this Chapter because there are many who will not allow Supream Civil Magistrates to have any power over things Sacred nor will they own them to be Judges or Interpreters of God's Law but with strange Boldness accuse and traduce them yea sometimes as heretofore Ambrose did the Emperor Theodosius Excommunicate them out of the Church But as it will appear in the end of this Chapter these Men have a mind to divide and share the Government or get it wholly into their own hands I will first shew That Religion hath the Force of a Law only from their Decrees who have the Supream Power and that all External Religious Worship and Outward Practice of Piety ought to be suited and accommodated to the Peace of the Common-wealth That is so ordered and regulated as may make most for the Quiet thereof and consequently ought to be determin'd and settled by the Supream Power to whose Judgment in all Causes Sacred and Civil we ought to submit But that I may not be mistaken I speak only of the outward Worship and Exercise of Religion and Piety and not of Piety it self and the inward Worship of God or of the Means whereby the Mind is internally disposed to worship God in sincerity for the inward Worship of God and Piety it self is in every man 's own power as we have shewn in the end of the Seventh Chapter which power no man can transfer upon another It appears by the Fourteenth Chapter what I mean by the Kingdom of God where I shew That he fulfilleth the Law of God who exerciseth Justice and Charity because God hath commanded it from whence it follows That the Kingdom of God is where Justice and Charity have the force of a Law and Precept I think there is little difference whether God teach us the Practice of Justice and Charity by Natural Light or
power of the Divine Law depends upon the Decrees of the Supream Magistrate it follows that the Supream Powers are Interpreters of it Upon what account we shall presently declare but first we will shew That the External Worship of God and the Exercise of Piety if we will rightly obey God ought to be perform'd and regulated in such a manner as may best suit with and is most likely to preserve the Peace of the Commonwealth Certainly a Man's Piety and Love to his Country ought to be very great for take away Government farewel all hope of benefit or safety all things are presently in a perillous Condition and the Reign of Rage and Impiety fills all Peoples Minds with Terror and Confusion Whence it must follow that what good soever I do to my Neighbour if it be destructive to the Commonwealth may be counted Impiety and on the other side any hurt done to my Neighbour for the preservation of the Commonwealth ought to be accounted Charity for Example if a Man strive with me for my Coat it is very great Charity in me to give him my Cloak also but where this may endanger the safety of Government it is much greater Charity to bring that Man to Justice though I know he will be condemn'd to death Manlius Torquatus is celebrated in Story for preferring the Peoples Publick Safety before his own Son's Life If then Publick Safety be above all Laws and all Laws both Divine and Humane have a special regard to it if it likewise be the Office and Duty only of the Supream Power to determine what is for the Publick Safety of Government and to command whatever it thinks is so 't is a necessary consequence that no body but the Supream Power ought to determine in what manner a Man ought to shew his Love to his Neighbour that is in what manner he is bound to obey God. So that now we understand why and upon what ground the Supream Powers are Arbiters and Interpreters of Religion and that no body can rightly obey God if he do not accommodate the Publick Practice of Piety whereto every man is obliged to the publick benefit and peace of the Commonwealth by observing all Commands of the Supream Powers for seeing we are all bound to practice Piety towards all men none excepted and to do no man any Injury it follows That it is not lawful for any man to do good to one if thereby he hurt another much less if he thereby endanger the Commonwealth and no person can according to God's Command practice Charity towards his Neighbour unless his Religion and Charity be so regulated as to promote the Publick Good. Now no private man can know what is for the Publick Good unless it be by the Decrees and Laws of the Supream Power whose business it is to take care of the Commonwealth and therefore no man can rightly practice Piety and obey God unless he be obedient to the Decrees and Determinations of the Supream Power which is verified by common practice for it is not lawful for any Subject to help or assist any Man whom the Supream Power hath judged worthy of Death or declared to be a publick Enemy Though the Iews were commanded to love their neighbours as themselves Levit. chap. 19. v. 8. yet if any man had offended against the Commands of the Law they were bound to make it known to the Judge and in case he were condemned to Death to kill him Deut. 13. 8 9. and 17. 