A Second Parcel of Objections Answered, Treatise · Answer 3
and full, that it was most for publick safetie to agree with the King upon the best terms they could, and that there should bee still a continuance both of him and of the Hous of Lords.
Suppose this to bee so, what then? then (say they) it follow's that the present constitution of affairs (being contrarie to that which the major part of the hous then declared) is not for publick safetie; and if this constitution doth not tend to publick safetie, then it follow's that the engagement by which it is confirmed ought not to bee entred into; for no man should oblige himself to that which is contrarie to publick safetie. This I conceiv is the whole strength of the Scruple as it may lie in their conception.
But I shall freely tell you that with mee it hath no weight at all, as to engage my Conscience in the busines; as to take mee off from taking the Engagement, for manie things are here presupposed which are to mee uncertain; and though they bee granted to bee true, yet they reach not at all to put an obligation upon my Conscience to abstain from the engagement as now it is offered.
They presuppose here that in a state of War aswel as in a peaceable constitution of affairs whatsoëver is determined and allowed by a major part is most for publick safetie which is to mee a very doubtful assertion. Wee finde that matters have been carried on all along in both Kingdoms rather by a Minor then by a Major part of the Nation; and if this rule should be taken up universally; Whatsoëver the Major part doth is best don; and most agreeable to Justice in all things; it will go ill with the people of God in the world; and the narrow waie, with the few that walk in it, will not bee justified: this rule therefore is not in all Cases and at all times to bee admitted; but it must needs admit of some restriction, whereby in matters of extraordinarie concernment, a partie which is most considerable, though fewer, may dissent from a partie which is less considerable, though more in number. Wee see then that this first presupposal whereupon the whole Scruple is grounded is not sound.
Besides this presupposal, there is this also intimated in the Scruple, that what formerly was declared to bee most for publick safetie, must now also be judged to bee so; as if the several Emergencies in state affairs could not give caus to alter justly their opinions concerning the waie of publick safetie.
Again a third presupposal is implied in this Scruple viz. That the hous is not now free and full as then it was; which how I can take upon mee to assert I know not, seeing they who are onelie competent Judges of their own freedom, do vote themselvs to bee free; and seeing it is an undoubted fundamental law of the Parlamentarie Constitution that fortie Members regularly met are a full Hous to all intents and purposes, aswel as four-hundred: now it is known that the Hous was never less then fortie: therefore it hath alwaies been full: and a full Hous may repeal it's own acts upon Emergencies as it seeth caus.
Fourthly, it is not only presupposed, but expresly asserted, that the Hous declared that is was most for publick safetie to agree with the King on the best terms they could, and that there should bee stil a continuance of Him and of the Hous of Lords; Truly I beleev that times were, when Votes did pass in the Hous to this effect, though not in those terms; which is cleer by several publick Declarations importing no less; but I beleev also that upon new Emergencies their sens of agreeing did alter, and that since the King was at Holdenbie, and the Armie took him into their custodie, and that hee stil refused to yield to their Propositions, their sens of publick safetie did much varie, from what you here express it was, as was manifest by the votes of Non-addresses; and it is certain, that this which is alleged was not the vote in terminis; for which the Members were separated from the Hous: that Vote was in terminis, this; That the Answers of the King to the Propositions of both Houses, were a ground for the Hous to proceed upon, for the settlement of the Peace of the Kingdom. This was the fatal dividing Vote, which in the sens of som, I believ, did tend to that, which you saie the Hous declared; but in the sens of others, it might tend to settle the peace of the Kingdom without him. Som thought it was best to agree with the King upon anie terms whatsoëver, to carrie on a design: but others thought it more safe, not to admit of the terms which hee offered, for fear of that design.
