the King 2 Kings 11. 12. and blew their Trumpets then Athaliah rent her cloathes ver 14. and cryed Treason Treason she might with more reason have cryed out away with Kingly goverment that occasions so many murders treacherie villanous conspiracies who to get into the throne and to secure their stations and maintaine their pompe and grandor must destroy poore Innocents and all that stand in their way of absolute Dominion In Chap. 12. 2. Iehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord yet ver 20. his servants arose and made a conspiracie and slew Ioash in the house of Millo which goeth down to Silla if God sometimes gives a good Iosiah an Edward the sixt or a good Queene Elizabeth the office is not sanctified by the person when princes professe love to the people It is but sowing the seeds of future troubles and miseries for when Kings are good the people are never jealous of their liberties and faire language and a few good Acts and actions bring the people into a fooles paradise the prerogative then taking ten times firmer deeper root in such Halcyon dayes and certainly the Tares Wormewood Gall Colloquintida and bitter fruits which England hath lately tasted of and reaped in such aboundance were sowne set and planted in those calmer times and the precious blood that hath been shed is no doubt the seeds time of freedome and glory to the Nation the ground worke of those precious durable priviledges that English-men shall hereafter enjoy but see Chapter 13. Iehoahaz son of Iehu was King in Israel ver 2. and he did that which was evill in the sight of the Lord and followed the sins of Ieroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel to sin he departed not there from and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and ver 3. he delivered them into the hand of Hazael King of Syria and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael all their dayes it would make the very bowels liver and intralls of a Christian to yearne and stir within him to consider how poore creatures from time to time have been punisht for the wickednesse of their Kings sayes David 2 Sam. 24. 17. Indeed I have done wickedly but these sheep what have they done Let thine hand be against me and my Fathers house against a Kingly goverment Next comes Amaziah upon the stage of Monarchy 2 Kings 14. and his comendation is for doeing Iustice upon those that killed his father and sparing the children of the murderers according to the Law of Moses that the Fathers shall not be put to death for the Children nor the Children for the Fathers but every man shall be put to death for his owne sin ver 6. but vaine man that he was to thinke to prosper knowing how greatly God was displeased with his office ver 19. the people made a conspiracie against him in Ierusalem and he fled to Lachish and they slew him there and they brought him on horses and buried him at Ierusalom as Rich. the third slaine at the battaile at Bosworth-field by Henry the seventh was throwne over a horse like a Calfe and carried to Leister there interred then ver 23. there was Ieroboam the second King of Israel he did that whch was evill in the sight of the Lord and departed not from all the sins of Ieroboam the son of Nebat that made Israel to sin ver 24. then in chap. 15. 3. 4. Azariah son of Amaziah raigned in Iudah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his Father Amaziah had done save that the high places were not removed the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places so the Lord smote him that he was a Leper to the day of his death and dwelt in a severall house apart by himselfe scarce a king of them that died like other men for hee that will take upon him to be above other mens judgements and only to account to Heaven is not worthy the society of men ver 8. Zachariah the son of Ieroboam reigned in Israel and ver 9. 10. he did that which was evill in the sight of the Lord as his Father had done hee departed not from the sin of Ieroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sinne how made them to sin is not example a morall violence that where the King is wicked the people must needs be so or is sin taken there for punishment that the people are punisht for the Kings enormities but ver 10. Shallum the son of Iabeâ—h conspired against him and smote him before the people and slew him and reigned in his steed what would the people stand by and see Shallum kill their King and then presently make him King how violently and insensately are men set upon Monarchy that though they feele all the Plagues of Egypt upon them for it yet they will have a King like the Heathens but how fared it with King Shallum ver 13. he reigned but a moneth in Samaria for Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah and came to Samariah and smote Shallum there and slew him and reigned in his steed but how does Menahem comport himselfe in his Kingship ver 16. then Menahem tooke Tipsah and all that were therein and the Coasts thereof from Tirzah because they opened not to him and all the women therein that were with child he ript them up then ver 19. 