THE PREROGATIVE OF Primogeniture SHEWING That the Right of SVCCESSION TO AN Hereditary Crown DEPENDS Not upon Grace Religion c. But Onely upon Birth-Right and Primogeniture AND That the Chief Cause of all or most Rebellions in Christendom is a Fanatical Belief That Temporal Dominion is founded in Grace By DAVID JENNER B. D. Prebendary of Sarum and Rector of Great Warley in Essex LONDON Printed for J. Hindmarsh Bookseller to His Royal Highness at the Black Bull in Cornhill 1685. TO THE Most Royal and High-Born PRINCE JAMES DUKE of YORK AND ALBANY EARL of VLSTER LORD High Admiral of ENGLAND IRELAND And all Foreign Plantations Constable of Dover-Castle Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports Governour of Portsmouth c. Most Royal Sir YOUR Unparallel'd Magnanimity and other Your most Eminent Vertues and Excellencies are so well known to the Christian World as that Envy it self cannot obscure them And whatever English Man does or shall hereafter audaciously presume to deny You his hearty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Euge is and ever will be unworthy any longer to be an Inhabitant of Great Britain Whose present Peace and Prosperity next unto Almighty God's Over-ruling Providence and unto Our most Gratious King 's Wise Conduct of Affairs is Owing unto Your Highness's Matchless Valour and Prudence The which You have most signally demonstrated in Vanquishing the King's and the Nation 's Enemies Abroad And in being highly instrumental in Suppressing them at Home So that if Fabius Maximus Deserved the Thanks of the whole Roman-Senate for his prudent Management of their Republick Concerns Then infinitely more has Your Royal Highness Merited not onely the Thanks of Our English Senate but over and above even Statues and Shrines of Gold Gratefully to be erected in perpetual Memory of Your most Glorious Atchievements But Ah ungratefull England That after Your most Illustrious Highness had Jeoparded Your Royal Person in many desperate and bloudy Battels at Sea and at Land onely for the Honour and Welfare of this Your Native Country whose Safety You oft times most Generously preferred before Your Own You should at last be so basely and so inhumanely requited As to have an Vnchristian and Unnatural Bill of Exclusion from Your Undoubted Birth-Right pass against You through the Prevalency of the Anti-Protestant and Factious Associatours in the late House of Commons who over-powering the Loyal Party in the said House Voted Sabbati 6. die Novembris 1680 and on Sabbati a day when surely those Fanatical Persons thought the Holy Jesus was again gone out of this World down into the Grave as to his Body and Descended into Hell as to his Soul doing Penance there for Mankind And so would not on a Saturday be present upon Earth to eye and behold their disloyal and disingenuous Actions and therefore They became Rampant and did what they pleased in spight of God and the King And being a Majority they Voted Nemine Contradicente Sabbati 26 die Martii 1681. Your Royal Highness's Exclusion from the Imperial Crown of England and Ireland c. Printed by the Order of Wi. Williams Speaker A Vote steep'd in so much Gall and Vinegar and attended with so much Disloyalty and Ingratitude As might justly have set All Your Noble and Heroick Passions on fire But God be praised In imitation of the Captain of our Salvation You have perfectly Conquered Your self Which personal Victory according to not onely the Stoical but also Christian Philosophy is more Memorable than All your other most Famous Conquests And Caesar like nay rather Jesu like You have forgot Nothing but to be Revengefull upon Your inveterate Enemies Which is Your Immortal Glory And one thing I most humbly suggest to Your Princely and most Christian Consideration as an undeniable Truth Scil. That Those Your Enemies who have or still do endeavour Your Royal Highness's Exclusion Contrary to the Divine and Natural Law of Your Birth-Right and Primogeniture neither were nor are Protestants nor any true Sons of the Church of England as now established by Law But they were and are onely a Company of Perjured Pseudo-Protestants Who under the specious pretence of being Vogued Protestants did and still do carry on their Diabolical Faction and Treasonable Association For in England onely He is a Protestant Beaufrons c. 1. who heartily believes and as heartily protests for and couragiously defends The King's Supremacy And who Christian-like Cordially declares for the Succession of the King 's Lawfull Heir according to Primogeniture whether He be Papist or Protestant whether Morally Good or Bad For This is the constant and professed Doctrine of the Apostolical-Protestant Church of England As I humbly conceive is sufficiently proved in the following Treatise The which does truly blush to approach Your Royal and most Illustrious Presence in its mean Dress and Country Garb. But forasmuch as it is the lively Draught of a most Loyal Heart towards His Majesty and of a most Faithfull and Devoted one towards Your Highness The Authour therefore most humbly begs Your Candid Acceptance of it Assuring Your Highness That He has no other Ambition in Publishing the same than where he lives to be instrumental in educating and instructing the People in the true Principles of Primitive Piety and Loyalty And whilst He lives be serviceable according to his Capacity unto God the King and the Church And to let the World know that He is Your Royal Highness 's Most Dutifull most Humble and Devoted Servant David Jenner THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THE Necessity of Government Page 1. CHAP. II. Monarchy the best Form of Government p. 6. CHAP. III. That all Kings and their Lawfull Heirs ought by Right of Primogeniture to Reign and Govern Successively whether they be Morally Good or Bad whether Infidels or Christians Papists or Protestants p. 18. SECT I. The Proposition proved by Humane Authority of Heathens ibid. SECT II. The Proposition That Succession to the Throne ought to be by Primogeniture and not by Grace proved by Divine Authority p. 21. SECT III. The Proposition proved by the Vnalterable Law of Inheritance by Primogeniture p. 25. SECT IV. The Proposition proved by Reason and the Common Sentiments of Religion p. 37. The Bill of Exclusion of the Duke of York proved to be unlawfull and sinfull p. 38. Atheistical and Factious ibid. Opposite to the known Law of God p. 41. The Cause of perpetual Civil Wars and Sedition p. 42. The chief Pleas and Arguments for it Answered p. 43 44 c. CHAP. IV. That all Subjects ought Actively to obey their Lawfull Prince in all things which be not Positively against some known Law of God although their said Prince be an Heathen Idolater and Apostate or never so Morally vitious p. 56. SECT I. The Duty of Obedience to Superiours whetheh Morally Good or Bad proved by the Law of Nature an of Natural Reason p. 57. SECT II. The Duty of Obedience to Superiours whether Christians or Heathens Good or Bad proved by Authority of
such Modern Authours we find none that are for Absolute Obedience to Princes whether Good or Bad Papists or Protestants For All the Recusant and Anti-Protestant Writers such as the Papists and the Classical and the Congregational Authours according to their several Principles are onely for Obedience to Princes and the Civil Magistracy with a Condition and Limitation Thus the Papists * Tho. Aquinas Sum. 22 a. quaest 10. a. 1. R. Bellarm Praefat. in Barcl strongly urge Obedience to Kings But it is onely in Temporals and that too with Submission to the Pope's Supremacy But if a King shall meddle with matters Spiritual and Ecclesiastick without the Pope's Laws the said King shall be Excommunicated and all his Subjects discharged from their Allegiance and from paying Homage and Obedience to him their King In like manner Calvin and all the Classical Divines commonly called Presbyterians write much for Obedience to Kings and to All in Authority But it is with a Jesuitical Proviso to wit That their Kings and Governours be Godly And it is also with submission to their Presbyterian Classis and Consistorian Power which they set above the King especially in matters Spiritual and Ecclesiastick And not unlike do the Congregational Divines commonly called Independents talk much for and preach up Obedience to the Civil Magistrates But it is with