externum hominem by coactive Power or externam gubernationem Ecclesiae the external Government of the Church in appointing the use of things arbitrary and indifferent and what else is of this strain are so due to the Prerogative of the Crown as that we must not rob him of it nor may the Priest without highest Rebellion against God intrench or usurp upon the King A King in the State and Church is a mixed Person not simply Civil but Sacred too They are not only Professores fidei Professors of the Truth that they have in the Capacity of a Christian but they are also Propugnatores fidei Defenders of the Faith which is proper to them in the Capacity of a King What is the meaning of that that in Scripture they are honoured with more than the Stile of a Son of the Church they are called by Isaiah or rather God himself The Nurse-fathers of the Church This is not to be so scantled as if there were no more Influence from Kings upon the Church but by Honour and Riches other great men may and have done the like it is meant by some Influence from their Crown their Sword their Scepter What meaneth that Charge Psal. 2. 10 11 12. Be wise O ye Kings serve the Lord with Fear kiss the Son left he be angry and ye perish from the way When his Wrath is kindled but a little I will believe Saint Austin more than all the glorious pretended Reformers of this happy Reformation or Deformation rather writing to Boniface Quomodo enim saith he Reges Domino serviunt nisi ea quae contra jussa Domini fiunt religiosâ severitate prohibendo atque plectendo Aliter n. servit quà homo est aliter quà etiam Rex est Quia homo est ei servit fideliter vivendo quia vero etiam Rex est servit leges justa praecipientes contraria prohibentes convenienti vigâ—re sanciendo Sicut servivit Ezechias Lucos templa idolorum excelsa quae contra praecepta Dei fuerunt constructa destruendo Sicut servivit Iosias talia ipse faciendo Sicut servivit Rex Ninivitarum universam civitatem ad placandum Dominum compellando Sicut servivit Darius idolum frangendum in potestatem Danieli dando inimicos ejus Leonibus inferendo Sicut servivit Nebuchadnezzar de quo jam diximus omnes in regno suo positos à Blasphemando Deo legi terribili prohibende In hoc ergo serviunt Domino Reges in quantum Reges cum ea faciunt ad serviendum illi quae non possunt facere nisi Reges The Passage is plain and hath more for the Right of Kings than Iesuit or Puritan will allow them who will have them to be Ministri and Executores their Servants to put in Execution what they ordain and command To make Pope or Presbytery as the immediate Vicegerents of Christ and to authorize them with a coactive or a coercive Power to confirm their Orders to force him to repeal his own Laws and in case of Defailance or Refusal after Remonstrance is made or Supplication as they call it although possibly presented on the point of a Sword or Pike to stir up people against the Lords anointed to Sedition to Rebellion howsoever they deceive the simpler sort to make them believe they dye Martyrs is truly the Disgrace of Religion the highest of Treasons against God and man and to make poor People die Traytors to both If you make two Sovereigns in one Kingdom Independent one from another there is no more Peace or Quiet to be expected than was in Rebecca's Womb whilst Iacob and Esau did strive for the Prerogative of the first born Nay if you make the Sovereign and Supreme managing of Religion and religious Affairs to depend upon and properly belong either to any foreign power without the Kingdom as to the Pope or to any Power domestick within it as to the Presbytery or Assembly you commit and entrust to their managing the greatest and highest Affairs of Kingdom and State and if you take from the King the Regiment in Religion you take from him that which in its own nature is the mainest the chiefest and most excellent thing in Government as may appear by what is subjoyned Religion is the Base and Bottom on which all the Steadiness and Happiness of King and Kingdom are seated Religio Timor Dei solus est qui custodit hominum inter se societatem It is Religion and the Fear of God alone which preserveth all Society and consequently King and Kingdom Lactant. de Ira Dei c. 12. Religion is the Base and it is the Cement too of all other Societies besides this Plutarch saith that Religion is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which bindeth all Societies together and giveth Strength to all Laws Religion it hath a mighty Influence upon Laws it worketh hearty sincere and compleat Obedience Religion rightly ordered maketh the Prince rule well and people yield true real and perfect Obedience This made Aristotle say Polit. l. 7. c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first care in Policy should be that of Religion and things divine Religion rightly ordered is the Preserver Nurse and Defence of the Quiet of King and State I say Religion rightly order'd for Superstition is a mad and madding thing Seneca ep 24. Superstitio error insanus est Trismegistus saith apud Lactant. Institut lib. 11. c. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piety and the fear of God is the safety and only Defence of all things Religion in Sum is the only thing to make private and publick Affairs to prosper Which thing being infallibly true it must necessarily follow that Religion is the most important of all Affairs of State and Kingdom How can it then subsist and consist with Reason that the King shall have no more hand or Power in Religion than to execute at the Command of Pope or Presbytery To do it or do worse Christ did never institute such a Sovereignty in Ecclesiastical persons either Pope or Sectaries Independent from King and Sovereign with which they are invested with Power from Christ from above immediately If it were so the Pope or Presbytery were in better Condition than the King The Ecclesiastical Sovereignty hath the Souls in subjection under no less Sanction than with Assurance of Salvation eternal in case of Obedience and Damnation eternal in case of Disobedience and both of them to be extended both to Soul and Body Religion is seated in the Soul and is a mighty Ruler there the civil Sovereignty holdeth only a dead Dominion over the Bodies That Sovereignty which hath the Soul in Subjection the Conscience at his Devotion must over-rule Royal Civil Sovereignty and shall be able at any time so to limit weaken lessen yea disable it that it shall be no more fearful abroad nor glorious and powerful at home with it's Subjects than the spiritual Sovereignty shall permit It is most true and consonant to our
made the young dumb Prince speak All men are tied to the maintenance of Sovereign Right none amongst men more than Church-men it is a necessary truth as aptly plentifully and purposely set forth in Gods Word as any else Prince and Priest were once joyned in one Person and are so tied that Alterius Altera poscit opem res conspirat amicè We find onely three Office-bearers anointed by God King Priest and Prophet who then more tied to maintain the Lord 's Anointed and his Right than Priests and Prophets God hath honoured Kings to be the Nurse-fathers of his Church nor when we reflect upon by-gone Story find 〈◊〉 that ever the Church had either Beauty Plenty or Progress but under Monarchy and view this day the condition of the Christian Church under any other Government than Monarchy and we will find her condition but sorry and poor It is the onely Government which is most conntenanced and magnified in Holy Writ And I dare to say that none or all of them who ever writ purposely of Politicks or in an Historical way laid down Political Maxims whether it be Plato in his fancied Republick or Aristotle in his Politicks or Cicero or Livie or Dionysius Halicarnasseus or Cornelius Tacitus or who besides either by Art or Story is most renowned this way have given us so fully so apertly the Right of Monarchy the true prescript of Government and perfect Rule of Obedience to the Subject The Ancient Fathers and Martyrs whilst Emperours were Heathenish and Persecutors have delivered this Doctrine pleaded the Sacred Royal Prerogative of Emperours and with other Truths have sealed this with their Blood Who can deny then but it beseemeth a Divine most of all men to maintain or write of this subject A wonder then it is that some Smatterers in Divinity writing in this subject do borrow Principles from old Poetical Fables and Toyes make premises and infer Conclusions not onely destructive of Monarchy but also contradictory to that Truth Scripture hath revealed Like to them are our Pettifoggers in the Law I reverence Learned Iureconsults who deserved well in this subject who cry out what have Church-men to do to dispute the King 's Right that belongeth to us who are versed in the Laws of the Kingdom and know what Power the Law alloweth the King what not these Ignaroes who are better versed in the Statutes and Acts of Parliament than in the Acts of Christ and his Apostles may even as well go about not to authorize the Book of God except it be warranted by their Law as to aver that the King hath nothing immediately from God nor no Sacred Right but what He hath by Law More learned Lawyers than they can be as Bodin Barclay and others have treated of this matter and made as good Vse of Scripture and Holy Fathers writing as any other Warrant besides It is more than evident then that no men are more obliged no men may be more fitted to maintain the Royal Prerogative of Kings than Divines But Officiis quis idoneus istis I confess my weakness my insufficiency and am forced to have recourse to a Patron worthy of it and able to maintain it I could hit upon no subject more worthy of so great a Personage as you are nor a Patron so worthy so enabled to maintain it and its poor Author as your Lordship Nobles are amongst Subjects the first-born the ennobled amongst the Romans had a badge of a Moon or Crescent in Plutarch's judgment not so much to signifie the instability or frailty of their Place and Honour as to put them in mind to be obedient and loyal to their Prince the Fountain of their high Dignity as the Sun is to the Moon for your high Nobility by a long continued race transmitted to you from most noble Ancestours to write or recite it were as to light a candle to add light to the Sun in his strength in his vertical point and that transmitted so from them and derived to you that in that whole Stem the Root and all Branches who inherited the Honour not any tainted with Disloyalty Nay their Honour is higher some of them have had the honour to dye in the highest Bed of Honour to lose their Lives and great State and Honour for Loyalty to Royalty This is nothing yet but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the splendour of Birth the glory due to those of whom you are descended Nam genus Proavos quae non fecimus ipsi Vix ea nostra voco True Nobility besides these requireth not onely the inheritance of Riches for that is but Antiquae inveteratae Divitiae as Athlary writ to the Senate of Rome with the inheritance of Honour for that it is a Body empty of a living Soul but it is to inherit the Noble Honour of Noble and Generous Ancestours Nobile saith Aristotle id est quod ex bono genere prodit generosum quod à sua natura non degeneravit Herein you all meet for Honour and Virtue do contest for the Excellency but Virtue truly hath the Eminency In you is verified that of the Lyrick Poet. Fortes creantur fortibus bonis Est in juvencis est in equis Patrum Virtus nec imbellem feroces Progenerant aquilae columbam Malice it self how ingeniously witty soever cannot prejudice you in this whose Piety is admirable whose Wisdom and Prudence is above Age above the ordinary and all your Equals a master of your Passions and so experienced in matters of State and Government that it is a wonder to them who know you and incredible to those that have not been eye and ear witnesses Your Heroical magnanimity speaketh it self in your Heroick Martial Acts admired not onely by excellent Commanders not onely for Courage but for Prudence and rare Government by which you gained so much that the valiant Annibals and Scipioes there would rather sacrifice themselves than expose You to Danger and yet you would not act the General but by doing the valiant Acts contemning Dangers and Death beseeming inferiour Officers but worthy of the greatest Caesar. Who can consider aright that more than admirable piece of Prudence in that Treaty of Cessation in such a time and such a case where You were so assaulted with two of the worst extremes of Opinions enraged both of them with the same degree of madness but must say that is true Cicero said de nat deor Nullus unquam magnus vir fuit sine afflatu divino The intelligent and better sort must confess that without a great mercy to us and more than ordinary Favour from God this could not have been effected The better sort are confident the happy Effects of that Work will make many Souls live and Your Honour live for ever These are the Load-stones of all the Honour the Love and Zeal which have necessitated me to take recourse to Your Honour's Patrocine that what is deficient in me and this poor trifling Treatise
to refute the Errour of the Canonists and others who hold that Directum Dominium the direct and primarie power supream whether Civil or Ecclesiastical is in the Pope as Christs Vicar upon earth immediately from Christ derived unto him and from Him to all Kings whatsoever mediately by Dependence and Subordination The Jesuits are ashamed of this and therefore will have the Pope only to have Indirectum Imporium an Indirect Directive and Coercive power over all Kings and States in ordine ad Spiritualia as civil Power and Businesses are related to Religion and Salvation It is a curious subtle quirk and nicity of Scholastick Invention and a jugling Trick to bring all Kings Christian at Least Kingdoms and States into Subordination and Subjection to the transcendent and extravagant power of the Pope nor doth this Expression differ from the other in re in the matter or extent of the Power but in modo rei in the manner of the thing as they claim it And cometh fully home that the Pope by this indirect Right of his related to Religion by which any civil Act or Business whatsoever with his School Formalities he may qualifie with such an Ordination and Relation to Spirituals that directly by this indirect power he may King and Unking at his Pleasure Our Presbyterians if they run not fully in this way they are very near to it I wish we were so happy this time as that we had not to do with other Impugners of Sacred and Royal Authority but Jesuits and Canonists That which we have proposed to our selves in this short ensuing Treatise is to consider the main grounds by which the Jesuit and Puritan endeavour by no less spurious than specious Pretexts of Liberty of the People and Subject of the reforming of Religion purging it from Error preserving it in Purity to rob Kings of their Sacred and divine Right Prerogative making them Derivatives from the People in whom they will have all Supream Power originally and radically primarily seated So that if Kings fail in Performance of their Duty the People may supply it at least in some cases may do it of themselves Nay that Kings are accountable to them as to their Superiours censurable punishable and dethronable too By which the Copy-hold of a Crown is no better than Durante beneplacito plebis or communitatis during the good Will of the Community for by these mens Principles the People are made Judges and may find exigents which will warrant them to resume and to exercise this power Puritan and Jesuit in this not only consent and concur but like Herod and Pilate are reconciled to crucifie the Lords anointed A thousand pities it is that our Sectaries pretending such a Zeal against Popery and who no less maliciously than confidently rub upon sound Protestants the Aspersions of Popery and Malignancy do joyn with the worst of Papists in the worst at least most pernicious Doctrines of Papists But ten thousand times more pity it is that the true reformed and sound Protestant Religion should suffer by such miscreants that sound Protestants should be charged with these Heresies in after Ages We will be forced to disclaim them and say with St. Iohn They were amongst us but were not of us and they have gone out from us It is not warrantable to be so large in our charitable Defence of any as to prejudice the inviolable and sacred Truth of Almighty God Our work is to examine and discuss some new devised State-principles set on foot in this distempered Age which have robbed Church and State of Peace and Happiness which these Kingdoms of late and long Continuance have plentifully enjoyed under the Government of our blessed King and his Predecessors to the Envy of other neighbour Kingdoms and States These may all of them be reduced to five great ones 1. First that Royal Authority is originally and radically in the People from them by Consent derived to Kings immediately mediately only from God That the Collation or Donation of the Power is from the Community The Approbation only from God 2. The second that God is no more Author of Regal than of Aristocratical and Democratical Power of Supreme than of Subordinate and that Dominion which is usurped and not just while it remains Dominion and till it be legally again divested refers to God as to its Author and Donor as much as that which is hereditary 3. The third that Sovereignty and Power in a King is by Conveyance from the People by a Trust devolved upon him and that it is conditionate fiduciary and proportioned according as it pleaseth the Community to entrust more or less 4. The fourth that Royal Power in a King is not simply supreme but in some cases there is a co-ordinate Power or collateral nay that in some cases the King is subordinate to the Community 5. The fifth and last is that the King in some cases may be resisted and opposed by Violence Force and Arms at least in a defensive way These are the main Foundations upon which all those impious Courses are built and which have had such Influence upon disaffected and less knowing Subjects to raise and cherish these Distempers and Rebellions for which all sound-hearted and good Subjects mourn Yet to add the more Lustre to them there be couched under them or added to them a number of specious general Maxims apt to ensnare the popular Faction which we shall by Gods help clear and demonstrate to be Untruths and popular Sophisms as they offer in their own proper place The contrary of what they aâ—firm we hold to be sound Divinity agreeable to the Truth revealed in Scripture consonant to the Tenets and Practice of the ancient Christian Church and grounded upon sound Reason deducted out of nature and the best Institutions of Policy and Government That we may the more orderly proceed we sum up all into five Questions whereof the first is this Whether or not Sovereignty or the Royal Power of a King be independent from all Creatures solely and only dependent from God immediately from him and neither from the Community the diffusive collective representative or vertual Bodie of the People In which by Gods grace we will make it appear that the King is the derivative of the primative King who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords The second is Whether or not God is no more Author of Royal Power than of Aristocratical or Democratical Of supreme than subordinate Of usurped and not just than of just Government and Regal In which it will appear that by Gods Institution Regal is graced and authorised above others that Aristocracy Democracy and Monarchy are not Species univocae regiminis sed analogicae not univocal Kinds and Species of Government but equivocal at best analogical are howsoever tolerable and not so perfect some way defective and that they degenerate from the true and most perfect Species of Government Monarchy in which is formalis completa gubernandi