7. That the Iews might preserve their Liberty and keep their Lands in their own possession it was necessary as we have shewn in the Seventeenth Chapter to accommodate their Religion to their Government and separate themselves from other Nations It was therefore said Love thy neighbour but hate thine enemy Matth. chap. 15. v. 43. But after they lost their Government and were carried away Captives to Babylon then Ieremy bid them seek the peace of that City And because Christ knew they were to be scattered and dispersed into all parts of the World he taught them the Practice of Charity to all Mankind in general which evidently proves That Religion was always accommodated to the publick benefit of the Common-wealth If any man ask me by what Right or Authority the Disciples of Christ who were but private persons could preach Religion I say they did it by Vertue of that Power they received from Christ against unclean Spirits See Matth. chap. 10. v. 1. I have in the end of my Sixteenth Chapter expresly declared That all men are bound to keep Faith with a Tyrant unless it be such a one against whom God hath by Revelation promis'd his particular assistance and therefore none can take Example from the Apostles unless he have also power to do Miracles which appears by what Christ said to his Disciples Matth. chap. 10. v. 28. Fear not those who can kill the body Had this been said generally to all men Government would be to no purpose and those Words of Solomon not at all to be regarded Prov. chap. 24. v. 21. My son fear God and the King. We must therefore conclude That the Authority which Christ gave his Disciples was in a particular manner given only to them and ought not to be drawn into example by others I value not the Reasons which are urged against this Opinion by them that would have the Civil Power to be in the Civil Magistrate but all things pertaining to Religion in the Power of the Church their Reasons are so frivolous they need no refutation yet I cannot chuse but take notice how mightily those men are deceived who to maintain pardon the Expression their seditious Humour urge the Authority of the High Priest among the Iews who say they was the sole Administrator of all things that were sacred and concern'd Religion But those men may remember the High Priests received that Power from Moses who as we have proved was the person that had the Supream Power and by whose Command or Decree the High Priest could at any time be divested and deprived of his Power for Moses did not only chuse Aaron but also his Son Eleazer and his Nephew Phineas and gave them power to exercise the Pontifical Office and though the Priests always kept that power yet nevertheless were they still but the Substitutes of Moses that is of the Supream Power for as we have made it appear Moses chose no Successors but so distributed all his own Offices that they who came after him seemed but such Deputies as administer the Government for absent not deceased Kings In the second Government the High Priests were indeed the Supream Magistrates but that was after they had usurped the Regal Power but before that Usurpation the Priests always depended upon the Decrees of the Supream Power and their Kings had absolute power over all things pertaining to Religion as shall appear by what will be said towards the End of this Chapter 'T is true
well as a Divine and to busie himself in unprofitable Speculations fit only to take up private mens time who have nothing else to do But it was far otherwise in the Iewish Commonwealth for their Church began with their Government and Moses who was the Supream Magistrate taught the people Religion setled their Forms of Worship and chose their Priests This was that which made Kingly Authority so much esteemed by the People and put the Right and Power of all things pertaining to Religion into the hands of Supream Magistrates for though after the Death of Moses no Man governed so absolutely as he did yet the Right and Power of determining all things concerning Religion as well as other Affairs still remained as we have already proved in the Prince and the People to be instructed in Religion and Piety were no more bound to go to the High Priest than they were to the Chief Iudge Deut. chap. 17. v. 9 11 12 Thou shalt come to the Priests the Levites and to the Chief Iudge that shall be in those days to enquire and he that will not hearken unto the Priest or unto the Iudge that man shall die Though the Kings had not power equal to that of Moses yet the Priests and Levites were appointed and ordered to do what the Kings thought fit for as it appears in 1 Chron. chap. 28. v. 11 12. King David order'd how the Temple should be built according to a Model he prescribed and as it appears in the 23 d Chapter of the same Book David out of all the Levites chose twenty four thousand to set forward the building of the Temple six thousand to be Officers and Iudges four thousand to be Porters and four thousand to praise the Lord upon musical Instruments he likewise divided the Levites into companies and set Rulers over them which Companies were to serve and wait in their turns For other particulars I refer the Reader to the 28 th Chapter of the 2 d Book of Chron. v. 13. where it is said That King Solomon commanded Offerings to be made according as Moses instituted And ver 14. it is said That Solomon according to the order of David his Father appointed the Courses of the Priests and Levites to their Service and Charges and ver 15. the Historian saith They departed not from the