The Character of an Honest Man, Part 2
SOME Short Reflections On some Passages in a late PAMPHLET, CALLED THE CHARACTER OF A Popish Successor. And Considerations thereupon.
BOoks and Discourses when they have not good and sound Reason to back them, are a sufficient Confutation to themselves in the judgment of the Wise and Judicious, but are not so to others.
I shall with the Author grant, that the Consequences of a Popish Successor to be bad enough, but that a Popish Successor should destroy us all presently, make us absolute Slaves, and persecute us with Fire and Faggot; these are Rodomantado's and vain Flourishes, and contrary to our own experience this day in France, where that famous Gentleman (as the Author calls him) who wants not power to work his will, and where the Papists are the greater Number, yet we know useth no such rigor of Fire and Fagot; yea although when they have been in Rebellion against him, or his Predecessor, but gives them their Lives, Liberties, and Estates, together with the publick exercise of their Religion, till of late he hath demolished some of their Churches, and put greater restraints upon them; for he chooses rather to be a King of Protestant Subjects, than a Roy de Ivitot, although I conceive he would be very glad, that they would be all of his Religion.
I cannot conceive what the Authors drift and end in his Book is, except it be to set before our eyes a temptation to sin and wickedness, by Injustice and Rebellion, to save our selves harmless. And if so, I may well say unto him, avoid Satan, Thou amusest me with Dreams and Imaginations of strange future contingencies, which God hath never revealed to thee shall come to pass. But granting the worst, that as things may fall out; there may be a possibility that I and other good Protestants may expect to suffer for our Religion; it behoves me therefore, and all good Christians, good Protestants, I think, to fit our selves for suffering when it threatens us but at a great distance; far be it from me, that in the prospect of suffering or Martyrdom, I should dare to venter upon sin, to violate God's Law to save my self. I must be Just and Loyal, not Perjure my self, I will endeavour to honour my Lord and Master Christ and his holy Religion by humble and peaceable subjection to what God in his all-wise Providence pleaseth to lay upon me, I will never to save my Skin, damn my Soul. Let others resist lawful Authority, and rebel, and so become the Devils Martyrs; I will endeavour by God's assistance to keep a good Conscience, whatever I may suffer. And let our bold and confident men beware, for God Almighty, who hath a care of all things (as the excellent Grotius observes) but not equally, because they are not equal; and that according to the several degrees of things, there be degrees of providence; he governs with a more careful hand the Affairs of men, than of inferior Creatures; and among all mankind, he hath a nearer inspection over Kings, and other Rulers of the Nations, who are as it were earthly Stars.
As for this Author, is he not one of those that design to set this Kingdom in a Flame, that he may warm his Fingers at the Fire? But let him take heed, he may possibly be consumed himself in the Flames he raiseth.
As for the D. his just and undoubted Right to the Crown, if he survive his Brother, by the Laws of God and Nature, and the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom, none can deny. And our Magna Charta provides, that no Freeman shall be disseised of his Freehold, put by his Inheritance, or forejudged of Life or Limb, but by legal Process, the Laws of the Land, and Judgment of his Peers; and by another Branch, that the King's Rights and Priviledges shall be preserved untouched, one of the chiefest, and upon which all the rest depend, as on a Corner Stone, is the Hereditariness of the Monarchy; nor does the King alone in this Particular lie under the Obligation of Oaths, the Lords and Commons have not only bound themselves by Act of Parliament, 1o. Jac. cap. 1. to defend the true and Lawful Heirs of the King, acknowledged the undoubted Successors, with their Lives and Fortunes to the Worlds end, but do also swear as often as they meet or take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, to defend all the Priviledges, Rights, and Pr… heminences of the Crown (under which none can imagine, but Descent in the right Line is included) against all pretenders whatsoever.
But I humbly conceive, it will well become us in these Nations, seriously to consider, what hath been instrumental in bringing us under these sad threatning Circumstances? Was it not our Rebellion and Wickedness that first dethron'd, and then afterward murdered Charles the First of blessed Memory, and that under pretence of securing the Protestant Religion against Popery, and for the Protection of the godly Party? And then also banished the Royal Family, and forced them to seek their Bread among Strangers, yea among Papists? And by these barbarous Proceedings, did we not lay them open to all the solicitations and temptations in the World, if it were possible to alter their Religion?
