ENGLANDS SATISFACTION IN EIGHT QƲERIES; Concerning the true place, Office, and power of a KING, according to GODS Word.
A KING, as he is the Lords Anoynted over hisGODS Judgemēts upon his people for asking of a King. people Iſrael, 1 Sam. 8.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. will take your ſonnes and your daughters to ſerve him; He will take your fields, vineyards, and your olive-yards, even the beſt of them from you, and give them to his ſervants; He will take the tenth of your ſeed and of your vine-yards from you, and give them to his Officers and to his ſervants; and he will take your men-ſervants and your maid-ſervants, and your goodlieſt young men, and your Aſſes, and put them to his worke; He will take the tenth of your ſheepe, and yee ſhall be his ſervants.
1. Queſt. Is it lawfull for Kings to doe as Samuel from the Lord told the people Saul would doe?
Anſw. No: for Samuel at the eſtabliſhing of Saul, 1 Sam. 10. 25. told Saul and all the people the dutie of a King, as it is written, Deut. 17.16, 17, 18, 19, 20. and wrote it in a Booke and laid it up before the Lord, as a witneſſe betwixt King and people, ſo that all that the Lord doth command, is lawfull to be done, and it is a ſinne not to doe it; and all that the Lord doth forbid, is unlawfull to be done, and it is a ſinne to doe it. The Lord in the 8th of the2 1 Sam. doth not command Kings to take from one and to give to another, and to doe their own wills: therefore it is not lawfull for Kings to exerciſe this regall power: but the Lord ſaith, that they will doe ſo and ſo, which is not a ſufficient warrant for Kings to doe ſo and ſo, becauſe the Lord in his Law of the dutie of a King hath expreſly forbidden the ſame. Deut. 17 18, 19, 20. And it ſhall be when he ſitteth upon the throne of his Kingdome, that he write himThe dutie of a King ▪ a copie of this Law in a Booke, and it ſhall be with him, and he ſhall reade therein all the dayes of his life, that he may learne to feare the Lord his God; that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, to the right hand or to the left. Therefore it is unlawfull for Kings to exerciſe this regall power: King David, though a man after Gods owne heart, becauſe he by vertue of this regall power, would have Barſhebah, the wiſe of Ʋriah to be his wife, and cauſed Ioab to put Ʋriah in the forefront, that he might fall by the ſword: for which Nathan the Prophet told David, 2 Sam. 12. 9. Thou haſt killed Uriah with the ſword, and haſt taken his wife to be thy wife, and haſt ſlaine him with the ſword of the Children of Ammon: Verſ. 10. Therefore the ſword ſhall never depart from thine houſe: It made good David by the experience of evill, the ſight and knowledge of evill, and repentance for evill, ſay at his latter end, 2 Sam. 23. 3. He that ruleth over men, muſt be juſt, ruling in the feare of the Lord. Rehoboam thinking by this regall power he might doe what he would, over and with his Subjects, refuſed the good and milde Counſell of his grave and wiſe Elders, and tooke the rough and evill Counſell of his young Counſell, 1 King. 12. 3. which loſt him ten of his twelve Tribes. Ahab by this regall power thought he might take away Naboths Vineyard, and ſo followed the wicked Counſell of Idolatrous Iezabel his wife, and put Naboth to death: for which the Lord ſaith by Eliah the Prophet, 1 Kings 21 ▪ 19. 21, 22. In the place where the dogs licked the bloud of Naboth, ſhall dogs lick thy bloud, even thine. And I will take away thy poſteritie, and will cut off from Ahab him that piſſeth againſt the wall, and will make thy houſe like the houſe of Jeroboam the ſonne of Nebat: therefore it is utterly unlawfull to uſe this regall power.
2. Queſt. If it be unlawfull for Kings to take from, and to give unto, and to doe what they pleaſe, why did or doth the Lord (in the 1 Sam. 8.3 17. ) command the people to yeeld obedience, and ſerve their Kings, according to ſuch demands, commands, will, and pleaſure.
