possible live peaceably with all men which the Doctrine of resistance doth manifestly contradict if there be another course to be taken as undoubtedly there is according as I shall shew anon nor will I much mind you of those places where he propounds prayer for and obedience unto not resistance of 1 Tim 2.1 2. Tit. 3.1 Princes and Kings to be the necessary and onely way to live Godly and honestly quietly and peaceably nor yet of that saying ye have not yet resisted unto bloud Heb. 12.4 which not onely the Apostle himselfe but also David Dixon of Scotland and all the godly learned expositors do interpret to be a passive resistance of evill by suffering our owne bloud to be shed after Christs Example in the former verses not an active resistance thereof by shedding the bloud of others I say I will not insist upon these or any other Scriptures of like nature because it will be answered as it hath been already that those places concerne private Christians not a Parliament or publicke State as if a Parliament or publicke State were not bound to do all that is possible to live peaceably as if the members thereof were not chose on purpose to procure the peace of all to settle godlinesse honesty religion and quiet in a Nation as if the Parliament men were no Christians as if by being advanced to that Honour they were exempted from the rules of Christianity or could in their wisedomes devise wayes to promote peace and godlinesse better then those which Gods Spirit hath propounded such language therefore as I conceive how frequent soever is not to the dignity of that High Assembly but as I said before I will not meddle with the power of a Parliament nor do I desire to heare or know any thing of that Court but what is pious and Honourable But the first Scripture which I will alleadge shall be that which some because they cannot evade do scoffingly call our great place viz. Rom. 13.1 2. Let every soule be subject to the Higher power for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation I first demand what is meant by higher power in this place * Author of the Pamphlet called the glorious name of God the Lord of Hosts pag◠113. one answers mee That Authority which God and man hath put upon a man I demand againe is it onely naked Authority so put without any relation to the man on whom put that must be subjected unto and not resisted He answers yes for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies power in the abstract or the power of the Law and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more concrete word which may implie also the power of the Person I confesse 't is somewhat difficult to mee to have such an abstrusive apprehension of Authority yet because 't is so Magisterially affirmed I will not resist the higher Spirit though I cannot upon such an ipse dixit beleeve the full and true sense of the text to be The power of the man may not be resisted but the man that hath the power may for I would aske this question why may the man that hath the power be resisted I confesse the answer is ready in respect of his illegall will and wayes why in that respect is it because Authority thereby is abused or misapplied it should seem no for 't is professed in the same page that Power and Authority though abused is not to be resisted where then doth the Burre sticke is Authority subjected solely in the Kings Law and no whit in his Person though put upon him both by God and man or is Authority it selfe the subject and the person exercising the same a bare accident unto that beeing in it only more separably as pride and folly are in Homine so it may appeare in the same place for saies that Rabbi if one that is in Authority command out of his owne will and not by Law I resist no power no Authority at all if I neither actively nor passively obey no I do not so much as resist abused Authority for why it must be beleived as his fathers the Jesuits teach that the Prince by his disordered will or dissent from Law hath quite lost his Authority and is become like another man and so though Hee be resisted yet Authority is not for that 's fled from Him But by the way if Authority be wholly subjected in the Law who placed it there our great new master yeildeth the Law-makers who it seemes are too indiscreetly prodigall of their Authority to give it all away to their Lawes and keepe none of it to themselves nor can have any save what it pleaseth the Law to returne unto them His words are these if those who have power to make Lawes shall make sinfull Lawes and so give Authority to any to force obedience we say here there must be either flying or passive obedience no resistance whence we may conjecture that those who have power to make Lawes are some Persons in Authority and that those Persons have a possibility in them to make sinfull Lawes as well as good and when they have made those sinfull Lawes they can give power to any to force obedience unto them and those Officers so inabled with power must not be resisted for the sinfull Lawes sake but if hee that made this sinfull Law shall command out of his owne will a thing lesse sinfull then what perhaps the sinfull Law requires He may be resisted and yet no Authority resisted by the resister because no authority abused by the Commander he having uncloathed himselfe thereof to adorne and strengthen his sinfull Law to make that more venerable then himselfe and lesse resistible If this be the mans understanding of the case let us see how by this his Doctrine he must understand the text by Higher powers according to this is meant Humane Lawes and ordinances which are the bounds and bridles of restraint to Kings as well as to other men let every soule the Prince himselfe not excepted be subject unto these and take heed of resisting them for though they be evill yet submission either active or passive must be yeilded to them for the establishment of iniquity by a Law doth make it altogether unopposeable this must be the meaning of the Apostle in this Expounders sense but every faith cannot swallow this construction of Higher powers to be onely Humane Lawes for as he said rightly they may be evill and are ordained by men whereas the Apostle tells us that the powers which he meanes are ordained of God and therefore must needs be all good for God hath nothing to do with the stoole of wickednesse I confesse my selfe lost in that teachers Meanders I am even earth'd in Burrowes and need some faithfull Jeremy to direct mee out of
