will be sure to be the uppermost the three first ceremonies make him but high and mighty and puissant but the last only makes him sared and therefore some have maintained that a King is mixta persona cum Sacerdote whether he be so or no I will not here insist but sure I am that their is much divinity in the very name and essence of Kings which duly considered and believed that Kings are thus sacred as we ought and Gods word informs us we would take heed how we touch take warning how he tear and rend in peeces as much as in us lies with those leaden Messengers of death with their gunpowder commissions to fetch the higher to the lower powers and make the King a Subject to the Subjects wils the sacred person of so great a Majesty whereas the cutting off but a piece of the lappe of Sauls garment hath checkt a greater spirit then the proudest riser up against his Soveraign We would not speak so despicably of the Lords anointed what is the King he is but a man he is but one he hath a soule to be saved as well as others for though all this be true yet the end for which all this is said is most false and abhominable for though it be true that the King is but a man yet it is also true that that man is the light of Israel 2 Kings 8.19 wee must take heed how we put it out And though it be true that such a piece of silver is but a piece of silver yet as it bears Caesars image and superscription upon it it is more significant if thou either pare or impare it a jot if thou art found either clipping or diminishing of it in the least degree â—hou dost it to the preiudice of thine own life so though a King be but a man â—s in himself yet as he â—ears the representation of God and hath his character stamp'd upon him he is some-what more if you will believe him that said â—e are Gods Psalm 82.6 and therefore we must take heed how we debase or detract â—rom them who represent so great a Deiâ—y who by reason of their proximity â—nd neernes unto God in some respects â—re most commonly of more discerning spirits then ordinary men for Mephiâ—osheth when his servant had so grievivously slandred him to David he makes but a short complaint My servant hath â—landred me but as if he should say I need not tell thee much thou hast wisdome enough to find it out My Lord the King is as an Angell of God doe therefore what is good in thine own eies Therefore because thou art as an Angell of God and thy selfe art a good intelligence as all Angels are doe what is good in thine own eie as if he should have said if thou doest onely that which seemeth to be good in other mens eies it may be they will perswade thee that the thing was true wherein my servant slandred thy servant poor Mephibosheth and he suffer wrongfully I am of opinion that God gives to every King to whom he communicates his name and authority this extraordinary gift of discerning but because they do not some times make use of it to the end it was bestowed upon them viz. the better government of their severall Dominions but are contented to see and discerne with other mens eyes and to have false spectacles put upon their noses whereby many a good man suffers God in his justice gives them over that in their own particular and wherein their own greatest good is chiefly concerned they shall make least use of their own judgements and advise and wholly give themselves to be over-swayed by the advise of those whose judgements perhaps is not so good as their own and whose intentions it may be are no better then they should be It is written that the hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord and he disposeth them as seemeth best to his heavenly wisdome certainly I would â—ake a little advice from that heart â—hat is so directed by that hand the Kings head never plotted Treason aâ—ainst the Crown and no man can wish â—etter to His Majesty then the King I â—peak not this in derogation either of the Great or Privie Councell for it is â—ritten in the multitude of Councellors there 〈◊〉 safety but in defence only of these â—ons of Oyle who are supreme in both And as it is true that the King is but â—ne man so it is also true that one man â—s worth ten thousand of the people â—hou art woth ten thousands of us though all â—is worthies were in place 2 Sam. 18.3 â—nd though it be true that the King â—ath a soul to be saved as well as others â—et it is also true that he should have â—o body to be crucified by his Subjects â—nd out of his dis-esteem of the person the ceremonies of State as Anointing â—itting in Thrones holding of Scepters â—nd Coronation it selfe being to be â—xploded now a daies and who look'd â—or it otherwise when the lawfull and â—ecent Ceremonies of the Church were â—alled reliques of Popery and raggs of the Whore of Babilon was it otherwise â—o be expected but that they would call these ceremonies of State Theatrica pompa Stage-plaies toyes Tush say they what need all theseâ— fopperies a Kings Throne is his Justice his Crown his Honour his Scepter and cheifest strength the peoples hearts his holy Oyle is his Religion and zeal to Gods glory and so it is what then may we not have the signes and the things signified also because the true receiving of the Communion is the receiving of the Body and Bloud of Christ by faith therefore shall we have no bread and wine or because that true Baptisme is the washing away of originall sin with the laver of regeneration therefore shall we have no water powred on the Child we have Scripture for these ceremonies and I am sure we have no Scripture for the abolishing of them but rather Scripture for their continuation for ever Reges in solio collocat in perpetuum God establishes Kings upon their Thrones for ever Job 36.7 CHAP. IV. Why they are called the Lords Anointed THe Lords Anointed is as much as to say the Lords Christ and Christi signifieth Anointed ones In the Hebrew you shall read it who shall â—ay his hand upon the Lords Messiah for the Lords Anointed 1 Sam. 26.9 in the Greek who can lay his hand upon the â—ords Christ Kings are taken into the â—â—ociety of Gods name Dixi dii estis I â—ave said ye are gods and here into the society of Christs name and all to â—errefie subjects from lifting up their â—ands against the Lords Anointed as â—uch as if he were God or Christ himâ—elfe Againe Kings are not termed uncti â—omini for that were no prerogative to â—hem at all but Christi Domini for not â—nly persons but things also were Aâ—ointed under the Law not only Kings â—ut Priests and
Phrophets likewise neiâ—her did it rest there but it extended to the Tabernacle it selfe and ran down to the vessels thereof even to the very Fireforks Ashpans and snuffers but unto whom said he at any time tu esâ— Christus meus Heb. 1.4 5. but unto Christ and Kings to Christ once Luke 2.26 to Kings thirty two times throughout the Bible four times by God himself Kings are called Christâ— mei mine Anointed six times to God Christi tui thine Anointed ten times of God Christi ejus his Anointed twelve times in termes terminant Christi Domini the Lords Anointed and therefore the old Translator observed it rightly when in the same word in the Hebrew and the Greek he speakes of the Priest he translates it unctus but when of the King alwayes Christus And as they are not uncti but Christi so they are not Christi populi but Christâ— Domini not the peoples Anointed but the Lords Anointed there may be a master of the ceremonies but therâ— must be no master of the substance they are the Lords Christs and they holâ— their kingdomes under him in Kingâ— service neither are the kingdomes oâ— the earth any bodies else but Gods Tâ—â— kingdomes are Gods Dan. 4.17 neither â—are they at any mans disposing but his He giveth them to whom he pleaseth loco citato therefore for whose they are they are the Lords and for what they â—re they may thanke him and none else Secondly they are the Lords because that by him and in him and â—hrough him they have their Dominion and regiment from him they have â—heir Crowns from his hands their Coronation Diadema Regis in â—manu Dei Esay 60.3 the Royal Diadem is in the hand of God and out of that hand â—e will not part with it so much as for â—nother to place it upon the Kings â—ead but it must be tu Posuisti tu Domine Thou O Lord hast set a Crown of pure gold upon his heard Psal. 21.3 The Emperours used to stamp their Coyne with a hand coming out of the Clouds holding a Crown and placing it upon their heads We have no â—uch Hierogliphicks in our Coyne as a hand coming out of a cloud but we have grace from heaven Dei graâ—ia so that there is not a King but may say with the Apostle Gratia Dei sum qui sum by the grace of God I am that I am and indeed Kings are Kings as Paul was an Apostle not of men neither by man but by God Thirdly they are the Lords Christs because not only their Crowns are in the hands of the Lord but he puts the Scepter into theirs nay the Scepters which Princes hold in their hands are Gods Scepters being there virga Dei iâ— manibus ejus It is Gods rod that is in their hands Exod. 17.9 and therefore right is the Motto and reason is it that they should be esteemed the Lords Anointed DIEV ET MON DRO IT GOD AND MY RIGHT none else have to do with it the Scepter of a kingdome in the hands of a King is the livery and seison which is given him by God of the whole Militia within his Dominion they that take away that put a reed into the hand of Christs Anointed and why should it be expected that they should deal otherwise with Christs Anointed then they did with Christ himself first put a reed in his hand and afterwards a Spear into his heart Fourthly Kings are the Lords Anointed because they sit upon his Throne sidebaâ— Solomon in Throno Dei Solomon sate upon Gods Throne 1 Cor. 29.23 but if Solomon should