The Nonconformists Plea for Peace Part 2, Chapter 1

The Nonconformists Plea for Peace Part 2 · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. 1.

The principles of Spinoſa and ſuch Bruitiſts againſt Government and Morality recited, and confuted, and the fundamental reaſons of Government aſſerted.

§. 1. WE have no reaſon to blame our Rulers, for being offended with all principles of Anarchy and Rebellion, and being jealouſly watchful againſt all real appearances of them: for that ſuch are among us, and that the tendency of them is to pernicious effects, is paſt denyal: and all lovers of God, their Country and their King, will hate and oppoſe them, when they do diſcern them.

§. 2. What the Papiſts principles are, is ſo largly proved by Henry Fowlis, and by Doctor Barlow, the preſent p. 2worthy Biſhop of Lincoln, after many others, that no addition is neceſſary; but that ſuch as the Counterminer and many others in Preſs and Pulpit ſhould lay ſomewhat like it to the charge either of the preſent Nonconformiſts, or to Nonconformiſts as ſuch, and cry out to Rulers and people, as they love their power, Eſtates and lives not to tolerate us (that is, to deſtroy or baniſh us) and ſpecially that the Parliament in the beginning of the Oxford Act which baniſheth us from Corporations, ſhould leave on record ſuch ſuſpicions of us as the reaſon of their Act, are things that have long ſeemed to me to make ſuch a Defence our duty, as tendeth to the ſatisfaction of the ſuſpecters and accuſers; Leſt we ſeem 1. To own the charge, 2. and thereby tempt the people to think that we take not rebellion for a ſin; 3. or to deſpiſe both the Law-makers, their Laws, and the ſaid Preachers that thus accuſe us.

§. 3. I have not yet heard of any ſuch ſevere proſecutions of the Bruitiſts that are for Hobbes, Spinoſa, Pomponatius, Vaninus, &c. as have been uſed againſt truly Loyal Nonconformiſts. But their principles are ſo pernicious, ſubverting humanity, morality and Government, that I will begin with the recital of them as Spinoſa layeth them down, and then add the true fundamentals of Government and morality which confute them.

§. 4. Bened. Spinoſa in Tractat. Theolog. polit. cap. 16. pag. 175, 176, &c. ſaith [ Jus naturae nihil aliud eſt quam, &c. The Right of Nature is nothing but the Rule by which every thing is determined to his manner of being and operation, as fiſhes are to ſwim, and the great ones to eat the little ones. That natural Right extendeth as far as power. That every Individual hath the Higheſt Right, to all things that he is able to do: That it is the chief Law of Nature, that every thing do its utmoſt to continue in its own ſtate, having no reſpect to any other, but only to it ſelf; p. 3that here there is no difference between men and other things, nor between rational men, and Fools or mad men: that while men live under the Empire of nature only, they live by the only Laws of Appetite, and that by the higheſt Right: that the natural right of every man is not determined by ſound reaſon, but by Luſt and power: All being born ignorant, it being long before they know the true reaſon of living, and get the Habit of Vertue, though they have good education, they are no more bound this while to live by the Laws of a ſound mind (or reaſon) than a Cat by the Laws of Lions. Whatſoever any ſuch ſhall judge profitable to himſelf, either by guidance of ſound reaſon, or by the force of affection, it is lawful for him by the higheſt right of nature to deſire it and to take it, and that by force or fraud, or requeſt, or by what other way he eaſilieſt can; and to take him for his enemy that would hinder the fulfilling of his deſire: ſo that the Right and Law of nature under which all are born, and for the moſt part live, forbiddeth nothing, but that which no man deſireth and which no man can do, not contentions, not hatred, not wrath, not frauds. Whatſoever in Nature ſeems to us abſurd, ridiculous or evil, is becauſe we know things but in part. It is the univerſal Law of humane Nature, that no man neglect that which he judgeth good (for him) but in hope of a greater good, or the fear of greater damage; nor endure any evil but to avoid a greater, or in hope of greater good: that every man of two goods chooſe that which he thinks beſt (for him) and of two evils, that which he thinks leaſt, be it ſo or not: and this is ſo firmly written in mans nature, that it is to be numbred with the eternal verities, which no man can be ignorant of. Therefore no man is to promiſe without fraud, nor to ſtand to his promiſe made, to give up this right (in civil ſociation) unleſs for fear of greater evil or hope of greater good. As if a robber force us to promiſe him our goods, we may frandulently promiſe and not perform it; yea if I miſtakingly think I have promiſed a thing to p. 4my hurt, I may break it: whence we conclude that Covenants can have no force but for our profit ſake, which being taken away, the Covenant is taken away and remaineth void. Therefore in conſtituting Republicks, it's fooliſh to require fidelity, further than you make ſure, that Covenant-breaking ſhall prove the breakers hurt: For every man by natural right, may deal deceitfully, and is not bound to ſtand to his Covenants. He hath the ſupreme Right over all men, who hath the greateſt power, by which he can retain them by force or fear of the greateſt puniſhment: which Right he ſhall have no longer, than he keepeth the power of executing what he liſt: Otherwiſe he ſhall rule precariouſly, and no one that is ſtronger than he ſhall be bound to obey him, unleſs he will. And thus ſocieties may be formed without any wrong to the right of nature: and he that hath moſt power is bound by no Law. And thus we are bound to execute all his commands that hath moſt power, be they moſt abſurd: becauſe reaſon bids us chuſe the leſs evil: But then this Right of commanding what they will, no longer belongeth to chief Powers, than they have chief power: which if they loſe, they loſe their Right of commanding, and it falls to him or them that get it and can keep it.

