Saul insomuch though he were his irreconcilable Adversary he would not even stretch forth his hand against him he had not the new way to expound Scriptures unto his own distorting passions though that course was pressed upon him with the advantage of a Crown he checks the wrested and carnall application The Lord forbid that I should do this thing yea when the Son of a stranger an Amalekite who might perhaps plead ignorance of the sacred relations by Unction although Saul had already received his deaths wound beside that it might be counted a kind of rescue to save him from being taken Prisoner and come alive into the enemies hands and that he might seem also to have merited by preserving the Regalia the Crown and royal Habiliaments from the Enemy and presenting them unto the lawful Successor David yet he is so awed with the sacred regards conveyed unto King Saul by Unction that he punisheth him with death for shortning Sauls life as for the breach of a known and natural right How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand against the Lords Anointed David honoured Saul for his holy Unction living and revenged him being dead A King in his Kingdom is solo Deo minor inferior unto God onely sayes Tertullian and then surely above his people Deo subditus subject to God onely sayes St. Ambrose unto Valentinian Princeps legibus solutus est that the King is free from the power of the Law is a Maxime as old as Christianity that is from the penalties of it Laws have onely a directive no coercive power over him though not as a moral man yet in his politick consideration he is above the Law Divino sunt judicio reservandi Reges Kings stand or fall unto their own master God satis est ad poenam quod Deum habeant ultâ—rem it is sufficient that God will punish their Crimes he is the onely Judge not the people unto whom our Appeal lies against the injuries of their proceedings in such cases our proper address is unto Gods Tribunal if arbitrary Government Oppression Murther Sacriledge Demonaick possession Witchcraft of all which sins King Saul was notoriously guilty could give sufficient warranty unto his punishment by his Subjects and were the people competenâ— Judges the peoples hate of Saul and Davids merit from them and suffrings from Saul might probably lead him to propound the people an High Court of Justice but informed by a better spirit than that which actuates these times he puts up his Charge against Saul even when his life was in his power unto God unto whom the judgment of Kings belongs in these words The Lord judge between thee and me and the Lord avenge me of thee but mine hand shall not be upon thee yea afterwards upon Sauls continuance of his mortal hatred and bloudy persecution of David and his Followers and that Abishai preached unto David the modern doctrine the divine and infallible equity of outward Successes that God had delivered King Saul into his hands and offered himself a ready Executioner of the fact David countermands â—is active and interessed malice cloaked with usual pretensions of Religion and Liberty Destroy him not for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless but he refers for remedy unto the proper Court of Justice against Kings the Lord shall smiâ—e him or this day shall come to dye or he shall descend in Battel and perish the Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lords Anointed Saul had not Innocency and yet he had Sanctity not of Life but of the Unction which even in wicked men is holy saith Saint Augustine The first and best Christians continued their practice towards their most reâ—â—actory and imperious Emperors when Valentinian the Younger dispossessed the Orthodox of their Churches in Millain and gave them unto the Arians Saint Ambrose the Bishop onely offered up his supplications unto God to alter the Emperors purposes Adversus Arma Lacrymae meae Arma sunt against Armes teares are my defensive weapons aliter nec debeo nec possum repugnare no other way ought I or can I resist saith he the carriage of the Citizens of Millaine was the same exhibiting their Petition unto the Emperour they all crie out Rogamus non pugnamus We humbly intreat you oh Emperour we fight not against you The testimony of Plynius secundus given unto Trajan that the Primitive Christians practiced nothing against the received Laws and were ready rather to suffer then oppose procured them not onely a respite from their bloody persecution but also the free exercise of their Religion Teares and Prayers unto God and humble supplications unto Princes the ancient Christians held the onely powerfull means to divert their miscarriages they never denyed them any duty of Subjection Saint Austustine witnesseth that this was the behaviour of the Christian Souldiers even under Julian the Apostata an Idolater When Maximus entred Italy with a great Army under pretence of restoring the Orthodox ejected by Valentinian who patronized the Arrians he was held by the Orthodox but for a Tyrant and was so far from receiving assistance from them that they overthrew him and established Valentinian And as Unction is