called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mount Moriah And whereas Mishmereth signifies the Penal Sanctions and Mishpat GODS generall Law of Equity for mankind chok signifieth the peculiar Lawes of Prerogative issuing from Power not Accountable to them to whom it prescribes Thus the Municipal and Religious Lawes of the Jewish Nation were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called by this Name so likewise the Sacerdotal Portion Gen. 47. 22. Onely he bought not the Lands of the Priests who there are called Princes for this cause That it was Chok to the Priests theirs from Prerogative thus Mic. 7. 11. it implies the Kings Tribute c. 18. The Conclusion of the Psalm is Monitory advice to those who shall succeed Administrators of this Prerogative Ver. 10. viz. And now O you Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haschilu understand you this to wit that this Power and Prerogative is Christs and not yours And you that be earthly Judges Havasru Chastise or Restrain your selves herein serve the Lord with Feare and let your very Exaltations tremble when you consider the beight of your Place And you who have received his Kisse of Consecration at your Anointing according to the Mysterious custome from the Commissioner of Christ Vnderstand whence it comes and Return it thither when you find that you have gone out of the way in the beginning of his Anger lest you perish therein But Oh their Blessednesses Ashre-col-chose whom his displeasure for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a while removes not from their Confidence in him their Rock as it did not the afflicted Author of this Psulm Christ himself thus emering into his Glory for there never was and therefore never shall be a good King in this or any good Cause finally by GOD Deserted Though Nations and their Kings should Swel and proud popular Waves come in even into their soules if they Steer a a constans course according to the Compasse set before them they shall not faile it being a wicked Vanity for the Creature to affect to turn Creators especially since they cannot Create so much as one Comefor the bodily Sustenance nor Colour for one Haire of their Heads to Arrogate to create Power and to rob Elohim the Creator of his Prerogative 19. Now the Assumption of the precedent Argument in the former Chapter being Asserted and the whole Stock of Elohims Power established on the Man Christ Jesus by such Titles as none can have the like it remaines to be shewed which of these had the Right of Primogeniture over the rest And evident it is that it was the first to wit The Donation of GOD the Father which our Saviour wholly Apprised and Insisted upon accounting the rest but as Aptitudes â—â— Dominion wherefore Mat. 28. 18. laying aside all the Glories of the other he Triumpheth onely in his Fathers Gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Power is given me in Heaven and in Earth All Power Inclusively the Power of all Powers the Power of Dominion It is Given Conclusively not Originally in his Person nor Assumed It is Given to me Exclusively of thee who art to be Governed by this Power and this in Terminis Terminantibus Butted and Bounded in Heaven and in Earth as well as that 20. If thou hopest for a Blessing in either consider this and that there is a third Place to take heed of that and that there is in Scripture a Prince thereof and he is a Pretender to part of this Empire the Inferiour and Earthly part But with more manners then to say that the Power thereof is Originally his Luke 4. 6. The Devil tooke Christ into an high mountaine and shewed him all the Kingdoms of the World in a moment of time and the Devil said unto him All this Power will I give thee and the Glory of those Kingdomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For that this i Power and Glory is given or delivered into me 21. In which Parley the Father himselfe of Falshood and Impudence with some indifferent out-side of modesty mentions no Originality but makes Donation his Plea which with more sobriety he goes not about to prove he had Scripture perfect but finds no colour throughout the whole Bible and therefore in wise Civility in this manifest Particular he Abuseth no Text Counterfeits no Constantine Falsifies no Charter but he nimbly slides over his shamefaced Lye never avouching this Power to be absolutely his own nor daring impudently to adventure on the words Originally or Primarily onely he runs away at the most with an unproved Concession or Permission for the Disposal thereof as a Trustee pretending onely to the Advowsion not Sacrileglousâ— to the Impropriation or Simoniaeally to the Fruits He but gives it to whom he thinkes fit he knowes it so much anothers that he dares not challenge it to his own use so as he might seem to reflect upon himselfe thereby to make himselfe either the Greater or the Better all the Propriety he aimes at is to pleasure others not himselfe These Considerations produce my second Quaere How the People may without high Sacrilege challenge that without Book which Christ waved so many just Titles unto And the Devil himselfe durst not adventure on Mine Arguments hence are these First Those in whom there is an impossibility in Nature that they should be qualigied with such or better Titles then the Vniversal Lord of Nature viz. Christ who pretended not to the Originality of Dominion either Spiritual or Temporal but to the Donation of his Father may not Arrogate to have those Powers Originally in themselves But the People are such that in them there is an impossibility in Nature that they should be Qualified with such or better Titles then the Vniversal Lord of Nature viz. Christ who pretended not to the Originality of Dominion either Spiritual or Temporal but to the Donation of his Father Therefore the People may not Arrogate to have those Powers Originally in themselves Secondly They who take unto themselves more of that which belongs to God and his Christ then it appears the Devil did are in that point more Sacrilegious then the Devil appears therein to be But they that take unto themselves the Originality of Dominions take unto themselves more of that which belongs to God and his Christ then it appears the Devil did Therefore they that take unto themselves the Originality of Dominions are in that point more Sacrilegious then the Devil appears therein to be 22. The Premises are evident from that which hath been already said and need no further proof GOD grant that we may see the danger of the Consequences both alike desperate to make the People better then Christ or worse then the Devil But this is not all that is affirmed in that their Principle It takes away the Kingly Title of Christ as will appear in this third Argument That Power which is absolutely Regal or Monarchical cannot be in a collective Body of the People for that which is in that is
them that lift it up Or as if the staffe should lift up it selfe as if it were not wood But while they are being so long his Instruments and in his Place over all others he hath commanded all men to be Obedient unto such as unto the Lord or for the Lords sake For that their Power suppose in the hands of a Nero or one worse an hater of Mishpat or the Law it selfe of Nature and common Equity is Divine 14. And for any that are oppressed thereby he hath promised to take their matter into his own hands or to requite it with his hand Psal 10. 14. For that he is King for ever and ever Ver. 16. So that if he be as good as his Royal Word they who are restrained from making Resistance themselves are in never the worse case while his Might is used to doe them Justice in stead of their own weaknesse Thus if his word may be taken Psal 22. 6. I will up saith the Lord and will help whom Every one without exemption From whom From every him be he or swell he never so big that swelleth against him And if it be Elohims Prerogative as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 19. Vengeance belongs to me and I will repay it saith the Lord If it be his peculiar Royall to get up all others had best keep down If Vengeance be his Regal Exemption they who take the Sword must know that his Crown lies at the stake and if they be not able to hold up the Sword against him must make sure of perishing by it And if any man in obedience to this Doctrine the touch-stone of true Christian Religion shall lose life or any thing else he shall gaine an hundred fold in the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 19. 29. 