20. Pul the King of Assyria came against him and he exacted a thousand Talents of silver of the rich men of Israel fifty shekells of silver thence they tooke the President for Ship-money to tirannize and bring themselves and the people into danger and then take what they please from the people to procure forraigne forces to assist King Menahem to confirme the Kingdome in his hand but ver 22. this bloody man slept with his fathers and his son Pekahiah raigned in his steed blessed God! that such a cruell monster should dye a dry death but if Murderers and Tyrants were alwayes punisht in this world men would thinke that there were no other hell for them and yet if they were not commonly punisht here many men would believe that there was no God well Pekahiah reigned two yeares and did mischief enough to have destroyed Israel because no doubt they might have cast off Monarchy but would not doe justice upon their King therefore the Lord stirred up particular men still to doe it ver 25. Pekah the son of Remaliah a Captaine of Pekahiah conspired against him and smote him and killed him in Samaria in the Palace of the Kings house with 52. more and reigned in his roome a good riddance of the King and his Cavaliers but the more unwise they to give them no worse Epithete being Gods people to suffer Pekah to be their King for he abounded in wickednes and in his dayes ver 29. seven Cities of Israel
excepted according to the nature or disposition of severall people some requiring a straiter bridle then others for was there ever such wise Kings in the world as Moses David and Solomon whose famous Acts recorded in Scriptures are not onely propounded to us as examples of Pietie but of true Prudence and VVisedom and the Gentills even the wisest amongst them as Solon and Plato acknowledged Moses Lawes to be the best and most learned and travailed into Phaenicia Syria and Egypt to be acquainted with the people of God and their Lawes and because Plato borrowed so much from Moses therefore hee is called Mosen Atticum and Pythagoras spent two and twenty yeares with the Priests and Prophets and then went into Italy where hee instructed six hundred Schollers in the wisedome of Moses and the Egyptian writers called Moses Andra Daumaston ki deion Virum admirandum ac divinum certainly the Platonists were therefore counted the best Phylosophers because they came neerest to Moses Law and had it not been for Monarchicall Goverment all the world had long since been governed by the Lawes of God in matters of Civill Iustice that high commendations which is given of our Lawes that if Adam had not sinned in Paradice all the world should have been governed by the Common Law of England is either Complementall and Poeticall or els must arise from that Maxime that the Law of England is grounded upon the Eternall Law of God right reason and pure naturall principles and that sentence of better it is to go to the fountaine then to follow the streames is very excellent if it be rightly understood of the Law of God which is the fountaine of all true Iustice Iosephus sayes that Ptolomy Phyladelphus the most prudent of the Egyptian Kings when Theoprast had sent him Moses Law in Hebrew he sent Embassadors to the Iewes to intreat them to send men skilfull in Hebrew and Greeke to translate it into Greeke which being done hee made it in force throughout his Dominions but how little doe Christians prize this good Law of God 1 Tim. 1. 8. which place must needs be intended of the Iudiciall Law as my honored friend Mr. Peters hath rightly observed for he speakes of the Law against Murderers and VVhoremongers did Plato and those famous Law givers light their Candle at Moses Law making use of Scripture for Civill wisedome though not for their Religion and shall Christians that have such a Treasure in their hands as the holy Lawes of God make no use of it for the Civill pollicie of States for which the Iudiciall Law was principally intended I never understood any other Reason of Clergy mens sitting in great Councells but that no Law might be enacted till it were examined by the Law of God and the Levites being Iudges amongst the Iewes does not prove that one man may have severall callings for all true reputation consists in the discharge of a mans proper profession but that the Law of God was as their Civill or Common Law Iustice is the end of the Law the Law is the Commonwealths servant the Magistrate is Gods Party and the Image of God therefore the Law must be in substance according to the modell of the Law of God Blessed be God for the many good Lawes that have been made since Ianuary 30. 