the divine seal of supreme power Indempnity Inviolability unto Kings so doth it likewise suggest unto them the duty of the Regall Administration towards their Subjects That as Oyle is of a spreading diffusive quality So in the Prince is required Impartiality and Justice equally distributive unto all As Oyle likewise hath in it a lenitive and healing vertue So should the Supreme Magistrate be an Healer and binder up of the wounds and sores of his Subjects Oyle hath in it also an especiall vertue to comfort and strengthen the parts unto which it is applyed So is a King the Minister of good unto his Subjects for good he is to cherish vertue to esteem honest and commendable Action in which sense are Kings stiled by our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benefactors Luke 22.25 Adde hereunto that Oyle is of a nourishing and cheering quality and taken as sustenance is of easie fine distribution causing a good and wholsome nutriment therefore it is reckoned among the principall blessings of a land so is the Grace and Countenance of a King of a nourishing and improving operation The Kings favour is like the dew upon the grasse Prov. 19.12 in which respect God promiseth unto the Christian Church that Kings should be nursing Fathers and Queens the nursing Mothers thereof Isa. 49.23 Thus we see the many sacred Impressions of Divine Jurisdiction imposed by God himself on Kings through holy Unction whereby his Dominion over Mankind is delegated unto Kings the Lords Anointed God by this Symbole and outward signe agreeable and connaturall unto man consigning the ordinary exercise of his Government over Mankind unto them so that the holy Oyle
thus employed is no longer bare and common Oyle but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gifâ— of Grace which however vilified by Enthusiastiques and Solifidians betokens the Grace 〈◊〉 Christ unto Kings and prescribe necessary submission and duty unto their Subjects We are not whatever phantastique men may presume â—o spirituall in this life but that we stand in need of outward representations to carry on our faith and hope unto things spirituall the greatest favours unto lapsed mankind are the Sacraments where the visible and corporeall Elements are the meanes to convey by faith spirituall graces and the whole benefit of Christs sufferings unto us the sublimated and metaphysicall Professours of our times endeavour too irreverent a close with Almighty God they will have no King but Christ no Unction but that of the Spirit which is not that sober peaceable Spirit that leadeth into all truth but the Spirit of giddinesse Elihu's spirit the spirit of their belly which leadeth into all errour Carnal interests constraining them to shake off Gods Government in Princes to effect which the most compendious way is to throw all Ceremony which is unto Religion as the Scaberd unto the Sword to preserve it from the rust of contempt as Saint Augustinâ— speaks The sacred regards of Unction of King of Priest of Prophet of Churches of Tythes stand betwixt them and their sacrilegious ends they must be removed no railes or bounds must be set unto them they will up into the Mount and run the hazard if not of temporall flames yet certainly without hearty repentance of the Everlasting burnings These men who will be solely swayed by the guidance of their own spirit which being as various as the severall tempers of the Continents it inhabits will make Religion full of uncertainties meerly imaginary and wholly depending upon the doubtfull Insufficiencies of mens weak Conceptions so that hereby the essentiall truths of Religion must needs daily decay the substance thereof be reduced into the smoake of every mans unbounded Fancy and the Christian faith will die by degrees But Unction puts Gods Dominion into the Kings hands that must not be resisted for it is the resisting of God himselfe It is the very language of the Holy Ghost unto the â—en revolted Tribes that they resisted thâ— Kingdome of God in the hands of the Sonnes of David and Josephus assignes this the Cause of the subversion of them no memory of them being left The sedition saith he that they moved against Rehoboam establishing hiâ— Servant for their King was the originall of their mischiefs Ammon was a most wicked and idolatrous Prince yet God punished the Treason of his Servants against him because he was Gods Anointed Many sacred regards are by Unction conveyed from God unto Princes great cause then had the Prophet and people of Judah to lament the death of their good King Josiah The Anointed of the Lord That he was fallen into their pits 3. Of whom we said Vnder the shadow of his wings we shall live among the Heathen King Josiah his regall prerogatives and personall vertues were a protection unto his people he was the fountaine of their liberty and safety The happinesse of Subjects depends upon the wel-being of their Kings and the preservation of the Regall dignity is a sure pledge of Gods goodnesse the continuance of his favour unto a people for this cause is it that when the Apostle had exhorted that prayers should be made for all men 