did that which was right in his own eyes Chap. 18. 1. and 19. 1. repeated upon the occasion of the abuse and murder of the Levites Concubine where the Holy Ghost does not meane such a King as Abimelecke or as the Gentiles had to breath life into the Lawes by his Royall assent for such a King the people of Israel never had nor owned in the Land of Canaan not a man that challenged a power unaccomptable to oppresse murder sweare plunder and commit all manner of wickednes without controle such a monster being fitter to carry garbidge to Beares then to live amongst Civill people but there was then no man zealous for Gods glory to fight for Israel and to judge them according to the Law of God therefore the Lord raised up Samuel a singular man for Iustice and mercie 1 Sam. 1. 28. Hanah his Mother lent him the Lord Chap. 3. The Word of the Lord was revealed unto him he dealt faithfully in telling Eli what the Lord commanded thereupon he was established to be a Prophet of the Lord vers 20. Chap. 7. He exhorteth to solemne Repentance then they make him a Iudge vers 6. being so he yet prayed and sacrificed and the Lord discomfited the Philistines by Thunder and Samuel judged Israel all his dayes and went Circuits carrying home Iustice to the peoples houses and built an Altar unto the Lord having ver 12. taken a stone and called the name of it Ebenezer saying hitherto hath the Lord helped us Iudges being to take speciall care that God may be purely worshipped and glorified and that Gods people may not forget the mercie of the Lord in destroying their Enemies Certainly Moses and Samuel were two of the best Iudges that ever were in the world and are to be as patternes and looking-glasses to all Magistrates so that as he is the best Christian that is most like unto Iesus Christ so he is the best Iudge that is most like unto Moses and Samuel Moses Exod. 18. 13. sat to Iudge the people who stood by him from the morning untill the evening he ended the businesse of the day with the day ver 16. sayes he I Iudge betweene one man and another and I make them know the Statutes of God and his Lawes if a Iudge can but teach people the Statutes of God and his Lawes his worke is in a good forwardnes and more then halfe done In that Samuel is commended for telling Eli the destruction of his house it argues that the best part of faithfulnes is to discover the abuses and errors in any profession as being best knowne unto them for the end of the professors and of every ones profession ought to be the same viz. the welfare of the body politique therefore whereas there are many Ieofailes rubs that lie in the Allies of Iustice that poore men are overborne in their righteous causes by full purses which the Reverend Iudges proceeding regularly as they find the course of the Court cannot remedie without the power of Parliament I have seriously thought that oppressions in Courts of Iustice have been spun by the late Courtiers with so fine a threed that few but those that daily meet with it in practise can see it and therefore unlesse it please God to move the hearts of the honorable Iudges in pure love to Iustice to propound fit remedies to the Parliament plaisters that may be large enough for the wound I meane an Act of Retranchement to cut off all unnecessary delayes and expences in matter of Iustice between man and man that poore men may have it for Gods sake the rich for reasonable consideration it will lye very remote from the understandings of many worthy publike spirited men what course to take therein without which all the warres have been but as purgings and vomitings the health of a State consisting in the equallity and harmony of Iustice and all Martiall Iustice is sanctified by the Civill Iustice as for example if one of the Reverend Iudges would make it his suite to the Parliament that a bargaine and sale might be as strong as a fine Recovery that a poore Farmer or Cottager might leave some small portions to his yonger Children without paying one or two yeares purchase for the charge of a fine and recovery what an ease might this be to men of small estates to passe them from one to another and to cut off Intailes by a deed in writing without so much solemnitie and expence if another would set forth the unprofitablenes of Outlawries which are to no purpose but to multiply expence And a third be earnest for an Act to plead the generall Issue in all Actions and at the Assises to insist wholly upon the merit of the Cause whether the money be due or not whether the Plaintiffe have right to the Land or not I am confident it would make sweet musicke in Parliament I do not intend to dispute the lawfulnes of Legall proceedures in point of conscience to them that Iudge them so but in point of comfort at the day of Iudgment let me humbly propound this to those that sit in the seat of Iustice whether it appearing to them that the defendant hath paid the money though it be after the day of payment limited in the Condition or that the money is payd upon a single Bill where payment by Law is no plea or that the Plaintiff in an Ejectment hath a cleere right to the Land but the lease Entry and Ejectment was not proved in due forme of Law or if a wilfull murder be committed and so found by the Iury but there is a word mistaken in the Indictment whereby the murderer escapes for that Assises and so the matter compounded or the prosecutor desists and the Plaintiff in the Ejectment must begin againe having lost his own charges and payd above five pound costs to the defendant who continues the wrong keeps the Lands unjustly from the plaintif the defendant that hath paid the money is forced to fly into Chancery for reliefe where the unjust Plaintiff at Law refuses to appeare or else demurrs because he hath a Iudgement at Law or the witnesses dead and so the poore defendant taken in execution and buried above ground in prison for ten pound where the principle debt was but five pound and that paid though not at the prefixt day and so proved to the Iury I say whether it would not be easier for thē to give an accompt of reforming such errors then otherwise but if by the Parliaments intention in altering the Iudges oathes enjoyning them onely to proceed according to Iustice the Iudge may not of himselfe moderate such like extremities then of what huge concernment must it needs be humbly and earnestly to sollicite for present remedies for what souldier can with comfort fight with a blunt sword it is a great joy to Physicians to cure their Patients but if any dye under their hands when they might by a little
