the first and of Scotland the 37. in the Synod begun at London No person shall hereafter be received into the Ministry nor either by institution or collation admitted to any Ecclesiastical living or by the Arch-Bishop or Bishop of the Diocess except he shall first subscribe to these three Articles in such sort and manner as we have here appointed Article I. That the Kings Majestie under God is the only supream Governour of this Realm and of all other his Highness Dominions and Countries as well in all spiritual or ecclesiastical things or causes as temporal and that noforrain Prince Person Prelat or Potentate have or ought to have any jurisdiction power superiority preheminence or authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within his Majesties said Realmes Dominions and Countries Article II. That the book of Common-prayer and of ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth nothing in it contrary to the word of God and that it may lawfully be used and that he himself will use the form in the said book prescribed in publick prayer and administration of the Sacraments and none other Article III. That he alloweth the book of Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Arch-Bishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the convocation held at London in the year of our Lord God one thousand five hundred sixty and two and that he acknowledgeth all and every the Articles therein contained being in number nine an thirty besides the Ratification to be agreable to the word of God The form of words to avoid all ambiguities followeth viz. Setting down his Christian and Surname I N. N. do willingly and ex Animo subscribe to these three Articles above mentioned and to all things contained in them An Oath against Symony at institution into Benifices I N. N. do swear that I have made no symonical payment Can. 40. contract or promise directly or indirectly by my self or any other to my knowledge or with my consent to any person or persons whatsoever for concerning and obtaining this ecclefiastical dignity place preferment office or living respectively and particularly naming the same whereunto he is to be admitted instituted collated installed or confirmed nor will at any time hereafter perform or satisfie any such kind of payment contract or promise made by any other without my knowledg or consent So help me God through Iesus Christ And as the Clergy are obliged to subscribe ex Animo to the three Articles contained in the 37 canon so are they when they receive holy orders and are made Deacons or Priests at their ordination or when they receive institution to any Ecclesiastical Living or Promotion and Installation to any Dignity in the Church obliged to canonical obedience to their respective Diocesans and the Bishops likewise are at their consecrations obliged to promise Canonical obedience to their Metropolitans and the respective Arch-Bishops of either Provinces and Sees of Canterbury and York and the Arch-Bishops likewise promise and vow the dutyes of Faith and true Allegiance to the King when at their homage kneeling before the King they take an Oath of Fealty and Obedience to the King and his lawful heirs and successors These are most holy and sacred d d Iuramentum est confirmatio verbi dequo juratur Orig. bonds more fit for all the Sonnes of Aaron and the Tribe of Levy and These do breed keep and cherish Peace unity in the Church e e Quid est jurare per Deum nifi testis est Deus D. August de verbis Apostoli sermn 28. oblige the inferiour orders to their superiours in fine unite all ecclesiastick subjects in true Allegiance to their King And though the Anabaptists and some squemish Phanaticks cunningly instructed or factiously engaged are shy of such sacred oaths and obligations yet it is warranted from the holy Scripture Thus Abimelech and Phicol required an Oath from Abraham Gen. 21.23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsly with me nor with my Son nor with my Sonns Son Thus Moses directeth Israel f f Deut. 6.13.10.12.13.4 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and swear by his name Thus g g Ezra 10.5 Ezra arose and made the cheif Priests the Levites and all Israel to swear that they should do according to this word and they sware And if yet any deluded or factious Curiosity be not satisfied but will object evangelical strict Commands against lawful Oathes because Christ hath preached h h Matt. 5.34 1 Iam. 5.12 Swear not at all and St. Iames advised k k Hanc elimenta jurandi pessimam consuetudinem habere Iudaeinoscuntur D. Hiero. in 5. Mat. above all things my brethren swear not Yet these sacred Cautions and Commands were not to take away the lawful and holy but the unlawful and profane use and custome of Oathes Thus St. Hierom commenteth Our Saviour doth not utterly forbid an Oath sed per coelum terram jurare St. Augustine seems more full and plain saying that Counsel was given to prevent an idle and sinful habit of swearing which from a profane facility might quickly run into custome and so fall into