Then having extolled Democracy he proceedeth to ſhew that, There is no injury but in a Civil life (the croſſing of his will that hath moſt power) and that all things are lawful to them that are ſtrongeſt, and they can do no wrong, and Juſtice is a conſtancy of mind to give every man that which by (this) civil Right belongs to him, (that is, which he cannot get from him without his own hurt) And that if two States Covenant, none but a ſool that knoweth not the right of ſupreme Powers, will expect they ſhould ſtand to it, longer than is for their own ends or good; and ſo in matters of piety and Religion. Alſo, that all are to be taken for enemies ſave ſubjects and confederates, though they never did us wrong: and we may compel them to ſubjection or confederation, if we are able, with much more to this purpoſe, taking off all obligations p. 5of charity, juſtice and common honeſty, except what mens private intereſt, or the will of him that is ſtrongeſt doth infer. Otherwiſe making it as lawful, yea as much duty to murder any man, or as many as we can, as to ſave mens lives, to ſteal and rob as to forbear, to lye and be perjured as to ſpeak truly, to be adulterous as to be chaſt, to be a Traitor as a Loyal ſubject: openly diſſolving and deriding all divine obligations, ſave mans, and releaſing all mens conſciences from them: As if he proclaimed to the world, that if once they can but think it to be for their own good, they may kill any man, they may murder Kings and turn their Guns, their ſwords, their poyſons againſt them, notwithſtanding any oaths to the contrary, without any ſcruple of Conſcience or fear of puniſhment in the world to come. And if once all mens conſciences were thus turned looſe, no guards, no Army could ſecure the lives of Kings, as the caſes of Henry the 3. and Henry the fourth of France have proved. Yea he thus telleth, Every General of Armies, or any other ſubject that can but kill the King, and take poſſeſſion of his kingdom that he hath as much right as the King had as long as he is ſtrongeſt, and that all the ſubjects have the ſame obligation to defend him that hath depoſed the King, as they had before to defend the King. In a word, that no man is to be truſted by another any further than he thinketh it good for himſelf, nor oweth any duty to any, but himſelf, not excepting Parents to children or children to their Parents.

It is the will & mercy of God to Princes and to mankind thus to permit thoſe that will be Atheiſts and Rebels againſt him to ſhew the conſequents of it, by their inhumane and rebellious opinions againſt Government: That if Princes will ever ſet up Epicuriſme, Atheiſme and Infidelity, they ſhall ſet up Rebellion with it, and expoſe their Lives to every man that hath but liſt to venture upon a ſecret or an open aſſault.

p. 6And the root of all this mans inhumanity is his Epicurean principles of Philoſophy about God and …, ſuppoſing God to be but the Eternal neceſſary neceſſ…ing firſt cauſe of all things and motions, as the Sun is o… …ght and heat, who can do no more, nor leſs than he doth, moving the world as a Clock or Watch by meer invariable neceſſity, that never did or can do a miracle, or alter the neceſſitating courſe of nature: And that man hath no ſelf determining free-will at all, but is moved as neceſſarily as an Engine; And that God is no governour, nor hath no Laws (but mens) nor no Juſtice, nor Mercy, theſe being not to be attributed to him, but only natural motion or neceſſitation; And that he that lyeth, murdereth, ſtealeth, rebelleth is equally moved to it by God, as he that ſpeaketh truth, and doth all that is juſt and good: and therefore it is but our narrow minds and ignorance, that taketh one thing to be better or worſe than another, or to be ſin or duty, ſave in reſpect to our commodity and the will of the ſtrongeſt.

