MEMORANDUMS TO CIVIL RULERS FOR THE INTEREST OF CHRIST, THE CHURCH,
AND MEN'S SALVATION.
_Mem._ I. Remember that your power is from God, and therefore for God,
and not against God, Rom. xiii. 2-4. You are his ministers, and can
have no power except it be given you from above, John xix. 11.
Remember therefore that as constables are your officers and subjects,
so you are the officers and subjects of God and the Redeemer; and are
infinitely more below him than the lowest subject is below you; and
that you owe him more obedience than can be due to you; and therefore
should study his laws, (in nature and Scripture,) and make them your daily
meditation and delight, Josh. i. 3-5; Psal. i. 2, 3; Deut. xvii. 18-20.
And remember how strict a judgment you must undergo when you must give
account of your stewardship, and the greater your dignities and
mercies have been, if they are abused by ungodliness, the greater will
be your punishment, Luke xvi. 2; xii. 48.[23]
_Mem._ II. Remember therefore and watch most carefully that you never
own or espouse any interest which is adverse to the will or interest
of Christ; and that you never fall out with his interest or his
ordinances; and that no temptation ever persuade you that the interest
of Christ, and the gospel, and the church, is an enemy to you, or
against your real interest; and that you keep not up suspicions
against them: but see that you devote yourselves and your power wholly
to his will and service, and make all your interest stand in a pure
subservience to him, as it stands in a real dependence on him.[24]
_Mem._ III. Remember that, under God, your end is the public good;
therefore desire nothing to yourselves, nor do any thing to others,
which is really against your end.
_Mem._ IV. Remember therefore that all your laws are to be but
subservient to the laws of God, to promote the obedience of them with
your subjects, and never to be either contrary to them, nor
co-ordinate, or independent on them; but as the by-laws of
corporations are in respect to the laws and will of the sovereign
power, which have all their life and power therefrom.
_Mem._ V. Let none persuade you that you are such terrestrial animals
that have nothing to do with the heavenly concernments of your
subjects; for if once men think that the end of your office is only
the bodily prosperity of the people, and the end of the ministry is
the good of their souls, it will tempt them to prefer a minister
before you, as they prefer their souls before their bodies; and they
that are taught to contemn these earthly things, will be ready to
think they must contemn your office; seeing no means, as such, can be
better than the end. There is no such thing as a temporal happiness to
any people, but what tendeth to the happiness of their souls; and must
be thereby measured, and thence be estimated. Though ministers are
more immediately employed about the soul, yet your office is
ultimately for the happiness of souls, as well as theirs; though
bodily things (rewards or punishments) are the means, by which you may
promote it; which ministers, as such, may not meddle with. Therefore
you are _custodes utriusque tabulæ_, and must bend the force of all
your government to the saving of the people's souls. And as to the
objection from heathen governors, distinguish between the office, and
an aptitude to exercise it: the office consisteth, 1. In an obligation
to do the duty; 2. And in authority to do it. Both these a heathen
ruler hath (else the omission were a duty, and not a sin). But it is
the aptitude to do the duty of his place which a heathen wanteth; and
he wanteth it culpably; and therefore the omission is his sin; even as
it is the sin of an insufficient minister that he doth not preach. For
the question is of the like nature, and will have the like solution:
Whether an ignorant minister be bound to preach, who is unable or
heretical? It is aptitude that he wanteth, and neither authority nor
obligation, if he be really a minister; but he is obliged in this
order, first to get abilities, and then to preach: so is it in the
present case.[25]
_Mem._ VI. Encourage and strengthen a learned, holy, self-denying,
serious, laborious ministry; as knowing, that the same Lord hath
commissioned them in the institution of their office, who instituted
yours; and that it is such men that are suited to the work, for which
their office was appointed; and that souls are precious; and those
that are the guides and physicians of souls, can never be too well
furnished, nor too diligent. And the church hath no where prospered on
earth, but in the prosperity of the abilities, holiness, and diligence
of their pastors: God hath always built by such, and the devil hath
pulled down by pulling down such.
