this forceth them to make Aristocracie which is the Government of more than one and Democracie which is of many that they must be considered as unum analogiâ— one by analogy not univocally and properâ—y so judgd then of the force of our Argument For any reason I yet apprâ—â—end or can guess at if Sovereignty were primtively fixed in a multitude and from thence derived to any or many I cannot judge but that Democracie is the onely spece of Government warranted by Divine Institution and that all other kinds of Government are unlawful and their Acts sinful or if any should attempt to change Democracie into Monarchy it were an high impiety which things how they may be admitted let our new State-Divines consider and declare Sure I am Saint Austin was of the opinion that a corrupted Democracie without sin might be changed into Monarchy See him lib. 1. de liber arbitr c. 6. where he saith Si depravatus populus rem privatam Reip. praeferat atque habeat vaenale suffragium corruptusque ab â—is qui honores amant regnum in se factiosis consceleratisque committat nonne item rectè si quis tunc extiterit vir bonus qui plurimum possit adimat huic populo potestatem dandi honores in paucorum bonorum vel etiam unius redigat arbitrium Euod Et ita rectè Saint Austin and Euodius agree in this that if they who bear Rule in Democracie do corrupt Justice and put the Government into corrupt mens hands and such as are factious a good powerful man upon such an exigent may mould the Government into an Aristocracie or Monarchy Good Saint Austin for all his Learning and Piety knew not the Jesuit and Puritans ground that all Sovereignty and Supremacy all Majesty underived was in the multitude and that in their Power it is to change the Government to what guise they will he knew not that this was to rob the People of their native and proper Right when one man should reduce Democracie without the consent of the People to Monarchy or Aristocracie nor knew he that it was an unjust and Sacrilegious intrusion upon God's Right in the People to do it without their Act their Consent their Compact To this you may add another Testimony of that Father which virtually implieth the same you may read it lib. 9. de Civ Dei c. 21. where speaking of the declination of the Government of Rome from the second Carthage War and the restoring of Rome to her glory by Augustus coming to the Empire he saith Hoc toto tempore usque ad Caesarem Augustum qui videtur non adhuc vel ipsorum opinione gloriosum sed contentiosum exitiosum planè jam enervem ac languidam libertatem omnimodo extorsisse Romanis ad regale arbitrium revocasse cuncta quasi morbidâ vetustate collapsum veluti instaurasse ac renovasse Rempublicam The Passage is very considerable The purpose of the Holy Father is to take off that foul aspersion which the Heathen put upon Christ and Christian Religion that all mischief came into the World since they were heard of He proveth by the Roman story that greater mischief before was upon the Romans and that from the second Carthaginian War the Roman Grandeur was in its declination and decaying and at and about the coming of Christ in the World was restored again to its Magnificence and Splendour by the happy Monarchy and Empire of Augustus Caesar which happy change Saint Austin commends he condemns it not and so do the Heathen Writers which the Father could never have done if he had been of the mind that no man cometh rightly by Sovereignty but by derivation from the People It is not onely Saint Austin's but other holy Fathers observation that God in his wise Providence disposed so of the Government of the World as to put the best and greatest part of the World under the Monarchy of one that thus he might facilitate the progress of the Gospel throughout the World It is foretold in Scripture that Kings shall be the Nurse-fathers of the Church our Opposites cannot shew the like of Aristocracies and Democracies nor this day do we see it or in Ancient storie find it recorded It is most like Foelicitas temporalis Happiness temporal under Augustus the sweetest of Emperours came into the World with Foelicitas aeterna and spiritualis with eternal happiness when our King and Saviour came into the World Of this more q. 2. Our fifth Argument to prove that Sovereignty in a King is not from the Community or multitude is this If this Sovereignty be natively inherent in the Multitude it must be proper to every individual of the Community if it be so and must be so according to their Tenet which is enforced by that other as groundless and false State-maxim which they hold and maintain that Quisque nascitur liber every one is born a Free-man in the Forrest then it will necessarily follow that the Generation and Posterity of those who have first contracted with their elected King are not bound to that covenant but upon their Native Right and Liberty may start aside appoint another King and that without breach of covenant or any just Title in the King of their Fathers to force or reduce them to his obedience an excellent way devised to preserve King and Kingdom in Peace and Safety Might not the Posterity of Ioshua and the Elders living in his time who contracted with the Gibeonites to incorporate them although in a serving condition have made void their Fore-fathers covenant And if this be true How cometh it to pass that the Progeny of Ionadab did hold themselves bound to keep the prescript and strict Rule of their Father The Rechabites it seemeth had not learned this point of Native Liberty CHAP. IX That Sovereignty is not derived to the King from the People communicativè by Communication so that they may resume it in some Cases is proved by reason ALthough we would give to our Sectaries which we will never grant that all Sovereignty in a King is derived from the people immediately yet we deny and with good reason that it is not by Communication so that they may at pleasure or upon some necessary exigent in certain cases resume it so that habitually they retain it and are not totally divested of it but in some case of Defailance suppletivè they may exercise it and supply thâ— Defects of Government in the King Erecting Tables authorizing Parliaments appointing close Commiitees making and sealing subscribing and swearing Covenants c. Their ground is because all Sovereignty is by voluntary Consent and Compact derived from the People to the King This we have sufficiently disproved to strengthen this they equivocate in a Maxim Constituens constituto potior est the constituent is above the constituted in Dignity and Power If they knew any thing in Law or were ruled by Reason they could know that there be two sorts of
from God alone and Independent from all others It may be because Daniel was a great Courtier as Ioseph was with Pharaoh that he might not be judged a time-server a temporizer a complier to vindicate him from Court-flattery God did so many ways so miraculous ways demonstrate this Truth confirm this Truth that Sovereignty Royal Majesty come from Heaven from God immediately What Prophet almost hath not a hint an Expression of this Isay is plentiful in this as you may see in Nebuchadnezzar in Cyrus c. and all Neighbour Princes Ieremy taught it to the Iews to his own Disadvantage The Prophet Hosea or rather God himself by the Prophet with one Breath in one Verse in few words with a dedi and an abstuli hath expressed hath confirmed this Doctrine c. 13. 11. I gave them a King in my Anger and took him away in my Wrath. I gave him I took him away what can you require more I pray give me Leave to observe one thing in the words besides our main purpose for which we cited it He saith dedi eis regem in ira mea I gave them a King in my Anger This King in the judgment of some was Saul according to the mind of others this King was Ieroboam it skilleth not whether the one or the other Both of them were wicked Yet it is said Dedi I gave him and as I gave him so abstuli I took him away None giveth but He None can take away but He. God will admit none to do either the one or the other but himself It is observable too that in giving a bad King it is only said in ira mea I gave him in my Anger but in taking away a bad King it is said abstuli in furore meo I took him away in my wrath what difference is betwixt ira and furor anger and wrath all do know What doth this intimate to us then but to have a bad King is a chastisement Irati Dei of an angry God who is placable But to have no King at all it is a work of Vengeance a token a prognostick of an Implacable God at least hardly placable If you account Iob for a Prophet or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it skilleth not much which way you term him He saith Reges collocat in solio in perpetuum and again Baltheum regum dissolvit the places you have cited before What he speaketh for Sovereignty you shall hear qq 4 5. For Solomon his Suffrage you had before What he saith of the heart of Kings c. Of not resisting Kings you shall hear it in its proper place That a King there is no rising up against him what in the Book of Ecclesiastes he speaketh of his absolute Sovereignty you shall find it in its proper place E're long you shall by Gods grace hear David speak for himself And because we said before that no truth almost in Scripture is more apertly and frequently delivered than the Sovereignty of Kings their creation by God immediately the Historical part is plentiful in this kind In Genesis it is promised to Abraham that Kings shall come of him There it is fixed by Prophecy in the Tribe of Iudah with Iudiciaria and Legislativa potestas with the Scepter and Law-giver In the Law it is fore-told his Duty is prescribed Moses dying prayeth for one onely to rule the People after his death In Iehoshuah his Book you have as compleat as absolute a Monarch as we plead for as by express Scripture in its own place we shall clear by Gods grace In the Book of Iudges the Sophetim the Judges are Monarchs and not once but oftener there it is told us that all Evil was in the Land for want of a King In the Books of Samuel you have not only the Institutions of Kings but Ius Regum expressed To name the Books of Kings and Chronicles is ridiculous In the Books of Ezra c. Look upon Cyrus Darius c. As for the New Testament See how Christ taught it practised it and his Apostles after him to point at this is not necessary If our strait-laced Brethren would be pleased to cast an eye upon Apocrypha I refer them to Ecclesiasticus cap. 6. 1 2 c. Hear ye Kings c. Give ear you that rule the People and glory in the multitude of Nations for Power is given you of the Lord and Sovereignty from the Highest c. Yet fearing this Passage will not be current enough among our Sectaries I point at two passages of David till we hear him speak more fully The one is Psal. 21. 3. Thou settest a Crown of pure Gold upon his head The other is Psal. 84. 44. Thou hast made his Glory to cease and cast his Throne down to the ground I do confess ingenuously it is a great wonder tâ— me how any man that readeth the Scripture attentively doth not heartily and without scruple acknowledge that Kings and Sovereignty are independent from all and onely derived from God and that this truth is not onely verified of the Kings of the Iews but all Kings whatsoever Which truth we are hopeful we have confirmed clearly yet will proceed to add more reasons and to remove some more of their poor evasions CHAP. IV. That Kings are onely dependent from God and not from the Community is more proved by Scripture The poor shifts of Suarez and Bellarmine are removed who abusing the passage Deut. 17. would have the Constitution of the Kings of Israel to relate to the People as its real and proper Origin and Cause and the priviledged Case onely this that God reserved to himself the designation of the Person of the King THis other shift of Suarez and Bellarmine in the Title of the Chapter expressed is as poor a one as the other nor can it hold when it is examined by Scripture and Reason Both the Iesuits and the Puritans their Disciples build this quirk upon the naked perverted letter of the Text that Deut. 17. â—4 15. it is said of the People that they set the King â—ver them and upon Gods part it is said Him shalt â—hou set over thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse Ergo say they the Constitution is the Peoples the Election of the Person is Gods It is a lame Consequence for the words Constitues super te Thou shalt set over thee are not to be understood of Constitution by collating or transferring from them to the King Majesty and Sovereignty but of Constitution by way of Approbation or of accepting of him as King acknowledging him as a King reverencing and obeying him as King whom God hath both designed and constituted by himself King In this Sense we grant a Constitues super te a setting over thee and because this is the last act in constituting a King that puts that in fieri in facto esse quasi ultima dispositio inducens formam as the last Disposition which induceth the form in the matter by a