And is it not a wonder that a man ſhould think all this to be the undoubted Light of Nature and the product of free enquiries, and of the true Univerſal Idea of God, when as nature taught the contrary to almoſt all the old Philoſophers, ſave the Epicureans (who as Cicero ſheweth were in common contempt with ſober men): yea to all the moſt Barbarous Nations of the world, even to our American Savages at this day, for the moſt part: And is not that liker to be the Light of Nature, which is found in almoſt all mankind, than that which an odd Philoſophical Hypotheſis or dotage leads a few ſuch Atheiſts to, who could not without hard ſtudy, have extirpated the belief of a God (a morally Governing Deity) from their own minds: and ſo un…litur… have blotted out all Morality, Religion, Humanity, true Policy and Honeſty at once. And becauſe p. 7they believe no rewards or Puniſhments in another life, they make man but an Ingenious Beaſt, and his Reaſon to be given him but to ſerve his Appetite, and ſenſitive Life; ſo that by their open principles, if any one Bedlam or Ideot could ſet all the City on fire for his own commodity, he did as well as he that would ſave it: and if a Traitor could but ſave himſelf by the deſtruction of a whole Kingdom, or the world, it were well done,

And thus, that yet Kings may not think him unkind to them, he ſets them above God as to all civil obligations: for cap. 19. he over and over tells you that God hath no other Kingdom or Reign over men, but by thoſe that rule us (that is the ſtrongeſt) and therefore all Religious worſhip and exerciſe of godlineſs is but the determination of Rulers for the publick peace, and is wholly in their power and at their will: yea that Juſtice and Charity are not matters of Right and commanded, but by Rulers, and all Religion hath the force of Law or Right only by their Decree: for in the ſtate of nature, Reaſon hath no more Right than Appetite; but thoſe that live after the Law of Appetite, as well as thoſe that live after the Law of Reaſon, have Right to all they can do or have: and are uncapable of ſin, and not puniſhed by God, but carried about with the Ʋniverſe by natural motion: That the Jews gave God his Kingdom over them, and he had none but by their reſignation of their power to him; and then it was no other than Moſes his Reign; and when they had given their power to the King of Babylon, Gods Kingdom and his Right did preſently ceaſe: That God having no Kingdom but mens, cannot be conceived, as a Prince or Lawgiver, giving any Laws to men, but as involving all in neceſſity: That all divine documents revealed by the light of nature or prophetically, have no force of a command from God immediately but from Rulers; that as to God, all things come alike to all, and Salus Populi (that is every mans commodity and p. 8luſt) is the higheſt Law to which all both humane and divine muſt be accommodated: and no man knoweth by Nature that he oweth any obedience to God, or can know it by Reaſon, but onl… by Revelation (which his Book is written to deride) pag. 184.

We ſuppoſe the Reader will think we have tediouſly digreſſed againſt this Apoſtate Jew: but the reaſon is, becauſe the pernicious book having moſt ſubtilly aſſaulted the Text of the old Teſtament, is greedily ſought and cryed up (with Hobbes his equal) in this unhappy time, even among thoſe whoſe place ſhould make them more regardful of the intereſt of Magiſtrates at leaſt; even by thoſe Atheiſts whom God calls Fools, Pſal. 14. 1. but by themſelves are called Wits, and our buſineſs is more to defend the truth than our ſelves.

The ſumm of our Judgments againſt theſe pernicious principles is this, 1. That there is a God, and were there not a God, there could be nothing.

2. That God is not known to us immediately here, but in a glaſs, or by the means of ſome effects.

3. Therefore we have no Notion or Name of God which is not in ſome ſort Borrowed, or which is formal and adequate to his Eſſence.

4. Yet nothing inviſible is ſo clearly and certainly intelligible and certain to mans mind, as God, as to the … ſit, that he is, and to much of the Quid ſit, what he is; though imperfectly apprehended; and though nothing be ſo incomprehenſible; even as no viſible thing is more viſible than the Sun, and its being and part of its … furtheſt from uncertainty; and yet hath in it moſt unknown.

p. 95. The Notions we have of God, though Borrowed and Analogical, are not uſeleſs nor fallacious, but imperfect and ſuch as lead to perfect knowledge: And he that will not uſe theſe, muſt uſe none.

