The original of kingly and ecclesiastical government by T.B. ... Barlow, Thomas, 1607-1691. 1681 Approx. 170 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 59 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2006-02 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A27454 Wing B1513A Wing B196 ESTC R37045 16194662 ocm 16194662 105037 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A27454) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 105037) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1085:5 or 2362:14) The original of kingly and ecclesiastical government by T.B. ... Barlow, Thomas, 1607-1691. [6], 111 p. Printed for Robert Clavell and William Hensman, [London] : 1681. Place of publication suggested by Wing. Identified as Wing B196 on reel 1085; number cancelled in Wing (CD-ROM, 1996). Reproduction of originals in the Bodleian Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Divine right of kings. Episcopacy. Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1660-1688. 2005-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-09 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-12 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2005-12 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE ORIGINAL OF Kingly and Ecclesiastical GOVERNMENT . By T. B. Dr. in Divinity . Mat. 22.21 . Da Caesari quae sunt Caesaris . King Jame's Bas. Dor. Sublato Episcopo tollitur Rex . Printed for Robert Clavell , and William Hensman , 1681. THE CONTENTS . CHAP. I. GOd himself was the first founder , and the first that instituted the Office of Kings . Chap. II. The people cannot make an Anointed King. Chap. III. The meaning of the Anointing of Kings . Chap. IV. The reason why they are called the Lords Anointed . Chap. 5. Bad Kings are the Lords Anointed as well as good . Chap. VI. It is not lawful upon any pretences whatsoever to depose , or so much as touch the Lords Anointed . Chap. VII . What is meant by touching the Lords Anointed . Chap. VIII . That Kings now adays are to be had in the same veneration and esteem as the Kings of Judah and Israel were , notwithstanding our Christian liberty . Chap. IX . That a King failing in his duty , and not performing those things which he hath sworn unto at his Coronation ( so solemnly ) yet the people are not dis-obliged in their obedience unto him . Chap. X. Touch not mine Anointed , Psal. 105. meant by Princes , and not otherwise . Chap. XI . The Objection of the ten Tribes revolting from Rehoboam , answered . Chap. XII . The Objection of Jehu slaying his Master Joram , and taking the Kingdom upon him , answered . Chap. XIII . A Discourse concerning the necessity and excellency of Monarchy . Chap. XIV . That there is no such thing as a free State in the World. Chap. XV. A Discourse concerning Episcopacy , proving it to be Jure Divino . To the Reader . Good Reader , WE have lived to see our profession of Christianity , to have yielded some men arguments for their taking up Armes against their lawful Soveraigns and Goverment , certainly there hath been some violence used by them herein , or else this holy Religion could never afforded them such a Topick . Submission to our lawful Governours , not only for Wrath , but also for Conscience-sake , is the great duty and glory of our profession , whilest evil Religions prompt men to rapine , blood , and violence , Religio Christiana nil suadet nisi justum & lene . The Original and power of Kingly Government hath of late been much disputed , whether it be ( as our Saviour spake of St. John's Baptism ) from God or from men ; this Author ( I think ) hath evinced the former , and if so , subjection is our duty ; t is not male administration or persecution ( as some men call it ) can ever warrant the Subjects Arms against his Prince . The Christian Church gives no Example , nor our Religion any precept for such undertakings ; If it then be Religion ( as some men would have us think ) they fought for , why do they use unlawful weapons ? must prayers and tears be turned into Pike and Musket because a Nero is thy Governour ? The Church of God knows no such usage , the legal dispensation it self , which will be acknowledged somewhat harsh in respect of the Gospel , will not permit a holy David , tho a man after Gods own heart , to build his Temple , for that he was a man of battel and his hands were bloody ; peace , meekness , charity , and submission to our lawful Government , are the effects and true signs of real Christanity , the other is but spurious and Apocryphal . To inform our Reader of the rise of Kingly Government is the design of this pious Author , and to perswade us to subjection to our Civil as well as Ecclesiastick Governors , is the main intention and scope of his undertakings ; which I hope ( good Reader ) by a due perusal of this small Book may be well attained as the thing it self is well made out by the Author , and so I leave thee to the use of the Book . THE ORIGINAL OF GOVERNMENT . CHAP. I. Who was the first Founder , or the first that instituted the Office of KINGS . VVEE , say some People , were the first that desir'd them , and moved for them , and had them , and chose them . And all the people went to Gilgal , and there they made Saul King before the Lord in Gilgal . 1 Sam. 11.15 . 1 Sam. 8.5 . Soft and fair , good people ; do not mistake your selves ; you desired , and moved for , and would have , and had a King , but God gave him you : I gave thee a King , O Israel , in mine anger , and I took him away in my wrath , Hosea 13.10 , 11. According to this we read Acts 13.21 . They desired a King , and God gave unto them Saul , &c. And for your making of a King at Gilgal , your making was but approving , and applauding him , that was made already ; for Saul was both made a King , and confirmed King , and executed his Office , before the people are said to have mad● him King in Gilgal : He was anointed King over Israel , 1 Sam. 10.1 . he was confirmed by signs , 1 Sam. 10.2 , 3 , 4 , &c. he executed his Office , 1 Sam. 11.7 , 8. God first , sent . And s●condly , shewed . And thirdly , chose . And fourthly , anointed . And fifthly , found them out a King , before ever it is said , they made him . First , God sent him ; I will send thee a Man out of the Tribe of Benjamin , and thou shalt anoint him to be Captain over my people . Secondly , God shewed him ; for neither the people , nor any of the Saints , nor the Elders of Bethlehem , no , nor Samuel himself , knew not where to find this first of Kings , 'till God said , This is he , he shall reign over my people , 1 Sam. 9.17 . Thirdly , God chose him himself ; and Samuel said to all the people , See him whom the Lord hath chosen , 1 Sam. 10.24 . If the people had made him themselves , or could make him , what needed they to have come unto Samuel , to bid him , make us a King to judge us ? 1 Sam. 8.5 . and to say , give us a King ? Which deprecation was indeed no otherwise , than as if they should have desired Samuel to have asked a King for them of the Lord ; for so it seems by the sequel , for immediately hereupon Samuel went unto the Lord , and declared their importunity , and the Lord said , that he should hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they said unto him , verse 7. and this most certain and agreeable unto 1 Sam. 1. where Samuel tels the people ; Ye have this day rejected your God , &c. and have said unto him , set a King over us Fourthly , God anointed him ; Samuel took a violl of Oyl and poured it on his head , and kissed him , and said , is it not because he hath anointed thee to be Captain over his Inheritance , 1 Sam 10.1 . Fifthly , God found him out for them , where he was hidden from them ; for when all the Tribes of Israel were come together , and the Tribe of Benjamin was taken , and the families of that Tribe drew neer ; and the family of Matri was taken out of those families , and Saul the son of Kish from thence : 1 Sam. 10.20 , 21. ( the smallest Tribe , the least family , the poorest Benjamite , as shewing us that Kings were not to have derivation from the mighty people but from the almighty God : 1 Sam. 9.21 . ) the people sought him but they could not find him , so that they were fain to enquire of the Lord for him , and the Lord shewed them where he had hid himself in the stuffe ; 1 Sam. 12.22 . so that all that the people of Israel had to doe , either in the Election , Institution , Nomination , Creation , or Invention of their first King , was ( when God had done all this ) to shout , and say , God save the King , 1 Sam. 10.24 , and for their making a King , after all this in Gilgall , ● it could be no otherwise than their approbation of him , who was thus made by God already . Neither was God only the founder of the first King of the Jews , but of all the rest also : He was Davids founder too , I have found David my servant , with my holy Oyl have I anointed , him , Psal. 89.20 . It was well for David , for he should have been but a poor King , if he had been but of the peoples finding ; and it may be they would not have known what to have made of him when they had found him . David was not silius populi , but Dei , the son of God , not of the people : Psalm 89.26 . He was neither exalted of the p●ople , nor chosen of the people , I have exalted one chosen out of the people , said God , ( vers . 19. ) but the exaltation was Gods , and the choice not of , but out of the people . Kings are not children of the most voices , but children of the most high , Psal. 82.6 . yet the approbation of the people may serve ad pompam , but not ad necessita●em ; it may ad● something to the solemnity , but nothing to the essence of the constitution ; what was divinely given , may be humanely received , and so are Kings . Neither will we speak of the King , or the first of the Kings of Iudah or Israel , but we will go along with the first King that e're was read of ( if there be not Books ancienter than the Books of Moses ) and that was Melchisedec King of Salem : this Melchisedec is said to have neither Father nor Mother ; it could not be said so in regard of his person , for we all know who he was , and who his Father and Mother were ; he was Sem , the eldest Son of Noah , but it was said so , in respect of his Office ; shewing us , that Kings , they are not the off-spring of men , but an emanation from the Deity , and teaching us , that as Kings are not of the Peoples making , so they ought not to be of the peoples marring , and as they are not the founders , so they ought not to be the confounders of them ; cujus est instituere , ejus est abrogare , they that institute , may abrogate , they that make , may unmake , what thou buildest thy selfe , thou maist lawfully pull down ; thou maist diruere edificare mutare , quadrata rotundis , but if thou destroyest that which another hath built , thou maist chance to be sued for dilapidations : If a Limner draw a picture , he may alter and change it , and if he dislike it , race it out at his pleasure ; or if a Carver or Ingraver mislike his one handy-work , he may destroy it when he pleases ; but if God makes a man after his own Image , and creates him , after his own similitude , we offend God in a high degree , when we cut off , or deface the least part , or member of his handy-work . Now Kings are lively representations , living statues , or pictures , drawn to the life , of the great Deity ; these pictures , for their better continuance , are done in Oyl , the colours of the Crown never fade ; they are no water colours ; as Kings with their own statues will not be angry , though time and age devour them , yet they will not suffer them spitefully to be thrown down , or shot against ; so God , though he will suffer Kings to die like men , and fall like other Princes ; yet he will not suffer his Character , spitefully to be raced , or his Image defaced ; but though he will have them dye like men , yet he will have them live like Gods. And if all this be not proof suicffient , you shall hear God the Father , God the Son , and God the Holy Ghost affirm as much . God the Father plainly affirms ▪ John 10.34 . Dixi dii estis , I have said ye are Gods ; but if the stroke had been in the People , then it should have been , Nos diximus dii estis , we have said ye are Gods. God the Son told Pilate , Thou shouldest have no power except it were ( data desuper ) given from above ; but if the people had given him that power , then it should have been , Thou shouldest have no power , except it were ( data desubter ) given from beneath ; and I am sure the Holy Ghost tels us , per me Reges regnant , by me Kings reign ; but if they reigned by the suffrage of the People , then it should have been per nos , according to the modern dialect , they Reign by us , and as long as we think fit , and when we think it fit no longer , they shall reign no more ; they received their authority from us , and we may recall it when we please , and depose them when we list ; for they are but proxies and Atornies , of the people , see Buch. de jure Regni , Fickerus , & Renecherus , &c. little thinking how by this powerfull doctrine of theirs , they ( quite contrary to the word of God ) destroy the higher powers , and give the whole Trinity the lie at once : and if these testimonies are not sufficient , I know why they are not , because they never were confirmed by Act of Parliament CHAP. II. Whether the People can make a King or not . IF the Question be asked , whether the people doe make the King or not ? I could no more grant it , then I should grant , that the people made heaven ; but if you ask me , whether the people can make a King ( such a one as they use to make ) if they have not one already of Gods making , they may ; such are Kings and no King ; not Reges but Regentes ad placitum : Kings by Election , are allways Kings upon condition , an● where the condition is so little worth , the obligation is the lesse , and but small security will be required : for my own part I should be ashamed to ware a Crowne on my head , when the people must raigne , and the King stand under the penthouse : an● I had as live they should make me a jack a lent , for apprentices to throw their cudgels at me , as to make me a King to be controuled by their Masters , and every Tribune of the People ; for as an invitation to a dinner where there is no meat , is but a distastfull banquet , so the name of a King without its adjuncts , is but a favourless renown ; and in deed such as they are not Actu Reges , they do but agere Regem , they are not actual Kings , they doe but act the part of a King , and J hold him that acts the part of a King an hour upon the stage , to be as real a King for his time and territories as the b●st King by election , who is chosen but for his life ; herein consists the difference , as the one must act his part as the Poets please , so the other must act his part as the people please ; they must have their parts given them , they must act it accordingly ▪ they must not so much as tread the Stage awry ; their subjects are both spectators and judges , and it lies within the favour of the next society , whether or no the Son shall come to act the Fathers part . Such Kings as these the people may make , but to make a sacred and Anoynted King , an established and successive Monarch , a King that hath this Hereditatem in him , a King that hath this Noli me tangere about him ; whose Writs were alwaies termed Sacri apices , whose commands divalis jussio , whose presence Sacra Vestigia , whose Throne is the Lords , whose Scepter is his Rod , whose Crowne is his favour , and whose representation is of himselfe ; the People can no more make such a deity then so many tapers can make a glorious Sunne , or so many sparks of sprey and faggots , can make a firmament of Stars ▪ CHAP. III. What is meant by Anoynting of KINGS . ANointing , in severall places of Scripture , betokens some spirituall grace , as Jam , 5.14 Call the Elders of the Church , and let them pray over the sicke , anoynting him with oyl in the name of the Lord : which the Roman-Catholicks call extream unction , though now adays , we only make use of the extremity and leave out the unction : and therefore some will have the anoynting of Kings to signifie some spirituall grace also , which shall inable them with Religion and aptness to govern well ; which when they cease to doe , their anointing falleth off , and they cease to be Kings ; if they be not good , they are none of Gods anointed , and if they be not his anointed , they care not whose they are . This doctrine hath cause● the shedding of more bloud than there is now runn●ng in the veins of living Christians ; whereas the truth is , it is neither Religion , nor virtue , nor grace that is me●nt by this Royall Anointing ; Cyrus was Chr●●tus Domini ▪ as well as Josias , and Saul as well as David : If Religion were that that did the deed , then Cyrus had not been the Lords Anoyn●ed ▪ if vertue , then no Saul ; if grace , neither : If Religion make Kings , then there should have been of old no Kings ; but those of Iudah ; and now no Kings , but those of Christendome . It is Jus regnandi that he meant by this Royal Anointing ; and Vnction confers no grace , but declares a just title only ; unxit in regem , he anointed him King , includes nothing but a due title , excludes nothing but usurpation ; gives him the administration to govern , not the gift to govern well ; the right of ruling , not of ruling right : Kings are anoynted with Oyl , to shew , that as they have Thrones to signifie that they are the Cistern of Iustice , and Crowns to signifie that they are the Fountains of honours , and Scepters to signifie that the hands which hold them , are the Magazines wherein the whole strength & amunition of Kingdoms are reposed : So anointing is a sacred signature betokening soveraignty , obedience to the Throne , submission ●o the Scepter , allegiance to the Crown , and supremacy to the Oyl must needs be given , for Oyl will have it : pour Oyl and Wine , and Water , and Vinegar , or what other liquor you please together , Oyl will be sure to be uppermost : the three first ceremonies make him but high and mighty , and puissant , but the last only makes him sacred , and therefore some have maintained that a King is mixta persona cum Sacerdote , whether he be so or no I will not here insist ; but sure I am , that there is much divinity in the very name , and essence of Kings ; which duly consi●ered and belived ▪ that Kings are thus sacred ( as we ought , and Gods word informs us ) we would take heed how we touch , take warning how we tear and rend in peices , as much as in us lies ( with those leaden Messengers of Death ( with their gunpowder Commissions ) to fetch the higher to the lower powers , and make the King a Subject to the subjects wills , ) the sacred person of so great Majesty ; whereas the cutting off but a peice of the lappe of ●auls garment , hath checkt a greater spirit , then the proudest riser up against his Soveraigne : We would not speak so despicably of the Lords anointed ; what is the King ? he is but a man , he is but one he hath a soul to be saved as well as others ; for though all this be true , yet the end for which all this is said , is most false and a●ominable , for though it be true that the King is but a man ▪ yet it is also true , that that man is the light of Israel , 2 Kin. 8.19 . We must take heed how we put it out . And though it be true , that such a piece of silver , is but a piece of silver , yet as it bears Cesars Image and superscription upon it , it is more significant ; and if thou either pare or impare it a jot , if thou art found either clipping , or diminishing of it in the least degree , thou dost it to the prejudice of thine own life ; so though a King be but a man as in himself , yet as he bears representation of God , and hath his character stamped upon him , he is some-what more , if you will beleive him that said Ye are Gods , Psalm 82.6 . and therefore we must take heed how we debase or detract from them who represent so great a Deity , who by reason of their proximity and nearnesse unto God in some respects are most commonly of more discerning spirits then ordinary men : for Mephibosheth , when his servant had so grieviously slandred him to David , he makes but a short complaint . My servant hath slandred me ; but ( as if he should