A SERMON PREACHED At the Cathedral Church of Sarum.

THere are some common Notions and Inclinations to Devotion planted in the minds of men, which prompt them to the ex­ercise of that which they esteem Religion; and these, in the Professors of Christianity, are very much improv'd by Educa­tion and Instruction, by the Ministry of the Word and publick Ordi­nances, by the common workings of the Spirit of God and the Exam­ples of good men; so that as many of them as are not Atheistical in heart, can never satisfie the workings of their Conscience, without per­formance of some things which carry in them the appearance of a Re­ligious Conversation, and from which they conclude themselves de­vout and truly pious. But yet, alas, it doth too often happen, through the blindness of our Understandings, and the averseness of our corrupt Wills to the severer Duties of Christianity, through the subtilty of Sa­tan, and the deceitfulness of our own Hearts, through the strong affe­ction which we bear to our beloved Lusts, and through the prevalen­cy of our Passions over the Reason and the Convictions of the Soul; I say it doth too often happen upon these accounts, that men delude themselves with a fair semblance of Religion, without the Substance of it, Having a form of Godliness, &c.

Which, being in the experience of all Ages, and more especially of this, a very common thing, and yet most certainly destructive to our precious Souls, it is both very necessary, and very profitable to deal plainly with you in this important Subject, by shewing,

1. Wherein consists the Form of Godliness, and how far we may go in the Profession of Religion, and in the Practice of some Religious Du­ties, and not exceed that Form. And,

2. Wherein consists the Truth and Power of it.

Now the Word Godliness in Scripture is sometimes used in a strict Sense, to signifie that Service which is immediately paid to God, and is comprised in the first Table of the Decalogue. As, v. g. When the Scripture doth exhort so follow after Righteousness, 1 Tim. 6.11. 2 Pet. 1.7. Godliness, Faith, Love, Patience, Meekness, to add to Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, and Charity; Tit. 2.12. 1 Tim. 2.2. when it doth teach us to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present World, to lead a peaceable and quiet Life in all Godliness and Honesty. Here, because Godliness is put in oppostion to Righteousness, Sobriety, and Charity, which comprehend the Duties of the second Table, it seems apparent that the Word Godliness doth in these places only signifie that Duty which we owe to God.

But when the Gospel is stiled the Mystery of Godliness, 1 Tim. 3.16.6.3. the Truth, and Doctrine which is after Godliness; when Godliness is said to be profitable for all things, Tit. 1.1. having the Promise of this Life and that which is to come, there Godliness must signifie all that Obedience which is required by the Gospel, that Love and Righteousness which it prescribes towards our Neighbour, that Temperance which it enjoyns towards our selves, as well as that immediate Worship which we owe to God; the Gospel Grace being revealed, not only to teach us to live godly, but also righ­teously and soberly, and making us no Promise either of present or of future Blessings, without the practice of these Duties.

2. That Greek Word [...] which we here render Form, and answereth to the Hebrew [...] and [...] imports an outward shew, appearance, shape, or likeness, as v. g. Jesus appeared [...], in another Form, Mark 16.12. He took upon him [...], the Form of a Servant, being made in the likeness of a Man, Phil. 2.7. When therefore Persons outwardly appear to be religious, when they are found in fashion of the pious Man, doing outwardly as he doth, speaking as he speaketh, making the same Profession which he doth; then may they properly be said to have the form of Godliness.

Now for the Resolution of that important Question, How far a Man may go in the Profession of Christianity and the performance of some religi­ous Duties, and yet have only a bare form of Godliness? I answer in these six Particulars.

1. Men may be frequent in the Performance of the outward Acts of Worship, they may be much in Prayer, may appear very zea­lous in their Addresses to the Throne of Grace, very sensible of, and very tenderly affected with the Sins they do confess; they may frequent the publick Ordinances, and seem to take Delight in hear­ing and in reading of the Word, they may be much in Fasting, [Page 3]and costly and magnificent in their Oblations to God, and yet, tho they discover so much of the Form, may want the Power of Godliness. This will be evident from the Example of the ancient Jews, and of the Phari­sees; for of the Jews it is recorded, That they were very free in their Ob­lations, witness that Question of the Prophet Isaiah, Chap. 1.11. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices? The Prophet Micah plainly tells them, That the Lord had a Controversie with his People, and would plead with Israel. Be­ing made sensible of this, they presently enquire of the Prophet what they should do to please him, as Men who did prefer his Favour before all other things: Wherewith, say they, shall we come before him, Mic. 6.6, 7. and bow our selves before the High God? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams, or with ten thousand Rivers of Oyl? Shall I give my first born for my Trans­gression, the fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul? Where are large Offers made, saith Drusius, ad exprimendum Hypocritarum in rebus externù studium, but nor one word of doing Justice, loving Mercy, or walking humbly before God, which were the things that he especially delighted in. Moreover, they were still treading in his Courts, they sought him daily there, Isa. 1.12. Isa. 58.2. as Persons who took pleasure in his Presence, and being there, they multiplied their Supplications to God with the appearance of great Zeal and Fervour, ex­panding, or stretching forth their Hands, which was the gesture used in fervent Prayer; witness that Passage of the same Prophet Isaiah, chap. 1.15. When you spread forth your hands I will hide mine Eyes from you; and when you multiply your Prayers I will not hear. They also were frequent Hearers of the Word; they said one to another, Come, I pray you, Eze. 33.30, 31. and hear what it the Word that cometh forth from the Lord; they sat before the Prophets as God's People, and they heard his Words; they express'd a great desire to be acquainted with the Will of God, asking of him the Ordinances of Justice. Isa. 58.2. They were much exercised in Fastings; for besides the second and filth day of the Week, which were their ordinary Fasting days, the Hebrew Kalen­dar informs us, there was not any Month in the whole Year in which some stated Fasts were not observed for the Remembrance of some Cala­mity which did in former times afflict that Nation. Zach. 8.19. The Prophet Zachary doth, in one Verse, inform us of the Fast of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and the tenth Month; and in these times of solemn Fasting it was their Custom to make large Confessions of their Sins, according to the good Examples of Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah; and these Confessions were attended with many Tears and grievous Lamentations; witness that Question which they put to the Prophet Zachary, Chap. 7.3. Shall we weep in the fifth Month as we have done so many Years? These Duties they performed with Delight; for, as the Prophet Isaiah witnesseth, they took delight in approaching to God; Isa. 58.2. Matt. 13.20. they heard the Word with Joy, as did the stony ground, delighting in the Knowledge of God's ways. And lastly, upon these Accounts, though they were very hypocritical, yet were they very confident of Favour and Ac­ceptance with God, and that they were the very Darlings of his Provi­dence, they call'd themselves of the holy City, and staid themselves upon the [Page]God of Israel, Isa. 48.1, 2. Jer. 7.4. and they made mention of his Name, though not in Truth and Righteousness. They trusted in lying Words, saying, The Temple of the Lord, Jer. 5.12. the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are these. And hence they gave the Lye to God's own Prophets, saying, Neither shall Evil come upon us, neither shall we see Sword nor Famine. And though the Heads of the People judged for Reward, and the Priests thereof taught for Hire, and the Prophets thereof divined for Money, yet did they lean upon the Lord, and say, Mic. 3.11. Is not the Lord among us, none Evil can come upon us? In a word, they foolishly presumed that their Diligence in the performance of these Acts of outward Worship, would atone for their neglect of Mercy, Righte­ousness, and Justice. But notwithstanding this their Confidence, the Lord pronounceth their Oblations vain, Isa. 1.13. Ezek. 33.32. Zach. 7.5. Isa. 58.5. Isa. 1.15. their Incense an Abomination to him; he declares, that though they heard his Words they would not do them, that they did never fast or mourn to him, that none of all their Fastings were an acceptable day unto the Lord, or such a Fast as he had chosen, nor would he lend an Ear unto their Prayers; and therefore we may rest as­sured, that, notwithstanding all this outward shew of Piety, their Hearts were not sincere and upright with him.

Again, the Pharisees were so renown'd for Piety among the Jews, that, in the Language of their Talmud, Buxtorf. in ver­bo [...] a Pharisee doth signifie a pious Person, and that which did beget such an Opinion of their Saintship in the Jews, was their Exactness in the outward parts of Divine Worship; for they were much in Prayer, and oft repaired to the House of God to offer up this publick Sacrifice; and they had one good Rule to this effect, which I could wish that out Pretenders to great Piety would practise; viz. That every Man should go to Morning and Evening Prayer in the Synagogue, Maimon. in Te­phillah. per. 8. for that his Prayer is not constantly heard but in the Synagogue; and that every one who had a Synagogue in his City, and prayed not in it with the Con­gregation, Matt. 6.5. Leightf. in lo­cum. was [...], an evil Neighbour. Upon their Festivals and fast­ing days they prayed in the Market-place, and in the Corners of the streets, perhaps that they might be the more exemplary pious, and others might observe how much they were concern'd to worship God. They also made long Prayers, perpetual Prayers, saith [...], Epiph. Resp. ad Epist. Acacii. Epiphanius; their Religious men, say their Traditions, spent Leightf. in 23. Matt. 14. nine Hours every day in Prayer; and they invented divers ways, saith Epiphanius, Haeres. 16. p. 34 Leightf. ibid. Jerus. Taanith. fol. 67.3. Matt. 6.7. Matt. 9.14. Luke 18.12. [...], to keep themselves awake by force, that they might watch unto Prayer; and this they did, because, according to their Maxims, Long Prayer prolongeth Life, and [...], every one that multiplieth Prayer shall be heard. Our Saviour also seems to intimate, that they did frequently repeat the same Expressions, using Battology, after the manner of the Hea­thens, to signifie the Vehemence and Ardour of their Prayers. They fasted often, saith St. Matthew. They fasted twice a Week, saith Luke, and they continued their Fastings Leightf. in lo­cum. till the Sun went down, and in these days of Fasting they employed themselves in publick Leightf. in 9. Matt. 14. reading of the Law. And lastly, they were somewhat costly and expensive in their Service, [Page 5]for, they would beautifie and garnish the Sepulchres of the Prophets, Mat. 23.29. to te­stifie their great Respect to him who sent them; and yet these Pharisees are charged, by our Lord, with gross Hytocrisie: he plainly tells them, Luke 18.14. That all their Fastings would not justifie them, and their long Prayers would only add to their Damnation.

2. Men may be frequently possess'd with a great Zeal for God, for the Concernments of his Glory, the Purity of his Worship, the Obser­vation of his Day, and of his Ordinances; they may be zealous and stiff Contenders for what they call the Truth, and by so doing may demon­strate that they have a form of Godliness, that in appearance they are great Promoters of his Glory, and strict Observers of his Will; and yet these very Men may want the Power of Godliness, and be the greatest Violaters of those Laws they seem so zealous to maintain. St. Paul pro­fesseth, That it was Zeal which moved him to persecute the Church of Christ, Philip. 3.6. and that he was, [...], a Zealot for his God, when he bound, im­prisoned, and persecuted to the Death his dearest Servants, Acts 22.3.9.1. and breath'd forth Threatnings and Slaughters against the Disciples of the Lord. When above measure he did persecute the Church, and waste it, Gal. 1.14. Act. 26.9, 10, 11. then was he [...], superlatively zealous: when he shut Christians up in Prison, compell'd them to blaspheme, persecuted them to strange Cities, and, by his Testimony against them, did procure their Death, he only did what he conceived himself in Conscience bound to do against the Name of Jesus; and yet on the account of this his Zeal, he stiles himself the chiefest of Sinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. 1 Cor. 15.9. [...]. Acts 26.11. Rom. 10.2. Acts 22.3. and the least of the Apostles. He calls his Zeal excess of Madness, and saith, that he obtained Pardon of so great a Crime only because he did it ignorantly. And of the unbelieving Jews in general the same Apostle testifieth, that they had a Zeal for God, that they were all zealous for God as he was, that they were zealous for the Law, and stiffly did contend for Moses, and could not hear with Patience that any one should teach, [...], Acts 21.21. Apostacy from Moses: and yet these Zealots, as he himself declares, Rom. 11.8. were given up by God unto the Spirit of Slumber; and though they boasted of the Law, yet they blasphem'd the Name of God by frequent Violations of it; they, Rom. 2.23. not­withstanding all their Zeal for God, were by himself rejected from being any more his People, and Wrath came upon them to the uttermost; and though they did profess the greatest Reverence for Moses, John 5.45. yet did they not believe his Words. Their Zeal against the Christian Faith caus'd them to send some chosen Men throughout the World to blaspheme, Justin. Mar. p. 234, 335. Idem Dial. cum Tryph. p. 235. Ibid. p. 234, 323, 335. and represent Christianity [...], as a wicked Atheistick Sect; and from these Men, saith Justin Martyr, all those vile Stories took their rise which Heathens did object against the Christians. Their Zeal provok'd them in their Synagogues to curse all that believed in Jesus, and add unto their other Prayers, one for the Leight. Harm. part 3. p. 217. de­struction of the Hereticks, for so, after the Romish Mode, they called Christi­ans. They had a Sect of Zealots, who in their Writings are stiled, good Men, possess'd with a Zeal for God, who took upon them, Leightf. in Joh. 16.2. in imitation of the Zeal of Phinehas, to kill all such as they esteem'd Transgressors who deserved Death, without judicial Sencence pass'd upon them; and these [Page 6]Men did employ their Zeal in killing Christians as often as they had op­portunity to do it; Just. Mar. 16. p. 234. 363. Apol. p. 72. John 16.2. and in so doing they conceived, that they offer'd [...], the most acceptable Service to God. The Pharisees were, of all Jews, the greatest Zealots: they were possess'd with this Opinion, That no Man could be saved who owned not their Religion, and therefore, to pro­mote their Faith, Matt. 23.15. and make one Proselyte unto it, they compass'd Sea and Land. Pocock Not. Miscel. p. 354. Among the seven kinds of Pharisees they had one stiled [...], a Pharisee who serv'd God purely out of Love, as they pretended; but then this Love was only, Rashi ibid. saith another, [...], the Love of Reward or Reputation among others. So careful were they to have God's Laws observ'd, that they by their Traditions made [...] an Hedge unto the Law, Leightf. Harm. part 3. p. 216. i. e. They would do more, that so they might be sure to do as much as God required. Mark 7.2. They were so zealous for the Observation of the Sabbath-day, that they would not permit our Saviour to do the greatest Works of Cha­rity or Mercy, Matt. 12.2. or his Disciples to satisfie their Hunger on that day: and yet our Lord declares, that notwithstanding all this Zeal, they were but gilded Hypocrites, Matt. 23.33. a Generation of Vipers, who could not possibly escape Damnation. Sciant omnes socii speciali voto se adstringi, ita ut quicquid Modernus & alii R. Pontifices, pro tempore existentes, jusserint ad profectum animarum, & fidei propagationem pertinens, sine ulla tergiversatione aut excusatione illico, quan­tum in nobis fuerit, exequl teneamur: sive nos miserit ad Turcas, sive ad quoscunque alios Infideles, sive ad quoscunque Haereticos. Paul 3. const. 25. § 6. Bullar. R. to 1. p. 739. Voveant singuli, se in omnibus quae ad Regulae hujus nostrae observationem faciunt, obedientes fore, societatis praeposito. § 8. ed. A. D. 1540. vid. Jul. tertium const. 9. ed. A. D. 1550. § 5, 7, 8. Greg. 13. const. 89. ed. A. D. 1584. § 12. to 2. p. 472.

I could proceed to tell you of some Men amongst us, whose Circumcel­lian Zeal hath prompted them to murther Bishops; and of some Scotish Zealots, Scots Declara­tion put upon the Market Cross at Rug­land. who in their printed Declarations profess to have turn'd Rebels out of pure Zeal, for the promotion of Christ's Kingdom, and for the purity of his Worship; and yet, of such Despisers of Dominion, and Resisters of Authori­ty, St. Jude declares, that they are [...], ungodly Men, v. 4. And although others may embrace them as their beloved Brethren, from such, saith the Apostle, turn away. Wherefore, that Zeal for God, which, as you see, is common both to the unbelieving Jew and to the true Believer, to the proud formal Pharisee as well as to the humble and sincerest Christian, to the heady fierce high-minded Traitor as well as to the peaceable obedient Sub­ject, can be no certain Indication of the Power of Godliness; no Argu­ment that we are Saints. Which will be further evident, if we consider That this Zeal proceeds not always from a true Love to God, and a sin­cere Respect unto his Glory; but oftentimes from Education; whence Men of every Sect and Party are zealous for those Principles and Practices which they receiv'd from Education, and Custom hath inured them to. It may proceed from carnal Motives, as did the Zeal of Jehu, which yet he stiled Zeal for God. Now that which may proceed from Motives com­mon to the good and bad, can be no Evidence that we are good.

