and represent it as destructive to the Peace and Quiet of all earthly Kingdoms the Apostle here prescribes two Duties 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to yield Subjection to the Higher Powers not daring to resist or to rise up in Opposition to them when their Commands did thwart the Rules of Christian Faith and when they used their Authority to punish Christians for the performance of their Duty towards God 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to yield a cheerful and sincere Obedience to them in all lawful matters The Persons whom they are here commanded to obey and to be subject to are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principalities and Powers Now because here the Words are in the Abstract and in the 13th Chapter to the Romans run in the same manner let every Soul be subject to the Higher Powers Hence our late Rebels took occasion to separate the Power from the Person in whom that Power doth reside declaâ—ing That they were indeed obliged to preserve a Magistracy and to be subject to some Government or other but not to yield Subjection to the wicked Mugistrate or be obedient to the Commands of any Higher Powers in particular unless they were the Ministers of God for good unto them which in plain English doth import That they are only then obliged to be subject to or yield Obedience to the Civil Magistrate when they themselves do like or do approve of his Commands And truly it must be confess'd that some Great Fathers seem to hint a like Distinction for (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae leguntur in Graeco magic Principatus quam principes sonant ipsam significant potestatem 〈◊〉 cos qui in potestate sunt homines Hieron in Tit. cap. 3. Jerom on my Text speaks thus The Apostle here commands Obedience to the Power not to the Men who are invested with it (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Hom. 23. in Rom. To. 3. p. 189. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Occum in Rom. 13. p. 353. Gr. St. Chrysostom Occumenius and Theophylact say the same To govern and be govern'd is of God In Iocum saith Theodoret but not the Government of wicked Persons for the Power of wicked Men is not God's Ordinance But tho this of (c) And therefore other Fathers tell us That etiam nocentium potestas non est nisi à Deo August lib. de natura boni adv Manich. c. 32. That he who gave the Government to Augustus ipse Neront qui Constantino Christiano ipse Apostutae Juliano Idem de Civitat Dei l. 5. c. 21. That bona malaque potestas à Deo ordinatur Isidor Hispal Sentent l. 3. c. 48. Usurpers may be true yet is it undeniable that here and in the 13th of the Romans the Apostle speaks not of the Power in the Abstract but of the Governours invested with it for 1. We are here bid to yield Obedience and to be subject to these Principalities and Powers Now no Subjection can be paid to any Office in the general but only to the Persons who do execute that Office And this is still more evident in the forementioned Chapter to the Romans for there the Powers v. 3. are the Rulers Let every Soul be subject to the Higher Powers for Rulers are not a terror to good Works The Power is the Minister of God v. 3 4. Wilt thou not be afraid of the Power Do that which is good for he is the Minister of God to thee for good Nor indeed can the Power abstracted from the Person of the Magistrate perform what is ascribed by St. Paul unto the Higher Powers it neither can commend encourage avenge or punish it cannot receive Custom bear the Sword or still attend upon the very thing Lastly St. Peter plainly doth enjoyn Obedience to the Prince who is invested with this Power 2 Pet. 2.13 c. saying Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake to the King as Supreme c. And therefore to assert that it is lawful to resist the Person who doth execute this Wrath provided we do own some Government or some Authority to be God's Ordinance is only to be subtilly Rebellions and to distinguish to our own Damnation Farther Observe that the Subjection and Obedience required in my Text is due 1. to the Supreme or Highest Magistrate to the Higher Powers saith St. Paul to the King as supreme saith Peter and that according to a known Rule in Logick that Analogum per se positum c. What is affirmed of a thing in general is chiefly to be understood of that which is the best and highest in that kind it being therefore in my Text affirmed that Subjection and Obedience is due to Principalities and Powers it must be chiefly due to Supreme Princes and the Higher Powers Now he alone can be Supreme who hath none equal or superiour in Power to him and therefore who cannot be judged or called to account and much less punished for what he doth by any Power upon Earth according to these Words of the Wise-man Where the Word of a King is there is Power Eccles 3.4 Prov. 30 3â— and who can say unto him What dost thou And again A King is one against whom no Man can rise up now because he who is thus supreme is but a Man and therefore is confined to a certain place so that his Eyes cannot discern not can his Hands reach all Offenders nor can he be sufficient in his own Person to perform all that is requisite to be done for Preservation of his Subjects and for the Punishment of Evil-doers it follows that he must commissionate inferiour Magistrates to do these things by an Authority derived from him and therefore by just consequence we are obliged to yield Subjection and Obedience to all inferiour Magistrates who legally receive Commission from him for God quis facit per alium id ipse facere judicatur that therefore must be deemed the King's Command which his inferiour Magistrates by good Authority derived from him lay upon us according to that plain Expression of St. Peter Submit your selves to the King as supreme and unto them who are commissionated by him for so is the Will of God 3. Observe that the Higher Powers then in Being when our Lord said Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's Matt. 22.21 Matt. 26.52 and He that takes the Sword shall perish by it were Tiberius and Men commissionated by him and that when Paul and Peter wrote these Exhortations to Obedience and did declate it was Damnation to resist the Government was in the hands of Claudius and Nero. Sueton. c. 42 43 44 45 49 50 61. Now this Tiberius was a Man unnaturally cruel to his most near Relations infamous for Drunkenness his Lusts were so excessive that Suetonius saith they were incredible and were scarce fit to be related He was so far from being an Assertor of the Religion of the Jews c. 36.
