their acts conclude those that could not or would not come When you have well considered all these difficult and pâ—rplexed points which attend this hypothesis of placing all power in the People you will easily perceive the excellency of the Scriptural hypothesis above it It is free from all the forâ—mentioned difficulties and absurdities it is more agreeable to the original of Mankind from one single created Father it leaves not so many pretences for Sedition and Rebellion it lays the highest obligations that can be upon the conscience of the Sovereign to rule well In a word it is not onely the most religious but the most rational easie and compleat account of Government to say that sovereign States and Princes are God's ministers and not the peoples that they derive their power from heaven and not from men and particularly that they have the power of the Sword not by donation from the people but by the ordinance of God But in the third place From this Apostolical doctrine about the power and authority of sovereign Princes and States you may perceive what a great sin it is for the subjects of any government upon any pretence whatsoever to take up Arms without authority from the lawfull Sovereign be it in riots tumults or rebellions or any other illegal meetings howsoever called for God hath committed the power of the Sword to the lawfull Sovereign onely and whosoever takes it and useth it without his authority much more against it usurpeth the chief part of the supreme authority and is left by our blessed Saviour to be punished for his usurpation by the Sovereign's Sword Put up thy Sword again saith he unto Saint Peter who drew it to defend his Master against the officers of the persecuting Sanhedrim for all that take the sword shall perish by the sword and to this purpose and almost in the same words saith St. John by way of precaution to the suffering Christians He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword here is the faith and patience of the Saints And accordingly the Apostle tells the Christian subjects of that monster Nero that the Powers that then were were ordained of God and that they who resisted the Power resisted the ordinance of God and should receive damnation or condemnation to themselves To bear the Sword or have the supreme disposition of the Sword is one of the jura majestatis or essential rights of Sovereignty which belongs to the Sovereign by the Imperial laws of all governments and by the same Imperial laws is it made capital to take it up against the Sovereign and our Saviour who came to destroy no man's civil rights but to consirm them was in the first place tender of the Sovereign's rights and of the Laws by which they are established and confirmed them both Render unto Caesar saith he the things that are Caesar's and one part of Caesar's prerogative as a sovereign Prince and indeed the foundation of all the rest was to be accountable to no earthly power nor liable to any coercion or force for were there any other power to which he was accountable or which had a right to resist him by violence or force of armour that power would be Caesar or Sovereign and not he Wherefore had our Saviour given a power to Christian subjects upon the account of Religion or any other account whatsoever to take up Arms against their Sovereign he had set up one Sovereign and one Sword against another in every Government and so had not come as he said to save mens lives but to destroy them and as he spoke in another sense not to send Peace upon the earth but a Sword But instead of that as I said before he hath confirmed the rights of Sovereignty and the Imperial laws of every sovereign government which make it capital to resist the Sovereign and it is by these Laws which I may call the first Table of every government and by the Gospel which confirms them that passive obedience or non-resistence becomes the double duty of Christian subjects who cannot take up the Sword against their Sovereign without resisting God whose Minister he is and making themselves justly liable to the stroak of that Sword which God hath put in his hand For God to whom vengeance or punishment belongeth hath made him a revenger to execute wrath uâ—â—n his subjects that doe evil but he hath not made them revengers to execute wrath upon him Had he done so he had set up two instead of one Sovereign in every Government but on the contrary as his wisedom and honour obliged him he hath reserved wicked Princes and Tyrants for his own punishment and hath allowed their subjects no Arms against them but the Arms of the Catholique and Apostolical Church even the Primitive Artillery of prayers and tears Perhaps this may seem a very harsh doctrine to some inconsiderate people at first hearing but if they well consider that the resistence of the Subjects brings greater evils upon the publick than the tyranny of the most wicked Sovereign they will find that the doctrine of passive obedience is founded in the highest reason and that