where are his and onely his 6. How come we then to have this confidence that our Nationall Laws should have this his Power amongst us May we expect Doe we deserve Or dare we endure That GOD should at all turnes come down amongst us as he did in Sinai which caused Moses himselfe to quake and tremble to animate our Consultations and give being to our Devices Look we again into the Booke of GOD and there we shall finde that the Prince is left in GODS stead to doe this lest the terrours of GOS Majesty as shall be shewed should in this case confound his People And that a Divine Sentence is in the lips of the Kings GOD having promised doubtlesse for such People as desire to deserve it That his mouth in the Future Tense lo-jimgnal shall not erre in Pro. 16. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mishpat or Judgement But if throughout the whole Book of GOD the Lord hath given this Power to any but Kings vouchsafe you that can discover it to let others heare from you 7. In the meane time you who willingly suppose that you have GODS Right to his Earthly Bequests in this world under the Lawes of the Land be willing also to understand that the Lawes themselves have this Power from the King otherwise without an immediate Patent from Heaven they could not warrant you so much as Sallets in severall from other men He being Elohims Steward no other having ever been Constituted by GOD Judicially to assure and dispense to every one their Portion out of the Lords Basket and Storehouse SECT 3. The Contents Disobedience to the King forfeiteth the Subjects Titles Soveraignty Established in both the Tables before the naming the Sins punishable by it Obedience to the Supreme Earthly Powers to be preferred before Life Honour and Livelihood The fifth Commandement the Guardian of all the rest The Publike Father hood of the King proved from Gen. 9. 5. A Repetition of some Passages elsewhere Justified 1. WEll through the King and by your Obedience to him you have GODS Right to your Temporall Estates Question not that Title whose very Questioning extinguisheth yours You must know that yours are forfeitable and Disobedience is the thing which GOD from the Beginning hath forewarned would doe it And not onely that Title which by reason of GOD'S Image you have to the Earth but also that which in regard of his Likenesse you have to Heaven The first and greatest Considerables in GODS Law demonstrate the same In either of the Tables the first thing that GOD provided for was the establishment of Soveraignty for the Praise and Blessing of those that doe well and the Punishment of Offenders before he nominated the Offences decreed for Punishment 2. In the first Table whose Principall Object is the Restauration of GODS Likenesse He first declareth for his owne Authority I am Jehovah Elohim the Eternall Beginning of thine Eternity thy Creator in the Beginning of time who onely have Power to give thee Lawes to Governe thee all thy time Thou shalt acknowledge no other Elohim or Supreme Power for the Governance of that which I Created but Me and then descends to the particulars of his Worship and Service 3. In the second Table first Honour thy Father and thy Mother and then Thou shalt not Kill Thou shalt not commit Adultery c. To teach all Generations that Obedience is to be preferred before Life Honour and Livelihood and that in the Paternity which is the Object of this Commandement was Established the security of Life Honour and Livelihood And that lest there should be Killing GOD hath given Power to Kill unto the earthly Exerciser of his most just and true Paternity over all his Children with which Power he that is but mans Brother may not for ever intermeddle And he that is in GODS Place the Generall Father must for the Ends for which GOD hath placed him there have Divine Power semblable to those Ends to wit the Scepter and Sword of Elohim 4. But without the Power of the Sword the Scepter of GOD himselfe barely Commanding would be but coldly Obeyed and for this cause He being to secure unto GOD the Worship of the first Table GOD will be the more severe exactor of the Homages of the second Table for him And therefore particular and sundry inconveniencies may fall out and must be endured but for the generall GOD is our Father and besides Him and His none ought to be so called whilest his Prerogative and our Allegiance is in this unshaken But if that whereon our Obedience to all the rest is founded come to be ruined the other cannot stand on high-lone in the Aire 5. And for this cause though GOD hath barely told him his duty to him in his Word particularly what he expecteth from him Deut. 17. the Lord hath not tyed up his hands as hath been shewed and particularly for what concerneth the Subject is legible 1 Sam. 8. 