yet this is so far from being an Argument to justisie Rebellion or taking up Arms against the King as that it doth altogether condemn it For notwithstanding so great strength yet David never pursued Saul never sought after Saul never discharged one Canon one Murtherer one Gun against Saul but still fled from him and to put him out of all such Fears jealousies got himself and his Forces out of Sauls Kingdom and begged a place for his habitation of Achish the King of Gath. Let all Rebells follow David in the whole Example and we shall both allow this Quotation and also commend their Imitation yes and pray they may have so many Followers that there may be no Rebel left to lift up an hand against the Lords Annointed The second Objection I meet with of any colourable strength Object 2 For I shall passe all those frivilous ones 1. Of the Peoples rescuing Jonathan from Saul Their whole Act. being nothing but a mediation in the behalf of Jonathan and nothing lesse then a Rebellion against Saul as any man may evidently percieve if he reads the whole Story and so Junius Borrhaus Osiander and Willet himself say and determine of it and Peter Martyr adds That if the People did more then pray if they pressed violently upon Saul in making a mutiny they sinned Liberaverunt says St. Jerome Redimerunt says Tremelius In Reg. c. 14 and so says Gregory Magnus i. e. They delivered they redeemed they freed Jonathan that he dyed not And how did they this Certainly not Fustibus but precibus by Prayers not by Pole-axes For if the did more then pray says Peter Martyr they sinned I forbear likewise 2. The Example of Elisha's shutting the door 2 Reg. 6.32 and holding fast the Messenger that came from King Joram to take away his Head For Elisha had Revelation from God as well of Jorams repentance as of his former and furious Message And 3. Of Jehu who killed this King Joram For this was by special and particular command from God 2 Reg. 9.14.24 and not by any Law of God or Man and extraordinary Oracles may not be our Examples And 4. Of Ahikam For he defended not the Prophet from the Tyranny of King Jehojakim but from the fury of the people Jer. 26.4 Had he had any hand in that tumultuous insurrection with the People he had been a Rebel like the People but being he did what he did by that credit and authority which he had with and under the King he shewed himself both a faithful Magistrate and a Loyal Subject And 5. the withstanding of Uzziah the King by Azariah the Priest For this was by words 2 Chron. 26.17 not by Swords and besides God struck him with Leprosy and so by the Law he was to be removed from the concourse of the people for fear of of Infection And 6. That of Deposing Athelia For She was but an Usurper of the Crown The second Objection I say of any seeming validity is that of Jeroboam 1 Reg. 12. from whence it is argued thus Rehoboam the Son of Solomon refused to ease the People of their burthens and therefore they rebelled against him and set up Jeroboam to be a King over them and this was so far says the Objector from being a sin that the Text says It was from the Lord and Therefore Subjects may in some cases bear Arms lawfully against the King and without sin And this Objection I answer thus The Scripture here sets down Rei gestae veritatem Answ 2 non Facti aequitatem the Truth of a thing done not the Right of a Thing to be done Quia factum legimus non ideó faoi â—ndum credimus says St. Austin sectando enim exemplum violemus praeceptum If we follow the Example of men we may break the Commandement of God Nor can we any more be free from the breach of the 5. Commandement and Disobedience if we rebell against our King upon this Example then we can from the breach of the 8. Commandement Theft if we plunder and rob our Neighbours upon Example of the Israelites spoyling the Egyptians In a word God made Jeroboam King and in that Act punished Solomons Idolatry and Rehoboams folly but notwithstanding This Act of the People in revolting from Rehoboam was Rebellion and so called by God himself in two several places 1 Reg. 12.19 2 Chron. 10.19 And Israel rebelled against the House of David unto this day And Israel rebelled against the House of David unto this day And God punished this Rebellion of theirs so fearfully that he first gave them up to Idolatry and afterwards drave them out into Captivity And I do assure you That there are ten Examples for one to shew Rebels have been first Idolaters and so hated by God and afterwards Slaves and so hated by Man That we may never fall into the one or the other either Idolatry or Captivity Almighty God keep us from Rebellion And whatsoever some People say and make shew of I will make it good That there is not one more Example in Scripture of any colour or worth a straw to dispute much lesse to justifie the taking up of Arms against the King There is one Objection made from the example of our own Object 3 Progenitors Richard the Second was deposed and deposed by Parliament and therefore says the Objector A King of England may be resisted With shame and sorrow I canfess the Factum but without blushing and in truth Answer I deny the Iusâ—um The honest Bishop of Carlile opposed it and howsoever the Rebells of those daies ended that good mans daies in prison for his honesty yet by this very Act of deposing King Richard they brought such miseries and mischiefs such Battails Bloudsheds such Rapines aâ—d Murthers upon this Kingdom that until two Kings viz. One Prince ten Dukes two Marquesses one and twenty Earls seaven and twenty Lords two Viscounts one Lord Prior One Judge one hundred thirty and nine Knights four hundred one twenty Esquires Gentlemen of a vast number and Common Souldiers to the number of an hundred thousand were slain in Civil Wars England never saw happy daies And setting Kings and Princes aside I believe there hath been more lost in a latter Rebellion against King Charles I. That we may yet see and enjoy Peace and Happinesse in our daies God keep us all from bearing Arms against King Charles II. when he shall be enabled by Gods raysing him Friends abroad and converting or consternating the Hearts of His Enemies at home to require his own Amen For it is altogether unlawful as appears Secondly by Scripture 2. Scripture and the first Scripture I offer to your Consideration is that of Moses Exod. 22.28 Speak not evil of the Ruler of thy people And this very place touched St. Paul so far that it brought him to a Peccavi when he had suffered his Tongue to run a little over and be
