DISLOYALTY OF LANGUAGE Questioned and Censured OR A SERMON Preached against the licencious loosenesse of Seditious TONGUES By Rich. Towgood B. D. one of His Majesties Chaplains and Vicar of Saint Nicholas Church in Bristoll Ian. 17. 1642. WITH A BRIEF COROLLARIE Now added questioning and censuring Rebellious Actions Tit. 3.1 2. Put them in minde to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates to be ready to every good work to speak evill of no Man BRISTOLL Printed for Rich. Harsell and are to be sold by him in Bristoll 1643. To the Reader CHristian Reader give me leave to acquaint thee concerning this Sermon following that as it was necessary discharge of duty that at first drew it to the Pulpit so it is vehement importunity that hath now brought it to the Presse of such foule Schisme and Faction did our Pulpits ring of late that it was tedious to hear grievous to remember At last there was * Ianuary 15. 1642. on the words of the Psalmist Psal 94.20 brought into the Pulpit such a singular master-piece of furious Sedition that my a Act. 17.16 spirit was stirred in me b Jer. 20.9 I was weary with forbearing and could hold no longer but took advantage of my next Lecture-turn which followed immediately thereupon not to answer the arguments which indeed were none but c Si natura negat facit indignatio versum Qualemcunque potest Iuvenal Satyr 1. to shew the iniquity of such disloyall such unchristian invectives The Presse being now brought to Bristoll hath given opportunity to some to presse me for publishing these Notes with urgent importunity d Luk. 11.8 what will not importunity do Lo it hath prevailed to make this short discourse subject to thy view liable to thy censure yet intending both thine and the publique peace Comptnesse of stile and curiosity of words expect not A trim curious dresse would have required either longer time or nimbler abilities such as it is be pleased favourably to accept candidly to interpret If hereby any little profit may accrew to thee upon the perusall of it I shall abundantly be satisfied for all the wrath and displeasure that by many was taken against me at the hearing of it It is not to be expected I know that all men should have a minde to imbrace the truth but be thou good Christian Reader be thou satisfied and I am Thine in the Lord Jesus Christ RICH. TOWGOOD ly with his lipps which was 〈◊〉 apprehended by the hearers aâ— if Iob had said That his punishment was without desert of sinnâ— or transgression by him committed Hereupon Elihu in thiâ— Chapter takes up the Buckleâ—â— against Iob and undertakes 〈◊〉 maintain and defend the Justiâ—â— of God Peruse the Chapteâ— and ye shall easily perceive this 〈◊〉 be the drift and scope thereoâ—â— Among other expressions to convince Iob Elihu here useth aâ— argument a minore c. verse 〈◊〉 19. Is it fit to say to a King thâ— art wicked and to Princes yee 〈◊〉 ungodly How much lesse to hiâ— that accepteth not the persons 〈◊〉 Princes nor regardeth the rich mâ—â—â— then the poor which is as if 〈◊〉 should have said It is not fit 〈◊〉 tax an earthly King and to saâ—â— to him Thou art wicked thougâ—â— he be so and therefore muâ—â— more unfit it must needs be to accuse God wrongfully who is higher then all Kings The antecedent of this Argument is contained in verse 18. the former part whereof I have now proposed unto you Is it fit c. It is delivered by way of Question but to make it Argumentative it must be reduced into a Proposition Now ye shall observe that negative Questions are to be reduced into affirmative Propositions and affirmative Questions that is such as have no negation in them into negative Propositions as for instance Nehem. 13.26 Did not Salomon King of Israel sin by these things that is he did sin by these things So Isai 51.9 Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon that is thou art it And Luke 17.17 Were there not ten cleansed that is there were ten c. the Question in all these places being negative but the Proposition aâ— is obvious to every common capacity affirmative So again yâ—â— shall see on the other side Ezek. 1â— 13 He that is a Robber a shedder â— blood c. shall he live that is 〈◊〉 shall not live so it is expounded in the same place Again Iâ—â— 58 5. Is it such a fast that I have châ—sen that is it is not such a Fast The questions here being affirmtive without a negation but â— every eye sees such as ought â— be reduced into negative Propositions And indeed such negatiâ— Propositions are uttered by wâ—â— of Question because Interrogations do more vehâ—ment deny Thus I say It is genâ—rally throughout the whâ—â— Scripture This Question thâ—â— in the Text being affirmative itâ—â— to be reduced into a negatiâ—â— Proposition Is it fit c. that 〈◊〉 It is not fit Thus then ye have the sence of this Scripture As for dividing it into parts I