shall reap the same ver 8. 9. those to whom the newes of the murder of the Innocent is as sweet as a plentifull harvest is agreable to the husbandman shall not be able to avoid the stroke of Iustice but be like high trees that are planted upon the mountaines shall be made a sport and pastime for the windes and tempests But the poore Gibeonits case before wee leave it affords us an excellent document how Gods Israelites ought to carry themselves towards Ismaelits and Canaanits that would have destroyed them viz. to be very sparing in promises and protection towards them but haveing once conditionated with them and received them into favour to be very liberall in performances towards them and not to violate faith given in a title though the conditions were obtained by craft and deception And now I humbly intreat you to observe what little esteeme David had of Sauls Royall seed to hang up seven of them for what offence does not appeare but very probable that they had given Saul bad councell to destroy the poore Gibeonites and yet David had sworne to Saul not to cut off his seed after him 1 Sam. 24. 20. 21. And now behold I know well that thou shalt surely be King and that the Kingdome of Israel shall be established in thine hand Sweare now therefore unto me by the Lord that thou wilt not cut off my seed after mee and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my fathers house and David swore unto Saul With these two arguments I doe in the name of the Lord Challenge all the Royalists in England Ireland and Scotland to answer them if they can or rest satisfied with Scripture and reason 1. That no oath of Allegiance or Supremacy can be any ground to any people not to doe Iustice upon a King for murder David a man after Gods owne heart that never offended but in the matter of Vriah therefore did not erre in delivering up Sauls seven sons to execution would not make his oath to Paul a ground not to doe Iustice for the Spirit of God in David argued thus I am by the Law of Nature as I am a creature a poore worme bound to the holy and just Law of my Creator which is unchangeable and undispensable God can no more dispense with my loving and obeying of him then hee can cease to be God by reason of his Infinite goodnes which Law is that blood requires blood Genes 9. 6. It is a fundamentall Law without which there can be no conservation of human society and I finde in the Law of God that my eye must not pittie him that sheds blood Deut. 19. 11 12 13. But if any man hate his neighbour and lye in wait for him and rise up against him and smite him mortally that he dye and fleeth into one of these Cities then the Elders of the City shall send and fetch him thence and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood that he may dye ver 5. thine eye shall not pittie him but thou shalt put away the guilt of Innocent blood from Israel that it may goe well with thee paralell whereunto is 2 Kings 14. 4. And also for the Innocent blood that he shed for hee filled Ierusalem with Innocent blood which the Lord would not pardon And therefore when I take an oath of Allegeance or Supremacy it must be saving that faith which I owe unto my Creator as in Iustice Littletons case when any man did Fealty to his Lord it was with a saving that faith and dutie which he owed unto the King and those other Lords which he held land of by Priority of Tenure which if it were not expressed it is implyed in Law 2. Thus I argue that if it were just to put Sauls sons to death for their fathers sin wherein hee was principall and they but accessaries at the most doubtlesse it had been just to have recompenced it upon the head of their father it could be no sin to put Saul to death for killing the Gibeonites where it was lawfull to execute his sons which might have made many pleas that what they did was Sauls command they had the Kings Commission of Array and warrants from Saul to raise forces to secure the Countrey and under pretence of keeping the peace to plunder and destroy whom they pleased but observe what a glorious sight it was in the eyes of heaven 1 Sam. 21. 14. when those seven sons were executed God was intreated for the Land It may be the common Law would have acquitted those seven gentlemen because regularly where the principall is dead the accessory cannot be tryed but the Law of God makes all principall in murder whether present or absent as the Law of man makes all principall in the highest offences of Treason and the lowest offences of trespasse nor did David question what shall I shed the blood of the seed Royall for the Gibeonites who were strangers and bondmen hewers of wood and drawers of water upon which Eternall Law of Righteousnes Major Ottoway and Cornet Grant were shot to death for murdering an Irish-man at the siege of VVaterford who having leave to goe into VVaterford to receive some money and to returne was at his coming backe murdered by their Orders or Command for which by the Councell of Warre they were justly condemned and the execution was a most famous peece of justice for had not zeale and love to Iustice preponderated and out-voted all private affections much might have been said for the vallor Gallantry and hopefulnes of the Major and Cornet