A Hind Let Loose, Part 3 · Head 2 (4 of 5)

A Hind Let Loose · Part 3 · Head 2 (4 of 5)

p. 39810. If we will further consider the nature of Magistracy; it will appear what Authority can conscienciously be ouned, to wit, that which is foreign Potestas, not foreign Potentia; Authorized Power, not Might or force; Moral Power, not merely Natural. There is a great difference betwixt these two: Natural Power is common to brutes, Moral Power is peculiar to men; Narural Power is more in the Subjects, because they have more strength & force; Moral Power is in the Magistrate, they can never meet adequately in the same subject; Natural power can, Moral only may warrantably exercise rule; Natural power is opposed to impotency & weakness, Moral to illicitness or unlawfulness; Natural power consists in strength, Moral in righteousness; Natural power may be in a Reut of Rogues making an uproar, Moral only in the Rulers; they cannot be distinguished by their acts, but by the Principle from which the acts proceed; in the one from meer force, in the other from Authority. The Principle of Natural power is its oun might & will, and the end only self; Moral hath its rise from positive Constitution, and its end p. 399publick safety. The strength of Natural power lies in the Sword, whereby its might gives Law; the strength of Moral power is in its Word, whereby reason gives Law, unto which the Sword is added for punishment of Contraveners: Natural power takes the Sword Math. 26. 52. Moral bears the Sword Rom. 13. 4. In Natural power the Sword is the Cause; in Moral it is only the Consequent of Authority: In Natural power the Sword legitimates the Scepter; in Moral the Scepter legitimates the Sword: The Sword of the Natural is only backed with Metal, the Sword of the Moral power is backed with Gods warrant: Natural power involves men in passive subjection, as a traveller is made to yeeld to a Robber; Moral power reduces to Consciencious subordination. Hence the power that is only Natural not Moral, Potentia not Potestas, cannot be ouned: But the power of Tyrants & Usurpers is only Natural not Moral, Potentia not Potestas: Ergo it cannot be ouned. The Major cannot be denied; for it is only the Moral Power that is ordained of God, unto which we must be subject for Conscience sake. The Minor also; for the Power of Tyrants is not Moral, because not Authorized nor warranted nor ordained of God by His preceptive Ordinance, and therefore no Lawful Magistratical Power. For the clearer understanding of this let it be observed, there are four things required to the making of a Moral or Lawful Power; the matter of it must be Lawful, the Person Lawful, the Title Lawful, and the Use Lawful. 1. The matter of it, about which it is exerted, or the work to be done by it, must be Lawful & warranted by God; and if it be unlawful, it destroyes its Moral being. As the Popes power in dispensing with Divine Laws, is null & no Moral Power: And so also the Kings power, in dispensing with both Divine & humane Laws is null. Hence, that power which is in regard of matter unlawful, and never warranted by God, cannot be ouned: But absolute power, which is the power of Tyrants & Usurpers (& particularly of this of ours) is in regard of matter unlawful & never warranted by God: Ergo—2. The Person holding the power must be such as not only is capable of but competent to the tenure of it, p. 400and to whom the holding of it is allowed; and if it be prohibited, it evacuates the Morality of the power. Korah & his Company arrogated to themselves the Office of the Priesthood, this power was prohibited to them, their power then was a nullity. As therefore a person that should not be a Minister, when he usurps that office is no Minister: So a person that should not be a Magistrate, when he usurps that Office, is no Magistrate. Hence, a person that is incapable & incompetent for Government, cannot be ouned for a Governour: But the D. of Y. is such a person, not only not qualified as the Word of God requires a Magistrate to be, but by the Laws of the Land declared incapable of Rule because he is a Papist, a Murderer, an Adulterer &c. 3. There must be in Moral Power, a Lawful Title & Investure, as is shewed above; which if it be wanting, the Power is null, and the person but a Scenical King, like Iohn. of Leyden. This is essentially necessary to the being of a Magistrate; which only properly distinguishes him from a private man: for when a person becomes a Magistrate, what is the change that is wrought in him? what new habit or endewment is produced in him? he hath no more natural power than he had before, only now he hath the Moral Power, right, & Authority to Rule, Legally impowering him to Govern. Let it be Considered, what makes a subordinate Magistrate, whom we may oune as such: It must be only his Commission from a Superior Power, otherwise we reject him: If one come to us of his oun head, taking upon him the style & office of a Bailif, Sheriff, or Judge, and command our Persons, demand our purses, or exact our Oaths; we think we may deny him, not taking our selves to owe him any subjection, not ouning any bond of conscience to him; why? because he hath no lawful Commission. Now if we require this qualification in the subordinate, why not in the Supreme? Hence, that Magistrate that cannot produce his Legal Investure, cannot be ouned: But the D. of Y. cannot produce his Legal Investure, his admission to the Crown upon Oath & Compact, and with the consent of the subjects, according to the Laws of the Land, as is shewed above: p. 401Ergo—4. There must also be the Lawful Use of the Power; which must be not only legal for its composure, but right for its practice; its Course & Process in Government must be just, Governing according to Law, otherwise it is meer Tyranny: for what is Government, but the subjecting of the Community to the rule of Governours, for Peace & Orders sake, and the security of all their precious Interests? and for what end was it ordained, and continued among men, but that the stronger may not domineer over the weaker? And what is Anarchy, but the playing the Rex of the Natural power over the Moral? Hence, that Power which is contrary to Law, evil & Tyrannical, can tye none to subjection: But the power of the King, abused to the destruction of Laws, Religion & Liberties, giving his power & strength unto the beast, & making war with the Lamb Revel. 17. 13, 14. is a power contrary to Law, evil & Tyrannical: Ergo it can tye none to subjection: wickedness by no imaginable reason can oblige any man. It is Objected by some from Rom. 13. 1. There is no power but of God: The Usurping power is a power: Therefore it is of God, and consequently we owe subjection to it Ans. 1. The Original reading is not Universal, but thus foreign for there is no power if not from God: which confirms what I plead for, that we are not to oune any Authority, if it be not Authorized by God. The words are only relative to higher powers, in a restricted sense, and at most are but indefinite, to be determined according to the matter; not all power simply, but all Lawful power. 2. It is a fallacia a dicto secundum quid: There is no power but of God, that is no Moral Power, as Universal negatives use to be understood, Heb. 5. 4. no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God; which is clear, must not be understood for the negation of the fact, as if no man at all doth or ever did take unto himself that honour, for Korah did it &c. but, no man taketh it warrantably, with a Moral right and Gods allowance, without Gods call: So also the universal imperative, in that same Text, must not be taken absolutely without restriction; for if every soul without exception p. 402were to be subject, there could be none left to be the higher powers; but it is understood with restriction to the relation of a subject. So here no Power but of God, to be understood with restriction to the relation of a Lawful Magistrate. It it also to be understood indiscriminately, in reference to the diverse species, sorts, & degrees of Lawful Power, Supreme & subordinate, whether to the King as Supreme, or to Governours &c. as Peter expresses it: Or whether they be Christian or Pagan: It cannot be meant of all universally, that may pretend to power, and may attain to prevailing Potency; for then by this Text, we must subject our selves to the Papacy now intended to be introduced; and indeed if we subject our selves to this Papist, the next thing he will require will be that. 3. To the Minor proposition, I Answer. The usurping power is a power: It is Potentia, I grant; that it is Potestas, foreign, or Authority, I deny. Therefore it is of God, by His Providence, I concede; by His Ordinance; I deny. Consequently we owe subjection to it, I deny. We may be subject passively, I grant; Actively, out of conscience I deny. But some will Object. 2. Though the Power be Usurped, and so not Morally Lawful, in all these respects; yet it may do good, its Laws & administrations may be good. Ans. I grant, all is good that ends well and hath a good begining. That cannot be good which hath a bad principle, bonum ex integra causa. Some Government for constitution good, may in some acts be bad; but a Government for constitution bad, cannot for the acts it puts forth be good. These good acts may be good for matter, but formally they are not good, as done by the Usurper: They may be comparatively good, that is better so then worse; but they cannot be absolutely, and in a Moral sense good: for to make a Politick action good, not only the matter must be warrantable, but the Call also. It may indeed induce subjects to bear & improve to the best, what cannot be remedied; but cannot oblige to oune a Magistratical Relation.

