fidei but they are bound to another as propugnatores fidei that is to see that the Purity of Faith and Worship be preserved with that Solemnity and Decency of sacred Places sacred Things sacred Persons sacred Gestures as God hath prescribed and the holy Catholick Church hath practised and allowed The Preservation of the sacred Right and Prerogative royal is that secureth and preserveth the Right and Liberty of the Subject and it is the maintaining and preserving of God's and holy Church's Right that preserveth Kings and their Crowns Happy is the King who with David can say Psal. 26. 8. Lord I have loved the Habitation of thy House and the place where thine Honour dwelleth upon this he may with David confidently pray vers 9. Gather not my Soul with Sinners nor my Life with bloody men If the King's delight be in the Sanctuary of the Lord although Trouble fall upon him yet Help will come to him out of the Sanctuary that will save both him and his Crown Psal. 20. The highest Honour the greatest Happiness that ever David attained to was to bring back again the Ark of God to leave a great Treasure for building of the Temple 1 Chron. 13. 15. 28. and to raise the Church and establish the Worship and Order in it's height of Perfection 1 Chron. 24. 25 26. when he finished this Work he rejoyced more than ever Then he said Psal. 84. 10. A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere it was better be a door-keeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness It was this that made God send to his King Deliverance out of his Troubles Psal. 18. vers ult It was this that established his House and Kingdom for ever it was this that crowned him with a Crown of pure Gold here and of immortal Glory in Heaven Kings at their Coronation offer their Crowns Scepters and Swords to God at his Altar and receive them from thence the one Ceremony signifieth that their Sovereignty cometh to them immediately from God the other signifieth that they offer all first for the Service of God It is a Vow or Dedication of themselves and their Power for the Advancement of Gods Glory To this add that this is solemnly sworn by them to maintain the Purity of the Faith and Worship and the Priviledges and Rights of holy Church and lastly all is sealed with the receiving of the Sacrament off the Altar What then can free Kings from these Ties And how fearful a thing is it for them to be principal Actors or accessary to bad Counsels and Courses to give up a Church or to wrong Christ and his Rights There be a great many that practise Machiavel's Politicks affirming Princes are no more tyed to Church and Religion than as both of them are subordinate and subservient to the politick Government and good Temporal These are truly Atheists who Ierobâ—am like care not at all for God nor Religion who abuse them to their own private ends they may for a short time flourish but in the end God will root out them and their Posterity and their Memory shall be had in Execration as Pilate is remembred in the Creed and Iudas recorded in the Gospel There be others who seem more moderate whose Counsels are no less pernicious because they seem to speak in a favourable and more specious way like to the Devil transforming himself into an Angel of Light these advise Kings to maintain a Worship an Order a Church but that it is not best to be too sumptuous and prodigal in the Maintenance or endowing the Church richly nor is it necessary punctually and precisely to adhere to all Gods Ordinances and in some cases say they a Prince at some Times at some Exigences may give way to the undoing of some Ordinances of God and Christ he may permit some of the Beauty and Solemnity of the Worship to be eclipsed devest the Church and Church-men of some Priviledges and Rights which by immemorial Possession they and their Pedecessors have enjoyed and to which besides Dedication and Consecration the Church is by all positive Civil Law and Right entituled no less if not more than Noblemen Gentlemen Corporations or any Subject or Subjects whatsoever These Counsels for a time may prevail and the Church may be a little for a little time suppressed and depressed but if God have Mercy in Store for that Kingdom it will not continue long These Achitophels tell Kings that if Moses's ten Commandments the Apostles twelve Articles of the Creed and the six Petitions of the Lord's Prayer be preserved it skilleth not for other things whether Bishop or no Bishop whether good Christians preach and do ministerial Acts or only men in sacred Orders authorised by Consecration and Imposition of hands whether any Solemnity in the publick Worship or not whether in sacred Church consecrated or in a private House or Barn whether Christ have a Patrimony or his Servants be allowed only a Competency at the Disoretion of Lay-men c. These Counsels and Courses if they be not repented forsaken and the Church righted will prove destructive to Kings to their Crowns to their Posterity and to their Authors and Abettors King Saul for ought we read did not restrain nor pollute the Worship he found nor took from their Priests what was their due but it is manifest he did neglect God and his Church his Worship and his Servants had less Esteem of God's Servants than of any of his Subjects besides and yet this is punished with the Forfeiture of Crown and Kingdom to him and his Posterity and God provideth a man a King according to his Heart to right the Church to order the Service aright which established his Kingdom and Crown for ever The Church was the Alpha and Omega of his Government he consecrated the beginning of his peaceable Reign with bringing home the Ark he spent the most of his Reign in ordering and establishing the Service of God with it's Solemnity and ended his Life and Reign exhorting Solomon to do the like to build the Temple and leaving by Legacy a great immense Treasure consecrated to this purpose If any will look upon these Counsellors he will find that they have a mighty Zeal and Care of their own Honour and Wealth how much they remit their Zeal towards God and his House they intend it as much for themselves and what concerneth their private they will not willingly dwell but in Houses of Cedar and can see the Ark of God within Curtains this maketh them that they can suffer the Church to be spoiled if by her Spoils they or theirs can be enriched Christians they cannot be whatsoever they profess they are in a contrary a contradictory way to Christ of him it was said The Zeal of thine House hath eaten me up of them it is verified that their Zeal hath eaten up the house of God If these men can enjoy their own make
to the King his Sacred Sovereignty inviolably This I say made God in Scripture non obiter raro accidenter not in a passing way occasionally or rarely or accidentally to command this Duty of Loyalty and Obedience to Kings Sacred in their Functions in their Persons Almighty God hath in commanding this Duty in holy Writ kept the same course he kept in setting down Essentials and Fundamentals of Faith and Worship If any be pleased to be at the pains to observe it I doubt if they will find any thing so peremptorily and frequently commanded and with so much reason urged The Lord knew how averse corrupt man is to give to the Lords Anointed his due without the special Grace of God or an over-ruling strong Providence People cannot be kept in Subjection David magnifieth it as one of the highest and most powerful of Gods blessings towards him that he delivered him from the strivings of his People Psal. 18. 43. and as ingenuously he acknowledgeth that it is God alone who subdueth his People under him Psal. 144. 2. God accounteth Rebellion against them Rebellion against himself and ordinarily in Scripture you have God and the King inseparably joyned and the Duties to both enjoyned 1 Pet. 2. 17. Fear God Honour the King Prov. 24. 