I could not in faithfulnes but mention it as being a case so parallell to that 1 Sam. 21. That Sauls sons should be executed for murder of the Gibeonites and out of my dutifull respect to beare witnesse to the exemplary and exact discipline of the Army where vice is punisht vertue rewarded whereof I was sometimes Advocate and count it more honorable to be a member of an Army fighting for Christ then to be head of an Antichristian Empire But before we leave David let me but observe how the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel for Davids one sin of numbring the people what had the poore sheep done that 70000. men from Dan to Beersheba should dye by the Pestilence in three dayes Did not God thinke you therein reckon with them for their Kingly goverment you will have a King saith the Lord to them whether I will or no you shall now smart for your wickednes for your great wickednes for unmanning your selves making your selves lesse then men to make one man equall with God to doe what he pleases I will not endure it in my owne people Eli sinned yet the people not punisht for he governed the people according to the minde of God but you will have a King sayes the Lord as the Heathens have be it so but if he sin I le punish you not only with the famine but by a
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
Parliament leaving the body of Antichristian Goverment by Bishops as before or if the body of Antichrist come to be destroyed and the thighes leggs or feet onely remaining in any Coercive Presbiters when Kings will play at small games rather then sit out and joyne with any people in the world to persecute the people of God see the end of such Kings ver 14. They shall make warre with the Lambe and the Lambe shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull and this Arraignement of Monarchs and Grandees for abusing the Spouse of Christ shall not be onely upon the puritie of Intention which will not Iustifie any Irregular Action for to Act Irregularly upon an Impetus or Impulsive spirit makes Scripture uselesse but according to naturall Iustice and common equitie that when Kings shall proclaime the Saints Traitors Heretiques and Rebells because they will not fall downe and worship the Lord according to human inventions and shall raise Armies to destroy them as enemies to their Crowne and dignities such Kings have forfeited their Civill Rights as the Kings of Canaan did and honest faithfull righteous men chosen by the people shall be their successors to whom by vertue of the equity of the Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacy the people are to be true and faithfull as to the Lord for whom and by whose lawes they preside and regulate their Administrations and other obligation lies upon no man by vertue of any such Oath that he formerly tooke for there is no other successor the wisedome of God hath in Iustice so ordered it and He that is Truth when men are lyars is also wise when they are fooles for the oath was only binding to the positique capacity to be true to the King so farr as he was true to the Lawes and safety of the people Hee that tooke it in any other sense made the King a God infallible and impeccable when he sets up a standard of defiance against them is any man so unsound in his intellectualls as to thinke that the oath obliges him to stand still and suffer his owne throat to be cut No oath can tye any man to doe or suffer that which is destructive to humanity and as for Christians certainely by that statute of Numb 30. what ever any Christian vowes without the consent of her husband Iesus Christ is meerely voyd in Law and a precipitate rash oath as that of David against Nabal I Sam. 25. 22. binds not but to repentance Levit. 5. 4. 5. If it be objected that Iosua fought against Kings of another Nation as Gods people in England did not what forraigne assistance hath been in that kinde I shall not dispute but the answer is very easie that the neerenes of the relation much aggravates the offence on the Royalists part If ambitious Princes would give Commissions of Array against forraigners and not to destroy their owne people then it might be but a sin against the sixt and eight Commandement but to destroy his own Countreymen is a complicate offence of Treason also and a sin against the fift Commandement as well as the other two to betray those that trusted him and certainly had not the Parliament executed the late King the Danes or some others might have destroyed them for God binds his people by his legall Commands to Act and accomplish his designes and to destroy all Tirants and oppressors and to say who ever heard of such a thing before is an argument wherewith onely ignorant poore people are taken as the people said when Iesus Christ cast out the dumbe Spirit Matth. 9. 33. 34. it was never so seene in Israel he casteth out Divells through the Prince of Divells wee doe not read that God ever dealt with any Saint as with Iob yet Iob was no hypocrite I say the Lord hath layd an absolute Command upon the Parliament to proceed as they have done upon paine of his high displeasure and being guilty of high treason against the Majesty a terme not fit for any mortall man because higher then that wee cannot give of Heaven and of being utterly destroyed if they had not done it and that stroke put England into a salvable condition for doe but consider how severely the Lord dealt with Israel and Iudah when their Princes turned Lions and Wolves Then the Lord gave them a King in his anger 1 Sam. 8. 