Now what Antipathy and Averseness must needs such Principles and horrid Practices of Injustice, Sedition, Rebellion, War, and Blood, owned and avowed by so many pretending themselves Protestants, work in the heart of a suffering Prince, as would alienate any good and honest heart in the World from such a Religion, owning and countenancing such barbarous Actions? Although I must confess there is a very great mistake in it to charge Protestants, the true Sons of the Church of England, with any such Principles or Practices which they abominate and detest, which I would therefore in all humility upon my knees tender to the Consideration of his R. H.
And now if the D. be what the general surmise i, may I not justly retort the great Argument made use of by the Author. Those who warp'd the D. crooked, now would break him in pieces because he is not streight. And I cannot conceive, why those Persons who manifest by their daily Conversations to have no Religion at all, should be so offended with Popery, Mahumetanism, or Heathenism, or any Religion whatever, for what Religion can hurt them? Or why our disaffected and Fanaticks should so much dread Suffering and Martyrdom, when they are so ready to prevent it, and to buy it off by sin and Wickedness, by Injustice, Disloyalty, Perjury, and Rebellion; for if they be but true to their own Principles of self-preservation, and that they may do evil to save themselves; doubtless, this Principle will preserve them safe, let either Popery or Mahumetanism, or any Religion in the World come in upon us; and I dare engage my self, my Life for theirs, they need never fear Martyrdom; for a sinful Complyance will at any times, without question, keep them safe.
There are great Mistakes and Falsities in the Author, as that above one hundred thousand Persons were slain at one Riotous Festival. That no People in Q. Marys days, in her whole Reign felt so signal marks of her Vengeance, as those very men that raised her to her Throne. But although the Papists have been bad enough, yet the Protestant Religion is so honest and innocent, as it cannot but blush at Fal…tles and Lies, although affirmed in her Defence, for she hates to wrong or injure the worst of her Enemies yea, even the worst of Creatures, even the Devil himself. She abhors to benefit and advantage her self by Lies and Slanders. There are many also of most seditious Tenents and Positions in our Author, the very printing and publishing them, excites to what the Author seemingly condemns. And what a gross Contradiction is he guilty of, so highly to applaud his Majesties Royal Father, and yet vilify his Children, and also to assert those very Principles and Practices which dethron'd him, and after, cut off his Head.
As for the Acts of Parliament mentioned by the Author, we must consider, I humbly conceive, not only what hath been done, and so infer we may do the like, but are principally to consider, what Foundations they had of Justice, and Right, and what most of them came to in conclusion. The Author intimates that such Acts can make those Legitimate that are not, &c. which is worthy of observation in reference to D M.
It must be granted, that by those Statutes, White was made Black, and then presently after Black was made White again; but doubtless those Colours never altered: for this is certain, things that are truly and essentially good, or evil; just, or unjust; true, or false, cannot be ever altered from what they truly are, and will no more stoop and bend to Acts of Parliament, than the Sun in its Course. And it is apparent, that the attempts of the Papacy to dispence with the Divine Laws, and making evil good, and good evil, hath laid an Eternal Blemish upon them.
Now as a late Author hath it, either the Statutes of K. Hen. 8. about Succession were obligatory and valid in Law, or they were not; if not, then Acts of Parliament contrary to the right of Succession are without any more ado, nul and void in Law; if they were, by what Authority was the House of Suffolk excluded, or King James admitted to the Crown contrary to so many Statutes enacted against him? Or how can we justify our Predecessors from manifest Perjury, who solemnly swore to maintain those Statutes, unless we conclude they were illegal and void from the beginning, as being notoriously repugnant to all Laws, both Divine and Humane, and consequently not fit to be observed, because Quod male juratur, pejus servatur.
