The unlimited PREROGATIVE OF KINGS subverted Or a Short Treatise grounded upon Scripture and Reason to prove that Kings ought as well as others to bee accountable for their Actions MATTHEW 22.21 Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods By a well wisher to the Church of God His King and Countrey And dedicated to all such as love the Truth THere will be times saith the Apostle wherein men will not indure sound doctrine 2 Tim. 1.3 but will give heed to seduceing spirits and doctrines of devils 1 Tim. 4.1 And certainly if ever these times shall come to be fullfilled now they are when as Court Parasites and ambitious flatterers Divines as well as others whose chiefest Policy now it is to have mens persons in admiration for advantage sake Iude 16. and to please those by whom they may be dignified or rewarded care not what falsities they speak nor what untruths they doe maintain and which is worst of all are not asham'd to father their lies even upon the very Scriptures of truth themselves wresting the same as S. Peter saith 2 Pet. 3.16 through their willingly wilfull Ignorance to their own destruction Among which this is none of the least which they say That Kings are not responsall to any save God for their actions And for this they bring the saying of the Preacher Eccles 8.4 where he saith thus Where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him what doest thou Which words if they be throughly scan'd and examined you shall find they yeeld no such construction but rather the contrary For in the 2d verse before going the Wise man gives us this charge to keep the Kings Commandement I suppose if they understand themselvs they will not say that by vertue therof we are bound to do whatsoever the King injoynes us whether it be right or wrong but that it hath respect to those things that are either agreeable or at least not contrary to the Commandement of God and the reason therof is given in the words following in regard of the Oath of God Now there are none I think will say if Kings come lawfully in with the choice and consent of their People as all lawfull Kings doe that his Oath hath only respect unto the People as if it did bind only on their part but also on the part of the King who Sweares to rule and govern them according to the Laws of God and of the Land and upon this condition they Sweare Obedience unto him This we may see sufficiently proved by the Covenant of David made with his people 1 Chron. 11.1 where it is said All the Elders of Israel came to the King to Hebron and David made a Covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord and then it followes they anointed him King over Israel And then again wee see this proved by the mutuall Oath between Ioash and his people 2 Chron. 23.11 where it is said they brought out the Kings Son and put upon him the Crown and gave him the Testimonie that is to say they made him enter into this Covenant to keep the Law of God and to Govern them according thereunto and then it followes they made him King and Iehojada and his Sons anointed him and said God save the King And so again in the 16. v. of the same chapter By this you see here was an Oath aswell on the Kings part as on the peoples and thus the people are bound to keep the Kings commandement when he walks according to this rule And such is the Oath of the Kings of England when they come to their Crowns and Kingdomes Then he saith further in the 3d verse Be not hastie to gâ—e out of his sight stand not in an evill thing for he doth whatsoever he pleaseth I hope there are none that dare be so Sacrilegiously bold as from these words to attribute unto Kings an Almighty power as the words seem to import which is an Attribute only proper unto God to be Almighty as the Psalmist shews Psal 115.3 Our God is in the heavens he hath done whatsoever he pleased And Psal 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth c. This were in an high measure to rob God of his glory and to give that to the creature that is only due to the Creatour Yet I know no reason why they may not say from these words The King doth whatsoever he pleaseth that Kings have an Almighty power as well as to say from the other words who may say unto him what dost thou that therfore Kings are accountable to none save God for their actions For you see how the words follow one another and what may be said of Kings in one respect may be said of them in the other But we may if we will at least take notice that these words are brought in as having relation to good or evill and that this is a phrase applyed unto Kings only to shew that their Power is great and of a large extent For the good of those that doe well and for the punishment of those that doe evill and that in respect thereof we should have an awfull and reverentiall regard of them for so the words run Stand not in an evill thing for he doth whatsoever he pleaseth Then for the words following which are quoted by those that stand for the unlimited Prerogative they have respect also to the same And so it is most true That where the word of a King is there is power If speaking as a King should performing the Office of a King having respect to his Oath and Covenant between God and his people in commanding those things that are good and punishing those things that are evill then indeed who may say unto him what dost thou no man may call him to Question for asmuch as God the King of Kings hath put this power into his hands And what is that indeed that makes Kings many times so slighted and so little feared of their people