forbear as unnecessary to our purpose There is one main thing in the Text and that onely I shall commend unto you and it is this being ye see the very sence of the Text namely To speak bitterly and reproachfully of supream Authority it is a very unfit unwarrantable and unlawfull thing The words in the Originall are something defective but that this is the sence and that some such word as fit or lawful or the like is to be understood supplyed is acknowledged not onely by our Translatours but also by Beza in his Paraphrase on this Book thus rendring the words Num dicere Regi fas fuerit and so Lavater in his Commentary on the place An dicere licet Regi is it lawfull to say to a King Mercerus a man very Suitable hereunto is that charge given by the Preacher Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy thought Curse not that is * Ne verbis eleues extenues aeprimas ne leviter loquaris ut dâ— re abjectâ Lorin in Locum ne verâ—is eleues c. do not with thy words lighten his esteem extenuate or depresse it speak not slightingly of him as if he were of no worth This saith the Preacher thou mayst not do no not in thy secret heart how much lesse may it be lawfull to be done openly and in the hearing or others And M. Cartwright upon this place adds * â—ex in universum vetat ne Principi quis maledicat Hujus autem loci circumstantia nos eo ducit ut ue de Rege quidem injusto stulte regnum procuranti ex subdiâ—â— quispiam maledicat Cartw. in Locum Lex in universum vetat c. The Law of God doth forbid That any maâ— should in any case speak evill oâ— his Prince and the circumstance of this place leads us so far that it
impieties for these sins Goâ— hath a controversie with us 〈◊〉 and through the anger of God upon us for these sins have we not cause to beleeve that some errours in Government may have been committed for our punishment Oh therefore let us judge our selves not speak evill of the King let us condemn our selves not calumniate the Lords Anointed If there be any thing amisse in him we have cause to suspect it is through our own default and if there be any thing we would desire should be reformed in him it is to be done by our Prayers not by our criminations by the amendment and Reformation of our own wayes not by the malevolence and bitternesse of our Tongues These things Beloved belong â—nto us Let us * 1 Thess 4.11 study to be Quiet â—nd do our own Businesse namely â—â—ose Duties that do concern our â—elves Let us not be Eagle-eyed broad especially above us and â—ot discern what faults there areat â—ome Let no evill words against â—overaign Authority upon any â—ther suspected or known errour â—â—op from thee seeing by that very act thou doest attract upon â—â—y Soule that very thing which 〈◊〉 eagerly thou reprehendest A Corollarie that was not then delivered but now added IF it be so unlawfull to say to a King thou art wicked that is to smite him with the tongue how is it much more unlawfull to strike him with a sword or bullet or to take up Arms against him * With this Controversie indeed I medled not when the Sermon was Preached but obvious it is to every mean understanding that of necessity this must follow The consequence is unavoidable for as bitter words outwardly expressed are sins of a higher nature then rash anger inwardly conceived Matth. 5.22 so are bloody actions of the hand sins of a deeper die then malevolent speeches and bitter words of the tongue Saint Paul did indeed confesse his errour when in words he had abused the High Priest but when David by an injurious action had wronged King Saul the text saith his heart smote him as intimating a more then ordinary measure of sorrow for what he had done 1 Sam. 24.5 and worth your noting it is that David there had but cut off a lap of the Kingâ— Robe which a man would have thought had been no great injuryâ— and if for this Davids heart smotâ— him Oh! how would his hearâ— have ak't how would it havâ— bled within him if he had offered any little violence to thâ— Kings person And further it iâ— to be taken into consideration that Saul at that time * 1 Sam. 15.26 was rejected from being King âšœ 1 Sam. 16.12 13. David was chosen and anointed to bâ— King in his stead nay and more the hearts of the whole Kingdom were with David both of thâ— Countrey and of the Court too for the Text tells us that * 1 Sam. 18.5 he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Sauls servants and again * ibid. v. 16. all Israel and Iudah loved David and yet again * ibid. v. 30. his name was much set by so that we may justly say That not onely the representative body but the whole Kingdom it self were with David Now lay all these things together and see if there can possibly any fairer coâ—our be imagined for rising up against any Prince then was here against Saul so bad and eminently vicious was he that he was