BRINLEY. y^Av^ / "fil^JX /M^c/T^'-'- J 1 , 'U'^^i Juft Publiflied, And fold by Rogers and Fowk m Queen:Stt'ectJ . Dr. Watts' % Orthodoxy and Charity united : In feveral Reconciling ESSAYS ON THE Law and Gofpel, Faith and Works \ VIZ. Essay I. The Subftance or Matter of tlie Gofpel. II. The Form of the Gofpel. III. The Ufe of the Law under the Gofpel. IV. MilUken Ways of coming to God without Chrijl. V. A plain and eafy Account of Saving Faith, or coming to God by Jejus Chrijl. VI. A Reconciling Thought on various Controverfies about Faith and Salvation. VII. Againft Uncharitablenefs. VIIL The Difficulties in Scrip- ture, and the different Opinions of Chriftians. IX. An Apology for Chriftiana of different Sentiments. Speaking the Truth in Love. Kph. iv. 15. The Second Edition, ,b3rnitJu1 ill. ,^ iCI ■-17 « Mr. Maybezv's DISCOURSE ,. Wlierem The Myftcry of King Chark.^^ Saintfaip and Martyrdom is unriddled. Advertifement. CT^H E author of this difcourfe has been credibly informed, that fame perfons, both formerly and lately, have wrote either at, or about him — or fomething ; ( he cannot well tell what ) in the common news papers, which he does not often read. He, therefore, takes this op- portunity to affure the writers of that rank, and in that form, once for all, that they may flar.der him as much as they pleafe, without his notice^ and, very probably, without his knowledge. But if atiy perfon of com- mon fenfe and common honefty, fhall condefcend to animadvert in a different way^ upon any thing which he has publiftjcd, he may depend upon having all proper regard pozvn to him. J. M. The principal Errata of the prefs, are as follows. "page 29. line 10, from the bottom, infert the word and before if. p. 31. 1. 4, from the bottom, for perfon read perfons. p. 42. 1. 7, from the top, dele new and, before arbitrary. Errors in the pointing are left to be correfted by the reader. j^ A DISCOURSE CONCERNING Unlimited Submiffion AND TO THE Higher Powers: With fome Reflections on the Resistance made to King Charles I. Andonthe Annivcrfary of his Death : In which the mysterious Doflrine of that Prince's Saintfhip and Martyrdom is unriddled : The Subftance of which was delivered in a S e r m o n preached in the Weft Meeting- Hcufe in Bojlon the Lord's Day after the 30th of January, 1749 | 50. Publijhed at the Requeji of the Hearers. By Jonathan Mayhew, A. M. Paftor of the Weft Church in Bcp». Fear GOD, honor the King. Saint Paul. He that ruleth over Men, viufi he juft, ruling in the Fear of GOD. Prophet Samuel. 1 have faid, ye are Gods — hut ye Jhall die like Men, and fall like one of the PRINCES. King David, Quid memorem infandas ca:des ? quid fa»fla TYRANNI Ertcra ? Dii CAPITI ipfius CENERIQUE refcrvent— Nccnon Thre'icius longa cum '■J' 'i!? 'i^ ' J* 'I? "J* '5? 'ift» PREFACE. Qy HE enfuing difcourfe is the laji of three upon the JL fame fuhje5f, with feme little alterations and addi- tions. It is hoped that hut few will think the Juhjeui of it an improper one to he difcourfed on in the pulpit^ under a notion that this is preaching politics^ jfifead of CHRIST. However^ to remove all prejudices of this fart, I heg it may he rememhred, that " all fcriptwe — ts profitahle for do^rinejor reproof, for COHREOTIONJor injlruufion in righteoufnefs.'' * Wh)\ then, fJjould not ihofe parts of fcripture which relate to civil government, he ex- amined and explained from the defn, as well as others ? Che- dience to the civil maglslrate is a chrHiian duty : and if fo, why fhould not the nature, grounds and extent of it he confidered in a chriflian affemhly ? Befides, if it he faid, that it is out of character for a chriflian minifter to meddle with fuch a fuhjc5i, this cenfure will at lajl fall upon the holy apofiles. They zvrite upon it in their epiilles to chriHian churches : And furely it cannot he deemed either crimir.al or impertinent^ to attempt an explanation of their dcFaine. IT was the near approach of the Tiilrtleth of January, that turned my thoughts ta this fuhje^l : on which folemnit- the flavifh do^rine of pajfivs obedienc: <^nd non-rejiflan' ■ : Pet. iii. \G. eehU PREFACE. 7S often warmly ajjcrted -, and the dijfenters from the ejia.- hlijhed churchy reprefented^ not only as feifmatics, {with more of triumph than of truths and of c holer than chriflianity) hut alfo as perfons of feditious^ trailer ous and rebellious principles — GOT> he thanked one may^ in any part of the hritini dominions^ fpcak freely [if a decent regard be paid to thofe in authority) both of government and religion \ and even give fame broad hints ^ that he is engaged on the fide vf Liberty^ the BIBLE and Common Senfe^ in oppofuion io Tyranny, PRIEST-CRAFT and Non-fenfe^ without being in danger either of the baflile or the inquifition : — Though there zvill always he fome inter eft ed politicians ^ con traced bigots^ and hypocritical zealots for a party, to take offence at fuch freedoms. Their cenjure is praife : Thtir praife is infamy — A fpirit of domination is always to be guarded againfl both in church and fiate^ even in times of the great efi feciirity ; fiuh as the prefent is amongjl US ; at leafl as io the latter. Thofe nations who are now groaning under the iron fcepter of tyranny, were once free. So they mighty probably, have remained, by a feafonable precaution againfl defpotic meafures. Civil tyranny is ufually fmall in its be- ginning, like " the drop of a bucket,^* * till at length, like a mighty torrent, or the raging waves of the fea, it hears doivn all before it, and deluges whole countries and empires. Thus it is as to eccleftaflical tyranny alfo, — the mofi cruel, intolerable and impious, of any. From fmall beginnings, " it exalts itfelf above all that is called GO'D '• and that is worfljipped'' f People have no fecurity Ifai, xi. 15. f 2 Thef. ii. 4; againfl PREFACE. againn king unmercifully prieft-ridden, hut by keeping all imperious BISHOPS, and other CLERGYMEN who love to " lord ii over God's heritage,** from getting their foot into the ftirrup at all. Let them be once fairly mounted, and their " beafls, the laiety** \. may prance and flounce about to no purpofe : And they will, at length, be fo jaded and hack'd by thefe reverend jockies, that they will not even have fpirits enough to complain, that their backs are galled ; or, like Balaam'^ afs, to " rebuke the madnefs ** of the prophet** \\ " THE m^ fiery of iniquity began to work** -f even in the days of fame of the apoHles. But the kingdotn of ylntichrifl was then, in one refpe5l, like the kingdom of heaven, however different in all others. — // was '•'■ as a *' grain of mujlard-feed. ** * This grain was fown in Italy, that fruitful field : And though it were " the haft " of all feeds** it foon became a mighty tree. It has., long fince, overfpread and darkned the greatefl part of Chriftendom, fo that we may apply to it what is faid of the tree which Nebuchadnezzar faw in his vifien — " The " height thereof reacheth unto heaven, and the fight thereof *' to the end of all the earth— Ami THE BEASTS OF *' THE FIELD have fJjadow under it.** Tyranny brings ignorance and brutality along with it. It degrades men from their jufl rank, into the clafs of brutes. It damps their fpirits. It fuppreffes arts. It extingiitfhes every fpark of noble ardor and generofity in the breafis of thofe who are enflaved by it. It makes naturally-Jlrong and great minds, \ Mr. LrJIie. ^ z Pet. ii. 16. f 2 Thei. ii 7. * Mat. xiii. ^i, feeble PREFACE. feeble and little ; and triumphs over the ruins of virtue and humanity. This is true of tyranny in every Jhape. There can be nothing great and goody where its influence reaches. For which reafon it becomes every friend to truth and human kind ; every lover of God and the chriflian religion^ to bear a part in oppoftng this hateful monfter. It was a defire to contribute a mite towards carrying on a war againfl this common enemy, that produced the following dif- courfe. And if it ferve in any meafure, to keep up a fpirit of civil and religious liberty amongft us, my end is an' fwered. — There are virtuous and candid men in all fe5ls ; all fuch are to ie efteemed : There are alfo vicious men and bigots in all Jecfs ; and all fuch ought to be defpifed. " To virtue only and her friends, a friend ; " The world befide may murmur or commend. " Know, all the diflant din that world can keep " Rolls o'er my grotto, and but fooths my fleep." Pope. onathan May hew. Concerning Unlimited Submiffion and Non-Refiftance to the Higher Powers. ROM. XIII. I, I . Let every foul be fuhjeSl unto the higher pozvers. For there is no poiver but of God : the po-wers that be, are ordained of God. ■ 2. Whofoever therefore refifleth the poiuer, rejijieth the ordinance of God : and they that rejiji, fhall recci've to themfelves damnation. 3. For rulers are not a terror to good ivorks, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the ponuer ? do that uuhich is good, and thou Jlyalt have praife of the fame : 4. For he is the minijler of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid ; for he beareth not the fvcord in vain : for he is the minijler of God, a revenger to execute ifjrath upon him that doth evil. 5. Wherefore ye muji needs be fubje£l, not only for lurath, but alfo for confcience fake. 6. For, for this caufe pay you tribute alfo : for they are God's triinifters, attending continually upon this very thing. 7. Render therefore to all their dues : tribute to ivhom tribute is due i cuflom, to vjhom cujiom ifear, to whom fear j honour, to vchom honour, IT is evident that the affair of civil government may properly fall under a moral and religious confidera- tion, at leafl: fo far forth as it relates to the general nature and end of magiftracy, and to the grounds and extent of that fubmiffion which perfons of a private charader, ought to yield to thofe who are vefced with B authority. 2 Of unlimited Stihmijfion^ and authority. This muft be allowed by all who acknov;- ledge the divine original of chriftianity. For although there be a fenfe, and a very plain and important fenfe9 in which Chrift*s kingdom is not of this world ; f his in- fpired apoftles have, neverthelefs, laid down fome general principles concerning the office of civil rulers, and the duty of fubjedls, together with the reafon and obligation of that duty. And from hence it follows, that it is pro- per for all who acknowledge the authority of Jefus Chrift, and the infpiration of his apoftles, to endeavour to under- Itand what is in fadl the dodtrine which they have deli- vered concerning this matter. It is the duty of chrijlian magiftrates to inform themfelves what it is which their religion teaches concerning the nature and defign of their office. And it is equally the duty of all chrijiian peo- ple to inform themfelves what it is which their religion teaches concerning that fubjedlion which they owe to the higher powers. It is for thefe reafons that I have attempted to examine into the fcripture- account of this matter, in order to lay it before you with the fame freedom which I conflantly ufe with relation to other dodlrines and precepts of chriftianity ; not doubting but you will judge upon every thing offered to your confideration, with the fame fpirit o^ freedom and liberty with which it is fpoken. The paiTage read, is the mofl full and exprefs of any in the new-teftament, relating to rulers and fubje£l& i And therefore I thought it proper to ground upon it, ■what I had to propofe to you with reference to the ■\ John xviii. 