Therefore it is a very gross Mistake, to imagine that such Noble and Worthy Persons, both of the Clergy and Laity, as have lately disowned and rejected the Disinherison of the D. are any whit warping towards Popery, as some would falsly and wickedly mis-represent them to the World, but firmly adhere to the Protestant Church of England, as it is now by Law establish'd; but it is the injustice and unreasonableness of the thing, which no honest heart can in Conscience consent to, and which will bring a further great blemish and stain to the Protestant Profession. For the Christian, the Protestant Religion is too honest to Countenance, and too excellent to need unjust and wicked Actions to support its Interest. For, as the said late Author further speaks, no reason of State can be useful to the publick, or justify any Actions contrary to the Laws of God and Nations. And King James in his answer to Cardinal Peron speaks thus; a breach made by one mischief, must not be filled up by a greater inconvenience; an error must not be shocked and shouldered with disloyatly, nor Heresie with Perjury, nor Impiety with Rebellion against God and the King; God useth to try and to school his Church, and will never forsake his Church; nor hath need to protect his Church by any proditorious Practices of persidious Christians.
I cannot but stand amazed therefore, at the late actings of men of reputed Prudence and Wisdom in these Nations; but I humbly conceive, they arose from these two Roots or Causes; First, from bad and erroneous Principles, begot and cherished in the late times of Tyranny and Usurpation (for as Sir Edwin Sands well observes, a sweet mind and pure Conversation be the natural Fruits of a sound belief and perswasion) Secondly, from the Pride, Passions, and Lusts of men, for as the Worthy Dean of Canterbury observes passions of Wrath, Malice, Envy, and Revenge, do darken and distort the understandings of men, do tincture the mind with false Colours, and fill it with Prejudice, and undue apprehensions of things.
And assuredly did Subjects but wisely and truly consider things, they would not only abhor and detest all Sedition and Rebellion, but all lesser degrees of disloyalty, viz. all sleightings and contempt of their lawful Prince and Governour, knowing that as such lesser disloyalties lead and have a tendency to the greater, and that such actions weaken his hands, and thereby the publick Peace and Government, and is directly opposite to the interest, safety, and happiness of the people; and that every attempt upon their Prince, is but an attempt against themselves: And therefore I humbly conceive what ever actions of this nature and kind appear at any time in the great Councils of the Kingdom, must needs be most fatal and pernicious, and will in time render those excellent Constitutions contemptible, and useless also, as to those good ends for which they were appointed; for we may have frequent Parliaments, and for some continuance of time also, and yet the Nation never the better for them, i… animosities and discontents, and fears and jealousies prevail among them, and Religion and Loyalty be the object of their contempt. It is therefore one of the greatest Paradoxes and Absurdities that ever was heard of in the world for such persons to be accounted and esteemed the good and useful Patriots of their Country, who shew themselves disloyal and insolent against their Prince; or to think that those can ever be friends to Religion and the Church, who are secret enemies at last to the present Ecclesiastical Constitution and Government, and the Governours thereof; and have mean and contemptible thoughts of the Clergie, and delight in defaming and reproaching them.
Our Author of the Character of a Popish Successor goes on. How shall we, saith he, dare to revolt, remember we are Christians, &c. We are bound indeed by our Oaths of Allegiance to a constant loyalty to the King and his lawful Successors; very right, we are bound to be his lawful Successors loyal Subjects, but why his loyal Slaves?
To which I answer, If it be our lot to be under a tyrannical, yet lawful Prince, I assert it, That by the Christian Law we ought notwithstanding to be his loyal, although, as we judg, enslaved Subjects; and if we resist, we resist the Ordinance of God, and thereby shall purchase to our selves damnation. And by this wicked, turbulent, and unchristian doctrine asserted by this Author, it makes private Sujects, as is before mentioned, to judg and determine of the Actions of Princes, and at their own will and pleasure to terminate and put an end to their Loyalty and Alleagiance; which if once granted, must of necessity subvert and overthrow all Government in the world, and will furnish rebellious Subjects with pretences for Sedition and Rebellion when ever any the least opportunity offers it self to them, and by this means will turn the world into war, confusion and blood,
How doth our Author bespatter and defile himself, in drolling upon primitive Christian innocence: for his words are these; But alas! that Bugbear of Passive Obedience is a notion crept into the world, and most zealously, and perhaps as ignorantly defended, Thus is the sufferings of the holy Martyrs and Confessors, the patience of the Saints reproached by this pretended Christian; and the Crown taken off the head of the holy Christian Religion, and its glory laid in the dust: for this was ever its beauty and glory, that whatsoever the Primitive Christians suffered for their Religion, they endured it with infinite meekness and patience, like their Lord and Master; and, as it is attested in Scripture, refused deliverance, by unjust and unlawful means, as by resistance and rebellion, although they had power to accmoplish it. But alas! How is Christianity reproach'd also by that late Author of Julian, who either makes Christians to be patient and submissive, or else because they know no better. Now certainly (as I humbly conceive) no action can be vertuous or praise-worthy, that is not performed freely and voluntarily, and not forced.
