A SERMON Preached before the Lord Mayor, aldermans, AND CITIZENS of LONDON, AT BOW CHURCH, on the 30th. of January, 168●. By GEORGE HICKES, D. D. Chr. Goodman of Obedience, p. 52, 53. Although the Popes for sundry Enormities have deposed Kings by unlawful Authority, the reason that moved them so to do, was honest, and just, and meet to be received and executed by the Body of every Commonwealth. L. Keeper Puckering in a Speech to both Houses, — And as the Case stands, it may be doubted whether They, or the Jesuits do offer more danger, or be more speedily to be Repressed; for albeit the Jesuits do empoison—— they join, and concur with the Jesuits.— Gen. xlix. 6. O my soul come not thou into their secret, nor unto their assembly— Lam. 4.20. The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord was taken in their pits. LONDON, Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishops-Head in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1682. Moor, Mayor. Martis xxxiᵒ die Januarii 1681/2. Annoque Regis Carol. Secund. Angl. etc. 34 o. THis Court doth desire Dr. Hickes to Print his Sermon Preached at Bow-Church yesterday (being the day of Humiliation for the Murder of his late Majesty of ever blessed Memory) before the Lord Mayor, aldermans, and Citizens of this City. WAGSTAFFE. TO The Right Honourable Sir John Moor, LORD MAYOR Of the City of LONDON, And to the Court of ALDERMEN. My LORD, AS in the primitive ages of Christianity much harm and dishonour happened unto the Christian Religion by † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Dial. cum Tryph. & in Apol. 2. Atheists, Heretics and False-teachers, who were called Christians, and under that glorious denomination taught ungodly, blasphemous, unrighteous, and absurd things: So in this unhappy Age, wherein we live, the Protestant, which is but another name for the Primitive Christian Religion, hath been much damnified, and disgraced, by Atheistical, Heretical, and other Seducing teachers; who under the name of Protestants have taught the World, wicked, absurd and unchristian Doctrines, contrary to the true Protestant Religion, and so have disgraced the Protestant, as Justin Martyr complained, the others did the Christian Name. Among these we have great reason to reckon all those who have taught the People the unchristian doctrines of Disobedience, Treason and Rebellion, of whom I may say, as that Father said of the foresaid Christians, that although they be [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] called Protestants, yet they are not [〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉] Orthodox and complete Protestants, indeed no more, than the Sadducees, and other Jewish Sectaries, which he mentions, by way of comparison, were truly Orthodox Jews. In this following Discourse I have set the precepts of the Gospel, and the principles, and practice of the primitive Christians against the principles and practices of these men, observing the same method, that a learned Divine did before me in the same Audience upon the next words before my Text, on the 5th. of * 1680. Dedicated to Sir Patience Ward. November; and one would think, that what passed for true, and seasonable Divinity then, should not be misliked, and condemned now. But yet, My Lord, so it happens, for some men, I hear, who like the preaching of this Doctrine one way, do not like it another, when it is charged home upon the culpable Parties; to which, it is to be feared, they have too strong an inclination: Otherwise I cannot well imagine why they should so publicly, and plainly suggest that I pretended I could name a great many Authors, and some yet living, for the dangerous principles, which I recited, when I had none to name. This Reflection, My Lord, made me send back for the sheets from the Press, that I might for my own Justification cite the Authors by their Names, and if I have disobliged any by doing so, they must not blame me, because it was not my first intention, but those, who constrained me to be so plain. I could have been far more numerous both in reciting their principles, and in citing the Authors of them too; for since I made this Discourse, which was a year ago for my Parish, * Dissenters Sayings in 2 Parts. new Collections have been made out of their Writings, but I have added very little, contenting myself with what I had before provided out of their Originals, and out of the Collections, which were then to be had; and as the Passages, and Authors which I have cited are not the tenth of what hath been Printed; so all that they have printed themselves, or others have printed out of them, is not the tenth, nor perhaps the hundredth part of what men have taught and preached. So much, My Lord, hath the contagion of the Popish principles of Rebellion overrun these Protestant Kingdoms; and if what I have said in the following discourse may prove as an Antidote to expel them out of the Soul of any one man, that is infected with them, I shall not value what the incurable and impenitent sort say of me, but rejoice when they shall revile me, and persecute me, and say all manner of evil against me falsely upon that account. I hope I have said nothing neither as to the matter nor manner of Expression which the Subject and the Day will not excuse, but if any think that any Passage in it is too keen, let him not be offended, but first consider the merits of the Crime, and then imagine with himself what any of the Fathers or Apostles whom I have cited in the first part, particularly what the Author of the 13th. of the Romans, if he had Preached upon that occasion, would have said thereupon. It hath formerly been laid with much acceptance to some Parties upon the Papists, who undoubtedly had a considerable share in the execrable Tragedy, and therefore I hope I shall not incur their displeasure by laying it upon Popish principles, by which the Papists have debauched so many Protestants from their Allegiance; and if upon the dismal view of the whole I have used some warm and sharp Expressions, it was no more than was necessary upon that occasion, to show my just Resentments for such a Crying Abomination, and the deadly Blow which the Protestant Religion hath received thereby. I know your Lordship is very sensible of all this, as every good Protestant ought to be; I know your Loyalty is part of your Religion, and that, as St. * In Ps. 124. Augustin speaks, you faithfully serve and obey your temporal for the sake of your Eternal Lord. The sense of your duty, as a Christian, makes you a most obedient Subject, and faithful Magistrate under your Sovereign; and also a most grateful Citizen to such a mighty Benefactor to this Illustrious City, and as all truly conscientious loyal men now love and praise you for these and your other exemplary virtues; so they will hereafter honour your Memory for them when you shall be translated from this, into the City of God. I pray God assist you under the burden of your present Magistracy in these difficult times, and bless you with long Life and Prosperity after you shall retire from it, and I am sure there are great numbers in this City who will hearty join in this Prayer with Your Lordship's Most Faithful and Obedient Servant George Hickes. A SERMON Preached before the LORD MAYOR, Jan. 30. 1681/ 2. ACTS xvii. 7. — And these do all contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying, That there is another King, one Jesus. The Context before is this: These that have turned the World upside down, are come hither also, whom Jason hath received; and These— AS it is natural to all men to be of some Religion, so it is natural unto them to be Inquisitive after the best: So that neither the authority of their Ancestors, nor the Legal Establishment, nor the force of Education can overcome their Curiosity, or keep them from hearking to new Prophets, or Teachers of new Religions, and new Gods. Hence it hath come to pass, that the most dangerous Enemies of any Government have usually been projectors in Religion; pretending a great Zeal for the right God, or the right Worship, and under that pretence have accused the established Religion of Falseness, or Faultiness, either, that it was not the true Religion, or if it were, yet that it was not so Reform, and Pure, as it ought to be. These Seditious pretences have obliged most Governments to secure themselves by Penal Laws against Innovations in Religion, having found by Long, and frequent Experience, that Innovators in Sacred were commonly Innovators in Civil matters, and that the plausible pretence of reforming the Church, did usually end in the ruin both of Church and State. For this reason, as † De Leg. L. 1. Separatim nemo habessit Deos, neve novos, sed ne advenas, nisi publicè adscitos privatim colunto, constructa à patribus delubra habento. Cicero tells us it was Enacted among the Romans, that no man should presume to worship any new or strange Gods, nor the Gods of the Country in private Meetings, or according to private Rites, or Ceremonies, but in the Temples, and after the way of their Ancestors, which was established by Law. These Ecclesiastical Laws of the ancient Romans, were part of the twelve Tables, which they borrowed from the Athenians, among whom they were originally enacted; and by virtue of which Socrates was condemned, and St. Paul above 400 years after him, arraigned at the Supreme Tribunal of that City, for a Setter-forth of strange Gods. In this state did Christianity find the World at its first publication armed with Penal, and Sanguinary Laws against Innovations in Religion; and the Emperor, and Imperial Powers more especially jealous of Jewish Prophets and Teachers, because Judas of Galilee, Theudas, Barohosbas', and other false Messiases had frequently drawn the Jews into tumults seditions and rebellions; which was the reason, that the Romans always kept a strong guard in the Temple, and that the chief Captain asked St. Paul, if he were that Egyptian, meaning Theudas; who formerly made an Uproar, and led out into the Wilderness 4000 men, that were Murderers. The Emperor, and his Precedents being thus made jealous of Innovators in Religion in any Province, but especially in Judaea, the unbelieving Jews took this advantage to traduce our Saviour, and after him his Disciples before them in every City, and Country where they came. They † Dial. cum Tryph. 