perjury or that no persons should be affected with customary Oathes or swearing k k Dico vobis non jurare omnino ne scil jurando ad facilitatem jurandi Porventatur en facultate jurandi ad conseitudinem à consuetudine in Perjurium decidatur D. August de mendacio cap. 15. or greedily with delight and delectation to seek and hunt after Oathes which on good grounds may be lawful and for a good end and purpose to discern truth and to end all Controversies And thus St. Paul on several occasions hath presented himself an Apostolical exemplar to Gods Church And to all that hath been said it may be further added That it is a Theological determination of the Church of England l l Articles of Religion 39. Article to which every true sonne hath or ought to subscribe and submit That as vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Iesus Christ and Iames his Apoctle so we judge that Christian Religion doth not prohibit but that a man may swear when the Magistrate requireth in a cause of faith and charity So it be done according to the Prophets teaching in Iustice Iudgement and Truth The Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy enjoined by order of Parliament The Oath of Allegiance I A. B. Do truly and sincerely acknowledge professe testifie and declare in my conscience before God and the world that our Soveraign Lord King Charles is lawful and rightful King of this Realm and of all other his Majesties Dominions and Countries and that the Pope neither of himself nor by any authority of the Church or See of Rome or by any other means with any other hath any power or authority to depose the King or to dispose any of his Majesties
Kingdomes or Dominions or to authorise any Foreign Prince to invade or annoy him or his Countries or to discharge any of his Subjects of their Allegiance and obedience to his Majesty or to give license or leave to any of them to bear Arms raise Tumults or to offer any violence or hurt to his Majesties Royal Person State or Government or to any of his Majesties Subjects within his Majesties Dominions Also I do swear from my heart that notwithstanding any Declaration or sentence of Excommunication or Deprivation made or granted or to be made or granted by the Pope or his Successours or by any Authority derived or pretended to be derived from him or his See against the said King his Heirs or Successours or any Absolution of the said Subjects from their Obedience I will bear Faith and true Allegiance to his Majesty his Heirs and Successours and him and them will defend to the uttermost of my power against all conspiracies and attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his or their Persons their Crown and Dignity by reason or colour of any such Sentence or Declaration or otherwise and will do my best endeavour to disclose and make known unto his Majesty his Heirs and Successours all Treasons and Trayterous Conspiracies which I shall know or hear of to be against him or any of them And I do further swear That I do from my heart abhor detest and abjure as impious and heretical this Damnable Doctrine and Position That princes which be excommunicated or deprived by the Pope may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever And I do believe and in conscience am resolved that neither the Pope nor any person whatsoever hath power to absolve me of this Oath or any part thereof which I acknowledge by good and full Authority to be lawfully administred unto me and do renounce all pardons and dispensations to the contrary And all these things I doe plainly and sincerely acknowledge swear according to these expresse words by me spoken and according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And I do make this Recognition and acknowledement heartily willingly and truly upon the true faith of a Christian So help me God c. The Oath of Supremacy I A. B. Do utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that the King 's Highnesse is the onely Supream Governour of this Realm and of all other his Highnesse's Dominions and Countries as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal And that no Foreign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power Superiority Preeminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within this Realm And therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all Forraign Jurisdictions Powrs Superiorities and Authorities and do promise that from henceforth I shall bear Faith and true Allegiance to the King's Highnesse his Heirs and lawfull Successours and to my power shall assist and defend all Jurisdictions Priviledges Preeminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highness his Heirs and successours or united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm So help me God and by the contents of this book These Platforms and models of Oathes as they are of holy use to unite our fidedelity to God and Man so they are of Divine Authority and seem to be influential from Heaven from whence we have the Sacred example so the Scriptures testifie Exod 33.1 Depart