It appear's by that which is fallen out, that although the partie most numerous did vote in the first, yet the partie most considerable voted in the last sens, and which of these two did vote most wisely and justly; if I should take upon mee to determine, who am without dores, and not conscious to circumstances of State, nor intrusted with the management of publick affairs, it would in mine own judgment bee a very great presumption, and contrarie to the Rule, by which I walk in a conscionable submission to superior powers; for I make this my Rule, that my conscience is obliged to nothing, but to judg of mine own waies, how they may, within my calling bee made answerable to the will of God, by the Rules which hee hath given mee. Now I said, no Rule given by him to mee in my calling, which doth oblige mee to bee a definitive judg of these matters; so as to fasten them upon my conscience, that except I bee able to determine them, I may take no rest, nor intend the main duties of my profession. Nay, I finde a contrarie cleer Rule. That I must not bee a busie bodie in other men's affairs; 1 Pet. 4. 15. 1 Cor. 9. 19. Tit. 3. 1. Jude 3. 8.That beeing free from all, I must becom a servant to all, in that which is for edification; I must bee subject to superior powers, and not speak evil of Dignities; and that I must not suffer my conscience to bee brought under the power of worldlie and 1 Cor. 6. 12. 1 Cor. 3. 21, 22.outward concernments: for I am told that all things are mine, therefore I must not bee brought under the power of anie thing, but beeing bought with a price by the Lord, I must not bee (as to conscience) a servant of men; from which Rules 1 Cor. 7. 23, 24.I infer this, that, although I suppose all that is alleged, to bee so, as it is alleged; and all the presupposals to bee undoubted and certain, yet they must not reach, and com within mee so far; as to becom a scruple to my conscience; and to make no doubt, whether yea or no, I should behave my self as a Subject, towards those that are my superiors; obeying Magistrates readily in everie good work, not speaking evil of them, nor brawling against them; but shewing all gentleness and meekness, both to them, and to all men, Tit. 3. 1, 2. I leav then the judicature of publick safetie to those that are in publick places: I praie to God for them; that they may bee inabled to judg aright, and to see their waie before them, and whether they do right or wrong in particular matters; I leav the judgment thereof unto God, and to their conscience; and look onelyonly to mine own walking in my private sphere, to bee without blame, and to hold forth the word of life, and let the changes bee, what ever they will or may bee, in the states of this world, they shall no more trouble mee, if I remain my self, then the changes of the air, when the weather is somtimes fair, and somtimes foul: the storm that bloweth over my head shall not make mee stand still in the high waie, nor lie down in the puddle, not going forward till the journies end; as I am afraid, manie who are angrie at the changes of the times, beeing of a sullen humor, are readie to do, becaus they cannot get their wills; but I believ not that anie of your friends are such: yet I cannot saie, that all godlie men are free from the snare of such a distemper.
The second scruple is this; that, although no man can bee a judg in his own caus, and that although heretofore, both King and Parliament did appeal to the judgment of the people, to determine whether of their proceedings did most agree, to the preservation of Religion and Libertie, yet none are now thought competent judges of those actions, which have been don by such who are in power, but themselvs; so that now all men are bound up, to yield a blinde obedience to those who have gotten the Government into their hands; and exercise it in an arbitrarie waie.
To this I saie, suppose all this be so, what then? then (saie your friends) the Engagement ought not to bee entered into, by which they will bee established in the use of this power: and this I take to bee the whole strength of this scruple also.
But hereunto I saie, that I dare not take upon mee, to censure them, so as your friends do in this scruple; and although the accusations which are alleged, should bee made out, to bee such crimes as they would make them to bee; and that I should see no plea left for them, whereby they might justifie themselvs; yet the consequence which your friends make thereupon, would not follow as to my conscience: for suppose the matters alleged to bee as ill, and their proceedings as irrational as may bee, and that they abuse their power, as is alleged; yet I saie, that it is not warrantable for mee to refuse the Engagement: if it require in my judgment, a thing in it self good, and lawful to bee don for common safetie; for the supposed faultineses of these men in their places; (where of private men are not judges over them) cannot warrant mee to refuse the performance of a cleer and known dutie towards the publick in my place, which they may require of mee.
