7. and 6. 12. for yee have turned Iudgement into Worme wood and Gall and the fruit of righteousnes into hemlocke Iustice which of it selfe is the most pleasing and profitable thing in the world and which being tempered with mercie cures all the distempers and diseases in a Body politique was corrupted made most bitter to the oppressed and most abominable to God when men are undone by the Law which should preserve them And the Lawes were no better in Habakkuks time 1. 13 14 15. wherefore holdest thou thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he and makest them as the fishes of the Sea as the creeping things that have no ruler over them they take up all of them with the angle they catch them with their net gather theÌ„ in their drags therefore they rejoyee and are glad that as in the Sea the greater fishes devoure the lesser so a full pursed malicious plaintiffe or defendant wearies out his poore adversarie and right is conquered by might by meanes of those Angles Netts Draggs and Cobwebs and Rubbs that hang and Iye in the way and allies of Iustice preferring ceremonies formes and shaddowes before truths reallities and substances and Monarchs ever loved such wittie Iudges as could expound the Law that Iudgement should be given as his Imperiall Sacred Majestie desired and where the plaintiffs cause was so cleere that it was too grosse to give Iudgement against him then after Iudgement given for him to have such Councell as should finde a knot in a Bullrush an error in the proceedings to reverse the Iudgement and so the poore creature caught like a fish in a Net or a bird in the snare and the more he struggles to get out the faster hee is ensnared for he must pay costs to the defendant who unjustly keeps away his Land from him and if there be no such net or snare in one Court then he is brought into another because Law and Equity which should be the oearest friends in the world are many times together by the eares and it is hard reconciling them and being upon this subject let but the wisehearted consider what the Lord saith Esay 1. from the â—1 ver to the 18. verbatim so 5. 7. God looked for judgement but behold oppression for righteousnes but behold a cry God will at the length be cloyed as one is cloyed with meat which he loatheth and his stomack goeth against Prov. 27. 7. with the prayers and devotions of any Nation in the world that have not an expedient of quicke sure and cheape Iustice and will disown and spew out such a people though they be never so instant in prayer and by their instancie and importunities hope to speed Matth. 6. 7. yet his soule hateth them he abhores it from his very heart and take but that precious Text of Ier. 22. 15 16. did not thy father eat and drinke and doe Iudgement and Iustice and then it was well with him he judged the cause of the poore and needy then it was well with him was not this to know me saith the Lord Indeed a man would thinke that it should be easier to finde one good man that would even sacrifice his life to reputation and for the good of the people and so one good King for whom the people would even dare to dye Rom. 5. 7. and if Gods people had been left to any kinde of goverment which they should thinke best they might happily have intrusted some good man with a plenartie of power and have expected a blessing therein but Monarchie is against Gods institution and blessings are onely annexed to Gods Ordinances bread wine in the Sacrament are better to worke devotion then pompious toyes Images and Puppets are for carnall Gospellers sayes God when his people choose a King they reject him But does not Peter Paul call an absolut Monarchie Gods Ordinance I deny it for the power Legislative was in the Senate the Romans did never intrust any man by any Legall constitution to doe what he list without the peoples consent in the Senate Neroes cruelties were never with the peoples consent but sayes Paul to the poore Saints there you see what differences there are between the Caesars and the Senators who stand for the peoples Liberties in such a Case those that have the swords in their hands as the Emperors had the Millicia being at his dispose it is best for you to submit to them those to whom Peter wrote being strangers scattered by persecution were not to trouble themselves with State-matters no more then it had been proper for the Dutch or French Congregations that live quietly in London to have troubled themselves with the difference between the late King and the Parliament But may not people live happily in a mixt Monarchy where the King may have a prerogative in many things and yet the people enjoy their Liberties I say not for Monarchy and Liberty are inconsistent and incompatible Indeed an Apprentice that hath a good master may after a sort be said to be free but to speake properly he is a servant so if there should be a good King like a blacke swan the people may be lesse miserable for a season but it cannot hold long for every creature seeks its owne perfection which depending upon the destruction of one another they Act accordingly and therefore for any people to live in quiet it is necessary that they be totally slaves or wholly free and those Kings at first that promise or pretend to be satisfied with a mediocrity of power they doe not intend to rest there but that they may the more easily compasse what remaines and for my owne part when I heare many wise men speake of making peace with the King and tyeing him up so close to his Lawes that he should not be able to hurt the people I thought it was but a kinde of dissimulation to make people beyond Sea thinke him to be a great King and yet in effect to make him stand but for a cypher therefore I do much preferre the Spanish principle before the Scottish the first wishes that he had many lives to loose for his King and that hee had rather loose his life then question the Kings Iustice but the Scots contend for a King of Clouts meerely for the name of a King that must be whipt if he looke but awry keeping their Kings in as much awe as schoole-boyes for any people to live in slavery whenthey may be free is a basenes of spirit and for others to contend for a King and no King I meane a titular King without power not so much power as a High Constable hath to commit a night-walker is rather worse for God that hath punisht grosse profanenes in England and Ireland with rods will punish hypocrisie in Scotland with Scorpious But still versatill witts will be objecting what were all the former Emperors Tirants in the foure Monarchies or if so what
