4. That as the king is solemnly sworn to maintain the right of the subjects against enemies, and is bound to hazard his life, and all that he hath for their defence: so, the people are also bound to maintain his person and authority, and to hazard life, and all that they have, in defending him.
I shall not take the question in its full latitude, taking in what a people are bound to in pursuing of a king's right in another nation, which is not our present question. Our question is, what a people should do when a kingdom is unjustly invaded by a foreign enemy, who seeketh the overthrow of religion, king and kingdom. Surely, if men be tied to any duty to a king and kingdom, they are tied in this case. I have two sorts of men to meet with here, who are deficient in doing this covenanted duty: 1. These who do not act against the enemy. 2. These who do act for the enemy. 1. The first I meet with, are they who act not, but lie by, to behold what will become of all: three sorts of men act not for the defence of an invaded kingdom; 1. Those who withdraw themselves from public councils, as from parliament or committee of estates: this withdrawing is not to act. 2. These act not who, upon an apprehension of the desperate state of things, do think that all is in such a condition, by the prevailing of the enemy, that there is no remedy: and therefore that it is best to sit still; and see how things go.
They who do not act upon scruple of conscience. I shall ever respect tenderness of conscience; and I wish there be no more but tenderness. If there be no more, men will strive to have their consciences well informed.
They may be supposed to scruple upon one of these grounds: 1. To act in such a cause, for the king's interest; sure I am, this was not a doubt before, but all seemed to agree to act for the king's interest, in subordination to Christ's, and this day there is no more sought. We own the king's interest only in a subordination to Christ's. Or, 2. To join with such instruments as are enemies to the work of God. Our answer to the estates' query resolves that such should not be entrusted: but we do not count these enemies who profess repentance, and declare themselves solemnly to be for the cause and the covenant, and evidence their willingness to fight for them. If it be said their repentance is but counterfeit, we are bound to think otherwise in charity, till the contrary be seen: no man can judge of the reality of hearts: for we have now found by experience, that men who have been accounted above all exception have betrayed their trust. If any who have not yet repented of their former course shall be intrusted, we shall be sorry for it; and plainly say, that it ought not to be.
But I think there must be more in this, that men say they cannot act. For myself, I love not that word in our case; it is too frequent, he cannot act, and he cannot act. I fear there be three sorts of persons lurking under this covert. 1. Such as are pusillanimous, who have no courage to act against the enemy; the word is true of them, they cannot act because they dare not act. 2. Such as are selfish men, serving their idol credit: he hath been a man of honour, and now he feareth there will be no credit to fight against this prevailing enemy: therefore he cannot act, and save his credit. Be who thou wilt that hast this before thee, God shall blast thy reputation. Thou shalt neither have honour nor credit, to do a right turn in God's cause. 3. Such as are compilers, who cannot act, because they have a purpose to comply. There are that cannot act in an army, but they can betray an army by not acting; there are that cannot act for safety of a kingdom, but they betray it by not acting. In a word, there are who cannot join to act with those whom they account malignants (I speak not of declared and known malignants; but of such as have been, and are, fighting for the cause; yet by them esteemed malignants), but they can join with sectaries, open and declared enemies to kirk and kingdom. I wish subjects, who are bound to fight for the kingdom, would lay by that phrase of not acting, which is so frequent in the mouth of compliers, and offensive to them, who would approve themselves in doing duty for endangered religion, king and kingdom.
That men may be the more clear to act, I shall offer to your consideration some passages of Scriptures, about those who do not act against a common enemy.
1. There are many reproved for lying still while an enemy had invaded the land: as Reuben, with his divisions: Gilead, Dan, and Asher seeking themselves, are all reproved for not joining with the people of God, who were willing to jeopard their lives against "a mighty oppressing enemy." But there is one passage concerning Meroz, which fitteth our purpose, "The angel of the Lord said, Curse ye Meroz, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty." What this Meroz was, is not clear: yet all interpreters agree that they had opportunity and power to have joined with, and helped the people of the Lord, and it is probable they were near the place of the fight. They are cursed for not coming to the help of the Lord's people. This may be applied to those in the land, who will not help the Lord against the mighty.
2. Another passage you have. Reuben and Gad having a multitude of cattle, and having seen the land of Gilead, that it was a place for cattle, they desire of Moses and the princes, that the land may be given them, and they may not pass over Jordan. Moses reproveth them in these words, "Shall your brethren go to war; and shall ye sit still? Wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel?" Reuben and Gad make their apology, showing that they have no such intention to sit still, only they desire their wives and little ones may stay there: they themselves promise to go over Jordan, armed before Israel, and not to return before they were possessed in the land. Then Moses said unto them, "If you do so, then this shall be your possession. But, if ye do not so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sins will find you out."
I may apply this to them that cannot act; will ye sit still, when the rest of your brethren are to hazard their lives against the enemy? We have reason to reprove you. If Moses, that faithful servant of God, was still jealous of Reuben and Gad, even after their apology and promise to act—for he saith, "If ye do not so"—have not honest and faithful servants of God, ground to be jealous of their brethren who refuse to act? Let them apologize what they will; for their not acting, I say, they sin against the Lord, and their sins shall find them out. It will be clearly seen, upon what intention they do not act.
3. A third passage. Saul hath David enclosed, that he can hardly escape. In that very instant there cometh a messenger to Saul, saying, "Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land." At the hearing of this message, "Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines." It is true, the Lord did provide for his servant David's escape, by this means: but, if ye consider Saul, he took it not so. Nothing moved him to leave this pursuit but the condition of the land, by the invading of an enemy. Three things might have moved Saul to stay and pursue David. 1. He hath him now in a strait, and hath such advantage, that he might have thought not to come readily by the like. 2. That altho' the Philistines be enemies, yet David is the most dangerous enemy; for he aimeth at no less than the crown. It were better to take conditions off the enemy, than to suffer David to live, and take the crown. 3. He might have said, if I leave David at this time and fight with the Philistines, and be beaten, he will get a power in his hand to undo me and my posterity. These may seem strong motives; but Saul is not moved with any of them. The present danger is the Philistines invading the land, and this danger is to be opposed, come of the danger from David what will. As if Saul had said, I will let David alone, I will meet with him another time, and reckon with him: now there is no time for it, the Philistines are in the land, let us make haste against them. I wish that many of our countrymen had as great a love to their country, and as public a spirit for it, as this profane king had, then there would not be so many questions for acting, as men make this day.