THERE is nothing more con­ducible to the publick good, than Civil Society, it being the uniting cement of the World, and at once the strength and glory of it. If the Mass of Man-kind lay loose and confused, like so many divided grains of Sand, and acted at their pleasure without con­troul and government, they would soon degene­rate and grow into Wolves, they would soon be­come a mutual vexation, and fall a prey to one another: To prevent which, Nature it self hath made a very large and ample provision, as having implanted in humane race an inclination to Society, as also an understanding to know, and [Page 2] a will to pursue those numerous conveniencies that flow from it. No Nation was ever so irra­tional and savage, as to live in a continual state of War; the Thracians, whose roughness hath given birth to a Proverb; the Goths and Vandals, that roul'd from the North with an Inundation of Cruelty and Barbarism; the Americans that Wor­shiped Hell, and adored their very Tormentor, were notwithstanding tolerably sociable among themselves, and had some kind of Government; but where Civility obtain'd, as it did in Greece, and Ancient Rome, there Government was pre­served in due esteem and reverence, and such ex­cellent Laws were made in order thereunto, that it is even now accounted a piece of Wisdom to be well acquainted with them. In general, the Principles of Nature teach and advise the useful­ness and necessity of Civil Government, and that it is both advantagious and just, that one should be advanced to the highest degree, and be ho­noured and obey'd for the good of all. Neither is the Eternal Author of Nature less careful in de­claring himself in this matter, he having Enacted and Decreed in his revealed Will (and all his De­crees like those of the Medes are unchangeable) that Men should be United together, as if they were all but one body; and in order to this so desirable an Union▪ be submissively obedient to the [Page 3] Lawful Magistrate. Particularly, when he was pleased to promulgate his Gospel to the World, he discover'd and enjoyn'd anew, not only the Du­ty we owe to Himself, but that which we are ob­liged to pay unto them who are honoured with his Signature and Name, Kings and Princes. To o­mit other places at present, that alone of my Text, is an unquestionable evidence, the Apostle in his name commanding Subjection so plainly and universally, that nothing but Sophistry and Hell can evade it. Let every soul be subject unto the Higher Powers—

The word [...] translated here Soul, if we re­spect its first and original intendment, signifies Breath; but according to the more common and general use, it imports the rational Soul of Man, which therefore is called in Gen. 2.7. the breath of life. Now because the Soul animates and enlivens the body, otherwise a dull & unactive mass, it is som­times taken for life, which it gives. Thus the lxxii. Gen. 17.14. the Uncircumcised Man-child, whose flesh of his fore-skin is not Circumcised, [...], i. e. The life of that person shall pe­rish, or be taken away. Now inasmuch as the Soul distinguishes us from other Creatures; inasmuch as thereby we are endowed with reason, by which we are essentially men, it is sometimes inclusive of the body also, and signifies the whole Man. [Page 4] Thus it is to be understood in various places of Sacred Writ, and cannot be otherwise inter­preted here.

As to the word [...], it properly denotes power in the abstract, but it cannot be so under­stood here, because it is impossible that that should receive the Subjection that is here requi­red to be given; it must therefore be taken for the Person impower'd, for him in whom power and dominion are lawfully seated, by virtue whereof, he is superior to others; in which sense it is likewise to be understood in Ephes. 1. and in other places.

The meaning then of the words, Let every soul be subject to the Higher Powers, is this, Every per­son, of what quality or condition soever he be, must yield Subjection to the Supream Lawful Magistrate, and to them who are put in Authori­ty under him: Pursuant to which, I shall make it the subject of my following Discourse, to evince by plain Arguments the Necessity of our sub­mission and obedience to the Civil Magistrate.

The first Argument shall be taken from the Origine of Civil Power, it being derived only from God.

The second from the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostles.

The third from the Nature of Rebellion, which [Page 5] is in it self Damnable and Destructive of Salva­tion.

The fourth and last from the Universal con­sent of the Reformed Christian Churches, who una­nimously agree in it.

