by the advice 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 take a little advice from that heart that is so directed by that hand the Kings head never plotted treason against the Crown and no man can wish better to his Majesty then the King I speak not this in derogation either of the Great or Privy Councel for it is written in the multitude of councellors there is safety but in defence only of these sons of Oyl who are Supreme in both And as it is true that the King is but one man so it is also true that one man is worth ten thousand of the people Thou art worth ten thousands of us though all his worthies were in place 2 Sam. 18.3 And though it be true that the King hath a soul to be saved as well as others yet it is also true that he should have no body to be crucified by his Subjects out of their dis-esteem of his person the ceremonies of State as Anointing sitting in Thrones holding of Scepters and coronation it self being to be exploded now a days and who look'd for it otherwise when the lawful and decent ceremonies of the Church were called reliques of Popery and raggs of the whore of Babilon was it otherwise to be expected but that they would call these ceremonies of state theatrica pompa Stage plays Toyes tush say they what need all these Popperies a Kings Throne is his â—ustice his Crown his Honour his Scpeter and heifest strength the peoples hearts his holy Oyl is his Religion and zeal to Gods Glory and so it is what then may we not have the signs and the things signified also because the true receiving of the Communion is the receiving of the body and blood of Christ by faith therefore shall we have no bread and wine Or because that true Baptism is the washing away of original sin with the laâ—er 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 lay his hand upon the Lords Messiah for the Lords Anointed 1 Sam. 26.9 In the Greek who can lay his hand upon the Lords Christ. Kings are taken into the society of Gods name Dixi dii estiâ— I have said ye are Gods and here into the society of Christs name and all to terrifie subjects from lifting up their hands against the Lords Anointed as much as if he were God or Christ himself Again Kings are not termed uncti Domini for that were no prerogative to them at all but Christi Domini for not only persons but things also were Anointed under the Law not only Kings but Priests and Prophets likewise neither did it rest there but it extended to the Tabernacle it self and ran down to the vessels thereof even to the very Fireforks Ashpans and Snuffers but unto whom said he any time tu es 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 Christi mei mine anointed six times to God Christi tui thine anointed ten times of God Christi ejus his anointed twelve times in terms terminant Christi Domini the Lords anointed and therefore the olâ— Translator observed it rightly when in the same word in the Hebrew and the Greek he speaks of the priest he translates it unctus but when of the King always Christus And as they are not uncti but Christi so they are not Christi populi but Christi Domini not the people 's Anointed but the Lords Anointed there may be a master of the ceremonies but there must be no master of the substance they are the Lord 's Christs and they hold their Kingdoms under him in Kings service neithâ—r are the Kingdoms of the Earth any bodies else but Gods The Kingdoms are Gods Dan. 4.17 neither 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 are they may thank him and none else Secondly They are the Lords because that by him anâ— in him and through him thâ—y have their Dominion and regiment from him they have their Crowns from his hands their Coronation Diâ—dema Regis in manu Dei Esay 60.3 The â—oyal Diadem is in the hand of God and out of that hand he will not part with it so much as for another to place it upon the Kings head but it must be tu posuisti tu Domine Thou O Lord hast set a Crown of pure Gold upon his head Psal. 21.3 The Emperours used to stamp their Coyn with a hand coming out of the clouds holding a Crown and placing it upon their heads We have no such Hierogliphicks in our Coyn as a hand coming out of a cloud but we have grace from Heaven Dâ—i gratia 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 Lord 's 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 Dâ—i in 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 DROIT GOD AND MY RIGHT none else have to do with it the Scepter of a Kingdom in the hands of a King is the livery and seisin which is given him by God of the whole Miliâ—ia 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 sedebat Solomon in Throno Dei â—olomon sate upon Gods Throne 1 Chro. 29.23 but if Solomon should have lived in these our days instead of his six steps to 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-stool of Gold under his feet he should have much ado 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 cach side as a guard unto his Throne he should have found many Lyons without regard running up and down 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. 89.20 It is not with any common or vulgar Oyl or Oyl that any lays claim to but himself but it is Oleo meo my oyl neither is it oyl that was fetch'd out of any common Shop or Warehouse but it is Oleo sancto with holy oyl oyl out of the Sanctuary And no question but this is a main 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 persuade the King out of the Church into the Barn 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 thorns to plat it on his head Thus you see the reasons why Kings are called the Lords Anointed because the Lord hath appropriated them unto himself not in a common and general way but in a particular and exclusive manner my King my Kingdom my Crown my Scepter my Throne my Oyl where is there left any place for claim 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 guiltless 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 evil man to rule over them saith 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 Anointeâ— 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 Anointed Esay 43.4 Nero was no good Emperour but a Monster of man-kind yet Saint Peter in whose days he wrote his Epistle commanded all Christians to submit to him 1 Pet. 2.13 Hasael 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 dust by thresâ—ing 2 Kings 13.7 one that will set their strong holds on fire slay their young men with the sword dash their children against the wall and rip up their women with child insomuch that it made the Prophet weep to foresee all the miseries that should happen 2 King 8.12 insomuch that it made Hasael himself when he was told thereof cry out is thy servant a Dogg that he should do all these things vers 13. yet for all this Goâ— will have him to be King and it be put to scourge his people the Lord hath shewed mâ— that thou shalt be King over Syria vers 13. Julian when from his Christianity he fell to flat Paganiâ—m 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 cruel and bloody Emperours were persecuting the poor Christians they were fitting their necks for the Yoke and teaching one another postures how they might stand fairest for the stroke of Death And this was not quia deerant 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 apologetical defence of the Christians of those times una nox pauculis faculis c. One night with a few firebrands will yield us sufficient revenge if we durst by reason of our Christian obligation and shews how they neither wanted forces or numbers and that neither the Moors or the Persians or any other Nation whatsoever were more mighty or more populous than they and how they filled all places Towns Cities Imperial Palaces Senates and Seats of Judgment and that they could do any thing in their revenge if it were any thing lawful 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 â— Renecheruâ— with the rest of the pillars of the Puritan Anarchy do answer being graâ—el'd at the practice of the primitive Chriâ—tians anâ— those precepts of the holy Apostlâ— that the Church then as it were swathed in the bonds of weakness had not strength enough to make powerful resistance and therefore so the one taught and the other obeyed but if this doctrine were allowable then would inevitably follow these two gross absuâ—dities 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 turn Politician and become a timeserver or else the Church must lose the means of its being and substance Whereas we know the