to feare the Lord his God to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to doe them ver 20. that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turne not aside from the Commandement to the right hand or to the left to the end that he may prolong his dayes in his Kingdome he and his Children in the midst of Israel And they read those words I will set a King over me which is spoken by the people Thou shalt set a King over thee as if God had commanded a Kingly Goverment in Canaan which was only permissive as the sin of Adam let them have a King at their owne perill saith the Lord The Lord foresaw that the Israelites would rebell and cast off a happy Goverment by the heads of the people and Iudges and God permits it and Moses speakes of the election and dutie of a King the election is from the people they will have a King whether the Lord will or no where by the way wee may take notice how bold many have beene and poore deluded Royalists still are to wrest the Scripture for the advancement of Monarchy when men dare say that in the Hebrew it is that Moses commands them to elect a King which the holy Scripture reproves in them as the greatest insanity madnes in the world that when they may have honest Religious men to go in out before them that will not oppresse them nor exalt themselves above their brethren that they will notwithstanding inslave themselves to the Arbitrary and lawlesse Iusts of one man and his posteritie whether they be Idiots Children knaves Theeves Murderers Fornicators Gluttons Drunkards Idolators or Women which though never so wise Religious and mercifull as by reason of the tendernes of their spirits and want of temptation I believe there are more godly women then men in the world yet it is against the law of God and Nature to make Millions of men subject to the commands of a woman but blessed be God that the knowledge of the Hebrew language is not necessary to bring an English man to heaven Iosua had the honour to conduct them into Canaan and they tooke it into possession but there was a remnant of the Canaanites left unsubdued to prove them as the law is Deut. the 20. from the 16. 10 the 18. which I the rather mention for the Illustration of the equitable proceedings in Ireland the Lambe Iudges and makes war in Righteousnes Revel 19. 11. Every Souldier hath been as a Iudge to execute the Iudgment written Psal 149. 9. farre be it from Gods servants to slay the righteous with the wicked Genes 18. 23. No such beatificall sight as to see a Murderer that hath imbrued his hands in the effusion of Innocent blood to suffer the most painefull and shamefull death that can be imagined but the Children of those Murderers ought not to be put to death for their originall sin as we read in the case of Amaziah 2 Kings 14. 5. 6. And it came to passe as soone as the Kingdome was confirmed in his hand that hee slew his servants which had slaine the King his Father But the Children of the Murderers he slew not according unto that which is written in the booke of the law of Moses wherein the Lord commanded saying the Fathers shall not be put to death for the Children nor the Children be put to death for the Fathers but every man shall be put to death for his owne sinne Deut. 24. 16. And many that by reason of their wicked principles and adherence to the Pope are not fit to be trusted in Garisons yet receive rents for their houses or estates there Ezek. 18. 20. The soule that sinneth it shall dye the sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father beare the iniquitie of the Son the righteousnes of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednes of the wicked shall be upon him Now by the equitie of that law Deut. 20. 16. where Gods people shall reside they being chief in Command may and ought for their owne securities expell delinquents and malignants out of London or any Garrison in England or Ireland for a time or for ever as may conduce to the Weale publique and their owne safeties whose lives are so precious in the Lords esteeme But here I meet a Goliah in the way that threatens much but the spirit of God is not in it and therefore it is but as a statue that God had given the land of Canaan by promise to Israel and therefore they might justly maintaine a warr to destroy the Canaanites Hittites Amorites Perizites Hivites and Iebusites and there being no command to destroy the Gibeonites Deut. 20. 