Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Section 12 – Section 13
12. Paſſages deleted againſt the Arbitrary, Tyrannicall power of Kings; diſobedience to their unjuſt, popiſh and wicked commands, reſiſting their tyranny; and the mortality of Kings.
IN Maſter Wards Comentary upon Matthew, f. 324. in the written copy, the Licenſer obliterated this enſuing diſcourſe on Mat. 22. 21. Give unto Caeſar the things which are Caeſars: Queſt. Whether is it altogether unlawfull to reſiſt civill power, when it is wicked and unjuſtly oppreſſeth the Church and Common-wealth, and compelleth Subjects to commit adultery, and perſecutes true Religion with fire and faggot? Anſw. 1. Firſt, it is lawfull for Miniſters to reprehend and rebuke the ſinnes of all who are under their charge, and conſequently Kings, Princes, Peers and Magiſtrates, when they offend; as is evident both by the examples of the Apoſtles and Prophets, and alſo from theſe places, 1 Tim. 5. 20. & 2 Tim. 4. 2. Heb. 13. 17. In which place it is ſaid, that Paſtors ſhall give account for thoſe Magiſtrates which periſh under their charge. Secondly, it is lawfull for the inferiour and ſubordinate Magiſtrates to defend the Church and Common-wealth, when the ſupreame Magiſtrate degenerates, and falleth into tyranny or idolatry: for firſt, Kings are ſubject to their Common-wealths, at leaſt unto the law of God, Deut. 17. 18, 19, 20. Ioſh. 1. 8. and ſecondly, it is the office of the inferiour Magiſtrate as well as the ſuperiour, to maintaine and defend the lives and ſafety of the ſubjects; and therefore although the ſuperiour Magiſtrate ſhould neglect his duty, yet the inferiour muſt not neglect theirs. Thirdly, it is not lawfull for any private perſon either to take up arms for the defence of the inferiour Magiſtrates before a danger come, or for their owne defence in danger, or for the avenging of themſelves after danger, if they can be defended by an ordinary power; and this we gather from David, 1 Sam. 24 26. Fourthly, it is lawfull even for a private perſon to reſiſt with weapons, if a tyrant like a theefe, ſhall offer violence unto him, either by himſelfe or by another, when he can neither obtain the relief and help of publike authority and power nor eſcape by any other meanes or way, for againſt whom it is lawfull for a man to defend himſelf by the Magiſtrate, againſt the ſame it is lawful to defend himſelf by himſelf in a caſe of neceſſity: as for example: If a King in his anger ſhould command one of his followers to kill ſuch a one, or ſhould run upon him himſelfe with his ſword drawne, intending to kill him, if that man could neither be delivered by the law or government of the Land, nor by flight could eſcape away, he might then lawfully with his ſword in his hand defend himſelfe even againſt the King himſelfe, but he muſt not offend the King, nor lay his hand upon the Lords anointed for the very law of nature teacheth men to defend themſelves, and to maintaine their lives againſt all the unjuſt aſſaults and practiſes of any whatſoever. Fifthly, to take away defence of himſelfe from a private perſon againſt a tyrant, is to eſtabliſh tyranny, for the law of God doth principally require the ſociety of humane converſation, and therefore thoſe things that are Caeſars are to be given to Caeſar; neither is he to be reſiſted, ſo long as he doth not oppoſe himſelfe againſt God, commanding ſome wicked Religion, or ſome wicked and unjuſt thing; for as Chriſt commands us to give unto Caeſar thoſe things, ſo he commands us to give unto God thoſe things that be Gods; and God forbids us to give unto Caeſar thoſe things which are not Caeſars, and therefore if Caeſar commands that which is repugnant to the command and will of God, we muſt not obey him, Acts 4. 19. & 5. 29.