KING CHARLES HIS FUNERAL Who was Beheaded by Base and Barbarous hands January 30 1648. AND Interred at WINDSOR February 9 1648. WITH His ANNIVERSARIES Continued untill 1659. By THOMAS SWADLIN D.D. Qui orat exorat Vivat veniat Vincat Carolus Secundus Et sit Carolo Magno Major Amen LONDON Printed by John Clowes for the Author 16â—â— TO THE KINGS Most Exceent MAJESTIE CHARLES II. GREAT SIR THat Your Majestie may vouchsafe to give these Anniversaries a gracious Reception is the Petition to That Your Majestie may be Blest with a Long Life with a quiet Reign with a Faithfull Councel with a Pious Clergie with a Valiant Souldiery with a Loyal People and be preserved from a new Rivalry of Presbytery and Independency is the Petition for Your Majesty By Your Majesties Loyall Subject THOMAS SWADLIN D.D. Anno Dom. 1648. 2 SAM 1.14 How wast thou not afraid to put forth thine hand to destroy the Annointed of the Lord IN qualia tempora reservasti nos Domine O Lord God In what sad times do we live Times wherein sins of the highest size are comitted Sacriledge and Rebellion and not controuled Nay They are countenanced and not checkt Yea to check them and controule them is accounted a greater sin and can expect no greater Reward then an heavy punishment So sad are the Times we live in Sacriledge and Rebellion committed countenanced commanded To discountenance them to discommand them to rebuke them is accounted a greater sin and must expect as great if not a greater punishment But what then Shall we dry our Eys and not weep for them Shall we harden our Hearts and not sigh for them Shall we muzzle our Mouths and not declaime against them This indeed would involve us in the Guilt and â—â—y us liable to a greater punishment Not only to an Hatchet to an Halter to a Rack to a shame to a Torment here but to Fire and Brimstone to stormes and Tempests to Tortures and Devils hereafter A hard choice I confesse But for all that They that have more care of their Bodies then of their Souls They that have more respect to their Posterity then to their Eternity may consent by silence For my part Liberabo animam meam whatsoever becomes of my Body of my Wife of my Children I will if possibly I can deliver mine own Soul not only by not consenting to but also by dissenting from and increpating of those Royal Blood-suckers those Sons of Belial those Regicides and King-Killers not only in the Distillation of mine Eyes to bedew a Royall Coffin not only in the Compunction of my Soul to bewaile the losse of a Royal Person but also in the Objurgation of my Tongue by chiding those who were so Disloyal as not to be afraid to put forth their hands to destroy the Annointed of the Lord. And that you may deliver your Souls too I beseech you Joyn your Tears with mine Joyn your Prayers with mine Joyn your Sorrows with mine until God shall be pleased to establish King Davids seed in King David's Throne to increpate those bloudy Actors in this Expostulation and Disquisition of so bloody an Act How wast thou not afraid c. These words at first view seem to be nothing but an Interogation the asking of a Question and no more But upon a second and better Inspection they will appear an heavy Indignation and resolve themselves into this strong Negative No man may None but a fearlesse i. e. a gracelesse man dare put forth his hand against much lesse destroy the Lords Annointed and offer to our consideration these particulars Division 1. Whether all Kings bad and all be the Lords annointed I resolve it Yes They are 2. Whether such a Person though had may be resisted deposed or murthered I resolve it No He may not 3. How fearful a sin is it to do such an Act Besides what I shall resolve upon this anon I must add Time will discover I begin with the first Whether all Kings bad and all Par. 〈◊〉 be the Lords Annointed Yes I say They are For it was in a Phrensy mood when Ajax took Kings for Upstarts rising and standing of themselves Cowards get victory by God saith he but I will win whether God will or no. And it was in as desperate a sit when Antiochus said The Persons of Kings are of Force or Fortune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him take the Kingdom to whom Fortune or the sword shall give it And a foolish Dream of wise Homer it was when he said That Kings are the spawn of Jupiter nursed and fostered by Jupiter And tâ—eir Speech is as full of Folly and Madness whether Papist or Puritan or him that hath out-stripped them both the Independent who say That the King is the Peoples Creature The People the Kings Creatour The King whosoever he be quâ King is King but Precario by the Peoples Courtesy And those Texts they alleadge for the proof of their Opinions are foolishly if not foully mistaken by them viz. All the People went up to Gilgal and made Saul King there and therefore the King is the Peoples Creature so again 1 Sam. 11.15 2 Reg. 14.21 All the People of Judah took Azariah and made him King for his Father Amaziah and therefore the People are the Kings Creator For in Propriety of Speech The People did then and do now only declare him to be King who was so appointed by God and therefore the Context runs thus Samuel said to the people Come let us go to Gilgal and renew the Kingâ—om there i e. Let us acknowledge and make known him to be King 1 Sam. 11.14 whom the Lord hath chosen as it is in the 24 verse of that chapter Outward Solemnity and Coronation the King hath from the People but Power Right and Authority he hath from God from God immediatly and Dependent upon God only and Independent from the People whether Diffusive or Collective whether Representative or Essenciall Look ye else upon the first Rulers Gods first Church had the Church of the Jewes Who made Moses to be Ruler over Israel God Act. 7.35 Num. 27.16 Judg. 2.16 The People had no hand in it who appointed Joshua over the Congregation of Israel who but God Who raised up the Judges who but the Lord Who appointed yes to come to the word of my Text who annointed Saul to be Captain over Israel who but the Lord 1 Sam. 10.1 Samuel poured on the Oyl but God annointed him That for the first King of Israel SAUL He was appointed to be King and annointed by God And so again for the second King of Israel DAVID Who found him and who annointed him Not the People I assure you not the better sort of them The Elders of the City Bethleem 1 Sam. 16.4 They were astonished when Samuel went upon that errand from God Nor the best sort of the People neither Not the Saints They dream't of no such matter until God