Sacro-sancta Regum Majestas OR THE SACRED and ROYAL Prerogative OF Christian Kings Wherein Sovereignty is by Holy Scriptures Reverend Antiquity and sound Reason asserted by discussing of five Questions AND The Puritanical Jesuitical Antimonarchical Grounds are disproved and the untruth and weakness of their new-devised-State-principles are discovered Rom. 13. 1 2. The Powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the Powâ—â— resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist â—â—all receive to themselves damnation Dei Gratia Mea Lux. London Printed for Tho. Dring over against the Inner-Temple-Gate in Fleet-street 1680. TO THE DUKE of ORMOND MY LORD PIety and Policy Church and State Prince and Priest are so nearly and naturally conjoyned in a mutual Interest that like to Hippocrates his Twins they rejoyce and mourn flourish and perish live and dye together Sound Reformed Catholick Protestants deny justly such a Subordination of the Prince to the Priest as by any direct or indirect over-ruling Power the Crown and Scepter are under any coactive directive we acknowledge over-ruling Power of the Mitre and that Kings by any Church-man or men whatsoever Pope or Presbytery are censurable dethronable deposable Notwithstanding it is certain Religion hath a mighty Influence upon State Governour and Government that from the happiness and quiet of Religion issueth forth necessarily the happiness and quiet of the Civil State The Heathen did see this that Religion rightly ordered is the Base and Bottom upon which King and State are founded Religion is the cement of all Societies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it bindeth Families together and Cities too and is their greatest splendour and ornament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That one saith Religion is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a Christian to the same purpose Religio timor Dei solus est qui custodit hominum inter se Societatem Religion and the Fear of God and nothing else preserveth all Societies amongst men Religion teacheth Kings how to rule and Subjects how to obey maketh Obedience complete universal entire in all things not partial in some things onely it teacheth our Reverence Service and Obedience not to be outward with Eye-service but sincere for Conscience sake as in the sight of the Lord. Religion hath a powerful influence upon Laws the Heathen who termed Religion the Cement of all Society calleth it too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cement the Strength the Vigour the Life of all Laws This made Zoroaster authorise the Laws by Horomasis Zamolxis by Vesta Trismegistus by Mercurius Minos by Jupiter Charondus by Saturnus Draco and Solon by Minerva and Apollo and Numa Pompilius by Aegeria Religion is the Nurse of the Quiet of State and Common-wealth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If all living in one Society and Kingdom were pious and religious none would wrong themselves or others Take it more fully from a Christian Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Religion be preserved in Peace it rights and facilitates all the rest of the Government Religion is the Walls Strength and Safeguard of King and Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Overthrow me Sion Civitatem Veritatis Sanctitatis and you cannot but overthrow Ierusalem Civitatem justitiae all this is much more and solely verified of the Christian Religion a strange Wonder then it is that so many Achitophels and Achans in the World should promise to themselves undertake to Christian Kings by sacrificing the Church undoing the Solemnity of the Service and Worship of God destroying Christ his Ordinances robbing him of his Patrimony and Right to establish King and Kingdom Peace and Quiet in the Land How is it probable or possible Religion being the Base and Bottom upon which all Happiness of King and Kingdom are grounded and founded the Cement and Bond that tieth all together the Rule of Right ruling the Mother of entire and hearty Obedience the life of Laws the use of Quiet and Strength of all Defence that it being disordered King Kingdom and State can be well and enjoy any kind of Happiness If neither the Dictate of Nature nor sacred Truth revealed in holy Word should confirm this Truth the sad and doleful Experience we find we feel this day in the Acheldama of these Kingdoms has laid it open to our Eyes in Letters of Blood that he that runneth by may read it Consider how since the Sacred Hierarchy the Order instituted by Christ for the Government of his Church constituted by the Apostles and continued against any prevalent Opposition for fifteen Ages and upwards without Interruption hath been opposed that in some places it is totally overthrown in other places disgraced weakened and threatned with Abolition of Root and Branch what is the Condition of Sovereignty and Subject You shall find that the Course against it hath been a preparatory Destructive to Royalty to the Liberty and Propriety of the Subject Many are deceived and think it skilleth not what Government be in the Church it is enough if the Essentials and Fundamentals of Faith and Worship be preserved They are infinitely deceived no Society can subsist without Government and if you destroy the Government neither can the sound Faith nor the true Worship be long maintained The Apostle intimateth this Col. 11. 5. that he joyed to behold their Order and the stedfastness of their Faith in Christ. First their Order then the stedfastness of their Faith in Christ implying where right Order is non maintained stedfastness of Faith in Christ cannot continue A Holy Father to this purpose saith well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Order is the Mother and Security of the Being of all things that have Being Do we not see that the Order and Government of the Roman Church doth this day preserve their Humane Inventions and unwarrantable Superstions in such Safety that alas Truth doth not prevail much upon them are within her Communion and on the other part our Disorder and not setled Government maketh us lose too too much and gain too too little Look a little upon the Parallel and consider how since Episcopacy hath been infested and way too much given to a prevalent Faction what malign Influence this course hath had upon Sovereignty and it will make it appear that the Mitre cannot suffer and the Diadem be secured It was maintained that Episcopacy was none of Christ's Institution it was onely the positive constitution of man Hath not Royalty been thus entertained Do not our Sectaries impudently maintain that Kings are the onely Extract of the People having their Being and Constitution by derivation from them Do they not hold that howsoever Episcopacy is a tolerable government of the Church yet it is mutable at the pleasure of the Church And do they not answerably aver that the collective or representative Body of the Community may upon any real or fancied Exigent mould themselves into an Aristocracie or Democracie Others more desperately have reached higher and give out that the Sacred
ratio the most formal and compleat Eâ—â—ence of Government The third is Whether or not Sovereignty and Royalty be in a King by Conveyance of Trust fiduciary and conditionate issuing from the People by a Trust devolved upon him in that portion it pleaseth them to proportion In which will be evident that the Trust of Sovereignty and Government is by God devolved upon the King That all Sovereignty related to God is fiduciary and conditionate but related to the People is absolute The fourth is Whether or not by divine Institution any man or men some few or many have any co-ordinate co-equal or collateral Power with the Sovereignty of Royalty Or whether or not in any case or exigent a King can be subordinate In the Resolution of which Question fitly and conveniently will be discussed that In quo formale Imperii consistit that in which the essence of Sovereignty doth consist and without which it cannot subsist as that it is supreme perpetual and freed from all coercive and coactive Power which the Hebrews call Imperium majus the Politicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fifth and last is Whether or not in any case it is lawful for Subjects one any more or all to oppose a Prince Quaestio prima Whether or not the King be only and immediately dependent from God and independent from the Body of the People diffusive collective representative or vertual CHAP. I. The Affirmative is maintained the contrary Opinion is explained the Authors and Assertors some of them with their Differences are recited WE hold the Affirmative that the King is only and immediately dependent from Almighty God the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and independent in his Sovereignty and Power from the Community in what Notion soever you conceive it either as a diffusive collective representative or vertual Body The Jesuit and Puritan to depress Kings aver that all Power is originally radically and formally inherent in the People or Community and from thence is derived to the King In the explaining of this Proposition there is amongst those who lay this Foundation for the building of their Babel a great Latitude of Diversity Lately I read in one who is the Author of the Tract concerning Schism and Schismaticks pag. 29. We have believed him that hath told us that in Christ Iesus there is neither high nor low and that in giving Honour every man should be ready to prefer another before himself which saying cuts off all claim certainly of Superiority by Title of Christianity except men think that these things were spoken only to poor and private men Nature and Religion agree in this that neither of them hath an hand in this Herauldry of Secundùm sub supra all this comes from Composition and Agreement amongst themselves I have given you his words I should be glad to be mistaken and crave him Mercy But as I conceive him this Position is worse than any I know of the Jesuits or more moderate Sectaries both of them acknowledge a Necessity of Government is taught by Nature and Grace and that the Distinction of Superiority and Inferiority is the dictate of common Reason and Religion Otherwise neither Nature nor Religion may avoid Confusion or Destruction God who is the God of Order and not of Confusion is the Author of this Herauldry of Secundum sub supra in the whole Universe in Church in State Hath not God in the moral Law taught it Honora Patrem c. Honour thy Father c Do not St. Paul and St. Peter Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2. 14. v. command this as the Will of God And did not our Saviour practise it and his Apostles after him and after them all the Christian Church You must take away humane Society in Church and State if you take away this Herauldry of Superiority and Inferiority Sure I am the Jesuits do hold that Government is ex jure naturae by the Law of Nature I hope our Sectaries think no worse in this point than the Jesuits I return to the Jesuit and Puritan who are very like-in this Tenet but give me Leave to say for as bad as the Jesuit is in my conceiving the Puritan is worse Let us make a parallel 1. First the Jesuit says that all Power civil is radically and originally seated in the Community or Multitude God having made it the Primum subjectum the first Subject in which it is seated The Puritan joyneth hands here with the Jesuit 2. Next both of them say it is from the Multitude by way of Collation and Donation to one as in Monarchy to some as in Aristocracy to many as in Democracy so that immediately it is from the People and mediately from God and not so much by Collation as by Approbation How the Jesuit and Puritan walk along in an unequal pace See Bellarmine l. de Laicis cap. 6. Suarez Defens Doctrinae Orthod contra Sectam Anglicanam l. 3. 3. Thirdly that the People may change Monarchy into Aristocracy or Democracy or an Aristocracy into a Monarchy or Democracy or è contrae which way you will for ought I know they differ not in this neither 4. But some of our new State-Divines do hold that this Power is derived to the King from the People Cumulativè or Communicativè non Privativè by way of Communication or Cumulation but not by way of Privation that is howsoever the People communicate this Sovereignty to the King by trust yet they denude not themselves of this Sovereignty To make it plain it is in their Opinion no otherwise than as when the King of England appoints a Lieutenant Deputy or High Commissioner of Ireland or Scotland he denudes not himself of his Royal Power but delegates them with Power and Trust for his Service If this be their mind for I cannot conjecture at any other and if they have any other Sense I wish they would make it plain the King is in a poor case by such a derived Power for then as the King of England giving to his Deputy or Deputies that power only cumulativè he cannot by Reason or Law seeing Potior est delegantis quam delegati authoritas that the Principal his Authority is more excellent than he delegate's nor can he be debarred from that right the Law of Nations giveth him Anticipatione concursu or evocatione by procognition his own proper entire Right or Evocation to determine or judge in any thing that concerneth that His Kingdom If they authorize the People so let any that hath common Sense judge in what Condition these new-state-divines do put Kings 4. They aver which maketh me the more inclinable to conceive that to be their mind which before we have expressed that the same Sovereign Power is Howsoever derived from the Community to the King in the people suppletivè that is that if the King be deficient in necessary Duties of Government for the good of the Church and State the People by their innate power may do
and supply it This our Rabbies have not only taught but practised here and elsewhere in his Majesties Dominions yet in my poor reading I have not found any Jesuit although I confess by Deduction out of their Principles this Consequent may be expressed so roundly and right down to say it It is true that Bellarmine saith in his Recognitions lib. 3. q. de Laicis populus nunquam ita suam potestatem in regem transfert quin illam sibi in habitu retineat ut in certis casibus etiam actu recipere possit that the People do never so transfer their power into the King but that they retain it to themselves habitually that in some certain Cases they may resume it I find a Tenet bad enough impious enough sacrilegious enough but he doth not say that this power is transferred only cumulatively Nor doth he talk of any Suppletivè actual supply Only he telleth of an habitual retaining in the People and that upon some cases they may resume it not in every ordinary case nor can they do it It is true Bellarmine expresseth not the case or Cases He knew it to be difficult or would have it it is like to be a reserved case for the Pope of Rome when it pleaseth him to determine or define it But if we may guess at his mind by his Brother Jesuit Suarez read him lib. 3. defens orthod fid c. 3. § 2 and three and there he telleth you that he will have it definite and constant in Law and that extant and evident vel antiquis certis instrumentis vel immutabili consuetudine either by ancient and faithful Records of Law or by unchangeable and not interrupted Custom If this cannot be produced the only case he assigns is Si Rex sua potestate in manifestam civitatis perniciem abutatur If the King evidently apparently abuse his Power and Sovereignty to the total Destruction of his Kingdom let none cavil that we English Civitas the whole Kingdom comprehending King and Kingdom for they that have but the Terms of Policy know that Civitas is the whole Kingdom and State with the King and Civis the true Latin word for a Subject He giveth his Reason why in such a case this is lawful quia potest populus naturali potestate ad se defendendum uti quia hac se nunquam privavit because the People may use that power of self-defence with which nature hath endowed them for they did not divest themselves of this power nor was it transferred upon the King The Result of Suarez's mind is that if there be not Authentical uncontrolable Records or immemorial and not interrupted Customs to determine the Cases the Judges the way of Procedure the Bounds and Extent Quos ultra citraque How far and no fartâ—er there is no case lawful or imaginable but in the abuse of Sovereignty to the total Destruction of King and Kingdom which case as we think howsoever imaginable yet in facto esse it is impossible as we will shew after in the last Question that this is not warrantable By Gods Institution nor doth the Charter of Nature entitle us to this Right of self-defence in this Case to make away nay to resist a King And observe how warily the Jesuit qualifies his case First it must not be a feared or conjectured case of Ruine and Destruction to King and Kingdom but manifest and clear as the Sun-shine Next That not any case of Injustice Oppression or Tyranny doth warrant them to do or act this but a manifest actual overthrowing of the whole Kingdom King and all Subjects Gerson and others of the Parisian Doctors qualifie the case thus 1. That it is necessary that he intend and Attempt the total overthrow and Destruction of the Kingdom 2. Next that a jealousie or conjectural Evidence is not sufficient I must be manifest as evident as it were written with a Ray of the Sun 2. To these two must be added invincible and insuperable Obâ—â—imacy which cannot by humble Reverence Deprecation Supplication or any other means else which becometh a Subject to use in all Reverence Prudence and Submission to a Prince be amended Let God and good men judge if our case this day be so circumstanced and qualified Thirdly it is worth our noting that he speaks not of resuming Sovereignty to the People as to it 's proper owner by which this Resistance or Censure is to be done but of a natural Power of self-defence of which the People and Community were never denuded nor divested That this is the Jesuits mind appeareth yet more clearly by what followeth for saith he it is not lawful to the People to restrain or limit the Power which they have once traâ—â—mitted and committed to the King Quia Lex justitiae non permittit quae docet Legitima pacta non esse rescindendâ— donationem semel absolute factam revocari non posse neque in totum ne ex parte maxime quando onerosa sunt The very Law of Common Equity alloweth not that Contracts and Covenants should be repealed and what is once transferred by Donation may not by the same Law be made void either in whole or in part nay not when the Condition is to the Prejudice of the Donor He adds more That Laws made by a Prince cannot be repealed or made void by the People or Community without the tacite or express Consent and Allowance of the Prince No he adds more that a Prince doth not pendere à populo in sua potestate etiamsi ab ipso eam acceperit quia poterit pendere in fieri non postea pendere in conservari Doth not depend from the People in his Sovereignty and power although he had it from them because saith he while he was a making or to be made King it was of them but to continue to be so it is not from them Let me add with this of Suarez another passage of Bellarmine where he contradicts that he speaketh which before we cited Becognit lib. 3. q. de laicis The Passage you have in his Tract against Padre Paulo where he grants that a People or Community may have some power of approving or rejecting of a Preacher over them while he is a chusing or to be instituted but not after he is chosen or appointed He proveth this thus Quemadmodum saith he exercitus poterat approbare aut reprobare personam quae in Imperatorem proponeretur ubi tamen Imperator factus esset illum judicare non poter at neque in illum ullam habeâ— potestatem As of old amongst the Romans when the Armies or Souldiers did choose the Emperour The Army might accept or reject him that was to be created Emperour but being made Emperour and invested in the Empire the Army was no more his Iudge neither had any Coercive or Coactive Power above him Whilst the Cardinal was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wedded to the Conclusions of the Roman Sea Truth and Honesty fell from