_Mem._ VII. Remember that the people that are seriously religious,
that love, and worship, and obey the Lord, with all their heart, are
the best of your subjects, and the honour of your dominions: see
therefore that serious godliness be every where encouraged, and that
the profane and ignorant rabble be never encouraged in their enmity
and opposition to it: and that true fanaticism, hypocrisy, and schism,
be so prudently discountenanced and suppressed, that none may have
encouragement to set themselves against godliness, under the slander
or pretension of such names. If christianity be better than
heathenism, those christians then are they that must be countenanced,
who go further in holiness, and charity, and justice, than heathens
do, rather than those that go no further (besides opinions and
formalities) than a Cato, a Plato, or Socrates have done. If all
religion were a deceit, it were fit to be banished, and atheism
professed, and men confess themselves to be but brutes. But if there
be a God, there must be a religion; and if we must be religious, we
must sure be so in seriousness, and not in hypocrisy and jest. It
being no such small, contemptible matter, to be turned into
dissembling compliment.[26]
_Mem._ VIII. Endeavour the unity and concord of all the churches and
christians that are under your government, and that upon the terms
which all Christ's churches have sometime been united in; that is, In
the Holy Scriptures implicitly, as the general rule; in the ancient
creeds explicitly, as the sum of our _credenda_; and in the
Lord's prayer, as the summary of our _expetenda_; and in the
decalogue, as the summary of our _agenda_; supposing, that we
live in peaceable obedience to our governors, whose laws must rule us
not only in things civil, but in the ordering of those circumstances
of worship and discipline, which God hath left to their determination.
_Mem._ IX. Let all things in God's worship be done to edification,
decently, and in order, and the body honour God, as well as the soul;
but yet see that the ornaments or garments of religion be never used
against the substance; but that holiness, unity, charity, and peace,
have alway the precedency.
_Mem._ X. Let the fear of sinning against God be cherished in all, and
let there be a tenderness for such as are over-scrupulous and fearful
in some smaller things: and let not things be ordered so, as shall
most tend to the advantage of debauched consciences, that dare say or
do any thing for their carnal ends. For they are truest to their
governors, that are truest to their God; and when it is the wrath of
God and hell that a man is afraid of, it is pity he should be too
eagerly spurred on. The unconscionable sort will be true to their
governors, no longer than it serves their interest; therefore
conscientiousness should be encouraged.[27]
_Mem._ XI. If the clergy, or most religious people, offend, let their
punishment be such as falleth only on themselves, and reacheth not
Christ, nor the gospel, nor the church. Punish not Christ for his
servants' failings, nor the gospel for them that sin against it; nor
the souls of the people, for their pastors' faults; but see that the
interest of Christ and men's souls be still secured.[28]
_Mem._ XII. If the dissensions of lawyers or statesmen make factions
in the commonwealth, let not the fault be laid on religion, though
some divines fall into either faction. When the difference is not in
divinity, but in law cases, blame not religion for that, which it hath
no hand in: and watch against Satan, who alway laboureth to make civil
factions or differences tend to the dishonour of religion, and the
detriment of the church and gospel.
_Mem._ XIII. Take those that are covetous, ambitious, or selfish, and
seek for preferment, to be the unfittest to be consulted with in the
matters of religion, and the unfittest to be trusted with the charge
of souls. And let the humble, mortified, self-denying men, be taken as
fitter pastors for the churches.
_Mem._ XIV. Side not with any faction of contentious pastors, to the
oppression of the rest, when the difference is in tolerable things;
but rather drive them on to unity, upon condescending and forbearing
terms: for there will else be no end; but the faction which you side
with, will break into more factions, and the church will receive
damage by the loss of the oppressed party, and by the division much
more. What lamentable work the contentions of the bishops have made in
the churches, in all ages, since the primitive times, all history doth
too openly declare. And how much a holy, prudent, peaceable magistrate
can do, to keep peace among them, more than will be done if their own
impetuosity be left unrestrained, it is easy to observe; especially if
he keep the sword in his own hand, and trust it not in the hands of
churchmen, especially of one faction to the oppression of the rest.[29]
_Mem._ XV. Believe not the accusations that are brought against the
faithful ministers of Christ, till they are proved; and judge not
them, or any of his servants, upon the reports of adversaries, till
they have spoken for themselves; for the common corruption of depraved
nature, doth engage all the ungodly in such an enmity against
holiness, that there is little truth or righteousness to be expected
from wicked and malicious lips, for any holy cause or person. And if
such persons find but entertainment and encouragement, their malice
will abound, and their calumnies will be impudent; which is the sense
of Prov. xxix. 12, "If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are
wicked." The example of Saul and Doeg is but such as would be
ordinary, if rulers would but hearken to such calumniators.[30]
_Mem._ XVI. When the case is doubtful about using punishments and
severities against the scrupulous in the matters of religion, remember
your general directions, and see what influence they must have into
such particulars; as, That the very work and end of your office is,
that under your government the people may live quietly and peaceably
in godliness and honesty, 1 Tim. ii. 2. And that rulers are not a
terror to good works, but to evil; and for the praise of them that do
good; and ministers of God to us for good; and revengers to execute
wrath upon them that do evil, Rom. xiii. 3, 4. And remember the danger
of persecution, as described Matt, xviii. 6, 10, 14; 1 Thess. ii. 15, 16;
2 Chron. xxxvi. 14-17. And that he that doubteth of things indifferent
is damned if he do them, because he doth them not of faith, Rom. xiv. 23.