but this that they take no care at all to govern them according to their Laws and what is it on the other side that addes majestie and magnificence unto them but this that they make the Laws of God and of the Land the rules of Magistracie and government Herein consists the power of Kings which the Wise mâ—n here so much speaks of But now that this place is not so to be understood as the Royalists of our times for their own ends would have it that Kings are nâ—t accountable unto men for their actions may easilie appeare by comparing this place with that in Dan. 4 35. where Nebucadnezzar after that he was restored again to his sences and to his Kingdom makes this acknowledgement concerning the power of God Who may say unto him what dost thou Implying thus much that howsoever Kings may be great and their power may reach very farre as he
for his own part was none of the meanest being the greatest Monarch that was then in the world yet this did not belong unto him nor unto any King else whatsoever but was Gods sole Prerogative only to be responsall unto none for his actions By this you see how weak this place is for their purpose who from hence would prove Kings unlimited power as unaccountable to any save God whereas all that the Wâ—se man aimes at is nothing but this to shew the extent of the power of Kings for their peoples good as by their Oaths they are tyed by all lawfull wayes to advance it and withall to signifie unto us what an awfull regard we ought to have of Kings whom God hath invested with such a power I But say they Kings are Gods and therfore are not accountable for any actions they doe and the Scripture calls them so Answ Iâ— is true the Scripture doth so yet none I beleeve will be so blasphemous as to say they are 〈◊〉 such as have an infinite being of and from themselves from all eternity They will at most confesse them to be but Elohim and this name of God is communicable and is oftentimes in Scripture applyed unto other creatures both Angels and Men yet not to such Men only as have Kingly dignity but unto all Rulers and Governours whatsoever as we may see Psal 82.1 where it is said God stands in the Congregation of the mighty he judgeth among the Gods And in the words following the Psalmist incites and stirres them up to the performance of their duties in their place saying How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked defend the poore and fatherlâ—sse doe justice to the affliâ—ted and needy deliver the poore and needie rid them out of the hand of the wicked Then in the 6. verse againe he saith I have said ye are gods c. In all this here we see there is not a word spoken of Kings in particular but generally this phrase is applyed unto all Rulers and Magistrates whatsoever and besides we know that the duties before spoken of are proper to them as well as unto Kings Moreover I doe not know in all the Scriptures where this word Elohim is so particularly applyed unto Kings as it so be in regard thereof they should be lesse accountable for their actions then any other Rulers So then if this be true as we plainly out of Scripture see it is that other Rulers as well as Kings are called Gods then Kings as well as other Rulers are accountable for their actions unlesse that we will say that all Rulers and Governours whatsoever are not accountable unto men for what they doe But say they Kings are the highest powers on earth how then can they be accountable unto those that are inferiour and under them which is not accidentall unto other Rulers and Governours because there are higher above them that they may give accompt unto but none are above Kings therfore they are to give accompt to none save only God Ans I deny that Kings on earth are the highest powers and this I say that the Kingdome is above the King and so consequently the representative body therof the whole power of all the body of the people of the Land being by generall consent transmitted over unto it and I prove it thus The end is alwayes greater then the meanes or the meanes are subordinate to the end and therfore must needs be inferiour for the meanes could never have bin but for such or such an end for which they were appointed no wise man that understands what he saith will deny but that the cause is greater then the effect but Kings were ordained for this end they were chosen and appointed both by God and Man to be a meanes for procuring of the good and welfare of their Kingdomes and had there bin no people there had bin no Kings by which it appeares that Kings have their dependance upon their People and that they were the primary cause and Kings but the â—effects proceeding from them therfore their Kingdomes are greater then they and so consequently the representative bodies therof And surely there is somwhat in it too that Kings are call'd the Ministers and Servants of the State and so all good Kings and Governours have acknowledged themselves to be Then againe Kings are but the ordinance of Man as the Apostle shews 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit youâ— sâ—lvâ—s to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreme Where the Apostle gives us this exhortation to submit to Kings though they be the ordinance of man How will any say that they which doe infuse a power into others are inferiour unto them into whom they doe infuse it that the power electing is inferiour to the power elected that the originall is inferiour to the consequence that the fountain head is inferiour to the streams that flow from it I beleeve there are none that are in their right