15. Concerning the Scottish Topick a Simily That the Souldiery may lawfully hold the hands of that General who will turn his Cannon against his Army on purpose to destroy them But where can he get a new one then And the Seamen the hands of that Pilot who wilfully runs his ship against the Rock therefore the Proceedings of that Nation against the King are lawfull 16. Supposing even Impossibilities probable yet would the Inference faile And were the Argument put into Form it would sufficiently display it self But I doe not love to urge any mans Arguments except mine own I feare to prejudice my friends and dare not wrong mine adversaries therefore I take it as it is whereof were the Antecedent true yet the Consequence is foule For first there is Disproportion between the King and the General of an Army or Commander of a Ship their Commissions are not so large as his Secondly there is in it a manifest Petitio Principii for the Question is Whether the cases be like We deny they affirme Thirdly therein is Fallacia dictionis for holding of hands is all that in the Antecedent is presumed against the said General or Pilot but it is not all that is practised against the King in the Consequence Fourthly bring all into practice which is done against the King under the Allegation of holding his hands and the Antecedent will be false of the General or Pilot. Fifthly were there no deceit in the Argument yet the peremptory Command of GOD the Creator exempts the Case of Kings 17. For the first the Commission of the General and so of the Pilot are given and limited by man and so publikely Triable before man in Foro Exteriori The Commission of the King is immediately given by GOD and so far as concerneth the Cognisance of the Subject unlimited by God himself who gives Lawes unto his Deputies Conscience and will Try him in his proper Court before Himself and his holy Angels which man may not presume to doe The King for ought that any externall Law of God holdeth his hands in can without any Processe put to death his General the General for the life of every of his Souldiers is responsible to the King to be openly Tryed or as the King shall appoint But put the case that a King should issue forth a Commission to his General which should limit his Consultations and Actions to the pleasure of his Souldiers it were too evident that he had as good have given him no Commission for amongst ' the many there will ever be too many Qui mallent Jussa Ducum interpretari Tat. An. quà m Exequi who will put in Execution rather their own Paraphrase then the Generals Text. And who had rather be paid for sitting still then labouring and for doing their own wicked work then any others And certainly the Wisdome of God is not lesse then of a mortall King 18. For the second the Charge of Petitio Principii it should have been first proved before the Production of this Argument that the Kings purpose was to destroy his Subjects which is a conjecture if possible yet lesse probable then the Generals intention against his Army Purposes we leave to the Judge of hearts but we are able to justifie for matter of Fact that the Scriptures have justified the King in those particulars wherein he hath excused Pap. Stat. Silv. himself which Benignity of his Mulcentem radios submittentemque modesta Fortunae vexillae suae should rather have Endeared his Subjects with amazed Gratitude to acknowledge the goodnesse of GOD in him then embolden them to Plunder the Power of GOD from him 19. For the third holding of the Generals or Pilots hands seems but to keep them from doing hurt to others and if the Sacramentum Militare will permit this this is all that may be done by the Army untill they bring him to Triall where he ought to be judged before his Prince whose Commission he hath But they hold the Kings hands against their sworn Allegiance that they may despoile him of all that both the Lawes of God and man have invested him with and say he is doing hurt that they might doe him hurt never thinking of the great Kings Bench who is his onely Superiour and who is robbed of the Power of his just Prerogative by the Peoples medling with his Commissions who will himself come for them soon enough to Judge both him and them As Saint Peter 2. 3. 8. Beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some men count slacknesse but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance But the day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night c. In the meane time he hath given warning unto all which all men are bound upon once speaking to take notice of at their perils though for their sakes who are not Refractary that which Peremptorily he once spake is twice heard as Psal 62. 11. Elohim hath spoken Once Twice I have heard this that
that cometh after the King Certainly it is more desperate to doe it after God to dare to bound him that holdeth the place of God further then his God hath bounded him So likewise are their directions concerning the Election of Him which the People of Israel well remembred and therefore they went not about to make a King themselves but came unto the Lords Prophet with a Give thou us a King to Judge us like all the Nations about us 1 Sam. 8. 5 6. As also there is a particular Injunction laid upon him concerning this Book of Deuteronomy to write it out and to meditate in it all the dayes of his life Verse 18. 13. Which gives me the boldnesse to conjecture that if that which was delivered 1 Sam. ◠11. c. was not it or the briefe of it as might with great probability be asserted out of the words This particular Book of Deuteronomy was that which was mentioned 1 Sam. 10. 25. which Samuel wrote out and happily finding the King respectlesse of it laid it up ad facies Domini before the Faces of Jehovah to wit in the Sanctuary But if it were of that purport which a man of this last Olympiad pretends who never saw it sayes it is lost and yet can tell what was in it probability would difficultly admit that God should suffer it to perish unlesse he meant the perishing of the Peoples Liberty with it At least wise we cannot imagine but that recourse would have been had to it or mention made of it upon differences between the Prince and the Subject and particularly in Rehoboams case with the ten Tribes for in all that time between Samuel and Rehoboam the Sanctuary had not been violated But without all doubt the Book that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And it shal be that when he shal sit upon the Throne of his Kingdom he shal write this Deuteronomy into a Book c. Chap. 17. 18. the King was required to Transcribe and Study was no other then this for the words are Mishne Hatorah azzoth which the Septuagint renders he shall write this Deuteronomy into a Book And without all question this was it which Joshua read in the eares of all the People Josh 8. 32. for it is expresly so by Name set down in that Text. 14. From whence it is abundantly evident where the sin of the Israelites lay in asking of a King The Kings Power is set downe from Gods owne mouth 1 Sam. 8. 9. c. Hearkén unto the voyce of this Prophet howbeit shew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them Mishpat Ha-melech The manner of the King say you Mishpat comes from Shaphat which signifies to Decree or Pronounce a righteous Law or Sentence and is in its Latitude the universall Law of Just Reason for the regulating of all men and their actions Of this onely God is the Adequate Law-giver as Deut. 1. 17. and the onely high Dispenser of and with it which whosoever have to doe with it is and remains Gods and not mans for ever And thus it is applyed in multitudes of places in holy Scripture so Psal 50. 6. Elohim Shophet His Elohim is Judge himself or alone And Gen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 18. 35. Shall not the Judge of all the world doe Mishpat And certainly if there were a word of greater Exactnesse for the Expressing of true Justice by Divine or Humane Wisdome to be found out Gods Title to the Judicature of the World would deserve it And Mishpatav his Judgements are in all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 World Psal 105. 7. 15. Here then it comes out of Gods own mouth Shew them my just and eternall Decree concerning the Power of the King Some as if it were here onely set down for fashion sake will have it to import onely Manner but where-ever in Scripture it signifies Manner or Custome it ever signifies at the least such good Manners or Customes as have passed into the Nature of Laws it is stil according to its own nature Actus rationalis ritè judicantis and in such indifferent cases as Custome hath Power to determine about wherein pettish singularity is sinfull Thus 2 King 1. 