Gilgal to make him King 1 Sam. 11.15 And David which all the men of Judah anointed King at Hebron 2 Sam. 2.4 And who afterwards was anointed King over Israel at Hebron by all the Tribes of Israel 2.5.3 And Solomon who was likewise anointed by the people 1 Chron. 29.22 And Jeroboam whom the people made King over Israel 1 Kings 12 20. And Vzziah whom the people of the land made King 2 Kin. 14.21 And Iehoahaz who though he was but the second sonne of Iosiah younger then Eliakim was made King by the people in his fathers stead 2 Chron. 23.20 And Christ whom the people intended to have made a King Ioh. 6. And it must needs be presupposed they had a power to do so otherwise their attempts had been ridiculous And to adde further weight to this Argument we find this act of the peoples in making and anointing of Kings to be mentioned sometimes with an expresse approbation thereof from God as upon Sauls Investiture 1 Sam. 11.14 And David received this honour from the people by the Lords expresse Command enjoyning David to go to Hebron there to be anointed King by the people 2 Sam. 2.2 And David himself called all the people to the anointing of King Solomon 1 Chron. 29. 2. The reason alledged for the ground of this opinion is that the honour and submission which Kings receive is Originally in the people for honor est in honorante non in honorato according to Aristotles principles and from them derived unto the King And therefore they do not conceive it just or reasonable that the people should be obliged to yeeld honour and submission and performe dutyes of obedience to any person but him whom themselves shall judge worthy of it And so attest their judgement of his worth by their election of him to be their King and Soveraign 3. To these we may adde Saint Peters testimony who termes Regality an Ordinance of men 1 Pet. 2.13 which were false if it did proceed from God and not from the people for then it were an ordinance of God and not of man And therefore though God be the Vniversal cause of Royal Power as he is of all things else yet the people must be the Immediate and particular cause Now from these gounds they deduce two damnable and detestable Inferences and Corollaries to justifie Rebellion and Dethronement of Kings 1. That though the King be Major singulis yet he is minor Vniversis and therefore that it is no Rebellion but duty in the people meaning the Major part to resist or depose the King where the people judge it necessary in relation to the defence of their own safety which according to their Doctrine is Suprema Lex 2. That the King doth receive and enjoy this honour onely by virtue of a stipulation or Covenant between himself and the people the sole ground whereof they conclude to be salus populi And therefore if the King doth violate this Covenant and break the trust reposed in him by the people by any acts which are destructive ad salutem populi whereof they presuppose the people to be the Judges that then the people are absolved from their Alleagance grounded upon that trust and Covenant and may lawfully provide for their own safety and welfare either by resistance deposition dethronement or any such meanes as themselves judge to be most conducent to their owne security Before I returne particular answers to these Instances and the reason alledged for the peoples right to confer this supremacy which doth preheminence the King above all others in the same society and is the ground of the Monarchs title to his Crown and the two damnable Inferences thence I will premise those grounds and reasons which enunciate the errour and absurdity of this opinion And thereupon frame answers to all that is or I suppose can be alledged for the support of that popular prerogative The Arguments declaring the errour and absurdity of this opinion are partly Instantial partly Rational The Instances of Scripture are of two sorts the first manifest the peoples disprobations not to be Authentick to Illegitimate the title of a lawful King or Monarch For the Books of Exodus and Numbers record ten several disprobations and murmurings of the people against Moses yet did not all these disannul Moses his Title For we see with what fearful judgements upon the people the Lord himself did Vindicate the same Exod. 32. Num. 12. and Ch. 14. and Ch. 16. And all the people of the land from Dan to Beersheba rejected David upon Absaloms conspiracy yet did not that nullifie Davids Right and title to the Crown for he was justly and truly King when he fled but with six hundred of his servants and the Lord did afterwards Vindicate his Right and title thereunto by a mighty destruction of his enemies 2 Sam. 18. Neither did the peoples disprobation of his just Power when the ten tribes forsook David and followed Sheba the sonne of Bichri unking David or Illegitimate his Right and title to the Kingdome of Israel For the Lord did quickly judge his cause by a suddaine vengeance upon that traitor 2 Sam. 20. The second sort of Instances manifest the peoples approbation and endeavours not to be Authentick or effectual to create a lawful title to the Crown for the golden Calf was honoured and received and proclaimed a God and guide in Moses stead by Aaron and all the Israelites Yet did not that popular election legitimate that Calfs power and title Exod. 32. Absalom was proclaimed King by all the thousands of Israel yet did not that act of the peoples legitimate Absaloms title to the Crown For the holy Ghost termeth it but a conspiracy when it was in the very height 2. Sam. 15.12 Sheba had ten Tribes for him when David had but one for him and yet was he never termed a King but a man of Belial 2 Sam. 20. Adonijah confesseth that although the faces of all Israel were set on him to make him King yet he never had any just Right or title to the Kingdome because the Lord had designed it for his Brother Solomon 1 Kings 2.15 2. The reasons evincing the errour and absurdity of this opinion are four 1. The first is taken from the nature of Monarchie to which this opinion is absolutely destructive For it is the very Essence of Monarchie that one man should enjoy the supremacy but if the supremacy be delegated to the King from the people and may be resumed by the people at pleasure upon their own judgements then the supremacy is absolutely and primarily in the people and but derivatively and secondarily in the King and by consequence all Government is virtually Democratical nay indeed every Government is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is generally acknowledged to be the worst kind of Government the end and conclusion whereof all Statists even the most zealous for Polarchy agree to be confusion and desolation 2. The second reason
of Custome and Tribute for their owne private patrimonies could not be sufficient for maintaining such Kingly magnificence nor doe we finde any particular Law or Statute for the particular endowment of these Kings but onely that generall Right and Prerogative which they derive from God investing them with a power over both our estates and persons which was the cause that God prescribed not in the Law any settled or certaine maintenance for Kings as he did for Priests For though both were his anointed Servants and Deputies and Kings also in a higher degree for they had power over the Priests as well as the people for Moses was not onely a god to the people but to Aaron Exod. 4. And Moses David Solomon Jehoshaphat and other godly Kings exercised this power over both Priests and Levites yea even over the high Priests themselves and that in the highest manner deposing one and advancing another to that Pontificall honour 1 King 2.26 Yet in regard Kings had power to provide for themselves in that manner as themselves judged requisite for their own honour and the peoples safety whereas the Priests had no power at all in any secular matters but what the King did delegate unto them by Commission therefore it pleased God to consigne a set portion for the Priests maintenance and not for the Kings Ob. The Lord blamed the Kings of Judah for imposing taxes upon the people Ezek. 45.8 9. And when Moses prescribed the Kings duty Deut. 17. he prohibited the multiplication of horses and of gold and silver whereby to spoile and oppresse the people Sol. The Lord both in these and many other places prohibiteth the imposition of all Illegall taxes and exactions such as Tyrannicall and wicked Kings usually laid upon the people for the support of their owne insatiate lusts and vanities and such as Samuel told the Israelites would be imposed upon them by Saul in his Tyrannicall government 1 Sam. 8.10 But never prohibited such as were intended for the honour of himselfe and the King and the benefit and welfare of the people though they seemed never so heavy and grievous as that tax was which Pharaoh by Joseph's advise imposed upon the Egyptians for seven yeares together which use and end is not to be determined by the people's discretion but the Kings as appeares in that instance concerning Pharaoh's act And therefore though it be unlawfull for the King to demand such taxes for any other intent but the honour of himselfe and the good of his Subjects yet is it not lawfull for the people to deny them or resist the Kings authority when they suppose and judge them to be demanded for other wicked ends as appeares by those addresses which Samuel told the people they should make unto the Lord for redresse of Sauls Tyranny by prayers and teares 1 Sam. 8.18 For neither Samuel nor the people in those dayes dreamed of these means of resistance and dethronement of Kings which the Devill hath since suggested unto his disciples For surely had those ancient Statists understood these new redresses of Tyranny to be just and lawfull they would never have enslaved and subjected themselves unto such pressures as are recorded in that Text. Repl. Naboth did justly deny his vineyard unto Ahab 1 King 21.3 and therefore the peoples disobedience to the Kings unjust demands of any part of their estate is not unlawfull but commendable Sol. That deniall of Naboth's was grounded upon a particular law of Gods concerning Inheritances in Israel as Naboth there declareth God forbid saith Naboth that I should give the Inheritance of my fathers unto thee For God had prohibited by his Law that any man should alienate the hereditary possessions of his family which by his appoitntment were to be reserved entire to continue the distinction of the families in Israel Numb 36. And againe Ahab did not command that vineyard from Naboth as a King but as a private purchaser intreated Naboth to exchange or sell it to him for a private conveniency and not for any publike use in which case Naboth might justly deny it For though a King be alwayes a King yet he doth not alwayes act as a King in his Politicke capacity but sometimes as a private person in his naturall capacity as in the scholasticall discussion of any point in question or in any contentious recreations as in Wrastling or Tennis and the like in which cases it is not unlawfull to oppose the King both in words and actions And of this nature also are such private bargaines for private uses and conveniencies as Ahab desired to make with Naboth and as David did make with Araunah for his threshing-floore which he would not take by his power but bought with his monie 2 Sam. 24. because it was to pacifie God for his owne private offence and not for the peoples Ver. 17. For though the people were punished it was David alone that offended Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi But in whatsoever the King acts in his Politicke capacity as a King he may not be resisted or opposed either in words or actions or denied any service either from our estates or persons because in that capacity he is a God over us and may claime the same obedience from us which is due to God himselfe in all Politicall matters whereunto his Commission doth extend as the eleventh Chapter of this Booke shall more fully manifest So that if Ahab had demanded this vineyard of Naboth for any publicke use concerning the Kings honour and the peoples safety Naboth's pretence of Inheritance could not have warranted and justified his deniall thereof to Ahab For inheritances might be sold in Israel till the year of Jubilee in case of private necessity as appeares Lev. 25.25 and therefore much more might be commanded by the King in case of publike necessity For a publicke necessity must needs be a stronger super sede as for any Law then a private can be As also the description of Sauls Government by Samuel doth further evidence 1 Sam. 8.10 for what that Tyrant did to satisfie his lusts a good King may do to preserve the publike And it is not improbable that the pretence of such a deniall was the blasphemy whereof Jezabell caused Naboth to be falsly accused for the Text doth not say that it was blasphemy immediately against God but against God and the King which argueth that those witnesses accused Naboth of some disloyall speeches not consistent with the duty of a Subject which for ought appeares in the Text might relate to Naboth's deniall of that vineyard which the false witnesses might pretend to have beene demanded for such uses and in such a manner as that the deniall thereof might render Naboth guilty of a capitall dishonour and disobedience to the King And thus much briefly of the nature and spece's of Fundadamentall Honour the other spece of Honour opposite to this is Symbolicall whereof in a word 2. Symbolicall Honour is the signall exhibition
very foundation of the people because the subduction of the King produceth necessarily the ruine and destruction of the people And this Jus Divinum Implicitum which relateth to these internall blessings or bona animi and particularly to this habit of Prudence the fountain of all Morall acts is that which directly and properly claimes a place in Monarchie in its Morall Capacity 2. Externall blessings are those which Aristotle termes bona corporis fortunae the blessings of the body are temporal life health and beauty the blessings of Fortune Riches and Honour Whereof one particular is a Royal descent and another part of that honour is Primogeniture which doth entitle a man to that supremacie which is the material cause and ground of Monarchie Now this Jus Divinum Implicitum which relateth to Externall blessings and particularly to the blessing of Primogeniture in a Royall Progenie is that which doth properly claime a place in Monarchie in its Naturall capacity 2. Explicite Divine Right is that which is grounded upon the will of God revealed in the Scriptures concerning those duties which we are to performe to God as returnes of the former expreses of his love to us the Revelation of which duties is contained in express precepts and Commandments Which sanction doth make a truth absolutely and Essentially Divine excluding all humane option and prudence and admitting of no case wherein Conscience may dispence with the performance thereof without the guilt of Eternal death and Damnation the least deviation from such a precept being malum culpae that is an evill of sinne And therefore this sanction imposeth an obligation upon every mans conscience for the performance of such duties as are thus precisely commanded in what estate or condition soever he be whether Rich or poor sick or healthfull bond or free in time of warre or in time of peace And these truths which are capable of this preceptive sanction are such whose entire perfection both Immediate and ultimate consists in action and are the returnes of Gods love to us and the very expresses of our love to him Of which truths Christ meant when he said If you know these things happy are ye if ye do them For knowledge of these truths without performance doth but aggravate our guilt it being onely our performance of them which can make us happy And these are the dutyes of every mans calling wherein he is obliged in conscience so to demean himself that every action which relateth thereunto may be a Testimony of his love to God and his neighbour by squaring it according to that Rule which God hath prescribed for the Regulation thereof But for the further Illustration of this Jus Divinum explicitum you must observe that there are two sorts of express precepts and Commandments recorded in Scripture which do impose two sorts of Explicite and Essential Divine sanctions upon these practical truths 1. Are absolute and Generall precepts of the Moral Law which concern the duty of man towards God and his neighbour which is still the same in Essence both under the Law and Gospel and do Generally oblige all men in all places at al times this kind of precepts it is which adds an absolute general sanction unto those duties which are the end of Monarchie 2. are particular Circumstantial precepts which are not Universally obligatory but do concern either some men at al times as the judicial Ceremoniall Lawes did the Jewish Nation Jewish Profelites or some men onely and at some times onely as all personal Commands given upon particular occasions As that to Saul for destruction of the Amalekites with all their substance 1 Sam. 18. And that to Jonas for Proclaiming the destruction of Nineveh Jonah Cha. 1. And that to the Prophet which God sent to Bethel for abstinence both from meat and drink in that place 1 Kin. 13. Now though these precepts be temporally or personally obligatory and therefore the contempt or neglect thereof a sinne which strikes at the very face of God in his prerogative Royal yet in regard the performance of them is not a natural but onely a preternatural duty they are not equally obligatory to the Conscience as the precepts of the Moral Law are nor doth the transgression of such Commands render a man equally guilty or liable to those punishments of Eternal death and Damnation which the transgression of Moral precepts doth and therefore the severest punishments which any Scripture doth annex to such offences is that the transgressour shall be cut off from his people As it fel out in that disobedient Prophet slain by a Lion 1 Kin. 13. But I have no warrant of Scripture to judge him damn'd for that offence A confirmation whereof we have from Gods expresse declaration of his different regard to the dutyes of the Moral and of the Ceremonial Law 1 Sam. 15.22 Hos 6.6 Where God preferres Mercy and Obedience before sacrifice and burnt-offerings Querae Seeing the precepts of the Morall law are more absolutely obligatory then any other and the transgressions of those precepts more severely punishable then any other Whether ought Gods particular and Extraordinary Commands to be obeyed when they enjoyn an Act contrary to the precepts of the Moral Law as in Abrahams offering of Isaac for a sacrifice to God sol The wil of God being the ground of all Law when it is declared concerning any particular Act doth dispence with the obligation of any Law as to that particular and exempt the party commanded both from the guilt and punishment And therefore the Lord Commended Abrahams Resolution to kil his sonne in obedience to his particular Commands although the very thought and resolution of homicide be directly a transgression against the Moral Law Querae But is not God then the Author of sinne in such commands for seeing there is a transgression of the Moral Law which must necessarily be a sinne and seeing that sinne is not imputed to the man that acts the transgression because Gods Commands do exempt him Must not this sinne then be imputed to God sol God in such cases is a Judge which passeth the deserved sentence of death upon that person who is to suffer for neither Isaak nor the justest man that liveth is innocent in the eyes of God the party who obeyes these Commands is the executioner And therefore as neither Judge nor Hangman is guilty of murther in the homicide of a Malefactor deserving death so neither was God nor Abraham guilty of sinne in that resolution of Abrahams to kil his son at the particular Command of God And this Jus Divinum Explicitum doth properly claime a place in Monarchie in its Theologicall capacity in Relation to those dutyes which are the proper and Native ends of Monarchie which are Gods glory the Kings honour and salus populi or the peoples good and welfare And thus you see of what sort of Jus Divinum Monarchie is capable 1. In its Moral