6. We have no immediate knowledge of any higher nobler eſſence than our own ſouls, from which to borrow our Notions of God: ſtill ſeparating all that ſignifieth imperfection and acknowledging their defectiveneſs.

7. He that laying by theſe, will from any other lower baſer Nature, form Notions of God, ſhall have lower, baſer Notions of him.

8. Mans Soul is a Spirit, having eſſentially the Virtue, force, or inclined power, of Vital-Activity, Intellection and Volition (Three in one): all which are certainly notified by their Acts.

9. As Vital-ſelf-moving is more noble than the motion of meer paſſives or inanimates, ſo Vitality with Vnderſtanding and Free-will, is more noble than bruitiſh motion without Intellection or Free-will: elſe worms and Beaſts were nobler natures than men, and ſhould be our Covernours.

10. Therefore to feign God to be a meer principle of Vniverſal motion as the Spring in a Watch, or the poiſe of a Clock, is to debaſe him below the Vitality of Beaſts: and to feign him to be a meer ſenſitive principle of motion, is to debaſe him below humane nature. And to feign him to be a meer Vital-Intellectual mover without Will, Love and Voluntary Goodneſs, is to think of him in a maimed defective notion, as baſer than man's, whoſe Will is one of his nobleſt faculties, without which he hath no Love to or complacency in himſelf or any other. Even as we think of a man of meer ſpeculative knowledge, who nevertheleſs may be ſtark naught: (And ſo men think of the Devil himſelf).

p. 1011. Gods will is the cauſe and Conſerver and end of all things, and therefore to deny his will is to deny all things.

12. Gods will hath all that Liberty which belongeth to Perfection, but no liberty or indifferency which implyeth imperfection.

13. The True Idea of Gods Nature then is, That he is a SPIRIT of LIFE, INTELLECTION and WILL, MOST PERFECT.

14. All the Being, with all the Vitality, Intellect and will, the Power, wiſdom and goodneſs, which is in man or any Creature, being from God, he muſt needs have more than All himſelf, either formally or eminently, for he can give nothing more noble than what he hath and is.

15. Man having Vitality, Intellection and Free-will, and being a Sociable creature, each one having need of others and diſpoſed to converſe, and placed among others, is a Creature made to be Governed according to his Reaſon, by Verities, and according to his Free-will by propoſed Good; and not meerly moved as a Stone, or Engine, nor meerly moved as Bruits by ſenſe: that is, he is to be ruled by Laws. This one of us hath ſo fully proved in a treatiſe called the Reaſons of the Chriſtian Religion, part 1. cap. 8. that it muſt not here be done over again.

16. If the Nature of man were not to be morally governed by propoſed Truth and Good, his Reaſon and Will were vain; he ſhould not be ruled as a man but as a ſtone or beaſt: ſenſe muſt do all: all humane government were impoſſible or evil, for want of capable ſubjects: no Villany muſt be controlled: folly muſt bear equal ſway with wiſdom: children muſt not obey their Parents, any more than Parents their children. Yea by the Principles of this Maledictus Spinoſa and his tribe, the p. 11children that can but conquer natural inſtinct, and eſcape humane puniſhment, may as lawfully kill their Parents to get the inheritance, as Love and Honour them: and the Parents may as lawfuly murder all their children, to avoid the trouble of keeping them, as to nouriſh them.

17. Man being naturally made to be Governed, God muſt needs be his ſupreme governour, as having the chief Right and ſole capacity and aptitude. For 1. there is no other can rule Univerſally, but partially. Kings rule their Kingdoms, but God ruleth the world. 2. Elſe there were no Governour over Soveraigns, and ſo no Blaſphemies, no Murders (even of Millions) no Perjuries &c. were unlawful to them, nor were it poſſible for them to ſin. 3. Then no plagues, ſlames, wars or death were divine puniſhments, nor any to be feared here or hereafter, but men might as ſafely defie and blaſpheme God, as Love and Honour him. 4. Elſe there were no Law of Nations obliging many to mutual juſtice, but only intereſt and contract. 5. Elſe no heart actions were morally good or evil, (becauſe not under the Government of men) He that hated God and Goodneſs and all good men, for his luſts ſake, and ſtudied to do all the miſchief he could; he that longs for the murder of his own children, Parents or friends, or of his King, were as good as he that Loved them all: for where there is no Law there is no tranſgreſſion: and ſo all morality is nullified. 6. If God were not the ſupreme Governour, no King or perſon could have true Right to govern, for there could be no effect for want of a cauſe. The People cannot give the Ruling Power which they never had (their perſonal Rule being of another kind) and God having prevented them by his eſtabliſhment of Government in the world, who giveth Parents their Governing Power, which is the firſt.

p. 1218. Gods actual Laws do prove him to be a Lawgiver: even thoſe of Nature, which all ſuch Atheiſts ſhall never be able commonly to obliterate. And the conſent of all mankind ſtill do and will condemn ſuch principles as deny them.

