wn but of meer Confcience, knowing that He which refiftet Them purchaseth to Himself Damnation. Prefer'd from Mr. Hooker's Manufcript by Archbifbap Ufher, as related by Dr. Bernard in his Clavi Trabales, p. 94. See p. 49, 59. Lond. Edit. 1661. 4to. Dange There is a Supreme Head of Justice whereunto All are Subject, but It felf in Subjection to None; which kind of Preeminence if fome Ought to have in a Kingdom, who but the King fhall have it? Kings therefore no Man can have Lawful Power and Authority to Judge, if Private Men Offend, there is the Magiftrate over them which Judgeth; if Magistrates, They have Their Prince; if Princes, there is Heaven, a Tribunal before which they fhall appear, On Earth They are not Accountable to Any. Archbishop Bancroft. In his Treatife of Dangerous Pofitions, he Condemns rous Pofi- thefe following, viz. Princes for juft Caufes may be tions, &c. Depofed; The People may Arraign their Prince; to be Lond. E- Dangerous Affertions, New-Divinity-Pofitions, fram'd dit. 1640. by Knox and Buchanan for the Juftification of the Book .. Scotch Rebellious Attempts and Actions, worthy to be 4, 5, 6. known, and remember'd to the everlasting Difcredit of the Authors, Framers and Partakers with them.- Who endeavour by most Unjust and Difloyal means to Subject to their forged Presbyteries the Sceptres and Swords of Kings and Princes. And that fuch Strange and Seditious Doctrines tend to the Disturbance, and indeed to the utter Overthrow of the Freeft and most abfolute Monarchies that are or can be in Chriftendom-, contrary both to the Word of God, and to all the Laws and Customs of this Realm. Bishop Andrews. Sermons, 'p. To Deprive, or Depofe Kings, fure where the 939Lond. Worft is reckon'd that can be of them, Clamabunt ad Edit. 1632. Dominum, is all I find, 1 Sam. 8. 18, By God, and by None but by God, They Be, by Him, and by none but by Him they ceafe to Be. Folio. Dr . Dr. Jackson. He that is a King, or Supream Magiftrate by Juft and Lawful Title, may not be RESISTED, albeit He Exercise his Power Tyrannically. Archbishop Ufher. But if Men's Hands be thus tied (will fome fay) no Man's State can be fecure: Nay, the whole Frame of the Common-wealth would be in Danger to be Subverted and utterly Ruin'd by the unbridl'd Luft of a diftemper'd Governor. The Power communicated by God to the Prince, and the Obedience of the Subjeɛt. p. 157. Lond. 1687 Octavo. I Anfwer, God's Word is clear in the point, Whosoever Refifteth the Power, refifteth the Ordinance of God: And They that refift hall receive to themselves Damnation: And thereby a Neceffity is impofed upon Us of being Subject even for Confcience fake; which may not be avoided by the Pretext of any enfuing Mifchief whatsoever. Mr. Chillingworth. Or They that make no Scruple at all of Fighting with his p. 330. of Sacred Majefty, whom, by all poffible Obligations, they his Works.. are bound to Defend, do They know the General Rale, Lond. without Exception, or Limitation, left by the Holy Ghost 1704 Fil. for Our Direction in All fuch Cafes? Who can lift up his hand against the Lord's Anointed, and be Innocent? 1 Sam. 26.9. Or do They confider his Commands in the Proverbs of Solomon, My Son, fear God and the King, and meddle not with them that dfire Change? Prov. 24. 21, his Counsel in the Book of Ecclefiaftes, I counsel Thee to keep the King's Commandment, and that in Regard of the Oath of God? 8. 2. Or because they poffibly may pretend that they are Exempted from, or unconcerned in the Commands of Obedience deliver'd in the Old Testament ; Do they know and remember the Precept given to all Chriftians by St. Peter, Submit you felves to every Ordinance of Man, for the Lord's fake, whether it be to the King as Supreme, or unto Governors, as unto them that are fent by him? Or that terrible Sanction of the fame Command, They that Refift fhall receive to themfelves Damnation, left us by St. Paul, in his Epiftle to the Romans, who then were the Miferable Subjects of the WORST KING, the WORST MAN, nay I think I may add truly the WORST WORST BEAST in the World; that fo all Rebels Mouths might be ftopt for ever, and left without all Colour or Pretence whatsoever to Justify the Refiftance of Sovereign Power. Archbishop Bramhall. The Oath of Allegiance binds Us to Defend the King against All Confpiracies and Attempts whatfoever, which fhall be made against his Person and Crown; if to Defend him, much more not to Offend him. That Oath which binds Us to Defend him againft All Attempts whatsoever, prefuppofeth that no Attempt against him can be Juftify'd by Law, whether these Attempts be against his Perfon or his Crown. If a Sovereign fhall Perfecute his Subjects for not doing his Unjuft Commands; yet it is not Lawful tọ Refift by raifing Arms against him. They that refift shall recieve to themselves Damnation. But they ask, Is there no Limitation? I anfwer, Ubi Lex non diftinguit, nec nos diftinguere debemus; How fhall We Limit where God hath not Limited, or Distinguish where he hath not Diftinguish'd? Bishop Sanderfon. No Conjun&ture of Circumftances whatsoever can make that Expedient to be done at any time, that is