MONARCHY No creature of Gods making c. Wherein is proved by Scripture and Reason that Monarchicall Government is against the minde of God And that the Execution of the late King was one of the fattest sacrifices that ever Queen Iustice had Being a Hue and Cry after Lady Liberty which hath been ravished and stolne away by the Grand Potentates of the Earth Principally intended for the undeceaving of some honest hearts who like the poore Iewes cry give us a King though they smart never so much for it By IOHN COOKE late of Grayes Inne Esquire Chief Iustice of the Province of Munster in Ireland Hosea the 8. and 4. They have set up Kings but not by me they have made them Princes but I knew it not O Israel O England Thou wouldst have destroyed thy selfe but in God is thy help he will be thy King Hos the 13. 9-10 I gave thee a King in mine anger took him away in my wrath Printed at Waterford in Ireland by Peter de Pienne in the yeare of our Lord God 1651. To the Supreame Authoritie of the three Nations the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England Most Renowned Senators who like the Heavenly bodyes having for many yeares been in continuall motion for your Countreyes good have by Gods blessing upon your unwearied labours after so many Hericanes by vertue of the Act of May 9. 1649. brought the Ship of State to Anchor into its desired haven and setled that forme of Government which was appointed for Gods peculiar people who chose a man of every Tribe a head of a house Captaines of Thousands and of Hundreds famous Choyce and mighty men of vallor Chief of the fathers of the Children of Israel to assemble at Ierufalem in publique Councells 1 Numb 4. 2 Chron. 1. 2. and 5. 2. a Commonwealth and free State governed by their Representatives in Parliament and such whom they shall appoint for the good of the People of which blessed Statute 〈◊〉 onely say this that since the Apostles dayes there was never more Divinitie Reason and Eloquence in any writing for as it is said of humility it is not onely a vertue but a ground worke for a vessell that containes all the rest so this Statute is that only Law of the Medes Persians that is unchangeable consequently above the Law makers for a free people may not make themselves subject to any mortall man that rule of my Lord Bacons that the supreme power may not binde but dissolve it selfe being to be understood from Monarchy to a free State but not from liberty to slavery But I observe that few understand the true ground and reason of it looking no further then at the wickednes of Kings their oppressing burdening impoverishing and enslaving the people and so make it an Act of selfe-love to ease themselves in casting their riders as if good Kings might be tollerated who giving the people many good words and some few good Acts of grace enslave them faster as the Sun sooner takes away the travellers cloake then the winde like those which we call good witches that seeme to cure one that they may without suspicion bewitch twenty whereas if any man shall aske why hath the Parliament abolished the Kingly office in England and Ireland the answer is because God commanded them so to doe that it was not out of any affection of change nor yet onely for the ease of the People but from a Divine precept and consciencious principle in the faithfull discharge of their duty to God and man that for any people willingly to suffer Monarchy is to make themselves wiser then God who hath told us that there are no Lawes so righteous as those which it pleased him to give to his Elech People to be governed by Deut. 4. 7. For what Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Iudgement so righteous as all this Law that I set before you this day the very first of which Lawes was that wise men and understanding knowne to be such among the Tribes should be Rulers and heads of the people Deut. 1. 13. An Elective Aristocracie being a principle in nature for wise men to governe ignorants as parents their little children that cannot order themselves for I can finde no other ground whereon the conscience of a Christian can rest with any satisfaction but the Law of God hee whose Conscience beares him witnesse that he would have had no hand in the Kings Death no finger in the change of the goverment but in a dutifull conformity to the Law of God from the Divine authority which not to have done had been flat Rebellion against God and a contempt of his holy Law sleeping and waking will be at rest that to have made an agreement with him had been but to put a Crowne of Gold upon him and a Crowne of thornes upon Iesus Christ the saving of him had been the beheading of all holines and righteousnes the sparing of him would have been of far more mischievous consequence then the sparing of Agag and if the life of the Parliament and therein the lives of all honest people had not gone for his Certainely never can any true Christian that would have taken in his interest be quiet in his Conscience without repentance Iudge Fortescue chap. 5. hath a story of a Gentlewoman at Salisbury who being accused by her owne man for murdering her husband was upon his oath without any further proofe condemned and burnt to ashes but within a yeare after it was discovered that the Accuser was the murderer who cleered his Mistris though too late but the Iudge who suffered the Iury to finde her guilty upon a single proofe not informing them what proofe was necessary the Law of God requiring two witnesses at the least in such cases Num. 35. 30. who so killeth any person the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses but one witnesse shall not testify against any person to cause him to dye was so troubled in minde that he confessed that he should never be able to cleere his conscience of that fact You that professe your selves to be Christians and yet would have taken in the Interest of a murderer who was the principle Author Contriver Abettor and Countenancer of the effusion of somuch Innocent Blood Rapines devastations depredations and desolations in England Ireland and Scotland for an unjust prerogative read the next verse 31. yee shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer which is guilty of death but he shall surely be put to death and know that it is onely the blood of Iesus Christ which cleanseth us from all sin that can purge you from that sin which calls for repentance in all sorts of people Levit. 4. 2. 27. And certainly if that Iudge was haunted with the Ghost of that Gentlewoman for an omission in his dutie in manner as aforesaid or per adventure for not giving strict charge to the Iury to enquire
cause to thinke that the Lord was highly displeased with those that would have made peace with the late King read but 1 Sam 12. from the 16. to the 22. and it is all one to say that God is the Author of Monarchy as that he is the Author of sin for the blessed spirit which cannot lye calls it a great wickednes the people call it their evill and Samuel sayes they have done all this wickednes yet feare not for the Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people and he promises to pray for them ver 23. as if Monarchy was such a great sin that if it had not beene that the Lord will not truly destroy his owne people Psal 89. 33. Exod. 32. 12. for what would the Egyptians then have said hee would never have pardoned it for a Iust rationall Goverment is one of the things that is of the greatest concernement in the world but is it not said 1 Sam. 15. 9 10 11. that God set up Saul to be King true but no otherwayes then he set up Pharoah to oppresse his own people but Saul and the people spared Agag and the fatlings which was Sauls disobedience and observe for what Saul lost the Kingdome the people will have a King though he erre but in mercy saying it is more noble to save him whom wee may destroy then to kill him whom wee may save alive and the best of the Sheep and the Oxen spared for sacrifice unto the Lord and confessed his sinne v. 24. Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned for I have transgressed the Commandement of the Lord and thy words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice 25. Now therefore I pray thee pardon my sin turne againe with me that I may worship the Lord 26. And Samuel said unto Saul I will not returne with thee for thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord and the Lord hath rejected thee from being King over Israel 27. and as Samuel turned about to goe away hee laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle and it rent 28. and Samuel said unto him the Lord hath rent the Kingdome of Israel from thee this day and hath given it to a neighbour of thine that is better then thou 29. and also the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that should repent 30. then he said I have sinned yet honour mee now I pray thee before the Elders of my people and before Israel and turne againe with mee that I may worship the Lord thy God 31. so Samuel turned againe after Saul and Saul worshipped the Lord what would not the mercifull God of Israel pardon the King of Israel an error in mercy being but too pittifull to spare a great man that happily might have repented that confest his sin prayed for pardon that he might worship the Lord that prayed againe for pardon of that particular sinne and did worship the Lord accordingly that was annointed 1 Sam. 10. 1. in token of the giftes and graces of Gods spirit and kist by Samuel for congratulation and homage 1 Kings 19. 18. Psal 2. 12. it speaks aloud to me that the Lord was very angry at Monarchicall Goverment and that Kings when they have possest themselves of such a God-like state and Immense powers Incompetible almost with humanitie not only by force and usurpation but by the peoples consent or election as Saul was the people shouted and said God save the King 1 Sam. 10. 24. and Chap. 11. 15. 't is said that the people made Saul King and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoyced greatly yet one offence and that a small matter in comparison though no sin be little that is committed against the great God makes a Monarch to forfeit all his Royalties for when people either for feare or through the vanity or pride of heart will tye themselves by Oathes or Covenant to be in subjection to any man the Scripture tells them that God is angry with them for giving away that libertie which he would have them keep and if they breake their trust never so little they may plucke them downe and choose godly and Iudicious men to rule over them in the feare of the Lord certainly Saul was a Saint in comparison of the pretenders to Monarchy in our dayes He sins in mercy not in cruelty confessed his sin never used any means to be King but hid himselfe as unwilling and unworthy to be King ventured his life most freely for the people was not guilty of Innocent Blood as we read of unles it were in the case of the Priests 1 Sam 22. 19. tooke the newes of his rejection from Samuel patiently acknowledged divine Iustice in all and would not have a man suffer that denyed his title to the Crown as in the place before alledged How unlike was Saul to Charles the last but by Solons law no evill is to be spoken of the dead least quarrells should be immortall He hath appealed to a higher Tribunall where no error will be found in the sentence pronounced against him but all that had a hand and acted in that execution from a consciencious principle to be rid of Tiranny and oppression in discharge of their duties to God and man Not for any sinister end to make themselves great but faithfully to serve their generation will have much cause of rejoycing therein at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and many Iudgments given in severall Courts shall be reversed but that undoubtedly will be confirmed Object But it is strongly objected for Monarchy that God accepted David it is said of him 1 King 15. 4. 5. Nevertheles for Davids sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Ierusalem to set up his Son after him and to establish Ierusalem because David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save onely in the matter of Vriah the Hittite Ans Gods choosing David was no approbation of the Kingly office in him more then in Saul God never said that Davids office was after his own heart unles sin and great wickednes be after Gods heart God gave Saul gifts he had a spirit of Regiment the Israelites were resolved to have a King as the Heathens had whether God would or not let them have one sayes God at their own perills when the King was good and governed them as the good Iudges did and would give an account to the people a reason of all his actions Then God had his will and the people had their wils to have the name of a King but the Nature of good magistrates and certainly I have thought many times upon the late troubles that if I durst have asked any thing in the world contrary to the minde of God
his father charged the people with the oath wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipt it in a hony-combe and put his hand to his mouth and his eyes were enlightned then answered one of the people and said thy father strictly charged the people with an oath saying cursed be the man that eateth any food this day and the people were faint then said Ionathan my father hath troubled the land see I pray you how mine eyes hath been enlightned because I tasted a little of this hony ver 30. how much more if happily the people had eaten freely to day of the spoyle of their enemies which they found for had there not been now a much greater slaughter amongst the Philistins 'T is a cruell saw we had kild more if we had eaten Ionathan was a gracious man and had a sweet spirit for goverment and Ionathan said to the young man that bare his armour come and let us goe over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised it may be that the Lord will worke for us for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few As gallant Caleb said Ios 14. 12. If so be the Lord will be with me then I shall be able to drive out the Anakims but nothing would satisfie Saul but the life of Ionathan and the execution of a cruell law and that against nature for hungry men not to eat food which in the Hebrew is bread now bread being not hony and that being a penall law it ought to have been taken strictly and so Ionathan not guilty for a penall statute is not to be extended by equity for the oath was much better broken then kept but the people had more wit then to suffer Ionathan to be put to death ver 45. nor was Ionathan legally guiltie because hee was not present when the law was made ver 3. and 17. nor had any notice of it and such lawes that are not consonant to the lawes of nature are not obligatorie without full and perfect notice and proclamation thereof made to the people and in that the Lord did not answer Saul ver 37. It was because he was angry with him for his rash oaths he being given to swearing ver 44. and it appeares chap. 28. ver 6. 