ST. PETER told these brethren before , that the Gentiles spake evill of them as of evill doers ; either in generall that there was no thing so evill , which they would not doe ; or more particularly , that they would doe this evill ; they would not submit unto authority ; Our Apostle therefore commeth from his generall to his more particular advices , by which hee would make it appeare unto all , that Religion was at no fewd with civill polity , that the best man was the best subject ; which that hee might be and so acknowledged of al , he exhorts them to submit , &c. Which words contain a Duty , and the Motives ; the duty , subjection to the Magistrate ; the motives , 1. from God Christ Jesus our Lord v. 13. 15. 2. from the end why the Magistrate is sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 punishment and prayse , v. 14. 3. from their enemies , described to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and to work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their unjust slandering of them , who must be silenced by their obedience , v. 15. 4. from themselves , that though they are free , yet they are withall servants of God , and therefore must not use their freedome to cover their Rebellion , to make it a matter of conscience to disobey , v. 16.

1. Of the duty , submission or subjection , and to whom wee must submit , to wit , the Magistrate , him that is in Authority ; which is first described from his matter , an humane Creature , hee also is but a man . 2. from his supremacy , and subordination : The King , and they , who are sent by him , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the Presidents . I enter now upon a subject , I know not whether more necessary or distastful ; necessary it is , for wee must needs obey , Rom. 13. and yet nothing is more distastfull to corrupted nature than to submit . Whilst I told you that you were a peculiar people , a royall priesthood , &c. then I was heard with a greedy attention , every one of you then would be ready to alter the question of the Apostles , and say , Is it not I ? Is it any other than my selfe that you mean ? but now that I am to shew that these priests have no better sacrifice to offer than Obedience , that these kings are but subjects and must submit themselves unto the King , you will be ready to answer as the King of France did to our conquering Edwards letters , wherein hee barely termed him Charles de Valois , that he had read some such thing indeed , but he could not conceit that it concerned himselfe : so whatsoever you shall heare of this argument , I am afraid too many of you would believe that it concerneth not your selfe . The refusing of this submission was the first sin , and if Adam before corruption thought it too much to submit himselfe to his Divine Creator , it wil be no wonder , if after so many sins , wee add this unto the rest , that wee will not without grudging submit our selves to an humane Creature . But whether wee like it or no it is our duty , wee must submit . The word in the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which commeth from two words , that signifie be ye under order : wee must submit our selves to our superiors , that wee must be under their order , that which they order we must doe , whether that order concerne us or ours ; whether it have a reference unto our persons or our goods . Concerning both of these their order may be , and it is our part to submit , to be under their order . All men , even the Christians , the Regenerate must thus submit . Let every soule be subject , Rom. 13. 1. Every soule , that is , every person ; if then a Christian be a person , hee must be a subject ; he must have obedience , if a Being . Be subject , that is , unto commands , and the commands of the Magistrate reach and that justly too , as well to the body as the purse . Honorthy Father and thy mother , thou must needs remember this , if thou hast not forgot the Commandement , if they are not fled as far from thy memory as from thy practice : thy Superiors are thy Father and thy Mother , therefore thou must honor thy Superiors . Now honor in Scripture signifieth no lesse maintenance than good speeches , that both wayes thou shouldst submit . You will say this was Moses his commandement : but you cannot deny that this which followes was Christs ; Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars , Mat. 22. 21. But who can deny that Caesar hath a right to thy full subjection ? Where the word of a King is there is power , Ecc. 1. 4. now , what power were there in it , if it could not make thee every way submit ? it followeth , and who may say unto him , What dost thou ? as who should say , If thou sayest so unto him , thou sayst what thou canst not justifie , as hee writeth in his Epistles to Atticus , Hoc quod dicis & turpe , nec tamen tutum est , such a speech hath the disgrace of shamefulnesse , and not so much by way of recompence for that disgrace , as the benefit of safety . If thou sayest , What dost thou , he may doe that with thee that thou shalt not be able to say again . In the multitude of the people is the Kings honor , Prov. 14. 28. but the multitude must be obedient then ; it is a dangerous honor if he have a multitude of refractary people , of such who know not to submit . Put them in minde to bee subject , &c. Tit. 3. 1. to obey Magistrates , to bee ready in every good worke : they are backward in every good worke , if they be not ready in this one ; to obey Magistrates . And marke you , hee doth not say simply , Let them obey , or be subject , but put them in mind ; this duty commeth so harsh unto the most , that they must be often put in mind of it before they will bee perfect in it . I exhort or desire therefore first of all , sayes St. Paul , that supplications &c. be made for Kings and all that are in authority , that we may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie , 1 Tim. 2. 