21. My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change This is purposely done not onely to intimate the greatness of the Sin of Disobedience Disloyalty and Rebellion but also to express the near Alliance Kings have with God and the strait conjunction betwixt them and God that nothing intervenes to divide or sever them which God hath put together let none put asunder We have proved that God in the Law hath reserved to himself as his own right the Constitution of Kings We have proved sufficiently that this was not a priviledged case of Gods People under the Law because Solomon indefinitely and consequently universally averreth That all Kings reign by God in Christ. Because Saint Paul hath delivered the same truth That there is no Supreme Power but from God alone and so from him alone that he admitteth no Corrival to share with him Thus you have three Arguments for our purpose We come now to the fourth Which is this Scripture right down teacheth us that all Kings whatsoever have their Free-hold from Almighty God alone Of Pharaoh King of Egypt it is said Exod. 9. 7. I have raised thee up Elisha from God designed anointed and constituted Hazael King over Syria 2 King 8. 13. Here you see that the Kings of Egypt and Syria are no less of Gods making than the Kings of Israel Are not Pharaoh Abimelech Hiram Hazael Hadad no less honoured with the compellation of Kings than David Saul or Ezekiah Be they what they will Gods creatures they are and of his making onely Ier. 29. 9. God doth honour Nebuchadnezzar by naming him his servant His servant conceive it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of excellency The same compellation it is which God giveth to David a King according to his own heart Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon my Servant If what we have said cannot suffice let them turn over to Isai. 45. 1 2. Thus saith the Lord to his Anointed 'to Cyrus whose right hand I have holden to subdue Nations before him and I will loose the loyns of Kings to open before him the two leaved gates and the gates shall not be shut I will go before thee and will make the crooked places strait I will break in pieces the gates of brass and cut asunder the bars of Iron And I will give thee the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places that thou mayest know that I the Lord which call thee by thy name am the God of Israel A proof able enough to stop the Devils mouth What Cyrus was is well known he hath Iosiah's honour to be named well nigh an hundred years before he was born and named by his individual Name he is dignified with the Royal compellation of the Lords Anointed his Honour his work and all is from God and that immediately How much might be said if we pleased to insist to prove our point But leaving this I come to our fifth Argument which is That in the Book of God we are told Dominus dat aufert regna that there be no Kingdom but of his giving no Kings but of his making no King unking'd but by his doing We ended our last Argument with Cyrus we begun the proof of this with him too Esdr. 1. 2. It is recorded by the Holy Spirit Thus saith Cyrus of Persia the Lord of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdomes of the Earth and he hath charged me to build him an House at Ierusalem which is in Iudah You read the same 2 Chron. 36. 22 23. I am very inclinable to believe that Cyrus knew this charge from the Prophecy of Isaiah 44. 28. He is my shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure even saying to Ierusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundation shalâ— be laid And again cap. 45. 13. I have raised him uâ— in righteousness and I will direct all his wayes he shall build my City and let go my Captives not for price nor râ—ward saith the Lord of Hosts If this will not rectifie the perverse rebellious Tenet of Puritan and Jesuit I despair of doing it I know they will tell me it is an extraordinary case this is their ordinary poor shift that serveth them in many cases if they would consider it aright they might see how careful God has been by extraordinary Works and Manifestations and reiterated Precepts and Practices ordinary to right their extravagant and extraordinary Tenets and Humours If they can be satisfied we refer them to Dâ—n 2. 19 20 21. And Daniel will teach them in the judgment of God that to give and remove Kings and Kingdoms is the sole and properly peculiar work of God When God had revealed to Daniel Nebuchadnezzar's Dream with the Interpretation of it he thanketh God and saith vers 20. Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever for Wisdom and Might are his vers 21. And he changeth the times and the seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings Again vers 37. He saith Thou O King art a King of Kings for the God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdom Power Strength and Glory vers 20. and 21. He ascribeth the setting up and removing of Kings no less to God than Wisdom infinite and Omnipotency which are Divine Attributes incommunicable And vers 37. He vindicates this as proper and peculiar to the God of Heaven that Earth and earthly men can have no part in it Daniel in whom was the spirit of the holy Gods Daniel whom no secrets troubled Daniel in whom was wisdom like the wisdom of Gods reached not this high point to know that in the People was an underived Majesty to be derived to
synecdochical and tropical Speech it is so usually spoken Nor is it unusual to the Spirit of God in Scripture to speak this way for it is said 1 Cor. 6. The Saints judge the World Now it is certain that the Judgment of the Saints is only by approving or consenting to Christs Judgment which is his only authoritativ◠properly and their act in that great Judgment at the last day is only to approve or consent rather to the righteous Judgment of their Lord yet Scripture standeth not to say The Saints shall judge the World To judge by Authority is only proper to God the Father by the Son to whom the Father hath given all Judgment and this leaveth no place no Power to the Saints to dissent The like holdeth in the Instance proposed That this is to be conceived so which is our sixth Argument to confirm that Kings and their Sovereignty are immediately from God is more than apparent that Almighty God in Scripture vindicateth to himsel◠all the Acts real and imaginable which are necessary for the making of Kings If the Iesuit make much of the Letter of the Text Deut. 17. where it 's said The Lord should chuse the King and the People set the King over them Let us consider how the Practice interprets the Letter of the Law it is an infallible Maxim with Jurists Praxis optimus Legis interpres Practice is the best Commentary of Law and it is no less a ruled case that the first president is a ruling case to all following in that kind Come then take the first Instance in Saul the first elected and constituted King by the Tenor of this Law In the practice the Phrase is varied and turned over the Election is given to the People the Constitution to God 1 Sam. 12. 13. Behold the King saith Samuel whom you have chosen and desired and behold the Lord hath set a King over you This Election of the People can be no other but their Admittance or Acceptance of the King whom God had chosen and constituted as the words Whom you have desired imply Scripture telleth us that Saul's Election and Constitution was 1 Sam. 9. 17. when God said to Samuel Behold the man whom I spake to thee of the same shall reign over my people and when Samuel took a Viol of Oyl powred it upon his head kissed him and said Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be Captain over his Inheritance 1. Sam. 10. 1. Where you have Samuel as Priest and Prophet anointing doing Reverence and Obeisance to him and ascribing to God that he did appoint him Supreme and Sovereign over his Inheritance The same again is totally given to God 1 Sam 12. 13. The Lord hath set a King over you The Expression and Phrase is the same with that you have of Christ and his Kingdom Psal. 