he is saying Be subject unto every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake to the King as Supreme And Lastly The design of the Sacred Writers of the Gospel was undoubtedly to secure the peace and quiet of the world to forbid all Resistance of the Higher Powers and to stop the mouths of those ignorant and foolish men who represented Christianity as prejudicial unto the Powers then in being and apt to make disturbance in the State but if they laid no obligation on the Christian to own the Powers then in being as Gods Ordinance but only to acknowledge in the General that Civil Government is from God how could their Doctrine answer these designs seeing it leaveth men at liberty to resist all who are invested with Authority and by so doing to disturb continually the peace and quiet of the world That therefore men should struggle against such shining evidence of truth may tempt us to suspect that they were as averse from yielding due subjection to the word of God as they were from conplying with the Commands of their Superiors Secondly For explication of the first particular I add that the Powers here mentioned must not be extended to Vsurped Powers or such as have no Legal Title in opposition unto those who have Just Title though by the prevalence of an Vsurper they are unjustly kept from the enjoyment of their Right For were this so Might would give Right and every prosperous Rebel would by that very Act commence God's Ordinance and so be both a Rebel against God and yet be his Vicegerent too nor would men rule because they are the Higher Powers but be the Higher Powers because they rule Moreover what is Vsurpation but the assuming of a Power to which he that usurps it hath no lawful call and no just title since then the ordination of that God who is the Sovereign of the world must be a lawful call and give the person thus ordained a Legal Title to be his Vicegerent it follows from the very nature of the act that the Usurper can not be Gods Ordinance When the Vsurper doth begin his Vsurpation by taking of the Sword or wresting it out of the hands of him who bears it by Commission from God he must unquestionably be the Resister of Gods Ordinance how therefore can success in his resistance render him the Power Is it not strange that he who purchaseth damnation by resisting by the same act and by the highest aggravation of it even the deposing of his lawful Prince should purchase a just title to Dominion Thirdly Could an Usurped Possession create a Right to Government were it sufficient to render the Vsuper Gods Vicegerent and his Ordinance though he doth justle out the lawful Successor then must all Laws and Constitutions to preserve the Government in the Right Line and to condemn all Vsurpations made upon it become void as being Laws enacted to disapprove condemn and to resist Gods Ordinance and all our Oaths of yielding Faith and True Allegiance to the Kings Heirs and Lawful Successors and of defending them unto the outmost of our Powers against all Vsurpers whatsoever must be unlawful oaths So plainly doth this Doctrine tend unto the dissolution of our Government Fourthly A man may possibly usurp Dominion against Gods own appointment and designation of another person to be the Ruler of his people Thus was it in the case of Absalom 2 Sam. 16.18 Chap. 19.10 for all the men of Israel chose him in opposition to David they anointed him over them and yet the Holy Ghost doth forty times style David King during the Usurpation of his Son but never doth vouchsafe that title to Rebellious Absalom whereas if such an Usurpation could have rendred him Gods Ordinance then must He Reign at the same time against and yet according to Gods Ordinance Fifthly Certain it is the Pope did long Vsurp and actually possess and exercise a power over most of the European Kings and Kingdoms If then bare Usurpation would render any man the Ordinance of God I know not how we could divest him of that Title or throw of his Yoke without resisting of the Higher Powers And therefore to conclude this first particular we by the Higher Powers are to understand The Persons lawfully intitled to their Government To the next enquiry viz. Head In what sense are these persons said to be ordained by God I answer negatively that they cannot be supposed to be here styled his Ordinance only by virtue of Gods eventual and permissive providence for so all things must be acknowledged to be of Gods appointment which were foreseen but not prevented by him The Rebel who Resists Gods Ordinance as well as the Superiour Powers which are here styled his Ordinance the Usurper and the Legal Prince must in this sense be equally ordained of God These Higher Powers therefore must be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Edict Constitution Ordinance as being by his Institution invested in their Dignity and Office and as being men who act by virtue of his Commission Word and Precept Which will be farther evident if we consider 1. That every Soul is here commanded to be subject to the Higher Powers i. e. to yield a free intire active