1 Tim. 2.1 as though this precept were too universall he reduceth it v. 2. unto Kings and adds the reason that ye may lead a quiet and peaceable life and for the same cause did the Prophet command the Israelites to pray for the King of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar This consideration also made Davids Subjects apprice his life at so high a rate is not now thy life worth ten thousand of ours The King is the Head of the people there is a sacred and neare relation betwixt them a disease or paine in the Head causeth a discrasie in the whole body an indisposition throughout all the members So the calamity and sufferings of the King affecteth every conscientious man in his Kingdome this honest zeale and pious sympathy between thâ— Heâ—d 〈…〉 the King and the people made our Prophet and the men of Judah so passionately bewaile the losse of their good King Josiah they promised unto themselves a lasting security in this life Of whom we said Under the shadow of his wings we shall live among the Heathen Gods grant of Regall prerogatives unto Josiah afforded not onely protection as the Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings our Saviours allusion to defend them from the Birds of prey but a strength also and vigorous warmth to make them grow up unto an ability to guard themselves and dwell with safety among the Heathen the known Enemies of their Nation and profession when then this Royall Oake was cut down and they deprived of the thriving benefits of its shelter their sorrows must needs plentifully spring up from the sense of so great and irrepaâ—â—able a losse and the fear of those stormes which now threatned to overturne their felicity But the depth of this sorrow was not to be fathomed when they found the bottomlesse Abysse of their own sinnes the head thereof that notwithstanding the great priviledges of Josiah's Regall dignity and pieâ—y that the fiercenesse of Gods greater wrath was so kindled against Judah that the Lord said I will remove Judah out of my sight as I have removed Israel and therefore that his fury without obstruction or let might be powred out upon them God suffers the breath of their Nostrils the Anointed of the Lord of whoâ— they said Under the shadow of his wings they should live among the Heathen Good King Josiah the life of their Religion Law he who was empowred by God with the Supreme Authority had a divine grant of humane Indemnity and Inviolability their righteous Justicer their Physitian their nursing Father their Protectour and the great Conservator of their Liberty and Safety To fall into their pits to die by the hands of his Adversaries being the second consideration in the Text. 2. The breath of our Nostrils c. was taken in their pits Here is the nulling of Gods letters patents and the grant of Regall prerogatives and beneficiall priviledges made unto King Josiah by a violent death God for the punishment of the people of Judah's sinnes takes away their pious Prince by the power of his Enemies The force of the relation betwixt the head and the members the King and the People is the true reason why God punisheth the best of Kings with temporall judgments for the offences of his Subjects as here in Josiah The anger of the Lord was moved against Israel and he moved David to number the people 2 Sam. 24.1 The divine Justice vindicated that sin of the King upon the people for whose
taking away a good King from a People is an evidence of his heavy displeasure and a certain Prognostique of the many miseries he will bring upon them That a violent death proves a temporall blessing unto a King when it takes from him the sight and sense of his Subjects sufferings That a violent death may justly be reputed a departing in peace compared with a continuance of the sence of troubles and durable calamity That all men are strictly and deeply engaged unto the most solemn sorrow for the calamity of their King as caused by their sins and ushering in their approaching miseries Let us see whether our Kingdomes may not truly calculate their griefs by the Ephimerides of Judah's sorrow we have had a British Josiah whose Graces and Prerogatives fully answered the proportion and size of their pattern Could Judah's sinnes snatch away their pious King JOSIAH from them and do not we conceive that our sins have hurried our Religious King CHARLES from us Was King Josiah's death the In-let of Judah's miseries and do not we suppose that King Charles his life may be the period of our temporall happiness and his death the first act of that tragicall Woe which is to be presented upon the Theatre of this Kingdome likely to continue longer than the now-living Spectators We have had as great an Ebbe of Felicity in the loss of our King Charles as Judah had in her Josiah's should not the Tyde then of our sorrows run as high as theirs Surely the parallel considerations of the Vertues and Prerogatives of both these pious Kings of the causes of their Calamities and the sad consequences attending them will command an equality of ours with Judah's sorrow we will a little invert the method Begin with King Charls his