Anſw. For two reaſons: firſt, in reſpect of the Lord himſelfe, becauſe he was King of Iſrael, and had that regall power and prerogative ▪ Royall, to doe his owne will with man; as the Potter with the clay; who being able, and did with a mightie hand, and ſtretched-out-arme ▪ bring Iſrael out of Aegypt from the crueltie of Pharoah through the red Sea, and in the Wilderneſſe cauſed the ſtony Rocks to yeeld them water to drinke, giving them Manna, Angels food, and ſent them Quailes to eate; and gave them the Land of Canaan, houſes they builded not, Vineyards, Orchards, and gardens they planted not, and caſt out ſeven Nations greater then they before them; even a Land flowing with milke and honey: Notwithſtanding all which, Iſrael would have a Man King, as had the Nations, 1 Sam. 8. 5. At which Samuel was diſpleaſed: but the Lord ſaid unto Samuel, ver. 7. heare the voyce of the people: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected mee, that I ſhould not reigne over them: therefore teſtifie (verſ. 9) unto them, and ſhew them the manner of the King (being but a man what evill inclinations he will be of) that ſhall reigne over you, to take from one (unjuſtly) and give it to another (that hath no right to the ſame unequally to demand of, and command over and from you (according to his own corrupt luſts) as it is verſ. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. And when theſe things ſhall come upon you ▪ verſ. 18. yee ſhall cry, becauſe of your (man) King whom you have choſen you; but the Lord will not heare you at that day: therefore bethinke your ſelves O Iſrael, becauſe you will forſake the Lord to reigne over you as formerly, and will have a man to be your King to ſit in the Lords throne of Majeſtie; for in all theſe things, ver. 17. yee ſhall be his ſervants, in obeying of him without redreſſe: whoſe anſwer is ver. 19. Nay but there ſhall be a King over us, Chap. 10. 18, 19. Thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, I brought Iſrael out of Aegypt, and delivered you out of the hands of the Egyptians, and out of the hands of all Kings that troubled you; but you have this day caſt away your God, who onely delivered you out of all your adverſities and tribulations: And out of Chap. 12.12. the hands of Nahaſh King of the Children of Ammon ▪ when the Lord your God was your King: yet yee ſaid, A King ſhall reigne over us: Know O Iſrael, verſ. 3, 4, 5. you and your King beare record,4 Whoſe Oxe have I taken, or whoſe Aſſe have I taken, or whom have I done wrong to, or whom have I hurt, or of whoſe hands have I received any bribe, and I will reſtore it ſaith Samuel? Then they ſaid, thou hast done us no wrong, nor hurt us, neither haſt thou taken ought of any mans hand: Then Samuel ſaid, the Lord and your Anointed is witneſſe this day that yee have found nought in my hands: And they anſwered he is witnes, ſo the Lord in his anger Hoſea 13. 11. gave them a King, who was no bleſſing but a curſe unto them, as will appeare.
Secondly, In reſpect of man, becauſe Iſrael would have a man to be their King, and forſake the Lord their God peremptorily; notwithſtanding all before mentioned, Iſrael muſt know that a mortall man, one of their brethren, to be exalted to the dignitie of the Lords throne of Majeſtie, unto which belongs ſuch a regall power and royall prerogative, that was not fit for any ſinfull mortall man, becauſe the wayes, power, and wiſdome of man, cannot (as the Lord) exerciſe ſuch a power, but either on the right hand or on the left, they will tranſgreſſe againſt God or man, in diſobeying the Commandement of the Lord, and this is the cauſe of the Lords anger; and therefore for a puniſhment Iſrael muſt (although their Kings ſhould will unlawfull things, 1 Sam. 8. 17. ) yeeld in obedience, and ſerve their Kings accordingly: and therefore the Lord Chap. 12.17. ſent them (in judgement even in wheat harveſt) ſuch a thunder and raine, to convince and to ſhew them their great wickedneſſe in asking of a King; that (ver. 19. all the people ſaid unto Samuel, Pray for thy ſervants unto the Lord thy God (they durſt not ſay our God) that wee dye not, for we have ſinned in asking us a King, Chap. 8. 