is taken from the Relations which persons invested with Regal Honour have unto God by virtue whereof they are styled in Scripture the children of God Psa 82. Ministers and servants of God Rom. 13.4 Jer. 27.6 But we have no warrant or ground either in nature reason or Religion to priviledge the people to elect and appoint children or deputies and servants unto God or to consecrate a person for the person of the King is sacred And therefore the election of Kings cannot pertain unto the people For a sacred effect cannot proceed from a prophane cause The third reason is taken from the nature of the Kings office which is to judge the people for no Judge ought to receive any gift or benefit from those who are to be judged by him because all engagements occasion partiality in the judgements even of the wisest men Deut. 16.19 But he that receives a Crown receives a gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore no King ought to receive his Crown from the people nor be elected by them Nay and for this very reason Moses appointed all the officers who were to judge the people under him Deut. 1. And David those who were to judge them under him either in Ecclesiastical or civil affaires 1 Chron. 23. unto the 27. The fourth reason is taken from the peoples Incapacity unfitnesse to manage such a prerogative manifested by God himself in three particulars First in their Ignorance Secondly their Seditiousnesse Thirdly their Inconstancy 1. Their ignorance and want of judgement to discerne between good and evil and that also in this particular point of Government A manifest whereof is exhibited in Solomon who though he was an Idolater and so grievously peccant in his duty towards God yet doth receive an ample testimony from the holy Ghost of his justice and munificence towards his people which was the ground of that Panagyrick pronounced by the Queen of Sheba concerning Solomons Government In which particular he was also a Type of Christ And the object of the Jewes expectation til this very day concerning the Messias is the enjoyment of a happinesse under his Government Paralel to that of Solomons Yet were not the people in the dayes of Solomon contented with his Government but desired an alteration complaining of his Tyranny and oppression 1 Kin. 12.4 2. Their factiousnesse a constant effect and consequence of their Ignorance For there was never any pretence against a present Government and men in Authority so absurd and unjust which did not relish with and obtain support from the multitude Witnesse the conspiracy of Korah against Moses Numb 16. Of Absalom against David 2 Sam. 15. Of the High Priests and Rulers against our Saviour Christ Mat. 26. Of Thoudas and Judas against Cesar Acts 5. And indeed the innumerable and horrid mischiefes which ensued upon the peoples tumultes about the election of their Bishops which in the Primative times was for some reasons permitted to the people were the very cause for which the Emperour a. Novel Constit 123. Justinian translated that priviledge from the people to the Priests some few of the Citizens which afterwards for the like and some other reasons the Monarchs assume to themselves For he that reads b. In Epitaph Patris Nazianzene concerning the peoples absurdities about the election of Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea Or c. Lib. 1. Cap. 24. Eusebius concerning the peoples outrage about the election of a Bishop at Antioch which sea was eight yeares together vacant by reason the peoples differences could not be reconciled in all that space Or d. Lib. 2. Cap. 5. Euagrius concerning the horrible murders committed by the people of Alexandria about the election of a Bishop to that sea upon the deposition of Dioscorus Or e. Eccles Hist l. 2. C. 1◠Ruffinus concerning the bloody Intestine warres amongst the people of Rome about the election of Damascus where the places of prayer overflowed with the blood of men wil never Judge it safe nor convenient that any such prerogative as the election and constitution of Kings and Monarchs should pertaine to the people whose factions and distempers occasioned such horrid and barbarous mischiefs and murders about the elections onely but of their own Bishops 3. Their inconstancie an inseparable effect and consequence of the two former For God himself could never please the people long with any of his blessings though he gave them bread from Heaven yet their soules soon loathed it Numb 11.6 Though the Lord appointed the weakest man upon the earth for their Ruler and Judge yet they complained of his Tyranny Numb 16.3 And you see what great joy they expressed upon the desertion of Moses and the exaltation of the golden Calf which f. Loc. Com. Class 4. Ca. 20. Peter Martyr makes the ground of his result concerning the Illegality and Injustice of the placing such a Power in the people in the collation and arbitrary reassumption of this Supreamacy For saith he If any such Power were in the people the most just and gratious Kings could not be safe For though they Rule never so well yet they shall never long satisfie the people And now to compleat the confutation of this opinion concerning the peoples right unto and power in this Royal investiture I shal return an answer to the Arguments alledged for the propugnation thereof and to those damnable and execrable Inferences grounded thereupon 1. To these Instances of Scripture mentioning the peoples making and anointing of Kings I answer that these acts of the people were performed two wayes 1. Sometimes as acts of homage and duty by way of acknowledgement and testification of the Supreamacy already Legally confirmed upon the person to whom these dutyes are performed And such acts are expressed upon two several occasions 1. Where God did conferre this Supreamacy and Regal honour by any extraordinary wayes and means as in Saul David Solomon and Jeroboam 2 Where God used their meanes for the Vindication of the Kings just Title against an usurper As in Joas whom Jehoiada the Priest and the Captaines and people crowned and anointed King in the Temple restoring him to his just Rights which had been usurped by his Grand-Mother Athaliah 2 Kin. 11.12.13 And in Vzziah the son of Amaziah whom the people restored to his just Power which the conspirators who flew his Father had usurped And in both these cases the acts of the people are good and lawful and approved by God being declared to be the wil of God upon the former occasion extraordinarily upon the latter ordinarily 2. These acts of the people are sometimes acts of power and Authority collating this Supreamacy and Regal power upon some person who hath no other right or Title thereunto neither of Birth-right nor of Revelation from God As upon Absalom Adonijah Jehoahaz Judas Theudas and Barchozba who professed himself the Messiah and drew the people into rebellion against the Romane Emperor which occasioned those warres wherein
Jerusalem and the Jewes were destroyed And these acts of the people are sinful and rebellious and so declared by Gods judgements thereupon For wheresoever the Scriptures mention the constitution of a King after this manner you shal find that they likewise record not onely the frustrations of the peoples endeavours but also that they were frustrated by some heavy and suddaine judgements from God both upon the usurper whereby he was degraded from his undue honour and the people who presumed to conferre that honour upon him without a warrant from God and so by that meanes to obtrude a deputy upon God of their own and not of Gods election And you may further observe for satisfaction in this point that these acts of the peoples in a King and anointing of Kings are onely mentioned where some of these occasions happened that is where there was an Interruption of the ordinary meanes of conferring this Supreamacy by Birth-right and Hereditary succession either by the Interposition of Gods just Prerogative in the advancement of some person by extraordinary and Immediate Revelation or else by the usurpation of some who had no right or Title at all but force and violence either private of themselves and some few partners wherein God stirred up the people to Vindicate the Kings Right or publique of the people but where the Supreamacy and Soveraign Power with all the appendages descended by Birth-right there is no mention at all made of the people though the acts of duty and homage was as necessary to be performed to such Kings and were also actually performed to all who enjoyed the Crown by Hereditary succession as Abijah Asa Iehosaphat Iehoram and the rest to whom the people were no lesse subject and obedient then to those who were appointed by God but yet I say in those cases the peoples act of submission and homage are not expressed but presupposed as known acts of duty to those Kings who attained the Supreamacy by those ordinary and known meanes of Birth-right and Hereditary succession 2. To the reason alledged for the peoples Right to this Royal Investiture I answer that the honour and submission which the people exhibit to their King are not acts of favour to be conferred and disposed voluntarily at their own will and pleasure but acts of duty whereunto they are obliged by the Law of God And therefore must be performed to such as God esteems worthy of the honour to be his Deputies and not upon such as themselves judge worthy to be their Ruler For as it was not necessary that God should require our consent to make us so neither is it necessary that he should require our consent to govern us For though the Angels be Invested with a Supreamacy over men and men over natural Agents yet neither did the natural Agents elect or constitute men their Lords and superiors nor men the Angels And therefore that God who did constitute and ordain these degrees of superiority and subordination amongst the species of the Universe without their consent may by the same right and justice constitute the like degrees of distinction amongst the particulars of any species without any concurrent Act of theirs For you know the people are obliged to exhibit acts of honour and reverence to the Judge but it doth not therefore follow that the people make that man a Judge but he is made such by letters Patents from the King without asking any consent from the people 3. To S. Peters testimony I answer that the Apostles expression there doth relate partly unto the subject of soveraignty that is the King who in his natural capacity is properly a man and patrly to the object of Royal power which is the people upon whom that power is exercised In both which respects it may be properly termed an ordinance of man But it doth not at all relate unto the Originall and Efficient cause of that power which is God himself and neither King nor people 3. To that former inference that though the King be Major singulis yet he is minor Vniversis I answer that it is a distinction 1. Absurd and ridiculous in nature 2. Sencelesse and destructive in Policy 3. Groundlesse and damnable in Divinity 1. In Nature for a Kings Power must needs be the same with a Fathers in substance onely the Kings is more absolute and more obligatory as I shall shew hereafter both being grounded upon the same precept and exprest in the same words And can any believe that if a Father have thirteen sons seven of those mayby joynt consent renounce their Father and depose him from all Authority either over themselves or their other six brethren seize his estate and lock him up in a close rooms I believe if the observator the Author of this Corollarie should be so served by his own sonnes he would not commend them for dutyful children 2. In Policy It is sencelesse and destructive For if the Major part of the people be superior to the King then the Government is not Monarchicall but Democraticall and that also a Democracy of the basest sort For every species of Policy derives its denomination and nature from those who are Invested with the Supreamacy And that confusion and destruction is alwayes the conclusion of such a Government both experience and the generall consent of Polititians doth declare 3. In Divinity It is groundless and damnable being directly contrary to that express Rule which God himself hath prescribed in this case Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evill nor speak in a cause to decline after many Where God plainly declares that the universality of the offenders cannot legitimate the fault as appeares also in the sinne of erecting the golden Calf Absaloms conspiracy and the forecited Instances For though it be a maxime in Policy that multitudo peccaâ—tium tellit peccatum i. e. poenam pecâ—ati It is as true a Maxime in Divinity that multitudo peccantium aggravat peccatum i. e. culpam the guilt of sinne and the more I seduce the more guilt I contract and though the multitude of partakers may secure me from punishment in foro Judicii humani yet I am sure to receive the just reward of that sin at Gods Tribunal from which the whole society both of men and Devils cannot secure me 4. To return a direct answer to the second Corollary we must distinguish the parts of that stipulation or Covenant which are three viz Materia Finis Forma 1. The matter of the Covenant is two-fold 1. Ex qua and that is the Lawes and Rules of justice 2. Circa quam and that is the people who are the objects of al Acts of justice grounded upon these Lawes 2. The end of that Covenant is two-fold 1. Principalis which is either primus and that is Gods glory or à primo-ortus and that is the Kings honour who is Gods Deputy 2. minus principalis and that is salus populi 3. The form of
the Covenant which is the obligatory part and as they truly alledged implyeth a mutual engagement of the parties therein concerned Now the parties Primarily and Originally concerned in this Covenant are two viz God upon the one party and the people upon the other party as Moses declareth when he reciteth that Original and general Covenant which is indeed the ground of all other particular Covenants Lev. 26. Deut. 28. And therefore Solomon maketh this Covenant a ground why people should obey the Kings Commandments not as the Kings but as Gods Commandment which he termeth the oath Eccles 8.4 is not so much between the King and people as between God and the people For the King is onely the Deputative party assigned by God and entrusted by him for the performance of this Covenant upon Gods part And therefore the Lord doth make the King gracious or Tyrannical to the people according to their own deserts and their regard to this Covenant upon their own part as Solomon declares Prov. 21.1 The Kings heart saith he is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water he turns it which way soever he will viz either for a vengeance or recompence to the people as the Lord himself judgeth of their merits And though the King may spare the wicked and persecute the Righteous even unto death as Pilate did our Saviour yet even in that the King doth but execute Gods decrees as the holy Ghost declareth concerning that unjust judgement of Pilates Acts 4.28 For Pilate did nothing but what God had determined before to be donne And therefore when the King passeth a judgement which we imagine to be unrighteous we must not look upon the Kings judgement and consider that it commeth from him and still refrain both our mouths and hearts from cursing the King Eccles 10.20 For when the King doth that which by the publique law is not warrantable and just he is not therein unjust to us but to himself For though he do not observe the Rule which God hath set for him to judge by and therefore must account to God for the breach of the trust received from him yet he cannot transgresse the Rule of Gods Eternal Decrees which God hath appointed us to be judged by According to which Law God by the Kings mouth and sentence doth punish even our most secret sinnes For every mans judgement is from the Lord and not from the Judge or Ruler Prov. 29.26 So that in a word the King may do male that s a wrong to himself for which he is accomptable to God but he cannot do malum that is any wrong to us by inflicting any thing upon us which is not just and according to our deserts from God whose place the King supplyes in judgement which is the ground of Solomons assertion that The Kings lips do pronounce Divine sentences and that his mouth transgresseth not in judgement Prov. 16.10 Now therefore upon these grounds of Solomons it is manifest that there is no sense why the people should claim any power over the King by vertue of this Covenant 1. Because he is not their Deputy but Gods and every man must account to him for his actions who doth constitute and depute him As when the King doth depute a Judge for any Province or City the people under his command have no power to question him for any act which they conceive unjust but either by petition to that Judge or else by their addresses to the King his Master whose trust all corrupt Judges do deceive and not the trust of the people For they never received any Power or Authority from the people but from the King And in like maner the people for redresse of their grievances from the kings oppressions must address themselves to the King by petition and if that prevail not then to God by prayer who is the Kings Lord and Master and from whom he receives his power and whose trust he breaks by acts of injustice which is ultimum Refugium as Samuel declares when he prophesieth of Sauls Tyranny whereby the people should be grievously oppressed as the Prophet foresheweth for redress whereof the people when the King would not hear them should cry unto the Lord. 1 Sam. 8.18 Other meanes of remedy then which the prophet Samuel did not dream of nor could not prescribe to the people to make use of and whereas if he had conceived resistance to be lawful he might soon have found out that way and have advised the people so to provide for their own security 2. Because the people never received injustice from the King if they look upon themselves for the judgement is the Lords who cannot do injustice nor break the Covenant upon his part although the minister or Deputy may fail and offend in the execution of his office in his own particular which is his own guilt As a Hangman that executes the just sentence of death upon a malefactor if in doing his office his intentions have not reference to the sentence of justice but the satisfaction of some private grudge or some covetous design or the like that officer is guilty of murder although the Malefactor receive from his hands nothing but his due deserts And thus much I hope may be sufficient to declare the errour and vanity of that opinion that the peoples consent and approbation are the ordinary and Instrumental meanes and causes of that supremacy and Soveraign power which doth preheminence the Monarch above all others within the same society and from whence he derives his title to the Regal Diademe I shall in the next place proceed to speak of the just efficacy and virtue of birth-right as to this purpose CHAP. VII Of the Title of Birth-right THE second opinion concerning the efficient cause and meanes of this Supremacy and Regal Dignity is that which Imputes it to Birth-right and Hereditary succession The efficacy whereof as to this purpose the Scriptures do set forth in five pâ—â—ticulars 1. In the prerogatives of the first-born who were hoâ—◠〈◊〉 by God with a double fanction 1. Ceremonial which did meerly Typical and common to man and beast Exod. 13 2◠〈◊〉 this sanction did not qualifie a man in relation to any temporal honour but prefigured onely the Spiritual prerogatives of Christ the first-born amongst many brethren 2. Natural which sanction did preheminence the first-born above all his brethren in honours and possessions as the Lord declared to Cain Gen. 4.7 And Isaac to Jacob who although he was younger then Esau yet obtained that prerogative by promise from God Gen. 25.23 Which by composition was confirmed from Esau himself Gen. 25.33 which was the ground and cause why those prerogatives of honour Soveraignty and possessions were confirmed unto him by his fathers blessing Gen. 27.28.29 And Jacob acknowledged the same honour and Supremacy to pertain unto Reuben his eldest sonne but because Reuben had forfeited that honour by defyling his fathers bed and Simeon and Levi the
the words of Solomon are to be understood onely of Kings in reference to the exercise of their power upon us which whether it be for good or hurt is still from God whose Deputies all Kings are and whose heart the Lord ruleth either for our benefit or prejudice Prov. 21.4 And therefore we may not thinke them evill or unjust to us for the Judgement is not theirs but Gods Prov. 26.29 who cannot be unjust And if we looke in Esay 3. you shall finde that God owneth all the grievous oppressions and violences which Tyrants exercise upon their Subjects for judgements and punishments sent upon that people or nation by his owne selfe and to demonstrate that all Kings act by his immediate direction he hath made the decrees and ordinances of Heathen Kings subservient to his glory and his peoples good not onely on accidenti by his providence but ex proposito in their owne purposes as is apparent in the decrees of Cyrus and Darius to build the Temple of God whom they knew not and of Nebuchadnezzar to honour his name all which three were meere Heathens The fourth and last Reason why this fift Commandement cannot be a Precept of the second Table is because it doth not enjoyne such a retaliation of love as every Commandement of the second Table doth for every Commandement of the second Table doth enjoyne our neighbour to returne the like respects and measure of love to us as we doe give to him but this fift Commandement doth not enjoyne our parents to honour and reverence us as we are bound thereby to honour and reverence them therefore it cannot be a Commandement of the second Table And if you doe observe it you shall finde this rule of Retaliation to be a perfect note of difference betweene the duties of the first and of the second Table for no duty of the first Table doth oblige God to returne the same respects to us which we are obliged to exhibite to him for wee are bound to worship him and love him above all and to expresse this love in every faculty both of soule and body but God is not obliged to worship us nor to love us after such a manner but our neighbour is obliged to returne the same measure of love to us which wee are bound to exhibite unto him either in his body goods or good name I confesse indeed that parents are engaged to performe duties to their children as well as children are to parents but those are onely such paternall duties of protection and provision as God himselfe is also obliged to performe unto his dutifull children by his Covenant for conferring blessings upon them when they truely honour him Deut. 28. and 29. for performance of the externall part of which Covenant God doth substitute Kings and parents as his instruments to convey these blessings unto Subjects and children but these duties are not so much as intimated in the fift Commandement but are enjoyned onely in that generall Covenant betweene God and his people who therefore doth make Kings and parents indulgent to subjects and children whereby to expresse his care for performance upon his part when Subjects and children are obedient unto God and his Deputies and thereby carefull to performe upon their part The Reasons concluding the Affirmative part that this fift Commandement is a Precept of the first Table are eight The first is grounded upon our Saviours answer to the young man Mat. 19.18 Marke 10.17 Luke 18.20 In all which places this Precept Honour thy father and thy mother is intended by Christ to enjoyne all the duties of the first Table of the Morall Law for God you know is often in Scripture stiled Father as in Mat. 6. wee finde him stiled Father twelve times but we never finde him stiled Neighbour in all the Scripture for to love God but in the same manner which wee are bound to love our neighbour that is like our selves were selfe Idolatry And besides our duty to God is oftentimes enjoyned in this very expression of Honour as 1 Sam. 2.30 where this word Honour importeth the whole duty of man towards God in which sense this word Honour is also used by our Saviour John 8.49 And therefore it is manifest seeing God is capable of the title of Father and that this expression of Honour may be properly extended to all the duties due unto God which are the duties of the first Table that this Precept of Honour thy father and mother may comprehend all the duties of the first Table and that it doth so in this place I doe prove thus Christ in his answer must needs mention all those duties which are necessary to salvation for else his rule were not perfect but the duties of the first Table are equally if not more necessary to life then the duties of the second Table and cannot be included in any other Precept which Christ reciteth in those Texts therefore all the duties of the first Table must necessarily be comprehended in this Precept Honour thy father and mother upon which premised grounds it doth necessarily follow that this fift Commandement is a Precept of the first Table For That Precept which comprehendeth all the duties of the first Table must needs be a Precept of the first Table but this very Precept comprehendeth all the duties of the first Table as the premises demonstrate ergo The second Reason is grounded upon the nature of God which is being and existence for in Exod. 3. he defineth himself by this expression I am and upon this ground both David Psal 1â—0 Isaiah Chap. 44. and Saint Paul Acts 17. proves the Lord alone to be God because no creature no not the Angels themselves are able to give a life or motion or being unto man but onely God whose essence life and being is and therefore communicable onely from him so that whatsoever hath a power to communicate a being doth supply the place of God but parents have a power to communicate a being unto their children ergo they relate unto their children as Gods and not as men and by consequence the duties performed by children unto parents must be duties of the first Table and so likewise the Precept which enjoynes them must be a Precept of the same Table The third Reason as likewise all the five following alledged by Saint Paul Rom. 13. for motives to perswade submission to higher Powers every one of which Reasons doe demonstrate Kings and Magistrates who are Politick parents to have the relation of Gods unto the people is taken from the Author of the Kings power and that is God Ver. 1. For there is no power but of God Though the men invested with that power be as unjust and wicked as Pilate whose power Christ himselfe acknowledged to flow from that sacred fountaine John 19.11 upon which ground the King in the exercise of his power is alwayes stiled the Minister of God Ver. 4. yea and oftentimes also a very God as Psal