3. Men also may pretend to bear a great Affection to the Godly Party, and shew great Opposition to those whom they are pleased to call Pro­phane; [Page 7]they may be strict in separation of themselves from those whose Conversation, or whose way of Worship they dislike, and by these things may seem to others, and [...] themselves, that they are ve­ry much in Love with Piety, and bear a perfect hatred to all Iniquity, and that they are extreamly cautious of having any Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness; and yet may only have a Form of Godli­ness. The Pharisees stiled all that were not of their Sect [...], Lightf. in Mart. c. 3. v. 7. p. 53. vile People of the Earth, but they forsooth were the Religious and Godly Party. Hence they usurped to themselves two Names; that of Pharisee, which signifieth, One who doth separate from other People, as impure; Pocock Not. Miscell. p. 352. Leightf. ib. p. 56. [...] Psal. 119.63. Leightf. p. 55. this being one of their avowed Rules, That it was Piety and [...], superabundant Sanctity, to separate from common People of the Earth: and secondly, they call'd themselves [...], or the Companions or Associates, from that Expression of the Psalmist, I am a Companion of all them that fear thee; intimating, that they desired only to converse with godly Men. On this Account they do so often quarrel with our Saviour, because he did converse with Publicans and Sinners, and suffer'd them to touch him, Mark 2.16. and would not be one of their Cheborim, i. e. one of their Separation and Asso­ciation: this to them seemed very strange, and unaccountable, and there­fore they enquire, Matt. 9.11. How is it that your Master eateth with Publicans and Sinners? and peremptorily conclude he was no Prophet, because he suffer­ed a sinful Woman to embrace his Feet. Luke 7.39. The Gnosticks also did separate themselves from other Christians, as being both more knowing, and more spiritual than others were, stiling themselves, ^(a) [...], by Nature spiritual, and looking on all others as mere animal and carnal Men; and yet they were, saith the Apostle Jude, ungodly Men, v. 4, 8, 19. turning the Grace of God into Lasciviousness; they were sensual having not the Spirit; they despised Dominions, and spake evil of Dignities; they held, That Men were justified by Grace, excluding the Necessity of doing Righteousness, As being Ves­sels of Election [...]. Iren. l. 1. p. 28. and that they could not be polluted by the Sins they did commit. ^(b) Nova­tus first departed from the Unity of the Church, and drew away the Bre­thren from Communion with their Bishop, out of pretence of Purity; on which Account, his Followers obtain'd the Name of ^(c) Cathari, or Puri­tans, declaring, That it was unlawful to ^(d) communicate with those who lapsed in the time of Persecution, or to receive them into the Bosom of the Church upon Repentance: and yet this hypocritical Pretender to the [Page 8]greatest Purity, ^(e) in the time of Persecution did renounce his Priesthood, and became guilty of such enormous Crimes, saith Peopter hoc se non de Presby­terio excitari tantum, sed & communicatione prohiberi pro certo tenebat. Cypr. Ep. 49. § 4. vid. § 2, 3. Cyprian, for which he had deserved, and would, [...] continued in it, have suffered the Censures of the Church. The Donatists did also separate, lest they should be defiled by their Communion with Traditors; for this Cause having first departed from Cecilian, their Bishop, they afterwards departed from the Communion of the ^(f) Catholick Church, affirming that they only were the true ^(g) Church of Christ, and that all others were ^(h) Apostates, be­cause they did communicate with wicked Persons; for they imagined that the ⁽ⁱ⁾ Church only did consist of Saints, and Persons undefiled; and thought it a Pollution not only to communicate, but even sit with others. Hence in the Conference recorded, or epitomised by St. Austin, the ^(k) Bi­shops of the Party of Donatus would not sit with the Catholick Bishops, because it was written, I will not sit with the ungodly. They likewise did pretend to greater Purity, and to severer Discipline, than could be shewed among the Catholicks, declaring, that they were the Church without all ^(l) Spot and Wrinkle, Eph. 5.27. of which St. Paul makes mention in his Epistle to the Church of Ephesus, and that they would permit no ^(m) wicked Men among them. They falsly carped at the Catholicks, as using superstitious Worship to some­thing placed upon their ⁽ⁿ⁾ Altars: and yet the Leaders of these Men were themselves ^(o) Traditors, who had absolved one another from that Crime. They were Men who spake evil of the ^(p) Emperour, and opposed his Offi­cers; they denied the ^(q) Authority of Civil Magistrates in sacred matters; they were, Contumaces, & legibus hostili modo repugnantes, contumacious Re­sisters of the Laws after an hostile manner. They had their ^(r) Duces Sancto­rum, [Page 9]Captains of the Saints, under whose Conduct they often did resist the Civil Magistrate: and they were of the Clergy too; they carried on their work, per insanas querelas & vana mendacia, by furious Complaints and vain Lies; they were Murtherers of Catholick ^(ſ) Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, August. contra Donatist. post Collat. cap. 35. yea they destroyed themselves by falling down from ^(t) Precipices, or cau­sing others to dispatch them, that they might have the Honour of Martyr­dom; so far were they, after their confident Pretences, from being free from Sin. A Form of Godliness, of the same stamp, is visible in many among us who call themselves Reformed Protestants, consisting in a great Zeal for the Promotion of that Religion which they have espoused, and a strong Out-cry against Antichrist, and his Adherents, and all that they are plea­sed to call a Rag of Popery; in doing this they are so hot, that they can venture their Estates and Lives in the espousal of this Quarrel; and yet too many of them are so far from the Power of Godliness, that they retain the very Spirit and the Marks of the great Antichrist, whilst they declare so much against him, walking in all deceivableness of Ʋnrighteousness, 2 Thes. 2.4, 10. and lifting up themselves against the Lord's Vicegerents, who are in Scripture called Gods, being in this too like the Pharisees of old, who stirred up the People, saith Josephus, against Hyrcanus the King, Antiq. l. 13.18. cap. 23. l. 17. cap. 3. and afterwards against King Alexander, and of whom that Historian, who was one of them, gives this Character, [...], the Pha­risees are exceeding strong to oppose Kings, [...], and very forward to make open War, and to do hurt. Nor can we ea­sily forget how much Religion was once placed in opposition to the malig­nant Party, and siding with those Men who call'd themselves the Saints, and the Reformers of Religion, and how much still some think themselves obliged to shew their Piety by being greater Separatists than were the Pha­risees of old; for albeit they would not mix with the People of the Earth, or the profane in civil Conversation, yet as our Lord and his Apostles did not, so neither did the Pharisees refuse to go to the same Temple with them; this Separation being opposite to their own Rules, Maimon in Te­phillah per. 8. Bab. Berac. fol. 30.1. That the Prayer of the Congregation is always heard, though Sinners be among them, and that whosoever prayeth, should, when he prayeth, joyn with the Church. But 'tis not now my Business to shew how groundless are these Separations, but only to conclude, from these plain Instances of Hypocrites and profane Persons, That these things are no certain marks of real Godliness. And evident it is, both to our Reason and Experience, that this Affection to, or Aversion from a Sect or Party, may, and too often doth, proceed from an inferiour Principle. Our Love to any Sect, or our Concernment for them, may be wholly owing to the Education we have had among them, or to the Pro­fit [Page 10]we get by them, or to the outward shew of Piety they make to the good Words and the fair Speeches by which they do deceive the Hearts of the simple; on which account the Pharisee and Scribe gain'd such a Reputation with the Jews, that 'twas proverbial with them, That if two Persons only were to go to Heaven, the one would be a Scribe, the other a Pharisee. And that Antipathy we bear to others may arise from those Invectives and odd Representations of them we have read in Characters and Pamphlets, the Pests of Charity, and the Inflamers of our Heats, or else received from the Mouths of their back-friends, the Injuries or Persecutions we have suffered from them, the Fears and Jealousies we have within us, that we may suffer in our Estates, Lives, or Religion, by them; or lastly, from some hopes of Booty or Advantage to be got by opposition to them. Now that which may arise from other base and evil Motives, can be no certain Evidence that we are acted in it by the Power of Godliness.

4. Men may express a Form of Godliness in being very nice and scru­pulous, in seeming very strict and conscientious in lesser Matters, and yet be Strangers to the Power of Godliness. This Niceness in these little matters seems to evidence great tenderness of Conscience, great fear of do­ing any thing which may offend our gracious God, great exactness of Con­versation, and hatred of all kinds, and all Appearances of evil, especial­ly when men are grown so stiff in these Punctilio's, that they will rather suf­fer from the hand of Man than act against the little Scruples-they have entertained: and yet we find none more precise in these Particulars than were the Scribe and Pharisee, even when they did neglect the more sub­stantial Duties of Religion. Our Saviour tells them in the general, that they would strain at Gnats, Matt. 23.24. Mats. 7.3, 4. and swallow Camels; they could not bear a lit­tle Mote spied in their Brother's Eye, but they must presently rebuke him for it, and be earnest with him to pull it out, whilst yet they over-look'd the Beam in their own Eye. John 18.28. Mat. 26.59, 60. They could seek false Witness against Christ, and condemn the Innocent, but even then They would not enter into the Gover­nours Hall, lest they should be defiled: They would pay Tithe of Mint and Cum­min to the Priest, which thing seems not required by the Letter of the Law, and at the same time would neglect the weighty Matters of that Law, Matt. 23.23. Luke 11.42. Maimon de Idol. sect. 3. cap. 10. apud Vos­sium. Judg­ment, Mercy, and the Love of God. Their own Traditions tell us, that they were so careful to avoid Idolatry, that they would rather perish than drink of any Water which ran through a Statue: yet these tender conscienc'd Persons who so abhorred Idols, would commit Sacrilege, and be notoriously guilty of that Covetousness which is Idolatry. The ancient Jews, after the burning of the Temple by Nebuzaradan, Jer. 52.12, 13. on the tenth Day of the fifth Month, were wont to fast upon that day for the Remembrance of that Desolation; and when the Temple was rebuilt, they were so scrupulous, that although the Occasion of this Fast was now removed, they durst not cease to fast till they had first consulted with the Priests that were of the House of the Lord, and with the Prophets. Hence they enquire of them, saying, Should we weep in the fifth Month, Zach. 7.3. separating our selves as we have done so many Years? And yet these Persons, so scrupulous in this particular, could with­out [Page 11]all regret neglect the Duties of the second Table. They were guilty of oppressing the Widow, Poor, and Fatherless, Zach. 7.10. They wanted Mercy and Compassion to their Brother, v. 9. They were deficient in execu­ting the Judgment of Truth and Peace in their gates; they would speak Lies, swear falsly, and imagine Evil in their Hearts against their Neighbour, v. 9, [...]. Antiq. l. 18. c. 4. Halos. l. 2. c. 14. vid. c. 17. 10. About our Saviour's time, and after, they were so nice and superstiti­ous in the case of Images, as scarcely to permit the Roman Eagle quietly to pass their Country, or to continue in their Cities. When Pilate introdu­ced those little Images of Caesar, which were annexed to the Military Stan­dards, they presently cried out, that this was done [...], to the dissolution of the Jewish Laws, and they would rather dye than suffer it. And when Herod, Son of Antipater, brought into Judea the Trophies of the Nations he had conquered, they, thinking they were Images of Men, did with one Voice cry out, [...]. An­tiq. l. 18. c. 7. l. 15. c. 11. Mark 8.38. that whatsoever they endured they would not suffer the Images of Men within their City. And yet the Scri­pture doth declare them to be a very wicked and adulterous Generation; and their Historian adds, That [...], de Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 27. Heb. 13.4. never Generation was more wicked. And happy were it if we could not instance in some other Persons who will not stand up at the Recital of the Creed, observe an Holy-day, or hear Common-Prayer, receive the Sacrament upon their Knees, which, being things no where forbidden in the Word of God, cannot be evil in themselves; but they will cheat their Brother, be guilty of Rebellion, Sacrilege, and Schism, will cause Divisions in the Church of God, and Factions in the State, and by so doing weaken the Interest of Protestants, blaspheme their holy Calling, and gratifie the common Enemy of our Religion.

5. Men may express a Form of Godliness in being outwardly confor­mable to the whole Law of God, so that they who can only judge by outward Actions shall be obliged in Charity to think them truly pious, when yet they want the inward Life and Power of Godliness. This seem­eth to have been the Case of the Young-man who told our Saviour, he had observed all the Commandments of the second Table Mat. 19.20. from his Youth, that is, he had abstained from the outward Acts forbidden in those Laws, but yet he had not purged the inward Man from Covetousness, or an immoderate Love of Riches; and therefore he is called by Christ to the performance of this Duty, that he might be perfect. v. 21. This was the Righ­teousness of which the Pharisees did boast, and by which they obtained so great a Reputation among Men; for so our Saviour plainly tells them, saying, Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, for you are like to whited Sepul­chres, which indeed appear beautiful outwards, Mat. 23.27. but inwardly are full of dead Mens Bones, and all Ʋncleanness; even so ye outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of Hypocrisie and Iniquity. And again, Luke 16.15. You are they that justifie your selves before men, or seem to carry a fair out-side to the World, but God knoweth your Hearts; for, that which is highly esteem­ed among Men is abominable in the sight of God. And this is also that which passeth for Religion in our days, That Men come orderly to Church, and so behave themselves, that the World cannot charge them with any scanda­lous [Page 12]Offences, whereas perhaps these men may be condemn'd for their Omissions; for though they have not robbed others, they may have been close fisted, Matt. 25.41, 42, 43. and uncharitable to Christ's needy Members, neglecting both to cloth the Naked, feed the Hungry, and visit his sick Members; and this, our Saviour tells them, is sufficient to place them in a left hand Station. Thou may'st not go beyond the rigour of the Law, but yet thou may'st be cruel and unmerciful in dealing with thy Brother according to the ut­most of it, casting him into Prison for a Debt he cannot pay, or there discharge; whereas our Saviour plainly calls the Man who dealt thus with his Brother, Mat. 18.32, 34. a wicked Servant, and doth pronounce him fit to be delivered up to the Tormentors. Thou may'st not dare to murther thy offending Brother, 1 Joh. 3.15. as the Hectors of our Age will do, but thou may'st hate him in thy Heart, which, in St. John's Account, is Murther. Thou may'st not steal, but yet thou may'st be coveting thy Neighbour's Goods, and so may'st have a Will to rob him of them. Thou may'st abstain from For­nication and Adultery, and yet have the Adulterous Eye, and a Heart full of Lustings after the forbidden Fruit, Matt. 5.28. which, saith our Saviour, is Adulte­ry. If therefore we would be secure that we are truly good, we must add inward Purity of Heart to our Conformity in outward Actions.

Thus have I finish'd my Discourse touching the Form of Godliness; to which I think it needful to adjoyn this Caution: Viz.

Caution. That no man take occasion, from what hath been discoursed, to slight these Practices because they only do contain a Form of Godliness: for my Design is only to instruct you how far a man may go in the performance of good things, and yet have something lacking to make him truly good, that so we may not rest in these Performances, but may go on unto Per­fection. Let therefore no man take occasion, from what hath been dif­coursed, to neglect that Prayer, or that Attendance on God's Ordinances, which are the means by him appointed to make us truly pious; but let him add to his Prayer, Gal. 4.18. Practice; and to his Hearing, Doing. To have a Zeal for God, is doubtless very laudable, provided we be zealous for good things, and that impartially, and regularly. To bear a passionate Affe­ction to the living Members of Christ's Body, and love them fervently, is a plain Christian Duty, which he that doth not practise hath no true Love to God; only we must be careful, that this Love be general, and not confined to that Sect or Party we affect; that it express it self in Deeds, not in Words only. 2 Thes. 3.6. It is our Duty to separate from every Brother that walks disorderly, provided that on this Account we do not separate from the As­semblies of God's publick Worship; and we may hate his Vices, provided that we love his Person. It doth become us to be fearful to offend even in lesser matters, 1 Thes. 5.22. and to alstain from all appearances of Evil, provided that we do not swallow Camels, whilst we strain at Gnats, that we neglect not the more weighty matters of Love, Peace, Unity, by reason of our stiffness in these things. Rom. 12.17. We lastly are commanded to provide things honest in the sight of all Men; Matt. 5.16. and let the Light of our good Works still shine before them, provi­ded that we be as careful that the inward Man be upright in the Sight of [Page 13]God, and that we do these things not to be seen of Men, or to obtain a Re­putation from them, but to approve our hearts to God: so that you may perceive it is not less, but more than such a Form of Godliness which is required. These things you ought to do, excepting only the Separations, Scru­pulosities, and the Austerities foremention'd, and not to leave the other undone.

Again, I hope that none who hear me will be so profane as to make use of any thing now said, to the discredit of Religion, to the defaming of any pious Persons of what sort soever; that none will take occasion hence to call them Pharisees, or only formal Christians, who pray much in their Families, hear Sermons frequently, and perform other pious Duties, pro­vided they do nothing repugnant to the Power of Godliness. 'Tis chiefly they who bear a Hatred to both the Power and the Form, that do so: and in their Language, as well as in the jewish Talmud, a Pharisee is a devout and pious Man; a Hypocrite is any one who will not be profane, and all must be Fanaticks who will not run with them into the same Excess of Riot. That therefore they may have their Portion too,

2. Hence we may learn the sad Estate of those who have not yet attain­ed to a Form of Godliness. If Men may pray and fast, frequent all publick Ordinances, be full of seeming Zeal for God, and hatred to Profaneness; if they may be exceeding scrupulous, and fearful to offend in little matters; if they may separate from the ungodly, and exercise much self-denial and severity towards the Body, and yet advance no further than a Form of Godliness; what will become of them who make no Conscience of at­tending on these means of Grace? who do not think themselves obliged to pray, fast, weep, for their own or for the Nations Sins? who are not in the least concerned for the Glory of God, or troubled at those crying Sins by which the Name and Doctrine of our Lord is so exceedingly blasphemed? who are so far from being fearful to offend in lesser matters, that they do run into excess of Riot without Fear, and rush into Iniquity as the Horse doth into the Battel? who are so far from saying with the Royal Psalmist, De­part from me ye Wicked, that their continual Delight is in the Company of men of most debauched and vicious Lives? and lastly, who instead of laying a Restraint upon, do make Provisions for the Flesh? If scoffing at Re­ligion and religious things, if Atheistical Discourses, if swearing, cursing, damning of themselves and others, if scandalous Neglect and Profanation of God's Day and Ordinances, if Drunkenness and revelling, if Whore­dom and Uncleanness, can evidence that Men have lost even the Form of Godliness, we need not light a Candle to find a Multitude of such who are concerned in this Reproof. These are the Men who are so fierce against, so ready to condemn, all those who make a shew of Godliness; whereas, were they as bad as such profane ungodly Wretches represent them to the World, God's Providence may more befriend them than Persons openly profane, and void even of the form of Godliness, since by this Form they bring some Glory to God, by owning him as worthy of all the Homage they can pay unto him, and by their great Concernment for the Honour of his Name, his Day, his Ordinances. They, by their outward Worship, [Page 14]give God the Honour of his Sovereignty and of his Greatness; they, by their Prayers, acknowledge his Omnipotence and his Ability to help us, his kindness and his readiness to hear and give a gracious Answer to the Prayers of his humble Supplicants; by their Addresses to him in their Streights and Exigencies they own his over-ruling Providence; and by their publick Praises they acknowledge him to be their noble Benefactor, and the sole Author of all the Mercies they enjoy; they bring some credit to Religion by keeping up the Reputation and Profession of it, and seeming so concerned to promote it; whereas God and Religion are exceedingly dishonoured by the profane and wicked Man. And therefore 'tis not to be wondered, that Providence should rather chuse to countenance even this Form of Godliness, than to permit that profane Spirit to reign, which doth so horribly blaspheme the Name and Doctrine of our Lord and Saviour. And if our Church and Kingdom be still in danger from the Scribe and Pharisee, they are as much in danger from the Publican and Sinner.

3. What hath been said will be sufficient to convince us of the Hypo­crisie of some among us, who have past for very Godly and Religious Per­sons. The Context clearly doth pronounce this Sentence upon the covetous, the proud, 2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4. and the high-minded; on the Blasphemer or evil-speaker, and the false Accuser; on the incontinent, unholy, and despiser of them that are good; on the fierce, heady, cruel, and on the Lovers of themselves, or of their Plea­sures more than God; and if these Men in this our Nation were excluded from the number of sincere upright Christians, as at the last day they will be, how small would be the remnant of the true Israelites? This Sentence is particularly denounced against those Godly Traitors, v. 4. and those Reli­gious Rebels, v. 3. whose Zeal for God, and the Advancement of Christ's Kingdom, as they blasphemously pretended, engaged them in that Resistance of the Higher Powers, on which the Scriptures doth pronounce Damnation. I know not any Persons who more pretended Godliness than they; they had their monthly Fasts to beg a Blessing on their Rebellious Enterprises, and their Thansgivings that they were prosperous Rebels; they would pray long, and preach long, and would be very scrupulous in lesser mat­ters, but being Traytors, and disobedient both to their sacred and civil Go­vernours, being Truce-breakers, and Violaters of the Oaths of their Allegi­ance; they had, saith the Apostle, only a Form of Godliness, but they de­nied the Power thereof.