1648. yet still I heare that the great cry in England is Reformation of Lawes no doubt there may be abuses and errors specially in the practicall part of the Law and I know it is and hath been long in your Honors Breasts to Rectify and Reforme them and to settle an expedient for speedy cheap and sure Iustice to run downe not by drops but like a mighty streame Amos 5. 29. in a quicke constant and invariable way I confesse I am something troubled at the diversitie of honest mens opinions in this particular some looke upon it as a more difficult worke then abolishing the Tirannicall Goverment that Lawyers will struggle asmuch for their interests as Bishops did that many honest men must be disobliged who have been cordiall to the State and must suffer Diminution in point of Fees and so conclude that the worke is not done because it cannot be done though it be the earnest desire of all honest men yet the difficulty of the worke discourages the enterprise as Columbas and others who discovered the westerne Plantations knew that there was Land there but lookt upon the voyage as insuperable whereas to my weake apprehension there will be no such great difficulty in the thing for first as to suites already depending either they are for weight and number like the sands of the Sea in comparison or may be all ended in a few mouthes indeed after Civill warrs what by reason of former obstructions in Courts of Iustice and personall Animosities there must needes be aboundance of suites and therefore in Germany France and other Nations upon the settlement of a Peace they usually passe an Act of Oblivion or grant Commissions for determining them in a summary way dispensing with the solemnities of their Imperiall Constitutions and municipall wayes of proceedings the people having been so exhausted by the warrs being not able to undergoe tedious Circucularities in their Law-matters for the remedy would prove worse then the disease and then for the future men will not be so contentious when they see that it is in vaine to begin or defend unjust or vexatious causes when delatorie and declinatorie pleas and exceptions like the Sea-marks are to be avoyded and will not be allowed for this I observe that no man wages Law but in hopes to cast his adversary if not by the merit of the Cause yet by crosse suites and clapping great Actions upon him who is not able to give Bayle thereunto or by the Defendants wearying out the Plaintiffe and forceing him to become Recreant like the Tryall by battaile if the Defendants Champion can hold out so many houres his innocence is presumed or like the Tyrant that threatned Death to one unlesse he would make his Asse to speake as Balaams did which hee undertooke to doe in three yeares and his friends judging him to be in a desperate condition he said that within that time either he or the Tyrant or the Asse would be dead but when men shall peeceive that it is but an expence of time and of coyne to defend unjust suites or to Comence frivolous or malicious Actions the parties will agree and there will not be one suite of twenty and for difficult matters experience shewes us that speciall verdicts are very rare and not one Exchequer Chamber cause of one hundred As for the time of this Reformation no doubt but the sooner the better matters of safety and security against common Enemies and dangers being in the first place lookt after and throughly provided for otherwayes it is but to looke after the bootie before the victory be wholly obtayned but then with all possible expedition because as
blush at it of the danger infamy and horror of perjurie remembring them of Ananias and Saphira who for telling a lye without any oath were strucken dead upon the place that their Popes have been monsters of mankinde conjurers witches and divells in a humane figure that Priests and Friars are very cheats and theeves in robbing poore deluded simple people that their Priests by their Law are not to marry and by custome not to live chast that the pretended miracles they brag on are meere impostures that their true miracles are onely such as these their Priests to have no wives and yet many children Friars to have no ground and yet most corne no money nor vineyards yet the best Sellars of wines and provisions that it is a miracle that they doe not all rise as one man against the Pope for his cruelty that having power as they hold and himselfe confesses to let out and discharge all their ancestors friends from Purgatory which they say is as hot as Hell fire yet will not doe because they have not money enough to give him and his Priests for it that their Religion is wholly composed and patcht up of Iudaisme Paganisme and Turcisme and as many absurdities in those points they differre from Protestants as there have been minutes of time since they crept in amongst them which some call preaching Innovation though in effect it is no other then what some of the Reverend Iudges in England have mentioned in their charges in the Circuits upon the Statutes of Recusancy which expressions though for the matter of them they must seeme to exasperate yet the manner of delivery may