I. The Necessity of Subjection is evident from the Origine of Civil Power, it being de­rived only from God. Although the Divine Image is stamp'd upon man in general, and in­dulg'd indiscriminately to all; yet it is peculiar­ly imprinted upon Princes, and therefore in Scri­pture they are called Gods; the Authority which they Exercise is not owing to the People (as some venemous Pens have drop'd, to blast the Cedars of the Forest, and to Poyson the Shrubs that are under them) but to God alone who Reigns in Heaven, and overrules the madness of the Peo­ple. What though Bellarmine [De Concil. l. 2. c. 19.] and Buchanan, [De jure Regni apud Scotos p. 50.] the one a Pillar of the Synagogue of Rome, and the other an Advocate of popular confusion, have met in the point, Men who would willingly be thought as averse in their Principles, as the never-to-be-united Poles of Heaven? shall we therefore Exalt moving dirt (for man is no better) to the Soveraignty of God, and vest it with a power which is the sole preroga­tive [Page 6] of Omnipotence? God, as he is the Creator and Preserver of men, hath a just and unquestio­nable Dominion over them, and this his Domi­nion he in part transfers to Soveraign Princes, that order might be preserved in the world, and that the Inhabitants thereof might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty. 1 Tim. 2.2. The Crowns which encompass their royal heads, are the entire gift and donative of Him, who is encircled for ever with an eternal Crown of glory, and this is most plain from our Apostles words, which alone confound these Babel-builders, and break in pieces all their Arguments. There is no power, says he, at ver. 2. of this Chapter, but of God, the powers that be are ordained of God; whoever therefore resisteth the Power, resisteth the Ordinance of God, and again v. 4. He beareth not the Sword in vain, for he is the Minister of God. And inasmuch as Corah and his Seditious followers rebel'd against their lawful Governour, it is said by the Holy Ghost, that they were gathered together against the Lord, Numb. 16.11. which plainly intimates, that Dominion is founded and established by God, he accounting this Faction against Moses his Representative, as form'd against Himself; and it is further confirm'd by that Heavenly wisdom which cannot err, Prov. 8.15, 16. By me Kings [Page 7] Reign, and Princes decree Justice; by me Princes rule, and Nobles, even all the Judges of the earth. Seeing then the Authority of the lawful Magistrate descends from the Soveraign Lord of all things, how can the Violators and Opposers thereof be excused from the monstrous crime of lifting up the head against him that gave it, and making an assault upon the very Godhead? do they not in effect rebel against Heaven it self, who rebel against Him whom Heaven has set up the anointed of the Lord? is not Magistracy according to our Apostle's express words an Ordinance of God, and therefore sacred and inviolable, not to be blasted by venemous breath, or to be touch'd by the unhallowed arms of Sedition. If the sons of Faction and Disloyalty would weigh and ponder this, if they would consider, as they ought, the Divine original of Government, they would soon discern the necessity of Subjection, Oppo­sition against the lawful Powers upon earth (for from Him their Authority proceeds) being le­vel'd at a distance against the greater one in Heaven.