Conscience as they will answer the contrary unto God to assist him I believe also that the Authority of a King or supreme Governour is the naturall and essentiall investment of his Person though it extend where his Person is not even all over his dominions yet in him 't is radicated is as unseperable from him as his life is who ever aimes at the one aimes also at the other is the voice both of reason Law and story I do conceive that though the distinction holds good of inferiour Governours that they may be considered as men as magistrates yet not so of the supreme who comes to his Authority by inheritance Hee ought not to be considered of in any notion severed from that of King Sauls Person was Gods anointed In others their Authority is onely sacred and addes veneration to their Persons and is separable from them the man may live when his Authority is extinguished but the very Person of a King in regard of royall birth or unction and of immediate dependance upon God is sacred as well as his Authority and doth adde veneration unto that as well as that to him indeed they adde honour to each other and are inseperable they live and dye together they are of Gods conjunction whereas other Authority is of mans and though man may sever what himselfe hath joyned yet what God hath joyned no man must sever Hence I believe that as hee who resists the Authority of an inferior magistrate resists the King so hee that resists the Authority yea or the Person of a Prince or supreme magistrate resists God not onely his Power intrusted to him but also his wisedome in making and ordaining of him in fastning or bestowing the Authority upon him And as hee that resists the King in his Officers shall from the King receive punishment Pro. 17.11 a cruell messenger shall be sent unto him so they that resist God in the King His Minister Rom. 13. shall receive to themselves damnation either temporall from the hand of him that is resisted unto whom God will deliver them up Pro. 20.26 to scatter and to bring the wheele over or from some other in his place 2 King 14.5 as the Kings Son slew those that slew his father or else eternall if they scape here for Solomon sayth hee that provoketh a King to anger Pro. 20.2 sinneth against his owne Soule God doubtlesse will maintaine the Act of his owne wisedome their devise shall be onely mischeivous to themselves that seek to pull him downe whom God hath exalted Ps 62 4. therefore Solomon well Pro. 30.31.32 against a King there is no rising namely without the confusion and ruine of the risers to prevent which he gives his advise in the next words if thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thy self acknowledge it if thou hast thought evill lay thine hand upon thy mouth Private mens Injuries may be washed off with teares but wrongs done to Princes in regard of God his neare and speciall interest are hardly wiped off but with bloud who ever saies David lifted up his hand against Gods Anointed 1 Sam. 26.9 and was guiltlesse as if he had said can any one out of any story name me a man whom vengeance in such a case hath not alwayes followed I do believe that Military strength and outward wealth are the Sect. 6 nerves and sinews of Authority for by these feare and reverence is procured to that and love to the Princes person in all those who are not able to see God in the face of Majestie of which sort there are too many therefore to take away or with-hold these is to endeavour the weakening of the Kings Authority and to bring the same together with his person into contempt and his life it selfe into danger surely if a King be appointed of God to be the Supreame in Authority it is the Subjects duty to manifest their approbation of Gods will and their obedience to their Prince in yeilding to him the superiority over themselves in such matters true feare of God will make men honour him whom God honoureth and faith in God to trust him whom God trusteth The Hearts of Subjects I beleeve next to the Arme of God are the strength of the Princes strength and the wealth of his wealth and therefore to rob him of these is the greatest theft it is to rend from him his Honour his Reverence his Authority and what ever God hath invested him withall and this is often done by publishing and aggravating his humane infirmities Psal 35.11 but most commonly by laying to his charge things whereof he is not guilty When Absolom and Achitophel went about their horrid Treason they cast Iniquity upon the King they found none upon him but they laid some on Psal 55.3 2 Sam. 15. that so his Subjects might hate him as themselves did and joyne with them against him this I beleeve hath alwayes proved a sinne of a purple dye and is a blasphemy against God as well as against the King for he that speakes evill of the King speaks evill of Gods Law which commands the contrary and so of God himselfe A King is the light of his Israell