hence unto the Land which I swear unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Thus divine usage is very frequent with God Deut 1.8.34.35 Psal 95.9 Luk. 1.73 Heb. 6.13 Heb. 7.21 And as God pleased to confirm his promise with an Oath So King David Gods annointed voweth and sweareth calling on God and praying Lord remember David and all his Afflictions how he swear unto the Lord and vowed to the mighty God of Jacob. Psal 132.1 2. And Solomon his royal Son gave Counsel to all his subjects and all the world I counsel thee to keep the Kings commandement and that in regard of the Oath of God Eccles 8.2 Having now set fourth the sacred ☜ Oaths and obligations of the Kings and Queens of England and of some of the cheif Officers and Ministers of State together with the Homage of the Ecclesiastical Hirarchy and temporal Nobility and of the three great Officers of Court the Lord high Steward the Master of the Horse and the Lord Chamberlain by their Oathes as privy counsellors under whose immediate command and power all servants at Court are sworn to fidelity and obedience in their respective relations and ranks of order degrees and subordinations It is plain and easie to every rational subject to discern and see the most excellent form of Government that the prudence and piety of former ages hath conveyed to the English to this present time and we cannot do less then admire and magnifie the gracious providence and riches of Gods favours to the Kingdome of England who hath with the golden chain of harmonious Government so lincked Kings and Queens to himself and all their subjects and people to their soveraign Princes that no Kingdome under the canopy of Heaven hath a better frame of Government either for Church or State or the transaction of Ecclesiastick or civil concernments and affaires in which there is such an incementing concatenation by wholesome laws and customes for justice and the happy preservation of all the peoples Rights that as the King may sit as happily and securely on his Throne as any Monarch on earth so his people may as prosperously thrive under his gracious Government and reposing themselves under their own vines and figtrees as cheerfully enjoy the inestimable blessings of their own just rights and labours Milk and Hony with the overflowing favours of Peace and Plenty How great a crime must it then be to wrest or break one of the invaluable lincks of this golden concatenation which Soveraign Princes graciously please to strengthen and consolidate if possible by their sacred Oathes to God which cannot but indear and more oblige ingenuous subjects to greater exactness of duty and fidelity considering that these pious proceeding are more acts of Grace and voluntary and Princely condescentions flowing from the fountaines of their own royal goodness being methods of high degrees of kindness and love where words or promises and those at their royal wills and pleasure are to be looked on not only as certainties and assurances but as deeds and compleat performances The civil Law expecteth as much from Noble men and Persons of Honour that there words be equally esteemed as their deeds m Promissa nobilinm pro factis habentur And Iser c. 1. Tantum fidei legalitatis presumitur in Nobilibus ut si quicquam promiserint id per equesit certum ac indubitatum ac si jam factum esset And Iser c 1.
SIR will you grant and keep and by your Oath confirm to the people of England the Laws and Customes to them granted by the Kings of England your lawful and religious predecessors and namely the Laws Customes Franchises granted to the Clergy by the glorious KING St. Edward your predecessour according to the Laws of God the true profession of the Gospel established in this Kingdome and agreeing to the prerogative of the Kings thereof and the ancient customes of this Realm The King Igrant and promise to keep them Lord Bishop Sir will you keep peace and Godly agreement entirely according to your power both to God the holy Church the Clergy and the people King I will keep it L. Bishop Sir will you to your power cause law and justice and discretion in mercy and truth to be executed in all your judgements King I will L. Bishop Sir will you grant to hold and keep the rightful Customes which the commonalty of this your Kingdome have will you defend and uphold them to the honour of God so much as in you lyeth King Igrant and promise so to do The Petition of the L. Bishops read by the L. Bishop of ROCHESTER O Lord our King we beseech you to grant and preserve unto us and the Churches committed to our charge all Canonical priviledges and due Law and Iustice and that you would protect and defend us as every good King in his Kingdome ought to be a Protector and defender of the Bishops and Churches under their Government The King answered With a willing and devout heart I promise and grant my pardon and that I will preserve and maintain to you and the Churches committed to your charge all Canonical priviledges and due law and justice and that I will be your Protector and Defendor to my power