16. that Gods not answering is a signe of anger though Saul suspected Gods silence was for some hidden sinne therefore would cast a lot ver 7. sayes God to Samuel I am chief King thou art my Minister I rule by thee therefore they have rejected me in casting off a just goverment free from Tiranny and oppression which my soule abhorrs for God is King over all the earth hee keepes the supreme power to himselfe it is his prerogative onely to give no accompt of his Actions to any creature and yet in love he is pleased to condescend to poore creatures and makes out the reason of his administrations and the Image of God consists in Holines Iustice Mercy and Goodnes which is a goverment of a divine originall it comes from heaven and hath a tendancie thither and those that are my governors have such graces and gifts of my holy Spirit signified by powring on of oyle upon the heads of the rulers as being necessary graces for priests Prophets and Kings but the Israelites would not let the Lord to keep the power in his owne hand to appoint what governor and goverment he pleased Therefore observe in the next place what course does Ieroboam take to establish his Kingdome hee thinks to strengthen himselfe by the Idolatry of the two Calves the people will revolt from me sayes Ieroboam unles I make them two Calves of gold and say behold thy Gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt Monarchs care not what they doe though they destroy even the soules of millions of people to maintaine their pompe and glory make the people believe sayes he that these Calves which were made but yesterday brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt ver 27. If they sacrifice they will turne to Rehoboam Kings feare that pietie to God will draw away peoples hearts from thē Monarchs delight wickedly to keep the people in grosse ignorance and how foolish was this Ieroboam 1 Kings 14. to send his wife disguised to the Prophet Ahijah to know whether his son should recover as if the Prophet could tell the greater and not find out the wifes disguisement Ideots Minors Murderers any are good enough and will serve to be Kings marke therefore what becomes of King Ieroboam 1 Kings 14. ver 10. 11. Therefore behold I will bring evill upon the house of Ieroboam and will cut off from Ieroboam him that pisseth against the wall and him that is shut up and left in Israel and will take away the remnant of the house of Ieroboam as a man takes away dung till it be all gone him that dyeth of Ieroboam in the City shall the doggs eat and him that dyeth in the fields shall the foules of the aire eat for the Lord hath spoken it but if onely guiltie Kings might be punisht it were no great matter but the poore people must be destroyed for their Kings wickednes ver 15. 16. for the Lord shall smite Israel as a reed is shaken in the water and he shall root up Israel out of this good land which hee gave to their fathers and shall scatter them beyond the river because they have made their groves provoking the Lord to anger ver 16. and hee shall give Israel up because of the sins of Ieroboam who did sin and who made Israel to sin blessed Lord it was Ieroboam that made the groves high places and not the people but when the people choose a King what he does is reputed their Act they doe it by him as the whole body sees heares by the organs of the eares and eyes what a sad consideration is it that Gods people should be destroyed for the sinne of the Kings of Israel let them smart sayes the Lord a King they will have then there was warre betweene Rehoboam and Ieroboam all their dayes 1 Kings 14. 30 which the spirit of God reiterates Chap. 15. 6. as if Kings delighted in nothing but wars about prerogatives precedencie or such triviall matters the poore people must shed their precious blood loose their lives not onely temporall but hazard their inestimable soules for as the tree falls so it lies their Wives and Children utterly destroyed and all to attaine and satisfie the ambitious designes and wicked lusts of proud imperious men that set all on flame to warme themselves as if God had made Bees to make hony onely for the Drones poore men onely to be as the wooll in the breach to receive Cannon and Musquet bullets and yet when the world is in love and bowells of pittie jogged wakened out of this pleaseing dreame they are angry with their
all the Cities and thy Iudges of whom thou saidst give me a King and Princes I gave thee a king in mine anger and tooke him away in my wrath no king but Iesus And Esay the 1. holds it out fully what Goverment they shall have when they have repented Not Monarchy but by good Iudges and Councellors ver 12. how is the faithfull City become an harlot it was full of judgement righteousnes lodged in it but now murderers so long as they had their good Samuels Iustice was like a mighty streame but when they would have a king like the Heathens then men were made offenders for a word if any man stand in the way of the kings domination the kings Iudges for money would condemne him as in the case of Naboth for his vineyard ver 23 thy Princes are Rebellious and companions of theeves therefore ver 25. when the Iewes shall be converted sayes the Lord I will take away the tin of Monarchy and I will restore thy Iudges as at the first and thy Councellors as at the beginning afterwards thou shalt be called the City of righteousnes the faithfull Citie there are hopes now that England Ireland and Scotland may be faithfull Cities the drosse and Tin of Monarchy being happily purged away the Lord tells them againe of their sin in choosing kingly Goverment in the dayes of Hezekiah Hos 8. 3. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good the enemy shall pursue him ver 4. they have set up Kings but not by me they have made Princes and I knew it not did any Royalist ever thinke that God makes the sin of Monarchy equall to Idolatry as there he does but let any Royalist if he can shew me one word of approveing or commending kingly office or Regall Goverment in Scripture And when God redeemed them from the Babylonish captivity and gave them Ezra who was a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses Ezra 7. 6. he speaks not one word of the commendations of Kingly goverment nor yet Nehemiah who was the Kings cup-bearer 1 Nehe. 11. a most active and zealous instrument for Gods service speaks not a word of Kingly power to be of God but chap. 6. 6. 7. Sauballat and Tobiah enemies to reformation sent a letter to Nehemiah that it was reputed that he intended to make himselfe King and appointed Prophets to preach him up King at Ierusalem but Nehemiah sent word that there was no such thing but it was feigned by craft and pollicie to hinder the worke of God and ver 13. sayes Nehemiah they would have made me afraid and to have sinned that they might have matter for an evill report that they might reproach me and was not this the very language of the Malignants that the Parliament intended to make themselves Kings and many other false accusations raised against them to discourage weaken their hands from the worke but blessed be God that hath maintained a spirit of Christian fortitude in our good Nehemiahs ver 11. shall such men as wee doe good works by the halfes God forbid the Lord thinke upon his servants both in Parliament and Army for good according to all that they have done and suffered And so Haggai 2. 22. prophesies of overthrowing the throne of kingdomes and the strength of the kingdomes of the heathens and the chariots and those that ride in them but not a tittle in any of the Prophets whereby the lawfulnes of Monarchy may be gathered or maintained if the goverment were lawfull why should the Lord destroy it and if it must be destroyed from amongst the heathen people that are ignorant of God and rationall rather in habit then in act certainely God is exceeding angry with his owne people for suffering Monarchs to Lord it over them when they have a power in their hands to subdue them Object But was not Iesus Christ borne in the dayes of Augustus Caesar who had so great a power that all the world was taxed in his dayes Luk 2. 