11. c. with a Niggardly and Resistible Commission for then they could not be at liberty to doe that good which particular and daily Exigencies will require But he is by GOD left unto the generall good Nature of the word Father whose Children all other Fathers are other Magistrates being his Lievtenants He immediately GODS they Execute his Power He the Lord of Hosts they account unto Him He unto GOD. 6. And here I could wish from my soule that we loved our Temporall Estates Better that is more prudently then we doe for as by our disunion with Christ from Heaven we forfeit our Interest in Heaven so by our disunion with our Earthly Christs however we may speed here for a time we extinguish at the least our just Title to the Earth For it is Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which Jehovah Elohim hath given thee Whilest we are under the Covert but of our private Parents who in comparison of the King beare not the Image of Elohim over us as hath bin shewed and will more fully appear by our Disobedience unto them that which we were borne unto lookes backe againe unto them for their better disposall of it so by our Disobedience unto him whom GOD hath stated in the Right of his Paternity our Estates returne unto the Father of our Countrey Which Sin from the place that the Commandement holdeth amongst the rest may be concluded worse then the sin of Murder and its fellowes as on the contrary that Obedience is to be preferred before Livelihood Honour and Life it selfe that we are bound to lose all that we may keep it which by Divines is justly celebrated for the most noble of all Morall Vertues Inferiour onely and next unto the three Theologicall Faith Hope and Charity in as much as it sacreth and secureth all the rest of the Commandements of GOD being the Arsenall and middle Tower thereof 7. And here I shall not mis-spend any ones time against those who
Alteraion of what was in the Beginning and therefore without his own Interposition must continue unto the End Wherein is Declared First that the Petition of his People Israel for a King was not sinfull in its Nature but Circumstance in as much as the Prayer of the Petition was by GODS Providence predetermined and the Rules thereof described Deut. 17. 54. When thou art come into the Land which the Lord thy God hath given thee and wilt that is thou mayest if thou wilt set a King over thee like all the Nations that are about thee Which is though thou be my peculiar People yet in this particular I having thus Constituted from the Beginning and Bowed all the Nations of the World to Submit unto this Law of Nature and Reason derived from Above there shall be no difference between them and thee onely thou who hast reason to know whose the Power of Dominion is better then they Shalt in no wise presume to chuse my Deputy as it is Verse 15. And accordingly they bespoke Samuel to make them a King like all the Nations 2. That in this Apogaeum or Retreat of GOD from the more immediate Exercise of his owne Dominion to have a King as his Publike Image to Sustaine his Power and Represent his Glory is on Earth the most Heavenly Gift which GOD can give or Man receive promised unto Abraham before the Law as his grand Blessing and in Him to all the Heires of Blessing Whence and in regard of the Represented The King is Vniversis Major and of more value then all the People and all theirs 3. That the Universall and Eternall High and Holy Prudent and Just Prerogative of GOD is over all whom Christ hath Redeemed or Elohim Created Whether conversant above Lawes and their Enacting their Interpreting or Suspending Continuing or Abrogating or concerning Persons and their Functions whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill Superior or Inferior and the Regulating of them in their severall Orders and Employments for Peace or War for Life or Death or in relation to things Holy or Common Publike or Private in Heaven or Earth or concerning Seasons when to goe the ordinary way when to use his Prerogative when this is convenient when necessary when neither for all times and time it selfe for Continuing or Shortning Hallowing or leaving Free thereof for ever All these are included for GOD in the Longitude and Latitude of the great Globe of the word Mishpat aforesaid 4. That for the Regulating of this World in the Communication of this word of Prerogative to Kings is imparted proportionably the Supreme Power on Earth in all Causes and the onely Power in all Temporall Causes In which Power no man or men have share but as it is derived from the King as the Kings is from GOD who never gave Authority to the People to intermeddle with any thing that is his Peculiar which if it belong to any but One cannot be Prerogative Royal. If it belong to the People then hath GOD on Earth no Subjects 5. That the true understanding of the word Mishpat must be fetched from the Scriptures and the severall places wherein it is used That Error about it is dangerous and the frequent Interpretations given of it in these Dayes are Erroneous 6. That the Names of Elohim and Christ Communicated indifferently to all Christian Kings they having also the Title of the Lords Anointed upon whom the Ceremony is not used doe Attest together with the word