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion I am confident none will be so sacrilegiously impudent as to give to Church to man or Angel Creature or Creatures any share in any act of constituting Christ King over his Church and for his Church and in order to it over all the Kingdoms of the World By what is said of this first practice it is more than evident that God in that Law of making Kings Deut. 17. did vindicate as proper and peculiar to himself the Designation of the person of the King and the investing of him in royal Power and Sovereignty The People then were only to admit and accept of their King by God so designed and constituted and to yield all Reverence Obedience and maintenance necessary It was not arbitrary to them to admit or reject Saul so designed so constituted by God himself immediately reject him they could not Yet God in his wise prudent Dispensation of all things judged it expedient to complete and consummmate this Work by the Acceptation Consent and Approbation of the people Vt suaviori modo that by the smoother way he might thus encourage Saul to the undergoing of this hard Charge and make his People the more heartily without grumbling or scruple Reverence and obey him As by his Providence he doth all things powerfully so he disposeth of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the good of man in a sweet and mild way This Admittance possibly added something to the Solemnity of Saul's investing but nothing to the essential or real Constitution as the Intimation of a Law which in Laws I think hath more Interest than this Admittance here it hath no Influence upon a Law made by supreme Power yet it is useful it Puts the Subjects in mala fide makes them inexcusable if they contravene Or this Admittance was and is as the Imperialists say truly of the Popes Confirmation of the elected Emperour good ad pompam but not requisite ad necessitatem Or if you will speak with the Romanists that the confirmation is of the Pope once elected is ad solennitatem not ad necessitatem for the Solemnity not simply necessary Or to come more near and with more certainty and truth it is like the Coronation of an hereditary King which is only for solemnity not for Necessity for before that Ceremony and Solemnity his Title is as good as after it and any act of royal Power and Jurisdiction done before his Coronation is as valid as any done as after his Coronation Or if you will it is like the Enthronization of a Bishop or installing of a Canon o◠Prebend in a Cathedral Church Scripture maketh this Good plentifully elsewhere for it punctually ascribeth all Acts essentially constitutive of Kings immediately to God In one full word the making of a King is given to God 1 Kings 3. 7. And now O Lord my God thou hast made thy Servant King instead of David my Father The providing of a King is given to God 1 Sam. 16. 1. I have provided me a King The King in a proper and peculiar way is called Gods King Psal. 18. 50. Great deliverance giveth he to his King God exalteth them Psal. 89. 19. I have exalted one chosen out of the People Not the People but God findeth Kings out ibid. vers 20. I have found David my Servant Neither Priest nor Prophet nor People really anoin◠Kings God anointeth them ibid. vers 20. With mine holy Oyl have I anointed him That we conceive them not to have their Prerogative from Pope or People Priest or Prophet not they but God adopteth them ibid. vers 27. I will make him my first-born That he may cry unto him Thou art my Father my God vers 26. To shew their nearer and straiter Alliance they are taken in societatem nominis numinis potestatis into a communion of his Majesty his Name Power it is said Psal. 82. 6. I have said ye are Gods To shew their Generation their Procreation their Derivation there is a dixi to this too I have said ye are all of you the Children of the most High
Church and pray our Adversaries to shew us where the Church is in Plenty and Honour where Aristocracy is the Government In Scripture it is prophecied Ecce Reges erunt nutritii tui That Kings shall be the Nurse-fathers of the Church there is no word to that sense for any Government besides Monarchy If they make use of this Argument to prefer Aristocracy or Democracy to Monarchy there reasoning is not sure and concludes not no more than when I reason thus a man may walk without Legs of bone and flesh for he may walk on wooden Legs if he hath lost his Natural Legs with the blow of a Canon or by a Gangrene or he may walk upon Crutches if he be a Cripple Ergo wooden legs and artificial or Crutches are better than the natural legs and feet man is born with In brief no Society can subsist without Government the best of Governments is Monarchy and People cannot be happy except the King and Monarchy be proportioned to that height of Power Honour and Wealth as He be able to secure Himself and Subjects from all Mischief Iniquity and Disorder and the Good Safety and Happiness of the Subject is naturally and necessarily involved in the sacred Right and Prerogative of the King That whosoever conceiveth that the Good of the People can subsist with lessening and weakening the Right of the King is as if he should imagine to see the Branches of a Tree bud flourish and bring forth Fruit when they are broken o◠from the root or to see a River of running living Water divided from the Source and Fountain of living Water or to apprehend that the Ray of the Sun can inlighten when it is separated from the Body of the Sun Let never a King imagine his Happiness can subsist or consist without the Happiness Peace and Plenty of his Subjects and let not us that are Subjects imagine that we can be happy or preserve our Right our Liberty our Property if we account not the Lords Anointed the breath of our Nostrils and value his Right His Prerogative at a higher rate than our Lives These are by God and Nature so involved mutually one in another that without destruction to both they cannot be put asunder CHAP. XVII A King is bound to be as eminent in Sanctity as He is excellent and high in Power THere be a great many more of these new State-devised Principles with which our Antimonarchical Sectaries intoxicate the Vulgar as that Protection and Subjection are of equal extent That a mixture and temperature of the three proper Species of Government is the best of Governments which if it be not rightly understood is a most dangerous Position and in the sense many conceive it it is not Temperamentum Regiminis but Turbamentum That Plus vident oculi quà m oculus That Rex est universis minor singulis major That the Charter of Nature intitles us to our defence against Kings That Rex est propter populum That a King at his Coronation sweareth and covenanteth with his Subjects which if he perform not he is punishable dethronable That in a Monarchy The Legislative Power i◠communicable to the Subject and is not radically in Sovereignty in one but in more That Quod omnes tangit ab omnibus tractari approbari debet and a great many more all which by Gods help we shall examine in the subsequent Questions as every one of them offereth it self in its own proper place We now come shortly to point at the great Charge of the King as we have before proved the Excellency of his Sacred Charge and Person What we have said of the Excellency of Kings that they are the derivatives of God from him by generation his first-born God's upon Earth c. If it be rightly weighted it will humble them in the presence of God in their own esteem and not suffer them to swell in Pride it tieth them to a proportionable Sanctity and eminency in Holiness and Integrity as far in degree above the Ordinary as they are exalted in State and Honour above the Sons of men Isocrates writing to Nicocles saith to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sense is the same we have expressed already the higher in Honour they are tied to a higher perfection in Virtue Saint Austin saith well Tom. 8. enarrat in Psal. 137. Quantò sublimitas altior est tantò periculosior est Ideoque Reges quantò sunt in majori sublimitate terrenâ tanto magis humiliari Deo debent Kings as related to men are Gods in order to Almighty God they are frail and mortal men Psal. 82. 6. They are gods on Earth yet onely gods of the Earth and are no less if not more accountable to God than any other men whatsoever He trieth their works searcheth out their Counsels and if they judge not aright Horribly and speedily he will come upon them a sharp judgment shall be to them that are in High places Mercy will soon pardon the meanest but mighty men shall be mightily tormented Wisd. 6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. For he who is Lord over all shall fear no man's person neither shall he stand in awe of any man's Greatness for he hath made small and great and careth for all alike No Difference there is betwixt a Prince and a Peasant except only in this that as the Prince is higher than all so his Crime and Sin is above all and his Punishment will be proportioned to the like and answerable Height Princes being derived immediately from God and with that honour to be the first-born Children of God and Sons of the most high what Measure of Holiness what Degree of Righteousness is required in them so highly advanced They should be holy as their heavenly Father is holy They should be perfect as their Father in Heaven is perfect and this not only in their private Conversation as Christians but also in their publick Government as Fathers of the Kingdom and Nurse-fathers of the Church Nothing addeth more to the Disgrace of a wicked man than when we reflect upon him as descended from a noble and high Stem Solomon saith Prov. 16. 