Reaſons why this Kingdom as all others, and the Parliaments and People of this Kingdom, as all others, &c. ought to adhere to their Kings whether good or bad.
FIrſt becauſe Kings are Elected and called of God in Chriſt before the Foundation of the World, to the Office, Dignity, and Vocation of Kings, to govern his Church, Kingdom and People, while the World endureth. Nor can the wiſdom or Power of Men make, prevent, or alter Kings or Times, as appeareth by the Scriptures enſuing.
Thou ſhalt make him King over thee whom the Lord thy God ſhall chuſe, Deut. 17.15. I will ſend thee a Man out of the Land of Benjamen, him ſhalt thou Annoynt, 1 Sam. 7.16. See, this is the Man of whom I ſpake to thee, he ſhall rule my People, verſ. 17. I will Rent out of the hands of Solomon, and will give ten Tribes to thee, 1 King. 7.31. And Kings ſhall be thy nurcing Fathers, and queens thy Narces. Thou ſhalt know I am the Lord thy God, Eſay 49.23. It was the Ordinance of the Lord that he might performe his ſaying which he had ſpoken to Ahijah the Shunomite, 1 King. 12.15. The name of God be Prayſed for ever and ever, for wiſedom and ſtrength is his, and he changeth the times and ſeaſons he taketh away Kings, he ſetteth up Kings, Dan, 2.20. Heare yee, O Iſles, hearken yee People from far, the Lord hath called me from the Wombe, and made mention of my name from my Mothers belly, Eſay 49.1. He hath choſen me before Saul. According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, 1 Pet. 1.2. He hath choſen us in Chriſt before the Foundation of the World, Epheſ. 1.4. That the purpoſe of God might remain according to Election, Rom. 9.11.
Secondly, Becauſe this Kingdom, as all others, and the power and glory thereof, is the Right and Inheritance of God in chief, as appeareth by the concluſion of the Lords Prayer. And he only giveth the deputation thereof to thoſe whom he hath Elected, and called therunto, and endued with gifts and graces ſuteable to that calling, to rule and govern the ſame; by which gifts they are made and known to be other Men, then any other of any inferiour calling, and ſuch as to whom only God hath imparted and communicated, not onely the Titles and Attributes of his own Prerogative, as thoſe of Kingdom, Power, Might, Majeſty, Honour, glory, &c. which he forbiddeth to be given to any other Creature, and which holy Men and Angels have refuſed to accept or to give to any but Kings, as examples to us to do the like without fear or ſuſpition of Blaſphemy or Idolatry; but alſo the divine efficacy of His own Spirit, Majeſty, and Preſence, That as the Devill is forced to feare and tremble, at the voice and frownes of God; ſo are proud and rebellious men, though faire and ambitious as Abſalom, or wiſe and politique as Achitophell, often aſtonied and confounded with the Speeches and Countenances of Kings. Let the obſerver thereof, that findeth his Reaſon already captivated, conſider the Scriptures enſuing.
The Kingdoms of the World are our Lords and his Chriſts, and he ſhall raign for evermore, Revel. 11.15. He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, verſ. 16. Your God is a God of Gods, and King of Kings, Dan. 2.47. The moſt High beareth Rule over the Kingdom of Men, he giveth it to whom he will, Dan. 4.22. Hath not the Lord Annoynted thee to be Governour of His Inheritance, 1 Sam. 10.1. Then the Spirit of the Lord ſhall come upon thee, and thou ſhalt Prophecie with them and be turned to another Man, 1 Sam. 10.11. Then the ſpirit of God came upon Saul, and they that knew him wondred, ſaying, What is come to the Son of Kiſh•1 Sam. 11.6. & 1 Sam, 10.15. And Saul was afraid of David, becauſe the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul, 1 Sam. 18.12. Then Saul ſaw and underſtood that the Lord was with David, verſ. 28. I have ſaid yee are gods, and yee all are Children of the moſt High, Pſal. 82.6. O King, thou art a King of Kings, for the God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdome, power, ſtrength, and Glory, Dan. 2.37. The moſt high God gave thy Father a Kingdom, and Majeſty, and Honour, and Glory. And for the Majeſty that he gave him, all People, Nations, and Languages trembled, and feared before him; he put to death whom he would, whom he would he ſet up, and whom he would he put down, Dan. 5 27. I Counſell thee, keep the Kings command, and that in reſpect of the Oath of God, Eccleſ. 8.2. Submit, &c. to the King as Supreme, &c. Feare God, Honour the King, 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Not onely for wrath, but alſo for Conſcience ſake. Rom. 13, 5,
Thirdly, Becauſe it is a damnable ſinne, proper to this later and moſt erring age to think, much more to ſpeak, and much more then that to write, and perſwade others to ſpeak and write evill of Kings, or which is worſe, to ſlander them, and worſt of all to rebell, or, but to take defenſive Arms againſt them, though upon apparant force much more upon ſuggeſted feares and preſumptions. Wherefore let him that is ſo full of Reaſons that he thinks it reaſonable, that if he ſhould ſuſpect his Wife when ſhe deſerveth not, he may provoke her to ſin when ſhe would not; conſider what it is to diſtruſt the Kings Juſtice, or rather Gods providence and to provoke both or either to anger. The Scriptures enſuing will partly tell him.