Act. 23.5 the Sunne of his Kingdome Jam. 4.11 and true Religion which is a light too obscures not that light the Locusts that came out of the Pit were they that darkened the Sunne this condition better becomes Jesuites such as Sanders and Parsons were then Protestants Rev. 9.2 3. A Prince is the breath of his peoples nostrils and his honour is the breath whereby himselfe lives and whosoever have indeavoured to stop or infect this breath have gone about to murder all the Subjects as might be evidenced by examples what ever pretences at first were the issue in the end hath beene the Land was an Acheldama Surely I beleeve that Piety and Allegeance doth instruct a loyall Subject to prize his Soveraignes good name before his owne yea to be glad and joyfull of an occasion even to drowne his owne credit in his Princes service to advance him Scripture teacheth to deny our selves to Honour our King Samuel at Sauls request when he had told him that God had rejected him and so knew him to be actually under Gods displeasure and thereupon was himselfe departing from him in anger yet was content to turne againe 1 Sam. 15.30 to honour him before the people to put all respect that possibly he could upon him as he was a King I beleeve a true religious Subject dares not entertaine an evill thought of his Soveraigne nor beleeve evill of him he dares not conceipt meanly or slightly of the Lords Anointed that place of Scripture doth much awe him Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King in thy heart the word in the originall being disrespect not disesteeme not a disrespectfull thought of a King is an accursed thought and who so harboureth such a thought shall not
the same in specie so must it have the same manner and way of expression as namely by our beleeving him by having an high esteeme of him by our obedience to his will by our manner of addresse unto his presence by our unfeigned and constant love unto his person and by our endeavouring to rejoyce and glad his spirit for by these particulars we doe expresse our honour and reverence of heart unto the Lord. 1. We honour God when we doe beleeve him yea then most of all as Luther sayes for thereby we give him the glory of all his attributes nor doe we ever more disparage the Majestie of God then when we make him a lyer like unto our selves in not giving credit unto his sayings those who would neither beleeve nor speake one word of truth themselves did most of all dishonour our Saviour when they voiced him to be a deceiver and a false speaker so no greater dishonour can men offer to their Prince then not to take his word unlesse withall to labour that others might not Surely it is a part not onely of good manners but also of that reverence and duty which a Subject owes unto his Soveraigne to credit and beleeve him before any other in the world especially upon his Protestations But indeed the more like unto Christ a Prince is in meeknesse mercy truth sweetnesse of disposition and desire of doing good the more of Christ's enterteinment shall he meet withall in this world 2. We honour God by having an high esteeme of his Majestie and by manifesting the same in termes accordingly to his praise upon all occasions and after this sort must we testifie our honour to the King we must have an high and pious conceit of him speaking of him alwaies as good and praying for him not as evill To make mention in prayer of a Christian Prince as if he were an Infidel or an enemy to goodnesse is rather to calumniate and vilifie him to slander and disgrace him then to shew reverence and honour to him it is rather the way to insinuate a tediousnesse of him and to worke an odium against him in the hearts of men then a venerable esteeme of him When Saint Paul required it as a thing good and acceptable in the sight of God to pray supplicate 2 Tim. 2. and give thankes for Kings and commends it as a meane whereby to live a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty I beleeve he did not intend such kinde of prayers as should leave a misconceit of Kings in the mindes of their people no I beleeve such prayers have beene the seeds of these our present troubles they have prejudiced our peace and quiet and provoked but little to the practice of true godlinesse and honesty the Lord in his good time touch the spirits of the seeds-men 3. We expresse our honour and feare to God by our full and perfect obedience to his will and word so must we to our Soveraigne by our obedience to his Person and Lawes preferring none but God before him the first in Authority must alwaies command our first obedience God that gives Authority to the King is therefore the greatest and so to be first obeyed the King gives Authority to all inferiour Magistrates and therefore is greater then all they both divisim conjunctim and so before them to be preferr'd in our submission unto should they command any thing contrary to his will If it be said but suppose the inferiour Magistrate commands according to the Kings Law which is his revealed will then 't is lawfull not onely to disobey his person but also to make resistance I answer This objection shall be dealt withall anon onely for the present I say this God is not honoured by being resisted no more surely is the King Moreover Authority is rather rooted in the Prince then in his Law for as he gives beeing to the inferiour Magistrate so he doth to the Law it selfe making it authorizable Et propter quod aliquid est tale illud est magis tale He is greater therefore then his Law not to be resisted for the sake of that which may be evidenced farther thus if when the Prince commands any thing contrary to the revealed will of God who hath