say , I need not tell thee much , thou hast wisedom enough to find it out ) My Lord the King is as an Angel of God , doe therefore what is good in thine own eyes : Therefore because thou art as an Angel of God , and thy selfe art a good intelligencer , as all Angels are , do what is good in thine own eyes ; as if he should have said , if thou doest only that which seemeth to be good in other mens eyes , it may be they will perswade thee that the thing was true , wherein my servant slandred thy servant poor Mephibosheth , and he huffer wrongfully . I am of opinion that God gives to every King to whom he communicates his name and authority , this extraordinary gift of discerning ; but because they do not some times make use of it to the end it was bestowed upon them , viz. ( the better goverment of their severall Dominions ) but are contented to see and discerne with other mens eyes ; and to have false spectacles put upon their noses , whereby many a good man suffers : God in his justice gives them over ▪ that in their own particular , and wherein their own greatest good is chiefly concerned , they shall make least use of their own judgements and advice , and wholly give themselves to be overswayed by the advice of those , whose judgements perhaps is not so good as their own , and whose intentions ( it may be ) are no better then they should be . It is written that the hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord , and he disposeth them as seemeth best to his heavenly wisdome ; certainly I would take a little advice from that heart , that is so directed by that hand ; the Kings head never plotted treason against the Crown , and no man can wish better to his Majesty then the King. I speak not this in derogation either of the Great or Privy Councel ( for it is written , in the multitude of councellors there is safety ) but in defence only of these sons of Oyl , who are Supreme in both . And as it is true that the King is but one man , so it is also true , that one man is worth ten thousand of the people ; Thou art worth ten thousands of us ( though all his worthies were in place ) 2 Sam. 18.3 . And though it be true , that the King hath a soul to be saved as well as others , yet it is also true , that he should have no body to be crucified by his Subjects , out of their dis-esteem of his person , the ceremonies of State ( as Anointing , sitting in Thrones , holding of Scepters , and coronation it self ) being to be exploded now a days ; and who look'd for it otherwise , when the lawful and decent ceremonies of the Church were called reliques of Popery , and raggs of the whore of Babilon : was it otherwise to be expected , but that they would call these ceremonies of state , theatrica pompa : Stage plays , Toyes : tush say they , what need all these Popperies , a Kings Throne is his ●ustice , his Crown his Honour , his Scpeter and heifest strength , the peoples hearts ; his holy Oyl is his Religion , and zeal to Gods Glory ; and so it is , what then ? may we not have the signs , and the things signified also ? because the true receiving of the Communion , is the receiving of the body , and blood of Christ by faith ; therefore shall we have no bread and wine ? Or because that true Baptism is the washing away of original sin , with the la●er of regeneration ; therefore shall we have no water powred on the Child ? we have Scripture for these ceremonies , and I am sure we have no Scripture for the abolishing of them , but rather Scripture for their continuation for ever . Reges in solio collocat in perpetuum : God establishes Kings upon their Thrones for ever , Job . 36.7 . CHAP. IV. Why they are called the Lords Anointed . THe Lords Anointed , is as much as to say the Lords Christ , and Christi signifieth Anointed ones : In the Hebrew you shall read it , who shall lay his hand upon the Lords Messiah ? for the Lords Anointed . 1 Sam. 26.9 . In the Greek , who can lay his hand upon the Lords Christ. Kings are taken into the society of Gods name , Dixi dii esti● , I have said ye are Gods ; and here into the society of Christs name , and all to terrifie subjects from lifting up their hands against the Lords Anointed , as much as if he were God or Christ himself . Again , Kings are not termed uncti Domini ( for that were no prerogative to them at all ) but Christi Domini , for not only persons , but things also , were Anointed under the Law ; not only Kings , but Priests and Prophets likewise ; neither did it rest there , but it extended to the Tabernacle it self , and ran down to the vessels thereof , even to the very Fireforks , Ashpans , and Snuffers : but unto whom said he any time , tu es Christus meus , Heb. 1.4 , 5. but unto Christ , and Kings ? to Christ once , Luke 2.26 . to Kings thirty two times throughout the Bible ; four times by God himself ; Kings are called Christi mei , mine anointed ; six times to God , Christi tui , thine anointed , ten times of God , Christi ejus , his anointed ; twelve times in terms terminant , Christi Domini , the Lords anointed : and therefore the ol● Translator observed it rightly , when in the same word , in the Hebrew , and the Greek , he speaks of the priest , he translates it unctus ; but when of the King ( always ) Christus . And as they are not uncti , but Christi , so they are not Christi populi , but Christi Domini ; not the people 's Anointed , but the Lords Anointed ; there may be a master of the ceremonies , but there must be no master of the substance ; they are the Lord 's Christs , and they hold their Kingdoms under him , in Kings service : neith●r are the Kingdoms of the Earth any bodies else but Gods : The Kingdoms are Gods , Dan. 4.17 . neither are they at any mans disposing but his , He giveth them to whom he pleaseth , ( loco citato ) therefore for whose they are , they are the Lords ; and for what they are , they may thank him and none else . Secondly , They are the Lords , because that by him , an● in him , and through him , th●y have their Dominion , and regiment ; from him they have their Crowns ; from his hands their Coronation : Di●dema Regis in manu Dei , Esay 60.3 . The ●oyal Diadem is in the hand of God , and out of that hand he will not part with it so much , as for another , to place it upon the Kings head ; but it must be tu posuisti ( tu Domine ) Thou , O Lord , hast set a Crown of pure Gold upon his head , Psal. 21.3 . The Emperours used to stamp their Coyn with a hand coming out of the clouds , holding a Crown , and placing it upon their heads ; We have no such Hierogliphicks in our Coyn , as a hand coming out of a cloud ; but we have grace from Heaven , D●i gratia , so that there is not a King but may say with the Apostle , Gratia Dei sum qui sum , by the grace of God ▪ I am that I am ; and indeed Kings are Kings , as Paul was an Apostle , not of men , neither by man , but by God. Thirdly , they are the Lord 's Christs ; because , not only their Crowns are in the hands of the Lord , but he puts the Scepter into theirs : nay , the Scepters which Princes hold in their hands , are Gods Scepters , being there , virga D●i in manibus ejus , It is Gods rod that is in their hands , Exod. 17.9 . and therefore right is the Motto ( and reason is it that they should be esteemed the Lords Anointed ▪ ) DIEV ET MON DROIT , GOD AND MY RIGHT ; none else have to do with it , the Scepter of a Kingdom , in the hands of a King , is the livery and seisin which is given him by God , of the whole Mili●ia , within his Dominion : they that take away that , put a reed into the hand of Christs Anointed : and why should it be expected that they should deal otherwise with Christs Anointed , then they did with Christ himself , first put a Reed in his hand , and afterwards a Spear into his heart . Fourthly , Kings are the Lords Anointed , because they sit upon his Throne : sedebat Solomon in Throno Dei , ●olomon sate upon Gods Throne : 1 Chro. 29.23 . but if Solomon should have lived in these our days , instead of his six steps to his great Throne of Gold , and Ivory , he should have six steppers to his Throne , for the Gold and Ivory sake ; instead of having a foot-stool of Gold under his feet , he should have much ado to keep a Crown of pure Gold upon his head : instead of hands to stay his throne , he should have hands enough to pull it down , and cast it to the ground : and instead of two , and twelve Lyons fixed on cach side as a guard unto his Throne , he should have found many Lyons , without regard , running up and down , seeking how they might destroy him . Lastly , Kings are the Lords Anointed , because they are Anointed with his own oyl ▪ Oleo sancto meo , with my holy Oyl have I anointed him , Psal. 89.20 . It is not with any common , or vulgar Oyl , or Oyl that any lays claim to but himself : but it is Oleo meo , my oyl , neither is it oyl , that was fetch'd out of any common Shop , or Warehouse , but it is Oleo sancto , with holy oyl , oyl out of the Sanctuary : And no question but this is a main reason ( if they would speak out ) why some have such an aking tooth at the Sanctuaries , because they maintain in them , oyl for the anointing of Kings ; but if the Alablaster box were broken , the ointment would soon be lost : If they could persuade the King out of the Church into the Barn , they would soon pull a Reed out of the thatch , to put into his hand instead of a Scepter ; or if they could get him to hear Sermons under a hedge , there would not be materials wanting to make a Crown of thorns to plat it on his head . Thus you see the reasons why Kings are called the Lords Anointed , because the Lord hath appropriated them unto himself , not in a common and general way , but in a particular and exclusive manner : my King , my Kingdom , my Crown , my Scepter , my Throne , my Oyl , where is there left any place for claim ? Pride may thrust down Angels out of Heaven , and violence may crucifie the Son of God ; But ( all these things considered ) who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed , and be guiltless ? 1 Sam. 26.9 . CHAP. V. Whether bad Kings be the Lords Anointed , or not . THey are : for they are of the Lords sending , and appointment as well as the good . I will set an evil man to rule over them ( saith God ) and I gave them a King in mine anger , Hosea 13.11 . which King was Saul , which Saul was a Tyrant , which Tyrant was the Lords Anointe● when he was at the worst . You cannot have two better witnesses then David , and the Holy Ghost , 1 Sam. 26. Cyrus was a Heathen Persian , and one that knew not God , yet for all that , Haec dicit Dominus , Cyro Christo meo , Thus saith the Lord to Cyrus mine Anointed ; Esay 43.4 . Nero was no good Emperour , but a Monster of man-kind , yet Saint Peter , in whose days he wrote his Epistle ▪ commanded all Christians to submit to him ▪ 1 Pet. 2.13 . Hasael , whom the Lord fore-saw , and fore-shewed unto his Prophet Elisha , to be the destroyer of his people of Israel , and one , that should make them like the dust by thres●ing , 2 Kings 13.7 . one that will set their strong holds on fire , slay their young men with the sword , dash their children against the wall , and rip up their women with child ; insomuch that it made the Prophet weep to foresee all the miseries that should happen , 2 King. 8.12 . insomuch that it made Hasael himself ( when he was told thereof ) cry out , is thy servant a Dogg , that he should do all these things ? vers . 13. yet for all this , Go● will have him to be King , and it be put to scourge his people , the Lord hath shewed m● that thou shalt be King over Syria ▪ vers . 13. Julian when from his Christianity , he fell to flat Pagani●m , yet this Anointing held , no Christian ever sought , no Preacher ever taught to touch him , or resist him in the least degree ; for whilst the cruel and bloody Emperours were persecuting the poor Christians , they were fitting their necks for the Yoke , and teaching one another postures , how they might stand fairest for the stroke of Death . And this was not quia deerant vires , because they could not help it ; for the greatest part of Julians Army , and the most part of his Empire were Christians : For saith Tertullian in his apologetical defence of the Christians of those times , una nox pauculis faculis , &c. One night with a few firebrands will yield us sufficient revenge , if we durst , by reason of our Christian obligation , and shews how they neither wanted forces , or numbers and that neither the Moors , or the Persians or any other Nation whatsoever , were more mighty , or more populous than they : and how they filled all places , Towns , Cities , Imperial Palaces , Senates , and Seats of Judgment ; and that they could do any thing , in their revenge , if it were any thing lawful ; but this Anointing was the thing that kept the swelling down , and hindred the corrupt humours from gathering to a head : And therefore it is not as Stephanus Junius , Franciscus Hottomanus , Georgius Buchananus , Ficklerus ● Renecheru● , with the rest of the pillars of the Puritan Anarchy , do answer ( being gra●el'd at the practice of the primitive Chri●tians , an● those precepts of the holy Apostl● ) that the Church then ( as it were swathed in the bonds of weakness ) had not strength enough to make powerful resistance ; and therefore , so the one taught , and the other obeyed , but if this doctrine were allowable , then would inevitably follow these two gross absu●dities . 1. That the pen of the holy Ghost ( which taught submission even to the worst of Kings ) was not directed according to the equity of the thing , but the necessity of the times . 2. That either the holy Ghost must turn Politician , and become a timeserver , or else the Church must lose the means of its being , and substance . Whereas we know the contrary so well , that when Acies Ecclesi●e , was so far from its bene ordin●ta , that w●en all the Souldiers fled , and the Life-guard ●outed , the Lord of ●ost ( the General himself ) taken Prisoner , yet then , like the Sun looking biggest in lowest estate , so the son of righteousness , think ye not that I can pray unto my Father , and he will send Legions of Angels ; and rath●r than Gods children shall be oppressed by a company of Egyptians ( if it be his pleasure to deliver them ) he can , without the drawing of one Sword , turn Rivers into blood , produce an Army of Froggs to destroy them : and rather than they should be necessitated for lack of means , send swarms of Flies , that may serve them in the stead of so many rescuing Angels , and therefore it was not any necessity , that the Church was , or could be in , that procured in the Apo●tl●s , or the first Christians , either that doctrine , or that use ; it was not disability , but duty ; not want of strength , but a reverend regard of the Lords Anointed , that wrought these effects in both : Let the people be never so many and mighty , and the Princes of the people never so wicked and cruel , mos gerendus est , we must obey them ; not in the performance of their unjust commands ; but in submission to their just authority ; if not by our active , yet by our passive obedience : if not for their own sakes yet propter Dominum , for the Lords sake ; if not for wrath , yet for conscience sake , Rom. 13.5 . If it goeth against thy conscience , say , as the people were wont to say , when they fell down before the Ass that carried the Image of the God●ess Isis , upon his back , non tibi sed Religioni ; if thy conscience condemns thee , God is greater than thy conscience , and we must look what he commands , as well as what she dictates ; the one may be mislead , the other cannot mislead ; sacrifice may be either pleasing , or displeasing to the Lord , but obedience was never faulty ; thou maist offer the sacrifice of fools , when thou thinkest thou doest well : but upon how sure grounds goes he , who can say with the prophet in all his actions , If I have gone a stray , O Lord , thou hast caused me to erre ? never deviating from the express of his word . Now God gives us express command , that we should not touch his Anointed what condition soever they are of : Nolite Tang●re Christos meos , touch not mine anointe● ; an● where Gods rules are general , we must not put in exceptions of our own ; for the wickedness of a King can no more make void Gods ordinance , of our obedience unto him , then mans unbelief can frustrate Gods decree in us , Rom. 3.3 . Let Saul be wicked , an● let wicked Saul be but once Anointed , David states the question neither concerning Saul , nor ▪ his wickedness , but whether he being the Lords anointed ( there 's the business ) it is lawful to stretch forth a hand against him ( Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless ? 1 Sam. 26.9 . CHAP. VI. Whether upon any pretences whatsoever it be lawful to depose , murder , or so much as to touch the Lords Anointed . THere was the first time that ever it was put to the Vote , whether a King might be put to death or not , but it was resolved upon the question in that Parliament ; Ne perdas , destroy him not ; it is well that David had a negative voice , or else it had been but a bad president for Kings ; it is well that the men with whom David had this parley , would hearken unto reason , and let that sway them , otherwise David might have been forced to fly as fast away from his own men as he did at first from Saul : for there wanted no Lay-preachers then , to preach the destruction and slaughter of Princes , under the pretences of wicked Government and tyranny ; who had the trick then , as well as now , to couch their foul meaning in good words and Scripture phrase , with a dixit Dominus , when the Lord said no such thing ; as Davids Zealots , 1 Sam. 24.5 . This is the day whereof the Lord said unto thee , I will deliver thine Enemy into thine hand , and thou shalt do unto him ( what ? ) as shall seem good unto thee , that is thou shalt murder him , that was their meaning : though the word was a good word ; and we do not read where the Lord said any such thing at all : So Abishai , 1 Sam. 26.8 . God hath delivered thine enemy into ●hine hand : what then ? Therefore let me smite him ; no such matter ; David denies the consequence , as if he should have said , God hath delivered him into my hand , but I will make no such bad use of his deliverance , I had rather hereby shew him his own error , and my innocency ▪ then any way stretch forth my hand against him , for he is the Lords Anointed , and when sleep had betrayed Saul to Davids power in the trench , and made the King a subject for Davids innocence , he esteemed himself but as a Patridg in the Wilderness , when he might have caught the Eagle in the Nest : he pacified Sauls Anger , by inabling his power to hurt , sent him his spear ( it seems he did not think it fit to keep the Kings Militia in his hands ) and humbly beggs , Let not my blood fall to the earth ; when , if it had not been for David , Abishai would have smiten Saul unto the earth at once , so that he needed not to have smitten him the second time , but David would not : destroy him not saith he , and his reason was , Quis potest ? Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed , and be guiltless ? Another most Notable demonstration of Davids innocency , and subjection , unto a hard Master , a most tyrannical King , cruel Saul ; we have , 1 Sam. 24. When in the Cave of Engildi , David might have cut off Sauls head ; like precious oyntment , he descends only to the skirts of his garment , and with a Quid feci ? checks himself , and beshrews his heart that he had done so much , and upon a little looking back of Saul ( as if he had put on rays of Majesty ) David bows , and stoops with his face to the earth to him , when he might have laid his honour in the dust ; call'd him my Father ; when that Father came to sacrifice him upon the mountains , and ( Isaac-like ) nothing but See my Father , when he could see nothing but fire , and sword , and himself also the lamb , ready for the sacrifice , A true Isacc ( though many young men staid behind with the Ass ) will after his father , though he have fire in the one hand and a knife in the other , ready for to sacrifice his follower ; A right David , and he that is a man after Gods own heart , though he could bite to death , and knaw into the very bowels of his Soveraign , yet he will assume no farther power to hurt , than to the biting of a Flea ; after whom is the King of Israel come out ? After a Flea ? Afte● whom doth Saul pursue ? After a dead Dog ? When he might have caught the Lion in the toyle . I could easily be endless in instances of the like nature , as our Saviour Christs obedience to the death , under the raign of Tiberius ; his Disciples un●er Nero , Claudius and Caligula , whose governments were opposite to the propagation of the Gospel , as themselves were enemies to the propagators of it ; yet we see they neither attempted the alteration of the one , or the destruction of the other ; yet Christ could do much if he pleased , and if the Napkins of Saint Paul , and the shadow of Saint Peter could cure diseases ; if a word out of their mouths could strike men and women dead in the place ; if an oration at the Bar , could make a King tremble on the Bench , then surely you will confess that his Disciples could do something : Yet nothing was done or attempted against those wicked , cruel , and pagan Emperours , one instance shall suffice for all : what mischief or injury could be done more to a people , then Nebuchadonozer King of Babylon did unto the Jews , who slew their King , their Noble , their Parents , their Children , and kinsfolks ; burn●d their Country , their Cities , their Jerusalem , their Temple , and carried the residue ( who were left alive ) Captives with him to Babylon . And now behold ( then ) Nebuchadonozers good subjects : will you hear what advice the Prophet Daniel gives them for all this ? Baruch 1.11 . Pray you for the life of Nebuchadonozer King of Babylon , and for the life of Balthazer his son , that their days may be upon earth , as the days of Heaven , and the Lord will give us strength ; ( what to do ? to wage War against him ? ) and lighten our eyes ( what , with new Revelations how they may be reveng'd ? O no ) that we may live under the shadow of Nebuchadonozer King of Babylon , and under the shadow of Balthazer his son , and that we may serve them many days and find favour in their sight , truly shewing that a King is Alkum , Prov. 30.31 . one , against whom there is no rising up ; that is , not upon any pretences whatsoever : there can be no pretences whatsoever more fair and specious ; then those of defending the Church , and redressing the Common-wealth . For the first ; if Religion be any thing pushed at , think you that Rebellion will keep it up , or that it ever stood in need of such hands ? when God refused to have his Temple built by David , because he was a fighter of the Lords Battels ; think you that he will have his Church defended by fighters against the Lords Anointed ? to defend Religion by Rebellion , were to defend it by means condemned , by the same Religion we would desend ; an● to reform or redress the Common-wealth , by Insurrection and Rebellion , were to rectifie an errour with the greatest of all mischiefs ; no government worse than a Civil War , and the wor●● Go●ernour is always better than the best Rebellion : Rebellion is as the sin of witchcr●ft , and stubborness is as Idolatry : and how perilous a thing it is , for the Feet to judge the Head , the subjects to chose wha● government and Governours they will have ; to condemn what , and whom they please , to make what pretences and surmises they have a mind to , this Kingdom by woful experience hath had sad resentments . Imbecillities and weaknesses in Princes , are on arguments for the chastisements , deposing , or murdering of Kings ; for then giddy heads will never want matter or pretences to cloak their Rebellion : Shall Moses , because Pharaoh was an oppressour of Gods people , and had hardned his heart , and would not let the Israelites depart , therefore inflict punishments upon Pharaoh , or so much as depart without his leave ? Though Moses could inflict punishments upon the whole Land , yet his Commission never went so far , as to touch Pharaoh , in the least degree ; though swarms of Flies came into the house of Pharaoh , and Frogs entred into the Kings chamber ; yet we read not that they seized on Pharaohs person ; there were Lice in all their Quarters saith the Psalmist , and there became Lice in man and beast , upon the smiting on the dust , but none were smitten of the person of the King : Boyls and blains were upon all the Egyptians and upon the Magicians , so sore , as they could not ●●and in the presence of Pharaoh , but they were not on Pharaoh , that he could not stand himself ; Pharaoh his eldest son may die , but Vivat Rex , Pharaoh must not b● touch'd . Did bsalom do well to conspire again●● his Father , though he defiled Vriahs bed , and cloaked adultery with murther ? should the Priest , Peers , Prophets , or People , offer to depose Solomon , because he had brought strange Wives into the Land , and as strange Religion into the Church ? shall Elias entice Ahabs subjects to Rebellion , because he suffered Jezabel to put Naboth to death , and killed the Lords Prophets ? shall Peter take vengeance upon Herod because he put him in prison , beheaded John the Baptist , and killed James ? shall Reuben be no Patriarch , because he was unstable as water ? shall Simeon and Levi lose their Patriarchal dignity , because they were brethren in iniquity , and instruments of cruelty , because in their anger they slew a man , and in their self-will digged down a wall ? shall Judah be depose● from his rule and government for making a bargain with an Harlot upon the high way ? shall Issachar not be numbred amongst the other twelve , because he was none of the wisest ? no reason ; they were Patriarchs as well as the rest , which was the immediate government before Kings ; and ( indeed ) were princes themselves : Princeps Dei es inter nos , Gen. 28.6 . Thou art a mighty Prince amongst us : and thus much shall suffice ( and I hope sufficient ) to shew , that no faults or pretences whatsoever , can make it lawful to depose , or so much as to touch the Lords Annointed . CHAP. VII . What is meant by touching the Lords Annointed , or stretching forth the hand against the Lords Anointed . NOt dare to touch the Lords Annointed , is an awfull reverence , and a supposed difference to be kept , between every subject and his Soveraign ; esp●cially in point of violence . A Mother doubting the discretion of her Children , and being to leave some curious looking ▪ glass in a place , doth not comand her Children they should not break it , but that they should not touch it ; knowing full well , that if they have the liberty to meddle with it in the least degree , they make break it before they are aware , and destroy it when they think least of any such matter . So God is very chary of his King , wherein he beholds the representatio● of himself , and ●nowing him to be but brittle and though the most refined Earth , yet bu● glass : he commands his people that they should not touch his Anointed ; knowing that if they were permitted but to tamper with him in the least degree , their rude hands may break it in pieces , when they do but think to set it right . A touch is but of one man , though but with one of his fingers , yet this must not be ; Nolite tangere , it is not said ne tangere , wherein only the act of touching is forbidden , but Nolite tangere , whereby the will is also prohibited : how wary should we be in touching , when the Lord is so cautious in his prohibition ? Now stretching forth the hand may signifie a combination of many into one confederacy , the hand being a part of the body , composed of five members ( one and all ) but this must not be : a most unhappy instrument is that hand that turns it self into the bowels of its own body ; if the head break out by chance , the hands must not presently be in the head clawing , with invenomed nails , the corruption there , lest that itching desire , turn into smart in the end ▪ lest when the peaceable day springing from on high , shall happily visit you , that now sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death , we then see our bloody hands , and this ( once happy ) kingdom , the only pillow , whereon peace had laid her head , streamed ( like the Egyptian River ) all with blood . In a word , by touching the Lords Anointed , or by stretching forth the hands against him , is meant any kind of violence that is used against sacred Majesty , and the signification thereof is of a large extent ▪ for we stretch forth our han●s when we do but lift up our heels in scorn against him ; Who so lifteth up his heel , Psalm . 41.9 . Secondly , We stretch forth our han●s again●t the Lords Anointed , wh●n we do but raise up Arms in our own defence ; Whosoever resisteth the power , resisteth the Ordinance of God , and draweth Damnation upon himself . Rom. 3. Thirdly , We stretch forth our hands again●t the Lords Anointed , when we stretch not our Tongue and Voice , when we hear of any Traiterous plots or conspiracies against the Lords Anointe● , and so bring such conspiracies to light : It is a foul thing to hear the voice of conspiracy , and not to utter it : Lev. 5.1 . as good lay thy hand upon the Lords Anointed , as lay thy hand upon thy Mouth and conceal the T●eason . Fourthly , We stretch forth our hands against the Lords Anointed , when we do not stretch forth our hands for the Lords Anointed , when we see him assaulted with any danger , or Traiterous opposings . Should a man see his Father fiercely assaulte● , and should not presently run to his rescue , but should suffer him to be slain before his face , would we not equally exclaim against him with the murtherers , Qui non Vetat peccare Quum potest , jubet ; he bids , that doth not forbid with all his power ( like a true son ) such outrages and violences , to be committed against the Father of his Country . Fifthly , We touch the Lords Anointed , when we touch his Crown and Dignity ; intrench upon his Regalia ; hol● or withhold his sons or daughters , kill or take prisoners his men of War ▪ We must take heed of ●efacing the garment , as well as of hurting the person , for they are both Sacred ; the precious Oyn●ment , wet not Aarons head alone , but it ran down upon his Beard , and down unto the skirts of his garment , making all Sacred that was about him ; such touchings t●erefore are worse , than when we touch the person with the greatest violence ; for then the Ano●nte● are mo●t touche● , w●en they are touch●d where the Anointe● is , which is their ●tate and Crown , dearer to them than their lives ; touch bot● , ●●e mur●er of the person , is but a consequence to the d●posement of the dignity . Sixthly , we touch the Lords Anointed , when we take away h●s re●enue and li●el●hood from him , the Devil thought that he ha● stretched forth his hand excee●in●ly again●t Job , touch'd ( and touch●d him to the quick ) when he had procured Gods permission , that the Sabeans and Caldeans should take away his Oxen and Asses , his S●eep and Camels , and plundered him of all he had ; God called this a destraction unto Jo● , Job 2.3 . and that before ever a hand was stretched forth to touch either his bone , or his flesh . Seventhly . Is there no stroke but what the hand gives ? Yes , the tongue can strike as well as the best : Jer. tells us so , Venite percutiamus cum lingua : come let us smite him with the tongue , Jer. 18 , 18. and David said , His tongue was a two edged sword : There is , ( saith Solomon ) that speaketh ( and that waiteth too ) like the piercing of a sword : It is bad enough in any , or against any man , but worst of all again●t the Lords Anointed ; for it is said Thou shalt not revile the Gods , nor speak evil of the Ruler of the People : Saint Paul , but for calling of a High Priest , painted wall , ( though ) when he caused him to be smitten Contrary to the Law , yet he eat his words and confessed his error ; and now many , that would seem to be followers of Paul , are revilers of Kings and make no bones thereof . The same God that commanded Laban , in respect of his servant , Vide ne quid lo ●uare durius , see thou give no ill language , certainly expects that ●ubjects should set a watch before their mouths , to keep the door of their lips , lest they offend with their tongue , in speaking ill of Princes . Eighthly , As the tongue can strike without a hand , so the heart can curse without a tongue : Eccl. 10.2 . Curse not the King , no not in thy heart , for a Bird in the air shall carry the voice , and that which hath wings shall ●●ll the matter . The hand implies both ; never was the hand stretched forth to any evil act , but the h●art was th● p●ivy Counsellor , and the tongue the chief p●rswader unto such enormities ; therefore it is goo● , obstare princi●iis , to cru●h the cockatrice egg , kill it in the hea●t , lest those pravae cogi●ati●●es want room , and then out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh , and perswades the hand to be the destruction of the whole body : If hand , and heart , and tongue , and pen where thus regulated , we need not long look for peace , or despair of an accommodation , but whilst the hand is up , and the heart is set at liberty , and the tongue saith , Our tongues are our own , we , ought to speak , who is Lord over us ? and every pen is a ready writer in matters pertaining to the King : in vain it is to seem Christians , whil●t we are such Antichrists : the Bible under our arm , falls to the ground , whil●t we stretch forth our hand against the Lords Anointed : why do we take Gods word into our mouthes if we let it not down into our hearts , to do as that directs us ? Christian liberty never cut the string , that tied the tongue to those observances . Of these things there might be applications made , but lapping as they go along is best for doggs , where there are Crocodiles in the River . It seems by the story , that Kings may be coursely dealt withal if men make no bones of being guilty ; they stand like the forbidden Tree , in the midst of the Paradise of God , m●n may touch them , but they had better let them alone ; if God had placed ( at the first ) Cherubims , and a flaming sword , turning every way to defend the tree , how could there have been a trial of Adams obedience ? So if God by some instinct , had chained the hearts of men , and tied their hands , and bound them to the peace , so that they could neither in thought , word , nor deed , have committed violence against his Vicegerent , how could there have been a trial of the Subjects duty ? the Tree had no guard , nor fence about it , but only , thou shalt not eat thereof , if thou doest , thou shalt surely die the death , Princes have no better security for themselves , than the Almighties command for their preservation , ●olite Tangere , &c. Touch not mine Anointed ; to break the First , was but death , the second is damnation ; if thou resist the higher powers , you resist the highest God , and he that resi●teth shall be damned , Romans 13.2 . The commandment concerning the Tree of Paradise , was only thou shalt not eat thereof ; but we are forbidden to touch so much as a leaf of our forbidden tree , much less to shake down all his fruit ; there is hopes of a tree , saith Job , that if it be cut down , yet it will sprout again , but not only a finger , a hand , but an axe must be laid to the root of the tall Cedar of our Libanus ; yea , they must be rooted up like the names of Taronius ; they will not leave so much as a stump of Nebuchadnezzers tree chain'd to the earth ; up must all root and branch , till all the royal branches lie like sprey upon the ground : these men had rather be destroyed themselves , than say the Lords Anointed is not to be destroyed . Go ye blind Zelots , hearken to your Wives , and let them perswade you to disobedience , and the Devil them , as Eve did Adam , and the Devil her : behold the objects she presents unto your view ; how good they seem , how fair they look , how pleasant they are to thine eye , how wise you think you sha●●●e , how full of knowledg , when poor wretches , you shall find all these promises tu●ned into Fig-leaves , to hide your nakedness : all these golden Apples of Palestine once toucht , evaporated into stench and blindness , and that your disobedience hath given you nothing but curses , and brought you nothing but sorrows and Death upon your selves and children , and profited you nothing but the turning of an Edom into a Wilderness , till you be glad to eat the herbs of the field , and by the same fault , fall into the same punishment with our neighbours of Germany , dye with grass in your mouths . These things fell upon Adam for his disobedience unto God , and the like will fall upon us ( the sons of Adam ) for our disobedience unto Gods Anointed . O then let us not by any means lift up our hands against the Lords Anointed , lest ( like Adam ) we fall from our state of innocence , and be guilty : guilty of all the blood that hath , and shall be spilt upon this Land , guilty of the tears of so many fatherless children and widowes : and if we will not be obedient unto a Prince of men , guilty of all the eternal thraldom and submission unto a Prince of Devils : take then the advice of the wise Solomon , Prov. 30.32 . If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thy self , or if thou hast thought evil , lay thy hand upon thy mouth : Fear God , honour the King , have nothing to do with them that are subject unto charge , for their destruction commeth suddainly ; and so will yours . Let no man deceive himself , he who is not good in his particular calling , can never be good in his general calling . He is no good man , that is no good servant , and if he be no good subject , he is no goo● Christian , he that honoureth not the King , doth never fear God ; and except he obeys both , he obeys neither . CHAP. VIII . Whether Kings now adays are to be had in the same veneration and esteem , as Kings were under the Law , by reason of our Christian liberty . CErtainly the murmuring of Co●ah , Dathan and Abiram , with their complices ; Thou seekest to make thy self altogether a Prince over us , the Lord is among us , we are all alike holy unto the Lord , ( and therefore Moses and Aaron must be no more excellent than the rest of the people ) was no prophesie to be fulfilled in these our days ; for if it had , surely our Saviour would never have paid tribute for himself and Peter , Mat. 17.27 . which was a symbole of their subjection to heathen pagans ; for this cause pay ye tribute , Rom. 13.6 . we have those who are apt enough to mak● arguments with our Saviour , bearing this conclusion , then are the Children free , Mat. 17.26 . but few that will imitate his peaceable example , to fish for money , rather than offend the higher powers , Mat. 17.27 . And if you conjecture that our Saviour did this meerly for quietness sake , behold the question● rightly stated ▪ Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not ? Mat. 22.17 . seriously propounded ( Master we know that thou art true ( an● therefore we hope thou wilt not deceive us with a lye ) and teachest the way of God in truth ( and therefore thou wilt not cause us to err through the deceiveableness of unrighteousness ) neither carest thou for any man ( and therefore thou wilt not be afraid to speak the truth ) thou regardest not the persons of men ) therefore fearing only God , thou wilt boldly , and faithfully without partiality , or fear , plainly tell us , whether it be lawful or not ) clearly determined and concluded upon ; Da Caesari quae sunt Caesaris , Mat. 22.21 . If Christian liberty , should loose the reigns of Civil Government , then Christ would never have acknowledged Pilates power to have been of God , John 19.11 . If subjection unto Kings were a hinderance to the propagation of the Gospel , then Saint Peter would never have exhorted the Christians to submit themselves to every ordinance of man. 1 Pet. 2.9 . We have too many submitters now-adays unto every Ordinance of men , but they are not unto such Ordinances , whereof the King is Supreme , 1 Pet. 2.13 . Object . It is better to obey God than man , and therefore for his sake we cannot obey every ordinance of man. Sol. The Apostle doth not in this place discourse of obedience , but of submission : obedience is to be given to things , only lawful ; submission is to be given to any ordinance whatsoever , though not for the things sake , which is commanded , yet propter Dominum , for the Lords sake who doth command , so absolute submission : where God commands one thing , and the King comman●s another thing , we may refuse his will , and there is perfect obedience ; when God commands one thing , and the King commands the contrary , we may not resist his authority , and therein is true submisson ; and this the Apostle doth not only assure us to be the will of God , but puts this well doing in the stead of knowledg and wisdom , whereby the ignorance of foolish men may be put to silence , 1 Pet. 2.15 . when fre●dom stan●s on tiptoes , her coat is too short to cover her maliciousness , therefore the Apostle exhorts us to behave our selves As free , but not using our liberty , as a cloak for maliciousness , 1 Pet. 2.16 . If Christian liberty did break the School of civil Government , then Saint Paul would never have been such a School-master to the Romans , Rom. 13. Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers : an excellent rule for our obedience , every soul , no exemption by greatness , or holiness , or any by-respect whatsoever , but if he have a soul , let him be subject to the higher powers : if two powers clash one against another , here we know which to stick to in our obedience , that is , which is highest ( and that Saint Peter plainly t●lls us is the King , whether to the King as Supreme , 1 Pet. 2.13 . ) There is no power but of God , the powers that be , are of God , whosoever therefore resisteth the power , resisteth the ordinance of God , and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation , v. 2. What Christian then can have his conscience so misled , as to resist those powers out of conscience , when the Apostle plainly tells us , v. 1. We must needs be subject , not only for wrath ( that is , for fear of them ) but also for conscience sake , because God commanded it . There were Anti-monarchists , and Anti-dignitarians even in the Apostles time , but if it had been laudable , or agreeable to Chri●tian liberty , then Saint Jude in his Epistle v. 8. would never have called the despisers of Dominion and evil speakers of Dignities , filthy dreamers and defilers of the flesh ( as he put them , so we find them both together ) he never would have compare● them to bruit beasts , v. 10. he never would have pronounced woes unto them , as unto the goers into the ways of Cain : greedy runners after the error of Balaam , for reward ; and perishers ( as in the gain-saying of Corah ) v. 11. he would never have compared them to clouds without water : carried about with wind : to fruitless wretched Trees , twice dead , plucked up by the roots : to raging waves of the Sea , foaming out their own shame : wandring stars , to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever , ver . 12.13 . he never would have described them unto you so fully , to be Murmurers , Complainers , walkers after their own lusts , wide mouth'd , speakers of great swelling words , having of mens persons in admiration , by reason of advantage , separatists , sensual , ( and though they pretend never so much unto it ) having not the spirit , v. 16.19 . Christian liberty frees from the ceremony of the Law , not from the substance of the Gospel : whereof we see submission and subjection unto Kings , is a great part thereof . The Roman yoke , and the Romans hands which held the plough ploughing upon the Christians backs , and made long furrowes , and for a long time , were both adverse to the propagation of Christs Gospel ; yet during all that time , neither Christ , nor any of his Disciples , ever attempted either the change of the one , or the displaying of the other ; and shall we think our selves more wise than he , who is the wisdom of the Father ? Or better advised than by him , who is the everlasting councellour ? Or that any mans doctrine can settle us in more peace and quietness than he , who is princeps pa●is , the Prince of peace ? will you have more Orthodox Fathers than the Apostles ? or the Children of this generation to be wiser than the Fathers of old ? Christ and his Apostles with all the antient Fathers taught , and subscribed to this doctrine . First , Christ , Da Caesari quae sunt Caesaris : then Saint Paul , Render to all their due , tribute to whom tribute is due , custom to whom custom , fear to whom fear , honour to whom honour , and all to Caesar : Then St. Peter , submit your selves , &c. Fear God ▪ honour the King , &c. Sic passim in Scripturis . Dear Christians , are we better pleased with the glittering tin●el of a painted Baby from a Pedlers shop , than with the rich , and inestimabl● Jewels of Divine truth ? will we suffer our s●lves to be cozene● with the g●lded slips of error ? and what Enthusi●smes every pretended spirit , if not ev●ry ●obler , Weaver , Groom , or Coach-man , shall dictate , who are but velut ign●ae , and velut status , as it were of fire , or as it were a mighty an●●ushing wind , but nothing sensible , some hot exhalations of the brain set on fire , by th● continual motion , an● agitation of the tongue . Goo● God , have we thus learnt Christ ? Is this the fruit of so clear a Gospel ? and the retu●n of all our holy mothers care , and pains for Education ? shall we take Gods word into our mouths and preach Sedition , Rebellion and Insur●ection , contrary to that word which we pretend to preach ? to maintain Religion by Insurrection , is to maintain it by means , condemned by the same Religion we would maintain . CHAP. IX . Whether a King failing in his duty and not performing those things , which he hath sworn unto at his Coronation ( so solemnly ) the Peo●le are not disobliged in their obedience unto him , and may , thereupon , depose or put him to death . IF Kings held their Crowns by Indentures from the People , then were the People disobliged to their obedience unto him , upon his failing ( in those things whereto he hath been sworn ) on his part , but if they receive their Crowns immediatly from God , and that by him alone Kings Reign ( as hath been heretofore proved at large ) then all the failings that can be in a King ▪ can but make him a bad King ; but still he must remain a King ; the Oath assures us of his being a King , not of his being a good King ; for he was King before he took it : Coronation is but a ceremony , and his Oath is but at his Coronation ; the issue of ceremony , must not dis-inherit the right heir , of all that substance : King and Kingdom , are like man and wife , whose marriages are made in Heaven , who are betrothed by God himself ; Now as in the ceremony between man and woman , the husband in the presence of God and Angels , and all the Congregation promiseth ( which is as solemnly binding as any Oath ) that he will live together with her after Gods holy Ordinance in the sta●● of matrimony , that he will love and cherish her , maintain and keep her , and forsaking all other , keep himself only unto her : Now if he perform all these things , he doth well , he is both a good husband , and a good Christian ( considering the vow that he hath made ) but if he doth not live with her according to Gods holy Ordinance , nor love , nor cherish her as he should , nor maintain and keep her as he ought ; Shall it be lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause ? Mat. 19.3 . much less can it be lawful for the wife to put away her husband upon every distaste ; It was God that made them male and female : Mat. 19.4 . and therefore it is fit they should continue together so ; They twain are but one flesh ; Mat. 19 ▪ 5. therefore they cannot be divided ; God joyned them both together : Mat. 19.6 . therefore no man can put them assun●er . Now to apply this to the King wedding himself to his People at his Coronation ; the King ( solemnly ) takes his Oath at his Coronation before all the People , that he will live tog●ther with them according to the Laws of the Land , that he will protect and defend them to the uttermost of his ●ower , with all other protestations contained in the said Oath ; which if he doth perform , he doth well , and is both a good man , and a good King ; but if he should not govern them accordingly to the Laws of the Land , and if he should not cherish and defend his People , shall it be lawful for his wife ●o make away this husband ? God forbid ! God made him King , them Subjects , therefore they must continue so , like man and wife , for better for worse , they two are both one , the head may not be divided from the body , and quae Deus conjunxit , nemo separet ; there have been Bills of divorcement given unto these King-husbands in former times : but of those Bills , I may say , as our blessed Saviour said of the Bills of divorcement which Moses commanded ; it was propter duri●iem cordis , Mat. 19.7 . Deut. 24.1 . for the hardness of mens hearts ; and then again , this durities cordis , never went so far as that the woman might put away her husband , but only the husband his wife ▪ and that only in the case of Adultery ; and if it had been otherwise , it had but a late beginning , a bad foundation : for our Saviour saith , Mat. 19.8 . In principio autem non erat sic , It was not so from the beginning ; and a hard heart is but a bad foundation for a good Christian to build upon . I will conclude this application with words not of my own , but of Saint Paul , which words are a commandement , Neither is it I ( saith the Apostle ) 1 Cor. 7.10 . but the Lord , that gives you this commandement , Let not the wife depart from her husband ; no , if she be an heretique , or which is worse , a heathen ; If the woman hath a busband which believeth not , i● he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him : 1 Cor. 7.13 . If I would resist my Soveraign in any kind , it should be for my Religion , but when my Religion tells me that I must not resist him in any case ; then I think I should but do ( in doing so ) like the boasting Jew , Rom. 2.13 . who boasted of the Law , and dishonoured God through breaking of that Law , which he had boasted of : What if some did not believe , shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect ? saith Paul ▪ Rom. 3.3 . God forbid : no more can the wickedness of a King , make void Gods Ordinance of our obedience unto him : our obedience must look upon Gods command , not upon the Kings good behaviour ; God doth not command things because they are fitting , but it is fit that we should obey , because he commands them ; neither ought we to have respect so much unto the goodness , as unto the Authority of a King ; for Kings do not consist in this , that they are good , but in this , that they are Kings ; for as it is possible for one to be a good man , and a bad King , so it is often seen , that a bad man may be a good King ; and it is an observation here at hom● , that the best Laws have been made by the worst of Kings . It is an observation , that divers Kingdoms have long continued in peace and happiness under bad Laws , and worse Governours . Well observed ; when unwarrantable attempts to better both , and inconsiderable courses to mend all , hath brought all to ruin and confusion . He that sets a Kingdom in combustion , to advance his own opinion , and prefer his private judgment , doth but set his house on fire to roast his Eggs. God makes Kings of several conditions , sometimes he gives a King , whose wisdom and reach in Government is like Sauls , head and shoulders higher then all the People : And then when we have wise Kings , and learned Judges , Psal. 2.10 . we shall be sure to have all those Breakers of their bonds asunder , and those casters away of their cords from them ; v. 5. to be bruised with a Rod of Iron , and broken in pieces like a Potters vessel ; v. 9. Sometimes God will send us a little child , sometimes a child in years , otherwhile a child in understanding , which of both it be , Vae regno ( saith Solomon ) cui puer dominabitur ; wo to the Kingdom , over which a child Reigns , for then the whole Kingdom is sure to be put upon the rack . Sometimes God in his judgment sends a Tyrant amongst us , I will set an evil man to rule over them , saith God himself , and then we are never in hope to be from under the lash ; and sometimes in mercy he sends meek and mild Princes ( like Moses ) who carried his People in his bosom , one that shall only make use of his Prerogatives , as Christ did of his miracles in cases of necessity ; one who shall say with the Apostle Saint Paul , I have no power to do hurt , but to do good , to edification but not to destruction : one who shall continue his Reign , as Saul began , Videre ne quid sit populo , quod fleat , who will hear and ask why do the People cry ? deserve well and have well ; shall we receive good from the hands of the Lord , and shall we not receive evil Princes ? though they be amarae sagittae , yet when we consider that they are e dulci manu domini emissae , we should not refuse them , but be contented with whomsoever his mercy or his justice sen●s ▪ or throws upon us : Never was there a bad Prince over any People , but he was sent by our heavenly Father for a scourge to his chil●ren ; and shall we kiss , or snatch the Rod out of our Fathers hand ? To conclude , there is nothing can disoblidge the people from their King , because bis Authority over them is a domino , from the Lord , but their obedience towards him is propter dominum , for the Lords sake ; though in himself there be all the reasons that can be given to the contrary , many will be glad to hear the Father of their Country , say , I and the Lord will go , and to be sole elect , and to hear his Father tell him , deus providebit , as Abraham said to his Son Isaac ; but if he takes fire and sword in hand threatning his follower , how many followers will he have ? I had rather , with Isaac , follow my Father I know not wherefore ; and with Abraham , obey my God , contrary to my own nature , and beyond all hope , then to serve so great a God and his Vicegerent by rules drawn by my own fancy and reason . CHAP. X. Psal. 105.15 . Touch not mine Anointed , meant by KINGS . BY the words , Touch not mine Anointed , is meant Kings and Princes : neither can any other interpretation , whatsoever , be obtruded upon this Text , without a great deal of impudence and ignorance ; If there were no other argument to be used but this , to a modest man , it were sufficient , viz. That not any Church , nor any Church-men , nor any Chri●tian , nor any Father , nor any Expositor whatsoever , did ever give it any other interpretation , before such time as the Jesuit and the Puritan , and they both at a time , and that time bearing not above an hundred yeers date neither , began to teach the world that it was lawful to murther Kings ; and no marvel if this found some querk or other to turn the stream of Scripture sence , out of its proper channel , and constant course ; the two Birds of a Feather , persecutors of one another , like two fighting Cocks who quarrel amongst themselves , being both of the same kind , and yet both agree in taking counsel together against the Lord , and against his Anointed : or like Pilate and Herod , they could not agree but in the principles of condemning the Lords Christ. But it is objected , that as a little child upon a Gyants shoulders , may see farther then the Gyant himself ; so a weaker understanding comming aft●r those Fathers , and taking advantage of such helps , getting up upon the shoulders of time and learning , may see more then they did , or hath been seen in former ages ; and therefore it is no wonder , if a man without aspersing himself with the least immodesty , may pretend to see more , then all those who went before him had observed , and what hath this child pick-a-pocket spied ? a Birds-neast can there be a simpler thing imagined ▪ whereby to give impudence the chair , and throw all the Ancient Fathers flat upon their backs , then this so common , and so much approv'd of instance to usher innovation , not only into the Church , but also into the very soul of Scripture it self ? for what if it be granted , that a child upon a Gyants shoulders sees further then doth the Gyant himself , doth the child know better what he sees then doth the said Gyant ? must not the child ask the Gyant what is what , of all that he beholds ? must not the child be informed by the knowing Gyant , of the difference between the mountains and the valleys , the water and the skie , a cock and a bull ? if the child be thus ignorant , what doth the childs getting up upon the Gyants shoulders advantage the child in points of controversie ? except it be such a child as Saint Christopher had got upon his shoulders , that was Judg of all the World : if the child be not so simple , but understands all these things ; then believe me he is no chil● in understanding ; but a Gyant himself in knowledge , an● so the similitude , the child , and the Gyant come tumbling all down together ; seat a child n●ver so high , he is but a child still , and sits but at the feet of a Gamaliel , when he is upon the ●houlders of a Gyant ; no child was ever thought worthy to pose all the Doctors , but the Child Jesus . Now to clear the Text from those blots and blurs that are thrown upon the words , going before this Text of Scripture , Touch not mine Anointed , viz. I have reproved Kings for their sakes , Ergo , the word Anointed could not betoken Kings , because Kings were reproved , for their sakes who were the Lords Anointed : now say they , the word Anointed must necessarily signifie the people of God , for whose sake these Kings were reproved , and so it doth ; but yet my Corahmites , Dathamites , and Abiramites , you must not think to be all alike holy unto the Lord , as that ye are all concern'd in this nolite tangere : There is no question but that in some sence the elect of God are anointed ones of the Lord , but not peculiarly the Lords Anointed : they are filii olii , sons of oyl , as the Prophet terms them , but not Christi mei , or Christi tui , or Christi ejus , or Christi Domini , which were attribut●s that were never given by the holy Ghost to any but to Christ , and Kings : the Priests who were anointed ( really ) never were term'd in Scripture the Lords Anointed , an● the prou●e●t , and most rebellious people that ever ●ere , whose arrogance claim'd an equality with , never ( in sacris ) strove to be above their Prie●s . Now if you expect clearness in the fountain , do not ye trouble the waters , an● you h●● behol● the springs of truth arise ; 't was the elect and chosen of the Lord that were here meant by anointed , and it was the fee● of Abraham , and it was not Kings that were meant by this word anointed in the Text ▪ But it was not all the elect of God , that must not be touch'd , it was not all the seed of Abraham who have this noli me tangere about them , but it was Abraham , Is●a● and Jacob , for whose sake God reproved Kings , as they are plainly nominated in the same Psalm , and none else ; if there be mention made of the seed of Abraham , Isaac and Jacob were the seed of Abraham ; who were else mentioned ? and though we cannot comprehend these three under the notion of nominal Kings , yet we may be pleased to consider them as real Princes , Principi Dei es enter nos , as it was said to Abraham , thou art a mighty Prince among●t us , so Kings may be reproved for their sakes ; they may be Kings too , and yet the Lords Anointed , for whose sake Kings were reproved : for we do not dispute about the name , but the thing . Now wheresoever you find this word nolite tangere , you shall find this word , saying , going before it , which of necessity must have some reference to some other place of Scripture to which it must allude , and in reference to which it must be spoken : for the word , saying , makes it rather a question of some Author , then the Psalmist's own , this allusion you may easily perceive , Gen. 26.11 . where it is set down , how that God touched the heart of Abimelech King of the Philistims , in the behalf of Isaac , one of the three named in the Psalm ; so that King Abimelech charged all his people , saying , He that toucheth this man , shall surely die : So Abimelech and King Herod were both reproved for Abrahams sake : Gen. 12.10 . And to what place of Scripture can this nolite tangere be more aptly applyed , then to this , where we find the same words reiterated ? Or what clearer testimony can be given of the Scriptures alluding to this saying , Touch not mine Anointed , then to Gen ▪ 16.29 . where totidem verbis , it is said to Abimelech in the behalf of Isaac , We have not touched thee thou blessed of the Lord ; what difference between these words , And touch not mine Anointed . Besides the Marginal notes of all our Bibles directs us to Abraham , Isaac and Jacob , as to the Anointed of the Lord , and as the Princes of Gods people , which must not be touch'd and for whose sakes Kings were so much reproved ; the word , King , in the Text , doth not exclude those who were Princes , but it only includes those Princes who were called Kings , and were reproved for their sakes who were Kings themselves re , though not nomine : so that all the ground that will be gained hereby , will be , that one Prince was reproved for another , though not called Kings . To conclu●e , as no Christians ever interpreted this place of ●cripture but of Kings and Princes , until Jesuits and Puritans , un●ertook that it is lawful to murther Kings : So no English Author ever interpret●d it otherwise , till within this seven or eight years ; when Presbyters and Independents began to put this doctrin in execution : and if the former of these two would wash their hands in innocency , as relating to this last unparallel'd act of Regicide , let them remember CHARLES the Proto-Martyr of Gods Church , and People , His own words , in his Book of Meditations , wherein He tells them , How vain is the shift of their pleading exemption from that aspersion , to grant Commission for shooting of bullets of Iron and Lead in his face , and preserving him in a Parenthesis of words . CHAP. XI . Objection . REhoboam hearkened unto young men which gave him evil counsel , and would not hearken unto his sages which gave him good advice , but answered the people roughly ; wherefore they renounced the right they had in David , and the inheritance they had in the son of Jesse , fled to their Tents , and Crowned Jeroboam King : Ergo , we may do the like upon the like occasion , having a president from the word of God , and warrantable , because God said , This thing was from the Lord , 1 King. 13.8 . Answer . All this proves only that such a thing was done , not that it was well done ; for if it be a sufficient proof to prove out of Scripture , that such a thing was done ▪ and thereupon conclude that therefore we may do the like , then this is as good an argument as the best , Judas betrayed Christ , therefore it is lawful for a servant to betray his Lord and Master ; first , the Scripture blames him in a most pathetical climax , 1 Kings 11.26 . Jeroboam the son of Nebat , the servant of ●olomon , whose mothers name was Zeruah , even he lifted up his hand against the King , shewing how he had desperately run through all those obligations , and tyes that were upon him ; Secondly , he and all his adherents are called Rebels for their pains , not only by Abijah his enemy , but also by the holy Ghost , who is enemy to none who are not Gods enemies , 2 Chron. 