contrary so well that when Acies Ecclesiâ—e was so far from its bene ordinâ—ta that wâ—en all the Souldiers fled and the Life-guard â—outed the Lord of â—ost the General himself taken Prisoner yet then like the Sun looking biggest in lowest estate so the son of righteousness think ye not that I can pray unto my Father and he will send Legions of Angels and rathâ—r than Gods children shall be oppressed by a company of Egyptians if it be his pleasure to deliver them he can without the drawing of one Sword turn Rivers into blood produce an Army of Froggs to destroy them and rather than they should be necessitated for lack of means send swarms of Flies that may serve them in the stead of so many rescuing Angels and therefore it was not any necessity that the Church was or could be in that procured in the Apoâ—tlâ—s or the first Christians either that doctrine or that use it was not disability but duty not want of strength but a reverend 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 cruel 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 as the people were wont to say when they fell down before the Ass that carried the Image of the Godâ—ess Isis upon his back non tibi sed Religioni if thy conscience condemns thee God is greater than 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 express of his word Now God gives us express command that we should not touch his Anointed what condition soever they are of Nolite Tangâ—re Christos meos touch not mine anointeâ— anâ— where Gods rules are general we must not put in exceptions of our own for the wickedness of a King can no more make void Gods ordinance of our obedience unto him then mans unbelief can frustrate Gods decree in us Rom. 3.3 Let Saul be wicked anâ— let wicked Saul be but once Anointed David states the question neither concerning Saul nor his wickedness but whether he being the Lords anointed there 's the business it is lawful to stretch forth a hand against him Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26.9 CHAP. VI. Whether upon any pretences whatsoever it be lawful to depose murder or so much as to touch the Lords Anointed THere was the first time that ever it was put to the Vote whether a King might be put to death or not but it was resolved upon the question in that Parliament Ne perdas destroy him not it is well that David had a negative voice or else it had been but a bad president for Kings it is well that the men with whom David had this parley would hearken unto reason and let that sway them otherwise David might have been forced to fly as fast away from his own men as he did at first from Saul for there wanted no Lay-preachers then to preach the destruction and slaughter of Princes under the pretences of wicked Government and tyranny who had the trick then as well as now to couch their foul meaning in good words and Scripture phrase with a dixit Dominus when the Lord said no such thing as Davids Zealots 1 Sam. 24.5 This is the day whereof the Lord said unto thee I will deliver thine Enemy into thine hand and thou shalt do unto him what as shall seem good unto thee that is thou shalt murder him that was their meaning though the word was a good word and we do not read where the Lord said any such thing at all So Abishai 1 Sam. 26.8 God hath delivered thine enemy into â—hine 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 I will make no such bad use of his deliverance I had rather hereby shew him his own error 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 Patridg in the Wilderness when he might have caught the Eagle in the Nest he pacified Sauls Anger by inabling his power to hurt sent him his spear it seems he did not think it fit to keep the Kings Militia in his hands and humbly beggs Let not my blood fall to the earth when if it had not been for David Abishai would have smiten Saul unto the earth at once so that he needed not to have smitten him the second time but David would not destroy him not saith he and his reason was Quis potest Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless Another most Notable demonstration of Davids innocency and subjection unto a hard Master a most tyrannical King cruel Saul we have 1 Sam. 24. When in the Cave of Engildi David might have cut off Sauls head like precious oyntment he descends only to the skirts of his garment and with a Quid feci checks himself and beshrews his heart that he had done so much and upon a little looking back of Saul as if he had put on rays of Majesty David bows and stoops with his face to the earth to him when he might have laid his honour in the dust call'd him my Father when that Father came to sacrifice him upon the mountains and Isaac-like nothing but See my Father when he could see nothing but fire and sword and himself also the lamb ready for the sacrifice A true Isacc though many young men staid behind with the Ass 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 knaw into the very bowels of his Soveraign yet he will assume no farther power to hurt than to the biting of a Flea after whom is the King of Israel come out After a Flea Afteâ— whom doth Saul pursue After a dead Dog When he might have caught the Lion in the toyle I could easily be endless in instances of the like nature as our Saviour Christs obedience to the death under the raign of Tiberius his Disciples unâ—er Nero Claudius and Caligula whose governments were 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 mouths 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 confess that his Disciples could do something Yet nothing was done or attempted against those wicked cruel and pagan Emperours one instance shall suffice for all what mischief or injury could be done more to a people then Nebuchadonozer King of Babylon did unto the Jews who slew their King their Noble their Parents their Children and kinsfolks burnâ—d their Country
and the signification thereof is of a large extent for we stretch forth our hanâ—s when we do but lift up our heels in scorn against him Who so lifteth up his heel Psalm 41.9 Secondly We stretch forth our hanâ—s againâ—t the Lords Anointed whâ—n we do but raise up Arms 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 againâ—t the Lords Anointed when we stretch not our Tongue and Voice when we hear of any Traiterous plots or conspiracies against the Lords Anointeâ— and so bring such conspiracies to light It is a foul thing to hear the voice of conspiracy and not to utter it Lev. 5.1 as good lay thy hand upon the Lords Anointed as lay thy hand upon thy Mouth and conceal the Tâ—eason Fourthly We stretch forth our hands against the Lords Anointed when we do 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 Father fiercely assaulteâ— and should not presently run to 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 like a true son such outrages and violences to be committed against the Father of his Country Fifthly We touch the Lords Anointed when we touch his Crown and Dignity intrench upon his Regalia holâ— or withhold his sons or daughters kill or take prisoners his men of War We must take heed of â—efacing the garment as well as of hurting the person for they are both Sacred the precious Oynâ—ment 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 tâ—erefore are worse than when we touch the person with the greatest violence for then the Anoâ—nteâ— are moâ—t toucheâ— wâ—en they are touchâ—d where the Anointeâ— is which is their â—tate and Crown dearer to them than their lives touch botâ— â—â—e murâ—er of the person is but a consequence to the dâ—posement of the dignity Sixthly we touch the Lords Anointed when we take away hâ—s reâ—enue and liâ—elâ—hood from him the Devil thought that he haâ— stretched forth his hand exceeâ—inâ—ly againâ—t Job touch'd and touchâ—d him to the quick when he had procured Gods permission that the Sabeans and Caldeans should take away his Oxen and Asses his Sâ—eep and Camels and plundered him of all he had God called this a destraction unto Joâ— Job 2.3 and that before ever a hand was stretched 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 Jer. tells us so Venite percutiamus cum 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 againâ—t the Lords Anointed for it is said Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor speak evil of the Ruler of the People Saint Paul but for calling of 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 error 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 lo â—uare durius see thou give no ill language