1. and did not Ioseph and Mary of their own accord goe up from Galilee into Iudea to be taxed and is not subjection commanded to the Roman Emperors that were some of thē monsters of men and that even for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. nay did not Iesus Iesus Christ himselfe worke a miracle to pay tribute for himselfe and Peter for Caesars service Ans First concerning that of Rom. 13. I marvaile that any man that hath but a dram of ingenuitie will object it for it is as cleere as cristall that the Magistrates there which are not to be resisted are such as command just things and forbid the contrary that are not a terror to good works but to the evill for the Law is not made for the righteous man 1 Tim. 1. 9. Hee that punishes a man for doeing good is no more to be obeyed by any command from God then Satan is If God should suffer any people to be spiritually possest or obsest by the Divell the Scripture sayes that in such cases onely spirituall reasons are to be used this kinde of burning drowning and persecution goeth not out but by prayer and fasting Matth. 17. 15. 21. but when rulers are possest with a spirit of crueltie hunting and thirsting after the blood liberties and estates of honest people they are not to crouch under such burthens with an asinine patience but to quit themselves like men and purchase their freedome at any rate for no remedy can be so bad as such a disease If it should be intended of Religion then Nero might have compelld Christians to worship the Sun and the Apostles had find in Acts 5. and if it should be construed of a submission in Civill matters that is to arme sin by a Commission against the law but the question is whether Monarchicall Government have any footing or Divine approbation in Scripture for God is not obliged to hinder sin and oppression but he approves it not there is a plaine and direct prohibition against it my people shall not have a King sayes the Lord but we will have a King say they t is your great sin and wickednes to aske a King sayes the Lord but let us have one at our owne perills say they as the poore Iewes said in another cause his blood be upon us and our children let us have a King though wee smart never so much and pay never so deere for it the people are made sensible of their sin in asking a King and crave pardon for their rejecting God and a rationall Goverment against which expresse inhibition and charter in that 1. Sam 8. Some interences are made of the lawfulnes of Monarchy in generall which yet if it were lawfull as it can never be evinced being against reason amongst the Heathens yet it is no argument that it is lawfull amongst Gods people because of that Divine injunction that they shall not imitate the goverment nor manners of unbelievers but that which Paul by
to the malignants in England specially such as make any Consciencious scruples about great Mutations there is nothing will so soone win their hearts and settle their mindes in conformitie to the present government as the Regulating of the Course of Iustice which belongs to all men as men onely and not as Christians it is not the force of power but the force of reason that conquers hearts and certainely as the spring is best for purging naturall bodyes so is the spring of a Commonwealth the most proper season for rectifying bodyes politique when the wheeles of Reformation are well oyled and in a true motion no man thinks himselfe a looser though he suffer in his particular because the publique is a gainer and it is but the Law and necessity of the times but let that motion cease and the clock stand a while there comes a rust it is difficult to raise the Bell in ringing and that which before would have been counted a just and necessary reformation will be called by persons interested in point of lucre a dangerous innovation But it is not in Law as it is in Religion It was great wisedome to put downe and extirpate the Hierarchy before any order or government was agreed upon but if there were ten grievances for one in the Law it would be lesse mischievous to Continue them all then to have no Law at all for should the force of the Law be suspended but one day scarce a man living but hath some enemy or other that would destroy him in body or estate in that time Nor is it lawfull for any Iudge but onely for the supreme authority to remove a stone which is ill placed in the building Lawes that are made by publique consent are not to be judged or censured by any but the Law makers because by them all judgement is made as Iustice which is to doe reason to every man is the end of the Law so the Law must be the rule of that Iustice a Iudge must not judge of Lawes but according to Lawes and no man must be wiser then the Law are excellent maximes the Law is the hedge of every State and he that breaks downe the hedge shall be bitten with Serpents I consesse it would be most honorable for the Reverend Iudges and learned practisers of the Law to present an expedient to that good effect and to doe it so effectually as to challenge all rationall knowing men to finde out a better Men that travaile a Road daily can the best tell every deep and dangerous step in it it is no such hard matter to observe where and how honest causes many times miscary and dye for want of formall and Regular proceedings occasioned through the want of friends or money as many poore sicke people dye for want of looking to it is no such hard matter to discover the defects and errors in a mans profession nor to propound an expedient for Civill Iustice to satisfy every honest man without hurting any mans person or destroying him in his livelyhood onely pareing the nayles of some superfluities but as there was no light in the beginning till the Lord was pleased to say Let there be light which was not onely an imparative but an operative word so in the infancie of a Commonwealth every thing is to be done in order as many a man may lye long sicke without any fault in the Physician physique or patient so may it be in a body Politique weighty stones require a long time to be layd in a building sometimes the impatience of the sicke Patient records and hinders the cure I crave leave to say a word in faithfulnes to the Reverend and learned practisers of the Law my honored Fathers and beloved Brethren this is my opinion of us if we be like the willow that will bow and bend and help forward a reformation purely to purge the drosse and to take away all the Tin that is in our profession by rooting up those unnecessary delayes which are like pricking bryers and brambles about the Vine of Iustice retayning but what is morall and rationall Iudging that to be Law which is a decree of practique reason agreeing with the Law naturall and eternall then shall we be Iudges as at the first Counsellors as at the beginning I say in that case we live but if we be like the Oake that will rather break then bow if we stand upon the Excellency and the Antiquity of our Lawes because they came in with the Romans and were never altered by