the same forementioned Proviso scil That their Magistrates be endued with Grace and do Govern the People according to God's Word and with a submission to their Independent Cougregational-Churche's Power and Censures As is plainly and sufficiently proved in a late Book intituled BEAVFRONS Chap. 2. Presbyterians No Protestants Chap. 3. Independents No Protestants Chap. 6. p. 56 57. Impossible for Papists and Dissenters whilst they are true to their own Principles to be Obedient and Good Subjects to the King Unto which Book and Chapters above mentioned we refer the Reader And by the way we cannot but Advise all young Men especially the young Divine whether in the Vniversity or elsewhere to be very cautious how he reades and understands and follows the Modern Authours especially Calvin Beza Peter Martyr Rolloc Polanus Frederick Baldwin Cursellaeus c. Hugo Grotius de jure Belli Pa. For they and others of their Party together with the Papists and Jesuists plead and argue stiffly for Obedience unto the King and the Secular Powers but yet they All have their several Mental Reservations and cunningly distinguish * Rolloc and Fred. Baldw. n Rom. 13.1 between the King's Person and his Power and in the close of their arguings they All declare it to be Lawfull for the Subjects to Resist the King and the Civil Magistrates even with force of Arms in Defence of the true Religion and in the Suppression of Tyranny and Oppression Thus Grotius himself (a) Si Rex reipsa etiam tradere regnum aut subjieere moliatur quin ei Resisti in hoc possit non dubito aliud est enim imperium aliud habendi modus qui ne mutetur obstare potest populus Grot. de jur Bel. Pa. l. 1. c. 4. § 10. asserts This they all affirm to be Lawfull contrary to Primitive Christianity and directly contrary to the sound and Loyal Doctrine and Pratice of the Protestant Church of England And therefore it will be of little sorce and validity to bring the Testimony of Modern Writers to confirm the Doctrine of Obedience to Princes both Good and Bad Papists and Protestants unless it be that of the Episcopal Protestants who own and plead for the King's Supremacy And therefore are the Onely Protestants in the World However to gratifie the Reader we will present him with a few Sayings of some of the Anti-Protestant Modern Writers as to the point of Obedience to all in Authority Jo. Calvin in his French Comment and Sermons on Job Jo. Calvin Serm. 131. on Job 34. c. 34. v. 17 18. has these words as they are Translated by Arthur Godling out of French into English to wit We must Obey and Honour all in Authority because they are not set up by chance or hap-hazard but by God and his Providence And if God sets over us a Tyrant it is for the punishment of sin and it is the Duty of all men meekly to bear their punishment and to take it as a Scourge of God and if we Resist we strive not against Mortal Men but against the Heavenly Judge p. 675. To the same purpose writes Peter (a) Dua sunt subjectiones una Politic◠Civilis cui subjiciuntur omnes homines qui si quid offenderint in Leges expectant à justis Magistratibus carcerem mulctam pecuniariam exilia mortes externas poenas c. Pet. Mart. loc Com. de Magistrat p. 1018. § 10. Martyr how that all men ought to be Obedient to the Civil Powers and if any offend then it is the Magistrate's Duty to punish the Offenders according to the Merit of their Delinquency And speaking against the Pope's Supremacy he adds That a King (b) Quamvis Rex possit removere inutilem ac noxium Episcopum non tamen Episcopus potest vicissim Regem si peccaverit dejicere ibid. § 12. has power to Depose a wicked Bishop But no Bishop whatever has power to Depose a King although wicked And Polanus is of opinion That all Hereditary Monarchs ought to Reign and (a) Si absolutam Monarchiam habet est in fide ejus perstandum etiamsi Tyrannus evasit etiamsi nihil minus praestet quà m quod ex officio erat Regum Principum Polan Syntag. l. 10. c. 62. Govern although they should be Tyrants and that the People ought to persevere on in their Allegiance and Obedience to them II. Modern Authours who are for Absolute Obedience to Princes whether Morally Good or Bad Orthodox or Erroneous Papists or Protestants Gerhard treating on the Question Q Whether He ought to Reign and Govern who has Apostatized from the true Religion A. Answers in the Affirmative And positively asserts That (b) Si jure Successionis juxta Leges sundamentales pacta conventa ad eum pertinent Imperii Fasces qui à verâ Religione alienus est tum propter Religionis diversitatem non est privandus suo jure quia Religio Ecclesia non abolet Politias ac jura Politica c. Gerhard de Magistratu Pol. Sect. 106. He to whom the Crown belongs by Right of Succession ought to Reign and Govern notwithstanding his Apostacy and Alenation from the true Religion And that because Diversity of Religion deprives no man of his Right To this Foreign Authour we will add the Judgment of the Church of England as now Established and as it is delivered to us in Her Homily of Obedience Second Part. The words of the Homily are these Scil. Hom of Obedience 2d Part. p. 72. All Subjects are bound to obey them that is Kings and Magistrates as God's Ministers yea although
they be evil not onely for Fear but also for Conscience-sake c. Our Saviour Christ himself and his Apostles received many and divers injuries of the unfaithfull and wicked men in Authority yet we never reade that they or any of them caused any Sedition or Rebellion against Authority we reade oft that they patiently suffered all troubles vexations slanders pangs and pains and Death it self obediently without Tumult or Resistence They knew that the Authority of the Powers was God's Ordinance and therefore both in their Words and Deeds they taught ever Obedience to it and never taught nor did the contrary c. We may not obey King Magistrates or any other though they be our own Fathers if they would Command us to doe any thing contrary to God's Commandments Ibid. p. 74. In such a case we ought to say with the Apostle We must rather obey God than Man But nevertheless in that case we may not in any-wise withstand violently or Rebell against Rulers or make any Insurrection Sedition or Tumults either by force of Arms or otherwise against the Anointed of the Lord or any of his Officers But we must in such cases patiently suffer all wrongs and injuries p. 75. referring the judgment of our Cause onely to God And elsewhere our Church says What shall Subjects doe then Serm. against Rebellion 1 Part. shall they obey valiant stout wise and good Princes and condemn disobey and rebell against Children being their Princes or against undiscreet and evil Governours God forbid For what a Perillous thing were it to commit unto the Subjects the judgment which Prince is Wise and Godly and his Government good and which is otherwise as though the Foot must judge of the Head And enterprize very heinous and must needs breed Rebellion Serm. against Wilfull Rebellion 1st Part. p. 279. This is you see the Pious and Loyal Doctrine of the Protestant Church of England which she received from Christ and his Apostles and from the Primitive Christians concerning the Subjects absolute Obedience to Kings and All in Authority whether Good or Evil. And the said Loyal Doctrine was ever preached and practised by the Protestants in England we mean those who owned the King's Supremacy in opposition unto Popery and Fanaticism for there never was nor are any other * Beausrons c. 1. Protestants in the World but such who protest for and defend the King's Supremacy This Doctrine of absolute Obedience was practised as well as preached by the Bishops Martyred in Queen Mary's days and by the most Reverend Jo. Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury and by the most Reverend William Laud late Archbishop of Canterbury who suffered Death by the late Rebels for nothing more than for maintaining this Primitive Doctrine of absolute Obedience to the King And since it has been urged upon the Peoples practice by several Learned Men of this our Church particularly by Dr. Faulkner in his Christian Loyalty And by the Right Reverend Seth Lord Bishop of Sarum in his most Learned Sermon before the King on Nov. 5.1661 against Resistence of Lawfull Powers Some of his Lordships words are these If harsh Administration of Power will exempt Men from Obedience p. 60. at that time when Claudius or Nero was Roman Emperour why should the Holy Ghost move St. Paul to write to the Romans scil Rom. 13.2 They that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation And p. 67. that other pretence scil That after a Lawfull Sovereign is established Ibid. p. 67 68. the Power still remains in the People in the dissused Body of them or their Representatives to alter the Government as they please it is in respect of Policy and Government what the sin against the Holy Ghost is to Religion it destroys the foundations of the peace and safety of men and makes that to be the Artifice of Man which is the Ordinance of God How much God abhorred this pretence will appear in the case of Corah and his Company The Reverend Dr. Tillotson Dean of Canterbury in his Letter to the late Lord Russel has these expressions to wit That the Christian Religion doth plainly forbid the Resistence of Authority That though our Religion be established by Law yet in the same Law which establishes our Religion it is declared That it is not Lawfull upon any pretence whatsoever to take up Arms c. Besides that there is a particular Law declaring the Power of the Militia to be solely in the King and that ties the hands of Subjects though the Law of Nature and the General Rules of Scripture had left us at liberty which I believe they do not because the Government and Peace of Humane Society could not well subsist upon those Terms As thus these abovementioned Persons so indeed all the learned Men of the Church of England who have wrote any thing largely of the Subjects Duty towards their Prince have unanimously declared contrary to the Factious Authour of Julian the Apostate scil That all Lawfull Kings and their Lawfull Heirs by Primogeniture of what Religion or Manners soever Good or Bad they be ought successively to Reign and Govern and to be honoured and obeyed by all their Subjects either Actively by chearfully doing whatever they shall Command or Passively by humbly and peaceably submitting to whatever punishment their said Princes shall think fit to inflict upon them for not obeying their Royal Commands Actively And if any Prince should after he is seated in the Throne prove Tyrannical we may not Rebell nor plot his Deposition But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian Orat 1. c. Our onely Remedy is what was Nazianzen's and the Christians in the Reign of Julian the Apostate to wit Prayers Fastings and Tears This was the practice of the Primitive Christians and ever has been the Profession and Practice of the Protestant Church of England And therefore whoever lives in Rebellion against his Lawfull Prince and dies in and for the same without publick and hearty Repentance Acknowledgment and Confession to God and to Man of that his Rebellion or secret plotting of Rebellion Neither does such a man live nor any true way can he be said to dye in Communion with the Protestant Church of England But as he lived So he dies either a Popish or a Fanatick Recusant And No Protestant And thus died most of the late Fanatical Associatours and Rebels inasmuch as most of them died without the least expression of their sorrow and penitence for and without humble and publick Confession of their Horrible Plot and Treason for which they were Condemned As appears by their own Papers given to the Sheriffs and Published by Authority And here it will be requisite that we as far as we are able undeceive the people and tell the Naked Truth to wit That the abovementioned Persons abused the World and imposed upon the ignorant people a notorious falsity when at their Executions they declared they died Protestants and in
Communion with the present Church of England For no Rebel whatever whilst he impenitently continues such is nor can be a Protestant For every wilfull and obstinate Rebel and Plotter against the King does indeed deny the King's Supremacy And whoever denies the King's Supremacy is No Protestant And therefore being No Protestant he ought not to be admitted into Communion and Fellowship with the Protestant Church of England untill such a person shall openly repent of his Anti-Protestant Disobedience to the Church's Canons and Orders and of his Rebellion and Treason against the King And as we humbly conceive those Divines and Ministers did not act Canonically though we believe Charitably in administring the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper unto Persons Condemned for High Treason in plotting the Murther of the King and of his Royal Highness without their publick Confession of that their heinous Sin and Treason Their not Confessing that their Guilt when clearly proved against them did apparently argue not onely their Malice but also the Continuance of their Malice to the very last Gasp against the King and the Duke And therefore to admit such unto the Sacrament was to harden them and others of their Party in their Wickedness and Malice against the King the Duke and the established Government in Church and State and was a palpable Breach of the Statute and of the Rubrick Which says That if any person be an open and notorious Evil Liver as surely are all Wilfull Rebels The Order for Administr of the Lord's Supper Pref. or have done any wrong to his Neighbour by Word and Deed as surely Traytors have done to the King their Neighbour by plotting his Death The Curate having knowledge thereof shall call him and advertise him that in any wise he presume not to come to the Lord's Table untill he have openly declared himself to have truly repented The same Order shall the Curate use with those betwixt whom he perceiveth Malice and Hatred to reign not suffering them to be partakers of the Lord's Table untill he know them to be Reconciled And if one party shall remain still in his Frowardness and Malice The Minister shall not admit him that is Obstinate CHAP. V. The Doctrine and Practice of Deposing Lawfull Kings and of Excluding the Right Heir by Primogeniture from Succeeding in the Throne for his want of Grace or for being an Heretick Idolater Tyrannical or Wicked is Grounded upon nothing but Popery and Fanaticism SECT I. This wicked Doctrine and Practice of Deposing and Murthering Kings and of Precluding their Lawfull Heirs for being Hereticks c. is grounded on Popery THE truth of the Assertion is so well known Dr. Lloyd's Serm. Nov. 5. 1679. as That there is no Kingdom in our Europaean paean World but the Pope hath given it away upon the Account of Religion No Countrey King James's Works p. 503. but he has made an Aceldama upon the account of Religion And many Kings hath he kill'd merely for Religion This we will confirm and prove by the Authority of the most Eminent and most Authentick of their own Writers Such as Thomas Aquinas who says (a) Nullo medo permittit Ecclesia quod Infideles acquirant Dominium super fideles vel qualitercunque eis praeficiantur in aliquo officio c. That Infidels or Vnbelieving Princes are not to be suffered to Govern and Reign over Believers And that if there be any such Infidels and unbelieving Princes (b) Potest tamen justè per sententiam vel ordinationem Ecclesiae auctoritatem Dei habentis tale jus Dominii vel praelationis tolli then the Church has Power and Authority to Depose and Remove them from their Government and the Church ought to doe it and that because (c) Quia Infideles merito sua infidelitatis merentur potestatem amittere super fideles c. Tho. Aquin. 