Now the Power of Godliness, as it here stands opposed to the Form, doth signifie the Virtue and the Efficacy of it to produce within us those Actions and Dispositions which evidence that we are truly godly, and which the Scripture calls the Fruits of Righteousness: for as the Power of Fire, or of the Sun, denotes the Virtue which these Creatures have to scorch, burn, melt, or to perform any other Action suitable unto the na­ture of those Powers; even so the Power of Godliness must be supposed to import the Efficacy of it, to produce within us those Effects wherein the Truth of Godliness consists. Now,

1. The Power of Godliness consists in the due Regulation of our Pas­sions and Affections, and the Subjection of them to the Rules of Reason enlightned by the Word of God. For, first, What is the ground of all that Atheism and Irreligion which is in the World, but an irregularity of these our fleshly Appetites and Passions? a dissolute and sensual Life being the Cause as well as the Result of Atheism; it being that which doth pro­voke the righteous God to give men up to strong Delusions, 2 Thess. 2.11. 2 Cor. 4.4. or to the Power of the Prince of Darkness, and that which renders it their Interest that there should be, and therefore causeth it to be their Judgment, that there is no future Punishments. What are all sinful Lusts, but, Eph. 2.3. Gal. 5.24. Rom. 8.7. in the Scripture Lan­guage, [...], the Lustings of the Flesh, [...], the Passions, the Desires, the Wisdom of the Flesh, or sensual Appetite, exalting of it self against the Wisdom of the Spi­rit, or the prescriptions of right Reason? What are those fleshly Lusts which we are call'd to mortifie that we may live, but those Irregularities of our concupiscible Passions, which move us to pursue what seemeth grateful to our Senses; viz. Adultery, Fornication, Ʋncleanness, Lasciviousness, Drunkenness, Intemperance, Revelling, Gal. 5.19, 21. Theft, Covetousness, Ra­paciousness, 1 Cor. 6.9. and the extravagances of our irascible Passions, viz. Hatred, and Envy, Emulation, Wrath, Anger, and Bitterness of Spirit, Gal. 5.19, 21. Eph. 4.31. with their intemperate Effects, Strife, Variance, Schism, Sedition, Murther, revi­ling, clamorous, blaspheming Speeches, and Pride, which, saith the Wiseman, Prov. 13.10. do provoke us to them? Whence is it that the wicked Man is still in Scripture call'd the Fool? whence is he said to sin against the Dictatesof his Conscience, but that he acts in Contradiction to his enlightned Rea­son? And, on the other hand, what is the business of Religion, as it is re­presented by St. Paul, but to instruct us to perform [...], a reasonable Service? Rom. 12.1. What is the difference betwixt that Wisdom which is from above, and that which, saith St. James, is eacthly, sensual, Jam. 3.15. v. 14. and devilish, but that this last is still attended with bitter Zeal, and a contentious Spirit; whereas the heavenly Wisdom is chaste and peaceable, gentle, and easie to be entreated? v. 17. The power of Godliness is often said in Scripture to ex­press it self in the Purification of the Heart; The Fear of the Lord is pure, Psal. 19.9. The Circumcision of the Heart is that which doth alone com­mend us to God, and make us truly what we do outwardly profess to be, Rom. 2.29. This is of absolute Necessity to our Enjoyment of the God of Purity; for [...], without Purification none shall see the Lord: Heb. 12.14. Matth. 5.8. Matt. 12.34. and of that Beatifick Vision none, who have purity of Heart, can fail. And seeing, as our Saviour saith, out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh, and out of that defiled Fountain the Streams of evil Actions flow, the pure Heart must produce purity of Life and Conversation, and the impure Heart must sometimes shew it self in Actions suitable to its na­ture. Now what is it that doth defile the Heart, Matth. 5.8. Mark 7.27. but those corrupt Affe­ctions which are in it? What is it therefore to be pure in heart, but to be free from those inordinate Affections and unbridled Passions? Again, what is it to live godly, but to be Men of upright, perfect Hearts toward God, [Page 16]to keep a good and honest Conscience? And what is this but to act suita­bly to the Convictions of our Reasons, enlightned by the Word of God? Lastly, What is it to live godly, but so to live as that we crucifie the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts? Rom. 8.13. for, If we live after the Flesh, we shall die; but if through the Spirit we mortifie the deeds of the Flesh, we shall live. Now what is it to mortifie these Lusts, but to curb their irrational Extravagan­ces, or keep them in due mein, or in subjection to the Laws of Prudence. Man, Aristot. Moral. Eudsin. l. 7. c. 15. say the Ancients, doth consist, [...], of something in him which must be ruled and moderated; and that, say they, is, [...], the sensual Appetite, and something which is given him to be, [...], the Guide and Moderator of that Appetite; viz. that Rea­son which the Wiseman stiles the Candle of the Lord. Prov. 20.27. When therefore we do act according to the Directions of this Guide; when we permit the inward Principle to govern all our Appetites and Passions, we must act regularly, or in the Language of the Ancients, [...]. But when we follow the In­clinations of our blind Affections and ungovern'd Passions, our Actions must be sinful and irregular: and therefore Virtue is by the great Philo­sopher defin'd to be, the observing of the mein in all our Passions according to the Rules of Prudence. When therefore our Religion hath prevail'd over our irascible Passions, and made us meek, sedate, and peaceable, pa­tient, long-suffering, and ready to forgive; when it will not permit us to retain Envy and Malice, Hatred and Anger in our Breasts, or vent our Choler in reviling, clamorous, calumniating, or bitter Words, which are all fleshly Lusts, or their Productions; when it hath fill'd our Souls with Love, Gal. 5.22. Kindness, Goodness, Bowels of Mercy and Compassion towards all Mankind, which are the Fruits of the good Spirit; when it hath so far mo­derated our concupiscible Passions that we love nothing but in subordina­tion to God, have no great zeal or hatred against any thing, but as it tends to his Dishonour, and our Souls Estrangement from him, desire and hope for nothing in the World but with Submission to him, and fear nothing so much as to offend him; when we can readily abstain from any sensual Pleasure, quit any outward Comforts without excess of Sorrow, and be content to want, or to enjoy all worldly things, as seemeth best to Provi­dence to give or to deny them; then have we the true Power of Godli­ness. That this was anciently esteemed the genuine effect of true Religion, we learn from that Expression of Lactantius; Da mihi virum qui sit iracun­dus, &c. l. 3. c. 26. Give me an angry, fierce, and foul-mouthed Person, with a few Words of God he shall become as mild and gentle as a Lamb. Give me a covetous, griping Person, this Word will make him liberal and open handed; 'twill make him who once trembled at the Thoughts of Death and Pain, to contemn both the Cross and Flames; 'twill make the lustful and adulterous Ruffian to become sober, chaste, and continent; the cruel bloody Man be kind and merciful; and the unjust to give every one his due, Tan­ta divinae sapientiae vis est, ut in hominis pectus infusa, matrem delictorum stultitiam uno semel impetu expellat. Of such a Power is this heavenly Wis­dom, that, being once embraced, it instantly expels that Folly which is the Mother of all Vice.

2. The Power of Godliness consists in self-denial and the entire Subje­ction of our Wills unto the Will of God. If any Man will come after me, Mark 8.34. saith Christ, he must deny himself, take up his Cross, and follow me. i. e. If he would be indeed a Christian, he must put on a stedfast Resolution to quit all the Enjoyments, Honours, and Pleasures of the World, his dearest Re­latives, and even Life it self, if it be needful, for my sake; he must take up his Cross, submitting his own Will unto the Will of Providence, and being ready patiently to suffer any fiery Tryals for the sake of Christ, and he must follow me, yielding Obedience to my Will of Precept. The Wea­pons of our Warfare, saith St. Paul, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. are powerful to the pulling down of strong Holds, removing all that opposition which is in our Hearts, Wills, and Affe­ctions to a holy Life, and casting down, [...], all pride of Soul which will not suffer it to yield, all carnal Reasonings which Flesh and Blood suggest against Obedience to the Laws of God. And what is all Impiety, but the opposing of our Wills unto the Will of God? and wherein doth consist the substance of Religion, but in Obedience to, and in Compliance with his Precepts, which are the Indications of his Will? What therefore can true Piety import, but the surrendring up our Wills unto the Conduct of the Will of God? What is that self-denial which the Scripture calls for as the great Duty of Christianity, but the submission of our Wills unto our Master's Pleasure in those things which seem most grie­vous to Flesh and Blood, and most to thwart our Pleasures and our world­ly Appetites? And what is it to mortifie our fleshly Lusts, but to reduce all these Desires and Affections to a compliance with God's Will of Pre­cept? And this is in effect the same with placing Godliness in a prevailing Love to God, which Love to God with all our Hearts, and all our Souls, Mat. 22.37, 38. is, saith our Lord, the greatest, and the first Commandment. 'Tis that from which all other Duties which we owe to God will naturally flow; for, what can be more natural than cheerfully to serve the Person whom we chiefly love, and carefully avoid what we conceive displeasing to him? If we love Pleasure more than God, saith our Apostle here, 2 Tim. 3.4. we only have the Form of Godliness; and what he saith of Pleasures, may with like reason be affirmed of Honours and Enjoyments, Friends and Relatives, or any other worldly thing; we do but hypocritically profess to love God, 1 John 2.15. if we love any of them more than him; and therefore, by the Rule of Contra­ries, then must we have the Power of Godliness when our Affection to God is greater than our Love to any of these things. Now, when is Love to God so prevalent, but when it doth effectually move us to part with our beloved Dalilahs, to cut off Hands, and pluck out Eyes? i. e. to quit those Pleasures and Enjoyments for his sake which seem as useful and de­sirable as an Hand or Eye. When therefore we so live, that in the gene­ral Course or Tenor of our Lives we seek not our own Honour, but the Honour of God, we do not study how to please our selves in worldly mat­ters, but rather do endeavour to walk before God unto all well-pleasing; when we engage as well in Duties which are prejudicial to our worldly Interests, and full of Hazards, as those which minister unto our Pleasure [Page 18]and Advantage, and are entirely resolved, whether it be good, or whe­ther it be bad, easie or difficult, pleasing or irksome unto Flesh and Blood, we will obey the Voice of the Lord, and act up to that Resoluti­on; then do we in our Lives express the Power of Godliness.

3. As Godliness doth, in the larger acceptation of the Word, include Justice and Charity towards our Neighbours, so where the Power of it doth reside, it will express it self in conscientious performance of these Duties to him; it will possess us with a fervent Love to all Mankind, to Friend and Foe, to those who hate, as well as those who do respect us. This, saith our Saviour, John 13.35. Matth. 5.45. is the Badge by which my true Disciples may be known; it is this Love to Enemies, this doing good to all, which will alone declare us to be the Children of the God of Love: this is proposed by Christ as a conside­rable part of our whole Duty, Matth. 22.39. 1 Cor. 13. ult. and pronounced like unto the first and great Commandment. St. Paul doth represent this Charity as the most excellent of Christian Graces, and therefore doth exhort us above all things, to put on Charity; Col. 3.14. 1 Tim. 1.5. Rom. 13.8. 1 John 3.11. he saith it is, [...], the end, or the perfe­ction, of the whole Gospel Declaration; the fulfilling of the Law, and the ve­ry Bond of Perfection. St. John informs us, that it is Christ's new Command­ment, the very Message which he came to deliver to the World, and the best Evidence that we are in a state of Grace; for hereby may we know that we are passed from Death to Life, v. 14. because we love the Brethren. All which must be abundantly sufficient to assure us, that where this Charity and Mercy is, there is the Power of Godliness. But without this we can have no true Love to God; 1 John 4.20. for he who loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? and all our specious Pretences and high Attainments, 1 Cor. 13.2. Gal. 5.6. without this Charity, are nothing worth; for in Christ Jesus nothing availeth but that Faith which works by Love. A Form of Godliness may be sufficient to produce within us a strong Affection to a Sect or Party, this being visible in Jew, Dissenter, Papist, yea in Publicans and Heathens, saith our Saviour, for do not even Publicans do so? Mat. 5.46. But 'tis the Power of Godliness alone which will enable us to love our Ene­mies, to be sweet and kind in our Behaviour towards all men, to rejoyce in their Prosperity, sympathize with them in their Miseries, relieve their Wants, redress their Evils, and contribute as much as in us lies unto their Happiness, to be patient towards our offending Brother, ready to forgive, and easie to be reconciled to him.

Again, the Power of Godliness, where it resides, will certainly express it self in Acts of Righteousness and Justice, 'twill make us honest, up­right, and fair-dealing men; careful to do no Injury to any, and ready still to deal with others as we would be dealt with. So that in reference to the fifth Commandment, to be a just and upright Person is to give due Respect and Honour to my Superiours, both natural, ci­vil, and spiritual; not to permit my Heart to curse, or causlesly to judge or censure them, or my Tongue to speak Evil of Dignities. In reference to the sixth Commandment, 'tis to preserve the Life of others as much as in me lies, and to do nothing that may render it uncomfortable, when it is [Page 19]in my Power to avoid so doing; to bear no Envy, Hatred, or Malice to my Neighbour, nor to indulge to any thought of doing mischief to him. In reference to the seventh, 'tis to preserve our selves and others from Im­purity, not to desire any lustful Converse with them, or cause the Viola­tion of that Faith which they have pledged to others. In reference to the eighth, 'tis to preserve my Neighbours Goods, not to defraud him of any thing which he possesseth, either by Words, as Lying, and false Swearing, Collusions, or Equivocations; or by our Deeds, as Stealing, Robbing, Over-reaching, Taking advantage of his Ignorance, or any other way; not to with-hold from any man his due, whether what we with-hold be due by Virtue of our Promise, or his Labour, his Trust reposed in us, or our Trespass committed against him. In reference to the ninth Com­mandment, to be a righteous honest man, is to be careful to preserve our Brothers Credit and good Name, not to defame him either by raising or spreading scandalous Reports against him, or willingly receiving them from others. Lastly, in reference to the tenth Commandment, it is to mo­derate our Desires, so that we do not envy others that Good which they enjoy, or long to have it in our own Possession; this being that Injustice of the Heart, which prompts us to proceed to the Injustice of the Hand. And albeit this honest Man hath been of late decry'd as a mere moral Man, by those who too much wanted Honesty themselves, yet is the practice of it represented, both in the Old and the New Testament, Jer. 22.16. as a thing highly ac­ceptable to God, and a sure Evidence of real Piety. Thus to do Justice is indeed to know God; this is the whole of that which he requires, Micah 6.8. Ephes. 5.9. even to do Justice, and love Mercy, and to walk humbly with our God; this is one of the weighty matters of the Law, saith Christ: it is a Fruit of the good Spirit; 'tis that in which Christ's Kingdom doth consist, Rom. 14.18. Psal. 15.1, 2. and which will render us approved of God; this will procure our Admission into God's holy Hill; into which he that walketh uprightly and worketh Righteousness shall surely enter; whilst the dissembling, lying, dishonest, and false hearted Saint, and Godly Knave, 1 Thess. 4.6. will be most certainly excluded from these happy Mansions; for God is the Avenger of all such. The Violations of the Rules of Justice is a thing very hateful to him: These, saith he, Zech. 8.16, 17. Prov. 6.16, 19. are the things that you shall do, Speak every Man the truth to his Neighbour, execute the Judgment of Truth and Peace in your Gates, and let none of you imagine Evil in your Hearts against his Neighbour, and love no false Oath, R. Josua apud D. Pocock. Not. Miscell. p. 353. for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord. One of the Jewish Rabbies reckons the religious Villain and the holy Cheat among those Persons which bring Destru­ction on the World. And truly he is one who carrieth a contradiction in his very Name to real Piety; he is a Scandal and Reproach to that Religion he professeth; he tempts Men to believe, that either his Religion doth allow such things, or to suspect that all Religion is but Policy, or a design to serve some worldly end; what Favour then can he expect from him whose Name and Doctrine he doth so horribly blaspheme? As therefore, my Beloved, you desire to avoid the dishonour of God, the scandal of that excellent Religion you profess; as you would not reproach the pra­ctice [Page 20]of true Piety, nor cast an Odium upon that Party which you most af­fect, or give occasion to that proverbial Saying, You will not swear, but you will lye and cheat; as you desire to be indeed, and be esteem'd by God what you profess your selves to be, true godly men, or to avoid his Hatred here, and his eternal Wrath hereafter, provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Now, that true Godliness consists not in the outward Acts of Worship, or any of those things in which I placed the Form of Godliness, but in the Regulation of our Passions, the Resignation of our Wills unto the Will of God, in Purity of Heart, and a prevailing Love to God, and in the Acts of Charity and Justice to our Brother, will be farther evident,

1. From our Lord's Sermon in the Mount, which doth most fully press upon us the Performance of the highest Acts of Charity and Justice, Mer­cy, and Doing unto others as we would be dealt with, but is not so sollici­tous in pressing outward Acts of Worship, which it doth only teach us to perform in a due manner, and so as to prevent that great Hypocrisie which was committed by the Jewish Rabbies in their Prayers and Fastings. More­over, among all the Blessings with which our Lord begins that Sermon, we find not one pronounced upon the Man that prays, or hears, or fasts or offers a large Sacrifice, or that is nice, and zealous, but only on the pure in Heart, Mat. 7.21, 24. the merciful, and the Peace-maker, the man that thirsteth after Righteousness, that hearing doth the Will of God. The Precepts of the Moral Law, which in that Sermon Christ interprets, and rescues from the false Glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees, are chiefly those which do concern the Duties of the second Table, and do prescribe the Offices of Love and Justice to our Neighbour; the things which he there cautions us against, and chiefly labours to prevent, are causless Anger, fleshly Lusts, Vain-glory and Revenge, censorious Judging, worldly Cares, and covetous De­sires. And lastly, in that very Sermon he informs us, That he will cer­tainly renounce at the last day some eminent Professors, Mat. 7.22. who did often call him Lord, preach often in his Name, and perform'd many Miracles for the Advancement of his Glory, as being Workers of Iniquity.

2. When any Man consulted him touching the things required to the obtainment of eternal Life, he never did direct them to make long Pray­ers, to offer costly Sacrifices, or to be much in fasting, but to be diligent in the performance of Love to God, and of the Duties of the second Ta­ble; Luke 10.38. This do, saith he, and thou shalt live: and when a Scribe had made this frank Acknowledge, that to love God with all our Hearts, and love our Neighbour as our selves, Mark 12.34. was more than all burnt Offerings and Sacrifices, our Saviour represents him as a Person of good Understanding, who was not far from the Kingdom of God.

3. If we consider all those things in which we are in Scripture call'd to imitate our Lord's Example, and to learn of him, we do not in the Scri­pture find any express Command to imitate him in his fasting forty days, his praying a whole Night, or in his Zeal shew'd to his Fathers House. But we expresly are required to imitate his Meekness and Humility, Mat. 11. ult. his Self-denial and Contempt of worldly things, his Love, Kindness, and Ten­der-heartedness, [Page 21]his Bowels of Mercy, and readiness to forgive, Eph. 4.32.5.2. 1 Pet. 2.21. 1 Joh. 3.3. his Pati­ence under Sufferings, his Purity and Righteousness, and his Submission to the Will of God.

4. If we enquire into the Fruits of the good Spirit, who is the Spring of all true Godliness, we shall not find that Prayer or Fasting, Preaching or Hearing, or any other Acts of outward Worship, are mentioned among them, tho by this Spirit alone we are enabled to perform them acceptably; but they are Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance, Gal. 5.22. Truth, Goodness, Righteousness, Eph. 5.9. Nor doth the Scripture promise the Blessings of a better Life unto our praying, hearing, reading, fasting, but to our doing of the Will of God, to the humble, meek, righteous, charitable Person. It is the adding to our Faith, Virtue, Godliness, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, brotherly Kindness, Cha­rity, 2 Pet. 1.6, 11 which will administer to us an abundant Entrance into the heavenly King­dom of our Lord and Saviour. In a word, what are these outward Duties at the best but means of Grace? for what were they appointed but to be Helps, Assistances, and Motives unto Piety? to what end do we pray, and read, and hear, but to obtain Grace to serve God acceptably? and that by the Assistance of it we may be enabled to mortifie the Flesh, and puri­fie the Heart? Now means are all inferiour to, and only good as they conduce unto the end. When we once come to Heaven, we shall pray, fast, and attend upon the outward Ordinances no more, but then our Passions will be all regular, our Charity and our Obedience will be per­fect; and therefore, by St. 1 Cor. 13.8.13. Paul's way of reasoning touching the Grace of Charity, these must be Duties of an higher nature. Lastly, could we ad­vance to those Perfections in which I place the Power of Godliness, with­out these outward means, they would be both accepted and rewarded by God; whereas without these Dispositions all our praying, hearing, read­ing, fasting, are an Abomination to God, and only tend to aggravate our future doom. 'Twill be the Aggravation of our future Misery, that, having been so well acquainted, by hearing, and by reading, with our Master's Will, we have not done it, our Prayers and Fastings will be sad Indications of our great Hypocrisie; they will accuse us of mocking the Almighty, when by them we profess'd our great desire to have strength for the performance of his Will, our willingness to be revenged upon our selves for the Omission of it, and yet when Grace sufficient was vouchsa­fed did not improve it. This will convince us of our insincerity in our pretended Zeal for the promotion of God's Glory, and fear in lesser mat­ters to offend him, that we had no true Zeal against those Sins which reigned in us, nor did make Conscience of observing the more essential and weighty matters of the Law.