certainly expects that â—ubjects should set a watch before their mouths to keep the door of their lips lest they offend with their tongue in speaking ill of Princes Eighthly 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 air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall â—â—ll the matter The hand implies both never was the hand stretched forth to any evil act but the hâ—art was thâ— pâ—ivy Counsellor and the tongue the chief pâ—rswader unto such enormities therefore it is gooâ— obstare princiâ—iis to cruâ—h the cockatrice egg kill it in the heaâ—t lest those pravae cogiâ—atiâ—â—es 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 and tongue and pen where thus regulated we need not long look for peace or despair of an accommodation but whilst the hand is up and the heart is set at liberty and the tongue saith Our tongues are our own we ought to speak who is Lord over us and every pen is a ready writer in matters pertaining to the King in vain it is to seem Christians whilâ—t we are such Antichrists the Bible under our arm falls to the ground whilâ—t 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 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 Crocodiles in the River It seems by the story that Kings may be coursely dealt withal if men make no bones of being guilty they stand like the forbidden Tree in the midst of the Paradise of God mâ—n 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 the tree how could there have been a trial of Adams obedience So if God by some instinct had chained the hearts of men and tied their hands and bound them to the peace so that they could neither in thought word nor deed have committed violence against his Vicegerent how could there have been a trial of the Subjects duty the Tree had no guard nor fence about it but only thou shalt not eat thereof if thou doest thou shalt surely die the death Princes have no better security for themselves than the Almighties command for their preservation â—olite Tangere c. Touch not mine Anointed to break the First was but death the second is damnation if thou resist the higher powers you resist the highest God and he that resiâ—teth shall be damned Romans 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
mens hearts and then again this durities cordis never went so far as that the woman might put away her husband but only the husband his wife and that only in the case of Adultery and if it had been otherwise it had but a late beginning a bad foundation for our Saviour saith Mat. 19.8 In principio autem non erat sic It was not so from the beginning and a hard heart is but a bad foundation for a good Christian to build upon I will conclude this application with words not of my own but of Saint Paul which words are a commandement Neither is it I saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.10 but the Lord that gives you this commandement Let not the wife depart from her husband no if she be an heretique or which is worse a heathen If the woman hath a busband which believeth not iâ— he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him 1 Cor. 7.13 If I would resist my Soveraign in any kind it should be for my Religion but when my Religion tells me that I must not resist him in any case then I think I should but do in doing so like the boasting Jew Rom. 2.13 who boasted of the Law and dishonoured God through breaking of that Law which he had boasted of What if some did not believe shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect saith Paul Rom. 3.3 God forbid no more can the wickedness of a King make void Gods Ordinance of our obedience unto him our obedience must look upon Gods command not upon the Kings good behaviour God doth not command things because they are fitting but it is fit that we should obey because he commands them neither ought we to have respect so much unto the goodness as unto the Authority of a King for Kings do not consist in this that they are good but in this that they are Kings for as it is possible for one to be a good man and a bad King so it is often seen that a bad man may be a good King and it is an observation here at homâ— that the best Laws have been made by the worst of Kings It is an observation that divers Kingdoms have long continued in peace and happiness under bad Laws and worse Governours Well observed when unwarrantable attempts to better both and inconsiderable courses to mend all hath brought all to ruin and confusion He that sets a Kingdom in combustion to advance his own opinion and prefer his private judgment doth but set his house on fire to roast his Eggs. God makes Kings of several conditions sometimes he gives a King whose wisdom and reach in Government is like Sauls head and shoulders higher then all the People And then when we have wise Kings and learned Judges Psal. 2.10 we shall be sure to have all those Breakers of their bonds asunder and those casters away of their cords from them v. 5. to be bruised with a Rod of Iron and broken in pieces like a Potters vessel v. 9. Sometimes God will send us a little child sometimes a child in years otherwhile a child in understanding which of both it be Vae regno saith Solomon cui puer dominabitur wo to the Kingdom over which a child Reigns for then the whole Kingdom is sure to be put upon the rack Sometimes God in his judgment sends a Tyrant amongst us I will set an evil man to rule over them saith God himself and then we are never in hope to be from under the lash and sometimes in mercy he sends meek and mild Princes like Moses who carried his People in his bosom 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 I have no power to do hurt but to do good to edification but not to 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 amarae sagittae yet when we consider that they are e dulci manu domini emissae we should not refuse them but be contented with whomsoever his mercy or his justice senâ—s 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 chilâ—ren and shall we kiss or snatch the Rod out of our Fathers hand To conclude there is nothing can disoblidge the people from their King because bis Authority over them is a domino from the Lord but their obedience towards him is propter dominum for the Lords sake though in himself there be all the reasons that can 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 sole elect and to hear his Father tell him deus 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 I 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 can any other interpretation whatsoever be obtruded upon this Text without a great deal of impudence and ignorance If there were no other argument to be used but this to a modest man it were sufficient viz. That not any Church nor any Church-men nor any Chriâ—tian nor any Father nor any Expositor whatsoever did ever give it any other interpretation before such time as the Jesuit and the Puritan and they both at a time and that time bearing not above an hundred yeers date neither began to teach the world that it was lawful to murther Kings and no marvel if this found some querk or other to turn the stream of Scripture sence out of its proper channel and constant course the two Birds of a Feather persecutors of one another like two fighting Cocks who quarrel amongst themselves being both of the same kind and yet both agree in taking counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed or like Pilate and Herod they could not agree but in the principles of condemning the Lords 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 aftâ—r 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 if