Danes Saxons or Normans then it is death and so it will be of all other professions or misteries where people finde themselves grieved and straitned in their liberties what ever questions may be made as what will you destroy the Law if they cannot untye the knot they will cut it they will have a Law but it shall be for their owne good and so plaine that they may understand it els they will not be bound by it the Law is but a servant to the Commonwealth if it be found inconvenient or mischievous in Theorie or practise it must be changed and no doubt but many formalities and ceremonies must be buried in the sepulcher of Monarchy many old formes and cursary observations which exalt themselves must like the Ceremoniall Lawes of the Iewes vanish and dissolve a learned Iudge shall not be directed in making Orders or giveing Rules by the ancientest Clarke but what is morall rationall and equitable according to the judgement of Godly learned men shall be the Tract and Course of every Court and Law and Equity which are the greatest antagonists in the world shall be made friends and looke the same way I say not in substance but many ceremonies and formallities in the practise of the Law must vanish upon the settlement of the Commonwealth upon its true Basis even as the old shadowes and Legall ceremonies of the Iewes did disappeare and vanish at the coming of the substance but wee know that there was much strugling to maintaine them and the Apostles did not absolutely condemne such as were zealous for their old practises they thought it better to temporize a little and to give the Ceremonies a decent funerall gradually as the people were able to leave it rather then to struggle too much and destroy all that are contrary minded and Pauls councell in the 15. of the Acts is full of divine wisedome that where God hath put no difference betweene Christians but purified their hearts by faith they should not oppresse one another through difference of opinions though it was about a great ordinance a Scripture that should make many Christians ashamed for refusing to joyne walke with such in Christian societies that are not in every thing alike minded with them all honest Patriots and faithfull servants to the Commonwealth are not happily of the same judgement about the Reformation of the Lawes and setling the course of the practise yet
which may not be mee thinks it should have been the continuance of a Kingly Goverment in England to have had the preeminence and power in one Good Gracious Iust Mercifull Valiant Faithfull and Patient Man as a Moses or a Iob Iehosophat Iosiah or Hezekiah that would dye for the people A Christian that like his Saviour Iesus Christ goes about doeing good Acts 10. 28. that makes it his trade to relieve the poore people the father lesse and widow and such as are oppressed and his recreation to sit down at night and thinke upon it and that day which he hath done no good in he counts it lost A man whose maine resolution of his soule is to know God as accounting it the most honorable thing in the world for the Creature to know its Creator that counts it his chiefest good to promote the glory of God to doe good if it were possible to every visible object and living creature at least to pray for them A man that loves the Saints as his owne soule for Christs sake knowing he will reward him and puts forward every good motion withall his might that will renounce his owne honour and become of no reputation and thinke himselfe highly honored if by the meanest office of love he may be serviceable to any specially to the Elect if such a man had a plenartie of power to doe what he pleased without controle from a blessed principle of love to God what aboundance of good might an E. 6. have done had his dayes been numerous whom God onely shewed to the world and recalled him as not worthy of him I say what aboundance of good might one such rare incomparable person doe in a short time when great Councells can move like great bodyes but slowly but this is but worldly wisedom to be wise above what is written for man to be wiser then God who sayes it is dangerous to trust any single person though never so singular with an unlimitted power for the best men are but men at the best and there is no grace but may be counterfeit he that seemes to be a Paul to day may be a Saul to morrow the heart of man is deceitfull above all things and the very conceit of such a power is enough to corrupt the best man living therefore the best goverment is to have Princes of the congregation godly righteous men to be chosen governors and Iudges a Iosua to lead and conduct their Armies against their Enemies which Iob calls a King in the Army Iob 29. 25. is a sweet text for a generall I sat chief and direct as a King in the Army as one that comforteth the mourners V. 11. to 18. When Iob was compassed about with extraordinary honors and seated in the Assembly of other Easterne Princes sat in the Chaire those honors entred not into his soule but his thoughts were taken up about the afflicted and miserable such as were in a mournefull condition his soule was with their soules to alleviate and ease his distressed Countrey men by bearing part of their burden his greatest coverousnes was to enrich the poore and the desire of comforting them was always the strongest of his passions and so the people are not to be led up and downe by the noses but the Magistrates are to open their eyes who are very sensible of their own good and this is the minde of God and great designe of Heaven to governe the world by rationall men as hee enlightens it by the sun for Reason is the soule of all things sublunary and the life of all Iust human lawes without exception by this reason no man in the world ought to challenge a power unaccomptable over others for the people are more immediatly the originall of all Iust power then any King ever was of a Constables authority And ought to be accountable by the same reason for offences against the Publique good as a Constable for his offence but it is not the name of a King but the boundlesse power which I argue against though the Romans for the insolence of Tarquin would not endure the name if any people shall place the Legislative power in Parliamentary authority and give unto one man the Title of King for their better correspondency with forraigne Kingdomes with no more power to hurt the people then the Duke of Venice or the Duke of Genoa have such a goverment may be Iust and Rationall but Domination is a sweet morsell let all States take heed how any man growes too popular engrosses too much power into his hands Object But many object that Paul and David being annointed by Gods speciall command that their office was pleasing unto God Ans I agree that Annointing does generally imply that God accepts of such persons and things that are so annointed by his command but observe that God and the people were of a contrary minde in that Action God appointed and annointed Saul as a Captain to goe before them to defend them from the Tyranny of the Philistines 1 Sam. 9. 15. 16. and Chap. 14. 47. So Saul tooke the Kingdome over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side against Moab and against the Children of Ammon and against Edom and against the Kings of Zobah and against the Philistines and whithersoever he turned himselfe he vexed them but the people tooke it as an accomplishment of their desires to have a King as the Nations had which power God gave him not but told the people that hee would make them cry Chap. 8. 