7. and Hosea 13. 11. ver I gave them a King in mine anger and tooke him away in my wrath will any man say that Sauls office of being King was of Divine ordination which was done in anger all Gods ordinances are appointed in love for the good of his people and Divine and humane society but Sauls being made King displeased the Lord and it is very remarkable that on the day and at the very houre of election Samuel dealt justly with them and told them of their great evill in rejecting God and his Goverment 17 18 19. and Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpeh and said unto the Children of Israel thus saith the Lord God of Israel I brought up Israel out of Egypt and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all Kingdoms and of them that oppressed you and yee have this day rejected your God who himselfe saved you out of all your adversities and tribulations and yee have said unto him Nay but set a King over us but though the Kingly Government displease God yet observe how gently Saul behaved himselfe to the people 1 Samuel 11. 12. There were some that would not have Saul raigne over them which the people would have had put to death but Saul said ver 13. There shall not be a man put to death this day whereas the Monarchs of the world make men offendors for a word one man for speaking in jest that he will make his sonne heire of the Crowne meaning a house that had that signe in Cheape-side and another for saying there goes Ed. 6. in Coleman-street have been most Tirannically murdered and executed Saul was never so bloody minded But one passage I may not omit the Holy Ghost foreseeing that Monarchy would have many Advocates to plead for its divine right for the satisfaction of all that will not wilfully shut out the light calls this importunitie of the Israelites to have a King to be a great wickednes and such a sin that the Lord will not let goe unpunished but sent unreasonable weather thunder and raine in wheat harvest Proverbs 26. 1. As snow in summer and as raine in harvest so honor is not seemely for a foole I hope England will not forget the wet season in summer 1648. how it was mid-winter at mid-summer and certainely the works of God have a voice and are most eloquent to his owne people what the Lord did to the Israelites for their asking a King England hath great
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
great pestilence and as you like that so continue your Kingly goverment Object But Davids dayes drew to an end therefore he gives a charge to Solomon his son of righteousnes saying there shall not faile thee a man on the Throne of Israel 1 Kings 2. 4. which expressing a stability of Davids Throne some may argue that God approved Kingly goverment As also there is another objection that should have had priority in Deut. 17. 14. to 20. That God gave a Law for chusing a King therefore he approved that government the answer whereunto is easie that the Lord foreseeing that when he had brought them into Canaan they would desire a King like the Pagans being a people deere unto him he would not therefore cast them off but tells them how to make the best of a bad bargaine that if they will play with the Lion or the Beare let them plucke out his teeth all Kings are ravenous creatures in point of their office but some will doe lesse hurt then others and the words of the Text are very perspicuous when thou art come into the land which Iehovah thy God giveth thee and shalt possesse it and shalt dwell therein and shalt say I will set a King over me like as all the nations that are about me c. So that the rise of Monarchy was plainely from the peoples pride the words are not that God will set a King over them but they will have one against his desire If Pride Luxury Rapacity which were called R. 2. daughters and that if he did not marry them they would undoe him be of a divine of spring and originall then Monarchy is but the very constitution of it is Tirannicall Antichristian and diabolicall And now the reason why God chose the seed of David and not the seed of Saul was not his approbation of Monarchy but because he had appointed Iesus Christ to come of Davids race Genes 49. 10. The scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shilo come and to him shall the gathering of the people be therefore a King must be untill Christs time yet onely over the Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin for the ten Tribes were carryed away Captive and who knowes but that the reason thereof was principally because of their great wickednes in casting of Gods goverment by godly righteous Iudges and setting up Monarchy like the Heathens and so Davids posterity did not terminate and end untill Christs time because the Law-giver was not borne before Solomon therefore after Davids death was a most glorious King who preferred wisedome before honor riches and pleasure none before him or after him were ever like unto him 1 Kings 3. 