17. therefore the league with them was lawfull Ios 9. wherein the warr may be judged lawfull on both sides for Iosua to fight having a command from God and the Canaanites to defend their possession not knowing of any such command but is there the same reason to destroy ancient Monarchyes when they oppose Iesus Christ and wil not suffer his people to enjoy their liberties which he hath purchased for them by his precious blood Answer Yes doubtlesse there are as evident promises for the Churches of Christ in this age of the world to be redeemed out of Antichristian bondage by the Moseses Iosuas Sampsons Gideons Iepthahs and Samuels which the Lord shall raise up to be instruments in his hand to save his people as there were in Moses and Iosuas ages that the Church of Israel should be delivered from the Egyptian slavery and reason to me cleerely makes it out that if a promise of an earthly Canaan were a ground of the Churches Warre much more their spirituall liberties that if I may defend my house by force from theeves and robbers certainly I may defend my selfe in the exercise of my spirituall liberties which are ten thousand times deerer to me if I may fight for a peece of glasse may I not engage for a precious pearle that is invalluable The Kings of Canaan might have pleaded antiquity succession and the peoples consent which no King can plead against Gods people in the matter of their spirituall priviledges God will have the Monarchs of the world know that whatever Civill right they may pretend to their Kingdomes where they have by force or flattery gained the peoples consent as the honest man parts with his purse to save his life yet they must not upon paine of forfeiting their Royalties persecute his friends and servants Kings that stile themselves Defenders of the Faith if they prove offendors of the faithfull God will take away their Kingdomes in a way of Iustice and righteousnes when any of the 10. Kings having formerly given their power and strength to the beast Revel 17. 12. shall afterwards cut off his head as Henry the eight used the Pope in taking away his supremacy and making himselfe head of the Church by Act of
were carried captive to Assyria but ver 30 Hoshea the son of Ekah made a Conspiracie against Pekah and smote him and slew him reigned in his steed indeed Iotham King of Iudah did righteous things howbeit the high places were not removed by him ver 35. hee is a good man against whom there is but one But or How beit in his Kingly goverment chap. 16. 2. succeeds Ahaz who walked in the way of the Kings of Israel and ver 3. made his son to walke through the fire according to the abominations of the Heathen whom the Lord cast out from before the Children of Israel and he sacrificed and burnt Incense in the high places and on the hills under every greene tree this is the fruit of their crying give us a King like the Heathen Nations it is noted how the Lord drove out the Heathens from before his people to aggravate their folly that when the Heathens were destroyed yet they would have a Government like the Heathens if the good Kings had removed the high places and burnt the ground then the wicked Kings had not sacrificed thereon but if the people had not been starke blind they would have seene their extreame folly in admitting that goverment but why doe I speake so improperly as to say good Kings a good Monarch is a white Divell cures one and kills twenty doe men gather grapes of thornes or figgs of thistles he that is bound to no Law cannot be a good King for the office is against Divine Institution and therefore sinfull unaccomptable Monarchs are no more to be suffered then Divells if they doe any good it flowes not from the constitution of the office but as they are private men that would do lesse hurt if they had lesse power if one should have a commission to rob and he should suffer some poore men to passe untoucht no thanks to his Commission but his Debonaritie and naturall pitie unaccountablenes is a most corrupt pernicious accursed and pestilent principle and fountaine from whence must needes flow streames of much Oppression Injustice and Crueltie towards poore people chap. 17. 3. Salmanezer King of Assyria falls out with Hoshea King of Israel about New-yeares-gifts Kings have so many Courtiers to feed that they must be like the Horse-leach that cry give give therefore the King of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison ver 4. then was Israel carried away captive for ver 21. Ieroboam had made them sinne a great sinne which ver 8. and 15. is said to be walkeing in the Statutes of the Heathen and of the Kings of Israel which they had made where note that the King had the Legislative power made what lawes he pleased and the people imitated the Heathen round about them therein in giving the same power to their Kings as the Heathens did to carry life death at his nod and honoring a wicked man more then the King of Glory ver 23. untill the Lord removed Israel out of his sight as he had said by all his servants the Prophets so was Israel carried away out of their owne Land to Assyria unto this day is it not admirable that the Israelites should be so extreame mad to set up a King like the Heathens to their owne destruction many sins might concurre to their captitie but the Grand Capitall sin is noted to be their inordinate desire to have a King the Lawes Customes Statutes and Ordinances of the Heathens now marke I beseech you poore mistaken deluded Carolists if wise men Gods peculiar people worth all the world for suffering such Tirants deserve for ever to be called not the men but the Children of Israel more foolish then babes nay then the brute creatures that will not impower one of themselves to destroy or to be cruell to their owne kinde It speakes loud to all such as by Gods infinit mercie have cast off Tirants to abrogate repeale oblitterate and change their Lawes Statutes Ordinances and Customes to suffer no filthy rags infected with the Plague to remaine not to thinke to wash and purifie them for the Blackamore will not change his skin the first worke done at Geneva upon the change of their Religion from Papists to Protestants was Reformatio Legum to examin their Lawes and such as were contrary to the Law of God they burnt them for Iustice is more necessary in a Commonwealth then reformed Religion no State can continue without the first but many flourish in Temporalls