36. authority. No7i-ReftJlance to the Higher Powers, 3 authority of the civil magiftrate, and the fubjeftion which is due to him. But before I enter upon an ex- planation of the feveral parts of this paflage, it will be proper to obferve one thing which may ferve as a key to the whole of it. It is to be obferved, then, that there were fomc perfons amongft the chrijiians of the apoftolic age, and particularly thofe at Rome^ to whom St. Paul is here writing, who feditioufly difclaimed all fubjedion to civil authority ; refufing to pay taxes, and the duties laid upon their trafic and merchandize -, and who fcrupled not to fpeak of their rulers, without any due regard to their office and charadler. Some of thefe turbulent chrijiians were converts from judaifm^ and others from paganifm. The Jews in general had, long before this time, taken up a ftrange conceit, that being the pecU' liar and ele^ people of God, they were, therefore, ex- empted from the jurifdi(ftion of any heathen princes or governors. Upon this ground it was, that fome of them, during the public miniftry of our bleffed Saviour, came to him with that queftion — Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cefar cr not ? * And this notion many of them retained after they were profelyted to the chri- Jlian faith. As to the gentile converts, fome of them grofly miftook the nature of that liberty which the gof- pel promifed ; and thought that by virtue of their fubjedlion to Chrift, the only King and Head of his church, they were wholly freed from fubjeflion to any other prince j as tho* Chrift's kingdom had been of this * Matth. xxii. 17. worldy 4 Of unlimited Suhmijfton^ and worlds in fuch a fenfe as to interfere with the civil powers of the earth, and to deliver their fubjeds from that allegiance and duty, which they before owed to them. Of thefe vifionary chrijiians in general, who dif- owned fubjedion to the civil powers in being where they refpedtively lived, there is mention made in feveral places in the new-teflament : The apoftle Peter in par- ticular, charadlerizes them in this manner — them that—' defpije government — prefumptuous are they^ felf-willedy they are not afraid to fpeak evil of dignities, -f Now it is ■with reference to thefe doting chriffians, that the apoftle fpeaks in the pafTage before us. And I fhall now give you the fenfe of it in a paraphrafe upon each verfe in its order, defiring you to keep in mind the charafler of the perfons for whom it is defigned, that fo, as I go along, you may fee how juft and natural this addrefs is ; and how well fuited to the circumftances of thofe againft whom it is levelled. The apoftle begins thus — Let every foul * he fuhjeSi unto the higher powers 5 (1 for there is no power § hut of + 2 Pet. ii. lo. * E'very Joul. This is an hehratfm, which fignifies c-jcry man ; fo that the apoftie does not exempt the clergy: fuch as were endow- ed with the gift of prophefy, or any other miraculous powers which fubfifted in the church at that day. And by his ufing the hel»-etv idiom, it feems that he had ihtje-wijh converts principally in his eye. 11 The higher poi.v£rs : more literally, the overruling poijuen : which term extends to all civil rulers in common. § By /•c^-tr, the apoftle intends not \2i\v\e{i Jirength and brutal forces without regulation or proper diredtion ; but juft authority ; for fo the word here ufed properly fignifies. There may he poiver where there is no (rvthority. No man has any authority to do what is wrong and injurious, though he may ha.ye poi^'er to do it. God : Non-Refljlance to the Higher Po^jcers, 5 Cod : the powers that be * are ordained of God f vcr. i. q. d. " Whereas fome profefTed chrijlians vainly ima- gine, that they are wholly excufed from all manner of duty and fubjedion to civil authority, refufing to honour their rulers, and to pay taxes -, which opini- on is not only unreafonablc in itfelf, but alfo tends to fix a lading reproach upon the chrijlian name and profeffion, I now, as an apoftle and ambaflador of Chrift, exhort every one of you, be he who he will, to pay all dutiful fubmiffion to thofe who are vef- ted with any civil office. For there is, properly fpeaking, no authority but what is derived from God, as it is only by his permiflion and providence that any poflefs it. Yea, I may add, that all civil magiftrates, as fuch, altho' they may be heathens, are appointed and ordained of God. For it is certainly God's will, that fo ufeful an inftitution as that of magiflracy, Ihould take place in the world, for the good of civil fociety.'* The apoftle proceeds — Who- foever, therefore, refifteth the -power, refjjieth the ordinance * The poivers that be : thofe perfons who are in fa£l veiled with authority ; thofe who are in poflcflion. And who thofe are, the apoftle leaves chriftians to determine for themfclves ; but who- ever they are, they arc to be obeyed. •f- Ordained (f God : as it is not without God's providence and per- mifiion, that any are clothed with authority ; and as it is agree- able to the pofuive will and purpofe of God, that there (hould ht foine perfons vefted with authority for the good of fociety : not that any rulers have their commiflion immediately from God the fupreme Lord of the univerfe. If any alVert thnt kings, or any other rulers, arc ordained of God in the latter fenVe, it is in- cumbent upon them to fliow the commlllion which they ipealc of, under the broad feal of heaven. And when they do this, they will, no doubr, be believed. Of 6 Of unlimited Suhmljfion^ and of God ; and they that rejijl Jhall receive to themJePves damnation, ver. 2. q. d. " Think not, therefore, that " ye are guiklefs of any crime or fin againfl: God, " when ye faflioudy difobey and refift the civil au- " thority. For magiftracy and government being, as I " have faid, the ordinance attd appointment of God, " it follows, that to refift magiftrates in the execution of " of their offices, is really to refift the will and ordi- " nance of God himfelf : And they who thus refift. " will accordingly be puniftied by God for this fin in " common with others.'* The apoftle goes on — For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil, -f TVilt thou then, not be afraid of the power ? Do that which is good, and thou fhalt have praife of the fame. For he is the minifler of God to thee for good' ver. 3d, and part of the 4th. q. d. " That you may *' fee the truth and juftnefs of what I aflfert, {viz. that " magiftracy is the ordinance of God, and that you " fin againft him in oppofing it,) confider that even " pagan rulers, are not, by the nature and defign of " their office, enemies and a terror to the good and " virtuous adions of men, but only to the injurious " and mifchievous to fociety. Will ye not, then, re- " verence and honor magiftracy, when ye fee the good + For rulers ere not a terror to good 'works , but to the ei'i/. It can • not be fuppofcd that the apollle defigns here, or in any of the fuccecding verfes, to give the true character of Nero, or any other civil powers then in being, as if they were in fat^ fuch perfons as he defcnbes, a terror to evil works only, and not to the good. For fuch a charadler did not belong to them ; and the apoftle was no fycophant, or parafite of power, what- ever foine of his pretended lucceflbrs have been. He only tells what rul-TS would be, provided they aflcd up to their charader and oflice. " end JVon-Rejy}a?tce to the Higher Powers. 7 *' end and intention of it ? How can ye be fo unreafona- *' ble ? Only mind to do your duty as members of " fociety •, and this will gain you the applaufe and *' favour of all good rulers. For while you do thus, *' they are, by their o||k, as minifters of God, obli- " ged to encourage and protedt you ; it is for this " very purpofe that they are clothed with power.'* The apofile fubjoins — But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he heareth not the [word in vain. For he is the minifier of God, a revenger, to execute wrath upon him that doth evil* ver. 4. latter part. q. d. " But " upon the other hand, if ye refufe to do your duty *' as members of fociety ; if ye refufe to bear your " part in the fupport of government ; if ye are dif- *' orderly, and do things which merit civil chaftifcment, ** then, indeed, ye have reafon to be afraid. For it is * It is manifefl that when the apoHle fpcaks of it, as the ofiice of civil rulers, to encourage what \s gooJ, and to punifh what is evil, he fpeaks only of c:^.it gond and eiil. They are to confult the good of fociety as fuch ; not to dictate in religious concerns ; not to make laws for the government of men's confciences ; and to inflidl civil penalties for religious crimes. It is fulFicient to over- throw the doftrine of the authority of the civil magiflrate, in af- fairs of a fpiritual nature, (fo far as it is built uporj any thing which is here (aid by St. Paul, or upon any thing elfe in the new-teflament ) only to obferve, that all the magiftrates then in the world were hiathcn, implacable enemies to chriftianity : fo that to give them authority in religious matters, would have been, in effeft, to give them authority to extirpate the chriftian religion, and to eflablifh the idolatries and fuperllitions of pagan- ifm. And can any one reafonably fuppofe, that the apollle had any intention to extend the authority of rulers, beyond con- cerns merely civil and political, to the overthrowing of that reli- gion which he himfelf was fo zealous in propagating ! But it is natural for thofe whofe religion cannot be fupported upon the footing of reafon and argument, to have recourfe to power and force, which will ferve a bad cauTe as well as a good one; and iniJeed much better. *' not 8 Of unlimited SuhmiJJion^ and " not in vain that rulers are vefted with the power of " infliding punifhment. They are, by their office> " not only the minifters of God for good to thofe that " do well ; but alfo his minifters to revenge, to dif- " countenance and punifh thc^Pthat are unruly, and in- " jurious to their neighbours.'* The apoftle proceeds — Wherefore ye mujl needs be fubje5l not only for wrath* but alfo for confcience fake, ver. 5. q. d. " Since there- " fore, magiftracy is the ordinance of God ; and fince " rulers are, by their office, benefadors to fociety, by " difcouraging what is bad, and encouraging what is " good, and fo preferving peace and order amongft " men ; it is evident that ye ought to pay a willing " fubjedlion to them ; not to obey merely for fear of *' expofing yourfelves to their wrath and difpleafure, " but alfo in point of reafon, duty and confcience : " Ye are under an indifpenfable obligation, as chriflians, " to honour their office, and to fubmit to them in " the execution of it." The apoftle goes on — For^ for this caufe pay you tribute alfo : for they are God's minifters, attending continually upon this very thing, ver. 6. q. d. " And here is a plain reafon alfo why ye fhould " pay tribute to them ; for they are God's minifters, " exalted above the common level of mankind, not *' that they may indulge themfelves in foftnefs and *' luxury, and be entitled to the fervile homage of their " fellow- men J but that they may execute an office no " lefs laborious than honourable -, and attend continually *' upon the public welfare. This being their bufinefs and Non-Refijlance to the Higher Powers. 9 " and duty, it is but reafonable, that they fhould be re- " quitcd for their care and diligence in performing it ; *' and enabled, by taxes levied upon the fubjed, effedu- " ally to profecute the great end of their inftitution, " the good of fociety.'* The apoftle fums all up in the following words ^^ Render therefore to all their dues : tribute, * to whom tribute is due ; cujlom, * to whom cuflom \ fear^ to whom fear -, honour^ to whom honour, ver. 7. q. d. " Let it not, therefore, be faid " of any of you hereafter, that you contemn govcrn- " menr, to the reproach of yourfclves, and of the *' chrijlian religion. Neither your being jews by na- " tion, nor your becoming the fubjctfls of Chrift's king- " dom, gives you any difpcnfation for making diftur- " bances in the government under which you live. " Approve yourfelves, therefore, as peaceable and du- *' tiful fubjefls. Be ready to pay to your rulers all " that they may, in refpeft of their office, juftly de- *' mand of you. Render tribute and cuftom to thofe *' of your governors to whom tribute and cuftom be- " long : And chearfully honor and reverence all who " are veiled with civil authority, according to their " defcrts." The apoftle's do6lrIne, in the paflage thOs explained, concerning the office of civil rulers, and the duty of ** Gtotius obfcrves that the greek words here ufed, anfwer to the tributum and 'veiiigal of the Romans ; the former was the money paid for the foil and poll ; the latter, the duties laid upon fome iorts of merchandize. And what the apoftle here fays, dcferves to be ferioufly confidered by all chriftians concerned in that com- mon pradice of carrying on an illicit trade, and running of eooJs. C fubjefls. lo Of unlimited Suhmijfion^ and fubjeds, may be fummed up in the following obfer- vations ; * viz. That the end of magiftracy is the good of civil fociety, as fuch : That civil rulers, as fuch^t the ordinance and mi- nifters of God j it being by his permilTion and provi- dence that any bear rule ; and agreeable to his will, that there fhould be fame perfons vefted with authority in fociety, for the well-being of it : That which is here faid concerning civil rulers, ex- tends to all of them in common : it relates indifferently to monarchical, republican and ariftocratical government ; and to all other forms which truly anfwer the fole end of government, the happinefs of fociety •, and to all the different degrees of authority in any particular (late j to inferior officers no lefs than to the fupreme : That difobedience to civil rulers in the due exer- cife of their authority, is not merely a po/;/;V^/j^«, but an heinous offence againjl God and religion : That the true ground and reafon t of 0"r obliga- tion to be fubjcfl to the higher powers^ is the ufefulnefs of * The feveral obfervations here only mentioned, were handled at large in two preceeding difcourfes upon this fubjed. •f Some fuppofe ihe apollle in this paflage inforces the duty of fubmiflion, with /it'o arguments quite dillinft from each other ; one taken from this confideration, that rulers are the ordinance, and the minilters of God, (ver. i. 2. and 4.) and the other, from the benefits that accrue to fociety, from civil government, (ver. 3, 4, and 6.) And indeed thefe may be diftindl motives and arguments for fubmiflion, as they may be feparately viewed and Non-Reftjlance to the Higher Powers. 