12. It is an Abomination for Kings to commit Wickedness and the fear of the Lord is the Glory of the King No Foundation of a King so sure as Obedience to him that made the King Nothing more dangerous in a King than Rebellion against God Happy are Kings when they resolve with David Psal. 85. 8. I will hearken what the Lord will say unto me But above all Kings are bound to advance Piety and that both in their private and publick Devotions and in their publick Government They ought to be more frequent in their private Devotions than any else and in the publick to be most reverent in their Gestures that their practice in Piety in Devotion in private in publick may be exemplary Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis This Duty they owe to God as professores
Kings in what proportion they please by a fiduciary trust View the fourth Chapter of Daniel's Prophecy and there you will find it in four-squared Letters Nebuchadnezzar for a time is un-kinged how I pray you By the Watcher by the Holy One one sent by him from Heaven commanded by him to hew down the tree to cut off his branches shake off his leaves scatter his fruit vers 13. 14. And to what purpose is this That Nebuchadnezzar and all living may know that the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will and setteth up over it the basest of men vers 17. All this is the Decree of the most High vers 24. And Nebuchadnezzar was driven from men to live and eat with beasts till he should know that the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will vers 25. It was told to the proud King swelling in Pride in his Palace that the Kingdom was departed from him the Messenger was a Voice from Heaven vers 31. After his Repentance and acknowledging this Truth that Dominus dat aufert regna that God giveth and taketh away Kingdoms his Kingdom was established unto him his Counsellors and Lords sought unto him and excellent Majesty was added unto him Whosoever is not over-ruled with the Spirit of Errour and readeth and considereth these Passages aright must confess the Truth we maintain God open our eyes to see it and give us hearts to believe 〈◊〉 that Loyalty Royalty may have their Place and Right The same Truth is delivered to us again Dan. 5. 5. A hand from Heaven a miracle it is to confirm this Truth writeth upon the Plaster of the Wall that Belshazzar the King and his Nobles may inquire after it That God had taken the Câ—own from him He did not acknowledge that he did hold his Crown of the King of Heaven to this Ingratitude he added Sacriledge and prophaned the Golden and Silver Vessels of the Temple For these sins his Crown was taken from him So horrible a Sin is Sacriledge and in Kings especially that it will throw them into Contempt cast their Crowns into the dust and bring greater Judgments in the world to come if they repent not Nor can this Repentance be sound and saving without Restitution Here that rule of the Holy Father holds good Non dimittetur peccatum ni restituatur ablatum Daniel reading and interpreting this miraculous Writ recalleth to Belshazzar's Memory Gods dealing with his Father v. 18. O thou King the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy Father a Kingdom and Majesty and Glory and Honour what more can any conceive in a King than is here expressed And for the Majesty he gave him c. v. 19. mark it well it is not said that the People gave it he swelled in Pride was unkinged for a time till he acknowledged that the most high God ruleth in the Kingdom of men and that he appointed over it whomsoever he will v. 21. After this Daniel bringeth home his Application to Belshazzar prudently checking him that he had not made right use of that befell before his Father but had trode in the same way of Pride and added to his Fathers Sin the prophaning of Sacred things that for this cause he and his are extirpated Root and Branch The writing was Mene Mene Tekel Vpharsin The Sense is he was found Light in Gods-Ballance his Kingdom was numbred and finished and divided or given to the Medes and Persians Who in executing this Vengeance against an ingrate and sacrilegious King were nothing else but the Instruments the Axe and Rod of God as you may read Isaiah 45. and 44. 28. and Ier. 51. 11. Isaiah 13. 17. In the Passages adduced consider First who is the Author I mean not the Principal for without controversie it is the holy Spirit Daniel a man eminent and excellent in Court Credit and Preferment But this is not so considerable consider him therefore as one of the Prophets of most rare Endowments for Wisdom and extraordinary Revelations Secondly Next reflect your Thoughts a little how this Truth is manifested It is from Heaven but how I pray you By Dreams By Voice by a crying Voice by Writ from whom from the most high God from the holy one from the Watcher from the God of Heaven to whom To Nebuchadnezzar the Emperour of the Assyrians and Babylonians to Belshazzar his Son and all the way miraculous The Dream is forgotten to Daniel it is miraculously revealed with no less wonder interpreted It is written miraculously Interpreted and read as wonderfully and all this in the wise Dispensation of God that Kings and all may acknowledge that Kings and Kingdoms are of God Before this Truth be not known to Kings and all he will reveal it extraordinarily miraculously by Dreams by Voices by Cries by Writings from Heaven and that all may take notice of it the Dream is forgotten Magicians are sought to because they cannot find it out Death is decreed against them yet God will not have it to go unknown to his Servant he reveals it all the Empire take notice of it all admire it To confirm it yet more the King must live like a Beast till he believe he confess he profess this Truth This Truth is not once spoken but twice it is seen it is heard The Babylonians had forgotten it Belshazzar had slighted it neglected it When he his Counsellors his Lords are feasting carrowsing a finger from Heaven writes it None can read it Daniel is sought he reads it interprets it that all may take Notice of it The Father for not acknowledging this Truth but sacrificing to himself of a King is made a Beast but Repentance restores him The Son hath harder measure He is dethroned rooted out for ever And a way is made that Cyrus in his succeeding to the Empire may acknowledge that his Kingdom was of God which he did truly as we told before Where can you shew any Truth of this kind in Scripture so revealed so manifested by such miraculous extraordinary and admirable ways I think it is hard to hit upon a parallel to it God knew well before How apt we are to rob Kings of their due Right and Honour nay rather how prone corrupt man is to intrude upon God and invade his Right If any will be pleased to consider seriously Daniel's Prophecies What are they but Predictions that all Empires Kingdoms Majesty Royalty and Sovereignty are of Gods immediate Donation They are not disposed of by the composed Contracts of men but by the immediate hand and work of God All Ancients and Moderns for the most part acknowledge here in Daniel to be the clearest the most distinct Prophecies Predictions of the four great Empires If you will cast your Eyes upon the historical part of Daniel's Book there is no Truth which is so much treated spoken of as this Truth as that Kings and Kingdoms are dependent
