Mayhew Sermon

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Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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University of Nebraska - Lincoln Year

A Discourse concerning UnlimitedSubmission and Non-Resistance to the

Higher Powers: With some Reflections onthe Resistance made to King Charles I.

And on the Anniversary of his Death: Inwhich the Mysterious Doctrine of thatPrinces Saintship and Martyrdom is

Unriddled (1750). An Online Electronic

Text Edition.

Jonathan Mayhew A.M., D.D. Paul Royster , Editor & Depositor

West (Congregational) Church, BostonUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected]

This paper is p osted at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/etas/44


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Jonathan Mayhew(17201766)

A Discourse concerning Unlimited Submission and Non-Re-sistance to the Higher Powers: With some Reflections on theResistance made to King Charles I. And on the Anniver-sary of his Death: In which the Mysterious Doctrine of that

Princes Saintship and Martyrdom is Unriddled(1750)

After the Restratin f the Enlish mnarchy in the

persn f Charles II in 1660, the new kin and his first Par-liament declared the anniversary f the beheadin f his fa-ther Charles I (Janary 30, 1649) a reliis hliday with aspecial cmmemratin in the Book of Common Prayer, naminthe late mnarch a saint and martyr. This hliday was ntenerally celebrated in Massachsetts ntil the emerencef several Anlican chrches there in the early eihteenthcentry. In 1750, Jnathan Mayhew, the twenty-nine-year-

ld pastr f the West (Cnreatinal) Chrch in Bstn,tk ccasin t dispte the first Charles credentials tsaintship, martyrdm, and even his kinship as well. May-hews Discourse is an extremely interestin bride betweenthe radical Pritan past and the American Revltinary f-tre. His sermn cntains the lanae, rhetric, symbl-ism, typly, and reliis and philsphical armentsthat wld be sed extensively in the aitatin fr Americanindependence twenty-five years later. Mayhew wld sbse-qently take a leadin rle in the resistance t the Stamp

Act f 1765, and his sermns and writins had an enrmsimpact n the evltin f New Enland Pritanism int

American repblican idely.This nline electrnic editin cntains the fll, n-

abrided text f his sermn, as pblished at Bstn in 1750

(ther nline and reprint versins cntain nly excerpts).The wrk is apprximately 18,000 wrds ln and rns 66half-letter paes (33 sheets) in this editin.


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Mr. Mayhews

D I S C o u R S EWherein

The Myery f KinCharless

Saintip and Martyrdmis nriddled.


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P R E F A C E.

THE ensuing discourse is the last of three uponthe same subject, with some little alterationsand additions. It is hoped that but few will

think the subject of it an improper one to be discoursed on inthe pulpit, under a notion that this is preaching politics, in-stead of CHRIST . However, to remove all prejudices of this sort, I beg it may be remembred, that all scripture

is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for CORREC-TION , for instruction in righteousness.* Why, then,should not those parts of scripture which relate to civil gov-ernment, be examined and explained from the desk, as wellas others ? Obedience to the civil magistrate is a christianduty : and if so, why should not the nature, grounds and

extent of it be considered in a christian assembly ? Besides,if it be said, that it is out of character for a christian min-ister to meddle with such a subject, this censure will at last

fall upon the holy apostles. They write upon it in their epis-tles to christian churches : And surely it cannot be deemedeither criminal or impertinent, to attempt an explanation

of their doctrine.IT was the near approach of theThirtieth ofJanary,

that turned my thoughts to this subject : on which solemnity

*2 Pet. iii. 16.


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vi

theslavish doctrine of passive obedience and non-resistance,

is often warmly asserted ; and the dissenters from the es-tablished church, represented, not only as scismatics, (withmore of triumph than of truth, and of choler than christi-anity) but also as persons of seditious, traiterous and re-bellious principlesGOD be thanked one may, in any partof the british dominions, speak freely (if a decent regardbe paid to those in authority) both of government and re-ligion ; and even give some broad hints, that he is engagedon the side of Liberty, the BIBLE and Common Sense,in opposition to Tyranny, PRIEST-CRAFT and Non-sense, without being in danger either of the bastile or theinqisitin :Though there will always be sme inter-ested politicians, contracted bigots, and hypocritical zealots

for a party, to take offence at such freedoms. Their censureis praise:Their praise is infamyA spirit of dominationis always to be guarded against both in church and state,even in times of the greatest security ; such as the presentis amongst US ; at least as to the latter. Those nationswho are now groaning under the iron scepter of tyranny,

were once free. So they might, probably, have remained, bya seasonable caution against despotic measures. Civil tyr-anny is usually small in its beginning, like the drop of abucket, * till at length, like a mighty torrent, or the rag-ing waves of the sea, it bears down all before it, and delugeswhole countries and empires. Thus it is as to ecclesiastical

tyranny also,the most cruel, intolerable and impious, of any. From small beginnings, it exalts itself above all thatis called GOD and that is worshipped. People have no

* Isai. xl. 15. 2 Thes. ii. 4.

P R E F A C E.


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feeble and little ; and triumphs over the ruins of virtue and

humanity. This is true of tyranny in every shape. Therecan be nothing great and good, where its influence reaches.For which reason it becomes every friend to truth and hu-man kind ; every lover of God and the christian religion, tobear a part in opposing this hateful monster. It was a de-sire to contribute a mite towards carrying on a war againstthis common enemy, that produced the following discourse.

And if it serve in any measure, to keep up a spirit of civiland religious liberty amongst us, my end is answered.There are virtuous and candid men in all sects ; all suchare to be esteemed : There are also vicious men and bigotsin all sects ; and all such ht t be despised.

T virte nly and her friends, a friend ;

The wrld beside may mrmr r cmmend.

Knw, all the distant din that wrld can keep

Rlls er my rtt, and bt sths my sleep.

PoP e .

Jonathan Mayhew.

P R E F A C E.


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1

Cncernin unlimited Sbmiinand Nn-Resistance t the

Higher Powers.

RoM. XIII. 1.8.1. 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.2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance

of God : and they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation.3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt

thou then not be afraid of the power ? do that which is good, and thoushalt have praise of the same :

4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou dothat which is evil, be afraid ; for he beareth not the sword in vain :for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon himthat doth evil.

5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but alsofor conscience sake.

6. For, for this cause pay you tribute also : for they are Gods min-isters, attending continually upon this very thing.

7. Render therefore to all their dues : tribute to whom tributeis due ; custom, to whom custom ; fear, to whom fear ; honour, towhom honour.

I

T is evident that the affair f civil vern-

ment may prperly fall nder a moral and re-ligious cnsideratin, at least s far frth as it

relates t the eneral natre and end f mais-tracy, and t the rnds and extent f that sbmissin

which persns f a private character, ht t yield t

thse wh are vested with athrity. This mst be al-


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Of unlimited Submiion, and2

lwed by all wh acknwlede the divine riinal f

christianity. Fr althh there be a sense, and a veryplain and imprtant sense, in which Christs kingdom isnot of this world ; his inspired apstles have, neverthe-less, laid dwn sme eneral principles cncernin the

ffice f civil rlers, and the dty f sbjects, tether

with the reasn and bliatin f that dty. And frm

hence it fllws, that it is prper fr all wh acknwl-

ede the athrity f Jess Christ, and the inspira-

tin f his apstles, t endeavr t nderstand what

is in fact the dctrine which they have delivered cn-

cernin this matter. It is the dty f christian mais-trates t infrm themselves what it is which their reli-

in teaches cncernin the natre and desin f their

ffice. And it is eqally the dty f all christian pe-ple t infrm themselves what it is which their reliin

teaches cncernin that sbjectin which they we t

thehigher powers. It is fr these reasns that I have at-tempted t examine int the scriptre-accnt f this

matter, in rder t lay it befre y with the samefree-

domwhich I cnstantly se with relatin t ther dc-trines and precepts f christianity ; nt dbtin bt

y will judgepn every thin ffered t yr cnsid-eratin, with the same spirit ffreedomand liberty withwhich it is spoken.

the passae read, is the mst fll and express f

any in the new-testament, relatin t rlers and sb-

jects : And therefre I thht it prper t rnd

pn it, what I had t prpse t y with reference t

Jhn xviii. 36.


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Non-Reiance to the Higher-Powers. 3

the athrity f the civil maistrate, and the sbjectin

which is de t him. Bt befre I enter pn an ex-planatin f the several parts f this passae, it will be

prper t bserve ne thin which may serve as a key

t the whle f it.

it is t be bserved, then, that there were sme

persns amnst the christians f the apstlic ae,

and particlarly thse at Rome, t whm St. Paul is herewritin, wh seditisly disclaimed all sbjectin tcivil athrity ; refsin t pay taxes, and the dties

laid pn their trafic and merchandize ; and wh scr-

pled nt t speak f their rlers, witht any de re-

ard t their ffice and character. Sme f these tr-

blent christianswere cnverts frmjudaism, and thersfrm paganism. The jews in eneral had, ln befrethis time, taken p a strane cnceit, that bein thepe-culiarand electpeple f gd, they were, therefre, ex-empted frm the jrisdictin f anyheathenprinces rvernrs. upn this rnd it was, that sme f them,

drin the pblic ministry f r blessed Savir, camet him with that qestinIs it lawful to give tributeuntoCesar or not ?* And this ntin many f them re-tained after they were prselyted t the christian faith.As t the gentile cnverts, sme f them rsly mis-tk the natre f that libertywhich the spel prm-ised ; and thht that by virte f their sbjectin

t Christ, the only Kin and Head f his chrch, theywere whlly freed frm sbjectin t any ther prince ;

as th Christs kingdomhad been of this world, in sch a

* Matth. xxii. 17.