1 1 oFmagiftracy (when properly exercifed) to human fociety, and its fubferviency to the general welfare : That obedience to civil rulers is here equally requi- red under all forms of government, which anfwer the fole end of all governnient, the good of fociety ; and to every degree of authority in any ftate, whether fupremc or fubordinate : (Trom whence it follows, That if unlimited obedience and non-refiftance, be here required as a duty under any one form of govern- ment, it is alfo required as a duty under all other forms \ and as a duty to fubordinate rulers as well as to the fupreme.) And laftly, that thofe civil rulers to whom the apoftle injoins fubjeflion, are the perfons tn pojfejfion ; and contemplated. But when we confider that rulers are not the ordinance and the minillers of God, but only fo far forth as they perform God's will, by ading up to their office and cha- radler, and fo by being benefaftors to fociety, this makes thefe arguments coincide, and run up into ofie at laft : At lead fo far, that the former of them cannot hold good for fub- milhon, where the latter fails. Put the fuppofition, that any man bearing the title of a magiftrate, fliould exercife his power in fuch a manner as to have no claim to obedience by virtue of that argument which is founded upon the ufefulnefs of magi- ftracy ; and you equally take ofF the force of the other argu- ment alfo, which is founded upon his being the ordinance and the miniller of God. For he is no longer God's ordinance and minifter, than he ads up to his office and charafter, by exer- cifing his power for the good of fociety — This is, in brief, the reafon why it is faid above, in the Jtngular number, that the true ground and reafon, &CC. The ufe and propriety of this remark may poffibly be more apparent in the progrefs of the argument concerning rcfillance. the J 2 Of imllmited Siihtmjflon^ and the powers that he \ thofe who are a^ually vefted wiih authority, -f; There is one very important and interefting point which remains to be inquired into ; namely, the extent of that fubjedlion to the higher. powers, which is here enjoined as a duty upon all chriftians. Some have thought it warrantable and glorious, to difobey the civil powers in certain circumftances ; and, in cafes of very great and general oppreflion, when humble remonftrances fail of having any effed ; and when the publick welfare can- not be otherwife provided for and fecured, to rife una- nimoudy even againft the fovereign himfelf, in order to redrefs their grievances ; to vindicate their natural and legal rights : to break the yoke of tyranny, and free thcmfelves and pofterity from inglorious fervitude and ruin. It is upon this principle that many royal oppref- fors have been driven from their thrones into baniflh- ment ; and many flain by the -hands of their fubjeds. •\ This moR be underdood with this proi-ifo, that they do not grofly ahuje &.c\v power and triiR, but exerc.Te it for the good of thofe th.at are governed. Who thefe perfons were, whe- ther Nero, SiC. or not, the apofile does not uy ; but leaves it to be determined by thofe to whom he wriies. God does not interpofe, in a miraculous way, to point out the perfons who fhall bear rule, and to whom fjbjedion is due. And as to the unalienable, indefeafible right of fi imooeniutrey the fcriptures are intirely nlent : or ra'her plainly contradidl it : •S'^^/ being the iirfl; king among the Ifrac/iies ; and appointed to the royal dig- rity, during his own father's life time : and he \vas fuccceded, or rather fuperfeded, by Dat'id, the laft bom among jnany bre- thren — Now if God has cot invariably determined this matter, it muft, of courle, be determined by m(n. And if it be deter- mined by men, it mull be determined either in the way of force, or of compaSl. And which of thefe is the mofl equitable, can be no qu^Ition* It: Non-Refijlance to the Higher Poiscers. 1 3 It was upon this principle that Tarquin was expelled from Rome ; and Julius Cefar, the conqueror of the world, and the tyrant of his country, cut off in the fenate houfe. It was upon this principle, that king Charles I, was be- headed before his own banqueting houfe. It was upon this principle, that king James II. was made to fly that country which he aim'd at enflaving : And upon this principle was that revolution brought about, which has been fo fruitful of happy confequences to Great-Britai?i. But, in oppofition to this principle, it has often been af- ferted, that the fcripture in general fand the paflage un- der confideration in particular) makes all refinance to princes a crime, in any cafe whatever — If they turn ty- rants, and become the common opprefTors of thofe, whofc welfare they ought to regard with a paternal af- feflion, we mufb not pretend to ri^ht ourfelve?, unlefs it be by prayers and tears and humble intreaties : And if thefe methods fail of procuring redrefs, we muft not have recourfe to any other, but all fuffer ourfelves to be robbed and butchered at the pleafure of the Lord's anointed -, left we fliould incur the fin of rebellion, and the punifliment of damnation. For he has God's au- thority and commiflion to bear him out in the worfl of crimes, fo far that he may not be withdood or controuled. Now whether v;e are obliged to yield fuch an abfolute fubmifTion to our prince ; or whether dilb- bedience and reliftance may not be juftifiable in feme cafes, notwithftanding any thing in the paffjge before us, is an inquiry in which- we are all concerned -, and this is the inquiry which is the. main defign of the prefent difcDutfe. ^ Nov/ 1 4 Of U7tlimtted SubmiJfto7Jy and Now there does not feem to be any neceflity of fup- pofing, that an abfolute, unlimited obedience, whether aftive or paffive, is here injoined, merely for this reafon, that the precept is delivered in abfolute terms, without any exception or limitation exprefly mentioned. "We are enjoined, (ver. i.) to be fubjeSl to the higher powers : and ('ver. 5.) to be fubje^ for confcience fake. And becaufe thefe expreffions are abfolute and unlimited. Cor more properly, general) fome have inferred, that the fubjedion required in them, muft be abfolute and unli- mited alfo : At lead fo far forth as to make paflive obedience and non refiftance, a duty in all cafes what- ever, if not aftive obedience likewife. Though, by the way, there is here no diftinflion made betwixt a6live and pafTive obedience ; and if either of them be requi- red in an unlimited fenfe, the other muft be required in the fame fenfe alfo, by virtue of the prefent argument ; becaufe the exprefllons are equally abfolute with refpefb to both. But that unlimited obedience of any fort, cannot be argued merely from the indefinite exprefllons in which obedience is enjoined, appears from hence, that expreffions of the fame nature, frequently occur in fcrip- ture, upon which it is confefTed on all hands, that no fuch abfolute and unlimited fenfe ought to be put. For example. Love not the world •, neither the things that are in the world ; f Lay not up for yourfelves treafures upon earth ; * Take therefore no thought for the morrow ; \\ are precepts exprefled in at leaft equally abfolute and unli- mited terms : but it is generally allowed that they are to be underftood with certain reftriflions and iimitati- t I John ii. 15. * Matt. vi. 19. || Matt. vi. 34. ons ; Non-Refejlance to the Higher Powers, 1 5 ons i fome degree of love to the world, and the things of it, being allowable. Nor, indeed, do the Right Re- verend Fathers in God, and other dignified clergymen of the eftablifhed church, feem to be altogether averfe to admitting of reftridions in the latter cafe, how warm foever any of them may be againft reftriflions, and limitations, in the cafe of fubmiffion to authority, whe- ther civil or ecclefiaftical. It is worth remarking alfo, that patience and fubmiffion under private injuries, are injoincd in much more peremptory and abfolute terms, than any that are ufed with regard to fubmiffion to the injuftice and oppreffion of civil rulers. Thus, / fay unto you, that ye refijl not evil ; but whofoever JJoall fmite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other alfo. And if any man will fue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke alfo. And whofoever fioall compel thee to go a mile with him, go with him twain, f Any man may be defied to produce fuch flrong expreffions in favor of a paffive and tame fubmiffion to unjuft, tyran- nical rulers, as are here ufed to inforce fubmiffion to private injuries. But how few are there that underftand thofe expreffiions literally ? And the reafon why they do nor, is becaufe f with fubmiffion to the quakers ) common fenfe fhows that they were not intended to be fo underftood. But to inflance in fome fcripture- precepts, which are more diredly to the point in hand. — Children are commanded to obey their parents, and fervants, their mailers, in as abfolute and unlimited terms as fubjeds •j- Mat. V. 39,40,41. are 1 6 Of unlimited Suhnijfion^ and are here commanded to obey their civil rulers. Thus this fame apoflle — Children obey your parents in the Lord-, for this is right. Honour thy father and mother, — which is the firjl commandment with promife. — Servants, he obe- dient to them that are your wajlers according to the fle/hy with fear afid trembling, with finglenefs of your heart as unto Chriji.* Thus alfo wives are commanded to be obedient to their hufbands — IVives, fubmit your felves unto your own hufbands, as unto the Lord. For the hufhand is head of the wife, even as CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH —Therefore, as the church is fubjeB unto Chriji, fo let the wives be to their own hufbands IN EVERY THING, f In all thefe cafes, fubmiffion is required in terms ( at leaft ) as abfolute and univerfal, as are ever ufed with refpe(5l to rulers and fubjetfls. But who fuppofes that the apo- flle ever intended to teach, that children, fervants and wives, fliould, in all cafes whatever, obey their pa- rents, mafters and hufbands refpe(5lively, never making any oppofition to their will, even although they fhould require them to break the commandments of God, or fhould caufelefly make an attempt upon their lives ? No one puts fuch a fenfe upon thefe exprefTions, how- ever abfolute and unlimited. Why then fhould it be fuppofed, that the apoftle defigned to teach univerfal obedience, whether aflive or pafllve, to the higher pow- ers, merely becaufe his precepts are delivered in abfolute and unlimited terms ? And if this be a good argument in one cafe, why is it not in others alfo ? If it be faid * Eph. Vi I, &:c. t Eph. V. 22, 23, 24. that Non-Refijlance to the Higher Powers, 1 7 that refiftance and difobedience to the higher powers, is here faid pofitively to be arin,foalfo is the difobedience of children to parents ; fervants, to mafters •, and wives, to hufbands, in other places of fcripture. But the quef- tion ftill remains, whether in all thefe cafes there be not fome exceptions ? In the three latter, it is allowed there are. And from hence it follows, that barely the ufc of abfolutc expreflions, is no proof, that obedience to civil rulers, is, in all cafes, a duty ; or refiftance, in all cafes a fin. I fhould not have thought it worth while to take any notice at all of this argument, had it not been much infifted upon by fome of the advocates for paflive obedience and non- refiftance: For it is, in itfelf, perfedtly trifling •, and rendered confidera- ble, only by the ftrefs that has been laid upon it for want of better. There is, indeed, one paffage in the new-teftament, where it may feem, at firft view, that an unlimited fubmiftion to civil rulers, is injoined.— Submit your felves to every ordinance of man for the Lord* s fake. f^* To every ordinance of man. — However, this expreftion is no ftronger than that before taken notice of, with relation to the duty of wives — So let the wives be fubjeEl to their own hufbands — IN EVERY THING. But the true foiution of this difficulty ( if it be one) is this : by every ordinance of man., * is not meant every command of the civil magiftrate without exception 5 but every \ 1 Pet. 2. 13. * Literally, en;cry human inftitution, or appcinlmtat. By which manner of cxpreflion the apollle plainly intima^^, that rulers de- rive their authority immediately, not from Cody but from nun. D order 1 8 Of unlwiited Submijfw?