1. we must pray for them that we may lead a quiet life , then likewise we must submit to them that we may live a quiet life , otherwise they will trouble us into peaceablenesse , wee shall not be quiet unlesse we will be obedient . It is a proposition in the Schoole , Quaelibet res perficitur per hoc quod suo subditur-superiori : Every creature receiveth perfection from its subordination , it would have more defects , if it did not submit its selfe to its superior ; we must be subject therefore for our own good , wee should be worse if we were not under . Had God intended that all should be equall , that none should command , none should submit , without doubt hee would never have made heaven and earth , the one so much higher than the other . What in Kings towards the subject is command ▪ that in the heaven towards the earth is its influence , and what in subjects towards their prince is obedience , that in the earth towards heaven is the receiving of its influence . Now as the earth would be barren if it did not receive that influence , so the subject would have no abundance , if he did not obey . Is there any harmony if all the strings are of the same bignesse ? must there not be some greater , some lesser , some sharper , some flatter , if you : looke for musick from the instrument ? Even amongst beasts , where ever there is a flocke , there is Dux gregis , the Leader of the flocke , to whose direction the rest submit their selves . Can a Ship be set to sea without a master ? and must not all in the Ship submit to him ? Now it would be strange if the Commonwealth should bee of easier guidance than a Ship , that it should not sinke without submitting to a Master . Nay , let us looke into our owne selves , there is the soul and the body ; the Commander , and that which is to submit . Or let us goe farther into the soule , there is the Reason and the Appetite ; in the Divine part which is indivisible which properly hath no parts , there is that which ruleth , there is that which is to obey . To teach us our submission to lawfull Governors , God would not let us bee without a kind of Commonwealth , a governement within us . Besides , even the Heathens themselves may be our Leaders here , and teach us our duty of subjection : In the East Country they alwaies esteemed their Princes to bee Gods , and their commands as Oracles ; even the Germans , as Tacitus reports , were so addicted to their Governor to manifest this submission , that hee saith of them , Principes pro victoria pugnant , Comites pro principe , that for what ever reason their Prince doth fight , they fight for nothing but for their Prince , if he be safe they are well , they are well because hee is safe , to whom they may submit themselves : what then was Leo the tenths Ensigne , to wit , a yoake , with this word , It is sweet , ( he used it whilst he was a subject , it was sweet to him to obey , and it was used of him when he was a prince , that it was sweet to obey him ) may be all of ours , and if it be a yoake to be under Authority , we must account it a sweet yoake , that it is delightfull to submit . But you will say , wherefore is all this ? who is there amongst us that doth not thinke it his duty to submit ? onely we would know how farre this subjection doth extend , and how it can be made appeare , that we must submit both body and goods unto the order of our superior ? we must know therefore , that the Scripture hath commanded subjection in generall onely , the determination therefore of this generall is left either unto the Prince or people : not unto the people , for if they may ordaine that they will obey so far , by the same authority they may decree one degree short of that obedience , & so an other & an other , til they had decreed not to obey at all . It remaineth th●● that the prince ▪ that the chiefe Magistrate is to teach us how he will be obeyed , unto what degree of subjection wee must submit . Besides , wee are to take notice who this Magistrate is , to whom S. Peter exhorts to submit , to wit , the Roman Emperour , with all the Lawes and ordinances , by which that Empire was commanded ; amongst which Lawes this was one , that their persons and goods should neither bee exempt from serving of the commonwealth . And indeed if wee consider the blindnesse of our understandings and the depravation of our wills ; we shall find that there is a necessity fully to submit our selves to those , whose direction may direct our understandings , whose power may take order that our depraved wills may hurt no other than our selves . You will say then , if my understanding be clearer , and my will more reformed than those , who are in authority , may I choose whether I will submit to them who are not so wise nor so good as my selfe ? no , by no meanes , since thou mayst be too partiall a Judge of thine owne good parts , and their Right confirmeth them in their authority , what ever their parts are ; nay , what hinders but that weake Princes may have able Ministers , and that is all one for thy direction . Againe , wilt not thou submit thy selfe to authority ? why , by the same reason a second will not , nor a third , and so , because we know not where to stop , none will . Now judge thine owne selfe whether it were not better to live with wild beasts than in such a place where there were no authority but what the stronger would usurp to his owne selfe , which must never be accounted unjust against the weaker . Breifely , thou wilt live alone or in Company . If alone , who shall defend thee ? if in Company , thou must have a Magistrate to defend thee , or that Company will be worse than any solitarinesse : Lastly , there is none but would injoy the benefit of a Commonwealth , why then should any thinke it too much to indure the burden . You would all have peace , and riches , and righting from injury , why then of necessity you must submit unto Government , without which you cannot possibly injoy any of the forementioned blessings . If thou wilt gather the rose , the prickels must not affright thee ; and if thou wilt not be miserable , it is as necessary that thou must submit . But must we submit , sayes the Anabaptist , wee , the Royall preisthood , the peculiar people ? wherfore then did our Saviour say , Then are the children free . Mat. 17. 26. He meaneth from paying tribute , and so by consequent , from any other law of Soveraigntie . Againe , The law is not made for a righteous man , 1. Tim. 1. 9. Then the righteous are not under the law , they are not under that which was not made for them ; and if not under Gods , much lesse under mans law , they should too much debase themselves , if they would submit to that . The base son of one of our English Kings sued to the Pope for an Archbishoprick , the Pope denyed it him , if he would call himselfe by the name of his supposed father ; the issue was this , that he should have the dignity , if he would renounce this dignity that he was a Kings sonne ; upon which termes he refused it , he would not so farre debase himselfe for any other title whatsoever . And these , because they suffer themselves to be Gods sons , the children of the King that ruleth heaven and earth , thinke it too low for them to be under any government . Yee are bought with a price , bee not yee the servants of men . 