But your friends will saie perhaps to this: but if your entering into the Engagement will establish them in the power which they abuse, how can you do it with a good conscience? I answer, that whatever is a cleer matter of dutie, ought for conscience sake to bee intended for it self without scrupling the event: becaus the future accidental effects, and contingent events of humane actions are wholly in God's hand; nor can I know whether my taking of the Engagement shall establish them in the power, which they have or no: and if it doth, whiles I do nothing but my dutie, I must leav that to God. Your friends that argue thus; wee will not resolv to bee true and faithful to the Common-wealth, as it is now established without a King and Hous of Lords, becaus, if wee do this, these men will bee confirmed in the places wherein they are, do not in this matter guid their resolution by a rule, but by a conjectural interest, and the forecast of som event, which they would, or would not have to fall out, which is not to follow, but to predetermine Providence, a thing in our thoughts no waies to bee allowed, and a thing which they condemn in others, and yet herein it's practised by themselvs: for when they refuse thus to do a dutie upon this account, becaus happily these men will thereby bee established; they seem to mee to intend to oppose, and contradict Providence alreadie determined; now whether Providence will establish these men, in the place whereof they are fully possest, yea or no, is a thing that I am not to look after: I must leav that unto God, and intend nothing, but to follow in everie present action a cleer Rule; and if God will confirm them in their places, by my doing my dutie, why should I take upon mee, or settle in my thoughts to grudg at it, or to hinder that event? Shall I predetermine God's Counsel? Can I saie to him they ought not to bee confirmed? or shall I by the neglect of a dutie, endevor to cast down those whom hee hath set up? Is not this to follow them that seek for changes? wee may wish, and seek also for changes to the better; if by doing our dutie, wee have caus to conjecture that such a thing may fall out; but to the end that a change of publick affairs may fall out, to neglect a dutie is altogether unwarrantable; or to studie in hatred to som persons, to bring a change in the Government is that which is forbidden, as I suppose, in the Proverbs by Solomon; as for mine own part, I freely declare, that I did not seek for the abolishment of Regal Government; but since God hath brought it about in his own waie; I am bound to dequiesce, and as I sought not to bring matters to this state by a change; so I shall not seek to bring matters from it again, by a new change; but I must by the rule of my place and calling, as a private man, resolv to do my dutie, in the settlement or unsettlement, which God doth give, what ever it is: so then you see, that if I must guid my conscience by a Rule, I must not measure the righteousness of my actions by the appearances of events, which I conjecture may follow thereupon, but by the precepts, which tell mee what is my dutie in my place at all times, in presenti, hic & nunc; nor must I look to other men's actions, by the constructions, which I, or others may make of them, but I must look unto mine own waie; that is, to that which God require's of mee, in my private station. This your friends seem not to do, when they argue thus: wee will not take the Engagement, becaus wee will not confirm, but rather disturb these men in their places: this to my understanding, is to make conscience depend upon a design, and not upon the observation of a rule, in reference to a present dutie; now I dare not fasten anie humane design upon my conscience, nor make my conscience subject to anie thing, but to a cleer Rule of God's word: therefore, except the argument were proposed unto mee thus: You must not take the Engagement, becaus the action required in it, is in it self unlawful to bee don, by you in your place; except (I saie) it were thus offered unto mee, I can see no just plea to pretend conscience in the business; if then nothing to my judgment bee required of mee, which is unlawful for mee to bee don, in my place and calling; I must bee so far from pretending conscience, for not engaging thereunto; that I dare not for conscience sake, but bee engaged heartily; by reason of the universal, and undeniable Rule, Rom. 13. 1. Let all souls bee subject to the higher powers; becaus the powers that are, are of God; and again, vers 5. You must needs bee subject for conscience sake. Thus then my conscience is not to bee subjected to the consequence, which your friends make; but unto this Rule of the word; although I should grant, that the premises, upon which they infer it to bee true: but if, when I look upon the Premises in themselvs, and by the judgment of discretion, finde them to bee such, as may bee meer mistakes, and misrepresentations of things, or at least great uncertainties, which I ought not to take upon mee to determine, then I am abundautly cleered in the matter, that I ought not to bee scrupled at the things alleged, as they are; nor do I think, that your friends, if they understood themselvs rightly, would suffer their conscience to bee scrupled at such considerations as these are; for if the Question bee concerning the actions of these men that now govern, whether anie can or may judg of them definitively, besides themselvs; the answer must bee, as I conceiv, that if they are the higher powers, from whom none can appeal; then it followeth undeniably, that none can, or may judg of their proceedings but themselvs. The supreme government; that is, the Law-making power (which no man looking upon them, can denie them to bee possest off) cannot bee accountable unto anie, but unto God: and