without the latter salt is more usefull then suggar and Pearles though not so excellent in its nature The next King chap. 18. was Hezekiah ver 5. who trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Iudah nor any that were before him he falling sicke by prayer had his life lengthened a Heathen King sent to congratulate his recovery and Hezekiah did not magnifie the Lords mercie to him and speake in the language of an Israelite to the Ambassadour but shewed him his treasures and rejoyced more in them then in the God of his mercies a fault that Gods people are too subject unto when their friends visit them they doe not entertaine the time by magnifying Gods mercy and multiplyed preservations towards them but shew one another their fine roomes cloathes and such vanities for which very thing the Prophet Esay denounces unto Hezekiah the Babilonian captivitie chap. 20. and see how the poore Iewes were punisht for that very sin of Hezekiah chap. 24. ver 10. to the 16. At that time the servants of Nebucadnezar King of Babylon came up against Ierusalem and the City was besieged and Nebucadnezar King of Babylon came against the City and his servants did besiege it and Iehoiachin the King of Iudah went to the King of Babylon he and his mother and his servants and his princes and his officers and the King of Babylon tooke him in the eight yeare of his raigne and hee carried out thence all the Treasures of the house of the Lord and the Treasures of the Kings house and cut in pieces all the vessells of gold which Solomon King of Israel had made in the Temple of the Lord as the Lord had said and he carried away all Ierusalem and all the Prince and all the mighty men of vallour ten thousand captives and all the Crafts-men and smiths none remained save the poorest sort of the people of the Land and he carried away Iehoiachin to Babylon and the kings mother and the kings wifes and his officers and the mighty of the Land those carryed he into captivity from Ierusalem to Babylon and all the men of might even seven thousand and Crafts-men and Smiths one thousand all that were strong and apt for war even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon blessed God that ever any people of understanding should contend for Monarchy when the Spirit of God speaks so plainely that whether the kings be good men
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 Prince neither is he tyed to keep it with them nor shall a Prince ever finde lawfull occasion to give collour to this breach very many moderne examples might be alledged wherein might be shewed how many peaces have been concluded and how many promises made have been violated and broken by the infidelity of Princes ordinarily things have best succeeded with him that hath been likest the Fox but it is necessary to understand how to set a good colour upon it and to be able to faine and dissemble thoroughly and many are so simple and yeeld so much to the present necessities that hee who hath a minde to deceive shall alwayes finde some or other that will be deceived Alexander the sixt never did any thing els but deceive men and never meant otherwise and alwayes found some to worke upon yet never was there any man that would protest more effectually nor averre any thing with more solemne oathes and observe them lesse then he did neverthelesse his cosenages thrive all with him and further sayes hee a Prince will be forced for the maintenance of his State to doe contrary to his Faith Charity Humanity and Religion therefore it behoves him to have a minde so disposed as to turne and take the advantage of all windes and fortunes and a little further let the Prince seeme to him that sees and heares him to be all pitie all faith all integrity all humanity all Religion nor is there any thing more necessary for him to seeme to have then this last quallity for men in generall judge by the sight and appearances few by the touch every man may come to see what thou seemest to be but few come to the truth and feeling of thee to understand what thou art and those few dare not oppose the opinion of many who have the majesty of State to protect them and in all mens actions especially those of Princes where there is no judgement to appeale unto men forbeare to give their reasons till the events and ends of things let a Prince therefore take the surest courses to maintaine his life and estate the meanes shall always be thought honorable and commended by every one for the vulgar is ever taken with the appearance and event of a thing and for the most part of the people they are but the vulgar the others are but few in comparison there is a Prince says he that preaches faith and that Princes are not above their words but had hee kept his promises hee had lost his state long agoe so far Machiavell And another principle amongst Monarchs is that if any subject begin to have a conceit of his owne merits or to deserve well from the publique he must in reason of state be discourted if not executed for seare of factions and Rebellion when David came to Ierusalem with the head of the Giant the women met him singing Saul hath slaine his thousands and David his ten thousands 1 Sam. 18. 7. thereby ascribing more honor to David then Saul for which Saul was wroth against him and from that houre you may observe that hee never lookt upon him with a pleasant countenance oh this David he stands in the way of my applause he is counted a better souldier more just mercifull or Religious then my selfe banish him at the least if not utterly destroy him Monarchy and wholesome Lawes can no more cohabit then the Arke and Dagon take but one divine instance what wicked lawes and statutes of Omri were practised and put in execution even by Monarchs that professed to governe and rule as for the Lord and over his people in that 59. of Esay v. 3. the land is defiled with blood the King shall have power by Law to pardon murders under the name of man-slaughters ver 4. none calleth for Iustice nor any pleadeth for truth ver 5. they hatch Cokatrice eggs and weave the Spiders web ver 8. there is no judgement in their goeings they have made them crooked pathes ver 9. therefore is judgement far from us neither doth Iustice overtake us ver 14. 