definite thoughts, may from thence judge of the admirable effects of order, and the beauty of government. What health is to the body, and peace is to the spirit, that is Government to the Societies of Men, the greatest blessing which they can receive in that temporal capacity. 5. No man thall ever be fit to govern others that knows not first how to obey. For if the spirit of a Subject be rebellious, in a Prince it will be tyrannical and intolerable, and of so ill example, that as it will encourage the disobedience of others, so it will render it unseasonable for him to exact of others what in the like cafe he refused to pay. 6. There is no sin in the world which God hath punish'd with so great severity and high detestation as this of Difobedience. For the crime of Idolatry God sent the sword amongst his People; but it was never heard that the Earth opened and swallowed up any but Rebels against their Prince. 7. Obedience is better than the particular actions of Religion; and he serves God better that follows his Prince in lawful services, thau he that refuses his command upon pretence he must go say his prayers. But Rebellion is compared to that sin which of all fin seems the most unnatural and damned impiety Rebellion is as the fin of Witchcraft. 8. Obedience is a complicated act of vertue, and many graces are exercised in one act of obedience. It is an act of humility, of mortification and self-denial, of charity to God, of care of the publick, of order and charity to our selves and all our fociety, and a great instance of a victory over the most refractory and unruly paffions. 9. To be a Subject is a greater temporal felicity than to be a King: for all eminent Governours according to their height have a great burthen, huge care, infinite business, (a) little rest, innumerable fears; and all that he enjoys above another is, that (α) Οὐ χρὴ παννύχιον εύδειν βυληφόρον ἄνδρα, “Ω λαοί τ ̓ ἐπιτοθράφαλαι καὶ τόοσα μέμηλε. Homer. Il. 6 he he does enjoy the things of the world with other circumstances, and a bigger noise; and if others go at his single command, it is also certain he must fuffer inconvenience at the needs and disturbances of all his people: and the evils of one man and of one family are not enough for him to bear, unless also he be almost crushed with the evils of Mankind. He therefore is an ungrateful person, that will press the scales down with a voluntary load, and by disobedience put more thorns into the Crown or Mitre of his Superiour. Much better is the advice of St. Paul, Obey them that have the rule over you, as they that must give an account for your souls, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for (besides that it is unpleasant to them) it is unprofitable for you. 10. The Angels are ministring Spirits, and perpetually execute the will and commandment of God: and all the wife men and all the good men of the world are obedient to their Governours; and the eternal Son of God esteemed it his meat and drink to do the will of his Father, and for his obedience alone obtained the greatest glory: and no man ever came to perfection but by Obedience: and thousands of Saints have chosen such institutions and manners of living, in which they might not chuse their own work, not follow their own will, nor please themselves, but be accountable to others, and subject to discipline, and obedient to command, as knowing this to be the high-way of the Cross, the way that the King of Sufferings and Humility did chuse, and so became the King of Glory. 11. No Man ever perished who followed first the will of God, and then the will of his Superiours; but thousands have been damned meerly for following their own will, and relying upon their own judgments, and chusing their own work, and doing their own fancies. For if we begin with our selves, whatsoever feems good in our eyes is most commonly difpleasing in the Eyes of God. 12. The fin of Rebellion, though it be a spiritual fin, and imitable by Devils; yet it is of that disorder, unrea unreasonableness and impoffibility amongst intelligent spirits, that they never murmured or mutinied in their lower stations against their Superiours. Nay, the good Angels of an inferiour Order durst not revile a Devil of a higher Order. This consideration which I reckon to be most preffing in the discourses of Reason, and obliging next to the neceffity of a Divine Precept, we learn from Saint Jude: [Likewise also these filthy dreamers despise dominion and speak evil of dignities. And yet Michael the Archangel, when contending with the Devil he disputed about the Body of Mofes, durst not bring against him a railing accusation.] But because our Superiours rule by their example, by their word or law, and by the rod, therefore in proportion there are several degrees and parts of obedience, or several excellencies and degrees towards perfection. 