II. The Nature of the power thus discovered, lets us see the Nature of that relative duty, which we owe & must oune as due to Magistrates, and what sort of ouning we p. 403must give them; which to inquire a litle into, will give light to the question. All the duty & deference the Lord requires of us, towards them whom we must oune as Magistrates, is comprehended in these two expressions, honour required in the fifth Command, and subjection required in Rom. 13. 1. &c. 1 Pet. 2. 13. &c. Whomsoever then we oune as Magistrates, we must oune honour & subjection as due to them: And if so be we cannot upon a consciencious ground give them honour & subjection, we cannot oune them as Magistrates. The least deference we can pay to Magistrates is subjection, as it is required in these words; Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers, and submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake. But this cannot be given to Tyrants & Usurpers: Ergo no deference can be paid to them at all, and consequently they cannot be ouned. That this subjection, which is required to the higher Powers, cannot be ouned to Tyrants, will be apparent, if we consider. 1. The Subjection required is orderly subjection to an orderly power, that we be regularly under him that is regularly above: But Usurpation & Tyranny is not an Orderly Power, orderly placed above us: Therefore we cannot be ordely under it. This is gathered from the Original Language, where the powers to be subjected to are foreign, ordained of God, and foreign, the Ordinance of God, and he that resisteth the Power is foreign, Counter-ordered, or contrary to his orderly duty: So the duty is foreign be subject. They are all words coming from one root, which signifies to Order: So that subjection is to be placed in order under another relative to an Orderly Superiority: But to occupy the seat of dignity unauthorized, is an Ataxie, a breaking of order, and bringing the Common-wealth quite out of order. Whereby it may appear, that in relation to an Arbitrary Government, there can be properly no foreign, no orderly subjection. 2. The thing it self must import that relative duty which the fifth Command requires; not only a passive stooping endurance, or a …eigned Counterfeit submission, but a real Active duty including obedience to Lawful Commands; p. 404and not only so, but support & maintinance; and that both to the acts of his administration, and to his standing & keeping his station, assisting him with all our abilities, both humane & Christian; And not only as to the external acts of duties, but the inward motions of the heart, as consent, Love, Reverence, & Honour, and all sincere fealty & Allegiance. But can a subjection of this extent, be payed to a Tyrant or Usurper? Can we support those we are bound to suppress? Shall we love the ungodly, and help those that hate the Lord? Can we consent, that we & our posterity should be slaves? Can we honour them who are vile, and the vilest of men, how high soever they be exalted? 3. The ground of this subjection is for conscience sake, not for wrath, that is, so far & so long as one is constrained by fear, & to avoid a greater evil, to stoop to him, but out of conscience of duty, both that of Piety to God who ordained Magistracy, and that of equity to him who is His Minister for good, and under pain of damnation if we break this orderly subjection Rom. 13. 2, 5. But can it be imagined that all this is due to a Tyrant & Usurper? Can it be out of conscience, because he is the Lords Minister for good? the contrary is clear, that he is the Devils drudge serving his Interest; Is resistance to Tyrants a damnable sin? I hope to prove it to be a duty. 4. If subjection to Tyrants & Usurpers will inveigle us in their snares, and involve us in their sin & judgment, then it is not to be ouned to them: But the former is true: Therefore the Latter. In the foregoing head I drew an Argument, for withdrawing from & disouning the Prelatick Ministers, from the hazard of partaking in their sin, and of being obnoxious to their judgment, because people are often punished for their Pastors sins; Aaron & his sons polluting themselves, would have brought wrath upon all the people, L…v. 10. 6. because the Teachers had transgressed against the Lord, therefore was Iacob given to the Curse & Israel to reproaches Isai▪ 43. 27, 28. and all these Miseries Lamented by the Church were inflicted for the sins of her Prophets and the iniquites of her Priests, Lam. 4. 13. the reason was, because they ouned them, followed them, countenanced them, complyed p. 405with them, or connived at them, or did not hinder or else disoune them. The same Argument will evince, the necessity of withdrawing our subjection from & disouning Usurping & Tyrannical Rulers, when we cannot hinder their wickedness, nor give any other Testimony against them, to avert the wrath of the Lord. If the defections of Ministers will bring on the whole Nation desolating judgments; then much more have we reason to fear it, when both Magistrates & Ministers are involved in, and jointly carrying on, and carressing & encouraging each other in promoting, a woful Apostasie from God: when the heads of the house of Iacob, & Princes of the house of Israeel, abhor judgement & pervert all equity, the heads Judge for reward, and the Priests teach for hire, and the Prophets divine for money, and yet lean upon the Lord and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us: Then we can expect nothing but that Zion for their sake shall be plowed as a field & Ierusalem become heaps and the Mountain of the house as the high places of the forest, Mich. 3. 9, 11, 12. Certain it is that subjects have smarted sore for the sins of their Rulers: for Sauls sin in breaking Covenant with the Gibeonites, the Land suffered three years famine 2 Sam. 21. 1. and the wrath of the Lord could not be appeased, till seven of his sons were hanged up unto the Lord. What then shall appease the wrath of God, for the unp… ralelled breach of Covenant with God in our day? For Davids sin of numbering the people, 70000 men died by the Pestilence. 2 Sam. 24. 5. For Ieroboams sin of Idolatry, who made Israel to sin, the Lord threatens to give Israel up because of the sins of Ieroboam 1 King. 14. 16. only they escaped this Judgment, who withdrew themselves and fell into Iudah. For Ahabs sin of letting go a man whom the Lord had appointed to utter destruction, the Lord threatens him, thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people 1 King. 20. 42. Because Manasseh King of Iudah did many abominations, therefore the Lord threatened to bring such evil upon Ierusalem & Iudah that whosoever heard it his ears should tingle &c. 2 King. 21. 11, 12. and not withstanding of his repentance, and the Reformation in the dayes p. 406of Iosiah, notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of His great wrath, wherewith His anger was kindled against Iudah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked Him withall 2 King. 23. 26. which was accomplished by the hands of the Chaldeans, in Iehojakims time. Surely at the Commandment of the Lord came this upon Iudah, to remove them out of His sight, for the sins of Manasseh according to all that he did, and also for the innocent blood which he shed ... which the Lord would not pardon 2 King. 24. 3, 4. And Ieremiah further threatens, that they should be removed into all Kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh for that which he did in Ierusalem Ier. 15. 4. Certainly these passages were recorded for our Learning Rom. 15. 4. and for our examples, to the intent we should not do as they did 1 Cor. 10. 6. and for our admonition vers. 11. Whence we may be admonished, that it is not enough to keep our selves free of publick sins of Rulers; Many of those then punished, were free of all actual accession to them; but they became accessory to and involved in the guilt of them, when they did not endeavour to hinder them, and bring them to condign punishment for them, according to the Law of God which respecteth not persons; or at least, because they did not revolt from them, as Libnah did: There might be other provocations on the peoples part, no doubt, which the Lord did also punish by these Judgments; …ut when the Lord specifies the sin of Rulers, as the particular procuring Cause of the Judgment, it were presumption to make it the Occasion only of the Lords punishing them: for plain it is, if these sins of Rulers had not been committed, which was the ground of the threatening & execution, the Judgment would have been prevented; And if people had bestirred themselves as became them, in repressing & restraining such wickedness, they had not so smarted; And when that sin so threatened & punished was removed, then the Judgment it self was removed or deferred. It is just & necessary, that the subjects being Jointly included with their Rulers in the same bond of fidelity to God, be lyable to be punished for their Rebellion & Apostasie, when they p. 407continue under the bond of subjection to them. But how deplorable were our Condition, if we shold stand obnoxions to divine Judgments, for the Atheisme, Idolatry, Murders, & Adulteries of our Rulers, and yet be neither Authorized nor Capacitated to hinder it, nor permitted to withdraw our selves from subjection to them? But it is not so; for, the Lords making us responsable for their debt, is an impowering us either to repress their wickedness when He gives us Capacity, or at least to save our selves harmless from their Crimes, by disouning them; that being the only way of standing no longer accountable for their faults.