The Argument is this To whomsoever the power of vengeance and recompence pertaineth he is a God for God himselfe affirmeth those prerogatives to be peculiar to himselfe Deut. 22.35 36. But both these prerogatives pertaine unto the King as Saint Paul affirmeth in this Text ergo Kings are Gods and by consequence the fift Commandement which prescribeth our duty to them must be a Precept of the first Table The seventh Reason is grounded upon the nature of that obligation which the commands of Kings doe impose upon their Subjects which binde the conscience Ver. 5. which is Saint Pauls fift motive to obedience Wherefore ye must needs be subject not onely for wrath but also for conscience sake Which reason Saint Peter alledgeth also to perswade this kind of submission to Kings 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves for the Lords sake because the submission is not to man but to God Ephes 6.7 whose Majesty and Authority the King doth represent and in the latter part of this second Chapter Saint Peter presseth this kind of submission for conscience sake and the Lords sake by Christs example who needed not to have submitted to Pilate or the Jewes for wrath for he was able to overthrow them all with a blast of the breath of his mouth as he did the officers John 18.6 and shall doe Antichrist at the last day 2 Thes 2. Or to have obtained twelve legions of Angels from his Father for that purpose Mat. 26.53 whereof one single Angell was able to destroy 185000. Assyrians in one night but yet to honour the Substitute and Deputy of his Father he submitted to their power knowing it was his Fathers will and that the judgement was not theirs but Gods Acts 4.28 which is the ground of Nazianzens advise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must submit to good Kings as to the Lord himselfe to bad Kings for the Lords sake Upon which grounds it is easie to prove the King to have the relation of a God to his subjects For he that can command the conscience is a God but the commands of the King doe oblige the conscience i. e. in licitis politicis whereunto his Commission doth extend and therefore in reference to all those matters the King is a God to his Subjects And by consequence this fift Commandement prescribing the Subjects duty must be a Precept of the first Table The eight and last Reason is taken from the nature of those acts whereby Subjects ought to expresse their obedience to Kings Ver. 6 7. which is Saint Pauls fixt motive to obedience which acts doe referre either unto the Kings power or else to his maintenance 1. The acts of obedience relating to power are Feare and Honour which are due onely to God Deut. 6.13 Mat. 4.10 Mal. 1.6 But Saint Paul commandeth us to performe these duties unto the King in this Text to which Solomon addeth another precept Prov. 24.21 My sonne feare God and the King And David likewise commanded the people to worship God and King Solomon 1 Chron. 29.20 so that God and the King are made a joynt object of these duties which are peculiar to God ergo the King must supply the place of God in reference to his Subjects and by consequence the fift Commandement must be a Precept of the first Table Ob. Christ forbids us to feare them that can kill the body onely but cannot kill the soule Mat. 10.28 but Kings can onely kill the body and not the soule ergo wee may not feare Kings Sol. That command of Christs is not Positive but Comparative as appeares in the Text and onely prohibits us to feare the King more then God Repl. Then when the Kings commands are contrary to Gods we may resist Sol. We may resist his commands but not his power for in those cases we must obey God by an active the King onely by a passive obedience for which wee have the president of the Apostles themselves Acts 4. and 5. who did refuse to obey the commands of the Rulers prohibiting them to preach in the name of Jesus but yet submitted to their power in yeelding themselves to be imprisoned and beaten according to the commands of the Rulers so that they obeyed both God and the Magistrate the first by doing the latter by suffering 2. The acts of obedience relating to the Kings maintenance are Tribute and Custome whereof I spoke at large in the ninth Chapter of this Booke in the point of Secondary Honour due to the King where I demonstrated these to be due to God onely Primarily and to the King onely Secondarily as he supplies the place of God in Ruling and Judging his people And therefore seeing we are to performe those acts of submission and obedience to the King whereof God himselfe is the proper and immediate object it followeth necessarily that the fift Commandement which prescribeth those acts must be a Commandement of the first Table Now upon these grounds it is easie to frame an answer to the three Arguments alledged for the preheminency of the peoples safety above the Kings Honour whereby to legitimate the resistance of Kings in order to the peoples safety To the first Argument taken from the Law of nature Answ 1 I answer that it is grounded upon a false supposition for the fift Commandement which is the ground of the Kings Honour is not a Precept of the second Table but of the first the duties whereof are grounded upon a love exceeding the love of our selves for the Law of God and Nature teacheth us to love God above our selves Deut. 5.6 Mat. 22.37 and therefore though the King be a man in his naturall capacity and therefore in that sense hath the relation of a neighbour yet in his Politick capacity in which sense onely he is the object of the duties of the fift Commandement he hath the relation of a God to us and not of a neighbour and therefore we ought to regard his Honour above our owne safety and rather to suffer the losse both of our estates friends and life then dishonour him To the second Argument grounded upon the instance of a Generall I answer Answ 2 that the case is farre different For I presume the Argument presupposeth that Generall to be trusted by the King for the safety and protection of that city and not for the destruction of it and that upon this supposition they doe resist him as a Traitor to his trust and in this case the resistance is lawfull because his Commission doth not extend to that act and he is onely a Magistrate so farre as his Commission doth authorize him But suppose the King should have judged that city to be destroyed and authorize that Generall to execute that judgement in this case it were absolutely unlawfull to resist and all acts of opposition in the city or souldiery being the Kings Subjects were absolute treason and rebellion because the Kings Commission from God doth extend absolutely both to our estates and persons nor doth he
breake Gods trust when he destroyes a city because as Solomon witnesseth Prov. 16. that judgement is Gods and the King is sent by God to destroy those cities for the Tyrannicall Prince is Gods servant for the execution of his judgements and hath his heart guided by God Prov. 21.1 as well as the good Prince is for the dispensation of Gods mercies And therefore to resist a Tyrannicall King is to resist God from whom that Tyrant doth derive his power as Christ testifieth of Pilates power John 19.11 which we may not doe to save either our lives or estates To the third Argument I answer Answ 3 that ten thousand instances are not sufficient to legitimate one act expresly prohibited by the Law of God for even the Holy Ghost himselfe doth record the failings of the most holy men and that in the most notorious manner as in Abrahams lie to the Egyptians Gen. 12. Davids Murder and Adultery Solomons Idolatry and Peters Perjury Yea and sometimes we finde their sins passed over without reproofe as in the Polygamie of Jacob David many of the Kings and others yet the silence of the Holy Ghost in passing by this sinne of Polygamie without reproofe did not make it lawfull But for the instances of resistance in David and Elijah they are all particularly answered by severall Authors who have writ of this subject Only the resistance and deposition of Rehoboam is legitimated by Gods expresse approbation but if you observe the Text you shall finde that approbation relates to Rehoboams punishment and losse of the tenne Tribes and not to the peoples act of resistance For saith the Lord this thing is from me that is the renting the ten Tribes from Rehoboam according to his owne words to Solomon 1 King 11.11 but for the peoples act of resistance it is termed a Rebellion 1 Kin. 12.19 For though the deposition of Rehoboam and exaltation of Jeroboam was good and just in it selfe in regard it was the decree of God and accordingly declared to be his will 1 Kin. 11.31 yet in regard the people had no warrant to execute that decree and in regard Jeroboam did not act in order to Gods decree looking upon the execution of that decree against Rehoboam but upon the satisfaction of his ambitious desires it was sinfull both in Jeroboam and the people And that this was Jeroboams end appeares plainly because he durst not trust God for the preservation of his Honour and Dignity although God had promised the perpetuation thereof in the same Chapter Ver. 38 as well as the donation but runne to the Devill for the security of his Crowne erecting two Calves for the people to worship lest if the people should goe up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord should not be able to continue their affections to him nor performe his promise Chap. 12.28 So that God did never approve the act of resistance against the King unlesse by those who had a particular warrant from himselfe as well for the manner as the matter as in Jehu's case 2 King 10.30 without which it is not lawfull for any man to endeavour his owne safety by any resistance or opposition of the Kings power or any other acts of dishonour to the King CHAP. XII What influence Oathes and Covenants ought to have upon the duties either of King or Subjects Quaere SUppose the King have consented to the making of Lawes destructive to his owne Honour which preferre the peoples Safety before it and have also obliged himselfe by Oath for the observance of those Lawes whether may the King breake that Oath and Rule contrary to those Laws for the support and vindication of his owne Honour Sol. This was the case of the Israelites with the Gibeonites with whom the Israelites made a Covenant Josh 9.15 contrary to a former expresse command from God Exod. 23.32 Cha. 34.12 Deut. 7.1 which Covenant therefore was not oney prejudiciall to the Israelites but also unlawfull in it selfe yet after it was confirmed with an Oath by the Israelites they might not breake it Josh 9.19 although it was gained by fraud and subtilty as appeares in the Text For when Saul did ignorantly out of zeale to the children of Israel and Judah imagining the former command of God to lay an higher obligation upon them then their own Oath so fraudulently procured breake that Covenant and destroy the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21.1 2 3. the Lord revenged that perjurious act of Sauls upon the whole land of Israel by a constant famine yeare after yeare till the Honour of God was vindicated by the satisfaction of the Gibeonites in the bloud of seven of Sauls sonnes Ver. 9. And the Prophet David further resolves this case in expresse words Psal 15.5 Attesting Gods regard of that mans happinesse who doth regard Gods honour being thus engaged above all selfe-respects by performing what he hath sworne though it be to his owne hinderance and therefore the King may not breake a Law confirmed by an Oath although it be destructive to his owne Honour The reason whereof is Because Gods Honour by that Oath is made an hostage for the Kings fidelity and therefore the King is bound to regard the performance of that Law as he regards the Honour of Gods Name which must have the preheminence above his owne Honour Although all other Lawes not ratified with this high sanction may and ought to be revoked by the King if they be prejudiciall to his owne Honour for all such Lawes are supposed to be fraudulently procured like the grant of Mephibosheth's estate to Ziba 2 Sam. 16.1 for no man would willingly dishonour himself for that were against the Law of Nature and therefore may be revoked as that Law of Davids was by himselfe upon better information 2 Sam. 19.19 But a Law confirmed by Oath though fraudulently procured may not be revoked upon better information for that Joshua received concerning the Gibeonites Josh 9.16 yet all this must be understood of matters capable of this sanction that is such as are not destructive to the Honour of God formerly engaged by himselfe even from all eternity for Holinesse is the very Nature and Essence of God and all wicked Lawes which are opposite to this are destructive to his eternall Honour and therefore not capable of this sanction of an Oath for thereby Gods Honour is opposed to itselfe but where these two doe come in competition the lesse evill is to be made choice of we must rather breake our Oath though that be destructive to Gods temporary and adventitious Honour then act a wicked thing which is destructive to his essentiall and eternall Honour But in all matters of indifference which are capable of this sanction of an Oath that is the highest temporary sanction and therefore ought to be regarded above all former promises or resolutions of our owne although they be grounded upon a temporary command from God which is manifest in this case of the Gibeonites Quaere Seeing the Lawes preferring salus populi before the Kings Honour being confirmed by the Kings Oath doe oblige the King to act accordingly whether doe not they likewise priviledge the people to act things prejudiciall to the Kings Honour in order to their owne safety especially if the people have covenanted and sworne the same Lawes Sol. The acts of the King and the acts of the people in this case are of a farre different nature For the acts of the King in observance to those Lawes are onely prejudiciall to himselfe and his owne Honour and so are onely mala poenae and therefore capable of this sacramentall sanction from him But as for the acts of the people in this case they are destructive to the Honour both of God and the King which are sinnes prohibited in the fift Commandement which enjoynes us to regard their Honour above all selfe-respects as I have formerly declared and therefore all acts of the people either in the procurement or observance of such Lawes are mala culpae For it is a sacriledge of an high nature to violate and invade the sacred Power and Prerogative of Kings and therefore incapable of this sacramentall sanction from them For all Associations and Covenants against any of Gods Commandements are directly Covenants with Death and agreements with Hell and all the Oathes Vowes and Statutes made and framed thereupon are directly mischiefes framed by a Law and Obligations sealed to serve the Devill And whether it be safer for us to continue in the service of such a Master by acting according to such hellish Oathes and Covenants or to forsake his service by renouncing our sacriledge and giving Caesar his sacred right and due is not a case of any great difficulty to those who value God and salvation above the Devill and the damnation of their owne soules FINIS
own dear Sonne with this Royall Prerogative giving all things and all power over all creatures into his hands and such a Kingdome and Dominion as should have no end Esai 9.6 Psa 2. Luke 1 32.33 Iohn 13.3 Which places as likewise all other places of Scripture which attribute any Sovereignty or Dominion unto Christ are to be understood onely of this Internall government for of all externall and worldly power and authority Christ utterly declined and disclaimed the administration and exercise reproving the giddiness and precipitancy of the peoples affections who would have obtruded the honour of a King upon him when they were transported with admiration of his miracles feeding of five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes John 6.15 For his kingdome as himself acknowledged to Pilat was not of this world and therefore he taught his Disciples by his own example to eschew the affection of that kind of power and domination which the Kings of the Gentiles exercised over their people leaving them a perfect president of meeknesse and humility in himself by taking upon himself the form and practising the duties of a servant not disdaining to wash the very feet of his Disciples John 13. Whereby it is evident to whom the propriety of Interest and title to this Internall Regiment of Right appertaineth and upon a further scrutiny and inquisition concerning particulars it will appear that the practise thereof hath alwaies gone accordingly and the actuall administration and exercise of all power and authority over the Intrinsecall Acts and Effects of the soul hath alwaies been the peculiar priviledge and prerogative of God But for an Introduction hereunto it will be requisite to premise the severall sorts of divisions and Subdivisions which are Incident to this Internall Regiment by reason of the various circumstances whereunto it doth relate with one Objectum modus media finis 1. The first Circumstance is the object or matter whereupon God doth exercise his power and that is upon the Intrinsecall acts and effects of the soul 2. Circumstance is the manner how God doth exercise his power upon these acts and effects of the soul 3. The meanes whereby God doth exercise his power upon these acts and effects of the soul 4. The end for which God doth in this or that manner by this or that meanes exercise his power upon these Intrinsecall acts and effects of the soul 1. The first division then of this Internall Regiment is taken from the diversitie of the object or matter thereof viz the Intrinsecall acts and effects of the soul which are differenced by vertue of the different faculties from whence they proceed which are the understanding and the will each of whose acts do likewise admit of a Subdivision by reason of the diversitie of the subordinate object or matter whereunto they relate which may be either Spirituall or temporall matters So that from this first division and Subdivision do arise these four kinds of Internall Regiment 1. That kind which respects the understanding in reference to Spiritual matters 2. That which respects the same in reference to temporall matters 3. That kind which respects the will in reference to Spirituall matters 4. That which respects the same in reference to temporall matters 2. Againe every one of these four sorts of Internall Regiment being considered in relation to the manner how God doth exercise his power upon the Intrinsecall acts and effects of the Soul are capable of a second Subdivision for God doth work upon the severall acts and effects both of the will and understanding after a two-fold manner upon the understanding either by way of Illumination or by way of Infatuation upon the will either by way of Obduration or by way of Mollification and conversion by vertue of which severall sorts of operation upon the understanding and will These four kinds of Internall Regiment above mentioned may be Subdivided into eight subalternate species 3. Againe every one of these eight sorts of Internall Regiment may yet be Subdivided in reference to the meanes whereby God doth work upon all these severall objects after all those severall wayes for either God doth operate immediately by the speciall and extraordinary meanes of his Spirit or mediately by the common and ordinary meanes of the Creature Each of which meanes being applicable to every one of the eight species of Internall Regiment before recited may branch out those eight species into sixteen particulars 4. As for the last Circumstance to which this Internall Regiment doth relate viz. The end for which God doth exercise his power upon the Intrinsecall acts and effects of the soul I conceive it doth rather qualify then multiply the seveall species or kinds of Internall Regiment for the end is the very reason and cause wherefore and the very rule and square whereby God doth by this or that meanes in this or that manner exercise his power upon the severall acts and effects either of the understanding or the will whether it be in Spirituall or in temporall matters And this end being primarily his own glory It is the very Primum Mobile which giveth motion and action to all the wheeles of Gods providence for as in all other reasonable Agents so in God the most reasonable The end is Primum Intentione though ultimum executione and that which incites his will to every action Now Gods glory as it respects humane creatures of which we now speak as being the object wherein both the nature and parts of Gods internall Regiment are made most conspicuous to us is manifested two waves First by his mercy Secondly by his justice which two do constitute two severall ends of Gods internall Regiment viz. First the manifestation of his mercy and goodnesse in the exhibition of blessings and benefits to the godly Secondly The manifestation of his power and greatnesse in the accumulation of curses and judgements upon the wicked And therefore wheresoever we find any particular acts of Gods internall Regiment in any of all the forementioned kinds thereof recorded in Scripture as indeed there is no one kind amongst all the sixteen severall sorts whereinto it is distinguished but God hath upon some one or other occasion left us an expresse from his own Spirit to evidence his Right and Title thereunto materia modo medijs predictis as I shall demonstrate in the next place there we shall find likewise one of these two ends recorded for the ground and cause of that particular act of Government and providence in God But least the reader should imagine these divisions and Subdivisions of Internall Government to be some meer Logicall or Metaphysicall Notions it will not be Impertinent by instances in particular acts of Gods providence relating to every perticular kind of Internall Government to demonstrate all the foresaid divisions to be expresly grounded upon the word of God And because the first eight of the foresaid species of Internall Regiment relate unto the understanding the latter