12. 28. For the Wisedome of God was in him to doe Iudgement yet being but a man was drawne away by his wives to Idolatry and did evill in the sight of the Lord 1 Kings 11. 5. hee went after Ashtoreth the goddesse of the Sidoneans And there is seldome any so singular eminent or rare-gifted man but wants his graines of allowance either he is contrited censorious passionate or hath some mixture or tincture of folly which yet must be charged upon the unregenerate part See what it is to be an absolute Monarch onely accomptable to God if Solomons power had been onely to have confirmed such good and wholesome Lawes as Gods people would have propounded to him or if Solomon had onely been a leading man in Parliament in probability Israel had not run a whoreing from the Lord after such Idolls but you shall tast sayes the Lord of those bitter fruits which are of your owne planting It was a web of your owne weaving a King you would have well saith God I will surely rend the Kingome from Solomon 1 Kings 11. 11. Yet not all the Kingdome for the Messiah is not borne and Solomon slept with his fathers and the people came to Rehoboam his son 1 Kings 12. who heard his Senators speake but did as the young men advised him 1 Kings 12. 10. how like unto Rehoboam are the Monarchs of this world they will be content to heare what a Parliament will advise but keep a negative voice and prefer copper heads before silver haires and Court Parasites have distinguisht betweene advice and consent that whereas by ancient fundamentall Lawes Kings could doe nothing without consent of the people in great Counsells and Parliaments they say they may not doe it without advise as if the great Councells of the Law stood only for a Cypher and a Kings pleasure to be the figure but let such as are wise but call to minde who it was that used this speech of Rehoboam that the late Kings little finger should be heavier then his Fathers Ioynes and Adore the Iustice of God in the Tragicall end of such wicked Councellors And in the revolt of the ten Tribes from the house of David see what meanes Rehoboam attempted to reduce them 1 Kings 12. ver 21. to 24. And why so certainly because the government was unjust and tirannicall in it selfe and therefore if the people who in their choice of a King have displeased God when they have well smarted for their folly have wit to cast him off the Scripture sayes it is from the Lord God does not say as in the case of Election they have rejected and cast off me not a word of anger or displeasure which holds forth this divine truth to all that will not willfully shut their eyes against the light that if the people in Turky Persia Russia or any place in the world where one man governes or pretends to rule as he pleases will rise against him and dethrone him it is an action not only justifiable but commendable and if the King cause any of them to be put to death as Traitors it is murder in him and he fights against God Iustice and Reason but it is otherwise where the goverment is just and rationall by godly righteous Magistrates and Iudges chosen by the people if they be affronted and injured it is an offence and high treason against the Majestie of heaven they have not cast off thee but they have rejected me sayes the Lord to a just authority acting for him and giving an accompt to the people of their lawes and administrations in love we may observe in Ionathans case that when the Legislative power is in one mans hand though none of the worst what lawes are unadvisedly enacted 1 Sam. 14. 24. And the men of Israel were distressed that day for Saul had adjured the people saying cursed be the man that eateth any food untill evening that I may be avenged on my enemies so none of the people tasted any food And they came to a wood and there was hony upon the ground ver 26. and when the people were come into the wood behold the hony dropped but no man put his hand to his mouth for the people feared the oath but Ionathan heard not when
where is there any Monarch in the world that assumes a power of accompting onely to God but hath in him the sensuallitie of a swine the filth and uncleanenes of a Leopard the crueltie and inexorablenes of a Tiger Beare or Lion the subtiltie and craft of a Fox the skittishnes and stubbornes of a Mule or an Asse and in what things they have common together with beasts they are worse then beasts for beasts will not be druncke with their drinke as the drunkard corrupts himselfe in his drinke Iude 10. they speake evill of that they know not and what they naturally know as brute beasts in those things they corrupt themselves if it would be such a judgement that a man would be willing to endure any misery in the world rather then to have his body turned into the fashion of a beast and if our Ancestors have been so diligent to destroy Woolves and such noxious creatures that whosoever should bring in the head of a Woolfe was to have a reward for it what a madnes or lethargie is it in men that would be counted rationall not onely to suffer Tirants and mysticall Woolves to domineere with a rod of iron when God gives them an opportunitie of extirpation root and branche but to contend against their brethren to set up a Tirant to rage like the waters because they cannot bring in an overflowing Tide and streame to breake downe the banks of honestie and equitie what was it that made David wish Psal 55. 