sences will say it So then if the people are the originall of that power that is in Kings and that the power they have is borrowed from them as the streams slow from the Fountain let any judge whether is greater the King or his people Not any particular person among the people nor any particular Corporations or Assemblies therof but the whole body of the people I say considered together of those that by especiall consent of all the people do represent the whole But here it may be said How say you that Kings are the ordinance of man doth not the Apostle once and againe Rom. 13.1 c. call all Rulers and so consequently Kings the ordinance of God Let every soule be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therfore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God c. If they be the ordinance of God how be they the ordinance of Men then Answ Here give me leave to aske one Question Say any Politie or State chuse any kind of Government whether Kings or Dukes or Judges or the like and by generall consent for the good of the people they establish it by Law is not this then a humane ordinance this or that kind of Government that they have chosen yet I suppose you will not deny but that this is the ordinance of God that now they should submit themselvs thereto Therfore the Apostle speaking concerning Magistrates in Rom. 13. saith not a word concerning Kings as if they were more a divine Ordinance then other Rulers but in generall terms he saith that all rulers whatsoever are of God But when he comes to speak of Kings in particular as he doth 1 Pet. 2.13 he calls them the ordinance of man wherby he doth as it were comment upon and explain the meaning of those words of S. Paul Rom. 13 as if he should have said thus It is true
Power Magistracie and Government is the ordinance of God and by divine institution but so are not Kings nor this nor that nor any other kind of government they are of man and through his appointment So that I say Kings for their kind of government are the ordinance of man For God hath not tied any people in his Word that they shall be governed by Kings or by Dukes or by Judges or Estates or the like but referres that unto themselvs for their choice according as they shall see most convenient for their good and prosperity but when this or that kind of government is ordained and established by generall consent of the people this is the ordinance of God which the Apostle gives a charge that every one be subject unto according to the old saying Vox Populi vox Dei The voice of the people is Gods voice which they that resist shall receive to themselvs damnation So that still you see there is a power on earth above Kings as I said before which lies in the generallity of the people from whence they doe receive as from their Fountain head their Soveraignty and Kingly dignitie Now then from what hath bin said followes this consequence of necessitie that if there be a greater power on earth then Kings are Then Kings are accountable for their actions therunto and ought to be subject as well as others as appeares by that in Rom 13 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God c. Whosoever therfore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation In which words we see the Apostle gives a generall charge to all inferiours to submit themselves to their superiours therfore if Kings be inferiour to their Kingdomes and so consequently to the representative bodies therof then Kings ought by vertue of this charge to be subject thereunto as well as others But how ought they to submit what in doing only and in matter of obedience are they discharged there so as though they abuse their power never so exorbitantly to spoile oppresse and destroy their people censure may not passe upon them nor punishment be inflicted surely I find no such distinction in all the word of God Nay we are commanded the contrary and the law of nature teacheth us as much that if there be a festred and a gangreen'd member in the body that would destroy the whole to cut it off for the preservation of the whose I it is true will they say if there be any festred or corrupted member in the body that would destroy the whole we ought to cut it off rather then to suffer all the body to perish the Law of God and nature teacheth us thus much but in case the head should have any Gangreene in it and you cut that off you doe immediatly destroy the body the life can not be preserved when the Head is gone So in like manner the King he is the Head of the State and in that respect he hath such an influence upon the State that if you cut Him off you destroy the whole State together with Him as you destroy the body when you take away the head therof therfore be he never so wicked He is to be suffered and borne withall Answ This similitude or resemblance here doth not hold good therfore we must distinguish between a naturall head and a civill head for if the naturall head of the body of man be taken away the body dies but it is not so with the civill Head of the State as experience doth sufficiently shew by the death of Kings But if it were possible in the body of man when one head is taken away to find another to put in his place and so to preserve the life as it may be done in the State surely Heads would oftentimes be changed and cut off as well as other members So that if we will thus reason that the Head of the State should be in respect of His body as the head of man in respect of the body of man then it doth necessarily follow that the Head being dead the body should die also as