have lived in these our dayes instead of his six steps â—o his great Throne of gold and Ivory he should have six steppers to his Throne for the Gold and Ivory sake instead of having a Foot-stoole of Gold under his feet he should have much adoe to keep a Crown of pure Gold upon his head instead of hands to stay his Throne he should have hands enough to pull it down and cast it to the ground and instead of two and twelve Lyons fixed on each side as a guard unto his Throne he should have found many Lyons without regard running up and downe seeking how they might destroy him Lastly Kings are the Lords Anointed because they are Anointed with his own oyl Oleo sancto meo with my holy oyl have I Anointed him Psal. â—9 20 It is not with any common or vulgar oyl or oyl that any laies claime â—o but himself but it is Oleo meo my oyl neither is it oyl that was fetch'd oâ—â— of any common Shop or Warehousâ— bâ—t it is Oleo sancto with holy oyl oyl out of the Sanctuary And no question but this is a maine reason if they would speak out why some have such an aking tooth at the Sanctuaries because they maintain in them oyl for the Anointing of Kings but if the Alablaster box were broken the ointment would soon be lost If they could perswade the King out of the Church into the Barne they would soon pull a Reed out of the thatch to put into his hand instead of a Scepter or if they could get him to hear Sermons under a hedge there would not be materials wanting to make a Crown of Thornes to pleat it on his head Thus you see the the reasons why Kings are called the Lords Anointed because the Lord hath appropriated them unto himself not in a common and generall way but in a particular and exclusive manner my King my Kingdome my Crown my Scepter my Throne my Oyl where is there left any place for claime pride may thrust down Angels out of heaven and violence may crucifie the Son of God But all these things considered who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltlesse 1 Sam. 26.9 CHAP. V. Whether bad Kings be the Lords Anointed or not THey are for they are of the Lords sending and appointment as well as the good I will set an evill man to rule over them said God and I gave them a King in mine anger Hosea 13.11 which King was Saul which Saul was a Tyrant which Tyrant was the Lords Anointed when he was at the worst you cannot have two better witnesses then David and the Holy Ghost 1 Sam. 26. Cyrus was a Heathen Persian and one that knew not God yet for all that Haec dicit Dominus Cyro Christo meo Thus saith the Lord to Cyrus mine Antinted Esay 43.4 Nero was no good Emperour but a Monster of man-kind yet Saint Peter in whose dayâ—s he wrote his Epistle commanded all Christians to submit to him 1 Pet. 2.13 Hasaell whom the Lord fore-saw and fore-shewed unto his Prophet Elisha to be the destroyer of his people of Israel and one that should make them like the duâ—â— by threshing 2 Kings 13.7 on that wilâ—set their strong holds on fire slay their young men with the sword dash their children againâ—â— the wall and rip up their women with
child insomuch that it made the Prophet weep to fore-see all the miseries that should happen 2 Kings 8.12 insomuch that it made Hasaell himself when he was told thereof cry out is thy servant a Dogge that he should do all these things â— vers. 13. yet for all this God will have him to be King and it be but to scurge his people the Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be King over Syria vers. 13. Julian when from his Christianity he fell to flat Paganisme yet this Anointing held no Christian ever sought no Preacher ever taught to touch him or resist him in the least degree for whilst the cruell and bloudy Emperours were persecuting the poor Christians they were fitting their necks for the Yoke and teaching on another postures how they might stand fairest for the strok of Death Anâ— this was not Quia deer ant vires because they could not help it for the greatest part of Julians Army and the most part of his Empire were Christians For saith Tertullian in his appologeticall defence of the Christians of those times una nox pauculis faculis c. One night with a few firebrands will yeild us â—ufficient revenge if we durst by reason of â—ur Christian obligation and shewes how they neither wanted forces nor numbers and that neither the Moors or the Persians or any other Nation whatsoever were more mighty or more populous then they and how they filled all places Townes Cities Emperiaâ—l Pallaces Senats and Seats of Judgement and that they could do any thing in their revenge if it were any thing lawfull but this Anointing was the thing that kept the swelling down and hindred the corrupt humours from gathering to a head And therefore it is not as Stephanus Junius Franciscus Hottomanus Georgius Buchananus Ficklerus and Renecherus with the rest of the pillars of the Puritan Anarchy do answer being gravel'd at the practice of the primitive Christianâ— and those precepts of the holy Apostle that the Church then as it were swathed in the bonds of weaknesse had not strength enough to make powerfull resistance and therefore so the one taught and the other obeyed but if this doctrine were allowable then would inevitably follow these two grosse absurdities 1. That the pen of the holy Ghost which taught submission even to the worst of Kings was not directed according to the equity of the thing but the necessity of the times 2. That either the holy Ghost must turne politician and become a timeserver or else the Church must lose the meanes of its being and subsistance Whereas we know the contrary so well that when Acies Ecclesiae was so far from its bene ordinata that when al the Souldiers fled and the Life-guard routed the Lord of Hoast the Generall himself taken Prisoner yet then like the Sun looking biggest in lowest estate so the son of righteousnesse thinke ye not that I can pray unto my Father and he will send Lâ—gions of Angels and raâ—her thâ—n Gods children shall be oppressed by a company of Egiptians if it be his pleasure to deliver them he can without the drawing of one Sword turne Rivers into bloud produce an Army of Froggs to destroy them and rather then they should be necessitated for lack of means â—end swarms of Flies that may serve â—hem in the stead of so many rescuing Angelâ— and therefore it was not any â—ecessity that the Church was or could â—e in that procured in the Apostles or the first Christians either that doctrine â—r that use it was not dis-ability but duty not want of strength but a reveâ—end regard of the Lords Anointed that wrought these effects in both Let the people be never so many and mighty and the Princes of the people never so wicked and cruell mos gerendus est we must obey them not in the performance of their unjust commands but in submission to their just authority if not by our active yet by our passive obedience if not for their own sakes yet propter Dominum for the Lords sake if not for wrath yet for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 if it goeth against thy conscience say â—s the people were wont to say when they fell down before the Asse that carried the Image of the Goddesse Isis upon his back non tibi sed Reâ—igioni if thy conscience condemns thee God is greater then thy conscience and we must look what he commands as well as what she dictates the one may be mislead the other cannot mislead sacrifice may be either pleasing or displeasing to the Lord but obedience was never faulty thou maist offer the sacrifice of Fools when thou thinkest thou doest well but upon how sure grounds goes he who can say with the Prophet in all his actions If I have gone a stray O Lord thou hast caused me to erre never deviating from the expresse of his word Now God gives us expresse command that we should not touch his Anointed what condition soever they are of Nâ—lite tangere Christos meos touch not mine Anointed and where Gods rules are generall we must not put in exceptions of our own for the wickednesse of a King can no more make void Gods ordinance of our orbedience unto him then mans unbelief can frustrate Gods decree in us Rom. 3.3 Let Saul be wicked and let wicked Saul be hut once Anointedd David states the question neither concerning Saul nor his wickednesse but whether he being the Lords Annointed there 's the businesse it is lawfull to stretch forth a hand against him who can stretch his hand against the Lordâ— Anointed and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26.9 CHAP. VII Whether upon any pretences whatsoever it be lawfull to depose murder or so much as touch the Lords Anointed THere was the first time that ever it was put to the Vote â—hether a King might be put to death â—r not but it was resolved upon the â—uestion in that Parliament Ne perdas â—estroy him not it is well that Davidâ—ad a negative voice or else it had been â—ut a bad president for Kings it is wel â—hat the men with whom David had this â—arley would hearken unto reason and â—et that sway them otherwise Davidâ—ight have been forced to flie as fast â—way from his own men as he did first â—rom Saul for there wanted no Layâ—reachers then to preach the destruction â—nd slaughter of Princes under the preâ—ences of wicked government and tyranâ—y who had the trick then as well as â—ow to couch their foul meaning in â—ood words and Scripture phrase with a dixit dominus when the Lord said no such thing as Davids Zealots 1 Sam. 24 5â—This is the day wherof the Lord said unto thee I will delivâ—r thine Enemy into thine hand anâ— thou shalt doe unto him what as shalâ— seem good unto thee that is thou shall murder him that was their meaning though the word was a good word and we doâ— not read where the Lord said any such thing at all So Abishai 1 Sam.
