An Apology for the Nonconformists Ministry, Treatise · Part 1 · Objection 26 – Objection 27
26. Obj. But Castellanus his objection against Bicot (elsewhere cited out of Scaliger) is their greatest strength, who said Aristotle was against Monarchy: Here they may borrow that by deceiving, which by disputing they could not prove: The Counterminor, and many others like minded endeavour to make Rulers and people believe, that it is Rebellion that is in our hearts, and that it is only the renouncing of a Rebellious Covenant that we stick at, and the Renouncing of Subjects taking arms against the King, and any commissioned by him; and therefore the silencing of such as cherish the principles of Rebellion is necessary: And they think that this Oven gapeth so wide, and is so hot, that here they may boldly challenge our answer.
Ans. If men have any remnants of justice and modesty left, they shall be constrained to confess, that my Answer to this Objection is satisfactory.
I. I take that man to be an enemy to God, to Kings, and to Mankind, who will maintain that there is any such thing in the world, as a lawful unlimited Monarchy or humane Power; and therefore wonder that Bishop Morley did put the denial of this among the accused passages of my Political Aphorisms, where I expresly speak of Gods Limitation.
1. He is an enemy to God that asserteth this, because he thereby denieth God to be the Universal Soveraign, who hath made Laws for all Kings, who are all his Subjects; and as they are finite, receive but a finite power from him: It is Atheism to deny Gods Soveraignty. Hath not God forbidden Kings Idolatry, Perjury, Blasphemy, Murder, Tyranny, Oppression, Adultery, &c?
2. He is an enemy to Kings who will render them odious to mankind, by drawing such a picture or description of them, as to say, A King is one that is absolutely unlimited in his power, and therefore may deny or blaspheme God, and may destroy City and Kingdom, and kill all the innocent people when he please.
3. He is an enemy to Mankind that would bring them into such slavery, under such a Monster, and tell them, If your King send but a few Commissioned executioners, to command all your Heads, and murder Senate, City and Countrey, Parents and Children, and burn up all your dwellings, neither the Law of Nature, or of the Land will allow you to defend your selves against them. Who will defend such a monster in War against his enemies, when no enemy can bring them into greater slavery?
II. Almost all mankind on earth agree, that all humane Power is limited, and that Propriety is in order of nature antecedent to regiment, which is to order the use of propriety: Men are born with a propriety in their lives, members and health: And Nature giveth them a propriety in their Children, and Contract in their Wives, and natural Industry in the fruit of their labours: And what am I that I should deny all this, and seem wiser (in Atheism and Inhumanity) than almost all the world?
III. It is a known thing, that Tyranny is the great hinderer of the Preaching of the Gospel, and so of the Conversion and saving of the World. Why is not the saving truth of God preached among Heathens and Mahometans (who are five sixth parts of mankind) and among Papists (who are the fourth part of the other sixth), but because Tyrants will not suffer it? And no friend of God, Christ or man then should set up or plead for such an evil.
IV. To stop the mouth of Malice it self, I here truly adjoyn the profession of my judgment about all this Controversie and Accusation: I do Assent and Consent to all that is said for the Power of Kings, and the obedience and patience of Subjects, in all the Word of God, in all the Confessions which ever I yet saw of any Christian Church, Reformed Greek or Papist (except what exalteth the Pope, his Councils and Agents) or which is the ordinary Consent of Politicians, Lawyers or Divines, or which is established by the Constitution of this Kingdom. I stand to the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy. I hold it unlawful for any of his Subjects to take arms against the King, that is, against his Person, Authority, Dignity, Rights or Laws, or against any of his Courts, Officers or Soldiers Lawfully Commissioned by him; yea or if they be unlawfully Commissioned, except when Gods Law of Nature, or the Kings own Law, or contrary Commission bind me to it. And I will never endeavour to alter the Constituted Monarchical Government of this Kingdom; Nor will I endeavour to reform the Church or its Government, by Rebellion, Sedition, or any other unlawful means: And I believe that no other Oath, League or Covenant doth disoblige me from any of this aforesaid, nor warranteth me to disobey any lawful Command of the King, or any of my Governours, nor to do any unlawful thing: And I renounce all Doctrines and Practices contrary to this profession; Especially of those Popes and Councils of Bishops, who have decreed the Excommunicating and Deposing of Kings, or other Temporal Lords, and the Absolving their Subjects from their Oaths and Fidelity, and the rest of the Papal Usurpations and Church-Tyranny, against the Rights of Princes and Christian people, though judged Hereticks by Pope, Prelates or Priests.
If this be not enough, see the 2d Plea for Peace, and my form of professed Loyalty, in my book, called, The true and only way of the Concord of all Christian Churches.
V. And because they still cant over the mention of the late miserable Wars, as if they hated the Act of Oblivion and Peace; I add, that malice may have no more to say that hath the shew of reason.
Silence and cast out all that ever had any hand in those Wars, (except the Conformists) and no more, and we will give you a thousand thanks, and acquiesce in it as unexpected justice. And is not all this yet enough?
VI. As to the particular reasons that we have against Subscribing [Universally and unlimitedly, without any exposition given by the Law-makers, that it is unlawful to take arms against any Commissioned by the King, and as referring to [on any pretence whatsoever], it belongeth to another discourse to render them, which giveth the reasons of our Nonconformity: It would be here unseasonable, and they are many and great.
27 Obj. But good words must not satisfie, while the remembrance of your Rebellious practises yet remaineth.
Ans. 1. I have elsewhere told the strangers and young men that know it not, that it was between two Parties of Episcopal Conformists that the War began.
2. Is it not Words that you require as satisfactions in your Subscriptions and Oaths? What more than Words is it that you would have?
3. Are not the Laws in Power, and Judges to execute them against any that shall speak or do disloyally? What would you have more than Words, and that mens Estates and Lives be answerable for their offences?
Obj. But why will you not then subscribe and swear in the words of the Law, but in your own?
Ans. To give here the reasons of that, is the unseasonable digression before disclaimed. You may as well here call us to dispute over all our differences.
Obj. But here I am charged as an impudent falsifier of History, for saying that the War began between two Parties of Episcopal Conformity; which maketh me pity the World in point of History, when the publick affairs of a Kingdom so openly managed shall be in such a manner controverted in the very age when they were done. Divers Lords are yet living who were interessed in these matters: and it is unpleasing to give men the Catalogue of great mens Names in a matter which His Majesty hath committed to oblivion: But a breviate of all the necessary proof, I shall draw up in a History by it self.