such whatsoever to suppress whatsoever is contrary to the good intended in this Covenant and association if it be in their power so that this Sovereign maketh every man armatum magistratum to be armed with Power and the way left to himself for ought we know it may be Ravilliac's way or Guido Faux's way Surely here is a Despotical Sovereignty and more than ever was challenged by any the Turk or King of Spain without Europe This is to tyrannize over mens Souls for no man must be suffered to live or enjoy any Freedom or Life there who dissenteth in the least point of their voluminous Greed from them and if he assist not with his Monies his Arms his Hands to the loss of his Life for his Religion he is either Prelatical or Papistical and for his affection to the States a word incompatible with Monarchy and of highest Treason he is at best a Malignant At pleasure of this Sovereignty every man must give the Quota this Sovereignty prescribeth the Twentieth the Tenth the Fifth part c. must give loan of what moneys they have by them or upon Bank for the good Cause upon security of the Publick Faith a non ens which is like if God prevent it not to ruine the Reformed Orthodox Catholick Faith and moral Faith and Truth amongst men or what other they specifie and ordain What a vast Sovereignty is this the extent of it is immense for nothing shall be without the Sphere of this Power which hath no motion but eccentrick no Person without the verge of this Scepter And good reason for all this for this is God and Christ's Institution this Sovereignty is the indâ—vidual companion of the Gospel the holy discipline the discipline of Christ half the Kingdom of Christ the undoubâ—ed Note of the Church the eternal Counsel of God it is 〈◊〉 Scepter of the Son of God You see the Effect of it whâ—aâ— happy what a glorious Reformation it hath brought with it the like was never seen since the Apostles dayes this Reformation will pull down Antichrist from his Throne the hearing of the beginning of it how it enlarges it self now to be sworn too in England will make the Pope of Rome and his Cardinals knees smite one against another Quid verba audiam cum facta non videam Judge of the Tree by its Fruits as our Master hath taught us and we will find all their good words are as Jurists say Protestatio contraria facto solemn Protestations liberal Promises you know whose custom this is but slack Performances Would to God that had been allâ— no a world of mischiefs have followed upon it and it is to be feared that what is past is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginnings of troubles The most glorious Church amongst the Reformed the staff and strength of Reformed Religion is broken in shivers where all things are lawful except to serve God and all Sects all Schisms allowed except the Orthodox Truth and Ordinances of God This Reformation is written in Letters of Bloud acted with the greatest Cruelty against not onely Innocent but Deserving men with Calumnies Rapine Robbery Cruelty that Father Mother and young ones if they have not been starved with hunger and cold have been exposed to extreamest indigency contempt and mockery I dare to say no Persecution that ever was can parallel this Persecution for Impiety Injustice and Cruelty What heart bleedeth not to see these Kingdoms happy before to the Envy of other Kingdoms and States to be the mocking-stock of the World that the Canaanite and Perizzite rejoyceth to look upon our Misery to see the Desolation standing in the Holy place and those Kingdoms of late the desire of all the Earth turned into an Akeldama and no other fruit of this glorious Reformation but to kill Christians for Christ's sake and to plunder for Religions sake Lord forgive them for Christ's sake and remove our Sins and those fearful Judgments and I beg pardon of the Reader for this Digression or Regret which I have poured out with a sad heart and wish them no worse than speedy Repentance For all we have said of this Antichristian Sovereignty whereby the Puritan and Factious would exalt the Presbytery and Representative Body above all that is called God Let no man imagine that we ran to the other Extreme to privilege a King from the direction and just Power of the Church or that we would encourage him or set him on like Vzziah to intrude upon Sacred actions proper to Ecclesiastical Persons Ex vi ordinis In direction by the Word administration of the Sacraments binding and loosing in interiori foro conscientiae or in exteriori by the Spiritual Censures annexed to the Keys Sure I am no pious or knowing King as blessed be God our Sovereign is will by right of his Crown which he holdeth immediately of Christ usurp upon this but on the contrary as a Son of the Church will submit to the Church his Mother or rather Christ in Church-men reconciling him to God Elsewhere by Gods Grace if God give us Life and Leisure in a several Treatise by it self we intend to lay open this point In sum briefly we say that men in Sacred Orders In rebus purè spiritualibus in things meerly and intrinsecally of themselves Spiritual have from Christ immediately a directive and authoritative Power in order to all whatsoever although ministerial onely as related to Christ But this giveth them no Coercive Civil Power over a Prince either per se or per accidens either primarie or secundarie either principaliter or consecutive directâ— or indirectè simple or absolute that either the one way or the other directly or indirectly absolutely or respectively by it self or in ordine ad spiritualia any or many in sacred orders Pope or Presbytery can convent cite censure in case of Defailance Supply and in case of not obeying what God in Scripture hath commanded to covenant associate swear and take Sacrament upon it to resist him oppose him and force him to submit to the Scepter of Christ. This Power over man God Almighty useth not much less hath he given it to man Psal. 110. His People are a willing People Suadenda non cogenda religio nihil minùs Religionis quà m Religionem cogere Nor doth that spiritual Power which entirely we give to Bishops Priests and Deacons rob the King as he is the nursing Father of the Church of the power Christ hath endowed him with as a Christian King in externa gubernatione Ecclesiae We must not look on Kings as on others of the Flock of Christ although we may neither preach nor administer the Sacraments nor bind nor loose nor give sacred Orders nor excommunicate these are things only proper to Priests Primi secundi ordinis of the first and second Order and Degree Yet the exercise of these things freely within his Kingdom what concerneth the decent and orderly doing of all and what concerns
the World will be at an end We honour the Emperour therefore so much as we are allowed by Gods Law and as much as is expedient for him as the man who is next to God himself Tertullian had not learned in those times that the Emperour or King was Vniversis minor and whatsoever he was reduplicativè by Reduplication as Emperour He was such a one by Gods Donation and Collation and was and is inferiour to none to any or many but to God alone This Divinity of the ancient Church is point blank opposite to the Divinity of these latter times Turn to him again in his Apologetick against the Gentiles cap. 30. where he saith Nos enim pro salute aeterna Deum vocamus aeternum Deum verum Deum vivum quam ipsi Imperatores propitium sibi propter caeteros mallent Sciunt quis illis dederit Imperium Sciunt qui homines qui animas Sentiunt enim Deum esse solum in cujus solius sunt potestate à quo sunt secundi post quem primi ante omnes Inde est Imperator unde homo antequam Imperator inde potestas illi unde Spiritus What can be more emphatically spoken God in Tertullians Divinity is no less immediate Author and Creator of Sovereignty than of the Soul of man In Preeminence they are next to God above all their Authority subordinate too co-ordinate with none Rex qua Rex reduplicativè a King as King essentially hath no Constituent but only the King of Heaven Kings are solely and entirely reserved to the Judgment to the Tribunal of Almighty God It feareth me if Tertullian were living now a-days he would be traduced as a Court-parasite Optatus Bishop of Milivis was of the same Faith He writeth ◠lib. 3. contr Parmen Super Imperatorem non est nisi solus Deus qui fert Imperatorem Quot verba tot argumenta a short a most powerful Expression There is none above the Emperour the King but God alone not any not many not the diffusive the collective the Representative the virtual Body the reason is in natural