12. It remains to Consider the Ends, for which Government was institute by God, and constitute by men: from whence I Argue, That Government that destroyes the Ends of Government, is not to be ouned: But Tyranny, and especially this under which we houl, destroyes all the Ends of Government: Ergo it is not to be ouned. The Minor I prove thus. That Government that destroyes Religion & Safety, destroyes all the Ends of Government: But this Popish & arbitrary Absolute power, destroyes Religion & Safety: Ergo—It is evident both from the Laws of Nature & Revelation, that the Ends of Government are the Glory of God, & the good of Mankind. The first is the Glory of God, the ultimate end of all Ordinances; to which whatever is opposite, is not to be ouned by them that fear Him: whatever power then is destructive to Religion, and is applyed & imployed against the Glory of the Uuniversal King, and for withdrawing us from our fealtie & obedience to Him, is nothing but Rebellion against the Supreme Lord & Lawgiver, and a Traiterous Conspiracy against the Almighty; and therefore not to be ouned: And they are enemies to Religion, or strangers to it, who are not sensible this hath been the design of the present Government, at least these 27 years, to overturn the Reformed Covenanted Religion, and to introduce Popery. Hence, seeing a King at his best & highest elevation is only a mean for preserving Religion, and for this end only chosen of the people to be Custos utriusque tabulae, keeper of both Tables p. 408of the Law, he is not to be regarded but wholly laid aside, when he not only moves without his sphere, but his motion infers the ruine of the ends of his erection, and when he imployes all his power for the destruction of the Cause of Christ, and advancement of Antichrists, giving his power to the beast; he is so far from deserving the deference of the power ordained of God, that he is to be looked upon & treated as a Traitor to God, and Stated enemy to Religion & all Righteousness, The Second End of Government is the good of the people, which is the Supreme & Cardinal Law; Salus Populi est Suprema Lex. Which cannot be denied, if it be considered. 1. For this only the Magistrate is appointed of God to be His Minister, for the peoples good Rom. 13. 4. and they have no goodness but as they conduce to this end; for all the power they have of God is with this Proviso, to promote His peoples prosperity. (It were blasphemy to say, they are His Authorized Ministers for their destruction) to which if their Conduct degenerate, they degrade themselves, and so must be disouned. He is therefore; in his institution, no more than a mean for this end; and himself cannot be either the whole or half of the end, for then he should be both the end & the mean of Government; and it is contrary to Gods mould to have this for his end, to multiply to himself silver & gold, or lift up himself above his brethren Deut. 17. 17, 20. if therefore he hath any other end than the good of the people, he cannot be ouned as one of Gods moulding. 2. This only is the highest pitch of good Princes ambition, to postpone their oun safety to the peoples safety. Moses desired, rather than the people should be destroyed, that his name should be razed out of the Book of life. And David would rather the Lords hand be on him & his fathers house, than on the people that they should be plagued 1 Chron. 21. 17. but he that would seek his oun ambitious ends with the destruction of the people, hath the spirit of the Devil, and is to be carried towards as one possessed with that malignant spirit. 3. Originally their power is from the people, from whom all their dignity is derived; with reserve of their safety, which is not the donative of Kings, nor p. 409held by concession from them, nor can it be resigned or surrendered to the disposal of Kings; since God hath provided, in His universal Laws, that no Authority make any disposal, but for the good of the people. This cannot be forfeited by the usurpation of Monarchs, but being alwise fixed in the essential Laws of Government, they may reclaim & recover it when they please. Since then we cannot alienate our safety, we cannot oune that Authority which is inconsistent with it. 4. The attaining this end was the main ground & motive, of peoples deliberating to constitute a Goverment; and to choose such a forme, because they thought it most conducible for their good; and to admit such persons as fittest Instruments for compassing this end; and to establish such a Conveyance, as they thought most contributive for this end: When therefore Princes cease to be what they could be constitute for, they cease to have an Authority to be ouned; but ceasing to answer these ends of Government, they cease to be what they could be constitute for. 5. For no other end were Magistrates limited with Conditions, but to bound them that they might do nothing against the peoples good & safety: Whosoever then breaking through all legal limitations, shall became injurious to the Community, lists himself in the number of enemies, and is only to be looked upon as such. 6. For this end all Laws are ratified or rescinded, as they conduce to this end, which is the soul & reason of the Law: then it is but reason, that the Law establishing such a King, which proves an enemy to this, should be rescinded also. 7. Contrary to this end no Law can be of force; if then either Law or King be prejudicial to the Realme, they are to be abolished. 8. For this end, in cases of necessity Kings are allowed sometimes to neglect the Letter of the Laws, or private Interests, for the safety of the Community; but if they neglect the publick safety, and make Laws for their oun Interests, they are no more Trustees but Traitors. 9. If it were not for this end, it were more eligible to live in deserts than to enter into Societies: When therefore a Ruler, in direct opposition to the ends of Government, seeks the ruine not only of p. 410Religion, but also of the peoples safety, he must certainly forfeit his right to reign. And what a vast as well as innocent number, have, for Religion and their adherence to their fundamental rights, been ruined, rooted out of their families & Possessions, oppressed, persecuted, Murdered, & destroyed by this and the deceased Tyrant, all Scotland can tell and all Europe hath heard. If ever the ends of Government were perverted & subverted in any place, Britain is the stage where this Tragedy hath been acted.