22a quast 10. art 10. conclus p. 22. a King's Infidelity forfeits his Right of Dominion and Jurisdiction over Believers And by Infidelis and Infidel Aquinas plainly tells us that he means An Heretick For in his sense An Heretick (a) Haeresis est infidelitatis species ad cos pertinens qui fidem Christi professi sunt ejus dogmata corrumpunt c. ibid. quaest 11. art 1. conclus p. 23. is no Jew Turk or Pagan who absolutely denies Christ and Christianity But according to Aquinas An Heretick is a Christian that is one who professes that he Believes in Christ and hopes for Salvation onely by Him But he purloins perverts and corrupts the Doctrine of Christ Now such an Heretick whether Prince or Peasant is not to be tolerated but after the second Admonition he is to be Excommunicated and Delivered up to the Secular (b) Qui post secundam correptionem in suo errore obstinati permanent non modo Excommunicationis sententiae sed etiam Secularibus principibus exterminandi tradendi sunt per mortem à Mundo excludi meruerunt c. ibid. Powers to be put to Death and the Church does Command all other Foreign Princes to give their Assistence towards the Deposition and destroying such an Heretical Prince that so this lower World might the sooner be rid of him And that Aquinas in the forementioned places is to be understood of Heretical Kings as well as of their Subjects is evident in that his Argument runs chiefly against them who have Right to Govern jure humane But says he because they are turned Hereticks therefore jure Divino they ought not to Reign but to be not onely Excommunicated but also put to Death For Aquin 22 a. quaest 11. art 2. resp 3. Quicunque resistit Auctoritati Romanae Ecclesiae Haeresim incurrit quae quidem Auctoritas principaliter residet in Summo Pontifice c. Whoever Resists the Authority of the Church of Rome that is to say the Authority of the Pope and his Supremacy as do all Protestant Princes he is an Heretick and being an Heretick he ought to be destroyed and killed And although a King excommunicated should in the Popish sense repent and return to the Church of Rome yet he is to be admitted (a) Ideo ulterius redeuntes recipiuntur quidem ad poenitentiam non tamen ut liberentur à Sententia Mortis Aquia 22 a. qu. 11. art 4. conclus onely unto Penitence and not to be absolved from the sentence of Death passed upon him All Heretical Kings are by Aquinas accounted no other than Tyrants and therefore says he the People may Lawfully fight against them and be no ways guilty (a) Et ideo perturbatio Tyranni Regiminis non habet rationem Seditionis ibid. 22 a. qu. 42. art 2. 3 m. p. 80. of Sedition and Treason The Council of Trent Decreed all Emperours (b) Si quem Clericorum vel Laicorum quacunque is dignitate etiam Imperiali aut Regall praefulgeat in tantum malorum omnium Radix cupiditas occupaverit ut alicujus
(a) Ita nihil mali contra Imperatorem faciebat Nicomedensis Patricius qui Edictum publicè propositum concerpsit Melancth in Dan. c. 6. p. 101. Edict although the said Edict was possibly not so good as the generality of Reformers would have had it For that passionate and rash Action was no other than Rebellion against the Emperour's Person and Authority And the man might as Lawfully have torn into pieces the Emperour's Person as his Edict And in truth the countenancing such a Rebellious Action does very much encourage disaffected men unto a General Rebellion For if it be Lawfull for One private man then is it Lawfull for every man to Rebell and in like manner to tear the King's Proclamations Laws and Edicts into pieces Which to affirm or to doe is directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel and to the Profession and Practice of the Apostles and Primitive Christians Unto the above-mentioned Foreign Writers we will add The late and present Covenanters and Fanatical Associatours of both Scotland and England Whose Disloyal and Factious Tenents and Positions the Famous and Loyal Vniversity of Oxford have Sum'd up and have printed them with the Authours of them and have by a Vote of their Congregation on July 24. 1683 Decreed That their said Fanatical and Seditious Positions and Doctrines Oxfords Decree and the Books containing them be publickly Burnt by the hand of their Vniversity-Marshall in the Court of their Schools Some of which Seditious Positions were these that follow 1. That if Lawfull Governours become Tyrants or Govern otherwise than by the Laws of God and Man they ought to do they forfeit the Right they had unto their Government Lex Rex Jo Milton Jo. Goodwin Rich. Baxter H. C. And we will add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliàs Jo. Blackbdell 2. That the Sovereignty of England is in the Three Estates scil King Lords and Commons The King has but a co-ordinate Power and may be over-ruled by the other two Lex Rex Hunton of limited and mixed power Rich. Baxter H. C. And note that they took this false Doctrine from Calvin Beza and the rest abovementioned 3. That Proximity of Bloud and Birth-Right give no Title to Rule or Government and that it is Lawfull to preclude the next Heir from his Right and Succession to the Crown Lex Rex Doleman Julian Apostate and we may add the Votes of the late Associatours against the present Duke of York's Succession to the Crown of England 4. That it is Lawfull for the Subjects without the Consent and against the Command of the Supreme Magistrate to enter into Leagues Covenants Associations for defence of themselves and their Religion Solemn League and Covenant and the late Association 5. That the Presbyterian Government is the Sceptre of Christ's Kingdom to which Kings as well as others are bound to submit And the King's Supremacy in Ecclesiastical Affairs asserted by the Church of England is injurious to Christ the sole King and Head of his Church Altare Damascenum Cartwright Travers add Presbyt General Assembly in Scotaland 1592. Jam. Guthry's first Speech to the Parliament in Scotland 6. That wicked Kings and Tyrants ought to be put to death and if the Judges and Inferiour Magistrates will not doe their Office the power of the Sword devolves to the People if the major part of the people refuse to exercise this power then the Ministers may excommunicate such a King after which it is Lawfull for any of the Subjects to kill him as the people did Athaliah and Jehu Jezabell Buchanan Knox Goodman Gilby 7. That King Charles the First was Lawfully put to death and his Murtherers were the Blessed Instruments of God's glory in their generation Jo. Milton Jo. Goodwin Jo. Owen and we will add John Blackbdell aliàs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By these and the like Instances which may be brought it is proved to a very Demonstration That the wicked Doctrine and Practice of Resisting Lawfull Kings and of Deposing and Killing them and of Excluding their Right Heirs from Succeeding in their Thrones for ill Government Heresie or want of Grace is Grounded on Fanaticism And was never preached nor practised by any Episcopal Protestants but onely by the Papists and Fanaticks who ever denied The King's Supremacy The English Churche's Episcopacy CHAP. VI. A Paralle or A Brief and True Account of some Plots and Treasons of Papists and Fanaticks against the Kings and Queens of England since the Reformation and Abrenunciation of Popery EVER since the Abrenunciation of the Pope's Jurisdiction in England the Papists and Fanaticks have gone hand in hand in plotting and raising Sedition and Rebellion against our Kings and Queens upon the Pretence of Religion As for instance The Papists having Sir Francis Bygott for their General raised War against King Henry the Eighth for his being a Protestant and for Marrying a Lutheran The Fanaticks having Sir Thomas Wyat for their Commander made War against Queen Mary for her being a Papist and for Marrying a Papist The Papists Humfrey Arundell being their chief Captain Rebelled at Excester in Devonshire upon the account of Religion in King Edward the Sixth's Reign exclaiming bitterly against Protestantism The Fanaticks Robert Kett being their chief Leader made War and Rebelled at Norwich in Norfolk against the same King Edw. the Sixth under the pretence of Religion exclaiming Loudly against Popery The Papists plotted several times but were not able to effect the Deposition and Death of Queen Elizabeth a Protestant The Fanaticks plotted and effected the Deposition and Expulsion of Mary Queen of Scotland a Papist The Papists plotted the Alteration of the Protestant Religion that they might introduce Popery in Queen Elizabeth's Reign The Fanaticks in her Reign plotted the Alteration of the established Protestant Religion Some as Cartwright Travers c. that they might bring in their Genevan-Discipline Others as Hacket Barrow Brown Coppinger Penry Thacker c. that they might usher in their Libertinism Enthusiasm and Donatism The Papists plotted to alter Religion and to destroy King James by Gunpowder and other ways The Fanaticks particularly George Brook Henry Brook Lord Cobham Lord Gray of Wilton c. joyning in Conspiracy with the two Popish Priests Watson and Clark plotted to destroy King James to alter Religion to subvert the State and to procure Foreign Invasion The Papists in Ireland upon the account of Religion openly Rebelled against King Charles the First and most barbarously Massacred thousands of his Protestant Subjects thereby endeavouring to bring in Popery The Fanaticks in England and Scotland upon the account of Religion openly Rebelled against the same King Charles the First and caused a bloudy Civil War in which thousands of the King 's Loyal Subjects were Butchered and Murthered they hoping thereby to extirpate the established Protestant Religion and to bring in their Genevan Presbytery or Belgick Consusion The Papists in France Murthered King Henry the Third and King Henry the Fourth of that
