even then did they pray for them So Ambrose and the Christians resisted not Valentinian and Justinian in the rage of the Arians but cried rogamus Auguste non pugnamus hic hic occidito si placet arma nostra sunt preces lachrymae We pray oh Emperor we fight not here here kill us if you please our weapons are Prayers and tears If impious pray for them if Tyrannous pray for them yea though they be such as live Optatus Mileni Heathenishly And must we do no more yes if there be occasion serve them with our lives and spend our dearest blood for their defence the people in the second Book of Samuel 2 Sam. 18. 3. would not have the least hurt befall King David and therefore when they went to war would not suffer him though he were forward in offering himself to go forth with them but would put their lives in hazard to save him harmlesse God could never endure forced service what you do do with willingnesse of heart if thou dost it heavily and grudgingly it is wrought upon thee not by thee thou art rather a Patient then an Agent and therefore offer willingly if there be necessity not onely thy head and hand but life for the good of King and Kingdome Go forth with Courage in the fear of the Lord and God be with you suffer not your King and glory of his Kingdome to be eclipsed if you can adde lustre to either think of the prowesse of your Ancestors how famous English men have been and shew your selves the legitimate and true born children of such Parents remember imprint in your heart Pax populi patriaeque salus gloria Regni The peoples peace the Countries helath the Kingdoms glory CHAP. VI That a King may not be resisted upon any pretence whatsoever against Papists and Scismatiques old and new Enemies THough this be touched in the first branch of the Subjects Duty yet I will more particularly here speak of it Dare any say a Prince may lose Jus Regni the Right of his Kingdome per injustitiam Regnandi by reigning with injustice and cruelty and so be absolved from their obedience how is it that the Scrip. never knew this distinction Saul though guilty of al sins against the first table yet ex solo indelebili unctionis charactere might not be deposed but David calls him Christum Domini the Lords annointed If he be an offfender must the people punish who gave them that Authority no sufficit ei in paenam quod deum expectet ultorem it is enough for him if he look for God to be his Judge to leave him to him that plac'd him and can when he sees good scourge him Ahab the most wicked of the Kings of Israel who sold himself to work 1 K. 22. 38. wickedness did not escape unpunished nor shall any King on Earth that abuseth his trust to cruelty and impiety as they have their power immediately from God so are onely accountable to him to whom vengeance doth belong Let us examine a little the doctrine of Papists who bids kill the King quatunque arte any way and of Scismatiques who teach and practis'd it did kill the King The primitive Church never taught this Divinity they rose not against their Emperours though never so bloody Persecutors when Saint 1 Pet. 2. 17. Peter wrote that precept a most wicked Tyrant raign'd a ravisher of his Sisters a Slayer of his Senators Though a Tyrant yet a King Tyranny loosens not the bond of allegeance but we must obey as well Nero as Augustus as well Domitian as Vespatian Julian as Constantine Nor doth impiety null our allegeance why rose not Israel against David in the cause of Vrias why not against Solomon in a worse cause Idolatry why not against Saul not a murth ring only but a Massacring King Nothing nothing can dissolve our bond of alleagance Bellarmine teacheth that Kings De Rom. Pontif. c. 7. l. 5. may be deposed in case of Heresy or Infidelity not to tolerate such cum evidenti periculo religionis and the reason why Christians in times past an Argument lately used depos'd not Nero Diocletian Julian the Apostata Valens the Arian and others id fuit quia deerant vires temporales christianis was because they wanted power and force and were not strong enough for that attempt But they that will Confest by Fathers and Historians consult the story of those times will find the number of Christian Souldiers many little inferior to their Enemies Their valour being the support of the Roman Empire The doctrin and practise of Papists Papists preach the Doctrins of deposing Kings is undeniable notoriously known which teacheth the deposeing Kings and disposing of their kingdomes Gregory the 9. Excommunicated Hen. 4. And animated his Subjects to rebellion Vrbane the 4. Dispossessed Conrade Son to Conrade the Emperour of the kingdome of Sicilia and gave it to Charles Earl of Anjou Boniface the eighth offered the French King Philips Kingdome to Albertus the Emperour Zachary deposed Childerick the French King and plac'd Pipine Celestine crown'd the Emperour Henry the sixth with his fool and