obedience to them in all lawful things now as no Subject can be obliged to yield obedience to an Inferior Magistrate but as he is by virtue of Commission from his Prince impowered to be a Magistrate so neither can the Subjects of the King of Kings which we all naturally are be bound to yield Subjection to any as his Ministers unless they have received Commission from him so to be 2. The Higher Powers must be obeyed saith our Apostle for Conscience Sake Now nothing but a Law of God can bind the Conscience and therefore there must be some Law of God investing the Superior with that Authority we are commanded to obey for Conscience sake 3. The Higher Powers are here said to be the Ministers of God to us for Good and to be terrors to the Evil Doer Now by experience we find the Providence of God doth not so order matters as to make them at all times and in all places actually so the Persecuting Emperors to omit many others being a Terror to the best of men and even those Higher Powers which then obtained when this Epistle was indited being Promoters and Encouragers of the most Barbarous Impieties they must be therefore styled the Ministers of God for Good c. because by him they are ordained and positively appointed for that end But yet it still remains a question Question how 〈◊〉 Higher â—â—wers become Gids Ordinance how these Higher Powers do become Gods Ordinance how his Commission is derived his Ordination doth descend upon the Individual Person so as to render him the Person by God ordained to exercise that power which is here said to be of God To which enquiry I answer negatively First Answer to it negatively not by Gods
behold we have Arms and will not resist because we had rather die than conquer et innocentes interire quam noxii vivere praeoptamus and would rather die Innocents than live Criminals Answer Now to assert as some have falsly done That it was only then their Duty thus to suffer because they were but few and so not able to rebel or say with (n) De Rom. Pont. l. 5 c. 7. Bellarmin That if the Ancient Christians did not depose a Persecuting Nero a Dioclesian or a Julian Id fuit quia vires temporales deerant Christianis It was because they wanted Strength to do so Is Repl. 1 1. To say that it was not indeed their Duty but their necessity to do so 2. It is to say in contradiction to St. Paul that Christianity obliged them thus to suffer only for Wrath and not for Conscience Sake 3. It is to give the lye unto St. Peter who doth expresly teach That thus to suffer is to suffer for the Lords Sake according to the Will of God for Conscience towards God It is a Suffering saith he which is praise worthy and very acceptable to God which suffering out of necessity cannot be who calls us so to suffer that we may put to silence the Ignorance of Foolish Men and shame them who do accuse Christianity as that which tendeth to Sedition whereas did it indeed oblige them only to suffer when they could not help it and authorise them to rebel when they had Power so to do surely it could not stop but rather open and justify the Mouths of them who represented it as dangerous to humane Government and apt to stir up Tumults in the World 4. It is to thwart that Grand Exemplar which our Dear Saviour left for the imitation of all Christians seeing he patiently suffered when he could have commanded Myriads of Angels to assist him 5. Were this indeed agreable to Christian Principles the Apostles must have imposed on Princes a most heinous cheat For in the name of their Great Master they did assure the Princes of the world that Christianity required all its Professors how ill soever they were treated how cruelly soever they were persecuted how wrongfully soever they did suffer from them to suffer with the Greatest Patience and never to take up the Sword for their Defence against them or to resist their Power but after the example of their Lord when they thus suffer not to revile or threaten and much less to resist their Persecutors but only to commit themselves to him that judgeth righteously and that whosoever did represent them otherwise were Ignorant and Foolish Men and false Accusers of their Good Conversation in Christ And if after these Declarations they secretly allowed all Christians when they were able to resist and to revenge themselves upon their Persecuting Princes and only disallowed this when the Christians were too weak to grapple with them what must these Holy Men deserve to be esteemed but Legatiad mentiendum missi Ambassadors sent to impose upon the Princes of the World with Falshood and Deceit or lying Artifices Lastly this Plea is fully bassled by the plain assertions of the Primitive Professors of Christianity for they declared First That they had (o) Deesset nobis vis numerorum et copiarum c. Power sufficient to resist if their Religion would have permitted such resistance of the Higher Powers Would we be open Enemies saith (p) Apol. c. 37. Tertullian could we want Numbers or store of Forces who have filled your Cities Islands Councils Armies Regiments and Companies the Palace and the Senate and the Courts of Judicature Cui Bello non Idonei c. None of us saith St. (q) Ep. ad Demetr p. 192. Cyprian defends himself against their unjust Violence quamvis nimius et copiosus noster sit populus although our People be copious and more than enough to do it almost the greater part of every City saith (r) ad Scap. c. 5. Tertullian In the Reign of Dioclesian (Å¿) l. 8. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 almost all men had left the Heathen Worship and joined themselves to the Society of Christians saith (t) c. 4. Eusebius It is not easie to describe those Myriads of Christians which assembled together and the Multitudes that convened in every City saith the same Author Secondly They add that notwithstanding their Force and Multitude they did not resist because their Legislator had forbidden Murther and had established such meek Laws (u) Contr. Cels 3. p. 115. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which they were to be killed like Sheep and not to resist their Persecutors how bad soever they might be So Origen because the Discipline of Christ makes it more lawful to be killed than kill commandeth us to love our Enemies and forbids us to render evil for evil saith (x) Apol. c 37. Tertullian because we are forbidden to revenge our selves and are commanded to expect the Judgment of the Lord (y) Ep. ad Deâ—etr saith Cyprian Lastly Because this is forbidden by Christ who by the Command of his own Mouth would have that Sword which his Apostle had drawn to be put up saith (z) Eueher â—ugd Epist ad â—ylves Surii â—o 5. Sept. 22. Mauritius It is not Lawful for any Subject to take the Sword and to resist the Higher Powers in the Defence of a Religion established by the Law of the Land Prop. 3 This Proposition I oppose to that Rebellious Doctrine of Julian the Apostate That though it be the Duty of the Christian to suffer patiently when his Religion is not established by Law he may defend it by the Sword against the Higher Powers when it is so established which Doctrine 1. Doth plainly overthrow the Kings Supremacy by setting up others invested with the Power of the Sword For unless I can take the Sword I cannot possibly defend Religion though it be never so established by Law and if I can I must be then the Higher Power since it is he saith our Apostle who doth bear the Sword v. 4. It therefore 2. Asserts in contradiction to our Lord that men may take the Sword without Commission from him who is by God invested with it in defence of a Religion by Law established 3. It contradicts those General Rules of Scripture which without any such exception say that to resist the Higher Power is to resist Gods Ordinance and to incurr Damnation 4. It is exceeding evident that Gods own People had no such liberty allowed them no such directions in like cases from his Holy Prophets that they were not instructed or encouraged by them to rebel when their Superiors did act in contradiction to the Laws established by God and by his Servant Moses and by the Pious Kings and people of the Jews or when they were not suffered to worship God according to those Laws We know that from the time that Jereboam reigned over Israel the Calves of Dan and
world upside down and that Christianity was instrumental to promote Rebellions and give disturbance to the Civil Government and for this Cause St. Peter is so earnest in his Exhortation to submit to every Ordinance of man for the Lords Sake that by so doing Christians might put to silence the ignorance of foolish men who knowing nothing of the peaceable and loyal Principles of Christian Faith did represent it as destructive to the Civil Government and prejudicial to the Higher Powers And surely to pretend that our Religion doth allow such horrid Crimes is most effectually to blaspheme our Holy Calling and cast upon it an indelible Reproach For if those Jews who gloried in the privilege of Circumcision and yet were guilty of Adultery Rom. 2.24 Theft Sacrilege blasphem'd the name of God among the Gentiles he must assuredly blaspheme it who being guilty of Sedition Faction and Resistance of the Higher Powers doth glory in the name of Christian And if the Name and Doctrine of our Lord is then blasphemed Tit. 2.6 when the Wife doth not yield Subjection to the Husband and when the Christian Servant doth not yield Obedience to his Master in all things must they not be blasphem'd much more when Subjects do not yield Obedience to their Prince Add to this that all the Pleas and specious Pretences which were used to justifie our late Rebellions do cast on the Apostles and Pen-men of the Holy Scriptures the Reproach of gross Dissimulation and Hypocrisie For were it lawful to take up Arms against our Governors when we conceiv'd them guilty of Tyrannical abuse of Power when they became a terror to good works and not to evil only when they did seem to us to act against the good and welfare of the Kingdom or against their Coronation Oaths or when they did not rule according to Justice or established Laws or were it lawful to resist them in behalf of God or to preserve the true Religion or the Publick Exercise thereof I say were it in all or any of these cases lawful for Subjects to resist the Higher Powers the Apostles must dissemble and deal hypocritically when they without all limitation or exception of any of these cases do command Obedience for the Lord's sake and do forbid resistance of the Higher Powers even when they persecute us for the sake of Righteousness Had they believed intended or secretly taught that Christians upon all or any of the forementioned accounts might be exempted from Subjection and Obedience to them 't is plain they acted not with that simplicity which might have reasonably been expected from the Dispensers of the Gospel For if they verily believed and knew that Christianity in any of these cases did approve of the resistance of the Higher Powers they plainly went about to deceive Heathen Princes with fair words and sought by making them believe that their Religion called men to suffer peaceably under their Government and never to resist to win them to receive and own that Faith which when they had embraced they by experience should find that it taught no such matter They said indeed in words as plain as they could utter That Kings were Higher Powers who could not be resisted without the peril of Damnation and that this was the will of God That all should yield subjection to them but yet it seems they knew that this was not the will of God but that he did permit Christians to resist as oft as they conceived their Rulers guilty of male-administration