much mollifie and salve it we pitie their blindnes that their soules should be so deluded and they perceiving that it is so spoken in love and that we would not displease them but inteutionally for their owne good they are not angry with that Surgeon that cuts and lanches the patient desiring to cure him but concerning the last part of the objection that wee have silenced the Clergie in Munster to make way for our selves to vent our owne opinions because I understand that the matter of fact concerning that particular hath been untruly represented and a false disguise put upon it as godly learned Ministers were thereby discouraged from coming over hither where they are so much wanting and should be so cordially welcome I presume briefely to report the true state thereof at my coming into Munster I found the Clergie there generally sequestred for delinquencie against the Parliament in having adhered to the Lord of Ormondes and Lord Inchiquines illegall authorities after their being declared Traytors which resolutions were printed with their names thereunto which was not denied scarce by any of them my Lord Lieutenant looking upon it something like the generall case in Adam that man who was the master peece of the creation was wholly lost was pleased to referre the said Clergies Petition to Sir William Fenton Colonell Phaier and my selfe to proceed against them in like manner as the Honorable Committee at Westminster proceed against scandalous Delinquents or insufficieut Ministers which we did accordingly and in his Excellencies absence attended my Lord Deputies pleasure therein who joyned Esquire Gookin Dr. Harding Colonell Hodder and Capt. Baker with us and as in all his Actions having in his eye the glory of God and the goodtof poore Creatures required us to Act therein as might most conduce to the publique good we endeavoured what we could to seperate the precious from the impure and to distinguish betweene murder and manslaughter viz. though they had all contracted and were involved in a generall guilt by that subscription and consequently obnoxious to Iustice because a greater difference could not possibly have been done to the Parliament then for the Provinciall Ministers to declare their Iudgments and resolutions to assist and adhere to those Traytors for no doubt but thereby many of the English which had so much suffered by the Rebells were taken off from their former good affection faithfulnes to the Parliaments just authority being like so many poore sheep ruled by those whom they call their spirituall Sheepheards yet becanse many of them might be drawne thereunto for their own preservations as the case then stood with them and upon the matter forced to subscribe rather to save their livings then out of any disaffection to the proceedings of Parliament such of them as did acquit themselves from scandall in life and doctrine and were gifted for the Ministerie are continued and enjoy their benefices without diminution unlesse it be in case of pluralities and truly for my owne part I found much Ingennitie in many of them and wherein they differ from us I take it to be from a consciencious principle hope daily pray that there may be a right understanding and better agreement between all honest and consciencious people that feare the Lord that we may all as one man with one shoulder labour to exalt the Kingdome of Iesus Christ and to advance holines rigbteousnes in our severall Actions but indeed the harvest is like to be very great in this Nation and the laborers in Christ Vineyard are very few many poore English here are like corne ready to be brought into Gods Barne by Conversion but there are very few painfull skilfull harvest-men pray we therefore the Lord of the Vineyard that hee will send forth Laborers unto his Vineyard or as the words are cast them out for men are very slow in so holy a worke Preachers that have the tongue of the Learned that know how to speake words in season acceptable and delighfull Esay 50. 4. Ecles 12. 10. able Ministers of the new Testament 2 Cor. 3. 6. who by an ordinance of heaven ought to have a comfortable maintenance 1. Cor. 9. 14. Gal. 6. 6. And as I was concluding came the sad newes of the translation of our incomparable Lord Deputie the truly Honorable Henry Ireton Esquire therefore though I feare I have already exceeded the limitts of an Epistle yet my heart being so brimfull of grief I humbly beg Your wonted Clemency and much Honored patience that it may a little vent and run over in a few broken words though bedewed with teares his Death is such an Ecclipse to poore Ireland that may be best felt understood many yeers hence indeed England and Scotland and all sorts of people in the three Nations especially the poore oppressed fatherlesse and widowes to whome he was upon all occasions a patron father and husband have no small cause of lamentation never had Commonwealth a greater losse because undoubtedly there was never a more able painefull provident and industrious servant that with more wisedom prudence faithfulnes fortitude and selfe-deniall discharged his duty to all people and acted every part so well since he first appeared to publique view as if he had been borne only for that particular if he erred in any thing as error