reason of the similar conjunctions and aspects of the Planets which are Incident to these Revolutions as is at large expressed in Whickerus But though I acknowledge the Celestiall bodies to have an influence upon all sublunary bodies yet I do not make such Astrologicall conclusions any part of my faith for that Sapiens Dominabitur Astris was the perswasion of a learned heathen which the Lord himself confirmes out of his own mouth wishing us to observe how he himself doth manifest his own prerogative in all humane affaires by frustrating the tokens of the Soothsayers and making diviners mad Esay 44.25 And therefore we see that all the Astrologers and Soothsayers in Caldee could not foretell the septenarian madness of Nabuchad-nezzar inflicted by God for destroying that septenarian work of Solomon his holy Temple Neither when he was mad could they Divine when he should be restored either to his senses or his Kingdome Dan. 4. Nay though the fertility of the earth doth manifestly depend upon the influence of the Heavens and the sterility of the earth proceed of the undue obstruction of the Heavens as Moses declareth Deut. 28. Yet could not all the Astrologers in Egypt foretell the preceding plenty of the first seven yeares and the succeeding famine of the next seven prefigured in Pharaoh's dream Gen. 41. But though these Revolutions in humane affaires do not so necessarily depend upon the Starres yet that such do come to pass we have Solomons own Testimony Eccles 1. and that also grounded upon his own experience wherein ours also cannot be wanting if we observe but the courses and changes falling out amongst our selves in the fashions of habits and other matters wherein we alter from one to another til that which was the furthest out of date become the most in request again 2. The second thing observable in these Wheels is their order which is very confused and Intricate For the Text saith that the appearance of the Wheels and of their work was as it were a Wheel in the middle of a Wheel thereby representing the darkness and confusedness of mans understanding and knowledge in the mysteries of Gods providence being farre unable to apprehend or discern all the turnings and windings of the Wheels that is all the waves and courses which the wisdome of God doth pursue in the Government of the inferiour world For men the wisest of all earthly creatures do onely discern things that are present and neer at hand and those also but onely in a superficiall and imperfect manner and accordingly they judge We see Joseph sold into a strange countrey and there cast into a desolate Dungeon and like his evill and unnatural Brethren we judge him as surely lost as if he had been indeed devoured by some wilde Beast We see just Iob miserably afflicted and tormented by the Devil and left as naked of all worldly helpes and comforts as he was the first minute which God took him out of his Mothers womb And like his three miserable comforters we judge him to be made an exemplary president by God not onely of worldly misfortune and misery but even of Gods Eternal wrath and fury Yea what man Ignorant of future Events would not have judged Hamans estate happier in the Kings palace then Mordecai's who begged at the Kings gates Proud Herod securer upon his Throne then Peter a prisoner in Chaines and fetters And Pilates condition better upon his Judgements seat then Christs when he was nailed to the fatal Cross For alas the judgement and knowledge of man in all worldly matters reacheth no further then the very present and outward face thereof As constant experience daily Demonstrates 3. The third and last thing observable in these Wheels is their Ornaments and those are the numerous eyes in the Rings of the four Wheels For the Text saith Their Rings were full of eyes which eyes do not signifie any fore-sight wisdome or knowledge to be in the earthly creatures for the Rule and direction of their own actions but their vigilant observance of all the actions and motions of the Angels as a rule whereby to order and frame their own actions and motions of what nature soever whether it concern their station or progression or elevation For saith the Text When the living creatures went the wheels went by them when the living creatures were lift up from the earth the Wheels were lift up and when those stood these stood which passages expresse the exact and diligent conformity of earthly creatures to the commandments of Angels and the Angels power over them to guide them in all their wayes whether good or evil yea and that in evil of sinne as well as evil of punishment First for evil of sinne there are evil Spirits to seduce and mislead men An evil Spirit led the men of Shechem into Traiterous Attempts against their King Jud. 9. An evil Spirit seduced Ahab 1 Kin 22. Satan provoked David to number the people 1 Chro. 25.1 Again in the punishments of the wicked the Angels are the executioners of Gods judgements as upon the Sodomites Gen. 19. upon the Adulterous and Idolatrous Israelites Num. 22. Upon the blasphemous Assyrians 2 Kin. 19. Nay Christ himself giving a caution concerning the offending of little children Mat. 18.6 alledgeth this ground for it that the Angels whom God appointeth for the tuition and guard of these little ones are continually solicitors to God in their behalf Imprecating vengeance upon such pittylesse injustice and severely revenging the injuries done to such Innocents so that as it is expressed in the Text It were better for a man to have a milstone hanged about his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea then to undergoe the punishments inflicted by the Angels upon such offenders Lastly the Angels are not lesse solicitous for the preservation of the Godly in all their wayes though it be in the midst of the fire as in the three children Dan. 2. Or in a Denne of hungry Lyons as in the Prophet Daniel himself Dan. 6. Nay the Prophet making a large declaration of Gods care and providence towards his children in all sorts of dangers as in war in pestilence and all manner of Epidemicall judgements inflicted by God for the Epidemicall sinne of a nation Psal 91. reciteth this as a sure ground of confidence for their safety in the midst of all dangers Even when thousands fall beside them and ten thousand at their right hand that the Angels of God have a charge to protect his children in all their wayes not onely in the time of imminent and as it may seem inavoidable dangers when their preservation is miraculous but even in every common and cursory action as in their walks and foot-steps that they do not at any time hurt their foot against a stone verse 11. whereas Davids progenitors had a satisfactory experiment in that Angel which God appointed for their guide in the wildernesse who through care of their security
a place in those sacred Records but though no Polarchie be honoured with any Divine sanction either native or Redemptive being in it self a meer curse in Nature inflicted upon a Nation by Divine Malediction for a punishment thereof as Warre Famine or Pestilence is as I shall shew more at large in the Subsequent Book Yet in Regard many sorts of Polarchie have been honoured with the humane sanction of practise Prescription and Custome both before the Incarnation of Christ by those famous and Renowned Common-wealths prem-entioned and also of late yeares by some Christian Common-wealths Although there be no more Divinity in any sort Polarchie or any more warrantable grounds in Scripture Nature or Reason for any man to attempt or endeavour the Erection or institution of any Polarchicall Government then there is for men to contend for Ignorance Diseases Mutilations Poverty or any other Curse and Punishment It will be requisite to speak something concerning the Nature and Originall thereof as a vice corruption and Privation of Monarchy the onely Divine and Native Policy The Divine Right whereof is declared in the next Book FINIS Libri Primi THE SECOND BOOK Declaring the DIVINE RIGHT of MONARCHIE CHAP. I. Of the Nature of Monarchie and that Jus Divinum whereof it doth Participate MY Pen is now at length arrived upon that wished coast whereunto it hath with constant pace directed its course through all those obscure and uncouch pathes wherein it hath wandered in the several Chapters of the former Book for the Investigation of a Jus Divinum in every kind of Order and Government which God hath established amongst his creatures 1. In their General Relation to himself their Creator 2. In the specificall relations of the three different kinds of creatures to one another 3. In the mutuall relations of the particulars of each kind amongst themselves Each of which several kinds of Government I have already manifested to participate of some such species of that Jus Divinum whereof I promised an explication in the Introduction to this Treatise as was most proper and suitable unto the nature of those creatures which were therein concerned In which precedent expresses if either my brevity seem culpable or my obscurity the Individual attendant thereof unsatisfactorie although I will not Apologize for mine own disabilities whereof I am too abundantly conscious yet I desire the Reader to consider that my first Intention was to premise onely a Cursory explication of these parts and species of Natural Government as procognita for an introduction to the treatise of Monarchie which I shall manifest to be the onely sort of Politick Government warranted either by God or nature Divine Right whereof I shall endeavour to Demonstrate in the sequel of this Book in all its several causes parts and capacities according to the Method proposed in the Frontispice of this Treatise representing the scope and substance thereof wherein we promised a manifesto of the Divine Right of Monarchie in Relation unto 1. It s Originall and Efficacie 2. It s Forme and Essence 3. It s Ground and matter 4. It s end and vse Which several particulars do present us with a superficiall survey of the nature of Monarchie which may be described two wayes 1. Grammatically by the derivation of the word 2. Logically by the prementioned causes 1 The derivation of the word Monarchie is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principatus Which word relateth to the active and more noble part of Government according whereunto Monarchie is described to be a Politick Government wherein one person is supream and chief and this indeed is the vsuall description approved by most Authors 2. But that description which is more expressive of the nature of Monarchie may be Logically thus compleated of the prementioned causes thereof Monarchie is a politick Government Instituted by God for the preservation of humane society by the Administration and Exercise of the Supream Power and Authority of one person over all others in the same society The former part of which description expresseth the two External causes of Monarchie the latter the two internall but yet the Externall causes thereof are not herein expressed in that just extent and Latitude as to be an entire and adequate ground of all the parts of our ensuing discourse in this Book concerning the Divine Right of Monarchie For Monarchie doth not onely derive its institution from God the Efficient cause thereof but also many other Divine sanctions Nor is the preservation of humane society the adequate end for which God did institute this Government And therefore though this description reacheth the most and indeed more Divine and transcendent expressions of Monarchie then are Recorded by any Author that I have read upon this subject yet least I should incurre the guilt of that absurdity in my present discourse as to extend my superstructures further then my foundation I shal present the Reader with another description which shall reach all that my pen doth ayme at in this present discovery of the nature and Divine Right of Monarchie which is this MONARCHIE is a Politick Government Instituted and approved by God consisting in the prudentiall administration and exercise of the supream Power and Authority of one Person over all others within the same society for the preservation of Peace and Vnity in Order to Gods glory the Kings honour and the peoples welfare Which description I conceive to be a full expression of all the parts and causes of Monarchie the explication whereof I purpose to be the entire businesse of my ensuing discourse wherein I shall observe the same Method expressed in this present Description 1. Shewing this blessing of Monarchie to derive its Originall from God the Efficient cause thereof and that the Holy Ghost hath also honoured the same with many recommendatory sanctions whereby to evidence the Divine Right thereof and the true and proper distinction of this blessing of Monarchie from the curse of Polarchie all which particulars I have designed for the five first Chapters of this Book which shall declare the nature and Divine Right of Monarchie in its Morall capacity as it is grounded upon the habit of Prudence which though it be not directly a Moral habit yet is the fountain of all Moral acts wherein I hope the Reader shall receive satisfaction concerning the Divine Right of Monarchie in Relation to the efficient and formal causes thereof which are the first two particulars expressed in the definition of Monarchie 2. In the next place I shal speak of this blessing of Monarchie in its natural capacity as it relateth to that supremacie which doth preheminence the Monarch above all others within the same society which I terme natural not so much because it is the material cause and ground of this Natural blessing of Monarchie every Monarch deriving his title to the Crown from this supremacy but rather because Supremacy it self doth ordinarily proceed from a
capacity as it relates to the habit of prudence 2. In its Naturall capacity as it relates to the supremacy of Power 3. In its Theological capacity as it relates to those dutyes which are the end of Monarchie Concerning every one of which acceptions I shall exhibit a more particular explication in the subsequent Chapters of this Book Whereof the next four shal finish the discourse of Monarchie in its first acception the first whereof shal declare the several sanctions wherewith this blessing of Monarchie is honoured in the Scriptures from whence the Reader may receive satisfaction concerning the Divine Right of Monarchie in Reference to its Original and Efficient cause The second shal declare the Nature Original and grounds of Polarchie which is the opposite privation of this blessing of Monarchie the third shal declare the several Divine Maledictions Incident to the curse of Polarchie the fourth shal unscruple two material difficulties or cases of Conscience concerning Monarchie 1. How farre every man is obliged in conscience to endeavour the Reducement of a Polarchie to a Monarchie 2. Whether any man may lawfully salvà Conscientiâ endeavour the alteration of a Monarchie into a Polarchie CHAP. II. Of the six several sanctions whereof Monarchie doth participate AMongst all the Natural and common gifts and blessings of the Spirit I do not find any one honoured with greater variety of Implicite sanctions then this of Monarchie which I shall demonstrate in this Chapter to participate of as many as any such blessing is capable of the Holy Ghost thereby manifesting the excellency and preheminence of this blessing of Monarchie above all other natural blessings whatsoever And those sanctions are six viz. 1. Divine Institution 2. Divine prescription 3. Divine Stipulation 4. Divine Assimilation 5. Divine Accommodation 6. Divine Regulation 1. The first sanction Incident to Monarchie is Divine institution God himself being the Original Author of this blessing of Monarchie in the very first beginning of the world Investing Adam with a Monarchicall Supremacy not onely Oeconomicall over that one created family in Paradise but Political over a society consisting of many families which were to descend of Adam For the same Law which Commanded obedience of children to Parents servants to Masters and subjects to Kings in Paradise did oblige all Adams posterity for the space of 930. years to perform this duty of obedience to Adam within which space Adam became a Father and Governour not onely Oeconomicall of one family but Political of many families which as we shewed before is the very ground of Political Government and particularly of Monarchie Now although this Government be styled most commonly paternal because all Adams subjects could derive their Pedegree from the blood Royal Yet is it the very same in substance with that which we terme Regal Monarchie or Regal Government being described by most Authors to be a Political Government over a society wherein one person is supream and chief And the Holy Ghost to demonstrate unto us that the name did not create any real difference between this Paternal Government which continued til the confusion of Languages and Regal Government which style the Scripture useth for the policies observed by societyes after the dispersion of the seventy families of Noah's posterity being divided by so many several Languages did afterwards in the penning of the Decalogue upon Mount Sinai use onely the word Father to expresse all sorts of Governours as wel Kings and Monarchs as others But to unscruple all vocabular doubts and difficulties let us but look into the fourteenth Ch. of Gen. and there we shall find a King of Gods own making and his Regal Power of Gods own Institution For Sem alias Melchisedech was by Gods special Ordinance a Type of Christ both in his Regal and Sacerdotall office Heb. 7. And therefore is styled by the Holy Ghost the King of Righteousnesse and King of Salem which is Jerusalem where this Melchizedech reigned til Jacobs time who at his death though then a bond-man in Egypt did in his last Wil and Testament declare the Ordinance of God concerning the establishment of a Monarchie amongst the Israelites his own posterity and that Judah should sway the scepter of the Kingdome and Reign in that very City whereof Melchizedech was King Gen. 49.10 Of which Royal tribe that great King the true Lyon of Judah and the true Shiloh our Saviour Christ himself should descend who by Gods own Ordinance likewise was to be born truly and Legally King of the Jewes As the Angels declared to the Wise-men who by the Angels direction enquired at Bethlem for him that was born King of the Jewes Mat. 2.2 Which is also Manifested by the Holy Ghost in the derivation of Christs Pedegree from Abraham and David Mat. 1. and even from Adam himself Luk. 3. And this also was acknowledged by Christ himself unto Pilate John 18.37 Again we shall find that several persons received their Regall Investiture from Gods Immediate and particular consignation who had no other title to that Monarchical honour and supremacie As Saul David and Solomon Kings of Israel Jeroboam and Jehu Kings over the ten Tribes And amongst the heathens also Hazael was made King of Syria by Gods particular appointment And Cyrus was both named and ordained by God to be the Monarch and King which should erect that Monarchie which Historians make the second of the four Monarchies of the world above seventie years before he was born Esay 45.1 Ob. God was angry with the Israelites for asking a King 1 Sam. 8. And did further declare his dislike thereof by a miraculous Thunder and Rain 1 Sam. 12.18 Whereupon the people did acknowledg their sinne in asking a King and desired Samuel to pray for them 1 Sam. 12.19 Sol. Two things are observable in that desire 1. The object of the peoples desire which was Monarchie or a Regal Government And in relation to this the desire was good being the very Ordinance of God himself Deut. 17.14 And therefore was also sanctified unto the people with the promise of a blessing 1 Sam. 12.14 and was afterwards also confirmed unto them by God himself in his own particular Election of another King even King David a man after Gods own heart to succeed Saul and also in his sonne Solomon to succeed him both which two were Types of Christ and Prophets of God 2. The end of the peoples desire and that was Idolatrous and sinful the people therein looking upon a King as the onely meanes whereby they might attain deliverance from the feares and pressures under which they groaned at that time through the Tyranny of the Philistines who had subdued them which was the very end why they desired a King looking for deliverance from him and not from God As God declared unto Samuel 1 Sam. 1.7 They have not rejected thee saith the Lord but they have rejected me Imputing more to the power of a King for their deliverance then unto my