by the assistance of God as every good King in his Kingdome ought in right protect and defend the Bishops and Churches under their Government Then the King went to the Altar where laying his hand upon the Evangelists he took the Oath following The things which I have here before promised I shall perform keep so God me help and by the contents of this Book and so kissed the Book The Homage of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury for himself and all the Bishops he kneeling down and all the Bishops behind him said I William Arch-Bishop of Canterbury shall be faithful true Faith Truth shall bear unto you our Soveraign Lord and your Heirs Kings of England and I shall do and truly acknowledge the service of the Lands which I claim to hold of you as in right of the Church So God me help Then he arose and kissed the Kings left cheek as did the rest of the Bishops The Homage of the Nobility I James Duke of York become your Leigeman of life and limb and of earthly worship and Faith and Truth I shall bear unto you to live and dye against all manner of folk So God me help The Oath of a Lord Chancelour YOu shall swear that well and truly you shall serve our Soveraign Lord the King and his people in the office of Chancelour and you shall do right to all manner of people poor and rich after the laws and usages of this Realm and truly you shall counsel the King and his Counsel you shall layne and keep and you shall not know nor suffer the hurt or disheriting of the King or that the rights of the Crown be deceased by any means as far forth as you may let it and if you may not let it you shall make it cleerly and expresly to be known unto the King with your true advice and councel and that you shall do and purchase the Kings profit in all that you reasonably may As God you help and by the contents of this book The Oath of a privy Counceller YOu shall swear to be a true and faithful servant unto the Kings Majestie as one of his privy counsel you shall not know or understand any manner of thing to be attempted done or spoken against his Majesties Person Honour Crown or Dignity Royal but you shall let and withstand the same to the utmost of your power and either cause it to be revealed to his Majestie himself or to such of his privie Councel as shall advertise his Highness of the same You shall in all things to be moved treated and debated in Councel faithfully and truly declare your mind and opinion according to your heart and conscience and shall keep secret all matters committed and revealed unto you or shall be treated off secretly in Counsel and if any of the same Treaties or Counsels shall touch any of the Councellers you shall not reveale it unto him but shall keep the same until such time as by the consent of his Majesty or of the Councel publication shall be made thereof You shall to your uttermost bear Faith and Allegiance unto the Kings Majestie his Heirs and lawful successours and shall assist and defend all jurisdictions preheminences and authorities granted to his Majestie and annexed to his Crown against all forraign Princes Persons Prelates and Potentates by act of Parliament or otherwise And generally in all things you shall do as a faithful and true servant and Subject ought to do to his Majestie So help you God and by the holy contents of this book The Oath of a Secretary of State YOu shal swear to be a true faithfull Servant unto the Kings Majestie as one of the Principal Secretaries of State to his Majestie you shall not know or understand of any manner of thing to be attempted done or spoken against his Majesties person Honour Crown or Dignity-royal but you shall let and withstand the same to the uttermost of your power and either do or cause it to be revealed either to his Majestie himself or to his privie Counsel you shall keep secret all matters revealed and committed unto you or that shall be secretly treated in Counsel and if any of the said treaties or Counsels shall touch any of the Councellors you shall not reveal the same unto him but shall keep the same until such time as by the consent of his Majestie or the Connsel publication shall be made thereof you shall to your uttermost bear Faith and Allegiance to the Kings Majestie his heirs and lawful successours and shall assist and defende all jurisdictions preheminences and authorities granted to his Majestie and annexed to his Crown against all forraign Princes Persons Prelats or Potentates c. By act of Parliament or otherwise Generally in all things you shall do as a true and faithful servant and subject ought to do to his Majestie So help you God and by the holy contents of this book Subscription of such as are to be made Ministers according to the 37 canon and constitution Anno Dom. 1603. and in the reign of our Soveraign Lord Iames by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland
designs for general advantages so they bend and humble themselves to court and catch all capacities Thus Cataline caressed the lowest of the Romans as he passed in the streets And it is remarkable in Absolon how like a Serpent he insinuated creeping and cringing bending and bowing to the earth so the Prophet observes him in his cariage to the meanest Israelite 1 Sam. 15.5 And it was so that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeysance he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him But that which was the cheifest cheat 8 Hypocrisie or the holy cheat and both deluded King David and his subjects was cunning hypocrisy or in the abused canting phraise of these jugling times Liberty of conscience and a pretence to holinesse or performance of religious vows so the Prophet describes the deceiver 2 Sam. 15.7.8 And it came to passe after forty years that Absolon said unto the King I pray thee let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed unto the Lord in Hebron for thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria saying if the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Ierusalem then I will serve the Lord. And as this arch conspirator Absolon so his councellor Achitophel seemd to be very zealous and religious so the Prophet taketh notice that Achitophel being sent for by Absolon He was it his City of Giloh where he was raising rebellion when offering sacrifices 2 Sam. 15.12 There were many thousands engaged and envolved in the ☞ conspiracy and some few hundred more innocent or rather less malicious Traitors and the Prophet to their comfort recordeth both their number and their qualities 2 Sam. 15.11 And with Absolon went two hundred men out of Ierusalem that were called and they went in their simplicity and they knew not any thing 9 Traitors are false and most persidious There is yet one attendant more that is concomitant and adherent to traiterous dispositions which are for the most part very false and horridly perfidious thus Absolon had no sooner leave to go in peace to Hebron but immediately he sent his spies through all the tribes of Israel saying as soon as ye hear the sound of the Trumpet then ye shall say Absolon reigneth in Hebron 2 Sam. 15.10 These nine characters whiles they continue engraven on traiterous subjects hearts they cannot be permitted to the reputation of true royalists as Hushai the Archite that noble Israelite who was not tainted with any of these defiling qualities but positively and in the affirmative was richly endued with many heroick virtues which did highly capacitate his noble soul for the service of his God the God of Israel and for David the King the Lords annointed and for the Peace Liberty and Hapiness of the Kingdome and Country where he was an honourable Courtier a prudent Counsellour a loyal subject and faithful Patriot and the holy pen of that sacred writer who did set forth character Absolon Achitophel and their traiterous confederates doth delineate and portray in most lively colours the most incomparable and supereminent virtues of the true and perfect royalist in the great abilities and worth of Hushai the Archite who saith the Prophet was in zealous passion Characters of true royalists 1 Holy indignation for their King in a sad conditon 2 Sam. 15.32 or holy indignation to see his King in a sad condition his people in rebellion and the whole Kingdome in such a wild confusion and distraction Ecce occurrit ei Chusai Arachites scissâ veste terrâ pleno capite Behold Hushai the Archite came to meet the King with his coat rent and earth upon his head Good subjects they neither value liberty 2 Attend there Prince in greatest danger life or limb riches or fortune nor any personal concernment but when their King and his Crown is in danger and his royal Person in the field they hazard and adventure all as loyal subjects in their Princes service and they are not only to attend but to be active quick and lively in the concernment of a Crown this great worthy is a noble example of diligence and activeness in his swift endeavours to advance his princes cause their is no mention made of declaration or proclamation of the call of a drum or sound of trumpet but as soon as the royal Standaris mounted 3 True royalists ought to be quick and active for their King in danger and it is but whispered or at least but rumourd that King David was in danger and his people in rebellion Hushai speedily posteth and addresseth to the royal camp so the Prophet expresseth Chushai Arachites occurrit ran as with all haste to meet the King impatient until he came to his Princes aid and assistance This worthy Israelite was neither timorously or cowardly inclind as ignoble Poultrones nor treacherously affected as Laodicean newters nor shackled and imprisoned with the fetters of base and filthy lusts as lacivious and lu xurious epicures but as on a suddain abandoning and quitting all delights prophits and concernments as swift as lightning he flyeth to attend his Prince in his dangerous extremities as Hushai was quick and active for the preservation of his King 4 The best royalists the most religious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Apol. 2 Sam. 15.32 Ista ingeniorum scabies ut omnes disputare