if you will make them judges of their own proceedings, you must name som to bee over them, able to call them to an account: but if none such can bee found; then wee must understand this Rule, that no man is a competent Judg of his own actions, cum grano salis: viz. of a single man, viz. that none is to bee made the sole, and supreme judg of his own caus, and actions, but that hee ought to bee accountable thereof unto others, becaus no single man on earth, is either by the Law of nature, or by God's appointment made onelyonly for himself, or to bee without doing service unto others; and therefore by other's, to whom hee is appointed to do service, hee may bee judged, and is bound to give them an account of his stewardship; but in case a state, or whole nation by it's representatives, which by it self is free, and depend's upon none but God, doth contract it self into a Bodie, to whom it doth intrust it's whole power; this Bodie can bee accountable unto none, but unto God; nevertheless, each member of the Bodie is accountable unto the whole; onelyonly the whole, as long as it hath the power, cannot bee called to an account of their proceedings by anie; els there would bee a processus in infinitum, or this absurditie would follow, that the supreme power would bee subject to it's inferior, that is no supreme, which is, contradictio in adjecto; it follow's then, that where a Nation doth intrust the supremacie of their power, so to anie societie of men, that they can do with it what they think good, there none can bee judges of their actions definitively but themselvs; els the judges and governors, which are actually supreme, would have Superiors over them, which is absurd. Potentially the Supremacie is in the collective Bodie of a Nation; but actually it can bee no where, but in the representatives of the whole; and so long as the trust of the whole is in their hands, so long they must bee allowed to bee sole judges of their proceedings.
As for that which is said, that both King and Parliament did appeal to the people's judgment, to determine, whether of their proceedings did agree most with the preservation of Religion, and Libertle of the Subject; I grant they did so; but their meaning was not by so doing, to set up everie private man above themselvs, as a definitive judg of the whole matter; but onelyonly to justifie their proceedings to the judgment of discretion, in everie man, that hee might for his own good, bee inclined to favor the caus, which should seem in his eies most just; from this appeal, of both King and Parliament to the people, may bee gathered by the waie; First, that all Superiors are som waie accountable to the bodie of the Nation, of their administrations, and of the Reasons of their proceedings. Secondly, that all particular men may take notice, by the judgment of discretion, of the proceedings of their Superiors, to swaie their resolutions to a rational concurrence, or non-concurrence in things required of them in their places. Thirdly, that no Superiors ought to think themselvs so absolute, as not to bee bound, to declare the grounds of their actions, that they may bee understandingly weigned by their inferiors, for whose sake they manage publick affairs. From these grounds then, let mee offer to your discretion, that which I think rational, and tending to Peace, that seeing the Trustees of the Nation have disagreed amongst themselvs, and those that had the supremacie of power in their hand, have determined matters, according to the abilitie which God gave them; it is lawful for mee in my place, to look upon matters so far, as I discern them, to make the best thereof; but it is not lawful, nor conscionable, for mee to judg definitively of their proceedings, to make the worst thereof.
You see then, that I cannot in conscience charge these men, that have the Government in their hand, with that which your friends judg them guiltie of. viz. First, that all men are made to yield a blinde obedience unto them; I cannot saie so; for I see that they offer to all men, an account of their proceedings, and that they have carried on their resolutions rationally, according to emergencies, and are not unwilling to shew the reasons of their proceedings, to such as enquire after the same. Secondly, that they have the Government without the people's consent: I cannot saie so; for I believ, that all that are in place, were chosen to their places by the free consent of the people. Thirdly, that they exercise their power more arbitrarily then the King did, in som sens I cannot saie so, and yet in another sens I may saie so. I may not saie so in the sens that your friends mean it, who I suppose, make all arbitrarie power as in the King, so in them equally unlawful. I may not saie so; becaus I am not a judg, either of him, or of them in their particular actings, and yet again, I may saie, that I conceiv it lawful in them to exercise an arbitrarie power, which was not lawful in the King to do, becaus their trust from the Bodie of the Nation is above that, which was given to the King; and the whole power which hee had, did primarily belong unto them, as they were representatives of the Nation, who upon emergencie, have seen caus to resume it; and of this they have given an account to the bodie collective; so then, although it is their right, as supreme in the Bodie, to do things arbitrarily; yet I cannot saie, that they intend to rule without Law, as it was imagined the King intended, by opposing the Law-making power of the Representatives, or that they intend to oblige all men, to yield a blinde obedience; for where Laws are made, and accounts given of publick proceedings; there men cannot bee justly said to bee obliged, to yield a blinde obedience: and thus you see, wherefore I am not staggered, at the second scruple of your friends.