Power And therefore to punish this Idolatrous trust of this people he gave them then a King of that Tribe which Jacobs prophesie did make Tyrannical viz of the Ravening Wolfe of Benjamin Gen. 49.27 To whom alone that prophesie of Samuel's relateth 1 Sam. 1.10 concerning the Tyranny of the King that should Reign over the people who desired a King for this Idolatrous and sinful end For neither David nor Solomon were such Tyrants 2. The second sanction whereof Monarchie doth participate is Divine prescription God himself continuing that Government to his Church and people from the very beginning of the world til their sinnes made them uncapable of any Policy and condemned them to perpetual captivity For Monarchie began in Adam and so continued in his posterity successively til the flood when Noa'hs Monarchie was reduced by the deluge to an Oeconomie And after the earth was again replenished by his three sons the Church by Noahs blessing was limited to Sem his posterity which Sem was king of Salem alias Jerusalem where he reigned til Jacob who was the twelfth from Sem was fifty yeares of age Jacob and all his posterity the twelve Patriarks and their wives and children went down into Egypt where they lived in bondage and slavery til God raised up Moses whom he made their Monarch Judge and Ruler by whose hand he delivered the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt And this Moses did Govern them for the space of fourty yeares in the wildernesse upon the death of Moses God ordained Joshua to succeed him in that Monarchical Regency Num. 27.18 By whose hand the Lord setled the Israelites in the land of Canaan within the space of seventeen yeers after the death of Moses From Joshua to Saul the Israelites were Governed onely by occasional Judges and Monarchs which God raised up for some special and particular deliverance In Saul God restored that formal Monarchie or Regal Government which the Church enjoyed in the dayes of Melchizedech which the Lord himself transferred from Saul and the Tribe of Benjamin unto David and the Tribe of Judah according to Jacobs prophesie Where the supremacy of Regal Power continued whilst God continued his favour unto that people til their sinne and Ingratitude made them unworthy and incapable of the great blessings and favour of Monarchical Government and brought upon them that heavy curse of Anarchy and want of a policy amongst themselves and made them slaves and captives under Monarchs and Kings of other Nations according to Moses his prophesie Deut. 29.28 which Anarchie was that very mark and Stigma of Gods wrath and vengeance whereby all Nations whither they should be led captives should know them to be a people abhorred and forsaken of God as Moses declareth in the latter part of that Chapter 3. The third sanction Incident to Monarchie is Divine Stipulation God himself honouring this blessing of Monarchie with many gratious pactions and promises to those who were partakers thereof as to David 2 Sam. 7. to Solomon 1 Kin. 3. yea even to wicked Saul 1 Sam. 12. and Idolatrous Ieroboam 1. Kin. 11. conditionally they did make a right use of this high and honourable calling whereunto they were advanced by God Which sanction is an infallible token of Gods approbation of that calling of Monarchie as a natural gift and blessing requisite to humane perfection for the Lord did never thus directly declare his approbation of any curse or privation of these blessings which was an effect of sinne nor of any calling which was directly grounded thereupon such as that Monkish mendicancie which is used in the Church of Rome For that Command of Christs to the young man in the Gospel was principally probatory and all Christs promises made either to him or his Disciples for Remuneration of their Piety who forsake all for his sake relate primarily properly to the love of Christ to such disvaluations and disertions of worldly and Natural gifts and blessings onely accidentally and in a secondary sense when they come in competition with Christ who is to be preferred above all other things whatsoever though they be as dear and precious to us as Brother or Sister or Father or Mother or even as our own eyes or our own lives Mat. 16.25 But I say such curses and privations of worldly and Natural gifts and blessings were never directly and positively honoured with the sanction of a Remunerative promise as Monarchie is in the prementioned Text. being in themselves properly a part of Jus Divinum Vindicativum 4. The fourth sanction whereof Monarchie doth participate is divine Assimilation Monarchie being a resemblance of the most exact Modell in Divinity Nature and Art 1. In Divinity or divine policy and that both creative and redemptive For first when God had framed the world and stored it with such a numerous variety of creatures God claimed the Prerogative of an Universal Monarch to himself alone consigning both Devils and men to everlasting torments for entertaining but a thought of competition with him in this his Monarchical honour 2. When he Redeemed the world and transferred the Government thereof unto his Sonne yet was the same policy stil retained nor did Christ ever admit of any competitor in his Government Phil. 2.10 11. 2. Monarchie is a resemblance of the most exact Model in Nature and that is man both in his numericall and specifical capacity First in his numerical capacity whereby I understand the frame of his own body termed by Philosophers Microcosmus by reason of the Analogie the body of man hath with the Universe in relation to order and Government For though it be composed of many parts of different qualities and which are subservient to the body in different offices yet it hath but one head for the guidance and direction of all unlesse it be in Monsters which are therefore justly termed Errours in Nature as all Polarchies are in Policy Secondly in his specifical capacity whereby I understand the multiplication of his seed and issue which is the continuation of his species which though never so numerous yet is but one man the Father of al even as a Monarch is one Ruler over many subjects I confesse indeed the unlawful various and insatiate desires of the Mother may be a meanes why the children of one family may have many Fathers And indeed the very like desires in a countrey which is our politick Mother I conceive to have been the very first ground for the erection of Polarchies by the constitution of many Supream heads and Fathers in one Common-wealth 3. Monarchie is a resemblance of the most exact Model in Art and of that Policy which is the Master-piece of the most Artificial Imitator and the most curious Artist in the world viz. the Devil And I confesse it is an Argument which hath no weak or mean influence upon my understanding and judgement to perswade the Divine Excellency of Monarchie that Satan doth make it the object of
his option as the most glorious disguise for that grand Impostor the man of sinne wherein to act his Antichristian and blasphemous tragedies in the latter dayes which Saint Paul speaks of 2 Thes 2. For though Satan be the greatest Maligner of all Divine truths yet we are sure he is the most exquisite knower and the most Artificial Imitator thereof And therefore to create the greater esteem and Reverence in mens hearts of the Power and Majesty of his Eldest and best beloved Sonne he wil be sure to usurp that form of Government which is most glorious Divine and plausible in the eyes of men to make his delusions more Potent and Effectuall Now the Text plainly declares that Antichrists Government shall be Monarchical and that he wil admit of no competitor but will exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God shall sit in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God The meaning is that Antichrist shal Reign as an Universal and absolute Monarch here on earth And the same happinesse which the erronious expectations of the Jewes are fixed upon and hope to receive by the Government of the Messiah at his comming who as they conceive shall be absolute King and Monarch of the whole world and exercise an absolute Power and Authority over all Kings and Nations both in Spiritual and temporal matters as Priest and King to fulfil the Type of himself prefigured in Melchizedech and as King and Prophet to fulfil that Type of himself prefigured in David and Solomon the same will Antichrist pretend to communicate by his Government to all his Disciples and subjects both Jewes and Gentiles Vsurping the same temporal and Spiritual Power and Soveraignty which the Jewes through misinterpretation of Scriptures Attribute unto Christ And practising all the lying Miracles and Delusions which the power of Satan can effect for confirming the belief of his Monarchicall and just Power and Majesty in the minds of men 5. The fift sanction whereof Monarchie doth participate is Divine Accomodation God himself sitting and apportioning this blessing of Monarchie for the most commodious Instrument and meanes to advance virtue Piety and more especially unitie and concord the Basis and foundation Salutis Populi and to suppresse vice and iniquity more particularly civil discords and dissentions the very Morbi laethales populi Rei publicae whereof the Lord himself exhibited a manifesto to the Israelites after they were setled by Joshua in the ful possession of the land of Promise when the Lord to the intent the Israelites might take a more full and perfect Estimate of this blessing of Monarchie did after his customary Method in conferring blessings upon his people by making first the opposite curses or privations thereof an Introduction thereunto first make them sensible of the mischiefes and inconveniencies which accrewed to a Nation through want thereof whilst there was no King in Israel For in those dayes saith the Text every man did that which was right in his own eyes which right was measured by the law of their own lusts as appeares in the Theft and Idolatry of Micah Jud. 17. In the Idolatry and Rapines of the Danites Jud. 18. In the abominable Beastialities of the men of Gibeah Jud. 19. And those bloody Intestine dissentions and civill wars which accrewed thereupon between the Benjamites and the rest of their brethren Jud. 20. All which enormities the Holy Ghost justly imputeth to the want of a King and Regal Government in Israel Notwithstanding the Sanhedrim or great Counsel of the Israelites was not wanting in those dayes as appeares Jud. 21. Where mention is made of that Court of Elders which was composed of the select Elders of every tribe which onely had cognizance of those High and Capital offences from which they undertook to free the six hundred exiled Benjamites which none of the Inferior Courts of justice could do which yet were not then wanting neither in all or most of the Cities in Israel as in Succoth Judg. 8. And in that Citie which Boaz inhabited Ruth 4. But although all these subordinate Magistracies and Courts of justice were then in Israel yet the Holy Ghost in every passage inculcateth the defect of a King to be the cause of those many and grievous enormities and offences incurred by the People which were the cause of many grievous judgements upon that Nation For when they forsook the wayes of God and followed their own inordinate lusts God likewise forsook them giving them over to the lusts of heathen tyrants and making them which hated them lords over them Now after God by his judgements had humbled them and made them capable of the renewall of his mercy in their deliverance it pleased the wisdom of God alwaies to raise them some one man to be a Judge Monarch and Captain over them by whose hand he wrought that deliverance for them No doubt God could have wrought their deliverance by diverse other meanes as he did in the dayes of Hezekiah when he delivered both King and people by an Angel 2 Kin. 19. Or in the dayes of Ioshua when he slew the Amorites by hail-stones from Heaven Ios 10. Or in the dayes of Samuel when he slew the Philistines by thunder 1 Sam. 7. Or as Christ delivered himself from the first attempt of the Soldiers who came to apprehend him whom he overthrew with a blast of the breath of his mouth Iohn 18.6 As he shal likewise overthrow Antichrist and all his power at the last day 2 Thes 2. But yet it pleased God in all their captivity's and distresses during those sinful times wherein they wanted a King and Regal Government to raise them up occasionall Monarchs and Judges for their occasional deliverances thereby to manifest unto them the benefit of Monarchie and how conducent Regal and Monarchicall Government was to their constant security and happiness 6. The sixt Sanction whereof this blessing of Monarchie doth participate is Divine Regulation God himself prescribing Rules and Lawes for the mutual deportment of the parties interrested in this Relative blessing of Monarchie which are the Relatum or Monarch and the Correlatum or Monarchists and subjects and that first concerning the Monarchs consignation and election unto that Dignity Deut. 17. but the punctual discussion of this point pertaines more properly to another place where we treat of Monarchie in its Natural acception as it relates to that Supremacy which doth preheminence the Monarch above all others within the same society Secondly concerning the Relative dutyes of Monarchs and Monarchists in which point both the old and new Testament are very plentiful but the punctual discussion of this also pertaines properly unto that part which speaks of Monarchie in its last and Theological acception as it relates to those dutyes which are the end of Monarchie And these are the grounds whereupon I conclude Monarchie to be Jure Divino not Explicito which is proper onely unto
resolved to endure no Superior as Cesar was to admit of no equall And the Monarchie of Octavius Augustus by the overthrow of Anthonie a similer competitor what can any man imagine in probability to have proved the conclusion of those Polarchical differences but the utter ruine and desolation of that flourishing and renowned Common-wealth For if you read * Lib. 6. De Bell. Judaâ— Iosephus you shall find that the ruine and desolation of that famous nation of the Jewes was occasioned rather by the civil Intestine and bloody dissentions of the three factions in Jerusalem created by the Tritarchie of Simon Iohn and Eleazer then either by the valour or policy of the Romanes Ob. Solomon himself a King saith that where no Councel is the people fall but in the multitude of Councellours there is safety Prov. 11.14 Whereby it appeares that the security of the people is more or less according to the greater or lesser number of Councellors Now you know in a Monarchie the people are ruled by the wisdome and prudence of one man but in a Polarchy by the wisdome and prudence of a multitude Therefore salus populi is better provided for in a Polarchy And by consequence a Polarchy is the better Government Sol. There are two sorts of Councellours 1. Subordinate and obeying Councellours the approbation of whose Councels depend upon a superior Monarch and a multitude of these Councellours Solomon found by experience to be exceedingly conducent to the safety of the people and the honour of the King 2. Supream and ruling Councellours the results of whose Councels were sufficient for the constitution of a decree or Law without the approbation of any Superior Monarch And such Councellors as these Solomon had no experience nor thought of Now there are two reasons why the Councels of the former are to be preferred to the Councels of the latter sort of Councellors 1. Because those Councels which proceed from subjects have the advantage of two opposite dangers of each side one to guide their Councels in the safe way of Moderation between the Kings Prerogative and the Peoples safety and benefit First the danger of self-prejudice being equally interested with the People in the grievances and sufferings which proceed from the Tyranny of an unlimited or rather an unduly limited prerogative by Lawes which may tend to the oppressions of the subjects in their estates or persons not warrantable by any Law of God which obligeth the King in a Reciprocal bond of love to regard the peoples safety as wel as they are obliged to regard his honour And therefore no wise men wil administer any Councel of this nature which is destructive to themselves as wel as the people Secondly the danger both of the Kings displeasure and the frustration and rejection of their Councels if they should present any advice to the King which tended to his own dishonour or to disinable him for the protection of his people But the Councels which proceed from a multitude of Governours have neither of these bridles to guide them in an equal and moderate way For though their Councels be never so prejudicial to the Common-wealth yet they have no Superior whose displeasure they are afraid of And as for the sufferances and oppressions of the people it is the Basis and support of their greatnesse and Power Repl. Whatsoever the Councels be which are given to a King yet his Resolutions may be as exorbitant as the Results of these ruling Councelours For the oppressions and grievous impositions which are laid upon the people are his benefit as wel as they are the benefit of Ruling Councellors Sol. The case is much different For the Honour and Power of a King saith Solomon is in the multitude of his people and the wealth of a King in the prosperity and riches of his people because they have all an equal relation of subjection and friendship to the King But the Power and safety of the Supream Rulers is in the multitude of their factious friends and paucity of their adversaries of a contrary faction For as we formerly demonstrated from Christs own words and Maximes it is impossible but there must be some differences and divisions in every Polarchy which though they be smothered for a while either through fear of a common enemy or some other respects of common advantage yet wil burst out at length when the different care regard of the different Governours wil not be to see the people numerous or wealthy but their friends numerous and wealthy their enemies few miserable And the prevalency of malice makes alwayes this latter their greatest chiefest care so that by the several Governours of different factions the calamity and overthrow of the whole Commonwealth comes at last to be the chiefest and Universal care and endeavour in every Polarchy 2. The second reason why the Councels of a multitude of subjects are more conducible to the happinesse both of the King and people then the councels of a multitude of Rulers is because the Lawes which are compiled and framed by their councels are grounded upon the validity of their reasons and grounds which satisfie the Kings judgement though they proceed but from the single opinion and vote of one and one though the opinions and votes of four hundred others bee contradictory thereunto whereas the Lawes that are framed by the other Councels are grounded onely upon the multiplicity of votes although they be never so absurd and how absurd the votes of the Major part may be in a multitude yea even of the chief and principal amongst them the Scripture affords us plentiful testimony For in the case of the two Angels all the men of Sodome voted against one Lot Gen. 18. And six hundred thousand Israelites voted against one Moses for the Deifying of the golden Calf Ex. 32. Baal had four hundred and fifty votes to be the God of Israel when the Lord himself had only Elijah's 1 King 18. And Ahab obtained four hundred votes for his safe return from Ramoth-Gilead when onely Micajah did vote against it 1 Kin. 22. Nay did not all the Priests and Elders and multitudes of people vote Jesus Christ himself to be a grand Malignant and Delinquent even worthy of death Mat. 27. And therefore you see where the energy of a Law doth depend totally upon the multiplicity of votes how ordinary and frequent it is even for the most absurd Impieties and the most detestable injustice to attain the preheminence either through the simplicity or partiality of judgements which is never wanting in a Polarchy 6. The sixt and last Malediction Incident to Polarchy is cursed Regulation Every Polarchical action in the Polarchs who are Interested in the active part of Government being rebellious intrusive both in the Institution and management of a Polarchical Government in Relation to the lawful Monarch who is by them deposed from and deprived of his just and Legal inheritance and birth-right and factions