malint quam viveve Seneca epist 2.5 so he appeares which was his greater honour and commendation religious and rightly setled for his principles in Gods worship and service he was no black soul'd Atheist whose devotion intirely attends his interest nor factious Schismatick hypocritical separatist or brain sick Phanatick but a true Israelite indeed and so it appears by the double circumstances of the manner and time of his attendance for the manner it was in a Iewish mode and dress his cloathes rent and his head covered with earth emblems of sorrow and indignation and a religious condolement and compassion And as to the time of his address it proved either by design or providence to be at that instant When the King was come to the top of the Mount where he worshipped God behold Hushai the Archite came to meet him Even then when the King was at his prayers and earnestly said 2 Sam. 15.31 O Lord I pray thee turn the Counsel of Achitophel into foolishnesse 5 Fortitude requisie in true royaliste Then as joyning in holy devotion did Hushai most happily attend his Kings commands To these excellent capacities and fitness King David found Hushai a man of courage magnanimity neither fearing the Enemies power nor distrusting the Kings more weak and sad condition not of a low and pusillanimous spirit nor of a ranting and vaporing humour who like some squibs and crackers will thunder and roare like lyons and though the cause be never so good in an instant change their notes and like timorus Hares betake themselves to there heels This
or truth Yet in a Thrasonical humour or Pharisaical pride they cry up and justifie all their own proceedings with all the circumstances of their dictates and designes and at the same time are ready to decry and detract from others though never so square in their actions and sincere and candid in all their resolutions Seeing then that Philautia self love and adulation so easily suddenly and pleasingly surpriseth mens phansies corrupteth their judgements captivateth reason and in fine enslaveth the soul it may well become all who are truely enamored with virtue honour justice and the hopes of a good report or to mount a step higher to love the peace and tranquility of a calm and unspotted conscience in this nice point carefully to submit there senses to reason and the strength of reason to the force and power of godlinesse which is the best preservative of the soul in all trials and more refined probations And it is Piety that is the touchstone that discovereth the mettall whether it be true or false It is the scale that ballanceth every word and action and determineth them either weighty or light This as the rudder of the Ship governeth as the anchor it holdeth as the Pilot it directeth and as the keile swimming in the bottom of the angry waves it secureth and supporteth all the superstructure of the floating artificial Castle that overglideth and surmounteth the lofty billowes of the Ocean Conscience is the daughter of Piety which grounded on the principles of truth and a good cause encourageth men to be divinely affected towards God and loyally resolved towards their Prince It is probable in this great revolution and stupendious vicissitude of government the streames of the subjects affections returning passionately to their King and to monarchy that all or at least the greatest number of the people of the three Kingdomes may pleade a co-operation or a concurrency in this miraculous change And as the labourers in the vineyard to boast and proclaim that they have not only suffered and sweat but even born the brunt and bickerment of the day others may perhaps challenge to themselves the merit not only of pardon and amnesty but of thanks grace and favour because they appeared serviceable at the last hour and doubtless royal bounty will not deny them the wages of their loyalty if their return to their Prince be cordial and sincere But the case of Hushai the Archite stated rightly may like a bright Beacon set on fire and flaming on some high Mountain give an Alarum and luster to the amazement of all spectators In this president of Hushai a loyal subject may see the warrant the reasons the matter the manner and the truths of his duty being such an example in the King who imployed him in the person who was commanded and trusted and for the eminency and concernment of the service wherein he was employed that hardly and humain or holy history can parallel the like and all these circumstances conduce much to guide the Prince to his royal care whom to trust or employ and as equally concerns the the subjects and people how to dispose of themselves even in their greatest dangers of their lives and fortunes towards their King and Soveraign This hath been the condition of many gallant and loyal soules who not only in their personal valour but in all their contrivances and councels have made it their choicest interest as equally near as the saving of their soules to hold up the honour of the crown withall its just rites and prerogatives ever since the first commotions