given him his power he is not to be resisted though not to be obeyed then much lesse when he commands any thing contrary to his owne Law to which himselfe hath given power Christian Religion hath hitherto taught that the Prince his will must alway be done of us or on us of us when 't is according to or not against the Word of God on us when contrary to the same we must one way or other submit to Authority to the penalty if not to the command nor doe I conceive how I disobey the Law of the Land by submitting to the penalty annexed in obeying the will of the Prince seeing I must honour his person by my obedience 4. We doe manifest our reverence to God by our manner of addresse into his presence we doe not use to carry our Petitions to God with our hands upon our swords nor goe to him with threats and armes to have our requests granted neither must we in that fashion repaire unto our Soveraigne nor doe we use to thinke to make God yeild unto us by fore reporting of him that he meanes to doe so and so that we might force him for his credit sake to doe the contrary but we goe to him with selfe-denying hearts and words confessing his goodnesse and our owne unworthinesse intreating him to take advantage of our necessities to manifest his owne free grace and to cause his owne glory to appeare and after such a manner and with such termes must we goe unto our King the humble way is Gods way which he will make successefull 5. We honour God by our unfeigned and constant love unto him and for his sake to those that love him or that he loves which is expressed by our speaking good of him and them and not by endeavouring his or their disgrace and ruine And so must we also shew our honour to our Prince by our love which must be unfeigned and constant both to him and his in all conditions we must be willing rather to suffer for his and their sakes then to countenance any evill against either Indeed our love to our King will be thus natured if it be rightly grounded namely on Gods command and because he is our Soveraigne for though indeed we are to pray that a Prince may alwayes be as eminent in grace and goodnesse above others as he is in dignity yet if he be not we must remember that we owe him the highest honour as he is the Lords Anointed and appointed of God to be our Governour God who hath deserved from us to be obeyed hath commanded us to honour and love our King Indeed a Christian is Homo per se and hath a foundation for his duty
these darke and crypticke Cavernes and I finde him in Gods booke bidding mee looke about and aske for the old way which is the good way the old exposition is the best which is this Jer. 6.16 By every soule is to be understood every man with all that belongs unto him and by Higher power is meant not onely the power it selfe but also the person excerciseing the same for as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the power so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes the person yea the superiority of the person and gives the power the denomination of Higher so that we must not only be subject to the Power because a power but also to the same because an Higher power in which respect every inferiour not only soule but also power must be subject to that power which is higher then it selfe And the King being the supreame person under God hath therefore in these his Dominions the Highest power and may be call'd without any great impropriety of speech as he is Gods immediate deputy on earth the Highest power If any * The Author of the Pamphlet called the Glorious name of God c. pag. 122. 1. Peter ◠enemy of Regall Authority shall object and say though the King indeed be supreame the Apostle Peter speakes it too plainely to be denied yet in the same place the King is made an ordinance of man and therefore to be limited by man Calvin on the place answers Dicitur humana ordinatio non quòd Humanitùs inventa fuerit sed quòd propria Hominum est degesta ordinata vivendi ratio 't is call'd an humane ordination not because 't is mans invention but because ordained of God for the good and conservation of men or because executed by man and about the government of mankind But Sir I returne to your selfe that this which I have given is the true meaning of that place to the Romanes the text it selfe doth evidence for what is called the Higher power in the first verse is call'd the ruler and the Minister of God v. 3. which imply the person as well as the Authority now saies the Apostle this Higher power must not be resisted viz. by any kinde of resistance and his reason is strong for to resist saies he is malum culpae who ever resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and 't is malum poenae too they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation for si bonus nutritor est tuus saies Augustine si malus tentator tuus est if the ruler be good receive thy nourishment from him with obedience if he be evill receive thy triall by him with patience and so you have my first Script against resistance My second shall be Eccles 8.2 3 4 5. verses Solomon was a wise man and the counsells of such are good I counsell thee saies he ut os Regis observes as the Hebrew hath it that thou observe the mouth of the King Eccels 8 2. c. and that in regard of the oath of God i. e. that oath of Alleageance or subjection which in the name of God with his approbation Subiects have allwaies taken unto their Soveraignes and whereunto God is a witnesse and whereof if broken he will be a severe punisher Be not hasty to go out of his sight that is saies Tremelius ne ab obsequio illius te subducito animo perturbato withdraw not thy selfe from his alleagiance in a discontentednesse