15. and Iudgement is turned away back and Iustice standeth a far off for Truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter and the Lord was displeased that there was no Iudgement the meaning whereof can be no other then this That Evangelicall Propher or Propheticall Evangelist Isaiah foretelling the Iudgement that should befall his owne Nation by the Assirians and the Caldeans telleth Iudah and Israel that principally for corruption in their Courts of Iustice they shall be severely punisht his prophesie rising no higher then to the reigne of Vzziah King of Iudah and Ieroboam the second King of Israel hee tells them that their Lawes are like Spiders webbs they entangle poore clients as the Spiders web doth the flyes to their destruction and undoeing their Lawes are spun with so fine a threed that none but Eagle eyed practisers can discerne them the plaintiffe hatches Cockatrice eggs the issue of many tedious suites is poysonfull and pernicious if he recover considering his costs and paines he may put his gaines in his eyes and see never the werse and if he mistake his Action or doe not hit the bird in the eye hee must pay the defendant his costs who yet is in conscience indebted unto him to his utter undoeing but the Spirit of God prophesieing against such wicked Councellors that contend for Monarchs saith ver 6. their webbs shall not become garments when Monarchs are destroyed their Lawes shall perish with them they shall prove but as cobwebs to those that practise them and shall afford them no succour against Gods vengeance their Lawes are crooked like the serpent full of turnings and windings Maeanders and Intricaties such as swerve from the strait and easie path of Gods Iudiciall Lawes for equity can finde no admittance or is not able to stand and beare it selfe up and ver the 11. the people roare like beares and moutne sore like doves and looke many yeares for Iudgement yet there was none for Monarchy and good Lawes are inconsistent and what Amos saith chap. 5 21 22 23. I hate and abhorre your feast dayes and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies 22. though yee offer me burnt offerings and meat offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts 23. take thou away from me the multitude of thy songs for I will not heare the melody of thy violls that is leave off praying and singing till there be a settled course of Iustice betweene partie and partie to run downe not by drops but like a mighty streame of water in a firme quicke cheap and unvariable way and chap. 6. 8. saith the Lord. I abhorre the excellencie of Iacob and hate his Palaces what blessed Lord abhorre thy poore worme Iacob and his fathers pompe and best condition sure it must be for some transcendent iniquitie behold the reason rendred Amos the 5. and
then he that cannot read a letter as Levit. 4. 3. 27. 28. if a Priest sin it requires a greater expiation he must offer a Bullocke whereas if a poore man sin through ignorance a Kid was sufficient He that with David meditates in Gods precepts and delights in his holy Law and Statutes Psal 119. 15. shall find that in Iudgement the person of the poore is not to be respected nor the person of the mighty to be honored but in righteousnes every man to be judged Levit. 19. 15. Kings to dye for murder as well as others and higher scaffolds to be erected for them then others by reason of their high birth that Iustice upon them may be more conspicuous another generation will as much wonder that Wise Royalists should be taken with such fond arguments as we doe now admire that our ancestors should so long beleeve Transubstantiation A Kings unaccountablenes and a Popes Infallibilitie being all one in the ballance of reason Did not the people disobey a man after Gods own heart in the case of Ionathan and yet vaine men to preach passive obedience where a power shall be assumed above Law to pardon murderers dissolve Parliaments contending for a negative voice to make solemne elections of Knights and Burgesses in Parliament ludibrious and no more then a spiders webb The Patriarks untill Moses time governed in their severall lines and families according to the minde of God never refusing to give an accompt of all they did to those whom they were over in the Lord Indeed the Nimrods and the Pharaohs exercised and usurped authoritie over poore creatures and finding Nimrods Monarchy Gen. 10. in the 16. Chap. we finde Warrs foure Kings fighting against five but for the great Empires of the Assirians oh Assiria the Rod of mine anger Medes and Persians Graecians and Romans that have been in the world there is no more ground in Scripture to make such Imperiall Government to be of God then there is for the Popes supremacie they that expect another Antichrist are as blind as the poore Iewes that looke for another Messias and I hope it will be granted me that Antichristian goverment is no more of Gods ordaining then the Divell may be said to be Gods ordinance because he is permitted to doe mischiefe for a time and though we read Gen. 21. 