20. to judge us, and goe out before us, and fight our battles: the firſt whereof was againſt the Philiſtims, where Saul Chap. 13. 12. was bold to offer a burnt offering: for which Samuel verſ. 13, 14. told Saul, thou haſt done fooliſhly, for becauſe thou haſt not kept the Commandement of the Lord thy God, thy Kingdome ſhall not continue; for the Lord hath ſought him a man after his owne heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to governe his people: Another battell againſt the Amalekites, Chapt. 15. 9. who (againſt the Commandement of the Lord) ſpared Agag and the beſt things of the Amalekites; for which Samuel told Saul, verſ. 22, 23. Obedience is better then ſacrifice, and to heare the Word of the Lord better then the fat5 of Rammes; that rebellion is as the ſinne of witch-craft, and ſtubbornneſſe as iniquitie and idolatry: becauſe thou haſt rejected the Word of the Lord, he hath rejected thee from being King, ver. 28. The Lord hath rent the Kingdome of Iſrael from thee this day, and given it to thy neighbour that is better then thou: therefore Kings though Anointed of the Lord, and ſit in the Lords throne, may not exerciſe this regall power to doe their owne wills, againſt the Commandements of the Lord, no not by duties of burnt offering, or ſacrifice; even Kings are to be as ſubject to the Commandement of the Lord, as well as other men: none may doe evill for good to come of it ▪ for with the Lord there is no reſpect of perſons; and Kings muſt know as they are but men, That Pro. 28. 15. as a roaring Lyon and a hungry Beare, ſo is a wicked Ruler over the poore people: therefore thus ſaith the Lord, Ezek. 45. 9. Let it ſuffice you O Princes of Iſrael, leave off crueltie and oppreſſion, and execute Judgement and Juſtice, and take away your exactions from my people: Thus ſaith the Lord, Jere. 21. 12. O houſe of David execute Judgement in the morning (and doe not delay) and deliver the oppreſſed out of the hand of the oppreſſor. Chap. 22. 2, 3. O King of Judah, that ſitteſt in the throne of David, execute yee judgement and righteouſneſſe. And Pro. 25. 5. Take away the wicked (Counſellors) from the King, and his throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſſe: for Chap. 29. 14. A King that Judgeth the poore in truth (according to Gods Word) his throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed for ever: for Chap. 22. 23. The Lord will defend his cauſe, and ſpoyle the ſoule of thoſe that ſpoyle them. Chap. 19. 21. Many devices are in a mans heart, but the counſell of the Lord ſtandeth. Chap. 14. 26. In the feare of the Lord is an aſſured ſtrength, and his Children ſhall have hope: therefore know, O Kings, Princes, and Rulers, that Chap. 21.30. there is no wiſdome, neither underſtanding, nor counſell againſt the Lord; who ſaith, Mat. 5. 3. Bleſſed are the poore in ſpirit, for theirs is the kingdome of heaven. Luke 6. 20. Bleſſed be yee poore, for yours is the kingdome of God, that feare the Lord, and unto ſalvation beleeve in Jeſus Chriſt; for Mat. 11. 5. The poore receive the Goſpel. Luke 4, 18 ▪ 19. The ſpirit of the Lord is upon me, that I ſhould preach the Goſpel to the poore, and heale the broken-hearted, and preach deliverance to the captives, and ſet at libertie them that are bruiſed, and preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord. And Iſa. 61. 3. To give unto them beautie for aſhes, the oyle of joy for mourning, the garment of gladneſſe for the ſpirit of heavineſſe, that6 they may be called trees of righteouſneſſe, the planting of the Lord. Jer. 22. 2, 3. O King of Iudah, vex not the ſtranger, the fatherleſſe, nor the widdow, doe no violence, nor ſhed innocent bloud in this place (where ſuch of the Lords dwell) although Kings thinke they have a regall power to doe their owne wills, they are miſtaken.
3. Queſt. What is the true and onely right place, office, and power of a King, according to the Word of God.
Anſw. Firſt, the true and onely right place of a King, is from amongſt, above, and over all the people, alone to ſit in the Lords throne of Majeſtie.