that His Constitution or the collation of Royal Power was from the People properly immediately and that because the words run in the Text Deut. 17. 14 15. that the People shall set him King over them and him only whom the Lord they God shall chuse Bellarmine saith just the same To remove this first shift we deny both the one and the other We deny first that it was a proper case for the Jews to have their Kings immediately constituted and appointed by God The Scripture is for us that all Kings all Sovereign Powers are immediately from God Prov. 8. 15. By me Kings reign saith a King and the wisest of Kings and a King who had good reason to say so for if the People had right to constitute or make a King it had not been King Solomon but King Adonijah Adonijah durst say to King Solomon's Mother Thou knowest that the Kingdome was mine and that all Israel set their faces on me that I should reign 1 Kin. 2. 15. Solomon saith not of himself singularly That he reigned by God but indefinitely universally By me Kings that is all Kings reign The first two words Per me By me contain in them the Donor the Author the Efficient the Constituent of Kings and Sovereignty Possibly you will say this By me is spoken of Wisdom it is true but that Wisdom is to be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for an Accident or Quality but for something subsistent personally And this Solomon's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chochmach in the sense of the most Learned both Ancient and Modern is St. Iohn's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 1. 1. Saint Iohn's Word Christ the Son of God the brightness of his Glory and the express image of his Person Heb. 1. 2. The Text demonstrateth it for his Wisdom by which Kings reign is that Wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the right reading for the Original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kanan possedit nor will the Greek reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring home the Arrains conclusion which the Lord possessed in the beginning of his way before his Works of old vers 22. Which was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was v. 3. The Wisdom by which Kings reign is the same that was created of all things Kings are from God the Father but by the Son as from the Father by the Son all Spiritual blessing in heavenly things come to us so the greatest of Temporal Blessings By him we have Kings the best Blessing here for without them neither Godliness nor Honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. This Per is Christ's Preposition It is worth your notice taking that Solomon saith not By the People Kings reign had it been so you know who had been King and not Solomon Nor he saith not By the High-Priest Kings reign you know he was engaged in Adonijah's Treason no He saith not By Israel nor by Abiathar nor by Zadoc nor by David nor by Nathan Kings reign But there is a Per me which is exclusive of all and to whom onely it is proper and peculiar to make Kings and to make Kings reign Solomon excludes Pope and People State and Presbytery He vindicates the creation of Kings no less to Christ than the creation of things This â—er me by me imparts not a naked Permission as if Kings by importunity of People were given way to as some blasphemous mouths and Pens have said and written and that Monarchy of all Governments is the least acceptable to God and to People most inconvenient Ignorants or malicious or both they are who dare to say so Monarchy was the first Government God ordained in the World and is yet founded in paterno Why if it be otherwise was it promised to Ahraham as the highest pitch and reach of Temporal Blessings that Kings should come of him Why doth God Ezech. 16. upbraiding the multitude of the People reckon in the last place as the highest of his Favours Temporal That they prospered into a Kingdom Why doth St. Peter urge obedience to the King because that is the Will of God 2 Pet. 11. 15. Why doth St. Paul say that he is tibi in bonum for thy good and for my good and for the good of all Saint Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Higher Power is nothing else but St. Peter's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King that is Supreme So Chrysostom Ambrose Haymo and others interpret it and the Government then when Saint Paul writ that Epistle was Monarchical They be a cursed brood who do maintain that this per me Reges regnant This By me Kings reign is a per me iratum by me in anger to punish a stiff-necked and rebellious People The Queen of Sheba knew it was per me propitium By me in Mercy and was better taught and sounder in this point of Divinity than the great Gamaliels amongst our Sectaries for she saith to Solomon Because the Lord thy God Loved Israel to establish them for ever therefore made he thee King over them to do judgment and justice 1 Chron. 9. 8. This per me implieth then that they are of Gods making and in mercy Kings are given to us This per me by me implieth Kings are God's and Christ's Derivatives and that God and Christ are their Institutives from God the Father by the Son their Commission their Power their Sovereignty for this cause St. Paul calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is very pregnant and signifieth an Ordinance by high Authority not revocable nor repealable In which sense it is usually read in classical Authors Sacred and Prophane So Sinesius useth the word in Epist. ad Theoph. So Aristotle in his Problems Sect. 28. 50. Lucilius Epigr. 2. So Appian in 2. and Plutarch in Marcello useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for established Decrees of Sovereignty The word from which it is derived is so used Acts 28. Stephanus a Learned Graecian is of that mind that in this very place Rom. 13. 2. it signifieth so much The Emphasis of this per me is not yet fully explained That wonder of Piety and Learning Doctor Andrews Late Bishop of Winchester hath well observed that the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bi in me and yet beareth well in me and per me the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth signifying both So that the meaning is Kings are first in him and so come forth from him as that they are in him He parallels it a little with that passage in the Gospel My Father in me and I in him Christ in them as his Deputies They in Christ as their Author and Authoriser he by their Persons then by his Power The other two words of the Text Kings Reign contain in them the Charter the Donation Kings is in the number of many in the plural number Solomon although the wisest of men and Kings and King of Israel knew not this time what our new Doctors know that it was a priviledged
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
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
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
that their heart is in the hand of the Lord as a Boat in the Rivers of Waters how God sendeth them in their Expeditions their Wars maketh them in his day his appointed day to set their face against Ierusalem or otherwise casteth his hook in their nostrils to bring them back with shame To this Argument may be referred that when God is to bless a People he sendeth them good Kings the Sons of Nobles when he is to scourge them naughty Kings weak children c. The Testimonies of Scripture for all these are infinite many and obvious which we remit to the Reader 's memory or dilligent search 10. Tenthly Nor is to be passed by that the Sovereign immense Majesty of God is expressed by stiling and denominating him King and his Supreme glory is represented by sitting on a glorious Throne See Isaiah see Daniel and the Prophets Let us beware then that we make not God a Derivative too of the People and a Creature of mens making 11. Eleventhly In the Scripture we read that onely three kinds of men were anointed Kings Priests Prophets Let any give an instance of a fourth besides those three It is granted of all that Priests and Prophets have Sacred Charges and are Sacred Persoâ—s of God's immediate making and Constitution why then shall not Kings have the same Prerogative to be immediately from God Sacred in themselves Sacred in their Charge by Divine Ordinance and Appointment 12. Lastly To close up this first part of our Proof from Scripture it is a strong Reason to perswade Sovereignty Authority and Majesty to be from God immediately and independently from any others in what consideration soever that the irreverence disobedience contempt rebellion or any wrong whatsoever offered to their Persons to their Authority is wrong and contempt offered to God himself See 1 Sam. 8. This made David say Who can touch the Lords Anointed and be innocent This made the Apostle say Rom. 13. 2. Whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist receive to themselves damnation The like Phrase to the first you have of the Sacred Ministry in the Apostles 1 Thess. 4. 8. He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God When the People murmured against Moses and Aaron in the Law you have They murmure not against you but me The like you have in Samuel The result of all is That as the Sacred Ministry is by Collation immediately or independently from God although the designation of the Person may be by men and the Church so Kings may be personally designed and deputed to Royalty and Sovereignty by Election Succession Conquest or any other lawful possible way but their Sovereignty and Power is by Donation and Collation immediately and solely from God and refers to him as the only Donor and Author Again as the Person and Function of such as are lawfully invested with Sacred Power and in Sacred Orders is Inviolable and Sacred so are the Persons and Sovereignty of Kings Our order proposed in the beginning of this Treatise chargeth us now to produce our Proofs from Reverend Antiquity But I must beg leave of the Christian Reader to discover the weakness and wickedness of a new-devised trick of our Sectaries That the King is God's but not Christ's Vicegerent CHAP. V. All Christian Kings are dependent from Christ and may be called his Vice-gerents WHereas hitherto by express Scripture and by Arguments from thence by necessary consequence deduced we have proved That Kings and their Sovereignty are immediately dependent from God and dependent from no other Conceive it not so that hereby we seclude Christ and him considered not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 personally as the Second Person in the Trinity but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Capacity as God-man the Saviour and Redeemer of the World Our Sectaries have found out a quirk or trick rather of late to hold and argue That Kings are Gods not Christ's Lieutenants upon Earth Their purpose is the same in substance with the Romanists although they differ in something for the Romanists and Puritans both of them erect in every Kingdom another Sovereign not onely besides the true Sovereign but also above In this they agree and are like Sampson's Foxes who have their Tails knit together and do carry this Fire-brand to consume Church and State In one other they differ extremely for the Romanist and Iesuit will have it to be the Pope the Puritan and Sectaries fix this Sovereignty in the Presbytery We believe with warrant of Scripture and sound Antiquity that all Crowns and Scepters Kings and States are dependent from Christ the Son of God as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man the Saviour of the World and Head of the Church We intend not at this time to discuss that curious Question Whether or not by Hereditary Right Christ was born King of the Iews We are speaking at this time of Christs Kingdom as the Head of the Church in order to all the Kingdoms of the World The Kingdom we speak of is not what was due to him as the Son of David but as he was the Saviour and Redeemer of David and all the World The right to which he had by Hypostatical Vnion and his perfect Merit and plenteous Redemption Some very Learned men do hold that Christ was not entitled to this Kingdom till his Resurrection and that then he had Ius quaesitum as the Jurists speak There is not much danger to hold this or deny it but with reverence to their great Parts and humble submission to better Reasons I dissent from them and do think however it may be granted that then he came to exercise it fully and perfectly or if you will that a new Title and Right did accrue to him that what he had before by Hypostatical Vnion onely now he had it by another supervenient Right of Merit and so had it duplioi Titulo as Saint Bernard saith of him in another case yet for any thing I could yet see I am of the mind from the first instant and moment of his Incarnation as God-man the Head of his Church By the grace of Hypostatical Vnion he was King of Kings and Lord of Lords It cannot be denied that while he was in the form and state of a Servant in statu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the state of Humiliation as by the no less mysterious than admirable and wise Oeconomy of God the Glory of his Deity did not conspicuously and ordinarily shine thorow the veil of his Flesh no more did this Majesty and Glory of his Sovereignty and Kingdom shine forth to the Eyes of men God in his unsearchable Wisdom having appointed that the Kingdom of God should not come with observation and that the Iews might be rectified in their judgment who did not expect a spiritual King and Deliverer but a Messiah to reign temporally over them and by him to enjoy all external Plenty Peace and
Happiness Nevertheless such was the merciful and bountiful dispensation of God in this cloudy and dark Oeconomy that sometimes thorow the thick and dark cloud of his Flesh and Infirmity some little rayes of his immense Majesty did appear as in his miraculous Operations even so in the same manner at many times and by many acts his Sovereignty was manifested and that he was truly King it was evidenced At his Birth The Wise men who came from the East worshipped him in his Swadling-clouts They are in Scripture and by the constant not interrupted course of the Church to this day commended for it In his Ministry he entred Ierusalem in Royal Pomp His Disciples and a great multitude did him obeysance gave him Royal Honour and when the Iews grumbled at it he told them that it was not onely just but necessary That if they and the People did hold their Peace the Stones would proclaim him King and do him Royal Homage In his Arraignment when he is to lay down his Soul for his Sheep he avouched himself before Pilate a King Pilate demands the Question Art thou a King Pilate understood not any Kingdom in his Question but a temporal one a Spiritual Kingdom in his conception was a meer Notion Fancy Chimaera Christ without dissimulation equivocation or mental reservation ad mentem interrogantis answereth he was a King Matth. 27. 11. Mark 15. 2. He had it written upon his Cross. Buried He had his Grave sealed as a King These things thus premised we come to prove that Kings are Christs Vicegerents and Lieutenants upon the face of the Earth 1. Our first proof is the place we insisted much in before Prov. 8. 15. by what is said it is more than apparent that By me Kings reign hath this Sense By me Wisdom the Son of God the Word that was made Flesh Kings reign you may find many Reasons by reviewing the most learned and most pious Bishops Sermons Dr. Andrews whose Memory shall ever be in everlasting Benediction 1. First Prov. 30. 4. This Wisdom is called the Son of God 2. Next this preposition Per By it is the proper and peculiar preposition of Christ. 3. Thirdly it is not very congruous that as by Christ we have all Blessings spiritual in heavenly things so by him we have Kings his Derivatives constituted the best and most eminent of temporal Blessings 4. Fourthly Christ he is Wisdom and by him all Blessings issuing from Mercy Kingdoms subsist more by Wisdom than by Power why shall we not then from this Wisdom establish Kings and their Sovereignty The proper Work of Wisdom is ordinare to order and to establish Order Why then shall not all Monarchy refer its Origine to this Wisdom 5. Lastly the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bi is both in me per me in me and by me to intimate as we said before that Kings are first in him and so come forth from him and yet come so forth from him that they are in him Christ in them as his Deputies They in him as their Author and Authorisâ—r He by their Persons They by his Power 2. Our second Proof we bring from that Scripture averreth that Christ is not only King of his Church but in Order to his Church King over all the Kings and Kingdoms of the Earth Christs Kingdom over his Church Psal. 11. 6. 15. in these words expressed I have set my King upon my holy Hill Sion Over the whole World in these Words v. 8. I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession which is not to be scantled by conceiving it only of the calling of the Gentiles to the Communion of his Church but also of his Sovereignty over all the Earth and Kings of the Earth This Ordinance is by Appointment and a decree irrepealable v. 7. I will declare the Decree The words I shall give thee demonstrate that this potestas is not aeterna interna that eternal Power which is inseparable from him as God but data externa a given and bestowed Power which is not conceivable in Christ but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as man or God-man our Saviour and Redeemer 3. A third Proof may be this that as this was foretold by Prophecy so in the Fullness of time it was really effected and accomplished Matth. 28. 18. Our Saviour saith All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth The word Given sheweth this Power is fixed in that Capacity by which he is our Saviour all Power in Heaven and Earth universally is expressed all Power and by Distribution exegetically amplified all Power in Heaven and Earth which will not admit nor permit that we exclude Sovereignty in Kings Vbi Lex non distinguit nemo distinguere debet Let our Adversaries shew where Kings and their Crowns are exempted or excepted from this all Power in Earth 4. Fourthly the Apostle St. Paul Heb. 1. 5. telleth us that God hath appointed the Son by whom he hath spoken to us in the last days Heir of all things If this Inheritance be not over Kings we are infinitely mistaken and if Kings refer not their Right to him as Donor they have no just Title 5. Fifthly The Scripture to take away all Cavils hath given us this Truth in terminis terminantibus in plain and express Terms Revel 1. 2. Jesus Christ the faithful Witness the first begotten of the dead is The Prince of the Kings of the Earth that again cap. 11. 27. He ruleth them with a Rod of Iron That this is meant appliable at least to Kings see and read it Psal. 11. 9. Revel 19. 12. On his head you have many Crowns an Embleme of his Sovereignty over all Kings and that all are his Deputies his Substitutes To what is said add that of St. Paul 1 Tim. 6. 15. He is the only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords That The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a note of Excellency Revel 17. 14. The Lamb he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Revel 19. 16. And he hath on his vesture and on his Thigh a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Observe the words attentively How characteristically this Power is given to the Lamb to Iesus to the faithful Witness That it is written on his Thigh on his Vesture which qualifie this Power as his Due as he is the Head and Saviour of his Church It is worth your notice taking that this name is written upon his Thigh that we may learn two things the one is That this Power is fixed in Christ-man The other is That all Kings are De femore Christi from him by Generation Reason pleadeth for this Truth 1. First what is more suitable and convenient than that all Kings of all Ages should issue from him who is Rex saeculorum A King whose Kingdom endureth throughout all Ages It is the highest Dignity of Crowns to hold of this Crown