10.19 . And Israel Rebelled against the house of David unto this day ; his adherents were termed in Scripture vain men , and sons of Belial , they were punished with a destruction of five hundred thousand of them , which was one hundred thousand more then there were true Subjects for the slaughter ; the Scripture saith , God smote Abraham , v. 5. If it be objected , that the thing could not but be well done , because God saith , 1 Kings 14. I exalted thee from among the people , and made thee Prince over my people Israel , and rent the Kingdom from the house of David , and gave it thee : then it could not but be well do●● ●●nts of Rehoboam ( by the same reason ) to ans ▪ the people as he did : for it is written , that Rehoboam hearkened not unto the people , for the cause was from God , that he might perform the saying which he spake by Abijah unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat , 1 Kings 12.15 . Both were passive , and neither of them could resist the will of God ; but these places of Scripture are often times mistaken , and misapplyed , and interpreted either by those who are not well acquainted with the nature of Scripture language , or else by those who wilfully , ●nd wickedly layed hold of such a meaning as the Scripture may seem to give them leave , for all these and the like places of Scripture we must not take as Gods bene placence or approbation , but only for his permission ; for otherwise we should make a mad piece of work of it , for God said , 1 Sam. 12.11 . I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house , and I will take thy wives before thine eyes , and give them to thy neighbour , and he shall lye with them in the sight of the sun : doth this justifie Absolom for lying with his Fathers wives and concubines in the sight of all Israel ? Is there any evil that I have not done it , saith the Lord ? therefore did the Citizens do well to do evil , because the Lord said , I did it ? God did it , that is to say , he caused it to be done , as the evil of punishment , not as the tolleration of evil , so this thing was from the Lord , that is to say , the Lord suffered such a thing to come to pass as a punishment of Solomon for his Idolatry on his posterity , and yet ●●ay no way approve of any such Rebellious courses : neither was Rehoboam so much to be blamed for his answer , as may be supposed , nor the people justified in their Rebellion neither , for they grounded their discontents upon a false ground , for the people complained when there was no cause , and deman●ed that which was not reason ; hear the whole grievance , and consider it a little , 1 Kings 12.4 . Thy father made our yoke grievous ( that was false ) do thou make it light : ( no reason for that ) for the people never lived happier neither before nor after , then they did in this Kings Fathers time , and might have done in his time , if they had known when they had been well , and Gods judgments would have suffered them to have seen it . For , 1. They were a populous Nation , as the sand on the Sea for multitude , 1 Kings 4.20 . 2. They liv'd merrily , eating and drinking , and making merry . 3. The Nation was honoured abroad , for Solomon reigned over all the Kings that were round about him , v. 21. 4. They lived peaceably , they had peace in all sides round about them v. 24. 5. They liv'd securely and quietly , every man under his own Vine , and under his own fig-tree . 6. They had much Trading in his days , and much merchandize , 1 Kings 10.15 . 7. He was very beneficial to those Merchants , for he gave Solomon , not only large wisdom , but largeness of heart , and let those Merchants have commodities from them at a price , v. 28. 8. He maintained a brave fleet at Sea , 1 King. 4.21 . 9. He made silver and gold to be in Jerusalem as plentiful as stones , and Cedars as Sicamore-trees , 2 Chron. 1.16 . 10. These felicities were not only in the Court , or among the Nobility , or between the Citizens , but they were universal , even from Dan unto Beersheba . 11. They were not for a spurt and no more , or at one time and not at another ; but all the days of Solomon . O me prope lassum juvate posteri . Neither doth the Scripture make any mention of any such hard yoke at all , only the margent of the Bible directs us from the complaint of the people , to look upon the first Chapter of the Kings , v. 7. and there you shall only find how Solomon had twelve Officers over all Israel , which provided victuals for the King and his houshold , each man his month in a year , but here is but a very slender ground for a quarrel , when the immediate verse after the naming of those twelve officers tells us , that the multitude of people as numberless as the sand upon the ●ea shore , were as merry eating and drinking as the King , and this place unto which we are directed ( and no other ) to find out this grievousness , appears by the context of the same Chapter , to be mentione● as an expression of Solomons glory and wisdom , rather then of any tyranny , or polling of his people : for the whole relation ends with an expression that as the people were as the sand of the Sea for number , so the largeness of the Kings heart extended as the largeness of the Sea for bounty , all were partakers of it , 1 Kings 4.29 . Pardon me therefore if I think that Rehoboam had more reason to answer the people as he did , then the people had just reason to complain . O alti●udo ! O the unsearchable ways of God! where God suffers his people to be a rod to visit the sins of the fathers upon the children , he permits them to take a wrong cause in hand , that he may also cast the rod into the fire . I pray God the Merchants of London be not too like those Merchants of Jerusalem , who Traded so long , until they brought over , together with other Merchandize , Apes and Peacocks , and the Traders begin to be too like their traffique , Apes for manners and behaviour , Peacocks for pride , and rusling until the Apes grow to be so unhappy , as to be brought to their chains , and the Peacocks , so vain-glorious , as to loose their feathers : and so I leave them both , tasting the fruit of their own follies . CHAP. XII . The Objection of Jehu slaying his Master Joram , Answered . Objection . THus saith the Lord God of Israel , I have Anointed thee Jehu King over the people of the Lord , even over Israel , and thou shalt smi●e the house of Ahab thy , Master , that I may avenge the blood of all the servants of the Lord at the hands of Jezebel : Ergo , if a King , be thus wicked , we have Gods warrant , for the deposing and putting such a one to death . Answer . But stay until you have this warrant , and then we will allow it to be lawful ; for though every one is apt enough to be a Jehu in his own case , yet every one is not a God-almighty , we must not clap his Seal to our own ●arrants ; what God commands at one time , we are not to make it our warrant to do the like at all times , this is a prerogative of the Almighty , no priviledg of a Subject ; God may command Abraham to slay his son ▪ but we must not go about to murther our children ; God may command the Israelites to spoil the Egyptians , but we must not Rob and Cosen our n●ighbours ; Christ may give order for the taking away of another mans goods , because the Lord hath need of it , but we must not make necessity our pretence for Arbitrary power ; these acts of the Almighty are specially belonging unto him , and we must have his special warrant before we go about any such thing . But setting all such plea aside , I utterly deny that either Jehu did , or that God gave Jehu any such authority as to slay King Joram , Jehu slew Joram , but Jehu did not slay the King , for Jehu by the Lords immediate appointment was King himself , before ever he laid hand upon Joram ; Joram was but then a private man , for in the verses going before , it is set down how that Jehu was Anointed King , how he was so proclaimed , and accordingly how he took the state of a King upon him and executed the Office. 2 Kings 12.13 . before ever any mention is made of Jehu slaying Joram , v. 14. therefore here is no regicidium , as yet here is but plain man-slaughter , and a lusty warrant for that too : again , we must not only take heed of unwarrantable actions , but of false warrants , the private spirit is no sufficient warrant to lay hold on such a publique Magistrate : as there are false Magistrates so there is a false spirit : for an erroneous spirit may as well con●emn a good Magistrate as a bad Magistrate may be condemned by a good spirit : but there may be a higher mistake then all this , and I wish it were not too common amongst us now adays , to mistake the works of the flesh , for the fruit of the spirit : Let us compare them both together , as the Apostle hath set them in order . The works of the flesh . Adultery , Fornication , Vncleanness Laciviousness , Idolatry , Witchcraft , Hatred , Variance , Emulations , Wrath , Strife , Seditions , Heresies , Envyings , Murders , Drunkenness , Revellings . The fruit of the Spirit . Love , Joy , Peace , Long suffering , Gentleness , Goodness , Faith , Meekness , Temperance . By which of these two was CHARLES the First 's Head cut off ? CHAP. XIII . Of the Necessity and Excellency of Monarchy . A Jove principium . Let us begin with Heaven , and behold its Monarchy in the unity of the blessed Trinity ; though there be three persons , yet there must be but one God : for the avoiding of that which we are fallen into , a confounding of p●rsons , and dividing of substance . Descend lower , and consider the Angels , and you shall find one Arch-angel above the rest , as the Angels Monarch . Lower yet , to those senseless and inanimate Rulers of the Day and Night , the Sun and Moon , and you shall not find ( or so much as the appearance of such a thing ) more Suns or Moons in the same firmament then one ; without a prodigy or portent , of some dire , and direful event . Come down to the Regions and you shall find in the head of the highest Region a Prince of the air . Come to the lowest , and you shall find amongst the wing●d inhabitants thereof , the Soveraign Eagle , as the King of Birds . Come amongst the Beasts of the field , and the Lion will soon let you know , that there is a King of Beasts . Run into the Sea , and their is a King of Fishes . Descend into Hell and there is a Prince of Devils : and shall only man be Independent ? Do we not observe the d●lving Labourer what pains he takes to joyn house to house , and land to land , till th●re be no more room for any competitor within his Dominions ; and when he hath wrought his petty dunghils into a mixen , he thinks it Law and Reason , that the place should not a●mit the Dominion of more Cocks then one , this man dies a Monarch in his own thoughts , and his son lives to inlarge his fathers Teritories , but at last dies big with thoughts of a principality , his son lays hold of all the advantages that may help him to the accomplishment of his hereditary desires , Iuno , Lucina fer opem obsecro , he is a Prince , Coelo timendum est Regna ne summa occupet qui vicit ima , he must be an Emperour , Divisum imperium cum Iove Caesar habet , he must have all or none , none but Iupiter must share with him . Mundus non sufficit un●s , when he hath all , and when all is done , the Empire after that it hath disimbogu'd an● incorporated into it self , all the Kingdoms of the earth , terminates in an everlasting Kingdom , that shall never be destroyed ; quam primum appropinquaverit regnum Coelorum , as soon as the Kingdom of Heaven shall be at hand : and what 's all this but to shew us that not only nature , but God himself , who is the God of Nature , affects Monarchy . The further off any government is to Monarchy , the worse it is , the nearer the better , the reason 's thus , that Government which avoids most the occasion of differences , must be most happy , because most peaceable ; and peace only consi●ts in unity : now where there are many Governours there must be differences : where there are few , there may be differences : where there is but one , there cannot . The Romans ▪ when they shook off their Government by Kings , and were distasted with their Government , for their Governours sake ; tried all the contraverted Governments of the world , of two by their Consuls , of three by their Triumvirat , of ten by their Decemviri , of ten thousand by their Tribunes : when they found that the farther off they departed from Monarchy , the Center of all Government , the more they lost themselves in the circumference of their own affairs , they began a little to look back upon the Government from which they had deviated all the while , but yet with squint eyes ; first , a King , and no King , a thing that was like a King , but not a King ; a thing that was so re , and tempore , but not nomine ; he must be only so , pro una vice , unoque anno , such were their dictators : at last this sucking Government gathered strength , and grew to be perpetual , which perpetuity in one begot an everlasting Monarchy in all ages , which is to continue unto the end of the world ▪ for the Proph●t Daniel tells us , that at the end of the la●● and fourth Monarchy , which was the Roman , Christ should sit upon his everlasting Kingdom that should never be destroyed ; therefore my Enthusiasticks , must either leave dreaming of pulling down all Kingdoms , and Empires in the world , or else think themselves the Kingdom of Christ , that we have pray'd for all along . Neither is it unworthy of your observation , that as soon as ever this Monarchy was restored , there was universal peace over the whole world ; and the Saviour of the world , who was Princeps pacis , vouchsafed not to come into the world , under any of the fore-mentioned governments ; but Imperante Augusto natus est Christus , who was the first Emperour of the Romans . He who affects parity , let him begin it in his own house , and as he likes it in the model , so let him attempt it in the fabrick : for my part , I have read their arguments , and am so far from being evinced by any of them , that I do not believe that there is any such thing : ● have been in all the Common-wealths in Europe , and I could not find any such thing as a Free State , I could find the word Libertas , fairly written over their Gates , but within their Walls the greatest Bondage and arbitrary power that could possibly be imagined in any part of the world , but no Liberty at all that I could find , but only some few there were , who had liberty to do what they would with all the rest . Geneva may of six , Genoa may have seven , Venice may have eight , the Hollanders nine or ten , England may have five Members or Leading-men as they call them ; but what 's all this but taking the Government from off its shoulders , and putting it in some hand ? And when you have done , it 's ten to one but you shall find one of the fingers longer then all the re●t , and if you please you may call that King , and all the rest subjects ; what 's this but a change from a Monarchy with one Crown , to a Tyranny with so many heads ? If it were so that all Free-States , as they call themselves , had all equal power , it would be so much the worse , all these kinds of Government have their continuation and subsistance upon this only ground , viz , that necessity and craft drive them to come so near to Monarchy , and sometimes to an absolute Monarchy , when you reckon your Hogan Mogan only by the pole , and not by the polar star , that commonly is fixed amongst them , about which , all the rest move and turn . But what do we talk of Monarchy or Aristocracy or Democracy , behold a well regulated Parliament , such a one as ours might have been , and ought to be ; hath the benefit and goodness that is in all these three kind of Governments , of Monarchy in the King , of Aristocracy in the Peers , of Democracy in the House of Commons , where the acerbities of any one is taken away by their being all three together , but if one will be all , then all will be nothing . This stupendiously wise ▪ and Noble way of Government had its dissolution by inverting the course it took in its original . When the first William had conquered the Nation , t●e Normans would not admit that any Laws should be observed , or rules obeyed , but only the will of the Conquerour ; and why so ? but because thereby the Conquerour might take away the Estates of any English-man , and give them to the Conquering Normans ; But in process of time ; when these Normans became English , they began to insist a little upon meum and tuum , and would know the what that was belonging to the King , as a King , and to themselves as Subjects ; for by the former rule the King might as well take away the Estates from one Norman , and give it to another , as he did formerly from the English , and give to his Normans ; wherefore they would have no more of that , but joyntly and unanimously Petitioned the King to the same effect , the King thought it reasonable , condescends to their desires , consultation was about the premises , the result of the Consultation was , that the King should issue out Writs to the Lords Spiritual ( who in those days were thought the wisest and most Conscientious ) to reason with the King , and advise with him , as well concerning the bounding of the Ocean of Soveraignty , as bridling in the petty Rivers