synecdochical and tropical Speech it is so usually spoken Nor is it unusual to the Spirit of God in Scripture to speak this way for it is said 1 Cor. 6. The Saints judge the World Now it is certain that the Judgment of the Saints is only by approving or consenting to Christs Judgment which is his only authoritativ◠properly and their act in that great Judgment at the last day is only to approve or consent rather to the righteous Judgment of their Lord yet Scripture standeth not to say The Saints shall judge the World To judge by Authority is only proper to God the Father by the Son to whom the Father hath given all Judgment and this leaveth no place no Power to the Saints to dissent The like holdeth in the Instance proposed That this is to be conceived so which is our sixth Argument to confirm that Kings and their Sovereignty are immediately from God is more than apparent that Almighty God in Scripture vindicateth to himsel◠all the Acts real and imaginable which are necessary for the making of Kings If the Iesuit make much of the Letter of the Text Deut. 17. where it 's said The Lord should chuse the King and the People set the King over them Let us consider how the Practice interprets the Letter of the Law it is an infallible Maxim with Jurists Praxis optimus Legis interpres Practice is the best Commentary of Law and it is no less a ruled case that the first president is a ruling case to all following in that kind Come then take the first Instance in Saul the first elected and constituted King by the Tenor of this Law In the practice the Phrase is varied and turned over the Election is given to the People the Constitution to God 1 Sam. 12. 13. Behold the King saith Samuel whom you have chosen and desired and behold the Lord hath set a King over you This Election of the People can be no other but their Admittance or Acceptance of the King whom God had chosen and constituted as the words Whom you have desired imply Scripture telleth us that Saul's Election and Constitution was 1 Sam. 9. 17. when God said to Samuel Behold the man whom I spake to thee of the same shall reign over my people and when Samuel took a Viol of Oyl powred it upon his head kissed him and said Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be Captain over his Inheritance 1. Sam. 10. 1. Where you have Samuel as Priest and Prophet anointing doing Reverence and Obeisance to him and ascribing to God that he did appoint him Supreme and Sovereign over his Inheritance The same again is totally given to God 1 Sam 12. 13. The Lord hath set a King over you The Expression and Phrase is the same with that you have of Christ and his Kingdom Psal. 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion I am confident none will be so sacrilegiously impudent as to give to Church to man or Angel Creature or Creatures any share in any act of constituting Christ King over his Church and for his Church and in order to it over all the Kingdoms of the World By what is said of this first practice it is more than evident that God in that Law of making Kings Deut. 17. did vindicate as proper and peculiar to himself the Designation of the person of the King and the investing of him in royal Power and Sovereignty The People then were only to admit and accept of their King by God so designed and constituted and to yield all Reverence Obedience and maintenance necessary It was not arbitrary to them to admit or reject Saul so designed so constituted by God himself immediately reject him they could not Yet God in his wise prudent Dispensation of all things judged it expedient to complete and consummmate this Work by the Acceptation Consent and Approbation of the people Vt suaviori modo that by the smoother way he might thus encourage Saul to the undergoing of this hard Charge and make his People the more heartily without grumbling or scruple Reverence and obey him As by his Providence he doth all things powerfully so he disposeth of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the good of man in a sweet and mild way This Admittance possibly added something to the Solemnity of Saul's investing but nothing to the essential or real Constitution as the Intimation of a Law which in Laws I think hath more Interest than this Admittance here it hath no Influence upon a Law made by supreme Power yet it is useful it Puts the Subjects in mala fide makes them inexcusable if they contravene Or this Admittance was and is as the Imperialists say truly of the Popes Confirmation of the elected Emperour good ad pompam but not requisite ad necessitatem Or if you will speak with the Romanists that the confirmation is of the Pope once elected is ad solennitatem not ad necessitatem for the Solemnity not simply necessary Or to come more near and with more certainty and truth it is like the Coronation of an hereditary King which is only for solemnity not for Necessity for before that Ceremony and Solemnity his Title is as good as after it and any act of royal Power and Jurisdiction done before his Coronation is as valid as any done as after his Coronation Or if you will it is like the Enthronization of a Bishop or installing of a Canon o◠Prebend in a Cathedral Church Scripture maketh this Good plentifully elsewhere for it punctually ascribeth all Acts essentially constitutive of Kings immediately to God In one full word the making of a King is given to God 1 Kings 3. 7. And now O Lord my God thou hast made thy Servant King instead of David my Father The providing of a King is given to God 1 Sam. 16. 1. I have provided me a King The King in a proper and peculiar way is called Gods King Psal. 18. 50. Great deliverance giveth he to his King God exalteth them Psal. 89. 19. I have exalted one chosen out of the People Not the People but God findeth Kings out ibid. vers 20. I have found David my Servant Neither Priest nor Prophet nor People really anoin◠Kings God anointeth them ibid. vers 20. With mine holy Oyl have I anointed him That we conceive them not to have their Prerogative from Pope or People Priest or Prophet not they but God adopteth them ibid. vers 27. I will make him my first-born That he may cry unto him Thou art my Father my God vers 26. To shew their nearer and straiter Alliance they are taken in societatem nominis numinis potestatis into a communion of his Majesty his Name Power it is said Psal. 82. 6. I have said ye are Gods To shew their Generation their Procreation their Derivation there is a dixi to this too I have said ye are all of you the Children of the most High
if it be not blasphemous against God and the King to fix as in its first seat and receptacle an underived Majesty in the Community where there is not one of a thousand an intelligent and knowing man It is certainly high Treason against God and the King A world of Reasons to prove that Kings are independent from all and solely dependent from God may be brought from Scripture but because we intend brevity and haste to other things we point at some few to be considered and enlarged by the judicious Reader himself As first to whom can it be more proper to give the Rule over men than to him who is the onely King truly and properly of the whole World 2. Next God is the immediate Author of all Rule and Power that is amongst all his Creatures above or below why then should we seclude him from being the immediate Author of Government of Empire amongst men 3. Thirdly Man in the state of Innocency in his first Creation received Dominion and Empire over all the Creatures below Gen. 1. 28. Replenish the Earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the Sea and over the Fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth Again after the Fall Gen. 9. 2. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every Beast of the Earth and upon every Fowl of the Air upon all that moveth upon the Earth and upon all the Fishes of the Sea into your hand are they delivered Can we be so stupid as to acknowledge the dominion over all the Creatures below is given to man immediately from God and to deny that the most noble and excellent Government by which man hath Power and Empire over men is not from God by his Institution and Constitution but by the Compact and Contract the Composition and Constitution of men 4. Fourthly To demonstrate their immediate derivation from God that their Power is immediately from him is more than apparent by this reason They who exercise the Judgment of God must needs have their Power to judge from God But so it is that Kings by themselves and their Deputies exercise the Judgments of God The Proposition is sure and is both confirmed and illustrated by considering how that Church-men are rightly said to have received their Ministerial Power from God and Christ because God by them reconciles the World to himself and saves mankind 2 Cor. 5. 17 18 19 20. 1 Tim. 4. 16. How is it imaginable that they can be said to judge in God's place and not receive the Power from God The assumption is as evident by express words of Scripture see Deut. 1. 17. 2 Chron. 19. 6. Let no man stumble at this that Moses in the one place and Iosaphat in the other speak to subordinate Judges under them this weakeneth no wayes our Argument for it is a ruled Case in Law Quod quis faâ—cit per alium faciâ— per se all Judgments of inferiour Judges are in the Name Authority and by the Power of the Supreme and are but communicatively and derivatively from the Sovereign Power 5. Fifthly Not onely their Power is of God their Iudiciaria potestas but the very Execution of it They are the Ministers of God in the execution of their Charge and Power ergo their Charge and Power is immediately from God All the testimonies of Scripture wherein they are called Gods confirm the Antecedent and especially those where the Supreme Governour is called the Servant the Minister the Angel the Publick Servant of God Doth not this Argument hold in the Ministry Doctors and Preachers of the Church discharging their Charge are called the Ambassadours the Legates the Ministers of God and from hence we conclude necessarily that the Ministry is from God and Christ. The Apostle Saint Paul Rom. 13. 4 5 6. calleth the Supreme Magistrate thrice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and pregnantly expresseth that the King in the execution of his Charge is doing Service to God vers 4. He is the Minister of God to thee for good But if thou do that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain Again He is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Again vers 6. For they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is well rendred attending continually and is in its nature Active and so looketh to the execution of his Charge properly In the Book of Wisd. cap. 6. 5. The Author attributeth to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Kings and Rulers the Ministery onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There can be no Argument better to prove that both their Sovereign Power and execution of it is from God than that properly and primarily God Almighty is King and all Kings related to him are onely equivocally so for he is Rex regum Dominus dominantium 1 Tim. 6. 15. Revel 1. 5. 21. 27. 19 20. 17. 14. He is King of Kings and Lords of Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly so Kings upon Earth are only such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more in Resemblance than Reality and betwixt the one and the other the Kings of Heaven and Kings on Earth no more proportion than is betwixt Heaven and Earth a thing finite and infinite For this cause Scripture Mark 10. 41. speaketh no better of Kings and Princes on Earth than that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much truly men that have Empire and Rule as such that appear to be so from whence then shall we derive Sovereignty and Royalty but from that true Royalty and Sovereignty in God alone 6. Sixthly the Power and Grace by which they are inabled for so high a Charge and Employment is only from Almighty God then by necessary Consequence the Charge must be solely and only from him The Connexion is natural for in right Reason to whom can it be due to give a Charge of this Concernment properly but only to him who is able to give the Endowments and hability for that Charge Now that the Endowment is from God immediately the sacramental Ceremony of anointing sheweth it and that exactly they are called the Lords Anointed We need not use symbolical Arguments seeing the Schools allow them no convincing force the Holy Spirit hath given it to us in plain and natural Terms right down Of Otâ—niel the first Judge after Ioshua it is said Iudges 3. 10. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he judged Israel The like you have spoken of Saul after that he was anointed and appointed King of Israel 1 Sam. 10. 11. and elsewhere The same is said of David 1 Sam. 17. Very knowing men in Divinity interpret the Passage Prov. 20. 12. The hearing Ear and the seeing Eye the Lord hath made even both of them that the Facility to rule well and the Grace to obey