335. c. 348. b. 350. 363. 371. Ed. Par. 1615. followed them for this purpose from place to place, and moreover made special use of the Doctrine of Christ's Kingdom, to make the Roman Governors, and Officers believe that their Doctrine was inconsistent with the Government, that they were enemies to Caesar, and his authority, and had a secret design upon the Empire, cloaked under the specious pretence of Religion; and when this would not succeed, they stirred up the Rabble of all the Cities where they came, to make tumults and uproars against them, as † Just. Mart. dial. Tryph. p. 234. Atheists against the Deities of the Empire, or Setters-forth of strange Gods. This I shall prove at large in the following Discourse, in which I shall proceed according to this familiar Method. First, I shall show, that it was an old charge against the primitive professors of the Christian Religion, that they were enemies to Caesar, and did all things contrary to his decrees. 2. I shall prove, that this charge was most malicious, and unjust. 3. I shall inquire, whether any Modern professors of the Christian Religion, be guilty of this heavy charge. And last of all, I shall conclude with some Practical Reflections proper to the Times, and the business of this day. I. It hath been an old charge upon the professors of the Christian Religion, that they were enemies to Caesar, and did all things contrary to his Laws: A charge as old as the Founder of it Christ himself; whom the whole Multitude of the Jews accused before Pilate, saying, * Luk. 23.2. We have found this fellow perverting the Nation, and forbidding to give tribute unto Caesar, and saying, that he himself is a King. And when Pilate being convinced of his innocence, sought to release him, they cried out the more earnestly, saying, * Joh. 19.12. If thou lettest this man go thou art not Caesar's friend: Whosoever maketh himself a King, as this Malefactor doth, speaketh against Caesar. And Acts 24.5, We find the whole Sanhedrin of the Jews at Cesaraea accusing Paul before the tribunal of Foelix the Governor, that he was the Ringleader of the Nazarenes, a pestilent fellow, and a mover of Sedition among all the dispersed Jews throughout the Empire. And so in my Text, The unbelieving Jews of Thessalonica moved with envy, took certain lewd fellows of the base sort, and gathered a company, and set all the City in an uproar, against Paul and Silas, and assaulted the house of Jason, where they lay; but when they found them not, they drew Jason, and some other brethren to the Ruler of the City, crying, These, that have turned the world upside down, are come hither also, and Jason hath received them, and they do all things contrary to the Laws, and Edicts of Caesar, and say there is another King, one Jesus. The like † Epist. Eccles. Smyrn. de Martyrio Polycarp. apud Euseb. 4.15. clamour, and outcry, the Rabble of the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles made against Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna, at the time of his Martyrdom, crying out against him to the Governor, that he should cast him to the Lions, and when he answered them he could not, because the Spectacular sports were concluded, than they cried out, Burn him, burn him, just as the Jews cried out against Christ to Pilate, Crucify him, crucify him. And Just. Martyr in his Dial. with Trypho, † p. 234. tells him, how his Countrymen the Jews sent the best men they had from Jerusalem, into all parts of the world, to Calumniate, and the Christians: From whence, I question not but it came to pass, that the Roman Governors suspected the Christians to have a design upon the Empire, from the false notion the Jews had given them of Christ's Kingdom; insomuch, that Justin † p. 58, 59 told the Emperor and Senate in his second Apology, That if the Kingdom, which the Christians expected, were of this World, they would renounce their Religion rather than die, and certainly endeavour by flight, or absconding to save themselves, for what they expected to enjoy. Afterwards to justify the Christians from all possible slanders, and suspicions of being enemies to Caesar and his Government, he proceeds to give them an account of the Doctrines of their Master, Jesus, concerning † p. 61, 62, 63, 64. Patience under sufferings, and obedience and submission unto Caesar, and all that are put in authority under him. In like manner Tertullian to vindicate the Christians from the envious imputation of being * Hosts principum Romanorum Tertul. Ap. enemies to the Emperors, because they would not swear by their Geniuses, nor give them divine adorations, shows from their principles, and practices, that this aspersion was † Vnde Cassii, & Nigri, & Albini? unde qui inter duas laurus obsident Caesarem? unde qui faucibus ejus exprimendis palaestricum exercent? unde qui armati Palatium irrumpunt omnibus tot Sigeriis ac Parthenicis audaciores? de Romanis ni fallor, id est, de non Christianis, Apol. circa Majestatem Imperatoris infamamur, tamen nunquam Albiniani, vel Nigriani, vel Cassiani inveniri potuerunt Christiani, ad Scapul. false of the Christians, but most true of the Heathens, who had rebelled against some, and murdered other Caesars; and therefore in imitation of such great examples, I shall proceed to enlarge their several Apologies in this particular under the second division of this discourse wherein I undertook to show. II. That this invidious charge of the Jews against the primitive Christians, of being enemies to Caesar, and disturbers of his Government, was most malicious, and unjust. And this will easily appear if we consider the utter inconsistency of it with the Gospel-doctrines, which they so strictly practised; the doctrine of obedience, and Submission; the doctrine of Peace, and Quietness; and the doctrine of Patience, and Suffering under lawful powers, commonly called Passive Obedience: All which the Christian Religion taught, and the primitive Teachers, and Professors of it practised to the astonishment and * Just. Mart. Apol. 1.50. Euseb. L. 4.8. conversion of the Heathen world. I shall begin with the precepts of Obedience and Submission, which are such, as these: * Rom. 13.1, 2, 3. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power, but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God: Whosoever therefore resisteth the powers, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation. Therefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath, but conscience sake. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man ( * 1 Ep. 2.13. saith St. Peter) for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the King, as supreme, or unto Governors, as those, that are sent by him, for so is the will of God. And St. Paul in his Ep. to † Ch. 3.1. Titus, hath made it the duty of Ministers to remember the people of this, and to put them in mind to be subject to principalities, and powers, and to obey magistrates. From whence I proceed to the doctrines of Peace, and Quietness, which are such as these: Study to be quiet, and to do your own business; be humble, and gentle, and as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men: put away strife, and clamour, and evil-speaking, and follow after the things which make for peace. The doctrine of Meekness and Humility, is comprehended in such precepts as these: Learn of me (saith our Saviour) for I am meek, and lowly: The fruits of the Spirit are Meekness, Peace and Gentleness. And saith the Apostle to the Colossians, put on as the Elect of God humbleness of mind, meekness, and long-suffering. It was impossible for Caesar to suffer by a Religion, which obliged its professors under the pain of damnation to be so obedient, peaceable and humble, as these precepts oblige all Christians to be; and more impossible yet, if we consider the doctrines of Patience, and Suffering; which are as plainly, and copiously laid down in the Gospel, as any other doctrines, that are taught in the School of Christ. This is thankworthy, (saith St. * 1 Ep. 2.19, etc. . Peter) if a man for conscience-sake towards God endure grief, suffering wrongfully, for what glory is it, if when you are buffeted for your faults, you take it patiently? but if when you do well, you shall take it patiently, and suffer for it, this is acceptable to God. For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps: Who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and, like a sheep, that is dumb before his shearers, he