And remember whom and what it is that God himself forgiveth and
forbeareth. And always difference the infirmities of serious
conscionable christians, from the wickedness of unconscionable and
ungodly men. Yet not extenuating the wickedness of any, because of his
hypocritical profession of religion.[31]
_Mem._ XVII. Remember that you must be examples of holiness to the
people; and shun all those sins which you would have them shun, and be
eminent in all those virtues which you would commend unto them.[32]
This is not only necessary to the happiness of those under you, but
also for the saving of yourselves. As Paul saith to Timothy, "Take
heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine, continue in them;[33] for in
doing this, thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee,"
1 Tim. iv. 16. So may I say to rulers, Take heed to yourselves, and unto
government, and continue herein; for in doing this, you will save
yourselves, and those you govern. They that are good are likest to do
good; but the wicked will do wickedly, Dan. xii. 10.
The chief means for rulers to become thus holy and exemplary is, 1. To
hearken to the doctrine and counsel of the word of the Lord, and to
meditate in it day and night, Josh. i. 3, 4; Deut. xvii. 18-20. And to
have faithful, holy, and self-denying teachers, 2 Chron. xx. 20. 2. To
beware of the company and counsels of the wicked. "Take away the
wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in
righteousness," Prov. xxv. 4, 5. 3. To watch most carefully against
the special temptations of their great places, especially against
sensuality and pride, and preferring their own honour, and interest,
and will, before the honour, and interest, and will, of Jesus Christ.
"Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in
the morning! Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of
nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for
drunkenness!" Eccl. x. 16, 17. "It is an abomination to kings to
commit wickedness; for the throne is established by righteousness,"
Prov. xvi. 12. 4. To remember always the end of holiness. How sure a
way it is to glory hereafter, and to leave a sweet and glorious name
and memorial upon earth; when wickedness is the certain way to shame
on earth, and misery for ever![34]
_Mem._ XVIII. Rulers should not be contented to do good at home, and
to be the joy and blessing of their own subjects; but also set their
hearts to the promoting of faith, and holiness, and concord,
throughout the churches of the world; and to improve their interests
in princes and states, by amicable correspondencies and treaties to
these ends; that they may be blessings to the utmost extent of their
capacities. As Constantine interceded with the Persian king, to
forbear the persecuting of christians in his dominion,[35] &c. But I
shall presume to speak no further to my superiors; in the golden age
these memorandums will be practised.
I will only annex Erasmus's image of a good prince, and of a bad,
recited by Alstedius Encyclop. lib. xxiii. Polit. c. 3. p. 173, 174.
_The Image of a Good Prince, out of Erasmus._
"If you will draw the picture of a good prince, delineate some
celestial wight, liker to God than to a man; absolute in all
perfections of virtue; given for the good of all; yea, sent from
heaven for the relief of mortal men's affairs; which being
(_oculatissimum_) most discerning, looketh to all! To whom
nothing is more regarded, nothing more sweet, than the commonwealth;
who hath more than a fatherly affection unto all. To whom every one's
life is dearer than his own; who night and day is doing and
endeavouring nothing else, but that it may be very well with all; who
hath rewards in readiness for all that are good; and pardon for the
bad, if so be they will betake them to a better course; that so freely
desireth to deserve well of his subjects, that if it be needful, he
will not stick to preserve their safety by his own peril; that taketh
his country's commodity to be his own gain; that always watcheth, that
others may sleep quietly; that leaveth himself no quiet vacancy, that
his country may live in quiet vacancy, or peace; that afflicteth
himself with successive cares, that his subjects may enjoy
tranquillity. To conclude, on whose virtue it is, that the public
happiness doth depend."
_The Image of a Bad Prince._ Ibid.