of spirit stand not in an evill thing scilicet in perturbatione rebellione quae tibi malum allatura esset in thy sullennesse and rebellion which will bring mischeife upon thee for hee doth what ever pleaseth him it is not thy will and pleasure but the will and pleasure of the Prince that must be done Kings have long hands to reach those that resist them and God doth inable them to have their Will upon such treacherous and disobedient Subiects as will not willingly submit unto it Yea where the word of a King is there is power as to breake the heart of a good Subject into duty Confregit David viros suis verbis 1 Sam. 24.7 sayes the text David brake his men with his words so to blast the conspiracies and to confound the spirits of those that be rebellious for indeed Gods wrath awakened by the breach of oath attends the Kings word to accomplish the same upon resisters And hence is that of Solomon in one place against a King there is no rising up Prov. 30.31 and in another He that provoketh a King to anger by opposing his word Prov. 20.2 or any other way sinneth against his owne soule therefore however for a season the word of a King like that of God be resisted sleighted and contemned yet it shall appeare in the end againe to be a word of power Who may say unto him what doest thou i. e. none hath power to call a King to account save God alone no man hath authority to gainsay him sayes Elihu in Job Is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked Job 34.18 or to Princes ye are ungodly it seemes it was not in those dayes Who so keepeth the Commandement shall feele no evill thing that is the command of God in the first place and then for the oath of Gods sake the command of the King be it dictum or scriptum not contradicting that of God qui rebellaverit ori tuo moriatur said the people to Joshua their Captaine Josh 1.18 Whosoever doth rebell against thy commandement and will not hearken to the words of thy mouth in all that thou commandest he shall be put to death but on the other side He that keepeth the same shall feele no evill thing Sir this is my second Scripture and as I conceive 't is suteable to our present case against resisting the personall will and word of the King More precepts I could give but because examples are most regarded in these dayes I will remember you of some of them In the third place therefore be pleased to thinke of the children of Israel in the land of Egypt and of the manner of their deliverance by the hand of Moses and Aaron It must be confess'd that Pharaoh was a wicked King exercised great tyranny over Gods people then under his subjection and was condemned by Gods expresse word yet being lawfull Magistrate over the Country Moses did not arme the Israelites against him though they were able to make their part good as appeares by their number being six hundred thousand men Exod. 12.37 and Pharaohs confession that they were more and mightier then he and his Egyptians Exod. 1.9 but Continent sese observant Pharaonem obedienter as one sayes they conteined themselves and beseeched him obediently Exod. 2.12 Yea it should seeme that Moses himselfe at first had a fancie that this deliverance should be by way of resistance when hee slew the Egyptian Act. 7.25 for as
hunt or pursue from place to place but it presupposeth a being hunted or pursued and I shall rather take the terme in its ancient and prer signification as perhaps you would have mee thinke you take it as being the more gentle then in that new sense which this boisterous Age doth I conceive by a defensive resistance an active resistance by divers renouncing passive obedience Against the Kings will or personall command if they that maintaine this position be of the privy Councell to this resisting generation we may suspect two things from these their words if they doe not flander 1. That the present war is not principally against those that are with the King as the common people are made to believe but rather against the Kings owne Person Indeed that voice to fight against the King would call together but little money and few men in this Nation nor can all that looke that way hope to weare the Kings Crown but they may promise to themselves a portion in the estates of the Kings friends who if he perish which God defend are sure to fall with him 2. That this warre is not to defend Religion as the ignorant also are perswaded but onely to crosse the King that he might not have His will Indeed the great and onely Controversie between God and man is whose will shall be done no marvell if a good King be in Gods Condition Against the Kings Personall will when it contradicts his Law I suppose the reason is because we must love the Law better then we do the King the fountain of it but how if the Kings will be concurrent with His Law how if he not onely protests he will but actually doth adventure his sacred Person to defend his Law I hope in such a case it will be yeelded without dispute that resistance is unlawfull because haply it would be suspected that those that make it do beare as ill an Affection to the Law it selfe as fearing a triall by it as they do unto the King who would bring them to it But that is not our case you 'l say if you mean that which your self have put I grant the case concernes not us but why then is the position of lawfull resistance now preached do any purpose in aftertimes to get their King into a streight and so force in him some breach of Law to gaine advantage of resistance and therefore would have people by this doctrine ready prepared before hand to aid them against him on the suddaine without scruple well yet I hope the Consciences of true Protestant Subjects will never