we are bound to praise the wisedom and goodness ness of God who hath forbidden us a remedy which is infinitely worse than the disease I need not send you far off to prove what I say for in this little Island since the beginning of the Reformation there hath been perhaps as much Christian bloud shed in pretended defensive Wars by the Anti-Episcopal Reformers as in the first ten famous Persecutions throughout the Roman Empire and more men slain in the least set battel of the late Rebellion which was also called a Defensive War than by the tyranny of all the Kings of this Nation since the Crown was set upon the Conquerour's Head But in the fourth place To pass over many other usefull observations as what a strong obligation this doctrine lays upon the consciences of all Christian States and Princes and how unjustly the faithfull Ministers of this Church are hated and aspersed for preaching of it up as if they designed to flatter their Prince into a Tyrant and enslave the People I say to pass over these considerations which would effectually vindicate the Church and Clergy of England and discover the malice of their factious enemies we may see how much it is the special duty of all inferiour Magistrates whether Civil or Military to take care that they employ not their power which they have from their Sovereign against him or doe any thing that may make his just Government uneasie upon his shoulders much less that may tend to the disinherison of his Crown the destruction of his Regality or the diminution of his legal authority and power I make this observation because it hath been and I am afraid still is a principle among our new Reformers that the inferiour Magistrates have their power immediately from God though they are chosen unto it by
likewise are Men ordained Kings And so Tertullian after him Thence is the Emperor from whence he was a man before he was Emperor thence he hath this Autority from whence he hath his breath And again We must of necessity reverence the Emperor as one that our Lord hath chosen so that we may reasonably say that Caesar is rather ours than yours as being ordained by our God Apol. c. 30.33 and in another place a Christian is an Enemy to no man much less to the Emperor whom he knows to be appointed by God ad Scapul This was current Divinity among the Christians under the Pagan and Persecuting Emperors and what it was after they turned Christians may be seen in the Apology of St. Athanasrus unto Constanius especially from these words O Almighty Lord eternal King the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ thou by thy word hast given the Empire to thy servant Constantius It would be endless to cite more Autorities to confirm this Doctrine out of the Fathers I will rather shew how it hath been taught by our own Acts and Authors of our own Soveraigns the Kings of the English * Sir Orland Bridgmans speech to the Regicides p. 12 13 14. Empire to whom God hath given this †Granmers Letters to Qu. Mary Imperial Crown the Statute of Praemunire lb. K. 2. c. 5. declares that the Crown of England is so free that it is in no Earthly Subjection but immediately subject to God in all things touching the regality of the same And the Parliament in the 25 H. 8.21 made this recognition unto his Majesty that his Graced Realm had no Superiour under God but only his Grace and 24 H. 8. c. 12. and that next unto God they ought him a Natural and Humble Obedience And long before this our Ancient and learned Lawyer Bracton did declare that the * L. 1 de rer divis c. 2. King is the Vicar and Minister of God and Christ that he †L. 2. c. 22. hath neither equal nor Superiour and that * L. 1. de ver divis c. 8. every Soul is under him but he is under none except only God As for Ecclesiastical Autorities it would take up too much time to recite them all The * Canon 36. Art 1. Church is to admit none into holy orders but such as will first subscribe that the Kings Majesty next under God is the only Supream Governor of all his Realsm and Dominions and in the Book of †see hom about obedience part 1. and against wilful Rebell p. 1. Homilies besides the assertion of this Doctrine about Soveraign Princes in general our late Soveraign King James is acknowledged for the high gift of God To conclude this head from hence it comes to pass that our Kings as the learned * In Epistolâ ad virun Ampl. D. Morley Bochart observed are stiled by the Grace of God and that the Royal Motto is Dieu et mon Droit and accordingly this Church which is so Pure and Primitive in her Loyalty hath taught her Children to Pray Almighty God whose Kingdom is everlasting and Power infinite have mercy upon the whole Church and so rule the heart of thy Chosen Servant Charles our King and Governour that he knowing whose Minister he is may above all things seek thy Honour and Glory and that we and all his Subjects duly considering whose Autority he hath may faithfully serve honor and humbly obey him in thee and for thee according to thy blessed