divine and regal Prerogatives next shew his personall Vertues and Graces then his Sufferings point at their Causes and conclude with our own constrained Sorrows England in her best and loudest language the Law hath largely declared the sacred soveraignty of her Kings spoke them Gods Vicars assigned unto them the fulness of Regall power laid forth their jurisdiction by as large bounds as the Scripture doth King Josiah's or any other Kings of Israel or Judah Are not these legall registred and publick acknowledgments That every man is under the King and he under God onely That he is not inferiour unto his Subjects even collectively considered That he is a mixt person and capable of Spirituall Jurisdiction through holy Unction That he is the fountain of Honour hath the sole power to pardon and punish Offenders to leavy War to make Peace to constitute Officers That he can do no wrong Do not these expressions amount unto The breath of our Nostrils the Anointed of the Lord c. And these are the Regall peculiars of the Kings of England inseparably annexed unto their Crown and Dignity which he that runneth may read being written in those large and known characters of the Law Certainly these significant delineations of the sacred and regall power of the Kings of England were copied out of the holy Scriptures which those that now wrest them and make that fair Face of the Holy Ghost a vizard alterable unto the disguise of their personated piety and hypocritical practice seeing will not see Doubtless the Crown of England was held from the Lord paramount of Dominion God by as free noble and regall a tenure as any under Heaven And from him by a lineall and unquestionable right of succession had King Charles the investure thereof and grant of all these royall acknowledged Prerogatives untill without any divine or humane warrant He was violently disseized of them and taken in their pits These were his sacred and regall Prerogatives Let us now look into that spacious field of His personall Vertues a fragrant tract having the sweet smell of A field which the Lord hath blessed and since time wil not permit the perusal of every pleasant walk of grace and the delightful Ambits of his vertues let us as Moses from Mount Nâ—bo take a general and distant survey of this blessed circuit flowing with milk and honey King Charles his Celestial gifts and graces A Jove principium His religious piety renders iâ— self glorious in his great love fear and honour of God His zeal and devout frequency in prayer receiving the Sacraments and reading the holy Scriptures his reverence in Gods House his attention unto Godâ— word preached the esteem he had of Gods Messengers his hatred of Heresie and the zealous care he had as it was consistent with charity to propagate the true worship of God the Protestant Religion this in the purity thereof he established by his Laws enlarged with his Regall Authority cleansed from that Rust it had contracted through the Atheism and ignorance of the Times by the contemptibleness of the outward worship adorned with Decency and Order in the publique service and with cost upon the places dedicate unto that service but chiefly he beautified it with the glorious example of his holy life and encouragement of the Officers thereof whom he rewarded with the rewards of Honour and Maintenance His Royall Palace as Theodosius Juniors was a constant Receipt for learned and pious Prelats whom he entertained and cherished as the Servants of the great God and Dispensers of the mysteries and means of Grace which as it was an especiall and infallible mark of the sincerity of his humble piety so through the supercilious irreligion of the times did that which should have most endeared him unto Christians draw neglect and contempt upon him from them and those Great ones too who love nothing of Christianity but the naked name he knew that Church-maintenance was the best Nurse of Religion and therefore no weight of difficulties could so press upon him to alien Gods portion the Patrimony of the Church to preserve which from the sacrilegious invasion of the first movers of these Troubles who thought the best way to shake off Government was to destroy Religion and the most effectuall and quick course to destroy Religion to take away Church-maintenance He tendred the sale of so much Crown-land as would amount unto the value of the Church-land That great and strict care he took to keep the Throne and Kingdom of God in his Soul His Conscience inviolable shews that although he made his abode among Men yet his Conversation was in Heaven The continuall acknowledged remorse he was seized with for consenting against the dictate of his Conscience unto the Earl of Strafford's death speaks him another David and A Man after Gods own heart such were the tender impressions that Act ever left in him as David when he cut off the skirt of Sauls garment his heart smote him and indeed his Majesty found that fate which the Rabbins assigne unto David's fact that he found no heat in his cloaths afterwards So His Majesty found not that comforting warmth in the advices of others which he