26. That good Abram and Isaac made a Covenant with King Abimelecke that does not prove him to be a King of Gods appointment for he had either made himselfe a King by force or else being a valiant man poore people were constrained to run to such for protection and to put their lives liberties and estates under their power to prevent a greater mischiefe and being so subjected the Nimrods have dealt from time to time no better with them then the Lyons with poore beasts which they get into their denns devoure them at their pleasures thinking it a great curtesie if they reserve them to the second course as Poliphemus promised Vlysses to keep him for the last bit or if they afford them food and rayment it is but as the Turks use their slaves feed them fat that they may the better endure their blowes it is the text of the Civill Law that all is the Emperours and what the people enjoy is of curtesie for sayes the Emperour I expect all and were it not for me another Nimrod should dispoile them of all and so hee that steales a Goose and leaves a few feathers behind him thinks the poore woman is much beholding to his gentlenes but let such titles claimes be examined by the Word of God Before wee come to King Moses wee read of many Kings of Edom and Dukes that descended of Esau Genes 36. c. he is Esau the father of the Edomites but not a word that this goverment was approved by God and what good did Pharoah ever doe but at the instance of Ioseph in giving a habitation and maintenance to Iacob and his Children Genes 47. It is possible that Tirants may at the crave and Rogation of worthy men consent to the enacting of some wholesome Lawes still keeping the Militia in their owne hands to have a power to destroy all when they please Exod. 1. 8. There arose up a new King over Aegypt which knew not Ioseph but oppressed Gods people and hee said unto his people behold the people of the Children of Israel are more and mightier then wee come on let us deale wisely with them Reason of state put Iesus Christ to death verse 14. All their service wherein they made them serve was with rigour then the Lord being moved with compassion towards the Israelites respected their crye he appeared to Moses saying that he would send him to Pharoah to bring them out of Egypt Exod 3. 11. So that Moses was the first King or Ruler of Gods making but Moses like unto his Saviour Christ Iesus was not willing to be King Exod. 4. 10. I am not eloquent sayes Moses but slow of Speech and Gods anger was kindled against him humble pride is proud humility when God calls to any imployment a Christian may not deny the worke of God upon his owne spirit but see what a gallant publique spirit King Moses had Exod. 5. 22. 23. Lord sayes hee I can doe no good for thy people it is the greatest griefe to a man of honour that hee cannot see through his busines to the furthest end of it and when he cannot with Paul doe that good which he would such a man hath a divine calling and see how Moses stands for the peoples libertie Exod. 10. 9. Hee would not accept of his owne libertie without the peoples rights but was willing to loose his owne naturall life to save them spiritually The next Ruler to him of Divine ordination was his successour Iosua Deut. 34. 9. as God had been with Moses guideing his heart and hand to governe the people by the law of right reason not assuming any unaccomptable authoritie over them but to speake and act in such evidence and demonstration of the spirit and power to them that the most ignorant amongst them might easily perceive that Moses intended the peoples good and if any one could have given advice how to have eased them or comforted them in the least kinde more then he did hee would no doubt have hearkened unto it and when the people murmured as for this Moses wee know not what hee is hee drew no sword against them to hurt them but prayed for them and cryed over them so then the Lord appointed Iosua to succeed Moses and the people accepted of him and approved of Gods election Iosua 1. 15 16 17 18. is a very sweet Covenant and agreement made between Magistrates and people not a word of passive obedience to doe Iosuas will or suffer his displeasure but the people promised to hearken unto him as they did to Moses onely the Lord thy God be with thee as he was
with Moses that is so farr as the Lord is with thee in the way of holines and righteousnes so farr we are thy subjects and no farther and whosoever rebells against thy Command so farr as it is the Commandment of the Lord shall surely dye then Iosua 3. 9. sayes to the people come hither and heare the Word of the Lord your God and 4. 14. the people feared Iosua but it was because the Lord had magnified him in the sight of all Israel the Lawes that the people were governed by were the Lawes of God which Moses had written in the presence of the people of Israel Iosua 8. from the 31. to the 35. and in all difficult causes no doubt but Iosua consulted with the Elders of Israel Iosua 10. Hee hangs up five Kings makes quicke worke with them they did not plead that their persons were sacred that they were the Lords anointed and not to be toucht but said Iosua verse 25. thus shall the Lord your God doe to all your enemies against whom ye fight as if he should say if there be at any time so long as God hath a people in the world a King in England Scotland or any other part of the world fighting against them the Captains of the men of Warre must put their feet upon the necks of such Kings who ever they be and they must be smitten slaine and hanged up untill the evening and never did trees in England yeeld and bring forth such sweet fruit as those wherof the Scaffolds were made at VVhitehall Ianuary 30. 1648. Some slips or stocks whereof to be planted for the same good use of hanging and beheading all Tirants and oppressors will be more worth to the three Nations then all the Timber in the Forest of Deane in the same Chap. 7. Kings more are Conquered and smitten and Iosua 12. 