19. A law is the ſignification of the Rulers will, conſtituting what ſhall be due from and to the ſubject, as an inſtrument of Government.

20. Gods Laws are firſt natural, and next by ſpecial Revelation.

21. Gods Law of Nature is all That in the ſtated natura rerum in all the world, by which his will is ſignified to us as aforeſaid about our duty.

22. So that Gods Law univocally and properly is in genere objectivo, and in genere ſigni.

23. Mans own nature as in order it ſtandeth related and diſpoſed towards God and all things and perſons circumſtant, is the chief part of this objective Law of Nature; from whence his duty reſulteth, and Gods will is notified.

24. When the Law is ſaid to be written in our Hearts, it is called the Law univocally, antecedently to the Heart reception, and the reception it ſelf is not another Law.

25. This reception is by the Intellect, will, or executive power: And 1. to know a Law, is not a Law; 2. To will or Love a Law is not a Law; 3. To be ready or diſpoſed to practiſe a Law is not a Law, unleſs equivocally.

26. They that confound theſe things by the name of a Light or Law within us, and then talk of the ſufficiency of it, do but deceive when they are deceived.

27. What can they (with ſenſe) mean by [The Light or Law within us] but, 1. either the Reception of the objective light or Law which containeth, 1. the p. 13Act, 2. with its object (as it is become an Ens Intentionale Eſſential to the Act, as in it ſelf it is Ens Reale) or elſe an innate diſpoſition hereunto: 2. Or elſe ſome influx of God (natural or ſupernatural) by which as the chief efficient he exciteth the faculties to receive the Objective Light or Law? And if they meant this ſecond (that all men have ſufficient help from Gods influx) they ſhould ſay ſo, that men might underſtand them. If they mean that all have ſufficient knowledge, faith, Love and Goodneſs; even Infants and wilful deſpiſers of knowledge, and thoſe that think it ſervice to God, to kill his ſervants, and all the blinded ſinners in the world, why do theſe men pretend to teach them more or blame their errours; and do not forbid all teaching in the world even of Parents or any other? Why did Chriſt and his Prophets and Apoſtles teach men that were born wiſe enough? If they mean that all mens Nature it ſelf is a ſufficient intellectual objective Light and Law, without any external light or objective Law, that is without ſeeing or hearing or thinking of any creature of God but ourſelves, then they that are born blind and deaf, have all the ſame Light and Law as others. If they mean only that mens faculties are ſufficiently capable and receptive of the effects of Gods objective Law of Nature, what doth the confounding Metaphor of a Light within us do to the notifying of their minds? But men that neither underſtand the matter nor themſelves, will trouble the world with teaching them that they need no teaching.

28. We call thoſe Revelations natural, which the ordinary nature of things in themſelves, and effects, exhibiteth to us: and we call thoſe Revelations ſpecial and ſupernatural, which God exhibiteth to us, by means extraordinary, quite out of the way of his common operations, p. 14and ſuch as no natural cauſe uſeth to produce, (as to raiſe the dead, to cauſe the fire not to burn one, to ſend an Apparition, an Angel or a voice from heaven, &c.) Though we pretend not to know how much of any natural cauſe unknown to us may be uſed by God in any of theſe.

29. It is impudency in them that pretend to Carteſian clarity and certainty in all that they will receive, yet to take on them to be ſo well acquainted with God and his operations, and the frame of nature as to tell the world, that Liberty of will is inconſiſtent with Gods nature, that he never doth a miracle, nor altereth the courſe of the ſmalleſt particle in nature, nor doth nothing in the world which is not the neceſſary effect of natural ſecond cauſes, as well as of his own will, as he put them in a ſet courſe of motion from eternity, or from the creation, with abundance of ſuch dreams, which whatever they are in themſelves are certainly unknown to them to be ſo, and therefore an unfit medium whence to infer the nullity of all divine Government, Laws and morality.