Word and Ordinance Yes according to the word of the Apostle in my text who saith that the beareth not te Sword in Vain because he is the Minister of God II. Having now shewed that Soveraign Princes are Gods Ministers and Vice-Gerents and Reign by his special appointment I proceed to shew in the second place that under that Character they have and exercise the Supream Power and particularly the Power of the Sword This latter Proposition is a very easy and discernable consequence from the former and may be illustrated from the nature of subordinate Magistrates who are the Kings Ministers appointed under him as he is appointed under God As for example the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is the Kings Minister and Vice-Gerent and by consequence under that character he hath and exercises the Supream Power in the Government of that Kingdom both Civil and Military both that of the Scepter and that of the Sword which the King hath committed unto him In like manner Soveraign Princes being as I have shewn Gods Lieutenants and Vice-Gerents within their several Realms and Dominions they Reign under that Sublime character and as his Representiatives have and exercise all Jurisdiction and in particular that of the Sword accordingly as the Apostle saith he beareth not the Sword in Vain for he is the Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath or punishment upon him that doth evil Were men of the temper of the Angels who obey their Superiours purely for Conscience-sake then it would be sufficient for Princes that they had the commanding without the Punishing Power but since most men are subject more for Fear than Conscience it is highly necessary that the Soveraign should be furnished with the Coercive and Vindicative Power which may be called the Sword of Justice and without which all his Laws and Orders would be vain precarious and insignificant words and writings meer Cobwebs which the Wasps and Hornets that swarm in all Governments would insultingly break through And were men also like the good Angels free from evil passions would they be quiet in the several ranks and stations in which God hath set them then Soveraign Princes like Arch-Angels who are secure from the insurrections of their Subjects would be safe without the Sword but since Pride Envy and Discontent make men envy their Superiours and strive to snatch the Crowns from off their Princes heads since there are Lucifers in all Kingdoms and the Dragon and his Angels will in all worldly Governments be still fighting with Michael and his it is absolutely necessary that the Soveraign be furnished with the Supream Command Government and Disposition of the Militia or Military Forces which may be called the Sword of War Furthermore it is necessary for the Soveraign to bear the Sword of War not only to defend himself from his own Rebellious Subjects but to defend both himself his people from the invasions of other Soveraigns for it is not upon Earth as it is in Heaven where one Principality can live without danger or jealousie of anothe but in all Earthly Kingdoms there must be military Societies Preparations ready to oppose foreign violence actual and Potential Forces some every where as the Historian speaks in equis Armis ad subita belli excubantes and if this Power of levying War and providing Arms and Forces did belong to any other person than him whom God hath appointed for Soveraign that person would be Soveraign
the Prince and are God's Trustees to see that he doeth his duty and that if he will not they may compell him and reform without him and raise forces to resist his unjust force But as this opinion is utterly against Scripture the Histories of all times and the practice of all civil governments wherein all inferiour Magistrates have their commissions from the Supreme So is it utterly against reason for then instead of one we should have many Sovereigns in every Government Power against Power and Sword against Sword and if there be any man here so absurd that is not convinced of the danger and absurdity of it at first hearing I desire him to admit this hypothesis but for one year into his own family Let him suppose that his Steward or chief servant hath his Steward's authority immediately from God and is God's Trustee to see that he doth his duty and that when he will not he may force him and reform his family without his consent but if he abhor this as an absurd and impious proposal and as utterly inconsistent with the just exercise of the paternal authority in Families it is every whit as bad in sovereign States and Kingdoms and in a short time would make the Supreme the subordinate Magistrate's Slave I have also made this observation because many inferiour Powers and Magistrates have formerly and I wish I could not say of late done very much harm to the Crown and given very ill example to the common people of this Kingdom by their undutifull and disloyal actions Were it needfull I could prove this Charge by a volume of