13. I may argue from the Covenant, that to oune this Authority is contrary to all the Articles thereof. 1. That Authority which overturns the Reformation of Religion in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, & Government, which we are sworn to preserve against the Common Enemies thereof, in the first Art. cannot be ouned: But the present pretended Authority overturned (and continues more to overturn) the Reformation of Religion &c. Ergo it cannot be ouned: for against what common enemy must we preserve it, if not against him that is the chief Enemy thereof? and how can we oune that Authority, that is wholly employed & applied for the destruction of Religion? 2. If we are obliged to exstirpate Poperie, without respect of persons, lest we partake in other mens sins; then we are obliged to exstirpate Papists without respect of persons, and consequently the head of them. (For how otherwise can Poperie be exstirpated? or how otherwise can we cleanse the Land of their sins?) But in the 2d Art. we are obliged to exstirpate Poperie without respect of persons, lest we partake in other mens sins: Ergo we are obliged to exstirpate Papists without respect of Persons and consequently the Crowned Iesuite, and therefore cannot oune him; for how can we oune him, whom we are bound to exstirpate? 3. If we be engaged to preserve the Rights & Liberties of Parliaments, and the Liberties of the Kingdoms, and the Kings Authority only in the preservation & defence of the true Religion & Liberties of the Kingdoms; then we cannot oune his Authority, when it is inconsistent with, opposite to, & destructive of all these precious Interests, as now it is with a witness: But in the 3. Art. we are engaged to p. 411preserve the Rights & Priviledges of Parliaments, & the Liberties of the Kingdoms, and the Kings Authority only in the preservation & defence of the true Religion & Liberties of the Kingdoms: Ergo. All allegiance that we can oune to any man, must stand perpetually thus qualified, in defence of Religion & Liberty; that is, so far as it is not contrary to Religion & Liberty, and no further, for if it be destructive of these, it is null. If we should then oune this man, with this restricted allegiance, and apply it to his Authority (as we must apply it to all Authority that we can oune) it were to mock God & the world, and oune Contradictions: for can we maintain the Destroyer of Religion, in defence of Religion? And the Destroyer of all our rights & Liberties, and all our legal securities for them, in the preservation of these rights & Liberties? that were pure Non-sense. 4. If we be obliged to endeavour, that all Incendiaries & Malignants &c. be brought to condign punishment, then we cannot oune the Authority of the head of these Incendiaries & malignant Enemies: But in the 4. Art we are obliged to endeavour that all Incendiaries & Malignants &c. be brought to Condign Punishment: Ergo—The Connexion of the Major cannot well be doubted: for is it imaginable, that the head of that unhallowed Party, the Great malignant Enemy who is the spring & gives life unto all these Abominations, shall be exempted from punishment? or ouned for a Sacred Majestie? shall we be obliged to discover, and bring to Justice, the litle petty Malignants, and this implacably stated Enemy to Christ escape with a Crown on his head? Nay, we are by this obliged, if ever we be in case, to bring these stated Enemies to God & the Country to condign punishment, from the highest to the Lowest: And this we are to do, as we would have the anger of the Lord turned away from us, which cannot be without hanging up their heads before the Lord against the sun, as was done in the matter of Peor Numb. 25. 4. For hath not he & his Complices made the Kingdom a Curse? and we with our oun consent have made our selves obnoxious to it, if we do not procure, each in our Capacities, and pursue these p. 412Traitors & Rebells, that the Judgment of the Lord be executed upon the accursed. 5. No wilful o…poser of Peace & union between the Kingdoms is to be ouned; but according to the 5. Art. we are obliged to ende…vour that Justice be done upon him: But this man & his brother have been wilful opposers of Peace & union between the Kingdoms, all true Peace & union, except an union in Confederacy against the Lord; for they have taken Peace from both the Kingdoms, and destroyed & annulled that which was the bond of their union, viz. the Solemn League & Covenant. 6. If we are obliged to assist & defend all those that enter into this League & Covenant, in the maintaining & pursuing thereof, and never to suffer our selves to be divided, to make defection to the contrary part &c. According to the 6 Art. Then we must not oun the Butcher of our Covenanted Brethren, who hath imbrued …is hands in their blood, in the maintaining & pursuing thereof, and would have us withdrawn into so detestable a defection; for we cannot both oune him as he requires to be ouned, and as God requires every Magistrate to be ouned (so as not to resist him under pain of damnation Rom. 13. 2) and assist our Brethren too in resisting his Murders; and our ouning of him were a dividing of our selves from our Brethren that oppose him, into a defection to the Contrary part, whereof he is head & Patron. Lastly in the Conclusion, we are obliged to be humbled for the sins of these Kingdoms, and to amend in a real Reformation: Whereof this is one to be mourned for, that after the Lord had delivered us from the yoke of this Tyrannical family, we again joined in affinity with the people of these abominations, and tooke these serpents into our bosome again which hath bit us so sore, and where-with the Lord hath scourged us severely. And if it was our sin to engage with them at first, then it is our sin to continue under their subjection: And is not consistent with that Repentance, that the Lords Contendings call for, to continue ouning that Power which was our sin to oune at first.

III. In the Third place, I promised to confirme my Thesis from more express Scripture Arguments. Therefore I p. 413shall endeavour to gather them as briefly as may be 1. from Scripture Inferences, nearly & natively Consequential. 2. from Scripture Assertions. 3. from Scripture Precepts. 4. from Scripture Practices. 5. from Scripture Promises. 6. from Scripture Threatenings. 7. from Scripture Prayers.

First, I shall offer some Arguments deduced by way of immediate Inference, from the grounds laid before us in Scripture about Government: wherein I shall confine my self to these Particulars.

1. Let us Consider the Characters of a Magistrate, laid doun in Scripture; and we may infer, if Tyrants & Usurpers are not Capable of these Characters, then they cannot be ouned for Magistrates. For if they be not Magistrates, they cannot be ouned as Magistrats: but if they be not capable of the Characters of Magistrates, they are not Magistrates: Ergo if they be not capable of the Characters of Magistrates, they cannot be ouned as Magistrates. To find out the Characters of Magistrats, I need seek no further than than full place Rom. 13. Which usually, is made a Magazine of Objections against this Truth; but I trust to find store of Arguments for it from thence, not repeating many that have been already deduced therfrom. We find in this place many Characters of a Magistrate, that are all incompatible with a Tyrant or Usurper. 1. He is the higher power vers 1. foreign Authorities Supereminent, signifying such a Precellency as draweth towards it a recognition of honour: But this is not Competent to Tyrants & Usurpers; for they are the vilest of men▪ let them be never so high exalted, Psal. 12. ult. and if they be vile then they are to be contemned Psal. 15. 4. and no more to be regarded then Herod was by Christ, when he called him a Fox Luk. 13. 32. But more particularly let us consider what is the foreign, highness, or dignity of Magistrats, set forth in Scripture. They are stiled Gods not to be reviled Exod. 22. 28. among whom God Judgeth Psal. 82. 1. so called because the Word of God came unto them Iohn 10. 35. But Tyrants are rather Devils, as one of them is called Lucifer Isai. 14. 12. and they that p. 414persecute & imprison the People of God, because acted by the Devil, and acting for him, do bear his name Revel. 2. 10. They are Divels that cast the Lords witnesses into prison. The Magistrats Judgement is Gods Iudgement Deut. 1. 17. because it is not for man but for the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 6. and therefore Solomon is said to have sat on the Throne of the Lord 1 Chron. 