^ and order of maglffrates appointed by man •, — whether fupcrlor or inferior : For fo the apoftle explains himfelf in the very next words — Whether it he to the king as fitpreme^ or to governors^ as unto them that are fent, &c. But although the apoftle had not ilibjoined any fuch expla- nation, the reafon of the thing itfelf would have obli- ged us to limit the exprefTion [^every ordinance of man ] to fuch human ordinances and commands, as are not in- confiftent with the ordinances and commands of God, the fupreme lawgiver j or with any other higher, and antecedent, obligations. It is to be obferved, in the next place, that as the duty of univerfal obedience and non-refiftance to the higher powers^ cannot be argued from the abfolute unli- mited expreflions v^'hich the apoftle here ufes ; fo neither can it be argued from the fcope and drift of his rca- foning, confidered with, relation to the perfons he was here oppofing. As was obferved above, there were feme proftfied chrijliansm the apoftolic age, who dif- claimed all magiftracy and civil authority in general, defpifwg government y wd fpeaking evil of dignities-, fomc under a notion that jews ought not to be under the jurifdidlion of gentile rulers •, and others, that they were lit /r«-^ from the temporal powers, by Chrift. Now it is With perfons of this licentious opinion and charader, that the apoftle is concerned. And all that was diredly to his point, was to fliow, that they were bound to fub- mit to magiftracy /;? general. This is a circumftance very material to be taken notice of, in order to afcertain the Non-RefiJla?Ke to the Higher Powe7's. 1 9 the fenfe of the apoftle. For this being confidered, 1 is lufficient to account for all that he fays concerning the duty of fubjedion, and the fin of refidance, to the higher powers^ without having recourfe to the doflrine of unlimited fubmifllon and paflive obedience, in all cafes whatever. Were it known that thofe in oppofi- tion to whom, the apoftle wrote, allowed of civil au- thority in general, and only aflferted that there were fome cafes in which obedience and non-refiftance, were not a duty •, there would, then, indeed, be reafon for interpreting this paflage as containing the doflrine of unlimited obedience, and non-refiftance, as it muft, in this cafe, be fuppofed to have been levelled againfl fuch as denied that doflrine. But fince it is certain that there were perfons who vainly imagined, that civil government in general, was not to be regarded by them, it is moft reafonable to fuppofe, that the apoftle defigned his dif- courfe only againft them. And agreeably to this fuppo- fition, we find that he argues the ufefulnefs of civil ma- giftracy in general •, its agreeablenefs to the will and purpofe of God, who is over all •, and fo deduces from hence, the obligation of fubmiflion to it. But it will not follow, that becaufe civil government, is, in general, a good inftitution, and neceflary to the peace and happi- nefs of human focicty, therefore there are no fuppofeable cafes in which refiftance to it can be innocent. So that the duty of unlimited obedience, whether aflive or paf- five, can be argued, neither from the manner of expref- fion here ufed, nor from the general fcope and defign of the paflage. And :<] 20 Of iinlwiited Stcbmijfwn^ and And if we attend to the nature of the argument with which the apoftle here inforces the duty of fubmif- fion to the higher powers, we fhall find it to be fuch an one as concludes not in favor of fubmiffion to all who bear the title of rulers, in common ; but only, to thofe who equally perform the duty of rulers, by exercifing a reafonable and juft authority, for the good of human fociety. This is a point which it will be proper to en- large upon •, becaufe the queftion before us turns very much upon the truth or falfliood of this pofition. It is obvious, then, in general, that the civil rulers whom the apoftle here fpeaks of, and obedience to whom he prefTes upon chriftians as a duty, are good rulers, f fuch as are, in the exercife of their office and power, bene- faftors to fociety. Such they are defcribcd to be, thro'- out this pafTage. Thus it is faid, that they are not a terror to good works, but to the evil -, that they are God^s ministers for good ; revengers to execute wrath upon bin:- that doth evil ; and that they attend continually upon this very thing. St. Peter gives the fame account of rulers : They are for a praife to them that do well, and the pu- nifhment of evil doers. * It is manifeft that this cha- rafter and defcription of rulers, agrees only to fuch as are rulers in fa6V, as well as in name : to fuch as govern well, and ad agreeably to their office. And the apo- flle's argument for fubmiffion to rulers, is wholly built f By good rulers, arc not intended fuch as are good in a moral or religicus, but only in a pnliticaJ, fenfe ; thole who perform their duty fo far as their office extends ; and lo far as civil fociety, as fuch, is concerned in their adtion?. * See the marginal note, page 0. See alfo the marginal nofe, p. 7. and Non-^RefiJlcince to the Higher Powers. 2 i and grounded upon a prefumption that they do in fadt anfwer this chara(5ler •, and is of no force at all upon fuppofition of the contrary. If rulers are a terror to good works, and not to the evil ; if they are not minifters for good to fociety, but for evil and diftrefs, by violence and opprefTion -, if they execute wrath upon fober, peace- able perfons, who do their duty as members of fociety ; and fuffer rich and honourable knaves to efcape wit'i impunity ; if, inftead of attending continually upon the •good work of advancing the publick welfare, they attend only upon the gratification of their own lull: and pride and ambition, to the dellruflion of the public welfare ; if this be the cafe, it is plain that the apoftle's argument for fubmifTion does not reach them ; they are not the fame, but different perfons from thofe whom he cha- rafterizes ; and who mufl: be obeyed according to his reafoning. — Let me illuflrate the apoftle's argument, by the following fimilitude : (it is no matter how far it is from any thing which has, in fatfV, happened in the world.) Suppofe, then, it was allowed, in general, that the clergy were an ufeful order of men •, that they ought to be e^eemed very highly in love for their works fake ; X and to be decently fupported by thofe whom they ferve, the labourer being worthy of his reivard. * Sup- pofe farther, that a number o( Revererjd and Right Re- verend Drones, who worked not -, who preached, perhaps, but once a year, and then, not the gofpel of Jefus Chrift ; but the divine right of tythes ; — the dignity of their ojfice as awbajjadors of Chrijl, the equity of fine cures, anci t I Thcf. V. 13. * I Tim. v. i8. <3 2 2 Of wiUmtted Siihmijfton^ and a plurality of benefices ; — the excellency of the devotions in that prayer book, which fome of them hired chap- lains to ufe for them ; — or fome favourite point of f^«rc/&- tyranny, and antichrijlian ufurpation •, fuppofe fuch men as thefe, fpending their lives in effeminacy, luxury and idlenefs ; Cor when they were not idle, doing that which is worfe than idlenefs -, fuppofe fuch menj fhould, merely by the merit of ordination and confecration, and a pecu- liar, odd habit, claim great refpeft and reverence from thofe whom they civilly called the beafls of the laiety \ \\ and demand thoufands per annum, for that good fervice which they — never performed -, and for which, if they had performed it, this would be much more than a quan- tum meruit : fuppofe this fhould be the cafe, fit is only by way o\ fimile, and furely it will give no offencej would not every body be aftoniflied at fuch infolence, injuflice and impiety ? And ought not fuch men to be told plainly, that they could not reafonably expedl the efteem and reward, due to the minifters of the gofpel, unlefs they did the duties of their office ? Should they not be told, that their title and habit claimed no regard, reverence or pay, feparate from the care and work and various duties of their function ? And that while they negleifled the latter, the former ferved only to render them the more ridiculous and contemptible ? — The appli- cation of this fmilitude to the cafe in hand, is very eafy, — If thofe who bear the title of civil rulers, do not perform the duty of civil rulers, but a6l dircdlly counter to the fole end and defign of their office -, if they Ij Mr. Vf.le. injure No?i-ReftJlance to the Higher Po'ucers, 2 3 injure and opprefs their Tubjecfls, inftead of defending their rights and doing them good •, they have not the lead pretence to be honored, obeyed and rewarded, ac- cording to the apoftle's argument. For his reafoning, in order to fliow the duty of fubjedlion to the higher powers^ is, as was before obferved, built wholly upon the fuppofition, that they do, in fa5i^ perform the duty of rulers. If it be faid, that the apoftle here ufes another ar- gument for fubmilTion to the higher powers, befides that which is taken from the ufefulnefs of their oiFice to civil fociety, when properly difcharged and executed ■, namely, that i\\tu power is from God; that they ^re ordained cf^ God ; and that they areGod*s miniffers : And if it be faid, that this argument for fubmiffion to them will hold good, although they do not exercifc their power for the beneiif, but for the ruin, and de{lru(5lion of human.' fociety ; this objedlion was obviated, in part, before, f Rulers have no authority from God to do mifchief. They are not God's ordinance, or God's i7iinijlers, in any other fenfe than as it is by his permifTion and pro- vidence, that they are exalted to bear rule •, and as magiflracy duly excrcifed, and authority rightly applied, m the enacting and executing good laws, — laws attem- pered and accommodated to the common welfare of; the fubjeifls, muft be fuppofed to be agreeable to the wiH of the beneficent author and fupreme Lord of the uni- verfe •, whofe kingdom rulelh over all -, * and whole f Sec the margin, paj^c lo, note f. * Pful. ciii. 19. tender 2 4- Of unlimited SiihmiJJton^ and tender mercies are over all his works, t It is blafphemy to call tyrants and opprefibrs, God's minijlers. They are more properly the mejfengers of fatan to buffet us, * No rulers are properly God's mnijiers, but fuch as are Julf, ruling in the fear of God. || When once magiftrates aft contrary to their office, and the end of their infti- tution -, when they rob and ruin the public, inftead of being guardians of its peace and welfare ; they imme- diately ceafe to be the ordinance and minijlers of God ; and no more deferve that glorious charafler than common pirates and highwaymen. So that whenever that argu- ment for fubmiffion, fails, which is grounded upon the ufefulnefs of magiftracy to civil fociety, (as it always does when magiftrates do hurt to fociety inftead of good) the other argument, which is taken from their being the ordinance of God, muft neceflarily fail alfo ; no perfon of a civil charafter being God's miniffer, in the fenfe of the apoftle, any farther than he performs God's will, by exercifing a juft and reafonable authority 5 and ruling for the good of the fubjeft. This in general. Let us now trace the apoftle's reafoning in favor of fubmiffion to the higher powers, a little more particularly and exaflly. For by this it will appear, on one hand, how good and conclufive it is, for fubmiffion to thofe rulers who exercife their power in a proper manner: And, on the other, how weak and trifling and inconnedted it is, if it be fuppofed to be meant by the apoftle to ffiow the obligation and duty of -j- Pfal. cxlv. 19. * 2 Cor. xil. 7. |1 2 Sam. xxiii. 3.^ obedience Non'RefiJia?Ke to the Higher Powers. 25 obedience to tyrannical, opprefTive rulers in common with others of a different charafler. The apoflle enters upon his fubjeifb thus — Let every foul be fuhje5i unto the higher powers ; for there is no power but of God : the powers that be, are ordained of God.* Here he urges the duty of obedience from this topic of argument, that civil rulers, as they are fuppofed to fulfil the pleafure of God, are the ordi- nance of God. But how is this an argument for obe- dience to fuch rulers as do not perform the pleafure of God,' by doing good ; but the pleafure of the devil, by doing evil •, and fuch as are not, therefore, God's minifters, but the devil's ! Whofoever, therefore^ reftjleth the power, rcfifteth the ordinance of God -, and they that refi^, fhall receive to themfelves damnation, f Here the apoftle argues, that thofe who refift a rea- fonable and juft authority, which is agreeable to the will of God, do really refift the will of God himfelf ; and will, therefore, be punifhed by him. But how does this prove, that thofe who refift a lawlefs, unreafonable power, which is contrary to the will of God, do therein refift the will and ordinance of God ? Is re., fifting thofe who refift God's will, the fame thing with refifting God ? Or fliall thofe who do fo, receive to themfelves damnation ! For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power ? Bo that which is good \ and thou fl^alt have praife of the fame. For he is the minifler of God to thee for good. \. Here the apoftle argues more explicitly * Ver. I. t Ver. 2. 