Saints No Smiters, Treatise · Section 3
§ 3. The Doctrine of smiting Powers is proved from Scripture Precepts to be Wicked.
THis Doctrine is damnable and Antichristian, as is proved by these Arguments following; whereof the first is taken from those Precepts of the New Testament and the Old, which forbid such disobedience, vilifying, refusing assistance, smiting of Powers over us, Dignities, Officers; but command Honour, Obedience, Assistance, Fear, to Powers, Dignities, and their Laws, and may be thus formed. That Doctrine is damnable and Antichristian which commendeth and urgeth Practises and Actions contrary to the Precepts of Christ, his holy Apostles, and other holy men in the holy Scriptures. This Proposition is of it self manifest, unlesse that be not acknowledged damnable which is condemned by so holy persons; nor Antichristian in a large sense which is flatly opposite to Christ's and his holy Apostles expresse Doctrine. But the Doctrine, which commendeth and urgeth such disobedience, vilifying, refusing assistance, smiting of Powers, as the words of the fore-cited Authors, called usually Fifth-Monarchy-men do, is contrary to the Precepts of Christ, his holy Apostles, and other holy men in the holy Scriptures: Therefore that Doctrine is damnable and Antichristian. The minor is proved from those Precepts which expresly command Subjection, Fear, Honour, Assistence to them. Whereof the first is that of our Saviour Matth. 22. 21. Mark 12. 18. Luke 20. 27. Where our Lord Christ being by the Disciples of the Pharisees and Herodians, posed with this Captious question, tending to intangle him in his talk; Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? After the shewing of tribute money, and the acknowledgment that it had Caesars Image and inscription, our Lord Christ thence inferring, that it was due to him whose Image and inscription it bare; resolves them, that they were to render to Caesar, the things that were Caesars; to wit, Tribute, Honour, and that Subjection which was then given to him as Emperor. Now it is known, that the Emperor, or Caesar, then reigning was Tiberius Caesar, Luke 3. 1. Who came to the Empire by wicked practises, and not only led a most vitious and wicked life in uncleanness, and Irreligion, but also was a bloody oppressor of the Senate and people of Rome, as may be seen in Tacitus his Annals, Suetonius in the relation of his life and other Historians. Therefore the Doctrine, that teacheth disobedience, denying of Tribute, Honours, Subjection to Kings and Princes, as being Oppressors, Enemies to Christ, that urgeth hatred, smiting of them is contrary to Christs precept, which requires Tribute, Honours, and Subjection to be given them, though by wicked waies obtaining Empire, and most wickedly ruling, and putting Christ himself to death.
The next text is that full and plain precept of the Apostle Paul, Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Where St. Paul requires of every Soul, therefore of the most inlightned Saints, to be subject to the Higher, or Supreme Powers; who are termed v. 3. Rulers, or Princes, such as bear the Sword. v. 4. Therefore Civil Magistrates, who had power of punishing even with death, who were revengers unto wrath upon him that doth evil, and might praise them that did well; therefore they were the Persons who had rule, who are meant by powers; for such actions are only of Persons: it is not said the powers that should be, but foreign, the powers that are in being, though by evil means attaining it, and be that beareth the Sword, not he only that ought to bear the Sword, but he that hath it in Possession, though perhaps not rightly acquired; nor is it said, every soul is to be Subject to the powers that are such as they should be, but which are, nor to be good Rulers only, but Rulers, nor he that useth or beareth it aright, but he that beareth the Sword, unto these the Apostle requireth Subjection of necessity. v. 5. And that necessity he explaineth to be not only, because they can inflict wrath or punishment as is expressed. v. 4. But also for conscience sake, that is, as St. Peter speaks, 1 Pet. 2. 19. For conscience towards God, out of regard to Gods Ordinance. v. 1, 2. Who by his Providence for mans good sets up and disposeth of those powers, and also commandeth them to be owned as by his appointment; for foreign signifies precept as well as Providence, like as compound Nouns of the same theme do. 1 Cor. 9. 14 Heb. 11. 