the Ruler of the People Saint Paul but for calling a High Priest painted wall though when he caused him to be smitten Contrary to the Law yet he eat his words and confessed his errour and now many that would seem to be followers of Paul are revilers of Kings and make no bones thereof The same God that commanded Laban in respect of his servant Vide ne quid loquare durius â—ee thou give him no ill language certainly expects that Subjects should set â— watch before their mouths to keep the door of their lippes lest they offend with their tongue in speaking ill of Princes Eightly As the tongue can strike without a hand so the heart can curse without a tongue Eccl. 10.2 Curse not the King no not in thy heart for a Bird in the ayre shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter the hand implies both never was the hand stretched forth to any evil act but the heart was the privy Counsellor the tongue the chief perswader unto such enormities therefore it is good obstare principiis to crush the cockatrice egg kill it in the heart lest those pravae cogitationes want room and then out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and perswades the hand to be the destruction of the whole body if hand and heart tongue pen were thus regulated we need not long look for peace or despaire of an accomodation but whilst the hand is up and the heart is set at liberty and the tongue saith Our tongues are our own 〈◊〉 ought to speak who is Lord over us and every pen is a ready writer in matters pertaining to the King in vaine it is to seem Christians whilst we are such Antichrists the Bible under our arme fals to the ground whilst we stretch forth our hand against the Lords Anointed why do we take Gods word into our mouthes if we let it not down into our hearts to do as that word directs us Christian liberty never cut the string that tied the tongue to those observances Of these things there might be applications made but lapping as they go along is best for doggs where there are Cordials in the River It seemes by the story that Kings may be coursely dealt withall if men make no bones of being guilty they stand like the forbidden tree in the midst of the Paradise of God men may touch them but they had better let them alone if God had placed at the first Cherubims and a flaming sword turning every way to defend that tree how could there have been a triall of Adams obedience So if God by some instinct â—ad chain'd the hearts of men and tied â—heir hands and bound them to the â—eace so that they could neither in â—hought word nor deed have committed violence against his Vicegerent how could there have been a triall of the Subjects duty the tree had no guard â—or fence about it but only thou shalt not â—at thereof if thou doest thou shalt die the death Princes have no better security â—or themselves then the Almighties command for their preservation Nolite â—angere c. Touch not mine Anointed â—o break the first was but death the second is damnation if you resist the â—igher powers you resist the highest God and he that resisteth shall be damned Rom. 13.2 the commandment concerning the tree of Paradise was only thou shalt not eat thereof but we are forbidden to touch so much as a leaf of our forbidden tree much less to shake down all his fruit there is hopes of a tree saith Job that if it be cut down yet it will sprout again but not only a finger a hand but an axe must be laid to the root of the tall Cedar of our Lebanus yea they must be rooted up like the names of Taronius they will not leave so much as a of stump Nebuchadnezzars tree chain'd to the earth up must all root branch till all the Royall branches lie like sprey upon the ground these men had rather be destroyed themselves then say the Lords Anointed is not to be destroyed Go on blind Zelots hearken to your wives and let them perswade you to disobedience and the Divel them as Eve did Adam and the Divel her behold the objects shee presents unto your view how good they seem how fair they look how pleasant they are to thine eye how wise you thinke you shall be how full of knowledge when poor wretches you shall find all these promises turned into Fig-leaves to hide your nakednesse all these golden Apples of Palestine once touch'd evaporated into stench and blindnesse and that your disobedience hath given you nothing but curses and brought you nothing but sorrows and death upon your selves and children and profitted you nothing but the turning of an Edom into a wildernesse till you be glad to eat the herbs of the field and by the same fault fall into the same punishment with our neighbours of Germany â—ye with grasse in your mouths These â—â—ings fell upon Adam for his disobediâ—â—ce unto God and the like will fall â—pon us the sons of Adam for our disâ—bedience unto Gods Anointed O then â—et us not by any meanes lift up our â—ands against the Lords Anointed lest â—like Adam we fall from our state of â—nnocence and be guilty guilty of all the bloud that hath and shall be spilt â—pon this land guilty of the teares of â—o many fatherlesse children and wiâ—owes and if we will not be obedient â—nto a Prince of men guilty of all the â—ternall thraldome and submission unto â— Prince of Devils take then the advice of the wise Solomon Prov. 30.32 If thou â—ast done foolishly in lifting up thy selfe or if â—hou hast thought evill lay thy hand upon thy â—outh Fear God honour the King have nothing to doe with them that are subject unto â—hange for their destruction commeth sodainly and so will yours Let no man deceive himself he who is not good in his perticular calling can never be good in his general calling he is no good man that is no good servant and if he be no good subject he is no good Christian he that honoureth not the King doth never fear God and except he obeyes both he obeyes neither CHAP. VIII Whether Kings now adayes are to be had in the same veneration and esteeme as Kings were under the Law by reason of our Christian liberty CErtainly the murmuring of Corab Dathan and Abiram with their complices Thou seekest to make thy self altogether a Prince over us the Lord is among us we are all alike holy unto the Lord and therefore Moses and Aaron must be no more excellent then the rest of the people was no prophesie to be fulfilled in these our dayes for if it had surely our Saviour would never have paid tribute for himself and Peter Mat. 17.27 which was a symbole of their subjection to heathen pagans for this cause pay ye tribute Rome 13.6 we
which a child Reigns for then the whole Kingdome is sure to be put upon the rack Sometimes God in his â—udgement sends a Tyrant amongst us 〈◊〉 will set an evil man to rule over them saith God himself then we are never in hope â—o be from under the lash and someâ—imes in mercy he sends meek and â—hild Princes like Moses who carried his People in his bosome one that shall only make use of his Prerogatives as Christ did of his miracles in cases of necessity one who shall say with the Apostle Saint Paul â— I have no power to doe hurt but to doe good to edification but not â—o destruction one who shall continue his Reign as Saul began Videre ne quid sit populo quod fleat who will hear and ask why do the People cry deserve well and have well shall we receive good from the hands of the Lord and shall we not receive evil Princes though they be â—amarae sagittae yet when we consider that they are edulci manu domini emissae wee should not refuse them but be contented with whomsoever his mercy or his justice sends or throws upon us Never was there a bad Prince over any People but he was sent by our heavenly Father for a scourge to his children and shall we kisse or snatch the Rod out of our Fathers hand To conclude there is nothing can disoblige the People from their King because his Authority over them is a domino from the Lord buâ— their obedience towards him is propâ—eâ— dominum for the Lords sake though iâ— himself there be all there asons that caâ—â— be given to the contrary many will be glad to hear the Father of their Country say I and the Lord will go and to be solâ— elect and to hear his Father tell him deâ—â— providebit as Abraham said to his Son Isaac but if he takes fire and sword in hand threatning his follower how many followers will he have I had rather with Isaac follow my Father â— know not wherefore and with Abraham obey my God contrary to my own nature and beyond all hope then to serve so great a God and his Vicegerent by rules drawn by my own fancy and reason CHAP. X. Psal. 105.15 Touch not mine Anointed meant by Kings BY the words touch not mine Anointed is meant Kings and Princes neither â—n any other interpretation whatsoâ—â—er be obtruded upon this text withâ—â—t a great deal of impudence and ignoâ—â—nce If there were no other argument 〈◊〉 be used but