swallow this principle But concerning the Position I conceive 't is built partly upon that distinction already disliked as improper specially for Subjects to make use of it being indeed of evill and dangerous consequence namely that a King may be considered as a man without his office and as a King in his office for in an Hereditary Kingdome the Kings right to Regality was at the beginning of his Personality they were borne and they die together and therefore not so much as ly Subjects to be considered asunder Indeed the King himselfe may use this distinction in the case of pardoning those that offend his person as he is a Christian he may forgive for he is not borne a Christian though a Prince but those that offend him as he is Pater Patriae as by stirring up Rebellion in the Common-wealth and by shedding the bloud of his innocent Subjects he must punish in regard of his office I confesse 't is a sinne of a purple dye to offend the person of a Prince but true magnanimity can pardon great faults specially when none is offended thereby but he that pardons Againe I conceive the distinction betweene the Kings personall and legall command is of no ancient standing in the School of Christianity Faction bred it and Sedition if let alone will nourse it it hath been already the mother of much strife and I pray God it prove not the Grandmother to confusion but admit it good yet I doe not see how it belongs to Subjects to determine of the Princes will to be contrary to his Law whensoever to outward appearance it seemeth so God sayes Job giveth not account of his matters no more doe Princes those earthly Gods give a reason of all their doings to their Subjects When Solomon pretended to divide the quicke childe betweene the two Harlots 1 King 3. a most cruell and unlawfull thing to outward appearance yet none of his Subjects were so sinfully bold as to resist him in it or to say Thou art ungodly 2 King 10. so when Jehu pretended to serve Baal more then ever Ahab did and Constantine to honour those that would offer sacrifice to Idols and to banish those that would not neither of them were opposed by their people beside the effect shewed that their Wills were as right as their best Lawes notwithstanding those pretences It was once your owne honest interpretation before the publike Congregation that if the Kings Majestie were acquainted with the comeing forth of that booke of Liberty on the Lords day it was onely to discover the consciences of his Clergy how tender and faithfull they would be for the service and day of God their master But I proceed from the fashion or out-side to the matter or substance Sect. 9 of the position it selfe There is a difference made or rather coyned betwixt the King and His Law and the Authors thereof say It is lawfull to resist the King to keep his Law yea necessary as if not obeying and resisting were both one or must of necessity goe together the Apostle sayes Rom. 13. They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation not they that doe not obey doubtlesse therefore there is a difference I have alwayes thought passive obedience to be the Medium or Christian vertue betweene them and surely so it is unlesse Rebellion of late hath tane it from its place made a vice of it and clapt it into prison Reason sayes that by an humble submission to the penalty a man may deny obedience without resistance to the Personall as well as to the Legall commands of the Prince if men obey not the Law when the King forbids nor the Kings will where the Law inhibits neither is resisted had all the Nation beene of this mind we had bad no fighting though the Kings will had truly opposed his Law as is pretended But let them be as some would have it both one you say 't is lawfull to resist the King to keepe his Law and why not as lawfull at least as pious on the other side to neglect I say not to resist his Law to obey him when the thing commanded is not ungodly if the King be greater then his Law we may Nay if to obey the King be Gods Ordinance and to obey the Law but the Ordinance of man it is our duty These two particulars I will briefly prove 1. If
The Lord strooke him with leprousie vers 19. and then the Priests thrust him out of the holy place because of his uncleannesse according to the Law Nay sayes the Text vers 20. himselfe hasted also to goe out because the Lord had smitten him this example therefore makes nothing at all for the lawfulnesse of resisting the Kings person commanding against his owne Lawes Other examples as little to the purpose are also alleadged by those that would faine winde Gods Word to speake the language of their owne spirits but these onely were mentioned at our conference and therefore I will not spend time to answer any other which indeed are already answered by abler pens then mine Sect. 11 Now I come to the Argument from reason which in your thoughts as it seemes if you be in earnest doth imply a necessity of resistance in such a case Salus populi which is Suprema lex doth require it for thus you argue It is according to reason that every particular man should endeavour the preservation of his owne being yea 't is Lex naturae every member of the body every creature in the world will doe it ergo much more man who hath also the use of Reason to perswade him to defend himselfe against an unjust violence Indeed say you Christianity commands us patiently to submit when we are wronged by the Law but if against Law then we may stand upon our owne guard by all the Lawes of Nature and Nations As for example say you if a father or master whose commands are to be bounded within the compasse of their particlar relations shall by unjust violence require