opened not his mouth. And rejoice (saith he) in as much, as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings: For if you are reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; and if any man suffer as a Christian, let him glorify God on that behalf. According to which (saith the Apostle to the Hebrews in a time of persecution) Let us look unto Jesus the author, and finisher of our faith, let us consider him, who endured such contradiction of sinners, lest we be wearied, and faint in our minds, and consider also, that you have not yet resisted unto blood- The Gospel is a suffering Religion, and promiseth special rewards to those, who will leave houses, and lands, and wives, and children, and lay down their lives for Christ's sake. It teacheth us, that Christ the captain of our Salvation, was made perfect through sufferings; that we are baptised into his death, and that as many of us as shall be partakers of his sufferings, shall also be partakers of his glory; who when he had endured the Cross and despised the shame thereof, was set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Therefore (saith St. Paul) I endure all things, that I may obtain the Salvation, which is in Jesus Christ; for if we suffer with him, we shall reign with him. Thou therefore, Son Timothy, endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Accordingly it puts no great value, nor looks upon any Christian to be a true, and † 1 Cor. 26.13. Eph. 6.10, 11, 12, 13. 2 Tim. 2.3, 4. Epist. Ignat. ad. Rom. Cyprian. ad Thibarit Ep. & de Lapsis. complete disciple of Christ; who cannot when, he is called thereunto, take up his Cross, drink of his cup, and be baptised with his baptism; neither doth it prescribe any remedy but flight against the persecutions of the lawful Magistrate, allowing of no other mean when we cannot escape betwixt denying, and dying for the faith. It would be endless to cite all the passages in the Gospel; which show it to be an obedient, peaceable, meek, and suffering doctrine, and so far from being prejudicial to Caesar's authority, that it makes him the Minister of God, and commands its professors to give him and all that are put in authority under him, their deuce, and rather die than resist them by force. Render unto Caesar, (saith Christ) the things, that are Caesar's, and unto God the things, that are God's. And ye must needs be subject, saith St. Paul, and for this cause pay ye tribute, because they are God's Ministers. Therefore render to all of them their deuce, tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, and honour to whom honour is due. Hitherto we have seen what Christianity taught, as to active and passive obedience unto Caesar; Let us now proceed to inquire what the primitive Christians practised, and begin our enquiry at the practice of the Founder of it, Jesus Christ. As for him, as he taught, so he lived: he verified his own doctrine, and exemplified his own precepts, both as to active, and passive obedience; for, as Justin Martyr told the Emperor, he paid tribute unto Caesar, as well as other Jews of the Province; and rather, than resist the lawful authority, which sent to apprehend him, he let himself be led as a lamb to the slaughter, saying unto Peter, who drew his sword: Put up thy sword into his place, for all they that take the sword, shall perish by the sword; and thinkest thou if I would resist, that I cannot pray to my Father, and he would presently give me more, than twelve legions of Angels. And when he was arraigned of high treason before Pilate for calling himself a King, he made his defence in these words: * Joh. 18.36. My kingdom is not of this world, for if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews, [but I own myself to be Caesar's subject] and my kingdom is not from hence. Thus he set the example, and the Apostles the next Promulgers of the Gospel, followed his steps: For the first time they were beaten by the Sanhedrin for preaching Jesus, and the Resurrection, they * Acts 5.41. rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for his holy Name. Saint Paul in particular speaking of his stripes above measure; of his frequent imprisonments, and of his being so often near death, I glory (saith he) in these things, which concern mine infirmities as he calls his sufferings, and persecutions) and exhorts the whole Church of Corinth to endure sufferings after the example of the Apostles, who, as he tells them, were pressed above measure, and above strength; and who despaired of life, having the sentence of death continually in themselves. Yet in all this they finned not, nor never so much, as thought of resisting the powers, but still suffered according to the will of God, committing their souls unto him, as unto a faithful Creator. And therefore when Tertullus in the name of the Sanhedrin, accused Paul for a mover of Sedition before Foelix, he denied the charge, saying, They neither found me in the Temple disputing with any man, nor raising up the people; neither in the Synagogues, nor in the City; neither can they prove these things whereof they now accuse me. Nay, so eminent was the patience and passive obedience of the primitive Christians, that St. Paul applies this Text unto them out of the Psalmist: For thy sake are we killed all the day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. They followed the Lamb that was slain, they overcame the Dragon by the blood of the Lamb, they washed their garments in wine, and their clothes in the mystical blood of grapes; and if any man (saith St. John) have an ear to hear, let him hear: He that killeth with the sword, shall be killed with the sword. Here is the faith and patience of the Saints. And as the Apostles followed the Lamb: so their disciples and successors followed them. For St. Ignatius the Disciple of St. John, gloried in the bonds, in which he was carried from Antioch to Rome, and rejoiced to think, as he speaks in his Epistle to the Romans, That he was not of the tares, but of the wheat, which was to be ground by the teeth of the wild beasts to make the pure bread of God. That whole Epistle is † Such as, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉— full of divine, and heroical strains of Christian patience and courage; and in his Epistle to the Church of Smyrna, speaking of his sufferings, he saith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; He that is near the sword is near God, and he that is in the Theatre among the wild beasts, is as it were in the midst of God. He suffered at a time, when Christians suffered in multitudes, and when they were in a condition to resist; For Pliny in his Epistle to the Emperor about the Christians, told him, † L. 20. Ep. 97. Visa est enim mihi res digna consultatione maximè proptu periclitantium numerum, multi enim omnis aetatis, omnis ordinis, utriusque sexûs etiam vocantur in periculum & vocabuntur, neque enim civitates tantum, sed vicos etiam atque agros superstitionis istius contagio pervagata est— satis constat prope jam desolata templa,— & sacra solemnia diù intermissa— That the contagion of the Christian Religion had so infected the Towns, Cities and Villages of Bythinia, that the Temples were become desolate, and the solemnities of the Gods almost quite left of: And Tiberianus his Precedent of Palestine, in a Letter to his Majesty upon the same occasion, told him, that he was * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉— weary with killing the Christians, who discovered themselves unsought for, and multiplied the more, the more they were put to death. So early were the Christians in a probable capacity of defending themselves; but yet rather than do so by resisting the lawful Powers, they were led like Lambs to the slaughter, and like sheep that were dumb before their shearers, they opened not their mouths. About Fifty years after this, when the Christians were grown far more numerous, Justin Martyr told the Emperor Antoninus, That they were the most innocent and obedient of all his Subjects, taking care above all things, according to the precepts, and example of their Master, † 2 Apol. p. 64. to pay him all his customs and tribute; and that next after God, they loved and obeyed his Majesty, acknowledging Emperors and Rulers to be ordained of God; and praying always, that together with his Imperial power, he might enjoy a sound and sober mind. And Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna, another Disciple of St. John, who suffered about this time, bespoke the Precedent, who had commanded him to swear by the Emperor's-Genius, in the name of the Christians thus: * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Eccles. Smyrn. de Mart. Polyc. We are taught to yield obedience to all Principalities and Powers ordained under God, except in doing things which are destructive of our Souls: Therefore do as thou pleasest, cast me to the wild Beasts, or into the Fire, which is not to be compared to that Eternal fire, which thou knowest not to be reserved for the ungodly at the last judgement. A little after this: Athenagoras wrote his Apology for the Christians to the Emperor Marcus Antoninus, and Commodus his Son, which in the Name of the Christians, concludes thus: † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. We daily pray for your Empire, and that the Son, as it is just, should Succeed in his Father's Throne, and that God would increase your Dominions more, and