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 fpirit of a Subject be rebellious, in a Prince it will be tyrannical and intolerable, and of fo ill example, that as it will encourage the difobedience of others, fo it will render it unfeasonable for him to exact of others what in the like cafe he refufed to pay.

6. There is no fin in the world which God hath punish'd with fo great feverity and high deteftation as this of Difobedience. For the crime of Idolatry God fent the sword amongst his People; but it was never heard that the Earth opened and fwallowed up any but Rebels against their Prince.

7. Obedience is better than the particular actions of Religion; and he ferves God better that follows his Prince in lawful fervices, thau he that refuses his command upon pretence he muft go fay his prayers. But Rebellion is compared to that fin which of all fin feems 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 felf-denial, of charity to God, of care of the publick, of order and charity to our felves and all our fociety, and a great inftance 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 bufinefs, (a) little reft, innumerable fears; and all that he enjoys above another is, that

(α) Οὐ χρὴ παννύχιον εὕδειο βυληφόρον ἄνδρα,

Ω λαοί τ ̓ ἐπιτετράφαται καὶ τόσα μέμηλε, Homer. Il. he

he does enjoy the things of the world with other circumstances, and a bigger noise; and if others go at his fingle command, it is alfo certain he muft fuffer inconvenience at the needs and difturbances of all his people: and the evils of one man and of one family are not enough for him to bear, unless alfo he be almoft crufhed with the evils of Mankind. He therefore is an ungrateful perfon, that will prefs the scales down with a voluntary load, and by difobedience 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 fouls, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for (befides that it is unpleasant to them) it is unprofitable for you.

10. The Angels are miniftring 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 efteemed 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 chofen fuch inftitutions 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 fubject to discipline, and obedient to command, as knowing this to be the high-way of the Crofs, the way that the King of Sufferings and Humility did chufe, and fo became the King of Glory.

II. No Man ever perifhed 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 chufing their own work, and doing their own fancies. For if we begin with our felves, whatfoever feems good in our eyes is most commonly displeafing 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 diforder,

unrea

unreasonableness and impoffibility amongst intelligent fpirits, that they never murmured or mutinied in their lower ftations against their Superiours. Nay, the good Angels of an inferiour Order durft not revile a Devil of a higher Order. This confideration which I reckon to be moft preffing in the difcourfes of Reason, and obliging next to the neceffity of a Divine Precept, we learn from Saint Jude: [Likewife alfo thefe filthy dreamers defpife dominion and Speak evil of dignities. And yet Michael the Archangel, when contending with the Devil be difputed about the Body of Mofes, durft not bring against him a railing accufation.]

But because our Superiours rule by their example, by their word or law, and by the rod, therefore in proportion there are feveral degrees and parts of obedience, or feveral excellencies and degrees towards perfection.

Degrees of Obedience,

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 prefcribes nothing to it: the publick end is ferved not by good withes, 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 alfo 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 againft fecret arts and subterfuges: and when we can avoid the punishment, yet we shall not decline our duty, but ferve Man for God's fake, that is, chearfully, promptly, vigorously; for thefe are the proper parts of willingness and choice.

3. The Understanding muft yield Obedience in general, though not in the particular Inftance; that is, we

muft

must be firmly perfuaded of the excellency of the obedience, though we be not bound in all cafes to think the particular Law to be moft prudent. But in this our rule is plain enough. Our understanding ought to be inquifitive 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 wifdom or reasonablenefs of the Law, be not always the wifeft man, yet he is ever the beft Subject. For when he hath given up his understanding to his Prince and Prelate, provided that his duty to God be fecured by a precedent fearch, he hath also with the best, and with all the inftruments in the world, fecured his obedience to Man.

SECT. II.

Of Provifion, or that part of Justice which is due from Superiours to Inferiours.

AS God hath imprinted his authority in feveral parts upon feveral Eftates of Men, as Princes, Parents, Spiritual Guides: fo he hath alfo delegated and committed parts of his care and providence unto them, that they may be inftrumental in the conveying fuch 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 alfo their fhare of the adminiftration: 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 Legiflative power, muft provide useful and good Laws for

the

the defence of propriety, for the encouragement of labour, for the fafe-guard of their perfons, for determining controverfies, 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 Omittenda the publick difpofitions, to the affections and difaffe- Potius prections of the people, and muft not introduce a Law dulta vitia with publick scandal and displeasure; but confider the quam hoc publick benefit, and the prefent capacity of affairs, palam fiat adfequi ut 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 fnares and hooks to catch the people, and to enrich the treasury with the fpoil and tears and curfe of the Commonalty, and to multiply their mutiny and their fin.

3. Princes must provide that the Laws be duly executed: for a good Law without execution is like an unperformed promife: and therefore they must be severe exactors of accounts from their Delegates and Minifters of Justice.

fimus. Tacit.

4. The feverity of Laws must be tempered with Exía iru difpenfations, pardons, and remiffions, according as the cafe fhall alter, and new neceffities be introduced, νόμο η ελ λείπει διὰ το or fome fingular accident fhall happen, in which the xas. Law would be unreafonable or intolerable as to that Eth. s. c. ro. particular. And thus the people with their importunity prevailed against Saul in the cafe of Jonathan, and obtained his pardon for breaking the Law which his Father made, because his neceffity forced him to tafte honey, and his breaking the Law in that case did promote that fervice whofe promotion was intended by the Law.

5. Princes must be Fathers of the people, and provide fuch inftances of gentleness, eafe, wealth and advantages as may make mutual confidence between them; and muft fix their fecurity under God in the love of the people, which therefore they muft with all arts of sweetness, remiffion, popularity, noblenefs and fincerity endeavour to fecure to themselves.

6. Princes