Nothing can be more pernicious to mankind and opposite to God and his Ordinance who is the God of Order and not of Confusion The words in the original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schopheâ—k dam haadam baadam damo jischaphek It is well rendered in our English Bibles Who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his Blood be shed The old Translation is imperfect Quicunque effuderit hominâ—â—â— sanguiâ—â—m fundetur sanguis illius We will grant to Bellarmine that the Sense is not corrupted in this Translation but will never yield that it is not imperfect for the main and cardinal word Baadam per hominem by the Cardinal's Leave is omitted Let the Cardinal say what he will whom you may look upon â— 2. de verb. Dei cap. 12. Nor do we think that the Interpretation we have from the Septuagint is full enough which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui effuderit sanguinem hominis pro sanguine hominis ejus effâ—ndetur Psal. 2. And with Reverence we dissent too from Arias Montanus and Pagnin's Translations Effundens sanguinem hominis in homine sanguis ejus effundetur my Reasons with humble Submission to better Judgment and Reverence to so great men are 1. First Baadam in homine or per hominem cannot in Grammar be added to the Subject or Antecedent Effundens sanguinem but must belong to the predicate or consequent sanguis ejus effundetur and so the compleat and perfect Sense is Effundens sanguinem hominis per hominem sanguis ejus effundetur just as our Bibles english it Who so sheddeth mans Blood by man shall his Blood be shed The Reason of this because in the original the accent Zakephkathon which maketh as the Grammarians say incisum majus a Distinction is put above the word Haadam so that Baadam is to be joyned to the next the like reading you may find in the very verse immediately preceding Next this â— both in Baadam signifieth no less per than in by than in and by is the Preposition which expresseth the instrumental Cause and consequently it importeth one Gods Instrument who is authorized from him 3. Thirdly the Iews in their Thargum their Chaldee Paraphrase or Translation turn the words so that they understand this Baadam by man of the Judge who from God is authorized with Power Vnkelos turneth it thus Qui effuderit sanguinem hominis eum testibus five 〈◊〉 testes juxâ—a sententiam judicum sanguis ejus effundetur Ionathan giveth the Sense thus Qui effuderit sangâ—inem hominis per testes condemnabuâ—â— eum Iudices ad â—necem qui effuderit absque testibus Dominus mundi 〈◊〉 vindictam ab eo sumet in die Iudicii Both of them agree in this that the reading is thus Who so sheddeth the bloud of man by man shall his bloud be shed and both of them conceive it so that this Baadam this Per hominem this by man is not every man but the Judge authorized from God or both from God and his Sovereign 4. Fourthly to say Qui effuderit sanguinem hominis in homine sanguis ejus effundetur He that sheddeth the bloud of man in man his bloud shall be shed is neither so good nor so perfect and full a sense as Quicunque effuderit sanguinem hominis per hominem sanguis ejus effundetur Who so sheddeth man's bloud by man shall his bloud be shed 5. Fifthly and lastly if you value not the Testimony or Paraphrase of Vnkelos and Ionathan although Franciscus Xymenius and other Learned men judge the Paraphrase of the Thargum upon the Law true and faithful take an Argument for it uncontroulable that is our Saviour's Matth. 26. v. 52. All they that take the Sword shall perish with the Sword Saint Austin telleth us that the New Testament is veiled in the Old and Vetus Testamentum revelatur in Novo and the Old Testament is revealed in the New A better Commentary of God's Speeches and Words we cannot have than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than the Son the Word of God and that Word which is God In Christ's Speech shall perish by the Sword in the Phrase and Dialect of Scripture we can understand nothing else but the Sovereign Power that beareth the Sword Let the Apostle interpret the Master Saint Paul Rom. 13. 1. He commandeth Subjection and Obedience to Superior Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and v. 6. He telleth you He beareth not the Sword in vain The words thus cleared we sum up our Argument thus God onely hath the Power of man's Life No man hath Power over his own Life Whoso taketh away the Life of man in God's Justice and Ordinance his Life is to be taken away again This principally and properly belongeth to God v. 5. I will require c. but God hath given this to some Deputies This Power is not given to every one as the terrour of an ill Conscience made Cain say Whosoever findeth me shall kill me This were to destroy mankind and make God the God of Disorder and Confusion Some man it is then by Distinction and Excellency who is God's Deputy and then this can be none else but he in whom is Sovereign Power and this Power is from none else but from God Almighty And if this power over Life be from God why not all Sovereign Power seeing it is homogeneous and as Iurists say in indivisibili posita a thing indivisible in its nature that cannot be distracted put away nor impaired as a Crown take any part from it is no more a Crown When God gave this Order the World knew well enough what this Baadam by man was neither before this time nor at this time knew the World any kind of Government but Monarchical And this Monarch was Noah 9. Ninthly As their Judiciary and Sovereign Power in actu signato the Execution and Exercise of Royal Power in actu exercito is given to God Almighty as to its first and proper Origine and Source so all the Acts done by Kings are ascribed to God and we find them the immediate Instruments by whom God worketh here the greatest works of Justice when he is to punish men and the greatest works of Mercy when he is to bless them That both for the one and the other they are called his Servants His axe his rod and the works they do to be such as he hath prepared of old In the work of Justice punishing his People look upon Nebuchadnezzar See whâ—â— God fore-telleth by Isaiah by Ieremy In the works of Mercy extraordinary look upon Cyrus and for the Actions both of the one and the other consider Scripture and consider if they be not particularly and immediately given to God in all their parts their acts as if they were nothing but dead and lifeless Instruments See the places above-cited which before we have named and for brevities sake we now omit To this Argument may be added the immediate working God hath upon their Hearts their Counsels
that their heart is in the hand of the Lord as a Boat in the Rivers of Waters how God sendeth them in their Expeditions their Wars maketh them in his day his appointed day to set their face against Ierusalem or otherwise casteth his hook in their nostrils to bring them back with shame To this Argument may be referred that when God is to bless a People he sendeth them good Kings the Sons of Nobles when he is to scourge them naughty Kings weak children c. The Testimonies of Scripture for all these are infinite many and obvious which we remit to the Reader 's memory or dilligent search 10. Tenthly Nor is to be passed by that the Sovereign immense Majesty of God is expressed by stiling and denominating him King and his Supreme glory is represented by sitting on a glorious Throne See Isaiah see Daniel and the Prophets Let us beware then that we make not God a Derivative too of the People and a Creature of mens making 11. Eleventhly In the Scripture we read that onely three kinds of men were anointed Kings Priests Prophets Let any give an instance of a fourth besides those three It is granted of all that Priests and Prophets have Sacred Charges and are Sacred Persoâ—s of God's immediate making and Constitution why then shall not Kings have the same Prerogative to be immediately from God Sacred in themselves Sacred in their Charge by Divine Ordinance and Appointment 12. Lastly To close up this first part of our Proof from Scripture it is a strong Reason to perswade Sovereignty Authority and Majesty to be from God immediately and independently from any others in what consideration soever that the irreverence disobedience contempt rebellion or any wrong whatsoever offered to their Persons to their Authority is wrong and contempt offered to God himself See 1 Sam. 8. This made David say Who can touch the Lords Anointed and be innocent This made the Apostle say Rom. 13. 2. Whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist receive to themselves damnation The like Phrase to the first you have of the Sacred Ministry in the Apostles 1 Thess. 4. 8. He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God When the People murmured against Moses and Aaron in the Law you have They murmure not against you but me The like you have in Samuel The result of all is That as the Sacred Ministry is by Collation immediately or independently from God although the designation of the Person may be by men and the Church so Kings may be personally designed and deputed to Royalty and Sovereignty by Election Succession Conquest or any other lawful possible way but their Sovereignty and Power is by Donation and Collation immediately and solely from God and refers to him as the only Donor and Author Again as the Person and Function of such as are lawfully invested with Sacred Power and in Sacred Orders is Inviolable and Sacred so are the Persons and Sovereignty of Kings Our order proposed in the beginning of this Treatise chargeth us now to produce our Proofs from Reverend Antiquity But I must beg leave of the Christian Reader to discover the weakness and wickedness of a new-devised trick of our Sectaries That the King is God's but not Christ's Vicegerent CHAP. V. All Christian Kings are dependent from Christ and may be called his Vice-gerents WHereas hitherto by express Scripture and by Arguments from thence by necessary consequence deduced we have proved That Kings and their Sovereignty are immediately dependent from God and dependent from no other Conceive it not so that hereby we seclude Christ and him considered not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 personally as the Second Person in the Trinity but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Capacity as God-man the Saviour and Redeemer of the World Our Sectaries have found out a quirk or trick rather of late to hold and argue That Kings are Gods not Christ's Lieutenants upon Earth Their purpose is the same in substance with the Romanists although they differ in something for the Romanists and Puritans both of them erect in every Kingdom another Sovereign not onely besides the true Sovereign but also above In this they agree and are like Sampson's Foxes who have their Tails knit together and do carry this Fire-brand to consume Church and State In one other they differ extremely for the Romanist and Iesuit will have it to be the Pope the Puritan and Sectaries fix this Sovereignty in the Presbytery We believe with warrant of Scripture and sound Antiquity that all Crowns and Scepters Kings and States are dependent from Christ the Son of God as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man the Saviour of the World and Head of the Church We intend not at this time to discuss that curious Question Whether or not by Hereditary Right Christ was born King of the Iews We are speaking at this time of Christs Kingdom as the Head of the Church in order to all the Kingdoms of the World The Kingdom we speak of is not what was due to him as the Son of David but as he was the Saviour and Redeemer of David and all the World The right to which he had by Hypostatical Vnion and his perfect Merit and plenteous Redemption Some very Learned men do hold that Christ was not entitled to this Kingdom till his Resurrection and that then he had Ius quaesitum as the Jurists speak There is not much danger to hold this or deny it but with reverence to their great Parts and humble submission to better Reasons I dissent from them and do think however it may be granted that then he came to exercise it fully and perfectly or if you will that a new Title and Right did accrue to him that what he had before by Hypostatical Vnion onely now he had it by another supervenient Right of Merit and so had it duplioi Titulo as Saint Bernard saith of him in another case yet for any thing I could yet see I am of the mind from the first instant and moment of his Incarnation as God-man the Head of his Church By the grace of Hypostatical Vnion he was King of Kings and Lord of Lords It cannot be denied that while he was in the form and state of a Servant in statu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the state of Humiliation as by the no less mysterious than admirable and wise Oeconomy of God the Glory of his Deity did not conspicuously and ordinarily shine thorow the veil of his Flesh no more did this Majesty and Glory of his Sovereignty and Kingdom shine forth to the Eyes of men God in his unsearchable Wisdom having appointed that the Kingdom of God should not come with observation and that the Iews might be rectified in their judgment who did not expect a spiritual King and Deliverer but a Messiah to reign temporally over them and by him to enjoy all external Plenty Peace and