must conclude that God is without fault without defect infinitly good and just or elce he is not God Monarchs that assume an absolute Supremacy to do what they list are not creatures of Gods ordination by his promissive hand of love but God permits such to be as he suffers sin to be in the world by his permissive hand of divine providence being that wise Physician that maks use of poyson for the good of those that feare him and that knowes how to create light out of darknes Indeed we read Dan. 2. 21. That God removeth Kings and setteth up Kings Psal 75. 7. Iob 34. 30. God plucks down Tyrants that they may oppresse no more yet suffers an Hypocrite sometimes to raigne for the wickednes of a people but he appoints no government but what is just and rationall as a Democracie or Aristocracie elective for that Wise men should governe Ignorants is a principle in Nature but that God should create millions of people to be subject to the Arbitrary lusts of one man and that to go in succession to a minor or Idiot That he should be governor over millions that knowes not how to order himselfe Reason abhors it and God approves it not though he permits it so to be as those great Empires of Turky Persia the Tartars Mogull Russia China Presto-Iohn and to come neerer the Potentates in Europe whoever assumes such an absolute unlimited prerogative and supremacie to make Lawes Warre pardon Murders to raise money when he wants it and makes himselfe Iudge of that necessitie such a governor rules not by Gods immediat will of love and approbation but his mediate will of wrath anger which he appoints not having commanded the contrary viz. a just rationall goverment but permits and suffers Tiranny and oppression for glorious ends and reasons best known to his Divine Majestie and if any such be called Gods Psal 82. 6 it is no otherwise then as Satan is called the God King of this world 2 Cor. 4. 4. and the Prince of the Aire who ruleth in the children of disobedience for to make any chief Magistrat above law is to make Authoritie which is given of God to punish sin to be a protection against heaven contrary to Gods pure essence not onely as if he approved sin but as if he should protect sin by an ordinance of his owne institution and any accomptablenes in a Monarch destroyes that goverment And those pollitique and specious Arguments brought for the maintenance of Monarchy no doubt the best that could be had for money poore Calvin made many rich He that could bring a fresh argument against Calvins life or doctrine or for the Popes Supremacy had a good pension with impunitie for Enormities precedent or subsequent that they ought not to be accomptable to Law for the prevention of Mutinies and Insurrections that if the King of France or Spayne should kill a man it would be more hâ—zard and cost to the people to bring them to Iustice then to let them escape unpunished and Monarchs having the Militia at their commands and carrying life and death in their eyes and tongues no man dares prosecute against them The poore sheepe thought it very fit that there should be a bell tyed about the Wolves necke to give notice of his approach but none of them durst adventure to tye it about him and therefore sayes worldly wisedom Let the people be accomptable to Kings and they only be accomptable to God that is let the Wolves and Beares devoure the Sheepe without controle As if God had appointed the Bee to make hony onely for the Drones this is to exalt the wisedome of foolish men above the Infinite Wisedome of the Eternall God But the questioÌ„ precisely stated is whether Monarchicall goverment have any footing in the Word of God to be of divine Institution which I deny And because I have observed that the ground of so many errors is principally mens snatching at Scripture reading here and there a verse and very few in comparison that will take the paines to consult the whole minde of God therefore I would in a Parenthisis in treat all such as pretend to Christianity to begin at the first of Genesis and not be weary of reading till they come to the end of the Revelation daily praying casting themselves upon Gods assistance for the guidance of his holy spirit in the interpretation thereof for indeed it is a shame for a Child not to be acquainted with his Fathers will every legacie part and branch thereof every one will be objecting what was not David a Monarch and a man after Gods owne heart pray stay a while it is not said that Davids office was after Gods owne heart and the contrary will plainely appeare if we consult those sacred Oracles which the more is the pity men doe not value as their pardon or evidences