reason strong Almighty God only hath made him Emperour made him King Athanasius his Suffrage and Testimony you have before cap. 5. and with him you have Hosius in epist. ad Solit. vit agent writing and averring constantly confidently to Constantius an Arrian Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath given to thee the Kingdom the Sovereignty If you will have Athanasius alone take his Testimony from his own Mouth in his Apology to Constantius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But thanks to the Lord who gave to thee the Empire Saint Chrysostom lived and died in the same Faith You may read him Tom. 6. according to Sir Henry Savil's Edition Orat. 40. Orat. 2. to the People of Antioch There at that time he was Presbyter when by a tumultuary uproar the Statues of Theodosius were broke and reproachfully-abused The holy man after a most passionate and plentiful Regret expresseth the Riot thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it was a wound so open that no hand could cure it Then exhorteth all with Iob to sit upon the dung-hill to mourn that they were left to themselves to fall into so high a Transgression O! what Expressions what Exclamations what Regrets had been by that holy Father if he had seen what we see to day and heard what we hear He subjoyneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He the Emperour who is so reproachfully abused hath none upon Earth comparable to him in honour He is the head nay if any thing be imaginable that can be higher than the Head he is apex vertex the Top of the Head the Crown and that not of one every one any or many but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all upon Earth Saint Hierom homologates and confirms what they say commenting upon Dan. 2. upon these words He changeth Times and Seasons c. Non ergo miremur saith he si quando cernimus regibus reges regnis regna succedere quae Dei gubernantur mutantur finiuntur arbitrio causasque singulorum novit ille qui conditor omnium est saepè malos reges patitur suscitari ut mali malos puniant Saint Hierom ' s mind is fully this that Kings and Kingdoms have their Constitution Change and destitution by the sole royal Pleasure of God And that in all he is no less the Author than he is Creator of all Finally that not only good Kings are of God's making but bad Kings too and that to punish our Sins No man hath spoken more home than Saint Augustine look upon him l. 4. de Civit. Dei c. 33. Deus ille felicitatis Author quia solus verus deus est ipse dat regna terrena bonis malis Neque hoc temerè quasi fortuitò quia deus est non fortunà sed pro rerum ordine tempore occulto nobis notissimo sibi In which Passage St. Austin vindicates the making of Kings absolutely to God by a reason unanswerable Quia solus verus deus est because he alone is the true God The meaning is you may as well deny him to be the only true God as rob him of this Prerogative of making Kings and in his Sense he or they that assume this power to themselves intrude sacrilegiously upon God's Right He amplifieth this shewing Kings are not casual by hap-hazard but causal God in his wise and unsearchable Providence sending bad or good Kings according to the Exigence of time and the people to bless or punish He resolves all in a docta ignorantia a mysterious way that howsoever we cannot reach the way nor find the reason why it is so yet is well known to God to which we are religiously to submit and not curiously and presumptuously to enquire Turn to him again l. 5. de Civ Dei c. 21. Non tribuamus dandi regni atque imperii potestatem nisi vero Deo ille igitur unus verus Deus qui nec judicio nec adjutorio deserit genus humanum quando velit quantum voluit Romanis regnum dedit qui dedit Assyriis vel etiam Persis Qui Mario ipse Caio Caesari Qui Augusto ipse Neroni Qui Vespasiano vel patri vel filio suavissimis Imperatoribus ipse Domitiano crudelissimo ne per singulos ire necesse sit qui Constantino Christiano ipse Apostatae Iuliano Hoc planè Deus unus verus regit gubernat ut placet A Passage able to stop the Devil's Mouth observe in it first that Saint Augustine will not admit that Kings and Kingdoms are derived from Pope Presbytery or People but of him alone who i◠Deus verus unus the true and only God 2. Next that he will admit no more search but to be content with his placet Will to give it to whom he will an◠in what Extent for Power and Time he will Thirdly in Saint Austin's mind this is not only
Kingdom Power Strength Glory and Majesty More absurd is that that they with brazen-face affirm this Majesty in a King is derived onely cumulativè communicativè so that the People are not devested of it but that in certis casibus in some cases which if they be not real People shall fansie them at pleasure this same Sovereignty and Majesty is resumable An old Philosopher would laugh at him who would presume to say that a matter passive actuated and perfected by Union with a Form could at pleasure shake off that specifick and individual Form and marry it self to another they may with as good reason say that a Husband hath Marital Power from his Wife and to gratifie that Sex with which they are very prevalent they may endow every Wife with that Power to resume her Freedom and to marry to another at pleasure A third reason against this Paradox in State and Divinity is this there is no warrant in Scripture nor doth Nature teach that God hath fixed all Government Sovereignty and Majesty in the Community as in its prime and proper subject The fittest opportunity to evidence this Right and Prerogative of the People was certainly when Saul was anointed and appointed the first King of Israel Till this time God did retain the Government in his own hands and actuated it by the hands of Moses Ioshua c. as his Viceroyes and Deputies the Text of Scripture is plain in this 1 Sam. 8. 7. God saith to Samuel They have not rejected thee but me Again 1 Sam. 10. 18. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel I brought Israel out of Egypt and delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians and of them that oppressed you Verse 19. And you have this day rejected your God who himself saved you out of your adversities and tribulations and ye have said unto him nay but set a King over us Again 1 Sam. 12. 12. And when you saw that Nahash the King of the Children of Ammon came against you ye said unto me nay but a King shall reign over us when the Lord your God was your King To these passages joyn Gideon's words Iudges 8. 23. When they offered the Kingdom hereditary to him and his Posterity he replied I will not rule over you neither shall my Son rule over you The Lord shall rule over you These places prove clearly a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's ruling of this People by his substituted Deputies When this extraordinary way and peculiar to this People onely was to cease and a King to be established over them like to the Kings of other Nations it was most opportune and high time to declare this Native inherent right of the People in whom is this National and fancied underived Majesty and to leave them by their right to transfer their right upon him whom they judged most fitting and able to be King But here Ne mu Lucilianum not one syllable for it not the least insinuation Nay you have point blank the contrary a virtual destructory of this imagined and conceited Right as at large before we have expressed and cleared for Scripture vindicateth to God as proper and peculiar to himself the Designation of the Person of Saul and the collation and bestowing of Royal Sovereignty It is worth your notice that Scripture recordeth that after he was designed and declared King The Spirit of God came upon him which without wronging the letter of the Text may be interpreted of God's Grace enabling him for the charge The very Heathen did acknowledge that in Kings there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something from above bestowed above the ordinary stream of Endowments incident to man which how it may subsist with a derivation of all their Majesty and Power from the multitude let them judge who have not made a Divorce betwixt themselves and sound Reason and Judgement By no means let us neglect to observe that God when he designed Saul to be King collated