more. This was the disposition of the Christians then, when the Emperors, grown secure of their Loyalty, let them serve in their Armies in times of Persecution; insomuch that Twenty years after this, Tertullian told them, That though the Christians were but of † In Apol. Hesterni sumus, & vestra omnia implevimus, etc. Tanta hominum multitudo pars pene Major Civitatis cujusque— ad Scapulam. yesterday, yet all places were full of them: the Cities, Towns, Islands, Castles, and Corporations; the Senate, the Palace, the Courts of Judicature, their Tribes, their Companies; nay, the Army itself, and that they had left them nothing but their Temples, and appeals unto them if they were not numerous enough to make greater Armies than any were in the world. Yet then when their numbers made them formidable they lived in perfect obedience, and subjection under the persecuting powers, and daily * Oramus etiam pro Imperatoribus, pro ministris eorum, ac potestatibus— Nos enim pro salute Imperatorum Deum invocamus Aeternum— est & alia major necessitas nobis orandi pro Imperatoribus, etiam pro omni statu Imperii rebusque Romanis— in Apol. & ad Scapulam. Christianus nullius est hostis Nedum Imperatoris— prayed for the Emperor, the prosperity of his Empire, and the success of his Armies. And Cyprian forty years after him, writes to the same purpose to Demetrianus, † Nemo nostrûm quando apprehenditur reluctatur, nec se adversus injustam violentiam vestram, quamvis nimius & copiosus noster sit populus ulciscitur. That they were become a very numerous people, and the greater part of the Empire, and yet not a man of them did resist, when he was apprehended, nor revenge the injuries, which they endured. They had power, and force, and opportunity enough to do so, for by this time great numbers not only of the common Soldiers, but of the Officers, and Commanders, were become Christians, and some Companies and Troops consisted almost of nothing else. For about Thirty years after in the time of Dioclesian, the * Vide Eucher. Episcop. Lugd. ap. Sur. Sept. 22. Et Grot. de jure, L. 2. C. 4. 6, 11, 12, 13. Theboean Legion consisting of 6666. Soldiers, all gallant Christians, is a most complete and admirable example of patience, and passive obedience, a Doctrine now so exploded in the world. They lay with the rest of the Army at Octodurum in Savoy, when Maximian commanded them to Sacrifice to the Gods. The command being given, they withdrew a little off to a Village called Agaunum, whither the Emperor sent after them to come and Sacrifice with the rest. They excused themselves with all submission; but the cruel Emperor upon their refusal, commanded a Decimation, which was immediately executed without the least show of opposition or resistance; Mauritius their Commander, from whom Agaunum hath long been called. St. Maurice, speaking to them thus: I was very much afraid (fellow-soldiers) lest any of you, as it is natural for armed men especially to do, should have resisted under the pretext of self-defence: And I was prepared to forbid you to do so in the Name, and by the example of Christ, who commanded Peter, when he drew his sword, to put it up again; and so he went on exhorting them to follow the example of Christ. The first Decimation being ended, the Emperor commanded a second, when some of them bespoke him thus: We are thy Soldiers, Caesar, and have taken up Arms to defend the Empire, and have never yet been punished as Desertors, Traitors or Cowards, and we would now obey thee in this matter, but that our Religion forbids us to worship Demons, or approach their polluted Altars; do what thou pleasest, for we are thy Subjects as to our bodies, but our Souls now look up unto the Founder of our Religion, Christ. After that, Exuperius the Standard-bearer, spoke thus: You see fellow-soldiers I bear the Eagle, the sign of Secular War, but it is not to these Arms that I desire to provoke you, nor in war of this nature, that I would have you show your valour, but in another way of combating, by which and not by your swords, you shall win the Kingdom of heaven. He left also this Message to be sent to the Emperor, That desperation which made all other men valiant in dangers, could not tempt them to use their Arms against his Majesty, who refused to resist with their swords in their hands, because their Religion taught them to die in innocence, rather than survive in sin. The Emperor enraged with their invincible perseverance after the second Decimation, commanded the whole Army to fall in upon them, who presently cut them off. This happened between the ninth and tenth Persecution of the Christians, when, as † Lib. 5. Stultosque arbitrantur esse qui cum habeant in suâ potestate supplicia vitare, cruciari tamen & immori malunt, cum possint ex eo ipso videre non esse structitiam, in quam tanta hominum millia per orbem totum unâ & pari ment consentiant,— cum vero ab ortu solis usque ad occasum lex divina suscepta sit & omnis sexus, omnis aetas & gens & Regio unitis ac paribus animis Deo serviant eadem sit ubique patientia, idem contemptus mortis, etc. Lactantius writes of them, Cum tam nefanda perpetimur ne verbo quidem reluctamur, sed Deo remittimus rectionem, When we suffer such unexpressible torments, we do not so much as use any stubborn language, but call upon God to avenge our blood. Such was the Faith, and such the Patience of the primitive Christians from the time of Christ's ascension, till the time of Constantine the Great. Then the Church was blessed with peace and quietness, till the short reign of † Julianus extitit infidelis Imperator, nun extitit apostata, iniquus, idololatra? Milites Christiani servierunt Imperatori infideli, ubi veniebatur ad causam Christi non agnoscebant nisi illam, qui in coelo erat, quando veniebat ut idola colerent, ut Thurificarent, praeponebant illi Deum, quando autem dicebat producite aciem, ite contra illam gentem, statim obtemperabant, distinguebant dominum aeternum à domino temporali, & tamen subditi erant propter dominum aeternum etiam domino temporali, August. in Ps. 124. Julian the Apostate, who began to persecute again, when the Empire, and Army, now in a manner wholly Christian, adhered to their former principles, and withstood him no otherwise; as * Orat. 1. in Julian. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Nazianzen tells us, than with prayers and tears. Hitherto, and much longer the Christian world was utterly ignorant of seditious and rebellious doctrines both under the Pagan, and * Vid. Athanasii Apol. ad Const. & Hosium & Liberium apud Athan. Arrian Emperors To resist Authority under the specious pretence of defending themselves and their Religion; to enter into Leagues, Covenants and Associations against the Emperor and the Empire; to fight him from Field to Field, and from Country to Country; to hale him from one Prison to another, then to arraign him of high Treason against his own Subjects, and so cut off his Head, were things not more inconsistent with the notion of Monarchical government, and the express doctrines of the Gospel, than with the passive and obedient temper of the Christians in those happy and glorious times. Hitherto, and much longer, it had not so much as entered into their hearts * See the Association in the Proceed, etc. to oppose, or endeavour to subdue, expel, or destroy any Pagan Apostate, or Arrian Emperor; they knew not as yet what it was to promise and protest in the presence of God, to defend the Christian religion against Idolatry, Heresy, and Superstition; and therefore III. I proceed in the third place to inquire, whether any Modern professors of the Christian religion be guilty of this heavy Charge, of which the Ancestors of our Profession, the primitive Christians, were so innocent and free. For in the last days (saith St. Paul) perilous times shall come; for men shall be much for self-preservation, or lovers of their own selves; covetous; proud; boasters; blasphemers; disobedient to parents; unthankful; unholy; without natural affection; promise, or truce-breakers; false accusers; incontinent; fierce; haters, or despisers of those that are good; Traitors; heady; highminded; lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form, or outward appearance of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Here we see this odious Charge, which was so unjustly laid upon the Primitive, is Prophetically drawn up by the Apostle against these last times, in which we and our Ancestors have lived. And it hath been abundantly verified, and fulfilled not only by the Papists, but by those, who have imbibed the Popish Principles of Rebellion, the Bloody Reformers of the Episcopal Reformation in these Kingdoms; whom without any other Apology, but what the Day will make for me, I shall prove, First from their Principles, and Secondly from their Practices, to have been a pestilent sort of people, and movers of Sedition, enemies from their first Original unto Caesar, haters of His Royal Prerogative, and Actors against his Interest and Decrees. As for their Principles take them, as I find them laid down by the Anti-Episcopal Writers, in such Assertions, and Doctrines, as these. 1. That the people are better than the King, Buchanan de jure regni. Knox hist. and appell. and Goodman, as may be seen at large in bancroft's dangerous positions, book 1. ch. 3. and Lysimachus Nicano●● Letter of thanks, second Edition, 1679. and of greater Authority. 