like occasion having a president from the word of God and warrantable because God said This thing was from the Lord 1 King 13.8 Answer All this proves only that such a thing was done not that it was well done for if it be a sufficient proof to prove out of Scripture that such a thing was done and thereupon conclude that therefore we may do the like then this is as good an argument as the best Judas betrayed Christ therefore it is lawful for a servant to betray his Lord and Master first the Scripture blames him in a most pathetical climax 1 Kings 11.26 Jeroboam the son of Nebat the servant of â—olomon 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 tyes that were upon him Secondly he and all his adherents are called Rebels for their pains 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 vain 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 v. 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 doâ—â— â—â—nts of Rehoboam by the same reason to ans the people as he did for it is written that Rehoboam hearkened not unto the people for the cause was from God that he might perform the saying which he spake by Abijah unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat 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 misapplyed and interpreted either by those who are not well acquainted with the nature of Scripture language or else by those who wilfully â—nd wickedly layed hold of such a meaning as the Scripture may seem to give them leave for all these and the like places of Scripture we must not take as Gods bene placence or approbation but only for his permission for otherwise we should make a mad piece of work of it for God said 1 Sam. 12.11 I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them to thy neighbour and he shall lye with them in the sight of the sun doth this justifie Absolom for lying with his Fathers wives and concubines in the sight of all Israel Is there any evil that I have not done it saith the Lord therefore did the Citizens do well to do evil because the Lord said I did it God did it that is to say he caused it to be done as the evil of punishment not as the tolleration of evil so this thing was from the Lord that is to say the Lord suffered such a thing to come to pass as a punishment of Solomon for his Idolatry on his posterity and yet â—â—ay no way approve of any such Rebellious courses neither was Rehoboam so much to be blamed for his answer as may be supposed nor the people justified in their Rebellion neither for they grounded their discontents upon a false ground for the people complained when there was no cause and demanâ—ed that which was not reason hear the whole grievance and consider it a little 1 Kings 12.4 Thy father made our yoke grievous that was false do thou make it light no reason for that for the people never lived happier neither before nor after then they did in this Kings Fathers time and might have done in his time if they had known when they had been well and Gods judgments would have suffered them to have seen it For 1. They were a populous Nation as the sand on the Sea for multitude 1 Kings 4.20 2. They liv'd merrily eating and drinking and making merry 3. The Nation was honoured abroad for Solomon reigned over all the Kings that were round about him v. 21. 4. They lived peaceably they had peace in all sides round about them v. 24. 5. They liv'd securely and quietly every man under his own Vine and under his own fig-tree 6. They had much Trading in his days and much merchandize 1 Kings 10.15 7. He was very beneficial to those Merchants for he gave Solomon not only large wisdom but largeness of heart and let those Merchants have commodities from them at a price v. 28. 8. He maintained a brave fleet at Sea 1 King 4.21 9. He made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as plentiful as stones and Cedars as Sicamore-trees 2 Chron. 1.16 10. These felicities were not only in the Court or among the Nobility or between the Citizens but they were universal even from Dan unto Beersheba 11. They were not for a spurt and no more or at one time and not at another but all the days of Solomon O me prope lassum juvate posteri Neither doth the Scripture make any mention of any such hard yoke at all only the margent of the Bible directs us from the complaint of the people to look upon the first Chapter of the Kings v. 7. and there you shall only find how Solomon had twelve Officers over all Israel which provided victuals for the King and his houshold each man his month in a year but here is but a very slender ground for a quarrel when the immediate verse after the naming of those twelve officers tells us that the multitude of people as numberless as the sand upon the â—ea shore were as merry eating and drinking as the King and this place unto which we are directed and no other to find out this grievousness appears by the context of the same Chapter to be mentioneâ— as an expression of Solomons glory and wisdom rather then of any tyranny or polling of his people for the whole relation ends with an expression that as the people were as the sand of the Sea for number so the largeness of the Kings heart extended as the largeness of the Sea for bounty all were partakers of it 1 Kings 4.29 Pardon me therefore if I think that Rehoboam had more reason to answer the people as he did then the people had just reason to complain O altiâ—udo O the unsearchable ways of God! where God suffers his people to be a rod to visit the sins of the fathers upon the children he permits them to take a wrong cause in hand that he may also cast the rod into the fire I pray God the Merchants of London be not too like those Merchants of Jerusalem who Traded so long until they brought over
their Cities their Jerusalem their Temple and carried the residue who were left alive Captives with him to Babylon And now behold then Nebuchadonozers good subjects will you hear what advice the Prophet Daniel gives them for all this Baruch 1.11 Pray you for the life of Nebuchadonozer King of Babylon and for the life of Balthazer his son that their days may be upon earth as the days 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 Balthazer his son and that we may serve them many days and find favour in their sight truly 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 fair and specious then those of defending the Church and redressing the Common-wealth For the first if Religion be any thing pushed at think you that Rebellion will keep it up or that it ever stood in need of such hands when God refused to have his Temple built by David because he was a fighter of the Lords Battels think you that he will have his Church defended by fighters against the Lords Anointed to defend Religion by Rebellion were to defend it by means condemned by the same Religion we would desend anâ— to reform or redress the Common-wealth by Insurrection and Rebellion were to rectifie an errour with the greatest of all mischiefs no government worse than a Civil War and the worâ—â— Goâ—ernour is always better than the best Rebellion Rebellion is as the sin of witchcrâ—ft and stubborness is as Idolatry and how perilous a thing it is for the Feet to judge the Head the subjects to chose whaâ— government and Governours they will have to condemn what and whom they please to make what pretences and surmises they have a mind to this Kingdom by woful experience hath had sad resentments Imbecillities and weaknesses in Princes are on 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 swarms 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 Boyls and blains were upon all the Egyptians and upon the Magicians so sore as they could not â—â—and 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 bâ— touch'd Did bsalom do well to conspire againâ—â— 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 Ahabs subjects to Rebellion because he suffered Jezabel 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 because he was unstable as water shall Simeon and Levi lose their Patriarchal dignity because they were brethren in iniquity and instruments of cruelty because in their anger they slew a man and in their self-will digged down a wall shall Judah be deposeâ— from his rule and government for making a bargain with an Harlot upon the high way shall Issachar 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. 28.6 Thou art a mighty Prince amongst us and thus much shall suffice and I hope sufficient to shew that no faults or pretences whatsoever can make it lawful to depose or so much as to touch the Lords Annointed CHAP. VII What is meant by touching the Lords Annointed or stretching forth the hand against the Lords Anointed NOt dare to touch the Lords Annointed is an awfull reverence and a supposed difference to be kept between every subject and his Soveraign espâ—cially in point of violence A Mother doubting the discretion of her Children and being to leave some curious looking glass in a place doth not comand her Children 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 make 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 representatioâ— of himself and â—nowing him to be but brittle and though the most refined Earth yet buâ— glass 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 pieces when they do 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 tangere 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 by chance the hands must not presently be in the head clawing with invenomed nails the corruption there lest that itching desire turn into smart in the end lest when the peaceable day springing from on high shall happily visit you that now sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death we then see our bloody hands and this once happy kingdom the only pillow whereon peace had laid her head streamed like the Egyptian River all with blood In a word by touching the Lords Anointed or by stretching forth the hands against him is meant any kind of violence that is used against sacred Majesty