Secondly, The true and onely right office of a King is Rom. 13. 4. to be the Miniſter of God for the wealth or good of the people over whom he is ſet; doing the will (according unto the Lawes, Statutes, and Ordinances) of him in whoſe throne he ſits, verſ. 1. Let every ſoule be ſubject to the higher power, for there is no power but of God, and the powers that be are ordeined of God: therefore Kings are not to make any Statute, Law, or Ordinance, deſtructive or contradictory unto them that were made by God before he made any King; ſo that even Kings are to be as ſubject to the Lord as men to Kings; and ſo as one intruſted by God, as the Lords Vicegerent or Lievtenant over the Lords people, betwixt God and man, to ſee and looke unto it, that God may be honoured, glorified, and ſerved by himſelfe, and all the people, and to ſee and looke to, and preſerve the people from all enemies, perils and dangers, both from abroad and at home.
Thirdly, The true and onely right power of a King, is as the Miniſter of God, Rom. 13 4. to beare the ſword of Juſtice, to take vengeance on, or execute Juſtice upon all evill doers: and verſ. 3. to praiſe, honour, and encourage all ſuch as doe well: and alſo Exod. 18. 16. to judge of, and decide matters in difference betwixt man and man, according to the Lawes and Ordinances of the Lord, and provide and appointing verſ. 21. men of courage; fearing God ▪ dealing truely, and hating covetouſneſſe, ſuch ſhalt thou make Deut. 16. 18, 19. Judges and Officers, and they ſhall Judge the people with righteous Judgement, not wreſting the Law, nor reſpect any perſon, neither take a bribe, knowing that the Lord is7 King of Kings, and Judge of all the world, who is the ſearcher of the heart, and tryer of the reines, and diſcovereth the thoughts of mans heart.
4. Queſt. Was there no difference between the Kings of Iſraels powers, and the Kings of the Nations powers, and the Subjects of both?
Anſw. Yes; for the people of Iſrael were within the Covenant and promiſe of Jeſus Chriſt, unto whom the Lord gave his Lawes, Statutes, and Ordinances, both Morall and Ceremoniall: unto whom alſo was given Prieſts, Levites, and Prophets, to adminiſter unto them, and to teach and direct them; and Judges to guide and lead them; and the great God of heaven and earth to be their King, to ſave, defend, and deliver them: therefore the Kingdome and Crowne of Iſrael, was the Gods of Iſrael, and ſo of a greater and higher power and majeſtie, then any other Kingdome of the earth; for the Kings thereof were by the immediate appointing and anoynting of the Lord; and unto whom with their Crowne, the Lord gave, or of right unto the throne of that dignitie did belong, a regall power, and royall prerogative of ſelfe-will and pleaſure; which made them cry out and ſay, Nehemiah 9. 36, 37. Behold the Land that thou gaveſt unto our Fathers, to eate the fruit thereof, and the good things thereof, behold we are ſervants in it this day (indeed) it yeeldeth much increaſe, but it is unto our Kings, whom thou haſt ſet over us; who becauſe of our ſinnes (in asking a King) have dominion over our bodies to command them, and over our eſtates to take away them at their pleaſure; ſo that this promiſe or gift little availeth us: ſo that the Kings of Iſrael had a regall power over their Subjects, to demand and command, according to their owne wills and pleaſures, in reſpect of the peoples charge of obedience.
The Subjects of Iſrael becauſe of their ſinnes againſt the Lord in asking of a King, muſt ſubmit 1 Sam. 8. 3. and be his ſervants without any redreſſe. 1 Pet. 2. 13, 14. Submit your ſelves unto all manner of Ordinance of man for the Lords ſake, both to the King as ſuperiour, and to governours ſent for the puniſhment of evill doers, Rom. 13. 1. Let every ſoule be ſubject to the higher powers: and when they ſuffered they had no other meanes but to ſay, Nehe. 9. 37. Wee are in great diſtreſſe.