6. compared with Ier. 9. 1. to 6. and Psal 59. Oh that I had the wings of a Dove that I might fly into the wildernes and there abide are not wild beasts in their proper element in a wildernes as fishes in the Sea true but the goverment of Saul and his prerogative creatures was more cruell then the fierce Lion that will either pitie the crouching passenger or not prey upon him till hunger require it and then put him out of his paine in an instant but Tirants and such are all that will not be accomptable to the people keep men in prison many yeares to satisfy their insatiable cruelties and torture poore creatures by lingring deaths denying them the favour of expedition in that kinde therefore David sayes Psal 22. 20. Deliver my soule from the sword my darling from the power of the dog the spirit of God in David calls Saul a dog better sayes David to fall into the hands of a Tiger and wilde beasts then live under a Tirannicall goverment there is a famous story of some Spaniards that being besieged by a Tirant and in danger to be taken the young men first tooke all the old people in the City and let them blood to death and cut off their heads killing them with the fairest and easiest deaths that could be next they tooke all the treasure and riches in the City and set it on fire and then they tooke poyson and poysoned themselves and the survivor opened the gates and killed himselfe so as the enemy had nothing but rubbish and ashes of two evills choosing the least old and yong and all the City to be destroyed together rather then to fall into the hands of a Tirant where no Iustice can be had the Lord cōtinue and increase the same gallantry and noblenesse of spirit in the English nation rather to endure any misery in the world then ever to admit any more of a Tirannicall Goverment for that is to make our selves lower then beasts which are not devoured by those of the same kinde to make one man more then a man with Titles of Sacred Majestie and Gracious Highnes Incompitible with a state of humanity Now I beseech you have patience a little longer to observe what strange creatures the Kings of Israel were and then let every honest hearted man but aske himselfe some such questions as these whether it is not likely that God would give his owne people as good Kings as to any other Nation Secondly if God was so exceedingly wroth with his owne children for desireing a King whether will he not be more angry with us if wee should not take warning by Gods people Note therefore that when King Ahab was dead Iehoram raigned in Israel 2 Kings 3. 1. 6. and because there was a famine in the Land the first newes is that Elisha the Prophet must be slaine 2 Kings 6. 31. 32. then he said God do so and moreover also to me if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day but Elisha sat in his house and the Elders sat with him and the King sent a man from before him but ere the messenger came to him he said to the Elders see yee how the son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head take heed all yee fighters for the son of a murderer in the 8. Chap. ver 15. Hazael kills King Benhadad and Elisha told him what a Tirant he would be against Israel and wept for griefe to thinke how Hazael when he came to be King should oppresse and Tirannize over them then ver 12. sayes Hazael why weepeth my Lord he answered because I know the evill that thou wilt doe unto the children of Israel their strong holds wilt thou set on fire and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword and wilt dash their children and rip up their women with child ver 13 14 15. And Hazael said but what is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing and Elisha answered the Lord hath shewed mee that thou shalt be King over Syria so hee departed from Elisha and came to his master who said to him what said Elisha to thee and he answered hee told mee that thou shouldest surely recover and it came to passe on the morrow that he tooke a thicke cloath and dipt it in water and spead it on his face so that hee died and Hazael raigned in his steed As if a King should take the Sacrament upon it that hee intends no more hurt to the Parliament then to his owne children and the very same day grant comissions to slay and murder the most saithfull patriots but see what credit there is to be given to such mens vowes and protestations 2 Kings 10. 32. Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel Iehu was next made King by the Souldiours and 2 King 9. 24. Iehu drew a bow with his full strength and smote Iehoram betweene his Armes and the Arrow went out at his heart and he sunck down in his Chariot then Iehu followes after Ahaziah King of Iudah and smites him and he died at Megiddo 2 Kings 9. 27. and Iehoahaz succeeds Iehu in the Kingdome of Israel 2 Kings 10. then Chap. 11. Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah arose and destroyed all the seed Royall onely Ioash who with his nurse was hid and peserved from the massacre and was afterwards annointed King and the people clapt their hands and said God save