2. Next is it not prophesied by Isaiah that Kings shall be the Nurse-fathers of his Church Reges erunt nutritii tui Is it not fit then that they hold their Crowns of Christ Is it not fit that Kings be taught so much that with the more Alacrity and Zeal they may advance the good of Christs Kingdom 3. Thirdly our Divines do acknowledge that by men in sacred Orders Christ doth rule his Church mediately in those things which primely concern Salvation And that by Kings their Scepter and Power he doth protect and preserve his Church and what concerns the external Government in Order and Decency How then can it be denied that Kings in this latter Sense are no less the immediate Vicegerents of Christ than Bishops Priests and Deacons in the former Look upon the Interpretations are given by the best and most able of our Divines upon 1 Cor. 15. 28. 4. Fourthly what is the reason that all Christian Emperours and Kings glory in the Sign of the Cross and place it upon the Top of their Sacred Crowns It is not only by this Symbolum Christianismi this ancient badge of Christianity to witness that they are Christians and not ashamed of the Cross of Christ but also to acknowledge that they have received and hold their Crowns of him Much more might be said to this purpose but for brevities sake and judging what is said to be sufficient to prove all Kings to be Christ's Vicegerents we spare with more Reasons to transgress upon the Patience of the understanding Reader Some have shunned to speak thus that Kings are Christ's Vicegerents upon Earth fearing that because of the Popes unjust Challenge to be Christs universal Vicar upon Earth it should usher in a Subordination of the Crown to the Miâ—re They scruple without just cause What need we to be afraid to speak with Scripture It is high Presumption in the Pope to challenge to himself the Title or Right of Christs universal vicar upon Earth by divine Right There is no colour almost or shew of Reason for it either in Scripture or reverend Antiquity The Pope the Bishop of Rome hath no more by Divine Right what he may have by positive Ecclesiastical Right it is not pertinent for us now to examine and discuss no higher Priviledge except it be in extent than the meanest Bishop in the World in his Diocess Doth not St. Hierom say Omnis Episcopus sive Romae fuerit sive Eugubii sive Constantinopoli sive Rhegii sive Alexandriae sive Tanis ejusdem est meriti ejusdem Sacerdotii The learned and holy Father compareth with the three great Patriarchs priviledged at that time by Ecclesiastical Canons aboveâ— all others with the Patriarchs of Antioch and the Honorary Patriarch of Ierusalem three of the meanest Bishops next adjacent to them the Bishops of Eugubium Rhegium and Tanais and averreth that by divine Right they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal Right equal Power Nor doth that hold better that the Pope would make his transcendent and extravagant Jurisdiction over all to be grounded upon a fancied Eminency in St. Peter above his fellow Apostles ordinarie in him extraordinarie in them personal and temporarie in them but so fixed in Peter's Person that it is transmissible to his Successor and he forsooth whether God will or not must be the Pope of Rome This Paradox is against Scripture sacred Antiquity and sound Reason It is not fit now to prove it only to satisfie the judicious Reader I content my self with the Suffrage of that Holy Father and Martyr S. Cyprian who de unit Eccles. or singular Prelator saith Hoc utique erant caeteri Apostoli quod erat Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis He knew not these Differences these Novators have coyned and forged upon the Anvil of their own Hearts His Judgment was all the Apostles no less than Peter were endowed in Order to their Apostolical Charge with the same Endowment of Power and Priviledges of Honour Would God both sides in this and other Controversies would submit to the Judgment and Determination of the holy Fathers I wave the accurate discussing of these points they require more time and a more fit place To what is said I add that although we would give to the Pope of Rome to be Christ's immediate universal Vicar in spiritualibus in spiritual things there is no Danger and so to shun this Inconvenience we need not be so shie as to forbear to call Kings Christs Vicegerents Christs Lieutenants For if we should grant the Antecedent the Pope is Christs universal Vicar upon Earth which is certainly as false as Falshood it self it is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lame Consequence to make this inference Ergo all Kings Crowns are subordinated and subjected to the Pope and his Mitre Their own Authors who advance his Power as high as Lucifer do acknowledge that all power that was in Christ Secundum quod homo as he was man was not collated upon St. Peter They confess moreover that all the Power that was in St. Peter was not by him transmitted to his spurious and usurping Successor They all with one Mouth profess that potestas Excellentiae quae in solo homine Christo fuit that Power of Excellency which is solely peculiar to and personal in Christ was not communicated to St. Peter They clear and prove it by specification of instances Saint Peter say they could not confer the Effect and Efficacy of the Sacrament without the Sacrament it self nor could he institute Sacraments of himself or in his own name or others than Christ himself did institute Do they not all of them give and grant that Saint Peter did not transmit the Power of doing Miracles to all his Successors So then although it were granted that the Pope were Christ's Vicar universal it will not necessarily follow that in this that Christ is King of Kings the Pope is his first immediate and universal Vicegerent I wish the Pope who claimeth so near alliance and contingency to Christ would learn of Christ to be meek and humble in heart and so not onely should he find rest to his own Soul but a great deal of more rest and quiet should be both in Church and State It is very considerable that in Scripture it is recorded that whilst our Saviour was Minister Circumcisionis the Minister of Circumcision he both practised and taught that it was God's Ordinance that the Mitre submit to the Crown and the Shepherd's Crook to the Scepter Scarce well come into the World when he taught this by his Practice flying from Herod's Persecution to Egypt who might have commanded Legions of Angels against him to destroy him if it had not been that it was fitter he should teach us true Obedience as at his Word they published his Birth to Shepherds and sung that glorious Anthem Gloria in Excelâ—is Some it is probable may judge this to be the Act and Fact rather of Ioseph
aeternum regni ejus non erit finis And he shall reign in the House of Iacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ therefore receiving the Throne of David hath translated it and hath given it to the Sacred Kings of Christians In St. Athanasius his mind Christian Kings are Christ's Vicegerents and sit Deputies upon his Throne Take the Suffrage of many together all the Fathers of the Councel of Arminium writing to Constantius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referreth to the Antecedent Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sense is By Christ thou reignest and hast dominion over all the World Liberius speaketh thus to Constantius the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All know that Constantius was an Arrian a great Persecutor of the Orthodox who maintained the Deity of Christ. Liberius writing to him admonisheth him not to fight against Christ who had given him the Empire nor to be so unthankful unto him as to be impious against him Seeing then that Scripture Antiquity and Reason stand for this Truth that Kings are Christ's Vicegerents upon Earth let us not be deceived with the no less fond than new devised distinction of our Novators and Sectaries who by differencing betwixt God's Vicegerents upon Earth and Christ's Vicegerents upon Earth intend nothing else but to throw down-Crowns and Royal Diadems and lay them at the foot of Presbytery and Assembly and to set up a Tribunal of their own a Sovereignty Ecclesiastical to domineer over all Powers else whatsoever I wish they would here remember that passage which otherwise and in another case they pervert and abuse sufficiently Matth. 20. 25 26. Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are Great exercise Authority upon them but it shall not be so among you Or that of St. Bernard to Eugenius the Pope Indicitur ministerium interdicitur ministerium Let any who will duly consider what enormous extravagant Sovereignty hath been acted by the Presbytery how much the intrinsecal right of Sovereignty hath been restrained and lessened and it feareth me you will hardly find so much acted by all the Popes since Hildebrand's time as by them in this short space I leave this and come in the next place to prove by the Testimony of Fathers that Kings are not the Derivatives of the People CHAP. VI. That the King is solely dependent from God and Christ and independent from all others is proved by the suffrages of the Holy Fathers THE Holy Fathers and Martyrs in the prior and purer Age of the Church knew no other Doctrine they spake no other Language We begin with Clemens Romanus Constit. l. 7. c. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fear or honour the King knowing that He is ordained or constituted by the Lord. It may be it will be told us this is a spurious Clemens and not the genuine that was Bishop of Rome and if we alledge Ignatius it is to be feared he 'll fare no better for a great Scholar but no great Divine hath very now rejected all we have of him I will therefore give some Testimonies from such against whom this exception lyeth not See Irenaeus lib. 5. advers haeres c. 20. where at large he proveth That Kingdoms are not of the Devil but that all Kings relate to God as to their first and immediate Origine Donor Author adduceth some of the pregnant Testimonies of Scripture which we have alledged before giveth the Devil a Lye who durst to challenge to himself the right to dispose of all Kingdoms Luke 4. 6. Our new Anti-monarchical Statists had need to consider this and whose Children they make the People to whom they gave the Right and Power to dispose of Kings and Kingdoms at pleasure S. Irenaeus is so zealous so fervent of God and the King 's Right and Prerogative that he will not admit the good and Heavenly Angels to this Honour nor will he admit that Saint Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13. 1 2. Higher Powers are Angelical but that the Apostle meant it de his a clear and full commentary to St. Peter's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ep. 2. 14. quae secundum homines sunt potestates of Humane and Royal Sovereignty To this add that the Father in the place alledged armeth Kings with entire Sovereignty and that necessarily to restrain the corruption of man where he also expresseth the infinite good cometh to mankind by Government and leaveth Sovereigns delinquents to the Iudgment and Tribunal of God All these Points you will find by the Father where amongst other things to our purpose he saith most appositely and pregnantly Cujus enim jussu nascuntur homines hujus jussu Reges constituuntur apti his qui in illo tempore ab ipsis regnantur Quidam enim illorum ad correctionem utilitatem subjectorum dantur conservationem Iustitiae Quidam autem ad timorem poenam increpationem quidam autem ad illusionem contumeliam superbiam quemadmodum digni sunt Dei â—usâ—o judicio c. This place is certa sedes dogmatis sententiae Patris a proper place from which we may draw warrantably the Fathers Tenet concerning the Author and Donor of Sovereignty Here the Holy Father is proving That the Devil is not the Author of Kings and Sovereign Power He referreth all to God the immediate Author and Origine of Royalty If the Church of Christ at this time and he with it had believed with our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposers of Monarchy That all Power was radically primarily and independently inherent in People and from them derived to Kings this was a fit place to express it and we see he knew no more but Cujus jussu nascuntur homines hujus jussu reges constituuntur c. and it is worthy of our notice taking that God maketh and sendeth Kings as in his wise Providence he thinketh for the Punishment of our Sins or in his Mercy and Bounty to bless us when we walk in his ways Tertullian speaketh in the same Idiome writing ad Scapulam he saith Christianus nullius est hostis nedum Imperatoris quem sciens à Deo constitui necesse est ut ipsum diligat revereatur honoret salvum velit cuâ—â—toto imperio quousque saeculum stabit tamdiu etiam stabit Colimus ergo Imperatorem sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit ut hominem à Deo secundum quicquid est 〈◊〉 Deo constitutum solo Deo minorem Hoc ipse volet 〈◊〉 eâ—im omnibus major est dum solo vero Deo minor est The sense of it is A Christian is Enemy to none much less to King and Emperour whom he knoweth to be of Gods Constitution and so is necessarily bound to love reverence and honour him to whom with his Empire he wisheth all Safety for when that perisheth it is like
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
a worse an unlawful hand The Effects are more bitter the Charge is infinitely above all we or our Predecessors did complain of in many past Ages the pressures are intended and multiplied and total ruine to the Kingdom is threatned onely this difference is observable that where before with a less bountiful Duty Religion and Royalty Justice and Peace might have been maintained nothing could be obtained to strengthen Sovereignty but now we are become so lavish so prodigal we give twenty ten five parts of our Goods our Revenues spare not our Jewels our Ear-rings to make up a molten Calf so apt so prone is our corrupt Nature to a wicked course And whereas before we were like Rachel in the streets in our shops crying we are undone with Subsidies Monopolies c. saying with Micah we are robbed of our Silver which either we made or were to make our god now in pressures voluntarily undergone which infinitely transcend all pressures before seen or felt we are as speechless as the unworthy Servant in the Gospel In this we are not unlike to little children who when they fall of themselves and hurt themselves pitifully cry not at all but if any touch them and they fall wth little or no hurt they cry out bitterly You see then how easie it is upon this ground maintained by our Sectaries our Adversaries to disquiet State and Kingdom to unking Kings at pleasure And that it is so would to God the Lecture is read to us this time in the deplorable state of this Kingdom did not with much grief and sorrow make it appear to the least-seeing Eye and did not cry it aloud in the deafest Ear. That the best of Kings most pious and just in themselves and of sweetest temper are liable to these mischiefs this black day of ours confirmeth it by-gone Stories evidence it Was there ever a meeker a milder Governour upon Earth than Moses the meekest of men sensible of no injury done against himself zealous of wrongs done to God and quick enough when Aaron was wronged Was there ever a greater Treason hatched and set on foot against any than him Corah Dathan and Abiram with two hundred and fifty Princes of the Congregation lead the People to Sedition then to Rebellion telling him in his Face he and the Tribe of Levi took too much upon them God to vindicate Sacred Sovereignty did interpose by a miraculous way never heard of before that the Heads are swallowed up living in Body and Soul into Hell a fearful Example the first Rebellion we read of and so exemplarily punished that Optatus Bishop of Milevis writing against Parmenian observeth that the like is not to be found to be read again in Scripture To Moses add David not onely a man but a King according to God's heart and one as apt and inclinable to pardon offences committed against his Person that the like you find not except it be the Example we have this day before our Eyes yet what Treasons were intended acted and attempted against him Scripture doth plentifully record Zedekiah was not one of the worst Kings of Iudah yet was he so over-ruled or over-awed rather by his Lords and Councellours that he confesseth of himself The King was not he that could withstand them that he was forced to deliver up Ieremiah the Servant and Prophet of God into the hands of their Power and Malice Many more may be adduced Augustus the sweetest of Heathen and Roman Emperours Titus the love and delight of mankind were tossed and beaten with the same Tempests It is infallibly then certain that the best of Kings cannot be secured where this Tenet of our Adversaries is maintained especially when Divines do preach it as a Truth revealed from Heaven to aver that Rebellion is obedience nay a necessary Duty which God commandeth and Jurists and Lawyers hold it is consonant to Justice the established and practised Laws and Customs of the Land the Divine secureth their Consciences and the Jurist their Estates and Persons that they are put out of all fear of Evil here or in the Life to come They will find at last that those blind Guides with their People misled will fall in the ditch God have mercy upon the poor multitude who are deceived the Deceivers have need of great Repentance before they can have mercy with God or should find it with the King What a fearful thing it is to put Princes and the best of Princes most usually under this Tyranny that the People may lord over them needeth no other confirmation but to consider a multitude in its nature which is either the cruellest or tamest of Beasts Quod non audent singuli audent universi Livie telleth us that this is the natural temper and constitution of a multitude Vt serviat humiliter aut dominetur superbâ—â— Libertatem quae media est nec spernere modicè nec habere sciunt Et non fermè desunt irarum ministri indulgentes qui avidos atque intemperantes plebeiorum animos ad sanguinem caedes irritant We need not English it the Expression is full in what we have said In sum by these new-devised State-principles no Kingdom no State can be long in quiet in peace no Kings no Governours can be secured by these Maxims we may change Kings and Governours as often as Moons learn the Policy of the Goths and practise it too that if we be not successful in War or have not a plentiful Year or be troubled and infested with any Tempest more than ordinary all may be laid upon the misfortune demerit or mis-government of the King and he Ionas-like thrown into the Sea to appease the Tempest another enthroned to live and reign no longer than we please A goodly Tenure for a Kiug Another Argument I bring against this Paradox which is this by this Principle if it hold good all Title to a Kingdom by right of Conquest is made void for this cannot be said to be derived from the Community by contract and voluntary consent Notwithstanding Scripture is clear and full for the lawful Title of a Sovereign by Conquest Otherwise we must deny David's Title over Aram and other Neighbour conterraneous Kingdoms to Israel God by his Prophet Ieremy commanded submission subjection and obedience to Nebuchadnezzar and enjoyned them to pray for him and for Peace to his Government I hope none will deny his Right to be just and that by no other Title than Conquest Our Saviour did submit to Caesar's Government over the Iews paid Tribute and by his Ius Regale his Royal Prerogative of Coin proved Caesar's just Title that he silenced the Iews as much at that time miscarried that by their Native Liberty and God's special Favour they were not to submit to any stranger as we are now adayes upon our fancied Conceits The Jesuits will not deny that Conquest by War is Iustus modus acquirendi Imperium a right way to come by a Crown if the War be justly waged and