To conclude, We have seen the Exactness of the Scribes and Pharisees in the performance of these outward things, and how exceeding confi­dent they were on these Accounts of Favour and Acceptance with God; and we have also seen with what great sharpness our Lord rebukes their Confidence, still representing these renowned Rabbies as the vilest Hypo­crites, [Page 22]the Children of the Devil, a Generation of Vipers, that could not escape the Damnation of Hell; and that the thing which so incensed this Lamb of God against them, and made him almost to forget his Meekness, was their want of Charity and Justice, purity of Heart and Life, whilst they pre­served a fair out-side towards men; whence he so vehemently exhorts them to purisie the inward Man. In the Records of the Holy Prophets we have found that this was the Disease of God's own People; they had the Temple of the Lord, the place of his peculiar Residence among them, thi­ther they daily went to offer up their Prayers, their Sacrifices, their Ob­lations, and Thanksgivings for his peculiar Mercies to them; and whilst they constantly performed these things, they thought God could not but be pleased with their Persons, and that their Sacrifices would be a full At­tonement for their Sins, when they had bowed down their Heads like a Bul­rush, when they had wept, and fasted before God, although they did not loose the Bands of Wickedness: they take upon them the Boldness to expo­stulate the case with God, and murmur that their Services were not ac­cepted; Isa. 58.3. for wherefore, say they, have we fasted, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our Souls, and thou takest no knowledge? To such a height of Confidence were they arrived from the Performance of these Duties. And therefore God seems much concern'd to let them know that he de­lighted not in their Oblations, Amos 5.21. that he hated and despised their Feast-days, and would not smell in their solemn Assemblies; that their burnt Offerings were not acceptable, Jer. 6.20. Isa. 66.3. nor their Sacrifices sweet unto him; that he that killed an Oxe­was as if he slew a Man; he that sacrificed a Lamb, as if he cut off a Dogs Neck; he that offered an Oblation, as if he offered Swines Blood; and he that burned Incense, as if he blessed an Idol. Hence doth he call upon them with great earnestness to put away the evil of their doings, to loose the bands of Wickedness, Isa. 58.6. Mi [...]. 6.10, 11. to undoe the heavy Burthens, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every Yoke, to put away the Treasures of Wickedness kept in the Houses of the wicked, the scant Measure, the wicked Balance, and the Bag of deceit­ful Weights; not to oppress the Widow, nor the Fatherless, the Stranger or the Poor, nor to imagine evil in their Hearts against their Neighbour. To learn to do well, Isa. 1.17. to seek Judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the Fatherless, plead for the Widow, Amos 5.24. to let Judgment run down as Waters, and Righteousness as a mighty Stream; to deal their Bread to the hungry, and bring the Poor, that are cast out, Isa. 58.7. into their Houses; when they see the naked to cover him, and not to hide themselves from their own Flesh; Zech. 7.9. to execute true Judgment, and shew Mercy and Compassion every Man to his Brother. Whence we may learn these three Particulars;

1. That we are very prone to rest in the performance of these outward Duties, and to be confident that they will purchase for us the Favour of the God of Heaven, although we do not add unto them those inward Fruits of Righteousness in which the Power of true Godliness consists: for wherefore was our Lord and all these holy Prophets so concerned to warn men of this great Mistake, were they not very prone to fall into it?

2. That we are naturally averse from those spiritual Duties in which the Life and Power of true Godliness consists; for were it otherwise, why do the Holy Prophets and our dear Lord so oft inculcate, and with such Vehemence exhort men to perform them? And,

3. That the Form of Godliness, without the Power of it, will be so far from ministring to our Acceptance here, or Happiness hereafter, that it will be thrown back as Dung into our Faces, and be the greatest Aggra­vation of our future doom: for if God so despised, and with so great Abo­mination did reject the Service of the Jews when 'twas not joyned with Obedience and inward Purity, with Acts of Charity and Justice, albeit their Religion was full of Shadows and of outward Ceremonies; how much more will he loath the Service of the formal Christian, from whom he chiefly doth require a spiritual Worship, and an inward Holiness? And oh! what pity is it that we who do so much to go to Heaven, should do it to so bad or little purpose, that we should wholly lose the benefit and comfort of all our Prayers and Fastings, Hearing and Reading, for want of Care to do what we do hear and read, and by our Prayers and Fast­ings seem desirous to do! or, that for want of doing more, we should pro­voke God to reject with Hatred and Abomination what we have already done.

We being therefore apt to lie under these sad Mistakes which tend to the destruction of our precious Souls, can any of us take it ill that we are thus forewarned of them? Is it not reasonable to press us to perform those things which are so necessary to our Salvation and Acceptance with God, and from which we are naturally so averse?

Wherefore, Beloved, let me beseech you not to rest in any outward Form of Godliness, but to advance unto the Power of it, by the subjecti­on of your Wills unto the Will of God, and a prevailing Love unto him, by the due Moderation of your Passions and Affections, and the Purifica­tion of your Hearts from Anger, Malice, Envy, uncharitable Censures, Pride and Self-conceit, unclean and wicked Thoughts. Let us be careful that our Piety express it self in constant Acts of universal Charity, and Mercy, Justice, and upright Conversation towards Men, and in a peace­able Frame of Spirit: for if we only do express it by listing of our selves to such a Party or Perswasion, or being zealous for it, by going to the Church, hearing a Sermon there, repeating it at home, fasting, recei­ving of the Sacrament, and leave these greater things undone, we only mock God with an outward Shew; but if unto this Form we add those things in which the Life of Piety consists, we have obtained that Godli­ness which hath the Promise of this Life, and that which is to come.

A SERMON PREACH'D Before the Militia of the County of Wilts, at their marching against MONMOƲTH.

WE read in Suidas, that the Cretians, concerning whom St. Paul gives this Command to Titus, were prone to stir up one ano­ther to Sedition, and that the Preservation of their Liberties was the Pretence for their seditious Practices; moreover, in that Island dwelt swarms of Jews and judaizing Christians, who were, Titus 1.9. saith the Apostle, [...], Men of a Refractory and Seditious Spirit. One of their wicked and seditious Principles was this, Vide 1 Tim. 6.1, 3. 1 Pet. 2.18. That Servants were exempted from all Obligations of Obedience to their wicked Masters: on which Account, St. Peter, in his Epistle to the dispersed Jews, saith thus, Servants, 1 Pet. 2.18. be subject to your Masters in all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the fro­ward. Another of their Rebellious Principles was this, That Christians were not obliged to submit, or yield Obedience to Heathen Governours, for such they deem'd unworthy of that Honour, who were the Enemies of the true God, and his Religion. To cure this Distemper which tended to reproach Chri­stianity, 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 [Page 2]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, decla [...]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) Jerom, on my Text, speaks thus; The Apostle here commands Obedience to the Power, not to the Men who are inve­sted with it: [...], 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 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. 30.3 [...]. 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. the on­ly true Religion then in being, that he would not allow the Exercise there­of at Rome, but did inflict great Penalties on the Professors of it; under his Government the Images of Caesar were brought into Jerusalem by Pi­late, as an Affront to their Religion, and the Treasures of the Temple were seiz'd upon. He, by his President, did crucifie the Holy Jesus, and killed with the Sword St. James, the first of Christian Bishops there, so great an Ad­versary was he to the Christian Faith; and yet our Saviour owns that his Authority, even against himself, was from above, John 19.11. and that it was not lawful, in defence of his own Person, to take up the Sword against him. Claudius was a debauched and vicious Person, and barbarously cruel; Sue­tonius declares, that he was a very Prodigy of Lust, that he was of a most [Page 4]salvage, c. 33, 34, 37. c. 25. bloody Temper: he was so great an Enemy to the right Worship of the only true God, that under the Name of Jews he banished the Chri­stians from Rome. Suet. c. 16. Tacit. l. 15. p. 363. At the Command of Nero the Christians were exposed to the most exquisite Punishments, saith Tacitus: they were torn in pieces of Dogs, and nailed to the Cross, or being roul'd in Pitch, were so committed to the Flames, and made to serve the use of Torches in the Night. These were the Persons which the Christians of that Age in Scripture are forbidden to resist, and were commanded to obey in all things lawful to be done. So that from hence these two Conclusions will arise;

First, That Christians must be subject to their Civil Magistrates, and in no Cases are allowed or authorised forcibly to resist, or to bear Arms against them.

Secondly, That in all lawful Matters they stand bound to yield active Obe­dience to the Commands of their Superiours. And,

First, That Christians must be subject to their Civil Magistrates, and in no Cases are allowed or authorised forcibly to resist, or take up Arms against them, may be evident,

1. From those Expressions of the Old Testament, which reprehend and po­sitively condemn all evil Speeches of the Higher Powers, which say, Thou shalt not revile the Gods, Exod. 22.28. nor speak Evil of the Ruler of thy People; against which Text St. Paul confesseth he offended, when he said to the High-Priest, God shall smite thee, thou whited Wall, altho that High-Priest even then commanded that St. Paul should be smitten contrary to the Law, Acts 23.3. and so was an unrighteous Judge. And seeing by occasion of the Misgovernment of evil Princes, Men, through impatience of Spirit, might be apt to break forth into disloyal Thoughts and undutiful Affections to them, even when Fear restrains them from seditious Speeches or rebellious Practices, the Wise-man strictly doth prohibit even these Risings of the Heart against them, say­ing, Eccles. 10.20. Curse not the King, no not in thy Thoughts; do not wish any Evil to his Person, Crown, or Government, no not in thy most secret and inward Thoughts. Now hence I argue thus; If we may not speak Evil of the Ru­ler of the People, much less may we act Evil against him; if we may not revile him with the Tongue, we may not smite him with the Fist; if we may not say unto him thou art wicked, Job 34.18. we cannot surely judge, or pass the Sentence on him as a wicked Person, and much less may we punish him as such; if we may not have an undutiful or disloyal Thought of him, much less may we do an undutiful or disloyal Act towards him.

2. This will be farther evident from the Deportment of the Man after God's own Heart towards King Saul; for God himself had stablished this Law, Deut. 17.15. Thou shalt in any wise set him King over thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse; he also had rejected Saul and his whole Family from ruling over Israel, 1 Sam. 15.26.16.12. The Lord hath rejected thee, saith Samuel to Saul, from being King, he hath rent the Kingdom from thee, and hath given it to a Neighbour of thine that is better than thou: he saith not that hereafter he would rend it from him, 1 Sam. 15.28, 30. but more expresly, this day the Lord hath done it. All this is said by the same Prophet, in the Name of the same God who chose Saul King, and before all the People. Again God saith to Samuel, not only [Page 5]that he had rejected Saul from reigning over Israel, but also that he had provi­ded for himself another King, whom instantly he sends him to anoint, without any Expressions of Reservation for the Life of Saul; and instantly upon this Unction, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Wisdom, 1 Sam. 16.13, 14. Counsel and Govern­ment, came upon David from that day forward, and departed from Saul. He also was accepted in the sight of all the People; and what more plausible Pretences could be offered of Failure on the part of Saul, or of the actual investing of David in the Kingly Government? After all this, Saul persecutes him out of his Dominions, and drove him out from abiding in the Inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go serve other Gods. 1 Sam. [...]6.19. ch. 18.11. ch. 19.11. ch. 20.31. ch. 24.11. Ibid. [...]. He casts a Javelin at him to smite him to the Wall; sends Messengers to his House to watch him, and slay him in the Morning. He declares that he shall surely die: and in pursuance of that bloody Resolution, he hunted him as a Partridge in the Wilderness, and pursued his Life to take it away: all this he did against him, tho there was neither Evil, nor Transgression, nor Rebellion in his hand. So that no subject in the World could have a better Plea for self-defence, or taking up the Sword on the Ac­count of the tyrannical Deportment of a King, than he had against Saul; and yet behold with what This is an Instance on which the Fathers much insist, and often urge for the Suppression of all Rebellious Attempts and Practices: [...]. Chrysost. Hom. 1. in David & Soul. to 8. p. 16. lin. 27, 38. Basil of Sileucia introduces David speaking thus, [...]. Orat. 16. Optatus makes him speak thus; Sine causa me victoria provo [...]s, frustra me occasio in triumphos invitas, volebam hostem vincere, sed prius est divina praecepta servare; non inquit, mit­tam manus in unctum domini, repressit cum gladio manum, & dum timuit oleum, servavit inimicum. adv. Parmen. l. 2. p. 60. Abhorrence and Detestation he looks upon the stretch­ing forth his hand against him. Chalilah li Mejehovah, 1 Sa. 24.6. Abomination will be charged upon me from the Lord, if I stretch forth my Hand against the Lord's Anointed; and again, ch. 26.11. ch. 24.5. The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my Hand against the Lord's Anointed: yea, no sooner had he cut off the Skirt of Saul's Robe, but his Heart smote him for it. When Providence seemed twice to have delivered Saul into his Hands, and Abishai offered to smite him to the Earth, his An­swer to Abishai was, Destroy him not, ch. 26.9. for who can stretch forth his Hand against the Lord's Anointed, and be guiltless. And lastly, when the Amalakite did at Saul's own Request, when he was mortally wounded, and ready to be seiz'd by his Enemies, stretch forth his Hand against him, David revenged that Acti­on by the Death of the Amalakite; nor is he ever charged in Scripture with Murther or In justice for that Act: so that no Provocations, no Advantages, no Colour or Pretence of Right from God, or Failure on the part of Saul, could prevail with him to one Rebellious Attempt against the Lord's Anointed. [Page 6]Now that which made it thus unlawful to rise up against him, could only be, that he received his Authority from God: since then all other lawful Sove­reigns are by St. Paul declared to be, the Ordinance and Ministers of God, it must be as unlawful, in such Cases, to rise up against them.

Object. Now if to these things you oppose the Example of Jeroboam, and the ten Tribes who openly revolted from Rehoboam, who being Heir to Solomon was legally their King:

Answ. I answer, 1. That this Action of the ten Tribes is by God called a Rebellion; for the People having said, 1 Kings 12.19. What Portion have we in David, neither have we Inheritance in the Son of Jesse, and it follows, So Israel rebelled against the House of David to this Day. Now what the God of Truth doth style Rebellion, that is, the rising up against that Person to whom they owe Allegiance, must certain­ly deserve that Character; so that God by calling that which the ten Tribes did, a Rebellion, doth thereby declare that Rehoboam was still their lawful Sove­reign; for otherwise, their renouncing of him, and setting up another in his stead, would not have been a Rebellion. And therefore, when God declares, that this thing was from him, we must thus understand it, that it was permis­sively from him, that he left Rehoboam thus to his own Pride, he suffered Sa­tan to encline him to hearken to the Counsel of his Young-men, and to de­spise the sage Advice of the Elders, and also to alienate the Hearts of Israel from him, that so he might fulfil his Threatnings against Solomon for his Ido­latry, which he pronounced in these Words; Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my Covenant and my Statutes, 1 Kings 11.11, 12. which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy Servant; notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it, but I will rend it out of thy Sons hand: I will for this afflict the Seed of David. v. 39. Now what is thus from God, may yet be Sin in him, or them, unto an high degree, who are the Executioners of his Punishments, and do accomplish his Decrees; as in the Instance of those Heathen Kings who vexed Israel, tho God permitted them to do so for his Peoples Punishment, for God delivered them up into the hands of the Spoilers that spoiled them, Judg. 2.14. and sold them into the hands of their Enemies round about, and yet he was resolved to punish all that oppressed them. Jer. 30.20. 2 Sam. 24. In the Case of David, whom the Lord moved to say, Go number Israel and Judah, because his Wrath was kindled against Israel, and yet he doth severely punish him on that Ac­count; and in the instance of our Saviour's Passion, for the People of Israel and the Gentiles did only to him what God's Hand and Counsel determined be­fore to be done, Act. 4.28. and yet they suffer severely for it to this day.

If it be still objected, That God by his Prophet Ahijah promised, that he would rend the Kingdom out of the hands of Solomon, 1 Kings 11.31, 35. and give ten Tribes to Je­roboam; and again, that he would take the Kingdom out of his Sons hands, and give it unto him, [...] 37, 38. even ten Tribes, and said, I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy Soul desireth, and shalt be King over Israel: and that this must of necessity be done during the Reign of one of the Posterity and Seed of David, to whom the Government of these ten Tribes belonged by Right of Succession, God having promised that to his Son he would give one Tribe, 1 Kin. 11. [...]. [...]. that David his Servant might have a Light before him always in Jerusa­lem; [Page 7]and again, I will not take the whole Kingdom out of his hand. And there­fore that this could not be Rebellion in Jeroboam to take the Government of these ten Tribes upon him, whilst there was still surviving any Heir of David and Solomon, since otherwise he never could have had it, and so God's Pro­mise could not have been fulfilled. And again, for the same reason that it could not be Rebellion in the ten Tribes to quit the Government of Rehoboam and embrace that of Jeroboam, because that Rehoboam was the Legal Heir of Solomon, since God had promised that he should have a Legal Heir for ever, and so they never could have submitted to Jeroboam without Rebellion, and so God's Promise could not have been fulfill'd. And lastly, if it be objected, that had this been Rebellion on the foresaid Account they must have been under a constant Obligation to revolt from Jeroboam and his Posterity to the House of David, which yet God never calleth them to do, nor condemneth them for not doing; and then the Gift God promised and performed to Jero­boam must be a Gift he was obliged in Conscience not to receive, because he could not do it without keeping another man's Subjects from that Allegiance they owed unto him, and therefore being instrumental to their continual Sin. I say, if it be thus objected, to confess ingeniously, quo me vertam nescio, I find it very difficult to avoid the strength of these Objections, which make some rather chuse to say this Action, tho very peccant upon various Accounts, was yet not formally Rebellion, because performed by a special Commission from God who gave to Jeroboam these ten Tribes, and by so doing transfer­red their Duty of Allegiance from Rehoboam unto him; which he might with good reason do, seeing he is the King of Kings, from whom all carthly Pow­ers hold their Dominions, Durante ejus beneplacito, Dan. 4.17. who ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men, and giveth them to whomsoever he will; and seeing, secondly, he was the Judge and Governour of Rehoboam, who had a Right to punish him and his Fore-fathers, how, and by whom, and unto what Degree he pleased, and therefore to the deprivation of all, or of the greater part of his whole King­dom if he pleased: But then to argue, That because this Great Sovereign may do it to his Subjects, that therefore Subjects may do the like to their Superi­ours; That because Jeroboam might do this by an especial and particular Grant and Commission from the God of Heaven, That therefore others may do the like, tho they have no Commission of like nature from God, is as ab­surd as it would be for us to rob and spoil our Neighbours, and keep what we have borrowed of them without Restitution, because upon a special and par­ticular Commission from the great Lord of all things, the Israelites did inno­cently deal so with the Aegyptians; or salvagely to butcher, or to cut off all Papists that do dwell among us, because they were commanded to do thus to the Idolaters in the Land of Canaan.