Ecclesiae Bona census ac jura etiam feudalia c. quacunque arte aut quocunque quaesito colore in proprios usus convertere iis Anathemati tam diu subjaceat c. Sess 22. c. 11. and Kings as well as others to be Excommunicated who shall upon any account whatever sell and alienate any Church-Lands Goods or Chattels without the Pope's leave And if any person great or small King or Subject shall be found guilty of Contumacy against any Spiritual and Ecclesiastical Judge then the said Judge may (c) Sitque erga judicem Contumacia tunc reos etiam Anathematis mucrone arbitrio suo praeter alios poenas fevire poterit c. at his pleasure not onely Excommunicate such an offender but also decree him to be punished any other ways as the said Judge shall think fit And if the said excommunicated person though a King for it is Concil Trid-sess 25. e. 3. Quicunque post legitimas admonitiones non resipuerit c. Whosoever shall after legal Admonition continue obstinate he shall be punished as an Heretick that is with Death Contra eum tanquam de Haeresi suspectum procedi possit ibid. Bonaventure declares it for an undoubted Truth that the Supreme Power (a) Jam verò possunt Sacerdotes Pontifices ex causa amovere Reges deponere Imperatores sicut saepiùs accidit visum est quando scilicet eorum malitia hoc exigit Reipublicae necessitas sic requirit Summus verò Pontifex penes quem in terris prima residet Auctoritas non à Rege non à Principe seculari non ab homine judicatur sed solius Dei judicio reservatur Bonavent lib. de eccles Hierarch c. 1. on Earth is in the Pope and that as he already has often done so again he may Remove Kings and Depose Emperours for their Wickednesses and that the Pope is accountable for so dling unto no Earthly Power whatever whether Regal Imperial or otehrwise but onely unto God Cardinal Bellarmine assures his Reader That the Popes of Rome have power not onely to Excommunicate but also to Depose and Sentence to Death Heretical and ungodly Kings and to give away (a) Posse à Romano Pontifice Principes Christianos excommunicari principaetu privari eorúmque subditos ab obeâ—ieutia eorum absolvi c. Bellarm. de potest sum Pontif. praef p. 6. their Crowns and Lands unto others that are Godly and Catholick and to absolve their Subjects from all Duty and Allegiance to them and to confirm the truth of what he asserts he quotes the Authority and Judgment of Pope Gregory the 7th of Cajetan Pet. Ancharanus Sylvester Prieras Astensis and many others for the same And he highly applauds and justifies the Pope's excommunicating Hen 8th King of England for Heresie which Heresie was onely King Henry's Renouncing the Pope's Supremacy and Defending his own The Horrid practice of Assassinating and Murthering Lawfull Kings for want of Grace and for Heresie is amply justified and highly commended as a meritorious Act by Pope Sixtus Quintus in his large Oration made to the Cardinals in Consistory at Rome on Septemb. 11. 1589. upon the Murther and Death of Henry the Third King of France who was most barbarously Assassinated and Stab'd to Death in the midst of his Army by JAQVES CLEMENT a Popish-Dominican Fryar Some of the said Pope's own words are as follow in the Margin In which you will find Pope Sixtus (a) Hoc de quo nunc verba facimus quod his diebus nostris evenit verè insigne memorabile penè incredibile opus est nec sine Dei Op. Max. particulari providentia perpetratum Occidit Monachus Regem non pictum Quintus so far from disclaiming against the Monk for that execrable Murther committed upon the aforesaid King's Person as that he rather in high strains of Rhetorick wonderfully applauds the said Hellish Fact and styles it a most famous memorable and well-nigh incredible Act yea a work done not without the particular Providence and disposition of Almighty God A Fryar has kill'd a King And for fear his Auditours should think he told them a Romance he repeats it again saying I assure you A Monk has kill'd a King not a King (b) aut fictum in charta aut pariete sed Regem Francorum in medio exercitûs sui milite custodiâ septum painted in Paper or pictured upon a Wall not a Jack of Lent but a real living King even the French King in the midst of his Army whilst encompassed about with his Guard And although All Monks by their Holy Order and Profession (c) Iste Monachus praeliis ac pugnis non erat assuefactus à sanguine vitae suae inslituto ita abhorrens ut nec ex vena incisione fusum cruorem forsan ferre potuerit were forbid to shed bloud yet it was commendable in this Monk And farther the Pope acquaints the Cardinals with what Instrument (a) Etiam cum Cultello ad hoc propositum praeparato non in vagina condito unde poterat esse probabilis excusatio sed nudo ac in Manicâ abscondito quem si invenissent mox fuisset in crucem actus the Monk effected his bloudy design to wit with a Knife which he had cunningly hid in his Sleeve for that purpose But that which seems most inhumane in this Pope was his Denying the aforesaid Murthered King Christian Burial and his Holiness pleaded Sacred Scripture for his (b) De persona ergo Regis â—autum ista cum dolore diximus cujus infaustus finis eximit quoque ipsum ab iis officiis quae solet haec sancta sedes Imperatoribus Regibus post morâ—em exhibere quae pro isto libentèr fecissemus nisi id fieri in hoc casu Sacrae Scripturae vetarent warrant After all this Barbarity any one in pity and charity would have thought that although the said Pope denied the Massacred King Honourable and Christian Burial yet he would not have denied him his own and all compassionate mens Prayers for His Majesty's Souls deliverance if not from Purgatory yet from Hell But such was his implacable malice against the said King as that he did not onely decree that (a) Decrevimus pro ipso Rege non esse celebrandas exequias no funeral Rites should be performed for him But also that (b) Intelligimus praedictum Regem ex hac vita sine poenitentia seu impoenitentem excessisse nimirum in Consortio Haereticorum at que pro tali peccato seu pro Homine sic peccante noluit Apostolus ut post mortem oraremus Sixt. Quint. Pont. Max. Serm. Romae Consist Sept. 11. 1589. no prayers should be made for him after his Death he dying in his Heresie was excluded from all Grace and Mercy hereafter Jodocus Lorichius assures us also That it is the constant Doctrine of the Church of Rome scil That the Pope
killing his said Sovereign King Zachariah than what God aforehand had decreed should be done to the House of Jehu for his and their Hypocrisie and Wickedness Yet notwithstanding Shallum's executing God's Decree He was deservedly Condemned for a Traytor and at length Vengeance seized upon him By these and other Instances which might be alledged it is evident That Treason and Rebellion although Commenced upon never so Religious a pretence very seldom if ever went unpunished And therefore we Christians may pertinently urge in this case of Treason and Rebellion what Christ alledged in that of Offences Matth. 