8The Kings of the Nations came out of the loynes of curſed Ham, Gen. 9. 25. A ſervant of ſervants ſhalt thou be unto thy Brethren, whoſe Grand-ſonne Nimrod, Chap. 10. 8. began to be a mightie man in the earth, ver. 10. The beginning of his Kingdome was Babel, whoſe very name ſignifieth a rebell or wicked one, and Canonized for a Proverbe, ver. 9. Wherefore it is ſaid, even as Nimrod the mightie Hunter before the Lord, who was neither appointed nor anointed of the Lord. The ſecond generations of Kings of the Nations was out of the loynes of Eſau, whom God hated in the wombe, Gen. 36. 31. And theſe are the Kings that reigned in the Land of Edom, before there reigned any King over the Children of Iſrael, who was choſen by Election, verſ. 32, 33 ▪ 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 The Kings of the Nations were out of the Lords Covenant, and ſo had nothing to doe with the Lords mercies or promiſes, but were uſed as the Lords inſtruments of wrath, whom the Lord regarded not for good, becauſe they ſerved him not, nor knew the Lord by his Word. Ioſhuah 8. 29. tooke the King of Aie, and hanged him on a tree, and caſt his carkaſſe downe at the entring of the gate of the Citie, and laid thereon a heape of ſtones. Chap. 10. 23. The King of Jeruſalem, the King of Hebron, the King of Jarmuth, the King of Lachiſh, the King of Eglon, verſ. 24. Ioſhuah ſaid to his Captaines, come and put your feet upon the neckes of theſe Kings, ver. 26. and Ioſhuah ſlew them and hanged them on five trees, Chap. 12. 24. Ioſhuah ſlew one and thirty Kings of the Nations, whoſe manner of reigne was according to the cuſtome of their Countreys, and their power was by man: and therefore all deſtroyed by the power of God: ſo the power, the honour and dignitie of the Kings of the Nations was not from the Lord as was the Kings of Iſrael, therefore not worthy to be compared with the Kings of Iſrael, therefore the Kings of the Nations cannot plead any right to this regall power from the Lord by his Word; for the Kings of the Nations were ordained by and ruled over the Nations, before the dayes of the Prophet Samuel, they were not obedient unto the Commandements of the Lord, and therefore have no right to the promiſes of the Lord.
5. Queſt. Now what difference is there betwixt the power of the Kings of Iſrael, under the Morall and Ceremoniall Law, and the power of the Kings of England, under the Morall Law, and the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, and the Subjects of both?
9Anſw. The Kingdome and Crowne of Iſrael, was the Gods of Iſrael, who in Judgement to the people for their ſinnes, gave the ſame to Saul, and confirmed it upon David and to his ſeede, 1 King. 8. 25. There ſhall not faile thee a man in my ſight to ſit on the throne of Iſrael: So that the inheritance of the Crowne of Iſrael was eſtabliſhed upon David; for Bathſheba ſaid, 1 King. 1. 20. My Lord, O King, the eyes of all Iſrael are upon thee, that thou ſhouldſt tell them who ſhall ſit on the throne of my Lord the King after him: ſaith David ver. 34. let Zadock the Prieſt, and Nathan the Prophet, anoynt Solomon King over Iſrael, and blow with the Trumpet, and ſay, GOD ſave King Solomon. The Lord never gave any Kingdome, nor Crowne, neither did the Lord appoint or anoynt any Kings, ſave onely of Iſrael and Judah.