30. Both natural and ſupernatural Laws or Revelations are to make man wiſe and good: and ſo are ſaid to be written and put into his heart, when they have theſe effects. But if the effects themſelves were all Gods Law, then, 1. God had as many Laws as perſons in the world; 2. And his Law in the ſame perſon changed, as his knowledge and goodneſs changed; 3. And thoſe that can but keep themſelves ignorant and bad enough, ſhall therefore not be bad or have no ſin becauſe they have no Law.

31. There is no actual knowledge born in man (unleſs poſſibly an unexpreſſible conſciouſneſs of our own being); but only a Diſpoſition in the Intellective faculty to know ſome things preſently, and eaſily, and ſome things hardly and by ſlow degrees.

p. 1532. What ever the underſtanding can know at laſt with the moſt diligent ſearch, it had naturally ſome power to know from its Original. For nothing doth that which it cannot do (mediately or immediately): therefore the noble nature of the ſoul is better gathered from the attainments of ſome, than the baſeneſs of it from the Ignorance of others, that excite not their natural faculties.

33. Gods Law of Nature bindeth mankind (ordinarily) to live in Governed ſocieties, and hath not left it free to them to do otherwiſe. Parental Authority is conjunct with our firſt being, and natural neceſſity obligeth to the reſt.

34. Civil Eccleſiaſtical and Economical Governours, being inſtituted by God, are his Officers, and receive their power from his Inſtitution and Univerſal Laws, and not from the people, who do but chooſe, or conſent to the perſon that ſhall receive it.

35. God only is the Univerſal Ruler, and no Pope or mortal man is capable of it: and God only maketh Univerſal Laws (what ever General Councils may pretend to.)

36. Gods Laws bind Kings as well as ſubjects, and give force to their Laws, and nothing of man's is obligatory to us, which is againſt them; for none can diſpenſe with them.

37. All Government that is lawful is for Gods Glory and the Common Good. And Laws that are certainly and notoriouſly againſt God and the common Good, have no true obliging power to formal obedience on the ſoul.

38. Yet ſuch particular Laws diſoblige not the ſubject from ſubjection, nor from keeping up the honour of Governours, while they Govern for God and the common Good in the main.

39. Though the common deſcription of Tyrants in Politicians and Lawyers is (quoad exercitium) that they are p. 16ſuch as Govern not for the common good, but for their own, yet men muſt take heed, that hence they infer nor either, 1. that we are made judges of the ſecret intentions of our Rulers hearts, or 2. that one or a few Laws or actions may denominate them ſuch, 3. yea though we knew that they preferred themſelves in their intents, it is enough to us, if they preſerve the common good in their practice. Elſe almoſt all ungodly Rulers would be Tyrants, for it is their common vice to be moſt for themſelves.

40. This Atheiſtical Politician, who alloweth every man to prefer himſelf before all the world, doth make that in Princes, which all men have called Tyranny, to be the very Law of Nature.

41. One man is leſs worth than multitudes caeteris paribus; and every man is a part of the Univerſe, and is not born for himſelf alone: therefore howſoever ſenſe may reach but to the Individual fleſhly intereſt; common reaſon tells us that he liveth not like a man, who preferreth himſelf before his Country, and had rather Millions or Kingdoms periſhed than he alone.

42. Our common Nature telleth us, that mans will was made to Love Good as Good, and not to Love our perſonal commodity alone: and that an excellent perſon or thing in another part of the world, is amiable, though never like to be a commodity to us: therefore the greateſt Good ſhould be greatlieſt loved, even in our Neighbours as well as in our ſelves, and our Country above our ſelves.

43. Though a Prince have not Authority to make Laws to the hurt of the Common-wealth as ſuch, or ſub hac ratione, yet he hath Authority to judge what is for the good of the Common-wealth as a Ruler, and ſubjects muſt acquieſce in his judgement, when cogent evidence p. 17of the contrary doth not forbid them. And when they know that a Law is againſt the common good, and obligeth not to formal obedience, yet becauſe the general Law of Honouring our Rulers ſtill continues, and ſometimes diſobeying may tend more to the common hurt, than the obedience of that hurtful Law may do, where God himſelf forbids it not, material obedience in ſuch caſes is a duty.