1. Cor. 7. 23. But you are their servants , say they , if you be their subjects , & in such a service , such a subjection , you seeme to deny that you were bought with a Price . Againe , the same Apostle ( though not to the same men ) saith , Owe no man any thing , but to love one another , Rom. 13. 8. If wee owe nothing but love , we doe supererogate , we doe more then is required of us , if wee pay service . In a word , there is one Lord , 1. Cor. 8. How then should wee submit to any other besides him ? Besides , if Christians must be subject , if these sonnes must not be free , then either to Heathen or Christian Magistrates : but not to Heathen , because they are enemies , nor to Christian , because they are brethren ; it is folly to submit to the one , and that the other should subject us , is unnaturall . Brothers must love , and not command their brothers . Besides , subjection was brought in by sinne ; Christ then having freed his from sin , must needs have freed them from subjection , that they doe not sin , if they will not submit . God indeed saith to Adam in his innocency , Have dominion , but over whom is it that he must have dominion ? Over the fish of the Sea ; and over the fowles of the aire , and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth . Genes. 1. 28. The Creature is subjected to him and not Man ; nay to man , in him , is the inferiour Creature subjected , and thus S. Augustine collects in his 13. booke of the City of God , chap. 13. That God would not that his Reasonable Creature should rule over any but unreasonable Creatures , non homo homini , sed homo pecori , and therefore the first just men are taken notice of , to be shepheards of sheep , rather than of men ; to preferre the Crooke before the Scepter . But against these and all other darts of theirs , though we want not other armour , yet for this present wee oppose but this one buckler , that Peter commands us to submit . Whom doth he command ? even the peculiar people . And what doth he command ? that they should submit : now if wee must submit , we must be subjects . Since then truth cannot be contrary to truth , and S. Peter hath told us that we must be subjects , we must needs conclude , that they have mistooke the Scriptures who have cited them for freedome from subjection . To begin with the first . The sonnes are free , therefore we cannot be subject , in that we are the sonnes of God . But what if S. Matthew spake not what was his mind , but what followed out of Peters words ; if we shall say so , we shall affirme nothing which the Text will not be ready to confesse with us . Christs demand of Simon is , Of whom doe Kings take tribute , of their owne children or of strangers ? Simon replyeth , Of strangers : hence it necessarily followeth from Simons opinion , whether it were true or no , that the sonnes were free . They are free of whom Kings doe take no tribute , and in Simons conceit they tooke no tribute of their owne children . But if by their owne children hee understood their owne subjects , then Simons opinion was not true , for of whom doe earthly Kings receive tribute but of their owne subjects ? Againe , because this is their principall reason , and I feare some seeds of Anabaptisme have been sowne here , I am sure there have been those who would take away the Ecclesiasticall Magistrate , & that is no good proofe of their subjection to the civill ( especially seeing the Civill hath established , or at least wise confirmed the Ecclesiasticall Magistrate ) for these reasons I say , I would give the fuller satisfaction to this reason , and that is this . Sonnes in this place cannot be generally taken for all Sonnes of God whatsoever , for so no men should be subject at all , which yet the Anabaptist himselfe denyeth , seeing that all men in some sense are the Sons of God ; it must admit then of a limitation , and such a limitation as shall agree unto the scope of the place : now the scope is , to prove that Christ had no necessity of paying tribute , that all his subjection was from his owne will , because he had received the command from his Father . To prove this then , there is no other thing to bee required than that sonnes should be understood for naturall sonnes . So Peters answer is true , Earthly Kings receive no tribute of their naturall children , so Christs inference is most firme , Then ought I to be free , who am sonne , naturall son of that King , in whose hands are all the corners of the earth . Thus the sonne is free , and yet for all his freedome , they may still bee subject , because they are not the sonne , the naturall sonne : and by these opinions they cause us to have a shrewd guesse that they are not sonnes , his sons by grace . If they were , ( though indeed it were true that the adopted sons were free likewise ) they would imitate at lest the naturall sonne , and though they were not bound to it , yet least they should offend , lest they should bee scandalous , they would pay tribute . But , they are Righteous , and the Righteous are under no law . True , to be condemned by it ; false , if they understand to be directed by it . Nay , in that they are righteous they are under a law ; there is no righteousnesse without a law , in our conformity to which wee are righteous . But , they must not bee the servants of men . Well , what are the former words , yee are bought with a price , from whence the immediate deduction is this , therefore you must be his , that hath bought you : and therefore in the next place you must not be so the servants of men , as not to be his , who hath bought you with a price ; so then you are not forbidden to be mens servants , unles that service hinder you from being his servants ; where both can stand together you are injoyned to both . Nay , in that you are bought with a price and are Christs servants , for that very reason ought you to submit your selvs to men since here he hath commanded it , and in doing his commands you shew your selves his servants . But wee must owe nothing but love . What then ? this place exhorts you to a speedy satisfaction of your Creditor , not to any disobedience against authority ; for your money that you have borrowed , pay what you owe ; but for mutuall love , so pay it , that you thinke you still owe it , that you never conceive you have payed enough . Lastly ( for the answer to others