2. I answer, 1 Kings 12.19. It is not said in Scripture that Jeroboam rebelled against the House of David, but that Israel did so: their Action plainly seemeth to have been Rebellion, because it was an actual renouncing of their lawful Sovereign, without God's Warrant to them so to do; for they do with one Voice cry out, What Portion have we in David, and what Inheritance have we in the Son of Jesse, and thereupon depart from Rehoboam, and appoint Jeroboam to be [Page 8]their King, without any Commission from God to do so. Moreover, they do this not out of any pretence of God's rejecting Rehoboam, but only for this Cause, That he refused to make their Yoke easie, and to remove the pretend­ed Burthens which his Father had laid upon them; and therefore they re­volted upon Rebellious Principles. For, as a Father doth not forfeit his Au­thority over his Children, nor are they freed from that Obedience which they owe unto him by virtue of the Fifth Commandment, because he deals severe­ly with them, and is not to indulgent to, or careful of them as he ought to be; so neither can the King, i. e. the Father of his Country, lose his Authority over his Subjects, because he governs them severely, or lays afflicting Bur­thens on them; nor can their Subjects be disobliged from that Obedience which they owe unto them upon those Accounts; for if Servants, as St. Peter saith, are to obey such Masters who are froward and perverse, i. e. severe in their Commands, 1 Pet. 2.18, 19. and cruel in chastising them; if they with Patience were to endure Grief, and suffer wrongfully for Conscience towards God; if the Angel commanded Hagar even when her Mistress afflicted her, Gen. 16.6, 9. and dealt hardly with her, to return and submit her self unto her Hands; much more are Sub­jects to obey, and to continue in Obedience to their Sovereign, tho they be never so severely dealt with by them. But as for Jeroboam, he only took what God had promised to give him, by rending of ten Tribes out of the hands of Rehoboam, and in that very method in which it pleased God to make good his Promise; for the Text doth expresly say, this matter was from God, that he might perform the Saying which the Lord spake by Ah [...]jah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the Son of Nebat: 1 Kings 12.15. and when the Subjects of Rehoboam assembled to fight with the Children of Israel, God, by his Prophet, doth forbid them, saying, v. 24. Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your Brethren the Children of Israel, for this thing is from me. I therefore think of this whole matter thus; That Jeroboam was not guilty of any Usurpation which might render him a Re­bel against Rehoboam; that the People were Rebellious in the Principle which moved them to revolt, and in revolting without Commission from God; but that upon this Declaration made by God's Prophet it became their Duty to own, and to submit to Jeroboam as their King.

Now seeing Christ came not to take away, or to diminish any of the Rights of Princes, but rather to establish and confirm them: Hence I infer, That the Resistance, whether in Word or Deed, which was forbidden in the Old, cannot be rationally thought to be approved in the New Testament; but rather we may rationally judge, that as our Saviour came to advance the other Duties of the Moral Law; so much more, by his suffering Religion, to advance this moral Precept of Honour and Submission to our Superiours. To which effect it is excellently observed by a very Learned Prelate, The Lord Bishop of Sarum. That we find Christ and his Apostles frequently labouring to settle in the Consciences of men their Obligations to Obedience, and patient suffering where they cannot active­ly obey, but no where restraining, limiting, or particularly regulating the Office of Sovereign Powers (much less permitting, or giving Power to their Subjects to limit or restrain their Power) but leaving them to those general Rules which concern the Account and Duty of all Men in their several Stations, and to the [Page 9]terms whereupon the Providence of God was wont to settle the Princes and Go­vernours of the World. Let the Rights of Caesar be what they will in reference to Tribute, Christ will not determine them: this he will, Those things which belong to Caesar, according to Jus gentium, must be reudred to him. He doth not examine Pilate 's Power in case of Blasphemy and Treasen, but acknowledg­es it to be of God, and submits. And so likewise the Apostles seem to be unconcerned, as it were, in the governing part of Civil Policy. No word is found in all their Writings, enquiring into the Rights of the Roman Empe­rours, who were Sovereign, or limiting the exercise of their Power: only thus much they take for certain, such as they were, they were ordain'd of God, and they spend all their labour in founding deeply, and firmly establishing that other part which concerns Obedience. For the Scriptures of the New Testament do most expresly call for our Subjection to, and as expresly do forbid resistance of the Higher Powers. Rom. 13.1, 2. Let every Soul be subject to them, saith St. Paul: so let him yield Subjection to them as never to resist on any Provocation, Temptation, or specious Pretence whatsoe­ver; for, Whosoever doth resist the Power, resists the Ordinance of God, and they that resist (his Ordinance) shall receive to themselves Damnation. 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 15, 16. Be subject to every Ordinance of Man, saith Peter, (i. e. to every Power daily ordained among men) for the Lord's sake, (or for the sake of him whose Ordinance they are) whether it be to the King as Supreme, or unto them that are sent by him; for this is the Will of God, this is well-doing, this is acting as the Servants of God. And though their Govern­ment should be unjust, and they should punish you only for keeping a good Conscience, do you bear it patiently, for this is thank worthy, v. 19. if a Man for Conscience toward God endure Grief, suffering wrongfully. v. 20. If when we do well, and suffer for it, we take it patiently, this is acceptable with God; this is to act according to our Christian Calling, v. 21. and the Ex­ample of that Lord whom we are bound to imitate: For even hereunto were we called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an Example that we should follow his Steps, who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he did not so much as threaten.

1. Where in the first place note what hath already been made good, that the then present Governours were cruel and tyrannical. And,

2. The Christians, to whom St. Paul and Peter directed these Com­mands, were Men of spotless Innocence, Men groaning under the Pres­sures of the Cross, 1 Cor. 15.9. and labouring under most heavy Persecutions for the Gospel's sake. They were, saith the Apostle Paul, obnoxious to such Afflictions as would have rendred them of all Men the most miserable, v. 30. had they not been supported by their future Hopes. 2 Cor. 4.11. 1 Thess. 1.6.3.4. 2 Thess. 1.4. Heb. 10.32. 1 Pet. 1.6.4.12. They were in Jeopardy every Hour, always delivered to Death for Jesus sake. They received the Word of God with much Affliction, great Tribulations, and Persecutions, and they endured a great fight of Afflictions. They were, saith Peter, subject to manifold Temptations, and fiery Tryals. But notwithstanding all these Sufferings, their Master strictly hath obliged them not to take up the Sword, not to resist their cruel persecuting Magistrates; but [Page 10]when they suffer wrongfully, for doing well, for Conscience towards God to take it patiently. Whence it is clear, that by the Christian Doctrine, it is unlawful to resist the Higher Powers upon pretence of Male-admi­nistration, Tyranny, Injustice, or to rebel, for the Defence of our Religion, against the worst of Persecuting Princes. For if Resistance, in the fore-mentioned Cases, was a damning Sin, when can it be ex­cusable? and if it is the Will of God, that when his Servants suffer pure­ly for Conscience towards God, and are delivered to Death for Jesus sake, they should then bear it patiently, when can it be supposed, agreeable unto his Will, that Christians should resist the Higher Powers?

2. Observe, that when these Precepts were delivered, there was then, in the Imperial City, a Senate (somewhat like our Parliament, or House of Commons) yea such a Senate by whom the Emperours or Higher Pow­ers, then in being, were elected, and by whose Election they became the Ordinance of God, having no Right unto that Character till they were thus elected; De Jure Belli, l. 2. c. 9. §. 11. for as Grotius truly notes, and proves, Electio Imperato­ris ad populum pertinebat, & aliquoties à populo per se, aut per Sena­tum facta est, quae autem à Legionibus modo his, modo illis, fiebant Electiones, non erant ratae ex jure Legionum (nam in vago nomine jus certum esse non poterat) sed ex approbatione populi. Examples of which Elections made or approved by the Senate, he gives many in his Notes upon that Section. And yet the Scripture takes no notice of this Senate, it doth not limit the Obedience of the Christians or those times to things commanded by the Emperours and not forbidden by the Ro­man Senate; it doth not say, Obey them till that Senate, which at first chose them, or approved of them, do again reject them; but plainly, and without exception, doth enjoyn us not to resist the Higher Powers. The Taxing, Luke 2.1. or Enrolling, at the Birth of Christ, was by the Decree, not of the Senate, but Augustus; the Tribute-money had Caesar's Image and Inscription on it, and therefore, by our Saviour's Argument, did shew that Caesar was to be obey'd. St. Paul's Appeal was made not to the Ro­man Senate, Acts 20.10, 11. but to Caesar, at whose Judgment-Seat, saith he, I ought to be judged. The Submission which St. Peter speaks of, is to the King as Supreme. So that the Spirit of God seems plainly to condemn those speci­ous Pleas and politick Pretences which our late Rebels made to Justifie their Insurrection against our Caesar and his Imperial Crown, by virtue of a pretended Power derived from Lords or Commons, who neither do elect nor approve of our Kings before they have a Right unto their Go­vernment, and who are most apparently inferiour to him, since he gives being to both those Houses by his Writ, continues them at his own Plea­sure, adjourns, prorogueth, and dissolves them pro Imperio.

Argument 2 2. Christians must not resist the Higher Powers because they can­not do it without Resistance of the Ordinance of God. That Magi­stracy is God's Ordinance, that Supreme Powers are the Ministers of God, [Page 11]and not of Men, that they do act by an Authority derived from him, and not from men, even when by the Election of Man they become the Higher Powers, is evident from Scripture, and from Reason. From Scripture, which doth often stile them Gods, Exod. 21.6. Exod. 22.28. 1 Sam. 2.25. Psal. 82.6. 1 Sam. 24.6, 10.26.9, 11, 16, 23. 2 Sam. 1.14, 16. and the Children of the Mest High. His Servants, his Anointed, as Saul is often stiled, even after that God's Spirit was departed from him, and David by his Prophet was anointed King. Now as no Man can be Vicegerent to an earthly Prince, but by his Order and Commission; so can no Sovereign Prince be God's Vice­gerent without the Ordinance, or the Commission of the God of Hea­ven to act as his Immediate Officer on Earth. And suitably to this As­sertion, the Apostle hath declared of the Supreme Authority in being then, what is as true, by parity of Reason, of those in being now, that they were all the Ordinance of God, the Ministers of God, the Officers of God; Rom. 13.2, 4, 6. that there is no Power but of God, and that the Powers that be are ordained of God. And even that Power which Pontius Pilate did abuse to the con­demning of our Saviour, was, by our Lord's Confession, from above; Joh. 19.11. for thou, saith he, could'st have no Power at all against me, unless it were given thee from above. It also is extreamly evident from Reason; for what is more unlikely, than that he, who is the God of Order, should, Faulkn. Chri­stian Loyalty, p. 416. for the peace and good of lesser Societies in private Families, ordain the Authority of Parents over their Children, and the Headship of the Hus­band over the Wife; and yet should leave the more general and publick state of Mankind, which is of greatest Concernment, without any Govern­ment, which truly can be stiled his Ordinance. It would moreover re­flect unduly on Divine Goodness, to conceive, that it was not his Will that Justice, Righteousness, and Peace, should be preserved, and Goodness countenanced and rewarded by Men; that Evil-doers should be punished, and the Destroyers of his Image should suffer by the hand of Justice: and yet it cannot be conceived that he hath made Provision for these things, unless this Governour of all the Earth, this Lord of Life, to whom Vengeance doth primarily belong, hath constituted and or­dained, that this his Government and Power should be committed to some Persons who thereupon should act as his Vicegerents here on Earth, and should be owned as his Ordinance. This therefore being true of all Supreme Authority, that 'tis Potestas Dei vicaria, a Ray of di­vine Majesty, that 'tis entrusted with that Power only which is from above, and representeth none but God, whosoever lifteth up his Hands against it must be a Fighter against God; for if a cruel and blood-thirsty Nero is, as St. Paul asserts, the Ordinance of God, whosoever doth resist him must resist God's Ordinance; and if there is no Pow­er, whether of Nero or Domitian, but from God, there can be no Resistance but from Satan. If even that Power which condemned the Saviour of the World, commenced from Heaven, all Insurrections against such Powers must certainly derive from Hell. In a word, If Government be the Constitution of God, to make forcible Opposition [Page 12]against it, Faulkn. ib. p. 427. must either be in design to have God's Authority subject to them who so act, or at least, that themselves may not be subject unto it; both which things are unreasonable, and include a resisting the Or­dinance of God.

Argument 3 3. No Christian Subjects must resist the Higher Powers, because they cannot do it without taking of the Sword, avenging of themselves, and claiming of the Power of Life and Death, and passing Judg­ment on their Fellow-Subjects; all which Prerogatives belong imme­diately to God, and by his Ordinance alone, or Grant to any Hu­mane Powers. Rom. 12.19. Matt. 5.39. For God expresly saith, Vengeance is mine, I will repay it, and hath commanded us, [...], not to resist when we do suffer Evil. The Injury we do against our Fellow-Subjects is done to one of God's own Subjects, it is a Violation of his Law, and so it properly belongs to him to punish it. God also being Judge of all the Earth, 2 Chron. 19.6. all Acts of Judgment are declared to be not for Man, but for the Lord, because they are performed by an Authority derived from him. Act. 17.25, 28. Moreover, it is by God we live, and move, and have our Beings; he giveth to us Life and Breath, and all things. No man can therefore wield the Sword of Justice, or use that Sword to take away his Brothers Life, but by Authority from the God of our Lives, by whom the Higher Powers are commissioned, and who are there­fore said by his Authority to bear the Sword, and be his Ministers in executing Vengeance on the Evil-doer. And therefore when St. Peter did attempt to wield the Sword even in Christ's Cause, our Lord rebukes him, Matt. 26.52. saying, Put up thy Sword into its place, for all that take the Sword shall perish by it. This is, saith Musculus, Locus no­tandus omnibus subditis, a place to be well noted by all Subjects: for,

1. This was a Cause wherein Religion and Civil Justice were both much concern'd: for, the malicious Jews were now pursuing their Design to put the blessed Jesus to an ignominious Death, to crucifie the true Messiah, and to extirpate his holy Doctrine from the Earth; and Justice never was more highly violated than in the Methods which they used to destroy the Lord of Life. And yet, when upon this occasion his Disciples said, Luke 22.49. Master, shall we smite with the Sword? he peremptorily for­bids it, and checks St. Peter's hasty use thereof; and this he doth, part­ly because, John 18.36. as he declared, his Kingdom was not of this World, and so his Servants should not fight for its Defence against Authority; partly be­cause they could not do it in opposition to Authority, without the taking of the Sword; Contra Faust [...]m Manich. lib. 22. c. 70. for he, saith Austin truly, takes the Sword, who, when no law­ful Power doth command, or authorise him so to do, useth Force of Arms to shed the Blood of others.

Secondly, Observe, that they who came to apprehend our Saviour were only some Inferior Officers, commissionated by the Supreme Authority, and yet they must not be resisted, saith our Lord.

Thirdly, If we consider the Intention of the Person smiting, we shall find that he had no design, or purpose to rebel against, or to turn Casar out of his Dominions, but only to preserve his Master; it therefore may be fairly pleaded in behalf of Peter, that be kept the Laws inculpatae tutelae, of Self-defence, that what he did was of a sudden without deliberation, and that he did not kill out-right, but only wounded the High Priests Ser­vant; and yet our Saviour not only doth dislike the Action, but thinks it necessary to work a Miracle for reparation of the Injury done by it. If therefore to unsheath the Sword in Christ's own Cause against the meanest Officer commissionated by the Higher Powers, be to usurp it, what must it be to take it in our own? If to avenge our selves upon our Equals, be to usurp on God's Prerogative, what must it be to offer to avenge our selves on our Superiors? If lastly, it be murther to shed our Brother's blood without commission from God, or his Vicegerent, then all, who fight against Authority, must become guilty of that sin, and it will much concern them to consider what St. John hath said, viz. 1 John. 3.15. that no Murtherer hath Eternal Life abiding in him.

And suitable unto these Principles of our Religion, is the Constitution of our present Government, which doth acknowledge, that the whole Power of the Sword, or the Militia, is in the King, and, 13 Car. 2.1. that 'tis Treason to levy War against him within the Realm, or without, that justice regularly must be exe­cuted, and Vengeance recompensed by Judges who receive commission from him to do it For our Sovereign Lord the King, which is the current style both of our Statutes, and of their Commissions. That the Crown of England hath been so free at all times, that it hath been in no earthly Subjecti­on, 16 R. 2. but immediately subject to God in all things touching the Regality of the same Crown, and to no other. That the Realm of England is an Empire governed by one Supreme Head and King, 24 H. 8.12. to whom a Body Politick of Spiritualty and Temporalty be bounden, and ought to bear, next to God, a natural, and humble obedience. That both, or either Houses of Parliament cannot, 13 Car. 2.6.14.2, 3. nor lawful­ly may raise or levy any War, offensive or defensive against his Majesty, his Heirs, and lawful Successors, and lastly, that it is unlawful upon any pretence whatsoever, to take up Arms against him, or against those who are commissionated by him.

Argument 4 Fourthly, The Christian ought not to resist Superiors, because He, by so doing, will cast a great reproach upon the Name and Doctrine of our Lord, and give occasion to renew that Calumny of Jews and Heathens, that our Lord was no Friend to Caesar, that his Disciples were the men, who by their Doctrine turned the 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 [Page 14]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, 'tis 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 'tis 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 [Page 16]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. c [...]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 [Page 17]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 'tis 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 now in being, and it was clearly the design of all their cruel Persecutors, to blot out their memorial from the Earth, and yet they patiently suffered, and were commanded so to do. And sure no Christian can be tempted to believe, that our Dear Lord, by his Religion, did subvert the fundamental Laws of nature, when he required his Disciples to take up the Cross, and suffer patiently for doing well; or that the Primitive Martyrs did violate the Laws of Nature in not re­sisting of their Persecutors.

Secondly, If evil may not be done that Good may follow, then must we not en­deavour to vindicate our Country from those evils which Providence may bring upon it by that resistance which is evil, but must, saith Peter, when we thus suffer, 1 Pet. 4.19. 2 Pet. 2.9. commit the keeping of our lives to him in well doing who knows best how to deliver the Righteous, and to dispose of all things for his Childrens Good, and make the wrath of man to praise him. And,

Thirdly, If our Souls welfare be our highest interest, and these our Suffe­rings do cooperate to it, if our Afflictions for the sake of Christ, work for us an Eternal weight of Glory, much better than our temporal concerns, and even life it self; if to resist will bring Damnation, and it be better to die once, than die eternally; then, in these cases, to refuse the Cross, must be to labour to preserve our bodies by the destruction of our souls, and so apparently to thwart the Preservation of our selves.

Fourthly, Experience will instruct us, that patient suffering is the best method of Self-preservation, and that the Publick will be greater sufferers by Civil Wars, than the severest Persecution; for this Nation has suffer'd more, and lost more blood by one Rebellion upon pretence of Religion, than the whole Church did in all the ten famous Persecutions.

Objection 2 "But would you have us then to suffer our Religion to be taken from us?

Answer. It is not in the power of any Creature to rob us of one Article of our Religion, or hinder us from being uprightly Religious towards God; for we believe with our hearts, our Religion doth consist in loving God with all our hearts, and our Neighbour as our selves; and this we may still do whatso­ever may befal us, whereas by our Rebellion our Religion is blasphemed and truly lost, 2. Tim. 3.4. it being a plain contradiction, to be a Religious Rebel, a Chri­stian that will not take up his Cross. The Traytor, says St. Paul, may have the form, but he denies the Power of Godliness.