Commandment of the King given to the Priests and Levites concerning any matter or concerning the Treasures By all which by other Histories of their Kings it is evident that the whole Exercise of Religion and all the Service that concerned it depended only upon their King's Command And tho' their Kings had not as Moses had the Power of chusing the High-Priest or of consulting God without him or of condemning the Prophets that prophesy'd in their Reigns the Prophets having power to chuse a new King and to pardon any that had taken away a King's Life yet I say the Prophets themselves had no power to call any King to an account for breaking the Laws or in any judicial manner and form to proceed against or condemn him And therefore if there had been no Prophets who by particular Revelation could pardon the killing of a King Kings in the Jewish Commonwealth must have had absolute Power over all things both Sacred and Civil as Supreme Powers have in these our Days who have no Prophets nor are obliged to receive any being in no wise bound by the Laws of the Jews Commonwealth And this Power tho' our Kings marry they absolutely have and may keep if they do not suffer Doctrines and Articles of Religion to be multiplied or mingled and confounded with Arts and Sciences CHAP. XX. In a Free Commonwealth it should be lawful for every Man to think what he will and speak what he thinks WEre it as easie to command Mens Minds as it is their Tongues all Supreme Powers would reign securely and no Government would be Violent or Tyrannical For then every Man would live according to the Will of those in Supreme Power and would think every thing true or false good or evil just or unjust according to their Determinations and Decrees But it is impossible as we have observed in the beginning of the 17 th Chapter that any Man's Mind or Thoughts should be in another Man's power because no Man can transfer or be compelled to transfer his natural Right of Reasoning and Judging of Things upon any other Man And therefore that Government is counted Tyrannical which would reign over Mens Minds and Supreme Powers do their Subjects wrong and deprive them of their just Right when they command them to receive or reject according to their Prescriptions whatever they declare to be true or false and positively appoint what Opinions and Notions Men in their Devotions shall have of God which is a thing wholly in a Man 's own power and from which no Man tho' he would can part I confess a Man's Judgment may be so many ways prepossest that tho it be not directly and absolutely in another Man's power yet it may have such a dependence on him as to be thought very much at his dispose but in spite of all that Art can do Men will abound in their own Sense and there will for ever be as many diversities of Opinions as there are of Palats Tho' Moses not by Craft but by Divine Power had so prepossest the Minds of his People that they believed he said and did all things by Divine Inspiration yet he could not escape ill Reports and sinister Interpretations much less then can other Monarchs Were the thing possible it might rather be done in Monarchical than in Democratical Government which is managed by an Assembly of all or the greatest part of the People and the Reason I think is obvious Tho' Supreme Powers have right to all things and are believed to be Interpreters both of Law and Religion yet they could never keep Men from judging of things according to their Reason and Capacities nor from being this or that way affected They may indeed account all men Enemies who do not in all things absolutely think as they do but we do not here dispute of their Power but of what is most convenient and profitable I grant that Supreme Powers may Reign Tyrannically and put Subjects to death for very slight Causes if they please but all Men will deny that this can be done with Reason or Prudence because it will prove dangerous and destructive to the Government Yea it may be denied that Supreme Magistrates have absolute Power and consequently have not absolute Right to do such things as these because we have proved that the Right of Supreme Magistrates is determined by their Power If then no Man can part with this Liberty of Judging and Thinking what he will but every Man by the Sovereign Right of Nature is Master of his own Thoughts Supreme Powers in any Commonwealth can never hope for Success in prescribing to Men of different
Opinions Limits and Rules for what they shall say For if Wise-men cannot keep silence much less can the ignorant Multitude hold their peace it being all Mens Infirmity tho' never so much Secresie be required to make others privy to their Counsels And therefore that Government is Violent where every Man is deny'd the Liberty of saying and declaring what he thinks and that Government is moderate and well ordered where such a Liberty is allow'd 'T is true and no Man can deny but that Supreme Magistrates may be injur'd and offended by Words as well as Deeds and tho' it be impossible wholly to take away this Liberty from Subjects yet on the other side it will be pernicious to put no Restraint upon it So that now my Business is to shew how far this Liberty without any danger to the Peace of the Commonwealth or prejudice to the Right of Supreme Power