with his fool pusht it off again Hildebrand caus'd Henry the fourth to stand three dayes at his Gates bare-footed and bare-legged before he would open his Gates unto him I might be large in presidents of this kind but observe they go a further fatall step and say they may and ought nay it is meritorious to kill an hereticall King one that is not a Papist Heretica princeps non est princeps saith Sanders of Queen Elizabeth Lib. 2. c. 4. monar Of murthering King and what follows but the Queen being a Heretick may be taken away and many attempts there were used to that end Let the Gun-powder Treason speak let the French King Henry the third murthered by a Jacobine Henry the fourth murthered by Raviliack Charles the first of blessed memory murthered by Jesuited Scismatiques Papists under another vizor there is no treason but hath issued from hence though under disguises quite contrary Rebellion is no fruite of the Gospell nor was any true Protestant Traytor to his King A King upon any colour and pretence whatsoever ought not to be resisted for if we cannot readily submit to his commands by doing we must and ought by suffering when his Laws agree with Gods we must be Agents but when dissonant we must be patients be it known unto thee oh King say the three Children that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the golden Image that thou hast set up the Egyptian Midwives would not murther though the King commanded Saul bid Jonathan kill David he would not When the thing commanded cannot be lawfully done we must submit to the punishment So Hermogenes when the Emperour would have had him to worship an Image da mihi veniam Imperator minaris tu carcerem Deus gehennam pardon me oh Emperour thou threatest prison
next to God yet nulli secundus not inferiour to Tert. any for his admirable parts and abilities and undaunted resolution and constancy in the faith truly meriting the name and title Defender of the Faith Lastly you may be encouraged that he will be a glorious instrument of Reformation both in Church state he is a good pious King and may avow boldly with Nerva se nihil fecisse quo minus possit Christi Phili in vit Nervae imperio deposito privatum tuto vivere And glory with Samuel whose Oxe 1 Sam. 12. 3. whose Ass have I taken or to whom have I done wrong or whom have I hurt His enemyes being Judges cannot justly accuse him his life is so strict and austere that wicked Endued with piety men can draw no patterne from him much less can they hope that he will let loose the reines to sin Vertue necessary saith Lips pol. l. 2. c. 8. and give countenance to the impudent fury of prophanenesse Greatnesse is a copy which every Their actions are instructions 1 K. 15. 30. and 16. 19. action every affection strives to write after Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis The son of Nebat is never without this brand he made Israel to sin For the most part every man emulates the manners of his Sovereigne mobile mutatur Claudia Confessor Papa Confessor populus semper cum principe vulgus When Leo lived because he stood well affected to the stage all Rome swarmed with Juglers Singers Players The Common People are like tempered Wax wheron the vitious Seal of greatness makes easy impression no such thing may be feared to proceed from him being a pious King himselfe and therefore Kings beget a likenes of manners Bonas omnium mensura will be a happy father to his Country and take no part with the enemys of his Heavenly Father Can you think that he who hath swept his owne heart will suffer the weeds of impiety so to be nourished in the hearts of his subjects he is not ignorant that God hath said If ye walke contrary unto me I will bring your sanctuaries unto desolation Lev. 26. 31. God hath doubtless ordained him for the punishment of evill 1 Pet. 2. 14 doers and prayse of them that do well And that we may live quiet and peaceable lives in all godlines and honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. Those that lately Usurped the Throne might bee as indeed they were instruments of Gods Justice but not of Reformation Wasters not builders of Gods Temple It was in my mind saith David to build an House to the name of the Lord my God not to pul it downe but to build 1 Chron. 22. 7. but saith he the word of the Lord came to me saying thou hast shed blood abundantly and hast made great warrs thou shalt David must not and why not build an House to my name because thou hast shed much blood but Solomon thy son shall doe it who Solomon shall shall be a man of rest he shall build an house for my name I dare affirm that there is no King in the Christian World except our Gratious King Charles the second that hath not caus'd war nor occasion'd the spilling of their subjects blood and therefore he amongst all the fittest and most suitable for the work of a glorious Reformation and truly I speak it without flattery Loyalty a duty for I expect nothing where no more is done out duty that if Plutarch were now living to write Lives by parallels he would be troubled exceedingly to finde a There was no King like unto him 2 K. 23. 