thy thoughts Exod. 22.28 Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people 1 Chro. 28.4.29.1 And David the King said unto all the congregation Solomon my son whom alone God hath chosen is yet young and tender 1. Obs That God alone chuses Kings 2. Obs That God may chuse Kings when they are young and tender 3. Obs That it is not in the power and will of man to chuse Kings Prov. 8.15 By me Kings reigne 4. Obs That the congregation ought to take notice how the Lord alone chuses Kings 2 Chro. 30.12 King Hezekiah and his Princes tooke counsell together to keep the passeover And the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the King and the Princes by the word of the Lord. 1. Obs That Kings and Princes are to councell together 2. That Kings and Princes ought to councell together for the establishing of Gods worship the Church Government 3. That it is God that unites the hearts of the people to do the Kings Commandement 4. Obs That the King and his Princes ought not to establish any worship but according to the word of the Lord. Ezra 6.10 King Darius made a decree and gave to the priests to offer sacrifices of sweet savour unto the God of heaven and pray for the life of the King and his sons 1. Obs That all sacrifices are to be offered up unto the Lord. 2. Obs That in all our spirituall sacrifices we ought to offer up our prayers to the God of heaven for the life of the King and his sons Ezra 7.26 Artaxerxes King of Kings said unto Ezra the priest And whosoever will not do the law of thy God and the law of thy King let judgement be executed upon him speedily whether it be unto death or to banishment or to confiscation of goods or to imprisonment 1. Obs That we all ought to be obedient to the laws of God 2. Obs That all we ought to be obedient to the laws of the King 3. Obs That punishment ought to be inflicted upon the transgressors of the laws both of God and the King whether death banishment confiscation imprisonment according to the Kings mercy Ezra 7.27 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers which hath put such a thing as this in the Kings heart to beautifie the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem 1. Obs That the priests and the scribes of the law of the God of heaven ought to blesse the Lord for the house of the Lord. 2. Obs That the Lord ought to have his house at Jerusalem the Metropolis 3. Obs That the Lords house ought to be sought unto and to be beautified Micah 4.2 4. Obs That they ought to be punished that goe about to deface the house of the Lord. 5. Obs That its the Kings duty to see that the house of the Lord be beautified Neh. 2.3 Nehemiah who was the Kings cupbearer said unto the King Let the King live for ever 1. Obs That Godly rulers ought to pray for their King 2. Obs That Godly rulers ought to pray for the long life of their King 3. Obs That Godly rulers ought not to think slightly of their King but pray Neh. 2.6 And the King said unto me the Queen sitting by him for how long shall thy journy be 1. Obs That there hath been Kings and Queens to rule and govern the nations 2. Obs That no man ought to seperate those that God hath joyned together Esther 7.5 King Ahashuerus said unto Queen Esther who is he and where is he that durst presume in his heart to do so 1. Obs That Kings ought to maintain their Queens and make enquiry after those that oppose them 2. Obs That all those that oppose Queens ought to have the wrath of the King stirred up against them 3. Obs That all those that provoke the King sin against their own souls Prov. 20.2 Job 34.18 Is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly 1. Obs That no man ought to speak evil of the King 2. Obs That all men ought to strive to maintain the Kings honour and the Princes innocency Psal 18.50 Great deliverance giveth he to his King and sheweth mercy to his Anointed to David and his seed for evermore 1. Obs That we ought to pray for deliverance for our King 2. Obs That we ought not to imprison our King 3. Obs That Kings are the Lords Anointed 4. Obs That we ought to pray for the King by his name David Charls 5. Obs That we ought to pray for the Kings seed for evermore Psal 72.1 Give the King thy judgements O God and thy righteousnesse unto the Kings son 1. Obs That we ought to pray to God for the King 2. Obs That we ought to pray to God that judgement and wisdome and understanding may be given to the King for government 3. Obs That we ought to pray that the Kings seed may be endued with righteousnesse 4. Obs That we must all strive to maintain the King in judgement and his seed in righteousnesse Psal 84.9 Behold O God our sheild and looke upon the face of thine Anointed 1. Obs That its the duty of Kings to rely upon God and make him their shield 2. Obs That its the duty of Kings to pray to God for themselves 3. Obs That Kings in their prayers may set out their prerogatives before God Anointed Psal 89.18 For the Lord is our defence the holy one of Israel is our king I have exalted one chosen out of the people I have found David my servant with my holy oyle have I Anointed him 1. Obs That Kings ought to rely upon the Lord for defence 2. Obs That Kings must not put confidence in man for defence but in the Lord. 3. Obs That Kings are the holy ones of God 4. Obs That Kings are exalted and set up by God 5. Obs That Kings are chosen out of the people by God 6. Obs That Kings are the Lords servants 7. Obs That the oyle wherewith Kings are Anointed is an holy oyle Prov. 8.15 By me kings reigne and princes decree justice 1. Obs That the reigne of Kings is by the power of God and their authority is from the Lord. 2. Obs That no man hath power to subdue the King in his reigne 3. Obs That Princes ought to decree nothing but that which is just 4. Obs That Kings and Princes ought to make no law nor decree but that which is according to justice according to the word of God Prov. 16.10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king his mouth transgresseth not in judgement 1. Obs That the sentences of Kings ought to be highly esteemed as the oracles of God 2. Obs That in the judgement of a King is no transgression 3. Obs That we are to yeeld to the Kings judgement and not stand upon our own judgement Prov. 16.15 In the light of the kings countenance is life and his favour is as a cloud