a hand but an axe must be laid to the root of the tall Cedar of our Libanus yea they must be rooted up like the names of Taronius they will not leave so much as a stump of Nebuchadnezzers tree chain'd to the earth up must all root and branch till all the royal branches lie like sprey upon the ground these men had rather be destroyed themselves than say the Lords Anointed is not to be destroyed Go ye blind Zelots hearken to your Wives and let them perswade you to disobedience and the Devil them as Eve did Adam and the Devil her behold the objects she presents unto your view how good they seem how fair they look how pleasant they are to thine eye how wise you think you shaâ—â—â—e how full of knowledg when poor wretches you shall find all these promises tuâ—ned into Fig-leaves to hide your nakedness all these golden Apples of Palestine once toucht evaporated into stench and blindness and that your disobedience hath given you nothing but curses and brought you nothing but sorrows and Death upon your selves and children and profited you nothing but the turning of an Edom into a Wilderness 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 dye with grass in your mouths These things fell upon Adam for his disobedience unto God and the like will fall upon us the sons of Adam for our disobedience unto Gods Anointed O then let us not by any means lift up our hands against the Lords Anointed lest like Adam we fall from our state of innocence and be guilty guilty of all the blood that hath and shall be spilt upon this Land guilty of the tears of so many fatherless children and widowes and if we will not be obedient unto a Prince of men guilty of all the eternal thraldom and submission unto a Prince of Devils take then the advice of the wise Solomon Prov. 30.32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thy self or if thou hast thought evil lay thy hand upon thy mouth Fear God honour the King have nothing to do with them that are subject unto charge for their destruction commeth suddainly and so will yours Let no man deceive himself he who is not good in his particular 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 gooâ— Christian he that honoureth not the King doth never fear God and except he obeys both he obeys neither CHAP. VIII Whether Kings now adays are to be had in the same veneration and esteem as Kings were under the Law by reason of our Christian liberty CErtainly the murmuring of Coâ—ah 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 than the rest of the people was no prophesie to be fulfilled in these our days 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 Rom. 13.6 we have those who are apt enough to makâ— arguments with our Saviour bearing this conclusion then are the Children free Mat. 17.26 but few that will imitate his peaceable example to fish for money rather than offend the higher powers Mat. 17.27 And if you conjecture that our Saviour did this meerly for quietness sake behold the questionâ— rightly stated Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not Mat. 22.17 seriously propounded Master we know that thou art true anâ— therefore we hope thou wilt not deceive us with a lye and teachest the way of God in truth and therefore thou wilt not cause us to err through the deceiveableness of unrighteousness neither carest thou for any man and therefore thou wilt not be afraid to speak the truth thou regardest not the persons of men therefore fearing only God thou wilt boldly and faithfully without partiality or fear plainly tell us whether it be lawful or not clearly determined and concluded upon Da Caesari quae sunt Caesaris Mat. 22.21 If Christian liberty should loose the reigns of Civil Government then Christ would never have acknowledged Pilates power to have been of God John 19.11 If subjection unto Kings were a hinderance to the propagation of the Gospel then Saint Peter would never have exhorted the Christians to submit themselves to every ordinance of man 1 Pet. 2.9 We have too many submitters now-adays unto every Ordinance of men but they are not unto such Ordinances whereof the King is Supreme 1 Pet. 2.13 Object It is better to obey God than man and therefore for his sake we cannot obey every ordinance of man Sol. The Apostle doth not in this place discourse of obedience but of submission obedience is to be given to things only lawful submission is to be given to any ordinance whatsoever though not for the things sake which is commanded yet propter Dominum for the Lords sake who doth command so absolute submission where God commands one thing and the King commanâ—s another thing we may refuse his will and there is perfect obedience when God commands one thing and the King commands the contrary we may not resist his authority and therein is true submisson and this the Apostle doth not only assure us to be the will of God but puts this well doing in the stead of knowledg and wisdom whereby the ignorance of foolish men may be put to silence 1 Pet. 2.15 when freâ—dom stanâ—s on tiptoes her coat is too short to cover her maliciousness therefore the Apostle exhorts us to behave our selves As free but not using our liberty as a cloak for maliciousness 1 Pet. 2.16 If Christian liberty did break the School of civil Government then Saint Paul would never have been such a School-master to the Romans Rom. 13. Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers an excellent rule for our obedience every soul no exemption by greatness or holiness or any by-respect whatsoever but if he have a soul let him be subject to the higher powers if two powers clash one against another here we know which to stick to in our obedience that is which is highest and that Saint Peter plainly tâ—lls us is the King whether to the King as Supreme 1 Pet. 2.13 There is no power but of God the powers that be are of God whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation v. 2. What Christian then can have his conscience so misled as to resist those powers out of conscience when the Apostle plainly tells us v. 1. We must needs be subject not only for wrath that is for fear of them but also for conscience sake
but figments and delusions of the people obtruded by vain-gâ—orious 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 barns full of Corn on fire to warm their hands when they are ready to starve for lack of bread who had not rather live under a Government wherein a man is 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 to be the tallest man in a crowd and should think it more for my ease 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 self-conceited opinion of a thing they call Liberty which is no otherwise then an ignoble bondage of their own choosing 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 Soveraigns 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 freedom an exemption from all such tyrannical 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 Reign as having relation to Freeborn people of England and should think 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 freedom 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 entertain your eye and consideration with some Observations of my own in those Free-States of Christendom 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 Kingdom they could not have the face to stand in any competition with us but now the Kings arms 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 Arms and St. George is both our patrons Certainly England must give the Half-moon as the younger brother and why should not the Moon Crescent follow after now the Turkish Alcoran is come before When the overspreading Roman Monarchy like Nebuchadnezzars over-grown and lofty Tree was brought only to a stump chained to the ground and when the Keys of Heaven and Hell had so well fitted the locks belonging to the Gates of Rome as to give way to the enterance of that high Priest into the Imperial seat then