2. That they have a right to bestow the Crown at their pleasure. All to the 15th, to be seen in Bancr. dang. pos. b. 1. ch. 3. b. 2. ch 1. and many of them in Sir W. Dugdales' short view of the late troubles, p. 17, 18, 19 out of Buch. Goodman, Knox, Barrow. See also Herod and Pilate, p. 47. 3. That the making of Laws doth belong to the People, and that Kings are but as Masters of the Rolls. 4. That the People have the same power over the King, that the King hath over any one man. 5. That they may Arraign their Prince. In Eusebius Philadelphus from Edinburgh, dial. 2. p. 57 Vindiciae contra tyrannos, p. 206. Fenners Sacra Theol. commended by Cartwright l. 5. c. 13 p. 185. 6. That if Princes be Tyrants against God, and his Truth, their Subjects are free from their Oath of Allegiance. 7. That they may for just causes be Deposed. 8. That it is not Birthright, nor Propinquity of blood, that maketh a King lawfully to reign over a people professing Jesus Christ. Tenors of Kings and Magistrates, 1640. Rob. Rollock in Dan. c. 5. p. 150. all cited in Herod and pilot, p. 51, 52, 53. See Knox compared with Eman. Sa, Suarez, and Philopatris. As to 6, and 7, in Lysimach. Nicanor, 35, 36, 37. Knox in Foviis hist. wicked plots, b. 1. ch. 7. As to the 9th, See Buchanan compared with Suarez, Lysim. Nic. 39 9 That it were good, that rewards were appointed by the people for such as should kill Tyrants, as commonly there is for those that kill Wolves, or Bears, or to take away their Whelps. Cartwrights last reply, p. 65. The humble Petition to the Queen, p 55. Defence of the Discipline against Mr. Bridges, p. 127. Cited in the Epist. Ded. to Herod and Pilate. Cartwright, Travers and Buch. compared with Bellarm. Azor. and Suarez, as to Excommunication of Princes, Lysim. Nican. 30, 31. 10. That the King may be Excommunicated by the Ministers. 11. And that he who by Excommunication is cast into hell, is not worthy to enjoy any life upon earth. Whittingham in his Preface to Goodman's book. 12. That when Kings will not reform Religion, the Nobles and inferior Magistrates may, and if they refuse, that the People are bound to do it, though it be by * Willock and Knox in Spots. hist. l. 3. p. 136. Deposing, or the ‖ Bancrofts dang. pos. b. z. ch. 1. p. 34. Lex Rex, p. 173. Death of their King. Canterbury's doom, p. 290. etc. Staunton to the Commons, April 24. 1644 p. 28. 13. That the Nobility, inferior Magistrates, and the People are bound to resist Idolatry by force. 14. That if the Magistrates refuse, the People may, and aught to put Mass-Priests, and Mass-Preachers to death, and that in doing so, they show the same Zeal, which God commended in Phinehas. Knox hist. cited in the Narrative of Arch. B. of St. Andrews murder, p. 67. ib. 17, 18, 19 Bancr. dang. pos. b. 2. ch. 1. View of the late troubles, p. 17, 18, 15. That the example of Phinehas stands to us instead of a command, because what God hath commanded, or approved in one age, must needs oblige in all. 16. That it is not sufficient for Subjects not to obey the wicked commandments of their Princes, but they must resist them also, and deliver the children of God out of the hands of their enemies, as we would deliver a sheep, that is in danger to be devoured by a Wolf. 17. That Kings, Jus populi p. 1. 1644. Princes and Governors have their Authority from the people, who may take it away from them, as men may revoke their Proxies and Letters of Attorney. 18. That Noblemen were ordained to bridle Princes, Ruthersord's Lex Rex, p. 177 and that they have their honour of the people to revenge the injuries of their Kings. 19 That there is a mutual obligation betwixt the Prince, and his Subjects, See Lysim Nican. p. 11, 12, 13 and that if he perform not his duty, they are discharged from theirs. 20. That to disobey Princes, Covenanters instruction for defensive arms. Naphtali. p. 157. Lex Rex, p. 267. which submit their Sceptres to Christ's Sceptre, and act in subordination to him, is indeed rebellion: but to resist, and rise up against Princes, which do not do so, is not to disobey him, but to obey God, who in this case becomes their Superior, and Liege Lord. 21. That Judges ought by the Law of God to summon Princes before them for their crimes, Bancr. Dang. pos. p. 36. and proceed against them as against other offenders, and that * L●x Rex, p. 173, 175. the Sanhedrim ought to have put David to death. 22. That wicked Kings, The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates, 1649. Buch. de jure regni. Goodman in dang. pos. b. 1. ch. 1. and Tyrants ought to be put to death, and that when Magistrates cease to do their duty, as to this particular, the Sword falls into the hands of the people, and that if neither the Magistrate nor the people will do their office, than the Ministers, or any one Minister may excommunicate such a King, after which the rest of the people, who are willing to do their duty, may go to any Moses, or Othniel to be their Captain, and he ought not to refuse them. Nay, in such a case, a private man having an inward motion from God, may kill a Tyrant; as Moses did the Egyptian; Phinehas, Zimri and Cozbi, and Ehud King Eglon. 23. That * Mr. Robert Blair, at the College of Glascow. Monarchy is an unlawful government, and ‖ Calderwoods' altar Damascenum. Not unlike unto which is that of D. Owen's in his Fast Sermon, April 19 1649. p. 22. The Kings of the earth have given up their power to Antichrist, how have they earned their Titles. Eldest Son of the Church, The Catholic and most Christian King, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH? Do not the Kings of all these Nations stand up in the room of their ●rogenitors, with the same Implacable enmity to the power of the Gospel? that there is naturally in all Kings an hatred to Christ. 24. * Covenanters information for defensive arms, arg. 3. and so saith Bellarm. de Laicis, ch. 7. as they are paralleled Lysim. Nican. p. 17. That there were no Kings before cain's days, that the Church of God was well governed before there was any Christian King, and ‖ Dr. Henry Wilkinson of Ch. Ch. in a Sermon at Oxford a little before his Majesty's Restauration. See Spotswood 423, 424. that God gave the Jews their first King in his wrath. At large in Presbytery displayed. See Bramhall's fair warning to England. Spotsw. hist. l. 6. Zions plea. Rutherford's Preface to Lex Rex. Covenanters answer to the Marq. of Ham. Declaration, Lysim. Nic. p. 18. Who compares them in this to the Papists, p. 32. King's larger Declaration, fol. 407. Th. Cartwright, p. 645. 25. That the Church in Ecclesiastical Assemblies hath power to make Laws without the King. 26. That the King hath no power to call, or dissolve those Ecclesiastical Assemblies, nor to Ordain a Fast, or Festival, nor to silence or deprive any Minister, because every Minister in his Ministerial capacity is subject unto none but Christ. See Spirit of Popery, p. 9 27. That the Oath of Supremacy is destructive of Christ's Prerogative, that it un-kings him, and makes a mortal sinful man supreme in his house; that it is blasphemy, a cursed Oath, contrary to the second Psalm, and the Doxology of the Lords Prayer, Lex Rex which calls Mariana the Jesuit an approved author, p. 178. Duglasses Coronation Sermon. See Kings large Declaration, p. 409. and that whosoever takes it doth declare he hath no King but Caesar. 28. That it is lawful for the people to enter into Leagues, Covenants and Associations, without their Prince; and that a King cannot be a King, but by a Covenant with his people. 29. That the Solemn League and Covenant was Christ's marriage-contract; Mr. Cases book of the Covenant in Evangelium Armàtum p. 42 Zac. Crostons' answer to Dr. Gauden 3 edit. p. 22. See Spirit of Popery, 7. 26. 42. Mr. Caryl in Evang. arm. p. 26. that to act against it is to do despite to the Holy Ghost; that it obliges the people of these Kingdoms, as much as the Mosaic covenant obliged the Jews; that all Acts of Parliament against it are damnable; that to break it is to revolt from God, that it obliges children in the Loins of their Parents, who ought to baptise their children into it; that * Poor man's Cup. the last great Plague, and Fire of London were judgements of God for burning of it by the hand of the common hangman, and that his Majesty having revolted from it hath no right to rule. 30. That those who engaged in it were unjustly charged with rebellion. Mr. Calamy in his Sermon before the Lords; Dec. 25. 1644. 31. That the * Mr. Calamy ib: Mr. Jenkins in his humble Petition, printed Octob. 15. 1651. Political Catechism, p. 7. 1679. See Mr. Baxter in Evang. arm. p. 16, 17, 18, 19 and Mr. Herle, p. 28. Parliament without the King was the Supreme power of this Nation, and ‖ Mr. Marshal, Evang. arm. p. 7. that as Josiah put those to death, who followed Baal: so might they those, who will not return to the Lord, and leave their Anti-christianism, which was sworn in the Covenant to be rooted out. 32. That when Providence depriveth a King of his understanding, or suffers him to turn wicked, Mr. Baxter in his H. C. W. where there are many more such Jesuitical Theses. See also the 2d part of the unreasonableness of Separation, which shows him to have been a man of Rebellion and blood. or disables him from executing the Law, and protecting his Subjects, that it renders him uncapable, and so deposeth him. 33. That it was lawful to take up defensive arms, Stephen Martial, Evang. arm. p. 21. after the example of David, who had sworn Allegiance unto Saul. 34. That those who fought in the late Rebellion, M. Martial. fought the Lords Battles, M. Calamy, Evan. arm. 22, 23, 24. Mr. Love to the Commons. Nou. 25. 