iron hands Iotham's curse who for ought we read was the onely man durst speak against the course will come at 〈…〉 and devoureth Sichem and a fire cometh out from Sichem and destroyeth Abimelech The first stroke of Vengeance is upon the first Covenanters and Associates By the means and strength of the Sichemites Abimelech is made King over Israel The first divisive motion is there the Text saith God sent an evil spirit betwixt the men of Sichem and Abimelech and the men of Sichem dealt treacherously with him v. 23. The first who gave him the Kingdom sware and covenanted with him are the first Traytors or rather the scourge of God to begin his Mischief But how I pray you goeth this work on you have Covenant after Covenant The first Oath was unlawful now treacherously they sware another Oath against him What is the Solemnity They keep a solemn Festival Religion must ever be a stalking horse They go to the House of their God they seal a new Covenant a new Association they not onely unking him but also excommunicate him too v. 27. No Covenants no Associations seal them strengthen them with Oaths as many as you will with Sacraments too making Sacramenta pietatis vincula iniquitatis the seals of Piety the Bonds of Iniquity they will neither bind sure nor make unlawful pacts or compacts lasting Read and consider Psal. 11. Psal. 83. The story is worthy your looking on Come on then Zabul Abimelech's Governour at Sichem is over-awed he must comply with the second Covenant Abimelech advanceth with his Forces towards Sichem killeth them that sallied out man 's the Gates enters the City kills all in the City except such as flee to the Tower they escape not all of them are consumed with fire You see then how the first Authors 〈…〉 When he hath done Vengeance upon them he blocks up Thebez God having done Vengeance by him upon the Faction he taketh Vengeance upon Abimelech kills him by the hand of a Woman a dishonourable end for a King a Souldier and that by a piece of a Milstone which crushed his Skull To shun Ignominy he calls to his Armour-bearer to kill him by his Sword that it be not said hereafter that he died by the hand of a Woman This is the first King we read of in Scripture that was the Creature of the People How he atchieved it how he managed it and what end both he and they had is enough to make us fall out of love with popular Kings the Donatives of the People To this same purpose some bring the Example of Ieroboam who hold that Ieroboam was King only by Gods Permission and not by his Commission over the ten Tribes and that to punish Solomon in his Posterity for his Uncleanness and Idolatry Many things might be said Pro and Con we purpose not to dispute the point accurately The Reasons which incline some learned men to hold this Opinion amongst others are these That there is no anointing bestowed on Ieroboam at his Entry to the Kingdom The symbolical Ceremony of his Entry is expressed by renting of a Garment in twelve pieces he taketh ten of them to himself Scripture mentioneth not the giving of them The People grieved pitch upon Ieroboam either by him to get redress of their Grievances or otherwise if that be refused to assume him to be their King Consider how the Change is effected There is a specious shew made of a glorious Reformation of easing the Subjects of many great Pressures with which they were overburthened in Solomon's Reign by heavy Impositions laid upon them to build the Temple Solomon's Palaces and to entertain the Magnificence of his Court never so rich as in Solomon's Reign and never more grudging complaining These Pretences were no less specious and real than the specious and spuririous Pretences of our glorious Reformers and zealous Patriots to day great Promises are made great Hopes of better things are conceived but behold the Issue God in his secret but just Providence left Rhehoboam to the power of bad Counsellors he refuseth Redress of Grievances the ten Tribes revolt enthrone Ieroboam and made him King To bring all to a wished end the People and their new King begin at Religion Religion must ever be pretended whatever be the work whatever be the Intention How is Religion entreated By King and People it is subordinated to Policy Religion is made as Hangings for the House New Calves new Altars new Feasts are erected and instituted with a specious Protestation and Profession that God may be more frequently more fervently served and the People with more ease to attend to frequent the Service To this purpose the Calves are erected at Dan and Bethel The way of serving God before established was too too troublesome the true cause was the King feared if Gods Ordinance were kept and the ten Tribes should go to Ierusalem to keep the solemn Feasts do God service according to his Prescript true Religion preserved would reduce the ten Tribes to their due Obedience to the house of David New devices in State in Government necessitate the Authors and Abettors to new devices in Religion That this work may have no Rubbs the old Priests must be gone the Tribe of Levi must be rooted out Root and Branch It cannot be but the old Levites will cross the new established Government The basest of the people Tinkers Coblers Coachmen Mechanicks c. become Ieroboam's and his new Subjects Priests This done he and they take as much Authority over and above their God as before they did over and above their King A Calf must be their God What is the Success Here is a thorow Reformation in Church and State all is unanimously agreed upon by King and People Consider the Consequents They make to themselves a King to remedy their Grievances the King maketh them cast-aways They banish from them the true Levites they place in their stead the Scum and Dross of the vulgar By him and his Successors all the erroneous Religions amongst their Neighbours are admitted and received any Religion is allowed except the only true one But what Is not the King by this made glorious at home and terrible abroad No no such thing He is made the Reproach of all Kings his Motto for ever is Ieroboam that made Israel sin This is all his Excellency we read of in Scripture this is the Horn of his Exaltation How fare the People free-born people under a lawful and just King of their own setting up a King of themselves wrought and effected at last their own their Kings their States utter Extirpation and of free-born Subjects become the Slaves of strange Kings and Kingdoms This Story duely considered is able to rectifie the Errours of this time if mens minds be not fore-stalled with damnable Prejudice It layeth open to us that Kings when they are Peoples Donatives are not Succesful and discovereth how popular Reformations so much now in this
Distempered Age cryed up are not Gods Ordinance and most unhappy in the end howsoever for a time when God is to punish a Nation they may have some seeming Success and some lasting Durance God in his Wisdom giving way to them to punish our Sins and to try our Constancy in his Truth Both the one and the other Story prove that these Courses when they prevail are the worst of Judgments If you joyn them and be pleased to parallel them with our times you will find a full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remonstrance and resemblance with us in many fit Resemblances my Prayer to God is to give us all Repentance and that speedily lest the like or worse befall us when we shall have neither Opportunity nor Place nor Power to help it and too late acknowledge our Errour All Divines do rightly hold that Omnis Christi actio nostra instructio never was any thing acted by Christ which hath not in it something to instruct us in Christian Knowledge and Duty That Christ was truly a King born we proved it before The wise men did him royal Homage while he was in his swadling-cloaths he entered Ierusalem in royal Pomp and Magnificence When his Disciples honoured him by the name of King he did not refuse it when the Iews were offended at it he told them it was not just but also necessary and if all should fail in that Duty the Stones would proclaim him King and do him Homage he avouched it before Pilate when he was looking Death in the Face by a special Direction of Gods Providence it was written upon the Cross The Altar where he offered that propitiatory and expiatory Sacrifice His Grave was sealed as Kings Tombs use to be from the Cradle to his Cross from his Mothers Womb till he is buried in all the times of his Life his Royalty and Kingdom is manifested Notwithstanding of all when the people would have made him a King he disclaimed it he would have none of it When by commission and trust he might have been Arbiter umpire betwixt two brethren differing about the moitie of their inheritance he refused it Many reasons for it but without all controversie this is one to teach all Christians that Sovereignty cannot be derived from the people from the Communitie He would have none of that dignity from them he chose rather to want it than to have it from a wrong hand It is evident by what we have said that sacred Truth as revealed to us in Scripture as understood by the Fathers and Martyrs of the Primitive Church and sound Reason doth plead for the truth we maintain That Sovereignty and Royalty in a King is by immediate dependency derivation and collation from God and Christ who are Kings of Kings and Lords of Lords and it is not onely a simple Errour but pernicious sacrilegious and derogatory to the Honour of God and Christ to make it to be derived and transferred from the underived Majesty of the People and that in such a measure by such a tenor that they have it in what portion what proportion they will bestow it with no more certainty and security than to be Tenants at will to be enthroned dethroned kinged unkinged at their pleasure Having said enough although but little in regard of what may be said to establish the positive part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we come now to take off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their pretended grounds and principles upon which they build â—his their Babel And these onely in this question which have nearest alliance and contingency with this â—irst Question the rest we will take off in discussing â—nd debating the subsequent Questions as they are most proper and homogeneous to them and every one in â—ts proper place CHAP. XII Wherein three grounds of our Adversaries are taken off and disproved As 1. That the interposing of an Humane Act in the constitution of a King doth not hinder the Sovereignty to be immediately from God 2. Next the inconsequence of that Sophism a private man may make away his Personal Liberty and enslave himself to another Ergò a People or multitude may do the like and invest a King with Sovereignty is detected 3. The true sense of Quisque nascitur liber is given and the false Gloss of the Adversaries is discovered THE Jesuit is so learned that he knoweth and acknowledgeth that an Humane Act may be interposed and the Effect wrought produced may be the immediate Work of God the ignorance of the Sectary and weak Christians stumble at it for nothing is more frequent in the mouthes of the vulgar and less knowing sort where hath God manifested from Heaven that such or such a one is King and the Observator himself conceiveth the sensâ— of our Tenet that the King is immediately of Gods appointment and constitution cannot in any other Notion be verified except we can shew a particular Revelation for every King invested with Sovereignty by a Revelation from Heaven It feareth me he will take 〈◊〉 ill if we marshal him with the vulgar and less-knoâ—â—ing sort and yet without Disparagement to his othâ—â— Abilities we must conceive him to be a small Intelligent in Divinity if he conceive that no Power can 〈◊〉 in man by Gods immediate working except he 〈◊〉 shew him a Revelation from Heaven by the Ministeâ— of Angels or some extraordinary Prophet In stating the Question we cleared this point sufficiently to an understanding man yet give me leavâ— for the better Satisfaction of the weaker coctam reponeâ— cramben to resume and repeat some of that we havâ— said with some Additions and Illustrations It is not to be denied but in the ordinary Consâ—â—â—tution of Kings some humane act interveneth and 〈◊〉 interposed as Election Succession Conquest â— yet this may very well subsist with the immediaâ—â— Collation of royal Power from God to make thâ—â— plain consider that a thing is said to be immediate 〈◊〉 from God two ways First when it is done by Goâ— sine quocunque signo creato sine quacunque dispositioâ— praeveniente that no created Sign or previous Dispoâ—â—tion interveneth or precedeth the work done Thâ— nothing is immediately said to be from God bâ— what is by immediate Manifestation from himself 〈◊〉 by the extraordinary Ministery of Angel or Prophet as 〈◊〉 Moses was made Captain over Israel Saul and Dâ—â—vid were made Kings of Israel 2. Next when Goâ— worketh or effecteth the work yet so as some Disposition sign or created act is previous and antecedent to or coherent with the work effected By Baptism the baptized obtaineth Remission of Sins and Renovation of Nature This Effect is immediately wrought by God himself The reason is evident because Aspersion of or Immersion in water of their own nature cannot take away the Stain and Guilt of Sin nor state the baptized in the state of Adoption and Regeneration The School expresseth it barbarously yet pregnantly enough Deus concurrit ad God is concurrent and
operateth with his Ordinance and by his Influence supervenient of his Grace and Power effecteth that which Baptism in its nature abstractly cannot produce So as remission of sin and regeneration consequitur ad Baptismum followeth with and is conjoined with Baptism The School giveth us the way to discern it when it is so and that is whensoever Signum creatum the interposed act or previous disposition hath no natural contingency with the effect the work wrought must be produced by some supervenient extrinsecal more eminent agent which is God Schoolmen do confess that the Sacraments do not confer grace Vi naturali Physicâ inhaerente by their natural intrinsecal and inherent Power but Vi morali supernaturali superveniente extrinsecâ but by some extrinsecal supervenient Power The like you may observe in sacred Orders it is confessed amongst all understanding and sound Divines that by Admission into sacred Orders the admitted receiveth a supernatural Power in supernatural things for supernatural ends This is not done without the interposing of an humane Act the Imposition of the Bishops hands and yet it is most certain this is not done by the Bishops act it is the Power of God concurring and cooperating with his own Ordinance In moral things you may see the like a man marrying a woman becoming her head and Lord there precedeth this Power and Right a created humane Act the voluntary Consent of the Woman yet it cannot be said that her Consent endoweth or investeth the man with this marital Right it floweth from and followeth immediately the inviolable Ordinance of Almighty God and this tye is so strict so perpetual by the same Ordinance that it cannot be made void but by God himself No man can put asunder whom God hath joyned together This holds in the Constitutions of Kings Some humane act as Election Succession or Conquest is interposed but none of them hath any natural Contingency with Sovereignty and Majesty that by their intrinsecal Power they can collate it produce it work it or effect it The Collation must necessarily then be immediately from God and the same way as in sacred Orders This was the Sense of the ancient Church who ordinarily institute a Parallel betwixt Prince and Priest that as the Priest hath his sacred power spiritual immediately from God so the Prince hath his sacred Sovereign temporal power independently from any other and solely dependent from God Hear them speak it in their own words Hosius spoke so to Constantius the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Athanas. epist. ad Solit. vit agent The Sense is Hosius acknowledgeth that Kings and Emperours have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sovereignty and Royalty as independently as immediately from God as Bishops and Priests have the trust which is peculiar to them ex vi ordinis and averreth that it is no less Intrusion upon God surreptitiously to invade the Kings Right his Prerogative than for any not called to the Ministery to intrude upon the sacred Function and Charge of Bishop or Priest The Passage is excellent 1. Kings are Kings quà Kings reduplicativè immediately from God and by his Donation of Power 2. As Priests have a Power incommunicable to any besides so Kings have their Sovereignty incommunicable to Subjects or any else 3. That to rob or surreptitiously to steal from Kings their sacred Prerogative is sacrilegious Usurpation presumptuous Intrusion upon God himself no less if no more than for a Lay-man to intrude upon the holy Function and Charge of Bishop or Priest Neither Athanasius nor Hosius nor any Father else understood but that Princes had their Power as immediately from God as Church-men in sacred Orders To the Greek Fathers joyn the Latin Saint Austin de Civit. Dei lib. 4. cap. 33. saith Solus verus Deus dat regna terrena bonis malis c. neque hoc temere neque fortunâ Sed pro rerum ordine ac tempore occulto nobis notissimo sibi It is the only true God none else man nor Angel that giveth Kingdoms and that not only to good but to bad Kings And this is not done casually by hap-hazzard but in Wisdom conform to the Exigency of the time of men living in the time How it cometh that sometimes bad men are Kings sometimes good men it is of his Wisdom in a secret Dispensation most evidently known to himself hid to us but for all this always just I wish our Sectaries would hear and believe this Lecture of Saint Austin's certain I am the holy and learned Father knew they came not to their Crowns but by some interposed act of Election Succession Conquest c. notwithstanding he will have all their Sovereignty Majesty and Power solely from God Symmachus the Pope writing to Anastasius the Emperour speaketh thus Tu defer Deo in nobis nos deferemus Deo in te which words formally and explicitly imply that Royalty in Kings is to be reverenced and obeyed as in Gods immediate Vicegerents upon Earth as God is to be obeyed in Church-men his immediate Vicegerents in the work and supernatural Acts and Effects of the Gospel To this Patriarch add the Suffrage of another great one Cyril of Alexandria lib. 11. in Ioh. cap 13. where amongst other things to this purpose he saith Et homines quidam à Deo accipiunt ut aliis possint dominari Review again that excellent Passage of the Council of Paris lib. 2. cap. 5. Constat ergo quia non actum non voto neque brachio fortitudinis humanae sed virtute iâ—â— occulto judicio dispensationis divinae regimen confertur terrenum It is in the opinion of these Fathers in this Council assembled that no act humane whatsoever which is interposed in the Constitution of a King maketh him King but only virtus occultum judicium dispensationis divinae the Power the secret and incomprehensible Judgment of God in his unsearchable Dispensation Review the Passage 1 Sam. 12. v. 11. And the Lord sent Ierubbaal and Bedan and Iephtah and Samuel c. Here you see the sending of Iephtah to be Judge is no less given to God than the sending of Gideon and Samuel whose calling was by extraordinary Revelation Compare this Passage witâ— Iudges 11. There you will find that Iephtah came to be Judge by a Covenant made betwixt him and the Gileadites Here you have an interposed Act and a great one that seemeth to serve much for your purpose you have a Covenant a Compact Yet notwithstanding the Lord to shew this Act this Compact this Covenant contributed nothing to make him Judge the Lord himself in authorizing him as Judge vindicateth it no less to himself than when extraordinarily he authorized Gideon and Samuel 1. Sam. 12. v. 11. a place an Argument unanswerable which bringeth home two Conclusions the one that the Authority and Power is from God the other that whatsoever act intervening if it were a Covenant it contributeth nothing to Authority cannot weaken it
inferred from hence This made Buchanan ingeniously maintain that Orders and Laws in Parliament were only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Precognitions till the whole People gave their Consent and had their Influence authoritativè upon the Statutes and Acts of Parliament By this you may know where he put the Legislative Power in the Community and this is with more shew of reason than the Observator's Tenet who holdeth that the Legislative Power is in the Parliament and yet Buchanan is more justifiable for this reason because where Majesty is there is Legislative Power but according to the Observator's mind in the People is the underived Majesty let him then come home to the Scotish Tenet and make it an Article of their new Covenant or new Creed if they will that the Legislative Power is in the People and the Parliaments Orders and Statutes are only preparatory precognitions I know the Observator thinks to salve all this that the whole Power of the Gentry and Commons is entirely transferred from the collective Body to the representative the Parliament To this we answer two things 1. The first is ye and your Brother-assistants the Scots are not of one mind for in the beginning of the Scottish Troubles when the Subjects there were preferring Petitions by their Declarations and Protestations they put all the Power in the collective Body and kept their distinct Tables 2. Next speak ingeniously and candidly Observator shew us the reason of the Difference of the Disparity why the whole entire Power of the Community if any they have should not be totally and entirely derived from the People to the King when they devest themselves of their underived Majesty and invest the King with it no less than the whole entire Power of the whole Kingdom is devolved upon the two Houses and that irrevocably too to hold in the King as in your Knights and Burgesses you are not able to shew it but what with one hand you take unjustly from the King with another but a wrong hand you ascribe to the Parliament It is like in times succeeding and after-ages our wise Kings will learn to know what is their Power Place and Prerogative by that the Parliament hath assumed to them but we are hopeful they will never exercise it with such Cruelty and Tyranny I many times think upon it that as the extravagant Ambition and Usurpation of the Pope of Rome robbing Kings of their sacred Right and assuming to himself such superlative Transcendent Power for himself and his See both in Spirituals and Temporals hath wakened Christian Kings to consider better of their sacred Prerogative and by what he unlawfully and antichristianly assumed to himself in temporalibus to know what Trust God Almighty hath given to his Vicegerents his Kings so I am hopeful if God hath mercy reserved for these Kingdoms and Church right Bounds and Limits will be set to Subjects which will produce happier and sweeter Fruits of Government than we see or feel from these corrival co-equal co-ordinate fansied Powers and Sovereignty and Royalty be better rooted which God of his Mercy grant for the good of his Church the happy estate of the Kingdom and honour and right of our King If what is said be not enough to shew the Weakness of these popular Sophisms I come nearer to the Observator and put it home in a case where I dare promise he will say it is Sophistry By this way of reasoning I will prove there is no better way for the Observator to improve his Wealth than to make over the Right of all he hath to me the Argument will hold good Quod efficit tale est magis tale he that maketh me rich by giving me all his goods moveable and immovable maketh himself richer but the Observator by giving of all his goods my assumption should have been hypothetical for positively I know the Gentleman will not do it to me maketh me rich Ergo he maketh himself more rich This Logick I conceive is not so powerful as to cheat him out of his natural rational Faculty and so cheat him out of all his Lands Chattels and Revenues yet it may be by an order of the House that in some case this Logick may serve to good purpose that the People giving the twentieth the tenth the fifth part or the Moity of their Moneys and Revenues and all their Plate to strengthen the Parliament to advance the good Cause to cherish if we will speak truly and foment this present Rebellion it will not lessen their Wealth but enrich them more because quod efficit tale est magis tale it maketh some rich and consequently the Donors much more rich Certainly if this Logick hold it must be in great request for if this Logick do it not few can see how the Publick Faith can be kept Divinity and Church-rents if you sacrilegiously rob God which God forbid will not do it it must be some Sophism like this some Sophism in this kind that must answer for Publick Faith refund the Moneys borrowed from just Creditors and repay the wise Undertakers qui spem pretio emerunt who have brought their Hogs to a good Market To apply this shortly in few words If I remember rightly this Maxim quod efficit tale est magis tale I learned in the University to be understood de principio formali effectivo of such an Agent as is formally such in it self as is the Effect produced Next that it is such as is effective and productive of it self as when the Fire heateth cold Water it is hot formally in it self and maketh Water hot likewise By which it is necessary that the Quality inherent in the Effect be formally inherent in the Agent for this reason it is that Wine cannot be said to be drunk because drunkenness is no wayes inherent in Wine nor can Wine be capable of it and this made Aristotle qualifie his Maxim quod efficit tale est magis tale modò utrique insit And this insit utrique that it be in both maketh that the Maxim holds not in such Agents who operate by donation for he that is the Donor denudeth himself of the Right and Power of that he giveth to the Donee So here this condition faileth too And consequently if the Right of the King were transferred by Derivation and Donation from the People the Donation devests them totally of it except the King have it by way of loan which to my thinking never any yet spoke Next it is required that there be a Latitude and that that is effected be capable of a Latitude of more and less as when as I said before Fire heateth Water the heat of the Fire is more than the heat of the Water Lastly some add too that the Maxim must be understood ante effectum productum Now all the Argument falleth to the ground for Sovereignty never was nor can be in the Community Sovereignty hath power of Life and Death which none hath over himself and