may and ought to be allow'd which was as I have hinted in the beginning of the 16 th Chapter my chief Intention and Design From the Fundamentals of Government which I have already explain'd it clearly follows That the ultimate End of Government is not to domineer and keep Men in fear and Subjection but to free Men from Terror that every Man may as far as 't is possible live securely that is may still retain his natural Right of subsisting and acting without hurting himself or any other person I say The End of Government is not to turn Rational Men into Beasts or walking Engines but to suffer both their Souls and Bodies to do each their proper Duties allowing them the free Use of Reason that they may not by Hatred Envy Anger or Deceit become Enemies to one another So that the End of Publick Government is indeed Liberty and to the forming of a Commonwealth it is absolutely necessary that the Power of making Laws and Decrees should be either in all in some or in one single Person For seeing in every Man's Opinion tho' it be free there is difference and variety and every Man is apt to believe that he knows all things 't is impossible to make them all of one mind or to agree in their Discourse So that they can never live peaceably unless every one part with his power of doing what his own Mind prompts him to But tho' every one part with the power of doing what he pleases yet he doth not part with his power of Reasoning and Judging so that tho' he cannot without offence act or do any thing against the Decrees or Determinations of the Supreme Powers yet he may freely think judge and consequently speak provided in what he simply speaks or teacheth there be Reason and no crafty malicious Design through Hatred or Revenge to make by vertue of his own Authority Innovation in the Commonwealth For example If a Man think a particular Law contrary to right Reason and therefore fit to be repealed yet if he submit his Opinion to the Judgment of the Supreme Power whose Right it is to make and repeal Laws and in the mean time do nothing contrary to the Tenor of that Law he deserves well of the Commonwealth as doth every good Subject But if on the contrary he speak against that Law purposely to accuse the Magistrate of Injustice and to render him odious to the People or if he seditiously endeavour to abrogate that Law in spite of the Magistrate he is a rebellious Disturber of the Publick Peace We see then upon what ground every Man without prejudice to the Peace of the Gommonwealth or to the Right of Supreme Powers may speak and teach what he thinks if he leave them the power of regulating Mens Actions and do nothing contrary to their Decrees tho' he sometimes do contrary to that which in his own Opinion and Judgment he thinks to be good which notwithstanding he may with a good Conscience yea ought to do if he will be accounted a good Subject For as I have already shewn Justice depends upon the Decrees of the Supreme Power and no Man can be said to be Just unless he live according to the known Laws Piety as I have declared in the preceding Chapter chiefly consists in the practice of things which preserve the Peace and Tranquillity of the Commonwealth which cannot possibly be preserved if every Man should live as he pleaseth And therefore 't is Impiety in any Subject to act contrary to the Decrees of the Supreme Power because were it lawful for every Man so to do the total Ruine of the Commonwealth must necessarily follow No Man can be said to act against the Dictates of his own Reason who submits to the Decrees of the Supreme Power because every Man by the persuasions of his own Reason resolved to part with his Right of Living according to his own Will And this is proved by practice for in Councils compos'd of the Supreme or Subordinate Powers it seldom happens that any thing is decreed or determin'd by the universal Consent and general Vote of all the Members yet the Results of those Counsels whatever they be are always accounted as much the Decrees of those who voted against as of those that voted for them So that by the very Principles of Government we see that without any wrong done to the Rights of Supreme Power a Man may use the Liberty of his own Judgment And 't is very easie from the Fundamentals of Government to determine what Opinions in a Commonwealth are to be accounted Seditious namely those which directly nullifie and destroy the Covenant whereby every Man obliged himself to part with his Right of Living according to his own Will. For example If any Man think the Supreme Power is subject to some other Power that a Man ought not to perform his Promises or that it is lawful for every Man to live as he pleases These and the like Opinions render a Man seditious because they are directly repugnant to the foresaid Covenant not barely because they are his Judgment and Opinion but because such Opinions have in them a great deal of Crime and Guilt For even by so thinking a Man tacitly breaks all the Bonds of that Fidelity which he promised to the Supreme Power Therefore other Opinions which contain no actual Breach of the Covenant no Revenge no Anger c. are not to be accounted Seditious unless it be in a Commonwealth where Reason is depraved and where ambitious and superstitious Men are grown to such a heighth that they cannot endure those that are honest or ingenuous but will have the People think their Authority greater than the Supreme Magistrate's I do not deny but that there may be some Opinions which tho' they seem to intend nothing but simply to argue and judge what is true and what false yet they may be very maliciously propounded and divulged Of these we spoke in the 15 th Chapter but so that Reason nevertheless should remain free Lastly If we seriously consider that every