and commandments of God ought to be the rule and the way wherein every man ought to walke 5. Obs That no command of man bindes the Conscience to be observed that is contrary to the statutes and commandments of God Hosea 10.3 For now they shall say we have no King because we feared not the Lord what then should a King do to us 1. Obs That where a people or a Nation begin to cast off the fear of the Lord that people or Nation desires no King 2. Obs That if England fear the Lord then England desires a King 3. Obs That people feare not the Lord that doe not highly esteeme of and honour their King Hosea 13.10 O Israel I will be thy King thou saidst give me a King and Princes I gave thee a King in mine anger and tooke him away in my wrath 1. Obs That God takes the title and name of a King to himselfe 2. Obs That the people of God hath God to be their King 3. Obs That Kings are given and taken away by God 4. Obs That no man hath power to place or displace the King but God himselfe Mat. 17.12 Jesus asked Peter what thinkest thou Simon of whom doe the Kings of the earth take custome of strangers or of their own children yet lest we should offend goe to the sea cast an hooke take a fish open his mouth take a piece of money and pay for thee and me 1. Obs That Christ allows of Kings to be on the earth 2. Obs That Christ will pay custome to Caesar rather then offend Caesar 3. Obs That Christ will work a miracle to pay custome to the Kings of the earth rather then offend 4 Obs That by Christs Example all men must submit to the customes and priviledges of Kings 5 Obs That free children ought rather to submit to the customes of their Kings then offend Mat. 22.20 Mar. 12.17 Luke 20.25 Whose is this Image and Superscription Cesars Render to Cesar the things that be Cesars and to God the things that be Gods 1 Obs That the Authority of Kings may be enquired after 2 Obs That when the Kings Authority is made known it presently must be obeyed 3 Obs That its the command of God to give Kings their due 4 Obs That no man ought to hinder the King of his customes and his dues but render them to him Rom. 13.1.2.7 Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation 1 Obs That every man ought to submit himselfe to that Authority that is set over him by God 2 Obs That where God sets not Authority that soul ought not to be subject 3 Obs That where Authority commands things contrary to God that Authority ought not to be obeyed by active obedience 4 Obs That no man ought to resist that Authority that is ordained of God 5 Obs That the Authority of Kings is ordained of God and no man ought to resist them 6 Obs That damnation is the reward of disloyalty to the Kings Authority 1 Tim. 2.1.2 I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Obs That all manner of prayers ought to be made for Kings and all in Authority 2 Obs That no quiet and peaceable living can be in any Kingdome where Kings and Magistrates are not prayed for 3 Obs That it is a good and acceptable sacrifice to God our Saviour to offer up prayers and thankes for Kings and all in Authority Titus 3.1 Put them in minde to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates to be ready to every good worke 1 Obs That people must be put in mind of their duty they are apt to forget it 2 Obs That its the ministers duty to preach subjection to supreame Authority 3 Obs That its the peoples duty willingly to yeild obedience to all Authority 4 Obs That by our good works we shew forth our obedience to supreame Authority and power of the Magistrate 1 Pet. 2.13 17. Submit your selves therefore to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreame or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the will of God honour all men love the Brotherhood fear God Honour the King 1 Obs That the ordinances of man that are made agreeable to the word of the Lord ought to be obeyed 2 Obs That the King is the supreame Governour and his Authority is supreame Authority and his commands are supreamly to be obeyed 3. Obs That governours are sent by the King and have their authority from the King 4. Obs That the authority of governours is to punish evil doers and to praise them that do well 5. Obs That its Gods will that the King is supreame governour and he commands his commands are supreamly to be obeyed 6. Obs That no government ought to be set up neither in Church nor state that is not according to the word and will of God 7. Obs That all men ought to be honoured in that place of authority whereunto God hath called them 8. Obs That the Saints of God upon earth ought to be loved 9. Obs That high and low rich and poor ought to fear God 10. Obs That all men high and low rich and poor noble and ignoble young and old it is their duty to honour the King God save the King God save King Charls Thus gentle Reader have we run through these places and texts of Scripture which hath sufficiently to satifie every mans soule proved unto us painly the worke we have taken in hand to set forth The Kings AUTHORITY And lest any should with the Atheist deny there is a God or a King we will gather up these fragments again that nothing be lost And now view and behold the The Kings AUTHORITY and the Subjects DUTY And so here we may plainly see and observe That the Lord alone hath chosen Kings not man And he hath chosen them to Rule over and to Govern his own people Israel And Kings are the Lords immediate servants his holy ones The Lords Anointed for that purpose to Govern his people their Thrones are upholden by the Lord their AUTHORITY is from the Lord and their AUTHORITY is supreame AUTHORITY over ALL. And yet they owe duty to God as first 1 To see that the house of the Lord be beautified 2 To maintain their Queens against all that shall oppose them 3 To pray to God for themselves and to make God