II. The necessity of Subjection will further appear from the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostles; although the Holy Jesus is the great and everlasting God, God blessed for ever; [Page 8] yet like the meanest of humane Race he subje­cted Himself to the Dominion of men, although he had the immortal Scepter of Heaven, and an immarcessible Crown of endless Glory, yet he yielded submission to the frail Scepters, and the fading Crowns of the earth; witness the whole course of his life, which he led with so much Meekness and Obedience, that his implacable enemies, the Jews, could not find whereof to ac­cuse him. The Pharisees in particular endeavou­red to ensnare Him in this matter, and therefore as flatteringly as insidiously say, Master we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in Truth, neither carest thou for any man, for thou regardest not the person of men: St. Matt. 22.16. Thus by giving him the specious Title of Master, and such soft and pleasing words which in their opinion might be grateful unto him, they thought to in­duce him to speak as they would have him, i. e. Factiously: for under this fair Covert disguising a black and villanous Design, they demanded of him, whether it was lawful to pay tribute to the Roman Emperour; unto which, having seen a peny, which by their confession was stamp'd with Caesars Image, he gave this unexpected, but loyal reply; Render unto Caesar the things that are Cae­sars, and unto God the things that are Gods. St. Matt. [Page 9] 22.21. But to make the matter unquestiona­ble; when himself was demanded Tribute, the imposition whereof is an evident token of Sove­raign Authority, and the payment as evident a token of Subjection, he refused it not, but wrought even a miracle to do it; at last drawing nigh to his mournful death, the Sun of Righte­ousness being to set in blood, he gave a never-dying instance of his peaceable Submission, the occasion was this, he being apprehended by a multitude of People which Judas brought, a multitude armed with Swords and sharper Re­venge, St. Peter in the heat of his Passion drew, and with an unhappy success cut off the High Priests servant's ear, the Holy Jesus resented this unlawful action so much, that he sharply and se­verely rebuked him for it, and plainly told him, that they who without deriving any Authority from him that bears the Sword will yet presume to use it, shall find it fatal to their own ease and quiet, they shall fall themselves by it; and fur­ther continues he, Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he will presently give me more than ten Legions of Angels. St. Matt. 26.53. Cherubim and Seraphim, and all the mighty host of Heaven were entirely at his Devotion and Com­mand, and yet that He might give no colour or [Page 10] umbrage of opposition, he called them not to his Assistance; and so being brought before Pontius Pilate, he neither disclaim'd nor opposed his Authority, but was obedient in the highest degree, obedient to the painful and infamous death of the Cross. Now our Saviour that was thus submissive hath left these commands upon Record, Learn of me, St. Matt. 11.29. and very often, follow me; St. Matt. 4.19. St. Luke 5.27. from whence there is an indispensable necessity to follow his example, and he being obedient to the supream Magistrate, the same indispensable ne­cessity lies upon us to be obedient also. In his steps did his Primitive followers afterwards tread, as is evident from what is Recorded of them by St. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles, and by Ecclesiastical Writers. I shall instance at pre­sent but in one, namely, St. Paul, both because he was the Penman of my Text, and likewise brought up in a Religion that discountenanced, 'tis true, all manner of Rebellion, but it was of a warm Spirit. He, as it is recorded in Acts 9. was Converted to Christianity by the miraculous appearance of the Blessed Jesus, his journey to Damascus becoming to him the way to Heaven; after which his happy Conversion, he gained many Proselytes to the Christian Faith, confound­ing [Page 11] the obstinacy of the stubborn Jew, the Philo­sophy of the learned Greek, and the strength of the powerful Roman: but amongst all that he acted or spoke in order to bring them to the obe­dience of God, he never utter'd a syllable that countenanced their disobedience to man. For an orderly subjection to the Powers on earth is not destructive of that which we owe to the greater one in Heaven; the former is founded upon eternal Reason as well as the latter, and so it would be highly incongruous that one should abolish the other, he therefore was so far from pulling down the Thrones of Kings, from weak­ning or diminishing their Power and Authority, that as occasion served, he vindicated their cause both by Precept and Example. As to his Per­sonal behaviour herein, we find such instances of his loyalty and obedience, that they cannot be deny'd by the greatest Patrons of Anarchy and Confusion: when he was brought by the mali­cious Jews before the Tribunal of Gallio then Deputy of Achaia, he offer'd not to question the Authority of his Judge, or to refuse submission to him, and in truth, if a Superiority over o­thers, as some impiously pretend, was not con­sistent with that Religion which St. Paul profes­sed, he would never have waved this so fair an [Page 12] opportunity of declaring his mind about it; af­ter this he was brought before the Jewish Sanahe­drim, before Felix, Festus and Agrippa, to each of whom he was very respectful, and shew'd great signs of Reverence, particularly when the Go­vernour Faelix did but beckon to him to speak, he immediately comply'd with his silent Com­mand, and further told him, that he answer'd with more joy and chearfulness than ordinary, because he was to plead before a person that for many years together had exercised judicial Au­thority; when he was summoned before the judgment Seat of Festus, the first offer he made in his own defence, was to clear himself of the Calumny of Faction and Rebellion, whereby we may see, what sentiments he had concerning the Rights of the Civil Magistrate; when he made it his first and chiefest care to publish to the world that he had not violated any of them: Neither, says he, against the law of Jews, neither against the Temple, nor yet against Caesar have I offended any thing at all. Acts 25.8. Once, 'tis true, when the High Priest Ananias commanded that they who stood by should smite him on the mouth, Acts 23.2. he rashly return'd the opprobrious Title of whi­ted wall, v. 3. But no sooner did he know to whom he had spoken thus dishonourably, but he charges [Page 13] it wholly upon his ignorance, I wist not, says he, brethren, that he was the High Priest, v. 5. and after­wards to shew how sensible he was that none should speak evil of Dignities, he cites a Text out of the Law to that purpose, Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy People; Exod. 22.28. Thus our Apostle, as to his personal behaviour, never offer'd to entrench upon the Rights of Government, but into what Nation or Coun­trey soever he came, that Nation and Coun­trey had clear and undoubted proofs of his Sub­jection; and we are all of us obliged as well in this as in other things to transcribe his excellent example, as himself speaks, your selves know how ye ought to follow us, for we behaved not our selves dis­orderly among you. 2 Thess. 3.7. Neither did his Doctrine disagree in the least from his life and manners, his words as vehemently persuading to obedience at his practice; in his Epistle to Titus the chief and principal Bishop of Crete, he com­mands him to put the People in remembrance of this their Duty. Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers, to obey Magistrates. Ch. 3. v. 1. In short, nothing can be more plain than the words of my Text, which he pursues in the greatest part of the Chapter, and says particular­ly, ye must be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake, v. 5. which in truth is the more [Page 14] remarkable, because enjoyn'd the Romans, who then groan'd under the almost insufferable bur­den of Cruelty and Oppression. They had at that time such a Prince, who acted the Stork among them beyond, if possible, the intent of the Fa­ble, and the utmost of what was design'd to be represented by it, such a Prince who behaved himself so barbarously whilst alive, that at his death there was an universal joy among the Peo­ple. Pars Tiberium in Tiberim, &c. says Suetonius, [In vitâ Tib. par. 5.] some cryed, away with him to Tiber, others prayed, that no other place might be assign'd him among the dead, but that which was given to the wicked, and others threatned to expose his dead body upon the Gibbet, being enraged at the remembrance of his for­mer Cruelty and late Bloodiness; and yet for all this they must be subject,Note: [...] pag. 189. Edit. Sav. Exc. Et. it being part of the Chri­stian yoak to submit to that other also of subjection. St. Chryso­stom commenting upon the Text leaves this memorable gloss upon it, thou must be subject, says he, [...] i. e. Whoever thou art, although thou art an Apostle, although thou art an Evangelist, although thou art a Prophet; and Tertullian in his Apology, tells us, that all the Arms which the Primitive Christians used under the pressures of [Page 15] the severest Prosecutions, were tears only and humble intreaties. They thought it then an honour, as in­deed it was, to suffer, not to destroy and murder for Christ. And now if after all this, any man will doubt, whether subjection is due to his lawful Prince and to them who are deputed by Him, he may as well doubt, whether the examples of Christ and his Apostles are to be followed, for they paid it; he may as well doubt, whether the Scri­pture be true, for that enjoyns it; but no one, I hope, that pretends to the Name of Christ will question the latter, therefore he has no reason to doubt of the former.