of private interest . These Spiritual Lords thought it a work of too high a nature for their private undertakings , wherefore they supplicated his Majesty , that the Lords Temporal might be also summoned by Writ , and joyn with them in the same Authority ; 't was done accordingly ; being done , they both thought it a business so transcendent , and of so universal concernment , that they found a way to involve the whole Nation in a joynt consent , which was , that all Free-holders in the Kingdom , in their several precincts , might by the election of two in every County , disembogue all their suffrages into theirs , and to remain the Countries proxies , to Vote for , and to be directed by their several Countries ; and thus the Commons were brought in : but behold the Viper , that eats through the sides of its own Parents behold the Asses foal , who when she hath done sucking , kicks her own dam. The King brings in the Lords Spiritual , the Lords Spiritual bring in the Lords Temporal , both bring in the Commons , the Commons destroy both , both destroy the King. Neither was Kingship ( as they call it ) and Episcopacy better rewarded , for being the principal , and so zealous Reformers of the Gospel , to have both their Crowns and Miters broke in pieces by the same hammer of reformation ; and the walls of their Pallaces mingled with Abby dust , casting thereby such a blot upon the very name of Reformation , that it will scarce be legible by Christians , except what went before , and what may follow after , may help the future ages to the true sence and meaning of the word : thus Rivers run backwards and drown their own Head ; thus the monsterous Children who are born with teeth in their mouths , bite off the nipple , and starve themselves for lack of sustenance ; thus blind Sampsons revenge themselves upon their enemies , by pulling down the house upon their own heads ; thus the forms of the most glorious government of a Church and State , are wounded to death through the sides of Reformation : If you are not , I am sure you will ere it be long be satisfied , that all the specious pretences of popular Goverment , Free-State , Liberty of the Subject ▪ are but figments and delusions of the people , obtruded by vain-g●orious and haughty men , who knowing that they could not be that one Governour of all the rest , yet they hope to be one of many ; thus foolish children set their fathers barns full of Corn on fire to warm their hands , when they are ready to starve for lack of bread : who had not rather live under a Government wherein a man is only bound to submit to him , whom it is honour to obey , then to live under a Government where every man is a slave , because every one is a Master ? Finally , my opinion is this , I had rather have my liberty to kneel before a Throne , then to be the tallest man in a crowd , and should think it more for my ease and honour . CHAP. XIV . That there is no such thing as a Free-State in the World. IF by a Free-State , you mean a people who have shook off their Allegiance to their Prince , there are many such Free-States to be found , but a beggars-bush , or a company of Gipsies ( who propound to themselves new Laws ) renouncing the old , and yet chuse a King and Queen amongst themselves , pleasing one another with a self-conceited opinion of a thing they call Liberty , which is no otherwise then an ignoble bondage of their own choosing , preferring the correction of a bundle of rods ( because their own hands have made them ) before the sway-meant of a Scepter , which God himself hath put into their Soveraigns hand ) is as good a Common-wealth , or Free-State as the best : but if you mean by a Free-State , a freedom from Tyranny , you will be as far to seek for any such thing in rerum natura , as for a reason why tyranny may not be in many , as well as in one : But if you mean by freedom an exemption from all such tyrannical oppressions as are expressed in the Petition of Right ; I see not why such a Free-State may not be under a Monarchy : certainly I have seen such Petitions , and insistances , during the late Kings Reign , as having relation to Freeborn people of England , and should think that the Magna Charta defended by one , who had power to make it good against the infringement of many breakers , and by a Parliament of many , authorized to the same purpose against the pessundation of it by any one , be it by the highest , may not be as good a way to make , preserve and keep a Nation free , as well as the intrusting of a Nations freedom into the hands of a few , whose Independency deny all remedies to be either above them , or below them . It may be it will not be thought tedious , if I entertain your eye and consideration with some Observations of my own , in those Free-States of Christendom ( as they call themselves ) wherein I have been . I shall begin with the Free-State of Genoa , wherein I have been resident some time , and the rather , because whilst England was a Kingdom , they could not have the face to stand in any competition with us ; but now the Kings arms were cut off as well as his head , how should we do to make a distinction between them and us ? for both the State of Genoa , and the State of England give the very same Coat of Arms , and St. George is both our patrons : Certainly England must give the Half-moon as the younger brother ; and why should not the Moon Crescent follow after , now the Turkish Alcoran is come before ? When the overspreading Roman Monarchy , like Nebuchadnezzars over-grown and lofty Tree was brought only to a stump chained to the ground , and when the Keys of Heaven and Hell had so well fitted the locks belonging to the Gates of Rome , as to give way to the enterance of that high Priest into the Imperial seat , then was Genoa a lop of that great fall : and soon after it was wrought into a bundle or faggot of a Common-wealth , until such time as Charles the Great recovered all his Right in Italy , saving only the Holy Land , whose Princely sword could never strike at the already cloven Miters , but at Helmets . Amongst other Counties whose subduements , acknowledged Charles to be the Great , Genoa was one ; which City was no less happy then famous , in affording a man who honoured her Walls , with making it known unto the World , that he came out of them under the name of Andreas Dory a Genose ; this famous Andreas Dory was a zealous Common-wealths-man , and one of the new Gentlemen , as they call'd themselves , ( for you must understand , that when these States-men had shook off the yoke of Soveraignty , they expelled all their Gentry or Nobility ; which no sooner done , but they made a new Gentry or Nobility amongst themselves ) and being a deserving man , the Emperour Charles the fifth , will'd this Andreas Dory to aske and have what he desired of all that he had Conquered : he asked Genoa , the Emperour gave it him , to do with it what he pleased , he gave it the Citizens , together with all their Liberties , and former Freedoms upon this conditions , That they should recal the old Gentry in again , and settle them again in all their rights and priviledges , which being assented unto , Genoa became a Free-State again ; but behold the Freedom , or rather the power and bonds of love and gratitude , neither the old or new Gentry , nor the Common people , would allow of any thing that was said or to be done , but what this Dory should command or say : nor was there a more absolute and powerful Monarch upon the earth then he ; and whilst he liv'd he did continue so , because the people would obey : who being once dead , the people soon found they did obey , because they must : Yet still it must be a Free-State , because Libertas was written over the Senate-House , and City-gates , but neither within their Senate , or their Walls , was there ever such Tyranny over the common people , or the Citizens , then hath been all along , and is at this day practised by some few , who spit Monarchy in the face , and make no bones to swallow down all its adjuncts ? Exercising their several Tyrannies with this justification , that they are the Supreme Authority , whilst they deny Supremacy ; gulling the people into a scotish belief , that they are not suppressed by one hand , because it hath many fingers . I shall instance unto you one particular , which was done whilst I was there , whereby you may easily Judge in what Free-state their Commons live : There was a substantial Citizen , between whom , and a Noble Genoese there was some grudge , this Senator studies a revenge , and thus he intends it to be put Execution . He gives command to one of his Braves ( for so they call their Executioners ) to kill this Citizen : this Slaughter-man ( being by reason of some former Obligations ) struck with some remorse of doing so high an act of ingratitude to one , who had so well deserved at his hands ; discovers the whole plot to his so much acknowledg'd patron , who very much ackowledges and commends the ingenuity of this discoverer ; bids him to follow him where ●e leads him over a trap , where the leader knew full well how to order his steps , so that he might advance safely over the place , but the followers ( ignorant of these Observations ) must needs fall down a precipice , no less terrible , then destructive ; the poor man is slain : this persidious murderer watches his opportunity of meeting this designer of his death , in the Merc●ato , and gently takes him by the arm , and desires him that he might speak a word with him ; they withdraw themselves out of the walk to a private corner : the Citizen tells this Noble-man that his servant had betraid him , in discovering his design to him on whom it should be Executed ; in detestation of which , perfidiousness , he had given him the reward of a Traytor ( declaring the manner and form as is expressed ) and desired in all humility that he would be pacified and that whatsoever differences were between them , that he would bepleased to be his own Judge whereupon they both became friends , no less satisfaction being acknowledged by the one , then ingenuity on the other party . Such shifts as these , are these Free-born people fain to make to appease the wrath and fury of their Lords and Masters : In a word , as their Territories is no otherwise then a continued breach of three hundred miles along the sea-shore , so the Inhabitants live no otherwise then do the fishes in the Sea , the greater fishes devour the less so where there is no King in Israel , every man doth that which is good in his own eyes : it cannot be otherwise . From thence I went unto the Free-state of Lucca , and there I found the Free-men to have six Princes every year ; and the Senate chusing six men , whose elect a Prince for the Common-wealth every two months ; this Prince ascending his Throne up these six steps , acts what he pleaseth : nor have the common people any more liberty , then the most rigid Calvinist will allow a Papist , free-will : Neither is their any other difference between this Government of the Free-State of Lucca , and the Empire of Germany ; but that the one have so many Prime chusers , and the other so many Prince Electors , the one keeps it within the House of Austria , and the other keeps it out of the House of the Medices . I went from thence unto the ancient Common-Wealth of Venice , whose Government ( if in any ) I should approve of , because they never revolted from a better : but yet I must tell you , that at my first entrance into that City , I found the people full of complaints , of the heavy Taxes , exorbitant Power , and Arbitrary Government , which seized upon all their Plate , and what other goods of value they had , for the use of State , toward the maintenance of a War , which was both foolishly begun , and most carelessly run into by their Trustees , or Representatives ; for the Pope of Rome had certain intelligence that the Turk was preparing to make War against some part of Christendom , the Pope sends to all the Frontier Princes of Christendom , advising them they should all agree as one man to make it their own case , and that they would assist one another , on what part of Christendom soever the storm should fall , and that the several Embassadours would take it into consideration , about proportioning every Prince or State according to their abilities , for their several supplies of men and money ; to which they all soon condescended , except the Venetian , who told the rest , that there was a League between the Grand Seigniour and the Venetians , and therefore they were not to fear any such War to be intended against them ; to which it being demanded that if the Turk prevailed against other parts of Christendom round about the Venetian● , whether they though the would let the Venetians alone at last ? or whether the Venetians thought so or no , whether they di●● think themselves bound in honour , and Christianity to defend their neighbour Christians against so common an Enemy ? To which it was answered by the Venetians , that the very entring into such a league and covenant with them , were enough to break the Peace between them and the Turk , whereupon the Juncto was dissolved , and every tub was fain to stand on his own bottom ; but it fell out that ( by the Machiavillianism of the Card. Richlieu , who taught and perswaded the Turk to break the League between him and the Venetians , because he would not have the Venetians to lend the Emperour so much money , but would find them waies how to disburse it otherwise ) the Turks waged War only against the Venetians , and none else , whereupon they were fain to endure the whole brunt of the War themselves , and had no body to help them : this being so grievously found fault with by the common people , and their goods taken away ad placitum , their persons prest de bene esse , whe●her they thought so or no : I would fain know what liberty these people had , who could find such faults without remedies , and lose their goods without redress ? what liberty is there in having freedom in the State , and none in the condition ? I shall part with my children with tears in mine eyes , and through the same water behold the word , Libertas , written upon the Rialto ; what am I the better for this freedom ? Am I robbed of all my money , because one thief takes it away ? and am I not rob'd because six or seven lay hold upon me ? believe it , I never heard such complaints ●either in the King or Parliaments time , of oppression and tyranny , as I heard in this City during the time that I was there ; and this not only during the War , but also in the times of Peace , five or six men Rule the whole State , and it may be the Prince none of them neither . I shall relate unto you a story of one Loridan a Noble Venetian , who keeping a Courtisan , on whom he was intended to bestow a favour , he went into a rich Shop for to buy her some cloth of gold to make h●r a Gown , the Prentice was only in the shop , whom he commanded to cut out so much of such a piece as the Taylor gave directions , which done , he will'd the Prentice to tell his Master that he would be accomptable to him therefore ; the boy excused himself , he being but a servant , and not having any such directions from his Master , not doubting , but that if his Master were there , he would willingly trust him for what he should be pleased to command ; the Noble Venetian takes his leave , willing the Boy to tell his Master , that he should rue the day that ever he kept such a ●awcy Boy to give him such an affront , and so departed in g●eat fury : the Master of the Shop presently coming in , and hearing the relation of what had happened , tore his hair , wrung his hands , s●ampt upon the ground , and like a mad-man cryed out , that the Boy had undone him , and all his posterity ; takes the whole piece with him , follows this Noble Venetian to his Curtisans , offers to bribe the Curtisan with the whole piece , if she would intermediate for him which with much difficulty , and many pleadings she so appeas'd his wrath , that he was satisfied : and this was as common for a Senator of Venice to do , as for a Parliament man to pay no debts . Neither is their any Law or Justice to be had against any of these Statesmen : There was a Noble-man who was an Austrian both by Birth and Family , who being a Traveller , chanc'd to cast his eyes upon a fair and vertuous Lady , who in every respect were deserving of each other : This Noble-man had no sooner made his mind known unto his Paragon f●r beauty , but he was soon obstructed with a corrival , who was a Nobile Venetiano ; who perceiving his Mistress affections to this Stranger to be more liberally expressed than unto him , contrives his death , and soon eff●ct it , she loving her Martyr more than either others conceived , or she her self could brook , so great a cross concerning them , studies revenge , and being an Italian , found her self easily prompted by her own natural inclination , she pretends much love , that she might the better put in execution her greatest hatred , she gets him into a Chamber , where she prays him to rest himself in a Chair , wherein he was no sooner sat but his arms and thighs were caught with springs , and being thus fastened , she murders him with her own hands , and flies for sanctuary to the next Nunnery within the Popes Dominions , leaving behind her , by the murdered , these words , written with her own hand in a piece of paper , Because there is no justice to be executed against a Noble Venetian , I have been both Judge and Executioner my self . Men may talk what they will , and fancy what they please , but there is no more difference , in point of freedom between a Monarchy and a Free-State ( as they call it ) than there is between a High Sheriff of a Shire , and a Committee of a County ; Utrum horum mavis accipe Now for the Free State of our Neighbour Netherlands , otherwise called the States of Holland ( who have sprung up ( as all other Free-States will do at last ) from the submissive and humble stilings of the distressed , to the High and Mighty ) . The particulars which occasioned their revolt from their Soveraign the King of ●pain , I shall not insist upon , but refer you to the Spanish and Netherland Histories ; only I shall hint upon the main inducements to their Rebellion ; viz. Religion and Freedom . For the first , There is not a People amongst whom the name of God is known , to whom Religion is a greater stranger , than unto these stilers of themselves , Reformed Protestants , for if this Free-state , who allow all Religions both of the Jews and Gentiles , whose several Churches own , in Capital letters over their doors , the several sects of Religions , to which each Libertine is inclined , be Religious , than the Pantheonists were as truly Reformed and Religious as the Amsterdamiams ; but as he , who sacrificed to all the Gods in general , must needs have sacrificed unto the true God , and yet know him not , because he joyned others with him , who was to be worshipped alone : So that Country which embrace●h all Religions , happily may have the true Religion amongst them , and yet have no Religion , because they admit of many , being there is but one : This I speak in reference to the Country , not to particular men . Neither is there a sort of Christians in the world who are less servants unto Christ , if it be enough to make them so , to be the greatest prophaners of his day : for the Sabbath is only distinguished from other daies , by a Sermon in the Church , and the Ale-house being full of Mechanicks , drinking and carousing from morning until night ; the shops are open , and buying and selling all the day long , excepting half the window , which is to distinguish the day , but the door is open to let in the buyers , and the other half of the window is open to let in the light : and wonderfully strange it is , and remarkable to consider how these people , who shook off their Allegiance to their Prince upon pretences of Reformation , should be so besotted , as to fall into such a strange and unheard of prophaneness of him , and the day whereon Christ himself is to be worshipped , as in their Metropolls , or chief City , to have a dog-market kept to the utter scandal of true Religion and Christianity it self , this is no more than what I have seen , and if it were not true , it were easily returned upon