of the Kingdom and first here I shall examine what is meant by these words They despised him The meaning of this consists in three branches and they are these 1. They did Male-cogitare think evil of him in their hearts and so came within the compasse of Solomons prohibition Curse not the King in thy thought Eccle. 10.20 A thought of despising the King is Treason as well as a Word and a Word as well as an Action so says the Scripture of the Intention of Bigthan and Teresh Traytors they were and yet they never came to an Insurrexerunt or any Act of Treason Ester 2.21.23 but only to a Voluerunt an Intention they sought or they thought to lay hands upon King Ahasuerus and for this very thought of Treason they were hang'd And as the Law of God so the Law of this Kingdom doth construe a bare purpose against the King a despising thought of the King to be Treason and makes it deadly My prayer therefore is Convert them O God if they will not be Converted confound them O God and let them perish as many as have evil will against the King and do Male-cogitare despise him in their thoughts 2. They did Male-dicere despise the King with their tongues and speak evil of him saying How shall this man save us and this is the second Branch whereby the meaning of this word is explained They despised him i.e. they speak evil of the King and so came within the compasse of Moses's prohibition Thou shalt not speak evil of the Ruler of thy people Deut. 27.16 A Word against the King is Treason as well as a thought or Action Greater Treason then a thought and lesser Treason then an Action And they that Word it against the King if they be of the Clergy they are of Balaams Ordination Numb 23. because they Curse whom God hath blessed and he was killed with the Sword If they be of the Layety they are of Shimei's condition 2 Sam. 16.5 because they revile whom God hath annointed and he was put to death And of late by the Law of this Nation there stood one Pym condemned for saying He would if he could embrue his hands in the blood of King Charles the first and many more in good time may be condemned and executed for saying They will if they can embrue their hands in the blood of King Charles the Second My Prayer again therefore is Convert them O Lord if they will not be converted confound them O God and let them perish as many as speak evill of my Lord the King and do Male-dicere Despise Him with their Tongues 3 They did Male facere Despise the King with their Hands for they brought him no presents and so came within the compasse of King Davids prohibition 1 Sam. 26.9 Thou shalt not stretch forth thy hand against the Lords annointed I know King David there speaks by way of Interrogation Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Annointed and be guiltlesse but I know withal that Interrogative Quis Who can is a most triumphant Negative and says Nullus No man can and be guiltlesse or No man ought unless he will bring Guilt upon his own Soul Absolon did was hang'd 2 Sam. 10.9 Robert late Earl of Essex did against Elizabeth our late Queen of England and was beheaded and how many that were in the same Conspiracy were hang'd you may read in that Chronicle My prayer therefore is gain Convert them O Lord Convert them and return them to their Duty of Loyalty to thine Annointed If they will not be converted confound them O Lord confound them and as many as lift up their hands against or withdraw their hands from my Lord the King Amen You see what is meant by these words 1 a. 2 a. They despised him will you now see Why they despised him why it was Because they lookt upon him as a single man How shall this man save us Happily they thought him greater then any of themselves in particular but they thought themselves in a collective or Representative Body greater then him the King and this brings me to the unfolding of the second Question which is Whether the King be singulis major Question 2 greater then single persons but Universis minor lesse then collected Persons or the Body Representative I shall not need to speak of the first Branch of this Question viz. Whether the King be Singulis major Greater then any single Person For it is not denied by any or if by any yet only by such who are more Beasts then Men and live more by Sense then by Reason or Religion or rather have lost both their Sense their Reason and their Religion The enquiry therefore here must be upon the other branch of this Question viz. Whether the King be Universis minor lesse then the Body Representative For this was the thing in agitation in this late wicked Age and affirmed by these wicked men the Children of Belial who did de facto murther King Charles I. of blessed memory and would have done as much upon King Charles II. if they could have fastened upon him at Worcester but God I trust hath preserved him for better times I must at first take leave to tell them That the Ground on which they build is false and meer Sophistry That the assumption and Inference which they build is weak and meer Fallacy For thus they argue The Fountain or Cause of a King is greater then the King but the People Representative is the Fountain and Casue of the King Therefore the People Representative is greater then the King And here I say The Ground is false the Assumption is untrue and the Inference therefore is so too 1. The Ground is taken from an old Axiome Quickquid efficit tale est ma gis tale whatsoever effects a thing is greater then the thing effected This though true Ante effectum productum before the effect produced yet it is often false Post effectus productionem after the production of the effect v. g. The Fountain was once bigger then the River but now the River is bigger then the Fountain A spark of fire was once more Fire then all the Wood in the Chimney but when the Wood becomes one Flame the Wood is more Fire then the Sparke You see the Ground is not ever true and sure I am the Assumption laid upon this Ground-work is never true viz. The People is the Fountain or Cause Efficient of the King For God as I have shewed you before and whether I referr you is the only Efficient of Monarchy Only I add thus much Were it so that the People did make the King yet it would not follow That therefore the People is greater then the King For this Axiome is true only in those Agents in whom the Quality by which they work is Inherent and from whom it cannot be separated But the People if they had Power to make the