Secondly, If our Religion be of God, as we have little cause to doubt, he will assuredly protect it; whereas by our attempts to keep and to pro­mote it by unlawful means, we but provoke God to be angry with us.

Thirdly, It pleased God at first to propogate the Christian Faith, not by [Page 19]the Sword, but Christian patience, and things are best preserved by those means by which they were at first established. Had God thought fit thus to promote the Christian Faith, he could have armed the Apostles with sufficient power to confound their adversaries, which because he refused to do, it is evident he did not like that method of proceeding.

And now from what hath been delivered we may learn how reasonable is the injunction of my text; Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers: Prov. 24.21. how much it doth concern us to comply with that advice of Solo­mon, My Son fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change, will be farther evident, if we consider,

First. How they in Scripture are represented who resist Authority, and be come Rebels against Gods Vicegerents. Num. 16.26. Psal. 106.18. Num. 16.28. The Holy Ghost brands them as wicked men, ungodly men, sinners against their own Souls. All this is spo­ken of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram when they rebelled against Moses: Where it deserves to be considered, that these men did pretend to stand up for their civil privileges, and their Religious Rights, and only pleaded against the Usurpations of their Superiors, who, in their Judgments, took too much upon them. They had both Lords and Commons on their sides, Num. 16.2. Vers. 19. for presently 250 Princes of the Congregation took part with them, and the whole body of the people were gathered against Moses and Aaron; and yet this would not sanctify their Rebellion, nor preserve them from a most wonderful and dreadful ruin. Elsewhere the Scripture styles them, sons of Belial, 1 Sim. 10.27. as in these words, the men of Belial despised Saul. 2 Sam. 20.1. Sheba a man of Belial hath blown a Trumpet against David. They who despise Dominions, and speak evil of Dignities, are by St. Peter, and St. Jude pronounced filthy Dreamers, un­just, presumptuous, self-will'd, audacious Persons: and surely they who have regard to their own credit, or to these censures of the Holy Ghost, will care­fully avoid those things, on which the Spirit of truth hath fixed such black and odious Characters: Especially if they consider,

Secondly, That this resistance will certainly expose the Rebel to the se­verest of Gods judgments; for (1) the God of truth hath by the Wiseman threatned a swift destruction to them, in these words, Fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change, for their de­struction shall come suddenly: This threat we find severely executed on Co­rah, and his Company, the first of Rebels that we read of against Gods Vicegerents, for they were all consumed in the very fact, Num. 16.33. they went down quick into Hell, and the Earth closed upon them, and so they perished from a­mong the Congregation. God did destroy them by an unusual death to render their iniquity more dreadful to the world. Accordingly St. Jude informs us of the first Christian Rebels, those filthy Dreamers, Vers. 11. who despised Dominions, that they did perish in the gainsaying of Core; in which words the Apostle useth the Aorist for the future Tense, speaking of their de­struction as a thing past already, because he knew that Vengeance would not suffer them to live, for those impure Gnosticks and Carpocratians, of whom St. Jude is by some thought there to speak, rebelled with Barcho Cheba, and with him they perished, saith the learned Grotius. They who despise [Page 20]Dominions are by St. Peter and St. Jude declared to be men of old ordained to condemnation, that is, God hath of old declared his resolution to condemn such men. Woe unto them, saith St. Jude, for God will execute his judgments on them for their ungodly deeds; Their judgment, saith St. Peter, doth not lin­ger, and their damnation slumbers not; so that if they escape the hand of Ju­stice here, they have just reason to conclude they are reserved for condemna­tion in the world to come, for as St Paul declares, He that resisteth shall re­ceive damnation.

SInce this is a most certain truth which shineth with the brightest e­vidence of Reason, and of Revelation, That God is naturally the Sovereign Lord, and Emperor of the whole world, [...] the King of a [...]he Earth; The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; Seeing he is ex [...]l [...] as head above all, and Reigneth over all, and hath decreed that all Domi­nions shall obey, and serve him: Seeing he is the only Potentate, and the most High, who Ruleth in the Kingdom of men, it follows by the clearest Conse­quence, that all Authority, and all the Power of Humane Governours must be subordinate unto him; and imparted by him, that they are all the Delegates, [...] Vicegerents, or, as St. Paul here styles them, the Officers, and Ministers of God. And seeing no man can lay claim to an Inferiour and Dependant Office and Jurisdiction, or regularly exercise that Power but by Commissi­on, and Appointment of a Superior Power in whom that Jurisdiction doth originally reside, it follows that no Earthly Potentates, who in the exercise of the supremest of their jurisdictions must be Inferior to, and Dependant on the King of Kings, can be invested with Power over other men but by Commission from, and by appointment of that God who is the King of all the Earth; and that they all have Reason to confess with David, Thine, O Lord, 1 Chr. 29. is the Kingdom. Now because the acknowledgment, and firm belief, that this is the true Fountain and Original of Humane Power, doth most effectually tend to enforce that due Subjection and Obedience to it, which is so necessary to be pressed in this Age of Factions and Rebellions, that We knowing whose Authority our Rulers have, may faithfully serve, honour, and humbly obey them in him, and for him; and that the Minister of God may also be enga­ged to exercise that Power with which by God he is intrusted, as most con­duceth to Gods Glory, That knowing whose Minister he is, he may above all things seek his Honour and Glory. I therefore judge it proper to insist upon this Subject, which I shall prosecute with plainness and Sincerity; endeavouring to shew,

I. What are the Powers mentioned in my Text.

II. In what Sense they are said to be ordained by God.

III. What Evidence there is from Reason and from Scripture, that they are his Ordinance. And,

IV. What improvement may be made of this Doctrine.

And First, Men willing to dispute themselves into Rebellion, have been so Critical, and Nice as to distinguish here betwixt the Power, and the Per­son who is invested with it, confessing that indeed the Office of Magistracy is the Ordinance of God, but denying that the Magistrate or Person who doth execute the Office, is his Ordinance. Fond and Absurd! For it is as if I should distinguish the Office of the Majoralty of Sarum from the Mayor of Sarum, which Office neither is nor can be exercised but by a Mayor, and must be a bare name without him, and should say, that the Majoralty of Sa­rum is the Kings Ordinance, but that the Mayor of Sarum is not so. More­over,

Secondly, The word here used is Powers, not Power in the singular, whereas no instance can be given in Scripture, and no propriety of Speech allows, that the Authority abstractly taken should be so spoken off. And,

Thirdly, The Authority, abstracted from the person Authorised, can never be the subject of what is here ascribed to the Powers; for we cannot resist, or yield obedience to the Magistracy, but by resisting, or obeying him who is a Magistrate. Authority in the abstract, where there is none to exercise it, cannot be feared, nor can it give us praise for doing well, nor be a terror, or an Avenger of wrath to him that doeth evil; it cannot receive Custom, Tribute, or challenge fear, or honour; it therefore cannot be the bare Autho­rity, but only Authorised persons to whom these duties are enjoyned, and these effects ascribed.

Fourthly, As if, St. Paul had actually designed to obviate this sond eva­sion, he himself thus interprets the Powers to be the Rulers, and the Mi­nisters in whom the Power is lodged; for thus he speaks, Let every soul be sub­ject to the higher powers, for Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the e­vil. And again, Wilt thou not be afraid of the Power, do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same, for he is the Minister of God to thee for Good.

Fifthly, St. Peter plainly doth enjoin obedience to the Prince, who is invested with this power for the Lords sake, whose Minister 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 Ʋsurped Powers, or such as have no Legal Title, in opposition unto those who have Just Title, though by the prevalence of an Ʋsurper 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 Ʋsurpation 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 Ʋsurper doth begin his Ʋsurpation 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 Ʋsuper 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 Ʋsurpations 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 Ʋsurpers 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 Ʋsurp, 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 [...]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 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 S [...]ate, and yet they are expresly styled Gods Ordinance, and therefore an immediate ap­pointment [Page 9]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, 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 must ultimately reside in the Superior, and every Subject must owe Obedience to his commanding Power in all Lawful Matters. Psal. 60.7. Judah is my Lawgiver, saith God; he is my King, say both the Vul­gar, and the Seventy; insinuating that he alone who is a King can have the Power to make Laws, though others may assist him to consult about them, when it is his pleasure to convene them for that End; and therefore he is by the Gloss upon the In Novel. 12. c. 4. Novels styled, The Father of the Laws; and though he be obliged in Conscience to yield Obedience to the Laws of God and Nature, yet seeing no man can impose a Law upon himself, that must be true which the [...], Basilic. l. 2. Tit. 6 c. 1 princeps legibus solutus est. Ulpian apud Cujac. l. 15. ob­serv. 30. Civilians declare, That the King cannot be subject to his own Laws, or be [Page 11]obliged to observe them on any other score than that of Equity, or promise, or of engaging others to observe them by his own Exam­ple.

Fourthly, God hath ordained that his Vicegerent, acting by his Power, should be seared and honoured, and that he may be able to discharge his Office, he hath declared Custom, and Tribute to be due unto him, for there­fore pay we Tribute, saith St. Paul, because they are the Ministers of God, at­tending on this very thing. Render therefore unto all their dues, Tribute to whom Tribute is due, Custom to whom Custom, Fear to whom Fear, Honour to whom Honour: So that when any man obtains a Legal Title to Supremacy of Power he is by virtue of Gods Ordinance, and his Appointment invested with all these Prerogatives of Power, and our subjection to him doth imply our Ob­ligation to perform those duties.

Thirdly, God having in the General appointed Government, 3. The Gover­nours should be constituted in and by all Nati­ons, or being constituted should be owned by them. annexing to it these Prerogatives, that this his Ordinance may not be vain and fruitless, as it would necessarily be, should no particular Person or Persons be e­lected to it, or be invested with that Government, he must have consequently ordained, that every Nation or Kingdom should admit of, pitch upon, or constitute some Person or Persons to exercise his Government among them, because by virtue of this General Rule or Command given to all States, that there shall be a Government among them, no man can claim to be the Power more than others, nor are the people by it tyed to yield subjection to this man rather than to that; wherefore that this appointment con­cerning Magistracy may not be fruitless but obtain its end, God must have laid an Obligation on people, who are to be governed, to do those actions which will appropriate unto some Person or Persons the Superior Power, and give to him, or them, a Property, and a peculiarity in that Relation. Where therefore there is none who antecedently can claim a Title, as in Elective Kingdoms, he must oblige them to the choice of such; and where there is, as in Successive Kingdoms, he must oblige them to yield him actu­al Possession of his Right and due Subjection. For as our Lords appointment in the General immediately by himself, or mediately by his Apostles, that Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons should preside within his Church, and per­form all the Ecclesiastical Offices belonging to it, is an appointment that o­thers should, upon their failing, be chosen and advanced unto those Offices, so must Gods General Appointment of a standing Civil Government be virtually an appointment, that when these Mortal Governours do fail by death, or by extinction of the succeeding Line, there should be others to succeed them.

Fourthly, the Person thus appointed, though by the act or the consent of men that such a Person shall be their Lawful Prince, as in Elective King­doms; or that his Heirs, and Lawful Successors shall sway the Scepter to all future Generations, as in Successive Kingdoms, is really Gods Ordinance, and not the peoples, because this their consent is given by virtue of a Rule and Warrant from God, and therefore hath the stamp of his Authority up­on it. And because it is God, and not the people, who consers the Privi­leges [Page 12]and the Prerogatives upon him which follow from that act, they only name the Person, as a Corporation doth the Mayor, but he receiveth his Authority from God, as doth the Mayor from the King. Thus is it in the case of Bishops, they are named by the King, and he appoints the bounds and limits of their Diocess, which notwithstanding their Authority of ru­ling over their Respective Diocess, and of ordaining Presbyters, and Deacons is intirely Gods Ordinance, and they derive it not from the King or People, but from Christ. And thus it is more fully in the case of Matrimony: For though God doth not in an immediate way appoint who shall be Husband unto such a woman, or Wife to such a man, but leaves them to their li­berty to chuse with whom they will unite in Conjugal Society, yet hath he solemnly ordained this as the only lawful way for propogation of our kind, and as the proper remedy for our incontinence; he also hath ordained what Privilege, Authority, and Duty, shall ensue upon the matrimonial Con­tract, and hath not left us free, after these Contracts are once made, to vi­olate them; and so these Duties, and these Privileges do arise, not so much from their Contract, as from Gods Ordinance concerning Matrimony, and upon this account it duly is esteemed a Divine, not Humane Ordinance. And having thus explained this Second General, for farther confirmation of it let it be considered,

First, That this was the Constant Doctrine of the Ancient Heathens: for Append. [...], à Joh. Leancla­vio edit. p 176. Manuel Comnenus tells us that [...], the Wisdom of the Ancients taught that Regal Power was Divine; Theogn. v. 96. [...], Kings are from God, saith Hesiod: II B.v. 197. [...], their Honour springs from him, saith Homer: their Scepter is the Gift of Jove, [...], to them he hath committed his own Government saith [...], v. 80. [...]. Callimachus. Whence they are often styled the Sons of Jove, not as deriving their Original, but Kingly honour from him, saith In locum jam citatum, er. in. Il. [...]. p. 738. Eustachius, their Scepter and their Jurisdiction. The Regal Power, saith Plutarch, is [...], the Ministry of God: God, saith Orat. 5. de Imp Theod. humanitate. Themistius, sent it from Heaven to the Earth, 'twas [...], saith Apud Sy­nes. orat. de Regno. Plato. He who exerts it bears Gods Image, saith Apud Stob. Ser. 46. orat. 3. de Regno ad Trajanum. Diotogenes; and Dio Chrysostome doth almost in the words of St. Paul, declare that he is, [...], ordained by the Great God unto this very work.

Secondly, This also was the professed Tenet of the Jews. The Book of Wisdom dogmatically doth assert, Wisd. 6.3. That Power is given them from the Lord, and Sovereignty from the most High, and that they are Ministers of his Kingdom, which Doctrine is so plainly and frequently delivered in the Old Testament, that they who owned those Sacred Records could not doubt the truth thereof. For there the Higher Powers are honoured with the very name of God, John 10.35. I have said ye are Gods, Psal. 82.1. which name they bore, saith Christ, because the Word of the Lord came unto them, i. e. because by his ap­pointment and Commandment they ruled, and by his Word did act; they [Page 13]are said to be Kings for the Lord, to be anointed to the Lord, or to his service, 2 Chron. 9.8. 1 Chron. 29.22. 1 Sam. 2.10. 2 Sam. 22.5. Esa. 45.2. 1 Kings 2.12. 1 Chron. 29.23. 1 Kings 10.9. to be his Kings, and his Anointed; and this is also said even of Cyrus, an Hea­then Emperor. Their Thrones of Majesty are styled the Lords Throne, for whereas in the History of the Kings we read that Solomon sat upon the Throne of David his Father, in the Book of Chronicles we read thus, Then Solomon sat upon the Throne of the Lord; whereas the Queen of Sheba is intro­duced thus speaking in the Book of Kings, Blessed be the Lord God, who delighteth in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel. Her speech is thus related in the book of Chronicles, Blessed be the Lord God, who delighteth in thee to set thee on his Throne; their Kingdom is styled the Kingdom of the Lord, 2 Chron. 9.8. 2 Chron. 13.8. 1 Chron. 28.5.17.14. Jer. 43.10. Dan. 5.18. Dent. 1.15, 17. the Throne of the Kingdom of the Lord, his Kingdom. God doth expresly style Nabuchadonosor his Servant, declares that he gave him his Kingdom, that he was King of Kings, because the God of Heaven had given him a Kingdom, Power, Strength, and Glory. Moreover the Judgment exercised by men appointed for that work by Moses, is said to be Gods Judgment; and they who were commissi­onated by the Higher Powers, as were the Judges by Jehosophat, 2 Chron. 19.5. are said to judge not for man, but for the Lord. Psal. 82.1. And he is said not only to be with them in the Judgment, but even to stand in their Congregations, and to judge among them. If then these Higher Powers bear the name of God because he hath appointed them to rule, if they are Kings for the Lord, and anointed to do his Service, if both their Thrones, Kingdoms, and Judgments are the Lords, if he doth rule and judge amongst, and by them, they must undoubtedly be his Vicegerents, and his Ordinance.

Thirdly, This Doctrine is established with a more shining evidence in the New Testament: for First, my Text in express words declares concerning the then present Powers elected by the people, or the Roman Army, confirm­ed by the Senate, that they were Powers ordained by Gods, and yet this be­ing their Original and Title to the Government, they could not otherwise be styled Gods Ordinance than as all other Higher Powers do deserve that name. Moreover the Apostle here affirming, that there is no Power, and consequently that the then present Governours enjoyed no Power, but of God, sufficiently insinuates that even these Roman Emperors derived not their Power from the Election of the people, or from the Confirmation of the Senate, but from the Ordinance of God; and were it otherwise, how could resistance of their Power be the resistance of Gods Ordinance, as is declared v. 2? Secondly, In the administration of their Government they are declared to be the Officers, and Ministers of God, which Title must demonstrate God to be the Author of their Mission, and Deputation to their Office: for the same dependance that a Subordinate Magistrate of State hath on his Sovereign for being his Minister, the Supreme Magistrate must have upon God for being Gods Minister: Now we all know that he alone can be the Minister of a Prince, or State, who hath received a Commission from them to act in their names, and therefore must confess that he who is indeed Gods Minister, must have received a Commission from God to act in his name.

Cent. 1 Fourthly, This Doctrine hath the concurrent suffrage of all the Fathers of the Christian Church, and hath been handed down unto us through the pu­rest [Page 14]Ages of it. [...], l. 7. c. 17. Thou shalt fear the King, say the Apostles Constitutions, be­cause he is the Ordinance of God; And honour those who are commissionated by him as the Ministers of God.

Cent. 2 L. 5. c. 241. Irenaeus in the Second Century, having been very copious in proving this assertion from the Holy Scriptures, concludes his whole discourse with this expression, By whose Command they are born men, by his Command they like­wise are ordained Kings.

Cent. 3 In the third Century Ad Autoly­cun. l. 1. p. 76. E. Theophilus speaks thus, I adore the true God, know­ing that by him the King is ordained; he is a man [...], appointed by God, being in a manner intrusted with the Government of God. You have re­ceived the Kingdom from above, saith [...], p. 17. Lit. D. Athenagoras in his Oration to Aurelius, and his Son Commodus. We adore that God, saith Apud Eu­seb. Eccl. Hist. l. 7. c. 11. Dionysius of Alexandria, who hath committed the Government unto Valerian and Galienus. Thence is the Emperor, saith Apol. 30.33. ad Scap. c. 2. Tertullian, whence is the Man, and from him he derives his Pow­er from whom he hath received his Breath; he is the man whom our God chuseth, and so must be beloved by the Christian, who knows he is appointed by God, and that he makes them Governours over the Nations.