this to a modest man it â—ere sufficient viz. That not any â—hurch nor any Church-men nor â—â—y Christian nor any Father nor any â—xpositor whatsoever did ever give it â—ny other interpretation before such â—â—me as the Jesuite and the Puritan and â—â—ey both at a time and that time beaâ—ing not above 100 years date neither â—egan to teach the world that it was â—awfull to murder Kings and no marâ—ell if this found some querke or other â—o turne the streame of Scriptures sence â—ut of its proper channell and constant course the two birds of a feather persecutors of one another like two fighting Cocks who quarrell amongâ—â— themselves being both of the same kind and yet both agree in taking councell together against the Lord and against his Anointed or like Pilate and Herod they could not agree but in the principles of condemning the Lordâ— Christ But it is objected that as a little child upon a Gyants shoulders may see farther then the Gyant himself so a weaker understanding comming after those Fathers and taking advantage of such helps getting up upon the shoulders of time and learning may see more then they did or hath been seen in former ages and therefore it is no wonder iâ— a man without aspersing himself with the least immodesty may pretend to set more then all those who went before him had observed and what hath this child pick-a-poke spied a birds-neaâ—â—â— can there be a simpler thing imagined whereby to give impudence the chaire and throw all the Antient Fathers flat upon their backs then this so common and so much approv'd of instance to usher innovation not only into the Church but also into the very soul of Scripture it self for what if it be granted that a child upon a Gyants shoulders sees further then doth the Gyant himself doth the child know better what he sees then doth the said Gyant must not the child aske the Gyant what is what of all that he beholds must not the child be informed by the knowing Gyant of the difference between the mountaines the vallies the water and the skie a cock a bull if the child be thus ignorant what doth the childs getting up upon the Gyants shoulders advantage the child in points of controversie except it be such a child as Saint Christopher had got upon his shoulders that was Judge of all the world if the child be not so simple but understands all these things then believe me he is no child in understanding but a Gyant himselfe in knowledge and so the similitude the child and the Gyant come tumbling all down together seat a child never so high he is but a child still and sits but at the feet of a Gamaliel when he is upon the shoulders of a Gyant no child was ever thought worthy thy to pose all the Doctors but the Child Jesus Now to clear the Text from those blots and blurs that are throwne upon the words going before this Text of Scripture touch not mine Anointed viz. I have reproved Kings for their sakes Ergo the word Anointed could not betoken Kings because Kings were reproved for their sakes who were the Lords Anointed now say they the word Anointed must necessarily signifie the people of God for whose sake these Kings were reproved and so it doth but yet my Corahmites Dathamites and Abiramites you must not thinke to be all alike holy unto the Lord as that ye are all concern'd in this nolite tangere There is no question but that in some sence the elect of God are anointed ones of the Lord but not peculiarly the Lords Anointed they are filii olii sons of oyl as the Prophet termes them but not Christi mei or Christi tui or Christi ejus or Christi Domini which were attributes that were never given by the holy Ghost to any but to Christ and Kings the Priests who were anointed really never were term'd in Scripture the Lords Anointed and the proudest and most â—ebellious people that ever were whose â—rrogance claim'd an equality with neâ—er in sacris strove to be above their Priests Now if you expect clearnesse â—n the fountaine do not ye trouble the â—aters and you shall behold the springs of truth arise 't was the elect and â—hosen of the Lord that were here meant by anointed and it was the seed of Abraham and it was not Kings that were meant by this word Anointed in the text But it was not all the elect of
26.8 God hath delivered thine Enemy into thine hand what then therefore let me smite him no such matter David denies the consequence as if he should have said God hath delivered him into my hand but â— will make no such bad use of his deliverance I had rather hereby shew him hiâ— own errour and my innocency then any way stretch forth my hand against him for he is the Lords anointed and when sleep had betrayed Saul to Davids power in the trench and made the King a subject for Davids innocence he esteemed himself but as a Partridge in the wildernesse when he might have caught the Eagle in the nest he passified Sauls Anger by inabling his power to hurt sent him his speare it seems he did not think it fit to keep the Kings Militia in â—â—s hands and humbly begs Let not my â—ud fall to the earth when if it had not â—â—en for David Abishai would have smiâ—â—n Saul unto the earth at once so that 〈◊〉 needed not to have smiten him the â—â—cond time but David would not deâ—â—â—oy him not saith he and his reason â—as Quis potest Who can stretch forth â—â—s hand against the Lords Anointed â—â—d be guiltlesse Another most notable demonstration 〈◊〉 Davids innocency and subjection â—â—to a hard Master a most tyrannicall â—â—ing cruell Saul we have 1 Sam. 24. â—hen in the Cave of Engiddi Davidâ—ight have cut off Sauls head like preâ—â—ous oyntment he descends only to 〈◊〉 skirts of his garment and with a â—uid feci checks himself and beshrews â—s heart that he had done so much and â—pon a little looking back of Saul as 〈◊〉 he had put on rayes of Majesty Daâ—â—d bows and stoops with his face to 〈◊〉 earth to him when he might have â—id his honour in the dust call'd him 〈◊〉 Father when that father came to â—â—crifice him upon the mountaines and â—Isaac-like nothing but See my Father â—hen he could see nothing but fire and sword and himself also the Lamb ready for the sacrifice A true Isaac though many young men staid behind with the Asse will after his Father though he have fire in the one hand and a knife in the other ready for to sacrifice his follower A right David and he that is a man after Gods own heart though he could bite to death and gnaw into the very bowels of his Soveraign yet he will assume no further power to hurt then to the biting of a Flea after whome is the King of Israel come out after a Flea after whom doth Saul pursue after a dead Dog when he might have caught the Lion in the toyle I could easily be endlesse in instances of the like nature as our Saviour Christ's obedience to the death under the reigne of Tiberius his Disciples under Nero Claudius and Caligula whose governments were as opposite to the propagation of the Gospel as themselves were enemies to the propagators of it yet we see they neither attempted the alteration of the one or the destruction of the other yet Christ could do much if he pleased and if the Napkins of Saint Paul and the shadow of Saint Peter could cure diseases if a word out of their mouthes could strike men and women dead in the place if an oration at the Bar could make a King tremble on the Bench then surely you will confesse that his Disciples could do something Yet nothing was done or attempted against those wicked cruell and pagan Emperours one instance shal suffice for all what mischief or injury could be done more to a people then Mebuchadonozer King of Babylon did unto the Jewes who slew their King their Nobles their Parents their Children and kinsefolkes burn'd their Country their Cities their Jerusalem their Temple and carried the reâ—idue who were left alive Captives with him to Babylon And now behold then Nebuchadonozers good subjects will you hear wat advice the Prophet Daniel gives them for all this Baruch 1.11 Pray you for the life of Nebuchadonozer King of Babilon and for the life of Balthasor his son that their dayes may be upon earth as the dayes of heaven and the Lord will give us strength what to do to wage war against him and lighten our eyes what with new revelations how they may be reveng'd O no that we may live under the shadow of Nebuchadonozer King of Babylon and under the shadow of Balthasor his son and that we may serve them many dayes and find favour in their sight truely shewing that a King is Alkum Prov. 30.31 one against whom there is no rising up that is not upon any pretences whatsoever there can be no pretences whatsoever more faire and specious then those of defending the Church and redâ—essing the Common-wealth For the first if Religion be any thing push'd at think you that Rebellion will keep it up or that it ever stood in need of