2. Next is it not prophesied by Isaiah that Kings shall be the Nurse-fathers of his Church Reges erunt nutritii tui Is it not fit then that they hold their Crowns of Christ Is it not fit that Kings be taught so much that with the more Alacrity and Zeal they may advance the good of Christs Kingdom 3. Thirdly our Divines do acknowledge that by men in sacred Orders Christ doth rule his Church mediately in those things which primely concern Salvation And that by Kings their Scepter and Power he doth protect and preserve his Church and what concerns the external Government in Order and Decency How then can it be denied that Kings in this latter Sense are no less the immediate Vicegerents of Christ than Bishops Priests and Deacons in the former Look upon the Interpretations are given by the best and most able of our Divines upon 1 Cor. 15. 28. 4. Fourthly what is the reason that all Christian Emperours and Kings glory in the Sign of the Cross and place it upon the Top of their Sacred Crowns It is not only by this Symbolum Christianismi this ancient badge of Christianity to witness that they are Christians and not ashamed of the Cross of Christ but also to acknowledge that they have received and hold their Crowns of him Much more might be said to this purpose but for brevities sake and judging what is said to be sufficient to prove all Kings to be Christ's Vicegerents we spare with more Reasons to transgress upon the Patience of the understanding Reader Some have shunned to speak thus that Kings are Christ's Vicegerents upon Earth fearing that because of the Popes unjust Challenge to be Christs universal Vicar upon Earth it should usher in a Subordination of the Crown to the Miâ—re They scruple without just cause What need we to be afraid to speak with Scripture It is high Presumption in the Pope to challenge to himself the Title or Right of Christs universal vicar upon Earth by divine Right There is no colour almost or shew of Reason for it either in Scripture or reverend Antiquity The Pope the Bishop of Rome hath no more by Divine Right what he may have by positive Ecclesiastical Right it is not pertinent for us now to examine and discuss no higher Priviledge except it be in extent than the meanest Bishop in the World in his Diocess Doth not St. Hierom say Omnis Episcopus sive Romae fuerit sive Eugubii sive Constantinopoli sive Rhegii sive Alexandriae sive Tanis ejusdem est meriti ejusdem Sacerdotii The learned and holy Father compareth with the three great Patriarchs priviledged at that time by Ecclesiastical Canons aboveâ— all others with the Patriarchs of Antioch and the Honorary Patriarch of Ierusalem three of the meanest Bishops next adjacent to them the Bishops of Eugubium Rhegium and Tanais and averreth that by divine Right they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal Right equal Power Nor doth that hold better that the Pope would make his transcendent and extravagant Jurisdiction over all to be grounded upon a fancied Eminency in St. Peter above his fellow Apostles ordinarie in him extraordinarie in them personal and temporarie in them but so fixed in Peter's Person that it is transmissible to his Successor and he forsooth whether God will or not must be the Pope of Rome This Paradox is against Scripture sacred Antiquity and sound Reason It is not fit now to prove it only to satisfie the judicious Reader I content my self with the Suffrage of that Holy Father and Martyr S. Cyprian who de unit Eccles. or singular Prelator saith Hoc utique erant caeteri Apostoli quod erat Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis He knew not these Differences these Novators have coyned and forged upon the Anvil of their own Hearts His Judgment was all the Apostles no less than Peter were endowed in Order to their Apostolical Charge with the same Endowment of Power and Priviledges of Honour Would God both sides in this and other Controversies would submit to the Judgment and Determination of the holy Fathers I wave the accurate discussing of these points they require more time and a more fit place To what is said I add that although we would give to the Pope of Rome to be Christ's immediate universal Vicar in spiritualibus in spiritual things there is no Danger and so to shun this Inconvenience we need not be so shie as to forbear to call Kings Christs Vicegerents Christs Lieutenants For if we should grant the Antecedent the Pope is Christs universal Vicar upon Earth which is certainly as false as Falshood it self it is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lame Consequence to make this inference Ergo all Kings Crowns are subordinated and subjected to the Pope and his Mitre Their own Authors who advance his Power as high as Lucifer do acknowledge that all power that was in Christ Secundum quod homo as he was man was not collated upon St. Peter They confess moreover that all the Power that was in St. Peter was not by him transmitted to his spurious and usurping Successor They all with one Mouth profess that potestas Excellentiae quae in solo homine Christo fuit that Power of Excellency which is solely peculiar to and personal in Christ was not communicated to St. Peter They clear and prove it by specification of instances Saint Peter say they could not confer the Effect and Efficacy of the Sacrament without the Sacrament it self nor could he institute Sacraments of himself or in his own name or others than Christ himself did institute Do they not all of them give and grant that Saint Peter did not transmit the Power of doing Miracles to all his Successors So then although it were granted that the Pope were Christ's Vicar universal it will not necessarily follow that in this that Christ is King of Kings the Pope is his first immediate and universal Vicegerent I wish the Pope who claimeth so near alliance and contingency to Christ would learn of Christ to be meek and humble in heart and so not onely should he find rest to his own Soul but a great deal of more rest and quiet should be both in Church and State It is very considerable that in Scripture it is recorded that whilst our Saviour was Minister Circumcisionis the Minister of Circumcision he both practised and taught that it was God's Ordinance that the Mitre submit to the Crown and the Shepherd's Crook to the Scepter Scarce well come into the World when he taught this by his Practice flying from Herod's Persecution to Egypt who might have commanded Legions of Angels against him to destroy him if it had not been that it was fitter he should teach us true Obedience as at his Word they published his Birth to Shepherds and sung that glorious Anthem Gloria in Excelâ—is Some it is probable may judge this to be the Act and Fact rather of Ioseph
aeternum regni ejus non erit finis And he shall reign in the House of Iacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ therefore receiving the Throne of David hath translated it and hath given it to the Sacred Kings of Christians In St. Athanasius his mind Christian Kings are Christ's Vicegerents and sit Deputies upon his Throne Take the Suffrage of many together all the Fathers of the Councel of Arminium writing to Constantius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referreth to the Antecedent Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sense is By Christ thou reignest and hast dominion over all the World Liberius speaketh thus to Constantius the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All know that Constantius was an Arrian a great Persecutor of the Orthodox who maintained the Deity of Christ. Liberius writing to him admonisheth him not to fight against Christ who had given him the Empire nor to be so unthankful unto him as to be impious against him Seeing then that Scripture Antiquity and Reason stand for this Truth that Kings are Christ's Vicegerents upon Earth let us not be deceived with the no less fond than new devised distinction of our Novators and Sectaries who by differencing betwixt God's Vicegerents upon Earth and Christ's Vicegerents upon Earth intend nothing else but to throw down-Crowns and Royal Diadems and lay them at the foot of Presbytery and Assembly and to set up a Tribunal of their own a Sovereignty Ecclesiastical to domineer over all Powers else whatsoever I wish they would here remember that passage which otherwise and in another case they pervert and abuse sufficiently Matth. 20. 25 26. Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are Great exercise Authority upon them but it shall not be so among you Or that of St. Bernard to Eugenius the Pope Indicitur ministerium interdicitur ministerium Let any who will duly consider what enormous extravagant Sovereignty hath been acted by the Presbytery how much the intrinsecal right of Sovereignty hath been restrained and lessened and it feareth me you will hardly find so much acted by all the Popes since Hildebrand's time as by them in this short space I leave this and come in the next place to prove by the Testimony of Fathers that Kings are not the Derivatives of the People CHAP. VI. That the King is solely dependent from God and Christ and independent from all others is proved by the suffrages of the Holy Fathers THE Holy Fathers and Martyrs in the prior and purer Age of the Church knew no other Doctrine they spake no other Language We begin with Clemens Romanus Constit. l. 7. c. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fear or honour the King knowing that He is ordained or constituted by the Lord. It may be it will be told us this is a spurious Clemens and not the genuine that was Bishop of Rome and if we alledge Ignatius it is to be feared he 'll fare no better for a great Scholar but no great Divine hath very now rejected all we have of him I will therefore give some Testimonies from such against whom this exception lyeth not See Irenaeus lib. 5. advers haeres c. 20. where at large he proveth That Kingdoms are not of the Devil but that all Kings relate to God as to their first and immediate Origine Donor Author adduceth some of the pregnant Testimonies of Scripture which we have alledged before giveth the Devil a Lye who durst to challenge to himself the right to dispose of all Kingdoms Luke 4. 6. Our new Anti-monarchical Statists had need to consider this and whose Children they make the People to whom they gave the Right and Power to dispose of Kings and Kingdoms at pleasure S. Irenaeus is so zealous so fervent of God and the King 's Right and Prerogative that he will not admit the good and Heavenly Angels to this Honour nor will he admit that Saint Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13. 1 2. Higher Powers are Angelical but that the Apostle meant it de his a clear and full commentary to St. Peter's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ep. 2. 14. quae secundum homines sunt potestates of Humane and Royal Sovereignty To this add that the Father in the place alledged armeth Kings with entire Sovereignty and that necessarily to restrain the corruption of man where he also expresseth the infinite good cometh to mankind by Government and leaveth Sovereigns delinquents to the Iudgment and Tribunal of God All these Points you will find by the Father where amongst other things to our purpose he saith most appositely and pregnantly Cujus enim jussu nascuntur homines hujus jussu Reges constituuntur apti his qui in illo tempore ab ipsis regnantur Quidam enim illorum ad correctionem utilitatem subjectorum dantur conservationem Iustitiae Quidam autem ad timorem poenam increpationem quidam autem ad illusionem contumeliam superbiam quemadmodum digni sunt Dei â—usâ—o judicio c. This place is certa sedes dogmatis sententiae Patris a proper place from which we may draw warrantably the Fathers Tenet concerning the Author and Donor of Sovereignty Here the Holy Father is proving That the Devil is not the Author of Kings and Sovereign Power He referreth all to God the immediate Author and Origine of Royalty If the Church of Christ at this time and he with it had believed with our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposers of Monarchy That all Power was radically primarily and independently inherent in People and from them derived to Kings this was a fit place to express it and we see he knew no more but Cujus jussu nascuntur homines hujus jussu reges constituuntur c. and it is worthy of our notice taking that God maketh and sendeth Kings as in his wise Providence he thinketh for the Punishment of our Sins or in his Mercy and Bounty to bless us when we walk in his ways Tertullian speaketh in the same Idiome writing ad Scapulam he saith Christianus nullius est hostis nedum Imperatoris quem sciens à Deo constitui necesse est ut ipsum diligat revereatur honoret salvum velit cuâ—â—toto imperio quousque saeculum stabit tamdiu etiam stabit Colimus ergo Imperatorem sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit ut hominem à Deo secundum quicquid est 〈◊〉 Deo constitutum solo Deo minorem Hoc ipse volet 〈◊〉 eâ—im omnibus major est dum solo vero Deo minor est The sense of it is A Christian is Enemy to none much less to King and Emperour whom he knoweth to be of Gods Constitution and so is necessarily bound to love reverence and honour him to whom with his Empire he wisheth all Safety for when that perisheth it is like