of their salvation but disesteeme them as if they were their Indictment like unhansome people care not for the glasse or as the Elephant that muds the water to hide its owne deformity To begin then with Adam who had an absolute supremacie over the Creatures but neither Adam nor Noah who was the heire of the new world ever challenged to be Kings because for one man to set himselfe above others without giving an accompt of his Actions is to put off the nature of man and to make himselfe a God whose will is a Law and the ground of all created goodnes and Iustice things being therefore good and just because God wills them and he does not will them because they are good and just The first man then that we find taking upon him Kingly power was Nimrod Genes 10. 8. 9. the mighty Hunter what did he hunt the lives liberties and estates of poore people those that would not hunt and catch venison for him he hunted them and ever since though never before Monarchs and Tyrants have hunted men as men have hunted Beares and Wolves and such noxious creatures and it is observable that the tower of Babel was not built to advance any one man or to get glory to a particular person as a King above his Brethren but to gaine a name and renowne to them all Gen. 11. 4. Let us make us a name not one of us If any Cavalerist or Carolist object that Cain was a King over Abel because of his primogeniture being the first borne and heire to the priviledges of Adam and that the Lord promised Cain that if hee did well he should rule over Abel Gen 4. 7. That will more disservice him in the reare and consequence then advantage him in the front for Cain was accomptable for murder and was a man of death for killing Abel and though he did not dye peradventure because there were then few to take example and to be terrified by his death Yet by that murder he was made incapable of enjoying any dignitie and God did not preserve him
alive in love but reproved him in his fury that others which should be borne after might see the vagabond and fugitife and magnifie the Iustice of God upon him the branding feare and shame that he underwent being farre worse then death and so the first King was not unaccomptable but lost all for a murder so true it is that many a man marries a widow that would gladly be rid of her traine of children and whereas many have instanced in Davids case that he was a man of blood in the murder of Vriah and yet not put to death the answer is easy that David ought by the Law of Man to have suffered death though he was a Monarch and Nathan caused him to be his owne judge 2 Sam. 12. 5. As the Lord liveth that man that hath done this thing shall surely dye then Nathan said to David thou art the man and if he had said no more there must have been some Executioner found out to have taken away the life of David it being against the law of Nature to make any man his owne executioner but be pleased to observe how Nathan aggravated the sin verse 8. 9. as if it were a farr greater sin for David to commit a murder then for a private man because it is a double sin murder and breach of trust it is the highest treason for a King to murder his Subjects and there can be no greater honor to any people in the world then to doe Iustice upon a murderous King but vers 13. David confesseth his sin I have sinned against the Lord in killing Vriah the Hittite with the sword and slaying him with the sword of the Children of Ammon though David never toucht the weapon that shed the blood of Vriah 2 Sam. 11. 14. therefore it is an impotent argument that the late King never killed any man with his owne hands and as weake to say that there was no malice in him which formally denominates and distinguishes murder from man-slaughter but a Martiall contending for his owne right upon such probable grounds that if a plaintif in Chancery were non-suited he ought not to pay any costs for that he had a probable cause of litigation for if there was not a prepenced and precogitated malice against all publique spirited men against whom he breathed out so many threatnings wishing that they had but one head that they might be taken off at a blow as another Nero yet there was malice in Law and malice implyed to kill every man that should stand in his way of an absolute unaccountable domination which certainely is a clearer malice then a thiefe hath that kills a man that will not loose his purse the thiefe hath no desire to hurt the honest man wishes him at his owne house in safety if he would but leave his purse behind him for I appeale to every sober man whose judgement is not corrupted by preingaged affections which is more hainous murder and offence in the sight of God for a poore man to rob a rich man of ten pound and in case of resistance to kill him or for a Prince that for the maintenance of his Pretogative which himselfe sayes is to be accountable for his actions to none but God alone shall grant Commissions of Array and raise Armies