"If you would set forth a bad prince to the eye, you must paint some
savage, horrid beast, made up of such monstrosities as a dragon, a
wolf, a lion, a viper, a bear, &c. every way armed, with six hundred
eyes; every way toothed; every way terrible; with hooked talons; of an
insatiable paunch; fed with men's bowels; drunk with man's blood; that
watcheth to prey upon the lives and fortunes of all the people;
troublesome to all, but specially to the good; a fatal evil to the
world; which all curse and hate, who wish well to the commonwealth;
which can neither be endured, because of his cruelty, nor yet taken
away without the great calamity of the world, because wickedness is
armed with guards and riches."
[23] Finis ad quem rex principaliter intendere debet in seipso et in
subditis, est æterna beatitudo, quæ in visione Dei consistit. Et quia
ista visio est perfectissimum bonum maxime movere debet regem et
quemecunque dominum, ut hunc finem subditi consequantur. Lib. de
Regim. Principum Thomæ adscript. Grot. de Imper. Sum. Pot. p. 9. Even
Aristotle could say, Polit. vii. c. 1, 2. et eadem fine, that each
man's active and contemplative life, is the end of government, and
not only the public peace; and that is the best life which conduceth
most to our consideration of God, and that is the worst, which
calleth us off from considering and worshipping him. Vide Grot. de
Imper. sum. Pot. p. 10. Quam multa injuste fieri possunt, quæ nemo
possit reprehendere. Cicero de fin. Read Plutarch's Precepts of
Policy, and that old men should be rulers.
[24] Read often Psal. ii. and ci.
[25] Read Bilson of Subject. p. 129. to the end of the second part,
specially p. 140-142. The laws of Charles the Great. And Grotius de
Imperio Sum. Pot. circa Sacra. c. 1. et per totum.
[26] Jul. Capitolin. saith of the Antonines, That they would not be
saluted by filthy persons. And Lampridus of Alexander Severus, that,
Nisi honestos et bonæ famæ homines ad salutationem non admisit.
Jussitque ut nemo ingrediatur, nisi qui se innocentem novit: per
præconem edixit, ut nemo salutaret principem qui se furem esse
nosset, ne aliquando detectus capitali supplicio subderetur. Read
Sebastian. Foxius de Regno Regisque institutione. Even Crœsus,
Dionysius, and Julian were liberal to philosophers, and ambitious of
their converse. Vera civitatis fœlicitas est, ut Dei sit amans et
amata Deo; illum sibi regem, se illius populum agnoscat. August. de
Civit. Dei, 1. v. c. 14.
[27] Aug. Ep. Bonifac. Omnes reges qui populo Dei non prohibuerunt
nec everterunt quæ contra Dei præcepta fuerunt instituta, culpantur.
Qui prohibuerunt et everterunt, super aliorum merita, laudantur.
[28] When Hunnerichus the Arian Vandal king, was resolved to banish,
imprison, and otherwise persecute the orthodox bishops and pastors,
he first trieth them by threatenings and divers cruelties, and after
appointeth a public disputation; where his bishops and officers,
having no better pretence, cruelly beat the people and pastors, and
then falsely tell the king, That by tumult and clamour they avoided
disputing. And at last he calleth together all the pastors that were
met for the disputation, and, to insnare them, putteth an oath upon
them, That after the king's death, they would take his son for their
king; and that they would send no letters beyond sea. This oath
divided the orthodox among themselves. For one part of the bishops
and pastors said, If we refuse a lawful oath, our people will say
that we forsake them, and the dissolution of the churches will be
imputed to us. The other part perceiving the snare, were fain to
pretend Christ's command, "Swear not at all." The king having
separated them, and the officers took all their names, sendeth them
all to prison. To those that took the oath, they said, Because that
contrary to the command of the gospel, you would swear, you shall see
your cities and churches no more, but be sent into the country to
till the ground; but so that you presume not to sing psalms, or pray,
or carry a book, or baptize, or ordain, or absolve. To those that
refused the oath, they said, Because you desired not the reign of the
king's son, and therefore refused the oath; you shall be banished to
the isle of Corsica, to cut wood for the ships. Victor. Utic. p.
(mihi) 456, 457. Generalis Jesuitarum ex nimio absoluti imperii
amore, delaturas in scrinia sua admittit, iisque credit, non audito
eo qui accusatur: quod injustitiæ genus ab ethnicis ipsis improbatur.