23. &c. And to these Powers, or Rulers, the Apostle supposeth the paying of Tribute, as the constant use of Christians, that then were, and that of right; for they were Gods Ministers, or servants attending continually, unto this self same thing, that is, their Good. v. 4. And therefore due to them, as wages for their service to them, and wages that God assignes them, as being his servants in keeping Peace, Order, righteousness among men, instead of God, who claims this to be his Office, and Substitutes Civil Rulers to do it for him, and to receive their Tributes and Customs, as his receivers. And therefore the Apostle requires. v. 7. Christians to render to all their dues: Tribute, to whom Tribute is due, Custome, or toll, to whom Custome is due; Fear, to whom Fear belongeth, Honour, to whom Honour appertains; whom the series of the context plainly shewes to be the Higher Powers, Rulers, that bear the Sword, which can be meant of no other than Civil Magistrates, and Governours, such as Emperors, Kings, Senates, and Officers, which either make or execuse Lawes, belonging to the Civil state. Now sure if Subjection, Tribute, or Poll-mony, Custome, or Toll for Commodities, Imported, or Exported, Fear, or Reverence of their Persons and Authority, and Honour, in respect of their preeminence and dignity, be to be given to them; then it is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine to teach disobedience, contempt, withdrawing assistence from them. The reasons which the Apostle gives of Subjection to Powers, are also of much importance for the Confirmation of the Obligation that lies on Christians to yield them Obedience, Tribute, Fear of offending them, and Honour of their Persons and place; 1. because they are Powers: now if there be no Subjection, they are not powers. 2. They are Higher, Supreme, or Excelling power, therefore those over whom they are, are to be Subject to them, or Ordered under them; or else they Usurp anothers place. 3. They are of God, and what is of God should be owned, not opposed. 4. They are Ordained, or Ordered of God, both by his wise Providence disposing of such imparity, that there may be good order in humane society, if all were equals, nothing sooner bringing confusion, and hindering common good, as is apparent in Armies (from whence that word we translate Ordained, seems to be taken) all right order requiring first and last, highest and lowest, without which no useful frame, either artificial, or natural, can be erected, or made; and also by his holy and just command, which requires superiors in place and power to be Honoured, Feared, Assisted and served by inferiors. 5. Hence the Apostle infers, that resistence of them is resisting of Gods Ordinance, & therefore it must needs be a great sin, not only to destroy them, smite them, but also to withstand their power, or by contempt, or subtraction of due aid or subsidie to weaken them; or to provoke them to anger, because it is contending against God. 6. The Apostle upon the same reason denounceth Damnation, or Judgment from God, on them that do resist. For, as it is the Ordinance of God that is resisted, so is it the Judgment or Damnation of God which is threatned to be inflicted, in which respect as the word foreign, or Jugment is used. Rom. 3. 8. without mentioning God, so it is expressed. Rom. 2. 2, 3. with mentioning of him. 7. Subjection is further urged, and resistence is condemned. v. 3. from the use of the Powers, or Rulers, who are not only by Office, but also in act, not a terror to good works, but to evil. For though it were true those Rulers that then were, in matters of Religion, and in things that pertained to their own profit and lust, were towards some a terror to good works, and abettors of many wicked and injurious practises; yet in the general, they did not terrifie sober, industrious, and peaceable persons, but those who did actions contrary to them, and did reward and praise them that were useful for the Common-wealth; and therefore they that did well, as Saints, or Christians should do, they had no reason out of fear to resist them, but in well doing to expect praise from them. 8. From their deputation from God to do justice, v. 4, 6. The Apostle argues further the necessity of subjection to them, and the impiety of resisting them, telling them, that the Ruler was God's Minister foreign, three times he gives him these titles, and that to do justice for him; and therefore he that resists him, resists God, and this cannot be with impunity, God not permitting his bearing the Sword for him to be in vain; but so ordering it, that he is, and shall be an Avenger unto wrath unto him that doth evil. All these Arguments whereby the Apostle enforceth his Precept, both for the positive part, requiring subjection, and the negative denying resistence, do shew, that the Apostle was very earnest in pressing this duty of subjection to civil Magistrates: which it is probable he did the more importunately urge in this Epistle, because it was written to the Romans, who were Inhabitants in that City, where were most oppressions and villainies committed of any part of the world; and in that time, whether in Claudius or Nero's reign, in which the Powers that were, the Caesars, or Emperors and Rulers under them, were as monstrously vitious, wicked, unrighteous, tyrannous and cruel enemies to Christians, as in any time; and therefore the Roman Christians might be tempted to think, that sure they were not to be subject to such, but were to resist them.