24. all the Kings 31. and observe the precious counsell that good Iosua gives to the people before his death such Rulers and no others are of the Lords appointment Come wee to the Booke of Iudges Iosua being dead the people did evill in the sight of the Lord 2. 11. and they were sold into the hands of their Enemies that spoiled them yet ver 16. the Lord raised up Iudges which delivered them out of the hands of those that spoiled them and Chap. 3. 9. the Lord raised up a deliverer to the people of Israel who delivered them even Othniel and the spirit of the Lord came upon him and he judged Israel and went out to warre ver 15. left-handed Ehud slew Eglon Chap. 6. 14. The Lord raised up Gideon to deliver Israel from the Mideanites and Chap. 8. they would have made him King then the men of Israel said unto Gideon rule thou over us 22. 23. both thou and thy son and thy sons son also for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian and Gideon said unto them I will not rule over you neither shall my son rule over you the Lord shall rule over you Gideon rejects the motion with disdaine hereditary Kingdomes have no footstep in Scripture but the Lord is said to rule when fit men rule by the Lawes of God Chap. 8. 33 34 35. The people soone forgot God and Gideon then Chap. 9. the bramble will be King that which is a curse of God upon the earth Gen. 3. 18. will play Reax Gideon would not be King but Abimeleck makes no bones to kill seventy of his brethren to make himselfe King 9. 5. is such one likely to be a governor of Gods appointment Can it be the minde of God that the Trees of the Forrest should have a bramble to raigne over them Iotham the Survivour ver 7. stands up and sayes hearken unto mee yee men of Sechem that God may harken unto you and may I humbly beg leave of my miserably deluded and discontented Countrey-men to put them in minde of Iothams Parable and in true love to tell them that as Iotham by that parable foretold their ruine and ver 57. the curse of Iotham the son of Ierubbaal was fulfilled upon them accordingly so undoubtedly whoever shall by plots and conspiracies endeavour to introduce any of Abimelecks race or conditions to be King of England Ireland or Scotland or act any thing against the late statute for the abolishing of Kingly power shall perish by the sword of Iustice and those Cities that resist so just Acts Ordinances shall be beaten down and sowed with salt ver 45. The Lord grant that the salt there mentioned and Lots wifes conversion into a pillar of salt Genes 19. 26. which the Lord Iesus would have us remember Luke 17. 32. may be as savory condiments to season mens spirits with a detestation of all Tiranny and oppression and with a love to Iustice and Rationall goverment that the Parliament may give us every day more and more of the fatnes of the Olive the peace bringing Olive quicke cheape and sure Iustice which can onely make peace and harmony in a Common wealth it being the onely strong oake that can keep up the ship of State from sinking and let all that would not be found fighting against God make a Covenant of salt to be true and faithfull to the Common-wealth as it is now established renouncing ever to have any thing more to doe with Abimelecke for see what became of him ver 53. So God will undoubtedly render the wickednes of those that imbrued their hands in the blood of that learned Doctor Dorislaus and Ingenious Mr. Ascam upon their owne heads for such bloody Actions are seldome onely punisht in hell Chap. 11. Iephthah the Gileadite that mighty man of valour who was thrust out of his native place by his brethren was soon called backe to their assistance to be their Captaine and Ruler note there a plaine agreement and stipulation betweene a Prince and people and certainly so it was in the beginning of Parliaments no doubt but it was agreed upon under hand and seale but Kings have been too subtill creatures to suffer it to be printed that if the King should be of one Iudgement and the Representatives of another it must passe according to the Publique reason of the whole and that Parliaments were not to be dissolved till the busines was done which they met about other wise what fickle things were Kings and what vaine things were Parliaments as building of Castles in the Aire Now Iepthah having judged Israel six yeares died 12. 7. after whom Ibzan and Edom were Iudges they being dead the Children of Israel did evill againe in the sight of the Lord and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistins 40. yeares 13. 1. then the Spirit of the Lord began to move in Sampson and his valiant exploits are the substance of the 14 15 and 16. Chap. then comes the great objection which the Royalists make Chap. 17. 6. in those dayes there was no King in Israel but every man
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
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
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
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
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