1646. in Dedic. to Lord Fairfax: and at Uxbridge, Jan. 30. 1644. p. 7. Tisdal to the Commons, p. 14. Leech his Sermon, 1644. Case to the Commons, 1644. p. 13. and that the war was the cause of God. Buch. de jure. Mr. Case in Evang. arm. p. 25. Covenanters inform. for defence. arms. So Bellarmin de Concil. l. 2. c. 19 de Cler. l. 3. c. 6. 35. That all people, the English in particular, have a right to choose their own Government. M. Case, Eu. arm. 25. 35. M Strickland, Eu. arm. 29. 36. That the Loyal Subjects, who adhered to his Majesty were Babylonians, Midianites, and Idolaters. 37. That Idolaters, and Idolatrous Priests ought to be punished with death. Cases Sermon, to the court-martial, Aug. 17. 1643. marshal's Sermon, March 26. 1645. Herle to the Lord Mayor, 1644. p. 22. Martial to the Commons, Decemb. 22. 1645. p. 52, 53. and to the Commons, Feb. 23. 1641. p. 9 Love at Uxbridge, Jan. 30. 1644. p. 7. Spotswood hist. l. 3. Coleman in Foulis hist. of wicked plots, p. 183, 184. 38. That * Mr. Sedgewick and Mr. Strickland, Eu. arm. p. 29. M. Faircloth, ib. 32. Mr. Bridges, ib. 33. Dr. Homes, ib. 34. the Church of England was Idolatrous, full of Idols, Babylonish garments, and Popish trumpery, and ‖ Mr. Jenkins before the Parl. Sept. 24. 1656. p. 23. Because he makes so light of the blood and treasure which was shed and spilt in the late Rebellion; I desire the Reader, probably to compute, how many thousand men lost their lives on both sides in it: and as for the Treasure, as Mr. Heath before his Chronicle observes, it exceeds all Arithmetic and belief. For besides the Customs, Kings Revenues, Sequestered Ecclesiastical profits, Sales of the Lands of the King, Queen, and Prince, Bishops, Deans and Chapters; Decimations; 100000 and 120000 l. per mens. it amounted in 5 years' time, as he computes, to near 20000000 l. Much such another unchristian saying was that of Mr. Marshal's too both Houses, Jan. 18. 1643. ib. I confidently affirm, that our days are now better, than they were 7 years ago; because it is better to see the Lord (mark the phrase) execute judgement, than to see men working wickedness; and to behold a people lie wallowing in their blood, than Apostatising from God, and embracing Idolatry, and Superstition, and banishing the Lord Jesus from among them. See also p. 22. that the removal of them countervailed for all the blood, and treasure, which was shed, and spilt in these Kingdoms, not excepting the blood of This day. Scripture and reason published by divers anti-episcopal Divines, and ordered to be Printed by the Committee of the House, April 14. 1643. Evan. Arm. p. 36. 39 That it was as blameless to kill the King's Person in a battle, as for a Constable, or Watchman to knock him down if he committed violence in a disguise. 40. That he had a solemn and fair Trial, Milton in Apol. Preface to his Iconoclastes, the Portraiture of the Kings of England, 1650. p. 15. Army's Remonstrance, Nou. 16. 1648. Brooks before the Commons, Dec. 26. 1648. p. 17, 19 Cockain to the Commons, Nou. 29. 1648. Dr. Owen a Fast Sermon, Jan. 31. 1648. p. 5. 15. A Thanksgiving Sermon for the defeat at Worcester, Oct. 24. 1651. p. 2. 6. Jo. goodwin's Defence of the sentence passed on the King. Mr. Herle's Preface before his Sermon on 2 Sam. 22.16, 17. Preached to the Commons, Nou. 5. 1644. Do justice to the greatest. saul's sons are not spared, no nor may Agag or Benhadad, though themselves Kings. Zimri and Cozbi though Princes of the people, must be pursued into their Tents: This is the way to consecrate yourselves to God. becoming the Majesty of the people of England, and was justly put to death. * Mr. Baxter. Evan. arm. 17, 18. 39, 40, 41. Slaters Protection Protected, 1658. Mr. Jenkins in his Petition, 1651. God's Providence, i. e. his permission of Events, and Success, are antecedent delarations of Gods Will and approbation. A refusal to be subject to this authority [the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England] is a refusal to acquiesce in the wise and righteous pleasure of God, such an opposing of the Government set up by the Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth, as none can have peace neither in acting nor suffering for. Lastly, that the Usurping powers after him, were lawful powers ordained of God. These, with many other such Popish and damnable Positions, may be found in these words, or others of the same importance, in the writings and accounts of the most celebrated Authors, and Ringleaders of the Anti-episcopal parties in both Kingdoms; and I forbear to name them, both to avoid the loss of time, which such a long Catalogue would take up, and the envy which would fall upon me for naming of some of all professions, who yet live, or whose memory is yet fresh among us. And as the Authors of this new Divinity have taught: so they and their disciples have acted in contradiction to the Gospel, and the Primitive professors of it, and in opposition to Caesar and his Laws. It would make a large History to relate all their slanderous undutiful Speeches, Petitions, and Remonstrances; all their Seditious Declarations, and meetings; all their Riots, Tumults, Insurrections and Rebellions; and all their Treasons, Murders and Assassinations, in these two Kingdoms, from the time of Queen Elizabeth, and King James his Mother unto this present day. As for the King's Mother they compared her to ‖ Herod and Pilate p. 48 Jesabel, and Athaliah, and * Cambdens Eliz. p 95. 3d Edit. in English preached, that it was lawful to put her to death. * Spotsw hist, p. 123, 124. & Foulis hist. b. 1. ch. 8. They killed great numbers of the Popish Clergy, and pulled down Monasteries, and Cathedral-Churches by Virtue of God's Laws against Idolatry, without staying for Reformation by Law. To be short, as King James complained at Hampton-Court, they renounced her Authority, put her up in several Prisons, fought her from field to field, beat her out of her own Kingdom, took all into their own hands, and forced her for his sake, who was in their custody, to resign her Title to the Crown. As for him, he declares, in his Preface, to all Christian Monarches, Princes, and States: that they Persecuted him not from his Birth only, but from Four months before he was born. With what inhumanity, and irreverence did they treat him in his Minority, forcing Oaths upon him against his Conscience, and keeping his person under restraint! * Spotsw. hist. l. 6. Foulis b. 1. ch. 8. After he got his liberty, their Preachers called him Jeroboam, denounced the judgements of God against him, said he was possessed with a Devil; and affirmed that his Subjects might lawfully rise, and take the Sword out of his hand. Accordingly they did so in Edinburgh, crying out at the time of the Insurrection, the Sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. And to the last moment he lived among them, he had as great contests against their ‖ See the story of Blake in Spotsw. and Foulis ib. l. 6. Presbytery displayed. Ecclesiastical Sovereignty, as ever any King had against the Pope. As for what they taught, and practised in Queen Elizabeth's days, may be seen in the Schismatical * Such as Martin Mar-Prelate, HE ye any work, Diotrephes demonstration of discipline, and many more made and dispersed by Udal, Barrow, Greenwood, Studly, Bowler, Copping, Thacket, Penry, and others. As may be seen in Bancr. dang. pos. books of that time; as also from the accounts we have in History, of the ‖ Dang. pos. b. 4. bloody Principles, and Practices of Coppinger, Hacket, and their Associates; who were all the Disciples, or Companions of Cartwright, and Trevers, and condemned for High Treason, though most of them upon the intercession of the Archbishop were graciously reprieved by the Queen. As soon as King James came to the Crown of England, they began to make loud and grievous complaints against the Church of England, in behalf of the Discipline, which to satisfy their clamours made him give them a Conference at Hampton-Court: Where his Majesty having considered the vanity of their Objections, put out a Proclamation for Uniformity; which making them despair of any hopes from him, they entered into a stricter correspondence with their brethren in Scotland, In the first Parl. of this King, one of the Members bid the House take heed lest if they gave too much to the King, they should endanger their own throatscuttting as they went home. Another said. It would never be well with England till a Sicilian Vesper was made of the Scottish Nation, as if he had not known what Country men the King, and Princes were. and in England privately magnified the power of Parliaments against the Prerogative; and by those arts so inflamed the people, that the Nation presently began to ring with clamours of grievances, danger of Arbitrary power, freedom of Speech, birthright of the People, and such like things, as English ears had rarely or never heard mentioned in such a mutinous manner before. Nay, they used all imaginable arts to render the King and Clergy odious to the people, and so Faction, and Sedition increased more and more among them, till his Son, our late Blessed Sovereign, who was Murdered