The Kings of England were not at their beginning appointed nor anoynted, as were the Kings of Iſrael, but were by the Nation ordeined as Kings over this Nation, according to the cuſtome of this Nation, which is, before they will admit the Crowne to him they doe intend, he muſt by Covenant and Oath impoſed upon him, yeeld them their rights and priviledges, and that he will rule them according to the Cuſtomes and Lawes of the Land; and then they graunt unto him the Crowne for his owne life: ſo that power that hath power to impoſe an Oath before a Graunt, hath power to deteine the thing to be graunted, if the Oath be refuſed by him to whom the Graunt is intended, and every Grauntee is ſubject to the Grauntor, according to the Covenant of the Graunt, there can be no fee-ſimple eſtate in the Grauntee of the thing graunted, but the fee-ſimple eſtate of the thing graunted is in the grauntor: The Kingdome or Common-wealth of England is the grauntor, the King of England is the grauntee; the Crowne of England is the thing graunted; ſo that the fee-ſimple eſtate of the Crowne of England, is the Common-wealths of England to diſpoſe of, according to the Cuſtome and Lawes of the Land, which is by Covenant and Graunt to the Prince in being, and after whoſe deceaſe by cuſtome, but not by right of inheritance, to the next in or of bloud; and ſo from one generation to another in like manner. So that this regall power in the 1 Sam. 8. doth not at all belong to a King of England, therefore if the Lord was wrath, and did exceedingly puniſh the Kings of Iſrael for10 exerciſing this regall power, before the light of the Goſpel, wherein is revealed a greater light of libertie unto the members of Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 2. 7. 9. 10. Ʋnto you therefore which beleeve in Chriſt Jeſus, he is precious, for by him yee are a choſen generation, a royall Prieſthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar people, that yee ſhould ſhew forth the praiſes of him, who hath called you out of darkeneſſe into his marveilous light. Revel. 5 ▪ 9, 10. And they ſung a new ſong, ſaying, Thou art worthy to take the Booke and to open the Seales thereof; for thou waſt ſlaine, and haſt redeemed us to God by thy bloud, and haſt made us unto our God, Kings and Prieſts: How much more then ſhall Kings under the knowledge and light of the Goſpel, incurre the wrath of God, if they be found guiltie of oppreſſion and tyranny againſt the beleeving members of the Lord Chriſt? themſelves profeſſing the ſame faith, and acknowledging the ſame knowledge: the Lord is no reſpecter of perſons, but the ſoule that ſinneth ſhall dye.
A King of England may not by this regall power demand and command of and from the people, as the Kings of Iſrael, neither by the Lawes of God, nor by the Lawes of the Land, neither are the people of England bound to that ſlaviſh obedience, as the people of Iſrael were; but the people of England, both by the Lawes of God, and by the Lawes of the Land, are freed from ſuch a ſlaviſh obedience; and therefore both according to the Lawes of God, and the Land, may lawfully deny, and refuſe to ſubmit, becauſe it is an unlawfull impoſition; and where the demand and command is unlawfull, the deniall or refuſall is lawfull.
6. Queſt. How ſhall we know when a King doth tranſgreſſe againſt his Oath, and breake his Covenant, and what is the remedy?
Anſ. A King doth trangreſſe his Oath, and breake his Covenant, when that his demands are beyond the Nationall Law, which by vertue of his Oath, as it is a breach thereof, is oppreſſion; and when a King doth command of, and from the people, ſuch things as are oppoſite unto, and againſt the fundamentall Lawes of the Land; which by vertue of his Oath, as it is a breach thereof, is tyranny: which lawfully begets in the Common-wealth an abſolute deniall and refuſall to ſuch demands and commands, and ſo the peace of the Land is endangered: the onely remedy to preſerve the ſame,11 is for the King to call a Parliament, that is, to ſend out his Writs to the Commons, to chooſe their Knights and Burgeſſes, who by vertue of the Kings Writs, and the Commons voyces for them, are Parliament-men, and as Arbitrators are to decide all differences in Church, State, and Common-wealth; whoſe concluſions and determinations, together with the Kings aſſent, conſent, and ſigning, are binding Lawes both to King and people.
7. Queſt. How farre may or ought a King lawfully to deny to aſſent, conſent, and ſigne their determinations and concluſions?
Anſw. A King as he ſits in the Lords throne may, and as he is intruſted by God over the people ought to deny to aſſent, conſent, and ſigne their determinations, if the ſame ſhall either be diſhonourable to the glory, worſhip, and ſervice of the Lord, or injurious to the good of the Common-wealth, and no further; for it is his office to be as (or more) forward and carefull for both, as any other man, both by the Lawes of God and the Land, as he is the great Miniſter of the greateſt truſt for both, by taking the ſame charge upon him.
8. Queſt. But if a King ſhall deny to conſent, aſſent, and ſigne the Parliaments determinations, although honourable to the Lord, and good and beneficiall to the Common-wealth; then what is the Kings offence, benefit, or danger; and their power, as they are Parliament-men, and ſo the body repreſentative of the Land.