25. A right comparison betwixt them parallel for our Josias both in respect of his Majesties morall endowments and Princely virtues Doubtlesse God would never have preserved him from so many Plots such eminent dangers witnesse his wonderfull escape from the Fight at Worcester which Victory seem'd to have no life because it wanted his death and was In everie mercy a wonder not completed with the Sacrifice of his Sacred blood his wonderfull protection in the Land of Captivity being tost from Post to Piller hurld from one Kingdome to another exposed to penury and misery yet sustain'd by a wonderfull providence living at Gods immediate finding and expecting his morrows breakfast from his bountifull hand wonderfully restor'd beyond the thoughts and expectations of man and after such a manner as may be admired and all conclude it is the hand of God All these are strong arguments to perswade us that God hath designed him for his glory and will make him instrumentall for a glorious reformation What now remains but 1. That we pray for him every important action requires prayer much more that which concerns three Kingdoms Moses prayed for the choyce of his successor Let the Lord the God of the spirits of all Numb 27. 16. flesh set a man over the Congregation It is not fit that he who is chosen for God should be chosen without God those which in a due proportion must represent God to the world ought to be consecrated to that Majesty which they represent pray for Gods presence to go along with him to be a cloud in the day for direction and a pillar of fire in the night for consolation to defend him from all implacable enemies and fit him with all sutable graces for the discharge of his weighty employment and besides let us bless God for him and hold our selves blessed in him 2. If there be occasion fight for him spend your dearest blood to preserve the breath of your nostrils 3. Rejoyce heartily that you see this day that Israel hath crossed the Sea with dry feet and the returning waters drown'd their pursuing enemies 4. Beware lest your sins and provocations rob you of blessings and once more turn your flourishing kingdom into an Akeldema or field of blood Impietas ad arma vocat if we fight against God we provoke God to fight against us If we lift up the hand of wickedness we shall meet with the hand of Justice if transgression beat the Drum destruction will begin the Fiat justitia halebis pacem Aust march Live righteously and live peaceably the Lord fix all our hearts upon himself that neither our selves our children nor their generations may ever see warr in Psal 147. England strengthen the bars of our gates and establish peace in our borders we beseech thee O Lord. 5. Study to be loyall Treason is a fearfull and prodigious evil they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Remember Corah Dathan and Abiram If murther be a crying sin Treason may be term'd a roaring sin To conclude the time commands a period be once more perswaded to be instant in prayer for his sacred Majesty that God would be pleased to give him Vitam longam regnum prosperum prolem faelicem vitam eternam a long life a prosperous raign a
the King c. I wonder the Papists before this time did not purge the 13th to the Romans as being more Lutheran then Catholick and others besides them may blush and be ashamed to wrest as they do that Scripture 1. Quere Though it be over all persons must this obedience be in all things Answer Kings sometimes bid what God forbids in that case our Apostle enjoyns to obey God rather all consent to this Acts 5. 29. Princes must be obeyed but inter limites disciplinae within the bounds of Religion if their command Tert. cross Gods Peters rule must over-rule Deo magis quam hominibus it must be in things agreeable to the mind and will of God 2. Qu. May there be resistance and may the Subject disobey in such a case Answ Though he cannot obey actually he must passively the Kings wil must be done aut à nobis aut de nobis either of us or on us either we must be patients or agents patients when he is tyrannous and wicked and agents when he is good and godly The Apostle saith not Be subject to Christian and holy Governours but indefinitly to Potentates not to the good and curteous but to the froward 1 Pet. 2. 