Mishpat whose Power they have both for Perpetuity and Intangibility both betokened in the Holy Oyle 7. That it is most just that he that is most Just should be at Liberty for the Exercise of his Justice and that he that is most Wise should not have his Wisdome bounded by fond Man and He who is altogether Good by those who are altogether Evill but that he should be left free to Glorifie himself by bringing Good out of Evill and when in his Wisdome he thinks good to doe good by good meanes or to punish a wicked People by a wicked King when it concerneth his Justice Since to those who are his he can doe as great good by the bad as by the good and the bad are ordinarily made worse by the goodnesse of their Princes and as ordinarily the best Kings are the worst used Therefore he neither will nor may trust man to Question any for then either from the Good or from the Bad none would be endured But in Conclusion he will make all to find that he hath beene most Just and them in the first place who have Abused the Power he gave them or Usurped the Power he gave them not 8. That it is one of GODS Secrets above humane Inquisition for what Ends he setteth up him that will be a Tyrant in his owne place it is of his Revealed Will that none in that place should be Resisted for whose Lives and Happinesse all are bound for ever to pray though they be their particular Persecuters 9. That unto the King belongeth the Power of the Militia Power over the Subjects goods in case of necessity whereof the King with relation to the People is sole Judge Power of Imposition of Taxes and granting of Free Charter Power of Commanding in the Duties of Religion Power of enjoyning Publike Covenants and Oathes Obligatory for all the People even him that is Heire of the Crowne And inclusively in or with these all other the Points in Question now amongst us concerning Regality 10. That to undervalue Life and Livelihood that we may follow and serve Him whom GOD hath Constituted over us is an Act of Religious Obligation and is an evidence that we are the Sons of God whereas valuing our Oxen and despising the King is a token of the Children of Satan 11. That neglect of Office and Trust reposed by the King much more Disobedience when GOD his onely Supreme commandeth not the contrary and Resistance which God hath commanded against and Opposition which God hath professed himselfe to abhorre deserveth death though in the greatest of Subjects The least of those therefore certainly the greatest 12. That the Spirit of God hath ascribed the Prosperity of his People and the Plenty which they enjoyed to him who was a Tyrant whom himselfe justly destroyed to show that Gods Power cannot but be beneficiall and hath recorded this acknowledgement by Him who of all men living was most injured by the Tyrant to teach us that all men are bound to Celebrate the Vertues though of such and that no man may so much as Libell their Vices Whereupon my sixth Quaere is founded How since this Exemplification of Gods mind in this particular Man may presume to challenge contrary to this Expresse of God Mine Arguments in Forme are these First that the sin of the Israelitish People in asking for a King was not Substantiall but Circumstantiall That which God in his Secret Will had fore-appointed and promised in his Revealed Will and had in this given
the Kings Title from God otherwise they shall never be able to prove their owne for those Estates which confidently they call their owne For after the Kings and Priests Patrimonies were described Ezek. 45. 8. God had certainly some meaning in those words And the rest of the Land shall they viz. the Princes give unto the House of Israel So that first ad Hominem I returne that by the same way though otherwise also and with Magisterial demonstration a man may know the Royall Rights of Vnquestionable and Irresistible Supremacy to be his particular Princes by which he knoweth his justly descended Fstate to be his owne 6. In which particular it concernes him to be well assured that he is not an Usurper of that which here for a moment sustaines him but to condemne him otherwise eternally and that without Gods Secondary Donation added to his first and generall Grant of the Dominion of the whole Earth to mankind the Estate he saith he is Master of is no more his then it is other mens This he hath performed to all those who are Children of his House and Subjects of his Kingdome though by himselfe he hath measured out no mans Specialties nor given him leave to take what he can get Nor in the third place is any man so the Dominus that he hath the Dominion of any part of Elohims Creation by his first and generall Grant or by his Secondary Gift that without his third of singular Application he can with due and comfortable security make use of and take benefit by so much as of one morsell of his owne bread 7. These three Acts of God answering unto the three Persons of the Trinity operating more nobly about our Spiritualties in the habitude which man receives from