verified of the Iewish Kings but of the Assyrian Persian Roman and all others besides Fourthly Saint Austin knew not this new devised quirk of potestas in abstracto â—oncreto of Power abstractly considered from the Person in which it is fixed but in concreto he averreth that both the Power and Person invested with the Power are of God Fifthly it is worth our notice taking that the holy Father specifieth only Empire and Monarchy Sixthly the Extent is most observable this Conclusion or Maxim of Saint Austin's holds well of all Kings whatsoever they be Heathen or Jewish or Christian if Christian bad or good sound in the Faith or Hereticks if Heathen whether good moral men or Persecutors See and consider how wisely and fitly he makes a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a coupling together 1. of Marius and Caius Caesar. 2. Of Augustus and Nero Flavius the Father and Titus the Son with Domitian 3. Of Constantine the sound Christian and Iulian the Apostate Seventhly lastly it 〈◊〉 â—ost observable that he will have all of all sorts to be entirely given to God Non tribuamus nisi vero Deo dandi regni atque imperii potestatem This non nisi vero Deo admits no sharer no copartner He is not content to say it once but resumeth it again and with an Emphasis a greater Strength of Expression Haec planè Deus unus verus regit gubernat ut placet It is unus verus Deus and the way of bestowing ut placet This holy Father is most plentiful for this Truth for Brevities sake I refer you to his 2. Tom. Epist. 54. ad Maced and to his 6. Tractat. upon St. Iohn's Gospel Tom. 9. passim The ancient Popes and Bishops of Rome lived and died in this Faith See Anastasius Epist. unic ad Anastas Imperat. Liberius's Testimony is above cited Symmachus writing to Anastasius the Emperour saith Memento te hominem esse ut possis rectè uti concessa tibi divinitus potestate Remember saith the holy Bishop that thou art but a man that thou mayst use aright that power which God hath given thee Leo in his Epistle to Leo the Emperour which in the Tomes of the Councels is 73. Magnum ergâ— vobis est ut diademati vestro de manu Domini addatur corona fidei de hostibus Ecclesiae triumphetis c. Leo knew no better but that his temporal Diadem was no less set upon his Head by the hand of God immediately than the Crown of Faith and that God made him to triumph over the Enemies of the Church yet because a cavelling Spirit such as our Sectaries are inspired with may cloud this Passage by an amphibolous Construction I gave you a plain one Epist. 13. writing to Pulcheria the Empress where he saith Sicuti Spiritu sancto didicistis illi per omnia potestatem vestram subjicitis cujus munere protectione regnatis Saint Leo knew not that there was any co-ordinate Power with the Emperour He knew he was solely and immediately subordinate to God to whom he ought of due to submit and subject himself and that with good reason because by his immediate Gift and Collation he had the Empire and by his Power was protected in his Government The holy Bishop raiseth this so high as to intimate it is a Doctrine taught by the Holy Spirit let the World and good men judge then what Spirit teacheth the different or contrary Doctrine Stephanus the sixth writing to Basilius the Emperour saith that He carried the Image of Christ himself upon Earth vide Baron Tom. 10. Anno 885. n. 11. It is like enough the Church then did not stand to call Emperours Christ's Vicegerents In brief in sum Was it not the usual Benediction the holy Popes of Rome used writing to Emperours and Kings to wish to them Grace all Health and Happiness In eo per quem Reges regnant in God and by God by whom Kings onely reign It were easie for us to adduce numbers of Councels to prove this truth The Councel of Toledo Tolet. 6. c. 14. Nefas est in dubium ejus deducere potestatem cui omnium gubernatio supremo constat delegata judicio It is an impious thing and unlawful to call in question his Power to whom to rule over all is by Divine Judgment and Decree collated Amongst the Councels of Paris you have one which after that it hath produced many Testimonies of Scripture and namely some of those we cited above to prove the immediate constitution of Kings by Almighty God concludeth thus Constat ergo quia non actu non voto neque brachio fortitudinis humanae sed virtute imò occulto judicio dispositionis divinae regnum confertur terrenum This expression is worthy to be set in Letters of Gold the Fathers there met together will not have the coming at Kingdoms to be from any act humane any desire or endeavour humane any Power humane but from the Power of God and the wise the secret disposing of God in his over-ruling Providence If it could add any thing to what is said we might have a cloud of Witnesses of Humane and Heathen Writers who have been more consonant to sound Divinity in this Tenet than Puritan or Jesuit or our new Sectaries They never imagined Majesty to be of so low a Birth as to be begotten of any thing below see Ovid. Fast. lib. 5. Homer calls all Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iupiter is little enough in his conceit to be their Nurse-father Plautus termeth all Kings Humanos Ioves Plutarch not unlike Saint Paul in this calleth the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Minister of God not the Servant of the People Elsewhere he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living Image of God upon Earth the image of his Power his Wisdom his Sovereignty Dio lib. 33. of a King speaketh thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dio knew no subordination to any or many he did think a King was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that over himself and all and controulable by no Law that he was not to be called to an account by men Because I value not these Testimonies at that rate as to sway the Judgment where better Proofs are not from Holy Scripture and Church leaving them and having sufficiently by Authority Sacred and Ecclesiastical proved our Conclusion and overthrown the Principle of Jesuit and Puritan I come to see whether Reason pleadeth more for them or for us CHAP. VII That the Government of mankind is established by God and is necessary de Jure Naturae is proved by Reason against those that hold that all Government is Arbitrary of the voluntary constitution and composition of men THE Jesuit doth willingly acknowledge that Government in thesi in genere in its abstract and generical conception is de jure Divino de jure Naturae is by God's establishment and by the necessary and uncontroulable dictate of Nature howsoever it is
yet meet in a strange Land or some Territory not inhabited this case presupposed I demand Whether or not this Populus inconditus would not condescend presently and necessarily to some Sovereign Power to govern and protect them who can deny it Again if all these were descended from one or sprung up from one root and their common Father were with them would Nature Equity and Humanity necessitate them to submit to him and that from him it should be hereditarily transmitted to his first-born and so forward who doubteth of this Well I change the case take them not onely as inconditus populus a disordered People which is conceivable where a Head is but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without one common Ruler that is when they are a farrago Naetionum and diversarum familiarum a confused mixture of more Nations more Families when they have not one common Father If they condescend that one shall have Sovereign Power over all and so by consent shall be surrogated in the place of the common Father and that this Sovereignty shall be transmitted to his eldest Son and so forth From whence is this Power Necessity forceth them to a Government without it they can have neither Society nor Safety nor Peace nor Happiness but all their part is onely to design or declare the man which is onely potestas designativa potestas deputativa but the Power is onely from Almighty God the potestas collativa the Authority the Sovereignty is of God from God God's The reason is evident the Substitute must have it by the same hand by the same means he had it in whose place he was substituted By what is said he cometh in the place of a common Father and the Father's right is immediately from God and of God I am ashamed to resume again that the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eminent Powers that be are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ordinances the authoritative Establishments of God no less than the Authority of a Father above his Son or of a Wife above her Husband is of God and from God immediately and do not refer to the Wife or Children as their immediate Donor and Author God hath spoken once twice have I heard it that Power belongeth to the Lord Psal. 62. 11. If you love to hear St. Chrysostom speak read his words in a proper place upon Rom. 13. where he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sum and sense of all is this Because paritie in Honour and Power always worketh War and Contention God to prevent this Mischief hath ordained many kinds of Powers and as many kinds of Subjections as the man to have Power over his Wife a Father to have Power over the Son a King to rule and Subjects to obey And this is not only apparent amongst men but also in the very body of every man where some members are superiour to other in Worth and Power to command the Inferiour This established Order hath place amongst irrational Creatures as Bees and Cranes do follow one Flocks and Herds do the same In the Sea this is to be seen where many Fishes do follow one as King war with him against others and go following him to places far distant from home Anarchy the want of Order and Government is altogether and always evil the Mother and Cause of all Confusion and Mischief The Result of all is Government is necessary as for the Subsistence of all Creatures so especially for the good and comfortable Society of men This is not left arbitrary to men but is by the inviolable Ordinance of God established Now if it fall forth so that a multitude disordered dispersed by any unavoidable Necessity be without Government nature over-ruled by Gods inviolable Ordinance forceth them to submit and subject to some to govern them and to have Sovereignty over them whether they resolve upon one upon some few or many The Designation of the person or persons is from this disordered rout but it is God who investeth them with the Sovereign Power We clear it thus as Posito generationis fundamento when a Father begetteth a Child consequitur ex ordinatione divina institutione vel naturali vel morali subjectio filii ad patrem it is necessary by the inevitable Ordinance of Almighty God that the Son begotten be subject to the Father So it is by moral divine Institution that when any People have deputed and designed the Person or Persons of the Government or Governours the Collation and Donation of this Power and Sovereignty is from God effectivè effectually and from the Community but consecutivè because consequitur ad electionem populi ex divina ordinatione collatione it followeth and is inseparably conjoyned by God and his Appointment Take the like A woman marriageable in her own Power maketh choice of a man to be her Husband her Choice and Consent giveth not to him marital Power but this Right and Prerogative of the Husband is from Almighty God for who dare say that in the woman is primarily and radically marital Power Consider yet a little more the King elected to be a Sovereign to such a headless a disordered Multitude as we presuppose is surrogated in the place of a common Father to the whole Community over which he is to bear rule The Scripture expresseth him so Exod. 20. Command 5. Honora patrem Honour thy Father The Heathen conceived it so See Aristotel Ethic. lib. 8. c. 10. and Polit. lib. 1. c. 2. Homer Odys 1. from which two Consequents unavoidable are deduced 1. First as the natural Father suppose that Adam were living had he not just Title to the Monarchy of the World receiveth not any paternal Right Power or Authority from his Posterity or those are come of his Loyns but hath this from God and the ordinance of Nature which is jus divinum as we have said no more can the Father surrogated in the place and power of the natural Father he said to receive his Right his Power his Sovereignty from the Community 2. The second Consequent and Consequence is that according to the maxim of the Law Surrogatus gaudet privilegiis ejus cui surrogatur and Qu◠succedit in locum succedit in jus the Person surrogated hath all the Power the Priviledge the Person had Right to in whose place he is surrogated When a man hath no Son by Nature or Issue of his own a Son adopted is entituled to all the Right Power Revenue was transmissible to a Son begotten of his own Body A base born Son legitimated is invested with all the Right Title Honour Inheritance was due to a lawful begotten Son The reason is evident is pregnant both the one and the other the adopted Son and the base Son legitimated are surrogated into the place of the lawful and natural begotten Son Why then I pray you shall not should not the surrogated Father by Election enjoy the Priviledges and