This day, succeeded to the Crown. I shall not, because I need not relate how this Excellent Prince was abused, and tormented by them both in, and out of Parliaments. I shall not repeat their undutiful Speeches, and Slanderous reflections on His Sacred person, nor trouble myself and you with reciting those Lies and Defamations by which they represented him to his people for a Papist, a Tyrant, and a Fool. I shall not, I cannot with patience rehearse the several Acts, and Scenes of this Execrable Tragedy, from the beginning of the Rebellion to the Vote of Non-Addresses, which Murdered the King; and from thence to the High-Court of Justice, which Arraigned, and Condemned the Man. It pains and torments me to remember the Speeches that were made, the Votes that passed, the Sermons that were preached, and the Books that were Printed to delude his poor Subjects; whom in his greatest miseries he pitied more, than he did his own self. I cannot think upon our Nasebies, and all other British fields of blood without horror, and indignation; especially when I consider all the Mock-Treaties they made with him, and that they, as he called God to witness in his Speech upon the Scaffold, first began the War. Much less am I able to insist upon the Nature, Manner, or Style of his Arraignment; or tell you the Barbarous and Inhuman manner, in which they abused His Sacred, and Innocent person; when the very abjects of the people gathered themselves together against him, making mows and ceased not. I leave you to recollect all this, and reflect on the horror of this execrable Tragedy; especially upon this last Act, of which I shall only say, as the Israelites said upon another occasion: There was no such deed done, nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day. Consider of it, take advice, and freely speak your minds. Having now showed, First, That it was an old charge against the Primitive Christians, that they were enemies to Caesar, and did all things contrary to his Decrees; Secondly, That this charge was most malicious, and unjust; And having in the Third place found upon enquiry, if any modern Christians were guilty of that charge that the Anti-episcopal people of these Kingdoms have been highly guilty of it, according as the Apostle foretold: I now proceed to make some short practical reflections proper to the times, and the business of this day. First then, let us seriously reflect on the great difference betwixt the Principles and Practices of Christ and the Primitive Christians; and the Principles and Practices of our New-Reformers, and then consider what Spirit they have been of. Not of the Spirit of Christ, who hath commanded us to lay down our lives without resistance for his sake, and the Gospels; who blamed Peter for drawing his Sword; and who not only lived but died an Obedient Subject to Caesar, submitting himself unto his Governors, when he had more Legions of Angels at his, than Caesar had Legions of men at his command. Nor of the Spirit of the Apostles, who taught the same Doctrine of Patience, and Passive Obedience to Legal Authority, following the example of their Masters, and commanding all Christians to be subject to Lawful Magistrates, not only for Wrath but for Conscience-sake. Nor of the Spirit of the Primitive Christians, who inviolably taught, and practised the same Doctrine under Ten famous Persecutions within the first 300 years. They were mocked, scourged, imprisoned, stoned, sawn asunder, impaled, crucified, and slain with the Sword: or if they took the * Matth. 10.23 allowed benefit of flight, they wandered about in Sheepskins, and Goatskins, in Deserts, and Mountains, and Dens and Caves of the earth, and all this not only when they wanted power, but when they were become the greater part of the Empire, and a great part of the Imperial Army, and when the Powers that were, did not submit their Sceptres to Christ's Sceptre, but endeavoured to root his Religion, and the Professors of it out of the world. Of what Spirit then have they been? even of a Popish Jesuitical sort of spirit, and of Popish Jesuitical Principles; for all the Positions, which I have laid down out of their Writings, may be found in the Writings of the * See them paralleled with the Jesuits in Herod and Pilate, p. 54. in Lysim. Nican. in Sir Will Dugdales' short view, 16, 17. in L. Keeper Puckering Speech to the Parliament, 1585. 27th of Queen Eliz. ib. 13. Dr. nalson's Introduct. p. 5. Jesuits, and to the great scandal of the Protestant name they have perverted the Gospel-Doctrines of Patience and Obedience by them, as much as the Jesuits have done. They have taught and learned all their damnable Doctrines of Disobedience, and resistance, not only against Princes in general, but against their own Sovereign; and as to this part of Popery, I say, as to this part of Popery, they that hold these Principles, are as rank Papists against the Government, though many of them are ignorant of it, as any were in This or the Powder-plot. Nay the most pestilent, and dangerous piece, that ever was written against this Government, Dolemans, or Parson's Title to the Crown, they have dressed up in several disguises, not only in * In a Collection of Speeches said to be delivered at a Conference concerning the Power of Parliaments to proceed against their King for misgovernment: with several other Declarations and Speeches, particularly, bradshaw's long speech at the Condemnation of the King, a Treatise of the broken Succession of the Crown of England, 1655. to make way for the Usurper. the time of the late Rebellion, but since the ‖ A brief history of the Succession. late liberty of the Press. And from the men of these Principles it is, that we have had within these Three last years so many Impious and Treasonable books Printed, to * The appeal from the City to the Country, which also saith the worse Title the better King. declaim against the Doctrine of Passive Obedience; ‖ A brief history of the Succession. to prove this not to be an Hereditary, but rather an Elective Monarchy, and that the King is the * Employed in the Style of most of the Seditious Pamphlets. Trustee of the people; ‖ A Letter of a gentleman to his friend, showing that the Bishops are not to be Judges, etc. that he is one of the Three Estates; * Plato Redivivus, first Ed. p. 121. 237, 238, 239. 124. with many other seditious doctrines. That his Office in the interval of Parliaments, is wholly Ministerial to put the Laws in execution; that his Prerogative in all the branches of it is rather the ruin than the support of the Government; that Acts of Parliament were at first brought unto his Majesty, as the Speaker, and Lord Mayor are now presented to him, merely out of respect and honour; ‖ Dialogue between Tutor and Pupil. and that Parliaments should sit till all Grievances are redressed, and Petitions answered, that is, as long as they please. And in all the Books special care is taken to blacken and expose the Universities and the Clergy, and make them odious and contemptible to the people, because they cannot persuade us to go beyond the Word of the Lord, but that we still teach, and preach up the Doctrine of * Which was called, the new Oxford Divinity, by G. Gillespy, in the Preface to his Sermon, preached to the Commons on Ezek. 43.11. Passive Obedience to the Lawful Powers, for Evangelical, and maintain, according to the ‖ Sciant quis illis dederit imperium, sciant qua homines, quis & animam. Sentiant eum esse Deum solum à quo sunt secundi, post quem primi— ideò magnus est [Imperator] quia coelo minor. Illius enim est ipse cujus & coelum est & omnis creatura: inde est Imperator unde & homo, antequam Imperator, inde potestas illi unde & spiritus. In Apoleg. Colimus ergo imperatorem— ut hominem à Deo secundum, & quicquid est à Deo consecutum & solo Deo minorem— Sic etiam omnibus major est, dum solo vero Deo minor est. Ad Scapulam. Psal. 82.6. Exod. 22.28. Bract. saith of the King, Omnis sub eo est, & ipse sub nullo, nisi tantùm sub Deo. See the Statute of Praemunire, 16 Rich. 2. cap. 5. Apostle, and the whole strain of Primitive Christian Writers, that Kings are Gods Vice-gerents upon earth, and that the Supreme, especially the Royal power, is the Ordinance of God. But Secondly, if these principles be so contrary to the Doctrines of Christ, and Primitive Christianity, than we may learn how much it is our duty to abhor them, and beware of them that hold and teach them, how much soever they may talk of the purity of the Gospel, and how zealous soever for the Protestant Religion they may seem to be. For the Protestant Religion is but another name for Primitive Christianity, and a Protestant for a Primitive Christian, who protests against all the corruptions of the Gospel by Popery: and Popery having apparently corrupted the Gospel in the Doctrines of Obedience, and Submission, and the Divine Authority of the Supreme power, especially of Kings; they cannot be sound and Orthodox Protestants, who hold the very same destructive principles to Regal Government, by which the Papists have corrupted the Gospel in those points. No they are not sound, and Orthodox Protestants, but Protestants popishly affected, Papists under a Protestant dress, Wolves in Sheep's clothing; Rebellious and Satanical spirits transformed into Angels of Light. They were such Protestants, or Protestant Jesuits as these, that formerly set up Jesus among us against Caesar, Christ against his own Gospel, the Apostles against their own Doctrine and practice, and by corrupting and perverting the Gospel of peace, brought the people of this Nation to turn their * This the sword not disputes nor Treaties, that must end this controversy, wherefore turn your Blow shares into Swords, and your Pruning-books into Spears, to fight the Lords battles. Love at Uxbridge, Jan. 30. 