III. The Necessity of Subjection is also evi­dent from the nature of Rebellion, which is in it self damnable and destructive of Salvation. The first disobedience of this kind that ever actually appear'd, was form'd and contriv'd by the Apostate spirits in Heaven; Pride and Am­bition so swel'd their minds beyond their just and natural proportion, that they grew big with the most deformed and mis-shapen of all Mon­sters, with unnatural Rebellion against the Lord their God, but they found it so hazardous to them­selves in the event, that they were forced from the joys and happiness of Heaven, the Morning Stars fell devested of their radiant glory, they [Page 16] fell from immarcessible light to the Regions of eternal darkness, and what do we think will be­come of them, who treading in their steps rebel against Gods Vicegerent upon earth? 'tis easie enough to foretel the sadness of their punish­ment from what our Apostle says in v. 2. of this Chap. they that resist shall receive to themselves Dam­nation. Nay to shew Gods just Indignation a­gainst this Sin, he punished it even here in such a manner that was never before seen or heard in Israel, Numb. 16.32. the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed up Dathan and his factious Ac­complices, and it is not to be doubted, but they afterwards went from one deep to another, and to enhanse the guilt thereof, it is compared in Scripture to that which of all others seems the most unnatural and horrid impiety; Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft. 1 Sam. 15.23. To omit then those Tragical confusions and disorders which are the natural off-spring and product of Rebel­lion, to pass by in silence those execrable outrages and murders it causes, they speaking of them­selves and loudly declaring the malignity of its nature; we cannot but conclude that it is sinful and damnable, and utterly inconsistent with eternal Salvation: and if so, our obligation to subjection is enforced thereby, we being bound [Page 17] to observe it, as we tender and respect our ever­lasting happiness.