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sense as t interfere with the civil pwers f the earth,

and t deliver their sbjects frm that alleiance anddty, which they befre wed t them. of these visin-

ary christians in eneral, wh diswned sbjectin tthe civil pwers in bein where they respectively lived,

there is mentin made in several places in the new-tes-

tament : The apstle Peter in particlar, characterizesthem in this mannerthem thatdespise governmentpresumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid tospeak evil of dignities. Nw it is with reference t thesedtinchristians, that the apstle speaks in the passaebefre s. And I shall nw ive y the sense f it in a

paraphrase pn each verse in its rder, desirin y t

keep in mind the character f the persns fr whm it

is desined, that s, as I aln, y may see hw jstand natral this address is ; and hw well sited t the

circmstances f thse aainst whm it is levelled.

the apstle beins thsLet every soul * be sub-ject unto the higher powers ; ||for there is no power but of

2 Pet.. ii. 10.* Every soul. This is an hebraism, which sinifies every man; s

that the apstle des nt exempt the clery : sch as were en-dwed with the ift f prphesy, r any ther miracls pw-ers which sbsisted in the chrch at that day. And by his sinthe hebrewidim, it seems that he had thejewish cnverts prin-cipally in his eye.

|| The higher powers : mre literally, the over-ruling powers: which

term extends t all civil rlers in cmmn. Bypower, the apstle intends nt lawless strengthand brtalforce,

witht relatin r prper directin ; bt jst authority, frs the wrd here sed prperly sinifies. There may be power

where there is n authority.N man has anyauthority t d whatis wrn and injris, thh he may have powert d it.


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God : the powers that be * are ordained of God ver. 1. q.

d. Whereas sme prfessed christians vainly ima-ine, that they are whlly excsed frm all manner fdty and sbjectin t civil athrity, refsin t hn-

r their rlers, and t pay taxes ; which pinin is nt

nly nreasnable in itself, bt als tends t fix a last-

in reprach pn the christian name and prfessin,I nw, as an apstle and ambassadr f Christ, exhrt

every ne f y, be he wh he will, t pay all dti-

fl sbmissin t thse wh are vested with any civil

ffice. Fr there is, prperly speakin, n athrity

bt what is derived frm gd, as it is nly by his per-

missin and prvidence that any pssess it. Yea, I may

add, that all civil maistrates, as sch, alth they may

be heathens, are appinted and rdained f gd. Frit is certainly gds will, that s sefl an instittin

as that f maistracy, shld take place in the wrld,

fr the d f civil sciety. The apstle prceeds

Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordi-nance of God ; and they that resist shall receive to themselves

The powers that be: thse persns wh are in fact vested with a-thrity ; thse wh are in pssessin. And wh thse are, theapstle leaves christians t determine fr themselves ; bt wh-ever they are, they are t be beyed.

Ordained of God: as it is nt witht gds prvidence and per-missin, that any are clthed with athrity ; and as it is aree-able t the psitive will and prpse f gd, that there shldbe some persons vested with athrity fr the d f sciety :

nt that any rlers have their cmmissin immediately frmgd the spreme Lrd f the niverse. If any assert that kins,r any ther rlers, are rdained f gd in the latter sense, itis incmbent pn them t shw the cmmissin which theyspeak f, nder the brad seal f heaven. And when they dthis, they will, n dbt, be believed.


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damnation. ver. 2. q. d. Think nt, therefre, that ye

are iltless f any crime r sin aainst gd, when yefactisly disbey and resist the civil athrity. Fr

maistracy and vernment bein, as I have said, the

rdinance and appintment f gd, it fllws, that t

resist maistrates in the exectin f their ffices, is

really t resist the will and rdinance f gd himself :

And they wh ths resist, will accrdinly be pnished

by gd fr this sin in cmmn with thers. The aps-

tle es nFor rulers are not a terror to good works, but tothe evil. Wilt thou then, not be afraid of the power ? Do thatwhich is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he isthe minister of God to thee for good, ver. 3d, and part f the4th. q. d. That y may see the trth and jstness f

what I assert, (viz. that maistracy is the rdinance fgd, and that y sin aainst him in ppsin it,) cn-

sider that even paganrlers, are nt, by the natre anddesin f their ffice, enemies and a terrr t the d

and virts actins f men, bt nly t the injris

and mischievs t sciety. Will ye nt, then, rever-

ence and hnr maistracy, when ye see the d endand intentin f it ? Hw can ye be s nreasnable ?

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. It cannt besppsed that the apstle desins here, r in any f the sc-ceedin verses, t ive the tre character fNero, r any thercivil pwers then in bein, as if they were in fact sch per-sns as he describes, a terrr t evil wrks nly, and nt t thed. Fr sch a character did nt beln t them ; and theapstle was n sycphant, r parasite f pwer, whatever smef his pretended sccessrs have been. He nly tells what rl-ers wld be, prvided they acted p t their character andffice.


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only mind t d yr dty as members f sciety ; and

this will ain y the applase and favr f all drlers. Fr while y d ths, they are, by their ffice,

as ministers f gd, blied t encrae and prtect

y ; it is fr this very prpse that they are clthed

with pwer. The apstle sbjinsBut if thou do thatwhich is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain.For he is the minister of God, a revenger, to execute wrath uponhim that doth evil. * ver. 4. latter part. q. d. Bt pn thether hand, if ye refse t d yr dty as members f

sciety ; if ye refse t bear yr part in the spprt f

vernment ; if ye are disrderly, and d thins which

merit civil chastisement, then, indeed, ye have reasn

t be afraid. Fr it is nt in vain that rlers are vested

* It is manifest that when the apstle speaks f it, as the fficef civil rlers, t encrae what is good, and t pnish whatis evil, he speaks nly f civilgood and evil. They are t cn-slt the d f scietyas such; nt t dictate in reliis cn-cerns ; nt t make laws fr the vernment f mens cn-sciences ; and t inflict civil penalties fr reliis crimes. Itis sfficient t verthrw the dctrine f the athrity f thecivil maistrate, in affairs f a spirital natre, (s far as it isbilt pn any thin which is here said by St. Paul, r pn anythin else in the new-testament) nly t bserve, that all themaistrates then in the wrld were heathen, implacable enemiest christianity : s that t ive them athrity in reliis mat-ters, wld have been, in effect, t ive them athrity t ex-tirpate the christian reliin, and t establish the idlatries andsperstitins f paanism. And can anyne reasnably sp-pse, that the apstle had any intentin t extend the athr-ity f rlers, beynd cncerns merely civil and plitical, t theverthrwin f that reliin which he himself was s zealsin prpaatin ! Bt it is natral fr thse whse reliin can-nt be spprted pn the ftin f reasn and arment, thave recrse t pwer and frce, which will serve a bad caseas well as a d ne ; and indeed mch better.


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with the pwer f inflictin pnishment. They are, by

their ffice, nt nly the ministers f gd fr d tthse that d well ; bt als his ministers t revene, t

discntenance and pnish thse that are nrly, and

injris t their neihbrs. The apstle prceeds

Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath, but alsofor conscience sake, ver. 5. q. d. Since therefre, ma-istracy is the rdinance f gd ; and since rlers are,

by their ffice, benefactrs t sciety, by discra-

in what is bad, and encrain what is d, and s

preservin peace and rder amnst men ; it is evident

that ye ht t pay a willin sbjectin t them ; nt

t bey merely fr fear f expsin yrselves t their

wrath and displeasre, bt als in pint f reasn, dty

and cnscience : Ye are nder an indispensable blia-tin, as christians, t hnr their ffice, and t sbmitt them in the exectinfit. The apstle es n

For, for this cause pay you tribute also : for they are Gods min-isters, attending continually upon this very thing,ver. 6. q. d.And here is a plain reasn als why ye shld pay trib-

te t them ; fr they are gds ministers ; exaltedabve the cmmn level f mankind, nt that they may

indle themselves in sftness and lxry, and be enti-

tled t the servile hmae f their fellw men ; bt that

they may execte an ffice n less labris than hn-

rable ; and attend cntinally pn the pblic wel-

fare. This bein their bsiness and dty, it is bt rea-snable, that they shld be reqited fr their care and


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dilience in perfrmin it ; and enabled, by taxes levied

pn the sbject, effectally t prsecte the reat endf their instittin, the d f sciety. The apstle

sms all p in the fllwin wrdsRender therefore toall their dues : tribute,* to whom tribute is due ; custom,* towhom custom ; fear, to whom fear ; honour, to whom honour,ver. 7. q. d. Let it nt, therefre, be said f any f y

hereafter, that y cntemn vernment, t the re-

prach f yrselves, and f the christianreliin. Nei-ther yr beinjewsby natin, nr yr becmin thesbjects f Christs kindm, ives y any dispensa-

tin fr makin distrbances in the vernment nder

which y live. Apprve yrselves, therefre, as peace-

able and dtifl sbjects. Be ready t pay t yr rl-

ers all that they may, in respect f their ffice, jstlydemand f y. Render tribte and cstm t thse f

yr vernrs t whm tribte and cstm beln :

And chearflly hnr and reverence all wh are vested

with civil athrity, accrdin t their deserts.

the

apstles dctrine, in the passae ths ex-plained, cncernin the ffice f civil rlers, and the

dty f sbjects, may be smmed p in the fllwin

** Grotiusbserves that the reek wrds here sed, answer t thetributumand vectigalf the Rmans ; the frmer was the mneypaid fr the sil and pll ; the latter, the dties laid pn smesrts f merchandize. And what the apstle here says, deservest be serisly cnsidered by all christians cncerned in thatcmmn practice f carryin n an illicit trade, and running of

goods.