1. The first is, the Obedience of the outward Work: and this is all that humane Laws of themselves regard; for because man cannot judge the heart, therefore it prescribes nothing to it: the publick end is served not by good wishes, but by real and actual performances; and if a man obeys against his will, he is not punishable by the Laws. 2. The Obedience of the Will: and this is also neceffary in our obedience to humane Laws, not because Man requires it for himself, but because God commands it towards Man, and of it (although Man cannot yet) God will demand an account. For we are to do it as to the Lord, and not to men; and therefore we must do it willingly. But by this means our obedience in private is secured against secret arts and fubterfuges: and when we can avoid the punishment, yet we shall not decline our duty, but serve Man for God's fake, that is, chearfully, promptly, vigorously; for these are the proper parts of willingness and choice. 3. The Understanding must yield Obedience in general, though not in the particular Instance; that is, we muft must be firmly persuaded of the excellency of the obedience, though we be not bound in all cafes to think the particular Law to be most prudent. But in this our rule is plain enough. Our understanding ought to be inquisitive whether the civil conftitution agree with our duty to God, but we are bound to enquire no farther: And therefore beyond this, although he who, having no obligation to it, (as Counsellours have) enquires not at all into the wisdom or reasonableness of the Law, be not always the wisest man, yet he is ever the best Subject. For when he hath given up his understanding to his Prince and Prelate, provided that his duty to God be secured by a precedent search, he hath also with the best, and with all the inftruments in the world, secured his obedience to Man. SECT. II. Of Provision, or that part of Justice which is due from Superiours to Inferiours. AS God hath imprinted his authority in several parts upon several Estates of Men, as Princes, Parents, Spiritual Guides: so he hath also delegated and committed parts of his care and providence unto them, that they may be instrumental in the conveying such bleffings which God knows we need, and which he intends thould be the effects of Government. For fince God governs all the World as a King, provides for us as a Father, and is the great Guide and conductor of our Spirits as the Head of the Church, and the great Shepherd and the Bishop of our Souls; they who have portions of these dignities, have also their share of the administration: the fum of all which is ufually fignified in these two words [Governing] and [Feeding] and is particularly recited in these following Rules. Duties of Kings and all the Supreme power as Law-givers. 1. Princes of the people and all that have Legislative power, must provide useful and good Laws for the the defence of propriety, for the encouragement of labour, for the safe-guard of their persons, for determining controversies, for reward of noble actions and excellent arts and rare inventions, for promoting trade, and enriching their people. valida & a 2. In the making Laws Princes must have regard to Omittends the publick dispositions, to the affections and disaffe- potius praetions of the people, and must not introduce a Law dulta vitia, with publick scandal and displeasure; but consider the quám học adsequi ut publick benefit, and the present capacity of affairs, palam fiat and general inclinations of mens minds. For he that quibus flagi. inforces a Law upon a people against their first and tiis impares publick apprehenfions, tempts them to disobedience, and makes Laws to become snares and hooks to catch the people, and to enrich the treasury with the spoil and tears and curse of the Commonalty, and to multiply their mutiny and their sin. 3. Princes must provide that the Laws be duly executed: for a good Law without execution is like an unperformed promise: and therefore they must be severe exactors of accounts from their Delegates and Minifters of Justice. imus. Tacit. 4. The severity of Laws must be tempered with Ἐπείκεία έπιο dispensations, pardons, and remiffions, according as επανόρθωμα the case shall alter, and new neceffities be introduced, νόμεἡ ἐλ or some fingular accident shall happen, in which the καθόλε. Law would be unreasonable or intolerable as to that Ech. s. c. ro. particular. And thus the people with their importunity prevailed against Saul in the case of Jonathan, and obtained his pardon for breaking the Law which his Father made, because his neceffity forced him to taste honey, and his breaking the Law in that case did promote that service whose promotion was intended by the Law. 5. Princes must be Fathers of the people, and provide such instances of gentleness, ease, wealth and advantages as may make mutual confidence between them; and must fix their security under God in the love of the people, which therefore they must with all arts of sweetness, remission, popularity, nobleness and sincerity endeavour to secure to themselves. 6. Princes |