them may not inconveniently be expressed by that of the Schooles Jus ad rem Jus in re and Jus or rather Adjus or Adjumentum rei The first containes Mans Right from God the second his Right from other men the third his Right for himselfe The first was of the general Indulgent Father both of our Bodies and Soules the generall Gift of Right unto the Earth and the Emoluments thereof immediately from the Creation and Floud The second is from Christ the Heire of all things in Heaven and Earth by whom our Personall Conditions are severalized and by whose Deputies our Personall Estates are mounded from all others the men of the world this is daily administred through the Government by him on Earth Established which gives and protects unto us Right in the Creature The third is his most particular or singular Gift of Sustentation from his other Gifts the Act of the Holy Ghost by whose operation we have our Nutritive and Consolatory Preservation being supported Temporally here as a pledge of Eternity hereafter And this may be called the Right of Vse and Help from the Creature without which neither can our owne Bread feed us nor our cloathes keep us warme 8. The second is that wherein the Controversie lieth and therefore I chuse to speak last of that The last is that which duly considered would make smooth the Lords way before us for the other and erect in us not onely Christian content therewith but also excite our most thankfull acknowledgement of Gods most gracious Providence therein which should be as often as our hand goeth to our mouthes with any of his blessings in this kind And therefore I shall first speake briefly of the last 9. The evidence of this is best learnt from that which our Saviour constituted apparently for our daily Prayer and Meditation in that he framed it for that which we have daily need of to wit our daily Bread Give us this day our daily Bread First Give thou it to us or else it can never be Ours Secondly Give it us although it be already Ours though it be so Ours that no man else can have Title to it yet it can never be so Ours but he shall have daily Interest which he will have daily acknowledged in the least Crum thereof Though he hath given it us into our Barnes and Store-houses yet there are Chaldeans there are Sabeans and there is the Fire of God Though he hath given it us into our Dish yet Multa cadunt many things fall our between the Cup and the Lip though into our Stomacks yet it may be vomited up again though into the Liver yet even there to our destruction it may nourish a disease in stead of us yea the very strength it affordeth us may be unto us an occasion of falling 10. So that every man hath need and businesse enough to make sure of his owne Title unto that which he desires so to enjoy that he may reap benefit and not ruine by it and not be inquisitive about his Brothers remembring that which he who certainly was Vniversis major said in that case Who made me a Judge And upon the remembrance hereof to looke into the Book of God what wayes he expects mans substance and strength should be employed And especially to take heed of such Questions as cast God out from Reigning over us from whose Dominion constituted amongst us our Secondary Titles are derived as our First was of his Donation 11. By our Inability then of making comfortable use of those things which are come under our hands if we would not have them accursed to us we are necessitated sadly to consider that we cannot enjoy any thing against God but must under him and nothing under him but by his more particular added to his generall Donation and nothing otherwise then under the Government of his Vicegerent by any expresse Donation of his he hath left that to his Steward whom or none he hath made Judge and Almoner in his roome for this end So that without he should come himselfe no Evidence can be made of this his Gift in severall from the Interests of other men and no man may invade this his Prerogative wherein he never did otherwise dispose this therefore mankind may not presume whose Prerogative onely can make and question his own Deputies whom to unmake is to make God none of our God and whom to question is indeed to forfeit our Secondary Title 12. For if we have any such Right to any thing on Earth we have it by and under him from whom we have our First and Third Title of the Second we can have no other assurance then through him whom Elohim in Heaven hath made Elohim on Earth Of whom God hath said That it is he who cloatheth the Rich with their own Scarlet from whom the Glorious have their Ornaments of Gold and those that are well Fed their Delicacies * Which is the Reason of our Commemoration of the King when we say Grace for our Meat and of the Catholique Church which cannot but teach us thankefull Obedience for it and 〈◊〉 to serve God and Him in the strength of it which in the Family is evident That