Our Author further goes on, there never (saith he) wanted the Authority even of holy Writ it self, on all occasions to vindicate every thing. He speaks true, in that wicked, men wrest and torture the sacred Scriptures: And as our late times of Usurpation made good his assertions to the full, so our Author himself verifies the same; for when he speaks of Saul and David, and the Kings of Israel, here indeed saith he a passive Obedience was due, but what's that to a King of England? Was there ever such a Sophistical distinction heard of in the World before, against all sound Expositors of Scripture throughout the World? Yea, against common sence: For I think I may say in all Monarchys, more or less there are certain Rules and Bounds to the Princes Prerogatives, and the Subjects Liberties and Freedoms, for without it there can be no Government or Order, but more especially, are most excellently well setled in our English Monarchy, in which as in all others, there is no such expedient allowed of to cure the Faults and Misgovernment of a Lawful Prince by a greater Crime of Sedition and Rebellion; for doubtless, that is but to attempt to cure a lesser evil by committing a greater, and but to skip out of the Frying-pan into the Fire. And the supream Power must not run in a Circle, but be terminated some-where, and doubtless, more safely in a single Person, which if he prove bad, cannot live always, than in many Substitutes of the People, which if they prove tyrannous, have power to perpetuate the Slavery of the People to Eternity.
That Maxim, that the King can do no wrong, (although he calls it spetious slattery) is sound and good; not but that Princes as men may err and do amiss, yet ought to be esteemed by us as earthly Gods, and that we should always carry our selves with that Loyalty and Respect towards them, as if they were Faultless; again, the Prince may also in a sense be said, that he can do no wrong, because he is subject to no earthly Tribunal. And doubtless, it is therefore the best and wisest thing for Subjects not so much to concern themselves with the Faults of him that is above their reach, and only subject to the King of Kings, otherwise than by their prayers to God, and humble applications to their Prince.
Our Author affirms, but most untruly, That the Original of Monarchy was from the choice of the People, when as the great Philosopher Aristotle (as those that Converse with his Writings testify) calls Monarchy the Divinest sort of Government, and derives the Original of that Government, not from any arbitrary Election or Choice of the People, but from the Fatherhood, and the natural subjection Children owed their Parents, which he had it seems from his worthy Master Divine Plato. He adds also, that all Tyrants for the most part, are made of the Factious Ring-leaders of the People, having got credit with the Multitude, by falsly impeaching and calumniating famous and renowned men.
Now although it should be granted what our Author affirms, That a Popish Prince in introducing Popery would be guilty of a greater sin; yet that doubtless can be no Licence for us that are Subjects, to commit that lesser sin (as he would make it) of opposing that Tyranny by resistance: and although our Religion, Lives, and Liberties, ought to be dear to us, yet not so dear to us, as to constrain us to rush into those heinous and crying sins of Sedition and Rebellion, and so to endanger our more pretious Souls: for what will it profit a man to gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul?
It is observed by the sage Xenophon in the Life of Cyrus, that all the Herds of Beasts of all sorts are more willing to obey their Pastors, than men their Magistrates, nay rather, more curst and hurtful are Beasts to all others, than to their Rulers; and thence concludes, That it was more easie for a man to command and govern all other living Creatures in the World than men.