is manifest in the body of man But it doth not hold so in the head of the State as it doth in the head of the body of man that if the head of the State be cut off the State dies as doth the body of man therfore the King who is the Head of the State if a corrupted and a festred Member that may indanger the destruction of the body of the State ought to be cut off for the preservation of the whole for Salus populi suprena lex nothing ought to be so much regarded as the Peoples safety which is the end of all Law and government whatsoever This similitude though it hold not good as it is above proposed yet it doth in the contrary that if a King by his wicked and Tyrannicall courses doth destroy his Kingdome he doth destroy himselfe as when the naturall body is destroyed the head of necessity must perish with it I but will some say this is strange Where in all the Scripture doe you find that the people have with Gods likeing and approbation so much as resisted their Kings how much lesse censured them or brought them to tryall or punishment for any actions that ever they have done For the first of these I Answer that Kings in their wicked and ungodly courses have bin resisted by their people the Spirit of God speaking by way of commendation of them for it or at least wise not disapproving the same This is evident by divers places of Scripture As first of all we have an example hereof in Ionathans case 1 Sam. 14 44. where because that lonathan had eaten a little Honey contrary to the Commandement of his Father Saul who was then King of Israel he would have put him to death thereupon the people stand up in his just defence against Saul his Father saying Shall Ionathan die who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel God forbid as the Lord lives there shall not one haire of his head fall to the ground for he hath wrought with God this day Then it followes the people rescued Ionathan that he died not Did they not think you resist Saul when the people rescued him out of his hand whether he would or no and contrary to the Oath that he had sworne Secondly we have the example of David in Keilah 1 Sam. 23.7 c. where David being at Keilah and Saul hearing of it thought he had got now his oportunity to take him that he might kill him as oftentimes he had before indeavoured but it so pleased God that this came to Davids eares that Saul secretly practised mischief against him to come and take away his life Hereupon David inquires of God First to know whether it were so or no as
own soule the King himself may be within the compasse of these or most of these relations as the case is put intice thee secretly saying let us goe and serve other gods which thou hast not known thou nor thy fathers thou shalt not consent not him nor hearken unto him neither shall thine eye pitty him neither shalt thou spare neither shalt thou conceal him but thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shal be first upon him to put him to death and afterwards the hand of all the people and thou shalt stone him with stones that he dye Deut. 13.6 c. In which words the Spirit of God plainly shews that in this case the greatest and nearest relation of friendship love and duty that we can owe to any whatsoever they be of what dignity or degree soever should not make us desist from the execution of Justice These things are spoken you see without the least exception that may be that in case the Rulers or the King should do thus that the like should not be done unto them but God requires that Equity and Justice be done alike upon all without respect of persons as we well know that this is the charge that God hath given Deut. 16.19 Thou shalt not wrest judgement thou shalt not respect persons Where God shews thus much unto us that to respect the persons of any in matter of Judgement or Justice is to wrest Justice and to goe aside from that which is right God will have equall and impartiall judgement administred alike unto all And the reason hereof is given by the Holyghost in the place before ciâ—ed Deut. 13.11 That all Israel may heare and feare and doe no more any such wickedneâ—se Now there is none that will deny but that Kings by nature are as bad as any and are subject to be worse then any others by reason of those Flatterers and evill Counsellours that usually are about them as we may see in the examples of Ioash 2 Chron. 24 17. and of Rehoboam 2 Chron 10.8 c. should it be so then that there were no Laws in force binding unto them as well as unto Us and examples of true and equall Justice made upon them as well as upon others it were the very next way to open a gappe to all Kings and Princes to all manner of wickednesse and licentiousnes and to make them Tyrants that otherwise would be good and gracious towards their People Wheras this would be a very good meanes to keep Kings in as well as others from running into such extravagant courses to the dishonour of God and the destruction of their people as usually they are wont to doe unlesse we will say that God hath given unto Kings and Princes a dispensation above all others to run headlong unto Hell without controule They that teach such Doctrine by this now it appeares what friends they are unto them whatsoever they may pretend who would make Kings of all others the most miserable by ascribing unto them an unrestrained liberty to all wickednesse whatsoever to their destruction But here comes in another Objection for will some say againe Kings are Gods anoynted therfore men may not question them much lesse may they touch their lives whatsoever