was Genoa a lop of that great fall and soon after it was wrought into a bundle or faggot of a Common-wealth until such time as Charles the Great recovered all his Right in Italy saving only the Holy Land whose Princely sword could never strike at the already cloven Miters but at Helmets Amongst other Counties whose subduements acknowledged Charles to be the Great Genoa was one which City was no less happy then famous in affording a man who honoured her Walls with making it known unto the World that he came out of them under the name of Andreas Dory a Genose this famous Andreas Dory was a zealous Common-wealths-man and one of the new Gentlemen as they call'd themselves for you must understand that when these States-men had shook off the yoke of Soveraignty they expelled all their Gentry or Nobility which no sooner done but they made a new Gentry or Nobility amongst themselves and being a deserving man the Emperour Charles the fifth will'd this Andreas Dory to aske and have what he desired of all that he had Conquered he asked Genoa the Emperour gave it him to do with it what he pleased he gave it the Citizens together with all their Liberties and former Freedoms upon this conditions That they should recal the old Gentry in again and settle them again in all their rights and priviledges which being assented unto Genoa became a Free-State again but behold the Freedom or rather the power and bonds of love and gratitude neither the old or new Gentry nor the Common people would allow of any thing that was said or to be done but what this Dory should command or say nor was there a more absolute and powerful Monarch upon the earth then he and whilst he liv'd he did continue so because the people would obey who being once dead the people soon found they did obey because they must Yet still it must be a Free-State because Libertas was written over the Senate-House and City-gates but neither within their Senate or their Walls was there ever such Tyranny over the common people or the Citizens then hath been all along and is at this day practised by some few who spit Monarchy in the face and make no bones to swallow down all its adjuncts Exercising their several Tyrannies with this justification that they are the Supreme Authority whilst they deny Supremacy gulling the people into a scotish belief that they are not suppressed by one hand because it hath many fingers I shall instance unto you one particular which was done whilst I was there whereby you may easily Judge in what Free-state their Commons live There was a substantial Citizen between whom and a Noble Genoese there was some grudge this Senator studies a revenge and thus he intends it to be put Execution He gives command to one of his Braves for so they call their Executioners to kill this Citizen this Slaughter-man being by reason of some former Obligations struck with some remorse of doing so high an act of ingratitude to one who had so well deserved at his hands discovers the whole plot to his so much acknowledg'd patron who very much ackowledges and commends the ingenuity of this discoverer bids him to follow him where â—e leads him over
should order or his estate allow he 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 them 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 Temporal Judges won with his humble and submissive 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 Spiritual and the Temporal Judges Calvin remained stâ—ff in his opinion and would not be bent to the least mercy the Noble-man thought to throw one grain of reason more into the ballance that should turn the scales and that should be taken out of a consideration had of their own good for saith 〈◊〉 if you shed my blood 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 suddenness of the action nor to the surprize of all my senses nor to the satisfaction I would have given nor to the repentance of my very soul who will come amongst you what Lord or Gentleman will live within your walls Wherefore if you will have no consideration of me yet consider your selves consider what a blow it will 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 Coelum neither could he be brought to give his opinion that the Jury as we call them might not pass upon him but out went the Jury and contrary to their own Law hearing the Noble-mans plea and observing well the inclination of the Bench in general they brought in their Verdict not guilty whereupon the Noble-man was acquitted hereupon John Calvin rises from the Bench and whilst the rest proceed to their matters calls all the Ministers within the Walls and Liberties of Geneva who appear before the Judgment Seat with white Wands in their hands which they laid down telling them that with those wands they laid down their Offices protesting that they would never Preach the Gospel to a people whose human 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 again and hanged the Noble-man This story I have read in their own History in Geneva than 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 claim half that Authority over the Civil Magistrate as this anti-Pope did virtually act and yet was not ashamed to make lesser matters than this the ground of the quarrel with the Bishop who also was their Prince when in his own person he acts the part of both Now we will see how these kind of creatures have plaid the Masters of mis-rule among our Princes here at home King James in his Discourse at Hampton Court tells us how the Presbyterians became Lords Paramount in his Kingdom of Scotland and how they used his Mother the Queen of Scots viz. Knox and Buchanan and the rest of that gang came unto Mary Queen of Scots and told her that by right no Pope nor Potentate whatsoever had any superiority over her in her own Dominions either in cases Civil or Ecclesiastical but that she her self was Supreme in both and constituted by God as the only nursing Mother of his Church within her Dominion and therefore conjured her to look about her and not to let the Pope of Rome or any of his agents to have any thing to do within her Territories and to have care of Christs Evangel as she would answer it at the dreadful day of Judgment she gives them her ear and at last her authority they make use of it in the first place to the pulling down of the Bishops and exalted themselves in their room when the Queen look'd for an absolute Supremacy behold all the Supremacy that these men would allow her was not so much as to have one private Chapel for her self nor one Priest whereby she might serve God according to her own conscience she finding her self so much deceived labours to recal her Authority they kept her to it she takes up Arms they oppose her fight her beat her out of her Kingdom she flies into England they follow her with invectives thrust jealousies into the Queen of Englands bosom concerning her she is imprisoned and after a long imprisonment put to death King James having related this passage in the forementioned discourse unto Dr. Renolds and Knewstubs and the rest turns unto the Bishops and closes his Discourse with this Animadversion Wherefore my Lords I thank you for my Supremacy for if I were to receive it from these men I know what would become of my Supremacy The shining light of the Gospel and the burning zeal of the Ministers thereof may fitly be compared to fire which if it be not in every room confin'd to one hearth and limited to one tunnel that may convey out of this so comfortable and necessary a blessing all that may be destructive and offensive in it up toward the highest region but is suffered like wild-fire to run up and down the house it will soon turn all to flames and high combustions so the government of the soul seems to be of so transcendent nature to what the government of the body and goods is that if it be not overtopt with superintendency or Episcopacy and so disimbogued into the Supream authority this comfortable heat if limited as it turns to our greatest benefit so neglected and boundless soon converts it self into a suddain destruction and ruine If you will hear how these men dealt with King James her Son and Father to Charles the First you shall find it in his Basilicon Doron Crebrae adversus me in tribunitiis Concionibus Calumniae spargebantur non quod crimen aliquod designâssem sed quia Rex eram quod omni crimine pejus habebatur Are these men good Subjects did they not convene him diverse times before them school him Catechize him like a School-boy did he not protest unto his Son Henry that he mislik'd their proud and haughty carriage ever since he was ten years of age did he not say that Monarchy and Presbytery agreed like God and the Devil and have we not found it so if we consider the behaviour of our new made Presbyterians in England to Charles the first his Son O but the Presbyterians had no hand