The third matter here proposed, is not a scruple, but a complaint, with a suspicious conjecture of their intentions concerning Religion; that they seem not to bee willing to advance it, becaus they punish not blasphemers, and sinners against the light of nature, so much as those that take not the Engagement; to this I shall saie; that it is my dutie to mourn, for the abominations committed within Jerusalem; to praie to God for a remedie against them, to warn, and admonish those that are in place of them; to encourage them to do their dutie towards the publick, and towards my self, by doing my dutie in all things good and lawful towards them; and when I have don this, I must leav the event unto God; but if I will take up jealousies against them, becaus everie thing which I would have don, in publick by them, is not don, as I would have it; and upon my private jealousies, I licentiate my self, not to do my dutie in my place towards them, and make others rebellious against them; and in my heart depose them from their places; then I weaken their hands, and hinder them, what in mee lieth from doing even that, which I complain is not don by them; and so make my self accessarie to the guilt of that evil, which I laie unto their charge; and so, while's I accuse them, of the neglect of their dutie, to the publick, I neglect mine own dutie, both to my self, and to them, and to the publick, and abstract them also from doing their's.
The last matter here offered is the consideration of Rom. 13. where your friends saie, that it is not to bee understood of usurped powers, and you give mee their grounds, why they think so?
As for mine own part, I cannot call to minde, that any where I have said, nor do I remember, that ever I was of opinion to saie: that the place is to bee understood of usurped powers; but I conceiv, it is to bee understood indefinitely, of the powers which are in place, what ever they are, whether usurped or not; if they bee the higher powers; for the words which the Apostle doth use, signifie nothing els; but that which is proper to a supreme Magistrate, implying nothing, either of usurpation, or lawful election to the place; but onelyonly of a beeing in it, of the ground beeing in it of the ground of that beeing, as it is from God, of the Acts proper to the beeing in the place, and of the ends of those acts; and the duties of Subjects to bee performed towards them in reference to all this. I saie not then that the Apostle doth intend to perswade us, to obeie usurped powers; but hee doth declare, what wee ought to do, as Christians in submission to the powers that are over us; that is, to those that bear Rule: for the words used by the Apostle are indefinite foreign vers 1. and foreign. vers 3. these denominations determine nothing concerning the matter of usurpation, or a lawful calling to their places; they implie onelyonly three things. Viz. First, the Notion of power, or force in foreign. Secondly the notion of eminencie, or superioritie possessed, in foreign. Thirdly, the notion of acting above others, or before others, in foreign. So then, the object of our submission is indefinitely the might, which is possessed of the superioritie, which is above us: and doth act in a waie of Government over us. Of these mights, or mightie ones, the Apostle saith indefinitely, that none of them have their place of Superioritie, or their might but of God; and whatever superioritie or might is in beeing, is ordained of God so to bee, over those that are in subjection to it; and therefore none ought to resist the superior powers, that are over them for Government, becaus the Governors, or Magistrates are not a terror to good works, but to the evil; and this I take to bee the cleer sens of vers 1, 2, 3. If then the Apostle speake's of Magistrates, or Magistracie indefinitely, not reflecting upon the particular waie, how they enter upon their places; but onelyonly upon the actual possession thereof: and in that respect will have us to look upon them, as such whom God appoint's to bee obeied in things that are good; I know not why wee should trouble our selvs further, then the Holie Ghost doth give us caus, by limiting and defining the title and right of the powers, into lawful and unlawful, with reference to their enterance therein, according to humane Laws and customs; whereof in all this Scripture there is no intimation at all; nor was it then, nor is it now possible, for private Christians (to whom the Apostle write's) to judg of the lawfulness of the titles, of those that are in place, to the power which they have; but hee refer's them onelyonly to that which was apparent, and whereof none could pretend ignorance, viz. to the powers which were actually over them, to rule them; these then as such, are to bee respected as the object of our submission; and this is cleerly Calvin's minde, lib. 4. Instit. cap. 20. parag. 24. till the end; where hee make's the office of Magistracie to bee the thing to bee respected by all, although men com to the possession of it by means, and waies never so unjust, and do nothing less, then what become's their places; for the unjust acquisition of a place, although it is a sin in him, who com's unjustly by it; yet it derogate's nothing from that which is due to the place, that is, the office according to God's appointment; for the office is his ordinance, and hee will have all souls to bee subject to it, in good things: els wee set up Anarchie.