29. 23. But it were blasphemy to say, that Tyrants Judgement, usurping the place without His warrant, and giving forth Judgement against His Laws & Cause & People, is the Lords Judgement, or for Him, or that they sit on the Throne of the Lord. A Throne of iniquity is not the Throne of the Lord, for He hath no fellowship with it; The Tyrants Throne is a Throne of iniquity, Psal. 94. 20. Magistrats are truly to be subjected to & obeyed, as Principalities & Powers Tit. 3. 1. it is a sin to speak evil of them, vers. 2. for it is presumption to despise Dominion & speak evil of Dignities 2 Pet. 2. 10. Iude. 8. Bu… Tyrants are very Catechrestically & abusively Principalities & Powers, no otherwise then the Devils are so termed Eph. 6. 12. and there is no argument to oune or obey the one more than the other: for if all Principalities & Powers are to be subjected to & ouned, then also the Devil must, who get the same Title. To speak Truth of Tyrants indignities, cannot be a speaking evil of Dignities; for Truth is no evil, nor is Tyranny a Dignity. Hence they that are not capable of the Dignity of Rulers, are not to be oune… as such: But Tyrants are not capable of the Dignity of Rulers, as these places prove: Ergo—Against this it is Objected, that Paul did apply this Character to the Tyrannical High Priest Ananias, whom, after he had objurgated for mani…est injustice, he honours with that Apologie, that he wist not that he was the high Priest, for it is written, thow shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people Act. 23. 5. Ans. Though all should be granted that is in this Objection▪ yet our Argument would not be enervated: for grant we should not speak evil of Tyrants, that does not evince that we should hold them as Rulers; for we should bless our persecuters, Rom. 10. 14. and speak evil of no man Tit. 3. 2. that does not say, we should hold every man, or our persecuters, p. 415to be Rulers. The meaning must be, he knew not that he was the high Priest, that is, he did not acknowledge him to be either high Priest or Ruler, he could acknowledge or observe nothing like one of that Character in him: for as the high Priests Office was now null & ceased, so this Ananias was only an usurper of the Office, in place of Ismael or Ioseph, who had purchased it by money: And Paul had learned from his Master Gamaliel, Iudicem, qui honoris consequendi causâ pecunias dederit, revera neque Iudicem esse, neque honorandum, sed Asini habendum Loco. Tit. Talmud. de Synedrio. That a Judge who hath given money for purchasing this honour, is neither a Judge, nor to be honoured as such, but to be held in place of an Ass. And it was common among the Jewes to say, if such be gods, they are silver gods not to be honoured, as is quoted by Pool Synopsis Criticorum &c. in locum. And that this must be the sense of it is plain; for he could not be ignorant that he was there in place of a Judge, being called before him, and smitten by him Authoritatively, whom therefore he did threaten with the judgment of God; it were wicked to think, that he would retract that threatening which he pronunced by the Spirit of God. And therefore this place confirms my Thesis: If a Tyrannical Judge, acting contrary to Law, is not to be known or acknowledged to be a Ruler, but upbraided as a whited wall; Then a Tyrant is not to be known or acknowledged as such: But the former is true, from this place: Therefore also the latter. Paul knew well enough he was a Judge, and knew well enough what was his duty to a Judge, that he should not be reviled; but he would not acknowledge this Priest to be a Judge, or retract his threatening against him.

2. He is of God & ordained of God: I proved before, Tyrants are not capable of this; yea it were blasphemy to say, they are Authorized or Ordained of God, by His Preceptive Will. Hence take only this Argument. All Rulers that we must oune are ordained of God, do reign & are set up by God Prov. 8. 15. (for that & this place are paralell) But Tyrants do not reign nor are set up by God Hos. 8. 4. They are set up (saith the Lord) but not by me: Ergo we cannot p. 416oune them to be ordained of God. 3. Whosoever resisteth this power ordained of God resisteth the Ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation vers. 2. This cannot be ouned of a Tyrant, that it is a damnable sin to resist him, for it is duty to resist & also repress him, as is proven already, and shall be afterwards. Hence, whatsoever Authority we oune subjection to we must not resist it: But we cannot oune that we must not resist this Authority: therefore we cannot oun it at all. Again, That cannot be the power not to be resisted, which is acquired & improved by resisting the Ordinance of God: But the power of Usurpers & Tyrants is acquired & improved by resisting the ordinance of God: Ergo their power cannot be the power not to be resisted. The Major is manifest: for when the Apostle sayes, the resisting of the power bring damnation to the resister, certainly that resistance cannot purchase Dominion instead of damnation: And if he that resists in a lesser degree, be under the doom of damnation: then certainly he that does it in a greater degree, so as to complete it, in puting himself in place of that power which he resisted, cannot be free. The Minor is also undenyable; for, if Usurpers acquire their power without resistence forcible & sensible, it is because they that defend the power invaded are wanting in their duty; but however Morally the Tyrant or Usurper is alwayes foreign, or in contrary order to a Lawful Power. 4. Rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil, and they that doe that which is good shall have praise of the same vers. 3. This is the Character & duty of righteous Magistrates, though it be not alwayes their Administration: But an Usurper & Tyrant is not capable or susceptible of this Character, but on the contrary is & must be a terror to good works and a praise to the evil: for, he must be a Terror to them that would secure their rights & Liberties in opposition to his encroachments, which is a good work; & he must be a fautor, Patron, & Protector of such, as encourage & maintain him in his Usurpation & Tyranny, which is an evil work: And if he were a terror to the evil, then he would be a terror to himself & all his Complices, which he cannot be. Therefore, that p. 417power which is not capable of the duties of Magistrates, cannot be ouned: But the Power of Tyrants & Usurpers is such: Ergo—We find in Scripture, the best Commentare on this Character, where the duties of a Magistrate are described. They must justify the righteous & condemn the wicked Deut. 27. 1. They must, as Iob did, deliver the poor that cry and put on righteousness as a cloathing— and be eyes to the blind & feet to the lame, and a Father to the poor—and break the Jawes of the the wicked Iob 29. 12-17. Their Throne must be established by righteousness Prov. 16. 12. a King sitting on the Throne of Judgement must scatter away all evil with his eyes—then Mercy & Truth will preserve him and his Throne is upholden by Mercy Prov. 20. 8, 28. But Tyrants have a quite contrary Character: The Throne of iniquity frames Mischief by a Law, and condemns the innocent blood Psal. 94. 20. 21. They judge not the fatherless, neither doeth the cause of the widow come unto them Isai. 1. 23. They build their house by unrighteousness, & their chambers by wrong, and use their neighbours service without wages Ier. 22. 13. They oppress the poor & crush the needy Amos 4. 1. They turn judgement to Gall & the fruit of righteousness to hemlock, and say, have we not taken horns to as by our oun strength Amos 6. 12, 13. These contrary Characters cannot consist together. 5. He is the Minister of God for good vers. 4. not by Providential Commission, as Nebuchadnezzar was, and Tyrants may be eventually, by the Lord making all things turn about for the good of the Church; but he hath a Moral Commission from God, & is entrusted by the people to procure their Publick & Politick good at least. Now this, and Tyranny & Usurpation, are together inconsistible: for if Tyrants & Usurpers were Ministers for good, then they would restore the publick & personal Rights, and rectify all wrongs done by them; but then they must surrender their Authority, and resign it, or else all rights cannot be restored, nor wrongs rectified. Hence, these that cannot be ouned as Ministers of God for good, cannot be ouned as Magistrates: But Tyrants & Usurpers, (and in particular this Man) are such as cannot be ouned as p. 418Ministers of God for good: Ergo—Again, If Magistracy be alwise a blessing, and Tyranny & Usurpation alwise a Curse, then they cannot be ouned to be the same thing, and the one cannot be ouned to be the other: But Magistracy or the right-ful Magistrate, is alwise a blessing; Tyranny & Usurpation or the Tyrant & Usurper, alwise a curse: Ergo—That the former is true, these Scriptures prove it. God provides him for the benefite of His people 1 Sam. 16. 