their actions be And thus much saith David concerning Saul who was King of Israel though he were a wicked King and his enemy that sought his life and that for no just cause neither yet when David had an opportunâ—ty to slay him 1 Sam. 24 6. he speaks thus The Lord forbid that I should doe this thing unto my Master the Lords anointed to stretch forth mine hand against him seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. So againe 1 Sam. 26.9 Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed and be guiltlesse To this I answer David was a private man notwithstanding he was Sauls successor by Gods appointment to the Crowne and so had no warrant to doe such a thing as this as to take away the life of Saul the King though hee had done him or should seeke to doe him never so much harm For in a case farre Inferiour to this wee know that if a private man be a Thiefe and by Law is condemned to die yet no man may lay violent hands upon him to take away his life but onely in a Legall way and by the executioner that is by authority appointed for this purpose if any man should hee would be accounted a murtherer for so doing and bee liable to suffer the Law in that case provided So then if this cannot bee justifiable upon a private person condemned by Law much lesse then upon a publike person especially such a one as a King is and uncondemned too Therfore in this case had David taken away Sauls life who was then King of Israel he had bin much to blame and had sinned exceedingly in the sight of God wherfore David would not doe it But we doe not know what David would have done or what he might have done in case Saul should forceibly have come upon him to have taken away his life in his own just defence for his own safety and preservation for else for what end had David those 600. men with him Surely it will be answered and I beleeve the most malignant among them all will not deny it that he had them for his Defence was it so Then truly I think that they that will defend themselvs by Arms and armed men must needs offend when they are offended For this is a meere conceipt that even very children will be ready to laugh at to say that when a mans enemy comes against him to doe him a mischief he must only defend himselfe but must not strike againe For how is this possible for a man to defend himselfe from his enemy and yet not offend his enemy Then for asmuch as Kings are call'd the anointed of the Lord they are so call'd in two respects First either in regard of the Anointing Oyle that was powred upon them by the performance of which Ceremonie they were inaugurized into their Functions and Offices Or else in regard of that authority which by their people they are elected unto whereby they become Gods Deputies and Vicegerents here on earth in ruling and governing of his people For the first of these in asmuch as Kings are call'd the anointed of the Lord because of the Anointing Oyle that was powred upon them by the performance of which Ceremony they were inaugurized into their Functions whereof some there were that God did in a more especiall manner thus institute and ordaine even by His own immediate appointment as to wit Saul David Solomon Iehu and Hazael whom he commanded Elijah to Anoynt King over Syria Yet I see no ground nor reason why even these should not be responsall to the Lawes and to their Kingdomes for their Actions For I do not perceive that God did any whit hereby exempt them from the observance of his Laws either
at your leasure The ensuing Story doth manifestly prove it beginning at the 12. verse c. so againe Iudges 4. the whole Chapter is a Story to this purpose This is cleare also in the example of Gideon who delivered Israel from the hand of the Midianites the Story is in the 6. and 7. Chap. of Iudges It is cleare also by the example of Ieptha who delivered Israel from the hand of the Ammonites Iudges the 19. and 11. Chapters So much in briefe may be said concerning absolute Conquest And now I hope they will take heed how they say we were absolutely conquered Then for the other and that is Conditionall Conquest So say they we were Conquered and it is not denyed That is to say when William the Conquerour invaded the Land we were content to submit our selves unto him for the prevention of blood shed and destruction that otherwise might have ensued to serve him as our Liege Lord and Soveraigne so that he would promise to govern us according to these and these Laws and Customes to which covenant hee consented as all the Kings of England have done since And so we are become not his slaves to be destroyed at his pleasure but his Subjects having sworne him and his Successours Allegiance upon these conditions If this be so then here we plainely see we are not bound to submit to the Kings will and pleasure in all his commands but onely so farre forth as hee commands according to his Laws which is the condition upon which we sweare him Allegiance and become his Subjects Therefore if the conditions of the Covenant be broke and instead of governing his people by his Lawes he rules them as hee list according to his will and pleasure is it not manifest that the King doth absolve his Subjects from their Allegiance nor are they any longer legally bound to obey him For this every one knowes that when the condition whereby the Covenant is tied to each partie is broken the Covenant it selfe by vertue thereof is quite dissolved or at least dissolvable at the parties pleasure with whom the Covenant was made By this it appeares that the King is as much bound to the