18. And yee shall cry out in that day because of your King which yee shall have chosen you and the Lord will not heare you in that day and wee read 2 Sam. 21. That they had three yeares famine for Sauls wickednesse because hee had slaine the Gibeonites in his zeale to the Children of Israel it is a golden Scripture sufficient to satisfie an Iron age of men that are so stupid to thinke that Kings and their Children are not to be executed for murders vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. 9. then there was a famine c. and so did Iob 4. 10 11. The roaring of the Lion and the voice of the fierce Lion and the teeth of the young Lions are broken the old Lion perisheth for lacke of prey and the stout Lions whelps are scattered abroad I judge the meaning of it to be that men who raigne like Lions Kings and great ones who under the face of men carry the hearts of Tygers and their Children who equall them in and inherit their fathers crueltie and their wives who surpasse them in Insolence and Marian persecntions must all receive such punishments as their sins deserve they end their lives tragically heaven hath and will make it seene in their persons that it never leaves cruelties without chastisement as there shall be no Innocent ones abandoned so the greatest persons that are culpable shall not be unpunished such as plough iniquity and sow wickednes
Monitor and hee that is a friend to publique libertie is counted an enemy to Cesar poore Turks Russians and Europian slaves that delight rather in servitude then freedome and like spannells fawne upon those that most beat them and are sorry that they have but one life to loose for the glory of their Soveraigne well after Ieroboam and Rehoboam there was warre betweene Asa King of Iudah and Baasha King of Israel all their dayes 1 Kings 15 16. 32. and see what became of Baasha 1 Kings 16. 1. Then the Word of the Lord came to Iehu the sonne of Hanani against Baasha saying for as much as I exalted thee out of the dust and made thee prince over my people Israel and thou hast walked in the way of Ieroboam and hast made my people Israel to sin to provoke me to anger with their sins behold I will take away the posteritie of Baasha and the posteritie of his house and will make thy house like the house of Ieroboam the son of Nebat him that dyeth of Baasha in the City shall the dogs eat and him that dyeth in the fields shall the fowles of the aire eat Then Elah succeeds Baasha he being druncke was killed by Zimri who made himselfe King 1 Kings 16. 9. Where Monarchies have been elective or gotten by force or fraud what hath been alwayes held the best way to secure the new Monarch in his throne but by dedestroying the family of his predecessor Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha left him not one that pissed against the wall neither of his kinsfolks nor of his friends 1 Kings 16. 11. As the Popes alwayes glory to rescinde and repeall the Acts of their predecessors what bloody butchers have Kings Popes ever been if any man stand in their way let his name be blotted out then Omri was chosen King and besieged Zimri in Tirzah Zimri becomes desperate sets the house on fire and burnes himselfe ver 17. 18. and ver 25. this Omri wrought evill in the sight of the Lord and did worse then all that were before him Ahab his sonne succeeded him and ver 30. Then Ahab the son of Omri did evill in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him so that 1 Kings 21. 25. there was none like unto Ahab which sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord whom Iezebel his wife stirred up and therefore whereas the practise of the primitive Christians is objected that they prayed for the healths and prosperitie of the heathen Roman Tirants that persecuted them here you may see the reason thereof they knew that if one Tirant died a more cruell one would succeed as the poore woman having had three cruell Landlords successively haveing wisht the death of the two former prayed earnestly for the long life of the third and being demanded a reason thereof answered that the last is alwayes the worst and if this should dye certainly the next would be the divell for a more cruell Tiger there could not be in a human shape then the third was but concerning the Primitive Christians that were as the Lords garden hedged in with his protection it pleased God sometimes to take away the hedge and to let the wild beasts in they saw that through many tribulations and persecutions in the world they must enter into the Kingdome of heaven and finding that Antichrist was to be their greatest and the most cruell enemy to the Church of God and that he could not get into the throne during the raigne of the Roman Emperors who hindred him as it is 2 Thess 2. 7. 8. therefore they prayed for the prosperity of the Dragon for the fourth Monarchy Dan. 7. 7. is generally interpreted to be the Roman Empire which is described to be very terrible and dreadfull and exceeding strong it had three iron teeth it devoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue with the feet of it and if this heathen Empire was taken away the poore Christians knew that the same power must be given to the beast Anti-Christ Revel 13. And therefore it were better for them to have it continue but it is most admirable to observe that the great Monarchies of the world viz. Babylonians Persians Grecans and Romans should be set out and described by foure beasts it shewes unto us that those that are most highly esteemed by the men of the world are but as beasts in the sight of God that the great King of Kings who rules in Equity and Righteousnes over all the world looks upon the great Nimrods and Monarchs of the world with a most contemptible eye counts them no better then the most ravenous creatures that are suffered a little to rage for the punishment of wicked men when the Lord sayes that the beast shall devoure his people It is the King of Asiria and his wicked Cavaliers and therefore God threatens to deale with him as with a beast I am against thee O Gog the chief Prince of Mesbech and Tubal Ezek. 38. 2. 4. I will put a hooke in thy jawes and so the Lord threatned to put a hooke in the nostrills of Senacherib the King of Asiria and a bridle in his lips Esa 37. 29. because of his rage and his tumult it was fit to use him as a beast and marke how contemptibly God speaks of the great King of Babylon and his numerous Army Ioel 2. 20. his stincke and ill savor shall come up the Spirit of God gives no other Epithet then a stincking King an unsavorie prince and David speaking of Saul and his Courtiers Psal 59. 6. 7. 8. as if he had predicted the deportments and behaviours of the malignants about such time as the late King was Iusticed their nocturnall whisperings in Tavernes and Conventicles against the State and such as are Godly in the Land they returne at evening they make a noise like a dog and goe round about the City behold they belsh out with their mouths swords are in their lips for who say they doth heare but thou O Lord shalt laugh at them thou shalt have all the heathens in derision ver 14. at evening let them returne and let them make a noise like a dog and goe round about the City and therefore Gods people may rejoyce in the Lord as in ver 16. 17. But we will sing of thy power yea wee will sing of thy mercy in the morning for thou hast been our defence and refuge in the day of trouble unto thee our strength will wee sing for God is our defence and the God of our mercie Indeed he was the song of the drunkards Psal 69. 12. but now to be compared to a beast is worse then to be so by nature for it is no dishonor to a hog to be called so for it is but to be as God made it but for a man to make himselfe a beast is the corruption of the creature the worst deformitie that can be in the world and