and seditions in relation to the subjects And directlie contrary to Gods Law and Commandments And the actions of the Polarchists who are interested in the passive part of Government must needs be of the same nature so farre as they are consenting and assisting unto their usurping Governours in these Polarchical and sinful actions But I desire the Reader to consider that my discourse relates to Ancient Common-wealthes and not to our new Plantations who may indeed erect a Polarchy without any guilt of Rebellion or intrusion upon another mans right because happily the places may be void of Inhabitants and so void of all Government But yet those Polarchyes cannot be free from such factions and divisions as our Saviour Christ doth make Essential even to the least Polarchy though it be but onely Oeconomical And a minore ad majus the common principles of a Logick make a valid Argument And upon these grounds I conclude all Polarchies of what kind soever to proceed from Divine Malediction and therefore to be directly a curse and judgement of God upon a Nation And that therefore the vocation and profession of Polarchs is cursed unlawful and unwarrantable by the word of God either in themselves or their partakers And I hope there is sufficient matter alledged in the premises to warrant this conclusion And yet to adde a greater lustre to this truth I shall in the next Chapter resolve two queries or cases of conscience concerning these two opposite kinds of Government viz the blessing of Monarchie and curse of Polarchy CHAP V. Of the Resolution of two Quaeries concerning a mutual transmutation betwixt these two opposite kinds of Government I Confesse the cases of conscience which may be proposed concerning these two opposite kinds of Government are very numerous But yet I suppose a judicious Reader may frame a resolution of any one or all of them out of the premises together with what I shal further adde in the resolution of the two subsequent quaeries 1. Quaere Whether a Monarch or King and his people may not either severallie or by joynt consent endeavour the change of that Government into a Polarchy salvis utriusque partis conscientijs when there appeares a manifest cause for so doing As in the King a consciousnesse of his own disability to execute the dutyes of his calling In the people a sense of their own sufferings under an evill and Tyrannicall Government the fruits of that disability Sol. This querae consists of 3. parts 1. Concerns the King severally 2. Concerns the people severally 3. Concernes both King and people joyntly unto each of which parts I shall frame a severall answer 1. The Kings sole endeavours for such a change do render him guilty of a five-fold iniurie 1. To himself which is the most unnaturall kind of obloquie therefore an offence of the highest nature amongst those which relate immediately to man 2. To his posterity wherein the Holy Ghost declares him more notoriously criminous then an Infidell 1. Tim. 5.8 For an Infidell is even naturally studious to preserve the honour both of himself his posterity and family 3. To the faith of Christ the renunciation whereof Saint Paul in the prementioned Text imputes to him who doth renounce that Legal Authority and Power wherewith God hath invested him for the just defence of that faith according to Esaiah's prophesie Cha. 49 23. Kings shal be thy nursing Fathers 4. To the Saints and Church of Christ whose wants ought to be supplyed out of his abundance 2 Cor. 8. and 9. Ch. 5. To his people changing their blessing into a curse As for the Kings disabilities It was never intended by the Law either of God or man that they should be the ground and measure of his Power and Prerogative for then most Kings should transferre their Supreamacy in matters civil unto the Lawyers and in Ecclesiastical unto the Divines whereas both Divine and humane Lawes invest the King with a Supreamacy in both presupposing the supply of his defects in either by a Councel composed of the most knowing men in both Lawes Civil and Ecclesiastical For which the Lord himself supplyed us with a president in the Jewish Sanedrim which was the great Councel instituted by God himself to assist Moses in matters of Importance and difficulty when such grew numerous and after him all the Judges Monarchs and Kings of Israel which Councel consisted both of priests and Princes or chief Elders in every tribe as you may read 2 Chron. 19. 2. Sol. The peoples sole endeavour for transmutation of Monarchie into Polarchy cannot be free from a triple guilt 1. Of injustice to their own selves in depriving themselves of that which God ordained for a blessing and a meanes of their happinesse and security and contracting upon themselves that curse which is the fruits of Divine Malediction and ordained by God for a Punishment of sinne 2. Of Manifest Disobedience to the Kings Power and Authority in acting things contrary to his commands 3. Of Manifest injustice to his person by intruding upon his just and lawfull Inheritance As for the peoples sufferings by the Kings evil and Tyrannicall Government that can be no ground or warrant for them to act any thing prohibited by the Lawes of God For though such sufferings be Mala poenoe that is afflictions and punishments from which we are taught by Christ to pray deliverance and from which we ought also to endeavour a deliverance by all such lawful meanes as are warrantable by the word of God Yet in regard all Mala poenae are a part of Gods justice whereby he is honoured And all Mala culpae such as disobedience and rebellion against Authority and the endamagement of our neighbour much more of our Soveraign in his estate or honour are transgressions of Gods precepts wherein God is dishonoured and the Devil the flesh and the world preferred before and above him No man ought to endeavour a deliverance from the most horrid Tyranny and oppression by the least act of injustice or rebellion As for the arguments and objections alledged by the oppugners of this doctrine to legitimate their acts of injustice and rebellion under the pretences of self-defence I shal recite and resolve the most material of them in the eleventh Ch. of this book which speaks of the subordination of the ends of Monarchie manifesting also the Kings Honour to have the Right of preheminence ante salutem populi that is above the peoples welfare 3. Sol. The joynt endeavours of both although they carry the fairest shew of equity and conscience in regard there is no injustice done but to those that are willing to receive it who by Aristotles rule are incapable of an injury but that must be understood ab Extrinseco and in foro judicij yet are altogether unwarrantable in this case For first they are directly felons de se and as guilty of self-robbery as he that kils himself is of self murder As we shewed in the
imploy their utmost endeavours for the Reducement of that Polarchy to the Pristine Government by restitution of their Lawful Soveraign to his just Power and his proper Rights and Revenues The detaining of the latter being manifest injustice and the usurping of the former manifest Rebellion for suppressing whereof in regard as I said before and shall in the eleventh Chapter fully prove it is a sinne Immediately against the Honour of God every man ought to engage both his life and fortune 2. In order to those Polarchs and Polarchists who are the maintainers and managers of such a Polarchy during the life of that King or of any other of the Blood-Royal who by descent from him can make a just claim and title unto that Crown And all these are partakers of the same sinnes with their predecessors who were the Original Authors thereof and therefore equally obliged to the like reducement which the Authors themselves are 3. In order to those Polarchs Polarchists who are survivers to all the blood-Royal in whom the case comes to be the same with those which we formerly mentioned living under a Polarchy erected without opposition For where the Blood-Royal is absolutely extinct God doth thereby declare his wil concerning the deposition of that family from the Government as in the cases of Jeroboam and Ahab though it be effected by never so wicked instruments and the subjects thereby freed from all obligation of obedience to that family and obliged to such an obedience to the present Governours though Polarchs and such a Reducement of that to a Monarchy as may not render them guilty of any act of resistance or opposition to those Polarchical Governours For as he that is lame in his legs and feet which are gifts of nature may lawfully use crutches til it please God to restore him to his native perfection So must subjects be content to undergoe this curse and punishment of a Polarchy til it please God to restore them unto the blessing of Monarchie but we must not seek to regain it by rebellion or any sinful meanes for that is to forsake God and to runne to the Devil for help and deliverance from our griefes and afflictions CHAP. VI. Of the true ground and cause of that Supremacy from which all Monarchs do Derive their Titles to the Crown where first of the Title of popular Election IN Crowns as in all other nay much more then in any other possessions he that entreth not in by the door of Right and justice but climbeth up another way by an Illegal usurpation or intrusion is a Thief and a Robber and what Pious pretences soever he make for justification of his wickednesse of zeal and care for the peoples security in their persons from Tyrannical violence in their estates from Illegal invasions in their liberties from Arbitrary innovations yet certainly his intent is but to rob and to steal whereby to satisfie his own ambition and avarice as the constant event hath manifested in all usurping Traitors as Abimelech Absalom Baasha Zimri Omri and many others But whether it be lawful to compasse a Crown per fas aut nefas is not the point in question for all men who understand any thing in Religion and Christianity do acknowledge that no man ought to usurp the Crown or Regal Government but he who is Legally invested with that supremacy which creates a Right and Title thereunto But from whence the investiture of that supremacy is derived is the point in difference For the true stating and decision whereof we must observe in the first place that there is a two-fold ground and cause of this supremacy viz Principal and Instrumental 1. Principal and that is God by whom all Power is ordained Rom. 13.1 For he is the Universal principal and primary cause both efficient and final of all things sin only excepted Rom. 11. last 2. Instrumental which is the secondary meanes which God doth make use of for the Immediate collation of this supremacy upon any man whereby to entitle him to the Regal diademe and this again is two-fold viz Extraordinary and Ordinary 1 Extraordinary when God doth declare his will and pleasure concerning the advancement of any person to this Soveraign Power and preheminence by Extraordinary revelations and this again is two-fold viz Gratious and Vindicative 1. Gratious when the Lord doth thus declare his wil by Angel or Prophet or some such Extraordinary meanes for the advancement of a person to this honour for a blessing to his people by making him a Minister of favours and mercies as in Moses Ioshua David Solomon 2. Vindicative when Gods wil is so declared concerning the advancement of such a person whom he doth make the executioner of his curses and judgements for a punishment of their sinnes as in Jeroboam Jehu Salmaneser King of Assyria and Nebuchad-nezzer King of Babylon 2. Ordinary when God doth advance a man to this Regal dignity and honour by those ordinary wayes and meanes which are constant Rules for us to judge of whereby to acknowledge this soveraignty and yeeld our obedience this likewise is two-fold viz Gratious and Vindicative 1 Gratious when the soveraign Power is attained by those ordinary wayes and meanes which are approved and warranted by the word of God and the Rules of reason and equity 2. Vindicative when the same Power is attained by violence and Injustice and such cursed wayes and meanes as are Repugnant to the word of God and the Rules of justice and equity The dispute of the former would be arrogant and impious for the Extraordinary wayes of God are farre above our judgement and further above our Imitation For God never intended such for a president whereby to frame our actions but onely our submissions thereunto And therefore passing over them I shall insist onely upon those ordinary meanes which God hath ordained to be a Rule for our actions in this kind i. e. both for a ground of the Monarchs claim and Title to the soveraignty and also for the peoples submission and obedience to the person who is distinguished from and preheminenced above all others in that society by a lawful Right and Title to the same The ordinary meanes as you heard is two-fold viz Gratious and Vindicative 1 Gratious when the meanes are approved and warranted by the word of God concerning which there are two different opinions 1. The former which I confesse is attested by some Authors of eminency is that the Right of the Royal Investiture pertaineth to the people Whereof in this Chapter 2. The latter more truly doth impute it to Birth-right and Hereditary succession Whereof in the next Chapter The Arguments whereupon they ground the former opinion are partly Instantial partly Rational 1. The Instances alledged for the propugnation thereof are the Inaugurations of those Kings which the Scriptures mention to be made or anointed by the people as Saul concerning whom the Text saith that all the people of the land came to
second and third brothers by their bloody cruelties upon the Shechemites Therefore by special Inspiration from God Jacob conferred it upon Iudah as the next heire and successor But it was not in the Fathers power either for love or hatred to alter this Law of the first-born and to transmit the honour and inheritance due to him to his younger brother Deut. 21.15 2. In that statute which the Lord himself made for ordering the descent of honours and possessions Numb 27. which the Lord directed to be conferred by birth-right upon the next in blood and not by the election or discretion either of Moses or the people For you see if a man had sonnes God had declared the supremacy and prerogative to pertain to the eldest And now here in Zelophehads case he prevents all further scruples about the right of inheritance in case of defect of Issue male For where a man hath no sonne saith the Lord the Fathers inheritance whereby we may understand both honour and possessions For the Israelites were to regard the preservation of the honour of their families as well as their possessions that the Royal deâ—â—â—t of Christ might be manifest to the world shal pass unto 〈◊〉 daughter from whence by the way we may note the Injuâ—â—â—â—f the Salique Law If he have no daughter then ye shall 〈◊〉 is inheritance to his brethren if he have no brethren then you shal give this inheritance to his Fathers brethren if his Father have no brethren then to the kinsman that is next in blood v. 7. unto 12. 3. In the Lords promises of perpetuating these honours and royal dignities unto any family which were alwaies grounded upon the perpetuation of the Royal Issue in giving sonnes that should sit upon the Throne as appears in his promises to David 2 Sam 1.7.12 Psal 98.3 to Solomon 1 Kings 9.4 to Iehu 2 Kin. 10.30 And most manifestly in Iacobs prophesie which upon this very ground doth entail the Crown and Scepter unto Iudah until Shiloh came Gen. 49.10 4. In the Lords performance of the same gracious promises by perpetuation of the Royal Issue who inherited the Crown by vertue of this birth-right without the concurrence of any other Instrumental cause or meanes So Abijah succeeded Rehoboam and Asa him and Iehosaphat him and Iehoram him and so in the rest as the Sacred Chronicle doth at large relate 5. Lastly Gods approbation of this Title of birth-right is further manifested in his distribution of the Kingdomes of the earth unto those seventy families of Noah's posterity which the Lord divided by seventy languages observing a most wonderfull order in that confusion For when the Lord determined to frustrate their design for building a Tower which should secure them from such another deluge as had swallowed up all the Inhabitants of the earth about a hundred years before by confounding their languages Gen. 11. The Lord did not give one language to the Father and another to the Mother and children but gave to every one of those families mentioned in the tenth Chapter a severall language so that every entire family upon this dispersion inhabited together and erected a Kingdome wherein the Father of that family was the King and Ruler who enjoyed that honour by Birth-right and not by election which thereupon is an order observed amongst the Heathens to this day And the Lord to evidence to the world that these principal Fathers did enjoy this honour and prerogative by birth-right did cause the several Kingdomes which these families did plant erect to be recorded under the names of those men who are mentioned by their genealogies chief of the families as we may read in Esay 66. Ezek. 27. and Cha. 38. Jer. 51. Where we shall find several Kingdomes mentioned by the names of those very men who are Recorded in Gen. 10. to be chiefe of the families upon the confusion of Languages CHAP. VIII Of the Title of CONQVEST THE second Instrumentall cause and meanes of this supremacy which creates a Right and Title to the Crown is Vindicative And that is sword and Conquest which the Lord declareth to be one of the severest and heaviest of his Curses and Judgements upon a Nation Lev. 26. Where you shall finde this Curse placed in the fift and highest degree of Gods judgements And in Esay 10.5 the Lord styled the victorious King of Assyria the rod of his Wrath and staffe of his Indignation because by his sword he was resolved to pour out the Vials of his fierce Wrath upon the ten tribes for their Idolatries and Abominations Quaere It may be here demanded Whether Conquest be a lawfull and good Title and Whether any King who doth claime from thence be a lawfull King or onely an usurper Sol. Conquest in it self makes no better Title to a Crown then Ahab had to Naboths vineyard or then the Robber hath to the travellers purse For as it is an affliction and punishment to the passive party so it is a sinne and injustice in the active party and directly contrary to the Law of God which prohibits all injuries to our neighbours But yet such a Title may be Legitimated and made lawfull by the declaration of Gods will which is the ground of all Law concerning the same Now Gods will in this case is declared two wayes 1. Extraordinarily by Immediate Revelation And so Jeroboam's and Jehu's and Nebuchad-nezzer's Titles were Legitimated 2. Ordinarily by the extinguishment of the Issue Royall which is a declaration of his wrath and vengeance upon that family And so the Lord did Legitimate Baasha's Title as himself acknowledgeth by the exstinguishment of Ieroboams house 1 Kings 15.29 and Cha. 16.2 Now where the Lord hath declared his will by either of these wayes the Conquerers Title is good and Legal and all those who claim from that Conqueror are good and lawful Kings But where the Conquerors Title is not Legitimated by one of these two wayes the Conquerer is but a meer usurper and it is not onely lawfull but a necessary duty in the people to resist him and to use their utmost endeavours for the deposition of that usurper and the restitution of their Lawful Soveraign to his just Rights as Jehojada and the people restored Jehoash by the deposition and murder of Athaliah after she had reigned peaceably for six yeares 2 King 11. And as the people restored Vzziah by the deposition of those Conspirators who slew his Father Amaziah after they had reigned peaceably eleven yeares 2 Chron. 26. Ob. Christ was the true heire to the Crown of Judah as is sufficiently proved both Mat. 1. Luk. 3. Ioh. 18.37 Yet he both taught and acted obedience to Cesar who was but a Conquerer and therefore the Conquerers Title may be good and our subjection due to him though the Royal Issue be not extinct Sol. Christ himself answereth this objection Iohn 18.36 denying his Kingdome to be of this world meaning the actual administration of an earthly