over them even Saul of whom Samuel here says See ye not him the King 1 Sam. 10. whom the Lord hath chosen It is still to tell us That God is the efficient of Monarchy and not the People And was it not God that afterward appointed David and after him Solomon and so of all the Kings both of the Jewes and of the Nations was God the efficient 2 Sam. 5. Prov. 8.15 if you will believe Solomons Per me for the Kings of the Jewes By me Kings Reign and Isaiahs Unctus Cyrus for the Nations Isa 43.1 where the Lord calls Cyrus his Annointed or that of Daniel for both Dan. 4 25. The most high ruleth in the Kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever he will Mark it The Lord gives it not the people and the Lord gives it to whomsoever he will not to whomsoever the people will But soft I have here committed a great Errour and given an open way to a very fair Objection For some Monarchomachoi Objection some Anti-Royalists and Fighters against the King say People are the Author and efficient of Monarchy and they give Scripture for it 1 Reg. 12.20 The people sent and called Jeroboam unto the Congregation and they the People made him King over all Israel Yet now I think upon it again Resp this Errour of mine was not so great nor the Objection so strong but that I can fairly salve the one and easily solve the other and in Answer I confesse That the People did make Jeroboam King and that by God too But How by God and How by them Not by God Efficiente approving of it but only Permittente permitting of it and By them not Authoritate by any Authority they had acquired but Rebellione by Rebellion they had incurred Jeroboam was King indeed and indeed of the Peoples making but in Fact not in Right because not of Gods appointing further then by way of Permission God blest him not Immediatly by himself No Prophet of God annoinaed him nor was there any Ceremony used for and at his Inauguration more then a Rent Ahijah the Prophet rent a new garment in twelve pieces and bid Jeroboam take ten 1 Reg. 11.31 In all which God only punished Solomons sin but did not make Jeroboam King And what a heavy Judgment God intends that people whom he permits to chuse and make a King unto themselves the sad progresse of this Story will demonstrate and that was this in a word When they had made a King of their own why then they and their King would have a Religion of their own and to effect this They banish or silence or imprison all their old Priests and Orthodoâ—al Clergy as absolute impediments to their new intended government and by and by they take as much Anthority over God as before they took Liberty over their King and Jeroboam confesses himself to be but an Usurper though a King of the Peoples making 1 Reg. 12.27 saying This People will return unto their Lord if they do sacrifice in Jerusalem And indeed when they had made an Usurper their King their King and they made a Calfâ— their God and this sin of Idolatry stuck so close to their King and that sin of Rebellion stuck so close unto themselves that He is made an example to Sovereignty they to Subjects least if Kings do as he did and become Idolaters and worship another God or Subjects do as they did and set up another King then whom God hath placed over them the Kings become Castaways and the Subjects first Rebels and ever after Slaves You see This Objection hath done the Objector little good All that it says is God may give way to people to make an Usurper King but punishes them soundly for it and is still himself the Author of lawful Kings and the Efficient of true Monarchy And as it was in the daies of Moses so it was in the daies of Christ He would rather be without his own Right then receive it in a wrong way or from a wrong hand and therefore to let the People know That they had no power to conferr Crowns Joh. he would by no means accept of that Dignity when they the People would by no means accept of that Dignity when they the People would have made him King He likewise acknowledged Pilate though he were but a Deputy-King to have received his power De super from above Joh. 18. and St. Paul maintained the same Doctrine saying The Powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 Not doth the Reply any way foile this truth where St. Peter saith Replic 1. Pet. 2. That that is the Ordinance of man which St. Paul calls the Ordinance of God For the same Act is often times ascribed both as well to the one as the other sometimes to the Mediate Reasons and sometimes to the Immediate Agent so it is said 1 Sam. 11.15 1 Sam. 10.1 All the people went to Gilgal and there they made Saul King and yet in the Chapter afore it is said The Lord hath annointed thee to be Captain over his inheritance and the like is said of David They the people annointed David King over Israel and yet it is said again 2 Sam. 5.3 The Lord annointed Dauid King over Israel 2 Sam. 12.7 i. e. God as the Master of the Substance makes Kings and gives them their Regall power the Prophets as Masters of the Ceremonies powred on the Oyle and declared them Kings and the People as under-Officers received them into the Possession of that Right and admitted them to the Exercise of that Authority which God had given them Or you may take the Answer thus whereas St. Peter calls the Supream Power or Monarchy the Ordinance of Man there he speaks of the Final cause of Power q. d. Power the Supream power Kingship and Monarchy it self is ordained for the good peace and welfare of man not but that God is the Efficient Cause of this power as St. Paul speaks And Paraeus himself who was no great Royalist indeed no friend at all to Monarchy In Rom. 13. pag. 1327. tells us That the Authority of Kings is primarily the Ordinance of God and he answers this very Objection thus St. Peter saith he calls the Magistrate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An humane Creation or Ordination not causally as if it were invented by man or brought and begotten by the Will of man or as if man were the Author of it but this he speaks 1. Subjectively because it is executed by man And 2. Objectively because it is used about the Government of humane Society And 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Finally because God ordained it for the good and help of markinde And in the close he adds The wordused by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Creation ad Deum primum autorem nos rev ocat sheweth plainly That God is the first Author of it Hitherto then it