such hands when God refus'd to have his Temple built by David because he was a fighter of the Lords Battailes thinke you that he will have his Church defended by fighters against the Lords Anointed to defend Religion by Rebellion were to defend it by meanes condemned by the same Religion we would defend and to reforme or redresse the Common-wealth by insurrection and Rebellion were to rectifie an errour with the greatest of all mischiefs no government worse then a Civill War and the worst Governour is alwayes better then the best Rebell Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft and stubbornnesse is as Idolatry and how perilous a thing it is for the Feet to judge the Head the subjects to choose what government and governours they will have to condemne what and whom they please to make what pretences and surmises they have a mind to this Kingdome by wofull experience hath had sad resentments Imbecilities and weaknesses in Princes are no arguments for the chastisements deposing or murdering of Kings for then giddy heads will never want matter or pretences to cloak their Rebellion Shall Moses because Pharaoh was an oppressour of Gods people and had hardned his heart and would not let the Israelites depart therefore inflict punishments upon Pharaoh or so much as depart without his leave though Moses could inflict punishments upon the whole Land yet his Commission never went so far as to touch Pharaoh in the least degree though swarmes of flies came into the house of Pharaoh and Frogs entred into the Kings chamber yet we read not that they seized on Pharaohs person there were Lice in all their quarters saith the Psalmist and there became Lice in man and beast upon the smiting on the dust but none were smitten of the person of the King Boyles and blaines were upon all the Egyptians and upon the Magicians so sore as they could not stand in the presence of Pharaoh but they were not on Pharaoh that he could not stand himself Pharaoh his eldest son may die but Vivat Rex Pharaoh must not be touch'd Did Absolon doe well to conspire against his Father
though he defiled Vriahs bed and cloaked adultery with murther should the Priest Peers Prophets or people offer to depose Solomon because he had brought strange Wives into the Land and as strange Religion into the Church shall Elias entice Aâ—abs subjects to Rebellion because he suffered Jezebell to put Naboth to death and killed the Lords Prophets shall Peter take vengeance upon Herod because he put him in prison beheaded John the Baptist and killed James shall Reuben be no Patriarch becuse he was unstable as water shall Simeon and Levi lose their Patriarchal dignity because they were brethren in iniquity instruments of cruelty because in their anger they slew a man and in their self-will digged down a wall shall Judith be deposed from his rule and government for making a bargain with a Harlot upon the high way shall Issacher not be numbred amongst the other twelve because he was none of the wisest no reason they were Patriarchs as well as the rest which was the immediate government before Kings and indeed were Princes themselves princeps Dei es inter nos Gen. 23.6 Thou art a mighty Prince amongst us and thus much shall suffice and I hope sufficient to shew that no faults or pretâ—nces whatsoever can make it lawfull to depose or so much as to touch the Lords Anointed CHAP. VII What is meant by touching the Lords Anointed or stretching forth the hand against the Lords Anointed NOt dare to touch the Lords Anointed is an awfull reverence and a supposed difference to be kept between every Subject and his Soveraign especially in point of violence A Mother doubting the discretion of her Children and being to leave some curious looking-glasse in a place doth not command her children that they should not break it but that they should not touch it knowing full well that if they have the liberty to meddle with it in the least degree they may break it before they are aware and destroy it when they think least of any such matter So God is very chary of his King wherein he beholds the representation of himself and knowing him to be but brittle and though the most refined earth yet but glasse he commands his people that they should not touch his Anointed knowing that if they were permitted but to tamper with him in the least degree their rude hands may break it in peeces when they doe but think to set it right A touch is but of one man though but with one of his fingers yet this must not be Nolite tangere it is not said ne tangete wherein only the act of touching is forbidden but Nolite tangere whereby the will is also prohibited how wary should we be in touching when the Lord is so cautious in his prohibition Now stretching forth the hand may signifie a combination of many into one confederacy the hand being a part of the body composed of five members one and all but this must not be a most unhappy instrument is that hand that turns it self into the bowels of its own body if the head break out be chance the hands must not presently be in the head clawing with invenom'd nails the corruption there lest that itching desire turn into smart in the end lest when the peaceable day springing from one high shall happily visit us that now sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death we then see our bloudy hands and this once happy Kingdome the only pillow whereon peace had laid her head streamed like the Aegyptian Rivers all with bloud in a word by touching the Lords Anointed or by stretching forth the hand against him is meant any kind of violence that is used against sacred Majesty and the signification thereof is of a large extent for we stretch forth our hands when we doe but lift up our heels in scorne against him Who so lifteth up his heel Psalm 41.9 Secondly we stretch forth our hands against the Lords Anointed when wee doe but raise up Armes in our own defence Whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and draweth damnation upon himself Rom. 3. Thirdly We stretch forth our hands against the Lords Anointed when wee stretch not our tongue and voice when we hear of any traiterous plots or conspiracies against the Lords Anointed and so bring such conspiracies to light It is a foul thing to hear the voice of conspiracy and not to â—tter â—â— Lev. 5.1 as good lay thy hand upon the Lords Anointed as lay thy hand upon thy mouth conceal the treason Fourthly We stretch forth our hands against the Lords Anointed when we doe not stretch forth our hands for the Lords Anointed when we see him assaulted with any danger or traiterous opposings Should a man see his own Father feircely assaulted and should not presently run into his rescue but should suffer him to be slain before his face would we not equally exclaim against him with the murtherers Qui non Vetat peccare Quum potest jubet he bids that doth not forbid with all his power â—like a true son such outrages and vioâ—â—nces to be committed against the Faâ—â—er of his Country Fifthly We touch the Lords Anoinâ—ed when we touch his Crown and digâ—ity intrench upon his Regalia hold or withhold his sons or daughters kill or â—ake prisoners his men of Warre Wee must take heed of defacing the garment as well as of hurting the person for they are both Sacred the precious Oyntment wet not Aarons head alone but it ran down upon his beard and down unto the skirts of his garment making all Sacred that was about him such touchings therefore are worse then when we touch the person with the greatest violence for then the Anointed are most touched when they are touched where the Anointing is which is their State and Crown dearer to them then their lives touch both the murder of the person is but a consequence to the deposement of the dignity Sixthly We touch the Lords Anointed when we take away his revenue and livelyhood from him the Devil thought that he had stretched forth his hand exceedingly against Job touch'd and touch'd him to the quick when he had procured Gods permission that the Sabeans and Caldeans should take away his Oxen and Asses his Sheep and Camels and plundred him of all he had God called this a destruction unto Job Job 2.3 and that before ever a hand was stretch'd forth to touch either his bone or his flesh Seventhly Is there no stroke but what the hand gives Yes the tongue can strike as well as the best Jere tels us so Venite percutiamus eum lingua come let us smite him with the tongue Jer. 18 18. and David said His tongue was a two-edged sword There is saith Solomon that speaketh and that waiteth too like the piercing of a sword It is bad enough in any or against any man but worst of all against the Lords Anointed for it is said Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor speak evil of