1 Vcr. 3d. and part of the 4th. E that! 2 6 0/ iinUniited Siihmiffion,, and than he had before done, for revereing, and fubmitting to, msgiftracy, from this confideration, that fuch as really performed the duty of magidrates, would be enemies only to the evil actions of men, and would befriend and encourage the good ; and fo be a common bleffing to fociety. But how is this an argument, that we mufl: honor, and fubmit to, fuch magiftrates as are not enemies to the evil anions of men ; but to the good ; and fuch as are not a common bleffing, but a common curfe, to fociety 1 But if thou do that which is evil, he afraid : For he is the minifier of God^ a revevger, to execute ivrath upon him that doth evil, t Here the apollle argues from the nature and end of magiftracy, that fuch as did evil, (and fuch only) had reafon to be afraid of the higher powers •, it being part cf their ofilce to punifli evil doers, no lefs than to de- fend and encourage fuch as do well. But if magiflrates are unrighteous •, if they are refpeSlers of perfons •, if they are partial in their adminiftration of juftice •, then thofe who do well have as much reafon to be afraid^ as thofe that do evil : there can be no fafety for the good, nor any peculiar ground of terror to the unruly and in- jurious. So that, in this cafe, the main end of civil government will be fruftrated. And what reafon is there for fubmitting to that government, which does by no means anfwer ihe defign of government ? Where- fore ye muji needs be fuhjeSi not only for wrath^ but alfo for confcience fake, * Here the apoftle argues the duty of a chearful and confcientious fubmiffion to civil go- f Ver. 4th. latter part. * Ver. 5. vernmenr. Non-Refijlance to the Higher Poivers, 27 vernment, from the nature and end of magiftracy as he had before Jaid it down, i. e. as the defign of it was to piinifli evil doers, and to fupport and encourage fuch as do well ; and as it mufl:, if fo exercifed, be agreeable to the will of God. But how does what he here fays, prove the duty of a chearful and conkientious fubjeflion to thofe who forfeit the chara(f\er of rulers ? to thofe who encourage the bad, and difcourage the good ? The argument here ufed no more proves it to be a fin to refifl: fuch rulers, than it does, to refiii the devil, that he vc\2}j flee from iisj* For one is as truly the minifter of God as the other. For, for this caufe pay you tribute alfo ; for they are God^s miniflers, atte/tding cc72tinually upon this very thing, f Here the apoftle argues tlie duty of paying taxes, from this confideration, that thofe who perform the duty of rulers, are continually attending upon the public welfare. But how does this argument conclude for paying taxes to fuch princes as are conti- nually endeavouring to ruin the public ? And efpecially when fuch payment would facilitate and promote this wicked defign ! Render therefore to all their dues ; tri- bute^ to whom tribute is due ; cuflom^ to whom cujlom ; fear., to whom fear •, honor., to whom honor. \\ Here the apoft:le fums up what he had been faying concerning the duty of fubje(5ls to rulers. And his argument (lands thus — " Since magifirates who execute their office well, " are common benefadlors to focicty ; and may, in *' that rcfpeil, be properly filled the minijlers and ordi- " nance of God •, and fince they arc conftantly employed * James iv. 7. f Ver. 6. || Vcr. 7. in 2 8 Of imlbnited Suhmijfion^ and "in the fepvice of the public ; it becomes you to pay " therii tribute and cuftom •, and to reverence, honor, *' and fubmit to, them in the execution of their re- " fpective offices." This is apparently good reafoning. But does this argument conclude for the duty of paying tribute, cuftom, reverence, honor and obedience, to fuch perfons as (although they bear the title of rulers) ufe all their power to hurt and injure the public ? fuch as are not God*s minijlers, but [atari's ? fuch as do not take care of, and attend upon, the public intereft, but their own, to the ruin of the public ? that is, in fhort, to fuch as have no natural and juft claim at all to tribute, cuftom, reverence, honor and obedience ? It is to be hoped that thofe who have any regard to the ■apoftle's character as an infpired writer, or even as a man of common underftanding, will not reprefent him as reafoning in fuch a loofe incoherent manner ; and draw- -iiig conclufions which have not the leaft relation to his premifes. For what can be more abfurd than an argu- ment thus framed ? " Rulers are, by their office, bound *' to confult the public welfare and the good of fo- " ciety : therefore you are bound to pay them tribute, " to honor, and to fubmit to them, even when they "' deftroy the public welfare, and are a common peft to " fociety, by acting in direct contradiflion to the nature " and end of their office.'* Thus, upon, a careful review of the apoftle's reafoning in this palTage, it appears that his arguments to enforce fubmilfion, are of fuch a nature, as to conclude only in favour of fubmiffion to fuch rulers as he himfelf defcrihes ^ i, e. Non-Rejljiance to the Higher Powers. 29 i. e. fuch as rule for the good of fociety, which is the only end of their inftitLicion. Common tyrants, and public opprefTors, are not intitled to obedience from their fubjecls, by virtue of any thing here laid down by the infpired apoIlJe. I NOW add, farther, that the apoftle's argument is fo far from proving it to be the duty of people to obey, and fubmit to, fuch rulers as a6l in contradicflion to the public good, f and fo to the defign of their office, that it proves the dire5l contrary. For, pleafe to obferve, that if the end of all civil government, be the good of fociety ; if this be the thing that is aimed at in conflituting civil rulers ; and if the motive and argument for fjbmifTion to government, be taken from the apparent ufefulnefs of civil authority ; it follows, that when no fuch good end can be anfwered by fub- milTion, there remains no argument or motive to enforce it ; if inftead of this good end's being brought about by fubmiffion, a contrary end is brought about, and the ruin and mifcry of fociety effedtcd by it, here is a plain and pofitive reafon againfl: fubmiffion in all fuch cafes, (hould they ever happen. And therefore, in fuch cafes, a regard to the public welfare, ought to make us with-hold from our rulers, that obedience and fub- jeflion which it would, otherwife, be our duty to render to them. If it be our duty, for example, to obey our King, merely for this reafon, that he rules for the pub- f Tliis docs not intend, their ailing fo in a few particular inftances^ wiiich the bed of rulers may do through miflake, &c. but their afling fo halittiaUy ; and in a manner which plainly fhows, that i\%y aim at making themfelvcs great, by the ruin of their fubjefls. lie 30 Of tmllmited Suhmtjfton^ and lie welfare, ( which is the only argument the apoftle makes ufe of) it follows, by a parity of reafon, that when he turns tyrant, and makes his fubjedls his prey to devour and to deftroy, inftead of his charge to defend and cherifh, we are bound to throw off our allegiance to him, and to refifl ; and that according to the tenor of the apodle's argument in this paffage. Not to dif- continue our allegiance, in this cafe, would be to join with the fovereign in promoting the flavery and mi- fery of that fociety, the welfare of which, we ourfelves, as well as our fovereign, are indifpenfably obliged to fe- cure and promote, as far as in us lies. It is true the apoftle puts no cafe of fuch a tyrannical prince ; but by his grounding his argument for fubmifTion wholly upon the good of civil fociety -, it is plain he implicitly autho- rifes, and even requires us to make refiftance, whenever this fhall be neceffary to the public fafety and happinefs. Let me make ufe of this eafy and familiar fimilitude to illuftrate the point in hand — Suppofe God requires a family of children, to obey their father and not to refift him ; and inforces his command with this argument ; that the fuperintendence and care and authority ofajufl: and kind parent, will contribute to the happinefs of the whole family ; fo that they ought to obey him for their own fakes more than for his : Suppofe this parent at length runs diftrafled, and attempts, in his mad fit, to cut all his children's throats : Now, in this cafe, is not the reafon before affigned, why thefe children fhould obey their parent while he continued of a found mind, namely, their common good, a reafon equally conclufive for No7i-RefiJiance to the Higher Pouters, 3 1 for difobeying and refifling him, fince he is become delirious, and attempts their ruin ? It makes no alteration in the argument, whether this parent, properly fpeakino-, lofes his reafon ; or does, while he retains his underftand- ing, that which is as fatal in its confequences, as any thing he could do, were he really deprived of it. This fimilitude needs no formal application — But it ought to be remembred, that if the duty of univerfal obedience and non-refiftance to our king or prince, can be argued from this pafTage, the fame unli- mited fubmifTion under a republican, or any other form of government -, and even to all the fubordinate powers in any particular ftate, can be proved by it as well : which is more than thofe who allcdge it for the menti- oned purpofe, would be willing fhould be inferred from it. So that this pafTage does not anfwer their purpofe ; but really overthrows and confutes it. This matter dcferves to be more particularly confidered. — The ad- vocates for unlimited fubmiflion and pafTive obedience, do, if 1 miQake not, always fpeak with reference to kingly or monarchical government, as diQinguifhed from all other forms \ and, with reference to fubmitting to the will of the king, in diflindion from all fubordinate officers, afling beyond their commifTion, and the autho- rity which they have received from the crown. It is not pretended that any perfon befides kings, have a di- vine right to do what they pleafe, fo that no one may refifl them, without incurring the guilt of fa(5tioufnefs and rebellion. If any other fupreme powers opprefs the people. 3 2 Of unlimited Stibmijlfi07ty and people, it is generally allowed, that the people ma/ get redrefs, by refiftance, if other methods prove inef- fe(5tual. And if any officers in a kingly government, go beyond the limits of that power which they have de- rived from the crown, (the fuppofed original fource of all power and authority in the ftate) and attempt, ille- gally, to take away the properties and lives of their fel- low- fubjedls, they may be forcibly refifted, at leaft till application can be made to the crown. But as to the fovereign himfelf, he may not be refifted in any cafe -, nor any of his officers, while they confine themfelves within the bounds which he has prefcribed to them. This is, I think, a true fl^etch of the principles of thofe who defend the dodrine of paffive obedience and non- refiftancc. Now there is nothing in fcripture which fupports this fcheme of political principles. As to the paffage under confideration, the apoftle here fpeaks of civil rulers in general -, of all perfons in common^ vefted with authority for the good of fociety, without any par- ticular reference to one form of government, more than to another -, or to the fupreme power in any particular ftate, more than to fubordinate powers. The apoftle does not concern himfelf with the diffi;rent forms of go- vernment, t This he fuppofes left intirely to human prudence ■\ Tlie efTence of governnent ( I mean g'^od government ; and this is the only government which the apolUe treats of in this paf- fage ) confills in the mnking and executing of good ia^ws — laws attempered to the common felicity of the governed. And if this be, infatl, done, it is evidently, in it felf, a thing of no confequence at all, what ihc p'vt tenia*- form of government is ; — whether the Itgiflaiive and executive power be Iodt;ed in one and the fame per- fon. Noji-Refijlance to the Higher Pouters. 3 3 prudence and difcrction. Now the confequence of this is, that unlimited and pafTive obedience, is no more enjoined in this pairage^ under monarchical government ; or to the fupreme power in any (late, than under all other fpecies of government, which anfwer the end of government ; or, to all the fubordinate degrees of civil authority, from the highefl: to the loweft. Thofe, therefore, who would from this pafTage infer the guilt of refifting kings, in all cafes whatever, though afling ever fo contrary to the defign of their office, mu{l,if they will be confiflent, go much farther, and infer from it the guilt of refiftance under all other forms of government ; and of refifting any petty officer in the ftate, tho' afling beyond his commifTion, in the mofl arbitrary, illegal manner poflible. The argument holds equally ftrong in both cafes. All civil rulers, as fuch, are the ordinance and minijiers of God •, and they are all, by the nature of their office, and in their refpedive fpheres and ftations, bound to confult the public welfare. With the fame reafon therefore, that any deny unlimited and palTive obedi- fon, or in different perfons ; — whether in one perfon, whom we call an ahfolute monarch ; — whether in zfcv:, fo as to conftitute an arijlocrafy ; — whether in many, fo as to conftitute a republic ; or whether in three co-ordinate branches, in fuch manner as to make the government partake fomething of each of thefe forms ; and to be, at the fame time, ejjentially different from them all. If the ^W be attained, it is enough. But no form of government feems to be fo unlikely to accomplifh this end, as ahfolute mo- narchy Nor is there any one that has fo little pretence to a dii'ine original, unlefs it be in this fenfe, that GoAJirJ} introduced it into, and thereby overturned, the common wealth of Ijrael, as a cur/} upon that people for i\\t'\r folly and imickednefs, particularly in dffiring fuch a government. (See i Sam. viii. chap. ) Juft fo God, before, fer.t ^ails amongft them, as a plague, and a /urfi, and not as a bleffmg. Numb. chap. xi. F encc 3 4 Of tmlimited Suhmtjfwn^ and ence to be here Injolned under a republic or ariftocrafy, or any other eftabliflied form of civil government •, or to fubordinate powers, acting in an illegal and opprelTive manner ; (with the fame reafon) others may deny, that fuch obedience is enjoined to a king or monarch, or any civil power whatever. For the apoftle fays nothing that is peculiar to kings ; what he fays,extends equally to all other pcrfons whatever, veiled with any civil office. They are all, in exactly the fame fenfe, the ordinance of God j and the minijlers of God ; and obedience is equally enjoined to be paid to them all. For, as the apoftle exprefTes it, there is NO POWER but of God: And we are requi- red to render to ALL their DUES ; and not MORE than their DUES. And what thefe dues are, and to whopi they are to be rendered, the apoftle fayeth not-, but ieaves to the reafon and confciences of men to determine. Thus it appears, that the common argument, grounded upon this pafTage, in favor of univerfal, and, paflive obedience, really overthrows itfelf, by proving too much, if it proves any thing at all ; namely, that no civil officer is, in any cafe whatever, to be refifted, though ading in exprefs contradi(5lion to the defign of ]us office ; which no man, in his fenfes, ever did, or can affert. If we calmly confider the nature of the thing itfelf, nothing can well be imagined more direflly contrary to common' fenfe, than to fuppofe that millions of people fliould be fubjefied to the arbitrary, precarious pleafure of Non-ReJiJlaJice to the Higher Powers. 