Now if your friends will without prejudice look upon these things; they will perceiv, that higher powers and rulers are to bee look't upon onelyonly, as men in the office of Magistrates, and as such, to bee obeied: and this beeing granted, it will follow, whatever their personal faults may bee, that yet, so long as they are in the office of Magistracie, they are to bee submitted unto in all good things: whether then they are usurpers or no, that is not material to my conscience; this Apostolical Rule binde's mee to respect the ordinance of God, which is the Ruler in his Office; to him, as such, I owe submission, nor am I to judg of anie thing further. By all which you may see, how I shall answer your friend's objections, which tend to shew, that the higher powers in Rom. 13. cannot bee meant of usurped powers; that is, of men com to the place of Government, by waies of usurpation; I shall saie to this, that the Apostle doth not express anie thing at all of this, and therefore wee may not assert, that hee meant anie such thing; nor doth hee express anie thing to exclude usurpers, from having the title of higher powers; but his words, to my understanding, are indefinitely appliable to all, that are in the Office of supreme power; whether they bee usurpers, or no: therefore it is not that which is to bee look't upon; but if they bee high and Ruling powers, they are to bee regarded, as the Apostle doth enjoin, and for the reasons hee doth allege.
As for the Arguments brought in to shew that usurpers of the higher power cannot bee included in the denomination, which the Apostle give's to Magistrates here, I conceiv them far short of which they intend to prove.
To the first I shall saie, that God's providence can have no Rule but his will; and it is no incongruitie, to saie, that God hath but one rule of ordering all things; which is the Rule of Righteousness. Whether then hee appoint's plagues and famines; or blessings, and plentiful seasons; and whether hee give's good and bad Magistrates; usurpers, or lawfully called ones; all is don by the same rule of common providence, which is God's just and holie will. Nor is this at all ill for the Autoritie and credit of Magistracie to bee thus appointed: for the highest autoritie is the supremacie of God's will; whose wisdom saith, by mee Kings reign, and Princes decree Justice, Prov. 8. 15. and the most high ruleth in the Kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever hee will, and setteth up over it the basest of men, Dan. 4. 17. I shall confess, that as to men by the Principles of natural societie, God hath setled Rules for Government, and for men to bee placed in Government; and so the Autoritie and credit of Magistracie is built upon another basis, as to us, then, that which doth bring Calamities and plagues upon us, which com immediately from common providence, but that this man come's to the Government, either conformably, or not conformably, to those humane Rules of election, is immediately from God; and no disparagement at all to the office, and the respect due unto it, becaus hee hath given express Rules, both in the word, and in the nature of man, by which it is to bee upheld amongst men; and herein the autoritie of Magistracie is differenced from plagues and calamities, and not in the reference, which it hath to common Providence; for by commons Providence all things have but one Rule, God's righteous will in judgment and loving kindness.
To the second, which saith, that the powers here spoken of, must not bee resisted, but (saie your friends) usurpers may bee resisted, as Athalia was, these must bee maintained by paying of tribute, usurpers not so. I saie, that it is not lawful for anie private man, to whom the Apostle write's to resist the higher powers over him, whether the persons bee usurpers or no; nor is hee to make himself a judg of usurpation; but hee is to bee subject to the powers, that are in place and rule: As for Athalia, shee was not resisted by anie private, but by publick autoritie; for Jehoiada the high Priest, and the Sanhedrim was a publick autoritie; and by the Law of Nature, beeing the King's Tutor and Protector, hee was autorized to depose and execute the usurper; as for the assertion, that lawful Magistrates must bee maintained by paying tribute, but usurpers not so; I saie, that the dutie of paying tribute is injoined to Subjects towards Majestrates quâ Magistrates; and not quâ lawful Magistrates; and consequently, it is not lawful for anie to refuse tribute upon this ground, becaus hee doth judg him to bee an usurper, who doth demand it; if hee doth finde him, in the place and office of a Magistrate, and if no law of nature, or Nations, or of God is contrarie to what is demanded; hee is bound to paie tribute, as to a Magistrate indefinitely, without this, or that respect to his personal qualities.