If thou haſt thought evill of the King, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, Prov. 30.32. Thou ſhalt not ſpeak evill of the Ruler of thy People, Acts 23.5. Where the word of a King is there is power, and who may ſay unto him, what doſt thou? Eccleſ. 8.4. Who therefore reſiſteth the power, reſiſteth the Ordinance of God, and they that reſiſt ſhall receive to themſelves damnation. Rom. 13.1.2. But there ſhall be falſe teachers among you, which privily ſhall bring in damnable Hereſies and bring upon themſelves ſwift damnation, and many ſhall follow their deſtructions, &c. 2 Pet. 1.2. Theſe filthy Dreamers deſpiſe Dominion and ſpeak evill of Dignities, Jude 8. They ſhall periſh in the gain-ſaying of Core, verſ. 11. Preſumptuous are they, ſelf-willed, and ſhall utterly periſh in their own corruption, 2 Pet. 2.10.12. My Sonne heare no more the Inſtructions that cauſeth to erre from the words of knowledge, Prov. 19.27. Thou ſhalt not follow a multitude to do evill, neither agree in a controverſie to decline after many to overthrow the truth, Exod. 23.2. The feare of a King is like the roaring of a Lyon. he that provoketh him to anger, ſinneth againſt his own ſoule, Prov. 20.2. My Son, feare the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are ſeditious, Prov. 24.21. As a Coale maketh burning Coales, and wood a fire, ſo the contentious man is apt to kindle ſtrife, Prov. 26.21. When the wicked are increaſed, tranſgreſſion increaſeth, but the Righteous ſhall ſee their fall, Prov. 29.16.
Fourthly, Becauſe the obſervers Reaſons too weake to Jobs, and the Parliaments wiſdom too ſhort of Solomons, and all humane inventions put together, will never ſerve to circumſcribe Kings or to reforme them, otherwiſe then God ſhall be pleaſed by his own providence and our Prayers to direct his Annoynted, of whom he is never careleſſe; nor is it but arrogancy and folly in men (eſpecially Subjects and Servants) to aſſume ſuch wiſedome or power, as to attempt ſuch deſignes, as partly may appeare by the Scriptures enſuing.
The Lord is the ſtrength, he is the ſaving ſtrength of his Annointed, Pſal. 28.8. He is the tower of Salvation for his King, and ſheweth mercy to his Annointed, 2 Sam. 24 51. I will beat down his foes before his Face, and plague them that hate him; his enemies will I cloath with ſhame, but upon himſelfe ſhall his Crown floriſh, Pſal. 89.23. & 132.18. There is no man upon the Earth that can declare the Kings matter, Dan. 2.10. The Heavens height, and the Earth in deepneſſe, and the Kings heart can no man ſearch out, Prov. 25.3. The Kings heart is in the Hands of the Lord as the Rivers of Waters, he turneth is whitherſoever it pleaſeth him, Prov. 21.
The ſecret which the King hath demanded can neither the wiſe, &c. declare to the King, but there is a God in Heaven that revealeth ſecrets and ſheweth the King Nebuchadnezzar what ſhall be in the later daies, Dan. •.27.28. As for me this ſecret is not ſhewed me for my wiſedome that I have more then any other living, but onely to ſhew the King the Interpretation, and that thou mighteſt know the thoughts of thine Heart, verſ. 30.
Hath not God made the wiſedom of this World fooliſhneſſe, 1 Cor. 1.20. I will deſtroy the wiſedome of the wiſe, and will caſt away the underſtanding of the prudent, verſ. 29.
I am counſell and wiſedom, I am underſtanding and I have ſtrength, by me Kings Raign, and Princes decree Juſtice; by me Princes Kule, and all the Nobles, and all the Judges of the Earth, Prov. 8.14.15.16. The unthrifty man and the wicked man walketh with a froward mouth, he maketh a ſigne with his eyes, he ſignifieth with his feet, he inſtructeth with his fingers. Lewd things are in his heart, he imagineth evill at all time, and raiſeth up contentions, Prov. 6.12.13. But my Lord the King is as an Angell of God, 2 Sam. 19.27.