will be cleare out of these , ) There is but one Lord , that is , originally and supreme , but many by participation and subordinate . Now as it is a weake kind of arguing , Wee must be subject to the King , therefore not to the Governour ; so it is of the same force , we must be subject to the Lord , therefore not to the King , since as the Governour is sent by the King , so the King himselfe is sent by the Lord , and to the end that we should submit unto him . But the Anabaptist proceeds farther , & as he would have no Christian to submit , so , which is an apparent contradiction , he would have Christians onely to submit ; he thinkes command and rule and empire to be things altogether incompatible with a Christian. Divers places they wrest for their purpose , but none seemes to make more for them than this present . S. Peter exhorts all those unto whom he writes , and al those unto whom he writes were Christians , that they should submit . Must all submit ? then none must rule , it is impossible that submission should belong to him , to whom the rule doeth . Now all Christians must submit to the King , and therefore it is utterly unlawfull , in their opinion , that any Christian should bee a King . Against this madnesse ( for it is to be esteemed no better ) let us take this into our consideration , that from their opinion it followeth , that in Christian times , either there must be no Magistrate , or an Heathen Magistrate ; no King , or a bad one . That there should be no King , no Magistrate , I have shewed you before how absurd it was , ( not to speake how ridiculous it is to imagin that Christ who came to take away sin , came to take away princes , that he so spoiled principalities and powers : ) but then , that Christians should be perpetually under an Heathen Magistrate , is equally inconvenient . For that there should be an Heathen Magistrate unto the end of the world , implies that there should be Heathen until the end of the world , out of whom the Magistrates may bee chosen , but where hath God promised or threatned so ? or who shall question the Almighty , if at this instant he will have all come to knowledge of the truth , and seeke out their wickednesse till he find none ? Christians therefore may be Magistrates and to them wee must submit . Of which one word more . Wee reade , Submit your selves , and not let them inforce you to submission : as therefore wee must submit , so that submission must be voluntary , wee must be freely subject . What the Stoick said to his God , we must to our Prince , Nulla parendi mora est , adsum impiger . I deny not mine obedience , I am ready to be commanded . Here then wee see , how true the opinion of the Papists is , whereby they would exempt the Clergy from subjection , by which they would so prove them Preists , that they doe deny them to be Citizens . It is their opinion , that whosoever is in holy orders , for that very cause even by the Law of God is freed from paying tribute , and so should be slavish , if he did submit ; as if with shaving away their haire , they had shaved away their obedience , and their oyntment had wiped off all that which belonged to the King . And indeed this fancy though it hath no ground hath some age , even Hierome in his time could say , Christ suffered the crosse for us and payed tribute : nos verò pro honore illius tributa non reddimus , but we for his honour doe not pay tribute but are freed from it as if we were Kings sonnes : where yet you observe that he speaketh of the Fact , not of the Right ; he sheweth , That he doth not shew wherefore they did not pay tribute . Indeed Bellarmine minceth it and saieth that they are not exempted from the obligation of those Civill Lawes , which are not contrary to the Canon Prop. 2. But then his third Proposition maketh this obligation to be just nothing , when he affirmeth that Clerks cannot be judged by the secular Judge , allthough they will not observe these Civill Lawes . A strong obligation that binds not at all , as that doth not bind them to the punishment when they have loosed themselves from their obedience . But if there were no other word for us against them , yet we cannot imagine , but that there were some Ministers amongst those to whom S. Peter writ , nay it is manifest that there were 1. E. 1. 2. Yet he exempts none , hee bids them in generall to submit . But though the Clergy cannot challenge this exemption , I am far from their mind that thinke they cannot receive it , or that it is unlawfull for a Christian Prince to free them from every Command of a secular Magistrate . When the times of greatest devotion were , then were the times of their greatest freedome ; it was unheard of then , that any should judge a Prophet , but a Prophet , when that noble Constantine could say unto them : Vos Dii estis , & non est aequum ut homo judicet Deos ; yee are Gods and it is not fit for men to judge Gods . Breifely , for a Minister with the Papist to claime this exemption as a due , is an Imposture , but for a Christian Prince to bestow it on them , is a great expression of his Charity . Ioseph in the generall subjection of the Aegyptians to Pharaoh , could exempt the priests though idolatrous ; and Artaxerxes himselfe an Idolater , could free the Priests and Levites &c. from paying toll , tribute , or custome , though they were of an other religion , Ez. 7. 24. If one of these could free the Priests of a false , the other of a strange religion , then sure it will be lawfull at least for a Christian prince to be equally indulgent to his Clergy , who are of the same , of the true religion . But lastly , this submission is both in body and goods . What then shall wee say to those , who if there be an office , which as it challengeth their personall imployment , so it brings in profit , they will be most greedy after it , and seeke it though it be denied ; but if it be onely to doe service to the Prince , and it have not the sawce of profit , they would avoid it , even when it is imposed upon them ; doe these submit their persons ? Others there are that stand not much on that , they will vouchsafe to be Constables , or Sheriffs , or the like , they can swallow the trouble which they are not payed for , onely , because in such places they may overtop and beare downe their neighbors ; but if the King have any use for their purse , that he shall still finde shut , or if it be opened , it shall bee with a mouth opened also ; he shall have a reviling with his subsidy . But these consider not , that they are both wayes