Nor doth the Apostle only in this place urge the duties of subjection, and non-resistence of Civil Powers, but also strictly injoins Titus in his Epistle to him c. 3. 1. to put the Christians over whom he was, in mind of this, that they should be subject to Principalities and Powers, to obey Magistrates; intimating thereby, that Christians had need to be minded of it, because it was a necessary duty, notwithstanding provocations to the contrary.
To these Precepts of the Apostle Paul I shall add the plain Precepts of S. Peter, 1 Epist. c. 2. v. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. where he thus chargeth Christians: Submit yours…lves to every Ordinance of man, or humane creature, for the Lords sake: whether it be to the King as Supreme, or unto Governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. As free and not using your liberty for a Cloak of malic…ousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men; love the Brotherhood; fear God, honour the King. In which words S. Peter commands subjection to every Ordinance of man, where as the Adversaries forbid subjection to any humane Creature or Ordinance, any Government whatsoever that is of mans erecting, building and planting. The Apostle bid, be subject for the Lord, as Jehosaphat said to the Judges, 2 Chron. 19. 6. Take heed what ye do, for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the Judgement; but the Adversaries say, subjection is against the Lord: The Apostle bids submit to the King as supreme, or excelling; they say, submit not to the King, he is not supreme, nor excels; none hath any just title to rule now; Kings are from the Dragon, the worst of men; the Saints are to smite them: he saith, Submit to Governors, as unto them that are sent by him; they say, submit not to them, because sent by him, for they and all that own them are Antichristian: The Apostle saith, they are sent by him for the punishment of evil d…ers, and the praise of them that do well; these say, they are sent to oppresse the Saints, and to uphold Babylon: The Apostle saith, that so is the will of God, that ye submit to Kings and Governors sent by him; they say, It is the will of God, that ye oppose, smite them: The Apostle saith, that ye may so put to silence the ignorance of foolish men; they say, by so doing ye shall promote the interest of Babylon: The Apostle joins these, Fear God, honour the King; and in like manner Solomon, Prov. 24. 21. My Son fear thou the Lord and the King; they say, Fear God, vilifie, destroy the King.
Now it is to be observed, that the Caesars, Powers, Rulers, Principalities, who then bare the sword, the Kings and Governors then sent by the King, were the Roman Emperors, Kings and Governors under them, who were all of them great Idolaters, took the Title of Pontifex Maximus, as being chief about the Idol service of Jupiter and other Heathen Gods, none of them Christians by profession, or Jews, but enemies to both, and fierce and cruel persecutors of Christians, and some of them so unrighteous, and vitious, that one of them, particularly Nero, was adjudged by the Senate hostis patriae the enemy of his Countrey, in whose time St. Paul and St. Peter are thought to have written their Epistles, yet did they require subjection to them, and therefore to teach, they are to be resisted, and smitten for those qualities, to whom the Apostles notwithstanding them require subjection, honour, and payment of tribute, is with most impudent face to gainsay the Apostles Doctrine.