IV. And lastly, The Necessity of Subjection is likewise confirm'd by the universal consent of the Reformed Christian Churches, who unanimously agree in it. In the latter confession of Helvetia cap. 30. we find tnese following words; The Ma­gistracy of what sort soever it be, is ordained of God himself for the peace and quietness of Mankind, and so that he ought to have the chiefest place in the World. And afterwards, he that opposeth himself against the Magistrate, doth procure the wrath of God against him. In the confession of Basil, Art. 11. it is said, we do not only not receive, but as Abominations and Blasphemies reject and condemn those strange and erroneous Do­ctrines which the spirits of Sedition among other dam­nable opinions bring forth, saying, that Magistrates cannot be Christians. In the confession of Bohemia, c. 16. we find these words, the People are taught, and by the word of God effectually enforced thereunto, that all and every of them in all things, so that they be not contrary to God, perform their obedience to the supe­rior Power, first to the King's Majesty, then to all Ma­gistrates and such as are in Authority, in what Charge soever they be placed, whether they be of themselves good men or evil. In the Gallican confession, Art. 40. we read, we must willingly suffer the yoak of subje­ction, [Page 18] although the Magistrates be Infidels. In the Belgique, Art. 36. all men of what Dignity, Condition or State soever, ought to be subject to their lawful Ma­gistrates. Agreeable to which is that of Ausburg, Art. 16. wherein they affirm, that Christians must of necessity obey the Magistrates Laws that now are, save only where they command and enjoyn sin. In the confession of Saxony, Art. 23. it is said, Subjects owe unto the civil Magistrates obedience, as St. Paul saith, not only because of wrath, i. e. for fear of cor­poral punishment, wherewith the Rebellious are reward­ed by the Magistrate, but also for Conscience sake, i. e. Rebellion is a sin that offendeth God, and draweth the Conscience from God. In that of Suedeland, cap. 23. it is said, we have declared that our Preachers do place that obedience which is given to the Magistrates among good works of the first degree, and that they teach, that every man ought so much the more diligently to apply himself to the publick Laws, by how much he is a more sincere Christian and richer in Faith. Conformable to all which is the Doctrine of our own Church, as is clear from her 7. Art. and from the Homilies of Obedience and Rebellion confirm'd by the 35th. Now where there is such a general and unanimous consent, where there is such an harmonious and universal agreement, there, as it is highly agree­able to Reason, can hardly be a failure of truth; [Page 19] and seeing in this Doctrine of subjection to Ma­gistrates, so many vast and flourishing Kingdoms, so many large and populous Principalities, so many strong and powerful Commonwealths unanimously agreed, and that at such a time too when they first withdrew from the blindness and corruptions of Rome, in which they had been so long educated; seeing, I say, there was so full a consent herein, as 'tis plain there was by their respective Confessions, the consideration hereof, though it stood single, cannot but incline a ratio­nal person to the belief of it. 'Tis true, the Anabaptists of those times, as the industrious Slei­dan, Com. l. 10. relates, a People by his description little less than mad, and pretending to such Visi­ons and Revelations which they themselves ne­ver saw or heard, openly maintain'd, that it was not only lawful to resist the Magistrate, but that Ma­gistracy it self was repugnant to Christianity; a Do­ctrine so impious in it self, and so astonishing in its dreadful consequents, that it gain'd only upon mean, desperate and irreligious persons; and it was afterwards followed with so signal a judgment upon the maintainers and abetters thereof, that the Sword gave a period to their madness and lives together, and with them it might possibly have ended, with them it might have dyed and [Page 20] perished for ever, had not Satan the Prince of Rebels for a reason best known to Himself, che­rished and fomented it in others: but their num­ber formerly was, and I hope at present is so small and inconsiderable, that it takes little strength from the Argument I pursue, nothing having been ever so plain and evident, that hath not had many opposers.