Rights of the Father natural Methinks more for the warrant of the two latter cannot be raised to any higher Constitution than humane Appointment but the other of the surrogated Father floweth and followeth the inviolable and unrepealable Ordinance of Almighty God For my part a King designed in such case ought should enjoy his paternal Right no less than Melchisedeck or Abraham I am the more powerfully inclined to this Opinion that I see in holy Writ that it pleased God in his Wisdom and Justice to transfer the Right of the first born to the younger the surrogated was not one whit lessened in his Prerogative and Power but had fully entirely what was due to the first born in whose place he was surrogated Consider this in Iudah when Reubens Right of Primogeniture was forfeited and he with his Posterity invested with it and surrogated in his place See read and consider the Royal Prerogatives by the Spirit of Prophecy bestowed upon Iudah Gen. 49. of which by Gods Grace more largely Quaest. 4. The like may be seen in David whom God preferred to Eliab his elder Brother It is a ruled case in Law Modus acquirendi non tollit jus possidendi the way by which we come to have jus quaesitum as Jurists term it the Right to any thing provided it be lawful otherwise that Maxim is of undoubted Truth Quod ab initio non valuit progressis temporis convalescere non potest long Possession cannot secure an injust Title it is not my purpose now to enter upon Vsucapio or Ius proscriptionis is not prejudiced by the way by which we obtain it Iacob had no less Right to the Birth-right having it by a just Title than Esau. The Jurists give the reason of this Quomodocunque res est acquisita possessio est de jure gentium if a man come at any thing by a legal Title by the Law of Nations that is by the Law of common Equity the Possession or Apprehension is entire and valid Now apply all this when a People disordered are without Government and destitute of a Governour to whom by a Title and Right of Nature it is due condescend to design or chuse one for their Ruler why shall he not should he not enjoy inherit the Right of the deficient Proprietor and seeing the Right Proprietor had this Right by God by Nature how can it be but howsoever the Designation of the Person is from the disordered Community yet the Collation of the Power is from God immediately and from his sacred and inviolable Ordinance And what can be said against modus acquirendi the way by which such a one elected obtaineth this right for seeing God doth not now send Samuels or Elishas to anoint or declare Kings we are in his ordinary Providence to conceive the Designation or Election of the Person is the manifestation of God's Will voluntas signi as the School speaketh just so as when the Church designeth one to sacred Orders In few words take all with you God who made all things is the Author of Order by which all things are preserved without Order there can be no Being but all must either turn to Annihilation or to a confused Chaos God in Scripture is no less the God of Order than the Creator of all things In Heaven amongst the Angels we see it established Amongst all Creatures betwixt the cope of Heaven and the center of the Earth it is a sweet subordination a sweet harmony is seen the Inferiour giving a tacite reverence a due obedience to its Superiour the Superiour having an over-ruling Power with a benign influence upon all Inferiours to it Can we then dream to ourselves that God did leave man without this mean of subsistence that it was Arbitrary to him to appoint and specifie either no Government at all or what kind or spece of Government he pleased Plato in his Republick can tell such a man that he that can think he may subsist without a Governour must either be God or something worse than nothing Hath God provided so for all Creatures in Heaven and Earth that he hath established a Government amongst all and that conform to every one's nature and hath he left man in some respects the most excellent and perfect of all Creatures the Abridgment of the whole World the Microcosme without this established order Do we not see that before the Woman came into the World or a Child was born God fixed Government in the person of Adam Did he not secure it that it should be transmitted to the first born that Government amongst mortal men should be immortal and seeing Sin with much more Misery and Mischief hath brought into the World that men should sometimes be driven from their natural and proper Father King and Sovereign that for their Subsistence in Happiness and plenty and Protection from Evil and Mischief they are forced to chuse one or more and to surrogate him or them in his place to whom by God and Nature it was due to bear rule over them that he or they coming in the place and power of the natural Father or King have his or their Sovereignty not by a voluntary Consent but by a necessary act and that the Power is not by Derivation from the Community but by immediate Donation from Almighty God CHAP. VIII That Sovereignty is not by Derivation from the Community is proved by more Reasons IF there were no more to disprove this popular Tenet That Sovereignty in a King is by Derivation from the Community this is more than enough that it is built upon a false Ground for it presupposeth and taketh as granted that in the Community whether collective of all Individuals or virtual and representative by some in place of all there is inherent a Potestas activa rectiva a ruling active Power which is most false If we will trust Philosophy Natura nalli dat virtutem sine actu cujus est potentia ejus est actus Aristot. de sornn vigil Potentia sine actu otiosa est inutilis And the Light of Nature teacheth that Deus natura nihil faciunt frustra God and Nature hath not bestowed upon any thing in the Universe a Power which is idle and to no purpose as certainly that Power must be which is never actuated But now this Power of actual ruling was never acted by the Community it was never seen nor exercised by them The collective or diâ—â—usive body comprehends with 〈◊〉 its Verge all and every individual Now how is it imaginable that in all the People in gross in commune this Potestus activa regâ—minis or Potestas activi regiâ—ninis this power of actuating Government is seaâ—ed as in its prime principal and most proper Seat and Subject Government intrinsecally essentially includes in it a specifick Distinction of regentes and recti some to be Governours and some to be governed If all and every one hath this Power above-mentioned where then are those that
that Power and in no case no exigent had any Power over or above the Prince If what is said be not sufficient let us remember the Story of Valentinian the Emperour when by the Army he was declared Emperour they earnestly begged 〈◊〉 him to joyn Valens his Brother with him in the Empire His answer was ut me ad imperandum eligereti◠in vestra situm erat potestate O milites at postquam me elegistis quod petitis in meo est arbitrio non vestro Vobis tanquam subditis competit parere mihi quae agend◠sunt cogitare O Souldiers before you did make choic◠of me to be Emperour it was in your Power but the Choice being made that which you now desire is in my Power not in yours It is your part and Duty as Subjects to obey it is in my Power to determine upon what is fit for the Government If all we have said cannot work upon our new Statists to forsake their Errour we pray them to consider whether or not this ground laid will not authorize the Corporations and Shires upon male-administration of the Trust committed to their Commissioners in the House of Commons or upon Jealousies and Fears to resume and make void that Trust committed to them and warrant them in case of Defailance to do better for themselves and Country Sure I am Buchanan one of their greatest Authors holds that if a Parliament determine in a matter of Law it can establish nothing but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a preparatory precognition and that the Influence of a legislative Power is not till it be approved and admitted by the Community The Observator fearing this Tenet of Buchana may make void the Orders of the House leaving here his Master and averreth That the Right of the Gentry and Commonalty is entirely in the Knights and Burgesses of the House of Commons and will have their Orders irrevocable A wonder it is that they are so favourable in their own case and so unjust and unequal in the Kings case for if it were granted which is most false that all Power in the King were by Trust devolved upon him from the People what is the Reason of the Difference that he shall not have that Right as entirely as irrevocable as the Commissioners of Counties and Corporations Reason pleadeth more for this in the King than them for otherwise neither Sovereignty nor the person of the Sovereign can be secured nor any act of Government certain but mutable at the pleasure of an erring and inconstant Multitude If any will seriously consider they will find that what they take from the King they give to their Feoffees of Trust to Tables to Parliaments These in case of Necessity have an arbitrary Power the Prince in no case can have it exercise it Those have the entire right of the Community devolved upon them and the people are totally divested of their native Right the King hath his only in a fiduciary way some part is habitually reserved that in some Cases the People may resume it may practise it So in their Church it is not lawful to a Clergy-man to meddle in secular Businesses Their Clergy if they be worthy of name may do meddle in all Treaties of Peace Councils of War in Commissions for reversing fundamental Laws of Church and State in other Kingdoms This their practise is Protestatio contra factum it giveth a Lye to their Profession I think verily in after ages it shall scarce be believed that amongst Christians and such as would be accounted the best of Christians such Paradoxes could be maintained and such monstrous Practises acted with such sacrilegious robbing of Prince and Priest of their sacred Right It is high time for Prince and Priest to strengthen one another and neither of them to think that by making the other à publici odii victima a Sacrifice to malignant Malice to preserve himself It is high time for the People to consider how by such Doctrine and Practises they are plunged in such a bottomless Gulf of Miseries of Calamities that none but dextera excelsi the right hand of the Lord can rescue can deliver them How an arbitrary tyrannical civil Power is put upon them and established in the wrong hand that they dare not pretend to Liberty of Person or propriety of Goods How such a Tyrannical Antichristian Hierarchy of some few Patriarchs Lords over their Consciences make them run into Rebellion and kill both Body and Soul If these things these most fearful of all Judgments cannot awake us it is like we are given over to destruction more for the Terrour and Example of others than that we can expect to see the Glory and Mercy of God return again upon this Church and State Lord of his mercy make us turn to him timely by Repentance that he may turn to us in mercy make his Face shine upon us that we may be saved To return to our purpose In fine Let us still give it to them that Sovereignty is in a King by Derivation from the People and the Conveyance is by Contract or Covenant But then I demand how can this Contract be made void It must be made void either by mutual consent or by a legal Sentence and Iudgment That a Contract may be made void mutuo contrahentium assensu by a mutual accord and consent of the Parties Contracters in Law it holds the ground is Quibus modis contrahitur contractus iisdem dissolvitur and the main thing and binding force in a Contract is the consent of both The refiling of one Party Contractor is not sufficient to void the Contract Necessarily then it is required that both King and People consent to make the Contract void whether a King may do this or not you shall hear more in the following questions The People alone cannot do it This contract as yet is not made void by Royal consent if it be you must make it appear authenticis Tabulis upon evident and written Records I confess e're I put you to these pains I desire you first to produce Tabulas contractûs this Contract which in Law must be evident and faithful and when you do it in any of his Majesties Kingdoms you shall have me to plead for your pretended Right Well then I hope you will not say you have his Majesties Royal Assent although good and wise men regrate that by real deeds out of zeal to Peace and more than fatherly indulgence he hath indulged to your Favours which lessen his Prerogative and which without intrusion upon his Sacred Right you cannot enjoy if Scripture be either the Law or Umpire to determine in this case Seeing I say His Majesties consent to void this Contract cannot be alledged or made appear and the Law determines that De non apparentibus non existentibus eadem ratio or Quod non apparet in jure non est you must have a legal Sentence A Legal Sentence cannot be had without a