the one way of Episcopacy nor the other way of Presbytery nor the third of Independency nor any other way imaginary or imaginable in the Church we must therefore some other way satisfie him Then let me entreat him to consider what Variety and Difference is found in oeconomical Government if he will look upon the exercise either of marital or paternal Power View it if in different Kingdoms in diverse Nations he find not and acknowledge a great immense Variety or will he look upon both at home not almost one Family uniform and alike with another and that according to the various Temper of Fathers and Husbands their different Abilities some being more indulgent some more rigorous some keeping the equal mean Some being more intelligent knowing and prudent some of less Knowledge Prudence and Government The Observator will find some wives like Sarah with Reverence and Submission calling their Husbands Lord some Michols lording over their Husbands some Fathers like Eli too too indulgent to their Children others like Iob happily and piously breeding his Children and sacrificing for them when they are feasting In brief look upon the oeconomy of all Families within your Knowledge and you shall find that in Government not one looks like another Doth it then from hence follow necessarily that paternal or marital Authority is not from God and Nature but appointed at the pleasure and Constitution of men The result of all is this That seeing in things natural things moral things ecclesiastical and spiritual and in things oeconomical this accidental and supervenient Variety in their exercise destroyeth not the true Essence and inseparable Essentials of the things themselves but naturally they are uniform and equally the same So in the different Monarchies of the World the Disparity and Difference of the exercising of monarchical power which is accidental maketh them not specifically and essentially different and diverse What these prime radical essential Constitutives of Monarchy are it will be proper to express quaest 4. We content our selves with three which are agreed upon to be in all Speces of Sovereign Power whether Aristocratical Democratical or Monarchical The 1. First is that it is Potestas suprema that it is subordinate to none but Almighty God dicit negationem superioris in terris it admitteth no coordinate collateral coequal or corrival Power 2. Next it is Perpetua potestas a perpetual Power He cannot fall from his Sovereignty but whilst he lives he is the Lords Anointed 3. Thirdly the Power of all Monarchs and of every Monarch is Legibus soluta subject to no over-ruling Power of man Conceive it not so that Kings are free from the direction of and obligation to the Law of God Nature and common Equity but from Coercion humane or any humane coactive Power to punish censure or dethrone them The Hebrews call these and what particulars come within their verge Majus Imperium the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and where those are equal in all Monarchy no accidental variety can change the nature of Monarchy in all and every one of them As for other particulars virtually and naturally included in these three howsoever in actu signato in their first capacity they be propriè propriissimè radically and properly in Sovereignty and in Monarchies yet in actu exercito in the exercise of them they may be entrusted to the Subject Ita ut non defluat radix supremae potestatis so that they have it onely by Delegation and Trust communicativè by communication not privativè not so that these Delegates are invested so with it as the King is totally divested Who can deny but Iudiciaria potestas the Power to judge in all Causes Criminal Civil which concern the Subjects and Kingdom is inherent essentially in the Crown and Scepter of the King and the King to ease his burthen and that Justice may the more readily and easily be done intrusteth his Judges with it And here is not the Trust less and more as it pleaseth the King to give it Is it not different in some onely for such and such Cases and Causes in others for some others different And doth there not lie to the King extrema appellatio the last Appeal or if that be not to make Justice more expedite is there not the equivalent reserved that the Party hurt may by Petition and humble Remonstrance make his Case and Cause evident to the King that he in his Sovereignty may redress what is wrong and punish the Judge abusing his Trust By which it is more than apparent that this and the like Restraints the King putteth upon the exercise of his Native Power is onely ad minuendam solicitudinem not ad minuendam Majestatem to facilitate his Charge and not to denude or disrobe himself of that Sacred Right and Prerogative God hath given to him as his Vicegerent upon Earth Again it is not slightly to be passed by that there be many Kings many times too indulgent Fathers to their People and Subjects who give away too much of their Sacred Right which when Subjects have come at being more than they should zealous of their Liberty will not part with it again but detain it sacrilegiously If a man could be allowed to speak truth in this distempered Age it may be said without sin against God or crime of laese-majesty against King or People that where Monarchy has been too much straitened and weakened by loss of its natural and native Prerogative it hath been done by imprudent at least inconsiderate acts of too good Princes and of voluntary concession and in the end as they prove derogatory to Sovereignty so they prove destructive to the Peace and Protection the Liberty and Propriety of the Subject Review all the Grants of Princes in this kind and you shall find upon Authentick Record that they be meer Concessions of grace If as much could be shewn upon as faithful and unquestionable Record to prove our King a pactional and conventional Prince your Plea should be more specious in the Eyes of the World And if you could by authentick Evidence make it appear that such bounds and limits are put to Sovereignty as it is more than manifest that what you claim is by acts of voluntary Humanity you should do somewhat which probably would take the People more but I must tell you withal you totally destroy Monarchy and must say right down our gracious Sovereign is no Monarch which is against Reason Sense all Records extant and the universal testimony of all knowing men in other Kingdoms and States It is great Discourtesie to change Princes acts of grace bestowed upon Subjects into acts of Duty and Debt nor is it a ready way to obtain more grace to prove unthankful and not acknowledge prior graces received Lawyers and Jurists do tell you that from actus humanitatis voluntatis from acts of Courtesie and voluntary Concession you may not reason to conclude actum necessitatis an
to follow upon such courses prove our selves to be proud Masters and forsake to be Gods humble Servants In all Deliverances God bestowed upon his own People in his wonderful Providence he effected them either by his own immediate hand or by some other hands not permitting or allowing to his People any share in the work foreseeing how we would make it if it had been otherwise a bad president for rebellious courses Popular Reformations are neither warrantable nor successful The multitude are most of all unfitted for preserving Church or State In Scripture we have no Reformations recorded but only such as have been acted by the authority of the Sovereign Many popular tumultuary courses we find attempted and effected by the People to the hurt and ruine of Church and Commonwealth Wherefore let every one and all of Subjects be subject to Superiour Powers in obedience to that is good and in Patience suffering what is evil waiting patiently till God in his appointed time send relief and deliver his Church and us from pressing and oppressing Evils CHAP. XVI Wherein is examined that Maxim Salus Populi Suprema Lex esto And the other That the People may be without a King but a King cannot be without People THis vulgar Maxim Salus Populi Suprema Lex esto was one of the Laws of the XII Tables It was made for a Democracy and hath in it a good and warrantable sense if it be rightly taken in its proper meaning But as it is abused and perverted by our Miso-monarchical Statists and Sectaries it hath been the Mother of much mischief The Sectaries who abuse it understand it so largely at least make the People conceive so that all Government and Superiority in Governours and Superiours is primely nay only for the Subjects and Inferiour's good This holds not for some Government and Governours are by God and Nature appointed for the mutual and inseparable good of the Governour and Governed of the Superiour and Inferiour as in maritali regimine in paterno as in the marital and fatherly Government Some Governments are primely principally and properly for the good of the Superiour and Governour as in herili dominio in the Government of a Lord and Servant where the good and benefit of the Servant is but secondary and consecutively intended it is not the principal end but the external and adventitious as the gain that cometh to a Physician by his Practice is not the proper internal and principal end of his Art Science and Practice but consequitur ad medicinam it followeth and attendeth his Skill and Practice What can our Adversaries say of a Title acquired to a Kingdom by lawful Conquest That such a Title is good and a King may be lawful King by Conquest meerly without the consent of the People is so evident in Scripture as it cannot be denied In this case the good and benefit of the Conquerour is the prime thing and principal The Conquerour may dispose of it at pleasure for his own good as Solomon did give Cabul to Hiram Moreover according to the Jesuit's and Puritan's grounds as a man may render himself totally under the Power of a Master without any conditions or limitations or bounds whatsoever why may not the Body of a People do the like to have Peace and Safety surrender themselves fully into the Power of a King May not a Lord of many great Mannors and Lands if the Laws of the Countrey do not forbid it admit no man to live and gain by living within his Territories and Countreys but upon condition of a full surrender of himself his Posterity and all belonging to him into his Lords power Doth not Tacitus tell us that anciently amongst the Germans every Head of the Family was Father King and Priest and that all the Tenants of his Territories had no more corn for meat no more number of Flocks no more for use of cloaths than it pleased their Lord to allow them Suam quisque familiam suo penates regis frumenti modum dominus aut pecoris aut vestis colono injungit servus hactenus patet May not a disorderly multitude without order and government or any subordination at all this is impossible but let us take it as probable because imaginable conceiving Safety and Good to themselves totally surrender themselves into the power of one to rule over them hereditarily Or may not a people in a formed and framed politick Body upon the Receit of a great Benefit as Deliverance by one from a mighty Oppression surrender themselves thus totally to their Deliverer and his Successors It is not improbable that the Israelites did offer some such Condition to Gideon and his Posterity for the great Deliverance they had from the Midianites by his Sword Iudges 8. Did not the Campani in this way if we may trust Livie subject themselves totally to the people of Rome Populum Campanum saith he in the words of their chief Heads Vrbemque Capuam agros delubra deûm divina humanaque omnia in vestram P. C. ditionem dedimus O noble Senators we surrender and give up unto your Dition and Power the people of Campania our City Capua our Lands the Temples of our Gods and what divine and humane things are ours By what is said it is more than apparent that this Salus populi suprema lex esto Let the Good and Safety of the People be the supreme Law is not an universal Dictate of Nature a paramont Law which is universally verified of all Government and Governours This Speech is as much abused when by these new Statists it is applied to Monarchy I most heartily grant that the Preservation of the Peace and Safety of Subjects and People is the prime end in the Constitution of all Government but it is not the sole and adaequate end The complete adaequate and perfect end of Government in Monarchy is Salus Regis Populi the Safety of King and People Notwithstanding the Safety and Good of the people may be called the prime and principal end in the Constitution of Monarchical Government because it is most agreeable with the joynt Interest of King and People It is a word exceeding well beseeming a King to say Salus Populi suprema lex esto let the Safety of the People be the Paramont Law There is no Doubt that the King ought to proportion all his Laws to this end this is just this is necessary this is honourable this is advantageous to the King who that is wise will not provide as much as he is able for the Good Safety Plenty and Peace of those in whose happiness is his Glory and in whose Destruction his own is involved And on the other hand it becometh Subjects well to say Salus Regis suprema lex esto and to proportion all their Obedience Endeavours and Actions for the Safety Honour Power Happiness and Glory of their King It is impossible the Subject can have Peace or Safety where the Sovereign and his
Observator and others gives unto this Maxim which how they cohere with what we have brought from Scripture and said by its warrant I humbly submit to the intelligent to the impartial Reader and come to consider the no less lame than extravagant consequences the Observator deduceth from this mis-understood and abused Maxim They be four which when we look upon them inwardly are such as never Saint of God nor sound Politician thought of before we shall follow him in his order The first Consequence that he knits with this Antecedent The Safety of the People is the Supreme Law is an Ergo The King is bound in duty to promote all and every one of his Subjects to all happiness Certainly there is more in the Conclusion than is vertually included in the Premisses for when Salus Populi the Safety of the People to which the King is tied to conclude omnis foelicitas populi all happiness of the People and with that large extent to all and every one may well be answered with a non sequitur that the Consequence is lame the reason is clear Salus populi may subsist without Foelicitas Populi Foelicitas dicit quid majus the Safety of the People may subsist without the Felicity of the People for Felicity of the People is the Safety of the People and somewhat more I demand of the Observator and his Complices who ever heard that either by the Law of God Nature or common Equity the King is bound to promote all and every of his Subjects to all Happiness God is not so rigorous a Task-master nor is the notion of the word protect either in it's native or used Sense to which the King is bound so large as to tye him to promote all and every Subject to all happiness It is not imaginable the tenderest-hearted Father or Mother can do this to their best beloved Child nor doth God or Nature require it Doth the Observator by such Consequences intend to make a Kings charge intolerable God injust to impose it a King unable to do it and resolves to condemn all Kings who do not so provide for the Happiness of all and every one of his Subjects in the highest measure Who will deny but every King is bound to level all his Actions Intentions and Endeavours for the Peace Plenty and Safety of his Subjects in common But to put this Burthen on the King which neither he nor his Fathers were able to bear is too hard a measure We may expect this from his Goodness and Bounty we cannot charge it upon him as necessary and incumbent to him of Duty Are not all and every one of Subjects by Duty and Oath tyed to Salus Regis to provide for his Safety Honour Wealth and Power Are not we sworn to it in the Oath of Allegiance to assist and defend all Priviledges Preeminences and Rights belonging to His Highness his Heirs and Successors or annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm If all have not taken this Oath all born in his Majesties Dominions are bound to it of all it may be actually exacted and the Statute 5. Eliz. cap. 1. ordains that all Barons Knights Citizens Burgesses elected for the Parliament who shall not take the Oath of Allegiance made 1. Eliz. at their Entry in the Parliament House shall have no Voice in Parliament but be construed as if they had never been elected and suffer such Pains and Penalties as if they had presumed to sit in Parliament without Election Return or Authority By this Oath mentioned in the Statute they are bound to bear Faith and true Allegiance to the Queens Highness her Heirs and lawful Successors and to their Power assist and defend all Iurisdictions Priviledges Preeminences and Authorities belongging to the Queens Highness her Heirs and Successors or united and annexed to the imperial Crown of this Realm or likewise by their Oath 3. Iac. being bound to defend him and his lawful Successors to the uttermost of their Power against all Conspiracies and Attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his Person Crown and Dignity by reason of any Sentence or Declaration flowing from the Pope or otherwise and to their best Endeavour to discover and make known to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors all Treasons and trayterous Conspiracies which they shall know or hear to be against him or any of them Here you see all Subjects and every one to the uttermost of their Power are bound to assist and defend the Kings Right and Prerogative and that none can enter the Houses of Parliament till actually they swear it will it therefore from hence follow that all and every one of his Majesties Subjects at least such as have entered the Houses of Parliament all and every one of them are for-sworn who have intended or attempted any thing besides or who intending or doing it hath not raised him to the highest degree and pitch of Honour Glory and Power In this case I am hopeful the Observator like Iudah will be more favourable to himself and his Patrons than he is in the other to his Sovereign Who before these new Statists that ever wrote the Charge of a King bound him to promote all and every one of his Subjects to all kind and highest Degree of political and temporal Happiness Is it in the Power of the most puissant Monarch upon Earth to advance all his Subjects capable and deserving men to the highest pitch of Happiness and Honour Parcius ista viris c. To shut up all that concerneth this first absurd Consequence drawn from this abused Maxim I intreat the Observator to remember that Almighty God did never judge it fit to entrust the People with their own Safety but in a subordinate way hath committed this Trust to his Anointed his Vicegerent upon Earth from whence issueth this Consequence that Salus Regis est salus populi The Safety of the King is the Safety of the People as Salus Animae is salus Corporis the Safety of the Soul is the Safety of the Body The Fathers judged it so see Iustin Martyr quaest resp ad Orthod q. 138. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This holy Father knew no other case of a Kingdom than that the King is the Soul and the Subjects the Body Let the Observator judge then where the Safety is most considerable and learn from Salust Animi imperio corporis servitio utimur or from Tacitus Nempe iis that is Imperatoribus dii Imperium dedere nobis obsequii gloria relicta est And the Heathen will learn him to acknowledge that the Honour and Safety of the King his Glory and entire Prerogative is the Transcendent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all Politicks the paramont Law that giveth Law to all Laws concerning private men their Lives Estate and Honour and that all Subjects are to promote the Sovereign Right and Prerogative to the utmost of their Power as the publick Soul of the Kingdom and the Breath of their