God that must not be touch'd it was not all the seed of Abraham who have this noli me tangere about them but it was Abraham Isaac and Jacob for whose sake God reproved Kings as they are plainly nominated in the same Psalm and none else if there be mention made of the seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob were the seed of Abraham who were else mentioned and though we cannot comprehend these three under the notion of nominall Kings yet we may be pleased to consider them as reall Princes Principi Dei es inter nos as it was said to Abraham thou art a mighty Prince amongst us so Kings may be reproved for their sakes they may be Kings too and yet the Lords Anointed for whose sake Kings were reproved for we doe not dispute about the name but the thing now wheresoever you find this word nolite tangere you shall find this word saying going before it which of necessity must have some reference to some other place of Scripture to which it must allude and in reference to which it must be spoken for the word saying makes it rather a question of some Authour then the Psalmist's own this allusion you may easily perceive Gen. 26.11 where it is set down how that God touched the heart of Abimelech King of the Philistims in the behalfe of Isaac one of the three named in the Psalm so that King Abimelech charged all his people saying He that toucheth this man shall surely die So Abimelech and King Herod were both reproved for Abrahams sake Gen. 12.10 and to what place of Scripture can this nolite tangere be more aptly applied then to this where we find the same words reiterated or what clearer testimony can be given of the Scriptures alluding to this saying Touch not mine Anointed then to Gen. 16.29 where totidem verbis it is said to Abimelech in the â—ehalfe of Isaac we have not touched thee â—â—ou blessed of the Lord what difference â—etween these words and touch not mine Anointed Besides the Marginall notes of all our Bibles directs us to Abraham Isaac and Jacob as to the Anointed of the Lord â—nd as the Princes of Gods people which must not be touch'd and for whose sakes Kings were so much reproved the word King in the text doth not exclude â—hose who were Princes but it only includes those Princes who were called Kings and were reproved for their sakes who were Kings themselves re though not nomine so that all the ground that will be gained hereby will be that one Prince was reproved for another though not called Kings To conclude as no Christians ever interpreted this place of Scripture but of Kings and Princes untill Jesuites and Puritans undertook that it is lawfull to murder Kings So no English Author ever interpreted it otherwise till within this 7 or 8 years when Presbyters and Independents began to put this doctrine in execution and if the former of these two would wash their hands in innocency as relating to this last unparallel'd act of Regicide let them remember CHARLS the Proto-Martyr of Gods Church and People His own words in his Book of Meditations wherein He tels them how vaine is the shift of their pleading exemption from that aspersion to grant Commission for shooting of bullets of Iron and Lead in his face and preserving Him in a Parenthesis of words CHAP. XI Objection REhoboam hearkened unto young men which gave him evil councell and would not hearken unto his sages which gave him good advice but answered the people roughly wherefore they renounced the right they had in David and the inheritance they had in the son of Jesse fled to their Tents and Crowned Jeroboam King Ergo we may doe the like upon the like occasion hahaving a president from the word of God and warrantable because God said This thing was from the Lord 1 Kings 13.8 Answer All this proves only that such a thing was don not that it was well don for if it be a sufficient proof to prove out of Scripture that such a thing was don and thereupon conclude that therefore we may do the like then this is as good an argument as the best Judas betraid Christ therefore it is lawfull for a servant to betray his Lord and Master first the Scripture blames him in a most patheticall climax 1 Kings 11.26 Jeroboam the son of Nebat the servant of Solomon whose mothers name was Zeruah even he lifted up his hand against the King shewing how he had desperately run through all those obligations and ties that were upon him 2ly he al his adherents are called Rebels for their paines not only by Abijah his enemy but also by the holy Ghost who is enemy to none who are not Gods enemies 2 Chron. 10.19 And Israel Rebelled against the house of David unto this day his adherents were termed in Scripture â—aine men and sons of Belial they were punished with a destruction of five hundred thousand of them which was one hundred thousand more then there were true subjects for the slaughter the Scripture saith God smote Abraham verse 5. If it be objected that the thing could not but be well done because God saith 1 Kings 14. I exalted thee from among the people and made thee Prince over my people Israel and rent the Kingdom from the house of David and gave it thee then it could not but be well done of Rehoboam by the same reason to answer the people as he did for it is written that Rehoboam hearkened not unto the people for the â—ause was from God that he might performe the saying which he spake by Abijah unto Jeroboam the son of Nebaâ— 1 Kings 12.15 both were passive and neither of them could resist the will of God but these places of Scripture are often times mistaken and misapplied and interpreted either by those who are not well acquainted with the nature of Scripture language or else by those who wilfully and wickedly laid hold of such a meaning as the Scripture may seeme to give them leave for all these and the like places of Scripture we must noâ— take as Gods beneplacence or approbation but only for his permission for â—therwise we should make a mad piece â—f worke of it for God said 1 Sam. 12. â—1 I will raise up evil against thee out of thine 〈◊〉 house and I will take thy wives before â—â—ine eyes and give them to thy neighbour â—nd he shall lie with them in the sight of the â—â—n doth this justifie Absolon for lying with his fathers wives and concubines â—n the sight of all Israel Is there any euil â—hat I have not done it saith the Lord therefore did the Citizens do well to do evill because the Lord said I did it God did it that is to say he caused it to be done as the evill of punishment not as the tolleration of evill so this thing was from the Lord that is to say the Lord suffered such a thing to
goodnesse that is in all â—hese three kind of Governments of Monarchy in the King of Aristocracy â—n the Peers of Democracy in the House of Commons where the acerbities of any one is taken away by their being all three together but if one will be all â—hen all will be nothing This stupendiously wise and Noble way of Government had its dissolution by inverting the course it took in its originall When the first William had Conquered the Nation the Normans would not admit that any Laws should be observed or rules obeyed but only the will of the Conquerour and why so but because thereby the Conquerour might take away the Estates of any English-man and give them to his Conquering Normans But in process of time when these Normans became English they began to insist a little upon mâ—um and tuum and would know the what that was belonging to the King as a King and to themselves as Subjects for by the former rule the King might as well take away the Estates from one Norman and give it to another as he did formerly from the English and give to his Normans wherefore they would have no more of that but joyntly and unanimously Petitioned the King to the same effect the King thought it reasonable condescends to their desires consultation was about the premises the result of the consultation was that the King should issue out Writs to the Lords Spirituall who in those dayes were thought the wisest and most Consciencious to reason with the King and advise with him as well concerning the bounding of the Ocean of Soveraignty as bridling in the petty Rivers of private interest These Spirituall Lords thought it a work of too high a nature for their private undertakings wherefore they supplicated his Majesty that the Lords Temporall might be also summoned by Writ and joyn with them in the same Authority 't was done accordingly being done they both thought it a businesse so transcendent and of so universall concernment that they found a way to involve the whole Nation in a joynt consent which was that all Free-holders in the Kingdome in their severall precincts might by the election of two in every County disimbogue all their suffrages into theirs and to remaine the Countries proxies to Vote for and to be directed by their several Countries and thus the Commons