Subjects as the Subjects to the King and that in this case the Subjects may make lawfull resistance to recover their undoubted Liberties and Priviledges and yet not bee termed Rebells against their Prince For none but they only can be called or esteemed such as violate their oathes of Allegiance which we do not if the King break with us his Covenant wherby he hath bound himselfe to us and upon performance whereof we sweare him Allegiance But now besides all that hath bin said let us a little look into the foul absurdities that follow upon this tenent that people must so submit themselves unto their Kings as either to obey their commands though never so unlawfull or else to suffer whatsoever they shall inflict upon them and not to take up defensive Armes against them but in case their Kings come against them in a hostile manner seeking their destruction all that they must doe say they is to runne away from them But say they doe so they may so follow and persue their people or incompasse them in that they can be able to runne no further so that then they must either perforce stand upon their defence or submit themselves unto their mercy Why I say they so they must all the weapons they must use in this case are prayers and teares So that then if Nero like they should wish that the whole body of their people were but one necke that hee might cut them off at one blow they must as we say lay their necks upon the block and submit themselves to their owne destruction And so now consequently it follows be their Kings never so great Tyrants not onely over their bodies but over their soules too as the case may be they may set up Popery and Idolatry in their Kingdomes as the Kings of Israel and Iudah did nay if they will bring in very Heathenisme and what not utterly depriving their people of all the outward happinesse and comfort of their lives and also as much as in them lies prostituting their soules to utter ruine by denying them the meanes of their salvation yet they may not doe any thing in this case to help themselvs by way of just defence or Legall Justice If this be so then indeed we are beholding only to the Kings good nature for every thing that we have and do enjoy and not at all unto the Laws and that will proove good doctrine that hath not long since bin so freely taught among us That our lives our Liberties our Estates our Wives and our Children and all we have are at the Kings mercy and that wee doe injoy any of these it is of his meer favor and bounty towards us And then what need at all is there of any Laws or why should the Parliament trouble themselvs to make any more Statutes or Ordinances wherby to govern us the which how ridiculous it is and how abominably false and contrary to Gods word you have already heard It will not be improper for this discourse to look a little into the case and condition which wicked King Ahaz brought his people into by his abominable Idolatry which he established in the land 2 Chron. 20.3 It is said He burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom and burnt his children in the fire after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places and on hills and under every green tree wherfore the Lord his God it is said delivered him into the hand of the King of Syria and they smote him that is to say his people and carryed away a great multitude of them captive and brought them to Damascus and he was also delivered into the hand of the King of Israel who smote him with a great slaughter For Peca the sonne of Remaliah slew in Iudah 12000. in one day which were all valiant men and the reason follows because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers By whose meanes was this that they had done it was it not by reason of their Idolatrous King Ahaz Then in the 8. verse the children of Israel carryed away captive of them 200000. women sons and daughters and took also away much spoile from them and brought the spoile to Samaria Againe in the 16. verse Ahaz sends to the King of Syria to help him against the Edomites that came and smote Iudah who carryed them away captive the Philistims also had invaded the Cities of the low Countries and of the south of Iudah and had taken divers Townes from them as there they are reckoned up and dwelt there for it is said The Lord brought Iudah low because of Ahaz King of Israel for he had made Iudah naked and transgressed sore against the
up Armes for their own protection they do not resist the ordinance of God nor come within the reach of the Apostles censure as those that for so doing shall receive damnation Here is one thing yet more that I have to say concerning the Unlimited Prerogative and so I shall finish this Discourse and that is What good can there come by ascribing such a Power For every circumstance in point of Government must have respect unto some good or other either for the glory of God or for the benefit of the People if so be that they conduce not to these ends they are utterly to be rejected as sinfull and obnoxious For God never gave Magistrates any such power as to be unlimitable in breaking his Commandements or to become terrible and dreadfull to their People but this He requires that they especially whom He and His People have trusted with power and Magistracie should by their example honour God in a holy and godly conversation and be comfortable and profitable to their People through their pious peaceable and Religious government But how or which way doth it appear that the unlimited Prerogative hath or can have respect to any such ends nay reason