and troubles of the late war or that the late formidable rebellion had so intoxicated and bewitched the giddy humours of the People of his Majesties three kingdomes and as persons of these affections resolutions and principles were led and fixed to their Prince so a zealous duty to the Church of England their mother wrought their perswasions to a careful preservation of that truth and religion which the most learned and most judicious sober Christians hold fourth for both doctrine and discipline to be the purest profession the best form of serving God and to come nearest to the pious practise of the primitive Christians and though in the three Kingdomes it was forced like a Dove to the clefts of the Rocks to fly into upper chambers private Closets or secret corners yet the honour of God the saving of Soules the beauty of Sion was ever during the violence of the persecution so precious that the Church of England found dutiful children and couragious Sons and Daughters in her blackest Afflictions And as the Ark had the protection of a Royal Patron and nursing Father abroad for many years K. Charles the 2. so it was supported and preserved by the dutiful hands and hearts of many thousands of the three Kingdomes whose very soules did pray and long for nothing more then his Majesties joyful Restoration and that the Ark might return happily with him And now not to loose the argument a review may be more Genuinely taken and a stricter examination made in Hushai the Archites great and wise undertakings and his happy and high performances and successes both to the Church the Crown and the Kingdome of Judah and Israel for all who made bonefires caused Bells to ring and with other external circumstances made Heaven and Earth to rejoice with chearful and loud acclamations were not Israelites indeed like Nathaniel or wise and couragious and loyal Hushai it may be believed that many who had wide throats and made loud vociferations at his Majesties return had but narrow affections and t is possible that guilt or fear or danger may force a compliancy where the stream was so strangely turned and ran as a mighty Tide or torrent with such irresistable violence Therefore Hushai's wisdome and loyalty and the conduct of his affaires in so dangerous a Crysis and juncture of extremities may prove a more happy Patern for all ages and like Ariadnes clue of Silk direct all worthy subjects like Theseus more prosperously to encounter the minotaure or monster of Rebellion and having slain that bloudy and savage beast more securely to return out of the labyrinth and interrigues of such Hellish delusion in the company of true honour triumph and victory It is not to be doubted but many pretend to this noble Israelites worth and merits who if rightly reflected on know well as conscious to themselves that either they have forfeited their Faith and Allegiance ever since the original commencement of the late civil warrs or in an over activity in their Rebellious endeavours have done most horrid injuries to their King and Country or in a tepid fit of Newtrality have been luke-warm and basely complacent to both parties or else in a degree yet more ignoble and fordid having animas venales vendible and mercenary spirits have entertained the wages of iniquity and under the guise and pretence of loyal subjects and faithful Patriots have betrayed and
valour subdued Babylon and delivered the City to his own Master and Lord for which signal service Darius was wont to say familiarly that he did owe so much true honour and respect to his dear Zophyrus that he would rather have received him from Babylon without any blemish or mutilation then to have twenty Cities such as Babylon subdued to his imperial Scepter Menelaus Agamemnon and Vlisses had great service effected by the fidelity ingenuity and courage of Sinon †Virgil 2. Aeneidos who like a stout daring and subtil Greek insinuated and insnared the Trojans to their ruine and so effected a happy successe attended with much honour and renown to the Greeks in their long siege to Troy Marcus Antonius was a true faithful and loyal friend to Caesar and when he could do him no longer service in the Imperours life being slain by the conspirators he took his royal Robe stained with blood stabbed cut and mangled and making his funeral Orations to the people fill'd their eyes with tears their souls with sorrow and by degrees drew them to vindicative resolutions to revenge Caesars death Plutarch ' in vita Bruti which caused Cymber and Brutus and the chief conspirators to fly for fear of popular insurrection fury against the Traitors the light of these Pagan Heathen examples is not so dim but that it may serve to guide this present age into the paths of virtue resolutions of loyalty nay it may serve as a help to detect and discover the falshood treachery cowardise and ignoble disloyalty of many whom neither the laws of God nor of the Land have been strong enough to oblige them to the duty and Allegiance they owe and ought ever to pay to their Soveraign But these and all other