to be under , that they must thus submit . Submit wee then and that without any force , any constraint . Our Saviour saith , that a Kingdome divided against itselfe cannot stand , and if you doe not thus submit , you will of necessity be divided , the humane ordinance will not easily part with his divine right . I told you that the Anabaptist would prove subjection to be unlawfull , because it was brought in by sin , from which they by our Saviour are freed ; but they erre grossely in saying so , for even in innocency there of necessity must be rule . There would then have been fathers and children , husbands and wives , older and younger together , and to thinke that all these should have been equall , that there should be no subordination amongst them , is a fancy which in absurdity hath no equall . What a motive then is this , why you should be subject , since even man in innocency was to submit , hee should be no longer innocent than a subject ? If thou wilt not be thus instructed , O Ierusalem , saith the Prophet , my soule will depart from thee , the Hebrew word signifieth shall be loosed or disjointed Ier. 6. 8. Subjection and Command are the ligaments of the Commonwealth ; if then you will disjoint the commonwealth by taking away subjection from pule , take heed lest you disjoint his soule from you . If he doe , you must needs perish . Rather be ready with the Israelites to Ioshuah , thus to bespeake your Prince All that thou commandes● us wee will doe , and whither soever thou sendest us , we will goe , Iosh. 1. 16. To your Prince I say , for that is hee to whom you must submit , He is that humane Ordinance .

OBedience cannot be but to a Superior ; if I am subject , it is to one that is above mee : since then I have shewed you the necessity of submission , it will be necessary to shew you unto whom you must submit , and that is To every &c. where we have first the Distribution , 2. the Appellation of Magistrate , and 3. the universality of them . 1. The distribution is into King and Governours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supreme and those who are sent by him ; to these , every one of these we must submit ; to the King because he is supreme , to the Governours , because they are sent by him , who is supreme ; the chiefe power in the Commonwealth , that is the King ; all subordinate , that is the Governour : you can suppose no power but it falls within this distribution , and you must be subject to all that falls within this distribution . The chiefe Magistrate then was the Roman Emperour , and among the Romanes the name of King was odious , yet the Greeke called him by that name which signified a King , this Prince had by league and conquest and inheritance , made himselfe Master of the greatest part of the known world , and so of necessity , where he could not reside himselfe ( as Princes persons are not so great as their Empire ) thither of necessity he was to send Deputies , Lieutenants , and those are the Governours in my text , to whom , together with him that sent them S. Peter exhorts these brethren to submit . All then that I have formerly spoken of submission , is here to be understood . I shewed you , that you were to submit , and the Apostle tels you that that submission must be to the King and to the Governours . But you will say , there are many unprofitable Princes , of whom the Com̄onwealth may cry , as that seditious Bishop did of one of our Kings , Mine head , mine head ▪ others , that are harmfull likewise , who will exactly represent the King , that Samuel speaketh of , 1. Sam. 8. 14. who will take the fields and vineyards , and oliveyards , even the best of them , from his subjects , and give them to those , whom he pleaseth . Nay worse then this doe not many of them blaspheme that worthy name by which you are called , as S. Iames speakes : And farther , strive to make you blaspheme that worthy name likewise ? Is it not possible , that a Turke , an Infidell may have command over Christians ? and is it fit , that Christians should submit to a Turke , or Infidel ? Shall he be my King , who is a Rebel against the King of Kings ? or shall not the faithfull subject labour with all his power to deprive and depose that Prince , who if it lay in his power would depose God ? Who is so impatient , that he would not suffer the Lord to be King ? No surely , because he is a bad Prince , this doth not give thee licence , to be a bad subject , and the Christian man must not be a Traytor to an Infidel . Submit yee to the King saith S. Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as to the Supreme . But if the subject upon any ground , either of Policy or of Religion , either because he was a weake , or a wicked Prince could depose him , then he could punish him , if he could punish him , then he could be his Superiour , then in the same Common-wealth , there could be one above him that is highest , more supreme than the supreme . Every King in his owne Kingdome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the supreme , and therefore for no misdemeanor whatsoever can he be punished by his Subjects , for , that were to make them supreme . Neither let any man object against this , that S. Paul sayeth , that all Magistates are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , wee render , in authority , 1. Tim. 2. 2. And yet wee are sure that all Magistrates cannot be supreme , since we have allready distributed them into subordinate and supreme , I say this maketh nothing against us , since in a divers respect , the same authority may be supreme and subordinate , and even the inferiour Magistrate , may have a supremacy in respect of the people , who , if we consider the King above him , can glory in nothing , but his subordination . That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath given him his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his supremacy is under an others supremacy , and there are higher than he . Thus it is manifest , that unlesse there be Higher than the Highest , no subject in any case whatsoever can depose his Prince . Doth Saint Peter tell us this alone ? or is it not the verdict of the whole Scripture , which doth so uphold Majestie , that though it is the word of God , yet you wil suppose that it is For the King . Is it fit to say to a King , thou art wicked ? and to Princes , Yee are ungodly ? Iob. 34. 