Nostrils The second Corollary which the Observator deduceth out of this Principle Salus populi suprema lex esto is that it were strange if the people subjecting themselves to command should aim at any thing but their own Good in the first and last place This Consequence presupposeth two Errors the one is that the people are the immediate Authors and Donors of Sovereignty which we have already refuted the other is that the Conveyance of Sovereignty is by Trust and that in that Portion and proportion the people please the error of which we will by God's grace discover in our third Question To take this off briefly I ask of the Observator that seeing God hath ordained Rule and Subjection and directeth mankind to their greatest Convenience by Government and seeing God and Nature teach and all do acknowledge that the Good Plenty Peace and Safety of the people cannot be effected or attained to except the King be proportioned to so high a degree of Honour Wealth and Power that as Father he may protect all administrate Iustice secure from Oppression and Sedition at home and from Invasion abroad and have Main tenance proportionable to these ends whether or not in Order of Nature in the first place it is necessary that this Power Honour and Maintenance be secured to the King without which we cannot expect Safety Peace or Good to the Subject Except we have made a Divorce betwixt our selves and Reason we must grant this Truth If you will trust Saint Chrysostom hear him speak it upon Rom. 13. upon these words He is the Minister of God for good unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which words two things are expressed first that the King is immediately sent from God the other is that he is sent for our Good no Safety then for us without him and for both Respects we are to honour him for all Good which we have by our Industry is by Influence from his Government and he is a co-worker with us and auxiliary in it If this be not enough turn to him upon the words Not only for Wrath but for Conscience sake where he saith that the King is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is the procurer of Peace and Base and bottom of all politick economy Innumerable good things come by Princes Government to the Society of men which if you take away there can be no Cities no Right to Lands or Revenues no House and Family can subsist no Commerce and Trade can be had all shall be overturned the stronger devouring the weaker To St. Chrysostom's Suffrage joyn St. Augustine tom 9. tract 6. in Ioh. Tolle jura Imperatorum quis audet dicere mea est illa villa aut meus est ille servus aut domus baec mea est and a little after Per jura Regum possidentur possessiones the result is this if you take away the Right of Kings none dare say the Lands are mine this Servant is mine or I have Right to this House It is by the right of Kings that all our Rights and Possessions are secured It is more than manifest then that the Right of King and Subject the Safety of King and Subject are naturally conjoyned and so intimately involved the one in the other that in the moral Notion they may be esteemed identically the same no less than Soul and Body make up one identical personal Subsistence or at least se mutuò ponunt tollunt destroy the Kings Right and Good and with the same Act the same blow you destroy the Subjects too If you provide not for the Safety of the King you cannot possibly secure the Safety of the People What God hath conjoyned let none put asunder Let it never then again be spoken or heard by Christians that the good of the Subject is the Alpha and Omega in Government and demandeth by right the first and last place The third Consequence is this That the King looking upon the whole State reflecting upon what Graces he hath granted or may grant to his People he cannot merit of it and what he hath granted if it be for the good of his People it hath proceeded but from his meer Duty Well by the Observator we see the King is placed in no better condition than a Servant nay an unprofitable Servant for when he has done all he can do he was onely done his Duty By these means Grace is not a fit compellation for Kings Acts of Iustice he may do but no Acts of Grace O misera Regum sors On the other part the People are stated in that sublime condition that they may supererogate with their Prince by doing many Acts of Bounty Favour and Grace By this Assertion a Prince is disabled from doing any courtesie to his Subjects Before this miserable distempered Age was it ever heard but that it was the greatest happiness of a King that he was able and his greatest glory to oblige his People by Acts of Grace Bounty and Courtesie But now the World is so turn'd topsie turvy that when he has done all he is able he hath onely discharged the duty of a faithful and trusty Servant Turn the Tables and then see what you will judge of the throw Do not all we Subjects owe Duty to the King Are we not tied to advance his Honour Yet upon extraordinary Services we believe we can deserve well both of King and Countrey Will you not Observator allow the King the like measure This Conceit is a popular Deceit and not virtually onely but also really destroys the ground of Beneficence in a King and the duty of Gratitude in a Subject By this it appeareth that it is a naked nay an hypocritical Complement when both Houses in Parliament after Graces granted present their humble thanks and heartily acknowledge His Majesties gracious Favours Must not the like hold betwixt a Father and his Family And shall we by these grounds be constrained to acknowledge all the Acts of a Father to his Family to be no better than Acts of meer Justice and Duty In the Dialect of Scripture and Heathen Writers Homer Odyss 9. Kings are Fathers And yet the Observator standeth not to say That the Father is more worthy than the Son in Nature and the Son is wholly a Debtor to the Father and can by no merit transcend his Duty nor challenge any thing as due from his Father for the Father doth all his Offices meritoriously freely and unexpectedly We will not be at pains now to examine this onely I demand if this hold according to his Judgment in a Father of a Family how comes it to pass that it holds not in Patre Patriae in the Father of the Kingdom The obligation to Pater Patriae to the Father of the Kingdom is stronger is straighter than to Pater Familiae to our natural Father And the School doth teach us and all Divines besides for ought I know that we are bound to love the King appreciativè by
esteem more than our selves although we cannot do it intensivè with the same intension and degree of affection David's Subjects said to him Thou shalt not go forth with us to battel for thou art better than a thousand of us that is in sound meaning than all of us The Observator hath a quirk or trick rather for this that the King is not a Father to his People taken universally but singly Nothing could be said more absurdly I pray you is not the Father of many Sons no less Father universally to all than to every one Is not the King bound no less to protect all his Subjects universally than to protect every one severally singly Are not all bound no less universally than singly to honour the King 's sacred Person obey his sacred Commands and contribute to the maintenance of his Honour Wealth and Power to assist and defend him in all Difficulties If you will not acknowledge a subjection upon all universally how can you tye the King to a protection of all universally In Philosophy this is most absurd for hereby you make tot civitates in regno quot subditos as many Kingdoms as there be particular and single Subjects because the King and every Subject make up a perfect City or Kingdom If it were not more absurd in Divinity and contrary to God's Ordinance we would not plead much nor press much the Absurdities of Philosophy Saul and David in the holy diction of Scripture are called Heads and Captains of all the Tribes and People of God Let never these consequences be more heard 4. The fourth consequence is as impious and absurd as the other three which is this That a Prince ought not to account it a strength and profit to him which is a loss and wasting to the People I agree to this with all my heart but that which followeth I cannot relish nor ought he to think that perisheth to him which is granted to the People This is most false Hath not the King his own Right from Almighty God Can he make it away without betraying Gods Right and the Trust he hath put upon him he being God's Vicegerent onely and Feoffee in trust How can the Subject be free of Sacrilegious guiltiness to take it from him if lavishly or inconsiderately he will make it away This is not onely robbing of Sovereignty of its due but Divine usurpation and intrusion upon Almighty God What one hath by trust from another he cannot intitle another to it till he have warrant from him who hath given the Trust. That the King hath some right incommunicable to the Subject is so manifest that he that will deny it must deny Scripture Our Lord and Master in the Gospel hath commanded to Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars as unto God the things that are Gods This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Render imports something peculiar nay it hath more in it that if we will detain it if we have assumed it or would assume it that by Christs Precept we are to restore him to his Right again This the word Render intimates and commands and consequently the King cannot part with it and if the Subject hath usurped upon this Right it is high Sacrilege to detain it In this sense Kings their Persons their Charge their Right their Authority their Prerogative are by Scripture by Fathers by Jurists called Sacred because by Gods sacred Ordinance they are inherent in their Crowns inseparably adherent to their Scepters which if he grant away he is no more King than the Body is a living Creature after the separation of the Soul and the Robbers and Cheaters of Kings out of these Rights are Regicides Nor are these Prerogatives onely for the Excellency Preheminency and Honour of the King above his Subjects but also to enable him for actuating his high Charge to Gods Glory and the Subjects good These as we shall by Gods Grace speak Quaest. 4. are as the Lawyers speak In indivisibili posita quae distrahi non possunt alienari non possunt minui non possunt that are so indivisible in themselves and naturally and intrinsecally inherent in the Crown in his Sovereignty and Supremacy that they cannot be made away or so communicated to the Subject ut defluat radix supremae potestatis to divest himself of them ad minuendam Majestatem to lessen Sovereign Majesty although by Trust and delegate Power the Execution may be entrusted to others ad minuendam solicitudinem to ease him of unsupportable burthen These are fitly resembled by the Royal Crown from which if you take away the least part you spoil it so in its nature and shape that it is no more a Crown as King Iames of blessed Memory and others have well expressed By what is said I refer it to the Judgment of any that hath reason or common sense whether or not it be true that a King cannot make away to the Subject any of his Right without disadvantage for by what we have said it is more than apparent that he hath a Right personally inherent in himself and his Successors as a depositum a trust from God which he cannot part with without betraying the Trust God hath committed to him with which the Subject cannot meddle without Sacrilege in the highest kind and which cannot be done without disabling Sovereignty from doing that Service to God and his People with which he hath charged him Lest any mistake us I resume what before I have said That we maintain not that our King by this Right from Almighty God hath Dominium despoticu◠or herile we plead onely for paternum that is that 〈◊〉 the Subject cannot without Sacrilege Royal and Divine Usurpation trench upon Sacred Prerogative of the King no more can the King by any Right from Almighty God trench upon the Liberty of the Person and the Propriety of the Goods of his Subjects without presupposal of a lawful act of Iurisdiction That is if any or many of his Subjects transgress against him his Laws or common Equity he may commit their Persons take from them their Lives seize upon their whole or a part of their State proportionable to the demerit of their Offence Our Gracious Sovereign blessed be God for it will never wave that saying of Seneca's Imperium unius Proprietas singulorum The Sacred Prerogative is the Kings but it derogateth not from the Liberty and Property of the Subject it must be entirely secured that it may secure our Liberty and Property How unequal and partial are we to think the King may prodigally waste away his Prerogative and we may lawfully invade it because no Grant made to his People perisheth to him and yet upon the other part will maintain that the King cannot trenoh upon our Liberty and Property without highest Tyranny and Oppression Medio tutissimus ibis Hold both practise both Let the King have his and the People their Right and Peace shall be upon Israel King and People have
If a Canker be in Hand or Foot before it Gangrene the whole Body we will condescend to the cutting of them off In this sense which we have explained Salus populi suprema lex esto is a Law that hath no Iniquity in it but hath a good just and equitable Sense Yet it is not to day onely or yesterday that this Maxim hath been abused to work much mischief This mis-understood Principle or Law put Christ to death The Scribes and Pharisees High-Priests and Sanhedrim avouched It was necessary that one should dye for the People the High-Priest spoke it not knowing how in a Prophetical sense it was necessary but meaning that Salus populi required it the whole Land and all of them were in danger And in this case with the influence of this Law it was enough to alledge their authority and unanimous coâ—sâ—nt They were not tied to proofs They had a Law of which they were Interpreters or if not they had a Legislative power by which for Salus Populi Christ must dye When Pilate found him innocent their answer was sufficient If he were not a Malefactor we would not have delivered him unto thee Salus populi or nothing else was the Law the Paramount Law the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all Politicks to which Pilate's Power delegate from the Romans was subservient But what was the effect of this work wrought by this Paramount Law It wrought the utter extirpation of them and their Posterity The over-ruling voices of the High-Priests Scribes and Sanhedrim forced Pilate to crucifie the God of Glory against his heart his Conscience This was high Injustice in him he acknowledged Christ's Innocency and knew that for Envy they delivered him up Ioh. 19. 6. Matth. 27. 18. He knew besides that without his Authority he could not be condemned If we could or would seriously look upon this Example and make right Use of it it would deter us from making too much of such deceitful and deceiving Maxims which in the end will lead us to our total destruction and overthrow It was this Salus populi that made Saul to spare against Gods command Agag and the Amalekites It was this that seduced Zedekiah made his Lords over-rule and over-awe him and clap up Ieremiah in the Dungeon It is a great mistake in which a great and Learned man in this Age doth gather from the words of a King to his Nobles Behold he is in your power for what is the King that he can do any thing against you That the Kings of Iudah by some Power equal to them or above them might be counter-manded The expression is de facto not de jure intimating that the good King was so over-awed by his Lords that he could not protect the Lords Servant the Prophet Ieremiah although he knew he was bound to it and willing too When a good King is put in such a case the state of King and Kingdom are in greatest danger There is enough said to discover the grand Impostures of this abused Maxim Salus populi suprema lex esto for by what is said it appeareth 1. That it is not to be conceived in that large sense as if all Governours and Government were principally for the good of those are governed it holds not in Marital nor Despotical nor in Royal Government by Conquest 2. Next it taketh as granted in the sense of our Adversaries that the compleat and adequate end of Government is Salus populi which is an Errour for it is Salus Regis populi and Salus Regis hath the first place without which Salus populi cannot be It hath the Prerogative like to the first Table and Salus populi as the second To destroy the Prerogative and Royal Power is to bring ruine to our selves 3. Thirdly it is spoken in ordine ad alias Leges non ad Regem in order to other Laws not to prove the King the Extract of the People or that by them he is coerced But that in case of extreme necessity the King for his own and the Kingdoms Safety may break thorow all other Laws as he thinketh fit in his Discretion to preserve himself and Kingdom 4. Fourthly in the sense our Adversaries use it it cannot but disquiet King and Kingdom upon real or fancied Fears and Jealousies 5. Fifthly misapplied and misunderstood it hath been the Mother of much mischief 6. Lastly let every Subject and Christian within his Majesties Kingdoms consider and remember how he is bound by Nature and Grace to Salus Regis to maintain the Kings Right Priviledges and Prerogatives besides that all of any Quality and the better sort have taken an Oath to maintain it With which how any can dispense I profess I see not I know not We need not spend much time or pains in taking off that other abused Principle A King cannot be withâ—ut the People but the People may be without a King with its Consequence Ergo the People are more excellent than the King for what is already said taketh away the strength of this Argument and Consequence for if they will resolve their Antecedent thus or frame their Argument thus The People may be without a Governour or Government Ergo c. The Antecedent is most false and so can bring home no Conclusion at all We have proved already better not to be at all than to be without Government and for this cause God fixed Government in one and appointed a Governour before ever there were People in the World to be governed Cicero doth tell us this lib. 3. de Legibus Nihil porro tam aptum est ad Ius conditionemque Naturae quam Imperium sine quo nec domus ulla nec civitas nec geâ—s nec hominum universum genus stare nec rerum natura omnis nec ipse mundus potest I know what the Sectary and Jesuit will rejoyn the People may be under Aristocracie or Democracie in a happy condition Ergo without Monarchy or a King I do not blame Aristocracie or Democracie as unlawful Governments God sorbid for then all their acts of lawful Government could not chuse but be sinful but that they are univocal species of Government with Monarchy I can never be induced to believe as by Gods Grace we will demonstrate it Quaest. 2. Governments they are but defective If man had never fallen into Sin Aristocracie had never been known nor Democracie seen in the World nor were they at first It was the corruption of Monarchy produced them into the world Monarchy by God in Scripture is much countenanced magnified of Aristocracie or Democracie you have not one Word in Holy Writ to commend them That a People under Aristocracie or Democracie may have some tolerable subsistence I deny it not but that they can be in an happy condition I doubt of it especially for the Church whose condition can never be happy under any Government but Monarchy for proof I appeal to all by-gone Ages in the Christian