Imperando non bonis regibus se facit similem, qui senatum magni
fecerunt; sed tyrannos mavult imitari, e. g. Tarquinium superbum, qui
ante omnia conatus est debilitare senatus numerum et authoritatem, ut
omnia suo libitu facere posset; similiter generalis cum assistentibus
suis odit synodos generales, omniaque experitur, ne tales
instituantur conventus, quibus rerum gestarum reddere rationem
necesse habeat.--Generalis Jesuiticus in eligendis officialibus non
curat quod sit cujusque talentum aut dotes eminentiores, sed quam
bene secum aut cum provinciali suo conformetur. Quæ causa est cur
homines viles et abjecti animi officiis præponantur, qui a
superioribus duci se sinant ut nervis alienis mobile lignum. Mariana
de Reform. Jesuit. cap. 13, 15, 16, 18. In Arcan. Jesuit. p. 131, 132.
Recit. in Apolog. Giraldi. Nulla est latronum societas in qua
justicia non plus loci habeat, quam in societate nostra, &c.--ubi non
modo scientia et ignorantia in æquo sunt, sed etiam scientia
impedimento est, quo minus quis consequatur præmia humano ac divino
jure debita. Marian. Aphor. 84. c. 12, &c. 14. 89. Aphor. 87, &c. The
rest is worth the reading, as a warning from a Jesuit to the
governors of state and church. Aphor. 80. c. 11. Superiores
societatis nostræ sunt homines indigni, qui officiis præsint, cum
generalis metuat ac sublatos velit, quorum eminentes sunt virtutes.
Boni quam mali ei suspectiores sunt. This, and abundance more, saith
Mariana, a Jesuit of ninety-six years of age, learned in Hebrew,
Chaldee, Syriac, Greek, and Latin, of his own society.
[29] Lamprid. numbers it with Alexander Mam. Severus's good works.
Judæis privilegia reservavit; christianos esse passus est. Nam illo
tempore crudelius Arianorum episcopi, presbyteri, clerici, quam rex
et Vandali sæviebant. Id. p. 468.
[30] Justitiæ munus primum est, ut ne cui quis noceat nisi lacessitus
injuria. Cicero. Prov. xxii. 7; xxviii. 16; Psal. cxix. 23;
Prov. xxv. 2. Leg. Epist. M. Ciceronis ad fratrem.
[31] Quis mihi imponat necessitatem vel credendi quod nolim, vel quod
velim non credendi. Lactant. lib. 5. c. 13.
[32] Laert. in Solon, reciteth one of his sayings, Populi rector
prius se quam populum recte instituere debet: si principes et majores
secundum leges vixerint, unaquæque civitas optime rege peterit, p. 31.
[33] Or spend thy time in them. Dr. Hammond.
[34] Luke xviii. 22, 24; Deut. xvii. 20; Prov. xxix. 14; xxii. 29;
xvi. 13; xxxi. 3, 4; 2 Chron. xxxii. 25; xx. 16; Ezek. xxviii. 2, 5, 17;
Luke xii. 19, 20; xvi. 19, 20, 25. It is a sad observation of Acosta,
lib. v. c. 9. p. 474. Ac reipsa ceutoque usu observatum est, eas
Indorum nationes plures ac graviores superstitionis diabolicæ species
teuuisse, in quibus regum ac reipublicæ maxime potentia et peritia
excelluit. Contra qui tenuiorem fortunam minusque reipublicæ
accommodata sortiti sunt, in his multo idololatria parcior est: usque
adeo ut nonnullas Indorum gentes omni idolorum religione vacare,
quidam pro certo confirment. Ex bonæ fidei scriptoribus super alias
innumeras, hæc præcipua capitur utilitas; quod non alia res æque vel
bonorum regum animos ad res cum laude gerendas accendit, vel
tyrannorum cupiditates cohibet, ac refrænat, dum utrique cernunt
horum literis suam vitam omnem, mox in totius orbis, imo sæculorum
omnium theatrum producendam. Et quicquid in abdito nunc vel patrant,
vel adscito fuco prætexunt, vel metu dissimulari cogunt, verius quam
ignorari, paulo post clarissimam in lucem sub oculis omnium
traducendum: quam jam metu pariter ac spe libera posteritas, nec ullo
corrupta studio, magno consensu recte factis applaudet, parique
libertate his diversa explodet, exibilabitque. Erasm. Præfat. in
Sueton.
[35] Euseb. in vita Const.