or Enemies to their Religion or Persecutors of them for the Cause of Christ So plainly do the Patrons of Resistance cause the Name and Doctrine of our Lord to be blasphemed Argument 5 Fifthly All Christians are obliged to suffer patiently and not resist when they are persecuted when their Religion which is dearer to them than their lives doth suffer with them and men endeavour to suppress and utterly extirpate the Profession of it from the Nation where they live because our Lord expresly hath declared that his Kingdom is not of this World whence his own inserence is this That his Disciples must not fight no not in the defence of their dear Lord. He plainly tells them that they must bear the Cross and willingly must take it up whereas if Christian Faith did give a right to its Professors to defend themselves by Arms against the Higher Powers it rather would oblige the Christian to take up the Sword than to take up the Cross Again Christianity assures all the Professors of it that they are called to suffer that it is acceptable to God for them to suffer patiently for doing well to suffer for the sake of Conscience That 't is their Duty to follow the Example of their Saviour who when he suffered threatned not but did commit himself to him that judgeth righteously Nor were it lawful for Christians to resist Authority when their Religion was opposed and they were punished for the Profession of it they could not be obliged to suffer but only when they wanted power to resist and so it never could be said that their Religion but only that their weakness caused them to suffer It could not truly be affirmed that they were called but rather that they were necessitated to suffer nor could they be true Imitators of that Jesus who when he could have summoned twelve Legions of Angels to his aid chose rather to endure the Cross To these things I might add the Oath of God by which we have been many of us bound not only to bear true Allegiance to the Government we now live under but also to defend it as far as we are able against all Conspiracies and Insurrections I might remind you of the fierce wrath of God not only against Corah and his Accomplices whom the Earth swallowed up for their Rebellion against Moses but against Zedekiah Prince of his own People who having sworn Allegiance to an Heathen King did violate that Covenant he had confirmed with the Oath of God For this God doth expresly call Rebellion Ezek. 12.15 expressing his great detestation of the Fact and swearing twice by his own Life that he would recompense this sin upon his head He made a Covenant with him and took an Oath of him but he rebelled against him shall he prosper shall he escape that doth such things or shall he break the Covenant and be delivered As I live saith the Lord God surely in the place where the King dwelleth that made him King whose Oath he despised and whose Covenant he brake with him in the midst of Babylon shall he dye Seeing he despised the Oath by breaking the Covenant he shall not escape As I live saith the Lord God surely mine Oath that he hath despised my Covenant that he hath broken even it will I recompense upon his own head And lastly I might add that this hath been the constant Doctrine of the most Primitive and Purest Ages of the Church That Lawful Powers
were God's Ordinances and in no cases or upon no pretences were to be resisted by their Subjects And throughout all the times of the ten Persecutions their Practice was agreeable to their Doctrine there being found among them Ad Scap. c. 2. contr câ—sum l. 3. p. 115. saith Tertullian not one Rebel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one Seditious Action saith Origen But to omit these things what hath been thus established by the Authority of Scripture may farther be confirmed from the clear Principles of Reason and from the Nature of Societies For First All Government is for mutual Defence and for this end it is that being free they find it necessary to unite themselves into Societies that by united Forces they may defend themselves and their concerns from the Invasions of other men Secondly Men cannot thus defend themselves or thus agree to do it but by consenting that they shall be bound to follow the judgment or direction of some Person or Persons in order to that Defence Thirdly Men cannot be obliged to follow the directions of others unless they be obliged to give up or subject their wills unto the will of their Superiors so that the will of their Superiors shall be accounted as the will of all and unless He or They who are intrusted with the Government have an undoubted Right to use the Strength and Power of them all as He or They conceit is most conducing to the preservation of the Common Good And Fourthly They who are thus obliged to give up their Wills and Power to another and have consented so to do must be deprived of any Right to revenge themselves or to repel their Injuries without the Power of the Magistrate and so they cannot take up Arms without his Power or Authority Corollary Whence by the way it follows That the natural right of Self-defence and Preservation is so far from justifying any opposition or resistance of the Higher Powers or the Civil Government that by endeavouring to rebel against or overturn it that Right is also overturned and the Foundations of it are removed For if we rightly understand the Phrase it only signifies a right of entring into Societies for mutual Defence of seeking our own Preservation by flying to the Justice or Protection of the Government or using any other means which Nature doth allow and from the use of which the Government doth not restrain us And whosoever pleads That every individual Person though joyned in Society hath still a natural right of Self-defence and Preservation by repelling Force with Force and that this is a Right