1. a just Ruler is compared to the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without Clouds 2 Sam. 23. 4. So the Lord exalted Davids Kingdom, for His people Israels sake 2 Sam. 5. 12. because the Lord Loved Israel for ever, therefore made He Solomon King to do judgement & Justice 1 King. 10. 9. when the righteous are in Authority the people rejoice—the King by Judgement stabilisheth the Land—Prov. 29. 2, 4. The Lord promises Magistrates as a special blessing Isai. 1. 26. Ier. 17. 25. and therefore their continuance is to be praye… for, that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life in all godlyness & honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. And they must needs be a blessing, because to have no Ruler is a Miserie; for when Israel had no King every man did that which was right in his oun eyes Iudg. 17. 6. and the Lord threatens it ar a Curse to take away the stay & the staff—the mighty man and the man of war, the Iudge & the Prophet &c. Isai. 3. 1, 2 &c. and that the Children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a King, and without a Prince Hos. 2. 4. But on the other hand Tyrants & Usurpers are alwayes a Curse, and given as such: It is threatened among the Curses of the Covenant, that the stranger shall get up above Israel very high—and that they shall serve their enemies which the Lord shall send against them—and He shall put a yoke of iron upon their neck, until He hath destroyed them Deut. 28. 43, 48. As a roaring lyon and a ranging bear so is a wicked Ruler over the poor people Prov. 28. 15. and therefore, when the wicked beareth rule the people mourn Prov. 29. 2. The Lord threatens it as a Curse, that he will give Children to be their Princes, and babes shall rule over them Isai. 3. 4. and if unqualified Rulers be a curse, much more Tyrants. They are the rod of His anger, and the staff in their hand is His indignation, His axe p. 419& saw & rod Isai. 10. 5, 15. It is one thing to call a man Gods instrument, His rod, axe, sword, or hammer; another thing to call him Gods Minister: there is a wide difference betwixt the instruments of Gods Providence, and the Ministers of His Ordinance; those fulfill His Purposes only, these do His precepts. Such Kings are given in the Lords anger Hos. 13. 11. therefore they cannot be ouned to be Ministers of God for good. 6. He beareth not the sword in vain for he is the Minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon …im that doeth evil vers. 4. The Apostle doth not say, he that beareth the sword is the Ruler, but he is the Ruler that beareth the sword. This is not every sword; for there is the sword of an enemy, the sword of a robber, the sword of a common traveller, but this as a faculty of Political rule & Authoritative judgement. It is not said, he takes the sword (as the Lord expresses the Usurpation of that power, Math. 26. 52.) but he beareth the sword, hath it delivered him into his hand by God, by Gods warrant & allowance, not in vain; to no end or without reason, or without a Commission, as Pareus upon the place expones it. He is a revenger to execute wrath, not by private revenge, for that is condemned Paulo ante Rom. 12. 19. not by providential recompense, for when a private person so revengeth, it is the providential repayment of God; but as Gods M…nister, by Him Authorized, commissionated, & warranted to this work. Now this cannot agree with a Tyrant or Usurper, whose sword only legitimates his scepter, and not his scepter his sword, who takes the sword rather then bears it, & uses it without reason or warrant from God, in the execution of his lustful rage upon him that doth well, and hath no right to it from God. Hence, he that beareth the sword no other way but as it may be said of a Murderer, cannot be a Magistrate bearing the sword: But a Tyrant & Usurper beareth the sword no other way but as it may be said of a Murderer: Ergo—So much for the Characters of a Magistrate, which are every way inapplicable to Tyrants & Usurpers, and as inapplicable to this of ours as to any in the world.

2. If we consider the Scripture Resemblance… importing p. 420the duty of Magistrates, and the Contrary Comparisons holding forth the sin, vileness & villany of Tyrants & Usurpers; we may infer, that we cannot oune the last to be the first. First, from the benefite they bring to the Common wealth, Magistrates are styled. 1. Saviours▪ as Othniel the son of Kenaz is called Iudg. 3. 9. and Ieho…haz in his younger years 2. King. 13. 5. and all good Judges & Magistrates Neh. 9. 27. But Tyrants & Usurpers cannot be such, for they are destroyers whom the Lord promises to make go forth from His people Isa. 49. 17. The Chaldea… Tyrant is called the destroyer of the Gentiles Ier. 4. 7. and the destroyer of the Lords heritage Ier. 50. 11. wherefore they can no more be ouned to be Magistrates, than Abaddon or Apollyon can be ouned to be a Saviour. 2. From their Pater…al love to the people, they are styled fathers▪ and therefore to be honoured according to the fifth Command. So Deborah was raised up a Mother in Israel Iudg. 5. 7. Kings are nursing fathers by office Isai. 49. 23. But that Tyrants cannot be such I have proved already; for they can no more be accounted fathers, than he that abuseth or forceth our mother. 3. From the Protection & shelter that people find under their Conduct, they are called Shields Psal. 47. Ult. The Princes of the people, the Shields of the earth, belong unto God. But Tyrants cannot be such, because they are the subverters of the earth. 4. From the Comfort that attends them, they are resembled to the morning light & fruitful shours of rain 2 Sam. 23. 4. They waited for me as for the rain, saith Iob. 29. 23. But Tyrants cannot be resembled to these, but rather to darkness, and to the blast of the terrible ones Isai. 25. 4. as a storm against the wall, If darkness cannot be ouned to be light, then cannot Tyrants be ouned to be Magistrats. 5. From their Pastoral Care & Conduct and duty, they are feeders. The Judges of Israel are commanded to feed the Lords people 1 Chron. 17. 6. David was brought to feed Jacob His people, and Israel His Inheritance Psal. 78. 71. But Tyrants are wolves not Shepherds. 6. By office they are physicians or healers Isai. 3. 7. That Tyrants cannot be such is proven above. Secondly on the other hand, the vileness, villany, & violence of Tyrants & Usurpers, are held forth by fit resemblances, p. 421being Compared to these unclean creatures. 1. Tyrants are wicked Dogs, as they who compass about Christ Psal. 22. 16, 20. Saul is called Dog there, and in that Golden Psalm Psal. 59. 4. Saul & his Complices, watching the house to kill David, make a noyse like a dog & go round about the City. 2. They are pushing Bulls Psal. 22. 12. and crushing Kain of Bashan, that oppress the poor Amos. 4. 1. they have need then to have their horns cut s…ort. 3. They are roaring Lyons. that are wicked Rulers over the poor People Prov. 28. 15. Zeph. 3. 3. So Paul calls Nero the Lyon, out of whose mouth he was delivered. 2 Tim. 4. 17. 4. They are ranging bears Prov. 28. 15. So the Persian Monarch is emblemized Dan. 7. 5▪ 5. They are Leviathan the peercing Serpent & Dragon Isai. 27. 1. and have great affinity in name & Nature with the Apocalyptick Dragon: So also Isai. 51. 9. the Egyptian Tyrant is called Dragon. And Nebuchadnezzar swallowed up the Church like a Dragon Ier. 51, 34. See also Ezek. 29. 3. 6. They are wolves ravening the prey Ezek. 22. 27. evening wolves that gnaw not the bones till the morrow Zeph. 3. 3. 7. They are Leopards: So the Grecian Tyrants is called Dan. 7. 6. and Antichrist Revel. 13. 2. 8. They are foxes: So Christ calls Herod Luk. 13. 32. 9. They are Devils who cast the Lords people into Prison Revel. 2. 10, 13. Now can we oune all these abommable Creatures to be Magistrates? Can these be the fathers we are bound to honour in the fifth Commandment? They must be esteemed sons of dogs & Devils that belive so, and oune themselves sones of such fathers.