Kingdome For though his Title was just and good to such a Kingdome yet he to express his humility and contempt of all worldly pomp for a pattern to his Disciples would not seek nor endeavour the attainment of that honour although if he had endeavoured the same yet it had been no rebellion in him for if he would have claimed it his servants would and might lawfully have fought against his enemies but the reason why they did not was because Christ did deny them a commission Joh. 18.11 But for the justness and Legality of Christs Title to the Crown of Judah Notwithstanding Cesars title of Conquest all those places cited out of Matthew Luke and John do sufficiently declare it And therefore seeing Cesars conquest of that Kingdome could not so Legitimate his Title as to destroy Christs Right to the Crown I do thence conclude that Conquest is not a lawful Title in it self nor a sufficient warrant for us to withdraw our obedience from our lawful and native Soveraign before God hath declared his wil and pleasure concerning the same by one of the two prementioned wayes unless where it pleaseth the Prince himself to submit as Christ did to Cesar and then our submission to that Conquerer is a part of our duty to our own Prince and an act of obedience Primarily to his Commands and by vertue of the Princes Commands to the Conquered For it is our duty to honour them whom the King will honour Quaere If it be not lawfull for the people to elect their own King nor any other meanes assigned by God for collation of this honour but either Birth-right or Conquest What is to be done where the Royall Issue is extinct and no Conquerer doth Claime Or else where a mixt multitude amongst whome there is no relation of blood to preheminence one above the rest do consent to make a Plantation and to erect a new Common-wealth Sol. Samuel hath set us a president in this Case 1 Samuel 10.20.21 For though the Lord had revealed his will to Samuel concerning his owne election and appointment of Saul to be King 1 Samuel 9.15 Yet because Samuel knew that King should be a Tyrant to plague the people for their Idolatrous trust in a King 1 Samuel 10.18 he concealed that Revelation and would not nominate their King least the people should afterwards when they suffered by Sauls oppression blame Samuel for appointing him But used the meanes of lots to declare the will and pleasure of God unto the people And the like course was used by the eleven Apostles when they had no warrant from God to appoint or elect another Apostle nor durst presume to conferre that high calling upon any man without a warrant from God as you may read Acts 1.23 So that in both those cases mentioned in this question we are to use the meanes of lots For that meanes is likewise warranted by God where his will is not otherwise declared Proverbs 16.33 But the peoples election is absolutely unlawful as the premises I hope have sufficiently manifested either in those or any other cases And thus much of Monarchie in its Natural acception as it relates to that supremacy which doth Supereminence the Monarch above all the rest of the society and thereby entitle him to the Crown My Method now in the last place presents the consideration of Monarchie in its Theological conception as it relates to those ends which qualifie all Monarchical Actions And these are Gods glory the Kings honour and salus populi CHAP. IX Of the nature and species of the ends of Monarchie IN the sixth Chapter of this Booke I distinguished the adaequate end of Monarchie into Principalem minùs principalem 1. The principall end is that whereunto both Monarchs and Monarchists are principally obliged to have a regard in all their Monarchicall and mutuall duties and this againe is two-fold viz. Primus à primo ortus Or according to the scholasticall expressions of others Originans originatus 1. The originant principall end which indeed is the end paramount and the Alpha and Omega of all other ends and the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all politicks is the glory of God 2. The originated principall end whis doth spring from this is the Kings honour 2. The lesse principall end which is the result of both the former is salus populi Now concerning the ends there are two things considerable 1. Their nature and wherein they doe consist whereof wee shall speake in this present Chapter And for a further explication of this point we shall in the next Chapter insist upon the Resolution of an emergent Quaere concernning the due limitation of Regall Power 2. Their order and subordination amongst themselves where wee shall demonstrate the preheminence of the Kings honour above salus populi or the peoples safety and therein also declare the just extension of the subjects obedience whereof in the eleventh Chapter And for the further illustration of all we shall likewise declare what influence oathes and covenants ought to have upon the duty either of King or Subject In the last Chapter of this Booke which shall conclude our discourse of Monarchie Now concerning the first principall end which is Gods glory it is to be understood that we doe not speake of it here in that sense which the Apostle doth Rom. 11. last that is in its extent and latitude as it is the universall end of all things but onely as it is limited to Monarchicall actions and duties in which sense Gods honour and the Kings are not really but onely modally and circumstantially different like the substance and the shadow or the waters in the fountaine and the waters in the channell And therefore both of them doe consist in the very same duties and are of the very same nature in all their speces in reference to Monarchie as the ensuing divisions will manifest whereof the first is the division of Honour in Fundamentalem Symbolicum 1. Fundamentall Honour is that true and reall excellency worth and goodnesse which doth make the Subject truly honourable and is two-fold viz. Originans originatus 1. Originant and radicall Honour is that excellency worth and goodnesse which is in God the honorante or person giving honour whereunto that Doxologie of Davids doth allude 1 Chron. 29.10 11 12. And those words of Christs to the young man Mat. 19.17 denying any to be good but one even God i.e. radically and essentially good for the persevering Angels participate of a derivative goodnesse without the least mixture of evill but onely God himselfe of a radicall primitive add essentiall goodnesse For some Angels lost their goodnesse but it is impossible for God to be divorced from his goodnesse 2. Originated and derivative Honour is that excellency worth and goodnesse which God doth communicate personae honoratae or to the person receiving this honour and this againe is two-fold viz. Ethicus Politicus 1. Ethicall Honour is that
excellency worth and goodnesse which God doth communicate unto men for the Regulation of their owne private affections and the exercise of a pious and vertuous life of which Honour every man in the Common-wealth is equally capable 2. Politicall Honour is that excellency worth and goodnesse which God doth communicate unto men for the Regulation of the externall actions of men in order to the preservation of society and the exercise of a peaceable and quiet life which is that Honour which the King doth receive from God and which doth supereminence him above all others in the same society and Common-wealth And this is also two fold viz. Primarius Secundarius 1. Primarie Honour is that excellency of power and authority which doth enable the King for execution of the duties of his Calling in the Rule and Government of his people and Subjects And this is two-fold viz. Legislativus Judiciarius 1. Legislative Honour is the power and authority to constitute and enact Lawes and Statutes for the Publike good and benefit of the Common-wealth And this againe is twofold viz. Ecclesiasticus Civilis 1. Ecclsiasticall Honour is the power and authority to enact Lawes and Statutes for the Regulation of mens words and actions in order to the externall performance of the duties of the first Table of the Morall Law according to the patterne exhibited by God in the frame and composure of the Ceremoniall Law instituted by God for that purpose 2. Civill Honour is the power and authority to enact Lawes and Statutes for the Regulation of mens words and actions in order to the externall performance of the duties of the second Table of the Morall Law according to the patterne exhibited by God himselfe in the frame and composure of the Judiciall Law Instituted by God likewise for that purpose 2. Judiciarie Honour is the power and authority to put all these Lawes in execution And this is two-fold Compensativus Vindicativus 1. Compensative Honour is the power to encourage and remunerate the integrity of pious and just men with titles of Honour and offices of state and the like according to the merits of their service and obedience which is the pastorall duty and office of Kings signified principally by their Scepter which is is called in Christs Govenment A Scepter of righteousnesse because of Christs Government over the Saints and Church triumphant wherein there is no use at all of the Sword but onely of the Scepter and by the exercise of his pastorall office to reward the faith and patience of the Saints Which passage I doe here insert to shew that the Scepter doth principally import the Pastorall and not the Imperiall and Magisteriall office of a King which relateth properly to his Militarie power 2. Vindicative Honour is the power to correct and punish the delinquences of disobedient and evill men which is the Magisteriall office and duty of Kings signified by their sword 2. Secondarie Honour which is a spece also of Politicall Honour is that Honourable and Magnificent maintenance which God hath assigned unto the King for support of his Royall power and dignity for as our lives Gen. 5.9 so our estates and fortunes are not ours but Gods For heaven and earth are his and all riches and honours come from him and he is Lord over all 1 Chron. 29.10 11 12. Psal 50.10 11. Psal 95.4 For a manifest of which Prerogative God in all his distributions reserved some part which he ordained to be sacred and holy unto himselfe as in that charter and grant made unto Adam in Innocency when there was no King or Priest but onely Adam himselfe the Lord in that grant reserved the Tree of Knowledge So that the law for honouring God with our substance Prov. 3.8 was an eternall law of nature and not any positive emergent law for before the Institution either of the Ceremoniall or Judiciall lawes of Moses This Prescript and Rule was observed by the Patriarchs as Cain and Abel both which did render unto the Lord a tribute out of their several possessions Gen. 4.3 4. And Abraham by this law paid Tythes to Melchisedec Gen. 14.20 And by the same law Jacob vowed unto the Lord the retribution of a Tenth of that which the Lord should give him Gen. 28. last as an acknowledgement that hee received it from God the Lord of all for Jacob had nothing of his owne at that time but a staffe Gen. 32.10 Now as God did delegate unto Kings a power over our persons in his ordinance for their Primarie honour of power and authority so did he likewise give them a power over our estates for support of that honour which is their Secondarie honour of Maintenance and Revenue which was the ground of Christs command to render a tribute of our goods unto Caesar Mat. 22.21 intimating that this temporall honour of tribute was by virtue of Gods delegation as due unto Caesar as the spirituall honour of praise and worship was unto God And upon the same ground Saint Paul commands to render custome and tribute to Kings not as a gift and favour but as a due and just debt Rom. 13.7 and gives this reason for it because they are Gods Ministers appointed to supply his place in Ruling and Judging us And seeing God hath transferred the greater power to Kings viz a power over our lives by putting the sword i. e. the Militia or Military power of the Common-wealth into his hands Rom. 13.4 the Apostle thence concludes their Investiture with the lesse viz a power over our estates Ver. 6. And this power was all the title which Christ had to that Asses-Colt which he sent his Disciples to fetch for his use Luke 19.30 for it appeares in the Text that Christ was not the proprietour of that colt yet he did not give order to his Disciples either to buy or hire or begge or borrow the colt of the owners but onely to tell any that profered to interrupt them that the Lord had need of him for it was a sufficient title to dispossesse the private owner that the publike Lord of all did command him and upon that answer the private owner did not resist the Disciples in taking him away Ver. 34. And the like power we see exercised by Pharaoh in that ordinance for storing up a fift part of all the Corne of Egypt for seven yeares together which law was enacted by Pharaoh upon the single Counsell of Joseph with the approbation onely of Pharaoh's servants or Councell and not by the generall consent of the people Gen. 41.34 Neither can we pretend this law to be Tyrannicall amd contrary to the law of God and Nature for it proceeded from the wisdome of God which in this businesse directed the mind of Joseph Gen. 45.57 Psal 105. Nor can any man imagine but the state and magnificence of Saul David Jeroboam and others who of private persons were advanced by God himself to Regall honour and dignity was supported by this meanes
of respect and reverence unto any person whose merits wee conceive to make a just title thereunto and this is that Honour whereof Aristotle's Maxime is to be understood that honor est in honorante non in honorate And this Honour is two-fold Fictitius Verus 1. Fictitious Honour is that which is grounded upon a meere pretence of some excellency worth and goodnesse in honorato the true ground thereof being indeed onely interest and selfe-respects in honorante which is properly Adulation and not Honour the affectation whereof was reproved by our Saviour John 5.44 and was the crime of the ambitious Pharisees who loved the praise of men more then the praise that cometh of God John 12.43 regarding the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shadow more then the substance 2. True and reall Honour is that which is grounded upon a reall perswasion of some excellency worth and goodnesse in honorato and is a result of Fundamentall Honour relating thereunto as the shadow doth unto the substance And this is twofold viz. Ethicus Politicus 1. Ethicall Honour is that which is grounded upon a perswasion of personall vertue in honorato either Intellectuall as wisdome knowledge prudence and the like or Morall as liberality temperance fortitude justice and the like 2. Politicall Honour is that which is ground upon a perswasion of those Royall excellencies in honorato which do supereminence him above all others in the same society And this againe is twofold viz. Primarius Secundarius 1. Primarie Honour is that which is grounded upon a perswasion and knowledge of Supremacie of power and authority in honorato And this is twofold viz. Activus Passivus 1. Active Honour is a willing endeavour to performe all his commands expressed in Ecclesiasticall or Civill Lawes and Statutes when wee conceive them to be just and honest and agreeable to the Law of God 2. Passive Honour is a voluntary submission to his Judiciarie decrees and censures for our non-performance of those Commands which we conceive to be dissonant to the Law of God 2. Secondarie Honour is the payment of Tribute Custome and the like contributions out of our estates for the maintenance and support of the Royalty and Magnificence of the Person invested with Royall power and dominion And thus much briefly of the nature and species of the principall end of Monarchy which is God and the Kings Honour It followes now that we should declare the nature and species of the lesse principall end which is Salus populi 2 Salus populi which is the lesse principall end of Monarchy though it be really distinct from the Kings Honour as the Relatum is from the Correlatum yet is an individuall Concomitant thereof and indeed a meere result and product of the same for salus populi can never be effected by any other meanes but those which in the first place doe effectuate and energate the Kings Honour whether we look upon the Monarchicall actons of King or Subjects both which are vers't about the same object and matter onely in a diverse manner For the King by reason of the Supremacy of his power and authority is interested onely in the active part of Government and therefore he acts for his owne honour and the peoples welfare by composing Lawes and Statutes wherein he commands things tending to the preservation of peace and unity in that society a principall ground of both the former ends The people are interessed onely in the Passive part of Government and therefore they act for the Kings Honour and their owne welfare by their obedience and submission to the Kings commands expressed in those Lawes and Statutes the violation whereof is a direct meanes of dishonour to God and the King and of ruine and destruction to the people For which cause Jeremy exhorted the captive Jewes in Babylon to pray for the peace and prosperity of that King because their owne peace and welfare depended upon his Jer. 29.7 And Paul also pressed Timothy and the Ephesians unto the practise of the same duty in behalfe of their Kings and Magistrates for the same reason 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Now though this salus populi being a result of the Kings Honour be capable of the same parts and divisions with the Kings Honour the fountaine thereof yet to avoid prolixity I shall referre the actuall specification of its parts unto the Readers Meditations it being no difficult matter to judge of the species of the Relatum by the divisions of the correlatum reprepresented in the premises And this briefe Analysis of God and the Kings honour and salus populi or the peoples welfare I hope may be sufficient for a generall survey of the nature and parts of the ends of Monarchie for a more full and perfect explication whereof I shall in the ensuing Chapter insist upon the resolution of a Quaere prescribing the due limitation of the Kings power CHAP. X. Of the due limitation of the Kings Power THe Quaere conducing to a plenary narration and exegesis of this point are both numerous and weighty one whereof I purpose to insist upon in this Chapter which I doe acknowledge was not the meanest inducement that gave life unto this present discourse of Monarchy the Solution whereof I suppose will present the Reader with a glimpse of some of those nationall crimes which have drawne upon us these nationall calamities a subject fitter for an entire Tract then a particular Chapter But my designe at present is rather to start then state this Question hoping a more learned and judicious Pen may supply the defects of mine by a more punctuall and satisfactorie discussion and determination of this point so profoundly mysterious both in Divinity and Policy Quaere What matters are within the sphere of Politicall Cognizance and what are res extra-regales and metapoliticall matters wherein the King cannot exercise either his Legislative or Judiciarie power without guilt of sacrilegious intrusion Sol. This Quaere consists of two parts the latter consequentiall of the former and both of them immediate expedients to enunciate the quality and extent of the Kings Commission from God the sole ground both of the Kings Power and the Subjects Obedience For though Kings be stiled Gods in Scripture Psal 82.6 and are indeed really so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in their Politicke capacity referring to their power over their Subjects yet wee all know that they are not so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in their physicall capacity referring to their nature and essence for they shall dye like men Psal 82.7 And therefore the right understanding of the nature of the Kings Commission and Deputation from God I conceive to be a point of necessary concernment 1. For Subjects that they may more perfectly understand the just extent of this Commission and in what things God hath thereby delegated a Power unto Kings over Subjects for direction of their duty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
body unto their children and subjects and therefore it is lawfull for them to command in the one as well as the other in order to all outward duties And in whatsoever he may lawfully exercise his Legislative power in the same he may likewise exercise his Judiciary for that is the life of the Law which without execution is but a dead letter like a man without a soule I shall not need to insist upon the confirmation of this Corollarie because I presume the grounds already premised in the former part of this Chapter may be sufficient to warrant this conclusion And besides the profest designe of this Chapter is not so much the extent as the limitation of the Kings power in order to Evangelicall duties which are extra-regalia and Metapoliticall matters whereof wee shall speake in the two following Theses Thesis 2. The second Thesis which declares what are partì Regalia and partìm extra-regalia relates to matters of Evangelicall worship Government and Discipline which is this No Evangelicall ceremonies or formes of worship nor any Ecclesiasticall Government or Discipline which relateth unto Christ is directly and per se of Politicall Cognizance but onely indirectly and per accidens And therefore the King cannot lawfully enact any Lawes or Statutes concerning these matters which shall be generally obligatory unto all persons within his Dominions but onely unto such persons whom God hath enlightned by his spirit and thereby satisfied their consciences of the lawfulnesse and Religion of such Worship Government and Discipline The Reasons are two The first whereof is fully declared in the former part of this Chapter demonstrating all Ceremonies which relate unto Christ and are any wayes significative either of his person his offices or acts of mediation to be supernaturall matters and therefore such wherein the light of nature cannot be a sufficient guide so that they cannot be ranged amongst the Essentials but onely the Contingentials of Politick Government The second Reason is because conscience is the onely law and rule whereby the merits of these duties are to be judged as Saint Paul declareth Rom. 14. last where speaking of Evangelicall Priviledges and Ceremonies he enjoyneth the dictates of conscience to be observed under no lesse sanction then damnation to him that disobeyeth of which doctrine his owne practice concerning the Sacrament of Circumcision is a manifest confirmation for though he caused Timothy to be circumcised because of the Jewes who were perswaded that none who contemned that Ceremony were members of the true Church or fit for their association Acts 16.3 yet he would not permit Titus to be circumcised because the Grecians should be satisfied that he did not esteeme these Ceremonies so essentiall to life and salvation that they ought to be obtruded upon those whose consciences were not satisfied concerning the same Gal. 2.3 And you may observe Acts 15. that when the Apostles consulted of sending decrees concerning the observation of Ceremonies to the Gentiles upon whom the Jewes would have obtruded the observation of Circumcision as necessary to salvation they were carefull to enjoyne neither Circumcision nor any other Ceremony but such as those of the Religion whereof the Gentiles were formerly satisfied in their consciences And therefore if the Magistrate shall by any Law or Statute compell men to practise those Ceremonies or Formes of worship concerning the Religion and lawfulnesse whereof they are not satisfied in their consciences hee doth compell them to sinne and thereby render himselfe guilty of that damnation which Paul affirmeth to be the merits of all injuries done to the conscience Ob. All the godly Kings of Judah as David Solomon Asa Jehoshaphat Joash Hezekiah and Josiah did impose the observation and practise of the Jewish sacraments and other Evangelicall formes of worship upon the whole nation of the Jewes and also punish the neglect thereof and therefore Kings may lawfully exercise their power in these matters over all subjects within their Dominions Sol. God had revealed and expresly enjoyned the use of these Sacraments and set Formes of Worship Government and Discipline unto the whole nation of the Jewes and therefore the Jewes were obliged thereunto not by the Lawes of the King but by the immediate law of God within whose cognizance both these Evangelicall ceremonies and conscience it selfe also the Judge of all these doth directly fall over which God onely and not the King is Judge so that when these Kings did exercise their Judiciary power concerning these Jewish rites it was onely in pursuance of the law of God which made these duties generally obligatory unto that Nation But it was not lawfull for those Kings to force the practice and observance of these duties upon any other people though they lived within their Dominions nor doe we finde in Scripture that any of these godly Kings did force the Gibeonites who were their subjects but no Israelites either to be circumcised or to eat the Passeover or observe any other Jewish Rites Onely indeed if any stranger became a Proselyte and so a professour of that Religion not by constraint but of their owne voluntary inclination and desire then it was lawfull for the Magistrate to force such to observe the Jewish Ceremonies Exod. 12.48 because then the neglect thereof was an act of profanenesse in such as well as in the Jewes which is directly of Politicall Cognizance and pertaines to the Magistrate both to judge and punish But in regard the inward satisfaction of conscience concerning these Evangelicall Formes of Worship Government and Discipline is that alone which doth naturalize these supernaturall duties and thereby quarter them in praedicamento Regalium and transforme them into matters of Politicall Cognizance And the inward dissatisfaction of conscience that which impedeth their naturalization and the removall of their quarters de praedicamento extra-regalium the proper sphere of all Metapoliticall matters which inward qualification of conscience is properly a point of faith and so a duty of the first Commandement of the Morall law for till we be so fully satisfied concerning the Religion of these Evangelicall Ceremonies and Formes of Worship that the practise thereof may proceed from faith neither can wee adventure upon the voluntary practise thereof or the Magistrate enforce the same upon us without the incurment of the guilt of damnation to both I shall therefore referre the more punctuall discussion of this point unto the next Thesis which concernes the omnimodò extra-regalia whereunto it doth more properly appertaine The third Thesis declares what are omnimodò extra-regalia Thesis 3. And this relates to Internall duties and matters of Evangelicall faith and doctrine which is this No internall duties prescribed in the first Commandement of the Morall Law doe either directly or indirectly fall within the sphere of Politicall cognizance so that the King cannot lawfully exercise either his Legislative or Judiciarie power in matters of faith and doctrine nor by any positive Lawes and Statutes determine what points shall
