Page images
PDF
EPUB

troying the adulterers, and in the Ifraelites againft the Benjamites."

*«To teach, that it is not unlawful in any cafe to refift the fuperior powers, but rather to fubmit ourselves to punishment, is a dangerous doctrine; taught by fome, by the permiffion of God, for our fins."

t "It is not fufficient for fubjects not to obey wicked commandments of their princes, but to withstand them alfo in doing the contrary, every man in his vocation and office."

"Sheriffs, jaylors, and other inferior offi◄ cers ought not only not to caft the faints of God in prifon (having commandment thereunto by the prince) for fear of losing their officers; but to withstand evil, to fupport them, and to deliver them to the uttermost of their power."

§ "If we see a sheep in danger to be devoured of a wolf, we are bound to deliver it: even fo to our power we are bound to put to our hands, to deliver the children of God, when we fee them pitiously in danger by God's enemies."

" "It is the office of counsellors to bridle the affections of princes and governors: noblemen

* Goodman, p. 30.

+

Ibid. P. 63, 43, 59, 72¿

Ibid. p. 87, 88, 89, 90.

§ Ibid. p. 90.

Ibid. p. 33, 35.

Pp 2

were

were first ordained to bridle princes. Noblemen have their honour of the people to revenge the injuries of their kings, and not for their lufty bawking, nimble dicing and carding, finging and dancing, open bragging and fwearing, falfe fleering and flattering, fubtil picking and stealing, cruel polling and pilling, &c."

+ "Subjects do promife obedience, that the magiftrate might help them; which, if he does not, they are discharged of their obedience.'

"

"If magiftrates without fear tranfgrefs God's laws themfelves, and command others to do the like, they then have loft that honour and obedience, which otherwife their fubjects did owe unto them; and ought no more to be taken for magiftrates, but be examined, accufed, condemned, and punished as private tranfgref fors."

§ "Judges ought, by the law of God, to S Summon princes before them for their crimes; and to proceed against them as against all other offenders."

"Evil princes ought (by the law of God) to be depofed; and inferior magiftrates ought chiefly to do it. Examples allowed of kings

+ Goodm. p. 19.

‡ Ibid.

* Obed. p. 107. p. 119. 139. § Obedience, p. 111. Goodm. p.

Ibid. p. 110.

depofed,

depofed, Edw. II. Rich. II. Christierne of Denmark, &c."

*« It is lawful to kill wicked kings and tyrants: and both by God's law and man's law, + Queen Mary ought to have been put to death, as being a tyrant, a monster, a cruel beast, &c. Examples: The fubjects did kill the queen's highness Athaliah; Jehu killed the queen's majefty Jezabel: Elias, being no magistrate, killed the queen's majesty's chaplains, Baal's priests, Thefe examples are left for our inftruction. Where this juftice is not executed, the state is moft corrupt."

[ocr errors]

S" When magiftrates do ceafe to do their duties (in thus depofing or killing of princes) the people are as it were without officers: and then God giveth the fword into their hands, and he himself is become immediately their head: for to the multitude a portion of the fword of justice is committed; from the which no perfon, king, queen, or emperor (being an idolater) is exempt ; be muft die the death. The people, in the 25th of Numbers, did hang up certain of their heads and captains; which ought to be for ever a perpetual example of their duty, in the like defection from God, to hang up fuch rulers, as shall

Obedience, p. 99. 103.

+ Goodm. p. 99. Obedience, p. 113, 114, 115. § Goodman, p. 180, 184, 185.

Pp 3

draw

"

First establishment of Calvin

worth.

*

draw them from him. If neither the inferior magiftrates, nor the greatest part of people, will do their offices (in punishing, deposing, or killing of princes) † then the minifter must excommunicate fuch a king: any minifter may do it against the greatest prince. God will fend to the rest of the people (which are willing to do their duty, but are not able) fome Mofes or Othoniel. If they know any Jonathan, they must go unto him to be their captain; and be ought not to refuse them. By the word of God (in fuch a defection) a private § man (having fome fpecial inward motion) may kill a tyrant : as Mofes did the Egygtian; as Phinees did the Lecherous; and Abud did king Eglon: or otherwife, a private man may do fo, if he be commanded or permitted by the commonwealth."

The first regular establishment, after many ifts at Wandf- fruitlefs attempts of any colony from this antibafilican feminary in England, was made at Wandfworth on the 20th Nov. 1572; and these had been preceded by Cartwright's two thundering Admonitions to Parliament, in the fecond of which he most feditiously libelled that high court; telling them in

* Obedience, p. 115.

+ Ibid. p. 116, 118.

Goodman, p. 199, 200, 201.
Obedience, p. 110.

plain terms, *" that the ftate did not fhew Cartwright's libel upon paritself upright, alledge the parliament what liament. it will; that all honest men should find lack of equity, and all good confciences condemn that court; that it should be easier for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for fuch a parliament; that there is no other thing to be looked for, than fome speedy vengeance to light upon the whole land; but the politic Machiavels of England provide as well as they can, though God do his worst: and finally, that if they of that assembly would not follow the advice of the First Admonition, they would infallibly be their own carvers in it; the church being bound to keep God's orders, and nothing to be called God's orders, but their prefent platform." Sir Christopher Hatton was then in high favour at court, † " of a known averseness to the Earl of Leicester, and confequently no friend to the puritan faction. This obstacle was to be removed one way or other, according to that principle of the ancient Donatists, for murthering any man, of what rank foever, which opposed their practices. This office Burchet undertakes, and undertakes the office upon this opinion, that it was lawful

*Cartwright's Second Admonition.

Heylin's Aerius Redivivus, L. vii. c. 275:

Murder of Cap-
tain Hawkins
(instead of Sir
Chriftopher

Hatton) by
Burchet.

« PreviousContinue »