be might be sufficient to convince the Iewes of their unbeliefe and that the Messias is come because the scepter is so long since departed from Iudah they have had no King of their Nation but have been many yeares as a scattered people though happily their dispersion hath been their preservation for had they not found favour amongst many Princes and to live quietly under them they might in all probability have been destroyed and in a worse condition then they are if there were not some malice and imbitterednes of spirit amongst them against Christians it being so pregnant a Scripture that a more cleere and expresse Text cannot be imagined so we may safely conclude from the forementioned Scriptures that if there were not much malignitie in the hearts of people they must needs be convinced that Monarchy was never any ordinance of God but an invention of wicked men acted by the spirit of Satan being content to Idolize one Tirant that themselves might tirannize over many and whereas it is called a Human Ordinance 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreme that is either to be intended of a King that is guided and directed by his Parliaments or Counsells who in cases of Competition must yeeld to them with such power as a Duke of Venice or Geneva may have or else it is an agreement and constitution of Irrationall people a nation delighting rather in servitude then freedome and those ancient Scholasticks Phylosophers which made such learned arguments of the best kinde of Goverment whether Monarchy Aristocracy or Democracy were to be preferred many holding that Monarchy ought to have the preeminence specially where Kings were good men Certainely they did not intend it of absolute unaccountable Monarchs for Aristoteles King was no more then a Duke of Venice greater then any one but lesse then all the Prince of Orenge had two votes in Counsell which yet was more then right reason allowes for that saying of his that Nature makes Kings is meant that nature makes men valiant wise and amiable qualified for Kingly power or else being such that studied Books more then men did not understand the end of government and being little acquainted with those many provocations that the best of Monarchs have to degenerate into Tiranny and the strong temptations that they have to satisfie their sinfull appetites and how the Concupisible and Irasible faculties of the soule are predominant as occasions are presented they being good mercifull just and patient men themselves judged others accordingly and so are most Heteradox and Erronious in that opinion concerning Monarchy but they never consulted with the sacred Oracles of God which wee that professe our selves Christians must either yeeld unto or els make Scripture useles and leave every thing to the greatest incertainty confusion that is in the world and so being in the darke may run out heads one against another like two blind men that josling complaine of one another can you not see and why doe you thrust me but never complaining of their owne blindnes in a far thicker Egyptian darknes are all people in the world in matter of Goverment and Policy that reject the Councell of God and yet never complaine of want of wisedome but thinke themselves the wisest people in the world in contending so eagerly strenuously and impetuously for the maintenance of old heathenish Goverments and superstitious customes Ierem. 8. 9. The Wisemen are ashamed they are dismayed and taken they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what wisedom is in them and because many whom I honor in the Lord as godly and precious Christians may happily be entangled and captivated with the Majesty of Monarchy as being borne under it and are in love with their own issue though never so deformed Deare hearts let us consider that truth is more ancient then error and that all are but novelties to the Word of God you are in love with fowle mistris Monarchy not because she is not faire but for that you are in the darke and then we tell the Papists that in the darke Pope Ioane with them is as good as her Lady what ever may by carnall politicians be invented for the maintenance of Monarchy let us give more credit to the Word of God then the wisedome of men which is foolishnes when it approaches before the God of Wisedom God sayes he will not have his people come under a Kingly Goverment and that hee will plague them for their Kings offences if they suffer it there needs no other reason against Monarchy but a Divine Prohibition why was the Manna sweet at one time and at another corrupt but because it was Gods Ordinance for the better sanctifying of the Sabboth Why would the Lord have the walls of Ierica beaten downe with the sound of a Rams-horne onely but that the more of his own power might appeare why was there no more ceremonies used in the cleansing of Namaan but wash and be cleane are not other waters as good Is not Monarchy more pompeous and like the Heathens now God hath protested against Monarchy in all these places of Scripture and therefore to contend for it is flat rebellion against the Majestie of Heaven to make our selves wiser then God for this is certaine that what the Lord did enjoine or forbid unto his people of old in matters of Iudicialls there is an equity in it for Gods people to observe for ever Gods positive Lawes can no more be altered or changed then his essence hee is delighted with the wayes of Truth and Iustice It is very true that carnall Israel expected a restoration of Monarchy and therefore perceiving that Iesus Christ did not exalt himselfe as a Monarch they did not believe in him his Kingdome being not of this world though he will have a Kingdome in the world they did not conclude him to be the promised Messias we thought hee should have restored the Kingdome of Israel many godly learned men are of opinion that the Lambs bride will not be glorious till the calling of the Iewes Iesus Christ hath already a Spouse and visible Churches of Saints in the world but come and behold the Lambes bride is conceived to be after the Iewes conversion at which time it is likewise conjectured that the Iewes shall have a great command in the world but no man to be a King over them only King Iesus to be Lord and Soveraigne Consider well Hos 1. 11. Then shall the children of Iudah the children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselves one head and they shall come up out of the Land for great shall be the day of Iezerel That head is meant Iesus Christ the head of his Church 1 Eph. 22. and Hosea 13. 9. 10. 11. Oh Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thine help I will be thy King where is any other that may save thee in