inseparable of which he cannot possibly devest himself by any Promise or Engagement doth plainly give to every man a licence to resist Superiors whensoever he conceives it needful for his own Preservation so to do and armeth every Malefactor against that Ordinarce of God which is appointed to be a Terror to the Evil Doer Argument 2 Again this is a certain Principle That in all Civil Governments the 〈◊〉 must be a Supreme from whose Authority lies no Appeal for if there be no last Appeal fixed in some Person or Persons mischief will be infinite nor can our Controversies about Civil Matters ever be decided That Power from which we cannot lawfully appeal we cannot judge we therefore cannot punish we cannot be Avengers of it and when we have no power to avenge our selves we must be quiet Moreover they in vain unite for mutual defence under a Governor who when they have done this cannot defend themselves against Natural Force they cannot thus defend themselves whose Strength is not united whence it doth clearly follow That there must be a Power in the Supremacy wheresoever that is lodged to unite as many of his Subjects for the defence of the Community as shall seem necessary to him for that end He cannot thus unite them who hath not power to compel them by punishments to such an Union He cannot have just power to punish whom it is lawful to resist And therefore he who is Supreme or bears the Sword in any Government cannot be lawfully resisted Lastly A Supreme Governor must be invested with that Power which is necessary for the administration of Justice the securing Property and the preserving peace and quiet in his own Dominions No Government can make provision for these things provided it be lawful for Subjects in any case to take up Arms against it for then these Subjects must be Judges when this case doth happen Now to assert a Right in Subjects to judge when they may lawfully resist is plainly to assert That they are only bound to yield Subjection as long as they themselves think fit and that they may resist whensoever they shall think it requisite and needful so to do Now who can promise that the Giddy Multitude shall never judge amiss and think it needful to resist when it is no such matter what security can be had upon this Supposition against the passion interest ambition and madness of such Reformers of the Higher Powers Are not the judgments of the Common people apt to be imposed upon by the intrigues of an Achitophel by the insinuating words and popular deportment of a Goodly Absdlom May they not easily perswade the people that they are greatly injured under the Government of a most upright David and that no justice can be had and therefore that 't is requisite that they should right themselves by force of Arms Thus would this plea reduce all Governments into Confusion and Anarchy and turn the world into one great Akeldama and make it vain for us to pray for Kings that under them we may lead peaceably and quiet lives for if the Subject hath a Right to judge when his Prince is guilty of male-administration in Church or State and also to resist him as often as he doth so judge in such a multitude of contrary Perswasions as do now abound and such a number of half-witted Polititians as are now sprung up amongst us what expectation can we have of any thing but tumults and confusion But against this Assertion it is objected Objection 1 1. That to sit still and see our selves inslaved and robbed of our Liberties is to be wanting to that natural affection which we owe unto our Country and our selves and that Self-preservation is the prime Law of nature and therefore that resistance which is requisite unto Self-preservation must be natural whence it must follow that all other Laws of equity and nature must give place unto it Answer Besides what hath already been discoursed in Answer to this plea touching the Right of Self-defence and Preservation I Answer First That this plea might have more plausibly been used by Christ and by the Primitive Professors of Christianity than it can now be used by any Nation seing their Persecutions were more heavy the numbers of their slaughtered Martyrs greater than can be parallelled by any sufferings of like nature from the severity of any Higher Powers
immediate designment That I cannot say that God doth now as in the case of Saul and David and other Rulers of his people Israel appoint and nominate the Person who shall sway the Scepter in any Nation of the World I know no Christian Princes who pretend to hold their Empires by this claim We see by plain experience God doth not interpose in this extraordinary manner in the Election or Constitution of Superiors The Powers then in being when these words were written had no such appointment but were elected by the Roman Army or chosen and confirmed by the Sâ—ate and yet they are expresly styled Gods Ordinance and therefore an immediate appointment or designation of the Person by God cannot be necessary to render any Prince Gods Ordinance Nor Secondly Can I affirm that God hath plainly determined in his word or by the light of nature what species or kind of Government shall be set up in any Nation Whether the Government shall be administred by one or more be that of Monarchy or Aristocracy This only I aver 1 That in the Scriptures and in the History of Gods own people we find no other kind of Government approved of or thought fit to be set up by God but that of Monarchy which is a great presumption that generally speaking this of all other species is the best as well as the most Ancient form of Government and 2. That by the Providence of God in making the first Government Paternal and establishing the Succession in the line of David it seems highly probable that He approved not so well of an Elective as a Successive Monarchy and therefore when the people mutinously asked