18. It is not fit , in his opinion to say to a King , that he is wicked , and doe you think he would have conceived it fit , to have deposed him for his wickednesse ? Doth the speech dislike him , and would he have been contented with the action ? Would he have given you liberty , to depose your Prince in case you were so mannerly as not to terme him wicked ? In a word doth he tie your tongues onely against your Prince , and would he give a full liberty to your hands ? No , he would not have thee to disgrace him , much lesse to depose , to unking him . According to that of Moses , Thou shalt not revile the Gods , ( for all thy reviling , the holy Ghost esteemes them Gods , ) nor curse the ruler of thy people . Exod. 22 , 28. Give the King thy Iudgements , O God , is the Psalmists prayer ; that is , grant that he may be good ; but he sayeth in no place , that in case hee is otherwise , it is lawfull for the people to give judgement upon him , that if he be not according to their mind , the wrath of the people , likewise should be as Messengers of death . If this be true ; I know not why Solomon should say , that , The Feare of a King is as the roaring of a Lion , if there be so many roaring Lions against him , of whom , upon the case of misdemeanor , he may justly be afraid . The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord , saith the preaching King Prov. 21. 1. But if subjects may judge their Prince , if there be some case , wherein they may not submit to him that is supreme , the Kings heart too often will be in the hands of his people , torne out of his royall breast in a popular insurrection . A Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord ; then how wicked soever it bee we must leave it unto his turning . Breifly , By mee Kings raigne , saith the Lord ; and shall they be deposed by any other , than by him , by whom they raigne ? How then doth Solomon number amonst those things which are comely in going A King against whom there is no rising up , Prov. 30. 31. If there be so many cases , in which the subject may rise up against him , and throw him downe ? Out of these then and the like places let us strongly conclude , That we cannot lawfully rise up against wicked Princes , that we must submit to those , who are supreme , though they be supreme in wickednesse likewise ; and as in their dominion , so in their iniquity , they have no equall . But because this is a truth , not affected of the most , because it is opposed by those , who in many other things are contrary , and doe chiefly agree in opposing this , to wit , the Papist , and those who would seeme the more reformed Protestants , I shall not think too much , to speake a little more of it , and defend that which one would thinke , none durst assault , Majesty . Against thee , thee onely have I sinned , saith holy David ; saith he , that would not mince his sin . Ps. 51. 4 How ? is the holy Prophet to be reckoned amongst those men , who goe on ad excusandas excusationes in peccatis , who aggravate their fault by depressing it , who augment the iniquity of their sinne , because they say , that never or at lest not fully they will confesse ? What doe I heare ? Against Thee onely have I sinned ? Recollect thy selfe ô blessed David , and thou shalt find that though against him chiefly , yet against him onely thou hast not sinned . Hast thou not sinned against Vr●jah in taking away first his wifes chastity , and afterwards his owne life from him ? Hast thou not sinned against Bathshebah , sinned against her , whom thou so lovedst ; nay hast thou not sinned against her , in such a love , by which thou hast made her to be reckoned amongst the foolish women ? Hast thou not sinned against the Commonwealth , by giving such a bad example ? against the Commonwealth I say , unto which their Kings actions are the more prevalling statute ? Hast thou not sinned against the Church likewise , against which thou hast opened the mouthes of the adversary , who from thee will judge of all other Professors , and say , that lust and murder are the best fruits of thy Religion . Nay , hast thou not sinned against the Enemies of the Church likewise , by making them to continue enemies , still to hate the Church , of which before these enormities of thine they might happily have desired to have been members . Hast thou sinned against all these ? and yet darest thou say & that in thy profoundest humiliation , when thou wouldst be thought rather to weep than speake ; nay when thou pretendest such a griefe , that thou wouldst be thought rather to bleed it out than weep , darest thou then say , that thou hast sinned onely against God ? yes he dareth say it , and that with as much truth as confidence . He hath sinned in all those respects , which I have mentioned , & yet he may boldly say , that he hath sinn'd only against the Lord ; he hath sinned only against the Lord , as against him that can take notice of , and punish him for his sin ; against whomsoever he hath offended besides , it is all one as if he had not offended , in respect of punishment ; they may dislike , they cannot judge him , they must still submit even to such a Superior . But you will say , that David was a King , and therfore might be partial in his own case , he might affirme that in no respect , the subject might rise against his Prince , not because he thought it true , but because he found it to be convenient , that he did not thinke it safe to divulge that mystery of State , That notorious wickednesse subjected the Prince to his subjects , who could be no longer supreme than vertuous . Well , suppose he was partiall in his owne cause , shall we thinke that he was in Sauls likewise ? and yet even then wee see that upon no pretence whatsoever will he make an Inferiour of the Supreme . And yet Saul was as bad as we can imagine , a man that spared those , whom God commanded him to kill , and killed those , which all the motives of Humanity and Religion would have perswaded him to spare , Clementior in Dei hostes quàm in Dei sacerdotes , saith one , who exercised more clemency towards Gods enemies than Gods preists , for he spared the best of their sheep and oxen 1. Sam. 15. 15. but these he utterly destroyed , both men and women , children and sucklings , oxen and asses , and sheep with the edge of the sword , 1. Sam. 22. 