And now, what shall we say to those of the Roman Church, who have so far perverted Reason and corrupted Religion,Note: Concil. Lateran. that in one of their most solemn Assemblies in a Council which they extol and magnifie for the number and learning of their Prelats, they have pronounced and decreed it lawful to dethrone and destroy Princes; they are willing indeed under a pious disguise seemingly to qualifie this bloody Sanction, by adding thereunto the word Heretique. But how can even their own Princes be secure from the fatal effects thereof, when they themselves are both Party and Judges, and 'tis notoriously known that a very small matter, when they are so minded, will suffice to make a Heretique. Will the pretended Vicar of Christ usurp a power of resisting and deposing soveraign Magistrates, when Christ himself yielded all due subjection unto them? will he who style [Page 21] himself St. Peter's Successor, act so contrary to St. Peter's Command, as it is, 1 Ep. 2.13, 14. Sub­mit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the King as supream, or unto Go­vernors as unto them that are sent by him. This cer­tainly is no other than to infuse into Religion which naturally breaths submission and meekness the unnatural spirit of Treason, Disloyalty and Blood.

What likewise shall we say unto them, who inspired with a like Phrensie have openly avow­ed Rebellion to be justifiable, and what is more, not only their Pens, but their Swords have writ­ten it in Characters of Blood; to justifie their barbarous and inhumane Practices, they have cited that of Deborah and Barak in Judg. 5.23. as if because the Angel of the Lord denounces a curse against the Inhabitants of Meroz for stand­ing in a cold neutrality,Note: Vid. Loc. and not resi­sting a forein Enemy, as the Assemb­ly-Annotators themselves confess, that therefore it is lawful to oppose the Father of our Countrey, and resist the legal Magistrate. They have cited that of the Royal Prophet in Psal. 149▪8. where he speaks concerning binding their Kings in Chains, and their Nobles with links of Iron; but the words are[Page 20] [...] [Page 21] [...] [Page 22] directed only against those superstitious Hea­thens, upon whom God design'd to execute his wrath for their gross Idolatry, as is evident from the preceding verse, and so nothing at all to their purpose. Lastly, not to rake into all their abuses, they have cited and grosly misapplyed to them­selves that saying of the Apostles, we ought rather to obey God than men; Acts 5.29. as if they, with­out any disparity in the Case, were acted by the same spirit that the Blessed Apostles were, and pur­sued the same end and design with them, it is easie enough to plead and distort Scripture: The most [...]bstinate Hereticks, the most profligate Sinners, nay Devils themselves can do it: how­ever then by a kind of profanation of the words, they term'd their own ambitions and intemperate Desires, Gods Cause; however they encouraged the people to Arm, as if to unsheath the Sword against the Lords Anointed was to fight the Lords Battels. This is undeniably certain, that no pretence whatever can justifie such proceedings; for it is impossible for a man, whatever is flourished to the contrary, to be at once a bad Subject and a good Christian.