In Doctor Iones his Comentary on the Hebrewes, theſe ſentences are purged out, page 387. in the written, & 493. in the printed copy: It is comparitively ſpoken, all the Statutes, Edicts and Commandements that proceed from Kings, are not to be feared; Saul commanded the Serjeants to lay violent hands on the Prieſts, but they moved not a hand to doe it, 1 Sam. 22. 17. Nebuchadnezzer made a proclamation, that all Nations and kinreds ſhould fall downe and worſhip his golden Image, yet the three children would not doe it, they choſe rather to be caſt into the fiery furnace; Darius made a Decree, none ſhould pray to any God, and yet Daniel he feared not the commandement, ſtill he prayed to the God of Iſrael; ſo Pharaoh gave commandement that the Egyptians children ſhould be throwne into the River, yet Moſes Parents feared God, and choſe rather to obey God then man: If the Kings commandement be according to Gods commandement, then obey it, if it be repugnant, then it is an excellent demand, Acts 4. 19. whether it be right in the ſight of God, to obey you rather then God, judge ye? children, ſaith Paul, obey your parents in the Lord; ſo, Subjects obey your Kings in the Lord; what reaſon is there we ſhould obey man above God? honour Kings as Gods Vice-gerents, be thankfull to God for Kings, yea though they be wicked ones, for a tyranny is better then anarchy; pray for Kings, reverence Kings, but feare not the earthly King before the heavenly; their breath is in their noſtri…l, they are alive to day, and dead to morrow; they have ſtrong hands and long horns to cruſh us with; yet God can dry up their hands, as he did Ieroboams, he can weaken their hornes, that they ſhould not gore us with them; I will tell you, ſaith Chriſt, whom you ſhall feare; not him that can kill the body, and goe no further, but he that can caſt ſoul and body into hell fire; let us feare the King of Kings above earthly Kings; God be thanked, we have a King, whoſe commandements are not contrary to Gods Commandements; but if God in his wrath ſhould ſend us a King as our ſinnes have deſerved, that ſhould command us to goe to Maſſe, to worſhip Images, to kill the Saints of God; let us not feare ſuch Commandements; either our God will deliver us out of their hands, even miraculouſly above our expectation, or elſe take us to himſelfe, and give us a crowne of eternall glory. And page 396. in the written copy, The fierceneſſe of Kings is not to be feared, when the King of Kings ſends us in his buſineſſe, &c. When the blood is heated, the mind incenſed, this is the rage of the King; the King was enraged for anger againſt Moſes, as Lamech ſaid, I would kill a man in my wrath; ſo where is this Moſes? bring him that I may flay him; and no doubt, he beſet the Land, and ſent out purſevants after him unto all places; yet Moſes feared it not; the wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon, yet if it be in Gods cauſe, let us not feare it: The devill is, foreign, ſo Chriſt is foreign, rapiens, eripiens to deliver us our of his hands; Nebuchadnezzar was wroth with the three children becauſe they would not fall downe and worſhip his golden image, they feared it not: Kings are mighty but God is more mighty; they have long armes that can reach far but God at his pleaſure can dry up their arms, as he dryed up Ieroboams hand, when he ſtretched it out to ſtrike Eſay 51. 1….the Prophet; they have ſharp hornes, but God can blunt their hornes: Of Lyons, he can make them Lambs, as he did Eſau and Laban; if they will be Lyons ſtill bluſtering and roaring againſt his children, he can ſend out his Angels on the ſodaine to ſmite them as he did Herod and can cauſe the very wormes to devour them: Let us honour Kings, yea though they be enemies to Gods Church, let us reverence their power and authority, but in matters appertaining to the King of Kings, let us not feare the fierceſt of them.
In the ſame Author, we find theſe clauſes likewiſe expunged, Written cop. f. 71. Book f. 396. A King and Queen are but fleſh and blood: Written copy, f. 52. Book f. 91. Art thou a King? yet thy breath is in Gods hand: and written copy, f. 231. Book f. 272. The King that is the breath of our nostrils muſt once dye.
It ſeems Kings in this age muſt be ſo flattered and their power ſo elevated that they muſt be reputed Gods, and not put in mind of their mortality, no nor other men; elſe what meanes the croſſing out of this ſentence in the ſame Author, pag. 380. Ye live baniſht here in Aegypt, ye were ready to ſtarve for hunger, where ye came firſt; ye are now ſeated in Goſhen, entreated curteouſly; yet remember ye muſt depart, and it will be a heavy departing unto you; we are wedded to the world, as to a ſpirituall Aegypt, we have need to be put in mind of our departure from it. Thus the Lord Jeſus ſhewed to Peter that the time was at hand he ſhould lay downe his tabernacle, Luke 9. 31. ſo Philip had … Pet. 1. 14his Uſher, who daily ſaid to him, Memento Philippe te eſſe mortalem.
Did theſe popiſh Inquiſitors (judge you) ever thinke of death or their departure hence, who obliterated ſuch clauſes as theſe?
13. Paſſages deleted againſt Popiſh Blind Obedience.
THe Licenſer expunged this clauſe out of Doctor Iones his Comentary on the Hebrewes; in the written copy, pag. 352. Some bold Papiſts take occaſion from hence to extort, caecam obedientiam, blind obedience: Abraham followed God, not knowing whether he went; ſo you muſt follow your teachers, though you know not whether they call you: There is no conſequence in that, we muſt follow God though we know not whether, muſt we therefore follow men? God is wiſe, men are fooliſh; God is truth men are deceitfull; therefore ſaith the holy Ghoſt, try the ſpirits, whether they be of God; the Bereans would examine Pauls doctrine by the Scrirtures before they would follow him; ſo muſt we doe; the chicken followes the hen, muſt it therefore follow the Kite too? if God call us, let us goe though we know not whether; he is our Shepheard he will not lead us into ditches or deliver us into the hands of the Wolfe; he is our Father, he will not carry his children where they ſhall be hurt, he is the Eagle; we are his birds, let him carry us whether it pleaſeth him.