19. and which might inflame David the more , all this cruelty was exercised on them , for his sake . What shall I speake of his Tyranny , against the Gibeonites , against the league which God approved of ; of his perpetuall seeking of Davids life , who though he was annointed King by Gods appointment , yet he was kept so far from the Crowne that he had no great assurance of his Being ; and yet for all this , for all Sauls badnesse in generall , for all his particular hatred against him , though he himselfe likewise was elected by God unto the Kingdome , yet when he had him at advantage , his heart smote him , because he had smote but the garment of the King , Dum timuit Deum , non laesit inimicum saith Optatus . It was Sauls oyle defended him and not his armour ; David could not in any respect lift up his hand against the annointed of the Lord , nor not submit himselfe to him that was Supreme . Against this nothing can be replyed , but that David made conscience of what hee needed not , that he was too just ; Sauls death had been an Execution not a murder , and therefore Magister hìc non tenetur , they will remember David and all his meekenes , as the Sept. reade it , Ps. 132. 1. They will remember but they will not imitate it . And yet the Primitive Church would imitate it : For 300. yeares they were under ungodly Emperors , and yet for all that time they did submit . S. Augustin hath a memorable passage , concerning those Christians , that served in the army of Iulian the Apostate : When it came , saith hee , unto Christs cause , then they onely knew him for Supreme who is in heaven &c. but when he said , Goe forth with the Army , goe against such or such a Nation , without any more adoe they presently obeyed ; Distinguebant Dominum aeternum à Domino temporali , & tamen subditi erant propter Dominum aeternum , etiam Domino temporali : They could well distinguish between their temporall and eternall Lord , and yet they willingly submitted themselves to their temporall for their eternall Lord . But for this they have an evasion ; S. Paul injoyned , and the Christians for so long a time performed obedience to the higher powers , not because they were bound to it , but because they had no strength , to loose themselves from it ; this subjection was more out of weakenesse , than out of Conscience ; or if it was out of conscience , it was out of conscience onely of their weakenesse ; thus Aquinas , and out of him Bellarmine , with all the modern Jesuits : Soe that in these mens opinion they did submit for wrath onely , for feare of punishment ; could they once but have pleased themselves with their owne strength ; had they but consulted with their limbs , and found that they were able to try such a mastery , they then would have broke their bands asunder , and cast away their cords from them ; when they could stand up , they then upon no termes would have submitted . But this very objection did Tertullian answer a thousand yeares before ever it was made . Do you thinke , saith he , to the Heathen , that if we would right our selves by warre , we should want numbers or power . As if the Moores , or Marcomanni , or Parthians , people but of one Nation could be compared with those which fill the whole world . We are strangers to you , and yet we replenish all , that is , your Cities , Ilands , &c. onely we have left you your Idolatrous Temples . Cui bello non idonei , non prompti fuissemus etiam impares copiis , qui tam libenter trucidamur ? What war are not we fit for , even though our numbers were smaller , who count it nothing to be slaine ? Onely this hinders us , that apudistam disciplinam magis occidi liceat , quàm occidere , that our profession thinketh it farre more lawfull to be killed than kill ; as long as you are supreme , we can doe no other then submit . Besides , were it true that weakenesse onely caused the Christians to continue subject to the Heathen , ( which I deny , ) yet it were a truth not to be divulged , unlesse we would divulge that which should cut the throats of all Christians ; for if once bad Princes shall be informed , that good men will obey them no longer , than till they are strong enough to resist ; how will this cause them to keepe downe , to oppresse good men , lest when they ceased to be weake , they would cease to be subject likewise , and doe them most hurt , when they might doe them most good . But what saith Ieremiah to the Jewes Seeke the peace of the Citie whither I have caused you to be caried away Captives , Ier. 29. 7. They are caried away Captives , yet they must seeke the peace of them which carryed them away Captives ; they had caused their trouble , and yet they are commanded to seeke their peace . Besides , according to the vulgar we reade , He maketh the Hyprocrite to raigne for the sinnes of the people , Job . 34. 30. And we our selves reade , I gave them a King in mine anger . Hos. 13. 11. What God giveth in anger , and for the sinnes of the people , must be Gods just judgement : now it seemeth to be too much sawcinesse , that any man should strive to exempt himselfe from Gods judgements ; which they seek to doe , who when it is in their power , will depose a wicked King . God giveth his judgements unto Kings , nay divers times he giveth Kings his judgements , and I should thinke , that he did merit a new one , who would not submit unto the former . And , to see the perversnesse of it , those men that think it unlawfull to fly from a place infected with the plague , because it is Gods judgement , to which we must submit , from which we cannot fly , are most earnest to maintaine that we may depose bad Princes , which yet they cannot deny to be Gods judgement . And yet the Plague is so Gods judgement , that I know not whether it be particularly intended against mee or no , and in that respect may fly from it , when they cannot be ignorant that a bad Prince is their judgement in particular , and yet for all this will fly upon him . But they should consider , God giveth him in his anger , and he taketh him away in his wrath hee , and no other ; it is not good that they in their wrath should take away , whom God hath given in his anger . In a word , if Infidelity , or Heresie were a sufficient ground for the subject to rise against his Prince , there were no Prince in Christendome , but might every day feare an insurrection ; since by diverse of his subjects , he will be no better esteemed of then an Infidell and Heretick . Where there is a Protestant King , he will be an Infidell to his Popish subjects ; and where there is a Popish King , he will be an Heretick to his Protestants , especially if either shall be any wayes vehement in his profession . Now if on these pretences either side may take away their submission , who seeth not that the red horse will be let out , who hath power given him to take peace from the earth , and that they should kill one another . Rev. 6. 