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bservatins ; * viz. That the end f maistracy is the

d f civil sciety, as such:that civil rlers, as sch, are the rdinance and

ministers f gd ; it bein by his permissin and prv-

idence that any bear rle ; and areeable t his will,

that there shld be sme persns vested with athr-

ity in sciety, fr the well-bein f it : That which is

here said cncernin civil rlers, extends t all f themin cmmn : it relates indifferently t mnarchical,

repblican and aristcratical vernment. ; and t all

ther frms which trly answer the sle end f vern-

ment, the happiness f sciety ; and t all the different

derees f athrity in any particlar state ; t inferir

fficers n less than t the spreme :that disbedience t civil rlers in the de exercise

f their athrity ; is nt merely a political sin, bt anheins offenceagainst Godand religion:

that the tre rnd and reasn f r blia-

tin t be sbject t the higher powers, is the seflness* The several bservatins here nly mentined, were handled at

lare in tw preceedin discrses pn this sbject.

Sme sppse the apstle in this passae infrces the dtyf sbmissin, with two arments qite distinct frm eachther ; ne taken frm this cnsideratin, that rlers are therdinance, and the ministers f gd, (ver. 1. 2. and 4.) and thether, frm the benefits that accre t sciety, frm civil v-

ernment, (ver. 3, 4, and 6.) And indeed these may be distinctmtives and arments fr sbmissin, as they may be sepa-rately viewed and cntemplated. Bt when we cnsider that r-lets are nt the rdinance and the ministers f gd, bt nlys far frth as they perfrm gds will, by actin p t their


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f maistracy (when prperly exercised) t hman s-

ciety, and its sbserviency t the eneral welfare :that bedience t civil rlers is here eqally re-

qired nder all frms f vernment, which answer

the sle end f all vernment, the d f sciety ;

and t every deree f athrity in any state, whether

spreme r sbrdinate :

(Frm whence it fllws,

that if nlimited bedience and nn-resistance,

be here reqired as a dty nder anyne frm f v-

ernment, it is als reqired as a dty nder all ther

frms ; and as a dty t sbrdinate rlers as well as t

the spreme.)and lastly, that thse civil rlers t whm the aps-

tle injins sbjectin, are the persns in possession;

ffice and character, and s by bein benefactrs t sciety,this makes these arments cincide, and rn p int one at

last : At least s far, that the frmer f them cannt hld dfr sbmissin, where the latter fails. Pt the sppsitin, thatany man bearin the title f a maistrate, shld exercise hispwer in sch a manner as t have n claim t bedience by

virte f that arment which is fnded pn the seflnessf maistracy ; and y eqally take ff the frce f the therarment als, which is fnded pn his bein the rdinanceand the minister f gd. Fr he is n lner gds rdinanceand minister, than he acts p t his ffice and character, by

exercisin his pwer fr the d f scietyThis is, in brief,the reasn why it is said abve, in the singularnmber, that thetrue ground and reason, &c. The se and prpriety f this remarkmay pssibly be mre apparent in the prress f the ar-ment cncernin resistance.


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the powers that be; thse wh are actually vested with

athrity. there is ne very imprtant and interestin pint

which remains t be inqired int ; namely, the extentf that sbjectin to the higher powers, which is here en-jined as a dty pn all christians. Sme have thht

it warrantable and lris, t disbey the civil pwers

in certain circmstances ; and, in cases f very reat andeneral ppressin, when hmble remnstrances fail f

havin any effect ; and when the pblick welfare can-

nt be therwise prvided fr and secred, t rise nan-

imsly even aainst the sverein himself, in rder t

redress their rievances ; t vindicate their natral and

leal rihts : t break the yke f tyranny, and freethemselves and psterity frm inlris servitde and

rin. It is pn this principle that many ryal ppres-

srs have been driven frm their thrnes iht banish-

ment ; and many slain by the hands f their sbjects. It

This mst be nderstd with thisproviso, that they d nt r-

slyabusetheir pwer and trst, bt exercise it fr the d fthse that are verned. Wh these persns were, whetherNero, &c. r nt, the apstle des nt say ; bt leaves it t bedetermined by thse t whm he writes. gd des nt inter-pse, in a miracls way, t pint t the persns wh shallbear rle, and t whm sbjectin is de. And as t the n-alienable, indefeasible riht fprimogeniture, the scriptres areintirely silent : r rather plainly cntradict it : Saul bein thefirst kin amn the Israelites; and appinted t the ryal di-

nity, drin his wn fathers life-time : and he was scceeded,r rather sperseded, by David, the last born among many breth-renNw if God has nt invariably determined this matter,it. mst, f crse, be determined by men. And if it be deter-mined bymen, it mst be determined either in the way fforce,r f compact. And which f these is the mst equitable, can ben qestin.


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was pn this principle that. Tarquinwas expelled frm

Rome; and Julius Cesar, the cnqerr f the wrld, andthe tyrant f his cntry, ct ff in the senate hse. Itwas pn this principle, that kinCharlesI, was beheadedbefre his wn banqetin hse. It was pn this prin-

ciple, that kinJamesII. was made t fly that cntrywhich he aimd at enslavin : And pn this principle

was that revltin brht abt, which has been s

fritfl f happy cnseqences t Great-Britain. Bt, inppsitin t this principle, it. has ften been asserted,

that the scriptre in eneral (and the passae nder cn-

sideratin in particlar) makes all resistance t princes a

crime, in any case whateverIf they trn tyrants, and

becme the cmmn ppressrs f thse, whse welfare

they ht t reard with a paternal affectin, we mstnt pretend t riht rselves, nless it be by prayers

and tears and hmble intreaties : And if these meth-

ds fail f prcrin redress, we mst nt have recrse

t any ther, bt all sffer rselves t be rbbed and

btchered at the pleasre f the Lords anointed; lest we

shld incr the sin f rebellin, and the pnishment fdamnatin. Fr he has gds athrity and cmmissin

t bear him t in the wrst f crimes, s far that he

may nt be withstd r cntrled. Nw whether we

are blied t yield sch an abslte sbmissin t r

prince ; r whether disbedience and resistance may nt

be jstifiable in sme cases, ntwithstandin any thinin the passae befre s, is an inqiry in which we are

all cncerned ; and this is the inqiry which is the main

desin f the present discrse.


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now there des nt seem t be any necessity f sp-

psin, that an abslte, nlimited bedience, whetheractive r passive, is here injined, merely fr this rea-

sn, that the precept is delivered in absolute terms, with-t any exception r limitation expresly mentined. Weare enjined, (ver. 1.) t be subject to the higher powers:and (ver. 5.) t be subject for conscience sake. And becasethese expressins are abslte and nlimited, (r mre

prperly, eneral) sme have inferred, that the sb-

jectin reqired in them, mst be abslte and nlim-

ited als : At least s far frth as t make passive be-

dience and nn-resistance, a dty in all cases whatever,

if nt active bedience likewise. Thh, by the way,

there is here n distinctin made betwixt active and

passive bedience ; and if either f them be reqired inan nlimited sense, the ther mst be reqired in the

same sense als, by virte f the present arment ; be-

case the expressins are eqally abslte with respect

t bth. Bt that nlimited bedience f any srt, can-

nt be ared merely frm the indefinite expressins

in which bedience is enjined, appears frm hence,that expressins f the same natre, freqently ccr

in scriptre, pn which it is cnfessed n all hands,

that n sch abslte and nlimited sense ht t be

pt. Fr example, Love not the world ; neither the thingsthat are in the world ; Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon

earth ;*Take therefore no thought for the morrow; || are pre-cepts expressed in at least eqally abslte and nlim-

ited terms : bt it is enerally allwed that they are t

1 Jhn ii. 15. * Matt. vi. 19. || Matt. vi. 34.


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be nderstd with certain restrictins and limitatins ;

sme deree f lve t the wrld, and the thins f it,bein allwable. Nr, indeed, d the Riht Reverend

Fathers in gd, and ther dinified clerymen f the

established chrch, seem t be altether averse t ad-

mittin f restrictins in the latter case, hw warm s-

ever any f them may be aainst restrictins, and limi-

tatins, in the case f sbmissin t athrity, whether

civil f ecclesiastical. It is wrth remarkin als, that

patience and sbmissin nder private injries, are in-

jined in mch mre peremptry and abslte terms,

than any that are sed with reard t sbmissin t the

injstice and ppressin f civil rlers. Ths, I say untoyou, that ye resist not evil ; but whosoever shall smite thee on the

right check, turn to him the other also. And if any man will suethee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy clokealso. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile with him,go with him twain.Any man may be defied t prdcesch strn expressins in favr f a passive and tame

sbmissin t njst, tyrannical rlers, as are here sed

t infrce sbmissin t private injries. Bt hw feware there that nderstand thse expressins literally ?

And the reasn why they d nt, is becase (with sb-

missin t the quakers) cmmn sense shws that theywere nt intended t be s nderstd.

Bu t t instance in sme scriptre-precepts, which

are mre directly t the pint in hand.Children are

cmmanded t bey their parents, and servants, their

masters, in as abslte and nlimited terms as sbjects

Mat. v. 39, 40, 41.


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are here cmmanded t bey their civil rlers. Ths

this same apstleChildren obey your parents in the Lord ;for this is right. Honour thy father and mother,which is thefirst commandment with promise.Servants, be obedient tothem that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear andtrembling, with singleness of your heart as unto Christ.*Thsals wives are cmmanded t be bedient t their hs-

bandsWives, submit your selves unto your own husbands,as unto the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, even asCHRIST IS THE HEAD oF THE CH uRCH

Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wivesbe to their own husbandsIN EVERY THINg. In allthese cases, sbmissin is reqired in terms (at least) as

abslte and niversal, as are ever sed with respect t

rlers and sbjects. Bt wh sppses that the aps-tle ever intended t teach, that children, servants and

wives, shld, in all cases whatever, bey their parents,

masters and hsbands respectively, never makin any

ppsitin t their will, even althh they shld re-

qire them t break the cmmandments f gd, r

shld caselesly make an attempt pn their lives ?N ne pts sch a sense pn these expressins, hw-

ever abslte and nlimited. Why then shld it be

sppsed, that the apstle desined t teach niversal

bedience, whether active r passive, t the higher pow-ers, merely becase his precepts are delivered in abs-

lte and nlimited terms ? And if this be a d ar-ment in ne case, why is it nt in thers als ? If it be

said that resistance and disbedience t the higher pow-

* Eph. vi. 1, &c. Eph. v. 22, 23, 24.


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ers, is here said psitively t be a sin, s als is the dis-

bedience f children t parents ; servants, t masters ;and wives, t hsbands, in ther places f scriptre. Bt

the qestin still remains, whether in all these cases

there be nt sme exceptins ? In the three latter, it

is allwed there are. And frm hence it fllws, that

barely the se f abslte expressins, is n prf, that

bedience t civil rlers, is, in all cases, a dty ; r re-

sistance, in all cases a sin. I shld nt have thht it

wrth while t take any ntice at all f this arment,

had it nt been mch insisted pn by sme f the ad-

vcates fr passive bedience and nn-resistance : Fr

it is, in itself, perfectly triflin ; and renderd cnsid-

erable, nly by the stress that has been laid pn it fr

want f better.

there is, indeed, ne passae in the new-testa-

ment, where it may seem, at first view, that an nlim-

ited sbmissin t civil rlers, is injined.Sbmit

yr selves t every rdinance f man fr the Lrds

sake. T every ordinance of man.Hwever, this ex-pressin is n strner than that befre taken nticef, with relatin t the dty f wivesSo let thewivesbe subject to their own husbandsIN EVERY THINg.Bt the tre sltin f this difficlty (if it be ne) is

this : by every rdinance f man, * is nt meant every

cmmand f the civil maistrate witht exceptin ;

1 Pet. 2.13.

* Literally, every human institution, or appointment. By which man-ner f expressin the apstle plainly intimates, that rlers de-rive their athrityimmediately, nt frm God, bt frm men.


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bt every order of magistrates appointed by man;whether

superiorr inferior: Fr s the apstle explains himselfin the very next wrdsWhether it be t the kin asspreme, r t vernrs, as nt them that are sent,

&c. Bt althh the apstle had nt sbjined any

sch explanatin, the reasn f the thin itself wld

have blied s t limit the expressin [every ordinance ofman] t sch hman rdinances and cmmands, as arent incnsistent with the rdinances and cmmands f

gd, the spreme lawiver ; r with any ther hiher,

and antecedent, bliatins.

it is t be bserved, in the next place, that as the

dty f niversal bedience and nn-resistance t the

higher powers, cannt be ared frm the abslte n-limited expressins which the apstle here ses ; s

neither can it be ared frm the scpe and drift f his

reasnin, cnsidered with relatin t the persns he

was here ppsin. As was bserved abve, there were

sme prfessed christiansin the apstlic ae, wh dis-

claimed all maistracy and civil athrity in eneral,despising government, and speaking evil of dignities; smender a ntin that jewsht nt t be nder the j-risdictin fgentile rlers ; and thers, that they wereset free frm the tempral pwers, by Christ. Nw itis with persns f this licentis pinin and charac-

ter, that the apstle is cncerned. And all that was di-

rectly t his pint, was t shw, that they were bnd

t sbmit t maistracy in general. This is a circm-stance very material t be taken ntice f, in rder t


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ascertain the sense f the apstle. Fr this bein cn-

sidered, it is sfficient t accnt fr all that he sayscncernin the dty f sbjectin, and the sin f resis-

tance, t the higher powers, witht havin recrse tthe dctrine f nlimited sbmissin and passive be-

dience, in all cases whatever. Were it knwn that thse

in ppsitin t whm, the apstle wrte, allwed f

civil athrity in eneral, and nly asserted that there

were some casesin which bedience and nn-resistance,were nt a dty ; there wld, then, indeed, be reasn

fr interpretin this passae as cntainin the dctrine

f nlimited bedience, and nn-resistance, as it mst,

in this case, be sppsed t have been levelled aainst

sch as denied that dctrine. Bt since it is certain that

there were persns wh vainly imained, that civil v-ernment in eneral, was nt t be rearded by them,

it is mst reasnable t sppse, that the apstle de-

sined his discrse nly aainst them. And areeablyt this sppsitin, we find that he ares the sefl-

ness f civil maistracy in eneral ; its areeableness t

the will and prpse f gd, wh is over all; and s de-dces frm hence, the bliatin f sbmissin t it.

Bt it will nt fllw, that becase civil vernment,

is, in eneral, a d instittin, and necessary t the

peace and happiness f hman sciety, therefre there

are n sppse able cases in which resistance t it can

be inncent. S that the dty f nlimited bedience,whether active r passive, can be ared, neither frm

the manner f expressin here sed, nr frm the en-

eral scpe and desin f the passae.


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and if we attend t the natre f the arment with

which the apstle here infrces the dty f sbmis-sin t the higherpowers, we shall find it t be sch anne as cncldes nt in favr f sbmissin t all wh

bear the titlef rlers, in cmmn ; bt nly, t thsewh actuallyperfrm the dty f rlers, by exercisin areasnable and jst athrity, fr the d f hman

sciety. This is a pint which it will be prper t en-

lare pn ; becase the qestin befre s trns very

mch pn the trth r falshd f this psitin. It is

bvis, then, in eneral, that the civil rlers whm

the apstle here speaks f, and bedience t whm

he presses pn christians as a dty, are good rulers,sch as are, in the exercise f their ffice and pwer,

benefactrs t sciety. Sch they are described t be,thrt this passae. Ths it is said, that theyare nt

a terror to good works, but to the evil; that they are Godsministers for good ; revengers to execute wrath upon him thatdoth evil; and that they attend continually upon this verything. St. Peterives the same accnt f rlers : They

are for a praise to them that do well, and the punishment of evil doers. * It is manifest that this character and de-scriptin f rlers, arees nly t sch as are rlers in

fact, as well as in name : t sch as vern well, and act

areeably t their ffice. And the apstles arment

fr sbmissin t rlers, is whlly bilt and rnded

Bygood rulers, are nt intended sch as are d in a moralr re-ligious, bt nly in a political, sense ; thse wh perfrm theirdty s far as their f. fice extends ; and s far as civil sciety,as sch, is cncerned in their actins.

* See the marinal nte, pae 6. See als the marinal nte, p. 7.


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pn a presmptin that they d in fact answer this

character ; and is f n frce at all pn sppsitin fthe cntrary. Ifrulers are a terror to good works, and not tothe evil; if they are nt ministers for good to society, bt frevil and distress, by vilence and ppressin ; if they

execute wrath upon sber, peaceable persns, wh dtheir dty as members f sciety ; and sffer rich and

hnrable knaves t escape with impnity ; if, instead

fattending continually uponthe d wrk f advancinthepblick welfare, theyattendnly pn the ratifi-catin f their wn lst and pride and ambitin, t the

destrctin f the pblic welfare ; if this be the case,

it is plain that the apstles arment fr sbmissin

des nt reach them ; they are nt the same, bt dif-

ferent persns frm thse whm he characterizes ; andwh mst be beyed accrdin t his reasnin.Let

me illstrate the apstles arment, by the fllwin

similitude: (it is n matter hw far it is frm any thinwhich has, in fact, happened in the wrld.) Sppse,

then, it was allwed, in eneral, that the clergy were

an sefl rder f men ; that they ht t be esteemedvery highly in love for their works sake; and t be decentlyspprted by thse whm they serve, the labourer beingworthy of his reward. * Sppse farther, that a nmberfReverendand Right Reverend Drones, wh worked not;wh preached, perhaps, bt once a year, and then, nt the

gospel f Jess Christ ; bt the divine right of tythes;the dignity of their office as ambassadors of Christ, the eq-

1 Thes. v. 13. * 1 Tim. v. 18.


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ity fsine-cures, and aplurality of benefices;the excel-

lency f the devotionsin that prayer-book, which sme fthem hired chaplains to usefor them;r sme favritepint f church-tyranny, and anti-christian srpatin ;sppse sch men as these, spendin their lives in ef-

feminacy, lxry and idleness ; (r when they were nt

idle, din that which is wrse than idleness ; sppse

sch men) shld, merely by the merit fordinationandconsecration, and apeculiar, odd habit, claim reat respectand reverence frm thse whm they civilly called thebeasts of thelaiety; || and demand thsands per annm,fr that d service which theynever perfrmed ;

and fr which, if they had perfrmed it, this wld be

mch mre than a quantummeruit: sppse this shld

be the case, (it is nly by way fsimile, and srely it willive n ffence) wld nt every bdy be astnished

at sch inslence, injstice and impiety ? And ht

nt sch men t be tld plainly, that they cld nt

reasnably expect the esteem and reward, de t the

ministers f the spel, nless they did the dties f

their ffice ? Shld they nt be tld, that their titleand habit claimed n reard, reverence r pay, sepa-

rate frm the care and wrk and varis dutiesf theirfunction? And that while they nelected the latter, theformer served nly t render them the mre ridiclsand cntemptible ?The applicatin f this simili-

tude t the case in hand, is very easy.If thse whbear the title f civil rlers, d nt perfrm the dty

f civil rlers, bt act directly cnter t the sle end

|| Mr. Leslie.


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and desin f their ffice ; if they injre and ppress

their sbjects, instead f defendin their rihts and d-in them d ; they have nt the least pretence t be

hnred, beyed and rewarded, accrdin t the aps-

tles arment. Fr his reasnin, in rder t shw the

dty f sbjectin t the higher powers, is, as was befrebserved, bilt whlly pn the sppsitin, that they

d, infact, perfrm the dty f rlers.

if it be said, that the apstle here ses anther ar-

ment fr sbmissin t the higher powers, besides thatwhich is taken frm the seflness f their ffice t

civil sciety, when prperly dischared and exected ;

namely, that their power isfrom God; that they are or-

dained of God; and that theyareGods ministers: And if itbe said, that this arment fr sbmissin t them will

hld d, althh they d nt exercise their pwer

fr the benefit, bt fr the rin, and destrctin f h-

man sciety ; this bjectin was bviated, in part, be-

fre. Rlers have n athrity frm gd t d mis-

chief. They are nt Gods ordinance, r Gods ministers,in any ther sense than as it is by his permissin andprvidence, that they are exalted t bear rle ; and as

maistracy dly exercised, and athrity rihtly ap-

plied, in the enactin and exectin d laws,laws

attempered and accmmdated t the cmmn wel-

fare f the sbjects, mst be sppsed t be aree-

able t the will f the beneficent athr and spreme

Lrd f the niverse ; whse kingdom ruleth over all; *

See the marin, pae 10, nte . * Psal. ciii. 19.


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and whse tendermercies are over all his works.It is blas-

phemy t call tyrants and ppressrs, Gods ministers.They are mre prperly the messengers of satan to buf-fet us.*N rlers are prperlyGodsministers, bt schas are just, ruling in the fear of God. || When nce mais-trates act cntrary t their ffice, and the end f their

instittin ; when they rb and rin the pblic, instead

f bein ardians f its peace and welfare ; they im-

mediately cease t be the ordinanceand ministers of God;and n mre deserve that lris character than cm-

mn piratesand highwaymen. S that whenever that ar-ment fr sbmissin, fails, which is rnded pn

the seflness f maistracy t civil sciety, (as it al-

ways des when maistrates d hrt t sciety instead

f d) the ther arment, which is taken frm theirbein the rdinance f gd, mst necessarily fail als ;

n persn f a civil character bein Gods minister, inthe sense f the apstle, any farther than he perfrms

gds will, by exercisin a jst and reasnable athr-

ity ; and rlin fr the d f the sbject.

this in eneral. Let s nw trace the apstles rea-

snin in favr f sbmissin t the hiher pwers, a

little mre particlarly and exactly. Fr by this it will

appear, n ne hand, hw d and cnclsive itis, fr

sbmissin t thse rlers wh exercise their pwer in

a prper manner : And, n the ther, hw weak and

triflin and incnnected it is, if it be sppsed t be

meant by the apstle t shw the bliatin and dty

Psal. cxlv. 19. * 2 Cr. xii. 7. || 2 Sam. xxiii. 3.


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f bedience t tyrannical, ppressive rlers in cm-

mn with thers f a different character.the apstle enters pn his sbject thsLet ev-

ery soul be subject unto the higher powers ; for there is no powerbut of God : the powers that be, are ordained of God.* Herehe res the dty f bedience frm this tpic f ar-

ment, that civil rlers, as they are sppsed t fl-

fil the pleasre f gd, are the rdinance f gd. Bthw is this an arment fr bedience t sch rlers as

d nt perfrm the pleasre f gd, by din d ;

bt the pleasre f the devil, by din evil ; and sch as

are nt, therefre, Gods ministers, bt the devils ! Who-soever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance

of God ; and they that resist, shall receive to themselves dam-nation. Here the apstle ares, that thse wh resista reasnable and jst athrity, which is areeable t

the will f gd, d really resist the will f gd him-

self ; and will, therefre, be pnished by him. Bt hw

des this prve, that thse wh resist a lawless, nrea-

snable pwer, which is cntrary t the will f gd, dtherein resist the will and rdinance f gd ? Is resist-

in thse wh resist gds will, the same thin with re-

sistin gd ? or shall thse wh d s, receive to them-selves damnation ! For rulers are not a terror to good works, butto the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power ? Do thatwhich is good ; and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he isthe minister of God to thee for good. Here the apstle ar-es mre explicitly than he had befre dne, fr rev-

* Ver. 1. Ver. 2. Ver. 3d. and part f the 4th.


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erein, and sbmittin t, maistracy, frm this cn-

sideratin, that sch as really perfrmed the dty fmaistrates, wld be enemies nly t the evil actins

f men, and wld befriend and encrae the d ;

and s be a cmmn blessin t sciety. Bt hw is this

an arment, that we mst hnr, and sbmit t, sch

maistrates as are nt enemies t the evil actins f

men ; bt t the d ; and sch as are nt a cmmn

blessin, bt a cmmn crse, t sciety ! But if thou dothat which is evil, be afraid : For he is the minister of God, arevenger, to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. Herethe apstle ares frm the natre and end f mais-

tracy, that sch as did evil, (and sch nly) had reasn

t be afraid f the higherpowers; it bein part f their

ffice t pnish evil-ders, n less than t defend andencrae sch as d well. Bt if maistrates are n-

rihtes ; if they are respecters of persons; if they arepartial in their administratin f jstice ; then thse

wh d well have as mch reasn t be afraid, as thsethat d evil : there can be n safety fr the d, nr

any pecliar rnd f terrr t the nrly and inj-ris. S that, in this case, the main end f civil v-

ernment will be frstrated. And what reasn is there

fr sbmittin t that vernment, which des by n

means answer the desin f vernment ? Wherefore yemust needs be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience

sake.* Here the apstle ares the dty f a chear-fl and cnscientis sbmissin t civil vernment,

Ver. 4th. latter part. * Ver. 5.


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frm the natre and end f maistracy as he had be-

fre laid it dwn, i. e. as the desin f it was t pn-ish evil ders, and t spprt and encrae sch as d

well ; and as it mst, if s exercised, be areeable t

the will f gd. Bt hw des what he here says, prve

the dty f a chearfl and cnscientis sbjectin t

thse wh frfeit the character f rlers ? t thse wh

encrae the bad, and discrae the d ? The ar-

ment here sed n mre prves it t be a sin t resist

sch rlers, than it des, t resist the devil, that he mayflee from us.* Fr ne is as trly the minister of God asthe ther. For, for this cause pay you tribute also ; for they areGods ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.Here the apstle ares the dty f payin taxes, frm

this cnsideratin, that thse wh perfrm the dty frlers, are cntinally attendin pn the pblic wel-

fare. Bt hw des this arment cnclde fr payin

taxes t sch princes as are cntinally endeavrin

t rin the pblic ? And especially when sch payment

wld facilitate and prmte this wicked desin ! Ren-

der therefore to all their dues ; tribute, to whom tribute is due ;custom, to whom custom ; fear, to whom fear, honor, to whomhonor. || Here the apstle sms p what he had been say-in cncernin the dty f sbjects t rlers. And his

arment stands thsSince maistrates wh exe-

cte their ffice well, are cmmn benefactrs t s-

ciety ; and may, in that respect, be prperly stiled theministers and ordinance of God; and since they are cn-

* James iv. 7. Ver. 6. || Ver. 7.


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stantly emplyed in the service f the pblic ; it be-

cmes y t pay them tribte and cstm ; and t rev-erence, hnr, and sbmit t, them in the exectin f

their respective ffices. This is apparently d rea-

snin. Bt des this arment cnclde fr the dty

f payin tribte, cstm, reverence, hnr and be-

dience, t sch persns as (althh they bear the ti-

tle f rlers) se all their pwer t hrt and injre the

pblic ? sch as are nt Gods ministers, bt satans? schas d nt take care f, and attend pn, the pblic in-

terest, bt their wn, t the rin f the pblic ? that

is, in shrt, t sch as have n natral and jst claim

at all t tribte, cstm, reverence, hnr and bedi-

ence ? It is t be hped that thse wh have any reard

t the apstles character as an inspired writer, r evenas a man f cmmn nderstandin, will nt represent

him as reasnin in sch a lse incherent manner ;

and drawin cnclsins which have nt the least rela-

tin t his premises. Fr what can be mre absrd than

an arment ths framed ? Rlers are, by their ffice,

bnd t cnslt the pblic welfare and the d fsciety : therefre y are bnd t pay them tribte,

t hnr, and t sbmit t them, even when they de-

stry the pblic welfare, and area cmmn pest t s-

ciety, by actin in direct cntradictin t the natre

and end f their ffice.

th us, pn a carefl review f the apstles rea-

snin in this passae, it appears that his arments t

enfrce sbmissin, are f sch a natre, as t cnclde

nly in favr f sbmissin to such rulers as he himself de-


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scribes; i. e. sch as rle fr the d f sciety, which

is the nly end f their instittin. Cmmn tyrants,and pblic ppressrs, are nt intitled t bedience

frm their sbjects, by virte f any thin here laid

dwn by the inspired apstle.

I now add, farther, that the apstles arment is s

far frm prvin it t be the dty f peple t bey,

and sbmit t, sch rlers as act in cntradictin t thepblic d, and s t the desin f their ffice, that

it prves the direct contrary. Fr, please t bserve, thatif the end f all civil vernment, be the d f s-

ciety ; if this be the thin that is aimed at in cnsti-

ttin civil rlers ; and if the mtive and arment fr

sbmissin t vernment, be taken frm the apparentseflness f civil athrity ; it fllws, that when n

sch d end can be answered by sbmissin, there

remains n arment r mtive t enfrce it ; and if

instead f this d ends bein brht abt by sb-

missin, a contrary end is brht abt, and the rin

and misery f sciety effected by it, here is a plain andpsitive reasn aainst sbmissin in all sch cases,

shld they ever happen. And therefre, in sch cases,

a reard t the pblic welfare, ht t make s with-

hld frm r rlers, that bedience and sbjectin

which it wld, therwise, be r dty t render t

them. If it be r dty, fr example, t bey r kin,

This des nt intend, their actin s in a few particular instances,which the best f rlers may d thrh mistake, &c. bt theiractin s habitually; and in a manner which plainly shws,that they aim at makin themselves reat, by the rin f theirsbjects.


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merely fr this reasn, that he rles fr the pblic wel-

fare, (which is the nly arment the apstle makes sef) it fllws, by a parity f reasn, that when he trns

tyrant, and makes his sbjects his prey t devr and

t destry, instead f his chare t defend and cherish,

we are bnd t thrw ffr alleiance t him, and t

resist ; and that accrdin t the tenr f the apstles

arment in this passae. Nt t discntine r alle-

iance, in this case, wld be t jin with the sverein

in prmtin the slavery and misery f that sciety, the

welfare f which, we rselves, as well as r sverein,

are indispensably blied t secre and prmte, as far

as in s lies. It is tre the apstle pts n case f sch a

tyrannical prince ; bt by his rndin his arment

fr sbmissin whlly pn the d f civil sciety ;it is plain he implicitly athrises, and even reqires s

t make resistance, whenever this shall be necessary t

the pblic safety and happiness. Let me make se f

this easy and familiar similitudet illstrate the pintin handSppse gd reqires a family f children,

t bey their father and nt t resist him ; and infrceshis cmmand with this arment ; that the sperinten-

dence and care and athrity f a jst and kind par-

ent, will cntribte t the happiness f the whle fam-

ily ; s that they ht t bey him fr their wn sakes

mre than fr his : Sppse this parent at lenth rns

distracted, and attempts, in his mad fit, t ct all hischildrens thrats : Nw, in this case, is nt the reasn

befre assined, why these children shld bey their

parent while he cntined f a snd mind, namely,


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their common good, a reasn eqally cnclsive fr dis-

beyin and resistin him, since he is becme deliri-s, and attempts their rin ? It makes n alteratin in

the arment, whether this parent, prperly speakin,

lses his reasn ; r des, while he retains his nder-

standin, that which is as fatal in its cnseqences, as

any thin he cld d, were he really deprived f it.

This similitde needs n frmal applicatin

Bu t it ht t be remembred, that if the dty f

niversal bedience and nn-resistance t r kin r

prince, can be ared frm this passae, the same n-

limited sbmissin nder a repblican, r any ther

frm f vernment ; and even t all the sbrdinate

pwers in any particlar state, can be prved by it aswell : which is mre than thse wh allede it fr the

mentined prpse, wld be willin shld be in-

ferred frm it. S that this passae des nt answer

their prpse ; bt really verthrws and cnftes it.

This matter deserves t be mre particlarly cnsid-

ered.The advcates fr nlimited sbmissin andpassive bedience, d, if I mistake nt, always speak

with reference t kinly r mnarchical vernment,

as distinished frm all ther frms ; and, with ref-

erence t sbmittin t the will f the kin, in dis-

tinctin frm all sbrdinate fficers, actin beynd

their cmmissin, and the athrity which they have

received frm the crwn. It is nt pretended that any

persns besides kins, have a divine riht t d what

they please, s that n ne may resist them, witht

incrrin the ilt f factisness and rebellin. If any


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ther spreme pwers ppress the peple, it is ener-

ally allwed, that the peple may et redress, by resis-tance, if ther methds prve ineffectal, And if any

fficers in a kinly vernment, beynd the limits

f that pwer which they have derived frm the crwn,

(the sppsed riinal srce f all pwer and athr-

ity in the state) and attempt, illeally, t take away

the prperties and lives f their fellw-sbjects, they

may be forcibly resisted, at least till applicatin can bemade t the crwn. Bt as t the sverein himself, he

may nt be resisted in any case ; nr any f his ffi-

cers, while they cnfine themselves within the bnds

which he has prescribed t them. This is, I think, a

tre sketch f the principles f thse wh defend the

dctrine f passive bedience and nn-resistance.Nw there is nthin in scriptre which spprts this

scheme f plitical principles. As t the passae n-

der cnsideratin, the apstle here speaks f civil rl-

ers in general; f all persns in common, vested withathrity fr the d f sciety, witht any partic-

lar reference t ne frm f vernment, mre thant anther ; r t the spreme pwer in any partic-

lar state, mre than t sbrdinate pwers. The aps-

tle des nt cncern himself with the different frms

f vernment. This he sppses left intirely t h-

* The essence f vernment (I mean goodvernment ; and thisis the onlyvernment which the apstle treats f in this pas-sae) cnsists in the makingand executing of good lawslaws at-tempered t the cmmn felicity f the governed. And if thisbe, in fact, dne, it is evidently, in it self, a thin f n cn-seqence at all, what the particlar frm f vernment is ;

whether the leislative and exective pwer be lded in oneand the same persn, r in different persns ;whether in ne


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man prdence and discretin. Nw the cnseqence

f this is, that nlimited and passive bedience is nmre enjined in this passae, nder mnarchical v-

ernment ; r t the spreme pwer in any state, than

nder all ther species f vernment, which answer

the end f vernment ; r, t all the sbrdinate de-

rees f civil athrity, frm the hihest t the lw-

est. Thse, therefre, wh wld frm this passae in-

fer the ilt f resistin kins, in all cases whatever,

thh actin ever s cntrary t the desin f their

ffice, mst, if they will be cnsistent, mch far-

ther, and infer frm it the ilt f resistance nder all

ther frms f vernment ; and f resistinany petty of-ficerin the state, th actin beynd his cmmissin, in

the mst arbitrary, illeal manner pssible. The ar-ment hlds eqally strn in bth cases. All civil rl-

ers, as sch, are the ordinanceand ministers of God; andthey are all, by the natre f their ffice, and in their

respective spheres and statins, btlnd t cnslt the

pblic welfare. With the same reasn therefre, that

any deny nlimited and passive bedience t be here

persn, whm we call an absolute monarch;whether in a few,s as t cnstitte an aristrocrasy;whether in many, s as tcnstitte a republic; r whether in three coordinate branches, insch manner as t make the vernment partake smethin feachf these frms ; and t be, at the same time, essentiallydif-

ferentfrm them all. If the endbe attained, it is enh. Bt n

frm f vernment seems t be s nlikely t accmplish thisend, as absolutemonarchy.Nr is there any ne that has slit-tle pretence t a divineoriginal, nless it be in this sense, thatgd firstintrdced it int, and thereby vertrned, the cm-mn wealth f Israel, as a curse pn that peple fr their follyand wickedness, particlarly in desiringsch a vernment. (See 1Sam. viii. chap.) Jst s gd, befre, sent Quailsamnst them,as aplague, and a curse, and nt as a blessing. Numb. chap. xi.


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injined nder a repblic r aristcrasy, r any ther

established frm f civil vernment ; r t sbrdi-nate pwers, actin in an illeal and ppressive man-

ner ; (with the same reasn) thers may deny, that sch

bedience is enjined t a kin r mnarch, r any civil

pwer whatever. Fr the apstle says nthin that ispe-culiar to kings; what he says, extends eqally t alltherpersns whatever, vested with any civil ffice. They are

all, in exactly the same sense, the ordinance of God; andthe ministers of God; and bedience is eqally enjinedt be paid t them all. Fr, as the apstle expresses it,

there isNo PoWERbut of God: And we are reqired trender toALL theirDuES ; and nt MoRE than theirDuES. And what these duesare, and t whm they are

t be rendered, the apstle sayeth not; bt leaves t thereasn and cnsciences f men t determine.

th us it appears, that the cmmn arment,

rnded pn this passae, in favr f niversal, and

passive bedience, really verthrws itself, by prvin

t mch, if it prves any thin at all ; namely, thatn civil fficer is, in any case whatever, t be resisted,

thh actin in express cntradictin t the desin f

his ffice ; which n man, in his senses, ever did, r can

assert.

if we calmly cnsider the natre f the thin it-

self, nthin can well be imained mre directly cn-trary t cmmn sense, than t sppse that millionsfpeple shld be sbjected t the arbitrary, precaris

pleasre fone single man; (wh has naturallyn speri-rity ver them in pint f athrity) s that their es-


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tates, and every thin that is valable in life, and even

their lives als, shall be absltely at his dispsal, if hehappens t be wantn and capricis enh t de-

mand them. What nprejdiced man can think, that

gd made ALL t be ths sbservient t the law-

less pleasre and phrenzy f oNE, s that it shall al-

ways be a sin t resist him ! Nthin bt the mst plain

and express revelatin frm heaven cld make a sber

impartial man believe sch a mnstrs, naccnt-

able dctrine, and indeed, the thin itself, appears s

shckins t f allproportion, that it may be qes-tined, whether all the miraclesthat ever were wrht,cld make it credible, that this dctrine really camefrm gd. At present, there is nt the least syllable in

scriptre which ives any cntenance t it. The hered-itary, indefeasible, divine riht f kins., and the dc-

trine f nn-resistance, which is bilt pn the sp-

psitin f sch a riht, are altether as fabls and

chimerical, as transbstantiatin ; r any f the mst

absrd reveries f ancient r mdern visinaries. These

ntins are fetched neither frm divine revelatin, nrhman reasn ; and if they are derived frm neither f

thse srces, it is nt mch matter frm whence theycome,or whither they go. only it is a pity that sch dc-trines shld be prpaated in sciety, t raise factins

and rebellins, as we see they have, in fact, been bth

in the last, and in thepresent, REIgN.

Bt then, if nlimited sbmissin and passive bedi-

ence t the higher powers, in all pssible cases, be nt adty, it will be asked, Hw far are we blied t sb-


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mit ? If we may inncently disbey and resist in sme

cases, why nt in all ? Where shall we stp ? What isthe measre f r dty ? This dctrine tends t the

ttal dissltin f civil vernment ; and t intrdce

sch scenes f wild anarchy and cnfsin, as are mre

fatal t sciety than the wrst f tyranny.

afterthis manner, sme men bject ; and, indeed,

this is the mst plasible thin that can be said in favrf sch an abslte sbmissin as they plead fr. Bt

the wrst (r rather the best) f it, is, that there is very

little strenth r slidity in it. Fr similar difficlties

maybe raised with respect t almst every dty f nat-

ral and revealed reliin.T instance nly in tw,

bth f which are near akin, and indeed exactly paral-lel, t the case befre s. It is nqestinably the dty

f children t sbmit t their parents ; and f servants,

t their masters. Bt n ne asserts, that it is their dty

t bey, and sbmit t them, in all sppseable cases ;

r niversally a sin t resist them. Nw des this tend

t sbvert the jst athrity f parents and masters ?or t intrdce cnfsin and anarchy int private

families ? N. Hw then des the same principle tend

t nhine the vernment f that larer family, the

bdy plitic ? We knw, in eneral, that children and

servants are blied t bey their parents and masters

respectively. We knw als, with eqal certainty, that

they are nt blied t sbmit t them in all thins,

witht exceptin ; bt may, in sme cases, reasnably,

and therefre inncently, resist them. These princi-

ples are acknwleded pn all hands, whatever diffi-


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clty there may be in fixin the exact limits f sbmis-

sin. Nw there is at least as mch difficlty in statinthe measref dty in these tw cases, as in the case

f rlers and sbjects. S that this is really n bjec-

tin, at least n reasnable ne, aainst resistance t

the higherpowers: or, if it is ne, it will hld eqallyaainst resistance in the ther cases mentined.It is

indeed tre, that trblent, vicis-minded men, may

take ccasin frm this principle, that their rlers may,

in sme cases, be lawflly resisted, t raise factins and

distrbances in the state ; and t make resistance where

resistance is needless, and therefre, sinfl. Bt is it

nt eqally tre, that children and servants f trb-

lent, vicis minds, may take ccasin frm this prin-

ciple, that parents and masters may, in sme cases belawflly resisted, t resist when resistance is nneces-

sary, and therefre, criminal ? Is the principle in either

case false in itself, merely becase it may be absed ;

and applied t leitimate disbedience and resistance

in thse instances, t which it ht nt t be applied ?

Accrdin t this way f arin, there will be n treprinciples in the wrld ; fr there are nne bt what

may be wrested and perverted t serve bad prpses,

either thrh the weakness r wickedness f men.

We may very safely assert these tw thins in eneral, with-t nderminin vernment : one is, That n civil rl-ers are t be beyed when they enjin thins that are incn-sistent with the cmmands f gd : All sch disbedience islawfl and lris ; particlarly, if persns refse t cmply

with any legal establishment of religion, becase it is a rss per-versin and crrptin (as t dctrine, wrship and discipline)f a pre and divine reliin, brht frm heaven t earth bythe Son of God, (the nly Kin and Head f the christianchrch)and prpaated thrh the wrld by his inspired apstles. All


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A PEoPLE, really ppressed t a reat deree by

their sverein, cannt well be insensible when they ares ppressed. And sch a peple (if I may allde t an

ancientfable) have, like the hesperianfrit, a DRAgoN

cmmands rnnin cnter t the declared will f the spremeleislatr f heaven and earth, are nll and vid : And there-fre disbedience t them is a dty, nt a crime. (See the mar-inal nte, pae 7.)Anther thin that may be asserted witheqal trth and safety, is, That n vernment is t be sbmit-ted t, at the expencef that which is the sole endf all vern-ment,the cmmn d and safety f sciety. Becase, tsbmit in this case, if it shld ever happen, wld evidently bet set p the meansas mre valable, and abve, the end: than

which there cannt be a reater slecism and cntradictin.The nly reasn f the instittin f civil vernment ; and thenly ratinal rnd f sbmissin t it, is the cmmn safetyand tility. If therefre, in any case, the cmmn safety andtility wld nt be prmted by sbmissin t vernment,bt the cntrary, there is n rnd r mtive fr bedienceand sbmissin, bt, fr the cntrary.

whoever cnsiders the natre f civil vernment mst, in-deed, be sensible that a reat deree f implicit confidence, mstnavidably be placed in thse that bear rle : this is impliedin the very ntin f athritys bein riinally a trust, cm-mitted by the peple, t thse wh are vested with it, as all jstand rihtes athrity is ; all besides, is mere lawless frce andsrpatin ; neither gd nr natre, havin iven any man ariht f dminin ver any sciety, independently f that sci-etys apprbatin, and cnsent t be verned by himNw asall men are fallible, it cannt be sppsed that the pblic affairsf any state, shld be always administered in the best mannerpssible, even by persns f the reatest wisdm and interity.

Nr is it sfficient t leitimate disbedience t the higher powersthat they are nt s administred ; r that they are, in sme in-stances, very ill-manaed ; fr pn this principle, it is scarcelysppseable that any vernment at all cld be spprted, rsbsist. Sch a principle manifestly tends t the dissltin fvernment ; and t thrw all thins int cnfsin and anar-chy.Bt it is eqally evident, pn the ther hand, that thsein athrity may abse their trustand pwer to such a degree, thatneither the law f reasn, nr f reliin, reqires, that anybedience r sbmissin shld be paid t them ; bt, n thecntrary, that they shld be ttallydiscarded; and the athr-


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fr their protector and guardian: Nr wld they have

any reasn t mrn, if sme HERCuLES shld ap-ity which they were befre vested with, transferred t thers,

wh may exercise it mre t thse d prpses fr which it isiven.Nr is this principle, that resistance t the higher powers,is, in sme extrardinary cases, jstifiable, s liable t abse, asmany persns seem t apprehend it. Fr althh there will bealways sme petlant, qerls men, in every statemen ffactis, trblent and carpin dispsitins,lad t lay hld

f any trifle t jstify and leitimate their caballin aainsttheir rlers, and ther seditis practices ; yet there are, cm-paratively speakin, bt few men f this contemptible character. Itdes nt appear bt that mankind, in eneral, have a dispsi-tin t be as sbmissive and passive and tame nder vernmentas they ht t be.Witness a reat, if nt the reatest, partf the knwn wrld, wh are nw ranin, bt nt mrmr-in, nder the heavy yke f tyranny ! While thse wh vern,d it with any tlerable deree f mderatin and jstice, and,

in any d measre act p t their ffice and character, by be-in pblic benefactrs ; the peple will enerally be easy andpeaceable ; and be rather inclined t flatter and adre, than tinslt and resist, them. Nr was there ever anygeneralcmplaintaainst any administratin, which lasted long, bt what there wasd reasn fr. Till peple find themselves reatly absed andppressed by their vernrs, they are nt apt t cmplain ; and

whenever they d, in fact, find themselves ths absed and p-pressed, they mst be stpid nt t cmplain. T say that sb-

jects in eneral are nt prper jdes when their vernrs p-press them, and play the tyrant ; and when they defend theirrihts, administer jstice impartially, and prmte the pblic

welfare, is as reat treason as ever man ttered ;tis treasn,nt aainst ne singleman, bt the stateaainst the whlebdy plitic ;tis treasn aainst mankind ;tis treasnaainst cmmn sense ;tis treasn aainst gd. And this im-pis principle lays the fndatin fr jstifyin all the tyrannyand ppressin that ever any prince was ilty f. The peple

knw fr what end they set p, and maintain, their vernrs ;and they are the prper jdes when they execte their trst asthey ht t d it ;when their prince exercises an eqitableand paternal athrity ver them ;when frm a prince andcmmn father, he exalts himself int a tyrantwhen frmsbjects and children, he derades them int the class f slaves ;plnders them, makes them his prey, and nnatrally sprtshimself with their lives and frtnes


50/73

40 Of King CHARLESs

pear t dispatch himFr a natin ths absed t arise

nanimsly, and t resist their prince, even t the de-thrnin him, is nt criminal ; bt a reasnable I way

f vindicatin their liberties and jst rihts ; it is mak-

in se f the means, and the nly means, which gd

has pt int their pwer, fr mtal and self-defence.

And it wld be hihly criminal in them, nt t make

se f this means. It wld be stpid tameness, and n-

accntable flly, fr whle natins t sffer onen-reasnable, ambitis and crel man, t wantn and

rit in their misery. And in sch a case it wld, f the

tw, be mre ratinal t sppse, that they did NoT

resist, than that they wh did, wld receive to themselvesdamnation.

And

THIS natrally brins s t make sme reflectinspn the resistance which was made abt a cen-try since, t that nhappy prince, KINg CHARLESI ; and pn the ANNIVERSARY f his death. This

is a pint which I shld nt have cncerned myself

abt, were it nt that some mencntine t speak f it,even t this day, with a reat deal f warmth and zeal ;

and in sch a manner as t ndermine all the principles

f LIBERTY, whether civil r reliis, and t intr-

dce the mst abject slavery bth in chrch and state :

s that it is becme a matter f niversal cncern.

What I have t ffer pn this sbject, will be cm-

prised in a shrt answer t the fllwinqueries; viz.


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41

for what reasn the resistance t kin Charles the

Firstwas made ?By whm it was made ?whether this resistance was REBELLIoN, r

nt ?

how the Anniversaryf kinCharless death came atfirstt be slemnized as a day f fastin and hmiliatin?

And lastly,

why thse f the episcpal clery wh are very

hih in the principles fecclesiastical authority, cntinet speak f this nhappy man, as a reat SAINT and a

MARTYR ?

Fr what reasn, then, was the resistance t kin

Charles, made ? The eneral answer t this inqiry

is, that it was n accnt f the tyranny and oppressionf his rein. Nt a reat while after his accessin t

the thrne, he married a french catholic; and with herseemed t have wedded the plitics, if nt the reli-in fFrance, als. Fr afterwards, drin a rein, rrather a tyranny f many years, he verned in a per-

fectly wild and arbitrary manner, payin n reard tthe cnstittin and the laws f the kindm, by which

the pwer f the crwn was limited ; r t the slemn

ath which he had taken at his crnatin. It wld be

endless, as well as needless, t ive a particlar accnt

f all the illeal and desptic measres which he tk

in his administratin ;partly frm his wn natrallst f pwer, and partly frm the inflence f wicked

N. B. I speak f rebellin, treasn, saintship, martyrdm, &c.thrht this discrse, nly in the scriptural and theologicalsense. I knw nt hw the law defines them ; the stdy fthatnt bein my emplyment

sa i n t sh i P and Ma rt y r d oM.


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42

cncellrs and ministers.He cmmitted many il-

lstris members f bth hses f parliament t thetower, fr ppsin his arbitrary schemes.He leviedmany taxes pn the peple witht cnsent f par-

liament ;and then imprisned reat nmbers f the

principal merchants and entry fr nt payin them.

He erected, r at least revived, several arbitrary

crts, in which the mst nheard-f barbarities were

cmmitted with his knwlede and apprbatinHe

spprted that mre than fiend, arch-bishp Laudandthe clery f his stamp, in all their chrch-tyranny and

hellish creltiesHe athrised a bk in favr f

sportspn the Lordsday; and several clerymen werepersected by him and the mentined pious bishp,

fr nt readin it t the peple after divine serviceWhen the parliament cmplained t him f the arbi-

trary prceedins f his crrpt ministers, he tld that

august body, in a rh, dmineerin, nprincely man-ner, that he wndred anyne shld be s flish and

inslent as t think that he wld part with the mean-

est f his servants upon their accountHe refsed t callany parliament at all fr the space f twelve years t-

ether, drin all which time, he verned in an abs-

lte lawless and desptic mannerHe tk all ppr-

tnities t encrae the papists, and t prmte themt the hihest ffices f hnr and trstHe (prb-

ably) abetted the hrrid massacre in Ireland, in whichtw hndred thsand prtestants were btchered by

the rman cathlics.He sent a lare sm f mney,

which he had raised by his arbitrary taxes, int Ger-many, t raise frein trps, in rder t frce mre

Of King CHARLESs


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43

arbitrary taxes pn his sbjects.He nt nly by a

ln series factions, bt als inplain terms, asserted anabslte ncntrlable pwer ; sayin even in ne fhis speeches t parliament, that as it was blasphemy t

dispte what gd miht d ; s it was seditin in sb-

jects t dispte what the kin miht d.Twards the

end f his tyranny, he came t the hse f cmmns

with an armed frce, and demanded five f its prin-

cipal members t be delivered p t himAnd this

was a prelde t that nnatral war which he sn af-

ter levied aainst his wn dtifl sbjects ; whm he

was bnd by all the laws f hnr, hmanity, piety,

and I miht add, finterestals, t defend and cherishwith a paternal affectinI have nly time t hint at

these facts in a eneral way, all which, and many mref the same tenr, may be prved by d athrities :

S that thefigurativelanae which St. Johnses cn-cernin the jst and beneficent deeds f r blessed

Savir, may be applied t the nrihtes and execra-

ble deeds f this prince, viz. And there are also many other

things which king Charles did, the which, if they should bewritten everyone, I suppose that even the world itself, could notcontain the books that should be written.* Nw it was n ac-cnt f kinCharlessths assmin a pwer abve thelaws, in direct cntradictin t his crnatin ath,

and vernin the reatest part f his time, in the mst

arbitrary ppressive manner ; it was pn this accnt,that that resistance was made t him, which, at lenth,

Histrians are nt areed, what nmber f sldiers attendedhim in this mnstrs invasin f the priviledes f parlia-mentSme say 500 ; sme 400 : And the athr fThe historyof the kings of Scotland, says 500. * Jhn xxi. 25.



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44

issed in the lss f his crwn, and f that headwhich

was nwrthy t wear it.Bu t by whm was this resistance made ? Nt by a

privatejunto;nt by a small seditisparty;nt bya few desparadoes, wh, t mend their frtnes, wldembril the state ;bt by the LoRDS and CoM-

MoNS f England. It was they that almst nani-

msly ppsed the kins measres fr vertrninthe cnstittin, and chanin that free and happy

vernment int a wretched, abslte mnarchy. It

was they that when the kin was abt levyin frces

aainst his sbjects, in rder t make himself abslte,

cmmissined fficers, and raised an army t defend

themselves and the pblic : And it was they that main-tained the war aainst him all aln, till he was made a

prisner. This is indisptable. Thh it was nt prp-

erly speakin the parliament, bt the army, which pt

him t death afterwards. And it ht t be freely ac-

knwleded, that mst f their prceedin, in rder t

et this matter effected ; and particlarly the crt bywhich the kin was at last tried and cndemned, was

little better than a mere mckery f jstice.

the next qestin which natrally arises, is, whether

this resistance which was made t the kin by the par-liament, was prperly rebellion, r nt ? The answer t

which is plain, that it was nt ; bt a mst rihtes andlris stand, made in defence f the natral and leal

rihts f the peple, aainst the nnatral and illeal

encrachments f arbitrary pwer. Nr was this a rash

and t sdden ppsitin. The natin had been pa-

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tient nder the ppressins f the crwn, even t ln-

sfferin ;fr a crse f many years ; and therewas n ratinal hpe f redress in any ther wayRe-

sistance was absltely necessary in rder t preserve

the natin frm slavery, misery and rin. And wh s

prper t make this resistance as the lrds and cm-

mners-the whle representative bdy f the peple ;

ardians f the pblic welfare ; and each f which

was, in pint f leislatin, vested with an eqal, c-

rdinate pwer, with that f the crwn ? Here were

tw branches f the leislatre aainst one;tw,which had law and eqity and the cnstittin n their

The english cnstittin is riinally and essentiallyfree. Thecharacter which J. Csar and Tacitus bth ive f the ancient

Britainss ln a, is, That they were extremelyjealous of theirliberties, as well as a peple f a martial spirit. Nr have therebeen wantin freqent instances and prfs f the same l-ris spirit (in bth respects) remainin in their psterity eversince,in the strles they have made fr liberty, bthaainst frein and dmestic tyrants.Their kins hld theirtitle t the thrne, slely by rant f parliament ; i. e. in ther

wrds ? by the vlntary cnsent f the peple. And, areablyheret, the preratIve and nhts f the crwn are stated, de-

fined and limited bylaw ; and that as trly and strictly as therihts f any inferir fficer in the state ; r indeed, f any pri-vate sbject. And it is nly in this respect that it can be said)that the kin can d n wrn. Bein restrained by the law,he cannt, while he cnfines himself within thse jst limits

which the law prescribes t him as the measre f his athrity,injre and ppress the sbject.The kin, in his crnatinath, swears t exercise nly sch a pwer as the cnstittinives him : And the sbject, in the ath f alleiance, swears

nly t bey him in the exercise f sch a pwer. The kin isas mch bnd by his ath, nt t infrine the leal rihts fthe peple, as the peple are bnd t yield sbjectin t him.Frm whence it fllws, that as sn as the prince sets himselfp abve law, he lses the kin in the tyrant : he des t all in-tents and prpses, nkin himself, by actin t f, and be-

ynd, that sphere which the cnstittin allws him t mve



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side, aainst ne which was impisly attemptin t

vertrn law and eqity and the cnstittin ; and texercise a wantn licentis sovereigntyver the prp-erties, cnsciences and lives f all the peple :Sch

a sovereigntyas sme incnsiderately ascribe t the s-preme gvernr f thewrld,I say, incnsiderately ;

becase gd himself des nt vern in an absltely

arbitrary and desptic manner. The pwer f this Al-

mihty Kin (I speak it nt witht catin and rev-

erence ; the pwer f this Almihty Kin) is limited bylaw; nt, indeed, byacts of parliament, bt by the eter-nal laws f trth, wisdm and eqity ; and the ever-lastin tables f riht reasn ;tables that cannt be

repealed, r thrown down and broken like thse f Mo-

ses.Bt kinCharlessat himself p abve all these, asmch as he did abve the written laws f the realm ;

and made mere hmr and caprice, which are n rle

at all, the nly rle and measre f his administra-

tin. And nw, is it nt perfectly ridicls t call re-

sistance t sch a tyrant, by the name frebellion?the

in. And in sch cases, he has n mre riht t be beyed, thanany inferir fficer wh acts beynd his cmmissin. The sb-

jects bliatin t alIejance then ceases f crse : and t re-sist him, is n mre rebellion, than t resist any frein invader.There is an essential difference betwixtgovernment and tyranny;at least nder sch a cnstittin as the english. The frmer cn-sists in rlin accrdin t law and eqity ; the latter, in rlincntrary t law and eqity, S als, there is an essential dif-ference betwixt resistin a tyrant, and rebellin ; The frmeris a jst and reasnable self-defence ; the latter cnsists in re-sistin a prince whse administratin is jst and leal ; and thisis what denminates it a crime.Nw it is evident, that kinCharless vernment was illeal, and very ppressive, thrhthe reatest part f his rein : And, therefre, t resist him,

was n mre rebellin, than t ppse any frein invader, rany ther dmestic ppressr.

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grand rebellion ?Even thatparliament, which brht

kin Charles II. t the thrne, and which rn loyallymad, severely reprved ne f their wn members frcndemnin the prceedins f that parliament which

first tk p arms aainst the frmer kin. And pn

the same principles that the prceedins f this par-

liament may be censred as wicked and rebellis, the

prceedins f thse wh, since, ppsed kin JamesII, and brht the prince fOranget the thrne, maybe censred as wicked and rebellis als. The cases

are parallel.-Bt whatever somemen

Mayhew Sermon

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