To which I may add that Government and Peace in the World is the most desirable blessing to all; yet in our times and age, it hath been a business of very great difficulty to Magistrates and Governors, to maintain it and keep it up, in regard of the Atheism, Irreligion, Passion, and Lusts of men; for as it is mentioned by the Worthy Dean of St. Paul's, that Plutarch calls Religion a Foundation, that knits and joynts Societies together; and that it is more impossible for a Common-wealth, either to be formed, or subsist without Religion, than a City to stand without Foundations. And as the Dean of Canterbury aforsaid observes, The Principles of Irreligion unjoynt the Sinews, and blow up the very Foundations of Government; this turns all the sense of Loyalty into Folly. There is little need therefore in our times of seditious Pamphlets, to disturb and exasperate the vulgar, and to weaken the hands of our Governors; and certainly what-ever is pretended, it is not the Religion of God, but the Lusts of men, that give trouble to his Vicegerents in the World. Our Protestant Religion therefore if it be Christian, I am sure of it, will make us seek Peace and pursue it. And sure this Author, the Devils Casuist, is near of kin to Mariana the Jesuit, with whom he concurs in his wicked Doctrine and Principles.
The Tares of seditious and wicked Principles so plentifully sown by the Devil and his Instruments in our days, what fruit we may shortly expect therefrom (if God in mercy prevent not) I shall leave to all wise and sober Persons to consider, not less doubtless, than great troubles to this Nation, if not the utter rain and overthrow thereof. And that I may not seem to speak my own sense and judgment herein, I shall give you some Collections out of a wise and judicious Speech delivered in the Star-Chamber by Sir Nicholas Bacon, Kt. Lord Keeper 10o. Elizabethae, his words are these. It is given to the Queens Majesty, to understand that certain of her Subjects by their evil dispositions Fox's Acts and Monumens.do sow and spread abroad divers Seditions, to the derogation and dishonour, First, of Almighty God in the state of Religion establish'd by the Laws of this Realm, and also to the dishonour of her Highness—What will become of these unbridled speeches in the end, if Reformation be not had thereof? What cometh of Factions and Seditions we have been taught of late years, and what the Fruits thereof be, which I beseech God long to defend us from? If such disorders be not redressed by Law, then must Force and Violence reform?—If Force and Violence prevail, then ye know that Law is put to silence and cannot be executed, which should only maintain good Order?—But if the bringing in of these seditious Books make mens minds to be at variance one with another; Destraction of minds maketh Seditions, Seditions bring in Tumults, Tumults work Insurrections and Rebellions, Insurrections make Depopulations and Desolations, and bring in utter ruin and destruction of mens Bodies, Goods, and Lands; and if any sow the Seed or Root whereof these things come, and yet it can be said, that he hath no malice, or that he doth not maliciously labour to destroy both publick and private Weale; I cannot tell, what Act may be thought to be done maliciously.—As for extream and bloody Laws I have never liked of them; but where the Execution of such Laws toucheth half a dozen Offenders, and the not Execution may bring in danger half a hundred, I think this Law, nor the execution thereof may be justly called extream and bloody; In such like Comparison I may utter my meaning, as to make a difference, between Whipping and Hanging.—The truth is, to suffer disobedient Subjects to take boldness against the Laws of God and their Prince, to wink at the obstinate minds of such as be unbridled in their affections to maintain a—Power—against the Princes Prorogative stablish'd by Laws; is not this to hatch Dissention, and to cherish Sedition.—If these doings be not means to the disturbance and utter ruin of the Realm; I know not what is good Governance, if these be not the sparks of Rebellion, what be they? Thus far that wise Statesman delivers himself his judgment, in the best of times.
To Conclude, it is said of wise Cato, That he refused that Rhetoritians should plead for this reason, Quia orationis facundia facile possunt aequa & iniqua perswadere. So I could have heartily wished, that this my Author which I have mentioned, had either been furnished with a greater stock of honesty and integrity, or else had had less of Eloquence and good Language, and then he had done less mischief. Farewel.
Cease Civil br… O English Subjects Cease,
With War and blood stain this fair soyl no more,
As God, so Kings, must be obey'd with Peace.
Be just therefore; to them their Rights restore,
Wash with Repentance these thine Acts before.
Speed.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Norton, The Character of an Honest Man (1683)