upon him Royalty he left no other act to his People but to admit him which was not left to their voluntary determination to admit or reject him at pleasure Nor is that to be over-leap't that God would not allow them by compact and contract to make their own conditions to limit and enlarge their King at pleasure but gave himself to the subject jus Regis the Law of the King to which the Subjects were to submit in the hardest case He prescribed Lex imperandi a Law and Rule to Kings to rule and reign by Deut. 17. But at the admittance of Saul he giveth Legem parendi the Subject a Law of Obedience and Patience 1 Sam. 8. which is so peremptory in the extremest acts of Tyranny and Oppression that no other Remedy is left but Prayers and Tears Patience and crying to the Lord in the day of Trouble and Oppression Of this by God's Grace more hereafter qq 3 4 5. A fourth Argument against this popular Errour and Deceit is this if all Sovereignty and Supreme Power were originally inherent in the People and from thence derived to the King then undoubtedly Democracie were the best of all Governments The reason is pregnant that spece and kind of Government which cometh nearest to its original must be sounder and more perfect but Democracie which is the Government of many cometh nearer to the multitude than Aristocracie where some few of the better sort or than Monarchy where one hath the Supremacy and Government The nearer to the Fountain the Stream runneth more pure and clear This Argument cannot well be taken off and it is a strong Argument changing the terms in the assumption for Monarchy it proyeth the excellency of Monarchy above all Governments because it approacheth nearest to the Government of God and God himself who is the Author of all Government as the Argument before is made the Conclusion is most false because howsoever all Writers of Politicks in many things concerning Policy differ as much amongst themselves as Clocks or our Sectaries yet all unanimously accord and agree in this that of all Government Democracie and popular Government is the worst and do prefer Aristocracie to it by many stages which likewise enforceth our Argument for the excellency of Monarchy for the farther you recede from Monarchy as in Democracie the worse the Government is and the nearer you approach to it as in Aristocracy the Government is the better Some have a nearer approach to one than many and many are at a greater distance with one than some few which things duely considered and rightly pressed will bring home the Conclusion that Formalis completa gubernandi ratio est in Monarchia the proper specifick formal and complete essence of Government is in the Sovereignty of one Review and consider all Politicians whom you will they will grant that Suprema potestas est in indivisibili posua â—upremacy and Sovereignty is an indivisible and undivided Entity How can you share it then amongst more or many Nay
their proper and peculiar and yet several and distinct Rights What Law what Right what Reason is it that the King may or should part with his sacred Right and yet warrants the People to preserve their Rights nay to invade and challenge the King 's Right It feareth me that high Sacrilege robbing God his Anointed and Holy Church is not the least crying sin that hath brought upon us these Miseries and many good men fear that Kings giving too much way to Harpyes to rob God and his Church have made a furious multitude to invade the Sovereignty of Kings to teach Kings to be more zealous and careful to preserve Christ and his Churches Rights Let us remember that God and true Policy have so inseparably united and conjoyned the Interest of King and People that they be almost altogether the same upon which necessarily it followeth that the people ought not to account it a game or strength to them which they obtain and acquire by a Loss and wast of his Prerogative nor ought they to think that perished to them which is gained to him and by which his Prerogative is strengthened he more enabled to protect and they the more secured in safety to enjoy Liberty and Propriety with peace and plenty To reason à salute populi from the Good and Gain of the people to the weakning or destroying of Royalty and Sovereignty is sophistical it is that Sophism they call à dicto secundum quid or à limitato ad absolutum to reason from one end of Government to the Destruction of the other which is more excellent and which effecteth and worketh the other is totally to overthrow Royalty and Government The compleat and adequate end of Monarchical Government is as we have said to preserve the Kings Prerogative entire and the Liberty and Good of the Subject too If any man reason after this Form in the case betwixt the head and the body the Wife and the Husband he will soon discover the Fallacy of this Sophism It is right just necessary and honourable for a King to proportion his Laws and Government for the Good and Safety of his People and on the other part it is as just as necessary for the people to hold that Salus Regis suprema lex esto the safety of the King of his Sovereignty and Right ought to be the paramont Law without which no safety can be to the publick State nor to any private mans well-being If such Sophisms as these were confined within School-walls for the exercise of Wits it were no great matter but such abused Principles clogged with such paradoxal Consequences have a mighty Influence upon the multitude and will make them assume to themselves or commit to their Representatives an arbitrary Power which placed in a wrong hand cannot chuse but produce monstrous Mischiefs These Maxims with their absurd Consectaries embolden them authorize them to pull his Crown from his Head wrest his Sword out of his hands seize his Ships Forts Magazines Ammunitions and Revenues if they apprehend it fit for their own good It will make them break thorow all inferiour Laws that no more shall we have or know for Law but what it shall please them to unfold at pleasure out of the Closet of their Breasts And if this power be in some few or in many who are back't by the greater part of the people having a domineering power over the Judgment and Affections of the people gulled with fair and false promises and vain expectation of a glorious Reformation in Church and State What person how innocent how well-deserving soever can be secured in the Liberty of his Person and Propriety of Life and Goods Shall it not be a sufficient and just warrant to commit innocent men to Ieremiah's Dungeon to prove them guilty at Leisure because they are disaffected to the Good Cause Shall it not be just to take from men what Portion what Moity of their State and Revenues they will and sequestrate them for the publick because they cannot confide in them and the Good Cause must be maintained upon the Estates of Bishops Malignants and Delinquents God forgive you Remember there is a God in Heaven will call Ahab to an account for Naboth's Vineyard repent in time and make Satisfaction before the evil day come upon you May they not by the same Grounds disarm whom they will to weaken Gods Enemies Those Maxims and Sophisms will make way to Rebellion to murther the most innocent the most deserving men It will at last come at that except God and Sovereignty right it that it will be a crime to have Wealth and Treason to be faithful and loyal to King Church and State This Maxim with the annexed Sophisms is enough to destroy King and Kingdom Church and State and at last send the Authors and those are set on by them packing to Hell from which good Lord deliver them and all of us But what may be the proper natural and innocent sense of the words Salus populi suprema lex esto No doubt they have a good and just sense if they be not â—acked upon Tentures beyond their just Extent It was as we have said and as it appeareth by Cicero de Legibus one of the Laws of the twelve Tables and 〈◊〉 paramount Law too But it is only tant ' amount as Salus publica suprema lex esto let the publick Safety of 〈◊〉 be the paramount Law It is transcendent in this Respect that Government first and principally regardâ—th the common Good and Safety of the whole and 〈◊〉 the next place it intendeth the private Good of eveâ—y private singular one subordinately Conservatio speâ—â—ei est potior conservatione individui the Preservation 〈◊〉 the spece and whole is intended more by Nature 〈◊〉 the preservation of any individual The word Populus in classical Authors and its ordinary use is more than â—leâ—s Plebs is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a derivative from many but Populus is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est à mulâ—â—pluribus Plebs comprehends only the vulgar and bafâ—eâ— sort of the Society but Populus omnes ordines hominum complectâ—tur comprehends in its extent all men in the Kingdom of what Condition or Quality soever SS Plebiâ—scitum de jure â—atural apud Iustinianum Nicholaus Porretus ad 2. Epigramma Martial in Cornâ—copia By which it is easily conceived that in this Salus populi in this Salus publica Salus Regiâ— is necessarily involved The word Publicum as Latin Authors well observe is a populo and 〈…〉 that it may sound the better in our Ears we pronounce iâ— Publicum 〈…〉 so that publick and popular in their originaâ— Sense are equivalent Popularâ—s actiones in the Diction of Law are the same that 〈…〉 de popular action actio P. L. 