Deut. 9.25 Shall we fall downe on our knees and pray unto the Lord and say Oh Lord God destroy not this Kingdome this people thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed through thy greatnesse and brought out of Egypts darknesse with a mighty hand and an out-stretched arme Remember thy servants Abraham Isaac and Jacob and look not upon the stubbornnesse of this people nor to their sin Shall we follow the example of Joshuah a Ruler full of the spirit of wisdome Ioshua 7.10 Unto whom the Lord said Get thee up wherefore lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them for they have even taken of the accursed thing and they have also stolne and dissembled also and they have put it even among their own stuffe A goodly Babylonish garment two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight A goodly thing to destroy the soule England be warned by this for what will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his owne soule Shall we follow the example of David a man after Gods own heart who exhorts us Psal 95.6 O come let us worship and bow downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker lest he be grieved with us forty yeeres as he was with that generation and sware unto us in his wrath we should not enter into his rest Shall we follow the example of Solomon who 1 Kings 8.22 stood before the Altar of the Lord and kneeled upon his knees and spread forth his hands towards heaven and said If Israel sinned if England and they would turne againe and confesse their sin and make supplication then he would heare in heaven and forgive their sin and heale the Land Shall we follow the example of Daniel Dan. 9.3 who set his face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes and prayed unto the Lord and made confession saying We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have rebelled and departed from thy precepts and from thy judgements And have not harkned to thy servants the Prophets which spake in thy name to our Kings our Princes and our fathers and to all the people of the land Hearken now and be no more rebellious Shall we now take the example of all examples and follow Jesus Christ who in Mat. 26.39 fell on his face and prayed Mar. 1.35 Who departed into a solitary place and there prayed Luke 22.41 Who withdrew himself from them about a stones cast and kneeled down and prayed Joh. 17.1 Who lift up his eyes to heaven and said Heb. 5.7 Who in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared And withall take a caveat here with you not to follow the example of the hypocrites who Mat. 6.5 love to pray standing in the Synagoges and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men And Mat. 23.14 Who devour widdowes houses and for a pretence make long prayers but these shall receive greater damnation Having thus finished our course and now brethren being thus compassed about with such a cloud of examples of witnesses that shall all in the last day rise up in judgement against us for heaven and earth shall passe away but not one tittle of the word of God shall faile Let us follow Jesus preaching and saying Repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand Mat. 4.17 And Luk. 13.3 Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish And Luke 21.36 Watch ye therefore and pray alwayes that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to passe and to stand before the Son of man And let us follow S. Peters rule 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the divel as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour And with the author to the Heb. 12.1 let us now look about us Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us We have a good example Looking up unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God from whence he shall come in the glory of his father with all his holy Angels and he shall reward every man according to his works according to that he hath done in his body whether it be good or bad no shifting from him in that day For before him all nations shall be gathered together and he shall separate them one from another as a sheepheard divideth the sheep from the goates Mat. 25.32 And he shall set the sheepe on his right hand but the goates on the left Then shall the king say unto them on the right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For ye are they that have obeyed my word my servant Moses my holy Prophets and Apostles and have obeyed the Kings AUTHORITY delivered by them But unto the goates on the left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels for ye are they that are disobedient and rebellious against the word of the Lord against the holy Prophets and holy Apostles and against the example and commands of Jesus Christ himself who commands obedience to Caesar Submission to the Kings Supreame AUTHORITY Now these things have I written unto you according to the power which the Lord hath given me for edification 2 Cor. 13.10 In hopes the better learned will amend it And brethren be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind fear God honour the King Live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen The End