morall examples of this kind come infinitely short of that transcendent worth that appeared so glorious in this noble Israelite for their grounds were at best but Honour Emulation or Interest and though founded on the basis of virtue friendship or fortitude yet their chiefest Actions and endeavours were accompnied with vain-glory and arrogancy if not tainte and stained with revenge proud ambition or sordid avarice But Hushai was led to his duty by the light of grace by the gratitude of a noble mind by the laws of God which commandeth * Psal 105. Touchnott mine Anointed because as the wiseman e Wis 6.3 Data est à Domino potestas regibus virtus ab altissimo assureth power is given to Kings from the Lord and Soveraignty from the Highest St. Paul therefore writing to the Roman Christians directs in the Apostolical Canon f Rom. 13.1 Rom. 13.4 Non tantum summo magistratui sed infimis quibusvis magistratus potestate fuugentibus debetur obedientia Theod. Beza Annota Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers And this is backt with many reasons because Kings receive their sword from God because they are his ministers because they are impowered to protect and punish and from this principle and fountain of evangelical truth it Naturally flows and follows that Kings in their persons and in their lawful heirs and successours and in all their just rights and commands are to be observed and obeyed Hence it is that Iews and Christians Greeks and Barbarians all persons of all sorts are commanded to render to every man what is due whether it be Tribute fear or honour and that duty is to be performed not only for wrath but for conscience sake non propter iram sed propter conscientiam Rom. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.2 The rule seemes positive and infallible that whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation St. Peter was as highly concern'd in this point with the Iews as St. Paul with the Gentiles and therefore they are directed and taught to submit themselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake 1 Pet. 2.13 p. 17. whether it be to King as supream or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him this command is redoubled again by the same Apostle Fear God honour the King So then the duty of loyalty and allegiance to Princes is not only grounded on legal but evangelical principles and hath not only Prophetical but Apostolical foundations to warrant and support this truth and as the primitive and best Christians both in their active and passive obedience gave testimony of this truth even to Heathen and Pagan Princes and Emperours so Christ who is the way the truth and the life preached this doctrine and commanded to give unto Caesar what was Caesars to God what was Gods This day spring from an high probably did influence and enlighten Hushai the Archites noble and loyal Soul who seasonably and succesfully encountred the greatest danger disappointed the deepest policy and dissolved and dispersed the most unnatural Treason that the age had hatched or produced wherein King David lived and it is a just obligation that lyeth strictly on the resolution and affections of all subjects to the utmost of their reason and power to imitate if not exceed the great worth and virtue of this noble Archite in their duty and devoirs towards their Soveraign who being a Christian Monarch of a lawful Royal line for the succession of many hundred years may expect and require most justly the most exact performance of loyalty and true Allegiance and that not only because prescription custom reason laws but sacred oaths which are the highest bonds and call God himself to witnesse oblige and conjure the subjects to their fidelity and duty and this was performed punctually and compleatly by Hushai to King David who being one of the sons of Iesse was the first of his family who sate on the throne and succeeded with as much conflict as honour his unhappy predecessor Saul yet this noble person though the Monarchy was but a later foundation translated from the house of Saul to the house of David yet he did neither boggle nor startle though Absalon by his flattery of reformation insnared and infatuated the popular multitudes pretending justice when he traiterously invaded the person of the King and the prerogatives of the Crown yet none of these circumstances nor that the head-piece and politician Achitophel was in the conspiracy could deter Hushai from his duty but that he would adventure his life fortune and all that was dear to him in the Kings cause and so just a necessity he resolved that his courage his wisdome and his fidelity could never be more serviceable and therefore this loyal subject is more active and diligent to preserve King Davids rights and to immortallize his own honour in this unfortunate juncture of extremities many thousands loyal subjects of his Majesties three Kingdomes had Hushaies resolutions and affections in the late barbarous and unnatural wars some royalists by virtue of their Soveraignes commission raised troops