grounded upon a good cause for proof see Bellarmin de translat Imper. and Suarez in his Book which we have often cited in this little Treatise It is easie to bring a great many more Arguments to destroy this erroneous Tenet pernicious to mankind it self onely because we are weary of it give me leave in the Close to shew you that it is morbus complicatus a Disease a Distemper made up of the confluence of many together and that it hath involved within or adherent to and coherent with it a great many Absurdities contrary to Truth in Sacred Scripture revealed to sound Reason and Policy I shall onely point at them and leave the enlarging of them to the judicious Reader 1. First it is absurd to say and maintain in true Philosophy that the Community is primum subjectum the first Seat and Subject in which Sovereignty is immediately fixed How can it be said so seeing in them it was never found never actuated never exercised Vana est potentia quae nunquam reducitur in actum 2. Next this Principle presupposeth the most excellent of Creatures Men to be like Cadmus off-spring de terrâ nati sprung out of the Earth Iuvenes aquilone creati or which is worse in origine like to the most imperfect of living Creatures Animalia de putredine orta Creatures coming from Corruption it self which Paradoxes how well they sute with the Excellency of humane Condition and which is more with the Goodness and Wisdom of God in the Creation of all and lastly how consonant to sacred Truth in Scripture revealed if these be well considered then I am hopeful our new Statists will forsake their Errour 3. Thirdly this Tenet of our Sectaries presupposeth that all men coming into the World are Iure or privilegio naturae by the Right and Priviledge of Nature originally born equal independent one from another without desparity or Difference one from another This is contradictory to the word of God that teacheth God did fix Government in Adam before the Woman was made or Children begotten by him Is not every one that cometh into the World begotten of a Father Is he not thus by the Law of God and Nature to submit and subject himself in Reverence and Obedience to his Father Is he not then so far from having original Power inherent in himself that he hath not his own Original being in the Capacity of Nature but from his Father How then can he be freed from Subjection to his Father And if his Father be subject to another is he not by the same Law subject to his Father's Superiour Who can make this Subordination void except he will ranverse the Ordinance of God and Nature Where then is the Truth of this deceiving Maxim which worketh so much mischief Quisque nascitur liber every man is born a free-man in the Forrest Are they not subordinate subject to their pre-existent Father and to his Superiour too if he have any Is not the Female Sex by the Ordinance of God and Nature inferiour and subordinate to the male Doth not Nature teach that the Wife by the Law of Nature is subject to the Husband If you will believe Aristotle in his Politicks he telleth you that a man of weak Understanding is subject to him who is more intelligent and prudent and if I forget not that he is naturâ servus 4. Fourthly this ground presupposeth Anarchy to be de facto pre-existent really and actually before Order and Government Christians must believe that as God created all things in numero pondere mensurâ in a compleat Perfection of all things every Creature having its own intrinsecal Weight and Worth not only in it's own due Proportion and measure but in a measure orderly disposed for it's Accord and Being with the Universe and must believe accordingly that he hath disposed of all things in that Order which establisheth an unrepealable Government by which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Universe and every spece and individual in the Universe is preserved and continued in it's happy natural Being Who then can be so stupid to think that God Almighty sends man in the World destitute of this Order and Government which is necessary for the happy Being of the Abridgment of the World for whom it was made in a secondary respect If the whole world without this Order could not but return to a confused Chaos and Mass and from thence to an Annihilation what other can be the Condition of Mankind without order established to preserve it See Chrysostom's Testimony upon Rom. 13. cited above If they will speak philosophically they must confess Habitus est naturâ prior privatione the Habit in nature is presupposed to be existent before the Privation How come we then from our new-state-Philosophers to hear that Anarchy was in Nature was in the world before Government 6. Fifthly by the same Ground by Consequence it will as necessarily follow that Ius paternum jus maritale the lawful Authority of a Father over his Children and a Husband over his Wife are derived from the Children and Wife and that Children and Wife in some cases may resume their Power derived from them and their native Liberty If any aver so he is Flagris dignus to be cudgelled not to be answered 6. Sixthly this Tenet if it be not blasphemous it is certainly sacrilegious for to say that Power is radically originally fundamentally inherent in the Community or as the observator saith that in the people is an underived Majesty robbeth God and Christ of his Glory Scripture declareth them to be the immediate Authors of all Sovereignty Glory and Majesty as we proved above Doth not Scripture express the immense Sovereignty of God and Christ over the World and Church by the Compellation of King If you will have Kings then to be the Derivatives of the People take heed you make not God and Christ the Derivatives of Derivatives which any pious mind will be loth to think 7. Seventhly when the King 's Right is made to be such that the same Sovereign Power is habitually retained in the People and the Power in some cases is resumable How can you make the King's Title complete Law is against it when the Donor is dans retinens as Jurists speak giving a right yet retaining it he maketh not over a full and entire Right nor can the Donee lay just claim to it It is a maxim without Exception among them Nulla obligatio consistere potest quae à voluntate promittentis statum accipit the Donor is not tyed to make his Bond and Gift good if at pleasure he may resume it as we spoke before 8. Lastly leaving many Absurdities more untouched in the last place we place it which in our Judgment moveth us most to abhor it that you which believe this Tenet must either give us new Bibles or find out new Commentaries to the Bible for what you say is right down opposite and contradictory to
the Community conceived without Government all as equal endowed with Natures and native Liberty of that Community can have not power over the Life of another and so your Maxim may be turned home again upon your self for if the People be not tales such by Nature as have such Power they cannot constituere tales make such that is Kings endowed with such Power But sure it is as it is said they have not power of Life and Death to take away their own Life or anothers Ergo it must be from God the living God the God of Life Seeing you make so good Use of your Logick give me leave to practise Logick upon a more sure Maxim which is this omnis effectus est in efficiente vel eminenter vel formaliter whatever is in the Effect that must be in the Efficient either formally or in a more eminent and superlative way But there is something in a King which is not in People either eminently or formally Ergo the People are not the Efficient and constituent of a King The minor and the assumption is clear The King hath the Power to take away the Life of man which is not in the People whether you take them severally and singly for no man hath Power or may kill himself or whether you take them joyntly for if none hath power over his own Life much less over his Neighbour's and your grounds besides presuppose that all men are equal amongst themselves That the Sovereign hath this Power who is so mad as to deny it Gen. 9. Rom. 14. He bears not the Sword in vain Lastly this Maxim quod efficit tale est magis tale constituens constituto potior holdeth well with our tenet Thus he that maketh Kings and endoweth them with Power is much more a King himself and hath much more Power But God and Christ make Kings Ergo. The Assumption is clear for God is King of Kings and Lord of Lords to him all Power belongeth here then utrique inest and for the other recipit magis minus it is certain for the Power of all Kings upon Earth that ever was are or shall be have no more measure and proportion to his Power than a drop of Water to the Ocean his Power is like the light of the Sun their Powers but a borrowed Light like to that in the Moon and Stars The King's Power related to God is not univocal it is onely equivocal or analogical and that to be doubted of too for Philosophy telleth us finiti ad infinitum nulla datur proportio It is more than apparent then that this Maxim is onely abused by the Deceivers of this Time to make themselves and the People both of them miserable And the Maxim will conclude that the Sheba's and Shimei's these Authors and Incendiaries of Rebellion are more miserable and shall receive if not in this Life yet in that is to come without extraordinary repentance a greater condemnation for they kill both Body and Soul They make the simpler sort of People miserable by setting them on upon rebellion against God and his Anointed to the destruction of State Soul and Body temporally and eternally to the reproach and disgrace of Christian Catholick Reformed Religion and infallibly by necessity of consequents and necessity of consequence they make themselves most miserable for quod efficit tale ipsum est magis tale CHAP. XIV Other grounds of the Iesuit and Sectary are removed and disproved as that that neither Scripture nor Nature determines the specification of Government nor do they intimate why this man more than the other or he than a third or these more than those should have the Power of Government And that great one is taken out of the way whereby the variety and difference is found in several Monarchies It is more than apparent say they that Monarchy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the voluntary composition and constitution of man OUR Sectaries have borrowed as we told you before their great Ordinance of battery against Sovereignty from the Jesuits Magazine any who is read in them knoweth well enough how they triumph in those Arguments crying out till they be hoarse again 1. First Neither Scripture nor Nature teacheth that Monarchy Aristocracie and Democracie or any other imaginable spece and kind of Government is the necessary Government of Humane kind and society but that the specification and determination is Arbitrary and of the constitution of man To this same purpose is that other Neither the Law of God nor Nature demonstrate why this man more than the other he than a third why these more than those should have the Sovereign Power 2. Another great piece of Battery is that that there is such a multiplicity of variety and differences of Kings and Royal Power in the Kings of the World look say they upon Spain France Britain c. that this must necessarily argue Kings are of Peoples making and their Power is in that portion and proportion as it pleaseth the People to entrust them 3. The third is All Humane Societies are perfect Republicks and as they have in them originally a Power to appoint their Government and Governours so they have a Power to preserve themselves and in case of mis-government they may resume their Natural Native and Original Power rectifie by themselves what is amiss otherwise it must be that God and Nature have left them remediless The first two we will handle in this Chapter the last in the ensuing To answer the Jesuit first in gross to all however he be wary enough in all his courses yet in pressing these Arguments against Monarchy to prove that Monarchy is by Humane Institution and Constitution and not by immediate collation from God he is not so prudent for mutatis mutandis with a little change losing nothing of their force these Arguments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retorted and turned home upon the Jesuit will bring home the Conclusion that the Pope is not of Divine Institution hath not infallible and universal Jurisdiction but is somewhere and by some censurable in case of mis-government First I pray you is it demonstrable by the letter of Scripture or by necessary and evident Consequences and Consequents deducible that the Pope of Rome ought and should be Universal Monarch of the Christian Militant Church Christ's Vicar in the External Government in the Church the true Successour to the ordinary Power and Place of Saint Peter and secured from all Errour in Points of Faith Worship and Manners That ever Saint Peter himself had so much neither Scripture nor Antiquity speak for it nay they speak the contrary And if it were granted to Saint Peter where have we warrant in Scripture or sound Antiquity that the Pope of Rome and none else is the true and lawful Successour of St. Peter We will allow them that if by Antiquity they can make it appear that it is so we will yield what they demand But as they frame the Argument