7. the Prophets using to weare rough or hairy Garments Custome transferred it into the condition of a Law and by this their Garb their Profession was Externally and Reverentially differenced from other mens which was the Reason why Ahaziah in that Text enquired of his Messengers concerning the Garb which he calls Mishpat of the Man they met with and upon their Answer to that his Question he knew that it was Elijah And in this signification also this hath beene the Garb of the Supreme Power ever since the World began The word as used in divers places importeth divers particulars but all flowing from Legal and Rational Power He that desireth the truth let him with me take them all into his consideration and the Result will be the Truth and the whole Truth 16. Sometimes the thing that it directly pointeth at is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it is in this place as the Septuagint whose Translation Christ and his Apostles honoured by their most frequent use thereof here render it Sometimes it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justification or Absolution given by the Law or by Him whose Word is Law Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousnesse the Requisite of this Law Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ordination or Composure according to Law Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the advised Prudence of Law Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Operation of Law Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Execution of Law or Punishment issuing there-from Which neglecting all the rest divers snatch at in this place as if there were nothing else in it but the Execution of Gods Curse upon the People for thus desiring a King I deny not but that God did looke into and intend with other the Importances of this word this particular Judgement but according to the rule of his owne Wisdome he tooke in all the rest also 17. That which here in the place is aimed at with the most Authoritative Septuagint is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the ancient Latines rendered by Jus which in English importeth Just Right And Just Right he and no man else must needs have who is assumed by the righteous Lord into Communication and Communion of that Power which is Gods and not any mans or all mens 18. In a Secundary way also it designeth Manner or Custome but it was not Manner or Custome which made this a Law but it was Law that made it a Custome It was a Custome as old as the world Sic fuit ab initio Thus it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was from the Beginning witnesse all Humane and Divine Records thereof All Nations having so much of the Ancient Religion in them as to embrace this Mishpat So in the 20. Verse We will be like all other
where are his and onely his 6. How come we then to have this confidence that our Nationall Laws should have this his Power amongst us May we expect Doe we deserve Or dare we endure That GOD should at all turnes come down amongst us as he did in Sinai which caused Moses himselfe to quake and tremble to animate our Consultations and give being to our Devices Look we again into the Booke of GOD and there we shall finde that the Prince is left in GODS stead to doe this lest the terrours of GOS Majesty as shall be shewed should in this case confound his People And that a Divine Sentence is in the lips of the Kings GOD having promised doubtlesse for such People as desire to deserve it That his mouth in the Future Tense lo-jimgnal shall not erre in Pro. 16. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mishpat or Judgement But if throughout the whole Book of GOD the Lord hath given this Power to any but Kings vouchsafe you that can discover it to let others heare from you 7. In the meane time you who willingly suppose that you have GODS Right to his Earthly Bequests in this world under the Lawes of the Land be willing also to understand that the Lawes themselves have this Power from the King otherwise without an immediate Patent from Heaven they could not warrant you so much as Sallets in severall from other men He being Elohims Steward no other having ever been Constituted by GOD Judicially to assure and dispense to every one their Portion out of the Lords Basket and Storehouse SECT 3. The Contents Disobedience to the King forfeiteth the Subjects Titles Soveraignty Established in both the Tables before the naming the Sins punishable by it Obedience to the Supreme Earthly Powers to be preferred before Life Honour and Livelihood The fifth Commandement the Guardian of all the rest The Publike Father hood of the King proved from Gen. 9. 5. A Repetition of some Passages elsewhere Justified 1. WEll through the King and by your Obedience to him you have GODS Right to your Temporall Estates Question not that Title whose very Questioning extinguisheth yours You must know that yours are forfeitable and Disobedience is the thing which GOD from the Beginning hath forewarned would doe it And not onely that Title which by reason of GOD'S Image you have to the Earth but also that which in regard of his Likenesse you have to Heaven The first and greatest Considerables in GODS Law demonstrate the same In either of the Tables the first thing that GOD provided for was the establishment of Soveraignty for the Praise and Blessing of those that doe well and the Punishment of Offenders before he nominated the Offences decreed for Punishment 2. In the first Table whose Principall Object is the Restauration of GODS Likenesse He first declareth for his owne Authority I am Jehovah Elohim the Eternall Beginning of thine Eternity thy Creator in the Beginning of time who onely have Power to give thee Lawes to Governe thee all thy time Thou shalt acknowledge no other Elohim or Supreme Power for the Governance of that which I Created but Me and then descends to the particulars of his Worship and Service 3. In the second Table first Honour thy Father and thy Mother and then Thou shalt not Kill Thou shalt not commit Adultery c. To teach all Generations that Obedience is to be preferred before Life Honour and Livelihood and that in the Paternity which is the Object of this Commandement was Established the security of Life Honour and Livelihood And that lest there should be Killing GOD hath given Power to Kill unto the earthly Exerciser of his most just and true Paternity over all his Children with which Power he that is but mans Brother may not for ever intermeddle And he that is in GODS Place the Generall Father must for the Ends for which GOD hath placed him there have Divine Power semblable to those Ends to wit the Scepter and Sword of Elohim 4. But without the Power of the Sword the Scepter of GOD himselfe barely Commanding would be but coldly Obeyed and for this cause He being to secure unto GOD the Worship of the first Table GOD will be the more severe exactor of the Homages of the second Table for him And therefore particular and sundry inconveniencies may fall out and must be endured but for the generall GOD is our Father and besides Him and His none ought to be so called whilest his Prerogative and our Allegiance is in this unshaken But if that whereon our Obedience to all the rest is founded come to be ruined the other cannot stand on high-lone in the Aire 5. And for this cause though GOD hath barely told him his duty to him in his Word particularly what he expecteth from him Deut. 17. the Lord hath not tyed up his hands as hath been shewed and particularly for what concerneth the Subject is legible 1 Sam. 8. 11. c. with a Niggardly and Resistible Commission for then they could not be at liberty to doe that good which particular and daily Exigencies will require But he is by GOD left unto the generall good Nature of the word Father whose Children all other Fathers are other Magistrates being his Lievtenants He immediately GODS they Execute his Power He the Lord of Hosts they account unto Him He unto GOD. 6. And here I could wish from my soule that we loved our Temporall Estates Better that is more prudently then we doe for as by our disunion with Christ from Heaven we forfeit our Interest in Heaven so by our disunion with our Earthly Christs however we may speed here for a time we extinguish at the least our just Title to the Earth For it is Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which Jehovah Elohim hath given thee Whilest we are under the Covert but of our private Parents who in comparison of the King beare not the Image of Elohim over us as hath bin shewed and will more fully appear by our Disobedience unto them that which we were borne unto lookes backe againe unto them for their better disposall of it so by our Disobedience unto him whom GOD hath stated in the Right of his Paternity our Estates returne unto the Father of our Countrey Which Sin from the place that the Commandement holdeth amongst the rest may be concluded worse then the sin of Murder and its fellowes as on the contrary that Obedience is to be preferred before Livelihood Honour and Life it selfe that we are bound to lose all that we may keep it which by Divines is justly celebrated for the most noble of all Morall Vertues Inferiour onely and next unto the three Theologicall Faith Hope and Charity in as much as it sacreth and secureth all the rest of the Commandements of GOD being the Arsenall and middle Tower thereof 7. And here I shall not mis-spend any ones time against those who