herein consists the difference as the one must act his part as the Poets please so the other must act his part as the people please they must have their parts given them they must act it accordingly they must not so much as tread the Stage awry their subjects are both spectators and judges and it lies within the favour of the next society whether or no the Son shall come to act the Fathers part Such Kings as these the people may make but to make a sacred and Anoynted King an established and successive Monarch a King that hath this Hereditatem in him a King that hath this Noli me tangere about him whose Writs were alwaies termed Sacri apices whose commands divalis jussio whose presence Sacra Vestigia whose Throne is the Lords whose Scepter is his Rod whose Crowne is his favour and whose representation is of himselfe the People can no more make such a deity then so many tapers can make a glorious Sunne or so many sparks of sprey and faggots can make a firmament of Stars CHAP. III. What is meant by Anoynting of KINGS ANointing in severall places of Scripture betokens some spirituall grace as Jam 5.14 Call the Elders of the Church and let them pray over the sicke anoynting him with oyl in the name of the Lord which the Roman-Catholicks call extream unction though now adays we only make use of the extremity and leave out the unction and therefore some will have the anoynting of Kings to signifie some spirituall grace also which shall inable them with Religion and aptness to govern well which when they cease to doe their anointing falleth off and they cease to be Kings if they be not good they are none of Gods anointed and if they be not his anointed they care not whose they are This doctrine hath causeâ— the shedding of more bloud than there is now runnâ—ng in the veins of living Christians whereas the truth is it is neither Religion nor virtue nor grace that is meâ—nt by this Royall Anointing Cyrus was Chrâ—â—tus Domini as well as Josias and Saul as well as David If Religion were that that did the deed then Cyrus had not been the Lords Anoynâ—ed if vertue then no Saul if grace neither If Religion make Kings then there should have been of old no Kings but those of Iudah and now no Kings but those of Christendome It is Jus regnandi that he meant by this Royal Anointing and Vnction confers no grace but declares a just title only unxit in regem he anointed him King includes nothing but a due title excludes nothing but usurpation gives him the administration to govern not the gift to govern well the right of ruling not of ruling right Kings are anoynted with Oyl to shew that as they have Thrones to signifie that they are the Cistern of Iustice and Crowns to signifie that they are the Fountains of honours and Scepters to signifie that the hands which hold them are the Magazines wherein the whole strength amunition of Kingdoms are reposed So anointing is a sacred signature betokening soveraignty obedience to the Throne submission â—o the Scepter allegiance to the Crown and supremacy to the Oyl must needs be given for Oyl will have it pour Oyl and Wine and Water and Vinegar or what other liquor you please together Oyl will be sure to be uppermost the three first ceremonies make him but high and mighty and puissant but the last only makes him sacred 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 there is much divinity in the very name and essence of Kings which duly consiâ—ered and belived that Kings are thus sacred as we ought and Gods word informs us we would take heed how we touch take warning how we tear and rend in peices 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 wills the sacred person of so great Majesty whereas the cutting off but a peice of the lappe of â—auls garment hath checkt a greater spirit then the proudest riser up against his Soveraigne 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 soul 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 aâ—ominable 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 Kin. 8.19 We 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 Cesars Image and superscription upon it it is more significant and if thou either pare or impare it a jot if thou art found either clipping or diminishing of it in the least degree thou dost it to the prejudice of thine own life so though a King be but a man as in himself yet as he bears representation of God and hath his character stamped upon him he is some-what more if you will beleive him that said Ye are Gods Psalm 82.6 and therefore we must take heed how we debase or detract from them who represent so great a Deity who by reason of their proximity and nearnesse unto God in some respects are most commonly of more discerning spirits then ordinary men for Mephibosheth when his servant had so grieviously slandred him to David he makes but a short complaint My servant hath slandred me but as if he should say I need not tell thee much thou hast wisedom enough to find it out My Lord the King is as an Angel of God doe therefore what is good in thine own eyes Therefore because thou art as an Angel of God and thy selfe art a good intelligencer as all Angels are do what is good in thine own eyes as if he should have said if thou doest only that which seemeth to be good in other mens eyes it may be they will perswade thee that the thing was true wherein my servant slandred thy servant poor Mephibosheth and he huffer 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 goverment 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 advice and wholly give themselves to be overswayed
for him which with much difficulty and many pleadings she so appeas'd his wrath that he was satisfied and this was as common for a Senator of Venice to do as for a Parliament man to pay no debts Neither is their any Law or Justice to be had against any of these Statesmen There was a Noble-man who was an Austrian both by Birth and Family who being a Traveller chanc'd to cast his eyes upon a fair and vertuous Lady who in every respect were deserving of each other This Noble-man had no sooner made his mind known unto his Paragon fâ—r beauty but he was soon obstructed with a corrival who was a Nobile Venetiano who perceiving his Mistress affections to this Stranger to be more liberally expressed than unto him contrives his death and soon effâ—ct it she loving her Martyr more than either others conceived or she her self could brook so great a cross concerning them studies revenge and being an Italian found her self easily prompted by her own natural inclination she pretends much love that she might the better put in execution her greatest hatred she gets him into a Chamber where she prays him to rest himself in a Chair wherein he was no sooner sat but his arms and thighs were caught with springs and being thus fastened she murders him with her own hands and flies for sanctuary to the next Nunnery within the Popes Dominions leaving behind her by the murdered these words written with her own hand in a piece of paper Because there is no justice to be executed against a Noble Venetian I have been both Judge and Executioner my self Men may talk what they will and fancy what they please but there is no more difference in point of freedom between a Monarchy and a Free-State as they call it than there is between a High Sheriff of a Shire and a Committee of a County Utrum horum mavis accipe Now for the Free State of our Neighbour Netherlands otherwise called the States of Holland who have sprung up as all other Free-States will do at last from the submissive and humble stilings of the distressed to the High and Mighty The particulars which occasioned their revolt from their Soveraign the King of â—pain I shall not insist upon but refer you to the Spanish and Netherland Histories only I shall hint upon the main inducements to their Rebellion viz. Religion and Freedom For the first There is not a People amongst whom the name of God is known to whom Religion is a greater stranger than unto these stilers of themselves Reformed Protestants for if this Free-state who allow all Religions both of the Jews and Gentiles whose several Churches own in Capital letters over their doors the several sects of Religions