nisi solus Deus De Schism Donat. lib. 3. says Optatus Milevitaâ—us Since there is no man no Representations of men above the Emperour but only God alone which made the Emperour Donatus by advancing himself above the Emperour doth exceed the bounds of Humanity and maketh himself a God rather then a Man in that he feareth and reverenceth him not whom all men should honour next after God All men should honour him and therefore All men are below him Siquis de nobis Hist lib. 5. c. 1. Rex justitiae limites transcendere voluerit c. says Gregorius Turonensis to Childerick that wicked King of France If any one of us O King do transgresse the bounds of Justice you have power to correct but if you exceed your limits who shall chastise you Who shall chastise you None No man no Assembly of men whatsoever who but God And if none but God may chastise the King surely the King is above all men because he may chastise any men I might be infinite this way Ep. 170. ad Lud. Regem a word from St. Barnard Si totus Orbis adversum me conjuraret ut quippiam molirer adversus Regiam Majestatem ego tamen Deum c. If the whole World should conspire against me to the end that I should do something against the Kings Mâ—jesty yet I would fear God and not dare to offend the King who is ordained by God and by him appointed over me over me and over all men and so he says elsewhere Quis vos excepit who hath excepted any man And Aquinas himself tell us That by the Faith of Christ Order of Justice 2 a. 2 ae q. 104 Art 6. all All Inferiours are bound to obey their Superiours neither the Godly nor Faithful are either exempted or excused but even they are tyed by the Law of Christ to obey the secular Prince Nay he goes a little farther saying If a Successive King or King by Inheritance turn Tyrant Recurrendum est ad omnium Regum Deum We must fly to God the King of all Kings who only hath power over Kings And certainly If God only be above the King the King is above the People Will you see the same confirmed thirdly by Reasons 3. By reasons I assume the Proposition again then and say The King is above the People not only Seorsim asunder but also Conjunctim together Because 1. The King is Sponsus Regni the Husband of the Kingdom and at his Coronation is wedded with a Ring unto his Kingdom not to the Kingdom in the Natural capacity of the People to this and that particular man and woman for so the King should have many Wives but in the Politick capacity of the people as All the people make but one politick Bridegroom so the King hath but one wife And therefore as the Wife is to obey her Husband and therefore the Husband to Rule his wife Eph. 5.22 and therfore the Husband is over his wife so the People All the people are to submit themselves unto the King and the King is over and above them not only Divisim one by one but Conjunctim also altogether 2. The King is above the People because the King is the Head of the People The Head not of these or those particular Members but of all the People For all the People make but one Body and one Body hath evermore a Head and but one Head Otherwise if it have no Head at all or more Heads then one It is a Monster And therefore as a Body Natural consists of many Members and the Head is above not this or that Member asunder but all the Members together as one Body so the Body Politick consists of many Members and the King is the Head of and above not this or that Member alone but all the Members together The Body Natural is ruled by one Head and the Body Politick ought to be ruled by one King 3. The King is above the people because the King is Oeconomus or Pater the Master 〈…〉 Father and the whole Kingdom is Familia the Family 〈◊〉 Childreâ— or Servants He is Dominus the Lord and They are Domus the House Now as Dominus domui praest The Lord bears Rule in his House The Father is above his Children The Master above his Servants not this or that Childe or each Childe a apart not this or that Servant or each Servant apart but all the Children and all the Servants together so the King is above all the People together Agesilaus fore-saw the danger of this Distinction and the danrous consequence of it if it were allowed and therefore to a Citizen of Sparta who desired an alteration of Government he returned this Answer That kind of Rule which a man disdains in his own house is very unfit to govern a Kingdom by Beloved make up you the Application your selves It may be your Children and your Servants which are the Representative Body of your little Kingdom your Family hold together Is it fit therefore that they should command you or turn you out of dores Will any but Unruly Servants or Graceless Children say They are therefore above over and greater then their Master then their Father Nor is it fit though all the Subjects of a Kingdom conspire and combine together that they should command the King Nor will any but unruly undutiful unthankful Gracelesse and Rebellious Subjects say They are or esteem themselves to be above the King They that say so speak against Reason For the King is the Husband The People the Wife The King is the Head The People are the Members The King is the Father the People are the Children The King is the Master the People are the Servants of the Kingdom They that say so speak against Learning For it hath been the Universal Opinion of the Fathers That the King is inferiour to none but God and They speak against the Letter and Sense of the Scripture For the Scripture calls such Despisers of the King Children of Belial And lastly they speak against the Common Law of England which is my fourth and last way 4. By the law of England I promised to make this good by viz. That the King is above the People and for the Common Law of England I shall refer you to Bracton Fortescue Sr. Thomas Smith Thomas de Walsingham Cambden and others Bracton thus Omnis sub Rege Ipse sub nullo nisi tantùm sub Deo Parem non habet in Regno suo Lib. 1. cap. 8. De Chartis Regijs et factis Regum nec privatae personae nec Justitiarij debent disputare Every one is under the King and the King is under none but God He hath no Equal no Peer much lesse Superiour in his Kingdom Of his Royal Graunts and Actions none neither private Persons nor Judges may dispute Certainly If the King be only under God then neither the People nor their Representatives are above the