Just Descent his Secondary Donation to particular men of the Particulars thereof hath also declared that he hath left in his place his Viceroy to actuate his Demises by whom by his Laws or otherwise are to be Adjudged and Applyed Every mans Just Property and Portion out of that which notwithstanding the Titles and Surmises still remaineth Gods for that without this third Donation they cannot command the benefit of the least crumme thereof 6. That Humane Lawes cannot give nor assure Gods Title which who so wanteth had better want the Inheritance otherwise then they are of his making who hath Gods Authority upon Earth 7. That Disobedience to the King is a sin against that Commandement which is the visible Fortresse and Security of Gods whole Law and forfeiteth more then Life and Estate though it come onely to and under the Cognisance of the King of Heaven 8. That the Power of the Sword carrying with it all Gods Earthly Prerogatives is a dangerous charge to him that hath it but most Deadly to him that takes it 9. That for Earths Government there is but one Irresistible Power in one Kingdome as but one Sword to cut off Civill Wars for ever and that Power is Eternally in God and his Christ Perpetually derived to the King Arbitrarily dispensed by the King to all that have any Power without whom against whom none have any at all And this for all those who desire so to enjoy Earth as there to be fitted for Heaven is the scale of Subordination which God hath constituted which whosoever violateth puts himselfe out of all his Earthly Rights and Heavenly Hopes into the Camp of Apollyon and is by the Doctrine of the Scripture censured as a deserter of God 10. That in case of Difference our Obedience is to be rectified by the Higher in Power who and not the People is to Judge of the Inferiours if the Magistrate offend he is onely liable to the King or to such as he shall authorise and not to any or all their Inferiours if the King offend he is onely responsible to his onely Superiour the King of kings For not one nor all have Power against any their Superiours all Power descending from Above none ascending from the People This Order Elohim the Powerfull hath set who hath Power and Will to see that it shall not be Evill to any that are Good since by this or no ordinary Revealed way he dispenseth and secureth both to the good and bad the things of the World in Order unto those of the World to come 11. That there is owing unto God from Christians a more Regulative Dominion with a more Free entertainment and a more Ingenuous acknowledgement thereof then he hath or had amongst Heathens where the Form of his Celestial Government exemplified for us in his Word was and is followed though not understood then in Hell where it is understood and followed but repined at 12. That in this Subordination though the divers and different subalternate Administrators of the Power of the One God it may be to honour them while they honour the Superiour as they are dignified also with the Name of Elohim as hath been granted so they are here stiled Powers yet it is evident that the Apostle to rectifie mistakes herein reduceth the whole integrall Power of Dominion to its genuine Singularity in that number speaking of the Power that is indeed Irresistible and this Singular He is the Deacon of God over mens Proprieties and Gods Assignations this Individuall He beareth not the Sword in vaine to Him in the Singular number the Honour of Gods Scepter the Feare of the Lords Sword the Imposts of Gods Rents are vindicated as Acts of Religion and Parts of Divine Worship in as much as they worke for the People in stead of God from whom alone descendeth all Power having its Originall in the Vnity of the Divine Nature as the Name thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports unlesse the King have his Being from the People and they from themselves Since He who onely is and is altogether One hath never given this his One Soveraignty which with the Dignity thereof cannot be given in common to many or to more then to One. 13. And this the One God specified from the first mans Beginning in his Creation but of One Man at the first in whom were all men and all humane Powers and from whom are all and all that they have though all they have not all that he had He was if the Apostle knew how to argue Gods demonstration for Monarchicall Dominion to be erected over all those who should for ever come out of him which primarily relateth to Gods great Houshold the Kingdome in as much as there onely and not in the Family The Latitude of Gods first word Mashal and the Apostles Paraphrase thereupon in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is onely extensible in the Kingdome and not in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Family Whereupon my seventh Quaere is Since without Gods first Donation mankind in specie could have had no Title at all without his third Donation man in Individuo can have no benefit at all from the daily Bread he eates How it may stand with Humane Wisdome to Question Whether the Secondary Donation without a Title whereunto Man in particular can have no distinct Propriety in that Bread he eats appertaineth to God which the Scriptures clearly affirme and particularly the Lords Prayer And that this is done by questioning the only Authorised Deputy of God who will not descend to Judge or Severalize mens particulars The Questioning of whose Title forfeiteth ours and makes us liable to Gods Temporall Sword here and eternall Death hereafter My first Argument is concerning the Primary Donation of God the Father above specified and the Consequents thereof pertinent to this Point That which denyes the lesser Power viz. of Free Dominion over Herbs and Fruits to make use of them at pleasure to have been Originally in Man in Innocency evidently denyes the greater Power in eodem genere viz. Dominion of generall Community or particular Demeanes in the Soyle it selfe and which is yet greater over other mens Lives and Livelihoods to be Originally in Man sinfull But the Donation of God for Herbs and Fruits and the Restraint of God from the Tree of Knowledge Denyes the lesser Power viz. Free Dominion over Herbs and Fruits to make use of them at pleasure to have been Originally in Man in Innocency Therefore the Donation of God for Herbs and Fruits and the Restraint of God from the Tree of Knowledge Evidently denyes the greater Power in eodem genere viz. Dominion of generall Community or particular Demeans in the Soyle it selfe and which is yet greater Dominion over other mens Lives and Livelihoods to be Originally in Man sinfull Secondly concerning the third Donation of Beneficiall use effected by the Spirit of God upon the Word of God and Prayer from the Word of God conferring the
must acknowledge that in the Patent of King David all Christian Kings have a joynt Commission Some conveniences through the settlement of Gods Power in one Man pointed at Prov. 21. 1. Paraphrased 1. BY this which hath been said it satisfactorily appears to every conscientious man who expects his Light from the Lamp of GODS revealed will how from the beginning GOD hath disposed of his Power of Dominion In which Point since onely He hath Power to Constitute and Repeale but hath Constituted and not Repealed nor hath given Dispensation to any others whatsoever to doe it Religious Sobriety would abundantly rest contented with his bare exemplification of his mind if there were no more to be said in this case then these Argumenta ad rem But ad Hominem to the Opposing party they ought to be esteemed of double force since they who have undone the People by this plausible colour That all things whatsoever whether to be beleeved or done are to receive the particular warrant of their Legality from the precise words of expresse Scripture may least of all men be endured in the Point of highest Concernment to goe against the onely exemplifications of GOD in this kind contained in the Scripture 2. In which particular as appears by the horrible and amazing excesses wherewith the Disciples of the grand Enemy of the Word of God have openly blasphemed it to the infamy of the Age and Nation what his aime is even in those whom hee cannot unto that Hereticall height bewitch it hath in these dayes fallen out as in all former Stories no great Evill hath appeared in its owne colours at first but with a seeming Zeale to correct evils and advance that which most commonly rather seemed then was good So most ordinarily when the Pretenders for the Peoples Liberty have by that Pretext destroyed their particular Adversaries Liberty it selfe by the Pretenders for it hath been most desperately destroyed So here when under pretence of Scripture Zeale the Disciples of the Angels of Darknesse have with unwary men discountenanced and thriven by their private Adversaries the Scriptures are they who have received the greatest foile 3. So in the case of setting up the Aereall Kingdome of Christ upon Earth when under the gay out-side thereof they have despoiled those that stand in their way it is evident the prize was to lift Him up on High that they might part his Garments amongst them and to cast lots for his Coat This is most evident that that cannot be Kingdome the Power whereof must be in more then One much lesse in every one That that cannot be Christs which seeketh its own That that cannot be Christs Kingdome which comes not to fulfill but to destroy any part of the Eternall and Universall Law of Nature Reason or Nations which came from Christ into the World before Christ came into the World himselfe who when he came he came to accomplish not to destroy that which he sent before him even to that of Moses Mat. 5. 17. 