of it Self, and in the kind Unlawful. For a Man to take up Arms (Offenfive or Defenfive) against a Lawful Sovereign, being a thing in its Nature Simply, and de toto Genere Unlawful, may not be done by Any Man, at Any Time, in Any Cafe, upon Any Colour, or Pretenfion whatsoever. Not for the avoiding of Scandal, not at the Instance of Any Friend, or Command of any Power upon Earth; not for the Maintenance of the Lives or Liberties either of Our Selves or Others; not for the Defence of Religion; not for the Prefervation of a Church, or State: no, nor yet, if that could be imagin'd poffible, for the Salvation of Soul, no not for the Redemption of the Whole World. Decrees of the University of Oxon. In the Decree of the University of Oxon, in which fome Propofitions of Jefuits, Puritans, and other Modern Writers, are condemn'd in Convocation the 25th Day of June, in the Year 1622, it is afferted, that The University of Oxon doth Teach, and Defend according to the Canon of Scripture, that "Subjects upon NO 66 "NO ACCOUNT WHATEVER ought to Refift their King, or Prince by Force of Arms; and that it is not Lawful for the fake of Religion, or any other Cause "whatsoever, to take up Arms Offenfive, or Defenfive against their King or Prince. n the Gazette, July 26. 1683. In the Judgment and Decree of the University of Oxford pafs'd in Convocation July 21. 1683. concerning Printed in certain Propofitions contain'd in divers Books and Writings, the following were Condemn'd, viz. 7. Self Prefervation is the Fundamental Law of Nature, and fupercedes the Obligation of all Others, whenever they stand in Competition with it. 8. The Doctrine of the Gifpel concerning patient Suffering of Injuries, is not Inconfiftent with Violent RESISTING of the Higher Powers, in cafe of Perfecution for Religion. 9. There lies no Obligation upon Chriftians to Paffive Obedience, when the Prince Commands any thing against the Laws of our Country; and the Primitive Chriftians chofe rather to Die than Refift, because Christianity was not yet Settl'd by the Laws of the Empire. We Decree, Judge and Declare All, and every of these Propofitions to be Falfe, Seditious, and Impious, and to be alfo Heretical, and Blafphemous, Infamous to Chriftian Religion, and Destructive of All Government in Church, and State. A Letteer written to my Lord Ruffel in My Lord, I Printed for Was heartily glad to fee your Lordship this Morning in that Calm and Devout Temper at the "Receiving the Bleffed Sacrament; but Peace of Mind unless it be well-grounded will avail little: And win. 1683. becaufe tranfient Difcourfe many times hath little Effect for want of time to weigh and confider it, therefore in tender Compaffion of your Lordship's Cafe, ' and from all the Good-Will that one Man can bear to ' another, I do humbly Offer to your Lordship's deli'berate Thoughts thefe following Confiderations concerning the Points of RESISTANCE, if Our Reli'gion and Rights fhould be Invaded, as your Lordship puts the Cafe, concerning which I understand by Dr. B. that your Lordship had once receiv'd Satisfa&tion, and am forry to find a Change. 6 n First, That the Chriftian Religion doth plainly For'bid the Refiftance of Authority. Secondly, That tho' Our Religion be Establish'd by Law (which your Lordship urges as a Difference between Our Cafe and that of the Primitive Christians) ' yet in the fame Law which Establishes Our Religion it is Declar'd, That it is not LAWFUL UPON ANY PRETENCE WHATSOEVER TO TAKE UP ARMS, &c. Befides that there is a Particular Law Declaring, the POWER OF THE MILITIA TO BE SOLELY IN THE KING. And that tyes the Hands of Subjects, tho' the Law of Nature, and the General Rules of Scripture had left Us at Liberty ; which I believe they do not; because the Government and Peace of Human Society could not well fubsist thofe Terms. upon 6 Thirdly, Your Lordship's Opinion is contrary to 'the Declared Doctrine of All Proteftant Churches; and tho' 'fome Particular Perfons have taught otherwife, yet they have been Contradicted herein, and Condemn'd for it by the Generality of Proteftants. And I beg your 'Lordfhip to confider, how it will Agree with an A' vow'd Afferting of the Proteftant Religion, to Go contrary to the General Doctrine of Proteftants. My End in this is to convince your Lordship that You are in a very Great and Dangerous Miftake, and being fo con'vinc'd, that which before was a Sin of Ignorance, 'will appear of a much more heinous Nature, as in "Truth it is, and call for a very Particular and Deep Repentance; which if your Lordship fincerely Exercife upon the Sight of your ERROR, by a Penitent Acknowledgment of it to God and Men, You will not only obtain Forgiveness of God, but prevent a mighty Scandal to the Reform'd Religion. I am very loth to give your Lordship any Difquiet in the Diftrefs You are in, which I commiferate from my 'Heart, but am much more Concern'd that you do ' not leave the World in a DELUSION AND FALSE PEACE, to the hindrance of your Eternal Happiness. I heartily pray for You, and Befeech your Lordship to Believe that I am, with the Greatest Sincerity and ⚫ Compaffion in the World, J. Tillotson. |