the Law of Nature or the Divine Law not by Popular Pactions or Politick and National Agreements we are bound to obey the King and the Reason is Because the King is the Supream Head i. e properly Universorum of all the People and all this is not obscurely implyed but manifestly expressed and that not by single and yesterday Pamphlets but by sundry old Authentique Histories and Chronicles Would you have it yet plainer Look ye then upon the Oaths ye have taken in the presence of Almighty God The Oath of Allegiance The Oath of Supremacy and your own Parliamentary Protestation In each of these you have sworne to maintain the Kings Soveraignty in all Causes and over all Persons Ecclesiastical and Civil A Soveraignty he hath not onely over singular persons but over all persons and you have sworn to maintain it and as you endeavour it so God will help you But you may fear you may justly fear If you have un-Sworne that or Sworne against that which you have so Solemnly Sworne to maintaine That GOD will not onely not help you but wound you wound you while you live with the Infamy of Rebells and a tormenting Conscience Witnesse Alderman Hoyle Sr. Henry Phane Senior and some more and wound you when you are dead with the Eternity of Fire and all the Torments of Hell From both which Almighty God deliver you for his Son Jesus Christ his sake and from which that you may be delivered I pray God give you grace to acknowledge esteem King Charles II. to be Universis as well as Singulis Major Greater then and over all because They that think lesse of him do despise him and are therefore the Chilâ—ren of Belial as they are and shall be in future Chronicles who thought lesse of King Charles I. and therefore murthered him And so are they that bring him no presents which is my third Consideration and to be handled the next year In the mean time God in mercy c. Anno Dom. 1653. 1 SAM 10.27 They brought him no Presents WEE are by the Grace of God Pars. 3. met here again to remember a sad and mournful day That day on which the best King that ever England had was murthered I chan◠〈◊〉 my Text yet because I am yet to shew you the Privative cond tion of Rebels or Children of Belial from these words They â—â—ought him no Presents And I shaâ—l not spend much time in the Explication of these words Theâ— are obvious enough to the thinnest understanding and thâ—yiâ— end thus much These men these Children of Belial diâ—noâ— contribute to the maintenance of the King They did not â—yd im they did not assist him They ayded him not with Aâ—ms they assisted him not with mony They withheld his Vectiâ—li from him They brought him not his Customes his Crown-Reâ—enues his Subsidies and Poll-monies I shall therefore spend my ensuing Discourse in resolving that Question which doth almost Naturally arise from these last words viz. Whether it be lawful to bear Arms Quest. 3 or contribute for the maintenance of a War against the King This Text resolves it Negatively and says It is not lawful For they who brought the King no presents were therefore Sons of Belial and therefore much more are they the Sons of Belial who fight against or contribute to maintain a War against the King And this I shall endeavour to make good 1. Removendo by removing all Objections that I meet withal which colour this Opinion 2. Movenâ—o by commending to you some choise and pregnant places of Scripture which give the checkmate to this Opinion 3. Propendendo by explaining those places of Scripture by the practises of the Fathers 4. Proponendo by laying before your face some of those fearful Judgements which have befallen some men who have born Arms against their Kings as fearful Examples for them who contribute to the maintenance of such Wars And first for the Objections and the first of any validity I meet with is that of David's taking up Arms against King Saul Object 1 and it is argued thus 1 Sam. 22.1 2. 1 Sam. 24.18 David the Subject took up Arms against Saul the King and was not rebuked for it either by any Divines or Lawyers or States-men Many of his Fellow Subjects to the number of 600. took up Arms with him and very likely many more contributed to the maintenance of that Army nor yet were they reprehended either by any Rules of Divinity Law or Policy and Therefore Subjects may take up Arms and contribute to the maintenance of a Warre against a King if he be an Oppressour of their Properties Liberties or Religion And to this first colourable Objection Answer I Answer thus The Allegation is false For how can it possibly be imagined That David took up Arms against Saul when we find him continually flying from and never fighting with Saul Yea 1 Sam. 24.6 so far was he from fighting with him or taking up Arms against him that when God had delivered Saul into his hands two several times 1 Sam. 26.9 once in the Wildernesse of Engedi and once in the Hill of Hachilah David durst not himself nor would he suffer any man else to stretch forth his hand against King Saul and for this reason 1 Sam. 24.2 Because he was the Lords Annointed Certainly David neither raised nor entertained these 600 men to fight or encounter with or against Saul For what are 600 to so many thousand as Saul had at Command 1 Sam. 26.2 He never went without 3000 men after him David used these 600 only for Spies or Scouts that they might give him Intelligence where Sauls ambushments lay that so he might as is said the better avoid his fury ver 4 Certainly therefore David with his 600 mens is very unlearnedly urged as an Example of Disloyalty Nor will that Addition help it viz. That David was 40000 strong in the days of Saul and likely he would not lye still with that great Army 1 Chr. 1.12 No no They had no such foolish Oath in those Loyal daies as Never stir law It is fit let the King know himself It is high time King Saul were removed from his evil Counsellours Doeg and his fellows For first you cannot but know at least you cannot deny That these 40000 come not to David until Sauls death if you observe the story Ver. 22. For it is said expresly They came to David to help him until it was a great Host like the Host of God And these are the numbers of the Bands Ver. 23. that were ready Armed to the War and come to David to Hebron to turn the Kingdom of Saul unto him according to the Word of the Lord And what made these men come to David at this time It was Sauls death and they knew David was appointed by God to succeed him But secondly admit it for truth That David was 40000 strong in the daâ—es of Saul