things unsuteable to be done the childe or servant may and ought to defend himselfe even to the disarming of his Governour so if a Prince shall command any thing beyond or beside the relation of his Kingly office as for example when a sentence is passed by a triall at Law for me against him he shall notwithstanding in his passion send to my house to do me violence I must defend my selfe and disarme him if I can for if in such a case I shall yeild my throat to his fury to be cut I shall be guilty of selfe murder and if this may be done for the safety of a private man then much more when Salus populi wrich is suprema lex doth require it These in breife as I remember were your Arguments and illustrations to which I thus answer First in generall Reason I grant ruleth well when Religion opposeth not but 't is her duty to vaile unto faith and therefore as you and I have often taught even reason her selfe must be denied in some cases as well as nature a Christian as well as another creature may and must looke to his owne preservation but we are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.20 and so are not our owne nor must be in the first place for our selves the Honour of that profession which he that bought us hath entrusted us to maintaine must be preserved by us before life it selfe if selfe defence will blemish my Holy profession if resisting the King speakes rather the doctrine of the Iesuits then of Iesus I had rather by patience possesse my soule in safety then by opposing endeavour the preservation of my body Ob. But for the particular instances every member of the body say you will defend it selfe Answ True and all the Head yea every one of them will defend the Head before it selfe 't is naturall to them and if wee be right members of the Commonwealth the King is our Head Ob. Every Creature will endeavour the preservation of its own being Answ So will a reasonable man and a Christian in speciall ought so to do that he may do his Creator the more service but onely in that way and by those meanes as may not crosse the end of his beeing Ob. But Christianity commands to submit with patience onely when wronged by the Law Answ It hath beene already answered that Christian patience is not so limited if the Law be on my side when the King wrongs me my wrong is the greater and my patience in such a case is more glorious and comes nearer to perfection Ob. But the Kings Commands are bounded as those of a Father or master within the compasse of their particular relations Answ That is already denyed and must be better proved before I answer further onely this I adde that the similitude of a father or master is not to this case corresponding for 1. I am equall to my father or master as I am a Subject though their inferiour in my particular relation to them but so I am not to my Prince 2. I have a Law to warrant me to stand upon mine owne defence against them and to disarme them when they breake the Kings peace upon mee but I have not to justify me in my so doing against my Prince 3. The King hath not given a father or master potestatem vitae et necis over those that in their relations are under them as God hath given the King therefore although I may defend my selfe against them yet not against him to whom being the publick father and Lord I owe the greater duty and obedience and am to forsake them to serve him Answ 2 Besides I do not wholely yeild to the lawfulnesse of resisting a father or master onely for the unsuteablenesse of their command or perhaps because jujurious to the childe or servant if it be not impious in it selfe for that place of the Apostle seemeth to gainsay it servants bâ— subject to your Masters with all feare 1 Pet. 1 18.19 not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward for this is thanke worthy if a man for Conscience sake toward God indure griefe suffering wrongfully q. d. when in the frowardnesse of their Spirits they command things unsuteable submit your selves and resist not now if subjection in such a case be due to Masters much more is it unto a Prince Answ 3 Or lastly I answer there is a medium between obeying and resisting in a case of that nature and that is complaining to those that are above them for fathers and masters are themselves also under Authourity unto which their children or servants may appeale for their own defence when unreasonable commands with violence are forced upon them and so may and must the Subjects do appeale to God in such a case 1 Sam. 8.18 who onely is above their Prince 1 Sam. 8.18 Ob. But suppose the streight be such that the Son or servant cannot appeale to the Magistrate hee must either yeild to the thing unlawfull or be killed if he do not resist Answ The case is never so between us and God Gen. 22.14 hee is every where to whom we may appeale yea providebit in monte our extremity is his best oportunity Quest But what warrant for this Answ I know your selfe at leasure can finde many I 'le minde