Title thereunto viz. Ecce dedi Behold I have given you our Prayer viz. Give us this day our daily Bread That which shall be so ours that none else against us have Propriety in let us have sustentation from wherein are visible the three Acts of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost That Power which onely can administer the Beneficiall use so much as of a morsell of Bread for the preservation of each Individuall Man which mankind had not so much as Right in commune unto but by the Donation of God the generall Father of mankind Onely can give the Propriety thereof against the common Interest of mankind But onely the Divine Power of God can administer the Beneficiall use so much as of a morsell of Bread for the preservation of each Individuall man which whole mankind had not so much as Right in Commune unto but by the Donation of the generall Father of mankind Therefore onely the Divine Power of God Can give the Propriety so much as of one morsell of Bread against the common Interest of mankind Thirdly concerning the middle Power of Distribution in relation unto its proper Seat in the middle Person of the Trinity now justly constituted King of kings and the universall Judge of the whole World All the middle and peculiar Acts of the second Person both for Commutative and Distributive Justice over and amongst whole mankind giving Propriety in the Blessings of Heaven and Earth Are no lesse Divine and untakeable by Man without Commission from him then the Act of paternall Indulgence giving man Title to the Earth and the Fruits thereof in the Father then the Act of the Holy Ghost giving the Blessing of Help and Sustentation from the same But as King of kings to appoint such Deputies for the Administration of that his Power for the giving every one his Portion which it is not convenient that Himselfe should at each turne come downe from Heaven to divid as Prov. 8. 15. is a peculiar Act of the middle Person in Trinity both for Commutative and Distributive Justice over and amongst whole mankind giving Propriety in the Blessings of Heaven and Earth Therefore as King of kings to appoint such Deputies for the Administration of that his Power for the giving every one his Portion which it is not convenient that Himselfe should at each turne come downe from Heaven to divide Is no lesse Divine and untakeable by Man without Commission from Him then the Act of paternall Indulgence giving Man Title to the Earth and the Fruits thereof in the Father then the Act of the Holy Ghost giving the Blessing of Help and Sustentation from the same Fourthly concerning the generall Duty of mankind issuing from these Donations They who have Right unto the Creature Propriety in the Creature and Sustentation from the Creature onely by the Donation of the Creator Ought to use the things they so have so and no otherwise then as the Creator requireth viz. as to their owne so to the service of Him and his Christs and not contrary to them But the People Have Right unto the Creature Propriety in the Creature and Sustentation from the Creature onely by the Donation of the Creator Therefore the People Ought to use the things they so have so and no otherwise then as the Creator requireth viz. as to their own so to the Service of Him and his Christs and not contrary to them Fifthly concerning the Specification in the Word of God who onely hath Power and Right to nominate his owne Deputies of those whom he hath chosen Administrators of his Power They onely whom Christ from God the Father by the Holy Ghost in or according to the Revealed Will of God contained in the Scriptures hath in token of Superiority Dignified with the Name of Christs and entrusted for the Honour and Safety of Mankind with that his Earthly Power which they dare not desire that he Himself should Administer Can have Just Right to Exercise the Royall Authority of Christ both God and Man in the Throne of the God of Heaven over Man on Earth But Kings Are onely they and not the People whom Christ from God the Father by the Holy Ghost in or according to the Revealed Will of God contained in the Scriptures hath Dignified in token of Superiority with the Name of Christs and entrusted for the Honour and Safety of Mankind with that his Earthly Power which they dare not desire that Himselfe should Administer Therefore Kings Are onely they and not the People who can have Just Right to Exercise the Royall Authority of Christ both God and Man in the Throne of the God of Heaven over Man on Earth Sixthly concerning the generall Claime unto Gods Title through the Law of Nature by Descent That which is esteemed as a branch of the Law of Nature an undoubted Evidence of the conveighance of Gods Title to the Subjects for the enjoyment of their Rights and Properties Neither can nor ought to be esteemed a lesse warranty to the King for his enjoyment of the Rights and Properties of Kings But Just Descent Is as a branch of the generall Law of Nature esteemed an undoubted Evidence of the conveighance of Gods Title to the Subjects for the enjoyment of their Rights and Properties Therefore Just Descent Neither can nor ought to be