shall we say of the Kings of Israel Iudah where the King is sole Iudge or hath a negative voyce there he is unlimitted and consequently a Tirant that may do wha the pleases and such a one can never have any love of a people of any understanding if the people be Iudges and may make warre or peace without the King then he is no King it is no discretion to be too much in particulars Certainly for the generall Monarchs have beene monsters of men a generation of men and women borne for the scourge and punishment of man kinde whose wickednes and villanies have been of the highest Elevation and Magnitude more forcible to provoke and irritate Gods Iustice to punish the world then the honesty and single-heartednes of the people to incite procure his pardoning mercie and forgivenes Therefore I hope all good people will agree with me that we have great cause to rejoice in that famous peece of Iustice of Ianuary the 30. 1648. acted where most of their miseries had been plotted and as Iosephus records antiquit lib. 18. cap. 6. of one Marsias that after the death of that Tirant Nero or Tiberius Hee made an Oration to the people to write every man upon his doore The Lion is dead and as after the removall of Tarchoni the Romans would not so much as endure the name of a King which comes from the old Saxon word Koning or rather cunning for they learne to catch the prey and devoure men I would intreat my Honored Countreymen to be as wise in this generation as the Romans were before Christs time and instead of plotting to destroy themselves by hunting after new Tirants to consider what the Spirit of God saith in the 19. of Ezek from v. 1. to the 9. v. Let them say unto the children of the late King what your mother a Lionesse she lay downe among Lions shee nourished her whelps among young Lions and shee brought up one of her whelps it became a young Lion and it learned to catch the prey it devoured men but when she saw that her hope was lost shee tooke another of her whelps and made him a young Lion and hee went up and down among the Lions he became a young Lion learned to catch the prey and devoured men then the nations set against him on every side and spread their net over him he was taken in their pit and they put him in chaines and imprisoned him that his voice was no more heard upon the mountaines of Israel how admitable and adorable is the fulnes of Scripture as if it had been calculated for the Meridian of England Zedekiah was the last King of Iudah the whelpe was Iehoahaz who was King for three moneths only 2 Kings 30. ver 31. he was taken in a pit or net a phrase importing the manner of catching Lions of whom Ieremie Prophesied that he should never returne to see his native Countrey Ier. 22. 10. the other whelp was Iehoiakim who went up and downe craving aid from the King of Egypt to make him King which was the cause of his ruine the roaring of the whelpe made a great noyse by their cruell and tirannicall commands but they were taken in strong holds being dead were buried with the buriall of an Asse Ier. 22. 18. thrown out upon a dunghill It is not I but the Spirit of God in the holy Scriptures that calls a King that challenges a power against the publique judgment of the people in a nationall Counsell and his Children a Lion and his whelps the Lord knowes my heart that I beare no more malice to any one herein mentioned or intended then I did when I lay in my cradle and though I should expect no more mercy from them then there is milk in a male-Tiger if the Lord should suffer mee to fall into their hands as hee justly might in regard of my sins though I trust for his mercies sake hee will not yet I doe freely pray for blessings upon them that if it be the will of God those Fatherlesse Children which are not fit to be Kings upon earth may be Heires of Heaven to a Kingdom that cannot be moved and if it shall please God to give repentance to any of them that with Achan they shall confes their sin and give glory to God learne to governe themselves and renounce all vaine and sinfull pretences I should be an humble Advocate for them that Mercy might be honorably seated on the right hand of Iustice and that there might be not onely a competent but an eminent exhibition allowed them for their support for I could heartily wish that such as professe Christ would dye more to vaine Phylosophy Col. 2. but live to morall Phylosoply if it were but to learne this lesson of blessing them that curse us and doeing the good of Iustice against the evill of injustice because for any man to lay aside his Iustice is to deprive himselfe of reason to become a brute Iustice being neerer of kin to every Magistrate then his child or brother as being part of his soule but Iustice without Mercie is crueltie and Mercie without Iustice is meere fatuitie FINIS Pray excuse the want of a Greeke Character and the Errata viz. OMitted in the title page these words viz. With some humble petitions and observations interweaved concerning Cheap and speedy Iustice with the Authors hopes above his feares of happy dayes In the same page leave out late in the Epistle read in their annotations for breach read branch read the Law must be set for party read Deputy for records r. retards for leave it read beare it for intertolares read intercalares for it is not r. Is it not for one Act r. an Act. r. Imaâ—es r. seemes r. a just r. as the defendant r. I scarce for flocke r. stocke r. many families preserved which would r. breaden r. will not doe it r. may seeme r. as if godly r. would sit r. straitned r. any time r. meanest souldier for begin r. begun for have been called home r. may be called home for prudencie r. precedencie a line left out r. I doe not know that he hath left his peere behind him fol. 32. for head r. hard f. 52. for direct r. dwelt f. 57. for Paul r. Saul f. 63. for contrited r. conceited fol. 82. r. preserved f. 90. r. captivity f. 92. Princes fo 96. r. Author of f. 97. r. not only to the death f. 139. r. when I heard f. 131. r. Tarquiu Animum verbi Divini studi osum Reformatio Legum Vivimus Morimur Pauca recensentes facile pronunciant Cura anima rum est cura curarum Erudimini Dr. st Monos arkein Revel 9. 11. Pauper Calvinus multos fecit divites Prudentia Humana Capitalis Inimica Christi Altius patibulum Habemus legem c. Celerem Iustitiam non Iustitium That Fox Herod Magno Conatu nugas agere Spiritum Regiminis non regenerationis Gloria Papoe successoris est rescindere Acta predecessoris deleatur nomen Calvini E pessimo Cane ne catulus quidem relinquendus Igni traduntur lege Papistarum Habetis confitentes reos Exeat aula qui vult esse pins Non unitum sed unum Tedneken o Leon