to which each Libertine is inclined be Religious than the Pantheonists were as truly Reformed and Religious as the Amsterdamiams but as he who sacrificed to all the Gods in general must needs have sacrificed unto the true God and yet know him not because he joyned others with him who was to be worshipped alone So that Country which embraceâ—h all Religions happily may have the true Religion amongst them and yet have no Religion because they admit of many being there is but 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 is only distinguished from other daies by a Sermon in the Church and the Ale-house being full of Mechanicks drinking and carousing from morning until night the shops are open and buying and selling all the day long excepting half the window which is to distinguish the day but the door is open to let in the buyers and the other half 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 of prophaneness of him and the day whereon Christ himself is to be worshipped as in their Metropolls or chief City to have a dog-market kept to the utter scandal of true Religion and Christianity it self this is no more than what I have seen and if it were not true it were easily returned upon my self as the greatest impudence that could be imagined but O the partiality of the Picture-drawer when he receives large wages for a similitude he insults over his own work only because it is like when the face it self is most abominable Now for the freedom from Tyranny and oppression if the Turks 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 several commodities which run through their natives hands but you will ask 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 room and seek 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 sadness you shall complain of such abuses to indifferent Judges they will tell you that the States do lay such heavy Taxes upon the Inhabitants that they are fain to flie to such shifts for their subsistance thus men pleased with the itch of Innovation are contented to scratch the blood out of their own bodies till they feel the greatest smart rather than their Physician should let out a little spare blood to cure the disease and preserve them in good health but you will say that for all this they thrive and prosper abudantly 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 emulation to other Princes which helped these Calves to Lions hearts teeth and claws until the High and Mighty Butter-boxes stood in competition with the Crown and I am afraid the siding with such Rebels hath turned Rebellion into our own bosoms as a just judgment from that God who is a revenger of all such iniquities they may call it the School of War whilst wanting a good cause it could be no otherwise than
the Christians shambles I should be sorry that Holland should be the English-mans Looking-glass a spur for his feet or a copy for his hand I hope the hand of Providence will cure us like the Physician 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 self 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 tearms 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 mean a Minister of the Gospel converted any Nation the Church ever called him the Apostle of that Country as Austin though but a Monk was every where tearmed the Apostle of England and St. Paul being an Apostle stiles himself 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 often mentioned for one and the same but it is a great wonder that any manner of men should make this a ground for any argument against Episcopacy these kind of arguments instead of striking fire that should light the candle they do but pin napkins over our eyes and turn us round until we know not where we are and then we grope for we know not who and lay hold of we know not what he that will cut down this over-grown up-start-tree of error must first clear his way to the root and brush away all those brambles and briers which grow about it we must not leave any thing standing that may lay hold of the hatchet and deviate the stroke turning the same edge upon the feller that was intended for the tree if we should insist upon names and titles we should make but a confounded piece of work and run our selves into a most inextricable labyrinth and Mazes of error where we might run and go forwards and backwards and round about and ne're the near Christs are Kings Kings are Gods God is Christ and Christ is Bishop 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 again I must put off these as David threw away Sauls Armour non possum incedere cum iis I love to knock down this mâ—nstrum informe ingens cui 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 than he iâ— In the first place therefore let us understand what is meant by Jus Diviâ—um if any man means 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 means to give much offence and little reason for there is no question but the Church may alter their own Government so that it be left to themselves to alter as they shall think most convenient as well as alter the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first of the week or as well as they chang'd immersion into aspersion of the baptised and many other things which carried as much Jus Divinum with them as Episcopacy and yet were chang'd The Jus Divinum that is in Episcopal Government doth not consist in the Episcopacy but in the Government be it Episcopal or what it will but where the Government is Episcopal no question but there Episcopal Government is Jure Divino because a Government and if it were otherwise that Government into which Episcopacy degenerateth would be Jure Divino as well as it provided that none touch this Ark of the Church but the Priests themselves for if the hand which belongs to the same body pull the hat from off the head the man loses not his right only he stands in a more humble posture but he is in aâ— strong possession of his own right as when 't was on his head but if another hand should chance to pull it off the party stands disgracefully depriv'd of his highest Right and Ornament So if Episcopal Government of the Church be put down or altered by Church-men themselves the Jus Divinum is but removed from the Supremacy of one and fastened in the stronger hold of many members for this is a Maxim that admits no postern power never falls to the ground neither in Church nor State but look what one lets fall another takes up before ever it comes to ground wherefore losing nothing they keep their own but whether this power in Church or State in the point of convenience be better in the hands of one or many let whose will look to that that 's not my work neither the names of Governments nor the numbers of Governours shall ever be able to fright away this Jus Divinum out of the Church Government be the Government what it will bene visum fuit spiritui sancto nobis keeps in the Jus Divinum be the Government never so altered whereas forbidden and improper hands actions as unusual as unwarrantable le ts out this Jus Diviâ—â—â— when they have changed it to what they can imagine now whether or no it be proper for a Lay-Parliament or a Representative of Lay-men by the power of the Sword declining the Kings Authority will and pleasure who was appointed by God to be a nursing Father of his Church to alter Church-Government so Antient so begun by Christ himself in his own person over so many Apostles so practis'd by the Apostles over others so continued all along I mean Episcopacy that is to say one Minister constituted an Overseer of many and to lay hold upon tumults and insurrections to pull down these Overseers and for men who in such cases should be governed by the Church to pull down the Church-Government without any the least consent of the Church Governours I leave it for the World to judge only my one opinion is this That any Government thus set up or by such practices as these altered must needs be so far from being Jure Divino that it must needs be Jure Diabolico But it may be objected that if they should have stayed until the Bishops had altered themselves they might have styed long enough to which it may be answered that had the Bishops been but as poor as Job there would have been no such hast to change their cloaths The Ark was a type of the Church and whatsoever was literally commanded concerning the type must be Analogically observed in the thing typified God sate in the Mercy-Seat that was over the Ark the Ark contained within it Aarons Rod and a pot of Manna so the Church