What, lastly, shall we say unto them, who un­der the colour of Christian Liberty, would break [Page 23] down the fences of Government, and lay it so wast that not so much as one stone should be left upon another. The liberty which our Saviour purchased by the effusion of his sacred and in­estimable blood is wholly spiritual, and yet to serve such designs, which I am unwilling to call to your thoughts, these are some who would have it to be temporal; but can any rational per­son believe that Christ, who came to free us from Sin, hath yet given us a freedom to do wickedly, as we apparently must, if we resist the lawful Magistrate, whom Christ hath commanded us to obey? This is such a solecism and wild contradi­ction, that nothing but deep Atheism, or, if I may joyn such distant words together, religious Phrensie can be guilty of it; and in truth, it may justly raise our Admiration, that such persons as these claim to themselves the name of Prote­stant, when Protestants, as I have made appear from their respective Confessions, disclaim and renounce such horrid Principles: they may per­adventure protest against the errors of Rome, and in this they do well; but they protest too against the truths of God, and what distracting Schisms in the Church and convulsive Agonies in the State, this at last may produce, is easie enough to [Page 24] foresee without a Prophetique Spirit; and there­fore how justly they would appropriate to them­selves this name, when they who were first called thereby acted upon different principles, I leave all considering men to judge.

And now, my Lord, having asserted the rights of that Power which causes your presence here, and authorizes your judiciary proceedings a­mong us, give me leave to be your remembran­cer, that what subjection soever we owe to the higher Powers, your selves are subject to the highest of all, God; he the supream and sove­raign Judge of the World will call mankind to an account for their actions; by Him we must stand or fall without an Appeal to another; if it should be your unhappiness (which God forbid) to tread in the path of violence or wrong, you cannot but expect a heavier doom than that which you here pronounce against the guilty. But if you observe the rules of Justice, and de­termine according to the tenor of it, you will surely receive most righteous Judgment, Judg­ment temper'd and sweetned with Mercy at the great Tribunal of Heaven; and then it will be a comfort and pleasure unto you to behold your omniscient Judge and King, whose countenance [Page 25] otherwise will shoot forth horror and dart amaz­ing fearfulness; then when the Statutes of Hea­ven are opened, it will be more to your advan­tage and honour, than that which you at pre­sent enjoy or can possibly expect from those that are made upon earth; then in a word you will be exalted to an immortal state of Glory, for happiness and justice are eternal Companions, and cohabit in the Regions above for ever. Let me therefore intreat you in the name of God to cast up your Eyes towards this glorious Eter­nity, that neither fear nor [...], those spiritual Traitors, may cause you [...] of it. 'Tis true, if we [...] men, we live in an Age wherein 'tis impossible to please, neither can it be in reason expected, so long as the fury of Rome and Enthusiastique rage ferment and boil among us. But this is your comfort, that the discharge of a good Conscience will be pleasing to Him who can infinitely reward you, and what ungrateful clamors soever you meet with in this world, you will be sure by this means to hear most sweet Hallelujah's in the other.

In the mean time, let us who are here una­nimously pray, That we may live in due sub­jection to the present, that is, to the best of all [Page 26] Governments; and that God would so direct your design'd proceedings in this City and else­where, that they may tend to the honour of our Soveraign Lord the King who sent you, to the peace and welfare of this, I wish I could not say, divided People, and to the re aladvance­ment of the divine Glory.