to put a whole Land into a Combustion and flame to the pillaging plundering massacring and destroying many thousands of poore innocent people And Nathan said to David the Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye No man can pardon murder but God alone so that the reason why David was not put to death for that murder was not for the authority that he had as a King but out of Gods pure mercy to him there being a supersedeas to the Execution from the Court of Heaven thereby to make him and Manasses in the old Testament and Paul in the new patternes to such as should believe not only of Eternall but of Temporall salvation he that may command Abraham to sacrifice Isaac may pardon David for killing Vriah that however the good Thiefe was put to death and if a godly man commit a murder he ought as well regularly to suffer death as the most impious the Law of man bearing a correspondency with the Law of God that he that never sins till seventy if he then kill a man must then suffer death not only Temporall but Eternall if he be under the Law Galat. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 5. Let no beleever suffer as a murderer thiefe or evill doer proves that if any such be murderers they ought to suffer and the next verse holds forth to me more then what is ordinarily observed yet if any man suffer as a Christian not for his Religion only for then it should signify no more then verse 14. but if a Saint should through the strength of a temptation and malice of Satan commit a murder as the best man living may possibly commit any sin but the sin against the holy Ghost in such a case let him suffer legall punishment as a Christian let not him be terrified so much at the present death as rejoyce that he is goeing to his fathers house to Eternall happines let him be more affected and afflicted that Religion should suffer by his fault then for his owne sufferings let him take a kinde farewell of faith which shall presently be turned into vision and of repentance for that all teares shall instantly be wiped from his eyes let him feele by the spirit how all things worke together for his good even his great sin for which he suffers it being the occasion to bring him soonet to his Crowne of glory I say though this be regularly true that if a godly man commit a murder the Law will take hold of him 1 Tim. 1. 9. 10. yet if the Lord worke hearty Contrition in his soule for the offence as in the case of David I have sinned the heart be kindly touched with godly sorrow which did not appeare to be the Case of the late King it seemes to me that they which carry the sword may in some speciall cases save such a man alive where happily the Lord hath so sanctified that affliction to him that he is thereby become a new creature and is not the same man that offended and may be more serviceable and instrumentall for the Publique then his death would have been advantage to the people in point of exemplary Terror without any violation or infringement of that preceptive fundamentall law of Gen. 9. 6. the reason whereof being perpetuall so long as men are made after Gods Image it can never be abrogated though any one should extraordinarily be saved by the equity of the Law as in Davids Case who certainely were it not for some speciall reason as a King did more deserve death then for a private person to commit a murder as he that is a Scholler and knowes the Law ought in reason rather to be hanged for stealing
Monitor and hee that is a friend to publique libertie is counted an enemy to Cesar poore Turks Russians and Europian slaves that delight rather in servitude then freedome and like spannells fawne upon those that most beat them and are sorry that they have but one life to loose for the glory of their Soveraigne well after Ieroboam and Rehoboam there was warre betweene Asa King of Iudah and Baasha King of Israel all their dayes 1 Kings 15 16. 32. and see what became of Baasha 1 Kings 16. 1. Then the Word of the Lord came to Iehu the sonne of Hanani against Baasha saying for as much as I exalted thee out of the dust and made thee prince over my people Israel and thou hast walked in the way of Ieroboam and hast made my people Israel to sin to provoke me to anger with their sins behold I will take away the posteritie of Baasha and the posteritie of his house and will make thy house like the house of Ieroboam the son of Nebat him that dyeth of Baasha in the City shall the dogs eat and him that dyeth in the fields shall the fowles of the aire eat Then Elah succeeds Baasha he being druncke was killed by Zimri who made himselfe King 1 Kings 16. 9. Where Monarchies have been elective or gotten by force or fraud what hath been alwayes held the best way to secure the new Monarch in his throne but by dedestroying the family of his predecessor Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha left him not one that pissed against the wall neither of his kinsfolks nor of his friends 1 Kings 16. 