If we further take notice, how the Spirit of God describes Tyranny, as altogether Contradistinct & opposite unto the Magistracy He will have ouned; we may infer hence Tyrants & Usurpers are not to be ouned. What the Government instituted by God among His people was, the Scripture doth both relate in matter of …act, and describes what it ought to be de jure, viz. That according to the Institution of God, magistrates should be established by the Constitution of the people, who were to make them Iudges & Officers in all their gates, that they might Iudge the people with just p. 422Iudgment Deut. 16. 18. But foreseeing that people would affect a change of that first forme of Government, and in imitation of their neighbouring Nations would desire a King, and say, I will set a King over me like all the Nations that are about me Deut. 17. 14. The Lord, intending high & holy ends by it, chiefly the procreation of the Messias from a Kingly race, did permit the change, and gave directions how he should be moulded & bounded, that was to be ouned as the Magistrate under a Monarchial forme: To wit, that he should be chosen of God, and set up by their suffrages, that he should be a brother and not a stranger, that he should not multiply horses, nor wives, nor money (which are Cautions all calculated for the peoples good, and the security of their Religion & Liberty, and for precluding & preventing his degeneration into Tyranny) and that he should write a Copy of the Law in a book. according to which he should Govern vers. 15. ad …in. cap. yet the Lord did not approve the change of the form, which that luxuriant people was long affecting, and at length obtained. For long before Saul was made King, they profered an Hereditary Monarchy to Gideon, without the boundaries Gods Law required; Which that brave Captain, knowing how derogatory it was to the Authority of Gods Institution, not to be altered in form or frame without His order, generously refused, faying, I will not rule over yow, neither shall my son rule over yow, the Lord shall rule over yow Iud. 8. 23. But his bastard, the first Monarch & Tyrant of Israel, Abimelech, by sinstrous means being advanced to be King by the traiterous Schechemites, Iotham and other of the Godly disouned him: which, by the Spirit of God, Iotham describes Parabolically, significantly ho…ding out the Nature of that Tyrannical usurpation, under the Apologue of the trees itching after a King, and the offer being repudiate by the more generous sort, embraced by the bramble: Signifying that men of worth & virtue would never have taken upon them such an arrogant Domination, and that such a Tyrannicall Government in its Nature & tendency was nothing but an useless, worthless, sapless, aspiring, scratching, & vexing shadow of a Government, p. 423under subjection to which there could be no peace nor safety. But this was rather a Tumultuary interruption than a Change of the Government, not being universally either desired or ouned; therefore after that the Lord restored the pristine form: Which continued until, being much perverted by Samuels sons, the people unanimously & peremptorly desired the change thereof, and whether it were reason or not would have a King; as we were fondly set upon one, after we had been delivered from his fathers yoke: And the Lord gave them a King with a Curse, and tooke him away with a vengeance, Hos. 13. 11. as He did our Charles the Second. Yet He permited it, but with a Protestation against and conviction of the sin, that thereby they had rejected the Lord 1 Sam. 8. 7. and with a demonstration from Heaven, which extorted their oun confession, that they bad added unto all their sins this evil to ask a King 1 Sam. 12. 17, 18, 19. And to deter & disswad from such a Conclusion, He appoints the Prophet to shew them the manner of the King that should reign over them 1 Sam. 8. 9. to declare before hand, what sort of a Ruler he woud prove, when they got him; to wit, a meer Tyrant, who would take their sons and appoint them for himself, for his Chariots, and for horsemen, and to run before his Chariots, and make them his sowldiers, and labourers of the ground, and Instrument-makers, and houshold servants, and he would take their fields & vineyards—the best of them, and give unto his servants, in a word to make all slaves; and that in the end when this should come to pass, they should cry out because of their King, but the Lord would not hear them vers. 11-18, All which, as it is palpable in it self, so we have sensibly felt in our experience to be the Natural description of Tyranny, but more tollerable than an account of ours would amount to. It is both foolishly & falsely alledged, by Royalists or Tyrannists, that here is a grant of incontroulable absoluteness to Kings to Tyrannise over the people without resistence, And that this manner of the King is in the Original Mishphat, which signifies right or Law, So that here was a permissive Law given to Kings to p. 424Tyrannise, and to oblige people to passive obedience, without any remedy but tears, And therefore it was registered & laid up before the Lord in a book 1 Sam 10. 25. But I answer. 1. If any thing be here granted to Kings, it is either by Gods Approbation, directing & instructing how they should govern; or it is only by permission & providential Commission to them, to be a plague to the people for their sin of choosing them, to make them drink as they have brewed, as sometimes He gave a Charge to the Assyrian rod to trample them doun as the mire of the streets: If the first be said, Then a King that does not govern after that manner, and so does not make people cry out for their oppression, would came short of his duty, and all behoved to Tyrannize and make the people cry out; then a King may take what He will from his subjects, and be approved of God: this were blasphemously absurd, for God cannot approve of the sin of oppression. If the Second be said, then it cannot be an universal Grant, or otherwise all Kings must be ordained for plagnes; And if so, it were better we wanted such nursing fathers. 2. Though Mishphat signifies right or Law, yet it signifies also, and perhaps no less frequently, Manner, Course, or Custome: And here it cannot signify the Law of God, for all these Acts of Tyranny are contrary to the Law of God; for to make Servants of subjects is contrary to the Law of God Deut. 17. 20. forbidding to lift up himself so far above his brethren, but this was to deal with them as a proud Pharaoh; to take so many for Chariots & horsemen, is also contrary to the Law Deut. 17. 15. he shall not multiply horses: to take their fields & vineyards, is meer Robbery, contrary to the Moral & Judicial Law, whereof he was to have alwise a Copy vers. 18. And contrary to Ezek. 46. 18. The Prince shall not take of the peoples inheritance &c. This would justify Ahabs taking Naboths vineyard, which yet the Lord accounted Robberie, and for which Tyrants are called Companions of Thieves Isai. 1. 23. & Robbers Isai. 42. 24. into whose hands the Lord somtimes may give His people for a spoyl in Judicial providence, but never with His Approbation & grant of right: to make them cry out, …s oppression, p. 425which the Lord abhors Isai. 5. 7, 8. And if this be all the remedy, it is none; for it is such a Cry, as the Lord threatens He will not hear. 3. It is false that this manner of the King was registered in that Book mentioned 1 Sam. 10. 25. for that was the Law of the Kingdom, accordingly the Copy of which the King was to have for his instruction, containing the fundamental Laws, point blank contrary to this which was the manner of the King: There is a great difference between the Manner of the Kingdom, what ought to be observed as Law, and the Manner of the King what he would have as lust. Would Samuel write in a Book the rules of Tyranny, to teach to oppress, contrary to the Law of God? He sayes himself he would only teach both King & people the good & the right way, Sam. 12. 23, 25. 4. Nothing can be more plain, than that this was a meer disswasive against seeking a King; for he protests against this Course, and then layes before them what sort of King he should be, in a description of many acts of Tyranny, and yet in end its said vers. 19. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel, and said, Nay but we will have a King. Now what else was the voice of Samuel, than a disswasion? I am not here levelling this Argument against Monarchy in the abstract, that does not lie in my road. But I infer from hence. 1. If God was displeased with this people for asking & ouning a King, who was only Tyrannus in fieri, and disswades from the choise by a description of his future Tyranny; Then Certainly He was displeased with them when they continued ouning him, when a Tyrant in facto esse, according to that description: But the former is true, Therefore also the latter. The Consequence is clear; for Continuing in sin is sin; but continuing in ouning that Tyrant which was their sin at first, was a continuing in sin: Ergo—The Minor is confirmed thus: Continuing in counteracting the Motives of Gods disswasion, especially when they are sensibly visible, is a Continuing in sin: But their Continuing in ouning Saul after he became a Tyrant, was a Continuing in counteracting the Motives of Gods disswasion, when they were sensibly visible. I do not say, because it was their sin to ask Soul, therefore it was not p. 426Lawful to oune him, while he ruled as a Magistrate; And so if Charles the second had ruled righteously, it would not have been sin to oune him: but after the Lord uses disswasives from a choise of such a one, and these are signally verified, if it was sin to make the choise, then it must be sin to keep it. 2. If it was their sin to seek & set up such a one before he was Tyrant, who yet was admitted upon Covenant terms, and the manner of it registered; Then much more is it a sin to seek & set up one, after he declared himself a Tyrant, and to admit him without any terms at all, or for any to consent or give their suffrage to such a deed: But the former is true: Therefore the latter: and Consequently, to give our consent to the erection of the D. of Y. by ouning his Authority, were our sin. 3. If it be a sin to oune the manner of the King there described, then it is a sin to oune the present pretended Authority, which is the exact transumpt of it: But it is a sin to oune the manner of the King there described, or else it would never have been used as a disswasive from seeking such a King. 4. To bring our selves under such a burden which the Lord will not remove, and involve our selves under such a miserie wherein the Lord will not hear us, is certainly a sin vers. 18. But to oune or chuse such a King, whose manner is there described, would bring our selves under such a burden & miserie, wherein the Lord would not hear us: Ergo it were our sin.