18. Si bonus nutritor est tuus si malus tentator tuus est if a good King he is thy nurse receive thy nourishment with obedience if evil he is thy tempter receive thy triall with patience But this I intend to speak fully of in the sixth Chapter 3. Qu. Whether the Princes power extends to all causes as well as over all persons Answ It is part of the Kings stile In all causes in spirituall as well as temporall in both he must be obeyed so he countermand not God none will doubt this if he consider the doings of Josiah his Authority in Ecclesiasticall causes The state of this question is very significantly laid down in that speech of Constantine to his Bishops Vos intra Ecclesiam Episcopi ego extra Eusel de vita Const 4. Ecclesiam you are Bishops within the Church and I a Bishop without the Church they in the proper and internall offices of the Word Sacraments and Ecclesiastical Censures and he for outward authority and presidence theirs limited to the soul consisting in Preaching the Word his to the body in bearing the Sword Second Duty A second Duty is Reverence and this is threefold Mentis Oris Corporis Subjects must have an high esteem In thought of their Kings and hold them solo Deo Minores none above them but God Elutherius wrote to Lucius a Britain King vos estis Dei Vicarius you are Gods Vicegerent in your Kingdome against whom we are not to harbour an ill thought but have a Eccles 10. 20. Reverent esteem of them befitting their Regality Highnesse and Majesty and as the Lords Anointed Reverence in tongue Thou shalt In tongue not revile the Ruler of thy people for Subjects to rail against their Soveraign is unchristian yet used by Romanists and Separatists what Base Reproachfull Speeches have been given out against our late gratious Soveraign I tremble to think of a King that in the whole world had no Peer and yet how vilified and disgraced by black mouths and had they not wiped all shame from their faces and banisht Religion from their hearts they durst never have laid such an heap of disgraces on Gods Anointed Reverence of Body this is usual Of body in Scripture it ought to bow to a mean Magistrate but fall down to Regal Majesty Ahimaaz did to David David to Saul the Kings son to his father 2 Sam. 14. They have three special Ensigns of Honour A Crown of gold for their sublimity for which they must be Reverenced a Scepter of Righteousnesse for government for which they must be obeyed a Sword for vengeance for which Rom. 13. 4. they must be feared Honour them we ought as the * Rom. 13. 4 Ministers and * 2 Sam. 14. 17. Num. 27. 17. Ps 47. 9. Angels of God the Shepherds and Shields of his people under whose shadowing boughs Ezek. 31. 3. 6. we may sit and repose our selves A third Duty is maintenance by Third Duty way of Tribute this our Saviour did when the Ruler was a Heathen and knew not God Give to Caesar the things that are Caesars he Matth. 2. 21. His Precept saith not Date but Reddite because Tribute is a due Debt unto Caesar and if to a Painym Emperor much more to a Christian King he saith not reddite quae petit sed quae sunt illius which Principals are Honour obedience Tribute He paid Caesar Tribute and to His Practice that end willed Peter to go to the Sea and to cast in an angle and take the first fish that cometh up and in his mouth he should find a piece of twenty pence that take V. 27. and give unto them for me and thee it is observed that though our Saviour wrought many Miracles yet never any about honour or money but that of Tribute rather then that should go discharged he will work a miracle By Tribute I mean all Sesses Custom Subsidy or whatsoever else due to Kings either to sustain their States or support the publick charges of the Kingdome being his stipend or pay for he is the Minster of Rom. 13. 6. God serving for the same purpose saith the Apostle A fourth duty that Subjects ow Fourth Duty is Prayer Saint Paul willeth and enjoyns to pray for them and that 1 Tim. 2. 1. when like Manasseh they poured out blood like water the Jews are commanded to pray for Nebuchadnezzar Jer. 29. 7. and the peace of Babylon Nebucadnezzar deserved not the name of a man but of a beast yet as a King he is called the servant Dan. 4. of the highest God in his peace they have peace Tertullian shews the love and affection In Apologet. Christians bore to their Magistrates Oramus Imperatoribus ut det Deus illis vitam prolixam imperium tutum aulam securam exercitus fortes orbem pacatum Senatum fidelem c. we pray for the Emperors that God would give them a long life a safe Government a sure dwelling valiant Souldiers a peaceable world a faithfull counsel c. and yet the Christians then were as sheep appointed for the slaughter their Rivers died with blood as August saith alii De Civit Dei 22. c. 6. ferro perempti alii flammis exusti alii flagris verberati alii vectibus perforati alii cruciati patibulo alii vivi decoriati alii vinculis mancipati alii linguis privati and so goes on some slain with the sword some burnt with fire some scourged with whips some stabb'd with forks some fastned to the gibbets some drown'd in the Sea some their skins pulled off their tongues cut out some stoned to death killed with cold starved with hunger and the like yet then