44. No private perſonal injury may be revenged upon the King, nor upon the Common-wealth: no not by words.

45. The Soveraign or the Body of the Common-wealth may neither of them ſeek the hurt, much leſs the deſtruction of each other; nor do any thing that tendeth thereunto: for their union is the Exiſtent Conſtitution, which diſſolution deſtroyeth.

46. Thoſe that diſpute for a Power in the Body of the Common-wealth to deſtroy the Head, or a Power in the Soveraign to deſtroy the Body, if he pleaſe, do (either as ignorant or cunningly treacherous enemies of both) ſow the ſeeds of ſuſpicion and enmity betwen them, and ſeek to make them afraid of each other as of Tygers or enemies, and by the terrible word of [A power to deſtroy] make them apprehend Deſtruction as at the door, and a civil war almoſt begun: and ſuch are the moſt pernicious and unſufferable Counſellors.

47. And ſo various and croſs are perſonal intereſts, and ſo weak mens judgements, and ſo many their errours; luſts and paſſions, their temptations and ill Counſellors, that if it be maintained lawful for the Head or Body to deſtroy each other, and all the ſafety of each lie meerly in the others will, it will ſcarce be poſſible long to keep up a mutual confidence, without which ſocieties are ſick or lifeleſs.

p. 1848. Thoſe that perſwade Rulers to Govern only by a frighting force, do treacherouſly tempt them to ſeem to the people as their enemies.

49. God hath not made any one form of Government univerſally neceſſary, Monarchy, Ariſtocracy or Democracy; and who hath the higheſt power, and in what degree, and under what limits, is not to be decided by Divines from the word of God alone, but by Lawyers from the Conſtitutions of the reſpective Common-wealths. And it is uſually of ill conſequence, when Divines are too forward to go out of their calling, and to be determiners herein; Eſpecially when few of them uſe to be well ſtudied in the Laws of the Land; at leaſt not comparably to Lawyers, who have made it the buſineſs of their lives.

50. Thoſe who diſſolve the obligation of Oaths and Vows are moſt perfidious enemies to Kings and Common-wealths: much more thoſe Infidels, who make every mans perſonal ſenſuality and luſt to be the Higheſt Law of Nature, beſides which nothing obligeth him to keep his Covenants or vows, nor to ſpare the lives of Kings, Parents or any neighbours. And though it is true that every man loveth himſelf and feareth him that can hurt him, yet ſo croſs are mens ſenſual intereſts, ſo blind and various are their opinions, ſo violent their luſts, ſo deſperate their paſſions, ſo cunning their contrivances, ſo many their opportunities and temptations, that the lives of Kings are never ſafe, if all mens conſciences are once diſobliged from the bond of Oaths and divine commands: which if the Atheiſts themſelves did not perceive, they would not make Religion a neceſſary humane project for keeping Vulgar Wits in obedience: but they will ſhortly find that it was neceſſary from a nobler foundation and to a nobler end.

p. 19In ſumm, They that, 1. make man but a ſubtile beaſt, and make his Reaſon but a projecting Servant to his ſenſe, 2. and deny all the Law of Nature ſave ſenſuality, 3. and make all the vitioſity of man to be his natural Law, 4. and then take up an anſwerable Idea of God, as being no moral Governour to whom no man oweth obedience, not juſt, not merciful, but only the equal ſpring of an unalterable engine called the univerſe, 5. and make all things that man can do to be lawful, and all that ever is done to be equally good, as being all but the effect of neceſſitating premotion, 6. and that no man oweth Love, juſtice or duty to Parents, King or Country, but what his perſonal ſenſuality perceiveth to be a fit means for it ſelf, 7. and that it is no ſin to kill King or Parents or Children or Neighbours; if he can ſcape revenge and hurt, and ſerve his luſt thereby, 8. and that no Oaths bind him to his King or Country, longer than he finds it for his ſenſual good, 9. and that he that can kill or depoſe the King, and get poſſeſſion, hath as good a Title, as he had, 10. and that all men are to be held by us as enemies except Subjects and confederates, 11. and that no man is to fear any puniſhment, nor hope for any reward from God in this life or in the life to come, 12. and ſo that Epicurean Phyſicks are the ſole Phloſophy, and morality is nothing but a vulgar deceit: I ſay they that hold and publiſh this, are ſuch as we hold more worthy to be baniſhed five miles from all Cities and Corporations, than our ſelves: And we leave their Principles and ours to the judgement of poſterity, wiſhing (in vain) that thoſe Conformiſts who are thought ſufficient for the ſacred work without us, and have acceſs to thoſe whom we may not coverſe with, had proved more ſufficient to have preſerved Cities and Corporations and the Land from Infidelity, Popery and raging ſenſuality.