11. As the Popes alwayes glory to rescinde and repeall the Acts of their predecessors what bloody butchers have Kings Popes ever been if any man stand in their way let his name be blotted out then Omri was chosen King and besieged Zimri in Tirzah Zimri becomes desperate sets the house on fire and burnes himselfe ver 17. 18. and ver 25. this Omri wrought evill in the sight of the Lord and did worse then all that were before him Ahab his sonne succeeded him and ver 30. Then Ahab the son of Omri did evill in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him so that 1 Kings 21. 25. there was none like unto Ahab which sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord whom Iezebel his wife stirred up and therefore whereas the practise of the primitive Christians is objected that they prayed for the healths and prosperitie of the heathen Roman Tirants that persecuted them here you may see the reason thereof they knew that if one Tirant died a more cruell one would succeed as the poore woman having had three cruell Landlords successively haveing wisht the death of the two former prayed earnestly for the long life of the third and being demanded a reason thereof answered that the last is alwayes the worst and if this should dye certainly the next would be the divell for a more cruell Tiger there could not be in a human shape then the third was but concerning the Primitive Christians that were as the Lords garden hedged in with his protection it pleased God sometimes to take away the hedge and to let the wild beasts in they saw that through many tribulations and persecutions in the world they must enter into the Kingdome of heaven and finding that Antichrist was to be their greatest and the most cruell enemy to the Church of God and that he could not get into the throne during the raigne of the Roman Emperors who hindred him as it is 2 Thess 2. 7. 8. therefore they prayed for the prosperity of the Dragon for the fourth Monarchy Dan. 7. 7. is generally interpreted to be the Roman Empire which is described to be very terrible and dreadfull and exceeding strong it had three iron teeth it devoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue with the feet of it and if this heathen Empire was taken away the poore Christians knew that the same power must be given to the beast Anti-Christ Revel 13. And therefore it were better for them to have it continue but it is most admirable to observe that the great Monarchies of the world viz. Babylonians Persians Grecans and Romans should be set out and described by foure beasts it shewes unto us that those that are most highly esteemed by the men of the world are but as beasts in the sight of God that the great King of Kings who rules in Equity and Righteousnes over all the world looks upon the great Nimrods and Monarchs of the world with a most contemptible eye counts them no better then the most ravenous creatures that are suffered a little to rage for the punishment of wicked men when the Lord sayes that the beast shall devoure his people It is the King of Asiria and his wicked Cavaliers and therefore God threatens to deale with him as with a beast I am against thee O Gog the chief Prince of Mesbech and Tubal Ezek. 38. 2. 4. I will put a hooke in thy jawes and so the Lord threatned to put a hooke in the nostrills of Senacherib the King of Asiria and a bridle in his lips Esa 37. 29. because of his rage and his tumult it was fit to use him as a beast and marke how contemptibly God speaks of the great King of Babylon and his numerous Army Ioel 2. 20. his stincke and ill savor shall come up the Spirit of God gives no other Epithet then a stincking King an unsavorie prince and David speaking of Saul and his Courtiers Psal 59. 6. 7. 8. as if he had predicted the deportments and behaviours of the malignants about such time as the late King was Iusticed their nocturnall whisperings in Tavernes and Conventicles against the State and such as are Godly in the Land they returne at evening they make a noise like a dog and goe round about the City behold they belsh out with their mouths swords are in their lips for who say they doth heare but thou O Lord shalt laugh at them thou shalt have all the heathens in derision ver 14. at evening let them returne and let them make a noise like a dog and goe round about the City and therefore Gods people may rejoyce in the Lord as in ver 16. 17. But we will sing of thy power yea wee will sing of thy mercy in the morning for thou hast been our defence and refuge in the day of trouble unto thee our strength will wee sing for God is our defence and the God of our mercie Indeed he was the song of the drunkards Psal 69. 12. but now to be compared to a beast is worse then to be so by nature for it is no dishonor to a hog to be called so for it is but to be as God made it but for a man to make himselfe a beast is the corruption of the creature the worst deformitie that can be in the world and