Anſw. If a King ſhall deny to aſſent unto that which is lawfull before God and man, and contend againſt it; and in ſtead of conſenting unto them, to diſſent from them; and in ſtead of ſigning their determinations, to ſeperate himſelfe from them, and make warre againſt and upon them; he doth thereby breake the peace, which as he ſits in the Lords throne of Majeſtie, he ought to keepe, maintaine, and preſerve; and alſo thereby he breakes and wilfully violates his Oath, and Nationall Covenant, by which he enjoyes the Crowne; and ſo is an offender both againſt God and man, by both, for both, he is entruſted betwixt both. Adam did not tranſgreſſe untill he was adviſed by Eve; Gen 3. 6. And the woman12 ſaid, ver. 13. The Serpent beguiled me: becauſe a King doth nothing without adviſe, therefore he cannot tranſgreſſe, but by the evill advice of evill Counſellors, who with Eve are beguiled by that old Serpent the Devill: and ſuch Counſellors was 1 King. 12. 13, 14. Rehoboams young Cavaliers, and ſuch evill Counſellors was Chap. 22. 6. Ahabs foure hundred; Balls Prophets, who were beguiled by the Devill, who ſaid ver. 22. I will be a lying ſpirit in the mouth of all his Prophets: and alſo ſuch adviſers had Pharoah, Gen. 7. 11, 12. Jannes and Jambres, who had the Devils helpe, and by him did that they did in their withſtanding of Moſes: and ſo ſuch are all they that doe adviſe the King againſt the good advice of his grave and wiſe Elders the Parliament. Long agoe theſe Counſellors were branded out and foretold by the Apoſtle Paul, 2 Tim. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. In the laſt dayes, perillous times ſhall come, men ſhall be lovers of their own ſelves, covetous, boaſters, proud, blaſphemers, unholy, without naturall affection, truce breakers, falſe accuſers, fierce, deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, traytors, headdy, high-minded, lovers of pleaſures more then lovers of God, having a forme of godlineſſe (in their mouths) but denying the power thereof (in their hearts) ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; who as Jannes and Jambres withſtood Moſes, ſo doe theſe alſo reſiſt the truth; Men of corrupt minds, reprobates concerning the faith; but they ſhall proceed no farther; for their folly ſhall be manifeſt unto all men, as Jannes and Jambres. By which warre, if the King get the better, theſe wofull adviſers will adviſe him, that then he need not ſubmit to the legall power, according to his Covenant and Oath, but may rule by that unwarranted unlawfull, forbidden, and often puniſhed regall power of his owne will, both in Church, State, and Common-wealth, and ſo have all his Subjects to be his ſlaves; as all tyrannicall13 Kings have that ſo doe: as in prevention, in a foretelling way of ſuch an evill in theſe latter dayes, wiſe propheticall Solomon, as a remedy againſt ſuch an evill, and to make knowne the lawfulneſſe of a violent power againſt ſuch, ſayes in a high and commanding language, Pro. 25. 5. Take away ſuch wicked (Counſellors) from before the King, and his throne (by new and ſtronger Covenants, and better Counſellors) ſhall be eſtabliſhed in righteouſneſſe: verſ. the 4. take away theſe droſſie hearts from the Kings ſilver godly heart, and there ſhall come forth a veſſell for the finer, who is the Lord, to make thereof a veſſell of honour for his own glory, to doe his owne worke: which is Revel. 17. 5. And upon her forehead was written a name, Myſtery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots, and abominations of the earth: this myſtery is ver. 8. The beaſt which thou ſaweſt was to aſcend out of the bottomleſſe pit, and is not, becauſe ſhee ſhall goe into perdition, ver. 9. here is the minde that hath wiſedome (or the minde of Gods intentions, who is the God of wiſdome) the ſeven heads are ſeven mountaines, on which the woman or whore or Antichriſt ſitteth: ver. 12. and the ten hornes which thou ſaweſt, are ten Kings, or Kingdomes: ver. 17. whom God hath ſtirred up or put in their hearts, and as one man to agree; ver. 13. and have one minde; ver. 16. to hate the whore, the Pope of Rome, and Antichriſt of the earth, and ſhall make her deſolate and naked to ſhew her filthineſſe, and ſhall eate her fleſh and burne her with fire, even the fire of Gods wrath, that ſhee may never take roote, to appeare againe, or any more. Chap. 13. 