The third objection saith; that lawful power is onelyonly God's ordinance, and not usurped. This is to beg the Question: for God's Providence doth order the acts of usurpation (in themselvs as to men unlawful) to a good end; and the Magistracie still remain's his ordinance, although seated in an usurper; and the highest power of might, which none can have, but by his giving of it, is his ordinance, although an usurper hath the management Joh. 19. 10, 11.of it: Christ tel's Pilate, when hee spoke of his power or might, to save or condemn him, that hee could do nothing in that kinde, except it were given him from above; God for judgment, give's and appoint's power to bee in the hands of Tyrants: they manage it unjustly, and in due time are punished for it; yet that Supremacie of power, in their hand, doth not ceas to bee an ordinance of God. It is true, that the sons of Aaron had another manner of ordination, then Korah and his companie; for Korah and his companie were never permitted to have the Priesthood; but if God had not punished them, but permitted them upon the plea, which they used to have managed the Priesthood, aswel as the service of the Tabernacle, and that they had been in a peaceable possession of the office, what respect would then have been due unto them is a doubt unto mee, which I am not able, I confess suddenly to determine; for I finde that Christ in his daies, did respect the Autoritie of the High-Priest; although hee was but annual; and came into his place by another waie, then God at first appointed Aaron and his sons to that office; Briberie, faction and politick practices had brought the office of the High-Priest, to bee annual and changeable, in respect of the men that had it, who perhaps, in those daies could not bee excused from usurpation upon one another; and yet the office was to bee respected in their hand, and look't upon as God's Ordinance; the personal faults of men make not void the appointment of God.
To the fourth I saie, that all men, whom God doth anie waie imploie, are in som sens his Ministers; the original word is foreign, which is a servant; and whoëver hath the place of an officer under God, is rightly called his servant; and none can have it; but by som waie of calling from God himself, either ordinarie, or extraordinarie: it follow's not therefore, that usurpers may not bee called God's servants; Nebuchadnezar an usurper, is called Jer. 25. 9.God's servant by the Prophet; hee that doth service, and is imploied by a master to do it, is a servant; all Tyrants in the world are imploied for judgment, and all usurpers of power are under a Master, that is, higher then the highest, who make's use of them for the welfare of his people; for although wee count not punishments our welfare, yet certainly in God's hand they are for the good of his people, and they execute the wrath which God hath appointed against evil doers; and this wrath they execute by virtue of their office. For God appoint's them to the office, that they should take vengeance of evil doers, as Jehu was appointed against the hous of Ahab, in an extraordinarie cours.
The last Argument alleged to prove, that no usurpers can bee meant by higher powers in Rom. 13. is taken from a supposed inconvenient consequence, which is, that if Levellers, Papists, or Malignants should get the power, and becom the supreme Rulers, wee should bee obliged to obeie them as the powers that are of God; whereunto I can saie no more but this; that it would indeed bee a sad case, if God should dispose of the Supremacie of power into such hands; but if hee should for a judgment over this state bee pleased so to do, I know none other rule for private men to behave themselvs by, but this which the Apostle doth prescribe; for if the Turk were my supreme Magistrate, and my lot did fall to bee under his civil Government, I would think my self bound, in things good and lawful, to submit unto him; the Reformed Churches in France are under a Papist Magistrate: yet they refuse not to submit in things good and lawful; If God give the Kingdom to the basest of men, and set mee under him, I must not saie, becaus hee is base, that therefore his power is not of God.
Thus I have after a long delaie found som time, to offer your friends these thoughts for their satisfaction, the three first scruples I had answered above a monethmonth ago; the last which relates to Rom. 13. I intended to have answered by a full, and demonstrative Analysis of that whole context, which I had begun to make, but beeing severally interrupted with som other occasions, I did yesterdaie alter my resolution, and have added to that, which was don so long ago; what you finde here, in answer to the fourth scruple: the Lord direct us in all truth, and teach us to discern the things that are most excellent; I rest, and desire you to remember mee to your friends, as beeing
Your affectionate and faithful Servant in Christ. JOHN DVRIE. St James's 17. Julie 1650.