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
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
up a state upon the Ruines of the Church or better a prior estate they care not although Levites usurp upon Priests Presbyters upon Bishops and Christ and his Patrimony be both put out of the World Ten shekels of Silver and a Sute of Apparel Micah's allowance Iudges 17. 10. is enough and too much for the best of God and Christ's Servants All in the end will prove Aurum Tholosanum like the collop the Eagle brought from the Altar to feed her young ones so much Fire came with it that it consumed the Nest and the young ones too When the Church of God is in this distress it is not onely sin to be accessary to these Counsels and Courses but such as may and are able to prevent these mischiefs and do it not God will charge them with it Some there be who profess that they like not the course against the Church but for reason of State way must be given to the current of the stream and a fit opportunity waited to right what was amiss I will not search the hearts of such men I leave them to him who trieth the reins and knoweth our thoughts afar off onely let me put them in mind that sins of Omission of necessary Duties are high sins in the balance of the Sanctuary Meroz is cursed that came not out to help the Lord and Matth. 25. They are to be condemned in the last Day who fed not Christ when he was hungry no less than those who robbed him of his Food It is the highest Service to God with the Church of Thyatira not to deny the Faith where Satan's seat is where Antipas sufereth for the truth Rev. 11. 13. If God hath endowed any with Wisdom Power and Trust by Princes and in such time they withdraw their help from God and his Church it is like they will call to him in the day of their trouble and God will not hear them Remember after the reducing of the People from the Captivity the Prophets did charge the re-building of the House of God the Princes of Iudah answered The time is not come the time wherein the Lord's House should be built None was so impudent to come directly contrary to this Charge but they meant we are poor newly come out of Captivity we have strong Enemies about us we must wait a better opportunity a more seasonable time a jugling trick it is to cross good Works and crush them substantially by opposing them onely circumstantially Notwithstanding all this the Prophet chargeth them Is it time for you O yee this compellation is very emphatical to dwell in your cieled Houses and this House lie waste Read the Judgments I cease to repeat it I love not to apply it and wish it be not the Judgment of our Times See Hag. 1. vers 1 2 3. Ã vers 6. ad vers 12. Do not deceive your selves with that imposture that you will wait upon an opportunity to right all that is disjoynted in Church you are not to tempt God to put him to extraordinary Providence when he has put you in the ordinary way to serve him and to prevent these mischiefs Is it lawful and warrantable to you to do Evil or give way to Evil and to wait opportunity to do good afterward to salve all this Or can you expect that God will honour you to make you fit instruments to repair again what is wrong Certainly you neither deserve it nor can lay any claim or interest to it If these men fear Covenants and Associations I desire them to remember that as in Scripture the first and happiest Covenant is the Covenant of Mercy and Grace so in the next place we have in Holy Writ mentioned A Covenant of Levi which is the means ordinary God hath appointed to preserve the other The Scripture telleth us that it is an high impiety to corrupt the Covenant of Levi Mal. 11. 8. Both the one and the other Covenant are Covenants of Salt that is of everlasting durance from which it followeth necessarily that whatsoever Covenant destroyeth the Ordinance of God in the necessary Government of the Church the Ordinances of the Worship and its Solemnities cannot be from God from whence then it comes you may easily guess Of all impieties in this kind there is no higher transgression than if the Tribe of Levi for some subsistence to themselves and theirs and to gain popular applause and credit with the Faction assure Kings they may give way to a popular current and flood to suffer God's Ordinances to be destroyed the Solemnity of the Worship defaced till a better opportunity offer I beg pardon to speak truth in humility and reverence and first to Kings that although Church-men advise Kings upon such exigents to do such unwarrantable Acts yet it will not excuse them in the Day of their Accounts no more than it excused Achab that had the warrant of Zedekiah 1 Kings 22. 11. Nor did it excuse Pilate who had the representative Body of Priests and State to warrant him they had a Law and by their Law Christ was a Malefactor and worthy to dye Next let me tell the Tribe of Levi who for their own good and popular applause do comply with a popular Eaction and set their brains on work to make specious shews of Reason and inducements to perswade or warrant Kings by permission and giving way or by actual concurrence with their Authority to permit and do Acts destructive to Christ's Ordinances or derogatory to the Worship are near to the sin of Apostacy and another of an higher degree which I fear to name But of all Levites those are the most miserable who being advanced to the highest of Sacred Orders having enriched themselves by the Patrimony of the Church to keep their purchase have abjured that Sacred Order as Antichristian and yet make not restitution of what they have purchased I wonder how such mens Repentance could be admitted for in such cases they cannot truly repent without Restitution Non dimittetur peccatum nisi restituetur ablatum These men come short of Iudas this Repentance who was not onely contrite for betraying his Master but restored the Money which unjustly he had purchased by his Villany By the detention of their purchase their Converts declare themselves Mercenary and their Fathers by receiving them into their Communion publish to the World they care not what they lose in truth if they can deceive the People to make them think by such a goodly access their evil Cause is strengthened I refer these Apostate Bishops to read the story of Ecebolus I wish them not to be in like condition and cease to apply the story I thank God there is no rancour in my heart against them nor their Fathers Converters my imprecations are no other but to pray Almighty God to give them true Repentance and to forgive them The sum of what we have said is this that neither King nor Kingdom can be happy if Kings fear not
God and do not from this fear preserve the Right of God and his Church protect and promote the Ordinances of God and advance the Worship and its Solermity Nor will bad Counsellors excuse them in the Day of their Accounts nor will the Counsellors escape just Judgment and it is like God will make the same People a Rod to scourge them whom they have followed and given way to with the loss of a good conscience and offence against God As Princes the Sons of the most High and Vicegerents of Christ upon Earth are bound to Piety in their personal carriage above other and to procure and protect it in their publick Government so they are bound in their private and publick Conversation and Government to be excellently righteous The Derivative naturally resembleth its Primitive God from whom they are by immediate Derivation hath no pleasure in wickedness neither doth evil dwell with him Psal. 5. 4. Kings hold their Scepters from Christ The Scepter of Christ's Kingdom is a right Scepter He loveth righteousness and hateth wickedness Psal. 45. 6 7. They are by generation from the Father Psal. 89. They issue from the thigh of Christ Rev. 17. 14. 19. 14. They degenerate then if they be not righteous If Kings live and govern piously and justly their Thrones shall be established their Crowns secured and their Posterity be blessed Prov. 25. 5. By righteousness the Throne is established The good of this will redound to the whole Kingdom Prov. 29. 4. The King by Iudgment establisheth the Land but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it Foelix Respublica in qua qui imperat timet Deum See God's charge to Kings Ier. 22. 1 2 3. Execute ye judgment and righteousness and deliver the oppressed c. vers 4. For if ye do this thing indeed then shall there enter in by the gates of this House Kings sitting upon the Throne of David riding in chariots and on horses he and his servants and his people vers 5. But if you will not hear these words c. vers 7. I will prepare destroyers against thee c. David the King knew this Psal. 33. 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an host How then vers 18. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy He practised it Psal. 61. 4. I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever I will trust in the covert of thy wings The meaning is his constant purpose and practice should be holy and just and to advance Piety and Righteousness from this issueth that confidence he subjoyneth vers 6. Thou wilt prolong the King's life and his years as many Generations vers 7. He shall abide before God for ever O prepare Mercy and Truth which may preserve him See Psal. 72. wholly Prov. 20. 8. 29. 4 14. 16. 12 13. This Truth believed by Kings that they are immediately sent from God and Vicegerents upon Earth is a ground of great Confidence in God in their greatest Troubles which usually are great and frequent for as the tallest Cedars they are exposed to the Violence of greatest Tempests their only way is to run to God for Protection and Deliverance They may lay claim to it more than any God is the Principal they only Lieutenants and subordinate more favour is allowed to them greater Protection promised to them Psal. 89. 26. He that is the King shall cry unto me Thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my Salvation Also I will make him my first born David Psal. 44. 4. approacheth to God in this Confidence Thou art my King O God command Deliverance for Jacob. A Subject claimeth Protection from the King as his Due so may the King from his Lord and Master Solomon upon this ground that God had set him upon the Throne of David begged Government and Judgment to go out and in before his People 1 King 3. The Lord did not refuse it but in his Bounty supererogated what was fit for his more Magnificence God hath a secret and unknown way in directing and guiding Princes and no less admirable a way in guarding their Persons and delivering them out of all their Troubles Prov. 21. 1. The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of Waters He turneth it whithersoever he will Psal. 18. vers ult Great Deliverances giveth he to his King and sheweth Mercy to his Anointed c. The Heathen have acknowledged in Kings some Heroici impetus some strange and extraordinary Inspirations and Directions seconded with as admirable Successes and Protection that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them something extraordinary above that God in his ordinary Providence by Direction or Protection vouchsafeth upon others I refer you to read and meditate what you have written 2 Kings 19. 25 27. and Isai. 42. 1 27. and you will doubt no more of this Truth This day is this Truth fulfilled in our Ears we have before our Eyes such a wonderful over-ruling Direction and Protection of our Sovereign in this Rebellion that we must acknowledge it is the Lords work and marvellous in our Eyes Psal. 118. This Truth is a strong Motive to perswade Subjects to all Duty First to honour reverence and obey the King next to God and above all others The Fear of God and the King are immediately conjoyned and enjoyned together in Scripture Prov. 24. 21 22 23. My Son fear God and the King c. 1 Pet. 11. 17. Fear God honour the King See Tertullian to this purpose in the places we cited before and Gregory Nazianzen Orat. 20. which is a funeral Oration for Basil the great The Moral Law hath mixt to the duty we owe to God in the first Table placed in the first place Honora patrem Honour the King What Divinity then can it be which this miserable unhappy Age hath invented and vented that the Fear of God and the King are inconsistent and the best Badge of a Christian is to oppose the just and lawful Demands and Commands of Kings This is none of Christs his Apostles nor ancient Christians and Martyrs Doctrine What Christian heart can be so hard as not to mourn for this and cry out with that holy Martyr Polycarp Good Lord for what times hast thou reserved me Again this Truth that Kings are Gods Vicegerents sent by immediate Commission from him tyed us to maintain our Kings in Honour Wealth and Power proportioned to so high a Calling This the word Honora patrem honour thy Father naturally in the Diction and Dialect of the Scripture imports 1 Tim. 5. 17 21. Almighty God although his Immensity be attended with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an able sufficiency and all Felicity yet hath he sequestrated and set a-part some persons peculiarly for his sacred Service some place for his publick Worship and some Quota of our Revenues and Industry that all men may acknowledge
His Sovereignty and their own Dependency from and Subordination and Subjection to him so it is the good will and pleasure of God that all Subjects should in Testimony of their Subjection to Sovereignty and in true Acknowledgment of their Supremacy contribute some of their Means for the Maintenance and honour of the King this is the Apostles Doctrine Rom. 13. 6. For for this Cause pay you Tribute also for they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing What can be more fully said They are immediately from God They are Gods Ministers for this Cause then we are bound to pay Tribute And let the for in the Frontispiece of the verse make you reflect your eyes upon that which goeth before and you will find it is not an arbitrary Right they have to this which is given upon them by a voluntary Compact or Grant or extorted by Fear the Apostle sheweth this we do not only for Wrath that is for fear of Punishment for in their Power it is to punish those who will not do this Duty but for Conscience sake This our Lord and Master both taught and practised paying Tribute to Caesar and commanding to render to Caesar the things that were Caesar's due to him as Caesar not by grant or compact from the People And Reason it self evinceth that this Maintenance should be proportioned to that high Degree and Measure as may preserve his Glory and Majesty that it be not lessened or contemned and as may sufficiently enable him to act and effect the happy works and Fruits of Royal Government to preserve all in Peace and Plenty See to this purpose Iustin Martyr Apolog. 2. and St. Chrysostom upon Rom. 13. passim This Doctrine that Kings are immediately from God and independent from all other Creatures whatsoever teacheth also that it is high Rebellion against God to oppose or resist the King This Consequence the Apostle thus deduceth Rom. 13. vers 1. The Powers that be are ordained of God vers 2. Ergo Whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation Pardon me to cite Chrysostom upon the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that obeyeth not the King fighteth against God what do they then that come in Arms against him who by his Law hath established Obedience and not Resistance and the Apostle every where always and upon all Occasions endeavoureth this mainly that our Obedience to Kings is not arbitrary conditional or by compact but necessary and imposed upon us by God Holy Scripture is so careful we oppose not sacred Authority that it hath forbidden it in all it's kinds all it's degrees 1. We are not to think a bad Thought of them in our Hearts Eccles. 10. 20. 2. The Tongue is not to speak Evil of them Exod. 22. 28. Iud. 8. Consequently neither Pen nor Press are to write or print to their Disgrace and Disadvantage 3. We are not with Iudas to lift up our heel 4. David's Heart smote him when he smote Saul's Garment 5. The hand cannot stretch out it self against the Lords Anointed and the Actor be innocent 6. It is to fight against God for he that rebelleth against the King rebelleth against God He that blasphemeth the King blasphemeth God 1. Kings 21. The Prodigal in his Return acknowledgeth he sinned no less against Heaven than his Father God hath taken them in Societatem nominis in societatem numinis Psal. 82. 6. 7. The greatness of the Sin may appear that the greatest of Judgments fall upon Traytors and Rebels Scripture is plentiful in Examples of this kind and all Story witnesseth for it Remember the Story of Rudolph Duke of Suevia who sware Allegiance to Henry the fourth by Pope Hildebrand was loosed from his Oath but miserably died he and before his Death the right hand with which he sware was cut off and say he could to the Bishops This is the hand was lifted up when I sware Allegiance to my Emperour justly cut off for my Perjury and Rebellion for which you are to answer who put me upon this mischievous Course and Rebellion See Aventine and others infinite Examples may be alledged If they escape the Judgment of men by their scarce warrantable Meekness and Clemency God hath Executioners in store and ready for them He will revenge for his own Interest If the King will not do Justice against a Traytor God will make his own Friend do it and if that fail his own Breast or both of them This was Absalom's case 2 Sam. 18. 14. Thy Confederates will do it This was Sheba's case 2 Sam. 20. 22. Before an Executioner be wanting thy own hand shall do it This was Achitophel's case who hanged himself 2 Sam. 17. 23. And Zimri's case too 1 Kings 16. 18. If no man will do it Earth and Hell will do it This was the case of Korah Dathan Abiram and their Complices Numb 16. 23. This is the first Rebellion in Scripture recorded against Prince and Priest And take with you Optatus Bishop of Milevis's note upon it no Sin in Scripture recorded hath a Judgment parallel to this If all Creatures should fail to be Executioners God will do it by his immediate hand from Heaven Psalm 144. 8. To shut up this God allowed no Sanctuary for Treason and Traytors as is manifest in the case of Ioab pulled from the Altar and Justice done upon him Lastly seeing the King is sacred in his Person in his Power in his Royal Christian Prerogative it is high Sacriledge and Intrusion upon God and the King to rob him of any part of his Sacred Right The ancient Church did judge so Hosius writing to Constantius an Arrian Emperour saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Holy Father and the whole Church in his time did account it a Theft and an Opposition to God and his Ordinance by Fraud or Force to cheat or extort from a King any thing due to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Empire his Sovereignty It was not dreamed of then that an Excellency could be set up against a Majesty or a Coordinate power erected with Sovereignty In the happy time of the Christian Church this was the greatest Robbery the highest Sacriledge the most violent Intrusion upon God and his Anointed The best and readiest way for all Happiness to a Kingdom is when the King considereth that his Greatness and Glory consisteth in the Happiness of his Subjects and proportioneth all his Actions and Government to their Peace and Plenty and the People on the â—ther part when they level their Intentions Actions Enâ—eavours and Obedience to preserve his Sacred Person His Sacred Right and Royal Prerogative Let none â—ivide those things God hath conjoyned When People are thus affected it will move Kings for the good of their People with Saul to be ready to sacrifice Ionathan or with Codrus to dye himself for the Safety of his People or with David in great Judgments from God