were brought in but behold the Viper that eats through the sides of its own Parent behold the Asses foale who when she hath done sucking kicks her own dam The King brings in the Lords Spirituall the Lords Spirituall bring in the Lords Temporall both bring in the Commons the Commons destroy both both destroy the King Neither was Kingship as they call it and Episcopacy better rewarded for being the principall and so zealous reformers of the Gospel to have both their Crowns and Miters broke in pieces by the same hammer of reformation and the wals of their Pallaces mingled with Abby dust casting thereby such a blot upon the very name of Reformation that it will scarce be legible by Christians except what went before and what may follow after may help the future ages to the true sence and meaning of the word thus Rivers run backwards and drowne their own Head thus the monsterous Children who are borne with teeth in their mouthes bite of the nipple and starve themselves for lack of sustenance thus blind Sampsons revenge themselvâ—s upon their enemies by pulling downe the house upon their own heads thus the formes of the most glorious government of a Church State are wounded to death through the sides of Reformation If you are not I am sure you will ere it be long be satisfied that all the specious pretences of popular Government Free-State Liberty of the Subject are but figments and delusions of the people obtruded by vaine-glorious and haughty men who knowing that they could not be that one Governour of all the rest yet they hope to be one of many thus foolish children set their fathers barnes full of Corne on fire to warme their hands when they are ready to starve for lack of bread who had not rather live under a Government wherein a man iâ— only bound to submit to him whom it is honour to obey then to live under a Government where every man is a slave because every one is a Master Finally my opinion is this I had rather have my liberty to kneel before a Throne then 〈◊〉 be the tallest man in a crowd and should â—â—inke it more for my â—ase and honour CHAP. XIV That there is no such thing as a Free-State in the World IF by a Free-State you mean a people who have shook off their Allegiance to their Prince there are many such Free-States to be found but a beggars-bush or a company of Gipsies who propound to themselves new Laws renouncing the old and yet chuse a King and Queen amongst themselves pleasing one another with a selfe-conceited opinion of a thing they call Liberty which is no otherwise then an ignoble bondage of their own chosing preferring the correction of a bundle of rods because their own hands have made them before the sway-meant of a Scepter which God himself hath put into their Soveraignes hand is as good a Common-wealth or Free-State as the best but if you mean by a Free-State a freedom from Tyranny you will be as far to seek for any such thing in rerum natura as for a reason why tyranny may not be in many as well as in one But if you mean by freedome an exemption from all such tyrannicall oppressions as are expressed in the Petition of Right I see not why such a Free-State may not be under a Monarchy certainly I have seen such Petitions and insistances during the late Kings Reigne as having relation to Free-born people of England and should thinke that the Magna Charta defended by one who had power to make it good against the infringement of many breakers and by a Parliament of many authorized to the same purpose against the pessundation of it by any one be it by the highest may not be as good a way to make preserve and keep a Nation free as well as the intrusting of a Nations freedome into the hands of a few whose Independency deny all remedies to be either above them or below them It may be it will not be thought tedious if I entertaine your eye and consideration with some observations of my owne in those Free-states of Christendome as they call themselves wherein I have been I shall begin with the Free-State of Genoa wherein I have been resident some time and the rather because whilst England was a Kingdome they could not have the face to stand in any competition with us but now the Kings armes were cut off as well as his head how should we do to make a distinction between them and us for both the State of Genoa and the State of England give the very same coat of Armes and
they admit of many being there is bâ—â— one This I speak in reference to the Country not to particular men Neither is there a sort of Christians in the world who are less servants unto Christ if it be enough to make them so to be the greatest prophaners of his day for the Sabbath day is only distinguished from other daies by a Sermon in the Church and the Alehouse being full of Mechannicks drinking and carousing from morning untill night the shops are open and buying and selling all the day long excepting halfe the window which is to distinguish the day but the door is open to let in the buyers and the other halfe of the window is open to let in the light and wonderfully strange it is and remarkable to consider how these people who shook off their allegiance to their Prince upon pretences of Reformation should be so besotted as to fall into such a strange and unheard heard of prophanenesse of him and the day whereon Christ himself is to be worshipped as in their Metropolis or chief City to have a dog â—arket kept to the utter scandall of â—â—ue Religion and Christianity it selfe â—â—is is no more then what I have seen â—â—d if it were not true it were easily reâ—â—rned upon my self as the greatest imâ—â—udence that could be imagined but O â—â—e partiality of the picture-drawer â—hen he receives large wages for a siâ—ilitude he insults over his own work â—nly because it is like when the face it â—elf is most abhominable Now for their freedome from Tyâ—anny and oppression if the Turkes or Tartars had conquered them they never would nor never did where ever they extended their dominions impose such taxes and rates as they have imposed on one another incredible even to the full value of the severall commodities which run through their natives hands but you will aske me how it is possible they should live then to which I answer you by sharking and cosening of strangers Let any forraigners come there and ask for a dinner and for such a dinner as they may well afford for eight pence a piece they will ask you five shillings a man find but the least fault with them and they will demand twelve pence a piece more for fouling of linnen and if you seem angry at that you shall mend your self with the payment of six pence a piece over and above for fouling the roome and seeke a remedy and you shall be told the Prince of Orange himself if he were there could not help it altom all is all the reason they will give you if in sadnesse you shall complaine of such abuses to indifferent Judges they will tell you that the States do lay such heavy taxes upon the Inhabitants that they are faine to fly to such shifts for their subsistance thus men pleased with the itch of Innovation are contented to scratch the bloud out of their own bodies till they feel the greatest smart rather then their Physitian should let out a little spare bloud to cure the disease and preserve them in good health but you will say that for all this they thrive and prosper abundantly so do the Argiers men but with what credit and reputation in the eye of the world I believe both alike It was not their strength or policy which brought them to this height and flourishing condition but it was our policy of State in â—â—mulation to other Princes which helâ—ed these calfes to Lions hearts teeth â—nd clawes untill the high and mighty â—utter-boxes stood in competition with the Crowne and I am afraid the siding with such Rebels hath turned Rebelâ—ion into our own bosomes as a just â—udgement from that God who is a reâ—enger of all such iniquities they may call it the Schoole of War whilst wanting a good cause it could be no otherwise then the Christians shambles I should be sorry that Holland should be the English-mans Looking-glasse a spur for his feet or a copy for his hand I hope the hand of providence will cure us like the Physitian who cur'd his patient by improving his disease from a gentle Ague to a high Feaver that he might the better help him CHAP. XV That Episcopacy is Jure Divino IN this discourse I shall not trouble my selfe nor you with Titles Names and words of Apostles Evangelists Arch-Bishops Bishops Patriarchs Presbyters Ministers Angels of Churches c. which were all from the highest to the lowest but tearmes reciprocal and were often taken in the Church of God and in the Scripture it self for one and the same for if any man though never so meane a Minister of the Gospel converted any Nation the Church ever