Fifthly, Becauſe to Rebell againſt the King or to deſert him in things good or indifferent, is to renounce God and his Ordinance, Chriſt his Commandements and examples, and the Apoſtles and Martyrs whoſe conqueſt were ſufferings, even the moſt ignominious and cruell deaths, and to become the ſon of Beliall, that is, the Devill, Gods firſt Rebell, with whom Saint Paul asketh what agreement hath Chriſt, &c. and to periſh with ſuch as did ſo. Such were they that ſaid of Saul. How ſhall he ſave us? 1 Sam. 10.26. Such was She•…the ſon of B•chri, that firſt ſaid, Every man to his Tent O Iſrael, 2. Sam. 20.1. Such was Naball the rich foole, of whom his ſervants ſaid, Evill will ſurely come upon our Maſter, 1 Sam. 17.25. Such were they that followed Jeroboam, whom I beleive the obſerver calleth his Iſrael, and his Robbini, whom he will not have called Round-heads; but ſuch David called Thornes, that ſhould be thruſt away, 2 Sam. 24.6. And ſo they proved Thorns to prick one another, every ſuceſſor King for the moſt part thruſting his Prediceſſor from his Throne by treaſon and rebellion, untill God at laſt thruſt them and their People under the Aſſirian captivity, whence they never returned; For God ſaid I will no more have pitty upon the Houſe of Iſrael, but I will utterly take them away, Hoſea 1.6. Hereupon I wiſh ſuch obſerving Iſraelites as put us ſo much and ſo often in mind with the depoſition of King Richard the ſecond, to obſerve and remember alſo, that though Samaria went under the name of Iſrael, after their defection from Roboam, untill their deſtruction in name and liberty under the Aſſirians. It was but a neſt of Hydra's and a ſtage of Rebellions, treaſons, warres, famines, and all kinds of calamities all that while. And ſo, though England was Governed under the name of Plantagenett, after the declenſion from King Richard the ſecond, till the redemption under King Henry the ſeventh; it was but a Labyrinth of Diviſions between the Families of York and Lancaſter all that while, from the like of which miſeries, O Lord ſave thy People and bleſſe thine Inheritance.
Sixthly and laſtly, Becauſe this Kingdome ever did adheare to Kings; And no Parliament (as the obſerver ſaith truely in that point) did ever deſert them, but did confide in them and hold themſelves ſo bound by Gods Commandements and the Fundamentall Laws of England, as appeareth by the few collections enſuing.
The King is a mixt Perſon, becauſe he hath both Eccleſiaſticall and Temporall Juriſdiction, Sir Edward Cook. lib. de Jure Regis Eccleſiaſtico, fol. 28. relating to 10. H. 7. 18.
By an Act of Parliament made 24. H. 8. It is declared, That whereas by divers old and authentick Hiſtories and Chronicles, It was manifeſtly declared and expreſſed, that the Realm of England is an Empire and ſo hath been accepted in the World, Governed by one ſupreame head and King, having the dignity and Royall eſtate of the Imperiall Crown of the ſame; unto whom a body po•••ique, compact of all ſorts and degrees of People, divided in tearmes and by names of Spirituality and Temporality, been bound and ought to bear next to God a naturall and humble obedience; he being alſo inſtitute and furniſhed by the goodneſſe and furtherance of Almighty God with plenary, whole, and entire power, preheminence, authority, prerogative and Juriſdiction, to render and yeeld Juſtice and finall determination to all manner of folks reſiant within this Realme, in all cauſes, matters, debates, and contentions. See the Statute at large.
The King who is the Vicar of the higheſt King, is ordained to this end, that he ſhould govern and rule the Kingdom and People of the Land, and above all things, the holy Church, and defend the ſame from wrong-doers, and root out workers of miſchiefe. See King Edward the Confeſſor his Laws before the Conqueſt, c. 19.
The perſwading or withdrawing the Subjects obedience from the King, is Treaſon by Common-Law without controverſie, ſaith Sir Edward Cook in his ſaid Book, de Jur. Reg. Eccleſiaſtico. fol. 38. a.
It appears by the ancient Common-Laws of this Realme, by the reſolution and Judgement of the Judges and Sages of the Laws of England as by authority of many Acts of Parliaments ancient, and of later times, that the King is the onely ſupream governer, as well over Eccleſiaſticall Perſons and in Eccleſiaſtical cauſes as Temporall within this Realm To the keeping of which Laws both the King and the Subjects are ſworn. Sir Edward Cook in the ſame Book, fol. 40. b.
The queens power within her Realms and Dominions, is the higheſt power under God, to whom all men in the ſame Realm and Dominions owe moſt Loyalty and Obedience afore and above all Potentates in Earth. See queen Elizabeths Injunctions to her Clergy and Layitie Land Statute made the firſt of her Raign to that effect.
If any man imagine the death of the King Prince, Princeſſe or any heare apparant to the Crown, or kill the Kings Meſſenger in his Meſſage or any one that rideth with men to ayd the King or if any man affirme by writing, or other Act, that the King is not ſupream head of the Church of England, or if any imagine to deprive the King of his eſtate Royall or of the Titles of his Realme. It is high Treaſon. Robert Brook Serjeant at Law and Recorder of London, in his Reading upon Magna Charta. c. 17. ſee his Book in Print, fol. 1.
If any keep War againſt the King in his Realm, is high Treaſon by Statude, 25. Edw, 2. Let us hear the end of all, Fear God, for this is the whole duty of man. Eccl. 12.13. Collected by I.I. a faithful Subject to his King and welwiſher to his Parliament, to the uſe of all true Proteſtants.