4. We may adde the necessary Qualifications of Magistrates, which the Lord requires to be in all, both Superior & Inferior: And thence it may be inserred, that such pretended Rulers who neither have nor can have these Qualifications are not to be ouned as Magistrates, no more than such are to be ouned as Ministers who have no qualifications for such a function. We find their essentially necessary qualifications particularly described. Iethros Counsel was Gods Counsel & Command; That Rulers must be able men, such as fear God, men of Truth, hating Covetousness Exod. 18. 21. Tyrants & Usurpers have none nor can have any of these qualifications, except that they may have ability of force, which is not here meant; but that they p. 427be Morally able for the discharge of their duty: Surely they cannot fear God; nor be men of Truth, for then they would not be Tyrants. It is Gods direction, that the man to be advanced & assumed to Rule, must be a man in whom is the Spirit Numb. 27. 18. as is said of Ioshua: what Spirit this was, Deut. 34. 9. explains, He was full of the Spirit of Wisdom, that is, the Spirit of Government; not the Spirit of infernal or Iesuitical Policy, which Tyrants may have, but they cannot have the true Regal Spirit, but such a Spirit as Saul had when he turned Tyrant, an evil Spirit from the Lord. Moses saith: they must be wise men & understanding and known among the tribes, Deut. 1. 13. for if they be Children or fools, they are plagues & punishments Isai. 3. 2, 3, 4. &c. not Magistrates, who are alwise blessings. And they must be known men of intergrity, not known to be knaves or fools, as all Tyrants are alwayes. The Law of the King is, Deut, 17. 15. he must be one of the Lords choosing. Can Tyrants & Usurpers be such? No they are set up, but not by Him Hos. 8. 4. he must be a brother & not a stranger, that is, of the same Nation and of the same Religion: for though infidelity does not make void a Magistrates Authority, yet both by the Law of God & man, he ought not to be chosen who is an enemy to Religion & Liberty: Now it were almost treason, to call the Tyrant a brother; and I am sure it is no reason, for he disdains it, being absolute above all. That good Kings Testament confirms this, the God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake, he that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23. 3. But Tyrants & Usurpers cannot be just; for if they should render every one their right, they would keep none to themselves, but behoved to resign their Robberies in the first place, and then also they must give the Law its course, and that against themselves. These Scriptures indeed do not prove, that all Magistrates are in all their Administrations so qualified, nor that none ought to be ouned but such as are so qualified in all respects. But as they demonstrate what they ought to be, so they prove that they cannot be Magistrates of Gods ordaining who have none of these qualifications: But Tyrants & Usurpers p. 428have none of these qualifications. Much more do they prove that they cannot be ouned to be Magistrats, who are not capable of any of these qualifications: But Usurpers are not capable of any of these qualifications. At least they conclude, in so far as they are not so qualfied, they ought not to be ouned but disouned: But Tyrants & Usurpers are not so qualified in any thing: therefore in any thing they are not to be ouned but disouned: for in nothing they are so qualified as the Lord prescribes.

Secondly, I shall offer some reasons from Scripture Assertions.

1. It is strongly Asserted in Elihu's speech to Iob, that he that hateth right should not govern. Where he is charging Iob with blasphemie, in accusing God of injustice; of which he vindicates the Almighty, in Asserting His Soveraignity & Absolute Dominion, which is inconsistent with injustice: and shewes both that if He be Soveraign He cannot be unjust, and if He be unjust He could not be Soveraign: which were horrid Blasphemy to deny. And in the demonstration of this, he gives one Maxime in a question, which is equivalent to an universal negative Iob. 34. 17, 18. Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thow condemn him that is most just? Is it fit to say to a King, thow art wicked? and to Princes, ye are ungodly? In which Words, the Scope makes it clear, that if Iob made God a hater of right, he should then deny His Government; and if he took upon him to condemn Him of injustice, he should blasphemously deny Him to be King of the World. For it is not fit to say to any King, that he is wicked, or so ungodly as to be a hater of right; for that were treason, Lese-Majestie, and in effect a denying him to be King: much less is it fit to say to Him that is King of Kings. Here then it is affirmed, & supposed to hold good of all Governours, that he that hateth right should not govern, or bind, as it is in the Margent; for …abash signifies both to bind and to Govern, but all to one sense, for Governours only can bind subjects Authoritatively, with the bonds of Laws & Punishments. I know the following Words are alledged, to favour the incontroulableness & absoluteness of Princes, that it is not p. 429fit to say to them, they are wicked. But plain it is, the words do import treason against Lawful Kings, whom to call haters of right were to call their Kingship in question; as the Scope shewes, in that these words are adduced to Justify the Soveraignity of God by His Justice, and to confute any indirect charging Him with injustice because that would derogate from His Kingly Glory, it being impossible He could be King & unjust too. So in some Analogy, though every act of injustice do not unking a Prince; yet to call him wicked, that is habitually unjust, and a hater of Justice, were as much as to say, he is no King, which were intollerable treason against Lawful Kings. But this is no treason against Tyrants: for Truth & Law can be no treason; now this is the language of Truth & Law, that wicked Kings are wicked; And they that are wicked & ungodly ought to be called so, as Samuel called Saul, and Elijah Ahab &c. However it will hold to be a true Maxime, whether we express it by way of Negation or Interrogation. Shall even he that hateth right Govern? But are not Tyrants & Usurpers haters of right? shall therefore they Govern? I think it must be answered, they should not Govern. If then they should not Govern, I infer, they should not be ouned as Governours. For if it be their sin to Govern (right or wrong, its all one case, for they should not Govern at all) then it is our sin to oune them in their Government: for it is alwise a sin to oune a man in his sinning.