you but of two one a precept and another an example the first is Esay 50.10 whoever feares the Lord when he is in darkenesse and hath no light that is Es 50.10 in such great streightes and deep dangers that he can see no glimpse of deliverance from the creatures no hopes of escape let him namely at such a time trust in the name of the Lord and stay himselfe upon his God O! Master M. when shall wee live by faith if not in such a Condition The second warrant is the example of David in the wildernesse of Maon Saul had beset him round hee was in a great distresse 1 Sam. 23.26 27. fly hee could not from his Prince fight he durst not against his Prince what shall he doe He stayed himselfe upon his God who appeared to his helpe by diverting the King to a businesse of better consequence a messenger comes all on the suddaine and brings him word the Philistines had invaded his Land Ob. But suppose the Prince sets upon me in mine owne House and I therein am able to defend my selfe which perhaps David in his distresse was not why may I not so do and trust to Gods Assistance that way my House is my Castle Answ I yeild your house is and may be your Castle to defend you against any private Person but whether against your Leige Lord the King or no I question or if the Law yeilds you this that the House which was left you by your predecessors be your owne and the weapons therein which you bought with your owne money be solely yours for your defence and for that purpose you may use them But not forgetting your similitude suppose you be in your fathers or masters House and the weapons therein be his weapons whether you may keep his owne house or use his owne weapons against himselfe Hoc restat probandum Ob. But shall I yeild my throat to be cut then I shall be guilty of selfe-murder Answ It doth not follow that if you yeild to your Prince in such a case that your throat must needs be cut for we read of some that by faith stopped the mouth of Lions Heb. 11.34 and escaped the edge of the sword God is able and will if you pray and trust to him by your yeilding to your offended and displeased Prince mollify his heart towards you as hee did Sauls heart to David Labans to Iacob at one time and Esau's towards him at another O deare Sir have wee beene preaching faith and patience thus many yeares to others and shall we thus boggle and wriggle against the Power of faith and the practice of patience when we are put to trials nay shall we argue in the behalfe of flesh and bloud against the power of faith But I returne Ob. To permit a Prince said you to do what he will without resistance is the way to destroy the whole society of men and the Church in speciall if a Prince be so minded Answ It doth not follow for Church and Commonwealth are both preserved by Gods providence God is Governour of and in both and so far as the rage of men shall make to the praise either of his wisedome and justice in punishing the wicked or of his Power and grace in the trials of his servants Psa 76.10 Es 10. so far doth he permit it and the remainder thereof doth he restraine we see it in Assur Es 10. and in all the Tyrants of all Ages the Romane Emperours that had their wils had also but their time and did no more by all their fury then Gods hand and counsell had foredetermined should be done Ob. But this is Anabaptisme to hold it unlawfull for Christians to fight Answ It is one thing for Christians to fight under their Princes Banner and at his command and another thing to fight against his standard and contrary to his will to fight for him is Christianity but to fight against him is Anabaptisme nor indeed do the Anabaptists hold it unlawfull to fight when they thinke themselves strong enough to resist as appeared by their behaviour at Munster but as Jsrael had beene in peace if Ahab had been as free from troubling it as Elias was whom hee accused 1 King 18.17 so should England at this time be if they that oppose Regality and indeavour the dammage of it were as far from Anabaptisme as they are that hold such resistance unlawfull Ob. But Salus populi is suprema lex and for the preservation of the whole we may resist a part Answ There is indeed much talke of Salus populi now adayes but I believe there is a great mistake both in Salus and in Populi 1. In Salus which as appeares by mens proceedings is thought to consist in fighting rather then in flying in resisting rather then in yeilding in shedding one anothers bloud rather then in sleeping in peace God the generall conserver of mankinde hath created man for that end conservare speciem and his will is that those vertues should be specially practiced and maintained that are most conducible thereunto and those are not warres and contentions strife and debate but love meeknesse and patience bearing and forbearing one another I professe Sir it is a Paradox to me that men should lead people from peace to warre to preserve them sure there is a mistake in Salus 2 And so there is in Populi too for whereas some say by the people they meane all who conjunctiâ—â— are as much above the King as hee is above any one of them sigillâ—atim and therefore though one may not resist him yet all may as if the sinne were the lesse because many commit it or rather none at all if they have but strength and company for to act it others againe by the people do interpret every mans particular selfe whence arise those expressions I value the King no more then I do another man I would rather disarme the King then he should disarme me yea and kill him too to save my selfe I tremble to mention these sayings doubtlesse these varlets to save themselves would deale so with God himselfe if he were capable and they could reach him I do believe your selfe will yeild that there is a mistake also in Populi But Sir is not the King the Head of the people and can they be safe without him I admire at some of us that dare in the pulpit separate betwixt them and vilify Majestie to advance popularity O cry some the whole must be preferred before a part Ob. for Christ saies if thy right eye or right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee 't is better that a part perish then the whole Answ Yea but Christ doth not say if thine head offend the cut off that for that would be to the ruine of the whole Ob. O say others the Kingdome is cheifly to be regarded the King is but for the Kingdomes sake Hee is the younger of the two there was