Examples out of the Histories of the late times to which I refer you and heartily wish for the honour of God and the Protestant Religion that our present Sovereign and God's Vicegerent to whose goodness so many ungratefull men owe their honours and estates and some incurable Traitours their honours and lives had not of late been treated by some inferiour Powers and Potentates more like a publick enemy than a Prince But in the fifth place If God hath put the Sword in the Sovereign's hand we may all learn how Necessary and Honourable the profession of a Souldier is who beareth not the Sword in vain but to fight the Lord's battels in defence of his Vicegerent and to be a revenger to execute wrath upon them that doe evil Every lawfull Souldier whether Common or Commander is God's Souldier and what Jehosaphat said unto his Judges 2 Chron. 19. may with a little alteration be said by the King to his Militia or Army Let the fear of Gob be upon you and take heed what you doe for the judgments which you execute are God's judgments and you fight not for man but for the Lord. I have made this observation because we have at least one Sect among us who say that it is unlawfull for a Christian to bear Arms and serve in the Wars under his lawfull Prince But this is just such another absurd opinion as that of the same men who say it is unlawfull to take an Oath before the lawfull Magistrate when we are required to swear I profess I wonder what can be the ground of such an absurd opinion and how the Socinians who pretend to be Masters of Reason can teach such an unreasonable thing It is a perfect contradiction to the doctrine of the Apostle who here teacheth us that the Sovereign beareth the Sword as he is God's Minister and that he beareth in not in vain but to be a revenger to execute wrath upon him that docth evil and if he bear the Sword by God's appointment and for so great an end it must needs be lawfull and laudable to bear it under him just as because he is the supreme Minister of Justice some must needs serve under him in the administration and execution of Justice and those who doe so are to be honoured in their several places upon the account of that civil authority which they derive from him The Sovereign is the fountain both of Civil and Military authority both are equally from God and necessary for the support of Government and therefore I confess I cannot understand why it should be more unlawfull for a Christian to buckle on the Sword at the command of his Prince than to put on a Gown But secondly I have made this observation to let our seditious people see how little like Christians they demean themselves in railing as they have always done at the King's Guards and of late at the loyal Militia of this City calling them as they did not many days ago my Lord Mayor's Janizaries my Lord Mayor's Army and as they think very wittily my Lord Mayor's Guards These people are themselves an argument to prove how necessary the Sword is for the quiet and welfare of Government according to the moto of your Shield arma pacis fulcra that arms are the cause of peace They shew us what we must expect from them were it not for the Sword and God be praised that both the King and the Lord Mayor have their Guards to defend them otherwise I fear the spirit of Corah which reigns still in these men would soon push them on to pull his Lordship out of his Chair and His Majesty out of the Throne But in the last place if God hath put the Sword into the Sovereign's hand and the Military as well as the Civil Power be derived from him you may see how Honourable a Science the Science of Arms is and how useful and Profitable to all Governments Schools of Arms are wherein Men disposed for Martial Employments may learn the Military Discipline and how to be Expert in feats of Arms. Such Honourable Societies are His Majesties Nurseries for the Militia as the Inns of Court are for the Law and the two Universities for the Church and as it is to be wished and endeavoured that no Person be bred in either of the former who would employ their Tongues and Pens against Gods Servant and their Soveraign So is it to be wished and all possible Endeavours ought to be used by you who are Members of this Honourable Company that none be admitted into it at least into the Government of it who will likely so misemploy their Swords You are the Chef d'ordre the Chief Academy of this kind in His Majesties Dominions and as you are the most Illustrious for the Number and Quality of your Members so may you ever be the most Exemplary for Christian Loyalty and imitable Patterns for all His Majesties Subjects of that Faith and Allegiance which is due unto him by the Law of †Cokes Calvin ' s Case Nature as well as the Municipal Laws of this Land May you all according to the Ancient Oath of Allegiance wont to be Administred in Courts of * Britton c. 29. Leet Be Faithful and Loyal to our Sovereign Lord the King and his Heirs and bear them Faith and Fealty of Life Limb and terrene