4. But I take no delight in displaying the vanity of those who divide what cannot be divided Christs Kingdome from him and it within and against it selfe and so make many Nothings of it who place it loe here and loe there and so put it in many No where 's That which I desire to commend from hence unto the truly humble and obediently unpertinacious Christian is that he would not reject as meerly Topicall the aforesaid exemplifications of GODS mind whose Rules and Examples certainly are not at variance but rather that he would looke upon them as upon GODS owne Commentary upon his own Precepts and upon both together as upon Gods Declaration in this behalfe against all spurious false copies of mans lustfull fancy to learne what indeed is the true and genuine meaning and obligation of his generall and perpetuall Law of Nature and Nations which as it was borne into the World with the World so must it not dye before it For it was Mishpat Hameluchah the Just and Right Law of Kingdome that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was derived at first from the Breath of God and thence received into the Universall Law of Nations which the People of Israel petitioned for in the fore-cited 1 Sam. 8. 5 20. 5. Concerning which GODS Answer was Hearken unto them in all that they say unto thee yet lest they should not throughly understand for the present or for the future should imagine that they might make what they pleased of that unwritten Law shew them truely what is Mishpat Ha-melech the Right of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perpetuall Prerogative which Samuel from the mouth of GOD delivered unto them Unto the Power whereof David without any restriction from GOD did succeed and Sauls Posterity for ever which I forbeare to draw any Arguments from might have been entertained into the same Rights as appeares 1 Sam. 13. 13. For now would the Lord have established thy Kingdome for ever to wit that Royalty which at first was given thee and described from the mouth of GOD whose Donation since GOD never did it Man may not limit Which hence appeares not to have been such as is now pretended 6. If it be demanded how then could Gods promise in Jacob's Propheticall Benediction concerning Judah and his Scepter have been made good I answer God Almighty plainly shewed how this might have been to wit by the giving of Michal Sauls Daughter in Marriage to the Son of Judah the possibility of whose hopes was afterwards frustrated by her despising that part of the Sacerdotality which was truly inherent in the Regall Power her religiously carefull Husbands Humble Primacy and Supreme Service exhibited before the visible Monument of Gods Royall and Spirituall residence amongst his People viz. the Arke of God 2 Sam. 6. 23. For this cause Michal Sauls Daughter remained childlesse unto the day of her death 7. And to give the more credit hereunto it may seeme as it is recorded in the next ensuing Chapter to the former story viz. the 14. that Jonathan 2 Sam. 14. the most gloriously vertuous of all the Princes which are Registred in the Booke of God was decreed by God for a better Kingdome when doomed by his owne Father for a Son of death which God executed upon him whom the People could not then rescue though his rash Father was at length willingly enforced to forget his Oath This to teach all the irresistible Deputies of the faithfull God how dangerous a thing to them and theiâ—s heady precipitancy is and that they may least of all men vainly use the Power of the serious Jehovah Elohim 8. So that if the Scriptures be left for mans perpetual and universal Rule which now to deny can in no wise become our Adversaries were we destituted of further Proofs the onely recorded Exemplification of the administration of Gods Power by Him who onely hath Power from Heaven constituted amongst his peculiar People upon Earth for the
Monarchy unto which the Angels and Saints in Heaven doe submit under the Man Christ by whom he hath promised to governe the heart of the King by whom he hath appointed to governe the People Not any nor all of whom can so much as see into the heart of any one man much lesse governe it Therefore the said Doctrine That the Power of Dominion is in the People Originally or otherwise then by the Donation of God Is whatever is pretended in manifest opposition to the Word of God Thirdly that the Power of earthly Dominion challenged for the People is the peculiar Right of Christ by the Donation of his Father He that affirmeth an Vniversall upon any Affirmeth unto the same every particular contained within that Vniversall But the holy Ghost in the Donation of all Power in Heaven and Earth to Christ hath affirmed to him the Vniversall Therefore the holy Ghost in the Donation of all Power in Heaven and Earth to Christ Affirmeth unto him every particular which is contained in the Vniversall notion of all Power and by consequence that which is challenged for the People which without Donation from Heaven is challenged against the God of Heaven Fourthly what against all Pretenders Christ is really seized of by virtue of the Donation of God the Father the sole and proper Efficient of all Dominion Whatsoever God the Father whose gifts cannot be restrained or made ineffectuall hath given to God the Son who cannot reject his Fathers Bounty That God the Sonne against all Opposers is truely actually and demonstratively possessed of But all the Dominions of the Earth Ecclesiasticall and Temporall the Thrones and Scepters of the one the Seats and Shepheard-staves of the other according to his Stile of King of kings and Lord of lords and his Title of great High-priest and Bishop of our Soules Are things which God the Father whose gifts cannot be restrained or made ineffectuall hath given to God the Son who cannot reject his Fathers bounty Therefore all the Dominions of the Earth Ecclestasticall and Temporall the Thrones and Scepters of the one the Seats and Shepherd-staves of the other according to his Stile of King of kings and Lord of lords and his Title of Great High-priest and Bishoprof Soules God the Son is truly actually and demonstratively against all Opposers possessed of Fifthly concerning Gods Donation of the one Power of Christ in one Act under the Person and Covenant of David together with him established upon his adopted Seed the Kings of Christendome unto whom he hath sworne by his Holinesse that by Them this Power of his Christ shall be externally Administred so long as the world endureth notwithstanding all that which did actually cut off the former Typifying Davids Entaile This being done upon the first recorded settlement of Gods Dominion in one Family doth teach us that from the beginning in the Covenants of Abraham and David they were the chiefe and ultimate part of Gods faithfull Promises for the externall Glory of his Christ Whatsoever God the most powerfull Efficient hath settled once for all and for ever with expresse cautions against State Antinomians for perpetuity and perpetuity for generation and generation upon Christ who must ratifie the truth hereof sitting in the impregnable Heavens for his adopted children which all of them are the Sons of Gnelion who must in his stead sit upon the Thrones of the Earth while the Sun and Moon shall endure That is so established that it must continue to the end of the world and is not to expire with the Type thereof But the Regall Power of the Thrones of the Earth in the possession of legally succeeding Christian Kings according the Law of Nature as is expressed in the Word of God Is that which God the most powerfull Efficient hath thus settled c. Therefore the Regall Power of the Thrones of the Earth in the just possession of legally succeeding Christian Kings according to the Law of Nature exemplified in the Word of God is so established that it must continue to the end of the world and is not to expire with the Type thereof Concerning this Argument which I take to be an irrefragably concludent Demonstration deduced according to the exact rules of Logick Ex veris primis immediatis necessariis causis conclusionis I shall onely recapitulate that the Throne often mentioned and particularly Psal 89. 29 36. cannot be understood of the Jewish Kings the Lineal Successors of the former David in the former Covenant For they as the were Typicall so they were Conditionall and upon breach of Articles have now failed above two thousand years while the Sun and Moon the admeasurers of the perpetuity sworne by GOD have lasted and yet doe continue So that if the Oath of GOD have any truth in it of necessity it must be meant of them who were specified in the Covenant with Abraham when he was designed for the Father of all the Nations of the world that should be blessed Gen. 17. 6. I will make Nations of Thee and Kings shall spring out of thee and I will establish this my Covenant between Me and Thee and thy Seed after thee for an everlasting Covenant Which must be understood of his more impossible Seed then his generation of Israelites when he was an hundred years old For it had been altogether impossible that he should have been the Father of us the Gentiles if his Naturall and not his Adopted Seed had beene meant For Jewes and Gentiles as contradistinct members divide the world whereof his issue according to Nature are but one not many or all the Nations which all are taken in to this his Covenant So must the Seed of David and Christ who never had other then these before adopted who were the Glory of the Covenant with Abraham be understood And thus and no otherwise have we the Perpetuity and Perpetuity the Generation and Generation as hath been said plainly construed But I forbear further repetitions referring for them the Reader to the precedent Proofes Sixthly concerning the Oath of GOD for the perpetuity of Kingship Priesthood and Temple Whosoever affirmeth or doth that which endeavoureth to make God a lyar perjured and a prophane neglecter of the sacrednesse both of his Word and Oath Asserteth by inevitable consequence the most blasphemous Sacrilege which humane holdnesse can on Earth attempt But whosoever affirmeth or doth against the perpetuity of those three Particulars for which God hath sworne in Truth and Holinesse and hath Anointed them for perpetuity and inviolability in specie though not in individuo in the Typified though not in the Type expressing thereby that the Type and Typified are one in Honour and Substance though different in garb and circumstance viz. his first on Earth established Kingship Priesthood and Temple Affirmeth or doth that which tendeth to make God a lyar perjured and a prophane neglecter both of his Word and Oath Therefore whosoever affirmeth or doth against the perpetuity of those
three particulars for which God hath sworne in Truth and Holinesse and hath Anointed them for perpetuity and inviolability in specie though not in individuo in the Typified though not in the Type viz. His first on Earth established Kingship Priesthood and Temple expressing thereby that what was and is are one in Honour and Substance though different in garb and circumstance Asserteth by inevitable consequence the most blasphemous Sacriledge which humane boldnesse can on Earth attempt Seventhly concerning S. Johns proper passion of Antichrist or the visible mark of the Beast Mans taking to himself without an externall Calling from God those Honours which God by Anointing hath made sensible demonstration for them that they are by him Sacrated and made Divine by the accession of that which is Divine For the present I forbeare to speake of the Temple and Antichrists possessing himselfe of it and sitting in it as if he were Lord and Master of that house which is the propriety of God himselfe His fixed place of abode and rest for ever the place where his honour dwelleth and Makom la-jovah which after a peculiar manner entertaineth Immensity it selfe which whosoever sweareth by sweareth by it and Him that dwelleth therein But I intend to treat of this in a particular Discourse Those who presume out of their owne stations without the externall Calling from God to take unto themselves the Powers of those Honours which are apparently Christs made knowne to be so by the Anointing of Gods appointment They visibly have the marke or proper Passion of Antichrist in Saint John 1 Ep. 2 Chap. 16. Ver. But they who presume out of their owne stations without the externall Calling from God to take unto themselves the Powers of the Honours of Kingship and Priesthood doe take upon themselves those Honours which are apparently Christs made knowne to be so by the Anointing of Gods appointment Therefore those who presume out of their owne stations without the externall Calling from God to take unto themselves the Powers of the Honours of Kingship and Priesthood visibly have the marke or proper passion of Antichrist in Saint Johns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eighthly concerning the essentiall difference of Antichrist the denying Jesus to be the Anointed according to the honorary Donation of his Father Whosoever be it one or many or many for one or themselves who deny that Jesus is the Messiah Christ or Anointed They or he are the lyars or lyar and not God who hath made good his Oath and hath not lyed unto David Psalm 89. 35. Doe or doth contradict the Donation of God the Father to the Son and as being in opposition to the Power of Anointing he or they is or are Antichrist or Antichrists or maintainers of Antichrist But whosoever denyeth that Jesus who was otherwise never solemnly Anointed with the Oyle of gladnesse is Anointed by proxie in the Persons of those who beare his high Offices and whom God hath stiled his Fellowes to deprive them of it that the Power and Honour thereof might be otherwise usurped He or they doth or doe deny that Jesus is at all the Messiah Christ or Anointed Therefore whosoever denyeth that Jesus who otherwise was never solemnly Anointed with the Oyle of gladnesse is Anointed by Proxie in the Persons of those who by the Commission of God beare his high Offices and whom God hath stiled his Fellowes to deprive them of it that the Power and Honour thereof might be otherwise usurped He or they are the lyars or lyar and not God who hath made good his Oath and hath not lyed unto David doe or doth deny the Fathers Donation to the Son and as being in opposition to the Power of Anointing He or they is or are Antichrist Antichrists or maintainers of Antichrist Ninthly concerning the Dignity and Immobility from their Thrones of those upon whom God hath according to the Law of Nature setled this Regall Power of Him and his Christ Those who are advanced into the same ranke of Dignity that King David was who was set over the Positive Laws of God and as being the adopted Sons of Christ Davids Son may not be disinherited for their for saking of the generall Thorah or grand Law of God which containeth in it Mishpat Gods great Right of Judgements between himselfe and mankind and Chok the sacred Law of Priviledges either Royall or Municipall and Mishmereth the custody of mankind in Order by Penal Sanctions They cannot be under the Power of any humane Law nor forfeit by it the Right which they have to Gods Power which is over it But Christian Kings are advanced into the same ranke of Dignity that King David was and as being the adopted Sons of Christ may not be disinherited c. Therefore Christian Kings cannot be under the Power of any humane Law nor forfeit by it the Right which they have to Gods Power which is over it Tenthly it is evident by the former Arguments and this That the Power of Kings is Divine and therefore on earth Supreme Irresistible c. That Power which is Gods and his Christs is on earth Supreme Irresistible and which ought not to be overtopped or lessened by humane Lawes or Swords But the Power of the King is Gods and his Christs Therefore the Power of the King is on earth Supreme Irresistible and which ought not to be overtopped or lessened by humane Lawes or Swords Eleventhly from the name of Melech in particular which also is Primarily GODS and his Christs the Power whereof is not given away from GOD but trusted to man All those Names of Powers and by consequence the Power of the Names which betokening Excellency are in Scripture attributed both to God and certaine select men Doe Primarily appertaine unto God are of perpetuall propriety to him and are not assumable by men professing Religion and Obedience to the revealed will of God but by the Donation of God according to the Law of Nature exemplified in the Word of God and being given remaine ever not mans Propriety but Gods Depositum But the names of Elohim Melech Messiah Christ or Anointed for the administration of Kingdome as that of Moshel for the Monarchicall Government of the Family Are names betokening Excellency and are attributed in Scripture both to God and certaine select men Therefore the Names of Power viz. Elohim or GOD Melech or King Messiah Christ or Anointed for the Administration of Kingdome as also that of Moshel for the Monarchicall Government of the Family Doe primarily appertaine unto God are of perpetuall propriety to him and are not assumable by men professing Religion and Obedience to the revealed will of God but according to the Law of Nature exemplified in the Word of God and being communicated remaine for ever not mans owne propriety but Gods entrusted Depositum Twelfthly concerning the effectuality of those Names towards the Receivers All those Names of Divine Irresistible Power which God who cannot deceive any man hath taken out
is unclouded irradiated and invigorated that which was before from the beginning more obscurely under Elohim As Christ having taken our nature upon him is more expresly though not more justly King of all that was by him the Word created And that the hands of Subjects are with severer penalties now tyed up from Resistance of that Power which is and was GODS and from the beginning As the King doth not create me new Right to mine Estate when he declares for it and threatens further Mulcts upon the Invaders thereof nor when he maketh a Covenant of Grace with me that he will not take such Forfeitures hereafter as my Tenure hath been formerly liable unto which I conceive to be the Difference between the Kings of the Gentiles of the former Israel and of Christians 3. Now that which was every where in Scripture foreshewed to be done Gloriously was no where promised to be done Sodainly concerning the Kings of the Gentiles acknowledgement of their Commissions from Christ but the contrary was foretold in sundry places Particularly as hath beene shewed it was foreprophesied of Psal 2. that they should struggle for a remarkable time To break his Bonds and cast his Cords from them and in the meane time which we read effected in our and their Stories in the manifold and prodigious deaths of the Opposers That they should be bruised with a rod of Iron and broken in pieces like a Potters vessell However there should be no Interregnum of Christ He should be set upon his Throne in Tsijon And that in the fulnesse of the time of the Gentiles their Kings should understand their Judges be endisciplinated and bring in for the setting up of Christs the Glory and Riches of their Thrones and Scepters And this was according to the Analogy of GODS Acts amongst his former People who for a long time were destitute of their promised Glory in a Temporall King All this as it was foretold in sundry Prophesies so was it prefigured in divers Types of Ishak of Jacob of David c. concerning which in the proper place there shall be full and just proof made when I come to handle that part of the Lords Prayer Thy Kingdome come Now I addresse my selfe to my ninth Chapter 4. Wherein I would not be so understood whilest I assert the Donation and Election of GOD himselfe for such Princes as we find every where established and rooted in their Soveraignties as if my soule abhorred not with a most perfect hatred all Usurpations and Usurpers whether by violent or fraudulent Intrusion however they may prosper like a green Bay-tree for a long time and as if I meant by a subtle assentatory connivence that he who hath the stronger Sword might have also the Title and Nomination of the strong GOD when his Law of Nature hath apparently or undoubtedly designed his Deputy This is my Profession that unto such a one being by him called thereunto we all owe our whole Livelihoods and the last drop of our Blouds for the assertion of him who thus is the true Father of our Countrey and who alone can assert unto us Title from his and our GOD in the Estates which under Him we justly hold in the Land which the Lord our God hath given us And so I proceed CHAP. IX The Contents The Law of Nature and its Proviso in this particular Controversie This the proper Act of That onely subject to the God of Nature Princes Rights from these better then other mens God the sole Elector of Kings when the People seeme most to chuse them Foure Maximes in this behalfe The cause of the preferring of Solomon before his elder Brother expressed and justified to be so by Gods semblable Acts in Ishmael and Esau not reprobated Solomon's Throne demolishable as he was King of the Jewes not demolishable in the Typified Gentiles Solomon not the Type of Christ but of Christian Kings David was the Type of Christ The materiall Temples of God ought to be the solicitous care of Solomon's Successors Gods not dwelling in Temples made with hands how to be understood Christs zeale for what Temples The Kings Throne Gods Why we uncover and bow before the Chaire of State Regall Power above mans Limitations or Censures 1. THe briefe remainder will rather be Commentary then Text. The maine of the businesse is transacted and proved The Power and Thrones of the due Kingdome of Christ is for ever setled upon Christian Princes and that according to the generall Law of Nature or Nations as was petitioned for and ratified 1 Sam. 8. amongst the former Israel of GOD. Of which Law the one Headship of one Body is a capitall part and upon the solution of Individuals to the frailty of Nature the Proviso of this Law is the immediate descent of this Headship by Primogeniture to avoid the unnaturalnesse of Non-Headship and to prevent the monstrousnesse of many Heads if the Law of Nature had not thus provided against innate arrogance in every man desirous rather to create himselfe an Head then to continue that inferior part which the GOD of Nature made him these mischiefs had been inevitable 2. That this was of the Law of Nature from before the giving of the Positive Law of GOD is expresly attested as hath been shewed in the Word of GOD Deut. 21. 17. For the Right of the First-born Is his The word for Right 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being Mishpat signifying onely in its Secondary sense Right derived by Law but in its Primary Law deriving Right So that the meaning must be by the first of Lawes to wit the Law of Nature for no other can be meant this Prerogative is already his 3. Now as all other Lawes are continually but only subject to him that gives them their Esse Formale their full and last perfection of being Lawes so this Law of Nature is onely liable to his Power who is the GOD of Nature who will not give his Power to any to use unjustly and cannot be dispensed with but by that Power which is Divine From whence it is evident whose Power even in the Family the Father thereof holdeth in whose behalfe GOD hath declared that though in Thest this Law be indispensable yet that in Hypothest to wit in case of Rebellion Ver. 18 it may be altered and the younger Son preferred And in this reserved case it cannot be done but by that Power which is Divine which GOD hath entrusted of his owne unto him who beares the Image of GOD for that Family otherwise the collective body of his Brethren nor of the Wife Children and Servants can despoile him of that interest which he hath by the Law of Nature And himselfe must be sure that he can approve the cause of this extraordinary Act before the Throne of him by whose Power he doth it That it be not done out of Hatred to the disinherited or Fancy to the preferred but for that which is indeed Rebellion as is there to be
read 4. Concerning Princes not disinheritable for their dereliction of the Thorah of GOD as in the last Chapter their Right of Succession must be more sacred then other mens for that they succeed not onely according to the Common Law of Nature but into the Right of the earthly Power of Christ for the dispensing of the Rights of all others as he is the First-born of every creature and for whose sake the Firstlings of men and other creatures were hallowed And whose not onely Right but Power is invaded by their opposers 5. Which Right what ever the visible meanes of Derivation were at the first upon the continuance thereof the Establishment shall undoubtedly be reputed valid for GOD as if himselfe who dwelleth in the Cloud which no humane sight can pierce into had done immediately in the eyes of man what he accepteth when it is done This being the Law of GODS Prerogative for Vowes Numb 30. If one that is a Virgin or a Wife who hath not authority to make a Vow for Consecrations Personall or Reall de Facto doth it if the Father or Husband heareth and holdeth his peace the Vow shall stand good unto God Much more in that which is his owne Province he being the sole King of kings and disposer of Kingdomes must those who have read the Scriptures know and take notice that when they see a King set up whose Root is fastned in the Earth and whose Branches have succeeded in growth that it was onely GOD who was the Efficient and Author of his raising 6. Supposing the Ancestor of Nebuchadnezzar not be the true heire of Shem nor Cyrus of Japhet but by the hands of friends and adherents that they were lifted up into their Thrones When I read GOD to be the sole disposer of all Soveraignty and himselfe professing his owne Act that it was He himselfe that did it I dare not thinke that it was the others but GOD alone by them who was the advancer of them and of all such as he permits for a competent time to take Root in that Mount of his peculiarity whither none can come while he is asleep to steale in a Plant of his owne which were it granted yet its being planted there alters the Property If it be Rooted in the Throne it is of GODS Planting If he be a King he is none of the Peoples chusing when they seeme most to doe it He makes the King who communicates unto him Divine Power which is out of the Peoples reach who gives him Divine Titles Elohim Melech Messiah Christ Moshel The Lords Anointed not the People who cannot give what was never given them He that calls him before he is borne which they cannot till they see him nor foretell that any such shall be But when I see a Christian Prince against whose Title according to the Law of Nature for generations and generations there hath not been one amongst all the sons of men who could pretend a colour I suppose his Right in and through David and Solomon as firmly established by GOD as ever at the least theirs were and more then all his Subjects 7. I know whose voyce it is unto those who are lower then Kings Psal 75. 4. I said unto the Fooles Deale not madly and to the wicked Set not up your horne on high and speake not with stiffe necke for Promotion cometh neither from the East nor West but God is the Judge himselfe or alone he putteth downe one and setteth up another amongst all sorts of men Much more solicitous is his Election about him whom he sets up in his owne Seat by whom he sets up and pulls downe others by whom he dispenseth his favours or scattereth the coales of his wrath as Dan. 5. 18. God gave Nebuchadnezzar a Kingdome c. Ver. 19. And whom he would he slew and whom he pleased he kept alive and whom he would he set up and whom he would he put downe Ver. 20. But when his mind was lifted up and his heart hardened in pride c. Ver. 21. He was driven from the sons of men c. untill he knew that the most high God ruled in the Kingdoms Vide 2 Chro 20. 6. of men and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will and giveth it to the basest of men As was set forth Dan. 4. 14. 8. It is He who in Kingdomes established according to the Law of Nature gives the Titles of his owne Power and the Power of his Titles not the Law of Nature which neither adviseth nor warreth neither speaketh nor writeth in the Cause of GOD but is forced to cry out aloud in the cause of man and for private propriety whereas indeed it can but present Aptitude to the earthly Benefits and Dignities of this world It must be the living Deputy of the ever living GOD who must in the place of GOD actuate the votes and secure the well-wishes yea even from the Prerogative of God unto those who claime aloud by it for themselves It is the Law of the Enemy of Nature which cryes out to pull downe or to lessen the Power which GOD hath ratified and in the place thereof to set up Anarchy or something like it which the Devill cannot do without mans co-operation whom he cannot force whereas GOD can the other without him whom most ordinarily he will use But if man will enjoy the benefit of the Law of Nature he must doe the duty required by it what and to whom GOD hath by it enacted let him render that he may receive from God what he holdeth out by it He that robs Christ under colour of it shall lose Christ and the substance of it 9. But I desire not to retard this Discourse by intermixing of Metaphysicall Speculations concerning the glorious Singlenesse of the Divine Power in his Operations transcending the impurer Acts of created Man working never by his owne sometimes by the Power of Gods Enemy nor to direct the Question and fall upon the differencing of the Acts of God and of the Creature And therefore I shall draw no Arguments from hence desirous onely to have admitted First That the Law of Nature is as equall unto the Succession and Rights of Princes as to the Descent and Propriety of other men Secondly That the Providence of the God of Nature operateth as well and as faithfully towards them as others Thirdly No unwritten Text of the Law of Nature ought to be pretended against the written Word of God Fourthly That whereever God is recorded to have done otherwise then in his Law of Nature is prescribed there is ever some important Mystery included and if there be no reason expressed for that speciall Act that that is to be esteemed for the reason which God hath expressed elsewhere in Acts of the same nature to be the ground of his so doing in them 10. Now accordingly with modesty and sobriety to undertake the search why God having established by an everlasting Covenant his earthly
it CHAP. X. The Contents Kings are Gods chiefe Debters for the sinnes of the People not the High Court or High-priest The King to command others what he may not execute himselfe Kings the Protectors of Religion and Religion of them The celebrated Precedents of good Jewish Kings the best Commentary upon the Precepts of God for Kingship This was accounted Argument enough while we had to doe but with the Faction of Rome Reverence to the incomparable Works of Bishop Andrewes restraines the needlesse pressing of this invincible Argument His irrefragable Exemplification of Jehoshaphat's severalizing the matters of Ecclesiasticall and Politicall Cognizance And his constitution of the High Priest his chiefe Commissioner in Ecclesiasticals 1. THat which needeth not to be shall be short it being sufficiently proved that the Power of the King is the Irresistible Supreme earthly Power of GOD. Which Power Religion is so farre from lessening that it addes both Honour and strength thereunto and is the strongest of Obligagations to re-enforce that which the iniquity of the times makes it to impeach 2. Now for as much as throughout the Sacred Story GOD ever reckons unto the Kings the sinnes of the Times and never unto the Sanbedrin the highest of all Courts established as hath been shewed from the first beginning of any such with Power derived from the Prince and that meerly for the ease of the Princes burden no nor yet unto the High-priest the visible Head of a distinct Subordinate Power answerable unto the Maternal without which helper meet for him the Christian King cannot be well alone and whose Office is to traine up the Children begotten in Politicall Nature in his Image by Religious nurture for the making them morigerously conformable unto their Fathers Likenesse whom the Husband is to command though not to repudiate to enjoyne that she doe that which he is enjoyned not to doe himselfe witnesse the Exauctorating of King Saul by GOD and the Leprosie of Vzziah 2 Chron. 26. 21. 3. Neither of these to wit the High Court or High-Priest were ever blamed by God for their Non-resistance or not stirring up the People to make Resistance nor yet the People for sitting still and suffering the King uncontrollably to run his wicked race into Superstition and Idolatry so far forth that the change of the Kings mind was still the cause of the change of the Peoples Religion and the Peoples sinne herein throughout the whole Sacred Story was ever laid upon the King Which is an invincible Demonstration from the Effect that the King was the onely He entrusted by God with his Earthly Power for the restraining of such wickednesses and for the Protector of Religion the greatest and justest Adversary of those as well as of Resistance against the onely Supreme Ordinary Power by God set up to pull downe them and to set up and protect Religion 4. This Argument in the hands of our Worthies was ever accounted impregnable while we had to doe but with the opposing Roman Party in the more colourable Non-Supremacy of the King in Ecclesiasticalls The other part to wit in Temporals being never denyed by men accounted serious till now But this being proved will also carry the other along with it for feare of failing both are already done by the Precepts of God And that the Covenant of God between Him and Christian Princes was one and the same in and with the Contract plighted with the former People and the Kings thereof So that the Presidents of good Kings recorded in the Booke of God are for us for whom certainly they were written Declarations given us from God of what was meant in his compact between him and Kings amongst us 5. And certainly I shall never meet with any who will affirme and appear in it when he hath so done that we challenge more for Christian Kings who had the better part of the Charter then what in matter of Fact was apparently exercised either in Individuo or in Specie by the commended Kings of that Nation which is so discernable by all men that I will spare my Proofs till I see some need of them 6. Especially since in the maine concludent Part the worke is already done so that herein there is no need of any thing to be further added by one now asleep in the Lord and in the land of the Living not alive amongst the Dead to behold with heart-beheading sorrowes the shame and deaths of the present age The most Reverend and Incomparably Learned and Prudent Head which the latter times have brought forth that hath gone to peace Integro Funere the late Bishop of Winchester in his Tortura Torti A Booke as most worthy of the Publike view so no lesse with Scholler-like insight might it finde admittance made ready for it in our English Tongue 7. But I desire not to urge other mens Arguments and dare not out of Reverence which also will restraine mine hands in the next Chapter doe injury unto his by my weaknesse I shall only produce an observation of his 2 Chron. 19. upon which Kings ought to looke as upon a direction sent from GOD to them alone and all others to let it alone in their hands It is the pious Act of Jehoshaphat Ver. 5. constituting Judges who though amongst men were not to judge for man but for Jehovah those Judgements being the Lords and not the Peoples So also Ver. 8. his appointing of the sons of Levi for the dispatch of all differences in Points of Religion Between bloud and bloud as Deut. 17. 8. between Law and Commandement Statutes and Judgements And in Ver. 11. his distinguishing of their charges and sâ—tting Amariah the High-priest over all in all matters concerning the Lord and Zebadiah the Ruler of the House of Judah for all the Kings matters There being in Ecclesiasticals some things wherein all mankind besides have not so much to doe as the King alone and others wherein the King hath nothing at all to doe but onely to see them done as shall be justified in the second Book when I come to speake of the sin of Jeroboam in the handling the Power of Gods Likenesse CHAP. XI The Contents No new Light after the New Testament What was both before and under the Law dyed not with the Law but was confirmed by the Gospell Evangelicall Rules and Examples in this particular followed by Primitive Doctrine and Practice abundantly justified by others The Divine Power of Kings Saint John 10. 34. not sequestrable away by distinction from their Persons but to the prejudice of the Deity of Christ The Text of Psalme 82. 6. I my selfe have said You your selves are Gods and all of you the sons of Gnelion further cleered Our Saviours owne Argument from that Text. Further manifestations amply performed elsewhere not needed here Christs owne Assertion that Tributes and Customes were payed unto God in Caesar Neither Livelihood nor Life it selfe can countenance Self-preservation by Resistance of lawfull Princes in