worship left unto the discretion of the Church Now the Papists presuming their Church to be both the true Church and infallible and that also by warrant of Scripture as they suppose it cannot be imagined that they can possibly understand or beleeve those formes of worship which they practise by the direction of their Church to be Idolatrous and therefore their errours in this kind deserve rather to be the object of our pity then our wrath Much more is requisite to complete this discourse concerning the limitation of the Kings power in order to these extra-regalia and Metapoliticall matters and more particularly concerning the limitation thereof in order to the calling and office of Ministers which is not subordinate but of a different degree and nature from the office of Kings both of them being the Anointed of God and neither of them depending directly and properly upon the other but onely in ordine ad aliquem tertium viz. God unto whom they both are servants and from whom immediately they doe both receive their commissions and neither of them from other For as the King hath no father or superiour but God himselfe in his Politick and sacred capacity as we have already demonstrated so neither hath the Minister in his Ecclesiasticall and sacred capacity as Christ himselfe declareth Mat. 23.9 And therefore though the Apostles both taught and practised obedience to Magistrates in all matters of Politicall Cognizance wherein it was lawfull for the Magistrate to command yet did Peter and John refuse to obey the commands of the Jewish Rulers in matters which immediately related to their office and calling Acts 4.20 and so did other of the Apostles also Acts 5.29 For surely if Ministers were obliged to obey the Magistrates in the execution of the duties of their calling the Gospell of Christ had never attained unto such a degree of perfection and maturity nor Christianity ever taken root in the world especially amongst the Jewes for the two prementioned Chapters of Acts 4. and 5. and many other Texts in the Acts doe sufficiently manifest by what strict lawes and commands the Jewish Rulers and Magistrates interdicted the publication thereof But the accurate discussion of this point concerning the Kings power over Ministers in reference to their persons estates and callings would swell this Chapter into a larger volume then was designed for the whole Treatise And therefore I will conclude this Chapter with a cautionary supplication to the Reader concerning the premises thereof which is that my expresses therein pleading the exemption of conscience from all secular power in reference first to matters of Faith and Doctrine which are neither directly nor indirectly of Politicall Cognizance Secondly to matters of Evangelicall Worship Government and Discipline which are onely indirectly and ex accidenti of Politicall Cognizance may not be so understood as if thereby I should intend to make the pretence either of conscience or of an Ecclesiasticall calling to be a sufficient warrant to authorize the resistance of Secular power by any Subject whether Ecclesiasticall or Civill For as the Kings commands in Metapoliticall matters whereunto his Commission doth not extend doe render him guilty of sacrilegious intrusion upon the sacred prerogatives of God so the Subjects resistance and deniall of a passive obedience though even in those Metapoliticall mattees doe render them guilty of a sacrilegious intrusion upon the sacred Prerogatives of the King to whom God hath delegated an absolute and unlimited power over both our estates and persons in resistance whereof we become guilty of rebellion both against God and the King as the next Chapter will more fully manifest speaking the due extension of the Subjects obedience CHAP. XI Of the due extension of the Subjects obedience THe ninth Chapter presented the Reader with two proposals concerning the ends of Monarchy The first whereof concerned their nature the explication whereof was the errand both of that and the tenth Chapter The second concerneth their order in the discussion whereof our principall designe is to declare in this present Chapter the due extension of the Subjects obedience and that it is their duty to preferre the Kings honour before their owne welfare in all matters of Politicall Cognizance You may remember that in that ninth Chapter I distinguished the adaequate end of Monarchy into principalem minus principalem The principall end is either primus which is Gods Glory or à primo ortus which is the Kings Honour The lesse principall end is salus populi Now concerning these three ends of Monarchy we must observe that they are not coordinate but subordinate and ought all of them to have an influence upon every Monarchicall action whether it proceed from Monarchs or Monarchists amongst which three the first and principall is the Glory of God which both parties ought principally to look upon in all their relative actions whether of power or obedience for that is the finall cause for which God ordained the King to rule and governe and the people to be ruled and governed So that the degrees of order and subordination amongst these three ends of Monarchy in reference to the duties both of King and people stands thus 1. The King ought to consult and endeavour by way of power the peoples safety in order to his owne Honour and to endeavour both his owne Honour and the peoples safety in order to the Glory of God 2. The people ought to endeavour by way of obedience and submission their owne safety in order to the Kings Honour and to endeavour both the Kings Honour and their own safety in order to the Glory of God Now because the true understanding of this order and distinction of degrees amongst these ends doth much conduce to the right understanding of the Subjects duty I shall endeavour to manifest this subordination by proposing 1. The most materiall Objections and Arguments which seeme to disprove it 2. The most materiall Grounds and Reasons which doe confirme it 3. By framing Resolutions upon these grounds to those Objections Indeed the preheminence of the first of these ends which is Gods Glory is not a point disputable amongst Christians But whether the Kings Honour may justly claime the second place and ought to be preferred before the peoples safety in all Monarchicall actions is not so unanimously agreed upon for though many beleeve that the Monarch may observe this method in his owne actions yet that the people both may and ought to preferre their owne safety before the Kings Honour is an opinion that hath not wanted store of Patrons in these times And the principall Arguments whereupon they ground the same are three Argum. 1 The first is grounded upon the Law of Nature which is never repugnant but subordinate and conformable unto the Law of God and indeed properly a part of Gods Law For the will of God which is the very adaequate Law of God doth receive diverse denominations from the diverse limitations of the
same unto diverse objects as First that part of his will which concerneth Angels is termed the law of Angels Secondly that which concerneth men I meane in their naturall duty towards God and their neighbour for man never received Law but that before his Redemption and those Lawes which relate to Redemption are not properly naturall but supernaturall Lawes is termed the Law of Nature i. e. humane or the Law of the rationall nature Thirdly that part of Gods will which concerneth naturall Agents is termed the Law of Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Law of the corporeall Nature Againe this second sort of Law which is the Law of humane or rationall Nature and is grounded upon the will of God concerning mankind is divided by Christ himselfe into two parts which he termes two Commandements Mat. 22.27 Which two are differenced by two different Objects and two different sorts of love required of us for the due performance of our different duties unto these two different Objects The first Commandement relates to God whom we must love above our selves and all that we call ours for God doth not allow any man to value either life limbe liberty or estate above himselfe Mat. 10.37 39. Luke 14.33 Marke 8.35 and of this nature are all the particular Commandements of the first Table which are comprehended under this generall and great Commandement the duties whereof are grounded upon a love exceeding the love of our selves The second Commandement relates unto our Neighbour whom wee are not obliged to love either above our selves or equally with our selves but onely like our selves so that the love of our selves in this second part of the Law of Nature is allowed the first place and wee may lawfully value our owne life limbs estates and liberties above our neighbours and preferre the indempnity of our selves before the indempnity of our neighbour in each of these severall respects when they chance to come in competition And therefore no Law either of God or man doth make homicide capitall no nor culpable where it is necessitated se defendendo And of this nature are all the particular Commandements of the second Table which Christs exposition comprehends under this second generall Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe the duties whereof are grounded upon a love not exceeding but inferiour unto the love of our selves Now the Kings Honour being grounded upon the fifth Commandement which they take pro concesse to be a Precept of the second Table and therefore grounded upon a love which must not exceed the love of our selves the people are obliged by the Law of God and Nature in all their duties towards the King in the first place to looke upon their owne safety and by consequence the Kings Honour is not a superiour but a subordinate end to salus populi so that the people may resist yea and kill the King also if they be necessitated se defendendo Argum. 2 A second Argument which they urge for a further confirmation of this is the instance of a Generall or Governour of a city who though his Commission be never so large extending to life liberty and estate yet if he shall contrary to his trust reposed in him for defence of that city turne the Canon against the city to destroy it may lawfully be resisted by the city and Souldiery and that by armes and violence as a traitour to his trust and therefore if the King shall breake the trust reposed in him by God the people may like this city and souldiery lawfully resist him as a a traitour to his trust and provide for their owne safety before his honour Argum. 3 Lastly they alledge out of Scripture severall instances of Kings that have beene resisted by the people in order to their owne safety wherein the actions of the people have beene sometimes expresly approved by God as in the deposition of Rehoboam from his dominion over the ten Tribes 1 King 12.24 And sometimes countenanced by holy men of God which themselves have been the principall actors therein as David in the defence of himselfe from the rage and fury of Saul 1 Sam. 22.1 2. and Chap. 23.7 8. And Elisha in his advise to the Elders to resist the messengers sent by King Jehoram to take away his head 2 King 6.32 and yet neither of them reproved by God for preferring their owne safety before their obedience to the Kings commands And therefore the Subjects may provide for and regard their owne safety rather then his Honour That Doctrine which I shall here premise as a ground for the solution of these Arguments and to evidence the preheminence of the Kings Honour above the peoples welfare is such a principle in Divinity as I presume will prima facie hazzard the repute of a Paradox being directly opposite to the opinions of all Christian Authors who write of the Morall Law who distinguishing the Ten Commandements into two Tables according to Christs rule Mat. 22.37 doe generally conclude the fift Commandement prescribing honour to parents to be a Commandement of the second Table which containeth our duty towards our neighbour as if Kings and parents related to their Subjects and children as neighbours and not as Gods And that the duties therefore to be performed to Kings and parents are grounded onely upon such a love which must not exceed the love of our selves which being granted for truth the Argument taken from the Law of Nature to prove the preheminence of the peoples welfare above the Kings Honour and thereby to legitimate the resistance of Kings as well as of any other men when the people doe judge their commands to be destructive to their owne safety and welfare is altogether unanswerable For Christ in that prementioned division of the Morall Law Mat. 22.37 makes but two objects of mans duty one superiour whom wee are obliged to love and respect above our selves and that is God another inferiour object whom wee are obliged to respect onely as our selves that is in the respect of the degrees of extension of our love equally to our selves for wee must have a regard unto our neighbour in his person and life chastity goods and good name as well as our owne but yet we are not obliged to an equality in reference to the degrees of the intension of our love to our neighbour in any of these particulars for we may and ought to love and respect our own life goods and good name above our neighbours so that every man is set in the middle betweene these two objects to the one hee lookes upward as an object above him to the other downeward as an object below him So that if Kings and parents relate to us only as neighbours and not as Gods for there is no other third object of mans duty then they are not our superiours but inferiours nor may we respect their persons goods or good name above our owne as things sacred but beneath and after our owne and so to
82.6 And Moses is stiled Aarons God Exod. 4.16 And of these Gods Saint Paul meant when he affirmed many Gods to be in earth 1 Cor. 8.8 Now in regard the King doth represent the person of God he is to be honoured not according to what he is in himselfe and in his naturall capacity that is as a man but according to what the person is whom hee represents and that is God For you know the respects which we exhibite to the Mayor of a towne which happily may be a Cobler are not proportioned according to the worth and honour of that Cobler but according to the worth and honour of the King whom he represents and therefore within those limits where that Cobler doth represent this Majesty and exercise this power derived from the King he is in all respects preferred above all other men of what quality soever though Knights or Lords and therefore our duties to the King cannot relate to him in his naturall capacity as a man but in his Politick as he represents the person of God and by consequence this fift Commandement must be a Precept of the first Table Some Jewish Writers upon this very ground and reason do concurre in this opinion that this fift Commandement pertaineth to the first Table because Kings are stiled Gods Psal 82. and Ministers of God whereunto that learned and reverend Divine * In his Tract upon the Morall Law p. 105. Bishop Andrewes returneth this answer That not onely superiours but also inferiours are included in that Commandement which excludes it from the first Table But with reverence to his great learning and humble submission to better reason I cannot in this particular captivate my assent either to his answer opinion or reason for if that were sufficient to seclude the fift the same reason would exclude also the fourth Commandement out of the first Table because both son and daughter and maid and man-servant yea even oxe and asse also are therein expresly mentioned But that which distinguisheth the two Tables is the object of the duty to whom it is to be performed and not the subject who is to performe it And wee doe not finde that the duties of the fift Commandement are to be performed to any inferiours but onely to superiours And besides this judicious Divine himselfe who is deservedly honoured both for piety and knowledge although he dissent from this opinion and in his division of the Commandements doth make this fift Commandement a Precept of the second Table yet in that Argument which he alledgeth to perswade the sincerity of submission and obedience to Princes he proves it directly to be a Precept of the first It pleased God a In his exposition of the fift Commandement saith hee to give this Commandement roome before our goods yea before our life to shew that obedience to Princes must be preferred before either our estate or life Now if Princes must be dearer to us then our selves how can they have the relation of neighbours upon whom the law of God doth not enjoyne us to set any such estimate The fourth reason is taken from the nature of the sinne which is the breach and transgression of this Commandement which is a sinne immediately against God For he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God Ver. 2. and therefore Rebellion against the Prince is termed a Rebellion against God as appeares Numb 14.2 3 4. where the Lord doth threaten the punishment of the peoples Rebellion upon the report of the ten spies not as a sinne against Moses but against himselfe And so likewise the Rebellion of Korah is tearmed a Rebellion not against Moses but against God Numb 27.3 And Christ saith those that despise his Messengers despise him Luke 11.16 And the Prodigall acknowledgeth his disobedience to his father to be a sinne first against heaven Luke 15. And Saint Paul saith that he that despised the Apostles despised not man but God 1 Thes 4.8 because their calling was Gods ordinance as also the Kings is And this was the ground of Gamaliels Argument whereby he disswaded the Councell from using violence to the Apostles because if their power were from God in fighting against the Apostles they should fight against God Acts 5. And therefore the transgression of this Commandement being a sinne properly against God as the immediate object this fift Commandement must needs be it Precept of the first Table The fift Reason is taken from the nature of the punishment due to the sinnes against this fift Commandement and that is damnation Rom. 13.2 which is Saint Pauls third motive to obedience for that punishment is generally due to all the sins against the first Table but not to all the sins against the second For by damnation here in this Text the Apostle must needs understand the punishment of temporall death which the Judiciall Law ordained to be inflicted for every trespasse against God and the offences against the law of the first Table which were judged not according to the dammage which ensued upon the offence like the offences against our neighbour where a man was to loose eye for eye tooth for tooth and the like but according to the quality of the person against whom they were committed for he that transgrest the fourth Commandement by gathering onely a few sticks was commanded to be stoned to death Levit. 24.15 And hee that blasphemed or cursed God was to die the death Numb 15.35 Now all transgressions against our parents were to be punished after the same manner and not according to the dammage which ensued for he that did smite his father or mother was to be put to death though no dammage ensued Exod. 21.15 Nay if he did but curse them he was to suffer death Ver. 17. which punishments were not due by the Law for any such offences against our neighbour but onely against God and sinnes of the first Table and therefore this fift Commandement must be a Precept of the first Table And the reason why I doe judge this damnation to be meant of a temporall punishment which is inflicted by the Magistrate and not of eternall which is inflicted by God is because in reference to Gods eternall punishments all sinnes are alike damnable and punishable with eternall damnation and so Saint Pauls reason should not be any motive more proper to perswade this duty then any other but in reference to temporall punishments inflicted by the Magistrate the sinnes onely against God and the first Table are made generally and universally capitall by the Law of Moses and the same were also made capitall by the lawes of other Nations for mens words against the King may render them guilty of treason and so of death which mens words against their neighbours doe not doe The sixt reason is grounded upon those acts which are said to be the duties of the King which are to revenge and recompence Ver. 3 4. which is Saint Pauls fourth motive to obedience