3 5 of one fingk man ; (who has naturally no fuperlority over them in point of authorityj fo that their eftates, and every thing that is vakiable in Jifc, and even their lives alfo, fliall be abfolutely at his difpofal, if he happens to be wanton and capricious enough to demand them. What unprejudiced man can think, that God made ALL to be thus fubfervient to the lawlefs pleafure and phrenzy of ONE, fo that it fhall always be a fin to refift him ! Nothing but the moft plain and exprefs revelation from heaven could make a fober impartial man believe fuch a monftrous, unaccountable doftrine, and, indeed, the thing itfelf, appears fo fhocking — fo out of all propor* tion^ that it may be queftioned, whether all the miracles that ever were wrought, could make it credible, that this doiflrine really came from God. At prefent, there is not the lead fyllable in fcripture which gives any coun- tenance to it. The hereditary, indefeafible, divine right of kings, and the dodrine of non-refiftance, which is built upon the fuppofition of fuch a right, are altogether as fabulous and chimerical, as tranfubftantiation ; or any of the mod abfurd reveries of ancient or modern yifionaries. Thefe notions are fetched neither from divine revelation, nor human realon ; and if they are derived from neither of thofe fources, it is not much matter from whence they come^ or whither they go. Only it is a pity that fuch do6lrines fliould be propagated in fociety, to raife fac- tions and rebellions, as we fee they have, in fadl, been both in the laft^ and in the prefent, REIGN. But then, if unlimited fubmifilon and paffive obedi- ence to the higher powers^ in all poUlble cafes, be not a duty. 36 Of tinlimited Submijfton^ and duty, it will be aflced, " How far are we obliged to " iubmit ? If we may innocently difobey and refifl: in " fome cafes, why not in all ? Where fliall we (lop ? *' What is the meafure of our duty ? This doflrine *' tends to the total difTolution of civil government ; *' and to introduce fuch fcenes of wild anarchy and con- «• fufion, as are more fatal to fociety than the worft of *' tyranny." After this manner, fome men objedl ; and, indeedg this is the mofl plaufible thing that can be faid in favor of fuch an abfolute fubmiflion as they plead for. But the worft (or rather the beft) of it, is, that there is very little ftrength or folidity in it. For fimilar difficulties may be raifed with refpefl to almoft every duty of natural and revealed religion. — Toinftance only in two, both of which are near akin, and indeed exa6lly parallel, to the cafe before us. It is unqueftionably the duty of children to fubmit to their parents ; and of fervants, to their mafters. But no one afferts, that it is their duty to obey, and fubmit to them, in all fuppofeable cafes ; or univerfally a fin to refift them. Now does this tend to fubvert the juft authority of parents and mafters .? Or to introduce confufion and anarchy into private families .? No. How then does the fame principle tend to unhinge the govern- ment of that larger family, the body politic ? We know, in general, that children and fervants are obliged to obey their parents and mafters refpedlively. We know alfo, with equal certainty, that they are not obliged to fubmit to them in all things, without exception ; but may, ii> fome cafes, reafonably, and therefore innocently, refift Non-Rcfijla?ice to the Higher Forcers. 3 7 refifl: them. Thcfe principles are acknowledged upon all hands, whatever difficulty there may be in nxing the exact limits of fubmifiion. Now there is at leaft as much difficulty in dating the meafure of duty in thefe two cafes, as in the cafe of rulers and fubjects. So that this is really no objection, at leaft no reafonable one, againft refiftance to the higher powers : Or, if it is one, it will hold equally againft refiftance in the ocher cafes mentioned. — It is indeed true, that turbulent, vicious- minded men, may take occafion from this principle, that their rulers may, in fome cafes, be lawfully refifled, to raife factions and difturbances in the ftate •, and to make refiftance where refiftance is needlefs, and therefore, fin- ful. But is it not equally true, that children and fer- vants of turbulent, vicious minds, may take occafion from this principle, that parents and mafters may, in fome cafes be lawfully refifted, to refift when refiftance is un- neceftary, and therefore, criminal ? Is the principle in either cafe falfe in itfelf, merely becaufe it may be abu- fed i and applied to legitimate difobedience and refift- ance in thofe inftances, to which it ought not to be applied ? According to this way of arguing, there will be no true principles in the world ; for there are none but what may be wrefted and perverted to fcrvc bad pur- pofes, either through the vveaknefs or wickednefsof men.f A f We may very fafely afTert thefc two things in general, without undermining government : One is, That no civil rulers are to be obeyed when they enjoin tilings that are inconfillent with the commands of God : Ail fuch dilobcdience is lawful and gloriou? ; particul.irly,if perfons rerul'eto comply with any i.gal tJtcd'iiJ/.Tmnt of religion, becaufe it is a grofs pervcrfion and corruption ( as to doflrine. 3 8 Of imlhnited Submijpo^i^ a?id A PEOPLE, really opprefled to a great degree by their fovereign, cannot well be infenfible when they are fo opprefled. And fucha people (if I may allude to an ancient /3(^/^) have, like the hefperian fruit, a DRAGON for doflrine, wordiip and difcipline ) of a pure and divine religion, brought from heaven to earth by the Son of God, ( the only King and Head of the chrijlian church ) and propagated through the world by his infpired apoflles. AH commands running counter .to the declared will of the fupreme legiflator of heaven and earth, are null end void : And therefore difobedience to them is a duty, not a crime. (See the marginal note, page 7.) — Another thing that may be afTerted with equal truth and fafety, is, That no go- vernment is to be fubmitted to, at the expence of that which is the fole end of all government, — the common good and fafety of fociety. Becaufe, to fubmit in this cafe, if it (hould ever happen, would evidently be to fet up the 7}ieam as more valuable, and a- bove, the end: than which there cannot be a greater folecifm and contradidlion. I'he only reafon of the infcitution of civil govern- ment ; and the only rational ground of fubmiffion to it, is the common fafety and utility. If therefore, in any cafe, the com- mon fafety and utility would not be promoted by fubmiffion to government, but the contrary, there is no ground or motive for obedience and fubmiffion, but, for the contrary. Whoever confiders the nature of civil government muft, indeed, be fenfible that a great degree of implicit confidence, muft un- avoidably be placed in thofe that bear rule : this is implied in the very notion of authority's being originally a /;«/?, committed by the people, to thofe who are vefted with it, as all juft and righ- teous authority is ; all befides, is mere lawlefs force and ufurpa- tion ; neither God nor nature, having given any man a right of dominion over any fociety, independently of that fociety's ap- probation, and confent to be governed by him — Now as all men are fallible, it cannot be fuppofed that the public affairs of any ftate, fhould be always adminiftrcd in the beft manner poffible, even by pcrfons of the greatelt wifdom and integrity. Nor is it fufficient to legitimate difobedience to the higher ponx^ers that they are not fo adminiftred ; or that they are, in fome inftances, very ill-managed ; for upon this principle, it is fcarcely fuppofeable that any government at all could be fupported, or fubfilt. Such a principle manifertly tends to the difibiution of government ; and to throw all things into confufion and anarchy. — But it is equally evident, upon the other hand, that thole in authority may abufe their truji and power to fuch a dgnc, that neither the law of reafon, nor of religion, requires, that any obedience or No7i-ReftJlance to the Higher Pcivers. 39 for their froUilor and guardian : Nor would they have any reafon to mourn, if fome HER.CULES fliould ap- or fubmiflion fnould be paid to them ; but, on the contrary, that they Hiould be totally (iifcc:.>\id ; and ihe authority which they were before vcfted with, transferred to others, who may exercife it more to thofe good purpofcs for which it is given. — Kor is this principle, that refiilance to the higher poi.i-ers, is, in forre ex- traordinary cafes, juliifiable, fo liable to abufc, r.s many perfons fecm to apprehend it. For although there will be always fome petulant, querulous men, in every Hate — men of jfadlicus, tur- bulent and carping difpofitions, — glad to lay hold of any trifle to juftify and legitimate their caballing againft their rulers, and other feditious prailices ; yet there are, comparatively fpcaking, but few men of this contemptible charnSIer. It does not appear but that mankind, in general, have a cifpofition to be as fubmif- five and paiilve and tame under government ar they ought to be. Witnefs a great, if not the grcateft, part of the known world, who are now groaning, but not murmuring, under the lieavy yoke of tyranny ! While thofe who govern, do it with any toler- able degree of moderation and juftice, and, in any good nieafure ad up to their oflice and charadler, by being public benefaiSiors ; the people will generally be eafy and peaceable ; a!]d be rather inclined to flatter and adore, than to infult and rcflll:, them. Nor was there ever any general complaint againll: any adminiftration, n.i:hich lajled loTigy but what there was good reafon for. Till people find thcmfelves greatly abufed and oppreflcd by their gover- nors, they are not apt to complain; and whenever they do, in faft, find themfelves thus abufed and opprcfled.they muflbeftupid not to complain. To (ay that fubjefts in general are not proper judges when their governors oppreJs them, and play the tyrant ; and when they defend their rights, adminillcr juftice impartially, and promote the public welfare, is as great trcdjon as ever man utter- ed ; — 'tis trcafon, — not againll one fivgle man, but the flate — againfl; the whole body politic ; — 'tis treafon r.gainfl man- kind ; — 'tis trcafon againll common fcrfe ; — 'tis trcafon aguinft God. And this impious principle lays the foundation for jullify- ing all the tyranny and oppreflion that ever any prince was guilty of. The people know for v, hat end they fet up, and maintain, their governors ; and they are tiie proper judges when they ex- ecute their tnij) as they ought to do ir ; — when tlicir prii.ce ex- ercilcs an equitable and paternal authority over them ; — when from a prince and common father, he exalts himfeif into a ty- rant — when frnrn fubjcits and children, he degrades them into the clafsof flaves ; — plunders them, makes them his prey", and unnaturally fports himfdf with their lives and fortunes pear 40 Of King CHARLES'S pear to difpatch him — For a nation thus abufed to arife iinanimouQy, and to rcfifl their prince, even to the de- throning him, is not criminal -, but a reafonable way of vindicating their liberties and jufl rights •, it is making ufe of the means, and the only means, which God has put into their power, for mutual and felf-defence. And it would be highly criminal in them, not to make ufe of this means. It would be ftupid tamenefs, and unac- countable folly, for whole nations to fufFer one unreafona- ble, ambitious and cruel man, to wanton and riot in their mifery. And in fuch a cafe it would, of the two, be more rational to fuppofe, that they that did NOT rejijl, than that they who did, would receive to themfehes damnation. And 'T'HIS naturally brings us to make fome refleflions upon the refiflance which was made about a century fince, to that unhappy prince, KING CHARLES I ; and upon the ANNIVERSARY of his death. This is a point which I Ihould not have concerned myfelf about, were it not that fome men continue to fpeak of it, even to this day, with a great deal of warmth and zeal ; and in fuch a manner as to undermine all the principles of LIBERTY, whether civil or religious, and to introduce the mofl abjed flavery both in church and flate : fo that it is become a matter of univerfal concern. — What I have to offer upon this fubjeft, will be comprifed in a fhort anfwer to the following ([ueries ; viz. For. Saintship a?id Martvrdom. 