p. 20II. WE ſhould next have compared our principles of ſubjection with thoſe of the Papiſts, that it might be ſeen whether we are more worthy to be driven from our Superiours, from Cities and Corporations, than they: But their Doctrine and Practice is ſo copiouſly cited out of the expreſs words of multitudes of their chiefeſt Writers, lately by Henry Fowlis, after abundance more that have done it heretofore, that we will not now deſire of the unſatisfied any more than to read the words of the ſeventh Council at Rome under Gregory 7. in Bin. Tom. 3. par. 2. pag. 1288. [Agite nunc Patres & Principes Sanctiſſimi, ut omnis mundus intelligat & cognoſcat, quia ſi poteſtis in coelo ligare & ſolvere, poteſtis in terrâ Imperia, Regna, Principatus, Ducatus, Marchias, Comitatus & omnium hominum poſſeſſiones, pro meritis tollere unicuique & concedere. Si enim ſpiritualia judicatis, quid de ſaecularibus vos poſſe credendum eſt? & ſi Angelos dominantes omnibus ſuperbis Principibus judicabitis, quid de illorum ſervis facere poteſtis? Addiſcant nunc Reges & omnes ſaeculi Principes quanti vos eſtis, quid poteſtis: & timeant parvipendere juſſionem Eccleſie veſtrae.] Go to now moſt Holy Fathers and Princes, that all the world may underſtand and know, that if you can bind and looſe in Heaven, you have power on earth to take away from every man or give Empires, Kingdoms, Principalities, Dukedomes, Markquiſates, Earldoms and all mens poſſeſſions according to their merits. For if you judge things ſpiritual, what is to be believed that you can do about Temporals? and if you ſhall judge Angels who Lord it over all proud Princes, what can you do with thoſe that are their ſervants? Let Kings and all the Princes of the world now learn, how great you are and what you can do, and let them fear to ſlight the command of your Church].

p. 21And Concil. Rom. 3. ibid. p. 1282. where Gregory the 7. depriveth the Emperour of all his Dominions, and abſolveth all Chriſtians from their Oaths to him, and forbiddeth them to ſerve him.

And that he will but read Can. 1. and 3. Concil. general. Later. ſub Innocent. 3. where it is Decreed that [the Metropolitane ſhall excommunicate all Temporal Lords that exterminate not Hereticks (who deny Tranſubſtantiation) from their Dominions, and if they amend not, the Pope ſhall give their dominions to others, and abſolve their Vaſſals from their fidelity].

Where note, 1. That one Hereſy here is Believing the ſenſes of all ſound men, that Bread is Bread and Wine is Wine, when they ſee, feel, ſmell and taſt it: and whereas Spinoſa alloweth ſenſe to be the Law of Nature, theſe men make it Death and Damnation to believe our ſenſes: and ſo we muſt not only renounce Reaſon and Humanity, but all our ſenſes; and Temporal Lords muſt loſe their Dominions that will ſuffer men, that renounce not manhood and ſenſe too, to be their ſubjects. A hard leſſon to Princes and people! 2. Note that this is an approved General Council; and though charitably queſtioned by Biſhop Tayler, Biſhop Gunning and Biſhop Peirſon and ſome others, yet fully owned by the Papiſts, and defended by the Anſwerers of Dr. Gunning and Dr. Peirſon: ſo that whether the Canons be Authentick in themſelves or no, is nothing to the point in hand, while they are taken to be ſuch by them: Surius ſaith [no man in his wits can doubt but it was an Oecumenical famous Council in which &c.] Binius (To. 3. par. 2. p. 1449.) calls it Concil. Later. Oecum. 12. Approb. in Crab. To. 2. p. 945. they are called decreta concil. General. In Caranza, Acta Concil. Lateran. &c. 3. Note that General Councils are the Religion it ſelf of the Papiſts and not refuſable by any p. 22as private Doctors opinions are. We deſire the Reader to compare our Doctrine with theirs. We take nothing for our Faith or Religion but the Scripture, and therefore can have no ſeditious Religion, unleſs the Scripture be ſuch; which if any man miſinterpret, it is his Private opinion: which being proved againſt him, he only is accountable for, and therefore to be baniſhed five miles from Cities and Corporations if he deſerve it, and not his Neighbours for his ſake.