And because that it seems out of doubt to them, that Ecclesiastical Rulers should be vilified, opposed, as being Antichristian, being conceived to be against their imagined Fifth-Monarchy, I will add the words of St. Paul upon occasion of the High Priest Ananias his commanding them that stood by him to smite him on his mouth for saying, I have lived in all good conscience before God unto this day, whereupon he said to him God shall smite thee, th…u whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the Law, and commandest thou me to be smitten contrary to the Law? which occasioned them that stood by to say, revilest thou Gods High Priest? In reply whereto correcting himself, St. Paul said, I wist not brethren, that he was the High Priest, For it is written, thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy People. I acknowledge there is not a little difficulty to acquit St. Paul from falsehood, or dissembling in saying, He knew not that Ananias was the High Priest; sundry waies are conceived which may be seen in Mr. Gataker's Cinnus lib. 1. c. 6. I rest on that, on which after Chrysostom, Cajetan, Isidor Clarius, Aretius, Mountagu, Gataker and Heinsius Exercit: Sacr: lib. 5. c. 13. pitch, that by reason of the confusion, that then was in the Government, the High Priests then not succeeding according to the Law of God in the Family of Aaron, nor continuing during life, but by bribes and evil arts being promoted and removed by the Kings, and Governors at pleasure, insomuch that (as Heinsius speaks) it is manifest there was then such Anarchy, that d…ily as it were they were and were not High Priests: Besides Paul's long absence from Jerusalem, his unacquaintance with affairs there, especially in the government of the Temple, and Council of the Jews (the place, manner of sitting, habit not distinguishing him from the rest) it may well be conceived that he did not then distinctly know Ananias to be the High Priest, nor perhaps one of the Council regularly constituted: though it be said v. 1. He earnestly beheld the Council. And it to me seems the more likely, that he did not perceive him to be High Priest, because he directs his speech to them with the same compellations as he did Acts 22. 1. under the titles of Men and Brethren, without distinguishing him from the rest, or any respective speech to them as a regular Court of justice, but as a company gathered together by the chief Captain to accuse and examine him, not to judge him. Which is the more likely, by reason of what he did v. 6. in bespeaking them under the title of Men Brethren; and, perceiving them to be of different parties, he used art to set them at variance, and to break up the Assembly in a confused manner, which he would not have done, had it been a Court legally set. However we determin of St. Pauls knowledge of Ananias, it is clear that he doth not impute his speech v. 3. to Prophetick liberty, as Grotius imagines when he saith in his Annot. on Acts 23. 3. utitur jure Prophetae, nor justify it, but corrects it, and imputes it to his ignorance, and adds the command of the Law, Exod. 22. 28. For it is written thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy people, following therein the Greek version, the whole verse being, Thou shalt not revile the Gods, that is, as is conceived, Judges, or God, nor curse the Ruler of thy People. Which being alledged by St. Paul as in force, and applyed to himself, as thereby condemning his speech of opprobrious and threatning language, if it were not excused by his ignorance, doth plainly prove, that a Ruler of the People, though an Ecclesiastick, and climbing to the place by indirect means, unrighteously judging, opposing the truth, the Kingdom and Apostle of Christ, yet should not be reviled, or with menaces terrified, or cursed, but being in the possession of a Rulers place be regarded in words and actions as a Ruler. To which I shall add some more passages of the old Testament, St. Pauls allegation of this shewing, that they are moral, and still binding Christians. Eccl. 10. 20. Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, or conscience, and curse not the rich in thy Bed-chamber: for a bird of the ayr shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. Eccles. 8. 2. I counsel thee to keep the Kings commandment, and that in regard of the Oath of God. Out of all which I conclude, that the minor of my argument is sufficiently proved, that the Doctrine which commendeth and urgeth such disobedience, vilifying, refusing assistance, smiting of Powers, whether Civil or Ecclesiastical, or military, as th… words cited by me do, is contrary to the Precepts of Christ, his holy Apostles, and other holy men in the holy Scriptures, and consequently damnable and Antichristian.