18.7 Woe to the World because of Offences for Offences will come but Woe to them by whom the Offence cometh So here Woe to the World because of Treasons and Rebellions for Treasons and Rebellions will happen as long as Youth are not duely Catechised and men are not better and more Loyally Principled But Woe to those Men by whom Seditions Treasons and Rebellions do come For the Divine Nemesis will undoubtedly pursue and over-take them either in this World or in that to come SECT IV. The Proposition proved by Reason and the Common Sentiments of Religion REason and Religion dictate it to be a thing absolutely sinfull and unlawfull for any Subjects whatever High or Low if they be Subjects in Parliament or out of Parliament to Depose their Lawfull Prince And that it is also unlawfull for any Subjects The Bill of Exclusion unlawfull by a Bill of Exclusion or by any other Means to put by the Lawfull Heir from the Crown for fear as was lately pretended He should alter Religion and so bring many Evils upon the Nation Now that it is utterly unlawfull and sinfull for any Subjects to doe thus Reason dictates Because to preclude a Lawfull Heir from the Crown for fear of future Evils which may happen in his Reign and Government is truly 1. Malitious To suppose a fault in the Right Heir before there is one and to Act upon such a Supposal savours of the height of Malice and Dis-ingenuity In truth so to doe in our apprehension is no better than to Hang a Man first and then to Try him afterward 2. Atheistical So to doe is to trust more to Man's Policy than to God's Wisedom more to Man's Care than to God's Providence for the prevention of suture Evils The Holy Scriptures assure us that the Heart of the King and of his Right Heir is in the hand of the Lord Prov. 21.1 and as the Rivers of Water he turneth it whither soever he will But this late Fanatical Doctrine of Deposing Kings and of Excluding the Right Heir from the Crown for want of Grace and for fear of future Evils that may possibly be done by Him speaks the contrary For this their Doctrine avouches for a Truth that the Heart of the King and of his Successour is not in the hand of the Lord Or if it be that then God will not turn it so as to doe any Good to the People And therefore the People especially in Parliament for the Good of the Common-wealth ought to Usurp God's Prerogative and take the Heart of the King and of his Lawfull Heir into their own hands and dispose of it as they the People shall judge best Now What is all this but in effect not onely to Depose and Dethrone an Earthly Prince and his Lawfull Heir but also to Depose and Dethrone Almighty God himself Nay What is it in plain English but for the People to take the Reins of Government out of God's hand into their own and to Rule the World according to their own exuberant fancies Nay What is it at the best but to doe an apparent Evil that a Contingent Good may come on it Which Principle is Antichristian and Condemned for such by Saint Paul who assures us That they who maintain such an irreligious Tenet scil Let us doe Evil Rom. 3.8 that Good may come Their Damnation is just And here it is to be farther noted That if it be as has been proved to be a sin for the Subjects upon any pretence whatever to Depose their King and to Exclude his Lawfull Heir from the Throne for fear of any Evil that may happen through his ill Government Now if this be a sin Then to be sure much more is it a sin for any Subjects to endeavour That a Law might be made to Disinherit the Lawfull Heir of the Crown upon the pretences aforesaid For 1. To make such a Law is truly to make a Law directly to oppose and contradict the unalterable Law of Inheritance which says that the Right Heir by Primogeniture shall Inherit and the other known Law of God That He who hateth Right shall Govern And therefore it was a notorious Sin Opposite to God's Law of Inheritance an Antichristian Act in the late Shaftsburian-Associators to move for a Bill of Exclusion of his present Royal Highness James Duke of YORK from Succeeding in the Throne notwith-standing his undoubted Right thereunto by Primogeniture upon a presumptive jealousie that He would not be a Friend to the true Episcopal-Protestant Religion of the Church of England as now by Law Established For by this Attempt they endeavoured to have set up a New Law of Man against the Ancient Law of God which Commands as we have heard already that the Right Heir shall Govern although he hate Righteousness and although he be a Belial an Idolater And the Law of God is so far from either Deposing a Lawfull King or Precluding the Right Heir as that it will not suffer any Subjects whatever to say Their King is Wicked or that their Princes are Vngodly 2. The Cause of Civil Wars and Sedition To make a Law for the Exclusion of the Lawfull Heir from the Crown is to establish Sedition and Faction by Law And it is not onely to cause but also to perpetuate an Intestine and Civil War by Law as our present most Wise and most Gratious King prudently and too truly urged in his late Declaration giving that for one Reason why neither in Honour nor in Conscience could He give his Royal Fiat unto that unnatural and irreligious Bill of Exclusion For if such a Bill should pass into a Law then there must inevitably follow a Bloudy Civil War Which can please none but them who delight in Bloud and love to sish in troubled waters And which will be worse The said War will in all likelihood continue untill the longest Sword shall have carried all before it And who knows but that Might may once again overcome Right as it did at Worcester Fight and in the late Cruel Rebellion Now Reason assures us That upon passing the Bill of Exclusion into a Law there most certainly will follow a Civil War and that because There will be in the Kingdom two Opposite irreconcilable Abettors for the Crown and their Adherers such as 1. The Right Heir by Primogeniture Excluded and his
Party 2. The Vsurper intruded and his Confederates And both sides will plead a just Title to the Crown The Lawfull Heir Excluded will urge and that most truly his Right thereunto by virtue of his Primogeniture according to the Law of God of Natural Reason and of Magna Charta And therefore to be sure He will Fight and that undauntedly for the Crown On the other hand the Vsurper will plead and that not without Reason his Title to the Crown by virtue of the New Law of the Nation to wit the New Statute of Exclusion which has setled the Royal Diadem upon his Head and therefore He will not easily part with it Wherefore no man need doubt but that the Vsurper will fight and that stoutly to keep what by Law he has got Thus any Man that has but half an eye may if he will plainly see That if the Bill of Exclusion should pass into a Law as the Anti-Yorkists so hotly desired that then War and Sedition will be established and continued by Law And now suppose this should ever happen to be which God forbid Then the Great Query and Case of Conscience will be scil Qu. What Party or Side ought the Pious and Dutifull Subject to take and follow Ans To deal plainly and faithfully in this Case where Conscience and Religion I mean Christianity are so deeply concerned We humbly conceive it to be the honest Subject's Duty in this case rather to Obey God and his Law and so to fight More Romano Couragiously for the Right and Lawfull Heir by Primogeniture unjustly Excluded This we ought to doe rather than to Obey Man and his New Law of Exclusion and so to engage for the Vsurper who Reigns and Governs not by Divine but onely by Humane Law and Appointment And we will Appeal to Conscience and Reason Whether it be not safer to follow God and his Law which cannot err than Man who may err and his Law of Exclusion which does grosly err in the very Sanction of it in that it manifestly opposes the above-mentioned Law of God which Commands That the Right Heir by Primogeniture should Reign and Govern although He hateth Right Object If it be as it is by all Anti-Yorkists and Common wealths Men objected That the Law of the Realm is above the King for that the Law made him King And therefore say they the Law has a power to Depose the King and to take away that Regal Authority which it gave him As that Great but to our thinking Factious Lawyer (a) Ipse autem Rex non debet esse sub homine sed sub Deo sub Lege quia Lex facit Regem Non est enim Rex ubi dominatur Volumas non Lex c. Bract. l. 1. c. 8. Bracton argues And as is so often quoted from him and seditiously urged by the Authour of Julian Apostate p. 83. And the very same Argument was pleaded by all the late Regicides particularly by that Grand Regicide Bradshaw the Lawyer who had the Impudence to sit as Judge upon the Bench and to pronounce that Diabolical Sentence of Condemnation upon his own Dread Sovereign King Charles the First of Blessed Memory and he palliated over his and their Horrid Treason with this colour of argument to wit That the Law was above the King Ans It is hoped that all the Gentlemen of the Long-Robe will go on as they already have worthily begun to repair the Honour of their Noble Order and that none of them will any more advise or plead