God and do not from this fear preserve the Right of God and his Church protect and promote the Ordinances of God and advance the Worship and its Solermity Nor will bad Counsellors excuse them in the Day of their Accounts nor will the Counsellors escape just Judgment and it is like God will make the same People a Rod to scourge them whom they have followed and given way to with the loss of a good conscience and offence against God As Princes the Sons of the most High and Vicegerents of Christ upon Earth are bound to Piety in their personal carriage above other and to procure and protect it in their publick Government so they are bound in their private and publick Conversation and Government to be excellently righteous The Derivative naturally resembleth its Primitive God from whom they are by immediate Derivation hath no pleasure in wickedness neither doth evil dwell with him Psal. 5. 4. Kings hold their Scepters from Christ The Scepter of Christ's Kingdom is a right Scepter He loveth righteousness and hateth wickedness Psal. 45. 6 7. They are by generation from the Father Psal. 89. They issue from the thigh of Christ Rev. 17. 14. 19. 14. They degenerate then if they be not righteous If Kings live and govern piously and justly their Thrones shall be established their Crowns secured and their Posterity be blessed Prov. 25. 5. By righteousness the Throne is established The good of this will redound to the whole Kingdom Prov. 29. 4. The King by Iudgment establisheth the Land but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it Foelix Respublica in qua qui imperat timet Deum See God's charge to Kings Ier. 22. 1 2 3. Execute ye judgment and righteousness and deliver the oppressed c. vers 4. For if ye do this thing indeed then shall there enter in by the gates of this House Kings sitting upon the Throne of David riding in chariots and on horses he and his servants and his people vers 5. But if you will not hear these words c. vers 7. I will prepare destroyers against thee c. David the King knew this Psal. 33. 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an host How then vers 18. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy He practised it Psal. 61. 4. I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever I will trust in the covert of thy wings The meaning is his constant purpose and practice should be holy and just and to advance Piety and Righteousness from this issueth that confidence he subjoyneth vers 6. Thou wilt prolong the King's life and his years as many Generations vers 7. He shall abide before God for ever O prepare Mercy and Truth which may preserve him See Psal. 72. wholly Prov. 20. 8. 29. 4 14. 16. 12 13. This Truth believed by Kings that they are immediately sent from God and Vicegerents upon Earth is a ground of great Confidence in God in their greatest Troubles which usually are great and frequent for as the tallest Cedars they are exposed to the Violence of greatest Tempests their only way is to run to God for Protection and Deliverance They may lay claim to it more than any God is the Principal they only Lieutenants and subordinate more favour is allowed to them greater Protection promised to them Psal. 89. 26. He that is the King shall cry unto me Thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my Salvation Also I will make him my first born David Psal. 44. 4. approacheth to God in this Confidence Thou art my King O God command Deliverance for Jacob. A Subject claimeth Protection from the King as his Due so may the King from his Lord and Master Solomon upon this ground that God had set him upon the Throne of David begged Government and Judgment to go out and in before his People 1 King 3. The Lord did not refuse it but in his Bounty supererogated what was fit for his more Magnificence God hath a secret and unknown way in directing and guiding Princes and no less admirable a way in guarding their Persons and delivering them out of all their Troubles Prov. 21. 1. The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of Waters He turneth it whithersoever he will Psal. 18. vers ult Great Deliverances giveth he to his King and sheweth Mercy to his Anointed c. The Heathen have acknowledged in Kings some Heroici impetus some strange and extraordinary Inspirations and Directions seconded with as admirable Successes and Protection that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them something extraordinary above that God in his ordinary Providence by Direction or Protection vouchsafeth upon others I refer you to read and meditate what you have written 2 Kings 19. 25 27. and Isai. 42. 1 27. and you will doubt no more of this Truth This day is this Truth fulfilled in our Ears we have before our Eyes such a wonderful over-ruling Direction and Protection of our Sovereign in this Rebellion that we must acknowledge it is the Lords work and marvellous in our Eyes Psal. 118. This Truth is a strong Motive to perswade Subjects to all Duty First to honour reverence and obey the King next to God and above all others The Fear of God and the King are immediately conjoyned and enjoyned together in Scripture Prov. 24. 21 22 23. My Son fear God and the King c. 1 Pet. 11. 17. Fear God honour the King See Tertullian to this purpose in the places we cited before and Gregory Nazianzen Orat. 20. which is a funeral Oration for Basil the great The Moral Law hath mixt to the duty we owe to God in the first Table placed in the first place Honora patrem Honour the King What Divinity then can it be which this miserable unhappy Age hath invented and vented that the Fear of God and the King are inconsistent and the best Badge of a Christian is to oppose the just and lawful Demands and Commands of Kings This is none of Christs his Apostles nor ancient Christians and Martyrs Doctrine What Christian heart can be so hard as not to mourn for this and cry out with that holy Martyr Polycarp Good Lord for what times hast thou reserved me Again this Truth that Kings are Gods Vicegerents sent by immediate Commission from him tyed us to maintain our Kings in Honour Wealth and Power proportioned to so high a Calling This the word Honora patrem honour thy Father naturally in the Diction and Dialect of the Scripture imports 1 Tim. 5. 17 21. Almighty God although his Immensity be attended with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an able sufficiency and all Felicity yet hath he sequestrated and set a-part some persons peculiarly for his sacred Service some place for his publick Worship and some Quota of our Revenues and Industry that all men may acknowledge
His Sovereignty and their own Dependency from and Subordination and Subjection to him so it is the good will and pleasure of God that all Subjects should in Testimony of their Subjection to Sovereignty and in true Acknowledgment of their Supremacy contribute some of their Means for the Maintenance and honour of the King this is the Apostles Doctrine Rom. 13. 6. For for this Cause pay you Tribute also for they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing What can be more fully said They are immediately from God They are Gods Ministers for this Cause then we are bound to pay Tribute And let the for in the Frontispiece of the verse make you reflect your eyes upon that which goeth before and you will find it is not an arbitrary Right they have to this which is given upon them by a voluntary Compact or Grant or extorted by Fear the Apostle sheweth this we do not only for Wrath that is for fear of Punishment for in their Power it is to punish those who will not do this Duty but for Conscience sake This our Lord and Master both taught and practised paying Tribute to Caesar and commanding to render to Caesar the things that were Caesar's due to him as Caesar not by grant or compact from the People And Reason it self evinceth that this Maintenance should be proportioned to that high Degree and Measure as may preserve his Glory and Majesty that it be not lessened or contemned and as may sufficiently enable him to act and effect the happy works and Fruits of Royal Government to preserve all in Peace and Plenty See to this purpose Iustin Martyr Apolog. 2. and St. Chrysostom upon Rom. 13. passim This Doctrine that Kings are immediately from God and independent from all other Creatures whatsoever teacheth also that it is high Rebellion against God to oppose or resist the King This Consequence the Apostle thus deduceth Rom. 13. vers 1. The Powers that be are ordained of God vers 2. Ergo Whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation Pardon me to cite Chrysostom upon the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that obeyeth not the King fighteth against God what do they then that come in Arms against him who by his Law hath established Obedience and not Resistance and the Apostle every where always and upon all Occasions endeavoureth this mainly that our Obedience to Kings is not arbitrary conditional or by compact but necessary and imposed upon us by God Holy Scripture is so careful we oppose not sacred Authority that it hath forbidden it in all it's kinds all it's degrees 1. We are not to think a bad Thought of them in our Hearts Eccles. 10. 20. 2. The Tongue is not to speak Evil of them Exod. 22. 28. Iud. 8. Consequently neither Pen nor Press are to write or print to their Disgrace and Disadvantage 3. We are not with Iudas to lift up our heel 4. David's Heart smote him when he smote Saul's Garment 5. The hand cannot stretch out it self against the Lords Anointed and the Actor be innocent 6. It is to fight against God for he that rebelleth against the King rebelleth against God He that blasphemeth the King blasphemeth God 1. Kings 21. The Prodigal in his Return acknowledgeth he sinned no less against Heaven than his Father God hath taken them in Societatem nominis in societatem numinis Psal. 82. 6. 7. The greatness of the Sin may appear that the greatest of Judgments fall upon Traytors and Rebels Scripture is plentiful in Examples of this kind and all Story witnesseth for it Remember the Story of Rudolph Duke of Suevia who sware Allegiance to Henry the fourth by Pope Hildebrand was loosed from his Oath but miserably died he and before his Death the right hand with which he sware was cut off and say he could to the Bishops This is the hand was lifted up when I sware Allegiance to my Emperour justly cut off for my Perjury and Rebellion for which you are to answer who put me upon this mischievous Course and Rebellion See Aventine and others infinite Examples may be alledged If they escape the Judgment of men by their scarce warrantable Meekness and Clemency God hath Executioners in store and ready for them He will revenge for his own Interest If the King will not do Justice against a Traytor God will make his own Friend do it and if that fail his own Breast or both of them This was Absalom's case 2 Sam. 18. 14. Thy Confederates will do it This was Sheba's case 2 Sam. 20. 22. Before an Executioner be wanting thy own hand shall do it This was Achitophel's case who hanged himself 2 Sam. 17. 23. And Zimri's case too 1 Kings 16. 18. If no man will do it Earth and Hell will do it This was the case of Korah Dathan Abiram and their Complices Numb 16. 23. This is the first Rebellion in Scripture recorded against Prince and Priest And take with you Optatus Bishop of Milevis's note upon it no Sin in Scripture recorded hath a Judgment parallel to this If all Creatures should fail to be Executioners God will do it by his immediate hand from Heaven Psalm 144. 8. To shut up this God allowed no Sanctuary for Treason and Traytors as is manifest in the case of Ioab pulled from the Altar and Justice done upon him Lastly seeing the King is sacred in his Person in his Power in his Royal Christian Prerogative it is high Sacriledge and Intrusion upon God and the King to rob him of any part of his Sacred Right The ancient Church did judge so Hosius writing to Constantius an Arrian Emperour saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Holy Father and the whole Church in his time did account it a Theft and an Opposition to God and his Ordinance by Fraud or Force to cheat or extort from a King any thing due to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Empire his Sovereignty It was not dreamed of then that an Excellency could be set up against a Majesty or a Coordinate power erected with Sovereignty In the happy time of the Christian Church this was the greatest Robbery the highest Sacriledge the most violent Intrusion upon God and his Anointed The best and readiest way for all Happiness to a Kingdom is when the King considereth that his Greatness and Glory consisteth in the Happiness of his Subjects and proportioneth all his Actions and Government to their Peace and Plenty and the People on the â—ther part when they level their Intentions Actions Enâ—eavours and Obedience to preserve his Sacred Person His Sacred Right and Royal Prerogative Let none â—ivide those things God hath conjoyned When People are thus affected it will move Kings for the good of their People with Saul to be ready to sacrifice Ionathan or with Codrus to dye himself for the Safety of his People or with David in great Judgments from God