a King God suffered not them to chuse him but the Lord anointed Saul 1 Sam. 9.17.10.1 and said this same shall reign over my people In Judah never was a popular Election and when in the disturbed times of Israel the people took upon them to make Kings God complains of it by his Prophet saying They have set up Kings Hos 8.4 but not by me They have made Princes and I knew it not But positively I answer 2. Answer That 1. God in general hath ordained Government First That it is God who hath in General ordained Government He hath made man a sociable creature and hath endowed him with Inclinations to preserve himself and all that doth belong unto him and so hath laid upon him a necessity of his Submission to some Power which shall govern and shall preserve him from Injustice or shall revenge the Injuries which he receives from others Moreover we cannot doubt but that the Just and Righteous God would have all injuries and wrongs repressed and curbed that the God of Peace would have his Creatures live in Peace and Quietness 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. and therefore the Apostle having exhorted that Supplications Prayers and Intercessions be made for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty he adds that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is good this is naturally Honest and this is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Now such a peaceable and quiet life such a redress and restraint of injuries committed cannot be expected without a Keeper of the Peace and an Avenger of wrongs that is a Magistrate without whom we must all be Ismaels to one another and have Each man his hand against his Brother and every man must be Accuser Judge and Executioner in his own cause Again God in his Wisdom so contrived the Production of Mankind that all who came into the world by derivation from our Father Adam should not come absolutely free into it but subject when Paternal Government obtained to that and when it was advanced to Regal should be born subjects to some Prince or other and hence all Nations have by the light of Nature been guided to admit of Government and God doth in his Moral Law command Inferiors to honour and obey Superiors and therefore doth suppose them under such an Order and Constitution by the Law of Nature Secondly a. That God in Scripture hath declared what power shall belong to Governors God hath declared in Scripture and with sufficient evidence even from the Light of Nature what Power shall belong to this his Ordinance that his immediate Vicegerents upon Earth shall have * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. Orat. p. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan Haer 40. Sect. 4. p. 294. c. the Power of the Sword †Rom. 13 4. He bears the Sword saith our Apostle nor without this can he become the Minister of Wrath or Executioner of Vengeance upon Evil Doers To be Supreme and have the Sword of Justice must therefore be acknowledged to be terms Synonymous hence naturally slows the Power of Executing Justice for the repairing of the Injured Person and the avenging of the wicked for the preserving of the Publick Peace for the Protection of the Innocent on which accounts the Ruler is here called The Minister of God to us for Good the Terror of the wicked is said to be appointed and commissionated for the Avenging Evil Doers 1 Pet. 2.14 and for the praise of them that do well Hence in him must reside the Power of making War and Peace that being only Power of weilding and of putting up the Sword Hence also is it that no man justly can resist this Ordinance because he cannot do it but by taking of that Sword which is peculiar to the Higher Powers Whence Suidas from an †In verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heathen Dio doth inform us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Royal Sovereignty is * Orat. 3. de Regno 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Government without Controul it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an independant Government saith ‖ In Antiq. v. 11.7 Sophocles it is absolute and uncontroulable saith * Apud Ziphilin 1 Pet. 2.14 Marcus Aurclius Moreover God also hath ordained that all Inferior Powers in his Realm should be commissionated by the King and act in a dependance on him hence are they said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men sent by him And what can be more evident than that all Streams must Issue from the Fountain of Authority and all Inferior Powers derive from the Superior Thirdly He hath ordained that his Immediate Vicegerent should †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch ad princip indoctum give being to all Laws which do obtain within his Kingdom and that his Subjects should yield Obedience to him in all Lawful Matters according to the Tenor of these Precepts Let every Soul be subject to the Higher Powers Be subject to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers And since a Law according to the truest definition of it is the declared will of the Superior obliging Subjects to Obedience the Power of making Laws