1644. p. 7. Contrary to the Spirit of the Primitive Christians, who, as Justin saith of them in his Dial. turned their Swords and Spears into Ploughshares. You cannot lay out your blood in such a quarrel [the late Rebellion.] Christ shed all his blood to save you from hell, venture all yours to set him up upon his Throne. marshal's Paneg. 1643. See many more such, Dissent. Sayings, 1 and 2 part, 12 Sect. Ploughshares into Swords; and rise up against the best of Princes, in the most causeless, and unnatural rebellion that ever was in the world. They were such Protestants as these, that have made so many Protestant Plots, raised so many Protestant tumults and rebellions, and committed so many Protestant murders and assassinations in these Kingdoms; and perhaps shed more Protestant blood in them, than was shed in the first Ten famous Persecutions; and in one word, such Protestants, and zealous Protestants they were, who shed the direful blood of this day. You may know them by their works; and by their words, and phrases too. For their Throat is as an open Sepulchre, with their tongues they use deceit, the poison of Asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of cursing, or fraudulent imprecations and bitterness, destruction and misery are in their ways, and the ways of peace they have not known. As there was never so much need to warn the people against the Papists; so there was never greater need to warn them against these Popish Protestants, who have brought an indelible scandal upon the Protestant Religion by this great abomination, and thereby made this Protestant Land an hissing, and the Protestants of it to be a reproach, and a proverb, and a taunt, and a curse in all places, and yet we see they are so far from undoing what they formerly did, and abhorring themselves for their former practices; that if you compare the former, and these later things, which have happened together, you will find them speaking to the people in the very same Prologue, and already entered upon the same prelude that preceded the beginning of that Execrable Tragedy which they concluded this day. Search in the books of the Records of your fathers, and you shall find and know, that the men of these unchristian principles have been a rebellious people, hurtful to Kings and Princes, and that they have of old time moved Sedition within this City and Kingdom, and turned the world upside down. And since the same principles will upon the same occasion, eternally act the same things; it behoves us as we are Christians, and Subjects to beware of them, and as we tender our private and public welfare, to be very vigilant over them, lest by their hands we be brought again to confusion, Anarchy, and blood. But in the last place, if these principles, and the practices of the Pharisees that held them, have been so contrary to the principles and practices of Christ, and the primitive Christians, we may see how much it is our duty to mourn, and lament for such apparent and grievous violations of the Gospel by Gospel-professors, but especially for the last Scene of that horrid Tragedy of rebellion which they acted this day. That such a wickedness should be committed in our Israel, in a Protestant Country, upon a Protestant King, and by Protestant Subjects pretending to so much light, aught to make us ashamed and blush to lift up our eyes to Heaven, and weep, were it possible, tears of blood. Was it thus, that we rendered unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's? Was it thus, that we owned him to be God's Minister, and our duty to obey him, not only for wrath, but Conscience-sake? Was this the way to be subject to principalities and powers, and did we thus submit ourselves for the Lord's sake, to the King as Supreme, and unto those that were sent by him? Was it thus that we resisted unto blood? Did we thus learn of Christ? and was it thus that we contended for the purity of the Gospel? We, I say, because so many of all ranks and conditions were engaged in that unchristian Rebellion, which brought on this detestable act, as to make them both national crimes. All that any way slandered the King, and his Government; all that endeavoured to make him odious or contemptible to his people; all that preached or printed, or spoke Sedition; all that raised uproars and tumults; all that furnished plate or money, or set forth men, horse, or arms against him: Nay all that had evil will unto him, how much soever they pretended to the Spirit, were more or less in God's eyes guilty of the Rebellion, which was begun by the Representatives of the people, and all along carried on in their name. Great reason therefore have we, and the children that shall come after us, the men of Judah, and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, all Israel that are near, and that are far off, to be humbled before God for this abomination, and for our own sins, and the sins of our fathers, which hath caused him to pour forth the curse, and bring so great an evil upon us, as on this day. It was for our iniquities, that We, our King, and our Priests were delivered to the Sword, to Captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face on this day. May it please God to hear the prayers, and accept the humiliation of his people, and divert his heavy judgements which seem to hang over us for such an execrable fact. May it please him by the precious blood of Christ, which speaketh better things, than that of Abel, to purge the whole Nation from the guilt of all the righteous blood which was shed in it, from that Noble blood of which our Sovereign did repent, to his own, which was shed upon this day. Oh that it may neither lie upon us, nor upon our children! oh that the voice of it may not cry unto God for vengeance from the ground! and oh that his Soul like the Souls of the Martyrs under the Altar, be not yet crying out, how long O Lord holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge my blood? Grant this, O Blessed Jesus! for the infinite merits of thy own blood, which was shed for those that shed it, and which is a full, perfect, and sufficient atonement for the sins of the whole world. Amen. FINIS. BOOKS Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's-head in St. Paul's Churchyard. THE Spirit of Popery speaking out of the mouths of Fanatical Protestants, or the last Speeches of John Kid and John King, two Presbyterian Ministers. Fol. Dr. Hick's Spirit of Enthusiasm, a Sermon preached at the Act at Oxford. Peculium Dei, A Sermon before the Lord Mayor. True Notion of Persecution, a Sermon. Mr. Long's History of the Donatists. Octau. 's Character of a Separatist. Octau. 's Answer to Hales of Schism, with Mr. Baxter's. Arguments for Conformity. Octau. 's Plea for Peace Impleaded against Mr. Baxter. Mr. Hallywel's Excellency of the Christian Religion. Oct. 's Account of Familism against the Quakers. Oct. 's Sacred method of saving humane Souls by Jesus Christ. Oct. 's Melampronea, a discourse of the Polity of the Kingdom of Darkness. Octau. Mr. Hotchkis discourse of the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness. Oct. 2d Discourse with a Postscript against Dr. Owen. Dr. Worthington's great duty of Self-resignation. Oct. Dr More's Reply to an Answer to his Antidote against Idolatry, with an Appendix. Octau. 's Remarks on the L. Hales' two Discourses of Gravitation and Non-Gravitation of Fluids', and the Torricellian Experiment. Oct. 's Exposition on the Revelation. Quar. on Daniel. Quar. 's Answer to Butler of Judicial Astrology. Quar. H. Mori, Opera Theologica & Philosophica. Fol. 3 Vol. Dr. Fowler's Libertas Evangelica. Oct. 's Sermon before the Judges at Gloucester. Quar. Mr. Kidder's discourse of Christian Fortitude. Oct. Dr. Falkener's Libertas Ecclesiastica. Oct. 's Christian Loyalty. Oct. 's Vindication of Liturgies. Oct. Mr. Scot's Discourse of the Christian life. Oct. 's Sermon before the Artillery Company. Allen's Persuasive to peace, and unity amongst Christins. 's Friendly address to the Nonconformists. Oct. 's Mystery of Iniquity against the Papists. Oct. 's Discourse of Divine assistance. Oct. 's Danger of Enthusiasm against the Quakers. Against Ferguson of Justification. Oct. 's Christian's justification stated. Oct. 's Practical discourse of Humility. Oct. Dr. Grove's Vindication of the Conforming Clergy against Jenkins. 's Responsio ad Celeusma. Quar. 's Defence of the Church, and Clergy of England. Burnetii, TELLURIS THEORIA SACRA. The Roman wonder, being truth confessed by Papists. fol. Dr. W. Smith's unjust man's doom, and discourse of partial conformity. Oct. 's 2 Assize Sermons at St. Edmundsbury. 's 2 Sermons at Norwich. 's Sermon the 4th Sunday in Lent. Quar. Protestant Loyalty fairly drawn to the Life, being an Answer to a Dialogue between a Tutor, and a Pupil at Oxford, and the Impartial account of the late Addresses. Quar. Mr. Cutlov's 2 Sermons at the Assizes at St. Edmundsbury. Brown's Visitation Sermon at Halstead in Essex. Inet's Sermon at the Assizes at Warwick. Quar.