Cent. 4 In the fourth Century Constantius the Emperor, although an Arian, was owned by Apud A­thanas. Epist. ad solit. vitam agentes, p. 840. Hosius, Ib. p. 831. Athanasius, and four other Bishops, as one who had re­ceived from God the Empire. The High God hath committed unto you the Em­pire, saith Firmicus: There is no Power but what is ordained of God, saith Basil. in Psal. 32. and De errore profan. Relig. now, c. 17. Epiphanius: from this Doctrine thus confirmed such inferences do naturally flow as lay immoveable foundations of Loyalty, Subjection, and Obedience to the Higher Powers, and cut off all pretences of Phanatick Spirits to disturb the peace. And,

Infer. 1 Are Magistrates the Ordinance of God, do they derive their Power and Authority from him, and act as his Vicegerents? then evident it is that they do not derive their Power from the People, or act by virtue of a­ny Power intrusted in them, or conferred upon them by the People, but by the Power of that God who is the Fountain of all Government. Which will be further evident, if we consider,

First, That the Magistrate is here expresly stiled, the Avenger of Wrath, and by St Peter is declared to be the man who doth commission others for the avenging of the Evil Doer; now seeing God expresly challengeth the right of executing recompence and vengeance to himself, Deut. 32.35. Rom. 12.19. saying, to me belon­geth recompence and vengeance; vengeance is mine, I will repay it; no man can be invested with that Power but by Commission, Deputation, and Warrant from the God of Vengeance, and so the Higher Powers can only exercise it by virtue of a right derived from him. Again, seeing all private Persons are forbidden to avenge themselves, seeing they are commanded to recom­pense to no man evil for evil, they cannot give that Power to another which they have not received from God, and which they are not Authorised by him, but rather are forbidden to exert; and so the Magistrate cannot be [Page 15]rationally supposed to receive this Power from them; and this seems written with a Sun beam in those words of our Apostle, where of the Magistrate, he saith, He is the Minister of God; the Avenger of wrath to him that doth evil; behold, He is the Minister of God, not of the People, and his Vindictive Justice upon evil doers, is therefore to be feared, [...], because He, in the execution of it, is the Minister of God. If it be said in Answer to this Argument, that every man has a Natural Right to defend his own Life, by taking away the Life of any man who doth injuriously assault it, this therefore he may part with to his Prince, and by so doing give him the Power of Life and Death. I Answer, that it is exceeding evident, that no man doth make over such a Right unto his Prince; for had he done it by owning himself subject to his Government, no Subject could defend his Life from the Assaults of Thieves, and Rob­bers, or other bloody Persons, without assuming what they had given to their Sovereigns; since therefore Subjects do retain this Right as fully under Civil Governments, as in a state of nature, they cannot be supposed by submission to their Governors to have abandoned, or parted with that Right, which doth so sundamentally destroy the vain pretence, that it is needless to add more in confutation of it.

Secondly, The Supreme Governor, saith the Apostle, bears the Sword, that is, he hath the Power of Life and Death. Now, seeing God hath said to every private man, thou shalt not kill, and since he hath not given to any man the Power to dispose of his own Life, or to commit self-murther, or to consent that any one that will shall murther him; seeing 'tis evident from Reason that no man can confer that Power on another which he hath not received, it follows, that the People, who never had this Power over their own Lives, cannot impart it to the Magistrate. He therefore must receive it wholly from that God who giveth unto all men Life and Breath, Acts 17.25. and therefore hath the Sovereign Right to be the sole disposer of them. And sure that God who breatheth into man the Breath of Life, must have the sole Dominion over his own Production; this Dominion consequently can be communicated to none, but those to whom by him it is communica­ted; to the Magistrate it is committed by that Law of God which puts the Sword into his hand to cut off evil doers; and if the People, or any o­thers will challenge the like Power, they must shew the like Charter; and if they cannot do so, as without doubt they cannot, this is sufficient to disprove all their pretences to give this Power to another. And sure I am that St. Paul knew of no Sword Bearer, besides the Minister of God; nor did St. Peter know of any who could wield it, [...], 1 Pet. 2.13, 14. for the avenging evil doers, but [...]; those who were sent by the Commission of the Supreme Power so to do.

Objection. And whereas from St. Peter it is objected against this inference, That even the King, or Supreme Power is by him stiled an Humane Ordinance, 1 Pet. 2.13. or Hu­mane Creature; and hence it is concluded, that he is the Ordinance of man, derives his Power from the People, and therefore is accountable to them if he abuse the Power so received from them.

Answer. 1 To this I answer, (1.) That St Peter cannot be rationally deemed by this expression to deny the Higher Powers to be the Ordinance of God, for then he must assert what is the plainest contradiction to St. Paul, who, as you have already heard, expresly says they are God's Ordinance, the Ministers of God, the Officers of God, and whosoever doth resist these Powers resists the Ordinance of God. He also must expresly contradict the Doctrine of the Old Testament, which hath as fully, and more fre­quently declared, not only of the Kings of Israel and Judah, but of an Heathen Cyrus, and Nabuchodonosor, that they did rule by his Commission and Appointment, and that their Thrones, Kingdoms, and Judgments were the Lords. (2.) He by immediate consequence must contra­dict his own avowed Doctrine in this very place, where he requires all Christians to be subject to this Humane Ordinance for the Lords Sake, and out of Conscience towards God; for where the Power we submit to is not the Ordinance of God, there can be no Subjection due unto it from Consci­ence towards God; where he hath given no Authority to govern, there can be no Subjection for the Lords Sake; and where he giveth an Authority to govern, the Government derived from his Authority must be his Ordi­nance.

Answer. 2 Whereas it is inferred from this expression, That the Higher Powers deri­ving from the people, must be accountable to them, if they abuse the Power so received, this Inference makes the Apostle like an unskilful Builder, pull down that very Fabrick which he intended to erect: for his designis clearly this, To teach all Christians, by Subjection to the Higher Powers, even when they suffered from them wrongfully, and for the Sake of Righteousness, to approve themselves the Servants of God, and by well doing to put to silence the Ignorance of Foolish Men, and wipe off the aspersions of Rebellious Principles, or practices which they had cast upon them, and for which they were wont to speak against them as Evil Doers. Now can it be supposed, that whilst he was in Prosecution of this good design he should tell these Christians, that though he called the King [...], the Su­preme Power, yet they were above him; though he required their Subjection to him, yet he thought fit at the same time to let them know he was their Creature, and if he did not rule, as they would have him, must 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 [Page 17]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, [...], 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 Solo Deo minor, Tertul. ad Scap. c. 2 post quem primus, Apol. c. 30. Emperor is less than God alone, that there is 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 Tibi soli peccavi. Rex u­ti (que) erat, nullis ipse legibus tenebatur, quia liberi sunt Reges à vinculis delictorum ne­que enim ullis ad poenam vocantur legibus, t [...]ti imperii pote [...]ate. Ambros Apol. David. Tom. 4. p 349. c. 10. Chrys [...]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 [Page 18]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 ba [...]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; for certainly there is as much subjection due to a Sovereign Prince, who is more eminently Gods Minister, and his Vieegerent, than any Master is with respect unto his Servants; since when the Master doth command that which the King forbids, the Servant may be punished for his obedience to his Master, that is for not preferring the King's Will before his Masters. And if it be thank worthy with patience to endure Grief when we do suffer wrongfully from our Superiors; sure it must be blame worthy in all such cases to resist, and to rebel against them.

Reason 3 Thirdly, The contrary Doctrine would expose the Government to endless Troubles and Confusions; for had God granted to Inferiors a liber­ty thus to resist the Higher Powers upon presumptions of severity and hardships, when imposed upon them, he must have left it in the power of Subjects to judge when they are thus severely dealt with, and to act suita­bly unto that judgment, since otherwise that liberty would be in vain al­lowed. Now what is this in the Result, but to allow them to be Accu­sers, [Page 19]Judges, and Executioners in their own Cause, against their Sovereigns, and God's Vicegerents? How easie is it for popular men, with the Assistance of their Agents, and with the help of their seditious and lying Pamphlets, to make the multitude believe they are too hardly and severely dealt with, the case of Absalom, and of our Royal Martyr, too fully will inform us: We therefore may for ever bid adieu to Peace and Quietness, if such surmises or pretences will authorise men to resist Authority.

Reason 4 Fourthly, In opposition to this vain pretence, it is observable, that when by Haman's Policy Letters were sent through all the Provinces of Aha­suerus to destroy, kill, and cause to perish, all Jews both young and old, little Children and Women, in one day; though by this Butcherly Decree, as Mor­decai complains, [...], Esth. 4.1. [...], a Nation was to be destroyed which had done nothing to deserve destruction, which was most barbarous injustice; and although, as the sequel of the Story shews, they had sufficient strength both to defend themselves, Esth. 8.11. and vanquish those who did assault them, yet neither Mordecai, nor Esther thought it sit, that they should thus endeavour to preserve themselves from Ruine without Commission from the King, and his Reversion of the Decree procured by Haman. Exod. 1.14. And though God's People during their abode in Egypt were kept under the greatest slavery, and the most cruel bondage; and though, when they went out from Egypt they were six hundred thousand sighting men, a number sure sufficient to have made their way by force to their desired li­berty; and though God stood obliged by promise to deliver his own Peo­ple out of Captivity after their seventy years of Bondage were accom­plished, yet did he not encourage, or permit them to procure their liberty by rising up in Arms against the Kings of Egypt, or of Babylon, but either did accomplish their deliverance by his own mighty Arm, as in the case of their departure out of Egypt, or by procuring to them favour in the eyes of their Superiors, Cyrus and Artaxerxes, Kings of Persia, as in the case of their return, from Babylon, that there might not be found on Record in his word any allowance of the Rebellion of his own beloved Peo­ple against the worst of Tyrants, to justifie, or to encourage it in others on the like pretences, though to be sure God wanted no affection to his cho­sen people, nor power to assist them in their Lawful Wars. If therefore this had been a method of deliverance agreable to his Sacred Will, no doubt but that he would have given them permission thus to obtain their freedom, and would have assisted, them in these endeavours. Since then he did not do it, we may rest assured that it was not according to his will that they should thus exempt themselves from their Captivity, and Bon­dage to their Heathen Governours. And [...]. Chryst. ad Rom Hom. 23. Prop. 2. much less can it be according to his will that Christians should thus exempt themselves from their Obedi­ence to Governours professing the same Christian Faith.

It is not lawful to resist the Higher Powers on the account of our Religi­on, or from pretences of labouring to preserve it to our selves, or to transmit it to Posterity. For though it is the Duty of all good Christi­ans, and will for ever be their practice, manfully to profess the true Religi­on, [Page 20]as occasion serves, and firmly to adhere unto it, to pray heartily unto the Author of it, that he would stablish and preserve it to us and our Posterity for ever, and in his station to do all that lawfully a private Person can, by pleading, and by acting for it, and above all by living so as that his Conversation may commend it to the good liking of all those who see the blessed Fruits it doth produce in the Professors of it; yet must he not take up the Sword, without Commission from the King, or Supreme Governor, much less against him for the defence or preservati­on of it, but must yield due Subjection even to those Superiors who persecute the true Religion, and suffer patiently for it, without attempting to resist. For,

Reason 1 No men more certainly were persecuted for the true Profession of the Christian Faith, than the Believers of the Apostles Age, and yet you see the Precept given to them runs thus without exception, Let every Soul be sub­ject to the Higher Powers; and Christians are still charged, upon the Highest Penalties, not to resist their persecuting Emperors, but in this very case to suffer patiently for conscience towards God.

Reason 2 St. Peter drew his Sword for the defense of Christ, and in him of Chri­stianity it self, when Christ was under condemnation on the account of his Religion, and yet his Lord doth peremptorily command him to put it up again; and that; First, because he could not use it even in the Cause of Christ, but he must take it, i. e. must wrest it from the hand of that Superior to whom by God, it was committed: Put up thy Sword, saith Christ, for all that take the Sword shall perish by it; from which words it appears that Contra Faust. Mar. l. 22. c. 70. Matt. 26.52. Austins Rule is an eternal Truth; He takes the Sword, qui nulla superiori ac legiti­ma potestate, vel jubente vel concedente, in sanguinem alicujus armatur, who is armed with it to shed blood without Commission from his lawful Governor.

Secondly, Put up thy Sword, saith Christ, because by taking of it thou wilst deserve to perish by it, or wilst be guilty of that Rebellion which deser­veth death, which reason equally concerns all Christian Subjects; for albeit this special reason, that Christ was then to suffer might cause our Saviour to refuse the assistance of St. Peter's Sword, yet could it not induce him to denounce such a Judgment generally against all takers of it, or to pro­duce this Text against Man-slayers, to condemn his Action; and therefore Musculus saith truly, that this is, Locus notandus omnibus subditis, a place well to be noted by all Subjects.

Reason 3 Thirdly, The Example of our Lord in suffering patiently, is by the Holy Ghost proposed as that Example which all Christians stand obliged to imitate. 1 Pet. 2.21, 24. For the Apostle having enjoyned all Christians to submit to eve­ry Ordinance of man, and in particular to the King, as Supreme, he adds, That this Subjection, though it might expose them unto suffering, yet was it that which both the will of God, the nature of Christianity, and the Ex­ample of our Lord required, for if you do well and suffer for it, this is ac­ceptable to God, for hereunto are you called, for Christ suffered for you leaving you an example that you might follow his steps, who suffering did not so much as threaten, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. Here therefore note, 1. That our Lord suffered for Religion, for preaching the [Page 21]most Holy Doctrine, and for revealing from his Father the most impor­tant Truths; and the design which the malicious Jews pursued in putting him to death, was the extirpating his Doctrine from the Earth, and the stiffling those important truths which he delivered for the benefit and the Salvation of all Future Ages; so that no man can have a stronger Plea for his resistance on a Religious Score. 2. No man can doubt but that this Je­sus, who was the Maker and the Sustainer of all things, who at this very sea­son, did, with one question, Joh. 18.6. cast the whole Band that came to apprehend him to the Ground, and who as he himself declares could have obtained of his Father more than twelve Legions of Angels to assist him: Matt. 26.53. I say no man can doubt but that this Jesus had sufficient Power, had he been willing to resist those Souldiers which came to apprehend him: If therefore having such a cause, and such sufficiency of Strength, he was so far from making any op­position to them, that he did not so much as threaten; and if all Christians stand obliged to follow the example of his patient Suffering, they, when they suffer for Religion, must commit themselves to him that judgeth Righte­ously, and be so far from taking of the Sword, as that being reviled they must not revile again, and suffering they must not threaten.

Reason 4 Fourthly, That this pretence of the preserving or the promoting of Re­ligion should warrant our resistence of the Higher Powers will appear still more unreasonable, if we consider; First, That we do not owe Subjection to Superiors in regard of their Religion, but of their Dignity, and of the Pow­er God hath given them, and therefore we cannot deny it to them upon the score of our Religion; for if Nero, Claudius, Caligula bear the Sword which the Apostle here declares, as well as Constantine and Theodosius, you cannot take it without Commission from the first, more than the latter, without Resisting of Gods Ordinance; and if you cannot take it, then can you never use it for the defence of your Religion without such Com­mission. Secondly, The unreasonableness of Resistance upon this pretence will be still more apparent, if we consider that Colour of Religion is so wide, and unlimited a thing in these our days, that no man who is never so much in the wrong in any opinion, but pretends that his Religion is the truth, for did he think it were an Error he would not continue in it, so that this Co­lour will be of equal force to engage all Pretenders to resist. And even he who hath no error in Religion, because he inwardly believeth none, may yet have so much wit as to make use of that Apology for his Sedition, and plead Religion as sti [...]y as the most Zealous, and the most Orthodox Pro­fessor; and so if that will serve the turn, whosoever shall pretend to believe contrary to the Religion Established in any Kingdom, shall Ipso facto be absol­ved from all Bonds of Allegiance: So plainly doth this Principle destroy the Peace, and tend to the Subversion of all Christian Governments. If Errone­ous, Heretical, Idolatrous Magistrates may be resisted, saith our most Reve­rend Diocesan, how can any Kingdom stand? Since these are matters wherein every man makes himself a Judge; and it is not material whether he judge Righeous or Ʋnrighteous Judgment, the matter being once stated in these, that in such cases men may resist, the Hypothesis is easily made, and men let loose to [Page 22]act according to their proper Apprehensions, or the pretences of those that have Power with them.

Reason 5 Lastly, The Primitive Christians under the hottest Persecutions, did still conceive themselves obliged to suffer patiently, and say that their Religion did oblige them not to resist, but bear the Cross, and by well doing to commit their cause to him that judgeth righteously. L. 3. p. 115. Ori­gen in his discourse against Celsus, who had boldly said, [...], that the Hebrews had their Beginning from Sedition, answers thus, [...], that neither Celsus, nor any of his Party could shew that Christians ever had been guilty of one Factious or Seditious work. Ter­tullian in his answer to that Calumny, That Christians were Enemies to Caesar, speaketh thus; Ad Scap. c. [...]. Circa Majestatem Imperatoris defamamur, sed nunquam Albiniani, vel Nigriani, vel Cassiani inveniri potuerunt Christiani, no Christian was ever found a Rebel; as for Pescennius Niger, and Clodius Al­binus, who rebelled against Severus; and Cassius, who conspired against Lucius Verus, they were Apol. c. 30. de Romanis, de non Christianis, all Romans, but none of them Christians. Here then is a plain declaration to the very faces of their Greatest Enemies, that for three hundred years together no Christian was Rebellious, or Seditious, with a free challenge to them to give one instance to the contrary. And suitable to this Declaration was their practice; for as De Civ. Dei, l. 22. St. Austin well observeth of these Primitive Christians, The City of Christ, though it had in it great Troops of people to oppose their wick­ed Persecutors, did not sight for their temporal Safety, sed potius ut obtine­ret aeternam non repugnavit, but abstained from resisting that it might obtain Eternal Life. They were Bound, Imprisoned, Tormented, Burnt, Killed, and torn in peices; and yet, non erat eis pro salute pugnare nisi salutem pro salute contemnere, they would not fight for their Preservation, but contemned this Life to obtain Salvation. Of which the instance of the Thebaean Legion, is a preg­nant evidence, for being 6666 well armed, and condemned to die by Maximianus, the Emperor, because they would not join with him in Pagan Worship; they answer thus; Eucher. Lugd. in Act. Martyr. Agau­nens. Tom. 5. Sept. 22. 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 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 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 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 [Page 23]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 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 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 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 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. 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 ad Scap. c. 5. Tertullian. In the Reign of Dioclesian, ^(ſ) [...], almost all men had left the Heathen Worship, and joined themselves to the Society of Christians saith 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 [Page 24]established such meek Laws 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 Apol. c 37. Tertullian; because we are forbidden to revenge our selves, and are commanded to expect the Judgment of the Lord, Ep. ad De­ [...]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 Eueher. [...]ugd. Epist. ad [...]ylves. Surii [...]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 Bethel were set up to be worshipped; 2 Kings 17.16. that they left all the Command­ments of the Lord their God, and made them molten Images, even two Calves. That Jereboam cast out the Priests of the Lord, 2 Chron. 13.9. the S [...]ns of Aaron and the Le­vites, and made them Priests after the manner of the Nations of other Lands. That he drove Israel from serving the Lord, 2 Kings 17.21. 2 Chr. XI. 14, 16. 1 Kings 15.17. and made them sin a Great Sin; and caused all those who set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, to desert their Habitation. That Beasha King of Israel built Ramah that he might not suffer any to go out, or to come in to Asa King of Judah, to worship God according to the Law of Moses.

Secondly, We know that all these things were done in opposition to [Page 25]the Law of the Land, i.e. the Law of Moses, established not only by con­sent and Covenant of all the Tribes of Israel, and Judah; but also by the Prescript and Authority of the Great God of Heaven, God having made a Covenant with them, which never could be disannulled by any Law of man, and charged them saying, Ye shall not fear other Gods, 2 Kings 17.35. nor bow your selves to them, nor serve them, yet the ten Tribes continued this Idolatrous Worship till they were carried Captive. 2 Kings 18.11, 12. For the King of Assyria did car­ry away Israel into Assyria, because they obeyed not the Voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his Covenant, and all that Moses the Servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.