be accountable and therefore subject to them Was such a Doctrine as this likely to silence the Clamours raised against Christianity and therefore Answer 3 This Ordinance may be styled Humane with respect unto the subject as being exercised by man or with respect unto the object as being conversant about men or with respect unto the end as being for the good and benefit of man as is the Office of the Ministry and yet as well as that may be ordained of God and be of a Divine Original Answer 4 But lastly seeing it is confessed already that God doth not immediately appoint or nominate the Person who shall sway the Scepter in any Nation of the world at present that by Gods General Ordinance concerning Government and the Prerogatives annexed to it no man can claim to be the Higher Power over such or such a Nation but that in all Elective Kingdoms it is the choice of those who are concerned to chuse a Governour which gives to any man a property and a peculiarity in that Relation 1. It is acknowledged that they are also in this sense an Humane Ordinance as being the Superior Powers in those Elective Kingdoms by virtue of the Peoples Choice and that it actually was thus in the Roman Empire when these Epistles were endited the Emperors being then chosen by the People or the Roman Army and confirmed by the Senate and therefore being in that sense an Humane Ordinance but then it is as certain that being lawfully elected they became the Ordinance of God and in the sense explained acted by Divine Authority Inference 2 Hence it is evident that Subjects cannot lawfully attempt to take the Power from their Sovereign or wrest it from his hands when he is legally invested with it because they cannot take that from him which not they but God hath given him For as it is in case of Matrimony the Woman by her own consent becometh subject to her Husband and gives him the command over her Body and yet she by the Ordinance of Matrimony is bound Rom. 7.2 saith the Apostle to her Husband so long as he liveth so though the People in an Elective Kingdom do become subject to such a Governor by their consent yet by the Ordinance of God concerning Government they are bound to be subject to their Prince so long as he lives and in Successive Governments to Him and his Heirs so long as they live And since the Power cannot be wrested from him but by that Sword which he receives not from the People but from God he must be very well secured from all attempts of taking of this Power from him without invading of that Power God hath given him Inference 3 Hence also doth it follow (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xiphilin excerpt ex Dionis M. Aurelio that none but God can judge the King or call the Higher Powers to account for what they do for as no Person can pass judgment on the King's Viceroy or question him for what he doth but he from whom he did receive that Character so can no Person judge or pass sentence upon God's Vicegerents but he by whom they are ordained to that Office The reason is because par in parem non habet potestatem he therefore only can pass Judgment and inslict punishment on any Person who is his Superior It being then a contradiction to assert that any upon Earth can be Superior to the Supreme it must be also a contradiction to assirm that any upon Earth can judge or inslict punishment upon him or that the Highest Powers should be obnoxious to coercion Hence have the Fathers still acknowledged that the (b) Solo Deo minor Tertul. ad Scap. c. 2 post quem primus Apol. c. 30. Emperor is less than God alone that there is (c) Super Imperatorem non est nisi solus Deus Optat l. 3 p. 65. none above him besides God that he is the head of all men upon Earth that when the King offendeth he is guilty before (d) Tibi soli peccavi Rex utique erat nullis ipse legibus tenebatur quia liberi sunt Reges à vinculis delictorum neque enim ullis ad poenam vocantur legibus tâ—ti imperii poteâ—ate Ambros Apol. David Tom. 4. p 349. c. 10. Chrysâ—st in eundem locum Tom. 1. p. 709. Cassiador Arnobius Junior Euthymius in eundem locum Didyn us Nicephorus Lat. Gr. in locum God alone and by him only can be judged †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 G. Nyssen l. 1. contra Eunom p. 400. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 2. ad Pop. Antioch Tom. 6. p. 463. l. 41. Hieron Ep. 22. adEustachium 46. ad Rusticum Isidor Sentent l. 3. c. 50. Nefas est in dubium deducere ejus potestatem cui omnium Gubernatio supremo constat delegata Judicio Concil Tolet. 6. c. 14. according to that saying of King David against thee only have I sinned So Ambrose Cassiodorus Didymus Arnobius Euthymius and St. Jerom and G. Nyssen Inference 4 Are Governors the Ministers of God the Ordinance of God then they who do resist their Government must be Resisters of God's Ordinance and fighters against God they must be takers of that Sword which by God's Ordinance is put into the hands of their Superiors and therefore may expect according to our Saviour's Aphorism that they should perish by it This our Apostle here expresly teacheth saying He that resists the Power resists the Ordinance of God and if it never can be lawful to resist the Higher Powers because they are the Ordinance of God it of necessity must follow That in all cases we must suffer patiently even when we suffer the most wrongfully And here to meet with and baâ—â—le all the Cavils of those who plead for the Resistance of the Higher Powers I shall lay down these following Propositions Prop. 1 That it is not lawful to resist on the account of any hardships or severities that Governors may use towards their Subjects For Reason 1 First No Governors were more severe and cruel towards any Subjects than were the Roman Emperors towards the Christians as the ten Persecutions may inform us and yet these are the very men whom to resist saith the Apostle is damnation Reason 2 Secondly The Apostle doth command all Servants to be obedient not only to their kind and gentle Masters 1 Pet. 2.18 but also * Quod dixitde Domino Servo hoc in telligite de Potestatibus Regibus August in Psal 124. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the perverse and froward because it is thank worthy thus to endure Grief and suffer wrongfully for Conscience towards God nor is the Child discharged from his obedience to his Parents by any hardships which he suffers from them and therefore by just consequence the Subject cannot upon the like accounts be freed from that subjection which he owes unto the Sovereign Lord and Father of his Country