esteemed a lesse warranty to the King viz. then to the Subject for his enjoyment of the Rights and Properties of Kings Seventhly concerning Humane Positive Lawes and the acknowledged Power thereof They who affirme that they hold their Estates by the Lawes of the Land May not but acknowledge therewith that they hold them from him from whom the said Lawes have their being viz. the King But the People Affirme that they hold their Estates by the Lawes of the Land Therefore the People May not but acknowledge that they hold their Estates from the King Eighthly concerning the proper Efficient of such Lawes as can dispense Gods Title over the Creature unto man That Power according to the Doctrine of holy Scriptures which can be the proper Efficient Administring the Formall Cause of such Lawes as can dispose of Gods Rights to Man from Herbs and Fruits to the Life and Death of Man Is evidently Divine such as cannot be taken nor taken away by man nor administred without the Donation of God revealed in his Word But according to the Doctrine of holy Scripture the Kings Power onely or none on Earth and so man can have no assurance on Earth and God no Kingdome there is that Power which can be the proper Efficient of such Lawes as can dispose of Gods Rights to Man from Herbs and Fruits to the Life and Death of Man Therefore according to the Doctrine of the Scriptures the Kings Power onely or none on Earth and so man can have no assurance on Earth and God no Kingdome there is Divine such as cannot be taken nor taken away by Man nor administred but according to Gods
in that Prophesie was foreshewed the dissolution of the Tabernacle erected by Moses and the Succession both of firme Priesthood and Temple under an established anointed Monarch which was performed in the persons of Solomon and Zadok the two Sonnes of Oyle who were the Types of the Christian Kings and Priests It is in the Margin of our last Translation Ver. 32. and that according to the Originall in stead of these words Thou shalt see au Enemy in mine Habitation Thou shall see the affliction of the Tabernacle And it is answerable hereunto Ver. 35. I will raise me up a firme or established Priest which we render Faithfull for the word is Neeman which so signifieth And then I will build under the same word Neeman afirme or established House to him and he shall walke before mine Anointed for ever This was fulfilled in the Type as hath been said by the Lords Anointed Solomon the Lords Builder of the Lords firme House succeeding unto the ambulatory Tabernacle And this was in the Type to fulfill this Prophesie as 1 King 2. 27. So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being Priest unto the Lord that he might fulfill the Word of the Lord which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh For the Perpetuity and Perpetuity of this Kingship Priesthood and Temple GOD swore but it hath failed in them to whom he swore therefore as hath been proved it was sworne to the Type to be accomplished in the Typified Kingship Priesthood and Temple Whereupon my ninth Quaere is Since God hath particularly exemplified in Solomon that which He swore unto David concerning the Divine Right of Christ to be irreversibly administred by Christian Kings under the Covenant of the Gospel for ever How the People all or any of them may put in for a share of that which God hath given away to others Whom He hath set in his owne earthly Throne over them My first Argument is from the Analogy of the Counsell of God in his preferring the younger before the elder in severall Particulars with reference to Solomon the Type of the Kings of Gentiles for the finding out the just reason thereof Wheresoever the Prerogative of God is used to over-rule the Vniversall Law of Nature there it is ever to be presumed that it is so done for some important cause And where the reason is not apparently in any particular set forth recourse is to be had unto the like case and what is manifestly therein expressed is to be admitted for the just reason of that in Question But in the case of Solomons preferment unto the Birth-right God used his Prerogative to over-rule his Vniversall Law of Nature Therefore in the case of Solomons preferment unto the Birth-right It is to be presumed that it was so done for some important cause and the reason being doubted of therefore recourse is to be had to the like case Such is that of Abrahams and Ishaks Children and in both the particulars the one reason is assigned that it was done for a Type to expresse the preferment of the younger People of the Gentiles advanced above the elder of the Jewes into the just Patrimony of their Fathers according to the Covenant of GOD. Therefore that which is manifestly expressed in the like case is to be admitted for the just reason of that in Question And that is evidently that Solomon a King being advanced above his elder brother into the just Patrimony of his Father this was done in a Type to expresse the preferment of the Kings of the Gentiles