Man's Fidelity to the Commonwealth as his Faith towards God ought to be judged and known only by his Works namely by Charity towards his Neighbour we cannot doubt but that the best Commonwealths will give every Man the same Liberty of Reasoning that they do of Believing I confess by such a Liberty some Inconveniences may sometimes happen But what Wisdom and Prudence can prevent all Inconveniences He that by Laws thinks to prevent all will sooner provoke then amend vicious Men. Inconveniences that cannot possibly be prevented or avoided must be tolerated we must bear with them tho' we suffer by them Of how many Mischiefs are Luxury Drunkenness Envy and Covetousness the Cause Yet these are tolerated because tho' they be Vices it is not in the power of Laws to restrain them How much more then ought Liberty of Judgment to be allowed which is truly a Vertue and should not be supprest No Inconveniences can arise from it which may not as I will prove be avoided by the Authority of the Supreme Magistrate Beside this Liberty is very necessary to the Advancement of Arts and Sciences in which the greatest proficiency is made by those men who have their Judgments free from preoccupation But suppose mens mouths may be stopt and so awed that they shall not dare to utter any thing against the Determinations of the Supreme Power yet 't is still impossible to keep them from thinking what they please and when men think ill of Magistrates there breach of Faith soon follows and nothing is to be expected in such a Commonwealth but abominable Flattery Perfidy and the destruction of all ingenious Arts. 'T is not so easie a matter to keep men from talking the greater care is taken to keep them silent the more many times will they talk Perhaps Covetous men Flatterers and mean-spirited People who place their chiefest Felicity in filling their Bags and their Bellies may hold their Peace but vertuous honest men who have had Liberal Education cannot be silent Such is mens Nature that nothing is a greater Vexation to them than to see those Opinions which they verily believe to be true condemn'd and themselves accounted wicked and sinful for doing that which they think is their Duty both towards God and Man. This makes them detest the Laws and count any seditious Attempts against the Magistrate lawful and just In Laws against Opinions wicked men are seldom concern'd such Laws are commonly made not to restrain bad but to provoke good men and cannot be defended without a great deal of danger to the Government Such Laws are likewise useless for men cannot obey Laws which condemn those Opinions they firmly believe to be true And on the other side they who think those Opinions false take the Laws that condemn them to be be their Privileges wherein they so triumph that afterward the Magistrate if he would is not able to repeal them Lastly The making of such Laws hath often caused great Schisms in the Church for if men did not hope with the general applause of the People to insult over their Adversaries and get Preferment by procuring the Magistrate to favour and the Laws to countenance their Opinions Learned Doctors would quickly leave their fierce Disputes and bitter Contentions Reason and daily Examples tell us That Laws which command what every man must believe and forbid speaking or writing against this or that Opinion are commonly instituted to gratifie or give way to the Passions of those who rather than endure a Baffle from ingenious men will with their stern and morose Authority turn the Peoples Zeal into Fury and hound them on upon whom they please But would it not be much better to suppress the Anger and Rage of the Multitude rather than make Laws against men that love Vertue and Learning and bring the Commonwealth into such a Condition that honest harmless men cannot live in it What can be more mischievous to a Commonwealth than to send Honest men like Rogues into Banishment only because they are of this or that Opinion and cannot dissemble Can any thing be more pernicious than to treat Persons of a free ingenuous disposition like Enemies and for no Crime or Wickedness put them to death making the Scaffold which frights none but Villains a publick Theatre whereon innocent Persons give such Examples of Courage and Patience as turn to the shame and reproach of the Supreme Magistrate's Majesty They that know themselves to be honest never fear Punishment as the wicked do neither will they by base whining Submissions and Recantations endeavour to avoid it Their innocent Minds are not troubled with Guilt or Repentance they do not think it shameful but glorious to die for Liberty and a good Cause To whom can their Death be a Terror The base ignorant Multitude know not why they suffer honest men are their Friends and none but seditious Persons their