rejected of God as we may justly * For known it was that David was designed to be his successour 1 Sam. 25.30 conceive publikely known so â—o be Another chosen anoynted of God to succeed him the hearts and votes of the whole Kingdom likewise following and applauding him and yet so far is David from striking the King that he doth not onely prohibit peoples hearts not onely 〈◊〉 âšœ Such as openly reprove supposed disorders of state are taken for principall friends to the common benefit of all Hooker ubi supra think well but also obstinately to persist in their good thought of them that seditiously oppose Authority Look upon that story Numb 16. Korah and those rebellious Princes that were with him had not a few but all thâ— congregation on their side ver 1â— and though the Lord made a new thing and commanded the earth to open her mouth and swallow up the Rebells and their houses and after that caused a fire to break out that consumed two hundred and fifty more of the same crew yet on the very next morrow all the Congregation oâ— the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaronâ— saying ye have * And so now they cry out the Children of God are persecuted killed the people of the Lord Numb 16.41 so strongly opinionated were they concerning the worth of Korah and his Complices but let it not 〈◊〉 so with us let us not be like â—nto these obstinate Israelites â—umanum est errare incident it is â—o all mankinde to erre and be deceived but wilfully and desperately to persist in an errour this â—s scarce humanum I forbear to mention to whom this belongs Neither let any man say we â—â—e not yet convinced and how â—hen shall we change our mindes â—or alter our course Why doth not that which hath been spoken convince thee of the unlawfulnesse of disloyall words and if so thou canst not but acknowledge much more the sinfulnesse of disloyall actions But yet a little more to further thy delivery out of this snare give me leave Oh pressed in many parts of divine Writ both of the old and new Testament as for instance a plain precept My son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change For their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both Prov. 24.21 22. Again another as plain and powerfull I counsell thee to keep the Kings commandement and that in regard of the oath of God Be not hasty to go out of his sight stand not in an evill thing for he doth whatsoever pleaseth him Where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him what doest thou Eccles 8.2 3 4. What need I mention that famous place too plain to be evaded Let every soul be subject to the Higher powers 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 Rom. 13.1 2. Lastly to mention no more Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as suâ—ream or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him 1 Pet. 2.13 14. In all these Scriptures and many more that might be produced obedience to Soveraign Authority is plainly and expressely required and in all this we know God speaks and therefore we
cannot be deceived On the other side they that plead for the taking up of Arms to stop the mouth and stifle the sence of all these Scriptures and to avoid the duty therein required they bring strange glosses * As between the man and the Magistrate between the Kings Person His power c. such a distinction did the Jewes use when they went about to stone our Saviour for a good work we stone thee not Ioh. 10.33 new-found distinctions far-fetcht expositions but in all this 1. If the Jewes had no such Priviledges how comes it to passe that we should have any were the Contrivers of our Government wiser then the Almighty that Constituted theirs Indeed 't is true the Jewes sinned in desiring a Kingly Government over them yet it is evident that the Almighty had a purpose before hand to settle them into a Monarchy The promise was long before made unto Abraham * Gen. 17.6 Kings shall come out of thee which promise was principally to be fulfilled in Isaac's seed and therefore though the people sinned in asking a King yet it cannot be conceived that the Almighty in bringing his own purpose to passe would make it the lesse beneficiall to them for what if some did not beleeve * Iacob used unwarrantable means in obtaining the blessing yet forasmuch as the Lord had before hand purposed that Iacob should have it it was established upon him in as ample manner as if he had not sinned in obtaining of it Gen. 27. shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect Rom. 3.3 or that he would neglect in that government which himself framed to make such provision as might best secure the honour of his own name the purity of his worship and the safety of his people from the tyranny of back sliding Princes surely if the Lord in his wisdom had fore-seen such a power in the people to have