18. Here is wiſdome from heaven, let him that hath (ſpirituall) underſtanding count the number of the Beaſt, or the time of her deſolation, which ſhall be fulfilled in the yeare of Chriſt 1666. (in Chriſt Col. 2. 3. are hid all the treaſures of wiſdome and knowledge) and therefore are revealed to none but ſuch as are in Chriſt, and ſo a myſtery14 to others; for it is the number of a man by computation of mans nature, which is 66. or a Prince, or the prime Prince of the ten Kingdomes, his age ſhall agree with 1666. and make up that number, being added to 1600; for 1600. having 66. added unto it, makes up 1666. Charles the firſt, now King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, his age doth agree to make up and to fulfill this propheſie, who is the King of Englands Lyon, the King of Beaſts; of Scotlands Unicorne, the chiefe ſoveraigne expeller of all poyſon of Popery: and of Irelands Dragon, the chiefe of all poyſoning fierce Serpents: and now have cauſe to be the moſt fierce in this worke, becauſe the whore Antichriſt hath ſucked out Irelands bloud in abundance: theſe three Kingdomes, are three of the ten Kingdomes, and his Majeſtie a treble, or three compriſed lawfull King, is to be the Lord Chriſts chiefeſt inſtrument to the deſtruction of the great whore or Antichriſt the Pope, who unjuſtly uſurpingly, and unlawfully weares the treble Crowne: Now this worke of the Lord to deſtroy Antichriſt, muſt be done by the members of Jeſus Chriſt, which formerly have been of Antichriſt; of whom Peter ſaith in his firſt Epiſtle Chap. 2. ver. 10. In time paſt were not a people, and without mercie (becauſe yee were of Antichriſt) but now are the people of God, and have obtained mercie (becauſe yee have forſaken Antichriſt, and are now the members of Jeſus Chriſt ▪ therefore as now all things ſtand, the Parliament or repreſentative body of the Land, as by the Lords providence are lawfully called by the Kings Writs, thereby laying aſide his regall power, and the Commons voyces, wholly committing all things unto them, have power lawfully, according to Solomons tenent, by (if need require) a violent force, even from before, or out of the Kings preſence, Pro. 25. 5. To take away theſe forenamed evill Counſellors from the King, that15 his throne in righteouſneſſe may be eſtabliſhed unto him: and then as in the 4. ver. the Lords refining worke of ſeperation by a thorow reformation, in taking the Atheiſticall and Papiſticall droſſe from the ſilver members of Ieſus Chriſt, quite out of theſe Dominions: but as Paul ſaith, 2 Theſ. 2. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10. Let no man deceive you by any meanes, for the myſtery of iniquitie doth alreadie worke, onely he who now letteth will let untill he be taken out of the way (who are the Kings evill Counſellors, Papiſts, Atheiſts, traytors, and all ſuch, as is before mentioned, therefore away with them) and then ſhall that wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord ſhall conſume with the ſpirit of his mouth, even him (the Pope Antichriſt) whoſe comming is after the working of Sathan, devilliſh, with all deceivableneſſe of unrighteouſneſſe in them that periſh, for want of the knowledge and love of the truth in Chriſt, that they might be ſaved; and when ſuch wicked ones are taken from his Majeſtie, then as Jethro, Exod. 18. 21, 22. Counſelled Moſes, ſo doe yee his Majeſtie, to provide out of all the people, able men, ſuch as feare God, men of truth, hating covetouſneſſe, making ſuch Rulers and Iudges and State Counſellors, as it is Deut. 16. 18, 19. that thereby both King and people may all as one man, goe on amaine in the Lords refining worke of Reformation in theſe three Kingdomes, by turning out of them all Antichriſtian droſſe, that nothing of it may remaine ever any more to defile the ſilver truths, doctrines, or members of Ieſus Chriſt, who muſt be firſt reformed from errors, and then be informed in the truths of Ieſus Chriſt (for without a true knowledge there can be no good obedient practice) and then the Lords ſecond worke of actuall deſtruction, will goe on the better againſt that Beaſt Antichriſt, to the glory of God in their deſtruction, the Iewes converſion, and Gentiles further information and confirmation.