for Treason nor ever again deceive and seduce the silly ignorant People with their specious and fallacious Arguments But that they who have been disloyal will suffer themselves and their Youth to be better Disciplined in the Doctrine of the Church of England The neglect of which has too apparently caused some of that Honourable and most necessary Function and their Clients so grosly to err in point of Obedience But as for the above mentioned Objection it is already pithily Answered by the King 's Learned Sergeants at Law in Hilary-Term 1683 in their truly Loyal Motto A DEO REX A REGE LEX God made the King the King made the Law And therefore very false and Antiscriptural are the forementioned Positions scil 1. That the Law made the King 2. That the Law is above the King For although the Law of God indeed is above all Kings and if they wilfully transgress the same they are all accountable unto God and unto God onely for the same Yet in this Kingdom of England no Statute-Law is or can be above the King And that because It was the King who first gave Life and Being to the Law of the Land The King by his Royal Assent made the Law Salvâ Regiâ Praerogativâ to be what it is to wit a Law But the Law of the Land did not make the King to be what he is to wit a King For the King was King before the Law And so he became the principal efficient Cause of the Law And therefore the King was before the Law inasmuch as the Cause is ever before the Effect And it is to be noted That although the Law may by Repeal or other ways be abolished and dye Yet in England the King never does nor can dye as long as there is alive any Lawfull Heir by Primogeniture though never so Remote Object But most if not all the Anti-Yorkists did and still do urge in favour of their Bill of Exclusion the Statute of 13 Qu Eliz. c. 1. When a Law was made to this purpose scil That it should be High-Treason for any to affirm the Right in Succession of the Crown to be in some other than the Queen Or to affirm that the Laws and Statutes do not bind the Right of the Crown and the Descent Limitation Inheritance and Governance thereof Whosoever shall during the Queens Life by book or work written or printed expresly affirm before the same be established by Parliament that any one particular person is or ought to be Heir and Successour to the Queen except the same be the natural issue of her body c. shall for the first offence be a whole year Imprisoned and forfeit half his Goods and for the second offence shall incur the penalty of Praemunire Polt Qu. El. 13. c. 1. This is the Act and these are the words of that Act which the Authour of Julian the Apostate and all the Factious Associatours have so stiffly pleaded in Justification of their Bill of Exclusion Ans But a little to undeceive the deluded People and to tell the Truth as far as we apprehend it First There was an Occasion if not a Necessity for such an Act in Queen Elizabeth's days but there is none in these of ours And the Reason for it is this scil Because in Her days many both Papists and Fanaticks disputed Queen Elizabeth's Right and Title to the Crown Nor was it certainly known who by Birth
of all men were most free from Courtship and Flattery they especially the Prophet Daniel did Honour and Worship even Heathen-Kings and frequently saluted them with this Pathetical Option VIV AT REX O King Live for ever Which is all one with God save the King In like manner St. Paul did Honour Noble Festus the Roman Governour and King Agrippa who were no Christians And the same Apostle exhorts Titus Bishop of Crete Tit. 3.1 to put All Men in mind of being subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates whether Christians or Heathens good or bad and to be ready to every good work And in Hebr. 13.17 the Jews are Commanded to obey all that had Rule over them Which Rulers over them in the State were the Roman Emperours and Deputies who were at that time inveterate Enemies to Christianity Our Blessed Saviour himself Commands all Men Christians especially to give unto Caesar what is Caesar's as well as to God what is God's And the Law of God and of Man tells us that Honour and Obedience is Caesar's due therefore it must be paid And St. Paul writing to the New-converted Romans at Rome charges them to be subject to Caesar and the Higher Powers And he gives this Reason for the necessity of their Obedience to wit Because there is no power but of God and that Rom. 13.1 2. Whosoever resisteth the Powers resisteth the Ordinance of God and he that risisteth shall receive to himself Damnation And the very same pious Doctrine of Loyalty does St. Peter teach 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or to Governours as unto them which are sent by him And v. 18. St. Peter adds as the Whole Duty of Man this Injunction Fear God Honour the King Thereby according to Beaufrons plainly intimating unto us this excellent Truth scil That if we will not peaceably submit to every Ordinance of the King * Beaufrons c. 8. p. 89. as to things Lawfull but become Mutinous and Rebellious then notwithstanding our high profession of Religion and of fearing God we neither Fear God nor Honour the King for as God is ever to be Feared so the King is ever to be Honoured Unto these Instances of Holy Writ pleading for Obedience to Kings and to the Supreme Magistrates we may add that Loyal Decree which the Reubenites and Gadites and the half Tribe of Manasseh made For they all were so zealous for Obedience unto Joshua their Supreme Magistrate as that they Decreed Josh 1.18 That whosoever Disobeyed Joshuah's Commands and would not hearken unto his words in all that he commanded he should be put to Death The Prophet Samuel terms Rebellion no better than Witchcraft 1 Sam. 15.23 So that according to him Whosoever Rebells has forsaken God and is gone over Volunteer to the Devil and is carrying on his works of Darkness Nor may we pass over in silence that smart check which the Heathen Sanballat gave though most undeservedly unto Loyal Nehemiah saying What is this thing that ye doe Nehem. 2.19 Will ye Rebell against the King Will ye Rebell that is to say in the Negative No surely ye will not offer to Rebell against the King For your Jewish Religion which ye say is the onely true Religion in the World teaches you otherwise and instructs you better to wit That although the King be in your opinion no other than an uncircumcised Heathen and as you believe an Idolater Yet for all this ye ought according to your own Religion not to Rebell against him From these Proofs in Canonical Scriptures we may rationally argue and conclude with the truly Loyal Archbishop Laud and others of the Church of England scil That all the Commands of a King Heyl. in Vit. Archb. Laud. p. 310. which are not upon the first Inference and Illation contrary to some clear passage of the Word of God or to some evident Sun-beam of the Law of Nature are precisely to be obeyed SECT III. The Proposition That All Lawfull Kings whether Morally good or bad ought to be obeyed proved by the Authority and Practice of honest Heathens HItherto we have heard the Divine Oracles amply declaring the Subjects Duty peaceably to Obey their Lawfull Kings and their Successours whether Papists or Protestants Heathens or Christians Good or Bad. The very same Truth and Duty we find urged and confirmed by the Authority and Practice of mere Heathens who were guided onely by the glimmering Light of their Natural Reason even such as they did not onely teach but also practise Loyalty and Obedience to their Lawfull Princes Hesiod discoursing on the Benefits of Kingly Government tells his Reader that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod Theog c. unto the King the People do all most dutifully look waiting for his Word of Command They being fully assured that seeing their prosperity is his happiness He therefore will order all things right according to the Rules of Justice And when King Jupiter was Dethroned by the Rebellious Titanes then the Loyal Party mustered up their Forces and humbly tendering their Services to him their King They all unanimously entred into a solemn Vow that they would fight his Cause and never sheath their Swords untill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. they had vanquished all his Enemies and had restored him to his Imperial Crown and Dignity Theocritus