been the best means to prevent the mischiefs that might have befallen that nation it cannot be conceived he would have with-held or have kept it from them and if he saw it not to be good for and such an absolute Conquerour did he shew himself even over our very Laws that he made the Laws themselves to learn another language speaking in the Saxon tongue before but ever since in the French dialect Some immunities and priviledges were afterwards by some of his Successours granted to their Subjects but a power to take up Arms against themselves did never any of them grant Indeed if both Houses in their full number had unanimously agreed touching the reall being of such a Constitution it would have caused some doubt in the hearts even of those who of themselves had little inclination to believe it but now when we see the Houses in this Cause deserted by the greatest part of their own Members what can we imagine but that by their departing they disavow the thought of such a Constitution 4. If there were any such Constitution of our State why should it now be put in execution when His Majesty hath promised and that with so many solemn Vowes to maintain our Religion and to preserve both our Laws and Liberties Nay if there were any such secret Constitution of the State doth either it or any Law of necessity enable a wilfull heady Partie under pretence of opposing innovation by tyranny and assistance of a forraign Power to change the known Constitution of the State and to introduce a forraign Government If Pareus himself were Whether therefore we look upon the King or whether we look upon the Kings opposites there is no need that this Constitution if any sucâ— thing there be should now be put in execution If wâ— look on the King he vows tâ— preserve our Religion Laws and Liberties if we look oâ— the Kings Opposites there iâ— nothing can justly enable them to change that Government that is not absolutely evill and wherein Christian souls may undoubtedly be saved and why then is the sword unsheathed against him to whom properly iâ— belongs to bear the swordâ— If happinesse here and heaven hereafter may be had without the sword to whom may we think shall all these rivers of Christian blood now shed be imputed at that great and dreadfull day See then is not here enough to convince us of the unlawfulnesse of bearing Arms against our lawfull Soveraign The Scripture doth by the mouth of many witnesses most plainly forbid it there is nothing but strained interpretations and an imaginaâ—ie Constitution left to warrant 〈◊〉 And are not these poor and â—â—eak grounds for a Christian to â—enture his soul upon Yet one thing more there is â—hereat many I know do stumble and that is the multitude of so many judicious and godly men that walk that way and surely this must needs be acknowledged 〈◊〉 be the principall part of the â—eavy judgement that is upon us at this day the strange division â—hat is among us and that so great a number of able men lâ—sse then * And these two hundred and fifty drew the whole Congregation after them two hundred and fif â—â— consumed by fire such was theâ—â— number for their eminency thâ—â— Text tells us that they were famous in the congregation Nay 〈◊〉 is doubled that we might takâ—â— the more notice of it men of renown Numb 16.2 and if wâ— look on Numb 26.9 we shall finde the Holy Ghost speaking oâ— some of them with an Emphasis This is that Dathan and Abiram which were famous in the Congregation and for what were they so famous and renowned Was it not for their Religion and Piety that is for the externall shew of it at least do not the words of the Congregation intimate so much unto us calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods People when they murmured against Moses and Aaron saying ye have killed the People of the Lord well as many as they were and as famously pious as they were they were in 〈◊〉 foul fault and in terrorem for â—ll future Ages they received a â—â—arfull punishment I write not â—his to cast an aspersion upon â—eligion better it were my pen â—hould cleave to my fingers but â—aâ—tly to warn us That the conâ—ert of our religion draw us not inâ—o the like transgression for pride â—nd self-conceit as appears in the â—â—me * Out of their pride they told Moses and Aaron they took too much upon them instance Numb 16.3 are â—â—incipall actors in sedition and 〈◊〉 bellion and partly to shew â—ow little cause we have to be â—wayed even by religious mulâ—itudes there being in them no â—â—fallibility though they be never â—o famous for the profession of Piety And therefore if we have been deceived let us yet return to our duty again It is good counsell given by Elephaz Iob. 15.31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity that which is our errouâ— let it not be our * 'T was so with Dathan and Abiram their cause