our Preserver from Sin and Danger from the Sin of Rebellion which was this Day acted to purpose and from the Danger of Rebels which for this Dayes Rebellion will ere long be executed on them to the purpose as our Judge according to the Clearness of our Hearts and Cleanness of our Hands we are then Blessed Spe in Regno Gratiae by Hope in the Kingdom of Grace because we have the Forgiveness of our sins and are thereby assured that therefore we shall be Blessed Re in Regno Gloriae by way of Possession in the Kingdom of Glory because then we hall have Everlasting Life And this is the upshot of all Blessedness And this Blessedness will not be had until we be Dead nor can it be had unless we Dye in the Lord. It is my next Consideration 2 a. 1 ae my Secunda Primae proposed thus Who are Blessed And disposed thus The Dead They are the Subject of this Object The Dead are Bessed and their Qualification is If they Dye in the Lord. By Dead here is not meant St. Pauls Dead which he speaks of to Timothy 1 Tim. 5.16 The wanton Widow who is Dead whiles she lives she is not Blessed because Dead but therefore Cursed because she is Dead whiles she lives For howsoever she drawes in the Life of Nature yet she never breaths out the Breath of Grace And this I prove by those three parts which are the best Indications of a Dead or Living Body The Pultse the Heart the Mouth If a mans Pultse beat If his Heart pants If his Mouth speaks or breaths we are sure he lives but if all these are silent and stir not we conclude He is Dead 1. Now for the Pultse of a wanton Widow the Pultse of her Soul her Conscience If it beat at all yet it beats unevenly and out of tune either too high by Desperation and Presumption or else too low by Security and Supiness And by this we know she is sick For the most part It beats not at all It gives no warning before It starts not at the temptation to sin It gives no Remembrance after It checks not at the Commission of sin and by this we conclude she is Dead And so her Heart too If that pants at all It is after sensual Pleasures and things forbidden like the Harlots in the Proverbs Come and let us take our fill of love Prov. Broken Cisterus that can hold no water It is not after the Fountain of living waters like Davids Come and let us go into the house of the Lord. Psal 3. And so her Mouth too That speaks not the Language of Canaan and such as becometh Saints but the Language of Ashdod and such as becometh Devils By which it appears she is Dead but not Blessed Nor by Dead here is meant those Dead which Christ speaks of Let the Dead bury the Dead i.e. The Deal in sin bury them that are Dead for sin As elsewhere He speaks to the Jews Yee shall dye in your sins And they that are so Dead Dead in their sins while they live or so Dye Dye in their sins when they leave this life They that give sin leave to reign in them while they are here and over them when they depart hence They that obey the commanding power of it now and sink under the Condemning Guilt of it then They are not Blessed though Dead but Cursed Cursed in their finishing of sin because that sin brings forth Death as St. James speaks i.e. Eternal Death Jam. 1. But by Dead here is meant not Universally All but Indefinitely Many Those that Dye in the Lord It is my next Consideration my Tertia Primae And here I shall shew you first What it is to dye in the Lord by way of Doctrine and Explication And secondly How we may dye in the Lord by way of Use and Application And first 3 a. 1 ae What it is to dye in the Lord Why To dye in the Lord or To dye in Christ or To dye in Faith for all these are Synonima is either To suffer Death for Christ like a Martyr or To end our life in firm Faith in Christ as a Confessor The Romanists contend earnestly for the Former and will have the Text to be understood of Martyrs onely and so they take In for Propter To dye In the Lord is To dye For the Lord. Now be it That the Martyrs are here Specially meant yet sure I am That they arc not here onely meant For I do not read Luk. 16. That Abraham was a Martyr yet I read That he was Blessed in Heaven with Glory nor do I read That the Thief upon the Cross died for Christ Luk. 23. yet I read That he was Blessed in Paradice with Christ He whosoever he be that doubts of the Martyrs Blessedness His that dyes for Christ is scarce worthy himself to have any part in Christ It is a thing so little doubted That Saint Augustine sayes Injuria est He does the Martyr wrong that prayes for him For by praying for him he doubts of his Salvation and Christ himself sayes He that looseth his life for my sake shall find it And certainly Mat. If he wrongs the Martyr that prayes for him then he that grieves for him wrongs him much more For he either doubts of his welfare or repines at his happiness To see Clouds in the Clergies face for the departing of our late most reverend Father in God William Laud Arch-bishop of Canterbury To see Furrowes in the faces of the remaining Greenvills Smiths or Boules To see water in the eyes of the surviving Cavendishes Lyndseies or Gardiners To hear Plaints from the Tongues of the being Bourcheris and Yeomans Tompkins and Challoners for the not being of their Fathers Sons Brothers Kindreds and Friends is equally to doubt of their being Martyrs and therefore Blessed as of our Enemies being Rebels and therefore Murtherers which for mine own part I no more doubt of either then of success in the End or mine own Salvation It hath been questioned I know by the Church-men of Rome Whether Souldiers may be Martyrs and their Reason is Quia bonum Reip. licet maximum inter bona humana non potest esse Causa Martyris sed solummodo Divinum Yet I know withal It is resolved by them again Quod bonum humanum officitur Divinum si referatur ad Deum est Causa Martyris Aq. 2.2 q. 124. Ar. 5. ad 3. a Subjects fighting and dying for their King or King fighting and dying for his Subjects did Fight and Dye for God they did it of late For of late Gods and the Churches and the Kings Cause consentred in one The King endeavoured to maintain that Religion and that publicly Service of God which Gods own right hand planted and his blessed Martyrs watered watered with their Blood and therefore blessed because they have so done Etiam dicit Spiritus so sayeth the Spirit blessed are