41 For what reafon the refiftance to king Charles the Virji was made ? By whom it was made ? Whether this refiftance was REBELLION, t or not ? How the Ayimverfary of king Charlei*s> death came at firji to be folemnized as a day of fading and humiliation ? And laftly, Why thofe of the epifcopal clergy who are very high in the principles of ecckftaftical authority^ continue to fpeak of this unhappy man, as a great SAINT and a MARTYR ? For. what reafon, then, was the refiftance to king Charles, made ? The general anfwer to this inquiry is, that it was on account of the tyranny and opprejfion of his reign. Not a great while after his accedion to the throne, he married a french catholic ; and with her feemed to have wedded the politics, if not the religion 0^ France, alfo. For afterward?, during a reign, or rather a tyranny of many year?, he governed in a perfedly wild and arbi- trary manner, paying no regard to the conftitution and the laws of the kingdom, by which the power of the crown was limited ; or to the folemn oath which he had taken at his coronation. It would be endlefs, as well as needlefs, to give a particular account of all the illegal and defpotic mcafures which he took in his adminiftra- tion ; — partly from his own natural luft of power, and partly from the influence of wicked councellors and f N. B. I fpeak of rebellion, ireafon, faintfhip, martyrdom, &c. throughout this difcourfc, only in the jcripiural and theological fcnfe. i know not how the Lixx: defines them ; the ftudy of that not being m/ employment > G minifter?.— 42 Of King CHARLES'S minifters. — He committed many illuftrious members of both houfes of parliament to the tower^^ox oppofing his ar- bitrary fchemes. . — He levied many taxes upon the people without confent of parliament ; — and then imprifoncd great numbers of the principal merchants and gentry for not paying them. — He erefled, or at leaft revived, feveral new and arbitrary courts, in which the mod unheard-of barbarities were committed with his knowledge and approbation — He fupported that more than fiend, arch-bifhop Laud and the clergy of his ftamp, in all their church-tyranny and hellifh cruelties —He authorifed a book in favor of /ports upon the Lord's day j and feveral clergymen were perfecuted by him and the mentioned fious blfliop, for not reading it to the people after divine fervice — When the parliament complained to him of the arbitrary proceedings of his corrupt minifters, he told that augujl body, in a rough, domineering, unprincely manner, that he wondred any one fhould be fo foolilh and infolent as to think that he would part with the nieaneft of his fervants Jipoii their account — He refufed to call any parliament at all for the fpace of twelve years together, during all which time, he governed in an abfolute lawlefs and defpotic manner — He took all op- portunities to encourage the papijis, and to promote them to the higheft offices of honor and truft — He ( proba- bly ) abetted the horrid malTacre in Ireland, in which two hundred thoufand proteftants were butchered by the roman catholics, — He fent a large fum of money, which he had raifed by his arbitrary taxes, into Germany, to raife foreign troops, in order to force more arbitrary taxes upon SaIntship and Martyrdom. 4.3 upon his fubjefts. — He not only by a long feries of a5li- ons, but alfo in plain terms, aflerted an abfolute iincon- troulable power ; faying even in one of his fpeeches to parliament, that as it was blafphemy to difputc what God might do -, fo it was fedition in fubjedls to difpute what the king might do. — Towards the end of his tyranny, he came to the houfe of commons with an armed force, f and demanded five of its principal members to be delivered up to him — And this was a prelude to that unnatural war which he foon after levied againft his own dutiful fubjecfts ; whom he was bound by all the laws of honor, humanity, piety, and I might add, of interefl alfo, to defend and cherifli with a paternal ai!fed:ion — I have only time to hint at thefe fa^fls in a general way, all which, and many more of the fame tenor, may be proved by good authorities : So that the figurative language which St. John ufes concerning thejufl: and beneficent deeds of our bleffed Saviour, may be applied to the unrighteous and execrable deeds of this prince, viz. And there are alfo many other things which king Charles did, the which, if they fhould be written every one, I ftippofe that even the world itfelf, could not contain the hooks that fhould he written. * Now it was on account of king Charleses thus afTuming a power above the laws, in direft contra- diflion to his coronation-oath, and governing the greateft part of his time, in the moft arbitrary oppreflive manner ; it was upon this account, that that refiftance was made •f- Hidorians are not agreed, what number of foldiers attended him in this monftrous invafion of the priviledges of parliament — Some fay 300, fome 400 : And the author of (he hijhry of the kings of Scotland, fays 500. * John xxi. 25. to 44- Of King CHARLES'S to him, which, at length, iffued in the lofs of his crown, and of that head which was unworthy to wear it. But by whom was this refifiance made ? Not by a private junto \ — not by a fmall feditious -party -, — not by a few defparadoes^ who, to mend their fortunes, would embroil the flate •,— but by the LORD's and COMMONS o^ England. It was they that almoft unanimoudy oppofed the king's meafures for overturning the conftitution, and changing that free and happy government into a wretched, abfolute monarchy. It was they that when the king was about levying forces againfl: his fubjefls, in order to make himfelf abfolute, commiffioned officers, and raifed an army to defend themfelves and the public : And it was they that maintained the war againft him all along, till he was made a prifoner. This is indifputable. Though it was not properly fpeaking the parliament, but the army, which put him to death afterwards. And it ought to be freely acknowledged, that moft of their proceed- ing, in order to get this matter effcifled •, and particu- larly the court by which the king was at lad tried and condemned, was little better than a mere mockery of juflice. — The next queftion which naturally arifes, is, whether this refiftance which was made to the king by the par- liament., was properly rebellion, or not ? The anfwer to which is plain, that it was not ; but a moft righteous and glorious ftand, made in defence of the natural and legal rights of the people,againft the unnatural and illegal encroachments of arbitrary power. Nor was this a rafh and Saintsiiip ajul Martyrdom. 4? and too fudden oppofition. The nation had been patient under the opprefTions of the crown, even to long fuf- f&ring ; — for a courfe of many years; and there was no rational hope of rcdrefs in any other way — Refinance was abfolutely neceflary in order to preferve the nation from flavery, mifery and ruin. And who fo proper to make this refiftance as the lords and commons -, — the whole reprefentative body of the people; — guardians of the public welfare ; and each of which was, in point of le- giflation, veiled with an equal, co-ordinate power, with that of the crown ? t Here were two branches of the legiflature f The f^^Ay^conftitution is originally and eflentially/zv^. The charac- ter which y. Civfar and Tacitui both give of the ancient Britains fo long ago, is, That they were extremely /Va/sw cf their liberties, as veil as a people of a, martial fpirit. Nor have there been wanting frequent inflances and proofs of the fame glorious fpirit ( in both refpefts ) remaining in their pollerity ever fince, — in the ftruggles they have made for liberty, both againlt foreign and domellic tyrants. Their kings hold their title to the t irone, folely by grant of parliament ; i. e. in other words, by the voluntary confent of the people. And, agrcably hereto, the prerogative ar.d rights of the crown are Itatcd, defined and limited by law ; and that as truly and Itridly as the rights of any in- ferior ofliccr in the ilate ; or indeed, of any private fubieiH. And it is only in this refpedl that it can be faid, that *' the king can " do no wrong." Being reftrained by the law, he cannot, while he confines himfelf within thofe juft limits which the law prefcribes to him as the meafure of his authority, injure and cpprels the fubjed.' — The king, in his coronation oath, fwears to exercife only fuch a power as the conditution gives him : And the fubjefl, in the oath of allegiance, fwears only to obey him in the exercife of fuch a power. The king is as much bound by his oath, not to infringe the legal rights of the people, as the people are bound to yield fubjedion to him. From whence it follows, that as foon as the prince fcts himfelf up above law, he lofcs the king in the tyrant : he does to all intents and pur- pofes, unking himfelf, by ailing out of, and beyond, that fphere which the conftitution allows him to move in. And in fuch cafes, he has no more right to be obeyed, than any inferior of- jicer who afts beyond his commiffion. The fubjedls obligation to 46 Of King CHARLES'S legiQature againft one ;— two, which had law and equity and the conftitution on their fide, againft one which was impioudy attempting to overturn law and equity and the conftitution j and to exercife a wanton licentious /ct;^m]^«- ty over the properties, confciences and lives of all the people: — Such a fovereignty as fome inconfiderately afcribe to the fupreme Governor of the world. — T fay, inconfi- derately ; becaufe God himfelf does not govern in an abfolutely arbitrary and defpotic manner. The power of this Almighty King (I fpeak it not without caution and reverence •, the power of this Almighty King) is limited by law \ nor, indeed, by a^s of parlimnent^ but by the eternal laws of truth, wifdom and equity ; and the ever- kfliing tables of right reafon ; — tables that cannot be repealed^ or thrown down and broken like thofe of Mofes, — But king Charles fat himfelf up above all thefe, as much as he did above the written laws of the realm j and made mi ere humor and caprice, which are no rule at all, the only rule and meafure of his adminiftration. And now, is it not pcrfedly ridiculous to call refiftance to fuch a tyrant, by the name o^ rebellion ? — the grand rebellion ? Even that parliament, which brought king to allegiance thc7i ceafes of courfe : and to refift him, is no more rchcllion, than to refill any foreign invader. There is an ellential difference betwixt government and tyranny ; at lead under fuch a coiillitution as the englijh. The former confifts in ruh'ng ac- cording to law and equity ; the latter, in ruling contrary to law and equity. So alfo, there is an effential difference betwixt re- fiftin?, a tyrant, and rebellion ; The former is a jiift and reafona- ble felf- defence ; the latter confirts in refitting a prince whofe ad- miniftration is juft and leg^al ; and this is what denominates it a crime. — Now it is evident, that king Charlis's government was illegal, and very opprcfTive, through the grcatefl part of his reign : And, therefore, to refilt him, was no more rebellion, than to op- pofe an/ foreign invader, or any other domeib'c opprelibr Charles Saintship ^W Martyrdom. 