A SERMON preached at WestminsterAbbey, on the Fifth of November

1663.

Rom. XIII. 5.

Wherefore ye muft needs be Jubject, not only for Wrath, but alfo for Confcience fake.

T

HIS Chapter is the great and noted Repofitory of the most absolute and binding Precepts of Allegi

ance, and feems fo fitted to this Argument, that it ought to be always preached upon, as long as there is either fuch a thing as Obedience to be enjoined, or fuch a thing as Rebellion to be condemned.

In the Words that I have pitch'd upon, there are these two Parts.

ject.

1. A Duty enjoined, Ye must needs be fub

2. The Ground or Motive of that Duty; for Confcience fake.

For the first of these..Since Men are apt to draw Arguments for or against Obedience from the Qualifications of the Perfons concerned in it, we will confider here,

1. The Persons, who are commanded to be fubje&t.

2. The Perfon,to whom they are commanded this Subjection.

1. For the Perfons commanded to be fubject, they were Believers, the Faithful, thofe who were the Church of God in Rome, as we fee in Chap. i. 7. Beloved of God called to be Saints. Neither were they Saints only, but Saints of the firft Rank and Magnitude, Heroes in the Faith, Verfe 8. Your Faith is spoken of throughout the whole World. Their Faith made Rome no less the Metropolis of_Christianity, than of the World. The Roman Faith and Fortitude equally spread their Fame. And as the Pagan Romans overcame the World by their Fortitude, fo did the Chriftians by their Faith.

But for the modern Roman Saints, it is their Powder not their Faith, that has made fuch a Report in the World; a Race much dif ferent from their Primitive Ancestors, whofe

Piety could not cancel their Loyalty. No Religion could fanctify Treafon; Chriftian Liberty was compatible with the ftri&teft Allegiance; they knew no fuch way as to put the Sceptre into Chrift's Hand, by pulling it out

from their Prince's.

2. In the next place; the Perfon, to whom they were commanded to be subject, was Nevo; a Perfon fo prodigiously brutish, that whether we confider him as a Man, or as a Governor, we shall find him a Nero, that is, a Monfter, in both refpects.

And firft, if we confider his Perfon; he was fuch a Mafs of Filth and Impiety, fuch an Oglio of all ill Qualities, that he stands the Wonder and the Difgrace of Mankind. For, to pass over his monftrous Obscenity, he poi foned Britannicus for having a better Voice; he murdered his Tutor Seneca; he kick'd his Wife big with Child to death; he killed his Mother, and ript her up in Sport, to see the Place where he lay : So impious, that he would adore the Statues of his Gods one Day, and pifs upon them another. But then, take him as an Emperor, and he was the very'st Tyrant and Blood-fucker, the most unjust Governor that ever the World faw: One, who had proceeded to that Enormity, that the very Army, the only Prop of his Tyranny, deferted him; and the Senate fentenced him

to

to be ignominiously drawn upon a Hurdle, and whipt to death.

He was one, who had united in himself the most different and unfociable Qualities, namely, to be ridiculous, and to be terrible; for what more ridiculous than a fiddling Emperor, and more terrible than a bloody Tyrant? In fhort, he was the Plague of the World, the Stain of Majefty, and the very Blush of Nature. One, who feemed to be sent and prepared by Providence, to give the World an Experiment, quid fumma Vitia in fumma Fortuná poffint; and by a new way of Confirmation, to feal to the Truth of Christianity, by his Hatred of it.

And yet after all this, the believing Romans are commanded Subjection even to this Nero, the best of Saints to the worst of Men: And indeed it was this, that gave a Value to their Obedience; for to be loyal to a juft, gentle, and vertuous Prince, is rather Privilege than Patience. But the Reafon of the whole Matter is stated in these Words, Verse 1. The Powers that are, are ordained of God. Obedience to the Magiftrate is Obedience to God at the fecond hand; and as a Man cannot be fo wicked, fo degenerate, but that still he is a Man by God's Creation; fo neither can the Magiftrate be so vile, and unjust, but that still he is an Officer by God's Inftitution. And it VOL. V.

P

is

is no small Part of the Divine Prerogative, to be able to command Homage to the worst of Kings, as the Majefty of a Prince is never more apparent, than in his Subjects Submiffion to an unworthy Deputy or Lieutenant. The Bafenefs of the Metal is warranted by the Superfcription, the Office hallows the Perfon; neither is there any reason, that the Vileness of one should difannull the Dignity of the other; forafmuch as he is made wicked by himfelf or the Devil, but he is ftampt a Magiftrate by God. We are therefore to overlook all Impieties and Defects, which cannot invalidate the Function. Though Nero deferves worthily to be abhorred, yet ftill the Emperor is, and ought to be facred. And thus much for the Duty, and the Perfons to whom it relates. Te must needs be fubject.

2. I come now to the fecond Part, viz. the Ground or Motive upon which this Duty is enforced; Ye must needs be subject for Confcience fake. A ftrange Argument, I must confefs, if we were to tranfcribe Christianity from the Practice of modern Chriftians, with whom it would proceed thus rather; ye muft needs fhake off all Government, and rebell for Confcience fake. No fuch Inftrument to carry on a refined, and well-woven Rebellion, as a Tender Confcience, and a sturdy Heart. He who rebells confcientiously, rebells heartily;

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