to be sober in the Horse and drink no more then will do us good being Unchast or Lacivious in the Dove and know no woman but out own Wifes being Cruel or Unnaturall in the Storke and to maintain our Parents Children Freinds that if we do such things we are worthy of death Worthy of death of death temporal so Draco by the light of nature appointed Death for all great Transgressions but that is not all our Apostle here means but worthy of death eternal too and this the very Gentiles knew by assigning their Elisyan fields to some sinners and Hell or their Stygian Lake to other sorts of sinners Take you and I therefore heed of all sorts of sins and do with every sin as David did with his water which his Worthies brought him with hazzard of their lives powre it them on the ground and say God forbid we should commit these sins because if we do we are worthy of Death of Death Temporal and Death Eternal Especially take we heed that we delight not that we take not pleasure in that we applaud not them that do them For this is desperate impiety the hight of and the great aggravation of the Gentiles sin here used by this great Apostle which is my second consideretion They do not only do them Psal 2. Put also take pleasure in others for doing the same Some read it Consent so Lyranus Tolet and others and make the Aggravation lesse But Theophylact Paraeus Piscator and others read it Patrocinantur favour delight take pleasure in yes Applaudunt Applaud and defend them that do such things and so make the Aggravation greater either way It is bad enough Alexanders murthering of Clytus was not the lesse though Anaxarchus the Epicurian Phylosopher told him All was lawful that Princes did though Aristander the Stoical Philosopher told him it was Fate and Destiny Davids murthering Uriah was not the lesse though the Ammonite slew him 2 Sam. 12.9 because he commanded it Achitopels killing of Absolom was not the lesse because his Counsel brought him to his death 2 Sam. 16.21 Saul was not lesse guilty of St. Stephens death Act. 7.59 though the Jews stoned him Act. 22.20 because he consented to it Achab was not lesse guilty of Naboths death though some Sons of Belial bare false witness against him and others condemned him Reg. 21.13 and others stoned him because he authorized and countenanced it with his Seal Esau was not the lesse guilty of Jacobs destruction though Forreigners Obed. 11.12 carried him away captive because he did not rescue him All the Tribe of Benjamin was not guilty of the Concubines Death and Rape in the Act of it Jud. 19.22 Jud. 20.13.14 yet they were guilty of the sin because they sheltered the Actors and Doers of it The Modern or latter Jews were not the less guilty of the old Prophets death Mat. 23.34 though their Fathers and Grand-Fathers slew them because they were Heire as well of the Murthers as of their Fathers Nor were they less guilty of King Charles blessed King Charles the first his death who brought him to the Block though others chopt off his head because they then withstood it not nor ever since called any of them to account for doing of it Nor are you or my self the loss guilty of that sin which another man commits if lying in our power we do not hinder it if we do not reprove it if we counsell'd it if we consented to it if we commanded it if we concealed it if we entertain'd the Actors of it and gave them applause or took pleasure in them for doting of it I end this second part with Prayer O God we have much guilt of our own too much if thy mercy be not the greater suffer us not we beseech thee to partake of other mens sins or communicate in other mens guilt but give us Courage to hinder it Zeal to reprove it Power to forbid it Wisdome to dispraise it Anger to discountenance it Strength to resist it Hearts and Tongues to declaime against it The burthens of others miseries give us Charity to bear but the burthens of other mens sins give us piety to forbear and the burthen of our own sins do thou ease and the guilt of our own sins do thou forgive for his sake who hath borne that burthen and washt away that guilt by his pretious and invaluable blood Jesus Christ Amen And now I come to the last part I proposed That if the Apostle were now living Pars 3. he would certainly further aggravate this sin upon the English Christians then he did upon the Romane Gentiles who have out-stript and exceeded their doing these sins themselves and their delighting in those that do them by commanding all others and compelling many to do the same by 1. An Engagement 2. An Oath of Abjuration 3. A subscription of Opposition against the Common Enemy whom they at least some of them I am sure one of them with the Approbation if silence gives consent declared to be Charles Stewart whom we acknowledge to be Charles the second King of England Scotland and Ireland and for whose return we do and will pray with Power from above to recover his own Rights with mercy from above to forgive his Rebellions Subjects and with Wisdome from above to lettle this Church of God and his three Kingdomes in Peace and Truth untill the second comming of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen That Engagement with the Covenant was the first 1. Engagement and either of these bad enough since there is not one Engagement in the whole Book of God save those of the Rebels Corah and his Complices Absolom and his Conspirators Shaba and his Peufellowes nor is there one Covenant in that whole book but they were all given and taken by the Kings Authority not a Covenant amongst them all and they are but six in number imposed without much less against the Kings Authority and besides they were all meerly Religious Covenants not one Politick or state Covenant amongst the whole six Joshua 24.25 The first of which six was made by Joshua with the people The second was made by Jehojada the High Preist in behalf of the young King Joash with the people 2 Reg. 11.4 the sum of which Covenant was that the people should be true to God 2 Cron. 15.12 the King and the Church The third was made by King Asa with the people to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and with all their soul The fourth was made by King Hazechiah with the people when they were in great distress for want of Religion and therefore said the King I have purposed to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel that he may turn his feirce wrath from us This was the Kings Covenant and Engagement with God for the people 2 Cron. 29.10 not theirs against him The