4 ? I conclude this point with this Argument , If it be lawfull to depose a supreme Prince , then it is lawfull in this respect , that he hinders and opposeth true Religion ; But we cannot depose him , because he hinders and opposeth Religion , as I have allready shewed : and therefore in no case it will be lawfull to depose him . But you will say , may he doe what he list , may he play with the throats of his subjects , make murder his delight , ravish their wives , assault their consciences , and yet never be questioned for all this , because he is Supreme ? Wee must understand therefore , that such Princes as they , take notice of Davids sentence , Against thee Onely have I sinned , and so are sufficiently protected from the punishment of men ; so they should remember , Against Thee have I sinned , and so that they are not free from the punishment of God , which therefore shall be the greater , because it was not prevented by an inferior chastisement , and they shal at length finde , that it is a fearefull , horrendum , a most horrid thing , to fall into the revenging hands of the Lord . May we then upon no termes seeke to depose him , that is supreme ? Harken then to this yee Papists , that in case of heresie affirme , that the Pope may excommunicate the subject ; nay depose his Prince . Your dictates these are , Defuisse Apostolis Reges , &c. That the Apostles wanted Kings to depose , and not a power of deposing Kings ; that the Apostles could have exempted faithfull people from the subjection of Infidell Princes , if they had thought it fitting , or if their power could have effected that which they thought fitting . In a word , that they then endured their Persecutors , not for conscience sake , but for want of power to resist , if they had hearts to be Souldiers they would never have had mind to be Martyrs ; and they would never have filled the Calendar , if they had had numbers enough to fill an Army . And here I cannot sufficiently wonder at that grosse doating , of the acutest of Schoolemen . Infidelity , saith he , doth not of it selfe destroy Dominion ; his meaning is , that it is possible , and , with the good , safe , to be a Prince , and an Infidel together , that a man who hath not faith , may have dominion over them , that are faithfull ; and yet in the same place he affirmeth , Infidels who have formerly been faithfull may and ought to be deprived of their dominion by the sentence of the Church . Is not dominion founded on Faith ? How then can it be lost by Infidelity ? Doth the Houses foundation stand , whence then is there a necessity of the houses falling ? But if such Apostata Princes could not be so punished , Hoc vergere posset in magnam fidei corruptionem , such their impunity might turne to great damage to the Church ; this pitch would defile shrewdly , well : is that the reason why they must be deposed , by the Popes sentence ? But before their Apostacy , when they were yet but bare Infidels , they might doe , and perhaps did great harme to the Church , and yet then himselfe confesseth , they were under no Censure of the Church . Briefly , the harme that they doe to the Church , is a just ground of deposing , or , it is not a just ground : if it be not , why doth he urge it ? if it be , then contrary to his owne acknowledgement , even negative Infidelity will uncrowne ; and against the Apostle , The Church will judge of those who are without . Againe , is it in nocase lawfull , to depose the supreme power ? Then what shall we say to those pretended brethren of ours , who though they confesse it unlawfull for the people , indulge it to the Superiors ? who dare affirme that in regard of incorrigible excesses , a Prince may be put downe by subordinate Magistrates ? But what are subordinate Magistrates ? are they not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here mentioned ? these Governors in my Text ? and what is said of these Governors ? is it not , that they are sent by him , who is supreme ? Now it would be most strange , if he that were sent should have a power over him , that sent him ; that the Governour should trample downe the Supreme . This sending is his delegation , now he that hath a power to make , hath a power to revoke his delegate ; and he were too unwise if he would not revoke it then , when he saw that they would prove Authenticall rebells against his owne self . It is true , he that hath the sword , hath it not in vaine ; but it is as true , that he that put the sword into his hand , can pull it out againe at his pleasure , and few will be of Traians mind in any case , to charge inferior Magistrates to imploy their swords against themselves . I had thought that what S. Peter had said of servants in respect of their Masters , had been appliable to inferiors in respect of the Supreme , Bee subject in all feare , not onely to the good and gentle , but also to the Froward . 1. Pet. 2. 18. Name what vice you will in a Prince , it is but his Frowardnesse , and God forbid , that we should be rebells , because he wil be Froward . And they that resist , saith S. Paul , shall receive to themselves damnation . Rom. 13. 2. They whosoever they be , People or Magistrate , You or They which are sent , if they shall resist the Supreme , there is nothing remaines but damnation ; they shall be Fiends in Hell , who in Earth will not be good subjects . Lastly , wee must submit to them who are sent likewise , to the Inferiors ; he must not resist the Supreme , but wee must obey him . Now those Governours are either Civill or Ecclesiasticall , your obedience to the Civill I have fully pressed before , and I shall need to say no more for your submission to the Ecclesiasticall likewise , but that he is sent by the Supreme , and we are to obey him , and those , who are sent by him . Let us not then with some perverse men judge of Religion by our stubborn̄es against Bishops , nor prove that we are called from hence , because we can be bitterly witty against their calling . Rather consider we , that such are in dignities , and S. Iude termeth them but filthy dreamers , who speak evil of dignities . O let not us be filthy , who would be accounted Pure , nor be dreamers who would be esteemed of all men to be the onely wakefull ones . But because I shall speake more of this in my next discourse , concerning the appellation of Magistrates , that they are call'd an humane Creature , I wil add no more at this time , but a Thanksgiving to our Divine Creator , to whom , Father , Sonne &c.