Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

Men of Skill, but Time and Chance happeneth to them all. And as this is to be fuppofed after all that hath been faid to fhew that Innocence and Virtue are the most effectual Means to gain upon the good Af fections of Mankind; fo it is to be premis'd to all that can be faid under the 2d Head, That where they do not hinder the Will to hurt, yet they take away the Power to hurt, viz. That there do happen fingular and extraordinary Cafes fometimes, when this Rule will not hold, but that, notwithstanding fuch Accidents, to follow that which is Good, is the beft and most effectual Means to difarm thofe of Power to Harm, who have a mind to do it : And this will be made to appear by thefe Three Confiderations.

1. Of that Security which good Men have against thofe that are malicioufly dif pofed against them, by the Civil Govern

ment.

2. Of that Security, which they have by the efpecial Providence of God that takes Care of them.

3. Of that Security, which they have by the Incapacity of their Enemies to touch them in their greatest Concernments.

1. Let Us confider their Security under Civil Government, which confifts in this, That 'tis the Intereft of all Governments to Pro

tea

[ocr errors]

tect righteous Men, and to punish evil Doers. For fo long it will remain true, That the more inoffenfively a Man behaves himself, the more exemplary he is in Virtue, especially in Beneficence and Charity, the more effectually he puts himfelf under the Protection of the Government. Indeed, fetting afide the Influence which, by the Providence of God, an eftablifh'd Government hath upon the Security of good Men, it would very feldom happen but when they fell into the Dif pleasure of fuch wicked Perfons as have loft all Senfe of Duty to God and Man, they would also be expofed to the worst Effects of their Rage and Malice. But as long as Publick Order is maintain'd, and Authority is reverenc'd, and Laws are executed, fo long bad Men are under a Bridle of Reftraint from pursuing their own Inclinations, because it happens but very feldom in comparison that their Malice grows to that height, as to exceed the Care of their own Preservations, and to make them contented to undo themselves for the Deftruction of their Fellow-Subjects: And as it is the Business of Law and Justice, and the great End of Government to fecure Men from the Paffions of one another, fo it is a particular Concern of Government to Protect good Men from the Injuftice of evil Gg 4

Doers.

!

Doers. For as the Good and Virtuous do owe much of their Safety under God to the Sovereign Authority, and to the Adminiftration of Justice, fo the Safety of the Sovereign, and the Strength of Government is not a little owing under God to the Fi delity, to the Honefty, Righteoufnefs,and in a word, to the good Confcience and the good Examples of Religious Men: Which is a thing fo evident, that all Moral Virtue hath been almoft conftantly favour'd and encourag'd by the Laws of all Countries. And indeed the contrary does fo manifeftly tend to Confufion, and the utter Diffolution of all Government, that we need not fear the contrary will often happen; and this is fo true, that we find St. Peter ufeth this Argument to the Church, to fubmit themselves to every Ordinance of Man.

4

Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's fake, whether it be to the King as Supream, or unto Governours, as unto them that are fent by him for the Punishment of evil Doers, and for the Praise of them that do well. Which being spoken in this very Epiftle (chap. 2. v. 13, 14.) Who is be that will harm you, if ye be fol lowers of that which is Good? Implies, That the Benefits which Chriftians themfelves received by Government, although it was by no means partial to them, were

of

:

of themselves a good Reafon why they fhould fubmit to it, and confequently, that moftly in Civil Governments there is fo much Righteoufnefs, that the Condition of a good Man is much better under them, than if there was no Government at all; and withal, that he is much more fafe under Government for being a good Man, than if he were not. To the very fame purpose St. Paul difcourfeth, Rom. 13. where perfuading to Subjection he faith, Rulers are not a terror to the good Works, but to the evil Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power? Do that which is good, and thou fbalt have Praise of the fame. For be is a Minifler of God to thee for good; but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the Sword in vain : For be is the Minifter of God, a Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that doth evil. In which kind of Reafonings, the Apoftle plainly proceeds upon this Suppofition, That Government is very much for the Advantage of good Men. And therefore, if we take all together, it is more for the Interest of evil Men under a fettled Government to forbear the doing of Injuries, than to do them; and that because it is manifeftly the Intereft of Government to Punish evil Doers, and to Protect them that Do Well. So that where the Innocence and Virtue of

good

good Men fail of gaining the Good Will of any private Perfons with whom they converfe, it doth yet in a great measure difarm their Enemies of Power to hurt them, by putting them moft effectually under the Protection of Civil Government.

[ocr errors]

2. Let us moreover confider the Security they have by that efpecial Providence of God, which takes care of them, and watches over them. God hath ordained Government for the Punishment of evil Doers, and for the Praife of them that do well. Yet this Means of the Security of good Men doth not exclude a Particular Providence over them, which doth more for them, than that other alone can do, and which fometimes delivers them, when the other cannot. And there are Examples of this, not only in the Scriptures, but, as I verily believe, in all Ages, that Men might not want Senfible Inflances of God's Care of Righteous Men, if they would obferve them, that is, Such Inftances as might effectually convince them, and lead them into a Belief of a Particular Providence over the Righteous, even when the Matter is not fo plain, as fometimes it is For in truth the Operations of Divine Providence are fo mix'd with Second Cauíes, and it produces Good to them that fear God by fuch a Train of Human Means and Methods, that fometimes

« VorigeDoorgaan »