47 Charles II. to the throne, and which run loyally mady feverely reproved one of their own members for condem- ning the proceedings of that parliament which firft took up arms againft the former king. And upon the fame principles that the proceedings of this parliament may be cenfured as wicked and rebellious,the proceedings of thofe who, fince, oppofed king James II, and brought the prince of Orange to the throne, may be cenfured as wicked and rebellious alfo. The cafes are parallel. — But whatever feme men may tbinky it is to be hoped that, for their own fake?, they will not dare to /peak againft the REVOLUTION, upon the juflice and legality of which depends (in part) his prefent MAJESTY'S right to the throne. If it be faid, that although the parliament which firfl oppofed king Charles's meafures, and at length took up arms againft him, were not guilty of rebellion ; yet cer- tainly thofe perfons were, who condemned, and put him to death ; even this perhaps is not true. For he had, in fafl, unkinged himfelf long before, and had forfeited his title to the allegiance of the people. So that thofe who put him to death, were, at moft only guilty of murder ; which, indeed, is bad enough, if they were really guilty of ihal ; ( which is at leaft difputable. ) Cromwell^znd thofe who were principally concerned In the ( nominal) king's death, might pofilbly have been very wicked and defigning men. Nor (hall I fay any thing in vindication of the reigning hypocrify of thofe times ; or of Cromwell's male-adminiftration during the infer- regnum : ( for it \% truths and not a party ^ that I am fpeak- ing 48 0/^/>^^ CHARLES'S ing for. ) But ftill it may be faid, that Cromwell and his adherents were not, properly fpeaking, guilty of rebellion ; becaufe he, whom they beheaded was not, properly fpeak- ing, their king ; but a lawlefs tyrant. — much Jefs, are the whole body of the nation at that time to be charged with rebellion on that account ; for it was no national a5l ; it was not done by a free parliament. And much lefs ftill, is the nation at prefent, to be charged with the great fin of rebellion, for what their anceftors did, (or rather did NOT) a century ago. But how came the anniverfary of king C6<2r/^j's death, to be folemnized as a day of falling and humiliation ? The true anfwer in brief, to which inquiry, is, that this fail was inftituted by way of court and complement to king Charles II, upon the rejloration. All were defirous of making their court to him \ of ingratiating themfelves ; and of making him forget what had been done in oppo- fuion to his father^ fo as not to revenge it. To effedt this, they ran into the mod extravagant profeffions of affeftion and loyalty to him, infomuch that he himfclf faid, that it was a mad and hair brained loyalty which they profefTed. And amongft other ftrange things, which his fiift parliament did, they ordered the Thirtieth of 'January ( the day on which his father was beheaded ) to be kept as a day of folemn humiliation, to deprecate the judgments of heaven for the rebellion which the nation had been guilty of, in that which was no national thing ; and which was not rebellion in them that did it — Thus they foothed and flattered their new kine;, at the expence of Saintship a7ul Martyrdom. 49 of their liberties : — And were ready to yield up freely to Charles II, ail that enormous power, which they had juftly refifted Charles I, for ufurping to himfelf. The laft query mentioned, was, Why thofe of the epifcopal clergy who are very high in the principles of ecclefiajlical authority, continue to fpeak of this unhappy prince as a great Saint and a Martyr ? This, we know, is what they conftantly do, efpecially upon the 30th of January ; — a day facred to the extolling of him, and to the reproaching of thofe who are not of the eflablijhed church. Out of the fame mouth on this day, proceedeth llejfmg and curfing •, i^ there with blefs they their God, even Charles, and therewith curfe they the dilTenters : And their tongue can no man tame •, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poifon. King Charles is, upon this folemnity, frequently compared to our Lord Jefus Chrift, both in refpe(5t of the hoUnefs of his life, and the grcatncfs and injudice of his fiifferings ; and it is a wonder they do not add fomething concerning the merits of his death aUb — ■ But blejfed faint and royal martyr, are as humble titles as any that are thought worthy of him. Now this may, at firfb view, well appear to be a very ftrange phenomenon. For king Charles was really a man black with guilt and laden with iniquity, \\ as appears by his crimes before- mentioned. He liv'd a tyrant ; and it was the opprefiion and violence of his reign, that brought him to his untimely and violent end at laft. Now what of faintfliip or martyrdom is there in all this ! •|- J;.m. iii. .^, 9, 10, Ij Ifni i. 4. II What 50 Of King CH A R L E S's What of faintfhip is there in encouraging people to pro- fane the Lord^i Bay ? What of faintfhip in falfhood and perjury ? What of faintfhip in repeated robberies and depredations ? What of faintfhip in throwing real faints, and glorious patriots, into goals ? What of faint- fhip in overturning an excellent civil conftitution ;— - and proudly grafping at an illegal and monflrous power ? What of faintfhip in the murder of thoufands of inno- cent people ; and involving a nation in all the calamities of a civil war ? And what of martyrdom is there, in a man's bringing an immature and violent death upon himfelf, by being wicked overmuch ? f.Is there any fuch thing as grace, without goodnefs ! As being a follower of Chrifl, without following him ? As being his difciple, without learning of him to be jufl and beneficent ? Or, as faintfhip without fanflity ? * If not, I fear it will be hard to prove this man a faint. And verily one would be apt to fufped that that church muft be but •\- Ecclef. vii. 17. * Is it any wonder that even perfons who, do not ivalk after their onvii lujis, ^Q\i\d feoff zl fuch faints as this, both in ihsfrji and \n the laji days, even from e^erlafiing to eijerlafling F 2 Pet. iii. 3,4. — But perhaps it will be faid, that thefe things are MYSTERIES, which ( although very true in themfelves ) laf-underfiaitdings can- not comprehend : Or, indeed, any other perfons amongft us, be- fides thofe who being INWARDLY MOVED BY THE HOLY GHOST, have taken a trip acrofs the Jtlantic to obtain epifccpal ordination and the i?idelible charaSIer. — However, if thefe conlecrated gentlemen do not quite defpair of us, it is hoped that, in the abundance of their charity, they will endeavour to illucidate thefe dark points ; and, at the fame time, explain the creed of another of their eminent faints, which we are told, that unlefs we believe faithfully, ( i. e. belie'vingly) n.ve cannot be fafved: which creed, ( or rather riddle ) notwithftanding all the labours of the pious and metaphyfcal Dr. Waterland, remains fome- what tvnigmatical ftijj. poorly- Saintship and Martyrdom. 51 ■poorly flocked with faints and martyrs, which is forced to adopt fuch enormous finners into her kalendar, in order to fwell the number. But to unravel this myflery of ( nonfenfe as well as of) iniquity, which has already worked for a long time amongft us ; * or, at leaft, to give the mod probable folution of it ; it is to be remembred, that king Charles, this hurlefque upon faintfhip and martyrdom, though fo great an oppreffor, was a true friend to the Church ♦, — fo true a friend to her, that he was very well affefted towards the roman catholics ; and would, probably, have been very willing to unite Lambeth and Rome. This appears by his marrying a true daughter of that true mother of harlots ; f which he did with a difpenfation from the Pope, that fupreme BISHOP •, to whom when he wrote, he gave the title of MOST HOLY FATHER. His queen was extremely bigotted to all the follies and iuperftitions, and to the hierarchy, of Rome ; and had a prodigious afcendency over him all his life. It was, in part, owing to this, that he f probably) abetted the maf- facre of the proteftants in Ireland ; that he afTifted in extirpating the french proteftants at Rochelle •, that he all along encouraged papifls, and popiflily effefled cler- gymen, in preference to all other perfons, and that he upheld that monfter of wickednefs, ARCH -BISHOP LAUD, and the bifliops of his (lamp, in all their church- tyranny and diabolical cruelties. In return to his kindnefs and indulgence in which refpefl?, they caufed many of * 2 Their, ii. 7. f Rev. xvii. 5. the 5 2 Of King CH A PvL E S's the pulpits throughout the nation, to ring with the divine abfolute, indefeafible right of kings; with the praifesof Qharles and his reign ; and with the damnable fin of refifting the Lord's anointed, let hinn do what he would. So that not Cbrift^ but Charles, was commonly preached to the people. — In plain engliJJ:), there feems to have been an impious bargain ftruck up betwixt the fcepter and the furplice, for cnflaving both the bodies and fouls of men. The king appeared to be v/illing that the clergy fliould do what they would, — (tt up a monftrous hierarchy like that of jRc;;?^, — a monftrous inquifition like' that of Spain or Portugal, — or any thing elfe which their ovt?n pride, and the deviPs malice, could prompt them to : Provided always, that the clergy would be tools to the crown ; that they would make the people believe, that kings had God's authority for breaking God's law ; that they had a commifiion from heaven to feize the eftates and lives of their fubjeds at pleafure ; and that it was a damnable fin to refill them, even when they did fuch things as deJe;ved more than damnation. — This appears to be the true key for explaining the myjle- rious dodlrine of king Charles's faintfliip and martyrdom. He was a faint, not becaufejie was in his life, a good many but a good churchman ; not becaufe he was a lover oi holinefs, but the hierarchy ; not becaufe he was a friend to Chriji, but the Craft. And he was a martyr in his death, not becaufe he bravely fuffercd death in the caufe of truth and righteoufnefs, but becaufe he died an enemy to liberty and the rights of confcience ; i. e. not becaufe he died an enemy to /», but dijfenters. For thefe rea- fons SaiKtship and Martyrdom. 53 fons it is that all bigotted clergymen, and friends to church-power, paint this man as a faint in his life, though he was fuch a mighty, fuch a royal /inner -, and as a martyr in his death, though he fell a facrifice only to his own ambition, avarice, and unbounded lufl: of power. And from proftituting their praife upon king Charles, and offering him that incenfe which is not his due, it is natural for them to make a tranfition to the difTenters, (as they commonly doj and to load them with that re- proach which they do not deferve •, they being generally profcHed enemies both to civil and ecclefiaftical tyranny. •WE are commonly charged (upon the Thirtieth of Ja- nuary) with the guilt of putting the king to death, under a notion that it was our anceftors that did it -, and fo we are reprefented in the blacked colours, not only as fcifmaticks, but alfo as traitors and rebels and all that is bad. And thefe lofty gentlemen ufually rail upon this head, in fuch a manner as plainly fliows, that they are either groQy ignorant of the hiftory of thofe times which they fpeak of -, or, which is worfe, that they are guilty of the moft fhameful prevarication, flanderand falfliood. — But every petty fricfi^ with a roll and a gown^ thinks he mull do fomcthing in imitation of his betters^ in la'ujn^ and fliovv himfelf a true fon of the church : And thus, through a foolifh ambition to appear confJeraMe^ they only render themfelves contemptible. But fuppole our fore-fathers did kill their mock faint and martyr a century ago, what is that to us now ? If I miftake not, thefe gentlemen generally preach down the dodlrine of the imputation of Adam's fin to his pofterity, as 54- Of King CHARLESV as abfurd and unreafonable, notwithftanding they have folemnly fubfcribed what is equivalent to it in their own articles of religion. And therefore one would hardly ex- pe6l that they would lay the guilt of the king's death upon us, altho' our fore- fathers had been the only authors of it. But this condufl is much more furprifing, when it does not appear that our anceftors had any more hand in it than their own. — However, bigotry is fufEcient to ac- count for this, and many other phenomena, which cannot be accounted for in any other way. Although the obfervatlon of this anniverjary feems to have been ( at leaft ) fuperftitious in its original ; and al- though it is often abufed to very bad purpofes by the efta- bliflied clergy, as they ferve themfelves of it, to perpetuate ftrife, a party fpirit, and divifions in the chriftian church ; yet it is to be hoped that one good end will be anfwered by it, quite contrary to their intention : It is to be hoped, that it will prove a {landing memento, that Britons will not htflaves •, and a warning to all corrupt councellors and minijlers, not to go too far in advifing to arbitrary, def- potic meafures — — To conclude : Let us all learn to be free, and to be loyal. Let us not profefs ourfelves vaflals to the lawlefs pleafure of any man on earth. But let us remember, at the fame time, government \s facred, and not to be trifled with. It is our happinefs to live under the government of a PRINCE who is fatisfied with ruling according to law ; as every other good prince will — We enjoy under his ad- miniftration all the Uberty that is proper and expedient for Saintship ^W Martyrdom. 55 for us. It becomes us, therefore, to be contented, and dutiful fubjefts. Let us prize our freedom ; but not ufe our liberty for a cloke of malicioufnefs. -}- There are men who ftrike at liberty under the term licentioufnefs. There are others who aim at popularity under the dif- guife of patriotifm. Be aware of both. Extremes are dangerous. There is at prefent amongft us, perhaps, more danger of the latter, than of the former. For which reafon I would exhort you to pay all due Regard to the government over us j to the KING and all ia authority ; and to lead a quiet and peaceable life. \. — And while I am fpeaking of loyalty to our earthly Prince, fuffer me juft to put you in mind to be loyal alfo to the fupreme RULER of the univerfe, by whom kings reign', and princes decree juflice. * To which king eter- nal immortal, invifible, even to the ONLY WISE GOD, n be all honor and praife, DOMINION and thankfgiving, through JESUS CHRIST our LpRD. AMEN. -f- I Pet. ii. 16. 4- ' Tim. ii. z. * Prov. viii. 15. 11 1 Tim. i. 17. FINIS. '\ar '\ar vy # t 4^ '^ •v/ii-wJAK.: