VireElions for Obedience -to Magiftr-ates. the p,ublic/z happimfs and fafoty. And hore.alfo rem<mbor, 1hat if any !hall imagine that God re– Hraincth a M'4;ifirate when it is not fo, and that the commands of their Govemour~ are con– trary to the Word of God , when it is no fuch matter, their error will not jullifie their difobedience. ' Though I have anfwcrcd thefc Paff-,ges of this Reverend .Author, it is not 1o draw any to un– dervalue his le3fncd Writings, but to fct right the Reader in the Principles of his ObeAience on which the Putl:ice doth .fo much depend. ' And I confefs, that other Authors ofPolit)cks, fay as much a5 Mr. Hao~r faith, both Papiils and Prou~(bnts; but not all) nor I think the foundefi: I will infiance now in A/ftediru onty (an excel– lent perfon, but in this miilaken) who faith, En':Jci•P· I. 23· Po/it. c. 3· p. r78. [ f'npulur Vniver– flu diguior & putiur fjl tum magijiratu tum Eplluris--ffinc ,relle docent Do[/. Politici, pgpulHm (tbti1tcre rtgltrtm & jura Majcftc~tiJ proprietate & domi11io : Principem& Ephoros V[u & admi11jjlratione: ( whereas the people have not the Rtgnum vel jura MajtjlatiJ any way at all )---Si adminiftra– toru officium [u1tm facerc nolint, fi impia & iniqua mandmt, fi contra dUeliiontm Dei & proximi ag. .mt, popuhu propri~ faluti4 curam arripiet , imptriiim mlllt utpttihiH abrogabit, & -in kcum e~rum alios fubjlituet.---Por~o Ephori validirJra ip[o R.ege imperia obtinent : P-rincipem enim conftituunt & deponunt : id q.uod amplif!imum cfl pr.eeminenti.e argumt.Htum. Atque h£c prerogativa mutuis pa– flis Jlabilitur.---Interim prin,eps fummam potefiatem obtjnere dicitur, quatenur Eph1ri admini– jlratiomm imperii, & cumult~m poujlati4 ipfi committunt. Deniq11e optimatum HniverforHm· pottjlM ncm ejl infinita & abfoluta, fed certH veluti rhetri4 & clatbrH definita, Nlpote non ad propriam Jibidi– nem, [ed ad utilitatem & falutem populi tJlligata. Hinc illorum m11Hia [unt B.egem tkfignare, conftitu– tre, i11augurare, conjiitutum confili~ & auxiliH juvare; fine confllil[u & approluuit>ne PrincipU, quam~ di11 ille JUum offic;um facit, nihil in Reip11blice negotiU{!Jfcipere: Nonn11nquam conventum infci~ Prin~ f:ipc agcre 1 ')}tctffitate rtipubjic£ exigente---Populum contra ornniJ generir tltrb11torer & virllatores dtfendcrc---] I li1ppo!i: Mr. Hook.frr Principles, and Aljledi.,'s were much the fame. I will not venture to recicc thcConclufion cap. 12· pag. 199· R. 5· de refiftendo Tyranno. Many other Authors go the fame way, and fay that the people .have the Maje]IM Rtali< (both Pa– pifis, and Protd\ants, and Heathens ) But I fuppofe that what I have faid againll Hook.fr will ferve to Otcw the weakntfs of their grounds : Though it i$ none ofmy parpofe to contradict eirhc:r Hoo~er or any other, fo far as they open the odioufnefs of the fin QfTyranny (which at this day ke<peth out t\1c Gofpcl from the far grcatell part of the world, and is the greatell enemy to the Kinf,dom of Chrifi ) ; nor yet as they pkad for the jull Liberties of the People :' But I am n~t for thtir Authority. Dire//. 2• §. 24- Direct. 2. Btg;i11 with a~AbfoluteVniverfal re[olved Obtdience to God, your Crtatoraod Redwmr, who ir your Soveraig~ King, and will be your final righlt•UI Judge. As he that is no loyal Subject eo the King, eau never well obey his Officers: fo he that fubjec.tcth not hi• foul, to the·Ori– ginal Power of his Creawr, ~;an never well obey the Derivative Power of earthly Govcrnours. Objctl. But, you may r.~y, experience_teacbeth Ill, that many 'ltHgotlly people are ol>tdimt totheir [uperiours at weD M other II anfwer, Materially they are, but net Formally and from a right prin.. ciple, and to right ends: As a Rebel againil the King, may obey a Jullice ofPeace for his own Ends, as long as he will let him alone, or take his parr. But not formally as he is the Kings Oflicer. So uogodly men may fhttcr Princes and Magifirates for their own ends, or on fame low and by account, but not fincerely as the Officers ofGod. He is not like to be truly obedient to man, that is fo fool– ifh, difhoneft and impious as to rebel againll hi• Maker : nor to obey that authority which he firll dc:nyeth, in its Original' and firfi efficient caufc. What ever S.uan and his fervants may fay, and however fomc hypocrites may conltaditl: in their practices the ReligioD which they profefs, yet no– thin~ is more cereain, than that the moll fcrious godly Cluif\iam, are the beft fubjeeh apon earth. Astheir principles them{e!Y<:s will cafily demonllrate, Dire//. 3• ~· 2 5· Dire&. 3· Having b<gun with God, obry your G•vtrHoHrJ aJ the Officers ofGod, with an obe– G''!· Na'(i~»t.· Jimce ultimately Divine. AD things mu!\ be done 1n Holint{s by the Holy. That is, God mull be cited :.Y E~lfon difcernrd, obeyetl and intelttled in all : Aud therefore inMagiftrat!s in a fpec:ial manner. In two refpects ofS~ ;eaTh , Magil\rotes are obotd or rather flattered by the ungodly : F1tll as they are men that are able to do ~;;J,.fi' ,,;_ them cooporal good or hurl: As a Horfc, or Dog, or other Bruit will follow you fur his belly, and th~. with loveth to be where he fareth be!\ : Secondly, As the Head of his P•rty, and encourager of him In ~:;;~1~;/,/b~:~: his Cl"i_l way, when he meets with Ru!er~ that will befa bad. Wicked mc:ll" Lov~ wicked Magillrates 11 wSwofd is for bc:mg the fervants .ofSatan : But f~Jthful men mufi Ho11our and.Obey a ~agdlrate, as an Officer fn)m bi•" ·&,, of God : Even a Mag•ilrate as a Magi!lrate, and not only as Holy, 1S an Officer of the Lord of aU. '"theImage Therefore the fifth Commandment is as the hinge o6 the two TablC5 : Many of the Antients thought of God. that it was the la!\ Commandment of the fir!\ Table, and•the Modems think it is the 6r!l Comandment of the tail Table: For itc.omm3llderh our duty to the noble£\ foat of me~; but n0t meerly as men, but as the Officers of God. They dcbafe Magi!lrares, that look at them meerly as thoU: that mailcr other men, as the flronge!l Beall doth by the weaker; Nothing will make you fiu<ere and conllant in your. honouring and obeying them, but taking tht:m as the Officers of God, and re– membringby whole commi!lion they rule, and whofe work they do: that Tbty art Miniffm ofGod to u• for good, Rom. 13. •, 2,3, 4• 5• If you.do not tbis, I· You wrong God, whofc fcrvants they arc: Forhethatdefpi!cth, de!pi!eth not manbutGod. 2. You wrong theMagi!lrate, as much as you fhould do an Ambaffador, if you took him to be the mdfengcr of IOme Jack Straw, or fome fellow that fignifieth no more tbtn his perfonal worth !tllporteth. 3• And yow wrong your felves: For
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