my self as the greatest impudence that could be imagined ; but O the partiality of the Picture-drawer , when he receives large wages for a similitude ! he insults over his own work only because it is like , when the face it self is most abominable . Now for the freedom from Tyranny and oppression ; if the Turks or Tartars had conquered them , they never would ( nor never did where ever they extended their Dominions ) impose such Taxes and Rates as they have imposed on one another , incredible ; even to the full value of the several commodities , which run through their natives hands ; but you will ask me , how it is possible they should live then ? To which I answer you , by sharking and cosening of strangers : Let any forraigners come there and ask for a dinner , and for such a dinner as they may well afford for eight pence a-piece , they will ask you five shillings a man ; find but the least fault with them , and they will demand twelve pence a piece more for fouling of linnen ; and if you seem angry at that , you shall mend your self with the payment of six pence a-piece over and above for fouling the room : and seek a remedy , and you shall be told , the Prince of Orange himself if he were there could not help it : altom all , is all the reason they will give you ; if in sadness you shall complain of such abuses to indifferent Judges , they will tell you , that the States do lay such heavy Taxes upon the Inhabitants , that they are fain to flie to such shifts for their subsistance ; thus men pleased with the itch of Innovation , are contented to scratch the blood out of their own bodies , till they feel the greatest smart ; rather than their Physician should let out a little spare blood , to cure the disease , and preserve them in good health ; but you will say , that for all this , they thrive and prosper abudantly , so do the Argiers men , but with what credit and reputation in the eye of the World ? I believe both alike : It was not their strength or policy , which brought them to this height and flourishing condition : but it was our policy of State , in emulation to other Princes , which helped these Calves to Lions hearts , teeth , and claws , until the High and Mighty Butter-boxes stood in competition with the Crown : and I am afraid the siding with such Rebels , hath turned Rebellion into our own bosoms , as a just judgment from that God who is a revenger of all such iniquities , they may call it the School of War , whilst wanting a good cause , it could be no otherwise than the Christians shambles : I should be sorry that Holland should be the English-mans Looking-glass : a spur for his feet , or a copy for his hand , I hope the hand of Providence will cure us , like the Physician , who cur'd his Patient by improving his disease , from a gentle Ague to a high Feaver , that he might the better help him : CHAP. XV. That Episcopacy is Jure Divino . IN this Discourse I shall not trouble my self , nor you with Titles , Names and words of Apostles , Evangelists , Arch-bishops , Bishops , Patriarchs , Presbyters , Ministers , Angels of Churches , &c. which were all from the highest to the lowest , but tearms reciprocal ; and were often taken in the Church of God , and in the Scripture it self , for one and the same ; for if any man , though never so mean , a Minister of the Gospel converted any Nation , the Church ever called him , the Apostle of that Country ; as Austin , though but a Monk , was every where tearmed the Apostle of England : and St. Paul , being an Apostle , stiles himself a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ : Paul bids Timothy being a Bishop , to do the work of an Evangelist ; and therefore no wonder if Bishops and Presbyters be often mentioned for one and the same : but it is a great wonder that any manner of men , should make this a ground for any argument against Episcopacy ; these kind of arguments instead of striking fire that should light the candle , they do but pin napkins over our eyes , and turn us round , until we know not where we are ; and then we grope for we know not who , and lay hold of we know not what : he that will cut down this over-grown up-start-tree of error , must first clear his way to the root , and brush away all those brambles , and briers , which grow about it ; we must not leave any thing standing , that may lay hold of the hatchet , and deviate the stroke , turning the same edge upon the feller , that was intended for the tree : if we should insist upon names and titles , we should make but a confounded piece of work , and run our selves into a most inextricable labyrinth and Mazes of error ; where we might run and go forwards and backwards , and round about , and ne're the near : Christs are Kings , Kings are Gods ; God is Christ , and Christ is Bishop of our souls ; Bishops are Presbyters , Presbyters are Ministers , a Minister is an Apostle , an Apostle is a Minister : and so if you will quite back again . I must put off these , as David threw away Sauls Armour , non possum incedere cum iis ; I love to knock down this m●nstrum informe ingens cui lumen ademptum , with a blunt stone taken out of a clear River , which with the sling of application may serve well enough to slay this erroneous Philistine , though he were far greater than he i● . In the first place therefore let us understand what is meant by Jus Divi●um ; if any man means that Episcopacy is so Jure Divino , that it is unalterable , and must continue at all times , and in all places , so that where it is left off , there can be no Church , he means to give much offence and little reason ; for there is no question but the Church may alter their own Government ( so that it be left to themselves to alter ) as they shall think most convenient , as well as alter the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first of the week , or as well as they chang'd immersion into aspersion of the baptised , and many other things which carried as much Jus Divinum with them as Episcopacy , and yet were chang'd . The Jus Divinum that is in Episcopal Government , doth not consist in the Episcopacy , but in the Government , be it Episcopal or what it will ; but where the Government is Episcopal , no question but there Episcopal Government is Jure Divino , because a Government ; and if it were otherwise , that Government into which Episcopacy degenerateth , would be Jure Divino , as well as it , provided that none touch this Ark of the Church but the Priests themselves ; for if the hand which belongs to the same body , pull the hat from off the head , the man loses not his right , only he stands in a more humble posture , but he is in a● strong possession of his own right , as when 't was on his head , but if another hand should chance to pull it off , the party stands disgracefully depriv'd of his highest Right and Ornament . So if Episcopal Government of the Church be put down , or altered by Church-men themselves , the Jus Divinum is but removed from the Supremacy of one , and fastened in the stronger hold of many members , for this is a Maxim that admits no postern , power never falls to the ground , neither in Church nor State , but look what one lets fall , another takes up before ever it comes to ground , wherefore losing nothing , they keep their own ; but whether this power in Church or State in the point of convenience be better in the hands of one or many , let whose will look to that , that 's not my work ; neither the names of Governments nor the numbers of Governours shall ever be able to fright away this Jus Divinum out of the Church Government , be the Government what it will , bene visum fuit spiritui sancto & nobis , keeps in the Jus Divinum , be the Government never so altered , whereas forbidden and improper hands , actions , as unusual , as unwarrantable , le ts out this Jus Divi●●● ▪ when they have changed it to what they can imagine , now whether or no it be proper for a Lay-Parliament , or a Representative of Lay-men , by the power of the Sword , declining the Kings Authority , will and pleasure , who was appointed by God to be a nursing Father of his Church , to alter Church-Government , so Antient , so begun by Christ himself in his own person over so many Apostles , so practis'd by the Apostles over others , so continued all along , I mean Episcopacy , that is to say , one Minister constituted an Overseer of many , and to lay hold upon tumults and insurrections , to pull down these Overseers , and for men who in such cases should be governed by the Church , to pull down the Church-Government without any the least consent of the Church Governours ; I leave it for the World to judge ; only my one opinion is this , That any Government thus set up , or by such practices as these altered , must needs be so far from being Jure Divino , that it must needs be Jure Diabolico . But it may be objected , that if they should have stayed until the Bishops had altered themselves , they might have styed long enough ; to which it may be answered , that had the Bishops been but as poor as Job , there would have been no such hast to change their cloaths . The Ark was a type of the Church , and whatsoever was literally commanded concerning the type , must be Analogically observed in the thing typified ; God sate in the Mercy-Seat that was over the Ark , the Ark contained within it Aarons Rod , and a pot of Manna , so the Church contains the Law and the Gospel , the killing letter and the reviving spirit ; others interpret the Rod to signifie the Government and Discipline of the Church , as the Manna the Doctrine of Christ , and food that came down from heaven : I take it to signifie both , and both answers my purpose ; if both be therein contained , neither must be touch'd but by the Priests themselves ; neither must we confine this prohibition to the Priests of the Law only , but we must extend it also to the Ministers of the Gospel , both which were typified by the two Cherubims , or Ministring Angels of the Almighty : these Ministers or Angels , though opposite to one another , yet they both lookt alike , and neither of them upon one another , but both of them upon the Ark that was between them , there was mutuality in their looks , and their wings touch'd one another ; so though the Ministers of the Law and the Gospel seem opposite in the Administration of the same grace , yet they must come so near as to touch one another in the manner of the Administration ; exempli gratiâ , as there was in the old Law High Priests , Priests and Levites , so in the new Law , Bishops , Pres●yters and Deacons ; as none but Priests were to touch the Ark , so none but the Ministers should reform the Church . Thus much for Government ; Now for Episcopacy ; the question then concerning Episcopacy , will be , whether or no , Jure Divino , one Minister ( which answers to all names and sorts of Church-men , and Church-Officers whatsoever ) may not exercise jurisdiction and power over many Ministers within such a place or territory ? If this be granted , the Bishops ask no more : if it be denyed , how then did Christ Jesus , Bishop of our souls , give orders and directions to his twelve Apostles , and taught them how they should behave themselves throughout this Diocese the whole World ? How did St. Paul exercise jurisdiction over Timothy and Titus , who were both Bishops ? and how did these two Bishops exercise jurisdiction over all the Ministers of Creet and Ephesus ? was not this by Divine Institution ? If I find by Divine Writ , that Christ laid the foundation of his Church in himself alone being over all the Apostles , and if I find that these Apostles , every Apostle by himself ( in imitation of our Saviour ) accordingly exercised jurisdiction and authority over many Ministers which were under them , and commanded others to do the like , as Paul , Timothy and Titus , and if I find the practice of the Church all along through the whole tract of time , to continue the like Discipline ; shall not I believe this Discipline to be Jure Divino , except Christ sends down a new conje deslier from heaven , upon the election of every new Bishop ? Christ lays the foundation , we build upon it , he gives us the Model , we follow the Pattern , the Church is built ; is not this by Divine Right , because he doth not lay the several stones with his own hands ? Christ promised that he would be alwaies with his Church , and that he would send his holy spirit amongst them , which should lead them into all truth , so that the gates of Hell should not prevail against it ; but if Episcopacy ●e Anti-Christian , then the gates of Hell have not only prevailed against it a long time , but all along . As all Judgments are given in the Kings Name , and all Records run Rege praesente , though the King be not there in person , but in power ; so the universal and un-interrupted and continued and generally received Discipline of his holy Catholick Church ( which Church we are bound to believe by the Apostolical Creed ) is Christo praesente ( Ergo Jure Divino ) though Christ be not there in person , but in power ; which power he conferr'd upon those who were to be his Successours , which were called Apostles , As my Father sent me , so send I you : and he that heareth you , heareth me ; and loe I will be with you alwaies unto the end of the world : surely this Discipli●● of one over many , call it what you will , is to descend and continue unto the end of the World. Object . But it may be objected , How can you prove that Christ commanded any such thing , or that Christ gave to the Apostles any such power , as to make Successors in their steads , with a warrant for it to continue from age to age ? Sol. Where do you find that Christ gave the Sacrament to any but his Disciples ? drink ye all of this , but they were all Apostles to whom he said so ? where did you find that Christ administred the Sacrament , or commanded it to be administred unto any Lay-men , or women ? therefore is not the Sacrament given unto them Jure Divino , because the words were left out in the conveyance ? When there grew a disputation concerning Divorcements , Christ sends us to the Original , Sic autem non fuit ab initio , if Christs rule be good , then the Bishops are well enough , for they may say concerning Episcopacy , I mean one over many ( and that safely too ) sic erat ab origine . Some are very unwilling that this Episcopacy should be intail'd by Christ upon his Apostles and their successors , out of these words , Mat. 28.20 . I will be with you alwaies to the end of the world ; they will not have it to mean in their successors ; but the meaning to be this , I will 〈◊〉 with you alwaies unto the end of the world ; that is to say , in the efficacy , and power of my word and Gospel , to all ages ; why may it not signifie this , and that too : that it doth one , is no argument but that it may do both : God made all things , in number , weight , and measure , and will you slight his word ? shall sensus factus thrust our sensus destinatus out of Scriptures ? the first Ministers of the Gospel must be ad●equate to the first Minister of the Law , and behold the same Method observed in both their Institutions : what difference is there between Christ's words to his Disciples , I am with you alwaies unto the end of the world , Mat. 28.20 . and Gods words unto Aaron at his setting him apart for the High Priests Office ? This shall be a Statute for ever unto thee , and to thy seed after thee , Exod. 28.43 . Certainly if the Gospel be nothing else but the Law revealed , and the Law be nothing else but the Gospel hidden ; whatsoever is written or said of the Ministers of the one ; must needs have reference to the Ministers of the other : and I shall desire you to look a little back upon the words which God said to Aaron ; when God speaks of the seed of Aaron , he only maketh mention of the seed after him ; but when he speaks of the Statute , he saith it shall be for ever : if I do not flatter my own judgment , that tells me , that this Statute of High Priesthood , or Episcopacy , call it what you will , must have heirs after the seed of Abraham is expired , and did not the Catholick Church all along call the receiving of the Holy-Ghost , the order of Priest-hood ? did ever any record above seven years date , call it making of Ministers ? and why are they angry with the word Priest ? Is it because the Prophet Isaiah , Prophecying of the Glory of Christs Church tells us , we shall be named Priests of the Lord , but that men shall call us Ministers of God ? Isa. 61.6 . If the Ministration of the Law be glorious , shall not the Ministration of the Gospel be much more glorious , 2 Cor. 1.3 . and shall the Ministers of the same Gospel be less glorious ? When you see a man that cannot abide to see anothers glory , you may be sure he is no kin to him , or very far off ; so you may be ass●red that these are no true sons of the Church , no●●o right Children , who think a Chair too great state for their Fathers to sit in . In the Apostles time these Bishops , or if you will , Superintendents ( which are all in one signification , only a good Greek word chang'd by Mr. John Calvin , into a bad Latin word ) were stiled Embassadors of the Almighty , Stars of Heaven , Angels of the Church , &c. but now these Embassadours are used like Vagabonds ; these Stars , are not Stars but fallings ; and the Angels are no where to be found but ascending and descending Jacobs Ladder ; whilst this reputation was given unto the Church , and its Officers , the Stones of its building were in unity , but as it is now , it seems no otherwise than as a Corps kept under ground seemingly intire , but once touch'd , soon falls to dust and ashes . Never was there such a Monster as this ruling , and thus constituted Presbytery , the Father of it Rebellion , the Mother Insurrection , the Midwife Sacriledge , the Nurse Covetousness , the Milk Schism , the Coats Armour , the Rattle Drums , a Bloudy Sword the Coral , Money the Babies that it delights to play withal , it grows up to be a stripling , and goes to School to a Council of War , its Lesson is on the Trumpet , its Fescue a Pistol , its going out of School in Rank and File , its Play-daies the daies of Battail , and Black-munday the day of Judgment ; it comes of age and is Married with a Solemn League and Covenant , it begets Children like it self , whose blessing upon them is the power of the Sword , and whose Imposition of hands are broken pates ; This Monster cries down this truly Ancient Catholick and Apostolick power which the Bishops exercised ; and then takes it up again , and uses it themselves in a higher nature than ever any Bishops or Apostles themselves did or durst have done , even to the Excommunication and Deposement of their Kings ( to the delivering of them up unto Satan , and to Hang-men , if they stood but in their way ) to whom the Apostles taught submission , ( how faulty so ever they were ) and if not obedience , yet submission , to every one of their Ordinances , if not for their own sakes , yet for the Lords sake , and for Conscience sake : these men cry down the same authority as Popish , whilst they exalt themselves above all that are called Gods , in a higher manner , than ever any Pope of Rome ever yet did . We will begin with this Monster in the very place of its Nativity , and so observe him all along through the whole tract of time ; we will consider how it dealt with the first Prince , under whose Dominions it pullulated , which was under the Prince and Bishop of Geneva , and these two were both nullified in the same person , as they were both here in England by the same Parliament ; verifying that Maxim of ours ( with that fore-running of theirs ) No Bishop , No King ; and then we will shew you how they dealt with our Princes here at home , where ever they had a power , viz. with Mary Queen of Scots , and James and Charles the First Kings of England and of Scotland both , and then usurp a power themselves , higher than Popes or Kings . Calvin with his gladiators , having expuls'd the Prince and Bishop of Geneva , set● up a Government so high and unexpected , that the people would have nothing to do either with him , or his Government : and thereupon they banished him the City ; Calvin ( in exile ) bethinks himself how he might appease their fury , and give them satisfaction , and be invited in again ; Calvinus de tristibus thinks it his best course of endearing himself unto the people , to make them sharers with him in the Government , whereupon he invented his new fangle of Lay-Elders , and so all parties were agreed ; In comes Mr. John Calvin ( whilst he was scarce warm in his seat ) I shall present you with a story of him and of his demeanour of himself towards the temporal Throne : There was a Noble-man of Italy , who liked the Reformation which he had begun so well , that he forsook his Religion and Country , sold his Lands and Fortune , converted all into money , and took Sanctuary in Geneva ; as soon as he came there , great rejoycing and insulting there was , that their cause was honoured with so high a Convert : The grand Seigniour falls a building ; directing his Masons , he found one of them something more sawcy than to what his Lordship ( in his own Country ) had been accustomed , little thinking that where there was promised so large a respect of souls , there had been so little respect of persons : this Noble-man hereupon gives this Mason a gentle tap upon the head , the Mason flies upon him like a Dr●●●● ▪ 〈◊〉 shakes him by the 〈◊〉 : my Lord not being used to such course salutations , stabs him with his Dagger , thinking nothing less , but that so high a provocation would have pleaded his indempnity ; no such matter , my Lord was soon laid hold on , and brought to his Trial : Calvin upon the Tribunal , not as a Temporal Judge in such cases ( take heed of him ) but only to be asked his opinion in cases of Conscience ; the Delinquent pleads for himself , tells them how insolently he was provoked , and wonders , considering such provocation , he should be questioned for so vile a varlet : Hereupon Mr. Calvin soon starts up , and tells him , that with God ( whose seat they held ) there was no respect of persons , and for ought he knew , that man whom he despls'd to death , was as near and dear to God and his favour , as himself : their Laws knew no such distinction as Man-slaughter and Murder ; but they were regulated by the Divine Law , that told them , that the man that sheds mans blood , by man shall his blood be shed ; that there was no exemption by greatness , nor buying it off by favour ; the Noble-man replyed , that he had not been long enough amongst them to be acquainted with their Laws ; it was answered , that the Law of nature did forbid that , of which he could not be ignorant ( all this was well enough . ) My Lord told them how hard a case it would be that a man out of his love and liking to the place and manners , should seek to it as a sanctuary for his conscience , and so soon find it his grave : that he was heartily sorry for what he had done , and would give any satisfaction to his wife and children that the Court should order , or his estate allow ; he intended the man no hurt , before such rough hands shook him out of himself , that he knew not what he did , and therefore he humbly begg'd their pardon , assuring them for the future , that his waies should be so directly answerable to those paths they walked in , that he would not by Gods grace hereafter step aside . The Temporal Judges , won with his humble and submissive behaviour began to relent , and desired Mr. Calvin to abate a little of his rigour , for the reasons before mentioned , assuring him that his case was no common case , and therefore it ought to have respect accordingly ; hereupon there grew a hot dispute between the Spiritual , and the Temporal Judges : Calvin remained st●ff in his opinion , and would not be bent to the least mercy ; the Noble-man thought to throw one grain of reason more into the ballance , that should turn the scales , and that should be taken out of a consideration had of their own good : for saith 〈◊〉 , if you shed my blood hand over head , without any the least respect had to my years , to my birth , to my education , to the little time I had of being acquainted with your Laws , nor to the provocation it self , nor to the suddenness of the action , nor to the surprize of all my senses , nor to the satisfaction I would have given , nor to the repentance of my very soul , who will come amongst you ? what Lord or Gentleman will live within your walls ? Wherefore if you will have no consideration of me , yet consider your selves ; consider what a blow it will give to your Religion , how many this very thing will stave off from ever having any thing to do with you ; by this time they were all prone to mercy , but Calvin alone , who stands up , and cries fiat justitia , ruat Coelum ; neither could he be brought to give his opinion , that the Jury ( as we call them ) might not pass upon him ; but out went the Jury , and contrary to their own Law , hearing the Noble-mans plea , and observing well the inclination of the Bench in general , they brought in their Verdict , not guilty ; whereupon the Noble-man was acquitted : hereupon John Calvin rises from the Bench , and whilst the rest proceed to their matters , calls all the Ministers within the Walls and Liberties of Geneva , who appear before the Judgment Seat , with white Wands in their hands , which they laid down , telling them , that with those wands they laid down their Offices , protesting that they would never Preach the Gospel to a people whose human Laws should run contrary to the Laws Divine ; and suddenly turned about and took their leave : which being acted with so much gravity , wrought so much upon the beholders , that they presently sent for them back again , and hanged the Noble-man . This story I have read in their own History in Geneva , than which my thoughts were then , as they are still , that never any Pope of Rome , did act as Pope of Rome , or so much as claim half that Authority over the Civil Magistrate , as this anti-Pope did virtually act ; and yet was not ashamed to make lesser matters than this the ground of the quarrel with the Bishop , who also was their Prince , when in his own person he acts the part of both . Now we will see how these kind of creatures have plaid the Masters of mis-rule among our Princes here at home . King James in his Discourse at Hampton Court , tells us how the Presbyterians became Lords Paramount in his Kingdom of Scotland , and how they used his Mother the Queen of Scots , viz. Knox and Buchanan , and the rest of that gang , came unto Mary Queen of Scots , and told her , that by right , no Pope nor Potentate whatsoever , had any superiority over her in her own Dominions , either in cases Civil or Ecclesiastical , but that she her self was Supreme in both , and constituted by God as the only nursing Mother of his Church , within her Dominion , and therefore conjured her to look about her , and not to let the Pope of Rome , or any of his agents , to have any thing to do within her Territories , and to have care of Christs Evangel , as she would answer it at the dreadful day of Judgment ; she gives them her ear , and at last her authority , they make use of it in the first place , to the pulling down of the Bishops , and exalted themselves in their room ; when the Queen look'd for an absolute Supremacy , behold all the Supremacy that these men would allow her , was not so much as to have one private Chapel for her self , nor one Priest whereby she might serve God according to her own conscience ; she finding her self so much deceived , labours to recal her Authority , they kept her to it ; she takes up Arms , they oppose her , fight her , beat her out of her Kingdom ; she flies into England , they follow her with invectives , thrust jealousies into the Queen of Englands bosom concerning her , she is imprisoned , and after a long imprisonment put to death . King James having related this passage in the forementioned discourse unto Dr. Renolds , and Knewstubs and the rest , turns unto the Bishops , and closes his Discourse with this Animadversion ; Wherefore , my Lords , I thank you for my Supremacy , for if I were to receive it from these men , I know what would become of my Supremacy . The shining light of the Gospel , and the burning zeal of the Ministers thereof , may fitly be compared to fire , which if it be not in every room confin'd to one hearth , and limited to one tunnel , that may convey out of this so comfortable and necessary a blessing , all that may be destructive , and offensive in it , up toward the highest region , but is suffered like wild-fire to run up and down the house , it will soon turn all to flames and high combustions ; so the government of the soul seems to be of so transcendent nature to what the government of the body and goods is , that if it be not overtopt with superintendency or Episcopacy , and so disimbogued into the Supream authority , this comfortable heat if limited , as it turns to our greatest benefit , so neglected and boundless , soon converts it self into a suddain destruction and ruine . If you will hear how these men dealt with King James , her Son , and Father to Charles the First , you shall find it in his Basilicon Doron , Crebrae adversus me in tribunitiis Concionibus Calumniae spargebantur non quod crimen aliquod designâssem , sed quia Rex eram , quod omni crimine pejus habebatur . Are these men good Subjects ? did they not convene him diverse times before them , school him , Catechize him like a School-boy ? did he not protest unto his Son Henry , that he mislik'd their proud and haughty carriage ever since he was ten years of age ? did he not say that Monarchy and Presbytery agreed like God and the Devil ? and have we not found it so , if we consider the behaviour of our new made Presbyterians in England , to Charles the first , his Son ? O but the Presbyterians had no hand in it , they Pray'd and Preach'd , and Writ against it , tasted and pray'd for a diversion of all such intentions : but I pray , who took the Scepter out of his hand , in taking away the Militia , of which it was an Emblem , that should have defended him , was it not the Presbyterians ? who cast down his Throne , by taking away his Negative voice , was it not the Presbyterians ? who took off his Crown , the fountain of Honour from off his Head , by denying those honour on whom he had confer'd it without them , was it not the Presbyterian ? Who took away his Supremacy , signified by the Sacred Unction wherewith he was Anointed , in not allowing him the Liberty of his own Conscience in the point of Episcopacy and Church-Government , was it not the Presbyterian ? Who would not Treat a minute with their King before they had made him acknowledge himself guilty ( as they say ) of all the blood that had been spilt throughout his Dominions , was it not the Presbyterian ? Who ( notwithstanding all the Concessions on his part that could be granted , even to the very grating his Princely Conscience , when he bid them ask flesh from off his bones , and he would not deny it them , if it might have been a benefit unto his people , prayed that he might keep his Conscience whole , it was the Queen Regent of all good mens actions , and he hoped there were none would force this Queen before him in his house , as Ahasuerus said to Haman ) voted not satisfactory so long , until the Independent Army came from Edenborough , and surpriz'd and murdred him , was it not the Presbyterians ? He that said the Presbyterians held him down by the hair , while the Independents cut off his Head , said true enough , they murdered him as a King , before ever they murdered him as a man ; for what may the Independent say to the Presbyter , if you 'l take off his Authority , we 'l take off his Head ; if you 'l make him no King , we 'l make him no Body : if you 'l make him a man of blood , we 'l use him accordingly ; therefore at your doors , O Presbyterian Hypocrites , do I lay his innocent blood , it is but like the rest of your actions , committed by your Ancestors to former Princes al● along . One thing I pray you well observe ; There was never any Reformed Church in Christendom , but when they shook off their Bishops , they made their Apologies to all the Christian World , how they were necessitated to alter that Ancient and best form of Government of the Church by Bishops , in regard that they could not be drawn off from their obedience and dependance on the Pope of Rome ; and if possible they would retain that laudable Government as most convenient ; but never were there any Reformers in the World , but ours , that ever held Episcopacy to be unlawful and Anti christian before ; and will you know the reason ? which is only this , the Bishops what they receive they lay down at his Majesties feet , as acknowledging him to be Supreme in all cases , when they would have him to be Supreme in no case , as Buch. de jure Regni plainly tells us , that Princes are no more but the Proxies and Attorneys of the people ; and yet for all this , the Authority which they hold , to be as Anti-christian in the Chair , they practise as most Christian on the Bench , and much improve it . These Monsters that they may the better cry down the Divine Right that is in Episcopacy , and descended to them from the Apostles ; tell us , that the calling of the Apostles was extraordinary , and died with them : to make answer to which assertion , we must consider how many waies a thing may be taken to be extraordinary , and if we find that it may be taken so many waies , if we can prove a thing extraordinary one way , we must not take it to be extraordinary in every respect ; exempli gratiâ ; Saul was extraordinarily called by God , because immediately by him , but this doth not make the calling of Kings to be an extraordinary calling , for that succeeded ; so the Apostles were extraordinarily called by God , as not being called out of the Tribe of Levi , nor taken from the feet of Gamaliel , nor brought up in the schools of the Prophets , yet this doth not follow , that the calling of the Apostles should be extraordinary , for they had their successors : It may be extraordinary à parte ante ; but not à parte post , only in regard of the manner of their election , but not in regard of the nature of their commission , they were called Apostles in regard of their Mission , not in respect of their Commission , which which was no more but what Bishops had , neither doth the word Apostle signifie so great Authority as doth the word Bishop , the one betokening but a Messenger , the other an Overseer , and therefore there is no extraordinariness hitherto , that they should not be extraordinary . 2. A man may be said to be extraordinary , in regard of some extraordinary gifts and endowments which God hath given unto a man , as unto the Apostles the gift of tongues , of healing , &c. but this doth no way make the calling extraordinary , for then it would follow , that if God Almighty should give unto any ordinary Minister , extraordinary gifts , then his calling should be extraordinary , or that the calling of Kings should be an extraordinary calling , because God bestows on some Kings the extraordinary gift of healing . 3. It may be further urg'd , the calling of the Apostles was an extraordinary calling , because they were pen-men of the Holy-Ghost , and in regard that the Holy-Ghost sat upon each of them ; no , that doth not make it extraordinary quoad nos , that it should not descend , for other Divines and Evangelists , were pen-men of the Holy-Ghost as well as they , therefore what was not extraordinary to themselves , cannot be extraordinary to us . 4. For their receiving the Holy-Ghost , it is no otherwise but what all Bishops , Pastors , and Curates do receive , when they receive Orders , Receive ye the Holy Ghost , only the difference is this , they received it by the sitting of cloven tongues , and they by imp●sition of hands , but still the extraordinaries consist in the manner , but not the matter of the thing received , so that all the while there is no reason why this calling of the Apostles should be so extraordinary , as that it should not descend : If Christ promised to be with his Apostles unto the end of the World , and they did not continue unto the end of the World , surely I should think without any straining at Gnats , or swallowing of Cammels , that the meaning of our Saviours words should be this , that he would be with those in the assistance of his holy spirit , that should succeed the Apostles in their Offices of supervising his Church , and propagation of his Gospel , except I should see more reason than I do yet , why the Apostles calling should be so peculiar , that it must not descend , or that the Government of one over many , be so inconsistent with the Church her good in after-time , more than in the beginning , that Episcopacy should be so abominable . Briefly I can compare these Presbyters pulling down the Bishops , to no other thing , than to a company of unhappy boys , who being not tall enough to reach the fruit , and wanting a Ladder , for the fruit sake , lay hold upon the branches , and break down a bow , making it thereby no part of the tree ; so ●hese men , wanting merit to taste the fruit of learning , and not having capacity enough in themselves to reach those preferments which the Church holds out to those who are deserving , they render that which was part of the Church , as sever'd from the Body , which is the highest kind of Sacriledge , not only in depriving the Church of part of its goods , but part of it self . Lastly , if there be no other reason to be given , if not for the Divine Right of Episcopacy , yet for the lawfulness thereof , but this one topical argument which I shall use , raised out of the continued practice of the Church in all ages , to men whose faces are not bra●'d so thick , that it were reason proof , it were sufficient in my understanding , viz. Suppose all the arguments which were for Episcopacy , were as weak as so many straws to support a cause , yet though four straws are not able to support a table , yet fourteen thousand bound up together in four bundles , will hold it up as firm as so many props of Iron ; so though some few practices of some few men within some few places , are not able to make an argument for Episcopacy , that shall be evincing , yet the practice of the Church all along for fourteen hundred years , in fourteen hundred Dioceses , and throughout forty ages , makes good the argument against any few Jack Straws , or Wat Tilers whatsoever . Ob. But there were no Diocesan Bishops in the Primitive times . Sol. Was not Christ a Diocesan Bishop ? and was not the World his Diocess ? were not the Apostles Diocesan Bishops , when the whole World , divided into twelve parts , were their twelve Diocess ? were not Timothy and Titus Diocesan Bishops , when Creet and Ephesus were allotted to be their Diocess ? Ob. There were no Lord Bishops in those daies ? Sol. Those who ruled well were to be accounted worthy of double honour , and will you not allow them a single Lordship ? Ob. The Lords of the Gentiles exercised Dominion , but so shall not you . Sol. No , not such dominion as they exercised , there is a great deal of difference betwixt dominion , and domineering , betwixt Lordship , and lording it over God's Inheritance ; a Paternal Government was never accounted intolerable but by unruly Children ; if this were not to be allowed of , how did Christ rule his Apostles ? Paul , Timothy and Titus ? both these , all the Ministers in Creet and Ephesus ? Ob. St. Paul laboured with his hands that he might not be chargeable to the brethren . Sol. So might the Bishops if they needed no more to study Divinity than did the Apostles , but if any Benefactor had bestowed large Revenues upon St. Paul , I see no reason why he might not be a keeper of Hospitality , as well as he advised Timothy so to do : but now Julians persecution is reviv'd ; Do not ( saith Julian ) destroy the Christians , but take away the maintenance of the Church , and that will bring their Ministers into contempt , and so destroy their Religion ; and now they are at it ; Libera me , domine ( saith St. Augustine ) ab homine impio , id est , libera me à me , so we had need to pray unto Almighty God , that he would save his Church out of the hands of her Church-men , for she now lies upon the ground like the tree that complained , that she was rent in sunder by wedges made out of her own body . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A27454-e730 See Buch. de Jure Reg. 1 Sam. 24.5 .