above GODS first-born Succession of Jewish Princes Secondly that Solomon was the expresse Type of Christian Kings Those things which onely can fill up the whole Latitude of any Promise from God or Propheticall Prediction of God and justifie the Truth of God in the said Promises or Prophesies Are to be accounted the chiefe and ultimate Object of every such Promise or Prophesie and the Precedent but Types of those which succeed and exceed them in the fulfilling of that which they come short of But in the Promise of God for the perpetuity of Solomons Kingdome and the Propheticall Prediction of Psalm 72. the Interpretation of them for the Perpetuity Power and Glory of the Earthly Kingdome of Christ in the Christian Kings of the Gentiles and of Christian Kings in Christ Are the things Expository which onely can fill up the whole Latitude of the Promise of God viz. for the perpetuity of Solomons Kingdome in the Typified and the Propheticall Prediction of God in that Psalm which evidently was more then was performed to him in Person and are those which onely can justifie the Truth of God in the said Prophesie Therefore in the Promise of God for the perpetuity of Solomons Kingdome and the Propheticall Prediction of Psalm 72. the Interpretation of them for the Perpetuity Power and Glory of the Earthly Kingdome of Christ in the Christian Kings of the Gentiles and of the Christian Kings in Christ Are to be accounted the chiefe and ultimate Object of the said Promise and Prophesie and the Precedent to wit Solomon was but a Type of these which succeed and exceed him in the fulfilling of that which he came short of Thirdly concerning that which through Solomon the Type was conveighed to Typified Christian Kings Whosoever by the appointment of God in the sworne Covenant of God sit in the Throne of Jehovah for or in the stead of Jehovah Elohim as King for Jehovah Elohim To his Power which is the Power of God and therefore Divine Supreme Irresistible and Above and Against which there can be no Power on Earth All the Communalty that are in the Covenant of the Israel of God all the Lords of the Land all the Princes of the Bloud doe so owe their Allegiance that no Power in any or all of them or any other from without it may set Bounds unto it may be accounted to it Superior or Equall may resist it in what it doth or set up or assist any other on Earth to Resist it much lesse to usurp or lessen or destroy it But all Christian Kings with Solomon as King and in him as their Type Did and doe by the appointment of God in the sworne Covenant of God sit in the Throne of Jehovah Elohim as Kings for or in stead of Jehovah Elohim Therefore to the Power of all Christian King which is the Power of God and therefore Divine Supreme and Irresistible above and against which there can be no Power on Earth all the Commonalty that are in the Covenant of the Israel of God all the Lords of the Land all the Princes of the Bloud doe so owe their Allegiance that no Power in any or all of them or any other from without it may set Bounds unto it or may by them be accounted Superior or Equall to it may Resist it in what it doth or set up or assist any other on earth to Resist it much lesse destroy usurp or lessen
it CHAP. X. The Contents Kings are Gods chiefe Debters for the sinnes of the People not the High Court or High-priest The King to command others what he may not execute himselfe Kings the Protectors of Religion and Religion of them The celebrated Precedents of good Jewish Kings the best Commentary upon the Precepts of God for Kingship This was accounted Argument enough while we had to doe but with the Faction of Rome Reverence to the incomparable Works of Bishop Andrewes restraines the needlesse pressing of this invincible Argument His irrefragable Exemplification of Jehoshaphat's severalizing the matters of Ecclesiasticall and Politicall Cognizance And his constitution of the High Priest his chiefe Commissioner in Ecclesiasticals 1. THat which needeth not to be shall be short it being sufficiently proved that the Power of the King is the Irresistible Supreme earthly Power of GOD. Which Power Religion is so farre from lessening that it addes both Honour and strength thereunto and is the strongest of Obligagations to re-enforce that which the iniquity of the times makes it to impeach 2. Now for as much as throughout the Sacred Story GOD ever reckons unto the Kings the sinnes of the Times and never unto the Sanbedrin the highest of all Courts established as hath been shewed from the first beginning of any such with Power derived from the Prince and that meerly for the ease of the Princes burden no nor yet unto the High-priest the visible Head of a distinct Subordinate Power answerable unto the Maternal without which helper meet for him the Christian King cannot be well alone and whose Office is to traine up the Children begotten in Politicall Nature in his Image by Religious nurture for the making them morigerously conformable unto their Fathers Likenesse whom the Husband is to command though not to repudiate to enjoyne that she doe that which he is enjoyned not to doe himselfe witnesse the Exauctorating of King Saul by GOD and the Leprosie of Vzziah 2 Chron. 