Enemies and all but base Sycophants and Flatterers are ready to follow their Example That Faith and Honesty then may be in greater esteem than Flattery and Dissimulation that Supreme Magistrates may keep their Power and not be forced to yield to seditious Persons Liberty of Judgment ought to be allowed and men are so to be govern'd that tho' they be of different and contrary Opinions they may however live together in peace and amity Without doubt this way of Governing is best and subject to least Inconveniences seeing it is most agreeable to Mens Nature For in Democratical Government which comes nearest to the State of Nature all covenant to act but not to reason and judge by common Consent my meaning is because all men cannot think the same things they have agreed to make that a binding Law which had most Voices reserving still a Power of repealing that Law when they thought fit And therefore where there is least Liberty allow'd of Judging there men are farthest from their natural State and the Government is full of Force and Violence To make it evident that from this Liberty can arise no Inconveniences which the Supreme Magistrate may not with ease avoid and keep men of contrary Opinions from hurting one another I need not go far for Examples The City of Amsterdam hath to the wonder of all the World and its own great advantage tasted the Fruits and Benefit of this Liberty for in that flourishing Commonwealth and famous City men of all Nations and Religions live together in peace and when they would trust any man with Goods or Money they only desire to know whether he be rich or poor or whether in his Dealing he be a man of his Word or a cheating Knave they never enquire of what Religion or Sect he is neither is that regarded in any Court of Justice there is no Sect so odious but hath the Publick Magistrate's Protection if they do no man wrong live honestly and give every one his Due How great a Schism was there occasion'd not long since by a Controversie in Religion between the Remonstrants and Contra-remonstrants And it appeared by many Examples that Laws made to take away Disputes concerning Religion did much more provoke than pacifie People and made some take the greater Liberty Schisms proceed not from the study of Truth that Fountain of Meekness and Moderation but from an imperious Humour of prescribing to others And therefore they are rather to be counted Schismaticks who damn other mens Writings and stir up the waspish Multitude against them than those that write to Learned men and call nothing but Reason to their aid So that they are truly Disturbers of the Publick Peace who in a Free Commonwealth would take away the Liberty of mens Judgments which ought not to be supprest We have now shewn First That 't is impossible to take away mens Liberty of speaking what they think Secondly That this Liberty may without prejudice to the Rights of Supreme Power be granted to every man and that every man may use this Liberty provided he design no Innovations in the Commonwealth and act nothing against the known establish'd Laws thereof Thirdly That this Liberty which every man may enjoy if he do not break the Publick Peace can cause no Inconveniences which may not easily be restrained or remedied Fourthly That all men may make use of this Liberty without being guilty of any Impiety Fifthly That all Laws made concerning Opinions and Matters meerly speculative are useless and unprofitable Sixthly and lastly we have proved That this Liberty may not only be allow'd without any Danger to Publick Peace Piety and to the Right of Supreme Power but ought to be granted for the Preservation of all these For where there are Endeavours to take away this Liberty and men are arraigned only for Opinions without examining whether they have any evil Intentions there honest men are made Examples and suffer a Martyrdom which doth not at all terrifie but irritates and moves the People to Pity and Revenge Learning and Arts decay Faith is corrupted Flatterers and perfidious Persons are countenanced Adversaries triumph in having their Will and prevailing on the Supreme Powers to embrace their Doctrine which at last inclines them not only to undervalue but usurp their Authority boasting they are God's Elect that their Power is from God but the Magistrate's Authority only from men and consequently the Magistrate's Power subordinate to theirs which absolutely destroys the very Being of all Commonwealths and therefore as I shew'd in the 18 th Chapter a Commonwealths greatest Safety is to place Religion and Piety in the Practice of Justice and Charity and to make things Sacred as much subject to Supreme Power as things Civil and to take cognizance of nothing but mens Actions suffering every man to think what he will and speak what he thinks I have now in this Treatise done what I design'd and I do again sincerely profess That I have written nothing which I do not freely submit to the Examination and Judgment of the Supreme Powers of my Country If they think any thing I have said be contrary to the Laws or Publick Safety thereof I recant it I know my self a man subject to Errors but my chiefest Care hath been to write nothing but what is consonant to Reason to the Laws of my Country and to the Rules of Piety and Good Manners FINIS