called him the Apostle of that Country as Austin though but a Monke was every where tearmed the Apostle of England and Saint Paul being an Apostle stiles himselfe a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Paul bids Timothy being a Bishop to do the work of an Evangelist and therefore no wonder if Bishops and Presbyters be â—ften mentioned for one and the same â—ut it is a great wonder that any manâ—er of men should make this a ground â—or any argument against Episcopacy â—hese kind of arguments instead of striâ—ing fire that should light the candle â—hey do but pin napkins over our eyes â—nd turne us round untill we know â—ot where we are and then we grope â—or we know not who and lay hold â—f we know not what he that will â—ut down this over-grown up-start tree â—f errour must first clear his way to the â—oot and brush away all those bramâ—les and briers which grow about it â—e must not leave any thing standing â—hat may lay hold of the hatchet and â—eviate the stroke turning the same â—dge upon the feller that was intended â—or the tree if we should insist upon â—ames and titles we should make but a â—onfounded piece of worke and run our â—elves into a most inextricable labourinth and Mazes of errour Where we might run and go forwards and backwards and round about and nere the near Christs are Kings Kings are Gods God is Christ and Christ is Biâ—hop of our souls Bishops are Presbyters Presbyters are Ministers a Minister is an Apostle an Apostle is a Minister and so if you will quite back againe I must put off these as David threw away Sauls Armour non possum incedere cum iis I love to knock down this monstrum informe ingens in lumen ademptum with a blunt stone taken out of a clear River which with the sling of application may serve well enough to slay this erroneous Philistine though he were far greater then he is In the first place therefore let as understand what is meant by Jus Divinum if any man meanes that Episcopacy is so Jure Divino that it is unalterable and must continue at all times and in all places so that where it is left off there can be no Church he meanes to give much offence and little reason for there
and so observe him all along through the whole tract of time we will consider how it dealt with the first Prince under whose Dominions it pullulated which was under the Prince and Bishop of Geneva and these two were both nullified in the same person as they were both here in England by the same Parliament verefying that maxâ—m of ours with that fore-running of theirs No Bishop No King and then we will shew you how they dealt with our Princes here at home where ever they had a power viz. with Mary Queen of Scots and James and Charls the First Kings of England and of Scotland both and then usurpe a power themselves higher then Popes or Kings Calvin with his gladiators having expuls'd the Prince and Bishop of Geneva sets up a government so high and unexpected that the people would have nothing to do either with him or his government and thereupon they banished him the City Calvin in exile bethinkes himselfe how he might appease their fury and give them satisfaction and be invited in again Calvinus de tristibus thinks it his best course of endearing himself unto the people to make them sharers with him in the government whereupon he invented his new fangle of Lay-Elders and so all parties were agreed In comes Mr John Calvin whilst he was scarce warme in his seat I shall present you with a story of him and of his demeanour of himself towards the temporall Throne There was a Noble-man of Italy who liked the Reformation which he had begun so well that he forsook his Religion and Country sold his Lands and fortune converted all into money and took sanctuary in Geneva as soon as he came there great rejoycing insulting there was that their cause was honored with so high a convert The grand Seigniour fals a building directing his Masons he found one of them something more sawcy then to what his Lordship in his own Country had been accustomed little thinking that where there was promised so large a respect of souls there had been so little respect of persons this Noble-man hereupon gives this Mason a gentle tap upon the head the Mason flies upon him like a Dragon and fhakes him by the beard my Lord not being used to such course salutations stabs him with his dagger thinking nothing lesse but that so high a provocation would have pleaded his indempnity no such matter my Lord was soon â—aid hold on and brought to his triall Calvin upon the tribunall not as a â—emporall Judge in such cases take â—eed of him but only to be asked his opinion in cases of Conscience the Delinquent pleads for himself tels them â—ow insolently he was provoked and wonders considering such provocation he should be questioned for so vile a â—arlet Hereupon Mr Calvin soon starts up and tels him that with God whose seat they held there was no respect of persons and for ought he knew that man whom he despis'd to death was as near and dear to God and his favour as himself their Laws knew no such distinction as man-slaughter and murder but they were regulated by the Divine Law that told them that the man that shed mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed that there was no exemption by greatnesse nor buying it off by favour the Noble-man replied that he had not been long enough amongst them to be acquainted with their Laws it was answered that the law of Nature did forbid that of which he could not be ignorant all this was well enough My Lord told them how hard a case it would be for a man out of his love and liking to the place and manners should seeke to it as a sanctuary for his conscience and so soon find it his grave that he was heartily sorry for what he had done and would give any satisfaction to his wife and children that the Court should order or his estate allow hâ— intended the man no hurt before such rough hands shook him out of himself that he knew not what he did and therefore he humbly begg'd their pardon assuring theâ— for the future that his waies should be so directly answerable to those paths they walked in that he would not by Gods grace hereafter step aside the temporall Judges wonne with his humble and submisse behaviour began to relent and desired Mr Calvin to abate a little of his rigour for the reasons before mentioned assuring him that his case was no common case and therefore it ought to have respect accordingly hereupon there grew a hot dispute between the spirituall and the temporall Judges Calvin remained stiffe in his opinion and would not be bent to the least mercy the Nobleman thought to throw one graine of reason more into the ballance that should turne the scales and that should be taken out of a consideration had of their own good for saith he if you shed my bloud hand over head without any the least respect had to my years to my birth to my education to the little time I had of being acquainted with your Laws nor to the provocation it self nor to the suddennesse of the action nor to the surprize of all my senses nor to the satisfation I would have given nor ro the repentance of my very soul who will come amongst you what Lord or Gentleman will live within your wals wherefore if you will have no consideration of me yet consider your selves consider what a blow it wil give to your Religion how many this very thing will stave off from ever having any thing to do with you by this time they were all prone to mercy but Calvin alone who stands up and cries fiat justitia ruat Caelum neither could he be brought to give his opinion that the Jury as we call them might not passe upon him but out went the Jury and contrary to their owne Law hearing the Noble-mans plea and observing well the inclination of the Bench in generall they brought in their verdict not guilty whereupon the Noble-man was acquitted hereupon John Calvin rises from the Bench and whilst the rest proceeded to their matters cals all the Ministers within the Wals and liberties of Geneva who appear before the Judgement sets with white wans in their hands which they laid down telling them that with those wans they laid down their offices protesting that they would never preach the Gospel to a people whose humane Laws should run contrary to the Laws Divine and suddenly turned about and took their leave which being acted with so much gravity wrought so much upon the beholders that they presently sent for them back againe and hanged the Noble-man This story I have read in their own History in Geneva then which my thoughts were then as they are still that never any Pope of Rome did act as Pope of Rome or so much as claime halfe that authority over the Civill Magistrate as this anti-pope did virtually act and yet was not ashamed to make lesser matters then this the