26. 21. 3. Neither of these to wit the High Court or High-Priest were ever blamed by God for their Non-resistance or not stirring up the People to make Resistance nor yet the People for sitting still and suffering the King uncontrollably to run his wicked race into Superstition and Idolatry so far forth that the change of the Kings mind was still the cause of the change of the Peoples Religion and the Peoples sinne herein throughout the whole Sacred Story was ever laid upon the King Which is an invincible Demonstration from the Effect that the King was the onely He entrusted by God with his Earthly Power for the restraining of such wickednesses and for the Protector of Religion the greatest and justest Adversary of those as well as of Resistance against the onely Supreme Ordinary Power by God set up to pull downe them and to set up and protect Religion 4. This Argument in the hands of our Worthies was ever accounted impregnable while we had to doe but with the opposing Roman Party in the more colourable Non-Supremacy of the King in Ecclesiasticalls The other part to wit in Temporals being never denyed by men accounted serious till now But this being proved will also carry the other along with it for feare of failing both are already done by the Precepts of God And that the Covenant of God between Him and Christian Princes was one and the same in and with the Contract plighted with the former People and the Kings thereof So that the Presidents of good Kings recorded in the Booke of God are for us for whom certainly they were written Declarations given us from God of what was meant in his compact between him and Kings amongst us 5. And certainly I shall never meet with any who will affirme and appear in it when he hath so done that we challenge more for Christian Kings who had the better part of the Charter then what in matter of Fact was apparently exercised either in Individuo or in Specie by the commended Kings of that Nation which is so discernable by all men that I will spare my Proofs till I see some need of them 6. Especially since in the maine concludent Part the worke is already done so that herein there is no need of any thing to be further added by one now asleep in the Lord and in the land of the Living not alive amongst the Dead to behold with heart-beheading sorrowes the shame and deaths of the present age The most Reverend and Incomparably Learned and Prudent Head which the latter times have brought forth that hath gone to peace Integro Funere the late Bishop of Winchester in his Tortura Torti A Booke as most worthy of the Publike view so no lesse with Scholler-like insight might it finde admittance made ready for it in our English Tongue 7. But I desire not to urge other mens Arguments and dare not out of Reverence which also will restraine mine hands in the next Chapter doe injury unto his by my weaknesse I shall only produce an observation of his 2 Chron. 19. upon which Kings ought to looke as upon a direction sent from GOD to them alone and all others to let it alone in their hands It is the pious Act of Jehoshaphat Ver. 5. constituting Judges who though amongst men were not to judge for man but for Jehovah those Judgements being the Lords and not the Peoples So also Ver. 8. his appointing of the sons of Levi for the dispatch of all differences in Points of Religion Between bloud and bloud as Deut. 17. 8. between Law and Commandement Statutes and Judgements And in Ver. 11. his distinguishing of their charges and sâ—tting Amariah the High-priest over all in all matters concerning the Lord and Zebadiah the Ruler of the House of Judah for all the Kings matters There being in Ecclesiasticals some things wherein all mankind besides have not so much to doe as the King alone and others wherein the King hath nothing at all to doe but onely to see them done as shall be justified in the second Book when I come to speake of the sin of Jeroboam in the handling the Power of Gods Likenesse CHAP. XI The Contents No new Light after the New Testament What was both before and under the Law dyed not with the Law but was confirmed by the Gospell Evangelicall Rules and Examples in this particular followed by Primitive Doctrine and Practice abundantly justified by others The Divine Power of Kings Saint John 10. 34. not sequestrable away by distinction from their Persons but to the prejudice of the Deity of Christ The Text of Psalme 82. 6. I my selfe have said You your selves are Gods and all of you the sons of Gnelion further cleered Our Saviours owne Argument from that Text. Further manifestations amply performed elsewhere not needed here Christs owne Assertion that Tributes and Customes were payed unto God in Caesar Neither Livelihood nor Life it selfe can countenance Self-preservation by Resistance of lawfull Princes in