enlarging himself on the Praise and high Commendations of King Ptolemaeus says He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most happy of all men not onely in that He being King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theocr. c. was the care and charge of the Supreme God But also he was happy in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All his Subjects were Obedient and Conformable to his Government and were not factious and tumultuous nor given to Seditious Talk nor to Idleness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But every man kept his own Station and peaceably followed his own business And at last he religiously concludes his Panegyrick on the said King with this pathetical Epiphonema 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theocr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 17. God save King Ptolemy Phocylides in his Admonitory Poem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cautions all men especially Subjects that are under an Oath of Obedience punctually to keep their Faith and Allegiance And that Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. God hates a perjured person It is Remarkable That Fabius Maximus after he had been Consul five times became Obedient to his Son Suessa who was promoted to that high Office And when some jealousie arose that He had contemned the Authority of his said Son for that upon his first approach into his Son's Presence He did not bow the Knee nor did him that Honour and lowly Reverence which was due to his Consulary Dignity Fabius presently corrected the mistake assuring his Son the Consul that He did not forbear to give
Kingdom and that it is your true and unfeigned purpose to amend your lives And this Covenant ye make in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of hearts with a true intention to perform the same as ye shall answer it at the Great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen you by his holy Spirit to this end and to bless your desires and proceedings with success as may be deliverance and safety to his People and encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the Yoke of Anti-Christian Tyranny to join in the same or like ASSOCIATION and Covenant to the Glory of God the Enlargement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the Peace and Tranquility of Christian Kingdoms and Common-wealths So help you God NOW if any unbyassed and unprejudiced person will but compare these two Covenants together He may easily see and conclude that though the one be larger than the other yet That the Fanaticks took the Plat-form of their Covenant from the Bygot Papists Onely the Papists in their Covenant Swore to Maintain the Ancient Herarchy and to preserve not onely the King but also his Heirs and Issue Whereas the Fanaticks swore to extirpate All Hierarchy And although they swore to preserve the King yet they did not swear to preserve his Lawfull Heir ☞ and Issue for they do not make the least mention of them in their Covenant And it is to be noted farther That although the Fanaticks in their Covenant swore to Preserve and Defend the King's Person and Authority Yet they swore to maintain him onely in his Just Power and Greatness And they made themselves the Interpreters of what was the King's JVST Power and Greatness And farther The Fanaticks in their Covenant swore to Preserve and Defend the King's Person and Authority Onely in Subserviency to the Rights and Privileges of Parliaments and the Liberties of the People and Kingdom All which they in their Covenant put before the Preservation of the King his Person and Authority ☜ Whereas the Truth is this to wit That neither the Rights and Privileges of Parliaments nor the Liberties of the People can possibly be preserved and maintained Without the constant Preservation of the King his Person and Authority his Heirs and Successours in his and their full Rights and Royal Prerogatives For The King is the Life of the Kingdom He alone by his Prerogative gives Life and Being to Parliaments and with the Breath of his Mouth can and does Annihilate them at his pleasure He is the Spring and Fountain Head of all the Peoples Liberties they are all the Results and Effects of his Donations upon Condition of their Fealty and Loyalty to him For in England whatever Lands Immunities and Privileges the Subjects enjoy They hold all à Capite from the King and his Heirs And therefore to depose and destroy the King and his Heirs or to infringe their ancient Rights and Prerogatives is truly to destroy the Subjects just Title to their Liberties and Enfranchisements All which Liberties depend upon their Allegiance to the King and his Lawfull Heirs But we will deseant no farther on these Rebellious Engagements and Covenants either of Papists or of Fanaticks Onely we will take leave to add this scil That if according to * Beaufr c. ◠p. 52. Beaufrons the Protestants that is to say the Episcopal Men of the Church of England be as indeed they are like the Papists in all that is Good in the Papists Then we may on the other hand avouch for a Truth that the Fanaticks are like the Papists in all or most things which are †Ibid. p. 46 to p. 51. Bad in the Papists And therefore if Beaufrons would have us to love the Papists for what they are like unto us Then Reason tells us That we ought to Dissent from both Papists and Fanaticks in what they are contrary to us and ever to Abhor their Treasonable Practices of Covenanting against our Lawfull Princes and their Heirs upon pretence of Tyranny Idolatry want of Grace or the like for He that hateth Righteousness Job 34.17 18. shall and ought to Govern nor is it Lawfull to say unto a King Thou art Wicked nor unto Princes Ye are Vngodly CHAP. VII The chief Cause of Rebellion among Christians is a Belief of that false Position scil That Temporal Dominion is founded in Grace Maintained by the Papists and Fanaticks REbellion among Heathens and irreligious Men commonly arises from Pride and Ambition from * Jam. 4.1 Lust Envy and Malice from Discontents Oppression and Tyranny But Sedition and Rebellion among Religious Men who profess Christianity and pretend to tenderness of Conscience to Grace and Holiness ordinarily yea chiefly if not wholly arises from a persuasion and firm belief of that very false Doctrine and Position stifly maintained both by Papists and Fanaticks scil Dominium Temporale Fundatur in Gratia That Temporal Dominion is Founded in Grace And that onely the Godly ought to Reign and Govern upon Earth Before we proceed to disprove the asoresaid Position It will be necessary to inform the weaker sort of men what is generally meant by Grace to wit The Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghost Such as 1. A Faith in Christ a Belief of the Christian Religion Without which Belief every Man is an Infidel 2. All Moral Vertues wrought in us by the Holy Ghost concurring with our own endeavours such as Sobriety Prudence Justice Love Meekness c. Sanctification and Holiness of Life and Manners Without which every Man is Morally wicked The Fanaticks both Classical Congregational and Anabaptists to doe them Right by Grace do commonly mean A Conversion unto God a firm Faith in Christ Sanctification and Holiness of Life and other Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghost And farther By Grace they all mean A firm Belief of the Truth of their own several ways of Church-Government in opposition unto the Hierarchy And whoever is not of their Way and Persuasion is looked upon by them as no better than an Heathen and Publican or one Vngodly and wanting Grace And therefore if he that is not of their way and persuasion Be a King or Magistrate and will not come over to them and Declare that He has Grace and is in the number of the Godly if he will not doe so then He has no Right to Rule and Govern over them nor to impose Laws upon their Consciences but they may Lawfully Resist such a Prince or Magistrate And that because according to them All Temporal Dominion is founded in Grace The Papists in like manner by Grace mean not onely a Faith in Jesus Christ c. But also and primarily a firm Belief of the Pope's Supremacy and of the Church of Rome's Authority over all others in the Christian World And whoever denies the Pope's Supremacy or denies the particular Church of Rome to be the Onely Catholick