tells us the contrary and We have learned asmuch by the best of Schoolmasters to wit experience And if the Spirit of God say true a great deale of evill and mischief may come by it but no good at all as ever I could read Thus much we may perceive if we will look into that place in the 17. Deut. 18. where the Spirit of God speaking concerning the King when he shall come to sit upon the Throne of his Kingdome He shall write saith he a coppie of this Law in a Booke out of that which is before the Priests the Levites and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord his God to keep all the words of this law and these Statutes to do them Here we see the rule which God would have Kings apply themselves unto in governing of their People but here is no grant or Charter that God at all hath given them to rule them according to their wills and pleasures and he binds them within the compasse of His Law And it cannot be denied but that these Statutes and Commandements of God before spoken of require passive as well as active Obedience For what is here said unto Kings is oftentimes in this Book and else where said unto the People and I beleeve there is none will say but that they are required therby to obey in both kinds why not Kings then as well as others for here is no exception Nay the Spirit of God here gives us a sufficient reason that they ought so to doe in the words following for so it is said least his heart be lifted up above his brethren He foresaw what mischief would come of it if Kings should have any such Unlimited Power allowed them And indeed how can it otherwise be but they must needs exceedingly swell with Pride when they shall be made like God subject to no Laws And what doe they else that ascribe such a power unto them as that they are no waies accountable or punishable for any actions that they doe Is not this the very next way to cause them to despise and trample their People under their feet as if they were so exceedingly beneath them though in truth they be the same and equall with them in respect of their nature and being therfore the Spirit of God here calls them their Bretheren the difference only lying in their power and Magistracie and to make them forget themselves and their humane condition as if they were a degree above Men by exalting them above all Laws as if by vertue of their place and Dignitie their very nature were changed into the Divine Besides this it is further worth the marking what other evill consequence will be readie to follow if such a power as is said before should be ascribed Therfore it is said in the next words that he turne not aside from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left as who should say to give Kings such a power as is Unlimited and disresponsable it is the very next way to cause them to presume and take liberty to themselves how they list and when they list to break the Commandements of God and to cast his Precepts behind their backs Here we see now the evill that comes by this Prerogative I would any one could shew me what that good is that doth from it arise or where in all the Scripture it is said that Kings shall not be accountable for what they doe I perswade my selfe that it will be a taske too hard for any man to undertake By this it appeares what Enemies they are to the Common-wealth and what a deale of mischief they doe that teach such Doctrine as Kings Unlimited Power and how abominable they must needs be both in the sight of God and Men that teach men to erre from Gods Commandements and to conclude all in a word I may here say to such as our Saviour doth Math. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of the least of these Commandements and shall teach men so to doe shall be call'd the least in the Kingdome of heaven And here also I may well remember them of the words of that prediction of the Apostle 2 Thess 2.11 which are truly verified in these men God shall send them strong Delusions that they may beleeve a lye that all they might be damned that beleeve not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse I doe not much question but that this paper may light of those that will not spare to lay Censure hard enough upon it and it is not unlikely but it may suffer under that terrible name of Treason yet I say it would be well for them before they shoot their bolt to consider wisely with themselves what they doe least otherwise they prove to be such as fall foule upon the Truth of God and so be found to be such as fight against Him which if they doe let themselves judge how it is like to be with them But let it be as it will yet the comfort is it is not the first time that Truth hath suffer'd under as bad a Censure as this can be and let them that are enemies to this Truth doe what they can yet let me tell them that Truth is strong and shall prevaile and that howsoever it may be blamed by those that hate it yet it shall never be ashamed And as all Truth ought to be known so especiallie every Truth in its chiefest time and season for as the Wise man saith Pro. 25.11 A word spoken in due season is like apples of gold in pictures of silver then it is most like to do good and then most acceptable and delightfull I have spoken a few words upon this theame the rather that hereby at least I might provoke those of better judgements and are able to say farre more of this point then my selfe according to the necessitie of the times to speak in this behalfe if they be lovers of their King of the Truth and of their Countrie And so I commend it to the blessing of GOD. FJNJS