〈…〉 de 〈◊〉 P. and 〈◊〉 sacra if we will trust Festus and Labeo were those solemn Festivities 〈…〉 kept by all the People Governour and governed different from those
to be powerful Intercessors with God to remove his Plagues to say Quid meruere oves what have the poor sheep done smite me and my Fathers house 2 Sam. 24. Like to the good shepherd to lay down his life for his sheep Ioh. 10. And this will work â—in the People such zeal and affection to their Sovereign that they will be ready to lose Lands Riches Honour Life before their King suffer in Honour in his Sacred Power Sacred Right and Sacred Person If the Head â—e well the Body fareth the better and when the Body is in good health and constitution the Head is the better less trouble no pain For proof of this I refer you to that noble passage of Iustin Martyr cited before quaest respons ad Orthod q. 138. Read the whole passage it is an expression in de propria in a convenient and proper place In Sum the Result of all is that from this truth that Kings are immediately from God and Christ independent from all others there issueth a great many excellent and useful Corollaries as first That the excellency of their Dignity is not a motive if it be well weighed to make them swell Lucifer-like in Pride for the weight of their great and difficult Charge will force them of all men to be most humble Officiis quis idoneus istis Their Crowns are dependent from Christ and his Crown and truly considered are onely Crowns of thorns such as Dionysius said an understanding man would not take up if it were lying at his feet Secondly as Kings are nearer to God than any Creatures in the low Universe so are they tied to approach nearest to him in Holiness and all Humane and Christian Perfection Thirdly they are bound to all care endeavour and zeal for Christ's Glory his Truth the Sincerity and Solemnity of his Worship and that not onely as men and Christians but as Kings and Fathers of the State and Nurse-fathers of the Church Fourthly howsoever exempted from Humane Law and coercion yet they are to live and reign according to the Law and Prescript of God and Christ which if they transgress they shall receive Punishment proportionable to their high Dignity and according to their Demerit for betraying the high Trust put upon them Fifthly Although the Royal Right be not founded in saving holiness and sanctity but is sacred in another respect by a delegate Power and Trust yet the way to secure their Crowns their Posterity in the Right transmissible from them and to make their Kingdoms happy is to live piously in Private and Publick Devotions and to intend at first and do it most in their Sacred Government Sixthly next to Almighty God the highest Honour Reverence and Obedience is due to him Seventhly and Maintenance from their Subjects proportioned to their high Dignity and to inable them to act and do what is necessary and expedient for God's Glory the good of the Church and Peace Plenty and Protection of the Subject Eighthly to resist him oppose him in thought word or deed is Rebellion against God himself Ninthly it is high Sacrilege and not onely Royal but Divine Usurpation to trench upon the Kings Sacred Right To shut up all that concerneth this first Question I humbly beg pardon to intreat in all reverence my Lord the King to look upon a Speech of St. Augustine worthy of the reading and meditation of all and the best of Christian Kings he will find it Tom. 5. lib. 5. de Civ Dei cap. 24. which verbatim is thus Reges foelices eos dicimus si justè imperant siâ—inter linguas sublimiter honorantium obsequia nimis humiliter salutantium non extollantur sed se homines esse meminerint suam potestatenm ad Dei cultum maxime dilatandum Majestati ejus famulam faciant si Deum timent diligunt colunt si plus amant illud regnum ubi non timent habere consortes si tardiùs vindicant si facilè ignoscunt si eandem vindictam pro necessitate regendae tuendae Reip. non pro saturandis inimicitiarum odiis exerunt si eandem veniam non ad impunitatem iniquitatis sed ad spem correctionis indulgent si quos asperè aliquando coguntur decernere misericordiae lenitate beneficiorum largitate compensant si luxuria tantâ— eis est castigatior quanto possit esse liberior si malunt cupiditatibus pravis quam quibuslibet gentibus imperare si haec omnia faciant non propter ardorem inanis gloriae sed propter charitatem foelicitatis aeternae si pro suis peccatis humilitatis miserationis orationis sacrificium Deo suo vero immolare non negligunt Tales Christianos principes dicimus esse foelices interim spe postea re ipsa futuros cùm id quod expectamus evenerit O golden expressions worthy to be set in Letters of Gold with most precious Stones and Diamonds and then put upon all Royal Crowns It is a short but a thousand-fold better expression of what we have said Plato Aristotle Cicero Xenophon in his fancied Cyropaedia had never the like it is worth all they have said all they have written on this subject in this kind Let me add a word or two to our selves who are Subjects Let us learn to give to the Lord 's Anointed his due if we will approve our selves good Christians like to our Master the Lord Iesus Christ like to his Apostles like to the ancient and holy Fathers and Martyrs of the Church Let us never deceive our selves like to the Iews who claimed to be the Sons of Abraham when they wrought the Works of their Father the Devil Ioh. 8. Let us not shame our selves and Reformed Catholick Religion by turning Religion into Rebellion and Faith into Faction and deter all Kings in the Christian World to come to the Profession of Reformed Truth and Communion of our Church And that this may be done the more successfully Let us all pray LOrd hear our King in the day of trouble The Name of the God of Jacob defend him Send him help out of the Sanctuary and strengthen him from Sion Remember all his Offerings and accept his burnt Sacrifices Give him according to his own Heart and fulfil all his Councel that we may rejoyce in thy Salvation Teach us his Subjects to fear thee and the King and not to meddle with them are given to change Continue the Loyal in Revâ—rence Obedience and Subjection Reduce the Sons of Belial to their Obedience make thy Spirit fall upon all that we may say thine are we O King and on thy side that the Peace and Beauty of thy Sion may be restored thine Anointed with his Sacred Right re-seated upon his Throne the bleeding wounds of the Land may be bound up the Peace of the Kingdom re-established 〈…〉 soever else is disjoynted may be set aright Do it do it good Lord not for us or for our merits but for thy Names sake the All-sufficient merits of thy Son and 〈…〉 of our Lord and Saviour IESVS CHRIST And let everâ— good Christian all loyal-hearted Subjects who pray for the Peace of Sion and building up of the walls of Ierusalem say Amen Soli Deo Gloria FINIS Eurypides in Bacch Idem ibidem Plutarch Lactant. de ira Dei cap. 1. Rom. 13. Plutarch Xenophon in Cyropoedia lib. 8. l. 16. in qualibet de Episc. Cleric C. Theod. Iustinian Novel 42. Trismegistus apud Lactantium l. 2. Instit c. 16. Gr. Naz. Orat. de mod in disp servanda Plutarch in Probl. Prob. 72. Cassiod l. 8. Var. c. 19. 1 de nat anim c. 1.