Thirdly, Observe that God sent many Prophets to warn both Jeroboam, 1 Kings 13.14.7. and his people, of this great defection from him, and to denounce his hea­vy Judgments against him, and his Successors in that Kingdom for it. For the Lord testifyed against Israel, and against Judah by all the Prophets, 2 Kings 17.13. and by all the Seers, saying, turn you from your evil ways, and keep my Commandments and my Statutes according to all the Law that I commanded your Fathers. That in his Providence he frequently chastised them for it; (1.) 2 Chr. 13.17. 1 Kings 15.27, 29.17.2. By Abijah King of Judah, who slew 500000 of Jeroboam's men. (2) By Baasha, the Son of Ahijah, who conspired against Nadab, the Son of Jeroboam, and smote all the House of Jeroboam. (3.) By the Dearth foretold by Elijah. (4.) By the very bitter Affliction which befel them in the days of Jehu. 2 Kings 10.32. For in those days the Lord began to cut Israel short, and Hazael smote them in all the Coasts of Israel, and in the days of Jeroboam the Son of Joash, when they were few, 2 Kings 14.26. Vide 70 In­terp. 2 Kings 15.29.17.6. shut up, and had no Helper. And Lastly by delivering them up into the hands of Tiglath Pileser, and Shalmaneser Kings of Assyria. But all this while we never find that any of Gods Prophets uttered the least word for the encouragement of any of their Subjects to rebel against them upon this account; or to engage them to sight for the Religion established in their Kingdoms, and made the National Religion by the unalterable Laws of God; or to rise up in Arms because they were not suffered to go up to Jerusalem to worship as God had commanded, and as they had Covenanted; they ne­ver minded them that Jeroboam, when he came unto the Crown, Jul. p. 69. found them in full and quiet possession of their Religion, which was a blessing so inestimable that they should plainly undervalue it, if they did not do their utmost to keep it; That he seduced them from it in an Illegal Way, against a Precept of their Decalogue, and did it only by a Pretence that the two Calves he had set up in Dan, and Bethel, 1 Kings 12.24. were the Gods that brought them up out of the Land of Aegypt. And yet it is not to be doubted but that these Prophets were truly jealous for the Lord of Hosts, for the purity of his Worship, and for the observation of the Law of Moses; what there­fore could have hindred them from calling on the People, as our Phana­tick Preachers did, to help the Lord against the Mighty, and sight for the Defence, or for the Reformation of their Religion, but their dislike of such Proceedings, and the Conviction of their Consciences, that such miscarri­ages in Princes would never warrant the Insurrection of their Subjects upon pretence of violation of the Religion established by Law, or to cut off Idola­trous [Page 26]and Persecuting Princes without Express Commission, and Authori­ty from that God who removeth Kings, Dan. 2.21. 2 Kings 9.6, 7. and setteth up Kings, as it was in the case of Jehu, who by Gods Prophet was anointed actual King over Is­rael, 2 Kings 10.30. and was commanded by him to smite the house of Ahab his Master, and of whom God declared that he had done well in executing Vengeance on the House of Ahab?

And this may very probably be gathered from the deportment of Elijah under that King who had none like him in iniquity. 1 Kings 21.25. Ahabsent and gathered them. 1 Kings 18.20. Deut. 13.5.17.2. 1 Kings 18.13. v. 18. For having once obtain­ed the Kings Authority to convene the Priests of Baal, he, in his presence and donotless with his permission, slew them all, according to the tenor of the Law of Moses. He also shut up Heaven that there was no Rain until these Baalites were destroyed. But although his accursed Wife, at least by his connivance, and the abuse of his Authority, had slain the Prophets of the Lord, and though the Prophet tells him to his Face that he, and his Fathers house had troubled Israel, in that they had forsaken the Lord, and follow­ed Baalim; and lastly though Elijah had the people at his Devotion at Mount Carmel, yet notwithstanding all his jealousie for God, he gives them no encouragment to attempt any thing against their King; he setteth up no person to oppose him till by express Command from God he had been authorized to anoint Jehu King over Israel. 1 Kings 19.16.

Moreover when Baasha conspired against Nadab and slew him, tho he did only that which the Lord had spoken by his Servant Ahijah the Shilonite, 1 Kings 14.14. as the just punishment of the revolt of Jeroboam from his Law, and though God doth acknowledge that he exalted Baasha from the dust, 1 Kings 16.2. and made him Prince over his people Israel, yet came the word of the Lord against Baasha, and against his house—because he killed him; whence we may rationally conclude, Quod ille dominum suum Nadab interfe­cisset ut imperium assequeretun. Munst. Vatab. clarius in locum. that though Gods Providence permitted Baasha to conspire against the Son of Jeroboam, and though he ordered mat­ters so as that he was Gods Instrument in doing exe­cution on the house of Jeroboam according to the Sentence of his Prophet, Hoc crimen poenam à deo merebatur, cum nullo dei jussu idfecisset. Grot. yet was not this his action acceptable in the sight of God, because he here re­solves to punish him, 1 Kings 16.7. [...], because he slew him. Again the instances of the Idolatrous King of Judah from the days of Rehoboam till the time of their Captivity, afford a further confutation of this new A­pology, for Treason and Rebellion.

For First, it cannot be denied but that the Law of Moses, and the Religion prescribed by it was the Religion established in the Kingdom of Ju­dah.

Secondly, The Scripture notwithstanding doth inform us that when Re­hoboam had established his Kingdom, 2 Chr. 12.1. 1 Kings 15.3. he forsook the Law of the Lord, and all Is­rael with him; That Abiiah, who succeeded him, walked in all the sins of his Fa­ther which he had done before him; 2 Chr. 21.11. That Jehoram made High Places in the Mountains of Judah, 2 Chr. 24.16, 17. and caused the Inhabitants of Judah to commit Fornication, and compelled Judah thereto; That Jehojada, and the Princes of Judah left the [Page 27]House of the Lord God of their Fathers, and served Groves and Idols; 2 Chron. 28.24, 25. That Ahaz did shut up the doors of the House of the Lord, and he made him Altars in every Corner of Jerusalem, 2 Chron. 33.5, 6. and in every several City of Judah he made High places to burn Incense unto other Gods; That Manasseh built Altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said in Jerusalem shall my name be for ever; and he built Altars for all the Host of Heaven in the two Courts of the house of the Lord; That Hezekiah, with relation to some of these Enormities, con­fessed after this manner, Our Fathers have trespassed, 2 Chron. 29.6, 7. and done that which was evil in the Sight of the Lord, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the Habitation of the Lord, and turned their Backs; also they have shut up the Doors of the Porch, and put out the Lamps, and have not burnt Incense, nor offered burnt Offerings in the Holy place unto the God of Israel; by all which sayings it is evident that the exercise of the established Religion wholly was obstructed, and the people were compelled not only to neglect, but act in opposition to it.

Thirdly, 2 Kings 17.13. 2 Kings 14.25, 26. 2 Chron. 12.4, 8, 9. 'Tis further evident that God testified against these Abomina­tions done in Judah, by all his Prophets and his Seers, that he chastised them for it, (1.) by Shisak King of Egypt, who in the days of Rehoboam took the fenced Cities of Judah, and came up against Jerusalem, and took away the Trea­sures of the house of the Lord, and of the King's house, and the Shields of Gold which Solomon had made, and caused Judah to be tributaries to him, because they had transgressed against the Lord. (2.) By the revolt of Edom and of Lib­nah, because Jehoram had forsaken the Lord God of his Fathers. And (3.) 2 Chron. 21.10. Vers. 16, 17. by stirring up against Jehoram, the Spirit of the Philistins, and of the Arabiams that were near the Aethiopians, who came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the Substance that was found in the King's house, and his Sons also, and his Wives. (4.) By the Host of Syria which came to Judah and Jerusa­lem, and destroyed all the Princes of the People from among the People, and sent all the Spoyl of them to the King of Damascus, 2 Chron. 24.24, 25. Zach. 14.5. Joel. 1.2, 3. a Great Host of Judah being delivered into the hands of their small Company, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers. (5.) By a terrible Earth-quake in the days of Ʋzziah. (6) By the dreadful plague of Locusts, Caterpillars, and Canker­worms. (7.) By sending against Judah, Rezin the King of Syria, 2 Chron. 28.6. and Pekah Son of Remaliah, who slew in Judah 120000 valiant men in one day, because they had for saken the Lord God of their Fathers; and the King of Israel who carried away captive two hundred thousand Women, Sons and Daughters. Verse 8. And yet we read not of any Prophet stirring up these People to Rebel on the account of the Religion by Law established, or on the account of all the miseries they suffered by the neglect of God's true Worship, and by the introduction of Idolatry; whence it is evident that private Persons or Subjects were then thought to have done their Duty, when they had sighed and mourned for these abominations, and kept themselves from any fellowship with these iniquities.

We find indeed, 2 Chron 25.27. that after the time that Amaziah turned away from follow­ing the Lord, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there. But who [Page 28]made this Conspiracy the Text doth not inform us: [...]. Antiq. Jud. lib. 9. c. 10. Josephus saith, that some of his own Friends were the Contrivers of it, the Syriack and Arabick Version, that his Servants thus conspired against him, as did the Servants of his Father Joash against him, 2 Chr. 25.3. and as the Servants of Ammon did afterwards against their Lord; and if so no doubt these Ser­vants of Amaziah deserved the same punishment those other Murtherers received, 2 Chron. 33.25. though by reason of the infancy of Ʋzziah, who was then but four years old, as good Interpreters conjecture, and by reason of the inter­regnum of eleven years, they scaped their condign punishment. Moreo­ver the word [...] which imports Conspiracy, and Treason, being generally used in an ill sense, gives us just reason to believe the Holy Ghost did not approve this Treachery, and much less the ensuing Murther.

Fifthly, Argument 5 According to this Principle Christians might lawfully rebel a­gainst those Arian Emperors who succeeded Constantine the Great, viz. a­gainst Constantius and Valens: for evident it is,

(1.) That the Nicene Faith was fully established by Constantine the Great. [...]. Euseb. de vit. Const. l. 3. c. 23. [...]. lib. 2. c. 32. Eusebius informs us that He confirmed the Doctrine of the Nicene Synod, and made Laws against Arius, and those of his Perswasion. [...]. l. 1. c. 8. p. 31. [...]. c. 9. Socrates saith the same, and [...]. Soz. Hist. Eccl. l. 1. c. 20. Sozomen adds, that he condemn'd to banishment those who did contradict the Suffrage of the Nicene Council, and that He made a Law against all Heresies, not suffering them to Assemble any where but in the Catholick Church, and declaring that the Privilegia quae contemplatione Religionis indulta sunt Catholicae tantum legis observatoribus prodesse oportet, Haereticos autem at (que) Schismaticos non tantum ab his privilegiis alienos esse volumus, sed etiam diversis muneribus constringi & subjici. Imperator Constantinus A. ad Drucilianum Cod. Theodos. l. 16. Tit. 5. l. 1. Privileges He granted to the Clergy, should belong only to the Catholicks, not to the Hereticks or Schismaticks, i. e. the Arians or Meletians.

(2.) 'Tis also evident, that notwithstanding all these Edicts, the Arian Emperors did often persecute the Orthodox Professors of the Faith. For Socr. Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c. 7.13. Soz. l. 3. c. 4, 7. Constantius expelled Paulus Bishop of Con­stantinople, and appointed Eusebius Bishop of Nico­media to succeed him: yea he afterwards Socr. l. 2. c. 16. bani­shed him, and placed Macedonius in his room. He threatned Socr. l. 2. c. 17. Soz. l. 3. c. 9. death to Athanasius, and when both Paul and Athanasius were restored to their Sees by the Council of Sardica, though whilst his Brother Constans lived he durst not gainsay that Decree, after his death He Socr. l. 2. c. 24. [...]. Ib. c. 27. again expelled them. He was, saith Socrates, perswaded by Macedonius to assist him in wasting of the Churches, at least as [...]. Soz. l. 4. c. 20. Sozomen informs us, Macedonius pretended his Commission so to do, whereupon all the Orato­ries [Page 29]of the [...]. Soz. l. 4 c. 20. Catholicks were taken away, and they were expelled both from their Churches and their Cities who held the [...]— [...]. Socr. lib. 2. c. 27. Son to be of the same Substance with the Father, and were persecuted in like manner as the Heathen Emperors had persecuted Christians, and with equal cruelty. These Persecutions did prevail [...]. ibid. c. 28 throughout the East, in Alexandria also, in E­gypt, and in both the Libya's, some of the Bishops were exiled, some manacled, and others did by Socr. l. 2. c. 28. slight endeavour to consult their fafety; all this was done before the Council of Ariminum, and so before any Decree was made for the establish­ment of the Faith there propounded.

The next Emperors infected with the Arian Here­sy, were, Valens and Valentinian, who as [...]. Eccl. Hist. l 4. c. 8. Theodo­ret informs us, at first asserted, [...], a Consubstantial Trinity, and by their Edict com­manded all men to profess it, and by so doing made that to be the Established Religion of the Empire. But afterwards we learn from [...]. l. 4. c. 1. Socrates that Va­lens did grievously treat those who consented not unto the Arians, that he raised an [...]. c. 2. implacable War against the Orthodox, that he Socr. l. 4. c. 3. persecu­ted them in the East, and ^(ſ) shewed his inclina­tions that all Christians should arianize, that he [...]. Soz. l. 6. c. 9. persecuted the Novatians because they were Orthodox, and deprived them and others of the like judgment with them of their Churches, that the [...]. Socr. l. 4. c. 15. Arians did beat, reproach, imprison, and committed intolerable outrages upon them, and these, or at least many of these things were done before any new Edict was set forth for the establishment of the faith taught by the Council of Ariminum, or for rever­sing of the forementioned Decree.

(3.) The Christians who lived under these Arian Emperors and suffered so much by them did constantly declare, They thought themselves obliged in Conscience to be subject to them, that they could not lawfully resist them, and therefore were content to suffer Martyrdom: thus when Constantius the Emperor did persecute the Christians of Alexandria, Pop. Alex. protestuo apud Athan. Tom. 1. p. 868. they never thought of fighting for the established Religion, but only of patient suffering for it; for say they if it be the Emperors Command we should be persecuted [...], we are all in a readiness to suffer Martyrdom; so well instructed in that Doctrine of passive obedience were the Ancient Christians, which this late Author doth Burlesque. And though Socr. l. 2. c. 25. Vetranio, Magnentius, and Gallus, rebelled against Constantius, and Socr. l. 4. c. 5. Soz. l. 6. c. 8. Procopius against Valens, none of them were assisted, or countenan­ced [Page 30]by the Orthodox Professors, but they were still reputed by them Tyrants and Rebellious persons.

Sixthly, Consider the Absurdities which do attend this Doctrine, It makes that Treason and Damnation, after an humane constitution, a Law, or Act of Parliament, which before was a Christian Duty; for surely insur­rections are never things indifferent, they never can be lawful but when they by some Law of God, or nature, become necessary, and they are wanting in their duty who do not rebel. Now though a Humane Law or Act of Parliament, may make that sinful in its exercise which was before indifferent, it is not easie to conceive how it should turn a necessary duty into the worst of sins, and transform the Glorious Martyr into the damned Rebel. 2. What Conviction so ever any Prince may have that the esta­blished Religion is New and Schismatical, or justly charged with Supersti­tion and Idolatry, he cannot, by this Doctrine, attempt to change it, and to establish true Religion in its place by any penalties imposed upon the Superstitious, or Schismatical, but he must be in danger of an Insurrection, and by this very Act must authorize his Subjects to enquire with Sword and Pistol in their hand, By what law must we suffer for professing the established Reli­gion? 3. This strange Assertion justifies those Rebels who endeavoured to hinder Queen Mary, whose inclinations, and disaffection to the then established Religion they well knew, from coming to the Crown and it condemns the Reformation both in this, and in all other Kingdoms, as being that by which the Roman Catholicks did suffer in their estates and Persons for professing of the established Religion: if then this be sufficient Ground for any Subjects to rebel against their lawful Soveraign, that their Religi­on is established by Law, and they are like to suffer by his attempt to change it, Jul. p. 69. and that 'twill be too late for them to help themselves should they be quiet till there Reformers strengthen their Innovations by a Law, there must have been sufficient cause for the Rebellion of Roman Catholicks in all those Countries; and if the introduction of the Reformation, by which they suffered, could warrant their Rebellion, the Reformation must be an evil thing, that being evil with a Witness which can make Rebellion good. So evident is it that this Doctrine tends more to turn a Nation into Shambles, than that of being passively obedient. And Lastly this Assertion is destructive of it self, and never can contribute to the end for which it doth pretend to be designed, viz. The preservation of the established Re­ligion against the pleasure of the Soveraign; for by What Laws are We authorized to resist for Religions Sake, the Laws of God expresly forbid it; By the Laws of the Land, but these Laws deprive all Subjects of any power to resist the King by taking Arms against him? Since both by Common, 25 Ed. 3. c. 2. and by Statute Law it is plain Treason to levy War against our Lord the King in the Realm, or be adherent to the Kings Enemies. Since our Law plainly saith that neither Houses of Parliament jointly or severally, 13 Car. 2. c. 6. (and much less any other Subjects) can lawfully raise, or levy any War Offensive, or De­fensive against his Majesty, his Heirs, and Lawful Successors; and That it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take up Arms against the King; our hands [Page 31]are therefore tyed up by our own, as well as by Gods Law, for where 'tis Treason to resist, there remains nothing to be done, P. 92. but to be passively obedient. If therefore, as this Author grants, when it is made death by the Law of the Land, to be a good Christian, we must lay down our lives for Christ's Sake, and the Gospel requires passive obedience, when the Laws are against a man, must it not require the same obedience when it is made death by the Law of the Land to take up Arms against our Lawful Sovereign?

When then this Author so pertly puts the Question, P. 81. By what Law must we dye for being of that Religion which God approves, and would have all the world embrace, and hold fast to the end? 'Tis evident that the first Christians might with equal reason have put this question to St. Paul and Peter, By what Law must we suffer for our obedience to the Laws of God? doth he ask, By what Law must we suffer for professing that Religion which is by Law established, let him but grant this reasonable Postulatum, that the Laws of God are as sacred and inviolable as the Laws of men, and lay an equalty upon the hands of Prin­ces, and then the question will again return upon him: and unto both these questions the answer is most plainly this, That we must do it by virtue of that Law of God which doth enjoin us for Conscience towards God to en­dure Grief suffering wrongfully, and when we do well, and suffer for it, 1 Pet. 2.19, 20. to take it patiently, and by that Law of God, and of the Land, which doth forbid resistance of the Higher Powers by taking up the Sword; for when I cannot law­fully resist that power which will punish, I of necessity must suffer or transgress. When he adds, That no such power is lodged in the Prerogative as to destroy men contrary to Law, it is as true that no such power is lodged in the Supremacy as to destroy men contrary to Gods Law, or even to make a Law which contradicteth the Divine Law, and therefore no such Pow­er is given them from God as to destroy the Christian for the Profession of Christianity, or for obeying Gods revealed will, or for not sacrificing un­to Heathen Idols: And yet God did enjoin all Christians, when they did suffer upon these accounts, to suffer patiently, and not resist. It is not therefore any Authority, which God hath given to the Prince to punish men for doing well, that binds the Christian thus to suffer, but the plain Law of God, and of the Land, both which forbid them that resistance which alone can hinder it. No Master hath Authority from God to deal perversly with his Servant, no Parent to deal unnaturally and unjustly with his Child, but yet I hope this will not authorize them to resist, and to rebel against Master, or Parent, when they thus suffer by them; and what can then re­main, but that they quietly do suffer wrongfully?